Frogs or Locusts wast our meanes of Light When the Baptiz'd our New mans Gifts do slight And sell mens Soules when one betrayes another And of Christs flocke the Brother hurts the Brother When Children to their Sires rebellious prove And Wives to Husbands faile in mutuall Love These tearing Vnions Bond by loves divorce Those razing Natures Fort without remorce When both these States the Churches mysticke type Each other cloy with Tares or fruite unripe When men create New Christs both here there Or then in Heaven Christs body seeke elsewhere When his bright Light shines in the utmost West Which like to Lightning rose first from the East When most mens zeale shall frozen be and cold Then every houre looke for the End foretold Which End steales on like Daniels desolations Or Noahs Flood which overtooke all Nations Whilst they were feasting like our Libertines Who slight these Flames as they those Crystall signes Heed Readers then your Monitors advise And scorne not this his Servants Sacrifice Other good Rules to us Christ left behind To cleare the sight of the most sinfull blind And those in solid words more comprehending In one short Parable more by descending From Generals to formes Particular Conducting Saints to the Archangels war With easie steps and edifying phraze More than by thorny doubts Meanders maze Which course if Preachers now adayes would trace With Catechizing Lectures to make place For Seed to spring not halfe so many Tares Would choke pure-seeded hearts with worldly cares If in their Sermons to the simpler sort They leave to canvase and to make report Of matters past their reach and Apprehensions Or such deepe points which might provoke contentions As Gods Essentiall Forme Pelagian doubts The Soules Free-will hels place or whereabouts Departed Saints are seated till Doomes-day And not the Pulpit beate with an Affray On Bellarmine and other Clerkes unknowne WhoÌ„ they with Latine there would tumble down If they shoot not Wits Squibs against the Truth Nor Legend-dreames to sindge the eares of Youth If they Preach nothing but Christ Crucified And saving Faith sinne would lye mortifyed Their zeale would spring if they with zealous mood Expound Christs Gospell to be understood Men would repent sinnes Baites if they disgrace Dividing the Lawes Thunder from mild Grace Some kind of sinnes which daily he beheld Committed by poore humble Soules he held More veniall of compassionate regard He pittyed them and their petitions heard If with Contritions Grones they did lament And of their sinnes unfainedly repent To shew his Love unto the Convertite To lift up Soules from discontented plight And that none should despaire of Clemency He did these short similitudes apply A man had lost one sheepe of many score But finding it with toyle rejoyced more Than for the rest which never stray'd at all From their owne Ranke his whistle or his call A Woman next he cited who did boast More of one silver peece which she had lost And after search recovered then of nine Left in her purse that never made her whine For further proofe he brought the Prodigall Who spent his meanes both use and Principall Most lavishly yet afterwards Repenting With teares he found his Fathers hearts relenting That his Returne a New-man from a Beast He welcom'd with a Calfe and made a Feast Such Joy Christ said transports the Angels Quire When men Repent and seeke their Heavenly Sire They triumph more for One poore Convertite Then for lesse Strayes or more in life upright So pittifull was Christ that to unfold His Love Remorce and mercies manifold Were endlesse paines above Capacity Of Humane wit clog'd with Infirmity As may appeare by that Adulteresse Led by the Scribes when seeing her heavinesse He bad her to goe home and sinne no more And when himself stood tortur'd at deaths doore He comforted the Theefe with Paradise Because he askt for Grace with dolefull eyes But for the Higher sort who proudly dar'd Maskt under Lawes pretence with burdens hard To Tyrannize upon mens Consciences And by Schoole Quirkes or wrested sentencâ—s Of Scripture to molest the Churches union Those with a woe he doomed for disunion With such who force the gift of Chastity Unlesse God gave it on Humanity Who barring Saints Gods Im age to beget Would weave for foule Asmodâ—eus Priests a Net Christ utterly mislikt such Scandalists Like them who dare beyond Religions Lists As petty Kings to Lord it by their gripes Wounding the Poore worthy of many stripes Those he Judg'd to be for above all sins Then raigning strong and whereby Satan wins Most