worthily doth the Church honor the holy Trinity the whole Trinity of Persons together as else-where in severals Declaring the wonders that he doth for the children of men Blessing and praising that same sacred Triad with Saint Paul and other Churches out of him Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and for him are all things unto him be glory for ever Amen Lib. Sent. distinct c. 36. Ex Augustin de Trinit l. 6. c. 10 Where Lombard out of Augustine for as one was the Master so the other was the Founder of the Schools saith ingeniously that these Prepopositions Of Through For are not to be confounded For Ex doth denote the Father of whom are all things Per the Sonne by Whom are all things And In the Holy Ghost in whom are all things God the Father is the Fountain of all goodnesse God the Son as the Conduit and God the Holy Ghost as t were the Cistern And therefore Remeent in Flumina Fontes Let all our streams comfortable Blessings return in Thankfulnesse unto our Fountain As all our Fresh Springs are in thee O GOD so we desire they should also flow back unto thee And therefore turning Contemplation to Devotion Let us with the four and twenty Elders here fall down before him that sits on the Throne saying Thou onely O blessed Trinity art worthy to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast created all things for thy wills sake they are and were created Amen POEM 19. Mysterious Blest and Sacred Trinity Inspire thy Worm that it aspire to Thee AETernall Father whence all Beings spring Deservedly thy Power they doe all sing Thy Providence too ecchoing that power Supporting guiding all things made each hour How strong and sweet through all How bright do st shine That while all take their own wills none but Thine While All things else then keep their first due Station Let not Man fail the End of his Creation Since Essence Life and Motion flows from Thee Le ts ' gratefully Return back all the Three Blest Lamb that dumb before the Shearers wer't Give and Accept a vocall gratefull Heart And let the Golden Fleece of thy rich Merit Purchase us Heavens Kingdom to inherit And loyall to it make us own thy Power As Soveraigne Lord as well as Saviour And thou O sacred sanctifying Dove Descend into our Hearts with wings of love Hatching thy Graces there that once fleg'd wee May back again to Heaven mount with thee To nestle in that Rock those Clifts of Spice And ever chaunt with Birds of Paradice Mean time what gift so fits this Three in One As our Triangled Hearts Rendition The COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle Rev. 4. v. 1. to the end The Gospel John 3. v. 1. to 16. ALmighty and Everlasting God which hast given unto us thy Servants Grace by the confession of a true Faith to acknowledge the glory of the eternall Trinity and in the power of the Divine Majesty to worship the Vnity we beseech thee that through the stedfastnesse of this Faith we may evermore be defended from all adversity which livest and reignest c. Vpon the LORDS DAY in generall DISQUISITION 17. ALmighty God as his mercies are not only private and particular but publick also and Vniversall so will he not be contented only with Family Devotions though those he seasonably expecteth and accepteth but also he will be honored in the visible Congregation of his Saints and Servants and that too not alone in those solemne Anniversaries which are as Constellations of our Gratitude for blessings of the first magnitude But also for his Continuall Mercies which are as the Multiplied Starres renewed every moment And therefore doth justly challenge although he need it not our weekly returns of publick Piety and Gratulation And albeit His Glory be capable of no Accession by us or Diminution according to that of Job Job 9.15 Psal 16.2 and David yet his Revealed will which is our Rule and Conduct and his outward Name and Honour claimeth our best publick Worship and Devotion and that with a speciall Memento in his fourth Commandement Remember thou keep holy c. Where I shall not enter the Lists with the Sabbatarians and their Antagonists which undiscreet Combatants have rather wounded one another then rescued the Sanctimony of the Day Indeed by their Polemicall Discourses making more knots then they have untied The Doctrine of the Christian Sabbath being like a Skein of curious Silk which with affected Hands they have so sullied and be-ruffled Athanas Homil 1. that many well-meaning people know not how to make a right use of it and it may well be feared that Charity hath lost more by them then Truth hath gained And therefore waving the fruitlesse Controversie I shall herein keep the Scope of my Whole Book and endeavour briefly to vindicate the Piety of the Christian Sabbath The Jewish Term is Sabboth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Saxon appellation Sunday and the Christian from Christs Resurrection the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. The LORD changed the Sabbath into his own day for a Seminary of the Gospel Lords Day nor need either Denomination inject a scruple to wise men so long as All retain agreement in the sanctification of it And indeed as Saint Austine well though in another case Desiderant auditorem potius quam expositorem The Commandements are so well known and so often expounded this especially that we rather want Hearts to practise them then heads to understand them And this you know designeth both the Time and Place of Gods holy publick Worship Levit. 19.30 Not as there were any inherent holinesse in either or any thing below but onely relative i. e. as chalenged by GOD Athanas Homil. and by Man devoted And so both are the Time and Place Holy Day and Holy Place Holy Sanctuary holy Ordinances both equally sacred Levit. 26.2 You shall keep my Sabboths and reverence my Sanctuary c. Now one that assisted the Reformation of Religion with as much Learning and Modesty as any defines this Commandement well to be Morale praeceptum de Ceremoniali A morall precept wrapped up in * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. The Lord changed the Sabboth into his own day for a Seminary of his Gospel Tract 50. in Johan Ceremonials For sure there was somewhat of both in it the Ceremoniall part not now in force is first the Precise seventh day from the Creation Which in cases of Travell and remote distances is impossible to be retained the same universally Secondly the strictness according to the rigid Letter Thirdly the Mode of hollowing it with Oblations and Ablutions c. The Morality of it chiefly consisteth in these First the fixing of a Time for Divine publick Worship Secondly That Time to be at least one day of Seven Thirdly that day to be hallowed by corporall rest and spirituall Devotion so that it is Morale quoad genus Ceremoniale quoad speciem
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.
more appetite then digestion Be not like the Corimandi a kind of people whose Ear covereth their whole body as now-a-dayes all for hearing little for meditation nothing for practice having as 't were the Rickets of Religion their heads sweld with knowledge or pretensions but their feet not walking accordingly And therefore hear but with Christs caution Matth. 4. What and How Take heed what you hear Try the spirits Matth. 4. Luke 8. 1 Joh 4.2 as those noble Beraeans did even by Paul himself Act. 17.11 And all this practise wil make it Otium sanctum as St. Austin calls the Sabboth an holy rest and so effect that Sabbatum pectoris that double Sabboth of the soul whereas that of Time is but a figure viz. the internall rest of conscience here in grace and that eternall rest of soul and body hereafter in full glory So be it Amen POEM 20. SHall we sing of the Streams and not the Fount This Holy of holy Dayes which doth surmount The rest according to their Objects nature As the Creator doth excell the Creature This Day unyoaks the world and ease bestows Suspending of the Curse on sweating Brows A Day of unbought Indulgence and Rest Of Gods in-acting both for Man and Beast Nor yet must This Brute-acquiescence be But the Souls Travell while the Body free Though Jews o' th' Sabboth might not yet We may Best gather Manna Now two showers a day Oh let not Plenty and such Choyce of Fare Make us like Wanton Israel appear Loath not this Heavenly Dew but come and tast Let not such Holy water run at wast With your old Raining Banquet rest content Lust for New Quails tempts but new Punishment Long not for Bethlem Waters there 's no good Nutrition in the juyce that 's price of Blood Sweet Festivall of Heaven's Beneficence Which now keeps Open House and do'st dispence The bounteous Doles of Mercy unto All That Piously approach and for them call Great Market-day of Souls Divinity On thee as 't were holds a Monopoly Come Buyers God himselfe turns Merchant now Leave Trades of Sin your selves his Chapmen vow For though his Wares are yet his Price not high Pardon for asking Heaven for Piety For Patience Conquest for Confession A gracious Act of Heaven's Oblivion This is the Souls good Clymacterick Day Boding her weal as to'ther her Decay If Number have its Vertue sure This seaven Wil most inchant a good Soul toward Heaven The Lords Dayes me thinks make up Jacobs Scale The weeks the Empty spaces whereon all Gods Right and Left-hand Blessings do descend And by which Pious Souls to him ascend Make then the Sabboth here so the Lords Day That endlesse Rest with him we once enjoy THE COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle Rom. 15. v. 4. to the 14. The Gospel Luke 21. v. 35. to 34. BLessed Lord which hast caused all holy Scriptures to bee written for our learning Grant us that me may in such wise hear them read mark learn and inwardly digest them that by Patience and comfort of thy holy word we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life which thou hast given us in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen ALmighty God which hast promised to hear the Petitions of them that ask in thy Sons Name we beseech thee mercifully incline thine ears to us that have made now our Prayers and Supplications unto thee and grant that those things which we have faithfully asked according to thy will may effectually be obtained to the relief of our necessity and to the setting forth of thy glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Rogation Week DISQUISITION 18. THis was the Week immediatly preceding Holy Thursday or indeed but the foure dayes next before it denominated à Rogationibus from the extraordinary Prayers and Supplications then used by good Christians the better to prepare their souls at that time to attend our Saviour by a spirituall Ascension as God made the Day of Ascension a day of Giving Psal 68.18 so the Church made the time a week of Asking as in the Gospel appointed And therefore this is no spurious issue of Novell Superstition but a venerable Institution of pious Antiquity and sincere Religion it being more then probable that this holy custome was practised in the Church in if not before St. Augustines dayes Serm. 173. de Temp. tom 80. Witnesse his Sermon preached on Ascension Eve and his Titles on some other Sermons Magdeburg cent 5. fol 693. and 741. De Dominicâ in Orationibus c. concerning Rogation Sunday and of the second and third day thereof it is unanimously acknowledged by Authors of both perswasions that this ancient Order was either invented or restored rather by Mamercus Bishop of Vienna Baron Animal fol. 309. long before the time of Gregory the Great Anno 450. the Reasons of which Holy Custome I find to be of two sorts viz. from Occasions Naturall and Accidentall Those of accident were the great Afflictions and Calamities that befell those times which made them happly convert their superstitious Processions to the Tombs of Martyrs into a better use of Prayer and strong Supplications for removing Judgements as things invented for one purpose by use are easily converted into more Socrates lib. 6. c. 8. And so it was by the People of Vienna when such Earthquakes of terrors befell them as amazed the hearts of all men who then began to forsake the Citie as a place which Heaven seemed to have destined to ruine for then their Bishop before mentioned as it became a Christian Prelate Hooker Ec. P. l. 5. neither void of councell as yet nor secure in himself alone under such common perplexity earnestly exhorted the remainder of the people to prevent portended Calamities by those vertuous and holy means whereby others in like case have prevailed with God To that purpose perfecting and adapting the Rogations Reasons of Rogation week or Letanies formerly in use to their present Necessities and sad occasions whose good successe therewith afterward moved Sidonius Bishop of Averna to use the same so corrected Rogations at such time as he and his people were afflicted with Famine and besieged with potent adversaries till at length it was thought convenient by Gregory the first and best of that name to contract the Flower of all the said Rogations into one And however this Iron have since got some rust yet hath it been scoured off too as I shall shew anon And this I may call as to us-ward at least the Accidentall cause of these Rogations The generall Troubles and Calamities of Nations But besides these there are some Naturall Occasions of them I mean from Gods blessings on increasing Nature and as the first tremble before God as an angry Judge so these kneel to him as a Father and a Benefactor As now you see Natures Carpet spread enameled with rare variety of flowers and hopefull blossoms Jam prata rident
