man of fervent Prayer Humiltiy Reverence miraculous Patience and forgiveness all evidenced in his Christian Deportment First his Faith through his eye S. Stephen stedfastly looking up into heaven there saw blessed visions even before his death while here on earth saw Christ standing at the right hand of God Mark that posture of encouragement our Creed Article telleth us of Christ sitting at the right hand of God but our St. Stephen here sees him standing i. in a readinesse of assistance defence And if Christ thus stand with his suffering servants who shall withstand their happiness but that as the sufferings of Christ abound in us even so also shall our consolation abound through him 2 Cor. 1. Prayer is all his shield v. 59. Calling upon God He who is invited to the Fountaine needs not go to the streams nor using Lord alone a name of power but through Justice not of willingness and therefore adding Jesus Dulce salvatore nomen the saving name of Mercy The good Angels and blossed Saints in Heaven are willing but not able uncharitable men on Earth neither of them Onely Christ is both and therefore invocated here Able because Lord willing because Jesus Quem in coelis quem in terris Psal 73. Whom then have I in Heaven c. His Charity 's extensive yet wisely begins at home would all men would do so for spirituall charity He takes care to recommend his soul to the right owner Col. 3. Lord Jesu take thine own into thine own custody Souls then survive the bodies in spite of Atheists who think but what they wish and are immediatly determined in their state of Bliss or Misery in spite of other Hereticks St. Stephen here quite contrary to most is all for his soul and nothing for the body For alas Quid proderit mundus Matth. 16.26 as our blessed Lord saith Matth. 16. c. the soul being of more price then all were there as many worlds as Empedocles and Democritus imagined * Laertius in vita Democriti i. Thousands Save This and save all and so the contrary according to that Dutch Proverb one of the wholsomest things I ever heard of from them Goods lost nothing lost Credit lost much lost Soul lost all lost Next unto Faith in God he adjoyneth Love to Men the best evidence in Foro exteriori without which all the rest had been but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a tinkling 1 Cor. 13.3 not a well-tuned Cymball But He a true Disciple of his great good Master Luke 23.34 Qui pendebat tamen petebat as Augustine sweetly who as he hung upon the Cross prayed Ignosce pater c. So this holy Saint forgives his enemies that is more then to give he that gives doth it Desuo of his goods but who so forgives gives De se something of himself yet more he prayes for them though enemies mortall enemies and in hot blood when he scarce had any time to think of his friends Lord lay nt c. more sorry for them Serm. 5. de Stepha then for his own ruine saith St. Augustine because eternall death followed their impiety but his Death eternall life And was not this the Apex the Height of Charity And 't is remarkable that he kneeled down when he prayed for his enemies that stood when for himselfe shewing the greatnesse of their sin that could not easily be forgiven and therefore the earnestnesse of his Piety Qui plus illorum dolebat peccata quam sua vulnera Cajetan in locum that did more lament their Sins then his own wounds Magnus clamor magnus amor his lowd voyce shewed his great affection and his kneeling down his reverend gesture in devotion the God of both parts challengeth both Exteriores actus demonstrent interiores affectus Dan. 6.10 Acts 9.40 cap. 26.36 Luke 22.41 In praying either stand as a servant before his master or kneel as a subject to his Prince Daniel prayed kneeling so St. Peter so St. Paul so Christ himself And the Centurists acknowledge this gesture the most ancient and most usefull in all sacred solemnities in all Ages among Christian Congregations Magdeburgenses centuria secunda And therefore not to kneel except in case of corporall infirmity argueth either Ignorance or Arrogance or some other worse infirmity of Mind And herein t is Saint Hierom so commends Asella for devotion Epist ad Marcellum that her knees were grown Brawny like the knees of Camels with her pious Geniculation Saint Stephen you see here used both postures and kneeling for his most earnest and last prayer Loco citato Wherein he was heard saith Augustine Si Stephanus non sic orasset Ecclesia Paulum non habuisset For if St. Stephen had not thus prayed the Church had never had St. Paul a Convert And Fulgentius saith whither St. Stephen went before being slain with stones thither St. Paul followed being holpen with his prayers And when he had thus spoken he fell asleep Such and so pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints asleep in respect both of Rest Resurrection Graves are grown but * Isa 57.2 Beds and Churchyards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. sleeping places so here like Jacob his pillow is of stone whereon lying down as well as if on Down Saith Damianus Serm. de Steph. he taketh rest and fell asleep Foelix somnus it was an happy sleep being joyned with such rest that rest with pleasure that pleasure with eternity Thus blest St. Stephen as Nissen observes Oratione de Stephan esteemed the Ring of his persecutors with which he was inclosed as his Crown and every stone flung at him as a pretious one as a pretious Diamond so that that of David might be applied to him Psal 21.3 Thou hast set a Crown upon my head I a Crown of Proto-martyrdom upon his Name and on his Soul a Crown of Glory Anno Christi 35. POEM 7. STtout Champion of the Truth who by Dispute First Rescu'dst it and didst her Foes confute By Dint of Argument irrefragable Which they to Answer or resist unable To harder motives do themselves betake Even Threats and Stones but vain thy Faith to shake Who So through Sphaeres transparent Christ doth Ey Begins blest visions here nor fears to dy Captain of Martyrs Thou didst lead the van Of that same Noble Army you began To seal with bloud the Christian Faith's defence Teaching us to take Heaven by violence Thy Soul breath'd forth in Charitable groans Return'd a showre of Prayers for one of Stones Therefore blest Saint 'T is but a due Renown Thy Name and Day wear the chief Martyrs Crown Vouchsafe us the like Heavenly Visions Lord That we to Thee may Tongues Hearts Lives afford And for thy sake in mean time while we live May those that stone us like this Saint forgive The COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle Acts 7. from verse 55. to the end The
of all creatures Man and to whom they are all subservient yet this large Commission of the Apostles is since again contracted into Provinces Dioces and parishes yet too with some latitude of preaching any where Acts 1.9 as need or occasion shall require And when he had spoken those things he was taken up Acts 1. ver 9. not till then Observe the God of Order Hee would not leave the World as it were Forbeares his Glory untill hee had first established all things in a composed setlednesse it is Christian wisdom then the timely ordering of our Affaires e're Death prevent the care Achitophell was so far commendable 2 Sam. 17.23 that He set his house in order before he disordered himself 2 Sam. 17. It is counsell worthy a Prophet to give and a King to receive Set thine house in order for thou must die 2 King 20. thy treble house of Soul 2 Kin. 20.1 Body and Estate and when he had spoken these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was taken up the word intimateth not any outward aid or supportation a glorified body needing no such advantages as is foreshewed etsi Angelico comitatus obsequio Bern. in festum non tamen fulius Auxilio though Angels bare Him company they bare not Him They were his Servitors not his Porters and you know the Apostles saw them in the place of Attendance below him far behinde him Act. 1.10 Act. 1.10 Yea he who of his own Will laid down his body in the dust the same by his own Power raised it up to Heaven so the Apostle using the Active voice likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4.10 He that descended even the same also is he which ascended Ephes 4. And with the affectionate Disciples now to look a little at the Circumstances of our ascending Saviour The Time you know was forty dayes after his Resurrection Acts 1.3 so long was his second life on earth repressis adhuc fulgoris sui radiis Moses-like vailing the splendor of his glorious countenance 40 daies His body had formerly been acquainted with that number Mat. 4.2 Matth. 4. having forty dayes miraculously abstained all naturall sustenance and here again abstaining in some kind if not somewhat of his celestiall Banquet yet at least his Banqueting-house of Heaven 40 dayes Of all which time himself can onely give an account 'T is not for flesh and bloud to trace the ways of Immortality Yet sure we are The time of Christs Ascension that his stay was not as some of his Apostles thought then to restore again the Kingdom to Israel S. Bernard calleth those weak thoughts of so well instructed Disciples What should an heavenly body do with an earthly Throne how poor a businesse is the temporall Kingdome of Israel for the King of all eternity and me thinks the fond Millinaries should be cautioned by these Misprisions No a more acceptable reason why our Saviour did not immediately ascend from Golgotha to Paradise from his Grave to Heaven per saltum which had been all one to his omnipotence was more fully to convince the diffident world of the infallible evidences of his Resurrection as also more fully to instruct his Apostles in the mysteries pertaining to the Kingdom of God Acts 1.3 Acts 1.3 Yet longer then forty dayes he tarried not saith Augustine ne videretur terrena meditari least he should seem to affect or meditate on earthly things and thereby I hope lendeth our souls wings to fly along with him to Heaven yet by the way take notice of the place of Christs Ascension And therein of a duplex terminus the place from whence and the place whither the Terminus à quo St. Luke in his Gospel telleth us was Bethania Luk. 34.50 in his book of the Acts The Mount of Olives But he will soon be Reconciled to himself if we take notice that Bethania in latere Montis oliveti sita Act. 1.12 that the village Bethany is scituate in the way and on the side of the Mount of Olives both neer Jerusalem This Mount you know our Saviour much frequented so that a Reverend Prelate of our own calleth it his Pulpit Bishop Hall Thence indeed was his Doctrine wont to distil like the dew and his Prayers to ascend as Incense and this very mount was the place of his Agony but now the Hill of his Triumph and victory once he found it planted with Thorns Cant. 8.14 or worse but now one of those Mountaines of spices Cant. 8. how fit was it the same place which had witnessed his Humanity by suffering there should likewise testifie his Deity by his ascending thence the same place for both Passionem Ascensionem Eodem spectare docet The place of Christs Ascension demonstrates both his Passion and Ascension tended to the same end mans salvation And in that he ascended from Bethania which signifieth an house of affliction and obedience how doth it incite us to that better sacrifice obedience and forewarn us that we must not likewise look to ascend but from the place of sufferings Per varios casus per tot discrimina Rerum Tendimus in Latium Through many Tribulations must we enter into that Kingdom Acts 14.22 Now the Terminus ad Quem Act. 14.22 to which he ascended was the highest heaven I whether else but home to his own habitation jam cum se Dominum universorum quae sunt in terrâ mari inferno probasset and saith holy Bernard having already proved himself Lord of earth sea and hell as the Earth acknowledged him her Lord when at his voice She rendred up his Lazarus and quaked at his passion the Sea obeyed him when as it became a glassy pavement to his feet and his treasury for Tribute And Hell confessed him Conquerour when Satan yeilded in the wildernesse and was out-braved by Him O Hell where is thy victory it therefore now remained that as Lord of Heaven also He should pass through all the yeilding Regions of the aire unto the Glory of the highest Heavens Old Philosophy told us of eight severall Heavens Aristot l. de coelo and new hath since found out three or four Orbes more but the safest guide Theology reduceth all to three 2 Cor. 12. 2 Cor. 12.2 The first taken for that Element of aire Gen. 1. and frequently in Scripture the fowles of Heaven The 2d. for the whole Frame of the coelestiall Orbes viz. the Firmament and Planets Psal 19. Coeli enarrant Gloriam Dei Every Star is as a Golden Tongue materially to speak the praises of their Maker But the third is Sedes Beatorum that Glorious Mansion where are the many Mansions of the Blessed called by some Coelum Empyreum not as being of any burning nature but of a Fire-like lightsome brightnesse Saint Paul who was wrapt thither calleth it the third Heaven in relation to the former two Saint Augustine giveth another proper Tripartition of
Now the Fields stand so thick with Corn that we hope in good time to say on with David they shall laugh and sing Mean time then since our harvest is but in the herb how ought we to solicit Heaven with our Prayers and now to exercise this part of Primitive Devotion our Rogation week the want of which seasonable prayers why may we not think occasioneth unseasonable weather oft turning the Heavens to brasse and the earth like our hearts to Iron Letting loose the Meldew the Caterpiller Joel 2.25 and the Palmer-worm with the rest of the Army of that Lord of Hosls neglected out of a pretended fear of superstition men neglect necessary Devotion Mr. Josias Shute as a great Gamaliel of our Church was wont zealously to inculcate Some are more afraid of a drop of Superstition then of a whole masse of Prophanation Now is the season that hazards are multiplied upon us both from abroad now every where being the time of preparation for Warre nor needs this Age any instances And at home the blooming Fruits of the Earth being now in their greatest hazard All summon us to these seasonable Devotions whereof besides example the Church hath fitted us with admirable pious Compositions which the * From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayers and from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pray Greek Church termed Litanies the Latine called * A Rogando from asking Rogations which were of old the very strength stay and comfort of Gods Church in all times of afflictions and trouble through the world And from Their Dayes travelling down to Ours had by the way contracted some soyle and blemishes as the Addition and Invocation of Saints Names by some particular men annexed Derebus Eccleclesiae c. de Leitaniis which being washed off as a Novelty by Walafrid Strabo's own Confession our Church retains the Leitanies of most acceptable Perfection both for matter and form for all Times Persons Places Accidents and Occasions above all platforms and Churches in the world Harmless compleat and usefull and howsoever some most in love with their own wayes object That these prayers or many of them were but temporary confined to some times and places of calamity no way suiting other Circumstances Alas fond men they are so sensuall that they seem to have forgot that Article of their Creed The Communion of Saints and will pray for none other but themselves whereas the mystical communion of all faithfull men is such as maketh every one to be interessed both in the good and evill Rom. 12.25 in the Blessings and Calamities that befalleth any of them wheresoever Beside Quod cuiquam cuivis what befalls one place or person may befall another what dangers or when imminent God onely knows to whom onely these prayers are to be put up Hooker Ec. P. l. 5. Nihil humanum à te alienum puta While thou art a man think no humane misery but may befall thee We find by daily experience that those Calamities are oft neerest at hand and readiest to break in upon us which we by circumstances may imagine farthest off or if not so yet such miseries as being present all men are apt to bewaile with their Tears wise and Religious men should endeavour to prevent with their prayers And here I have too much cause to close with that Prophetical Complaint of that * As Erasmus called Melancth in Epist Mitissima anima that meek and pious soul that Oxford of Learning Reverend Hooker I am not able to expresse how much it doth grieve me That things of principall excellency should be thus bitten at by men whom God hath indued with Graces both of Wit and Learning for better purposes POEM 21. SHall not Rogation Week a Blessing crave Of him that promis'd Ask and you shall have Yes if we trace the old Religious Hests We must now multiply devout Requests Season Health Wealth and Safety crave a share In our Devotions now each needs a Pray'r At this time of the year our proud Hopes swell Big as the Teeming Earth then 't would do well At once to praise the Author and to pray No fatall Blast prevent their Mature Day And that the Fruits o' th' Spirit may keep pace With those ' o th' Earth till w'have a Crop of Grace Now too the busie World doth each way move On her designes of Enmity or Love Prayer's then a needfull Moat that none invade But that all visit us for Love or Trade But specially that no Spirituall Foes Surprise us or prevailingly oppose Besides the scorching Sun doth now incline To the distempers of the Torrid Line And we shall need a Letany since Prai'r Can from infection keep both Men and Air. But now especially men prone to Sin De votions the best Curb to keep us in Thus common Welfare claims Rogation week And that our God we now more strongly seek As the Church Primitive in chief for These Solemn Processions us'd and Suffrages While Superstition now the former Acts And Prophanation t'other disrespects Only some Reliques left Perambulation But the Religious part on t 's out of fashion Happy that Church herein as once were we Injoyes an harmlesse helpfull Lyturgie THE COLLECT PRAYERS The Epistle James 1. v. 22. to the end The Gospel John 16. v. 23. to the end LOrd from whom all good things do come grant us thy humble Servants that by thy holy inspiration we may think those things that be good and by thy mercifull guiding may perform the same through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen ASsist us mercifully O Lord in these our supplications and Prayers and dispose the way of thy servants towards the attainment of everlasting Salvation that among all the changes and chances of this mortall life they may ever be defended by thy most gracious and ready help through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Amen S. ANDREAS Vpon Saint Andrews Day DISQUISITION 19. AFter due observing the Constellation Festivals we come now to scan the Celebration of particular Saints among whom Saint Andrew as an humble Lucifer first appeareth in the Horizon of the Church Solemnities His Day beginning the Order of the Service for all the other Saints Dayes in the year because his Fast ever falls out to be either next before or next after Advent Sunday The point initiatory of the year Ecclesiasticall and the Reason of that Reason is because Saint Andrew of all the Apostles first applied himself to Christ John 1.5 c. out of St. John Baptists Schoole soon after Christs Baptisme as is easily collected John 1.40 c. where the two Disciples Calling him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say unto Christ Master where dwellest thou They were presently affected with a desire to follow him upon Saint Johns Declaration Ecce Agnus Dei Behold the Lamb of God streit they desire to wait on him to converse with him professing by their compellation that they had chosen him their Master and desired to
my God and not onely both Lord and God in general but in a sweet particularity applyed my Lord and my God T was the frequent speech of Luther Luther's frequent saying that much Divinity was couched in Pronouns these indeed bring all home in pious Application so David O God Psal 63.1 thou art my God and so the blessed Virgin In God my Saviour so here my Lord and my God mine by Promise mine by Stipulation mine by Oath mine by Gift mine by Purchase Ferus in loc mine by Participation Tolle Meum Tolle Deum as Ferus sweetly take away this Relative and t is as if there were no Antecedent take away this propriety and t is as if there were no such Lord in all the world no Christ or benefits by him and Faith is it must effect this Pray therefore each one Lord I believe help mine unbelief that however weakly I may yet say truly My Lord and my God with Saint Thomas who did not onely say it here but Preached it to the utmost parts of the earth becoming afterward Indiarum Apostolus the Apostle of the Eastern Indies converting the Nations of Tabroban and others Alstaedii Chronol c. 27. to the utmost Ocean of the East as Alstaedius writes where after a long pains and pilgrimage he fulfilled his own words sometime spoken to his fellow-Disciples Ioh. 11.16 Let us also go and die with him changing onely the Preposition not the Proposition dying for him being Martyred in the five and thirtieth year of Christ his Master POEM 23. SAint Thomas day's among the Festivals Fit usher to the Natalitials Of our great Lord ' cause he above the rest The Christian Faith in humane hearts imprest Where others Faith leads our Intelligence His doubt instructs Beliefe from common sense And what before was wrapt in Mystery Is now Transparent Handle me and see Learne of this Saint Christ's wounds to look upon As Earnest of thy Resurrection His Finger points thee to that open side Where thou mayest all thy Sins and sorrowes hide Directs Thee to those Hands of victory That can protect and Crown eternally And these He to remotest Indies taught A richer Treasure then their own he brought Where he to save their better part did stay Till they his worse with Martyrdome repay What more could Man then Travel Preach and Dye All which did He for Christianity Perfection therefore justly Crown 's his Name Whence Christian Faith to such perfection came The COLLECT-PRAYER The Epistle Eph. 2. vers 19. unto the end The Gospel Joh. 20. vers 24 unto the end Almighty and everliving God which for the more confirmation of the faith didst suffer thy holy Apostle Thomas to be doubtfull in thy Sons Resurrection grant us so perfectly and without al doubt to beleive in thy Son Jesus Christ that our faith in thy sight never be reproved Heare us O Lord through the same Iesus Christ to whom c. The Conuersion of Paul Act 9* * 3 And as he Journeyed he came neere Damascus suddenly there shined round about him a light from Heauen 4 And he fell to the earth and heard a voyce saying vnto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee 5 And he said who art thou Lord And the Lord said I am Jesus whom thou persecutest etc The Plate here Vpon the Conversion of Saint Paul DISQUISITION 21. ALbeit this day be not so fine as others in the Calendar yet is it a Festival altogether as solemn in the Church and though it be not cloathed in Scarlet as the rest yet is there as good Spiritual entertainment provided for it nay and with this eminence above them all that the Church Celebrateth the Conversion of none but of Saint Paul and good Reason for it too though we read of multitudes and some of them strange enough yet no Conversion so miraculously effected or so beneficial to the Church of Christ This glorious story is recorded in the ninth of the Acts being somewhat like that old Effigies in Diana's Temple Tristis intrantibus Act. 9 hilaris Exeuntibus that was sad and Lamentable at the Entrance but chearfull and all joyous at the Exit or like Jacobs flock all Ring-straked and speckled Checquered as it were with black and white or if without presumption I might be his Herauld I should adventure thus to Emblazon his Coat of Arms he beareth a white Cross in a bloudy Field with the Wolf for his Crest that badge of his owne Tribe of Benjamin A Cross Argent in a Field Gules But to his story Acts 9. where we may consider him as a Saul and as a Paul his Aberration and his transmutation his natural disposition and his spiritual Conversion the first appeareth both by inditement and his owne Confession the evidence of the Spirit against him beginneth the Chapter Saul yet breathing out threatning and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rage was as natural to him as respiration and you see how he breathed others out of breath in the former Chapter a main Actor in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 8.1 that great Persecution that took off Saint Stephen and others Saint Pauls natural disposition and thereby occasioned that sad Dispersion which yet Omnipotent wisdome turned to an advantageous Propagation of the Gospel but Saul here had a contrary designe desiring Commissions not staying till they were sent him but like our forward Zealots Petitioning for mischiefe Acts 9.2 to persecute both Sexes without equity or pitty that if he found any of this way Inordinate zeal is no better then Fury and well numbred among the fruits of the Flesh Gal. 5.20 i.e. Christians whether they were men or women he might bring them bound to Jerusalem thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as many now adaies Translate it He made havock of or was exceedingly mad against the Church and this is the Inditement of the holy Spirit drawn up against him all which upon the matter he confesseth habetis consitentem reum Chap. 22.4 Act. 22.4 I persecuted this way unto the Death I bound and delivered into Prison both men and women and Act. 26. Chap. 26.11 I punished them in every Synogogue and compelled them to blaspheme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and was exceedingly mad against them and persecuted them even to strange Cities and what could be more said or worse done He was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a grand persecutor yet when he was in his height as Christs method is to come in at an extreamity even then saith Christ unto this Tempest Be still and to this unclean Spirit Come forth and in this sense especially doth Saint Paul call himself Abortivum one borne out of due time 1 Cor. 15.8 1 Cor. 15 c. I say when he was trooping to Damascus the Lord of Hosts encountred him and conquered him into a more then Conquerour His Conversion when this Sun in
