Withers Redevivus In a Small New-Years-Gift, Pro Rege et Grege: And to His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange. Wherein is a Most Strange and Wonderful Plot, lately found out and Discovered. And Recommended to all the Imposing Members of the Church of England, to be by them acted, as part of their last Lent Confession. Viz. To all Roman Catholick Priests and Jesuits of Persecuting Principles and Profession. With the Arraignment and Tryal of Innocent the XIth. Present Pope of Rome. Refused last Lent to be Licensed, by reason of the Matter therein contained. By T. P. |
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To the Imposing Members of the Church of England, herein concerned.
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 | Withers Redevivus |  |
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To the Imposing Members of the Church of England, herein concerned.
We may presume, that we shall now be shent,
For interrupting you this time of Lent;
Wherein you spend much of your time, with such
As are the Members of your English Church.
We must confess, we are herein to blame,
But Truth suggested that she knew no shame;
And therefore bid us in our Muse proceed,
For of such Men she never had more need.
Confessions now at Court are Alamode,
As well as in your Churches common Road.
At this time of the year, which things are good,
VVhen once they are but rightly understood;
But when restrained to a certain time,
As you and others of the Roman Line
Have so long us'd, one time above another,
As well the Daughter as the antient Mother;
And that it should your God above so please
At this set time, and give your Conscience ease,
VVe cannot apprehend, and therefore must
Keep close to Truth, and to Gods Word be Just;
VVho bids us, when we sin, then to Repent,
And not to stay until the time of Lent;
Before that time should God remove us hence,
VVhere should we find the true St. Peter's Pence:
Should we then dare to knock at that Saints Gate
VVithout Repentance, we should come too late.
But since Confessions are in Vogue so much,
As well in yours, as in the Roman Church:
If now you Church of England Men will Please,
This time of Lent, and give your Conscience Ease,
To make your Publick and your Free Confession,
To all those Jesuits who do make Profession
Of the same Faith as is profess'd at Rome,
In this prescribed Form which now is come
Unto your hands, although the Form be such,
As will not please the Old Right Roman Church;
Yet we will freely give you all Remission,
Without those Jesuits, or the Pope's Commission,
Which some believe may be as firm and Full,
As if proclaimed by his Roaring Bull.
Turn over Leaf, and there you may Behold
These Christian Pills, and all Inlaid with Gold;
Which if you take, will do your Souls more Good,
Than all the Crab-Trees in your Churches Wood:
And if they prove too Gentle and too Kind,
We have a stronger Potion yet behind;
Which some presume, without any more to do,
Will cure the Pope, and Church of England too;
And so make way for a more Christian State,
Which shall treat All without a Broken Pate,
Ho Antichristos then will have Check-Mate.
This purging Pill which is more strong and stout,
(Deo juvante) next Spring shall come out;
It may be sooner as we now shall find,
Unto our Muse you shall be curst or kind.
In the mean while, if what we now have sent
Unto our Prince, and the next Parliament,
As a small Present for the next New Year,
And they accept it, then we do not Fear
But King and Parliament will both agree,
To banish hence All Roman Trumpery,
And all things else as shall offensive be
Unto God's Church, and Christian Liberty;
Which when effected, then our Bells shall Ring,
And all with one consent, aloud shall sing,
God save Great James our Christian Faith's Defender,
Who to his Subjects will be Dear and Tender,
When they chop off the Persecution Joynt,
And they speak French, and all shall cry Non Point.
For interrupting you this time of Lent;
Wherein you spend much of your time, with such
As are the Members of your English Church.
We must confess, we are herein to blame,
But Truth suggested that she knew no shame;
And therefore bid us in our Muse proceed,
For of such Men she never had more need.
Confessions now at Court are Alamode,
As well as in your Churches common Road.
At this time of the year, which things are good,
VVhen once they are but rightly understood;
But when restrained to a certain time,
As you and others of the Roman Line
Have so long us'd, one time above another,
As well the Daughter as the antient Mother;
And that it should your God above so please
At this set time, and give your Conscience ease,
VVe cannot apprehend, and therefore must
Keep close to Truth, and to Gods Word be Just;
VVho bids us, when we sin, then to Repent,
And not to stay until the time of Lent;
Before that time should God remove us hence,
VVhere should we find the true St. Peter's Pence:
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VVithout Repentance, we should come too late.
But since Confessions are in Vogue so much,
As well in yours, as in the Roman Church:
If now you Church of England Men will Please,
This time of Lent, and give your Conscience Ease,
To make your Publick and your Free Confession,
To all those Jesuits who do make Profession
Of the same Faith as is profess'd at Rome,
In this prescribed Form which now is come
Unto your hands, although the Form be such,
As will not please the Old Right Roman Church;
Yet we will freely give you all Remission,
Without those Jesuits, or the Pope's Commission,
Which some believe may be as firm and Full,
As if proclaimed by his Roaring Bull.
Turn over Leaf, and there you may Behold
These Christian Pills, and all Inlaid with Gold;
Which if you take, will do your Souls more Good,
Than all the Crab-Trees in your Churches Wood:
And if they prove too Gentle and too Kind,
We have a stronger Potion yet behind;
Which some presume, without any more to do,
Will cure the Pope, and Church of England too;
And so make way for a more Christian State,
Which shall treat All without a Broken Pate,
Ho Antichristos then will have Check-Mate.
3
(Deo juvante) next Spring shall come out;
It may be sooner as we now shall find,
Unto our Muse you shall be curst or kind.
In the mean while, if what we now have sent
Unto our Prince, and the next Parliament,
As a small Present for the next New Year,
And they accept it, then we do not Fear
But King and Parliament will both agree,
To banish hence All Roman Trumpery,
And all things else as shall offensive be
Unto God's Church, and Christian Liberty;
Which when effected, then our Bells shall Ring,
And all with one consent, aloud shall sing,
God save Great James our Christian Faith's Defender,
Who to his Subjects will be Dear and Tender,
When they chop off the Persecution Joynt,
And they speak French, and all shall cry Non Point.
POSTSCRIPT.
When sturdy Storms are gone and past,Shall pleasant Calms appear,
If Church-men will confess at last,
Then Rome we need not fear.
Nunquam sera est ad Bonos mores Via.
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