Day 49 Ashwednesday 56 The solemn Fast of Lent 62 Palm Sunday 75 Good Friday 80 Easter Day 106 Ascension Day 135 Whitsunday 155 Trinity Sunday 177 The Lords Day in Generall 186 Rogation Week 201 S. Andrews Day 208 S. Thomas Day 221 Conversion of S. Paul 231 The Purification 239 S. Matthias Day 247 The Annunciation 256 S. Marks Day 265 S. Philip and Jacob 270 S. Barnaby's Day 277 S. John Baptist 299 S. Peter's Day 319 S. James his Day 330 S. Bartholomew's Day 337 S. Matthew's Day 321 S. Michael the Arch-Angel 329 S. Luke's Day 339 S. Simon and Jude 346 All Saints Day 353 The four Ember Weeks 364 The Vigils or Eves of Festivals 368 The Doxologie 371 ERRATA In Votum Authoris line 5. r. accendat Ad Malignantes Poemata l. 3. r. if l. 6. r. texts To Rigid Humorists l. 22. r. ivgenuous P. 19. l. 26. for rupis r. rapis p. 136. l. 6. r. Christian p. 138. marg r. Enar. p. 354. l. 3. r. Assentation p. 155. l. 26. r. Candid p. 358. l. 8. r. Groat p. 362. marg r. Euthymius To his valued FRIEND the AUTHOR How much I love that Gallant civill man Who fears Gods Laws and does not mans offend Yet dares be active nay does all he can To vindicate the fame of his dead Friend How much more Dear Sparke must I Honor thee Who vindicat'st the Churches Piety I must acknowledg I with Reverence look Upon thy Parts and highly prize thy Merit For who impartially peruse thy Book Shall find thou hast an high seraphick Spirit Imagine Gold could be from Gold refin'd So is thy soul from others souls sublim'd Ad Malignantes Poemata I hear some Quarrell Authors that have writ In verse such strong and sublimated things As â—f such subjects for verse were not fit Let them know this God chose the Pens of Kings To wâ—…e in verse and Christ alledg'd them more Then all the Text he found in Moses store Let them know learned Moses and wise Job Writ both in verse before those glorious Kings And all the Prophets call'd the sons of God In verse have written high mysterous things Let them know who dares on such verse fall foul Hath but a squint-ey'd ill composed Soul Fran. Wortley To the Author in contemplation of his Primitive Devotion THe Churches Liturgy Her Discipline Her sweet indulgencies Her love divine Her Fasts Her Feasts Her Sacraments and all That Tongues of men and Angels Order cal By wholsome Precepts and choice presidents This Author with high Charity presents Instructing us the ready Way to know What to our God what to the Church we owe. All morall vertues stand in great esteem With grave Philosophers shall not we deem Diviner Graces much more to surmount Yes To this end SPARKE renders in Account The lives and deaths of most refined Saints Which he from Times records so lively Paints That we by their examples might become Such as they were in Life or Martyrdome Great Harmony did grace her Pristine State Till the red Dragon grew predominate In her Meridian thousand souls did bring At her Behests their free-will offering In her eclipse no Herbert not a Donne SPARKE only sings her Resurrection To shew my best Affection and my Zeal To this good Work I give Heart Hand and Seal Thomas Shirley In opus eruditum Authoris ingeniosissimi CRudeli lacerare manu pia viscera Matris Infoelix studuit Nequitiae soboles Omine foelici sanavit vulnera Sparkus Non passus tumulo saucia membra dari Hic petit Antiquos veris ornare Coronis Vates Angelicos celebrare Choros R. DUKESON D.D. To my worthy Kinsman M. Ed. SPARKE upon his Pious Reflection on Primitive Devotion I Were ingrate should I thy lines ore'-look And not repay some tribute to thy Book Amongst those virid wreaths of Poetry Then interweave one Lawrell branch from me Whil'st thou thy light dost through the world disperse Accept of this Reflection on thy Verse Methinks Th' hast here thy skil in Musick shewn Most fitly to a Land that 's out of tune A happy harmony of Sions Songs Variety yet no Divisions First a plain Note a Rellish then doth close Each Poem's grafted on a stock of Prose How sweetly both the Courteous Reader Greet When the Prose runs so on the Verses feet Cease Old Religion to lament thy fate Here 's yet a Prospect of thy Pristine state Though the old lights snuft out which clearly shone To other Lands But dazled this our own Our comfort is we are not quite bereft Here is a SPARKE of the old Lamp yet left Blown from above into a Holy fire Whose flames shal last when as this SPARKE flies higher RICH. BETENSON On the worthy work of my respected Friend M. Ed. SPARKE When Pious Asa with his Fathers Slept How solemnly his funerals were kept A curious bed's contriv'd by Arts devices Fild all with Indian gums Arabian Spices This bed the case wherein his corps the Jewel Are for the * 2 Chro. 16.14 BURNING made the precious fuel As if that Asa's body did aspire To meet his soul and mount up in that fire Dead Saints dead days now put into their Urne See here a sweeter brighter flame doth burn Kindled from holy SPARKES whence doth arise No smoak to hurt save only envious eyes Whilst my admiring Muse at distance stands Desiring at this flame to heat her hands Wherewith emboldned neerer she presumes To steal a Sent of these thy sweet Perfumes But I recant my words and pardon crave That I compar'd thy Book unto the Grave Or Vrne of Saints for by thy Pen's perfection Saints are not buried but have Resurrection The cozning witch in counterfeit disguise Made but a seeming Samuel to rise Whom cunningly she did with mantle hide To cloak her cheat which else might be espide But who will not thy worthy Work applaud No falshood here no forgery or fraud Thou really dost from the dust retrive And make not one but All-Saints to revive Yea by the pains which thou on them expends Easter doth rise Ascension day ascends Thy Poetry is pleasant Pictures fine Thy Prose profound but oh the prayers divine Thus hast thou pleased us in every part Our fancies judgments with our eyes and heart THO. FULLER To the Author upon the sight of the first sheet of his Book My worthy friend I am much pleas'd to know You have begun to pay the debt you owe By promise to so many pious friends In printing your choice Poems it commends Both them and you that they have been desir'd By persons of such Judgment and admir'd They must be most by those that best shal know What praise to holy Poetry we owe. So shall your Disquisitions too for there Choice learning and blest piety appear All usefull to poor Christians where they may Learne Primitive Devotion Each Saints day Stands as a Land-mark in an erring age to guide fraile mortals in their pilgrimage To the Coelestiall
Can'an and each Fast Is both the so uls direction and repast All so exprest that I am glad to know You have begun to pay the debt you owe. Iz. Wa. Sanctitas Rediviva or the Resurrection of Primitive Devotion practised and indeavoured by a true Friend to Reformation E. SPARKE Rude warrs and gilded ignorance with a rout Of self conceited humorists did put out And quench our holy Fires Robbing Devotion Of all her comely dress leaving her portion Shame and Contempt Vexation to attend her Now sick nor house nor friend for to defend her Scarce SPARKE of Piety or Charity could be Seen or afforded till it came from Thee Who rak'd up too in Embers though obscure Uncloud'st Devotion to its Lustre pure William Wimpew Ad Amicum suum Authorem EDVARDUM SPARKETIUM Adsint Romani colit quicunque Novatum Inspiciant tua scripta legant Collecta revolvant Libri Divini flammam dum murmure cingunt Corda sua Antiquo inspirentur Lumine vero Quaerendo nodos fiat laqueantur ut ipsi Rete tuo Antiquo passo captare Novellos Eodem ad Authorem Dum pia dum prosint tutò tua scripta peragrent Non rapidos curent ventos quae folia spargant Cumaeae Vatis nec curent Festa Nefastos Omnigeni venti conspirent flamina Vulgi Non Poesin sacram nec Sanctos urere possunt PETRUS VOVVEL Upon the AUTHOUR and his Worke. WHen the rude Vulgar in their headlong rages Pull'd down those sacred things which former ages Did hold inviolable they began To levell Times and Places and next Man Laid wast those Dayes which our Grand sober Sires Hallowed to warme their zeale by heavenly fires Dispark'd the Churches and to Barnes did give Pow'r to contest for the Prerogative When th' Churches dayes they with successe decri'd Next bark'd at those which Heaven had sanctifi'd 'T was time to write when dayes to Saints assigned Were all degraded and the Lords new-coyned Our Authour like the wiser few stood still Observes admires and lets them take their fiill And now in milder temper he begins T' assert those truths which their blind rage call'd sins 'T were madnesse in a whirl-wind to resist With any arguments but club and fist Thus God when all things were i th' Chaos hurl'd Did first make Light and then he form'd the world The Author so with imitating Art Informes the judgement first then moves the Heart Not like the Pseudo levites of this season That Preach all Vse without Ground Proof or Rreason His Prose so sinewy and yet so smooth His Verse so full of rhime and reason both His Prayers so heavenly and his All so good Makes him at once admir'd yet understood The Poets Character he hits aright And does at once both profit and delight The ancient Method he doth well repair In this Designe a Sermon Psalm and Prayer May this Work thrive that after Times and we May keep one Festivall to 's Memory And Bonfires make from whose undying flame Shall rise bright Sparkes t' immortalize his Name ALEX. BROOM To his worthily esteemed Friend E. S. the Author MAy David's Harp here be free from his fears Whilest with heaven's Musick thou charm'st humane ears Strung with Hosanna's touch'd b' Amphion's Quill But more harmonious for 't not onely will Erect Thebean Palaces but raise Our Hearts more sacred Temples with due praise Unto the Lamb which sits upon the Throne And his concomitant perfection Which made my yet unpinion'd Muse fly forth To snatch a Lawrell here to crown thy worth But though Icarian Fate my Wreath surprize This triviall Offring's still a Sacrifice NIC. CHAMBERLAIN To his Worthy Friend the Author BRight shining SPARKE of consecrated Fire That doth pure Incense at the Altar burn Thy quickning Flame doth sacred Heat inspire And makes our Souls on the right Axis turn How is the World beholding to thy Light To draw it forth of a Cimmerian Night Nay Heaven it self thy Debtor is For blest Immortall Tenants highly memoriz'd By Ages held the purest and the best Would soon grow obsoleted and despis'd Did not thy hallow'd Muse with Rayes divine Make 'em like Sol in his Meridian shine Flora displayes not more Varieties Red-cheek'd Pomona brings not more Delight When most enamell'd each in Child-bed lies To charm the Senses of Taste Smell and Sight Then Here occurr in party-Vesture deck'd Profit and Pleasure to the Intellect Star-Gazers all you may be freely bold T' expunge our Saints This Calender will doe You write in Red Our Author writes in Gold You write but Names He Names and Natures too Your first of Jane must a fresh Modell see But This will last to bless'd Eternity H. DELAUNE UPON Christian ○ Solennitas ab eo quod solet in Anno esse dicitur S. August Serm. 186. de Temp. Solemnities in Generall Exod. 16. Ps 112.6 1 Cor. 14.40 DISQUISITION 1. SHall all things have their appointed Time Eccles 3. as the Wise man speaks and not Devotion which sure should rather have a share in all times whatsoever For albeit Religion be not tyed to Time * Confes Helvet c. 24. yet can it not be planted or exercised without a due Dividing and allotting out of Time for it and forasmuch as it is kindly to gather all fruits in their seasons so too is it for the Church of God to consider each of his great Benefits even in the day wherein it was wrought as neer as can be imagined and therefore it is well ordered by the true Churches Ancient and Modern to solemnize the memorial of Christs main Actions and Passion with the imitable vertues of his Saints and Martyrs upon set-times and annuall revolutions lest haply in a while those Persons and Things be forgotten that ought to be had in everlasting remembrance To which end saith Saint Augustine God hath designed weekly and his Church annuall * De Civit. Dei lib. 10. cap. 4. Commemorations of the Mysteries Means and Witnesses of our Redemption to preserve a Solemn memory of those high Benefits which either by Himself or any of his blessed Instrumens he hath betstowed upon Mankind Not that we should luxuriate in Festivities as some do dedicating Dayes even to fictitious Saints that never were men or had a name but in mistaken Calenders as it is doubted by the two grand Supporters of the Heterodox perswasion Bellarmine and Baronius Lib. de Beatitudine Sanctorum cap. ult whether there were ever any such man as S. George or such a woman as Saint Catherine The Cardinall doth acknowledg that they worship certain Saints whose stories are uncertain reputing the Legend of Saint George Apocryphal for all 't is used in the Missall Eccl. Annal. Tom. 2. ad Annum 290. and Baronius confesseth as much of Quiriacus and Julitta to say nothing of Saint Christopher and others declaring plainly that their Acts were written either by Fools or Hereticks So that they seem much in danger of two places
