POEMS On most of the FESTIVALS OF THE CHURCH.  
Composed by the RIGHT HONOURABLE, ROGER Earl of Orrery.  
Printed for Henry Herringman at the Anchor in the Lower Walk of the New-Exchange. 1681.   

THE PREFACE.  
GOD, of His Abundant Mercy, having Convinced Me, how much Precious Time I had cast away on Airy Verses; I Resolved to take a Final Leave of That Sort of Poetry; And in some Degree to Repair the Unhappiness and Fault, of what was past, to Dedicate my Muse in the Future, Entirely to Sacred Subjects.  
I was a while considering, How Those Intended Labours of Mine, might be least unusefully bestowed; and having, with trouble, taken notice, with how little Reverence, and Devotion, the Holy Days in our Church's Calendar were Celebrated, I determined to Write POEMS on the chiefest of Them.  
For I hoped, such Gross, and Sinful Stupidity, proceeded chiefly, from men's being Ignorant of the True History of the Actions, or Martyrdoms, of those Blessed Persons; so little of both being Recorded in the Sacred Word. And it seemed to Me no Irrational Belief, that if the Generality of the People, were Instructed in the Truth, it might Inspire in many of them, that Esteem, and Reverence, the want of which, had so long been their Fault, and aught to be their Shame.  
The Young, and the Vulgar, of both Sexes, being little inclinable to attain to Information, by perusing Ancient Ecclesiastical Histories, and Records: And the Writers of both, too often, and too much Disagreeing, in their Narratives of the same Actions, and Persons; and the Church of Rome also, having interwoven much Fiction with the Truth, I Flattered myself with a Belief, That by Separating the History from the Fable, and by making a Short, yet as True a Relation of the Former, as I could attain unto; Divers thereby might be inclined to Learn, what They had been Ignorant of, and might be encouraged to preserve in their Memories, such great Exemplars of Piety; whereby if they did not Write after such Illustrious Copies, yet at least they would Value, and Esteem them.  
The handling of these Subjects in Verse, and Rhyme, I was persuaded, would not be unpleasing to the less Studious, (who are those who most need such Information) and since in Poetry, there is a kind of Natural Music, I imagined, that all Those, whose Souls were not quite out of Tune, might be affected with it.  
Besides; I found, Th●t Many, who could hardly Repeat one Verse of the Sacred Scripture, would yet say without Book, entire Psalms; even in the Unhappy Verses, and Rhimes, of Mr. Hopkins, and Mr. Sternhold; which seemed to me a Demonstration, how highly the English Genius was affected to Poetry, on Holy Subjects.  
Nor is this Love to Verse, Peculiar to our Country, but is in effect diffused, over the whole Civilised World.  
The False Religion of the Gentiles, was generally taught in Verse; and the True Religion of the Primitive Jews, was much of it Writ in Poetry; as the whole Books of Job; and of the Psalms; besides lesser Sprinklings of it, in the Songs of Moses; and in that of Deborah and Barack etc.  
More of Homer, and Virgil, was gotten by Heart by the Greeks, and Romans, than of the Orations of Demosthenes, and Cicero; or of the Morals of Seneca; or even of the Excellent Phedon of Plato; tho' most Conclude, These, had been more worthy to have been so Treasured up, than Those.  
But it seems to be the Inherent Prerogative of Verse, above Prose, To be better Fancied; To be easier Learned by Heart; and to be Longer Retained in the Memory.  
I must acknowledge, when I had even Resolved upon my Argument, I met with Two Disanimations, which were likely to have made Me Elect another.  
The First was, That the Materials I was to be furnished with, out of the Holy Scriptures, (for such I coveted most) were so Few, except in what related to Our Blessed Lord; and to St. John the Baptist; and to St. Peter, and to St. Paul, and what further was to be known of those Holy Persons, of whose Lives, and Deaths, I designed to Write in Epitome; was not only, so copiously Delivered by Church-Historians, and filled with so many Improbable Relations, (to give it the softest Name I can) that to Collect so much out of the Former, as seemed pertinent, and instructive; and to Winnow out of the Latter, so much of the Wheat from the Chaff, as was requisite, appeared to Me, a Difficult Task to perform, tho' but Tolerably; Since indeed, where I most desired to be supplied, I was the Least, (th● ' what it wanted in Quantity, it had in Weight) and where I lest desired to be Furnished with Matter, I was but too much. For most of all those Elder Histories seemed to Me, to be like a Mine, in which several Tuns of Rubbish must be digged through, to attain to One Pound of Oar.  
The second was; I had Experimentally found, That no Argument for Poetry, was so little Obliging to the Muse, and Invention of the Writer, as Narrative is; for it confines the Fancy, which of all things Delights in Liberty.  
But at length I overcame these two Discouragements.  
The Last, by remembering, that I Writ, not for Applause to myself, but for the Instruction of Others.  
And the First, Hoping that by my Readers Charity, my Faults might not be Unpardonable, since this kind of Writing was New to Me, and untrodden by any of my Education, and Quality: So that the Piety of My Design, might in some Degree Apologise, for My Errors in the Management of it.  
I have in the Margin, not only marked the Places of the Word of God, to which in the POEMS I have Reference; but also, some of those Authors out of whom I have taken My Narrative; That if they have been Faulty, it might appear, I have not erred in My Own Intentions, but by the Misinformation of Elder Times  
I acknowledge, it is not usual to handle any Controversies in Verse, and Rhyme; especially those in Divinity; and therefore I must beg My Readers Pardon, if in some of the Succeeding Pieces, I have presumed to walk in so unusual a way; which I had not done, but that I esteemed it a Duty to My Own Religion, to Defend it against the Restlessness of the Romish, wherever I believed I had a Fit Rise to do it. And I supposed, since in the Present Times, all seem so justly necessitated, to maintain the Truth of Our Religion, it might not be unallowable for a Layman, to draw His Poetic Pen also, in the Defence of it: And Possibly, the Few Arguments I have made use of by the By, in that Important Dispute, may be read, and kept in the Memory of Those, who any other way, would not have done either.  
However, If any One of Our Church should be Offended at it, I both desire, and hope, He will for the Causes Sake, excuse the Effect.   

POEMS on the Chiefest Holy Days In the Calendar of The CHURCH  
THE DEDICATION To my Mother the Church Of CHRIST In Ireland.  

HAil Sacr●d Mother! O do not Refuse  
These the First Fruits of my Converted Muse  
A Muse, which in vain paths too long has trod  
And now does Consecrate herself to God.  
This Change O Muse Most happy is for thee  
Mount Zion now shall thy Parnassus be  
Thou never yet Couldst Sore to such a height  
As that, from whence thou now beginnest thy flight  
The Spires of Airy Verse climb not so high  
As to the F●et of Sacred Poetry.   

Mother Vouchsafe, My Influence to be  
Now I thy Prodigal Return to Thee    

On the Day of the Anuntiation Of the Blessed Virgin.  

HAil Happy Day, On which Blessed Gabrie'll flew  
To bring the Ioyfull'st News the World ere Knew  
In Raptures He left Empty His High Place 
St. Lu. C: 1. v. 26.   
When sent to Her, whom Heaven had filled with Grace  
Blessed Virgin, what might Thy Employments be  
When God's Ambassador appeared to Thee?  
Who can Believe that thy Devotions were  
Since God still Helps, not Interrupts Our Praye'r  
And more Improbable it does Appear  
Thou then wert thinking on The Joy so near.  
Such Lofty Thoughts found in Thy Soul no Place  
For Humbleness, was one part of Thy Grace.  
But since to tell it us God Judged not Fit  
'Twere Sin to be too Prying into It.  
Yet we may well believe whatever they were  
They best Prepared Her the great News to Hear;  
She Fled not, when the Angel She Beheld  
For Grace is against Terror the Best Shield  
Tho She was Troubled, yet She did not Fear  
When His Strange Salutation She did Hear.  
But when the Glorious News He did Impart  
O! who can tell th'Emotions of her Heart?  
The Truth She doubts not in the least Degree  
Yet She did humbly ask, How this shall be  
Since She had not Known Man— And this being said 
●: 54●   
A Bright Vermilion did her Face Invade.  
Blushes on her great Modesty had Power  
Tho 'twas an Angel was Her Confessor  
He then did of the Mystery so much Show  
As it was fi●t, She, and the World Should Know  
Saying— On Thee The Holy Ghost shall Come  
And the most High shall Overshade thy Womb 
35: v:   
When Faith, Part of the Meaning did unfold  
Of what Gods winged Ambassador had told  
She said— Behold the Hand Maid of the Lord  
Be it to Me according to Thy word. 
38. v.    

No Wonder the Stupendious News he brought  
Employed her Faith, and entertained her Thought  
She Pondered, Why? God Her, Should before All  
Her Sex, to that Amazing Glory Call.  
Unshapen thoughts might have thronged in a pace  
Had not Faith told her, It was Gods Free Grace.  
So Gloomy Clouds Strove to Usurp the Skies  
Until the New Created Sun did Rise.  
She wondered (yet believed what GABRIEL said)  
How She could be a Mother, and a Maid  
More than a Miracle it did appear  
That She her SAVIOUR, and the Worlds should Bear.  
Yet under so much Faith She did not Bow,  
She Knew it would be so,— but knew not how  
Thus Abrah'am on Gods Promise still Relied  
Thomas on the Altar He his Son had Tied, 
Gene. C. 22. v: 9: 10: 11: 13,   
His Stretched out Arm, stops at an Angel's Crier  
And trembling Isaac's Place a Ram supplies.  
Yet for th'Obedience which he did Intent  
God gave him the vast Title of GOD'S FRIEND  
And then Confirmed to him the great Decree  
That in His Seed, All Nations Blest should be  
Those still the best Rewards of Faith Received 
Gene: 2●. v. 18.   
Who even against Hope, in Hope Believed  
Few o'er that Precipice of Faith have trod  
Unless the Mother, and the Friend of God    

On the Nativity of Our Blessed LORD and SAVIOUR commonly called Christmas Day.  

HAil Glorious Day which Miracles Adorn,  
Since 'twas on Thee, 
●●ay. 9 6.  ETERNITY was Born.  
Hail Glorious Day, in which Mankind did View  
The SAVIOUR of the Old World, 
Ioh: 4. 42.  and the New.  
Hail Glorious Day; which Deifies man's Race,  
Birth Day of JESUS, 
joh. 1. 17.  and through Him, of Grace  
In Thy Blessed Light, the World at once did See,  
Proofs of His Godhead, and Humanity.  
To prove him Man, He did from Woman come,  
To prove Him God, 'twas from a Virgin's Womb.  
Man, ne'er could feign, what his Strange Birth proved True▪  
For His Blessed Mother was a Virgin too. 
Isai: C. 7.   
While as a Child He in the Manger Cries 
ver: 14.   
Angels Proclaim His Godhead from the Skies, 
Luk: C: 2. v: 12: 13.   
He, to So vile Cradle did Submit,  
That We, 
Rev: 3. 21.  through Faith in Him, on Thrones might Sat   

O Prodigy of Mercy, which did make  
The God of Gods, 
Heb: C: 2. v: 16.  Our Humane Nature take!  
And through Our Veil of Flesh, His Glory Shine,  
That We thereby, 
2 Pet: 1: C: v: 4.  might Share in the Divine  
Hail Glorious Virgin whose Triumphant Womb  
Blesses All Ages past and All to Come. 
Gen: 22: 18.   
Thou more than Heal'st the Sin by Adam's Wife;  
She brought in Death, 
● Tim: 1: 10  but Thou brought'st Endless Life.  
No greater Wonder in the World could be,  
Then Thou to Live in, it, and HEAVEN in thee.   

Heaven does Thine own great Prophecy Attest,  
All Gener●tions still shall Call Thee Blest. 
Luk: C: 1: v: 48:    

To Thee that Title is most Justly pai●  
Since by T●y Son, 
●: Ioh: 3. 1. 2.  We, Sons of God are made.    

On the Day of Circumcision of Our BLESSED SAVIOUR.  
HAil Thou Instructive Day, on which We See  
God in the Flesh, 
Galat: 4: 4.  from God's Law was not Free  
The Author of Our Faith did then Submit 
Heb: 12: 2.   
To what was but the Sign and Seal of it. 
Rom. 4. 11.   
How Dare we then in Disobedience Run,  
When God exempts not from His Laws, His Son?  
Near whose Blessed Birth, as well as Death was Spilt  
That Sacred Blood, 
Revel: 1. 5  which weshes off Our Gild.  
A Double Ransom for Our Souls He Paid,  
That from Sins Captives, 
Galet: 4. 5.  We might Sons be made.  
Till this Illustrious Day, the World ne'er Saw  
A Debtor, 
Math: 5: 17  and Fulfiller of the Law.  
'Twas Fit the Law of Works should then give Place  
To the more Glorious Covenant of Grace▪   

