AN ENQUIRY AFTER RELIGION OR A View of the Idolatry Superstition Bigottry and Hipocrisie of all Churches and Sects throughout the World Also some Thoughts of a late Ingenious Gentleman of the Royal Society concerning Religion Religion stands on tip-toe in our Land Ready to pass to the American strand Herbert Dic quibus in Terris eris mihi magnus Apollo LICENSED April 23. 1691. R. M. LONDON Printed for Richard Baldwin at the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-lane 1691. SOME Thoughts concerning RELIGION THere is nothing in which Mankind have been in any comparison so out of their Wits as in what they have abusively call'd by this Sacred Name Religion In all Countreys it has been dy'd with Humane Blood and swoln with Spoil and Rapine written on the Heads of Tyrannies and Vsurpations and pleaded as the Cause the Cause of prosperous Villanies 'T is divided into Attoms of Sects and disputed into Air of Opinions entituled to all the Vanities of sick Imagination and claim'd by all the folly of zealous Ignorance If we attend to the Zeal and the Confidence the loud Talk and bold Claims of each of the Pretenders all are in the truth and all mistaken Every Sect is in the right if it may be judg'd by the fondness of its own assurance and every one is out by the sentence of all the rest Here is Religion sayes the Church of England nay but 't is here sayes the Dissenter and the Papist gives the Lye to them both and then they scuffle and contend 'till they have talked themselves out of Sense out of Charity and out of Breath And when they would say on but know not what when their Passions are rais'd but their Reasons lost they fall to pelt each other with hard Names they squabble and strive and damn one another by turns they gather Parties to help up the cry and fill all places with the noise of their quarrels and triumph and crow after a Conquest in Imagination And after all this bustle and all this adoe they sit down where they begun nothing is gain'd on either side but an addition of Malice and bitter Zeal more rancour and more damning sentences while they are for the most part as far from Truth as from Agreement This is the state of the Contending World nor can we expect it should be otherwise while Ignorance and Malice Interest and Passion inspire the quarrels Or if the Controversies should be ended the Vote would doubtless be cast on the side of Folly and Falshood for their adherents are more numerous and most loud while the friends of Truth and Reason are meek and modest thinly scatter'd among the Herd and still liable to be overborn and out-nois'd by the Tumult But though Religion is thus exposed and scorned though it is made ridiculous by some and laugh'd at by others yet 't is no Creature of Melancholly or Design but a great Reality and no cunningly devised Fable no dream of Imagination or interest of any lust but as simple as Innocence and as clear as the Virgin Light Religion is a plain thing and easie to be understood 't is no deep subtilty or high-strain'd Notion 't is nogilded Fancy or elaborate exercise of the brain 't is not placed in the Clouds of Imagination nor wrapt up in mystical cloathing but 't is obvious and familiar easie and intelligible first preach'd by Fishermen and Mechanicks without pomp of speech or height of speculation address'd to Babes and Plebeian Heads and intended to govern the Wills of the honest and sincere and not to exercise the Wits of the Notional and Curious So that we need not mount the Wings of the Wind to fetch Religion from the Stars nor go down to the Deep to fetch it up from thence for 't is with us and before us as open as the Day and as familiar as the Light The great Precepts of the Gospel are cloathed in Sun-beams and are as visible to the common Eye as to the Eagle upon the highest perch 'T is no piece of Wit or Subtilty to be a Christian nor will it require much Study or learned retirement to understand the Religion we must practise That which was to be known of God was manifest to the very Heathen Rom. 1.19 The Law is light saith Solomon Prov. 6.13 And 't is not only a single passing glance on the Eye but 't is put into the Heart and the Promise is That we shall all know him from the greatest to the least Our Duty is set up in open places and shone upon by a clear Beam 't was written of old upon the plain Tables of Habbakkuk Hab. 2.2 so that the running Eye might see and read And the Religion of the Holy Jesus like himself came into the World with Rays about its head In fine Religion is clear and plain and what is not so may concern the Theater or the Schools may entertain Mens Wits and serve the Interest of Disputes but 't is nothing to Religion 't is nothing to the Interest of Mens Souls Those things that we count Mysteries are plainly enough discover'd as to their being such as we believe them though we cannot understand the manner how and 't is no part of Religion to enquire into that but rather it enjoyns us meekly