Although 'tis true, that sanctity's not tied

To state,

Yet sure Religion should not be envied

The fate

Of meaner worth,

To be set forth

As best becomes the service of a King.

A King unto whose cross all Kings must vail

Their crowns,

And at his beck in their full course strike sail :

Whose frowns

And smiles give date
Unto their fate,

And doom them, either unto weal, or woe.

A King, whose will is justice: and whose word

Shall I suppose his carriages can be

Too good?

No: Stars to gold

Turn'd, never could

Be rich enough to be employ'd so.

If I might wish then, I would have this bread,

This wine,

Vessell'd in what the Sun might blush to shed

His shine.

When he should see:

But, till that be,

I'll rest contented with it, as it is.

CHURCH-OFFICERS.

STAY. Officers in Church? Take heed: it is

A tender matter to be touch'd.

If I chance to say any thing amiss,

Which is not fit to be avouch'd,

I must expect whole swarms of wasps to sting me, Few, or no bees, honey or wax, to bring me.

Some would have none in Church do any thing
As Officers, but gifted men ;

Others into the number more would bring,
Than I see warrant for: So then,
All that I say, 'tis like, will censured be,
Through prejudice, or partiality.

But 'tis no matter; If men censure me,
They but my fellow-servants are:
Our Lord allows us all like liberty.

I write, mine own thoughts to declare, Not to please men and, if I displease any, 1 will not care, so they be of the Many.

THE SEXTON.

THE Church's key-keeper opens the door,
And shuts it, sweeps the floor,

Rings bells, digs graves, and fills them up again;
All Emblems unto men,

Openly owning Christianity,

To mark, and learn many good lessons by.

O thou that hast the key of David, who
Open'st and shuttest so,

That none can shut or open after thee,
Vouchsafe thyself to be

Our soul's door-keeper, by thy blessed Spirit :
The lock and key 's thy mercy, not our merit.

Cleanse thou our sin-soil'd souls from the dirt and dust
Of every noisome lust,

Brought in by the foul feet of our affections:
The besom of afflictions,

With the blessing of thy Spirit added to it,
If thou be pleased to say it shall, will do it.

Lord, ringing changes all our bells hath marr'd,
Jangled they have, and jarr'd

So long, they're out of tune, and out of frame,
They seem not now the same.

Put them in frame anew, and once begin

To tune them so, that they may chime all in.

Let all our sins be buried in thy grave,
No longer rant and rave,

As they have done, to our eternal shame,
And the scandal of thy name.

Let's as door-keepers in thine house attend,
Rather than the throne of wickedness ascend.

THE CLERK.

THE Church's Bible-Clerk attends
Her Utensils, and ends

Her Prayers with Amen;
Tunes Psalms, and to the Sacraments
Brings in the Elements,

And takes them out again;

Is humble-minded, and industrious handed, Doth nothing of himself, but as commanded.

All that the Vessels of the Lord

Do bear with one accord

Must study to be pure,

As they are if his holy eye

Do any spot espy,

He cannot it endure;

But most expecteth to be sanctified
In those come nearest him, and glorified.

Psalms then are always tuned best,
When there is most exprest

The holy Penman's heart:

All Music is but discord where

That wants, or doth not bear

The first and chiefest part.

Voices, without affections answerable,

When best, to God are most abominable.

Though in the blessed Sacraments
The outward Elements

Are but as husks and shells:

Yet he that knows the kernel's worth,
If even those send forth

Some Aromatic smells,

Will not esteem it waste, lest, Judas-like,
Through Mary's side he Christ himself should strike.

Lord, without whom we cannot tell
How to speak or think, well,

Lend us thy helping hand,
That what we do may pleasing be,
Not to ourselves but thee,

And answer thy command:

So that, not we alone, but thou may'st say
Amen to all our prayers, pray'd the right way.

THE OVERSEER OF THE POOR.

THE Church's Almoner takes care, that none
In their necessity
Shall unprovided be

Of maintenance, or employment; those alone,
Whom careless Idleness,

Or riotous excess,

Condemns to needless want, he leaves to be
Chasten'd a while by their own poverty.

Thou gracious Lord, rich in thyself, dost give
To all men liberally,

Upbraiding none.

Thine eye

Is open upon all. In thee we live,

Q