Becoming America - An Exploration of American Literature from Precolonial to Post-Revolution, 2018a

BECOMING AMERICA
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY ENGLISH COLONIAL LITERATURE
LXXVIII
How du [. . .] st you venture, bold guests, to enter
in such a [. . .] ordid hi [. . .] e,
Amongst my guests, unto those feasts
that were not made for you?
How durst you eat for spir’tual meat
your bane, and drink damnation,
Whilst by your guile you rendred vile
so rare and great salvation?
LXXIX
Your fancies fed on heav’nly bread;
your hearts fed on some lust:
You lov’d the Creature more then th’Creator
your soules clave to the dust.
And think you by hypocrisie
and cloaked wickedness,
To enter in, laden with sin,
to lasting happiness.
LXXX
This your excuse shews your abuse
of things ordain’d for good;
And do declare you guilty are
of my dear Flesh and Bloud.
Wherefore those Seals and precious Meals
you put so much upon
As things divine, they seal and sign
you to perdition.
LXXXI
Then forth issue another Crew,
(those being silenced)
Who drawing nigh to the most High
adventure thus to plead:
We sinners were, say they, ‘tis clear,
deserving Condemnation:
But did not we rely on thee,
O Christ, for whole Salvation?
LXXXII
We did believe, and of receive
thy gracious Promises:
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