The Marrow of Gospel History, Poem
THE MARROW OF Goſpel-Hiſtory: OR, A Diverſion for Youth at their ſpare Hours.
Being a POEM on the Birth, Life, Death, and Reſurrection of our moſt bleſſed Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt.
With ſome Thoughts on the Apoſtate Angels, and fallen Man: The former under an irrecoverable Eſtate, having no Object of Faith for Salvation: And the latter reſtored by the Death of Chriſt.
By HERCƲLES COLLINS of Wapping.
LONDON, Printed for the Author, 1696.
A POEM on the Birth, Life, Death, and Reſurrection of our moſt bleſſed Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST.
CHAP. I.
The ARGUMENT.
Theophilus the Lover of God, begins in making mention of the unſearchable Attributes and Perfections of Jehovah, and how he is encompaſſed on his glorious Throne by the Holy Hierarchy and Order of Angels, Seraphims, Cherubims, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers, Archangels, who are Eternally caſting their Crowns at the Feet of the Incomprehenſible Trinity, with Hallelujahs.
JEHOVAH right, is Infinite,
And in eternal Bliſs:
The moſt Supream therefore doth reign,
O Kings give him a Kiſs.Pſ. 2.12.
Who is Immenſe, and full of Senſe,
An independent Good;
Yea, only Wiſe: do not deſpiſe
The Everliving God.
In all his Will immutable,
For Changes he knows none:
How can that be, when perfect's he,
Three Perſons yet but One?
Pure Angels fall, and honour all
The Glorious Trinity,
With Crowns down caſt, their Praiſes laſt
Unto Eternity.
The Seraphims, and Cherubims,
Thrones, Principalities;
Dominions too, Archangels true,
Their God for ever praiſe.
CHAP. II.
The ARGUMENT.
Here interpoſeth an holy Evangeliſt, who give an Account of the horrible Revolt of ſom… of the Angels from Jehovah their ſuprea… Lord: And that one of them, now calle Beelzebub, headed Thouſands, with Deſign to overthrow God's Monarchy.
BUT one thro Pride, became a Head
To thouſands, who reſolv'd
God's Monarchy for to deſtroy,
Rather than be controul'd.
They War maintain, in Heaven's Plain,
So they might equal be,
In Honour, Praiſe, and length of Days,
Unto the Trinity.
God pleads his Rights, and them deſpites,
So hurls them into Hell,
To the Abyſs, Pit bottomleſs,
Where they ſhall ever yell.
Then Satan proud, he ſpake aloud,
What tho the Field be loſt?
All is not gone, my Heart's not won,
To love Jehovah moſt.
This I can boaſt, all is not loſt,
My Will's unconq'rable;
Reſolv'd I be ſtill to be free,
Tho I remain a Devil.
'Twere ſhame for me to bow the Knee,
And God adore and love:
A Prince in Hell, doth far excel
Subjection, tho above.Mr. Milton.
A Chaos great, and Abyſs deep,
God caſts thoſe Rebels in;
A burning Lake is their ſad Fate,
And Flames all ſurrounding.
CHAP. III.
The ARGUMENT.
Jehovah himſelf gives a Relation of h… framing the Heavens and Earth; an… how he created another Creature calle… Man, to ſerve him better than the falle… Angels; and having very glorious Qualifications, is made Lord of the New World.
THE Earth and Man, I God did frame,
And made him Lord of all,
In Righteouſneſs and Holineſs,
With an immortal Soul.
This Man moſt wiſe, in Paradiſe,
I fixt with great delight;
Whoſe Will was free, at liberty,
To be unjuſt or right.
That Man alone might not lie down,
A Help-meet him I gave;
And from his Bone, and Fleſh alone,
The Woman came moſt brave.
And for a time, how did they ſhine,
In this delightful Place;
In this new Land, how Hand in Hand,
They walk'd with God in Grace.
CHAP. IV.
The ARGUMENT.
an having diſcovered the New World, and Man reigning as King in it, the Devil envies his Paradiſical State; and in order to make him miſerable like himſelf, he tempts him to throw off the Government of his Lord and Maker: All which the good Angel which guarded Paradiſe, could not be ignorant of.
SATAN did tell the Peers of Hell,
An Antient Prophecy
In Heaven was, A World ſhould riſe
From nothing very high.
In which New Land, I underſtand,
A Creature beautiful;
Not much below our ſelves, I know,
Will reign as I in Hell.
Come noble Peers, ſome Courſe let's ſteer,
This Land for to diſcover;
And then allure this Creature pure,
To act as our own Brother.
God on his Throne, with his bleſt Son,
Saw Satan ſwiftly fly,
Unto the Man in this new Land,
To bring to miſery.
The Angels good, they underſtood,
While guarding this new Creature;
The fallen One diſcovered Man,
With a moſt bleſſed Feature.
An evil one, they ſaw fly down,
To Adam in diſguiſe.
So walkt their Rounds, the Garden-Bounds,
If him they might ſurprize.
In Paradiſe, he tempts with Lies,
That Man his Bliſs might loſe;
As he loſt God, all Hope and Good,
Which made him thus confus'd.
Satan did fix the weakeſt Sex,
With Eve did thus begin;
To eat's, no Death, the Serpent ſaith,
It's natural, no Sin.
The Serpent ſpeaks ſo fine and neat,
Which made the Woman ſay,
How came you thus, to ſpeak to us,
By taſting yonder Tree?
Come eat good Food, and know as God,
Don't live in Ignorance;
In Envy he forbiddeth thee
This Tree; come eat but once.
And ſo at laſt, through ſinful Luſt,
They both were overcome;
Their Fruit dear coſt, God's Image loſt,
And ſo the World's undone.
For Man his Maker, his Creator,
In Paradiſe enjoyed:
Till he did ſin againſt his King,
Nothing the Man annoy'd.
Till he did break, and violate
The Law of his Supream;
His Happineſs was perfect Bliſs,
He as a King did reign:
But on the Fall he came in thrall,
And was caſt from his height;
The flaming Sword it brandiſhed,
To keep the Tree of Life.
When Adam's Eyes apologiz'd,
No Boon was to be had;
No Penance then could help the Man,
To make him once more glad.
And muſt I go, from Eden ſo,
As not to return more,
From this ſweet Place, and God of Grace?
O this is very ſore.
O might I ſtay, I would …bey,
And never more offend:
Who'l intercede, and for me beg,
Eden my Days may end?
Thoſe fragrant Smells, which far excel
The Scents of Lebanon;
And Odours free, on every Tree,
I'll offer God alone.Mr. Norris.
I'll take my Rounds, in Eden's Bounds,
Before I do depart:
Now farewel all, my Joys do fail,
By a deceived Heart.
A publick Head, ſo Adam ſtood,
As Chriſt is of his Spouſe;
And what he did, as our chief Head,
We did it gain or loſe.
None would refuſe, but Adam chuſe
Them for to repreſent:
O none ſo fit, nor none ſo meet,
Whatever the Event.
Therefore let none on God lay blame,
That we in Adam fell:
Had any his Choice, it had been thus,
Pure Reaſon doth us tell.
CHAP. V.
The ARGUMENT.
Adam apologizing for himſelf, lays the Cauſe of his Apoſtacy on his Sovereign Lord and the Woman, the Woman on the Serpent; a Curſe deſcends on them all. Now Man being undone by the abuſe of his Free-Will, hath no hopes of any Reſtoration, unleſs the uncreated Being ſhew Man more favour than the fallen Angels.
THIS Woman ſee, thou gaveſt me,
Tempted, and I did eat.
O, blame not God, Free-will abus'd,
Was it thy Soul did cheat.
The Woman vain, ſhe lays the blame,
Upon the Serpent's Guile.
Who to her ſaid, Like unto God
You ſhall be in a while.
From ſinful Luſt, Judgment doth haſte,
On Man and Woman too.
'Tis they muſt die, that lov'd a Lie
Above a God moſt true.
The Ground once bleſt, with Thorns is curſt,
The Woman bears in ſorrow.
And Man muſt ſweat, if Bread he'll eat:
The Serpent trails the Furrow.
Thus happy Man, he is undone,
Himſelf he can't reſtore.
O Man's ſad Fate, the Devil's State
He's in for evermore,
Unleſs ſome State, that's uncreate,
More pity ſhew to Man,
Than Angels have, whom God won't ſave,
That from their Maker ran.
CHAP. VI.
The ARGUMENT.
Jehovah ſeeing his Creature Man undone in the New World, begins to be concerned how he may be reſtored, and not for ever loſt as the revolted Angels. He makes a Propoſition to the heavenly Hoſts to this End; but all ſtood mute, until the Son of God broke ſilence, with the offer of himſelf to be Man's Redeemer: Ʋpon which the heavenly Hoſt gave a Shout, with Hallelujah's.
SHALL Man be loſt, by Devil's Luſt,
And ne'r recover'd more?
Shall Devils boaſt of their Conqueſt,
And triumph in their Power?
Come heavenly Hoſt, can none ſuggeſt
Where ſuch Love can be found?
You Spirits all, who'l be mortal,
That Juſtice may not wound
The Man to Death, I made of Earth;
But may for ever live?
Who'l pity take on his ſad State,
For Man himſelf will give?
Now all ſtood mute, and ſilent to't,
A Pauſe in Heaven's made;
Till one did break the Silence great,
And there it was replied
By God's own Son; What! is there none
That will Compaſſion ſhow?
I looked when ſome Seraphim
Would pity Man below.
I God's dear Son, will Man become,
A Man of Sorrow's Death:
This glorious Throne I'll leave anon,
And deſcend to the Earth,
For to reſtore this Man ſo poor,
Unto a better State;
And make him wiſe, a Paradiſe
He ſhan't loſe as of late.
Then Heaven rang, the Angels ſang,
That ſplendid Hoſt above;
Who ſaw ſuch Grace, in God's Son's Face,
And ſhewed Man ſuch Love.
And God did ſee, his own Decree
From Love to Man he made,
Even from high Eternity,
Which runs not retrograde.
He gave his Son for ſinful Man,
That in his ſtead might die;
And ſet his Face in our Law-Place,
Us to indempnify.
The Angels ſhape he doth not take,
Nor them redeem to live:
Yet let none ſpeak, thus God is weak,
Or Grace diminutive.
I thee do tell, unſearchable
Is his Beneficence.
Yet know alſo, he'l ſave but who
His Sovereign Will preſents.
CHAP. VII.
The ARGUMENT.
An Apoſtle extraordinary relates how that Jehovah had a Son, who was to be born of a Virgin. The great End and Scope of it, was the Redemption of a loſt World.
IF ſome would know, how Man from Wo
Is brought, and ſet in Bliſs.
A Wonder's wrought, come ſee God's Thought
In this Analyſis.
The Spirit above, ſell in much Love,
Upon a Virgin ſweet:
To comprehend, or underſtand
This I do not predict.
But yet that King, and holy Thing,
Which was in Mary's Womb,
Was God indeed, of Abr'am's Seed,
True God, and yet true Man.
Who underſtands, how God and Man,
Should in one Perſon dwell?
One Perſon true, yet Natures two,
But one Immanuel.
His Godhead Rays had dull'd our Eyes,
But vail'd with humane Fleſh.
His Glory's hid, for there's much need
With Man he ſhould converſe.
