Nor did his Truth and Servants more oppose None with more Zeal for Holy Blood did thirst None did more mischief to the Church than those Wolves in Sheeps cloathing by their Fruits are known By hurtful fangs devouring bloody jaws As Thorns and Bryars prick Men to the Bone So these by hurtful Hands and cruel Laws They 'r humble Ministers but Rule as Lords Servants of all yet Vice-Kings under Christ On pain of Hell all must obey their words If you will serve God you must serve them first Heav'ns Keys are theirs their right we must not doubt To curse and cast out those whom Christ takes in These they by words themselves indeed shut out By mortal fleshly and malignant Sin Christ's House a place of Merchandize is made Children cast out his Table spread for Dogs To make sound Christians odious is their Trade To curse Gods Saints cast their Pearls to Hogs The Holy Catholick Church is in their Creed Which is all true Believers upon Earth Of whom Christ only is the King and Head To him they joyned are in the New Birth But these Men mean one corrupt Sect alone About the Fourth Part of the whole are they Cut off and separate from the rest as none Their Pope and Councils that do not obey The Saints Communion they in words profess Themselves and Dead Mens Images they mean None pass for Saints who do not wear their dress The best if not their Subjects are unclean Call them but Hereticks and they may kill A Thousand Saints and by it Heaven may win Such is the Power of a Papal will To make a Vertue of the greatest Sin On Catholick Communion they lay Not only all Mens Duty but Salvation For Schism rends Men from the Church say they And so from Christ therefore brings damnation Yet that 's Mans Duty which they Schism call To own no human universal King No Legislative Power over all In Councils Pope or any human thing None 's capable to Rule all but the Lord Give Church or State Law Judgment or Defence Mans Universal Soveraignty's abhor'd By Nature Reason and Experience Among the Mad those Princes Monsters are Who subjects be to this Church-Soveraigns claim And yet with Scorn and just disdain would hear A Universal Civil Soveraigns Name VVhen certainly it is a harder thing To Rule all Earth by the Church-power word Than for the wisest Parliament or King To Rule the whole world by the Civil Sword Thus they impossible Communion make And yet Damn all that do not it observe None can tell whom for Soveraign we must take Nor which the Laws are from which none must swerve Must Pope or Council this Great Soveraign be Is 't Monarchy or Aristocracie Or is it mixt and must they both agree Or is it the diffus'd Democracie Whom must we take for Pope Who must him choose Which is the Pope when there are two or three Must they that give the Power which they use Superiors Equals or Inferiors be When one at Rome one at Avignion was And each a Council had which took his part Which for the true Communion then must pass Which was the Chuch from which none must depart Must all th' Abassians and Armenians know And in Cosmography so Skilful be Whither there 's such a place as Rome or no Whither there be a Pope and which is he Is 't the whole Church on Earth that he must rule Why then hath not the whole a choosing Vote Is all the world save Rome but the Popes Mule And that his Crown 's Elective all do Note It s like that all the Church consents they 'l say Then he 's no Pope whom three 4th parts disclaim How shall three parts then know whom to obey Will any serve that will usurp the Name When Popes damn Popes Councils damn them all And Popes damn Councils what must Christians do When they each others Laws damn recal How shall we know whose Power then was true The French say Councils have this Soveraignty The first Three Hundred Years it was not so The Soveraign Power the Church doth Unifie Was it then none or how could Men it know An Universal Council never was 'T was but one Empire that did make that name Now that 's dissolv'd how should it come to pass That any Prince on Earth should do the same Hath any one the common Rule of all Or will Turks Papists and all Kings agree Such a true Council when and where to call Or can one third part Universal be The Church of Councils Power is not agreed Therefore this doth not it now Unifie Those that stand for their Soveraignty indeed Which were those Councils differ shamefully Some are for four some six some eight some all Some such as by the Pope approved were Divers each other Hereticks did call And which we must obey cannot appear And is Church Unity no better known And yet is necessary to Salvation And to all those that Christ himself will own What fallows hence but general Damnation An Universal Council none shall see Till the world have an Universal King This the Triple-Crown'd Pope pretends to be Though not the name he challengeth the thing The poor Fifth Monarchy Seekers they pity As seeking that which long hath extant bin No Monarch ever matcht the Holy City By his Church Keys thus rules the Man of Sin And if we knew which Powers to obey Which be the Canons which so needful are If some who knows them if all then are they More necessary than Gods Scriptures far Christ hath the Terms of Church-Communion