On the Day called Epiphany Or the Manifestation of Our Blessed SAVIOUR to the Gentiles.  
HAil Glorious Day, On which the Middle wall  
'Twixt jews and Gentiles, 
Ephes: 2. 14.  First began to Fall  
The Jews, 
Exod. C: 13: v 20. 21: 22.  Whom God from Egypt made Retire,  
And gave for Guides, 
Exod. C: 14. 15, 16, 17.  Pillars of CLOUDS and FIRE  
The Jews, 
Exod. 16. 18.  Whom God from Pharoahs' Bondage Led,  
And whom by Daily Miracles He Fed. 
Exod. 31. 18.   
The Jews, in whom God took so much Delight  
That His ow● Hand their Sacred La●s did Write 
Exod 17. 11   
The Jews, whose Wars God did with Wonders Bless  
Whose Captains Prayed their Host's, into Success.  
The Jews whose Prophets God Himself did Teach,  
And who of their Messiah sti'l did Preach.  
The Jews; who yet, after False Gods did Run  
Wherhfore the True, left them to be Undone  
The Jews, enslaved by Herod and by Rome,  
And groaned till their Deliverer was come:  
Yet when He came, 
Luke 2. 7.  They, from the Inn did bring  
Into a Stable, both Their God and King.  
Which does their Name with Ignominy Blott,  
For Beasts Admitted Him, when They would not▪  
When in Impiety They Ran so Farr.  
God lead the Gentiles to Him, 
Math: 2. 2.  by a Star.  
To their New Faith that Glorious Guide was given  
To evidence, it was inspired by Heaven  
And that the Doubting World thereby might see  
God will a Guide to those that seek him be.  
Into what Darkness was the Gentile World?  
Not Knowing of the Promised JESUS, Hurled?  
Since out of its Dominion to be Freed,  
The Sun Auxiliary Light did need.  
That Faith which to those Magis did Declare,  
The Light which did Conduct, Them, was HIS STAR '  
Made them, nor be Disgusted, nor Dismayed,  
Seeing Their God in a Vile Manger Laid.  
To their Enlightened Souls Faith made it Clear,  
That His Blessed Kingdom, 
Ioh: 18: 36.  was Above, not Here.  
Nor Feared They their Bright Guide had them Beguiled,  
When th' Ancient of Days, 
Dan: 7: 9  Seemed but a Child;  
All this to Those Wise men gave no Offence,  
Their Sight of Faith, Triumphed o'er that of Sense:  
For no such Faith, as That in Them did Dwell,  
Was to be Found, 
Math: 8. 10.  no, not in Israel.  
They therefore worship JESUS, 
Math: 2. 11.  and then bring,  
Gold, Myrrh, and Incease to their Priest and King:  
And as the Gentiles Representative,  
They those Mysterious Presents to Him give.  
Happy Those Easterns were, as well as Wise,  
Who first Paid Christ, the Gentiles Sacrifice:  
In various Ways God did his Son Dispense,  
The Old World saw by Faith; the New, by Sense.  
All Sacred Duties being paid by Them,  
A safe way home, 
Math: 2. 12  God taught them in a Dream:  
God made, Death's Image (sleep) teach them to shun▪  
The Danger They were in, to Find his Son!  
Heaven did, by what suspended Reasons use,  
Safety to those, who worship Christ, Produce.  
While such as God does call, Their sleep do Tak●  
The Eye of Providence for Them does Wake. 
Psal: 345:    

On the Day of the Purification And the Presenting of JESUS in the Temple.  
HAil Glorious Day; on which Heaven Judged it ●itt  
The Temples God, 
Luke 2: 22. 27.  should be brought into It.  
Hail Happy Pile, in which He did Remain  
Whom even the Heaven of heavens cannot Contain: 
1: Kings. 8. 27.   
Mysterious Day, on which it may be Said,  
That God was unto God, an Offering made.  
That Lofty Temple Solomon did Build,  
Must to the Glory of This Temple Yield, 
Haggai 2. 9   
Christ's Presence made This Temple, That Excel;  
In Him, the Godhead Bodily did Dwell. 
Collos: C: 2. v. 9   
That But in Gold, and Polished Stones was Bright,  
This shined with Him, Who is the Light of Light.  
He There, and on the Cross, did Solemnize  
His Morning, and His Evening Sacrifice.  
Blessed Virgin sure; Thou didst not stand in Need  
For Bearing JESUS, to be Purified.  
Next Thy Sons Body, Thine the Purest was,  
Since Purity itself, through Thee did Pass  
What is't Thy Purifying then did Mean?  
Childbirth, which stained Thy Sex, did make Thee Clean▪  
Thou neededst no more Cleansing, than Thy Son  
Did stand in need, of Circumcision,  
But Both Performed what God does Highest Prize  
Obedience, 
1. San: 15: 22.  is better than Sacrifice▪  
Parents are taught by Her, who Bore the Truth,  
To Consecrate to God, their children's Youth.  
Their Pious Gratitude with Hers should Suit  
Who Offered up to God, both Tree, and Fruit.  
Turtles, which Innocence Emblems be,  
Yet could not be more Innocent; then She  
The Offering She Paid, 
Exo. 14. 22.  and Son She Bore,  
Showed, 
Levi: 12. 8.  She was Heavenly Rich, and Worldly Poor.   

On the Day called Innocents' Day  

HAil Mournful Day, 
Mat: 2: 16.  On which the jews Beheld  
Great jeremy's Dire Prophecy Fulfilled. 
Ier: 31: 15.   
Sad Ramah saw those Murdered whom She Bred,  
And Rachel would not then be Comforted.  
For Herod being both Enraged and Grieved, 
Mat: 12 16.   
Thinking He by the Magis was Deceived,  
And fearing the New Stars unknown Event▪ 
Mat: 2 2:   
To Heaven a Legion of Young Martyrs Sent. 
Mat: 2: 16.   
Dreading to Miss that ONE, which He Pursued  
He, in Those Infant's Blood, his Hands Imbrued.  
With what Mean Fears are Tyrant's Joys Controlled?  
Fearful They are, of Children, Two years Old;  
Thus Herod Acts against His own Decree,  
He makes Them more, than he did Fear They'd be.  
Man's Rage most Glory to God's Children Brings:  
'Tis Greater to be Martyrs, then be Kings.  
The Old veiled Type, now We with Clearness Know  
These through a True Red Sea, 
Ex: 14: 22.  to Canaan Go.  
And Led the Van of that Blessed Host, whose Rear,  
Will not be Seen, till Time cease to Appear.  
Our Mother therefore does Decree that They  
Should in Her Calendar, enjoy a Day.  
Faith showed Her (which with Wonder Reason Fills) 
28: Deut.   
That Martyrs might be made against Their Wills:  
And what's more strange, That such to Heaven should Come  
As Died, They knew not Why, nor yet, for whom.  
Yet such is the Extensive Power of Grace,  
That little Children, have, in Heaven a Place  
Christ did therein His Will to Man Disclose,  
And said, 
Mar: 10 14  His Kingdom did Consist of Those.  
Well then may such, Eternal Glory win  
Who died for Christ, did no Actual Sin.   

God did these Sons of Men to Glory take,  
Who in effect were killed for His Son's sake.    

On the Day of the Crucifixion of Our Blessed SAVIOUR  

Wonderful Day; That Title's due to Thee,  
Above All Days, which have been, or shall be.  
The Day, 
Gen: 1.  when Order out of Chaos Broke:  
The Day, 
Luk: 2. 11.  when God our Human Nature took:  
The Day, 
Math: 28. 1 2. 3.  when Christ Ascended from the Tomb:  
The Day, 
Revel: 20: 11. 12.  when All the World must hear their Doom:  
Tho these Four Days, we justly Great Ones call,  
Yet when Alas Compared to Thee; are small.  
For 'twas not strange, 
Heb: 11. 3.  that both the heavens & Earth  
From God's All-Pow'rfull Word, Received their Birth:  
Nor, when nought else heavens Justice could Atone,  
The God of Nature, put Our Nature on:  
Nor that He should, 
Heb: 2. 16.  in whose Hand only lies  
Th'Issues of Life, 
Acts. 2 24:  and Death, from Death Arise:  
Nor that One General Assize should be,  
To Hear from Gods own Mouth, 
1. Cor: 5. 10  his Just Decree  
These, but the Actings of a God Display,  
But That God suffered, 
Acts. 20. 28  on This Signal Day;  
Which Miracle Amazement did Infuse,  
In Heaven; Earth Hell; and All but in the Jews.  
In whose Obdurate Souls such Rancour Dwelled,  
As All the World, but They; Compunction Felt.  
The Sun from His Bright Globe, 
Luk: 23. 44 45.  His Lustre strips,  
And with His Maker suffers an Eclipse.  
The Moon did hide Her Face, 
Ex: 12 6.  though filled with Light,  
Seeing the Sun at Noon, Create a Night.  
The Sacred Temple at the strange Event  
Of this great Day, 
Luk: 23: 45.  Her Veil for Sorrow Rent.  
The Earth, 
Math: 27: 51  which does insensible appear,  
Yet at this Prodigy, 
Colos: 2. 15.  did shake with ●eare:  
Hells Sad Inhabitants for Anger Cried,  
And by these Signs, Knew, the Messiah Died  
Th'Insatiate Grave, 
Math: 27: 52 53.  which the Last Day does Dread,  
Thinking it now was Come, Released Her Dead.  
The Pale Centurion, 
Math: 27: 54  Smote His Trembling Breast.  
And that Christ was the Son of God, 
Math: 27. 39 40. 41. 42.  Confessed:  
But the vile jews, their Heads at jesus nod,  
Bid Him come Down, and Then, They'll Say Hees God.  
Oh Frantic Wretches, waste not More to Have  
The Bodies of the Saints Forsake the Grave,  
The Sun grow Dark, th' Earth in a Palsy see,  
Then only to Descend From o●f a Tree.  
But, 
Math: 27 25 2 Cor. 3. 15.  'twas that Sacred Blood they did Despise,  
And wished upon their Heads, which veiled their Eyes.  
Oh! who of th●se Obdurate jews can Hear,  
And not be Struck▪ with Horror, and with Fear,  
Yet we called Christians, Guiltier are then They?  
They knew Him not, 
Ioh: 14 6:  the Life: the Truth; the, Way;  
And when the Lord of Life, 
1. Cor: 2: 8.  They Cruci●y'd,  
They did not know, 
Heb: 2. 9  that 'twas for Them, He Died.  
Mercy may Pled their Ignorance for Them,  
But 'tis Our Knowledge, which may us Condemn.  
Instead of Praise we load Him, with Our Scorns  
Wound him afresh, 
Math: 27. 29  and Crown him with worse Thorns:  
We say He is our Saviour; God and King,  
Yet trample on his Blood, as a Vile Thing.  
judas his Cursed part we daily Play, 
Heb: 10: 29.   
And Him we ●ail as Master, 
Math: 2●. 49  We Betray.  
The Wonders of this Day we Heighten thus;  
Making it useless, that He Died for us.  
Prodigious Day; 
Math: 26. 39  on which even God did Pray  
To God, to take the Bitter Cup away.  
A Day in which Philosophy Descried,  
That Nature, or the God of Nature, Died.  
A Day in which Mortality may Cry,  
Death Thou art Swallowed up in Victory. 
●eb▪ 2● 14    

O may this Day be in All Hearts Engraved;  
This Day, on which GOD Died, and Man was Saved.    

On the Day of the Resurrection of Our Blessed SAVIOUR; Or Easser Day.  
HAil Glorious Day; on which th'Almighty gave, 
1 Cor: 15: 20   
To His New World, the First Fruits of the Grave.  
Hail Glorious Day; in Thy Illustrious Light,  
What Faith could scarce Believe, Appeared to Sight. 
Acts: 26: 8   
Hail Thou most Glorious Day; for 'twas on Thee  
Death Lost his Sting; the Grave His Victory. 
1 Cor: 15: 55 56: 57   
Ere the Blessed Dawn of this Day did Begin,  
On which God Rose from Death, and Man from Sin,  
The Pious Magdalen 
Math: 28. 1. 2  prevents the Light;  
Her steady Soul, Darkness, nor Tombs could Fright:  
She of that Power to Guard Her could not Doubt,  
By which Her seven Devils, 
Mark: 16: 9  had been cast out:  
H●r Du●y's to His Corpse She does Begin,  
Assoon as She could Pay Them; without Sin. 
Luk: 23: 56.   
But All those Perfumes which with her She Beats,  
Were not so Sweet, as was Her Love and Tears;  
Both which did Rise in Her to such an Height,  
As made her Gratitude, Resemble Faith.  
David would not the Love of Man Prefer, 
● Sam: 1: 26.   
Could He have known, the Love which shined in Her,  
Argells, to whom Her matchless Griefs were known, 
Math: 28: 2   
To ease them; From the Tomb Relled off the Stone.  
But nor the Earthquake, nor that Glorious Sight  
Had, or the Power to Please Her, or to Fright:  
Nor could the Honour She did then Obtain  
Of speaking with Blessed Spirits, Ease Her Pain.  
For those who JESUS seek, as Mary did,  
Can but in finding HIM, be satisfied.  
Who could Believe a Wo●an would Display,  
More Love, 
Ioh: 13. 23.  then ●ee, who on Christ's Bosom Lay.  
Or that to Hers, Blest Peter's Love should Yield;  
On whose Confession, 
Math 16 18  Christ His Church did Build.  
Yet She came Early'r to His Tomb then They, 
Math: 28. 1.   
And stayed; and wept; after They went away. 
Ioh: 20. 10. 11   
Nothing could o'er her Grie●s the Conquest win;  
Yet Love; made want of Faith in Her no Sin.  
For when an Angel's News stopped not her Tears,  
Christ to Reward, them instantly appears: 
joh 20. 14. 15   
So Apt He is to bring that Soul Relief▪  
Whose Trembling Faith, springs but from Love, & Grief.  
Both which in her He did so Highly Prize,  
As She First saw Him, 
Mark: 16. 9  of All mortal Eyes.  
And sends Her his Apostle, even to Those, 
Ioh: 20. 17. 18.   
Whom He to be the World's Apostles Chose.  
Never did Love, and Sorrow, Hers Excel;  
And never Both, were Recompensed so well.  
As 'twas a Woman which Death first Brought In; 
1 Tim. 2, 14   
So 'twas a Woman did the Glory win  
To tell the World, with Her Obliging Breath▪  
The Lord of Life, 
1 Cor. 2. 8.  had broke the Bonds of Death.  
Death; which till then did valiant Men perplex▪  
Now should not Fright, Those of the softer Sex:  
Myriad of which, through Faith in IESU'S Name, 
See martyrology   
Have run to Death's Embraces through the Flame.  
Elijah like, 
2 Kings 2. 11  from Earth They did Retire,  
And Climbed to Heaven, in Chariots made of Fire.  
True Grief, does 'Cause Our Comforts, not Destroy:  
For Those who Sow in Tears, shall Reap in joy.. 
Psal. 126: 5.   
And when Death comes to State us in the Face,  
His Power we Smile at, by the Power of Grace.  
Christ by His Rising, 
1 Pet. 1. 3. 4.  has made Death to be  
Only the Gate, to Blessed ETERNITY.  
Such then as strive to get Admittance there,  
While They f●ar D●ath, to enter Heaven They Fear  
Those who like Magdalen their Saviour Love,  
Now He is Risen, should seek the Things Above. 
Cols. 3. 1.   
Since we in Magdalen so well are taught,  
Christ to a Soul by Love, and Tears are brought;  
Still let us strive by Both, Our Souls to bring,  
Where They with Hers, 
●●. 19 4 6.  may Allelujabs Sing▪   

