A Timely Expostulation
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The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
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This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
Carmen Expostulatorium: Or, A timely EXPOSTULATION With those both of The City of London, AND The present Army, Who have either endeavored to engage these Kingdoms in a Second War; or neglected the prevention thereof. Intended, for averting (if it may be possible) of that general Destruction thereby threatened; and to that purpose, hastily (upon the immergent occasion) published. By GEO. WITHER.
2 COR. 11.19.
Suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.
Printed in the Yeere MDCXLVII.
Carmen Expostulatorium: OR, A timely Expostulation with those both of the City of LONDON, and the present ARMIE, who have either endeavored to engage these Kingdoms in a Second War; or neglected the prevention thereof.
THough, I have spoken heretofore in vain,
And may do now; yet, I will speak again,
In hope, that what by
Reason,
nor by
Rhyme,
Could be effected, may be done by
Time:
And, that, although my words be lost to
some,
They shall not fruitless, unto
all,
become.
Hark!
how the
Drums
beat! how the
Trumpets
are
Sounding
Alarums
to a
second-war,
Before the first is done! and, whilst yet green
The wounds upon our bodies may be seen!
Behold, that, which was coming long ago,
Drawes now so near, that none shall need fore-show
What
next
will follow; or, what will ensue
On
that:
For, we, without a glass, may view
Such things in kenning, that unless our GOD,
To them shall please to set a
period;
Or, make some such
diversion,
as no man
Conjecture of, by any symptom, can,
An universal
Plague,
on us will seize,
Instead of
Remedies,
for our Disease.
Why, then, shall I, in time of need, with-hold
That, which my conscience tells me, should be told?
Why should I keep those premonitions back,
Which I conceive, my friends at this time lack?
A
poor-man's
counsel, once, (as we hear say)
Did save a
City:
So, perhaps, this may.
Excuse me therefore, if (much grieved at
Your rash proceedings) I expostulate,
The sad condition, wherein, you to me,
By this renewed war, may seem to be.
Renowned
Citizens!
what do you mean,
To make your
dwellings,
that unhappy
Scoene
Whereon there shall, in probability,
Be acted, now, the bloodiest
Tragedie,
That e're this
Kingdom
saw? Are you grown mad?
And, is there no Physician to be had
For, this Distemp'rature? But, must it, here,
Be
Cuckow-month,
or
Dog-days
all the year?
Have you no drugs, that may lost wits restore?
Can
Patience, Herbagrace,
nor
Hellebore,
Nor any other
Simple,
or
Confection,
Work out that noy some humor and infection,
(That hath besotted you) till you grow fit
For Bedlam? where, are no such mad-men yet.
Will nor
Plain-speakings, Parables,
nor
Charms,
Make you regard, your
safety,
nor your harms?
But, that, as in despite of all that can
Be threatened, or fore-told, by GOD, or man,
You will resolved be to hurrie on,
Till you beyond all remedies are gone?
Are you distempered so, that naught can please,
Save, what, still more increaseth your disease?
Think you no
Balm,
or
Salve,
or
Physic
good,
But, that which
mortifies,
or draweth
blood,
To your destruction? would you fain make void
All your late hopes? would you see all destroyed
That, so much treasure; so much blood hath cost;
And, let it, everlastingly, be lost,
Your humor to fulfill; or, for a toy,
Which, also, you perhaps, may nev'r enjoy?
Nay, will you now for nothing? or, for worse,
Will you to purchase mischief, and a curse
To you, and to your children, re-engage
Into a war? and, by a brutish rage,
Expose those Freedomes to an over-throw,
For, which your fathers did their lives bestow.
To leave them unto you? And, which might be
Confirm'd forever, if you could agree
Upon those principles of common-Reason,
Whose violation is the highest Treason?
Have you not yet discovered who be they
Who cheat you? nor whose game it is you play,
By your
divisions?
And, when others find
Your falsehoods for you, will you still be blind;
Or, wink, as careless of the things you heed,
Till, by long winking, you grow blind indeed?
Discerne you not whose Kingdom is befriended,
Whilst, GOD and CHRIST, are formally pretended?
Nor whose designs, promoted are, the while
Some, with fair shows of piety, beguile
Well-meaning men? And, carry on their actions,
By working
with,
and
in,
those differing factions
Which they first raised? Mark you not, how,
by,
And
in,
that
duplifi'd-capacity,
Their
Ingineers
do screw themselves into
Most secrets on both sides? how, they undo
(By means of that their unperceived gin)
What, hath most privately contrived been?
