An exclamation to all those that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity against an apology written by an ingenious person, for Mr. Cowley's lascivious and prophane verses / by a dutiful son of the Church of England. Elys, Edmund, ca. 1634-ca. 1707. 1670 Approx. 23 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 10 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A39351 Wing E675 ESTC R36225 15619554 ocm 15619554 104196 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A39351) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 104196) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1591:67) An exclamation to all those that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity against an apology written by an ingenious person, for Mr. Cowley's lascivious and prophane verses / by a dutiful son of the Church of England. Elys, Edmund, ca. 1634-ca. 1707. 19 p. Printed for Robert Clavel, London : 1670. Signed at end: Edmund Elys. Reproduction of original in the British Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Cowley, Abraham, 1618-1667. -- Mistress. Sex in literature -- Early works to 1800. 2005-11 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2006-03 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-05 Judith Siefring Sampled and proofread 2006-05 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion AN EXCLAMATION TO All those that Love the LORD JESUS in SINCERITY , Against an APOLOGY Written by an Ingenious Person . For Mr. COWLEY'S Lascivious and Prophane VERSES . By a Dutiful Son of the CHURCH of ENGLAND . Heic , neque more probo videas , neque voce serenâ Ingentes trepidare Titos , cum Carmina lumbum Intrant , & tremulo scalpuntur ubi intima Versu . Persius Sat. 1. London , Printed for Robert Clavel , 1670. AN EXCLAMATION TO All those that Love the LORD JESUS in SINCERITY . SUch a Cloud of Dust has risen up amongst us by the Tumultuous Courses of Ignorant men , Running from the Orders of Our Church concerning things Indifferent ( which themselves are sometimes pleas'd to call shadows , and Circumstances ) that we can hardly discern the great Danger we are fallen into of becomming Guilty of a base Connivence to some Publick , and most Contagious Impieties , which are as it were established by a Law ; I mean , are Obtruded upon us with such Confidence , as if there were nothing in the Laws of Our Church , or State to Oppugn and Suppress them : I shall Instance only in the Reprinting of several Verses of Mr. COWLEY'S ( since his Death ) some of them so Notoriously Lascivious , others so Profane , that it cannot be easily imagin'd how the DEVIL could be more Gratify'd in any thing , then in the Plausible recommendation of them to the Sprightly Youths , and Pregnant Wits of this Nation . In Opposition to the Black Attempt of the Publisher of them , I shall here first Recite my Thoughts of them , which I Publisht in a certain Epistle about eleven years since : And then I shall make some Animadversions on what has been Written of late in the Defence of these Artifices of Baseness , and Impurity , for which I trust Mr. COWLEY was truly Penitent . For when He Dy'd He Enjoin'd the Person , whom Before GOD , and His Holy Angels I now Charge with the Guilt of this Impurity , to revise his Works , and to blot out whatsoever might seem the least offence to Religion , or good Manners . The words in the Epistle above mention'd are these : And now Reader , if thou beest a CHRISTIAN indeed , I shall intreat thee by all the Love that thou owest to Him that was CRUCIFIED for thy sake , that thou wouldest Oppose with all thy Might , that Vain Spirit of Foolish Talking , and Writing , which is gone abroad into the World to the great Dishonour of HIS Name , who has told us that we shall give an Account of Every Idle Word . And here I cannot but Exclaim aloud against some of Mr. COWLEY'S Verses ; particularly that part of his Book , which he entitles The Mistress , in which there are several Expressions so provoking to Speculative Lust , and Uncleanness , that I can't conceive how a CHRISTIAN that casts his Eye on them , can think otherwise , then that the Author did either Forget that There is a GOD , or that 't is Sinful to be Lascivious . What Prophaneness also is this Author guilty of , who uses these Sacred Words , HEAVEN , DEITY , DIVINE PRESENCE , FAITH , &c. to set forth his Dissolute Amorous Conceptions ! ( I should rather have said Wanton , or Lascivious , Amorous being too gentle a term ) Let any man of Common Reason judge whether the Minds of any Readers Vitiously Inclin'd ( and such surely are all those that Delight in those POEMS ) be not as apt to be wholly Debauch't and Corrupted by a Work of this Nature , as those mens Bodies are to take Infection , when they are amongst Sick Folk , who are already dispos'd to the Disease . Alas ! Alas ! Are not men apt enough of themselves to be Vain in their Imaginations ! Must the Froth , and Vanity of Wanton Minds be wrought up , and increased by the Wit , and Studies of such Learned Persons , and those owning the Name of CHRISTIANS ! O Tempora ! O Mores ! I desire the Reader would take Notice , that This