And nothing leſs, for Man's Treſpaſs,
An angry God can pleaſe.
But Righteouſneſs, in humane Dreſs,
Can his great Wrath appeaſe.
No Diadem, or Hecatomb,
Such large Dimenſions hath
Of bleſſed Good, Chriſt won by Blood,
For thoſe that tread his Path.
CHAP. VIII.
The ARGUMENT.
A Man of God with an antient Record, ſignifieth the Time and Coming of the Meſſiah, and the long Journey he makes to viſit a ſinful World: And tho he ſat as the Second Perſon with the Eternal Trine Council in the Court of Celeſtial Glory, upon making and redeeming the World, yet is graciouſly pleaſed to ſuffer hard Things for thoſe who rebelled againſt his Royal Crown and Dignity.
THE time draws on, the Lord muſt come,
And Daniel's Weeks ſhall end.
It's then ſome will Meſſiah kill,
The Sanctuary rend.
And when the Tax, from Ceſar's Acts,
Begins for to commence,
Mary goes then to Bethlehem,
From Nazareth went thence.
And in a Stable, it's no Fable,
The Virgin did bring forth
The greateſt King ever did reign,
Or will be on the Earth.
This bleſſed King lies in an Inn,
No Princes Court hath he;
But in a Manger, lies in danger,
Expos'd to miſery.
O bleſſed Morn, a King is born,
A Virgin-Maid the Mother:
But his Grandſire is God, admire
This Myſt'ry altogether.
But pray from whence did come this Prince?
From Heaven's Council-Board,
Where he did ſit, in Council great,
Before the World was made.Mr. Milton.
Counſels of Love, in Heaven above,
With Father, Son, and Spirit.
Counſels of Peace, how to releaſe,
Man from his ſad Demerit.
In this Compact, Eternal Act,
It was concluded on,
That Man ſhould be the Subject free
Of God's Redemption.
In this Contract, and noble Act,
The Price was fixt upon.
Juſtice demands no Gold or Lands,
But Godlike Blood for Man.
A Covenant of Suretiſhip
Chriſt entered into,
That unto Death would give his Life,
And unto God his due.
So he might reign, and be a King
Over redeemed Man,
His Captain Head for him will bleed,
And in his room will ſtand.
In this Decree they did agree,
That what the Surety did,
God would impute, from Grace's Root,
As if the Debtor paid.
This Infant God deſerves thy Ode,
Come join the Angels Quire;
And from the Altar of thy Heart,
Aſcend an hallowed Fire.
To him who left his Royal Court,
And choſe a darkſome Houſe:
This Majeſty lays Glory by,
For to eſpouſe a Curſe.
And tho this Man from David ſprang,
He's pure without, within:
And tho is made of Abraham's Seed,
Hath no Orig'nal Sin.
Pow'r Infinite can ſeparate
Between the Virgin's Sin,
And Virgin's Seed, for there is need
Chriſt be a holy Thing.
The Virgin bleſt, lays Chriſt to reſt;
Then round the Courtly Stable
Bright harneſs'd Angels guard the Lord,
While in a Cribbee Cradle.
CHAP. IX.
The ARGUMENT.
A Celeſtial Meſſenger, called an Angel, is diſpatch'd from the Throne, to inform the Shepherds in the Field of the Nativity of the Meſſiah. The heavenly Hoſt do unite in their ſinging Hallelujah's to the moſt High for ſending his Son to redeem Man. Satan ſends a Summons to his Peers to enter into a deep Council, how he may procure Man's ſecond Revolt, knowing, if he can perſwade Man to rebel againſt the ſecond Adam, there remains no more Sacrifice for his Sin.
THE Angels great, much ſpeed do make
To Shepherds keeping Sheep,
And ſay, Fear not, a Saviour great
Is born, O do not weep.
Rejoice, be glad, come joy in God;
In David's City ſtrong
This Day is born, for Man forlorn,
A Saviour God and Man.
The heavenly Hoſt do join their Force,
And give Encomiums high,
To God above, who in much Love,
Hath ſent his Son to die.
Glory to God, the higheſt Good,
Who ſends Peace to the Earth.
Man hath that Bliſs, the Devils miſs,
An Object for his Faith.
Thoſe damned Ones, none them bemoans,
Who lie in deep deſpair
Of any Good from that juſt God,
They all revolted are.
From hence in rage, they all engage,
To envy God and Man,
Glory to God; from Man all Good
They'l hinder what they can.
Adam the Firſt Paradiſe loſt,
Where once he ſweetly ſang:
But was regain'd by Man's good Friend,
Chriſt the triumphant King.
He Satan fought, and gain'd the Fort,
Yea won the Field and Day.
The Woman's Seed did break the Head,
Of Man's grand Enemy.
Satan in ſpite, he rallies up
His broken Troops diſpers'd.
A Council calls of black Peers all,
That Man may be diſtreſt.
With our grand Shield, we'l gain the Field
The ſecond Adam took.
Come loſe no Ground, come be profound,
That Man from God may look.
'Tis our Intent, to circumvent
Both Head and Body too:
If we can part Chriſt and Man's Heart,
That's all we aim to do.
But he forgot, what was Job's Lot,
And how he fail'd therein:
Yet is ſo mad, to ſet on God,
Who made him of Nothing.
CHAP. X.
The ARGUMENT.
Some Country Shepherds are giving an Account to the Nation of the Jews, what an Angel had informed them; and of their Journey to Bethlehem, where they found Joſeph and Mary with the Babe, the Infant-God, lying in a Manger.
TO Bethlehem thoſe Shepherds come,
The Wonderful to ſee:Iſa. 9.6.
And found the Lamb, the holy One,
Deſign'd for Calvary.
They told the Jews the Angels News,
Immanuel was come.
Now Admiration fills the Nation,
For this moſt glorious One.
They found the Babe, the Infant-God,
But in a low Degree:
His God-like Face was full of Grace
To Man in Miſery.
CHAP. XI.
The ARGUMENT.
A Man of God gives the Church Information of the Circumciſion, and preſentation of Chriſt, with his Mother Mary's Purification in the Temple. Alſo how a good old Man named Simeon, and a gracious Matron called Anna, believed that Child to be him of whom the Prophets ſpake, ſhould deſcend from Abraham and David's Loins; when probably many great Perſons who walked in the Temple, looked upon this Infant-God only as the Son of a poor Carpenter.
AFTER eight Days they Circumciſe
Chriſt, which preſag'd much Good,
That came to paſs upon the Croſs,
Where he ſhed all his Blood.
The pureſt Maid, Mother of God,
Above all Women bleſt,
Was preſented, and purified,
In God's Temple of Reſt.
Then Simeon old, being foretold
Of this great Potentate,
With a ſweet look of Faith, him took,
And bleſt the Lord of State.
And at his Breaſt, Jeſus did reſt,
Here's Love in higheſt Paſſion.
He dies in peace, and goes to reſt,
On ſight of God's Salvation.
Tho rich and great the Temple walk'd,
When Chriſt was Circumcis'd,
To be a King none did know him,
But Ann and Simeon wiſe.
None did him greet, who was ſo great,
But on him meanly look'd;
Some poor Off-ſpring, far from a King,
A Carpenter's Relique.
But holy Ann, when ſhe came in,
And ſaw the Babe of Grace;
She did proclaim to every one,
He came of David's Race.
O Iſrael, you looked well,
In your Jeruſalem:
This pretty Babe, in your Arms laid,
Works your Redemption.
'Tis Shilo ſure, who will allure
All Men by his free Grace.
This is the Root, from David ſhot,
He hath a God-like Face.
The Sage and Wiſe then heard the Noiſe,
A Jewiſh King was born.
They brought ſweet Scent from Orient,
Gold, Frankincenſe, and Balm.
Herod the Great, now full of Heat,
The bleſt Meſſiah's Foe:
He calls the Scribes, of ſeveral Tribes,
This Monarch down to throw.
The Wiſe and Sage, he them did charge,
If they did find the King,
To ſignify it by and by,
That he might worſhip him.
But his vile Mind had then deſign'd
A Fact moſt Tragical.
O Hypocrite, God will thee ſmite,
Thou Son of Belial.
But thoſe wiſe Men, they worſhip him,
And Herod's Laws deſpiſe:
For by a Dream, and Star they came
Unto the only Wiſe.
In Bethlehem, the Babes all then,
From two Years old and up,
Were Martyred all, that Chriſt might fall;
This was a bitter Cup.
Now Lamentation fills the Nation,
For this inhumame Act:
All Parents cry, and like to die,
Becauſe their Babes are not.
The Governour began to fear,
That Ceſar's Time was ſhort;
And Mary's Son would ſhortly reign,
Their Government ſubvert.
CHAP. XII.
The ARGUMENT.
A Church is diſpatcht from the Celeſtial Canaan, to inform Joſeph and Mary in a Dream of their going to Egypt to avoid the Malice of Herod, who ſought the Death of the young Child; and upon Herod's Death, ſignifies, God would have them return again to their own Land.
NOW on a Time an Angel came,
Who Mary and Joſeph tell,
Their Feet muſt ſtand on Egypt Land,
Until that Herod fell,
Who quickly dies: ſo th' Angel flies
With all celerity
To Egypt Land, and gives Command
That Joſeph go his way:
…or they are dead, all gone and fled,
Which ſought the young Child's Life;
…nd by a Dream informed them,
From the true God of Light.
CHAP. XIII.
The ARGUMENT.
A Meſſenger of the King of Kings, gives Information how this young King of Nazareth diſputed with, and confuted the Doctors of the Law at 12 Years old. Of his entring upon his Prophetical Office. He ſends John Baptiſt as his Harbinger, authorizeth him to Baptize; and about thirty Years of Age was baptized by him himſelf, to ful… all Righteouſneſs; the Ordinance confirmed by the whole Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt.
WHEN Mary's Son twelve Years had run
The Doctors of the Law
He did diſpute, and them confute,
And made them ſtand in awe.
And now, in fine, ſweet Jeſus time
Of working doth commence;
A Harbinger for to prepare
His way he ſendeth thence.
His Miſſion is for to baptize,
John Baptiſt 'tis I mean;
He them immerſt who Sins confeſt,
And true Repentance gain.
For to fulfil the Royal Will,
Chriſt came to Prophet John
To be baptiz'd in any wiſe,
When thirty Years had run.
Then John him took to Jordan Brook,
And there did him immerſe;
He did him dip, becauſe moſt meet
To fulfil Righteouſneſs.
This was not done to waſh off Sin,
Becauſe Meſſiah's pure:
To Man he's ſent a Precedent,
Let it all Men allure.
The glorious Trine did all combine
To witneſs to this thing.
The Father, Son, and Spirit, as one,
Did honour his Baptiſm.
CHAP. XIV.
The ARGUMENT.
One of Chriſt's Learned Diſciples informs the Church, that after Jeſus was baptized, he is led into the Wilderneſs, where the Devil appeared unto him, probably like ſome Antient Man in poor Habit. The Meſſiah diſcovered he knew him, tho under a diſguiſe, to be the Head of the Apoſtate Angels. Chriſt not anſwering his End in making Bread of Stones, is hurried by Satan out of the Wilderneſs through the Air, who ſets him upon a Pinacle of the Temple in Jeruſalem, and from thence carries him to a very high Mountain, where he tempts his Lord to worſhip him.
