life-giving bread so that the Schools in Generall and many of the Fathers where opinioned from this John 6. that there is a kind of divine seed infused by the Eucharist not only into the souls but into the bodies also of faithfull Receivers whose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or vivifying Quality inclineth and as 't were fitteth them to a Reviviction non Disputo sed Credo ut Credo Edo how far the words may bear it I dispute not but believe him that said it John 6.54 whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day The Ascention of Christ. matt 28. mark 16. luk 24. * * 50. And he led them out as farre as Bethany and he lift up his hands and blessed them 51. And it came to passe while he blessed them he was parted from them and carryed upp into heauen Here the Plate POEM 16. Upon this day as the Sweet Prophet sings The Sun arose with healing in his wings The Sun of Righteousnesse which lately sate In a Cloud Red as Bloud yet now in state He reapproacheth with Refulgent Rayes Cheering our sadness Lengthning of our Days Our declinations of Mortality Into a Solstice of Eternity This day the Lord made and it sorrow marr'd Nay This day made the Lord that is declar'd His Mercy on others many wonders show'd But now his Power one on Himself bestow'd This stronger Samson breaks the cords and bands Of death and Hell with his Triumphant hands See honest Joseph here from Prison come In Christ Returning from deaths dungeon The Gates of Gaza Samson bare away But Christ the Gates of death unhing'd to Day Stout Daniel here from fierce companions free While Christ returns from vanquish'd Divels See Here is that Temple which Jews did destroy Yet as foretold repaired the third day Here Jonah too the whale doth cast on shore Now the devouring Grave doth Christ restore Which Morsell hath Death's stomack so sick made Hee 'l one day vomit all that 's therein laid Mean time the Grave 's well Metamorphosed Thus warm'd by Christ Fear not to go to bed For though what 's sown do dy yet see the Graine With gay advantages revives again In stead of mouldring Drought Green-Flourishing Each single vertue many Multiplying Christ thus our humane Nature did calcine Not Transubstantiate into divine But what was naturall Spiritualize By the exaltation of the Qualities More then Angelick Beuty Crowns that Face Where the Forme of a servant late took place That Body new Agility doth move Who 's Center 's not below now but above Enfranchis'd too from Earth's necessities And supports humane by Divine supplies Needs neither Rest Food Raiment as before As being to hunger thirst and tire no more And when Christ fed since 't was not Him to nourish But onely his Disciples Faith to cherish And in his Body rais'd those wounds and scars Became the brightest parts in their orb stars Such the Prerogative spiritual is Of bodies glorifi'd of Christ and His. First fruits imply the Later look what he Injoy'd we shall for act though not degree Each vessel full of true felicity According to its Receptivity If we mean while but rise from graves of sin And Transitories which most buried in If of such Bats we pitch an Eagles flight And to be where this Carcass is delight Then doubt not but who thus the first partake The second Resurrection bless'd shall make Thus by the resurrection of the dead The Living's Faith is chiefly comforted The COLLECT The Epistle Col. 3. ver 1. unto 8. The Gospel John 20. ver 1. to 11. Almighty God which thorow thy only begotten Son Jesus Christ hast overcome death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life we humbly beseech thee that as by thy speciall grace preventing us thou dost put into our minds good desires so by thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect through Jesus Christ our Lord who liveth c. Vpon Ascension Day or Holy Thursday DISQUISITION 14. WEe may well say of this Feast as the Jews of that same Sabbath John 19. John 19.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That this is an High Day dies Solennis a day of Joy to all Generations both in respect of Christ our Lord and of all true Christian people as being the first day of Christs Ascension in the flesh for his Deity cannot be said either to ascend or descend this being the first day of his sitting in joy and glory rest and triumph The Proem at the right hand of God And as to our selves This the first day as it were of our right to Heaven the first day that our Nature entred there whence we have both a Priviledg and an Assurance to follow as this day the sentence of our corruption was changed and in stead of that curse in the beginning Earth thou art c. it was now said unto our Nature Ascend to Heaven and which