year who made the dayâ—s and the nights But it is much to be feared that he who hath appointed their daies here will allow them for it long nights Holy Paulinus had now attained a good old age the fore-runners as Master Herbert saith were come and the Almond tree did flourish hee was all white with years and worshiped like Jacob leaâ—ing upon the top of his staffe His virtuous and deare Therasia had died I believe long before this time God having ordained him to be hindmost who was the stronger Vessell and best able to bear her absence and the unavoydable disconsolations of flesh and blood And now having for some time stood gazing after her he begins to follow God visiting him with a strong paine in the side which in a few daies did set him at liberty to overtake her by breaking the prison Three daies before his dissolution Symmachus and Hyaciâ—thinus two Bishops of his acquaintance câ—me to visit him whereupon hee spoke to Uranius his Presbyter that hee should prepare to attend him in the administration of the Sacrament for said he I desire to receive it in the company of my brethren which are now come to see mee This sacred Solemnity was no sooner ended but suddenly hee began to ask where his brothers were One that stood by supposing that he had asked for the two Bishops answered Here they be I know that replyed Paulinus but I aske for my brothers Januarius and Martinus who were here with me just now and promised to come to me again And having thus spoken he looked up towards Heaven and with a voyce as chearfull as his countenance which seemed to shine and revive with joy he sung out the one hundred and twentieth Psalme I lift up mine Eyes unto thâ— hills from whence cometh my help My help commeth from the Lord who made Heaveâ— and Earth This being done Posthumianus another Presbyter that was then present told Paulinus that there were forty shillingâ— unpaid for the Cloathes which he had given to the poor before be fell sick To this Paulinus replyed with a smile that he remembred it very well and Son said he takâ— no thought for it for beleive me there is onâ— that will not be wanting to pay the debt of the poor The words were no sooner out of his mouth but presently there comes in from the parts of Lucania now called Basilicata a Presbyter sent from the holy Bishop Exuperantius to visit Paulâ—nus who brought him fifty shillings for a token from the Bishop Paulinus receiving the money blessed God saying I thank thee O Lord that hast not forsaken them that seek thee Of these fifty shillings he gave two with his owne hand to the Presbyter that brought them and the rest he delivered to Post humianuâ— to pay for the Cloathes which were given to the poor The Evening now drawing on hee remained quiet and well at ease untill midnight but the paine then increasing in his side he was troubled with a great difficulty and shortnesse of breathing which held him till five in the morning The day begining to break he felt the usuall motions of holynesse awaking his Spirit to which though weak he chearfully obeyed and sitting up in his bed celebrated Mattins himselfe By this time all the Deacons and Presbyters of his diocesse were gathered together at the door and came like the Sons of the Prophets to see the translation of their aged Father After some short exhortations to holynesse and Christian courage he lifted up his hands and blessed them mindfull it seems of our Saviours carriage at his ascension whose peace he prayed might rest upon them Shortly after the pain still encreasing and prevailing against him hee became speechlesse and so continued untill the Evening when suddenly sitting up as if hee had been awaked out of his sleep he perceived it to be the time of the Lucernarium or Evening-Office and lifting up his hands towards Heaven he repeated with a low voyce this verse out of the Psalmes Thy word is a Lantern unto my feet and a light unto my paths About the fourth hour of the night when all that were present sate diligently watching about him his poor Cottage did suddenly shake with such a strong Earth-quake that those who kneeled about his bed were something disordered with it and fell all trembling to their prayers The Guests of Eternal Glory were now entred under that narrow roof where after the abdication of his great worldly honours he had lived so long in all holynesse and humility For in that instant of time saith Uranius he was dissolved the blessed Angels testifying that they were present to conduct his happy and glorious Soul into the joy of his Master By the like signe did Christ signifie to his Church in Hierusalem that he heard their prayers when they were persecuted by the mercilesse Jews Gregory the great in the place St. Paulinus to his Wife