A prophecy written LONG SINCE FOR THIS year, 1641.  
Wherein prelate-policy is proved to be folly.  
AS ALSO, Many notable Passages Concerning the fall of some great churchmen.  
Written by a modern Poet.  
LONDON, Printed in the year, 1641.   

A prophecy written LONG SINCE FOR THIS year, 1641.  
I do not wonder, as I erst have done,  
That when the Prophet Jonas should have gone  
To Niniveh, God's word he disobeyed▪  
And would himself to Tharsus have conveyed:  
For, I have now a sense how flesh and blood  
The motions of the Holy Ghost withstood,  
And feel (Methinks) how many a likely doubt  
The devil, and his frailty, found him out.  
He was a man, (though he a Prophet were)  
In whom no little weakness did appear:  
And, thus he thought, perchance, What shall i do?  
A strange attempt my heart is urged to:  
And, there is somewhat, earnestly incites  
That I should hasten to the Ninivites,  
And, preach, that if they alter not their ways,  
Their time of standing, 〈◊〉 but forty days.  
My soul persuadeth God enjoins me to it;  
And, sleep in peace, I cannot, till I do it:  
But common Reason striveth to restrain  
This motion, and persuadeth me 'tis vain.  
It saith, I am a sinner, and so frail,  
That many times, my best endeavours fail  
To rectify myself. How shall I then  
Be hopeful of reclaiming other men?  
To Isr'el i have threatened many years'  
God's judgements: yet, no fruit thereof appears  
Although they have some knowledge of the Lord,  
And are within his League, they slight his word:  
What hope then is there, that a heathen Nation  
Will prove regardful of my exhortation?  
The stile of Prophet, in this land I carry;  
And such a Calling, here, is ordinary  
But, in a foreign State, what warranty  
Have I, to publish such a prophecy?  
How may the King and people take the same,  
If I shall in the open streets defame  
So great ae City? and, condemn for sin,  
A place wherein I never yet have been▪  
If I shall say, the Lord commanded me▪  
Then, they phehaps, will answer: What is he?  
For, they profess him no●▪ Nay, some suspicion  
They may conceive, that I to move sedition  
Am sent among them. Or, if otherwise  
They shall suppose; how can they but despise  
My person, and my counsel, who shall from  
So far a place, so mere a stranger come,  
That no man knows, or what, or who I am,  
Or, from what Country, or from whom I came?  
Such thought (belike) delayed and feared him so;  
And, so the Spirit urged him still to go  
For Niniveh; that nor to go, nor stay,  
Could he resolve; but, fled another way.  
From which rebellious course, God fetceth him back  
With such a vengeance, that he did not lack  
Sufficient proofs, how Reason did betray him,  
And, in his Calling, causelessly affray him,  
Yea (Mark heavens providence) though Jonas went  
Another way, it crossed not God's intent,  
But furthered it. For, doubtless, e▪ re he came  
To Ninveh, the miracle and fame  
Of his Deliverance, was sent before;  
And, made his preaching work on them the more.  
Now, though I do not arrogate, nor dare  
Myself (except in frailties) to compare  
With blessed Ionas: yet I may behold  
To say, our Causes a resemblance hold.  
My heart (and when that moves, as one avers,  
It more prevails then many counsellors,  
My heart (I say) persuaded me e'er while,  
To read a warning Lecture to this I'll.  
And in such manner moved; that, to say  
It came from God, methinks, behold I may.  
Yet, my own natural frailty, and the world,  
Among my thoughts so many doubtings hurled,  
That every step had rubs. I leveled some  
In my last Canto. Yet, I could not come  
To even ground, till I had overtopped  
Some other mountains which my passage stopped,  
Beware said Reason, how thou undertake  
This hazardous adventure, which to make  
Thou hast resolved For, this wise age denies  
That God vouchsated any prophecies  
Concerning them▪ or, that the application  
Of aught foretold, pertaineth to this Nation.  
She saith, my Constancy is no true sign  
That God first moved this intent of mine;  
Since heretics, and traitors, oft are seen  
As bold in all their causes to have been  
As Martyrs be. And, that for what they do,  
They can pretend the holy Spirit too.  
And she persuades, 'tis likely I shall pass  
(At best) for one that much deluded was.  
She says, moreover, that if these times be  
Indeed, so wicked, as they seem to me,  
I shall in stead of moving to repent,  
Nought else but stir their fury, and be rent  
Perhaps in pieces, by their hasty rage,  
For, what's more likely in a wicked age?  
When people in their sins grow hardened once,  
She says I may as well go talk to stones,  
As tell them aught. For, they are in the dark;  
And, what they see and hear, they do not mark.  
She urged that the Prophets in old times  
Did speak in vain against the people's crimes;  
And if in them their words begat no faith,  
Much less will such as mine, my Reaeson saith.  
She tells me also, that this I'll hath store  
Of Prophets, and of Preachers never more:  
She says, that though their calling none neglect,  
Their pains appear to take but small effect:  
And, if such men authorized as they,  
Do cast their words, without success, away;  
In vain my Muse (whose warrant most contemn)  
Doth seek to work more piety in them.  
A thousand things unto the like effect;  
Yea, all and more than any can object,  
(Who shall peruse this Book) my Reason brought  
Before me, and objected to my thought,  
And, as a Pilgrim (who occasions hath  
To take some extraordinary path)  
Arrival making at a double way,  
Is doubtful whether to proceed or stay:  
So fared I; I was nigh tired quite,  
Before I could be certain of the right.  
Yea, twixt my doubtings, and all those replies  
Which in my meditations did arise;  
I so amazed grew, I could not know  
Which way it best befitted me to go▪  
But▪ at the last, God brought me thorough all  
My doubts and fears; as though the storm and Whale,  
Once Ionas came: That so▪ all they, who are  
Ordained for their good, these lines to hear,  
The more may profit, when they think upon  
What straits I passed, ere this work was done.  
To that intent my frailties I have so  
Insisted on, as in this book I do.  
Yea, I am hopeful also, they that read  
These lines of mine (and mark with how much heed  
And Christian awfulness, my heart was won  
To censure and reprove as I have done)  
Will plainly see, these Numbers flow not from  
Fantastic rashness; nor from envy come▪  
Nor spring from faction; neither were begot  
By their distracted zeal, who (knowing not  
What Spirit guides them) often are beguiled  
With shows of truth; and madly have reviled  
Both good and ill: and whose unsavoury rhymes  
Defames men's persons more than check their crimes.  
Dishonour Kings; their sacred names blaspheme;  
And having gained some notions in a dream,  
Or by report (of what they know not well)  
Desire their giddy thoughts abroad to tell  
In hope to merit; as in deed they do,  
Sometime the pillory, and gallows too.  
I trust, I say, these lines will seem no such;  
Or, if they do, truth is, I care not much,  
Because I certain am what power infused  
Those matters whereupon I now have mused▪  
And know, that none will these or me condemn,  
But they whose rage and follies I contemn.  
Yet, that they may be sure I never care  
Who censures me, nor what their censures are,  
(When honest things I do) here, somewhat more  
I'll add to what is mentioned before▪  
And give thee, Britain, a more perfect sight  
Of thy distempers, and thy sickly plight.  
Yea, thou shalt know, I have not seen alone  
A bodily Consumption stealing on,  
And wasting of thy Temporalties; but, that  
I also have discovered of late,  
A Lethargy upon thy soul to steal  
And that as well the Church as commonweal  
Doth need a cure. Oh! do not quite neglect,  
The good of both; but, one (at least) respect▪  
Though judah's sicknesses unheeded be,  
(Although thy temporal wounds afflict not thee▪)  
Yet look on Zion: yea, behold and see  
Thy Spiritualties how much impaired they be▪  
The Churches Patrimony ●s decayed▪  
And many a one is in her spoils draid ●o  
Those Patrons (as we term them in this age)  
Who of her Dowries have the patronage,  
Do rob and cheat her, many times of all;  
And, their Donations basely set to sale.  
Those Canaanites, whom thou preservest here,  
(And by thy laws to be expelled were)  
Are in thy borders now so multiplied,  
That they are thorns and thistles in thy side.  
They are become a Serpens in thy path,  
Which bites unseen; and nigh unhorsed hath.  
Some able Riders. On thy Places-high  
Thy people do common idolatry,  
And rear strange Altars. In thy Fields are found  
Those cunning harmful Foxes to abound,  
That spoil thy Vines. And, some I have espied,  
Twixt whose opposed tales, are firebrands tied,  
Which wastes thy fruits. Thy Harvest seemeth fair;  
But secret blastings do so much impair  
And blite the corn: that when it comes to bread,  
Thy Children oft unholsomly are fed.  
Men use Religion as a stalking-horse  
To catch preferment; yea, sometimes to worse  
And baser uses they employ the same;  
Like that bold Harlot, who quite void of shame,  
Did of her vows, and of her Peace-offerings make  
A Ginn, lascivious customers to take.  
Yea, some (resembling him, from whom was cast  
One devil) when one sin thy have displaced,  
Of which the world took notice, sweep and cleanse  
Themselves (in show) from all their other sins;  
Yet secretly, let Satan repossess,  
And foul them with a sevenfold wickedness.  
An universal dulness will benumb  
Thy senses, if thou do not soon become  
More heedful of thy state, than thou art yet:  
For, every part hath felt an ague▪ fit.  
Thy Academs, which are the famous places  
In which all pious knowledges and graces  
Should nourished be, and whence thy chief supply  
Of Teachers, come, (as from a Nursery)  
Even those fair fountains are much tainted grown,  
With doctrine hardly sound, which thence are blown  
Through every quarter. In their schools are heard  
Vain jigs and janglings, worthless of regard.  
Their very Pulpits, and their Oratories,  
Are Stages, whereupon their own vain glories  
Men often act. Yea, many a vain conceit,  
Is brought in stead of arguments of weight  
And (which is worse) disorder is so rise  
Among them; and the weeds of evil life  
Have so o'regrowne those Gardens, that (Unless  
Good government shall speedily redress  
That spreading mischief) it will overtop  
The plants of Zion, and destroy her crop.  
To be thy shepherds, wolves are stolen in;  
And thou hast chose who even by day begin  
To sow their Tares among thy purest Seed;  
And, with mixed Craines thy Lands pollutions breed.  
For hire, and money, prophesies the Prophet:  
The Priest doth preach to make a living of it,  
Even merely for a living; and▪ but few  
Their holy charge, for conscience sake pursue  
Which I by many signs could make apparent,  
But that it is not yet within my Warrant.  
Loquntur Curae leves; little Cures  
Do make men preach, whilst poverty endures.  
Ingentes stupent; but, large livings make  
Our Doctors dumb: condemn not my mistake  
For, though I do the Latin sentence wrong,  
That's true I tell you in the English tongue.  
Our Nation, which of late profaneness hated▪  
Is in that sin almost Italionated.  
The Scriptures without reverence are used:  
The holy phrase, in jesting, is abused:  
To flout, or praise, or curses we can apply  
God's holy word, most irreligiously:  
In stead of emblems, moving thoughts divine,  
The filthy pictures of lewd Ar●●●ne,  
Are found in many Closets. Foolish lies,  
Profane and most lascivious Elegies.  
Are public made. Yea, those whom heretofore  
A heathen Emperor did so abhor,  
That he, for them, their wanton Author sent  
To undergo perpetual banishment:  
Even these, we read; and worse than those, by far▪  
Allowed pass, and unreproved are.  
Nay, their vain Authors often cherished be:  
At least, they have the favour to go free.  
But, if a graver Muse reprove their sin,  
Lord, with what a hasty zeal they call it in!  
How libellous they make it! and how vile,  
Thou know'st; and at that folly thou dost smile.  
Full warily, the politic Divine,  
(Who should allow it) scanneth every Line  
Before it pass▪ each phrase he doth suspect;  
Although he findeth nothing to be checked,  
He fears to Licence it. And if by chance  
It pass abroad, forthwith doth ignorance  
Mistake or misapply; and false and bade  
Constructions are, of good expressions made▪  
Yea, they who on the fears of judgement sit,  
Are oft, most ready, to miscensure it.  
I would they were as forward to disgrace  
Those Authors, who have filled eu'ey place  
With fruitless volumes. For dispersed are  
Even quite throughout this Land every year,  
Even many thousand reams of scurrile toys,  
Songs, rhymes and Ballads, whose vain use destroys  
Or hinders virtuous knowledge and Devotion,  
And this they do to further the promotion  
Of our Diana▪ Yet, behold, if we  
To publish some few sheets required be,  
Containing pious Hymns, or Christian Songs.  
Or aught which to the praise of God belongs:  
We do so fear the hindrance of our gain,  
That like th' Ephesian silversmiths, we fain  
A great complaint. As if to have enlarged  
A little book, had grievously o'recharged  
The Common wealth. Whereas if it were weighed,  
How much of late this Land is ove● aid  
With trivial Volumes or how much they do  
Corrupt our Manners, and Religion too,  
By that abusive matter they contain?  
I should not seem unjustly to complain.  
These times do swat me with Pamphlets, which be far  
More dangerous, then mortal poisons are.  
Even in those books, whereby the simple thought  
To find true▪ knowledge, they their bane have aught  
For, thence, strong Heresies (there being hid  
Amid some doubtless Truths, a while unspid)  
Steal out among the people, by degees;  
More mischief working then each Reader sees:  
And, so, to ruin knowledge, that is made  
An instrument▪ whereby it rising had.  
For (by their lucre, who the church's peace  
Disturb, their private profit to increase)  
Those Doctrines which are unauthorised,  
Are so promiscuously divulged▪ and spread,  
Among approved Verities, that some  
Are in those Labarinths amazed become:  
And, such a contradiction is in that  
Which their confused Pamphlets do relate;  
That, common Readers, known not which to leave,  
Nor, which the Church of England doth receive.  
And, from this mischief many others flow,  
Which will, in future times, more harmful grow  
This, spins vain Controversies to their length;  
By this, most Heresies receive their strength.  
And what distraction it already makes,  
Our grieved Mother woeful notice takes.  
In stead of active knowledge, and her fruit;  
This filleth men with itching of dispute,  
And empty words; whereby are set abroach  
A thousand quarrels, to the truth's reproach.  
The Sectaries, the monkeys, and the Apes,  
The Cubs and Foxes, which do mar our Grapes;  
The Wolves in sheepskins▪ and our frantic rabble  
Of worship-mongers, are innumerable▪  
And, as the Churches quiet they molest.  
So they each other spitefully infest.  
We have some Papists▪ some that half way go:  
Some Semi-puritans; some wholly so;  
Some Anabaptiss; some who do refuse  
Black puddings; and good pork, like arrant Jews:  
Some also termed Arminians are among  
Our Priests and People, very lately sprung.  
What most, so called, profess, I stand not for:  
And what some say they teach, I do abhor.  
