<!DOCTYPE ETS PUBLIC "-//UMDLPS//DTD EEBOPROOF 2.0//EN">
<ETS>
<TEMPHEAD>
<REVDESCR>
<CHANGE>
<DATE>2008-02-12</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Robyn Anspach</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
</RESPSTMT>
<ITEM>Added TYPEs to DIVs in order to validate. Proofed title page(s). Checked for N=""s. Checked for GROUP tags. Checked ^s. Reviewed structure. Checked division-marking material at heads and feet of divisions (HEADS,  CLOSER, OPENER, ARGUMENT, EPIGRAPH, SIGNED, BYLINE, etc.). </ITEM>
</CHANGE>
</REVDESCR>
</TEMPHEAD>
<EEBO>
<IDG S="marc" R="UM" ID="A85693">
<STC T="W">g1983</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">45097808</BIBNO>
<VID>171392</VID>
</IDG>
<TEXT>
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2">
<P>RULES OF LIFE: BEING Good <HI>Wi&s;hes</HI> to the CLERGY And LAIETY; For who&s;e u&s;e the ASSE'S COMPLAINT Was Written.</P>
<P><HI>BY</HI> LEWIS GRIFFIN</P>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed for <HI>Henry Mar&s;h</HI> at the <HI>Princes Armes in Chancery-Lane,</HI> 1663.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="preface">
<PB REF="3">
<PB REF="3">
<HEAD>THE PREFACE.</HEAD>
<P><HI>MAn that is in honour, and under&s;tand|eth not, is like unto the Bea&s;ts that peri&s;h</HI>; when our fir&s;t Parents lo&s;t <HI>Gods Image</HI> they were <HI>degra|ded</HI> from <HI>Humanity</HI> as well as <HI>Divinity,</HI> and became as <HI>bruti&s;h</HI> as the <HI>Creatures below them</HI>; &s;o that there is no <HI>Beast,</HI> or <HI>Monster</HI> in the <HI>Wil|derne&s;&s;e</HI> of the <HI>Great World,</HI> but what may be found in the <HI>Microco&s;mus</HI> or <HI>Little-world</HI> of <HI>Man.</HI></P>
<P>Hence it is that <HI>fal&s;e Prophets</HI> are &s;aid to be <HI>inwardly Wolves,</HI> Drunkards <HI>inwardly Swine,</HI> Whoremongers <HI>inwardly Goats,</HI> Di&s;&s;emblers <HI>Foxes,</HI> Flatterers <HI>Dogs,</HI> Valiant Men <HI>Lyons,</HI> In|nocent Men <HI>Lambs,</HI> as though we had <HI>Cloathed</HI> our <HI>Souls</HI> with their <HI>Natures,</HI> as well as our <HI>Bodies</HI> with their <HI>Skins.</HI></P>
<P><PB REF="4">Among&s;t the re&s;t it hath been my <HI>Part</HI> to act the <HI>A&s;&s;e,</HI> and no wonder, for the whole <HI>Kingdome</HI> hath done the &s;ame before me, and (like the <HI>Tribe</HI> of <HI>I&s;&s;achar</HI>) been a long time <HI>Couchant</HI> betwixt <HI>two burdens,</HI> that is (in plain <HI>Engli&s;h</HI>) the <HI>Prophane&s;&s;e</HI> of &s;ome who call them&s;elves the <HI>Kings true Subjects,</HI> and the <HI>Hypocri&s;ie</HI> of others, who term them&s;elves <HI>Gods precious Saints,</HI> as though <HI>Loyalty</HI> con&s;i&s;t|ed in <HI>Ranting, Swearing,</HI> and <HI>Drunkene&s;&s;e,</HI> or <HI>Religion</HI> in <HI>Trea&s;on, Murder</HI> and <HI>Sacrilege.</HI></P>
<P>I am not ignorant how &s;ome have rebel|led again&s;t the <HI>King</HI> in <HI>nomine Domini,</HI> witne&s;s the <HI>Devills Martyrs</HI> at <HI>Charing-Cro&s;&s;e,</HI> who pre|tended their <HI>unparrallel'd Trea&s;on</HI> was <HI>Acted</HI> in the <HI>fear of the Lord</HI>; others have &s;inned again&s;t <HI>God in nomine Regis,</HI> witne&s;&s;e tho&s;e <HI>Hectors</HI> of the times whom if you &s;hould check for <HI>Swearing</HI> would call you <HI>Phanatick</HI>; others have <HI>di&s;honoured</HI> the <HI>Church in nomine Epi&s;copatus,</HI> and (as the wickedne&s;&s;e of <HI>Phinehas,</HI> and <HI>Hophni,</HI> made the people <HI>abhorre</HI> the <HI>Sacrifice</HI>) &s;o hath their <HI>Ignorance, Scandall, In&s;ufficiency,</HI> made the Sacred name of <HI>Bi&s;hop,</HI> the <HI>decent Ce|remonies</HI> of the <HI>Church,</HI> and the Divine <HI>Liturgy,</HI> become <HI>odious.</HI></P>
<P><PB REF="4">And &s;hall a man &s;ee all this and be afraid to &s;peak? no <HI>Friends</HI>; the&s;e are not times to <HI>daub,</HI> and <HI>flatter</HI>; the <HI>&s;infull burden</HI> of a <HI>corrupt Balaam</HI> will make a <HI>dumb A&s;&s;e</HI> turn <HI>Oratour</HI>; The <HI>Soul</HI> of a Man or Woman (I hope I may &s;peak it without <HI>offence</HI>) is worth more than his <HI>Maje&s;ties</HI> three <HI>Kingdoms,</HI> and &s;hall the charge of a Whole <HI>Congregation</HI> of the&s;e be committed to a <HI>Dunce,</HI> a <HI>Drunkard,</HI> a <HI>Bea&s;t,</HI> that hath neither <HI>Grace,</HI> nor <HI>Learning? God forbid</HI>; &s;hall he that writes nothing but <HI>Truth,</HI> and <HI>Rea&s;on,</HI> have this <HI>Mouth stop'd</HI> with being, told he is a <HI>Seditious Per&s;on?</HI> Shall it be more &s;afe for &s;ome men to <HI>Commit Sin,</HI> then for o|thers to <HI>reprove them?</HI> I hope not.</P>
<P>In the Ver&s;es called the <HI>A&s;&s;es Complaint</HI> (however they may be mi&s;taken) I know nothing that can ju&s;tly offend a <HI>&s;ober Man</HI>; The <HI>King Him&s;elf</HI> hath Declared that it is, and &s;hall he his <HI>Majesties Will <HI>That no In&s;uf|ficient, Negligent, nor Scanda|lous Mini&s;ters be permitted in the Church, &amp;c.</HI></HI> and may not a <HI>Subject</HI> Law|fully <HI>Beg</HI> that which the <HI>King</HI> is Graciou&s;ly plea&s;ed to <HI>Grant;</HI> He that &s;ayes the A&s;&s;e hath
<PB REF="5">
&s;poken Trea&s;on, Let him tell him that Prays <HI>Thy Will be done,</HI> that he &s;peaks <HI>Bla&s;phemy.</HI></P>
<P>But (po&s;&s;ibly) it is &s;uppo&s;ed by &s;ome that <HI>Ignorance,</HI> and <HI>Scandall,</HI> are quite out of <HI>fa&s;hion,</HI> and that there is no &s;uch thing in any of the <HI>Clergie.</HI> Truly I could wi&s;h it were &s;o indeed; But when our <HI>Saviour</HI> among&s;t <HI>twelve Di&s;ciples</HI> had one <HI>Devill,</HI> it would be a won|der that the <HI>Bi&s;hops</HI> among&s;t &s;o many <HI>thou&s;and Curats</HI> &s;hould have <HI>none</HI>; Yet to name, or mention any <HI>particular Per&s;on</HI> (untill I have further occa&s;ion (I think) will be as <HI>ab&s;urd,</HI> as for a <HI>Mini&s;ter,</HI> that reproves any <HI>gro&s;&s;e Sin,</HI> to tell his <HI>Pari&s;hioners,</HI> openly in the <HI>Pulpit,</HI> the name of any <HI>Per&s;on</HI> whom he knows to be <HI>Guilty.</HI></P>
<P>Let this &s;uffice, although others are <HI>un&s;a|tisfied</HI> with the <HI>har&s;hne&s;&s;e</HI> of my <HI>Expre&s;sions,</HI> yet I my &s;elf am well <HI>&s;atisfied</HI> with the hone&s;ty of my <HI>Intentions,</HI> which (I que&s;tion not) will bear me out again&s;t all <HI>malicious Gain-&s;ayers.</HI></P>
<P>Now whereas it is objected that my <HI>un|lucky Pamphlet,</HI> hath proved a Doctrine of <HI>Se|dition</HI> unto <HI>di&s;affected</HI> per&s;ons. What then (I be&s;eech you?) have they not al&s;o made the
<PB REF="5">
&s;ame <HI>u&s;e</HI> of the Sacred <HI>Word</HI> of <HI>God</HI>? If a <HI>Re|vengeful</HI> wretch &s;hould <HI>&s;tab</HI> his <HI>Neighbour,</HI> would that hand that made the <HI>Sword</HI> be found ace&s;&s;ory to the <HI>Murder?</HI> I think not.</P>
<P>It was not my <HI>purpo&s;e,</HI> when I publi&s;hed tho&s;e Ver&s;es, to <HI>encourage Sedition,</HI> but to <HI>rebuke Prophane&s;&s;e</HI>; and therefore, to give the <HI>Rea|der</HI> further <HI>&s;atifaction,</HI> I have written the&s;e fol|lowing <HI>Precepts,</HI> which are the <HI>Rules</HI> by which tho&s;e <HI>People walk,</HI> for who&s;e &s;akes the <HI>Cry</HI> was written; You may find in them <HI>&s;ea|&s;onable advice,</HI> which, though it &s;eem to lye confu&s;edly in my <HI>Meditations,</HI> will be brought into better <HI>order</HI> in your <HI>Practice.</HI></P>
<P>He that would know more of my mind, let him read my <HI>Apology</HI> which follows the <HI>Ver&s;es</HI> of <HI>H.W.</HI> (for the re&s;t of His <HI>name</HI> I know not) I could wi&s;h that he had <HI>imployed</HI> his <HI>Wit</HI> to a better <HI>purpo&s;e</HI>; I can only <HI>Judge</HI> this, that the <HI>Gentleman</HI> is a <HI>civil Per&s;on,</HI> and his <HI>Reply</HI> is an <HI>Ingenious piece</HI> of <HI>Mi&s;con&s;truction</HI>; as for the <HI>Re&s;t</HI> who have written again&s;t me I regard them not at all, I &s;hall not <HI>throw &s;tones</HI> at every <HI>Dog</HI> which I hear <HI>bark</HI>; Only I beg of the <HI>Ingenious Reader,</HI> to <HI>weigh</HI> my <HI>words</HI> in
<PB REF="6">
the <HI>ballance</HI> of <HI>Rea&s;on,</HI> and not (like the <HI>rude Barbarians</HI>) to account me a <HI>Notorious Sinner</HI> because he &s;ees I am <HI>&s;tung</HI> with <HI>Viperous Tongues.</HI></P>
<P>It is not unknown to &s;everal <HI>per&s;ons of cre|dit</HI> in the <HI>Country</HI> where <HI>I lived,</HI> how much I have been <HI>per&s;ecuted</HI> by the <HI>Presbyterian party</HI>; and yet I am now <HI>threatned</HI> by &s;ome (who have more <HI>malice</HI> to <HI>conceive</HI> Mi&s;chief, than <HI>power</HI> to <HI>bring it forth</HI>) for being a <HI>&s;uppo&s;ed Ene|my</HI> to (that which I alwayes <HI>Adored</HI>) Epi&s;|copacy, And not only I, but the <HI>Stationer</HI> who Printed my <HI>Ver&s;es,</HI> Mr. <HI>Mar&s;h,</HI> although he hath (to manife&s;t his <HI>Loyalty</HI>) Printed more <HI>Sheets</HI> again&s;t <HI>that Mon&s;ter</HI> in <HI>Politicks,</HI> cal|led the <HI>Rump,</HI> than all of his Profe&s;sion in <HI>London,</HI> to the <HI>Hazard</HI> of his <HI>Life,</HI> and lo&s;&s;e of his <HI>Liberty</HI>; Which things being rightly con|&s;idered, we both may De&s;erve a <HI>Milder Cen&s;ure.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="part">
<PB REF="6">
<HEAD>THE DOCTRINE OF THE ASSE.</HEAD>
