either Pliny tels us Nat. Hist that the Eagle knowes her young ones by their eyes their perspicacy and unlesse they can outface the Sun that she rejects them as a Bastard brood but I must tell you God knowes his children by their hands their liberality and will own no withered Jeroboams God requires no costly sacrifice as of the Jews Pauper est Altare Dei the calves of our lips Oblations of our hearts and hands is all He looks for and therefore to do good and to distribute or communicate forget not Heb. 13.16 Heb. 6.10 for c. Hebr. 13.16 And God will not forget c. Sola misericordia comes defunctorum Mercy is the sole companion of the dead and God hath given men wealth non tanquam Dominis sed Dispensatoribus not as unto Treasurers Enthymius but as to Stewards Imitate then the wise one in the Gospel Luke 16. For to every one shortly shall bee said Redde rationem Give an account of thy Stewardship And believe it none shall make a more comfortable reckoning at the Day of Judgement then the charitable man if you will believe the Judge Himselfe Matth. 25.35 Matth. 25. who there takes notice onely of such Actions as Feeding Clothing Visiting Ministring and those He sets upon his own Account Mihi fecistis Ye have done it unto me and therefore Himselfe rewards it with a Venite Benedicti Come yee Blessed c. And who thus practise the Communion of Saints here need no whit doubt his Eternall fellowship with them hereafter POEM 40. PArticular Accounts you have had hither Now take the Totall of All Saints together And that 's Communion Union with the Head And all the Members mutually shed Both the Saints Militant and Those above All knit together with the Bond of Love So that strong Sympathies thence rise in All So far as suits Each State reciprocall Yet not as though we Prayers might addresse To our Related Saints in Blessednesse Or as their joyes had leisure to look down On our poor Accidents of Smile or Frown But that in Generall both joyntly Pray Stil for the Churches Consummation Day The Number of th' Elect might be suppli'd And All together shortly Glorifi'd Thus Earth's Hosannah onely not so long And Heavens Halleluiah's the same song Thus Love 's the Cement of the World the Chain Links Heaven to Earth and Earth to Heaven again Where Strife is Hel's begun but where This Love There 's Heaven i th' bud below full blown above No Article of Faith Cures more complaints Then This Communion of All Blessed Saints The COLLECT The Epistle Revel 7. v. 1. to 10. The Gospel Matth. 5. v. 1. to 13. Almighty God which hast knit together thy Elect in one communion and fellowship in the mysticall Body of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord grant us grace so to follow thy holy Saints in all vertuous and godly living that we may come to those unspeakable joyes which thou hast prepared for them that unfainedly love thee through Jesus Christ c. Vpon The four Ember weeks at the four seasons of the year The ARGUMMNT OF all the solemn Fasts as Lent holds the first so these the second place times of Dovotion anciently observed at the four seasons of the year viz. the first being Wednesday Friday and Saturday after Saint Lucys Day Decemb. 13. the second being those dayes aforesaid after the first Sunday in Lent the third being the said days next following Pentecost Which are the Ember weeks the fourth the same days next after that called Holy Crosse Sept. 14. and they were then observed among other chiefly for these * Leo de Jejunio decim Mensis S. 4. Hierom in Zach. 8. And why then observed Reasons 1. That Christians might not come short of the Jews Devotion but improve the same opportunities to better ends that so consecrating the first Fruits of each season unto God the Remainder of the year might all be Holy 2. That such Devout abstinence might at once chastise the exorbitancies of the ending Quarter and caution That beginning 3. That the Devotions of them might both Apprecate the Almighties Blessing to the Fruits of the Earth then either sown sprung up Ripening or gathered and deprecate the dangers and distempers commonly most incident to those Seasons Lastly with ferventest devotion to Assist the Churches sacred Ordinations which were of old Solemnized the next Lords day following Each of These and which ought as by CHRIST and his Apostles so ever by their successours to bee performed with Prayer and Fasting Luke 6. ver 12. Acts 1. verse 24. and ch 13.3 POEM 42. WHo strictly Primitive Devotion seeks Must Rake out of Times Ashes Emberweeks And blow them too into an holy Flame Of Prayer and Fasting sinfull Lusts to tame Next to the soul Feast Lent these Fasts of old The Church did every Quarter solemn hold That Christians zealous might as Jews appear And Consecrate Each season of the year For if