made These wiser Men who make so many more Will shortly find their Legislative trade Among their greatest Sins set on their Score Baptism Christ made what was thereto requir'd The Church still knew by Gods mercy knows The words then us'd the requisites desir'd Scripture and sure Tradition fully shews The Church by Baptism was specify'd Christ did command all such to love each other Holy Communion was to none deny'd All were to take a Christian as a Brother Till by some Heresie or great offence He brought his Covenant-keeping under doubt And having added prov'd impenitence Was not so much cast as declared out None were Baptized into Peters Name Much less to General Council or the Pope They had one God one Christ their Creed the same One Spirit Body and one future hope But as the Serpent tempting Eve at first By Pride and promis'd knowledg did Man kill So from the pure simplicity of Christ By promis'd Wisdom he befools Man Still To know this Subject better read a Book Call'd the remains of Fulk Grevile Lord Brook V. Man VAin Man Why is thy Being no more known Why seeking knowledg readst thou not thy self How many books in vain dost thou take down Thy own Book standeth on the nearest Shelf Should vital knowing Spirits cloath'd in Flesh Mistake so Course a Garment for the Man And live as if they did not hope or wish
thing God now is all Love makes all Common for it makes all One Zeal for good Works Patience in bearing wrong Were the true Marks by which Christs flock was known Had not Christ added this convincing Seal Tongues Miracles and Sanctifying Grace The Wonder of Redemption is so great That Faith to unbelief must needs give place Apostles Mortal were before they Die For future Ages they Christs sacred word His Deeds Laws Doctrine by the promis'd Spirit To guide the Church infallibly record As Moses gave the Iews the only Law Which following Priests and Prophets were to Teach So th' Holy Ghost by the Apostles wrote The word which after Ages were to Preach As Moses Law was Seal'd with Miracles When such the following Ages did not need So Christs Apostles did by Wonders Seal Those Records which the after Ages read The Spirit promis'd to the Apostles was To lead them to all needful saving Truth And bring Christs words to their rememberance What they by his Commission did Christ doth Their Writings are the Holy Ghosts own Book Though human Imperfection do appear In Modes and Phrases it 's no just offence But leaves the Truth and Use still sure and clear Words but the Vehicle of matter be Gods Spirit owns not the Translators words But if as signs they with his Words agree The Sense and Matter of them is the Lords This Spirit helps the Church but not to bring Another Gospel Law or Word from Heav'n Nor mend or change Gods Laws in word or sense But to preach and obey the word once given To bring new Laws or Messages from God A Prophets Office is and not a Priests To forge such or make Laws for all the Church The Authors prove false Prophets or false Christs Christian Religion is one stablisht thing Which all the Church from first to last may know It is not human changeable or new Nor doth by Mens decrees increase and grow If Canons no part of Religion be But Laws for Rites and things indifferent Why must all Christians needs in these agree Or not agreeing by Church-Wars be rent The Church hath all one Head one perfect Law All justified be by Christs Blood and Merit All that are true though weak Christ doth receive For all are Sanctified by one Spirit The Holy Ghost in all true Christians dwells He doth illuminate and make them New This is Christs Agent and his Body formes His Witness proving that his Word is true This Spirit did the Gospel first Indite And on it did Gods Image first Ingrave And then by it as his great Instrument That Image Prints on all that he will save Though it be long of their resisting Will That any of this Grace deprived be Yet Scripture and Experience clearly tell That diffrencing electing Grace is free In Children it appears when God doth choose He gives a reachable and willing Mind Good Dispositions and Capacity By Grace their Nature is to good inclin'd Grace chooseth Parents careful of their Souls Helps them to educate them in Gods fear To commend Virtue and disgrace all Vice Teach them Gods word causeth them to hear Gods Seed in such is often early Sowd And as they grow it springs up by degrees As Plants and Fruits by Sun Moisture grow'd Whose present growth and motion no Man sees The first beginnings of the Spirits work Is in a learning Mind and fear of Sin A love and liking of good things and Men 'Gainst Sins for Duty Conscience strives within Grace watcheth over them provides them helps Meet Teachers Books Examples Company Keeps off temptations causeth them to hate Lying bad Words and Deeds and Ribaldry Bad Childrens Hearts are quite averst to good They love not Virtue relish not Gods Law Tempting Discourse Examples Vanities Catch on their Hearts as Fire doth on Straw If early helps Parents and Teachers fail And Sin the childish Mind and Life pervert If Folly Flesh and tempting Baits prevail Yet God his chosen will in time convert Hee 'l either give them better Company Or better helps and