'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.
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.
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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