to acquiesce in the plain Declarations of Faith without bold scrutiny into hidden things The summ is Religion lies not in Systems of Opinion but in Faith and Patience Innocence and Integrity in Love to God and Charity to all the World Mica 6.8 He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do Justice and to love Mercy and walk humbly with thy God James 1.7 Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the Widows and Fatherless in their Affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the World AN ENQUIRY c. THe beautious UNA (a) True Religion Vid. Spencers Fairy Queen of a Race Divine The first the best of all Heav'ns Royal Line Thro' the wide World the Muse resolves to seek Farther than ever went the wandring (b) Vlysses Greek The Golden Fleece did Jasons Search imploy Aeneas sail'd to find another Troy Not the wild Desarts of th' Atlantick Main Cou'd fright the brave Columbus back again Our aim's more high our Enterprize more bold Our search for something more refin'd than Gold Veer the Main-sheet of Fancy till we 're born To th' utmost Chambers of the rising morn Where Infant day its blushing Forehead rears And either World the Suns kind bounty shares Encircled round with a small Troop of Friends See where the Goddess from the Ark descends On Ararats proud Top they Altars raise And with her sing their mighty Saviours praise The Good old Man who knew no guilt or sin All white without and Innocent within Noah himself was then the Priest as he The King and Father of the Family No long distracting Systems then were taught
admire Thro' the wide East this Poison creeps along And to th' Impostors Tomb whole Nations throng India Arabia Affrick's Desarts wild Nay Europe's fertile Fields more civiliz'd and mild Nature it self had fix'd 'em bounds in vain Nor cou'd the narrow Hellespont contain Their numerous swarms the fatal stream is crost And Constantine thy glorious Tow'rs are lost The Crescent rises and the Cross goes down And Europe now they reckon all their own Not to the Mufti * The Pope on th' Italian side who 'd not lose all but willingly divide They need not for their shares keep much ado 'T is hard or all the World 's enough for two 'T is true the Roman Caliph cannot bear Two holy Cheats at once to fill one Chair Preserves his high unrivall'd Dignity Nor is there other Antichrist but he Out-does dull Mahomet and all his Crew Contrives a Worship more sublime and new Which Christ and his Apostles never knew In the old Pagan grafted more refin'd And some new profitable Doctrines joyn'd Convenient Articles which Service do Not only in this world but t'other too Tho Pagan Temples now are blest and cross'd Not one good serviceable hint was lost Which from the Roman Flamins might be learn'd Thus far Panthaeon wisely they discern'd For every Idol did a Shrine provide In whate're Place or Country dignify'd Nor made Enquiry what they were before Mercury or Venus Thief or Bawd or VVhore Civil to Strangers whenceso'ere they came And who 'd a piece of such good Nature blame No Traveller entred on this happy Coast But here might find their Gods where ever lost And if with a good Heart and Purse they come Might pray and pay as well as if at home Thus the old Romans did and thus new Rome It lik'd the Humour well and was content To copy from so fair a President An All Saints Church of old Panthaeon made Thus the Sign 's chang'd tho' th' House still keeps the Trade Mahomet was a stupid Sot nor knew The Feats an Image might be taught to do He thought it an unprofitable Sin And threw 'em out Rome wiselier kept 'em in Cuts off the Horns which did of old disgrace Her Gods and grafted Glories in their place Venus and Cupid which the Pagans use To adore their Temples can't a place refuse Those pretty Deities they must not loose Take Mars from one and take his Bow from 'tother They 'll make a very decent Son and Mother Jâ—ve needs but little mending he that will Find fault the Thunderer is a Thunderer still Castor and Pollux have at Sea the same Due Reverence paid only they 've chang'dtheir Name With Chrism and Holy-water exorcis'd Their 's into Christianity surpriz'd As Indians by a Spanish Priest baptiz'd But who i' th name of Wonder did prefer Some lusty Rebel in the Grants War To be that Swinger of a Christian Saint Whom those at Rome like Polyphemus paint Who all the World on his broad Back did bear His Feet the while two Angels held i' th Air That huge unmerciful St. Christopher If Catholick Religion that we 'll call Which has the largest Arms and takes in all Rome claims the Title superstitious lewd Profane debauch'd vain filly bad or good It welcomes all or all except the last And different Baits throws out for every Taste Musick and Songs for those that Musick crave For Women Children Fools they Babbies have For traytrous Fryars a Halter they provide That still hangs gently dangling by their Side Poor hungry Mob with heav'nly Dishes treat Gape gape you Rogues such Food