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Believing this, he wholly cast away
Vexatious Care, permitting these to play
Their pranks at will, till they with cruel scorn
From Him and His, their whole Estate had torn;
Yet, he no more fears their despights to him,
Then they do fear what he can do to them:
And may perhaps, yet pipe them such a strain,
As ere next Sheepshear will fetch back again
Some part of what is lost: for, 'twill be found
His late Possessions were but Fairy-ground,
And not so sanctified, that all those
Who walkt upon it, must put off their shoes;
Unless, there be a Sophistry in Schools,
That's able to turn wise men into fools.

If they do merit to be credited
Who in that Mannor-house inhabited,
From which the Shepherd's cast; they, there were frighted
With Sounds and Apparitions, when benighted;
And that therein (before that he came thither)
Zim, Jim, with such Hobgoblins danc'd together.
And these perhaps, will thither come again,
As to a place which doth to them pertain
By Tenant-Right, now their Old Lords are come
To re-admit them to their dancing-Room.
It may be too, till by him repossest
They who intrude, may there take little rest;
Or, till they shall that wicked Charge withdraw,
That makes a sin, where none is made by Law;
And impudently therewithal dare brand
Not onely Purchasers of Prelates-Land
Opposed now by them, but also fling
That Guilt, both upon Parliament and King,
In whose defence, the Shepherd doth defie
Not one alone, but all the Prelacy;
And if they prove, before an equal Judge,
That, purchasing their Lands, is Sacriledge;
Or more a sin, then marketting of Eggs,
He will resign his claim, for two Tithe Piggs.
Nay, if of Sacrilege he proves them not
To be more guilty when those Lands were got,
And whilst that they in their possession were,
Then any of their Purchasers now are,
He will submit to be anathemiz'd
By them, and of all honest men despis'd.

For, were a faithful Demonstration made
Of what beginning Prelacy first had;
By what ways, Prelates usually aspire;
How, they their large Reuenues did acquire;
How they have been from time to time enjoy'd,
How often to the publick harm employ'd;
What persons owned them, and to what ends
Their Constitution principally tends,
With such-like; which are left upon records,
Whose credit doubtless evidence affords;
It plainly manifested would appear,
That, none so truly sacrilegious are;
That, few have acted more destructively
To civil peace, and real piety;
Or oftner upon Kings intrusions made,
By whose Indulgence they their being had.

They, who now heed the posture they are in,
And how pedantically they begin
To act their parts, since they have been new shell'd
Within those walls, from whence they were expell'd,
Do wonder much, that men of their profession
And parts, should fail so much in their discretion:
For, their untimely Avarice and Pride,
Ev'n their best friends and favourets deride,
With fear, that their Ambition will not cease,
Till it destroys again the common peace;
And they who love the King, begin to see,
That unto him they mischievous may be.
Most of their Conversations are on earth;
What is this Pars'nage, what that Vic'rage worth?
Are their chief Queries, or which way to make
Their Markets, and Advantages to take
Without regard, whose right they do enjoy,
How many Families they do destroy;
Or what disturbance or disreputation
They bring on King, on Parliament or Nation.
To such ends, they of bawld of Sacriledge,
Till they have set most hearers teeths on edge,
By their continual grating on that bone
Which their own Jaws will break, ere they have done.
That Scare-crow now, affrighteth none but fools,
Who are but lately crept out of their schools:
For, that which they have charg'd the people with,
Doth yet stick fast between their tongue and teeth,
And will be proved by a holy Text,
The Thirtieth day of February next.