●n the Day of the Ascension of Our Blessed SAVIOUR  
HAil Thou most sad, and Joyful Day, on which  
Earth grew more Poor, that Heaven might grow more Rich.  
Th'Apostles, Christ's Ascension did Deplore,  
Fearing They Lost, what They did but, Restore.  
No wonder it Surprised the Gazer's Sights, 
Acts: 1▪ 9 10. 11.   
To See a Cloud l●volue the Light of Lights:  
To that Cloud only was the Blessing given,  
To be the Chariot, which bore God to Heaven.  
The Truths which David Su●g, 
Psal: 18: 11  did then Appear  
Darkness His Closet; Clouds his Chariots were.  
In Sacred Things, How soon is Reason Lost,  
Till'tis Enlightened by the Holy Ghost:  
For They with Grief on his Ascension Look,  
Tho then, 
Ioh: 14: 1. 2  He in Our Right Possession took  
Of that Blessed Kingdom, where till that Glad time  
The Human Nature, 
Colos: 1: 18.  ne'er before could Climb.  
The Happy Cloud on which He Deigned to Ride  
Approaching, 
Psal. 24. 7.  Heaven, the Gates did open wide  
And Allelujahs Angels did Begin  
Seeing the King of Glory, 
v. 8.  enter In.  
Hells, and Death's Powers, He did before Defeat,  
And Now, His Crosses Triumphs are Complete:  
For to the Blood of it the Power was given  
To Reconcile, 
Colos: 1. 20.  All, both i● Earth and Heaven▪  
Angels are now from f●ar of falling Freed,  
Captivity by Him, 
Ephes: 4. 8.  being Captive Led.  
Since that Blessed Harmony was heard on Earth, 
Luk: 2. 13, 14   
Which Heaven did make, at His Por●entours Birth;  
What Pen (but one took from an Angel's wing)  
Can write the Triumphs, His Return did bring.  
Angels Rejoiced, who Music, are and Love,  
That Those they guard Below; shall Reign Above. 
Psal. 91. 11.   
And shall on those Bright Thrones for ever Dwell 
Heb. 1. 11.   
From which by Pride, 
1 Tim 3. 6.  some of Their Order fell.  
While Heaven did thus Rejoice, 
jude. 6.  Men sink with Grief;  
Two Angels therefore Fly to Their Relief; 
Act: 1 10. 11   
Who told th' Apostles, while They Gaze and Mourn,  
That as Christ went from thence, He should Return.  
Such High Ambassadors; such Charming News,  
Banished their Sorrows, and did Joy Infuse:  
A Joy, which though sublime, was not Complete,  
Till God endued them, with the Paracl●te.   

On the Day of Pentecos● commonly called Whitsunday.  
HAil Welcome Day; on which the World may Boast  
Th'Apostles first Received the Holy Ghost.  
God Ushered in the Vast Gift, He designed,  
By a most mighty, 
Acts: 2: 2.  and a Rushing wind:  
To show, the Blessed Spirit does Abhor  
To Rest in any Place, not Cleansed before.  
God a Consumeing Fire, 
Heb: 12. 29:  Himself does Call▪  
Now, 
Acts: 2: 3.  in Illuminateing Fires does ●all.  
The God of Nature, Nature's La●s did turn,  
And made that to Inspire, which used to Burn.  
Man's Nature Christ carried to Heaven; and then  
Does with the Spirit of God, Enlighten Men:  
The Cloven Tongues Foreshow the Joyful News, 
Acts: 2. 3:   
That Gentiles must be taught as well as jews. 
Act: 11. 18   
And Tongues like as of Fire, did Intimate, 
Act: 2. 3.   
The Cleansing Power should on the Gospel wait▪  
The Gazing Multitude with joy Admire, 
Act: 2. 6. 7.   
How Tongues on Heads, should Tongues in Mouths Inspire.  
Thus taught by God, in Tongues They Critics grew,  
Of which, the Power before, They nothing knew.  
Now Every Nation which the Feast had brought, 
Act: 2. 6.   
Herd in their Variant Speech the Gospel taught.  
Variety of Tongues in Elder Time, 
Gene: 11. 7. 8   
Stopped that proud Tower man aimed to Heaven should Climb.  
But now Variety of Tongues is given, 
Act: 2: 11:   
As the sure means to Rai●e Man up to Heaven.  
Those who the Church would to One Tongue Contract,  
Against this Fruitful Miracle must Act,  
And while They Run in such a Gu●l●y way,  
Destroy one Blessed end of this great Day.  
How Faulty against God must Those Appear,  
Who Darken, what This Miracle made Clear?  
And with Their Pride, or Interest, to Comply,  
Would make Religion a Monopoly.  
Yet some to mock the Miracle Design,  
And Drunk with Rage, 
Act: 2: 13.  Ascribe it to New Wine.  
With which when men are filled Experience shows,  
It ties men's Tongues, but New Ones ne'er Bestows  
Blest joels Prophecy on them did Fall, 
●oel: 2. 28.   
Yet Inspiration, Drunkeness, They call.  
No wonder, when in Sin They flew so High,  
God gave them over to Believe a Lye. 
2 Thes: 2: 11.   
But they, by whom the Miracle was Prized,  
Receiv ' the Sacred Faith, and were Baptised. 
Act: 2. 41.   
When the Blessed Spirit moved the Tongue which Taught  
Three thousand Souls, 
A●●: 2. 41  to life one Sermon brought.  
Above all things, God's word should be Esteemed,  
It made the World, and then the World Redeemed.  
Yet the Best work does on the Gospel wait  
'Tis more the World to Save then to Create,   

On the Day of St. john The BAPTIST.  
HAil, Thou Bright Phospher to that Glorious Day,  
Which from the World, Sins Darkness Chased away▪  
Hail Sacred Voice, 
Ioh: 1. 23.  which from Above was Sent,  
To warn Man to Believe and to Repent. 
Math: 3. 2. 3   
Nev●r did such a Prophet Shine on Earth;  
He, his Redeemer knew, before his Birth.  
His joyful Leaping in his Mother's Womb, 
〈◊〉 1 41. 43. 44.   
When His Lord's Mother, unto His, did Come,  
Made it to both, That he did Know appear  
The Unborn SAVIOUR of the World was there. 
Ioh: 4. 42.   
Philosophy, cannot the Ways Unfold,  
How Babes Unborn, did Correspondence hold.  
None can the Hidden Cause of it Dispense,  
But only the SUPREME INTELLIGENCE.  
No Wonder, since our Saint Transcended All,  
That Christ should Him, 
Math. 11. 9  more than a Prophet Call.  
Judge, with what Knowledge God did him Ador●e,  
Who knew Wisdom itself, 
pr●v: 8. 12. 22.  ere He was borne.  
Reading of Him, Wonder our Souls should Seize,  
His History is filled with Miracles.  
He did a Son to Barrenness become, 
Luk: 7. 24. 25. 36.   
His body was his Tongue within the Womb. 
Luk: 1. 41.   
In His strange Birth, The Eyes of Faith might See,  
The Barren Gentile World, should Fruitful be.  
So many did for His Baptising strive,  
That Oenone's River scarce could Waters give. 
Ioh: 3. 23.   
Nev●r did man to such High Glory Rise;  
This wondrous Priest did his own God Baptism. 
Math: 3. 13   
In stead of shineing Vestments He did wear,  
A Leathern Girdle, 
Math: 3. 4.  and a R●be of Hair.  
Y●t His Birst Ministry, most Firmly Stood,  
Its Grea●●es did appear in Doing Good.  
〈◊〉, 
Math: 3. 4.  and some Wild ●ony, was His Fare,  
Carthusians Meals, to His, Exc●ss●s were.  
This spareing D●et, and That humble Dress,  
Does practically Sentence Our Excess.  
Yet the great Order of the Pen, 
〈◊〉: 3. 12. 13 14.  and Sword▪  
Did 〈◊〉 to H●ar, and Reverenced His Word.  
No Characters by man Erected, shine  
With ●o much Awe in Hearts, as the Divine.  
Reason pays more to P●ety Alone,  
Then to the Guards, and Glittring of a Throne:  
W●at yet, of his first State, Man in him bears:  
Minds him, More's due to w●at he Likes, than F●ars.  
But, All His merit did not Guard his Life,  
●rom the Revenge of an Incestuous Wife.  
Who can think Crimes, which Lust will not Commit,  
When 'tis to R●ap, the Guilty Fruits of it?  
Nature, Religion, and All Sacred Ties,  
Some will, while the Hot Fr●nzy Lasts, Despise,  
He●od, Surnamed Antipas, had been Led,  
Inflamed by Lust, 
Math: 14. 3. 4.  his Brother's Wife to wed:  
Our Sacred Baptist, whom no Power could awe,  
Declared, 
Levit: 18. 1●  His Marriage was against the Law.  
Th'Incestuous Queen, who thought Less bright she Shone,  
In a chaste Bed, then in a Vicious Throne,  
Fearing, the Sentence passed by such a Saint,  
Might make the King's Soul Firm, and Passion Faint;  
Resolved to Act, what oft the Fierce had Tried:  
Great Crimes, by Greater, must be Justified,  
The time She Destined for this Guilty Thing,  
Was on the Birth Day of Her Lustful King: 
Math: 14. 6.   
For then to Honour it, there did Resort  
All that were Great, 
Mark: 6. 21  or Gay, about the Court.  
When Meats Excess, Joined with the Fumes of wine,  
Clouded that Reason Temperance does Refine,  
Herodias D●ughter, 
Mark▪ 6. 22  by her Mother gained,  
So well the King with Danceing Entertained,  
That when His Justice to His Passion bowed,  
He Solemnly, in the Assembly, vowed▪  
What e'er She asked of Him, 
Mark: 6. 23  should be Her Own,  
Tho 'twere to half the Value of His Crown.  
The Cruel Maid than asked the Baptists Head, 
Math. 14. 8.   
No sighs She ●tter'd, and no Tears she Shed.  
Pleased that Her Mother's Fury She Obeyed,  
A sinful Joy, Her wanton Looks Displayed.  
Herod, 
Mark: 14. 9  to grant the Black Request, was Loath,  
Yet for the sake of His great Guests, and Oath,  
The Bloody Present instantly was Brought: 
v. 10.   
ne'er with such Worth, 
v. 11.  and Gild, was Charger Fraught▪  
Yet All their Mirth, the Ghastly sight did Break,  
For though the Tongue did not, the Head did speak,  
And Cried to Heaven, where the great Judge does dwell▪  
Who from Their Thrones th' Incestuous did Expel. 
joseph: Antiq: ●ib: 18. C. 9   
How wild is Power, which made a Monarch Prone,  
To slight God's Word, to Gratisy his Own.  
Falsely He thought, to a Rash Oath he owed,  
More than to Justice, Nay more than to God.  
His Grieved Disciples▪ hearing the Sad News,  
Did Their own Sins, for their great Loss, accuse.  
Then, 
Math. 14, 12  from the Prison, They, the Body 〈◊〉,  
And a True Mourning at the Fan'rall make;  
Yet to the Looker's on, it did Appear.  
The Mourner's, Happy'er then, the Dancers were,  
O who can Read this Story with Dry E●●s?  
Or will not a●ter it, this World Despise?  
When such a H●ad, is as a Tribu●e paid,  
To a L●ud Oath, passed to a Danceing Maid.  
Let us, since Lofty Stations Crimes Inspire,  
Early, from all their Cheating Charms, Retire;  
Wh●n on Death Beds, we, Languishing, shall Lie,  
And know Eternal Joys, or Pains are nigh,  
Th●n w●● shall Grieve, though it may be too La●e,  
How slightly we, our precious Time, did Rate.  
Many ●ave Mourned Their Lives, They ill have sp●nt,  
But none, of well Employing them Repent   

On the Day of St. Stephen the Christian Proto-Martyr.  
HAil Thou Blessed Leader of the Noblest Band,  
Which ever Mortal, did, or shall Command!  
The World's great Generals their followers Pay  
In Rusting metal, or in Fadeing Bay,  
Theirs must by Killing Guilty wreaths Obtain,  
But Thine, by Dying, Life and Glory gain.  
Both which shall ●ast, when Pyramids of Pride  
Are shrunk to Ashes, such as now They Hide.  
This shows how Different the Payments are,  
In the Worlds Laufea●, and the Spiritual Warr.  
The Jews, who Found They no Defence could make,  
Against that Spirit by which Stephen Spoke; 
Act: 6. 10.   
Resolved by Death to finish the Dispute,  
And stop that Tongue, which They could not Con●ute.  
Those Stones, 
Act: 7. 58,  with which his Life They battered down,  
God made the Jewels, of Our Martyr's Crown.  
Our Christian Moses first this Red Sea Tried,  
And to the Heavenly Canaan is Our Guide,  
When JESUS was to Die for Mankind's Crime,  
Only, 
Luk: 22. 43.  One Angel came to Comfort Him:  
But when Blessed Stephen was a Martyr made,  
To His Glad Eyes, 
Act: 7. 55.  All Heaven appeared His Aid.  
When God and Christ by Opening Heaven were shown,  
Both Faith, and sight, for Him, Combined in One.  
Thus God's unbounded Mercy did Proce●d,  
Giving most Com●ort, wh●re there was most Need.  
To the First 〈◊〉 was the Bl●ssing given,  
To have on Earth a Re●ll sight of Heaven. 
〈◊〉: 7. 55.   
L●st ●ailing through 〈◊〉 storms, his Soul might Frights  
O● his wish'● P●rt God kept him still in Sight,  
Martyr's to C●me, in ●is 〈◊〉 ●ision see,  
〈…〉, which to ●uch 〈◊〉 God ●oes D●●ree.  
No Atheist ●'re▪ to ●oose his Life was Known,  
Only to prov● that A●t●r it There's none.  
〈◊〉, when L●e does Expire,  
Is les● the wickeds ●aith, than their desire,  
But Step●en Joyfully 〈◊〉 R●fingn'd,  
Knowing He should with Christ a better fi●d. 
Philip: 1. 23.   
If after Dying n●thing did Remain,  
His Vision ●ad been Fa●●e▪ 
Act: 7. 59  his Prayer Vain.  
What Stephn ●aw, wou●d Charge God with a Lie;  
If, with the Body's Death, the Soul should Die.  
Christ then did Act what 〈…〉,  
That Martyr's Blood should be the Churches Se●d  
For his Last words, 
Act: 7. 56. 59  Proofs of Christ's Godhead give,  
Pra●ing that JESUS would His So●l Receive.  
Since, who, in Martyrdoms Red Path has Trod▪  
D●ing, would Leave his Spirit, but to God?  
Fr●m ●is Last Pray'●, we R●ap this Blessed Fruit,  
That Arrianisme ere born, it does Confute  
True Martyrs Charity ascends so High,  
They Pray for those at Death, 
Act: 7. 60.  that make Them ●y.  
And Such as part with Life, God's Laws to Keep,  
D●ing to Them, 
Act: 7. 60.  is but to fall Asleep.   