was Publisht in the Phanatick Times , after Mr. COWLEY'S Book ( as I was credibly inform'd ) had been Publickly Commended without Exception by an Eminent Person then in Oxford . And now let us see what the Apologist can say for the things I so much Abhor . If there needed any excuse to be made that his Love-Verses should take up so great a share in his Works , it may be alledg'd that they were compos'd , when he was very young . But it is a vain thing to make any kind of Apology for that sort of Writings . If Devout , or Virtuous Men will superciliously forbid the minds of the young , to adorn those subjects about which they are most conversant : They would put them out of all capacity of performing graver matters , when they come to them . For the Exercises of all Mens Wits , must be always proper for their Age , and never too much above it : And by practice , and use in lighter Arguments , they grow up at last to excel in the most weighty . I am not therefore asham'd to commend Mr. Cowley's Mistress . I only except one or two Expressions , which I wish I could have prevail'd with those that had the right of the other Edition to have left out . But of all the rest I dare boldly pronounce that never yet so much was written on a Subject so Delicate , that can less offend the severest rules of Morality . The whole Passion of Love is intimately describ'd , with all its mighty Train of Hopes , and Joys , and Disquiets . Besides this amorous tenderness , I know not how in every Copy there is something of more useful Knowledge very naturally , and gracefully insinuated , and every where there may be something found , to inform the minds of wise Men , as well as to move the hearts of young Men or Women . The Author of this Empty Rhetorick must not be Over-Angry if I tell him that it puts me in mind of a far greater piece of Wit ( and that Accompanied with Honesty ) deliver'd by an Heathen Poet : Fur es , ait , Pedio . Pedius quid ? Crimine rasis , Librat in antithetis — A Fine Colour for a Lascivious Poem , this , An Intimate Description of the whole Passion of Love ! But what does the man Intend ? Is he in good earnest of this Opinion , that 't is Requisite that those Ingenious Young men , that are much addicted to Venery , should Exercise their Phansies in Composing the most Accurate Expressions of the Pleasures they take in the Imagination only or in the Grossest Acts of Carnality ; And that for this reason , that their Phansies so Exercis'd in their Youth will make them the better Poets , or Rhetoricians , when they come to a Riper Age ? It may be alledg'd , saies He , that they were compos'd when he was very young . But by Publishing them so many years after , He gave the World a sad Instance of that Saying , Quo semel est imbuta recens , &c. If He had Observ'd the Instruction of the Wise Man , Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth , He would certainly even in those Daies have Apply'd his Mind to things Pleasing in His Sight , VVho tells us that we shall give Account in the Day of Judgment of every Idle Word . It is a vain thing , &c. It is a vain thing indeed to make any kind of Apology for that sort of VVritings in any Part of the world , not altogether Heathenish , or Apostate from the Practice of the CHRISTIAN Religion ; for such an Apology will certainly redound to the Shame , at least to the Infamy of the ( Unrelenting ) Author . If Devout , or Virtuous Men will superciliously forbid , &c. Since no Devout or Virtuous Men , as Such , can do any thing Superciliously , whether this passage be not most notoriously Foolish and Impertinent , let any one judg , who is himself a Person of True Honour and Virtue . I am not asham'd , saies He , to commend Mr. COWLEY'S MISTRESS : And I trust I shall never be asham'd to Confess the Faith of CHRIST Crucifi'd , and manfully to fight under his Banner against Sin , the World , and the Devil : And with this Resolution I Bid Defyance to him as an Enemy of the Cross of CHRIST ; and Charge him with the Guilt of Violating the Obligation lay'd on him by Mr. COWLEY , ( when he recommended to his Care the revising of all his works ) That he should be sure to let nothing pass , that might seem the least offence to Religion , or Good Manners . To destroy all plausible Pretences of the Innocency of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( expresly forbidden by the Holy Apostle , Coloss . 