first Fruits grow ripe in Piety Of Things or Times the rest will holy be Then let our Janus zeal at once lament The Sins forepast the following prevent The First in Advent First sacred Abstinence makes Preparation To entertain the Author of Salvation Cleansing the Stable garnishing the Heart That he may There reside and never part Such vessels as are full can hold no more The Rich go empty while Christ Feasts the poor This true Mortification vices kils And 't is the the Hungry soul our Saviour fils The second in Lent And now conformity to Christ bids Fast And Pray for he did both and more did taste That bitter cup of Divine wrath for us Shall we do nothing when He suffred thus Fasting and Prayer was ever prescrib'd good Before a Medicine and such Christs blood Whom Satan tempting had so foyld a Pull That where he tempts one Fasting Thousands full The third after Pentecost Now doth Religious Abstinence attend That Sacred Spirit which did of late descend On the Apostles and them all inspire Requiting Holy zeal with heavenly fire Those then that Blessings from above expect Must not these Duties in their times neglect But if they look for the descending Dove Must wait with Prayer and Fasting Faith and Love The fourth Sept. 14. And now our Crops are Ripe we going to Reap Hath God no Harvest no part of our Heap That gave it all shall he fill every place And our Hearts only empty be of Grace No Prayer and Fasting now wil quench excesse Both sin and sicknesse of the time suppresse Let these Devotions then bring up the Reare And mak 't an holy and an happy year The Churches last and not the least good sense Was this being sacred Orders to dispense On the Lords day succeeding each of these Sought God by Prayer and Fasting to appease That so by joynt Devotion might be gain'd Choice Blessings on her work and those ordein'd That thence the outward ecchoing inward call
a sowre look a meer Phantasm an appearing unto men to Fast The fifth is the Gluttons Fast whose stomack doth but Arietare play the fighting Ram i. e. goes a little backward as part of a meal or so to return with the stronger Appetite The last and best is the Fast of Vertue and Religion which besides habitual temperance is the bodi 's parsimonious fare for spiritual advantage and this goes still accompanied with prayer in Scripture Neh. 14. Act. 13.3 Matth. 17.21 Nehemiah Fasted and Prayed before the Lord so Anna so the Disciples I these two together cast out the worst Devil that is This is that acceptable Fast by which God wooes his people so Convertimini in Jejunio to which they should answer with David We have humbled our souls with Fasting Psal 96. and then as Saint Austin saith they would compleat each other Augustin Cirel Hierome Chrysolog Jejunium orationem corroborat oratio Jejunium sanctificat Fasting corroborateth prayer while prayer bettereth and sanctifieth our Fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hippocrates his Aphorism is true on both sides Diseases for the most part both of Soul and Body owe their Original to fulness and redundant humours And indeed where Satan tempteth one Fasting he tempts 1000 full Prov. 30.9 Lest I be full and deny thee Prov. 30.9 and say Who is the Lord And many are the Elogies of such a Fast t is the August i. e. the harvest of the Soul the tithe of our time an unbloudy Martyrdom such a Fast saith Cyril is a greater Sacrifice then that of Abraham for that was to be done upon anothers Body saith he but this upon our own Scutum contra adversarium saith another t is the best Shield to quench the fiery darts of the Devil Fundamentum virtutum the foundation of all other vertues an Oar a Spur a wing to goodness as Chrysologus notes of the Prodigal his Fame pereo brings him to his ibo ad Patem his hunger makes him resolve of penitence and diligence I will arise and go c. But lest while I treat of abstinence I glut your patience I here injoyn my Quill forbearance POEM 13. LEnt signifies the spring and that of Grace Where Pray'r and Fasting keep their ancient place Which in a treble aspect sometime stood To God our own and to the Common good Gods honour below principlly stands In our obeysance to divine commands Which oft wooe Fasting with contrition joyn'd Whereof his Church this season hath design'd That all in Penitent dejection throw Their Souls and Bodies at his Footstool low That Ioels day our sins here so lament As may that last and blacker day prevent That in Iobs ashes and our dust abhorr'd We may once find Acceptance of the Lord Not as if these could satisfaction make Or our unprofitable service take So far with God as his least grain to merit By whose sole Promise we all good inherit But to demonstrate who Commands doth Prize Obedience herein before Sacrifice And as Lent upward so