THE RELIGION OF A Physician: OR, DIVINE MEDITATIONS UPON The Grand and Lesser FESTIVALS, Commanded to be observed in the Church of England by Act of Parliament.

By EDMUND GAYTON, Batchelor of Physick, And Captain Lieutenant of Foot to His Illustri­ous Highness IAMES Duke of York.

Whom God preserve.

LONDON: Printed by I. G. for the Author. 1663.

PErlegi hunc librum, cui titulus [Divine Medi­tations upon the Great and Lesser Fe­stivals, &c.] in quo nihil reperio Sacris literis contrarium; ideo (que) Imprimatur.

Guil. Brabourn, S. T. D. Reverendiss. in Christo Patri ac D. D. Archiep. Cant. Sacellan. Domestic.

To His Royall and Illustrious HIGHNESSE, JAMES, DUKE OF YORK.

May it please Your Highness,

TO admit a Centurion of yours into Your Presence, without his Sword by his side, of which he is most joyfully dis­armed by this blessed change of Peace; which he hopes no threats of murmuring Malecontents will be ever able to interrupt. It is long since I waited upon your Highnesse after the Surren­der [Page] of Oxford, unto the Town of Uxbridge, where I took my leave of as much Happiness as could be left.

Your Royall Father of ever Blessed Memory, was then alive, a Confessor Royal, and soon after Martyr, for the Protestant Religion, the Pri­viledge of Parliaments, the Liberty of the Subject, and the Lawes of the Land. All which no man ever defended so unto Blood as Himself, nor indeed could any man: For He was butteres­sed up by especial Grace, high Undestanding, the Pen of a ready Writer and invincible Pa­tience.

Not long after His bloody Exit off the Stage of this World, with the general Plaudit of good Men and Angels, your Highnesse made an happy escape from St. Iames's, where you now are at more Liberty (God be thanked) then before. I have lov'd the Play of Hide and Seek ever since, and with just regard ho­nour those Gentlemen, who from the Royall Bo-peep were grand Instruments to metamor­phize the Pyrocles of their Land into a Philo­clea.

Who would not take this History for a Romance, were it not that the truth thereof is [Page] undeniable? How did the Red Rose blush, adorn'd in a Silk Gown and Sattin Petticoat? with what Art and cover of Handkerchiefs or Gloves did you imitate Virgin smiles, even to the beguiling those who knew of your dis­guise? the Pilot and Master of the Ship ne­ver carried such a noble Fraight, which was his Barques protection and tutelary power: Not a Tar-paulin but would have throwne his cap at you, while the enamour'd winds followed your Ship with all speed, more to salute the Royal Passenger, then to forward the sailes.

Credentne posteri? Posterity will stagger in belief of the future Annals, and Credulity it self will stand awhile dubious, when it shall be wrote, That two such High descended Bro­thers, should be preserved, the one in standing, the other in swimming Oak. Properly from hence shall our Ships be called The walls of this Nation, which kept safe such a Royal Deposi­tum and Charge.

Sacra Iovi Quercus.

The Oak is a Tree dedicate to Iupiter, and no doubt it was never more divine then in those [Page] two Services. The Oak, as it is in it selfe free from Thunder-stroaks, so it prov'd to all in its protection, and loyally secured your Roy­al Persons from the roarings and thunderings of our late Bull-Rampant, who rag'd like Hercules furens in his poisoned shirt at your Highness his Escape, and never recovered his spirits after His Majesty's Deliverance from him and his Blood-hounds. For though he died not presently upon the effugium, yet, as Queen Mary said of the losse of Callice, you might find the sad impressions of that miscarriage imprinted in her heart. Let a new Dodona's Grove be revived upon this Royal Tree, which crushed the spreading growth of that luxuri­ant Bramble, which had like to have over­spred all the lesser Trees of the Forest, which hath over-topped the neighbour Vine, and the remoter Olive, and brought the Willow to a just subjection.

Sacred be that Oak, whereby we Shrubs of the Myrtle and the Lawrel Grove doe shoot up again, more then cropt and brouz'd by the Vermine of those dayes. For all that while your Captain was in a Brown study in the City, and at many a dangerous Forrage in the Coun­trey. [Page] In which solitudes these ensuing Medita­tions were wrote, and did visit some friends abroad, when the Author durst not. Now as Gentlemen who keep Hounds, send a couple to some friend, and a couple to another, until there be a free time for game: So I (the liber­ty of Studies being restor'd in Caesar onely) have called home these dispersed Poems, and brought them to hunt in a narrow compasse. I am sure they do not run Counter, nor are at a fault, but all follow upon the right scent, and open in good musick, and go along in harmony (pardon the Metaphor) with the Uni­forme Pack.

I humbly present these Fancies (Royal Sir) to Your Highness protection, which is a Goord too good for their shelter; yet the amplitude of your extended favour may shroud at once a Captain, a Physitian, and a small Poet. In all or any of which Capacities, it is my desire to be ever esteemed (though at a most mannerly di­stance)

SIR,
Your Royall Highness his most obedient Captain and Servant, EDM. GAYTON.

To the Favourable READER.

QUod feliciter vortat Academici, &c. That it may prove happy to my Mother the Church, and our Civil Father the King, and his Ward or Pupil (for that is all the Wards is left him) the Common-wealth. I have wrote these sollowing Meditations in a time, when it was not a sin, but punishment to observe them. I remember ve­ry well, that those two famous Prelates of our Church, the Bishop of London-derry, and the eminent Scholar Dr. Gunning, with many others, were que­stioned for celebrating the Nativity of our Savi­our, when the third of September was kept most religiously for the routing of a King. But,

Crescit sub pondere virtus.

The Dog barks, but the Moon goes on: 'Tis not the threats of men, nor their unjust oppressions must scare us from doing our duty. I have heard a learned Pre­late [Page] say, That Nemo, moritur in officio, a Vice­chancelour hath not leisure to be sick: and it hath obtained this Faith de facto, that even those spiri­tuall aduenturers I before named, have triumphed over their persecutions, and they live in honour and high esteem, when the Remora's and Sword-fish of those dayes, the Thorns and Briars of their sides are crackling, as under a pot, in their abhorr'd Non­conformity. If ever there may be a boast of visibility, or of infalibility of a single Church, then modestly we of our Church may lay some small claim to it; which from the scoffs of our neighbours, and the deplored opinion of most of her own spurious children is raised (Deo Gratias) like Job from the dunghil, more nich, more honoured, more conspicuous then ever: so that I may say of my restored Mother and King, as it was said of Marius returning from the Lake of Minturnum, where he was forced to skulk from the proscriptions of Scylla, Catenae, fuga, exilium ho­norificaverunt dignitatem, that is, their Exile­ments, Imprisonments, Scornes, Miseries, did imbla­zon their dignities, and set a varnish upon that Gold, which the evil tongues of those and these dayes had laboured to rust, and with Calumnies Canker-eat and deface; Victrix causa malis placuit, sed victa Gatono, I loved the Church when she was unlovely, [Page] when she was blackest then was she comely. A dis-fi­gured Parthenia is the lov'd Mistress of a constant Argalus. Bright Cynthia with all he spots is ami­able, and our Ladies in smaller volumes imitate the pale Lady of the skies. In my Mother the Church her spots are not black Foyles but red, the Red-letter daies being the Ornament of her Year: her Festivals (my present subject) so many pillars as in Solomon 's Porch, the beautie and flourish of the building. I do acknowledge that learneder Pens have laboured in this Argument, and I come forth burthened with their just Fames, and must needs incur the censure of an impertinent and superfluous Scribler. Scribendi Cacoethes is a Disease incurable, for which there is no dose in our Pharmacopaea. I can make no other Apologie then this, that, Nil est dictum, quod non est dictum prius: the Mode perchance, the Fashion may be new, but the ground-work is old. If I prove Scinctillula de Scinctilla, a Sparkle of a Spark is honour enough.

Longè sequor & vestigia semper adoro.

The many little Starrs in the firmament make a very rare Via lactea, which the greater Luminaries do neither envie nor obscure: Let my vantage Candle I [Page] pray be taken into the pound, to make weight at least, while your Christmass Tapers carry the glory of the day. These Apologetick complements premised, I proceed to prove the Antiquity and Legality of these Festivals, wherein also I am prevented by the learn­ed Dr. Gunning, after whom to glean is too much honour for me, unworthy to carry his Books. And first of the Antiquity of Easter, what can be more reverend for its Age, more holy for its Subject? it was instituted by the Apostles themselves, kept by them, and is indeed the leading Sabbath, or rather Holiday of the year; Dies Dominicus non Sabba­tum creationis, the Lords Day, a Commemoration of the Resurrection of our Saviour, which was the complement and perfection of the Redemption of the World. This is the Lords day, in which his Arm brought mighty things to passe. And for the An­tiquity of Lent, it is deriv'd by Dr. Gunning very far, to whose more authentick authority I refer you. According to Helvicus and the Cronologer upon him, we finde it instituted by that good Prince Sigis­bert, amongst us English-men (having first resto­red Christian Religion) in the year of our Lord, 640. but at Rome it obtained sooner observance in Teles­phorus his Episcopacy of that See: For then the name of Pope was not appropriate to the Bishop of [Page] Rome onely, but was shared among the rest of his Brethren; but in Phocas the Emperour's dayes Boniface the third usurped the title of Universal Bishop, and did affix the name of Papa to the Ro­man See onely, though S. Gregory before him plainly said, That whoever did assume that ti­tle, was the fore-runner of Antichrist: What need the Geneva Glosse? is not S. Gregory enough to state the Question? And in 142 Lent was insti­tuted at Rome, the forementioned Telesphorus, be­ing Pontifex Maximus: but as for the business it self, the Antiquity makes no great matter, no more then our long contentions for the Superiority of Ox­ford and Cambridge, though in this present Par­liament my Mother hath got the right-hand side; and to shew my thankfulness for that Vote, I shall tell the noble Suffragators of a piece of Petrarch (a Poet too, yet of good authority) wherein speaking of the ancient­ness of the Disputative, Ergo— he saith,

Vetustum illud ergo hoc Oxoniense, illud Parisciense.

Which doth intimate, that Cambridge had no name then, or no ergo, or ergo fallor; let these Univer­sities be for ever styled (as my Father Ben calls them [Page] most politickly in his Dedication before Volpone) most equal Sisters. It is not the oldness of any thing, un­less it be also very good, makes it praiseworthy; Stand in the old way, that was the first covenant of the Decalogue, was a holy Precept; but fight for the Good old Cause, which was a covenant for Mis­chief and Treason, was an abominable invitation, and a call to Rebellion. Curse ye Meroz was a very good commination against those backward Israelites, which kept their Tents, and would not rise with the Lord against the mighty: but to your Tents, O Isra­el, and the new Curse you Meroz of our times was the decoy to Sedition, Tumults and War, and a spur to England to ruine themselves, to cut off the best King that ever Christianity knew. The Iewes at this day attribute their long abandoning and dispersion to their rebellion against the house of Judah; Shall a Iew repent of that sin of Witchcraft, and shall the Godly Party wipe their mouths like the Harlot, and say it is a sweet thing, and persist in impenitency, and provide for future Risings?

Pudet haec approbria vobis,
Et dici potuisse & non potuisse refelli.

Countreymen, I am ashamed of your obstinacy, and beseech you to undeceive your selves. These Medita­tions, [Page] if read with impartial eys, will befriend you into the true way, that way which your King upon his Theatre of Martyrdom told you, you had forsaken. Re­member the words of your dying Father, of a true Jo­nathan, though not the son of Rhacab, but a sober Prince, a chaste Prince, a pious Prince, and for his sake, who prayed for your Pardon, who purchased your Act of Indempnity with his own Blood of his Mercifull Son; for his Son's sake, for his Christ's sake, yet in this your day leave off murmuring, repi­ning, speaking evil of Dignities, and every high thought of heart, and come with old Barsillai, you and your sons and families, bring the King to Je­rusalem, settle him in his Royal City with joy, and make one Festival more then I write of, make one Iu­bilee to the universal rejoycing of this yet distracted Nation. At this Repentance Heaven will dance, the Angels will be pleasant, and your own hearts wil be en­larged with everlasting comforts. Which is the hearty vote of a true Son of the Church of England, and a Religious Physician.

That word makes me reflect upon my selfe, and commands me to shew some reason why I intitle this Book The Religion of a Physician, since that hath been used by Doctor Brown, an able Artist in that Faculty: To whom, for that and his Vulgar [Page] Errors, the world stands still engaged and obliged. I do not do it for this end and purpose, that either in Physick, wherein he was admirable, or in Theolo­gie, wherein he was curious, I should match my selfe with him, or labour to out-vie him. A poore Dwarf upon that Giant's shoulders dares not undervalue his Supporters, or stalk proudly and forget the Stilts and Props are under him. This Frontispiece humbly shewes, that the Author did not totally in these late years either neglect his Body or his Soul;

Ut sit
Mens sana in corpore sano,

ought to be the care of every man, much more of a Christian. 'Tis true, that Sir Jeffrey Chaucer had but an ill opinon of my Faculty, when he saith of a Doctor of Physick,

His meat was good and digestible,
But not a word he had o'th'Bible.

To wipe off that stain and aspersion from our Bota­nick Tribe, I wrote these Meditations, to shew the World, that it is possible for a Physician of the Lower Form to be Theologue, at leastwise to seem [Page] to seem to be one: S. Luke was a Physician, an Apo­stle and Evangelist; and we own one of the best stories in the world, The Acts of the Apostles, and the compleatest Gospel: so S. Paul esteems it to that Physician. 'Tis certain, according to practice, our Art doth not so much intend the amendment of the soul as the body, especially▪ if Doctor Butler be judge, whose advice to a salacious Patient a little intrencht against the seventh Commandement: But yet that Cure might have been wrought without infringement of the Precept, if the party would have pleased to have taken a wife; and then Hippocrates and S. Paul might have been reconciled with a cir­cumfer sororē conjugem, and without Gocle­nius the cure had been effected: But to say precisely and peremptorily, that the Physician hath nothing to do in respect of the soul, is more then can be justified: for the Physick of the body is but a preparative for the bettering of the soul, which is highly eased and fit­ted for Divine contemplation, by emptying a Plethorick cask: how sprightful is the whole man after the succes­ful workings of a Vomit, moderat Phlebotomy, or a dose of Pills, or a Purge? 'tis true, we may be Canes ad vomitum, and Sues in coeno volutantes, but no man sanae mentis will dedignifie his body after a noble Wash, but will rather look out clean places, good [Page] aire, good companie, and endeavour to keep his house neat and gent after its happy evacuations: but if he does contrary, and take 7. unclean spirits into him af­ter defecation, let him look to it, lest his latter end be not worse then his beginning, and so let him be conde­mned to the Physician, who shall lose his honour by him, plagued by incurable diseases, and onely fitted by long, and tedious, and unprofitable Physick for a journey into the Conutrey, and so to the Sexton.

A Physician therefore and a Divine you see are not inconsistent, the late Times made many Preachers Physicians, and these Soveraign dayes have made ma­ny a Physician Preachers:

Cum fortuna volet fies de Rhetore Consul,
Cum volet haec eadē fies de Consule Rhetor.

You know not what a causer of Metamorphoses and changes one Oliver may prove; and one good Au­gustus may prove as successfull (and God grant it) to the repeopling the houses of the Prophets, and re­building the Universities and Churches, as ever that Usurper was fruitfull to their ruine. The restored Revenue of the Church invites and excites to the stu­dy of Divinity; without which endowments and encou­ragements Arts would be chill'd, and Learning frost­bit, and look like the year in October, all snow, bar­ren and uncomely.

[Page] Many able Physicians, my very good friends, are al­ready Reverend Divines, and fit for Prebendaries, Deaneries and Bishopricks; the Urinall is cast quite away, & Thomas of watering is in the place of it. The round Cap is turned square, and I commend the dance of so rare changes, which can make of a Galen and Hippocrates, Van Helmont and Paracel­sus, Dr. Prideaux's, Hooker's, Dr. Andrew's and Bishop Laud's. Proceed in that, or any Faculty, so your Degrees and Honours prove worthily taken; Ad gloriam D. O. M. honorem Regis C. 2. & beneficium Reipubl. & studii: or as it is more solemnly spoken at the creation of a Doctor or Ma­ster of Art, Ad honorem D. nostri Jesu Chri­sti, ad profectum Matris Ecclesiae & studii, &c. these may very well become the breast-plates of every Orthodox Divine.

