The Church Militant :: :: University of Virginia Library

Saint John deceas'd, Fiends Seedes of Error sow,
Yet doth the Church, though persecuted, grow,
And from her Wombe spring up a Learned Crew
Of Saints, who with their bloud do Truth renew.

He that desires a Saint-like Life to lead,
Let him the steps of ancient fathers tread,
Who neerest liv'd unto th' Apostles times;
Thence I collect the Course in Raptur'd Rimes,

Which Christ his Church then for her members held;
What Pathes they trac'd, and wherein she excelld,
If wee mislike her Plainenesse, or their Marts,
Love bids us chastely gaze, and winke at Warts;
For like the Moon at full, sometimes the Church,
Raignes knowne from her, who lives upon the lurch,
Dispersed through the World, Apostolicke,
Yet, like our God in Three, one Catholicke,
In sundry shapes repleat with sacred Fire;
With many Tongues, in Spirit yet entire
And Essence one; who, though diversifi'd
For Rites or Forme, remaines yet justifi'd
By Faith with Him, who tryes mens Consciences,
Beares with their slips, and heares her Grievances.
Returne, quoth hee, Yee people full of strife,
Who Me have wrong'd, like a rebellious Wife.
Alluding to which challenge in his Word:
Before the Lord and Angells I record,
That I beleeve no Church on Earth this day,
Then Britaines Church goes a more Knowing may.

In substance pure, and in her good intents,
Seal'd rightly with the Newmans Sacraments.
And with the Best her Elders I conferre,
Yet dare not say her Troupes doe never erre,
Not brag that shee hath neither Mole nor Wen,
While shee cohabits heere with mortall men:
But pray, that she in Fruit more pregnant thrive,
As shee in shape is like the Primitive;
And that with flames of mutuall Love wee glow,
As forward as in height we seeme to grow.

One thing I adde against her Foes in briefe,
And therewithall to ease our Weaklings griefe;
Although I honour with my heart and Pen,
The Couneclls, Fathers, and the Ancient men,
Who wrote before the seventh Century
Became bewitcht with Babels Mystery,
Yet we no more give credit to their Lore,
Their Matter, Tropes, and Topick Maximes store

Derived from Old Adams double Tree,
Nor further then wee finde them to agree
With Gods owne Word, or Oracles Divine,
Dare wee consent with them in every Line,
For men may erre, yea, Learned Councells erre
By Factions sway'd, as other whiles they were;
And, as Eusebius markt, the Church began
To be unchast, soone as th' Apostles ranne
The Hower-glasse out of their lives Pilgrimage,
By Cerinths Toyles, and Nicholaites Rage;
Or by those Fogges, which Epiphanius brands
For Heresies of Antichristian Bands;
Or Sects, whose Augustine expells the mists,
Be they Pelagians, or the Donatists.

At the New Rising of the Second Age,
In the First yeere came Trajan on the Stage,
Adopted Cæsar by good Nervaes choise,
Broiles to prevent, and Cares to counterpoise.

In his precedent Raigne Domitians Act
Against the Church in Rome was somewhat slackt;
But otherwhere the Prætours for their Gaine
By Christians goods escheat, renew'd againe
The Old Decree, and in their Liberties
Practiz'd on Saints their former Cruelties.
But leaving them a while to racke and rage,
I now glance on the Wonder of that Age.

Of Him I sing, who would have kneeled downe,
But was forbod, unto an Angel, knowne
Of all the Apostles longest to have seene
The Churches course eclips'd by Tyrants spleene.
One while assail'd, anon strong Militant
Iohn saw her curbe Conceits exorbitant.
Thou hast, O glorious Saint, beheld her Pure,
Like to the Sunne dispelling Clouds obscure.
When Shepheard Pan deceas'd, then Oracles
From that time ceas'd through Christian Miracles;

For when Tiberius swayd, Fiends waild their losse,
While they shipt Tamus forc'd to bruite the Crosse,
And to proclaime in Midland Seas with dread:
That Pan, the great God Pan, was newly dead.
Thou hast surviv'd thy Brethren, and thy Mates,
Thou hast beheld strange Turnes of worldly States,
The Temple sackt, Ierusalem destroyd,
Thy Native soile all harried and annoyd,
Thou liv'st to see weedes of blacke Heresies,
Amidst the Church spring up, Apostasies
Growne rife, the Saints with Persecutions slame
Scorcht every where, and put to open shame,
Thou hast our-dar'd a dozen Emperours,
Since thy good Lord triumphed over powrs,
When thou beganst to shine, Tiberius raignd,
They saw thy Lifes sun-set, whom Trajan paind.
What dangers, wrackes, and buffetings of Fiends,
Hast thou oft felt? What snares of glozing Friends?
Portents to make the Patientst Iob dismaid;
Thou hast out-liv'd thy Charge, the Widow-Maid,

Thy Mother deare adopted on the Crosse,
To thee his Minion left, to ease thy losse,
When therehence out thou tookst her to thy house,
As a true Nunne, to helpe thy Christian vowes.

