nothing know Save to be arrogant and to contâ—mne Those Pastors who have taken charge of them The appetite of some growes dull and â—ailes Vnlesse it mâ—y be pampered with Quailes High flying crotchets which we see dâ— fill Not halfe so mâ—ny soulâ—s as they do kill We cannot be content to make our flights For that which God exposeth to our sights And search for that which he is pleas'd to show But we must also pâ—y what God doth know Wâ—iâ—h â—as indeâ—d an aâ—câ—ent fallacy Oâ— Sathans and the vâ—â—y same whereby He cheated Eve From seeking to disclose Beyond our warrant what God only knowes Proceedeth many erroâ—s Thence doth come Most questiâ—ns that have troublâ—d Christendome Yea searching things conceal'd hath overthrowne The comfoâ—table use oâ— what is knowne Hence flowâ—s their fruitlesse fond asseveration Who blundred on Eternall Reprobation And many groundlesse whimsies have invented Whereby much better muzings are prevented Of Reprobation I no doubt have made Yet those vaine quarrellings which we have had Concerning her and her antiquity But that the world hath wiseâ— fooles then I Appeares to me to bring so little fruits That I suppose iâ— fitter for disputes In hell amoâ—g the reprobated â—rue Then for a Church of Christiaâ—s to pursue At least to braule about wiâ—â—â—â—ch hot rage As hath possâ—â—â— soâ—e â—pâ—rits of this age For some have uâ—gâ—d this pâ—â—nt of â—eâ—â—obation As if the chiâ—â—eâ—â— ground-wâ—â—k of salvation Depended on â—â—â—eâ—ving just as they Deluded by their fancies please to say And though they nâ—ver found Godâ— holy woâ—d Did any mention of the same affoâ—d But as of that which did begin since Time And with respect to sâ—me committed crime They nathelesse their strengths together gather To prove the Child is older then the Fatâ—er And since that fâ—tall thrâ—d there finds her spinning But from of Old at faâ—thest from Bâ—ginning They Reprobation otherwhile confound With our Predestination which is found No where in all the Scripture to â—eâ—pect The Reprobâ—tes but â—nely Gods Elect. And then they are compeld to pâ—ove the sense Of their darâ—e Tenet by an inference And to affirme â—rom â—eason that Election Eternall doth infer the like â—ejection As if an action of Eternity Were fit to square out shallow reasons by Which Aâ—gument because it hath not takâ—n True Faith to ground on may with ease be shaken Their tottering structure thereâ—ore up to keep They into Gods fore knowâ—edge boldly peep Beyond his warrant searching for Decrees And secrets farther then an Angell sees Presuming then â—s if all things they knew And had Eternity within their view But that hath such an infinite extension Beyond their narrâ—w-bounded comprehension That thâ—â—e they waâ—â—er on â—ill they are madd And 〈…〉 litâ—le knowledge wâ—ich they had Foâ—â—spaâ— they but mâ—â— men who maintaine The gâ—â—diâ—-â—â—â—cies of their owne weake braine For Theses of Religion which we must Beleeve as they affiâ—me tâ—em or be thrust Among the Reprâ—bates What lesse I pray Are they then mâ—dâ— who foolâ—â—heir wits away In wheeling Arguments which have no end In â—traines which man shall never apprehend In seeking what their knowledge doâ—â— exceed In vaine disputings which contentions breed In strange Chymera's and fantastick notions That neither stirre us up to good devotions Nor mend our manners But our wâ—yes pervert Distract the Iudgment or puff up â—he heart If this I may not â—adnes call or folly T is all the best religious-melancholly What shal we iudg of those who strive to make Gods word whoâ—e Termes and Scope they much mistake Their proofes for that whâ—reof no proofes they are And sleight these Truths for which the text is clear What shall we deeme of these who quite mistaking Good Authors and their Volumes guilty making Of what thâ—y never meant do preach and write Against those Bookes with rancorous despight Which being well examin'd say the same Which they affirme and check what they do blame Such men there be and they great noise haue made By fighting furiously with their owne shade What may bâ— thought of them who likely ever In their perverse opinions to persever Take knowledge up on trust and follow those Who leade them on as wild-geâ—â—e fly in â—owes And when their multitude is waxen great Do then so wilfully prejudicate Become so confidâ—nt of that they hold And in their blind assurance so are bold That they can brook no tryalâ— neither see Their oversights how plaine so ere they be But fondly think though we beleeve it not That they infallâ—â—ilitie hâ—ve got Some pious men yea some great Doctorâ— tread Such Loabrinths and often are misled By holding that which tâ—ey at fiâ—st were taught Without due proving all things as they â—ught And vulgar men are often led awry By their examples and for company For as a Travâ—ller that iâ— to come From some far Countâ—y through large desarts hâ—me Not knowing well the way is glad to take His course with such who showes of cunning make And walks along dâ—pending sâ—ill on them Through many a wood anâ— over many a streame Tâ—ll he and they