still is Gods and God for ever one Both unbeliev'd in flesh and both unknown 50. Then Man learn by thy fall to judge of neither Our flesh cannot this spirit comprehend Death and new birth in us must joyn together Before our nature where it was ascend Where man presumes on more then he obeys There straight Religion to opinion strays 51. Then since 't is true we onely here possess These Treasures but in veslels made of slime Religion we by consequence confess Here to be mixt of base things and sublime Of native evil supernatural good Truth born of God and error of our blood 52. Yet Gold we have though much allay'd with dross Refining never perfect in this life Still in our journey meeting gain and loss Rest in our deaths and until then a strife And as our days are Want Temptation Error So is our Zeal War Prayers Remorse and Terror 53. Such is the state of Infants in new birth Fed first with Milk too weak for stronger food Who learn at once to know and doe in earth both enemy and impotent in good Must feel that our Christ can of his loose none Which unto us makes Grace and Merit one 54. These be true Antidotes against despair Cradles for weakness stories for corruption To read how faith begins to make her fair By cleansing sensual sinks of interruption Whereby the throws of many thoughts bring forth Light onely shewing Man is nothing worth 55. For this word Faith implies a state of Mind Is both our woing and our Marriage Ring The first we meet and last but Love we find A given hand that feeleth Heavenly things And who believe indeed God Heav'n and Hell Have past in that chief letts of doing well 56. Then let not man too rashly judge this Light Nor censure God by his own imperfections What can give limit to the infinite When he by works will witness our election Degrees I grant there be of Will and Might Some to beget some onely to inherit Yet still the Conscience must obey the Spirit 57. Yea though God call his Labourers every hour And pay the Last and First with Heavenly gain Though he give faith beyond the Law and Pow'r Yet is Gods nature where he is to raign His word is Life the Letter all mens fall That it without the Spirit measure shall 58. This Sacred word is that Eternal Glass Where all mens souls behold the face they bring Each sees as much as life hath brought to pass The Letter can shew Life no other thing The hearts Grace works to know what they obey All else prophane God and the World betray 59. This work is Gods even his that works all wonder His Arm not shorned and his goodness one Whose Presence breaks sins middle wall in sunder And doth in flesh deface the evils throne He is all gives all hath all where he is And in his absence never soul finds bliss 60. His AEgypt wonders here he doth exceed For there he mixt with Winds Rain Natures line Now by his spirit he doth blast our weeds Immediate Grace true miracles Divine Guides not by Fires and Meteors night and day His wandring people how to move or stay 61. But into sinners hearts shadows of death The saving light of truth he doth inspire Fitteth our humane Lungs with Heavenly breath Our mortal Natures with immortal fire He draws the Camel through the Needles eye And makes the chosen flesh die ere they die 62. Yet keeps one course with Israel and us The flesh still knew his Pow'r but not his Grace All outward Churhes ever know him thus They bear his name but never run his race They know enough for their self-condemnation His doing know him to their ownsalvation 63. His Church invisible are few and good The visible erroneous evil many Of his the Life and Letter understood Of these nor Life nor Letter dwell in any These make his word Sect Scisme Phisosophy And those from Fifhers call'd Apostles be 64. They do in praying and still pray in doing Faith and obedience are their contemplation Like Lovers still admiring ever woing Their God that gives this Heavenly constellation They war that Finite Infinite of sin All Arts and Pomps the error wanders in 65. God is their strength in him his are not weak That Spirit Divine which Life Pow'r wisdome is Works in these new born Babes a life to speak Things which the world still understands amiss The Lye hath many tongues Truth only one And who sees blindness till the sin be gone 66. Fools to the world these seem and yet obey Princes oppressions whereat fools repine They know these Crowns these Theaters of Clay Derive their earthly pow'r from pow'r Divine Their sufferings are like all things else they do Conscience to God with men a wisdom too 67. Book-Learning Arts yea School Divinity New types of old Law-munging Pharisies Which curst in bondage of the Letter be They know they pitty and would fain advise The goodness moves them yet the wisdom stays From sowing Heavenly seed in stony ways 68. To you they cry O you that hold the shrine As sent by God yet Priests of chance and gain Your charge is to distribute things Divine O do not lie for God and sin in vain Reveal his word his misteries expound Else what