too downward looks This solemn Fast sends Christians to their Books As other Trades and at least once a year Bids them cast up Accounts and their state clear And if they thrive in Grace makes them improve Hence more and more in Gratitude and Love Or if they find decay and debts increase Warns them Compound with God now make their Peace By Prayer and Fasts Mourn but their own stock lost And with red Inke Christ all their debts hath cro'st Serpents your Fasting spittle kils they say And in the figure true it sins doth slay T is your Fed-horses neigh and are unclean And when Iews Feast with Quailes their soul 's most lean Fewel substract ill fires will out again Satan shall blow his Bellows but in vain Whose Piety's their Food have Angels fare Who Fast and sin as fast right Devils are And as it makes for soul's so bodie 's health A Friend both to the Church and Commonwealth The best Phylacticon ' gainst each disease Most spring from fulness saith Hippocrates And this blest Abstinence may best be born Now when the Sun cheers us with his return And now most opportunely we give way For Creatures to recruite their long decay Now then to spare earths teeming generation Prevents unnatural Depopulation And Cheers the Seas industrious patient Trade Whose strange varieties not vainly made Else while one Element suffers vastation T'other may multiply to In-undation Thus Souls States Bodies treble detriment Sustain that slight this threefold good of Lent The COLLECT-PRAYER being that for the first Sunday in Lent The Epistle 2 Cor. 6.1 to 11. The Gospel Math. 4.1 to 12. O Lord which for our sakes didst fast fourty days and fourty nights give us grace to use such abstinence that our flesh being subdued to the Spirit we may ever obey thy Godly motions in righteousness and true holiness to thy honour and glory which liveth and reignest c. Christ praying in the Garden Matt 20 Mar 14 Luc 22 * Ioan 18 * 41. And hee gate him selfe from them about a stones Cast and Kneeled downe and prayed 42. Saying Father if thou wilt take away this cupp from mee etc. 43. And there appeared an Angell unto him from heauen comforting him 45. And hee rose upp from prayer and came to his disciples and found them sleeping for heauines Here the Plate Vpon Palm-Sunday being that next before Easter DISQUISITION 11. THis day for some considerations beareth away the Palm from all the rest as beginning the Hebdonioda magna Sancta poenosae as antiquity calleth it the great the holy and the painful week the great as being that indeed wherein were the most various scoenes and greatest Interchanges of our Saviours life and death the holy as that wherein our meditations should be such in conformity to Christ by the apprehensions of our sins and his sufferings and the painful as that wherein was more then personated the last act of our blessed Saviours Tragedy on the Cross for the Mortification of our Sins and yet the great week beyond all this again for the happy Catastrophe of his Resurrection both for our Souls and Bodies Justification Rom. 4.2 Rom. 4. And first this day openeth a pleasing scaene presenting us our blessed Lord riding in triumph to Jerusalem and that in some measure of befitting equipage suiting at least the Prophesies if not his Majesty Zech. 9. yet with general Acclamations of Rex Israel Zech. 9.9 and gloria in excelsis round about him Behold thy King cometh the King of Israel and glory in the highest cheerfully and with a double Hosanna acknowledging his Godhead and Humanity and the dignity of both where I shall contract your speculations unto Christs Actions herein and theirs the Jewes Saint Mat. registereth the History at large chap. 21. where at the second verse Matth. 21. vers 2. Christ sends two of his Disciples for the Ass and the Colt In the very circumstances of
Whence springs a Grain which gather'd as it ripes Wil nourish Souls and heal them by those stripes Some trouble their own Heads to torture His For which a double Engine studied is A Crown his Kingly Office to delude And Thorns his sacred Temples to intrude Strange Coronation is' t not in mean while Where Briers are the Crown and Bloud the Oyle Thorns too that grew in our own Sluggards Field Yet planted There will us Grapes one day yeeld Others to answer such a Crown command A Reeden Scepter into that Right-hand Which made and could null all things with like speed But that He will not break the bruised Reed On still proceeds unsatiable Scorn Which woundeth more then either Scourge or Thorn They next a Mocking Purple him cast o're Fit Emblem of their Guilt and his Loves store Which like a Royall Robe Christ will cast over His naked Servants and all their sins cover Thus sadly dight He 's brought to publick view As Anthony did mangled Caesar shew Pilate