Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A66792
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Tuba-pacifica seasonable precautions, whereby is sounded forth a retreat from the war intended between England and the united-provinces of lower Germany / by Geo. Wither.
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Wither, George, 1588-1667.
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1664
(1664)
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Wing W3204; ESTC R15041
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15,262
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34
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your hopes wil fail though flattering Priests Do promise peace and impudently too Perswade that GOD is pleas'd with what you do Observe you may by what ensues thereon How GOD abominates what is misdone In managing the Mysteries of State And heeds what is in secret aimed at By fair pretendings and how they thereby So long have sought themselves to fortifie That most men are inclined to believe Lest Good is meant when sweetest words they give And that they have forgot on what conditions Or to what end God gave them their Commissions Know you not that a spirit of delusion To bring upon you merited confusion Was Licensed to go forth and delude Those Prophets by whose counsel are pursu'd Unrighteous Actions that you may be sent On Voyages like that which Ahab went Are your eyes wholly blinded heed you not That such another Spirit is begot 'Twixt you and 'twixt the People ev'ry where Within your several Borders here and there And at this time as active as was that Which GOD permitted to infatuate Abimelech and Sichem till it had Destroy'd them all their Counsels frustrate made And brought upon both Parties that reward Which for blood-thirsty persons is prepar'd If these things you have heeded be not still By those deluded who intend you ill But wake out of your deep security And from that Trance wherein you seem to lie Consider seriously what you intend E're it begin think well how it may end What an intollerable heavy load 'T will lay on most at home on some abroad What Treasure and how much blood will be spent How both your Countries will be thereby rent And shatter'd beside what not yet fore-seen Is likewise possible to intervene From them who watching to enjoy the spoil By your contendings laugh and jeer meanwhile Which to prevent I sound out this Retreat From that War wherewith you each other threat I nothing aim at or design to do But what I know GOD hath inclin'd me to And which you too may know if you well weigh What I have written with what I might say And I believe that man who ere he be Who shall obstruct what 's offer'd now by me Shall thereby suffer as one who withstands The mercy he intendeth to both Lands With nought I charge you but what th' one or th other Is singly guilty of or both together Nor ought whereto unless you feared are You in your selves a witness do not bear For my part I shall neither gain nor loose By Peace or War or by that which ensues Because he that on GOD his whole heart sets Will be the same what ever he permits I love both Nations truly wish them well And therefore shall not any thing conceal That may concern your safety though with scorn My Premonitions you should back return Permit me then to speak a word in season For sometimes he that is a Fool speaks reason Though Joseph was a slave in deep disgrace A Prisoner more neglected then I was In my late Thraldome no whit less in danger By false Accusers because more a stranger A heathen King disdained not to take Good Counsel from him when her reason spake Though he in him no more of GOD could see At first then you at this time do in me I no such Revelations will pretend As give no warrant on them to depend Save his own word who tells them neither ought Advise but Truths which GOD himself hath taught As well to you as me by his known word Or by the Olive-branch or by the Sword His Justice or his Mercy which have spoke That oft whereof you little heed have took To fright you no predictions I will fain As many do pumpt out of their own brain Nor speak in Riddles nor such things declare As you cannot without crakt patience hear If I may but that freedom have to speak Which harmless Fools and licens'd Jesters take As Moses from a principle of Love Said unto those two Israelites who strove So say I unto you who disagree Wrong not each other for you Brethren be By Nature yea by Grace too so profest Be therefore Christâ—ans or be men at least Like barbrous heathen wherefore should you strive And by dissention to your selves derive A mutual Plague Act that which is design'd By them who to destroy you are inclin'd And probably can no way else effect That mischief which their Malice doth project Consider what Advantages you had By concord how safe thereby you were made What you profest when you agreed together VVhat heretofore you have been to each other How strengthned and how pow'rful you became VVhilst your Designs were in effect the same To your Alies how helpeful and to those How terrible Who dar'd to be your Foes Ev'n when the pow'rfulst of your neighbouring Nations Seem'd so assured of their expectations That