And now I crave pardon for this tedious and over­long Epistle, and give you a welcome entrance into our Manual of Divine Meditations, which I hope you will favour ably accept, especially from one who doth constantly employ his time on some Scholastick Work or other, whereby he may, at leastwise in wish, appear to be,

Gentlemen,
Your most humble and obsequious Servant, E. G.

DIVINE MEDITATIONS UPON The Grand and Lesser Festivals, &c.

Upon the Nativity of our Saviour.

GIve place all Birth-dayes unto this: and oh!
That I could write as
Virgil.
He of Pollio,
Or of Marcellus fate, that Kings and Queens
Unto this Babe might come a gossipping:
They are too mean to stand for this High Child,
Who th'
Magnum Io­vis Incremen­tum.)
Increment of God is indeed styl'd.
Angels are Harbingers, Wonders precede,
A Barren Womb must teem, before a Creed
For a Virgin-Mother; first then a Iohn
Luke 1. v. 36.
Of a dry Elizabeth; Mary anon
Conceives, brings forth, and all without a Man,
The Womb conceives more then her small Braines can:
When Angels sound it, there's no place for doubt,
To question it, will strike a Prophet mute:
Old
Luke 1. v. 22.
Zacharie, how faithless hadst thou stood,
Had not the Angel Gabriel thought it good
[Page 2] To tell thee of thy Cousins woundrous birth;
Mary, the Blessing and the Gaze o'th' Earth.
Such Salutation never Princess saw,
Never Embassador of so much joy,
And yet this glorious Legate is not sent
To th' Court, or to the Jewish Parliament,
(The Sanedrim) nor the sharp Synagogue,
(Who read according to the
Sicut Se­ptuaginta in­terpretum glos­sa.
Seaventy's Vogue)
But to some simple Shepherds this news flies,
Who are acquainted with the work o'th' skies,
By their Nocturnal Offices, and see,
As if some Starres had shot, the Angels ply
About the Sheep-folds, and then make them glad,
With newes of a Lamb born, more then they had.
Whose should it be? where yean'd? in this cold night,
(The hope o'th' Flock!) alas, will be kill'd out-right.
Be unamuz'd, sweet Innocents, your Crook
And Kalendar will both be now mistook.
No Iacobs Staffe can reach the height of this
Starre, and yet this from Iacob did arise.
The Holy Lamb, which 'mongst the Beasts doth lie,
Was slain; before his birth, design'd to die,
So that the Martyrdome of Saints e're since,
Have their Nativities been styl'd from thence.
But listen, Shepherds, and your pipes lay by,
Attend to th' Quire, and Musick from on High.
Th' imaginary motions of the Spheres,
Did never strike such sounds in any ears;
The Voyces most harmonious, Persons rare,
A Royal Ditty of Caelestial Aire;
A singing Army, without Drumms, or Fife,
The Lords Artillery (but not for strife.)
What a blest Anthem chaunts this Heavenly Host?
These Souldiers were inspir'd by th' Holy Ghost;
As by the joyfull matter you may guess,
Glory to God, good will to men, t' Earth peace.
When such a Song shall ever more be heard?
Or when such Choristers? 'tis to be fear'd
[Page 3] The Saints are black, and of another tone,
Hatred to men, War and Destruction
Upon the Sons o'th' Earth; and yet they cry,
All's done to the glory of God on High.
Away then Sheepherds, to the humble place,
And kiss his feet, view your sweet Saviours face.
What Glory shines about the Babe? the Hay
And Straw all on a fire, make no such day.
The Beasts affrighted with such flames, here gaze,
And run about the Infant as it blaze.
What need we care where us our Mothers lay?
A Manger is Gods
Cradle.
Incunabula.
Mary incircled with a glorious Light,
Is in a cloud her self, her thoughts in night:
Deliver'd of a Son, but not of Doubt,
Luke 2. 35▪
Her heart was joy'd, but yet was pierc'd throughout.
Certain 'tis hers, uncertain how 'tis hers,
Shee does believe, 'fore Reason Faith preferrs:
The births of all men do depend upon
Their Mothers, here the Mother trusts the Son,
Whose Incarnation to himself was known,
And Mary Mothers it, Father there's none.

Upon S. Stephen the Proto-martyr.

HOw shall I write thy Legend? who am all
Extremely bad, as bad as
The King and Apostle.
either Saul.
What though I threw no stones, as Saul? I had
A hand in thy Lords Lords death, and that's as bad.
The Sins preceding, present, and to come,
Are all upon account, the cursed summe
And hand-writing against us, which stood good,
Untill Christ had expung'd it with his Blood.
The Jewes cry'd Crucifie, their voice prevailes,
But every Sin of mine was Goad and Nailes.
Mount Calvary the Stage, the World the Cause,
And He condemn'd for our not keeping Lawes;
And every one that does profess that name,
Hath for his Badge, Death, Poverty and Shame,
While devout Stephen preaches him, and spake
A Poniard-Sermon
Act. 7. 4, 5.
made the heart to ake
(Like the smart penn'd Philippicks
Ciceronis Orot. contra M. Anton. & Cati­linam.
word and blow,
Th' eternal Life and Death of Cicero.)
What is contriv'd? his fate, a Sermon (friend)
Of truth doth th' utterer to th' Scaffold send.
But what should anger them? Stephen you know
Was no Apostle, that's no Bishop, no,
He was a fervent Deacon, had he been
O'th' higher Form, he'd been the Man of Sin:
No Order scapes their malice, no Degree
Exempts the Clergie from their Tyranny.
If he speak truth, and boldly reprehend,
Bishop, or Deacon, it shall be his end.
'Tis not thy Miracles, or Wisdome, Saint,
Though it convince them, shall obtain a Grant;
[...]
They are o'recome, convicted, Guilt proves Rage,
Not onely then, but now, in this our Age.
Look what a crew and crowd of Enemies
Are rais'd against apparent Verities,
[Page 5] Which Libertines convene, they will dispute,
And Sense and Wonders shan't a man confute;
Acts 6. 9.
Just like the enemies to David's Throne,
A line of wicked Combination,
Edom and Ishm'el, Moab, Hagarens,
Gebal and Ammon, Tyre and Philistines,
Conspire 'gainst Iudah all; so here a Nest
Of Sectaries oppose the Truth profest,
And all in vain: then to the old Designe,
Make a Malignant of the best Divine,
Blasphemer, Innovator, one that doth
Act against God in words, and the State both.
This will prevaile, if that the people cry
Iustice aloud, good Stephen thou must die.
Thus do false cryers up o'th' Temple, kill
The truest Props, and Churches Pillars still.

Upon S. John Evangelist and Apostle.

BElov'd Disciple, pillow'd on the breast
Of Christ (which was a favour 'bove the rest)
From whence thou suck'dst sublime Divinity,
(a) Hensius in Oratione Nata­litiâ.
And soarst aloft, with Eagles piercing eye,
Into the Mysteries of Faith: To thee
We owe the profound arguments, whereby
The Ebionites, and Arrian Hereticks,
Socinians, and their late invented tricks,
Are all confounded, and whosoe're do fight
Against Christs Incarnation, or his Right
In the Blest Trinity, th' (c) Eternal Word
(b) Joh. 1. ver. 10.
(As in a scabbard is inclos'd a sword)
Couch'd in the Flesh, shewn thorow that shadowing veyle,
And 'bove the Hood the Glory did prevail.
It was not possible to shrowd him so,
Verse 14.
But by his works his Father he must know;
He prov'd his Father by his wondrous Deeds,
Than those his Acts, there need no other Creeds.
Believe me for my Works (they'r his own words)
These speak me God, these speak me onely Lord.
To make men eyes and legs were blind and lame,
It is as to create the very same,
To raise the dead to life, redeem, restore,
To raise himself from death, what would you more?
More if he would have done, his own self saith,
Could not (if what he did would not) gain Faith.
The reason of this Unbelief? 'tis this;
Men hated Light for its discoveries.
Mischiefs in Lanthorns lodge, in Mists and
Honesta pu­blico gaudent, scelera secreta sunt. Minutius Felix.
clouds,
And flie whatsoe're their dark designs inshrowds.
Deluding Oracles are dumb, when Truth
Doth speak, the Divel himself hath ne'r a mouth:
When that the Word Essential is in place,
Darkness and Light can't joyn Malice and Grace;
[Page 7] Forc'd and extort confessions may come
From Devils themselves (who would, like men, be dumb;)
But when th' Effective Word exerts its pow'rs,
Both Devils and Men must then be Confessors;
But in his Umbrage of Divinity,
These combin'd parties dare affront him high,
Call him a VVine-bibber, companion
With Publicans and Sinners, any one,
Harlots, Samaritans, he made no choice,
Rather with Poor, then Pharisees rejoyce.
Christ was no Seperatist, onely from Sin,
He liv'd up Love, and preach'd Communion in.
So did his lov'd Apostle, whose works show
The Fountain whence those streames of love did flow:
How sweet his
Three E­pistles of Saint Iohn.
Trias of Epistles run,
And to his last he sang as he begun,
[...]. Verba novissima emorientis A­postoli.
Love one another, when his aged eyes
By guides came to his Pulpit-offices.
Love one another, his last text, so prove
Your selves to be of God, to be in love.
So ended this Saints life, for he alone
Escap'd the Cross, the Fire, the Sword, the Stone
Of all the Twelve, yet was the Caldron heat.
And the amanded Fires did streight retreat,
And could not hurt his Sacred Person, for
Long life was promis'd by his Saviour,
Not a No Death, as was mistook, so he
In Patmos was an Exile; then did die:
VVhere lies the Body of this Sacred Man,
Banish't to th' Isle by proud
Irenaeus 1. lib. adversus▪ Heret.
Domitian.

Upon the death of the Innocents.

LOe, here a company of sucking Saints
(Suffring before the knowledge of their wants)
Their Saviours Proxies, Vicar-Sacrifice,
Whilst He by Angels guide to Aegypt flies.
Aegypt, the succour now of Israel,
Which did to its own cost them once expell.
Away false gods, and Garden Deities,
No Superstition neer this cradle lies.
The Land is Goshen all, and Light by thee,
And cursed Cham a greater Child doth see
Then Moses, or that fam'd
Ioseph.
Interpreter,
Made the chief Ruler from a prisonar:
Not so in Israel, where the cruel
Herod.
King
Slayes without mercy, every sucking thing;
Nor spares his own young Infants, but lets Rage
Arm it self keen 'gainst that Innocent Age,
As if the Land were all one Leprosie,
And Infant-blood prescrib'd the remedy.
O horrid sight! see Troopers on their speares,
Carrying like spoyles, Babes had not seen two years!
Snatc'd from their mothers breasts, and sprawling, yet
Take the speares point instead of sucking Teat.
Was ever such a Monster? to enjoyn
Murder on Babes, and Mercy unto Swine?
What will not Superstition spare, or kill?
A sucking child must dye, and a
Mallem Ho­rodis esse Por­cus quam Fili­us.
Hog swill.
Brave mighty men of War! stout Curasiers!
How well your Victory in Story heares?
Your Countrey's Parricides, for pay do this;
Were ever such bloody Mercenaries?
Usurping Herod, a false King, half Jew,
Can make you murder the right King, the true.
You are the instruments of all this evil,
And for your pay do serve this bloody Devil.
[Page 9] Take heed, deceived Souldiers, or your pay
Will be a little higher in one day:
Pay-day will come for this, nor will't be good
To plead you had commission to shed blood.
Saint Iohn the Baptist gives you other sense;
You must not do to any one offence:
How can we fight then? you will streight reply,
Souldiers of Fortune serve for salery.
Examine not the Justice, nor the Grounds
O'th' Quarrel, made to give and receive Wounds.
'Tis argu'd well, and you may justly fight,
And in some cases question not the Right,
Where Lawfull Power doth muster you; yet then
They are two things, To fight, and murder men.
Iust War is lawfull, but in your coole Blood
To kill a child commanded, Think y' it's good?
Remember that brave Slave, and gallant Man,
Redeem'd from th' Oare by Dioclesian;
When that the subtil Emperour did ask,
What desp'rate service, or what rugged task
He'd undergo, to gain his Liberty?
Bid him propose unto extremity;
Courted the worst of dangers, any dress
Of Death made not his valour spiritless:
But when the business was to act a Rape,
Upon a
Dorotha [...] Virgo, Martyr.
Virgin of Angelick shape;
Do't thy self, Tyrant, said the Moral Slave,
Return me to the Moans, or to my Grave;
I will not taint my soul with such a crime,
To gain the glory of thy Diadem.
Take heed then, at no Generals command
Act what with honest Justice will not stand:
Murder no Innocents, enjoyn who will,
Say like the Slave, do you, Sir, such things kill.
Christians are such in God Almighty's eyes,
Be tender then of such a Sacrifice:
For as that
Rachel Lu­gens.
Rachel wept for children there,
So the Church-Rachel
Ecclesia plo­rans suos per universum Or­bem discerptos.
wailes hers every where.

On the Circumcision.

THe Eighth day Ceremony calls, a Rite
Of long observance, a Covenant plight
'Twixt God and Abraham, when his Faith gain'd
That promis'd Blessing that this day's obtain'd;
And Circumcision was the Seal, whereby
That Grant was past to his Posterity;
And not to his alone, but the whole Earth
Was to be blest i'th' product of that Birth.
Here it is tender'd, in the Temple done,
Legall throughout, as 'twere 'twixt Sun and Sun.
And now the Covenant-maker doth submit
To his own Law, which is fulfill'd in it:
A Passion but continued his whole life,
How will he end that enters on the
The Sacer­dotal Knife of Circumcision.
Knife?
Here the first stroke, the last upon the Crosse,
Thy Agony then both a greater loss
Of blood: enter'd in discipline severe,
This Knife is but praeludium to thy Spear:
Here suffering under Law, and there against,
Lamb-like from sheering thou to th' Shambles went'st:
Thy Fore-skin now is clipt, but the next Dart
Will pierce thee (Man of Sorrow) to the heart;
And yet nor Speares, nor Whips, nor Nailes, nor Thorns,
Are so tormenting as unworthy scorns.
Thus in the rigour of exacting Law,
Blood from thy Infant-flesh the Priest doth draw;
Blood from thy side doth after spring, that we
Might from sanguineous Rites be ever free.
Water suffices to the same intents,
And Bread and Wine more kinder Elements;
Our Sacramentall Dues are easie, mild,
Which will not hurt i'th' duty the least child:
Take then them not in opere, in fact,
But let us doe what those sweet Rites exact:
[Page 11] Be circumciz'd in Heart, our Will's the Knife,
Whetted by Grace, the Mulct is a new Life.
Besprinkled Facesintimate cleans'd Hearts,
And bread and Wine Faith unto Blood converts.
Easie conversion! who can less require?
But he that dy'd, that it should be no higher.
The torment of Redemption, that was His,
Ours are the fruits of that hard purchas'd Bliss:
No longer, Jew, gash thy unmeriting skin,
The Wounds that are expected are within.
A sad and contrite spirit, Teares and Sighs,
Such Sacrifices will ascend on high,
Gratefull and pleasing: Christian, be thou sure
To wash too, after Lavor and the Ewre:
It is not often dipping is requir'd;
Wash oft, as Naaman did, and yet be mir'd;
Unless Repentance cleanse the Hands and Heart,
And a good Life, by Hysops purging Art,
Render thee born a new; thou'rt still a Jew;
All A [...]ana, nay Iordan will not do.
Signe, are but outward Covenants, and take place,
If they be seconded with inward Grace.
His Circumcision and my Baptism's naught,
Unless we'r wash'd and circumciz'd in thought.

Upon the Epiphany.