<P N="1">1. Stay! ha&s;ty Reader&mdash;Lea&s;t the &s;trangene&s;s of our <HI>Title,</HI> which (at the fir&s;t view) may &s;eem to promi&s;e nothing but &s;ome <HI>antick</HI> piece of <HI>Drollery,</HI> or me&s;&s;e of Ridiculous <HI>Non&s;en&s;e,</HI> &s;hould cau&s;e thy carele&s;s hand too &s;oon to ca&s;t away this well <HI>meaning Paper</HI>; Remem|ber (I be&s;eech thee) that however contemptible the <HI>A&s;&s;e</HI> is in this <HI>age,</HI> yet in the dayes of the Pro|phet <HI>I&s;aiah</HI> he was a great <HI>Rabbi</HI> in <HI>I&s;rael:</HI> in&s;omuch that <HI>Heaven</HI> and <HI>Earth</HI> were called to witne&s;s how far he excelled the very <HI>people of God</HI> in Knowledge, nay we may confidently believe that, even in our times, the <HI>Churches</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> and <HI>Hou&s;es of Prayer</HI> would be more frequented, if tho&s;e <HI>dark Souls</HI> whom <HI>errour,</HI> or <HI>Athei&s;m</HI> detains from the <HI>publick
<PB REF="7">
Ordinances,</HI> had but &s;uch a <HI>Schoolmaster</HI> to teach them to <HI>know</HI> their <HI>Ma&s;ters crib.</HI> Neither is the <HI>A&s;&s;e</HI> le&s;&s;e <HI>exemplary</HI> for his <HI>Obedience</HI> than <HI>Knowledge</HI>; Ob&s;erve how faithfully he gave <HI>Balaam</HI> an account of his Service, and for his fal&s;ly &s;uppo&s;ed Crime pleaded <HI>Primum Tempus</HI>; Alas <HI>Reader,</HI> &s;hould Divine Ju&s;tice bring thee and I to a Reckoning but for the <HI>&s;ins</HI> of <HI>one hour,</HI> yet which of us could u&s;e the A&s;&s;es <HI>Apolo|gy?</HI> Certainly this is a Creature both <HI>&s;erviceable</HI> and <HI>harmle&s;&s;e,</HI> or el&s;e our <HI>Saviour</HI> had not <HI>cho&s;en</HI> him for his <HI>own u&s;e,</HI> The <HI>A&s;&s;e</HI> carried <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> to <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> a mo&s;t honourable office of which even the greate&s;t <HI>Prelate</HI> might be ju&s;tly ambitious; Be not therefore offended at our <HI>Title</HI>; we pre&s;ent thee with nothing that &s;avours eitheir of <HI>Prophane&s;&s;e</HI> or <HI>Faction,</HI> if thou art Evil it may do the good, If good it will do thee no hurt, thy eyes may &s;afely read it without any breach of their <HI>Covenant.</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. It is no wonder that we live in a <HI>&s;traggering</HI> age, for the <HI>fall</HI> of <HI>Adam</HI> broke the <HI>bones</HI> of his <HI>Chil|dren,</HI> and <HI>cripled</HI> his <HI>Po&s;terity</HI>; the <HI>Sons</HI> of <HI>men</HI> are both <HI>blind</HI> in their <HI>Judgements,</HI> and <HI>lame</HI> in their <HI>Pra|cti&s;es,</HI> and (notwith&s;tanding the <HI>&s;till voyce</HI> which is behind us) we are continually turning unto the <HI>right hand</HI> or to the <HI>left,</HI> and either falling into a <HI>Religious rebellion</HI> or a <HI>Loyal prophane&s;&s;e.</HI> The pious <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI> fore&s;aw our <HI>failings,</HI> and therefore left us two ex|cellent Precepts, <HI>Fear God,</HI> and <HI>Honour</HI> the <HI>King,</HI> that all our lame <HI>Profe&s;&s;ors,</HI> who <HI>halt betwixt God and Baal,</HI> might make u&s;e of them as a <HI>pair of Crutches.</HI></P>
<P N="3"><PB REF="7">3. Doe not think that thou can&s;t be a <HI>Friend</HI> to the <HI>King</HI> whil&s;t thou art an <HI>Enemy</HI> to <HI>God: Drunken|ne&s;&s;e, Swearing</HI> and <HI>Whoredome</HI> are no <HI>Badges</HI> of a <HI>Chri&s;tian,</HI> nor of a <HI>true Cavalier, His Maje&s;ty</HI> will not <HI>protect Sin,</HI> neither can&s;t thou <HI>honour him</HI> by <HI>di&s;honour|ing</HI> his <HI>Ma&s;ter</HI>; If thy <HI>crying iniquity</HI> &s;hould invite Gods Judgements to the <HI>Court,</HI> it would <HI>co&s;t</HI> thy <HI>So|veraign</HI> Dear to give them <HI>entertainment.</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. <HI>The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wi&s;edom</HI>; There is no <HI>Wi&s;edome</HI> without <HI>Fear</HI>; the <HI>voyce of God</HI> made our fir&s;t <HI>Parents</HI> afraid; a &s;erious &s;en&s;e of <HI>Gods</HI> all|&s;eeing eye begets in us a <HI>Holy timerou&s;ne&s;s</HI> and <HI>con&s;ci|en&s;cious care</HI> to doe all things as in <HI>his pre&s;ence; Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoyce in him with trembling</HI>; Le&s;t thou &s;hould&s;t pre&s;ume, let thy <HI>&s;ervice</HI> be joyned with <HI>fear,</HI> and lea&s;t thou &s;houlde&s;t <HI>de&s;pair</HI> let thy <HI>trembling</HI> be mixt with <HI>joy.</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. Con&s;ider <HI>where thou art,</HI> and in what <HI>place</HI> thy <HI>Lines</HI> are <HI>fallen,</HI> thou fitte&s;t not in the <HI>Region</HI> of the <HI>Shadow</HI> of <HI>Death,</HI> but in the <HI>clear &s;un-&s;hine</HI> of the <HI>Go&s;|pel</HI>; and therefore &s;houlde&s;t thou be <HI>condemned,</HI> it would not be for <HI>want of Light,</HI> but for <HI>love of Dark|ne&s;&s;e</HI>; Thou ha&s;t a <HI>Double birth right,</HI> fir&s;t above <HI>other creatures,</HI> as thou art a <HI>Man:</HI> Secondly above <HI>other Men,</HI> as thou art a <HI>Chri&s;tian,</HI> Thou art al&s;o <HI>entru&s;ted</HI> with <HI>five talents,</HI> whereas the <HI>Iew</HI> hath but <HI>two,</HI> and the <HI>Heathen</HI> but <HI>one</HI>: be not therefore a <HI>prophane E&s;au</HI> to <HI>&s;ell</HI> thy <HI>Birthright,</HI> nor an <HI>unprofitable Servant</HI> to <HI>imbezel</HI>
<PB REF="8">
thy <HI>talents,</HI> nor a <HI>cur&s;ed Ahab</HI> to <HI>forfeit</HI> the <HI>rever&s;ion</HI> of <HI>Paradice</HI> for the <HI>Po&s;&s;e&s;sion</HI> of thy <HI>Neighbours Vine|yard,</HI> nor one of tho&s;e poor <HI>penny-wi&s;e Politicians,</HI> who &s;triving to <HI>gain the World loo&s;e their own Souls,</HI> which is as if a Man &s;hould <HI>cut off his hands</HI> to purcha&s;e a <HI>pair of Gloves,</HI> or <HI>pull out his Eyes</HI> to buy <HI>a pair of Spectacles.</HI></P>
<P N="6">6. Beware therefore of the <HI>World</HI>; God is &s;aid <HI>to rain upon the wicked &s;nares, fire and brim&s;tone</HI>; It is the wickedne&s;&s;e of men which makes <HI>Plea&s;ures, Riches, Honours, Friends,</HI> and all other <HI>Temporal Ble&s;sings, prove</HI> unto them <HI>mere Traps</HI> and <HI>Gins.</HI> And it is to be feared, that hee who will not endeavour to <HI>&s;hun</HI> the <HI>&s;hower of Snares</HI> in <HI>this World,</HI> will hardly avoid that of <HI>Brim&s;tone</HI> in an <HI>other.</HI> In brief, the World is a Di&s;&s;embling <HI>Jael</HI>; If thy <HI>Nece&s;sity</HI> compell thee to <HI>drink of her Bottle,</HI> yet let not thy <HI>folly</HI> betray thee to <HI>&s;leep in her tent</HI>; for know &s;he hath both <HI>milk</HI> to <HI>feed</HI> thee, and a <HI>Mantle</HI> to <HI>cover</HI> thee, and a <HI>nail</HI> to <HI>&s;trike in|to thy temples.</HI></P>
<P N="7">7. Yield not unto the <HI>Devill</HI>; but <HI>re&s;i&s;t him and he will flee from thee</HI>; He was once <HI>baffled</HI> by <HI>An|gells</HI> and now he is <HI>fighting</HI> again&s;t <HI>Men</HI>; He appea|red in <HI>Heaven</HI> in the <HI>&s;hape of a Dragon,</HI> but upon <HI>Earth</HI> he hath taken the form of a <HI>Lyon,</HI> and is <HI>continually going about &s;eeking whom he may devour</HI>; tho&s;e in whom he <HI>dwells</HI> are either <HI>openly Prophane,</HI> or <HI>clo&s;e Hypocrites</HI>; but ob&s;erve this <HI>di&s;tinction,</HI> he is <HI>Ram|pant</HI> in the one, and <HI>Couchant</HI> in the other. When he <HI>tempted</HI> our <HI>Saviour</HI> he had <HI>three &s;trings</HI> to his <HI>bow,</HI>
<PB REF="8">
which he makes u&s;e of to this day; If thou art a <HI>poor man</HI> he courts thee with the <HI>Temptation of Bread</HI>; If thou art <HI>un&s;table in thy Religion</HI> he &s;ets thee upon the <HI>Pinnacle</HI>; If thou art <HI>proud</HI> and <HI>ambitious,</HI> he <HI>car|ries</HI> thee up into the high <HI>Mountain.</HI> Who ever thou art, if thou <HI>travelle&s;t</HI> in <HI>this world</HI> thou wilt dayly <HI>meet</HI> him, he hath a <HI>&s;trategem</HI> like that of <HI>Joab</HI> to <HI>Ab|ner,</HI> he will call thee a&s;ide pretending bu&s;ine&s;&s;e; But <HI>turn not unto him</HI>; If he upbraid thee with the <HI>fir&s;t A|dam,</HI> tell him of the <HI>&s;econd</HI>; If he boa&s;t of his <HI>Victory</HI> in the <HI>Garden,</HI> ask him how he <HI>Sped</HI> in the <HI>Wilderne&s;&s;e.</HI></P>
<P N="8">8. But chiefly <HI>take heed</HI> of thy <HI>Judas fle&s;h</HI> which <HI>betrays</HI> him who daily <HI>nouri&s;hes</HI> and <HI>feeds</HI> it; <HI>Look not upon a Woman to Lu&s;t after her,</HI> but if <HI>Jeza|bel</HI> be got into the <HI>window</HI> of thine <HI>eye,</HI> then let <HI>holy thoughts</HI> (like tho&s;e <HI>Officious Eunuchs</HI>) ca&s;t her out in <HI>penitential Tears:</HI> Li&s;ten not to the <HI>voice</HI> of a <HI>Land Siren,</HI> neither let <HI>Satan Buffet</HI> thee with thy <HI>own Rib</HI>; But <HI>ab&s;tain</HI> from <HI>carnal</HI> Lu&s;ts and thou &s;halt be <HI>happy,</HI> for he that keeps a <HI>Lent</HI> in his <HI>de&s;ires</HI> &s;hall have an con|tinual <HI>Ea&s;ter</HI> in his <HI>Con&s;cience.</HI></P>
<P N="9">9. To this end be advi&s;ed by the <HI>Royal</HI> Preacher, <HI>Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth</HI>; It would argue a very <HI>bad memory</HI> in thee to <HI>forget</HI> him as &s;oon as thou art <HI>come out of his hands: Repentance</HI> in <HI>old age</HI> is like <HI>Rain</HI> in <HI>Harve&s;t,</HI> it may do <HI>good,</HI> but (believe it) 'tis <HI>very un&s;ea&s;onable</HI>; The <HI>time to weep</HI> is mentioned before the <HI>time to laugh,</HI> and the <HI>time to &s;ow</HI> before the <HI>time to reap</HI>; Mi&s;take not therefore thy
<PB REF="9">
Sea&s;ons, but let thy <HI>youth</HI> be a <HI>&s;owing in tears,</HI> that &s;o thine <HI>age</HI> may be a <HI>reaping in joy.</HI></P>
