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People and the King From those ensnarings which these else may bring Upon the Conscience or lest wee by them May bee withdrawn from thy Jerusalem To Babylon Let such before our eyes Unmasked stand by whatsoe'r disguise They are conceal'd For much I am affraid A Game is dealing now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
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
A Cloud of Judgements to be hanging over And which e're since the last great plague hath been Sometimes approaching though by few men seen And which whilst she to pow'r and wealth aspires Will be unheeded immaterial fires Consume her dwellings and decay her Trade Unless atonement speedily be made By works of mercy and that sacrifice Which GOD hath promis'd he will not despise These Trustees will at last deceive us whether We trust them singly or else all together If then we should to this conclusion draw Be govern'd by the Letter of the Law That in it self is grown so questionable So like a Nose of Wax so variable And so uncertain made as Lawyers please To make them speak for their advantages Who most advantage them that we shall there Continue as unsetled as we were Till we are certain in what sense to take them Which will not be as long as Lawyers make them Who take more care to drive their own ends on Than to provide that Justice may be done Let me be bold to write Truths without blame Which I know may be written without shame No person persons or that Government VVhich wisest men by general consent Shall constitute is able to bring hither Both Truth and Peace to settle them together Until Almighty GOD shall to this Nation A means discover for the Regulation Of those who for their private interests Confine both Law and Gospel to their brests For from them chiefly most of all that springs VVhich either to this people or their Kings Hath hurtful been and till this be amended Our Plagues may be adjourn'd but never ended For by this means mark if it be not so Humane Affairs thus for the most part go Councils and Parliaments do counter-act Unto themselves in Judgement and in Fact And the same person by the self-same Law For the same deed they honour hang and draw Howe're the Pow'r in being forms the Cause For that straight speaks Divinity and Laws Let but another Pow'r assume the Throne Which quite contraries what the last hath done Both Law and Gospel straight confirms the same Ev'n by their tongues from whence the Judement came Which ratifide the former and had laid Strict penalties to make their Votes obaid So that which was the last year Truth and Reason Is made the next year Heresie and Treason And Judges act that guilt which they condemn In others whilst they are condemning them Oh Impudence how how is Justice lost How are poor men like Dogs in blankets tost VVhat great Revenews have been yearly paid And what vast sums bestow'd to be betray'd Or were at best upon blind Guides confer'd Who knew not whether they went right or err'd GOD bless the King and teach him what to do GOD bless the People and GOD bless me too And keep us with our several Interests From being wrong'd by Lawyers and by Priests And from Aspersion keep them also free Who in those Callings just and honest be These things I have observ'd let us therefore Trust to our selves or other men no more But wholly leave to GOD our grand affairs Lay by our Swords betake us to our Pray'rs And learn to use such Weapons which will shatter Such Fortresses as Canons cannot batter Lest else as lately we do fight again Our selves out of one mischief into twain Which into twenty more may be improved Before it shall be totally removed A Conquest by the Sword we lately had But that our sins and follies frustrate made We were by GOD's aid made victorious then By letting forth the bloud of other men But the next Victory to be bestown Must purchas'd be by shedding of our own Yea mind this well it to the Saints pertains To bind in fetters and in iron chains Both Kings and Peers and that these also may Break off those bands and cast those cords away If to assume that Pow'r the Saints begin Unseas'nably or lose it by their sin Or if they shall pursue the will of GOD VVith carnal Weapons in a carnal mode Seeking their own ends when they his pretended For with sad Sequels those ways are attended And they will worthily be then corrected VVith that which must upon them be inflicted But when Repentance and a fleshly doom Hath purifi'd them they shall overcome By being vanquisht and prevail much more By loosing than by winning heretofore Men have their failings but a fiery Trial VVill purge the dross which want of self-denial VVithin them left and when that 's fum'd away They will be Gold refin'd without allay In our own places let us truly do VVhat duty to Superiours calls us to An absolute Obedience unto none My conscience ows save unto GOD alone Yet to what Soveraign power adjudgeth fit I 'le actively or passively submit