Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	great_a	let_v	sinner_n	1,997	5	7.5506	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96785	Vox pacifica a voice tending to the pacification of God's wrath; and offering those propositions, or conditions, by the acceptation, and performance whereof, in some good measure, a firme and continuing peace may be obtained. It is directed to the King, Parliaments, and people of these islands: By Geo. Wither Esquire, (a commander in this war) heretofore their unheeded remebbrancer [sic] of plagues and deliverances past; and their timely forewarner of the judgments now come. He hath disposed it into six books, or canto's, whereof foure onely are contained in this volumne; and the other deferred to be hereafter published, as there shall be cause.	Wither, George, 1588-1667.	1645 (1645)	Wing W3210; Thomason E1242_1; ESTC R202399	111,848	215

loudly roare That he shall heare unlesse repent he do Ere long and heare it with a vengeance too Let him repent his having long attempted His loving-people to inslave and grieve For he from vengeance will not be exempted By pleading an usurp'd Prerogative Let him repent the cov'ring his intents With Protestations and religious showes Since these are made such thred-bare complements That ev'ry one almost their meaning knowes Nor let him longer foole himselfe to think The World perceives not what his projects be For he is blinde or wilfully doth wink Who cannot at a hundred loop-holes see That many yeares before this war begun He purposed the course he now doth run Then that he may without despairing heare Let him with penitence before it comes To all those wholsome Counsels lend an eare Which timely may prevent ensuing doomes To mollifie his heart let him present Before his understanding and his eye How spoiled and how miserably rent His three late-happy-Kingdomes now do lie Let him give eare unto those just complaints Which his distressed Subjects have prefer'd Let him regard the suffrings of the Saints Let living-moanes or dying-groanes be heard The Widdowes prayer and the Orphans cries Lest GOD to hear him in distresse denies Let him remember that they who complain And of whose Townes he now doth ashes make Are those who for his safe return from Spaine Made joyfull-Feasts and Bonfires for his sake Let him consider that these are the Nations Ev'n these whom now he tramples under-feet Who him received with glad acclamations And him did oft with love-expressions meet Let him consider that they who enjoy His presence now are those that prey upon him Ev'n some of those who lab'red to destroy His Fathers house and those that have undone him Both in his reputation and estate And merit not his favour but his hate Let him take notice that by his digression From prudent Counsells his most cruell Foes Have so imprison'd him in their possession That of himselfe he cannot now dispose And since all Europe knowes it let him know That though they flatter and upon him fawne He despicable in their eyes doth grow And is by them esteem'd but as a pawne Yea let him also know that he hath got So little credit upon either side That as the Parliament now trusts him not So but few other much in him confide Nor will his lost repure to him return Till for his errours he shall truly mourn Let him consider that whereas he sought To multiplie wild-beasts within his land That GOD in justice now the same hath brought Almost into a Desart to his hand To nourish Beasts his Huntsmen took away His peoples birth-right And behold now he Is therefore hunted like those Beasts of Prey By which the neighb'ring towns molested be When he was in his artificiall-heav'n Which flatring Poets and his Painters made Let him re-minde what Attributes were given With what high Epithetes they made him glad What joy in vanities he then did take And what a GOD of him his Priests did make Let him take notice that there was a doubt His Father came not fairly to his end And that when meanes was made to search it out And Witnesses commanded to attend The Parliament abruptly up was broken And no proceeding afterward therein Let him consider what this may betoken What jealousies it justly might let in If any were suspected without cause Their Innocence by triall had been clear'd If justly tax'd why had not then the Lawes Their course why was not that accuser heard Cleare or not cleare some body was to blame That such an accusation quasht became Nay these three Kingdomes did neglect in this Adutie which they questionlesse did owe And partly for that negligence it is That GOD for bloud doth make enquirie now For of each Subject of the meanst respect Ev'n of the Beggar by the high-way side The King hath an accompt upon suspect That by the hand of violence he di'd And should a King that living had protected So many millions dying so be fleighted That when he to be murther'd was suspected Not one should be examin'd or indited Believe it this Neglect is now rewarded For thousands die and petish unregarded In all three Kingdoms was there never a one To second the Physitians Eglesham And Ramsey had he not a powerfull Son And his Beloved servant Buckingham Were there not some about him who then had No hopes but those which on his life were laid Had he not Lords and Earles enough then made Who by this dutie might have partly paid For his respects Could none of all those things Call'd Bishops upon whom in life he doted Whom he esteem'd