<P N="10">10. Study principally the <HI>Practical part of Religion,</HI> and &s;trive rather to <HI>obey</HI> thy Ma&s;ters <HI>known will,</HI> than to <HI>&s;earch into</HI> his <HI>&s;ecret Coun&s;els</HI>; it becomes not <HI>Men</HI> pre&s;umptuou&s;ly to enquire into that which is <HI>hidden</HI> from the very <HI>Angels.</HI> We read how <HI>Iob</HI> was po&s;ed concerning <HI>Hail, Snow,</HI> and other <HI>Que&s;tions</HI> in the <HI>book</HI> of <HI>Nature</HI>; Now tell me (&s;hallow Man) &s;ince thou can&s;t not give a <HI>true account</HI> of what is done, but in the <HI>Clouds</HI> and <HI>Firmament</HI> which are only the <HI>out|hou&s;es</HI> of <HI>Heaven</HI>; how wilt thou <HI>pre&s;ume</HI> to give <HI>Intel|ligence</HI> of the <HI>Affairs</HI> of <HI>Jehovahs Clo&s;et,</HI> and of the Tran&s;actions of his <HI>Coun&s;el-Table? Praede&s;tination</HI> is a fitter Subject for <HI>wonder</HI> than <HI>di&s;pute,</HI> It is a my&s;teri|ous <HI>Euripus</HI> in the <HI>bloud</HI> of <HI>Chri&s;t</HI>; And it would be better for thee (like <HI>Ari&s;totle</HI>) to <HI>ca&s;t thy Soul in with the Tide,</HI> than in vain to <HI>&s;tudy the cau&s;e of the flowing.</HI></P>
<P N="11">11. That thou may&s;t have a <HI>right Judgement,</HI> and <HI>Apprehen&s;ion</HI> both of <HI>Men,</HI> and <HI>things,</HI> learn to <HI>di&s;tin|gui&s;h betwixt Good and Evill,</HI> which is the great <HI>Dico|tomy</HI> of the <HI>intellectual world,</HI> and the <HI>two terms</HI> in thy <HI>conver&s;ion</HI>; The <HI>Devill</HI> perhaps hath taught thee an other <HI>le&s;&s;on,</HI> only to make thee <HI>forget this</HI>; that is to di&s;tingui&s;h betwixt <HI>Papist,</HI> and <HI>Prote&s;tant, Praelat,</HI> and <HI>Presbyterian, Independent, Anabapti&s;t, Quaker,</HI> and o|ther <HI>Sects,</HI> whereof if every one &s;hould have a <HI>parti|cular Station</HI> at the <HI>day</HI> of <HI>Judgement,</HI> we might ima|gine <HI>our Saviour</HI> to be <HI>Centemanus</HI> (as the <HI>Poets</HI> feign
<PB REF="9">
<HI>Briareus</HI>) having an <HI>hundred hands</HI>; But know the&s;e are <HI>distinctions</HI> of <HI>Pa&s;sion</HI> rather than <HI>Rea&s;on,</HI> and a &s;trange kind of <HI>Language</HI> which our <HI>Babel-Builders</HI> have learned &s;ince their late <HI>Confu&s;ion,</HI> for there are but <HI>two wayes</HI>; Men are not <HI>Saved</HI> or <HI>Condemned</HI> for being <HI>called</HI> by this, or that <HI>name,</HI> but through <HI>Faith,</HI> or <HI>Unbelief</HI>; a <HI>Devout Papi&s;t</HI> is better than a <HI>Hypocriti|cal Prote&s;tant,</HI> a <HI>Godly Presbyterian,</HI> than a <HI>Debauched Conformi&s;t</HI>; and there is <HI>Room</HI> in Heaven for <HI>Religious Anabaptists,</HI> and <HI>Well-meaning Quakers</HI>; Let not there|fore thy <HI>Temper</HI> &s;o far impo&s;e upon thy <HI>Judgement,</HI> as to make thee abhor the <HI>Harmle&s;&s;e</HI> and <HI>Decent Cere|monies</HI> of the <HI>Church</HI> becau&s;e they are &s;aid to be <HI>Pope|ry</HI>; nor to di&s;&s;ent from any <HI>Orthodox truths,</HI> becau&s;e &s;ome may call them <HI>Arminian Tenents</HI>; nor to <HI>Per&s;e|cute</HI> any of thy <HI>Bretheren</HI> becau&s;e they differ from thee in <HI>Notions</HI> and <HI>Speculations</HI>; (In a word) as thou art not to <HI>believe</HI> every mans <HI>Opinion,</HI> &s;o thou oughte&s;t not to <HI>hate</HI> any mans <HI>Per&s;on,</HI> for the one would &s;how thou had&s;t <HI>too much Faith,</HI> and the other would argue thou had&s;t <HI>too little Charity.</HI></P>
<P N="12">12. Think not that it is enough to make thee a <HI>Chri&s;tian</HI> that thou wert once <HI>Baptized</HI> with <HI>water</HI> in thy Infancy; perhaps thy <HI>&s;owi&s;h Soul</HI> hath been a thou&s;and times in the <HI>Mire</HI> of natural <HI>pollution</HI> &s;ince that <HI>&s;prinkling</HI>; We commonly &s;ay to <HI>Dirty Children</HI> that the <HI>Gardener</HI> will <HI>&s;ow Leeks</HI> in their <HI>faces</HI>; we may more truly tell our <HI>Bruckled Profe&s;&s;ours</HI> that the <HI>Devill</HI> will low <HI>Tares</HI> in their <HI>Souls</HI>; to prevent this, <HI>Baptize</HI> thy <HI>Soul</HI> in the <HI>Blood</HI> of <HI>Christ,</HI> and <HI>Rebaptize</HI>
<PB REF="10">
thy <HI>Face</HI> in thine own <HI>Tears.</HI> The <HI>Bapti&s;m</HI> of <HI>Iohn,</HI> was a <HI>Bati&s;m</HI> unto <HI>Repentance,</HI> and therefore he that hath been <HI>Baptized,</HI> but, not unto <HI>Repentance,</HI> &s;hall have cau&s;e to <HI>Repent</HI> that ever he were <HI>Baptized.</HI></P>
<P N="13">13. As for thy <HI>Prayers,</HI> let them be <HI>frequent,</HI> and <HI>fervent</HI>; Let not thy <HI>Tongue</HI> out-run thy <HI>Heart,</HI> but be &s;uch <HI>inwardly</HI> to <HI>God,</HI> as thou would&s;t willing|ly appear <HI>outwardly</HI> to <HI>Men</HI>; Let there be no <HI>incon|gruity</HI> betwixt thy <HI>voice,</HI> and <HI>hands,</HI> neither let thy <HI>Soul</HI> &s;tudy the <HI>Phra&s;e</HI> of <HI>A&s;hdod,</HI> while&s;t thy <HI>Lips</HI> &s;peak the language of <HI>Canaan</HI>; Make u&s;e of thy own <HI>gifts</HI> in <HI>private,</HI> of the <HI>Common-Prayer</HI> in <HI>publick,</HI> of the <HI>Lords Prayer</HI> in both; But tell me (<HI>Zealous Bro|ther</HI>) art thou offended at the noi&s;e of the <HI>Organs</HI>? And therefore <HI>hugely</HI> taken with their <HI>Doctrine</HI> who make it their Bu&s;ine&s;&s;e to <HI>rail</HI> again&s;t them? On how gro&s;&s;e is thy Ignorance, to run from that <HI>Mu&s;ick</HI> which is &s;o highly commended by the <HI>P&s;almi&s;t,</HI> and yet to follow the <HI>Lectures</HI> of tho&s;e <HI>&s;colding Seducers,</HI> who (the <HI>Apo&s;tle</HI> tells thee) are but as <HI>&s;ounding bra&s;s,</HI> and as a <HI>Tinkling Cymball</HI>; It is <HI>unwhole&s;ome</HI> for thy <HI>Soul</HI> to &s;it in the <HI>wind</HI> of &s;uch <HI>Doctrine</HI> which may make thy <HI>Charity</HI> to get <HI>cold,</HI> and blow <HI>du&s;t</HI> into the <HI>eyes</HI> of thy <HI>under&s;tanding.</HI></P>
<P N="14">14. Think it not <HI>&s;trange</HI> concerning the <HI>Fiery Tryall</HI>; The Lord hath promi&s;ed <HI>to parge away our Dro&s;&s;e, and to take away our Tin</HI>; the <HI>Dro&s;&s;e</HI> is gro&s;&s;e <HI>Prophane&s;&s;e,</HI> the <HI>Tin</HI> is glittering <HI>Hypocri&s;ie</HI>; Now till we find our &s;elves <HI>freed</HI> from the&s;e, we must expect
<PB REF="10">
the <HI>Refiners fire</HI> in the <HI>Furnace</HI> of <HI>Affliction. Su&s;tine, &amp; Abstine,</HI> was <HI>Epectetus</HI> his <HI>Philosophy, The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away,</HI> was <HI>Jobs Divinity</HI>; &s;tudy therefore to <HI>understand</HI> the one, and labour to <HI>practice</HI> the other; for if thou can&s;t <HI>ab&s;tinere</HI> when the Lord <HI>gives,</HI> thou mai&s;t <HI>&s;u&s;tinere</HI> when he <HI>takes away.</HI> Con&s;ider the <HI>Example</HI> of the <HI>Holy Je&s;us.</HI> Remem|ber his <HI>Sufferings.</HI> With what an <HI>unwilling willing|ne&s;&s;e</HI> did he take off his <HI>bitter draught?</HI> If therefore Providence &s;hould put the &s;ame <HI>Cup</HI> into thy <HI>Hand,</HI> would&s;t thou refu&s;e to <HI>pledge</HI> that <HI>health</HI> which thy <HI>Ma&s;ter</HI> first began to thy own <HI>Soul</HI>? He that well understands the <HI>Glory</HI> of the <HI>Cro&s;&s;e,</HI> will never comp|lain of its <HI>weight,</HI> there is in it <HI>plus honor is quamone|ris</HI>; How can&s;t thou expect greater <HI>preferment</HI> in this <HI>world</HI> than to be <HI>Standard-bearer</HI> to him who is the <HI>Captain</HI> of thy <HI>Salvation?</HI></P>
<P N="15">15. If thou art &s;tung with <HI>fiery Serpents,</HI> (that is <HI>calumniating tongues</HI>) run pre&s;ently to the <HI>Brazen Ser|pent,</HI> which thou mai&s;t find <HI>lifted up</HI> in the <HI>Go&s;pel; Ble&s;&s;ed are yee when men Revile yee, and Per&s;ecute yee for My names &s;ake, &amp;c.</HI> If thou art a <HI>Common Drunk|ard, Prophane Swearer,</HI> or <HI>ba&s;e Whoremonger,</HI> whil&s;t thou continue&s;t &s;o thou &s;halt be called a <HI>good fellow,</HI> an <HI>honest Cavalier,</HI> and a <HI>well bred Gentleman</HI>; But when thou change&s;t <HI>Saul</HI> into <HI>Paul,</HI> and reprove&s;t tho&s;e <HI>Sins</HI> which thou did&s;t once <HI>commit,</HI> what can&s;t thou then expect, but that the <HI>Devill</HI> who was be|fore leading thee to <HI>Pre&s;umption,</HI> should now attempt to drive thee to <HI>di&s;pair,</HI> and ca&s;t into thy <HI>face</HI> both
<PB REF="11">
the <HI>iniquities</HI> of thy <HI>Childhood,</HI> and the <HI>follies</HI> of thy <HI>Youth</HI>; and (if the&s;e fail) thy <HI>Poverty,</HI> and <HI>natural Deformity</HI> &s;hall be charged (as <HI>Crimes</HI>) again&s;t thee; But be not <HI>di&s;couraged</HI> at these things, There will (one day) be <HI>honour</HI> for thee as well as comfort for the <HI>mourner,</HI> for among&s;t the people of God there will be both a wiping of <HI>Tears</HI> from the <HI>Eyes,</HI> and a wa&s;hing of <HI>Dirt</HI> from the <HI>Faces.</HI></P>
<P N="16">16. Be not di&s;couraged from <HI>walking</HI> in the <HI>ways</HI> of <HI>God</HI> becau&s;e of the <HI>&s;candal</HI> and <HI>mi&s;carriages</HI> of &s;ome <HI>Profe&s;&s;ours</HI>; The <HI>be&s;t things</HI> being <HI>corrupted</HI> become the <HI>worst; Mercy</HI> may be <HI>abu&s;ed, Grace</HI> turned into <HI>wantone&s;&s;e,</HI> and <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> him&s;elf be made a <HI>&s;tumbling-block</HI>; Shall we therefore have no <HI>Mercy,</HI> no <HI>Grace,</HI> no <HI>Chri&s;t</HI>? God forbid; The <HI>wolvi&s;h nature</HI> of a few <HI>Hypocrites</HI> &s;hall not make <HI>sheeps-cloathing</HI> be|come <HI>odious</HI>; neither will we lay down the <HI>Profe&s;sion</HI> of <HI>Religion,</HI> becau&s;e &s;ome who took it up proved <HI>Rebels</HI> and <HI>Traytors</HI>; The <HI>Scribes</HI> and <HI>Phari&s;ees</HI> had not been condemned for their <HI>Long-Prayers,</HI> If they had not u&s;ed them as &s;o many <HI>Graces</HI> before their <HI>cur&s;ed Meals</HI> of <HI>Widdows Hou&s;es.</HI></P>