Let Souldiers fight give Pilots room to steer VVhen we move let us move in our own sphear Our safety from henceforth expecting from No Mountain but from that whence it must come VVe had ere while a Power which to our cost VVe mis-employ'd and therefore now 't is lost VVe lately active were ev'n unto blood But now such activeness will do no good And we must passive be till GOD shall please Our sins to pardon and to give us ease And he will shew us then what must be done If him with patience we attend upon VVhat we desired he did not deny us And by what we desir'd he now will try us We have a King again and since God gave him Upon such terms as most desir'd to have him VVe ought not to repine or to receed From that which we to him have promised For we our duties are oblig'd to do VVhether he keep his promises or no. Leave him unto that Cov'nant which was made 'Twixt GOD and him when he admittance had For GOD on our behalf when that was done Premised terms though we our selves made none Ev'n such as long ago upon record Expressed were in his revealed word And if he keep them not 't will worse succeed VVith him than if his sign'd and sealed Deed He should to us infringe though Dispensations He had from all the Prelates in these Nations And Rome to boot which I should fear to say If somewhat did not warrant me I may His power now is great yet had been more Than ever English King had heretofore Aâ—â—onceive had he content remain'd VVith what was providentially obtain'd Not looking backward to hedge in the time VVhich will be no advantage unto him Had he not sought his Honours Reparation By building it upon the old Foundation On which it stood not thought it best to own That Interest which GOD had overthrown And Humane policy inclin'd him to He might have done more than he now can do For Conquest giveth rather more than less Than he did by Inheritance possess And his Re-entry was equivalent To Conquest though gained by assent For Free Assent was given by no more Save those who were of his own side before Until
we be aware Unless we with more prudent moderation Shall from henceforward manage that occasion Which GOD hath given of a happy close Betwixt them who have over-long been foes For to that end though not well heeded yet The King and we are in this posture met If he be now King by the Grace of GOD As we entitle him sent for our good And not in wrath if as his Title saith He be a true Defender of the Faith VVhich is my hope he seriously will heed How in his chief concernments men proceed And if he then findes that more in despight To those whom they hate than to do him right Some things by some are acted and the spoyl Of others rather aim'd at then this Weal By prosecutions over-violent To his dishonour and indangerment 'T will bring forth an unlooked-for effect To those upon whom he without suspect Doth yet depend and make him plainly see That from thenceforth his confidence must be In GOD and in those who with him partake For GOD's for Justice and for Conscience sake And not in those who value not those things VVhich most essential are to Sovê°raign Kings Though they pretend to suffer for GOD's cause And his or fain obedience to his Laws Much less trust them who did assist the Boys With Shouts Drums Guns and Squibs to make a noise About their bonfires hemmed in with Dances Scarce modest and sometimes with petulances As scandalous as if those men had best Their Loyalty and Gratitude exprest Who when he was proclaim'd most rudely swagger'd Drunk to his Health until they spew'd stagger'd Consum'd that on one beast which to the poor Distributed might have refresh'd a score And when they should have prais'd GOD for the grace To them vouchsaf'd blasphem'd him to his face If such prevarications do presage A setled pow'r or a Reformed Age I am deceiv'd and wholly had despair'd To see our Breaches in my time repair'd But that the King hath given hopes of late By some proceeds that he doth aim thereat And by his Proclamation startled them From that which many did expect from him Yea I have feared that I might have liv'd To see all Heath'nish Vanities reviv'd With all old Superstitions and I pray This fear may wholly be remov'd away For what some have expected all along And from what Root their zeal to Kingship sprung By many 't was fore-shown who did aspire To publick trust That which they now desire Confirms it also and perhaps it may Be manifest to all another day When they shall either miss their expectations Who welcom'd him with loudest acclamations Or else when they enjoy them which to see I should be griv'd and so I hope would he But if to those things which do now begin In ev'ry place already to flow in He puts not stop ere further they proceed His power perhaps it shortly will exceeded And we shall here behold with new additions Prophanenesse and exploded Superstitions Not only countenanced without aw Of GOD and Men but setled by a Law For this or I am much deceiv'd is that Which is by very