is the wholesom temper of her Law Each Fast is cheer'd and each Feast kept in aw What Christian then ' gainst such Commemoration Gods honor his Saints praise our Imitation These are the Churches Crown of Stars as 't were Oh may they long shine in her hemisphere And where set rise again still may they grace The Calender of time with choifest place Advent Sunday DISQUISITION 2. THis day is to the Feastival of the Nativity as St. John Baptist to his Master a kinde of a fore-runner to make way for it somewhat like the Jewish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Feast of Easter a preparation to the grand Solemnity nay indeed this and the three following Sundays of Advent may in some sense be called like the four Evangelists Quadriga Domini our Saviours four wheel'd Chariot carrying the glad tydings of his approach throughout the Church as those do his glory and Salvation through the world Moreover here beginneth the peculiar computation of the Churches year though learned Hooker E. P. l. 5. p. 378. on some other considerations take it somewhat higher viz. From the Annunciation of Christ his Conception by Angelical Message But the Church initiateth her solemn service at this Preface to his Birth and first appearance of him to mankinde And herein differing from all secular computes whatsoever to let the world perceive she numbereth not her days and measureth not her seasons so much by the motion of the Sun as of her Saviour beginning and progressing her year according to the Sun of Righteousness who now began to dawn upon the world and as the day star from on high to shine on them that sate in spiritual darkness and with his beams of light and life to chase away the shadows both of sin and death Lastly this day as it were inviteth all of us to the Marriage Feast for the Incarnation was a Mysterious Match it calleth off the busie world both from their vain prosecutions and excuses admonishing us of our Lords coming * Advent speaks as much I and in its four several days hints Christs four several ways of coming viz. First his Corporal by Incarnation secondly his Spiritual by Inspiration thirdly his Ministerial by Instruction fourthly his Judicial by Final Sentence and Determination The first is a strange Humility the second equal Mercy the third his Word and Sacraments the fourth is his last Judgement Now then whosoever seriously takes heed to the three former shall never need to fear the latter Rom. 8.1 And it is Christs own advertisement Matth. 24.42 46. Watch for you know not c. And blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shal find so doing POEM 5. AS when a mighty Prince of high renown With splendor doth approach some loyal Town The Streets are strew'd the Houses trim'd and deck'd All leave their work and sit at grave Aspect But specially his Pallace and Allies Prepare for him and look with longing eyes So here this monitory Advent comes To tell us of Christ's coming that our rooms May all be swept and garnish'd for that King who with Him doth all grace and glory bring Be sure his Palace then the Heart I mean With Innocence or Penitence be clean If Satan's house be dress'd so garishly Ne're think that Christ will harbour in a stye Then be thy Soul adorn'd with every Grace Let Love Joy Hope Desire run all apace To meet Him and his Majesty attend Who highly will prefer them in the end Be mountain spirits level'd rough ones plain Dejected valleys rais'd with Joy again Let Lion-fiercenesse henceforth become tame And then more fit companions for this same Meek Lamb of God Let aspish tongues grow mild So shall they All be led by this bless'd Child Let Temp'rance sweep out Luxury and Pride By rare Humility be laid aside Let the Dove temper Serpentine deceit And Christ will come when his path's made so straight His Ministerial coming heed his Word And all your Tryals comfort shall afford He 'l come into the Heart and fill the place With consolation and all saving Grace Till both to free and crown his Saints i' th end His coming glorious splendor shall attend When spleeny strifes thus and contentions cease Then may the World expect the Prince of peace In Mercy then but going on in Those Doth to his coming-judgements It expose The COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle Rom. 13. from Verse 8. to the end The Gospel Matth. 21. from Verse 1. to the 14. Almighty God give us Grace that we may cast away the Works of darkness and put on the Armor of light now in the time of this mortal life in the which thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great Humility that in the last day when he shall come again in his glorious Majesty to judge both the quick and the dead we may rise to life immortal through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost now and ever Amen The Shepheards lu 2. 8 And there were in the same countrey Shepheards abiding in the feild keeping watch ouer the flocke by night 9 And loe the Angell of the Lord come upon them etc. 16 And they came with hast and found Mary and Ioseph and the babe lying in a manger 20 And the shepheards returned glorifying and praysing God etc. The Plate here Vpon the Feast of Christ his Nativity DISQUISITION 3. THis is the Foundation Festival whereupon the fabrick of the rest is raised and therefore it is Fundation-like laid very deep and may well admit of Saint Pauls exclamation Rom. 11.33 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the unfathomable Abyss thereof It consisteth of an History and a Mystery That which appears above ground is the story Luke 2.15 Luk. 2. and the substance thereof is known by the Circumstances Quis Quare Vbi Quando The Time the Place the Person the End I shall reserve the two first of them to the last observable and begin the History with the time of his Nativity and that was a time of peculiar designation though computations vary nor is it much material Christ not being subjected to the necessity or chance of time like others but as Lord and Maker of it Gal. 4.5 Elegit suum Nascendi tempus He chose his opportunity took his own time wherein he would be born which the Apostle calls the Fulness of it Gal. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was as most agree from that old * Of Rabbi Elias observing the Hebrew Letter × which is the numerical of 1000 six times repeated in the first of Genesis and that of the Psalmist Psal 90.4 c. Tradition of the worlds lasting just 6000 years well toward the 4000th year Scaliger Reusner and Calvin say Christ was born Anno Mundi 3947. Others say in the year following as Func Helv. in their Chronologies Dionysius the less with others think two years after that being 3950 while others again Anno
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
his own free gracious act On our part undeserv'd oppos'd effect Light on us therefore O Celestial Dove So with thy Fanning Wings inflame our Love That Earth with grateful Harmony may sing With those Aetherial Spirits to Heavens King That both in compleat Consort so aspire Till all one Hallelujah singing Quire Then they 're ill Shepherds sure will not always Together with their Flocks Christ this day praise The COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle Heb. 1. from vers 1. to 13. The Gospel John 1. from vers 1. to 15. Almighty God which hast given us thy onely begotten Son to take our nature upon him and this day to be born of a pure Virgin Grant that we being regenerate and made thy children by Adoption and Grace may daily be renewed by thy holy Spirit through the same our Lord Jesus Christ who liveth and reigneth c. The stoning of Steuen Act 7* 58 And cast him out of the Citie and stoned him the witnesses layd downe there clothes at a voung mans feete named Saul 59 And they Stoned Steuen who called on God and said Lord Jesus receiue my spirit 60 And he kneeled downe cried with a loud voyce Lord laye not this sinne to there charge etc The Plate here Saint Stephens Day DISQUISITION 4. YEsterday presented a Nativity and this a Martyrdome like a Deaths-head served up at a Festivall the Church thereby first tacitly intimating human Condition both our natural accidental frailty how neer our End bordereth on our Birth Finisque ab origine pendet And yet how many outward dangers equalling inward diseases hasten the pace of precipitating Nature Vitae unicus introitus mille exitus Our life for one sole ingress having many thousand out-lets And secondly expressly desirous by joyning these two Festivals that we should all learn to live well as Christ and to die well as St. Stephen Ideo natus est Dominus ut moreretur pro servo In a Sermon on St. Stephen ne servus deficeret mora pro Domino saith holy Austin yesterday we celebrated the Birth of that heavenly King of Martyrs born into the World and to day the first fruits of Martyrs going out of the world It behoved the Immortall saith he First to take Flesh for Mortals that so mortall man might the better contemn Death for the Immortall Therefore was the Lord born to die for his servant that the servant might not fear to die for his Lord. Christ was born in Earth that Saint Stephen and his other followers might be born in Heaven Christus pro nobis induit hominem Stephanus pro Christo hominem exuit Christ for us put on human Flesh and Saint Stephen here for Christ put it off The story is so obvious that I shall need only glance on it out of the Scriptures for the Day Acts 7. it consisting of two remarkables Acts 7. viz. the Jews cruelty and his Piety their bloody and his godly behaviour in his Martyrdome First here Mat. 23. They retaining their old Title of Killers and stoners of the Prophets put him to death who endeavoured to bring them to everlasting life by his large Sermon to them Acts 7. that sweet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 7. or Recapitulation of the whole sacred Scripture Law Prophets and Evangelists even from Abraham to Christ whom he would have applied home to them had not their fury withstood their conversion even that they should have seen him as he did at the right hand of God but that they stopt him there with a Constructive Blaspphemy becomming Accusers Judges and Executioners all at once presently beginning their persecution with their tongues and teeth v. 54. gnashing on him with c. beside the malice of their tongues that they could even tear his Flesh but that their hands beguiled their mouthes with as ready and more mortall instruments The Jews had among them Quatuor magna supplicia foure speciall sorts of torments besides their bonds and scourgings and other lighter punishments which they had borrow'd from Scythians the Masters of those Arts and other cruell Heathens as the first was Burning Gen. 38.24 Dan. 3.22 The second Casting to wild Beasts Dan. 6. and St. Pauls Case supposed by many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15.32 Thirdly Stoning Exod. 19 13. And lastly Crucifying Luke 23.21 as all are frequently to be seen elsewhere in Scripture but of all this of stoning was most ordinary among them as the onely Deucalion-race of mankind Vnde homines nati durum genus ad lapides currebunt saith * Loco citat St. Augustine Duri ad duros Presently they run to stones hard hearts unto hard instruments of mischief whether for their readiness cheapness fatalness I argue not or as the best Emblems of their flinty nature Sed Petris lapidabatur qui pro Petra i. Christo moriebatur but with stones destroyed they the servant of him who was the chiefe Corner stone and Rock of his Church Jesus Christ an harsh and an hard act of a right stony people whose obduratnesse to God and man hath turn'd their memory into a Niobean monument of shame not sorrow while Arator hath inscribed this due Epitaph Lapides Judaea rebellis In Stephanū lymphata rupis qua crimine duro Saxea semper eris Arator lib. Carm. in Act. Rebellious Judah that did Stephen stone For that hard act shall pittied be of none Till at length their Punishment so ecchoed their Sin that for their killing of the Prophets and stoning them who were sent unto them Non lapis super lapidem inter Lapidatores Their House was left to them so desolate that not a stone was left upon a stone Matth. 24.2 O let all their Successors consider this not onely in Judea but in England or where ever that still make the Prophets cry and sigh and that as lowd as in most times heard heretofore Psal 44.22 onely with a little cruell variation For sheep appointed to be slain Pastors appointed to be starv'd Think of stony Jerusalem avoid her sins and so her Plagues lest likewise the same judgement follow and overtake you Temporall your house be left unto you desolate Spiritual Christ saying You shall not see me henceforth Matth. 23. And eternall that upon you come not all the righteous blood both of Abel and Zechariah i. both of Laicks and Clergy So Cajet in locum Sanguine fundata est Ecclesia sanguine crevit Sanguine decrescit sanguine finis erit Christs bloud did found his Church and Saints increase Which wains in storms yet in 's Foes bloud shall cease But now to take a glimpse of that which more particularly concerns us observe St. Stephens behaviour in his suffering an excellent Patern to reflect on at our deaths made up of Piety and Charity a man of an high Character and and that by the pencill of the Highest * Acts 6.55 Full of faith and power of the Holy Ghost v. 55. a
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
c. and great praise by St Stephen his Protomartyr and by St. John that same beloved Disciple as fore-shewed but you see his praise is made perfect by the mouthes of these Babes and Innocents who here came to the Haven without knowing tempests injoying the comforts of an other life Giron in Fest before they knew the miseries of this Qui prius in capitibus Coronaâ— Quam capillos accepistis as one wittily Blessed babes that have your heads Crowned with happinesse e're covered with Hairs Herods crueltie was turned by God into a felicitie translating you from your earthly Mothers armes in a valley of tears to your heavenly Fathers bosom in his Kingdome of Glory It hath been a custome and yet is else where to whip up the Children on this morning that the story might stick the closer but this is to act it over again in kind by a moderate proportion * Lewis 11. Of France was so seri us a remembrancer of this Martyrdome that he would not be interâ—upted in it by any affaires of state how important soever Phil. de Com. while all then seem to condemne the literall crueltie of Herod I wish they may not imitate him in the Figure snatching them from the armes of their mother Church and from her breasts of holy Baptisme and so as much as in them lyeth killing them spiritually not regarding Christs words Mat. 19.14 Suffer little children and forbid them not to come unto me Mat 19.14 for of such is the Kingdome of heaven or his Apostles 1 Cor. 14. instead then of injuring them 1 Cor. 14.20 become like unto them for humilitie for innocence for obedience for dependance who so humbleth himself as a little childe the same shall be great in the Kingdom of heaven POEM IX A Double Prophesie's this day fulfill'd In these young Innocents by Herod kill'd Here 's Ramah's cry and Davids song of praise Which from these Babes and Sucklings God did raise Whose early vertues Men for shame improve Their humble innocence and Docil love That how so'ere our Fathers us dispose We be submissive patient meeke as those And then though crop'd like these flowers e're their Prime Blisse shall but sooner Crown us beyond Time These infants by that Tyrants raging mood Were baptiz'd unto Christ in their own bloud And though unable yet to speake his Name Dy'd the first fruits of Martyrs for the same Multipli'd Persecution that destroyes Thousands of Parents lives wrap'd in the Boyes Yet the impartiall wretch spares not his own Better his Swine then Son a proverb grown The Fox worrys the Lambs and t is the sinne With which the world will end as t'did begin The COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle Rev. 14. v. 1. to the end The Gospel Mat. 2. ver 13. to 19. Almighty God whose praise this day the young innocents thy witnesses have confessed and shewed forth not in speaking but in dying mortifie and kill all vices in us that in our conversation our life may express thy faith which with our tongues we doe confesse through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Circumcision Luc 2. 