Had your intent been to repent
113
Had your intent been to repent,
and had you it desir'd,
There would have been endeavours seen,
before your time expir'd.
God makes no treasure, nor hath he pleasure,
in idle purposes:
Such fair pretences are foul offences,
and cloaks for wickedness.
114
Then were brought in, and charg'd with sin,
another Company,
Who by Petition obtain'd permission,
to make Apology:
They argued, We were misled,
as is well known to thee,
By their Example, that had more ample
abilities than we:
115
Such as profest they did detest,
and hate each wicked way:
Whose seeming grace whilst we did trace,
our Souls were led astray.
When men of Parts, Learning and Arts,
Professing Piety,
Did thus and thus, it seem'd to us
we might take liberty.
116
The Judge replies, I gave you eyes,
and light to see your way,
Which had you lov'd, and well improv'd
you had not gone astray.
My Word was pure, the Rule was sure,
why did you it forsake,
Or thereon trample, and mens example
your Directory make?
117
This you well knew, that God is true
and that most men are liars,
In word professing holiness,
in deed thereof deniers.
O simple fools! that having rules
your lives to regulate,
Would the[m] refuse, and rather chuse
vile men to imitate.
118
But Lord, say they, we went astray,
and did more wickedlie,
By means of those whom thou hast chose
Salvation heirs to be.
To whom the Judge: What you alledge,
doth nothing help the case;
But makes appear how vile you were,
and rend'reth you more base.
119
You understood that what was good,
was to be followed,
And that you ought that which was naught
to have relinquished.
Contrariwayes, it was your guise,
only to imitate
Good mens defects, and their neglects
that were regenerate.
120
But to express their holiness,
or imitate their grace,
You little car'd, nor once prepar'd
your hearts to seek my face.
They did repent, and truly rent
their hearts for all known sin:
You did offend, but not amend,
to follow them therein.
121
We had thy Word, say some, O Lord,
but wiser men than we
Could never yet interpret it,
but always disagree.
How could we fools be led by Rules,
so far beyond our ken,
Which to explain did so much pain,
and puzzle wisest men?
122
Was all my word abstruse and hard?
the Judge then answered:
It did contain much truth so plain,
you might have run and read,
But what was hard you never car'd
to know nor studied,
And things that were most plain and clear
you never practised.
123
The Mystery of Pietie
God unto Babes reveals:
When to the wise he it denies,
and from the world conceals.
If to fulfil Gods holy will
had seemed good to you,
You would have sought light as you ought,
and done the good you knew.
124
Then came in view another Crew,
and 'gan to make their pleas.
Amongst the rest, some of the best
had such poor shifts as these:
Thou know'st right well, who all canst tell
we liv'd amongst thy foes,
Who the Renate did sorely hate,
and goodness much oppose.
125
We holiness du[r]st not profess,
fearing to be forlorn
Of all our friends, and for amends
to be the wickeds scorn.
We knew their anger would much endanger
our lives, and our estates:
Therefore for fear we durst appear
no better than our mates.
126
To whom the Lord returns this word:
O wonderful deceits!
To cast off aw[e] of Gods strict Law,
and fear mens wrath and threats.
To fear hell-fire and Gods fierce ire
less than the rage of men,
As if Gods wrath, could do less scath
than wrath of bretheren.
127
To use such strife, a temporal life,
to rescue and secure,
And be so blind as not to mind
that life that will endure:
This was your case, who carnal peace
more than true joyes did savour;
Who fed on dust, clave to your lust,
and spurned at my favour.
128
To please your kin, mens love to win,
to flow in worldly wealth,
To save your skin, these things have bin
more than Eternal health.
You had your choice, wherein rejoyce,
it was your portion,
For which you chose your Souls t' expose
unto perdition.
129
Who did not hate friends, life, and state,
with all things else for me,
And all forsake, and's Cross up-take,
shall never happy be.
Well worthy they to dye for ay,
who death then life had rather:
Death is their due, that so value
the friendship of my Father.