<P N="17">17. When thou heare&s;t the <HI>word</HI> preached, con&s;i|der <HI>Who</HI> it is that <HI>Knocks</HI> at thy <HI>Door</HI>; Wilt thou be a Religious <HI>Hotham</HI> to &s;hut the <HI>King</HI> of <HI>Glory</HI> out of his own <HI>Garri&s;on</HI>? or wilt thou (like tho&s;e di&s;cour|teous <HI>Bethlemites</HI> deny thy <HI>Saviour</HI> entertainment in the <HI>Inn,</HI> thy <HI>Heart,</HI> and <HI>lodg</HI> him only in the <HI>&s;table,</HI> or <HI>outward room,</HI> thine <HI>Ear</HI>? Know (carele&s;&s;e man)
<PB REF="11">
that if thou denye&s;t to <HI>open</HI> to <HI>him</HI> in <HI>thy day</HI> which is the <HI>day</HI> of <HI>Grace,</HI> hee will refu&s;e to <HI>open</HI> to <HI>thee</HI> in <HI>his Day,</HI> which is the <HI>day</HI> of <HI>Judgement.</HI></P>
<P N="18">18. That thy <HI>Soul</HI> may enjoy her <HI>freedom,</HI> labour to <HI>&s;ubdue</HI> thy <HI>Pa&s;sions, Let not the Sun go down upon thy Wrath; Anger</HI> is &s;aid to <HI>re&s;t</HI> in the <HI>bo&s;omes</HI> of <HI>fools</HI>; for indeed no <HI>wi&s;e man</HI> will be willing to <HI>harbour</HI> (in his Hou&s;e) a <HI>Thief</HI> or <HI>Murderer; wrath of four and twenty hours &s;tanding</HI> takes a <HI>Degree</HI> in the <HI>School</HI> of <HI>Satan,</HI> and commences <HI>Revenge</HI>; The <HI>Devil</HI> can, in the &s;pace of a <HI>Day</HI> and a <HI>Night, hatch</HI> his <HI>Cockatrice|egges</HI> in thy warm <HI>Bo&s;ome.</HI> But ob&s;erve the <HI>fruits</HI> of <HI>Sin,</HI> That which <HI>buds</HI> in <HI>Anger, blo&s;&s;omes</HI> in <HI>Malice,</HI> growes <HI>ripe</HI> for <HI>de&s;truction,</HI> and is <HI>gathered</HI> in <HI>Damna|tion.</HI> It was an <HI>Antidote</HI> pre&s;cribed by <HI>Athenodorus</HI> to <HI>Augu&s;tus Cae&s;ar</HI> to repeat over the <HI>Letters</HI> of the <HI>Greek Alphabet</HI>; It would be a Chri&s;tians better, and &s;afer <HI>Remedy</HI> to think upon him who is the <HI>Al|pha</HI> and <HI>Omega.</HI></P>
<P N="19">19. To avoid tho&s;e many, and dangerous <HI>falls</HI> which may happen unto thee (in thy <HI>Journey</HI>) by that <HI>unruly Bea&s;t,</HI> thy <HI>Tongue,</HI> be &s;ure to take (along with thee) <HI>Davids bridle</HI>; Take heed of that cur&s;ed <HI>Ca|coethes,</HI> which is now accounted <HI>Badge</HI> of a <HI>Gentle|mans Swearing</HI>; If there will be (<HI>one day</HI>) an <HI>account</HI> given of <HI>Idle words,</HI> there will be &s;urely a <HI>&s;tricter</HI> rec|koning for <HI>Oathes,</HI> and <HI>Bla&s;phemy,</HI> and if to &s;ay <HI>Lord we have prophecyed, and preached in thy Name,</HI> will be no good <HI>excu&s;e,</HI> certainly then to &s;ay <HI>Lord we have</HI>
<PB REF="12">
<HI>&s;worn and ranted in thy Name,</HI> can be no Lawfull <HI>A|pology.</HI></P>
<P N="20">20. Have a great care to ob&s;erve the <HI>Lords day</HI>; If we refu&s;e to keep <HI>a day of Re&s;t,</HI> how can we expect <HI>a time of Peace</HI>; the <HI>breach</HI> of one <HI>Commandement</HI> draws on the <HI>Violation</HI> of an other; When the <HI>Prophane party</HI> had <HI>liberty</HI> Given them to break the <HI>fourth Commandement,</HI> then did the <HI>Hyppocritical</HI> take Li|berty to break the <HI>fifth.</HI></P>
<P N="21">21. Let thy <HI>Recreations</HI> be <HI>manfull,</HI> not <HI>&s;infull</HI>; there is a great vanity in the <HI>baiting</HI> of <HI>Bea&s;ts,</HI> the <HI>Bears</HI> and <HI>Bulls</HI> lived <HI>quietly</HI> enough before <HI>Adams Fall</HI>; It was our &s;in that &s;et them together by the <HI>Ears,</HI> let us not therefore <HI>rejoyce</HI> to &s;ee them <HI>fight,</HI> for that would be to <HI>glory</HI> in our own <HI>&s;hame,</HI> And to take delight in that which is the <HI>fruits</HI> of our <HI>Apo&s;ta&s;y.</HI></P>
<P N="22">22. <HI>Honour</HI> and obey thy natural <HI>Parents</HI> although thy be <HI>poor</HI>; for if thy <HI>earthly Parents</HI> cannot give thee <HI>riches</HI> and <HI>honours,</HI> yet thy <HI>heavenly Father</HI> hath pro|mi&s;ed thee <HI>length of dayes.</HI> But e&s;pecially forget not thy duty to thy <HI>Political father</HI> the <HI>King</HI>; who is a <HI>vi&s;ible God,</HI> as <HI>God</HI> is an <HI>invi&s;ible King</HI>; If thou <HI>ho|noure&s;t</HI> not the one, thou can&s;t not <HI>fear</HI> the other. They who <HI>murdered</HI> the <HI>King</HI> would have done as much to <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> had he been then in the Fle&s;h.</P>
<P N="23">23. Let not thy envious <HI>eyes</HI> be <HI>dazled</HI> at the <HI>Glorie</HI> of thy <HI>Princes mercie,</HI> neither Goe about to rip open
<PB REF="12">
the&s;e wounds which his <HI>Royal clemency</HI> hath <HI>healed.</HI> There are &s;ome &s;ick of <HI>Jonahs di&s;ea&s;e,</HI> who becau&s;e the Gourds of their <HI>fooli&s;h hopes,</HI> and expectations of <HI>preferment</HI> are <HI>withered,</HI> grow <HI>&s;ullen</HI> and <HI>di&s;contented</HI> that the poor penitent <HI>Ninivites</HI> are not <HI>de&s;troyed</HI>: men of &s;uch <HI>Principles</HI> have cau&s;e to give thanks that <HI>their &s;elves</HI> are not <HI>Kings,</HI> for <HI>divine Providence</HI> fore|&s;eeing the <HI>mi&s;chievou&s;ne&s;&s;e</HI> of their <HI>Spirits</HI> did wi&s;ely to &s;et them in &s;uch <HI>places</HI> where they might do the <HI>Lea&s;t</HI> hurt.</P>
<P N="24">24. And as thou art to <HI>honour</HI> the <HI>King,</HI> &s;o <HI>like|wi&s;e</HI> is it thy duty to <HI>Reverence</HI> the <HI>Bi&s;hops,</HI> and <HI>Fa|thers of the Church</HI>; for the one is <HI>Gods Vice roy,</HI> and the others his <HI>Emba&s;&s;adours</HI>; be not like tho&s;e who <HI>envy</HI> their <HI>greatne&s;&s;e,</HI> and gape after their <HI>Lands</HI>; but <HI>love</HI> their <HI>Per&s;ons,</HI> and <HI>obey</HI> their <HI>Doctrine</HI>: and &s;ince it is <HI>Gods</HI> will to make them <HI>Bi&s;hops,</HI> I hope thou wilt give the <HI>King</HI> leave to make them Lords. Why not my <HI>Lord Bi&s;hop</HI> as well as my <HI>Lord Iudge?</HI> I think, of the two, the <HI>Divine</HI> is the more <HI>noble Function.</HI></P>
<P N="25">25. Labour to Keep <HI>alive</HI> in thy <HI>brea&s;t</HI> that <HI>little &s;park</HI> of <HI>caele&s;tial fire</HI> called <HI>Con&s;cience; Con&s;cience,</HI> like <HI>Virgils Gnat,</HI> doth with her <HI>&s;ting</HI> awake the <HI>&s;leepy Soul</HI> thereby to prevent the <HI>&s;tinging</HI> of the <HI>Serpent; Con&s;cience</HI> to an <HI>evil man</HI> is a never dying <HI>Worm,</HI> and (as the Poets feign of <HI>Prometheus</HI>) a <HI>Vultur</HI> con|tinually <HI>Gnawing</HI> his <HI>Liver,</HI> but unto a <HI>Good man</HI> a <HI>perpetual feast</HI>; &s;o that he may well &s;ay with <HI>Sam&s;on,
<PB REF="13">
out of the eater came forth meat.</HI></P>
<P N="26">26. The chief <HI>Perfection</HI> of a <HI>Chri&s;tian</HI> is <HI>Love</HI>; which ought be the <HI>duty</HI> of all men, Art thou for <HI>old</HI> things, the old <HI>Religion,</HI> old <HI>Ceremony,</HI> old <HI>Cu|&s;tomes,</HI> con&s;ider there is nothing &s;o <HI>old</HI> as <HI>love</HI>; or art thou for <HI>new</HI> things, new <HI>Lords,</HI> new <HI>Laws,</HI> new <HI>Lights,</HI> (or rather <HI>new nothings</HI>) alas <HI>poor Child</HI>! there is nothing &s;o <HI>new</HI> as <HI>love</HI>; Whether therefore thou art an <HI>old Heretick</HI> called a <HI>Ie&s;uite,</HI> or <HI>new one</HI> called a <HI>Phanatick,</HI> let <HI>love</HI> oblige thee; <HI>Love</HI> is the <HI>Alpha</HI> and <HI>Omega,</HI> the <HI>New</HI> and the <HI>Old Commande|ment</HI>; If thou wilt not Believe me, enquire of St. <HI>Iohn</HI> the <HI>Apo&s;tle,</HI> and he will &s;hew thee <HI>Epistle</HI> for the One, and <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> for the other.</P>
<P N="27">27. If thou would&s;t enjoy <HI>true content,</HI> live quietly in that <HI>Vocation</HI> unto which <HI>Providence</HI> hath <HI>called</HI> thee; <HI>Meddle</HI> not with another mans <HI>trade</HI> and <HI>imployment,</HI> but learn to <HI>move</HI> in thy own <HI>Spheare,</HI> and to mind thy <HI>particular Function</HI>; Our <HI>old Aver&s;ary,</HI> the <HI>De|vil,</HI> who tempted <HI>Adam,</HI> with a <HI>promi&s;e</HI> to make him <HI>as a God,</HI> hath a <HI>fine bait</HI> for thee al&s;o: If thou art a <HI>Traytour</HI> he will <HI>promi&s;e</HI> to make thee <HI>as a King</HI>: If thou art a <HI>Factious Presbyter</HI> he will <HI>promi&s;e</HI> to make thee <HI>as a Bi&s;hop.</HI> It is his de&s;ign to &s;et the <HI>Church</HI> upon the <HI>wrack,</HI> and to <HI>di&s;locate</HI> the <HI>Ioynts</HI> of the <HI>My|&s;tical Body</HI> of Chri&s;t.</P>
<P N="28">28. Call thy &s;elf to an <HI>account</HI> each <HI>night</HI> for the <HI>&s;ins</HI> of the <HI>pa&s;t</HI> Day, and reckon in the <HI>Morning</HI> for the
<PB REF="13">
<HI>iniquities</HI> of the <HI>night</HI>; God hath a <HI>book</HI> for thy <HI>&s;ins,</HI> and a <HI>Bottle,</HI> for thy <HI>tears</HI>; If <HI>humane frailty</HI> run 'oth' <HI>Score</HI> in his <HI>book,</HI> then let <HI>Repentance</HI> fill his Bottle. The way to avoid <HI>Gods judgements</HI> is to <HI>judge</HI> thy <HI>&s;elf,</HI> and by <HI>condemning</HI> thy <HI>Self</HI> thou maye&s;t &s;hun <HI>Damna|tion.</HI></P>