21. And when eyght dayes were accomplished for the circumcising of the childe his name was called Iesus which was soe named of the Angell before hee was conceiued in the wombe The Plate here Vpon the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ DISQUISITION 7. A Lmighty God both before and after the fall of man before under and after the Law still manifested his wil by two things especially viz. an understanding Mind and a perceiving Sense as in Paradise at first Adam had his word and that witnessed by a double sign the Tree of life and that of knowledge Gen. 2. Gen. 2. After his lapse he had a promise c. 3.15 Gen. 3. and thereunto sacrifices added as outward signes so after the Flood a promise of no more Deluge and the Rain-bow a signe c. 9.13 Gen. 9. Arcus sine sagittâ a Bow without an Arrow or if with any shot against himself in his Sonne for it stands bent alwaies towards heaven the promise of deliverance from Egypt is sealed with the Pasohal Lamb Exod. 12. and that to Abraham Exod. 12. of multiplying and magnifying his seed signalized by instituting this Circumcision Gen. 17. Lastly Gen. 17. Joh. 13.16 God giving his Sonne and by him everlasting life to believers confirms all with two Sacraments as seals of his grace viz. Baptisme and the Lords Supper Thus the Father of mercies hath in all ages provided for mans weakness Psal 3.149 that He might tast and see how gracious the Lord is Psal 34. and therefore those that pretend to be so spiritual as not to endure significant Ceremonies and outward Rites in the Church runne a violent course quite contrarie to the goodnesse of God Apud Martyr in Rom. 4. and the meeknesse of his holy Spirit who doth instruct the conceiving Mind by the perceiving Sense and by visible words as Augustine calls the Sacraments one of which was this of Circumcision to the Jewes and that may well appeare in a red Letter as being their bloudy Sacrament who therefore when they Circumcised a childe called him Sponsum sanguinis applying those words of Zippora unto him Exo. 4. Thou art a bloody Husband Exod. 4.25 because that day they hold the child is married to the Covenant There was in this of the old as in the Sacraments of the New Testament two constitutive parts signum signaculum both the signe The two parts of a Sacrament and the seal of a sacred Covenant not onely bare badges as the defective Anabaptists nor immediate justifiers ex opere operato Hook l. 5. s 60. as some others in the excess sta non tribuunt quod per ista tribuitur They doe not confer what is conferred by them This Circumcision here was a triple signe 1. Memorative of the promise to Abraham touching his seed his inheritance and the Messiah to come of him 2. Distinctive of the Jews from all other people and of the Sex Males only undergoing it Females yet being within the Covenant Reductive as sprung from Circumcised Fathers and married to such husbands 3. Prefigurative of Baptisme and the spiritual Circumcision of the heart Againe as Circumcision was thus a various signe so was it a Seale also a double one on Gods part as the Paten of Kings for confirmation on Abrahams part Ardens in locum as his obedience and faiths Attestation Some note a threefold Circumcision viz. Carnall under the Law Spirituall under Grace Celestiall in the Kingdom of Glory The first is Nascentium good in its due time of children the eight day Gen. 17. Gen. 17. The second Renascentium at all times better of such as are born again and that of the heart in the spirit Rom. 2.29 Rom. 2.29 effected by the sword of the spirit sharper then all the flinty knives of circumcision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Josh 5.2 Heb. 4.12 The word of God sharper then any two-edged sword that circumciseth not onely the fore-skin but all the Faculties of the soule the parts and senses of the body the eyes Job 31.1 Psal 119.37 Job 31. turneth away those least they behold vanity Psal 119. The eares and lippes that they heare or speak no guile Ephe. 4. Circumcising the hands against all Theft and idlenesse Ephe. 4.25 28 c. 5.4 Ephe. 4.28 the Head from imagining mischiefe and the feet from blood-shed Psal 14.6 19.13 Psal 14. Circumcising the intellect from curiositie and errour Act. 26.25 the Will from all presumptuous wickednesse Coloss 3.2 3. Psal 19. the affections from inordination Coloss 3. even the very thoughts and imaginations Isai 1.16 in a word Circumcising the whole man cutting off all superfluous cares of the world and lusts of the flesh even to that happy Metamorphosis of the old into the new man Ephe. 4.22 Eph. 4. whence flowes the third kind of Circumcision by consequence Resurgentium in the world to come when all superfluity of sinne deformity and corruption shall bee cut off utterly so that we may appear before the Throne of God without any spot in our soule Apoc. 14.5 1 Cor. 15.53 or corruption in our body Apoc. 14. 1 Cor. 15. But in this Circumcision of Christ which was carnall onely as needing none of the other Three circumstances are remarkeable the Quando Vbi Quare the Time the Part the Reason the time was the eighth day Gen. 17. Gen. 17. and Christ then undergoes it Luke 2.21 Luke 2.21 comming not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it you see in every circumstance Some say then as because that tender age could more easily bear the griefs but this is both too dubious and too generall others say the eighth day Chrys Mar. in Rom. 4. because that was the time of our Lords Resurrection so Lombard in Rom. 4. seven dayes figuratively signifying the time of this present world and the eighth day the resurrection wherein mortality shall be cut off with immortality 1 Cor. 15.53 For the Vbi Circumcision was placed in the generative part Aug. in Johan tract 30. 1. Because the Propagation of originall sinne is thence traduced Per actum generationis 2. As a signe of the promise Martyr in Rom. 4. Aquin. part 3. Quest 7. Art 3. both to Parent and Posterity Gen. 17.7 3d. ad diminutionem carnalis concupiscentiae Lastly why Christ undergoes this Circumcision Luke 2.21 ut supra more particular reasons to shew he was the seed of Abraham Heb Heb. 2.16 2.16 to demonstrate he had true flesh against Manicheus not his body Coessential with the Deity as Apollinaris or fetched from heaven Epiph. Haeres 30. as Valentinus but as Rom. 1.2 Circumcised he was ut figuram ipsa veritas finiret that he who was the truth and substance might at once fulfill and take away the typg of Circumcision and all this out of obedience for us Isai 9.6 Isai 9. nobis puernatus vobis saith the Angel expounding the prophesie Luke 2.11 unto you men I for us born for us circumcised Gal. 4.4 Gal. 4.4 made of a woman and under the Law hereby giving publike testimony that he would fulfill the whole Law as the circumcised is bound Gal. 5.2 and that he would do all the rest for us to make up our unwilling Faylures so we give but all diligence 1 Pet. 1.5.10 1 Pet. 1. This circumcision was the prologue of his Passion and first rise of Ezechiels waters c. 47. flowing above the knees till after it came to Davids Deluge Psal 99. all the way sponsus sanguinum Psal 99.1 to keep us from or at least to sanctifis our bloody sufferings as is intimated hence Mat. 1.21 by his consolatory and saving Name of Jesus now imposed Mat. 1.21 for which all hearts and knees are obliged unto signall gratitude Phil. 2.8 9. Phil. 2. whose mercifull indulgence extends here to our bodies as well as souls tenderly changing this sharp into an easie Sacrament and instead of those knives of flint and stone prefiguring this Corner stone commanded Iosh 5. saying now but as Elisha Josh 5.2 2 King 5. to each leaprous soule wash and be cleane and therefore if the neglect of That so punished Gen. 17.14 Gen. 17.14 how much more the contempt of this more easie Seale of the new Covenant whereof such Children are altogether as capable as of that old being indeed still but one John 3.3 and the same renewed Sacrament POEM X. SPotless Obedience this day underwent The sharpe paines of that bloudy Sacrament And what could They pare off from His pure skin Who but Theirs that so cut him knew no Sin Onely to Teach us Gods Law to fulfil Spar'd not thus first and last his blood to spill Yet know t is not the Pruning any part Makes a new Creature but that of the Heart Since t is a day of Presents then le ts give Our Heart to God that it with him may live Or if he please to send it back againe It may come mollify'd and cleans'd from staine Lord exchange New-years-gifts for broken heart Vouchsafe a sound for old new spirits impart The COLLECT PRAYER The Epistle Rom. 4. from v. 8. to 15. The Gospel Luke 2. from 15. to 22. Almighty God which madest thy blessed Son to be circumcised and obedient to the Law for man grant us the true circumcision of the spirit that our hearts and all our members being mortified from all worldly and carnall lusts may in all things obey thy blessed will through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. The Offering of the three Kings Mat 2. 10. When they saw the starre they reioyced etc. 11. And when they were come into the house they saw the young child with Mary his mother and fell downe and worshiped him and when they had opened there treasures they presented unto him gifts Gold and Frankincense and Mirrhe 12. And being warned of God in a dreame that they should not returne to Herode they departed into there owne countrey another way The Plate here Vpon the Feast of Epiphany or appearing of the star DISQUISITION 8. SEasonably doth the Church celebrate the honour of Christ's Epiphany next unto his Circumcision that his glory might be manifested in the Flesh as well as his humility Aug. S. 30. de Temp. And the very Name speaks the Antiquity of this Festival and its early rise in the Greek Church and 't is fairly Englished by the day of apparition or manifestation of Christ from above that igrance might no more call it the Tiffany as in the Legend or as one that bidding it holy day said he knew not whether 't were a He or a She Saint It reflecteth on three manifestations of our Saviour and therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The
a sowre look a meer Phantasm an appearing unto men to Fast The fifth is the Gluttons Fast whose stomack doth but Arietare play the fighting Ram i. e. goes a little backward as part of a meal or so to return with the stronger Appetite The last and best is the Fast of Vertue and Religion which besides habitual temperance is the bodi 's parsimonious fare for spiritual advantage and this goes still accompanied with prayer in Scripture Neh. 14. Act. 13.3 Matth. 17.21 Nehemiah Fasted and Prayed before the Lord so Anna so the Disciples I these two together cast out the worst Devil that is This is that acceptable Fast by which God wooes his people so Convertimini in Jejunio to which they should answer with David We have humbled our souls with Fasting Psal 96. and then as Saint Austin saith they would compleat each other Augustin Cirel Hierome Chrysolog Jejunium orationem corroborat oratio Jejunium sanctificat Fasting corroborateth prayer while prayer bettereth and sanctifieth our Fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hippocrates his Aphorism is true on both sides Diseases for the most part both of Soul and Body owe their Original to fulness and redundant humours And indeed where Satan tempteth one Fasting he tempts 1000 full Prov. 30.9 Lest I be full and deny thee Prov. 30.9 and say Who is the Lord And many are the Elogies of such a Fast t is the August i. e. the harvest of the Soul the tithe of our time an unbloudy Martyrdom such a Fast saith Cyril is a greater Sacrifice then that of Abraham for that was to be done upon anothers Body saith he but this upon our own Scutum contra adversarium saith another t is the best Shield to quench the fiery darts of the Devil Fundamentum virtutum the foundation of all other vertues an Oar a Spur a wing to goodness as Chrysologus notes of the Prodigal his Fame pereo brings him to his ibo ad Patem his hunger makes him resolve of penitence and diligence I will arise and go c. But lest while I treat of abstinence I glut your patience I here injoyn my Quill forbearance POEM 13. LEnt signifies the spring and that of Grace Where Pray'r and Fasting keep their ancient place Which in a treble aspect sometime stood To God our own and to the Common good Gods honour below principlly stands In our obeysance to divine commands Which oft wooe Fasting with contrition joyn'd Whereof his Church this season hath design'd That all in Penitent dejection throw Their Souls and Bodies at his Footstool low That Ioels day our sins here so lament As may that last and blacker day prevent That in Iobs ashes and our dust abhorr'd We may once find Acceptance of the Lord Not as if these could satisfaction make Or our unprofitable service take So far with God as his least grain to merit By whose sole Promise we all good inherit But to demonstrate who Commands doth Prize Obedience herein before Sacrifice And as Lent upward so too downward looks This solemn Fast sends Christians to their Books As other Trades and at least once a year Bids them cast up Accounts and their state clear And if they thrive in Grace makes them improve Hence more and more in Gratitude and Love Or if they find decay