up gold a God to vie For Soveraign honour with the Deity 'T was this gave pleasure an envenom'd sting Made honor death in glorious titles bring This licens'd fraud for wise and force for just And tipt loves-shafts with poison'd heads of lust So that her blessings now infected thus Good in themselves but deadly ill to us Are all but baits to catch the soul in sin Sugar without but poyson 's hid within There yet remains another dang'rous elf Which I must quit I mean my treacherous self With all my Carnal lusts though they as dear And useful as right hands or eyes appear Not one though ne're so small but out it must God never yet kept house with any lust They 'r bred of flesh corrupt that sink of evil That pimp to sin and strumpet to the Devil Like Vermin gendred in the filth and mire Of her corruption by that hellish fire Sinfully sinful in themselves as they Prompt all the powers o' th soul to disobey Make war against the soul and in her manners Advance against the Lord Rebellious banners From these the homebred foes with friendly faces Which kill with kindness murder with embraces From these and their allurements under pain Of death and hell I must resolve t' abstain That all these enemies should be forsook My sureties vow'd then further undertook I should what-ever purblind reason saith Believe all th' Articles o' th' Christian Faith Her scanty line in things divine will fail To fathom truth here she and wit must vail Thus far she may and will if manag'd duely To all faiths mysteries subscribe and truely Assent instructed thus to exercise In way of argument her faculties This Sacred Doctrine is attested by The God of truth who will not cannot lie His word 's the word of truth which does aver it Dictated by the Holy Ghost the Spirit Of saving truth my own dim sight adieu God says it and it is it must be true What though I cannot apprehend it well Though not with me with God 't is possible And where my unfledg'd wings can soar no higher I must not stand disputing but admire Lastly They vow'd I should with watchful care With awful reverence and holy fear Ev'n to the utmost of my pow'r and skill Inviolably kéep Gods holy will Compleat unsinning righteousness 't is true Though to the purity of God 't is due Yet by the frailties of our sinful nature Is ne're arriv'd at in its perfect stature But though no foot uprightly walk no hand Uprightly do the heart may upright stand And if obedience be well practic'd there It will be thought imperfect yet sincere And this sincerity will so supply All the defects of legal purity That God whose eyes could never once endure To see pollution shall account me pure Sincerely I must aim at what is best Do what I can and will to do the rest Where flesh and blood shall slip or stumble grace Must take advantage by 't and mend her pace Thus did my sureties vow I should fulfill And keep my holy Gods most holy will And that his just commands should be the ways My soul should chuse to walk in all my days Question Are you perswaded you are bound to do And to believe as they engag'd for you Answer Yes truely when they promis'd in my name I by their act oblig'd and bound became The Cov'nant betwixt God and me was made And what I could not say my self they said But I the party was i' th Covenant To whom since th' other party God did grant That grace on his part which my soul did want 'T is just I should perform with thankful heart What he requireth in the Counterpart And by Gods help I will for that must be The strengthning ayd that must enable me Without him of my self I can do nought Not think so much at best as one good thought 'T is his good Spirit and he only who Works in me both the pow'r and will to do And all unfeigned hearty thanks I give To God who thus hath given me pow'r to live My heav'nly father who vouchsafed t' enroll Into heav'ns liberty my Hell-bound soul That he hath call'd me to it doth afford Me power to be sav'd through Christ our Lord. And him I pray his pow'rful grace to send To keep me in it to my lives last end Question Faith and obedience then to Christ's commands Are the two props on which Religion stands Faith goes before as that that does beget Obedience in the heart and nourish it Perfumes and seasons it and makes it pass Accepted at the glorious throne of grace Faithless obedience is but fruitless fruit Sprung from a tree that wants both sap and root And he that works it does but build on sand An unfoundation'd house that cannot stand Let your first care be then to see the ground Whereon you build your hopes be firm and sound And this to shew be 't now your Christian lesson Of th' Articles of faith to make confession First Article S. Peter I Not another for me no mans Creed Besides my own stands me in steed Nor boots it any man that he receives And holds the faith the Church believes Unless his reason giving her assent He chose it as most excellent Believe confess rely upon and trust As holy gracious true and just In God the best