many aimed at It was not as these did pretend to bring From his late banishment their lawful King Nor love unto his Person or his Cause Or zeal to true Religion or the Laws Which made so many who had active been To drive him out make hast to fetch him in Nor that they could better be content With Kingship or some other Government Or persons then with those that rul'd before But some did hope to have enjoyed more A Liberty whereby without controul They might in bruitish lusts at pleasure roul Some had a hoping of raising their Estate In some hope sprung from Envy or from hate Conceiv'd against those persons who acquir'd Those honours or some profits they desir'd And not a few who were at no expence In this Kings service or to make defence Of him or his cause hopefull were to get By suing to him and pretending it Repair of those consum'd Estates which they Had either drunk or whor'd or gam'd away Some other thereby hoped for fruition Of their beloved Mistriss Superstition Freedome to swear GOD damn them without a we Of Magistrate or mulct impos'd by Law To wast the day and night in drinking gaming In cheating roaring whoring and blaspheming Without reproofs Some looked for encrease Of Trading or of making Taxes less And othersome another way affected Together with a King returns expected Of Masks and Revels Turnaments and Plays May-poles Wakes Church-ales and those holy-days Wherein young men might have permitted been As heretofore to dance upon the Green With such-like liberties as may be us'd Sometimes if soberly and not abus'd And some it may be had an expection The Lords day should a day of recreation Be made agen and preaching twice a day By some new Canon would be took away That all men as they have internal motions Might have time for their pleasures or devotions These were strong motives to some late Expresses Of loyalty as also to th' addresses Subscribed not long before by many a one To OLIVER and likewise to his Son Whom quickly they deserted though they had To live and die with them professions made Without enforcement at the first to make them Or at the last so tamely to forsake them As much they magnifide them in their Lyricks Heroick Poems Odes and Penegyricks As they extol the King No flattering pen Could more ascribe to any mortal men And though such dawbings cannot keep from shame Their persons nor from infamy their name As now appears yet this magnificat The world still sings This common strain is that Which most men do affect and in this wise Flattry still sings to all Stars when they rise Yea all their songs unto this present day Are but the same new set another way And their composers do deserve no more Then begging Fidlers begging at the door Who if it might their servile ends advance Would to the same tune play the devil a dance Such are too many who do make a show Of loyalty by their expresses now As little worth regarding is their love And doubtless very fickle it would prove If GOD should be provoked to estrange His favour and permit another change They who against one party lately cride Hang hang the Rogues against the other side Would then cry out as loud Hang hang them all And those whom they now praise as much mis call For what their chiefest expectations are They make it evidently to appear By Words and Deeds and there are symptomes too What things if cause were given they would do Hornets and Wasps begin to shew their stings The butterflies display their pointed wings In every Garden and there spawn the seed which Palmer worms and Catterpillars breed They who were lately Maggots are grown Flies In our ears buzzing fleering in our eyes And up were set the worlds Gods altogether As soon as ere the King approached
alone confinde To make all in one Houshold of one minde Much more 't is thy peculiar to atone Three Nations that in him they may bee One Enable him therefore with every thing Which to effect thy purposes may bring Assist him at this time that hee may ' bide That Test whereby hee now is to bee tride Lest his Return ere many turns about A worse Turn prove than his last turning out From Sycophants preserve him and from those Who hide their Private Malice under shows Of Publike Ends. From ev'ry mans unjust Pretending who departeth from his trust Protect him for he that was false to them Who gave him credit will be false to him Yea he that is a Traytor to a Stranger If he may get Reward and scape the Danger Will to betray his Country Prince or Friend One time or other some just Cause pretend But principally LORD preserve him from That Self-Will which Self-Ruine doth become To all who cherish it and maketh voyd All means which to preserve him are imploy'd If from those Places where he lately sought His Refuge any Leven he hath brought Which working on the Frailties of his Youth Hath sowr'd the Doctrines of thy saving Truth By him professed purge it by thy Grace Lest it may poyson him and all his Race Great have been his Temptations great likewise Have been their