 | A Metrical History of Christianity |  |
2 Heresies.
But Patience onely is not here abusde,By Errours Great or small, By slight Confusd
But if we Heresies set as a Glass
To view her face in as a longe we pass
Strange Glory standing in her face we should
Enamled spie like Gem embost in gold
The East and West, France, Italy and Spain
Affrick and Iland too near Arian-staine.
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King Theodorick and his Queen, no less,
Clearch, Hyperick, Agapit in Court
Deuterius, And Anthemius in the fort
Constantinople had of Prelacy
King Thrasimund the Vandall, Lombardy
Leonigild, yea Lybeans beside
Their Faith have in the Arian blew pot dide.
They did assert the son of God to bee
Not of One Substance with the Father. He
No human soul enjoyes, that th'Holy Ghost
Is not God too. Which things are cursed most.
The Eutychean Heresie and swill
Shed first from Maniches bad Costerill
Denying Christ to take of Mary Blesst
Our Flesh: nor of the Father substance best
Endowed was: and from the selfe same egge
Sprang the Nestorian and Severian skeg,
That trumpetted tantarroe all about
That but one nature did in Christ stand out
Pelagians now infested England much,
Monothelites else where of such a smutch
As gives one will alone to Christ our Lord
Sadducees now sprung up above the board
And up with other sins false Christs arose
As Gregory Tours doth to all disclose,
The stories thus. One by his Witchcrafts vile
Of Biturick, went to cut Wood awhile
About whose back a swarm of flies appeares
He's thought to be a madde man for two years
And rambling o're the Cities neer, at last
He in the Contrey nigh to Arles is cast
Where Cloathd with Skins he as devout did fall
To pray're: and better to delude withall
Some say he had the Gift of Prophesy,
Hence to effect the richer Villany
He goes from thence, and enter doth the Coast
Of Gabala and here began the rost.
He now lets fly that he is Christ, and that
A Certain woman whom he took (a flat
Delusion) he doth style, vile wretch, now Mary:
Folke flock unto him now, not being wary.
They bring him Vestments, silver, much, and Gold,
He gives it to the poore, Oh Cheat most bold.
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Sends few to heaven: Damns the most to hell,
By Divelish Arts and Witcheries out draws
More than three thousand that espouse his Cause,
Not onely Rusticks but of Priests also
And now he plundring falls and plunders throw
To such as want, Commands them to adore
Him. But the Bishops he did threaton sore
For to destroy because hee did dispare
That they would worship him or for him care.
And entring the bounds of Apella
He at the Chappells nigh with's rout did stay,
As Pitching's Camp as if he did intend
To fight Aurelius Bishop there: did send
His harauld 'fore him, naked, dancing there
And Playing, shewing that he coming were.
The Bishop startled is, sends dextrous men
Out to demant the meaning of him then
Of which an ancient man had who when he
Should bow to sweep the way and kiss his knee
Commanded to surprize him thus beguild
Without delay, which while this done, they boyld
With rage, do hack him all to pieces small:
Thus fell this Christ: and scatterd now are all
That with him came. His Mary too is Caught
(Whom they as part of his Godhead had taught)
And under tortures publickly declares
His Whimsies and his Witchcraffts and his snares:
The persons thus seducde by Divelish tricks
Never returnd into their perfect wits
But held him Christ, Mary a piece Divine
And many rose all France ore of this Crime
Bewitchd took Certain sorry women, who
Like maddmen raging did profess also
Them to be Saints: and made themselves to bee
Preferd as greate ones, whom saith Gregory wee
Behold and by rebukes endeavour do
To bring them from there errour Christ to know.
At Burdsaux another false Christ sprang
Which was uncasd, before he'd such a gange.
But if we put these things to gether do
We must adore Gods Patience for its show.
| A Metrical History of Christianity | |