damno Coelibatum In Epist ad Domnionem I discommend not honest singlenesse both may be great advantages to Piety according to the Temper of the Persons that improve Them Let not one of Them disparage the other with that Janus Proverbe That Marriage filleth Earth but Virginity 't is filleth Heaven and againe whence is Heaven Filled but from the Earth Quote not her Example to the Prejudice of Either that was so transcendently Pious under both Conditions both in her Espousals and Virginity Blessed among Blessed above all women POEM 27. GOod Offices of Angels and Degrees From this Annunciation who not Sees While winged Gabriel stoops from above With a miraculous Embassie of Love To the Sweet Uirgin and by Her to all Whom sharing in her Blisse They blessed Call Of all Judaea's Virgins She 's the Choice In whom God Angels Men and all Rejoyce Of the whole Ring of Israel She 's the Gem At once Adornes and weares Heaven's Diadem Of all the Parkes of Iury This the Deare Singled out not to Chase but Chastly beare Like Aarons Rod that without Sap of Earth Buds Blossoms Beares her News is such a Birth The Messenger and Message both so strange As in her Virgin-Cheeke work many a Change The Angel frights her Roses off and then The News Replants Them Lilies yield againe What e'r her Countenance yet still her Brest Disputes not but Believes her heavenly Guest Argues not She but piously submits As in such Mysteries it all befits She yields the Angel here no Adoration But yet Returnes all humble Gratulation It Derogates from Christ Religion Taint's To Worship or Invoke those blessed Saints But when Their pious steps our Soules do raise We Honour Them in Giving God the Praise Thus Christ like whom Heaven Earth had none other On Earth no Father had in Heaven no Mother Here Mary being Shee doth most Excell All Virgins Matrons Dames of Israel Like Cibele Sh' hath of her Sex such Odds That Shee 's more than feign'd Mother of the Gods Yet happier the Conception of her Heart Than her Corporeall Acting Mothers Part For That indeed through Earth spreads her Renown But This decks her with a Coelestiall Crown Those Aves wrong her scarce Sense by the Story That Haile her full of Grace when full of Glory Yet Glorying not in any Phansied Power O're Christ as Son but in her Saviour The COLLECT The Epistle Isa 7. ver 10. to 16. The Gospel Luk. 1. ver 26. to 39. VVE beseech thee Lord poure thy grace into our hearts that as we have known Christ thy Sons incarnation by the Message of an Angel so by his Cross and Passion we may be brought unto the glory of his Resurrection through the same Christ our Lord. S. MARCVS True Doctrine Charity Repentance these if one but marke these tymes doe seldome please A Lyons voyce is reguisite where men preferre before Heauens Pallace Earths close Den. Here the Plate Vpon the Festivall of St MARKE DISQUISITION 25. THe foure Evangelists were prefigured and lively Represented in Ezekiels Vision of the foure Living Creatures with foure severall Faces in Homine Humanitas in Leone Regnum in vitulo Sacerdotium Lyrain Glossa in Aquilâ Divinitatis Sacramentum That with the Face of Man Pointed out St Matthew describing Christs Humane Nature his Genealogy according to the Flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he begins the Book of the Generation of Jesus Christ c. That with the face of the Oxe denoteth St Luke delineating Christs Priestly Office Offering up that universall Sacrifice upon the generall Altar of the World his Cross mainely Running on that Argument That Creature with the Face of rhe Eagle Figured St John Christs Divinest Herauld that fetcheth his Pedigree from the King of Kings Proving his Descent from Heaven that He is the Son of God the Quill of this Eagle penning Christs Eternall Generation But that with the visage of a Lyon was to intimate our St Marke here who mainly Trumpets out Christs Regall Office and his Imperiall Soveraignty over all Creatures in the world thus Christ is the Center of Them all though Each hath His peculiar Lines drawn from it all the foure Evangelists have the same Subject Christ as was likewise There prefigured in the wheeles Rota in Rotâ running all one within another but yet Each hath his severall Predications of that Subject Marcus vero quod est Rex Ludolphus de vita Vâ—… 2. p. c. 63. etiam Imperator omnium but our St Marke's designe is to Prove Christ a King saith Ludolphus and to be the Supreame Power of all things which appeareth saith he almost in every Chapter in that he Treateth still of the Choice and most Eminent Passages and Miracles of Christ frequently inculcating his Transcendent Power and Greatness Finitque Evangelium in Ascensione ejus in Coelum Sessione à Dextris Dei And as He beginneth his Gospel with the History of Iohn the Baptist Christs wonderfull Fore-runner then whom there was not a greater borne of women so Closeth He his Gospell with the highest of all Miracles Christs Ascension into Heaven and sitting at the right Hand of God all the way thorough his Booke framing as 't were this Syllogisme saith Ludolphus from the Testimony of Christs Actions Proving this Conclusion That Man whose Power and Uertue we see Extended to all Spirits and to all Flesh to all Elements and all Persons to all Distances of Times and Places to all Instructions of Law and Gospell to all sufferings with Patience and Victory to all Passages of Life and Death to all Comforts of this World and a Better That man surely that Can all This and more is Rex verè virtuosissimus Omnium Dominus He Certainly is truly the most powerfull King of all nay the Omnipotent Monarch of the World But now that Christ is the same Powerfull Agent St Marke fully Proves the Assumption or minor Proposition Minorem serio Deducit Marc. in Evangetio suo Idem Ibid. Quantum ad viginti Conditiones throughout his whole Booke saith Ludolphus by at least twenty severall Arguments and Instances But more Particularly This was his Sirname Marke Act. 12.25 his Proper Name being Iohn He was the Disciple and Nephew of St Peter his Sisters Son and therefore sometime Called His Son 1 Pet. 5.13 1 Pet. 5.13 as the manner of the Iews was to Call their Kindred by words of nearest Relation so Iames and Iude were Called the Brothers of our Lord This St Marke was also Cosin-German unto Barnabas Col. 4.10 by whom and St Paul He seemeth at first to have been assumed to the worke of the Ministry Acts 12.25 Act. 12. And though He Left Them in Pamphilia Discouraged perhaps with Tediousnesse of Travell and an infirme Body yet Here He desisted not from the Propagation of the Gospel but afterward accompanied his Cosin Barnabas into Cyprus an Island of the Mediterranean Sea so in
3970. Nor need this variety cause any scruple or distraction no more then in the Dominical day so it be solemnized as neer as may be though the punctual hours in some cases cannot be retained and if our very Clocks accord not twenty fours hours some striking most when others fewest or scarce three Neighbors meet in the relation of a story done among them how easily may the most faithful Chronologers discent a little about the motion of the wheels of time that have been so long so long a running besides that speech of our blessed Lord Acts 1.7 to his Apostles Acts 1. It is not for you to know the times and the seasons c. Omnes calculatorum digitos St. Augustine saith Saint Augustine puts all Arithmeticians out of their numbers shuffling their Counters into a Bag of Ignorance The time when Christ born and indeed Pia est ignorantia Dei Arcana non scrutari Where the Scripture hath not a tongue it is Piety for us to have neither Eie nor Ear and therefore not to follow the wanton Postillers to the very year nay moneth and day and hour of Christs Nativity we may with more modesty and certainty collect it to have been about the two and fortieth year of the reign of Peaceful Octavianus commonly called Augustus Josephus telling us Josep Antiq. that that was the year of the general taxing and the Scripture telling us that that was the time of the Birth of Christ Luke 2. And therefore then was the time for Shiloh's coming Herod the son of Antipater an Idumaean being King of Judea and so the Scepter departing from Juda Gen. 49. then Gen. 49.10 when all the prophesies were accomplished all types and shadows substanced then was the fulness of time for Christs Nativity and then more particularly shortly after the Winter Solstice when night grows shorter and days longer to shew that now shadows were shortning dark ignorance diminishing and the glorious light of divine knowledge increasing John 3.30 John 3.30 And here let us borrow time to glance on the place where the Lord was laid and that was Bethlem as the Pharisees could tell Herod out of the Prophet Micah And thou Bethlem Micah 6.2 c. out of thee shall he come c. But why there Is it not a little one Yes therefore he chose it that chose all the circumstances of his Life and Death Vt nos doceret humilia eligere To teach us to choose the lowest rooms at Feasts or Synagogues and to be contented with our meanest accommodations as all exceeding his whose whole life was a continual Passion as one saith others Die Martyrs but he was born a Martyr Christ found a kinde of Golgotha even in Bethlem his birth and death as it were but one protracted act his Christmas day and his Good Friday Dr. Donne in Festo Nativit but the Evening and the Morning of his Passion Born among Beasts lived among worse died among theeves Born in the meanest Town the meanest House the meanest Room the prophets may wel call it his coming down the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his emptying of himself c. Bethlem an Inn a Stable and yet these not without their intimations In Bethlem where Boaz the Jew and Ruth the Gentile were married Ruth 4.13 There was he born i. God and Flesh married who married Jew and Gentile into one Flock together The Inn domus populi Entertains him that was to entertain all comers salvator populi The House of the people receives the Saviour of the people and the Stable still more extends his Grace unto the foulest sinner so repentant Again Bethlem was the City of David and Nursery of Kings of whose linage he was and though born in Bethlem by occasion of the taxing yet conceived a Nazarite thence came this good in spight of all ill Proverbs Luke 1. Luke 1.55 That Town of Ephrata which as it signifies fruitfulness is a Region not onely of Wood but of Wine saith Adricomius Adricom Delphius f. 41. and Bethlem signifying an House of Bread Affords us this comfortable extract That the Word made Flesh in the House of Bread 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Region of Wine leads us to the Arms of Christ in the blessed Sacrament worthily received And now to avoid tediousness let me knit the Person and the End together which indeed as the Apostle saith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3.16 1 Pet. 9.12 a Great Mystery God manifested in the flesh c The Riddle which the very Angels as well as men desired 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. To pry into as through the Hangings of which we may say Deut. 4.32 as Moses Deut. 4. Was there ever such a thing as this For this Mystery as well as the Virgin Mary the Holy Ghost hath overshadowed yet may we also say of it as the Lepers in another case 2 King 7.9 2 Kings 7. This is a day of good tydings Maximum miraculorum beneficiorum as it is the greatest of Miracles so it is the highest of Benefits bestowed upon mankinde This wherein the Deity and Humane Nature were mutually espoused without either present confusion or future separation by an incomprehensible Hypostasis and ineffable union * Quis enarrabit generationem ejus Isai 13.8 for which then let curiosity be turned into gratitude and That be expressed in Hospitality and Devotion joyned least like Israel we proclaim an Holy day to Jehovah and worship a Calf Exod. 32.8 that so this eminent Festival may make up those three wonders * Bernard in Festo Nativi of the World viz. God and Man Mother and Virgin Faith and our Heart united POEM 6. Of Heaven and Earth This the bright Wedding-day God spoused Flesh and thence begot our Joy As Light from light yet in its Fount resides So Christ from God yet with him God abides Strange Mystery as the Eternall Son Who shall declare his Generation That Eagle in the Clouds what Angels Pen Can reach We trace him but as worm with men In whom when Sin and Misery at strife To end it well Christ took and laid down Life Of spotlesse and perpetuall Virgin-Mother Made in all sinless sympathies our Brother ' Tmust be a Virgin-heart Christ's presence wins Where Satan hath begot no crying sins While other 's stately hous'd an Inn's the best Room Earth affords unto this Heavenly Guest Whose universall Goodnesse will again Unlesse through their own fault All entertain And though rejected of his own this stranger Be sordidly thus cradled in a Manger Yet know and mourn it irrelenting heart Thou an Augaean fouler stable art Here he that made the Angels with Beasts lies Prophesy'ng him our bleeding Sacrifice Yet happy if like them we own our Lord Give him our Crib that is our All-afford Who so descended from his high renown To beat our Pride and haughty Passions down And all this did
4.11 gave some to be Aposles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Doctors according to his will distributing to every man a severall gift 1. Cor 12.11 St. Peter was an Apostle but not an Evangelist St. Mark an Evangelist not an Apostle St. Matthew both these yet no Prophet St. Augustine a Doctor but no Martyr St. Laurence a Martyr but not a Doctor But behold saith one the beloved Disciple was * Portan Petrus de Palude all these in his Epistles an Apostle in his Apocalyps a Prophet in his Gospel an Evangelist in his Faith Sufferings a Confessor in his preaching a Doctor St. John the Divine in his chastity a Virgin in his readiness and will to suffer a Martyr yea the Protomartyr saith Osorius suffering inwardly when Christ outwardly Osorius in locum St. Stephen will spare him the Figure of a Sympathy Amans quippe plus in amato quam in seipso patitur 't is an high complement that a lover suffers more in his beloved object then in his own person suffering yet St. John both did and suffered much in his own person also 1. The same is he that testified and wrot these things John 21.24 v. 24. is for his piercing sight into high mysteries well Emblem'd by the Towring Eagle Jovis ales right his quil writing the Divinity of Christ against Ebion and Cerinthus early Hereticks and Grandfathers of Arrianisme as that is of Socinianisme and later errors beginning his Gospell before Moses or the beginning of the world and ending his Revelation beyond all Historians beyond Time it selfe or the end of the world He chiefly lived at Ephesus where he wrot his Gospel in the 69. year of * Euseb Niceph at the desire of the Asian Bishops by him there constituted Christ whence the neighbour Churches of the lesser Asia were by that division made by the Apostolical Synod Acts 15. alotted to his Visitation for his diligence wherein and testimony to the truth he was by the Pro-Consull of Asia transported to Rome to suffer about the 90. year of Christ where being miraculously preserved in a Chaldron of scalding oyl Alsted Chron. Euseb Ec. Hist l. 3. c. as the three Children in the fiery furnace he is banished by Domitian into Patmos a disconsolate Isle of the Aegaeansea where the defect of earths accommodations was advantagiously supplied with heavenly Revelations and afterwards recall'd by Cocceius Nerva home to Ephesus Cocceius Nerva Though some write that he suffered after under Trajan yet the most and best write that he died there of an Apoplexy Anno Christi 104. aetatis 102. Happily determining the forementioned ambiguity of our Saviours words according to the Disciples aprehension of them Tarrying till his Master came not by any violent but a naturall dissolution And now as Aristotle said Metal l. 2. c. 1. if Timotheus had not been we had not had so much sweet musick but if Phrynis which was his Master had not been we had not had Timotheus So here if St. John had not been we had wanted much of the Evangelical Harmony but if our great Master Jesus had not been gracious to his Church it should not have had such a John to ornament it and therefore in this holy Saint as in all others we honor and praise through the Servant but his Lord and Master POEM 8. Coelestiall Herauld that dost draw Christs Line No lower then from Pedigree Divine And like a Towring Eagle from above To drooping Man describ'st the God of love Of love to all but Thee above the rest Because so young Thou leaned'st on his Breast As thou his Honour so we thine make known Must love Thee twice for His sake and thine own Who soonest comes to Christ doth longest stay Nor shall the boyling Oyly Chaldron slay Whom Christ but hints should tarry till he came Or Nature summond in her Masters Name Though Torture spare him yet will not Exile Malice extrudes him into Patmos Isle What must the Best expect yet sees he more There then in 's Asian latitude before Into that Angle of the Earth being hurl'd He sees an ample Prospect of the World Of Heaven and Earth and Seas Hell not conceal'd All future Times and Actions there reveal'd Deserv'dly then of all the Saints thy Birth We celebrate with Christs throughout the Earth His early and late fruit the rest we sing Their Deaths as Waiters on him Suffering Lord though our Zeal to thee make no such hast Draw and accept of us among Thy last And while ware banish'd to this Isle of clay Do Thou to us thy saving Truths display The COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle 1 Jo. 1. from v. 1. to the end The Gospel Joh. 21. from 19. to the end Mercifull Lord we beseech thee to cast thy bright beams of light upon thy Church that it being lightned by the doctrine of thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist John may attaine to thy everlasting gifts through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen UPON The Festivall of Innocents Day DISQUISITION 6. WHy the Feast of Christs Nativity is attended with These Saints above the rest St. Stephen St. John and these blessed Innocents Johan Raulin Ser. 2. de beat Innocen is handsomely conjectured by some to shew his comming into the world for all sorts of men of what degree or age soever and by These severally represented or happily that these here applyed rather then other as having more fulfilled that of Christ Mat. 16. Mat. 16. 24. By taking up the Cross and following him There being three kinds of Martyrdom in Christs Cause as St. Bernard notes the first Voluntatis operis both in will and act as that of St. Stephen 2. Voluntatis sed non operis in will Ser. de Innocent but not in Act as that of Saint John The 3. Operis sed non voluntatis in act but not in will as this of the Innocents And sorasmuch as St. Stephens Martyrdom comes neerest unto Christs his Festival is next unto him and in the 2d place St. Johns and in the 3d. These suffering Innocents all three making Christ as in Cant. 5.10 white and ruddy the chiefest of 10000. Candidus in Johanne Rubicundus in Stephamo electus ex millibus Ludolp de vit Christi p. 1. c. 13. in Innocentibus And it was impossible to Christen the Day with a Name of a more vast Reputation then Innocency which dares not signifie any thing here below but the state of the first Man and that of Children and sure he must have little of man in him nothing at all of God the more of the Devil that could so break into the Circle of such harmless simplicity and self-shielding innocence Yet this doth barbarous Herod but which of them he deserves to be known that he may both in person and example be abhorred Then not to wrong the rest as most do by their not distinguishing know there were three Herods and
all neer ally'd Mat. 1.4 not onely in Name but in Bloud also 1. Herodes Antipas that beheaded St. John Baptist Mat. 14. Herodes Agrippa brother to the former that killed St. James and imprisoned S. Peter Acts 12. Acts 12. 3d. and this Herodes Ascalonita surnamed the Great who was that Fox worried these tender Lambs an act reflecting on Christs humanity Mat. 2 Mat. 2.13 as being a child and forced to flee and Herods inhumanity in murdering those that neither could nor would have injur'd him we must glance on the first for Christ was mainly aimed at I onely that King of Israel but he is warned away by an Angel ver 13. Gods mercy and his Angels ministry vigilantly attend his Children in Afflictions Psal 34. and 103 Psal 34.7.103.13 13. yet flight is lawfull in their times of danger Mat. 10.23 though to Aegypt where Christ at once fulfilleth Prophesies and gives an earnest to the Gentiles Exod. 4.22 Take the Babe and his Mother not stil'd the wife of Joseph to speak her more the Virgin and the childe named first to hint the greatest care for him as most designed at and the greatest duty to him as most worthy not as Sonne onely but Saviour to his Mother Flie into Egypt Christs entertainment was so hard at his comming into this world as shews his Kingdom was not of it Beuxamis in locum He flyeth Quia totam causam salutis nostrae occiderat saith one If Christ had permitted himselfe to be slaine so young the whole cause of our salvation had suffered in it his worke not being as yet done Joh. 17.4 nor his hour come Joh. 17. for which he came into the world But why into Aegypt touched before and thither as the neâ—rest opportunity Aretius Musculus Maldonat in locum out of Herods jurisdiction and to shew his spirituall Kingdom should be translated from the Jews the Gentiles ô the Riches of divine mercy that even those places and persons that were malorum officinae formerly the shops of villany should now become Custodes filii unigeniti ensafers of Gods onely begotten Sonne instead of Persecutores populi primogeniti opposers and destroyers of his first born people but non crudelitate sed credulitate quaerendus est Christus Christ is to be sought by faith and not by Cruelty and therefore Herod found him not for all his project with the wise men who were indeed too wise for him returning an other way God taking the wily in their own craftinesse Job 5.13 Job 5. and Honesty being ever the best Policy the Mocker was mocked he mocked the wise men by pretending Servire when he intended Saevire to adore when he meant to devour to worry not to worship that innocent Lamb as appeared by his subtilty turned into fury Mat. 2.16 vers 16. as commonly such usurping Tyrants when they faile of their Machiavillian Rhetorick betake them to the Carters Logick as here did Herod who was troubled much at the first news of him vers 3. But when he saw that he was mocked by c verse 16. is all on a flame with wrath and frenzy fearing Christs lineal descent from the seed of David might restore Judah her own native Successour Prudentius Hymn Epip as the Christian Poet sweetly chants out Herods passion Successor instat pellimur Satelles i ferrum rape Perfunde cunas sanguine Mas omnis infans occidat Scrutare Nutricum sinus Interque materna ubera Ensem cruentet pusio Which give me leave to Paraphrase See see a Successor's at hand That will deprive me of command Souldiers betake you to your armes And free Me from these growing harms Let all the young Males forthwith feel The force of your impartial steel Snatch them from Nurse or Mothers breast And rocke them to eternall rest And such as from them will not part Let them both suffer the same smart Till parents tears and Childrens bloud Make up but one ne'r ebbing floud Thus like another Heretales furent he laies about him and would not suffer the King of Heaven and Earth and of all the world to reigne in Jewry Heb. 1.8 if he could hinder it and to that end sends out Those that live by others dying to massacre all the Bethlemitish sucklings as Prudentius excellently Loco citat Locum minutis artubus Vix interemptor invenit Quo plaga descendat patent Juguloque major pugio est Whose swathed limbs scarce yiedled place For the Destroyers steel or space For gaping wounds mouths without words These throats too narrow for their swords And fitted for their errand they ransack all poor Mothers Beds and Nurses bosoms making their Cradles swim with blood of Innocents while their small joynts could scarse be handled by the cruel Murderers and their throats too little for the Poniards there is an high aggravation in the number of them at least irrightly recorded The Greeke tradition in the Rubrick for the day and so the Aethiopick missals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is no lesse then 14000. whereof his own Son made up the sad account as Baronius tells us out of Philo. which caused Augustus Caesar to fix that due proverb on him Melius est esse Herodit poreum quam puerum Better be Hereds Sow then his Sonne and Brocardus in his Description of the holy Land Macrob. Saturn l. 2. c. 4. points us to the very place where they were slaine Adricomius and others to the Chappel where they were buried betwixt Bethlem and Bethany to which Prudentius hath added an Epitaph EPITAPH Saluete flores Martyrum Quns lucis ipso in lumine Christi Insecutor sustulit Ceu turbo nascentes Rosas Vos prima Christi victima Grex immolatorum tener Aram ante cujus simplices Palma Coronis luditis The which accept thus Rendered Haile sweetest Flowers of Martyrdom Whose rising was your setting Sun Whom Herods jealousie destroy'd As Rose-buds by fierce stormes annoy'd You first-born Christian Sacrifice Whose tender Flock for Shepherd dies Upon whose Altar as you lay You then with Palmes and Crowns did play I These were as St. Austin sweetly Primitiae Martyrum as it were the Prim-roses of Martyrdum early witnesses to the Lamb Non loquendo sed moriende saith St. Austin Not by speaking but by dying Jer. 13.15 Yet was there a voyce heard in Ramah a cry not onely of lamentation here below of poor rob'd dispoil'd Mothers but too in excelsis as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth High above that is even in the ears of God a knocking at the Gates of Heaven Jam. Jam. 5 4. 5 and that as for vengeance on their persecutor which fell heavie afterward Acts 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 12.23 eaten of worms before dissolution so likewise as a song of praise Psal 8.2 Mat. 21.16 Psal 8. Mat. 21. Christ surely got great praise by the Angelick Anthem at his Birth Glory to God on high