How long shee liv'd with thee, to calculate,
An Angel must the certaine Time relate,
Or name the Place where her Blest Body lyes,
Whether she was in Body Enoch-wise,
Immediately to Heaven assumed up?
Or dwelt with Iohn till Age made her to stoup?
And payd her debt as other Mortalls doe
To Nature, much it skills not us to know?
Since now with Christ her Soule Triumphant rests,
And as her Life deserv'd with him the feasts:
Admitting no such Mediatrix style,
Or Goddesses, as some themselves beguile,
That she doth oftentimes command her Sonne
To heare a Sinners suite, or Orison?

Save that I might be into Whirle-pooles brought,
Or for my Guesse be too Sagacious thought,
I would Conjecture at the Time when Iohn,
Before the Siege of Salem undergone,
Departed into Corinth, Ephesus,
Or other Coasts, where Titus and Timotheus,
Were by Saint Paul ordain'd to Over-see,
There, to confirme each Saint in his Degree,
As they by Him, who all those Churches bare
Upon his shoulders first, were bred with Care.
There, he consum'd the Remnant of his Age,
Untill to Pathmos by Domitians Rage
Confin'd, he saw in spirit Christ againe,
Who then and there by Revelations plaine
To his Rapt Sence, though hid from Carnall Braine,
Did prophesie the future Churches staine.
For Comfort of th' Elect the Lord appear'd
Unto this Saint, and his Wits Sences clear'd,
To understand what plagues he will effect
In the last dayes for his true Words Neglect.

These Mysteries Christ opened unto Iohn,
Whom he reserv'd so long. And thereupon
I humbly glance by leave of Holy Wits,
To whom my Muse her Raptures here submits:
That when One asked Christ, what Iohn should do?
Whether he should remaine behinde or go?
His Answer was unto this bold Assay:
If my will be to have him here to stay
Untill I come, what matters that to thee?
And long he staid, as all may cleerely see.
Before his Death he did so settle things,
That Greece his Praise aswell as Asia rings.
In Nervaes Raigne he came with his Release
To Ephesus, where he deceas'd in Peace,
While Trajan sway'd, as Græcian Clearks relate,
Having escap'd an Oily scalding Fate,
Impos'd on him by fierce Domitians Rage,
Who then exiled him to Pathmos Cage,
Where, though cub'd up a while from Christians sight,
He saw what cheer'd his Soule, His Masters Light.

Both in his time, and after, soone began
The Divels Plots to scare the Christian man,
Which Valentinian and Menander spred,
And many moe, which Weaklings then misled:
For whose Mistakes Saint Irenæus griev'd,
Two hundred yeeres ere Epiphanius liv'd,
To blazon them and other Heresies,
Which then obscur'd the New Mans Sacrifice,
After Saint Iohns decease, till Adrian raign'd,
The Roman Prætours still the Christians Pain'd,
Who so confirm'd were for the Fiery Crosse,
They fear'd not Death, nor Paine, nor Fortunes Losse.
The Truth when rackt by Inquisition strict,
That Christians much were wrong'd by Romes Edict,
Great Trajan then did unto Pliny write,
To mitigate the Fiery Trialls Spight;
Yet not to spare them, if they were brought in,
(Damn'd policie so cloaking Bloody Sinne)

In which implicite Snare Ignatius bound,
Like Christs fine Corne, by Lions Teeth was ground.

Next after this, the Second Century
Points at some Saints of Glorious Memory,
As Pillars of that Age, with whom as Chiefe,
Succeeding those fore-nam'd I ranke in Briefe
A Martyr'd Sire of Naples Palestine,
One that foretold his death to Antonine,
When shortly after did a Cynickes Hate
Conclude with Flames the Swans Prognosticate,
Having first wrote, to calme the Emperours
Spleene his Defence, and to Romes Senatours.
In Iustines time, which by the yeeres account,
Since Christs Ascention up from Olives Mount,
One Hundred shone, good Christians liv'd content
With simple Meanes, and scorn'd the Blandishment
Of Gaine or Pompe, with all false worldly Wares:
But fixt on Christ, and Cure of Soules their Cares.

