THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY CELEBRATED IN Some Pious Meditations, on the ANGELS ANTHEM. Luke 2.14.  
ALSO HOLY RAPTURES In contemplating of the most observable Adjuncts about our Saviours nativity.  
By CHARLES FITZ-GEFFRY.  Maxim. Taurinensis in Nat: Dom: h o. 1. 
Hodiè Christus natum est, nos renati.  
OXFORD, Printed by John LICHFIELD Printer to the University, and are to be sold by Ed. forest An. Dom. 1634.   

To the Reverend Author on his several works.  

SIR, I not praise your wit, for that( all know)  
Praises itself: each line that thence doth flow  
Like to some pearl, or ray, or stream, well shows  
The Mine, sun, fountain, whence it first arose.   

But that which ravishes just praise from me,  
Is the choice method of your poetry;  
And that you could with such endue equipage  
suit several poems to your several age:  
So that in this your exemplary art  
Acts both the Poets, and the Preachers part.   

Your younger wit,( as taking a delight  
In bold endeavours) ventured to recite  
The deeds of valiant Drake who by your skill,  
And strong descriptions, goes that voyage still  
Which once he did, and with full blasts of famed  
Yet sails,( securely) round the earth again.   

Then, as experience taught you to survey  
The Worlds conditions, your free Muse would play  
In various Epigrams, where both for tongue,  
Conceit, and choice of verse, you seem to run  
With foremost Marshal, and so thrive therein;  
That you come nearest to the goal next him.   

But having now retreated from the foam  
Of surging youth, and safe at length come home  
To quiet age, diviner thoughts inspire  
Your pregnant fancy, and with holier fire  
In flamme you to the sweet discovery  
Of Heavenly mysteries: where the most high  
Must exercise your soaring brain, to tell  
The Natalls of our Saviour, which so well  
You have performed with each nice circumstance  
Of time, and place, and persons, to advance  
Such lofty wonders, that you make to us  
Those miracles seem more miraculous.   

This is your praise: but will you hear me noise  
The shane of others that grow old in toys,  
writ plays with spectacles, and spend and age  
Passed threescore years on sonnets, and the stage:  
That chafe their palsied fancies, and molest  
With a forced flamme those embers that would rest:  
That bald, and dry, and sere, and withered, yet  
yield blossoms still, and chilblaines of their wit:  
As if( like Hesiod's infants) they still were  
But children at their almost hundreth year:  
That think their wild inventions too much penned  
In sacred tasks, and not their element  
To be in heavenly things, as if such stuff  
Were not conceited, rich, and fine enough  
For their lose numbers, or could not yield strains  
Of matter high enough to fill their veins  
With raptures; but o! how is this made vain  
By noble Bartas! whose heroic brain  
adorned Gods works, and like another light,  
pictured the whole creation to our sight.  
Nay how is this made lie by those Saint-men,  
( Those spheres of wit) Tertullian, Nazianzen,  
Nissen, Lactantius, and more of that crew,  
That could be Fathers, and yet Poets too;  
And when they could not their rude enemies pierce  
With gentle prose, they battered them with verse,   

But let them pass, and suck the empty shout  
Of lewd applauses, which will shortly out  
In stench, and rottenness, and then commit  
Their Authors to the judgement of their wit.   

But surely who would die( as they should do)  
Good Poets, must first learn to be like you.   
HEN. BEESLEY A.A.A.M.   

THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY CELEBRATED IN SOME PIOUS MEDITATIONS, ON THE ANGELS ANTHEM.  luke 2.14. 
Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth Peace, Good will towards Men.  

WHY should not we with joy resound and sing  
The blessed Natals of our heavenly King?  
Why should not we with mirth salute the morn  
Of his Birthday by whom we are new born?  
See how each Creature in his kind rejoices,  
And shall not we lift up melodious voices?  
hark how the Angels sing, shall we be sad?  
The greatest good is ours, be we most glad.  
hark how the Star-enameled Heavens rebound  
With echoes of angelic Anthems found.  
It is for Us that they such joys express:  
And shall not we sing forth some thankfulness?  
join we in consort these sweet Quires among,  
In sundry voices sing we all one song,   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   

lascivious songs, vain Carols hence avaunt,  
And wear profane throats use to chant,  
Which through the ears power poison to the heart,  
A better subject doth this Day impart.  
To sacred songs is Sions Muse inclined:  
Some holy matter fits and holy mind.  
The King of Kings is subject of our verse,  
Whose praise all tongues are too few to rehearse.  
Sing we high mysteries in and humble strain,  
And lofty matters in a lowly vain.  
The sacred subject( which we sing) affords  
Strong lines, but strong in matter not in words.  
For things so high they cannot be expressed  
By any words, the plainest are the best.  
He who was born so humbly, doth refuse  
To have his Birth sung by a swelling Muse.  
Ill doth a flaunting Phrase devotion fit,  
We sing to show our zeal, and not our wit.  
Let gentiles strive to be profanely witty;  
This holy Day calls for and holy Ditty.  
Then let our Ditty answer to the Day,  
And with Heavens choristers let's sing and say,   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   

O God, o Man, o God and Man in one,  
The eternal Fathers coeternal son;  
Who for Mans sake didst son of Man become,  
Disdaining not thine humble Handmaids womb:  
Nor of thy Creature to be made didst scorn,  
Ere time begotten, in times fullness born:  
Who by thy Power didst every day create,  
And by thy Birth didst this day consecrate.  
O thou who 
a Revel. 22. 1●  Alpha and Omega art,  
Be the Alpha and Omega of my heart!  
And while my Muse thy Birthday doth rehearse,  
Be the Alpha and Omega of my verse!  
Thou who so lowly didst descend to me,  
Mount up my mind aloft, Lord, unto thee!  
And from my foul errors dark fogs expel,  
Who dost in light inaccessible dwell:  

b 1. Tim. 6.16  And let that never-erring star, thy word,  
unto thy Birthplace me conduct o Lord!  
show me thy Cradle, let my soul behold  
The swathing clothes that did thee once enfold.  
Be thou the subject and the Author too  
Of what I muse, I say, I think, I do:  

* Vtinam praed● cando Verbum tuum aut laudande nomen tuum tantummodo l●querer. Augustini.  O might my tongue be employed all my days  
Thy word to Preach, or to sing forth thy Praise!  
Thou who dost lend me matter, sand me might,  
For none without thee can thee sing aright.  
And thou who art the word without beginning,  
Fit me with words, while I of thee am singing:  
My words with weight, and what I speak of thee  
( Who else am speechless) speak thou first in me:  

c Psal. 8.2.  Who out of sucklings mouths dost strength ordain,  
Lose thou the strings that do my tongue restrain;  
And let that 
d Mark. 7.34.  Ephphatha to me be spoken,  
Whereby the strings of stammering tongues are broken.  
O tune my harsh voice to thine heavenly key,  
That for thy Birth with Angels sing I may,   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   


e Gen 3 16.  THE WOMAN'S SEED In Eden promised  
Is come to crush the cursed Serpents head;  
Whose coming all the Prophets have foretold,  
The compliment of Prophecies of old,  

f Col 1.19.  The fullness of the Figures true intent,  
The truth of what the Types did represent,  
The substance which the Ceremonies veiled,  

g revel. 1.16.  The Morningstar which seemed to be concealed,  

h Gen. 49.10.  Old Iacobs shilo, and the glorious flower  

i Esay. 10.11.  Of jesses root. The Rod that did devour  
The magic rods turned serpents. even he  

k John. 5.58.  Whose Day old Abraham desired to see.  

l Numb. 21.9. ●ohn. 3.14.  The salving Serpent for their cure erected  
Who by the infernal Serpent were infected:  

† Quicquid ●st veteris Testamenti Christum sonat.  what ever in the old Covenant is found,  
Did him whose coming now we sing resound:  

m Gen. 49.9.  The Tribe of judahs lion, 
n revel. 5.5.  who prevails  
TO unclasp the book, & lose the seven shut seals,  
All these are come to be by Us possessed,  
One 
o Gen. 12.3.18.18.22.18. Act. 5.25. Gal. 3 8.  who all generations maketh blessed.  
What others did expect, we do enjoy:  

p esay 9.6.  To us that son is born, that blessed Boy  
To us is given which promised was to them,  
The joy and glory of jerusalem:  
Shall we not then with blessed Angels sing  
And holy Anthem to our heavenly King?   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   

Glory to God on high who this hath wrought,  
And mans salvation thus about hath brought  
By wondrous ways which none could do, but One,  

q Psal. 77.14.72 18.  Who wondrous is in all his ways alone.  
Well might his name be called 
r Isa. 9.6.  wonderful,  
Whose Birth, Life, Death, whose rising were so full  
Of glorious wonders; and of wondrous glories;  
Such as the world never found in all their stories.  
O with what wonders do his Heavens abound,  
Sith sundry wonders in each worm is found!  
What thing so little is which he hath wrought,  
Which with a world of wonders is not fraught?  
And yet of all the wonders he hath done,  
himself the greatest wonder is alone:  

s Mirabilis Deus in sanctis suis. Psal 68. v. ult.  Wondrous in all his blessed Saints is he,  

† Si in sanctis suis mirabilis Deus, quomod non inseipso ●●rabilis M●x. Taurin. ho. 1. in Nat. Do●  Shall he not in himself more wondrous be?  
Who in his Baptists Birth was wondrous known,  
Shall he not be more wondrous in his own?   

