OXFORD'S LATIN RHYMES TURNED INTO ENGLISH REASON. OR Horrid Blasphemy made excellent Divinity, thereby to give the Righteous assured confidence for ever; That, though the Adversary (seems) to command the means, yet God commands the end; and prayer commands God: Therefore, what ever the premises are, the conclusion will be glorious, and the News very good from all those Quarters, North, South, and West, where the Adversary boasteth of his success: But from Bristol, and Gloucester, best of all, because there the Adversary hath blasphemed the Holy One, and is mad with rage against His Holy Ones. Then shall the Lord be jealous for his Land, and pity his people, Joel 2.18. Thou hast seen it: The poor committeth himself unto Thee, etc. Psal. 10.14. judgements are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools, Pro. 19.29. OBserving some picking in the dust-heaps; others raking the channels in the streets and sinks in the Kitchen, where they have found precious matter sometimes, most times that, which hath recompensed their labour: I must observe herefrom, That no place, nor person is so barren, but may yield some fruit: Nay nothing, no not that dung, which is most unsavoury, because it is the corruption of that which is best, but hath virtue in it, more than is ordinarily conceived, saith a great * Paracelsus says thus to an idle and useless person; Thou art of much less use, then is thy dung: not worthy of that worst excrement (in thy conceit) which thou voydest. Quae Calcantur, things we tread underfoot, or leave there, would be of good esteem, if we knew the use of them; this use is shown to the world, together with other excellent matters, by Mr. Plaits, whom I know only by his Books, a man of precious use and abilities. Scholar. Let not the Reader then be discouraged at the sight of the Rhymes, which shall now be presented to his eye, though, indeed, they smell more of the Pot, then of the Poet: and because, probably, they came from Oxford, from whence we can expect no good; for there Satan hath his Throne, and Iniquity hath been established by a Law. True it is, I have as vile an esteem of the Verses and the Poet, as he hath of his own dung; and yet, sigh there can be virtue extracted thence, even out of that dung, The Reader need not doubt, but when I have raked them to the bottom, I say to the bottom, I shall find some virtue there, some excellent Truth uttered by him as a scorn, and as through a Trunk, but making very much for the establishment of the Righteous, whom the fool scorneth. I shall say more to the scorn, for that is my main scope, no more to the scorners but this, which is enough to make them tremble. * Pro. 3.34. Pro. 29.8 Surely the Lord scorneth the scorners, for they bring a City into a snare: Nay they set a City on * In flammant sufflant. fire; The Lord will persecute them with his storm, and take them away with his whirlwind, if they repent not: So leaving the scorners, I come to their scorn, which is wrapped up in these Verses, fifteen in number. Extincta Castro fax pulchra novo est, Nec nautae postea, nec militi Sit noto Pharos. Auster disparem, Haud tulit Casum: murus, cui addita est Canina Litera, mersa est suis Cum turmis nuper Leporis vado. Euri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bristonia Leporinos' Horrescens vortices. Anglica Claudij timet Pares Vrbs Casus: Haerois Teutonici Myrmidones astant magno cum duce. Pacata Thule est; nec Noto timor. Popello aut Regi: Nihil relictum est Brittannicum domare Caesarem, Ni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preces gregis. Haec Sphinges raptim Oedipo suo, Julij 20. 1643. This last verse shows the Poet to be a merry Greek; but in the close we shall say of his laughter, It is * Eccl. 2.2 mad.. In my translation I shall render the words first, than the sense and meaning; not to the Poets liking sure. I have not learned of the Devil, his Master, to play the fool, or the knave, or the madman. I thank God, who hath given me more grace, I have not sold myself to do evil, for than I could, as he, and the Court * Greek & Latin Poets tell us of one Mercury, a very infamous person, a notable knave, a cunning thief, and a most notorious liar, not his like in all the world; he was the Court-Mercury too; which may satisfy the world touching the Court then, and this fellow, surnamed Mercurius Auli●us now. Mercury, upon the Alebench, make songs of David; I could (for I know their way well enough) giveup my tongue, and my Pen, to the Devil's forge, entreat him to sharpen them against the face of the Righteous; The Devil would gratify me so fare, he would enable me, as well as them, natures bend being that way, to lie and rail, and blaspheme; he would procure me also for doing him service, some high degree in the Schools, good gain to my purse, haply some place or title of honour, for such servants are in the only ready way to rise in the world; But than I should render myself a fool, and a knave both, and in every sober man's construction, mad also, as the news from Oxford once a fortnight renders their Mercury there, and as these verses render the Poet here; All of the easiest construction, especially the first, because of the agreement it hath with the English, wherein I had pretty skill ever since I could read latin, for thus I could interpret this verse in Ovid, Tacturos sydera summa putes, Thou shalt put summer cider into tanckards. Such a construction the child makes here, and yet he thinks he hath proposed a Riddle, which needs an Oedipus; no, it needs not, for [Extincta Castro fax pulchra novo est; nec nautae postea, nec militi sit noto Pharos;] Pulchra fax, is the Lord Fairfax, (a bright star indeed, but of that anon,) and Castro novo is by Newcastle, he means the good Earl there, and his meaning is very proper, for he hath no more sense of God and goodness, then have the timber and stones in that Castle; But we must not stifle the birth, or the Poets witty conception, which is this; That the bright star in the North, is quite extinct now by Newcastle, and shall be of no more use to Soldier or Mariner. Auster disparem haud tulit casum. As this in the North, so the like disaster hath befallen the Roundheads in the South; for Murus cui addita est Canina litera, mersa est suis cum turmis nuper leporis vado: I have ploughed with the Poet's heifer, and can read his Riddle; Sure Murus is a wall; So sure Canina litera, is R, as they say in Oxford, where they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the City. But here is a deep conceit, for as Castro novo, in the first verse, is an