Teachers whom hee 'l Bless Or bring some useful Book unto their Eye And make their Snares their Temptations less Or hee 'l some sharp Affliction on them lay Which may awake the hardened sleepy Heart Or Conscience shall some quickning motion feel Tell them their Sins their Danger and Desert O! How the Case with Sinners now is chang'd Things all appear now in another Shape Sin now is Madness Mad he calls himself For loving Death and thinks now how to Scape Now God is Holy Just his Word is True He is in earnest though Sinners be in jest The Face of all his Works and Ways seem New Those things seem worst which formerly seem'd best The common Texts and Truths he daily heard Do now begin to have some Life and Sence He wonders how he past them by before As if they had been of no Consequence That wounds shames and grieves and breaks his heart Which formerly was his Delight and Pleasure That 's Vanity and mortal Poyson now For which he hungred as his Food and Treasure Now the Mad Prodigal comes to himself Perhaps the World doth him its Husks deny Why saith he did I leave a Fathers House There none do want here I must starve and die O that I had not tasted Satans Bait Nor Pampred Flesh and pleas'd vain Appetite Neglected Grace and things of greatest Weight Nor medled with Sins poysonous Delight But the time lost can never be recal'd The works of Madness cannot be undone I have undone my self is there no help I know all else is Vain there is but one A Fathers Love affordeth me some hope The World gives none I must return or die I 'le go and humbly all my Sin confess And cast my self upon his Clemency But God is Just and Holy how can I Defil'd with Sin and Guilt stand in his sight Now the sick Soul a sure Physicion needs There is one Saviour who is Gods Delight He is the Way by whom Men come to God He is the Truth to save the World from Errour He is the Life to save from endless Death Self-Murdering Souls subject to Hellish Terrour And now the Gospel's better understood Redemption seemeth not a needless thing His Thoughts are precious of Christs precious Blood His Mediator Prophet Priest King The Gospel now is Tydings of great Joy Pardon of Sin Adoption Peace with God Freedom from Terrour Satan Sin and Hell Mans self-made and Gods just Revenging Rod. He sees why Love in Mans repair must be As much Admir'd as Power in our Creation Sinners cannot immediatly God see But by a Mediator have Salvation Now all things else seem loss and dung for Christ Wisdom is folly where Christ is left out To know him is the true Philosophy The rest doth teach Men but to prate and doubt Some glimps of God and Heav'n blurd Nature yields But it s but as a Candle to this Sun Others towards God
Heav'n for this is lost And this is all for which they sell their Souls A fools cap purchas'd at the dearest cost All this is done in the known way to Death They have not the least hope but die they must They are not sure to fetch another breath They know their pamper'd Flesh will soon be dust Their pomp wealth for which they God forsake Yea though their Streets with Slver they could pave All the vexations strife stir they make They know is but in passing to the Grave Were they but following anothers Course Such going towards a Grave would be a shame But when it s towards their own it is far worse A Madness which doth want a proper name Sheep know not when Death 's neer yet live in peace Birds feed sing in peace together got Man always knows his Life will shortly cease Yet madly lives as if he knew it not But when Death comes they are surpriz'd with fear As if till then they knew not they must die Departing wealth and life their hearts then tear O how the Case is chang'd when death seems nigh How sad doth Dives look how deep he groans His Mammon God now will not hear his cries Money and Friends now answer not his moans For all his wealth he trembles faints and dies The greatest Lord and Prince must now submit Crowns Titles Money will not ease his pain Forced repentance seems to have some wit Preachers may speak now without proud disdain He calls for Mercy he forgiveth all Instead of Fire and Sword he speaks for Peace His wit revives as Flesh and Strength do fall Not from a Holy change but for his ease Now he talks how he 'd live when life 's nere gone He seemeth wise and promiseth to mend He thinks what Time is for when time is done Begins to think of living at his end Might he be sav'd now for a frightned wish VVhen guilt and terrour cause his heart to faint VVhen worldly pleasures all forsake his flesh He 'd have the end and portion of a Saint Now take an Inventory of his VVealth This Corps was once the Body of a Man It liv'd in Pleasure Honour Ease and Health Goes Naked hence as Naked Life began That frightful Earthly Face was wont to smile And with proud Scorn on hated Persons frown It Comely seem'd which now is Black and Vile That its the same can hardly now be known Those closed Eyes the Casements were of Lust There enter'd VVorldly Vanity and Sin That Mouth those Lips that now must Rot to Dust Have taken many a pleasant Morsel in That Throat his Fellow-Creatures did Devour Made Sumptuous Feasts his Body to maintain With pleasant Liquors many a merry