And, see you not, that thereby they do bring
What, e're the
City, Parliament
or
King,
Or any other
party,
doth propound,
Advise or act, to give it self a wound,
And further their particular
design,
Till GOD prevents it by some
countermine?
Can you not yet discover (through their mist)
Those jugglings, which the spawn of Antichrist
(False
Priests,
and
lying Prophets
) practice, now,
To raise themselves, and work your overthrow?
Nor, with what impudence they spread their lies,
Their bitter jeerings, and their blasphemies,
To make new breaches, or to widen those,
Which
Love,
and
Prudence,
had begun to close?
And, which ere this, quite closed might have been;
Had not they cast untemper'd dirt between?
Perceive you not, that, some of both your
factions,
Do labor an increase of your distractions,
Because they seem not safe from questioning,
For falsehoods, to the Parliament, or King,
Unless they shall endcavour to prevent
The settling of that peaceful Government
Which furthers
justice?
Yea, and see you not
How, they conspire; how, they contrive, and plot
To ruin all, in hope they may, by hap,
Amidst the tumults, their just dooms escape?
Or, by despairing of a good conclusion,
Bring all things, with themselves, into confusion?
Is it a time your Quarrells to renew,
When all is hazarded, that's dear to you?
Observe ye not, three
Factions,
like to them
Which were the ruin of
Jerusalem,
At strife within your walls? Do you not see,
What spighfull sparklings in their eyes there be?
How sharply, they at one another whet
Their slanderous tongues? how grinningly they set
Their teeth against each other? And how they
With pens dipt in black poison, do assay
To re-engage you; and, by cursed words,
Provoke the re-unsheathing of your swords,
That every son, and father, friend, and brother,
May sheath it in the heart of one another?
Are you besotted so, not to perceive
Who hath befooled you? who, the snares do weave,
That have entrap'd you? and who spic'd the Bowle
Which makes you drunken, stagger, reel and roll
Into perdition? doth it not appear,
That, to prevent the mischiefs which you fear,
You run a hazard, to draw down upon you
A greater, then they ever could have done you,
Whom you distrust? And, that, in hope to shun
Uncertainties, to certain deaths you run?
Is GOD, now acting for you, and doth lurk
Within a cloud, to hide from you his work?
And, will you work against him, to destroy
That preservation, which you might enjoy,
By living to behold that
saving-health,
Which he was bringing to this Common-wealth?
Have you concluded never to retire
In your Career, till all is on a fire?
And you, and yours, lie sprawling in the plashes
Of your own blood? or, in your Cities ashes?
Or, till you view this goodly spacious frame,
(The work of many Ages) in a flame?
Have you so often heard it said, from him,
(Whose true presages, no man will contemn,
But Reprobates) what miserable Fate
Attends that
House,
that
City,
and that
State,
Which is divided? Have his Prophecies
So often been fulfilled before your eyes?
And, are they, at this day, so likely, too,
To be, ere long, fulfilled upon you;
And, yet, will you a
new-division
run,
As if you studied how to be undone?
Or, as if you resolved on that path,
Which to avoid, even GOD fore-warned you hath?
Have I myself, by GOD's permission, too,
So often told you, what you would mis-do,
What courses you would follow; what, reject?
Fore-shown you plainly, what it would effect,
If you did otherwise? Have you oft seen
Those things fulfilled, which fore-told have been,
And spoken of them? Nay, have you oft read,
And descanted on that which I have said,
And jeered my predictions? yet, will you
In every circumstance fulfill them now?
Shall I be made (as me in scorn you call)
A Prophet, as it were, in spite of all
Which I fore-shown you, with an intent,
That you might take occasion to prevent
What was fore-told; and make my true predictions.
By penitency, to appear but fictions?
Have you cracked all my
Almonds?
And (instead
Of making them a means of taking heed
What course you steered) so acted, as if you,
From them, had took occasion to pursue
Forbidden paths? that, future times may know
GOD'S providence was pleased to fore-show
What would be done by men impenitent,
Though warnings do precede their punishment?
But, let that pass, which cannot be undone;
And, to prevent, what you, as yet, may shun,
Let me upon the credit gotten from
Things past,
find means from perils yet to come,
Your City to preserve; and, let me lose
Or thrive, as I to you shall things propose
To be considered on, without
design,
For any private, or base end of mine;
Or to contribute strength to any
Faction,
Or, weaken any
Party
now in action,
But as relating to the preservation
Of this endanger'd
City, State,
or
Nation.
Have you considered rightly of the cause
Which on your City, this engagement draws?