Earl: so Murus, in the fourth verse, is some excellent Person sure, precious in the eyes of God and men; for this shall be spoken to the eternal reproach of Oxford, the Persons there; That they have vilified and reproached those, whom God will honour; and they have honoured those with degrees in Schools, and titles of honour, whom God doth account as vile, as they can esteem their own dung; Had I heard no more but this, That the man is blasphemed at Oxford, I must conclude presently, as every sober man will; This is some excellent Person, he hath done worthily, he is become famous, I know he is, for he is infamous in Oxford; There the drunkards make their songs of him, and there they make a noise like a dog. I proceed, Leporis of a hare, vado in a shallow water, which you may ford-over; put together, it is in Hareford, and the literal Interpretation; That the wall and all about it, was drowned in Hareford: The Allegorical is this, and it is very witty in the Poet's conceit, That Sir William Waller, with all his Troops, were swallowed up quick in Hareford, i. e. by the Earl of Hartford; And so the Poet hath added a letter to Murus, and that is ever an addition to a Blessing: and hath taken away a letter from his Lordship's title of honour, which ever, in sacred account, makes an addition to a curse. It follows, Euri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Bristonia, Leporinos' Horrescens vortices (i. e.) That shallow water fordable but now, is now raised to such an height, that Bristol is swallowed up by the proud swelling waters of Hareford. This interpretation is literal too, and Allegorical; one word only is out of place, and improper, for it fits not the Allegory, yet is it very emphatical; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bristonia, Bristol groans under cruel bondage; It does indeed, such as Israel never felt under Pharaoh, and his Taskmasters; nor the Christian under the Turk; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bristonia, That City knows the sense of that word now. Anglica claudij timet pares urbs Casus (i e.) And Gloucester lies now at the mouth of that devouring flood: for Haerois Teutoni i Myrmidones, The Myrmidons [these were the most bloody Savages, that any history makes mention of, so hardened and brawned in villainies, and bloody executions, that they became a Proverb; a very fit word here to declare unto us, what is clear enough, the more than barbarous usages and insolences of those Rogues, Thiefs, Robbers, Murderers, Beasts in the shape of Men, the Soldiers] of the Germane Peer, have begirt that City, with their great Duke. The Poet means those two, Brethren in evil, whom he dignifies as he thinks fit, but God knows, they who are highly esteemed in Oxford, are an abomination in the sight of God Their sword hath made women childless; It may be the Lord will be so gracious to them, that their Mother shall not be childless amongst women. They have committed lewdness in Israel's land, God's land: It may be their land shall prosper, and they shall live to eat the fruits thereof. They have done their utmost to ruin those, and their house, who laid out themselves, for the building up of the Palatine house: This horrid ingratitude, this requital of kindness, is no sin in God's account; He is merciful; It may be, the Lord will build these men a sure house: They shall live out all their days, and when they die, they shall die as other men, and be buried as those, who are precious in God's account. But there is no trusting to it; we have not a word for it; against it we have, for this is the word, and burden from the Lord, against all those that have shed blood to their power; * Ps. 55.23 Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed ( * So we understand the Possessive (Thy) and not that he laid his own Land waste, making it a Babel. Israel's kings did so, and the most Christian in name: as the Sacred & French Chronicles tell us, and as our children will read more at large in after times. These scriptures will add weight to the Burden & terror of the Lord. Psal. 5.6. Psal. 11.5. Pro. 22.23 & 23.11. Isa. 49.12. Zac. 14.12 thy) land, and slain (thy) People Isa. 14.20. [against whom the Lord was a little displeased, and Babylon helped forward the * Zech 1.15 affliction]. What the Poet says now is of small account, Thus says the Lord, (as we have read) and this the Burden from his mouth, upon those great Captains & their Myrmidones. I proceed. Pacata Thule est; Scotland is quiet (says Oxford Poet, I shall say more to that anon) Nec noto timor Popello aut Regi, nor is there any fear from the North, but that all there abouts will come forth to the King's foot, and be trod under, as the mire in the streets; for (mark it) nihil relictum est Britannicum domare Caesarem; There is no let in the world whereby to keep down Caesar (the King) from [ascending above the height of the Clouds, and] being [like the most High,] an absolute Monarch, whose Rule is his will [it had need be an holy will, but such is only God's will] nothing can hinder this now, now that Newcastle hath put out the star in the North; Hareford hath overflowed the wall in the South, and the two Brothers are so prosperous in the West; nothing can hinder now, but Preces gregis, the prayers of a poor flock [of sheep, Armenta and Pecora, are great Cattle ever, * Amo. 4.1 The Bulls and kine of Bashan, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, (Gregis is of a flock of sheep] 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, newly fallen mad; he means a poor despicable, helpless, (I do not say hopeless) destitute, cast out, fatherless People, a People vile in their own eyes, (but of high account with God. These he means; Then his meaning is, nothing remains now that Newcastle is so fortified and strong; Hare-fords waters so risen, swelled so high, and stormlike, swallowing-up, and storming all before it, and leaving no food behind it; Now that the two Roaring Lions [the Lord calls them * Zeph. 3.3 so, and I dare not think of a fit expression] have their mouths wide open to swallow-up Gloucester, the Inhabitants there, and all about; nothing remains now to save these poor flock from these Devourers, Nisi, but, The prayers of the poor of the flock, a poor, destitute, cast-out People. Well, blessed be God, these people have, But their Adversaries allowance, and yet they have enough! yes, enough and enough, for they have All, God and * Gen. 33.11. All; Enough then, though (which I will add) all the Adversaries Brethren, the King's good Subjects in Ireland, (these