Hour He did exhilerate both Heart and Brain Those Ears have heard Jests Plays and Melody Mens flattering Praise and many a merry Song The welcome news of their Calamity Whom Wrath and Malice did delight to Wrong That Mouth hath utter'd many a merry Jeast Vain Worldly talk Strife News feigned Story Oaths Lies and wanton Speeches were its Feast Threats and proud Boasts Scorning were its Glory That Nose delighted was with pleasant smell That Black Sallow Skin was smooth white On Eyes and Countenance did Grandure dwell The Just did flie the Poor crowch'd at his sight Those Limbs could move those Hands had nimble Joints The Corps which now lies Dead did Ride Run All did perform what Lust and Pride appoints Many successful Actions he hath done Many deep Plodding Thoughts that Brain hath hatch'd How to grow Rich Great have his VVill For Means and Seasons he hath wisely watch'd All his Desires and Pleasure to fulfil And now what 's left To keep him from Mens sight A Shrowd and Coffin's all that he must have And these unknown afford him no delight But serve their turn who bring him to a Grave But where 's his Money Honours Lands Treasures Left to his Heirs lest they should wiser be That the strong Snare of fleshly worldly pleasures May tempt them all to Live and Die as he But where is Dives Soul Christ saith In Hell But his Five Brethren will not this believe Christ will not lie And who can better tell But Satan thus Successors doth deceive What hath he taken hence of all his Gains Gods Wrath The Guilt Conscience of his Sin But not one drop to ease Tormenting Pains Will all his Honours Lands and Riches win A Preacher tells his Brethren what Christ saith He 's charg'd of Slandering so great a Man A Goal and Scorn is the success he hath Convince proud wilful Sinners no one can And is not this a doleful Bedlam-Case When all a Rich Mans pleasure with him Dies His Brethren madly follow the same Chase At the same time while he in Torment lies He 's paying for his long Contempt of Grace They build his Tomb and celebrate his Fame He 'd have them warn'd not come to that place They praise his Doings and keep up his Name Could one at once but see them their Brother Him in his Torment them in their Delight How unlike are their Thoughts to one another One Groans for that for which the others fight Faith sees all this But Flesh and Sense is blind These Bruits believe no more than what they see One from the Dead sent could not change their mind But it by sense too late will changed be God gives Men Life They 'l not consider why Time's short Fools know not what they have to do Nor think why they were Born till they must Die Nor whither their departing Souls must go They Live as if they thought that Heaven Hell VVere the only places of Consideration And to be Drunk or Mad were to be well And fool away this Life of Preparation IV. Hypocrisie BUt none are worse than Learned Reverend Fools Who vend their folly under wisdomes name And are Abaddons keenest hurtful Tools By Usurp'd Grandure and Religious Fame Who Teach Untruths or Live not as they Teach Pretend to watch for other Mens Salvation And hate the Holy Life for which they Preach And as a Trade Preach their own Condemnation Who against Christ do fight with Sacred Arms His Name Words Church-order forg'd Commissions And Reverend Titles are made potent Charms To win the Ignorant to their Conditions They praise Gods word but make it first their own The words are Gods the Church must make the sense It s no Law till their Sentence make it known Not their meer Teaching by Truths Evidence Religion they corrupt by forg'd Traditions They think Gods Laws too big yet make more All 's not enough without their vain Additions Religion was an Infant-thing before And under Christ the Churches only Head Th' have found one King or one Church-Parliament Whose Soveraign Rule the Christian World must dread And all that will be Saved must Consent This Soveraigns Kingdom is the whole round Earth The Lands where they
not Faith is bruitify'd The Interest of Flesh perverts the will It conquers Reason and corrupts the Mind No other Enemy doth so much ill To self-destroying perishing Mankind ANd now oh Man is Flesh all that thou art Worthy of all thy stir and cost and care Live not as if thou hadst no better part Mens Souls like God and Kin to Angels are Even Bruits have Souls possest of Life and Sense Made to serve Man who 's made his God to praise Whither Distinct or One when taken hence Subject to us whom God will higher raise What 's Flesh but Water mixt with sensless Earth Viler than dirt when Souls a while are gone It 's unseen Spirit which causeth Life and Birth This moveth all that 's mov'd doth all that 's done Mans Soul is made the Image of his God Substantial Virtue of Life Light and Love And though in Flesh it now have its abode Its tendency is to the world above It came from God and unto God returns Though in this Flesh its Life of Tryal be It daily wasts the Oyl as Fire that burns Consumes its Fuel and then is set free As flames mount upward Souls tow'rd Heav'n ascend And are still restless till they be at home If Sin depress them not tow'rd God they tend Blessed and joyful when to him they come