O sacred Riddles which no ingeny  
Or Art of man or Angels can untie!  
Which who so ere would have to be disclosed  
Must with his heifer plough who them composed,  
And being once disclosed who can refrain  
His tongue from tuning this angelic strain,   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   


† Magn●que aequaeu● parent Progenies Sannaz. de part virg. l. 1.  Behold a son as ancient as his Father  
Being without beginning both together.  
Betwixt whom and him this difference is alone,  
That he the Father is, and this the son.  
The one begets, the other is begot,  
Yet the one in time from the other differs not.  
For both a coeternal being had, 
Christ the eternal son of God and God equal with his father.   
Ere time or any Creature else was made.  
God always was a Father, and was never  
without his son who with him was for ever.  
So, of himself the glorious Eye of heaven  
Begets a beam, which with himself is even  
In time, in being: For the beam begun  
In the same instant with his sire the sun.  
So from the spring a springing stream doth flow,  
Which in it is, and yet doth from it go:  
So yields the Incense a sweet smell, and this  
Both of and with and in the Incense is.  
So doth the pregnant mind a word beget,  
Betwixt whom and it Time doth no distance set.  
The Sun, the spring, the Incense, the mind afford  
At once the beam, the stream, the smell, the word.  
Cannot the Father do that in his son,  
Which in the Creature we see daily done?  
What they by him in time perform, could he  
Not in himself do from eternity?  
But this eternal Sonship scorns compare,  

t Esay. 53.8.  Who can his generation declare?  
Before thou canst thy makers offspring show,  
Presumptuous man, first learn thine own to know.   

Peace 
† Arrius who said that there was a time when the Son was not.  damned heretic, blaspheme no more,  
Say not, the Father was in time before  
The son: and that there was a time wherein  
The son was not, who did in time begin  
To be: For here is no priority  
In time, in deity, in dignity.  
No time before the Father ever was,  
No time before the son could ever pass.  
What thread of time before him could be spinning,  

u John. 1.1. In the beginning was the word.  Who is the word which was ere times beginning?  

x And that word was with God.  That word which ever was with God: 
y And that word was God.  That word  
which ever was, is, shall be God the Lord:  
What time could be before him, who did frame  

z All things were made by him.  Both time, and all that man can Creature name?  
Same God, same Essence, same eternity,  
And all the same seem Personality.  

* Non quia qui summus n/a est & Filius hic est, said quia quod summu● Pater est & Filius hoc est. Sedulius.  The son we say, and do not say amiss,  
The same, not who, but what the Father is.  
Same, not the same, the Father and the son,  
Not same in person are in substance one.  
One, yet not one. Father, and son( we say)  
One God indeed, but not one person they.  
The son of God both son and God must be,  
God of himself, son of his Father He:  
So nor the father is the son, nor yet  
The son the Father, who did him beget.  
But both the Father, and the son, the word,  
One God we do aclowledge and one Lord.  
What time, what distance could then be between  
Who both are one and ever so hath been?  
If God had once no son, then once must he,  
Without z the brightness of his glory be.  

a Heb. 13.  If he be God o'er all, blessed for ever,  
What time could then him from his Father sever? 
b Rom. 9.5.   
If that the word in time from God did come,  
There was a time, when God himself was dumb:  
If God did his 
c esay. 53.1. where by the arm of the Lord the Fathers some of them do understand Christ.  arm in time attain,  
A time there was when God did maimed remain.  
So must they say of God, and so blaspheme,  
Who of a time before the son do dream.   

show then the time proud heretic, wherein  
He was not, who for ever God hath been.  
show when the son was not, who, though the son  

* Isa. 9.6.  Yet the everlasting Fathers name hath won.  
show when he did begin to be, who seeing  
He is God, with God had everlasting being.  
assign a time beyond eternity:  
If not, recant thy cursed heresy.  
Considering such a wondrous glorious birth,  
Shall we not say, and sing with heavenly mirth,   

Glory to God on high, on earth be peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   


The human ●ature of Christ as he ●s the son of the Virgin.  Behold a son who Father hath and mother,  
Yet may be said, to have nor one nor other.  
In heaven a Father without mother known,  
A Mother here he had but Father none.  

e Heb. 7.3.  The true Melchisedec from heaven descending,  
Who nor beginning hath of days nor ending:  

f revel. 22.3.  The first, the last: King, Priest and Prophet true,  
To teach, to sacrifice and to subdue.  
Who only worthy was to have none other,  
Father then God, nor then a Virgin Mother,  

Reasons why the messiah was to be born of a pure virgin.  For twas not comely that one son should know  
Two Fathers; one above, one here below.  
And how could he man without sin be made  
If to his Father he some sinner had?  

g John. 3.6.  That which is born of flesh flesh needs must be,  
And how could sinful flesh from sin flesh free?  
Had any Adams son his Father been,  
He had received with Adams seed his sin.  
And had he ought of Adams sin possessed,  
Then how could Adams seed in him be blessed?  

h Heb. 7. 2●  The high Priest by whom we should be reconciled  
Must holy, harmless be, and undefiled,  
Separate from sinners( though 
i esay. 53.13  'mong them reputed)  
For had he been himself with sin polluted  
How could he from us our pollutions take!  
He must be pure who others pure shall make.  

* De imm●● conceptum 〈◇〉 mine nullu● cree mundu● potest nisi i● per semet i● mundus est 〈◇〉 Gregor. M●● in job.  Who could them cleanse. who were of sinful seed  
Conceived, save he who did no cleansing need?  

† Quis eni●● peccata m●● tolleret, nisi quem pecca● non cadit?  Who can the worlds sin take away, but He  
Who from all spot and blot of sin is free?  
The beam out of mine eye he plucks alone,  
Who hath nor beam nor blemish in his own.   

Thus did the heavenly Providence dispose  
That even his Birth should what he is disclose:  
True Man, because of Woman born, but not  
mere Man, because no Father him begot.  

* Secundu● conditionem ●turae natus 〈◇〉 faemina, sup●● conditionem ●curae natus 〈◇〉 virgin T●● as Part 3. 〈◇〉 Quaest. 31. ●●tic. 5  Thus by his natural Birth true man we know him,  
His supernatural more then man doth show him.  
And thus the heavenly wisdom did ordain,  
That they who by a 
† It is prob●● that eve 〈◇〉 a virgin 〈◇〉 when she● transgress●● Polanus  Virgins sin were slain,  
Should by a Virgins seed be saved: 
* Vt unde 〈◇〉 dedit paena●● etas daret 〈◇〉 salutem. Se●lius  And whence  
Sin came, God would salvation draw from thence.   

Let all the world show such a son again  
Whose Birth so many wonders doth contain.  
A lamb new fallen, i slain ere the world begun,  
His Mothers Father, and his Daughters son:  
A dove hatched in the nest himself did built:  
A flower in winter sprung that framed the field  
From whence it sprung. 
k revel. 7  A lily risen new  
That made the bed and garden where it grew.  

l Cant. 2.  A ston cut without hands which with one dash  
The Iron, day, brass, silver, Gold did quash  
Of which that dreadful Image was composed  
Which to the great 
* Dan. 2.34: Nebuchad●ezzar.  chaldean was disclosed.  
In visions of the night. 
* Psal. 118.22. ●at. 21.47. Act. 4.11.  The corner ston  
That built, and bears the fabric built thereon:  
Who though the foolish builders him rejected,  
Now in the Corner is chief ston erected.  
Let all the world now show us such a Child  
Of Adams seed, not with his sin defiled.  
A Child who never by man begotten was,  
Who doth his Mother far in age surpass,  
And match his Father in antiquity,  
Elder then the eldest of his Pedigree.  
A Child who made all Children and the Place  
And Time wherein and when himself born was.  
A Child that's God, and 
* esay. 63.1.  God mighty to save,  
All those 
* joh. 17.12.  whom unto him his Father gave.  

* Dan. 7.4.  The ancient of days born in and hour: The light  
Of both the Worlds arising in the night.  
A Child who had he not to Us been born,  
All generations had been quiter forlorn.  
Should not the strangest Child who came to save  
The world, the strangest Mother likewise have?  
And so he had: We truly may aver,  
No son like him, no Mother like to her.  

* Nec primam 〈◇〉 visa est ●●s ●abere secun●am. Bern. in ●●gil. Nat. ser. 3  For such a Mother never was before,  
And such another never shall be more.  
Let all the world now show us such a Mother,  
And say which is more wondrous one or other.  
She for a Mother, or he for a son,  
It must be said, when all is said and done,  
O wondrous Mother, but more wondrous son.  
For such a saving son, both Mother may  
With Angels sing, and we with them may say   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   

Behold a Mother, yet a Virgin still,  

† Mariam no●● libido impregnavitsed fides.  Whose womb not lust, but lively Faith did fill:  
Before, and in, and after Birth a maid,  
Of whom among all her sex it may be said.  
She enjoyed by bringing forth that heavenly Boy,  

* Gaudia Matris habens cum Virginitatis honore. Bern.  A Virgins honour, with a Mothers joy:  
Behold a field which never by man was tild,  
Wheat whence is made, the bread of life doth yield.  
Thus ere the Heavens 
r Gen. 2.5.6.  did showers on Earth distil,  
Amy'st her pregnant womb with fruit did fill.  

s judge. 6.37.38.  Thus Gedeons fleece was moist when all was dry,  
And dry when all about it moist did lye.  

t Exod. 3.2.  Thus Moses bush sent forth a flaming fume,  
And burning did not with the fire consume.  
Thus did Faiths fire the Virgins heart inflame,  
And yet abolished not her Virgin-name:  
Her swelling belly nothing did abate  
The entireness of her Maidenhead, state.  

u Numb. 17.8.  And thus on Aarons Rod ripe Almonds grew,  
Not set in earth nor moistened with the due.  

† Vt virga ●lo●uit absque germine, sic Virgo concepit non ex homine Bern. Sup Missus est hom. 2.  And thus from Maries womb 
x esay. 53.2.  a Plant proceeded,  
Which neither setting, neither plantage needed.   

never till now two Phoenixes were seen  
At once; For this the usual course hath been  
( If all be true, that Naturalists have  told,)  
The young ones birth brings death unto the old:  
One Phoenix here another forth doth bring,  
And yet herself is saved from perishing:  
The Mother there dies to produce and other,  
But here the Child must die to save the Mother,  
The young one must himself of life deprive,  
Or else the Mother Phoenix cannot live.   

