Churches Representative They had in Truth what Others had in Boast Th' Vnnerring Guidance of the Holy Ghost They in plain words did their Decrees Impart Others cloud Theirs with Sophistry and Art None were with Their Anathemas Opprest Since such as have most Right will Threaten Lest The Lawfull Shepherds most the Flocks will spare And True Kings milder then Vsurpers are Who but St. Paul could have been fittest thought The Convert-Antioch Gentiles to have Taught For Hee the Gentiles great Apostle was And His Resolves might well for Canons pass Yet Him They to Ierusalem will send The Circumcision Difference to End Yet Hee does not to Peter only goe But to th' Apostles All and Elders too And those Fam'd Canons which they then did Frame In their Joint Title Bore the Breth'rens Name To shew that what to All had been Decreed The Clergy and the Laity Agreed Tho to Record that Pattern God jâ—dg'd Fitt Yet How Few Councills since have Follow'd it Yet in the Canons which at Nice were Sign'd Both Constantine and His Blest Mother â—oyn'd But worthy 't is to be Observ'd that there No Pope nor Legates for Him did appear Thy Pen does Magus Gnosticks best Confute And proves Faith is the Tree hâ—t works the Fruite Thy Blest Epistle cutts off all Debaâ—e And does vnite what they did Separate To Faith Good works the Brightest Lustre gives And is the Highest Godlike Proofe it Lives Thy Life with Acts of Charity was Fraught Thou most didst Practice what thy Sermons taught Which tho it mett among the Good with Praise Yet in the Pharisees did Envy Raise Envy which where it Raignes All Good Controules Envy the Hurry-cane of Humane â—Soules Some of that Sect with Faigned Joy declare That By his Preaching They his Converts were And therefore beg'd that All the Pâ—ople might At once be brought from Darkness into Light Which to Effect They Him with Rev'rence bring Into an Heighth above the Temples wiâ—g And vnder it great Crouds of men Appear As if they came Christs Laws from Him to 〈◊〉 But when the Sacred Faith He did Dâ—spence They in a Fury threw Him headlong theâ—ce To his Blest Life a VVond'rous End was giv'n Since from that Fall God Rais'd his Soul to Heavâ—â— Then that great Truth was Evidenc'd in Him To Fall for Christ is the sure way to Climb His Foes worst malice made Him to Lay down A Fading Mitre for a Deathless Crown On the Day of St Iames the Apostle Sirnamed the GREAT HAil Sacred Iames in Graces so Compleat That the whole Church gave Thee the stile of â—reat Yet till in Him the Spirit did Reside Hâ—e felt the Stormes of Dire Revâ—nge and Pride So much did Passion Him and Iohn Inflame That Christ did Both the Sons of Thunder Name They in Their Mothers Proud Suite did Partake And twixt th' Apostles the First sâ—rife did make When a Samarian Village did Refuse To Lodge Him and the Rest Since They were Iews Had His Pow'r Equall been to His Desire Hee had Like Sodome Ruiâ—'d it with Fire Such darken'd Frailty does to men Belong Till Grace Enlightens Them and makes them Strong He Could not See till Christ the Vaile did Draw How mild the Gospell is above the Law These Crimes the Sacred Scripture does Relate After His Call to the Apostolate To shew That in the Church the Loftiest Place Will not Restrain Since nothing can but Grace But Christ who what He would bee did Foreknow Since Hee who makes vs doe Knows what wee 'll Doe And who did Goodnes more then Kinred Rate Did Choose Him one of his Triumvirate While Those who nearer were to Him Ally'd To share in that vast Honor were Deny'd But He and Iohn IESU'S First call oâ—ey'd Leaving their Home Their Father and Their Traâ—e Which proves Those are vnworthy of Christs Call Who to obey it will not give vp all Peter and these great Brothers were made Blest With Favours not Extended to the Rest. T was These Three only Iesus with Him Lead When He Rais'd Iaâ—rus Daughter from the Dead These on Mount Tabor saw the Glorious Three The Greatest sight next to the Trinity And onely They the Griev'd Spectators stood VVhen on the Mount Hee sweat great Drops of Blood After Our Lords Ascention first of All Hee