But, what some other, so misnamed, believe▪  
Is that whereto best Christians credit give,  
For, as we see the most reformed man,  
By Libertines, is termed a Puritan:  
So (by our purblind Formalist) all those  
Who new fantastic crotchets do oppose,  
Begin to be mistermed Arminians now,  
And, hence e'er long will greater mischiefs grow  
Then most imagine. For, the foolish fear,  
Lest they to be Arminians may appear,  
Or else be termed Puritans, will make  
Great multitudes Religion quite forsake.  
And, I am half persuaded, this will one  
Of those great schisms (or earthquakes) cause which John  
Foretold in his Apocalypse; and they  
Are blessed, who shall not thereby fall away.  
Some Brownists, and some Famalists have we;  
And some, that no man can tell what they be;  
Nor they themselves. Some, seem so wondrous pure  
They no man's conversations can endure,  
Unless they use their plasterings; and appear  
In every formal garb which they shall were.  
There be of those, who in their words deny,  
And hate the practice of Idolary,  
Yet make an Idol of their formal zeal,  
And underneath strict holiness, conceal  
A mystery of evil, which deceives them,  
And, when they think all safe, in danger leaves them.  
Their whole Religion, some do place in heating▪  
Some, in the outward action of forbearing  
Ill deeds; or in well doing, though the heart  
In that performance bear no real part.  
Some others, of their mor●all actions make▪  
Small conscience: and, affirm that God doth take  
No notize how in body they transgress,  
If him in their inward man confess:  
As if a soul beloved could reside  
Within a body quite unsanctifide.  
Some not contented in the act of sin.  
Altar grown so impudent, that they begin  
To joustifie themselves in wickedness;  
Or, by quait arguments, to make it less:  
And, by such Monsters, to such ends as this,  
The Christians liberty de●amed is.  
Newfangledness, Religion hath o'erthrown;  
And, many as fantastical are grown  
In that, as in apparel. Some, delight  
In nothing more than to be opposite  
To other men: Their zeal they wholly spend  
The present government to reprehend;  
The church's discipline to vilify;  
And rail, at all, which pleads antiquity.  
They love not peace: and therefore have suspicion  
Of Truth itself, if out of persecution:  
And are so thankless, or so heedless be  
Of God's great love, in giving such a free  
And plenteous means of pulishing his word▪  
That, what his Prophets of the Jews record,  
Some verify in us. Much praise is given  
To that blind age, wherein the Queen of heaven  
Was worship hear. And falsely we extol  
Those days, as being much more plentiful.  
Some, at the frequency of Preaching grudge,  
And, tired with it, thick we have too much:  
Nay, impudently practise to suppress  
That Exercise, and make our plenty less.  
And, that their doing may not want some fair  
Or goodly colour, they do call for prayer,  
In stead thereof; as if we could not pray,  
Until our Preaching we had sent away.  
As these are foolishly, or lewdly, wise;  
We have some others wantonly precise.  
So waywardly dispsed, amidst our plenty,  
And through their curiosity, so dainty,  
That, very many cannot well digest  
The Bread of life, but in their manner dressed.  
Nor will God's Manna, or that measure serve,  
Which he provides; But, they cry out they starve,  
Unless they feed upon their own opinions,  
(Which are like Egypt's garlic and her Onions)  
Some like not Prayer that's extempore;  
Some not any that set form noth carry:  
Some think there's no devotion, but in those  
That howl, or whine, or snuffle in the nose;  
As if that God vouchsafed all his Graces  
For feigned gestures, or for sour faces.  
Some think not that the man, who gravely teacheth;  
Or hath a sober gesture when he preacheth,  
Or gentle voice: hath any zeal in him,  
And therefore, such like Preachers they contemn.  
Yea, they suppose that no man's doctrine saves  
The soul of any one, unless he raves,  
And roars aloud, and flings, and hurleth so  
As if his arms he quite away would throw;  
Or overleap the Pulpit; or else break it:  
And this (if their opinion true may make it)  
Is to advance their voices trumpetlike,  
As God commands: yea this (they say) doth strike  
Sin dead. Whereas indeed, God seldom goes  
In whirlwinds: but is in the voice of those  
Who speak in meekness. And it is not in  
The power of noise to shake the walls of sin:  
For clamours, antique actions, writhed looks  
And such like mimmick rhetoric none brooks  
That hath discretion: neither doth it move  
The heart of any, when we so reprove;  
Excpt it be in some contrary motion,  
Which interupts the hearts good devotion.  
The well affected Christian pities it;  
It makes profanest men at nought to set  
God's Ordinance. Mere moral men despise  
Such affatection: much it terrifies  
The ignorant: but very few from thence  
Receive sound knowledge, or true penitence.  
Some relish nothing, but those points that are  
In controversy: some would nothing hear  
But songs of Mercy, some delight in none  
But Songs of Thunder; and scarce any one▪  
Is pleased in what he hears. Nay of their Preachers,  
Mechanics, arrogate to be the teachers.  
Yea, most of us, what e'er our Pastor shyes,  
Keep still our own opinions and our ways.  
To hear and know God's word, to some among  
Our Nation, seemeth only to belong  
To Clergymen; and, their implicit Faith  
Is built on what the common rumour saith.  
Some others filled with curiosity  
Affirm that every several mystery  
Within God's book included, doth concern  
Even each particular Christian man to learn:  
Whereas they might as well affirm, each guest  
That is invited to each Feast,  
Is bound the several dishes there to heed,  
And upon every meat before him feed▪  
Nay, some have almost this imagination,  
That there is hardly hope of their salvation  
Who speak not Hebrew. And, this now adays,  
Makes foolish women, and young prentices  
To learn that holy Tongue; in which they grow  
As cunning as do those who nothing know,  
Save to be arrogant, and to contemn  
Those Pastors, who have taken charge of them.  
The appetite of some grows dull, and fails,  
Unless it may be pampered with quails;  
High flying crotchets, which we see do fill  
Not half so many souls as they do kill.  
We cannot be content to make our flights,  
For that which God exposeth to our sights,  
And search for that which he is pleased to show,  
But, we must also pry, what God doth know.  
Which was indeed an ancient fallacy  
Of Satan's; and the very same whereby  
He cheated eve▪ From seeking to disclose  
Beyond our warrant, what God only knows,  
Proceedeth many errors. Thence doth come  
Most questions that have troubled Christendom.  
Yea, searching things concealed, hath overthrown  
The comfortable use of what is known.  
Hence flows their fruitless fond asseveration,  
Who blundred on eternal-reprobation,  
And many groundless whimsies have invented,  
Whereby much better musings are prevented.  
Of Reprobation I no doubt have made;  
Yet, those vain quarrellings which we have had,  
Concerning her, and her antiquity,  
(But that the world hath wiser fools than I)  
Appears to me to bring so little fruits,  
That I suppose it fitter for disputes  
In hell, (among the reprobrated crew)  
Then for for a Church of Christians to pursue:  
At least to brawl about with such hot rage,  
As hath possessed some Spirits of this age.  
For, some have urged this point of Reprobation,  
As if the chiefest groun-work of salvation  
Depended on believing, just, as they  
(Deluded by their fancies) please to say.  
And, though they never found God's holy word  
Did any mention of the same offord,  
But, as of that which did begin since Time;  
And with respect to some comshitted crime:  
They, nevertheless, their strengths together guther,  
To prove the Child is older than the Father.  
And, since that fatal thread, there, finds her spinning,  
But from Of; at farthest from Beginning:  
They Reprobation, otherwhile confound  
With our Predestination: which is found  
Nowhere in all the Scripture, to respect  
The Reprobates, but only God's Elect.  
And then they are compelled to prove the sense  
Of their dark Tenet, by an inference;  
And to affirm (from reason) that Election  
Eternal, doth infer the like rejection.  
(As if an action of Eternity,  
Were fit to square out shallow reasons, by)  
Which Argument because it hath not taken  
True Faith, to ground on, may with ease be shaken.  
Their tottering structure, therefore, up to keep,  
They into God's foreknowledge boldly peep,  
Beyond his warrant; searching for Decrees  
And secrets, farther than an angel sees:  
Presuming then, as if all things they knew,  
And had eternity within their view.  
But, that hath such an infinite extension,  
Beyond their narrow-bounded comprehension,  
That, there, they wander on, till they are mad:  
And lose that little knowledge, which they had:  
For what are they but madmen who maintain  
The giddy fancies of their own weak brain,  
For Theses of Religion, which we must  
Believe as they affirm them, or be thrust  
Among the Reprobates? What less, I pray,  
Are they then mad, who fool their wits away  
In wheeling Arguments which have no end?  
In strains which man shall never apprehend?  
In seeking what their knowledge doth exceed?  
In vain disputings, which contentions breed.  
In strange chimaeras, and fantastic notions,  
That neither stir us up to good devotions,  
Nor mend our manners? But our ways pervert,  
Distract the Judgement, or puff up the heart.  
If this I may not madness call, or folly,  
'tis (at the best) religious-melancholy.  
What shall we judge of those who strive to make  
God's Word (whose terms and Scope they much mistake  
Their proofs for that whereof no proofs they are,  
And slight those Truths, for which the Text is clear:  
What shall we deem of those, who quite mistaking  
Good Authors, (and their Volumes guilty making  
Of what they never meant) do preach and write  
Against those books, with rancorous despite,  
Which being well examined, say the same  
Which they affirm, and check what they do blame.  
Such men there be, and they great noise have made  
By fighting furiously with their own shade.  
What may be thought of them, who likely, ever,  
In their perverse opinions to persever,  
Take knowledge up on trust. and follow those  
Who lead them on, as wild-geese fly in rows▪  
And when their multitude is waxen great,  
Do then so wilfully prejudicate,  
Become so confident of that they hold,  
And in their blind assurance, so are bold,  
That they can brook no trial, neither see  
Their oversights, how plain so ere they be?  
But fondly think (though we believe it not)  
That they infallibity have got?  
Some pious men; yea, some great Doctors tread,  
Such labyrinths; and often are misled  
By holding that which they at first were taught,  
Without due proving all things as they ought;  
And vulgar men are often led awry,  
By their examples, and for company.  
For, as a Traveller, that is to come  
From some far country, through large deserts, home;  
(Not knowing well the way) is glad to take  
His course with such who shows of cunning make,  
And walks along, depending still on them,  
Through many a wood, and over many a stream,  
Till he and they are lost: there to remain  
He finds no safety, nor means back again,  
Nor list to leave his company; because  
He hopes that nearer homeward still he draws,  
And that his guides full sure of passage are,  
Although they cannot well describe it, there.  
So, when plain men do first attempt the way  
Of knowledge, by their guides, they walk astray,  
Without distrust: and when arrived they be  
Where many troublesome windings they do see,  
And where no certainty they can behold,  
Yet, on their leaders knowledge they are bold,  
Or on their multitude: yea, though they know,  
And, see them err, and turn, and stagger so,  
(In darksome paths) that well suppose they may▪  
They rove and wander in an uncouth way;  
Yet, still they are unwilling to suspect  
The wisdom of the Fathers of their Sect.  
Yea, though no satisfaction they can find,  
Though fears and doubtings do afflict their mind,  
They still impute it rather to their own  
Infirmities, or to the depths unknown  
Of those mysterious points, to mention brought;  
But never call in question what is taught:  
Lest being by those Teachers tertifide,  
They might forsaken in despair abide.  
Their Doctors, also, failing to devise  
Strong Arguments, their hearers to suffice;  
This course, to salve their credits, late have got;  
They say (forsooth) faith's doctrine settles not  
With natural capacities; and that  
The Spirit must those men illuminate  
Who shall receive them. And, indeed in this,  
They do both say the truth, and say amiss:  
This is a Jesuitish juggling trick,  
And, if allowed it be, each lunatic,  
And every brain sick Dreamer, by that way,  
May foist upon us all that he can say.  
For, though God's holy Spirit must create  
New hearts within us, and regenerate  
Depraved nature, ere it can be able  
To make our outward hearings profitable;  
We must not think that all which fancy saith  
(In terms, obscure) are mysteries of Faith.  
Nor make the hearers want of power to reach  
Their meanings, to be proofs of what they teach.  
There is twixt men, and that which they are taught▪  
Some natural proportion, or 'tis nought.  
The deepest mystery of our profession,  
Is capable of literal expression,  
As well to Reprobates, as men elected;  
Or else it may of error be suspected.  
Yea wicked men a power granted have  
To understand, although they misconceive.  
And can of darkest points make plain relations,  
Though to themselves they fail in applications.  
God never yet did bid us take in hand  
To publish that which none can understand:  
Much less affecteth he a man should mutter  
Rude sounds of that, whose depth he cannot utter;  
Or in uncertain terms, as many do,  
Who preach nonsense, and oft non entia too.  
For those which man to man is bound to show,  
Are such plain Truths, as we by word may know;  
Which when the hearer can express again,  
The fruit hath equalled the teacher's pain.  
Then, though the soul doth many times conceive  
(By Faith, and by that Word which we receive)  
Deep mysteries, and that which far transcends  
A carnal knowledge: though she apprehends  
Some glimmerings of those Objects, that are higher  
Than human Reason ever shall aspire;  
Though she hath tastings of that blessedness,  
Which mortal tongue could never yet express;  
And though the soul may have some earnest given  
On earth, of what it shall enjoy in heaven;  
Though God may when he list (and now and then  
For cause not ordinary) to some men  
Vouchsafeth (for their secret satisfactions)  
A few reflections from eternal actions:  
Though this be so, let no man arrogate  
That he such secrets can by word relate:  
For, they are things, of which no voice can preach;  
High flights, to which no mortal wing can reach;  
'tis God's own work, such raptures to convey,  
To compass them there is no other way,  
But by his blessed Spirit. And, of those  
Most can we not; some must we not disclose.  
For, if they only touch our private state,  
They were not sent, that we should them relate;  
But daigned that the soul they strengthen might  
Amid the perils of some secret fight;  
When men to honour God, or for their sin,  
The terrors of this life are plunged in.  
And, as it is reputed of those things,  
Which foolish people think some Fairy brings,  
So, of enthusiasms speak I may;  
Discover them, and straight they fly away.  
For, thus they fare who boast of Revelations.  
Or of the certainty of their Salvations,  
Or any ghostly gift, at times or places,  
Which warrant not the mention of such graces:  
Yea, by revealing things which they should hide,  
They entrance make for overweening pride:  
And that quite mars the blessing they possessed,  
Or, for a while, obscureth it, at best:  
And yet, if any man shall climb so high,  
That they attain unto a Mystery,  
Conceived by few; they may, if they be able,  
Disclose it where it may be profitable.  
But, they must know, that (if it be, indeed,  
Of such transcendency, as doth exceed  
Mere natural reaches) it should be declared  
To none, save unto those who are prepared  
For such conceptions; and more apt to know them  
By their own thoughts, then are our words to show them.  
Else, all they utter will in clouds appear,  
And errors, men, for truths, away will bear.  