many Opportunities Who sought to work upon him and if home A Conqueror o'er all this he is come It will of him to all these Nations be A Testimonial sign'd and seal'd by thee And to be thy CONFESSOR he will more Deserve then did King EDWARD heretofore Make him consider that to be a King Is not to be an Independent Thing Two ways at least a Relative is He Thou and his People Antecedents be That for their sakes in chief not for his own His dignity of Kingship was bestown That he hath no just Pow'r but what they gave Or thou permittest him in wrath to have To punish when against thee they rebel Or else in order to their commonweal That Ordination was for Good not Evil Save when made by themselves or by the Devil Which sometimes GOD permits for many Ages So pay his Executioners their Wages This well consid'ring let him not intend Or Kingship claim to any other end Then thou design'st nor practice to grow strong By offering violence or doing wrong Lest thou let loose those Mastives which will tear Those Royal Robes which he in peace might wear Those Beasts an ancient Hierogliphick are Of Englishmen By thee chain'd up they were When he came in and though they then were pleas'd And fawn'd they will be mad when they are teas'd And fly on any thing fearlesse of dangers Or odds especially if teas'd by Strangers This to prevent let him not now provoke them But rather with a soft hand gently stroke them Assure him that no people can disgust Or disoblige a KING that shall be just Since when a true respect to them is shown It makes not onely their Estates his own And will enrich him more then if he could Turn all our Mountains into Ophir-Gold But also builds him in their Heart a Throne Of Perfect Love for him to rest upon Make him but of this mind and I shall seem Henceforth as worthy of his good esteem For these Remembrances as they that in His suffering have with him partakers been And much more to his honour it will adde Then if a PANEGYRICK I had made Make him but thus affected LORD to be And in thy Name I 'll warrant this from thee That henceforth it shall more and more encrease His honour settle Him in perfect peace All present fears and jealousies remove End all our Quarrels in an endlesse Love Convert all that which will be found in Story Of our late failings to thy future glory And make that useful to preserve from blame Hereafter that was heretofore our shame But if that he and they whom 't will concern Now to be just and prudent shall not learn What thou intend'st but act as they have done Who lately were ejected from the Throne If yet the King and Judges of the Land Kiss not thy SON and timely understand What 's threatned now but prosecute their lust And be as mercilesse and as unjust As others were I will once more be bold To tell them what to others I have told Ev'n in thy Name That though a while they flourish They and the Course they prosecute shall perish And this my Prayer though they sleight it shall Will prove at last to be Prophetical In ev'ry Branch as well as Precatory But be it what shall most be for thy glory LORD hear me and vouchsafe that those Conditions On which thou condescend'st to such Petitions May be perform'd and acceptation have Although they cannot merit what I crave For Prayers can for no man take effect Who wilfully his Duty shall neglect In mercy too remember Me and Mine Increase our faith keep close our hearts to thine In all our Tryals Be not so severe To heed the murm'rings the distrusts or fear Whereto we tempted are but pardon all Our Failings that we stumble not to fall Grant that these Prayers may as well prepare Both me and every one who shall them hear To mind our Duties as be helps to crave Of thee those Mercies which I ask to have One word more for my dear Relations sake Be pleas'd to hear Compassion on them take And since by my Adventures they are left Quite comfortlesse of every thing bereft Whereby they may subsist some Hearts prepare Of them in their Desertions to take care Or since that they are thine vouchsafe thou rather To be to them a Husband and a Father For though they may hope well they cannot know What Spirit 't is from whence my Actings flow And therefore cannot my Partakers be In those Refreshments which I have from thee As well because they see men oft bereft Of Reason and to their own Fancies left As also for that by our separation We are depriv'd of mutual consolation As for my self I ask no more of thee But that Grace which will all-sufficient be Life is preserved with a little matter And he that with course cloath and bread and water Content remaineth neither can be poor Nor miserable though he has no more To this endeavour give some good effect And so to prosecute it me direct That without fruit my pains be not bestown Through other mens defaults or by my own And pardon it if I my self have sought By minding my own Cause more then I ought Whereof I do confess I am affraid I may be guilty by self-love o'er-swaid But humbly to thy Grace my Soul appeals Which will suffice for that and all faults else For what I have done well the praise be thine For what 's amiss let all the blame be mine Thus in a plain petitionary mode I have been wrestling as it were with GOD For King