were called horrid Rebels an year and half ago in a Court Compliment) though these are called over to do their King the like good service here, which they have done him in Ireland; yet these people have enough, though but after their Adversaries allowance: and they can, though they are, as Nehemiah and Daniel were, * Neh. 1.4 2.1. sad, faint, and * Dan 8.27. sick also, because of what they hear and see, yet they can recover themselves, and rejoice in their portion. They have a God to go unto, (when I have said God, I have said All) The wrath of man shall praise him; The treachery of man shall advance his faithfulness, as the weakness, foolishness, and wickedness of man doth advance the power, wisdom, and goodness of God. The Adversary with all their counsel and strength must fall before the hand liftedup, for it is lifted up to the most high God, God of Hosts, King of Saints. They can pray unto him, commit all their concernments unto the bosom of a Father, who is then nearest to his Children, the nearer danger is. Prayers shall turn all this to the furtherance of the Gospel, and the increase of the Church's joy. The Adversary may have so much power, as to restrain Sea and Land both, and set open the gates of Hell against the Church; He cannot restrain prayer, which openeth the treasury of Heaven, and commands God there, as we shall see presently. Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; He suffers his people's adversaries to carve forth his children's portion, and behold it a large portion. The Adversary now has assigned a Sanctuary to the people of God, a place of Refuge indeed, a strong Tower, the Name of the Lord, the Righteous fly unto it, and they are * Pro. 18.10. safe. Nothing remains now, whereby to save these people from falling into the mouth of the devourer, but the prayers of the destitute, that is enough, till that Refuge faileth, the hearts of the Righteous cannot fail; But that refuge never faileth; In the Lord Jehovah, is everlasting * Isa. 26.4. strength, an everlasting ground for everlasting confidence; " To establish the Righteous now & evermore, on this foundation, That the issue or end will be good; the wicked cannot overrule there, the end is out of their sphere, that God makes, He is Master * James 5.11. there. The King could pursue Israel with deadly hatred, he could speak * Exo 15.9 proudly, but he could not overtake Israel. Another King, as proud as the former, could, in his rage, command the furnace to be heated seventimes hotter than * Dan. 3.19. Ver. 25. ordinary; he could not command the end, not make the fire burn, there God overruled; The servants of the Heb. 11.34. Lord quenched the violence of the flame. What ever the Premises are, which the wicked have made, how agreeable soever to their sense and reason, yet they can do no more, God will draw the Conclusion evermore by such a kind of Logic, as sense and reason, the Philosophy of the world, is not acquainted with, only God knows, and in his favour, he has made his Children know it, & given them assurance touching that matter, and so they lie at Anchor in God, confident under his shadow. Resolved fully at this high point, That God commands the end, and Prayer commands God. And this bids the people of God, expect good news from all Quarters, yea out of the West also, where the Church's Sun seemed to set. Behold then, the Poet does belch out a double Blasphemy; whence I shall draw a double Conclusion, & make it Christian Divinity. 1." That Prayers, which the Poet accounts a nothing, but (i.e.) a thing of no account, are of high account with God, and the great Confidence of the godly. 2." That those he accounts mad people, are the only sober men in the world. I will enlarge upon the first, but first I will explain it. Whereas I said, Prayers are of high account with God, and very efficacious to bring to pass all the Church's designs, and to frustrate the Adversaries; That is true enough, there can be no mistake there; for the Adversary means, the Prayers of a destitute People, theirs I say, and he must say so too, who have a Father to go unto, and an Advocate with that Father. It is very notable; If they have a potent Advocate with an Adversary, they have an hope to prevail: but having an Advocate with their Father, they can have no doubt; We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the * 1 Joh. 2.1. Righteous. There can be no mistake there, Prayers are very prevailing, there is in them an omnipotency, they command God, therefore are prayers the great Confidence of the godly. But here we must be informed, prayers are so indeed, not considered in themselves: Alas no, the good man's confidence must be that which is perfection itself, complete, and perfectly perfect: There is nothing so perfect, but Jesus Christ, and justification by him; Therefore to build our Confidence upon Prayers, considered as a duty only, and no more, is to build a Tower upon an Oaten straw. This then is the meaning, Prayers are a godly man's great Confidence, as they close with a Promise, and make the soul cling and cleave to Christ. As prayer puts the soul into a sure hand, the hand of a Mediator, The Amen, The Faithful, and true Witness: Rev. 3.7.14. He that is holy, He that is true, etc. In that hand the Soul and all her concernments, all her prayers touching that matter, concerning her particular well fare or the Churches, there the● are safe, and thence they shall receive Answer in the fittest time, a gracious, yea a glorious end. And so Prayers are a godly Man's Confidence. And so much for Explication, and Confirmation of the point. Now we will read the Experiences of the godly in all ages, touching this matter, That we may see, that which is of the vilest account with vile men, is of the highest account with God, and good men I gave myself to * Ps. 109.4 Prayer, says David, (i.e.) he made prayer his work, when he was in a very sad and unsettled case, Tossed up and * Vers. 23. down as a Locust (a very fit Emblem of the Church, the tides and changes of her affairs, up and down) than he gave himself to Prayer, and this fixed him, made him a quiet * Is. 33.20 habitation,. who was before as unstable as a Grasshopper, and gave him assured confidence, that the end must be good, so he ends with praise, I will greatly praise the Lord, etc. David sets down two experiments he had made of this, I will mention no more, because these are most notable, how he confounded strength, and (that) Counsel (all for war) which was as an Oracle; 1 Sam. 17. While his mighty Adversary cursed, David prayed, closed with an Almighty