Would this had been observed a little more,  
By some who in our Congregations roar  
Of God's unknown Decrees, Eternall-Callings,  
Of Perseverance, and of final Fallings,  
And such like Mysteries. Of else, I would  
That they t●eir meanings better utter could,  
(If well they meant.) For, though those points afford  
Much comfort and instruction (as God's word  
Hath mentioned them) and may applied be,  
And opened, when we just occasion see;  
Yet, as most handle them, who now adays  
Do pass for Preachers, with a vulgar praise,  
They profit not: for, this ripe age hath young  
And forward wits, who by their fluent tongue,  
And able memories, a way have found  
To build a house, ere they have laid the ground.  
With common places, and with notes purloined,  
(Not well applied, and as ill conjoined)  
A garb of preaching these have soon attained,  
Which hath, with many, approbation gained  
Beyond their merit. For, they take in hand  
Those mysteries, they neither understand,  
Nor studied on. And, they have much distracted  
Some hearers, by their doctrines ill compacted:  
Yea, by enquiring out what God foresees,  
And meddling much with his unknown Decrees,  
The church's peace so much disturbed have they;  
So foul and crooked made Faiths plainest way;  
Such scandals raised; and interrupted so,  
By doubts impertinent, what men should do;  
And, their endeavours nullifide, so far,  
That many of them at a nonplus are.  
I am not of their minds, who take from this  
And other things, that are performed amiss,  
Occasion to disparage frequent preaching;  
Or, to abate our plenteousness of teaching:  
For, of our Harvest, Lord, I humbly pray,  
The store of Labourers continue may.  
And, I could also wish, that none were chose  
To be a seed-man, till he truly knows  
The Wheat from Tares; and is endued with reason,  
And grace, to sow in order, and in season.  
And that those artless workmen may be stayed,  
Who build before foundations they have laid:  
Lest, when our Church well built, suppose we shall,  
It sink, and overwhelm us in the fall.  
It pities me to mark what rents appear  
Within our Zion; and what daubings are  
To hide the ruins; and I fear the frame  
Will totter, if we long neglect the same.  
Our Watchmen, for the greater part, are grown  
Less mindful of God's honour, than their own:  
For either almost wholly we omit  
That work, or undiscreetly follow it.  
Some, speak the truth, without sincere intention,  
As they who preach the gospel for contention.  
Some, by their wicked lives do give offence,  
And harden men in their impenitence.  
As if nor hell nor heaven they did believe,  
They riot, game, drink drunk, and whore, and theeve,  
For avarice, and envy, none are worse;  
They are malicious, and blaspheme, and curse,  
As much as any others. None are more  
Regardless of the soul that's mean and poor;  
Among their neighbours, none more quarrelsome,  
Or, that more hardly reconciled become,  
Then many Clergie-●en. And as we see  
They are the best of men, when good they be;  
So, there are none that wander more astray,  
When they have left a sanctified way.  
Some Pastors are too hot; and some too cold;  
And, very few the golden temper hold.  
Some, at the Papist with such madness fling,  
As if they could not utter any thing  
Of them too vile; though ne'er so false it were:  
And, we so used by their Jesuits are.  
Some others at the Puritan do strike,  
So furiously, that they are often like  
To wrong the Protestants: for, men impose  
That name, sometime, upon the best of those;  
Yea, they who are profane, that name mislay  
On all who make a conscience of their way.  
Some shepherds, on their Flocks are gorged at full,  
And sumptuously arrayed in their wool.  
But, those that are diseased, they make not strong;  
Their sickliest sheep they seldom come among;  
They take no care, the broken up to bind,  
The sheep that's lost, they do not seek to find;  
They let such wander as will run astray;  
And, many times their fury so doth fray  
The tender conscience; that their indiscretion  
Doth fright their hearers headlong to perdition.  
God's bounty hath large pastorage provided;  
But, they have not his flocks with wisdom guided:  
For, in the midst of plenty, some be ready  
To starve in ignorance. Some sheep are heady;  
Some get the staggers; some the scab; and they  
Infect their fellows. Some, the wantons play  
Among the thorns and briers, which have torn  
The marks and fleeces, which they should have worn.  
Some straggle from the flock; and they are straight  
Surprised by Wolves, which lie for them in wait.  
Some, sought large feeding, and rank pastures got,  
Which proved not wholesome; & they caught the Rot▪  
For, many preach themselves, and fancies broach,  
That scandal preaching, to the truth's reproach.  
Yea, some term that (forsooth) God's word divine,  
Which would half shame me, should they term it mine.  
And they we see, that longest prey and speak  
Are prized of most (though head nor foot they make)  
Because the common hearers of this Land,  
Think best of that, which least they understand.  
Some, also, by their feet disturb the Springs;  
Or trample and defile God's pasturings;  
And they are either such who make obscure  
Faiths principles; or, such whose lives impure,  
Profane their Doctrines. Other some have we,  
Who (like the beasts that over-gamesome be)  
Do push their weaker brethren with their homes;  
And hunt them from the flock, by wrongs, or scorns▪  
God's houses, also, much neglected are;  
And of his Sanctuaries, few have care.  
A barn, or any common house, or room,  
Is thought as well God's worship to become,  
As in the church's infancy; or there,  
Where wants, and wars, and persecutions are.  
Amidst our peace and plenties, we do grudge  
Our Oratories should be trimmed as much  
As are our vulgar dwellings; and repine  
That exercises which are most divine,  
Should with more Rites, or Ornaments, be done,  
Then when the troublous times afforded none.  
As if a Garden, when the flowers are blown,  
Were still to look as when it first was sown.  
To worship so in spirit, we pretend  
That, in our bodies, we do scarcely bend  
A leg, or move a cap, when there we be,  
Where God's most holy Mysteries we see.  
Yea, many seem so careful to have been,  
To let no Superstition enter in,  
That they have, almost, wholly banished hence,  
All Decency, and pious Reverence.  
The Church, by lukewarm Christians, is neglected,  
By brutish Atho'sts, it is disrespected;  
By greedy Worldlings, robbed of her fleeces;  
By self-willed schismatics, nigh torn in pieces;  
By Tyrants, and by Infidels opposed;  
By her blind Guides, to hazard oft exposed;  
By Hypocrites, injuriously defamed;  
And, by the frailties of the best, oft shamed.  
A power ecclesiastical is granted  
To them, full often, who those minds have wanted  
Becoming such authority: and they  
Play fast and loose, even with the church's Key▪  
They censure and absolve, as best shall make  
For their advantage; not for conscience sake.  
As they shall please, they punish or connive;  
And, by the people's follies they do thrive.  
Of evil customs, many are we see  
Insinuated, and so strict are we  
To keep them, that we sottishly deny  
To leave them, for what more would edify:  
And we so much do Innovations fear,  
That needful Reformations none appear.  
We have profaned every holy thing;  
Even our most Christian Feasts, which are to bring  
God's Mercies to our thought; and memorize  
Of Saving-Grace, the sacred Mysteries:  
Some have even those gainsaid; and, in that  
Have evil spoken, of they know not what.  
Some others keep them; but, as heathenishly,  
As Feasts of Bacchus; and impiety  
Is then so rife, that God is rarely named  
Or thought upon, except to be blasphemed.  
By these, and other ways, the Church doth lose  
Much honour, to the glory of her foes,  
And our great shame, and loss: for, her decays  
Shall be this realms disprofit, and dispraise.  
God hath a controversy with our Land;  
And, in an evil plight affairs do stand.  
Already we do smart for doing ill;  
Yet, us the hand of God afflicteth still,  
And many see it not; as many be  
So wilful, that his hand they will not see.  
Some, plainly view the same, but nothing care:  
Some, at the sight thereof amazed are  
Like Balthazar; and have a trembling heart;  
Yet, will not from their vanities depart.  
About such matters, other some are loath  
Their thoughts to busy (Merely out of sloth)  
Like him, who rather would in hazard put  
His life, than rise from bed the door to shut.  
Some, dream that all things do by chance succeed,  
And that I prate more of them than I need.  
But, heaven and Earth, to witness I invoke,  
That, causelessly, I nothing here have spoke.  
If this, oh sickly island, thou believe,  
And for thy great infirmity shalt grieve,  
And, grieving of thy follies make confessions;  
And so confess thine infinite transgressions:  
That thou amend those errors: God shall then  
Thy manifold distempers cure again;  
Make all thy scarlet sins as white as snow,  
And cast his threatened judgement on thy foe.  
But, if thou (fondly thinking thou art well)  
Shalt slight this Message, which my Muse doth tell,  
And scorn her counsel; If thou shalt not rue  
Thy former ways; but, frowardly pursue  
Thy wilful course: then, hark what I am bold,  
(In spite of all thy madness) to unfold.  
For, I will tell thy Fortune; which, when they  
That are unborn, shall read, another day;  
They will believe God's mercy did infuse  
Thy poet's breast with a prophetic Muse.  
And know, that he this Author did prefer,  
To be from him, this isle's Remembrancer.  
If thou, I say, oh Britain! shalt retain  
Thy crying sins, thou dost presume in vain,  
Of God's protection. If thou stop thine ear,  
Or burn this roll, in which recorded are  
Thy just Inditements; it shall written be  
With new additions, deeply stamped on thee  
With such Characters, that no time shall raze  
Their fatal image, from thy scared face.  
Though haughtily thou dost thyself dispose;  
Because the Sea thy borders doth enclose.  
Although upon the Rocks thy nest is placed;  
Though thou among the Stars thy dwelling haste;  
Though thou increase thy ships; and unto that  
Which is thine own, with King Jehosaphat,  
Join Ahab's forces. Though thou watch and ward,  
And all thy Ports and Havens strongly guard;  
Although thou multiply thy inland forces,  
And muster up large troops of men and horses;  
Though like an Eagle, thou thy wings displayest,  
And (high thyself advancing) proudly sayst;  
I sit aloft, and am so high, that none  
Can fetch me from the place I rest upon.  
Yea, though thou no advantages didst want,  
Of which the glorioust Emperies did vaunt;  
Yet, sure, thou shalt be humbled and brought low;  
Even then, perhaps, when least thou fear'st it so.  
Till thou repent, provisions which are made  
For thy defence, or others to invade,  
Shall be in vain; and still, the greater cost  
Thou shalt bestow, the honour that is lost  
Shall be the greater; and thy wasted strength,  
Be sick of a Consumption, at the length.  
Thy Treaties, which for peace or profit be,  
Shall nether peace, nor profit, bring to thee.  
Or, if thy Counsels prosper for a while,  
God will permit it, only to beguile  
Thy foolishness; and tempt thee on, to run  
Some courses, that will bring his Judgements on.  
Yea, all thy winnings shall but fuel be,  
To feed those follies that now spring in thee;  
And make (with vengeance) those the more enraged  
Who shall for thy correction be engaged.  
What ever threatened in God's Book hath been,  
Against a wicked people for their sin,  
Shall come on thee: His hand shall be for ill,  
On every mountain, and high-raised Hill.  
Thy lofty Cedars, and thy sturdy oaks,  
Shall feel the fury of his thunder-stroakes.  
Upon thy ships, thy Havens, and thy Ports,  
Upon thy arms, thy Armies, and thy Forts,  
Upon thy pleasures and commodities,  
Thy craft's mechanic, and thy merchandise;  
On all the fruits, and cattle in thy fields,  
On what the air, or what the Water yields,  
On Prince and People; on both weak, and strong,  
On Priest, and Prophet; on both old, and young;  
Yea, on each person, place, and every thing,  
The plague it hath deserved God shall bring.  
What ever thou dost hope, he frustrate shall;  
And, make what e'er thou fearest, on thee fall.  
This pleasant soil, wherein such plenty grows,  
And where both milk and honey overflows,  
Shall for thy people's wickedness be made  
A Land as barren, as what never had  
Such plenties in it. God shall drive away  
Thy pleasant fowls, and all those Fish that play  
Within thy waters; and for whose great store  
Some other Nations would have praised him more.  
Those Rivers, that have made thy valleys rich,  
Shall be like streams of ever-burning Pitch.  
Thy dust, as Brimstone; fields as hard and dry  
As iron is; the Firmament, on high,  
(Like brass) shall yield thee neither rain nor due.  
The hope of wasted blessings to renew.  
A leanness, shall thy fatness quite devour;  
Thy Wheat shall in the place of wholesome flower,  
Yield nought but bran. In stead of grass and corn,  
Thou shalt in times of harvest, reap the thorn,  
The thistle, and the briar. Of their shadows  
Thy Groves shall robbed be. Thy flowery meadows  
Shall sterile wax. There shall be seldom seen  
Sheep on thy downs; or shepherds on the green▪  
Thy walks, thy gardens, and each pleasant plot,  
Shall be as those where men inhabit not.  
Thy Villages, where goodly dwellings are,  
Shall stand as if they unfrequented were.  
Thy Cities, and thy Palaces, wherein  
Most neatness and magnificence hath been,  
Shall heaps of rubbish be, and (as in those  
Demolished abbeys, wherein daws, and crows,  
Now make their nests) the bramble, and the nettle,  
Shall in their halls, and parlours, root, and settle.  
Thy Prince's houses, and thy wealthy Ports,  
Now filled with men of all degrees and sorts,  
Shall no inhabitants in them retain,  
But some poor Fisherman, or Country swain,  
Who of thy glories, when the marks they see,  
Shall wonder what those mighty ruins be▪  
As now they do, who old foundations find,  
Of towns and Cities, perished out of mind.  
The places where much people meetings had,  
Shall vermin holes, and dens for beasts be made.  
Or walks for Sprights, who from those uncouth rooms  
Shall fright the passenger, which that way comes.  
In stead of mirth and laughter, lamentation  
Shall there abide: and▪ loathsome desolation▪  
In stead of company. Where once was heard  
Sweet melody, men shall be made afeard  
With hideous cries, and howlings of despair.  
Thy very Climate, and thy temperate air,  
Shall lose their wholesomeness▪ for thy offences;  
And breed hot Fevers, Murraines, Pestilences,  
And all diseases. They that now are trained  
In ease, and with soft pleasures entertained;  
In stead of idle games, and wanton dances,  
Shall practise how to handle guns, and lances:  
And be compelled to leave their friends embraces,  
To end their lives in divers uncouth places;  
Or else, thy face, with their own blood defile,  
In hope to keep themselves, and thee, from spoil.  
Thy beauteous Women (whose great pride is more  
Than theirs, whom Esay blamed heretofore)  
In stead of paintings, and of costly scents,  
Of glittering gems, and precious ornaments,  
Shall wear deformity about their faces;  
And, being robbed of all their tempting graces,  
Feel wants, diseases, and all such like things,  
Which to a wanton Lover loathing brings▪  
Thy God, shall for thy overflowing vices,  
Scourge thee with Scorpions, Serpents, Cockatrices,  
And other such; whose tails with stings are armed,  
That neither can be plucked forth, nor charmed.  
Thou shalt not be suffized when thou art fed;  
Nor shalt thou suffer scarcity of bread  
And temporal food alone; but, of that meat,  
Whereof the faithful soul desires to eat.  