he works you travel to confound 69. You should be keys to let his Will pass out Bind sin and free repentance by his word Fear those that scorn and comfort them that doubt What drowned Pharaoh still is Israels forde Wisdome above the truth was Adams sin That veyle which Christ rent off will you walk in 70. Observe Faiths nature in these hallow'd shrines Both of the old and perfect Testament Works be her fruits her nature is Divine Infus'd by him that is omnipotent Doe we believe on him on whom we stay not Can we believe on him whom we obey not 71. His Pen left two examples it is true First of his chosen how he grosly fell Then of the Thief born instantly anew Vice rais'd to Heaven perfection fall'n to hell And of each nature therefore left not many Lest hope or fear should over-work in any 72. Is it not then by warrant from above That who gives faith gives true obedience What other Medium hath our flesh to prove That sin with God keeps no intelligence Takes this from Man the fruits of Christ his death No it translates him into it by faith 73. For though God gave such measure of his Grace As might in flesh fulfill the second Table Yet sin against the first did quite deface Gods Image and to raise that who is able Between the Flesh and Grace that spiritual Fight Needs Father Son and their proceeding Might 74. Nay let us grant God would enable Man After his calling to accomplish all From Adams sin who yet redeem him can Or Pauls transgression cleer before his call But Christ that comes to none of Gods in vain The justest need him
not from one voice well but many laid 313. Much less ought Pulpit Doctrine still'd above Thorough Cathedral Chairs or Scepter Might Short or beyond th' Almighties tenure move Varying her shape as humors vary light Lest when men see God shrin'd in humane Law Thrones find the immortal chang'd to mortal awe 314. And to descend from visions of the best Both place and person from her shadows must Be so upheld as all may subject rest To pow'r supream not absolute in trust So to raise fees beyond reward or merit As if they might both Taxe and disinherit 315. Which to avoid as pow'rs chief Mystery Birth Education may give Princes light Yea in each Art the Master-peeces be Help to select among the infinite No work of Chance as from Pandora's Tunne But happy choice by Fames cleer Eye-sight wonne 316. Again though use of taking from mans youth Be but a doubtful way of discipline To work a habit in the Love of Truth Though instrumental practice do refine The serving not the judging pow'rs of wit And for uprightness so the more unfit 317. Yet in the liberty of Advocates Which are of Judges now the nursery Fame is a Glass where Governours of States May see what good or ill proportions be In every heart fram'd to do wrong or right Against temptations both of Gain and Might 318. Nor ends this work when Men are chosen well Since place corrupts them as it shews them forth Some humours rais'd some humbled do excel Security is no true nurse of worth Therefore that spirit of Fame which made the choice Must still in ears of Princes keep a voice 319. And whence hath Pow'r more safe intelligence Since Fame doth serve them at her proper cost And is not thrall to grace or to offence Though sometime clouded very seldom lost And where she lies by evil information She thinks retreat no loss of reputation 320. Now since these rules for Laws do even like Laws Equally serve the Tyrant and the King This to good uses for the publick cause That all mens freedoms under Will to bring One Spider-like the other like the Bee Drawing to help or hurt humanity 321. If I without distinction do set down These humble precepts in a common stile Their difference being not placed in the Crown But Craft or Truth to govern or beguile Let him that reads in this and in the rest Each crudity to his fair end digest Of Nobility SECT VIII 322. WHen wise Prometheus had his fine Clay drest To fashion Man he nothing more did shun Then Natures uniformity in Beasts Of which by Art there can be nothing won Whence in these creatures frame he did comprize Many both strong and strange varieties 323. That as there divers kinds be of complexions So in them there might be preheminence Divers of spirit vigor and affections To keep up which degrees of difference Reason of Life the Guardian was ordain'd As Conscience to Religion was chain'd 324. And to confirm this inequality Have not the feigned Gods in Orbs above Gloriously plac'd that specious Hierarchy Whose influence doth inferior spirits move And in slack or swift courses high or low The divers honours of each being show 325. So that of force he must a stranger be To their Republick that will not confess The supream Synods of this Deity To be compos'd of differing Nobleness And partially who can be placed there Where they that cleerest shine most honor bear 326. By birth and worth that Hercules high-priz'd Shines he not over Cassiopea's head Justice she being onely Canoniz'd For Perseus sake