Therasia COme my true Consort in my Joyes and Care Let this uncertaine and still wasting share Of our fraile life be giv'n to God You see How the swift dayes drive hence incessantlie And the fraile drooping World though still thought gry In secret slow consumption weares away All that we have passe from us and once past Returne no more like clouds they seeme to last And so delude loose greedy mindes But where Are now those trim deceits to what darke sphere Are all those false fires sunck which once so shin'd They captivated Soules and rul'd mankind He that with fifty ploughes his lands did sow Will scarse be trusted for two Oxen now His rich lowd Coach known to each crowded street Is sold and he quite tir'd walkes on his feet Merchants that like the Sun their voyage made From East to West and by whole-sale did trade Are now turn'd Sculler-men or sadly swett In a poore fishers boat with line and nett Kingdomes and Cities to a period tend Earth nothing hath but what must have an end Mankind by plagues distempers dearth and warre Tortures and Prisons dye both neare and farre Furie and hate rage in each living brest Princes with Princes States with States contest An Vniversall discord mads each land Peace is quite lost the last times are at hand But were these dayes from the last day secure So that the world might for more yeares endure Yet we like hirelings should our terme expect And on our day of death each day reflect For what Therasia doth it us availe That spatious strâ—ames shall flow and never faile That aged forrests hie to tyre the Winds And flowers each spring returne and keepe their kinds Those still remaine but all our Fathers dyed And we our selves but for few dayes abide This short time then was not giv'n us in vaine To whom tyme dyes in which we dying gaine But that in time eternall life should be Our care and endlesse rest our industrie And yet this Taske which the rebellious deeme Too harsh who god 's mild lawes
it self his Ancestors were all Patricians and honour'd by a long succession with the Consular purple His Patrimonies were large and more becomming a Prince then a private man for besides those possessions in the City of Burdeaux and by the River Garumna he had other most ample Inheritances in Italy about Narbone and Nola and in Rome it self And for this we have a pregnant testimony out of Ausonius who labouring to disswade him from Evangelical poverty and that obscure course of life as he is pleased to term it layes before him as the most moving arguments the desolation of his ancient house with the ruin and sequestration as it were of his large possessions his words are these Ne raptam sparsamque domum c. Let me not weep to see thy ravish'd house All sad silent without Lord or Spouse And all those vast dominions once thine owne Torn 'twixt a hundred slaves to me unknown But what account he made of these earthly possessions will appeare best by his own words in his fifth Epistle to Severus Ergo â—ihil in hunc mundum inferentibus substantiam rerum temporalium quasi tonfile vâ—llâ—s appâ—â—it c. God saith he layes these temporal accommodations upon us that come naked into this world as a fleece of wooll which is to be sheared off He puts it not as a load to hinder us whom it behoves to be born light and active but as a certain matter which rightly used may be beneficial And when he bestoweth any thing upon us that is either dear or pleasant to us he gives it for this end that by parting with it it may be a testimonial or token of our love and devotion towards God seeing we neglect the fruition of our best present things for his sake who will amply reward us in the future He had conferred upon him all the ornaments of humane life which man could be blest with He was nobly born rich and beautifull of constitution slender and delicate but every way fitted for virtuous imployment of an excellent wit a happy memory and which sweeten'd all these gracious concessions of a most mild and modest disposition To bring these seeds to perfection his Father having a care of him equall to his degree caused him to be brought up under the regiment of Decius magnus Ausonius a famous Poet and Oratour who at that time kept a School of Grammar and Rhetorick in the City of Burdeaux The Ingenuity and sweetnesse of Paulinus so overcame and ravished Ausonius that he used all possible skill and diligence to adorne and perfect those natural abilities which he so much loved and admired in this hopefull plant The effect was that he exceeded his Master Ausonius upon this being called to the Court by the old Emperor Valentinian Paulinus gave himselfe to the study of the Civill Law and the acute and learned pleadings of that age wherein he was so excellent that the