A TRUE COPY OF TWO SPEECHES, SPOKEN By Two ORPHANS, Educated in CHRIST-HOSPITAL, On the 13th day of August, 1663.

BEING A day set apart to com­memorate God's Mercies be­stowed on their fellow-Brethren, who were formerly Educated and brought up in the said HOSPITAL.

LONDON, Printed by WILLIAM GODBID, M.DC.LXIII.

The first SPEECH.

Reverend Brethren and quondam Fellow-Orphans;

THere is I confess a great disparity between you, that are our Seniours, and us, who are as it were but of yesterday. You have formerly been planted in this Soyle, and now grown up to be tall Cedars, Stars of a high­er magnitude than we, whose splendor and lustre do bespeak you to be conspicuous; yet we hope you will give us leave to feed our Eyes in behold­ing so lovely a sight as appears in this place this day, and to congratulate you in this dayes Solem­nity.

I am desired in the Name of my Fellow-Or­phans, who daily suck at the breasts of Charity, to tell you how proud she is to see so numerous an Off-spring, and so loving a Fraternity to asso­ciate themselves within her Habitation. And why should not we, who are her Foster-children, that have communem cutem with you, though not com­munem vestem, count our selves honoured, that we have such Worthy, Grave and Venerable persons for our Elder Brethren? It makes our hearts leap for joy within us, that after all our dismal Confla­grations and State-convulsions, we may this day behold the faces of our Brethren, whom we fea­red [Page 2]had been swallowed up in those bloody waves, which swell'd lately beyond their chanel. But blessed be our God, that secured you in this Ark, and preserved you in this Zoar, till the floods of blood were abated, and the fire of our conten­tions was quenched.

You are now exempted from your fears and dangers, and have the happiness this day to meet together, and commemorate those great mercies and favours that God in this place prepared for you. It is, and often hath been, the practice of great Persons, whom God hath raised even from the dust, to frequent those places where at first they had their beings. Agathocles, though advan­ced to a Throne, yet could delight to see those Pots amongst which he once lay. And good rea­son indeed have you to be cloathed with the same humility, considering what once you were, and to what Estate many of you are advanced at this present. To your honour be it spoken, that you have set apart this day to publish and proclaim God's mercy, who remembred you in your low estates; for his mercies endure for ever; and also to take a fuller view of this place, where for some years past, the bowels of most here present were refreshed, your naked backs cloathed, and all ne­cessaries so provided for you, that you, as well as we, forge [...] now what want means: Olim haec me­minisse juvabit.

Time was, when you traced these Galleries, and thought your selves happy that a Table was [Page 3]here spred for you. Time was, when you were un­der this Oeconomie, and counted it a favour that you could be admitted to sit under these Roofs: and still to this day the memory of these mercies is not obliterated. You do well therefore to pre­scribe an Annual Festival, that so this City and our honourable Patrons and worthy Benefactors may see how thankful you are, and how careful you will be to revive the thoughts and memory of their favour and beneficence.

Your mouths, I see, are filled with holy Doxo­logies, while your hearts ruminate on these mer­cies. Your Hallelujahs are not verbal, but cor­dial, while you do not only recollect those pristine favours which God bestowed, but also desire this day to praise him for your present con­dition. Your Arithmetick is not able to recount that Series of Providence that at this day attends you; nor can your Mathematical knowledge fathom the great Abyss of his divine love, nor take the altitude or dimension of his bounty. Your lot, while you were here, fell in a good place, and now also you have a goodly he­ritage.

Many of you may say with Jacob; With my staff came I ever this Jordan, and now I am be­come two hands; I am raised from the dust, and en­joy peace and plenty.

Give me leave (dear Brethren) I beseech you, to affect the hearts of my fellow-Orphans with this rare Spectacle of divine mercy, and [Page 4]vicissitude of Divine Providence.

Draw near (my dear Hearts) and behold what a knot of Amity divine Love hath here tyed; what an honourable Convention of Brethren is here assembled, to bless the Lord this day for his past and present mercies conferred upon them. These once were planted in this Garden, and now behold! being watered by the influence of Hea­ven, to what a height they have aspired.