who did her Daughter wed And he that for anothers sake doth rise His merit not in worth but favour lies 327. Would it not be an aukeward consequence To see that Virgin frail Erigone Who by compassion got preheminence Adored by our Mariners to be Far above those two brothers saving light Whose Twinn-like Glory makes the Zodiack bright 328. Doth not Orion worthily deserve A higher place even for the constant Love Wherewith he did the chaste Diana serve Then frail Bootes who was plac'd above Onely because the Gods did else foresee He should the Murtherer of his Mother be 329. Let therefore no man mutine when they see Pow'r borrow patterns of creating Art Out of these Thrones wherein the Majesty Of Nature is maintain'd through every part By their well-laid distinctions of degree Which grow confus'd again by parity 330. For as the Harmony which sence admires Of discords yet according is compounded And as each creature really aspires Unto that Unity which all things founded So must the Throne and People both affect Discording Tones united with respect 331. By which consent of disagreeing movers There will spring up Aspects of reverence Equals and betters quarrelling like Lovers Yet all confessing one omnipotence And therein each estate to be no more Then instruments out of their Makers store 332. From whence Nobility doth of Creation A secret prove to Kings and Tyranny For as the the stamp gives Bullion valuation So these fair shadows of authority Are marks for people to look up unto And see what Princes with our Earth can do 333. In whom it is great wisdom to reward Unequal worth with inequality Since it doth breed a prosperous regard Aswel to Princes as to Tyranny When People shall see those men set above That more with worth then fortune seem in Love 334. Yet must this brave magnificence be us'd Not really to dispossess the Crown Either of Pow'r or Wealth but so infus'd As it may rather raise then pull it down Which frugal Majesty in growing Rome Gave her above all States a lasting doom 335. For fhe discern'd although her wealth were vast Yet People and desire did far exceed it So as what spread too far could never last And for a State to give away and need it Shadows for bodies she saw were to choose Which must both strength and reputation loose 336. The way she therefore did observe to prise Well doing subjects and encourage merit Were Titles Trophies which she did devise Costless and yet of force to quicken spirits Thus unto Africanus Scipio's name Hannibals and Carthage eccho'd were by Fame 337. His Brothers Sirname Asiaticus The Story was of Asia subdued Perseus captiv'd by Macedonicus To Iugurth straight Numidicus ensued By which course as each conquest brought forth more So they by giving still encreast their store 338. Besides proud Princes must in their Creations Of Form Worth Number keep a providence For if too many that wains reputation Bought worth or none le ts fall their reverence With men that think hability to do The scope creating-pow'r is bound unto 339. For farewel publick Stiles and Dignity When Nero's dark thoughts shall communicate Unto his fellow Minstrels levity Triumphal Statues offices of State Or honour to such spirits as though in age Never serv'd Mars nor Muse but on a stage 340. Nor must this specious body rise so high As it short shadows may
minds Not making Tyrants Gods to unmake Kings With flattering air for over-soaring wings 662. And though the ways of wit be infinite Not to be cast in any Mould or Art Like shadows changing shape with every light Ever and never still the same in part Yet by this Model wiser men may see That there is choice even in the vanity 663. And forms establisht which must be obey'd As levels for the world to guide her own Foundations against Anarchy well laid Whose Being is but Beings overthrown Where Thrones as mortal shrines with mortal fear Must be ador'd and worshipt every where 664. Therefore I thus conclude this fruitless dream That if the body have imperfect features Or swim like AEsops wife against the stream Each age must adde to all the works of Creatures And perfect things unperfectly begun Or else in vain sure I have roul'd this Tun. A TREATISE OF RELIGION By Sir FULK GREVILL Lord BROOK 1. WHat make these many laws these rains of pow'r Where with Mankind thus fetter'd is and bound These divers worships which mens souis deflow'r Nature and God with novelty confound 'T is ignorance Sin Infidelity By which we fall'n from our Creation be 2. What is the Chain which draws us back again And lifts Man up unto his first Creation Nothing in him his own heart can restrain His reason lives a Captive to Temptation Example is corrupt precepts are mixt All fleshly knowledge frail and never fixt 3. It is a Light a Gift a Grace inspir'd A spark of Pow'r a goodness of the Good Desire in him that never is desir'd An Unity where desolation stood In us not of us a Spirit not of earth Fashioning the mortal to immortal birth 4. His Image that first made us