<P N="29">29. Remember often the <HI>brevity</HI> and <HI>uncertaintie</HI> of thy <HI>Life</HI>; con&s;ider what <HI>bu&s;ine&s;s</HI> thou ha&s;t here up|on <HI>earth</HI>; thy Life is called a <HI>Race</HI> and <HI>warfare,</HI> So <HI>run this Race that thou mai&s;t obtain,</HI> and &s;o <HI>fight this Warfare that thou mai&s;t become more than Conquerour through him who hath loved thee</HI>; take heed of being <HI>Uxorious</HI> as well as <HI>Covetous; Whores</HI> and <HI>Plunder</HI> will ruine any <HI>Army; Self</HI> and <HI>Pel&s;, Bag</HI> and <HI>Baggage</HI> un|doe the <HI>World.</HI></P>
<P N="30">30. If thou art not yet <HI>Maried</HI> but intende&s;t it, get thee a <HI>Wife mode&s;t,</HI> rather than <HI>Beautifull</HI>; Meddle not with tho&s;e <HI>Ladies of the Game,</HI> who make <HI>Page|ants</HI> of their <HI>Cheeks,</HI> and <HI>Shops</HI> of their <HI>Shoulders,</HI> and (contrary to all other Trades) keep open their <HI>VVindows</HI> of the <HI>Sabboth day,</HI> impudently expo&s;ing their <HI>Nakedne&s;&s;e</HI> to the view of a Whole <HI>Congregati|on,</HI> which <HI>Eve</HI> mode&s;tly covered which there was <HI>no man</HI> in the World pre&s;ent &s;ave only her <HI>Husband; Black Patches</HI> are an <HI>abomination</HI> in the &s;ight of the <HI>Lord</HI>; And I believe that when <HI>God</HI> and <HI>Sathan</HI> &s;hall divide their <HI>flock</HI> (it will be as with <HI>Laban</HI> and <HI>Iacob</HI>) the <HI>&s;potted,</HI> and <HI>ring-&s;treaked</HI> will fall to the Devils <HI>&s;hare</HI>; Joyn not therefore thy Self unto an
<PB REF="14">
<HI>Harlot</HI> unle&s;&s;e thou ha&s;t a mind to Hire a <HI>Guide</HI> to <HI>Hell.</HI></P>
<P N="31">31. But let it be thy main endeavour to <HI>wed</HI> thy <HI>Soul</HI> unto <HI>Christ</HI> which will be the <HI>happye&s;t match</HI>; The <HI>Mariage</HI> of the <HI>Fir&s;t Adam</HI> was not &s;o <HI>Honora|ble</HI> as that of the <HI>Second</HI> will be <HI>Glorious</HI>; for then will hee give unto his <HI>Spou&s;e Fullne&s;s</HI> of <HI>Ioy</HI> for a <HI>Po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion,</HI> and make her a Joynture of <HI>everla&s;ting Plea&s;ure</HI>; whereas the chiefe&s;t <HI>Iewell</HI> that the <HI>Fle&s;h,</HI> the <HI>world,</HI> and the <HI>Devil</HI> can boa&s;t of is <HI>Deaths head</HI> &s;et in the <HI>Ring</HI> of <HI>Eternity.</HI></P>
<P>This (<HI>Chri&s;tian Reader</HI>) is pat of the <HI>Do|ctrine of the A&s;&s;e</HI>; as Good <HI>Advice as</HI> my <HI>Sick Head</HI> can (at the pre&s;ent) afford thee; But when the <HI>powerfull voice</HI> of Almighty God &s;hall command a <HI>Calm</HI> in the <HI>troubled Sea</HI> of My <HI>di&s;tempered Mind,</HI> I &s;hall pre&s;ent thee, If not with better matter, yet in a better Me|thod. In the mean time accept of this form him who is</P>
<P>Thy Servant in him who became a Servant to make us free,</P>
<SIGNED>LEWIS GRIFFIN.</SIGNED>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB N="1" REF="14">
<HEAD>THE ASSES COMPLAINT AGAINST BALAAM: OR, The Cry of the Country again&s;t Ignorant and Scandalous Mini&s;ters.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>To the Reverend Bi&s;hops,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<LG>
<L>YEE, <HI>mitred Members</HI> of the <HI>Hou&s;e of Peers,</HI></L>
<L>The <HI>Kings Church-wardens,</HI> and <HI>Gods Over&s;eers,</HI></L>
<L><HI>Fathers</HI> in <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> we your poor <HI>Children</HI> cry</L>
<L>Oh give us <HI>Bread of Life,</HI> or el&s;e we <HI>die.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>For we are burd'ned with our <HI>old Sir Johns,</HI></L>
<L>Who when we ask for <HI>Bread</HI> do give us <HI>&s;tones</HI>;</L>
<L>And only <HI>cant</HI> a <HI>Homily</HI> or two,</L>
<L>Which <HI>Daws</HI> and <HI>Parrots</HI> may be taught to do;</L>
<L><HI>Drunkards Cannonical, Unhallowed Bears,</HI></L>
<L>That name <HI>God</HI> oftner in their <HI>Oaths</HI> then <HI>Prayers.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Into what darkne&s;&s;e will our Church be hurld.</L>
<L><PB N="2" REF="15">If &s;uch as the&s;e be call'd <HI>The light o'th' World?</HI></L>
<L>The&s;e that have nought to prove them&s;elves devout</L>
<L>Save only this, <HI>That Cromwell turn'd them out.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Mi&s;take us not, we do not mean tho&s;e Loyal</L>
<L>And Learned &s;ouls, who in the fiery tryal</L>
<L>Suffer'd for <HI>King</HI> and <HI>Con&s;cience &s;ake,</HI> let &s;uch</L>
<L>Have double honour, we shall nere think much.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But this our tender Con&s;cience di&s;approves,</L>
<L>That <HI>Ravens</HI> &s;hould return as well as <HI>Doves</HI>;</L>
<L>And <HI>croak</HI> in <HI>Pulpits</HI> once again to bring</L>
<L>A second Judgement on our <HI>Church</HI> and <HI>King.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Though <HI>England</HI> doth not fear another lo&s;&s;e,</L>
<L>'Cau&s;e <HI>God</HI> hath <HI>burn'd</HI> his Rods at <HI>Charing-cro&s;&s;e</HI>;</L>
<L>Yet <HI>Clergy &s;ins</HI> may call him to the Door,</L>
<L>Ev'n him who <HI>whip'd</HI> and <HI>&s;courg'd</HI> them out before.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Oh therefore yet that read the &s;acred Laws,</L>
<L>Eject their <HI>Per&s;ons,</HI> and di&s;own their <HI>Cau&s;e</HI>:</L>
<L><HI>God,</HI> and the <HI>King</HI> have both condemn'd this crew,</L>
<L>Then let them not be <HI>patroniz'd</HI> by <HI>you.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>'Tis not their <HI>Ca&s;&s;ocks,</HI> nor their <HI>Surplices</HI></L>
<L>We quarrell at, there is no hurt in the&s;e;</L>
<L>We own their <HI>Decency,</HI> yet every <HI>Foole</HI></L>
<L>Cannot be call'd <HI>Monk</HI> that wears a <HI>Cowle</HI>;</L>
<L>Were <HI>grace,</HI> and <HI>learning</HI> wanting (by your leaves)</L>
<L>We would not pin our faith on your <HI>Lawn-&s;leeves;</HI></L>
<L>'Tis <HI>Aarons Brea&s;t-plate,</HI> and tho&s;e <HI>&s;acred words</HI></L>
<L>Become a <HI>Churchman</HI> be&s;t, THAT THAT my Lords</L>
<L>Which pious <HI>Baxter</HI> makes his livery,</L>
<L><HI>Would all our Curates were but &s;uch as he</HI>!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Pardon my <HI>Lords,</HI> we do not make this &s;tir</L>
<L>To vindicate the <HI>Factious Presbyter</HI>;</L>
<L>We hate his wayes, and equally di&s;own</L>
<L>The <HI>Zealous Rebell,</HI> as the <HI>Idle Droan</HI>;</L>
<L>And beg as oft to be deliver'd from</L>
<L>The <HI>Kirk</HI> of <HI>Scotland,</HI> as the <HI>Sea</HI> of <HI>Rome</HI>;</L>
<L>We pray for <HI>Bi&s;hops</HI> too, Oh may ye &s;tand</L>
<L>To heal the &s;ad di&s;tractions of the Land;</L>
<L>Then give us <HI>Prie&s;ts</HI> loyall and painfull too,</L>
<L><PB N="3" REF="15">To give to <HI>Cae&s;ar,</HI> and to us our dues;</L>
<L>Who maugre all the pow'rs of Hell have &s;tood,</L>
<L>Men that are neither drunk with Wine nor Blood:</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>God &s;ave King <HI>Charles</HI> our Chri&s;tian Faiths Defender,</L>
<L>And bring Religion to its wonted Splendour.</L>
</LG>
<BYLINE>Written in the behalf of the Coun|try by
<HI>Lewis Griffin.</HI></BYLINE>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<HEAD>A Supplement to the Asses Complaint against <HI>Balaam</HI>: Or the Cry of the Country again&s;t Ignorant and Scan|dalous Mini&s;ters.</HEAD>
<LG>
<L>AVaunt ye <HI>Smooth-tongu'd Flatterers</HI> of the Age;</L>
<L>Prae&s;to <HI>ye Meal-mouth'd Prophets</HI>; clear the Stage;</L>
<L>Enter the <HI>A&s;&s;e</HI> again, who (though he Kneel</L>
<L>Unto the <HI>Higher Powers</HI>) lifts up his Heel</L>
<L>Again&s;t all tho&s;e who make Gods hou&s;e a Den</L>
<L>Of<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">It hath been a Den of <HI>Lay-Theeves</HI> long already.</NOTE> <HI>Clergy Theeves</HI>; Have at them once agen.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But hark; I hear a <HI>Country Pari&s;h</HI> crye,</L>
<L>"Were ever <HI>Christians</HI> in &s;uch <HI>&s;lavery?</HI></L>
<L>"Mu&s;t we be taught by an <HI>Illitr' ate Bear?</HI></L>
<L>"Hee <HI>Preach?</HI> Hee'll only teach our <HI>Boyes to &s;wear.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Is then your <HI>Prie&s;t</HI> a <HI>Swearer?</HI> Hah &mdash; mu&s;t he</L>
<L>That taunts a <HI>Bi&s;hop</HI> ta&s;te a <HI>Pillory?</HI></L>
<L>And 'tis but Ju&s;t, and right; yet who controules</L>
<L>Him who <HI>Bla&s;phemes</HI> the <HI>Bi&s;hop</HI> of our <HI>Souls?</HI></L>
<L>What? Is an <HI>Oath</HI> le&s;&s;e <HI>poenal</HI> than a <HI>Word?</HI></L>
<L>Or is the <HI>Servant</HI> greater than this <HI>Lord?</HI></L>
<L>No; <HI>He that Swears commits the fouler Sin,</HI></L>
<L><HI>And more de&s;erves to lo&s;e his Ears than</HI>&mdash;</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<PB N="4" REF="16">
<L>'Tis true, <HI>Seditious</HI> Spirits, that Deny</L>
<L>Obedience to the <HI>Sacred Hierarchy,</HI></L>
<L>Merit Severe Correction, let them hae't;</L>
<L>They'r the <HI>Disturbers</HI> both of <HI>Church</HI> and <HI>State</HI>;</L>
<L>Yet <HI>Prelat's Zeal</HI> would be much better &s;hown</L>
<L>In &s;triking <HI>Gods offenders</HI> than their <HI>Own.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Nay, <HI>Gods</HI> are theirs; for he that wears <HI>lawn &s;leeves,</HI></L>
<L>Like <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> is murder'd 'twixt a <HI>brace of Theeves,</HI></L>
<L>Both &s;hew their <HI>enmity,</HI> but Divers wayes,</L>
<L>The <HI>Presbyter denyes,</HI> but <HI>This betrayes</HI>;</L>
<L>Now tell me (<HI>gentle Reader</HI>) which were Greater,</L>
<L>The <HI>&s;in</HI> of <HI>Judas,</HI> or the <HI>crime</HI> of Peter?</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Then let the <HI>Bi&s;hops</HI> ca&s;t them out, for thus</L>
<L>They do but <HI>Ju&s;tice</HI> to themselves and us;</L>
