those Joyes through worldly Toyes Lord here we yeild thee thanks though soyld with Errours And round about beset with many Terrours For turning Brittaines Iland from a Beast To be Baptiz'd and of Baptiz'd the Best While she doeth firmely to thy Pledges stick To thy true Seales and Spirits Candlestick Praysed be thou who hast to us reveald The Certaine Meanes whereby we may be heal'd Of Natures Spots and those Contagious Evills Heapt on us by the World the Flesh and Devills More in these Latter Times then heretofore When our Great Tempter lay enthralled more And of his Stings curb'd by the Holy Ghost Till Babels Whore perk'd up and rul'd the rost Which sacred Meanes we humbly pray thy Grace May still support us in our New-mans Race As we begunne so with more Love to burne Untill thy Sonne Incarnate shall returne With Finall Doome to judge the Dead and Quick The Dead in Faith and the Church Catholick A joyfull Hymne to be sung on the Lords Day winding up the Sevenths Dayes Exercise REjoyce yee Saints hoyse up your highest Sayles And magnify with loud Hosaâ—â—aes hayles The Lord that first saluted from the Grave Fraile Adams Sonnes and them their debts forgave Spread forth his Sabbaths Palmes sing joyfull Psalmes Attend his word and to the Poore give Almes How Amiable and Cordiall is thy Word Above all Objects els O mighty Lord How ravishing with Pleasures Manifold Surmounting Musick Pomp or heapes of Gold Sounds in our Hearts the Heavenly Bridgroomes voice How sweetly ring those Peales of Hallowed Noise Thrice Holy sung by Hoasts of Cherubins Thrice answer'd by Love Flaming Scraphins O Unity thrice blest in Trinity O Trinity thrice blest in Unity For the pursuit of which Harmonious straine Though fully we cannot as yet attaine To that brave Pitch by reason of our Fogges Thy Grace yet drawes the will and dries our Bogges So if we glaunce as through a Glasse a while At their sweet Tunes and in thy Laud Compile Some zealous worke to testify our Love And ready will which therewithall may move Thy Saints on Earth to warble forth thy Prayse Thou art well pleas'd as with the Widowes Mite Who Abrams deed didst by a Ramme acquite Teach us O Christ to waigh th' effect and Cause Of this Dayes Rest like those whom at Emaus Thou mad'st with zeale to burne the selfe same day When thou didst Rise and metst them by the way That we with Vowes and Sabbaths true Delight May think on thee without the least despite Of Spleene or Gall which might prophane the Time And blacke our Soules with a Notorious Crime If we neglect our Duties and thy Call Now to appeare at this thy Feastivall Wâ—thdraw our mindes from Natures fond desires Or Ruffling showes which might put our Fires And make some justly call our Day of Rest A Carnall Time or Saturnalian Feast Restraine our Longing Fits from all excesse Of Meats and Drinke which might our Wits oppresse And by their mounting Fumes up to the Braine Thee to neglect our Noblest Part constraine And cause us Nabal-like the Sots to play When we to Thee our Thankfull vowes should pay For on this Day thy Cabinet stands ope And we on it for store of Jewells hope O let us not like to that Thorny Ground Be choakt with worldly Cares but Fruitfull found And watchfull still attending on thy Word At this thy Sabbaths Feast it to record And edify our Neighbours as our selves Before our Crimes link us with frantick Elves Or to Conclude before thou do remove As Sonne of Man in Person from Above To judge Mankinde which shortly we expect And on the seventh Day as some suspect Good Lord by vertue of thy Sabbaths Rest According to thy will grant our Request That as thou didst with Body Glorified Rise up from Death so we Soule-purified May Rise from Sinne and up to Heav'n ascend And not to Hell like damned Ghosts descend All Glory be to Thee as heretofore In Persons three one God for evermore Amen Another Hymne in our Redeemers Prayse LEt all that soil'd the Precepts Ten New Day-light crave through Christ. Amen And let all Angells Saints and Men For ever blesse Christs Name Amen Amen Amen sound we like Thunder That at our Zeale the World may wonder That at our Noise the World agast May turne to Christ now at the last To tune his Prayse with Newer Tongues And with the Heart more then the Lunges Let Christ be Alpha in our Songes And our Omega as belonges To Catholickes of Christian stock The Spirits seed Sheep of one Flock Let all our Thoughts conspire in One To fixe our Faith on Christ alone And with one voice aloud to Sing Christ is our Head Judge Saviour King The Prince of Angells Gods Delight The Crowne of Saints Mens only Light The Womans Seed the Sonne of God Which on the Head of Satan trod The Lion borne of Judaes Ligne The Root of Jesse Mount Calvares Signe The Glorious Starre of our New Birth Whence springs our Peace and sweetest Mirth The second part BOth First and Last as we begunne Let us applaud our Makers Sonne With lowd Hosannaes every day Like chirping Birds in Moneth of May Like Consorts Tune or Ring of Bells Let us shew how our Love excells And never cease Christs Name to ring Till we meet all as in one Ring Or Circle round whence no Disunion Shall ever part our Hearts Communion Like Nightingales in Summers Bowre Let us on Christ thinke every howre And never leave to blaze his Story Untill we meet this Lord of Glory This Lord of Lord that crusht the sting Of our great Foe for which we sing All prayse to him that conquerd Sinne And did for us the Triumph winne Amen The New-mans Song of Thankesgiving after the Receiving of the Communion WE took this Day Christs Flesh and Bloud Drest in the Forme of sacred Food We fed on Bread surmounting Wealth We drank Christs Wine of Saving Health O Mystick signes O Grace Divine Transferred from the Heavenly Vine And Living Bread that came from God To warme and change our Earthly Clod We took those Signes like Baskets rare But opening them most dainty Fare We found to please our Spirits Tast We found enough to break our Fast. We felt our Soules cast in New Mould And changed from the Creature Old Love made us all of one consent Faith wrought in us the Lords Intent To mind his Passion Death and Love Till He to Judge comes from Above By these two Gifts we grow to be Christs Body from disunion free By them like Floure bak't in one Loafe The Lord feedes us under our Roofe By them like Lines we meet in one Firme Center in Gods Truth alone Gods Truth that blest our Christian spouse With happy Lot like Obeds House Blest for the Ark while there it stayd When Others were by it dismayd The second part WE yeeld thee Thanks most Gratious Lord Who doest Faiths Light to us record
Galilee in Jury Am carryed with a rapid zealous Flame To see how Christ a Child a Man became A Man Baptiz'd as we his Members â—e Tempted by Satan yet got bravely free Though Jesus had escapt the Hunters snare Yet Judgement crost the Tyrants jealous Care For out of hand after the Butchery Of Bethlems Babes deceas'd in Misery With entrailes scorcht proud Herod to his Sons Leaving his State waving in dissentions First having caus'd even in deaths agony His Eldest Sonne to beare him company When three of them stood for their Fathers place And each of them would beare a Royall Mace With factious sides to make their challeng good These Aliens borne of Edoms-viper-Brood Contended for their Sires usurped Throne The Rule of Laws from Jewries People gone Since Shiloes Birth Gods messenger of Peace The vigour of their Lawes began to cease As afterwards by Titus came to passe Who did their Laws and Nations state deface As likewise when in fierce Domitians raigne And Trajans Davids stock were sought and slaine But all their claimes appealed unto Rome The Brethren stood confind to Caesars doome Who by Decree for taming of their fury Most Politique then Tripartited Jewry To Archelaus by style of Ethnarchy South-jewries Land he gave the Tetrarchy Of Galilee and Jordans Land betwixt The other two he left for portions mixt The Brothers broyles thus quieted at last When all those stormes were overgone and past Joseph advis'd from Heaven with his Bride Brought backe the Child from Aegipt But aside Turn'd doubting Archelaus the Tyrants Son Who then to sway South-judaes Land begun To Nazareth Northwards in Galilee Where suckled was the Infant Jesus free From worldly Broiles as to a Nazarite Belong'd His head unpoll'd by Legall Rite There Mary not omitting any mild Or watchfull care for nursing up her Child Directed him now weaned from her breast One while to goe another while to rest His Infants time beguil'd wiâ—h Lullabies With gentle smiles sweete songs or soft replies She fed him not with Suckets nor Conserves But with that meate which strengthens tender nerves To dyet him for health was her chiefe Care Not urging him to eate of dainties rare But victuals fit for Nature thin and spare Butter and Honey were his daintiest fare She knew that Soules in pampred bodies pine That Both corrupt through lushious cheere and Wine But no man him with Idolls durst present Nor with those sights whose pictures represent Horn'd Bugges or Houshold gods for she her selfe Could never brooke to see a Labans Elfe Woe to those fondling dads who tempt the soules And pliant braine of their soft little Fooles With such Trim trash the unmarkt Nursery Of Faithlesse Feares and blind Idolatry She those defects with sacred Care repair'd Which Mother Eve by Satans fraud impair'd Gods Instrument to beare and breed that Child Which jarring Earth with Heaven reconcil'd And when more yeares came on she did assay To teach his tongue a Psalme or else to Pray Whereto his Will became more forward bent Then Courtly Lads to learne smooth Complement No Boye 's permitted she her house to haunt Such Rakehel Boyes which us'd to lie and taunt Like those rude Impes which heretofore did yalp And call Bald pate Elishaes reverend scalp No Mayd of hers durst sing a wanton song Within her eares or his nor to the Throng Of Reprobates those whom she knew defil'd Would she from home adventure out her Child And if she had such was his Inclination His inward Lore prevented Education There is no doubt but by Infusion He Had needfull what the Spirit knew to be Soone as his Childhoods Stature did encrease His mirthfull-fits began soone to decrease For without griefe how could that Heavenly spark Heare men to sweare like fiends like curres to bark How could he but lament to see them crouch To Stockes and yet the Godhead to avouch How could he chuse but grieve at their Extortions Debates and spending of their dearest portions To see a Brother fight the Courtier faigne The Lawyer lye and all for cursed gaine To see men strive for Place and Soveraignety Like fiends for pride who lost their dignity To see the Townesman pawne his soule for wealth The Husbandman Cornes price to raise by stealth Successively there budded every yeare New Hopes of him which did his Mother cheare His godly talke delighted Josephs heart And made him oft his labours lay apart Both Joseph and the blessed Virgin much Astonisht were to heare his Childhood touch On such profound and Heavenly Mysterieâ— Concerning Faith and Love how they arise In Adams Sonnes and why they set againe Wherefore it stormes and why God sends us raine His onely Reading was the Prophets Booke He would not once on lying Legends looke But on his Fathers Lawes both day and night He fixt his mind with all his will and might While other Lads were aw'd with Tutors curbe He serv'd the Lord that swayes the Heavenly Orbe He never tooke a meale but still the Lord He glorify'd with his Thankes-giving word And as himselfe liv'd Innocent and pure So by his faire ensample from impure And childish crimes he many Children drew To give God praise as still in yeares he grew When Jesus had twelve tedious Winters past He travell'd to Jerusalem at last In company of his supposed Sire And his deare Mother-maid in whom the fire Of zeale then burnt to see and solemnize In Abibs month the Legall Sacrifice Where when they had beheld the Rites past over At their great Feast then stil'd the Lambs Passeover These sacred Saints returned homewards bound But with the Stuffe when Jesus was not found They after search their friends and company Forsooke and backe againe most heavily They hyed fast and lookt him all about Among their Kinsfolke every where throughout The City till they found Him in the Temple Where Saints Gods works accustome to contemple And there amidst the Doctors of the Law They saw and heard how Jesus put in awe And pos'd Grave Rabbies whom he out did single For Questions deepe that made their eares to tingle His Arguments their Fallacies did quash That they were stroke as with a Lightning flash So faire a square so just a Symmetry The Godhead held with his Humanity His Actions sure his Godhead did expresse Yet in his Flesh we mortall him confesse That to dash Lyes brave Flames he never wanted With smiles he pleas'd and with his frownes he daunted His Godhead darted Awe and Majesty His Humane Presence shone with Lenity They wondred at his words well coucht so sage So well compos'd to put by wrangling rage On Scriptures Ground without Chymeres of Clerkes Without Latriaes or Douliaes Quirkes Such Doctrine in a Child such sparklings rare Amazed them as late did Bethlems Starre Such thoughts confus'd most sensible of Signes Doubting th' effects rack't perplext their minds Whilst with the Scribes Christ thus disputing stood Mary to meet her darling almost proud Betwixt Seraphicke Love and
attempt And bring to passe which Satan well foreknew Although he strove Gods Judgements to eschew In vaine he strove our Sun-shine to eclipse Where such as these come from a Christians lippes Alas what poore weak Fame a Nine dayes wonder Doe worldlings rove at if their Ends they ponder When men ground Faith on Humane Policy The Lord reputes it but Hypocrisie When he vouchsafes to lend some Miracles He doth it to confirme his Oracles To be divine and not Humane positions He doth it freely without Compositions And with a Caveat too that none waxe proud As though the gift were for their Owne allow'd Why should a Saint expect for Miracles Whilst he enjoyes Faith and Truthes Oracles For this regard did Jesus put to flight With Holy writ the Fiend with all his slight Thou shalt not tempt by any meanes said he The Lord thy God who first Created thee That is the Scripture thou shouldst muse upon And if infring'd what vengeance hangs thereon Thus Jesus twice already for our faults Endured had the Devils bold assaults Him now againe the third time he assayles To captivate or make him strike his sayles And knowing nothing in this worldly frame Can tempt a Saint like to Ambitions Flame Nor sooner can the finest wits defile As is Recorded on old Athens File Then to be pointed at by Peoples Prease Loe this is he the rare Demosthenes He comes no more with Scripture in his mouth But with the whole worlds Empire North and South The Eâ—st and West he labours to entangle Christs Senses like to Tybers Fishing Angle Wherewith his Vicar Crownes like Gudgeons tooke That Beast with Lambes two Hornes Dragons hooke So long agoe described by Saint John The man of sinne and that Perditions Sonne Whom Cardinalls at his Installment Grace With Triple Crowne and on Masse Altar place He rapt him in the twinkling of an eye To a high Mountaines Top thence to descry As from Mount Neâ—o where Canaan was showne To Moses many Kingdomes of his owne All the round world he there made to appeare In a false Mappe doubling the Hemisphere The like Romes Prelate scarcely could install For his to Right Castile and Portingall So Satan did his Monarchy contrive As Neptune stood on his Prerogative That great Command with triple forked Mace By Lot to me and not to him did passe Out of meere Grace and Love I beare to thee Sayes he to Christ if thou wilt worship me And homage doe these Crownes I give in Fee These States for thee and thine for ever be No greater snare could Lucifer invent Our Second Adams minde to circumvent No Motive nor more working Argument