you ne're did eat A muss of Gods their taste no doubt divine Be thankful then but not one soop of Wine Not one dear drop the thirsty Priest will spare Poor Wretch his Lips must needs be dry with Pray'r Won't all this do then t'other trick begin You 've warrant for 't compell 'em to come in Goad all the restive Souls who fondly wait Without and will not pass the Church's Gate Torment and worry them into Salvation Rack hang or damn to save 'em from Damnation This Rome's Religion was and is so still This did of old our great Forefathers feel Her Arguments the Whip the Fire the Wheel To all dare'd true Religion entertain Who fled for aid to the cold Alps * The Country of the Piemontois c. in vain In vain she hop'd in safety there to dwell ' Midst Hills and Vallies inaccessible Error pursues now only does not stray But to those deep Recesses where she lay Like Hannibal did make or find a way Devotion and true Zeal her high pretence And often torn and wounded forc'd her thence Tho in those Rocks she left a sacred Race And Monuments which Rome shall ne're deface From place to place she like her Master fled Like him she knew not where to hide her head With Wickliff here did for a while sojourn Or o're brave Cobham's valiant Ashes mourn Till following Error forc'd her to return Amongst devoted Albigenses straid Or in Bohemian Villa's wept and pray'd With Huss and Prague to Constance did repair The Emp'rors Royal VVord her safeguard there But Error quickly had found out 't was she And with her Friends Falshood and Perjury Voted all Faith to Hereticks null and void Made only to be taken and destroy'd Hereby she scapes her dear Companions lost In Martyrs Flames by various Tempests toss'd Till with brave Zisca and his Favourites Residing she not only prays but fights Till the bold German Monk †Luther who long enquir'd For her abode found her at last retir'd From the rude World and places of Resort Found her and brought her to the German Court The Princes kiss'd her Wounds her wrongs deplore And her to Thrones and high Tribunals bore Scarce cou'd her first lov'd Constantine do more Lov'd and caress'd by these illustrious Friends By their kind aid new Collomes she sends Throughout the World the stubborn North obey Throw off Rome's Iron Yoke for her more gentle sway With these rich Albion sees with glad surprize Her Idol-Temples fall and Churches rise The helpless rotten Rood a Bonfire makes Each cheating Fiend his Oracle forsakes Their Miracles are lying wonders found Their sacred Ducks-blood †Vid. Fox of the Dissolution of Abbys scatter'd on the ground From the Familiar Samuel's Mantle fell And back he fled agen to Rome and Hell Learning and all good Arts with speed revive And by Religions kind Protection live The Golden Age returns and who 'd admire The Dross shou'd be remov'd by Martyrs Fire Nay Jove himself 't is said had Orders given That blest Astraea shou'd return from Heaven But ah some Seeds of ancient Fraud remain Which made the wondrous Change almost in vain And when old Arts wou'd now no longer do Too fruitful Error soon invented new Demands Recruits from Hell the Fiends obey Th' Enchantress waves her Wand they hast away From baleful Caves and intercept the Day See in what Troops they
to her aid advance Malice and Discord Pride and Ignorance Black foul-mouth'd Blasphemy whose forked tongue Hisses at Heav'n and thinks its Thunder long Before it strikes Injustice Rapine Wrong Oppression on the Hearts of Orphans fed Tyrannick-Rule by Will not Justice led And foul Rebellion with her Hydra-head New fangled-Faith and worse than all the rest Hipocrisie in Sheeps-fair-Cloathing drest Within a Wolve's ficrce Paws a Tygar's Breast The hellish Train she views with barb'rous Joy And doubts not to disgrace if not destroy Religions Colonies to blast their Fruit If not prevail against the stubborn Root Go then she said my lov'd Companions goe Act what may Envy raise in those you leave below Haunt all the Enemies to us and you If they 'll reform be you Reformers too She said like Locusts round the World they flew And each fair Field thro' which their Armies pass'd Not only with their odious weight lay waste But striving to perpetuate their kind They leave a fruitful numerous Spawn behind No Place no Age from their Vexation free No Church or Sect from spacious Germany To thee O wretched Albion tortur'd more With this than all thy other Plagues before The Bigotts first who if their Cause is right No thanks to them they only blindfold fight The largest Catholick Church that e're was found Wide stretcht thro' all the universal Round But none to a greater height of madness come They'd have you call it Zeal than ours at home A foul black humour which not all the Flood Of Thames can wash away still sowrs their Blood The pois'nous Juice still grumbles in their Veins And as the Moon directs it turns their Brains Then like mad Indians rambling thro' the Street They run-a-muck and murder all they meet Thus Aetna's