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A42134
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The doctrine of the asse, or, A brief account of their principles and practice in whose behalf the complaint was written that it may serve for advice to others : whereunto is added the asse's complaint, Balaam's reply, and the authors apology / by Lewis Griffin.
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Griffin, Lewis.
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1661
(1661)
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Wing G1982; ESTC R28049
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18,183
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44
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If they had not used them as so many Graces before their cursed Meals of Widdows Houses 17. When thou hearest the word preached consider Who it is that Knocks at thy Door Wilt thou be a Religious Hosham to shut the King of Glory out of his own Garrison or wilt thou like those discourteous Bethlemites deny thy Saviour entertainment in the Inn thy Heart and lodg him only in the stable or outward room thine Ear Know carelesse man that if thou denyest to open to him in thy day which is the day of Grace hee will refuse to open to thee in his Day which is the day of Judgement 18. That thy Soul may enjoy her freedom labour to subdue thy Passions Let not the Sun go down upon thy Wrath Anger is said to rest in the bosomes of fools for indeed no wise man will be willing to harbour in his House a Thief or Murderer Wrath of four and twenty hours standing takes a Degree in the School of Satan and commences Revenge The Devil can in the space of a Day and a Night hatch his Cockatrice-egges in thy warm Bosome But observe the fruits of Sin That which buds in Anger blossomes in Malice growes ripe for destruction and is gathered in Damnation It was an Antidote prescribed by Athenodorus to Augustus Caesar to repeat over the Letters of the Greek Alphabet It would be a Christians better and safer Remedy to think upon him who is the Alpha and Omega 19. To avoid those many and dangerous falls which may happen unto thee in thy Journey by that unruly Beast thy Tongue be sure to take along with thee Davids bridle Take heed of that cursed Cacoethes which is now accounted the Badge of a Gentlemans Swearing If there will be one day an account given of Idle words there will be surely a stricter reckoning for Oathes and Blasphemy and if to say Lord we have prophecyed and preached in thy Name will be no good excuse certainly then to say Lord we have sworn and ranted in thy Name can be no Lawfull Apology 20. Have a great care to observe the Lords day If we refuse to keep a day of Rest how can we expect a time of Peace the breach of one Commandement draws on the Violation of an other When the Prophane party had liberty Given them to break the fourth Commandement then did the Hyppocritical take Liberty to break the fifth 21. Let thy Recreations be manfull not sinfull there is a great vanity in the baiting of Beasts the Bears and Bulls lived quietly enough before Adams Fall It was our sin that set them together by the Ears let us not therefore rejoyce to see them fight for that would be to glory in our own shame And to take delight in that which is the fruits of our Apostasy 22. Honour and obey thy natural Parents although they be poor for if thy earthly Parents cannot give thee riches and honours yet thy heavenly Father hath promised thee length of dayes But especially forget not thy duty to thy Political father the King who is a visible God as God is an invisible King If thou honourest not the one thou canst not fear the other They who murdered the King would have done as much to Christ had he been then in the Flesh 23. Let not thy envious eyes be dazled at the Glorie of thy Princes mercie neither Goe about to rip open these wounds which his Royal clemency hath healed There are some sick of Jonahs disease who because the Gourds of their foolish hopes and expectation of preferment are withered grow sullen and discontented that the poor penitent Ninivites are not destroyed men of such Principles have cause to give thanks that their selves are not Kings for divine Providence foreseeing the mischievousnesse of their Spirits did wisely to set them in such places where they might do the Least hurt 24. And as thou art to honour the King so likewise is it thy duty to Reverence the Bishops and Fathers of the Church for the one is Gods Vice-roy and the others his Embassadours be not like those who envy their greatnesse and gape after their Lands but love their Persons and obey theit Doctrine and since it is Gods will to make them Bishops I hope thou wilt give the King leave to make them Lords Why not my Lord Bishop as well as my Lord Iudge I think of the two the Divine is the more noble Function 25. Labour to Keep alive in thy breast that little spark of caelestial fire called Conscience Conscience like Virgils Gnat doth with her sting awake the sleepy Soul thereby to prevent the stinging of the Serpent Conscience to an evil man is a never dying Worm and as the Poets feign of Prometheus a Vultur continually Gnawing his Liver but unto a Good man a perpetual feast so that he may well say with Samson out of the eater came forth meat 26. The chief Perfection of a Christian is Love