A treasure, which if country-curates buy,
They Junius, and Tremellius may defy :
Save pains in various readings, and translations ;
And without Hebrew make most learn'd quotations.
A work fo full with various learning fraught,
So nicely pondred, yet fo ftrongly wrought,
As nature's height and arts laft hand requir'd:
As much as man cou'd compafs, uninfpir'd.
Where we may see what errors have been made
Both in the copiers and tranflators trade:
How Jewish, Popish, interests have prevail'd,
And where infallibility has fail'd.

For fome, who have his fecret meaning guefs'd,
Have found our author not too much a prieft:
For fashion-fake he seems to have recourfe
Το pope, and councils, and traditions force:
But he that old traditions could fubdue,
Could not but find the weakness of the new:
If fcripture, though deriv'd from heavenly birth,
Has been but carelefly preferv'd on earth;
If God's own people, who of God before
Knew what we know, and had been promis'd more,
In fuller terms, of heaven's affifting care,
And who did neither time nor study spare
X

VOL. I.

To keep this book untainted, unperplext,

Let in grofs errors to corrupt the text,
Omitted paragraphs, embroil'd the sense,
With vain traditions stopt the gaping fence,
Which every common hand pull'd up with ease :
What fafety from fuch brushwood-helps as these?
If written words from time are not secur'd,
How can we think have oral founds endur'd?
Which thus tranfmitted, if one mouth has fail'd,
Immortal lyes on ages are intail'd :

And that fome fuch have been, is prov'd too plain ;.
If we confider interest, church, and gain.

O but fays one, tradition set fide,

Where can we hope for an unerring guide?
For fince th' original scripture has been loft,
All copies difagreeing, maim'd the most,
Or christian faith can have no certain ground,
Or truth in church-tradition must be found.

Such an omniscient church we wish indeed; "Twere worth both Teftaments; caft in the Creed:

But if this mother be a guide fo fure,

As can all doubts refolve, all truth fecure,
Then her infallibility, as well

Where copies are corrupt or lame, can tell

Reftore loft canon with as little pains,
As truly explicate what ftill remains:
Which yet no council dare pretend to do;
Unless like Efdras they could write it new:
Strange confidence ftill to interpret true,
Yet not be fure that all they have explain'd,
Is in the bleft original contain'd.

More fafe, and much more modeft 'tis, to say
God would not leave mankind without a way:
And that the fcriptures, tho not every where
Free from corruption, or intire, or clear,
Are uncorrupt, fufficient, clear, intire,
In all things which our needful faith require.
If others in the fame glass better fee,

"Tis for themselves they look, but not for me:
falvation must its doom receive,

For

my

Not from what others but what I believe.

Muft all tradition then be fet afide?
This to affirm were ignorance or pride.
Are there not many points, fome needful fure
To saving faith, that scripture leaves obscure?
Which fect will wrest a several way,

every

For what one fect interprets, all fects may :

}

We hold, and fay we prove from fcripture plain, That Chrift is God; the bold Socinian

}

From the fame fcripture urges he's but man.
Now what appeal can end th' important fuit;
Both parts talk loudly, but the rule is mute?
Shall I speak plain, and in a nation frce
Affume an honeft layman's liberty?
I think, according to my little skill,
To my own mother-church submitting still,
That many have been fav'd, and many may,
Who never heard this question brought in play.
Th' unletter'd Chriftian who believes in grofs,
Plods on to heaven; and ne'er is at a loss:
For the ftreight-gate would be made streighter yet,
Were none admitted there but men of wit.
The few by nature form'd, with learning fraught,
Born to instruct as others to be taught,
Muft study well the facred page; and fee
Which doctrine, this or that, does best agree
With the whole tenor of the work divine:
And plainlieft points to heaven's reveal'd defign:
Which expofition flows from genuine sense;
And which is forc'd by wit and eloquence.
Not that tradition's parts are useless here:
When general, old, difinterested and clear:

That ancient fathers thus expound the page,
Gives truth the reverend majefty of age:
Confirms its force by bideing every test;
For beft authorities next rules, are best.
And still the nearer to the fpring we go
More limpid, more unfoil'd the waters flow.
Thus first traditions were a proof alone;

Could we be certain fuch they were, so known :
But fince fome flaws in long descent may be,
They make not truth but probability.
Even Aríus and Pelagius durft provoke
To what the centuries preceding fpoke.
Such difference is there in an oft-told tale :
But truth by its own finews will prevail.
Tradition written therefore more commends
Authority, than what from voice descends:
And this, as perfect as its kind can be,
Rolls down to us the facred hiftory:
Which from the universal church receiv'd,
Is try'd, and after, for itself believ'd.

The partial Papists would infer from hence Their church, in last resort, fhould judge the fenfe.

But first they would affume with wond'rous art, Themselves to be the whole, who are but part