Emperor taking notice of his Abilities took order for his Election into the Senate and this a very long time before his Tutor attained to that honour This praecedence of eloquence and honour Ausonius himself confesseth but having a greater witnesse I shall leave his testimony to the Margin to make room for the other Take then if it please you the Judgement of that glorious and Eloquent Doctour Saint Hierome for thus he writes in his thirteenth Epist to Paulinus O si mihi liceret istiusmodi ingenium non per Aonios montes Heliconis vertices ut poetae canunt sed per Sion c. O that I were able saith he to extoll and publish your ingenuity and holy learning not upon the Aonian hills or the tops of Helicon as the Poets sing but upon the Mountaines of Sion and Sinai that I might preach there what I have learnt from you and deliver that sacred mysteries of Scripture through your hands I might then have something to speak which learned Greece could never boast of And in another place A most pregnant wit you have and an infinite treasure of words which easily and apâ—ly flow from you and both the easinesse and the aptness are judiciously mixt To these Divine favours already conferred upon him God added another great blessing the Crown of his youth and the Comfort of his age I meane Therasia a Noble Roman Virgin whom he tooke to wife in the midst of his honours and who afterwards of her owne free will most joyfully parted with them all and with her own pleasant possessions to follow Christ in the regeneration At this height of honours growing repute he was employ'd upon some concernments of the Empire into Italy France and Spain Where he was detained together with his dear consort for the space of almost fifteen years during which time he secretly laboured to make himself acquainted with the glorious Fathers of that age and the Spirit of God now beginning to breath upon him hee was strongly moved to embrace the Christian Faith In these travells of his it was his fortune to arrive at Millaine where Saint Augustine and Alypius the Bishop of Tagasta in Africk did the Sojourne here by accident he was known of Alpyius though unknown to him as we see it often fall out that great persons are known of many which to them are unknown Much about this time which was the eight and thirtieth year of his age he retired privately with his wife into the City of Burdeaux And the hour being now come that the singing of birds should be heard and the lips which were asleep should speak Hee was there by the hands of holy Delphinus who then sate Bishop in the Sea of Burdeaux publickly baptized from which time forward he renounced all his Secular acquaintance associating himself to the most strict and pious livers in that age especially to Saint Ambrose the Bishop of Millan and Saint Martin the Bishop of Tours That he was baptized about the eight and thirtieth yeare of his age is clear by his owne words in his first Epistle to Saint Augustine Nolo in me corporalis â—rtus magis quam spiritalis exortus aetatem consideres c. I would not saith he that you consider my temporall age so much as my spiritual my age in the flesh is the same with that Cripple who was healed in the beautifull gate by the power of Christ working by his Apostles but my age in the regeneration is the same with the blessed Infants who by the wounds intended for Christ himself became the first fruits unto Christ and by the losse of their innocent blood did foreshew the slaughter of the Lamb and the passion of our Lord. Now for the first Saint Luke tells us That the Cripple upon whom this miracle of healing was shown was above forty years of age Acts Chap. 4. ver 22. and for the Infants the Evangelists words are that Herod sent forth his messengers and slew all the Male Children that were in Bethlem and the Coasts thereof from
so provoke us to showre and raine upon us and yet are so calm and so serene What is this I beseech you or what shall I returne unto you for these letters unlesse I tell you that I am wholly yours in him whose you are altogether If this be too little in truth I have no more These were the first effects of Paulinus his letters but shortly after St. Augustine sent him others nothing inferiour to this first either in affection or Piety And the year following being elected by Valerius to fit his Coadjutor in the Sea of Hippo where he afterwards succeeded him It was resolved by them all namely by Valerius Augustine Alypius Severus and Profuturus the African Bishops that a messenger should be dispatched into Campania to â—resent Paulinus with their several letters and the sincere gratulations of their respective Clergy which accordingly was performed In the beginning of this year which was the three hundred