Platoes and Moores Eutopiaes Common-Wealth,
Compar'd to them seemes but Promethean stealth,
Phantasticke Dreames, or Speculations Flame,
Which being unpractiz'd breed the Authours shame.
They taught and wrought with Reall Charity,
As if that day they were arraign'd to dye;
Not like to Stoicks dissembling Lookes austere;
But against Sinne with Discipline severe,
With Vowes and Fasts the Outward man to tame;
Not for Repute, or Superficiall Fame,
But with intent to keepe their Vessels pure,
And to seale up their Christian Calling sure,
They promis'd not but what they did performe,
And squar'd their Deedes to the Apostles Forme,
Such Pious Deedes with Zealous Sparkes beset,
As I for Saints have in my Preface set.
From Justines Workes likewise I apprehend
The Eucharists Religious Use and End:
We take no Common Bread nor Common Wine,
(Saith he) but like as Christ by the Divine

Bright Word became true Flesh, and for our Good,
Tooke on him our Attire of Flesh and Blood,
So we by Vertue of his Word, Record
That Food to be the Body of the Lord;
Yet Sacramentall Wine and Sacred Bread,
Which have our Soules by the Remembrance fed.
With this short Course the Prefect of the Feast,
Insinuates Vowes into each Sacred Breast;
They fed with zeale: the Throng Thanksgiving sing,
And Deacons did unto the Absent bring
The Consecrated Food, that they likewise
Might have a Taste of the Soule-sacrifice:
Such was the Ancients Forme, to distribute
The Holy Food without Quirkes or Dispute.

In those Dayes Crosse to Food blest by the Word,
Was Sacrifice of Flesh at Heathens Boord
To Idoll-Gods, which Christians did refuse,
By reason of the Cursed End and Vse,

(As we likewise that Carnall Food despise,
Which some Create a God at Sacrifice)
And yet the Food, ere it was so disgrac'd,
Could not pollute the honest Takers taste.
So when Gods Word hath blest Ours to record
Our Saviours Crosse, it quickens by that Word,
Which full of Life breathes Spirit, Life, Reliefe,
If it be tane by Soules firme of Beliefe;
For otherwise the present Ectasy
Doth uanish, and away those Blessings fly:
They at their Feast Emanuels Presence lose,
His Presence, whose rare Forme some Clearks appose.
Though they beleeve, that Christ is God and Man,
And stiled God with us, his Forme they scan,
And question, how could Paul and Stephen see
Emanuel, while on Earth Men living be?
As to the Pure this Mysticke Trance turnes Pure,
So tis Damnations Bait to the Impure.
And when Faiths Feast becomes a Sacrifice
To Idoll Gods, it tends to prejudice;

For this grave Cause good Christians doe refuse
False Altars Meate, where Satan Poison scrues.

What shall I write of Mark Aurelius Raigne?
When all his Campe distrest for want of Raine,
Were at the point to perish, Christians then,
By Miracle gain'd showres to save his Men?
While hopelesse Pagans dig'd, by Prayers they
Gain'd in One Night what they had toyl'd by Day.
Such wondrous Deedes of the Church Primitive,
Like those Blest Showrs, will cause our Muse to thrive,
If therewithall we moisten Thirsty Soules,
Which long to taste of our Nectarean Bowles,
In hope from Bruites to be trasnform'd anew
To better shapes, then Ovid could renew,
Or Samian Forge. Our New-Man sings more strange,
Of Manners, not of Bodies, the Exchange.

Within this Age liv'd Irenæus knowne
A Bishop, where France built her Lions Towne.
He stoutly did the Marriage-state defend,
Whose Foes, he writes, blame God and Natures End.
He taxed Romish Victors Lightnings Flash,
And quallifi'd his Squibs denounced rash,
Which he presum'd against the East to throw,
For Easters Date with Supercilious Brow:
(Or did perhaps not excommunicate,
But barre with them Rome to communicate.)
So likewise did Grave Policrates blame
His Censure-causing Schisme, and Christians shame.
This Reverend Man, to win the more Applause
For his Defence of that propounded Cause,
Demonstrated, that his seven Ancestours,
And he the Eighth from those Progenitours,
Were Bishops all of Ephesus, and held
Their yearely Course of Easter unrepeal'd,

Implying, that his Lineall Holy Race,
Confirm'd the Truth to cleare that wrangling Case.