Arm, So his Adversary fell before his face, and his own sword cut his throat. At another time, a great Counsellor disserted David (as the manner is) when he saw that, he gave himself to Prayer, as his manner was, Lord says he, I pray thee turn the Counsel of Ahitophel into foolishness 2 Sam. 15.31. No sooner asked, but it was done; The Lord defeated the good Counsel of Ahitophel, 2 Sam. 17.14. (good to bring about the horrid design against David, the dethroning of him) and when he saw his Council was not followed, we know what followed, He teareth h●mselfe in his anger, saith Bildad, [but his application was wrong] his own Counsel cast him down, etc. Job 18 4.7.8. The Conclusion than stands firm, Prayers are a godly Man's Confidence (as before expounded) he is assured fully these will wheel all about, turn the Scene (where now we see nothing but drawn swords bathed in blood) the end shall be gladsome, a glorious deliverance at the last. The poor People have put up Prayers to their Father, they shall be delivered- out, sustained- in, or preserved by the Judgement; For the Devourers mouth, which seemed to swallow-up, did carry Jonah safe to land: I said, preserved by the judgement, delivered by that, which seems to the eye, an ●…ter destruction. A few were saved by water; 1 Pet. 3.20. That water which drowned others saved a few. I know it does relate to Baptism; but we may apply it to the waters of affliction, wherein the wicked are drowned, but the Righteous are saved: The Lord will have respect to the Prayers of his servants, 1 King. 8.28. which they put up unto Him day and night I will make a short account of a rich Treasury. I could say as much of Prayer, as is said of Faith; By prayer Abraham obtained as much as he desired; So Isaac, so Jacob: Look how wide Faith opened their mouths, so they were filled By prayer Moses tied God's hand, Let me alone Moses, says God, No, but he would not; A poor weak man overcomes the mighty God. Moses did more than joshuah did, Josh 10 12. he commanded the Sun and the Moon, (which is very notable) Moses commanded God; He was pleased to be commanded so, Isa. 45.11. to tell his People how commanding a thing Prayer is. It is the most efficacious of any thing in Heaven or Earth; It has the quickest motion, and as quick a return: I mean still, the prayer of the destitute, (a people lose from, and forsaken of all humane help) for their prayer is poured forth now. The eye is single towards God, steadfastly set Heaven-wards: The extremity is great, the Adversaries pride at the highest peg, the people of God at the lowest ebb, in a perishing condition, Refuge faileth, they are importunate, they will give God no rest; then God hearkens and hears, than the return is quick and speedy. For there is no help on earth. Now mark it evermore, He shall send from Heaven and save me, says David Psal. 75.3. in his Mictham, words worthy to be written in golden Letters, when there is no help in earth, He shall send from Heaven and save me; The Church's confidence for ever. I will skip over a large Chronicle, and observe only one prayer there, King Hezeckiah is greatly distressed, A proud Adversary has begirt the City round; And now, There is but one thing remains, which the King can do for his security, and that he does, he falls down upon his knees, Spreads the Letter, the rebukes, the blasphemies, the great straits, he and his people were in; all this he spreads beford the Lord, and he calls-in for help, sends Messengers to Isaiah, tells him, there is but one way to take (a sure way) to go to God by Prayer, O let us not neglect that way; Wherefore lift-up thy Prayer for the remnant that are left. 2 King. 19.4. Sith there is but one way left open, let us presse-on in it, and weary the Lord with importunity. Now what says the Lord? That which thou hast prayed to Me, against Senacherib King of Assyria, I have heard. 2 King. 19.20. There was a quick Return, and the execution is as quick, for the next News we read, is, " And when they arose early in the morning, behold in the Camp of the Assyrians, they were all dead corpses. Vers. 35. The time would fail me, else I could tell you of a Thundering Legion, That a whole Army was like to perish for want of water; Nothing remained then, but Prayer, and to prayer they went; Prayers reached Heaven presently, opened the Clouds, so as they poured down rain in abundance. Though the fool makes but a mock of Prayer, as if it were like his, an abomination, a mock-Prayer, yet I could tell you, the Adversary has been so wise, and knowing touching this matter, that she has professed, she feared the prevalency of Prayer, above what a mighty Army could do, more the prevalency of one man, of whom you might say, Behold he prayeth, than the power of an Army of many thousands. To draw-up toward a conclusion, Prayer does all, at home and abroad, in private affairs and in public; It keeps the house, it locks the doors, it makes two of one mind in an house, it blesseth the children, it makes all things thrive there, it feeds the horse, ploughs the ground, houses the corn, makes all things prosper. What? Then the man may be lazy the while? No, that cannot be, it makes a man most careful and conscionable in the use of all means, though he stays and bottoms himself upon none; his rest is upon God alone in Christ, there his Prayer fixeth: So for the Private. For the Public now, see how prevailing and serviceable this Ordinance is, it binds God's hand; when the sword is drawn, it sheaths it again; it stops the mouth of that Devourer; it binds Kings in chains, and Nobles in fetters of iron; it makes wars to cease, and lets the oppressed go free; it limits proud wrath, it sets unto it its bounds, as to the raging Seas, So far and no farther; But it never limits the Holy one of Israel, It engages God to every business, and engageth the heart to trust in Him; and so there is an omnipotency in Prayer, etc. The servant of the Lord writeth upon every thing Asked of God, [for what soever is not so Asked, cannot come to him as a Blessing] and the gift of God. And if it be a Nationall Blessing [for that his mouth is widest open, he is no body for himself, but as the Church may prosper] this he calls Naptali, Gen. 30.8. the child of my wrestling, for with the wrestling of God, fervent strong Prayers hath he gained this blessing] And as it is in the purpose of his heart to seek God still, so he knows God hears Prayers still (i.e.) gives gracious returns unto them. The Lord has spoken good words, and comfortable, and they keepup the Spirit of prayer always; so that his servants cannot be discouraged and faint in their minds; Ask what you will, and it shall be done. Joh. 14.13 15.7. O what unspeakable grace is this! His servants ask nothing, but according to their Father's will (in reference and submission thereunto.) And it is their confidence, 1 Joh. 5.14 that their Father heareth them: And if they know this, That they are heard in whatsoever they ask, than they know they have the Petitions they desire of Him. We must mark this with all observation, it will resolve us fully in all that follows. Thus and thus it has fallen out to the Church in the North, thus in the South, and so in the West, and is not all this a great disheartening to a praying People? No, The contrary rather, all this puts heart into them, makes their prayer more lively, and servant. It is with these servants, as it was with their Master, the Lord Christ, the sharper the Agony, Luke 22.44. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. the more earnestly intended & stretched out are the prayers. But I will answer first to our Common Prayers, whereto we expect so present answer, for we must note, that I am to speak here specially to those, that pray in Prayer, are the poor of the flock, a destitute people in the enemy's account, whom the Lord, appearing in his Glory, Psal. 102.16,17. as now he does, (and he will be more glorious every day) does hear always, even to their will and weal both, whereof anon: To our more common Prayers first, for we pray now; And do we expect that God should come-off roundly with us, and answer all at the first? Have we come-off roundly with him in point of obedience, and good service? I believe the most upright amongst us cannot say, Yes; Well then, and do we look, that God should turn to us the face presently, and Answer us in every thing, when we have been so narrow-mouthed in ask, so straight-hearted in believing, so slack in obeying, turning the back upon God so long, and perhaps yet longer, even at this present time; Regarding iniquity in our hearts even now, when we would have God regard our Prayers: And would we be regarded? Expect we, that God should regard our Prayers now! We might expect rather, that God should strike us dead upon our knees, and that He has not done it, should be matter of wonder, and praise both. Has not God waited when man would turn; and will not man be content to wait patiently, when God will turn to him? Surely they, who Pray in Prayer, James 5.17. indeed are a Praying People, these are a waiting People; They can continue on their knees, or sit down astonished, not wondering, that God does not answer them in every thing, but rather, that God does answer them in any thing, when they look into themselves, and upon prayer as a prayer only, and no more but a duty, which they have form by their own strength: And yet God is the hearer of Prayers, has heard their Prayers, and given a gracious return to them, from time to time, so as they can say, they never sought God in vain. To look no further back now than into these three years bypast, up to this present day; What wonderful Providences! Marvellous reskues from the mouth of the Lion, and paw of the she Bear! Admirable deliverances! strange discoveries! What were all these, but Naptalies' all, the child, the fruit of my wrestling, does these praying People say. ●b. But what will they say to these particulars, These discomfitures in the North, and these in the South and West; What will they say to Bristol? where was their God then? These madmen will go near to say, these are their Naptalies' too, the fruit of their wrestle, of their groans, and strong cries. Ans. Yes indeed, they will say so, and be confident in what they say, though their ears are too chaste to hear these Blasphemies: I will begin where the Rhymer gins, with the North, and so go compass, and yet end presently: That bright Star there, the Lord Fairfax, hath shone gloriously, & does shine, notwithstanding all the forces of Newcastle, all the fraud & treachery of the Father and the Son, to force out that light yet that light doth shine, and its lustre is setforth by all this force and fraud, and thereby made more glorious. And what is all this, but a Naptali, the fruit of the Churches wrestling with their God, for and in behalf of his servants there, and here. We must not pass over lightly how gloriously God has been and is seen in the North, an bearer of Prayers there, and here. How has the Lord bent the hearts, inclined the soul of the people to his Cause? What favour has He shown his destitute people in the eyes one of another! England lifted up the hand, to the most High God for Scotland, now Scotland for England; They will join hand in hand, " To stand fast in one Spirit, with one mind, striving together for the Faith of the Gospel. They will standup, knit together all as one man, against common Adversaries, the Devil and his Hierarchy, with his Brutish Pastors. Two only there were in the Assembly of Ministers, who withstood this Covenant, a proud man, and as proud a Novice, neither of them cleared in Judgement touching Popery and Prelacy (twins) by all that has been written & done these four (I had almost said four hundred years, I will say fourscore) we know them, and, we hope, they know now themselves, what spirit they be of; The one a man of contention, The other a child, who will learn to hold his tongue, till he has learned how to speak. Pacata Britannia est, England and Scotland, these twain once are one now, sweetly composed in their God, as a City Compact, and at unity with itself, for they are in Covenant with their God, and each with other; I am as thou art, my people as thy people: 2 Chro. 18.3. All will stick together as one man, to withstand this common Adversary. What shall I say of this? The tongue of an Angel cannot utter it. But it is a Naptali, the fruit of the Churches strong wrestling. Thus has God done in the North, as wonderfully in the South. How has he got himself a Name, & made his Servant there a man of renown, even the Man of his Right hand! But then indeed, for I must speak all, yet nothing to dishearten Prayer, or to the Man's dishonour: We fools! we cannot have a glorious Instrument, but we must dote upon it: We cannot have an excellent man to stand up for us, but we will make a god of him; The Lord God of gods saw this, our folly, and was angry; and so, when we would make man an Idol, God would break him to pieces. And what is all this? A Naptali, a fruit of the Churches wrestling; we shall see it more clear anon. But this is clear now, for now we are taught a great