boared head his smeared face and furrowed body and see whether he be not likelier for a Grave then a Throne Ecce homo Behold the man Yet all this is not enough for Jews or Jewish spirits And therefore Venerable Bede and others are for the later Beda in locum and that these words were a Belch of Envy whether from fear of Caesar or to please the Jews not much materiall and they prove it by the close Nam quem absolvit Judicio crucifigit ministerio For whom he cleareth in word he doth condemne in action I find no fauls in Him take ye Him and crucifie him Ecce homo Behold the man so that all the washing of his hands though he rubbed neyer so hard would hardly ever fetch out the steins of this Bloud from his Heart Behold the man But here not to build a Mindus sorrow loving no descant and being but an ill Methodist I shall briefly resolve this subject into these 3 circumstances reserving the Ecce toattend the Application if not rather carrying it along with us all the way viz. The Quis the Quid the Quare and consider the Person the Act and the Reason of it Who it was What it was and why it was Christ suffered All wrapped up in this Ecce homo Behold the man First for the Quis. Who as to his being the Son of God is answered with another Quis another Question Isai 53. Quis enarrabit Isa 53 8. Who shall declare his generation Not the Tongues or Quils of Men or Angels as he is Aquila in Nubibus St. Johns Eagle in the clouds Yet may we look upon him as Vermis in pulvere Davids worm in the dust and outcast of the people Though we cannot reach his Deity yet as this Text inviteth we may behold the man And so indeed was he too plainly seen by the eye of an oppressive world Vir dolorum no sooner man then center of calamities one acquainted with Griefs His only Intimates and Familiars his inseparable companions Thus as in relation to his sufferings our businesse here this word most particularly answereth the Quis with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold the man Man and Son of Man our Saviours usual compellation John 8. and frequently elsewhere the Son of Man and that for weighty Reasons John 8.28 As first to strengthen his Disciples Faith Whom say you that I the Son of Man am Secondly to demonstrate his Humanity as his Miracles did his Divinity And here most properly Man as being Passive only in his Human Nature Thirdly called Man to shew Christ was not ashamed of our Infirmities but as the Prophet speaks hath born them and our sorrows meaning all those infirmities that are painfull without sin but none of those that are sinfull without pain as Lombard well distinguisheth Lombard 4. Distinct And yet withall he is Man with an Article that imports an Emphasis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. among men as Demosthenes among Greek Orators or as Tully among the Latins or Homer among the Graecian Poets or Virgil amongst other The Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a Figure of Excellency Behold the Man a Dicier Hic est Christ here Emphatically stiled Man and by a transcendent singularity above all others Not like ordinary men propagated in sin originall and by a double Parentage This spotlesse Lamb having in Heaven no Mother and on Earth no Father No nor like Adam in his best state with a Posse labi with any possibility of falling into actuall But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2.17 the Man in all things like us but that which is nothing sin excepted Heb. 2. 'T is remarkable that none is called Sonne of man in Scripture except Daniel once But the Prophet Ezekiel and He so Dan. 8.17 neer an hundred times as being more conversant with Angels and Diviner Revelations How much more Christ in that regard here stiled emphatically Behold the man Nor yet is this all his Excellency He was Innocens Benefaciens Rex Dei Filius c. all easie to dilate on I can but name them He was innocent and declared so by his Judge Insons ante Reum the Dove of Innocence the Lamb without blemish the true Nathaniel He was the Vniversall Benefactor of the world to all parts doing good according to their severall Receptivities He was a King acknowledged not only by the Scriptures but also by his enemies at his Crucisixion by his Title on the Crosse c. He was the Son of God testified by miracles on earth and thrice at least by a voyce from heaven and the Devill himself was tormented to this Truth Matth 8.29 Behold the man that was the summe of the whole world both God and Man And all this Excellency of Person doth in finitly highten the indignity of his Sufferings which are the next Considerable the Quid What this person underwent But soft let me not promise more then I can perform alas more then can be performed This being Infandum scelus infandique dolores on the Jews part a wickednesse unutterable on Christs part sorrows inexpressible and therefore fitter here to be Effigiesed like sacrified Ipbigenia with Agamemnon's veil of silence How hard the holy Penmen labour here for Metaphors Psal 129.3 Isai 53.7 Rom. 4.25 Luke 22.47 Phil. 2.8 He was ploughed upon saith David Dumb before the shearers and Butchers saith Isaiah given up saith St. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Given up of God betrayed of man Traditus mundo John 3.16 Delivered to the world that Scoen of miseries and vale of tears Traditus dolori Delivered up to sorrows Traditus Populo Luke 22. Delivered up to the people and no wild beast or Sea so raging Traditus morti traditus Cruci Delivered to Death even to the death of the Crosse as the Complement of all Tortures And this is the generall Prospect of Christs innumerable sufferings which come on so thick and fast upon us that they will not permit us here to glance upon his Prior passio as the Fathers call Christs life from his first Birth to the institution ot his last Supper his former passion Cujus tota vita continuata passio whose whole life indeed was but one Crimson Thred spun to make us a Garment But his later Passion now calleth us into the Gardâ—n Joh 18. John 13.1 Where think not of a place of Recreation but of Passion Dream not of Beds of Roses and delicious Flowers but think of bitter Herbs of Rue and Wormwood There Ecce homo Behold the man there weeping sweating bleeding for us Till he becometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even a Circle of Calamity made an Island in his own inundation of Tears of Sweat of Bloud a treble Island as Bernard passionatly Non tantum oculis Serm. 3. de Ram. Palmar sed membris singulis Christ wept saith he not only with his eyes but with all the members of his blessed body to wash away our
of that and I have done and here behold obedient Isaac the willing Porter of his funerall pile Loyall Vriah carrying the Instrument of his own destruction where by the Riddle of Tyranny his enemies make good that double Crucifige as 't were twice crucifying him once as with a Burden and secondly as with a Crosse the Crosse the worst of all the Jews four Tortures which for their slaves they had borrowed from Heathen Cruelties And Tully himself is here at a Non-plus In 7. Oratione contra Verrem To bind a Citizen of Rome saith he is hainous to scourge him villany a kind of Paricide to kill him but Quid dicam What shall I call it to put him on the Crosse O that were sure a strange Piaculum what shall I say to this The Apostle answereth somewhat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He humbled He emptied himself Phil. 2. Christ emptied himself of glory of Beauty of Help of Company of Life all his veins of bloud all his senses of delightfull objects for contrary Nay emptied his soul of Divine comfort emptied Phil. 2.7 humbled himself even to the death of the Crosse that sin might be carried out of the world as it came in i. upon the Woodden Horse whereon his nailed body is extended as the Hieroglyphick of his ample mercy Brachia in amplexus dimittit in oscula vultum What should I here trouble you with the nice Speculation of some Friers How big the nails were whether big enough to make Constantine an Helmet Ludolp de vita Christi in loc and a Bridle What severall sorts of wood the Crosse was of and why with the strict number of his stripes and wounds Let Granatensis and Acosta answer for their boldnesse numbring about 500. while more exact Osorius argueth from the Band of Souldiers full 660. in the Body 72. in the Head beside the 5 main Wounds in Hands and Feet and Side But Pauperis est numerare Numbring is but an argument of paucity though Starrs and Sands and every leaf in Autumn score a griefe All this were but a Substraction to Christs infinite sorrows who therefore in his Type assureth us Innumerable troubles have compassed me about Psal 40. And if any thing in this world could come ought neer them me thinks our Sins were likeliest O then let each of Them number out a wound in him find its Cure there And if they come short Why then to reach his multiplied miseries to our offences add his Enemies who had they been either Graves or Earth or Rocks or any thing but Jews how would they have Opened Rent Quaked in compassion added no more scoffs spunge spear unto his Grucifixion which yet They do even til the Sun 's ashamed the Temple 's angry and the Earth's afraid Insomuch that the very Astrologers of that Age acknowledged from that totall unnatural Eclipse of the Sun the Moon being at ful Aut Deus Naturae patitur aut machina mundi dissolvitur That either the world or its Maker was then a dying And Josephus telleth us of the Angels valediction a voyce heard in the Temple about that time Transeamus hinc Let us flye hence and pitch our Tents no longer about such wicked Persons And now one would think we were neer the Consummatum est his Passion finished Indeed of his outward suffering is somwhat opened to you but I have said nothing yet of his Internall Passion The deep impressions of all those ignominies and ingratitudes cast on him Nothing of the Burden of his Fathers anger which caused that second Agony on the Cross 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My God My God! wherein his Soul complaineth and even Descends to Hell and therefore we may well joyn prayer with that old Greek Liturgie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By thine unknown fuffering good Lord deliver us And here that Ecce homo is lost into an Ecce Agnus Dei Behold the slain Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World Here I might wind you into the Labyrinths of School-Disputes Why Christ so earnestly did deprecate his Passion with a Transeat Calix Let this Cup pass from me whether out of the Dominion of his inferiour will or no or only out of human infirmity How far then and after he was Relinquisht of the Diety whether only in regard of momentary Suspension or of any Separation As also how his Temporall Passion could satisfie for our Eternall Debts Whether by the Excellence of his person or by the prevention of His graces in us But aiming more at the kindling of Devotion then swelling up a volume we will send these Questions back again to School while with more profit we now apply the QUARE The Quare Why all this was done and suffered What David said to his brother Eliab 1 Sam. 17.29 1 Sam. 17. when Goliah defyed the Hoast of Israel is there not a Cause the same me thinks Christ here answereth his brethren of flesh and bloud to their treble Ecce of Attention Admiration and Compassion Demanmanding also Why camest thou down hither Down from Heaven down to Earth down to misery down to the grave nay down to Hell it self ad triumphandum non ad patiendū an inchoation of his Triumph after the consummation of his Passion Why is there not a Cause saith Christ Do not Sins play the insulting Philistims and Satan defie the Israel of God and therefore he re-encountreth him like David with the Staffe and Sling of his Cross and passion slaying the Goliah Death and with his own Sword beheading him Is there not a Cause Yes hence we see a double one on Christs part Love on mans part danger on Christs part not onely ut implerentur omnia that all the Prophesies and Prefigurations might be fulfilled though even in that sense also saith the Evangelist ought not Christ to have suffered these things and so to enter into his Glory Luke 24.26 but likewise an invaluable love an incomprehensible Affection to poor mankind Non praevisa fides non opera Not Faith or any works foreseen which were effects not causes of this mercy but onely that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 1.9 Eph. 1. that same free grace good will and pleasure of the Diety of all the glorious persons of it Quorum opera ad extrà sunt indivisa Their actions outwardly being undivided though distinguished the love of the Father sends the Son John 3. John 3.16 Luke 2.34 John 10.16 The Holy Ghost overshadowed the blessed Virgin-mother Luke 2. yet neither impeadeth the voluntary coming of the second person who layeth down his life here none taketh it from him John 10. Misit tota Trinitas Thus the whole sacred Trinity wrongth this great work of Mans Redemption Vnicuique operanti cooperantibus duobus Whatsoever one worketh the other two cooperating consenting as here the Father of Mercies and the Spirit of Consolation joyn'd with the Son of everlasting love
testimonii sufficientiam Two for a full and sufficient Testimony by the Jews own Law Witnesses of all sorts from Heaven and Earth too Angels tell the Women He is not here but c. Angels I they were alwayes ready attendants on our Saviour Et congruum fuit ut Rex Coelorum Satellitium haberet Angelorum Most fit it was that the King of Heaven should alwayes have such a Guard such a Retinue and had so at his Conception Luke 1. an Arch-Angell at his Birth Luke 2. a Multitude of the Heavenly Hoast In his Temptation Mark 1. in his Agony Luke 22. Angels ministred unto Him At his Apprehension had he so pleased could have easily prayed down more then twelve Legions i. innumerable company of Angels had he meant to countenance Religion propagated by the Sword and to come home here to his Resurrection And so likewise afterward to his Ascention miraculously proclaimed by Angels And if These to the Creature be appointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How much more ought they to be alwayes Ministring spirits to their Maker Heb. 1.14 Pennati proceres induti vestibus albis Matribus hi Christum jam surrexisse reportant These winged Mercuries of Heaven here tell the seeking women to their joy and astonishment He is not here but is risen To women then Christ first was manifested to three women and to them doubly by the voyce of Angels and his own First appearance John 20. Three pious women Mary Magdalen Joanna and Mary mother of James v. 12. who to the glory of their Sex were led by their Devotion as the three wise Men by the Star unto their Saviour for they were seeking Christ Mark 28.5 'T is not here worth while to dispute whether or no Christ first appeared to his Mother as some contend since the Evangelists mention not his appearing unto her at all but sure we are 't was to her Sex I and to her Name also Mark 16. Mary Magdalen Apostolorum Apostola as Cajetan calleth her she was the first preacher of the Resurrection the Apostoless of the Apostles and various are the reasons of this Condescention I passe the phansie of some Misogynists as too light that it was because they are the more garrulous the more divulging Sex to spread a rumour sticking too rigidly on the 10. and 11. verses This might hold in secular affairs perhaps but here too contrary to Christs humble modesty Nemini dixeris still prefaced to all those Acts tending to his honour See thou tell no man more probable is that of Ludolphus In Lenim en doloris On Christs part as an Antidote and Cordiall to their Deeper sorrows First he appeared to them lest by his longer absence their griefs should prove too strong a Passion for those weaker vessels Woman why weepest thou v. 15. To asswage their sorrow and comfort them Then at other side saith Beda Quae prima ad culpam prima ad veniam Woman that first made hast to sinne now come first to Pardon She that first broke her Faith in Paradice Bedas Reasons in Locum first recovereth it at the Sepulcher Contendit de morte rapere vitam quae prius de vitâ rapuit mortem That Sex saith he which first snatcht Death as it were out of Life here contends as much to fetch Life even out of Death Aemulemur saltem Foeminas Though that Angelicall Attendance on our Saviour passe our dull Earths Imitation I our Souls and their most active Graces Yet let us at least aemulate these Womens piety Men for shame lest that feebler Sex prove the strongest in Devotion and Vertue appear so farre of the Foeminine Gender as not derived à viro Again let Women imitate them lest with the Foolish Virgins they Eclips the Glory of their vertuous kind and honour their Sex onely with that worst of Arguments Corruptio optimae est pessima The corruption of the best proves the worst Those that will accompany them must note how they came Early and not Empty Early Nec ubi mox abiit nec tamen orta dies In the Dawning saith Saint John while it was yet dark John 20.1 No deferring holy Duties Poenitentia sera raro seria Especially delay not Penitence Christ himself must he sought Early in the Day of Life Age and Sicknesse being Dies mortis days of Death in the morning of this day i.e. in times of strength and health Early in this Morning i.e. in the prime of youth with Samuel and Timothy nay in the very Dawning i.e. in the time of tender innocency as Saint Jerom of Eustochium Materno lacte That she sucked in Piety with her Mothers milk loving to hear Children Balbutire Christum Epist ad Eusiock Chanting Hosanna's er'e they wel could speak None ever came too soon to CHRIST or can make too much hast to Heaven Many Esau's with too late Teares to gain a Blessing And as early so these came not empty reflecting upon that Nemo vacuus Exod. 23.15 Exod 23.15 None shall appeare before me empty saith the giver of all things And minde it you cheap Auditors and Readers Quaelibet Aromata Vnguenta Each here brought her Oyntments and sweet Odours And such must be our addresses Odore virtutum suavitate Orationum With flowers of Vertue and Fragrancies of Prayer Revel 8. With the pretious Unguents of Alms and Hospitality Rev. 8. Psalm 141. All which indeed are like Mary Magdalens effused Oyntment Matth. 26. And to close this with St. Bernards sweeter Allegory Tres mulieres sunt Mens Lingua Manus The three good Women here bringing pretious Oyntments and sweet Odours must be saith he the Mind the Tongue the Hand Serm. in Loc. Those of the Mind are Zeal Compassion Patience Those of the Tongue are Prayers and good Exhortations Those of the Hand are Charity and Distributions Thus having saluted the Company Observe next the Person and his Motion He John 1.1 is not here but is risen He a word of the Person He that was the Word John 1. He that was born among Beasts lived among Publicans and died among Thieves He whom they attached bound reviled He whom they buffeted scourged thorned He whom they nailed pierced crucified whose Sepulcher they stoned sealed watched and that with the Garrison appointed to guard the Temple saith Josephus yet He so little the Plots of the impious prevaile against the Righteous He who sitteth in Heaven so laugheth them to scorn and Catastropeth all their wits into Dirisions The Person He. that Ipsissimus He the very selfe-same Christ awakeneth his Divinity which seemed before to sleep and at once conquereth those Fatall Enemies Sin Death and Hell even to a sensible Demonstration Luke 24. Videte palpate Handle me and see me Luke 24.35 When the Priests and Scribes those grand Councellors at Law expected from the Grave an Habeas Corpus the Body which they gave it they receive from Angels a non est inventus He
life-giving bread so that the Schools in Generall and many of the Fathers where opinioned from this John 6. that there is a kind of divine seed infused by the Eucharist not only into the souls but into the bodies also of faithfull Receivers whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or vivifying Quality inclineth and as 't were fitteth them to a Reviviction non Disputo sed Credo ut Credo Edo how far the words may bear it I dispute not but believe him that said it John 6.54 whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day The Ascention of Christ. matt 28. mark 16. luk 24. * * 50. And he led them out as farre as Bethany and he lift up his hands and blessed them 51. And it came to passe while he blessed them he was parted from them and carryed upp into heauen Here the Plate POEM 16. Upon this day as the Sweet Prophet sings The Sun arose with healing in his wings The Sun of Righteousnesse which lately sate In a Cloud Red as Bloud yet now in state He reapproacheth with Refulgent Rayes Cheering our sadness Lengthning of our Days Our declinations of Mortality Into a Solstice of Eternity This day the Lord made and it sorrow marr'd Nay This day made the Lord that is declar'd His Mercy on others many wonders show'd But now his Power one on Himself bestow'd This stronger Samson breaks the cords and bands Of death and Hell with his Triumphant hands See honest Joseph here from Prison come In Christ Returning from deaths dungeon The Gates of Gaza Samson bare away But Christ the Gates of death unhing'd to Day Stout Daniel here from fierce companions free While Christ returns from vanquish'd Divels See Here is that Temple which Jews did destroy Yet as foretold repaired the third day Here Jonah too the whale doth cast on shore Now the devouring Grave doth Christ restore Which Morsell hath Death's stomack so sick made Hee 'l one day vomit all that 's therein laid Mean time the Grave 's well Metamorphosed Thus warm'd by Christ Fear not to go to bed For though what 's sown do dy yet see the Graine With gay advantages revives again In stead of mouldring Drought Green-Flourishing Each single vertue many Multiplying Christ thus our humane Nature did calcine Not Transubstantiate into divine But what was naturall Spiritualize By the exaltation of the Qualities More then Angelick Beuty Crowns that Face Where the Forme of a servant late took place That Body new Agility doth move Who 's Center 's not below now but above Enfranchis'd too from Earth's necessities And supports humane by Divine supplies Needs neither Rest Food Raiment as before As being to hunger thirst and tire no more And when Christ fed since 't was not Him to nourish But onely his Disciples Faith to cherish And in his Body rais'd those wounds and scars Became the brightest parts in their orb stars Such the Prerogative spiritual is Of bodies glorifi'd of Christ and His. First fruits imply the Later look what he Injoy'd we shall for act though not degree Each vessel full of true felicity According to its Receptivity If we mean while but rise from graves of sin And Transitories which most buried in If of such Bats we pitch an Eagles flight And to be where this Carcass is delight Then doubt not but who thus the first partake The second Resurrection bless'd shall make Thus by the resurrection of the dead The Living's Faith is chiefly comforted The COLLECT The Epistle Col. 3. ver 1. unto 8. The Gospel John 20. ver 1. to 11. Almighty God which thorow thy only begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life we humbly beseech thee that as by thy speciall grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect through Jesus Christ our Lord who liveth c. Vpon Ascension Day or Holy Thursday DISQUISITION 14. WEe may well say of this Feast as the Jews of that same Sabbath John 19. John 19.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That this is an High Day dies Solennis a day of Joy to all Generations both in respect of Christ our Lord and of all true Christian people as being the first day of Christs Ascension in the flesh for his Deity cannot be said either to ascend or descend this being the first day of his sitting in joy and glory rest and triumph The Proem at the right hand of God And as to our selves This the first day as it were of our right to Heaven the first day that our Nature entred there whence we have both a Priviledg and an Assurance to follow as this day the sentence of our corruption was changed and in stead of that curse in the beginning Earth thou art c. it was now said unto our Nature Ascend to Heaven and which never was to Angels Sit thou at my right hand c. Heb. 1. Sure Heb. 1.13 an inestimable happinesse was Christs personall Society his bodily Presence while he lived on earth could the hardened Jews have seen or seeing have perceived it but Light came into the world and darknesse comprehended it not They like the brutish Gadarens had rather have their swine then this pearle while the devout Saint Augustine made it you know the chiefest of his chiefe desires Romam in Flore Paulum in Cathredra Christam in Carne S. August 3 chief desires To have seen widowed Roome in her Virgin Foelicity to have heard that Divine Oracle Saint Paul out of the Pulpit but above all to have embraced his Redeemer in the flesh And could then have sung his Swann like Anthem the Nunc dimittis as cheerfully as old Simeon could willingly have closed his eyes with that blest object How full of joy needs must his presence be on earth in whose presence is fulnesse of joy in heaven I and who still carryed Heaven along with him And so fill'd with this joy of his presence were his Apostles he having oft miraculously sed them by Land saved them by Sea instructed them both by Sea and Land that they could not with patience endure once to think of his abscence or hear of his Departure and therefore one of them to enjoy him longer disswadeth him from his sufferings Mat. 16. though he be called Satan for his labour the rest in a sad copartnership of sorrow lament the death and losse of him Mat. 16.22 All his other actions were desiderabilia but this parting as another death here their affections cry out with the Pilgrims of Emmaus Mane nobiscum Domine we have now most need of thee Advesperascit For now the dark evening draweth on c. All of them at his Final valediction his telling them of his Ascending to Glory seem impatiently unwilling to stay behind him John 13.37 John 13.