On the Day of St. Peter  

HAil First Apostle; 
●ath: 10: ●.  Thou, whom Christ did Choose  
To Preach Mose's his Saviour, to the Jews.  
None of the Sacred Twelve, the Church Agree,  
In various Dispensations Equalled Thee.  
T●ou First didst own that Faith which ●e're shall Fail, 
Math: 16. 16, 17 18.   
Since against It, Hell's Gates shall not Prevail.  
Bu● thou 〈◊〉 D●pre●ate the Limbs being Slain; 
v. 22.   
Without whose D●ath Thy Faith had been in vain, 
〈◊〉: 15 14.   
That Rock, 
Ma●: 16. 18.  o● which the Church should, ●ounded be:  
Tho thousands by mistake believed 'twas Thee.  
For Christ did name Thee Peter; 
Mat: 16▪ 18.  and did own  
Thou in His Church, ar● One Chief Corner Stone:  
And Christ on Thee, did the Honour shower,  
Of being First in Order, 
Math: 10▪ 2.  not in Power.  
Since the Keys Powers with which Thou first were't Blest, 
Math: 16. 19   
He also did Confer on all the Rest. 
Math: 18. 18   
His Faith to Walk on Waters, 
Math: 14▪ 28  did not shrink;  
But Oh! 
v. 30.  How soon it failed and He did Sink?  
He drew his Sword, 
Ioh: 18▪ 10▪  First, on His Master's side;  
But then, 
v: 25.  That He his Master was; Denied.  
He first did Promise, 
Mat: 26. 35.  he with Christ would Die,  
Bu● when the Danger came, 
v: 56.  he then did Fly.  
Christ, who his Heart better than he did know,  
Foretold his F●ll, 
Mat: 26. 34  before the Cock did Crow.  
No means are weak, which God Vouchsafes to use,  
The Crowing of a Cock, 
Math: 26. 75  His Faith Renews.  
That Bird, whofe voice does Usher in the Day,  
Drove from his Soul the night of Sin away.  
Whilst He, 
Mark: 13. 17.  with Oaths, and Curses, Christ A●jur'd,  
Those Sins, 
Luke: 22. 61.  but by One Look of His, were Cured.  
O Powerful Look! which instantly could Dart▪  
The Rays of Grace into a Perjured Heart.  
O moving Look! which could so well Persuade▪  
That of a Sinner a Blessed Saint It made.  
Those bitter Tears, 
Math: 26. 75  which His Repentance Spilt,  
So Powerful were, They washed off all His Gild.  
Thus Cleansed; He did Aspire for Christ to Dy.  
From whom before the did not Blush to F●y  
So vast the Difference is, which God does Place,  
Between the strengths of Nature, and of Grace,  
Now by o●e Sermon, 
Act: 2. 14. 41.  he does Thousands make  
That Christ Adore, which he did once Forsake.  
The Bedrid Persons now at his Command, 
Act: 3, 2, 3, 7, 8.   
On Their Long-useless Limbs in Raptures stand.  
His Shadow now, 
Act: 5. 15.  does quicker Health Impart,  
Then All the substance of the physic Art.  
Now tho, 
Act: 3. 6. 7.  He could not give to Beggar's Wealth,  
Yet, he did give Them greater Riches; Health.  
Now T●at All Hypocrites his word might Dread,  
God strikes Sapphira, 
Act: 5 9 10.  and her Husband Dead.  
But Doreas, 
Ac: 9 39 40  whom the Weeping Widows Praise,  
Christ from the Dead, at P●t●rs Word, does R●ase.  
Who then da●e thi●k, God ●ill not at the Last,  
Raise All the Dead, at ●he 〈◊〉 Blast?  
Since, 
1 Cor: 15. 52  what H● did to tabitha, has showed,  
The Power to do it, God on man Bestowed.  
Reason, without the Help of Faith, doth show,  
God can do more, than He made Peter do.  
Who Doubts the Dead shall Rise at Times last How'r;  
Questions at Once, Gods Promise and His Power  
Tho These, and many Wonders more, w●e see  
The Sacred Word of God Records of Thee;  
Y●t from what Scripture, can Rome's Bishops Plead,  
That Thy Successors are, the Church's Head?  
Antioch does s●em to have a stronger Claim,  
Since there the Christians first Received their Name. 
Act: 11. 26.   
And All past Ages, 
See D. Car●s life of St Peter Sect. 9 ●● 1.  as the present Own,  
In Antioch Thou didst Erect Thy Throne.  
Rome, but the second Place was, where it stood,  
Rome, whose ungrateful Earth su●kd up Thy Blood.  
Whilst Antioch urges, S●●e was Thy First See,  
First Learned Thy Faith, and from Thy Blood was Free  
S●ee seems in these 〈◊〉 B●●ssingsto Exceed,  
What ever Rome's best Orators can Plead.  
This made the Nicene Fathers to Decree,  
The pope of Antioch, 
Can: 6.  a first Pope should be:  
For till Rome's Church did Thirst for Power and Fame,  
Pope to All Bishops, was a Common Name.  
But Time, which All but Truth doth Overcome,  
Antioch Destroyed, and has Exalted Rome.  
Yet this alone, is the best Plea we see,  
Which Rome can urge for Her Supremacy.  
Which were it Good, the World must then Confess.  
That Rome's Supramacy is Her Success.  
Divers Pope's show (who Errors did Embrace)  
Faith comes not by Succession but by, Grace.  
That Blessed Evangelist, whose Pen did write  
The Gospel which most think thou didst Indi●●  
Lets us, 
Ma●●▪ 13. 7●  thy Fall in Fowler Colours see,  
Then are made use of by the Other Three.  
●y which we Learn, when we a Sin Commits  
We should Ourselves be most Severe to It.  
But thy great Failing, which so Black Appears,  
Faith has washed off both, in thy Blood and Tears  
Tho trembling F●ar, made thee from jesus Fly,  
Yet stable Faith, made thee for Him to Dy.  
And Judge, ●ince Christ Died upright on the Tree,  
His Dying Posture was too good for Thee.  
This made thee beg (what th' Impious did Deride) 
〈…〉   
That thou mightst be Revers'dly Crucify'd;  
That Humble way, which thou didst Choose to Die,  
Honoured the Cross, which Christ did Sancti●y.  
He, a sure way to Endless Life does Choose,  
Who in this World, His Life for Christ does Lose   

O Happy Loss, which brings the Highest Gain;  
Since those who Die for Christ, 
〈…〉  with Him shall Reign;    

On the Day of St. Paul  

HAil Great Apostle, Greatest of them All,  
Since from Christ Glorified Thou hadst Thy Call.  
A Call, which made Thee stop Thy Fierce Pursuit,  
And Preach that Faith, 
Gala: 1. 23.  which Thou didst Persecute.  
Taught by God's Word, 
2 Cor: 12. 11  Thee I the Greatest Call,  
Since from thy Rising, Thou didst never Fall.  
Thou with that Sacred Privilege we●'t Blest,  
Which God 〈◊〉 on none ●f all the Rest.  
And Thou Encouraged by the Power of Grace,  
Peter withstoodst, 
Gal: 2. 11: 14  when Faulty, to the F●ce.  
The Christian World in Sacred Records see,  
The care of All the Churches Lay on Thee. 
2. Cor 11. 28   
Thy Pen, in writing more of them, was B●est,  
Then the Inspired Pens of All the Rest,  
And the Blessed Spirit Testifies of Thee,  
Thou more than All didst work abundantly. 
1. Cor: 15. 10   
Thy Tribe, 
Rome 11. 1.  of which so Few God's wrath did Escape,  
While They maintained a Murder and a Rape: 
judge 20▪ 46 47.   
Was yet the Tribe, 
1 Sam: 10▪ 21  from which his Hand did Choose,  
The First of All the Monarches of the jews.  
And, which did more the Fame of it Renew,  
The great Apostle of the Gentiles too. 
Rome 11. 13   
Since jacob Loved his youngest Son so well, 
Gen: 42. 38   
God made His Tribe most other Tribes Excel.  
To Benjamin more Glory it does bring,  
To give us That Apostle, than a King.  
Of all the Sacred College, Thou Alone,  
For OUR APOSTLE we with Justice own.  
The Gentiles Teacher Heaven does thee Declare, 
Ron: 11: 13.   
And we, of the West World, all Gentiles were.  
Since Thou thine Office dost so Magnify, 
Rome 11. 13.   
My Muse delights in magnifying Thee▪  
As God to Thee most Mysteries did show,  
So He made Thee most, Sufferings undergo.  
Thy Life, Like Thy great Masters, seems to be,  
Continual Scenes of Varied Misery.  
He, 
〈◊〉: 9 1.  who most vexed the Church, God Judged it Fit,  
Should be afflicted most, in Planting It.  
By which his Sacred Justice has made known,  
Only Great Sufferings should great Sins Atone.  
Stripes, 
2. Cor: 6. 5.  Prisons, Dangers, and all else we Dread,  
Were, by his Providence, Thy Daily Bread.  
But though the Loads were great, which Thou didst be●  
Yet under them, Thy Comforts greater were;  
For the vast Privilege to Thee was Lent,  
Of being in All States of Life Content. 
Philip: 4. 11   
To what Amazing Raptures were't Thou brought  
When Thou were't up, 
●. Cor: 12. 2.  to the Third Heaven caught?  
Such were the Joys thou didst Partake of there,  
Thou, but in Negatives, couldst them Declare.  
Yet we those Joys for Worldly Trifles sell, 
v: 4.   
Which even Thy pen, did want the Power to Tell.  
That Blessed Apostle, to whose Eyes was shown,  
What the Church calls the Re●elation. 
Revel: 1. 1:   
Tho He to Picture Heaven enough did see,  
Yet fell in Revelation short of Thee,  
For We, of what He saw Partakers are▪  
But thou sawst things, 
1. Cor: 12. 4.  not Lawful to Declare,  
Those jews, which at thy Miracles did 〈◊〉,  
Brought thee to Die before a Roman judge, 
Act: 24. 1.   
But Felix trembled, and his Tongue was Dum●●  
Hearing thee Treat of the great Day to come, 
Act: 24 25.   
Such Power those have, which Gods Cause Undertake,  
That from the Bar, They m●ke their Judges Quak●,  
And when to Festus and Agrippa led, 
〈◊〉: 25: 13. 14.   
That before them, thou for the Faith shouldst Plea●.  
The King confessed, thou didst so well Persuade,  
That He was then ALMOST a Christian made,  
God, with such Argu'ings, s●ill did thee supply, 
Act: 26. 28.   
That from their Force, Reason, nor Faith could Fly.  
Such Divine Logic, thou didst always use,  
That who Resisted was without Excuse,  
When Ner● ha●, the Bright Popp●ja gained,  
To such a Sin, as all her Beauty Stained.  
Blessed Paul, as Holy Chrisostome does write,  
Converted, 
See D. Cave in his life of St. Paul Sect. 7. Pt. 8.  and thereby made her more Bright▪  
For after to the Faith He her did win,  
Rome's Glories, could not Tempt her to a Sin▪   

WHich made the Tyrant's Rage so blind, and High▪  
That, who His Mistress saved, He doomed to D●.  
That Faith, for which Our great Apostle stood,  
He did, when Called by Christ, Seal with ●is Blood▪  
And when Rome's Powers, he had by Death O'ercome;  
God Crowned the Head he Lost with Martyrdom.  
A Crown, which Monarches ought to value more;  
Then That which once His Murderer Nero, wore▪   

O May we Learn from Him, 
Rome 6. 11.  to Die to Sin;  
That We thereby, 
●am: 1. 12▪  the Crown of Life may Wi●    