their Sea Forces in a proud bravado Were termed an Invinsible Armado Till GOD befriending you did with one puff Bring down their Pride and blow their Malice off Power wealth and honour ever since that day He likewise heaped on them many away VVhilst you continu'd Friends though you had many Backslidings and defects as gross as any As to your outward welfare all things yet To prosper GOD doth graciously permit Some of you have by loosing all got more Then ever they enjoyed heretofore Some other though of all no less bereft Are twice as rich as they now nothing's left By having thereby learn'd to prize that most VVhich being gotten never shall be lost And they who this worlds wealth do more desire Have means enough their longings to acquire The chiefest Forraign Trade to you is given In all the Realmes and Countries under heaven Your Ships are numberless your Merchants more And richer then the Tirians heretofore Your Ware-houses are stor'd by your Commerce VVith all things precious through the Universe For which you were envyed by all those VVho either seem'd your Friends or are your Foes Your Naval Forces if you timely might Perswaded be sincerely to unite In Righteousness would ballance all the rest Between the Orient Indies and the West And both the Poles enabling you to give Those Laws to all men who by Traffick live VVhereby there might for all sufficient Trade In safety and with equity be had VVithout which whatsoere you shall obtain VVill prove but an unprofitable gain And which is more considerable far Then all your honours power and riches are GOD hath among you sown the feeds of Grace More plentifully then in any place Below the Sun his Plants refreshments wanting Though set in blood and Fire at their transplanting Into your Borders so well thrived there Ev'n then that millions from them sprouted are And more from them continually shall sprout In spight of those who seek to root them out Yea though you by your folly forfeit those Advantages which he on you bestows For their sakes whom some of you do revile Oppress and from their native Lands
given The greatest outward Plague on this side heaven So wilfully pursuing your own wayes For your self-ends that he who doth not praise Your folly or with silence pass it by Is thought no Friend if not an enemy And to reprove Vice is become a Crime Judg'd Capital among you at this time If you consider these things as you ought And shall not be displeas'd to hear them brought Thus bluntly to remembrance I have hope I may still scape the Gollows and the Rope For speaking Truths in season unto them Who their well-willers causesly condemn And from their Native Countries banish those For whose sakes GOD hath kept them from their foes Waiting with long-long-suffering when to him They will return that he may turn to them This you may do And I have hope of it For GOD is resident among you yet His Canal sticks are not from you removed Within your Borders of his best beloved Are many thousands for whose sake he hath Remembred Mercy in his hottest wrath Good Laws you have some likewise who profess And practise them in truth and righteousness Though from your first Loves you are fallen much And your defects are at this present such As in the seven Asian Churches were When first the Mystery was hatching there Which now ore-spreads the world you have not that Comply'd with but the same abominate And therefore that you may return to him GOD hath premonish'd you as he did them Expecting that you better should improve Then heretofore his patience and his love Lest else you speedily may be bereft As they were of what yet appeareth left A moral Charity retains a place Among you though grown colder then it was You have a form of GODliness whereon If you depended not as you have done That which essential is would more have been Improved and the power thereof more seen Among your many Vices blended are Some Vertues which if you would take more care To cherish God would such assistance give That they should for the future better thrive Though you have multiply'd prevarications By many carnal gross abominations And are with Jezabel that Sorceresse Who counterfeits herself a Prophetesse Open Confederates some of you hate Her Heresies and their who imitate The Nicholaâ—tans God now therefore Hanges forth to you a Flag of Truce once more Into a Comet form'd and sets it there Where it at one view may to both appear That you might speedily and joyntly do Through Fear that which Love could not win you to For though the Wisards of preceding Ages And some how deem'd no despicable Sages Think these prodgious Meteors called Stars Are constituted of such Characters And shapes as do undoubtingly fore-shew What things particularly will ensuce Because such consequents have ofter been Observed they are much deceiv'd therein There 's no such vertue proper to their natures For they are only serviceable creatures Employ'd by Providence to such an end As we by fired Beacons do intend When an Invasion's threatned They declare In general that foes approaching are Stir up the Nation to a timely heed But who their Foes are what plagues will succeed How long they will continue upon whom They first will seize at what time they will come Or such