verse 17. Why cannot I follow thee now saith Saint Peter He hath done with his Bonum est esse hic now he thinks nothing worse then to bee here his Master gone 〈◊〉 How can wee know the way saith Saint Thomas John 14. verse 5. how indeed Thou gone who art the way Then saith Saint Philip unto him Lord shew us the Father verse 8. heareing Christ speake of going to Him Thus all of them in an united Longing desire either to detaine him or accompany him and sweetly Saint BERNARD In 2 Serm. in Ascens Sympathizeth with them Quantus dolor irrupit Apostolica Pectora dum eum propter quem omnia Reliquerant à se tolli viderunt what heart-breaking Grief alas seazed on the Apostles when hee for whom they had left all was now leaving them Oh how could the children of the Bride-Chamber chuse but mourne when the Bride-groome was to bee taken from them Mat. 9.15 Matthew 9. verse 15. And if so irkesome bee thy corporall absence Oh CHRIST Let us never know how unsufferable is thy Spirituall thine eternall separation but since for his corporall Absence there is an Oportet Act. 3.21 Acts 3. for the heavens must contain him till c. and an Expedit John 16.7 Joh. 16. that it was expedient he go to the Father for else the Comforter would not come see how like a tender Parent he goes about to wean their affections 14.1 2. c. John 14. Little children saith he admonishing them to be such in the best sense yet a little while and I am with you our longest abode here is no better Job 14.2 but let not your heart be troubled Cur turbaretur cor cum tantùm deserit oculos What need your heart be troubled when he onely leaveth your eyes and not at all your heart Therein I am with you to the end and therefore be not troubled either to think what shall become of you hereafter For I go to prepare a place for you ver 2. For there was never any place for humane flesh til he carried it thither Nor fear your selves left desolate in present for you shall not lose but change your comfort c. Orabo Patrem that is his Office Intercession I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter you shall rather have two then lose any one I pass my word whose word shall never pass John 14.18 Non relinquam I will not leave you comfortlesse John 14.18 to which S. Augustine sweetly alludeth Euarg in Psal 46. Videte ascendentem Credite absentem Sperate venientem sed tamen per misericordiam occultam etiam sentite praesentem Behold him now ascending beleeve in him being absent expect his second coming and yet by his inward mercies apprehend him present with you 'T is handsomly observed by some learned * August 157. Serm. de Temp. Greg. in Hom. in Ezech. 1. c. Authors that those four Beasts Ezek. 1. and Apoc 4. mystically represent the four chief Actions of Christ in his work of our Redemption the first with the face of a man pointeth at his Incarnation the second like a Bullock denoteth his Passion the third like a Lion speaketh his Resurrection the fourth of the Eagle This of his Ascension flying above the clouds and pearching in the highest heavens at the right hand of God Though our Saviours first life on earth for he lived two you know before and after his Resurrection although his first I say was but one crimson thred a meer debasement and continued passion yet was his second as full of Triumph and Exaltation whereof there were three degrees or sublimations answerable to those three of his later Humiliation Resurrectio Morti Ascensio Discensui Sessio ad dextram permansioni in sepulchro Christs Exaltation threefold viz. his Resurrection opposed to his Death his Ascent into heaven to his Descent into hell and his sitting on the right hand of God to his lying in the Sepulchre The first step of this exaltation was his step out of the grave his Resurrection as before demonstrated the second stair of his Triumphancy is this which now wee contemplate his translation from earth to heaven In Festum and this saith Bernard is Consummatio reliquarum Solennitatum foelix causula totius Itinerarii Christi as it were the complement of all other Solemnities and happy period of Christs whole Journal in the flesh S. Luke describeth the substance and circumstances of it Luke 24.50 c. Luke 24. Eduxit discipulos Christ now about to take his ultimum vale of his disciples He led them forth the city to Bethania out of the city to admonish them and us of a Non habemus that wee have here no continuing city Heb. 13. but must seeke one to come Heb. 13. and led them forth only a few witnesses to shew He was as private in all those actions tending to his glory as publick in those pointing out his shame as his Twin-born poverty is laid open in an Inne Domus populi nay the commonest room of that same common house a Stable his buffetings and derisions in Pilat's open Hall his crucifixion in the eye of Jerusalem when that was the very Face of the world But the glorious attendance on his Birth that 's by night Luke 2. a multitude of the heavenly Hoast His radiant Transfiguration hath but three beholders Peter James and John All his miraculous cures he would have gratified with silence See thou tell no man His Resurrection at first manifested but onely to Mary Magdalene and this his most glorious Ascension but to his Apostles only He led them forth and all this to prick the bladder of vain glory which so puffeth up the heart of man especially now a dayes so much made of every where so be-plush'd and scar-letted but you see Ostentatious ones are Christs Antipedes who here contenteth his wonderfull preferment with no more pomp then His Apostles company He led them forth and that for their own sakes too giving them both a Blessing and a Charge The Blessing the Charge Luke 24.50 ver 50. He lift up his hands and blessed them Happy those imployments that are so led on with his Blessing Rom. 10.15 Jer. 23.21 and so those parting 's too that close in mutuall Benedictions Secondly There was exite praedicate Goe ye forth into all Nations Matth. 10.5 and preach the Gospel there is a double commission for them whom he chooseth both of Authority and Ability This not to be done without warrant Rom. 10.15 Jer. 23.21 the inward Call is best known by the Talents and both best made known by the externall Call of lawfull Authority And here that former Edict was repealed Matth. 10. Goe not into the way of the Gentiles that was to be the main way now to all Nations to every creature that is capable thereof or to the System and the Epitome
Coelum corporale Saint Austin Coelum 3. spirituale super intellectuale the Corporal Heaven saith he conteins the Spheres and whole materiall Fabrick the Spiritual One is the Habitacle of Angels all blessed Spirits the Super-intellectual is a Place apart a Sanctū sanctorum solely appropriated to the Deity and thither saith he Christ ascended as the Apostle meaneth Eph. 4.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 farr above all heavens Ephes 4. into that true Paradise that habitation of light that light inaccessible the Kingdom of Heaven But read we not of others that ascended before Christ yes but like those that rose before him with difference enough Enoch indeed walked with God Gen. 5.24 and was taken away Gen. 5. and Elijah found a Coach-way to Heaven 2. King 2. So me dare not think these bodily ascended 2 King 2. but as 't is said of Moses Deut. 34. that God buried them no man knowing of their sepulchre unto this day Others dreaming that they are still alive reserved in some by part of the world personally to fight with Antichrist but suâ fruantur insaniâ let them have their Phansie to themselves Greg. the great in locum while we here distinguish with Gregory Homo purus Adjutorio indigebat These though purest of men wanted supporters you see a Chariot from Heaven and Angels to draw it but Christ by his own power whereby he first made all things lifted himself now above all things nay indeed Causa fuit ejus Ascensio His Ascension though later in time yet in order of Nature before was the sole efficient of their elevation as shall be one day of ours Next for the Instruments of his Ascension Ps 104 3. Act. 1.9.11 a cloud saith the text received him out of their sight and not unprophesied posuit Nubem vehiculum Psalm 104. He it was that made the Clouds his Chariots and rode upon the wings of the wind I that cloud was the Canopy of the King of glory which the blessed Angels carried over him while he was now going to that high Court of Parliament the Court of the most high to treat about a Peace 'twixt Heaven and Earth A cloud received him out of their sight we cannot without a just Reprehension pry with curiosity where God hath interposed a cloud of secresie Act. 1.11 and therefore let not the Piety of our Affections spend it self in vain desires of an Earthly Pilgrimage to see the pretended steps of our Ascending Saviour the Pressures of his Feet still on Mount Olivet but rather veiw and trace his spirituall footsteps I am sure more certain less expensive in his sacred Oracles of Scriptures for thereunto are we called saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. for Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example 1 Pet. 2.21 that we might follow his steps though not Passibus aequis yet Amoris Ephes 5. Eph. 5.2 Be ye followers of God c. and walk in love as Christ hath loved us Lastly the end of his Ascension was ut impleret omnia Ephes 4.10 that he might fulfill all things all things concerning us all that concerned himself for us to compleat the work of our Redemption and to Prepare each of us one of those many Mansions to open the Kingdom of heaven to all beleevers The day of Christs Ascension Pro Nobis facta saith Saint Bernard Christ his Ascension was also for our exaltation assuring us here with a confirmed hope that our souls shall whensoever separated ascend to him and at length our soul and body both like his by his to heaven John 14.3 And as unto himself to fulfill Prophesies Psalm 68. Thou art gone up on high Ps 68 18. hast led captivity captive c. Also to shew an irrefragable Demonstration of his Godhead by that exalting his Manhood into heaven to manifest to the whole world to Heaven as well as earth that glorious Majesty of his which by Divine dispensation had so long lay shrowded in the form of a servan till now by entring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and Man into Heaven such a new Guest as the glad Angels never saw there before and how readily me thinks how joyfully did those Dorekeepers of the house of our God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 open unto him when hee called Aperite Portas stand ope yee Gates bee you lift up yee Everlasting dores that the King of glory may come in And if some serious devotions have beleeved that at Christs Passion the whole Quire of Angels and Saints were interrupted in their sacred Hymns and for a season ceased their Singing Haliluiahs O what increase of joys by Rule of contrariety may we here imagine when he returned Triumphantly unto his Throne of Glory David as though he had heard that Musick of the Spheres awakeneth his Harp and Lute bears a part with them Psalm 47. Psal 47.5 Deus ascendit cum Jubilatione God is gone up with a merry noise and the Lord with the voice of Melody Gone up I to the third and highest steppe of all his exaltation and that is the Right hand of God And but a touch of that which mortalls cannot handle Dextra Majestratem Gloriam Honorem Denotat Gods Right hand what the Right hand is a Metaphor expressing Power Honour Glory Empire and dominion to all which Christ was here exalted Ephes 1.21 Raised from the dead Ephes 1.21 set at Gods right hand in Heavenly places farr above all principalities and powers might and Dominion and every name that is named in this world or that to come Indeed his Resurrection and Ascension were but Motus ad hunc Terminum Onely the motion tending to this perfection This being Solium Triumphale his transcendent Throne of Glory where Triumphing over sinne death and Hell He shall Raigne saith the Apostle till He hath put all things under him 1 Corinthians 15. 1 Cor. 15. And whereas the other two Resurrection and Ascension shall be in some manner common to us with Christ thorough his infinite goodnesse one day to Arise and ascend to Glory but to Sit at the right hand of God in his Kingdome of Glory is too high for the most beloved Disciple Heb. 1.13 that is onely the Fathers Gift and the Sonns Prerogative not communicable either to Man or Angell Hebr. 1.13 There he Sitteth alone the Posture of State of Rest of Judgement as one pithily and sweetly Quiescentis Regnantis Judicantis est Well is our Redeemer after his Passion and Ascension said to Sit at the Right hand of God saith he Quia post Laborem Requiescit Ardens in locum post praelium Regnat postquam Judicatus est Judicat as keeping his Sabbath of Rest after his six grand * His Nativity Circumcision Presentation Baptism Passion Resurrection Ascension Raulin in Festum Labours as after Conquest raigning and after himselfe adjudged being the Judg of all things and what a comfort
is it to have a Friend of the Judg before we come to the Barr and that is our consolation if not our own default Christ is ascended our Best friend our Brother our Advocate and now we have a Mediatour in Heaven I till this Peace-maker went up Sin had set open war 'twixt heaven and earth Justice with an unbound Arm fetched a more heavy stroke not only on single persons but upon whole Cities Gen. 17. Gen. 7 Gen. 19. nay on the whole sinful world Gen. 7. then no Moses in the gap no Jacob there to wrestle for a blessing but now happy day for us the Angel of the Covenant is gone up to hold the hand of the striking God of Abraham our Aaron is at the high Altar to pray for the People Heb. 9.24 The Sanctum Sanctorum Hebrews 9.23 Christ our high Priest is entered into the Heaven of Heavens once for all to make an Attonement for us what place then is there now left black Dispaire but only Hell Rouse thee afflicted soul and ly no longer in the groanes of Cain For though the envious man Satan be ever pleading against us at the throne of God yet now is salvation in heaven saith Saint John and the power of Christ which casteth down the accuser of the Brethren Rev. 12.10 c. Rev. 12.10 There his Intercession cries louder for us then our sins against us Ostendit Patri vulnera saith Saint Augustine He is ever shewing to his angred Father those wounds He suffered for our sins and so whatever he be with us God is in Him appeased Thus pleadeth he our cause before the eternall Judge an Advocate 1 John 2.1 1 John 2. If any man sin c. Yet for all this presume not Ransomed Soul bee not high-minded but fear God forbid sinne should because grace abounds Desperation like Saul slayeth thousands but Presumption her ten thousands This were even to crucifie the Son of God afresh and grieve the Holy Spirit Eph. 4.30 Ephes 4.30 Lastly Though wee have now one yet have we but one Mediatour in Heaven we dare not admit of that Delusion that there are as many Saviours as good men Each one meriting for himselfe some for others and no fewer Intercessours then Saints and Angels since Noah Job and Daniel shall deliver but their own soules by their righteousnesse Ezech. 14. Ezeck 14.14 We dare not so rob God of his Honour nor derogate from Christ's all-sufficient merits and intercession for all the thinne Distinction of Mediatio Redemptionis Intercessionis Away with cobweb shifts and Aiery phansies Listen to infallibility 1 Tim. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 2.5 There is one God and one Mediatour between God and man even He that was both and none but He Jesus Christ then to close with St. Bernards Counsel Ascendit Christus sequamur Fratres sequamur Agnum quocunque ierit sequamur patientem resurgentem multo lubentius Asceudentem c. Christ is now ascended into Heaven what do we groveling so on earth Letus follow Brethren let us follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth Let us follow him suffering Bernard in Festum Arising much more willingly ascending exaltationem concupiscimus omnes We all love to be exalted born Corahs all of an aspiring Nature yet change but the object set Heaven and grace in the place of earthly transitories and keep your Ambition stil Si consurrexistis coascendite if risen with Christ Ascend with him Borrowing the wings of the Dove Scalam de vitiis make a ladder of your Sins saith Aug. every one of which subdued is a new stepp toward Heaven POEM 17. THose three steps of Christs later Passion Were answer'd in his exaltation By triple opposites building him high As his foundation laid debasingly The degradation of his bitter death Sweetned by Reviviction Resum'd Breath His bed made in the dust with worms to ly Was fairly oppos'd by his Ascent on high And for his stooping to the infernall Pit He now at Gods Right hand of power doth sit The first step we have trod Le ts now ascend The rest and Heaven shall be our journies end To th'Mount of Olives then for That 's the place Christs wonted Pulpit that must have the Grace Of this Triumphant wonder there while he Instructs and comforts his disciples see Elijah in his Antitipe again Transported thence in a coelestiall wain The Clouds his Chariot and the nimble winds His winged horses Angels in their kinds His Train and Lacquayes yet no needed ayd As is of Enoch and Elijah said Thus stately mounted his etherial Chaire Glides through the yeilding Regions of the Ayre To th' everlasting doors which open wide To th' King of Glory who brings a spring Tide Both of new Joy and wonder to that place Where ne're till now appeared a Humane Face And if some serious minds Christs Passion thought Even to Heavens Quire some silence to have wrought And for awhile the Saints and Seraphins Thence interrupted in their sacred Hymns O here by contrary's what Floud of joyes When Christ ascends with such a Raptive Noise David as though H 'had heard the Melody Streight Tunes his Harp and joyns i th' Harmony Angels and Saints all one glad Chorus Sing The Welcome Triumphs of their Glorious King Where Gods Right hand being his triumphant throne He still for us makes Intercession And such as needs no help who Rivals joyn His honour and their own successe Purloyn As Angels Pry this Death so let us Scan What 's said or done to Them as here to Man Then from Christs Mount now let our souls take Rise Whos 's Olivet speaks Peace and victories Follow our Leader in this holy Fight From Earth and Sin leading to glorious Light Follow the Lamb we should whereso'ere he goes Through joyes Spirituall through temporal woes Suffering or Rising follow him but sure Ascending we will easily endure Born Corahs all yet be but Heaven the Hill We climb and then keep our Ambition stil Souls are but sparkles of Coeiestial fire O let them to their Center then aspire Though Bodies are slow Pac'd Let souls ascend And bodies will ore'take their joyes i th' end That so a full Beatifying ascent As Christs may be our Journall's complement The COLLECT The Epistle Act. 1. v. 1. to 12. The Gospel Mar. 16. v. 14. to the end Grant we beseech thee Almighty God that like as we do beleeve thy only begotten Son our Lord to have ascended into the heavens so we may also in heart and mind thither ascend and with him continually dwel who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the holy Ghost one God world without end Amen The comminge of the Holy Ghost Act. 2. 1 And when the day of Pentecost was come they were all with one accord in one place 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heauen ect 3 And there appeared unto them clouen tongues like fire and it sate upon each