Then Scepters or a Mitred Governement As Mahomet tooke hold upon the First With th' Alcoran and of them all the worst Of Christian men usurp'd aspiring higher Both swords to manage and approaching nigher To the red Dragons claymed Jurisdiction With Soules and Bodies sale and interdiction But Gods deare Sonne did out of hand Controule These Lofty towring Flames Soules tainting foule He would not listen to Supremacies Nor to the worlds suggeste Primacies His Kingdome was not of this worldly station Of mortall Stampe but for sick soules translation By Fiery Tryalls to Jerusalem Not built with hands a place which fooles contemne To coole therefore our Thoughts irregulare Our Saviour thus put by the Serpents snare Not asking him as our late Exorcists Vaine questions but him packing from the Lists He could no longer his Just zeale refraine But instantly repuls'd him with disdaine Avant Satan make here no more abode Packe hence I charge thee in the Name of God Thou of my Faith hast made sufficient Triall But of his Rights I cannot brooke denyall I cannot heare with Patience Blasphemy Against my Fathers endlesse Royalty Who swayes this Globe by Aristocracies Democracies and awfull Monarchies The Lord thy God as Scriptures doe observe Thou worship shalt and him alone must serve Such Checking Words spoke with a Conscience cleane Free from ambitious thoughts and Deedes obsceane With vowes and Fasts aswell to purifie Themselves as the Old man to mortifie Oft naming Jesus Christ our Advocate Will quickly Satan chase or subjugate There needs no Charmes Masses nor Exorâ—ismes No holy water Reliques Crosse nor Chrismes To dispossesse or send the Devill packing Let such those trust where Faith Love are lacking When as I know as who is free my selfe â— braine or dreame neere cast upon this shelfe With Gales of worldly winds in shew most faire Gulling my Sense like Atomes in the Aire With false Selfe-love by him an Idoll prays'd With subtle Theames by his suggestions rays'd Such as on wits for want of vowes have play'd Or with such Quirkes as our late Sects display'd Or with wild fits and moods extravagant Let me but say with Jesus Christ Avant At their first comming with a pious mind At Christs sweete Name God sends them backe confin'd Let me review his Wounds I may be bold To conjure Satan from his strongest hold This Shield I take no other helpe I looke From Heaven or Earth against this Fishers â—ooke Christs coate I weare no other Ayd I crave Then His who other crave doe surely rave To other Saints whom they Gods Courtiers caâ—â— I say with Job Poore helpers are ye all Against Sinnes Rage and Satans proud Bravadâ—â—s Against his Plots his wiles and Ambusâ—adoes My Faith though weake supported mee witâ— Armes Contritions Grones prevented all my Harmes In Christ his Robes I feared no Annoyance Fenc'd with his shield I â—â—ung at him defyance After Resisting I did ever finde My Foes departed and good motions sign'd Or printed in my Heart unknowne to me From brutish Elves to guard my New-man free This should be writ in Cedar or in Gold The man Newborne who is for Grace enrold Shall sure be tempted by some wicked Fiend Whom if at first he doe suspect for Friend And not receive his Baytes with hearts delight That Man shall winne the Field through Christ his Might And from thenceforth with greater dowries blest Shall surely live and dye a Saint profest His Soule with Christ shall rest in Paradise His Body at Doomes-day with Joy shall rise In this we have our Master for Example Who by the Crosse on Satans head did trample As living he his motions had repell'd And with Gods Word three times had him refell'd Although he was alone and destitute Of Humane helpe yet he made Satan mute After his Conflicts to congratulate And him releeve in the like hungry State As was Elias who in Horeb past His Forty daies by meanes of fore-repast It is recorded that the Angels came Which shewes Gods Care Faiths strength Satans shame But here 's a doubt a question scrupulous Which to decide for me were perillous Lest that I seeme in Negromanticks vers'd Or that my Rule by Saints might be revers'd Whether these Assaults Reall were or visions Or mixt with Satans Jugling Apparitions To argue that Gods Sonne
broome Of Discipline sweeping foule Lusts away And the Worlds love which bring into decay The Heavenly Seed choakt up with Pompe cares Like Earthly Graine with Cockle Thornes Tares What makes a Surgeon use Corroding Waters For Festred Soares but that they are Abaters Of the proud Flesh why doe Physitians give Their Bitter Pilles unto the Sicke that grieve Of causes hid but that the bodyes sink Cannot be Purg'd of Filth and Humours stink By sweet Receipts no more should Gods Eâ—ect The Joyes of New Jerusalem expect Without first passing through the Bloud red Seas Of Sorrowes deepe to gaine perpetuall ease I meane not Griefe for losse of worldly wealth Or Carnall Friends but losse of Saving health Griefe for the wordes ecclipse Griefe for our sinne Griefe for the Snares which Saints are toyled in Who to this dying Doctrine will encline His Heart and to Austerity confine His Life he shall be crowned for his durance With Heavens Blisse whereof Christ gives assurance With these true Golden Rules seal'd in the Heart None gaines the Godheads love without some Smart Who Christ his markes more here of Torture beares In Heaven be the brighter Garland weares A Hymne explaining the cause of our Saviours Sufferings on the Crosse together with the effects of his Buriall WE were the Cause and none but we Why Christ was naild unto the Tree We were the Cause worse then the Scribes Nay worse then Judas with his Bribes Of Christ his death and Guiltlesse Bloud We tore his Flesh like Vipers Brood We drunk his Bloud like Cannibals Who men Redeem'd when they were Thralles The Jewes misus'd Him but one day Whereas we dayly him betray And Crucify the Lord againe Saints in his Limmes for spite or Gaine We rave farre worse then did the Jewes Our Carnall Lusts and Ghostly stewes Our Pride Deceites and Avarice Our Riots Feasts and Fopperies Our Healthes Debates and losse of Time Shew why Christ up the Crosse did climbe Let us then waigh with Penitence Sinnes fiery sting the Crosses sence Let us bewayle our wretchednesse Which brought our Saviour to distresse And think upon these Rules with Feare That Trees which are both dry and seare Shall sure be fell'd since blooming Wood Hath beene destroyed as with a Floud And that all Soules shall suffer losse Unlesse they muse upon the Crosse And thereby hope for inward Peace The Spirits gifts and sinnes release By vertue of that Costly Price Which hung thereon for Sacrifice For which high Deed while we have breath We never will forget his Death But in our Mindes wee will infixe His Merites Love and Crucifixe His Living Rock can hide our Soares As Josephs Vault entomb'd his Coarse We may to Blisse rise up from Bale As Jonas did from out the Whale If on his Wounds wee fixe our Soules Like Doves that pitch on Rocky Holes The Seventh Dayes EXERCISE The Argument Old thinges made New now is Jewes Sabbath Day Chang'd to the Lords to mind our Saviours sway Who Rose stay'd here sixe Weekes then went his way To Heav'n Men Inspir'd on Whit-sunday OUr two Dayes storme is cleer'd come let us sing And Tribute pay to our Triumphant King Who trampling on our Foes hath led the way To Resurrections Port on the third Day After his Death which first of their Weekes Date â—ld Hebrewes Calendar did Calculate O Blessed Day most blest in the Exchange Whilst we do not from zeale like worldlings range But all with joy for this our Worlds Creation And Christ his Rising minding our vocation As likewise for the Holy Ghosts descent On Whit-sunday ten dayes from Christs Ascent We Holy keepe our Lords this Seaventh day And in his Prayse our thankfull Hymnes display Who did because our sinnes the Old withstood Transferre a newer Feast cleer'd by his Bloud Though Christ was Lord Sabbaths prime perfection The manheads Crowne yet he to make defection Of that Dayes Rest did never Condescend But left it us untill Times finall End He left it us to mind th' Eternall Day When Time with baldnes never shall decay That Feast of Feasts with none can paralell For it above all Triumphs beares the Bell The Harmony whereof no Tongue can tell And more doth Our then Our the Sixe excell The which whilst we looke for let us foregoe Our Deeds prophane and Pious dutyes doe On this High day Let us congratulate With Jubilees our Resurrections state And our through Christ redinte-gratious Peace With God the Father in his Flockes increase Let us cheere up our Soules with Joyfull Psalmes ' And shew our Love by Prayers Vowes and Almes Let all the Earth let Christians all rejoyce And heare Gods word the Lord of Sabaoths voice Not in a Language strange or Noise unknowne But in that Tongue which men doe terme their owne Let them with understanding sound his Fame And Glorify Jehovahs awfull Name With Voices Musick sound and Symphony With Davids zeale and Asaphs Harmony Unanimous let us proclaime his Glory Not dreaming wise but in a reall story To be admir'd of all the Sonnes of Men And Registred with adamantine Pen All Glory be to thee as heretofore In Persons three one God for evermore Who least that Cares might dull our Inward sight Hast Weekely left us one of brighter Light Aswell to match the Hebrewes as to rayse New zeale on it for our Redeemers Praise Because Christs Faith stood firme not shakt at all His Manhead calling God God heard his Call Because his Manhead spurn'd Hells Crown of strife Preferring here on Earth an Humble Life And constantly endur'd the dreadfull shock Of Perills like a Shepheard for his Flocke And to his Father deare did pray alone For helpe he at the last did heare his Mone When he his Bloud had on the Altar shed Soone as he sayd All is now finished His sacred Soule straight way to Paradise Leaving the Crosse and his Bodyâ—â—yes â—â—yes Whence in Earths wombe after two Nights repose Brave Gyant-like refresht with wine he Rose His Body Rose from Grave from the Whales Belly Rays'd Jonâ—s-like to live Triumphantly For how could he whom God ordain'd to save Old Adams Seed be captiv'd in the Grave Thou art my Sonne Mens Light whom I begot Sayd his just Father and here take thy lot In choisest Soile The Hâ—athâ—n I give to thee For Heritage and all the world in Fee To bruize or breake for thy owne pretious merits Thou by thy bloud hast tam'd the wily Spirits O murther'd Lambe Hence-forth on my Right hand Sit in thy Humane shape none shall withstand Thy Powerfull will in Heaven Earth or Hell For thou shalt judge all Men and Furyes fell My sentence just thou hast appeas'd alone For which mysterious deed wee both are One. Because the Wine-presse thou alone hast trod Thy Flock shall ever dwell with mee their God Because for Sinne thou hast endured wrong Thou shalt divide the lest spoyle with the strong And for thy love to Man bought with
then he would restore To Israel the Kingdome as before Forgetfull so of Jesus Crucifixt Were they and to a Carnall Monarch fixt Whereto Christ answer'd It concernes not you To know the times and seasons which ensue Such secrecies the Father doth reserve Unto himselfe Do you my words observe Who am your King the Head of humane-kind As I to you so to my Flock be kinde My Gospell Preach the weak ones Catechize See that my Sheepe yee feed my Lambes Baptize Invoking on as you have learn'd of me The Father Sonne and Holy Ghost all three Which Last shall shortly you Baptize with Fire As John with Water and your Soules inspire As Gods Viceroy or Angell of the Lord By Heat of what I taught the saving word Untill I come in Person from Above See that yee Watch and one another Love Such or like words when Christ had fully ended He in a Cloud up to the Heavens ascended Where he as God and Man all thoughts beholds Preferred by the Father and there holds As Man for Men a Mediatours place On Gods right hand Saints joyfull to imbrace As God and Man Paules Fury he did fright As God and Man Saint Steven saw his Light So did Saint John from Pathmos see his glory When he reveal'd his future Churches story By Visions have some others ravisht beene That they from Earth his Power there have seen For had we seen him here with Carnall sight Our Darknesse could not comprehend his light Whilst his Disciples there with carefull Eyes Watcht as he went two Angells humane-wise Apparell'd white appearing to them said Yee Galileans why are yee dismai'd Why gaze yee up This Jesus who is hence To Heaven gone shall so returne from thence Seeke not therefore his reall presence heere On Earth untill as Judge he do appeare Meane time on Gods right hand a Prince and Priest He raignes and doeth you in your vowes assist On Whitsunday next after Christs ascent He ravisht his Disciples with content Who then attended at Jerusalem For the last promise which he made to them That he would send Gods Spirit in his steed To rectify and ayde them in their need And while the world should last his Church informe In some or other place with wondrous Forme When that high feast of Pentecost was come And for that end they meeting in one Roome With one consent there fell a bustling noise Or suddaine sound replete with stirring joyes As of a mighty Breath and rushing Wind Which fill'd the House and wonder-rapt the mind For Cloven Tongues appear'd to them like Fire And sate on each of them and did inspire Their Soules with giftes of the great Holy Ghost So that the Standers by of Aliens Coast Astonisht were th'Apostles joyes to heare Men of a diff'rent Tongue and Climate there Poore Hebrew Fishermen that never went Far out of Jewry Land extatick bent With them in their owne Language to agree And in their zeale to God to be so free And fluent of their Phrase that Babels Breach Seem'd reconcil'd by their harmonious speech Some thought they were like Bardhs Enthusian rapt Or that strong Wine in them such Blabs had clapt That men before the third houre of the day Should rave with Wine they wondred with dismay They were amaz'd till Peter made it knowne That for Christs sake God sent this wonder downe Not for Mad fits but for Soules joyfull feast God sent the Holy Ghost this wondrous Guest O Wondrous Guest that vents forth Abbaes Cry Within the Heart the will and memorie O wondrous Guest the Heavens Harbinger That scornes not to become the Messenger Betwixt our Soules and God to beare our Love And our weak Faith to strengthen and improve That sever'd Earth from Chaos medley Puddle And rays'd our Orbe out of the lumpish Huddle And though the Earth were heavy hung it faire With store of stuffe in the loose fleeting Aire This is that Prime and ever quickning Mover Of all the world Angells and Mens approver That spirit which through all Gods Prophets spoke Which taught the sense of Mysticks to unlock Which clear'd the Wits of simple Fishermen To preach those Newes which Doctours fayl'd to pen Which rulâ—d in every Age since Christs Ascent The Church and dayly yeelds Soule-nourishment Which at our feast Christs Body doeth convay Into our Hearts by his Spirituall way Which sent the gift of Printing now of late Old Babels spelles and mists to dissipate And by the Word to rescue Thralles from death As he at first the gift of Tongues did breath Which animates the Saints with courage rare In midst of Tortures Tyrants to out dare Which glads the Lowly and the Penitent And thousands doth unite in one Consent Of Christian Faith though sundred much in place Tongues rites or forme yet one in sacred race O Holy-ghost how strange is thy proceeding Angells and mens capacities exceeding No pen can limne thy Raptures most profound No humane voice can thy hid Graces sound One thing I blunder out what thou conceal'st From carnall Clarkes to Children thou reveal'st Then let my Soule O Lord be like these last Whilst others feast on Peacocks let me fast Or tast no other Food but what conduces To praise thy Name without prophane abuses And let all them who view these humble Lines Prove better'd in their thoughts with contrite signes If the old man they labour to deface And do their best the new man to imbrace Not like our moderne Gulles who grow Profane Lest they be markt with brand of Puritane Let us Gods Spirit by these Wonders seeke These Wonders wrought the first day of the Weeke Our sevenths Light now styled The Lords day Thrice hallowed and sanctifi'd for Ay For this rare Blisse to Christian Soules accrewes That Christ his rising up their hopes renewes To Rise like him ingrafted in his stock To quench their thirst with him the living Rock To bud a new as Branches of his Vine To feed on Angells food his word divine He led the way to Resurrections blisse And us invites to follow him in this High flight without diverting towards Earth But with due care of the new Spirits Birth Our former resurrection in this Life To gaine th' immortall prize through strong beliefe With those true joyes which did but Monarchs know They would foregoe their Crownes the same to ow A glimpse whereof for undestanding Soules Wee read by John reveal'd in mystick scroules With those delights wreathes and immunities Which God allots to Saints in Paradise But for the Temper Place Degrees or Site No Astrolabe nor Braine of worldly wight Can apprehend the height Dimension Rayes Unlesse they fall on false Poetick wayes Yet Paradise some to the Moone confine And there to be another World define Of moving Groves by Galilees late Glasse Where Apuleius found his Golden Asse Whence likewise came Dame Errours Charmed Lamp Which kindled Legends of th' Elisian Camp And Limboes field which Royall James to hit False Dreamers home