That curse of Ravenous beasts, which God hath said,  
Upon a wicked kingdom shall be laid,  
He will inflict on the. For though there be  
No tigers, lions, Wolves, or bears in th●e,  
By beastly minded men (that shall be far  
More cruel than those bloody spoilers are)  
Thou shalt be torn: for, each man shall assay  
His fellow to devour as lawful prey.  
In stead of lions, Tyrants thou shalt breed,  
Who nor of conscience, nor of Law take heed;  
But, on the weak man's portion lay their paw,  
And, make their Pleasures, to become their L●w.  
In stead of Tigers, men of no compassion,  
A furious, and a wilful generation,  
Shall fill thy borders. Thieves, and outlaws vile,  
Shall hunt the ways, and haunt the woods for spoil,  
As bears, and Wolves. A subtle cheating crew  
(That will with tricks and cousenages pursue  
The simpler sort) shall here increase their breed;  
And, in their subtleties the Fox exceed.  
That hoggish herd, which always rooting are  
Within the ground, and never upward rear  
Their grunting snouts; nor fix their eyes on heaven,  
To look from whence their daily food is given:  
Those filthy swinish livers, who desire  
To feed on dra●fe, and wallow in the mire;  
Those, who affect rank puddles, more than springs;  
To trample and despise most precious thing;  
The holy to profane; God's herbs of grace  
To nouzle up, his Vineyard to deface;  
And such like harms to do: these shall thy fields,  
Mar worse, than those wild boars the d●sart yields.  
If thou remain impenitent, thou ar●  
Like Egypt; and so stony is thy heart.  
For which obdurateness, those plagues will all  
Descend on thee, which did on Egypt fall.  
Blood, Frogs, and Lice, great swarms of uncouth Flies▪  
Th' infectious murrain, whereof Cattle dies;  
boils, Scabs, & blains; fierce hail, & Thunder-stormes,  
The Locust, and all fruit devouring worms.  
Cross darkness, and the Death of those that be  
Thy Darlings; all those Plagues shall fall on thee,  
According as the Letter doth imply,  
Or, as in mystic sense they signify.  
Thy purest Rivers God shall turn to blood▪  
With every Lake, that hath been sweet and good.  
Even in thy nostrils he shall make it stink,  
For▪ nothing shall thy people eat or drink,  
Until their own, or others blood it cost;  
Or, put their lives in hazard to be lost.  
Most loathsome Frogs; that is, a race impure,  
Of base condition, and of birth obscure,  
(Even in unwholesome fens, and ditches, bred)  
Shall with a clownish rudeness overspread  
Thy pleasantest fields; thy fairest rooms possess;  
And make unwholesome (by their sluttishness)  
Thy kneading troughs, thy ovens, and that meat,  
Whereof thy people, and thy Princes eat.  
This hateful brood, shall climb to croak and sing,  
Within in lodging chambers of the King.  
Yea, there make practice of those natural notes,  
Which issue from their evill-sounding throats:  
To wit, vain brags, revilings, ribaldries,  
Vile slanders, and unchristian blasphemies.  
The Land shall breed a nasty Generation,  
Unworthy either of the reputation  
Or name of men. For, they as Lice shall feed  
Even on the body whence they did proceed;  
Till poverty, and sloventy, and sloth,  
Have quite disgraced them, and consumed them both,  
There shall moreover, swarms of divers Flies,  
Engendered be in thy prosperities,  
To be a plague: the flesh-fly shall corrupt  
Thy savoury meats; Musketoes interrupt  
The weary traveller; thou shalt have Drones,  
doors, Hornets, wasps, and such like angry-ones,  
Who represent that swarm whose buzzing tongues  
(Like stings) are used in their neighbour's wrongs:  
And, still are flying, and still humming so,  
As if they meant some weighty work to do,  
When as, upon the common stock they spend;  
And nought perform of that which they pretend.  
Thy butterflies shall plague thee too; even those,  
Who waste their Lands and Rents, in gaudy clothes,  
Or idle flutterings; and then spawn their seed,  
Upon thy goodliest flowers, and herbs to feed.  
As Beasts destroyed by the murrain be,  
So, they th●y that are of beastly life in thee,  
By lewd example shall infect each other;  
And in their foul diseases rot together.  
On all thy people, or what sort soe'er,  
Shall Scabs, and bile, and running sores appear,  
The fruits of their corruption. Yea, with pains  
(Within their conscience, and with scars and blains  
Of outward infamy) they shall be grieved.  
And, in their tortures perish, unrelieved.  
Tempestuos storms, upon this I'll shall fall,  
Hot thunderbolts, and hailstones therewithal;  
Men either too too hot, or too too cold;  
Or else luke warm. But, few or none shall hold  
A rightful temper: and, these meteors will  
Thy borders with a thousand mischiefs fill.  
The Locust also and the Palmer worms,  
Shall prey on what escapeth from the storms:  
Not they alone, which on the grass do breed;  
But, also, they who from the pit proceed  
Which hath no bottom: and, when any thing  
Doth by the dew of heaven begin to spring,  
They shall devour the same, till they have left thee,  
Nor leaf nor blossom; but, of all bereft thee,  
Then shall a darkness follow, far more black,  
Then when the light coporeall thou dost lack.  
For, grossest ignorance, o'reshadowing all,  
Shall in so thick a darkness thee enthrall,  
That thou a blockish people shalt be made,  
Still wandering on in a deceiving shade;  
Mistrusting those that safest paths are showing,  
Most trusting them, who counsel thy undoing;  
And aye tormented be with doubts and fears,  
As one that outcries, in dark places hears.  
Nor shall the hand of God from thee return,  
Till he hath also smote thine eldest-born.  
That is, till he hath taken from the quite,  
Even that whereon thou setst thy whole delight;  
And filled every house throughout this Nation,  
With deaths unlooked for, and lamentation.  
So great shall be thy ruin, and thy shame,  
That when the neighbour kingdoms hear the same  
Their ears shall tingle. And when that day comes,  
In which thy follies must receive their dooms;  
A day of clouds, a day of gloominess,  
A day of black despair, and heaviness,  
It will appear. And, than thy vanities,  
Thy gold, thy silver, thy confederacies,  
And all those reeds on which thou hast depended;  
Will fail thy trust, and leave thee unbefriended.  
Thy King, thy Priests & Prophets, then shall mourn;  
And, peradventure, feignedly return  
To beg of God to succour them: but, they  
Who will not hearken to his voice today,  
Shall cry unheeded: and he will despise  
Their vows, their prayers, and their sacrifice:  
A sea of troubles, all thy hopes shall swallow:  
As waves on waves, so plague on plague shall follow:  
And, every thing that was a blessing to thee,  
Shall turn to be a curse, and help undo thee.  
Thy sovereign's have to thee thy Fathers been;  
By means of them hath peace been kept within  
Thy sea-girt limits: they, thy weal befriended,  
The blessed Faith they stoutly have defended:  
And, thou hast cause of goodly hopes in him,  
Who hath, of late, put on thy Diadem.  
But know, that (till thou shalt repent) no part  
Belongs to thee of what is his desert  
His princely virtues, to his own avail,  
Shall profit much: but they to thee shall fail.  
To thee his clemency shall seem severe,  
His favours all, shall injuries appear;  
And when thy sin is fully ripe in thee,  
Thy Prince and people, then▪ alike shall be.  
Thou shalt have Babes to be thy Kings; or worse,  
Those Tyrants who by cruelty and force  
Shall take away thy ancient freedoms quite,  
From all their Subjects; yea themselves delight,  
In their vexations: and, all those that are  
Made slaves thereby, shall murder, yet not dare  
To stir against them. By degeers they shall  
Deprive thee of thy patrimonies all;  
Compel thee (as in other Lands, this day)  
For thine own meat, and thine own drink▪ to pay.  
And, at the last begin to exercise  
Upon thy sons, all heathenish tyrannies,  
As just prerogatives To these intents,  
Thy Nobles shall become their instruments.  
For they who had their birth from noble races,  
Shall (some and some) be brought into disgraces  
From offices they shall excluded stand:  
And all their virtuous offspring from the Land,  
Shall quite be worn in stead of whom shall rise  
A brood advanced by impieties,  
By flattery by purchase, and by that  
Which every truly-noble one doth hate.  
From stems obscure, and out of mean professions,  
They shall ascend and mount by their ambtions,  
To seats of Justice; and those Nam●s to bear▪  
Which honoured most within these kingdoms are.  
And being thither got, shall make more strong  
Their new-built greatness, by increasing wrong▪  
To those▪ will some of these themselves unite,  
Who by their births to Lordly Stil●s have right;  
But, viciously consuming their estate,  
Did from their father's worths degenerate.  
By this Confederacy▪ their nobler bloods▪  
Shall countenance the others ill-got goods;  
The others wealth again shall keep from scorn  
Their beggary, who have been nobly borne:  
And, both together, being else unable,  
(In this ill course to make their standing stable)  
Shall seek how they more great, & strong, may grow  
By compassing the public overthrow.  
They shall abuse thy Kings, with tales, and lies;  
With seeming love, and servile flatteries.  
They shall persuade them they have power to make  
Their wills, their Law; and as they please to take  
There people's goods, their children and their lives,  
Even by their just and due Prerogatives.  
When thus much they have made them to believe,  
Than they shall teach them practices to grieve  
Their subjects by; and, instruments become  
To help the screwing up, by some and some,  
Of Monarchies to Tyrannies. They shall  
Abuse Religion, honesty, and all.  
To compass their designs. They shall devise  
Strange projects; and with impudence, and lies,  
Proceed in settling them. They shall forget  
Those reverent usages, which do befit  
The majesty of State; and rail, and storm,  
When they pretend disorders to reform.  
In their high Counsels, and where men should have  
Kind admonitions, and reprovings grave,  
When they offend, they shall be threatened there,  
Or scoffed, or taunted, though no cause appear.  
It is unseemly for a Judge to sit  
And exercise a jibing schoolboys wit  
Upon their trades, or names, who stand before  
Their judgement seats: bu● who doth not abhor  
To hear it, when a Magistrate objects,  
Birth, poverty, or personal defects  
In an upbraiding wise? Or, who with me  
Derides it not, when in our Courts we see  
Those men, whose bodies are both old and weak,  
(Forgetting grave and useful things to speak)  
Uent Giants words, and bristle up, as tho  
Their very breath could armies overthrow:  
Whereas (Poor weaklings) were there in their places  
No more authority, then in their faces,  
Their persons, or their language, all their chasing,  
And threatening, nothing would effect but laughing.  
For unto me big looks, and crying ho●●,  
As dreadful seems, as when a child cries boo  
To fright his Nurse, yea such a bugbear fashion  
Eff●cteth nought but scornful indignation.  
But in those times (which nearer are then som●  
Suppose perhaps) such rhetoric will come  
To be in use; and arguments of Reason,  
And just proceeding, will be out of season.  
Their wisdom shall be folly; and, go nigh  
To bring con●empt on their Authority.  
Their council Fable shall a snare be made,  
And those 'gainst whom they no just matter had,  
At first appearance shall be urged to say  
Some word or other, ere they part away,  
Which will betray their innocence to blame,  
And bring upon them detriment and shame:  
Yea, many times (as David hath of old,  
Concerning such oppressors well foretold)  
To humble crouchings, and to feigned shows,  
Descend they shall, to work men's overthrows:  
And what their subtlety doth fail to gain,  
They shall by rigour, and by force obtain.  
What ever from thy people they can tear,  
Or borrow, they shall keep, as if it were  
A prize which had been taken from the Foe:  
And they shall make no conscience what they do  
To prejudice Posterity. For, they  
To gain their lust, but for the present day,  
Shall with such love unto themselves endeavour,  
That (though they knew it would undo for ever  
Their own posterity) it shall not make  
Those Monsters any better course to take.  
Nay, God shall give them up for their offences,  
To such uncomely reprobated senses:  
And blind them so, that (when the axe they see  
Even hewing at the root of their own tree,  
By their own handy strokes) they shall not grieve  
For their approaching fall: no, nor believe  
Their fall approacheth; nor assume that heed  
Which might prevent it, till they fall indeed.  
Thy Princes, Britain, in those days, will be  
Like roaring lions, making prey of thee.  
God shall deliver thee into their hand.  
And they shall act their pleasure in the Land;  
As one his Prophet threatened to that Nation,  
Which doth exemplify thy Desolation.  
Thy Kings (as thou hast wallowed in excess)  
Shall take delight in drink, and wantonness.  
And, those who thou dost call thy Noble-ones  
Shall to the very marrow, gnaw thy bones.  
Thy Lawyers fulfully shall wrest thy laws,  
And (to the ruin of the common Cause)  
Shall misinterpret them, in hope of grace  
From those, who may despoil them of their place.  
Yea, that whereto they are obliged both  
By Conscience, by their Calling, and their Oath  
To put in execution, they shall fear,  
And, leave them helpless, who oppessed are.  
Thy Prelates in the spoil of thee shall share;  
Thy Priests, as light shall be, as those that are  
The meanest persons. All their Prophecies,  
Or preachings, shall be heresies and lies.  
The word of truth in them shall not remain,  
Their lips no wholesome knowledge shall retain,  
And all his outward means of saving Grace,  
Thy God shall carry to another place.  
Mark well oh Britain! what I now shall say,  
And do not sleihhtly pass these words away;  
But, be assured that when God begins,  
To bring that vengeance on thee, for thy sins,  
Which hazard will with total overthrow,  
Thy Prophets, and thy Priests shall slily sow  
The seeds of that dissension and sedition,  
Which time will ripen for thy sad perdition.  
Even they, who formerly, were of thy peace  
The happy instruments, shall then increase  
Thy troubles most. And, even as when the Jews  
Gods truth-presaging Prophets did abuse,  
He suffered those who preached in his Name,  
Such falsehoods as the chiefest cause became  
Of their destruction: so if thou go on  
To make a scorn (as thou hast often done)  
Of them who seek thy welfare, he will send  
False Prophets, that shall bring thee to thine end▪  
By saying all things thou wouldest have them say:  
And lulling thee asleep in thine own way.  
If any brainsick Fellow, whom the devil  
Seduceth to inflict, on thee some evil,  
Shall coin false Doctrines, or persuade thee to  
Some foolish course that will, at length, undo  
The commonweal: ●his counsel thou shalt follow▪  
Thou, covered with his bait, a hook shalt swallow  
To rend thine entrails: and thine ignorance  
Shall also for that mischief, him advance.  
But if that any love● of thy weal,  
Inspired with truth, and with an honest zeal,  
Shall tell thee aught pert●ining to thy good,  
His Messages shall stiffly be withstood:  
That Seer shall be charged not to see;  
His word shall slighted as a potsherd be  
His l●fe shall be traduced, to disgrace  
His counsels; or, his errant to debase:  
In stead of recompense he shall be sure,  
Imprisonments, or threatenings to procure:  
And peradventure (as those Prophets were,  
Who did among the Jewish Peers declare  
Their state's enormities) his good intention,  
May be so ronged, that he, by some invention,  
May lose his life, with public shame and hate,  
As one that is a troubler of the State.  