If those Revenues we examine shall,
VVhich they the Churches patrimony call,
That great Diana, for which some with us
Cry out, as once they did at Ephesus,
Is but an Idol; and their Out-cries made,
Are onely to preserve a sordid Trade,
VVhereby those Crafts-men seek to be enrich'd,
VVho with their Drugs have silly men bewitch'd.
The price of Dogs, and wages of a Whore,
Might own'd have been as justly heretofore
For Holy things, if offer'd they had been;
Yea, with less impudence, and with less sin:
For, some of them (as in despight of Heav'n)
Were Merchandizings for mens souls, and giv'n
In high contempt of him, whose heart-blood bought
That, which they to a worthless price have brought,
Yet sold too dear; because the Buyers lost
As well as their own safe-being, as their cost.
Meer simple ahd despairing Malefactors
VVere by the Devils Brokers and Contractors,
Abused with Mock-pardons: Heirs defeated
Of their Estates; Widows and Orphanes cheated;
And many a poor soul with a Pasport sent
To Heav'n, as he thought, when to Hell he went.

This way, had those possessions their advance,
Which now are termed GOD's Inheritance;
And what can be a greater Derogation
From him then this? Or, what a Provocation
More daring, then for men to challenge that
As his, which he doth more abominate
Then Dogs or Strumpets? Or, what can in reason
More properly reputed be high Treason
Against the King, then to engage him for
An Interest which GOD doth to abhor?
And which insensibly may draw him in
To be a partner with the MAN of SIN
In guilt and punishment; by (to their ends)
Perverting, what he piously intends.

Let this be well observ'd: for, GOD doth yet
Their Prosecutions hitherto permit
But for Probation onely, that he may
Try, who will turn to him; who fall away;
Who, will unto his Covenant adhere;
VVho, for preferment, profit, or for fear,
VVill wave the same; how far forth those Pretenders
VVill active be; and hovv far their Defenders
VVill patronize them; that those things vvhich are
Yet doubtful, may undoubtedly appear;
That, those Plants which GOD planted may bear fruit,
Those vvhich he planted not, be rooted out;
And that cost may no longer be bestovvn
On fruitless plants vvhich he did never ovvn:
Such is the Prelacy, vvhich did proceed
From mixture both of good and evil seed;
As may declar'd by their Extraction be;
For, this appears to be their Pedigree.

Not very long time, after Noahs Flood,
When old Idolatries began to brood,
The forenam'd DRUIDES, who from the Oak
VVhich they much rev'renced, their name first took,
In these Parts of the world, usurp'd upon
Mens Consciences (as many since have done)
Ev'n in this Isle (if that which may be read
In old Records be true) and being spread
Into the neighb'ring Continent from hence
In France next settling their chief residence,
Did there, an uncontrouled power retain,
Until the days of Claudius Cæsar's reign.
The Flamin-Prelacy, which did begin
Before that time; then by degrees did win
Pre-eminence, and reverenced was,
Till Pontificial-Prelacy took place:
From that, the Papal Prelacy deriv'd
Their being; and a Hierarchy contriv'd,
Accommodated with a Discipline
From Gentiles, Jews and Christians hetrogene:
For, though compos'd of pieces patch'd together,
From all these taken, it was like to neither.
For, that the Christian Worship might not seem
To be inglorious in the world's esteem;
Or rather, that themselves advance they might
Unto a princely and a pompous height
In temporal Enjoyments, they took in
Such Pageantries as had affected been
By carnal Worshippers, with alteration
In some things; and in some imitation:
So, by degrees, they totally threw off
That soberness and meekness, with a scoff,
Which was in true sincerity profest,
Before the birth and reign of Antichrist.

The SPOUSE of CHRIST, because she did appear
In out-side poor, though rich her Linings were,
With disrespect they turned out of dore,
And, in her stead, trimm'd up a painted Whore:
So, meer will-worship was set up at last,
And in the Throne of GOD, an Idol plac'd.
From those, the Prelates came; and when these Nations
Intended to reform their Innovations,
A carnal Prudence, dreaming, that, if they,
With their External Pomp, were took away,
(Whereby some thought GOD's Worship was adorn'd)
Religion and Devotion would be scorn'd;
The Prelacy, upon that vain surmise,
Was here continu'd in a new Disguise;
Till that imposture was by Providence
Made manifest; and then, it was from hence
By GOD expel'd, as both dishonourable
To him, and to his Church disserviceable;
To those intending no affront at all,
Whose Function simply is Episcopal.