in our Age smooth-fac'd Hypocrisy He loathed as foule thoughts Soules Leprosie Eight severall woes therefore against the Scribes He thundred for their hollow deeds and Bribes Who knew his Masters will and did it not But wilfully would loyter play or plot Some lewd designe against his Masters profit Or saw his losse and not informes him of it Such witting slaves he sentenced to be Worthy of smart in a most high degree It griev'd him much to see Wisemen contend Like Ideots and fond children to no end For shaddowes on the wall for Dignity Short lasting Pompe for so true Liberty Quite losing through their Pride and vaine desires They quench the flame of Intellectuall fires Christ saw these Flashes Dreames and Fooleries And oft lamented them with weeping eyes To shun therefore Gods wrath and to fulfill While we on earth survive his Fathers will Of force we must he said forsake our owne Though dearest Lusts and tread Temptations downe We must take up his Crosse and that prefer As Heavens doore and our Remembrancer Before our Parents Children or Alliance And on his Blood to fixe our whole Affiance To Penitents through Faith hee preach't Remission Of sinnes but Plagues for temporiz'd omission The which with Teares hee Prophesied would light For wilfull sinne on every faithlesse wight This Judgement on Jerusalem foretold By Romes proud Conquests afterwards tooke hold When Abrahams seed the Circumcized Ligne Were quite expulst the Land of Palestine And sithence we the Christians of the West Yea and the East whom Infidels molest Have felt for sinne Gods Plagues of Vengeance due And shall feele worse unlesse we change our hue With better Leaven then the Pharisees Our Faith like ill bak't bread soone putrifies O hardned hearts O most unhappy men How oft sought Christ like to a carefull Hen Her wandring Chickens or a loving Brother To reunite your strayes and wrongs to smother How oft likewise hath he recalled home Into his Flocke our Westerne Christendome God grant our Bâ—itaines may regard this pittance These crummes of mine not slighting their admittance Into his Fold least Antichristian foule Devoure their seed and their New man controule Lest for their want of Faiths Lampe-oyle in Heaven They be like to the Foolish Virgins driven From the Kings Feast or that they hide their Talents Or they shut out for want of wedding rayments Or like those Clownes who their Lords
If harsh my Tune seemes to your tender Earâ— Let Your mild Grace with my plain meaning beare As well because the matter I rehearse Requires bare naked Truth in simple Verse As that I might the vulgar sort allure To our New-man from their Old wayes impure Since Gentle words may for their Babes afford A winning Call to Jordans Bathing Ford And that I might hold on my Countries Guise Course Russet yet sincere without disguise Of Art or Sense lest that you might suspect That I on Truth no Exercise erect For if I cring'd with Charmes adulterate Of Pick-thank Soothes or borrowed Termes of state I should then cast before your Eyes a Mist Not spreading Truth like an Evangelist For Christian Peace with pure Devotions Flame But Wilde conceites blowne up for worldly Fame And so instead of noysing her Effects I wrong her worth and shew my owne defects Truth is the Starre which grac'd my New-Mans Flame O would I could to you so blaze her Fame As once fell out before the Persian King When her Renowne Salathiels Sonne did ring With such a Peale that all the Court confest Truth onely Great fit for a Monarches Breast Our Onely God Created but One Sunne From Pole to Pole Times yearely Race to runne No more lent He then this Gift Vniforme One Truth to sway our Soules and to informe All Adams Seed of the Right way to Heaven One safe High way not Labyrinth'd but Even This Royall Way is Jesus Christ alone Who left us Truth our Discords to atone To guide our steps into his Churches Fold Without hard Yokes or selling soules for gold And to confound as with a Lightning Sword The Obstinate by his Mysterious Word Upon this Words bright Substance we depend Fixing on Christ our Faith and Soveraigne End With Will prepar'd enfranchised by Grace His holy Life and Gospels Light to trace And to take up with zeale when so he please His Crosse and bitter Cup before soft Ease Besides this Way to gaine the Top of Heaven All Paths like Quicke sands are or puft up Leaven Of which false steps are Ladders for the Turkes From Mecha rapt and those stupendious Workes Father'd on Saints by Men possest with Fiends In Legends fam'd for base Simonious ends Not for One Faith one