Portended and attended in strange wise With Ominous Events and Prodigies VVe shall see Gown-men tread on Men of War High Courts of Justice called to the Bar Those of whom no man lately stood in dread Arraign the Living and condemn the Dead Make Martyrs Saints and Reprobates of those VVhose good or bad conditon no man knows And act such things as never yet were done VVithin this Clymate since the world begun Yet heed this you who with a sober mind Seek peace and are not factiously inclin'd And you whose principle is to repair VVhat is decay'd with no worse Tools than Prayer VVith Christian patience bear the Visitation VVhich is allotted to this Generation And know that as now Nature runs the race By her designed so shall also Grace Pursue her course to purge us in these fires For that perfection whereto Faith aspires Strive by renewing of your self-denials To bear with constancy your fiery trials Which must be undergone for they appear In shew more painful than in proof they are As their experience found who in times past Have into Babels Fornaces been cast When they were seven times heated and as wee May peradventure find ere long 't will be Be not afraid of your own sins for they On your repentance will be done away Nor be discouraged though your Foes at large Shall sum them up and lay unto your charge False imputations also for with ease Both Saints and Reprobates of whom they please The Vulgar make and if prophane men shall Be Judges betwixt David and King Saul The sins of David might be made appear As many and much greater than Sants were And He upon whose side GOD sentence gave Amongst most men the least esteem would have But GOD observ'd his heart purg'd what did slow From humane frailty as he purgeth now VVith sharp corrections the late crying crimes Of Saints prevaricating in these times Judgement in our days at GOD's house begins Who takes such notice of our many sins That since we would not mend when we were chidden He will no longer now let them be hidden Or go unpunish'd but we that each other Provok'd to sin shall punish one another Me blame not then if I touch here and there Those failings on all sides which causes were Of what we suffer for GOD will be known By doing Justice and we ought to own Our great Transgressions and not seek to hide Those Crimes for which he laies ev'n Kings aside As well as other men that all may know He giveth equal dooms to high and low Though therefore we sometimes a vail may cast O'er faulty Rulers whilst their pow'r doth last To keep them from contempt lest their disgrace May cause infringement of the Common Peace We must not counter-act what GOD will do When he reproves them and removes them too But suff'ring with them by commiseration As being worthy of like condemnation Give GOD the glory with our Pens and Breath For what 's intended by their shame or death A sickness which is Epidemical In some degree hath seized upon all And ease we cannot have till that hath wrought Which to procure a remedy is brought When Cures are to distempers first appli'd We must expect more torments to abide Than if we felt our Maladies alone Without a Medicine working thereupon Of our malignant humours to be eas'd To take some poys'nous Drugs we must be pleas'd For our Physician who doth truly know Their and our Natures hath prescribed so Diseases otherwhile need letting bloud Though with what is corrupt that which is good Seems also lost Gangrenes require sometimes To save the Whole by cutting off of Limbs Yea otherwhile a welfare doth redound In common when that suffers which is sound And once when sick to death the Body lay 'T was cur'd by taking of the Head away GOD who of evil things can make good uses And by what is unwholsome Health produces Vouchsafeth to make passage now and then To signal Blessings by the sins of men As when the sons of Jacob who inslaved Their Brother were thereby from Famine saved VVhich teacheth us to be contented still To let him act both when and how he will To search into our own corruptions nearly And not to censure any too severely Since unto every one it may be known That no mans fault so harms him as his own Let over bitter Censures be suspended VVhen you perceive a Brother hath offended By rashness or through frailty though in that VVhich to our Common Welfare doth relate Spare not the sin a jot but spare the man VVhoe'er as much as possibly you can Till some Concomitancies or th' Event Assures that malice was in his intent And though that may appear assume not then A pow'r to judge belonging not to men Because for ought you know God might bereave him Of counsel or unto himself then leave him For our Transgressions past and to let in A publick mercy by his private sin Thereby to humble us and make us know That all our Weal from his meer Grace doth flow And that the sins of others to our peace As helpful were as our own Righteousness In former times and causes it was so Th' Aegyptian Mid-wives Rahab Jael too Did things which in their nature sinful are Yet not alone by GOD made useful were To save his people but he also saith That ev'n those actions were products of Faith And in these times perhaps here have been such Whereon if I with modesty shall touch Let me be blameless for with good intent What GOD permits for our experiment I here will mention and to make it known That there is nothing meerly of our own Or which is in us either good or evil By Nature or suggestions of the Devil That stops or furthers ought which GOD will do Though our concurrence he requires thereto So far as with his VVill he us acquaints Or bounds by unresistable restraints For when we are enjoyn'd to that or this It is for our advantage not for his Of us requir'd yea