presents him with Behold the Man Whether in scorn or pitty do you scan But what e're he did let us sympathize By and for whom all this Yet wipe your eyes A while once more Behold the man again Lest of this Spectacle you lose the main See willing Isaac beare his Funerall Pile That must requite him in a little while Loyall Vriah see here going on With th' Instruments of his destruction Such is the Burden to Christs shoulders ty'd That He 's with Sin Load Crosse thrice crucify'd Making good that ill-cry once Jews doubled And Christians by their sins have Ecchoed Thus panting swouning up a tyresome Hill Not out of Love but out of Hast to kil Another's forc'd to help but happy he O Christ that freely bears the Crosse for Thee Being come to Calvary that fatall Mount Where Adam was interr'd as some recount And Isaac t' have been sacrificed there His Crosse and Him together up they rear Fixing an envy'd Inscript that belongs To Him and at once consecrates three Tongues Hard-hearted Nails that Bore each Hand and Foot But what Chide you Alas you 're driven to 't Ah flinty Jew that yet remorslesse stands But why rate you our sins help'd arm your Hands Yet thus much good was done Thereby at last Sin Death and Hell's Hand-writings all naild fast They Checquey Taunts and Tortures He doth call Eli and they with Ignorance do all Conclude he Courts Elias to come help Sure that 's the Syre of Blind Devotions whelp How well confutes he their Contrary Brave Sav'd not Himself that he might others save He 's numbred with Transgressors yet one Thiefe Steals Heaven at the last by true Beliefe A good way ne're to be of Life bereft Is All to become conscious of such Theft Hence Christs dear Mother and Disciple He Bequeathes as a Rich mutuall Legacy And then that nought without a Prophesie Might happen to him by a Lottery They share his Garments and his Seamlesse Coat That figured his Church the Souldiers got Whose pristine Glory 't was Her to defend And for her Patrimony not so contend Thus was the Healing Serpent lifted up Who to our Health drank off this Bitter cup Bitter indeed as Gall and Vineger Which as last cordiall Jews administer In spight of custome which had wont propine To dying men some Draught of cheering wine As he did unawares that pierc'd Christs side To us broach'd a full vessell on t whose Tide Shall know no Ebb from whence two Fountains ran That glads in Life and Death the heart of man With which He takes his leave bowing the Head To kisse his Spouse saying then 'T is finished The Story 's finish'd too his outward woe But th' Inward to expresse what shall we doe Those sufferings though Methodicall to sense Nothing to these of his Intelligence The apprehensions of his Fathers wrath A Terra incognita no limits hath His Body's pain was but the corps of woe That of the Soule must for the Soule out-goe All those were Feathers to this heavy Load Which crusht out that strong cry My God! My God! Well then with the Greek Church may we pray thus By th' unknown sufferings Lord deliver us These may be guess'd by those strange Sympathies That then appeared both in Earth and Skies The Rocks did rend Tut'ring hard Hearts to mourn When Seas of Bloud this chiefe Rock did or'eturn The Graves did open either to present Each of themselves his willing Tenement Or else to Bury quick those murderous Jews Who so inhumanly their King did use The rending of the Temples veil in sunder Was both a Mysticall and Literall wonder The Earth shook with an Ague quak'd for fear Such cursed Burdens as the Jews to bear And Heaven hath view'd so long their cruelties 'T will look no more nor longer lend them Eyes Both Sun of Light and Glory at once Set And to the world a double Night beget Which so unnat'rall an Eclips did make Ner'e read nor reason'd for in Almanake The world 's in Black all things in sable weed Fit Servants mourn when as their Lord is dead These Prodigies made one o' th worlds wise men Say Nature or her Maker suffer'd then Nay clear Confession then extorted is From very Jews The Son of God was This This the worlds Altar then The Sacrifice For All unlesse through their own Nullities This kind of Death fell Scythians lent the Jewes Which they too once only for Slaves did use And Suidas saith a Crosse was set o' th Grave Of such as chanc'd some Fatall End to have And Cicero himselfe 's here at a losse Quid dicam being all he can say o' th Crosse Which of all Death 's the Scripture proves the worst If not for shame or pain yet ' cause accurst But as our Misery grew on a Tree So doth our fruitfull Comfort too we see Our bitter waters sweetned by this Wood Right Lignum vitae for all Nations good Then let 's not only with his Kin deplore But with good Joseph treasure up in store His Body Embalmd with Grace our Heart 's