taught the Iews disperst at Stephens Fall Then spread the Faith if Elder Times say True In our Great Britain and this Island too Blest Patrick whom this Isle her Saint has made Did build on that Foundation which Hee Lay'd But of this Saint Romes Soas such Fables write As Darkned what They meant to make more Bright Divers are Loth that Holiness to Prize VVhich men attempt to magnify by Lyes Since but too many as it oft does Fall For some vntruths Suspect the Truth of All. But VVee the Legends Fiction cast away And to His Pious Life Due Rev'rence Pay VVhen in the west Saint Iames much time had spent Back to Ierusalem again he went Herod Agrippa by Decree of Rome To the Iâ—daick Empire being Come That Slaâ—â—sh Fawning to His Countrâ—y brought VVhich Hee vnder Caligula was Taught Tho Hee in the Iews Paths did stricâ—ly Trâ—ad Yet Hee Romes Emperour a God Decreed By this the Tyrant Hee did hope to gain And then to wash off that Blasphemous Stain The Câ—ristian Church Hee did with Fury wast And Our Apostle into Prison Cast. The Iews extolling â—his Hee did proceed And his Sin Finish'd Cutting off his Head How Frantick are th' Idolators of Fame Who fell their Soules in hope to buy a Name At our Saints Death such Charming Truths Hee said That Hee his Keeper a Blest Martyr made Nothing can to the Spirit give Restraint One moment turn'd a Goaler to a Saint Of All th' Illustrious Twelue the Sacred Word Does only Our Saints Martyrdome Record Angells to Heav'n His Blessed Spirit Bear And then an Angell struck His Murtâ—erer Cesarea saw Him whom They did Admire And call a God vnder Gods wrath expire But All Spaines Empire Judge that They are Blest Thinking His Bones at Compostella Rest. On the Day of St. Bartholomen THE APOSTLE HAil Glorious Saint whose Lofty Lineage Springs As divers Ancients wriâ—e from Syrian Kiâ—gs But hadst Thou been the Sove'rign of the Earth Yet had Thy Office far Excell'd Thy Birth Thy Birth could give Thee but a Temporall Throne Thy Office gave Thee an Eternall One. The Holy Scriptures somethings does Râ—late Of all those call'd to the Apostolate Only of our blest Saint the Sacred Word Does but his Office and his Name Record Which made some Writers and of no small Fame Think Him and blest Nathaneel were the Same Tho the best Bishop which in Hippo Sate Denies His Call to the Apostolate But our great Church Historians Clearly show How
POEMS On most of the FESTIVALS OF THE CHURCH Composed by the RIGHT HONOVRABLE ROGER Earl of Orrery Printed for Henry Herringman at the Anchor in the Lower Walk of the New-Exchange 1681. THE PREFACE GOD of His Abundant Mercy having Convinc'd Me how much Precious Time I had cast away on Airy Verses I Resolv'd to take a Final Leave of That Sort of Poetry And in some Degree to Repair the Unhappiness and Fault of what was past to Dedicate my Muse in the Future Entirely to Sacred Subjects I was a while considering How Those Intended Labours of Mine might be least unusefully bestow'd and having with trouble taken notice with how little Reverence and Devotion the Holy Days in our Churches Kalendar were Celebrated I determin'd to Write POEMS on the chiefest of Them For I hoped such Gross and Sinful Stupidity proceeded chiefly from Mens being Ignorant of the True History of the Actions or Martyrdoms of those Blessed Persons so little of both being Recorded in the Sacred Word And it seem'd to Me no Irrational Belief that if the Generality of the People were Instructed in the Truth it might Inspire in many of them that Esteem and Reverence the want of which had so long been their Fault and ought to be their Shame The Young and the Vulgar of both Sexes being little inclinable to attain to Information by perusing Antient Ecclesiastical Histories and Records And the Writers of both too often and too much Disagreeing in their Narratives of the same Actions and Persons and the Church of Rome also having interwoven much Fiction with the Truth I Flatter'd my Self with a Belief That by Separating the History from the Fable and by making a Short yet as True a Relation of the Former as I could attain