ninety and fifth after Christ Theodosius Augustus the first a most pious Emperour and a Nursing Father of the Church departed this life The Ethnick writers hating his memory as virulently as his person laboured with all manner of lyes and Libels to render him odious and detestable to posterity Holy Endelochius awaked with these scandalous clamours and the insolent aspersions cast upon so religious an Emperour writes earnestly to Paulinus and prevailes with him to imploy those excellent abilities bestowed on him in the defense of this faithfull Souldier of Jesus Christ and Champion of his Spouse This task Paulinus performed as appears by his owne words in his 9th Epistle to Severus to whom hee sent a Coppy of his learned Panegygick however posterity have suffered in the losse of it But we want not another witnesse That learned Father and happy translator of the booke of God in his thirteenth Epistle to Paulinus gives us a very fair and full account of it Librum tuum quem pro Theodosio principe prudenter ornateque c. Your booke saith he whihc elegantly and judiciously you composed in the defense of the Emperor Theodosius and sent to me by Vigilantius I have with much delight read over What I admire in it is your Method For having excelled all other writers in the first parts you excell your selfe in the last Your stile is compact and neat and with the perspicuity and purenesse of Cicero and yet weighty and sententious for that writing which hath nothing commendable in it but words is as one saith meer prating The consequence besides is very great and the coherence exact What ever you infer is either the confirmation of the antecedent or the inchoation of the subsequent Most happy Theodosius to be vindicated by such a learned Oratour of Christ You have added to the glory of his Imperial robe and made the utility of his just lawes sacred to posterity But this rare peece with many more mentioned by Gennadius either through the envie of the Heathen or the negligence of our own are unfortunately lost especially a Volume of Epistles written to his Sister with some controversial peeces against the Ethnick Philosophers mentioned also by Saint Augustine in his four and thirtieth Epistle and a most learned Treatise of true Repentance and the glory of Martyrs Much about this time the name of Paulinus began to be famous in the East and not onely there but in all parts of the Christian World It is almost incredible especially in this age of Impieties and Abominations how much the example of this one man prevailed over all The Course he ran drew another wealthy and noble Râ—man I mean Pammachius from the Senate to the Cell and all the Fathers of that age when they prest any to holy living and a desertion of the World brought in Paulinus for their great exemplar and a star to lead them unto Christ St. Augustine propounds him to Romanianus Licentius Saint Hierome to Julian and the Daughters of Geruntius and Saint Chrysostome in his thirteenth homily upon Genesis sets him downe for a pattern to the husbands and Therasia to the wives The reverend Bishop of Hippo did very earnestly sollicite him to come over into Africk he gives his reason for it in these words Non imprudenter ego vos rogo flagito postulo c. Not unadvisedly doe I intreat and earnestly desire and require you to come into Africk where the Inhabitants labour more now with the thirst of seeing you then with the famous thirstinesse of the Climate God knowes I ask it not for my private satisfaction nor for those onely who either by my mouth or by the publick fame have heard of you but for the rest who either have not heard or else having heard will not believe so great a change but when they themselves shall see the truth they will not onely believe but love and imitate It is for their sakes therefore that I desire you to honour these parts with your bodily presence Let the Eyes of our flocks also behold the glory of Christ in so eminent a Couple the great exemplars to both Sexes to tread pride under their feet and not to despaire of attaining to prefection And in his fifty ninth Epistle to Paulinus when according to the custome of those holy times hee had sent his Presbyter to him to be instructed he cannot saith he profit more by my Doctrine then he can by your life Saint Hierome useth the same Engine to bring down the high thoughts of Julian Art thou saith he nobly descended So were Paulinus and Therasia and far nobler in Christ Art thou rich and honourable So were they and from the height of honours and worldly riches became poor and inglorious that they might gain Christ Dearly did Anastasius who succeeded Siricius in the Sea of Rome affect this holy Bishop as appears by his owne words in his sixteenth Epistle