the Angell-guard of Kings Whom he out of the dung-hill had promoted To sit with Princes could of all these none Repute him worth regard when he was gone Let him remember and consider well What judgements have on that neglect ensu'd How suddenly the Duke soon after fell What direfull vengeance hath this Land pursu'd Ev'n to this day and know there is a GOD Who though Kings do neglect it or assay To hide it will be searching after bloud And all concealed mischiefs open lay This let him do lest he that might have worn The glorious'st Christian Wreath ere long become To be abroad 〈◊〉 laughing-stock and scorn And past regaining honour here at home For yet he may return and if he do He shall recover all his Honour too There is a way if he will seek to finde it To greatest Honours thorow this Disgrace There is a meanes if he will truly minde it By which this wonder may be brought to passe To no worse end this VOICE doth now discover His failings but to drive him to this course To no worse purpose is he thus blackt over But that he might not be defiled worse And this VOICE prophesies that if he shall With upright-heartednesse pursue that Path He shall not onely be restor'd to all His honours lost and be redeem'd from wrath But also farre more honourable grow Then all the Kings of Europe raigning now Belief works greater wonders let him then Believe it may be and it shall be done He hath too much believed many men Whose Word was lesse to be reli'd upon The precious'st Pe●rles lie deepest in the Seas The richest stones from hardest recks are hew'd The darkest mornings have prov'd glorious dayes Great mercies to great Sinners have been shew'd When to repentance GOD was pleas'd to call Manasseh few were better Kings then he When he converted perfecuting Saul A glorious change in him the Church did see And so there may be now For who can tell But that to make you rise your Sov'raigne fell If he suppose that he may find evasions From any thing against him here exprest Yet of offences since he gave occasions Let him not in his own uprightnesse rest But since GOD both with Scandalls and the Sword Pursues him at the heeles let him repent Let him

daily by the Dragons-Taile Are smitten or affrighted from their Spheare That you may those Elected-Ones be sound Who cannot by Deceivers be deceiv'd That with those Conquerours you may be crown'd Who shall not of their Garlands be bereav'd That of the Kingdome seizure you may take Which GOD on Perseverers doth bestow And not be shut from thence by looking back When you have set your hands unto the plough In this Back-sliding some already are Some nearer to it than they are aware For so imprudent are Men discontent That to avenge their personall neglects Complaints for private injuries they vent As Nationall-affronts and dis-respects Whereas it is apparent ev'rie day That many members of each sev'rall Nation Do suffer by their owne as much as they In Person in Estate and Reputation And that both Nations mutually have showne Vnlesse perhaps among the baser sort As loving a respect as to their owne And therefore let not Prudent-men retort Mistaken wrongs or quarrels be begun 'Twixt them for that which Fooles and Knaves have done Let not those jealousies which were perchance Devis'd by them who in your spoiles delight Make you imprudently their ends advance And you to their Advantage dis-unite If some of them discourtesies have showne To some of yours or injuries have done It is no more than you unto your owne Have offred oft since first this War begun An Army cannot possibly be free From all Injustice and yet oftentimes Ill-will and men who dis-contented be Will make complaints much larger than the crimes But cursed be their malice and their tongues Who Nations would divide for private wrongs Your Fathers felt and some of you have heard The Deadly-Fewds betweene you heretofore Which if your owne well-being you regard Would make you glad it might be so no more And entertaine and cherish with all dearnesse The brotherly Affection which that Nation Hath late exprest and with a true sincerenesse Be carefull of your mutuall preservation Yea if the sons of Belial and of Blindnesse On either Partie rightly understood How greatly to perpetuate this kindnesse Between the Nations it concernes their good Ev'n in those outward things which they respect They would not your dis-union so project Believe it this is not the way to Peace But rather to an never-ending war And likelier new troubles to increase Then set a period unto those that are And they who willingly shall tind such flames Or wilfully foment them merit well To be esteem'd to their perpetuall shames The Plagues of earth and Fierbrands of hell For of your Scottish-Brethren wherefore now Yee English-Britaines are ye jealous growne Who have exprest more faithfulnesse to you Then you your selves unto your selves have shown Or wherein have they seemingly abus'd Your trust whereof they may not be excus'd They would appeare to be confided in With lesse distrust if ever you had heard On what conditions they allur'd have bin To be dishonourable for reward For when the Prelates-War had them constrain'd To arme themselves against the superstitions Intruded on them when they had regain'd Their Peace with honour and on good conditions And when your Army could have been content Vonat'rally on promise of reward To turne their Swords upon this Parliament And so had surely done had they