Here are some, whom God hath honoured to be Animarum Proci, and hath invested them with Ecclesiastical promotion. Here are others, whom God hath qualified and made useful for Political concernments. Some, whom God hath made to be a Sun, to give light to those that sit in darkness: and others, whom he hath placed-in Londons He­misphere, like Stars, to be influential in their Orbs. Surely the Poet was mistaken in his observation, when he did so boldly assert,

Non facilè emergunt, quorum virtutibus obstat
Res angusta domi.—

Be incouraged (my fellow-Orphans:) The same hand that raised up these our worthy Brethren, can exalt us. Let us emulate their vertues, though not envy at their prosperity. Blessed be our God that hath raised up Nursing Fathers for Us also, by whose care, and our wise circumspection, we also may sprout forth through God's mercy in vertu­ous atchievements.

[Page 5] Pardon me (dear Brethren) that I have so long stopped the sound of your grateful acknowledge­ments of God's present favours to you. You are now going to solace your selves in the enjoyment of Fraternal conference; and I know that you will admit no ungrateful Guest this day into your Society. You are of Philip's mind King of Ma­cedon; to brand him on the forehead with these two letters [I. H.] Ingratus Hospes, that shall be [...]uilty of that Vice.

Your hearts, I see, are enlarged, nay ready to crack in sunder, till you have vented your grateful acknowledgements and pious acclamations. Your fervent zeal boils over, while your thoughts are enflamed with divine meditation on God's grace and bounty.

Weighty Clouds, I see, must empty themselves by distillation, and pay their tribute to the thirsty Earth. You do well this day, to display the ban­ners of God's mercy to all Spectators, and to set the Crown of all your enjoyments upon his head.

Go on (dear Brethren) and let this present Fe­stival be crowned with love and harmony of af­fection, that you may be, as Pylades and Orestes, even one soul.

For ever may those sparks of Contention, that have set others into a flame of passion, be quite amongst you extinguished; that so this place and this meeting may justly challenge the name of Philadelphia, or a Society of loving Brethren.

[Page 6] Rejoyce together; but, I beseech you, let this dayes Solemnity hereafter be like a fruitfull womb, to bring forth many blessings to this place, where once you had your succour. You are those ΠΤΩΧΟΠΛΟΥΣΙΟΙ, whom the Almighty hath shielded with the Helmet of his Providence, and now expects that you should reach out your hand for the defence of such as we, that are your younger Brethren. Let it appear that Charity hath such an Off-spring, that are not only like [...]he Tribe of Gad for number, but also like the Trees of Lebanon for shade and comfort to their fel­low-Brethren.

In a word, let not your tongues only be tu­ning the praises of God, whilst your hands are open and free for our Relief; but let your hearts also offer up the sacrifice of Prayer, That God would bless our Gracious Sovereign, and our No­ble Queen, with all the Royal Family; That he would watch over this great City, and cause that Peace and Plenty might unload themselves in her Lap; That he would prosper this Foundation, and reward our Patrons and Benefactors, who so freely have scattered the seeds of their Charity in these furrows.

And let all Loyal hearts and grateful Orphans stand up, and say, Amen, Amen.

John Parker, Orphan.

The second SPEECH.

Nay stay I beseech you (Brethren) a little, and let not the joy of this Festival so transport you, as to forget to pay your tribute of Thankfulness unto these worthy Persons, who have honoured this Society this day with their presence.
RIght Worshipful,

I have heard that great Per­sons have those that are Masters of the Cere­monies, to court their Guests with complemental salutations. Such I confess are wanting to this our Festival. But yet rather then such worthy Persons shall go unsaluted, I my self (though but a poor Complementer) in the name of this So­ciety, and at their command, will redouble our sa­lutations, and bid you welcome.

We would not be singular in our grateful Re­tributions; but yet we have cause on this day to thank you especially (Our Worshipful Treasurer) that you have shewed your self such a pattern of Christian love and amity, to endeavour to kindle the same sparks in the breasts of these our Bre­thren, by promoting and encouraging them to this loving meeting.

Nor shall our thankful acknowledgments be this day confined within a narrow compass.

We have cause indeed (Right Worship­ful) highly to congratulate you, and pay our fili­al [Page 8]all gratitude unto you, our Oeconomical Father, and Noble President, whose Head, Heart and Hands are all employed in promoting our Wel­fare.