though we bounded be By Precepts Rules or Laws so is not he As he himself shall please he can effect His Ends whatere we do or shall neglect And when against us any Foe prevails It is because we not because he fails In all our late contests 't is hard to say Whether our Vice or Vertues made best way To that Design whereby to pass were brought Those which our best Aschievements have been thoughts Or whether led'by Folly or sound Reason By Fraud or Force by Faithfulness or Treason We prospered most and 't is not yet agreed By all men who our prosecutions heed Whether that which befel us at the first Or at the last will prove the best or worst The Louse or Lion Black Doggs or the white Most mischievously either fawn or bite Which Party most needs pardon for their Sin Upon which side there hath most Traycors been Or whether their Deserts are worst or best Who shall
out And that cost may no longer be bestown On fruitless plants which he did never own Such is the Prelacy which did proceed From mixture both of good and evil seed As may declar'd by their Etraction be For this appears to be their Pedigree Not very long time ofter Noahs Flood When old Idolatries began to brood The forenam'd DRUIDES who from the Oak Which they much rev'renced their name first took In these Parts of the world usurp'd upon Mens Consciences as many since have done Ev'n in this Isle if that which may be read In old Records be true and being spread Into the neighb'ring Continent from hence In France next settling their chief residence Did there an uncontrouled power retain Until the days of Claudius Caesar's reign The Flamin-Prelacy which did begin Before that time then by degrees did win Pre-eminence and reverenced was Till Pontifical-Prelacy took place From that the papal prelacy deriv'd Their being and a Hierarchy contriv'd Accommodated with a Discipline From Gentiles Jews and Christians hetrogene For though compos'd of pieces patch'd together From all these taken it was like to neither For that the Christian worship might not seem To be inglorious in the worlds esteem Or rather that themselves advance they might Unto a princely and a pompous height In temporal enjoyments they took in Such Pageantries as had affected been By carnal Worshippers by alteration In some things and in some by imitation So by degrees they totally threw off That soberness and meekness with a scoff Which was in true sincerity profest Before the birth and reign of Antichrist The Spouse of CHRIST because she did appear In out-side poor though rich her Linings were With dis-respect they turned out of dore And in her stead trimm'd up a painted Whore So meer will-worship was set up at last And in the Throne of GOD an Idol plac'd From those the prelates came when these Nations Intended to reform their Innovations A carnal prudence dreaming that if they With their External pomp was took away Whereby some thought God's worship was adornd Religion and Devotion should be scorn'd The Prelacy upon that vain surmise Was here continu'd in a new Disguise Till that imposture was by Providence Made manifest and then it was from hence By GOD expel'd as both dishonourable To him and to his Church disserviceable To those intending no affront at all Whose Function simply is Episcopal But this Expulsion being for our sin Revers'd and Prelates now again brought in That and a Sacra-fames in Excess Not thirst and hunger after righteousness Hath so inrag'd them that they all devour Who fall within their new-restored pow'r With high contempt at last without regard Of what the KING hath graciously declar'd And those whom they of their Estates despoil With insolent upbraidings they revile As meriting nor livelihood nor place With them and as uncapable of Grace From GOD or men But cry are not these they Who lately took from Holy Church away Her Dowry spoil'd GOD'S Houses in the Land On sacred things laid sacrilegious hand And vilifide his Servants Thus they crow But they injurious are in doing so And have as much in their blasphemings fail'd On Hezekiah for GOD did not own Those Altars or High-places overthrown And then mis-called his nor owneth he For Bishops those who now so termed be Nor those impertinent Appurtenances Which Prelates please to term GOD'S Ordinances And though they should when they see Babel's fall Their dreadful howlings and their weepings call The Churches sighs and tears no whit availing To them would be their howling and bewailing And though some think this constitution brings Advantage to the Thrones of lawful Kings 'T will prove when thereinto they better look It strengthens them as Ivy doth an Oak And that of Men no one sort under Heaven Cause and Occasions have so often given Of private Quarrels Discords and Debates And Wars 'twixt Realms Nations Kings States The Shepherd therefore hopes this will by those Who can distinguish between Doves and Crows Consider'd be and manifest it then That greatest Clerks are not the wisest men Or that wise men through Avarice and Pride By wealth and honour may be led aside And though this hope should fail him in the main It will not altogether be in vain But for the present shall at least suffice To feed that part which upon Smoke relies Till with essential nourishment suppli'd By that which GOD hereafter will provide Yea though this charming should not prove so strong To fetch back that which doth to him belong Thenceforth content his Ewe and Lambs and he To live upon the Commons then will be However other hopes may have success His best hopes will be rather more then less For they are built on him who best can judge 'Twixt what is and what is not Sacrilege And if his Judges partially shall deal From them to that great Judge