Certain Sermons, Poem 1 – Poem 2
WHo ſhrugg'ſt vnſhelt'red, in the open, wide,
Cold, ſtaruing deſart of mans wofull ſtate,
Amid'ſt fell monſters, ſet on eu'ry ſide:
As head ſtrong Luſts, huge Pride and ougly Hate;
Toade-tonged Slaunders, greedie Couetiſe,
Diu'liſh Prophaneneſſe, tyrannizing Feare,
Wide-mouth'd deſpairing and that Cocatrice
Which deadly poyſ'neth all that commeth neere.
Who neere the brinke of that vnbottom'd pit
Of mazing horror, on the bleaker ſhore,
All nak'd and ſhudd'ring, doeſt forſaken ſit,
Hal'd by hell Porter to that diſmall doore.
Who art bedrinkled with the droppes that fall
Of wrath and anger, from th'offended God,
Threatning more tempeſts & worſe ſtormes that ſhal
O'rewhelme thee grooueling, with their furious load.
Haſt hither: hide thee vnderunder this new roofe,
Newhowſe hath framed for thy ſure behoofe.
No ſtud is here, nor ſpar of any wood
Of Spoongy Sallow, or the Sappie ſhell,
Of crumbling ſhrublings, but what's firme and good:
As Oake of Baſhan and the Cedar Dele,
And ſeaſoned heart of Shittim, and ſuch ſtuffe
Which God's wide forreſt, ſacred Lebanon,
The holy Bible hath and yeelds inough,
To build ſafe refuge for each out-caſt one,
Who void of harbour ſtrayes and wanders wide.
For want of homeſtead, or a place t'abide.
Gods ſure Election as foundation ſtands.
Gods Feare as ſtrongeſt pillar beares vp all
The laſting building. Baptiſme is the band
That ioyntes each rafter to his principall.
Baptiſme the badge which beautifies the ſame.
With glorious var…ſh while *This hath reference to a ſermon of his touching the doctrine of Iuſtification, printed Anno 1612.Chriſts righteouſneſſe,
A roofe immortall, ſhelters all the frame
From dint of ſtormes and thunders eagerneſſe.
Here's Gods Election. Here's Gods Feare. Here is
Baptiſme the ioy of Chriſtians. Here is plaine
Chriſts perfect Goodneſſe, couering our amiſſe;
Which who once gets ſhall neuer looſe againe.
Who then art wandring and would'ſt find a ſtay:
Who art vncou'red and would'ſt hide thy ſhame:
Who haſt no refuge for a ſtormy day:
Who ſeeſt thy death but can'ſt not ſhun the ſame:
Haſte hither: hide thee vnderunder this new reofe,
Newhowſe hath framed for thy ſure behoofe.
Fowlke Robarts.
REader: if weightie truth, with iudgement ſound,
In method moſt diſtinct, and order cleere,
Frō heauenly hart which did with grace abound,
In ſtile ſo plaine as to be wiſhed were,
If ſo great worth as is but rarely found,
May giuegive content, or pleaſe, all this is here:
If other things thou ſeekeſt, ſeeke elſe where.
Liue little booke, and long in price remaine:
Proſerue aliue thine Authors memorie:
Be to his friends in ſtead of picture plaine,
Where, not his face, but they his ſoule may ſee:
And reading, freſhly call to mind againe,
What grace, what ſpeech, what ſpirit, once had hee,
Too good (if God ſaw good) ſo ſoone to dye.
Dan. Heylet.
End of the text · Thomas Newhouse, Certain Sermons (1614)