are loft there to remaine He finds no safety nor meanes back againe Nor list to leave his company because He hopes that nearer homeward still he drawes And that his guides full sure of passage are Although they cannot well describe it there So when plaine men doe first attempt the way Of knowledge by their guides they walk asâ—ray Without distrust and when ariv'd they be Where many troublesome windinâ—'s they do see And where no certaintie they can bâ—hâ—ld Yet on their leaders knowledge they are bold Oâ— on their multitude yea though they know And see them erre and â—uâ—ne and stagger so In daâ—ksome paths that well suppose they may They rove and wander in an uncâ—uth way Yet still they are unwilling to suspect The wild me of the Fathers of their Sect. Yea though no satisfaction tâ—ey can find Though feare and doubtings â—o afflâ—ct their mind They still impute it ratâ—er to their owne Infirmities or to the depths unknowne Of those mysterious points to mention brought But never call in question what is taught Lest being by those Teachers terrifide They might forsaken in dâ—â—pâ—iâ—e abide Their Doctors also failâ—ng to dâ—vise Strong Arguments their hâ—arers to suffice This course to salve their credits laâ—e have â—ot They say forsooth Faith 's doctrine â—eules not With naturall capacâ—â—ies and that The Spirit must those men illuminate Who shall receive them And indeed in this They doe both say the truth and say amisse This is a lesuitish juggling trick And if allow'd it be each lunatick And ev'ry brain-sick Dreamer by that way May foist upon us all that he can say For though Gods holy Spirit must create New hearts within us and regenerate Depraved nature e're it can be able To make our outward hearings profitable We must not think that all which fancy saith In termes obscure are mysteries of Faith Nor make the hearers want of
which with most ease I shall produce May have for ought I know the longest use Let no man thinke I 'le racke my memory For pen and-inkehorne-termes to finifie My blunt invention trimming it as they Who make rich clothes but for Saint George his day When they may beâ—ter â—heape a suite provide To fit that feast and many dayes beside Nor lâ—t unlearned Censurers suppose Our Muse a course unwarrantable â—oes In framing Objects representative Which may imprint or in the soule revive True feelings of that wrath or love which we In God almighty by Faiths eyes doe see For though his holy Spirit when he will Can easily the souleâ— of mortals fill With heav'nly knowledges by wayes unseene Yet he himselfe hath sometime pleased beene By ouâ—ward objectâ— to employ the senses In reaching to the soule some excellencies Conceal'd before Yea many times he suites His Deity in our poore attributes And that our weaknesse he may work upon Our usuall speech and passions he puts on If so then we that have no other way Our hidden apprehensions to conuey From Man to Man but by the quâ—int creation Of some Ideaes in our contemplation That so the senses may become inclin'd To give some information to the mind Then we I say whose fluid memories Would else let goe our ayrie fantasies May such a libeâ—â—y with warrant use And I no doubt my selfe may well excuse If other while things bodilesse I cloath With mortall bodies and doe give them both Our speeches and our gestures Foâ— by this A dull affection often quickned is Nor thus to doe are Poets onely moved But these are straines Proâ—heticall approved To say that God is angry or that he Will of our wickednesse avenged be Moves little but to paint his fury so That Men the dreadfulnesse thereof may know As if they sâ—w it or his love to make So pleading of our cause as if it spake Within our hearing with such earnestnesse As friends would plead for friends in their distressâ— Doth much incite the Reader to attention And rouseth up the dullest apprehension Me thinks I doe as with mine eye behold The reall sight of all that I have told Yea that which I my selfe described here Doth touch mine heart with reâ—ereâ—ce and feaâ—e I have perpetuall Visions of that rout Of Plagues and Iudâ—emenâ—s which doe rove about To punish us And from that dreadfull hoast I see me thinkes how to invade our Coast The Plague march'd hither like a Regiment That is for services of moment sent From some great Armie And when I can bend My troubled spirits truly to attend Gods Iudgements and his Mercies as they goe Their daily progresse I can reach unto Much pleasing thoughts and oftentimes foresee What his intents and their evenâ—â— will be For when Mans heart is filled with his Feare The secrets of the Lord to him appeare Oh! what rich treasures doth my soule possesse When I doe contemplate the blessednesse The Wisedome and the Way of God most high How farre above my selfe rais'd up am I How little want I â—haâ— the world can give What heights ascend I what huge depths I dive How much contemne I dangers here below How câ—rtaine of Gods favours can I grow And wiâ—h what sweetnâ—sse is my brest inspired When by the heat of Contemplation fired I sit lock'd up within a lonely roome Wheâ—e