he will appeal Who cannot be deceiv'd But no distrust Hath he of their Uprightness who here must Be Judges in his Cause for they have seen What did befal them who unjust have been And hereby now though he be much pre-judg'd May know what on his part may be alleag'd That which is claim'd GOD will perhaps divide Betwixt both Parties when their Claims are tride For out of that which they erewhile possest The Prelates for their sins were justly cast The Shepherd was for his expelled too By him whose just doom he submits unto As therefore GOD shall please he is content To share in Mercy and in Chastisement Till he under that Heritage is brought Which at anothers cost for him was bought And whereto he vouchsafes him by his Grace A better Title in a better place If all be judg'd which he hath purchas'd here The Prelates due he 'll take his portion there For though it be a little while delaid 'T will prove the better share and be will paid This is the Shepherds Case and this the Course He means to take pray use him ne'er the worse For he had not exprest it in this mode But that the Cov'nant PRELATES to explode He conscientiously adheres unto And dares not slight the same as others do Because he can discern Truths from Delusions And knows their late Re-entries are Intrusions FINIS
neither rich nor poor And mee within that Grace would comprehend Which he to some of those doth yet extend Who both by their Examples and Command First drew mee with his Opposites to stand And who if I mis-acted did thereby Contract ten times a greater guilt than I. But so the publick Peace advanc'd may be Hereby let what GOD will befall to mee To make their merits and demerits even They should love much to whom much is forgiven Yet some to whom he hath forgiven least May love as well as they who love him best And better too perhaps when they behold He executes that Justice which he should With constancy pursuing what more tends To publick Welfare than to serve his ends How these things may concern him he best knows Next GOD who will I hope his heart dispose To chuse the way proposed at this time And to pursue the same enable him Because unless at this time that probation For which GOD hath vouchsaf'd his Restoration Produceth what with those ends may accord For which he was by Providence restor'd He 'll turn the wheel which hath so oft gone round Till men according to his heart be found To rule his People to direct his Sheep To act his Will and their own Vows to keep Herein hath been much failing and I fear Ev'n for that Covenants breach which many jeer And impudently sleight GOD from this Land Will not remove his now correcting hand Till to a true repentance he shall bring For that sin People Parliament and King A Judgement at this present is begun Which will extend to all ere it be done Ev'n unto those who execute his doom On them on whom it is already come Yea signally in some respect or other To persons or estates to friend or brother If they whom it concerns do not amend What is mis-done wave what they mis-intend And hearken to GOD's Voice in this their day Of Tryal and as if they will they may For GOD though much provokt still giveth space 'Twixt ev'ry Judgement for preventing-grace And now to be a Cautional to him As his Corrections lately were to them Who reigned last this King shall see them scourg'd Who scourged him until their sins be purg'd God having cast his Predecessors out For their and also for our sins no doubt Them with an Iron Rod begins to strike To shew that sin he hates in all alike And make it known that he will no man spare Though one of his own Houshold he appear If he shall scandalously give offence In any kinde without true penitence A dreadful Judgement he hath brought on those Who made of Piety the fairest shows And they as traytors to their King are now By those pursued whom they did pursue As traytors to their Country and their Laws Yea their own Swords turn Foes unto their Cause And they who lately nor to friend nor foe But for by-ends would either Justice do Or Mercy show shall finde in their distress That others will to them be merciless They who were called Saints and may be such Although their failing hath been very much Seem now the chief mark of GOD's indignation And censur'd are as sons of Reprobation Because they often had fore-warned been Twice were cast out of grace and twice took in Are now depriv'd a third time of that pow'r Which they abus'd to their own harm and our They are expos'd to such extream disgraces Such hazards of their goods lands lives and places And to such scorns that never was there more Contempt cast upon any heretofore For they who as their Chiefs acknowledg'd them To their own shame their persons did contemn And far beyond all presidents revile Th' Authority they owned ev'n the while It was in being though they did in that Make as it were a Close-stool of their Hat Of all esteem they are now quite bereft And in so sad a plight have thousands left Who trusted them with ev'ry thing they had That their own selves alone they have not made Thereby contemptible to Foes and Friends Lost their estates their safeties and their ends And such confusions brought that few or none Are sure they shall not thereby be undone Or damnified but given cause likewise To this and times to come so to despise An English Parliament that if it get No better credit than it hath as yet It is in hazard to become a thing As much abhorred as the name of King Was once in Rome for their prevarications Their self-ends falshoods and dissimulations With King and People so destructive were And both to Round-head and to Cavalier As then distinguish'd that if there be any Few names are left whereof there be not