lesson, To cease from man, Isa. 2.22. and, To cleave to God, There-on to bottom ourselves, and place our confidence. And Bristol too, the impoverishing of that, and doing more, the forcing of that City so, as never City has been so forced (since there was a City upon the Earth) by the fiercest Savages and most cruel Myrmidons. Indeed such villainies, outrages, notorious violences are committed there, that I am at a stand what to say. But yet I will call this a Naptali, a fruit of the Churches wrestling; for we must note, the Church does wrestle with her God, entreats, that Deliverance may come to his People: But she does not limit the Holy One of Israel; They do not bind him to their time, their instruments, and manner of working: They pray as men, they leave Him to work, as a God, still with submission to his will, still resolving all thither. And when they see what is the will and pleasure of their God, who does all things well, they are well content. It is the Lord, say they, as Eli said, Let him do what seemeth him good. 1 Sam. 3.18 He has done it, His people, as Aaron in a sad Case, hold their Peace. Leu. 10.3. And yet they are confident, God hears them always, and has heard them in all that they asked, for they asked nothing, but according to his will, (mark that,) Therefore they have a confidence, that all, even this taking, and forcing of Bristol shall be for the Church's weal, greatly to advance the glory of their God, and the rejoicing of his People. Their losses shall be their advantages, as to this time, so till time shall be no more. So the wise God will order it, who (made a Chaos, a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) brings order out of the greatest confusion, life from the grave, and glory from the Cross; They will trust God, who would suffer no evil to be, but that out-thence He does produce good; He will confound his Adversaries by all this, the Adversaries lifting-up shall tend to his ruin; God gives him scope, let's out the reins (gives him rope, he will strangle himself with it) puts power into his hands, which he does exercise now with a rage, that reacheth up to heaven; So high must his judgement reach, even to the Skies. Jer. 51.9. He has exercised proud wrath, he has dealt treacherously: Now he sees, as the Ammonite did, That he stinks before all Israel. There is a notable discovery of the Adversary at Bristol, his malice, his rage, his lust. The Inhabitants there, some of them, are discovered too, the treacherous Lawyer, and the vile Priest, with many more, a great mercy all this, and all this the fruit of Prayer The Lord will discover his own right hand also: Surely He that does nothing in vain, has brought light out of the womb of darkness, will work gloriously here, for His manner is to make the most glorious light to appear unto his Church, in that very place (the West) where it seemed to set. The Church's light must rise in obscurity: her darkness must be as the noon day. Isa. 58.10. Doubtless, the Lord will work gloriously about Bristol, and those parts, we have a word for it, that so He will do, even a sure word of Prophecy, where thus we read, Wherefore should they say among the People, Where is their God? A clear intimation, that so an Heathen people will say, when God delivers his people into their hands, they will do after their manner, as the Heathen have done at all times, and now at Bristol, reproach God and his People, saying, Where is their God? Joel 2.17. What then? Then it follows, Then shall the Lord be jealous for his Land, and pity his People. Vers. 18. Then! When? When the enemy is so proud, so lifted up, that he dare reproach God, ask where he is? When they deal so proudly, as the Heathen did at Bristol: How dealt they there? I tremble to tell the manner how, worse than the Heathen did before them, or their Fathers, who plaited a Crown of Thorns, and put it upon the head of Christ: These brutish men, worse than those Soldiers, have plotted a worse matter, and cast a greater reproach upon the Lord in Glory. When the Adversary is so proud, Then will the Lord, as we read before, and as it follows, He will no more make you a reproach amongst the Heathen And does not the Lord pity his People? Has he not begun to take away their reproach? May it not be said, and for Gloucester, What has the Lord done? The Adversary is proud, for he is very confident, he has an Arm like God, (as Pharaoh before him) he said, I will take that City, my lust shall be satisfied upon them, I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them. Observe, I pray you, what the Adversary says; I will, and I will, All shall be as he will, he never asketh God leave: No, I warrant you, God is not in all his thoughts: Tell him of God, and his will, he puffeth at you. Note it by the way, that this is an infinite disadvantage to the Adversary: He is upon a work, which he cannot commit to God, he cannot advise with God about it, all the counsel he takes is from the Devil's Oracle, and he digs deep to hid it, even unto hell; Therefore it is, that their design many times, proves abortive, like an untimely birth in the wild of Kent: It dischargeth itself, through haste, like a poisoned Peice of Ordnance, which flies off, but breaks all to pieces, and all about it. But when the Adversary is successful and prevails, it is by treachery, hellish devices, and contrivances, the depths of Satan: and so, prevailing by treachery, they oppress the poor, who cannot resist them, they exercise proud wrath upon them, as Devil's incarnate, and as they did at * It is notorious how mischievous these spoilers were (their cruelty there, and every where, is unutterable) they burned as much wheat belonging to one man as was worth 700 pound. Cicester, and Bristol. Reader, I say again, this is of infinite use, if thou wilt consider this with it, the infinite advantage the Church has above her Adversaries, She can Pray, while her Adversaries does Curse and Blaspheme that worthy Name, by which (she) is called; she can take Council at God's mouth, inquire, as David, of the Lord, at every turn, strengthen, establish, bear up herself, upon an Almighty Arm still, here is an advantage, that cannot be expressed; but take all; the Church (I mean still a poor People, rich in Faith) have no will of their own, but what they have denied, and renounced, they have resolved their wills into God's will, and they say still, as they ought to say, " If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this or that; Jam. 4.15. Not ours, " but the will of the Lord be done; Act. 21.14 So they cease