unto Divers thereby might be inclin'd to Learn what They had been Ignorant of and might be encouraged to preserve in their Memories such great Exemplars of Piety whereby if they did not Write after such Illustrious Copies yet at least they would Value and Esteem them The handling of these Subjects in Verse and Rhime I was perswaded would not be unpleasing to the less Studious who are those who most need such Information and since in Poetry there is a kind of Natural Musick I imagined that all Those whose Souls were not quite out of Tune might be affected with it Besides I found Thâ—t Many who could hardly Repeat one Verse of the Sacred Scripture would yet say without Book intire Psalms even in the Vnhappy Verses and Rhimes of Mr. Hopkins and Mr. Sternhold which seem'd to me a Demonstration how highly the English Genius was affected to Poetry on Holy Subjects Nor is this Love to Verse Peculiar to our Country but is in effect diffus'd over the whole Civiliz'd World The False Religion of the Gentiles was generally taught in Verse and the True Religion of the Primitive Jews was much of it Writ in Poetry as the whole Books of Job and of the Psalms besides lesser Sprinklings of it in the Songs of Moses and in that of Deborah and Barack c. More of Homer and Virgil was gotten by Heart by the Greeks and Romans than of the Orations of Demosthenes and Cicero or of the Morals of Seneca or even of the Excellent Phedon of Plato tho' most Conclude These had been more worthy to have been so Treasur'd up than Those But it seems to be the Inherent Prerogative of Verse above Prose To be better Fancied To be easier Learn'd by Heart and to be Longer Retain'd in the Memory I must acknowledge when I had even Resolv'd upon my Argument I met with Two Disanimations which were likely to have made Me Elect another The First was That the Materials I was to be furnish'd with out of the Holy Scriptures for such I coveted most were so Few except in what related to Our Blessed Lord and to St. John the Baptist and to St. Peter and to St. Paul and what further was to be known of those Holy Persons of whose Lives and Deaths I design'd to Write in Epitomie was not only so copiously Deliver'd by Church-Historians and fill'd with so many Improbable Relations to give it the softest Name I can that to Collect so much out of the Former as seem'd pertinent and instructive and to Winnow out of the Latter so much of the Wheat from the Chaff as was requisite appear'd to Me a Difficult Task to perform tho' but Tolerably Since indeed where I most desired to be supply'd I was the Least thâ— ' what it wanted in Quantity it had in Weight and where I least desired to be Furnished with Matter I was but too much For most of all those Elder Histories seem'd to Me to be like a Mine in which several Tuns of Rubbish must be digg'd through to attain to One Pound of Oar. The second was I had Experimentally found That no Argument for Poetry was so little Obliging to the Muse and Invention of the Writer as Narrative is for it confines the Fancy which of all things Delights in Liberty But at length I overcame these two Discouragements The Last by remembring that I Writ not for Applause to my Self but for the Instruction of Others And the First Hoping that by my Readers Charity my Faults might not be Vnpardonable since this kind of Writing was New to Me and untrodden by any of my Education and Quality So that the Piety of My Design might in some Degree Apologize for My Errors in the Management of it I have in the Margent not only marked the Places of the Word of God to which in the POEMS I have Reference but also some of those Authors out of whom I have taken My Narrative That if they have been Faulty it might appear I have not erred in My Own Intentions but by the Mis-information of Elder Times I acknowledge it is not usual to handle any Controversies in Verse and Rhime especially those in Divinity and therefore I must beg My Readers Pardon if in some of the Succeeding Pieces I have presumed to walk in so unusual a way which I had not done but that I esteem'd it a Duty to My Own