THE Spirit of Bliſs i'th' Wilderneſs
And Deſert Chriſt doth lead,
Among wild Beaſts, where are no Feaſts;
Full forty Days no Bread.
To God's Son dear there did appear,
In this vaſt Wilderneſs,
A gray old Man, with Clothing mean,
As if ſome Lamb did miſs.
To Chriſt he ſpake, Sir, What ſad Fate
Hath brought you to this Place?
All that come here, do die for Fear
Or Want in a ſhort ſpace.
I ſpeak the more upon this ſcore,
Thou ſeem'ſt to be the Man;
That Man moſt wiſe, who was baptiz'd
By new baptizing John.
And that good Man, baptizing John,
Call'd thee the Son of God:
Which if thou be, come let me ſee,
And make of Stones ſome Bread.
Then ſpake the King unto the Swain,
Do'ſt think I know thee not?
Thou art that Head didſt thouſands lead,
When firſt thou didſt revolt.
Then the arch Fiend, who cannot mend,
Confeſt he was that Spirit,
Under ſad Fate, unfortunate,
Eternal Wrath t'inherit.
Then on a trice he hurries Chriſt
Out of the Wilderneſs,
All through the Air, God's Hemiſphere,
To put him in diſtreſs.Mr. Milton.
A Pinacle of the Temple
He ſate his Judg upon,
The Temple in Jeruſalem,
And ſaid, Come caſt thee down.
Thou ſhalt not fall, the Angels all
Proceſſion forth will make,
From Heaven high, the Air and Sky,
Death to anticipate.
Thus Beelzebub, Prince of the Club,
King of the damned Crew,
Does tempt God's Son to worſhip him,
As if it were his due.
Proud Lucifer, he did allure
His God to worſhip him;
Theſe Kingdoms fine ſhall all be thine,
Bow now before my Throne.
This was his Scope, and his great hope,
Man's Saviour to deſtroy;
For if the King he made to ſin,
No Saviour could he be.
Satan be gone, Apollyon,
Worſhip the Lord thy God,
And do not tempt him God hath ſent
To bruiſe thy ſubtil Head.
The Lord of Bliſs was tempted thus,
That ſimpathize might he,
And ſuccour thoſe againſt their Foes,
Who are in miſery.
Full forty Days he faſts, in praiſe
Of Power Infinite,
That from our Head we might have Bread
Of Life, of Strength, of Might.
If he God's Son thus ſet upon,
To bow and worſhip him,
Then wonder not at Satan's Plot,
That tempts Man to the ſame.
He tempted Man for to liken
His God to Creatures vile;
Made very fine in glorious Shine;
And thus did him defile.
A Creature cold they 'dorn with Gold,
Who pompous Worſhip love.
Religion gay, tempts Men to pray
To Devils as God above.
Full well they'r known to Heathen Men,
By various Names they gave,
Moloc, Chemos, and Aſhtaroth,
Adonis, Thammus brave.
He ſets his Seat by God's moſt great,
Satan's Altar by Jah's;
That Men may moan at his black Throne,
And then at them he laughs.
CHAP. XV.
The ARGUMENT.
An Elder and Witneſs of Chriſt, informs the Church of the Meſſiah entring upon his Prophetical Office, but is oppoſed by Men of the ſame Spirit which oppoſed St. Paul; ſuch as Barjeſus, and Elimas the Sorcerer, who irrationally aſſerted that he wrought Miracles by the Power of the Prince of Devils, Lucifer: but by his Divine Reply he put them all to ſilence.
CHRIST rich in Grace began to preach,
And Man illuminate;
In Napthalim and Zebulun,
Commands them to repent:
He makes new Hearts, and Men tranſlates,
From Darkneſs into Light:
So that his Fame, and fragrant Name,
Were ſpread both Day and Night.
But Envy roſe, among the Jews,
Againſt the Prince of Light;
They flout and jeer, they domineer
Over his Sovereign Right.
And many ſaid, he friendſhip had
With Beelzebub the Great;
And in much ſpite call'd Nazarite,
The Carpenter's Relique.
That Pow'r caſt out the Legions ſtout,
They ſay 'tis Satan's all;
And thus in ſpite, they 'ppoſe the Light
Of Spirit, Word, and Soul.
A Kingdom, ſaid our Lord and Head,
Divided cannot ſtand.
Can Satan caſt out Satan? judg:
Come anſwer my Demand.
From ſinful Luſt, the Holy Ghoſt
Againſt it now they ſin;
Which to remit here is not meet,
Nor in the World to come.
If that Men ſin againſt the Son,
And Father of all Light,
He may forgive; but not who live
The Spirit to deſpite.
Who underſtand the Lord's good Mind,
And yet in Malice call
The Holy Ghoſt, and Blood of Chriſt,
The moſt unjuſt of all:
Theſe are the Men, who greatly ſin
Againſt the laſt Relief.
They can't repent, whoſe Hearts are bent,
To Envy and Miſchief.
CHAP. XVI.
The ARGUMENT.
A Man of God enters with an Antient Record, called the Goſpel, which gives a Relation of Chriſt's ſudden departure from Earth to Heaven. Alſo of his bloody Sweat in Gethſemain; and of his drinking a horrible Cup of Death, in Obedience to his Father, and for the Good of Man. Moreover, how one of his own Family betrayed him into their hands, who belonged to the black Prince of the damned Crew, and came with Swords and Staves to apprehend Chriſt, whom they bound with Cords, and carry him to the Judg as ſome grand Malefactor.
THE time draws on, Chriſt muſt be gone
From Earth to Heaven high.
A Lamb's prepar'd, we might regard
That it did typify.
Pure Shilo's Fate did intimate,
That Lamb for us muſt die;
Who had no Spot, yet takes his Lot
To bleed at Calvary.
The Paſchal Lamb's Supper be'ng done,
He bleſſed Bread did break;
Leſt we forget Love Infinite,
He gave Command to eat.
And after ſupt, he took the Cup,
Which alſo ſignified,
Blood muſt be ſhed, for there is need
Man's Soul be purified.
And gave Command, that Act ſhould ſtand
Until he come again,
For every Church to practiſe much,
To ſhew his Death and Pain.
Then after Supper he did utter
A Sign of humble Love,
In waſhing Feet: Come it's moſt meet
We follow him above.
They ſweetly ſing a bleſſed Hymn,
Before he went to die;
With Heart and Tongue they ſweetly ſung
The Praiſe of God moſt high.
The Lord goes out to Olive Mount,
And Gethſemain alſo;
Saith he, my Soul is ſorrowful,
My Griefs no Man doth know.
My People wait, I'll invocate
My Father Lord of all,
If I this Cup of Death muſt ſup,
Or paſs this Draught of Gall.
But, Lord, thy Will, not mine fulfil,
I came no leſs to do:
My bloody Sweat, and Sorrow great,
Gives Peace to Greek and Jew.
When he came back, all were aſleep;
What can't you watch one Hour?
Then ſaid the Lord, with one accord,
Watch, pray with all your Power:
Yea every one, no Temptat'on
For you may be too high.
The Fleſh is weak, Satan's a Cheat,
Your Trial's very nigh.
Then uſhers in the moſt Obſcene
Upon the Lord of Bliſs;
Judas that Cheat, betrays in heat
His Maſter with a Kiſs.
With Staves and Sword they take the Lord,
As if a Barrabas:
A Guard moſt ſtrong they ſet upon
The Innocent, alas!
Jeſus did call, Whom ſeek you all?
The Man of Nazareth?
'Tis I am he, let theſe go free,
Put none of them to death.
By Power Divine ſome were ſtruck down,
When they him apprehend:
'Twas Mercy all they did not fall,
And into Hell deſcend.
Some Sages think, they did not ſhrink
His Skin to penetrate;
When with a Cord they tie the Lord,
His potent Arms about.
Peter by Sword, as well as Word,
For Chriſt apologiz'd:
When Malchus Ear he cuts, then fear
Did all his Guard ſurprize.
Then Chriſt the Word, would have the Sword
Put up; and Malchus nigh,
To heal his Wound, moſt ſafe and ſound,
Tho his grand Enemy.
Now to Annas they make him paſs,
And hurry him away;
And out of hate interrogate
The Lord about his way.
The Lord ſaid then, my Doctrin's known,
'Tis not obſcure and hid;
The Temple nigh, where I did pray,
And preach, it open ſtood.
An Enemy, a ſtander-by,
Said, Durſt thou anſwer ſo?
For thy falſe ways apologize,
The Judg doſt thou not know?
This King of Grace they ſmote his Face,
With ſordid Heart and Hand:
But this good Man was like a Lamb,
Tho all againſt him ſtand.
CHAP. XVII.
The ARGUMENT.
One of the King of Kings Meſſengers gives an impartial Relation of the Carriage of the Meſſiah before his Judges. How he was adjur'd to confeſs he was a King. Several falſe Witneſſes ſwear point blank againſt him; and he is ſentenced to Death as guilty of Blaſphemy, and one that ſought the Deſtruction of the Government, and dethroning Ceſar; and that by a new Doctrine their old Religion was undermined. But before they led him to Execution, they whipt him till his ſacred Blood ran down his Body.
FROM Annas Chriſt to Caiaphas Prieſt,
And Council they him lead;
An Officer calls one to ſwear,
Tho then there was need:
Yet up ſtarts one againſt the King,
And ſwears that he ſhould ſay,
He could pull down this Temple fine,
And perfect the third Day.
This Lying was for to diſpraiſe
The Lord of Dignity;
Who did not mean the Temple-Stone,
But his own dead Body.
His infinite Power could ſmite
Down all the Gates of Hell,
If they had been Adamantine,
His Strength doth ſo excel.
Jeſus ſtood mute, did not diſpute,
When they did him accuſe;
The Brats of Hell in that Council,
Did greatly him abuſe.
We thee abjure, if thou be pure,
Make no Equivocation.
Art thou a King, and without Sin?
Come, make a Declaration.
I do not lie, no verily,
You propheſied right;
I am your King, and without Sin,
And have Eternal Might.
When you ſhall ſee my Majeſty,
Sit at the Lord's right Hand,
You'l mourn full ſore, and me implore,
When I reign in the Land.
Upon the ſame a Voice forth came,
Says Blaſphemy he ſpake,
Him crucify, for he doth lie,
Lead him without the Gate.
Thoſe Vipers ſpit upon his Lip,
As Men with Miſchief rife:
They ſcoff and jeer, and without fear,
Do ſtrike the Lord of Life.
Come propheſy, thou Prophet high,
Who ſmote thee on the Cheek:
Canſt thou deſcry Phyſiognomy,
Thou wicked Heretick?
To this we'l add, he was made ſad,
By Peter's flat denial;
Who then and there did curſe and ſwear,
When Chriſt was near his Trial.
But one ſweet Look from Chriſt ſo took,
That Peter's Heart did break,
And bitterly then he did cry,
To ſee his Faith ſo weak.
They with him trudg to Pilate Judg,
No Accuſations want;
They with their Lies and Calumnies,
Over the Lord do vaunt.
Thou Blaſphemer and Conjurer,
Thou wicked Heretick;
Ceſar can't rule, thou call'ſt him Fool,
Our King doſt contradict.