And rightly weighed it, with all circumstances
Thereto belonging; and what 'tis advances
Your quarrel to this height? or how you find
Those Leaders, by their principles inclined,
Whose prudence you depend on? do you know
How dim the sight of wisest men may grow
By private interest, or by respect,
To those men whom they malice, or affect,
Or to opinions? If not, have a care
How you engage: especially if war
Be like to follow. For, we daily see
By those discourses which divulged be
By disagreeing
parties;
that, when they
Each others writings happen to survey,
At every page they seem to take offense,
And judge it void of learning, truth, or sense;
When he that is as wise, and in his ways
Unbiassed, peruseth it with praise.
Have you considered, seriously, how strong
Your foes may prove? how chargeable, how long
This
war
may be? who, shall the cost defray?
How willingly the
Citizens
will pay
That aid which you may need, when they are made
Unable by a long decay of trade?
Yea, when so many thousands want their bread,
Who were by constant labor daily fed,
And, shall consume their lives, or strength away,
By watchings, and hard duty, night and day?
Have you well-weighed, for how long a space
Provisions may be stopped from this place?
How greatly,
Famine
may increase your charge?
How,
want,
and
nastinesse,
may then enlarge
The
Pestilence
begun? how much, the
three
Dissenting Parties,
which among you be,
Your troubles may augment? Or, do you know,
When you advanced are, to meet a foe
Without your walls, what mischiefs may begin
By means of some, whom you must leave within?
Especially, when poverty extreme,
Revenge, or avarice, hath tempted them,
By unexpected opportunities,
To act things for their own advantages?
Are you, in these particulars, assured,
To be, at each extremity, secured?
Have you conceived, how truly miserable
You shall be rendered, if you prove unable
To over-come? And, though you victors be,
How little comfort thereof you may see
When you have summed up, what you shall lose?
And (by removing them) what other foes,
You may make way for, to the consumation
Of all the strength, and glory, of this Nation?
Yet, once again, look down into that hell,
Wherein you are preparing now to dwell:
Can you suppose, that all, whom you intend
To arm, your Cause, and City, to befriend,
Will act as you expect? Or, think you, they
Can
do,
as much for you, as they can
say?
Can you, by any caution, be assured,
Your goods and families will be secured
From your own
Party?
Or, your persons free
From outrage, when, among you, there shall be
A general confusion, and their need?
And yours, shall daily new distractions breed?
Which every day, and week, will still grow greater,
Till your afflictions have advised you better?
Can you believe, that all your power and wit,
(Which make small show of such effects, as yet)
Shall able be, by force, or, gentle ways,
To conjure down the spirits you may raise?
Or, draw a
circle,
or provide a
charm
So strong, that none of them shall do you harm?
Have you some works, which fain you would have done,
For your own ends? and, think you, they have none?
Or, that, they who did sleight a greater
power,
Will conscience make of trampling upon your?
Or (if provoked) of treading on you, too,
When they dislike of anything you do?
Can you conceive, that though you armed were
Against all those whom you abroad may fear,
That, in your
streets,
your houses, (nay, within
Your chambers) there will not (as there hath been)
A
Party
be, which will assay to make
Your hopes abortive, if this course you take?
Yea, multiply your sorrows, till th'event
Grow desperate? Or, you too late repent;
And, shall be over-whelmed with disorders,
Fears, out-cries, violences, flames, and murders?
Do you believe, those listed
Reformadoes,
Who puff you up with vauntings and bravadoes?
(Mistake me not; I purpose no disgrace
To
all
(who now abiding in this place,
Are cast out of employment) do you think,
Those, who are most courageous in their drink?
Those, of the roaring Frenchified-Rout,
With untruss'd breeches, with shirts hanging out,
And Codpeeces beribanded about
With party-color'd Inkle? Or, that those
Apprentices, who late in tumults rose,
And, without check (to your perpetual shame)
To force th'unguarded
Senate,
rudelie came,
(And foamed raging fury at their door,
Like billows beating on the patient shore)
Think you, that such as these ordained have been
To save you from the fears that you were in?
To be Deliverers, do you believe
These likey? or, are those, who to receive
New entertainment (and perhaps old pay)
Have only aimed at, such like men as may
Be so reli'd upon; as, to engage
Your City now, a
second war
to wage?
If so; Oh! be more cautious, be more sage.
Oh, where! where now, is all that
piety,
That
prudence,
and that
Christian charity,
Which you pretended to? where is that care
Of public safety which did once appear?
Where is that conscience of the preservation
Of your own families from desolation,
Which doth or should in every Christian dwell,
That is not far below an Infidel?