evermore, as their Brethren before them, concluding all their matters, and concernments under Gods will. Here is an infinite advantage, which the Reader may note by the way, and pardon the digression. I return now to our Adversaries, where we found them Blaspheming the worthy Name, and speaking thus proudly, as we read, Go to now, say they, To day or to morrow, within a very few hours, we will go into such a City (called Gloucester) and, (kennel there, for they are dogs) continue there this Winter, where we will whore, and drab, and curse, and blaspheme (God damn us) and shed blood to our power; so proudly they said, so they will do, such a good will they have, and so headlong it carries them. Now hear what the Lord will do; The Lord, who does cast abroad the rage of his wrath, beholds every man, that is proud, and abaseth him; Job 40. does confound daring attempts, horrid rage, and cursed blasphemy; decks himself with Majesty, and excellency, for the very purpose, to resist (to set himself in Battle-Array against the Proud) James 4.6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. He will show himself glorious in power now; the Right hand of the Lord will dash in pieces the enemy. We know the Lord has done it, though we had heard nothing touching that matter, for God does resist the proud; the God of Hosts sets Himself in Battle-Array against such haughty Persons; The lofty looks of man shall be humbled: and the haughtiness of Men shall be bowed down, saith the Lord; Isa. 2.11. and as He saith, so He has done; And He alone shall be exalted in that day. We will give now all, that is due unto man, to his courage, to his faithfulness; but we must ascribe Salvation to our God: He has marched valiantly; He saw there was none to help; Therefore His Arm brought Salvation, He has repaid fury to his Adversaries, recompenses to His Enemies. In whom the Church does trust; He will yet deliver; He will go on to show favour, to complete His victories; He will take the matter into his own hands; He will do, as his Adversaries said in their pride they would do; The Lord will pursue, He will overtake; He will divide the spoil. These Balaams now are Posting to another place, and they Boast still what they will do there, They will do to— as they have done to Bristol, and as they would have done to Gloucester: So they will do, they have a good will unto it, but God has them in his chain, and has put a hook in their nostrils, and a Bridle into their mouths, and He will send his men of war after them, carryed-on upon the wing of Prayer, put up from all the corners of the world, and all his people there; carried also upon the wing of Faith. The Church hopes, her people will not make Idols of men any more; then they shall be broken in pieces no more. She hopes, that her people are, if not fit, yet fitting for deliverance; and her Adversaries rotten-ripe for destruction; if their iniquities not yet full, yet filling up to the brim, now they have reproached the Lord, now their mouths are so wide open to utter blasphemies, surely the Church sees now their day is coming; It is at hand. But she has resolved all touching that matter, into God's will, she refers all to his time. If he will make more breaches upon her, she is humbled, and can accept of her punishment, for she knows the time is coming, even the set-time, when her Lord will make make up his Jewels, and Build the Tabernacle of David which is fallen. And how ever the Lord may deal with her for the present (it is His Prerogative Royal to deal with her as he pleaseth: but mercy pleaseth him) If He suffer His people to be longer tossed-up and down like a Grasshopper, it is to settle them the faster upon the Rock. They know, God is Master of the end; What ever the Premises are, he makes the Conclusion. So they have concluded, and this is their confidence, What they lose in the world, they shall gain in Heaven: All their losses here, shall be their Advantages here and there; What they miss of here below, they shall find abundantly recompensed in Christ above; as their sufferings are, their consolations shall be. In the mean time, they, as was said, limit not the Holy One of Israel; They leave him to His own will, work, and time; They have resolved their will into His good Pleasure; His will be done, Amen. Hitherto He has done all things well, even when He broke His Armies to pieces, He made them up again with advantage, two for one. Who would distrust this God? Surely the Church will not. They will not forsake their confidence; They have Prayed, and they have been heard still, and they will pray evermore, and are assured, that, when things are lower than yet they are, or like to be, their Prayers will wheel-up all again, and turn the Scene contrary to all expectation, but the godly man's. The cause is God's cause; the managers of it, His people; God will maintain his own cause, and spare his People, according to the greatness of His mercy, Amen and Amen. I must add here; Whereas it is cleared now, what a mighty Instrument Prayer is, how prevailing a weapon evermore; And that it is the Church's weapon, whereby she turns and wheels about things, when they seem to be gone, quite fallen, and desperately lost; When this is cleared, This must not be concluded, That this is the Churches only weapon, she must not use the Sword. Master Calvin, Cal Instit. li. 4. ca 20. sect. 24, 25. etc. who has said as much, I believe, as any man in the world, touching the sacred Majesty of Kings, and obedience due unto them; When he has said all, as much as can be said, and yet no more; but what we all say, who speak by the Book of God, he adjoins, De privatis hominibus semper loquor. Sect. 34. All that I have spoken touching obedience to Kings, or suffering from their hands, is spoken to private men; I do not mean the Ephori, who kerbed the Lacedaemonian power; nor the Tribunes, who righted the Roman People, when their Consuls did them wrong, etc. Nor the Parliament in England; And there he has these words, Si regibus impotenter grassantibus conniveant, eorum dissimulationem nefarid perfidia non career affirmo. 