the greatest first and last That being infinitely vast That great I AM first cause first mover he That was and is and is to be That God that from Eternal ages stood The highest greatest chiefest good The Fath'r of all things living by creation And by continual preservation And by Adoption father of his Sons The new-born Holy chosen ones Almighty whose unbounded pow'rful hand Did all create does all command Maker who all created beings brought Out of a Chaos out of nought Of Heaven his starrie seat that upper story Where earthly grace turns heavenly glory And Earth his footstool yet mans Royalty Mans head at Gods foot plac't stands high Second Article S. Andrew And in not any other God than he No more there are no more can be But in the second of the Vni-trine Persons transcendently divine The true God-man in whom both natures joyn'd Union but not confusion find Iesus the Saviour of the souls of men Ransom'd by him but lost till then Which name in heav'n above and earth below Calls upon every knee to bow Christ the Anointed with that oyl of gladness Which chears his fellows press'ed with sadness As King to rule us Priest in priestly guise T' attone for sin by sacrifice And Prophet to instruct and teach us how To chuse the good and evil eschew His onely Son begot by him and yet Equal to him that did beget Our Lord who bought us and the purchase stood The Purchaser his dearest blood Who are not being bought with such a price Our own by property but his Third Article S. John Who was conceiv'd not in a sinful state But
THE CATECHISM OF THE Church of England POETICALLY PARAPHRASED BY JAMES FOWLER LONDON Printed by Tho. Hodgkin 1678. Imprimatur Guil. Jane Jan. 4. 1677. TO My Worthy and much HONORED FRIEND EPHRAIM SKINNER Esq SOMETIMES His MAJESTIES CONSUL IN LEGORN SIR AS I know you have a natural aversness to being passive so I find in my self no temptation to be active in those lofty Praises that commonly stuff up Dedications Let your works themselves not my Encomium's praise you in the Gates Enjoy your self in that Noble and Christian principle of sparing the Trumpet for securing the Reward Only thus much I must say in Apology for this boldness That the Catechism of the Church knows not better where to seek for Patronage than at those hands that have been exemplarily liberal in beautifying the Temple May you go on and Prosper in so pious a Design and since it cannot be accounted a Digression to your Progress with your favourable acceptance encourage these Papers which are written for their Instruction that ought to be the Polished Corners of it that when nothing of you shall remain but the memory of your actions they may rise up and call you Blessed Which blessedness as you plenteously sow it in this life that you may reap abundantly in a better is the hearty Prayer of Your most Obliged and humble Servant JAMES FOWLER TO THE READER READER THat indifferency in Poetry which one that was a Stranger to it thought unattainable hath here been aimed at This Paraphrase was intended for the benefit of Youth and as near as I could Calculated for that Meridian I have studied to approve my self a Divine that may Delight and a Poet that may be Understood If by tying my self to Scripture-phrase and the expressions of the Church I come short of that Poetick strain that may be expected I desire it may be remembred that it was design'd for Children and not for Criticks If it be read with that simplicity of heart that it was written I hope though it was fitted to the Capacities of the Younger yet it will not so nauseate the more Intelligent and Judicious but the performance may be accepted for the honesty of the Design THE CATECHISM OF THE CHURCH of ENGLAND Poetically Paraphrased Question OF all the gifts that serve delight or grace The humane nature knowledge first takes place Knowledge which to the mind at once supply's Enlightning beams and light-discerning eyes That heav'n-born faculty which man invest With God-like nature differs man from beasts That blessed object of the souls desire That does at once content yet skrew it higher Of which a maxime it hath always stood That Souls to be without it is not good Now since of Knowledge that that is divine Does that that 's meerly humane far out-shine Since knowing of our selves was always found In this great Science the Foundation ground Since what does this Self-knowledge first proclaim Is that the busie tatling Child can frame It s yet unpractised tongue to tell its Name To give some proof how well thou hast begun To get this knowledge What 's thy Name my Son Answer The name first given me when I became A Christian and thence call'd my Christian Name Which aided by that Epithete gives check To sinful deeds crys sinful thoughts stand back And bids the soul walk worthy of the honour And grandeur of that name that 's call'd upon her Live a true Christian or renounce that name Lest that which honors her she basely shame And that profession that she should