Oh! be not willful in the prosecution
Of an unfit and frantic resolution,
Which, doubtless, by the malice of the Devil
(And by his instruments) is now for evil
Instill'd into you; that, he might make void
Those hopes, which we, e're this time, had enjoi'd,
If want of faith, and love, to one another,
Endanger'd not our perishing together.
Be, therefore, well advised, what will ensue,
Before this cursed war you do renew?
Be not deluded, or provoked by those
Who care not how your City they expose
To hardship, and to hazard: For, it may
Endanger all;
if J know what I say.
Invite you not, from every quarter, hither
Those plagues, and those confusions, altogether,
Of which most places now have had a taste;
Lest, all the storm descend on you at last;
And you constrained be to swallow up
The very dregs of their most bitter cup,
As you by
Riddles,
intimation had;
Though you of them, out small accompt have made;
And, as all use to do, whose sins are ripe,
And, take no warnings, till they feel the stripe.
Regard not, what your flatterers pretend,
But, rather, hearken to your faithful friend,
Who plainly doth fore-see, the sad effects,
To which your course intended, now directs.
Be, yet, persuaded, your own selves to pity;
Your friends, your little ones, your wives, your City;
And do not unadvisedly fulfill
Your foes designs; by your perverted
will:
What isit to me, what course you pitch upon,
Who to the world-ward wholly am undone,
And ruined already, by neglects,
Of justice, on the one side; and by th'effects
Of war, on toother? and, whose chief wealth lies
In those things, which the world doth most despise?
And which (I hope) till I my life shall finish,
Nor
peace
nor
war,
nor ought else, shall diminish?
What have I got? or what can I obtain
By seeking thus, your madness to restrain,
But their displeasure, who delight in war?
And, my despiteful foes, already are?
The profit will be yours; And, this alone
My recompense will be, that I have done
My duty, in persuading you unto
That, which my heart believes, you ought to do.
Contemn not, therefore, what I now advise,
Though I may seem despised, in their eyes,
Who counsel otherwise. Seek to be quiet;
And, add this short-receipt unto your diet:
To qualify your
self-destroying-rage,
Take,
Time, Rue, Patience;
and as much of
Sage
As may be needful: Then, mix speedily
All these ingredients, and, them so apply
As you have oft been taught; So, GOD shall cure
Or qualify this
English-Calenture;
Which is, an Epidemical disease,
That, on this nation, everywhere doth seize,
As did the
Sweating Sickness:
If we may
Confide, in what Chronologers do say.
Why will ye perish and endanger all
Your neighbors; and, three Kingdoms by your fall,
Since you may shun it, and be safe and blessed?
A refuge, to the needy, and oppressed?
What moveth you, that, to escape a fear,
You fly into a mischief, or a snare?
What is it makes you fear, where no fear is,
And, fearless of true dangers, but, even this,
That, neither of GOD'S threats, you awful grow;
Nor love your neighbor, as you ought to do?
Some of you, have, it seems, a thirst for
blood,
And, peradventure, for that reason, GOD
Will give them
blood
to drink. Their heart is far
From
peace;
and, he will come to them, in war.
The
sons of Consolation
have been scorned;
And, therefore, he his
Messengers
hath turned
To
sons of thunder,
who, as they desire,
Will speak to them in Sulphur and in Fire.
A
Spirit of detraction,
and of
lying,
On paper-wings, among you hath been flying,
Till, as it seems, GOD hath, for that offense,
Expos'd you to a
reprobated sense,
Believing lies; and, to an Appetite
Bewitched with a gluttonous delight
In blasphemies, and falsehoods; which are vented
For every mornings breakfast, newly minted:
And, that gross diet, hath begot in you
Those evil humors, which distemper, now,
Your
Body-Politike;
and makes your
Peace
Disrelish, by a loathsome nauseousnesse.
You may, perchance, believe, by their delusions,
Who have abused your trust, to your confusions,
And their own shame; that, you yourselves are banding,
For
Christ
his Kingdom: And, arm, for withstanding
Of his
opposers:
But, take heed, I pray,
Lest you prove, rather, to be such as they,
Who, think they do GOD service, when they spill.
The blood of those, who seek to do his will.
I will, and must acknowledge, that in you
There is a zeal: But, this is also true,
That, most of you have not obtained, yet,
That knowledge, which true Zealots doth befit.
