University of Virginia Library


80

HOVV GOD IN ALL AGES hath bin serued with Sacrifise.

Sacrificium sub lege Naturæ.

When God created man, and rule vnto him gaue,
Of creatures all on earth, and eu'ry earthly thing,
And knowlege of his God, did in his hart engraue,
Subiection so to know, vnto his soueraigne King:
Then for to know and yeild, what homage hee would haue,
Nature by her instinckt, vnto his mynde did bring,
And Sacrifise it was, and well accepted than,
Thus mannes adoring God, with sacrifise began.

Sacrificium sub lege Moyses.

VVhen frō the hows of thralle, through ayd of heau'nly might
Gods people were led foorth, by Moysis then their guyd,
For this new freedome found, it rested that of right,
God with augmented thankes, must now bee gratifyde:
And him to honor more, in more then wonted plight,
Old Sacrifise was now, with new rytes beautifyde,
So for more good receau'd, more gratitude did rise,
Which still to God was don, in doing sacrifise.

Sacrificium sublege Euangelica.

VVhen Gods dere Sonne from heau'n, did vnto earth descēd,
Lost loue of God againe, for mannes release to win,
Himself in sacrifise, blood-sacrifise did end,
When his high prised blood, did satisfy for sin:
But since Gods seruice must on sacrifise depend,
He chang'd, not took away, what faith did first begin,
And did ordaine himself, in Sacramental wise
To bee to God for man, a soueraigne sacrifise.