Odes In Imitation of the Seaven Penitential Psalmes with Sundry other Poemes and ditties tending to deuotion and pietie [by Richard Rowlands] |
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COMPLAINT OF CHVRCH CONTROVERSY. |
 | Odes In Imitation of the Seaven Penitential Psalmes |  |
94
COMPLAINT OF CHVRCH CONTROVERSY.
The golden world long since is worne away,
As now the golden yeare hath taken end,
The Iron world doth stil remaine and stay,
And in his rust doth to his ruyne tend,
And in the shew of vertue and of truthe,
Seeme-good seeme-gospel turneth all to ruthe.
As now the golden yeare hath taken end,
The Iron world doth stil remaine and stay,
And in his rust doth to his ruyne tend,
And in the shew of vertue and of truthe,
Seeme-good seeme-gospel turneth all to ruthe.
At Babel tower where tounges confusion came,
It stayd the woork that fond aduice begun,
But fond aduice now seeketh to disframe,
A tabernacle seated in the Sun,
And tounges confusion Church-war hath procured
Lately begun and yet to long endured.
It stayd the woork that fond aduice begun,
But fond aduice now seeketh to disframe,
A tabernacle seated in the Sun,
And tounges confusion Church-war hath procured
Lately begun and yet to long endured.
True yet it is that stryfe hath euer been,
Twixt good and il in deadly feud depending,
But neuer such confusion hath bin seen,
Nor diffrent numbers in so great contending,
As in our dayes when each one truth doth claime,
And of vntruth each doth each other blame.
Twixt good and il in deadly feud depending,
But neuer such confusion hath bin seen,
Nor diffrent numbers in so great contending,
As in our dayes when each one truth doth claime,
And of vntruth each doth each other blame.
VVhyle Truth herself the heau'ns bogotten chyld
And glorious imp of high Antiquitie,
Lies ouertrod and vnder foot defyld,
By each and all that woork her inury,
All disagreeing in their owne truth claming,
Yet all agreeing in truthes false defaming.
And glorious imp of high Antiquitie,
Lies ouertrod and vnder foot defyld,
By each and all that woork her inury,
All disagreeing in their owne truth claming,
Yet all agreeing in truthes false defaming.
95
God first good corne did cast into the ground,
But soon the diuel threw in cockle there,
God first his Church on earth did firmly found,
VVhere straight the diuel did his chappel reare,
God vnto Truth the formoste place assygnd,
And falshood with the diuel came behynd.
But soon the diuel threw in cockle there,
God first his Church on earth did firmly found,
VVhere straight the diuel did his chappel reare,
God vnto Truth the formoste place assygnd,
And falshood with the diuel came behynd.
VVhen God in Adam had his Temple buylt,
The serpents synagog began in Eue,
Good Abels blood his wicked brother spilt,
At his Gods-woorship diuel-taught to grieue,
So soon began illes enuy vnto good,
Two only borne; one sheddes the others blood.
The serpents synagog began in Eue,
Good Abels blood his wicked brother spilt,
At his Gods-woorship diuel-taught to grieue,
So soon began illes enuy vnto good,
Two only borne; one sheddes the others blood.
Through Moyses God did giue his Churche a law,
And Chores crew against it did rebel,
Hating to liue in order and in aw,
VVith their misleader went aliue to hel,
They claymed truth, reiecting right of his,
And seru'd the diu'l in seruing God amisse.
And Chores crew against it did rebel,
Hating to liue in order and in aw,
VVith their misleader went aliue to hel,
They claymed truth, reiecting right of his,
And seru'd the diu'l in seruing God amisse.
Saint Peeter did ensue his masters lore,
VVhich Simon Magus, stoutly did withstand,
And that great pastor greatly hate therefore,
But first-borne truth obtayn'd the vpper hand,
And that fals Prophet mounting vp in pryde,
Fel downe out of the ayre to earth and dyde.
VVhich Simon Magus, stoutly did withstand,
And that great pastor greatly hate therefore,
But first-borne truth obtayn'd the vpper hand,
And that fals Prophet mounting vp in pryde,
Fel downe out of the ayre to earth and dyde.
