ANNIVERS: BAPTISMI by JOSEPH BEAUMONT

HOW much worse than in vain
Had I been @3Born@1
That @3other Morn,@1
Had I not now been @3Born again@1!
For that was but my Death's, but this
Alone of my true @3Life@1 the @3Birthday@1 is.

2

The Wormes own crawling Brother
I then was Born,
Vile & forlorn
@3Corruption@1 being my foule Mother;
From whome I could no Title have
Of Heir to any Land, but to my Grave.

3

But by this second Birth
I Kinred had
With Heavn & @3God@1;
For She who now did bring Me forth
Was @3Gods own Spouse,@1 that Holy She
Whose @3Catholik Wombe@1 breeds @3Christianitie.@1

4

She brought Me forth; & I
Was now the Heir
Unto the fair
Inheritance prepar'd on high
For those who study to maintain
That Title They did by their @3Baptisme@1 gain.

5

But has my study bin
Thus provident;
Or rather bent
My own hearts Bliss to undermine?
Like some wilde Heir, spurrd on by Hell
Did I not Heavns Reversion madly sell?

6

Alas, I did: & all
The wretched price
I took, did rise
To nothing but a flood of Gall:
For what can all this World to Me
Afford, but most vexatious Vanitie?

7

O King of my poor Heart,
Whose gratious ear
Delights to hear
A Sinners Crie: O Thou who art
The Same forevermore, though I
Alas, be chang'd into Deformity,

8

Remember thine own Love,
And so forget
How I on it
Have heapd Ingratitude, & strove
To be, what yet I would not be
Were the Worlds total Value offerd Me.

9

O no, sweet Lord, I would
Be Thine, & none
But Thine alone:
And though fond I my Bliss have sold
To Vanity; I will not sell
My Hope, since Thou art my Redeemer still.

10

@3Baptise@1 Me then again
In Mercies Flood,
Which is thy Blood:
And so no longer shall a @3Stain@1
My woefull Difinition be,
Nor @3Guilt@1 the onely Clothes which cover Me.

11

So shall thy Glory shine
Afresh in my
New Purity;
So, though the Happines be Mine,
Yet still it shall belong to Thee,
When Thou, not I, sole Owner art of Me.

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