But not unless the Priest thereto consent▪  
For in those days shall few men innocent  
Be grieved (through any quarter of the Land)  
In which thy clergy shall not have some hand.  
If ever in the Fields (as God forbid)  
The blood of thine own children shall be shed  
By civil discord, they shall blow the flame,  
That will become thy ruin, and thy shame.  
And thus it shall be kindled. When the times,  
Are nigh at worst; and thy increasing crimes  
Almost complete; the devil shall begin  
To bring strange crotchets, and opinions in  
Among thy Teachers, which will breed disunion,  
And interrupt the visible communion  
Of thy established Church. And, in the steed  
Of zealous Pastors, (who God's flock did feed)  
There shall arise within thee, by degrees▪  
A clergy, that shall more desire to fleece,  
Then feed the flock. A Clergy it shall be,  
Divided in itself: and they shall thee  
Divide among them, into several factions:  
which rend thee will, and fill thee with destructions:  
They all in ourward seeming shall pretend  
God's glory, and to have one pious end:  
But, under colour of sincere devotion,  
Their study shall be temporal promotion;  
Which will among themselves strange quarrels make  
Wherein thy other children shall pe●●take.  
As to the Persons, or the Cause, they stand  
Affected, even quite throughout the Land.  
One part of these will for preferment strive,  
By li●ting up the King's prerogative  
Above itself. They shall persuade him to  
Much more than Law or Conscience bids him do;  
And say, God warrants it. His holy Law●s  
They shall pervert, to justify their cause;  
And, impudently wrest, to prove their ends,  
What God, to better purposes, intends.  
They shall not blush to say, that every King,  
May do like Solomon, in every thing,  
As if they had his warrant: and shall dare  
Ascribe to monarchs, rights that proper are  
To none but Christ; and mixed their flatteries,  
With no less gross and wicked blasphemies▪  
Than Heathens did: yea, make their Kings believe,  
That whosoever they oppress or grieve,  
It is no wrong; nor fit for men oppressed,  
To seek by their own laws to be redressed,  
Such council shall thy Princes then provoke,  
To cast upon thee Rehoboam's yoke.  
And, they not caring, or not taking heed  
How ill that ill-advised King did speed,  
Shall multiply thy causes of distraction.  
For, then, will of thy Priests, the other faction  
Bestir themselves. They will in outward shows,  
Those whom I last have mentioned, oppose.  
But, in thy ruin, they will both agree,  
As in one centre, though far off they be  
In their Diameter. With lowly zeal,  
An envious pride they sl●ly shall conceal:  
And, as the former to thy Kings will teach  
Mere Tyranny: so shall these other preach  
Rebellion to the people; and shall strain  
The word of God, Sedition to maintain.  
They shall not fear to say, that if thy King  
Become a Tyrant, thou Mayst also fling  
Obedience off; or from his crown divorce him;  
Or, by the terror of drawn swords enforce him.  
Which false Divinity, shall to the devil  
Send many souls, and bring on thee much evil.  
Oh! be thou therefore watchful; and when e'er  
These Lambs with dragon's voices do appear,  
Repent thy sin, or take it for a token,  
That some great bulwark of thy peace is broken,  
Which must be soon repaired; or else, all  
The greatness of thy glory, down will fall.  
Take heed of those false prophets, who will strive  
Betwixt thy Prince and people to contrive  
A disagreement. And, what ever come,  
Thy due allegiance never start thou from.  
For (their oppressions though we may withstand  
By pleading laws, or customs) not a hand  
Must move against them, save the hand of God,  
Who makes a King, a bulwark, or a Rod,  
As pleaseth him. Oh! take ye therefore heed  
Ye People, and ye Kings (that shall succeed)  
Of these Impostors. Of the last beware  
Ye Subjects: for, their Doctrines hellish are.  
And though they promise Liberty and Peace,  
Your thraldom, and your Troubles they'll increase.  
Shun oh! ye Kings the first; for, they advise  
What will your crowns and honour's prejudice.  
When you do think their Prophecies befriend you,  
They do but unto R●moth-Gilead send you,  
Where you shall perish; and poor Micah's word,  
Though less esteemed more safety will afford.  
They will abuse your piety, and all  
Your virtues. For their wicked ends they shall  
Apply the Sacred Story; or what ever  
May seem to further their unjust endeavour.  
Even what the son of Hannah told the Jews,  
Should be their scourge (because they did refuse  
The sovereignty of God, and were so vain  
To ask a King which over them might reign  
As heathen Princes did) that curse they shall  
Affirm to be a Law monarchical  
Which God himself established to stand  
Throughout all ages, and in every land.  
Which is as good Divinity, as they  
Have also taught, who do not blush to say  
That Kings may have both Wives and Concubines;  
And, by that Rule whereby these great Divines  
Shall prove their Tenet, I dare undertake  
(If found it hold) that I like proof will make  
Of any I●wish custom, and devise  
Authority for all absurdities.  
But, false it is. For might all Kings at pleasure  
(As by the right of royalty) make seizure  
Of any man's possessions: why i pray  
Did Ahab grieve, that Naboth said him nay?  
Why made he not this answer thereunto,  
(If what the Prophet said some Kings would do,  
Were justly to be done) Thy vineyards mine;  
And at my pleasure, Naboth, all that's thine  
Assume I may, like a turkey-chick,  
Did he so foolishly grow sullen-sick,  
And get possession by a wicked fact  
Of what might have been his by royal act?  
If such Divinity, as this were true,  
The Queen should not have needed to pursue  
Poor Naboth, as she did; or, so contrive  
His death; since by the King's Prerogative,  
She might have got his vineyard. Nor would God  
Have scourged that murder with so keen a rod▪  
On Ahab, had he asked but his due.  
For, he did neither plot, nor yet pursue  
The murder; nor (for aught that we can tell)  
Had knowledge of the deed of Jezabel,  
Till God revealed it by the Prophet to him,  
Nor is it said, that Naboth wrong did do him,  
Or disrespect; in that he did not yield,  
To sell, or give, or to exchange his Field.  
The Jewish Commonwealth did so instate,  
That, their possessions none could alienate,  
But for a time; who ever, for his money,  
Or in exchange, desired their patrimony.  
And, doubtless, we offend, who at this day  
Those freedoms give, or lose, or sell away,  
Which were in common right possessed of old,  
By our Forefathers; and, continue should  
To all their after comers. For, although  
We may dispose of what pertains unto  
Our persons: yet, those dues which former ages have left unto us for our heritages,  
(And whereunto, the child that borne must be,  
Hath every whit as good a right as we)  
Those dues we should preserve with all our might,  
By pleading of our just and ancient rgiht,  
In humble wise, if so the sovereign state  
Our freedom shall attempt to violate.  
But, when by peaceful means we cannot save it,  
We to the pleasure of the King must leave it,  
And unto God our Judge: for all the power  
In us, consists in saying, This is our.  
A King is for a blessing, or a curse;  
And therefore (though a fool he were, or worse,  
A Tyrant, or an ethnic) no man may  
So much as in their private closets, pray  
Against his person; though they moy petition  
Against the wickedness of his condition.  
Nor, is this sufferance due to those alone,  
Who subject are unto a monarch's throne,  
But, from all those who either subjects are  
To mixed Government, or popular.  
For, though irregularities appear  
In every State; because but men they are  
Whom Gods exalts to rule: yet, it is he  
By whom all Governments ordained be.  
And every government (although the Name  
Be different) is in effect the same.  
In Monarchies, the counsel (as it were  
An Aristocracy) one while doth bear  
The sway of all; and though they name the King,  
Yet, him they overrule in every thing.  
Sometime again, the popular voice we see,  
Doth awe the counsel, when in them there be  
Some popular Spirits▪ Aristocracies  
Are otherwhile the same with Monarchies,  
For, one great man among them gets the power,  
From all the rest, and like an Emperor,  
Doth act his pleasure. And we know 'tis common  
To have some foolish favourite▪ or Woman,  
To govern him. So in a popular State,  
Affaires are managed by the self same fate;  
And either one or more, away do steal  
The people's hearts, and sway the commonweal.  
Thus God is pleased, to humble and to raise▪  
Thus, he by several names, and several ways,  
The world doth govern. Yea, thus, even in one nation,  
And in one State, he makes much alteration  
In forms of government; of changing that  
Which is but accidental to a State.  
And, such his justice, and his wisdom is,  
That he preserveth by the means of this,  
Those things which do essentially pertain  
To that great Power, which over all doth reign▪  
Nor is he pleased thus it should be done  
In States that merely civil are alone;  
But, also, in the church's governments,  
Allows the change of outward accidents.  
Yea, they to whom he gives the oversights  
Of some particular Church, may change old Rites,  
The customs, forms, or Titles, as occasions  
Are offered them; or, as the Times, or Nations,  
Require a change: provided so, that they  
Take nothing which essential is, away;  
Nor add what shall repugn or prejudice  
God's laws, his kingdom, or the Liberties  
Of them that are his people. For, in what  
Hath any Church a power, if not in that  
Which is indifferent? Or, in what I pray  
Will men the Church authority obey,  
If not in such like things? Or, who should be  
The judge what is indifferent, if not she?  
A private Spirit knows what best agrees  
With his own fancy; but, the Church best sees,  
What fits the Congr●gation. From what gives  
Offence to one, another man receives  
Much comfort: and, his conscience edifies,  
By disciplines, which many do despise.  
A Parish is a little diocese;  
And, as of Cities, towns, and Villages,  
A bishopric consists: so, that doth rise  
By tithings, Hamlets, and by Families.  
And little difference would be in the same,  
(Excepting in the largeness and the name)  
If their opinions were allowed of all,  
Who favour not the stile episcopal:  
For, every Priest would then usurp the same  
Authority, whereof some hate the name.  
Yea, many a one would then his Parish make  
A little popedom, and upon him take  
(Considering his mean power) as much as he  
That universal Bishop claims to be:  
And prove more proud, and troublesome, than they  
Against whose lordliness they now inveigh.  
This therefore is my Rule; that Govern●ment  
(What e'er it be) in which to me God lent  
My birth and breeding; that, until my end,  
I will obey, and to my power defend.  
Yea, though it tyrannize, I will denay  
No more obedience, then by law I may:  
Even by those laws and customs which do stand  
In force, and unrepealed in that land.  
What right another had, ere I was borne  
Or how, or for what sin, God's hand hath torn  
His kingdom from him, I will never care;  
Let them go answer that who Subjects were,  
(When lost it was) and had that means, and calling,  
And years, which might prevented have his falling.  
Or should another Country take me home  
As one of hers; when thither I did come  
I would not seek, nor wish to innovate  
The Titles, or the customs of that State,  
To what some other Countries better thought:  
But, leave such things to those to whom I ought.  
And, there, if any Faction shall constrain  
That I one part must take, I will maintain  
What bore the sovereignty when I came thither;  
And, I and that will stand and fall together.  
The same obedience, also, keep I shall,  
To governments ecclesiastical  
Where ere I come; if nothing they command  
Which doth God's word, essentially, withstand:  
Or, indirectly, or directly, thwart  
His glory, or the purity pervert  
Of Christian Principles, nor further strife,  
Nor cause, nor countenance an evil life.  
The hierarchy, here, I will obey,  
And reverence, while I in England stay.  
In Scotland if I lived, I would deny  
No due respect to their presbytery.  
Geneva should I visit, I would there  
Submit myself to what their customs were.  
Yea, wheresoever I am, I will suppose  
The Spirit in that Church much better knows  
What best that place befitteth, than I do:  
And, I will live conformed thereunto,  
In every thing that's merely politic,  
And injuries not the Doctrines Catholic.  
To every temporal power I'll be the same,  
By whatsoever cognizance, or name,  
Men please to call it. If I should be sent  
To Poland, where a mixed government  
Established is; I would not tell them, there,  
That any other custom better were  
Were I in Switzerland, I would maintain  
Democrity; and, think to make it plain,  
That for these Times, those Cantons, and that Nation,  
There could not be a better Domination.  
In Venice, far before a Monarchy  
I would prefer an aristocraty.  
In Spain, and France, and in great Britain here  
I hold no governments more perfect are  
Then Monarchies. And, if God's will should be,  
Beneath a Tyrant to envassaile me,  
I would persuade myself, that heavy yoke  
Were best, for some respects; and, to the stroke  
Even of an iron Mace would subject be,  
In Body; with a mind that should be free  
From his enforcement, (if he did withstand,  
Or bid me what God's Law doth countermand.)  
There is, I know, a middle-way that lies  
Even just betwixt the two extremities,  
Which to sedition, and to faction tend.  
To find which tract, my whole desire I bend;  
And wish it followed more. For, if we tread  
That harmless path, we cannot be misled;  
Nor shamed, though blamed we be. To every man  
I fain would give his due; and all I can  
I do endeavour it. I would not wrong  
My Country; neither take what doth belong  
To Cesar: nor infringe, or prejudice,  
The univesall church's liberties;  
Nor for her outward Discipline prefer  
Or censure, any Church particular;  
Or any State, but as befit it may,  
His Muse, which nought but needful truths doth say.  
Nor have I any purpose to withdraw  
Obedience, or respect from any Law  
That's positive; or, to dishearten from  
Those customs, which a Christian state become.  
Nor have I any thought to scandalize,  
Or speak a miss of Principalities;  
Or, to traduce men's persons▪ but, I fall  
On errors of men's lives in general,  
And, on those great abuses, which I see  
To blemish every Calling and Degree  
Of Dignities and Persons, I observe,  
All means I can, their honours to preserve,  
When I reprove their faults. And, even as he  
That hunteth Foxes, where lambs feeding be,  
May fright that harmless flock, and suffer blame  
Of some bystanders, (knowing not his Game)  
When from his Dogs, those innocents are free,  
And none but their devourers bitten be.  
So, though my reprehensions, often are  
Mistook by foolish Readers; they are far  
From reprehending those, or taxing that  
Which is unfitting for my shooting at.  
I speak those things which will advantage rather  
Than harm: and hence this blinded age may gather  
Much light. Thich little volume doth relate  
Nought else but what is like to be our fate,  
If sin increase; and what in former times  
Did fall on other Nations for their crimes.  
I utter what our welfare may increase,  
And help confirm us in a happy peace;  
Which they will never compass, who pursue  
To speak what's pleasing, rather than what's true,  
How ever, here my thoughts delivered be:  
Let God, as he shall please, deliver me.  
And if what here is mentioned, thou dost heed  
(Oh Britain!) in those times that shall succeed,  
It may prevent much loss, and make thee shun  
Those mischiefs, whereby kingdoms are undone.  
But, to thy other sins, if thou shalt add  
Rebellions (as false Prophets will persuade)  
Which likely are to follow, when thou shalt  
In thy profession of Religion halt:  
Then, will thy Kings and persons scourge each other,  
For their offences, till both fall together:  
By weakening of your powers, to make them way,  
Who seek and look for that unhappy day.  
