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A26856
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Additions to the poetical fragments of Rich. Baxter written for himself and communicated to such as are more for serious verse than smooth.
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Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.
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1683
(1683)
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Wing B1180A; ESTC R26683
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25,832
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82
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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
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