conceiv'd for Hauking fit Others more Sage in Types describe that Place A Starry Soile engâ—rt with Crystall Glasse Or Sea translucent with stones pretious rankes Pearle Amber Beds of Corall on the Bankes These may as Tropes rowze up the drowzy mind But to empale Gods Mansions were to blind The Artizans and to confound the Sense If curiously they break to Edens fence The azur'd Spheare wherto my hopes are bound Spirituall stands above this massy Round Of lively frame not like our mortals Land Or Temples built by carnall Creatures hand A Common-wealth secur'd from fiendes alarmes Wonne by our Saviours bloud and Ghostly Armes Which long before he promis'd to prepare For them that would through Faith his Foes out-dare There in the midst of Saints God rear'd for them A Metropole the New Jerusalem Not of Materialles wrought in Earthly mould But of Celestiall stuffe more bright then Gold Then Diamonds which Liquids may deface Or Canker-fretting Time the Fabrick raze The structure might be one with Fixed Starres Or like that Lamp which â—â—â—ting stints our cares An Orbe so farre transcending Edens site As doeth the Sunne the Moone the Day the Night Where He that made the Sunne more glorious spred The New mans giftes then Schoolemen ever read A Region of incomparable Light The Globe or Seat whereof no Humane sight Till Glorified can pry into nor Art By reason of the Lustre can impart No more then Paul by Christ in spirit brought Up to that Orbe of it could utter ought No more then we dare scan the Trinity Or weak Eyes see the Sunnes resplendencie Since puzled we in Natures secrets be What Natures Lord conceal'd how can we see Nay why should we presumptuously aspire To peep into Gods Ark or steale his Fire Old Scribes Prometheus voucht of Grace bereft For robbing Joves bright Fire a heynous theft Now more then this least Fancies me deceive I blaze not of that Orbe what I conceive Mansions of endlesse Joyes and sweet Repose God made for Men and Angels whom hee chose For Men and Angels who should side with Christ Against Hell-fiendes the Beast and Antichrist But whether in our Zones chang'd or refin'd Or Higher Orbes I leave it undefin'd Let this suffice no object represents There more then God to Soules departed hence Which honour'd Christ nor can divert their Sight From fixing on his Beames their whole delight Chiefly at that Eternall Jubilee When Saints shall from Hell-squadrons parted be By his great Light through Christ Saints there shall shine So bright that their new shape will turne Divine Compacted of the purest Quintessence Which Aire and Flame could work in Humane sence The Body which on Earth so clog'd the Soule Terrestriall shall no more that Guest controule But mounted up in Ovall Coach of Fire Elias-like doeth to the Heavens aspire And like high Eagles wings both here and there Comports with Christ the Manhead up to beare Of Motion swift of Strength without compare Like Seraphins all Love of beauty rare Leagu'd with the Soule in sympathizing frame Of Qualities aethereall mixt with flame Of glorious mould not subject unto sinne Disease or griefe as the first man hath been Like Cherubins all Light compos'd of Light Saints then shall raigne in a farre happier plight Install'd then Chinaes King or Tibers Priest With triple Crowne which cannot long subsist For these at death leave Corpse and States behind As those beare Bodies new like Christs refin'd With whom they reap more pleasures and content Then Tongue can tell Eares heare or Fancies vent No Sexes Forme shall then preoccupate The Sense since Fate had procreations date Worne out and cancell'd Lust in Evaes Race Her Choisest blest with even blooming Grace Because on Earth they trusted God alone And lov'd his Saints he made them with Christ One Both Young and Old though maimed burnt or drown'd Shall flourish then alike with Members sound Of Body span'd yet purg'd of Drossy Masse Perhaps like Christs which some would force to Masse With Knowledge ripe of Goodnesse voyd of Ill From Passions free and rectified in Will Perhaps at the same Age when Adam fell Or Christ Rose up triumphant over Hell There they shall sing and prayse the Lord alway Not having need at all to sue or Pray O how they move with mutuall zealous fire To prayse the Lord for sparing in his Ire Old Jacobs Tribes for chusing him and them While he did Esau and his Brood contemne They see themselves cull'd from the Gentiles throng Though they deserv'd to sing their howling Song For though God did all future things foresee He did till then no Reprobates decree But them reserv'd with Divells to partake Till Christ judge them to Tophèts burning Lake They know the state of all the damned Crew And thereupon their thankfull shoutes renew Ascribing Prayse with Hymnes Angelicall To Alpha and Omega God in all Of one consent one will one yea and nay With the like Musick and Harmonious Lay. Such Blisse on the eternall Sabbath day Crownes them when God their Bodies shall array Who in the Lambe believ'd and did their best By doing Good to gaine his Sabbaths Rest. As meaner Men made Lords weare Habites new So shall our Bodies then be chang'd anew The good invested with perfections rare The bad with hideous shapes and hellish Care Then many now which stalk with Peacocks Plumes With various Garbes with Licks and Baudes perfumes More ugly shall appeare then Toades or Bugges Which Children scare from screaming for the Dugges Nor will the Good then pitty the Distrest Because Gods love had Natures Foames supprest Embosom'd Couples which on Earth embrast The one shall be receiv'd the other cast Where humble Saints shall surely be preferr'd And Tenants set above their Lords that err'd Our Saviour Enoch and Elias led The way to shew that God the Quick and Dead Can raise that Mortalls have regain'd their Breath Yea from their Graves Saints rose at Christs his Death This Doctrine seemes to Carnall Sadduces â—carce true although they see in Summer Trees â—nd Corne to sprout with other vegetalles â—hough they see yearly many Animalls â— Swallowes are Silkwormes and Butterflies â—evived when the Sunne doth hotter rise Then since Those Life by the Sunnes heat have wonne Why should not Men by Him that made the Sunne Such Sotts have been and such I feare there are Too many Faithlesse ones that never care Here in this Life the certaine meanes to gaine Of glorious Shape in time to come againe Like skittish Maydes who at the fairy Game Do Daunce untill their Bellies swell with shame Nor how fares Truth nor what a Christian ailes Will they yet learne untill the Fiend prevailes What shall become of Body or of Soule So they may Feast and drinke without controule The Mirrours of the Moone are trimm'd a new Whose Face the foure Weekes Terme had dimm'd the Hew See they not bred of Putrefaction Flies And Barnacles from Wood or Pitch to rise To heare
the Birth of the Arabian Bird With Golden wings from Ashes Pile they gird They see huge Pompions of small seedes renew Yet they make doubt that men shall Rise anew They see the Salamander in the Flame Unscorched lives yet they are void of shame Some in our Time quite dead againe have liv'd By Miracle and some by drinks reviv'd Yea when the Bird out of the Cage did roame The Soule reverted back into her home In heavy sleepe they feele the Soule to range And yet they doubt of the Immortall change But thou hast sent O bright Celestiall Light Into our thoughts a Guest to teach us right O sacred Faith our Charter Aarons Rod Great wonder-worker betwixt Soules and God The chiefest Barre betwixt our Sinnes and Hell The Quintessence of Flowrs of sweetest smell Faith conquers all Mountaines of Sinnes removes Makes Lions Lambes and Kites more mild then Doves And may be styl'd the Gospells Golden Glosse To know aright the meaning of the Crosse. This is that Rock unseen with Carnall Eyes Whereon our Church stands firme in spite of Spies Late sent from Hell Christs Building to deface And with false Newes disperst to darken Grace This is our New mans sure and constant Rock Whose sense from Lambs old Reynard seekes to lock This pretious Gift we gaine from Grace above â—ut flyes away if we prophane Gods Love â—lipsing it on the Lords glorious day â—ith worldly mist false Fire or Heathnish play â—he old Mans Tricks his stale and stinking Leaven For if that Day we Rest not we lose Heaven I meane from Gaine Lust and unlawfull Playes Or Worke which might be done on other dayes We must refrayne and our owne Carnall wayes Set farre behinde the course of Sabbath dayes Except our Mother Church which holds the Keyes To binde or loose dispence with Exercise Or with some harmles Joyes at vacant howres To sweeten Cares and raise the vitall Powres Which might grow drowzie sad or drooping dry For want of Motion and due Symmetry Provided that the Soules chiefe faculties Be not betwitcht too much with vanities And that our sportes or Recreations bee From Spleen or Gâ—ll Bibbing or swearing free That we rejoyce in presence of the Lord Like Man and Wife of one minde and Accord Provided that what Money we shall Play Or hap to winne we count it lent away And so Conferre it to avoyd Abuse For mending wayes the Church or Lazars use But in this Point let Saints be circumspect Lest at their Play the Serpent them infect Provided still we may Advantage winne On that set day to put downe Raigning Sinne And glorify with mutuall one Accord And holy Hearts our Sabbaths gracious Lord Who knowes that Man is full of Imperfections And by degrees must climbe to more Perfections So have I seene some Children from the Dugges By leasure wean'd then terrify'd with Bugges From screaming lowd and afterwards with Bells Appeas'd like Angry Bees untill their Yelles They quite left off ashamed of their Folly And grew in time more stayd devout and Holy So I have know'n where men were most Precise In Forraigne Partes that some did exercise At Buttes with Arrowes or with Bullets Play Between the Sermon While on this High day The like Effects our Elders Tolerations May bring to passe amidst our Profanations That when our sweaty Hobs have daunc'd their fill They and their Marians mount to Sions Hill Or else deferre their Games and Alchouse Bowles â—ill sacred Liquour hath bedew'd their Soules â—or then I hope our New man will extend â—is quickning Heat that their Old man will bend â—nd stoope like Josephs Brethren overcome â—ith th'Awfull splendour of succeeding Doome â—hat shall inflicted be on Libertines â—or slighting Prophets and their sacred lines 〈◊〉 their abuse of Christian Liberty 〈◊〉 causing scandall with Impiety â—or keeping back Gods Tythes and starving those Who might Soul-fed our Sabbaths Foes oppose O would my words might pierce into the Flint And strike remorse with Numbers feeling dint In them who to support their Pride ingrosse The Meanes whereby ensues the Churches Losse In them that put no cautious difference Betwixt the Lords and other Dayes in sence Good ends and use like those who sometimes fed On the Lords Body as on Common Bread But leaving these like Achans to themselves Or to be rankt among the Fairy Elves I hope the Gospells Light which now shines bright In Brittaines Ile will so confound the Night Of misty sinnes that we shall shunne the Rock Of Scandall and be grafted in one stock As Members of our All-puissant Head Whose Ten-fold Lawes the greatest States must dread And by their Light twixt Motion Love and 〈◊〉 Cause Lesser Starres like Charles his Waine to draw That Head and Parts may joine in unity While Charles his Name renewes whole Charity Membra Caputque ligant Charites quas Carolus ambiâ— Dum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 renovat Rex nomen omen Blest be that Light which late in Oxford shone And there Inspir'd faire Englands Royall Throne Our Carriers Carts and Wayne-men to restraine Who sullied Sabbath dayes for greedy Gaine Blest be that Act which served for a Charme Amidst our vowes to stay Gods Thundring Arme That scar'd from Westminster our Parliament With Fiery dartes and Arrowes Pestilent No strict Edict could cease the Dismall knells No Judges Writ could stay sad Londons Bells No Golden Fee the Soule of Eloquence Could further Suits against the Pestilence Our Gallants then so for their Out-side styl'd Thence hurryed fast away like Creatures wilde The Courtiers fled so did Rich Londoners The Coachmen fled so did the Waggoners Both Sexes fled yea Men of all degrees Grave-diggers Gaine downe waigh'd the Lawyers Fees Though sithence some complain'd of Fees abate For many weekely Graves but few of late Our Fashions Beauties and daub'd Jezabels Tooke then for Fiends the Noise of Tolling Bells Few stay'd behind save some in hope of Gaine Or those for Christ who shrunkt not to be slaine Nay they who bragg'd of Aromatick Pots Cures for the Poxe and soveraigne Antidotes Against the Plague then brookt not London streets Lest they might daunce the winding of the Sheets But now attend a Wonder great I tell Which thousands can as yet remember well Assoone as that New Act came published The Plague abated and few perished This an Eye-witnesse of their Desolations Their Trades Decrease their Woes and Lamentations In that great Citty where the Sicknesse raign'd I then their Guest undaunted not constrain'd Do testify for our Preservers prayse And to reclaime them who shall read these Layes With Dalilaes from dallying over-long Their sweetest sinnes I meane Gods day to wrong Gods day of Rest his Wonders to display Gods day for mans best part Soules Holy-day On which High day the Spirits Gate stands ope And we may then for store of Graces hope Iâ—t not absurd New sweet Wine to put in Old Butts not first well purified within And