never was to Angels Sit thou at my right hand c. Heb. 1. Sure Heb. 1.13 an inestimable happinesse was Christs personall Society his bodily Presence while he lived on earth could the hardened Jews have seen or seeing have perceived it but Light came into the world and darknesse comprehended it not They like the brutish Gadarens had rather have their swine then this pearle while the devout Saint Augustine made it you know the chiefest of his chiefe desires Romam in Flore Paulum in Cathredra Christam in Carne S. August 3 chief desires To have seen widowed Roome in her Virgin Foelicity to have heard that Divine Oracle Saint Paul out of the Pulpit but above all to have embraced his Redeemer in the flesh And could then have sung his Swann like Anthem the Nunc dimittis as cheerfully as old Simeon could willingly have closed his eyes with that blest object How full of joy needs must his presence be on earth in whose presence is fulnesse of joy in heaven I and who still carryed Heaven along with him And so fill'd with this joy of his presence were his Apostles he having oft miraculously sed them by Land saved them by Sea instructed them both by Sea and Land that they could not with patience endure once to think of his abscence or hear of his Departure and therefore one of them to enjoy him longer disswadeth him from his sufferings Mat. 16. though he be called Satan for his labour the rest in a sad copartnership of sorrow lament the death and losse of him Mat. 16.22 All his other actions were desiderabilia but this parting as another death here their affections cry out with the Pilgrims of Emmaus Mane nobiscum Domine we have now most need of thee Advesperascit For now the dark evening draweth on c. All of them at his Final valediction his telling them of his Ascending to Glory seem impatiently unwilling to stay behind him John 13.37 John 13.
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Set your Affections on things that are above and not Coloss 3.1.2 c. Coloss 3.1 and that leadeth to the Terminus ad Quem The point to which Christ rose ad vitam unto life and glory And here is a comfortable sight to wipe sad eyes Ecce Joseph de carcere Samson de Civitate Daniel de specu Jonas è Coeto Here is the Sunne that was ecclipsed cometh forth like a Bridegroom That Eagles age renewed by casting of his Bill The good grain sowed and quickned by dying The destroyed Temple the third day repaired Here is the substance of all those shadowes Surrexit CHRIST is risen from the Dead and yet no Article of our Faith so much opposed Satan knows well that shaking the Foundation will hazard all the Building Math. 28.14 But all his poysons are strongly Antidoted severall wayes besides the mentioned prefigurations First by praedictions Psal 72.15 Ezek. 37. Psalm 72. He shall live c Ezek. 37. in the vision of the Dry bones And the Evangelist applieth that of Jonah unto Christ Matth. 12. Secondly by the Apostles Declarations Acts 1.3 chap. 2. 24. chap. 13. 34. But thirdly and convincingly by his own frequent appearance five times on the day of his Resurrection 1 Corinth 15. from verse 4. c. and that an eminent Jews testimony might confirm Christianity 1 Cor. 15.4 heare what Josephus saith of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was at that time saith he a certain wise man Joseph Antiq. lib. 18. c. 4. if it be lawfull to call him a man for he was the performer of divers admirable workes and the Instructor of those that willingly entertain the Truth and he drew unto unto him divers Jewes and Greekes his Followers This was Christ saith he who being accused by the Princes of our Nation Josephus his testimony concerning Christ and condemned to the Cross by Pilate appeared to his Disciples alive the third day after according as the Divine Prophets had before testified the same c. What can be more manifest Why should Philosophizing Flesh and Bloud so stick at this Idem numero corruptum nequit reproduci That the selfe-same thing corrupted can never possibly bee re-intyred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is any thing impossible unto Omnipotence Nay when as to say nothing of the Phoenix we know some daring Chymists have reduced Flowers at least to shape and colour after they had been consumed unto ashes How much more easie can the Almighty think you recall both Flesh and Sinews till dry bones live again Ezek. 37. Till they friendly jog each other Ezek. 37. as 't were asking Livest thou Brother Sure it is as easie to Reduce as to Create Author tollit dubitationem me thinks the very Author then should take away all haesitation in that Christ is risen and that Christ is God and that same God Almighty For those Praecursores those Harbingers of CHRIST'S Resurrection as Saint Bernard calleth those revived by the Prophets they were rather to bee stiled Raisings then Risings 1 King 21. 