Then Pilate ſaith, Who takes an Oath,
Rebellion he did make?
Who now can tell he's culpable
Of ought againſt the State?
I cannot ſee Enormity
In this Man doth appear;
Prepoſterous it is for us
To ſentence one that's clear.
If you'l releaſe one at the Feaſt,
The Feaſt of Paſchal Lamb;
Determine ye who it ſhall be,
The Chriſt, or ſinful Man.
'Tis Barrabbas we will releaſe,
The other crucify;
Let all his Blood be on our Head,
And on our Children lie.
Some did proclaim, they muſt arraign
The Lord at Herod's Bar:
The Preſident was glad, and ſent
The Galilean there.
Now tho of late Herod the Great,
And Pilate were at ſtrife:
Yet when the Heir comes to their Bar,
They 'gree to take his Life.
Herod the Great ſaid, Operate
Some Wonders in my ſight:
My Humour pleaſe, or elſe chaſtis'd
Thou ſhalt be e're 'tis Night.
But this ſage King, the moſt Serene,
True God, and only Wiſe,
Humours him not, in this his Plot,
Tho Rage againſt him riſe.
They him transfer to Pilate's Bar,
Dreſt in an Idiot's Coat;
They him degrade, as Fools are made,
And at the Lord do flout.
Then Pilate ſaith, Who takes an Oath?
Let Evidence appear,
Why he muſt die at Calvary,
As if ſome Premunire.
We'l him chaſtiſe before your Eyes,
And ſo let him depart.
No, they reply, him crucify,
We beg with all our Heart.
We'l no King have, but Ceſar brave,
He is Legitimate:
Down with this thing, this little King,
Ceſar's the Potentate.
Then they him ſcourge, which made a purge,
Our Souls to clarify:
His ſacred Back no ſtripes did lack,
Before he went to die.
Some think with Rods, others with Cords
Or Wier, he was whipt,
And tied faſt unto a Poſt,
When he was naked ſtript.
In Rancor great his Body's beat,
O Adamantine Heart!
They made his Blood run like a Flood,
From Head and every part.
Behold the Man, ſaid Pilate then,
In him no Fault I find:
Away with him, ſaid the Obſcene,
To Death he is deſign'd.
The Preſident for Water ſent,
To purify his Hands;
See I am clear from his Blood pure,
Upon him lay no Bands.
Pilate may think, that Chriſt will wink
At this prodigious Sin.
O no, he ſate as Magiſtrate,
And Sentence gave on him.
Who wonder can, that Pilate's Hand
At laſt himſelf ſhould hang,
When's Conſcience was ſo faithful as
To tell him Chriſt was King?
CHAP. XVIII.
The ARGUMENT.
One of Meſſiah's Learned Diſciples interpoſeth with an aſtoniſhing Narrative about his Lord's being led to execution: bound with Cords, and the heavy Croſs fixt on his Back, on which he was crucified, and a ſtrong Guard ſurrounded him all the way to Golgotha: And while the Croſs was fixing in the Earth, they unmantle and ſtrip him to his naked Body, which they lift up and nailed to the Croſs, one Foot on the top of the other, with Arms ſtretched out, being plac'd between two Thieves, a Crown of Thorns on his Head, and an Inſcription of Hebrew, Greek and Latin, as the Cuſtom of the Romans was to all they accounted Malefactors.
THE moſt high Lord they bound with Cord,
And lead to Calvary;
Fixt on a Croſs moſt ponderous,
On which he was to die.
Upon his Back, like Iſaac,
The bleſſed Type of Chriſt,
This Croſs did lie moſt heavily,
Tho he was meek and Juſt.
This Innocent, 'tis like did faint,
And Humane Nature ſail,
Being ſo ſore, with Stripes before,
And had no time to heal.
Another Man, a Syrenian,
At that time coming by,
Muſt bear the Croſs, moſt ponderous,
On which Chriſt was to die.
What Wit of Man can now define,
His Sorrow, Grief, and Shame?
Who can dilate, and explicate,
His Miſery and Pain?
At the ſame time the female Kind
Compaſſion to him ſhew;
To ſee him thruſt, by Men unjuſt,
A baſe and fordid Crew.
Jeruſalem, the Lord ſaid then,
Weep not for me from hence;
Peccavi cry, your Sins are high,
Your Pride and Ignorance;
Condole, be ſad, you were ſo mad,
As for to imprecate
Innocent Blood upon your Head,
Will make you deſolate.
He Calv'ry ſaw, and Golgotha,
The Croſſes ſituation;
Then Solltude he underſtood
But for a ſinful Nation.
Now being come, Chriſt ſtandeth bound,
Until the Croſs be fixt;
With a ſtrong Guard about the Lord,
A bitter Cup they mixt.
Now all the Crew, Roman and Jew,
This bleſſed One do ſtrip;
Unmantle bare, and pluck'd the Hair
From off his tender Lip.
He's naked ſtript, as well as whipt,
And all his Body bare,
That ours may be cover'd moſt free,
With Righteouſneſs moſt fair.
Now all in haſte they nail him faſt,
And hang between two Thieves,
The Scripture's Will for to fulfil,
So Man from Hell he ſaves.
The Nails were great, in Hands and Feet,
That fixt him to the Tree.
O who can tell what Chriſt did feel,
And there ſuſtain'd for thee?
His Hands and Feet they penetrate,
And out the Blood did guſh;
For they did tear him with a Spear,
And crown'd with thorny Buſh.
That Chriſt was King, the Inſcription,
In Hebrew, Latin, Greek;
Did ſignify to all ſtood by,
For Pilate thought it meet.
Over his Head this Paper ſtood,
That all might read the ſame:
He was the King of Jewiſh Men,
Tho they did him defame.
Before he dies, he opes the Eyes
Of a moſt wretched Sinner;
Who own'd him King, believ'd in him,
As the God-Man Redeemer.
Remember, Lord, to me be good,
When in thy Kingdom-State.
By my free Grace to Paradiſe,
This day I'll thee tranſlate.
They him exhauſt, and now do boaſt,
Our Grief he bore it all;
The weight of Sin was laid on him,
To ſave a precious Soul.
When he would eaſe his tortured Feet,
By hanging on his Hands;
They muſt be in prodigious pain,
This Reaſon underſtands.
And when he eas'd his tortur'd Hands,
By reſting on his Feet,
His Body's weight, where e're it met,
Muſt make the Patient ſick.
God's holy Son, tho God and Man,
Of Sorrow muſt be full:
On him did lie much Miſery,
God's Wrath did fill his Soul.
The Lord at laſt cries out, I thirſt,
The Prophets to fulfil;
A Vin'gar ſpunge they gave his Lungs,
So he had not his Will.
Water was ſcant, he muſt it want,
We might have plenitude
Of living Streams, come from his Reins:
O Love not underſtood!
Could Mary then of Magdalen,
Have had her own deſire,
Her Tears ſhould quench her Saviour's Thirſt,
Whoſe Heart was on a fire.
A Flame of Love to him above,
To all Men did appear;
Where ſhe did weep, and waſh his Feet,
And wip'd them with her Hair.
Now at this time the Souldiers game
For Jeſus ſeamleſs Coat;
For to fulfil the ſacred Will,
That Will to conſummate.
The direful Curſe was ponderous,
The Malediction high;
Which made him cry, Ely, Ely,
Lama ſabachthany.
I am content for to be empt
Of all my Sacred Blood;
So I my Flock inoculate
By Faith into their Head.
The Guilt of Man I'll faſten on
This curſed Croſs and Tree:
Juſtice Divine ſhall have a Fine,
To ſet the Guilty free.
I'll bury all their Guilt and Thrall,
Both in the Grave, and deep:
Yea, all the high Iniquity
Of my free choſen Sheep.
Then ſome obſcene ſaid to the King,
Phyſician ſave thy ſelf:
If that thou be God's Son moſt free,
Recover now thy Health.
The Mother ſtood nigh by the Wood,
I mean the wooden Croſs,
On which did hang her precious Son,
Till all his Blood was loſt.
What Tears of Blood could ſhe have ſhed,
His Sorrow to prevent:
To ſee thoſe Hands, heal'd many Wounds,
So pierced, torn and rent?
His glorious Head ran purple Blood,
His Feet and Side the ſame.
But his Free Grace that him debas'd,
Is his immortal Fame.
Thoſe bloody Eyes they can't ſuffice,
Thoſe Sluces are too ſmall,
His Sorrow to give vent unto,
Hence from his Pores Blood falls.
He ſaw a Scrowl, a diſmal one,
Of Sins preſent and paſt,
And Sins to come, he muſt atone,
For all from firſt to laſt.Mr. Norris.
His Love moſt ſweet and bloody Sweat,
Did wipe off all the Score.
Some moments Pain makes him to reign,
Eternal Ages ſure.
And as he hung before the Sun,
His Virgin-Mother ſaw
His Gore-blood Eyes, and heard his Cries
To God, Abba, Abba.
Into thy Hand my Spirit aſcend,
My Work is finniſhed:
All Debts are paid, Books cancelled,
Juſtice is ſatisfied.
Now Chriſt is dead, they brake no Leg,
The Scripture may fulfil;
Yet by their Hate hangs diſlocate,
Unjoint from Head to Heel.
Upon the ſame great Darkneſs came
All o're the Hemiſphere.
The Rocks did rent, the Graves were empt;
Thus Wonders did appear.
The Temple-Vail was rent in twain,
Then ſoon they underſtood
He was God's Son, tho alſo Man,
From thence infer was God.
The Heathens all that Day condole,
And eloquently ſaid,
Surely the God of Nature's dead,
Or final End hath made.
O this great World to Duſt he'l hurl,
For hanging on the Croſs
The Quinteſſence of all Goodneſs;
O Act prepoſterous.
CHAP. XIX.
The ARGUMENT.
A Friend of the Meſſiah's ſignifies what happened after the Lord's Death. A Counſellor at Law begs his Body, and inters it with ſweet Spices. The great Council gives order for a ſtrict Watch, a Seal and Stone to be ſet on the Sepulchre. Now Beelzebub triumphs to ſee Chriſt dead, and in ſome hopes conquered for ever. But the third Day he aroſe from the Grave, to the Confuſion of all the Devils: And after forty Days upon the Earth, aſcends to Heaven from Mount Olivet, in the view of his Apoſtles; but firſt gave them his Benediction, and on the Day of Pentecoſt ſent down the Holy Ghoſt; and from the Power of this Spirit his Diſciples go on in the World conquering, by preaching Jeſus of Nazareth to be the Son of God.
OF Pilate Head, Joſeph did beg
The Body of the Juſt;
And did inter the Lord with Myrrh,
As ſaith the Holy Ghoſt.
As Man at firſt did prove unjuſt,
In Eden Paradiſe;
The bleſſed King in a Garden,
Acquits the Man on wiſe.
The Watch was ſtrong, they ſat upon
The Grave where Chriſt did lie,
For to prevent the Lord's Intent
Of riſing the third Day.
The Sepulchre they made moſt ſure,
With Watch, a Stone, and Seal,
For to prevent the Lord's Intent,
But they in all do fail.
When Chriſt was dead, then Beelzebub
Did triumph, and thus ſpeak,
I conquer'd have unto the Grave,
God's Chriſt of mighty State.