which ought to be the duty of all men Art thou for old things the old Religion old Ceremony old Customes consider there is nothing so old as love or art thou for new things new Lords new Laws new Lights or rather new nothings alas poor Child there is nothing so new as love Whether therefore thou art an old Heretick called a Iesuite or new one called a Phanatick let love oblige thee Love is the Alpha and Omega the New and the Old Commandement If thou wilt not Believe me enquire of St. Iohn the Apostle and he will shew thee Epistle for the One and Gospel for the other 27. If thou wouldst enjoy true content live quietly in that Vocation unto which Providence hath called thee Meddle not with another mans trade and imployment but learn to move in thy own Spheare and to mind thy particular Function Our old Adversary the Devil who tempted Adam with a promise to make him as a God hath a fine bait for thee also If thou art a Traytour he will promise to make thee as a King If thou art a Factious Presbyter he will promise to make thee as a Bishop It is his design to set the Church upon the wrack and to dislocate the Ioynts of the Mystical Body of Christ 28. Call thy self to an account each night for the sins of the past Day and reckon in the Morning for the iniquities of the night God hath a book for thy sins and a Bottle for thy tears If humane frailty run ' o th' Score in his book then let Repentance fill his Bottle The way to avoid Gods judgements is to judge thy self and by condemning thy Self thou mayest shun Damnation 29. Remember often the brevity and uncertaintie of thy Life consider what business thou hast here upon earth thy Life is called a Race and a Warfare So run this Race that thou maist obtain and so fight this Warfare that thou maist become more than Conquerour through him who hath loved thee take heed of being Uxorious as well as
how self-ends lug men by the ears Which way the wind doth blow the Saylor steers If we say nothing then they spurn and kick Call us dumb dogs and throw us bones to pick The Ass will vapour when the Lyons sick When we refuse to see at least to mind Their grose abuses then the Priest is blind Weeping perhaps to see them so unkind But if we justifie our holyness And prove by reason what we do profess The wisdome of the world is foolishness At last when envy cannot find a hole To shrowd her self down they sit and Condole T is a poor silly superstitiuos soul These are the Scoffs and Jeers the cruel hits That wicked heads invent in drunken fits To vex good men and exercise their wits O wicked World O Monstrous Commonweal When men with great applause might kill and steal Sensure was Saintship Sacriledge was Zeal When Churches lay like stables Altars bare Or turn'd to Mangers Priests and Organs were Both silenc'd none might preach unless they 'd sware No Musick in the Church but Widows cries No Sacraments but Oaths no Rites but lies No Christian Burial and no sacrifice But thanks be to our gratious God for why He heard our prayers and harken'd to our Cry And thereupon turn'd our captivity We are all in peace long may we so remain May the Crown flourish on our Soveraign And Aarons Rod blosom and bloom again May all the Kings and Churches Enemies All their plots projects and conspiracies Be blown away like silly Gnats and Flies And now my Lords since we to you have cry'd And nothing that concerns us from you hide Pitty our sorrows pardon us beside O Father Abraham how canst thou see The bondman scoff at Isaack and not be In love to him offended presently Alass we don't sigh and complain because Our honours lie at stake but the good laws Your reputation and the Churches cause T is time t is time my Lords or to keep in For your own safeties or go armed when The Lyon's couchant in the Asses skin I 'le say but this take 't on a Levits word When once the Asse doth of his own accord Thus kick Sir John Hee 'l quickly fling my Lord. Written by H. W. THE APOLOGY Of the AUTHOR of the Asses Complaint against Balaam RAge on Ye proud Philistins of the Land I scorn your Weakness and like Samson stand Arm'd with an Asses Jaw-bone in my hand Sure he that tells me of John Baptist jests And of the Tyrants and their Solemn Feasts 'T is I that combat with Ephesian Beasts Hark! Hark! how Isgrim howles and Bruin roares Had Dives kept such Ban-dogs at his Doores They 'd Worried Lazarus not lick'd his Sores They tell us of a Pillory What then We hope to see a Resurrection when The Harmlesse beast shall have his Ears agen Nay they may take his Life a worthy prize Yet he that spills his Blood cannot be wise For Asses ne're were us'd in Sacrifice But must he Die pray give him leave to pause Is the poor Asse condemn'd by Lyaford Laws Sure if he Die you 'll let him know the Cause What think you then If he that doth declaime ' Gainst Drunkennesse and Swearing merits shame Then he that writ the Cry was much to blame Or if those men of Israel who with tears Complain'd of Eli's Sons were Mutineers Then Balaam's Asse deserves to lose his Ears But if amongst the pious Learned train Dunces are crept who their profession stain Be patient Sirs our Cry was not in vain What shall the Asse forsake his Masters crib And follow those that use to swear and bib No He fears neither Pillory nor Gib Let Fools and Traytors dread such things not I Who in the Dangerous times of Tyranny Own'd that which