University of Virginia Library

A Metricall Paraphrase upon the CREEDE.

Since it befits that I account should give
What way unto salvation I beleeve;
Of my profession here the summe I gather.
First, I confesse a Faith in God the Father:
In God, who (without helper or partaker)
Was of himselfe the worlds Almighty maker,
And first gave time his being: who gave birth
To all the Creatures both of heaven and earth
Our everlasting welfare doth consist
In his great mercies, and in Iesus Christ:
(The second person of that Three in one)
The Fathers equall and his onely Sonne;
That ever blessed and incarnate Word,
Which our Redeemer is, our life, our Lord.
For when by Satans guile we were deceived,
Christ was that meanes of help, which was conceived
Yea (whē we were in dāger to be lost)
Conceived for us, by the Holy Ghost.
And that we might not ever be for-lorne,
For our eternall safety he was Borne;
Born as a Man (that man might not miscarry)
Even of the substance of the Virgin Mary,
And loe, a greater mercy, and a wonder;
He that can make all suffer, suffered under
The Iewish spite (which all the world revile at
And Romish tyrannies of Pontius Pilate.
In him doe I beleeve, who was envied,
Who with extreamest hate was Crucified:
Who being Life it selfe (to make assured
Our soules of safety) was both dead and buried
And that no servile feare in us might dwell,
To conquer, He descended into hell:
Where no infernall Power had power to lay
Command upon him; but on the third day
The force of death and hell he did constraine
And so in Triumph, he arose againe.
Yea the Almighty power advanc'd his head,
Aswel above al things, as from the dead
Then that from thence gifts might to men be given
With glory, He ascended into heaven:
Where that supreme and everlasting throne,
Which was prepard, he climb'd; and sitteth on
That blessed seate where he shall make abode
To plead for us, at the right hand of God.
And no where should he be entroned rather,
Than there: for he is God, as is the Father.
And therefore with an equal love delight I
To praise & serve them both, as one Almighty
Yet in their office there's a difference,
And I beleeve that Iesus Christ, from thence,
Shall in the great and universall doome,
Returne, and that with Angels. He shall come,
To question such as at his Empire grudge;
Even those who have presumed him to judge
And that black day shall be so Catholicke,
As I beleeve not onely that the quick
To that assise shall all be summoned;
But, he will both adjudge them, and the dead.
Moreover, in the God-head I conceive
Another Person, in whom I beleeve:
For all my hope of blessednesse were lost,
If I beleev'd not in the Holy Ghost.
And though vain schismaticks through pride and folly
Contemne her power, I doe beleeve the holy
Chast spouse of Christ for whō so many search
By marks uncertain the true Cath'like Church
I doe beleeve (God keepe us in this union)
That there shall be for ever the Communion
Of Gods elect: and that he still acquaints
His children in the fellowship of Saints.
Though damned be mās nature or condition
By grace in Christ I looke for the remission
Of all my soule misdeeds; for there begins
Deaths end, which is the punishment of sins,
Moreover, I the Sadduces infection
Abhorre and doe beleeve the resurrection:
Yea, though I turn to dust; yet through God I
Expect a glorious rising of the body;
And that, exempted from the cares here rife,
I shall enjoy perfection and the life
That is not subject unto change or wasting;
But ever blessed and for everlasting.
This is my faith, which that it faile not whē
It most should steed me, let God say, Amen.

To whō that he so much vouchsafe we may, Thus as a member of his Church, I pray

Lord at thy mercy seat our selves we gather,
To doe our duties unto thee Our Father.
To whom all praise, all honour should be given:
For thou art that great God which art in heaven.
Thou by thy wisdome rul'st the worlds whole frame
For ever therefore, Hallowed be thy Name.
Let never more delayes devide us from
Thy glories view, but let Thy kingdome come.
Let thy commands opposed be by none,
But thy good pleasure, and Thy will be done.
And let our promptnesse to obey, be even
The very same in earth, as 'tis in heaven.
Then for our selves, O Lord, we also pray,
Thou woul'st be pleased to Give us this day,
That food of life wherewith our soules are fed,
Contented raiment, and our daily bread.
With ev'ry needfull thing doe thou relieve us:
And of thy mercy, pitty And forgive us
All our misdeeds in him whom thou didst please,
To take in offering for our trespasses.
And for as much, O Lord, as we beleeve,
Thou so wilt pardon us, as we forgive:
Let that love teach us, wherewith thou acquaints us,
To pardon all them, that trespasse against us.
And though sometimes thou find'st we have forgot
This love, or thee; yet helpe, And leade us not.
Through soule or bodies want, to desperation
Nor let aboundance, drive into temptation,
Let not the soule of any true Beleever,
Fall in the time of tryall: But deliver
Yea save him from the malice of the devill;
And both in life and death keepe us from evill.
Thus pray we Lord: And but of thee, from whom
Can this be had? For thine is the kingdome.
The world is of the workes the graven story,
To thee belongs the power, and the glory.
And this thy happinesse hath ending never;
But shall remaine for ever, and or ever.
This we confesse, and will confesse agen,
Till we shall say eternally, Amen.

Thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and upon thy gates. Deut. 69.