Then, shall disorder every where abound  
And neither just nor pious man be found  
The best shall be a Br●er or a thorn,  
By whom their neighbours shall be scratched and torn.  
Thy Princes shall to nothing condescend  
For any merit, just, or pious end;  
But either for increasing of their treasure,  
Or for accomplishing their wilful pleasure:  
And unto what they sell or deign for meed,  
There shall be given little trust or heed.  
For, that which by their words confirm they shall,  
(The royal seals uniting therewithal)  
A toy shall frustate; and a gift shall make  
Their strictest Orders no effect to take.  
The judge, without a bribe, no cause shall end:  
No man shall trust his brother, or his friend:  
The parents and the children shall despise  
And hate, and spoil each other: she that lies  
Within her husband's bosom, shall betray him:  
They who thy people should protect, shall slay them:  
The aged shall regarded be of none:  
The poor shall by the rich be trodden on:  
Such grievous insolences, everywhere  
Shall acted be, that good and bad shall fear  
In thee to dwell; and, men discreet shall hate  
To be a Ruler, or a Magistrate;  
When they behold (without impenitence)  
So much injustice, and such violence.  
And, when thy wickedness this height shall gain,  
To which (no doubt) it will e'er long attain,  
If thou proceed: Then, from the bow that's bent  
(And half way drawn already) shall be sent  
A mortal arrow: and it pierce thee shall  
Quite through the head, the liver, and the gall.  
The Lord shall call, and whistle from afar,  
For those thy enemies that fiercest are:  
For those thou fearest most; and they shall from  
Their Countries, like a whirlwind hither come,  
They shall not sleep, nor stumble, nor untie  
Their garments, till within thy field they lie,  
Sharpe shall their arrows be, and strong their bow,  
Their faces shall as full of horror show  
As doth a Lions. Like a bolt of thunder  
Their troops of horse shall come, and tread thee under  
Their iron feet. Thy foes shall eat thy bread,  
And with thy flocks both clothed be and fed.  
Thy Dwellers, they shall carry from their own,  
To Countries which their fathers have not known.  
And, thither shall such mischiefs them pursue,  
That they who seek the pitfall to eschew,  
Shall in a snare be taken. If they shall  
Escape the sword, a serpent in the wall  
To death shall sting them: yea (although they hap;  
To shun a hundred plagues) they shall not scape;  
But, with new dangers, still be chased about,  
Until that they are wholly rooted out.  
The ploughman, then, shall be afraid to sow;  
Artificers their labour shall forgo;  
The merchant man shall cross the Seas no more,  
(Except to fly and seek some other shore)  
Thy ablest-men shall faint: thy wise-ones, then  
Shall know themselves to be but foolish men.  
And they who built and planted by oppression,  
Shall leave their gettings to the foe's possession.  
Yea, God will scourge thee, England, seven times more  
With seven times greater Plagues than heretofore,  
Then▪ thy Allies their friendship shall withdraw;  
And, they that of thy greatness stood in awe,  
Shall say (in scorn) Is this the valiant Nation,  
That had throughout the world such reputation,  
By victories upon the shore? are these  
That people, which were master of the seas,  
And grew so mighty? yea that petty Nation,  
That were not worthy of thy indignation,  
Shall mock thee too; and all thy former fame,  
Forgot shall be, or mentioned to thy shame.  
Mark how God's Plagues were doubled on the Jews  
When they his mild corrections did abuse▪  
Mark what, at last upon their Land he sent;  
And, look thou for the self same punishment,  
If them thou imitatest. I or their sin,  
At first, but eight years' Bondage they were in.  
Their wickedness grew more; and God did then,  
To Eglon, make them slaves, eight years and ten  
They disobeying, still, the God of heaven;  
Their year of Servitude were twenty seven,  
To Jabin and to Midian. Then, prevailed  
Philistia forty years; and, when that failed,  
To make them of their evil ways repent;  
There was▪ among themselves▪ a fatal rent;  
And, they oft scourged each other. Still, they trod  
The selfsame path; and, than the hand of God  
Brought Ashur on them; and, did make them bear  
His heavy yoke, until the seventeenth year.  
And last of all the Roman Empire came,  
Which from their Country rooted out their Name  
That foolish project which they did embrace,  
To keep them in possession of their place,  
Did lose it. And, like Cain, that vagrant Nation,  
Hath now remained in fearful Desolation  
Nigh sixteen hundred years: and, whatsoever  
Some lately dream) in vain, they look for here  
A temporal kingdom. For, as long ago  
Their Psalmist said; No Prophet doth foreshow  
This thraldoms end. Nor shall it end until  
The Gentiles their just number do fulfil:  
Which is unlike to be until that hour,  
In which there shall be no more temporal power,  
Of temporal kingdom. Therefore gather them  
(Oh Lord!) unto thy new Jerusalem,  
In thy due time. For, yet unto that place  
They have a promised right, by thy mere grace.  
To those who shall repent, thy firm Election  
Continues in this temporal rejection.  
Oh! show thy mercy in their desolation,  
That thou Mayst honoured be in their salvation  
Yea, teach us also, by their fearful fall,  
To hearken to thy voice, when thou dost call;  
(Lest thou in anger, unto us protest,  
That we shall never come into thy rest)  
For, we have followed them in all their sin:  
Such, and so many, have our warnings been:  
And if thou still prolong not thy compassion,  
To us belongs the selfsame Desolation.  
And it will shortly come, with all those terrors  
That we on them inflicted, for their errors.  
Then, woe shall be to them that heretofore  
By joining house, to house expelled the poor;  
And field have into field incoporated,  
Until their Township were depopulated.  
For, desolate their dwelling shall be made:  
Even in their blood the Lord shall bathe his blade:  
And they that have by avarice, and wiles,  
Erected palaces and costly Piles;  
Shall think, the stones and timbers in the wall,  
Aloud, to God, for vengeance on them call.  
Then, woe shall be to them who early rise  
To eat and drink, and play, and wantonnize;  
Still adding sin to sin: for, they the pain  
Of cold, and thirst, and hunger, shall sustain;  
And be the servile slaves of them that are  
Their foes, as to their lusts they captives were.  
Then woe to them who darkness more have loved  
Then light; and good advice have disapproved:  
For, they shall wander in a crooked path,  
Which neither light, nor end, nor comfort hath.  
And, when for Guides, and counsel they do cry▪  
Not one shall pity them, who passeth by.  
Then, woe to them that have corrupted been▪  
To justify the wicked in his sin;  
Or, for a bribe, the righteous to condemn:  
For, flames (as on the chaff) shall seize on them:  
Their bodies to the dunghill shall be cast:  
Their flower shall turn to dust; their stock shall wast,  
And all the glorious titles they have worn,  
Shall but increase their infamy and scorn,  
Then woe to them that have been raised aloft  
By good men's ruins; and by laying soft  
And easy pillows, under great men's arms,  
To make them pleased in their alluring charms.  
Then, woe to them who being grown afraid  
Of some nigh peril, sought unlawful aid;  
And, setting God's protection quite aside,  
Upon their own inventions have relied.  
For, God their foolish hopes will bring to nought;  
On them, their feared mischief shall be brought;  
And, all their wit and strength, shall not suffice,  
To have their sorrow off, which on them lies.  
Yea, then, oh Britain! woe to every one,  
That hath without repentance evil done:  
For, those who do not heed, nor bear in mind  
His visitings, God's reaching hand will find;  
And they with howling cries and lamentation,  
Shall sue and seek, in vain, for his compassion.  
Because they careless of his Mercies were,  
Till in consumming wrath he did appear▪  
But, still, we set far off that evil day;  
In dull security we pass away  
Our precious time; and with vain hopes and toys,  
Build up a trust which every puff destroys.  
And therefore, still when healing is expected,  
New and unlooked for troubles are effected.  
We gather Armies, and we Fleets prepare;  
And, then▪ both strong and safe we think we are.  
But, when we look for victories, and glory,  
What follows, but events that make us sorry?  
And 'tis God's mercy that we turn our faces  
With so few losses, and no more disgraces.  
For, what are most of those whom we commend  
Such actions to; and whom we forth do send  
To fight those Battles, which the Lords we call,  
But, such as never fight for him at all?  
Whom dost thou make thy captains, and dispose  
Such Offices unto, but unto those  
(Some few excepted) who procure by friends,  
Command and pay, to serve their private ends?  
Their language, and their practices declare,  
That entertained by God's Foe they were.  
Their whoring, swearing, and their drunkenness,  
Do far more plainly to the world express  
What general they do belong unto,  
Then all their Feathers and their ensigns do.  
These by their unrepented sins, betray  
Thy Cause. By these, the honour, and the day  
Is lost: and when thou hopest that thy trouble  
▪ Shall have and end, thy danger waxeth double.  
We wished for Parliaments; and them we made  
Our Cod: for, all the hope that many had  
To remedy the public discontent,  
Was by the wisdom of a Parliament.  
Well; Parliaments we had; and what in being,  
Suceedeth yet, but greater disagreeing,  
With greater grievances than heretofore?  
And reason good: for, we depended more  
On outward means, than on God's will that sends  
All punishments; and all afflictions ends.  
Believe it, should our Parliaments agree  
In every motion: should our sovereign be  
So gracious, as to condescend to all  
Which for his weal and ours, propose we shall;  
Even that Agreement, till our sins we leave,  
Shall make us but secure; and help to weave  
A snare, by whose fine threads we shall be caught,  
Before we see the mischief that is wrought.  
Whilst we by Parliament do chiefly seek  
Mere temporal ends, the King shall do the like:  
Yea, till in them we mutually agree  
To help each other; and unfeigned be  
In labouring for a Christian Reformation;  
Each Meeting shall beget a new vexation.  
This island hath hath some sense of what she ail  
And very much, these evil times bewails:  
But, not so much our sins do we lament,  
Or mourn, that God for them is discontent,  
As that the Plagues they being disturb our pleasures,  
Increase our dangers, and exhaust our treasures.  
And, for these causes, now and then we fast,  
And pray, as long as half a day doth last.  
For, if the sun do but a little clear  
That cloud, from which a tempest we do fear,  
What kind of grief we took, we plainly show  
By those rejoicings which thereon ensue:  
For, in the stead of such due thankfulness,  
As Christian zeal obligeth to express;  
To pleasure (not to God) we sacrifice;  
Renew our sin; revive our vanities;  
And, all our vowed gratitude expires,  
In Games, in Guns, in bells, in Healths, or Fires.  
We fain would be at peace; but few men go  
That way, as yet, whereby it may be so.  
We have not that humility which must  
Effect it: we are false, and cannot trust  
Each other; no nor God with true confessions:  
Which shows that we abhor not our transgressions.  
It proves, that of our errors, we in heart  
Repent not, neither purpose to depart  
From any folly. For all they that are  
Sincerely penitent, do nothing fear  
So much as their own guilt; nor seek to gain  
Aught more, then to be reconciled again:  
And they that are thus minded▪ never can  
Be long unreconciled to God, or man.  
When we should stoop, we most ourselves exalt  
And (though we be) would not be thought in fault.  
Nay, though we faulty be, and though and known,  
And proved so, and see that we are thro●●e  
By our apparent errors, into straits,  
From which we cannot get by all our sleights  
Yet, still ourselves we vaunt and justify,  
And struggle, till the snare we faster tie.  
We sin, and we to boast it have no ●●●ame,  
Yet storm when others do our folly's name:  
And rather than we will so much as say  
We did amiss (though that might wipe away  
The stain of all) I think that some of us  
So wilful are, so proud, and mischievous,  
That we ourselves, would ruin, and our Nation,  
To keep our shadow of a Reputation.  
Oh! if we are thus headstrong 'tis unlike  
We any part of our proud sails will strike  
Till they have sunk our vessel in the Sea,  
Or by the furious winds, are torn away.  
'twere better, tho, we did confess our wound,  
Then hide it till our state grew more unsound.  
'twere better we some wealth, or office lost,  
Then keep them, till our lives, and all, it cost▪  
And therefore, let us wisely be advised,  
Before we by a tempest be surprised.  
Down first with our Top-gallants, and our Flags;  
In storms the skilfullest Pilots make no brags.  
Let us (if that be not enough) let fall  
Our Misn●-yeard, and strike our topsails all.  
If this we find be not enough to do,  
Strike foot-sail, spritsail yea and mainsaile too.  
And, rather than our Ship should sink or rend;  
Let's overboard, goods, mast and tackling send.  
Save but the Hull, the Master, and the Men;  
And we may live to scour the seas again.  
Believe it England, howsoever some  
(Who should foresee thy plagues before they come)  
Endeavour to persuade thee that thou hast  
A hopeful time, and that the worst is past.  
Yet I dare boldly tell thee, thou hast nigh  
Worn out God's patience by impiety.  
And, that unless the same we do renew  
By penitence, our folly we shall rue.  
But, what am I, that me thou shouldst believe?  
Or, unto what I tell thee, credit give?  
It may be this adulterous Generation  
Expecteth tokens of her desolation;  
And therefore I will give them signs of that  
Which they are now almost arrived at.  
Not signs, so mystical as most of those  
Which did the ruin of the Jews disclose;  
But, signs as evident as are the day.  
For, know ye Britain's, that what God did say  
Jerusalem's destruction should foreshow,  
He spoke to every State that should ensue.  
And, that he nought of her, or to her spoke.  
For hers alone, but also for our sake.  
One sign that God's long-suffering we have tired,  
And that his patience is almost expired.  
Is this; that many judgements he hath sent.  
And still removed them ere we did repent.  
For, God (Even by his holiness) did swear,  
(Saith Amos) such a Nation he will tear  
With briers, and with Fish hooks rend away  
The whole posterity of such as they.  
clean teeth (saith God) I gave them; and with bread  
In many places, them I scantly fed;  
And yet they sought me not: Then I restrained  
The dews of heaven; upon this Field I rained,  
And not on that; yea, to one City came  
Some two or three, to quench their thirsty flame;  
Yet, to return to me, no care they took;  
With Blastings then, and mildews, I them struck;  
And mixed among their Fruits the palmerworm;  
Yet, they their lives did not a jot reform:  
Then did I send the Pestilence (said he)  
Devoured by the Sword, their young men be;  
Their Horse are slain, and up to heaven ascends  
Their stink; yet I discover no amends  
The self same things thy God in thee hath done▪  
Oh England! yet, here follows thereupon  
So small amendment, that they are a sign  
To thee; and their sharp Judgement, will be thine.  
The second Token which doth fore-declare  
When Cities States, and realms, declining are▪  
Even Christ himself hath left us: for, (saith he)  
When Desolation shall approaching be,  
Of wars, and warlike rumours ye shall hear;  
Rare signs and tokens will in heaven appear;  
down from the Firmament the stars shall fall;  
The hearts of many men, then, fail them shall;  
There will be many scandals and offences;  
Great earthquakes, schisms, Dearths, and Pestilences,  
realm, realm; and Nation, Nation shall oppose;  
The nearest friends, shall be the greatest foes.  