THough in a Manger laid Portentous! then
Heavens did declare for thee, and wisest Men;
A proper Star (pracursor of thy Birth)
Blazons thy Lineage to the duller Earth;
Concentrick to thy self thy Star doth move,
Onely to th' Cradle of the God of Love.
Astrologers, be your conjectures thus?
We will allow your Art judicious:
But if like Balaam (as too like, I fear,
For gain you'l cant) then Asse-rebuke beware.
If your Stars tell what after shall arise,
And point out Christ again, you may be wise:
Have you not found it in some obscure skie?
Which makes this noyse for a Fifth Monarchy,
That all the Kings o'th' Earth are troubled more
About this news, then Herod was before.
Take heed of such predictions, but chief,
When you see men in arms for that belief:
Whom Broughton hath made mad, and ready stand.
To take Commissions, give no Command:
All listed Officer in martial
Equipage, onely want the Generall.
How bloody was his first approach? what drumming
And Trumpets shall we have at his next coming?
Then Infants went to wrack, now Men must fall;
For Saints must rule, and they'r a portion small:
Few are that number, but a little flock,
What Hecatombs of Goats must to the block,
That these belov'd Sheep may have their full,
And plump their bare-bone sides with sinners wooll?
But not so hasty, friends, before that day
Most horrid signes the Heavens will display:
The Sun (Body of Light) must darkned be,
No borrowed beames the Moon shall clarifie:
When her Light-fountain's out, Heav'n-quakes shall turn
Stars from their Orbs, which then shall downward burn,
[Page 13] And the vast frame of that Convex, and round
Above our heads, shall crumble to the ground,
The ground to nothing, as at first, then see
If that the Lightnings volatility
You can discern, and tell us where it goes,
Your observations we will not oppose:
But you and I, alas, (all but a few)
Who shall pass death by a translation new;
Shall, like Ezekiel's Vision, dry bones lie,
Look to be raised from mortality:
But then how naked shall we be, how far
From any thoughts of an unnatural war?
That we shall Mountains wish, and highest Hills
To cover us, for acting here such Ills.
For as at Herod's Inquisition
And bloody Quest, away fled Mary's Son:
And as when Peter drew th' revengefull sword,
No countenance was given by his Lord,
But a V ae Gladio, and a certain doom
Pronounc'd upon blood-drawing men to come:
So will his second coming be, to right
The suff'ring Christian, punish them that fight;
That (will he, will he) will not be controul'd,
But say, His Kingdome shall in this world hold,
These men are Star-gazers led out o'th' way,
With whom false Ignes fatui do play,
And run them into pit-falls; but beware,
Come regulate your motions by this Star.
This Star, the Gentils conduct let it be,
The Badge and Order of Christianity:
This Star our Phosphorus, which did fore-run
The rising of th' Eternal Righteous Son,
VVhich doth enlighten that which rules the day,
And clears all Heathen Ignorance away:
Let stars the VVise men lead, and VVise men Fooles;
Let Shepherds teach their Sheep, Pastors the Schooles;
So that this Stars renown'd Epiphany,
An Universal Guide to Christ may be,

Upon the Conversion of S. Paul.

IS Saul among th' Apostles? what, that Saul,
Who men and women to the Judge did hale?
Who held the cloaths of those accursed ones,
Did devout Stephen unto death with stones?
'Tis strange, but it is he: Stephen, no doubt,
Thy dying words this wonder brought about.
When at thy Vision of the
Acts 7. 60.
Trinity
Thou pray'dst, that charge might not against him lie:
How potent are the words of martyr'd Saints,
VVho from the Scaffold can obtain such grants,
VVhich shall convert their enemies! such words,
Like those of thy late crucified Lord's,
Are of a vast effect: Father forgive,
(They know not what their malice doth contrive)
Did intimate, that Providence ore-rules
All humane Projects, bad men are the Tooles,
VVhereby it works, unseen, the greatest good;
VVho'd think a Salve should rise from shedding blood?
VVhat Iudas, Pilat, Jewes, act 'gainst thy Son,
Proves their own Guilts, the worlds Redemption.
Thus the Salvation of Mankind was struck
(As Light once out of Darkness, Chaos-muck)
From flints and stony hearts, and blest events
May issue yet from bloody Presidents.
VVho could imagine a blood-thirsty Saul
Should mount a Pulpit, and turn preaching Paul?
But many are not call'd, like Saul, few are,
VVe must not then presume, or mischiefs dare,
Upon some singular Examples; Saul
And one Thief are precedents, that is all:
S. Aug.
Two that no man despaire, and yet but two,
That no man should presume like acts to do:
Then view this form, Champion of the Devil,
Commission'd from the Synagogue for evil:
[Page 15] The High Priests Letters in his pockets are;
And what these VVarrants for? such speciall care,
Hast, Secrecy and Guards; alas, to seize
Poore people at their holy Services.
Now to Damascus, full of bitter spleen,
(His sword then his enraged heart less keen)
He and his Troopers march; poor upper roomes,
Look to your selves and Votaries, Saul comes;
But his design is frustrate, for a Light
This Fury and his Firebrands doth benight:
See the struck man, whose eyes did sparkle now
VVith rage, hath ne'r an eye his way to shew:
The Horseman is dismounted, hurl'd to th' ground,
And his Horse-party all in a sad sound.
How weak is humane force, when Heav'n will fight!
One Angel puts an Assyrian Host to flight:
A word or two's an army of such force,
Enough to scatter a good Troop of Horse.
Trust not in wrong and robbery, trust not
In Horse, nor Guns, nor Iron Chariot:
Look upon Pharaoh and his vanquish'd Host,
By weakest means a heap of waters lost:
Look upon furious Saul, who did rejoyce,
His work so nigh confounded with a voice.
Look on Belshazzar, Fortunes Tennis-ball,
Dis-Emperor'd by a writing on a wall.
Thus is this Heros in an instant quell'd,
The Billow-brook, with so much malice swell'd,
Tame as his persecuted souls, he's led
To Ananias for new eyes to's head:
It is in vain to kick against such pricks,
VVhich wound the striker, hurt the person kicks:
New light with his new eyes appeares, the man
Is chang'd a very perfect Christian,
A Souldier for the Cross, to which he stood
Stout to the last, and with his life made good:
Read his Engagements, what set Battels he
In person pass'd, and got the victory:
[Page 16] How many dangers both of Sea and Land,
Tempests and Starvings, Frosts and Iron bands,
Torments, Imprisonments, Scourges, Stocks and Stones,
VVhat had he not of Persecutions?
At Lystra some, at Ephesus come see
His prize with Beasts, oh Inhumanity!
In Chains led through Ierusalem, and beat;
His death so long'd for, some forswore their meat,
They'l fast for ever, but his blood they'l have;
Religious Murderers! what Food they crave?
But that all mischief might be heap'd on thee,
Nero, thou Prince of vast Impiety;
Paul is reserv'd for Rome, there is the stage,
VVhere this most active Saint shall feel the rage
Of that fierce Lion, who had burnt his Rome,
And quench'd the Flame with Christian Martyrdome:
He playes and sings away their lives, what other
Usage from one the murderer of's Mother?
Peter and Paul in one day felt his rage,
Two Saints not parallel'd in any age.
Saint Peter crucify'd with reverst head,
A bashfull Martyr in that honour'd Bed.
Saint Paul indulg'd, as learned Seneca,
Bled by high courtesie his life away:
So, because He a Roman was by Birth,
The Ax dispatch'd his headed Corps to th' earth.

Upon the Purification of the Blessed Virgin.

THe first and onely birth of the chast Womb,
Is by a long us'd Rite to th' Temple come,
A holy Offering to his
Luke 2, 23
Father: he
Was offer'd thus from all Eternity.
The Priest for ever, the Melchisedeck,
Both Priest and Sacrifice without a speak:
Now in the Temple, on the Cross anon,
Offer'd, but not in shew, as Abrahams son:
Who by a bleating Proxie dy'd, this Lamb
Dies pers'nally, relieved by no Ramme.
In this all Sacrifices, Bulls and Goats,
(Whose impure blood, and insufficient throats
Had neither worth, nor vertue) ceas'd; the Creature
Was then redeem'd by th' death of the Creator.
The Type unto the Antitype gives place,
This onely is the Holocaust of Grace.
But what! had Mary's Virgin-womb just cause
To give submission to these womens Lawes?
Who had Lucina's help, or rather none,
(The Holy Ghost being present cause alone,
Both of Conception and Delivery,
Mary was laid without their Midwifery)
No need of them, of this same Rite no need,
For Defaecation after produc'd Seed
Of a Piamen; but as her great Heire
Endur'd the Knife when eight dayes ended were;
Then took Baptismall washing, when from Above
Father in Voice was Witness, Spirit in Dove:
So all these Ceremonies were undergone,
Not for Necessity, or Good thereon
Unto His sacred Person, but to shew
What We, not He, unto the Law did owe:
[Page 18] He was the Sampler of Obedience,
A scandall made, but never gave offence
To any Order, or Professions: thus
In's Flesh he pleas'd the Jew, in Water Us.
So Mary mirrour of her sex appeares
To th' Priest, and th' common Thanksgiving heares,
Veyl'd as the Jewish custome was; this done,
She doth present her Dove and Pigeon,
The poor childs commutation, and ne're
That Superstition thought, which they did there.
Then with a lowly duty to the place,
She had retir'd, but Simeon, full of Grace,
And full of Prophecy, takes up the Child
In's arms (as much as his old arms could weild)
Then sings a
Nunc Di­mittis.
Swan-like note, "Lord, let me die,
"Dissolve me in this instant, Lord, whil'st I
"Have my Salvation in my arms, the Light
"Which doth dispell the Gentiles long dark night,
"The Glory of thy people Israel
"Is in my feeble arms now visible.
So ended this old Custome, and the Priest,
The Antheme sung, dissolv'd, and was with Christ.

A Hymne of the Resurrection.

I.
ARise, arise, Dead soul, arise,
Alas! I cannot ope' my eyes.
The heavy Lethargy of sin
Hangs on my faculties within.
II.
Arise, arise, thy Saviour's rose,
Sin, Death, and Hell are conquer'd foes;
Why do'st thou yield to enemies,
Whose stings are lost? arise, arise.
III.
Then lend thy hand, thou blest First-fruit
Of those who sleep i'th' Land o'th' Mute:
Say thou, Come forth; and quickned thus,
My soul shall rise like Lazarus.
IV.
All Cords of Vanity I'le break,
Propt up by thee; their tyes are weak:
Like unshorn Sampson I'le make way
Through every Sin, and Dalilah.
V.
But if thou do thy Grace substract,
Alas, I can no noble act,
Unless it be to pull on me
My ruine and mortality.
VI.
Yet from those Ruines and Grave-stones
By thee shall rise my naked bones;
And from their Charnel-houses all
Come forth, new clad, at thy last Call,
VII.
Those heaps of skulls with hollow eyes,
Unhair'd, un-flesh'd, shall clothed rise:
Dead tongues shall sing, their song shall be,
My Lord is rose, wee'l follow thee.

Hymnus Ascensionis.

I.
THe Lord's ascended, see the Fiends,
And their captiv'd Black Prince doth cleare the aire;
A cloud of all his martyr'd Friends
Receive him, while th' amused world doth stare.
II.
Gone in a Cloud, but in a Glory
Returns, with all his shining Heavenly Host,
In such a pomp, this worlds vain-glory
United ne're could make, could never boast.
III.
Gaze not Apostles, gaze no more,
But lift your hearts up after, not your eyes;
He is not gone, but on this score,
To make good all his Royall Promises.
IV.
As they continued all devout,
Praying and Fasting, and with one accord,
(Three things pretended by our rout,
Which never yet accorded, but i'th' Sword.)
V.
At the good time of Pentecost,
The very time we now call Whitsontide,
In fiery-Tongues the Holy-ghost
On them descended, on his Church abide.
VI.
No more Descents, no other Light,
Unless by him who can himself disguise
Into an Angel for deceit,
As at this day's apparent to our eyes.

Upon the Pentecost.

I.
O Holy Spirit! help me to indite,
No pen can of thee, unless by thee, write:
Inspir'd by thee, rude Fishermen speak high,
Meaner proportions, lower Gifts ask I.
II.
Not such a bright Irradiation,
As was t'enlighten every Nation:
When the whole world was dumb, and deaf, and blind,
It was high time that fiery Tongues then shin'd.
III.
The lisping of those tongues is speech enough,
We well may see by that Light's twinkling snuff:
For with their persons that exceeding light
(Except some glimmerings) is extinguisht quite.
IV.
Those, twelve inspir'd, Illustrious Heads were all
Thy Churches Rulers Apostolicall;
And their Successors are the envy'd Starrs,
At which both Heresie and Scisme make warrs.
V.
To out that Light derivative from them,
How fierce these men blew off Ierusalem;
And when the Jew could not extinguish it,
He gave the Light to subtil Mahomet:
VI.
Who blew that Light into a two-fold flame,
And dimmed Christ's, and blew up his own name;
So that his Taper is of double twist,
A Mahomet extoll'd, a deprest Christ.
VII.
Yet still the Light doth shine, do what you can,
Either by Talmud, or by Alcoran.
Others (I shame to name it) have this Light,
But in dark Lanthorns keep it from our sight.
VIII.
Or, as when Whirlwinds raise the numerous dust,
The interposed Atomes 'twixt us thrust;
And the bright beames of the eclipsed Sun
Darkned by magnify'd tradition.
IX.
But 'ware of little bellowes, these at last▪
Have, with some help, made a most dang'rous blast:
Sectarian Puffers joyn'd to th' Jesuit,
Have e'n blown out our once Apostolick Light.
X.
Come then, and re-instate thy Candlestick,
Come Holy Ghost, thy Church is more then sick;
Dead as to sight; re-quicken her again,
And make Apostacy's Invasions vain.
XI.
Let Ignes fatui to their Fens return,
Let nothing but the Lamp o'th' Temple burn,
And let the Church-moths, that in numbers flie
About the light, be sing'd, and after die.

Upon the Festival of the Blessed Trinity, falling upon May 29. 1659.

WElcome thou double Jubilee; such things
Are dark, the Mysteries of God and Kings:
Uncomprehended that, and this unseen,
Yet we believe they are, shall be, have been.
Enthroned Elders fall, and worship Thee,
Most Sacred and Eternall Trinity:
But our exalted Elders pull down Kings,
And do themselves create Omnipotent things:
Yet we, who love th' Old Revelation,
Do as those Beasts (which did surround the Throne,
Not ruine it) cry a perpetuall Song
To God, and for the King: O Lord, how long?
Tri-unity and Uni-trinity
Shall stand, and a perpetuall Basis be:
Not so of Kings, whose delegated Crowns
Are in subjection to the Doners frowns.
By me Kings reigne, is Gods Commission,
And he pulls down, and setteth up alone:
Yet do the Heathen rage, and do strange things,
Disturb the Offices and Rights of Kings,
Murder their Persons, and the Heire throw out,
(Kings are no better then Their Lord, no doubt;)
Yet shall the Anthem still the Beast become,
These Christs both are, and were, and are to come.
Is there an Evil (that of punishment,
Or vengeance) on a cursed Nation sent,
And is it not from him who raiseth Seas,
And can as soon the peoples rage appease?
Boast not thy self, thou high Babelick-man,
The Lord hath hooks for thee (Leviathan;)
And though thou swell in thy conceited height,
With Asies thou must forrage this same night:
[Page 25] Nor with a multitude go on, the cause
Is not by number good, but by the Lawes:
The earth the lowest of the people will
Open, and rise 'gainst such as their Kings kill.
What is it for a season, a short day,
A vapouring Massinello for to play?
Murder and plunder, burn and spoile, and then▪
Be made a laughing-stock of God and men?
Much better they (who not being given to change,
Nor State, nor their Religion) never range
From the Old way, in which they firmly stood,
(These sixteen hundred yeares accounted good)
That touch not Aarons Censers, nor provoke
The Earth it self with Sacrllege to choak:
That dare not rob nor God, nor man, but give
God what is Gods, and wish the King long live:
That will not fast mans blood away, nor eat
A Widowes House, nor God's, for pure Manchet:
That to their minds perpetually call
Saphira's and her Ananias fall.
Think upon that, and Dathan, and Abiram,
And wave the Masters of blew Adoniram;
That think of Sampson, and that tragick house,
Which ruin'd all that there kept rendezvous;
Suspecting every houre the like mishaps
May fall on them, or else high thunder-claps:
Move not the Father, 'tis the Lord of Hosts,
Come kiss the Son, grieve not the Holy Ghost.
Thus if we do, we keep a Jubilee,
In honour of the Blessed Trinity.

Upon S. Andrews Day.

