English Puritan & Reformed

Preaching of Dr Pierce Confuted

John Dobson (1633-1681) · 720 words · 3 min

The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A36189.0001.001

Project Note

This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.

The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.

This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.

Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.

However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.

This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.

Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org

Dr. Pierce HIS PREACHING Confuted by HIS PRACTICE. Sent in a Letter by N. G. to a Friend in LONDON.

Dear George,

I Send thee a Copy of the Lampoon upon the President of Maudlins, that you may see at what distance his Court-preaching stands with his College-practice. For there he twitted the Romanists with I know not what Novelties both of Doctrine and Practice cunningly brought into the Church; whilst here, by a tyrannical and arbitrary way of Governing, he puts down all the good old Customs which seemed fit to be preserved by his Predecessors, (some whereof were as good, and others better then himself) and, under pretence of Reformation, hath innovated more in a year and half, than the Romanists had done in many Ages. What his Innovations are I need not say here in Prose; thou wilt find in great part they are told in Verse: whereof but five or six Stanza's were proclaimed on Act-Monday by Mr. Brookes of Christ's-Church, than whom in many years there has not been a more courageous, or a more comical, Terrae-filius. But his most execrable Novelty was his imperious way of Proceeding against Harry Yerbury; who (for all his Degree, and his Sufferings for the King 1648, his great Ingenuity, and civil Carriage) was not only put out of Commons like a Boy, for I know not what Peccadillo's called Verba brigosa; but cast out of the College like any Dog, for but appealing to the Visitor from such Correction. Now to scare our own Governors from presuming to deal with us, as the Statute-monger of Maudlins dealt with him, be sure to publish this Ballad as far and wide as thou canst, so thou beest but so honest as to hush up the Name of

Thy affectionate Servant, N. G.

        NEar to the
        
         Ford,
        
        over which an Ass
       
        Or an
        
         Ox
        
        at least did pass,
       
        And where the once-blessed,
        
         Magdalene
        
        A
        
         sinner
        
        is
        
         possessed
        
        agen,
       
        The man that sets up Innovation
       
         By th'
        
        primitive Rule of Reformation,
       
        And
        
         preached
        
        down
        
         Popery
        
        too, in hope
       
        To be in time
        
         Himself a Pope,
        
        Makes new Religious Modes to grow,
       
        Which from the Beginning were nothing so.

        Demyes, and Fellows too, they say,
       
        Are in the Chapel brought to pray,
       
        As often as the Organs blow;
       
        But from the beginning it was not so.

        The Founder's Laws are so set up,
       
        That Scholars, when they dine and sup,
       
        Must bandy
        
         Latin
        
        to and fro;
       
        But from the beginning it was not so.

        The tree, which Walnuts forth did shoot,
       
        Is voted down both branch and root:
       
        And where Bowls ran, there Turnips grow;
       
        But from the beginning it was not so.

         Demyships,
        
        which were
        
         bought
        
        and
        
         sold,
        
        Cannot now be had for
        
         Gold;
        
        And things called
        
         Merits, currant
        
        go;
       
        But from the beginning it was not so.

        Fellowships
        
         eke are
        
        nothing worth,
       
        Which
        
         eightscore Pieces
        
        did bring forth,
       
        And a
        
         Gratuity
        
        too, I trow;
       
        But from the beginning it was not so.

        A
        
         Belly-full
        
        now for a
        
         Feast
        
        must suffice,
       
        Whilst by an abatement of
        
         Plum-broth
        
        and
        
         Pies
        
        Men are taught to be temperate; but yet we know
       
        That from the beginning it was not so.

        Depraved manners now must be
       
        Reform'd by Easter-scrutiny,
       
        Where none must his Accuser know;
       
        But from the beginning it was not so.

        In time of Term 'tis lately said,
       
        That weekly Preachments must be made
       
        Whether the Preacher will or no;
       
        But from the beginning it was not so.

        Gold is now wrested from the Fists
       
        Of all the late Spurroyallists
       
        Sent Pris'ners to th' Tow'r, as though
       
        From the beginning it had been so.

        The Grammar-school hath also cause
       
        To say, New Lord's do make new Laws,
       
        Though
        
         Busby
        
        's followers needs must know
       
        That from the beginning it was not so.

        Amongst the other Modern fashions
       
        All men are brought to Disputations,
       
        Both great and small, from top to toe;
       
        But from the beginning it was not so.

        If a good
        
         Fellow
        
        be
        
         Maudlin
        
        drunk,
       
        Speak
        
         Verba brigosa,
        
        or keep a Punk,
       
        He straight must
        
         out of Commons
        
        go;
       
        But from the beginning it was not so.

        If thereupon he make Appeals
       
        For having
        
         fasted
        
        all those Meals,
       
        He never must have
        
         Commons
        
        moe;
       
        But from the beginning it was not so.

FINIS.