to Delphinus the Bishop of Burdeaux But amidst all these triumphs of the Church of God for the conversion of so eminent a person and the frequent gratulations of learned men exprest by their letters or personall visits there were none that raged with so much hatred and malice against him as his own kindred and former acquaintance A Prophet hath no honour in his own Country and those of his owne house will be his Enemies There are no such persecutors of the Church as those that do it for selfe-ends and their private advantage Sweetly doth he complain of these bitter unnatural dealings in his fifth Epistle to Severus Potiore mihi parente germanus es quam illi quos caro tantùm sanguis mihi sociat You are my Brother now by a greater Father then those who are tyed to me by flesh and blood onely For where is now my great affinity by blood Where are my old friends where is my former acquaintance I am become as a dream before them all and as a stranger to my owne brothers the Sons of my Mother My kinsmen
the mean time offences triumph and rejoyce at it and the old and wicked sinne of ambition which of a long time desires to contend even with your holynesse and upright life presumes now and is confident that having forcibly taken the wall from us it will carry you also against the wholsomnesse of Apostolicall institution O! a cause truly worthy not to be determined but by your holy life which is your Crown we therfore dâ—clare unto you that we have suspended our judgement for the present that we may have the truth of these Divine precepts pronounced by your reverend mouth who have both followed them and fullfilled them For none can be a fit arbiter of those rules but he that hath approved himself worthy and conformable to Apostolicall discipline Wherefore holy Sir worthily reverend Father the faithfull Servant of God and his Divine work we intreat you particularly that slighting the troubles of this Journey you would favour us with this gift and tribute if I may so speak of your presence and laying aside all other concernments so far as your health and ease will permit be in your owne person at this Synod and vouchsafe to lend your assistance to our desires and that blessing which wee earnestly long for Wee see by this letter in what account hee was with the Emperour and that his integrity and holyness were not dissimulations and popular Fables but experimentall truths so known and so believed hee was a true Christian and no Impostour It was not the Custome but the nature if I may so say of those Primitive times to love holy and peacefull men But some great ones in this later age did nothing else but countenance Schismaticks and sedicious raylers the despisers of dignities that covered their abominable villanies with a pretence of transcendent holinesse and a certain Sanctimonious excellencie above the Sons of men This Vaile which then cousend weak eyes is now fallen off their faces and most of their patrons have by an unthought of Method received their rewards The rest without doubt though they shift themselves into a thousand shapes shall not escape him whose anger is not yet turned away but his hand is stretched out still But returâ—e we to Paulinus Whose Charity and tendernesse towards the poor was both inimitable and incredible This iron age wants faith as well as mercy When he had given them all he had to the last that begged he gave himself Gregorie the great in the third Book of his Dialogues and the first Chapter hath recorded this memorable passage I shall cut it short and in as few words as conveniently may be give you all that is material When the Vandals had miserably wastâ—d Campania and carried many of the inhabitants into Africk blessed Paulinus gave all that he had both towards his own sustenance and the reliefe of the poor amongst the prisoners and Captives The Enemy being departed and his prey with him a poor Widow whose onely Son was amongst the rest of the Natives by a Son in law of the King of the Vandals carried into Bondage comes to petition Paulinus for so much Money as might serve to redeem him Paulinus told her that he had nothing then left either in money or other goods but promised if shee would accept of him to go with her into Africk and to be exchanged for her Son The poore Widow taking this for a meere scoffe turnes her back to be gone Paulinus followes after and with much adoe made her believe that he meant it as he did indeed in earnest Upon this they travell'd both into Africk and having opportunity to speake with the Kings Son in Law the poor widow begged of him first to have her son restor'd unto her Gratis but the youthfull and haughty Vandal averse to all such requests would hear her no farther whereupon she presents him with