horrid Caverns ever glow With sullen subterranean Fires below But when contending winds thro' some sinall chink Or cranny rush or its hot Intrails drink Trinacrian Waves it rises to the brink And liquid Flames in dreadful Currents fall Loud bellowing on Catania's neighb'ring VVall. What Strife what Jars what an impetuous Flood Wide rolling down of Mischief VVars and Blood Derive their Origine and Spring from thee Firebrand of England hated Bigottrie Practis'd by all and yet by all decry'd Hated by all but still of t'other side As Tradesmen will their cheating Neighbours blame Who only Occasion want to do the same Was not the last sad Age thy Vengeance cloy'd Three flourishing Kingdoms more than half destroy'd By thy wild Fury that the same disgrace Thou striv'st to entail on their unhappy Race But that we know thou dost unjustly bear Religious Name the VVorld wou'd that forswear And turn meer Atheists in despite of thee Ev'n a more silly Sect if that can be Fools leave one Vice and chuse its contrarie And such thy Followers are still on they run Nor value where so they each other shun In tow'ring Top-knots these Religion dress Those even her Hair pull off and some confess They like her best in Raggs or Nakedness This Fate uneasie Scotland ever mourns Where every Sect each other plagues by turns Bonnet or Mitre be 't that fills the Chair Woe to the VVretch whose Lot it is to bear They never knew what 't was a Friend to spare Or Church or Kirk when once they get astride While Arms and VVhip and Leather hold they ride The Malice even of Fables they 'll out-do And for their Foes one Eye they 'll forfeit two Not that at home we much behind 'em fall Rather than fail wee 'll forfeit Head and all Each Sect pretends Infallibility They only true the rest a Cheat and Lye Maggots which in Religion's Carkass breed When in the last sad Age she lost her head Whence numerous swarms of various Insects rise Deafen the Air and fill the darken'd Skyes Of different casts of different shape and wing A warlike Race all arm'd with claws and sting Like Earth-born Brethren meet with equal spite And rage for they no sooner live but fight Some came from Forreign Shores which we'd be loth To wrong but most of our own natural growth Hungry and lean they came tho' since 't is clear They 're very much improv'd and batten'd here For such a crop but little Labour needs 'T is a rank Soyl and wondrous kind to weeds From distant Poland came the fruitful Seeds Long since by sly Socinâ—s scatter'd there Which but too soon a large increase did bear They rose to Plants which to our Fields convey'd And rooted here by monstrous Biddle's aid Projected far away their deadly shade Socinus is believ'd instead of Christ And Crellius makes a Fifth Evangelist For true Religion they false Reason take Of Man a God of God a Man they make Idolaters Idolatry to shun Two Gods adore while they believe but one Forsaken by that Saviour they abuse Left by that sacred Guide they scorn to use Their boasted Reason in wild Nonsense loose So vain is Man so gross his Errors be Who more than him who gave him Eyes would see And boast to comprehend the Deitie But thô so loud they Persecution blame If bad their Faith their Charity 's the same Witness Cracovian Fields and that wild Flood Which conquer'd all of Error mix'd with Blood O had the spreading Poyson there remain'd Or in one Age if not one Place contain'd Its hated growth we that had neither had Nor Antidotes which are almost as bad Orthodox Zeal where it too warmly burns Seizes the Brain and a Vertigo turns Christs Doctrines would like Antichrist defend The Gospel plant by Writ of Comburend ' Or Books or Men the same nay more unkind They in Repentance scarce relief shall find But must be burnt while they 're in a good mind 'Twixt these Extreams Religion tortur'd stands Weeps Tears of Blood her Side her Feet her Hands Torn wounded pierc'd yet pierc'd with shame far more As was her Master 'twixt two Thieves before All madness some with the Socinian Race Wou'd tolerate all Blasphemies embrace Others Infallibility defend Yet rail at Rome's and since too good to mend Wou'd neither Tolerate nor Comprehend By each his Adversaries Face is shown So ugly that they never mind their own These Moderation hate and these no less Immoderately for Moderation press Some Honour at a distance keeps some fear Their Cheats shou'd be descry'd if view'd too near Some think the Breach too great and some too small To ' admit or need a Cure some loudly bawl That Int'rest Int'rest is the Cause of all Whether men pass for Moralists or Saints 'T is true perhaps too of their own Complaints What makes two Combatants stand off but Fear Each shou'd the advantage get if once too near Yet sure they wou'd unite tho' ne're so loth Shou'd a third man come in to kill 'em both Even the mad Jews awhile adjourn'd their Hate When they the Romans saw before the Gate But madder we keep up our Rage and Spite And leave our Enemies with