'Tis I am King, and triumphing.
Who will my Subjects be?
And Chriſt deny, whom I defy,
He's overcome you ſee.
Who would ſerve him, a conquer'd one?
Obey me, 'tis no ſin:
Caſt off his Name, 'tis horrid ſhame
To own one dead your King.
What Revel-rout in Hell throughout,
When they thought all was won,
And Chriſt laid low, ſee how they crow
In hopes that all's their own.
Now Lucifer aſcends his Chair,
And mounts his gloomy Throne:
The helliſh Guard flock round their Lord,
And vaunt, he's King alone.
Now the black King began to ſing,
Altho in Flames array'd;
And thus began the helliſh Song,
When to his Peers he ſaid;
Dominions, Thrones, Powers unknown,
I claim all as my Right:Mr. Weſley.
I've gain'd the Field, Jeſus did yield,
And he is conquer'd quite.
I do not fear him call'd the Heir,
Immortal ſome him thought:
But now he's dead, he's gone and fled,
And ne'r to life be brought.
The Devils in pomp, and great triumph,
Appear now Chriſt is dead:
The Oracle's Head come fill with ſpeed,
The World may be miſled.
The Hebrew Child no Sword can weild,
He'l conquer you no more:
Let's march from Hell, in Heaven we'l tell
Of our all-conqu'ring Power.
And conquer there as well as here,
Who can before us ſtand?
Now God is dead I will be Head,
In Heaven, Sea and Land.
While Satan ſpake with lofty ſtate,
In came the Glorious One,
With all the Marks, victorious Acts
Of a triumphing King.
While Beelzebub with his black Club,
Did vaunt, yea, ſcoff and boaſt;
Came ſtarting in the powerful King,
And Guards from God of Hoſts.
This glorious Guard ſurround the Lord,
Like warlike Angels ſtand,
To ſmite to Hell great Belial,
And all againſt him band.
Who is this here doth domineer,
And boaſt of Victory
Over God's Son, the holy One,
Who lives altho did die?
I have the Keys of Hell and Death,
Who am the Firſt and Laſt:
All Potentates, and powerful States,
To me ſhall yield or taſte
Unmixed Wrath, as my Word ſaith,
Which they can never bear,
Nor dwell in ever-burning Lakes,
Or the devouring Fire.
O how confus'd, and how amaz'd
The Devils all do ſtand:
Satan flies down his Iron Throne,
To flee from Jeſus Hand.
The Devils fled from Chriſt their Head,
And from his terrible Wrath:
But Chriſt purſues his ſcoffing Foes,
Through their black horrid Path.
The Devils knew, that Chriſt the true,
Had broke their Gates and Walls;
And conquer'd Death, and all the Earth,
So into Hell he falls.
And now the Word of God's made good,
The Serpent's Head is bruis'd;
Chriſt he hath trod upon his Head,
Which makes him thus confus'd.
Then Satan ſpake with horrid hate,
What tho I conquer'd am?
Be juſt if ſent, and don't torment
Your Foes before the time.
And now in Chains he them confines
Unto the Judgment-Day.
All Powers muſt bow before his Brow
Who doth the Scepter ſway.
Chriſt he Death's Bands broke with his Hands,
And in triumphing manner
He did ariſe, tho Enemies
Stood round with Guard and Banner.
Yea, that ſtrong Guard upon the Lord,
Did tremble like dead Men:
The Earth did quake, their Hearts did ſhake
To ſee him riſe again.
And at the Grave, an Angel brave,
That ſhined as the Sun,
Did roll away the Stone that Day
The Lord did riſe upon.
And that day's Morn good Women mourn,
About the Sepulchre;
Jeſus you ſeek, pray do not weep,
The Angel ſaid, Don't fear:
Rather rejoice, lift up your Voice,
Chriſt from the Grave is gone;
In Galilee you may him ſee,
The Living he's among.
The Lord did ſhew himſelf moſt true,
After he did ariſe;
The Signs were all infallible,
He was in no diſguiſe.
And for to put all out of doubt,
No Spirit did appear;
Come touch, ſaid he, and handle me,
My Fleſh and Bones moſt pure.
After he roſe, and vanquiſh'd Foes,
An Apparition's made
To Magdalen in a Garden,
By Jeſus Chriſt the Lord.
The Gard'ner then ſhe thought upon,
Till that Chriſt Mary ſaid,
O Rabboni! ſhe did reply,
My King, my Lord, my Head.
Mary touch not thy Lord as yet,
Till I to God aſcend:
Then me embrace by Faith, which Grace
Will all the Saints commend.
But poor Thomas, his Faith's amiſs,
He won't believe 'tis he,
Unleſs the print, where the Nails went
Into his Body, he ſee.
A juſt Reproof of, s Unbelief,
The Lord gave when he ſaid,
Moſt bleſs'd is him, who hath not ſeen,
And yet believ'd his God.
The Scripture ſaith, if we ha'n't Faith
In the riſing again
Of Chriſt our Head, we all are dead,
And damned every one.
Then Preaching's vain, and Faith's no Gain,
If Chriſt be in the Grave;
God's Juſtice Good not ſatisfied,
So Pardon none can have.
The Church did meet, and God did ſeek
Upon the Week's firſt Day;
Where Chriſt among them often came,
To cheer them in his Way:
And gave Commands, into the Hands
Of his Apoſtles dear,
How they ſhould act in every part,
Till he again appear.
E're Chriſt aſcends, he gave Commands,
That at Jeruſalem,
At Wiſdom's Gate they may expect,
The Spirit promis'd them.
Now Chriſt aſcends before his Friends,
From Earth to Heaven high;
From whence he'l come, e're it be long,
To fetch his Bride away.
Chriſt clears the Air, and Hemiſphere,
Where damned Spirits dwell;
He clears the Path for Saints on Earth,
To Joy Celeſtial.
Diſperſe you Orbs, you glittering Clouds,
At diſtance roll away:
His glorious Guard the Way prepar'd,
On Chriſt's Aſcenſion-Day.
The Angels high above the Sky,
Spake unto them below;
What happy King is this you bring?
In triumph he doth go.
Who is this King, this glorious One?
And what may be his Name?
The Lord of Hoſts, he's known by moſt,
His Vict'ry gives him Fame.
Lift up ye Gates, ye Doors of State,
And entertain your King:
Come ſtand wide ope in Heaven's Court,
Ye Gates everlaſting.
He comes who hath conquer'd the Grave,
And drags the King of Pride,
Faſtned unto his Chariot new,
In which the Lord doth ride
Triumphantly, to Bliſs on high;
His Chariot moved faſt
To Heaven's Gate, where many wait,
And thouſands cry, Haſte, haſte.
This Prince of State, when Heaven's Gate
He had arriv'd unto;
O what a Shout is given out
By Angels as his due!
And with his Crown went in, ſat down
Cloſe by his Father's Side;
And will prepare a Palace there
To entertain his Bride.
He's now gone home to wear his Crown,
For all his Work is done.
God's ſatisfy'd, En'mies ſubdu'd,
And now aſcends his Throne.
Now Chriſt is gone, the Spirit doth come
On the Rebellious.
The Sinner's Head is captive led,
And Gifts are given us.
On Pentecoſt the Spirit did reſt,
In cloven Tongues, upon
The Meſſengers of Jeſus Chriſt,
Becauſe he was gone home.
He doth inſpire, baptize with Fire,
Prophets, Apoſtles too:
He'l Paſtors give, the Church may live
A holy Life and true.
Poor Fiſhermen go conquering on
The World in Jeſus Name.
The Blind do ſee, the Dead rais'd be
To Chriſt's eternal Fame.
If Chriſt did ſhew his Godhead true,
When in a ſwadling Clout,Mr. Milton.
Controll'd the Crew of damned Hue,
In all the World about;
He will much more his Power declare,
Aſcended now on high;
Captivity he captive led
In his triumphant Day.
This Hebrew Child, tho meek and mild,
Made Devils loudly roar,
On Mountains ſteep, in Vallies deep,
On all the Seas and Shore.
All Oracles dumb, no hideous Hum,
No mighty Trance or Spell:
Apollo's Shrines no more Divine's,
Nor no Prophetick Cell.
The Flamins quaint at Altars faint,
In conſecrated Grove;
Becauſe no Sound doth there rebound
From their-ſweet Object Jove.
All Temples dumb, Peor, Baalim,
And mooned Aſhtaroth:
No Tapers ſhine, none can divine;
Hence Beelzebub is wroth.
Now Moloc's fled, that Idol's dead,
Iſis and Oſiris,
From Judah's Land, the Infant's hand
Laid low the Heathen Prieſts.
Each fetter'd Ghoſt ſlips to his Poſt,
To the Infernal Jail;
Who go in Troops, their Malice ſhoots
Back to the God of all;
Who comes, who comes, in glor'ous Blooms,
From Edom and Bozrath;
In whoſe Brow high is Majeſty,
And treads untrodden Paths.
Glory ſurrounds his Body's Bounds,
There's Terror in his Face:Mr. Norris.
The Evening Sky, the Scarlet Dye,
His Robes cannot debaſe;
They are ſo red with God-like Blood,
And Blood of Enemies;
They are much ſtain'd with Conqueſt gain'd,
And bleſſed Victories.
I mighty One, 'tis I do come,
That treads the Preſs alone
Of Wrath Divine, ſuch Power is mine,
I will have help from none.
'Tis I can ſpeak my Foes to death,
And that in Righteouſneſs:
Almighty I can ſave moſt high,
From Hell to Heaven's Bliſs.
'Tis I alone go conqu'ring on,
By my great Power and Strength;
And Blood runs o're my Garments pure,
My People might have Health.
'Tis I outvie the Scarlet Dye,
And make my Garments red,
Like thoſe Men that do tread the Fat
And Wine-preſs for the Blood.
I wear thoſe Clothes, red like the Roſe,
To ſave ſome, ſome deſtroy:
By ſhedding Blood, I bruiſe one's Head,
And God do ſatisfy.
The Day is come, that ſignal One,
And Death ſhall have its Doom;
The Kingdoms dark I will ſubvert,
And conquer every One.
No Sea of Blood but Chriſt's moſt good,
The Enemy could ſpoil:
And we are glad, Chriſt's bloody Flag
Doth flouriſh over all.
The Cher'bims Guard of the High Lord,
Stood by while Chriſt did fight;
His Father true forſook him too,
Yet he the Field did get.
My Fury ſtrong ſupports me long,
And with my ſingle Arm,
The Conqueſt's won, Salvation's come
To mine that none can harm.
CHAP. XX.
The ARGUMENT.
This Chapter contains an Account of a triumphant Song to the Lamb, by the Saints of the Old and New Teſtament, for Chriſt's moſt glorious Conqueſt over his and the Church's Enemies, in his Reſurrection and Aſcenſion.
WITH Deborah we'l ſing to Jah,
Who hath avenged me,
And trod down Strength; his Arm hath length
To ſpoil his Enemy.
When he march'd on, the Enemy ſtrong
Did tremble in the Earth;
And in the Field he made them yield,
As Holy Scripture ſaith.
Wake Deborah, awake with Mirth,
A Song of. Triumph ſing:
Our Barak Head Captivity led
A Captive, tho a King.