Against the Church shall many tyrannize;  
Deceivers, and false Prophets, shall arise;  
In every place shall wickedness abound;  
And, Charity shall very cold be befound.  
This Christ himself did Prophecy: and we  
Are doubtless blind, unless confessed it be,  
That at this hour, upon this kingdom here,  
These marks of Desolation viewed are.  
How often have we seen prodigious lights,  
O'erspread the face of heaven in moonlesse nights?  
How many dreadful Meteors, have there been  
In this our Climate, lately heard and seen?  
Who knoweth not that but a while ago  
A Blazing-Star did threat, if not foreshow  
God's Judgements▪ In what age, tofore did hear  
So many, who did Saints and Stars appear,  
Fall (as it were) from heaven? Or who hath heard  
Of greater earthquakes▪ then hath lately scared  
These quarters of the world? How oft, the touch  
Of Famine have we had? But, when so much  
Devoured by the Pestilence were we,  
As in this present year our people be?  
Of Wars, and martial rumours, never more  
Were heard within these confines heretofore;  
When were all kingdoms, and all Nations through  
The world, so opposite as they are now▪  
We know no Country, whether nigh or far,  
But is engaged, or threatened with some War.  
All places, either present woes bewail;  
Or else things feared make men's hearts to fail.  
False Prophets, and Deceivers we have many;  
We scarcely find integrity in any:  
The Name of Christ, begins in every place  
To suffer persecution and disgrace;  
And, we the greatest jeopardies are in,  
Among our neighbours, and our nearest kin.  
Strange Heresies do every where increase,  
Disturbing Zion, and exiling peace.  
Impiety doth multiply. True love  
Grows cold. And, if these tokens do not prove  
Our fall draws on, unless we do amend:  
I know not when our folly shall have end.  
A third apparent sign which doth declare  
When some devouring Plague approacheth near,  
Is when a Nation doth anew begin  
To let Idolatry to enter in;  
And openly, or secretly give place  
To heresy, where Truth established was:  
Or when like Jeroboam, to possess  
An outward profit, or a temporal peace,  
They either change Religions, or devise  
A worship which doth mix Idolatries  
With truth. For this, even for this very crime,  
The King of Ashur, in Hosea's time  
Led Isr'el captive And, both from the sight  
Of God; and from the house of David quite,  
They were cut off for ever, and did neither  
Serve God nor Idols; but even both together;  
In such a mixed Religion as is-that  
Which some among us, now, have aimed at.  
Mark England; and I prithee mark it well,  
If this offence which ruined Israel,  
On thee appear not: and, if so it be,  
Amende; or look for what it threatens thee.  
The fourth true token which doth fore-express  
The ruin of a Land for wickedness,  
Is when the Priests▪ and Magistrates begin,  
To grow extremely impudent in sin.  
This sign, the Prophet Micah giveth us;  
And he (not I) to you cries loudly thus:  
Heaere, O ye house of Jacob, and all ye  
That Princes of the house of Israel be:  
Ye Justice hate; and ye pervert what's good;  
Ye build the walls of Zion up with blood;  
Jerusalem with sin, ye up have reared,  
Your Judges pass their censures for reward;  
Your Priests do preach for hire, your Prophets do  
Like them; and prophecy for money too.  
And, for this cause shall Zion mount (saith he)  
even like a ploughed field become to be;  
And like a forest hill where bushes grow.  
The city of Jerusalem shall show.  
Change but the names, oh Britain, and that token  
Of desolation, unto thee is spoken.  
For, what this day thy Priests and Princes are,  
Their actions, and the people's cries declare.  
A fifth sure evidence that God among  
Thy ruins will entomb thy same e'er long,  
(If thou repent not) is even this, that thou  
Dost every day the more ungodly grow,  
By how much more the blessed means of grace  
Doth multiply itself in every place.  
God sends unto thee many learned Preachers,  
Apostles, Pastors, and all kind of teachers;  
His Visions, and his Prophecies upon thee  
He multiplies. And (that he might have won thee  
To more sincerity) on all occasions,  
By counsel, by entreaty, and persuasions,  
He hath advised, allured, and befought thee:  
With precept upon precept, he hath taught thee;  
By line on line; by miracle; by reason;  
In every place; in season, out of season;  
By little and by little; and by much  
(Sometime) at once: yet is thy nature such,  
That still thou waxest worse; and in the room  
Of pleasant Grapes, more Thistles daily come:  
And, thou that art so haughty, and so proud,  
For this, shalt vanish like an empty cloud;  
And, as a Lion, Leopard, or a bear,  
Thy God, for this, shall thee in pieces tear.  
If thou suppose my Muse did this device,  
Go take it from Hosea's prophecies  
The sixth undoubted signal when the last  
Good days of sinful realms are almost past,  
Is when the people near to God shall draw  
In word, to make profession of his Law:  
And by their tongues his praises forth declare;  
Yet, in their hearts from him continue far.  
To such a Land, their destiny displays  
Isaiah: for even thus the Prophet says:  
God will produce ae marvel in that state  
And do a work that men shall wonder at;  
The wisdom of their wisest Counsellor,  
Shall perish, and their prudent men shall err.  
On their deep Counsels, sorrow shall attend;  
Their secret plots shall have a dismal end;  
Their giddy projects which they have devised,  
Shall as the potter's clay be quite despised.  
Like Carmel, Lebanon shall seem; and he  
Like Lebanon, shall make mount Carmel be.  
Their pleasant Fields like deserts shall appear;  
And, there shall Gardens be, where deserts are.  
God keep (thou British isle) this plague from thee;  
For, signs thereof upon thy Body be.  
Thou of the purest worship mak'st profession;  
Yet, waxest more impure in thy condition.  
Thou boastest of the knowledge of God's word,  
Yet, thereunto in manners to accord  
Thou dost refuse. Thou makest protestation  
Of piety; yet hatest reformation.  
Yea, when thy tongue doth sing of praise divine,  
Thy heart doth plot some temporal design.  
And, some of those, who in this wise are holy,  
Begin to show their wisdom will be folly.  
For, when from sight their snares they deepest hide.  
By God almighty's eyes they are espied.  
The seventh symptom of a dreadful blow,  
(If not a perpetual overthrow)  
Is when a slumbering Spirit doth surprise  
A nation; and hath closed up their eyes:  
Or when the Prophets and the Seers are  
So clouded, that plain truths do not appear:  
Or when the Visions evidently seen  
Are passed by, as if they had not been:  
Or when to Nations who can read, God gives  
His book; and thereof doth unseal the leaves,  
And bids them read the same, which they to do  
Deny▪ or plead unableness thereto.  
Black signs are these. For if that book to them,  
Still dark; or as a Book unsealed seem;  
Or, if they heed no more what here is said,  
Than they that have the Books▪ and cannot read;  
The judgements, last repeated, are the doom,  
That shall on such a stupid Nation come.  
This sign is come on us, for, lo, unsealed  
God's book is now amongst us, and revealed  
Are all the Mysteries which do concern  
The children of this present age to learn.  
So well hath he instructed this our land,  
That we not only read, but understand  
The secrets of his Word. The prophecies  
Of his chief Seers, are before our eyes,  
unveiled▪ true interpretations  
Are made, and many proper applications  
Even to ourselves, yet is our heart so blind,  
That what we know and see we do not mind.  
We hear, and speak, and much ado we keep▪  
But we as senseless are as men asleep.  
What then we do. Yea, while that we are talking,  
What snares are in the way where we are walking,  
We heed not what we say, but pass along;  
And, many times, are fast ensnared among  
Those mischiefs, and those faults we did condemn,  
Before our tongues have left to mention them.  
For our neglect of God in former times,  
(Or for some present unrepented crimes)  
A slumbering Spirit so possesseth us,  
That our estate is wondrous dangerous.  
We see and hear, and tell to one another  
Our perils, yet we headlong haste together  
To wilful ruin: and are grown so mad,  
That when our friends a better course persuade,  
Or seek to stop us (when they see we run  
That way in which we cannot ruin shun)  
We persecute those men with all our soul,  
That we may damn ourselves without control.  
The eight plain sign, by which I understand  
That some devouring mischief is at hand,  
Is that maliciousness which I do see  
Among Professors of one Faith to be.  
We that have but one Father, and one Mother,  
Do persecute, and torture one another.  
So hotly, we oppose not Antichrist,  
As we our fellow-brethren do resist.  
The Protestant, the Protestant defies;  
And, we ourselves, ourselves do scandalize.  
Our Church we have exposed to more scorn;  
And her fair seamless Vest●ent rent, and come,  
By our own fury, more than by their spite  
Who are to us directly opposite.  
To save an Apple, we the Tree destroy;  
And, quarrels make for every needless toy:  
From us, if any brother differ shall  
But in a crochet, we upon him fall  
As eagerly, and with as bitter hate,  
As if we knew him for a Reprobate.  
And, what ever all this doth signify,  
Saint Paul (by way of caveat) doth imply.  
Take heed (saith he) lest while ye bite each other,  
You, of yourselves, consumed be together.  
Another sign which causeth me to fear  
That our confusion is approaching near,  
Are those Disunions which I have espied,  
In Church, and commonwealth, this present tide.  
We cannot hide these rents; for they do gape,  
So wide, that some their jaws can hardly scape.  
Would God, the way to close them up we knew,  
Else, what they threaten, time will shortly show;  
For, all men know, a city or a Land,  
Within itself divided, cannot stand.  
The last black sign that here I will repeat,  
(Which doth to kingdom's desolation threat)  
Is when the hand of God Almighty brings  
The people, into bondage, to their Kings.  
I say, when their own King shall take delight,  
Those whom he should protect, to rob, and smite.  
When they who fed the Sheep, the Sheep shall kill,  
And eat them; and suppose they do no ill.  
When God gives up a Nation unto those  
That are their neighbours, that they may, as foes,  
Devour them. When (oh England!) thou shalt see  
This come to pass, a sign it is to thee  
That God is angry; and a certain token  
That into pieces thou shalt quite be broken:  
If not by foreign strength, by force at home;  
And, that thy greater torment will become.  
This Vengeance, and this fearful preparation,  
Of bringing ruin on a sinful Nation,  
(If they remain impenitent) the Lord  
Doth menace; and, by Zachary record,  
To make us wise. Oh! let us therefore learn,  
What now is coming on us, to discern.  
For, (well considered if all things were)  
From this Captivity we seem not far.  
It now already seems to be projected;  
Nay, little wants of being quite effected.  
For, they that are our shepherds, now, are they  
That fleece us, and endeavour to betray  
Our lives and freedoms. Those great men that be  
Our neighbours (and can claim no more than we)  
Would sell us: and, attempt to gain a power,  
Whereby they may, at pleasure, us devour:  
And had not we a King, as loath to make  
His people slaves, as from himself to take  
His lawful right; (or, were there not some let  
Unheeded, which is unremoved yet)  
Ere this (and justly too) the hand of heaven  
Into perpetual bondage us had given.  
And, if we do not more God's will regard,  
That mischief is but for a time deferred.  
Our King is just and merciful; and tho  
Some may (with loyal, and a gilded show  
Of pious equity) a while assay  
To lead his judgement in his youth astray;  
Yet, God (I hope) will keep him so, that he  
Shall still be just, (though we ungodly be)  
And make him in the fittest hour express  
His royal judgement, and his righteousness.  
But, if God should from us (as God forbid)  
Take him, as once he good Josiah did,  
He also will (Unless we mend) perchance,  
In times to come, a shepherd here advance,  
Who shall not plead for what his Young men say  
Is just; but, take the same, perforce, away.  
An idol Shepheard, who shall neither care  
To find or seek, for those that strayed are;  
Nor guard the Lambs; nor cure what hath a wound;  
Nor cherish those that firm to him are found;  
But, take the fat, and rob them of their fleeces;  
And eat their flesh; and break their bones in pieces.  
More signs I might, as yet, commemorate,  
To show God's patience is nigh out of date.  
But, these are signs enough, and so apparent,  
That twenty more will give no better warrant  
To what I speak. Yet, if these false appear,  
That's one sign more, our fall approacheth near.  
Be mindful, therefore, while it is to Day;  
And, let no good occasion slip away.  
Now rend your hearts, ye Britons, wash & rinse them  
From all corruption: from all evil cleanse them.  
Go offer up the pleasing sacrifice  
Of righteousness: from folly turn your eyes.  
Seek peace, and follow it, with strict pursuit:  
Relieve the needy; Judgement execute:  
Refresh the weary; right the fatherless:  
The strangers, and the widows wants redress:  
Give praise to God; depend with lowly faith,  
On him; and what his holy Spirit saith:  
Remember what a price thy ransom cost;  
And, now redeem the time that thou hast lost.  
Return, return thou (oh back sliding Nation)  
And, let thy tears prevent thy desolation.  
As yet, thou Mayst return; for, God's embrace  
Is open for thee, if thou hast the grace,  
To give it meeting. Yet, repentance may  
Prevent the mischiefs of that evil day,  
Which here is menaced: yet, thou Mayst have peace,  
And by discreet endeavouring, increase  
Each outward grace, and every inward thing,  
Which will additions to thy comfort bring.  
If this thou do; these fearful threatenings all,  
(Repeated here) to mercy's change he shall.  
We cannot say, it will excuse thee from.  
All chastisement; or that no blow shall come.  
For, peradventure, thou so long hast been  
Unpenitent, that some loud crying sin  
Hath waked that Vengeance, which upon thy crimes  
Must fall (as once in Jeremiah's times)  
Without prevention; to exemplify  
God's hate of sin to all posterity,  
But, sure we are, that if he doth not stay  
His threatened hand, the stroke that he doth lay  
Will fall the lighter; and become a blessing,  
Thy future joys, and virtues more increasing,  
Than all that large prosperity and rest  
Which thou, so long together, hast possessed.  
God (with a Writers ink horn) one hath sent,  
To set a mark on them that shall repent;  
And bids him promise in his Name, that they  
Who shall (recanting) leave their evil way,  
And in their hearts, bewail the grievous crimes,  
And miseries of Zion, in their times;  
That they shall be secure, and saved from  
The hand of these destroyer's, which must come:  
Or else by their destruction find a way  
To that repairing which will ne'er decay.  
Yea, thou, oh Britain! if thou couldst reform  
Thy manners, might'st expel the dreadful storm  
Now threatened; and thy foes (who triumph would▪  
The ruin of thy glory to behold.  
And jeer thee when thou fallest) soon shall see  
Thy God returning, and avenging thee  
On their insultings: yea, with angry blows  
He would effect their shameful overthrows▪  
Or turn their hearts. For when from sin men cease,  
God makes their enemies, and them, at peace.  
