THE LOFTY BISHOP, THE LAZY BROVVNIST, AND THE LOYALL AVTHOR.
1. The Bishop Sings.
VVHat would yee lazie Brownists have,
you rage and runne away;
And cry us downe, our Church, and eke,
the forme therein we pray.
Oh Monstres great! Abortive sonnes,
your Mother to forsake;
To Church you doe refraine to come,
your prayers there to make.
You will admit no governement,
in Church at all to stand,
Without the which, would soone be seene,
strange errors in the land.
You doe assume your selves to be
more holy then all people,
Therefore 'mongst all, you will not come,
to pray in Church or steeple.
You'l speake us faire and soberly,
you will protest in speech,
With eyes, and hands eke lifted up:
yet will us over-reach.
You doe presume, you have no sinne;
and that you have the spirit,
And though you cosen and deceive,
you heaven shall inherit.
Oh, fie upon your idle life!
how dare you zeale pretend,
To loyter here, and there all day
a prating life to spend.
What separatist in your Rout
makes conscience of all sinnes,
And in his calling paines doth take,
so soone as day beginnes.
2. The Brownists Sings.
YOur lofty Lord-shipp tearmes us lazie
and runagadoes too,
But I could wish you Bishops would
but labour as we doe.
Sure yee be monsters, for such members
of Christ his Church as yee,
I have not read of in Gods word
allowed by him to be.
Then you must rather be out of Christ,
and in his Church impostors,
For Christ allowes you Lordships none;
if you will be his Pastors.
You did presume, you were cocke sure,
and in your glory firme,
Christs little flocke to tyrannize
with countenance full stearne.
The Apostles of our Saviour Christ,
you pleade you doe succeede;
And yet would starve those soules, which they
did labour for to feede.
Though with your mouth, you Rome deny;
yet still her wayes you take,
A strumpet you confesse she is,
yet doe her not forsake.
How dare you, who appointed are
to Preach Gods holy word;
Sit in pompe and presume to beare
in hand the temporall sword.
Is any Pastor made a Lord,
but soone's from preaching taken;
Yea though he laboured much before,
this makes all be forsaken.
3. The Author laments.
HEre's lazie Brownists, lofty Bishops,
and both accuse each other,
As runagadoes, Monsters eke;
unto the Church their mother.
And yet were both bread up by her,
and yet Church Monsters too;
The one doth quite forsake the Church,
the other would her undoe.
But now the Parliament no doubt,
these Monsters will destroy;
Or else will set them such a forme,
whereby the Church may joy.
The one in pride, the other in
conceited puritie;
Doth trouble both the Church and State,
such Monsters for to see.
Whilst one dissembles, th'other doth
affirme vaine things for truth,
Whilst one in pompe, his time doth wast
the other it spends in sloth.
Whilst both doe wander from the way
wherein the Church of God
Directed is by him to walke,
both other paths have trod.
The Brownists noses, want a Ring
(to draw them with a Rope;)
The Prelates wings doe cutting neede,
(least they fly to the Pope.)
That so the one in Church may Preach
Gods word, the other heare;
That both may honour God, and eke
his lawes may love, and feare.
Printed Ann Dom. 1640.