like things by them we cannot know For they no more then Beacons can fore-show So this late Exhalation doth portend Some Judgment on offenders will descend Ere long to make them watchful and prepare To do those duties which expected are But in particular presignifies Nor this nor that nor any terrifies Who more desires to know how by GODS grace To do his will then what will come to pass He that is so affected seldom fears The influence of Comets or of Staâ—s Whereas they who in folly are benighted Oft With a harmless Glow-worm are affrighted Thus far my mind I have once more exprest And hopeful am ere long to be at rest From all my Labours for my life almost To bring this seasonably forth it cost But some perhaps will now say what is he That your Remembrancer presumes to be To those I make this answer I am one Who stands instead of such a Block or Stone As Charity did set up heretofore By high-way sides and somtime at each door To save men from the violent approaches Of drunken Horse-men Waggons Carts Coaches And in that service often are abused Curst broken crackt hackt cut flasht knockt and bruised By those who stumbling on them heedless are To what good purpose they were fixed there And if this be my Lot I as I may Will bear it as I have done till this day For that which follies hath to many seem'd Hath by much wiser men been well esteem'd And I despare not though confused noises Should at this time drown and confound the voices Of sober men For when the raging water Doth loudest roar winds make the tacklings clatter Raffle the sails and keep the greatest bustle The storm is peirced by the Boat-swains whistle So that all heedful Mariners thereby Perceive whereto their hands they should apply So likewise though the Rumor of that War Which many hope for and as many fear With other such confusions as our sad Distractions at this present thereto add Will make these Lines a while of small regard With many and with difficulty heard They shall ere long by some with good respect Be entertain'd and have good effect For dayes will come wherein that shall from them Be eccho'd forth which all will not contemn And from whence at the last a Voice will come That shall out-sound the ratling of a Drum Yet fright no soul but that mans who depends On carnal weapons and hath carnal ends Praecautiones aenigmaicae per omnes personac terminationes Modi Imperativi declinatae numero singulari plurali Cave MBR ED. Cavete V. Caveto A Caveto B. Cavetote A. Caveat P. P. P. P. P. Caveant O. Jam qui rident Ha ha he Mox clamabunt Heu Vah Vae Caveamus ergo ac Amemus ni perimus A COROLLARY Some think I an Apology may need For daring thus to bid my Friends take heed And so perhaps I may For not long since I suffer'd for as blamless an offence And heretofore informed was of ONE Who said that to be totally undone Much less displease him would then if that he Should from undoing be preserv'd by me And shortly after with no little shame That which he might have scapt upon him came I hope they wiser are whom to take heed I now advise and that they 'l better speed What e're succeds Praise will to GOD belong And of the Saints this shall be then the Song A Hallelujah alluding to the 150 Psalm Come praise the LORD come praise him Where Saints assembled are As hee 's Almighty praise him His Righteousness declare In his excellings praise him With Trumpet and with Flute With Harp and Psaltery praise him With Viol and with Lute Let nothing that can praise him Unactive be or mute Upon the Timbrol praise him In songs his praise advance Upon the Organs praise him And praise him in the Dance On tingling Symbals praise him That make the loudest noise And let each crature praise him That sense or breath enjoys Yea let privations praise him Although they have no voices The Mystical sense of what is literal express'd by the Metaphorical and Allegorical contexture of the proceeding Hymn in the Original Text according to the Authors under standing thereof is as followes BY the Sanctuary is meant the Congregations of the Saints By the Firmament of Gods power the unchangeableness of his Almightiness By his mighty acts his unresistible Justice By his excellent greatness his Mercy which is said to be over all his works and his most excellent Attribute By the Trumpet or Flute we are exhorted to praise him in our martial expeditions By the Psaltry and Harpe in our spirimal rejoicings By the Viol and Lute in our corporeal and civil recreations By the Timbrel in those actions which are of a spiritual and natural mixture By the Dance in all those things wherein we move together and counteract apart by deeds words and dissenting opinions for in a Dance are various motions sidings turnings returnings and moving all one way By Ten steinged Iâ—struments and the Organ the faculties of our souls and the members of our bodies By Cymbals and loud Cymbals the internal breathings and external ejaculations of the heart and voice in prayer and praising God The last two lines of both the foregoing Stanza's consisting of ten a piece are but a Supplement to my Paraphrase of the 150 Psalm and not found in the Original This is in brief my private judgment not totally excluding the Sense and Interpretation of other pious men FINIS