As things Inanimate are rul'd by force By Sense and Objects Bruits determined be Both these are carried on in Natures course Mans will more undetermin'd is and free Bruits are not Ruled by a Moral Law Nor moved by the hopes of Life to come Nor of Gods Threats and Justice stand in awe Nor after Death fear any other Doom Man 's made in his degree to know the Lord To know his Duty and to please Gods will To learn and love trust and obey his word In hope of Heav'n his course here to fulfil God is Mans supreme King his Guid his End His Soul and Life should have no other scope From Sin and Devils God will his defend In Life and Death God is our only hope You see not whither Souls departing go But Heav'n and Hell are visible to Faith God hath reveal'd enough to make us know That all shall be performed which he saith We no more need to fear his word should fail Or God forsake the Souls that do him please Or any final Hurt Christ's Flock assail Than Earth to bear or Sun to shine should cease Is not a Sober Righteous Holy Life In certain hope of everlasting Joys Better than Sin Despair Care Fear and Strife For short deceitful pleasant Dreams and Toys IF yet blind Man thou thinkst thou art a Beast And hast no higher Hopes Work to mind Become a Tame and gentle One at least Not of the wild fierce hurtful bloody Kind Serpents Toads Wolves are harmless things Yea Lions Tigers and such Beasts of Prey Compaird with many Conquerors and Kings Who do Ten Thousand fold more hurt than they If this short Fleshly pleasure be thy best What need of Wars Blood Rage debate Sweet Love and quiet Peace afford more rest Than Pow'r Wealth with hurtful Plots Hate What need of large Dominions to prepare For Dying Pangs a Coffin and a Grave Quiet Content and Kindness fitter are Thy Neighbours welfare thy own to save But of all Beasts the Man-Beast is the worst To others and himself the cruelst Foe And turning Serpent doth become Accurst A Scourge to others his own endless Woe As Holiness fits Souls for endless Bliss And here hath its beginning and foretast So Sin the Plague of Unman'd Nature is And turns Man-Beast to Devil at the last If all Men made themselves are their own And have no Ruler but Self-will and Sense If Man be nothing else but Flesh and Bone Can live here still and say I 'le not go hence If Man can Conquer God and him Dethrone Kill Christ again and shut up Paradise Then Saints are Fools and Worldly Men alone Choosing a Shadow and Despair are wise But sure if Man be only Mortal Flesh A Squib a Bubble a vile Earthy Clod He never will have Pow'r what e're he wish To save himself by overcoming God But Heav'n is quite above Malignant Powers Our Peace Safety 's far above their reach Christs Kingdom is not of this World nor ours It 's unseen Blessedness which he did Preach There Holy Spirits free from Sin and Fear From Cruel Tyrants Devils Death and Hell The sweet Celestial Melody still hear In perfect Light and Love together dwell There 's no dark Error no perplexing doubt No Selfish Envy Strife or Discontent All hurtful troubling things are there shut out No Wrathful Sting no Malice no Dissent Numberless Numbers there are all but One Of the same Body each a Member is Each hath his due degree and place but none A Selfish separated part of Bliss All have one God one Head one Vital Spirit All Love God with one Love and all Rejoice With one Joy All one Kingdom do Inherit All sweetly sing Gods Praise as with one Voice True Unity with Diff'rence well Accords And makes up Beauty Consort though there Self Numbers Many and such parting words Have not the same dividing sence as here Thus hath one Soul more than one Faculty One Sun each sort of Life Three formal Powers Some Image of the Divine Trinity But none on Earth so excellent as ours And as in Being so in more respects Unity doth with Number well agree Many Concauses have the same effects Yea all Gods Creatures One and Many be So divers Fruits are but parts of one Tree And every Tree is Rooted in one Ground All Grounds of this One Earth but parcels be This Earth a small part of the World is found Souls are unseen and so their Union is Many united Individuals Their distinct persons make some think amiss That they are incoherent Integrals God only hath a perfect Unity Of the same World some Blest some Cursed be Some Union stands with great Diversity Apples and Crabs may grow on the same Tree Blest Union is of Good-things near of Kin To things Discordant Union causeth pain An aking Tooth is better out than in To lose a Rotting Member is a Gain The nearest Fuel is Consum'd by Fire Gods Wrath is near the Wicked to destroy To Holy Souls who Gods Love most desire He is their full and everlasting Joy Ten Thousand Stars and Candles give one Light Concordant Sounds make one sweet Melody Two Ears One hearing Cause Two Eyes One Sight But Light Darkness have no Unity Here Wicked Men are every where in Wars Men against Men as Tigers fiercely Rave Our Minds Wills Passions have their Jars Our Souls and Bodies Mortal Discords have Though Life be short Death is at the Door Impatient Foes think posting Time too slow They grudg to let us live a few Days more Revenge and Malice long to give the Blow But Heav'n