and debts increase Warns them Compound with God now make their Peace By Prayer and Fasts Mourn but their own stock lost And with red Inke Christ all their debts hath cro'st Serpents your Fasting spittle kils they say And in the figure true it sins doth slay T is your Fed-horses neigh and are unclean And when Iews Feast with Quailes their soul 's most lean Fewel substract ill fires will out again Satan shall blow his Bellows but in vain Whose Piety's their Food have Angels fare Who Fast and sin as fast right Devils are And as it makes for soul's so bodie 's health A Friend both to the Church and Commonwealth The best Phylacticon ' gainst each disease Most spring from fulness saith Hippocrates And this blest Abstinence may best be born Now when the Sun cheers us with his return And now most opportunely we give way For Creatures to recruite their long decay Now then to spare earths teeming generation Prevents unnatural Depopulation And Cheers the Seas industrious patient Trade Whose strange varieties not vainly made Else while one Element suffers vastation T'other may multiply to In-undation Thus Souls States Bodies treble detriment Sustain that slight this threefold good of Lent The COLLECT-PRAYER being that for the first Sunday in Lent The Epistle 2 Cor. 6.1 to 11. The Gospel Math. 4.1 to 12. O Lord which for our sakes didst fast fourty days and fourty nights give us grace to use such abstinence that our flesh being subdued to the Spirit we may ever obey thy Godly motions in righteousness and true holiness to thy honour and glory which liveth and reignest c. Christ praying in the Garden Matt 20 Mar 14 Luc 22 * Ioan 18 * 41. And hee gate him selfe from them about a stones Cast and Kneeled downe and prayed 42. Saying Father if thou wilt take away this cupp from mee etc. 43. And there appeared an Angell unto him from heauen comforting him 45. And hee rose upp from prayer and came to his disciples and found them sleeping for heauines Here the Plate Vpon Palm-Sunday being that next before Easter DISQUISITION 11. THis day for some considerations beareth away the Palm from all the rest as beginning the Hebdonioda magna Sancta poenosae as antiquity calleth it the great the holy and the painful week the great as being that indeed wherein were the most various scoenes and greatest Interchanges of our Saviours life and death the holy as that wherein our meditations should be such in conformity to Christ by the apprehensions of our sins and his sufferings and the painful as that wherein was more then personated the last act of our blessed Saviours Tragedy on the Cross for the Mortification of our Sins and yet the great week beyond all this again for the happy Catastrophe of his Resurrection both for our Souls and Bodies Justification Rom. 4.2 Rom. 4. And first this day openeth a pleasing scaene presenting us our blessed Lord riding in triumph to Jerusalem and that in some measure of befitting equipage suiting at least the Prophesies if not his Majesty Zech. 9. yet with general Acclamations of Rex Israel Zech. 9.9 and gloria in excelsis round about him Behold thy King cometh the King of Israel and glory in the highest cheerfully and with a double Hosanna acknowledging his Godhead and Humanity and the dignity of both where I shall contract your speculations unto Christs Actions herein and theirs the Jewes Saint Mat. registereth the History at large chap. 21. where at the second verse Matth. 21. vers 2. Christ sends two of his Disciples for the Ass and the Colt In the very circumstances of
reigneth c. MErcifull GOD who hast made all Men and hatest nothing that thou hast made nor wouldest the death of a Sinner but rather that he should be converted and live have mercy upon all Jewes Turkes Infidels and Hereticks and take from them all Ignorance Hardnesse of Heart and contempt of thy Word and so fetch them home blessed Lord to thy Flock that they may be saved among the remnant of the true Israelites and bee made one Fold under one Shepheard JESUS CHRIST our Lord who liveth and reigneth c. EASTER DAY DISQUISITION 13. THis Festivall is as ancient as the Resurrection of our blessed Lord himselfe and therefore ought to be proportionably sacred to its subject as it was highly venerable to the Primitive Fathers of the Church witnesse their innumerable Sermons on it and most solemne Acts even of both Sacraments reserved for the same however this stolid disobedient Age contemn the devotions of Antiquity Christiani sine Christo as though they would be Christians by passing Acts of Oblivion upon the Records of Christianity But God hath still his thousands in our Israel whom I shall here greet with the old Christian salutation * The Eastern and Greek Churches salutation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is risen desiring the Reader but to Eccho with joy and gratitude that same usuall Response The Lord is risen indeed or to Paraphrase it with that good Christian who meeting his enemy said Surrexit Christus Christ is risen the Reconciler and therefore let us be friends again The first stone of Christian Faith was laid in this Article of the Resurrection in this was the first promise performed Ipse conteret He shall bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 Augustine for in this Trophaeum de morte excitavit He triumphed over Death and Hell And the last stone of our Faith is laid in the same that is the Day of Judgement of which God hath given assurance unto all men saith St. Paul at Athens in that he hath raised Christ Jesus from the Dead Acts 17.3 In this Christ makes up his Circle in this he is truly Alpha and Omega His coming in Paradice in a promise and his coming to judgement in the clouds are tied together in the Resurrection and therefore all the Gospel all our Preaching our Believing and endeavour are all contracted into this one Article of the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.14 1 Cor 15. and that being all the signe Christ would at any time afford the Jews the Pharises Saduces or any that importuned him the signe of Jonas and the destroyed Temple still turning upon the Resurrection Matth. 12.35 And so true is that of Tertullian Resurrectio mortuorum est summa consolatio vivorum The Resurrection of the dead John 4.18 is the main Consolation of the living as without which all Christs former Actions and Passions had been fruitlesse 1 Cor. 15. But by which we hold our hopes of Immortality 1 Cor. 15.17 from whence all the Sundays of the year cheerfully borrow new Denomination and are as 't were new Christned The Lords Day in memoriall of this happy Reparation So that Ludolphus out of Nazianzen and others may well call this day Solennitas solennitatum the Festivall of all Festivities Most of the Learned applying that of David to it Psalm 118. Haec est Dies quam fecit Dominus Ludolph de vita Christi in Locum Psal 118.24 This is the Day which the Lord hath made c. And not onely for our gladnesse but also inverting it for his Honour Haec est Dies quae fecit Dominum So St. Cyril in locum This is the Day which in a sense made the Lord i.e. declared For hereby saith the Apostle was he wonderfully declared to be the Sonne of God Wonderfully indeed the wonder of all Miracles wrought by a God testified by Angels seen of Men of Men not onely as witnesses but partakers and yet a no lesse Benefit then Miracle a benefit both Corporall and Spirituall extending to both parts of Man And whereas Christs former Miracles for the most part tended but to the Bodies good as Restitution of Limbs Eyes to the Blind Ears to the Deaf Tongue to the Dumb and Feet to the Lame or else for Restauration of health as Healing diseases casting out Devils raising the Dead This an extensive benefit to both parts of man or for human sustenance as feeding many thousands with few Fishes multiplying the Loaves metamorphosing of Water into Wine c. But this miraculous benefit and beneficiall Miracle of Christs Resurrection extendeth it self both unto Soul and Body And first it cheereth up the Drooping body comfortably telling it That shall not alwayes sleep in Dust not ever be the Food of worms and companion of creeping things but shall be one day raised raised to incorruption to the society of Angels and vision of the blessed Trinity that even Flesh and Bloud though not as yet a while shall one day inherit the Kingdom of God So that the Body now the Body of every faithfull penitent may be as confident as ever Job was Scio quod Redemptor vivit I know that my Redeemer liveth John 19.25 c. and that he shal stand at the latter day upon the earth And though after my skin Worms destroy my Body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see c. And that not onely in Calvins sense Calvin in locum of a Temporall Restitution but even in Jobs own sense and the Fathers Exposition of a literal and numerical Reinvestion Again This likewise secures the Soul that she is Christs holy One whom he will never suffer to see corruption assureth Her that she neither hopeth nor beleeveth in vain 1 Cor. 15. This is the Foundation Article But happy Time This happy Day for us whereon Christ became the eldest child of the Grave the First born of the Dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15.20 The first fruits of them that sleep all comfortable Relatives First still implying the later Christs Resurrection altogether as sure as Death Rom. 4. Rom. 4.25 Who died for our sins and rose again for our Justification For us you see Both not for Himselfe but us and that for both parts of us Souls and Bodies As if your meditation please to draw neer the Sepulcher Luke 24.6 Luke 24. you shall there meet with two Angels that will witnesse the Surrexit and tell you Non est hic Why seek you the living among the Dead He is not here but is risen But er'e with Peter and John we enter the Sepulcher Luke 24.6 't will be no uncivill Digression to take notice of the Company we meet with there that were the first Evangelists of these glad tidings and those were no lesse then Angels v. 4. to no greater then Women v. 10. Some mention but one yet St. John expressly telleth us of two Angels Duo propter
T is ceremoniall for the manner albeit Morall for the matter And this Precept is hedged in on every side lest we should break out of its observance Fronted with a cautiou or command for it will beare both Imperat suadet Remember thou keep Holy it injoyns with perswasion and then back'd with Reasons Reasons from both parties God and Man with some remarkable eminencies above other Mandates They run either barely Affirmative as the fifth or barely Negative as all the other but in this both parts expressed beginning with the Affirmative Remember c. proceeding in the Negative In it thou shalt do no manner of work c. The Breach hereof thus both wayes met withall Again 't is more extensive it not only respects our selves but with a strange particularity involves all our Relations even to five several Ranks viz. Thou thy Servants Cattell strangers within thy gates the wife not mentioned as being included in the first Now every Master of a family hoc habet Episcopale quod habet curaÌ„ animarum hath so much of a Bishop in him that he hath cure of souls viz. care of those under his charge As for this 't is God himself commends Abraham Gen 18.19 Josh 24.15 Gen. 18. as all the good world doth Joshua's pious Resolution Chap. 24. Lastly t is more Alluring then the rest more sweetly exciting and that not onely with more Reasons but with Reasons more insinuative those of the third and second Commandements being formidable and menacing but of this wooing and Allective as on our part beside the indulgent Preface Remember thou keep c. Six dayes shalt thou labour c. A permission or remission of Gods right who might chalenge all rather then an absolute command For the Church upon occasion saith Perkins may separate some week dayes also for rest and Divine Service Joel 2. Yet this withall is no Commission saith he against idlenesse every one being to live by the sweat of his Brows faithfully in his vocation Gen. 3.19 1 Cor. 7.20 1 Cor. 7. out of Genes 3. Six dayes shalt thou c. God here as liberall to us as to Adam in Paradise Of all the Trees but one as Potiphar to Joseph Gen. 49. Let us answer with him How can I deny in this one Remember thou keep holy the seventh day If I indulge thee six for thine own business saith God thou mayst well afford the seventh to my service and that wholly holy For as the Evening and the Morning made the first day the second and the rest of the week The Reasons of this Precept so the Evening and the Morning should likewise make the seventh day The other argument and that a main one is from Gods own example who herein requireth no more then Himselfe performed his own practice being the Commentary upon his Law as becomes all good Leaders For in six days the Lord c. and rested the seventh day Rested This is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Figure of condescension to our weak capacities God otherwise not being capable either of Rest or Labour and such indeed Saint Austine and others take all the description of the History of the Creation to be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 1. but a methodizing of it to mans apprehension for 't was all one to Omnipotence to make all the world in a moment and every Species as well as the light with an easie Fiat Let there be Fire and Air and Earth and Water semel simul omnia all things at once existing out of them but so marshalled in the story for our more orderly meditation of them and our more regular imitation of this patern in our own transactions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 5.1 Be ye followers of God Eph. 5. He means in proportionable actions who fram'd the world in six dayes and rested the seventh rested from Creating not from governing from creating of new Species and kinds of creatures but not from making Individua new singularities for so is he alwayes working John 5. both for Corporals and Spirituals John 5 17. My Father worketh hitherto and I work But to hasten there is Sabbatum pectoris and Sabbatum Temporis That of the mind I shall mention in the close The Sabboth of Time among the Jews was either of dayes or years and both those greater or less the lesser every seventh day and every seventh year the greater when the Passover fell on the Sabboth as at Christs Crucifixion John 19 and every fiftieth year which was their Jubile C. 19. C. 19.28 We reflect but upon their lessâ—… Sabboth of dayes viz. the seventh day and that the Artificial day as John 11.9 being the space of 12. hours from the Sun rising to the Setting of it and so too may the Jews from evening to evening be understood And this too the blessed Apostles altered and by consequence abrogated as to the particularity of the day herein led by the Spirit of Truth and as some think by Christs own example John 20. Consentaneum est Apostolos mutasse diem Melanct. Tom. 2. fol. 363. 