But, this Expulsion, being for our sin
Revers'd, and Prelates now again brought in,
That, and a Sacra-fames (in Excess)
(Not thirst and hunger after righteousness)
Hath so inrag'd them, that, they all devour,
VVho fall within their new restored pow'r,
VVith high contempt (at least without regard)
Of what the KING hath gratioufiy declar'd.
And those whom they of their Estates despoil,
VVith insolent upbradings they revile,
As meriting nor livelihood, nor place
With them; and as uncapable of Grace
From GOD or men: But, cry, Are not these they
VVho lately took from Holy Church away
Her Dowry? spoil'd GOD's Houses in the Land?
On sacred things laid sacrilegious hand?
And viliside his Servants? Thus, they crow:
But, they injurious are, in doing so;
And have as much in their blasphemings sail'd,
As cursed Rabshakeh did, when he rail'd,
On Hezekiah: for, GOD, did not own
Those Altars or High-places overthrown,
And then mis-called his; nor owneth he
For Bishops, those who now so termed be;
Nor those impertinent Appurtenances,
VVhich Prelates please to term GOD's Ordinances.
And, though they should, when they see Babel's fall,
Their dreadful howlings, and their weepings call
The Churches sighs and tears; no whit availing
To them, would be their howling and bewailing. And,
And, though some think this constitution brings
Advantage to the Thrones of lawful Kings,
'Twill prove, when thereinto they better look,
It strengthens them, as Ivy doth an Oak;
And, that, of Men, no one sort under Heaven,
Cause and Occasions have so often given,
Of private Quarrels, Discords and Debates,
And Wars, 'twixt Realms and Nations, Kings and States.

The SHEPHERD therefore, hopes this will by those
VVho can distinguish between Doves and Crows,
Consider'd be; and manifest it then,
That, greatest Clerks, are not the wisest men;
Or, that, wise men through Avarice and Pride,
By wealth and honour, may be led aside.
And, though this hope should fail him in the main,
It will not altogether be in vain;
But, for the present, shall at least suffice
To feed that part which upon Smoke relies,
Till with essential nourishment suppli'd
By that, which GOD hereafter will provide.
Yea, though this charming should not prove so strong,
To fetch back that which doth to him belong,
Thenceforth, content, his Ewe and Lambs, and he,
To live upon the Commons then will be,
However, other hopes may have success,
His best hopes will be rather more then less:
For, they are built on him, who best can judge
'Twixt what is, and what is not Sacrilege;
And if his Judges partially shall deal,
From them, to that great JUDGE he will appeal.
VVho cannot be deceiv'd. But no distrust
Hath he of their Uprightness, who here must
Be Judges in his Cause: for, they have seen
VVhat did befal them who unjust have been;
And hereby now, though he be much pre-judg'd,
May know what on his part may be alleag'd.

That which is claim'd, GOD will perhaps divide
Betwixt both Parties when their Claims are tride:
For, out of that which they erewhile possest,
The Prelates for their sins were justly cast:
The Shepherd was for his expelled too,
By him, whose just doom he submits unto;
As therefore GOD shall please he is content
To share in Mercy and in Chastisement,
Till he unto that Heritage is brought,
Which at anothers cost, for him, was bought;
And whereto, he vouchsafes him by his Grace
A better Title, in a better place.
If all be judg'd, which he hath purchas'd here
The Prelates due; he'll take his portion there;
For, though it be a little delaid,
'Twill prove the better share, and be well paid.

This, is the Shepherds Case, and this the Course
He means to take: pray, use him ne'er the worse:
For, he had not exprest it in this mode,
But that the Cov'nant PRELATES to explode,
He conscientiously adheres unto
And dares not sleight the same, as others do;
Because, he can discern Truths from Delusions,
And knows their late Re-entries, are Intrusions.