2 King 13.21 Suscitations more then Resurrections as appeares by their Discriminations First Surrexerunt illi morituri They rose shortly to dye again and so will one day need another Resurrection But CHRIST being risen dieth no more saith the Apostle and in that he liveth he liveth unto God Rom. 6. Again Illi virtute aliena Those were raised by the power of another nay indeed Former resurrections how differing from Christs of CHRIST who lent that power but CHRIST here Virtute propriâ by his own power by his owne Arme by his own Right Hand hath hee gotten himselfe this victory He whose mercy hrd formerly bestowed many miracles on others his power now worketh one upon himselfe He who by his Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 raised Jairus daughter Mark 1. who by his Touch revived the Widowes sonne Luke 17. Luke 7. Who by his Prayer restored unto life putrified Lazarus John 11. John 11. Sure with as much ease could his inhabitant Divinity re-animate his owne Body to a Resurrection and therefore in Saint Luke 't is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is raised but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is risen and actively translated not suscitatus but surrexit The Time too of his Resurrection is Time well spent to contemplate and that was the first day of the Week and the third of his Passion at once fulfilling the Prophesie and translating the Sabbath Ideo post tres dies saith Austine Therefore after three dayes Christ rose Lib. 4. de Trin. to intimate and manifest the Ascent of the whole Trinity in the passion of the Sonne On the third saith Bernard that Himselfe and Prophets might be found faithfull who foretold it Hosea 2. Matth. 27.63 Intra triduum within three dayes indeed for we know he slept not in the grave above two Nights and one whole Day some 40. houres and then knitting the end of the first to the beginning of the last hastened lest tedious sorrow should too much wrack the minds and faith of his Disciples And here the Mathematitians help out wel to make good that same Type of Jonah of three dayes and three nights which taken as generally as his death that is all parts of the World considered and then his buriall cometh up full to that of Jonah yet but three dayes at most to teach us not to bury our desires in the earth to become Eagles and not Moles to spend but two or three dayes that is but some small time and industry to gain a competency For Quatriduani faetant Think of that those worldly Lazar-souls that lye foure dayes interred that is all the foure quarters of their lives groveling for transitories stink in the nostrils of the Almighty O happy those when Christ with an offended eye beholds these earthly vanities of whose soule he may say as this Text doth of him Luke 24.6 Surrexit non est hic It is not here but is risen And then more and more still rise it shal till the Scale of Grace lodge them among the stars of Glory And this Resurrection of our Saviour saith Bernard on this Argument was not Reditus sed Transitus Bern. in Fest not any Regress into his former state again but a kind of Transmigration into a better Non rediit in nostram mortalitatem sed in sublimius aliquid transiit CHRIST returned not saith he into our mortality and the miseries of this present life again but Rose into some higher degrees of perfection even to a glorified condition Yet not as the Eutychian Hereticks phantasied The Heresie of Entychus confuted Humana Natura in Divinam conversa As though CHRISTS Humane Nature by his Resurrection had been changed into the Divine sed servatis essentialibus but reserving still the Essentiall properties of an humane Body it was visible palpable and circumscribed Luke 24.39 Luke 24. Quà litas
T is ceremoniall for the manner albeit Morall for the matter And this Precept is hedged in on every side lest we should break out of its observance Fronted with a cautiou or command for it will beare both Imperat suadet Remember thou keep Holy it injoyns with perswasion and then back'd with Reasons Reasons from both parties God and Man with some remarkable eminencies above other Mandates They run either barely Affirmative as the fifth or barely Negative as all the other but in this both parts expressed beginning with the Affirmative Remember c. proceeding in the Negative In it thou shalt do no manner of work c. The Breach hereof thus both wayes met withall Again 't is more extensive it not only respects our selves but with a strange particularity involves all our Relations even to five several Ranks