then the Game Behold the Hunt is up THE SOVLES EXERCISE The Argument Before the Great and Fearefull Day of Doome Which by true Signes neere past will shortly come Great Brittain's warn'd the Old Mans tricks to scan And with more Love to lodge the Inward Man O That Men would think on the Latter day Whose Signes began with Horror and Dismay Since Sathan was let loose to rack and scorch With Martyrs Flame our late Reformed Church No Preterperfect nor the Future Tense But then the Praesent suits the Creatures Sence When Time shall be no more but ever Light Or ever Darke From this Perpetuall Night Of Sadnesse Lord defend my Spotted Soule That canst at Will the Gates of Hell controule And by sweet Trance canst ope the Milk-white way To lead my steps to that Eternall Day How oft hast thou from Weaklings rays'd thee Prayse Then grant me Grace to warble out these Layes Which I began with th'Hunt is up to day That I may chase Hels Instruments away The wily Foxe the Wolfe and ravenous Beare But not with Yâ—alpes poore silly Sheepe to feare Noâ— to disturbe like Taverns roaring Boyes Good Christians Nightly Rest with Hellish Noise Or with base Fidlers Tunes who gape for Gaine Their Lusts from Strangers Windows to maintaine Fly Buffâ—ons hence no flouts nor wanton glance Nor scuffling Tones suit w th our Newmans trance Not for wits Froth nor Poets potting Pen Nor for Old Dreames shall any Godly men Taxe me withall My ayme is Libertines And Sluggards to rouze up by Christian Lines And that th'Elect of Brittaines Ile may blush To jarre for Trifles Nifles or a Rush At least to let them know that we should side With him whose Rights with Mammon they divide But let Divines without Scholastick Cavell And Politicks without damn'd Machiavell Tell us how comes Mankind so prone to Evill 〈◊〉 from Oâ—d Adam Custome or the Divell Or rather from this mixt Triplicity By Gods just Doome for mens Impiety Our States-men stand here gravel'd nor define Can Nature such deepe Points but the Divine On these Resolves assures our Pilgrimage That to secure from the Old Creatures Rage Our New-mans Sparke we must contend buckle With Men Fiends ere Grace this Infant suckle We must Believe and Pray do Fruitfull Workes And crush the Snake which in our bosome lurkes For these Attempts the Serpent to unmaske In Eden first Mans Crosse row is my Taske The two from whom our Heralds all agree With one Consent to draw Mens Pedegree Be they Crown'd Kings or Subjects bond or Free Adam and Eve the Male Female Tree Were form'd by Him who both the Globs Created Whereof the One with Goodly Rights estated God gave to them from Taxe or Tribute free And so their Race enjoyed it till the Fee By Giants wav'd and Nemhrods Tyranny The upper like a Spangled Canopy With Christall propt to lift their minds with wonder He left for Breath for Heat to seat them vnder And to observe the Influence Motion Height Not racking Starres with Negromanticke Sleight Because Man should with Angels linkt in One Harmonious League on God depend alone To do his Will who rais'd him from the dust To praise his Name without the least distrust Not Creatures Thrones or Principalities Nor courting other Gods with Sacrifice For who would sue to an Inferiour Lord The King in place that heareth every word God for this End and for his Glories sake Assigned Man his Comforts to partake He left all things to his Elections Sway Except One Tree in Eden to assay And try by One Command his Creatures mind Whether he would prove Constant or Unkind Yea God forbad to tast the Curious Tree Of Good and Ill because He did foresee That Longing Fits in Maladies would end That worldly Craft did restlesse Cares portend That Innocence once lost Man would divide Christs Soveraignty and with the Divell side That he the Golden meane would soone neglect And fall into Excesse or the defect That Will uncurb'd to damned Actions tends That Pride much knowledge puffes shame Pride attends For when good knowlâ—dge with the Ill did match Then they began a Mungrell Brood to hatch Like those who heretofore with Pagan Rite And Schoolemens Glosse disguis'd Gods hoâ—y Light Although such Plagues ensued by the Breach Of Gods Command yet doth Experience teach The Fruit it selfe so strange in Operation Perhaps might bring with it some Alteration And helpe the Humours to exasperate As the Breach did the Soule contaminate So Meales without Thanksgiving cause disease And Physicke with Gods blessing turnes to Ease Do not all things on which our Bodies feed Blood Choler Fleame and Melancholy breed Do not we see that things Inanimate As Roots and Gummes nay Minerals abate Or raise the force of things more excellent Doth not dimm'd Eyes the Saphire blew content And Hemlocks Juice like Vapors of strong Wine Disturbe the Braine and Humour Christaline Doth not the Jet insult upon a Straw As Steele is by the Loadstone kept in awe What Franticke Lust comes by Cantharides What Flames by Circes charm'd Hippomanes How luckily Quicksilver mortifi'd Hath for the Wormes and the great Poxe bin tri'd Yet Sublimate doth like to Hell inflame To Poyson turnes and kils the Vitall Flame How have the Lungs by Orpiment beene cur'd And the Faint Heart by Liquid Gold secur'd How forcible 'gainst Plagues and Feavers are Mirrhe Saffron Aloes Stibium Bezoar Garlicke allayes raw Ayre and watrish Food But Mads like Wine the Dry Braine and the Blood Wine-bibbers know that Vines with Coleworts war As rampant Lust is cool'd by Nenuphar Sometimes I saw a Glutton crost in Will His Trencher daub'd with Colloquintids Pill How by the Sunne Glasse things remote may fire To yeeld the reason would not Reason tire Or why Tobacco or the Vomick Nut Opium or Henbane do the Sences glut Or why the Juice of Spurge or Tithimall Held to the Gummes cause all the Teeth to fall If such as these with us worke Miraâ—les And growing plants yet more what Obstacles Can Atheists plead to barre Our Fatall Tree Or that of Life but that it grew so free Whereby on Man no ferall Deaths disease The Fruite once tane by him could ever seize Untill God did th' impaled Garden fence Or drowne it by the Flood for Lusts Offence This Fruit we reap't by knowing Good and Ill When as the Precepts Breach defil'd the will But to returne where now I did digresse Man stayd not long before he did transgresse And violate the Law with Carnall sence Slighting his Makers Love and Providence Man had large Grace and Freedome of Election But he of Both did quickly make defection He knew th' Events the Covenant his Doome For Life or Death and what would sure become Of him and his if he Gods will transgrest Yet would he be of Knowledge more possest Than well became a Creature limited Yea and perhaps the Woman coveted Assoone as Sathan told his form all
his death when Saints rose from their Tombe How many Jewes turn'd Christians in one day Who had the gift of Tongues on Whitsunday Some Christian Jewes when Roman Rage had rent Judaeas state to Jordans Pella went To Antioch Tyre Arabia Babylon To Corinth Creet Damascus Macedon And to remoter Coasts in hope of rest Whence after James decease in time distrest Some fell some grew By these the Gentiles rose From darkenesse to Soules light tooke up the Crosse Preacht Christ mixt with Jewes they were ingraft In one faire stocke untill by Satans craft The Nicholaites and the Nestorian Sect Did with false drugges the Easterne world infect In vaine therefore we looke for more Conversion Of moderne Jewes before the Worlds subversion Then what is past unlesse which Jewes abhor Our Romanists leave off Shrines to adore Much lesse Elias to descend in Flesh With Enoch since their Spirit some possesse And since the Formers gift infus'd in John He clear'd the way for the Creators Sonne Already hath the Gospels Larum rung To quicken soules whom the Red dragon sâ—ung Yea Nations to our Auncestors unknowne Heard lately of Mount Olivets renowne And might unto the Christian Faith be wonne If Britaine Spaine and Holland joyne in one Religious League to traffique on the Mayne For Indian Soules more than for Worldly Gaine As Spaine exchang'd her wares for Gold and spice So we by Peters Net may sacrifice And catch more Preyes for Christ then Spaine hath done Except henceforth our New Mans course she run What braver gaine can be then Soules to win From Heath'nish spoyles and superstitious sin What taske can Pilgrims take more happily Then th' Abissine for Manuscripts to try Who as they say hath those unknowne to us Which will strike dumbe all Sects Idolatrous What easy meanes and secondary wayes Hath God lent us now in these latter dayes Since Printing and the Loadstone he made knowne To cleare the darke and put the Poâ—e-starre downe That so his Word might with the setting Sunne Conclude the worke which in the East begun O Noble Europe how I pitty thee If that great Plague which some Divines foresee Due for thy Wiles and Pride light on thy flocke Americans raised to the Living Rocke Whereof sometime thou vauntst in Aprill-youth While Feasts for Fasts and Lies thou take for Truth But I leave these as secrets of the Lord As yet thou hast his Pledges and his Word Which may till Doomes-day last if thou repent And banish Schisme the Baâ—e of Loves content How many stout Confesâ—ouâ— like bright Starres Hath God inspir'd to 〈◊〉 our jarres How many men of Ghostly Ranke as Lay Yea Mitred Saints have gone the Martyrs way Grave Cranmer Ridley Hooper Latimer And Ferrar fam'd in Englands Register Not fearing like true Members of their Head To suffer rather death then be misled Or to connive with false dissembling Brow At Babels Charmes though ne're so faire of show How many Heraulds hath he sent of late Yet slighted all to warne each Christian state To sue for Grace their follies to forbeare And to prepare with true Religious feare For their New Birth and Spirits Renovation Before the day of wrath Earths conflagration Among the rest his Grace enlightned me In Britaines Isle Soule-dangers to foresee And by a Sparke lent from his Heavenly Flame To Sacrifice and spread the Newmans Fame To this effect and that I might regaine Some swarmes for Christ I chose a tinckling strain Wherewith I found like John in Jewry-Land Repent Repent Gods Kingdome is at hand Admonitio Christiana EXitus Orbis adest Chaos fatale diei Extremae subit atra brevi Campana sonabit Vos igitur moneo Praeconis more Litate Pectoris ex imis Christo Nova sacra Monarchae Ille Dei Sermo concludet Ovesque Luposque Judicii extremi Sermone Venite vel Ite Ite hinc in Furias in Topheâ— ite Ferae Fida sed ad Ferias Turba venite Poli. A Christian Admonition THe Fatall end which shal the world confound Draws neere Doomes-dayes Bell will shortly sound In Preachers Type I warne you then to bring New Offerings from the Heart to Christ our King For He Gods word will cloze the Latter day Thus by his word Come Sheep Wolves pack away Packe hence to Hell ye Creatures wild To Heaven Come ye the True and milde A Hymne of Repentance to be sung for the ease of an afflicted Conscience WHat strange assaults of sins surrounding tide Breake in upon our Soules on every side How fearefully Gods darts of vengeance glide So neere they glide we cannot turne aside We feele enough to pull downe Pride More terrours then we can abide It is no wrong but Justice which we feele Though we were scourg'd with Wires of keenest steele Or broiled on the Coales or flay'd alive We merit not Doomes respite nor reprieve Because in time we did not grieve For sinne nor sought in Grace to thrive Sinne is the cause of our Law-suits and jarres Sinne is the cause of our late Civill warres The former robs us of our meanes of Thrift The latter of our friends with bloodier drift For want of shrift and hearts uplift Fiends doe as Wheate our Passions sift We ought indeed more godâ—y to have beene Before we felt Gods Judgements for our sinne We ought indeed his Arrowes to prevent With Prayers Vowes and houres more frugall spent Yet we repent with heart neere rent His Talents use by us mis-spent We will not yet of Freedome quite despaire No Gracious God we know thou canst repaire Our drooping state though plunged in the mire Of mangie sinne or scortcht with Troubles fire Thou canst refraine thy Judgements Ire Our Temples cleanse our Soules inspire Thou at a becke Soules-tortures canst remove Or else asswage our griping fits above Straind Natures reach as thy Sonne Jesus did Poore Publicans of their diseases rid Yea though griefes were of causes hid Their utmost sting thou canst forbid To thee alone for Mercy we appeale Who heretofore the Israelites didst heale By Serpents stung and sundry others cure By Miracle thou canst Soule-ease procure Nay health assure and cleanse us pure As thou didst Naaman though impure Lord pitty us and blesse our Second Birth As thou with heate showres dost barren earth As Peter Paul the Thiefe in Calvary And her whom Jewes tooke in Adultery Thou didst cheere up in misery Because they did for Mercy cry Behold how Satan wheeles about our braine More busy now than ever with his traine Of fiends unseene to circumvent our will He knows us weake and therefore bends his skill The more his mallice to fulfill Because we are so craz'd and ill He stiles our Heathenish spoiles states purging pills Our jarring Pleas as necessary ills Our Niggardize good thrift Pride decency Our drunken healths kind Fellowship and why He knowes that Carnall fallacy Enwraps the Soule in Lunacy Against his snares we have no other fence Then thy Sonnes merits Blood and Innocence
O God most Just and for his sake we trust Thou of meere Grace wilt us repute as Just Before we be by Satan crusht Before our Bones lye in the dust Now is the Time or never to us ayd For after death when we in earth are layd What Sacrifice what Offering wilt thou have Thy Christ hath ransom'd us and thou dost crave No more then his deserts to save Sinners from Hels devouring grave Christ is our Head him onely we adore Christ is the Saint whose helpe we still implore Christ is the Light which harts more cold then Ice Hath warm'd and chear'd by the Soules Exercise Christ is the Lambe that paid the price To Justice due for humane vice This Sacrifice regardfull of the strife Twixt Heaven Earth for our sicke soules releife Most gracious Lord we to thy Grace present Not to fulfill Romes Amulets intent Or unction charm'd for Sacrament But with pure Faith Loves Balme to vent Both which thou hast from Heaven sent Both which on Earth yeeld thee content Amen The Second Dayes EXERCISE The Argument The Mystery explain'd of Christ his Birth Why he came poore and strange to Carnall Mirth Here they are toucht who soile his Feastivalls With Riot Pomp or drunken Bacchanalls THe Scribe of late who blaz'd the Churches state From Christs Ascent till this yeares present date Now represents a more Soule-quickning part And to win strayes drops on the stony heart Alluring them by sacred charmes to watch And waite on Him who made poore Bethlems cratch Borne there without Male-Sire in Judaes Land Like Daniels Mountaine-Stone cut without hand More glorious than the Romane Capitoll Or Rhodes Colosse in the Sev'n Wonders Roll. For this sweet Trance to rebaptize the Will To rowze the Braine the Soule with zeale to fill Draw Christians neere and view the Stable-Cratch Where lay the Virgins Son Draw neere dispatch And humbly greet this Heav'ns Earths umpeere Whose Joyfull Feast good Christians every yeere Do solemnely renew for twelve Dayes space Till that bright Starre ends at his Native place Wisemen they were who did this Light partake Led by that Flame which through the Prophets spake Had we their Star or Iacobs Staffe for Guide Diviner Dreames our Fancies would betide We might then hope with safety and with Ease To passe the Spanish Straights and Mid-land Seas In spite of Moorish Pirates or Algiere And without feare of Turkes to domineere Till we arriv'd at last on Joppaes Strand And so from thence survey that Holy Land Where dwelt sometime a Shepheard Royaliz'd Out of whose Ligne Our Saviour Humaniz'd The second Adam our soules Shepheard came As well from God as from Just Abraham But how cam'st thou quoth Zeale to found out Truth In tuned forme a worke for Joviall Youth No humane skill can ancient yeares exchange From whence then spring these Tunes these motions strange In thee whose Beard bewrayes that Melancholy Strives to supplant the sanguine humour wholy He that inspir'd poore Fishermen to rowle Deep Mysticks with New Tongues and to enrowle For after-times his Gifts on them conferr'd Hath now fresh Heat into my veines transferr'd To scare the Proud to cure the crazed Foole Like that which sometimes stirr'd Bethesdaes poole He guided me to Bethlem Nazareth To Jordan Salem and Gennesâ—reth Whence by Christs Birth