'T was necessary saith Melancthon even for this very cause that the Apostles should change the day to shew an example of abrogating the Legall Ceremonies in the Translation of the seventh day Which translation from Saturday to Sunday is not by Patent in the Bible but only by patern because cause the blessed Apostles usually met together on this day 1 Cor. 16.2 Apoc. 1.10 Act. 20.7 and that assuredly by the dictate of the holy Spirit and at least by the approbation of our Saviour again again manifesting himself to be risen on the 8. day So that however happily some will argue and others grant that an Oecumenicall Councell hath authority to constitute another day for publick worship as the second or third of the week yet sure I am they can never have so good a Patern nor yet so great a reason for another day as is demonstrated for this alteration the Patern being Christ and his Apostles and the Reason our Saviours resurrection even that wonderful work of our Redemption Aretius in 4. Mand. Aretius picks out a mystery out of Christs appearing on the 8. day We labour 6 dayes in this life saith he the seventh being the Sabboth of our death in which we rest from our labours Rev. 14.13 Rev. 14.13 and then being raised from the dead on the 8. day Christ in his own Body as then raised shal reward every man according to his works C. 20.13 Rev. 20.13 The Jews then gave God the last day of the week but good Christians better honour him with the first they kept their Sabboth in honour of the worlds Creation but Christians in memoriall of an higher mercy viz. its Redemption and therefore reason good the greater work should carry away the credit of the Day whose Duties principally consist in these two things viz. A Rest
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
for his Master and that on such an Instrument viz. the Cross though a Cross inverted Alstaedii Isaacsoni Chronolog which made some amends for his sufferings so in his owne Country and City of his Father the place called Patras a City of Achaia a region of Greece where he was crucified about the eightyeth year of Christ POEM 22. OF all the Twelve Saint Andrew leads the van Whose Name well suits a stout and valiant Man And such was he who here from Sea to Land Commands himself and all into Christs Hand Changing his Element but not his Trade Fisher of men instead of Fishes made The Church is now his Ship his Doctrine's Nets Wherewith to Christ a multitude he gets And after all this deligence he dy'd As for so like his Master Crucifi'd Thy call O Christ may 't with us so prevail To leave our shrowds of pride and to strike sail To thy commands to quit our nets of sin Nearer relation to thee so to win To turn our former hurries toil and care To pious indstury for Souls welfare And if thou please call for them down to lay To follow thee these vessels of our Clay The COLLECT-PRAYER The Epistle Rom. 1. vers 9. unto the end The Gospel Matth. 4. vers 18. unto 23. Almighty God which didst give such grace unto thy holy apostle S. Andrew that he readily obeyed the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ and followed him without delay grant unto us all that we being called by thy holy Word may forthwith give over our selves obediently to fulfil thy holy commandments through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. S. THOMAS Here the Plate Vpon the Feast of S. Thomas DISQUISITION 20. THat Church which of all the world kept to Saint Pauls rule most exactly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order next unto Saint Andrew that first Disciple of our blessed Saviour Celebrated the Commemoration of Saint Thomas and therefore methinks they * Austin in his Meditations on the day do a double trespass that say His memorial is kept last in order as being the last of all the Apostles that believed whereas he marcheth in the van of the Church militant according to her Regular computation from Advent he is one of the foremost rank and the foremost of it saving one and that indeed but worthily his Haesitation and Confession being a leading star to our Devotion injecting not onely a serious apprehension of our Frailty but above all the rest evincing the confirmation of our Faith the History of this Apostle of all the four Evangelists is onely by Saint John declared Joh. 20.44 c. the rest perhaps Nominate him in the Catalogue of his Disciples as Saint Matth. chap. 10.3 and Saint Mark chap. 3.18 but Saint John alone records his story who indeed best could do it the other writing but by information as Saint Mark and Luke and Saint Matthew saw but in part but Saint John writeth by Intuition and affectionate experience from the beginning as he be-begins his first Epistle 1 Joh. 1.1 That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life all his senses were throughly informed having so long interchanged Bosoms with his gratious Master and therefore we may well accept his Testimony in the Gospel Vers 24. for this day Iohn 20. wherein is recorded for our caution and instruction both Saint Thomas his frailty S. Thomas his history consisteth of his Frailty and his Faith and his Faith his frailty appeareth in a double fault viz. in his absence and his incredulity first his absence vers 24. Thomas one of the Twelve which is called Didymus was not with them when Jesus came Christ had promised to his Apostles a little before his Passion Matth. 26.32 his reappearance to them after his Resurrection Mat. 26. After I am risen again I will go before you into Galilee Now then according to his word even the same day of his Resurrection the first Lords day that ever was kept he came when the doors were shut into the place where the Disciples were gathered together and stood in the midst and said unto them Peace be unto you when the doors were shut not while they were shut Aret. in locum meaning that t was either late in the evening say some at what time doors use to be shut or that they were opened by some body of the house unknown to the Disciples so Marlorat but as most acknowledge In locum he came in miraculously yet not by Penetration as some foundly imagine through the wood and Iron of the doores but Creatura cessit Creatori as Saint Hierome In Epist ad Pammachium the creature there gave place to the Creator as did the Grave-Stone at the Sepulcher these dores did here unto our Saviour but as those did to Saint Peter Act. 12.9 and to some other Apostles Act. 5.9 i.e. opened of their owne accord Acts 5.19 Chap. 12.9 however unperceived by others and then was the time our Saint Thomas was not with them the Shepherd had been smitten and the sheep had been scattered but here they began to recollect together againe and Saint Thomas is the onely stray that returneth not at least not now seasonably to the Fold but his absence might be involuntary many occasions might enforce it and so he might not deserve all Maldonats censure In locum Per negligentiam aut timorem that either upon supine neglect or cowardly fear saith he Saint Thomas being absent from the Apostles assembly lost the first sight of his Saviour punished with the want of those divine infusions which the rest then received Be diligent therefore in frequenting the Congregations of the faithfull where the Ordinances are Orthodoxally dispensed lest you fail too of Christs presence Matth. 18.20 Bern. in locum and remain under Infidelity they that gather temporal Manna on Gods day following their seculars lose their labour and themselves Exod. 16.27 faller is Sancte Thoma faller is si videre Dominum sper as ab Apostolorum collegio separatus alas thou art deceived Thomas His Absence very much mistaken if thou thinkest to see Christ out of his Church and Colledge of the Apostles Non amat veritas angulos sed stat in medio Christ who is Truth seeketh no corners no Conventicles but standeth like vertue in the midst of his Temple of his Disciples of his Holy-Congregation in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks Rev. 1. Rev. 1.12 T is none of his light that is hiden under a Bushel But albeit Saint Thomas his absence might be his owne sorrow yet may we be glad of it his doubt occasioning our infallible assurance so that he might invert that speech of his Master Joh. 11. John 11 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
fulfil thy holy doctrine which he taught through Jesus Christ our Lord. The Purification Lu 2. 22. And when the dayes of her Purification according to the Law of Moses were accomplished they brought him to Hierusalem to present him to the Lord. Here the Plate Vpon the Purification of Saint Mary DISQUISITION 22. HOw genuinely doth Purification here follow Conversion This of Apostolick Mary that of Saint Paul the Virgin This Feast is of a fourfold Denomination as the Masters of the Ceremonies observe Baronius in Roman Martyr Febr. 2 c. viz. the Purification of Mary the Presentation of Christ Candlemas day and Saint Simeons holy day for the last the Gospel appropriated saith enough as of a witness for the third Tertullian in Apolog. Diem Luceruis non infringimus since we shorten not our day by lights at noon nor force a night before it come our Church doth rather exhort unto the Metaphor with that light of the world here presented Matth. 5. Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that c. Of the two former I shal give you some account let others of the rest and first of the various Reading Doctor Donne Serm. 1. vol. p. 112. and 8. some Copies having it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Purification so Erasmus our latter English and old Latin Bibles according to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her purification and some read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Purification because Christ was presented in the Temple Levit. 12. per totum so well as Mary purified the first part of this was injoyned Lev. 12. as to the purifying of women Exod. 2.21 the other Exod. 12. as to the offering up the Males from both with Ceremonial duties our blessed Lord and his Virgin-Mother might have pleaded just exemption Col. 2.9 Himself being the real Temple of the Godhead as in whom it dwelt bodily the very end and substance of that Figure and she being void of Sin in her conception of him that ground-work of Purification I speak not of her owne conception and that civil war of the Dominicans and Franciscans thereupon but having been overshadowed by the Holy Ghost Luk. 1.35 Luke 1. she was not obliged by that Law Lev. 12. according to that judicious maxime that where the Reason of the Law ceaseth the Obligation 's ended as t was here yet both here cheerfully and punctually undergo it out of an high obedience and exemplary lowliness Christ being as this day presented in the Temple as it is written in the Law of the Lord Exod. 12.29 Luk. 2.22 Exod. 12. and in the Gospel for the day every man-child that first c. being a gratefull Reflexion grounded on Gods delivering Israel when he smote the first-born of Egypt and this Reason is rendred by God himself Numb 8.17 Numb 8. why they should consecrate all their first-born to him and therefore now Christ was presented as the first-born by many fair prerogatives John 3.16 Matth. 1.25 Eph. 5.2 as 1. of his Divinity Iohn 3.2 of his Humanity Mat. 1.3 the first born of Grace Eph. 5.2.4 of power the first-born of the Dead 1 Cor. 15.20 1 Cor. 15. lastly the first-born of the Regenerate 1 Pet. 1.3 1 Pet. 1.3 and therefore though he were not tyed to the Rites of the Law yet suffered he himself to be presented in the Temple to shew God the Author both of the Law and Gospel to redeem those that were under the Law Gal. 4. to avoid scandal of the Jews Gal. 4.5 and to Conciliate many good witnesses of his meekness and obedience as Anna and old Simeon who sung his Nunc dimittis his Swan-like Anthem at his solemnity which was called Matutinum Sacrificium Christs morning-Sacrifice his first being offered in the Temple as that other was called Vespertinum his evening-Sacrifice being offered upon the Cross in the former he was Redeemed in the latter he did Redeem giving himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5.2 Eph. 5. thus you have the Presentation For the Purification the blessed Virgin knowing obedience better then Sacrifice performed the rites thereof though not engaged to them in every circumstance for time Luk. 2.22 i.e. about fourty days after her delivery for place Levit. 12.4 they brought him to Jerusalem the standard of Religion and presented him in the Temple the speciall ubi of Gods presence and there not without a due oblation God saying none shall appear before me empty Exod. 23.15 a pair of Turtle-Doves c. fit Emblems of her Innocence and Chastity A pious David disdains to serve God of that which cost him nothing for nothing he may justly gaine by such a service yet such cheap Votaries are frequent now a daies and S. Basil might as well now as ever Serm. in Divit avaros complaine of such as perform onely that kinde of Devotion which is without cost as to Pray for fashion and to Fast for frugality yet here her Offering proportioneth her Ability and so mercifull is Gods acceptance a pair of Turtles not the Sacrifice of the Rich which was a Lamb but the poor's Offering Lev. 12.8 In locum two young Pigeons so Maldonat and others gloss upon her Penury however her representations are since gayer far then ever she was Sanctified poverty being indeed richer then splendid vanity if we cannot give much God will accept of little of a Virgins two Pigeons Mark 12.42 of the Widows Mite Mat. 12. so we belye not our ability and remember that of Exod. 23.15 Nemo in Conspectu meo vacum that none shall appear before me empty lest else as he came he be of those that are sent empty away And now by this precept of Moses and practice of Mary Parents are instructed to beget Children unto God by pious Education like Joseph and Mary here to present them in the Temple bringing them to Holy Baptisme and Consecrating their Infancy to God as Saint Ierom was delighted to hear Children Balbutire Christum Hicron in Epist to smatter of Christ before they well could speak a carefull seed time may well hope a fruitfull crop T is the wise mans Counsel Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will never depart from it Pro. 22.6 Pro. 22. Lastly in all the Judicials and Ceremonials you must know there was ever somewhat Moral wrapped up in them as in that of not taking the Dam with the young Deut. 22. and not seething a Kid in his Mothers milk Exod. 23. the Moral was to move us to Pity and Compassion that of Deut. 25. Deut. 25.4 Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Ox c. Saint Paul Moralizeth of the Labourer and his wages indeed of the Minister and his maintenance 1 Tim. 5.13 1 Cor. 9.10 1 Tim. 5. So likewise in this Ceremony of Purification is