Religion to Defend it against the Restlessness of the Romish where-ever I believ'd I had a Fit Rise to do it And I suppos'd since in the Present Times all seem so justly necessitated to maintain the Truth of Our Religion it might not be unallowable for a Lay-Man to draw His Poetick Pen also in the Defence of it And Possibly the Few Arguments I have made use of by the By in that Important Dispute may be read and kept in the Memory of Those who any other way would not have done either However If any One of Our Church should be Offended at it I both desire and hope He will for the Causes Sake excuse the Effect POEMS on the Cheifest Holy Dayes In the Kalendar of The CHVRCH THE DEDICATION To my Mother the Church Of CHRIST In Ireland HAil Sacrâ—d Mother
Bay Theirs must by Killing Guilty wreaths Obtain But Thine by Dying Life and Glory gain Both which shall â—ast when Pyramâ—ds of Pride Are shrunk to Ashes such as now They Hide This shews how Different the Paymâ—nts are In the World 's Laufeaâ— and the Spirituall Warr. The Jews who Found They no Dâ—fence could make Against that Spirit by which Stephen Spake Resolv'd by Death to finish the Dispute And stop that Tongue which They could not Conâ—ute Those Stones with which his Life They batterd down God made the Jewells of Our Martyrs Crown Our Christian Moses first this Red Sea Try'd And to the Heav'nly Canaan is Our Guide VVhen IESUS was to Dy for Mankinds Crime Onely One Angell came to Comfort Him But when Blest Stephen was a Martyr made To His Glad Eies All Heav'n appear'd His Aide When God and Christ by Op'ning Heaâ—vn were shown Both Faith and sight for Him Combin'd in One. Thus Gods vnbounded Mercy did Proceâ—d Giveing most Comâ—ort whâ—re there was most Need. To the First 〈◊〉 was the Blâ—ssing giv'n To have on Earth a Reâ—ll sight of Heav'n Lâ—st â—ailing through 〈◊〉 stormes his Soul might Frightâ— Oâ— his wish'â— Pâ—rt God kept him still in Sight Marâ—yrs to Câ—me in â—is 〈◊〉 â—ision see 〈…〉 which to â—uch 〈◊〉 God â—oes Dâ—â—ree No Athist â—'re to â—oose his Life was Known Only to provâ— that Aâ—tâ—r it There 's none 〈◊〉 when Lâ—e does Expire Is lesâ— the wickeds â—aith then their desire But Stepâ—en Joyâ—ully 〈◊〉 Râ—fingn'd Kâ—owing He shouâ—d with Christ a better fiâ—d If after Dying nâ—thing did Remain His Vision â—ad been Faâ—â—e his Pray'r Vain What Stephn â—aw wouâ—d Charge God with a Lye If with the Bodies Death the Soul should Dye Christ then did Act what 〈…〉 That Martyrs Blood should bee the Churches Seâ—d For his Last words Proofs of Christs God-head give Praâ—ing that IESUS would His Soâ—l Râ—ceive Since who in Martyrdomes Red Path has Trod Dâ—ing would Leave his Spirit but to God Frâ—m â—is Last Pray'â— wee Râ—ap this Blessed Fruit That Arrianisme ere born it does Consute True Martyrs Charity ascends so High They Pray for those at Death that make Them â—y And Such as part with Life Gods Laws to Keep Dâ—ing to Them is but to fall Asleep On the Day of St. Peter HAil First Apostle Thou whom Christ did Choose To Preach Mose's his Saviour to the Jews None of the Sacred Twelue the Church Agree In variouâ— Dispensations Equal'd Thee Tâ—ou First didst own that Faith which â—e're shall Faile Since against It Hells Gates shall not Prevail Buâ— thou 〈◊〉 Dâ—preâ—ate the Limbs being Slain VVithout whose Dâ—ath Thy Faith had been in vain That Rock oâ— which the Church should â—ounded bee Tho thousands by mistake bâ—leev'd 't was Thee For Christ did name Thee Peter and did own Thou in His Church arâ— One Chief Corner Stone And Christ on Thee did the Honor showre Of being First in Order not in Pow'r Since the Keys Pow'rs with which Thou first wer't Blest Hee also did Conferr on all the Rest. His Faith to Walk on Waters did not shrink But Oh! How soon it fail'd and Hee did Sink Hee drew his Sword First on His Masters side But then That Hee his Master was Deny'd Hee first did Promise hee with Christ would Dy Buâ— when the Danger came he then did Fly Christ who his Heart better then hee did know Foretold his Fâ—ll before the Cock did Crow No meanes are weak which God Vouchsafes