adorn Expose to censure obloquy and scorn This glorious name the mark and badge of him Whose Service makes me free is N. or M. Question Who gave it you Answer My sureties who because When I submitted to the Christian Laws They answ'ring for me did my soul beget Into the faith my self not able yet To make confession on 't are therefore styl'd Parents in God to me their Christian Child The scene of my receiving thus from them This Christian favour was my Baptism That mystick Military Sacrament In which by Covenant I did indent The great Captain of my souls salvation Fighting his battle to maintain my station Thus at my first enrolement into grace I wretched I till then whose woful case Angels condol'd God piti'd Christ bemoan'd For whose lost state the whole creation groan'd While devils did with spiteful joy and pride Gods image so transform'd to theirs deride I from the body erst lopt off and dead My soul a Bastard and disherited I thus to misery by sin betray'd By this blest means Oh blessed means was made A noble member of the noblest high'st And wisest head my Lord my Saviour Christ A Child of God the most august or rather The onely great and honourable Father And an inheritor undoubted heir To an estate as truly rich as fair No soil so fruitful nor the purest air So wholesom for the sp'rits no prospect is So ravishing no title safe as this So safe the heir can never be bereaven For 't is a Kingdom and that plac't in Heaven Question What did your undertakers then for you Answer Thrée things they did engage for me by vow First that I should forsake abhor detest That Enemy to mans eternal rest That Serpent-hypocrite who though he can Transform himself about to ruin man Into an Angel of most glorious light Is prince of darkness king of blackest night That roaring Lyon whose Apostate power Ranges the world to seek souls to devour That Crest-fal'n King of pride that pride-fal'n star And metamorphos'd Angel Lucifer Who for his tempting first and then accusing For his ungodlike property in chusing What-ever's evil and what 's good refusing And in a word his aptness to do evil Fitly obtains his proper name the Devil This is that Lord whom they did undertake I should together with his works forsake Nor should it strange appear that he which lurks And rules in sloathful bosoms only works Slack rains in duty is the Devils bridle 'T is work enough for him to make men idle Whom he can wean from God himself has won Let men their work omit and his work 's done Sin then 's his work and fitly titled his Who is not Gods the Devils servants is And does his work nor does he serve for nought Vengeance his wages is that sin hath wrought Poor wages for hard service let that Lord Do his own work and take his own reward With him I must forsake what by his care Is of a blessing made a curse and snare The painted gewgaws of this cheating prize This wicked world it's pomps and vanities So perfect from the Makers hands it came That from its beauty it deriv'd the name And he which good exactly understood Approv'd of it when made as very good But all-inverting sin which could it dwell In Heav'n would make ev'n Heaven it self be Hell This from its purity the world estrang'd And perfect good to perfect wicked chang'd 'T was this that set
like himself Immaculate By th' Holy Ghost whose over-shadow'd power Being graciously vouchsaf't unto her Impregnated Oh Heavenly bridal-groom A chast unspotted Virgins womb Born of the Virgin Mary mother she To him that gave her first to be Happy to be his Mother happier far That he his Daughter counted her Whose sinless chast conception did bring forth A Sin-Curse-Free a painless birth Fourth Article S. James the Great Suffer'd not for his own but for the Sin Of hopeless helpless wretchless men Vnder a Governor a Zealous pleaser Of the Ambitious jealous Caesar Pentius Pilate who his death Commands And washes then his guilty hands Was Crucified Condemned and forc't to be Hang'd on the Cross the Cursed tree Where while nails pierc'd his sacred plants and palms his wounded side dropt healing balms Blood that might pay the score to justice then Water to wash and make us clean To evidence redemption finished Water from 's heart to prove him dead Dead truly dead the Lord of life and breath Fast-fetter'd in the Chains of death And buried buried in a Tomb obscure And guarded too to make him sure Yet was the Guest not common and the grave No common entertainment gave A Rock receiv'd him and the Scriptures say A Rock where never man yet lay Fifth Article S. Thomas He whom the heav'n and heav'n of heav'ns in vain Might have endeavour'd to contain Descended into Hell Content to have His lodgings in a six-foot grave Thence to th' infernal pit where Satan lurks To triumph over him and 's works The third day ere his sacred body saw Or yielded to corruptions law He the first fruits of life which he in spight Of Death and Hell would bring to light Rose again from the dead and shew'd it plain