The GLORY of MANs Redemption:
BEING
A new and lively Emblem of the BIRTH, LIVES, SUFFERINGS, RESURRECTION, and glorious
ASCENTION of our blessed Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST, and his Holy Apostles: Written by the most Reverend
Father in God Edward, Lord Archbishop of Tewham. (Very necessary to be had in all Christian Families.)
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LET all the Faith rejoice with pious Mirth,
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And celebrate our blessed Saviours Birth,
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Who at this Time left all the Joys above,
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To visit Sinners in eternal Love.
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Therefore let all the whole Creation ring,
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With Songs of Praise, to God, and Christ our King,
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The Saints and Angels do it now in Heaven:
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Let us unite, because a Son is given.
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How gracious was the Lord of Glory bright,
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To send his Son in whom he took Delight,
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To take our Nature, and be basely usd,
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And yet alas! this Goodness still abusd.
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No Pomp no Grandeur did our Lord require,
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For great Ones to behold, or Rich admire:
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To Poor and Low the great Messiah came,
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Then let the Poor extol his glorious Name.
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What Preparations and what vast Expence,
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At bringing forth a Mortal earthly Prince;
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Yet see the King of Kings is void of all,
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And first drew Breath within an Oxs Stall.
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His Virgin Mother, though belovd of God,
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Had neither Court, or Palace for Abode;
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But in a Manger free from Noise and Strife,
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She there brought forth the precious Lord of Life.
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Mankind were Strangers to those glorious Things,
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Till joyful Angels with expanded Wings,
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Brought Tidings to the Shepherds in the Field,
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Who were with Rapture and Amazement filld.
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They were surrounded with refulgent Rays,
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The heavenly Host were singing Songs of Praise;
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Those pious kindly Shepherds strait agree,
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To leave their flocks, the blessed Babe to see.
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Then by a glorious Star they guided were,
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To pay their Homage to the heavenly Heir,
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But cursed Herod Judas cruel King,
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Did plot and strive to work a hellish Thing.
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Sending the Wise men would not him inform,
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Where Jesus Christ, the Son of God was born;
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Three thousand infants strait he put to Death,
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In Hopes that Christ with them might lose his Breath;
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But God on high frustrated his Intent,
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For why, his Parents into AEgypt went,
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And kept our Saviour from the Tyrants Power,
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Till odious mice, his Carcase did devour!
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Consider Christians how this Prince of Peace,
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Was forcd to wander thus from Place to Place;
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And though a guiltless Lamb, yet doomd to die,
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O then rejoice in your Adversity.
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And envy not the Great, the High and Rich,
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Whom Bags of Gold do oftentimes bewitch;
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For those that follow Christ have Crosses here,
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But shall be crownd hereafter, never fear.
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Our Saviour then returned Home again,
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And wrought for his own Bread with Sweat and Pain;
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Until in Age to Thirty he did reach,
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Then went about the Gospel for to preach.
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He heald the Sick, gave Sight unto the Blind,
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Lame got their Feet, the Deaf their Hearing find;
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The Dead he raisd, but did no Physic use,
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All this and more he did among the Jews.
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Thus doing Good three Years and Half, went he,
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The wicked Jews then held Conspiracy,
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To take his Life, whilst Judas doth him sell
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For Thirty Pence, poor Soul, and went to Hell.
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And when the cruel bloody minded Jews,
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Found out our Lord, they did him basely use;
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Mock, flout and scoff, and set him all at Scorn,
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Spit on his Face, and crownd his Head with Thorns.
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Betwixt two Thieves he surely was to die,
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Upon a Cross that was mounted on high;
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Unto the same they naild his Hands and Feet,
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Where for our Sins he shed his Blood most sweet.
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Most barbarous were they in every Part,
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One took a Spear and piercd his tender Heart:
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From whence both Blood and Water strait did flow,
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All this, and more, the Lamb did undergo.