On the Day of St. Andrew THE APOSTLE.  
Blessed Saint, whom Two Peculiar Honours Crowned▪  
Thou were't the First, 
I●hn: 1▪ 40.  that the Messiah found,  
and e'er the Gospel, Christ to Thee did T●ach▪  
Thou didst the Gospel to Blessed Peter Preach. 
v. 41.   
Of the First Brothers, which on Earth did Live,  
The Eldest, 
Ge●. 48.  to the youngest, Death did give:  
But of those First, 
See D. Cave in his life of S●. ●●ter Sect. 1. Pt. 4.  we in the Gospel's Read,  
The younger, did to Life, the Elder Lead.  
In them, the Different Maxims are Descried,  
'twixt Those, whom Nature, and whom Grace does guide▪  
That Holy Zeal, Christ did on Him Bestow,  
Made ●im into Remo●est Regions go:  
Wild Scythia, 
See D. Caves' life of St▪ A●●rew Sct. 3.  which did Civil Nations F●ight,  
Owned to His Piety the Gospels Light.  
Those He set Free, whom Sin in Chains did hold,  
Sin, which had more Benumbed Them, than their cold▪  
To Famed Byzantium afterwards he Sail●, 
Sect: 4.   
Where by His Pains so much the Faith Prevailed,  
As He, that City with a Mitre graced,  
And in that See Paul's Beloved Stachys placed▪ 
Rome 16. 9   
After those Parts did reverence JESUS Name▪  
He then to Patrae in Achaja came;  
Aegeus the Pro Consul's Office bore: 
Dr. Cave in his life of St. Andrew ●▪ 5.   
who with blind Zeal, blind Idol's, did Adore▪  
As God, he worshipped Statues, which he made▪  
Thus, by Ill breeding, most men are Betrayed.  
Seldom we wipe ou● Prepossessions stains,  
For what Our youth Receives, Our Age Retains.  
Since to False Gods, He thought his Zeal was Due,  
How had it heightend, had he known the True?  
Our Blessed Apostle, being grieved to see,  
Th' Achajans bend to such Idolatry.  
Showed them, that Adoration should be paid,  
To that God only, which the World had made,  
The Gospels' Influence, as the Suns, is Felt,  
Th● Day it hardens, and the Wax doth melt:  
F●r, what Our Saint taught of the Word of Life,  
Enraged the Husband's, 
See D. C●a●s in his life of St. 〈…〉 at large.  but converts the Wife.  
Fair M●ximilla, when the Truth She heard▪  
Despised those Idols, which Her Husband Feared.  
And wondered, when in Grace she did Partake,  
How men believed, their Hands, Their Gods could make▪  
In her new Faith, so Happy She appears,  
That She did Court her Lord to it, with Tears▪  
But, though Her Beauties He did much Adore,  
Y●t He did His Revenge, and Idols more▪  
A Cross Decussate, He with speed does 〈◊〉▪  
(Which sort of Cross, still bears St. Andrews Name)  
And on it did Our Martyr Crucify,  
Whose Limbs, he did not Nail to it, but Tie▪  
Those Cords, more Cruel were by Farr, than Steel,  
For they Deaths Pangs made him the Longer Feel.  
During two Days, while thus his Limbs they stretched,  
He for His murderers Prayed, or to Them Preached▪  
The People all Astonished were▪ and mourned,  
That He, his Cross had to a Pulpit Turned.  
And could not of that Doctrine think too high,  
Which for such Hate, Returned such Charity,  
Poor Maximi●a, was ne'er Drowned in Tears,  
Yet, whom Her Lord had murdered, She Interres;  
There in a Private Tomb His Corpse did Rest,  
Till with great Constantine the World was Blest,  
Who, to His new Imperial Seat did Bear,  
His Sacred Dust, and gave it Burial there,   

On the Day of St. Tho●as the Apostle SURNAMED DIDYMUS.  
HAil Thou Great Saint, 
●●h: 20▪ 25.  whose Doubts were o●ce so High,  
As Bordered Thee, on Infidelity.  
Thy Gracious Lord, Recalls Thee when Astray;  
And yields to Conquer them, in Thy own way.  
He off●rd by Thy senses to make known,  
He was no Spirit, having Flesh and Bone,  
And But this mild Reproof, Thou didst Receive;  
Be Thou no longer Faithless but Believe. 
Ioh: 20. 27.   
At this, Thy want of Faith Thou didst De●est▪  
And that He, was Thy Lord, and God Confessed.  
Christ when His Doubts rose to a Sinful Height▪ 
v. 28.   
Did make him by his Senses Climb to Faith; 
Ioh: 20▪ 27.   
His Sacred Mercy; which no Limits knows,  
Blames what He wants, and what ●ee wants bestows▪  
When God our Faith Requires, yet holds not fit,  
Our Senses should be used to Reach to it;  
As in the Hypostatick Union;  
A Virgin did Conceive: and Three are One▪  
Not to believe of Them, but what we S●e▪  
Is to be Sinful to the Last Degree.  
But when God does a Miracle Dispense,  
And does Subject the Proo● of it to Sense;  
He, who will not his Senses then Believe,  
Rejects that Proof, which God bids him Receive.  
The Wedding Guests at Cana; 
Ioh: 2. 1.  had not known,  
The only Transubstantiation;  
Which ever yet on Elements has past;  
Had They believed, 
v. 9  against their Sight and Tast.  
Rome's Church, Amazing Doctrines does Dispense:  
First bids us Credit, then, not Credit, Sense:  
Our Senses were must Trust, to know the Priest  
Does Consecrate the B●ssed Eucharist;  
But must Renounce, after the Holy Rite,  
Our Taste, Our Smell, Our Feeling. and our Sight.  
Yet who can know He must not Sense believe,  
If to his Senses he no Credit give.  
Since, to be taught He must their Verdict Slight,  
He either must believe, his Ear, or Sight.  
Our Blessed Lord, 
L●●: 24▪ 38▪ 39  did His Apostle win,  
By seeing, 
2. Cor: 4. 18.  to believe what was not seen;  
He often blamed them, that they Dsbelieved,  
Those things, 
Luke. 24. 38 39  which by their Senses they Received.  
And that Blessed Faith, They did to Men Dispense,  
Was built upon their Senses Evidence;  
Their Eyes, 
● joh▪ 11, 2, 3.  their Ears, their Hands, They did Confess▪  
Of what they taught, were their sure Witnesses.  
And on his Soul, a Sin our Saint did Draw▪  
In not believing, what his Brethren Saw.  
When beyond jordan, the sad News was Spread.  
That Lazarus of Be●hany was Dead; 
joh▪ 11. 1.   
And when, at Mary, and at Marth's Prayer,  
JESUS into judea would Repair. 
v. 7.   
Which, since the jews did there his Life pursue▪  
Th' Apostles were unwilling he should do; 
v. 8.   
Thou saidst to Them, (Thy Love was then so High)  
Let us go also, 
v. 16.  and there with him Dy.  
Thou, who to Die with JESUS, didst not Dread▪  
Thou, 
v. 44.  who sawsed La●arus raised from the Dead  
How couldst thou Doubt, what they ten Baethrens said,  
Whose Eyes, the Witnesses of it w●re made?  
How couldst Thou doubt His Rising, who had shown  
He was himself the Resurrection? 
Ioh: 11. 25. 26   
But Sin in Man, God's Image does Deface,  
Till 'tis afresh, stamped, by the hand of Grace▪  
But when from want of Faith, he was Reclaimed,  
His Falling with such Zeal his soul inflamed.  
That through the Eastern World, 
Eus●●: lib. 3. C. 1.  he went about,  
To Pla●t that Faith, of which He once did Doubt▪  
Which shows, that into Sin the best may Fall▪  
And that such Sin, for greater Zeal does Call.  
The Farthest Indians, 
Dr. Cave in 〈◊〉 life of St. Thomas §▪ 3.  he to Christ Reclaimed,  
Where still St. Thomas-Christians, They are named.  
More wealth He brought them by his Pious ●oyle▪  
Then Nature yields them, from their Sea or Soil.  
Th' Incense of Faithful Prayer, is of more Price  
Then All their shining Jewels, and their Spice.  
At Sumatra, the brahmin's Fertile Isle,  
He did to Christ, the People Reconcile.  
At Malipur, Chief Town of Cormandell,  
In which, 
Mass: Histor: Indi●: Li●: 2. P. 85. quot. by D. Cave.  their Sagamo or King, did dwell.  
Near which, Famed Ganges in the Gulf does Fall,  
A Church he built, and on Christ's Name did Call.  
There, by his prayer's, and Miracles he wrought,  
That Savage Prince, to the Blessed Faith he brought.  
The unconverted brahmin's quickly knew;  
That their Feigned God, must yield unto the True;  
And than their Power, and Riches must Decline,  
They, who Prized fordid wealth, above Divin●:  
Resolved; (to save what they did most Esteem)  
To give Him Death; who had brought Life to them.  
An Ambush, near a Sacred Cell they Laid,  
In which, our Blessed Apostle daily Prayed.  
While There, He for his murderers, praying was,  
They through his Heart, their guilty Darts did Pass;  
Then▪ le●t no part of all his body whole,  
And from his Earthly Prison ●reed, his Soul.  
Th' Adventurous portugals, in after time,  
That they, might both to wealth, and Glory Climb.  
Planted this Region, which so Distant Lies,  
And which the Sun first Gilds, when he do●s Rise.  
There, 
Os●ri●s.  as a much Esteemed Historian Saith,  
Thousands they Found, who held the Christian Faith.  
Taught first by Our Apostle, They All Said,  
And by Tradition, was to them Conveyed.  
Some Pious Prelates, the whole Flock did Guide▪  
And over them, an High Priest did Preside:  
Their Churches, with no Gaudy Pictures shone,  
To them Saints Images, were things unknown.  
No Representment, but the Cross was made,  
Zeal was the Ornament, their Churches had.  
Beyond what's Dec●nt, they no Rules did know;  
Religion, is a Substance, not a show.  
The Gospels' first Simplicity they Prized,  
Church Pageantry, they hated, or Despised▪  
Their Clergy, did, much of their Time afford,  
To make the Lay Study the Sacred word,  
Of which no part of it, with them Remained,  
That is in the Old Testament contained.  
Th'essentials of Faith, They all believed,  
And in both Kind's, the Eucharist Received,  
He, who was weary in the World to dwell▪  
Might when he would, Retire into a Cell.  
None thence, would to the World again Repair,  
Devotion, and not Vows, confined them there.  
These, 
●. Pet. 2. 2.  who with the Words Sincere Milk were Nurs●▪  
Show us, how plain, Religion was at First.  
When Sousa, did in India Govern All, 
See D. Cave   
As Vice Roy to the King of Portugal,  
The Indians ●ound, digging up buried Stones▪  
A written plate of Brass, and Dead men's bones▪  
At Last a Bramin, than a Learned jew,  
The meaning, of th'Engraved writing knew,  
First it declared; God's Son, St▪ Thomas sent▪  
To teach them to believe, and to Repent:  
Next; that to build a Church, their Sagamo▪  
Did on Our Saint; freely that Land bestow.  
The Portugueses, judging that those Stones▪  
Haddit been the Coffi●, of our Martyr's bones,  
The precious Relics, buried with Respect,  
And did o'er them, a stately Church Erect▪   

On the Day of St. Io●n the Apostle  

HAil Great Apostle, who so happy proved,  
As to be called th' Apostle JESUS Loved. 
Ioh: 13▪ 23.   
A Name, which does to thee more Glory bring,  
Then were't Thou styled, the Universal King,  
Who well can think, Linus and Cletus were,  
(Who next to Blessed Peter filled Rome's C●air 
E●seb. lib. 3. C. 19 )  
The only Heads, Christ to His Church did give,  
While ●hou, who on ●is Bosom Dwellest didst Live?  
Thou, on whose Head, while Thousands did Admire,  
The Spirit did sit in Cloven Tongues of Fire. 
Act: 2: 3▪   
Thou whom, that Spirit did Inspire to write,  
The Loftiest Gospel, 
●oh: 21. 24.  which it did Indite.  
Thou, whose blessed Tongue by God himself was Chose,  
That Book to Dictate, 
Revel: 1. 11.  which His Word did Close.  
Thou to whom Christ, 
C●: 22. 18.  while yielding up the Ghost,  
Gave Gifts, the Like of which, none Else could boast▪  
He left His Blessed Mother to Thy Care, 
joh 19 26. 27.   
And by Adoption made Thee His Joint Heir.  
None could, whilst Thou on Earth mad'st Thy abode,  
Be above ●hee, who Brother were't to God.  
Yet this great Truth must Contradicted be,  
Or it must Ruin Rome's Supremacy.  
Whose Sons, alas! with too much guilt maintain,  
Only Their Bishops o'er Christ's Church can Reign,  
God might to Thee so Long a Life Dispense  
That such Usurping might have no Pretence.  
Tho Tyrants Thee to Patmos did Condemn, 
Euseb: li●: 3 Cap: 16.   
Yet there Thou saw'st the New jerusalem.  
God showed Thee thence, 
Revel: 1. 9 Changed▪ 21. 10.  lest too Long Life might Cloy,  
Those Glories, which through Faith, thou shouldst Enjoy,  
Let none Admire, since Christ Loved Thee so well,  
That He so Long left Thee on Earth to Devil;  
For since to serve Him here He did Decree,  
To do His will on Earth, was Heaven to Thee.  
Thus Angels though from God They take their Flight,  
Yet find in Their Obedience, Their Delight.   

Thou only of Thy Blessed Society,  
Christ did permit a Natural Death to Die▪  
Man's Fury did the Rest to Death Decree,  
But Age itself to God presented Thee.  
Which proves, All Those as sure to beav'n shall Climb▪  
Who Dye in Christ, 
Re●el: 14. 13  as those who Die For Him.  
Many might else from His Blessed Doctrine Fly,  
I● all, who taught it, had been Doomed to Dy.  
Which sinful Fear, that All men might Decline,  
God, who Their Lives did shorten, Lengthened Thine.    

On the Day of St. Mathias THE APOSTLE.  
When Cursed judas the sad Breach had made,  
By having both His Lord, 
Math: 2●. 15. 16.  and Soul Betrayed;  
Peter, 
Act: 1. 16.  by Scripture Lets th' Apostles See,  
They were Empowered to fill the Vacancy.  
Which to effect, 
Act: 1. 24. 25. 26.  They Invocated Heaven,  
And Lots did Cast, the Spirit not been given.  
Our Saint, and Ius●us, 
v. 23.  were the Blessed Pair,  
Of which, One should by Lot, fill judas Chair.  
Hail Glorious Saint, who to the Honour got,  
Of the Apostleship, 
v. 26.  by Sacred Lot.  
Thy Blessed self were't both the first, and Last,  
Whom God, that way, in that High Office Placed.  
And what the Lot Declared, the Holy Ghost,  
Confirmed, 
Act: 2. 1. 2. 3  on the great Day of Pentecost.  
For then, the Spirit unto Thee was given,  
As God bestowed it on the Blessed Eleven.  
Tho Iustus ●ist of that Supreme Degree,  
For which, He then stood Candidate with Thee▪  
Yet to the Second, Christ did Him admit,  
Since For the First, th' Apostles Judged Him Fit.  
He knew, their prayer's th'unerring Lot did guide,  
And it was God, did the great Doubt decide.  
To which He did Submit, without Appeal▪  
And what it gave, a Miracle did Seal.  
By which, the Church's Priesthood God made known▪  
Shall be continued, by Election.  
That Sacred Office, which so Long did shine,  
In Levi's Tribe, and in High Aaron's Line,  
Now, was by God's Decree, to yield the Place,  
To the more Glorious Ministry of Grace.  
None therefore to th' Apostolate e'er got,  
Of Levi's house, either By Choice or Lott.  
Christ, Calling none to it of Aaron's Line,  
Declared He did that Priesthoods End Design.  
After Our Saint was with the Spirit Blest,  
His Soul Allowed his Body little Rest;  
Through many Regions He the Gospel spread,  
And Those revived, 
Ephes: 2. 1:  who in their Sins were Dead.  
Authors, in Various Narratives abound,  
Where 'twas, that He, with Martyrdom was Crowned.  
In Ancient Martyrologies we Read,  
The Jews first Stoned Him, 
See D. Cave in the life of St. Mathias  than Cutt off his Head.  
But if Greek Offices may be believed,  
He on a Cross, his Martyrdom Received.  
Helen the mother of Great Constantine,  
In whom Exalted Piety did Shine,  
The Relics of Our Saint did so Esteem,  
That she removed them from jerusalem.  
And at new- Room, much Time, and Treasure spent,  
In giving them, a Second Monument.  
From thence, as Old Church Histories have said,  
His bones to other Cities were Conveyed.  
And even to our Times, Triers and Rome,  
Contest in which of Them, they have their Tomb.  
Since, of His Dust so much Esteem is had,  
Much Greater to his Doctrine should be paid.   