32 If the Parliament there, (or any where) shall wink at the King's exorbitancy, crushing the poor, and grinding the faces of the needy; If so, Then do the Parliament deal treacherously, They betray the poor of the flock, and the trust of the Kingdom. There is but one Section more, and but a word out of it, which will stop their mouths, who flap us in the mouth with this still, That they have sworn obedience to their King. You must ever except this here, says Master Calvin; If it does not cross the Rule, and Gods command; That you may satisfy men, you must not be so foolhardy, as to incur the displeasure of God, the God of Gods and Lord of Lords. Calvin has a little more, but too much for me to set down here; I would rather Kings did read it, for it highly concerns them, even above their Crown. Three lines more must be added, they will be of infinite use. The Adversary here has carved-forth the Church's allowance, which she accepts, abundantly thankful to her God. And now in this time of distraction, so full of bussel, and confusion, the Church has but one work to do, which she attends with all care and watchfulness; " Their keeping their Spirit clean, that their Prayers may be pure; Their intercourse, and commerce to Heaven kept open; and their Communion entire with the Father and the Son. This is their work, and they give their heart unto it. And now, though the Earth be smitten, and stagger like a drunken man; Though it open wide whilst she gives up her dead, and discovers her slain, and vomits-up the Hierarchy, with all their Brutish Pastors, who have been a burden to her so long, and cumbered her ground. Though a great quaking fall upon the Kingdoms of the world, so as they be smitten together, and broken to pieces; yet these People cannot be careful, not greatly moved; There is a River shall refresh them in this drought, and an hand shall hold them fast in this Earthquake, while the Lord is performing his whole work upon mount Zion, and on Jerusalem; While he is making an end, and drawing the Conclusion, which will be to the heart of His People, gracious and glorious, Amen. So much to the first Blasphemy, and the conclusion therefrom; I will but name the other. 2. That these Praying People are newly fallen mad. Not newly sure; they were anciently so mad as now they are; ever since they could not run with those, that blaspheme them so, into the same excess of Riot with them; 1 Pet. 4.4. Ever since they did abominate Babylon's Wine, which, indeed, has made all the Earth drunken, and the Nations mad, as at this day; Jer. 51.7. Ever since they kept their foot from the Path of the destroyer, and loathed the way of Cain; ever since they served their God, according to the Rule of His will; Ever since they could Pray indeed, (in the Holy Ghost) have they been accounted a mad People. By those that are mad indeed, mad upon their Idols; mad with rage [as your poor flock of sheep never are; But Armenta and Pecora, the Kine and Bulls of Bashan, Nimrods', mighty hunters before the Lord, great oppressors of the world, Beasts-like-men, these are mad, and so we say in ordinary speech; But a mad flock of sheep was never heard off from the beginning to this day] These are harmless, gentle, and meek, to a Proverb; and so meek they must be and humble, for they are the poor of the flock, and God has humbled them, He has meekned their hearts; for He has laid open their hearts unto them, so they know themselves now, and have so learned Christ, that they are lowly, meek, and vile in their own eyes, and content to be more vile and base in their own sight. But they bless God for this reproach above many, for so they reproached Christ their Head; even so, He hath a Devil, and is mad. Joh. 10.26 This makes them leap for joy, because their Lord Christ was so reproached: For as they are made conformable to their Lord Christ in their sufferings from the hand and tongue; so shall they be made conformable to Him in their consolations; They are as he was, so blasphemed in the world; they shall be as He is, in Glory. 1 Joh. 3.2. What manner of Glory? Nay, had I the tongue of an Angel, I could not tell you that, I can read it as you can, That, when the Lord Christ, shall appear, these (poor of the flock) shall be like Him, and see him as He is; like him, and as He is! I can say no more, but admire: O the weight of glory! Only, if you are of the number of those destitute ones, the poor of the flock, take your Father's blessing before you go; Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you, falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven, for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you. Mat. 5.11,12. A Postscript. Here is a vacant place, I will tell two stories, and fill it up, one touching a person, the other a Thing: All is heathenish, but we can make it Christian, and very suitable to all that is said before. Sophocles, a grave Poet indeed, lived a monastic life, retired, and much in meditation. He is a fool and mad both said some, (they were his sons) and so in our common speech, they would have begged their Father for a fool & a madman, fit to have a Guardian over him, unfit to be a guardian over others; his sons were fit men, they thought: pretty youths! The father, after his manner, said little, but did much, and yet held close to his work, & quickly shown it to the Judges: " See, Sirs, said he, is this the work of a fool & a madman? The application must be short, the best men are just so accused by (sons I will not call them) bastards not sons, because they pray, they sing Psalms, they maintain communion with their God. Aug de 〈◊〉. I assure thee, Reader, this was all could be charged against them in the worst times, and by their fiercest enemies, these enemies themselves being Judges: Well! they will keep to their work the closer for this. And when their work shall be manifest, as one day it shall, and the thoughts of all hearts: Then, what ever the wicked think now, they will say then▪ " These were the only sober & wisest men: So much of the person. Of the thing next, Archimedes had an Engine the strangest that ever was in the world. Therewith he defended a City bigger than Gloucester, and defeated a storming enemy there: To tell all in a word, This man thus boasted of himself and this Engine, " Give me another earth, said he, whereon to set my foot, and I will pluckup this earth, and throw it like a ball, Sea and all. Truly I cannot but smile at his conceit: As Diogenes said, " He would see how he could drink out of his hand, before he would throw away his dish: So this great Ingeneere would have sure footing on another earth, before he would cast away this; but he did express the energy and strange working of his Engine very well. There are a people, who have as strange an Engine as this: which we call (nothing but) Prayer: I'll tell you what it will do, defend a City from a storming Adversary: More than so; It will pluck up earth to heaven, and pluck down heaven to earth: I have neither time nor space to say more, but so it will do. An End.