God one Advocate But many Christs and Idols to create To shun such Bogges By-wayes and Fallacies I have set forth the Soules sweet Exercise Kindled by Truth Jehovahs bosome Daughter Who by his Son wrapt in the Scriptures brought her By her mild Rayes reflecting on my strains Your Grace may reap some fruit And for my pains Sweet Prince I crave no other recompence Then that you take them into your Defence With my true vowes till in your riper Age You them oppose against the Old Mans Rage The preface to the Reader OVr New-mans Lord be prays'd for evermore Who with New Layes augmented hath our store And by his Rayes hath lately rais'd my wil To Sacrifice above Acquired skill He stirr'd me up with Zeale on Sions stage To act a Part though in my drouping Age Having outgone the step which Sages call Lifes Fatall Yeare the Climactericall My Morals He turn'd to Diviner wayes My Romane Dactyles into English Layes My rugged Prose He chang'd to Smoother Lines That with New-straines I might win Libertines Maugre his Spleene who doth this Worke confine Will Poets preach or sing of things Divine Shall Knights usurpe the place of Clergie men To praise Gods Church or Christ his Life to pen He may as well Apollinarius taxe Or as enrag'd against Old Ephres waxe Both which by Tunes on Grecian Lyre did strive To settle Faith in the Church Primitive He may aswell blame Nazianzens Quill Prudentius Claudians or S. Austines skill As strike at Poets for recalling Soules From Darknesse unto Light by Sacred Scrowles Were Sions Muse to Clearks alone entail'd The Criticke might with Semeies sting have rail'd On the sweet Post hume of our Royall James Which ravish English Eares with Davids Psalmes He might with Theons Tooth good Bartas bite Or for Doomes-Day our Noble Sterline smite Or if he feares to hit so high a Mark Why claimes he not Zoiles priviledge to bark At Him whose worth deserves Vlisses style Whom Grotius taught Christs Passion to compile Our starres late grac't my Raptures of the Bride How then dare Momes the Bridegroomes praise deride But can a Prophet rise from Galilee Or Waâ—es in Tune shape Truths Evangelee Or can her Geese compare with English Swans To sing good Newes to Contrite Publicans To paint such Flights no Mortall should presume Unlesse his Pen were of a Cherubs Plume Unlesse the Poet rapt above the Pole Charme Men from Jarres Fiends from taking Toll So that the End be good Truth ought to passe Though by a Scythian nois'd or Balaams Asse And whilst we not Divineâ— Flames profane With false Poetique Dreames Devotions Bane There is no Sexe in Soules Aswell the Least As Greatest here shall shine at Christ his Feast At the Lambs Feast where Saints for ever sing The Simplest Swaine on Earth joyes as the King Now if our Wales such Novelties relates Disdaine them not Yee Noble English States But pry into them like her Silver Mine For which of late her Alpes yee undermine And since yee see her Wombe and Bowels yeeld Lime Coale and Marle to raise the wearied Field Then why likewise may not her Streames affoord Some Swans aswell as Thames or Humbers Foord If not to chaunt their Native Melody At least to tune a harmelesse Rhapsody Whereby from Fiends some Converts may bee drawne To ransome Wares which they had left in pawn That with our Head the Members sympathize God breathes into mens Hearts New Faculcies For when his Sonne ascended up on High He captive led our Wils Captivity Renew'd of Grace our Charters Liberties And gave rare Gifts with Flaming Novelties Which if some hide or Miser like engrosse They frustrate make their Freedome by the Crosse Least therefore I encurre that Prejudice I publish here my New-mans Exercise With this true Warning shot or Tolling Bell That the Old Man Yee Readers first expell Before yee mend these Raptures or proscribe With Catoes Broach or Brand a Christian Scribe By a non licet least your Negatiue Barre that which sorts with Saints Affirmative That this my Worke in substance comprehends An Offering which to Christ his Glory tends Not Noised forth like Chymiques Quintessence For sordid Gaine but strife and Carnall Sence The Gangrenes of this Age to cauterize I freely vent my Soules Wâ—â—kes Exercise And though my Tone like Gileads shibbeleth Suits not nice Tongues nor Davids Leekes your Breath Yet doth my Muse with Englands Faith agree And hopes by Trance our Saviour Christ to see In Bethlems Cratch and on Mount Calvary His Rising vp and Triumph I descry And blunder forth by the like Mystery But with sharpe Hounds my Muse and Memory I 'le first assay Olâ— Reinards Brood to stoup View