If thou o man dost ask how this may be,  
The same that answered her must answer thee.  
When of the Messenger she did demand  
How this with possibility might stand.  
That she should have a Manchild of her own,  
Who never Man in all her life had known?  
All things are possible with God, whose skill  
And power to work are equal with his will.  
Least we should doubt of this he first would do  
Things all as strange as this, and stranger too.  

* ●●nnon putas e●m novum pue●n̄ in aluo Vir●nis potuisse for●are qui quum ●rimum conde●et heminem, nec 〈◇〉 P●t●i● nec ●iscera materna ●ae fiuit? Max. ●●m. 3. de Nat.  He who at first to frame a Man did need  
Neither a Mothers womb nor Fathers seed,  
Could he not now form in a Virgins Womb  
A Child, who from no Fathers seed should come?  
Could not the same who first made man of Earth  
Procure a maiden to bring forth a Birth?  
He, who a Woman of a Man could frame  
Without a Woman's help, could not the same  
A perfect Man now of a Woman make,  
One who no man should for his Father take?  
Let this suffice: 
* Ratio facti est ●otentia fo●ientis; Considera authorum & tell dubitationem. Tertullian de resurrect Carnis.  The reason of the dead,  
Doth from the doers will and power proceed.  
Consider who it is that wrought the fact,  
Once know the Author, doubt not of the Act.  
But for the Act the Author magnify,  
joining with the Angels in their melody,   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   

Astronomers of the Zodiac cease to talk,  
And the twelve signs through which the Sun doth walk  
Say what you will you cannot well avow,  
The Sun in Virgo truly was till now.  
You never did until this day espy,  
heaven low as Earth, and Earth as heaven made high.  
In all your houses such a match was never,  
heaven comes and woes and weddeth Earth for ever.  
You never saw what now you see is done,  
A Pregnant moon, a Sublunary sun.  
You never saw that light which shines so far,  
veiled in a Stall, revealed by a star.  
Alter the Motto in your Almanakes,  
For now your anciently-said saw mistakes.  

† Sapiens dominabitur ●stris  A wiseman ruler ore the Stars shall be,  
The wisemen now ruled by a star we see:  
Who from the rising of the sun are pressed  
To see the sun arising in the West.   

Come noble 
* The wise men held two Persians. The Persians of old worshipped the sun.  Persians now learn to adore  
A greater sun, then that you did before:  
A sun which the other made, and to him lends  
That light which he unto the world extends.  

y josh. 10.12.  A sun which once commanded yours to stay  
His restless race, and to produce the day.  

z esay. 38.8.  And at another time enforced his shade  
To turn full ten degrees quiter retrograde:  

a Luk. 23.44.45.  And who shall shortly so eclipse his light,  
That all the world at noon shall put on night.  
When Earths vast globe in sable darkness shall  
Attend as Mourners at his funeral:  
Then shall the learned 
† Dionysius areopagita, cuius illa vox celebra tur, aut Deus naturae patitur aut mundi machina dissoluttur.  Areopagite  
cry out, amazed at the uncouth sight,  
Either the God of Natures suffers wrong,  
Or the worlds frame shall be dissolved ere long.  
Above all your Stars adore this rising Sun,  
And if the Spheres make music as they run,  
Be sure no better strain then this can be  
The sweet Faburthen to their melody,   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   

Behold the lamb of God, the lamb and God,  
Who maketh those things even which erst were odd.  

* The substance ●f the soul, of ●●e body and ●he divine substance.  Three Substances, two Natures, Person one,  
The sacred Godhead chief expression.  
As in the ever blessed trinity,  
One holy Nature is in Persons three,  
So in one son who flesh for us did take,  
Two Natures, Gods and ours, one Person make.  
Three Persons there one substance do possess,  
One Person here enjoys three substances.   

O blessed blood! O sacred union,  

The Personal union.  That joineth three in two, and two in one!  
Three substances in Natures two agree,  
These two in one, This One, one, two, and three.  

* unio Perso●alis said non: ●er sonarum ●nio natura●um said non ●aturalis quiae ●●pernaturalis. ●ommunicatie ●diomatum.  By virtue of and union personal,  
But not of Persons: Neither natural,  
Although of Natures, but substantial  
Because of substances, united so  
That neither their own properties forego:  
But such a friendly interchange they make,  
That each with other doth in speech partake,  
And what is said of God, the same of man  
( Sith God and man are one) affirm we can:  
And what of man said properly may be,  
The same likewise of God affirm may we.  
Thus do we say( and what we say is true)  
That God did die and man did death subdue.  
God died, because the Person who did die  
Was not mere man, but God eternally:  
And man subdued death, because the same  
Christ God and man both died and overcame.  

b Act 20.28.  So by his blood a Church God purchased  
unto himself: what blood hath God to  shed?  

c 1. Cor. 2.8.  So was the Lord of glory Crucifide,  
When Christ the Lord of glory for us died.  

d Mark. 9.6.  So sins of men the son of man forgives,  

e Mark. 2.11.  Which who can do, save God who sinless lives.  
These speeches in the Abstract disagree,  
In sense compounded well accorded be.  
Lord what is man that only for his sake  
The Almighty should such strange exchanges make?  

* Videatur D. Bernard In vigil. Nat. Sir. 1.  What higher is then God, then Earth more base?  
Yet so far God vouchsafeth Earth to grace,  
So humbly God doth unto Earth descend,  
So largely God doth cause Earth to extend,  
So nearly God, Earth to himself uniteth,  
So firm a league t'wixt him and it he plighteth  
That what God doth that Earth is said to do,  
And what Earth suffers God doth suffer too.  

† advert o homo quia lincus es & ne sis superbus, quia Deo coniunctus es, & ne sis ingratus. Bern. u●i supr.  Man know thou art but earth, Pride therefore hate:  
Man, thou art joined to God, be not ingrate:  
But sing to him by whom advanced thou art  
With lofty voice but with and humble Heart,   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   


Christ his great humiliation in becoming man.  Lord what is man that only for his sake,  
The Almighty should such strange exchanges make?  
Eternity and Infant is become,  
The strength of Israel weak, that word is dumb.  
He whom the heaven of Heavens cannot contain  
In narrow bowels doth impent remain:  
born is he in a base unworthy stall,  
Who us advanceth to Heavens glorious Hall:  
He who doth all things fit, fits not a Crach,  
heaven unto Earth, God unto man doth match.  
He who doth silly man like Angels make  
And homely lodging with poor Beasts doth take:  
The worlds Creator and commander great  
And inn for love or money cannot get,  
But from fit lodging they do him expel,  
Who with a word can lodge them all in hell.  
He cries to whom all hearts for help do call,  
He cannot help himself who helpeth all.  
even He from whom the Angels their knowledge learn,  
His right hand from his left cannot discern:  

f Heb. 1.3.  who all things by his word upholds, even he  
By Woman's feeble hand upheld must be  
For fear of falling. And the Almighty one  
Without his Creature cannot stand alone.  
The Way as yet the way to none can show,  
The Truth not yet can truth from falsehood know.  
The immortal putteth on mortality  
The everlasting Life begins to die,  
That by his Birth he may that debt defray,  
Which Man did owe, but none save God could pay.  
The souls physician is to Death given over,  
That so the Sin-sick Patient may recover.  
A desp'rate cure for desp'rate malady:  
The head must off or the whole body die.  
Who is mans head but God? But ö! How can  
God die? God may, if he become a Man.  
God is become a man subject to death,  
A subject which the conqueror conquereth.  

g Heb. 2.14.  Because the Children were of flesh composed;  

h Christ ca●●ed the everlasting Fath● esay. 9.6. Heb. 2.26.  Their Father would be in that flesh enclosed,  
That so by Death he might o'ercome that evil,  
Which had the power of Death, that is the divell.  
The Angels Nature he refused to take,  
But man of Abrahams seed himself would make.  
That in our Nature he might him subdue,  
Who first our feeble Nature overthrew:  
That man on satan might avenge mans wrong,  
And them redeem whom he held captive long: 
Christ by hi● humiliation loseth nothing of his Glory   
For greater is the glory and the merit,  
When feeble flesh overcomes a potent spirit.   

God is become a Man. The ioyful'st news  
That ever was or shall be: Yet ensues  
No alteration neither diminution,  
No loss, no mixture here, much less confusion.  

† Ille mā●● q●● semper erat, quod non era● esse Incipiens Prudentius P●chomach.  becoming what he was not, he remains  
That which he ever was. The manhood gains,  
The Godhead looseth not. 
* mihi contul● & sibi mansi● Prudentius i●  To me he gives  
himself, and yet his own he ever lives.  
That which he was he is, yet once was not  
That which he is. A Nature he hath god  
More then he had, and yet he still retains  
That which he had. 
† Hinc illud crumb Aenig●● Sum quod er●● nec eram quo● sum nunc, d● cor vtrumq● Ignoras nisi me parts ab traque tenes.  And having both, remains  
But one: And though he take one Nature more,  
Yet is he but one Person as before.  
God he was still, not Man until this tide,  
Hence forth both God and Man he doth abide:  
A time there was when man he was not shown,  
But when he was not God no time was known.  

* Ante ullum ●pus Deus in tempo● Christus. ●erbum ●●pe caro ●●um non ●●itit esse ●d fuerat ●bum carnis 〈◇〉 glutinat ●●m. Pruden●● ubi supr.  God before time, and in times fullness Christ,  
Remaineth still the greatest and the highest.  

* ●on alter ex ●re, alter ex ●tre, said a●●r ex patre, ●●er ex ma● Eucherius. 〈◇〉. 2. de Nat. 〈◇〉 homo sic ●●us es ut 〈◇〉 fis alter 〈◇〉 altar.  The word made Flesh, the word remaineth still,  
Nor is it emptied though the Flesh it fill.  
Nor doth he of his highness ought abate,  
Though humbly he descend to our estate:  
But stooping to advance us who before  
Were low, himself is nothing yet the lower.  
And though for Man made son of Man he be,  
Yet still the son of God remaineth he.  
The Godhead so the Manhood doth possess,  
That for the Man God nothing is the less.  
A lower state of Sonship he doth choose,  
And yet his former Sonship doth not lose.  