Religious,
I confess, you are; and, so,
The
Jews
were too, when GOD did overthrow
Their greatest City; yea, they never seemed
So worthily devout to be esteemed,
(According to their Law) yet, then GOD shook
Their whole foundation, and quite from them took
That
Law,
and
place,
for which they did not spare
Their lives, nor ought, which unto them was dear.
Yea, through that means, by which they would prevent
That loss, they lost it: Even when innocent,
And guiltless blood they spilled: And, they who run
Their course, will doubtless fare as they have done.
Your selves therefore delude not, with bare shows
Of sanctity; but seriously dispose
Your minds to
charity,
that Christian
peace
May settled be; and brutish
discord
cease.
For, all your pious, and your moral works
Are nothing better, then are those of
Turks,
Or
Pagans,
till a
will
renewed doth move
To
action,
by a principle of
love.
You
preach;
but, preach ye
Christ,
with less contention,
And, that shall be of
strife
a good prevention:
You
write;
but, put less gall into your ink;
And, let not your expressions taste, and stink
Of bitter slanders, to the provocation
Of vengeance, and of furious indignation:
For, when from us unseemingly speeches flow,
Although out cause be right, we are not so.
You
fast:
But, if you fast not more from strife,
Oppression, pride, and from a wicked life;
Your fastings, never will procure your peace,
But, rather, your confusions more increase.
You
pray:
But, pray as
Phineas
did; and we
Shall better fruits of your
long-prayer
see.
You
list yourselves,
the
Army
to resist:
But, to be reconciled, have better list
Then you have had: And, seek, and follow more
The likely way of
peace,
then heretofore.
For, you may conquer more with
loving words,
Then with your pistolls, and your naked swords:
And, you shall get more profit and more praise,
Then by those
Forces
you intend to raise:
And, thousands, who would
dying,
curse your
rage,
Shall
live,
and bless you, in another age.
What makes
you,
and our
Army
now to be,
So jealous of-each other as, we see,
But, even
self-love
and
pride,
which
you,
and
they
Pursue in others? Or, because each day
You more and more, in manners grow like them,
Whose guiltiness you rail at, and condemn?
For, most of those, who in these times pretend
To Reformation, do but seem to mend
Their neighbors faults, that, they, thereby, to make
Themselves,
and
Fortunes,
may occasion take;
Yea, zealouslie they labor to remove
And punish Tyrants: But, it may from love,
And not from hate of Tyrannie arise,
That, they remove those men who tyrannize.
For, it is done, perhaps, that in the room
Of
Tyrants,
they, like Tyrants may become;
Else 'twere not possible, that we should see
Suppressed Tyrants,
every day to be
Out-vi'd by their Successors; and out-gone
By those, who blamed most, what they have done.
'It is not, because you seek the
public good,
That you renew this
War:
For, letting-blood,
(Especially, now when the
Dog-star
reigns)
So near the heart, and in those master-veins,
Now likely to be op'ned, seems, to me,
Not
Physic,
but, true butcherie, to be.
'It is not for GOD, that you do now promove
This Quarrell: For, you know, that GOD is Love;
And, when he doth engage you in a war,
It always evidently doth appear,
How it conduceth to the preservation
Of
amity,
and
union,
in a Nation;
And that we cannot otherwise avoid
The having of those Freedomes quite destroid,
By which we should conserve it: But, in this
Your quarrel, no such thing apparent is.
'It is not, because
one Party
doth incline
Unto a differing form of
Discipline,
Which toother side dislikes, from whence arose
This
Quarrell,
(though from thence it partly flows:)
For,
prudence,
wheresoever love remains,
In any measure, tempers or restrains
From all extremes; as you by those may see,
Who moderate in either
Partie
be,
And firm to principles, which do preserve
The essence of our Faith: And, they observe
That your contentions, rather, do arise
From fleshly lusts, and carnal vanities,
Then from that zeal pretended; and, there's none
Will doubt it, if you willfully go on
In blood-sned; and, endeavor not for grace,
To make your
fury,
give discretion place.
'It is not the fallings, or the imperfections
Of your
opinions,
but, of your affections,
Which heightens discords; and a will to please
Back-sliding
Demas,
and
Diotrophes,
Which hath surprised you. 'It is a disregard
Of
Justice,
in
chastisements,
and
reward,
And, that respect of persons, which each side
Is guilty of; if both be not beli'd.