not fear'd The Scots then on their Rear they were the men who kept you from the mischeef purpos'd then Had they been trustlesse or had aim'd at ends As base as many of your own have had Your Foe e're this had done what he intends And you and yours perhaps had slaves been made For to allure them four brave Northerne Shires Should have annexed been to Scottish-ground To beare expences and to pay Arreares A paune to be three hundred thousand pound In Jewells was design'd York should have had The Soveraigne-Seat of royall-Residence The Scottish Generall should have been made The chiefe of both your Armies and the Prince In Scotland should have had his education All which together seem'd a strong temptation Yet more was offred For to each Commander Revenue Office yea and Honour too Was promis'd and th'unvaluable plunder Of London to both Armies What to do To force the Parliament to make the King A Monarch absolute and you and your Into perpetuall slavery to bring By an ill-gotten Arbitrary power But these temptations their brave minds abhor'd Of which their noblenesse this VOICE shall be An everlasting Trophee and Record Wherein these times and times to come shall see How we to sale were offred and how these Disdain'd to thrive by base advantages If they be faithlesse and you shall be true GOD will with shame and vengeance send them home If you unfaithfully your Vowes pursue Possessors of your Land they shall become In spight of all your policies and power Here they shall settle whither they were set To do the work of GOD as well as your Who will requite the kindnesse you forget But if without hypocrisie and guiles You Brethren-like shall strengthen one another In setting up his Throne within these Isles By and in whom you seem now kn●t together Both shall thereby that happinesse enjoy Which all the powers on Earth shall not destroy Look therefore well about you and persever In your vow'd union For the maine designe Is to divide you and to that indeavour Your Foes withall their Faculties combine Yea and of such like projects there are other Through levitie or malice so promoted As if to ruine these three Realmes together It were almost unanimously voted No Chronicle hath showne no age hath seen An Empire so divided and yet stand Or that a Nation so corrupt hath been Whose desolation was not near at hand And if you shall escape it be it knowne To all now living and that shall be borne A greater Mercie never was bestowne On any Kingdome since a Crown was worne And that no Nations who so much professe In outward show did ere deserve it lesse Although by vowes and dutie you are tide Yet you are carelesse in pursuing either And play at fast and loose on ev'ry side Fair seeming friends to both but true to neither He that 's within your Covenants and conceives Himselfe ingaged by those Obligations To bring to triall those whom he believes Injurious to the safety of these Nations Oft into greater danger thereby falls Of secret mischiefs of reproofs or troubles Then they whom justly to account he calls And by this meanes your Foe his power doubles Takes courage and accomplisheth his ends By making you to ruine your own friends T is oft more safe to let the Commonweale Be ruin'd or betraid then to oppose A Traytor or with freedome to reveale That which your vowes oblige you to disclose Your personall immunities of late Are so insisted on that many feare The Publike-Priviledge to vindicate Least they Infringers of the first appeare And if there be not some provisions made Whereby free-men their minds may freely say When probable suspitions they have

their worth or innocencie wrong Let it redound to their owne infamie Let ev'rie check from which they shall be free An augmentation to their honour be And let it not discourage them a whit That now those temp'rall Dignities are gone Which oft in their possessors pride beget And really are honour unto none Since by their lives and doctrines they may more Their Persons and their Callings dignifie Then Wealth and Titles have done heretofore And reach true honours highest pitch thereby For who when Prelacie did highest seem Were honour'd by the People or the Peers With more unfain'd affection and esteem Then they are now whom reall worth endeers Oh! let this honour still on them attend And let their counsels move you to amend For every one hath erred in his wayes King Priest and People have alike misgone As doth the Flock ev'n so the Shepheard strayes And there is no man perfect no not one It is not in the pow'r of words to tell How farre below esteeme your vertues are Or how in wickednesse you would excell If wholly left to your own selves you were Could you but look into your hearts and view How many villanies those cavernes hide Beside all those which words and deeds do shew Or may by circumstances be descride You could not but unfainedly confesse That you are yet uncapable of peace Could you permit your blinded eyes to heed How while you smart you multiply offence How that which awfull penitence should breed Hath changed errour into impudence Could you perceive before it were too late How fast you fell away since you began To faile in your professions to the State And to be faithlesse both to GOD and Man You would abhorre your selves and be affraid Your soules by transmigration would ere long Passe into sottish Beasts For you have straid Beyond that blockishnesse which is among The noblest Brutes and hardly do