* ●●osper de ●ouident. In ●risto est 〈◇〉 ●●ud & ali●, non alius 〈◇〉 alias. Bu●us.  And thus two sundry ways he is a son,  
As God, as Man, yet not two sons but one.  
One way the son of God, son of his Mother  
Another way: Both ways one, not another.  

* Venit in ●undum, non ●posita said ●posita majestate. As●●mpta est ●umanitas, ●on consump●● divinitas:- ●ucherius u●i supr.  His glory not cast off but laid aside,  
To Earth he come, yet doth in heaven abide.  
even so some Prince or Lord of great repute,  
leaves off his own, puts on a Servants suit,  
Who though a servile habit him invest,  
Yet is not of his honour dispossessed.   

That golden Eye which gilds the world with day,  
Reaching to Earth yet still in heaven doth stay:  
So doth the son of God to Us arrive  
On Earth, and yet with God in heaven doth live.  
And as my speech arriveth unto thee,  
Whose ear receives it, yet remains with me:  
So did the Fathers Word to me attain,  
And with the Father unremoved remain.  
Or as mine arm extended doth abide,  
With joints and sinews to my shoulder tide:  
So reached the Lord his 
h esay. 53.1. Vid. Supr. Page.  arm to me in love,  
Yet from himself he did it not remove.  
What honour should we yield to him who thus,  
Was pleased to embase himself to honour us?  
Can we do less then in our best tuned lays  
With blessed Angels sing unto his praise?   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   

Thus greatness little to become was pleased,  
Yet to continue Great he never ceased:  
Thus Heavens high King swathed in a Cratch doth lye,  
Yet looseth nothing of his majesty.  
He who the glorious Angels did create,  
Becomes a 
i Psal. 22.6.  worm yet keeps his own estate.  
God had his lowliness enough commended,  
Had he but to and Angels state descended.  
For betwixt and Angel and a worm, more odds  
Is not, then betwixt and Angels state and Gods.  

* Nihil profuisset sublimitas nisi ad fuisset humilitas Heinsiu● hom. in Theophan.  Had he not dained himself to humble thus,  
What good had all his greatness done to Us?  

† Christ his humiliation should teach us humility.  Great cause have we to embrace humility,  
Sith God himself embraced us thereby.  
When greatness vengeance for our sins did crave,  
humility it was that did us save.  
When majesty and justice 'gainst us stood,  
Then Mercy sought, humility wrought our good.  
When we to Hell were fallen, then God did deign  
To stoop to Earth to raise us up again.  
never had man from Earth to heaven attained,  
Had God to stoop to Earth from heaven disdained.  

* Vide o homo ●uid pro te actus est De●●: Doctrinam ●umilitatis ●gnosce nondum ●oquente Do●tore. August. ●le Temp. ser. 2.  learn of thy Lord, proud man, humble to be,  
Who red this humble Lecture unto thee.  
Ere he could red or speak: His Incarnation  
Was his first Lecture of Humiliation.  
When being God he stooped to be Man,  
Whence greater Glory at the last he won:  
When as his Father did him so advance,  
And so his name above all names enhance.  

k Phil. 2.8.  That at the name of jesus every knee  
In heaven, on Earth, in Hell should bent be.  
What can man lose by his Humility,  
Sith ●od himself advanced was thereby?  
That meekness which at first his Birth did preach  
His words, his deeds throughout his Life did teach.  

l Mat. 11.21. The commendation of humility with exhortation thereunto.  learn ye of Me( saith He) for I am meek:  
What better thing then Learning can we seek?  
Then Christ, what better teacher can there be?  
What better lesson then humility?  
Who would not, that can good from ill discern,  
Of the best Teacher the best lesson learn!  
By the same Paces we to God must tend,  
By which his son did unto Us descend.  

m Mat. 21.5.  Behold thy King comes meek to thee, wilt thou  
Come proud unto thy King? will he allow  
In thee who art with mortal day invested,  
What in his glorious Angels he detested?  
Pride them from heaven and glory did eject,  
humility to heaven must us erect.  
With God, who highness is itself, more high  
Nothing is held then low humility.  
† In Gods esteem much rather is allowed, 
* Melior est peccator humilis quàm ●ustus superbus. Augustin de Temp: Ser. 44.   
And humble sinner then a just man proud.   

Is not God high? yet he who will attain  
unto his highness, lowly must remain.  
Erect thyself, he doth from thee retire:  
Deject thyself, thou dost to him aspire.  
For when he sees thy stooping to deject thee,  
himself stoops down more highly to erect thee.  
The Proud a far off he beholds to scorn them,  
The Humble he regards with grace to adorn them.  
Sweet saviour by thy lowliness thou showest,  
The best Ambition is who shall be lowest.  
What more becomes a Christian, then the same  
To be to Christ, which Christ for him became?  
What griues the blessed Spirits ●●o seek our bliss,  
What more doth glad the Fiends our foes, then this  
To see a lowly God, a lof● Man,  
And humble Christ, and a proud Christian?   

Thus God is one become o man, with thee,  
That thou again at one with God mightst be.  
Thus is the Abyssus filled, the Chasma closed,  
Which betwixt our God and Us sin interposed.  
This he 
n Col. 1.9.  in whom all fullness dwells, hath done,  
Who being both himself 
o Ephes. 2.14.  hath made both one.  
We could not come to him, to us he came,  
even what we are that he himself became;  
save only sin, which he came to abolish,  

p Ephes. Vt supr.  And that partition-wall quiter to demolish,  
Which severed God and Us Now join we may,  
Man unto God by man hath found away.  
The Patient could not to the physician go,  
The kind physician comes to him: And so  
Upon himself he our disease derives,  
That from himself and us both he it drives.  
Lord what is man, that only for his sake,  
The Almighty should such strange exchanges make?  
The Angels themselves such love considering,  
In joyful admiration do sing,   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   

Once God of Adam in derision said,  

* Gen. 3.21.  Behold the man like one of us is made;  
The sons of Adam now of God may say,  
Behold he's made like one of us to day,  
Not only like to us but even the same:  
All that belongs to this our mortal frame  
He took, save that which made it mortal, sin,  
were't not for which, man had immortal been.  
Yea sin itself he took( 
* esay. 53.4.  as truth doth say)  
But took it only to take it away.  

* Rom. 8.3.4.  Similitude of sinful flesh araies  
His Godhead, so sin in the flesh he slays.  
Similitude of sinful flesh he takes,  
But yet in taking it this difference makes,  

* Accepit car●is veritatem ●on similitudi●em, accepit ●eccati simi●itudinem non ●eritatem.  The Flesh he takes in truth, with flesh endued,  
The sin he takes but in Similitude.  
The flesh he takes is ours, but so he takes it  
As that his own, and clean from sin he makes it.  
The sin he takes is ours, and not his own,  
For sin in him save ours was never known:  
The flesh he takes for ever to enjoy it,  
The sin he takes but only to destroy it.  

t 2. Cor. 5.21.  He knew no sin, yet sin was made, that we,  
The righteousness of God in him might be.  
Both what he made and made not he did take,  
Flesh, which he made: sin which he never did make:  
That which he never made and doth detest,  
He would be made for us to make us blessed.  
Lord what is man that only for his sake,  
The Almighty should such strange exchanges make?  
The royalest exchange for us was this,  
When God changed his for ours, we ours for his.  
When that man might be freed, God would be sold,  
When for our brass he gave in change his gold:  
When with his royal robes us to adorn,  
To take on him our rags he did not scorn.  
O royal change for us, o blessed Burse,  
Where man the blessing gains, God takes the curse!  
Cease we not then with blessed spirits to sing  
And holy Anthem to our heavenly King,   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   

Proud carnal reason, strike the swelling sails  
Of human wisdom which here nought avails:  
under the lee of true religion fallen,  
In this adventure 
† These my●ries cannot comprehended by reas● they must b● apprehende● by Faith.  Faith doth all in all.  

u 1. Tim. 3.16.  Great is this mystery of godliness,  
Transcending mans dwarf-wit. 
* Hoc myste● um miraculi● plenum est, 〈◇〉 scitè & rite Bernard. Vni● idemque opus m sericordia & iustitia: una eademque Persona Deus & homo. Una ea● demque faemin● matter & vi●go: Vnus idemque filius 〈◇〉 unas idemque Christus nobi & judex & advocatus.  Who can express,  
Who can conceive how Earth should heaven invest,  
How God in flesh should be made manifest?  
How justice should in sweet conjunction  
With mercy meet in the same action:  
How the same Person God and man should be,  
Yet neither Nature lose his property:  
How the same son should Father have & mother,  
And yet be said to have nor one nor other:  
How the same woman truly may be said  
At once to be a mother and a maid:  
How mothers milk into her breasts should come,  
Who never received mans seed within her womb:  
How God from heaven should come to join with day,  
Yet God with God in heaven should ever stay.  
The heathen wizards, though they did avow  
Men to be Gods, yet never would allow  
God to be man, supposing God would scorn  
In a poor mortal vessel to be born;  
( And reason sure will say: As easily can  
Man become God as God become a man)  
Yea they who best judged of the deity  
Would soon'st of all deride this mystery:  
That he who immortality possesses  
Would become mortal: He who others blesses  
And is most blessed himself, would be a 
* Gal. 3.13.  Curse,  
( For who would change a good estate for worse)  
That he who Thunders in the Clouds on high,  
Become and Infant, in a Cratch should cry:  
That Heavens Lord Paramount should thus become  
A subject, and possess a servants room:  
That the lawgiver, who from Law is free,  

x made under the Law. Gal. 4.4.  And underling unto the Law should be:  
And this not for his friends but even for those,  
Who of his friends became his mortal foes,  
That so they might for ever friends remain,  
Though by their friendship he can never gain  
The least of that it cost him to procure it,  
And in such frail ones firmly to ensure it.  
( Sith 'tis against the rules of policy  
To trust a reconciled enemy)  
Yet all this, wretched man to bliss to bring,  
He hath performed. Then cease we not to sing   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   

Come Faith and fathom the profundities  
Of these so secret sacred mysteries:  
The line of Reason is too short to found  
This Sea, which neither bottom hath nor bound.  