BRother of Peter in thy double trade,
A Fisher first, then Fisher of men made.
How virtuall was thy call? how high thy rise?
What nets will serve to make a soul a prize?
Long time and hearing now is requisite,
'Tis not a cast, and draw; one fishing-night,
And so to market: baits and many hooks
The Pulpit anglers use, that's many books.
Thy Master was a walking Library,
(Himself Apollo, All Divinity.)
That Mount-spoke Sermon, full of Doctrines choice,
Not read from charge, but utter'd by that voice,
(Had
Pondus in i verbis & vocem fata se­quuntur.
weight and destiny) was the best Lecture;
The Holy Spirit was thy notes Collector:
So Fishermen instructed, so made fit,
Needed nor rational, nor other Writ
For a direction safe; when he that sent
Impower'd, and made thorow sufficient.
He was the onely Tryer, tryes the reines
And heart, whose feat craz'd covetous man profanes
VVith simple and ridiculous Quaere's, such
VVhich are but snares, and a time-serving couch.
Thus they run Crab-like, counter, backward all
To th' Erudition Apostolicall:
VVhich made them Orators, and men of parts,
But these renounce, as profanation, Arts;
As if the practice must be retrogade,
And Andrew forc'd to turn to his first trade,
(From whence he once was call'd) to catch by th' net,
And Paul must leave the learn'd Gamaliel's feet,
And mount a Tent, and work Divinity,
Not through his own, but through his needles eye:
The Cast was from the Nets (I take it;) these
Are both for Barkin Church and Barkin Seas.
[Page 27] There is no need the Spirit should divert
From men well qualified, and of desert,
Into a Coblers stall, since Learning is
The Gift of God, an influence of His.
Fooles are uncapable of Earthly Rights,
And under Guardian for their want of wits:
How comes it, that the best Inheritance
Is manag'd, that o'th' soul, by Ignorance?
As if the blind should lead men in the way,
And Seers into Ditches, or astray.
Unlike Saint Andrew in this Call, let's see
VVhether his followers in ought else you be.
Upon the Call streight Andrew left his nets,
The world, and profits are a bar, and lets
In Christian progresse: Tell me (covetous Priest)
Do'st thou alike, who seizest all with Christ,
And more then is thine own, another's bread?
You follow true, as those sometimes were fed
By gainfull Miracles; 'tis the good Loaves
And Fish, that makes so many preaching Droves.
Or can you follow in Saint Andrew's way,
And preach the VVord in barren Scythia?
Duplessis.
VVhere were no Livings, nor fat Benefice,
(The lures and baits of your known Avarice.)
New England left, America forsook,
There's better fishing in Old England's Brook.
This fetch'd home Peters, Hugh did understand
The Call of Bishops, Dean and Chapters Land.
Or can you in Achaia, with our Saint,
Endure the Prison, whips, and extreme want?
And for converting a Proconsuls wife,
Maximilla, wife to Egeas, Proconsul of Achaia.
(Not as your Hugh did) render up your life
On a slope Cross, the studied cruelty
Of fierce Egaeas, pain to magnify?
VVhen any Priest, badg'd by Saint Andrew's Crosse,
Shall be of life, or state, at either losse;
This on his Tomb an Epitaph be set,
The Fish not caught, he threw away the Net.

Upon Saint Thomas Day.

THomas, Apostle of a Dissident,
Peter after Apostacy is sent;
Distrust is a high crime, Denial worse,
Yet worst of all did
Iudat.
He who had the purse.
Despaire doth barricado Heavens gate,
Such to themselves are their own early fate.
Few are reduc'd, who, for the love of Gold,
To part with a good conscience make bold
To entertain another God, (no less
Then so is that grand sin of Covetousness)
Is to shake hands with Christ; Mammon and He
Cannot go sharers in a Soveraignty.
Apostacy from fear, (as Peter's was)
Distrust upon a resonable cause,
As was Saint Thomas his, may mercy finde,
Which is bloc'd up in an impenitent minde.
For to despaire, and think our sins above
Him that is infinite in Grace and Love,
Shuts out our generall pardon; and lost hopes
End in Self-murders, Poysons, or in Ropes.
Thomas through humane frailty did diffide;
The stoutest Souldier in the battel try'd,
Is fearfull 'fore engagement; but at sound
O'th' Trump his spirits rise, fear falls to th' ground.
Great promisers do soon and oft' nest fail,
When fear and trembling may the Fort assail.
Salvation is so wrought, for no man knowes
Whether his feet may fail him as he goes:
Commanders that are sure of victories,
For fear o'th' worst do not neglect supplies.
Reserves in Christian warfare is good art,
And to secure the Reer a souldiers part.
Great heed take thou that standest, for a fall
May fatall prove, when fear will catch at all.
[Page 29] Fear hath a fastness still, some certain hold,
Which those refuse that have been over-bold:
To rest unsatisfy'd is no such taunt,
As to deny after a glorious vaunt.
Come see then, Thomas, see the print o'th' Nailes,
See his pierc'd side; this evidence prevailes:
The evidence of things seen will once suffice,
More happy they believe above their eyes.
Let us no Obloquies upon him cast,
In Christ's acception all the errour's past:
No more look on him in his failings, there
He will (but like thy self) a man appeare:
Nor are Saints weaknesses examples set
For men to follow, and destruction get
By precedent; but cautions they are,
Church-marks and buoyes, of which we must beware.
See our Apostle, how in India
Another piece of valour he doth play:
See him converting Parthians and Medes,
Brachmans, Hircanians, opposing seeds
Of curs'd Idolatry in Persian Land,
Where the Suns Idol at his sole command
Fell to the ground in cinders, while the Sun,
Regardless of the business, Westward run.
Come see him for this fact bound (as those Three,
Who did defie the like Idolatry)
And thrown into a Fiery Fornace, but
The noble Sun those Kitchin-flames out put
With its exceeding beams, and rescued this
Saint, though t'himself design'd a sacrifice:
What Stars and Elements refuse to do,
Men dare attempt, for an accursed crew
Of Infidels with Speares and Cymitars
Duplessis, Euseb.
run
Upon the Saint, once rescu'd by the Sun.
So dy'd our fam'd Apostle; Calvin hence
Began his Legend, not from's Diffidence.

Upon Saint Matthias Day.

TRain'd up with the Apostles from Saint Iohn
The Baptist's Doctrines, thou at length art one,
One of an hundred, one of that resort,
VVho after Christ's Ascent made Holy Court;
A Consistory of Votaries, still staying
For the Descent o'th' Holy Ghost in praying:
Initiate first in Iohns repentance; then
Consorting still with Apostollick men,
It was capacity enough: they erre,
VVho think one may shoot up a Presbyter,
(As Slips and Grafts are wont, whose secret growth,
Not their own selves, nor yet the Gard'ner know'th;)
Unlearn'd, undisciplin'd, from shop, or stall,
And start to Callings Apostolicall.
Fishers indeed were call'd (the meanest trade)
But did not teach, till they were able made.
[...].
God-taught for many yeares, yet then not fit,
Untill inspir'd by Tongues, their open'd wit.
Call'd to their memories those Doctrines, which
Their Master taught in Parabolick speech.
Then, so enlightned, gifted by the God
Of VVisdome, who on their obtuse braines rode,
(As at the First Creation Formes were struck
Out of Opacous Chaos, and that Muck.)
VVhat could they not unfold? what Mysteries
Of deepest Knowledge could not these Twelve Keys
Unlock, which could Heaven-doores or shut, or loose?
So with new gifts their old names they did lose.
But now a Cobler (in existency)
And not translated to Divinity,
Nor able to translate, 'cause of a trade
Mean as was Peter's, will a Priest be made,
[Page 31] And venture at a Pulpit (very blew)
Not from Saint Peters Chaire, but from Saint Hugh.
Preparatory knowledge was requir'd,
Ev'n in those Twelve, which after were inspir'd;
VVhen first sent forth with neither Scrip nor Shooes,
They did but onely carry the good newes
Of a Redeemer come, and blesse the place
VVith peace, not yet accomplisht with full Grace.
Time did produce that Consummation,
And in the interim this great thing done;
A new Apostle chosen,
Psal. 69. 25
Iudas Seat
VVas this day fill'd, the number made compleat;
Not all alike in order, then no need
Of this high day's solemnizating deed:
One from inferiour order is promoted,
And to succeed by holy lot is voted:
If equall, all th' election had been vain,
Seventy as good as Twelve; no Chorah's train
Are amongst these, nor no Church-Leveller,
No self-exalting filthy Presbyter:
And yet the Congregation is all Holy,
But Priests and Deacons under these rule solely.
The Forms of Iew-Church-government remaine,
The Offices, not Names, they doe retain.
Then welcome to thy high Investiture,
Sacred Matthias, may thy Rites endure:
May a succession of such Pastors be
For ever in thy Churches Hierarchie:
And though the Apostles Names ceas'd with their Gifts,
(For time and custome names of Orders shifts,
And changeth as it pleaseth) yet their pow'r
Of Order-giving lasteth to this houre,
Corrective, and directive right, and all
The ordinary power's Episcopall:
Making of Presbyters by laying Hands,
Is the continu'd practice of all Lands:
[Page 32] Unless since Calvin did get up and ride,
And set on Bishops his foul foot of pride:
E're since Rebellion in the Minor flocks
Hath sprung, and One hath caused many
Knox of Scotland, and his Sectary's.
Knocks!
Yet the abused world doth plainly see,
There is no peace but in this Prelacy.
Geneva's platformes, and new fangled stuffe
Will end in its long Beard and little Ruffe;
Whil'st the Apostolick Successors shall
(As did their Predecessors) Martyrs fall.
And like
Matthias stonn'd to death by the Jews, Dupl [...]ssis.
Matthias, Pastor of the Jews,
Be ruin'd by false men, hir'd to accuse
And sweare that blasphemy, which all accord
A truth, that Christ was Son o'th' Living Lord.

Upon the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin.

NOw Israel's bereft of
Isa. 9. 16.
both her Kings,
And an Usurper hath command of things:
The promis'd Shilo comes, the Sceptre rent
From Iudah, then is Iudah's Lion sent.
It is a good exchange, i'th' vacancy
Of a good King to have a Deity.
When humane Helps and God's known Deputies
Are snatch'd away, Himself is our supplies:
He does resume his Sceptres lent, but then
Woe to persidious and rebellious men.
'Tis not the breaking Seals, or batt'ring Crowns
Subdues the Donor, he's above the Lowns,
And lets them act a while to their own wills,
That they may see from whence spring all their Ills:
Injustice, Murder, Liberty, (that Word,
And pure Religion, that can draw the sword
Upon their right Protectors) suffer'd are
To shew the mischief of Religious war.
When did a pious Rebel e're come off
But with his own disgrace, and peoples scoff?
These Soveraigns Hail's and Ave's now set by,
Let us with Angels Mary gratify:
Though this great Salutation, so divine,
Is not allow'd so much as in a Sign:
The Day indeed, as it referres to Rent,
Is not put down by Mayor nor Parliament.
Let's keep it as we may, for Mary's Son
This day proclaim'd, was the Redemption,
The Apolutr [...]sis, the generall Pay,
Which solv'd the world of a smart reck'ning day.
Surety and Payment too is this day's boon
Security and satisfaction:
[Page 34] For Surety's (as in Lawes Municipall
Are in chief, Debtors, and oblig'd for all)
Bound for what they ne're drank (as we use say)
And yet the Judge enforceth them to pay:
Our summs of sin were high, and not to be
Discharg'd but by a Surety that was free.
God did engage in's person to defray,
What all the world could not conjunctim pay,
Obedience for us, which we could not do,
And Death too, that we might not undergo:
The merit of his Person was above
Our Debt, he supererogates in love.
Then for his sake no single person hate,
Who beares Christ's name (as you have done of late;)
Nor suffer the memoriall of her day
By beardless Ministers be swept away,
Who in a senseless zeale, some years since, run
Down both our Lady's Day and her Great Son;
And got a name unto his action due,
By Common Council, being styl'd a
Ald. Ir—Mayor, 1658.
Jew.

On Saint Marks Day.

FIrst Bishop, Mark of Alexandria,
And Patriarch of that ancient See; this day
Is dedicate unto thy memory,
Which doth confirm the sacred Hierarchy;
An argument invincible, from whom
And Antioch we derive, and not from Rome.
Yet when the Latian Empire (after
Persecuti­ons under the first Emperors.
ten
Bloody Phlebotomies of martyr'd men)
Began to nauseate blood, and being fill'd
With such sad sights, did honour what they kill'd:
And the Spread Eagle to the Cross gave way;
(The Ensign which an Angel did display
To fighting Constantine) the Emperour
Being then the sole most Christian Governour,
And Rome the Mistress of the World; that See,
Above the rest, had the precedencie.
Not so from the beginning: 'twas but meet
The Seat o'th' Empire, and the Churches Seat,
Or Chaire Apostolick, should be together,
The sacred Power of calling Synods thither,
Over its subject Priests, for unity,
And Order made the Roman chiefest See:
Thither appeales of grieved Churches came,
And thence the Fountain of that Bishops fame:
For bodies Oecumenicall without
A head would be, but monstrous without doubt:
Read the degrees and ranks the structure made,
By
Ephes. 4. 11, 12.
which Church-government in Saint Paul is laid;
Apostles some, Evangelists, some Pastors,
Some Preachers, sub, & supra, all not Masters;
That had confusion been, 'twas fit the best
Of bodies should with the best form be blest.
[Page 36]
Eph. 4. 16.
Christ is the Head, by Joynts and Sinews all
Compacted are those parts Synodicall:
No Linsey-woolsy Fabrick, Checquer'd Fry,
Half Church, half Lay, a Chess-board frippery
Of Calvin's foisting lately in the lag
Of time, and good for nothing but the
Which Iu­das kept.
Bag:
But since his petty pawns have had their play,
They dare give
Allusion to Chess-play.
Check to Kings, and take away
Bishops and Nobles, Sceptre and the Mitre
Are all thrown down by this upstart Presbyter.
Let all true Christians (as the
See the Collect for the day.
Collect) pray,
Which was appointed for this great Saints day,
That our confirmed souls and setled mind
Be not like Wether-cocks, with every wind.
And puff of Doctrine carried into sin,
Nor yield to a new whim of Discipline:
But let us stand, as in a Souldiers station,
Fix'd to the old way, once fix'd in this Nation;
Fearing the fearfull vengeance that doth range,
And will arrest those that are given to change.

On Philip and James, called Minor, Son of Alpheus.

JAmes, Bishop of the Jewes for thirty yeares,
Sate in that first of Councils, of
Twelve Apostles.
Twelve Peers,
Who all were equal Rulers, yet the Chaire
Was Iames's, sure he sate the President there.
All was then done in order'd decency,
Nor did the spirit of Presbytery
Then rise against their Fathers, and 'twas long
Before
Aerius condemned of Heresie and Schisme, for equalling Pre­sbyters with Bishops.
Aerianisme grew strong;
Which was rebellion against Bishops, and
Aerius a Heretick condemn'd does stand
Upon Record, and that great Councils edge
Was sharpned 'gainst that sin as Sacrilege:
So nam'd they his design of
Equalling a Bishop with a Presbyter.
levelling
A Bishop with a Priest, Subject and King:
Converted Jewes oby'd their Bishops, shall
The English onely make their Funerall?
And bury them alive? first damn their Votes,
Then take their Purses, rob them of their Coats?
A piece of Basenesse acted in our dayes,
Becoming none but curs'd Apostata's,
(Such as was Iulian) whom the Son of God
Struck with an arrow, as i'th' Camp he rode.
But let Saint
S. Iames his generall Epistle, v. 2.
Iames himself our pattern be,
And in Affliction's schoole rejoyce, as he.
What do we learn? d'you ask the best Lecture?
Patience most harsh, Affliction's sweet Corrector.
To him that can endure and bear his Crosse,
His very enemies are at a losse,
Their malice frustrate; Martyr, 'tis all one,
If thou canst bear thy Crosse, as if thou'dst none:
The patient man feels not his injury,
The torment's his that thus doth punish thee.
[Page 38] Then let the Pharisees, and envious Sect,
And alwayes vexing who would them detect;
Surprize thee from the Pulpit, where thou taught'st
Doctrines they like not, yet such as thou ought'st;
And raise this aged Preacher from his
The Pul­pit.
Cell
Unto the Temple's highest
Iames threw head­long from the Temple, and stoned to death. Dupl.
Pinacle;
Thence throw him down, and then (most courteous ones)
Raise him a
Buried by the Temple. Euseb.
Sepulchre of those same stones
With which you beat his braines out, for with you
'Tis use, to keep the Tombs of those you slew.
What sayes our Saint to this? blessed am I
VVho can endure,
James 1. 12.
my crown of Life is nigh.
Thus in Ierusalem they'r made away,
Small difference 'twixt it and Scythia;
VVhere Philip after taught Samaritans,
Converted Eunuch and Magitians.
Acts c. 8.
Simon, whose name a brand perpetual stands
On those who buy the Laying on of Hands,
After so many wonders in all fights,
At last extirpated the Ebionites:
Twenty yeares preacht this Holy Man, and gain'd
All Scythia, with Idolatry profan'd,
Then in Hieropolis his stage of fate
Is rais'd; true Doctrine preach'd procureth hate.
He that did doubt Christs Deity as much
As Thomas did his Flesh untill the touch;
He that with Thomas (sirnam'd Didymus)
Of Christs Eternall Birth was
Joh. 14. 8, 9.
dubious,
Dyes in defence, and justifies the Son
To be God's onely Generation
From all Eternity: the Cross his Banner,
With his head upwards, as Peter's was downward.
And crucify'd after his Lord's own manner.
Thus holy Men and Tyrants have like fate,
And few of these go down to the Dead's state
VVith dry and bloodless Death, but still they are
Sable, their Rubrick in the Kalendar.

