THE CHURCH MILITANT.

THE Church's progress is a masterpiece,
Limn'd to the life, of Egypt, Rome, and Greece:
Wherein he gives the conclave such a blow,
They ne'er received from either friend or foe.
England and France do bear an equal share
In his predictions, which time will declare;
Here's height of malice, here's prodigious lust,
Impudent sinning, cruelty, distrust;

Here's black ingratitude, here's pride and scorn,
Here's damned oaths, that cause the land to mourn;
And here's oppression, marks of future bane,
And here's hypocrisy, the counterpane.
Here's love of guineas, cursed root of all,
And here's religion turn'd up to the wall:
And could we see with Herbert's eagle eyes,
Without checkmate religion westward flies.
A most sad sacrifice was made of late
Of God's poor lambs by Pharasaic hate.
For discipline with doctrine so to jar,
Was just like bringing justice to the bar.
Was it the will, or judgment, or commands,
Of the great pilot for to pass the sands;
Well may we hope, that our quick-sighted state
Will take God's grievance into a debate.
Cathedral priests long since have laid about
Hammer and tongs, to drive religion out.

Her

grace and majesty makes them so fraid, They cry content, and so espouse her maid. She's decent, lovely, chaste, divine they say, She loves their sons, that sing our sins away. Could we but count the thousands every year These dreams consume, the music is too dear. When Eli's sons made luxury their god, Their widows named their posthumes Icabod. They both were slain, God's sacred ark was lost, Though they had with it a most mighty host.

Well may ingratitude make us all mourn;
Pearls we receive, poor pebbles we return.
Now Seine is swallowing Tiber; if the Thames,
By letting in them both pollute her streams;
Or if the seers shall connive or wink,
Beware the thunderbolt; Migremus hinc.
O let me die, and not survive to see
Before my death religion's obsequy.
Religion and dear truth will prove at length
The alpha and omega of our strength;

Our Boaz, our Jachin, our Great Britain's glory,
Look'd on by owls as a romantic story.

Our cloud, that comes behind us in the day,
Night's fiery pillar, to direct our way.

Our Chariots, ships, and horsemen, to withstand
The fury of our foes by sea or land.

Our eyes may see, as hath been seen before,
Religion's foes lie floating on the shore :

The head of England's church proud Babels, but
Will faith defend, and peace will Janus shut.

Adversus Impia.

Anno 1670.

LINES INTENDED TO BE PLACED UNDER

HERBERT'S PORTRAIT.

BEHOLD an orator, divinely sage,

The prophet and apostle of that age.

View but his Porch and Temple, you shall see

The body of divine philosophy.

Examine well the lines of his dead face,

Therein you may discern wisdom and grace.
Now if the shell so lovely doth appear,

How orient was the pearl imprison'd here!

THE PRINTERS TO THE READER.*

HE dedication of this work having been made

by the author to the Divine Majesty only, how should we now presume to interest any mortal man in the patronage of it? Much less think we it meet to seek the recommendation of the Muses, for that which himself was confident to have been inspired by a diviner breath than flows from Helicon. The world therefore, shall receive it in that naked simplicity with which he left it, without any addition either of support or ornament, more than is included in itself. We leave it free and unforestalled to every man's judgment, and to the benefit that he shall find by perusal. Only for the clearing of some passages, we have thought it not unfit to make the common Reader privy to some few particularities of the condition and disposition of the person.

Being nobly born, and as eminently endued with gifts of the mind, and having by industry and happy education perfected them to that great height of excellency, whereof his fellowship of Trinity College in Cambridge, and his Oratorship in the University, together with that knowledge which the King's Court had taken of him, could make relation far above ordinary. Quitting both his deserts and all the opportunities that he had

* Published with first edition, Cambridge, 1633.

for worldly preferment, he betook himself to the Sanctuary and Temple of God, choosing rather to serve at God's Altar, than to seek the honour of State employments. As for those inward enforcements to this course (for outward there was none,) which many of these ensuing verses bear witness of, they detract not from the freedom, but add to the honour of this resolution in him. As God had enabled him, so he accounted him meet not only to be called, but to be compelled to this service: Wherein his faithful discharge was such, as may make him justly a companion to the primitive Saints, and a pattern or more for the age he lived in.

To testify his independency upon all others, and to quicken his diligence in this kind, he used in his ordinary speech, when he made mention of the blessed name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, to add, My Master.

Next God, he loved that which God himself hath magnified above all things, that is, his Word: so as he hath been heard to make solemn protestation, that he would not part with one leaf thereof for the whole world, if it were offered him in exchange.

His obedience and conformity to the Church and the discipline thereof was singularly remarkable Though he abounded in private devotions, yet went he every morning and evening with his family to the Church; and by his example, exhortations, and encouragements drew the greater part of his parishioners to accompany him daily in the public celebration of Divine Service.

1