† Hîc human● cessat ratio, hîc flaccessit acies intellectus nostri: hîc docti pariter indoctique coniunguntur. Heiu sius ho. i● Theophan.  All learning here is posed, all wit to seek:  
Doctors and Dunces here are learned alike.  
The wisest here no wiser are then fools:  
* Christ in a Stall was born not in the schools:  
His Birth by the Angel was not first made known,  
To Scribes and rabbis, but to shepherds shown;  
People who in simplicity did live:  
Dispute they could not, but they could believe.  
unto this feast which was for all men fitted, 
† Christus non in Academiâ natus est said in stabulo. ibid.   
The Wisemen were the last that were admitted:  
Who humbly did fallen down when they were come  
Their human wisdom they did leave at home;  
And this their great Inviter more contented,  
Then all the precious presents they presented:  
For wisdom doth her feast for none prepare,  
save those who of their own first empty are:  
Those she doth fill: but such as filled come  
With their own wisdom, she sends empty home.   

Come we with them, and let Faith come with us,  
Which doth believe, adore, and not discuss.  
A better present to our heavenly King  
Then Gold, then Myrrh, then frankincense we bring:  
All which Faith offers when it doth believe  
The dead, and to the doer praise doth give,  
For that whereof it can no reason render.  
The true believer is the best commender  
Of Gods all wondrous works, most glory bringing,  
When with the blessed spirits he fals a singing.   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   


† Demus Deum aliquid posse, cuius nos rationem reddere non possumus. Augustin.  Grant we that God can something do, which man  
Can neuet reach with reasons narrow span:  

* Si potest homo intelligere divina, potest & facere. Nam intelligere est quasi è vestigio subsequi. Lactant. Institut. l. 7. c. 2.  Could man of all the actions God can do,  
The reason render, he might do them too.  
( For none Omniscient can be but one,  
Who also is Omnipotent alone.)  
And could man do Gods actions, man should be  
Omnipotent, and God, as well as he.  
Gods works to us apparent are, the way  
Whereby he works, closed in himself doth stay:  
So doth some skilful artisan reveal  
His Masterpiece, but doth his skill conceal:  
So God his works doth unto mortals show,  
But how he works, he doth not let them know:  
Least if they knew both Art and work, they might  
The Art, the work, the worker basely slight.  
Those works do quickly starve their estimation,  
Which are not fed and filled with admiration.  
Praise is but could which from a tongue is sent,  
Not warmed with wonder and astonishment:  
But when we stand amazed at the dead,  
Best praise unto the doer doth proceed  
From wondering silence. Then at last we strain  
Our tongues to sing out some angelic vain.   

Glory to God on high, on earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   

Avaunt then saucy curiosity,  
Dangerous it is into this ark to pry. 
Against Curiosity.   
God soonest doth his mysteries impart,  
unto the humble and believing heart.  

* Inueniet pus pulsator quod curiosus indagator no● poterit. Bern. in Cant. ser. 26.  The humble suitor soonest shall obtain,  
That which the curious searcher seeks in vain:  

† Qui scrutator est Maiestatis, opprimetur à gloriâ  Let him who dives into Gods secrecy,  
Dread overwhelming by his majesty.  
Here nothing doth found knowledge more advance,  
Nor is more learned then humble Ignorance.   

Will Adams Imps never from this itch be quitted,  
Of craving to know more then is permitted?  
What fooled their Father out of all his store  
Of wisdom, but this lusting after more?  
While he would wiser be then he was made,  
He lost the substance catching at the shade;  
Yet will not his bold issue warned be,  
But still are tasting the forbidden three.  
As if a blind man sought his sight to find,  
By the same means which made his Father blind:  
Cease then to argue, or if you dispute,  
Let Faith be moderator, reason mute.  
'Twere hard for me, and many a silly man,  
were't Art, and wit that made a Christian,  
Not Faith, and Hope, and Charity. Those three  
As well in simplo, as in wise may be.  

* Benedicta sit divina sapientia, quae in negotio salutis humanam penitus excludit. Heiusius ubi supr.  blessed be Gods wisdom who doth mans exclude  
In heavenly matters. Here the raw and rude  
May with the wisest walk. The wisest man  
Can but believe, and so the simplest can.  
Yea sometimes sooner then the wiser do,  
Who carnal wisdom trusting too much to,  
run mad with reason, and then furiously,  
do cut the knot they know not to untie.  
Tis well that God this wondrous work hath done,  
Whereby to Us is brought salvation:  
Sufficeth that the matter is revealed,  
Although the manner be from us concealed:  
Tis well the benefit doth ours remain,  
Though to the secret we can not attain:  
Tis fair our King into his Court doth take us,  

Hall. B. ●on. Medi●  Though of his counsel he refuse to make us  
Each Saint may say, such honour is for me  
Too high. Yet all his Saints so honoured be.  
Then let his praise still in their mouths be found,  
And let them with his royal Guard resound.   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   


●●e power ●●d praise of o.  O blessed be God who gives Faith to supply,  
That which for Reasons reach is far too high:  
Which man above himself to mount doth teach,  
Reaching to what surmounteth human reach.  
Whereby a Christian doth excel the rest  
Of Men, as far as Man excels a beast.  
says God the word? Faith doubts not of the dead,  

●ai. 53.19 ●●atres gene●tio Christi 〈◇〉 arrari non ●test Credi ●test, & ubi ●●gua deficit, ●ides proficit. ●aximus ubi ●p●.  How far so ere it doth mans sense exceed:  
Christs generation cannot be declared,  
believed it can be. Nothing is too hard  
For Faith. Where wit and language both do fail,  
To think, to speak, Faith comes and doth prevail.  
What Art by arguing cannot comprehend,  
Faith by believing soon doth apprehended.  
Things whereof t'is impossible to give  
A reason, Faith doth easily believe.  
Faith made the Man-untouched Virgins womb, 
Ipsa corusca● tis monitis s●cra virgo m●nistri Credidit, atque ideo concepit credula Christum: credente● nam Christu● adit, dubitabile pectus si●titubante fid●● vacuo contennit honore Prudentius Apotheos: Compendium salutis est fides, Fidei obstaculum sap●entia. Heiu sius. 1. Cor. 1.26. Omnia in D●● supra ration● nihil supra ●dem. Quicquid ●●lus Deus pot● facere, sola ●des potest cr●dere. He ius●● ut supr.   
To swell, and milk unto her breasts to come.  
Had she not first by Faith the word received  
Into her soul, her womb had been bereaved,  
Of that preferment to conceive the Word,  
Which to the world salvation doth afford.  
Faith made the Virgin pregnant, Faith must make,  
The Christian Christ into his soul to take:  
As she by Faith conceived him, so He  
By Faith in Christians still conceived must be.  
Faith to Salvation's a compendious way,  
wisdom to Faith and obstacle and stay.  
Not many 〈◇〉 nor mighty God doth choose,  
Nor any that hath Faith he doth refuse.  
O let me wise unto salvation be!  
Lord, give me Faith, take wit who will for me!  
All things in God do human wit transcend,  
But nothing Faith. Where human wit doth end,  
Let Faith supply. What only God can do,  
Faith only can believe and reach unto.  
The things which God hath done for us today,  
conceive we cannot, but believe we may.  
And if we do believe, let's not dispute,  
But speak our Faith in accents which do suit  
unto the message which one Angel bringing,  
Immediately a multitude are singing.   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease. 
1. Pet. 1.12    

Into this mystery they to look desire,  
And looking do not argue but admire.  
Solemnizing the Day whose like before  
They never saw, they never shall see more.  
And holy, happy day, a day of days,  
Greater then any day, whose radiant rays  
Had they not shined and brought this blessed light,  
The world had lain drowned in eternal night.  
Better for us, vile Wretches, it had been,  
TO have seen no days, them this day not to-havehaue seen.   

O Day of days which in endue estimation,  

●●iores sunt 〈◇〉 in quibus ●eternam ●am renasci● quam illi ●uibus ad 〈◇〉 tempora creamur: fidem maiosunt bona ●tiae quam ●urae. Eu●rius ho. 2. paschate ●●n. 12.46.  Excels the first days of the worlds Creation!  
Not all the works which those six days brought forth  
Can equalize this one days works for worth.  
Then, out of darkness God did light disclose  
Now he himself is come a light that those  
Who sate in darkness and death's dreery shade,  
Might find the way that unto life is made.  
Then did he o'er the Earth the Heavens extend:  
Now heaven itself vouchsafeth to descend,  
And kiss the Earth and kindly to embrace it,  
And with itself ' above highest height to place it.  
Then after his own Image God did frame  
The last of Creatures whom he Man did name:  
Now after mans own Image he doth make  
himself, and our Similitude doth take.  
himself is made that which he made, that he  
Might what he made from final marring free.  
All things of nothing then he made, but here  
We are new made who worse then nothing were.  
He spoke the Word, and all things were made then,  

●●hn. 1.14.  Now is the word made flesh and dwells with men.  
That men made spirit who were but flesh before,  

● Cor. 6.7.  With him one spirit might be for evermore:  
The Angels shouted at the worlds Creation, 
job. 38.7.   
More joyfully they sing for the Incarnation.   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   

The divine Nature our frail Nature takes, 
2. Pet. 1.4.   
And of his Nature us partakers makes.  
God of a Virgin pure is born, thereby  
To purge mans foul impure nativity.  
The Bread of Life is in a Manger laid,  
That Man( become a beast because he strayed  
From his Creator, now by grace restored  
TO a better state then nature could afford)  
Might with this heavenly Provender be fed:  
Come Man and eat of this most blessed Bread;  
( Bread, which did more then all the worlds worth cost,  
And gather up the crumbs that none be lost:  
One crumb of this doth far that Feast surpass,  
Which by the Assyrian Monarch once made was: 
Hest. 1.3.   
Come never so many none shall hungry rise,  
This only loaf all comers shall suffice.  
The Manna of eternal mercy fals  
In full abundance, and for gatherers calls:  
That man with food of Angels may be fed,  
And unto life eternal nourished:   

Come ye that hunger, gather up this Man,  
Which who so eats again never hunger can,  
Yet hungers still. More hunger doth arise  
From this sweet food the more it satisfies.  
And let not him that feedeth fear or think,  
That to his bread and food he shall want drink:  
He who is food our hunger to expel,  
Is against thirst and ever-springing well:  
There goes & flows from this celestial mountain,  
Bread against hunger and against thirst a fountain.  
Drink of this fountain which who so once tasteth  

●ohn. 4.  Shall never thirst. This fountain never wasteth:  
But is to them who drink a water springing  
To life eternal, and them thither bringing.  
A double virtue this one fountain hath,  

Zacchar. 13.1  It quencheth thirst, and also is a Bath  
To wash and cleanse us from our sins pollution,  
That so our filth may not be our confusion.   