Saint Barnabas Day.

THis is the Saint which Antioch doth claim,
Not tutelary genius, 'tis his fame
To be chief Founder of the Christian Faith
By Paul, and him built up unto that heighth.
Thence first Disciples were call'd Christian,
(VVould it had held till now as it began)
For since men would of Cephas be, and some
Of Paul; what rents are wrought in Christendome?
Had the first Heads, and Leaders of late Sects
Reflected on those self-denying Texts
Of Paul and good Apollos, we had ne're
Seen such Divisions, nor such Massacre
Of Christian blood. Now Hussites, Zuinglians, Thraskites,
Smectymnuans, names enough to fill a basket;
VVith Hugonots, Twissits and Calvinists,
Spirituall Captaines of spirituall Lists,
Alarum all the world, which stands in awe
Of new Wat Tylers, Leyden, and Iack Straw.
Did these men die for us? O Base Reproach!
And well retorted by old Antioch!
Run back Religion, to thy ancient Head,
And shame to see thy self thus ravished,
Turn'd prostitute to every Holy Rout,
That in a change shall Saint-like cast about:
Repaire to thy first Standard, that's the Cross,
Thy Armes are not for Victory, but Losse;
Successe no signe of thy right Cause, no plea
Or flourish for a Visibility.
Nor dar'st thou cast on Providence, thy deeds,
VVhereby Christianity it self now bleeds;
Prayers and teares were thy Artillery;
(Men are unweapon'd when they come to die.)
[Page 40] Such was the Martyrs armours, Patience,
Prayers for enemies, Life without offence.
What poor, or no resistance could these make?
Yet these so violent, that Heav'n they take;
Their
Regnum Christi non est de hoc mundo.
Kingdomes and their Saviours are alike,
Not of this world, for all the world not strike;
Not to get all the world hazard a
Quid pro­derit universum mundum lucra­ri, & animam perdere?
soul,
Which by th' adventure must with Devils howl:
Nor (when a
Healing the Cripple at Lystra, Act. 14.
God-like act was done, that all
The city would have sacrific'd to Paul
And Barnabas) would they allow their votes,
Or be Canoniz'd by such popular throats.
How different those and our new Pastors wayes
Their half-ey'd sons can guesse, like Barnabas.
They part from Paul (indeed) and Doctrines broach
Which Paul ne're own'd, nor He of Antioch.

A Commemoration of Saint John the Baptist.

WElcome thou Martyr-Saint, I'le sing thy Fate,
Thy Birth, thy Life; to thee I dedicate
These studies, for to thee my Colledge owes
Its name, and on this day thy Legend shewes.
All of thee is miraculous, thy Death,
Thy Life, thy Birth, and motions before Breath:
Child of a barren womb, must needs fore-run
A Wonder, and fore-tell a Virgins Son:
A leaping Prophet in thy parents womb,
Thy self an Infant didst thy Sire undumb.
So powerfull was the name of Iohn, but wrote,
It made a Prophet of a Mute: thus got,
And thus produc'd, what VVonders will succeed?
The first of Hermits, this in hairy weed,
Lives in a wildernesse to unbeast men,
Out-does a Lessian Diet; the rule then
VVas not in weight, but temperance; which shewes
That abstinence all Physick-rules out-goes.
Locusts and Honey of the unhiv'd Bee
Preserves, and meat drest in a hollow tree.
The Current runs him sober drink, I fain
VVould know, whether the German, or the Dane,
Or the out-toping Britain, drinks such Healths,
Even now, in their reformed Common-wealths.
Mark how Ierusalem runs forth to see
This prodigie of new sobriety!
VVhich Noah (though i'th' Flood preserv'd) did lose,
And Moses bred o'th' waters, did not choose:
But as at first Creation, on the waves
The Plastick Spirit mov'd, so here it saves.
VVhat cannot water do? weaknesse is lost,
VVhen that the Inmate is the Holy Ghost.
[Page 42] VVater inflames, inspires, blowes up, warms Grace,
And washes souls, but us'd to clense the face.
Besprinkled with such Holy Water, Jew,
Thou art re-born, and circumcis'd anew.
The Sacerdotal Knife cuts not the Evil,
These drops drive out the VVorld, the Flesh, the Devil.
How highly ought this Sacrament be priz'd;
Be then baptiz'd, but be not re-baptiz'd!
Iohn was no Anabaptist; people came
But once to th' Font, and Christ did just the same.
A seven-times washing was for Naaman,
One dipping will suffice a Christian:
Preparatory Graces bring in God,
He fits a lodging for his own abode;
First Iohn, and then a Iesus; Penance hath
The happinesse to usher saving Faith.
Safe in thy Desart, hadst thou there remain'd,
Prophet, thy vertues to the Court's proclaim'd,
Where thy rough Doctrines, thy Destructions are,
So did our Court dispatch a long-liv'd Parr.
His by a change of diet, no excesse
Kill'd thee, the Court was a fine wildernesse:
Herod the Beast o'th' Forest, whet his sword,
And did behead our Prophet for a word,
For a non licet to his lawlesse lust,
First to the prison, then the Axe thou must.
Methinks in these our later dayes I see
(Great Saint) thy now re-acted Tragedie;
Onely our age out-strips that horrid thing,
And does behead not onely Priest, but King.
Thou that but once, and that i'th' womb, didst dance,
(For joy thy Saviour to thee did advance)
Art at a dancing Ladies loose request,
Depriv'd of life, but by it higher blest:
So that thy triple Baptisme standeth good,
By VVater first, next Spirit, then by Blood.

On the Feast of Saint Peter.

WHat honour (Great Apostle) is not due
To thy renown'd Confession? first you
(I am no Thover) started that great word
Which made that Article, Lord from the Lord,
And God of very God: no Flesh can tell
(Unlesse inspir'd) whence that great Issue fell.
Th' Eternal Generation was too high
For mortal reach, and is a Mysterie
Reveal'd, not understood, the motions know
Of Divine actions in thick darknesse go,
Or cloth'd in light that's inaccessible
(Hid by their brightness, Angels cannot tell,
Though they desire to peep into it) and
Shall our unequal souls hope t'understand?
Not Peter, while he spake, did comprehend
Himself; if so, he'd not deny'd it 'fore his end.
Yet worthily thy name was chang'd, a Stone,
A Rock sirnam'd for this Confession,
And upon it, not thee, the Churches Faith
Is laid, may I believe, as Peter saith.
I do believe by the same Grace, not boast
My self, but give the praise to th' Holy Ghost.
Peter did so, the honest Fisherman
Nere dreamt of what the Petropolitan
And Denizens of Rome have since contriv'd,
Nor would have worn three Coronets had he liv'd:
The Chaire Infallible, perchance that he
Might well have wish'd before's Apostacie.
How weak was the Man Peter, for to lay
A Basis on, should last untill this day?
When that a wave, and something weaker too,
A pitifull wench made him his faith forego.
But weakness is made strong, when Teares precede,
And high Repentance wash'd away that deed.
[Page 44] I don't upbraid thy known Apostacy,
But balance it with their new Primacy,
VVhich Roman Catholicks, kinde souls, bestow
On thee, insensible of things below.
VVe all allow thee the First Confessour,
VVhere Iames was President in Chaire and Pow'r.
VVe all confesse thee prais'd by Christ, when one
VVas more belov'd, the Eagle-ey'd Saint Iohn.
VVe ne're deny to thee the Keyes of Heaven;
But of those Keyes there were, beside, Eleven:
VVe all applaud thy Heaven-dropt sheet, whereby
The Faith broke forth into Community.
VVe all confesse thee Apostle of the Iewes,
(Though now the Roman thee their Primate choose.)
Unkind repulse! when Paul to th' Romans wrote
Alone, and to their Faith such honour got.
VVe allow thee Bishop of Christs Flock,
Twelve equall Pastors, a most Royall stock.
Feed then, successive Angels, that's your care,
Feed the poor Lambs, they'r Wolves that do them tear.

The Legend of Saint James, called Ma­jor, one of the Sons of Zebedee, and Apostle of Spaine.

ARt thou Red Letter'd? Yes; the Almanack
Preserves thee; though the Holy-day we lack,
VVe keep the
Bristol and other places.
Fair: 't had been good policy,
If that the Church (could it these times foresee)
Had made the Twelve Apostles Marts, then they
Might all, whereas now some, have a Saints day.
Dame Zebedee, so full of zeal, ne're thought
His Honour should to so low ebb be brought:
The right hand and the left was her bold boon,
And that in Heaven her sons, both Iames and Iohn,
Might be advanc'd; how would the woman pout,
If she had known on earth they were put out,
And that he is deny'd the pay by some,
Of honour to his glorious Martyrdome.
Herod thy person murder'd, Holy Saint,
Our mighty men of VVar thy Day: why mayn't
We hope to see, as in those dayes befell
Our Herods, as that
Acts c. 1.
Herod, fall as well.
It was not long before Revenge did seize
That Deify'd Orator, struck in a trice.
Pimme had not all the worms, it once may please
Vengeance to smite (not only Conscience)
But their Apostate body's with close Lice,
Who onely spoyle and murder solemnize:
But these and Herod differ in some things,
Herod kills Prophets, These both Them and Kings.
Herod imprisons for popular applause,
How many have been coop'd upon that cause?
[Page 46] But by a finer word; Imprisoning
Securing's call'd, Robbing is Sequestring:
But Herod speeches it, and gives no praise
To God; O but these do in our good dayes:
There's not a Murder, not a Plund'ring, but
They do the Pulpits with Thanksgivings glut.
Had you now liv'd (you Sons, sirnam'd, of Thunder)
Then fire from Heaven you could not have ask'd under,
Nor would have been deny'd; but 'tis as well,
Their fire is sure, if not Above, from Hell.

Upon the Legend of Saint Bartholomew.

THe Gospel's sound, though the whole world is run,
Now hear it preach'd, where Inmate is the Sun
On India's parched ground, the East, the West,
(Wealth that few Merchants get) and yet the best.
Who dare upbraid the Lord at latter day,
And say, this newes did never come in's way?
Shall he be damn'd for what he could not know?
No, Arguer; thou shalt not, if't be so:
No Gospel slighted, no Apostle slain,
No Faith rejected, no eternall pain:
God by no absolute Decree does list
Men to damnation (maugre Calvin's Twist.)
Conditional are his Decrees, and they
Mulcted alone, who gainsay, disobey.
We fondly therefore to Iamaica sent,
To convert Indians, (when for Gold'twas meant.)
Saint Bartholomew, full sixteen hundred years
Ago (as in Eusebius Chronicon appears)
Preach'd to those Heathen Folk; who did not weigh
The matter, so he went into Armenia.
What if the Indians prized more their Gold
Then this rich Margarite? will the reason hold?
(Because the Negroes will not Faith receive,
Because Apostle-taught, they'l not believe:)
Is therefore God unjust? whose sentence is,
Whosoe're believes in Christ, Salvation's his.
His acts of Grace and his good Pardons be
In Law and Gospel never Covenant-free.
Repent, and be secure, proud Nineve,
Believe, and enter my Felicity:
They therefore put the Obex, they bolt out
Themselves, who are or Reprobate, or doubt.
[Page 48] Armenia shall rise up against India
And thank her for her Refuse, she will say
Our King converted by Saint Bartholomew,
His Folly our great Idol overthrew:
And we exampl'd by a pious Prince,
Receiv'd the Faith, and have been Christians since.
VVe honour him as our Grat Saint, and boast,
That e're his Sacred person toucht our coast:
But it prov'd bloody to him, for a King
Astiages by name (O horrid thing!)
Apostate to the Faith, and full of spight
To those that did, and would continue right
(After so many wondets done, such shoales
Of preaching Bartholomew's converted souls)
Condemn'd this Saint to a most cruel end,
Duplessis.
Flay'd him alive, and raw to th' earth did send.
But thou, Great Saint, art one o'th' Twelve, that shalt
Luc. 22. 30.
Judge the whole world, thy Saviour will exalt
Thee for a witness of his Judgement last,
VVhen sentence on all Flesh by him is past.
Then shall Astlages and the Iewes see
Him whom he flay'd, they cast out,
Acts 5. 28.
glorify'd be.

Upon Saint Matthew Apostle and Evangelist.

FRom the Receipt of Custome call'd? what? leave
Excise and Tax-money, the Banck? and cleave
To Poverty and Preaching? Blessed Saint!
Thou cam'st alone, and didst companions want.
Few of that tribe will live on parables,
The scent of Gain a great deal better smells
Then the perfumes of Prayer, though th' Incense flie,
And please the Nostrils of a Deity:
Heaven and earth too, the Lawyer will content
To barter this for that, he'l not indent:
Sell all? leave all? give to the poor? be poor?
Give him his parchments, farewell Saviour.
O bunch of Camel-wealth! damn'd Avarice!
That stops the narrow passe of Paradice;
That strait-ey'd Needle cannot enter'd be,
Till all that Mountain of Monopoly
Be wire-drawn into such slender lines,
A Spider works not smaller, finer twines.
Thus stretcht, and beat, and crusht, impair'd, and lank,
He may arrive to the Elysian-bank;
For Charon will not ferry in his light
Cork-vessel any Fare of heavy weight:
Spirits are all his passengers, no grosse
Usurers, nor gluttons abominous:
Such Loads will sink his Boat, and themselves too,
And then in Styx they'l stick, amongst a crew
Of Snakes and Vipers, in most noisome mud,
Which like themselves ne're was, ne're can be good,
Matthew forsakes these cloggs, this heavy lead
Casts off, 'twas but his Foy, his own God-speed.
Wrestlers and Racers strip unto the shirt,
Any superfluous weight will do them hurt:
[Page 50] Away with Luggage and Impediment,
A Wife, a Farm, Honour, Merriment,
May lose the Goale. Run, run, Atlanta, flie,
And let those rubs, the Golden Apples lie:
A Christian life is Race and Warfare too,
A strict Militia we undergo:
Hard Duty, little Pay, strong Enemies,
A passage block'd with Blood and Injuries:
Yet all must be encounter'd, all o'recome,
Or else no Lawrel, no Elysium.
Our Banner is the Crosse, the Standard dy'd
In Gules of our chief Captain crucify'd,
Like General, like Souldiers, so he
Was made triumphant first, and so must we:
Whether the Indies, or
The two places where S. Matthew preacht and converted; in the later he was murder'd.
Ethiopia
Be our sad Field (there was Saint Matthew's day;
There he did fight his last) we must march on,
The word is Martyrdome, the Van is gone,
And the prime Leaders of the Front are seen
Blazon'd with Crosses, Swords and Axes keen,
With Sawes and poison'd Cups, and Gridirons hot,
Caldrons of boiling Lead (all to the pot)
And we, the following Reer, must track by track,
Tread the same way, and end in the same Rack.
All's but a death, the acute Stone, the Gout,
Ulcers in Reines and Bladder bring about
Their Persecutors fate. But oh! they die
Not once, but are reviv'd to misery.
Death after death, a second Fate doth seize
Those, besides tortures of consciences.
When quiet are the passages of Saints,
Their ends are Charity, and no Complaints.
Forgivenesse fills their mouths, Praises their heart,
The Tyrant's hurry'd hence, but these depart.

Upon the Festival of S. Michael.