many Undone or at least damnified either In credit or estate or both together And by those many thousands now undone That mischief so from man to man doth run That it infects three times as many more And may bring beggery to ev'ry door Besides those quarrels which it may beget Whose sad effects lye unperceived yet Some who had been most faithful to their side They much opprest whilst they were dignifi'd And often when they did pretend a course To cure their Grievances they made them worse Then what by such oppressed men from those Can lookt for be whom they pursu'd as foes But to be kickt out of the world or trod Into the dirt Except our gracious GOD Hath now brought home the King to be a friend To all men who did honestly intend And who though in some things they did amiss Sin'd not with malice or with wilfulness The Kings work will be now both to relieve And to correct as cause he shall perceive Without respect to persons or wrongs done Before a Reconcilement was begun Except so far forth onely in relieving In recompencing honouring or giving As he 's to those men who with him ingaged In charity and gratitude obliged Without destroying any in these Nations Who were submissive to GOD's Dispensations And who were mov'd to that which they have done By Conscience or by Ignorance alone Without malicious purpose or design Against a known Law Moral or Divine And therefore where respect is to be had To suff'rers and to satisfaction made The best expedient to prevent debates And ruining of many mens estates Will either be if we had such Trustees Who by this change life nor estates do leese And by confederating long together With publick spoils inriched one another Or may be proved guilty of a Cheat Which formerly did friend or foe defeat Of his estate or to the publick wrong More power assum'd than did to them belong To cause that they to whom these gave offence May out of their estates have recompence For why should great Revenues be injoy'd By them whose guilt hath guiltless men destroy'd Or rather since that many among these Were intermixt who their miscarriages Opposed to their power whom none knows how From persons guilty to distinguish now Why should not for the
Credit of the Nation For Justice sake and for the preservation Of common Peace all parties help to bear Their heavy burthens who oppressed are For every man among us more or less Is some way guilty of this wickedness And GOD if this course long defer we shall His Vengeance will divide among us all Let therefore none who in these suffering-times Shall scape the punishments due to their crimes Insult o're them that suffer or suppose Their prosp'ring from their well-deserving flows Let them remember and consider well That they on whom the Tower of Silo fell No greater sinners judged were than they On whom it fell not and think at this day Some men may perish who have been more free From guiltiness than most that saved be The King together with his Parliament May pardon every kind of punishment For faults against themselves or any one Except for what is wilfully mis-done Against our Maker but nor he nor they Can take the guilt of any sin away And though he may connive at some offences Or be deceiv'd as to mens innocencies Who by their cunning have found means of late Themselves with him to re-indintegrate Yet thousands know so well what they have done And felt so much of what ensu'd thereon That though in charity they do forgive Their falshood they 'l remember 't whilst they live Let them remember too what they have done Lest GOD bring Vengeance when we call for none Can any Peer or Commoner suppose Who in the supream Council sate with those Who did the late unhappy war begin And by their Declarations drew us in As men oblig'd in duty to adhere To them in what they prosecuting were That they are guiltless though now blamed less Than others who the same Cause did profess Can they be blameless who did with the first Begin the Quarrel and till nigh at worst Continue it not leaving on Record Ought whereby their dissent might be declar'd Nor sought for them a saving or protection Who might be ruined by their defection Doth it not greatly their crime aggravate That they vouchsaf'd not to capitulate That Innocents by their default abus'd Might to some safe condition be reduc'd But rather to their own designs made way By leaving them to be the Spoilers prey Though they forgot us I suppose it fit To minde them lest themselves they may forget When I am dead and therefore I will here Leave somewhat to be their Remembrancer Let them remember with consideration With true repentance and with due compassion How many thousands whilst they live at rest Are either quite destroyed or opprest Either in Person Credit or Estate Whose aid they did not only oft intreat But also thereby to promote their end Compelled to contribute pay and lend Yea to engage their Persons in their Cause Under pretence of Piety and Laws Whom they have now made innocently poor And forc'd to beg or else to suffer more Whilst they from all those miseries are clear Whereof their failings chief occasions were Not onely making that an Instrument To ruine them which ruine should prevent But also probably by their endeavour To make and keep the people Slaves for ever To write plain Truth why should I bee afraid By what man may it not be justly said Our publick Faith hath been the shameless'st Debter And throughout all these Realms the greatest Cheater That ever was and that our Parliaments Have been beyond all former Presidents The worst Security and never more Will be confided in as heretofore If unconfirm'd they leave what hath been bought And what was justly sold as then 't was thought Or if they