In auncient pathes trod by our elders feet,
The way is found which is to rest assygnd,
But self-sought by wayes for self-choosers meet,
They euer seek that seeking neuer fynd,
Blynde guydes they bee, guyders of blynde they seeme,
And with them fal ere they of danger deeme.
The way is found which is to rest assygnd,
But self-sought by wayes for self-choosers meet,
They euer seek that seeking neuer fynd,
Blynde guydes they bee, guyders of blynde they seeme,
And with them fal ere they of danger deeme.
96
To mend amisse was euer woork wel donne,
In faultes and manners of Church-mennes abusion,
But by no prophet euer was begonne,
Reforming of abuses by confusion,
Nor for some faultes growne through Church-mēnes defect.
No good man euer did new Church erect.
In faultes and manners of Church-mennes abusion,
But by no prophet euer was begonne,
Reforming of abuses by confusion,
Nor for some faultes growne through Church-mēnes defect.
No good man euer did new Church erect.
Il thrift may to that builder wel befall,
That wil a faire-built edifice deface,
And with the rubbish of the broken wall,
Erect some cottage in an obscure place,
And to adorne it with vsurped fame,
Giues it the tytle of the others name.
That wil a faire-built edifice deface,
And with the rubbish of the broken wall,
Erect some cottage in an obscure place,
And to adorne it with vsurped fame,
Giues it the tytle of the others name.
Must now an vpstart Martin or a Iohn,
In question call the firme fidelitie,
Of her whose pallas on a rock of stone,
Presents the picture of her chastitie?
VVho was of heau'n, and earth long heild in grace,
Ere ought was heard of this new-risen race.
In question call the firme fidelitie,
Of her whose pallas on a rock of stone,
Presents the picture of her chastitie?
VVho was of heau'n, and earth long heild in grace,
Ere ought was heard of this new-risen race.
VVhy hath not els each man lyke priuelege,
To chop to change, to found what faith hee list,
And wrested scripture for his proofs aleage,
And gainst a world in self conceit persist,
And say all say amisse, except as hee,
And all his woordes Gods woord & Ghospel bee.
To chop to change, to found what faith hee list,
And wrested scripture for his proofs aleage,
And gainst a world in self conceit persist,
And say all say amisse, except as hee,
And all his woordes Gods woord & Ghospel bee.
If free it bee for one its free for all,
For all can claime the lyke instinct of spirit,
But shrewd suspition doth apeere withall,
That of fals prophets all the name do merit,
Their frute is il, themselues were neuer sent,
They come to late, to soone to such intent.
For all can claime the lyke instinct of spirit,
But shrewd suspition doth apeere withall,
That of fals prophets all the name do merit,
Their frute is il, themselues were neuer sent,
They come to late, to soone to such intent.
97
Susanna lyke, they Christ his Spouse accuse,
And wil both iudges and accusers bee.
But lyke as Daniel falshood did confuse,
By vntruth found in contrarietie,
So contradictions in these fals accusers,
Shewes them to bee, the world and her abusers.
And wil both iudges and accusers bee.
But lyke as Daniel falshood did confuse,
By vntruth found in contrarietie,
So contradictions in these fals accusers,
Shewes them to bee, the world and her abusers.
And as the spryte of God did Daniel moue,
The innocent accused to defend,
The spirit of God his deere spowse so doth loue,
That to her fals accusers in thee end,
In steed of casten stones their blood to spil,
They gainst the rock themselues shal cast and kil.
The innocent accused to defend,
The spirit of God his deere spowse so doth loue,
That to her fals accusers in thee end,
In steed of casten stones their blood to spil,
They gainst the rock themselues shal cast and kil.
AN EPIGRAM.
A puritaine did plaine himself of late,Of late growne controuersies into great debate,
And prayed him to whome hee did complaine
That hee his censure would affoord him plaine,
VVel then quoth hee yf neither I shal flatter
But speake my conscience freely of the matter,
You are in fault, to make so much contending,
How can so new a faith, so soone lack mending.
| Odes In Imitation of the Seaven Penitential Psalmes | |