viz. Thou thy Servants Cattell strangers within thy gates the wife not mentioned as being included in the first Now every Master of a family hoc habet Episcopale quod habet curaÌ„ animarum hath so much of a Bishop in him that he hath cure of souls viz. care of those under his charge As for this 't is God himself commends Abraham Gen 18.19 Josh 24.15 Gen. 18. as all the good world doth Joshua's pious Resolution Chap. 24. Lastly t is more Alluring then the rest more sweetly exciting and that not onely with more Reasons but with Reasons more insinuative those of the third and second Commandements being formidable and menacing but of this wooing and Allective as on our part beside the indulgent Preface Remember thou keep c. Six dayes shalt thou labour c. A permission or remission of Gods right who might chalenge all rather then an absolute command For the Church upon occasion saith Perkins may separate some week dayes also for rest and Divine Service Joel 2. Yet this withall is no Commission saith he against idlenesse every one being to live by the sweat of his Brows faithfully in his vocation Gen. 3.19 1 Cor. 7.20 1 Cor. 7. out of Genes 3. Six dayes shalt thou c. God here as liberall to us as to Adam in Paradise Of all the Trees but one as Potiphar to Joseph Gen. 49. Let us answer with him How can I deny in this one Remember thou keep holy the seventh day If I indulge thee six for thine own business saith God thou mayst well afford the seventh to my service and that wholly holy For as the Evening and the Morning made the first day the second and the rest of the week The Reasons of this Precept so the Evening and the Morning should likewise make the seventh day The other argument and that a main one is from Gods own example who herein requireth no more then Himselfe performed his own practice being the Commentary upon his Law as becomes all good Leaders For in six days the Lord c. and rested the seventh day Rested This is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Figure of condescension to our weak capacities God otherwise not being capable either of Rest or Labour and such indeed Saint Austine and others take all the description of the History of the Creation to be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 1. but a methodizing of it to mans apprehension for 't was all one to Omnipotence to make all the world in a moment and every Species as well as the light with an easie Fiat Let there be Fire and Air and Earth and Water semel simul omnia all things at once existing out of them but so marshalled in the story for our more orderly meditation of them and our more regular imitation of this patern in our own transactions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 5.1 Be ye followers of God Eph. 5. He means in proportionable actions who fram'd the world in six dayes and rested the seventh rested from Creating not from governing from creating of new Species and kinds of creatures but not from making Individua new singularities for so is he alwayes working John 5. both for Corporals and Spirituals John 5 17. My Father worketh hitherto and I work But to hasten there is Sabbatum pectoris and Sabbatum Temporis That of the mind I shall mention in the close The Sabboth of Time among the Jews was either of dayes or years and both those greater or less the lesser every seventh day and every seventh year the greater when the Passover fell on the Sabboth as at Christs Crucifixion John 19 and every fiftieth year which was their Jubile C. 19. C. 19.28 We reflect but upon their lessâ—… Sabboth of dayes viz. the seventh day and that the Artificial day as John 11.9 being the space of 12. hours from the Sun rising to the Setting of it and so too may the Jews from evening to evening be understood And this too the blessed Apostles altered and by consequence abrogated as to the particularity of the day herein led by the Spirit of Truth and as some think by Christs own example John 20. Consentaneum est Apostolos mutasse diem Melanct. Tom. 2. fol. 363. 