make not recompence at least To those who by their actings are opprest For this is the same Nation though the Cause The Governour and in some part the Laws Are changed now GOD who the wrong doth see Is yet the same the same will alwaies be And both for what is suffered and was done Will prosecute the Judgement that 's begun By meer Cheats many thousand Families Destroyed are and with complaints and cryes So fill mens ears that they make all to grieve Save those who sense of no Afflictions have But of their own The Children do bemoan Their Aged Parents helplesly undone Who now have nothing left of what was theirs To recompence their pitty but sad tears And he who thinks Life a gratuity In such a case loves Life much more than I Supposing that 's a Mercy which to mee A barb'rous cruelty appears to be Oh GOD how are thy kindnesses requited How in our suff'rings are our foes delighted How justly dost thou many now condemn And punish for wrongs done to some of them How are the Just and Unjust wrapt together In one Snare to torment and plague each other It is beleev'd that many men there were When Innovations were beginning here Who being in themselves malevolent And for some private causes discontent Design'd and practis'd how to bring to pass That which their own and our Destruction was But here were many moe who did indeavour To qualifie the late infectious Fever Which had distemper'd us and to retain The Loyalty that seems renew'd again Yet now an Epidemical Disease Hath brought Confusion upon some of these As well as upon them who fin'd perchance Much more through wilfulness than ignorance They who did neither by their deeds or words By counsel by their pens or by their swords Begin those Innovations in the state Which have been prosecuted here of late No nor so much as by a secret thought Contribute to those Changes which were brought Upon these Islands till they were effected By other men they who themselves subjected Either but passively to those in power To scape those mischiefs which might them devour Or meerly act vely to help prevent An Anarchy and Evils imminent Which is no more than God's law doth command VVhen he makes alterations in a Land And hath been also practis'd by all Nations In every Kingdom through all Generations VVhen either by his grace or his permission He brings a people into our condition Ev'n they who did no more are made to share VVith those who wilfully transgressors were And Murtherers and Traytors be reputed As if the Kingdom which was constituted Before these Changes had continued on And all which hath by GOD and men been done VVere but a Dream of which now they awake Men may at will Interpretations make Or as if Actings in a time of War VVere bounded as in times of Peace they are VVhereas 't is known that VVar doth silence all Laws either Civil or Municipal And that what then Necessity constrain'd May by the Law of Nations be maintain'd As justly as those contracts which are made In times of peace by Laws which then we had Though they perhaps who shall have po'wr to do What they themselves please will not have it so But though we get not that whereat we aim We thereto will continue still our Claim And plead
shall go forward still in doing causlesse wrong I who now at your folly smile may weep for you ere long 4. The greatest harm I wish my Foes when me most wronged have Is that themselves they may not lose by what they seek to have And when that they shall come to try what they have brought me to That they nuoght else may loose thereby but what would them undo 5. Man liveth not by Bread alone and that should it be told Which now my life depends upon your eyes cannot behold You robb'd me of External Things but what the worse am I If I have in me Living Springs that never will be dry 6. From that which you debar me from me long you cannot keep My Noon is past my Night is come and I shall shortly sleep At first to Wither I was born though then a springing Tree And now my leavss away are torn I can but Wither'd be 7. The Birds do live the Lilies grow and are well cloath'd and fed Yet can not spin nor plow nor sow to get them Cloathes and Bread I therefore am without despair that he who cloaths the Grass And feeds the small'st Fowls of the Air will heed my present Case 8. But if my Lot reserve she shall untill another Life The worst that can to me befall will bring more Joy then Grief As Nightingales in summer do I 'll sing all Night and Day And so shall in a month or two sing Care and Life away Refreshed by these pertinent Digressions Which fertifie my faith against oppressions I will proceed to make an application Of what pertaineth to my last Narration The main breach made upon me and which drew Those mischiefs that did afterwards ensue To me did happen some few days before That Parliament was last shut out of door By whom those Grievances on me were brought And then that fell on them which I fore thought And did foretell perhaps that others may Be wary how they needlesly delay That justice which to poorest men belongs When much opressed by continued wrongs Which GOD will execute at first or last Hereafter as he hath done in times past In this Relation I nor Poetize As some may fancie nor Hyperbolize But here in simple plainnesse have set down The naked truth that when it shall be known GOD may be better praysed and these Nations Thenceforth take heed of wilful provocations For greater mischief then to most appears And very many complicated snares Intangle thousands who destructively Oppressed are this day as much as I To whom the grace intended can derive Nought else but such a life as I would give Ten times away to free them from Oppression Who suffer with me by my sad