For, if by simptomes, I the truth may gather,
The
City,
and the
Army
too, had rather
Adventure their safe being (by denial
Of yielding up their minions to trial)
Then to permit, that Justice shall proceed
Impartially. Both are, it seems, agreed,
What ever their well-willers do propose,
To save their
Malefactors,
though they lose
Themselves, and all their Tribe, (as, for that crime,
The
Benjamites
once did, in former time)
And (which more aggravates) even thus they do,
Though they have seen the
King,
for doing so,
Set half beside his Throne; And, though they see
This Parliament, endangered to be,
Even for the self-same fault: So hard a thing,
It is, even for the best of men, to bring
Their wills, and their affections, to submit
To justice, though they cannot fly from it.
But, they will still be trying to avoid
Her just injunctions, till they be destroi'd,
And hence, hence, chiefly floweth all those factions,
Those mischiefs, discords, and all those distractions,
That are among us; And, he that assays
To show them the disorder of their ways,
(And their unsafeness) though with no intent,
But, their, and your destruction, to prevent:
Or, when he minds them of it, though he spares
Their persons; And the matter so prepares,
By couching it in generals, that they
Who are to blame, correct their errors may,
Without disgrace; yet, they return him still,
Unkindnesses (at least) for his good will;
Deprive him, of his freedom, or estate;
Eclipse his credit, or his person hate;
Or, at the best, regard what he hath spoke,
No more then doth a Starue, or a block.
And, ten to one, when some of those do hear
These motives unto
peace;
they, will go near
To question it before Authority,
As if I had enfeebled much thereby,
The people's hands. The Jews, to this effect,
In such a case, did spitefully object
Against the life of
Jeremiah;
but, he
Who saved him then, will do the like for me.
Oh! let the
City;
Let our
Army
too,
Consider wisely, what they have to do;
And, that, among the best, are imperfections
Which call to us, for brotherly affections
To cover them; and, helps, to cure them, rather,
Then Instruments to seek, or, Arms to gather
To spoil each other. 'It is our Ignorances
And want of, love and meekness which advances
Our spleenes against our brethren. We so long
Have, at each other,
bitter-speakings
flung.
And shot the Arrows of revising words;
That, they provoke us, to unsheath our swords,
And, execute; before it doth appear
Which
party
is to blame; and which is clear:
Or, whether any cause may be perceived,
Why both (though guilty) may not be reprieved.
Their
party,
or their single interest
Doth, oft, so biasse men from what is best
For them to practice: And, vain
policy
In outward seeming, doth appear so nigh
To blameless prudence; that it draws them on
To think
injustice
warrantable done:
Or, that, (at least) it warrants them to think,
They, at injustice, in their own, may wink:
Especially, if they conceive, it may
From any good design, take strength away.
And this false
principle,
and wrong proceed,
Made thereupon, much injury doth breed.
This makes, the
Presbyterian-Party
mad,
That, any of their side, though nev'r so bad,
Should questioned be. This, also blinds them so
From seeing what it doth invite them to,
That it hath rend'red them much willinger
To hazard all by a
renewing-war,
Then, leave them to that
trial,
which perchance
Would clear them; And their innocence advance.
This maketh many, on the other side,
As partial, and unable to abide
That, their partakers, should with ought be charged:
Whereas, had their impeachments been enlarged
With such of their own
party,
who, by fame
Proclaimed are, to be no less to blame,
Then some accused; And, of whose offense,
They might have got as good intelligence;
It had prevented all those jealousies,
Which from their seeming partialities,
Have lately sprung; and, which will be removed,
When they, who so advised, have improved
Their counsel into practice; As e're this
It had been done; but, that, you know there is
A
Remora
in most things; and, that some
To all good motions, opposites become.
Had they (as I presume they mean to do)
Cast resolutely off, all leaning to
That, which their
party
doth denominate,
And, only sought the settling of the State,
According to the Laws; and how to bring
An Union 'twixt the people and the King,
By bringing all, indifferently to bide
Th'impartial Test, by which they should be tried;
It had, before this day, a period set,
To our chief troubles. And, this peace is, yet,
But, for a time, defer'd; unless you mar
That future blessing, by a present war.
Demur, therefore, a while, e're you pursue
Those thoughts or actions, which your hearts may rue,
Do not false courage from those vap'rings take,
Or, those high-flying vaunts, which they do make,
Who would engage you; though, with fair preten
To reason, justice; and with confidence,
They would beguile you. For, no men appear
More arrogant, more bold, or less to fear
Then they, whom GOD infatuates, rejects,
And giveth over unto those effects,
Which their own wit to put in action those,
As in despite of what he doth propose.