Next unto those shone Athenagoras,
Tatian, and He, who with his Sire would passe
To Martyrdome, and but for Mothers Teares
Partake, like Adamant, not shrunke with Feares.
He gloss'd Gods Word, & would have bin more priz'd,
If he had not too much allegoriz'd.
Severus sent for him (such was his Fame)
To Antioch, where he stuck to Christ his Name,
And blaz'd his Word with such rare Eloquence,
That he return'd by Cæsar grac'd from thence,
Dismiss'd with Gifts, and Courtiers good report,
He came againe to the sev'n Flouded Port,
Where he much Oyle in Alexanders Towne,
Consum'd, untill his Errour put him downe.
Where well he wrote, no better Writer knowne:
Where ill, none worse then Origen is showne.

Famous for this: he termes Christs Flesh and Bloud
The Spirits Type, his Word Soule-quickning Food;
Most infamous for this: that first he Gelt
Himselfe, and then for feare he should have felt
A Buggering Rape by a Black-hired Moore,
He Sacrific'd to Idolls (a farre more
Scurfe-spreading sinne) for which with Bolts accurst,
By Alexandriaes Church, to Teares he burst,
When lighting on a Text in Salmes Towne,
And there desir'd to Preach, he found his owne
Unhappy Act by Lot, nay by Divine
Appointment: How the Precepts which are mine,
Dar'st thou presume within thy Mouth profane
To teach or read, O thou ungodly Man?
Upon which Text poore Origen abasht,
With Teares his Crime and his Presumption washt.

THE STATE OF THE BISHOPS OF ROME DURING THE TIME OF PERSECVTION, and while they were subject to the Emperours.

It may be heere some Curious Wits expect,
That I their Lives and Deedes should recollect,
Whom Priestly Votes heve voyc'd for Roman Popes
In Peters Chaire, on whom they fixt their Hopes
To binde and loose their manifolded Crimes
Both then and now, and in ensuing Times.
But such a Taske I dare not undergoe,
Nor will I have with Fraudfull Styles to doe:
The Servant when of Servants One proclaimes
Himselfe, and yet a Monarques Power claimes.

Let them who build on Flesh and Blouds Desires,
Entangling their Beliefe with needlesse Fires
Of High Ambitious Thrones, not warranted
By Gods deare Lambe, who for our sakes here led
An Humble Life: Let them I say bow downe
Before the Gold-cross'd Shooe and Triple Growne.
But I am sure they no Record shall finde,
Nor Chronicle, that mentions in that kinde
The least Reflexe of Royall Majesty
Due to Romes Popes with Both Swords Soveraignty,
Untill the French the Lumbards overcame,
Till Charlemaine did Desiderius tame
Since Phocas Time they Nine score yeeres before,
Above all Priests the Chiefest Miter wore:
Since Constantines, who Phocas did precede
Three Hundred yeeres, a Patriarchs sway I read
They had heere in our West. But till that Time
They scarce found space to breath, much lesse to climb,
Or claime a Mace, and to be called Lord,
A Style, which Christ forbad, and Saints abhorr'd;

For till the Raigne of Constantine the Great,
Thirty they were, which grac'd Romes Pastours Seat,
And of those Thirty Bishops there were None,
But they were slaine, or did through Troubles grone.
As English Saints were in Queen Maries dayes
By Tyrants spleene distressed sundry wayes,
Imprison'd, rackt, and put to Open shame,
Depriv'd of all their Goods, and burnt in Flame:
So Christs New Church, tho with rare Dowries blest,
Neere for Three Hundred yeares was sore opprest.
Cæsars without, and Herteickes within,
Did persecute, and plunge her Members in
So many Toiles, that hardly they could meet
In Private Place, nor one another greet
With Common shewes of Neighbours Amity;
How then could they thinke on Priority?
And stand on Points of Prelates Primacie,
Without distrust of some Conspiracie?

The Truth is this: who were styl'd Bishops then,
They fish'd not for fraile Wealth, but Soules of Men
Not to enrich themselves with Private store,
But like Saint Paul, the Crosse they thought on more
From Christian Cæsars they got Liberties,
But not so great to claime Regalities,
About the Yeare Sixe Hundred sixty sixe,
We finde that Rome began to play more Tricks
Then she durst act within the Ages past,
As Paul and John fore-told her Breach at last)
And never left to lift her Lofty Crest,
Till she Gods Word had darkned in the West,
And dar'd upon the Cæsars State to prey,
The maine great Let to her Prodigious Sway.
She never ceas'd to stirre up raging Fires,
Till she at Trent concluded her Desires,

Repugnant to the Vow, which she profest
At her First Rise, Sixe Hundred yeares at least,
At such wild Fits I onely glance, not carpe;
This Taske I leave for an iambicks Warpe.