And though (Sir Thomas Viner) perhaps it may be counted a Tautologie to reiterate our salutati­ons; yet we had rather be so accused, than be si­lent in our return of thanks this day for your pi­ous bounty towards us poor Orphans, and for that cost that you have expended to make this place so beautiful. You have been the Repairer of our breaches, under whose Vine we poor Orphans have for some time sat, and to this day do smell the fragrancy of your beneficence. What Ho­mer styled Agamemnon, [...]; that ap­pellation do you justly deserve. You have been a bountiful Benefactor and loving Shepherd unto this little Flock, when they were under your Con­duct, and folded them within these green and plea­sant Pastures, which our Brethren see this day.

To your Honour be it spoken, that you have shew'n, your self so Noble a President: and we hope many others will write after your Copy.

If works of Piety may commend a Patron, and liberal Charity and free Bounty extol a Be­nefactor; Then yours (dear Sir) which you have conferred upon this Hospital, and on this place, do bespeak you to be Noble and Gene­rous.

Our Brethren here present, as well as we, [Page 9]may say, non, ut nunc, sic olim erat. Our tat­ter'd Walls and smoky Roof are now so repaired by you, that, when Spectators see them, they say, you have made this place fit for the reception of the greatest Princes. And truly, that the worth and excellency of our bountiful Benefactors might not be blurred nor expunged, you have ingraved their Names in such legible Characters, that nei­ther length of time nor envious fate is able to ob­literate.

By you it is, that not only the Royal bounty of King Edward, who was our Founder, is commend­ed to posterity; but his Person also as it were hath received a new Resurrection, being here attended with England's Peers, and London's Representa­tives, consulting how to lay a plot and model of true Piety. A lively and a costly draught indeed to represent London's well-disposed Charity.

Here the wounds of the maimed are healed, and the impotent poor relieved: There the sturdy Vagrant corrected, and his hands taught to labour. And here also are the Thriftless Poor and Needy Orphans, whose Livery being almost thredbare and worn out, is now recruited (Noble Sir) we see, out of your own Wardrobe.

There both Moses and Aaron, the fit Represen­tatives of Political and Ecclesiastical order, are prefigured. And that we might not forget our Christian duty, we have both Law and Gospel fairly transcribed in the Decalogue.

[Page 10] There sits Charity yielding her full breasts, an [...] teacheth her Off-spring how to live by faith i [...] the want of Creature-enjoyments, and to ancho [...] their hope upon him who is the Rock of Ages.

Here our Windows, that were not only shat­ter'd, but naked, are now glazed and adorne with the honourable Coats of Arms of our No­ble Presidents.

In a word (Noble Sir) there is no cost spa­red, nor any thing indeed wanting to make this Hall truly beautiful, but your Effigies, and the representation of the Noble Lady Ramsie, to ac­company that of Sir John Lemmonds, once [...] worthy President and pious Benefactor to thi [...] Hospital: all which, though we would not Ido­lize, yet we would count them venerable.

Away, you foul-mouth'd Atheists! No longe [...] question the truth of Omnipotency, nor gainsay his Providence. Behold even Us, who are here present this day, who have been the Almighties care ever since we had our beings. We alone are able to convince you that there is a God, who sits in Heaven, and steers all humane actions and con­cernments.

Away, you Papists, who boast of your Reli­gious houses, and think, that by your pretended works of Piety, you shall ex condigno jump into Heaven per saltum. Loe, here is a Model of well-disposed Charity, which the God of mercy ap­proves of, and which you are never able to pa­rallel. But it is to you (Worthy Sir) whose [Page 11]heart God hath enlarged, that we owe the thanks of these glorious objects which present themselves this day unto our view.

Go on, we beseech you, and by your example prompt others to works of true Piety; that they also, as well as you, may help to repair and up­hold our Foundation-Walls, I mean our Cloy­sters, whose wide gaps thirst like the parched earth to be filled with the distillation of their liberality.

The great God remunerate (Right Worshipful) your acts of Piety; and grant, that you that have so freely cast your bread on these waters, may find it after many days: in the mean time, we poor Orphans will rise up, and call you blessed.

Thomas Brice, Orphan.
FINIS.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this EEBO-TCP Phase II text, in whole or in part.