stop the Old mans wily race Deatb Crownes a Saint and none can dy in Christ Except he living here become his Priest For Gods Elect must lead a Righteous Life Subject to Christ as to her head the Wife She knowes no male but one she stands in Aw Yet loves him deare and his Advice is Law Sweet heart quoth he lose not the mornings Prime But as Christ thee doe thou redeeme the Time With Prayers Zeale true Love and Fruitfull Deeds For of ten thousand Soules scarce one well speeds Now he that hath discretion in his pate Must marke these Maximes ere it be too late When strife for Love dreames we take for watching When Praise for Preyes and Grace we looke for Catching And when from Fasts we fal to Feasts and bibbing Then Abbaes streame stayes in the lowest Ebbing Our Advocate craves it to flow againe The Father yeelds and so to every veine Their streame flowes faire untill our changling fooles Have sought to other Streames from Muddy Pooles The Trinity then loathing Braines so sicke Their Motions stop and men dye Lunaticke From which Relapse Distrust and Lunacy Blesse we our selves as from Apostacy If I speake well or rave with puft up Learning Judge they who have the Spirit of Discerning In the meane time keepe we Gods Trumpets Feast And watch till it shall summon us to Rest. All Feastes expir'd in Christs his Oracles Or were exchang'd for our Soules Spectacles In memory to keepe our Saviours Name The Blessed Virgins and th' Apostles Fame With watch against the brats of Antichrist Which beare Christs Name but not the markes of Christ. To blaze these Newes I finde none more Divine Then Epiphanius and Saint Augustine Since the decease of those good Fishermen Which toyl'd to free soules from the Devils den For he that markes them blazing Heretickes May soone convince our moderne Catholickes Who were baptiz'd and styl'd Regenerate Went out from us but since degenerate Christs Oracles next to th' Apostles Time Shone as bright starres six hundred yeares in prime But afterwards by Pompe and Sodomy They were left Breathlesse for Anatomy Yet to the Spirits Feast of Shavelings slighted Our West hath beene by Prophets late invited To cleanse Christs Church from Superstitious Feasts Proclaiming Truth against the Mounted Beasts Mysterious charmes Soule-gulling Merchandize Which Gospel seem'd till Wickliff prov'd them lies Truthes Oracles which Antichrist supprest Are freely now in our owne Tongue exprest Each Parable made plaine to Babes reveal'd And every Mysticke Leafe lyes now unseal'd In spight of the Red Dragons Floud and Fraud And maugre all the Trickes of Babels Baud So that we may unlesse our Riots let Escape and breake out of the Hunters Net Strange Fires croaking noise from Balaams lips Cannot dash out our Light nor yet eclipse Those Rayes whereby the murthered Lamb of late Cheares up his Faithfull Bride and Sions state Relying on his Ayd and powerfull Arme His Spirit warmes and keeps from Leaguers harm But clandestine and by sly cheating trickes Some winne more Games to Babels Meretrix He that deceived Eve by subtill Traine Would our returne into her stewes againe Perswade By Sions Rents they shortly hope To blurre our Church and re-invest the Pope With his Old Keyes and with his Golden Crosse In Gods owne Temple Graces to ingrosse And for small cause to excommunicate Nay for neglect of Fees to shut Heavens Gate They hope to put by Satans Tares late sowne Our Laymens ward of Premunire downe But why cast I such Goblin doubts abroad When the Last Knell determines our aboad Our short aboad on Earth O let us then Repent and waile our sinnes deare Country-men Let us renew whilst that it is to Day Our Sacrifice and vowes of Love repay Oft musing on Saint Paules advice that now We Christ no more after the flesh must know But as it were in traunce the New-mans way To waigh his Crosse and Passion every day The Service which belongs to Him alone Withdraw not from that All-sufficient One By kneeling to our fellow-servants downe For Ghostly helpe who saved but their owne Deare Soules by vertue of that Costly Blood Which on the Crosse was shed for our joynt good If we beleeve as Saints have done before us In Christ alone Hels sting can never gore us Thinke on my words O ye backe-sliding Soules Who pay to Saints your vows like Market Tolles Thinke on your owne and Christ his painefull death The Judgement day and gaping hell beneath Our dayes are few Times period is at hand And Christ his Arke will shortly saile from Land The waves of sinne swell high Love growne too cold In most