to vse The Crowing of a Cock His Faith Renews That Bird whofe voice does Vshâ—r in the Day Drove from his Soul the night of Sin away Whil'st Hee with Oaths and Curses Christ Aâ—jur'd Those Sins but by One Look of His were Cur'd O Pow'rfull Look which instantly could Dart The Rayes of Grace into a Pâ—rjur'd Heart O moveing Look which could so well Perswade That of a Sinnâ—r a Blest Saint It made Those bitter Tears which His Repentance Spilt So Pow'rfull were They wash'd off all His Guilt Thus Cleans'd He did Aspire for Christ to Dy. From whom before de did not Blush to Fâ—y So vast the Diff'rence is which God does Place Between the strengths of Nature and of Grace Now by oâ—e Sermon hee does Thousands make That Christ Adore which he did once Forsake The Bed-rid Persons now at his Comand On Their Long-vseless Limbs in Raptures stand His Shadow now does quicker Health Impart Then All the substance of the physiâ—k Art Now tho He could not give to Beggars Wealth Yet he did give Them greater Riches Health Now Tâ—at All Hypocrites his word might Dread God strikes Sapphira and her Husband Dead But Doreas whom the Weeping Widows Praise Christ from the Dead at Pâ—tâ—rs Word does Râ—ase Who then daâ—e thiâ—k God â—ill not at the Last Raise All the Dead at â—he 〈◊〉 Blast Since what Hâ— did to â—abitha has show'd The Pow'r to doe it God on man Bestow'd Reason without the Help of Faith doth show God can doe more then He made Peter doe Who Doubts the Dead shall Rise at Times last How'r Questions at Once Gods Promise and His Pow'r Tho These and many Wonders more wâ—e see The Sacred Word of God Records of Thee Yâ—t from what Scripture can Romes Bishops Plead That Thy Successors are the Churches Head Antioch does sâ—em to have a stronger Claim Since there the Christians first Râ—ceiv'd their Name And All past Ages as the present Own In Antioch Thou didst Erect Thy Throne Rome but the second Place was where it stood Rome whose vngratefull Earth suâ—kd up Thy Blood Whilst Antioch vrges Sâ—â—e was Thy First See First Learn'd Thy Faith and from Thy Blood was Free Sâ—ee seems in these 〈◊〉 Bâ—â—ssingsto Exceed What ever Romes best Orators can Plead This made the Nicene Fathers to Decree The pope of Antioch a first Pope should bee For till Romes Church did Thirst for Pow'r and Fame Pope to All Bishops was a Common Name But Time which All but Truth doth Overcome Antioch Destroy'd and has Exalted Rome Yet this alone is the best Plea wee see Which Rome can vrge for Her Supremacy Which were it Good the World must then Confess That Romes Supramacy is Her Success Divers Popes show who Errors did Embrace Faith comes not by Succession but by Grace That Blest Evangelist whose Pen did write The Gospell which most think thou didst Indiâ—â— Lets us thy Fall in Fowler Colours see Then are made vse of by the Other Three â—y which wee Learn when wee a Sin Commitâ— Wee should Our selves be most Severe to It. But thy great Failing which so Black Appâ—ars Faith has wash'd off both in thy Blood and Tears Tho trembling Fâ—ar made thee from Iesus Fly Yet stable Faith made thee for Him to Dy. And Judge â—ince Christ Dy'd
stately Church Erect On the Day of St. Ioâ—n the Apostle HAil Great Apostle who so happy prov'd As to be call'd th' Apostle IESUS Lov'd A Name which does to thee more Glory bring Then wer 't Thou stil'd the Vniversall King Who well can think Linus and Cletus were Who next to Blessed Peter fill'd Romes Câ—air The onely Heads Christ to His Church did give While â—hou who on â—is Bosome Dwâ—llst didst Live Thou on whose Head while Thousands did Admire The Spirit did sitt in Cloven Tongues of Fire Thou whom that Spirit did Inspire to write The Loftiest Gospell which it did Indite Thou whose blest Tongue by God himself was Chose That Book to Dictate which His Word did Close Thou to whom Christ while yeilding vp the Ghost Gave Gifts the Like of which none Else could boast Hee left His Blessed Mother to Thy Care And by Adoption made Thee His Joint Heir None could whilst Thou on Earth mad'st Thy abodâ— Bee above â—hee who Brother wer 't to God Yet this great