England this fable plainly shew's a strong Allie no partner know's The Bull the Goat and patient Sheep one day Leagu'd with the Lion sought a common prey A pray they took an high and mighty hart of which each thought to haue his equal part Soft quoth the Lion I the first shaire claim Cause Lion King o' th forest is my mane The second you shall giue me as my due Cause I am valiant able to subdue The third I take by force and for the rest Touch it who dares yield it all you had best Speculum Speculativum OR A CONSIDERING-GLASSE Being an INSPECTION Into the present and late sad Condition Of these NATIONS With some CAUTIONAL EXPRESSIONS made thereupon by GEORGE WITHER Immediately after His MAJESTIES Restauration To preserve in himself and others a Christian Obedience to GOD's various Dispensations Hereby also are some Glimmerings discovered Of what will probably ensue hereafter Fiat Justitia Ruat Coelum Rather than Justice should bee made a scorn Let all the Planets from their Sphears bee torn And Jeremiah said to Seraiah When comest to Babylon thou shalt read these words and when thou hast made an end of reading this Book thou shalt binde a stone to it and cast it into the midst of Euphrates and say Thus shall Babylon sink Jer. 51. 63. London Written June XIII MDCLX and there Imprinted the same year To the KING'S MAJESTY If this Considering Glass comes accidentally to his View SIR Blest is hee that in Gods Name doth come In which Name I pronounce your welcome home And for your Health more heartily do pray Than any one who drinks it every day As often too I have you in my thought As they who with the first your favour sought Which if my heart you could as plainly see As what you now read would beleeved bee When I had first compos'd what here ensues I wisht it where you might the same peruse For men unknown or known without respect So justly are affronted with neglect For proffer'd Services to those that have More Off'rings daily than they can receive That I commitred this to his Dispose Who orders every thing that comes or goes If Providence hath brought this to your hand Give up to REASON straight the sole command Ov'r all your Passions Make her of your Isle Your Isle of MAN Queen-Regent all the while You are perusing it and let it bee Read through else it will wrong both You and Mee Or you like Caesar unperus'd perchance May leave that which your welfare might advance To be her Subject but so long endeavour As till that 's done and then be King for ever Reigning with her as absolute a Prince As ever had ov'r men pre-eminence For then shall that to you more glory add Than hitherto from any Pen you had And be to you a true Mnemosyne When peradventure none so dares to be This Glass though form'd it be of Common matter And made by him who knows not how to flatter If to a Prince who needs it it were sold Were worth to him three times his weight in gold If he knew how to use it as he should Yet I had rather you for nothing had it So that it wrought th' effect for which I made it Than from another to receive that price In ready money paid mee over twice For then this Book which hath not to your praise One single Page thereto should Trophies raise More glorious than your LONDONS wealth could rear If wholly thereupon consum'd it were Your Happiness and Honour it intends By not commending it much more commends Than all their Panegyricks who bestrow Those men with praises whom they do not know And magnifie when they ascend the Throne All Kings alike which praise is less than none For 't is a Mock deserving but returns Of sharp reproofs or of neglect and scorns If wise and pious you I had not thought I such like Gew-gaws could to you have brought To put out of your minde what GOD for you Hath lately done and what you ought to do For Him and His. But neither self-esteem Nor verbal Attributes can perfect him By whom here shall bee an Establishment Of Justice in a Righteous Government For none else but a self-denying King Shall that great Blessing to these Nations bring And his Name will be thereby honour'd more Than all his Predecessors heretofore And they who then live shall fulfill'd behold What Britains Genius long ago foretold For I beleeve that such a one will be And also much desire you may be hee A King you are who now twice born hath been To Royalty and therefore by that Mean A Childe of honour by Regeneration You seem to be and in the common fashion To celebrate your double birth it could With your condition no proportion hold For that Cause in a path by no man trod I seek to do you honour in this Mode Which if accepted your true praise will be And peradventure no disgrace to mee For as a Lady looking in a Mirrour Puts on her Dress and Jewels without errour Heeding what