Deeds Crosse and rising up From death to Life we cheere up Soules that droop For there is no distemper nor disease But if we fixe on Christ we shall find ease Christ paid the Price for our infirmities Christ onely is the New mans Sacrifice To honour Him with Soule-rapt Extasie God breath'd in me sweet-working Poesâ—e Slight not then Readers my conceites but heare With spungy eares what I deliver here God grant that these work more sung of his Sonne Then all my former workes and I have done Old things are done we must be borne anew Rise Libertine and Christ his Birth renew Rise up thou lazy Soule thou pampred Sot T is neere Sun-set leave we this sensuall Cot For Castawayes who spend their time in pleasure And cannot in a yeare find one dayes leasure To meditate upon Christ crucifyed With humble thoughts and vessels sanctifyed Nor on Christs Birth how that his Incarnation Availes us more than Adams first Creation O why came he into the world a stranger And would be borne in a poore homely Manger Why did the Lord of Lords himselfe abase To take on him our faults but to give place To Justice which equality requir'd Which to shame Pride harmoniously desir'd Gods Righteous Zeale did satisfaction aske But Man could not performe so great a taske The infinite high Wisdome was offended And for a price as infinite intended The whole world shooke the Elements did warre The Planets starres and humours fell to jarre All chang'd their former course The Sun lookt pale Fiends into Hell were like Mankind to hale There were but two and they from goodnesse fell How could their Race then be but slaves to Hell Soft hasty wit I saw the New man comming Just at their Fall to curbe the Devils cunning I saw their Griefe their Penitence and Crosse I saw Gods Grace Conditionall after Losse I saw Gods Seale of Pardon for their Sinnes When their bare Limbs he cloth'd with Coates of Skinnes For when our Parents sinn'd they were asham'd Shâ—me wrought remorse Then Christ Gods Mercy claim'd The second of the Glorious Trinity Tooke pitty on Mans losse of unity The Word that spake when Light and Life began Claim'd share of Grace for his Reformed Man As a Just Sire and his Mild wife do treat How their lewd Child they might reclaim or beat So Justice did and Graâ—e expostulate What should become of Adam and his Mate Justice alleadg'd their voluntary Fall But Grace oppos'd the Serpents Charmes and Gall The One protested Death but the kinde Other Sought with Gods Love the sting of Sinne to smother The One did Man a Turne-coat Traâ—tour name The Other on his Frailty layd the blame The One Mans wicked Thoughts insisted on The Other Mans Repentance stood upon Justice strict Law but Grace against Laws Scourgâ— Gods Court of Conscience did most strongly urge And sweetly pray'd her Sister not to ranke Mankind with Fiends for One though mortall Prank This Matter then of mighty consequence Betwixt them Both yet standing in suspence With various Pleas concerning our Salvation Or in Hells Flames our finall Reprobation The Virgins two did mutually agree To compromit the same to Gods Deâ—ree On which Suspence these Glorious Attributes With Zeale and Love concluded their Disputes Th' Almighty then consulted not with any Of Angels Ranke though there he had full many Not for their Zeale with Seraphins approv'd Nor Cherubins though them he dearely lov'd They Spirits were but of a Creatures mould Then mystickly the Father did unfold The Matter to his Sonne and Holy Ghost Gods Honour sav'd how Man might not be lost Nor left depriv'd of Light and Favour
Praise No Oratours nor Poets wit can Limme At full the gifts wherewith God furnisht him For as the Sunnes bright shining Lampe at Noone Excells the lesser Starres and pale fac't Moone So Christ more Just more Meeke and Patient was Then Enoch Moses Job and did surpasse As well in Mysticke as in Actuall Flames Whereof indeed we mortals know no Names Unlesse we terme them Graces most Transcendent To him alone from Our Great God descendent All Adams Sonnes with Josephs Mayden wife For Zeale for Faith for Holynesse of life Nay more were all their Vertues joyn'd in One They would look foule compar'd with his alone Comparing him with other men the Light Of Heaven you must confound with darkest night For without his Habilliments of Grace No Mortall man can see Gods Heavenly Face Without his Helpe the Godhead full of Ire Consumes Mankind as Stubble in the fire Without his Merits veile as Wedding suite No Humane wight can win a Saints Repute Cloath'd with his Robes none ever went amisse The Alpha and Omega of all blisse At last Christ grew to thirty yeares of Age Which was the time that in his Pilgrimage He from thenceforth till death should exercise His Priesthoods place to open Israels Eyes Melchisedechs predestinated place Whose Order Time should never more deface But they more blind then Bats were in those times When Zeale and Love were Snares and Nets for crimes He therefore now to grace his Legate John To Jordan went and by him thereupon Would be baptiz'd although the Prophet strove To put him by as worthyer from Above Christs will was such he Baptisme would receive That to his Church he might that Patterne leave And that as he perfected Moses Lawes So he for us would plead the New mans Cause Which at â—he Font from sinne Originall Doth cleanse and to New life invites us all If we goe on as we were Catechiz'd And crave with Flames of zeale to be baptiz'd For Baptisme is Heavens gate the which to ope Grace gives to us the Keyes of Faith and Hope No sooner did that heavenly Dove descend And Satan markt to what those words did tend This is my Sonne in whom I am well pleasd But all amaz'd he stood and sore displeas'd And hearing John before himselfe Him prize The Lambe of God that should with Fire baptize He doubted much lest this was He should tread As on a footestoole his Old Serpents Head To crosse therefore the doome of Gods Edict And Justice force her selfe to contradict This Prince of Fiends the Python of the East Our Antichristian Dragon of the West Bent al his thoughts his plots and machinations Gods Heire to win and raze our Hopes foundations Which when the Searcher of all Hearts had read With deepe insight he by the Spirit led His Sonne from Jordan to a desart where He might be try'd with Fasting and with feare Aswell to satisfie for Adams Deed As us to warne the Dragons wiles to heed Satan as shadow dogs him at the heeles And cunningly ere he his Pulses feeles Physitianâ—like â—like who first the Signes and Dyet Notes and what brought the Patient out of quiet He waites aloofe and finds our Saviour still Watch Fast and Pray to save Mankind from ill But at the last with fasting forty dayes To Christ supposed weake the Fiend bewrayes His fraudulent and perillous designe Which was at Hels instinct to worke a signe Or Miracle and by that act repaire His Pride-falne state or drive Christ to despaire Thou dost beleeve saith he that thou art Holy The Child of God not dimm'd with Carnall folly A Saint foretold by Prophets Oracles And canst like them worke some rare Miracles Now in this Place make Triall of the Spirit Whether such precious gifts thou dost inherit To equall Moses and the Thesbites Fame Both which thou may'st by working wonders shame I see from Food thou fastest over-long Whereby thy Body faints and feeles much wrong Loose not the Substance for the Accident Nor thy deare life for what 's impertinent Thou art but Young and in thy flow'r of Age And may'st doe wonders on this worldly Stage If thou cheare up thy selfe this present day Else beauty strength and Body will decay Some I have knowne so long to mortifie Their Flesh in hope their Soules to purifie That by such fasts they were much stupifide Light heads and all to seeme Soule-glorifide Be thou more wise to shun the fatall rod Of Famine If thou be the Sonne of God Command these present Stones to be converted Into pure bread or else thou art perverted When Satan thus had ended his discourse Christ to Gods word did hasten his Recourse No other Shield then Scripture did he use Which by heav'ns leave I paraphras'd produce I doe renounce the Flesh and Worldâ—y guile Thy tempting Baites shall not my heart beguile To long for Earthly Food more then Gods Word To breake the vow I made at Jordans Foord The Covenant of Baptisme which I seal'd I meane to keepe whereby Mankind is heal'd And purg'd I will not once distrust the Lord Nor in least thought traduce his written Word He can by many meanes releeve my wants That cloathes the Lillies and renews the Plants Mans Body here not onely lives by Bread But with Gods word his Spirit must be fed The Holy Ghost for Light to after Saints And to divulge our Ghostly Foes attaints To force them to confesse their wiles and pride Doe try not daunt those whom the heavens guide Permitted Satan yet to tempt him more With all his slights but not to hurt or gore His Body which reserv'd for Sacrifice Himselfe would shortly yeeld for sinnefull vice The Fiend would not so let him passe away He had more Trickes upon Mankind to play Because our Saviour Satan did contemne He rapt him up into Jerusalem And set him on the Temples Pinacâ—e Now shew thy selfe quoth he by Miracle The Sonne of God by casting thy selfe downe From hence headlong for God will guard his owne Be confident and take it as thy Creed Saints may performe all things t is so decreed I see thou shin'st replenished with Faith And knowâ—st full well what sacred Scripture saith By this great Act thou mayst thy Fame advance Above the Starres and now on earth enhaunce Thy Praise among the vulgar Multitude Who will be wean'd from their old grosse rude Traditions and thee for their Great Messias More will beleeve then John their new Elias Who with new Rites of Baptisme now of late At Jordan toyles men to regenerate Proceed then boldly to this famous Act And never doubt the Issue of the fact For God hath given his Angels charge of thee To save thy Body and defend thee free From all Annoyes Perils or hurts of Stones That might against thee dash or bruise thy bones With such or like surmizes Satan sought Our Saviour to entrap and turne his Thought From lowlinesse and worldly Pompes contempt The chiefest meane Mans Freedome to
the worlds bright Light Should be transported by the Prince of Night From thence up to the Temples pinnacle With unextinguisht breath by Miracle Like to a Bird in person through the Ayre Deserves small thankes for pleading to impaire Gods Glory in his wondrous workemanship Of the New-man That were by doubts to clip His Providence for carelesse watch and ward Over his Sonne to whom the Angels Guard He promised by Satans owne Confession The Fiend durst not had Jesus made expression That he was God have mov'd him to Transgression To shoot at Soules which took his markes Impressions To play upon the wits of Reprobates Yea and for Triall of Regenerates Who like to wanton Apes or stubborne Boyes Must smart till they leave off their prankes and toyes To charme the sense of witches who have rang'd Their bodies resting still in roomes unchang'd On Hackneyes as they dream'd borne through the sky With Nightly feasts their Wills to satisfie So Anodines and Poppies drugger intrance Their heavy Nerves that their wild fancies dance The Lord indeed permits him still to range With lyes false showes seeming wonders strange Yea too and other whiles to play the Ape Ghost Goblin Faiery in fantastique shape Whereby mens outward senses he beguiles As their Craz'd braines with visions dreames and wiles The greatest Clerkes sometimes he traines to folly Some for their Pride and some for Melancholy Our Youth he leades with Fancies wild vagaries As at Full Moone Apes dancing the Canaries He wheeles about the world the Articke Pole As Southerne Coasts the vertuous sicke and whole All 's Fish alike but his most dainty spoyle Is Learned Men with Crotchets to embroyle Whom rather than they shall escape his clawes He tempts to jarre for words bare Names strawes In Samuels shape he Saul by Endors Witch And in the Serpents forme did Eve bewitch Hating the Womans Seed he sought by sleight And Angels maske to bleare our Saviours sight But through the Aire to beare his Body up I feare to pledge Scribes in that curious Cup For in the Place where he first met him there We read he left our Saviour void of feare Although he did by Vision or in Trance Or Actuall forme his highest Plots advance And Jesus might through his Humanity Like Peters Trance see Satans subtilty Within that uncouth place or Desart coast As opposite to that which Adam lost Because he found Christ in distressed plight Sole and fasting he thought to hit the White Satan might tempt his Outward sight Braine But at his Will and Heart he shot in vaine The God-head sway'd those parts his Angels Guard About his Person kept both watch and ward So that nor Satan could nor all his Bands Without his leave once touch his sacred hands Much lesse against his Will him to transport Whom God alwayes did strengthen and support Till he by Judas sold should pay the Price Or Ransome due for our Enormities Yet where Gods Word doth not my Light advance With Humble sailes I vaile my Ignorance Since Seraphins their zeale were faine to cover How then dare I nice Problems to discover A modest wit affects the New-mans straine Packe hence therefore ye wormelings of the Braine Yet would I had the skill of Augustine Such knotty doubts to canvase and define Or that I were rapt with Poeticke Flamâ— Sedulius-like or Araâ—o to tame Wits puffes that so I might in English stile As they in Latine Layes a worke compile Whereby our Saviours deeds the New-mans Glasse Might with faire Rayes reflect on Hearts of Brasse I would imprint by his Lifes Innocence In Britaines thoughts an imitable sence To shun fond Quirkes and Plainesse to embrace I would assure them then of Heavens Grace Whereas most Wits now hover in the Aire Betwixt fraile Hope Presumption and Despaire Who knowes not that the Fiend from his restraint Late loos'd goes on the Saints with doubts to taint But some will say An Angell cloath'd in flesh Cannot the stings so punctually represse Of raging Sinne as I have painted here Nor from Hels tempting baites his Passions cleare For borne in sinne how can we chuse but erre By our first Parents sold to Lucifer The wisest Man some touch of madnesse hath Of Pride or Lust of Niggardize or wrath Doe what we can our Glosse and Merits store Looke like a menstruous cloath or mattry Core I grant that None but Jesus Christ alone The Fathers Essence and his Holy One Did wholly live according to this forme Or spot-lesse could the Will of God performe But yet know this O worldly shifting man That thou art bound thy second Birth to scan Enamour'd more on Grace and Charity Then on the World and carnall Jollity And in all points to imitate thy Head Or else thou art cut off as Member dead Thou must at first repell the Tempters snares Be they Ambitions â—ookes or Golden wares And if through Faith thou struggle and dost strive Against lewd thoughts thou shalt o're come and thrive If his lives Type for Precepts thou avow Thou quickly shalt attaine thy selfe to know And be assoyld by Faiths Prerogative Of Raigning sinne at least imputative For which Intent and Saints encouragement God many meanes both Old and Moderne lent To rouze the Slothfull up to looke about Before that Satan puts their Torches out Among the rest I hope Good men will heare Or read my Lines and with my plainnesse beare Since my ayme is proud sinne to mortifie And by the New-Mans Lampe to edifie The Lowly minded and the Penitent Who more prize Truth then Falsehoods blandishment Let others trim their Muse with Gaudy Tires I envy not their Layes nor labours hires A simple Robe I like without a Seame For such a Coate Christ wore and such a Theame Consorts most fit with an Evangelist Whether he English French or Latinist For publique use the Praise of Christ compose Be it in Numbers or in Copious Prose And so for Truth he sound a thankefull Peale Ere vowes he hoord up for his private weale Not like to Clownes who when they gaine good turnes Neglect their Patrons or pollute their Vrnes And memory with Vrine Spittle spight Instead of thankes tyth'd out to doe them right But howsoe're Young Gallants censure this The Graver sort will cleare me from amisse And for the Cloze these Golden Rules inferre Plaine Poems best become a Gospeller The Strayned phraze puffes up Truth suits a Saint Those women fairest looke who never paint A Hymne of Thankesgiving to the Lord for his Churches preservation from Antichristian Tyranny 1. WHile Natures Sonnes at randome rove Our New-Man fixt on things Above By holy Trance doth Christ descry In Bethlems Cratch and Calvary Now we Gods word and wonders sing Anon we scan O Glorious King Thy Triumph how thy faithfull Crew While Tyrants rav'd the stronger grew And how bright starres Hells stormes withstood Till Mungrells on Mans Merits stood Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them Release if
