A LONG-VVINDED LAY-LECTURE.
Wherein the Licentiousnesse of this Lewd and Lying Age, in perverting the Sacred Tents of Scripture, and the Divine Dictates of the Fathers, to the scandall of the Church, and Ruine of our Nation, is Poetically presented,
To the view of all such as Feare God and the King, and meddle not with those that are given to change.
By a Lover of (and Sufferer for) the TRVTH.
Printed in the yeare 1647.
A Long-winded Lay-LECTVRE.
COme Christian Brethren, now the time is fit,
Round about our [...]ale fire let's friendly sit,
And while [...]ou listen close (as we are cut,)
I will lay open (whilst the doore is shut)
Unto you all, (in briefe) a sum of what
No man can justly sum; so intricate
Is our (Meandrian) faith, t'hath no beginning,
Nor hath it other end, but th'end of sinning;
How? no beginning, said I, then our profit
Is now to be the Prima P [...]reus of it:
And sure enough, now it beginning hath,
Time will i'th' end put end unto our faith;
Prick up your eares my brethren, elevate
Your eyes deare sisters whilst I doe relate
The comforts which peculiar are to us,
Who (by the Spirit) are sanctified thus,
To be the Lords elected, if I said,
The Lords anointed, I' [...] not be afraid,
Of contradiction: [...](for [...]s) saith,
You are a Kingly Priest [...]oo [...]: though his faith
We else reject, in this [...]ee'll take his word,
And all be Kings and Priests unto the Lord.
I, let's be free, let neither Priest nor King
Controule nor governe us in any thing.
But stay, me thinkes Paul seemeth to mistake,
Who bids us to oby for conscience sake,
[Page 3] And therefore (silly man) he and the rest
Obey'd the Tyrant Nero, who opprest
The Brethren and did take their lives away
Tush, they deserve death that will thus obey▪
Obey to Death, do so who li [...]s for us,
The spirit of freedome doth not reach us thus.
So Solomon ('cause he would under bring
His people) saith, feare God, honour the King
Yet Solomon in this I'll send to schoole,
For all his wisdome he was but a foole
In Christian Libertie there's no such thing,
We can feare God, yet disobey the King
Yet (in one sense) hee's not to blame that said it,
He was a King himselfe, 'twas for his credit:
So David spared Saul (as Gods anoynted)
Because the Kingdome was for him appoynted.
But let not us (my brethren) be such Calves,
To take their words spoke in their own behalves,
For we are free (in body and in soule)
Our tongues are ours, what Lord shall us con [...]oule?
Yet one objection is, that Christ doth say,
Give Caesar's due that's Caesar to obey
But I an answer ready have for that
Caesar rul'd Rome, and every one known what
Antipathy there is [...] Rome and us
Perhaps he might mistake [...] [...]pake thus.
But right or wrong [...] we hold.
To rule our selve, rather than others should.
Let Patriarchs, Prophets, [...] Fathers, nay,
If God and Man say what they please to say,
Unlesse it, [...] respond [...] mind,
We in their wor [...]s and [...] some fault will find;
By Church no [...] [...] ruled bee,
No more then wh [...] o [...] fancy doth agree.
What though the [...] Prayer [...]y him spoken was,
Yet since [...] ended in [...] Masse,
[Page 4] We ought▪ abolish it (and so we will)
Using no For me (nor Chayre) but th'Bed-side still.
The Creed we cred [...]t not, 'tis not contain'd
I'th' written Word; why may it not be fain'd?
'Tis said th'Apostles made it, 'tmight be so▪
Wer't certaine true, we trust reject it tho:
For among other Articles it hath
One, that obligeth (as a point of Faith)
Upon a Church Catholique to conside▪
Such chaynes as these our Freedome can't abide,
To no such Article must we give credit,
Although beliefe i'th' holy Ghost precede it,
For our pure Consciences have given the Lurch
Both to the Roman and the English Church.
What tell they me of Faith Apostolique;
If that were true, then 'm an Heretique:
Thinke you th'Apostles had such strong ingages,
To build a Church should last so many Ages?
My Faith to me can dictate no such thing▪
Though they a Cloud of Witnesses can bring,
We must explode them all, [...]hey were but men,
The Spirit's more aboundant now then then.
Let none of us be subject to such dotage,
To stench our zealous hunger with that Potage,
Wherein the Coloquintida is fed,
Which is contaginat to the Babes of God:
For 'tis most certaine, that this Hotch-potch was
Turn'd into English from the Latine Masse.
The Spirit taught the Prophets what to say,
So did it teach th'Apostles how to pray:
And shall we (which to them are not inferior)
Be taught to pray (or preach) by [...]les extende?
No, Brethren, no [...] we the elected Seed,
Not any Tutor but the Spirit neede
Each Brother and each Sister (I dare say)
Are Churches in themselves; then to ob [...]y.
[Page 5] Another Church (beside my private Fancie)
Ile sooner yeeld to studie Necromancie.
To crosse the Papists, let's abhorre the Crosse
I protest (zealously) wer't not for th'losse
Of all my Gold and Silver, I should pine,
Rather then use that (so much hated) Signe,
And were I sure my forhead ere were crost.
I'de flay the skin off (though my life it cost.)
Yet some who venerate Antiquitie,
Affirme the Crosse is used, that thereby
Christians may be distinguished from Jewes
And Pagan Infidels which Christ refuse.
What? doth Antiquitie then stand so for it?