is mis-placed or forgot And to her Handmaid alwaies trusteth not So by this Glass you may have by reflection A sight of what pertains to your perfection See not with others but with your own eyes Whether true Ornaments or some Disguise Be put upon you which may render you Less lovely when you come in open view Herein a Catalogue to you is shown Of many long-lost Jewels of the Crown And such as add the most Essential Glory Unto those Crowns that are but transitory A Course is offered here whereby you may Out-do all that which Flatterers can say Or by but so far forth endeav'ring it As Humane Frailties will the same permit To praise you here I do not undertake But that your self praise-worthy you may make Is my design by bringing things to minde Which written in your own heart you shall finde This shews the Means to make you honourable With what should alwaies be inseparable From your own person and doth also tend To your Immortal Glory without end It such an honour gives as will increase In their despight who seek to make it less An honour which depends not on mens tongues Which Envy blasteth not nor Malice wrongs Which neither Degradations nor Advances Or any humane Changes or Mischances Can blemish for it will be much more clear Than that Star which within our Hemisphear Shin'd on your Birth-day whilst the Sun at height Display'd his beams to hide it from our sight Somewhat by that perhaps portended was So will there be by this Considering-Glass God grant my meaning be so understood That now it may an Omen be for Good By great Afflictions you were lately prov'd Which are in mercy totally remov'd At present by as great prosperities Your Temper and your Faithfulness God tries And that things useful slip not out of thought This to your hands by Providence was brought Be pleased seriously to look
Flesh I see And Faith foresees to my eternall King To this effect I 'll Hallelujah sing 1. GOD sits where he doth see and hear Where Kings and Lords consulting are And heeds what is intended there Sing therefore Hallelujah To make them better understand His Will and what he hath in hand He wonders acts at Sea and Land Sing therefore Hallelujah 2. His Mercies here were lately shown They who abus'd them are o'erthrown And now by Judgements he is known Sing therefore Hallelujah He sev'rall waies mens hearts hath tride He fools their Wit he shames their Pride And by their shame is glorifide Sing therefore Hallelujah 3. To tryals ev'ry man he brings He spares nor Commoners nor Kings And of his deeds the whole earth rings Sing therefore Hallelujah Such marvels as in times of old Have either written been or told VVe did with our own eyes behold Sing therefore Hallelujah 4. He stirs and stils the winds and seas Yea Kings and Nations can appease Things oft less tameable then those sing therefore Hallelujah He wounds and cures he builds and breaks He kills and saves he gives and takes And as he finds cause mars or makes sing therefore Hallelujah 5. He by contention endeth firife By leaving helpless gives Relief And by death bringeth unto life sing therefore Hallelujah He for well-doing and for ill Doth promises and Threats fulfil And is both just and gracious still sing therefore Hallelujah 6. By doing Right he cureth wrongs Turns mournful cries to joyfull songs To all gives what to them belongs sing therefore Hallelujah He giveth ease by making sore He makes men rich by being poor And loosers win by loosing more sing therefore Hallelujah 7. To crown all this and cure the fear VVhich doth in many Saints appear His Kingdom now is drawing near Sing therefore Hallelujah For GOG and MAGOG joyn in one Their Gen'ral Musters are begun And their destruction commeth on Sing therefore Hallelujah 8. As he foretold us heretofore Revenge pursues the Scarlet whore And she ere long shall be no more sing therefore Hallelujah The Kings and Captains of his Foes Shall then be Carrion for the crows And all who do the LAMB oppose sing therefore Hallelujah 9. That we more watchful might be made We lately three Probations had And now he doth another adde sing therefore Hallelujah New offers of his grace mave we And though yet obstinate we be Still mercifull to us is he sing therefore Hallelujah So farewell Friends I will not say for ever For though I lately purpos'd that I never In this mode more would write th' Event hath shown I had then work undone to me unknown And therefore till he thereto puts an end Who knows my Task his pleasure I 'll attend And prosecute it untill he shall say Thy Labour now is finish'd COME AWAY Mean while that I my SOUL may ready make For such a CALL and willingly forsake Mhis place I 'll sometimes hearten her along With this that follows or some such-like SONG 1. MY Soul come let us go In Sodom longer linger not look not behind thee so But call to mind the wife of LOT Let nothing here To thee be dear Or captive thy desires GOD will thereon When we are gon Rain down consuming Fires 2. Though with a glorious