'T was necessary saith Melancthon even for this very cause that the Apostles should change the day to shew an example of abrogating the Legall Ceremonies in the Translation of the seventh day Which translation from Saturday to Sunday is not by Patent in the Bible but only by patern because cause the blessed Apostles usually met together on this day 1 Cor. 16.2 Apoc. 1.10 Act. 20.7 and that assuredly by the dictate of the holy Spirit and at least by the approbation of our Saviour again again manifesting himself to be risen on the 8. day So that however happily some will argue and others grant that an Oecumenicall Councell hath authority to constitute another day for publick worship as the second or third of the week yet sure I am they can never have so good a Patern nor yet so great a reason for another day as is demonstrated for this alteration the Patern being Christ and his Apostles and the Reason our Saviours resurrection even that wonderful work of our Redemption Aretius in 4. Mand. Aretius picks out a mystery out of Christs appearing on the 8. day We labour 6 dayes in this life saith he the seventh being the Sabboth of our death in which we rest from our labours Rev. 14.13 Rev. 14.13 and then being raised from the dead on the 8. day Christ in his own Body as then raised shal reward every man according to his works C. 20.13 Rev. 20.13 The Jews then gave God the last day of the week but good Christians better honour him with the first they kept their Sabboth in honour of the worlds Creation but Christians in memoriall of an higher mercy viz. its Redemption and therefore reason good the greater work should carry away the credit of the Day whose Duties principally consist in these two things viz. A Rest
there something Moral i.e. Competent Reservedness and due Gratitude though not tyed to the Jews number of daies and particular Oblation yet most necessary is such a retirement for recovery of strength and restraining of intemperance and then that their first publick appearance should be in the Temple to present their Benefactor the Christian Offerings of Prayer and Praise for his preserving them in the great danger of Child-birth Melanct. postil in locum which as one saith is magnum miraculum so great a miracle that they may well go and say with David and that not onely by Proxy and slight Bills put up at any time but also by their owne serious reponsals interwoven O Lord I will give thanks unto thee Psal 139.13 for I am wonderfully made Psal 139. my fruit is wonderfully made and I the Mother of it no less wonderfully saved I say the blessed Virgin thus submitting to the Iewish Rites it was not for her self but for our example saith Saint Bernard teaching us Pacifick Bernard Serm. 7. in Purific and morigerous Spirits and so far as peace of Conscience is not interrupted to seek the peace of outward Ierulem Pliny hath a story Plinius nat Hist lib. 8. chap. 40. and t is none of the worst that he tels of two Goats meeting on a narrow Bridge Quae non vim sed viam fecere that did not fall a Duelling and make away each other but one make way for tother by lying down upon his Belly and suffering his fellow to pass over him whereby both escaped the danger of the Ditch would God all that are two like them in some other qualities were but as like these Goats in this although necessitated Prudence and Humility for then surely would not so many fall into the Ditch the Ditch both Spiritual and Corporal But to close this Nicephorus and Reusn report that the blessed Virgin Mary dyed in Anno Christi 45. that was about twelve years after his Crucifixion Isaac Chronol while Bucholcerus placeth her death three years after but among them all we hear not any thing of her Assumption her Spiritual we believe as confidently as any but her Corporal we believe most difficult to be creditably evinced POEM 24. SEe here one purer then the Salmon Snow Yet doth the Legal cleansing undergo The blessed Virgin to the Temple hies To Offer there her purging Sacrifice But what need shee these washings who 's the Well Whence spring these Living waters but to Tell In her returning Feasts our Sinful years Need the purification of our Tears May here Obeysance then to us impart Endeavours to be purify'd in Heart She with an Offring to the Priests repaires But more to God with Gratitude and Pray'rs Presenting then her Son and Saviour there Where should our First-born youth and strength appear She that had born the Lamb presents a paire Of Turtle Doves all Hieroglyphicks faire Of that same Spotless Innocence and Grace That in her Soul and Body both took place And those indeed most acceptable Twins Being Offer'd purify us from our Sins The COLLECT-PRAYER The Epistle That for the Sunday before The Gospel Luke 2. vers 22. to 27. Almighty and everlasting God we humbly beseech thy Majesty that as thy onely begotten Son was this day presented in the Temple in substance of our flesh so grant that we may be presented unto thee with pure and clean mindes by Jesus Christ our Lord. S. MATTHIAS Here the Plate Vpon the Feast of St MATTHIAS DISQUISITION 23. THe New and Old Testament being idem velatum revelatum That is but one and the same vailed and Revealed we shall meet with in Reading of Them many mutuall Aspects and frequent sweet Reflections and one of Them here in the Election of this Choice Apostle who was to make up the