so thou please 2. As thou didst drowne proud Pharaohs Host And guid'st thine owne through Marine Coast So thine Elect through every Age Thou didst preserve from Satans rage So didst thou raise to life againe Thy Prophets twaine in Sodome slaine So didst thou Lord in Judgement meete In Eighty eight the Spanish Fleete And save us then and since againe From Ruine Losse and Powder-traine Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please 3. Their Leaguers force thou did'st divide When we most fear'd Hels raging Tide Reforming Faith in Publicans Among the Britaines Dutch and Danes Bohemians Swethens Polanders The Swizzers French and Hollanders To counterpoize Great Babels side And by thy Word to tame her Pride Which neere hath rent her Triple Crowne When every Bird requir'd their owne Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please 4. O Gracious God how strange is this That thou hast cal'd blind Strayes to Blisse And didst for us New Kings beget When Old Elizaes Sunne was set The Tent she pitcht James setled sure And Charles now Raignes like Cynosure With Golden starres encircled round He doth not slight the Gospels sound But still renues the Holy Fire Bequeath'd him by his Royall Sire Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please 5. When Bavares Duke and Ferdinand Had yok't thy Flocke in Germane Land There rose up from the Northerne Zone A Machabee who eas'd their moane Nor is it lesse miraculous That thou hast rais'd great Bourbons House Against the Eagle to make head When Both would gripe thy Turtles dead And this diverting of their Force Spinnes Truce for us in them Remorse Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please 6. A thousand yeares the Fiend was curb'd And no great Plague true Saints disturb'd He made no fierce prodigious warre Till Wichliffe preacht what Berengare And former Saints had vow'd with cares Against the Masse and Mauzzimes wares But afterwards when by thy Word Some were Reform'd with Fire and Sword He then pursu'd thy New borne Flocke Because they chose Faiths living Rocke Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please 7. Even to this day Hels Magogs still Thy Servants racke their Blood doe spill O when shall we poore Pilgrimes be From Satans wiles and tumults free O when shall we their Period see And sing to thee our Jubilee Exempt from cares and Carnall stings O Glorious God and King of Kings Not in this world till Christ doth come In person first all Soules to doome Lord grant us Peace our Crosses ease Or them release if so thou please Amen The Fourth Dayes EXERCISE The Argument Christ having Preacht the Gospel and New-Birth Confirm'd the same by wondrous signes on Earth The Priests conspire his Death Judas revolts His Supper Bloody Sweate and sore Assaults IF I had dranke at pale Pirenes well As to the wise Bellerophon befell Or that I had Vrania for my guide I might transcend the Starres and hope to ride On the Pegasean Steed with Azur'd Reines Untill the Poles resounded with my Straines Such Lofty wishes through Poeticke guile Farre be they from my Low and trembling stile Not Phaeton nor waxe-wing'd Icarus But Lucifers and Adams Fall should scare us From mounting high to Pinacles and Towers Where Lightnings Flash where raigne the Aiery Powers Which may our Carnal thoughts blow to despaire Such mighty sway beare Spirits in the Aire Like them whose Hearts once toucht with hallowed Fire Have quencht the Flame by ruffâ—ing to aspire Or like our Eves who in this Evening Age When they should kneele climbe up proud Honours stage Where Mammon they adore and Christ by halves As if Gods Grace would breathe on Golden Calves No sure his Spirit loathes Ambitious Fires But the milde Soule and humble he inspires Such as of Yore were Jewries Fishermen The Virgin Mary Anna Magdalen God will not hold him guiltlesse that presumes To touch his Ark with Flanting robes or plumes Avaunt then Gallants with your Idoll-Fumes Depart ye Ladies with your nice perfumes Kisse not Gods Sonne ye proud imperious Lords For he abhorres High lookes Bug-beares bigge-bigge-words A simple Garbe contents our Saviours Cratch Smooth glozing Termes take those who Termely catch Sad Sackeclothes weed becomes this age of Our Where Fiends unseene waite ready to devoure As lawfull spoyles our Kingdomes fairest flower This suites me plaine my Applications sowre Yet wholesome like to Lemmons in a Fever To curbe those putrid Fumes of Head and Liver Which now of late the Gentry of this Isle With Riot Pride and costly Feasts defile Then O Great Britaine take it for no wrong If I enchaunt thine eares with a meane song Not grounded on false Druydes Antique Tales But wrapt in Christ his Swathes found in Wales From that wild Place where Satans Policy Failed to tempt his Will and Phantasie Arrived then to thirty yeares of Age Our Saviour to perfect his Pilgrimage Returned backe to Galilee againe In the third lustre of Tiberius Raigne Where he on Truth at Nazareth commented But thence repuls'd the next Coast he frequented With this true Note by that respectlesse Towne No Nation heeds a Prophet of their Owne And having chose his Prime Apostles there Who to that end predestinated were He Preacht good Newes unto the true Beleeveâ— To cherish his New Church and to releeve her Good Newes indeed which thralled Soules restore To greater Grace then Adam lost before The Tree of Life that of Old Adams foiling And it of all Luxuriant Sappe dispoyling Christ did transferre to Mortall men on Earth Who hardly could beleeve the Second Birth They thought that none but an Old Serpent could Cast off his Skin and so renue his Old Inveterate New None but the Phaenix dead Could of his Ashes reare another Head With lively Parts as burnisht as the First This seem'd a worke Divine which no man durst Attempt before our Saviour made it plaine That Humane Impe must here be Graft againe And re-baptiz'd by the bright Holy Ghost Whose Name and Gifts he blaz'd through Jewries Coast. Elixirs dreame nor Pythagorean Change Could work this Feate Ghostly Willes exchange Not Sun nor Stars not Humane sâ—ed nor Sence Could breed or cause this quickning Quintessence That spirit which breath'd on the Waters crude When that earths Lumpe confused lay and rude From a thicke Chaos th' Elements did sever And with all quickning Thaw did Ice dissever Transforming what he would have new straite Harmoniously by Number Measure waight This Love-bred Flame grac'd the pure Virgins wombe And none but him such wonders great become This Doctrine Christ to Nichâ—demus taught Who then of him Soule-Consolation sought When at the bruite of his strange Miracles This Learned Scribe to heare Christs Oracles Had stole to him at Salem in the night Fearing the Factions of th' Herodians Might Who nere about that
time got Captiv'd John And through a frisking Wench slaine thereupon I heare quoth he that thou a Prophet art From Heaven sent Salvation to impart Thy Deeds import no lesse for who but One Of Gods owne Choyce or his beloved Son Can doe such workes beyond set Natures reach Or utter such deepe points as thou dost preach Enflamed with the sparkes of thy renowne Which flyes abroad throughout our spacious Towne I come to thee desirous to be taught In the true way and so to Heaven brought Our Saviour turn'd to our Faiths Alphabet And him to learne Truths A.B.C. did set Not Principles of mens Philosophy But Rules which Stony hearts doe mollify He must said Christ who will Gods Kingdome see Become New-borne and so an Infant be That saying is quoth Nichodemus strange How can I now my Ancient yeares exchange For a New Birth I shall get sooner roome In an old Tombe than in my Mothers wombe Jesus convinc'd his Errour and mistake With this reply Thou dost my speeches take In a wrong sense for truth I tell to thee None enters Heav'n nor shall Gods Kingdome see Except he be of Water and the Spirit First borne and then that place he shall inherit That part of Man borne of the Flesh is Flesh More Old than of the Spirit which is fresh Young and Gallant he which is borne hence Leads a new Life and voyd of Lusts Offence When the wind blowes thou hear'st a noyse and sound But know'st not whence it comes nor whither bound So fares it with the Holy Spirits man How he came rapt with Blisse he can not scan He knowes not how his Spirit New became By Grace unseene from the Great Spirits Flame When Nicodemus heard this Lesson rare He answered these things not likely are How can it be that Man without Commotion Of Natures sense should apprehend this Motion Of his New-Birth by the quicke Spirits Seed And grow so strong except some thing him feed Except some Rayes which we not Outward see Or God-head rap the Mind how can this be Bear'st thou a Doctours Style and dost thou teach Said Christ and know'st not this which I doe Preach I speake the Truth and what my Soule hath seene I testify yet all in vaine hath beene If when I speake of Earth youâ—le not beleeve Sure if I tell of Heaven you will grieve None ever yet that Glorious place ascended But through the word which from that Place descended Yea none comes there but who by faith on earth Beleeves Gods Word the second Adams Birth The Womans seed foretold in Paradise Who should confound the Charmers Sorceries Who was fore-doom'd to be sâ—ung in the Heele By the Old Serpent and Gods wrâ—th to feele Whom men lift up and wicked Satan stung As the Brasse-Serpent in the Desart hung Out of this Text all ye who are misled With glozing sinnes your destiny may read That no man shall behold Gods Glorious Face Unlesse by Grace Regeneration raze Sinnes aspicke stings for those stings that zeale And Love be stampt in him with Heavens Seale Unlesse we leave to serve the Old Mans Lord And hate his Life and Lawes in thought and word Unlesse we looke on Him who was lift up On Calvares Crosse and pledge him in his Cup Unlesse we leave our sinnes and to conspire Against his Saints Hell is indeed our Hire Hell is Mans Hire Except his Earthly Clod Be sanctify'd and rebaptiz'd from God His Braine Heart Tongue and Soules chiefe Faculties In one must with Christs Nature sympathize Which spight of sinne Gods Spirit soone or late By Grace effects in the Regenerate Which comes to passe by pondring Truths Record Christs Testament his Covenants and word Shunning Scandall the cause of foule offence By a pure Life Faith Love and Penitence And lastly by oft cheering up the Soule With that Repast which Nature doth controule That Mysticke Lambe unseene yet reall flesh Slaine yet living now Soules to refresh Thus doth the Holy Ghost worke and Create A new borne Babe a Soule Regenerate Ev'n He that quickned Christ in Maries wombe Will breath on him and make him then become By Motion calme unseene and secret meane Christs lively Member pure Reformed Cleane Conformed to the Head our Elder Brother Whose last command was this Love one another Now by these signes our Britaines sure may know Whether they be of his true Christian Row To be Baptiz'd without the Sacred Spirit Is surely never Heaven to Inherit They be but Nurles half Christians dwarfes or elves Nor Hot nor Cold which doe perswade themselves By Baptisme bare with Water the Communion And Outward workes to be of Saint-like union For what will our great Charters Seale availe If to performe the Covenants we faile That is to love our New mans Lord and Head Learne his New Law and a New life then lead God by Christ's death more power did restore With that Free-will which Adam lost before Grace gave to us this Supernaturall Free gift to cope with the Will Naturall This Will our New-man hath from Bondage free Because true Faith brought Bondage on his knee Which as Love-tokens each good Christian hath Left him by Grace to lead him in Christs path But if he slights this Path being Catechiz'd How can he be with Flames Characteriz'd How dares he say that he doth harmelesse save His Sureties triple vow except he rave If he delights in Carnall talke or Lust More than Gods Word his Faith lies in the dust Devotion failes whilst sinne in Man doth raigne Whilst Satans raigning fancy guides his braine Nor can Gods Graâ—e within his heart fix anchor Till it be cleans'd of rust and Natures rancour Or if it burne it quickly may expire By Carnall meanes and blasts except the Fire Of zeale be kept still in by daily use With watch and ward from Holy things abuse Except the Soule for God Faiths Tything powres Heapt daily from the foure and twenty houres This is a Mystery which few observe And fewer like but give themselves to serve The vicious Times more for Promotion striving Or Plots to please rich humourists contriving Then Grace to beg with humble hearts and sorry Then first to seeke before their owne Gods Glory Joyne we our wills to his we shall be pure For Christ his death Old Adams Plagues did oure But now a dayes in worldly Policy Some temporize to hide their Lunacy Like Adams nakednesse till time more mellow And ripe shall change their Youthfull haires yellow Or else because against the Holy Ghost For sinning they doe tremble to be lost If once New borne of the same Flaming Spirit They lose their Talent or chance to bury it O causelesse doubts like to Hob-goblins Feares As though Gods spirit loathes the sighs and teares Of his poore Converts nay he will assure And helpe to make their rathe Election sure No Fits stop them like Agues stormes or Raine But Grace moves to their Centred Hearts againe Though I confesse that
