University of Virginia Library


150

De duplici adventu Christi.
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The attribution of this poem is questionable.

When sinfull man in Edens garden plac'd,
By stubborne disobedience had defac'd
The true idæa of his happinesse,
And had deservde, for soe great wickednesse,
Eternall death, loe, mercy then began
To mitigate the punnishment of man.
Though earth was cursde, & man must by the sweat
Of his owne labour make it yeild him meat;
Though woman, whom the serpent had beguilde,
In paine & sorrowe must bring forth her childe;
Yet from eternall death the promisde seed
Put them in comfort that they should be freed.
To which effect the only Son of Iove,
Out of the infinitenesse of his love
To his own likenesse man, came downe from heaven,
Toke flesh vpon him, was of life bereaven,
And made full satisfaction by his death
For all their sinnes, which by a lively fayth
Lay holde vpon his meritorious Passion,
The perfect path that leads vnto salvation.
This Christes first comming was, which we doe name
A comming vnto vs in grace; to frame
Mans soule to come to him, he first began
To come him selfe in grace to sinfull man,
From a pure Virgin to take incarnation,
From impure Iewes, his patient Passion.
His first Advent yeilds a quaternall section,
His birth, his life, his death, his resurrection.
His birth was poore, that by his poverty
We might be made rich in eternity.
Borne in a cratch 'mongst beastes (yet for our gaine)
That in heavens kingdome we with saintes might raigne.
He livd despisde of man, to get vs grace
With God the Father; meekly did embrace

151

(Sole sinne excepted) each infirmity
Coincident to fraile humanity,
That he might put vs in a better state,
And in his weaknesse vs corroborate.
As he was man he yeilded vp his breath
To save vs men from an eternall death,
Which death was full of agonie & paine,
That our life purchasd, might in joy remaine.
Lastly, as God he subdued death & hell,
And rose againe from the infernall cell
Of conquerd Sathan, to prepare the way
For vs to follow him; and now this day
Sitting in maiesty at Gods right hand,
Sole Mediatour for our cause doth stand,
And till his second comming, shall doe still
To plead their cause which doe obey his will;
Which second comming shall in glory be,
And in vnvtterable maiestie.
The generall resurrection shalbe then,
And dust & wormes returne to living men.
Then shall our corruptible flesh put on
Immortalnesse & incorruption.
Then shall we see Christ comming in the cloudes,
When some will wish whole mountaines were their shroudes.
Then he the sheep from goates shall separate,
The iust & godly from the reprobate,
And sheepe have blisse; the other for their hire
Perpetuall paines & everlasting fire.
Thus shall his second powerfull comming be
The godlies ioy, the wickedes misery.
Twixt his first comming & his latter one
There wilbe found much discrepation.
First did he come in all humility,
Then shall he come in splendant royalty;

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First to be iudgèd by the world he came,
Then shall he come as Lord to iudge the same;
In his first comming he for man did die,
In this he shall give 's lifes eternity.
May we the first advent of Christ emploie
So to our good that at the latter day,
His second comming, when he shall appeare,
Before our Iudge we may without all feare
Expect that happy sentence, “Come ye blest,
And enter into everlasting rest.”