Come, every Naamam, and here bath, thereby  
To wash away thy souls foul leprosy:  
And being made clean beware thou sin no more,  
Least worse ensue then that which went before:  
But with the thankful leper turn again,  
And with thy clenser ever more remain:  
rendering him thanks and singing forth his praise,  
joining with the Angels in their heavenly lays,   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   


Christ our ●eace. Ephes. 2.14. The way. The truth. The life. ●ohn. 14.16.  To day wars end, and Peace begins: To day  
Wandering doth cease; for we have found the way:  
Falsehood's removed; for Truth to light is brought,  
Death perisheth, for life to day is wrought.  
Now life begins to live. To live said I,  
Nay rather now life doth begin to die:  
God who is life, mans life did therefore take,  
That he a way to his own death might make.  
unless he man become he cannot die,  
unless he die, we die Eternally.  
Rather then we should suffer endless pain,  
He would be born of purpose to be slain.   

Think not that Christ did then begin to suffer  
When judas sold him, 
Christs passion began 〈◇〉 his incarnation. esay. 53.10  and the jews did offer  
To apprehended him. He did then begin  
To make his soul a sacrifice for sin  
When he took body. He began to die  
Then, when assuming our mortality  
He made himself one able to be slain.  
To put on man is but to put on pain.  
His death was at his Birth, he then began  
To die, when he begun to put on man:  
This flower ere it sprung forth began to fade,  
Thus was his cross before his cradle made:  
The drops of blood which at his death he  shed  
Were but his Infant-drops of tears died read.  
His swathing clothes did with that linen meet,  
Whereof good joseph made his winding sheet.  
His blood was as a salve bespread thereon,  
This plaster cures our souls corruption.   

Behold how he a tender Infant cries,  
Who wipes all tears from true repentant eyes!  
O let us of this Infant learn to weep,  
That from eternal tears he may us keep!  
Restore o man the groneing which he lent,  
Restore the tears which he for thee hath spent.  
Consider how much thou to him dost owe,  
Who would for thee a double suffering know,  
suffering for thee who wert a wretch forlorn  
Worst at his death, but first in being born.  
What should not we suffer for him, who thus  
Hath from eternal sufferings freed us?  
Who therefore wept for us that we might sing,  
With holy Angels to our heavenly King.   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   

What is for mans salvation left undone,  
Sith God to us hath sent his only son?  
That ever dearly loved son of his,  
In whom alone the Father pleased is.  
A son who by his coming doth restore  
All that our Father Adam lost, and more.  
This son of God made son of man we see,  
That sons of men made sons of God might be.  
High is made low, and honour is embas'de  
That so the base to honour may be raised:  
fullness grows empty emptiness to fill,  
And wisdom childish to give children skill.  
freedom itself doth bondage undertake  
T'enfranchize those whom sin did bondslaves make:  
The robe of righteousness is naked born,  
The naked with his righteous robes adornadorn:  
Strength is made low, & weakness strength hath found,  
The richest poor, that beggars might abound  
In the best riches, and life learns to die  
That so the dead may live eternally:  
Lord what is man that only for his sake,  
The Almighty should such strange exchanges make?  
What can poor mortals in requital bring?  
Nothing. Yet with Heavens choristers wee'l sing,   

Glory to God on high, on Earth be Peace,  
And let good will towards Christians never cease.   
FINIS.   

On this present work.  

WHen every common writer that but dares  
prefer his pen to wait on the affairs  
Of virtues Clients, gets himself a name.  
And reputation by that courteous famed  
He gives to others: and what he bestows  
On their just merits, thankfully o'erflows  
To his own praise; Then, what may you expect?  
( grave oracle of wit) that do select  
No less a theme then Gods nativity,  
To be the subject of your History:   

bay is too mean a garland to impale  
Such sacred temples: mortal praise too frail  
To found such worth: Earth nothing hath to even  
Such merits, but must owe your pay to Heaven.  
Where for a laurel, you shall have a crown,  
And everlasting glory for renown.    

Advertisement to the Readers.  

HEnce all profane! ther's nothing here,  
That can delight a wicked ear:  
No wanton flashes, to make sin  
seem sweet to him that joys therein:  
No lose conceits, to flatter 'vice,  
And make Hell thought a Paradise:   

All that is here, is pure and high,  
And locked up in mystery;  
Nor can be rightly understood,  
But of such only as be good.   
H. B. ex A.A. A.M.   

HOLY RAPTURES IN CONTEMPLATING SOME OF THE MOST OBSERVABLE ADJUNCTS ABOUT our SAVIOURS nativity.  

I The season of the year wherein our saviour was born, namely in the Winter-solstice or Sun-steade.  

Now seems the suins unwearied Waggonere, 
A discripti●● of the Win● solstice.   
Who every day surrounds the Earthly Sphere,  
To Make a stand, and breath his restless teams,  
Which through the World convey his golden beams.  
Nor doth the Day to our appearance seem  
As yet his captive-minutes to redeem  
From the prevailing Night, but doth begin  
To steal thereon and some advantage win.  
Henceforth the night shall lose, the day shall gain,  
Nor will the Sister long in debt remain  
Unto her Brother, but will surely pay  
Some part of what she borrowed every day;  
Till both be even. This season of the year,  
Did our eternal sun choose to appear  
In our Horizon, our Day to restore,  
Which sins encroaching Night abridged before  
In Summers equinoctial conceived, 
●●ceptu●e●● est in ●●inoc● verno, na● in Solstitio ●erno. Et in ●ceptione e● & in Natate dies ●pit incre●●tum, & scente vera 〈◇〉 lucis & augmen●●r officium. ●●gust. de ●ap. Sir. 22. and noctis ●●na in dici seunt lu●. Eucher. 2. De Na●   
In Winter-sun-stead born; We were bereaved  
Of gladsome Day enveloped in sad Night,  
Till this bright star arose and brought us Light.  
Thus did our Day at his Conception,  
And at his Birth take augmentation.  
When such a Light into the world is sent,  
How can the Night but shrink, the Day augment?  
All-hail o holy, happy, heavenly Day,  
That turnest our Winter into joyful May.  
And springing makest and eternal Spring,  
Where erst sins autumn a sad fall did bring:  
A Day that makest everlasting Summer,  
By the approaching of this heavenly comer:  
Who did from heaven to Earth so kindly come,  
That Earth in heaven by Him might have a room:   

O were it Winter-solstice once with me,  
That this sins night no more increased might be!  
But that the blessed Day of Reformation,  
In me might find a joyful augmentation.   

O sun of righteousness who wouldst appear,  
In shortest, saddest season of the year.  
Who 
* ●eb. 1.3.  being brightness wouldst in Black-mon'th come,  
That by thy coming all might bright become.  
Come unto me, come into me, that I  
To righteousness may live, to sin may die.  
'Tis Black-mon'th still with me because of sin:  
O come that I might bright become within:   

Come, that the Night of sin may shrink in me,  
And that the Day of grace increased may be.    

II. The time of his Birth. By Night.  

b John 1. ●  THE Light which shines in darkness comes by Night,  
Those that did sit in darkness to enlight.  
What means the Daystar in the Night to rise?  
To show that he gives light to blindest eyes.  
To show that he the Worlds Light is, who may  
turn the most gloomy Night to gladsome Day.  
But why doth Truth that never shuns the light,  
Come like a thief in darkness of the Night?  
To make both comings, first and last, to agree,  
That they( who him expect) should watchful be.  

Aliter de eodem argumento.  

WHAT? Is it Night with our Antipodes,  
That thus by Night the sun to us doth rise?  
It should be so. The sun though bright he be,  
never at once doth the Worlds both sides see:  
But our pure sun above shines and below,  
And no Antipodes at all doth know.  
This sun which now at Night doth rise, is he  
Who never sets, but rising still doth see.   

Come glorious sun, spread thine illustrious light  
On me, who wholly darkness am, and Night!  
My darkness turn to light, my night to day,  
That so eternal darkness shun I may!  
And of that blessed Light with thee partake,  
Whose lustre everlasting Day doth make.     

III. The Place of his Birth. A Stall.  


* Psal. 49.20.  MAN being in honour had not understanding,  
But turned Beast from his Creator wandering:  
Him to restore and to make man again,  
God to be born 'mongst Beasts doth not disdain.  
His Mothers Childbed Chamber is a Stall,  
A Cratch his Cradle, and the Lord of all  
For his poor Parent ready to lye down,  

* There was ●o room for ●●●m in the ●nne. Luk. ● 7.  Cannot Command and inn in all the town.   

Vncivile citizens, and People vild,  
Thus to exclude a Woman great with Child  
So near her time! Had you humanity,  
You would have showed to such more courtesy.  
You would for such a one have found a place,  
Thinking it might have been your Mothers case:  
Rather then she should in a Stall remain,  
yourselves upon the could ground should have lain.  
Are there not still such inns, to whom no guest,  
less welcome is then Christ, who is the best?   