of them 4 And they were all filled with the holy ghost And began to speake with other tongues etc The Plate here Whitsunday DISQUISITION 15. THis Day is worthily devoted to the Holy Ghost the third Person in the Blessed Trinity by whom all things times and persons that are such are sanctified and made holy Epist 118. ad Januarium and therefore so devoted over all the world saith Augustine in memoriall of that day Acts 2. wherein the Spirit after a Wonderful and mysterious manner descended for the propagating governing and preserving of Christs holy Catholick Church unto the end of the world 'T is sometime called Pentecost as being fifty days after our Christian Passeover Deut. 16. The Jewish Pentecost was a memoriall of the Law which was an hidden Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Fifty Acts 2.1 but our Pentecost a memoriall of the Gospel which is the revealed Law One delivered in Mount Sinai th' other in Mount Sion and somtimes called Whitsunday from the glorious light of heaven that was then shed upon the earth as also from a custome of some Christians Thence cloathing themselves in white Cyril Catech. in token of the joy and solemnity thereof as Saint Augustine speaks for whereas Christs Birth and other times we keep in Honour of his coming in the flesh now at Whitsuntide wee should rejoyce more for his coming in the Spirit Now we have a double joy Serm. 133. de Evang. saith he Quod abeuntem Christum non amisimus venientem Spiritum possidemus that we have not lost our Christ departed but yet enjoy the Spirit approached I the Sun of Glory being now in his height shines forth on his Apostles in a Light from Heaven and knowing the worlds charity would soone wax cold as he foretold them Matth. 24. He warmeth them with a shower of Heavens better fire and lest great sorrows for his Absence strike them dumb as ingentes stupent He sendeth each of them for a Token an inspired tongue Christs Promises O how worthy confidence that so in each point answered their necessities as not in any thing left them comfortlesse John 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereas without him Joh. 14.15 16. and his Comforts what forlorne Orphanes are the best of men very Apostles you see in the Metaphor here as fatherlesse children or widdowed mothers Orphanos In locum Hierom rendreth it Orbos so Beza One of the words speaking a neer Allegory to helplesse children The other to deprived parents both pregnantly expressing man's destitute condition without Christ Christs Fatherly affection towards man Man who left alone is the desolatest creature in the world especially for Spirituals how unable therein to help himselfe Rom. 1.19 so much as to a good thought Rom. 7. When thus the Apostles without Christ are very Orphanes as children Fatherlesse exposed to oppressions injuries and delusions Let Nature boast of nothing what are the rest of men without him but even wormes as it were and no men But on the other side How manifestly did Christ's Parentall care appear to them that while present gathered them as an Hen her chicken and now absent set so good a Guardian over them Earth could not afford a Comforter sufficient no alas her miserable ones and therefore Heaven shall nor is any Angel there thought good enough to be intrusted with so dear a charge but even God himselfe the Holy Ghost who from the sweet effects of his Illumination and Assistance is Emphatically stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all the world the Comforter indeed sometimes he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 14.16 i. e. another Comforter yet not exclusively but relatively Christ still remaining one Abiit per id quod Homo est manet per id quod Deus 'T is Saint Augustines Christ though absent in body yet by spirituall protection Lo I am with you to the end of the world Matth. 28. Nay and so farre even literally it is made good by Him Matth. 28.20 being personally for ever with our humane Nature Lo I am with you c. or else another Comforter saith Calvin both for distinction of Persons In locum and difference of Gifts as it was proper to the Son to pacifie the wrath of God to ransome us from hell to purchase life by dying but peculiar to the Spirit to aply these Benefits to make us partakers of Christ and all his saving graces I we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cor. 12.14 i. e. Diversities of gifts by that same Spirit or as the same Apostle else where calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the manifold wisdome of God Spiritus benignus Spiritus dulcis Spiritus fortis So St. Bernard He is a Spirit of Comfort as various as our Misery a Spirit of Love to unite the envious a Spirit of strength to support the weak a Spirit of truth to guide the ignorant a Spirit of Consolation to bind up the Afflicted Psal 68.18 So that David's prophesie is fulfilled here Psal 68. Ascendisti Dedisti Thou art gone up on high and hast given gifs unto men I Thou hast now given all good gifts by giving them the Giver of all the Holy Spirit The gifts bestowed as upon this day were of a double considerability viz. Officia Gratiae Abilities or Graces Either gifts of Edification for the Church which are legible Eph. 4.11 He gavesome Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and sme Pastors and Teachers Or gifts of Sanctification for the immediate Benefit of Soules whose Catalogue you have Gal. 5.22 The Fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse c. Psal 68.18 which St. Paul repeats Ephes 4.8 Davids word received and the Apostles Gave no opposition butshewing the Heavenly Derivation c. But what John 20.22 Dr. Hammon in locum had they not formerly received the Holy Ghost Joh. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet some say This signifies here not the actuall giving of the Holy Ghost for that came not on them till Acts 2. and they are appointed to abide at Jerusalem Luke 24.29 til they were endued with power from above which therfore now before his Ascension they had not received and when the Spirit came it would lead them into all truth and as yet it appears by their question Acts 1.6 Acts 1.6 they were not thus led but onely the confirming to them his former promise and by the ceremony of breathing on them to expresse the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The eternall Breath and Spirit of God sealing it as it were solemnly unto them The Holy Ghost not received til now and preparing and fitting them for the receiving of it So saith Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words Receive the Holy Ghost signifie Be ye ready to receive him and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He
but Saint Peter confuteth them from their own experience it being but the third hour of the day ver 15. Wine was not their mocker but the Jews yet Saint Bernard confesseth it with a qualification Verè Ebrii vino novo Saint Bernard in Festo They are drink indeed with new wine saith He but such a new wine as those old bottles the unbelieving Jews were neither worthy to receive nor able to contain being a wine powred out by the true Vine Himself by Him that trod the Wine-pesse alone Vinum Cor Laetificans non statum mentis evertens such a wine as made glad the Heart without any disturbing of the braine The Apostles had had a sowr Drawght on it by their Masters Absence now therefore they receive the wine of comfort and this me thinks may cheer our patince to see it is Christ's Method to keep the best wine till the last here then what if wee must taste of sorrows cup while we are sure hereafter to have our water turned into wine our tears into eternall joy for what I say unto you saith Christ I say unto all and that is Non relinquam John 14.18 I will not leave you comfortlesse To which end let us fervently and frequently say unto him againe in the Prayer of the Church O God make clean our hearts within us and take not thine Holy Spirit from us POEM 18. THe Sun of Glory being now in 's hight Shines forth on His in a Meridian Light And lest Griefs for his Absence strike Them mute An inspir'd Tongue doth each of Them salute And the World's Charity grown Cold and Dead With fire from Heaven is here Re-quickened Christ's Promise meets th' Apostles Vnion Which Those share not that love Division A Spirit of Comfort various as our Griefs Proportioning them all with fit Reliefs A Spirit of strength for to support the weak And bind up wounded hearts when like to break A Spirit of Amity and sacred love Uniting Lower envies from above A spirit of Aliment to hungry Souls Cheering with Manna and true Nectar bowles And now all Persons of the Trinity Have at times to man appear'd visibly Two Heraulds here usher the Spirits way A mighty wind and Sound fit to display The Gospel one whereof the world must Ring Mens carnall chaff the t'other winnowing Then doth Himself in fiery tongues dispence Heaven takes Some as some That by violence Hither a Question pertinent belongs Why he descends in Fire and cloven Tongues A fiery Comforter must needs seem strange shall not that angry Element once change The world to cinders True and yet presume While God's i' th Flame it sha'nt a Bush consume The Light and heat of fire best emblem forth Knowledg and zeal all true Apostles worth Science without zeal Ape 's the Glow-worm wel But zeal without that Heat without light 's Hell The seven chief Graces of the Spirits desire Not frigidly demonstrated by fire The fire doth Gold from its drosse purifie The Spirit doth by love purge enmity Fire melts the most obdurate Mines you know The Spirit by Remorse makes heard hearts flow Fire hardneth clay against the injurious storme The spirit by patience doth sad hearts confirme The fire makes new and burnisheth the Mine The Spirit by knowledg makes the Face to shine By fire to things ascending motion 's given The spirit by Faith too makes Souls tend to Heaven The fire to all about it light imparts The spirit by wisdome doth irradiat Hearts Fire too preserves things sweet not still consumes The spirit by Innocence our life persumes But why now was this fire shap'd into Tongues To speak those grand abilities that Throngs Converted unto Christ throughout all lands Drawn by such Eloquent and pious bands Without which Dore of utterance all Gifts Crost And like Gems in a casket whose key lost But hence all Nations sweetly woo'd do come T' hear News from heaven in their own Idiom But Satan too his fiery Tongues hath spred Whose fire by Fire shall be extinguished But cloven tongues these of th'Apostles were Mixing that is Law Gospel every where And by that double Fork'd Reflection Pointing out Gentiles Jews conversion The parting of the hoof did cleannesse shew The Serpent's too a cloven tongue we know Christs school of wisdom then the tongue that 's clean From putrid talk 's the cloven tongue we mean Thus Christs and Davids word both made good then When Christ gone up showr'd down these gifts on men The COLLECT The Epistle Act. 2. v. 1. to v. 12. The Gospel Joh. 14. from v. 15. to the end God which as upon this day hast taught the heart of thy faithfull people by the sending to them the light of thy holy Spirit grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things and evermore to rejoyce in his holy comfort through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Spirit one God world without end Amen Vpon Trinity Sunday DISQUISITION 16. IMmediatly after that admirable Descent of the Holy Ghost forementioned as it were consequently ensued notice of the incomprehensible Trinity even thereby given to the Church of God But as the Apostle saith Great is the mystery of Godlinesse 1 Tim 3.16 1 Tim. 3. and This indeed one of rhe greatest parts of all that mystery viz. the Distinction and yet Union of those three glorious persons of the Deity Byssus Abyssum invocat Here one deep calleth upon another A Theam fitter for admiration then examination not visible in the Book of the Creature where the Deity is seen Vt per speculum as in a glasse onely by reflexion No nor presently legible in the Book of the Scripture where God is seen Vt per lucem by a kind of light more directly you know Moses could see but his back-parts Exod. 33.20 and scarce them neither they were so glorious but this Distinction of Persons is as it were His Face and accuratly to be discerned is scarce an adaequate object of this life Exod. 33. And albeit the Bible begin and run on still with his NAME in the plurall number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Gen. 1.1 Gods created the Heaven and the Earth Yet this determineth not three Persons although it fairly contribute something toward it and more then intimateth Diversity of persons Gen. 1. Deut. 5. even when applied to God Himself Gen. 1. and Deut. 6. And some even out of the first Book of holy Writ do probably argue that triple personality from that first plurall word of Gods created that there are several persons hinted and you know the act of creation is generally externally attributed to the Father quod extra according to us for else to all the three indivisibly God created the c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in the second verse there is another person Particularized viz. the Spirit The Spirit
from labour and a Sanctification of that Rest Non prosunt singula Wherein the duties of the Lords Day consists especially If either of which be wanting it makes one but like a Bird with one wing or a Boat with one Oar rendreth but a lame devotion but juncta junant Like two gloves the one lost the other is of little use yet both together make themselves compleat First of the Cessation Thou shalt do no manner of work c. i.e. No servile works of thine ordinary Calling much less any works of sin it must be a double Sabboth from labour rom sin And two sorts of people transgresse here especially First such as imploy Man and Beast upon that day contrary to Gods Design of Rest to both by ordinary Coaching of it in fairest weather and the neerest distances while wise men cannot discern the Reason why equall care should not be taken then to prevent all prophanation as well by land as water Secondly such as rest in their impieties like Elements in their own places idlely spending this Day in excesse and vanity So that God is then more then all the week beside dishonored In Rest from Labour Thou shalt do no manner of work c. No Yes sure some manner of works are then lawful and most seasonable This day being Mercatura animarum as it were the Market Day of Souls Schola Dei saith Ramus De Rel. Christ l. 2. c. 6. the School day of Christ the Preachers as it were his Ushers and the Churches then as it were his open School-house Then such works are most lawfull as appertain to Gods publick worship as reading Divine Service painfull preaching administring the blessed Sacrament and things subordinate thereunto as Ringing of Bells Sabboth days Journeys 2 King 4.23 c. Acts 1.12 And beside these works of piety there are works of Mercy lawfull both toward our selves in necessary provision Mat. 12.1 and toward others whether men as our Saviour visited and healed Mark 3.5 or beasts in relieving them What works lawfull on the Lords day as requisite Luke 14.5 A third sort of works then lawfull are those of present Necessity which doubtlesse may be exercised by Physicians Midwives Shepheards Mariners Messengers and Souldiers upon visible necessities To say nothing of the works of honest Recreation Men therein being too apt to indulge themselves which I advise may be such onely as may cheere not interupt Devotion and then that reason given by Christ may extend to all the forementioned The Sabboth was made for Man Mark 2.27 not Man for the Sabboth But yet not for Man onely but for God chiefly or which is all one for Man spiritually and to further his eternall Good It must not be an empty or an idle Requiescence for as the Apostle saith of Bodily exercise so may I here say of Bodily Rest it profiteth nothing Bene vestiri nihil agere We may complain of as well as Leo Men cloath their bodies and not then ornament their souls they are so fine they are the worse again And this the Fathers call Sabbatum Boüm Asinorum The Ox and the Ass keep as good a Sabboth as these and a better then those that St. Augustine complains of that do vacare nugis Theatris spectaculis choraeis That spend the day in sports and Interludes Huntings and Compotations which is but Sabbatum Aurei vituli like wanton Israel to proclaim an holy to Jehovah and to worship a Calf Exod. 32. Exod. 32. Now this sanctifying of the Sabboth stands principally in our esteem of it and improving the opportunities thereof First we must count it our pleasure and delight Deliciae Christiani generis the Vespasian of all dayes to us Calling the Sabboth our delight Isa 58. Isai 58.3.3 Not doing our own works not thinking our own thoughts or speaking our own words c. But resigning our Heart Tongue and Hand i.e. our will voyce and practice to the businesse and object of it depositing the world and all her interruptions not nauseating the Divine Solemnities when orthodoxally performed saying Amos 8.9 When will the New Moons and Sabboths be gone c. that we may return to our Saecular advantages No but improving all we can the spirituall i.e. Prayer Reading Hearing and Meditating the sacred Mysteries of our Redemption Prayer is the Jewell of Gods Ear the Tongue of Angels the Dialogue between Heaven and Earth Gen. 18◠Gen. 18. the Souls Embassadour with God our Leiger in Heaven working against the States of Death and Hell 't is the Phoenix of the Graces that still reviveth into a Bird of Paradise and makes an Arabia Petrea to become Arabia Foelix for stony hearts procures us hearts of flesh Ezek. 11. Ezek. And if God be thus pleased with single piety how is he importuned think you and as 't were besieged with the publick worship Vis unita fortior If our Domestick prayer be as a Brand in the corner and keep fire sure the publick is as a Bonfire of Incense a Sacrifice flaming up to Heaven the very highest design of Christianity The joynt prayers of the Congregation are a kind of revers'd lightning and as St. Basil said of his Church their Amen is like a Clap of Thunder And therefore David still to set the better glosse upon his gratulations tells both God and Man that he performeth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. in the Congregation in the great Congregation And that variety might refresh Devotion Reading is another means of sanctifying the day and therefore the appropriated Chapters are called Lessons as being then to be heeded and taken forth by us The Word is the best Glass and mends the Lookers eye And therefore Search the Scriptures John 5. John 5.39 Those are they saith Christ that testifie of me in them you hope to have eternall life It must be no superficiall much less oftentatious reading but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. make a scrutiny search diligently like Laban for his gods Gen. 31.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very word he searched the Tent and to this search there are some requisites viz. inspectio Fontium oculus adscopum Collatio locoruus fervens Oratio Lest with the Eunuch we understand not what we read there should be an inspection of the Originals but especially for Teachers but for all an eye still to the Scope of the Author a Collation of places Scripture often its own best Expositer and lastly Prayer will be an help to all the rest And for more safty keep in the shallows for Scriptures are waters wherein the Lamb may wade as well as the Lion swim and for deep mysteries goe to an Interpreter i.e. attend the Preacher Hearing and seeing are the two Disciplinary Senses Rom. 10. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10. In hearing seek out the Wise Charmer i.e. the Orthodox Teacher and be not of
his owne esteem was in his very Zenith in his scorching Meridian then Christ said Siste gradum stand still or go down rather set at noon which was his transmutation our second Considerable his Conversion Acts 9. and 4. where in the third you have the manner and in the fourth the matter of it Acts 9.3 4. suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven Verse 3. Divine Illumination is the sole efficient of mans conversion There is no Deriding or Censuring of any no despairing of our selves or others touching Conversion we know not how soon or suddenly the light may shine from Heaven yet much less is there any presuming on such singular examples for the case may differ the good Thief was converted at the first Call and Saint Paul here at the first Illumination Take heed then of both Rocks Scylla and Carybdis and thou shalt escape Demetrius his Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience Vers 4. next in the fourth verse he fell to to the Earth and heard a voice from Heaven c. Humiliation is a Christians way to exaltation and brings us even to a Conference with Christ Saul Saul why persecutest thou me and mark the happy consequent of such Antecedents viz. Remorse Obedience readiness vers 6. Vers 6. And he trembling and astonished said Lord what wilt thou have me to do acting according to all those directions following in the ninth Chapter which the Church appositely appointeth as this day's contemplation And here was a strange Trasmutation wrought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Wolf 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Man a kind of transubstantiation contrary to the worlds Lycanthropy whereby too oft one man becomes a wolf unto another for here ex lupo agnus a very wolf is made a lamb ex vepribus racemus a Bramble becomes a Vine and cockle it self good wheat here as t were Is Grapes of Thornes and Figs of Thistles a Pirate becomes a Pilot the mouth of Blasphemy here becomes Christs Oratour and Satans Trumpet the Organ of the Holy Ghost Quantum mutatus happy all those that find but any degrees of such changed Affections as our Saint Paul did here that can say with him as to evil not I but sin that dwelleth in me and as to every good not I but Christ that liveth in me Rom. 7.20 Gal. 2.20 Rom. 9.3 not to speak of the raptures of his piety Rom. 9.3 that seraphick zeal by which he could have wished himself an Anathema for good of others and increase of Christs Kingdome that it may well be said of him that ex novissimo primus ex abortivo perfectus that of the last Apostle he became the chiefest and of Abortion a man of the most eminent perfection 2 Cor. 5. in Coelis Homo in Terris Angelus saith one of him he was a man in Heaven 2 Cor. 11.23 not onely by his Conversation but in his rapture where he heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unutterable words and while yet upon the earth chap. 12.4 he was a kind of Angel insomuch Origen saith that many thought him to be that Holy Ghost which Christ had promised to send after his departure From what a lowness was Saint Paul here raised unto what a height see what strange Changes here Grace can effect what then can Glory be therefore like him alwaies obedient to the Heavenly vision whether in his word or secreet motions that so you may be renewed in the Spirit of your mind till each one with Saint Augustin come to his Ego non sum Ego I am not now the same as heretofore and that so made appear by redeeming of lost time and by a bettered Conversation as Saint Paul did 2 Cor. 11. in labours more abundant 2 Cor. 11.23 c. quot verba tot tonitruae Hier his words were like Thunder And one of Saint Augustins three chief wishes was Paulum in cathedra Prud. Enchirid. To have heard Paul out of the Pulpit or seen him in the chaire Hic Lupus ante rapax vestitur vellere molli Saulus qui fuerat fit adempto lumine Paulus Mox recipit visum fit Apostolus ac populorū Doctor ore potens Corvos mutare Columbis He 's now a sheep that was a wolf before And Saul being blinded makes Paul see the more His sight receiv'd the Gentiles Doctor preves His holy Rhetorick turns Rav'ns Doves Thus our Saint Paul though he arose a Red and fiery Sun of persecution yet was his Meridian full of miraculous splendor and Illumination and his setting with more blush of penitence and passion vindicating his former time and mistaken zeal with multiplyed labours in propagating the true Gospel so that while other Apostles had their particularly designed Circuits totum pariter Mundum Paulo He was more then any the universal Bishop and had the whole World for his Diocess left to his peregrination and which indeed as the Sun in the Apostles Zodiack he did run through or the most known parts of it viz. Seleucia Phrygia Pamphilia Galatia Macedonia Athens Corinth Ephesus and the rest of the Graecian and Asiatick Churches besides the Mediterranean Islands Cyprus Creet Malta c. with the Continents of Spaine and Italy in which last after as large a Catalogue of dangers as Indeavours he had his Quietus by the Sword of Nero about the 67 year of Christ his Master Poem 24. BOld Poetry durst never feign a change Like this Conversien yet as true as strange That sings of Men turn'd Beasts but this doth paint A Ravenous Wolf turn'd Man and that man Saint Even Paul himself that breath'd Destruction Here proves a Vessel of Election Whence flow Balsamick oyles such to restore As his wild zeal so wounded had before Posting on he 's struck down that he might Rise Blinded with Light but yet to mend his Eyes First Heaven stoops to him he next soar'd to That And mounted higher for being thus thrown flat For he that er'st did to Stephens Death consent Instructs all to Believe now and Repent And who to Bonds and Death once Jews betray'd Is now great Doctor of the Gentiles made And with strange Paines and Perils doth Redeeme His former Actions Time and lost Esteeme Compassing Sea and Land to effect this In others divine Metamorphosis O may the same Coelestiall Bridle check Our gallopping corruptions and pull back Our ranging hearts Lord strike us so to ground That we thy Tennis-Balls to Heaven rebound Dazzle us with thy Beames that we may see No more the waies of Sin but better Thee That to himself or others Each mad Saul May prove a Penitent or Preaching Paul The COLLECT-PRAYER The Gospel Matth. 9. vers 23. to the end The Epistle Acts 9. vers 1. unto vers 23. God which hast taught all the world through the preaching of thy blessed apostle S. Paul grant we beseech thee that we which have his wonderful conversion in remembrance may follow and