there something Moral i.e. Competent Reservedness and due Gratitude though not tyed to the Jews number of daies and particular Oblation yet most necessary is such a retirement for recovery of strength and restraining of intemperance and then that their first publick appearance should be in the Temple to present their Benefactor the Christian Offerings of Prayer and Praise for his preserving them in the great danger of Child-birth Melanct. postil in locum which as one saith is magnum miraculum so great a miracle that they may well go and say with David and that not onely by Proxy and slight Bills put up at any time but also by their owne serious reponsals interwoven O Lord I will give thanks unto thee Psal 139.13 for I am wonderfully made Psal 139. my fruit is wonderfully made and I the Mother of it no less wonderfully saved I say the blessed Virgin thus submitting to the Iewish Rites it was not for her self but for our example saith Saint Bernard teaching us Pacifick Bernard Serm. 7. in Purific and morigerous Spirits and so far as peace of Conscience is not interrupted to seek the peace of outward Ierulem Pliny hath a story Plinius nat Hist lib. 8. chap. 40. and t is none of the worst that he tels of two Goats meeting on a narrow Bridge Quae non vim sed viam fecere that did not fall a Duelling and make away each other but one make way for tother by lying down upon his Belly and suffering his fellow to pass over him whereby both escaped the danger of the Ditch would God all that are two like them in some other qualities were but as like these Goats in this although necessitated Prudence and Humility for then surely would not so many fall into the Ditch the Ditch both Spiritual and Corporal But to close this Nicephorus and Reusn report that the blessed Virgin Mary dyed in Anno Christi 45. that was about twelve years after his Crucifixion Isaac Chronol while Bucholcerus placeth her death three years after but among them all we hear not any thing of her Assumption her Spiritual we believe as confidently as any but her Corporal we believe most difficult to be creditably evinced POEM 24. SEe here one purer then the Salmon Snow Yet doth the Legal cleansing undergo The blessed Virgin to the Temple hies To Offer there her purging Sacrifice But what need shee these washings who 's the Well Whence spring these Living waters but to Tell In her returning Feasts our Sinful years Need the purification of our Tears May here Obeysance then to us impart Endeavours to be purify'd in Heart She with an Offring to the Priests repaires But more to God with Gratitude and Pray'rs Presenting then her Son and Saviour there Where should our First-born youth and strength appear She that had born the Lamb presents a paire Of Turtle Doves all Hieroglyphicks faire Of that same Spotless Innocence and Grace That in her Soul and Body both took place And those indeed most acceptable Twins Being Offer'd purify us from our Sins The COLLECT-PRAYER The Epistle That for the Sunday before The Gospel Luke 2. vers 22. to 27. Almighty and everlasting God we humbly beseech thy Majesty that as thy onely begotten Son was this day presented in the Temple in substance of our flesh so grant that we may be presented unto thee with pure and clean mindes by Jesus Christ our Lord. S. MATTHIAS Here the Plate Vpon the Feast of St MATTHIAS DISQUISITION 23. THe New and Old Testament being idem velatum revelatum That is but one and the same vailed and Revealed we shall meet with in Reading of Them many mutuall Aspects and frequent sweet Reflections and one of Them here in the Election of this Choice Apostle who was to make up the Fracture in the Number of the Twelve For as Gods old Church and People stood and were Founded on the Basis of the twelve Tribes of Israel so Christ was pleased to Found his Church proportionably upon his twelve Apostles Himselfe being the Chiefe Corner stone Eph. 2.20 Ephes 2. Built upon the Foundations of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being c. Alii aliud saith Austin De Civit. Dei l. 8. c. 3â— there are variety of Descants on this Number twelve but all allow it mysticall and reflecting on the Twelve Fountaines of Elim Num. 33. while its 70 Palmes figure out the 70 Disciples and their victorious Doctrine Some make this number twelve looke back upon the twelve precious stones appointed for the Brestplate of Aaron Exod. 28. Exod. 28. Josh 3.4 Or on those twelve Princes chosen out of the Tribes of Israel Josh 3. Or to the twelve stones tooke out of Jordan and by Ioshua pitched in Gilgall Iosh 4. As those twelve he put in Iordan were a Type of the twelve Patriarches Aug. Serm. 106. de Tem. Lastly some make This Number to looke forward as on those twelve Gates of the Heavenly Ierusalem Rev. 21.12 wherein as Christ promised They shall be Iudges of the twelve Tribes of Israel Mat. 19.28 That is either in the Church by way of Censure and Direction or at Christs last Comming by their Comprobation But from the Number here made up To the story of Effecting it whereof in the Epistle for the Day Acts 1.15 Act. 1. you have a short and sweet Account from St Peters Mouth vers 15. both as to the vacancy and the Succcessor in those daies That is betweene the Ascension of Christ and the Spirits Descension Peter stood up in the midst of the Disciples and said c. whence to Argue Peters Supremacy of Power over the rest of the Disciples as some do is rather an Extortion of wit Bellarm. de Rom. Pont. l. 1. c. 22. than any faire Consequence of Truth He being Elected Prolocutor of their Convocation or by the secret Revelation of the Holy Ghost appointed to this Exhortation Calv. Beza in Locum and sure a Speaker pro Tempore is not above the Authority designing Him or any of his fellow Members save only in a Primacy of Order which may be allowed to Saint Peter for his yeares as well as for the Vindication of his Repute as having most of all deny'd Christ heretofore it now most became him of all the Colledge to be the mouth of the Company and forwardest in such a businesse and in those daies Peter stood up in the midst c. where He first sheweth the vacancy how Iudas his Apostleship became void and secondly how needfull that another should be chosen To the first applying That of Psalm 41.8 Psal 41.8 Men and Brethren This Scripture must needs have been fulfilled c. must needs where you must understand Lorinus in Locum necessitas hypothetica as the Schooles call it not an absolute but a suppositionall Necessity praedictions of Scripture being like the Legitimate Praedictions of
Astronomy not occasionall but Consequentiall intimations Oportet esse haereses 1 Cor. 21. There must be heresies 1 Cor. 21.19 Mat. 18.7 it must be that offences come c. Mat. 18. That is Supposing the malice of Satan and wickednesse of man 'T is impossible but that such should be in the world and thus foretold like Eclipses of the Sun and Moone not by way of Causality but only of Praevision as being foreseene in their Causes Act. 1. ver 16 17 c. This Scripture must needs have beene fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Iudas Psal 41.8 which was Guide to them that iooke Iesus For he was numbred with us and had obtained part of this Ministery We see and Grieve to see it that the Eminentest Places may be unworthily supplyed notwithstanding all the Circumspection of Electors The vacancy of Iudas office Herod and Pilate may usurp the Chair of State as Annas and Caiaphas may that of Aaron and even Judas here a See Apostolicall Nor are we to abate the Place it 's due for any such Judignity of Person Yet this Eminence of Office exalts the hainousness of Crime the higher Judas his Station the lower his Fall of an Apostle to become an Apostata rendreth him like Lucifer the brighter Angel the fowler Divell for so he is called John 6. John 6 70. See what a Metamorphosis Covetousnesse can make in Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well called the Root of all Evill 1 Tim. 6. For Judas here was caught in a Pursnet as St Ambrose saith of a Drunkard dum absorbet absorbetur while He sucks in the Wine He is himself ingurgitated So Judas here for Covetousnesse is allegoricall Drunkennesse Tenendo Divitias tenetur ab eis while he hath the Bagge that hath Him dū Praedo St August Ps 38. Proeda And while he would make a prey of others justly he becoms one himself Matth. 27. being his own Accuser I have sinned in betraying Innocent bloud Secondly His own Arraigner He brought again the 30. Matth. 27. pieces of Silver to the High Priests And Thirdly His own Executioner He departed and went and hanged himself as you may read more of this in the Disquisition on Goodfriday and thus you have the Vacancy Now see the Election of his Successour Succession being one of the boasted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est One of the great pretended Markes of the Church visible though certainly the Church is as visible in Persecution as in Glory and perhaps more Conformable to her Head and chiefest Pillars Christ and his Apostles But yet the Apostles here as all good Christians ought endeavour to continue the Succession of the sacred Function and to that end continued with one accord v. In locum 14. not in Supplication only saith Aretius but in Consultation also for the Reall propogation of the Gospell and here observe briefly the Person End and Manner of the Election the Person v. 21. One of those men that have accompanied us men none of tother Sex 1 Cor. 14.34 nor any Stripling for years or Learning 1 Tim. 3.6 One of the Elders Christ himself not Preaching untill 30. years of Age. Ardens in locum And for Moralls One of known Integrity and of good Conversation not a Stranger but a Domesticall One of those that have accompanied with us c. all requisite Qualifications of such as are to be Chosen especially into Sacred Places The end in all such being as here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be Witnesse of the resurrection of Christ and that both by Life and Doctrine lest else one destroy and pull down more then Tother buildeth And so to witnesse That especially being Primarium Evangelij Caput saith Calvin The Resurrection being as 't were the Axis In locum or Hinge on which the whole Gospell moveth Nexus Articulorum the very Tying Knot that fastens all the Pearles of the other Articles of our Beliefe as appeareth fully in its proper place the Disquisition on the Resurrection Now for the Manner of this Election it was by Designation of Persons and casting of Lotts the Persons v. 23. described both by their Names and their Number their number two in fewer could not have been Election in more might have been Distraction their Names Joseph called Justus and Barsabas also Bona Nomina bona Omina and Mattthias Good Names good Praesages of their Vertues and Endeavours These two being two of the seventy Disciples as is easily collected from v. 21. and those the fittest Nursery to supply the old Stock of that Orchard of the Apostles And these Two being of equall Piety and Ability in outward apprehension the Decision was faine to be by casting of Lots v. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They gave forth the Lotts Yet this Act was prefaced with Prayer and unanimous Resignation of the Event to God without all Partiality or Emulation and this kind of Sortilegium was usual with Antiquity such an undeceitful and unsuperstitious Lottery somtime in Temporals Prov. 18.18 according to that of Solomon The Lot causeth Contentions to cease and maketh a Partition amongst the Mighty And sometime in Spiritualls also for it is said of Zachariah the Priest that his Lott was to burn Incense Luke 1.9 And therefore for ought I know Lots lawfull so qualified that casting of Lotts may still be used in some cases and with these Religious Cautions viz. That not in Ordinary Cases as of frivolous Accidents of Losse c. but only in matters of Moment that are Aequilibrious and such as Humane Judgement cannot impartially determine that the Businesse be with all Candor carried and declared without any uncharitable Conceits or dishonourable Deceits that nothing be Superstitiously expected from Charmes Wizards Fortune Starres or Divells or any thing of the Event retributed to any of them Lastly that all herein be done according to the president of this Day with Prayer and Submission of the whole matter to God as Solomon exhorteth The Lott is cast into the Lap but the whole Disposition thereof is of the Lord Prov. 16. Prov. 16.33 this is enough to satissie some Those that would have more of this Argument let them to the Folio's of Aquinas Bellarm. Marlorat c. 2 2ae Q 95. A. 8. Li de Clerieis c. 3. in locum Particularly the Lot here fell upon Matthias v. 20. And Joseph was so just as to Acquiesce therein as well as T'other we must likewise be contented with our Lot what Ground so ever God hath cast it in whether the Lott of Jonah or Matthias light upon us we must say with Eli Dominus est it is the Lord doe He what seemeth good in his own Eyes whatsoever 't is in ours With Paul we must study Content in all Conditions Phil. 4.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. Nathaniel c. the Gift of God from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