3.8 . ) I doubt not but by GODS Assistance I shall in a few words clearly Demonstrate that such a Tenent , viz. that It is Inoffensive to good Manners , is wholly Destructive to the CHRISTIAN Religion , whose main Scope , and Drift is this , to make Man Partaker of the Divine Nature through a sense of His Interest in GOD Assuming the Humane Nature to Sanctifie Him wholly in SPIRIT , SOUL , and BODY . Now I boldly averr to All the world ( Despising the Shame of being never so much Reproacht by men Puft up by their Fleshly Mind ) that GOD INCARNATE is the Principal Object even of Our Passionate or Sensitive Love : And that the Habit of Exercising this PASSION Directly upon CHRIST , and All Our other PASSIONS , or Sensitive Affections ( upon their various Objects ) in a way of Subserviency thereunto , is the thing Chiefly imply'd in the Sanctification of the SOUL and BODY , viz. as the SOUL is taken in Contradistinction to the SPIRIT : But I conceive that the Sensible Heats resulting from this Divine PASSION are in the Abhorrency of whatever is Inconsistent therewith , and Apt to Extinguish it , then in the Direct Embraces of its Object . If any Learned man shall find upon his thoughts any Objections or Scruples to be propos'd against what I have now written on this Mystical Subject , I should be Glad to undertake the Solution of them , if he would propose them in Latine , but I am very Averse from speaking of These Things at large , Directly , and in the most Accurate Terms in the Hearing of the Vulgar , being well Assur'd that the Power , and Vertue of this Truth may be Convey'd into any Pious , and VVell-Dispos'd Soul in other Terms , then what will Convince Gain-Sayers , &c. Now whether if so Great a WIT as Mr. COWLEY had Employ'd his Youthful FIRE in the Exercise of such a PASSION , as would have made him to Cry out unto GOD with the Spouse in the Canticles , Draw me , we will run after thee ; And to say with that Glorious Martyr St. Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , My Love was Crucified ; and with that Mirrour of VVit , Learning and Virtue , Prudentius ( speaking of the Name of CHRIST ) O nomen praedulce mihi , Lux & Decus & Spes , Praesidiumque meum , requies ô certa laborum , Blandus in ore Sapor , fragrans Odor , irriguus Fons , Castus amor , Pulchra Species , Syncera Voluptas . Whether , I say , if he had so Employ'd his Youthful FIRE , or Amorous Constitution , it would not have been more to the Advantage of himself , and others , then the Pleasing himself with the Writing of those wanton Imaginations , I leave to the Consideration of those to whom this Paper is chiefly Directed , viz. those that LOVE the LORD JESUS in Sincerity . But to evince this great and important Truth to the meanest Capacity , viz. that this cursed Tenent , that the Writing , or Reading of such Verses , as I here pronounce so Odious , and Detestable ( unless with an Holy Scorn and Indignation ) is not Offensive to Religion , or Good Manners ; is wholly Destructive to the CHRISTIAN Religion , I shall produce this plain Text of Scripture : Whatsoever ye do in word or deed , do all in the Name of the LORD JESUS , giving thanks to GOD , and the FATHER by him . Coloss . 3.17 . Now if any man shall say that the making of such Verses , &c. may be judg'd to be a work done in the Name of the LORD JESUS , I shall only bid him to consider that our GOD is a Consuming Fire ! Iamblicus witnesses that Pythagoras and his Followers did hold that all our Actions should tend to the sincere Acknowledgment , and service of the DEITY : His very words are these ( De Vitâ Pythag. c. 28 ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . A blush would well become the youthful cheeks of those whom this Apologist encourages in their witty impieties , at the reading of this . Here I cannot but use the words of the truly Learned Dr. CASAUBON ( in a late Treatise of Credulity , and Incredulity , p. 140. ) O that Christians , or rather men professing Christianity , had as much conscience , and sense of goodness , and piety as some Heathens have had ! I shall take the Confidence to tell this Gentleman ( who contrary to the Request of his dying Friend ) has disturb'd the CHRISTIAN world with the publication of these filthy Lines ( which certainly may be rightly term'd Simulachra & pabula amoris ) that even the Epicurean Lucretius would have scorn'd this Action of his . Sed fugitare decet ( saies he , Lib. 4. ) Simulachra & pabula Amoris , Absterrere sibi , atque aliò convertere mentem . Perhaps those who flight my words will be somewhat affected with what I shall here collect out of Mr. Henry Vaughans Preface to his Book entitled Silex Scintillans : SACRED POEMS , and private EJACULATIONS . A large Encomium of this excellent Gentleman I find amongst the Poems of the incomparable Mrs. Katherine Philips , ( who I presume ) by her acquaintance with Mr. COWLEY was the instrument of the great and good GOD to excite him to that sense of Piety , which he discover'd in that desire above mentioned , that his works should be revis'd , &c. O that he had liv'd to have blotted out those naughty things ( particularly his wicked Encomium of that disgrace of Our Nation , that detestable Apostate , that LEVIATHAN Infidel ) and to have testifi'd his Repentance with his own Pen ! But the Judgments of GOD are unsearchable , and his ways past finding out . Mr. Vaughans Repentance for the like Follies is by himself largely declar'd in these following words : Well it were for them , ( the Authors of idle Poems ▪ ) if those willingly studied , and wilfully published vanities could defile no spirits but their own ; but the case is far worse . These Vipers survive their Parents , and for many ages after ( like Epidemic Diseases ) infect whole Generations , corrupting alwaies and unhallowing the best-gifted souls , and the most capable Vessels : for whose Sanctification , and well-fare the glorious