<L>Like the wife <HI>Mariners,</HI> who, to appea&s;e</L>
<L>The fury of the Raging <HI>Winds,</HI> and <HI>Seas,</HI></L>
<L>Threw <HI>Jonas</HI> over-board; &s;uch was his <HI>&s;in,</HI></L>
<L>There was no <HI>Cannon Law</HI> to keep him in.</L>
<L>Nor is it Rea&s;on <HI>all</HI> &s;hould be maintain'd</L>
<L>Ith' <HI>Church,</HI> who took <HI>Degrees,</HI> and were <HI>Ordain'd</HI>;</L>
<L>For He that after proves a <HI>Drunken Bea&s;t,</HI></L>
<L><HI>Degrades</HI> him&s;elf from <HI>Man,</HI> much more from <HI>Priest.</HI></L>
<L>And &s;uch they were who caus'd our Bloody War,</L>
<L>When <HI>Levy's</HI> tribe were kick'd by <HI>I&s;&s;achar</HI>;</L>
<L>For though <HI>Men</HI> &s;peak with a <HI>not &s;o thy Sons,</HI></L>
<L>Yet <HI>God</HI> reprov'd them with the <HI>voyce</HI> of <HI>Guns.</HI></L>
<L><HI>Phanaticks,</HI> tho&s;e <HI>Philistins,</HI> wan the field,</L>
<L>Whil&s;t our <HI>poor I&s;rael</HI> were forc'd to yield;</L>
<L>For <HI>Ely's boyes</HI> had lo&s;t the <HI>Ark of God,</HI></L>
<L>Each <HI>Phinehas</HI> begot an <HI>Ichabod.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Then <HI>Oh ye Bi&s;hops,</HI> heal the&s;e &s;ad di&s;a&s;ters,</L>
<L>We do not call for <HI>Rectors</HI> but for <HI>Pa&s;tors.</HI></L>
<L>A Prie&s;t &s;hould <HI>lead</HI> his <HI>Pari&s;h as a Guide,</HI></L>
<L>Not <HI>leap</HI> upon their <HI>galled backs</HI> and <HI>ride,</HI></L>
<L>For 'tis our <HI>Mother Churche's</HI> grand di&s;grace,</L>
<L>That the&s;e <HI>black patches</HI> &s;tick upon her face.</L>
</LG>
<BYLINE>Writen by Lewis Griffin.</BYLINE>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<PB N="5" REF="16">
<HEAD>BALAAMS REPLY TO THE ASSE: OR THE CLERGIES An&s;wer TO THE Countryes Complaint.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>To the Reverend Bi&s;hops,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<LG>
<L>You Learned Prelates of the Hou&s;e of Peers!</L>
<L>That &s;it in <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> Chair, and bow your ears</L>
<L>To Widows ju&s;t Complaints, and Orphans tears!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Grave (Fathers of the Church) to you we come!</L>
<L>Begging for Ju&s;tice! though they &s;ay we are dumb;</L>
<L>If we were &s;o indeed 'twere well for &s;ome.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L><PB N="6" REF="17">To you we render our complaints ala&s;&s;e,</L>
<L>None fitter then an Angel to appe&s;e</L>
<L>The fray, betwixt poor Bala'm and his A&s;&s;e?</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>And that your Lord&s;hips are concern'd I'm &s;ure;</L>
<L>Unle&s;&s;e you can both &s;corn and lo&s;&s;e endure,</L>
<L>The livings are your own, our's but the cure!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Twill be no wonder to your Learned Train,</L>
<L>That <HI>I&s;&s;acar</HI> of <HI>Levy</HI> &s;hould complain!</L>
<L>The A&s;&s;es &s;pleen, will in his mouth remain.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Nor wil't I hope &s;eem &s;trange to any one,</L>
<L>That there's among&s;t us &s;uch divi&s;ion,</L>
<L>Proud <HI>Jack</HI> did evermore abu&s;e poor <HI>John</HI>!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>In vain it is for Bala'm to reply</L>
<L>Unto the A&s;&s;es charge, when all men cry,</L>
<L>A &s;witch and &s;purr's the be&s;t Philo&s;ophy!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Yet in my heart I think no wife men do,</L>
<L>Think us fal&s;e Prophets, for they all do know,</L>
<L>They are but A&s;&s;es, that do count us &s;o.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But oh we cannot hold, &s;hould we not &s;peak,</L>
<L>And &s;igh aloud, our very hearts would break,</L>
<L>'Twould vex a <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> were he ne're &s;o meek!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Say can it chu&s;e but grieve our &s;ouls to &s;ee?</L>
<L><HI>Simeon</HI> and <HI>Levy</HI> fight, both di&s;agree?</L>
<L>And &s;orry boys, old Fathers villifie?</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Did ever any &s;ince the cur&s;ed <HI>Cam,</HI></L>
<L>Turn up his Fathers skirt, divulge his &s;hame?</L>
<L>Yes, yes, mine own dear &s;ons have done the &s;ame!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>And as if God were deaf, and Con&s;cience dumb,</L>
<L>Rebellion but a peccadillo, &s;ome</L>
<L>Like <HI>Nero</HI> have di&s;play'd their Mothers Womb.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Lord did&s;t thou &s;end, the wild and Savage Bear,</L>
<L>To &s;lay th'untoward boys that &s;coffing were,</L>
<L>At the good Prophet for his want of hair</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>How can&s;t thou &s;tay thy hand, when men and all,</L>
<L>Do joyn together, and us &s;coffing call,</L>
<L>Though not bald Prie&s;ts by chance, yet Prie&s;ts of <HI>Baal,</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>And why Sir <HI>John?</HI> what mean tho&s;e names and words?</L>
<L>Or hath the Church her Knights, as well as Lords?</L>
<L><PB N="7" REF="17">Or, tell me are her Keys exchang'd for Swords?</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>True not long &s;ince he lay dead in a &s;own,</L>
<L>Of civil Wars, the cro&s;s, and waining Moon,</L>
<L>Parted her En&s;igns, and &s;he was undone.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But that &s;ome gallant hearts that &s;corn'd the lo&s;&s;e</L>
<L>Of life and goods, at be&s;t but &s;plendid dro&s;s</L>
<L>Stay'd for to help their Mother bear her Cro&s;s.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But why Sir <HI>John</HI>? would not St. <HI>George</HI> have been</L>
<L>A better Epethite, but chiefly when</L>
<L>Griffins, and Draggons are &s;o nee' a kin?</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Or was't a greater piece of eminence,</L>
<L>To be a Mother, than a Maids defence,</L>
<L>Is love inferiour to obedience?</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Why the rude Vulgar folk do call us <HI>John,</HI></L>
<L>And adde a Sir, I mu&s;t profe&s;&s;e I'm one</L>
<L>As mu&s;t go &s;eek a revelation?</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>True, we have been as we do all confe&s;s,</L>
<L>A long time in the howling wilderne&s;s,</L>
<L>Save that we might not preach up righteou&s;ne&s;s!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Be&s;ides our Commons too were very &s;mall,</L>
<L>Like to the Bapti&s;t's, yet they differ all!</L>
<L><HI>John</HI> fed on Honey, but we fed on Gall.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Yet we embrace the title, 'tis no &s;hame</L>
<L>For to be Chri&s;tn'd with the Bapti&s;ts name,</L>
<L>May we be like him all a burning flame!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But ah this is not all that you do &s;ee,</L>
<L>A thou&s;and harder names as yet there be</L>
<L>In the poor Par&s;ons Genealogy.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Dogs, Bears and Wolves, Tigers and &s;uch as they</L>
<L>That range the Ment Woods, live on the prey,</L>
<L>Are Hieroglyphicks fit for us they &s;ay.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>And yet God knows our hearts, and &s;ouls we cou'd</L>
<L>Nor fight, nor fawn, be in&s;olent, nor proud,</L>
<L>Or flu&s;h our &s;elves with quaffing humane blood!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But &s;o the Tyrant Monarchs of the Ea&s;t,</L>
<L>Us'd (in their Triumphs, or their &s;olemn Fea&s;ts)</L>
<L>To bait poor Chri&s;tians in the skins of bea&s;ts.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>What 'tis we have done, truly we do not know,</L>
<L><PB N="8" REF="18">To merit ill of them, did we wee'd go,</L>
<L>With bended knee to &s;upplicate our Fo!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>If we have took away from any one,</L>
<L>More than our Tenth's, on this condition,</L>
<L>We are ready to make re&s;titution!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>If Altars, Tapers, be Idolatry,</L>
<L>Gowns, Ca&s;fack, Tippets, rags of Popery,</L>
<L>Shew us good rea&s;on for't wee'l lay 'em by?</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But if the reading Prayers be all our blame,</L>
<L>Cau&s;e Daws and Parrots may be taught the &s;ame,</L>
<L>The A&s;s may then return from whence he came?</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>For is there any man doth &s;tand in need,</L>
<L>Of &s;o much wit, as that he won't conceed,</L>
<L>To this, a Pye may &s;ooner &s;peak than read?</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But oh we cannot pray our hearts are &s;cant,</L>
<L>Strange that we cannot pray, and yet can cant,</L>
<L>The poor man never did expre&s;&s;ions want!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>True, wa can't hang the head, and look demure,</L>
<L>1Talk fa&s;t, and lowd like Monkeys in a Lure,</L>
<L>And then not que&s;tion but to &s;in &s;ecure!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>We do not love a long and tedious &s;tory,</L>
<L>Full of Parenthe&s;is, pride and vain glory,</L>
<L>The <HI>Pater Noster's</HI> the be&s;t Directory!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>We do profe&s;s that we are none of tho&s;e,</L>
<L>That Circumflex their Sermons with their No&s;e,</L>
<L>And mingle <HI>Hopkins</HI> Rimes, with <HI>Wi&s;domes</HI> Pro&s;e!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Yet would you but vouch&s;afe to view the Prayers,</L>
<L>Of your good Mother &s;ince the&s;e latter years,</L>
<L>Mixt with the incen&s;e of a Prelates Tears?</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Would you but hearken to her groans, and cries,</L>