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And to compleat this woful Tragedy,
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They laughd and jeerd, as he hung on a Tree;
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What savage Tygers, and far worse were they,
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To butcher such a harmless Lamb that Way.
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The Earth did tremble underneath their Feet,
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The Sun grew dark, went back, and seemd to weep;
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The Rocks they rent, and all Things grievd and mourn,
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Yet this would not the Jews Hearts melt to turn.
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Thus dyd the Lord of Life for sinful Men,
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But the third Day he rose to Life again;
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Triumphing oer the Devils, and the Grave,
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We shed his Blood, and yet that Blood doth save.
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For forty Days on Earth he did converse,
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With his Disciples, as themselves rehearse;
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Then was he taken up by Angels bright,
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To heavenly Joys, in his Apostles Sight.
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St. Matthew did our Saviours Actions write,
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And most of his wise Sayings did indite,
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At last he was in AEthiopia slain,
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Whose Soul with Christ in Heaven doth remain.
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St. Thomas had an unbelieving Heart,
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Touching his Masters Side did him convert,
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This Saint was murderd by a bloody Crew,
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For with a Spear they piercd his Body through.
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In Hierapolis, as some do report,
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St. Philip martyrd was in barbrous Sort;
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St. James a Bishop in Jerusalem,
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Who for his Faith was martyrd by them.
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St. Peter was a Fisherman at first,
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And he in Rome the Gospel did rehearse;
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By Tyrant Herod he was crucifyd,
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With his Head downward, so this Martyr dyd.
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St. Andrew, that Apostle of great Fame,
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Brother to Simon, Peter calld by Name,
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He to the Cross was naild and crucifyd,
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And so this Martyr for the Gospel died.
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St. John upon our Saviours Breast did rest,
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And by the King of Glory was lovd best;
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His Life was sought, but Christ did it defend,
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St. John at Ephesus his Life did end.
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St. John outlivd his Master but nine Years,
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As by the Holy Scripture it appears;
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But cruel Herod then cut off his Head,
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For which by Worms he was devoured.
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Blessed St. Mark who did the Gospel preach,
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And did vast Multitudes in AEgypt teach;
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He martyrd was, ands Flesh in Pieces tore,
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But now with Christ doth reign for evermore.
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Let every Christian bear this in his Mind,
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The Love of Christ, the Saviour of Mankind,
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Who dyd for us, or else we know right well,
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All must have perishd in the Lake of Hell.
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Behold our Saviour, Lord, and King of Bliss,
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By wicked Jews thus crucifyd he is:
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He lay in a Manger, in an Oxs Stall;
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He dyd and rose again to save us all.
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St. Luke his Gospel wrote, the Acts likewise,
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His Faith in Christ let every Christian prize:
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He on an Olive-tree was hangd in Greece,
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His Soul doth rest now in eternal Peace.
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St. Paul converted was by dazling Light,
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Thirteen most learnd Epistles he did write;
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For many Years he through great Dangers past,
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And was at Rome beheaded at the last.
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St. Jude he was the Virgin Marys Brother,
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He and St. Simon loved one another;
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St. Simon dyd the Gospel to maintain,
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St, Jude by Herod cruelly was slain.
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St. Barnabas was stoned barbrously,
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By wicked Jews who did our Lord deny;
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For which he now enjoys e[t]ernal Love,
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In holy Mansions there with Christ above.
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St. Bartholmew for Martyrdom did strive,
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And was by cruel Heathens flead alive:
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He in his Torture cryd, I come to thee;
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Dear Christ, who once was crucifyd for me.
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The good Mathias as the Scripture shows,
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Was in the Room of faithless Judas choose;
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In Hierapolis Christs Words did reveal,
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The which his glorious Martyrdom did feel.
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Now Christian Neighbours mind what here is pennd,
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If that you hope that Christ will stand your Friend:
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Let all your Words and Actions be discreet,
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And deck your Chambers with this godly Sheet,
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