Sweet saviour, I and innkeeper will be,  
The sign shall be my Heart; Come lodge with me.  
The damned crew I entertained before,  
( My roaring sins) I'll all turn out of door:  
I'll not afford them lodging in a Stall,  
Thou shalt have parlour, Chamber, Hall and all.  
The best cheer that I can I will prepare  
For thee. And this shall be my chiefest care,  
( Because I know 'tis that which likes thee best)  
That all be neat and clean for such a guest.  
Thou, who when first thou cam'st wouldst in no bed  
save a pure Virgins womb repose thy head;  
Thou who in all thy life lou'd'st purity,  
And being dead wouldst in pure linen lye.  
Thou who compared Art unto a dove,  
The bide who neatness doth and cleanness love.  
I know that he who shall thee entertain,  
Must chiefly care that all be neat and clean.   

Then how can I hope thou wilt lodge with me,  
In whom all things so foul and sordid be?  
Yet come and lodge. For why? I know 'tis true,  
That where thou comest 
e revel. 21. 2. Cor. 5. 1●  thou makest ' all things new   

O thou whose Birth a Stall could stellify,  
With heaven within, and a bright star on high,  
That not the best Star-chamber of them all,  
For glory could compare with this Star-stall.  
O grace me with thy Presence who art able,  
To make a palace of the Augaean Stable.   

O thou who hadst things of no better worth,  
Then Straw and Hay to set thy Chamber forth.  
Where thou wert born. Be born in me this Day,  
In me poor wretch who withered am like Hay.   

Be born in me: so shall this Hay be made,  
Fresh as the Rose and never after fade.   

Aliter.  

ART thou so humble Lord, thou dost not scorn,  
To be among Oxen, and among Asses born?  
O scorn not me, who am become( alas!)  
More brutish, foolish then the ox or ass.  
For they,( poor Beasts!) their owner know, we see,  
But far more brutish I have not known thee.  
Thou mad'st me first a man, a noble Creature,  
Little inferior to the angelic Nature:  
But I through sin into a state did throw  
myself then brutish Creatures far below.   

Be born in me, that being born again  
In thee, a new born Creature may remain.     

FOUR. The Publishing of his Birth. First unto shepherds.  


* Luk. 2.8 ●. 10.  TO shepherds is his Birth first signified,  
Who by their flocks night watching did abide.  
To show that the great shepherd now is born,  
Who no base office for his sheep will scorn:  
But watching o'er his flock doth still remain,  
And they must watch who will him entertain.   

Come let us with these joyful shepherds high  
unto the Cratch, where this sweet Babe doth lye;  
That is, his Church: This place doth still afford,  
This heavenly Infant swathed in his Word:  
Let us when there he doth his words impart,  
Lay them up all with mary in our heart.  
More blessed by bearing them she did become,  
Then by her bearing him within her womb.   

O blessed Man who in his heart doth swath,  
And bind up sure his Word. For he that hath  
His word hath him. The word itself is He,  
Then where his word is, needs himself must be.    

V. The Publisher of his Birth. A blessed Angel.  


g Luk. 2.9.  A Glorious Angel is the Referendary,  
Who first these tidings unto men doth carry.  
And heavenly Herald fittest was to bring,  
news of the coming of the heavenly King.  
That Gospel by and Angel first was brought  
To Man, which now by Man to men is taught.  
That Gospel which God now by us doth teach.  
No glorious Angel is too good to Preach.   

O let Gods Ministers as they are styled,  
Angels, be like the Angels undefiled!  
Let them not with and earthly life defame,  
The reputation of and heavenly name:  
But strive they others to excel so far,  
As Angels unto them superior are:  
That whereas others are but men at best,  
They may like Angels shine above the rest.  
What is heavens greatest grief, earths greatest evil?  
And Angels place possessed by a devil.  
O let not and unholy conversation,  
foully bely and holy appellation!  
Holy the function we may well repute,  
Which holy Angels joy to execute:  
Holy he is, the holiest of all,  
Who doth us to the holy function call.   

Holy the message is which we must do,  
O let the Messengers be holy too.   

Aliter.  

HOW glorious is the news, how full of joy,  
In which God none but Angels will employ?  
How gladly do these fiery Posts attend,  
When for mans good their Maker will them sand?  
No message they more willingly go on,  
Then that which tends to mans salvation.  
And Angel first is unto mary sent,  
TO acquaint her with his heavenly Lords intent:  
Who of all Maids made choice of her, that she  
Should both a Maiden and a Mother be.  
And that of all her sex God had decreed,  
This woman should bring forth the woman's seed.  
Who promised was that cursed Head to bruise,  
Which first the silly woman did seduce.  
And Angel settles Iosephs doubting thought,  
tells him, the Holy Ghost this work had wrought,  
He need not fear her for his Wife to take,  
Whom God not man, did thus a mother make.  
And Angel bids him into Egypt go,  
To save his life who first his Birth did show:  
And when the Infant-slayer had breathed his last,  
And Angel wills him home again to haste.  
And Angel first this gladsome gospel preaches,  
A few poor shepherds the Audience whom he teaches,  
Near was such distance in regard of glory,  
between a 
* Preacher ●o was only ●reature.  Preacher and his auditory.   

Why should the greatest Doctor now disdain,  
To be a Preacher to the simplest swain?  
If he who sends us no respecter be,  
Of Persons( 
* ●ct. 10.34.  as he saith) then why should we?  
look we, when on our message we are bent,  
Not unto whom, but from whom we are sent.  
As welcome unto heaven is he, that brings  
A shepherds soul, as he that doth a Kings.     

VI. 
i Luk. 131.14.  The Celebration of his Birth, by a multitude of Angels.  

THE Sermon ended is, the psalm ensues,  
A psalm that suiteth with the joyful news.  
The subject of the Sermon preached by one:  
A multitude begins when one hath done.  
And host of heavenly choristers do sing  
A joyful Birth-song to Heavens late-borne King:  
And in their song his praises do recount,  
Whose praise all songs of Angels doth surmount.  
There needed but one Angel to impart,  
Such nwes to any unbelieving heart.  
Good news doth spread itself, flies unrestrained,  
And wished tidings soon are entertained.  
How quickly did this heavenly Sermon sound,  
Throughout the world? How many hath it found  
To entertain it with such constancy,  
That all Hels rage could not them terrify?  
This long expected news desired so much,  
And by so many, when it came was such,   

As that one Angel was enough to bring it,  
But all the Angels few enough to sing it.    

VII. The star conducting the Wisemen.  

you Which seek Christ remove your gazing eyes,  

●uicunque ●●istum ●eritis, Ocu●ad alta tol●●; Jllic lice● visere son●● perennis ●●riae ●●udentius ●●themer: ●●iphan.  From the dull Earth, advance them to the skies.  
He who from heaven did come will not be found,  
By such as seek him poring on the ground:  
But while their feet do tread as in disdain,  
On Earth, their eyes must fixed on heaven remain.  
even while he was in body here below,  
No low thing could the way unto him show:  
They who so long a journey to him took  
Walking on Earth yet still to heaven did look:  
Who by no Earthly thing conducted are  
To him on Earth but by and heavenly star:  
A star which to the night no service lends,  
Nor on the everchanging moon attends.  
But with the sun corrivalling in light  
Shines more by day then other Stars by night.  
The Poles though in the seas they be not drenched  
Yet is their lustre oft by clouds near quenched.  
This star still shining through the heavens doth glide,  
And to that sun which never sets doth guide;  
While the Astronomers amazed are  
Musing which is the sun, which is the star.  
But this amazement soon removed shall be,  
When they no more this radiant star shall see:  
Which so long shall before the wisemen run  
Till he hath brought them to their far-sought sun,  
Then no less musing shall possess mens mind  
That he is vanished, then that first he shin'de.   

Still doth a starrre to thee, o Lord, conduct  
And thy wisehearted seekers doth instruct  
Thee so to seek as that they shall not miss  
To find thee, and with thee eternal bliss.  
A star, which though his orb be Earth, and here  
Doth to thy seekers for a time appear,  
Yet doth from heaven derive his splendent light  
And unto heaven his followers led aright.  
A star which doth the sun excel so far  
As doth the sun the smallest twinkling star.  
That star the while it did in heaven abide  
A few( but three) to thee on Earth did guide:  
This star, although it shineth here below  
Yet Million unto heaven the way doth show:  
And as that star appeared not again  
When it had brought them where thou didst remain,  
No more shall this, whose office then is done,  
When once they have attained unto the sun;   

Lord, let this star, thy word, still be my guide,  
And let my footsteps never from it slide,  
until it shall me to that city bring  
( The glorious Court of our more glorious King)  
Where needs nor Sun nor moon their light display,  
God and the Lamb gives it eternal Day. 
revel. 21.   
In this life's darkness we do need this light:  
For here we walk by Faith, and not by sight; 
2. Cor. 5. ●●   
But when we come to that celestial city  
Then shall we take up that most joyful ditty,   

As we have heard so now, o Lord, we see  
How thou in heaven dost walk and we with thee. 
Psal. 48.8.     

VIII. 
k Mat. 21.2.3.  The Wisemen conducted by a star, and bringing their Presents.  

FOLLOW your guide, you wise men of the East,  
( Though last invited to this heavenly Feast.)  
The new created star, which shows the way  
unto the blessed Babe, and will not stay  
Till he hath brought you where he doth abide,  
But shortly after out of sight will slide:  
For when the sun with beams the World once graces,  
The Stars ashamed are to show their faces.  
Think not that you are guled so far to come,  
To seek a King, and find so base a room:  
think not that room is base where there is seen,  
A star without, a glorious sun within.  
Here shall you find the Child you far have sought,  
Present to him the Presents you have brought:  
give Gold to him as Tribute to your King,  
As God, 
●urum, ●hus, Myrrhan Regique homi●ique Deoque Do●●a ferunt. Iu●encus Presbyter. Author 〈◇〉 Da Hiero●ym. non semel ●audatus.  for service, incense to him bring:   

Bring myrrh to embalm the Man who once must die,  
Least all mankind do die eternally.   