Son of GOD laid down his life , and suffer'd the pretious blood of his blessed , and innocent heart to be poured out . A good wit in a bad subject is ( as Solomon said of the fair and foolish woman ) like a Jewel of gold in a swines snout , Prov. 11.22 . Nay the more acute the Author is , there is so much the more danger , and death in the work . Where the Sun is busie upon a Dunghil , the issue is alwaies some unclean Vermine . And here because I would prevent a just censure by my free confession , I must remember that I my self have for many years together languished of this very sickness ; and it is no long time since I have recover'd . But blessed be GOD for it ! I have by his saving assistance suppressed my greatest follies , and those which escaped from me are ( I think ) as innoxious , as most of that vein use to be ; besides they are interlin'd with many virtuous , and some pious mixtures . What I speak of them is truth , but let no man mistake it for an extenuation of faults , as if I intended an Apology for them , or my self , who am conscious of so much guilt in both , as can never be expiated without special sorrows , and that cleansing , and pretious effusion of my Almighty Redeemer : and if the world will be so charitable as to grant my request , I do here most humbly , and earnestly beg that none would read them . But an idle or sensual subject is not all the poyson in these Pamphlets . Certain Authors have been so irreverently bold , as to dash Scriptures , and the sacred Relatives of God with their impious conceits ; And ( which I cannot speak without grief of heart ) some of those desperate adventurers may ( I think ) be reckon'd amongst the principal , or most learned writers of English Verse . The suppression of this pleasing and prevailing evil , lies not altogether in the power of the Magistrate ; for it will fly abroad in Manuscripts , when it fails of entertainment at the Press . The remedy lies wholly in their bosomes , who are the gifted persons , by a wise exchange of vain and vitious subjects for divine Themes , and Celestial Praise . The performance is easie , and were it the most difficult in the World , the reward is so glorious , that it infinitely transcends it : for they that turn many to righteousness shall shine like the stars for ever , and ever : whence follows this undeniable inference , That the corrupting of many , being a contrary work , the recompence must be so too ; and then I know nothing reserved for them but the blackness of darkness for ever ; from which , O GOD , Deliver all penitent , and reformed Spirits . The Divine PASSION I have been speaking of is exprest rarely well in several of his Poems , particularly in one which he entitles Mount of Olives , which begins thus . When first I saw true BEAUTY , and thy Joys Active , as light , and calm without all noise , Shin'd on my soul , I felt through all my powers Such a rich air of sweets , as Evening showrs Fan'd by a gentle gale convey and breath On some parcht bank , crown'd with a flowry wreath ; Odors , and Myrrh , and Balm in one rich floud O're-ran my heart , and spirited my bloud ; My thoughts did swim in Comforts , and mine eye Confest , The World did only paint , and lye . That the World is indeed such a Lyar , they shall find by woful experience , who give Ear to the Songs of the SYRENS of this age , the charming Rhetorick of seditious or lascivious Phansies . If any Person of Learning , and Gravity find himself inclin'd to judg me Guilty of Imprudence in publishing this Paper , I shall beseech him by the Mercies of GOD to consider the advice I shall here give him in the Speech of that Noble Martyr ROMANUS , as it is Recorded by Prudentius ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hymn . 10 ) Contemne praesens Vtile , ô Prudens Homo , Quod terminandum , quod relinquendum est tibi . Omitte Corpus rem sepulchri &c funeris , Tende ad futuram Gloriam , perge ad DEUM : Agnosce qui sis , Vince mundum , & saeculum . For satisfaction to any man who shall think himself concern'd in the controversie I have here undertaken , I shall hereunto subscribe my Name : And I do solemnly Promise , that if any Learned Person whatsoever shall undertake to oppose me ( either in publick or in private ) in this design to render such Writings most odious and detestable to all those that have named the Name of CHRIST ; I shall give him an answer upon this condition , that he shall not oblige me to conceal any Letters to be written upon this occasion ( either his or mine ) if I shall conceive that the publication of them may any way conduce to the Glory of GOD and the good of Men. I shall conclude with that exhortation of the Blessed Apostle , Be not deceived : Evil Communications corrupt good Manners . By those words of an Heathen Poet : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . He plainly upbraids those foolish men , who professing Christianity , make excuses for that kind of wickedness which I here oppose , as if ( forsooth ) much excess were to be allow'd in Love , and even more in Poetry . DIXI , & nulla meam vertet sententia mentem . EDMUND ELYS Rector of East-Allington in Devon. FINIS .