Fracture in the Number of the Twelve For as Gods old Church and People stood and were Founded on the Basis of the twelve Tribes of Israel so Christ was pleased to Found his Church proportionably upon his twelve Apostles Himselfe being the Chiefe Corner stone Eph. 2.20 Ephes 2. Built upon the Foundations of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being c. Alii aliud saith Austin De Civit. Dei l. 8. c. 3â— there are variety of Descants on this Number twelve but all allow it mysticall and reflecting on the Twelve Fountaines of Elim Num. 33. while its 70 Palmes figure out the 70 Disciples and their victorious Doctrine Some make this number twelve looke back upon the twelve precious stones appointed for the Brestplate of Aaron Exod. 28. Exod. 28. Josh 3.4 Or on those twelve Princes chosen out of the Tribes of Israel Josh 3. Or to the twelve stones tooke out of Jordan and by Ioshua pitched in Gilgall Iosh 4. As those twelve he put in Iordan were a Type of the twelve Patriarches Aug. Serm. 106. de Tem. Lastly some make This Number to looke forward as on those twelve Gates of the Heavenly Ierusalem Rev. 21.12 wherein as Christ promised They shall be Iudges of the twelve Tribes of Israel Mat. 19.28 That is either in the Church by way of Censure and Direction or at Christs last Comming by their Comprobation But from the Number here made up To the story of Effecting it whereof in the Epistle for the Day Acts 1.15 Act. 1. you have a short and sweet Account from St Peters Mouth vers 15. both as to the vacancy and the Succcessor in those daies That is betweene the Ascension of Christ and the Spirits Descension Peter stood up in the midst of the Disciples and said c. whence to Argue Peters Supremacy of Power over the rest of the Disciples as some do is rather an Extortion of wit Bellarm. de Rom. Pont. l. 1. c. 22. than any faire Consequence of Truth He being Elected Prolocutor of their Convocation or by the secret Revelation of the Holy Ghost appointed to this Exhortation Calv. Beza in Locum and sure a Speaker pro Tempore is not above the Authority designing Him or any of his fellow Members save only in a Primacy of Order which may be allowed to Saint Peter for his yeares as well as for the Vindication of his Repute as having most of all deny'd Christ heretofore it now most became him of all the Colledge to be the mouth of the Company and forwardest in such a businesse and in those daies Peter stood up in the midst c. where He first sheweth the vacancy how Iudas his Apostleship became void and secondly how needfull that another should be chosen To the first applying That of Psalm 41.8 Psal 41.8 Men and Brethren This Scripture must needs have been fulfilled c. must needs where you must understand Lorinus in Locum necessitas hypothetica as the Schooles call it not an absolute but a suppositionall Necessity praedictions of Scripture being like the Legitimate Praedictions of
Apud Anglos CUr duo stant Libri Clausi Anglis Regia in Aul◠Lumina Caeca duo Polubra sicca Duo Num sensum Cultumque dei tenet Anglia Clausum Lumine caesa suo sorde sepulta sua Responsio Authoris PEctore Qui retinet Claudat merit ò ille Libellos Et Christus Pietas ut sit operta monet Scotia dat Tenebras duplices Perfida sordes Hinc Anglis praestant Pollubra Lustra Libri Scotia Testatur Flagrans non lumina caeca Anglis nec penitùs Pollubra sicca nuper A Christian paraphrase upon those Verses Like Hermit poore c. LIke Christian well resolv'd in place obscure I meane to spend the Remnant of my Dayes In unfrequented Paths of Folk Impure To meditate on my Redeemers praise And at thy Gates ô Death I le Linger still To let out Life when God and Nature will A mourning Weed my Body shall attire My Staffe the Crosse of Christ whereon I le stay Of true Repentance Linkt with Chast desire The Couch is made whereon my Limbs I 'le lay And at thy Gates ô Death I 'le Linger still To let out Life when God and Nature will My Food shall be of Christian Manna made My Drink the Streames flow'd from my Saviours Side And for my Light through Earths erroneous Shade The Beames of Grace shall be my safest Guide And at thy Gates ô Death I 'le Linger still To let out Life when God and Nature will Teares and Flowers strew'd upon the Hearse of Mrs S. S. Dying Sept. 15. 