Proud Siſera muſt ſtand in awe,
The Stars in Heaven fight;
The great Jael hath conquer'd Hell,
And put his Foes to flight.
Come to our King, with-Iſrael ſing,
The Lord's a Man of War:
He gloriouſly triumphs on high,
And leads his Enemies far.
Pharaoh of Hell that proud Rebel,
His Chariots overthrew;
His great Captains, and choſen Ones,
Their Strength could not renew.
They proudly ſaid, Purſue the Head,
Fight not with Small or Great,
But Iſrael's King, ſtrike moſt at him,
Then we ſhall them defeat.
Come draw your Sword, upon my Word,
My Luſt I will fulfil;
I will divide the Spoil, his Pride
Shall not go conquering ſtill.
The Sea aroſe upon his Foes,
And in it they did ſink;
A Sea of Wrath, wherein no Path
Can find from it to ſhrink.
Who can compare with this moſt Fair,
Glorious in Holineſs,
And fearful in the praiſe of Men?
His Wonders cannot ceaſe:
Now Hannah ſung, we will prolong,
Our Honour he exalts;
Againſt our Foes his Power flows,
They may not proudly talk,
The mighty One is broken down,
And weak Ones girded are;
The Prince brought down from a high Throne,
The Poor exalted there.
Come, Eſa's Song we will prolong,
To our beloved King,
That us hath made his ſweet Vineyard,
Who were but Lumps of Sin;
And fix'd it in a fruitful Hill,
Where Showers fall Divine;
A Tower great he made in it,
And on it Chriſt doth ſhine.
He doth it watch, his Vineyard rich,
'Tis done both Night and Day:
A fiery Wall is round them all,
Againſt the Beaſts of Prey.
May Zion ſay, in a good Day,
Tho thou waſt angry, Lord,
With me for Sin, through Chriſt our King,
Thy Favour is reſtor'd.
Behold, my God doth Help afford,
He is Salvation;
Who ſhall I fear? Jehovah's near,
My Truſt, my Strength, my Song.
Therefore in Faith let's draw with Mirth,
From God's Salvation-Wells,
Thoſe living Streams, Chriſt's bloody Veins
Did purchaſe for Rebels.
In this good Day, we all will ſay,
Praiſe, praiſe the Lord alone;
Exalt his Name, and ſpread his Fame,
For great's the holy One.
In Zion's Land, his mighty Hand
Is ſtretched out to ſave
His Iſrael, where he doth dwell,
Whom to his Son he gave.
Well is it ſaid, in God's ſure Word,
Excellent Things doth he:
'Tis ſhewed forth in all the Earth,
God for his Church will be.
Sing and cry out, come give a Shout
Of Hallelujah's high
To Jehovah, begun on Earth,
But laſts Eternity.
The Prophet old, when he foretold
Death ſhould be ſwallowed up
In Victory, by one on high,
Then he this Song did put
Unto the Church, to triumph much
On that triumphant Day:
Eternal Gates, ſtand ope in ſtate,
That Saints then enter may.
This City ſtrong they enter in,
Salvation is their Wall,
And Bullwarks too; none can ſubdue
And make this City fall.
As Mary's Song, when Gabriel came,
The Angel her did tell,
And her ſalute, and kindly greet,
With News that did excel;
That ſhe ſhould bear the glorious Heir
Of Heaven, and of Earth;
In her pure Womb ſhould lie God's Son,
As holy Scripture ſaith.
Then ſhe brake out with holy Shout
Of Praiſe, to magnify
The Lord above, who in much Love
Had fill'd her Soul with Joy.
What Wonders here, that I ſhould bear
A Saviour unto Man!
That I ſo poor, God great in Power,
Should ſet his Love upon!
And me exalt, with all my Faults,
Above all Women high;
No Queen he took this King to ſuck,
Or bear in her Body:
But me poor Maid he did regard,
To his eternal Praiſe,
I bore the King who had no Sin,
One of eternal Days.
With Zachary, the Lord on high,
Let us ever extol,
For viſiting and redeeming
His People from all thrall.
A Horn of Power, and a ſtrong Tower
Of great Salvation,
For us hath rais'd; eternal Praiſe
The Lord ſhall wait alone.
Now are made good the Prophet's words,
Spake ſince the World began:
God's Covenant ſtood, his Mercy's good,
He ſent to us his Son,
To ſave us from the Proud and Strong,
Yea all our Enemies,
In Righteouſneſs and Holineſs,
To ſerve him all our Days.
That good Day-ſpring doth Knowledg bring
Of Sins remiſſion free,
And bleſſed Light, and Peace in ſight,
To thoſe in Darkneſs lay.
With Simeon old, let's be ſo bold,
To take the Lord of Glory;
In Arms of Love, tho high above
Heaven's Superior Story.
And praiſe him too, for 'tis his due,
And tell him we can die
Peace and Reſt, becauſe the beſt
Of Objects now we ſee.
Our Eyes have ſeen the bleſſed One,
Hid from great Potentates.
The Gentiles Light, he is moſt bright,
And Iſrael's Glory great.
Now triumph Saint, the Lord he went
Unto Mount Calvary;
Suffer'd the Croſs, and bore the Curſe
For Man's Felicity.
…or ſurely by his Poverty
The Poor are very rich;
And by his Shame they have great Fame,
No earthly Monarch ſuch.
We were ſet free, for bound was he
Unto the Poſt and Croſs;
Great Grief he had, we might be glad
Our Crown cannot be loſt.
…rom Heaven's room the Son came down,
We all might there aſcend:
God Man became, he might regain
That Love which hath no End:
No Houſe had he, tho of Heaven free,
We may have one above,
Not made with Hands, or Mens Commands,
But by God's Power and Love.
God in the dark ſeem'd to forſake
His own eternal Son;
We might have Light, ſplendid and bright,
And ever with him dwell.
A Wonder's here, God's Son moſt dear,
Had leſs ground to expect
The Shines of God, when that he di'd,
Than Saints of either Sex.
He's in the Dark to purchaſe Light,
From hence forſaken too:
Saints may expect (tho Chriſt did not)
God's Shines their Dying-day.
Lord, we a Song will ſing, as long
As an Eternity.
O King of Days, 'tis endleſs Praiſe
Is ſtill thy Childrens cry.
What tho we ſtand in a ſtrange Land,
A Babel Wilderneſs,
Our Harps will tune to the Renown
Of him who's Lord of Hoſts.
As travelling on to Mount Sion,
Our Houſe, our Place, our Home;
As going on, we'll ſing our Song
To him upon the Throne.
Who can but ſing, the Lord will come?
Methinks he's at the Door;
Faith ſees him ſtand, now juſt at hand,
My Soul be ſad no more.
With David ſing, and Offerings bring;
Let all the Saints of God
Rejoice in him, that maketh them
Moſt glorious by his Blood.
Upon your Bed, ſing to your Head,
Declare his noble Acts;
For this will be-eternally
The Work of Tongue and Hearts.
O let us ſing the Lamb's ſweet Song,
Cry, Great and marvell us
Are all thy Works, Lord God of Hoſts,
Almighty, true and juſt!
And with Saint John, we'l praiſe the Lamb,
The Prince and King of Earth,
Who loved us, and waſhed us
With his own Blood through Faith.
To God moſt wiſe give all due Praiſe,
Glory and Majeſty;
Dominion great, a Prince's Seat
He hath above the Sky.
Let's give henceforth Hallelujah,
Salvation, Honour too;
With that Voice came out from the Throne,
Praiſe God his Servants do.
O King of Saints, all Nations faint
At thy juſt Judgment, Lord;
Who ſhall not fear, and thee revere,
And ſpread thy Fame abroad?
Thou worthy art to have the Heart,
Becauſe all Things th'haſt made,
For thine own Will, and Glory ſtill;
Hence 'tis we give thee Laud.
Let Heav'n and Earth their Praiſe ſet forth,
And Hallelujahs ſing,
For our high God, and mighty Lord,
Remains a conqu'ring King.
CHAP. XXI.
The ARGUMENT.
An Evangeliſt ſheweth whence it was that ſo much Shame and Pain fell on an innocent Perſon, by ſtriking the Name of the Debtors out of the black and bloody Bond of the Law, and inſerting his own. What a long Journey he came to redeem and marry poor Leprous Beggars. And what bloody Battels he fought to gain this poor contemptible Worm, and how he inveſted her with an Eternal Kingdom of Glory, from his laſt Will and Teſtament.
WHO Inqueſt-makes, Interrogates,
The Scribe which here indites?
If he can ſhow, why all this Wo
Fell on the Lord of Light?
I'll take from thee Prolixity,
In a Compendium ſhew,
That thee and I made him to die,
Who was Meſſiah true:
His Cheeks we ſmote by our proud Heart,
And Hair eradicate;
His Hands and Feet Nails penetrate,
He might us happy make.
I ſay again, thy Sin and mine
Procured all this Wo;
The thorny Crown makes Blood run down,
From Head to Feet below.
We him did ſtrip, and alſo whip,
The Spear ran in his Side;
The Travail of his Soul did make
An Enemy his Bride.
Come Malefactor, evil Actor,
Make one believing look:
What all paſs by, none caſt an Eye
On me who am forſook
Of my dear God, my precious Lord?
And purely for your ſake
I left my Weal inſcrutable;
I might you happy make.
My Hand I ſtruck, with God who took
My Covenant and Bail,
That I might ſee the Debtor free
From the Infernal Jail.
Men ought repent, they ever went
To take a Surety's Place;
But I did long the Day were come,
Tho ſuffer'd much Diſgrace.
Your Names ſtruck out the legal Book,
That Book and bloody Bond,
My Name I inſert with all my Heart,
So I ſtand only bound.
I who am juſt, God did arreſt
Your Subſtitute for all;
And God accounts the Sinner juſt,
And Chriſt the Criminal.
I paid Man's Debt by bloody Sweat,
In Priſon alſo lay;
But afterward had a Diſcharge
On th' Reſurrection Day.
O Men admire free Grace the higher,
For Love diſtinguiſhing,
That you might live, an Object have
For Faith, tho Devils none.
No Goſpel-light before their ſight,
Men no Commiſſion have
To preach in Hell the pure Goſpel,
He only Men will ſave.
Surely Succeſs we ſhould not miſs,
That are Ambaſſadors.
If we could preach, and Devils teach,
Their Pardon Chriſt procures.
But now we preach, our Hands we ſtretch
In vain the whole long day,
And call upon the Sons of Men
To haſte and come away
To Jeſus Chriſt the Chief and Beſt;
But Sinners will not hear:
So Unbelief makes them the Chief
Of Sinners, will appear;
Yea greater than the Devil's Sin,
Or Man's in Paradiſe,
For neither of them did rebel
Againſt redeeming Grace.
CHAP. XXII.
The ARGUMENT.
The Spouſe of Chriſt interpoſeth with the admiration of his Love, the Quantity, and immenſe Treaſures thereof, having no Bank nor Bottom. The Nature of it is free. All Sinners may fill their Veſſels from this Pipe; which is more comfortable than the moſt fragrant Wine, and ſo powerful, that it draws the Heart to Chriſt, as a Loadſtone the Maſs of Steel.
WHAT marvellous rich Love is this,
That ſuch a curſed Race
As we came from, ſhould ſit among
The Children of his Grace!
