BALAAMS' REPLY TO THE ASS, OR THE Clergies Answer TO THE Country's Complaint. By H. W. LONDON, Printed by I B. and are to be sold at the several Booksellers shops in London and Westminster, 1661. Balaams' Reply to the Ass, OR THE Clergies Answer TO THE Countries Complaint. [1] To the Reverend Bishops. YOu learned Prelates of the House of Peers! That sit in Moses Chair, and bow your ears To Widows just Complaints, and Orphans Tearal [2] Grave (Fathers of the Church) to you we come! Begging for Justice! though they say we are dumb; If we were so indeed 'twere well for some. [3] To you we send or our complaints alas, None fitter than an Angel to appease. The fray, betwixt poor Bala'm and his Ass? [4] And that your Lordships are concerned I'm sure; Unless you can both scorn, and loss endure, The livings are your own, ours but the cure! [5] 'twill be no wonder to your learned Train, That Issacar of Levy should complain! The Ass' spleen will in his mouth remain. [6] Nor wilt I hope seem sttrange to any one, That there's amongst us such division, Proud Jack did evermore abuse poor John! [7] In vain it is for Bala'm to reply Unto the Ass' charge, when all men cry, A switch and spurr's the heft Philosophy! [8] Yet in my heart I think no wise men do, Think us false Prophets, for they all do know, They are but Asses, that do count us so. [9] But oh we cannot hold, should we not speak, And sigh aloud, our very hearts would break, 'twould vex a Moses were he ne'er so meek! [10] Say can it chose but grieve our souls to see? Simeon and Levy fight, both disagree? And sorry boys, old Fathers vilify? [11] Did ever any since the cursed Ca●…, Turn up his father's skirt, divulge his shame? Yes, yes, mine own dear sons have done the same! [12] And as if God were deaf, and Conscience dumb, Rebellion but a peccadillo, some Like Nero have displayed their Mother's Womb. [13] Lord didst thou send, the wild and Savage Bear, To slay th' unto'ward boys that sooffing were; At the good Prophet for his want of hair? [14] How canst thou stay thy hand, when men and all, Do join together and us scoffing call, Though not bald Priests by chance, yet Priests of Ba'al [15] And why on John what mean those names and words, Or hath the Church her Knights, as well as Lords? Or, tell me are haet Keys exchanged for Swords? [16] True not long since he lay dead in a swoon, Of civil Wars, the cross, and waning Moon, Parted her Ensigns, and the was undone. [17] But that some gallane hearts that scorned the loss Of life and goods, at heft but splended dross Stayed for to help their Mother bear her Cross. [18] But why Sir John would not St. George have been A better Epithet, but chiefly when Griffins; and Dragons are so ne'er a kin? [19] Or was't a greater piece of eminence, To be a Mother, than a Maid's defence, Is love inferior to obedience? [20] Why the rude Vulgar folk do call us John, And add a sir, I must profess I'm one As must go seek a Revelation? [21] True, we have been as we do all confess, A long time in the howling wilderness, Save that we might not preach up righteousness! [22] Besides our Commons too were very small, Like to the Baptist's, yet they differ all! John fed on Honey, but we fed on Gall. [23] Yet we embrace the title, 'tis no shame For to be Christened with the Baptists name, May we be like him all a burning flame! [24] But ah this is not all that you do see, A thousand harder names as yet here be In the poor Persons Genealogy. [25] Dogs, Bears and Wolves, Tigers and such as they That range the silent Woods live on the prey Are Hieroglypicks fit for as they say. [26] And yet God know a our hearts, and and souls we could Nor fight, nor fews, be infolent, nor prond, Or flush ourselves with quaffing humane blood! [27] But so the Tyrant Monarches of the East, Used in (their Triumphs, o● the● solemn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, To bias poor Christ●●●… in the skins of 〈◊〉 [28] What 'tis we have done, truly we do not know, To merit ill of them, did we weed go, With bended knee to supplicate our Foe! [29] If we have took away from any one, More than our Tent'hs, on this condition, We are ready to make restitution! [30] If Altars, Tapers, be Idolatry, Gowns, Cassack, Tippets, rags of Popery, Shew'us good reason for't we'll lay 〈◊〉 by [31] But if the reading prayers be all our bl●●●… 'Cause 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 maybe taught the same, The Ass may then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [32] For is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of so much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To this, 〈◊〉 ●ye may sooner speak the● 〈◊〉 [33] But oh we cannot pray our hearts are scant, Strange that we cannot pray, and yet can cant The poor Man never did expressions