1641. SInce it is Solomon that saies A virtuous woman shall have praise Do modest paper tell the Truth Of my deare Sarah's Aged Youth And when thy Inkie-moysture dries I will supply it from mine eyes So though of her we are bereft Her faire example may be left To th' Imitation of the best Wonder and Envy of the rest God the Beginning was and End Whence did her Acts flow whither tend The Scripture was her Booke of Books Nor only object of her Looks But the true Glass by which she drest Continually her Head and Breast Each day she hallow'd but that same Which to our Lord owes time and Name With knowing zeale and strictest care Observ'd and kept she every where Church-publike-exercises led Which Home-Devotions Ecchoed Strong Prayer was the Lock and Key To every Harmeless night and day Those Arrows wing'd and Headed flew With Sighs and Tears of Heavenly dew I although not for Sins nor years She was a Magdalen for Teares Remembring the great Bridegrooms cry I 'm wounded with thy melting eye An eye that cared not to looke In any unless Sacred Booke Wherin if she found Christ's name there Fix'd her delights and pleasures were Nor only Student Agent she And Practiser of Piety Devotions Handmaid did awaite Each Day 's approaching and retreate Thinking of all the time God lent That best was in his service spent That Calling Here Christ and she chose Which prophane worldlings most oppose And as she Mary hence appeares So Martha too for house-Affaires Who like th' Aegyptian Emblem right To we are her own house did delight Oh had she had that Snailes slow pace In parting from mine Armes Embrace No Planet she that lov'd to stray To see or to be seene so gay But kept Jobs Covenant with her eyes And turn'd them from such Vanities A well Tun'd Cymball was her Tongue And not a Loud one loosely rung Her Mind still gratefully content Envying none for what God lent Her Hand was open Evermore To Good but chiefly to such Poore Sweet unto all pure at the Heart Without the Zeale pretending Art Covering the Good Graine she did sow That so it might the better grow She was a Rose for Sent and Hiew No Garish Tulip but for view Neat without Niceness was her dress None of those Isai'h doth express No Phancy-follower was she But of th' Apostles D cency She was that Merchants ship well fraught Not that which Apes and Peacocks brought Her Needle did succeed her Booke And both by course the whole day tooke What rare doth Nature propagate That her Art could not Imitate Old subtle Time could ne'r steale by Her Active Hand or studious Eye But one Adorn'd her outward store While t'other Deck'd her Mind much more And all this ready to impart With Humble not Imperious Art Nay even her Recreations were For Body's so as Soul's welfare Not to be Infinite the rest You find in Solomon exprest What there he speakes Prov. 31.10 c. is here as true Of this as that Good-House wifes due Thus like the Sun in her own Sphaere Her House she mov'd and only there Through all whose parts she did dispence Her Motion Light or Influence And such a Sun at Noone to set Must needs a long sad Night beget To him indeed whose rest and light Was in his Faithfull Sarah's sight Faithfull as ever Abra'm's Dame For Grace and Love worthy Her Name She made a Competency wealth And oft Nurs'd Sickness into Health By joyning to her Skill and Cares The Cordiall of Prayer and Teares Oh could mine have as much prevail'd When her o're hasty Death assail'd So one as shade and Body They Did even together move or stay One will and nill one Joy and Feare One Comfort unto both one care While others Plough with Oxe and Ass Th' Apostles Yoake here equall was One Soule as in two Bodies dwelt And both the same Affections felt Nor could Death Altogether part Whom God united so in heart His soule with hers to Heaven ascends While to her Grave his body tends Nor long erect can be that Head Whose better part 's already dead Like Thee best halfe I mould away I dayly haste and only stay A while by God and Thee design'd To Care for one Thou left'st behind Earths Joyes for Thee Too narrow were More worthy of an Heavenly Sphere And too much Heaven 't was for me Here to Enjoy both Fruit and Tree As deare a Mother as a Wife Thou dy'dst to give Another life Delivered by Fates Controule At once almost of Child and Soule Those Twins of Innocence yet Thine The brighter of the two doth shine What not all vertues prevalent Such praemature Death to prevent No God too hath his early Fruit Which when he 'l plucke who shall dispute Grace made her Twenty Five as old As many that have Fivescore told Her yeares were few yet her life long God's lov'd Iosiahs oft dye young This Plant from out Earths Soyle of vice Hath God remov'd to Paradise Yet lest his lower Garden bee Bereft quite of so Good a Tree A Branch in Mercy he hath Given Which water'd with the dew of Heaven May it so sprout and shoot up here As one day to be planted where Now it s own Stem Grows ne'r to Dye But flourish to Eternity Where Tumults Sin and Sorrows cease Their roome supply'd with Ioy and Peace Where short-breath'd-Time Eternall grows And Health that no diseases knows Where