On the Day of St Mark THE EVANGELIST  
HAil Great Evangelist, whose Sacred Pen  
Inspired by God; has taught His ways to Men▪  
Before He did Receive His saveing Call,  
Into what sad Backslideing did He Fall? 
See D. Cave in the li●e of St. ●ark   
Great Epiphanius has expressly shown,  
Tha● of the Guilty number, he was One,  
Who, when they Literally understood,  
They were to Eat Christ's Flesh, 
I●h: 6. 53.  and Drink His B●ood,  
Th' Amazing Doctrine They di● so Abhor,  
That They withdrew, 
Ioh: 6. 66.  and walked with Him no more.  
Yet the like words mistaken, are become,  
And made, an Article of Faith, by Rome.  
Averro prayed, Hearing such Doctrine pressed,  
His Soul with the Philosophers might Rest.  
Heathens have no belief so wild, and Odd,  
As both to Worship and to Eat their God.  
But Peter did to Mark the Truth Dispense,  
And showed the words, had a Spiritual Sense.  
His Faith thus Fixed, He ne'er again did Fall▪  
But was to Peter, what Luke was, to Paul.  
And after, He His Convert was become  
He did Attend Him, when He went to Rome.  
The Earliest Writers differ, where, and when▪  
The World did owe the Gospel to his Pen.  
Which Peter did Review, and then Decreed,  
It should be, in Divine Assemblies, R●ad.  
Papias, 
Euseb: li●. 2. Cap: 15.  and Eusebius Declare,  
'Twas writ at Rome, and at His Converts Prayer;  
But, the Venetians will not this Admit,  
They say; 
See D: Cave.  It was at Aq●ilej● writ;  
And that the Greek Originalls with Them  
W●ich They, of A●l their ●reasures, m●●t Esteem.  
Blessed Peter, who at Rome was in Restraint,  
Egypt to Free, 
Euse●: lib. 2. C●p. 16.  Thither employed our Saint.  
True Gospel Charity in this We see,  
●hile him they b●●d, ●ee, does set others Free.  
Free from worse Chains, than Tyrants make us bear▪  
〈…〉 are, than Nero's, heavyer.  
Nile to her People ne'er such blessings brought,  
As They enjoyed, by the Blessed Faith he taught.  
Fair Alexandria was the Happy place, 
E●se●: li●. 2. ●ap 24.   
Which with His Doctrine, He did oftenest Grace▪  
By which, more Famed by much it did become,  
Then for its b●ing Alexander's Tomb.  
Or for those Pyramids, to which were given,  
More height, 
Gen: 11. 4.  then to that Tower, which threatened Heaven  
Or to those mountains, which by Giant's pains,  
Were Raised to Scale the Skies, from Phlegra's Plains▪  
Yet He, his Mitre did not there Confi●e,  
Pe●tapolis, and Libya, saw it Shine.  
Shine, with more Rays, than Gold, or S●ones can give▪  
Those Dead in Sin, Its Lustre did Revive.  
The Life Monastic, Div●rs have believed,  
●t's Institution from our Saint Received,  
From the Famed Philo, this belief they Take,  
Who writes that near the Meraeotick Lake, 
See Euseb: 2. book 17. Chap, where Phi●os words are▪   
Many Retired, and there Their time did give,  
To Pious Rites, and Lives Contemplative.  
St. Hierome and E●sebius, do Declare,  
That these Devout Recluses, Christians were.  
And Learned Baronius, That we might Esteem,  
The Cloister'd Life Rome Founded; Ioines with Them.  
But Those, who throughly read, what Philo writ,  
Scarce can, what those Collect from thence Admit.  
For He, with the most Large Encomiums Strives,  
To make his Readers, praise their Holy Lives.  
Who then can think, he would Commemorate,  
That Sect, which all his Nation most did hate.  
He adds, that Order ancient was when He  
Composed his (Celebrated) History.  
If so, how can Those Men bee● Christians thought,  
Whose Faith was Newly then, in Egypt taught.  
All which, does rather seem to make it Cl●ar,  
That these Strict men, Jewish Esseni were.  
Serapis Priests, who Highly were Afraid,  
Of the Vast Progress, which the Gospel made;  
Against Our Saint Their Fiercest malice bend,  
And did Resolve, his Death, their Fears should End.  
The Time they Chose their Fury to Display,  
Was, when Their Idols ●east, and Easter Day.  
Did happen at the selfsame Time to Light, 
See D. Cave.   
They then the Easy Multitude incite,  
To vindicate their slighted Dei●y,  
Whose Altars, they behold Contemned did Lie,  
All then, the Sacred Christian Church Invade;  
So much, Religion can seduce the Bad.  
They knew▪ (such subtlety their Hearts had filled)  
The Flock would scatter, were the Shepherd killed:  
St. Mark They bind, and then with Impious Force,  
Towards their Bucelus They take their Course▪  
Dragging his Carcase all the way They went,  
And from that Precipice 'twas their Intent▪  
His precius Body, in the Sea to fling:  
This seemed to Some, too merciful a Thing:  
Him therefore, in a Prison They secure,  
That He their Torments, longer might Endure▪  
But while, much more acute ones They Contrive,  
He begs of God, His Murth'r●rs to Forgive,  
Next Day They Dragged Him o'er sharp Rocks again,  
Until he owed His Rest, unto His pain,  
The Priests enraged (He did so soon Expire,)  
Condemned His Sacred Relics, to the Fire.  
His Converts Tears did quench the Flames at last▪  
And then His Ashes, in a Tomb they placed.  
This precious Dust, which Egypt sert at nought▪  
From Alexandria, was to Venice brought.  
And there Interred, Their Duke did mourn in Chief,  
And Paid it All the Compliments of Grief.  
And as a Tomb, to guard it did bestow,  
One of the Proudest Piles, the World can show.  
Then, that Illustrious Senate did Decree,  
Saint Mark, Their Tutelary Saint should b●e▪   

On the Day of St Philip the APOSTLE  
HAil Great Apostle, who the First of All  
With Christ continued, after thy blessed Call.  
Peter and Andrew, 
See D: Cave in St: Phillip's life.  though they jesus knew,  
Yet, some months after, did their Trade pursue.  
Amazing were those ways, the World must grant,  
Which Christ did take, the Sacred Faith to Plant▪  
He could have Monarches, for Apostles C●ose,  
Yet that High Office, on mean men bestows.  
His Wisdom, 
Esay 29. 14.  the World's Wisdom does despise,  
And by the Ignorant, 
1 Cor: 1. 27. 28  Co verts the Wise.  
To the Blessed Faith, Philosopher's were brought,  
And, in the nets of Fishermen, were Caught▪  
Nay, makes them (which more wonderful appears)  
By their own Deaths, Convert their Murderers.  
Who can Consider, and not upward Look,  
That, when the mighty work was undertaken,  
Which in the World did Act such wondrous Things,  
It's Learning to Confute, and Vanquish Kings,  
Christ, only Poor, Illiterate, men did send,  
And, yet by Them, attained His Glorious End▪  
Tho they Declared (for they abhorred Deceit)  
That Worldly Crosses on their faith did wait.  
And still, 
Act: 14. 22▪  the greater Wonder to Infuse,  
That Ga●●ilee, which Peopled was by jews.  
And was the Province, They did most Despise,  
Saying, 
Ioh: 7. 52.  No Prophet out of it could Rise.  
Was y●t by Christ, whose Will does All Dispose,  
The Country whence, He his Apostles Chose.  
Nay Poor Bethsaida, 
Ioh: 1. 44.  a fisher Town,  
He, with the birth of Three of them did Crown▪  
Peter▪ and Andrew, shining Lights on Earth,  
With Our blessed Philip, there received their Birth.  
Were the World therefore, equal in her Doom,  
B●ths●i●a should be more prized, than Rome,  
The brighter Fame is to their Birth-place due;  
That, ●hree Apostles Raised, Rome Murdered Two.  
Great Philip, did surpass in knowledge All  
Th' Illustrious Twelve, whom Christ at First did Call,  
The Law, and Prophets, 
See D. Cave.  He did early read,  
The best of Books, in which youth can be bred▪  
By those he knew the Glorious time was near,  
In which, the Great MESSIAH should appear▪  
Whereby, as soon as Christ the words had said,  
Of FOLLOW ME, 
Ioh: 1. 43.  he instantly Obeyed.  
Then, 
v. 45.  to Nathani●l does that News Impart,  
Which, had with Sacred Raptures, field his heart▪  
The Principles of Grace still Active are,  
And in our Blessings, will make others Share▪  
But yet, 
Ioh: 1. 47.  That Israelite indeed, did Choose  
No● to give Credit to the Joyful News;  
His Prepossession past this hasty Doom,  
T●at, 
v. 46.  out of Nazareth no Good could come.  
Y●t our Apostle would not angry bee,  
But to Convince Him, 
v, 46.  lids him, COME and SEE▪  
There He, 
v. 47.  in whom no Guile was, soon did know,  
The God, 
v: 49.  to whom that Blessing he did Ow.  
The Upper Asia, as some Ancients Thought,  
The Province is, 
Metaphrastes & Nicephor●s quoted by Dr▪ Cave.  where He the Gospel taught.  
His pious Labours there, the Spirit did Bless,  
And to Christ's Fold, They brought a great Increase.  
Hierapolis, in Phrygia, was the Place,  
Which with His Doctrine, He the Last did Grace●  
T●e People there (which Philip did Deplore)  
A monstrous Serpent daily did Adore. 
See. D. Cave.   
'Twere Hard to Judge, which Savager appears,  
Either the Idol, or th' Idolaters.  
B●t jove, having assumed that Shape, to wi●  
Th' Incestuous Embrace of Pro●erpin.  
(The Daughter which to him bright Ceres bore)  
The Phrygians therefore did that beast Adore.  
But as it is by Metaphrastes said,  
To Death, our Philip, the Vile Monster Prayed.  
The people, seeing such a Wonder done,  
Did, from Idolatry, to jesus Run.  
For which their Magistrates, with sinful Breath▪  
Condemned Our Saint to Ignominious Death.  
While all his Converts, by the Tears they spilt,  
Strove to wash off their Rulers bloody Gild▪   

On the Day of St. james the Apostle Surnamed the JUST.  
HAil Great Apostle, whom Gods Sacred Word  
Vouchsafes to Style, 
●alat: 1. 19  the BROTHER of the LORD▪  
Christ, the First Christian Mitre gave to Thee,  
And made the Holy City, 
Euse●: l: 2: C. 1.  Thy First See.  
Rome, does in vain for that High Title Strive,  
Which God, 
Nehem: 11. 1 Ma●h: 4. 5. Ac●. 15. 19 20.  but to jerusalem did give.  
There, all allow, that Thy Inspired Decree,  
From the jews yoke, 
Act: 15. 10.  did se●t the Gentiles Free.  
Thou, in that First Blessed Council didst Preside▪  
Whose Sacred Canons the whole Church did guide.  
Tho that Famed Council was in number small,  
Yet none, was e'er, so Ecumenical.  
For 'twas in Fact, That, for which Rome does strive▪  
It was, The Churches Representative.  
They had in Truth, what Others had in Boast,  
Th' Vnnerring Guidance of the Holy Ghost. 
Act: 15. 28.   
They, in plain words did their Decrees Impart,  
Others cloud Theirs, with Sophistry and Art.  
None were with Their Anathemas Oppressed,  
Since, such as have most Right, will Threaten Lest▪  
The Lawful Shepherds, 
joh. 10. 1●.  most the Flocks, will spare,  
And True Kings milder, than Usurpers are.  
Who, but St. Paul, could have been fittest thought,  
The Convert-Antioch Gentiles to have Taught.  
For He the Gentiles great Apostle was  
And His Resolves, 
● Tim: 1. 11.  might well for Canons pass.  
Yet Him, 
Act: 15. 2.  They to jerusalem will send,  
The Circumcision Difference to End.  
Yet He, does not to Peter only go,  
But to th' Apostles All, 
v: 4.  and Elders too:  
And those Famed Canons, which they then did Frame,  
In their Joint Title, 
v: 23.  Bore the Breth'rens' Name▪  
To show, that what to All had been Decreed,  
The Clergy, and the Laity Agreed.  
Tho to Record that Pattern, God judged Fit,  
Yet, How Few Councils since have, Followed it▪  
Yet, in the Canons, which at Nice were Signed,  
Both Constantine, 
See his Letter Recorded by S●crates B. 1. C. 6. Socrat B. C. 6.  and His Blessed Mother soyned.  
But worthy 'tis to be Observed▪ that there,  
No Pope, nor Legates for Him, did appear.  
Thy Pen does Magus Gnostics, best Confute,  
And proves, 
Math: 7. ●7. james 2. 18.  Faith is the Tree, h●t works the Fruit.  
Thy Blessed Epistle cuts off all Deba●e,  
And does unite, what they did Separate.  
To Faith, 
james. 2. 22  Good works the Brightest Lustre gives,  
And is the Highest Godlike Proof, 
v. 26.  it Lives.  
Thy Life, with Acts of Charity, was Fraught▪  
Thou most didst Practice, what thy Sermons taught.  
Which, though it met, among the Good with Praise.  
Yet, in the Pharisees, did Envy Raise.  
Envy, which, where it Reigns, All Good Controls,  
Envy, the Hurry-cane of Humane ●Soules.  
Some of that Sect, with Feigned Joy declare,  
That, By his Preaching, They his Converts were▪  
And therefore begged, that All the People might  
At once be brought, from Darkness into Light.  
Which to Effect, They Him with reverence bring  
Into an Height, above the Temples wi●g:  
And under it, great Crowds of men Appear,  
As if they came, Christ's Laws from Him to 〈◊〉▪  
But, when the Sacred Faith He did D●spence,  
They, 
See Euse●: B▪ ●. C. 23.  in a Fury, threw Him headlong thence.  
To his Blessed Life, a Wond'rous End was given,  
Since from that Fall, God Raised his Soul to Heav●●▪  
Then, that great Truth was Evidenced in Him,  
To Fall for Christ, is the sure way to Climb▪ 
Ma●h: 10. 39 〈◊〉: 2▪ 11, 12   
His Foes worst malice made Him to Lay down,  
A Fading Mitre, for a Deathless Crown.   