the high way to Italy Ubi Graecèscripsit Evangelium Marcus Aposteli Peiri Disc pulus where He was so highly valued that They still Retaine Him as the Tutelar Saint of Venice At Rome He Pen'd his Gospel in the Greeke Tongue Ludolphus loca Citato and most probably from the Mouth of St Peter his Uncle Anno Christi 67. though Eusebius and some others write Him the Disciple of Saint Luke and from Him to have wrote his Gospel not without the improbability of writing at the third hand while St Luke himselfe wrote but at the second viz. from St Paul's Dictation his Episcopall See was at Alexandria whence He manured all the Neighbouring Places with divine Cultivation even from Aegypt to Pentapolis from whence at Length Returning Home some say He died in Prison while Others mention other kinds of Death yet all agree that he wore the Crown of Martyrdome being slaine at Alexandria Anno Christi 63. according to Eusebius Euseb l. 2. c. 14. but five or sixe yeares after according to Alstaedius and others POEM 28. THe foure Evangelists were Figur'd on Ezechiels Vision which on wheeles did run And as those Wheeles were mutually inroul'd So Christ These foure harmoniously unfold That with the Face of Man St Mathew shews By whom the world Christs Humane Descent knows That with the Face o' th' Oxe St Luke descries Dissecting Christ as the worlds Sacrifice That like an Eagle Typ'd St Iohns high Pen Which his Eternall Birth describes to Men. But 't is the Lion's stately Countenance Which doth our St Mark 's Emblem here advance As who above the rest exactly Sings Christs Regall Office Monarch of all Kings Iudah's Triumphing Lion whose sole Power Subdues that Lion seeking to Devoure The world 's a Forrest and This Lion King Whose Power Heaven Earth and Hell do Rue or Sing Grant Lord we Loyall Subjects to Thee Prove Rul'd by the Golden Scepter of thy Love Lest else Thou bruise us with thine Iron-Rod For Rising against Thee our King and God! But yielding to thy Legislative Power Owning Thee Lord may find Thee Saviour The COLLECT The Epistle Ephes 4. v. 7. to 17. The Gospel John 15. v. 1. to 12. ALmighty God which hast instructed thy holy Church with the heavenly doctrine of thy Evangelist St Marke give us grace that we be not like children carried away with every blast of vaine doctrine but firmely to be established in the truth of thy holy Gospell through Iesus Christ our Lord. Philip and the Eunuche Act 8. 38 Then he Commaunded the Charet to stand still and they went downe both into the water both Philip the Eunuche he baptized him 39 And assoone as they were come vp out of the water the spirit of the Lord caught away Philip etc S. IACOBVS MINOR Here the Plate Vpon the Feast of PHILIP and IAMES DISQUISITION 26. THe Modesty of the Church Reformed is herein Conspicuous that to avoid Excesse of Dedications wherein Others are so burthensom She sometimes uniteth as in their Love and Labours two of the Apostles at once in the same Festivity as in that of St Simon and Jude and This also of St Philip and James hinting from hence among other Graces Concord Amity from this Conjunction of St Philip and St James Yet for Methods sake Yours Give me leave a while to part them And to begin with St Philip as supposed the Eldest of them and to his Lott fell the Northren Circuii saith Alsted in that Apostolicall Designation Acts 15. Chron. c. 27. So that He preached in Scythia say Historians 20. years Afterwards visiting the lesser Asia and some parts of Ethiopia his Zeale warming the cold Climates and his Patience contemperating the Hot where He wrought the Conversion of that grand Ennuch named Candaules one of great Authority under Candace Queen of the Aethiopians Alsted Chron. Conv. Pop. c. 27. as you may read the Famous Story Acts 8.10 c. Acts 8. Where he receiveth Commission from an Angel of the Lord to goe toward the South to Gaza v. 26. which he obeying readily meets with the happy opportunity of this Conversion Divine Providence and Humane Obedience ever Conspire the successe of a businesse and And he arose and went and behold a man of Ethiopia Verse 26. an Eunuch c. for such we know were the chiefe Attendants of those Southern Princes as of the Eastern at this day and Him St Philip finds prepared ground before-hand Subactum Solum v. 27. making his Chariot his Closet a singular Example Reading there the Prophet Isaias Evangelizans Propheta that Evangel call Prophet and Propheticall Evangelist acknowledging his Ignorance ver 31. Understandest Thou c. how can I except some guide me And importuning St Philips Society and Information ver 31. Such Humility and Diligence is the best way to Instruction and all saving knowledge the Remarkable Place He Read was that of Isa 53.7 Isa 53.7 He was Led as a Sheep to the Slaughter c. A Text a Preacher and an Auditor so suitable that St Philip so plyed and applied it to the Passion of Christ and that unto the Eunuch that He grew impatient of his irreligion Ambitious only of Present Christianity Verse 36. ver 36. See here is water what can hinder me to be c. why nothing but Infidelity ver 37. and that he first washeth off with true Confession ver 37. I beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Verse 37. and then St Philip washed this Black-moore yet did not labour in vaine ver 38. And He commanded the Chariot to stand still Verse 38. c. and when They were come up out of the water the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip c. though They parted without a Complement yet a Courtier was mended into a Christian the Eunuch went on his way Rejoycing while St Philip had a better Chariot to Azotus where he was found Preaching in all the Cities till he came to Caesarea In a word Verse 40. This St Philip was a Deacon and Evangelist Act. 21.9 and is said by some to have sent twelve Disciples into Britain Iackson Chronolog for the Conversion of This Island so much are we beholding to him that we cannot but Lament the sad Castatrophe of all his Industry and Travells but that 't was the same Fate with his Lord and Brethren For in the raigne of Vespasian at Hierapolis Euseb l. 3. c. 25 Isidor Reus He was stoned and then Crucified together with two of his own Daughters about Anno Christi 53 Alstaed Chron. c. 27. His Colleague here was St James and this Iames was not the Sonne of Ioseph as Eusebius l. 2. c. 1. but as eminent Matth. 10.3 was the Sonne of Alphaeus for there was an other Apostle of that Name as you may Reade in his peculiar Festivall This was surnamed Iames the lesse perhaps from his Humility
again And that with abjuration and execration and all the aggravations possible and all this too after Christs indulgent Dialogue with him Thou art Peter c. O see here and lament sad humane Frailty If such Rocks be shaken what shall Rushes if cheif Apostles fall O be not high minded but fear and let him that standeth take heed least he fall Yet let us not take notice of his foul steps onely but also of his washing them Vers 75. Verse 75. He went out and wept bitterly bitterly as ere he sinned O that we could as easily repeat his tears as sins and that we could so vindicate the former acts of our life as he did with the latter being ever afterward a diligent and most successful Apostle as though still a Fishing Catching three thousand at a Sermon Acts 2. till Herod Agrippa seiseth Acts 2.41 and imprisoneth him Chap. 12. Acts 12. intending to serve him as he had done Saint James but that the Prayers of the Church fetched an Angel from Heaven miraculously to release him That afterward about Anno Christi 51. at Rome he expugned Simon Magus whose imposture had so carried away the vulgar that they inscribed Altars to him Saint Peter and Simon Magus Simoni deo sancto to Simon the holy god But Simon Peter made him appear the worst of men though some have so pen'd the story as make the passages rather seem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. More Poetical then real Thence passing into the lesser Asia he Preached a while unto the Jews being sometime called the Apostle of Circumcision until his Vision of the Feasting Sheet let down from Heaven with all edible Creatures of the Earth Acts 10. And thence Acts 10.11 emblematically instructed he became a Converter of the Gentiles also as Prudentius excellently Somniat illapsum Petrus alto ex aethere discum Prud. Enchirid Confertum omnigenis Animalibus ille recusat Mandere sed Dominus jubet omnia munda putare Surgit immundas vocat ad Mysteria Gentes Saint Peter dreaming of that Feast from Heaven Stor'd with all Creatures eats not of what 's given God checks his niceness clean expressing all Whence he to Christ doth unclean Gentiles call To which end he went afterward to Antioch Vide Alsted Chron. c. 27. where some write him seven years to have been Bishop and in Anno Christi 67. being the fourteenth of Nero he returns to Rome there abiding not many moneths and that not as Bishop but as a stranger though Damasus writes that he came to Rome Anno Christi 60. which was the seventh year of Nero and even thereby confuting those who affirm him to have sate Bishop there Five and twenty years when as Nero scarse reigned full fourteen in all but there all agree he suffered Eusebius l. 3. c. 1. And Eusebius and others say That in the Sixty eighth year of Christ which was the last of Nero Saint Peter and Saint Paul both both in one day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they had formerly born the yoke of Labors Isaacsons Chro. so now of Torture or rather were both together unyoked with the Rest of Martyrdom Saint Peter being crucified Inversly saith Eusebius to differ from his Master and Saint Paul beheaded by the tyranny of Nero who hence was justly stiled Dedicator condemnationis Christianae The Founder of those Ten Christian Persecutions POEM 32. Here you come forth to see with eyes of mind No Reed but a Rock shaken with the wind A Rock of Confidence and Faith profest Shook with a Faint blast of a Damsels Brest Yet like a well-set Oke rooted the more By storms and firmer after then before This Primate of the Apostles having been Longer with Christ and most his wonders seen Deservedly above the rest he most Doth of his love and stout adherence boast To his dear Lord who too truly descries His Champions fall yet praying for his rise He that left Ships and Nets and World and all When Christ and gainful miracles did call No sooner sees his Paths bestrew'd with Thorn But Peter like the rest leaves Christ forlorn Christ who from drowning Waves supported him He now leaves in a storm to sink or swim But did he not then follow to the Hall Yes to disown him and augment his Thrall Nice to see that High Court and this strange tryal But there espi'd first wounds him with denial Denies in a bad sense himself and next Abjures his Countrey and his Lord perplext Then his poor inch of life to loose so loath That he seals all with a perfidious Oath He whose unstain'd Profession all admire Was thus besmutted at the High Priests fire Was this the Rock not to be mov'd by death So tost and stagger'd by a Maidens breath Was this he liv'd on Miracles was this He that saw Tabors metamorphosis What is best Flesh and Blood left to it self Faith needs must wrack when each is his own shelf How vain all humane confidence how faril Christains 't is humble Faith and Pray'rs prevail Here Satan winnowed the choicest grain Yet our Lords Prayer purg'd off his Chaff again After all this Christ gave him but a look And that the Saint into the Peter strook Reflection and remorse met both together And made fair after though first showry weather Christs eye dissolv'd his frozen heart to tears And from those bitter streams sweet Fruit appears The monitory Cock then timely sings Alarums to his Soul and lends her wings For though his Master at this time he flie Yet for the same at length did stoutly die Lord be thy Word our Chantecleer of sin And when we start let thy Grace eye-us in And then such fractures maugre all complaint Well-set again shall make the stronger Saint Who knows so well what 't is to go astray The care of Sheep and Lambs best take he may Who Heaven most values by such streights as these Seems fittest to be trusted with the Keys I when all 's done this Peter proves the stone Which Christ hath hewn to build his Church upon And though all Tempests of the World assail That Faith yet ' gainst it Hell shall not prevail The COLLECT The Epistle Acts 12. ver 1. unto v. 12. The Gospel Matth. 16. ver 13. unto v. 20. Almighty God which by thy Son Jesus Christ hast given to thy Apostle Saint Peter many excellent gifts and commandedst him earnestly to feed thy Flock make we beseech thee all Bishops and Pastors diligently to preach thy Holy Word and the people obediently to follow the same that they may receive the Crown of everlasting glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. S. IACOBVS MAIOR The Plate here Vpon the Feastival of St. James DISQUISITION 30. THis Saint James was one of the sons of Zebedaeus Matth. 20. This was James the brother of John Jacobus Major and why called James the Great sirnamed James the Great and
say thus Saint James drank of Christs Cup first Alsted Chron. C. 27. Anno Domini 43. And so consequently was the first of all the Twelve Apostles in Christs Kingdom according to his Mothers request in the Gospel for this day But then you may ask how does that part of Christs answer hold Vers 23. It is not mine to give c. especially when Matth. 28.18 it is said Matth. 28.18 All power in Heaven and Earth is given to me c. But saith Austin * Lib. 1. de Trin. Ardens in locum and others It is not mine to give as man and allied to you but as God and equal to the Father so here he gave it Not mine to give out of any partial relation to you being no respecter of persons Not mine to give you now before you have drank of my Cup but here so soon as Saint James drank thereof the boon was granted to sit in his Kingdom and granted in a better sense then ere desired POEM 33. This Saint of active spirit at first call Leaves Kinred Calling Friends Sea Land and all To follow Christ and to that Master dear With passionate affections doth adhere Yet for all this within him there reside Some dregs of uncontrouled wrath and pride Takes after 's Mother and ambitious he Would know o' th' Twelve who should the greatest be Is answered the least Humility Being the cheif Christian magnanimity And then ' cause some would him not entertain He would have Hell from Heaven showre again But Christ owns no such Prayers as do kill And make Religion Midwife to their ill Yet on Christs check doth so himself abate That he proves one of his Tri-umvirate And as in Tabor's glory himself were With his great Master new transfigur'd there For he at length becomes Christs brighter Gem Cut Foyl'd and Martyr'd at Jerusalem The COLLECT The Epistle Acts 11. v. 27. to Cha. 12. in v. 3. at Then were the. The Gospel Matth. 20. v. 20. to v. 29. Grant O mereiful God that as thy holy Apostle Saint James leaving his Father and all that he had without delay was obedient unto the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ and followed him so we forsaking all worldly and carnal affections may be evermore ready to follow thy Commandments through Jesus Christ our Lord. S. BARTHOLOMAEVS The Plate here Vpon the Festival of St. Bartholomew DISQUISITION 31. FAin would I add something among the rest to the honor of this Saints memory but where to finde any true Records either of his works or words is altogether difficult For we finde him named onely in that Catalogue of the Apostles Matth. 10. Matth. 10.3 and else little or no mention of him insomuch that one in his Meditations on him being hard driven applieth to him that of Pliny touching the Nightingale Vox praeterea nibil wittily Mr. Austin however the Reason be indeed quite contrary he being so far from being Voice and nothing else That we hear nothing of his voice nor any speech of his at all For in the whole Scripture the truest Register of the Apostles Asts these two words are all that we finde of him Et Bartholomeus and Bartholomew Matth. 10. And so indeed four times named in the Scripture and no more Matth. 10.3 and then but onely named without any relation of the least word or deed of his not one of the rest of the Apostles but is described to us either by some sirname by his Kinred Countrey or else by some or other remarkable action or expression of him But of this Saint we hear no farther mention then his name in all the Gospel or other parts of the New Testament and for other Authors without a Canonical Foundation they are so full of uncertainty and ambiguity that I shall think it fitter to give you a short Disquisition touching him then a tedious and dubious Peroration Much difference there is among Writers about his person about his profession about his name * Setarius Tractat. de Barthor One who hath writ a Tract concerning the Apostles takes him for Nathaniel and that Bartholomeus was but his sirname as many other of the Apostles had viz. St. Jude called Thaddaeus Bar-Jonah to Saint Peter c. And this he is induced to believe not onely from several Authors that he mentioneth but mainly for that Bartholomew is ever mentioned with St. Philip who was the first bringer of Nathaniel unto Christ and as he thinks still called by that sirname Bartholomew and not Nathaniel and again John 1.45 because Saint John who onely mentioneth the story of Nathaniel doth at several places mention all the Apostles saving Saint Bartholomew while all the rest mention not at all Nathaniel But this Baronius dislikes and disproves saying Some have thought Nathaniel to be Bartholomew Levibus conjecturis permoti Anno Christi 31. Num. 28. moved thereunto by light conjectures For Saint Augustine * In Johan Tract 7. whose authority is beyond all of them affirmeth peremptorily that Nathaniel was none of the Twelve and he adds his Reason Eruditum ac peritum legis neluit Dominus c. Christ chose the weak things of the world to confound the wise c. Chose not such learned and eminent Doctors of the Law the very Reason Ludolphus gives that Nicodemus was not admitted into the number of the Apostles And this I confess is rather to shew who he was not then who he was and therefore let us proceed to see what they say of his Profession And there first * In Matth. eum c. 10. quaest 35. Tostatus Collects him to have been a Fisherman and a Jew of the Province of Galilee and so the Romish Breviary calls him Apostolus Galilaeus but others of great note as the Bishop of Equilinium * Petrus de Natalibus l. 7. cap. 103 c. c. hold That he was no Jew but a Syrian that he was no Fisherman but one of Noble Extract even Nephew and Heir unto a King of Syria as his name intimates which is our third remarkable of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. signifying the son of Ptolomeus as the Greeks and Egyptians speak it but the Syrians call Tolmai saith Jansenius I confess the Hebrew * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Etymon hath an other Aspect speaks him Filium suspendentis aquas the son of one drawing waters which I refer rather to Spiritual living waters and the Wells of Salvation then those of a mean Laborer or Fisherman Devenere viri Mose duce sex ubi Fontes Etsex forte alii vitreo de rore rigabant Septenas decies Palmas qui Mysticus Elim Lucus Apostolicum numerum libris quoque pinxit By Moses conduct Israel their Tents strew Where Twelve Founts Elim wash with fruitful Dew Where Seventy Palms did mystically grow The Apostles conquering Number to foreshew For as one * Episcop Hispalensis Fol. 10002. observeth Syrium