Our Fathers ſure, the Hittites were,
Our Mothers Amorites:
A curſed Race, yet by free Grace
In thoſe the Lord delights.
None us beheld when in the Field,
All wallowing in our Blood;
None pitied us under this Curſe,
But the Samar'tan good.
He caſts an Eye, when paſſed by,
And ſaid, Live Infant, live;
When in our Blood, he was ſo good,
His ſaving Grace to give;
And threw his Skirt on our foul Heart,
To hide our Nakedneſs:
This is the Time of Love, the Time
He gave us Righteouſneſs.
A Covenant wherein's no Want,
With Sinners made when poor,
To be his own he gave his Son,
The Cov'nant to enſure.
We waſhed are with Water pure,
And with the beſt of Blood,
Blood's waſh'd away with Blood that Day
Death ſeiz'd the Son of God.
God did appoint them to anoint
With his moſt precious Oil:
They decked are with Silk and Hair,
All clean, no longer foul.
A Chain of Gold, the Worth's untold,
Is put about her Neck;
The Linen white, and broidred Work
Doth her moſt lovely deck.
Upon her Hands the Bracelet ſtands;
Her Head with Jewels ſet,
And on the ſame a glorious Crown:
With Ear-rings ſhe's bedect.
And ſhe did eat the fineſt Wheat,
And ſweeteſt Honey too;
She's beautiful, and doth excel
The moſt Self-righteous Jew.
Now her Renown, and glorious Fame,
Goes through the Heathen Land:
She proſpers in a bleſt Kingdom,
Which never will have End.
Her Comelineſs is Righteouſneſs,
But this the Lord puts on;
And Comely through his Comelineſs,
Glory to Grace alone.
This Spouſe excels in glorious ſmells
Myrrh, Alloes, Caſhia;
Her Garments fine a ſweet Perfume
Do caſt forth every way.
Within, within the Glory's ſeen,
In the King's Daughter true;
Wrought Gold's her Garb, moſt richly laid,
The Bridegroom wears it too:
At whoſe right Hand the Queen doth ſtand,
In Gold of Ophir fine:
Her Beauty great makes Chriſt to ſpeak,
Thy Beauty is Divine.
The Father juſt his Son did truſt,
Before his Incarnation,
In ſaving thoſe, to Heaven goes,
In every Land and Nation.
The Son moſt juſt the Father truſts,
That he Salvation give
All the Elect, who have their Debt
Paid long before they live.
Their Debt did pay and ſatisfy,
Some hundred Years before
They Being had, by Chriſt his Blood,
Or e're they ran in ſcore.
What's requiſite, and what's moſt meet
In any Advocate,
Is found in Chriſt, the Meek and Juſt,
The only Potentate:
Who doth delight to ſee the Spite
And Diſagreement end,
Between the King and Men for Sin,
Therefore his Blood did ſpend.
He's juſt and meek, yea very ſweet,
Moſt powerful and true;
And brings God down to love the Man,
And Man to God does go.
The Levites paſs, the Prieſts make haſte
From us, ſweltring in Blood:
But the good Man, Samaritan,
Stood ſtill to do us good;
And in the Soul did pour in Oil,
So heal'd the Wounds of Sin;
And rather than his Soul ſhould pine,
His Blood he poured in.
He covers all, our Shame and Fall,
With Robes of Righteouſneſs:
And gives to Man a glorious Ring,
To ſeal them up to Bliſs.
The fatted Beaſt is kill'd, to feaſt
Thoſe ſtarving Souls of ours:
O Lamb of God, thy Blood was ſhed
In an accepted Hour.
We Syrians poor, and Strangers were,
In a moſt forlorn Plight,
Lay at thy Door of Grace full ſore,
In Darkneſs without Light:
Yet ſaidſt thou, Live, my Grace I give
To thee, beſmear'd with Blood:
Live, Infant live, my Son I give,
To be thy Prince and Head;
An Head of Senſe and Influence,
Is to his Body dear:
As from the Root the Branches ſhoot,
So Chriſt the Church doth bear.
His Lambs he'l feed, a tender Head,
One Member if but ill,
A Balſam made of his own Blood,
Doth from the Heart diſtil,
As Branches dry, and alſo die,
Which from the Vine are cut;
So every Saint would quickly faint,
And die, if from the Root.
As many Branches make one Vine,
And many Grains one Loaf;
So many Men one Body frame,
Unite to Chriſt by Faith:
Who gave himſelf for our Souls Health,
That's more than Heaven high
Ten thouſand times; ten thouſand Tens,
Come let us for him die.
A Journey long, through Storms a throng,
Chriſt came to viſit thee;
His Head with Drops, and Dew his Locks
Did wet, he might thee ſee.
Tho Mankind had ſome Lovers bad,
When he the Queſtion put;
He gave his Dove excelling Love,
By which their Hearts he took:
But waited long, with Patience ſtrong,
For Floods can't quench his Love;
Repulſes ſtrong, often and long,
Could not make him remove.
This Bridegroom wrought, great Battels fought,
To him none equal be:
Few Husbands win their Bride and Kin
By Blood, as he did thee.Mr. Delaun.
Ear-rings of Gold, Riches untold,
He clothes his Bride withal;
His Spouſe doth dreſs with Righteouſneſs,
To beautify the Soul.
And from all Debts they are acquit,
By Marriage of the King;
Who will inveſt his with the Beſt,
A Kingdom without Sin.
What Monarchs known to leave his Throne,
For Leprous and Diſeas'd?
And tho forlorn, and fill'd with Scorn,
Yet he with thoſe is pleas'd.
Some Bridegrooms change, new Lovers gain;
And caſt the old away:
But he loves firſt, unto the laſt,
Yea to Eternity.
The Mother dear, her Son moſt near
She ſooner can forget,
Than a Convert, with changed Heart,
Out of his Love can ſlip.
The Mountains faſt, they all ſhall haſte
From their moſt fixed Place,
Before that he will thee deny,
Who art in Cov'nant-Grace.
If any can the Heavens ſpan,
And meaſure Sea and Land;
Then Fleſh and Sin, and Satan's Gin,
May pluck them from his Hand.
If Moon ſo bright, and Stars oth' Night,
Their Courſe can change and ſlip;
Then may his Love decline his Dove,
Whom he keeps while they ſleep.
If he can drown the World again,
Againſt his fix'd Decree:
Then may his Love from thee remove,
Which none ſhall ever ſee.
So we from Juſtice were diſcharg'd
Upon his dying Day.
He like a Lamb moſt patiently,
Unto the Slaughter's led,
And drunk the bitter Cup of Death,
Without a murmuring Word.
Before the Judgment Seat he ſtood,
A Priſoner at the Bar:
And by his Judgment we are freed,
Who wretched Priſoners were.
His Generation is ſo Great,
Noble, Eternal too!
None can declare the Number of
His Sons and Daughters true.
In ſhedding of his precious Blood,
A numerous Off-ſpring hath,
Which none can number nor declare,
For they fill Heaven and Earth.
And tho no Violence did act,
Yet he muſt make his Grave
With wicked and ungodly Men,
For ſuch he came to ſave.
It pleaſed God his Son to bruiſe,
An Offering he might give,
To have a glorious Church on Earth,
And with him ever live.
As Eve came out of Adam's Side,
So did the Church from Chriſt;
She is the Travail of his Soul,
For whom he groaned much.
But Satisfaction great hath he,
After his trav'lling Soul;
For his Seed he will juſtify,
By knowing Chriſt their All.
A Portion with the Great he'l have,
And with the Strong divide
The Glory of his conquering Strength,
In ſpite of Helliſh Pride:
Becauſe he poured forth his Soul
To Death, both frank and free,
And took it up in three Days time,
So got the Victory.
And now triumphantly is gone,
Into the Heavens high,
Having Captivity captive led,
'Tis like his Majeſty.
And there doth Interceſſion make
For all whoſe Sins he bare;
And will not ceaſe his glorious Work,
Until they with him are.
Our Ark of Love, which ſaves thy Dove,
Thou art, O Lord, moſt ſtrong,
When delug'd all the World beſide,
Th… …'dſt thy Church …
Our Jacob's Ladder, by which God
Doth friendly viſit us,
And we aſcend upon the ſame,
Immanuel, God with us.
Our Iſaac art, who bore the Croſs,
And felt the ſharpned Sword,
In whom the Nations all are bleſt,
According to thy Word.
Our bleſſed Joſeph, who was ſent
From Canaan heavenly,
Unto the Egypt of this World
For Food, we might not die.
Our fiery cloudy Pillar art,
In this dark Wilderneſs:
Our Joſhua doth us conduct
Unto the Land of Reſt.
Our Rock of Ages, Lord, thou art,
Smote both by God and Man:
The Emanation of thy Blood
And Streams were ſeen by John.
Our feaſting Paſſover alſo,
The ſpotleſs Lamb was ſlain;
The ſprinkling of the Soul by Blood,
Prevents a ſinful Reign.
Our brazen Serpent we behold,
Whenever ſtung with Sin;
From that Diſeaſe deliver'd are,
Which elſe would end in Hell.
Our Jubilee, accepted Year,
Was the Year of thy Death;
We heard the Goſpel-Trumpet ſound
True Joy, and free from Wrath.
Our Mercy-Seat, and Throne of Grace,
The great Propitiatory;
From which the Father kindly ſpeaks,
Poor Sinners here is Glory.
The Mercy-Seat above the Ark,
And Tables of the Law,
Did figure Mercy triumphing,
O'er Juſtice which we ſaw.
The Altar, Prieſt, and Sacrifice:
As Prieſt, both Man and God;
As Altar, God, who ſanctifies;
As Man, the Offering's good.
The rich and holy Vail thou art,
Thy Body's Vail was rent:
So we into the holy Place
May have a free aſcent.
The Manna in the Wilderneſs,
Tho called Angels Food,
Is far unlike that feeds the Soul,
The Goſpel-Feaſt is Blood,
Which here below we feed upon,
In this ſad Wilderneſs;
But when once got to Canaan's Land,
We feed no more as thus.
Yet as the Jew could not forget
The Manna Miracle;
No more can Saints forget in Bliſs,
God's Wonders there to tell.
Our Shiloh, and ſafe Maker art,
And Jacob's Star alſo;
The Laver where poor Lepers waſh,
And bleſſed Fountain too,
That's opened for Jeruſalem,
And Judah's Guilt to waſh;
And all the Gentiles that repair
To him for Righteouſneſs.
The Shew-bread Table did hold forth,
In God's Houſe is no want:
The Lord is alway with his Flock,
His Table is not ſcant.
Our Altar of Perfume, O Lord,
And golden Cenſor art;
The Cloud of ſpiced Incenſe ſweet
Perfumes the Mercy-ſeat.
O Lord, our Sin, and Peace-off'ring,
Jonah caſt in the Sea,
To ſtill the Storm of Wrath Divine,
Man in it may not lie.
Our Temple, Tabernacle true,
Which God did pitch, not Man;
The Godhead dwelt in humane Fleſh,
Is the Temple I mean.
Our Joſhua and dear Saviour,
Who wore our Rags of Sin,
And we his Robes of Righteouſneſs,
So brought unto the King.
And now the filthy Garment's gone,
And chang'd with Raiment new,
The long and ſpotleſs Robe of Chriſt:
Now what can Satan do?