Let not those foolish, fruitless, policies,
(Those impudent and those truth-seeming lies)
Which they on all occasions do invent,
As their most useful gin and instrument
To work their ends; Let not these draw you to
Their
course,
from that, wherein you ought to go:
For, they do but delude you. When ye hear
That, they give out, the
Counties
will appear
To be your aid; believe it not, till you
Perceive them coming: For, they do not know
Your Quarrell; neither why you should oppose
Your most deserving Friends, as greatest Foes.
When you shall hear them, for the King pretend,
That, they may draw his
party,
to befriend
Their new design. Or, when they cry,
The King!
The King! The King!
with promises to bring
His person hither; and make show to settle
Your
peace
by him: Believe them, but a little,
For, they who so pretend, do neither dare
To bring him hither; neither able are.
And, though they were; The King so well descries
Where, his best play, and chief advantage, lies;
What, with his principles, may best agree;
Why, they, who would not have him, willing be
To have him now: Yea, so to him 'tis known,
Who for the public ends; who, for their own,
Restrain him, or enlarge him; whom to trust;
Who, firm, or fickle were; who false, or just,
Either to him, or others; And, hath made
So many proofs, of things whereof he had
No trial heretofore; that, well I know,
His bought experience will permit him, now,
To trust to none but them, whose honesty
Is their chief honor, and best policy:
And, when GOD hath inclined him, so to do;
He shall trust us, and we shall trust him too.
That, this
Conjunction
may not be prevented,
Let that, which you determine, be repented.
Quench, ere too late, the
fire
which is begun;
And, lest, to be unquenchable it run,
Remove the
fuel;
pour upon the
flame
True penitential tears; And, grow more tame,
More wise, more charitable, yea, more meek;
And, in GOD'S grace, your peace and safety seek:
Which, cannot be expected, whilst with them,
You are at variance, who are dear to him;
Or, whilst you those resist, whom he doth call
To do his work; although, perhaps, they shall
Not do it for his sake, as they pretend;
But, for their own, and some unworthy end.
By, generally, shutting up your shops,
Make not a sad obstruction, in the hopes
Of your subsistence; which, will over-soon
Consumed be, though that were left undone:
For, by this
Stratagem,
your
Politicians,
Will but accelerate their own perditions,
By heightening of their fury, who thereby,
Shall feel the gripes of helpless poverty:
Use, rather, what good means your wits afford
As well to keep off
hunger,
as the
sword;
That, you may have a
being,
till GOD please
To consummate the cure of this disease.
Take heed, what those good
Priests,
and
Prophets
say,
Who preach to you, a
charitable way,
Unto your
peace;
And, do not be beguile'd
By those, who counsel to divide the
Child;
But, trust unto his wisdom, and his doom
From whom, the sentence, on your ways, must come:
And if you needs will armed be, put on
(As you ought, long ere this time, to have done)
The
Christians complete Arms.
For, then, if you
Shall be destroyed, so, will I be too.
If, for the public-weal, that
Host
appear,
Of whose intents, you seem to stand in fear;
You have no cause of dread. If, they conceal
A private aim, beneath a public zeal;
Or veil their pride, their Avarice, or hate,
With Godliness, or service to the State;
If they shall seek, one
faction
to suppress;
Indulge the wicked, or the wickedness
Of their own
party;
And, proceed, as though
God would not heed, what they unjustly do;
Then, God himself against them shall appear;
And, for your Cities guard, a standard rear:
A buckler he shall wield, and interpose
'Twixt you, and them, to ward away their blows:
Then, he shall save you from their cruelty,
And, be avenged on their hypocrisy,
Without your guilt: And, crumble them, till they,
With all their hopes, and glories, fume away;
As theirs have done, who out of grace were thrust,
In former times, for their abused trust.
And, this will be, successively, the doom,
That shall on all our false Reformers come,
Till all such perish; and, till such appear,
As, neither will, for profit, love, or tear,
Corrupted be. If, for sinister ends,
You false have plaid, with your well-meaning Friends:
If, you, to gain advantages, have straid
From due performing ought, which you have said:
If, out of willfulness, or, out of pride,
And haughtiness of mind, you thus provide
To give them battle; GOD will find it out,
And punish, till amendment he hath wrought.
Yea, both of you, if both of you shall be
Alike perverse, alike reward will he.
But, hark! a strong Alarum I do hear,
The Army, you so dread, is drawing near,
And, will not long be hence; I will therefore
(Before the
Drums
beat, and the
Cannons
roar
Too loud for them to hear me) now direct
Some words to them, in hope of good effect:
For, thousands of them know me: and, perchance,
It may more profit you, then an advance
With all your
force
against them. Howsoever;
I will try, how GOD will prosper my endeavor.