Paulinus and petitioned to have her Son set at liberty and the other to serve in his stead The Prince taken with the comely and reverend countenance of Paulinus asked him what his occupation or trade was Paulinus answered that he never followed any trade but that he had good skill in dressing of Herbes and Flowers Upon this the Prince delivered her Son to the Widow who took him home with her and sent Paulinus to work into his Gardens The Prince delighting much in Flowers and Sallets would very frequently visit Paulinus and took such delight in him that he forsook all his Court-associates to enjoy the company of his new Gardiner In one of these visits Paulinus taking occasion to confer seriously with him advised him to be very carefull of himselfe and to consider speedily of some means to secure and settle the Kingdome of the Vandals in Mauritania for said he the King your Father in law will shortly dye The Prince something troubled with the suddain newes without further delay acquaints the King with it and tells him withall that his Gardiner whose prediction this was excelled all other men both in wisedome and learning Whereupon the King requested that he might see him you shall replyed the Prince for to morrow when you are at dinner I will give order that hee shall come in person with the dishes of Sallate to the Table This being agreed upon and accordingly performed the old Tyrant upon the first sight of Paulinus exceedingly trembled and speaking to his Daughter who sate next to him to call to her husband he told him that the prediction of his Gardiner was very true for yesternight said he I saw in a dream a great tribunal with judges sitting thereon and amongst them this Gardiner by whose judgement a scourge which had been formerly put into my hands was taken from me But learn of him what his profession is and what dignity he had conferred upon him in his own Country for I cannot believe him to be as he pretends an inferiour or ordinary person As soon as dinner was ended the Prince stole from the presence into the Garden and earnestly intreated Paulinus to tell him who he was I am said he your Gardiner which you received in exchange for the Widowes Son I know that replyed the Prince but I desire to know your profession in your own Country and not the servitude you have put your self in with me for the present To this Paulinus answered that he was by profession a Bishop and a servant of Jesus Christ the Son of the living God At these words the Prince was mightily troubled and requested him to depart againe into his own Country assuring him that before he departed he would give him any thing that he should please demand Paulinus replyed that he would desire noâ—hing but to have those Captives which were carried out of Campania set at liberty and transported to their Native Country To this the Prince consented and for Paulinus his sake furnished them with shipping and all other necessaries for their voyage and sent them home joyfull in the Company of
his blessed head lets gently down Eternal glory made into a Crown About him stand two flocks of diâ—fering notes One of white sheepe and â—â—e of spâ—ckled goates The first possesse his right hand and the last Stand on his left The spotted Goates are cast All into thick deep shades while from his right The white sheepe passe into a whiter light But in all these sacred buildings our most pious and humble Bishop did not so much as dream of Merit He thought as blâ—ssed Mr. Herbert did that they were good works if sprinkled with the blood of Christ otherwise hee thought them nothing It will not be amisse nor perhaps needlesse to produce his own words in his own defense Nisi dominus aedificaverit domum vano aedificantes labore sudabimus Oremus ergo dominum ut dum nos illi aedificamus domicilia quae videntur ille nobis intus aedificet illa quae noâ— videntur domum videliceâ— illam non manufactam Unlesse the Lord build the house wee labour in vaine to build it Let us therefore saith he pray to the Lord that while wee outwardly build unto him these visible buildings hee would build inwardly in us those which are invisible that is to say the house not made with hands How can a servant merit by making use of his masters goods All we do and all we give are but his concessions and favours first given unto us Cum suis hìc ibi rebus loâ—upletamur in this World and in the World to come all ouâ— magnificence is but his munificence But Paulinus was not onely outwardly pious but inwardly also He did so abound with private devotions that all the time from his Baptism to his buriall may be truly called his Prayer-time All that he did think all that he did speak and all that he did write was pure devotion Either publick or private