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'Tis not of God, of Nature, or of Art,
To ascribe to all what's proper to one part.

To rule and to be ruled are distinct,
And several duties, severally belong
To several persons, can no more be link'd
In altogether, than amidst the throng
Of rude unruly passions, in the heart,
Reason can see to act her sovereign part.

But a good Bishop, as a tender father,
Doth teach and rule the Church, and is obey'd;
And reverenced by it, so much the rather,
By how much he delighted more to lead
All by his own example in the way,
Than punish any, when they go astray.

Lord, thou the Bishop, and chief Shepherd, art
Of all that flock, which thou hast purchased
With thine own blood to them thou dost impart
The benefits which thou hast merited,

Teaching, and ruling, by thy blessed Spirit,
Their souls in grace, till glory they inherit :

The stars which thou dost hold in thy right hand,
The Angels of the Churches, Lord, direct
Clearly thy holy will to understand,
And do accordingly: Let no defect

Nor fault, no not in our new politics,
Provoke thee to remove our candlesticks;

But let thy Urim and thy Thummim be
Garments of praise to adorn thine holy ones:
Light and perfection let all men see

Brightly shine forth in those rich precious stones;

Of whom thou wilt make a foundation,
To raise thy new Hierusalem upon.

And, at the brightness of its rising, let
All nations with thy people shout for joy:
Salvation for walls and bulwarks set

About it, that nothing may it annoy.

Then the whole world thy Diocess shall be, And Bishops all but Suffragans to Thee.

CHURCH FESTIVALS.

MARROW of time, Eternity in brief
Compendiums Epitomized, the chief
Contents, the Indices, the Title-pages
Of all past, present, and succeeding ages,
Sublimate graces, antedated glories,
The cream of holiness,

The inventories

Of future blessedness,

The Florilegia of celestial stories,
Spirits of joys, the relishes and closes
Of Angels' music, pearls dissolved, roses
Perfumed, sugar'd honey-combs, delights
Never too highly prized,

The marriage rites,

Which duly solemnized

Usher espoused souls to bridal nights,
Gilded sunbeams, refined Elixirs,
And quintessential extracts of stars :
Who loves not you, doth but in vain profess
That he loves God, or heaven, or happiness.

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THE ANNUNCIATION, OR LADY-DAY.

UNTO the music of the spheres

Let men, and Angels, join in concert theirs.
So great a messenger

From heaven to earth
Is seldom seen,
Attired in so much glory;
A message welcomer,

Fraught with more mirth,
Hath never been
Subject of any story:

This by a double right, if any, may
Be truly styled the world's birth-day.

The making of the world ne'er cost
So dear, by much, as to redeem it lost.
God said but, Let it be,
And every thing

Was made straightway,
So as he saw it good:

But ere that he could see

A course to bring

Man gone astray

To the place where he stood,

His wisdom with his mercy, for man's sake,
Against his justice part did take.

And the result was this day's news Able the messenger himself to amuse,

As well as her, to whom

By him 'twas told,

That though she were

A Virgin pure, and knew
No man, yet in her womb
A son she should

Conceive and bear,

As sure as God was true.

Such high place in his favour she possess'd,
Being among all women bless'd.

But bless'd especially in this,
That she believed, and for eternal bliss
Relied on him, whom she

Herself should bear,

And her own son

Took for her Saviour.

And if there any be,

That when they hear,
As she had done,

Suit their behaviour,

They may be blessed, as she was, and say, "Tis their Annunciation-day.

THE NATIVITY, OR CHRISTMAS-DAY.

UNFOLD thy face, unmask thy ray,
Shine forth bright sun, double the day.
Let no malignant misty fume,

Nor foggy vapour, once presume
To interpose thy perfect sight

This day, which makes us love thy light
For ever better, that we could
That blessed object once behold,
Which is both the circumference,
And centre of all excellence :

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