WHat? Warres in Heaven? Angels disagree?
Ovid hence took his Gigontomachie,
Or else from Babel: so that Pelion,
Pindus and Ossa (batteries of stone)
Were these bold Builders Babel, that whereby
They thought t' have scal'd Olympus 'bove the skie.
Unequal force! like Titans sawcy Race,
Instead of Iuno a void cloud embrace▪
So Satan, and Abaddon, and his train
Conspir'd against the Highest (all in vain.)
Michael doth muster up his Holy Host,
(Who in their confirmation onely boast)
Propt by Divinity and their Chieftains pow'r,
That Grand Devourer they did soon devour.
Scatter'd those Legions of unjust array,
Who took up armes, as Lucifer bid say,
For God, and Hierarchy, and Covenant took
To make him glorious, but t'was but a hook,
A snare, a Devil-trepan to list gull'd sprights,
And cozen them of their eternal Rights.
Dethroning was th' intent; the Juncto-Devils,
VVhen they cry peace and truth, contrive all evils.
But Michael understood their cloak'd design,
And did the Underminers undermine.
God and his Angels, was the Devils word,
For God alone this Angel drew the sword.
No pow'r concurrent, no nor Parliament,
Nor any trick of Satans slye Invent,
(As that their God should lesser be in pow'r
Then all his Angels, and then each one more.)
These Engines would not serve, for Michael
Knew their false coynage, Art for to rebell,
And hating dawb'd Hypocrisie worse farre
Then their Hostility and open Warre,
[Page 52] Bade the Usurper and his specious tayle
Avaunt, and in Gods name he did prevaile.
Down fell that Fiery General and's crew,
And Michael did his Victory pursue;
Left not a Devil there, not to accuse,
(Whom first he did mislead, and then traduce.)
But woe to us! us Men! since this defeat
Expulsed Satan makes the Earth his seat,
And makes base men his Agents, which out-do
In villany him and his Angels too:
He and his fellow-Dragons about flie,
Arm'd with all malice and malignity,
Against the Seed o'th' Woman; which bless'd Seed,
Though bruis'd i'th' Heel, yet broke the Vipers head;
Yet wounded, not subdu'd, he fights in blood,
And his last station far a while makes good.
Heaven given for lost, and routed of all bliss,
To people Hell his dire ambition is:
And to enlarge that Kingdome's his desire,
Though King and subjects all must dwell in fire.
The world being his de facto, there he spy'd
The Lamb's most faire, but yet distressed Bride,
(Her Bridegroom for a time in Heaven contain'd)
His spotlesse Spouse he hop'd to have profan'd,
Made her Adultresse, and abjure her Head,
(Because not seen) and take another bed.
But she stood chaste and firm, defy'd his suit,
Then Lust turn'd Rage, and he did cast about
How to confound, whom he could not perswade;
(All Stratagems in vain) he will invade:
Her and her children this pursuer drives;
Into the Wildernesse, yet there she thrives;
Short grass is sweet; afflictions smooth the face,
Nothing so fair as persecuted Grace.
The blubber'd eyes of Saints their Ceruse proves,
The choicest Unguent which their High God loves.
See how her children (pretty Lambkins) run,
(Not a whole skin their plunder'd backs upon)
[Page 53] Some worry'd by fierce Wolves and Dogs of prey,
As in the wildernesse they passe away:
Nor heeds the Serpent, though he knowes full well,
And his curs'd Emissaries too can tell,
They should not hurt nor wrong these Little Ones,
Because that Angels are their Guardians,
And intimate their sufferings in God's eare,
Who's slow to wrath, but will not long forbeare:
'Tis for a time and times; but then come woes
To this poor persecuted woman's Foes.
Amen say Heavens, Angels fill the Quire,
Triumphant be the Church that's purg'd by Fire,
That through the Wildernesse and bloody Sea,
Shall with her Bridegroom keep long Iubilee.

Upon Saint Lukes Day, Physitian and Evangelist.

NO Calling is exempt from Grace; why, Priest,
Do'st thou exclude? when an Evangelist
Of a Physitian's made, who can deny
This to be true Religio Medici?
See, our decry'd profession here is purg'd,
Let Atheisme never 'gainst us more be urg'd,
Cleans'd and baptiz'd in thee (most eloquent Saint)
VVe bid those foul aspersions avaunt.
Then for our lives, who ever liv'd with lesse
Then Gallen, and renown'd Hypocrates,
VVho not by Lessius or Cornarus weight,
(Measures of abstinence deviz'd of late)
Did scale out Diet; that is tyranny,
These were the standards of sobriety:
And as a Prince in Physick should, they both
Oblig'd their willing Patients by an oath:
A voluntary Sacrament, and why
Is not this too Religio Medici?
Fasting and abstinence are Harbingers
To Divine Gifts, the one the other infers.
No Devil with his tricks can circumvent
A fasting Iohn, or Iesus in his Lent.
And those fast alwayes, who do sparing feed,
Then are Physitians a most sacred Seed.
It is the staple Doctrine of my Art,
VVhich to our losse, to th' world we do impart:
Be temperate and live; be temperate,
And be an Hercules, be wise, be that,
And be a Saint; Angels will be our guests,
If we do treat them with such frugal Feasts.
Physicians Diet is like Angels Food,
A very little, but 'tis very good.
[Page 55] Now for our Acts, Saint Luke his Book of Acts
Shall be our Aera and our first Epacts.
To thee (Divine Historian) we owe
VVhat of our Saviours Life and Death we know:
None hath so fully wrote; and learn'd Saint Paul
Calls thine his Gospel, as if that were all.
Saint Paul had not been known, but that for thee,
To thee we owe the Church-Chronologie.
Not such a History doth Livy write,
Compar'd with thee deep Tacitus is light.
VVhere such a piece can any Annals boast,
As the Descending of the Holy Ghost?
VVhen all the sacred Apostolick Quire
Spake all Tongues with Tongues, out of Mouth in Fire;
Not Iupiters escapes, nor the Iliads,
Nor he who wrote of wandring Trojan Lads,
Comes neere Saint Paul's escapes and voyages,
Aenea's Stormes in famous Virgil's dress
Sounds not so high as thy Saint Paul's dire wrack,
VVhen his wind-beaten Barque did bulge and crack
Into a thousand pieces; when Heaven powers
Another Sea into the Main in showers:
VVhen Lightning was instead of Sun, and th' aire
In sheets of flashes had its lights repaire:
VVhen Thunder did with noyse of high winds vie,
And did all voyces, but Saint Paul's, out-cry.
Then in that Storm the greatest Light was he,
He like a Rock in all that tyranny
Of winds and Sea, stood unremov'd, and brought
Each soul to Land, each splinter was a Boat;
And his all-shatter'd Ship came safe to bank,
Each passenger was shipt but on a plank.
So floated this great Navy of one Bark,
And Paul the Pilot of that swimming Park.
VVhen such an Orator as thy Saint Paul?
Or such Oration as from him did fall?
[Page 56] The fam'd Philippicks of Demosthenes,
And Cicero's Catalines, and Anthony's
(Gallant, but fatall speeches) have [...]o name
With his Oration of eternall fame.
Whose killing words and language Spirit-shook
The gaudy
Felix.
Governour, that bribes had took,
And made a
Agrippa.
King his Convert. These (Saint Luke)
Are the great subjects of thy worthy Book.
Physician [...], let me
In Physick and in Gospel follow thee,
E'ne unto Roman Martyrdome, when all
But thee alone forsook th'Apostle
The second of Paul to Ti­mothy.
Paul.

On Simon and Jude's Day.

BRothers in Blood, and Blood (a double Die)
For Martyrdome is a Nativitie
Justly in Church-account, Thaddaean Race,
Of meanest Parentage, of meaner Grace.
We shall not blazon now your Fishing-coates,
Your Church-Nobility's not from your Boats,
But Pulpits, not unlike your Trades before,
Fish-nets for souls almost in every shoare.
How many at a Cast Saint Peter caught!
Acts 4. 4.
Five thousand from a Sermon, mighty draught!
Simon, no lesse adventure didst thou make
In Aegypt, where thy holy baits did take
That superstitious people; won by thee,
To leave their manifold Idolatry.
Thence to Ierusalem thou art recall'd,
And Iames thy brother stoned, there install'd
Bishop in's place, remain in Persia,
Or come unto the Jews, the same's your pay,
This is the wages, this good Bishops fate,
(That on the Altar, not on the Trencher wait)
To hang like
St. Simon crucified un­der Atticus.
Simon, or like's brother
St. Iude muder'd at E. dessa. Dupless. Euseb.
Iude,
Be murder'd by a Pagan multitude.
Old Crucifie in vulgar mouths is loud
Still, and as high as for our Saviours blood,
Whom in his Priests they daily crucifie,
And till he come last will this tyrannie.
Then in that Monarchie (be it call'd the Fift)
He that was first lift up will these up-lift
Unto Tribunals, seats of Glory, where
All their accusers naked shall appear
In thousand horrours of confused mind,
Looking for shelter-mountains, but none find:
[Page 58] Wishing the Seas vast entrailes would receive
Their souls; or, that they are at all, they grieve:
Annihilation were a kindnesse, all
Twisse's distinctions metaphysicall
Give not a grain of comfort: Not to be
Is better then to be in miserie.
Better be never born, then born for Hell,
And for God'sglory in pains lasting dwell.
The Milstone in the Sea (if it could hold
The swallow'd captive) that wretch rather would,
Then for's
The gene­ral Epistle of Iude.
Apostacy, and hating Light,
Lie in the blacknesse of the darks of Night.

Upon All-Saints Day.

WIll you behold this glorious company
In Earth or Heaven first? there cannot be
(Take all Imperial pomp) so rare a shew,
Whether the Scene above be, or below.
Let then their first Representation be,
As they stood here i'th' vale of misery,
In the Church-Militant: how they appear
With cheerfull looks, but ragged every where?
Poor in Apparel, but in
Mat. 5. 3.
Spirit more,
You'l meet him in the streets and at your doore,
In Teares, in Sighs, in many dolefull tone
Ver. 4.
Bemoaning others, none doth them bemoan:
Ver. 5.
Calm as the Lew at Sea, yet themselves blown
By Envy's blasts and Sequestration
Upon the Quick-sands of deep Wants, yet then
They are still meek and most becalmed men:
Nay, though their Lenten faces, and dry cheeks,
And shrivel'd stomachs for cold water seeks,
(And get it not) their hunger doth encrease,
And they thirst on; but 'tis for
Ver. 6. Ver. 7.
Righteousness.
The mercy that they cannot finde, they give,
They will not hurt the poorest worm alive:
For
Ver. 8.
innocence is in their Hearts and Hand,
No Wool, no Snow so white on Cotswold-lands,
As are their thoughts and actions; their eyes
And often lift-up hands are known to'th'skies;
And in Contentions and Domestick Jarres,
Or when Ambition raiseth Civil Warres,
For
Ver. 9.
Peace is all their Intercession:
No arm'd Petitioners, which won't lay down,
Unlesse they have their wills; which when they've got,
They are undone and ruin'd by the Vote.
[Page 60] No, these, though in their just requests deni'd,
Rest with repuls'd content, and satisfy'd:
Or if a
Verse 10.
Persecution on them fall,
They don't recalcitrate, but take it all.
Call 'um Malignants, Enemies to th' State,
(Words on good Christians stampt too much of late)
A Sigh perchance is sent, or look on high,
But not a word provoking, rather die;
And for the Name of Iesus, and his Truth,
They
Verse 11.
suffer gladly, open not the mouth.
Thus in their lower garments they appear,
Now in their upper Robes, triumphant tire,
Please to behold them: Those, those tatter'd things,
The scorn o'th' world, the foot-balls of proud Kings;
Those are the persons now array'd in
Rev. 7. 9.
white,
In garments which surpasse the brightest light;
With Ensignes of their blood-got Victories,
Palmes in their hands; these are the Martyrs, these
They whom despightfull men did hale like Rogues,
And hurrie up and down to Synagogues,
Unto high Courts of Justice; first by throats
Of people murder'd, then by Judges votes.
How hear they now? another hue and die
Their actions bear: Hark! there 'tis Loyaltie:
VVhat here was Treason call'd: Disturber here
Is there a Laureat for a Peace-maker:
The Innovator here is there on high
VVith Angels all in Uniformity,
All in one voice; one sacred Anthem's sung,
That holy Quire, and sacred Saints among.
The Spirit there, though present, and still by,
Likes their set Form and holy Liturgie.
Amen begins the Hymne, Amen concludes,
And this is chanted out by multitudes,
And tongues, and people of a several shew,
VVho learn'd these Anthems (they there use) below.
[Page 61] VVhere's their accusers now? they'r slunk away,
And not a man has any thing to say:
The mouth of all Iniquity is shut,
And Satan to perpetual silence put.
VVhat shall we do? who live in the sad age,
VVhere all these Combatants were on the Stage;
Some flying up in fire, some flowing on
In streams of their own blood to the Lambs Throne;
VVe follow must, and with long steps adore
These Hero's, that shall never suffer more.
Who ne're shall thirst, nor hunger, nor drop tear,
But with the Lamb keep Iubilean year.

Upon the Prohibited Festivall of the Nativity of our Saviour.

WHat? are our prayers refus'd? and do the Jews
Prevail? that we decry this High day's News?
Born, and not own'd? 'tis Covenanted well,
'Twixt Rabbi Presbyter and
A Jew, who would have bought Saint Pauls Church for a Syna­gogue.
Israel.
We shall joyn Synagogues in time, and say,
No Christ come yet, as well as No Christ's Day.
Who could imagine things should alter thus?
That an Index Expurgatorius
Should passe upon the Calendar, and Red
Letters expung'd, and Black be hallowed?
The very Horn-books censures undergo,
Because they do begin with Christ-cross-row.
The times were not so stingie once, but cry'd,
Mass, I defie thee, but allow'd Christ-tide.
A Generation now starts up so holy,
That counts all Festivals (but two) meer folly,
Saint Rent day, and Saint Gunpowder; the rest,
As superstitious Figments, are supprest.
Not so these sixteen hundred years, till now,
As if a light from Hell had broken through,
And a new voice of sense quite contrary
Had cry'd, Saul, Saul, why dost thou honour me
Chim cham, Enthusiasmes; Bells do backward ring
With Motto's chang'd, Honour no God, no King.
O for an Athanasian spirit, that
Durst now stand up, and these new Arrians flat!
Or that the Swedish Sword had found the way
To weed Socinus from Cracovia!
Blest Reformation, had it so gone on,
And beat into their heads the first of Iohn:
A Sword is best Expositor for brains,
Who poyson Scripture with divine Rats-banes:
[Page 63] But Jews have shipt them over in Dantz' boats,
And we (like Brutes) have swallowed Polish Oats.
Crellians and Crollians, and Socinians we,
And any thing but Catholicks may be.
Thus Hersie doth burgeon, since the Creed
In the suppressed Liturgie doth bleed.
But Jew, do'st thou by an unalter'd Law,
(As if the Persian did thy conscience awe)
Still keep a Passeover? and solemnize
That day, the day from Aegypts tyrannie,
(The Type of this day's birth) and we to wipe
Out of our Calendars the Antitype?
Why don't we keep this Festivall as well?
Is a day from Aegypt good, and not from Hell?
Did Abraham joy through Faith's dimme Perspective
To see in after-thousand years Christ live?
And we, who from the true Apostolick See
Deduce an uncontroll'd Chronologie,
(Like Iob in bitternesse of soul) defie
And damn the day of this Nativity?
Are our own births and dayes but on repute,
'Cause none our Mothers can, nor Clerks confute?
And shall the Mother-Church of the whole world
In this one computation be controul'd?
Senselesse contest! when her Authority
For the alter'd Sabbath good we grant to be:
We give her Faith to th' Resurrection,
But for the Birth of Christ her verdict's gone.
Abhor, my soul, this base confederacy
(Praeludium to a Sanedrim) when I
A Synod see, and Iudaisme go on
From the deniall of the day to th' Son.
Let us in Chorus joyn with Angels, they
No share i'th' Anthem have who hate the Day.
Let us with Eastern Sages come from far,
Worship the Babe discover'd by a Star:
And let the mad Apostates of the Age
Get Gold and Myrrhe, but ne're be counted Sage.

A MEDITATION Upon the Churches pious Observation OF LENT.