mens Hearts Mens ruines doth unfold True Faith for want of more Devotions heat Exiled pleads before Gods Judgement seate Against Mankind as at the Flood of Noah To plague the world with flames worse annoy Mens hearts are hardned like the Fiends of Hell For if a Prophet doe sinnes doome foretell Disswading them from Broiles O how they swell At the Good man with rage and passions fell Imposing for his paines Rackes shackles shame Or silencing or blacking his good Name Before Doomes-day this darke Prodigious fault Must follow next upon the Whores assault For though the Church Triumphant doth rejoyce To see her Fall our Jarres supplant our Joyes And so instead of Psalmes to Heaven sent We temporize or with her Complement Awake therefore ye watch-men with your flocke Lest you and they be hurld against the rocke Of scandall to our Churches infamy Ending in Schismes Broyles or Phlebotomy Thinke on the Fowles which ere the Sunne did set Abram had watcht and then huge darkenesse met Awake I say out of your slumbring sleepe Look to your charge in time Christs wandring sheep Behold our Soules great Shepherd is at hand Though some are loath the Signes to understand The last dayes Bell or Clocke of Mortals time Be watchfull ye were best will shortly chime Christ shortly comes the Faithfull to requite And to confound our Mysticke Gyants might No Tyrants threats no double tongue will serve Fee nor Reward the guilty to preserve Gods Darts like Comets threate our Westerne Orbe And Justice will the Austrian faction curbe Gods Angell now beginnes to goe about To warne before Doomes-day the Christian Rout Already hath his Holy Trumpets sounded Christ shortly comes to save the sick and wounded Watch Fast and Pray and cheare up one another This is Gods will by Christ our Elder Brother His warning peale rung forth unto the Jewes But scorn'd by them he left to us these Newes Because they slighted what they might have held The Word of Life the Light which they beheld The Lord remov'd his precious Candlesticke Clear'd others sight and left them blind and sick The Obstinâ—te I meane not all of them For some beleev'd before Jerusalem Demolisht lay yea thousands were baptiz'd Both then and since of the Crew Circumciz'd Some Jewes baptiz'd were by th' Apostles some At Christ
subsist But chiefly Hell claimes those men who beleeve They may for Gaine coyne doubts our Church to grieve To yoke weake Soules and Faith to falsifie Which through Christs death alone doth Justifie Without Romes purging flames or Humane deeds Trentals Masses or ringing more then needs To foole weake minds which knew not Paradise Was promised by Christ where in a trice His Spirit did arrive with the Good Thiefe And there for ought we know might find reliefe With Abram Moses Daniel and the rest Of Saints untill his Body rose releast From Josephs Tombe wherein it lay interred As Jonas staid within the Whale as buryed Or to speake plaine his Spirit without sâ—int Vnited with his Sire in Triumph went As for the certaine place of Paradise Let this our curious Intellect suffice That Gods high Orbe hath many glorious Mansions Unlimited by Locall spans dimensions Like as to us on Earthly Many Lands Beyond New-Guiny which none understands As yet If sundry Starres our world exceed In compasse why doe some their Fancies feed With hopes of Limboes Rest Elisian Groves Or the like Place which none but Rome approves But leaving these for wits Fantasticke flim-flams More fit for Apes or Owles then New borne Lambs God give me Grace the Scriptures sense to follow The solid Truth without Abysses hollow Not daring to maintaine Hels Paradox With the old Serpent and the Wily Fox That after death Christ suffred more unresâ— Since he himselfe said Consummatum est The manner how Christs Soule went downe to hell Before his Body rose I dare not tell Nor search that depth Yet who can safe deny But that his Soules Triumphant Majesty Did there descend or from some Higher place By vertue of his God-head hell deface Which whether part in sulphurd cavernes glowes Or at the Poles part Frozen hard who knowes Christ did descend Hels fury to asswage For where his Spirit is not fiends doe rage So undiscern'd by sense some fiends may dwell Within the Aire as in the utmost Hell T is probable a Battell might be fought By fiends although unknown to mortall thought In that darke time when Christ gave up the Ghost Which battell soone they through his Godhead lost Whilst that in Spirit quickned up he went And preacht to them in Errours prison pent For by his Death Christ spoyl'd them