prayers took up all his timâ— Our Saviour tells us that Gods Elects cry day and night unto him and Saint Paul adviseth us to pray without ceasing and in every thing to give thanks for this saith he is the will of God in Christ Iesus concerning you Holy Paulinus called Saint Paul his Master having made himselfe his Disciple hee would not neglect his commands If you continue in my word saith our Saviour then are you my Disciples indeed To this I shall adde his Conformity and obedience to the Church a blessing of no small consequence in all ages especially in this age of Schismes and Heresies Hee highly honoured the memory of the Saints of God and was a most chearfull and devout observer of Sacred Festivals or holy daies His pious affection to these blessed seasons together with the necessity and convenience of them he hath most elegantly and learnedly demonstrated in his Poems hos per long a morantes Tempora dum tardi splendens rota vertitur anni Sustineo intentis affecto pectore votis Quos cupio totis mihi praelucere diebus Vel quando veniunt ita compensare moras ut Aestivis possent spatiis producere lucem Aut illum pensare diem qui sistere Jussis Syderibus longo lassavit lumine mundum Humanos duplicans dilatâ nocte labores Ergo velut caelum stellis floribus arva Temporibusque annos dominus sic ipse diebus Tempora distinxit festis ut pigra diurnis Ingenia obsequiis saltem discrimine facto Post intervallum reduci sollemnia voto Sancta libenter agant residesque per annua mentes Festa parent domino quia Jupiter intemeratos Justitiae servare piget delinquere suetis Parcere peccato labor est decurritur omni Valle per ascensum non est evadere cursu Inde bonus dominus cunctos pietatis ut alis Contegat invalidis niti vâ—rtutis ad arcem Congrua sanctorum dedit intervalla dierum Ut saltem officiis mediocribus ultima Christi Vestimenta legant eos sacra fimbria sanet Primus enim gradus est caelo pertexere cunctos Continuâ bonitate dies tempore toto Pascha sacrum Christi Cultu celebrare pudico Quod si mista seges tribulis mihi germinat cor Incultum stimulat terreni spina laboris Vel festis domino studeam me offere diebus Ut vel parte mei tanquam confinia Vitae Corpore ne toto trahar in Consortia mortis Englished thus Those sacred daies by tedious time delai'd While the slow years bright line about is laid I patiently expect though much distrest By busie longing and a love-sicke brest I wish they may outshine all other daies Or when they come so recompence delaies As to outlast the Summer-hours bright length Or that fam'd day when stopt by Divine strength The Sun did tyre the World with his long light Doubling mens labours and adjourning night As the bright Skye with stars the fields with flowers The years with diff'ring seasons monthâ— and houres God hath distinguished and mark'd so he With sacred feasts did ease and beautifie The working dayes because that mixture may Make men loath to be holy ev'ry day After long labours with a freer will Adore their maker and keepe mindfull still Of holynessâ— by keeping holy daies For otherwise they would dislike the wayes Of piety as too severe To cast Old customes quite off and from sinne to fast Is a great work To runne which way we will On plaines is easie not so up a hill Hence 't is our good God who would all men bring Under the Covert of his saving wing Appointed at set times his solemne feasts That by mean services men might at least Take hold of Christ as by the hemme and steal Help from his lowest skirts their Soules to heal For the first step to Heaven is to live well All our life long and each day to excel In holynesse but since that tares are found In the best Corn and thistles will Confound And prick my heart with vaine cares I will strive To weed them out on feast-daies and so thrive By handfuls 'till I may full life obtaine And not be swallow'd of Eternall paine Two places upon Earth were most renowned with the memory of our Saviour Bethlem for his birth and mount Calvarie for his passion To extirpate all remembrance of his Humanity out of these places Hadrian the persecutor caused the Idol of Jupiter to be set up and worshipped in Mount Calvarie and in Bethlem he built a Mosquie for that Egyptian block Adonis which the Idolatrous Jewes called Thamuz Some men amongst us have done the like Two Seasons in the year were consecrated by the Church to the memory of our Saviour The Feast of his Nativity and Circumcision and the Feast of his Passion and Resurrection These two they have utterly taken away endeavouring in my opinion to extinguish the memory of his Incarnation and Passion and to race his blessed name out of those bright columnes of light which the Scripture calls daies They will not allow him two daies in the