THis is that portion of the year, in which (as the Prophet sayes) the Lord calls for Fasting and Mour­ning, Sackloth and Ashes, the usu­all Rites of the Jewish Penitence; where­in we Christians (as well as they of the Cir­cumcision) should forsake our beds of Plea­sure, and boords, not onely of excesse, but convenient food, to the dismantling and atte­nuating the body, that the soul being made active and unclogg'd of the load of her un­weildy scabbard, may be more expedite in the exercise of holy duties. He that is to go a great journey (sayes Minutius Felix) doth not [Page 66] load himself, but lighten his garments, lest the balast of his obese and heavy body should sink him in the way. Ships that are for speed and saile are not big bottom'd, but gaunt, and made neat for their quicker dispatches. No man seeing a Flemmin and a Spaniard, both dress'd for a Race, would ever imagine that the Dutchman should come first to the Goal; wherefore with great care and wisdome hath the Church of England called the first day of this Quadragesimal Fast, Ashwednesday, Dies Ci­nerum, a day of the most low prostration of our Mind and Flesh to all acts of Humiliati­on. In my University it is the day of convo­king or convening our determining Batchelors (the Lamb-skin hopes which the Mother lately yean'd into the first degree of Acade­mick honour.) These Cyens, Grafts of early learning, meet at a Latin Sermon, where the Concionator excites them gravely and apposite­ly to both sobrieties, the abstinence from Lusts and Meats, the Nerves and Sinews of the other, that these young men might be (as Solomon wished his) Rememberers of their Creator in the dayes of their youth; with which severe pickle if that age be seasoned, you have a Poets warrant,

[Page 67] Servabit odorem testa diu & aliquid haerebit.

Their whole life will smell of the ingredients if it took a due and handsome tincture.

This introductory Sermon is the Parent of many more, solemnly perform'd in another Pulpit at S. Peters in the East, and so held on till the Religious grief of the whole Lent ends in a joyfull Resurrection Sermon in that place, and two at S. Mary's, which all are and have bin of late years most excellently repeated by two successive admirable sons of Pia Mater Students of All Souls, and Magd. Coll. memoria: Which circumstances premised, I shall to the matter of this Meditation, which is the things for which we fast, and from which we fast. Our Saviour could not be ima­gin'd to undertake the latter part of this, whose pure and guiltless soul, as it could not be tainted, so it needed none of these auxilia­ries for its pious support. Holinesse it self, es­sentiall Purity, wants no Fulcra Pietatis; those props are for us mortals made of fragile com­posures, which are apt to faell and break, if not corroborated and strengthened by continuall covers and shields of Grace and [Page 68] Prayers. And for the things for which we fast (unlesse it were the glory of his Father) Christ also needed not to have undergone this miraculous Lent, which no man could ever keep but himself, although some do not forbear to think and say that any man butte­rest up in Grace may attain to such perfecti­on. It were to be wished indeed, but never to be hoped for; therefore the Montanists of old, and the Racovians of late; and the Roman Catholicks, pretenders to highest Discipline may prescribe much, but never can take this Dose of Penance, nor observe the Rules they teach others: Nor was this Example of our Savi­our set for an adaequate Rule, to be imitated either by his Apostles, which were otherwise assisted then any of us, or by any of us, who though our spirits perchance may be willing, yet he knowes our flesh is weak; Deus non re­quirit ab homine, quod non habet, and our measures of Grace are proportion'd to our capacities. If we are by Divine assistances holy men, yet men are men still, and not Gods. Let no Pha­risaicall presumption delude us into a wilder­nesse; for the experience of our strength and spirituall valour, for fear Satan, that vigilant [Page 69] spie of all our devotions, smell out the pride or hypocrisie which first were of his instilling, and while we think to be Similes altissimi, like Christ in this duty, fall down and wor­ship (what he never could) the Devil himself. In my small observation I never found the most Atlantick professors, both in Civil and Religious resolution and practice, those He­ctors for Monarchy, and the Hierachy in times of peace, I found them fall in the dayes of temptation most sadly. Saint Peters ver­bal magnanimity and great challenge; what a poore come off hath it? how does it end? This Dimock for Christ layes downe the Cudgels at the Quaerie of a poor Damosel, & turnes an Apostate of a Cavalier, untill a Cock (the valiant'st of creatures) allarum'd his affrighted heart, and made him know that it is not good to crow before the Christi­an Engagement be begun: 'tis not he that putteth on, but he that putteth off the armor, knows the success of the battel. This diver­sion pardoned, I shall succinctly touch (for I intend a speech rather then a Tract) the Res substrata, or subject of a Fast: And first, the things we fast for, are Faith, assistances of [Page 70] Grace, and for gifts of Prayer, whereby so assisted, we may persevere in that Christian state wherein we finde our selves, for not onely resolutions of amendment of our lives, but reall changes. For both charities, that principal of the love of God and our Neigh­bour, which indeed is the summary of the Law, and the other lesser of the hand, which will be opened and enlarged, as the heart is enflamed within; for fire is of a dilating and expansive property, which no clutch'd fist can ever hold. We fasted also, or should, for Righteousnesse, Justice, Meeknesse, Tempe­rance, Obedience, Patience, Thankfulnesse, and all Christian and Moral Vertues; and if we fast soundly, He that onely can quench that thirst and appease that appetite, will di­still into your dry floores such comfortable showers, as the dew of Sion and Hermon hills cannot excel in fragrancy nor fertility. This is to fast for life, for everlasting life, and the Bread of life that came down from Hea­ven, will again descend by his Spirit into your hearts, and fill you full of all spirituall joy and assurances of Heaven, which are only certified to us by our constant sanctification, [Page 71] ietched out in fear and trembling. A Chri­stian is alwayes under a Caveat, in his most Souldierly posture upon his armour, this is the Word, Cave pedibus miles; look to thy foot, take heed lest thou fall: The whole Armou­ry of S. Paul is but little enough to defend these Militia-men against three such enemies, which sometime lie in Ambuscadoes, some­time attempt them with open hostility, and batteries, and dangerous onsets, besides un­derminings: wherefore knowing you are to fight, whether in the Wilderness, in a single Duel, or in Campania, in the open Field, or Pickeering, that is, against one particular vice; Cape arma, sta in procinctu; be harnassed, be girt, and let the word be Sit Deus nobiscū; let God be with us, and then you shall so fast and so fight, that a joyfull victory will follow, or quick delivery, which is as good. Which hints unto me the second things from which we are to fast, which are most excellently enumerated in that singularly well composed Prayer of the Letany of our Churches Litur­gy, wherein we pray God to deliver us from all Evil and Mischief, from Sin, from the Crafts and Assaults of the Devil: Which if avoyded, by [Page 72] necessary consequence Gods wrath and ever­lasting damnation will be escaped. And take the concluding Prayer into your Fasts, and say, From all Sedition and privy Conspiracy (begot by & arising) from false Doctrine and Heresie, and from hardness of Heart (which is now called tender­nesse of Conscience) and contempt of Gods Word and Commandements, (which is now called The new Light) Good Lord deliver us. Thus fast and you shall obtain, not out of the work done by you, which is acceptable, but in his fasting, who is onely gracious, and in whose merits all our lame and imperfect works are sanctified.

For by his holy Incarnation our flesh is pu­rified, by his holy Nativity and Circumcision our new life is raised, & our old Adam buried; by his Baptism, Fasting and Temptation, our Fonts, our Abstinence, our Trials, are all made in some measure holy, so in the proces­sion of his glorious Merits.

By his Agony and bloody Sweat, by his Crosse and Passion, our Sufferings, Plunde­rings and Martyrdomes are crowned; by his precious Death and Burial, by his Resurrecti­on and Ascension, our pious Exits and goings out of the sad Stage of this World, our Sursum [Page 73] corda, our lifted-up souls, our awakenings from the Lethargie and Death of our past Sins, are gracious with his Father, and bene­ficial to our selves. And by the coming of the Holy Ghost we are fortified and double guarded, intrench'd and pallissado'd against all the malice of our invading enemie, the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. Feare not little Garrison, though you fast a while, relief is coming, yea, & by a party of Horse, by an Army, such as Elias was upon the Mountain, greater in number then your enemies. Fear not, besieged soul, for God will rescue thee, and he shall bring you forth from this Garrison of the World, with Colours flying, Drumms beating, & all but your Moneys, which must be left behind; that bunch in the Camels back, which must be crush'd, and pash'd, and wire-drawn, before you can be fitted to take that narrow pass, the eye of the needle; and then look before you the strait way of Christian Discipline, the Gauntlet run, what joy doe you enter into! what variety of Heavenly Mansions! where every Souldier for his earthly services hath a Patrimony, which cannot be taken from him, which cannot suffer waste, but is upon im­provement [Page 74] for ever, where every Souldier hath a Medall of his Chieftaines Donation, the Seal of the Everliving God, which is the Badge of his fidelity, and a perpetual and indelible character of his Loyalty to his Master: No more shall be heard the word of Indigent Officers, or any such Sarcastick sound against them; for they shall hunger no more, nor thirst any more; neither shall the Sun of Persecution, nor any heat of Oppression light on them: But the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall lead them to Fountaines of living waters, and God shall wipe away Rev. 7. 16. all teares from their eyes.

Amen.

A MEDITATION ON THE PASSION Of Our SAVIOUR.

I Do present Your Royall Highnesse with such a Scene of Sorrow, such a Tragedy, as that Age onely beheld, and no Age after it shall see, The Prince of Peace, the Councellor, Murthered by his own People, Crucified at his own Gates: Was there any Sorrow like this Sorrow? which is magnified by the Dignity of his Person, by the Basenesse of his Accusers, the Falsenesse of the Accusations, the Impudence of his Judges. From which un­just Tribunal, those that loved him fled: at whose sufferings the ashamed Sun withdrew its light, testifying by its miraculous opacity and darknesse, that the God of Light was ex­tinguished, [Page 76] the Earth opened; and had not the God of Mercy and Love forbad, would have swallowed the Nation, as it did once before a part of them, whilest his helplesse Spectators (the ever Blessed Virgin his Mother, with his belov'd Disciple) stood by pierc'd at the heart to see him so pierc'd, to see her Son (the Son of God) so roughly and barbarously but­cher'd, by those who liv'd, and mov'd, and had their Being from him, while God look'd through the Cloud, permitting (what was from Eter­nity designed) Men and Devils to act a piece of Wickednesse, which was the ruine of the Contrivers, the Devils fatal overthrow, the destruction of Ierusalem, the abandoning of the Iewes, and Redemption of the whole World.

Pardon me Sir, if in honour to my Saviours Sufferings, I undertake what would ask the pen of the most Ready Writer, and he onely could truly blazon that Princely Prophet, from whose Loyns (as to the Flesh) he was descen­ded.

I had need of a Protection Royal, nay an Army Royal, for a Guard, while I enter upon the History. As many Enemies hath Christ [Page 77] himself as had his Father David, Gebal, and Ammon, and Amaleck; the Philistines, with they of Tyre, Hagarens, Moabites and Ishmalites, and a number of confederate and associate Con­spirators united against the Tribe of Iudah; So against this Lion of that Tribe are combin'd Marcionites, Ebionites, Eutichians, Nicolaitans, Arri­ans, Socinians, and a Hidra of Schismaticks, all of them either enemies of his Humanity or Divinity. These crucifie not his Person on the Crosse, but his Natures in their Heretical Writings: they untext the Gospel of S. Iohn, and with false and pitiful glosses would per­swade their Sectaries that Tempus erat quando non suit, that there was some time when he was not, and so labour to null his Eternal and co­essential Being with his Father before all Worlds, deprive him of his just Right of Creation of the World, testified by that Ea­gle-ey'd Evangelist, who sayes, directed by the Holy Ghost: By him all things were made, John 1. 3. and without him nothing was made that was made; who being the Wisdome of his Father, was the most accomplish'd Agent through the Holy Spirit to effect that stupendious Con­vex that hoops in this lower Orb. And how [Page 78] bravely were these Blasphemies introduc'd by the assassination of a most Christian King Aurelius Or Moritius., & that murder proving successeful, per scelera sceleribus iter est, they march in a procession of wickednesse, and streight stab the Deity of him that is anoynted for ever­more: That inhuman butchery got an Em­pire to Phocas, and a triple Crown to his sa­crificing Boniface the Third. Priest, who ever since usurps the Purple Robe; a fit Die and eternal Testimo­ny of his Blood-got Supremacy over his fel­low-Bishops. These crucifie the Scriptures, as the Jewes did Christ, and expunge the sense, though not the words: and whereas the letter sayes, None shall be greater then another, they say, one shall, and is above them all; nay not onely their Apostolick Overseers, but in Ec­clesiasticis, over Emperours and Kings. Well gratified (old Phocas) that by the base ac­quisition of a Diadem, straight didst part with the best Flower in it. No such Regimen was left by our Saviour, nor no such Vicar, nor no such Peter, with a brandisht Sword, no such Boanerges, with a sublunary Fire, Cel­lars of Gun-powder and spiritual Ammuniti­on, that shall more expeditely conveigh three [Page 79] estates to heaven, then Elias fiery Chariot; yet this usurpation still obtains upon some Prin­ces, who for politick ends, or for fear of Ra­viliacks and Jesuited Daggers, or which is▪ worse, for covetous and ambitious designes, suffer that Christ that is in them, to have his head stuck with Thornes, and his mouth im­bitter'd with this damnable Doctrine, the Lees of the Cup of the Lady of Babylon.

How far short are our Sectarians at home, who hold not forth indeed a Golden Cup, but a worse, an Against the Comman­dements. Antinomial Cup; which if the Princes of this World drink, the rough emetick will make them void all the just pre­rogatives belonging to their sacred Authorities. Up comes first the Militia, without which Kings are as powerful as our Saviour with his Reed in his hand. Arundinem pro Sceptro, they must hold forth a Bulrush instead of a Scepter. The next reach or straine of this vo­mitary Purge, is Potestas vitae & naecis, without which there can be no Magistrate, the Admi­nistration of Justice, the Dispensations of Rewards and Punishments, being the Charter of God, delegated to his servant the King, for the encouragement of the good, and punish­ment [Page 80] of evil persons. The third operation is as bad, which fetches all his jurisdiction Eccle­siastical up at one heave, and throwes that precious Right into the Classical Bason first, and then into the great Caldron of a Provin­cial Synod, in which his own head must boil, if he dissent from that Consistorian sentence and Assembly suffrage. What Jew, what Loyolist of Ignatius could ever desire more? These are the Abisgah of our Adonirams & Ado­nijah's humble petition to his Majesty, and let his answer be (as I hope his wisdome is) like Solomon's, aske the Kingdome also to be tripartite and divided betwixt Abiathar a cove­nanting Presbyter, and Ioab the Son of Zer­via, a traiterous Generall: So let the King serve them as Solomon did, who dare to intreat him from his power with bended knees, and hands lift up to Heaven, yet carry short swords to destroy the loyal Abners, the Kings most trusty and well-beloved friends. So let the King displace such Abiathars, who not sub­scribing to the enacted Lawes of the Land, under pretence of weak conscience, have the consciences to disturb the Peace of the Land, and affront the Government thereof. There [Page 81] is no fear, Royal Sir, that your Majestick Bro­ther should want Zadocks, Orthodox and Loyal Priests: For look, Sir, in the Cave, where God hath hid from cruel persecution five thousand, who never bowed to the Baal of those dayes, nor fell down to worship the Calfe, though made of the Ear-rings, Whistles, Bodkins and Silver Spoons of the deluded Sisters of the Nation. Let them bite upon the bit, and stoop to the sentence of the house of Eli and Abia­thar, till they snap at a morsel of bread out of the inferiour tables belonging to your High Priests. If upon any threats or solicita­tions, these Prerogatives be parted with, then take heed of a Tolle, & crucifige, away with him, crucifie him; as your Martyr'd Father saith in [...], Kings once divested of their power, are soon imprisoned, and then murdered.

For truly, Royal Sir, the Lives of Princes run almost parallel with their Saviours: Their whole Reignes are but continued Pas­sions. Damocles did well in his Item of Regal Care and Danger to suspend a naked Sword with the point downward, by a slender twist over his head as he sate at table.

[Page 82] How early was thy Persecution, my deare Redeemer, when thy Cradle was not free from a murtherous Herod, whose life he so much thirsted for, that many Hecatombs of Infants were musthered for fear Thy tender Person should escape. That streame of Innocent Blood was praeludium to the Death of the Lamb, that the Red Sea wherein thou didst float to Aegypt, which harbour'd Thee in Thy flight, the onely Goshen of the Land. No Pharaoh's daughter now to suckle this Divine Exile, but Angels were thy Rockers and Nurses, and the Apis of Aegypt, I mean the Cow, was pro­strate, and fed the onely Via Lactea, or milky way to Heaven. Herod dead, and the Wise men thy Worshippers, Star-guided home, thou didst return to thy Ierusalem, a while to preach, anon to die. 'Tis true indeed, the loaf-fed multitude, very pious by qualmes and fits, especially when their bellies are full, would have made an earthly Prince of the King of Heaven: But Thou that knewest the danger of such Principalities, didst flie from a Scepter with more hast then Richard the Third came to it, of whom it is storied, That he came from the womb with his feet [Page 83] forward, and he made wicked speed, and in a crimson flood swom to the Crowne, which he did not long enjoy, the Duke of Rich­mond soon after avenging the blood of his slain Kindred in Bosworth Field, which was his just Aceldama. Just got Diadem, Regal Inhe­ritances are insecure, but ill acquired Thrones never sit safe, and Tyrants seldome make a drie end, but are wet and bedewed in blood to their graves.