a stone And therefore me thinks fit to make his Tomb. And being there Buried let Faith set a Seale And Prayer watch that Him Thence nothing steale The COLLECT PRAYERS The Epistle Heb. 10. from verse 1. to 16. The Gospel John 18. v. 1. to the end of Chapter 19. ALmighty God we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy Family for which our Lord Jesus Christ was content to be betrayed and given up into the hands of wicked men to suffer death upon the Crosse who liveth and reigneth c. ALmighty and Everlasting God by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church is governed and sanctified receive our Supplications and Prayers which we offer before thee for all estates of men in thy holy Congregation that every Member of the same in his Vocation and Ministery may truly and Godly serve-thee through our Lord Jesus Christ who liveth and
knowledge of salvation to them that sit in darknesse and the shadow of death and too of good example to shine before men that they seeing our good works Why in fire may glorifie c. So that this holy Fire commendeth each of the Apostles to the world as Christ did Saint John Baptist both for a Burning and a shining Lamp and indeed He that hath knowledge or charity without zeale is but too like the Glow-worm hee hath some cold splendour without heat or efficacy whereas who so hath zeal without the rest as now a days too many such blind metled Horses They are so far like Hell fire that they burn and give no light but in whose brest soever they are united such are baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire Again Fire is a bright Hieroglyphick of Grace I those Septem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the seven chiefe Donatives of the Holy Spirit are not frigidly demonstrated by Fire grace 1 as first Purgat Fire you know purifieth the Gold from drosse so doth the Spirit by the gift of Love purge out the old Leaven of Malice and Hypocrisie turning all Injuries into a Golden Patience grace 2 2. Liquefacit Fire melteth most obdurate Mettals and mouldeth them into any Figurations The seven Graces of the Holy Spirit So doth the Spirit by the Gift of Poenitence dissolve our steely Hearts conforming them to Christ and the best Patterns making them flow through our eyes like a Coelestiall Spring grace 3 3. Consolidat Fire constipateth and hardneth the clay so that no Rain or storm can injure it and so doth the Spirit by the gift of Patience confirme and fortifie us against all Afflictions grace 4 4. Decorat Fire maketh new and burnisheth the Mines So doth the Spirit by the gift of Knowledge Adorn and Beautifie the Minds of men grace 5 5. Elevat Fire carrieth up vapours and things of lighter Nature with its ascending motion So doth the Spirit by the Gift of Faith raise our Desires and sublimate our Indeavours towards Heaven grace 6 6. Illuminat Fire imparteth light to all that are about it and so doth the Spirit by the Gift of Wisdome enlighten the Understanding and direct the Practice grace 7 Lastly Dulcorat Fire you know sweetneth and preserveth things from corruption So also doth the Spirit by the Gift of Prudent Innocence sweeten our whole life into a continuail Feast and keepeth Soules intire from spirituall Putrefaction In a word our great God himselfe is a Fire saith Scripture to the wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 4. which Saint Paul translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 4.2.24 Heb. 12.29 Hebr. 12. i. e. an eating fire to Sodome and Gomorrha Nadab and Abihu to such Stubble a Consuming Fire but to the Faithfull to the Poenitent as here Ignis illuminans a Light unto their Feet and a Lanthorn to their Pathes to guide their steps into the way of Peace Peace temporall spirituall and Eternal And now the Question of this Fire is extinguished admit here a few words of Tongues that 's the second Why in Tongues the Holy Ghost was pleased formerly to Appear in the milde Emblem of a Dove viz. when he flew down on him who was as void of Guile as that same bird of gall but now pointing out the effect by the externall cause hee speaks his presence in the forme of Tongues But as before of Fire so neither must we here imagine reall Tongues but their Similitude non carneae linguae saith my Author these were no fleshy tongues Gorran in locum no those had been too grosse incongruous Representatives of the subtilest spirit these were of a rarer substance suppose of purest air condens'd into this shape and lightned from above so that as before the Spirit descended Sicus Columba Matth. 