Or, when he hungry is, for better food Than this alone, If he bring stomach and digestion good: This the best Physic is. The true Panchreston 'tis for every sore The poor, and rich With equal ease may come by. Yea, 'tis more, An antidote, as well As remedy 'gainst Hell. 'Tis Heaven in perspective, and the bliss Of glory here, If any where, By Saints on Earth anticipated is, Whilst faith to every word It is the Looking-glass of souls, wherein All men may see, Whether they be Still, as by nature they are, deform'd with sin; Or in a better case, As new adorn'd with grace. "Tis the great Magazine of spiritual arms, Wherein doth lie The artillery Of Heaven, ready charged against all harms, Of our infernal foes. God's Cabinet of revealed counsel 'tis : Where weal and woe Are order'd so, That every man may know which shall be his; Unless his own mistake False application make. It is the Index to Eternity. He cannot miss Of endless bliss, That takes this chart to steer his voyage by. Nor can he be mistook, That speaketh by this Book. A Book, to which no Book may be compared Angry at that expression, as too bold, His thoughts in silence smother, Till he find such another. THE PULPIT. "TIS dinner time: and now I look For a full meal. God send me a good Cook: This is the dresser-board, and here I wait in expectation of good cheer. I'm sure the Master of the house Enough to entertain his guests allows : And not enough of some one sort alone, But choice of what best fitteth every one. God grant me taste and stomach good: My feeding will diversify my food; "Tis a good appetite to eat, And good digestion, that makes good meat. Not fed on well, poison, not food, to me. "Tis Manna that I look for here, Here the same fountain poureth forth Water, Wine, Milk, Oil, Honey, and the worth Of all transcendent, infinite In excellence, and to each appetite In fitness answerable; so That none needs hence unsatisfied go, Whose stomach serves him unto any thing, That health, strength, comfort, or content can bring. Yea, dead men here invited are Unto the bread of life, and whilst they spare To come and take it, they must blame But, that the soul may feed, itself must be To milk the strongest men must be As new-born babes, whenever they it see, Desiring, not despising it. For strong meat babes must stay, and strive to fit Get by degrees (which best beseem a man) Good to discern from evil, truth from fable. Here I will wait then; till I see The steward reaching out a mess for me: Resolve I'll take it thankfully, Whate'er it be, and feed on't heartily. Although no Benjamin's choice mess, Five times as much as others, but far less; Yea, if it be but a basket full of crumbs, I'll bless the hand, from which, by which, it comes. Like an invited guest, I will Be bold, but mannerly withal, sit still And see what the Master of the feast Myself desire: yea, though I should espy So that the meat be wholesome, though The sauce shall not be toothsome, I'll not go Empty away, and starve my soul, To feed my foolish fancy; but control Which oft instead of strength diseases brings : THE COMMUNION TABLE. HERE stands my banquet ready, the last course, And best provision, That I must feed upon, Till death my soul and body shall divorce, Call'd to the marriage-supper of the Lamb. Some call❜t the Altar, some the holy Table. Whether't be this, or that, I care not much, so that I may be able Both why it is, and may be called so. And for the matter whereof it is made, Although it be of tuch,1 Or wood, or metal, what will last, or fade; And superstition avoided be. 1 Tuch:' old word for cloth. |