All Professours Shall Not Be Inheritors Of Christes Kingdome (But True Beleeuers Onely.) Poem by Henry Arthington

Though Christ his merits be of power,
To saue mankind from Hell,
And Adams heyres for to restore,
With him in ioyes to dwell.

But few yet (in comparison,)
Reape benefit thereby,
The want thereof (not in Gods Son)
But in themselues doth lye.

For (if all persons could beleeue,)
Then all should saued be,
For Christ to such his grace doth giue,
From Hell to set them free.


Striue then to shew the true effect,
And fruits of liuely faith,
Else Christ (as dead) wil thee reiect,
(As holy Scripture saith.)

For why? The gate is very straite,
That leadeth vnto blisse,
And few do enter in there at,
So hard to find it is.

Dost thou beleeue within thine hart,
Christ dyed for thy sin?
Then from the same thou must depart,
And come no more therein.

Dost thou beleeue Christ rose againe,
Thy freedome to restore?
Then must thou holinesse retaine,
To please him euermore.

The ioyes of Heauen they do belong,
(To onely such indeede,)
VVho do refraine from doing wrong,
And follow right with speede.

But if thou dost delight in sinne,
And after it still range,
So that thou wilt not once beginne,
Thy wicked waies to change.

It is most true, (as thou shalt find)
Thy faith is dead and vaine,
And fearefull woes shall vex thy mind,
In euerlasting paine.

Oh then, whilst God doth grant thee space,
Cry hard both day and night,
That he will giue to thee his grace,
To lead thy life vpright.

Then shall thy workes, thy faith approue,
To be aliue and sound,
Then art thou deere to God aboue,
And shalt (in Christ) be crownd.