in a trice Of their chiefe sway and Principalities When in Mens hearts the Gospels buds did bloom And at the noyse Hels Oracles fell dumbe This mov'd Saint Paul to publish for Christs glory Death where 's thy sting And Hell thy victory Yet my Rule is where Holy writ for Guide I find obscure when gravell'd I abide Another Theame I take another Lampe I light anew and quite forsake the dampe Of Sulphur'd Meteours and erroneous spels Which smoakt out first from blind Monasticke cels For of Deepe Gulfes a holy Ignorance I farre preferre before a curious Trance I now returne backe to my Saviours Grave Where yesterday I left a Virgin-Cave Afforded by the Arimatheans care Which ever since did to the Church declare This Mystery that as a Virgins Wombe Became his Birth so dead a Virgin-Tombe When Joseph had the Body there transferr'd He decently forthwith the same enterr'd 〈◊〉 Nichodemus ayded in the Night To doe their Master this last pious Right Without much pompe or Prides solemnities Or Ceremonies us'd at Exequies By carnall Friends who oftentimes consume In Glozing showes for Ostentations fume More substance to set out a Funerall Then would well serve to build an Hospitall â—o shew the Fruites of Love at Obsequies 〈◊〉 not amisse but not Hels Sacrifice â—o pacify Dis or Persephone 〈◊〉 Masses Orphean Harpe or Orgian Plea This Baal and Bacchus did the One for Gaine The other his mad Revels to maintaine This Dives doth whilst at his Lordly Gate Poore Lazarus with Christ incorporate Begges needfull Almes for his deare Passions sake Yet cannot have them though his Head doth ake This Dives did while the Prince Palatine With Britaines royall seed forc'd from the Rhine Their proper Right as from Bohemian Prague Stood to our shame confined to the Hague This Dives did when thousands did lament In London streetes with Fevers pestilent What Obeliskes with teares of Crocodiles What Mourning weedes with cryes maskt under wiles Doe our false Christians sumptuously prepare Perhaps for cursed bones with care on care Did Dives to his Tombe with pompe convayd Passe Lazarus in Abrams Bosome layd Leave off for shame such Heathnish Sacrifice And for your Dead build roomes of richer price Nay for your selves with lasting Royall State Whereby you may passe for Regenerate More Hives for Bees with necessary stuffe Heere or abroad to shunne vaine glories puffe Ye may erect with lesser cost and charge Your duties in some measure to discharge Redeeming Plagues I meane the Temporall Which on frayle men for carnall pleasures fall That way will help to expiate and to cover Those sins for that great vengeance which hangs over Your heads unmarkt Lo how Virginea vents Forth heavy grones and new-found Land laments See how New-England under noble Gorge Against the Dragon craves a new S. George All three looke for their Infant Age no more Out of their Mothers ranke superfâ—uous store Then what shee riots There brave Monuments May be set up to Christian mens contents Farre fitter then in needlesse shewes at home And these will passe old Peters pence to Rome Or if you be home-tide and wealth betide Christs Members feed but doe it without Pride Above all things I wish you to forbeare From Burying Coarses in Gods Temple where His Word is Preacht O doe not taint the Aire With Gâ—lgothaes which can not but impaire Your tender healthes by damps and exhalations From sulphurs sweat Earths put id oppilations Our Saviours deeds should for a patterne stand Who from the Temple with a Whip or Wand Drove Chapmen out and such who over bold With in that sacred place wares dayly sold. My Fathers House sayd he appointed was For Prayer not a Money-changing place Why may not in the Fields a heape of stones Serve as the Church for Graves to rotten Bones Resembling that which neere to Mamre sold Dead Abrams Wife for Sepulture did hold Or the Church-yard crost by Masse-Mongers old From Gâ—blins haunt their Carkasses might hold For shall the words of that Mahumetan Spoke at his death confound a Christian man To Saladine one winding Sheet is left Of all his state by cruell death berest Who then will doate on Shrines and Mauzzimâ— Wares Give mee the Quick let Satan take his Tares With them in Reliques who Religion place Besainting Bones within a Silver Case Let not the Church nor glozing Epitaph Grace my poore Corpse From Crowes the Cynicks sâ—â—ffe May guard me for a need Were Martyrs bones Quite burnt in Flames And shall rich Marble stones Enclose my Coarse Farre be it from my thought Who higher place crave then for Money bought That station I expect