3. but in the likenesse of a Dove so here no more then tanquam linguae only in the similitude of tongues Why in Tongues and in them specially ut qui Intellectui Lucem Ardorem Affectui Ori verbum ministraret in Tongues above all Figures that he who had given light to their intellectuals and fervency to their affections might now also add a voice and expressive faculties to the tongue without which all abilities are but like the talent in the napkin the napkin hid in the earth Jewels lock'd up in a Cabinet whose key is lost Act. 24. Elocution being the Oratours primum secundum tertium expression the ornament of all here is therefore opened to them a dore of utterance Caeperunt loqui variis linguis Act. 2. They spake with divers tongues as c. these tongues then betokened the Gift of languages wherby they were inabled to perform that great taske Christ had set them Mat. 8.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 go forth and teach c. See God never giveth a burden but withall strength to bear it if he will have them teach He wil furnish them with Tongues else the Apostles themselves you see were not to go from Jerusalem and preach till they had received the Tongues yet how many in this daring Age praecipitate into the holy Function before any Receipt of the Holy Ghost in Tongues of as many languages as their Mother without ever waiting as the Apostles here or perhaps scarce once seeing the place where they are bestowed an Vniversity But on the other side no sooner have the Apostles here received the Gift but like good Stewards forthwith they imploy it Men ought to make a timely use of their endowments stil moving in the proper Sphere of their vocation And what have They to answer for that have received this Gift of Tongues and yet are dumb Psalm 39. I mean not that inforced silence which now many a David keepeth not without pain and griefe for it which Sin shall light on its Imposers but for voluntary Mutes I am sure Isai 56.10 the Prophet gives them but a biting Character Isai 56. and Saint Bernard as seriously as wittily on that 12th of Matth. ver 36. Of every idle word c. Etiam otiofi silentii reddenda Ratio Bernard in Mat. 12.36 as of idle words so of every idle silence saith he must an account be given here they immediately began to speak with tongues as c. Streight the whole multitude of strangers Parthians Medes and Elamites Romanes Jewes Mesopotamians Syrenians Cretes and Arabians all in a generall wonder acknowledge them speaking in their own tongues 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magnalia Dei the Wonderfull things of God And it may passe for one of those Magnalia the sudden Rise and strange Growth of the Church immediately there upon how from that Embrio In Jury is God known it commenced as it were per Saltum into a full stature by Proselytes of all Nations and daily numberlesse Additions This brighter Moon doth wax may she know no wayne These Tongues speak the converlion of the Nations but still increase til she
But now from growing Evils mounted high Change but the Soule her Seat from Ear to th' Eye This bright Starre still doth Lead wise men to Christ Through this dark Bochim and Aegyptian Myst Nay here what himself doth in Heav'n behold Ev'n Blessed Visions doth his Book unfold In Eximium Pijssimumque Richardum Holdsworth S. T. P. Theologum Flexanimum HIc Celebri Fato Pollenti Claruit ortu Holdsworth Flos vatum Cujus Doctrina stupori Non minus Emicuit Totus fuit ere voluptas Et populo plaudente Favus Cant'brigia Gemmam Perdit Eximiam Londini Ecclesia stellam Fulgentem amisit vigilans Quemcunque Priorum Inspice Praelatum meritò Canit Hippo sagacem Urbs Constantini Commendat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Auri Pagina Scriptores Loquitur Romana Solennes Sed nec Pinetum Corili nec sidera solem Aequant Annales Latios Graiósque revolve Prisca Parem ignorans aequalem postera nullum Ex hibitura Dies vates super Eminet omnes Solus Praeteritis melior majorque futuris Vpon the Pious and Learned Doctor Holdsworth THis Church as Isle's a Ring Holdsworth the Gemme Too bright for Earth now decks Heaven's Diadem We mourn our Losse He joyes in his Remove From Envious Men unto the God of Love Whose Learned Pious high and steady Soule No Gainfull Transmutations could controule Nor Hopes nor Feares Prisons nor Liberty Could move from Orthodoxall verity Nor Storms nor Calms could warp him the same Lives And like well season'd Timber never Gives Right owner of his Name which Sweet shall last And Holds ' worth still in Spight of Envy's Blast His Latter Prophesies then Left behind O may we Reall and successefull find Vpon the Early and neere Contemporary Death of Divers learned and Pious Divines viz. Doctor Featly Doctor Somes Master Browning Master Symons Master Haynes Master Chestlin Eminent all for Pen and Pulpit VVHat now most need Leave your poor Mother so To that Complaint of Jacob in his woe Joseph is not and Simeon is gone And must Death too