<L>Her &s;weet Patheticks and Apo&s;trophies,</L>
<L>You'ld &s;ay there was not richer Sacrafice!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>The penitent Di&s;ciple I dur&s;t &s;wear,</L>
<L>Ne'r wept &s;o much, when the pert Presbyter,</L>
<L>Fa&s;tned his Fetters, and did him &s;ecure!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Even &s;o the Balm tree, lovingly be&s;tows,</L>
<L>Its Tears on them, that do return it blows;</L>
<L>Tears healing as the blood that from it flows!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<PB N="9" REF="18">
<L>But &s;tay here comes a &s;crole of <HI>Items,</HI> fright</L>
<L>Ju&s;t like a Taylors Bill, a threadbare Knight,</L>
<L>They &s;ay we are &s;otti&s;h, loo&s;e, prophane, and light!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I do not with the&s;e Articles may be,</L>
<L>As fal&s;e a charge, as manife&s;t a lye,</L>
<L>As tho&s;e were of a former Century!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>For then the bribed Per&s;on that &s;hould go,</L>
<L>To prove the imputation to be &s;o,</L>
<L>Would be the greater &s;candal of the two.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But yet I pray, that we may be no le&s;s</L>
<L>Religious in plenty then di&s;tre&s;s!</L>
<L>In <HI>Canaan,</HI> then in the Wilderne&s;s!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But we are Drunkards, men will lye and &s;wear,</L>
<L>Though we with mode&s;ty and tears declare,</L>
<L>True is our Doctrine, Temperance our prayer!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Then us for Thieves, and Robbers they do brand,</L>
<L>Though we profe&s;&s;e we would upon no hand,</L>
<L>Purcha&s;e an Acre of the Churches Land!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But we are wanton, lu&s;tful, fond and fickle,</L>
<L>And in our Neighbours Corn do thru&s;t our Sickle,</L>
<L>When we God-wot all hate a Conventickle.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>La&s;tly we are dark Lights, blind Guides by name,</L>
<L>Though if we were, &s;ay which de&s;erves mo&s;t blame,</L>
<L>A glimering Taper, or a wandring flame?</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>And yet the faults not ours, we had no doubt,</L>
<L>Remain'd till now, bright &s;hining and devout,</L>
<L>Had not a Seque&s;tration blew us out!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>That Northern Gu&s;t, that Fatal Hurrican,</L>
<L>That ru&s;h'd through all the quarters of the Land,</L>
<L>Rooted up Oaks, but let the Mu&s;hroms &s;tand!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Good Lord how prejudice and pa&s;&s;ion blears</L>
<L>Our eys; how &s;elf-ends lug men by the ears,</L>
<L>Which way the wind doth blow, the Saylor &s;teers!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>If we &s;ay nothing then they &s;purn and kick,</L>
<L>Call us dumb dogs, and throw us bones to pick,</L>
<L>The A&s;s will vapour when he Lyons &s;ick!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>When we refu&s;e to &s;ee, at lea&s;t to mind,</L>
<L>Their gro&s;e abu&s;es, then the Prie&s;t is blind,</L>
<L><PB N="10" REF="19">Weeping perhaps to fee them &s;o unkind!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But if we ju&s;tifie our holyne&s;s,</L>
<L>And prove by rea&s;on, what we do profe&s;s,</L>
<L>The wi&s;dome of the world is fooli&s;hne&s;s!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>At la&s;t when envy cannot find a hole,</L>
<L>To &s;hrowd her &s;elf, down they fit and Condole,</L>
<L>Tis a poor &s;illy &s;uper&s;titious &s;oul!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>The&s;e are the Scoffs and Jeers, the cruel hits,</L>
<L>That wicked heads invent in drunken fits,</L>
<L>To vex good men, and exerci&s;e their wits.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>O wicked World, O Mon&s;trous Commonweal,</L>
<L>When men with great applau&s;e might kill and &s;teal,</L>
<L>Sen&s;ure was Saint&s;hip, Sacriledge was Zeal!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>When Churches lay like &s;tables, Altars bare,</L>
<L>Or turn'd to Mangers, Prie&s;t, and Organs were</L>
<L>Both &s;ilenc'd, none might preach unle&s;s they'd &s;ware!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>No Mu&s;ick in the Church but Widows cries,</L>
<L>No Sacraments but Oaths, no Rites but lies,</L>
<L>No Chri&s;tian Burial, and no &s;acrifice!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But thanks be to our gratious God, for why?</L>
<L>He heard our prayers, and harken'd to our Cry,</L>
<L>And thereupon turn'd our captivity!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>We'are all in peace, long may we &s;o remain,</L>
<L>May the Crown flouri&s;h on our Soveraign,</L>
<L>And <HI>Aarons</HI> Rod blo&s;om and bloom again!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>May all the Kings and Churches Enemies</L>
<L>All their plots, projects, and con&s;piracies,</L>
<L>Be blown away like &s;illy Gnats and Flies!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>And now my Lords &s;ince we to you have cry'd,</L>
<L>And nothing that concerns us from you hide,</L>
<L>Pitty our &s;orrows, pardon us be&s;ide!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>O Father <HI>Abraham</HI> how can&s;t thou &s;ee,</L>
<L>The bondman &s;coff at <HI>I&s;aack</HI> and not be,</L>
<L>In love to him, offended pre&s;ently?</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Ala&s;s we don't &s;igh and complain, becau&s;e</L>
<L>Our honours lie at &s;take, but the good laws,</L>
<L>Your reputation, and the Churches cau&s;e.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Tis time, tis time my Lords, or to keep in</L>
<L><PB N="11" REF="19">For your own &s;afeties, or go armed when</L>
<L>The Lyon's couchant, in the A&s;&s;es skin!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I'le &s;ay but this, take't on a Levits word,</L>
<L>When once the A&s;&s;e doth of his own accord</L>
<L>Thus kick Sir <HI>John,</HI> Hee'l quickly fling my Lord.</L>
</LG>
<BYLINE><HI>Written by</HI> H. W.</BYLINE>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="poem">
<HEAD>THE APOLCGY Of the AUTHOR of the <HI>A&s;&s;es Complaint again&s;t Balaam.</HI></HEAD>
<LG>
<L>Rage on, Ye proud <HI>Phili&s;tins</HI> of the Land,</L>
<L>I &s;corn your <HI>Weakne&s;s,</HI> and (like <HI>Sam&s;on</HI>) &s;tand</L>
<L><HI>Arm'd</HI> with an <HI>A&s;&s;es Jaw-bone</HI> in my hand.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Sure he that tells me of <HI>John Bapti&s;t,</HI> je&s;ts,</L>
<L>And of the <HI>Tyrants,</HI> and their <HI>Solemn</HI> Fea&s;ts;</L>
<L>'Tis I that combat with <HI>Ephe&s;ian Bea&s;ts.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Hark! Hark! how <HI>I&s;grim</HI> howles, and <HI>Bruin</HI> roares,</L>
<L>Had <HI>Dives</HI> kept &s;uch <HI>Ban-dogs</HI> at his <HI>Doores,</HI></L>
<L>They'd <HI>Worried Lazarus,</HI> not <HI>lick'd</HI> his <HI>Sores.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>They tell us of a <HI>Pillory</HI>; What then,</L>
<L>We hope to &s;ee a <HI>Re&s;urrection,</HI> when</L>
<L>The <HI>Harmle&s;&s;e bea&s;t</HI> &s;hall have his <HI>Ears</HI> agen.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Nay they may take his <HI>Life,</HI> a worthy prize!</L>
<L><PB N="12" REF="20">Yet he that <HI>&s;pills</HI> his <HI>Blood</HI> cannot be wi&s;e,</L>
<L>For <HI>A&s;&s;es</HI> ne're were us'd in <HI>Sacrifice.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But mu&s;t he <HI>Die?</HI> pray give him leave to <HI>pau&s;e,</HI></L>
<L>Is the <HI>poor A&s;&s;e</HI> condemn'd by <HI>Lydford Laws?</HI></L>
<L>Sure if he <HI>Die</HI> you'll let him know the <HI>Cau&s;e.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>What think you then? If he that doth <HI>declaime</HI></L>
<L>'Gain&s;t <HI>Drunkenne&s;&s;e,</HI> and <HI>Swearing</HI> merits &s;hame;</L>
<L>Then he that writ the <HI>Cry,</HI> was much to blame.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Or if tho&s;e men of <HI>I&s;rael</HI> who (with tears)</L>
<L>Complain'd of <HI>Eli</HI>'s Sons, were <HI>Mutineers</HI>;</L>
<L>Then <HI>Balaam</HI>'s <HI>A&s;&s;e</HI> de&s;erves to lo&s;e his <HI>Ears.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But if among&s;t the <HI>pious Learned</HI> train,</L>
<L><HI>Dunces</HI> are crept, who their profe&s;&s;ion &s;tain,</L>
<L>Be patient Sirs, our <HI>Cry</HI> was not in vain.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>What &s;hall the <HI>A&s;&s;e</HI> for&s;ake his <HI>Ma&s;ters crib,</HI></L>
<L>And follow tho&s;e that u&s;e to <HI>&s;wear</HI> and <HI>bib?</HI></L>
<L>No, He fears neither <HI>Pillory</HI> nor <HI>Gib.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Let <HI>Fools</HI> and <HI>Traytors</HI> dread &s;uch things, not I,</L>
<L>Who in the <HI>Dangerous</HI> times of <HI>Tyranny,</HI></L>
<L><HI>Own'd</HI> that, which now they &s;ay I do <HI>deny.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I that oppos'd <HI>Presbytery</HI> when Some</L>
<L><HI>Comply'd,</HI> and <HI>Flatter'd,</HI> Others were &s;truck <HI>dumb</HI>;</L>
<L>'Tis known how oft I pray'd <HI>Thy Kingdom come.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>His <HI>Sacred Maje&s;ty</HI> I have <HI>ador'd,</HI></L>
<L>And alwayes reverenc'd the <HI>Mitred Lord</HI>;</L>
<L>And will <HI>defend</HI> them both with <HI>Pen</HI> and <HI>Sword.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I quarrel not with him that <HI>bows</HI> the <HI>Knee</HI></L>
<L>Toward the <HI>Ea&s;t,</HI> Although the <HI>Altars</HI> bee</L>
<L>Mere <HI>Stumbling-&s;tones</HI> to Some, th'are none to Mee.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<PB N="13" REF="20">