Truth must Contradicted bee Or it must Ruine Romes Supremacy Whose Sons alas with too much guilt maintain Onely Their Bishops o're Christs Church can Raigne God might to Thee so Long a Life Dispence That such Vsurping might have noe Pretence Tho Tyrants Thee to Patmos did Condemn Yet there Thou saw'st the New Ierusalem God shew'd Thee thence lest too Long Life might Cloy Those Glories which through Faith thou shouldst Enjoy Let none Admire since Christ Lov'd Thee so well That Hee so Long left Thee on Earth to Dwell For since to serve Him here Hee did Decree To do His will on Earth was Heav'n to Thee Thus Angells tho from God They take their Flight Yet finde in Their Obedience Their Delight Thou onely of Thy Blest Society Christ did permit a Naturall Death to Dye Mans Fury did the Rest to Death Decree But Age it self to God presented Thee Which proves All Those as sure to beav'n shall Climbe Who Dye in Christ as those who Dy For Him Many might else from His Blest Doctrine Fly Iâ— all who taught it had been Doom'd to Dy. Which sinfull Fear that All men might Decline God who Their Lives did shorten Lengthen'd Thine On the Day of St. Matthias THE APOSTLE VVHen Cursed Iudas the sad Breach had made By having both His Lord and Soul Betray'd Peter by Scripture Lets th' Apostles See They were Impowr'd to fill the Vacancie Which to effect They Invocated Heaven And Lots did Cast the Spirit not been given Our Saint and Iusâ—us were the Blessed Pair Of which One should by Lot fill Iudas Chair Hail Glorious Saint who to the Honour got Of the Apostleship by Sacred Lot Thy Blessed self wer't both the first and Last Whom God that way in that High Office Plac'd And what the Lot Declar'd the Holy Ghost Confirm'd on the great Day of Pentecost For then the Spirit vnto Thee was given As God bestow'd it on the Blest Eleven Tho Iustus â—ist of that Supream Degree For which Hee then stood Candidate with Thee Yet to the Second Christ did Him admitt Since For the First th' Apostles Judg'd Him Fitt Hee knew their Prayr's th'vnerring Lot did guide And it was God did the great Doubt decide To which Hee did Submitt without Appeal And what it gave a Miracle did Seale By which the Churches Priesthood God made known Shall be continued by Election That Sacred Office which so Long did shine In Levi's Tribe and in High Aarons Line Now was by Gods Decree to yeild the Place To the more Glorious Ministry of Grace None therefore to th' Apostolate e're gott Of Levi's house either By Choice or Lott Christ Calling none to it of Aarons Line Declar'd Hee did that Priesthoods End Designe After Our Saint was with the Spirit Blest His Soul Allow'd his Body little Rest Through many Regions Hee the Gospell spread And Those reviv'd who in their Sins were Dead Authors in Various Narratives abound Where t was that Hee with Martyrdome was Crown'd In Ancient Martyrologies wee Read The Jews first Ston'd Him then Cutt off his Head But if Greek Offices may bee beleev'd Hee on a Cross his Martyrdome Receiv'd Hellen the mother of Great Constantine In whom Exalted Piety did Shine The Relicks of Our Saint did so Esteem That she remov'd them from Ierusalem And at new Rome much Time and Treasure spent In giving them a Second Monument From thence as Old Church Histories have said His bones to other Cityes were Convay'd And even to our Times Triers and Rome Contest in which of Them they have their Tombe Since of His Dust so much Esteem is had Much Greater to his Doctrine should bee pai'd On the Day of St Mark THE EVANGELIST HAil Great Evangelist whose Sacred Pen Inspir'd by God has taught His wayes to Men Before Hee did Receive His saveing Call Into what sad Back-slideing did Hee Fall Great Epiphanius has expresly showne Thaâ— of the Guilty number he was One Who when they Literally vnderstood They were to Eat Christs Flesh and Drink His Bâ—ood Th' Amazeâ—ng Doctrine They diâ— so Abhorr That They withdrew and walk'd with Him no more Yet the like words mistaken are bâ—come And made an Article of Faith by Rome Averroes pray'd Hâ—aring such Doctrine prest His Soul with the Philosophers might