light The SUN thereon begins to rise A dreadfull Storm ere night Her careless Dwellers will surprize Come come away VVithout delay Quite cast her out of mind For worth thy thought In her ther 's nought VVhich thou shalt leave behind 3. GOD's mercies they condemn His Kindness with despights repay still when he speaks to them They turn their heads another way VVhen he intreats Reproves or threats To heed it they disdain Or with a scoff They put it off And obstinate remain 4. GOD here hath pitch'd his Tent And here had they his counsel took To dwell for ever meant But they alas have him forsook This which a place Like EDEN was Is now defil'd with sin Still Fruit it bears That fair appears But 't is all dust within 5. Then from this cursed Plain Flee to those Everlasting Hills where safe thou may'st remain And whereon thy Redeemer dwels here make no stay for though there may In ZOAR safety seem when such Storms be secure are we No where except in him 6. This is their fatall day VVhich day perhaps may last a year and true Repentance may Avert the DOOM approaching near but I much doubt that trifled out This Day of Grace will be Therefore in fear And danger here Our stay will always be Now my last Publick work I hope is ended Blessed be he that 's therewith not offended For whatsoe'er it seems I shall expect A CONSEQUENT as this doth take effect My Exercise without me and within Afflictions and distractions long have been If therefore what in hast I did indite When those disturbances were at their height Confus'd appears the better 't will declare What mine and other mens conditions are And if therein ought seems to merit blame They who are Candid will excuse the same G. W. A POSTSCRIPT In answer to some cavilling Objections made against the Author of this Considering-Glass since the composing thereof I Heare my snarling Censurers Object That all I write is to the same Effect And that the most part of what 's here exprest Is but cold Dishes sent forth newly drest Mis-censures might be spar'd though this were true For where the Matter 's old th' Occasion 's new And they will here see if they heed it more Thrice Fifty Pages never seen before But were it otherwise how much transgrest Had I therein more then that Country Priest VVho having or pretending it a Call Such to inform as I oft meet withall Preach'd but one Sermon many years together And till they had learn'd that would preach no other Another of their cavilling Objections Is this that there are many Contradictions In my Affirmatives This true may be To those men paradventure who can see But with one eye Or look but on one side Of that whose Verity is to be tride Yet all my Affirmations will be true VVhen they are heeded with judicious view This is the same which often such as they Abusively of Holy Scriptures say Because they neither heed nor understand How Circumstances and the Points in hand May warrantize that to be verifi'd In some respects which ought to be deni'd In othersome as in the Controverse 'Twixt FAITH and WORKS or such which to reherse Would be but labour lost by adding more To manifest what most men knew before These my Detracting Readers do moreover A Pers'nal Vanity in me discover As they think which much levity implies Good Souls how modest are they and how wise I seek for and I do assume they say At all times in all places where I may Occasions to communicate and show What I have writ and what I seem to know To all men whether Friends or Foes they be Wise
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
and People For whose sake I made This GLASSE which else no being should have had I must confess my own sad Cause broke in As soon as ere I did therewith begin And would not suffer me to persevere Unless it therewith interwoven were Fain would I have forgot it but I may As well if broyling on hot coals I lay Resolve I would not feel them as I then Could from it totally refrain my Pen For as I have yet I had then my share With such as this day most oppressed are Yea mov'd I was these Musings to compose When Scorns Wrongs Wants and multiplying Foes Had overwhelm'd me so that they had crackt My Brains if this Employment I had lackt Like Balast in a Ship it kept me steddy When I had else been over-set or giddy And my Afflictions have permitted been Perhaps not altogether for my sin But partly that together with mine own The grievances of others might be known And that for no respects I might forbear My thanklesse Office of Remembrancer For which GOD had with Health and Food and Rayment Vouchsaf'd me extraordinary payment Till I neglected it on vain surmises Appearing in some rational disguises At first I lazy grew then fell in doubt Whether the work I was employ'd about Were GOD's or rather somewhat which to do Not Duty but my Fancy led me to Then I began to think it might be spar'd Because I saw that neither much regard My Musings had nor any such effect As I by them did formerly expect And at the last I fear'd if I went on