<L>For well I know the <HI>King</HI> and <HI>Parliament,</HI></L>
<L>Our <HI>Lawfull Lords</HI> may by a joynt con&s;ent</L>
<L>Make <HI>Nece&s;&s;ary</HI> of <HI>Indifferent.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>As for the Harmle&s;s <HI>Tapers</HI> let them burn;</L>
<L>Yet when the <HI>Bridegroom</HI> wakes her from her <HI>urn,</HI></L>
<L>The&s;e will not &s;erve the <HI>Sleepy Virgins</HI> turn.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>To <HI>Gownes,</HI> and <HI>Surplices</HI> I am a Friend;</L>
<L>Let Others <HI>Cavill,</HI> they that will contend</L>
<L>About the&s;e things have &s;ure &s;ome <HI>farther end.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But yet how prudentlie the <HI>King</HI> prevents</L>
<L>The <HI>Churches Rape</HI>; Hee &s;ees their <HI>ba&s;e</HI> intents</L>
<L>That 'gin to <HI>Rifle</HI> her of her <HI>Ornaments.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Nor mu&s;t fal&s;e <HI>Acban</HI> long enjoy his <HI>wedge,</HI></L>
<L>Ju&s;tice prepares a <HI>Halter</HI> and a <HI>Sledge</HI>;</L>
<L>The&s;e are the <HI>bitter fruits</HI> of <HI>Sacriledge.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>The&s;e <HI>deep-dy'd Rebells, Hyppocrites</HI> in grain</L>
<L>That Swallow'd <HI>Bi&s;hops</HI> Lands, oh what a pain</L>
<L>Was it for them to <HI>belch</HI> them up again.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Then welcome <HI>Loyal Hearts,</HI> that &s;corn'd to take</L>
<L>Tho&s;e <HI>dangerous Oathes</HI> that did <HI>Three Kingdoms</HI> &s;hake</L>
<L>You that were <HI>&s;eque&s;tred</HI> for <HI>Con&s;cience-&s;ake.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L><HI>Shine</HI> forth again Yee <HI>Pious</HI> and <HI>Devout</HI></L>
<L><HI>Sons</HI> of the <HI>Church,</HI> your <HI>Sufferings</HI> without doubt</L>
<L>Did onlie <HI>&s;nuff</HI> your <HI>Light,</HI> not <HI>put it out.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Yet there are <HI>Some</HI> who&s;e <HI>Age</HI> and former <HI>&s;marts</HI></L>
<L>Have much <HI>impair'd</HI> their <HI>Learning</HI> and their <HI>Parts,</HI></L>
<L>Enough to <HI>crack</HI> their <HI>Brains,</HI> and <HI>break</HI> their <HI>Hearts.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>And <HI>plead</HI> wee again&s;t <HI>the&s;e?</HI> no; let my <HI>tongue</HI></L>
<L>Be <HI>Curs'd</HI> for ever, if I do them <HI>wrong</HI>;</L>
<L>They &s;hall not bear the <HI>burden</HI> of my <HI>Song.</HI></L>
<L><PB N="14" REF="21">He that hath &s;uffer'd <HI>poverty, di&s;grace,</HI></L>
<L><HI>Sickne&s;&s;e,</HI> and <HI>bani&s;hment</HI> from place to place;</L>
<L>Heav'n <HI>blast</HI> that <HI>Hand</HI> that <HI>throws dirt</HI> in his <HI>face.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Yet <HI>Prie&s;ts</HI> there are, who neither have been true</L>
<L>To <HI>God</HI> nor <HI>Cae&s;ar, Oh'tis here the Shooe</HI></L>
<L><HI>Doth pinch</HI>; the <HI>Devil</HI> hath His <HI>Martyrs</HI> too.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>And now me thinks the <HI>Reader pittyes</HI> us,</L>
<L>And cryes, What kind of <HI>Bea&s;t</HI> is this Whom thus</L>
<L>The <HI>A&s;&s;e</HI> calls <HI>Ignorant</HI> and <HI>Scandalous</HI>?</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Went he to th' <HI>Univer&s;ity</HI>? What then?</L>
<L>So the <HI>French</HI> King with twenty thou&s;and men</L>
<L>Went up the Hill and &s;o came down agen.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>What did hee there? he <HI>ate,</HI> and <HI>drank</HI> and <HI>&s;lept,</HI></L>
<L>Hee playd at <HI>foot-ball</HI>; and at la&s;t he <HI>crept</HI></L>
<L>Into a <HI>Hood,</HI> Then int' <HI>Pulpit stept.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>How hap'd it then that he was not <HI>refus'd</HI></L>
<L>By th' <HI>Bi&s;hops</HI>? (Friends pray let them be excus'd)</L>
<L>The <HI>Prelates</HI> oftentimes have been <HI>abus'd.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>As in this Ca&s;e; A <HI>Patron</HI> of our age</L>
<L>Pre&s;ents one <HI>Mop&s;us</HI> to a Viccarage,</L>
<L>Far fitter for a <HI>Bear-ward,</HI> or a <HI>Stage.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Now for a Hand&s;om <HI>trick</HI> they ca&s;t about</L>
<L>This <HI>Mop&s;us</HI> was A <HI>&s;oul unlearned Lout,</HI></L>
<L>And knew the <HI>Bi&s;hop</HI> &s;oon would <HI>find</HI> him out.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Then learned <HI>Corydon</HI> in <HI>Mop&s;us</HI> name</L>
<L>Went and obtain'd the <HI>place</HI> for which he cames;</L>
<L>And now Sir <HI>Mop&s;us</HI> doth <HI>po&s;&s;e&s;s</HI> the &s;ame.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Thus a <HI>Good Prelat</HI> may be &s;oon <HI>betray'd,</HI></L>
<L>When the <HI>loo&s;e</HI> <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Yet the Pa|tron in this Ca&s;e had no &s;uch corrupt intent.</NOTE> <HI>Patron Pins a Chamber-maid</HI></L>
<L>Upon Sir <HI>John,</HI> her <HI>Dowry</HI> mu&s;t be paid.</L>
<L><PB N="15" REF="21">Should the&s;e things hold What's <HI>Learning</HI> or the</L>
<L>'Tis <HI>Mony</HI> rules the Worlds and &s;ome inherit</L>
<L>Their <HI>Par&s;onages</HI> by <HI>favour,</HI> not by <HI>merit.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>This this Begat the <HI>Courtryes</HI> &s;corn and <HI>hate,</HI></L>
<L>And made their <HI>Squeami&s;h</HI> Stomachs <HI>nau&s;eate</HI></L>
<L>That <HI>Pow'r</HI> which now hath <HI>broke</HI> the <HI>Serpents pate.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But lo a <HI>Reformation!</HI> oh &s;ing prai&s;e</L>
<L>To <HI>Heav'n,</HI> for now the <HI>Bi&s;hops</HI> clearer rayes</L>
<L>Will <HI>cha&s;e</HI> the&s;e <HI>fogs,</HI> and give us <HI>better-dayes.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Ye <HI>rigid Presbyters</HI> lay down your <HI>Pride,</HI></L>
<L>And Joyn; you Know once when a <HI>Ca&s;e</HI> was try'd,</L>
<L>Shee had no <HI>intere&s;t</HI> that &s;aid <HI>Divide.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Yea <HI>Dippers,</HI> now <HI>baptize</HI> your &s;elves in tears,</L>
<L>And be not <HI>Drawn</HI> to <HI>Error</HI> by the <HI>ears</HI>;</L>
<L>In &s;pite of <HI>Hell,</HI> Let's all be <HI>Cavaliers.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Shall our <HI>Religion</HI> be (like <HI>Josephs coat</HI>)</L>
<L><HI>Motly,</HI> and <HI>bloudy</HI>? Then the <HI>World</HI> will note</L>
<L>'Tis a <HI>true &s;ign</HI> wee <HI>cut</HI> our <HI>Ma&s;ter's throat.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Yee <HI>Con&s;ciencious Romi&s;ts</HI> why do wee</L>
<L><HI>Wrangle</HI> with you? Is it not time t'<HI>agree?</HI></L>
<L>Take you our <HI>Faith,</HI> Lend us your <HI>Charity.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Oh! If all the&s;e would lay a&s;ide their <HI>pa&s;&s;ion,</HI></L>
<L>How would the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> flouri&s;h in the <HI>Nation,</HI></L>
<L>Free from old <HI>Legends,</HI> and new <HI>Revelation</HI>!</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Then <HI>Englands Church</HI> would <HI>out-&s;hine</HI> other <HI>Spires,</HI></L>
<L>Like the <HI>Bright Moon</HI> among&s;t the <HI>Le&s;&s;er fires</HI>;</L>
<L>And this is all that the <HI>poor A&s;&s;e</HI> de&s;ires.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Now as for that <HI>ingenious pen</HI> that writ</L>
<L><HI>Balaam's reply:</HI> I &s;hall not carp at it;</L>
<L><HI>His Ver&s;es &s;avour both of</HI> grace <HI>and</HI> wit.</L>
<L><PB N="16" REF="22">But yet I wonder much how hee <HI>mi&s;took</HI></L>
<L>The <HI>A&s;&s;es Meaning</HI>; if again he look</L>
<L>Sure he May <HI>read</HI> without a <HI>Const'ring-book.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L><HI>Bani&s;h</HI> but <HI>Pa&s;&s;ion,</HI> wee &s;hall &s;oon <HI>agree,</HI></L>
<L><HI>I bow unto the Prelates,</HI> and will bee</L>
<L>As <HI>true</HI> and <HI>faithfull</HI> to the <HI>Church</HI> as <HI>hee.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I ever will obey their <HI>Ju&s;t Commands,</HI></L>
<L>And <HI>pray</HI> to <HI>God</HI> to <HI>Keep</HI> them from their <HI>hands,</HI></L>
<L>That Hate their <HI>Per&s;ons</HI> and yet love their <HI>Lands.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>But I &s;hould <HI>Grieve</HI> to &s;ee the&s;e <HI>Men</HI> of <HI>God,</HI></L>
<L>That &s;it in <HI>Mo&s;es chair,</HI> and <HI>&s;way</HI> his <HI>Rod</HI></L>
<L>Prove <HI>Grand&s;ires</HI> to a Fatal <HI>Ichabod.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>I would vex my <HI>Soul</HI> to &s;ee <HI>Lewd Phinehas</HI> race,</L>
<L>Or any <HI>Pulpit</HI> &s;uffer that <HI>di&s;grace,</HI></L>
<L>To lo&s;e a <HI>Man</HI> and have a <HI>Bea&s;t</HI> in's place.</L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Sound, powerfull <HI>preaching</HI> is the thing wee <HI>want,</HI></L>
<L>Yet I abhor their <HI>Rhetorick</HI> that do rant</L>
<L>In vindication of the <HI>Covenant.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>And is'c for this the <HI>A&s;&s;e,</HI> is made a <HI>Mock</HI></L>
<L>By <HI>Pamphleteers?</HI> And grown a <HI>Laughing-&s;tock,</HI></L>
<L>Ba&s;e <HI>ill-bred</HI> hounds, that would de&s;troy the <HI>Flock.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>Then oh ye <HI>Go&s;pel-Shepheards</HI> do not keep</L>
<L>Such <HI>Currs,</HI> Although to you they <HI>fawn</HI> and <HI>creep,</HI></L>
<L><HI>That Dog that Bites an A&s;&s;e, will Worry Sheep.</HI></L>
</LG>
<SIGNED>Lewis Griffin.</SIGNED>
<TRAILER>FINIS</TRAILER>
<PB REF="22">
<PB REF="23">
<PB REF="23">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