That man being dead can live again Sixth Article S. James the Less He then his work being done redemption wrought Hells works destroy'd and man rebought Ascended into Heaven his first abode The only proper place for God And sitteth not till now his labour ceas't And not till now he sits to rest At the right hand of God to signifiâ— As well his pow'r as dignity Where now in our behalf he dayly pleads And with the Father intercedes For such continual and benign supplies As suits our wants and miseries The Fath'r Almighty who can all things do But to his dearest Son say no Who as Almighty can his sute fulfill And as a gracious Father will Seventh Article S. Philip. From thence when judgments Trump shall sound a Call And to the Barr shall summon all And not before to raign as some mean dream A thousand years on earth with them He but not such as formerly was he Cloath'd with disgrace and poverty But he such as he is eye-dazling bright With Majesty and heav'nly light Shall come attended as he truly merits With Legions of Scraphick Spirits To Iudge impartially according to The works that in this life they do The quick who though in death they sleep not shall Be changed in a moment all And the dead too whose perish'd bodies then Shall by his pow'r be rais'd again And re-united with the soul together With that shall live and live for ever Eighth Article S. Bartholomew I Believe in him who proceeds as third Both from the Father and the Word Proceeding as the Godheads Emanation Yet coeternal in duration The third yet equal person in the One Both with the Father and the Son The Holy Ghost the blessed Lord and giver Of life whose lease bear's date for ever Who by his various gifts dispenc'd abroad So edifies the Church of God And by his works upon the hearts of men So lively influences them That they who thus the seeds of grace inherit Brings forth the gracious fruits o' th' Spirit This is the sum of what my faith doth gather Of God my gracious heav'nly Father Ninth Article S. Matthew Another part of my belief remains And that the Church my Mother Claims And here I do believe not in nor on Such faith respecteth God alone But with a faith Historically meant Which does to truth reveal'd assent The holy Cath'lick Church that lovely spouse For which her Lord his life did lose Holy as builded up and founded on Christ the most holy corner stone Whose Constitutions Principles Profession Teach us her Sons this holy Lesson That holy as he is holy we must be Or never hope his face to see Catholick as all those it comprehends Whom our dear Lord accounts his friends Whether they Militate for him below Or having conquer'd triumph now A Church truth's rocky pillar and firm ground ' Gainst which Hell-gates no force have found Tenth Article S. Simon The sweet communion of the Saints that high And most Angelick harmony Which they have first with God Christs father and theirs As his beloved sons and heirs With God the Son as branches with the vine As members with the head combine With God the Spirit who in them as God Within his Temple keeps abode This bond of Charity does kindly move Their hearts and souls in mutual love And keeps the Church of God by this Communion A City in it self at Vnion Not tainting her nor truth perverting by Blind and erroneous heresie Nor yet with Schisms Rents dividing one And making many so make none The full and abs'lute free and gracious No way deserv'd or earn'd by us Forgiveness Pardon plenary remission Indempnity and abolition Of Sins of whatsoever kind degree Whether in thought word deed they be Granted to such as having faith that 's true Are by repentance born a-new Eleventh Article S. Judas Thaddeus The Resurrection of the fleshly part To share the spirits joy or smart The body to corruption now inclin'd But then more purer and more refin'd Whose scatter'd ashes erst base earth and clay And bones with drought consum'd away New-fram'd and reunited shall restore The self-same man that was before So though those crawling Cannibals the worn Destroy these bodies in their urns Yet in the flesh with these not other eyes We shall to see the Lord arise Twelfth Article S. Matthias And as the end the Crown and recompence Of this my faith and patience The Life not frail as this whose every breath Brings the man one step nearer death But everlasting such a life as when Thousands of years and after them Miriads are spent by millions multiply'd Though each brought forth an Age beside Shall have when this is spent and ten times morâ— As long to last as 't had before And so shall still roll on without conclusion In an Eternal revolution In which all Souls Eternally shall dwell As Kings in Heav'n or Fiends in Hell Ravish'd with Musick in the Angels Quire Or Brands of Everlasting Fire Amen this was is will be true till when My Faith and Expectation say Amen Question I 've gladly heard you word by word explain This sacred Symbol great might be the pain To learn this young but greater sure the