Rest. Heathens have no beleif so wild and Odd As both to Worship and to Eat their God But Peter did to Mark the Truth Dispence And shew'd the words had a Spirituall Sence His Faith thus Fix'd He ne're again did Fall But was to Peter what Luke was to Paul And after Hee His Convert was become Hee did Attend Him when He went to Rome The Earliest Writers diffâ—r where and when The World did ow the Gospell to his Pen. Which Peter did Review and then Decreed It should bee in Divine Assemblies Râ—ad Papias and Eusebius Declare 'T was writt at Rome and at His Câ—nverts Pray'r But the Veâ—etians will not this Adâ—itt They say It was at Aqâ—ilejâ— writt And that the Greek Originall's with Them VVâ—ich They of Aâ—l tâ—eir â—reasures mâ—â—t Eâ—teem Blest Peter who at Rome was in Restraint Egypt to Free Thither employ'd our Saint True Gospell Charity in this VVee see â—hile him they bâ—â—d â—ee does sett others Free Free from worse Chaines then Tyrants make vs bear 〈…〉 are than Nero's heavyer Nile to her People ne're such blessiâ—gs brought As They enjoy'd by the Blest Faith he taught Fair Alexandria was the Happy place Which with His Doctrine Hee did oftnâ—st Grace By which mâ—re Fam'd by much it did become Then for its bâ—ing Alexanders Tombe Or for those Pyramiâ—s to which were given More heighth then to that Tower which threaâ—end Heav'n Or to those mountaines which by Gyants paines Were Raisd to Scale the Skies from Phlegra 's Pâ—aines Yet Hee his Mitre did not there Confiâ—e
Peâ—tapolis and Libya saw it Shine Shine with more Rayes then Gold or Sâ—ones can give Those Dead in Sin Its Lustre did Revive The Life Monasâ—ick Divâ—rs have beleiv'd â—t's Institution from our Saint Receiv'd From the Fam'd Philo this beleif they Take Who writes that near the Meraeotick Lake Many Retir'd and there Their time did give To Pious Rites and Lives Contemplative St. Hierome and Eâ—sebius doe Declare That these Devout Recluses Christians were And Learn'd Baronius That we might Esteem The Cloister'd Life Rome Founded Ioines with Them But Those who throughly read what Philo writt Scarce can what those Collect from thence Admitt For He with the most Large Encomiums Strives To make his Readers praise their Holy Lives Who then can think he would Commâ—morate That Sect which all his Nation most did hate Hee adds that Order ancient was when Hee Compos'd his Celebrated History If so how can Those Men beeâ— Christians thought VVhose Faith was Newly then in Egypt taught All which does rather seem to make it Clâ—ar That these Strict men Jewish Esseni were Serapis Priests who Highly were Afraid Of the Vast Progress which the Gospell made Against Our Saint Their Fiercest malice bend And did Resolve his Death their Fears should End The Time they Chose their Fury to Display VVas when Their Idolls â—east and Easter Day Did happen at the selfsame Time to Light They then the Easy Multitude incite To vindicaâ—e their slighted Deiâ—y VVhose Altars they behold Contemn'd did Lye All then the Sacred Christian Church Invade So much Religion can seduce the Bad. They knew such subtilty their Hearts had fill'd The Flock would scatter were the Shepherd kiâ—ld St. Mark They bind and then with Impious Force Towards their Bucelus They take their Course Dragging his Carcasse all the way They went And from that Precipice 't was their Intent His precius Body in the Sea to fling This seem'd to Some too mercifull a Thing Him therefore in a Prison They secure That He their Torments longer might Endure But while much more acute ones They Contrive He begs of God His Murth'râ—rs to Forgive Next Day They Drag'd Him o're sharp Rocks again Vntill he owd His Rest vnto His pain The Priests enrag'd Hee did so soon Expire Condemnd His Sacred Reliques to the Fire His Converts Tears did quench the Flames at last And then His Ashes in a Tombe they plac'd This precious Dust which Egipt sert at nought From Alexandria was to Venice brought And there Interrd Their Duke did mourn in Cheif And Paid it All the Complements of Greif And as a Tombe to guard it did bestow One of the Proudest Piles the