Friends
of that honor'd
Army,
by whom, we
Have had assistance; and, yet hope to see
This War concluded; me with patience hear.
And, to that end, a little while forbear
To prosecute that work, which may be done
Yet soon enough. And, oh! I fear, too soon.
I come with no defiance; nor to bring
A charge against you, touching anything
Wherein you may be censured to abuse
Your power or trust: For, thereof to accuse,
I neither have Commission, nor intent:
Nor knowledge, have I, were I thereto bent,
Of the determinations, or the ways
Which you pursue; save, as that
Rumour
says,
Whose contradictions, do so much condemn
Her own
Relations,
that, I trust not them.
Nor do I blame you, though it be confessed
In your
expresses,
that you have transgressed
The bounds of
Common-Order,
in some things:
Because, to me experience, knowledge, brings
Of that
Necessity,
which lawful makes
What
Law
forbids: And, that when
self-will
takes
A lawless Liberty, which may disable
To save the
public,
by means warrantable,
In ordinary course; the SUMMUM JUS
Of
human nature,
then, entitles us,
Unto a rightful freedom, to dispense
With any
human Law,
in our defense.
Because, our preservation, is that
end,
Whereto all Laws do principally tend.
Now, whether you
necessitated
were
To such a course, you more concerned are
In weighing it then I; and, better know
Upon what grounds you have conceived so.
I know that such
necessities
may be;
I know, that they, who feel them, best can see,
How great they are: I, likewise know, that they
And their adherents, who the tyrants play,
Have seldom such
necessities
confessed,
To light on any, till they were oppressed
Beyond repair; And, therefore, leaving, now,
This matter to be scan'd, alone, by you,
And your own consciences; I will present
What, I think, future mischiefs may prevent.
If, therefore, now, among you, any be
Who need it, take this brief advice of me.
If you come armed, not for
war,
but
peace,
And, look, that GOD should your proceedings bless;
Remember
those main principles, whereon
You seem to ground, what hath, by you, been done.
GOD's
glory, public safety,
and the
Laws,
With your
just liberty,
were all the cause
Of your engaging; and, therefore take heed,
That, you for no designment, now, proceed,
Of private consequence, least you destroy
The hope of that, which you might else enjoy.
Let, in your sight, your brethren's blood be dear;
Let not the riches of this place, appear
A prize, to draw, or tempt you, further then
Becometh just, and bravely-minded men.
To this renowned City, wherein you
Have many Friends, a true compassion show,
Though she provoked you; know, that nobler, far,
Are
Savior's,
then an
Executioner.
Let
Justice
have due course, though hand she lay
Upon your
Darlings:
For, one
Achan
may
Endanger your whole
Camp;
and you have seen
How plagued, for
Injustice,
we have been.
From needless violence, with-hold your hands,
Let moderation be in your demands;
That, by your actions, they, whose Papers fly,
To your dishonor, may receive the lie.
To utter now unto you, I have more,
Yea, many things material, yet, in store.
But, whilst this
line
is writing, I am told,
Oh,
Line
is entered, and our
Southerne-Hold.
And, therefore, here I pause—
These words are vain; and, all, that we can do,
Except, GOD adds his blessing thereunto.
"O LORD! thou great
Peace-maker,
therefore say,
"Amen
to that, for which I now shall pray.
"Out of our present
dangers, safety
bring;
"Out of our
darkness,
let thy true
light
spring;
"Peace,
out of these our
wars; love,
out of
hate;
"Out of
disorders,
a well-settled
State.
"Let
People, City, King,
and
Parliament,
"And, all
dissenting-parties,
now, assent,
"And, so, unite; that, none may them divide:
"Make us well principled; and, so, abide.
"Make us sincerely practice, and profess
"A single-Truth, in
simple-Righteousness.
"Yea, now, when all the
Powers
within this
Land,
"Are in confusion, and amazed stand,
"Affrighted by each other; now, when
sin
"Is like to hazard all; do thou begin
"To work alone; and, raise, thou, out of that,
"A
Change,
which all the
Land
shall wonder at.
"And, if my own
corruptions
be not, yet,
"Too many, such a blessing to permit,
"Mind me in mercy too; And, mind me, so,
"That, they, who have oppressed me, may know,
"I am a
Servant,
who, to thee, is dear;
"What ever, to the world, I may appear:
"And, hasten that Deliverance, O LORD!
"Which thy compassion shall to me afford:
"For, in my
sufferings,
I am left alone;
"And,
friend,
or
hope,
but thee, LORD! I have none.
Fiat voluntas Dei.