Neque enim Lex justior ulla est,
Quam necis artifices arte perire sua.
'Tis just th' Inventers of great Torments have
The Executions they to others gave.

There is a Bull for a Phalaris, nay his owne Bull, a Thomaris for Cyrus, a Gibbet for Haman, an Axe for a Bloody Rump, and a Pole Rampant higher then the rest for an aspiring Oliver. Our Saviour said, His Kingdome was not of this world, he was Lord over it, Lord Para­mount, and these the Fifth Monarchists, who so much contend for his reign upon earth, though they make themselves onely [Page 84] his subjects, shall never see their adopted King, whom the Heaven of Heavens must contain, untill all Kingdomes, Levellers and all, are levelled with the Earth. He came not to wear a Crown of Gold, but Thorns, which made his head so many Fontinells of blood, every prick opening an Orifice, whence is­sued salvation to the world. In the Garden this bloody Fight began, when by his strong apprehension of the imminent danger, he sweat thick drops of blood, the soveraigne water of that Garden: then he prayed, that man of sorrow deprecated, that that Cup might pass. Vox hominem sonat; the Prayer shewes him Man, but his Suffering and his Submission, God: not My will, not the will of me, as Man, for what man can court Death? but thine and my will, as God, be done. Therefore his [...], his vehement Groaning and Wee­ping were the strong and emphatick Emana­tions of his sad Soul, laden with the Sins of the whole earth, as a Cart is laden with sheaves, in which are millions of millions of Grains, the complicated vices of the Seed of Adam; so was this Winepress-treader bur­thened, who alone trod the Grapes in gar­ments [Page 85] sprinkled with his own Blood. Can we heare this, and not compassionate? weep Daughters of Ierusalem a little for him, but more for your selves, for whose defections, whose spiritual Fornications, for whose Pride and Luxury, Covetousnesse and Hypocrisie: this Hen (that so oft would have gathered you as Chickens under his healing wings) is pull'd and torn to pieces, hash'd by barba­rous Souldiers and tumultuous villaines. If we can, let us with watery eyes follow the pomp and prowess of his Sufferings: through Water and Tears Objects are magnified, but this Shew cannot be made greater by any Optick helps. The God that made us is as much above our decyphering as comprehension, and no Painter, no Apelles can draw the lines of this Representation, so strong the Agony, Luke 22. 43. so vehement, that an Angel is sent to streng­then the Man (the God for a time with­drawn.) The Angel no sooner gone (O take not from us those Guardians!) see a multi­tude comes, and Iudas, a Devil and his Legi­ons: Verse 47. The Traitor now acts his part, this ho­ly Cut-purse, this Pious uses man, whose love to money made him verbally good to the [Page 86] poor. He was more thirsty and saving for a box of precious Oyntment then for the Lords Anoynted: For with a Kiss (the signe and seal of highest Affection) this false Apostle betrayes the Lord of Life to certain Death; for thirty pieces of Silver sells the King of Righte­ousnesse to the Devils Emissaries.

Auri sacra fames quid non mortalia cogit,
Pectora.

A purse of Gold, and a million of money shall preponderate and out-weigh pligh­ted Allegiance, covenanted Fidelity, and a King (if Queen Argent command) shall be delivered to the merciless cruelties of impla­cable Beasts.

Now the Rout have him and Souldiers, Captaines and Chief Priests, a combination of Murtherers, (but a Jewish High Court of Iu­stice) they first privately in the close Commit­tee Verse 52. vote him to death, & in mockery of the Law bring false witnesses against him in the Court. As Iudas was brib'd to betray his Per­son, so these mercenary mouths sweare his Guilt, accuse him of a Fact he never did, nor they never knew.

[Page 87] This is the known Artifice against all good and loyal men in every Age: When their Ver­tues and Actions grow either suspected and hateful to the State, then

Sparge res voces,
Virg. [...].
In vulgum ambiguas & quaerere conscius arma,
If Lies will not prevaile,
Tumults and Souldiers doe it without fail.

So the Renowned Prelate, the noble Earle of Arch-bishop Laud. Strafford, and his Sacred Majesty of ever Bles­sed memory, were belyed out of their lives, and Armies raised to defend the lawlesse Exe­cution.

But the Jewes may not put any man to death, that morsel of sweet revenge & Regall Power was not permitted to their Elderships; they might accuse stoutly, but could not sentence: That Jurisdiction was the sole Priviledge of the Supreme Power, which at that time was Tiberius the second Emperour from Caesar, so then to Pilate his Governour under him, was this Innocent Person led by malicious Persecutors, whose charge is, that he was an Innovator, a Sabbath-breaker, an [Page 88] Enemy of Caesars, I, there it went; for Pilate was to look to that above all other accusati­ons: the first device of his intention to change Religion, was to open the peoples throats, who though they understand little in the point, yet they are alwayes very fierce for the Word, and are very jealous of losing that indeed they never had; but all these aggregated and accumulated Treasons would not reach to his life: 'tis strange they had not begg'd the murder, and enacted it with a sal­vo Law to their own necks,

Ne trahatur in exemplum.

But that trick was reserv'd for our Modern Jewes, who far out-did these of the Text: Luke▪ 33. 34. For our Saviour begs pardon and forgiveness for these, excusing them to God, because of their ignorance, They knew not what they did; and the Apostle afterward apologizes for them, If you had known, you would not have cruci­fied the Lord of Life; but our Hirudines, our King-Leeches, the Eldership of the late Mo­del knew that Charles the first was their King, had sworn Faith and Allegiance to him, and yet in pursuance of a blessed Covenant, suffe­red their fellow-Foxes to worry that Lamb of [Page 89] the Land to death. Their hypocriticall ex­cuse is nothing, That they never intended the business should go on to Blood: But,

Qui nolunt occidere quenquam,
Posse volunt.
Many there are who will not kill,
But wish the power to do it still.

Is it the Axe onely destroyes? do not the Accusers, doe not the Witnesses, doe not the Despoylers of the Fences of Innocency do as much as the Executioner? He is more excu­sable then the other, for being an appointed Minister for that purpose; he does the com­mands of Superiours, and let them look to it, whosoe're were the Authors and Abettors, who brought him to the block.

But observe, I pray, what a league of love is struck in the very height of an intended murther, Herod and Pilate, two publick Mini­sters of the Emperial State, are this day cemented into a fresh amity by the blood of Christ, Sectarians and Souldiers, Cromwell, Bradshaw and Ireten could not hugg closer in [Page 90] private then these great Officers did in pub­lick;

Quos opinio divisit, scelus hoc conjunxit;

whom diversities of Religions did divide, a prosperous Mischief does unite. O fatall Friendship! for by this confederacy the Lord of Heaven & Earth was exalted to the shame­full death of the Cross, see him pendent in his own Aire, which when he made it was good, but desires to be now as it was before struck out of Chaos;

Haec est illa dies quae magnae conscia caedis,
Exitio Christum (virgo Beata) dedit:
This is that fatall day, and conscious hour,
Virgin, which kill'd thy Son our Saviour.

See here the Type of that Brasen Serpent, long ago raised up in the Wilderness, which saves even those that fixt him to the Crosse, that sav'd the Trooper Longinus, who, conver­ted at the sight of his Sacramental Blood, and Miracles of the Passion, was baptised at the Wound himself made in his side; soveraign is the Blood of Soveraignes; so the blood­dipt Hankerchief of a scoffing Souldier proves [Page 91] a Cure to the Kings Evil, when they had done all Evil unto him. The Scoffs, the Taunts, Revilings of stony hearted Spectators were greater piercings to him then that of the Spear, that was Vinegar to his eares, more sharp and acid then that of the Spunge; a sad draught to drink his last in; yet in that Salutem propinavit mundo, he drank Saving Health to the whole World. And so,

Exit Regum optimus,
Vita (que) cum gemitu fugit exornata sub umbras.

But what a Scene is in that last Catastrophe? The Sun withdrew his light, the Temple rent assunder, the Graves opened. Let me a little paraphrase here: so was it (under correcti­on) at the departure of our King? The Light, which was more precious then the Suns, the Gospel, was for a time clouded and extinct: Darkness, worse then Egyptian, sur­rounded us, no Goshen, but here and there a light, like ignes fatui, the Wise and Learned of the Land wandered up and down in Fields and Dens; the Routed Glow-worms of this Land shone for all that in this obscurity. Temples rent not onely, but pull'd down, or vio­lated [Page 92] by Horsedung, and what is worse, Dung­men. Graves opened, and the bodies of new Saints streight appeared, which no man ever knew before. These Graves were truly open Sepulchres, which devoured Widowes Hou­ses, Royalists Estates, Church, Kings and Bi­shops Lands. See now what a Pharaoh's Dream is new interpreted: the lean Kine, the mean­est, basest and worst wretches of the land, eat up the Fat, the Rich, the Fortunate; and what becomes of the lowing of these Oxen? the bleating of these Sheep? Alas, ye fooles, ye saw not the hand-writing on the wall; your Mene Tekel was then set up, and your fatnesse onely prepared you for the slaughter.

Saginati in caedem,—Mischiefs feed
Like Beasts, till they be fat, and then they bleed.

A MEDITATION Upon the 29th. of May, being His Majesty's Birth-Day, and Day of Restauration, and upon the Fifth of November, being the day of the General Deliverance of the King and Parliament from the Gunpowder-Treason.

IF the noyse of Ioy were not as loud as that of Treason, we should not on this day hear the news of our own Redemption (said a learned Arch-deacon of Christ Church) and to quote an eminent Prelate of the same House, I shall borrow a little Preface from him also, and say, Sicut infra sic supra, Sicut extra sic intra, as the Mine of the first Treason was in a cellar, and below the House, so the second, which was no lesse in intention, and higher in exe­cution, was in the House it self, where depra­ved and most wicked persons out-gunpow­dered the Popish Conspirators. What those intended, these acted, & the Conclave was but [Page 94] the Antimasque to the Consistory. If ever Lenthall the faithless Speaker spoke any thing true, it was, that the Presbyterians were and are the mortal enemies to Monarchy. This was no extorted confession, but the words of a dying sinner, affraid, of the account he was to make to him by whom Kings reign. His vast Estate could not quiet a troubled consci­ence, nor will Brandywine, though it intoxi­cate for the present, comfort or relieve a Har­rison, or a Hugh Peters. Sir Henry Vane saying he died a Presbyterian, shewed he died a Re­bel in Grain, and in his confession aggrevated his Sin against God, and entail'd to that Fa­ction. I believe the Prick-ear'd Knight thought to see a new War out of the Elysian fields, where he, Cromwel, Ireton and Bradshaw, are dancing a Fiery Morris, and the three Furies playing upon severe instruments to their deplored Changes. Let not any man or party think, that evil is, or ought to be done, that good may come of it, when it is contrary to the ex­presse words of the Text: no man is able, or can, or must bring good events out of bad actions; 'tis onely God can do that, and al­wayes does, who over-ruling all designes, and [Page 95] suffering high mischiefs for ends best known to himself, doth, and providentially did con­found the Presbyterian Contrivances by an Anabaptistical Army, and that Army by an Indigent Rump, and an almost beggar'd City, and the sound rather then the power of an Ar­my, and so restored without a blow, a most Heroick Prince to the Rights which every one of those Factions had deprived his Father of. Who, I pray, but God blasted the Coun­cils of Achitophel, dethroned the hotspur Absa­lon, intrapped the politick Adonijah and his Se­cond, Ioab, the revolted Captain of the Host of Israel? Men may plot, but God orders the event: What are the tutelary Angels of King­domes for, but to execute his Will, and to over-rule the mad enterprizes of ambitious, covetous and blood-thirstymen? Nor doe I write this because of the joyfull event onely, but in the midst of the Usurpers glory it was my faith, though I could not assure my selfe the sight of it, that it would be brought to pass.

These are thy Doing, O God, and it is won­derfull in our eyes; let our hearts be enlarged with thankfulness, as thy favours are ampli­fied [Page 96] above our deserts. Honourable mention is made by the Parliament for the 29th. of May, and in everlasting memory will be the fifth of November. Here the Grandfather, Un­cle and Father of our King was preserved from the blow of unruly fire; and now the joy of our hearts, the breath of our nostrils wonderfully brought in into a gasping and al­most expiring Kingdome: Ezekiels Vision acted to the life, bones, carcases, Skelitons, are re-enlivened, reflesh'd, and walking, not like trees, but trees reverst, men indeed, Royalists, the reputed off-scouring of this Nation, in Feathers, Velvet Jumps, and Gold Belts, as if it had been their Resurrection day: an Army, but a moneth ago in pay against their Prince, the loyal Reer-guard of his Majesty's person: Red-coats, that routed him at Worcester, and my heroick Duke at Dunkirk, houting and shouting loud Vive le Roy's, tossing their caps for joy that he was come again to them, whom God would exalt. The Devils extort­ed confession of our Saviour was the effect of a Divine Power, and these Acclamations were the Finger-work of God, who can turn the hearts of men as it pleaseth him best, who [Page 97] stills the raging of the people, and allayes the foaming of the Sea. Let us therefore cry Sal­vation to him that sitteth on the Throne, & setteth in the Throne: Let our Amen be as a clap of Thunder, and our Hallelujahs as the roaring of the Sea. Let the harmony of our Souls out­voice the Organs, and let the Anthem of all true Englishmen be, as that sometimes of the Angels at the Birth of Christ, so now at his Restitution to this Island, Glory be to God on high, good will to men, and peace on earth.

Let the Discontented no more repine at what the Lord hath brought about; let them not fight against Heaven, but imitate this sto­ry of Philip, the husband of Queen Mary, who when he heard of the loss of his formidable Armado, dispersed and scattered by the Fleet of Queen Elizabeth (but as it was related to him by a Tempest) he patiently said, He did not send his Navy to fight against God Almighty.

The 29. of May be ever as the Spring it self for Glory, a day of all Ornaments, Feasts, and Jubilee, for two such great Blessings, a Prince born, and a Prince reborn without a Baptism of Blood to his Crown of Inheritance.

Caesar came to a Dictator-ship through a [Page 98] Pharsalia Field of Blood. But here was no Fe­ri faciem Miles, Strike at their faces Souldiers, but rather a Parce civibus, an Act of Indemnity, which every Citizen should wear in their hats, to expiate for the Libellous Petitions they sometimes so carried. In that Oblivion let the triumphs for two seditious Barrabbas's Burton and Bastwick be for ever forgot, and let the cursed Hue and Cry maker be forgiven, and his. Exit Tyrannorū ultimus be washed out of his conscience, as it is exploded from the Statue. Let the Crucifige of the Souldiers be drown­ed in their Vivat Rex, and let the Pouder of the Petropolitans be buried in the earth from whence it is made, even in that cellar where it was barrell'd up for King and Parliaments destruction. Let the Restoring of a true per­secuted Church inform the Roman Catho­licks, that This is Mother of the true Chil­dren, the Common Prayers add good Preaching, which the Dragon of Huntington, General under the great Dragon in the Apocalyps, pursued into the Wildernesse: But see how she sits, most eminent, most conspicuous; O may she continue so for ever; and let her Priests be cloath'd with Righteousnesse, as with a [Page 99] Surplice, and with meekness and liberality as in Scarlet Robes and rich Mitres. And you my loving friends of the Clergie, raise your selves high by good examples, lives and ho­spitalities in the opinion of the people; and do not as the Giants of old, who by heaps of mountaines fought against Heaven, do not not you, I say, by piles of multiplied steeples think so to ascend thither: But as you are Souldiers of the Church Militant, remember the advice of S. Iohn Baptist's to the Caesareans; or if you like best the Text of the Apostle, Let a Bishop or Presbyter be the husband of one wife; which in the Rhemish interpretation, or in the literal, is good; or as the Poet saith,

Pectora nostra duas non admittentia curas.

Yet do not, I beseech you, misunderstand me, for I am not against Pluralities, where they are conferred upon deserving and suffering persons, but I am really against Plus-plurimali­ties.

And so I conclude these well intended Me­ditations, desiring your Royal Highness graci­ous incouragement, whereby I may be warm­ed into another Work.

FINIS.

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