Sion and Parnassus, or, Epigrams on severall texts of the Old and New Testament to which are added [brace] A poem on the Passion, A hymn on the resurrection, ascention, and feast of Pentecost / by Iohn Hoddesdon.

The Gospel of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST according to S. JOHN.

And when the ruler of the feast had tasted, &c. ch. 2. v. 9.

CHrist was invited to a nuptiall feast, Not so much made by th' dishes as the ghest;

But lo, in midst of all this jollity, The wine'gins fail; which, or he must supply, Or they must want: he straight doth give command; And wine is made of water out of hand: The bridegroom could not chuse but like such wine, That had a relish of that heavenly Vine.

Except a man be born again, &c. ch. 3. v. 3.

Again must I be born? again must I Shrunk up within my mothers bowels lie? Again receive my birth? O strange! must heav'n, A price to things impossible, be given? 'Tis true (O Nicodemus) for again Thou must be born through faith, pray'r, fasting, pain. Christ is thy father must beget thee here, The Church that mother is that thee must bear.

JESUS wept. ch. 11. v. 35.

Moses, whilst with his wand the rock he smites, Gives water to the thirsty Isra'lites; Laz'rus, like him, had travell'd long to find Another promis'd land, which was assign'd For blessed souls above; but here, by th' way, Like his forefathers, drops: being forc'd to lay His weary limbs under a rock, and wait For such a remedy in such a strait; When lo a rock, a mov'ng rock comes near This weary tir'd-out traveller to chear, Out of his eyes a double spring doth flow, Not to refresh his thirst alone; but lo

It brings the dead to life: fear not to die, Laz'rus, since thou hast life's well-spring so nigh.

I am the true vine. ch. 15. v. 1.

Art thou the vine, dear Saviour? happy's he Who shall a branch in that stock grafted be: Thou art a vine, as sadly shews the losse Of thy dear bloud at, the wine-presse, the crosse.

This is my commandment, that ye love one another, &c. ch. 15. v. 12.

On peace, since that is the delight of God, Fix to continue soul thy sole abode; That so a chain of concord there may be, Betwixt thy conscience, thy God, and thee.

Incredulous Thomas. ch. 20. v. 27.

Incredulous, who thy belief dost tie Unto no other witnesse then thine eye: But if thou dost desire a surer band Unto thy faith; here, Thomas, feel mine hand.