World can show Then that Illustrious Senate did Decree Saint Mark Their Tuâ—elary Saint should bâ—e On the Day of St Phillip the APOSTLE HAil Great Apostle who the First of All With Christ câ—ntinu'â— after thy blest Call Peter and Andrew tho they Iesus knew Yet some months after did their Trade pursue Amazeing were those waies the World must grant Which Christ did take the Sacred Faith to Plant Hee could have Monarks for Apostles Câ—ose Yet that High Office on mean men bestows His Wisdome the Wâ—rlds Wisâ—om does despise And by the Ignorant Co verts the Wise. To the Blest Faith Pâ—ilosophers were brought And in the nets of Fisher-men were Caught Nay makes them which more wonderfull appears By their own Deaths Convert their Murâ—herers VVho can Consider and not vpward Look That when the mighty work was vndertook Which in the World did Act such wondrous Things It 's Learning to Confute and Vanquish Kings Christ only Poor Illiterate men did send And yet by Them attain'd His Glorious End Tho they Declar'd for they abhor'd Deceit That Worldly Crosses on their faith did waite And still the greater Wonder to Infuse That Gaâ—â—ilee which People'd was by Iews And was the Province They did most Despise Saying No Prophet out of it could Rise VVas yâ—t by Christ whose VVill does All Dispose The Countrey whence He his Apostles Chose Nay Poor Bethsaida a fisher Town He with the birth of Three of them did Crown Peter and Andrew shining Lights on Earâ—h VVith Our blest Phillip there receiv'd their Birth VVere the World therefore equall in her Doom Bâ—thsâ—iâ—a shâ—uld be more priz'd then Rome The brighter Fame is to their Birth-place due That â—hree Apostles Rais'd Rome Murtherd Two Great Phillip did surpass in knowledge All Th' Illustrious Twelue whom Christ at First did Call The Law and Prophets He did early read The best of Books in which youth can be bred By those he knew the Glorious time was neere In which the Great MESSIAH should appeare VVereby as soon as Christ the words had said Of FOLLOW MEE he instantly Oâ—aid Then to Nathaniâ—l does that News Impart VVhich had with Sacred Raptures fiâ—ld his heart The Principles of Grace still Active are And in our Blessings will make others Share But yet That Isralite indeed did Choose Noâ— to give Credit to the Jâ—yfull News His Prâ—pâ—ssâ—ssiâ—n past this hasty Doome Tâ—at out of Nazareth no Good could come Yâ—t our Apostle would not angry bee But to Convince Him lids him COME and SEE There Hee in whom no Guile was soon did know The God to whom that Blessing he did Ow. The Vpper Asia as some Ancients Thought The Province is where He the Gospell taught His pious Labours there the Spirit did Blesse And to Christs Fold They brought a great Increase Hierapolis in Phrygia was the Place VVhich with His Doctrine Hee the Last did Graceâ— Tâ—e People there which Phillip did Deplore A monstrous Serpent dayly did Adore 'T were Hard to Judge which Savager appears Either the Idoll or th' Idolaters Bâ—t Iove having assâ—m'd that Shape to wiâ— Th' Incestuous Embrace of Proâ—erpin The Daughter which to him bright Ceres bore The Phrygians therefore did that beast Adore But as it is by Metaphrastes said To Death our Phillip the Vile Monster Prayd The people seeing such a VVonder done Did from Idolatry to Iesus Run For which their Magistrates with sinfull Breath Condemn'd Our Saint to Ignominious Death VVhile all his Converts by the Tears they spilt Strove to wash off their Rulers bloody Guilt On the Day of St. Iames the Apostle Sirnamed the JUST HAil Great Apostle whom Gods Sacred Word Vouchsafes to Style the BROTHER of the LORD Christ the First Christian Mitre gave to Thee And made the Holy City Thy First See Rome does in vain for that High Title Strive Which God but to Ierusalem did give There all allow that Thy Inspir'd Decrâ—e From the Iews yoak did seâ—t the Gentiles Free Thou in that First Blest Councill didst Preside Whose Sacred Canons the whole Church did guide Tho that Fam'd Councill was in number small Yet none was e're so Oecumenicall For 't was in Fact That for which Rome does strive It was The