condition And whose complainings end soul-piercing words Lie pricking at my Heart like Darts and Swords How GOD hath fore-determin'd to dispose Of me from this time forth he onely knows And his will shall be mine but if this change Brings good to me it will be very strange For men prophane esteem'd would then appear More just then they who saints reputed were My foes much kinder then they who profest To be my friends and whom I served best As yet he hath retain'd me in their power Who day and night are hunting to devour And letteth loose upon me such a Herd Of brutes as David heretofore compar'd To Dogs Bulls Lyons Serpents and to those From out of whose mouths Adders Poyson flows Whose throats are like devouring graves whose tongues Are Mints of slanders oppressive wrongs In secret on a sudden shooting words More sharp then arrowes or two-edged swords And were these only Foes profest their scorn Or malice might with much more ease be born But some of them are those who many days Walk'd with me friend-like in the self same ways And Neighbours and acquaintance do begin To be to me as his to him had been My love to them with hatred they requite For kindnesses returning me despight Of me their scurrile Songs the drunkards make With whom the scoffers in their jeers partake They who as yesterday pretended had Some kindness are malitiously grown mad Combining and conspiring how they may My Life Estate and Credit take away As if until I wholly were destroy'd Their expectations could not be enjoy'd Although I know no good that can arise To them by what against me they devise Or why such wrongs by them to me are done Except it be because I did them none Or else for that their wayes I look into More then they are well-pleased I should do For be it known they who are thus inrag'd Are not of those who formerly ingag'd In that cause which I lately did oppose No no so justly these are not my Foes But men if they deserve that name whose base Dissembling Heart false Tongues and steeled Face Inclines them to make shew as if they never Did any thing against the King endeavour Whereas a chief of that debauched crew With his drawn Sword the late King did pursue And boasted heretofore with his own breath Of personal assistance at his death Another of them that he might endear Himself to those who last inthroned were Made Headless this Kings picture vowing then So to have done to him had he there been These are my persecutors these are they Who help spread snares and mischiefes in my way And some of those who yet in power a bide By playing fast and loose on either side Are their abettors for no cause to me Yet known unless they know I see Their Juglings or perhaps because they fear I may hereafter make them to appear Whereas I rather for my Countries sake To GOD for their Conversion prayers make That timely they their malice may repent Their own and our perditions to prevent And that by our malitiousnesse they bring No Damage to these Realms or to the King To superfiede that Mercy which I find GOD te confer on us is now inclinde Because our weal and wo will be involv'd Within each others as we are resolv'd And as for time to come we shall persever In Union or neglect a good endeavour Though by our sins and by the sins of those Who were acknowledged however chose For our Trustees our late immunities Are wholly forfeited whilst GOD shall please There is an open Gate through which I view A better way then we do yet pursue To re-obtain them and to settle that Desired Peace which we have aimed at There is a hope this King will be so just When those in whom the common people trust He thorowly hath tride to let us see That he shall prove at last our best Trustee Next under GOD and for us do much more Then all our Parliaments did heretofore Or will do now for they often do those Resemble so by whom they have been chose That we in probability shall never Accomplish that for which we do endeavour Till GOD shall other instruments provide To do his work and throw all these
may be instrumental to thy Glory And to thy Congregations will dispense Thy Sacred Mysteries without offence When wee a little more are rub'd together To scour away the Rust from one another Although the Name of Bishop doth offend Thy Son his Congregations did commend To Overseers as well as to Preachers To Deacons and to ordinary Teachers And doubtless though Ambition strained further That Discipline a Primacie of Order Is now so needful that when thou hast broke The Bile of Pride and quite away hast took From that Imposthumation all the Core Thy Church will govern'd be as heretofore The Prelates being grosly led aside By their O'er-weening Avarice and Pride VVould have thy Church LAODICEA-like Her Glory in External Pomp to seek Their Faction onely they conceive to bee That Holy Church which is approv'd by thee Like her shee boasteth that shee nothing needs That all Reformed Churches she exceeds And much triumphs now in the restitution Of her adored Rags of Superstition But if their Prelacy aside they lay Therewith will all their Trinkets fall away The Treble Mean the Tenor and the Base And Counter-tenor to a Diapase Thou then shalt bring and to this people give The Grace as well to love and to believe As hear and do and every differing String Shall to the Musick such a Concord bring That what at present doth obstruct our Peace Shall to thy Praise hereafter adde increase This I believe LORD let us wait upon Thy will with patience till this shall bee done Mean-while preserve the People and the King From those ensnarings which these else may bring Upon the Conscience or lest wee by them May bee withdrawn from thy Jerusalem To Babylon Let such before our eyes Unmasked stand