With what I purpos'd I should be undone Thus though in Conscience I was call'd unto it I did neglect it till GOD whipt me to it And therefore now am justly thrust among Those thousands who complain of helpless wrong I dreaded that it might encrease my Troubles And therefore them upon me GOD redoubles I feared that some Losses might befal And therefore worthily have now lost all My Duties I deferred to be done Till I should have more Rest and now have none My Wives and Childrens ruine I did fear And therefore I and they now begger'd are Yea so much more then begger'd as my Debt Amounts unto for ought that I know yet This by my Carnal Prudence I have got And this in like case will be each mans Lot GOD will have this work done for love or awe And since I did it it not whilst I had Straw I now must gather Stubble I was fain To prosecute this not without much pain When I had but a very little left And often threatned was to be berest Ev'n of that little Scarce one man I knew Who cared for my soul and very few To whom I my condition might relate Or unto whom I might communicate These Lines without a mischief or a jeer When I conceived they most useful were For have I where with to the Press to send them Though I for publication do intend them Nor have I in my power a certainty Of what should necessary things supply Nor know from whence it shall to me be given For time to come except it rain from Heav'n And which of these Afflictions is the chief I freedom want to seek for my relief And whilst this was composing the despight Which long was riping grew to such a height That evil News like Job I did receive As if the World from GOD had gotten leave To try my Patience as she pleas'd should be Preserving onely Life and Health in me For by their Censures many did assay To take my Confidence in GOD away Objecting That my scribling to make known The Times Corruptions flow'd but from mine own That Malice Envy Pride or private Spleen The Fountaines are whence issu'd they have been And press'd it so as if it were a Crime More capital then any of our Time Which makes me unto GOD sometimes to cry Search thou my heart and give the world the lye She dayly seeks occasion to defame me To make me miserable and to shame me She practiseth all means that may deject me And how she by despairings may afflict me Yea as if knowing I were musing now On somewhat which her Projects might o'erthrow Her Friend the Devil doth afflict me more Then all that I have mentioned before By strongly tempting them whose nigh relations Can most augment my inward perturbations To be afraid that I so much prefer My own Designes before my Weal and their That what at this time I pursue will be The total Ruine both of them and me And that what I resolve doth rather flow From VVilfulnesse then Duties which I owe Or at the best from some Fanatick Fit Proceeding from a boldnesse without wit And to convince me of what they alledge They thereof make my greatest Foe the Judge Which more perplext me and my patience try'd A great deal more then all the world beside For neither VVorld nor Devil could invent A Remora like that to my inten I notwithstanding still proceeded on To do what I think needful to be done As all men should who know oblig'd they are Their Deeds by their own Consciences to square And not by other mens because that none Must answer for their faults but they alone If this be not my Work and that work too Which I was principally born to do I know not wherefore I was born or why I lived but to eat and drink and die Which made me in condition at the least As low if not much lower then a Beast Considering what Faculties they be Wherewith my Maker bath endowed me And if such VVorks as these are fit for none But perfect men they never can be done Was I enabled this way to expresse My mind so plainly and with easinesse In my distracting troubles to no end But Time and Ink and Paper to mispend Are we by GOD so often call'd upon To heed what he and we our seves have done And stir up others to perform the same For nothing but to be expos'd to blame Or to mis-censures when we undertake That thankless Office for meer Conscience sake Is Poesie which wise Men have believ'd A Gift from GOD ev'n in the womb receiv'd And whereby David did both Trophies raise To his REDEEMER 's everlasting Praise And leave behind him for our imitation Reproofs of Tyrants in his Generation Is that now grown quite useless in all those To whom a portion thereof he bestows Except Lust to inflame To cast disgrace On Vertue or extol a painted Face Is it in these daies not to be allow'd Unless it be to Idolize the Proud Or flatter Fools I 'll wonder then no more Why Poets are less priz'd then heretofore No marvel they are slighted and perhaps Cherish't like Parrots or maintain'd with scraps Like Spaniels must think much honor done them If their great Patrons please to grin upon them For they deserve no better need then so If that be all the work they have to do This way it is