Servants stript Murtherd his Sonne and were themselves extirpt These severall sorts of Temporizers toucht We find by Christ himselfe and sharpely coucht Under these pithy Parables like them Which praise the Tree and yet the Fruite contemne For some there are as Jesus did rehearse Who by the High way side good Corne disperse And this the Birds catch up and prey upon Some sow in Barren ground too neere the Stone Which wanting Earth moisture wants encrease So hardned Faith can never harvest Peace And though Gods word be Preacht on Sabbath dayes Yet lacking Rooâ—e it withers decayes Such Auditors and outward Formalists Stand both excluded out of Christian Lists Some seed springs faire but choakt with thornes and Tares Soone faile like braines too full of worldly cares When Satans weedes of vanity or Lust Grow up with Faith then Faith lies in the dust So in Gods Church spring Heresies accurst Unlesse Good Pastours weed them up at first But blest be they who sow in Fruitfull ground Their Graine shall sure a hundred fold abound Like Mustard seed though at the Prime but smal Yet at the Harvest it growes full and Tall. If Adams Sonnes could with a zealous mind Receive Gods Word his Spirit they should finde His holy Gifts would multiply with store From blisse to blisse they should rise more more Such Prophesies of Christs are come to passe Where we may see as in a steely glasse How some â—ay for Gods Messengers a traine Yea and to slay their Masters Sonne againe How neere some runne into damnations brinke Like Beares to eate his Flesh his Blood to drinke For doe not they with Blasphemy mistake To bragge that they did Flesh materiall take When Christ before his Passion as he sate At Supper did no such communicate In reall forme nor yeeld for them to gnaw His Limbes which then and there entire they saw His Flesh and Blood Christ consters to be Life And Quickning Spirit and to end all strife He saith that Man must have another Birth The Elder borne of flesh or Carnall earth The second of the Spirit New and quicke Whereto a Saint with constant faith must sticke For as the flesh subsists with earthly Bread So by his Deaths Record the Soule is fed His Sacrificed flesh with mouthes Confession And Hearts Beliefe receiv'd heales all Transgression And doth through Grace the Spirits food impart Unto Gods Image pure Mans noblest part This made Christ say The flesh cannot availe For Blisse but that his quickning words prevaile This quickning food Christs Spirit satisfide When Satan try'd his Body mortifide Mans person here not onely lives by Bread But with the word of God he must be fed This unseene meate Christ had as he did tell Whereof they knew not at Samariaes Well On which Eternall â—ates those Soules that feed Of Carnall food shall never stand in need Nor at Doomesday when Hagges howle out Alasse Shall Soule-fed Saints to condemnation passe This Living water free'y without sale Christ cry'd to all a â—hirst both great an small To drinke beleeve and feed on Christ implyes The selfe same thing in our great Sacrifice Our Bodies food by Nature rots at last Converts to dung and to the draught is cast Or is to Humours chang'd but Christ his food Transformes us to his quickning flesh and blood Of the like Substance form'd and Quality As the New mans by Christs Conformity The Rocke a figure was the Vine a signe Blest be the Branches grafted in this Vine So blest be they who make true Ghostly use Of this Rocke Vine and Blood without abuse As here our Soules feed on Christs flesh and blood By faith so musing on his Sacred food We shall raisd up to higher Dignity Feed on Christs Godâ—ead and Humanity Where now we feed on Christ the Lambe divine We then shall Feast through Christ with God in Trine Gods word begat the Churches Sacraments Of sundry formes yet One in their intents The Circumcision and the Easter Lambe Our Baptisme and the Eucharist became Mysterious signes Christs Image to renew By Grace in man the Gentile as the Jew In which as they their Faith infolded fixt So we on Christ Baptiz'd and Câ—ucifixt For in the Cloud the Nation circumciz'd Were in the Desart to Faiths Rocke baptiz'd An easie yoake for us two Objects free Both which they darkling saw through Crystall we â—They God admir'd in their old Sacrifice As we doe Christ in ours with Extasies Faith saved them and did their soules releeve And the same God saves us if we beleeve Since they were sav'd beleeving in the Shadowes Then why not we receiving him that made us Yea sure we may according to our Creed And zeale feed on his Flesh true Flesh indeed Not Chymicke-like with changing Accidents But as our New-man feeds with Soule-rapt sense Not with our Teeth nor yet Fantasticke flesh But as himselfe at Supper did expresse It for Soules Food to his Disciples then As now with his Deaths type to Christian men Who this beleeves and helpes the wounded man Without a Fee like the Samaritane If he be Lowly as the Publican Asham'd of sin and doth the best he can To please the Lord he shall be borne anew Of Gods bright Spirit and see all things New The Sacraments typ'd with New properties The one doth cleanse the Babes impurities The other cheeres us up by Sacrifice Of Bread and Wine Food of new Qualities Vnder whose veile they blest by sacred Word We minde in Trance the Body of the Lord And then we checke the World the Flesh the Devill For Saints wel know that nothing which is evil Nor yet that Flesh wherein our Spirits move Shall Heaven see till Grace our sins remove Which may not be unlesse we will Repent To Natures griefe and Fiends astonishment How we become New borne no more we know Than Nicodemus how the wind did blow But by our Faith that Gods Sonne crucified Doth now on his Right hand sit glorified Above all Thrones A Saviour Priest and King Triumphant over sin the Dragons sting And may heale us as the Brasse Serpent hung Did Israelites by fiery Serpents stung If we receive this Viands excellence With Inward taste more than with Outward sense But why did Christ Evangelize Salvation In mysticke sort and aime at Reprobation By sentences to carnall wits so darke Was it that we more seriously might marke The Sence when they should moralized be By Clerkes of our Leviticall Degree Perhaps such Tropes propt with Divinity May worke in some with greater Majesty So Saints sometimes to States Tyrannicall Have read by Riddles or in Generall Grave Lectures on the Gospels Lightning Text Least their seeds growth by spleene or by pretext Of winding Lawes were dasht with dis-respect Or silenced themselves with foule neglect If bluntly they or headlong out of Season Preach much of Peace to Tyrants voyd of Reason Christs flocke well knowes his voyce but on the rest That stray let Wolves
wise answers still outstript their reach Sometime they did with questions him assay To know if they should unto Caesar pay Tribute or no whereby they might for Treason Attach him but they failed for that season So wary in his talke they found him still They could no way entrap his Tongue for ill Nor taxe his life with the least hainous Fact At last the bruite of his late famous Act How Lazarus revived from his Grave Where he had laine for foure dayes space that gave More cause of envy and astonishment New Jealousies fewell of discontent But most of all when loud Hosannaeâ— shout To welcome him the City rang throughout How many griefes on his Humanity How many wrongs on his Divinity Did they from time to Time when they should render Him gratefull thankes inflict though thankes were slender Instead of thankes his Favours they requited With Adders stings his wonders they backebited And tooke him for a Witch or Conjurer With Belzebub in League that he did erre Dislodging Fâ—iends but by the Prince of hell But how Christ raisd the dead they could not tell Which way that chanc'd before the latter date Of crooked Time doom'd to a flaming fate That some reviv'd they had some instances But they were few or but few houres in trances Never did Enoch pay his debt to death Death never stopt the zealous Thesbites breath For these they had their Schoole-distinctions cleare But Christs late Act amazed them with feare They fear'd the losse of their high Temporall sway Lest this New man might turne mens hearts away From Moses Lawes and make their Offerings lesse They had of late by Rome felt some distresse Their yearely gaines which did support their pride They doubted much would fall with his Spring-tide This mov'd the Scribes with their High Priest and Judge Proud Caiphas so at Christ his Fame to grudge Which to deface a Councell they did call Of their chiefe Priests and Scribes in Caiphas Hall Where Annas styl'd the High Priests Suffragan Or SAGAN to Jewes Metropolitan Whose Daughter was that time to Caiphas Wife Conspired thus against our Saviours life Right Reverend Rabbies and renowned Scribes The Countenance of our most holy Tribes Have we not suffer'd griefes enough of late But that more cares must now infest our state A Counterfeit Messias a New Man Jesus of Galile a Puritan Thinkes now because he is a Nazarite Profest to change the Priesthoods Ancient Rite And Ceremonies of Mount Sinaies Law Behold how he doth labour to withdraw The fraile and giddy-headed multitude From our Traditions which he tearmeth rude Humane and not Divine If this World hold Farewell Peace offrings which our State uphold We must bid Moses with Gods Lawes adieu And Aarons Tinkling Bells shall lose their due We shall no more meete here before the Lord If this upstart with his unlettred word Shall by New dreames raise up a Newer sect Than Holy Johns whom none of us suspect Of Fraud To Schismes this matter sure will tend Which in short time our Synagogue will rend Romes greedy Kites will of these Newes be glad Nor Herod will be thereof very sad But both will joyne to share our finest wooll And downe they will our goodly Temple pull How shall our Levites then themselves sustaine Nay how shall our Grand Mitred Prelate raigne To represent great Aarons Majesty If this Impostour maskt with poverty Doe stop the gap through which to Paradise We leade Mens Soules the simple and the wise I doe protest it grieves me to the Heart And I foresee we shall hereafter smart If he goes on in this his New-found motions Though Begger-wise yet may it breed Commotions For did you note when through the Streetes hee past Upon a bare-backt Asse how some did cast Their Garments on the way with Branches greene Held in their hands like Fooles to have him seene And for a Demy-god observ'd the Crowd Hosanna with great Shouts proclaiming loud And all because he had by Satans Ayd To Lazarus late dead new Life convayd Indeed some signes he workes and men possest With Fiends he cures having some league profest With Belzebub for which he hath no warrants From God or us to execute such arrants Annas had scarce exprest himselfe at full When Caiphas like to Basans bellowing Bull Began to roare Shall we put up this wrong And not suppresse him ere he be too strong Have we not yet both Swords at our Command Pilate will not deny if we demand His Armed helpe to take a Mutineere Who calles himselfe Gods Sonne to domineere The sooner by that high and lofty style But let us now attache him by some wile Lest to some Desart he depart againe When he shall heare that we would take him fain And thither will a world of people flocke Itching to heare what of the Living Rocke Or the New Birth he blunders out to bleare Their silly sight and so away to beare The Palme from us or draw them to despise Our Ancient Rites and Stately Sacrifice T is meeter for one man though Innocent To dye then that we live in discontent Yea and that Lazarus his late raisd minion Shall suffer too to stay the worlds opinion And then with shame the Rabble rout shall see That Prophets never rose from Galilee For our new King in Bethlem must be borne With state and pompe not like this wretch forloâ—n Who for a Throne shall mount the Crosse most royall And for a Mace shall beare a Reed as loyall This is his doome though he the dead revive That dares affront our high Prerogative Deriv'd from God with Ephodâ— golden Gard With Vrim which and Thummim we regard Which evermore Jehovah did assigne Over his Church to us of Levies Ligne At least untill our Great Messias come Of Judaes stocke in Kingly Davids roome Before which day Elias must descend From Heaven downe things crooked to amend In the meane time let us our State defend Against New wits which labour it to rend By broaching forth a New Religions Forme Under pretence the Ancient to reforme From all Traditions and Formalities By their New fâ—ames the Spirits Novelties Before his fame soare up a higher pitch Clip we his wings lest his New Sect bewitch The better sort with Hells attractive charmes His sudden fall will stop all future harmes So Caiphas yalpt and all the Sadduces Approv'd his plot with some proud Pharises From that time out they sought to apprehend The Lambe of God And Satan to that end Because he thrice fail'd in the Wildernesse To Tempt him with his Baltes to wickednesse With all his Art began to play his part And to his Mates his poyson to impart Ayming at Peter whom he thought to sift As wheaâ—e He had already to his drift Snar'd Judas in by Nets of Avarice To gape for gaine and some of those supplies Which by Free-hearted men for their Reliefe Had beene conferr'd to turne like a false Thiefe To his owne use With him
therefore the Fiend Conspir'd to bring to passe his damned End Which was to ruine Christ and all his Crew Before he could on Earth Gods Church renew But could none other of th' Apostles winne Save this Perditions Child to act that sinne Judas suborned thus his Instrument Against his Lord and Master did invent An ambushment Christs Body to betray Though he his owne and Soule did cast away To Satan for a Prey For when he saw As Purser that he could no money draw More than he had by Christ his Company And that at Simons house in Bethany Whilst he summ'd up with avaricious Care His Theft he markt how Christ went poore and bare Not caring for the world or worldly gaine His chiefest ayme and would not then restraine The woman which powr'd Nard upon his Head And feete an Oyle that might him much bestead If to the Druggist sold he murmur'd sore He could not catch as he had done before This when our Saviour mark'd Why doest thou grudge Judas said he like a pelfe-serving drudge This Oyntment sold disposed to the poore I grant might have their wants relieved more But they are alwayes here so am not I. Embalmed thus know I shall shortly dye And through the world where shall be read my story Her loving deed shall publisht be with glory These words distasted foule Iscariots thought And to betray him now he hourely sought Away he went to the Chiefe Priests in hast And told them of Christs life and of this waste Now is the Time quoth he for you to take him Whilst he at night to Prayers doth betake him He names himselfe the Christ. I heard him say He would Gods Temple raze and â—ast away And afterwards râ—build it up as well In three dayes space in spight of Men and Hell The Priests were all of such a Chapman glad And presently a Contract with him made That their Catch-poles might without jeopardy Arrest him by the Nights obscurity For thirty peeces of that Countrey Coyne Which to their Treasure house they did purloyne By shifts and fraud for which they were reprov'd Of Christ before which them to malice mov'd Farre more for that than any other cause Though they surmiz'd the breach of Moses Lawes For plucking Corne upon the Sabbath day Or bringing downe their Temple to decay About that time the Paschall feast to hold On Maundy Thursday so enstyl'd of Old Jesus did sup that Evening tide his last At Salem in an upper roome where plac't With his Disciples twelve he first tooke Bread Bâ—est brake and gave it them whereon they fed After his blessing This my Body is His body sure Mans sacrifice for Blisse If rightly tane by a Just true Receiver With Inward taste and of a true Believer For otherwise who toucht Christ in the Prease Aswell as the Blood-flux'd had found more ease In the remembrance of his body naild Vnto the Crosse whereby the Saints stand baild From terrours here and in the world to come Nay warranted in Spirit they become Against doomes-day from the darke second death He blest the Cup alike with holy Breath After the New mans way and bad them drinke The Sacred Wine and on his Blood to thinke As lately at our New mans Sacrifice With bright day-light confounding Heresies My ravisht Muse beheld the Heavenly Vine With Purple Grapes for Mortals prest to Wine â—This costly food Soules Manna purging vice The figure of his Bodies Sacrifice This Type of Blood unbloudyed Mystery Christ left for Saints to keepe in memory His death untill his comming from above Where yet he sits to intercede and move For Penitents his Father wrong'd by Man This way I feed through Faith And who dares scan Another sense yet with Humility Let him here stop as with the Trinity Of Persons in the Godhead which he ought More to admire than by transcendent thought To soare more high than Eagles to the Sunne Where by the stame his sense may be undone Since how wee change to Christ no more hee knowes Then Babes the manner how the Spirit blowes The Sunne drawes up Earths vapours And so can Christ lift like Stephen up our Inward Man This humblenesse of mind when Christ had supt That Evening as it were to interrupt Our Future doubts he shew'd by stooping downe To wash his Servants feete with Love unknowne To which he added that the Marke for ever True hearted Christians from the false to sever Was