our Benjamin Seise on These Prudent Watchmen equall Dangers saw With that Grave Guide o' th Church of Affrica Who when the Gothes and Vandalls enter'd There Took him to Christian Weapons Teares and Prayer Importuning Th' Almighty to Remove Or Them in Judgement or Himself in Love A Suite which his Great Master not deny'd For Austin soone in Besieg'd Hippo dy'd As much for These fure did their Prayers effect When all mens Church-Indeavours found neglect Early Transplanted from this Scaene of Wees Where spight of Virtue Crimson sinne so Growes Heaven was their Center while the Earth whirld Round While Classick Synods reel'd These stood their Ground These when the Church Like a Bestormed Barque Where Winds and Seas wage Warre and Skies grow Dark Like stoutest Marriners Expos'd Themselves To save the Vessell from the Wracking Shelves And Thereby soonest wash'd off with fierce Waves Were snatch'd away from us with hasty Graves Yet herein happy Fates did them betide That They for Presse or Pulpit harness'd Dy'd And though we mourn their worth when heard or Read Bless'd Spirits that have Them smile to see Them dead Or rather living in their better Parts Above in Soules below in Divine Arts. These were a Bunch of Canaans Grapes as 't were Which to make Wine for Angels God press'd here Who puls away such Pillars when he meanes The Fabrick should to Ruinous Extreams Yet that it might not alwayes so remaine There Ink's a Cement t'aedifie't againe God plucks such Stakes out of the Churches Hedge When He 'l set Sacrilegious Teeth on Edge Yet drunk with that Vine Lest to Hell they reele These both Disease and Med'cine did reveale God calls Home such skil'd Pilots from the Helme When He will Sin-fraught Vessels overwhelme Yet lest a totall wrack should us befall These fram'd and left a Card to Steere with all And who sayles by their Compasse cannot misse Mangre all Stormes and Rocks the Port of Blisse Vpon the prudent Dove and Vindicatresse of Stepmothers Mothers in Law justly half-hang'd by Fame Are now repriev'd by this Indulgent Dame Richer in Love to an Adopted Graft Then others to their Native usuall Craft Here turn'd to Sweetnesse Bits in stead of Blowes And for Neglect Good Breeding she bestowes Some talke of Memphis some of Jasons Fleece Perfumes some think none to their Amber Greece Awedge of Gold some boast a fine new Fashion Raiseth in others a strange Admiration Kindnesse Nam'd Thee more then the Law a Mother Earth ' mongst her Wonders shewes not such another A Consolatory to the Deprived of their Dearest Mate who thus bespeaketh the Relict THough a Right Turtle to thy Living Mate Yet now being Sour'd thou mayst not imitate In her incessant moanes that mournfull Dove Which thou exceedest in a Spotlesse Love If Nature claime her Tribute yet let Grace Christen thy Teares and Re-possesse her Place That Grief not Love but Envy doth expresse Which floweth from a Dear Friends Happinesse Who now is sfe from Griefe and Warres Above the Reach of Earthly Jarres By Christ sequestred happily From Sorrow Sinne and Misery Admitted through his precious Bloud To those Joyes here not understood Speed on thy Pious Race and then We nere to part shall meet againe Mean-time beare Christianly thy Cross And let not my Gaine seem thy Losse Fie-Lavish Eyes Dear drown not thine ' Cause God hath wip'd all Tears from mine That God ô high Advance for thee Himself might now thy Consort be Then all th' Affections born the Dead Be on the Living Off-spring shed In Oculos Catarrho labo rantes PLurima Lascivos intrant dum Crimina Ocellos Guttula nec madidis Exeat ulla Genis Efficit id morbus virtus quod debuit una Lumina defluxu bina madere gravi Culpae digna Lues Qui non peccata dolerent Lumina Diffluerent absque Liquore Sacro O tristes oculi vitreos Sic perdere humores Fletus Aeterni Flendo Notare Locum Foelices Oculi maculas si spoute dolendo Praevenerant Animae Corporis atque Cladi Morbus adhuc Foelix magis hic Medicina vocandus St Magdalenae fit liquor iste pius Tunc ad Supremi ac Animae Sponsalia Regis In soles oculi in vina revertet Aquae The Epigram upon sore Eyes thus rendred VVHile wanton Eyes Sinnes daily entertaine And no repentant Teares flow Thence againe A Disease doth what Vertue should effect Melts them into a dolefull Cataract And a just Scourge those Eyes that mourne not Guilt Their Teares should thus in Vaine and Pain be spilt Unhappy Eyes to lose such pearly Dews Which forc'd the Place of weeping but foreshews But happy those which freely Sinnes lament And so both Soules and Bodyes Ill prevent Yet Happier this Disease this Remedy If Maudlins cleansing Bath it prove to be Then at the Nuptials of the Soule 's Bride-groome Those Eyes shall Sunnes that Water Wine become Melvinus Poeta Scoticus De Altaris Cultu