On the Day of St james the Apostle Surnamed the GREAT.  

HAil Sacred james; in Graces so Complete,  
That the whole Church gave Thee, the stile of ●reat,  
Yet, 
See D. Cave in his Life.  till in Him, the Spirit did Reside,  
H●e felt the Storms of Dire Rev●nge, and Pride;  
So much did Passion Him, 
Luk: 9 54.  and john Inflame,  
That Christ did Both, 
Mark: 3. 17.  the Sons of Thunder Name.  
They in Their Mother's Proud Suit did Partake, 
Ma●h: 20. 20 21.   
And 'twixt th' Apostles, 
v. 24.  the First strife did make.  
When a Samarian Village did Refuse  
To Lodge Him, and the Rest, Since They were jews,  
Had His Power Equal been, to His Desire,  
He had, 
Luke: 9 54.  Like Sodom, Rui●'d it with Fire.  
Such darkened Frailty does to men Belong,  
Till Grace Enlightens Them, and makes them Strong.  
He Could not See, 
2. Cor: 3 14.  till Christ the Veil did Draw,  
How mild the Gospel is, 
Luke: 9 55, 56  above the Law.  
These Crimes, the Sacred Scripture does Relate,  
After His Call to the Apostolate:  
To show, That in the Church the Loftiest Place,  
Will not Restrain, Since nothing can, but Grace▪  
But Christ, who what He would be, did Foreknow,  
(Since He who makes us do, Knows what we'll Do)  
And who did Goodness more, 
Math: 12. 50  than Kindred Rate,  
Did Choose Him, 
Math: 17. 1.  one of his Triumvirate▪  
While Those, who nearer were to Him Allied,  
To share in that vast Honour, were Denied.  
But He, 
Math: 4 21, 22.  and john, IESU'S First call o●ey'd  
Leaving their Home, Their Father, and Their Tra●e.  
Which proves, Those are unworthy of Christ's Call  
Who to obey it, 
Luke: 14. 33  will not give up all.  
Peter, and these great Brothers, were made Blest,  
With Favours not Extended to the Rest.  
'twas These Three only, 
Mark: 5. 37  jesus with Him Led,  
When He Raised Ia●rus Daughter from the Dead.  
These on Mount Tabor saw the Glorious Three, 
Mark: 9 2, 3, 4.   
The Greatest sight, next to the Trinity.  
And only They, 
Math 26, 37  the Grieved Spectators stood,  
When on the Mount He sweat great Drops of Blood. 
Luk: 22. 44.    

After Our Lord's Ascension first of All,  
He taught the jews, dispersed at Stephens Fall.  
Then spread the Faith, 
See D. Cave in the life of St. james the great Sect. 7.  (if Elder Times say True)  
In our Great Britain, and this Island too▪  
Blest Patrick, whom this Isle her Saint has made,  
Did build on that Foundation, which He Laid.  
But of this Saint, 
See book of legends in the life of St. Pa●ricke  Rome's Soas such Fables write,  
As Darkened, what They meant to make more Bright.  
Divers are Loath, that Holiness to Prize,  
Which men attempt to magnify by Lies.  
Since but too many, (as it oft does Fall)  
For some untruths, Suspect the Truth of All.  
But We, the Legends Fiction cast away,  
And, to His Pious Life Due reverence Pay▪   

When in the west Saint james much time had spent,  
Back to jerusalem again he went.  
Herod Agrippa, 
See joseph.  by Decree of Rome  
To the Judaic Empire being Come, 
Antiqui: B. 18. ●h. 8.   
That Slavish Fawning to His Country brought,  
Which He, 
Ch: 11.  under Caligula, was Taught;  
Tho, He in the jews Paths did strictly Tr●ad,  
Yet He, 
See D▪ Cave in the 〈◊〉 o● St. james 9 8  Rome's Emperor a God Decreed.  
By this, the Tyrant He did hope to gain,  
And then, to wash off that Blasphemous Stain,  
The Christian Church He did with Fury waist,  
And Our Apostle into Prison Cast 
Act: 12. 1, 2.   
The jews extolling ●his, He did proceed,  
And his Sin Finished, Cutting off his Head.  
How Frantic are th' Idolators of Fame?  
Who fell their Souls in hope to buy a Name.  
At our Saint's Death, 
See Euseb: B. 2. C. 9  such Charming Truths He said,  
That He, his Keeper a Blessed Martyr, made.  
Nothing can to the Spirit give Restraint,  
One moment turned a Gaoler, to a Saint.  
Of All th' Illustrious Twelve, the Sacred Word  
Does only Our Saint's Martyrdom Record. 
Act: 12. 1, 2.   
Angels to Heaven His Blessed Spirit Bear,  
And then, 
Act: 12. 23.  an Angel struck His Murderer.  
Caesarea saw Him, whom They did Admire,  
And call a God, 
v. 22.  under God's wrath expire.  
But All Spain's Empire Judge, that They are Blest,  
Thinking His Bones at Compostella Rest.    

On the Day of St. Bartholomen THE APOSTLE.  

HAil Glorious Saint, whose Lofty Lineage Springs,  
As divers Ancients wri●e, 
Pet. de Natal: lib: 7. C. 103.  from Syrian King's.  
But hadst Thou been the Sove'rign of the Earth,  
Yet, had Thy Office far Excelled Thy Birth.  
Thy Birth could give Thee, but a Temporal Throne,  
Thy Office gave Thee, an Eternal One.  
The Holy Scriptures somethings does Relate,  
Of all those, called to the Apostolate,  
Only of our blessed Saint, the Sacred Word,  
Does but his Office, 
Luke 6. 13▪ 14  and his Name Record.  
Which made some Writers, and of no small Fame,  
Think Him, 
See D. Cave. the life of St. Bartholomew Sect: 1. 2. St. Austin.  and blessed Nathaneel, were the Same.  
Tho the best Bishop, which in Hippo Sat,  
Denies His Call to the Apostolate.  
But, our great Church Historians, Clearly show,  
How much to Him the Christian World does owe▪  
Rude Lycaonia, 
Dr. Cave. Sect. 5.  by his Sacred Pains,  
He from Idolatry, to jesus Gaines.  
From thence, he did the Gospel propagate▪  
Even in that India, styled, the Fortunate.  
Which, by his Preaching there, might such be Held▪  
More, then for All the Riches, it does yield.  
Spices, and those bright Stones, with which the East,  
Of all parts of the World, does seem most Bl●st.  
May Justly, but as Dung, and Dross, be thought,  
Compared to saveing Faith, 
Euse●: B. 5. C. 9  which there he Taught.  
St. Mathews Gospel He the Indians showed;  
More wealth, than Nature had on them Bestowed.  
So Bright he Shined, so swiftly he did Run,  
As makes Him seem, more, than a Second Sun.  
His Early Beams did in the East appear,  
Then to Armenia, He his Light did Bear.  
Astyages, who then possessed that Throne,  
Was Happy in his Brother Palemon.  
Whom our great Saint Conver●ed to the Faith,  
Which Raised the Tyrant's Anger to an Height,  
That did the Royal Office misbecome,  
Our Saint he Doomed to Triple Martyrdom.  
First Flayed alive, then on a Cross was Tied,  
Where, Preaching still the Faith, for which He Died▪  
His Murderers, who did his Doctrine Drea●,  
To stop the Martyr's mouth, Cutt off His Head.   

His Royal Blood, thus spent, more Glory gains,  
Then had it still, been Circling in his Veins▪  
The slighted Torments of his Triple Death,  
The Truths he Sealed, even with his Dying breath:  
Convinced Blest Palemon, and others too,  
An Happy Life, to such a Death, was Due.  
This made that Prince, Contemn a Temporal Throne,  
To strive to Climb to an Eternal One.  
And to such height of Holiness did Soar,  
As He the first Armenian Mitre wore,  
Wearing a Mitre well, gains more Renown,  
Than only, but by Birth, to wear a Crown.  
Learned Heretics Observing Our Saint's Fame, 
See D. Cave in his life Sect the la●t.   
A Gospel wrote, and called it by His Name.  
Knowing, that none could any Doubts admit,  
Of what they did believe his Pen had writ▪  
But Pope Gela●ius did a Synod Call,  
And justly Sentenced it, Apocrypall.  
Popes in Old times were men of High Renown,  
Shining in Faith, not in a Triple Crown.   

OUr Saint, in Divers Cities, had a Tomb,  
In Daras, Benevent, and Last in Rome.  
Where, may They be so Pious, and so Just,  
As more to Prise His Faith, and Less His Dust▪    

On the Day of St. Mat●hew the APOSTLE and EVANGELIST.  
Blessed Saint, 
Math: 9 9  who from a Publicans Loathed Trade,  
Thy se●f to Christ, as a Due Tribute, Paid.  
Thy Gainful Office, when the word He Spoke,  
Thou didst, with Gladness, instantly Forsake.  
Thou by that Call, the Wisdom didst Obtain,  
To Know, 
1 Tim: 6 6.  that Goalyness was Highest Gain.  
Thy Noble Dinner, 
Mar▪ 2. 15.  where Christ was Thy Guest,  
Might well be Reckoned, as thy Marriage Feast.  
There, Thou were't joined to the Church's Head,  
The World Divorced, and didst the Gospel Wed.  
In that great Feast, All Gallilee did See,  
How Blest Thy Change of Life, Appeared to Thee▪  
If such R●joyceings might not be Expressed,  
Christ, with His Presence, had not Graced the Feast.  
How justly may, a Sinners Second Birth,  
Which causes joy in Heaven, 'Cause Feasts on Earth▪  
Christ, 
Luke: 15. 7.  the high Honour did to Thee Afford,  
To be the First, who wrote His Sacred Word.  
By which, thy Countrymen did owe to Thee,  
The Light, 
●alat: 5. 1.  which Them from Moses Yoke, did Free▪  
When with that Book, he had judea Blest,  
He went to Propagate it in the East.  
There, 
See D. Cave in the life of S▪ Matthew Sect. 4.  He the Gospel to the Parthians taught,  
And those Fierce men, under Christ's Sceptre, brought.  
One man from God did Part●ia more Subdue,  
Then all the Roman Legions e'er could do.  
For by the Holy Ghost, He let th●m See,  
That, only They, who jesus serve, are Fr●e.  
From Parthia, by Gods Dictates being sent,  
He, to the Sooty Ethiopians went  
A Blackness on their Souls was caused by Sin,  
Much worse, then that, the Sun made on their Skin.  
Yet Christ's Baptismal Water had such might,  
As He by it, did wash the Ethiopes white.  
Inwardly white, 
Rome 2. 29.  which God does higher Prize,  
Then men th' external, which so Courts their Eyes▪  
In these two Regions, He his Race did Run,  
Which more enlightened Them, than did the Sun.  
Authors Dispute, where he Received his Doom,  
But all Agree, 
See D. Cave  He Suffered Martyrdom.  
And, that the Faith, He did to Them Reveal,  
He with His precious Blood, at last did Seal;  
His Converts were by it the Firmlyer tied,  
And in that Truth, did Live for which He died,  
Two mighty Kingdoms, to Our Times Contest,  
In which of them, His Sacred Relics Rest.  
But Cities strove, which Homer's Birth should have▪  
But Empires strive, which has Our Martyr's Grave,  
Yet Vaster Difference is, in what They writ,  
So much, is Inspiration, above Wit▪   

On the Day St. Luke the EVANGELIST.  