did wrong sustain Large Restitution O how strong the word When Speakers Voice and Hearers Hear 't accord Greatnesse and Goodnesse meet in One O strange Plenty and Piety here interchange For presently his new Lord to requite For Spirituals does Corporally invite And by receiving so divine a Guest Is entertain'd himselfe with better Feast Fed with the Bread of life so Took with Christ The Publican proves an Evangelist And ' stead of Counting more the Publick Coyne Sums up the stories of Christs Private Line His numerous Miracles and Grace bestow'd The numberlesse Griefs of his Passion show'd Thence Counting on his Rais'd Lords Victories Till his Soul with Christ's Body mount the Skies Lord whisper us i' th ' Heart with such a Call To Remors'd Publicans convert us all From Sin and Custome in it that no Gaine May from Thee any longer us Detaine But in Thy Service may our selves Expend That we how'ere began may Saint-like End The COLLECT The Epistle 2 Cor. 4. v. 1. to 7. The Gospel St Matth. 9. v. 9. to 14. Almighty God which by thy blessed Son didst call Matthew from the receipt of custome to be an Apostle and Evangelist Grant us grace to forsake all covetous desires and inordinate love of riches and to follow thy said Son Jesus Christ who liveth and reigneth c. Vpon the Feast of S. Michael And all Angels DISQUISITION 33. ALbeit this Festival in the Vulgar compellation bear but a particular Denomination of St Michaels day yet doth the Church herein celebrate the generall Memorial of all Angels praising the Almighty for the great and various Benefits Mankind enjoyeth both in Soul and Body by their appointed Aid and Ministration And indeed this is doubly considerable either as literall or allegoricall the first having more of curiosity and Information the second more of certainty and Aedification the literal sense here leading us to a contemplation of Angelical Natures which of all Creatures though we come neerest to Them God hath been pleased most to shut up the knowledg of in holy Scripture Whereof this may be one reason all humble reverence reserved that Gods designe was in those sacred Oracles to impart to Man but that which most concern'd him both as to his voluntary Lapse and gracious Restitution and no more of Angels concerned in another world then what only refers to their Ministry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and delegated Protection all other speculations of them whatsoever being but fine cobweb-lawn but rarified Metaphysical Abstractions and Tentered Probabilities of Ratiocination As that they were the work of the first day Gen 13. created in that Fiat Lux Gen. 1. Let there be Light Their manner of Vnderstanding by intuitive knowledg to say nothing of their * The Schoolmen generally de loquela Angelorum Speech while others perhaps speak too much of it their triple Hierarchies one above another with as many Orders in each of them and that in necessary opposition to as many of the infernall Combinations their mode of Operation and distinguished Offices viz. into Instructive Tutelar Vehicular Militant Matrimonial Terrestrial and Aquatick Angels But though these are Niceties and a very Coelum incognitum an imbracing of a Cloud for Juno yet something is express'd of them more certain wherein we may requite their prying into the mystery of our Redemption viz that they are Natives of Heaven and eternall Angeli dicuntur aeviterni potius quà m aeterni à parte post i. e. shall have no Cessation yet that not so much by their Nature as by Preservation That they are one of the three Invisibles scil God Angels and the Souls of Men that they are innumerable as to us Ps 141.4 but not so in respect of God who calleth all the Starrs by their names Ps 103.29 Psal 141. that they are full of Knowledg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of Power and strength Psal 103.20 His Angels that excell in strength that there are Degrees and Order most exact amongst them evident from their severall Names n From. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to burn Psal 104.4 Seraphim Isa 6. o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sicut puer as a child Cherubim Ezek. 1. Thrones Colos 1. c. Principalities powers c. Eph. 1. Again That they can only be Described not defined punctually and that Description one of the neerest Angelus est Animal Rationale Hymnisonum immateriale That an Angel is a Rationall immateriall Creature whose main end is to chant and act that Hymn which their whole Quire sung at Christs Birth Glory to God on high on earth Peace Good will towards Men. Which goodwill of theirs is actuated in variety of Assistance for though Omnipotence could act all that He wills immediately in all yet God sees good to busie all his Creatures and make them instrumentall for each other ordering all things like a Golden chaine whose links while they depend one upon another are all in his own hand so is pleased to use and vouchsafe us the Ministry and protection of Angels nor is the Glory of the Agent ere the lesse while we love and commend the Goodnesse of the instruments This Guardianship of Angels some assert Particular suus cuique Genius that every one from his Birth hath his assigned Angell a Genius or spirit attending and defending him so Saint Hierom Mira Animarum Dignitas c. O the wonderfull Dignity of the souls of men that not one of them is sent from Heaven Quaevis ab ortu Angelium habet delegatum Hierom without an Angell thence allotted to accompany it and protect it here on Earth and Scripture seems to second him Ps 34.7 and our blessed Lord himself Forbids dispising of his little ones upon this Reason that their Angels alwayes behold the Face of God c. Matth. 18.10 and what credit this had of old Acts 12.15 you may see Acts 12. when Saint Peter knock'd at the entry door of Maries house his voice being known and himself supposed in Prison many within assembled affirmed that it was his Angel But what scruple we at particular Angels when the Scriptures are so evident touching their Generall Protection and that the Servants of God have many Guardians Psal 91. Hee hath given his Angels charge c. And in the New Testament Psal 91.10 Are they not all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent forth to minister for them Heb. 1.14 who shall be Heirs of salvation Heb. 1. And this you may see experienced in Elisha 2 King 6. where being besieged by Syrians the Mount which He possessed was full of Horses and Chariots of fire Psal 104.4 i. e. Angels Psal 104.4 His Angels Spirits and his Ministers a Flaming fire I thousand thousands of Angels are daily winging it 'twixt Heaven and Earth Millia millium Angelorum jugiter meant inter Coelum Terram Anselmus like Bees betwixt their Hives and Flowres Vota offerentes Dona
Redemptions Mystery Pardon our Contemplations if so bold A little your bright Natures to behold All Spirit without clog of Body yee Move as the Wind or Light or Lightning free And yet each of your Millions Scripture tells The strongest human force in strength excells Of Distinct Orders and yet for the most All styl'd in Holy Writ The Heavenly Host The Horse and Chariots of the Mighty Lord Ready for March and Motion at his Word So that in Heaven sometime we read of War No marvell then poor Mortals live in jar But how got Foes in there Sure as in Flowers Serpents do breed so There degenerate Powers There Michael fought with his Traind-bands of Light And beat the Dragon down to Endlesse night Yet in the Praecipiece his knotted Tayl Against some of those Splendors did prevail And so puld many thence of that bright Train One day from us to be supply'd again Your joy then at our penitence we pay With joy for Christs confirming of your stay Then since we both but one Church constitute Let us be neither Actionlesse nor mute Sith ' Angels need not our Good Offices Let us to Men what those to us expresse Joyning above i' th Song of Victory Still singing Triple-Holy to 'th most High For if to this words Root we stoop our Mind Who 's like the Lord in Michael we find To pray to Angels then if you mark well Is a Mistake for Christ is Michael He the Arch-Angell is that conquereth Sin Satan in us for us Hell and Death Or if another Angel they withstand All Adoration by severe command Our gratefull love is Theirs but to dispence Worship on Them 's a Double vlolence THE COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle Rev. 12. v. 7. to 13. The Gospel Matth. 18.1 to 11. EVerlasting God which hast ordained and constituted the services of all Angels and Menin a wonderfull order mercifully grant that they which alwayes doe thee service in Heaven may by thy appoyntment succour and defend us in Earth through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen S. LVCAS He whome the world containes not and whose court shines with his glorious presence to confort with beasts and in a manager lodge wee see excepts vs not without Humilitie The Plate here Vpon Saint Lukes Day DISQâ—ISITION 34. THis Evangelist was by Nation of Syria by Birth of Antioch Ecccles Hist l. 3. c. 4. as Eusebius and * In vita Lucae Hierom report by Profession a Physician saith St. Paul Col. 4.14 Luke the beloved Physiciau greets you A Physician and therefore the more admirable for his Devotion being not onely a Courtier of Nature lost in second Causes but per scalas Creaturarum ascending to the first by the Ladder of the Creatures Corpus humanum objectum Medicinae and teaching others so to climb to Heaven The Human Body not being the adaequate object of his study and practice Medicus totius compositi being first cured himselfe by him that was so farre more eminently he became a Physician of the whole Man of Soul as well as Body and that both for the Therapeutick and Phylactick part of Physick first curing their Infidelity and Impenitence with the Soveraign Precepts and prescripts of his Gospel and then preserving that same spirituall temper with the wholsome Examples and good Acts of the Apostles And this Religio Medici although none can equall yet for the honour of God and that Profession I wish more would imitate To take off all vulgar imputations and just occasions of those Ironick Apologues viz. How once such an one knocking at Heaven-Gates Saint Peter demanding who he was and that by an enumeration of almost all Religions art thou a Jew No replieth he A Christian Neither c. till being asked in generall Of what Religion hewas He answered That he was a Physician and so at length was denied for his Denials But God forbid so honorable and needfull a Profession should suffer for the Delirations of some of the worst pieces of it Perhaps some few Philosophicall Humorists that are but as the Warts and Wens meer excrescenses of that same Noble Science whose brains being over-heated by their Chymicall Experiments may as easily mistake the Truth as the Philosophers Stone Quod ad ab omnibus amatur tamen virgo est which though wooed of so many yet still remains a Virgin But for the Profession Ecclus 38.1.2 't is the Wise mans counsell Honour the Physitian c. And our blessed Lord himself at once commends and recommends him Matth. 9.12 Jer. 8.21 Matth. 9. The sick have need of the Physician God Himself owning the Compellation Ier. 8.22 Is there no Physician there Christ also imitating their practice in the Good Samaritan But here expressly honoring the Profession with the Office of an Evangelist sc in St. Luke the Physician Some think him to have been one of the 70. Disciples from his 24 Chapt. v. 13. Lib 4 contra Marci But Tertullian and other Ancients say That he was none of Christs immediate Disciples but onely Sectator Discipulus Apostolorum A Companion and Disciple of the Apostles as indeed himselfe intimates in the very beginning of his Gospel Chap. 1.2 Luke 1.2 Sicut tradiderunt As they have delivered them unto us which from the beginning saw themselves Insinuating that he wrot his Gospel by Dictation but the Acts of the Apostles by his own observation But that he writ both he attestates Acts 1.1 In the former Treatise O Theophilus Acts 1.1 c. Which former Treatise being his Gospell he wrot Anno Christi 51. Lib. 1. saith Eusebius Others say Anno 54. from the mouth of Saint Paul who thence is thought to use that phrase Rom. 16. According to my Gospel Rom. 16. And Saint Luke indeed being the constant companion of Saint Paul in his double Travels Acts 16. so he became both the Masters the Apostles Register His being but a deserved Emblem viz. The Ox strong to labour his Pen as unwearied as his Person and both proportionable to his excellent Subject He becomss an Evangelist before Peter and James Gal. 2.9 those Pillars of the Church Ten of the Apostles are past by and his Quill chosen God sometimes is pleased to effect great Designes by obscure means and even by unthought of Instruments Amos an Heardsman made a Prophet Amos 1.1 Many Fishermen Fishers of many men an easier transition then may make St. Luke here an Evangelist of a Physician And 't is worth while to take notice of his Dedication Most excellent Theophilus Acts 1.1 c. which some doubt whether it be a common or a proper Name And Baronius though he hath tried cannot unty the knot If we take it for a common Appellative Ad annum 58. it hints the Gospel written to such as are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. lovers of God as being a Pearl not to be cast to Swine Matth. 7.6 But every
shortly to accomplish the number of thine Elect and to hasten thy Kingdom that wee with all others departed in the faith of thy holy Name may have our perfect Consummation and Blisse both in body and soul in thy eternal and everlasting Kingdom Amen Now for the Communion of S t s militant that 's more obvious consisting mainly in these two Compatiendo mala Communicando bona by compassionating one anothers evils and communicating what is good these indeed are the two Feet of Christianity and first of Sympathy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.16 being of like affection one toward another saith the Apostle that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only to rejoyce with them that rejoyce but also to weep with them that mourn An union which the Members of the same Body alway challengeth Christians sure more then Heathens should be utriusque Fortunae fidi Comites Faithfull Partakers of both Fortunes Rejoycing in anothers good As was said of Pylades Orestes as in their own as those Parables of the found sheep and goat instruct us yet alas how many Labans are among us that Envie the fruitfull Flock of an industrious Jacob And many maligning Ahabs sick of their Neighbors vineyard nay Psal 35.15 like Davids enemies Psal 35. In mine adversity they rejoyced Such are far from the Communion of Saints Naturae difficillimum I confesse 't is hard to Nature thus to sympathize and not with the Brother of the Prodigall to envie the successe and plenty of another but easie 't is to Grace and Christian Love with Benjamin's Brethren not to envie Him though his Messe be five times bigger then their own Gen. 43.34 Psal 107.42 Gen. 43. so David Videbunt justi laetabuntur Psal 107. God raiseth up the poor out of misery and maketh His houshold like a Flock and the righteous shal see this rejoyce c. And as the Oyle of gladnesse is increased by effusion so the bread of affliction is crumbled away by breaking Sorrowes go lesse by being divided and therefore this Communion of Saints teacheth us likewise to mourne with them that mourne and though it be not altogether a Remedy Socios habuisse Dolores yet 't is a great Mitigation Fellowship in sufferings Partner-Griefs yeild some Reliefs and he will do little that will not pity misery The Church is that Haemorrhissa Mark 5. vexed with a long bloudy issue Mark 5. running even from Abel unto Zachariah and thence down through Christs and all the Apostles veins even nearer to us then the Marian persecution so that we cannot think it strange saith the Apostle concerning the fiery Trial Gal. 6.2 More need of his advice Gal. 6. Bear ye one anothers burden and so fulfill the Law of Christ Each Land almost in Christendom now holds out to us Josephs bloudy Coat then how can wee chose but melt with Judah Frater enim est caro nostra Gen. 37.27 for it is our brother and our own flesh in the body naturall you see if any part be hurt or wounded all the other living united parts smart together and seek remedy but indeed the dead members and such as are cut off afford no sympathy the Analogy is evident This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Communion of Affections is a true touch-stone of what mettall of what Body we are whether fuell for Gods burning or Timber for his Building a Building now wee speak of it Let us imitate for wee are Gods Building 1 Cor. 3.11 1 Cor. 3. And here the beame out of the timber and stone out of the wall instructs us Lapis lapidem portat in every Structure you see one stone one beam bears up another Sic in Ecclesia and so should it bee in the House of the Faith And to presse home the Metaphor Quo plura propinquior c. As in the materiall building that stone which supporteth most is nearest to the Foundation that which fewest furthest off So is it in the spirituall Aedifice the more or lesse we have of this same Christian Sympathie the further off or nearer are we to that corner-stone to that Foundation Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 1 Cor. 3. Obduratenesse was never signe of Saint but Tender-heartednesse Such as good Job had c. 30.25 Such as David Psal 35.13 yet Jeremy beyond them both Jerem. 9.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Hierom cals him the most patheticall of all the Prophets wishing himselfe a wet Metamorphosis in behalfe of others O that mine eyes were rivers and my head a fountain c Saint Paul too full of this same Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.15 gracious compassion Rom. 12. but above all our blessed Lord totus in passionem compassionem solvitur He altogether melted into passion and compassion for us John 11. Matth. 23. c. Etiam in Coelis saith St. Austin even in Heaven it self though above the reach of passion yet full of compassion for his Saints on earth both in respect of the evil done unto them Acts 9. Act. 9. Why persecutest thou me As likewise for the good they doe Matth. 25. Ye have done it unto me Math. 25. This is potior charitas some think the better part of charity as without which all other nothing 1 Cor. 13. and therefore let Saint Peter prevaile with you 1 Pet. 3.8 Heb. 13.2 1 Pet. 3. Be all of one mind one suffer with another Love as brethren bee pitifull bee curteous Saint Paul seconds him Remember those in bonds as c. Let not Isaiah c. 9.13 or Amos c. 6.3 complaine of us That no man is sorry for the afflictions of Joseph if no Communion of Saints here Matth. 11.17 none hereafter but those shal one day rise up in judgment against us Matth. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have mourned unto you c. And then our Turn comes and unpitied Requitall Depart into the place of weeping Yet Passive Communion is not enough for Saints it must be active By communicating of good as well as by compassionating evill of Good spirituall and corporall Bona cordis oris operis Wee must communicate the Goods of the Heart and of the Tongue and of the Hand according to the necessity of the object and these three are like the wheele the Bell and Index of a Clock The goods of the heart are fervent love 1 Tim. 15. charitable opinions 1 Cor. 13.5 Those of the Tongue are pious Instructions 2 Tim. 2.24 serious Reprehensions Psalm 141.5 seasonable consolations Isai 40.1 1 Thes 4.18 And lastly zealous prayers Ephes 1.16 and these are the brightest beams of charity yet will cost you nothing and therefore according to his gift let each one minister herein 1 Pet. 4 10. Those of the Hand are better known then practised the living God like dying Isaack will feel the hands Gen. 15 as well as hear the voice nor so to be deceived by
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
now perusest Friend is mine But yet if ill thou read'st 't is so farre thine LONDON Printed for Richard Marriot and are to be sold under St. Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet 1652. Vpon Prayer DEvotions Hebrew 's Prayer her holy Tongue That heaven-born Language Dialogu'd among God Angels Men by Him best understood And for both t'other purchasing all Good Unto which end our Leiger 't is in Heaven The soul's Ambassadour to whom is given Quick Audience and all Favours that may suite The Senders necessary safe Recruite This Grace as 't were omnipotent Commands All Elements and holds th' Almighties hands From smiting very Sodomites nor can Heaven show'r down Hell till praying Lot is gone This is the Jacobs Ladder whereon Soules And Blessings Trade 'twixt Center and the Poles Sometimes it mounts aloft as having Keyes To open or shut Heaven when it please ' Thath stopt the foaming Horses of the Sun So Garrison'd their Mouths they could not run And sometimes Broach'd the Clouds that they might pow Into scorch'd Tellus Lap a Danac's showr Sometime Descending pregnanteth the wombe Of Teeming Earth or opening the Tombe Even of the Dead recalling Those are gone To a Compendious Resurrection Pray'r gives th' unruly Element command Girdling the Ocean with a Belt of Sand Nor only limiting but setting Bars To the insulting winds and waters-wars Making Deeps dry paths for some Passengers While others find them but wet Sepulchers Pray'r hath made Iron swim and Fire descend Whole Towns and Armies brought to sudden end Conquers th' Invincible to flesh turns stone An heart obdurate to a Plyant one Till Desart Araby this Phoenix grace Transforme an happy and a fruitfull Place What can it not that may our good procure As strong above as e're if here as pure Unto thy Closet then and shut the dore But thy heart open and thy Sins out poure To him that for retyred Piety Loves to exchange open foelicity Sometimes be with thy selfe yet let all share Throughout thy Family Domestick pray'r This renown'd Abraham and doth Record That fam'd Resolve I and mine serve the Lord. Be not rash with thy mouth But let due care From wandring looseness guard thee and thy Pray'r Compose both by the Scriptures 't is well known Each Place likes best the Language that 's her own Yet all affected Eloquence avoid Honey was never Sacrifice but cloyd Grave and expressive be thy words but few And Pharisaick bablings so eschew Prayers should like Arrows unto Heaven fly Winged with sighs uninterruptedly Yet though such private Prayer have its high praise The Publike Forme 't is that designe doth raise Even up to Heaven whither with stronger wings It Flies and thence a fuller blessing brings Such private Suitors like less stars do shine In Constellations while more lights combine Those but like Planets oft excentrick move But These fix'd stars Heavens Galaxia prove Brands that in corners smoake may have some Fire But those that burne together sure flame higher While private prayer but begs This doth besiege The Towres of Heaven it selfe and much obliege The Governsur to open or doth reach The Battlements thereof and make a breach Such Pray'r is revers'd Lightning Heavens wonder While the joint Amen's like a Clap of Thunder But know each Sacrifice must season'd be And the Lords Prayer is the Salt which we Must Sprinkle all our own with that their Taste May rellish to Christs Palate and Repast I then all our Addresses shall appeare As precious Jewels in th' Almighties Eare Or pleasant Harmony whose divine Ayres Shall drown the Musick of the Rapid Spheares And though Heavens starry window do not ope With sudden Answers to our greedy hope 'T is not for that God listens not to Thee But will not interrupt the Melody With hasty grants but then at length repaies With fuller Bounty thy thought-long delaies Pray on and He 'l not only quit thy Guilt But to thy Faith say Be it as thou wilt Vpon the Holy Scriptures Isa 12.3 Iohn 5.39 1. LIGHT THese are Heavens milky way wherein combine Millions of Stars so many Guides Divine While your new spitting lights those wandring Fires Lead Ignorants into a Ditch of Briers These are the bright Beams of that glorious Sun Which Batis of Sin and Errour only shun As chased shaddows fly the rising Light Soules that live under this Line know no Night 2. ARMOUR And as God so his Word 's both Sun and Shield Which who so knows but dexterously to wield Shall vanquish that Triumvirate of Foes Which Christian life doth constantly oppose 'T is a Sword also and that most acute To lop off Sin and Errors Root and Fruit It yields that compleat Armour in whose guard Safety and Conquest make a full reward 3. A GLASSE And as it armes one Sex 't is t'others Glasse Suff'ring no sinfull blemishes to passe The lookers eye which still it mends by view Who dresse by This sure are of lovely Hiew Hereto then Ladies each morn Sacrifice And it will make your Beauty pasle the Skies T' will helpe adorn you with the brightest fashion First Trim you with a Grace then with Salvation 4. A GARDEN This is a Garden too where both may walke And recreate your selves with vertuous talke With all choise Flowers sweetly Inameled Poses at hand and Chaplets for the head Or if you more affect here 's pleasant Fruits All barmelesse yet such as each Palat suits If any Ulcer or Disease within Here grow Herbs medicinall for all Sinne. 5. A FOUNTAINE And in this Garden there 's a sacred Well Which doth all Fountains of the World excell A true Bethesda what e're we endure But timely enter and ner'e doubt of Cure The Water 's strangely sweet yet red as bloud Look how it will That ner'e failes doing good Who so pollutes these Streames then or what 's worse Seales up the Fountaine runnes a double Curse You then whom crazy Frame or feeble age Sends to the Wells on yearly Pilgrimage Come hither panting hearts spare paines and wealth Drink freely here and drink Eternall health 6. A TREASURE And mark it tastes of a rich Mincrall That speakes a Treasure hid there passing all The precious things that Natures Store-house yields O part with all to buy these Treasure Fields None to the Gospell Pearie besides whose wealth There is a Soveraign Cordiall in 't for health Ophyr's an outside Treasure and not Thine Digge here and soon be rich 'ts a Golden Mine Vpon the Sacraments in Generall Isa 17.11 Exod. 12.11 Iohn 3.5,6.35 ver THese Some and may more largly ta'ne make seaven But theirs is an odd sense the Scripture's even The New being but to old Testament reveal'd Whose Truths but with two Sacraments are seal'd These They save paine and charge the Churches Twinns With double Guard ensafing us from sinnes One Antidote against Originall T'other preservative ' gainst Actuall Restoratives for both the Churches wings With which each Lark of Heaven mounts and sings A