nothing to disturbe my thoughts may come And where may enter neither sight nor Notion Of any thing but what may â—â—irre Devotion Sure were it not that I am cloth'd about With flesh that doth compell me to come out Or knew I not the Christian Mans estate Extendâ—d â—urther tâ—en to contemplate Or saw not them unthankfully precise Who Gods externall blessings quite despise Or fear'd I not I never should have union With God unlesse I were in some communion Of Saints on earth whom I might sharers make Of those sweet thoughts of him which I paâ—take Or if I doubted not I might with Lot Vpon the daughters of my bâ—aine begot Commit some spirituall incest had I none To spend the seed of my full Soule upon Or if I found it not unnaturall To leape out of the world till God did call And that fantastique wayes of selfe-contenting Are but the certaine paths to selfe-tormenting If all these things I knew not I could bide Shut up untill my flesh weâ—e Mummy-si'd And though the world should woo me would disdâ—in For ever to unclose my doore againe For though when I come sorth I lose agen My â—aptures and have thoughts like other men Because my nat'rall fâ—ailties and the fog Of earthly Vanities my soule doth clog Yea though I can as hardly keepe those firings Vnquench'd abroad which are in my retirings Inflamed in me as a naked Man Retaine that heat upon a â—ountaine can Which in a close warme chamber he retaineth Yeâ— for my comfort somewhat still remaineth And in my recollections I possesse More happinesse then I can well expresse I view contentments which I cannot measure I have some tastings of immortall pleasure I gâ—immerings have of hidâ—en mysteries My â—ouâ—e on glorious things doth fix her eyes And though some whited walls who did attempt To bring my Muse and Me unto contempt Endevour still with shewes of Pietie My best-approved paines to vâ—lâ—fie I can with scorne of their base envy raise My thoughts above their ignorant dispraise And pitty their dull sottishnesse who prize Their shadowes better then realâ—ties For I have search'd their folly and espy'd That they have drown'd their wisdome in their pridâ— Yea by their partiall dealings I now see They judge mens merits as their titles be And I have gotten those brave things in chase That shall advantage me by my disgrace When therefore by my selfe I am enclosed And for an heavn'ly rapture well disposed I doe not grudge mine enemies to spue Their flanders on my name or to pursue My labours with reproach nor prey to make On all my fortunes But all well can take I doe not then repine although I see That Fooles ennobled Knaves enriched be And honest men unheeded but I bide As pleased as I am at Whitsontide To see faire Nymphs in Country Townes rejected And sluttish Milkmaids by the Clownes elected For Ladies of the May. And if I chance Where any of those Hobby horses prance I can in sport or courtesie bestow Those termes upon them which I doe not owe. For when on Contemplations wings I flye I then o're-looke the highest Vanity I see how base those fooleries doâ— show Which are aâ—mired while I creepe below And by the brightnesse of a two-fold light Reâ—â—ecting from Gods word to cleare my sight Faiths objects to her eyes much plainer are Then those which to my outward â—â—ght appeare My towring Soule is winged up as if She over-flew the top of Tenariffe Or some far higher Mountaine where we may All actions of this lower World survey I am above the touch of malice borne I
by the yeare Yet if but any pâ—ivate persons feare It may some incomeâ— fâ—om their châ—sts withdraw For which they neither Conscience have nor Law These men if they attempt it and be able To give a bribe that may be valuable In any measure quite shall overthrow That good designment and not onely so But these and they that were their instruments Shall purchase him who that designe invents For his reward both infamy and hate And make themselves appeare unto the State Good Patriots who being sifted well Are scarce so honest men as go to hell Rapt by a spâ—rituall Vision I have seene The thin and crasie wall that stands betweene Our fight and their concealed practices Who have the place of Elders in these dayes And spying there a hole I digâ—'d into Their seâ—resies to see what works they doe Wâ—ere not without Gods warrant and his ayd Most foule abominations I suâ—vaid I saw their Chambers of Imagery And all those Objects of Idolatry To which they bow upon the wals depainted I saw tâ—ose toyes adoâ—ed and besainted I saw what strange devoâ—ions there they use How they in private do the world abuse And from their Censers seemed to arise A cloud which dimm'd the Sacrificers eyâ—s There oh good God how many did I see Who zealous Prelats do appeare to be How many Statesmen and how many a one That ouâ— high sâ—ats of Iudgement siâ—s upon How many who â—ighâ— honest men appeare In outward show how many drawâ—ng neere Vnto their graves how many learned men How many that will stoutly now and then Mâ—intâ—ine an honest cause to some gâ—od end For ought we kâ—ow when they no good â—ntend How many ill-disposed