by whatsoe'r disguise They are conceal'd For much I am affraid A Game is dealing now which may be play'd To thy dishonour and Wolves forth be sent Among thy Lambs to frust rate his intent Who sent Lambs among Wolves for as of old Wee were fore-warn'd that some Deceivers would Say Here is CHRIST and there is CHRIST that they Might set a false Christ up So at this day That undiscern'd the Antichrist may bee Some tell us This some tells us That is Hee But by such signal marks him thou hast shown That hee to many thousands is well known Reveal him also to this King and shew How they to whom there 's Double Honour due May with all Necessaries bee supplide More to th' advance of Piety than Pride That other Nations by that good Example May joyn in building thy Essential Temple With such Materials as may not confound The Parts thereof or make the Whole unsound And cause this King a Pattern to become Of Justice to all Kings in Christendome To that end I implore thy Majesty For thine own Honours sake which else thereby May bee eclips ' d that hee usurp not on The Consciences of Men which is thy Throne Nor suffer any other in thy Name And with false Warrants to usurp the same For by that Rule whereby intrude they shall On one indifferent thing they may bar all And ere they leave encroaching thereupon Of Christian Liberties not leave us one Inslaving of the Conscience to all evil Sets open Gates and only for the Devil Or Antichrist it maketh Proselytes And doth but fill the world with Hypocrites Therefore to all who Faith in thee profess Who keep thy Moral Law and common Peace Endeavour to preserve by word and deed Let such a Freedome bee by him decreed That Truth and Errour whilst within those Lists They keep themselves may for their Interests Contend at will and let those punish'd bee VVho break those Lists as Traytors unto thee For whereso'er this prudently is done The fall of Babylon is there begun And Christ will give true Judgement betwixt them VVho yet contend in his appointed time For this King 's likewise and this People's sake Both Him and Them henceforth so wary make That neither Vow nor Covenant nor Oath They violate for thou so much do'st loath Unfaithfulness that when thy People made A Cov'nant which thy prohibition had Yea notwithstanding all Conditions were Obtain'd by fraud a punishment severe Thou for the wilful breach thereof did'st bring Both on thy chosen People and their King A Vow likewise by Jonathan infring'd Unwittingly severely was aveng'd And breach of Oaths in ev'ry Generation Hath been pursu'd by thee with Indignation Though made to Infidels and unto those Who were as well thine as thy peoples Foes Yea though men are in durance when they make them Thou wilt severely punish those who break them As by that dreadful Vengeance which appear'd To make all future perjur'd Kings afear'd Thou brought'st on Zedekiah and of late Upon some Christians who did violate A Contract with the Turk Yea said it was As if thereof they were a special cause For Oaths the Land doth mourn and much I fear That of our Mournings they chief causes are LORD Cautious also make this King to bee Of wronging Justice and displeasing thee By his imposing Oaths which may give cause Of Clashings 'twixt Divine and Humane Laws Or which insnare and rarely do produce Effects equivalent to their abuse For to impose such Oaths as may insnare Which dubious in their acceptations are Which Ignorant Deponents may engage In or to that whereof they cannot judge Or which their Conscience checks at is an end To which thou never didst an Oath intend And is a wicked and a cursed Gin By Tyrants and by tyranny brought in Oh! make the King mind and consider it That fast and easie his new Crown may sit If thou hast sent him hither in thy Wrath 'T is what our wickednesse deserved hath So justly that the same wee well may fear And that in our Corrections hee may share 'T is also possible as soon as hee Hath dealt among us what our Dole must bee And then our Executioners must sup The Dregs at bottom of our Bitter Cup As also they who with a barbarous noise O'er us in our Afflictions now rejoyce Thee in humility I now therefore With all th' affections of my heart implore To let with Judgments Mercy come along To make our Patience and our Faith so strong That Hee and Wee our Tryals may improve To turn thine Indignation into Love And not as Wee and our late Rulers did Provoke thee still in anger to proceed Or as they did who when thy Wrath on them Was pour'd forth did grow furious and blaspheme But to avert the danger wee are in Joyn in repentance as wee did in sin Give to the King a Spirit fit to do That signal Work which thou hast cal'd him to And give us meeknesse to bee wrought upon By that which must by Thee and Him bee done For such and so great our Distempers bee That they are curable by none but Thee Or those with whom Thou shalt co-operate Our manifold Confusions to abate It is a Pow'r to Thee