in perfection From Angels differing most in time and place They fell by Pride and we by their Infection Their doom is past we yet stand under Grace They would be Gods we would their evil know Man finds a Christ these Angels did not so 5. Sence of this God by fear the sensual have Distressed Nature crying unto Grace For Soveraign reason then becomes a slave And yields to servile sence her Soveraign place When more or other she affects to be Then seat or shrine of this Eternity 6. Yea Prince of Earth let Man assume to be Nay more of Man let Man himself be God Yet without God a Slave of Slaves is he To others Wonder to himself a Rod Restless despair desire and desolation The more secure the more abomination 7. Then by affecting pow'r we cannot know him By knowing all things else we know him less Nature contains him not Art cannot shew him Opinions Idols and not God express Without in Pow'r we see him every where Within we rest not till we find him there 8. Then seek we must that course is natural For owned fouls to find their owner out Our free remorses when our Natures fall When we do well our hearts made free from doubt Prove service due to one omnipotence And Nature of Religion to have sence 9. Questions again which in our hearts arise Since loving knowledge not humility Though they be Curious Godless and Unwise Yet prove our Nature feels a Deity For if these strifes rose out of other grounds Man were to God as deafness is to sounds 10. Religion thus we naturally profess Knowledge of God is likewise universal Which divers Nations diversly express For Truth Pow'r Goodness Men do worship all Duties to Parent Child Time Men and Place All known by Nature but observ'd by Grace 11. And that these are no positive made Laws Appears in this since no consent of Nations No Custome Time or any other Cause Can unto Vice give Vertues estimation Or root out those impressions from our hearts Which God by Nature unto Man imparts 12. Yea these impressions are so finely fixt In understanding and the Conscience too That if our nature were not strangely mixt But what we knew it could as easily do Men should even by this spirit in flesh and blood Grow happily Adorers of the Good 13. But there remains such natural corruption In all our Pow'rs even from our Parents seed As to the good gives native interruption Sence stains affection that Will and Will Deed So that what 's good in us and other too We praise but what is evil that we do 14. Our knowledge thus corrupted in our lives Serves to convince our Consciences within Which sentence of Record with self-love strives Leads us for rest and remedy of sin To seek God and Religion from without And free this condemnation which we doubt 15. Yet in this strife this natural remorse If we could bend the force of Pow'r and Wit To work upon the heart and make divorce There from the evil which perverteth it In judgement of the Truth we should not doubt Good Life would find a good Religion out 16. But our infirmity which cannot brook This strong intestine and rebellious war In wit and our affections makes us look For such Religions as there imag'd are Hence grow these many Worships Gods and Sects Wherewith mans error all the world infects 17. For when the Conscience this Religion fashions In blind affections there it straight begets Gross superstition when in witty passions It moulded is a Luster there it sets On hearts prophane by politick pretence Both buying shadows with the souls expence 18. For they Gods true Religion which a State And being is not taken on but in To bottomless hypocrisie translate The superstitious doth with fear begin And so deceiv'd deceives and under-rates His God and makes an idol of his sin The politick with Craft inthralls Mankind And makes his body sacrifice his Mind 19. Both in our selves make us seek out a God Both take self-love and fear for Scale and measure They both become their own and others rod The one takes care the other wrong for pleasure As many minds as many Gods they make Men easily change all they easily take 20. This superstitious Ignorance and Fear Is false Religion offring sacred things Either to whom it should not or elsewhere The manner to the Godhead scandal brings It fears Sea Earth Skie Silence Darkness Light And in the weak soul still hath greatest Might 21. Which natural disease of mortal Wit Begets our Magick and our Star-Divines Wizards Impostors Visions stand by it For what Fear comprehends not it enclines To make a God whose nature it believes Much more enclin'd to punish then relieve 22. The reason is when fears dim eyes look in They guilt discern when upwards justice there Reflects self-horror back upon the sin Where outward dangers threaten every where Flesh the foundation is Fancy the work Where rak'd up and unquencht the evils lurk 23. For Fear whose motion still it self improves Hopes not for Grace but prays to shun the Rod Not to do ill more then do well it loves Fashions God unto Man not Man to God And to that Deity gives