cull them out out of all the heaps of men For the work whereunto I have called them And having with Prayer and Fasting as such business should be done received enlarged Commissions with cheerfulness they commence their journey neither with distances or dangers any whit discouraged Verse 4. Acts 13.4 c. So they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost departed unto Seleucia from thence sailed unto Cyprus c. As your leisure may read the numerous stages of their successful travels or see the perils of them in a glass of Saint Pauls own making 2 Cor. 11.26 2 Cor. 11. Thus Tanquam jugati boves These two as it were Gods chief yoke of Oxen ploughed over much ground and so manured the Field of Christianity that the laborers was not so few as the Harvest of the Church was great Acts 13.48 49. Verse 48. The Gentiles glorified the Word of the Lord and it was published throughout all the Region These were not like Saint Judes Clouds without water but like two plenteous Bottles of Heaven showred their fruitful dews upon all places where they came with their streams making glad each City of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An excellent Spirit being in them as was said of Daniel St. Paul of eminent knowledge and compliant nature Omnia factus omnibus Becoming all to all that he might gain some i. e. Dispencing sometimes with things less material not serving the times but observing them to the advantages of Christianity while our Saint Barnaby at other side carrieth both ability and sweetness in his very name The Syriack derivation speaking him Filium consolationis the Son of Consolation Fit to binde up the broken souls of Gentile-Penitents and pour Christs blood into their gaping wounds the Hebrew Etymology naming him the Son of Prophecy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. A man of knowledge fitted for Instruction Thus unanimously and profitably did these two pass over many Countreys and some years together and how willingly could I here pass over the difference that fell afterward between them Acts 15.37 Acts 15. as the best Gold must have its grains and lest they should have hence been puft up as we see daily what success can do This was one of those Messengers of Satan and Contention sure one of the worst of them This still is one of the Envious mans constant engines the like difference between Saint Jerome and Ruffinus and many other holy Fathers of the Primitive Church and now adays more of these fire balls are thrown then ever God grant they be but as soon quenched and do as little hurt as this did here between Saint Paul and Barnaby which though sharp was but short and casual Onely about Saint Barnaby's desire to take his Cozen Mark along with him whom St. Paul fearing would desert them again as from Pamphylia he chose Silas and departed This nothing hindering the sacred progress of the work nor any more heard of in the Scripture till both at last participated as of the Labors so of the Sufferings though not at the same time and place yet both for the same cause induring Martyrdom Alsted Chron. on c. 27. wherewith Saint Barnaby was crowned about the Nine and fortieth or fiftieth year of Christ his Master and our Common Saviour POEM 30. Thy name and nature sweetly do agree A Son of Consolation speaking thee And such indeed thou art to groaners under Pressures of sin but else a Son of Thunder Instructing Teachers with Physitians skill To act in order to their Patient still A Son of Lightning too sometimes in jar Flashing with Paul thy Fellow Traveller Yet where the fault determine dare not I But in the best lament infirmity The currant'st Gold hath lowance the best Grain Its Chaff and Sâ—alk yet fruitful so these twain Christs choicest yoke of Oxen which his field So plough'd that it a plenteous crop did yield And as Saint Paul a chosen vessel was So separated too was Barnabas Since therefore in the Christian Horizon Sin 's Night 's so shortned by thy Doctrine's Sun Lengthning Spiritual day we stile thee right For Grace and Glory Barnaby the bright The COLLECT The Epistle Acts 11. vers 22. to the end The Gospel John 15. vers 12. to vers 17. Lord Almighty which hast endured thy holy Apostle Barnabas with singular gifts of the Holy Ghost Let us not be destitute of thy manifold Gifts nor yet of Grace to use them alway to thine honor and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. S. IOANNES The Plate here Vpon the Feast of St. John Baptist DISQUISITION 28. Sol approprians praemittit Radios THe glorious Charriot of the Sun approaching you know fore-sends a Lucifer to chase the shadows and glad benighted mortals with the news of day so here the brighter Sun of Righteousness the Father of Lights Christ Jesus being now about to rise on the sin-darkned world Praemittit suum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here sendeth his illuminated Messenger before him viz. Saint John the Baptist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shining Lamp indeed by Christs own testimony John 5.35 John 5. As that same King of Stars I say so this same Light of Lights lest sudden luster should offend weak eyes dawneth first inpreparative remisser beams Praeco Judicis Tuba Regis Angeius Dei Vox Clamantis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christi Chrysolog St. John Baptist is the stella matutina the morning Star of that day Spring which from on high hath visited us I that so high a Birth as a descent from Heaven might not want an Herauld that the Monarch of Kings might not travel without an Harbinger nor the Lord of Hosts without his Marshal nor so mighty a Conqueror without his Trumpeter nor the greatest of all Judges without his Cryer The voice of one crying in the Wilderness That no Prophesie might want accomplishment or any State its decent dignity In those days came John the Baptist c. Matth. 3. Matth. 3.1 2 c. So that Ambrose * Sermon 63. Preaching upon this day was not a little troubled where he should either begin or end the praises of Saint John the Baptist Inopem me copia fecit Abundance suffocates expression as over-much Corn choaks the Mill from grinding for whatsoever was eminent almost in all other is found in this one Saint as being an Angel in Malachi's phrase Mal. 3.1 Luke 1.76 John 1.6 Mark 17. Matth. 3.5 a Prophet in St. Lukes an Apostle in St. John an Evangelist in St. Marks a Preacher of Repentance in St. Matthews a Confessor in Ecclesiastical History constantly teaching the Truth and patiently suffering for the same I shall contract all into an Abridgment of his life and death being in his life a Miracle in his death a Martyr In the first glance on his Descent his Birth his Name his Office in his Death reflect upon the Motives Agents and Fortitude thereof In
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
SCINTILLULA ALTARIS OR A Pious REFLECTION ON PRIMITIVE DEVOTION As to the FEASTS and FASTS of the CHRISTIAN CHURCH Orthodoxally Revived By EDWARD SPARKE B. D. Praise ye the Lord in his Saints Psal 150.1 Hierom. Non habituri sunt Deum Patrem aut Christum Fratrem qui non habent Ecclesiam Matrem Augustinus Lest ingratefull Oblivion should through the tract of Time blot out the Favours of Almighty God wee Dedicate and Consecrate the Memory thereof unto Him in Solemn Festivals and Set Times of Devotion Hier. in Catal. vir illustr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost de Parab LONDON Printed by T. Maxey for RICHARD MARRIOT and are to be sold at his Shop in St. Dunstan's Church-yard in Fleetstreet 1652. Votum Authoris S. S ae ΤΡΙΑΔΙ DEs Pater Extensas Tu Qui moderaris habenas Omen Virtutis Nomen ut esto meum Ventilet Igniculum divino Flamine Christus Non deerint Populo Lumina tensa Suo Scintillam aceend at Coelesti Spiritus igne Orba suis Flammis haud erit Ara DEI. The Epistle Dedicatory TO His Sacred MOTHER THE CHURCH-MILITANT Prov. 1.8 Jere. 6.16 Matt. 18.17 Revel 12.1 POEM 1. ACcept Dear Mother from your meanest Son These Fruits of Dutifull Affection Or but Leaves rather since too sadly true Our Oarch-yard's robb'd where all such Plenty grew Where could I so deservedly bestow Had I ought worth Acceptance as to throw It and the Authour at thy Feet whose Brest First gave us all both Thriving Food and Rest Yet since grown up thy Sons rebellious prove Slighting Maternal and all Filiall Love Kicking like Jesurun where they should kneel No Sympathy with bleeding Mother feel While like Herostratus some for a Name Stick not to set thy Temples all on Flame And with that Cursed Emperour can sing While the best Room is thus a Martyring Ready with savage Nero to Dissect Their Mothers bowels and her life exact But that an Heavenly Promise doth thee Guard From Hel and Hers making that their Reward These Syllables together spell complaint And Title thee too truly Militant Mean time a faithfull Spouse o' th' King of Kings Thou shew'st Thy self B.'s eccho'd Sufferings Who from his own streind Tortures did indure And all Those too for his Tormentors cure So here the servant fares but like his Lord Corforming to his Head Side Hands Feet Bor'd All waiting on thee in Red-Garments here That once shall with Thee in White Robes appear Thus as Thyn so thy members Life 's a warr A double one Spiritual Corporal Jarr That Dragon Vomiting a Floud of Foes Against our Mother as She Teeming goes The barb'rous Crescent and proud Eagles wings Wild Boar Home-Foxes all breath Threatnings Thy Little Flock yet through their Lyon's ayd Shall have their Fights with Crowns of conquest paid Then Cheer up Honor'd Mother cease your grief And let me bring your Tears this Handkerchief Millions of sons their Duty still Retaine And at least Pray for your faire days again But though your Emblem were a wayning Moon And that too here Eclips'd a while yet soon Thou shalt be cloathed with the glorious Sun And be as bright as now thou seemest dunne Crownd with the sparkling Jewels of the skie The Moon thy footstool for all change too high While thy fierce numerous oppressive Foes Shall be sequestred to contrary woes This Noble Armie then of Martyrs grant Most due once Hers to the Church Militant To the Christian Reader POEM 2. IF such thou art that chanc'st this Book to see From superstition both and Faction free Nor over full nor empty of thy self Through Pride or Ignorance no bias'd Elfe But both by Arts and dispositions faire Candid Serene Pious and Debonaire It such thine Heart is welcome else Avant Lest wholsome Liquor thy foul vessel Taint There was a Garden which for stately Bowres Rare Trees sweet walks delicious Fruits and Flowers Might have the second Paradise been stil'd But Rooters breaking in All soon was spoy'ld Yet in the Fray some slips I did obtaine And set them in this Nursery again Do thou the Bee then not the Spider act Thine Hony not my poyson thence extract This was Isaiah's vineyard of such care That Engedy with it might not compare So Fenc'd and Prun'd and watered that more Could scarce be super-added to the store And yet alas those Foxes Sin and Hate Have stol'n her Grapes and left her desolate These are some Rescu'd Branches of that Vine Give not him vineger that brings thee wine I saw a Neck-lace late of Pearls so rare That scarce i th' world Gems of like value are This once the wearer tying somewhat hard The chief string fayld and all the Chain was marr'd While Ignorance loose pearls swep'd forth the Door I gathered up some of them from the Floor Here wyp'd and strung them Reader be not one That for such Jewels given Flings a stone But put them on and wear them in thy Heart And They shall Ornament Thee in each Part. Now all thy further Patience I le engage Is to mind Accent and the Title Page Which speaks but a Reflection if you marke No full survey not flames but a small Sparke And that fully made good Thou must not look For Folio Lengths in an Octavo Book To rigid Humorists John 7.24 1 Cor. 14.19 POEM 2. GRave Sirs who more with Cato's brow then wit As voluntary Magistrates do sit On other mens Indeavours and Arraign Condemn and Rase all in a Cynick vain Whose main worth is to Censure and like nought But what your selves have Dictated or Taught Slighting a Solid for a Dancing Muse Lesse took with weight that easie Measures use Fume not if here I Ape you and expresse How justly some retort your Rigidnesse Counting you Puft-past men all blown with pride Grand selfish Opinators where reside Black tinctures of strong Envie that belongs Inseparable to such Bedle-Tongues They call you Dogs i' th' Manger busie Flyes That fix on Scabs or Doung but Flowrs despise Your sullen Silence and reserved Pen Still laying Ambush for industrious Men Parties and Judges both nay Hangmen too If you your selves prove They 'l not bate your Due Yet me thinks you deserve no such hard measure But to ingeuous Writers doe a Pleasure For your Capricious Taunts but shadow well An Authors Draught and make the Piece excell You much advance the Jewel by such Foil And Nothing unlesse your own Credit spoil Your Roughness but Achilles Lance doth prove To cure one of that Folly your self love Then whether you Distaste Him or Commend You see the Author is your fore-hand Friend MARTIAL Epigr. Carpere vel noli Nostra vel ede Tua A CATALOGUE of the Feasts and Fasts According to the Order of the Church and the Method of this Book CHristian Solemnities in General pag. 1 Advent Sunday p. 7 The Nativity of Christ 11 S. Stephens Day 17 S. Iohn Evangelist 26 The Innocents Day 34 Circumcision 43 Epiphany or Twelfth