his dayly Sacrifice Who must haue skill in Divine Surgery For Lions heart soft hand and Eagle's eye Both so searcht out and lance the putrid wound Whilest the bruis'd Spirit must be gently bound But what need I tell you what God requires Who read of Nadab and Abihu's fires Yet let me cheere your paines your Converts may Once shine as Heaven but you as Starres for aye Vpon the great Eclipse of the Sun Mar. 29. 1652. Math. 16.3 Acts 1.7 THough the Grand First Cause need no Instruments Yet Second He adopts to work Events By which though rare productions here are done Yet none for vig'rous Influence like the Sun Whose active vertue and strong operation Is even halfe Parent of our Generation His Trinity of Motion Light and Heat Effecting wonders too Changes so great That most things receive Detriment or Blisse According to his Approach or Recesse Sure then th' Eclipsing of his Fountain-beam Must be of sad Concernment to the streams And that as the degrees of restrain'd Light Most Dismall when most near a Totall Night Yet ther 's more in 't then our Star-gazers tell Christ is the Sun in Davids Paralell Ps 19. For all those friendly Qualities before And some sublimer Influences more Our very Light and Life that to both parts To Soul and Bodie Being Well-being imparts His distances set our passions degrees Our Sorrow Joy Feare Hope as he good sees Causing those different Seasons in our Soul With whom 't is Spring when he doth Sin controule And first plant Grace but when he draweth nigh With warmer beams 't is then her Summer high Rip'ning thereby those Plants of Grace so fast That brings a fruitfull Autumn too at last But when Sins angry Tropick Him recals A Frozen Winter then our Soule befals Our Consolations strait go Retrograde Then Sin and Judgment driving all the Trade So that we here Rejoyce all or do mourne According to his Absence or Returne If his Remotenesse then so fatall be How Direfull his Eelipse poor Soule to Thee When thy black Sins 'twixt Him and thee disclos'd With Satans aggravations interpos'd This is the terrible Eclipse I This That horrid houre and power of Darknesse is The t'other Nature or meane Arts can teach And scarse can voluntary Agents reach But This concernes no other and therein The prime parts chiefly Souls Eclips'd by Sin Wherein benighted though somtimes we mourne Yet let thy beams of Comfort too return And then though We more Frozen then the Pole Warm'd with thy Count'nance-Light shall soon be whole Away then with your Superstatious Fears Of that Eclipse which Naturall appears Nor startled be with the Bugbear-Praesage Of the praetending Wisards of the Age Whom if Men would observe as well i' th Misse As in their Hitts would their Delusions hisse Were not our Sins more likely Prophesies We might their Ridling Oracles despise But with an holy Terror guard your lives ' Gainst This which Souls of Divine light deprives Which if it happen totall ne'r returnes To light againe but still in darkness burnes Take Antidotes spirituall Sins lament And thereby true-ill-consequents prevent Nay then the beams of grace shall ne'r decline Till this bright Sun in glory on Thee shine Vpon the three Theologicall graces Faith Hope and Charity 1 Cor. 13. ult 1 Pet. 4.8 ALl Graces are presented in this Trine That make a Soule here and hereafter shine grace 1 Faith is the Magna Charta of our soules That our chiefe Evidence for Heaven inroules grace 2 Hope is the Anchor of each floating mind That in most stormy times doth safety find grace 3 And Charity 's the good Samaritan Befriending both parts of poore wounded Man grace 1 Faith is an Eaglet through the Sphears can pry And there the Son of righteousness descry grace 2 Hope like the dying man clincheth her Fist Upon the Promises fast holding Christ grace 3 While Charity more like the hand that lives In goodness trades amply receives and gives grace 1 Faith like the Stomack entertaines the food The Diet spirituall Christs flesh and bloud grace 2 While Hope the Faculty digestive acts And wholesome nourishment from thence extracts grace 3 But Charitie 's sublimer Chymick Arts Nutrition distributes to all the parts Though all co-operate in our Salvation Yet differ they in object and duration grace 1 Faith Promises and Threats both comprehends Knits past and Futures Origins and ends grace 2 Hope only at some Future good directs Her Ayme and that with patience too expects grace 3 Both those look up Love so and round about They first set forth but This holds longest out grace 1 Faith indeed like the Element of fire An Heaven-borne grace doth thither still aspire But once there Centred doth for ever rest Driving meane time but private Interest grace 2 Hope like the water hath its ebbs and flows Muddy or cleare as Sun'd or Clouded shows Whose fluid Optatives may more extend Yet This too 's some what of a Selfish end grace 3 But Charity 's diffusive free as Aire Whose upper Regions unto Heaven repaire Her lower embrace Earth a Grace o' th' way And of the Country both shall ne'r decay These to the Soule kind Presents needs would give And first Faith tenders her a Perspective Hope some flowre-buds and Fruit-blossoms doth bring But Charity 't is gives Perfection's Ring Vpon a Clock an Houre-glasse and a Watch. Iob. 8.9 Psa 102.11 Mat. 24.44 Luk. 12.39 TReble Monitions me thinks here we have Our life our Soule and Body too to save By guiding warning arming us for Grave Time is the measure of our life and see All these the measurers of that time be To God to man to thy selfe fit all three The Clock speakes loud how fast our time doth spend The Glasse our Frailty whispers as a friend The Watch saith vigilance yet both will mend Lament we by the Clock then mispent houres Ejecting Sins as sands through the Glass showr's And for the Future watch ' gainst who devours The order'd Clock bids Heart Tongue Hand agree The Glasse transparent hints fidelity The Watch shews low-pitch'd Soules wound up must be What oyle to Clocks such unto Hearts is Grace Sins are to Soules what stones are unto Glasse Watches and hearts long must not cleansing passe If bodies thinke Times be too swift a Rice Be Soules as Centerish and mend their Pace Till both haste home with equall speed and Grace When griefe or sicknesse clip the wings of Time Which slowly Creep's with Bodies that decline Let Soules the more in Contemplation climbe That when Times Path may be no longer Trod Bodies may rest in their own first abode And Soules returne unto their Fountaine God These are a Good man's use of all the Three Not Ensignes of Pride Cares or Vanity But Monitors of Sin Death Piety Vpon a passing Bell. Math 24.31 1 Cor. 15.52 HArk hark what noise is this a Passing Bell That doth our own Fate in an others
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
Apud Anglos CUr duo stant Libri Clausi Anglis Regia in Aul◠Lumina Caeca duo Polubra sicca Duo Num sensum Cultumque dei tenet Anglia Clausum Lumine caesa suo sorde sepulta sua Responsio Authoris PEctore Qui retinet Claudat merit ò ille Libellos Et Christus Pietas ut sit operta monet Scotia dat Tenebras duplices Perfida sordes Hinc Anglis praestant Pollubra Lustra Libri Scotia Testatur Flagrans non lumina caeca Anglis nec penitùs Pollubra sicca nuper A Christian paraphrase upon those Verses Like Hermit poore c. LIke Christian well resolv'd in place obscure I meane to spend the Remnant of my Dayes In unfrequented Paths of Folk Impure To meditate on my Redeemers praise And at thy Gates ô Death I le Linger still To let out Life when God and Nature will A mourning Weed my Body shall attire My Staffe the Crosse of Christ whereon I le stay Of true Repentance Linkt with Chast desire The Couch is made whereon my Limbs I 'le lay And at thy Gates ô Death I 'le Linger still To let out Life when God and Nature will My Food shall be of Christian Manna made My Drink the Streames flow'd from my Saviours Side And for my Light through Earths erroneous Shade The Beames of Grace shall be my safest Guide And at thy Gates ô Death I 'le Linger still To let out Life when God and Nature will Teares and Flowers strew'd upon the Hearse of Mrs S. S. Dying Sept. 15. 1641. SInce it is Solomon that saies A virtuous woman shall have praise Do modest paper tell the Truth Of my deare Sarah's Aged Youth And when thy Inkie-moysture dries I will supply it from mine eyes So though of her we are bereft Her faire example may be left To th' Imitation of the best Wonder and Envy of the rest God the Beginning was and End Whence did her Acts flow whither tend The Scripture was her Booke of Books Nor only object of her Looks But the true Glass by which she drest Continually her Head and Breast Each day she hallow'd but that same Which to our Lord owes time and Name With knowing zeale and strictest care Observ'd and kept she every where Church-publike-exercises led Which Home-Devotions Ecchoed Strong Prayer was the Lock and Key To every Harmeless night and day Those Arrows wing'd and Headed flew With Sighs and Tears of Heavenly dew I although not for Sins nor years She was a Magdalen for Teares Remembring the great Bridegrooms cry I 'm wounded with thy melting eye An eye that cared not to looke In any unless Sacred Booke Wherin if she found Christ's name there Fix'd her delights and pleasures were Nor only Student Agent she And Practiser of Piety Devotions Handmaid did awaite Each Day 's approaching and retreate Thinking of all the time God lent That best was in his service spent That Calling Here Christ and she chose Which prophane worldlings most oppose And as she Mary hence appeares So Martha too for house-Affaires Who like th' Aegyptian Emblem right To we are her own house did delight Oh had she had that Snailes slow pace In parting from mine Armes Embrace No Planet she that lov'd to stray To see or to be seene so gay But kept Jobs Covenant with her eyes And turn'd them from such Vanities A well Tun'd Cymball was her Tongue And not a Loud one loosely rung Her Mind still gratefully content Envying none for what God lent Her Hand was open Evermore To Good but chiefly to such Poore Sweet unto all pure at the Heart Without the Zeale pretending Art Covering the Good Graine she did sow That so it might the better grow She was a Rose for Sent and Hiew No Garish Tulip but for view Neat without Niceness was her dress None of those Isai'h doth express No Phancy-follower was she But of th' Apostles D cency She was that Merchants ship well fraught Not that which Apes and Peacocks brought Her Needle did succeed her Booke And both by course the whole day tooke What rare doth Nature propagate That her Art could not Imitate Old subtle Time could ne'r steale by Her Active Hand or studious Eye But one Adorn'd her outward store While t'other Deck'd her Mind much more And all this ready to impart With Humble not Imperious Art Nay even her Recreations were For Body's so as Soul's welfare Not to be Infinite the rest You find in Solomon exprest What there he speakes Prov. 31.10 c. is here as true Of this as that Good-House wifes due Thus like the Sun in her own Sphaere Her House she mov'd and only there Through all whose parts she did dispence Her Motion Light or Influence And such a Sun at Noone to set Must needs a long sad Night beget To him indeed whose rest and light Was in his Faithfull Sarah's sight Faithfull as ever Abra'm's Dame For Grace and Love worthy Her Name She made a Competency wealth And oft Nurs'd Sickness into Health By joyning to her Skill and Cares The Cordiall of Prayer and Teares Oh could mine have as much prevail'd When her o're hasty Death assail'd So one as shade and Body They Did even together move or stay One will and nill one Joy and Feare One Comfort unto both one care While others Plough with Oxe and Ass Th' Apostles Yoake here equall was One Soule as in two Bodies dwelt And both the same Affections felt Nor could Death Altogether part Whom God united so in heart His soule with hers to Heaven ascends While to her Grave his body tends Nor long erect can be that Head Whose better part 's already dead Like Thee best halfe I mould away I dayly haste and only stay A while by God and Thee design'd To Care for one Thou left'st behind Earths Joyes for Thee Too narrow were More worthy of an Heavenly Sphere And too much Heaven 't was for me Here to Enjoy both Fruit and Tree As deare a Mother as a Wife Thou dy'dst to give Another life Delivered by Fates Controule At once almost of Child and Soule Those Twins of Innocence yet Thine The brighter of the two doth shine What not all vertues prevalent Such praemature Death to prevent No God too hath his early Fruit Which when he 'l plucke who shall dispute Grace made her Twenty Five as old As many that have Fivescore told Her yeares were few yet her life long God's lov'd Iosiahs oft dye young This Plant from out Earths Soyle of vice Hath God remov'd to Paradise Yet lest his lower Garden bee Bereft quite of so Good a Tree A Branch in Mercy he hath Given Which water'd with the dew of Heaven May it so sprout and shoot up here As one day to be planted where Now it s own Stem Grows ne'r to Dye But flourish to Eternity Where Tumults Sin and Sorrows cease Their roome supply'd with Ioy and Peace Where short-breath'd-Time Eternall grows And Health that no diseases knows Where
sent To every Part it 's Nourishment Not like Those whom Fond Appetite More then Concoction doth invite Having through ill Digestion The Rickets of Religion Her Head with Pious Notions Fraught Which Her mild Tongue discours'd and taught To all about her with an Eye Full of sweet humble Modesty To Good She ' had still an open Eare But most where the wise Charmers were Not like Some we now live Among Being Christians but in Ear and Tongue 'T was Her Great Care Reall to be And Uniforme in Piety Spotlesse from the Time-Vices Taint Whom God not Her self made a Saint Her Palate of such Temperance As was the Schoole of Abstinence Of Lovely Aspect sweet to all Candid Serene and Liberall Her Hands Compos'd of Charity And all Exacter Houswifery Her Book and Needle shar'd the Day And sweetly stole the Time away Yet for Her better Speed to Heaven She gave God two whole Dayes of seaven Besides his part of Each this She Which Crowned all did Constantly Her Foot no Novell Paths did Trace But in the good Old way kept Pace Untir'd Therein still finding rest Till of Eternity Possest This Gold-Finch of Her Family Scorning Earths Chaffe thus Soard on high Vertue and Beauty were at strife Which should most set Her out to Life Not Galba-Like where a faire Soule A Deform'd Body did enroule Nor yet like Specious Absolon Whose inside was Corruption But Her faire Structure and pure Mind Like those bright Golden Apples shin'd In Silver Pictures hung upon The Tents of Royall Solomon All Changes Stoutly She 'd partake And Welcome for the Senders sake So fixt that Full or Ebbing state Could nor depresse Her nor Elate Nor through all Turn's of Mortalls Wheele Did any more Contentment feele Thus did our Sublimated Friend In Christianity transcend And by faire consequence as Wife Was of a Correspondent life A Sarah Srongly Affectionate And as Respectfull to her Mate Right Hannah that did vow her Sonne To Heaven er'e Him thence Prayers wonne Wise Abigail which could controule All Passions with Her Prudent Soule And yet stout Hester like She proud To defend Truths or Persons Lov'd Like Happy Jacobs Lovely Mate Too-like her in her Teeming Fate One of th' Apostle's-Matron-Dresse Above Phantastick Garishnesse A very Dorcas for both Parts Of Pious Alms and Prudent Arts Therefore bewail'd like-her and Prais'd O could She too like Her be rais'd All these Examples to the Life Make up her Character as Wife But as a Step-Dame who can tell Me where to find a Paralell Prophaner Story yeildeth none And Sacred afford's only one One Naomi whose Worth and Fame Is Treasur'd in Her Comely Name Who indeed well deserv'd of Ruth For so advertising Her Youth Yet She propounded once to Part And 't was the Daughter would not start But this Indulgentest of Mothers Exceeded Her as She did Others Acting that speech where er'e Thou goe Or mak'st Abode I will doe so Thy God too shall be mine and I Desire with Thee to Live and Dye So that ' mongst most Affectionate Of Native Mothers seek Her Mate Such whose soft Nature Consort beares Both in their Childrens Smiles and Teares Whose Tenderlings are still well fed Yet better Taught and better Bred Who to their wholesome Nourishment Adde Educations Complement Who both in Health and Sicknesse can Act Tutresse and Physitian Not trusting Hyr'd or Borrow'd Care But their own Selves the Burthen Share And all this Constant to the Death Seald up with Prayers of latest Breath And such Diviner Counsell given As still guides Her dear Charge to Heaven When er'e Thou canst find such Another She She comes neerest to This Mother As Spanish Children they say Quake At mention of the Name of Drake English me thinks should Still'd and Tam'd Be when They hear this Mother nam'd who thus hath Purchased a mild Retaliation for her Child And sure They 'l under Curses dwell That with her Off-spring deale not well Whole Nature blushing as it were To see own Mother 's pass'd by Her Who Christneth that same Barbarous Name Of Step-Mother and mends their Fame And therefore justly so Admir'd Belov'd in Life in Death desir'd Lest all Relaps and Step-Dames prove As bad as er'e by Her Remove Remove alas a word of Paine To us of Loss to her of Gaine For from such Premises we know Can none but Good Conclusions Flow Her Sickness was but an Expresse Of Her Religious Healthinesse The Pious Groanes of Her Death Bed But Eccho's of a Life well Led The Grave an Embleme too may be Of Her Retyred Piety And Heaven it selfe the Church wherein She triumphs over Death and Sin She here Lying in a while did stay But in Heaven kept her Churching Day Now if Love Ground of Sorrow be Oh who to be so mourn'd as She If comfort yet Arise from Bliss Whose change to be so Joy'd in is Whose Life and Death did both Conspire Her speed to Saints and Angels Quire Where we shall once Re-meet and Sing Aeternall Hymns to Mercies King Meane time Deare Martha I shall pray And strive to follow the same way What in Caesar and Pompey were Great vices are great vertues here As Wife or Christian none Excel'd As step-mother none parallel'd And who Conceives not all This true Or Her or Vertue never Knew An Acrostick Epitaph M ary and Martha both were met in Thee As Act and Contemplation testifie Right Mary thy Soule Sought what did excell T hy Body still the Martha Busied well Having a while prov'd both with upright Heart A ll Mary now Th' hast chose the Better Part. Sprung from that Ancient Generous Finches Nest Pursu'dst with wings of vertue Heavenly rest And like a true Sparke of the Glorious Sphere Right upward tendedst untill fixed There Kind as in life to wonder so in Death Expiring but to Give an Other Breath The Recommendation of the Booke to himselfe multiplied Ed. and Sa. Sparke DEare pledges of my Love and hopes to you 'Bove all this Muse should be of welcome view As most ally'd and sprung from the same Head Surviving Monitors when Author dead Partners enough your losse of Mother mourne In their spirituall Teeming Rachels urne Who so many Benoni's hath left here That ever shall her Memory be deare Then though your Fate 's so cruell to deprive You doubly thus at once yet to revive Both in a sense againe here fixe your eyes And you may see their constant Pieties And though in this sense borne out of due time May here reflect on either in their Prime The Churches structure of Devotion To persons squar'd and Times proportion Her Feasts and Fasts freed from all just Complaints Commemorating not Adoring Saints And Piety I thinke 't is not a Crime As place and person To give dues to Time But sure Religion then must needs decay When as it's Christian Landmark's ta'ne away To you therefore that I might Propogate Something above fraile Natures brittle state A Christian Map o' th' world I somtime drew Where of both Globes you have an usefull view And for your further Guidance too you may Sarah and Hagar's History Survey But Chiefly This Peruse as Goshen Light To guide your steps in an Aegyptian Night Perhaps some others too as well as you May Deigne to take a profitable view And as some use by Jewels value more These Glories lost then while Injoy'd before Reflecting from your Duty naturall On their Matriculation spirituall And like the Method on 't or Matter told The one because 't is New the t'other Old And for all Sorts compos'd at least excuse My though no soaring yet high fixed Muse Then while the Age Reeles in false firing zeale This Book shall sober steady Truths Reveale At one side Scour'd from Rusty Heresies And Purg'd at other from wild Novelties Retaining Doctrine Primitve and cleane Reflecting on that Churches Golden meane Which like things Eminent had hardest Fate All Envying what they cannot Imitate Read then and Act this beaten Church way Tread And Sure to Heaven 't will you one day Lead FINIS