That very thing doth make me most abhorre it,
For any thing that's old my Conscience loathes,
I'de have Religion newer then my Cloathes.
The Surplice white's an embleme of the state
O'th' Ministerie, pure and immaculate;
The use on't some count decencie, but wee
Reject it as a Rag of Poperie.
Verily Sisters, when I see that Smock
O'th' Whore of Babylon, O what a rock
Of spirituall force it rayseth in my hose!
You know my zealous meaning (I suppose)
The Corner'd-Cap (square dealings perfect Trope)
'Cause its originall is from the Pope,
It fits not our Round-heads, full of deceit,
Sweare not at all but content pole and cheat,
And lye with any body: Sisters heare me,
I feele strong motives through such objects neare me.
Because the Wedding Ring's a fa [...] on old,
And signifies by th' [...] of God.
The puritie requir'd th'marry'd payre,
And by th' rotunditie the union fayre
Which ought to be betwixt them endlesse; for
No other reason wee that use abhor:
[Page 6] Wee love no union nor perfection in
Religion wee are alwayes to begin.
Fasting's a meanes proud flesh to subjugate,
And to the Spirit it humilitate,
Those hainous sinners earne such punishment,
But wee unspotted are, (and innocent,)
Let them fast (and give almes) whilst we do feast:
(And starve the poor,) both fruit, fowle, fish, & beast,
Are onely made for us that godly bee,
The wicked live in awe, but wee are free.
Wee'll have no Antichristian Prelats, that
Shall dominiere o're us, nor knee, nor hat,
We to the greatest Bishop will allow,
No, nor at th'Name of Jesus will we bow:
Though Paul (o're-seene) in humble sense doth say,
All knees must bow at it, wee'll not obay:
If any aske a reason, tell them plaine,
'Tis us'd in Popery, which we must refraine.
Let Peter, Paul, James, Jude, (with all the rest,)
Whose writings are to th'world made manifest,
Expresly say, do this, abstaine from that,
Rather then wee'll with Rome participaet,
We'll utterly the Text it selfe disclaime,
Or without sense adulterate the same.
Although the Scripture strong appeares to be▪
For the maintaining of Presbyterie,
What's that to us? who must be ever bent
Against that or what ever government:
By th'Bishops fall these their up-rising gather,
As Rehoboam did succeed his Father.
What difference rests 'twixt these and them before?
Though th'title's lef [...], the power's retain'd, & more:
For whereas but a few of them did flourish▪
Now here's a Bishop over every Parish
Those Bishops did by proxie exercise,
These by their Elders rule, and their owne eyes,
[Page 7] Then let us for our free [...]me still contest,
And by no mortall power be over-prest:
Why should we put our necks into the Collar
Of any such proud (Babylonian) Schollar?
Let's rather bid defiance to all the Rabbie,
Learning to us must be abhominable.
What's Latin, but the Language of the Beast!
Hebrew, or Greeke: is not enough a feast?
Han't we the Word in English, (which at ease)
We can convert to any sen [...]e we please▪
Let them urge the Originall, if we
Say 'twas first writ in English, so't shall be,
For wee'll have our owne way be't wrong or right.
And say (by strength of faith) the Cross is white,
Scorning by any to be contradicted,
Though they of ignorance have oft convicted
Our (rarely gifted) brethren, Coblers, Weavers,
Taylors, and other trades-men, whose endeavers
Even in their very Steeple-Houses durst
(As the boy counselds mother) call Whore first.
These are stout Champions (O let's all do so)
That (in despight of Discipline) dare do [...]cotten)
Such bold attempts (ah how doth this geere doth
This zealous valour (when they 't dead and rotten)
Shall be recorded to their high renowne▪
Follow this course, all Government goe downe,
That Jdoll (Grandam) Pauls, with all the rest
O'th' Steeple Houses we will have supprest.
But sith I've spoke 'gainst Schollership, I grant,
There is one errour which Ile now recant,
And that is this, (in truth I'm sorry for't,
You (brethren) may (amongst the Saints) report,
(Unto my great Confusion) that I did
Doe that my selfe which I to you forbid,
For at my first beginning I spake two
Words in plaine Latin, which nor I nor you
[Page 8] (I hope) do understand (the fault's the lesse▪)
Brethren forgive me, now I doe confesse,
Yet in confession lie not play the foole,
To bring mine Ars upon the Scotish Stoole:
No, Ile not subject be to such an Order,
Which will ere long invade our English-Border:
Then they who will be slav'd (after the sentence)
Must sit upon the Stoole of their Repentance:
But no sike Scotish (Presbyterian) trick
Shall make my (free-borne) heart with sorrow sick;
Let those who have a mind to't most commend one,
On that (and all the rest) I'm independant.
Briefely deare Brethren and Sisters kind,
Let's doe (or not doe) what contents our mind,
And not be rul'd by any: that were base;
What, in subjection bring the Babes of Grace▪
Why 'twere a thing preposterous to reason:
What ere we doe, our actions are no Treason,
For all our words (and workes) are sanctify'd:
What's in us meeknesse, is i'th' wicked Pride;
Lust is but holy Love, and burning Zeale:
When we dissemble, flatter, lye, or steale,
Alas 'tis onely frayltie; flesh is frayle,
Witnesse my selfe, for now my breath doth fayle.
Thus having prov'd words, works, and faith, all fickle,
Ile now conclude this present Conventicle.
FINIS.