Had your intent been to repent,
and had you it desir'd,
There would have been endeavours seen,
before your time expir'd.
God makes no treasure, nor hath he pleasure,
in idle purposes:
Such fair pretences are foul offences,
and cloaks for wickedness.
114
Then were brought in, and charg'd with sin,
another Company,
Who by Petition obtain'd permission,
to make Apology:
They argued, We were misled,
as is well known to thee,
By their Example, that had more ample
abilities than we:
115
Such as profest they did detest,
and hate each wicked way:
Whose seeming grace whilst we did trace,
our Souls were led astray.
When men of Parts, Learning and Arts,
Professing Piety,
Did thus and thus, it seem'd to us
we might take liberty.
116
The Judge replies, I gave you eyes,
and light to see your way,
Which had you lov'd, and well improv'd
you had not gone astray.
My Word was pure, the Rule was sure,
why did you it forsake,
Or thereon trample, and mens example
your Directory make?
117
This you well knew, that God is true
and that most men are liars,
In word professing holiness,
in deed thereof deniers.
O simple fools! that having rules
your lives to regulate,
Would the[m] refuse, and rather chuse
vile men to imitate.
118
But Lord, say they, we went astray,
and did more wickedlie,
By means of those whom thou hast chose
Salvation heirs to be.
To whom the Judge: What you alledge,
doth nothing help the case;
But makes appear how vile you were,
and rend'reth you more base.
119
You understood that what was good,
was to be followed,
And that you ought that which was naught
to have relinquished.
Contrariwayes, it was your guise,
only to imitate
Good mens defects, and their neglects
that were regenerate.
120
But to express their holiness,
or imitate their grace,
You little car'd, nor once prepar'd
your hearts to seek my face.
They did repent, and truly rent
their hearts for all known sin:
You did offend, but not amend,
to follow them therein.
121
We had thy Word, say some, O Lord,
but wiser men than we
Could never yet interpret it,
but always disagree.
How could we fools be led by Rules,
so far beyond our ken,
Which to explain did so much pain,
and puzzle wisest men?
122
Was all my word abstruse and hard?
the Judge then answered:
It did contain much truth so plain,
you might have run and read,
But what was hard you never car'd
to know nor studied,
And things that were most plain and clear
you never practised.
123
The Mystery of Pietie
God unto Babes reveals:
When to the wise he it denies,
and from the world conceals.
If to fulfil Gods holy will
had seemed good to you,
You would have sought light as you ought,
and done the good you knew.
124
Then came in view another Crew,
and 'gan to make their pleas.
Amongst the rest, some of the best
had such poor shifts as these:
Thou know'st right well, who all canst tell
we liv'd amongst thy foes,
Who the Renate did sorely hate,
and goodness much oppose.
125
We holiness du[r]st not profess,
fearing to be forlorn
Of all our friends, and for amends
to be the wickeds scorn.
We knew their anger would much endanger
our lives, and our estates:
Therefore for fear we durst appear
no better than our mates.
126
To whom the Lord returns this word:
O wonderful deceits!
To cast off aw[e] of Gods strict Law,
and fear mens wrath and threats.
To fear hell-fire and Gods fierce ire
less than the rage of men,
As if Gods wrath, could do less scath
than wrath of bretheren.
127
To use such strife, a temporal life,
to rescue and secure,
And be so blind as not to mind
that life that will endure:
This was your case, who carnal peace
more than true joyes did savour;
Who fed on dust, clave to your lust,
and spurned at my favour.
128
To please your kin, mens love to win,
to flow in worldly wealth,
To save your skin, these things have bin
more than Eternal health.
You had your choice, wherein rejoyce,
it was your portion,
For which you chose your Souls t' expose
unto perdition.
129
Who did not hate friends, life, and state,
with all things else for me,
And all forsake, and's Cross up-take,
shall never happy be.
Well worthy they to dye for ay,
who death then life had rather:
Death is their due, that so value
the friendship of my Father.
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