Epigrams and sentences spirituall in vers, of Gregori Nazanzen, an auncient & famous bishop in the Greke churche Englished by Tho. Drant.

Mariage, Redemption, ••eape iudgments of God.

THe knittinge best of two in one Of all that we can find Is weadlocke, which ingendreth flockes And longe conserueth kinde. The death of some, and birth of some Upholdes makind in one, A ryuer stands by that that commes, And fades in that thats gonne. But after that all coastes of the yearth And bonds out streched wide Whence winds from East, weast, North, & Sowth Procead with puffing pride The sonnes of men had ouer spred: Our fleshe beganne to frye,

With heat of sin, then plangs cam one And men their skourge did trye. Toungs sundry were distributed, Then raynd downe firy showers, Then cam the tables, and their texts The Prophettes shryle out powres. But all this chast not synne awaye, It to the fleshe was tyde Idolatry, wyne, Lechery Their pampringe did abide. At lengh an other benyfit To them from hie was sent, From God the father, and the sonne Purposed by intent. For God which did mens bodyes vew And se their heauenly mynds, Orechargde with yearthly dreggs & drosse, Corruptyng from their kindes, That man was seruant to the féende: To coule so ferce a fitt To other nowe the cuers therof, No more he wold comitt. Great soores, great salues. him selfe came downe, (His honour then forlorne) Of heauenly syer, an heauenly prynce Mongst men man was he borne. In sinne not man: (which some thinke not, A maruaile to be spoke)

Ye came flesh forth the virgins wombe Her chastitye not broke. Both God he came, and man he came, Both Natures ioynd in oue, This spied, that hid: a carnall man For mortal man alone. One God, one Christ, one man of God, (A straungy mixture new) The first we did despise in him That first vs ouer threwe. I onc receyud this heauenly soule: Christ toke both corps, and ghost First Adame had his wil to chose, Whilst Serpent can to bost The aplefruyte, for which (alas) (O harde and sharpe rewarde) Eternall death for him, and vs Remayned still prepard. For him that should haue better sene With pure, and ayrie light, And was for holy things a Préest Appointed in gods light. Him to redeme our God was glad In mortall body playne, The slaughter of the mansleer To rescue with his bane. With gall he vanquisht gulteny, With nayles the hands iniust,

Exalted hie the vanquisht yearth And Adams fruyttre dust. Ould Adame to reuiue againe So he to quarters fower His armes out strechd and vnto hym Drewe all men with that power In that one man, and with his bludde The coastes of syne skower. And vnto vs set open heauen By conquest great of sinne▪ That to that hooly vpright hill We might haue passage in: O kynge who can seke out thy sence, And sentence so profounde? That knowes the windes, the droppes of showers And sands of al the ground. Who can thy secret steppes bewray Of thy so close aduise? Almightie that dost all thinges se, And rule in dreadfull wise, Whiche is in all the world so wide. Our féeble beames se the Unperfectly as we the bulke Of flashing lightnynge se Whiche forthwith flitteth in the ayre: Yet this we certayne hould That those which certayne here to fore To death and synne were soulde

By the, and by thy preciouse death Haue wonne a better houlde The world vs wronge and wrapt in toyle In heauy seasons past The earth obaide their earthlie prince Blowne prostrate with his blast And fannynge fawning flattering puffs. Now vs this heauenly kinge In mariage knyt from yearthly soyle To heauenly world will bringe,