Moreover, thou shalt have in thy possessing,  
Each inward grace, and every outward blessing;  
Thy fruitful Herds shall in rich pastures feed;  
Thy soil shall plenteously increase thy seed;  
Thy Flock, shall neither shepherd's want, nor meat;  
Clean provender, thy stabled beast shall eat;  
There shall be Rivers in thy Dales; and fountains  
Upon the tops of all thy noblest mountains:  
The moon shall cast upon thee beams as bright  
As now the sun, and with a sevenfold light  
The sun shall bless thee. He that reigns in thee,  
To all his people reconciled shall be;  
And they shall find themselves no whit deceived,  
In those good hopes which are of him conceived:  
But he, (and they, who shall his throne possess  
When he is gone) shall reign in righteousness;  
And be more careful of thy weal (by far)  
Than parents of their children's profits are.  
Thy Magistrates, with wisdom shall proceed  
In all that shall be counselled or decreed.  
As Harbours, when it blows tempestuously;  
As Rivers, unto places over-dry;  
As shadows are to men oppressed with heat;  
As to a hungry stomach, wholesome meat;  
To thee, so welcome, and as much contenting,  
Thy Nobles will become, on thy repenting.  
Thy Priests shall preach true doctrine in thy Temples;  
And make it fruitful by their good examples.  
Thy God, with righteousness shall them array,  
And hear and answer them, when they do pray.  
Thy eyes, that much are blinded, shall be clear;  
Thy ears, that yet are deafened, then shall hear;  
Thy tongue, that stammers now, shall then speak plain;  
Thy heart shall perfect understanding gain;  
The preaching of the gospel shall increase;  
Thy God shall make thy comforts and thy peace,  
To flow as doth a River; they who plant,  
The blessing of their labour shall not want;  
Thy poorest people shall at full be fed;  
The meek, shall of no tyrant stand in dread;  
Thou shalt have grace and knowledge, to avoid  
Those things, whereby the rest, may be annoyed;  
Thou shalt possess thy wished blessings all;  
And, God shall hear thee still before thou call.  
But, as a Chime, whose frets disordered grow,  
Can never cause itself in tune to go,  
Nor chime at all, until some cunning hand  
Doth make the same again in order stand:  
Or, as the Clock, whose plummets are not weight,  
Strikes sometimes one for three, and fix for eight;  
So fareth it with men and kingdoms all,  
When once from their integrity they fall.  
They may their motion hurry out of frame,  
But have no power to rectify the same.  
That curious hand which first those pieces wrought▪  
Must mend them still; or they will still be nought.  
To thee I therefore now my speech convert,  
Thou famous Artist, who Creator art  
Of heaven and earth, and of those goodly Sphe●res,  
That now have whirled many thousand years,  
(And shall until thy pleasure gives it ending)  
In their perpetual motion, without mending.  
Oh! be thou pleased, by thy powerful hand,  
To set in order this depraved Land.  
Our whole foundation, Lord, is out of course;  
And every thing still groweth worse and worse;  
The way that leads quite from thee, we have took;  
Thy Covenant, and all thy laws are broke▪  
In mischiefs, and in folly, is our pleasure;  
Our crying sins have almost filled their measure;  
Yet, every day we add a new transgression,  
And still abuse thy favour and compassion.  
Our governor, our Prelates, and our Nobles▪  
Have by their sins increase, increased our troubles.  
Our Priests, and all the People, have misgone;  
All kind of evil deeds, we all have done.  
We have not lived as those means of grace  
Require, which thou hast granted to this place▪  
But rather worse than many who have had  
Less helps than we, of being better made.  
No Nation under heaven so lewd hath been,  
That had so many warnings for their sin,  
And such perpetual callings on, as we,  
To leave our wickedness, and turn to thee.  
Yet, we in stead of turning, further went;  
And when thy Mercies and thy Plagues were sent  
To pull us back; they seldom wrought our stay,  
Or moved to repentance one whole day.  
No blessing, no affliction, hath a power  
To move compunction in us, for one hour▪  
Unless thou work it. All that I can speak  
(And all that I have spoken) till thou break  
And mollify the heart, will fruitless be,  
Not only in my hearers, but in me.  
If thou prepare not way for more esteem,  
All these Remembrances will foolish seem.  
Nay these, in stead of moving to repent,  
Will indignation move and discontent;  
Which will men's hardened hearts obdurate more,  
And make their fault much greater than before.  
Unless thou give a blessing, I may strive  
As well to make a marble stone alive,  
As to effect my purpose: yea, all this  
Like wholesome counsel to a mad man is,  
And, I for my good meaning shall be torn  
In pieces, or exposed be to scorn.  
For, they against thy word do stop their ear;  
And wild in disobedience, will not hear.  
In this, we all confess ourselves to blame,  
And that we therefore have deserved shame.  
Yea, Lord, we do acknowledge, that for this  
There nothing else to us pertaining is,  
(Respecting our own worth) but desolation▪  
And final rooting out, without compassion.  
But gracious God, though such our merit be,  
Yet, mercy still pertaineth unto thee.  
To thee the act of pard'ning and forgiving,  
As much belongs (oh Father everliving)  
As plagues to us: and it were better far  
Our sins had less than their deservings are,  
Then that thy Clemency should be outgone,  
By all the wickedness that can be done.  
As well as theirs whose lives now left them have,  
Thou canst command those bodies from the grave,  
Who stink, and putrify, and buried be  
In their corruption. Such, oh Lord! are we.  
Oh! call us from this grave; and show thy power  
Upon this much polluted Land of our,  
Which is not only sick of works unholy,  
But almost dead and buried in her folly.  
Forgive us all our slips, our negligences,  
Our sins of knowledge, and our ignorances;  
Our daring wickedness; our bloody crimes;  
And all the faults of past and present times.  
Permit not thy just wrath to burn forever;  
In thy displeasure do not still persever;  
But, call us from that pit of Death, and Sin,  
And from that path of Hell which we are in.  
Remember, that this Vineyard hath a Vine,  
Which had her planting by that hand of thine.  
Remember, when from Egypt thou remou'dst it,  
With what entire affection, then, thou lov'dst it.  
How thou didst weed and dress it heretofore;  
How thou didst fence it from the forest Bore;  
And think how sweet a vintage than it brought,  
When thy first work upon her thou hadst wrought:  
Remember, that without thy daily care,  
The choicest plants, soon wild and fruitless are;  
And, that as long as thou dost prune and dress,  
The sourest Vine shall bring a sweet increase.  
Remember, also Lord, how still that Foe,  
Who first pursued us, doth seek to sow  
His tares among thy wheat; and to his power,  
Break down thy fence, and trample, and devour  
The seeds of grace, as soon as they do sprout;  
And is too strong, for us to keep him out.  
Oh! let not him prevail, such harm to do us,  
As he desires, but, Lord, return unto us.  
Return in mercy. Though thou find us slack  
To come ourselves, fetch, draw, and pull us back  
From our own courses, by thy grace divine,  
And set, and keep us, in each way of thine.  
We from our foes have saved been by thee;  
And in thy love, oh Lord! triumphed we.  
But now behold, disgraced thou throwest us by,  
And we before our adversaries fly.  
At us our neighbouring Nations laugh and jeer,  
And, us they some, whom late we made to fear.  
Oh God arise, reject us not for aye;  
No longer hide from us thy face away:  
But, come, oh come with speed to give us aid,  
And let us not be lost though we have strayed.  
Vouchsafe that every one in his degree,  
The secret errors of his life may see;  
And, in his lawful calling all his days,  
Perform his Christian duty, to thy praise.  
Give peace this troublous age; for, perilous  
The times are grown, and no man fights for us  
But thou oh God nor do we seek or crave,  
That any other Champion we may have.  
Nay, give us troubles, if thy will be so,  
That we may have thy strength to bear them too;  
And in affliction thee more glorify;  
Then heretofore in our prosperity.  
For when thy countenance on us did shine,  
Those Lands that boasted of their corn and wine,  
Had not that joy which thou didst then inspire,  
When we were boiled and fried, in blood and fire.  
Oh! give again that joy▪ although it cost us  
Our lives. Restore thou what our sin hath lost us▪  
Thy Church, in these Dominions, Lord preserve  
In purity: and teach us thee to serve  
In holiness and righteousness, until  
We shall the number of our days fulfil.  
Defend these kingdoms from all overthrows,  
By foreign enemies, or homebred foes,  
Our King with every grace and virtue bless,  
Which may thine honour and his own increase.  
Inflame our Nobles with more love and zeal,  
To thy true Spouse, and to this commonweal.  
Inspire our clergy in their several places,  
With knowledge, and all sanctifying graces;  
That by their lives and doctrines they may rear  
Those parts of Zion, which decayed are▪  
Awake this People, give them souls that may  
Believe thy Word, and thy commands obey.  
The Plagues deserved already, save them from.  
More watchful make them, in all times to come.  
For blessings past, let hearty thanks be given.  
For present ones, let sacrifice to heaven  
Be daily offered up. For what is needing  
(Or may be useful in the time succeeding)  
Let faithful prayers to thy throne be sent,  
With hearts and hands upright and innocent:  
And let all this the better furthred be,  
Through these Remembrances, now brought by me.  
For which high favour, and emboldening thus  
My spirit, in a time so dangerous;  
For choosing me, that am so despicable,  
To be employed in this honourable  
And great employment (which I more esteem,  
Than to be crowned with a Diadem)  
For thy enabling me in this Embassage;  
For bringing to conclusion this my Message;  
For sparing of my life, when thousands died,  
Before, behind me, and on every side;  
For saving of me many a time since then,  
When I had forfeited my soul again;  
For all those griefs and poverties, by which  
I am in better things made great, and rich,  
than all that wealth and honour brings man to,  
Wherewith the world doth keep so much ado:  
For all which thou to me on earth hast given;  
For all, which doth concern my hopes of heaven;  
For these, and those innumerable graces,  
Vouchsafed me, at sundry times, and places,  
(Unthought upon) unfeigned praise I render:  
And, for a living sacrifice, I tender  
To thee (oh God) my body, soul, and all,  
Which mine I may, by thy donation, call.  
Accept it blessed Maker, for his sake  
Who did this offering acceptable make,  
By giving up himself. Oh! look thou not  
Upon those blemishes which I have got  
By natural corruption; or by those  
Polluted acts which from that ulcer flows.  
According to my skill, I have enroled  
Thy Mercies; and thy Justice I have told.  
I have not hid thy workings in my breast;  
But as I could, their power I have expressed  
Among our great assemblies, to declare  
Thy will and pleasure, lo, I do not fear:  
And though by Princes I am checked and blamed;  
To speak the truth, I am no whit ashamed.  
Oh! show thou, Lord, thy mercy so to me,  
And let thy Love and Truth, my guardians be.  
Forgive me all the follies of my youth;  
My faulty deeds; the errors of my mouth;  
The wanderings of my heart, and every one  
Of those good works that I have left undone.  
Forgive me all wherein I did amiss,  
Since thou employdest me in performing this:  
My doubtings of thy calling me unto it;  
My fears, which oft disheartened me to do it;  
My sloth, my negligences, my evasions,  
And my deferring it, on vain occasions,  
When I had vowed that no work of mine,  
Should take me up, till I had finished thine.  
Lord, pardon this; and let no future sin,  
Nor what already hath committed been,  
Profane this work; or cause the same to be  
The less effectual to this Land, or me.  
But to myself (oh Lord) and others, let it  
So moving be, that we may ne'er forget it.  
Let not the evil, nor the good effect  
It takes, or puff me up, or me deject:  
Or make me think that I the better am,  
Because I tell how others are to blame:  
But, let it keep me in a Christian fear,  
Still humbly heedful what my actions are.  
Let all those observations I have had,  
Of others errors, be occasions made  
To mind me of mine own. And, lest I err,  
Let every man be my Remembrancer;  
With so much charity, as I have sought  
To bring their duties more into our thought.  
And, if in any sin I linger long,  
Without repentance; Lord, let every tongue  
That names me, check me for it: and, to me  
Become, what I to others fain would be.  
Oh! let me not be like those busy brooms,  
Which having cleansed many nasty rooms,  
Do make themselves the fouler: but sweet Father,  
Let me be like the precious Diamond rather,  
Which doth by polishing another stone,  
The better shape and lustre, set upon  
His own rough body. Let my life be such,  
As that man's ought to be, who knoweth much  
Of thy good pleasure. And, most awful God,  
Let none of those who spread of me abroad  
Unjust reports, the devil's purpose gain,  
By making these my warnings prove in vain  
To those that hear them: but let such disgraces,  
Reflect with shame, upon their author's faces,  
Till they repent. And let their scandal serve  
Within my heart true meekness to preserve;  
And that humility, which else, perchance,  
vainglory, or some natural arrogance  
Might overthrow, if I should think upon  
(With carnal thoughts) some good my lines have done.  
Restrain, moreover, them who out of pride,  
Or ignorance, this Labour shall deride.  
Make them perceive, who shall prefer a story  
Composed for some temporal friend's glory,  
Before those Poems which thy works declare,  
That vain and witless their opinions are:  
And, if by thee I was appointed, Lord,  
Thy Judgements and thy Mercies to record,  
(As here I do) set thou thy mark on those,  
Who shall despitefully the same oppose:  
And let it publicly be seen of all,  
Till of their malice they repent them shall.  
As I my conscience have discharged here,  
Without concealing aught for love, or fear;  
From furious men let me preserved be,  
And from the scorn of fools deliver me.  
Vouchsafe at length some comforting reflection,  
According to the years of my affliction.  
On me, for good, some token please to show,  
That they who see it, may thy bounty know;  
Rejoice, with fellow-feeling of the same,  
And join with me, in praising of thy Name.  
And lest (oh Lord!) some weak ones may despise  
My words, because of such necessities,  
As they have brought upon me, by their spite,  
Who to my Studies have been opposite:  
Oh! give me that which may sufficient be;  
To make them know that I have served thee.  
And that my labours are by thee regarded,  
Although they seem not outwardly rewarded.  
Those honours, or that Wealth, I do not crave,  
Which they affect, who most endeavoured have  
To please the World. I only ask to gain,  
But food and raiment, Lord, for all my pain;  
And that the slanders, and the poverties,  
Wherewith my patience thou shalt exercise,  
Make not these Lines, or me, become a scorn,  
Nor leave me to the worldward, quite forlorn.  
Yet, in preferring of this humble Suit,  
I make not my request so absolute,  
As that I will capitulate, or tie  
To such conditions, thy dread Majesty.  
For, if to honour but an earthly Prince  
My Muse had sung; it had been impudence  
To prompt his bounty; or, to doubt he might  
Forget to do my honest Labours right.  
Do therefore as thou pleasest: only give  
Thy Servant grace contentedly to live,  
And, to be thankful, whatsoever shall  
In this my weary Pilgrimage befall.  
Such things thou dost command me to require,  
With earnest, and an absolute desire:  
With which I come: beseeching I may find  
Thy love continue, though none else be kind;  
That blessedness eternal I may get,  
Though all I lose on earth, to compass it;  
And that, at last, when my account is even,  
My payment may be summoned up in heaven.  
Lord, this will please me: call me quickly thither,  
And pay me there my wages all together:  
Not that which mine by merit seems to be;  
But, what by thy mere grace is due to me.  
FINIS.