want [34] True, we cant hang the head, and look demure, Talk fast, and loud like Monkeys in a Lure, And then not question but to sin secure! [35] We do not love a long and tedious story, Full of Perenthesis, pride and vain glory, The Pater Noster's the best Directory! [36] We do profess that we are none of those, That Circumflex their Sermonas with their Nose, And mingle Hopkins Rhymes, with Wisdowes' Prose! [37] Yet would you but vouchsafe to view the prayers, Of your good Mother sinoe these latter years, Mixed with the incense of a Prelate's Tears? [38] Would you but hearken to her groans, and cries, Her sweet Patheticksand Apostrophies, You'd say there was no richer Sacrifice! [39] The penitent Disciple I d●●●… sw●●●, Ne'er wept so much, when the pert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Fastened his Fetters, and did him scure▪ [40] Even so the B●●● tree, lovingly bestows Its Tears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that do ●●… Tears healing as the blood that from it flows! [41] But stay here ●●●… fright Just like a Tailor's Bill, a threadbare Knight, They say we are 〈◊〉, loose, profane, and ●ight! [42] I do not wish these Articles may be, As false a charge, as manifest a lie, As those were of a former Century! [43] For then the bribed Person that should go, To prove the imputation to be so, Would be the greater scandal of the two. [44] But yet I pray, that we may be no less Religious in plenty then distress In Canaan, then in the Wilderness▪ [45] But we are Drunkards, men will lie and swear, Though we with modesty and tears declare, True is our Doctrine, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our prayer! [46] Then us for Theives, and Robbers they do brand, Though we profess we would upon no hand, Purchase an 〈◊〉 of the Church's Land! [47] But we are wanton, lustful, fond and fickle, And in our Neighbour's Corn do thrust our Sickle When we God won all hate a Conventickle. [48] Lastly we are dark Lights, blind Guides by name, Though if we were, say which deserves must blame, A glimmering Taper, or a wand'ring flame? [49] And yet the faults not ours, we had no doubt, Remained till now, bright shining and devout, Had not a Sequestration blew us out▪ [50] That Northern gust, that fatal Hurrican, That rushed through all the quarters of the Land, Rooted up Oaks, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mushrooms stand! [51] Good Lord how prejudice and passion blea●s, Our eyes; how self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the ears, Which way the wind blow, the Sailor steers! [52] If we say nothing than they spur● and kick, Call us dumb dogs, and throw us bones to pick, The Ass will vapour when the ●yons sick! [53] When we resufe to see at least to mind, Their gross abuses, than the Priest is blind, Weeping perhaps to see them so unkind! [54] But if we justify our holiness, And prove by reason, what we do profess, The wisdom of the world is foolishness! [55] At last when envy cannot find a hole, To shroud herself, down they sit and 〈◊〉, 'tis a poor silly superctitious soul [56] These are the scoffs and Jeers, the cruel hits, That wicked heads invent in drunken fits, To vex good men, and exercise their wits! [57] O wicked World, O monstrous Commonweal, When men with great applause might kill and steal, Censure was Saintship, Sacrilege was zeal! [58] When Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like stables, Altars bare, Or Turned to Mangers, Priests and Organs were, Both silenced, none might preach unless they'd swain! [59] No Music in the Church but Widow's cries, No Sacraments but Oaths, no Rites but lies, No Christian Burial, and no Sacrifice! [60] But thanks be to our gracious God, for why? He heard our prayers, and hearkened to our Cry, And thereupon turned our captivity! [61] weare all in peace, long may we so remain, May the Grown flourish on our Sovereign, And Aaron's Rod blosom and bloom again! [62] May all the Kings and Churches Enemies All their plots, projects, and conspiracies, Be blown away like silly Gnats and Flies! [63] And 〈◊〉 my Lord● since we to you have cried, And nothing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you hide, Pict your sorrows, pardon us beside●…, [64] O Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how canst thou see, The bondman scoff at Isaac and not be, In love to him offended presently? [65] Alas we don't sigh and complain because, Our honour's lie at stake, but the good laws, Your reputation, and the Church's cause. [66] 'tis time, 'tis time my Lords, or to keep in For your own safeties, or go armed when The Lion's couchant, in the Ass' skin! [67] I'll say but this take't on a Levits' word, When once the Ass doth of his own accord Thus kick Sir John he'll quickly ●●…ng my Lord. FINIS.