and shall be well employ'd By me although I thereby am destroy'd And though it is an old adjudged case That Poets must be poor I 'll not be base My poverty is without president For I am poor by Acts of Parliament I was not in that condition thrown Till they who crackt my credit lost their own And if the King pleaseth he may make me rich Yet loose no honour nor in treasure much For had I but mine own my Debts to free I should suppose my self as rich as he From GOD if this proceed not I shall have The recompence I merit to receive Which will be at the worst an outward trouble And loss of that which I have built with stubble But if it flows from him it will produce Effects which to his glory shall have use And he will bring it forth at such a time As serviceable make it will to him Yea though in the Thames it should be thrown Like that which being tide unto a Stone Was sunk in Euphrates and no more seen After in Babel it once read had been And will be made available to that Which in composing it I aimed at Till that time therefore I will lay it by Not doubting such a time is drawing nigh If this King as I hope be hither sent As well for Mercy as for Chastisement For we need both it such effects will bring That we in Judgement shall of Mercy sing For my part whatsoere my Portion be I 'll take that thankfully which falls on me As sent from GOD whoere he be that brings it Yea though at me in rage the Devil flings it For be it known and heeded not in vain Die they who in the forlorn Hope are slain Nor uselesse to a Victory are they Who are suppos'd to throw their Lives away By desperate attempts since Providence Whose way transcendeth mans intelligence Acts very many times by things which we Think may to her own ends repugnant be They who were slain when first the Fight begun And they who fought until the Field was won May whatsoere to others doth appear In work and honour merit equal share Nay signal Victories are got sometime By that which hath been punish'd as a Crime To me and many other men beside May peradventure such a Lot betide However I submit unto his pleasure Who acts in his own time by weight and measure And forasmuch as I have no defence Against my Foes but naked Innocence Or words which are amongst them sometimes shot To let them understand I fear them not I that my Flesh my be preserved from Dejection in her mode till succours come My fortresse keeping their Affronts despise Shoot back their stones and durt into their eyes Believing they to peace will now incline Or be reduc'd to harder streights then mine As they but lately were who did contemn The Sequels whereof I fore-warned them And if by Storm they take my life away Which I as little do regard as they It in their Souls may leave a Sting behinde it Which will with Torment make them sometimes mind it But here I yet remain and for a Close In reference to our Antichristian Foes I 'll adde this Corollary by the way Whilst on his Horns the B E A S T is tossing Hay For if deceiv'd I am not our Disease Chiefly proceedeth underhand from these And though a farther-off removed Cause Pretending they bescratch us with the Paws Of other Beasts it plainly may be seen By whom our troubles have contrived been I therefore make but a Defensive VVar With such as mine own adversaries are And to his Captains as th' Assyrian King Once gave command intend no Dart to fling To be destructive to Foe great or small Whose hate to me is onely personal But at those onely whose hate doth extend To HIM and HIS on whom I do depend To act the last Scoene which precedes their Doom They now new vampt upon the Stage are come And though that with the KING as if his Friends They seem to side they come to other ends VVhich he not yet discerning in his grace Vouchsates them a considerable place And of prevailing they already boast As if they saw the LAMB and all his Host Quite overthrown which me as confident Hath made that GOD their proud hope will prevent And overthrow that Tyranny out-right By what they think shall raise it to its height But many tryals must the Saints abide And very much their patience will be tride Here and elsewhere before that Act is done Which with an Anti-mask is now begun Our Friends inhabiting beyond the VVaters And who were of our Tragedies Spectators Now twenty years though they perceive it not Or seem not to perceive it in that Lot Which these have cast for us designed are Or in what follows next to have a share For Hamans PUR's on foot not onely here But like wise almost ev'ry other where And these think that to take them by his Gin With most speed is with us first to begin But ther 's a Counter mine which will be sprung To blow up them and all their Mines ere long Six hundred sixty six draws on apace And not one day beyond that shall they pass It is the number of that MAN OF SIN VVhereto his Kingdom hath confined been By him that cannot lye and long ago To many that Epocha I did shows From whence his Reign begins and by a light As I believe which shines without deceit It numbers out his Reign as certainly As women reckon the Nativity Of Children in their wombs which hath success VVithin a very few days more or less And of that Mystery what heretofore I have exprest I 'le here express once more Because those Nations which may much be needed Cannot be too oft told nor too well heeded To former times this Mystery was dark And lay a long while cover'd like a spark In ashes lest perhaps what at this time Will comfort us might have discourag'd them Who lived then for men rejoyce to hear The day of their deliverance is near But nothing save discomfort could they gain By knowing Tyranny so long should reign Herein I circumstantially perchance May somewhat ere through humane ignorance But as to that which was essentially To us intended by this Mystery I shall not fail of which is to presage That Babylon shall fall in this our Age. Sev'n Numerals the Romane Empire had Whereby of old they Computations made And in them was their Destiny fore-shown Though to themselves perhaps it was unknown These placed singly as they valued are Do truly though misteriously declare How long that Empire with what sprung there-from Should last when to the full height it should come For M.D.C.L.X. with V. and I. Do number up in Chronogrammistry Years Sixteen hundred sixty six and that Will be of Roman Tyrannies the date No other Number either more or less If none of these you double or displace Can be by them exprest If you