Thou art our great Zerubbabel,
A ſpiritual Temple makes;
The Temple of the living God
In Men, Chriſt undertakes,
To build, tho greatly oppoſed
By Mountain Enemies:
He that laid the Foundation-ſtone,
The Top-ſtone he will raiſe;
And finiſh Grace where it's begun,
In ſpite of all our Foes:
That you may all ever aſcribe
To him, Grace, Glory, Praiſe.
Our Sampſon art, who ſlew by Death,
More than when living was:
The ſtrangeſt way of conquering,
Is dying on a Croſs.
Who took from Satan's Kingdom great,
The Gates thereof away;
And led Captivity captive,
In his triumphing Day.
Our ſpotleſs Lamb, both God and Man,
Was foreordain'd to die,
To take off Sin, and Death's great Sting,
Bring Immortality.
The ſlain and living Goat thou art:
As ſlain, the Mercy-ſeat
Is ſtill with Blood beſprinkled;
As living doſt intreat,
And interceed continually:
This is the Incenſe ſweet,
That like a Cloud in ſweet Perfume,
Is round the Mercy-ſeat.
The Goat on which our Sins are laid,
Iniquities confeſs,
And carried out of Memory,
Loſt in the Wilderneſs:
And far removed, as Eaſt from Weſt,
Drown'd in his bloody Sea;
Behind his Back they all are caſt,
And blots them out moſt free.
He is the great Melchiſedeck,
Without Beginning, End;
As Man no Sire, no Mother as God,
The Type he did tranſcend.
A King of Peace, and Prieſt moſt high,
Who offer'd once for all;
Not for his own, but others Sins,
Himſelf, not Beaſts did fall.
The Peoples Covenant thou art,
In Subſtance, Perſon, Name;
And hence art called Immanuel,
Two Natures, Perſon one.
The Subſtance of the Covenant
Of Grace, it is in ſhort;
Thy God I am, thou ſhalt be mine,
And we will never part.
Now God and Man together dwell
In Chriſt, for evermore:
This is the great Foundation of
Man's Happineſs in ſtore.
That tho by Sin Man's ſeparate
From God, the chiefeſt Good,
Yet now in Chriſt united are,
Man ſhall live ſtill with God.
And if the Union cannot ceaſe,
Call'd Hypoſtatical;
No more can that 'tween God and his,
Becauſe 'tis Eternal.
Tho God and all our Adam loſt,
Yet Chriſt hath it regain'd:
And now the Saints have God in all,
The want of which them pain'd.
But Unbelievers have not God,
In what they do enjoy;
Since Sin did break the golden Link,
All things do them annoy.
But thoſe are Chriſt's, all things are theirs,
And work ſtill for their Good;
But the Profane, what e're they have,
It's ſeparate from God;
From God in way of Covenant,
So that all theſe may ſay,
Riches and Honour I have much,
But God in all leaves me.
And when Man loſt a ſight of God,
A Viſion beautiful;
He by his Blood hath it regain'd,
When all things elſe did fail.
CHAP. XXIV.
The ARGUMENT.
The undefiled Virgins of the Lamb, beg her Beloved to make haſte over thoſe Mountains of Bether and Separation, and put an end to the Winter Storms, and haſten the break of the Eternal Summer and Day of Glory, where back-part Sights and Lattice-Looks will be turned into the Beatifical Viſion, and all the Saints ſhall have their white Robes, Palms in their Hands, and Crowns on their Heads, and ſit with Chriſt upon his Throne, to judg Men and Devils; then they ſhall behold the Glorious Deity ſhining through the Bleſſed Glaſs of the Humane Nature. The Virgins conclude with an Exhortation to the Noble Hoſt of Martyrs, the Glorious Apoſtles and Prophets, Elders, Seraphims, Cherubims, and every Creature in Heaven and Earth, to caſt their Crowns before the Lamb.
WHAT back-part Views, and Lattice Lights,
To thoſe beyond the Grave;
There's Banquets ſweet, here is none ſuch
For any Saint to have.
Lord, make no ſtay, come look'd-for Day;
What ails the Morning-Light?
All Shadows flee away, be gone,
And Day of Glory break.
Lord, Bether Mount, remove it quite,
And leap over them all;
No longer Separation make
Between thee and my Soul.
O be thou like the Roe and Hart,
With winged ſpeed make haſte;
Come o're thoſe ſeparating Hills,
And take us to thy Reſt.
The Winter Blaſts are almoſt gone,
Farewel the Rain and Flood:
We cry aloud, come fetch us home,
Why have thy Chariots ſtood?
Come, Lord, with thy ſweet Jubilee,
Hark how the Creatures groan
With Saints, for full Redemption;
Hear how they make their moan.
Come, bleſſed Lord, do thou create
New Heavens, and new Earth:
A ſinleſs Kingdom we long for,
Which gives true Joy and Mirth.
With ſpeed make haſte, Vengeance to ſhow,
For thy bleſt Temple's ſake:
All Antichriſts both Eaſt and Weſt
Do thou make deſolate.
And then the chief rejected Stone,
Tho little, it will grow
Into a Mount, and fill the Seat
Of Monarchs here below.Mr. Raſeſon.
That Stone which from the Mountain was
Cut out, without a Hand,
Into a Mountain, let it grow,
And all the World command.
A burdenſome Foundation-ſtone,
In Zion there ſhall lie:
All that do ſpurn againſt that Stone,
Shall by it fall and die.
Then all Chriſt's marked Ones, they ſhall
With him aſcend the Throne;
Then all the World to him will bow,
When he ſhall reign alone.
Lord Jeſus haſte unto thy Throne,
We no more Captives be;
And fly upon the Wings of Love,
For thee we long to ſee.
This bleſſed Day no Night will have,
The Moon will be a Sun;
A ſeven-fold Light the Sun will be:
O were this Day begun.
Come haſte that bleſſed break of Light,
Let Shadows flee away;
When Ordinances all ſhall ceaſe,
Come on Eternal Day.
Then through a Glaſs ſhall look no more,
Unleſs the Glaſs Divine;
We ſhall through humane Nature ſee,
The bleſſed God-head ſhine.
The Glaſs of Ordinances ceaſe,
Now look through them no more,
Nor Creatures Word or Promiſes,
When we ſee God moſt pure:
Then we ſhall in each Boſom's reſt,
As in a Bed Divine;
And fulneſs of pure Joy ſhall have,
When God doth on us ſhine.
Now Righteous Ones they entrance have,
Into this Palace Royal,
There where no Curſe ſhall ever be,
Or any time of Trial.
That City of Jeruſalem,
In Viſion John did ſee,
Deſcending out of Heaven above,
With glorious Majeſty.
This City which doth entertain
The People of the Lord;
It is ſet forth by Metaphors,
So is not underſtood.
The Walls of Stone moſt precious are,
And the Foundation too;
Twelve thouſand Furlongs is the Breadth,
The Length and Height alſo.
Twelve Gates, twelve Angels at the Gates,
That keep both Watch and Ward:
No evil thing can enter there,
Tho they ſtand all abroad.
And on thoſe Gates the Names are writ,
Of the twelve bleſſed Tribes
Of the Children of Iſrael,
In whom the Truth abides.
And twelve Foundations hath the Wall
Of this moſt Royal City;
In which Foundation there is writ
Their Names, the Lamb did pity.
The twelve Apoſtles of the Lamb
Were written fair thereon;
There is no City like to this,
Free, Holy, without Sin.
Pure Jaſper was the Wall built of,
The City of pure Gold:
Gold is the Streets of this rich Place,
Its Worth cannot be told.
Twelve glorious Pearls the Gates thereof,
One Pearl every Gate;
And the Foundation richly deck'd
With precious Stones of State.
And from this City glorious Streams
Of living Water comes,
Out of the Throne of God the Lamb,
Are moſt refreſhing Streams.
And in the middle of the Street,
And either ſide the River,
Twelve ſorts of Fruits the Tree of Life
Did bear, to heal us ever.
And here the Throne of God ſhall be,
Alſo the Lamb's high Throne;
And there his Servants ſhall be free,
To ſerve the Holy One:
And they ſhall ſee his bleſſed Face,
And bear his glorious Name;
Which on their Foreheads ſhall have place,
His Image to proclaim.
And then and there ſhall be no Night,
For God the Lord moſt High,
Will be their Temple, and their Light,
To all Eternity.Mr. Barton.
Now bleſſed Jeſus his will lead,
To living Water-Springs,
Where Tears ſhall all be waſh'd away,
A City full of Kings.
Law-Righteouſneſs could not procure
Such Thrones and Kingdoms great,
Such Palms and Robes as Saints ſhall have
When they in Heaven meet.
Strike up you bleſſed Spirits in Bliſs,
Your Songs moſt lofty high;
You ſeparated Souls in Bliſs
Praiſe him, as well you may.Mr. Reeves.
Unto the Lamb, whoſe Seat is ſet
In midſt of the great Throne;
He there was ſeen who had been ſlain;
By Saints and Angels known.
'Twas thou waſt ſlain, and haſt redeem'd
All Nations by thy Blood;
Therefore worthy to ope the Book,
The Myſteries of God.
The Book ſeen in Jehovah's Hand,
Written without, within,
Which do contain God's Counſels great
Unto the final End.
O holy Jeſus, bleſſed Lamb,
John's Sorrows did prevent.
Thou David's Root, and Judah's Lion,
Waſt fit to ope the Book.
A Perſon very fit to Rule
Both this World, and the Church:
Therefore all Power is given him,
Becauſe there is none ſuch.
Let's praiſe this King for ever-more,
With Angels, Elders, Beaſts;
Church-Militant, and Triumphant,
Adore the Lord of Hoſts.
Ye noble Hoſt of Martyrs all,
The glorious Prophets too;
Angels, Apoſtles, Arch-Angels,
Praiſe him the Lord moſt true.
Who can declare the ſweet Jub'lee
In Heaven ſolemniz'd,
By Seraphims, and Cherubims,
And Principalities?
Powers and all, Dominions too,
To him do caſt their Crowns;
Then thouſand times ten thouſand Tens
In holy Thanks abound,
Crying, O holy, holy Lord,
The Lamb in glorious State.
O Holy Ghoſt, Holy and True,
Who did the Creatures make,
Redeemed Men, for ever ſing
Of Surety-Righteouſneſs;
They'l have it there for ever-more,
In everlaſting Bliſs.
Come let us join the Creatures all,
In Heaven, Earth, and Sea;
All Creatures with loud Voices cry,
Worthy, O Lamb, worthy.
All Wiſdom, Riches, to receive
Strength, Bleſſing, Glory too,
From all in Heaven, in Earth and Sea,
Is thine Eternal due.
FINIS.
ERRATA.
BOOK the Firſt, Page 16. line the firſt, afte… thouſand, add, &c. Pag. 77. l. 23. for things read Temptations.
Book 2. Pag. 33. l. 19. read 27 Years. Pag. 24 l. 29. for ſad, read ſaid.
In the Poems, Pag. 9. l. 11. read, is brandiſhe… for it. P. 31. l. 1. read adorn. P. 75. l. 5. rea… they. P. 96. l. 1. read what's.
End of the text · Hercules Collins, The Marrow of Gospel History (1696)