now they say I do deny I that oppos'd Presbytery when Some Comply'd and Flatter'd Others were struck dumb 'T is known how oft I pray'd Thy Kingdom come His Sacred Majesty I have ador'd And alwayes reverenc'd the Mitred Lord And will defend them both with Pen and Sword I quarrel not with him that bows the Knee Toward the East Although the Altars bee Mere Stumbling stones to Some th' are none to Mee For well I know the King and Parliament Our Lawfull Lords may by a joynt consent Make Necessary of Indifferent As for the Harmless Tapers let them burn Yet when the Bridegroom wakes her from her urn These will not serve the Sleepy Virgins turn To Gownes and Surplices I am a Friend Let Others Cavill they that will contend About these things have sure some farther end But yet how prudentlie the King prevents The Churches Rape Hee sees their base intents That 'gin to Rifle her of her Ornaments Nor must false Achan long enjoy his wedge Justice prepares a Halter and a Sledge These are the bitter fruits of Sacriledge These deep-dy'd Rebells Hyppocrites in grain That Swallow'd Bishops Lands oh what a pain Was it for them to belch them up again Then welcome Loyal Hearts that scorn'd to take Those dangerous Oathes that did Three Kingdoms shake You that were sequestred for Conscience sake Shine forth again Yee Pious and Devout Sons of the Church your Sufferings without doubt Did onlie snuff your Light not put it out Yet there are Some whose Age and former smarts Have much impair'd their Learning and their Parts Enough to crack their Brains and break their Hearts And plead wee against these no let my tongue Be Curs'd for ever if I do them wrong They shall not bear the burden of my Song He that hath suffer'd poverty disgrace Sicknesse and banishment from place to place Heav'n blast that Hand that throws dirt in his face Yet Priests there are who neither have been true To God nor Caesar Oh 't is here the Shooe Doth pinch the Devil hath His Martyrs too And now me thinks the Reader pittyes us And cryes What kind of Beast is this Whom thus The Asse calls Ignorant and Scandalous Went he to th' Vniversity What then So the French King with twenty thousand men Went up the Hill and so came down agen What did hee there he ate and drank and slept Hee playd at foot-ball and at last he crept Into a Hood Then in t ' Pulpit stept How hap'd it then that he was not refus'd By th' Bishops Friends pray let them be excus'd The Prelates oftentimes have been abus'd As in this Case A Patron of our age Presents one Mopsus to a Viccarage Far fitter for a Bear-ward or a Stage Now for a Handsom trick they cast about This Mopsus was A foul unlearned Lout And knew the Bishop soon would find him out Then learned Corydon in Mopsus name Went and obtain'd the place for which he came And now Sir Mopsus doth possess the same Thus a Good Prelat may be soon betray'd When the loose Patron Pins a Chamber-maid Upon Sir John her Dowry must be paid Should these things hold What 's Learning or the Spirit 'T is Mony rule the World and some inherit Their Parsonages by savour not by merit This this Begat the Countryes scorn and hate And made their Squeamish Stomachs nauseate That Pow'r which now hath broke the Serpents pate But lo a Reformation oh sing praise To Heav'n for now the Bishops clearer rayes Will chase these fogs and give us better-dayes Ye rigid Presbyters lay down your Pride And Joyn you Know once when a Case was try'd Shee had no interest that said Divide Yea Dippers now baptize your selves in tears And be not Drawn to Error by the ears In spite of Hell Let 's all be Cavaliers Shall our Religion be like Josephs coat Motly and bloudy Then the World will note 'T is a true sign wee cut our Master's throat Yee Consciencious Romists why do wee Wrangle with you Is it not time t' agree Take you our Faith Lend us your Charity Oh! If all these would lay aside their passion How would the Gospel flourish in the Nation Free from old Legends and new Revelation Then Englands Church would out-shine other Spires Like the Bright Moon amongst the Lesser fires And this is all that the poor Asse desires Now as for that ingenious pen that writ Balaam's reply I shall not carp at it His Verses savour both of grace and wit But yet I wonder much how hee mistook The Asses Meaning if again he look Sure he May read without a const'ring-Const'ring-book Banish but Passion wee shall soon agree I bow unto the Prelates and will bee As true and faithfull to the Church as hee I ever will obey their Just Commands And pray to God to Keep them from their hands That Hate their Persons and yet love their Lands But I should Grieve to see these Men of Gâ—d That sit in Moses chair and sway his Rod Prove Grandsires to a Fatal Ichabod 'T would vex my Soul to see Lewd Phinehas race Or any Pulpit suffer that disgrace To lose a Man and have a Beast in 's place Sound powerfull preaching is the thing wee want Yet I abhor their Rhetorick that do rant In vindication of the Covenant And is'c for this the Asse is made a Mock By Pamphleteers And grown a Laughing-stock Base ill-bred hounds that would destroy the Flock Then oh ye Gospel-Shepheards do not keep Such Currs Although to you they fawn and creep That Dog that Bites an Asse will Worry Sheep Lewis Griffin FINIS * It hath been a Den of Lay-Theeves too long already * Yet the Patron in this Case had no such corrupt intent