men oh God Who otherwise affâ—cted seeme abroad Behâ—ld I there in secret prostituting Thâ—mselves to breathlesse Idols and imputing Great pow'r unto them and how base are those Sometime iâ— private who make goodly showes Of noblest thoughts Some to the rising-Sun Directly kneele sâ—me fix their eyes upon The Moone which from his beams receives her light Some stand devoted to the works of Night Some deifie their â—ride and some their Lust In caâ—nall Policy some put their trust Some as a Goddesse Vâ—ngeanâ—e do emplore Vâ—â—ighteous Mammon othersome adore With worldly Honor some idolatrize Some other to their Nets do sacrifise To Pleasure many offer their estates Hâ—msâ—lfe to Enâ—y one man dedicates Another makes Vaineglories altars fume Till all his paâ—rimony he consume A third to Sloth and Idlenesse doth bow Before Excesse a fourth doth fall as low Yea Horses Dogs and Hanks ev'n Beasts and Fowlâ—s Are Idols of their love Nor hath their Soules Idâ—latâ—iz'd with brutish things alone But ev'n with Gold and Silver Wood and Stone Nor have they only of such things as these That reall be set up vaine images Within their hearts but they goeâ— further far And worship Fictions which the likenesse are Of nought in heav'n eaâ—th sea or in the waters Below the earth but meere fantasticke matters And that by such lâ—ke Gods as are their Treasure Their Honor their Preferment and their Pleasure They may be happy made what things I pray To shew their zeale suppose you offer they Ev'n those respecting which these gods are vile For they do give unto them otherwhile Their naturall rest and sleep sometime their healâ—h Sometime what 's due to God they take by stealth To waste upon their Mawmets and of these One ostred is another to appease Their beautious daughters some of them have given To Moloch other some their wives have driven To passe the fire great numbers make oblations Of all their friends to those Abominations To serve them some their Country set to sale Her love her wealth her honor peace and all Yea some ev'n their owne lives to losse expose Their consciences and soules for love of those And lest unto a reprobated sense With Gods and Natures Lawes they can dispenceâ— Of these a Vision did appeare to me Iudge Readers wheâ—her true or false it be If no such doings be my wordâ— contemne And let this Vision passe but for a Dreame If really thou find it to be so Then think oh Britaine what thou haft to do But thinke it seriously for things that are In foulest plight wiâ—l often fâ—ire appeare Belâ—eve not all that shall reported be But prove and search and trust what thou dost see The Land is over-spred with wickednesse Yâ—t no man will himselfe in fault confesse Men daily talke how bad the times are growne Yet few men see an error of their owne The Country is distressed many wayes And on the Cities pride the blame it layes The City finds her trading salleth short And thinks the cause thereof is in the Court The Court complaines and railes as much agen Against the Farmer and the Citizen Our Parliaments imputed have of late Our troubles to some errors in the State The State offâ—nded is and discontent With some proceedings in the Parliament Our Court Divinâ—s protest the Lawyers stand So much upon the Customes of the Land The Lawes and ancient Freedomes which belong Vnto the Commons that the King they wrong The People vow the Prelats flatter so To get preferment that they will undo Both Church and Common-wealth some conceive If we their State-Divinity beleeve It will of ev'ry priviledge bereave us And no more Law but Will and Pleasure leave us And as the Iewes to save their Place and Name Did that which losse of both of them became So thought it is thâ—t if our Prelats fall The way they seek to stand effect it shall The followers of Arminius some revile As troublers of the Churches of this I le Some think the doubts questions they have moved Shal make the Truth more known more approved The Papist sayes that we afflicted are Because their superstitions banisht were Somâ— Protestants beleeve we fare the worse For fav'ring them and that they bring a curse Vpon the Laâ—d Some others do accuse The Separatists and those men who refuse Vnto this Churches orders to conforme They on the other side as much do storme Against our Discipline and Hierarchy As parts of Antichristian-heresie And though we all are nought yet we do all Each other censure persecute miscall And so câ—ndemne as if we had no such Infirmities as we in others touch But as her vertue may be ne're the more Who first in scoulding calls her neighbour whore So he that sooneâ—t check abuses can At all times proveth not the holiest man Ev'n I that in whole Volumes do complaine Against those faults which in my times do raigne May be a Villane when all that is done If other signes of goodnesse I have none But why speak I of Symptomes when all see Thy Sicknesse to be evident on thee Thou hast a fearfull trembling at thy heart And a quotidian Fever shakes each part Thine eyes do see thy flesh doth fall away The lovely colour of thy cheeks decay Thy veines grow empty