mutuall Love which a Commandment New He styl'd for without Love Faith proves untrue Our soules and bodies are the Church where God In the third person holds his sweete abode But if we hate good men God dwels not there For the true Churches Roofe Love ought to beare The Sacrifice all done Christ went his way Out of the City as he us'd to Pray Accompanyed with his Disciples true For Judas was departed to his crue His Masters nippe made him the sooner goe Doe quickely that which thou intend'st to doe To execute his Treason and Compact And to receive his bire while Jesus rackt With griefe prepar'd by Fervent Love aswell As Faith and vowes against Sin Death and Hell With his ensuing griefes he had acquainted His Chosen Mates how he should be attainted Bound and arraign'd that night how thereupon As scattered Floâ—kes his servants would be gone And him would leave amidst his Bloody foes Enthrall'd and sore distrest with dismall woes But Peter trusting to his rusty sword Seem'd to distrust his Lords Propheticke word No Mortals force nor death nor Furies grimme From Gods deare Sonne should ever sever him Before the Cocke crow thrice thou wilt deny Replyed Christ me and my Company Thou and thy Mates before the Mornings peepe Will flye for feare like weake and heartlesse Sheep There close unto Jerusalem confin'd Neere Olives Mount a place for him assign'd By Destiny which was his Fathers Will To vent the throbs which did his Inside fill A Garden styl'd of Old Gethsemanee Secure at Nights from Worldlings Company There Jesus felt what might the stoutest quell A world of griping cares of Torments fell The dreadfull vengeance which the Godhead past Upon Mankind his owne so over cast And almost sunke with Agonies of sorrow That one had thought he could not live till morrow His tender Body did extreamely languish And did partake of more and sadder anguish Then other mens wanting the Nature Male In the mixt frame of his Conception Female Or weaker earthly Flesh whereby he stood So tortur'd that he sweated drops of Blood So sensible so full of piercing paine That he could not but more then man complain Like him whose youthfull Lockes chang'd into Gray In one nights space on fame that the next day He should be slaine But Sweates to sacrifice Of streaming Blood exceedes all prodigies And shewes that Saints by meanes most violent Win Grace to Natures sore astonishment Christ by this Strange Pro-passion tortured Shewes that his Mind as Body languished His Agony surmounted all mens
is decreed that I in Hell must lye And that Another must my charge supply Nothing but horror sounds without within My Soule like Zims and Oyms full of sinne Scritcheth out aloud Judas Iscariot Come away to Hell for thou hast forgot And renounc't thy Baptisme betraying God The Sonne of God make here no more abode On Earth I come I come a Damned Ghost By you O Furies to be ever tost God frownes because my Master I did sell And now because God frownes I le downe to hell The fearefull end which Judas made so knowne So common ranne disperst through all the Towne That Salems Clergie stood as men agast And doubting lest for their rash sentence past And treachery the hand of God might strike With vengeance them for their false deedes dislike They all agreed their Church not to defile With Bloods Reward but so to reconcile The fact with workes of Merits bastard kind That God might seeme to them like Mortals blind This made them play for cloaking of abuses Bo-peepe with Faith and turne to Pious uses The Thirty pence the hire of treachery As Zachary foretold their Salary Buying therewith the Potters field to Bury Poore strangers in thereby to slacke Gods fury O fond conceit to doe an Injury And afterwards like Hallifaxes Jury To fit and see the wronged man redrest When doome forepast could never be reverst Nor ransomed with guerdon Competent Chiefely for Blood to which they gave consent Against Gods Lambe not of Religious care But factiously the Churches Fleece to share Without reproofe or Shepherds Brow severe For this made them to Christ such mallice beare Fearing lest that in time the Cautious wise Might counterchecke their maskt hypocrisies If this New man in that luxurious Age Should draw their Flocke to his New Pasturage With Parables infolding Charity Repentance Faith and Hearts Humility No doubt but they acknowledged the Word To be Divine and worthy of Record Which Jesus taught confirm'd with Miracles But Satan had cast forth such Obstacles Of Merits Clouds before their Carnall sence That they might slight the Spirits Quintessence The Bread of Life the New mans nourishment As crosse to that which they for Lucre vent Gods holy Writ corrupting with Traditions With Thalmuds Quirkes and thorny Expositions For Juries Church with Carnall Pharisees Was branded then and with dull Saduces Which with their Monkes Essences would deface By Merits bragges Gods Covenant of Grace Making the weaker sort of Soules beleeve That they could stint Gods wrath or it reprieve But why blame I the Jewes Apostacy When now the time of Daniels Prophesie Was come that their Messias should be slaine Not for himselfe but for Anothers staine The more vile wretches we that gave the cause By the flat breach of our Creatours Lawes He Legions might of Angels to his Ayd Have cal'd but then Mans ransome was not paid He might to Hell all Adams race have cast But then he had left none his Grace to tast And this sweet Grace of his made him to beare Such wrongs in Jewry Land and to forbeare With us our debts which none could satisfie But he alone whose Merits Justifie This is my Faith the upshot of my Creed Thy Blood O Christ can save fraile Adams seed If they Repent believe and turne to God Thou wilt absolve them from thy Fathers rod Yea from Hell-flames for thy worths excellence Restor'd what Adam lost Soules Innocence Thy humble Life and Death upon the Crosse Have crost Gods Sentence and repair'd our Losse Let therefore to his Crosse our zeale returne And never cease with Holy Flames to burne Untill we end sad Fridayes Sacrifice And see what Christ paid more for Humane vice I meane not onely that which Helene found With rubbage soil'd but the Crosse solid sound Which scorching Soules for new Jerusalem Aâ—ords to Saints a more expedient Theame We never saw the Crosse where Christ was fixt Yet we beleeve that he was Crucifixt Now to his Death his sore tormenting Death They led Gods Lambe to end his wearyed breath With floutes and shoutes they led him to the Crosse The waight whereof by force they did impose Because his Lambe-like strength began to faint And could no longer beare it by constraint On Simon of Cirean a labouring man A good poore Soule an honest Publican Whom there by chance the Ruffian Souldiers met Upon the Raised Crosse they Jesus set With loud Out-cryes as at a May-pole Game And to the same with Contumelious shame His hands and feete with piercing Nailes they fixt And like a Judge plac'd him two Theeves betwixt The more to spite him But the Morall is Some he shall doome to Hell and some to Blisse For these two Theeves were of a diffrent Faith Th' one railes at him the other meekely saith We faulty are but this man guiltlesse dyes Remember me Good Lord when thou doest riseâ— To whom sweet Jesus instantly replyes This day thou shalt with me to Paradise Which words well markt who will not thence inferre But Grace workes more than Merit and averre That Christ Gods power had when Crucified He could so soone a Theefe make Justified To reape that Harvest where he never sow'd Even Blisse which with their Caterwalling loud Some hunted for yet could not with it meet Like Cats for Fish that would not wet their feete But th' unbaptiz'd that liv'd not to restore What he had rob'd doth wonder-rap me more To see him Crown'd a Saint in Heaven Above Then that I dare discusse Gods hidden Love Who of meere Grace payes some at Sun-set hires Equall with them whom earlier he inspires Or aske the King why he to Honour screwes Some men of lesse desert than mine in shewes Faith wins us Grace So while proud Rabbies laught Poore Women wept and at the Crosse were taught With Swan-like Song though in deaths Agony Christ warned them by way of Destiny Shed not yee Daughters of Jerusalem Your Teares for me but for your selves shed them My Father to whose care I recommend My Soule will to his children comfort send The dayes will come when they that Barren are More safely shall then Women Fruitfull share When many shall in perills dolorous Cry out yee Caves and Mountaines cover us For if a Blooming Tree of verdant sap Be thus cut off how shall the dry escape To shew what Love is unto Parents due His Mother Mary at his last adieu Whose Soule with his as Simeon did relate Was as with sword pierst in that Bloody fate Having with constant mind whilst others fled Staid by the Crosse till she should see him dead He comforted with John Behold thy Sonne With charge to him Behold thy Mother John Two sacred Saints joyn'd in one Legacy Two Soules fast knit in Saint-like Amity John therefore home the blessed Virgin tooke And never she her Sonne bequeath'd forsooke But in his house remain'd a Widow-Mayd Untill her debts to Nature she had paid These pithy Types of Charity and Grace Christ dying
is it not Profane to Sacrifice To God before the Soule be cleans'd of Vice How many wayes may we redeeme the Times If we apply our Willes thereto betimes The Mornings prime in Prayer to the Lord We ought to Sacrifice and to record His wondrous Acts unto our Families Or Neighbours whom with Charitable Ties The Chaine of Faith hath linked in together As Fellow Saints The Noone-tide we may either In sober Meales or in Almes-giving spend The Afternoone to gentle Walkes may tend There more to prayse the Flowers variety Then Salomon in all his Royalty To suck the Hilles or fragrant Gardens Aire Or it may tend to make the Soule more faire By reading Scriptures or the Martyrs wrongs Choise Catechismes Sermons or sacred Songs To shew us zeale against a Graven Elfe Moses broke the Tables of God himselfe The like pure Flame burnt in Phinehes Soule When he with Steele foule Whoredome did controule Do we contend in Lawfull Warres debate Or in defence of our Religions state Who in Old time more constantly did brook Proud Giants scornes Or with more Patience took Their Flouts which did at his good Sermons bark Then Noe whilst he built his famous Ark Who better did Gods Chosen Souldiers guide Then Abram Josuab and the valiant David Who more resolv'd to fight in a good Cause Then the brave Maccabees for Moses Lawes Would you observe a Kings or Judges Part Their lawfull Charge grave Moses doeth impart As Subjects Dammage by their winkt at Bribes And Tyrannies old Samuels Book describes Would yee Rule well your selves a House or State These Salomon and Sirach moderate Ere Sidrach Misach and Abednego Would Idolize the Fire they undergo Nor could the Lions Den nor Medes decree From serving God enforce good Daniels Knee Do we desire to see a harmelesse Mask With Daunces Songs and Shoutes Here is a Task For our New man with David to consult And Judaes Kings whilst Incest doeth insult On that great Baptists Life from Jordan led To pay unto a Frisking Mayd his Head Comforts for Griefe wee feele in Davids Psalmes By Jeremy by Job or Tobiths Almes What wonders do the Spirits Penmen teach Perform'd by Saints beyond Dame Natures reach Do we affect to drink most wholesome Wine Go we to Cana or to Christ the Vine Where without charge both White and Red abound To cheere sad Soules while Christ his Health goes round Would wee see acted a rare Convertite Damascus shewes us Paul Christs Favorite Would we discerne the Newman in his strength The Gospell paints his Portraiture at length Would we behold She-paragons of Beauty Or of that Sexe some others False and Haughty Sara Rebecca Rachel Debora Miriam and she that nailed Sisera So Hanna Ruth Priscilla Magdalen And Philips Nunnes deserve a Prophets Pen. So Judith Ester and Susanna Chast And she within all Glorious that 's embrac't By Heavens King with Sunny Robes adorn'd Maugre the plots of men by Fiendes suborn'd Whose prayse we find blaz'd in the Canticles Extended then and since by Oracles So for her Zeale with them I parallel Christs Prophetesse the Widow Phanuel These Female sparkes invite my Soule a Guest And so the Churches Type at the Lords Feast Sweet Mary blest in the Superlative Cheeres me with her whom Zachary did wive Who brought like Sara forth in Ancient Age A Prophet to proclayme Christs Pilgrimage The Elect Lady Hulda the Prophetesse Lydia and Dorcas make a Holy Messe Then Jezabel I read and Babels Whore Both rampant bent the Church of God to gore Last Athaliaes Fate from Bloudy snares Saphiraes me from Double dealing scares As likewise do from Gadding Dinaes Fall Lots wife and Evaes Doome good Dames recall These Histories or such in Holy writ Exemplified this sacred Day befit Good Bookes advance the Newmans Sacrifice But Bad to Heathnish vice soft Braines entice Therefore let us borne of the Spirits seed Immortall scorne our Christian Mindes to feed With Tales vaine Sports or fond Lascivious Bookes Which Fiendes suggest for Soules as shining Hookes Exploites belied on Patrick Arthur Guy The Peeres of Fraunce or Spaines bald knightly Fry To the intent that from Gods word the Will Might be seduc'd t' apprehend more Ill. Arming our Mindes let us our Bodyes too The Parcels of Christs Temple not undoe With Drunken Healthes the Divells Sacrifice In these last Times nor yet Apicius-wise With various kindes of Gurmandizing Cheere Which dimmes with noysome Fumes the Spirits Cleere And the Five senses so intoxicates That Pulpits blush to see such Nodding Pates How oft saw we some at this Holy Tide More Sensuall bent then any day beside Some haunting more the Taverne then the Church Some on the Spoile some living on the Lurch And some farre more to deck their Out-side bent Then by Gods word to feele Soule-ravishment Strutting more oft to Church with Painted Wings Then to beare thence Soule-wares sacred things Yet presse I not too peevishly Precise But Christians may in comely modest wise Weare what they list so that their glittring Port Cause no offence unto the weaker sort So that their Pomp do not Devotion let I care not how in Forraigne Robes they jet What Hurrying Noise what March and rumbling Coile As if they went unto a Play or Broile Do Gallants keep wirh Coaches in the Street When they at Church should Saints most humbly greet Since God allowes to the Domestick Beast Which labour'd the sixe Dayes our Sabbaths Rest How dare they then his Creatures put to Paine More to proclaime their Pomp then Peace to gaine Such Sabbath-breakers I do greatly feare Before the Lambe preferre proud Lucifer Yet for this Clause let not the Courtly Eare Mistake my sence for I do not averre But that in their Caroach or their Sedan Without Disgust to the most Puritan The Aged Weak or those of tender feet May use what Meanes they please in Church to meet When with lowd Threates tempestuous Winds do raigne Or When the Cloudes dissolve to dropping Raine So that their Hearts be voyd of swelling Pride And that their Journey be with Christ to side Who when he did in greatest Triumph passe On Earth as Man rode on a Simple Asse Nor do I waigh such points so strict a way But Fishers Cookes and Pothecaries may Labour or save what would be cast away If on the Eve they toyle not for that Day But I could wish good Christians not to play The Epicures on the Lords Sabbath Day Causing their Cookes to dresse more Choice of Meate Then Heliogabale could digest to eat Whilst that ten Quailes or Phesants in one Dish His Pandaâ—s sauc'd with Pearle and Ambergriese God graunt that we more suting our Vocation May ruminate with serious Meditation This wholesome Feast which I have plainely drest And those New Rules which I have now exprest For Boyling Braines swelld up with Arrogance That they may stoup and feele the Spirits Traunce To do Gods Will to muse on Heavenly Joyes And not to clinche