HAil Great Physician, 
Colos: 4▪ 14.  Great without Control,  
Thy Skill, does heal the Body, and the Soul.  
Rome, with Thy Antioch, might Exchange her Fam●▪  
It gave Thee Bir●h, 
See D. Cave in the life of St. Luke S. 1 Act: 11. 26.  and to the Christians Name▪  
The Least of Both, more Honour to Her brought,  
Then All Her Schools, in which the East was taught.  
A Double Glory, thy blessed Pen Contracts,  
Writing Christ's Gospel; 
See Dor●theus  and th' Apostles Acts.  
Had we, of this great Record, been bere●t▪  
In how much Darkness had the World been Left▪  
And, how much greater Knowledge, might we Win,  
If Thou hadst Finished what Thou didst begin?  
But How dare We La●ent the want of it  
Since God has Judged That Deprivation fit▪  
And by what's Left, the Christian World may Boast,  
None need for want of Knowledge, to be Lost.  
Since All our Condemnation will be Due,  
To our Performing Lesle, than what we Knew▪   

To Thee, and Us, that Influence was Kind,  
By which, 
See Dorotheus  to Holy Paul, thou first were't Joined.  
Illustrious Blessings Thou Obtain'st by It,  
T●y Praise, 
2. Cor: 8. 18  is in the Sacred Scriptures, writ▪  
Beloved Physician, 
Colos: 4. 14:  Thee God's word does Call▪  
And the Blessed Fellow-L●borer of Paul▪ 
Philemon. 24.   
●ho Schools Confer on Scholars High Degrees;  
Yet, none e'er gave any, so High as these.  
Nor couldst thou, From thy Antioch Schools have brought,  
Such Learning, as to Thee by Paul was Taught.  
Men gave to Man's Philosophy, the Place,  
That's D●e to the Philosophy of Grace.  
Of that High Science, which by Time, and Care,  
Men strove to Learn, God bids us to Beware.  
More useful Learning, 
Colos. 2. 8  in Christ's School is taught,  
Then any, which mere men, to Mankind brought.  
All School Philosophy we must Decline,  
That may oppose attaining to Divine. 
1. Tim 6. 20   
The Path, which Leads to Glory, must be Tr●●,  
Not in M●ns Wisdom, 
1. Cor: 2. 5.  but the Power of God.  
No wonder that ou● Saint, so great a Friend,  
To Learning, did so Close, on Paul Attend:  
(Whose Breast Inspired, was with more knowledge Crowned,  
Then in the Famed Pantheon could be Found.)  
And n●ver Left Him, 
●. Tim. 4. 11  till in guilty Rome,  
His great Instructor, Purchased Martyrdom,  
From that Ungrateful City than He goes,  
And on the World, his precious Time bestows.  
I● Maps, no Regions, Geographers admit,  
But are Obliged, by what he Taught, and writ▪   

The Martyrologies of Greece, 
See D. Cave life of St Luke ●. 3.  and Rome,  
Differ, where he enjoyed his Martyrdom;  
Rome says, it was in Asia the Less,  
Nicephorus averrs, it was in Greece,  
And that, by His Vile Murderers Decree,  
He suffered Death upon an Olive Tree.  
That Rage, which in their Hearts his worth had bred,  
Turned, vndesign'dly, Just, to Crown his Head,  
For since the Learned, to Learning do allow  
A wr●ath to Crown it, of an Olive Bow.  
Our Saint, whose knowledge reached the Last Degree,  
Was Crowned, not with an Olive Wreath, but Tree  
But Piety did to His Body give,  
As Little Rest when Dead, as when Alive▪  
Kingdoms, and Cities did a while Contest,  
In which of them, his precious Dust showst Rest.  
All yield at Last, to Co●sta●tines strong Clamme,  
Who built a ●emple to the Apostles Name.  
Which though a Pile, of so much Art and Cost,  
That of the Like, the whole World could not boast,  
Yet since 'twas made to those great Saints a Tomb,  
Whose Blood, and writings taught all Christendom,  
The Famous Structure, more Renowned does prove  
For what's there Buried. then for all above.    

On the Day of St. Simon the APOSTLE.  
HAil Sacred Cananite, 
Math: 10. 4.  whose Godlike Pains,  
For Thee, 
Luke: 6. 15.  the Title of the Z●l●t, Gains.  
More ●ustly Due, if we the Truth Respect,  
From Labouring for Thy God, then from Thy Sect▪  
What Creature e'er, so many Lands did Run,  
Unless his Fellow-Traveller, the Sun.  
Egypt's, 
See D. Cave 〈◊〉 li●e St. 〈◊〉 Sect. 3▪ 4.  and Africa's heat, and Barren Sand,  
Could not His Zeal, or Frighten or Withstand.  
The Libyan Lions Barred not up his Way,  
Nor the Wild People, Savager than They.  
He did Ful●●●l, what was in Scripture Read,  
On Lions, 
91. ●s: 13.  and on Adders, He did Tread.  
Against Their Venom, Antidotes he had;  
The Words of Faith; 
Mark: 16. 17. 18.  that Balm of Gilead.  
These wre●ched People, 
〈◊〉▪ 8. 22.  who with heat were vexed▪  
Much in This World, but much more in the next.  
He, by his Pious Life, and Preaching, brings,  
To Rest, 
17. Ps●●▪ 8.  under the s●●dow of God's Wings.  
Those were the Seeds of Faith, he there did S●●  
Which to great Height, in Future times did grow▪  
After He had, Asia, and Africa taught,  
Into West Europe, He the Gospel brought,  
At last, 
See Dorot●eus  into O●r Britain, He did Come▪  
The Guilty Scene of his Blessed Martyrdom  
He like the Sun, up in the East did get,  
●hin'd o'er the South, then in the West did S●tt.  
His Holy Life, his Doctrine so maintained,  
That Many People He to jesus Gained.  
But others, 
〈◊〉 Kings 21. 25.  who Themselves to Sin had Sold,  
Did to Destroy him open Counsels hold▪  
And as the Greek Menologies Agree, 
〈◊〉 b● D. Cave.   
Those Monsters Crucify'd him on a Tree.  
With Joy He saw, his Blood for jesus spilt,  
His Faith was on the Rock of Age's ●uilt.  
There, 
〈◊〉. 26. 4.  in an Unknown Grave, his Body Lies,  
Until a Glorious Body it shall Rise.  
●ight not His Blood, which our Forefathers spilt,  
Have helped to Fill the Measure of that Gild.  
Which often drowned Our Islands in a Flood,  
Of Royal, Noble, and Plebejan Blood▪  
So that, No spot of Earth hath e'er been more,  
No, nor so much, moistened with Human Gore.  
And even in our Fa●all Days, we Saw,  
Great Britain made, 
Act: 1. 19  a True Acheldama.  
O, May we from all Sinning, so Refrain▪  
As God may never make it One again.  
When our Repentance shall his Wrath Atone,  
The Inward Peace, will bring the Outward One.   

On the Day of St. jude THE APOSTLE.  
HAil Blessed Ju●as, whose Devotion's Flame,  
Hath made Atonement for that guilty N●me▪  
The Cursed judas, 
Matt: 26. 14 15.  who to gai●e was Tied,  
Sold Him, for whom the Blessed Judas Died.  
His Question to Our Saviour does Detect, 
john: 14. 22   
He also did, His Temporal Reign expect.  
Which Error, 
Act: 1. 6.  all his Brothers did Admit,  
Till the Blessed Spirit Led them out of it.  
To worldly Glories, men Aspire at, most,  
Until enlightened by the Holy Ghost;  
But for a nobler Empire, than They S●rive,  
More Solid Farr, 
Heb: 10. 34.  then All this World can give:  
'twas Long before the Church's did admit,  
His Blessed Epistle into Sacred Writ. 
Euseb: lib: 2. C. ●3. lib: 3. C. 22.   
During that guilty time, w●at was become,  
O● the Infallibility of Rome.  
E●oc●s Apocal●ps the Church of Old, 
See D. Cave in the life of St. Iu●e Sect: 5▪   
Next to w●at was Canonical did hold●  
O●r Saint His prophecy did therefore Cite,  
Which, Since no Pen, that was inspired, did Write▪  
Was the Chief Reason, Divers could Afford,  
Why T●ey did doubt, 'twas not the Sacred word.  
Yet some Epistles, written by Blessed Paul,  
Were still admitted, as Canonical▪  
Tho He to Reach the E●ds, which he did Press,  
Arat●s quotes, 
A●●: 17. 28. T●m: 1. 14.  and Epime●ides.  
Who though not guided by the Heavenly Light▪  
Yet They, the truth in several things did write.  
Of Rome's Vnerringness ill Proof She makes,  
By First Suspecting, what at Last she takes.  
If by the Help of Study, and of Time,  
She, to know what's Canonical, does Climb;  
Others to such Infallibility,  
May have at lest, as good a Right as She.  
Either that Title she should not Admit,  
Or She should give us better Proofs of it.  
Th' Inspiration, which our Saints Epistle bears,  
Highly Instructive to Mankind appears,  
Servant to Christ, 
jude 1.  and Brother to Blessed I●●es,  
T●e weighty Titles are, which He esteems.  
Tho ●ee might ●ustly, by God's Sacred word,  
Have st●l'd himself; 
Math: 13 55  THE BROTHER OF THE LORD.  
Yet that vast Title, Our great Saint Declines,  
By which, His Humbleness the Brighter Shines.  
Many Great Nations of his Teaching boast,  
But Per●ia seems, 
See D. Cave in the Life of St I●ue S. 3.  indebted to it most.  
Their Magis, who in High esteem were held,  
Finding their Wisdom unto Go●s did yield;  
Which should have Led them into S●vei●g ways,  
Did only their Revenge, and Envy Rais●.  
Which did not Let them Rest, until that They,  
His Life did take, who taught to Life, the Way.  
His Converts, when the News They understood,  
Their Surnames of Tears, mixed with his Streams of Blood.  
But tha● B●est Martyrdom He did abide,  
〈◊〉 them in the Faith, for which He Died▪   

On the Martyrdom of his Sacred Maies●y KING CHARLES' THE FIRST OF BLESSED MEMORY.  
THat Sacred Head three Kingdoms did Adore,  
For what it was, more than for what it wo●e:  
That Hea● by ●orth, more than by Birth, the B●st,  
Which Daily proved, O●a●les were not Cear,  
Is not Condemned, as 'tis believed by Some,  
〈◊〉 is with Glory Crowned, by Martyrdom.  
And though his Rebel's Power thus to Dispense,  
His Fate, make Some to question Providence;  
My Faith by it is Raised, and not Depressed,  
Since the worst they could do, did prove the Best.  
For that Black Vo●e, which then Pronounced his Doom▪  
Served to Con●eig● him to a N●bler Crown. 
〈◊〉. 1. 12.   
Of whose D●ration none can doubtful be,  
Since 'twill outlive his Murth're●● Infamy.  
Glory, like time, Progression does require,  
When i● Advances not, it does Expire:  
And his had Reached to such an Height before▪  
Nothing, but such a Death, co●●d Raise it more.  
And though Some dare allege, 'twas but a Few,  
〈◊〉, or his 〈◊〉, or 〈…〉  
Yet that itself does all excuse defeat,  
To Let so few, Commit a Sin so Great.  
All are too Guilty: they are, who did Si●,  
To shed his Blood, and Those Permitted it.  
With a Sublimer joy he mounted on  
The Scaffold, than he did Ascend the Throne.  
For Heaven had taught him, 'twas a Greater Thing,  
To be a Martyr, then to be a King.  
The last is Fin●●e, and by Birth bestowed,  
The First is Infinite, a●d Given by God.  
There none, who saw the Way in which He Died▪  
But of his Innocence were Satisfied.  
For, through his Soul so bright a Calmness Shone,  
Every Spectator Judged That He was one.  
And that, That Headsman, when he gave the Stroke▪  
As much, as were his Judges, was mistook  
Next to the Power of Overcoming Death, 
2. Tim▪ 10▪   
Was, with Such quiet to Resign his Breath.  
This Loss alone had Power to make us find,  
A Greater Curse, than War, was yet behind:  
And, that one Fatal Death could Wound us more,  
Then all the Deaths, in Civil Wars before.  
And though his Reign, this one Misfortune Brings▪  
That his Son Cannot be the Best of Kings▪  
Yet, it Repairs it, by Instructing how,  
●o make that no Misfortune, he must do▪  
Afflicted Prince, Though they cast off your Crown▪  
Your Highest Glori's safe, being His Son.  
No Monarch ever Lived upon the Earth,  
But would exchange his Empire, for your Birth▪  
For never any was so Great, and Good;  
It Springs from Martyrs, and from Royal Blood▪  
The Joys above now are not all Unknown,  
To see your Martyred Father there, is one.  
Since but to think he went there, when from Hence,  
Is Sin enough, to keep the Doubter thence.  
Then let us Strive, Since us this Blessed Man Guides,  
To tread those Paths, which lead where he resides.  
And make his Death, by such a Pious Strife,  
A Bl●ssi●g, more Transcendent, than His Life  
V THE END OF THE POEMS.   

POSTSCRIPT.  
THe Reader will perhaps wonder that these POEMS are placed in such an Order, as is, neither altogether agreeable with that of the CHURCH CALENDER, nor with that, which others have Observed. To Satisfy him in which it hath been thought Convenient to give this Following accounted of it.  
The Noble Author of these Poems had a respect to three things, in the Publishing of them in that Order, they are Presented to the World.  
First, He had a respect to the History of our Blessed Saviour's Life, and Actions, and therefore esteemed it requisite, to place all the Poems on those festivals, that did any way relate thereunto, in such an Order, as that the whole History thereof, might be carried on, and Continued in one uninterrupted Series. And therefore the Reader finds, after the Dedication, the First Poem to be, on the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, beginning there first, because that is the first account we have of our Saviour's actual Coming into the World And then after that, On his Nativity, and Circumcision; And then, as Occasional Attendants on these, are added those Poems on the Epiphany, Holy Innocents', and Purification. Afterwards follow those, on his Passion, Resurrection, Ascension, and sending the Holy Ghost.  
Secondly, He had likewise a respect to the Eminency of Certain of the Saints, Whose Festivals are Celebrated in the Christian Church. And therefore those, whom he Esteemed most Eminent either for Suffering for, or Preaching of the Gospel, He thought fit to Place next. And upon this account, after the Poem on Wnitsunday, He Ordered those On St: Stephen, the Christian proto Martyr, St: Ioh● the Baptist, St. Peter, and St: Paul, to take place before all the rest.  
And then lastly, as for all the remaining Festivals, 〈…〉 it necessary, to have the Poems on them to be Placed in that Order, in which they are in our Liturgy. And therefore t●e Reader finds the Poems, on the Days of St: An●rew▪ St: Thomas, St▪ john the Divine, St: Mathias, St: Mark, St: Philip St: james the Less, St: james the Great, St: B●rtho●o●e●, St: M●tthew, St: Luke, St: Simon, and St▪ ●ude immediately to 〈◊〉 that of St: Paul.  
As for St: Barnabas, St: M●chael, & All Saints, the Author intended to have written on them but was Prevented by D●a●h.  
At the End of all, is added a Poem on the Martyrdom of King CHARLES the First, which is there Placed, because it was not ●ound till after th● Author's Decease, and till all 〈◊〉 Foregoing Poems were Sent to the Press.  
The Author had likewise an intent, to have written on the 29th of May, the 23d of October, and 5th of N●●emb●r; But it Pleased God, to Call Him to an Happy Rest from these as well as all other his Labours, before he could finish w●at he further intended in this Kind; And upon this account it is● That the World Sees here no more of Him.  
Finis.