Aliud.  

walk on you Wisemen stay not till ye come  
Where wisdom hath taken up and homely room:  
think not so long a journey little worth,  
Wiser you shall return then ye came forth:  
Will you be wise indeed? drink of this Well,  
Which wisdom opens in a silly Cell:  
drink of this Well your thirst to satisfy,  
But ere you drink use the Adders policy.  
Your human wisdom poison first eject,  
So shall you find true wisdoms sweet effect:  
Had you come fools, you wiser should become,  
Then all the Wizards you have left at home.  
return, and being returned report and say  
To those Stargazers that at home did stay.  
Not all the Stars they ever saw could show,  
So much to them as one star did to you.  
Tell them, in all the Heavens they never shall  
A greater find, then you found in a Stall.   

O thou eternal wisdom make me wise,  
That from my Heathen-country I may rise:  
My Fathers house and Kindred to forsake  
Cause me, that I to thee my way may take:  
And that I may not err nor go astray,  
Let that bright star, thy Word, led me the way.  
Be that unto my feet a light, and to  
My steps a safe-conducting Lamp, that so  
With these Wisemen I safely may attain  
unto the Place, where thou, Lord, dost remain.  
And finding thee who art my souls rich store,  
Let me fallen down and humbly thee adore;  
offering those gifts which cannot offered be  
By me, unless I them receive from thee.  
The Gold of true Obedience I will bring,  
A Tribute endue to mine eternal King.  
My frankincense shall be my daily Prayers,  
( A pleasing Perfume unto thee) My tears  
 shed for thy Death, and for my sin, shall be  
My mourning myrrh still dropping unto thee.   

O let this myrrh still drop, till I arrive,  
Where thou and thine in lasting joys do live,  
Where thou, from whom all comfort doth arise,  
Wipest all tears from true repentant eyes:  
Where they shall reap in joy who here below,  
The precious seed of plenteous tears do sow:  
Sorrow( thou sayest) may for a night remain,  
But in the morning joy returns again.   

All this life's Night I'll be content with sorrow,  
That night once passed, joy may give me goodmorrow.     

IX. The Infant sought by Herod to be destroyed.  

IS this into the World thy welcome, Lord?  
Is this the entertainment men afford  
To thee, who comest from heaven to bliss the earth,  
To handsel with thy blood thy blessed Birth?  
No sooner born then forthwith sought to die,  
enforced ere thou canst go, or creep, to fly!  
Will they assoon as thou to Earth art come,  
Needs sand thee back unto thy heavenly home?  
And must the Butcher and the Midwife strive,  
He how to kill, She how to keep alive?   

Herod, what haste? adjourn thy cruelty,  
He had not come but that he meant to die;  
But not so soon as to the World he's shown,  
Nor yet at mans appointment, but his own.  
thinkest thou to have his life at thy command,  
Who hath both thine and all mens in his hand?  
What King or Creature else can him deprive  
Of life, by whom all Kings, all Creatures live?  

m John. 10 17.18.  The Power of his own life he doth retain  
To lay it down and take it up again.  
None takes it from him till it be his mind,  
And then tis not taken from him, but resigned.  
But first much heavenly Doctrine must be taught,  
And to confirm it weighty wonders wrought.  
The dead must first be unto life restored,  
To show that he of life and death is Lord:  
Of all his Enemies malignant crew  

n 1. Cor. 1●  Death is the last he meaneth to subdue.   

But Herod who so soon would him destroy  
More hasty is then any Butchers boy.  
No Butcher is so fell but will allow  
The new fallen lamb some little time to grow:  
For well he knows it is not fit for food  
While yet the milk is hardly turned to blood.  
This Lamb is sought to render up his life,  
While yet his throat is lesser then the knife.   

O Lambs and harmless, yet and hapless Creature,  
Who have so many Enemies in nature,  
So many that do seek on you to prey,  
And think you wrong them by a small delay!  
While the poor Ewe is yet her Lambkin licking  
The raven thinks it long ere he be picking.   

Tis still thy lot, o Lord: No sooner brought  
To Birth art thou but strait thy death is sought.  
No sooner now in Bethlehem thou born art  
( The house of bread, the true believers heart)  
But Hells fierce Herod and his cursed Court  
Sore vexed, and sore perplexed at the report,  
do seek thine infant-life away to take,  
Whose very name makes King and kingdom quake  
No marvell if he seek to take away  
Thy life, who comest to save whom he would slay,  
And knows his kingdom soon will be dejected  
When once thy righteous sceptre is erected.   

In spite of Hell and Hellish Herod too,  
And maugre all their spite and spleen can do,  
O let my soul a little Bethlehem be,  
And house of bread and be thou born in me,  
Thou who from heaven didst bring the bread of life:  
Ile never dread the cruel tyrants knife:  
Christ once in Christians born is never slain,  
And saveth them in whom he doth remain:  
Rage Hell, rage Herod and with envy burst,  
Let all the infernal Furies do their worst:  
Thou, who and Infant, saud'st thyself by flying  
Shalt by abiding save my soul from dying,  
How can I perish? life doth me preserve.  
I have the Bread of life: How can I starve?   

O let it be my care, Lord, to keep thee,  
And then I shall be sure thou wilt keep me!    

X. The Infants slain by Herod.  

INFANTS prepare your throats, Parents your eyes,  
stream you forth tears for they must streame forth blood:  
turn into sobs and sighs your Lullabies,  
And place the Coffin where the Cradlestood:   

If so much favour yet you may obtain,  
To bury those you bore but to be slain.   

The pleasing painful burden you did carry,  
Some forty weeks within your weary wombs,  
Must not with you at most passed two years tarry.  
Behold the irrelenting slayer comes;   

Who will the name of Mothers you deny,  
Ere the poor Infant yet can Mamma cry.   

weep Rachel, weep, and let thy tears abound  
above the rest, because thy loss is double, 

It is prob● That Ra●● lost more ●dren then because th● Text spe●● of hers in plural.  
Locum mi●tis ictibus interempto invenit Q● plaga des● dat patens guloque mai● pugio est. Prudentiu● Cathemer 〈◇〉 hymo. Epip●    
More under two years old with thee are found:  
Thy ofter teeming breeds thee greater trouble.   

Thus only for the slaughter to give life,  
To have been fertile only for the knife.   

Base Butchers who so prompt and ready are  
To execute the cursed Tyrants will,  
What instruments of Death will ye prepare  
Wherewith these Lambs that lived but now, to kill?   

scarce can you find a Knife so little, but  
Tis greater then the Throats you come to cut.   

Penknifes the fittest tools are ye can take,  
For of those members you mean to destroy,  
Their Saviour means so many Pens to make;  
Wherewith their Names( ere some do names enjoy)   

Shall in his book of Life be registered,  
With their own blood, which for his sake was  shed.   

O tigers into human shape transchanged,  
With more then tigers thirst of blood possessed!  
Could men from manhood be so far estranged,  
To snatch the suckling from the Mothers breast,   

And in her sight the Cradle-swathes defile  
With that new blood which was but milk ere while?   

Peace, pretty Innocents, forbear to cry,  
receive with willing sides the fatal blow,  
Best is that Death which comes in infancy,  
The longer life is but prolonged woe.   

Who Yesterday was born and dies to day,  
Comes to his Port as soon as sets to sea.   

Your journeys end at setting forth you met,  
Your whole days task you in the morning finished:  
Your Sun no sooner did arise, but set,  
Yet was your day increased, your night diminished.   

You oped your eyes, and seeing nought but pain,  
In this base World, you closed them up again.   

Death, to be prized ' above any life's best rate,  
save that best life which doth such Death ensue!  
Your Saviours kindness you anticipate,  
Dying for him, ere he do die for you:   

How soon are you of Martyrs Crowns possessors,  
Who Martyrs were ere you could be confessors?   

Rachel, although thy cause of grief be great;  
Yet to be comforted refuse no more  
As if thy Children were not; They are yet:  
And thou and they more happy then before.   

Thou, who by bearing Martyrs get'st renown,  
They, who exchange a Cradle for a crown.   

Why sayst thou then, they are not? Say thou rather,  
Thy Children never truly were till now:  
They be not with thee, they're with their heavenly Father:  
They are above, they are not here below,   

Why shouldst thou then for them make such complaints,  
Who never were but Innocents and Saints?   

O blessed Babes who from your Mothers womb  
To Abrahams bosom fetch a speedy spring  
Ere you can go. Who ere you speak; are come  
Your Halleluiiahs unto him to sing:   

Who did unto your Parents only show you  
But on his son as rarest jewels bestow you!   

He, least you long with sinners should abide,  
From among Men you to himself doth take,  
Of your short swathing clothes which read were died  
With your own blood he long white robes doth make;   

died in his own which only hath this might,  
To die the deepest scarlet into white.   

O from how many blows doth one blow free you!  
How pure are they whom blood doth thus Baptise?  
Near shall your parents hence forth weeping see you:  
These tears do wipe all others from your eyes.   

With palms in hands victorious ore your foes  
Follow you do the Lamb where ere he goes.   

Why had not I of that blessed Beavie been  
Who from the shell so soon to heaven did flee? 
Death the ●fect and so Daughter 〈◇〉 sin.   
Ripe for salvation sooner then for sin,  
Whom few small wounds from many great did free:   

To whom and Antidote the Daughter lent,  
The Mothers poisoned Potions to prevent.   

blind superstition! did no Day appear  
On which thine inauspicious cross might rest  
To stamp it for unlucky all the year  
But only this which made so many blessed?   

Why should that day to us disastrous be,  
Which them from all disasters did set free?   

If sins soul-clogging shackles off to shake,  
If never to do nor speak nor think amiss,  
If all enjoyenjoy that man can happy make,  
If that a cross day be that brings all this,   

Then all my Days that Day await will I,  
To cross and cancel all my misery.    
FJNIS.