escape With so much of true manhood as the shape There is no pittie of the Fatherlesse Or of the poore afflicted Widdowes teares No charitable heed of their distresse Whose miserie most evident appears They who have gladly lent and spent and given Goods Blood and best-assistance to defend The Common-safety till they have been driven To want of Bread have hardly found a friend Some other who oft hazzarded their lives For your protection and have quite undone Their dearest Children and beloved Wives To do you service have been look'd upon Without regard and worse by far have sped Then they who nothing have contributed Nay would it were but so their and your Foes By your injustice or your heedlesnesse Finde meanes to spatter and to ruine those Whom to defend you did with vowes professe And though their deeds have through this Isle proclaim'd Their faithfulnesse you gladly suffer them By cunning whisperers to be defam'd And Falshoods words Truths actions to condemn Before due trialls you through Avarice Or Envie with contentednesse can heare Desert traduc'd and with such prejudice Receive Detractions as if glad you were Of such false Quittances to make a show Of having paid that debt which yet you owe It is indeed the Polititians way Thus to requite And therefore he that bring● Obligements greater then discharge they may On thanklesse Nations or on fathlesse Kings Instead of due reward shall be repaid With causlesse jealousies and with suspect Of having either failed or betraid Their Trust by fa●shood or by some neglect And then it must a Mercie be believ'd If He for all the service he hath done In lieu of wh●● he thought to have receiv'd With life and losse of honour may be gone And this will now the portions be of some Whom better usage better will become And how can GOD have peace with such a Nation In which this b●senesse and this falshood lurks Which is rejected with much detestation Among the brutish Salvages and Turks Or how can you to other men be true Who to your selves are false as may appear By many practices which you pursue Through wilfulnesse through follie or through feare For whosoever tyranny defends And sets himselfe that Party to oppose Which for the Publike Libertie contends Betrayeth his own person to his Foes Or if perchance his person free he saves Himselfe in his Posterity inslaves Nay you who seem the better part to take Ev'n y●u are to your selves as false as they The Price of blood a thing of nought you make And complement Advantages away Your Passes and Protections you bestow Nor as though to your safety they pertain'd But rather your Authority to show Who gave them Or that profit might be gain'd To Clarks and Secretaries And your care Is not at all times how you may supply A place of Trust with such as fathfull are Or fittest for the States necessitie But soonest they those favours do obtain Who sell the Publike for their private gain Nor Ablenesse their duty to discharge Nor losse nor suffrings for the common Cause Nor of Integrity good proofes at large Respect to such a mans preferment drawes Nay he that by a generall assent Was nominated and petition'd for Without his seeking in the Parliament To services of Trust and which is more Had these imployments also recommended By Order thence hath now a year unheard For answer from those Referrees attended Without so much as hope of their regard Because though to the Publike-weale it tends 'T is found it will disprofit private friends Your Indiscreet Indulgence suffers those Who loose their Bloud and Liberties for you To lie in worse condition then your Foes To whom an equall usage seemeth due Yea while in loathsome dungeons they remain Who captivated in your service were Sweet Lodgings and respect their Foes obtain When in your Quarters they imprison'd are By which unequallnesse till their side please To show more mercy much discouragement Your Partie findes and disadvantages Which moderate severenesse might prevent And you more Cruelty then Mercie show When Mercy you on Cruell-men bestow He that to ruine you no spight hath spar'd If he submit although but to deceive you Shall find more courtesie and more regard Then he who never left nor meanes to leave you He that with Outrage hath your townes embroil'd He that hath in your blond his hands imbrew'd Your friends of their chiefe livelihood despoil'd And to his utmost power that course pursu'd He if for favour though constrain'd he come Shall not alone finde meanes to set him free With his Possessions for a triviall summe But also quickly countenanced be With Friends and Favours him inabling too Your faithful'st friends and servants to undo False to your selves you are in not assaying To execute the fulnesse of your power In these Extremities and in delaying To take those Freedomes which are justly your The Members of your Body wasted are And such as are of that consumption glad Vnlesse prevented will the cure defer Vntill it cannot possibly be had By raising feares of some supposed-thing Which

We could have instanced in many things Discov'ring that their number is not few Whose Crueltie Reproach and Curses brings On those Proceedings which they did pursue With Prudence and with Mercie should relieve The Publike more and private men lesse grieve One part of you contributes to the King The other Partie to the Parliament To these you personall assistance bring To these you liberally your goods have lent Yet most of you who thus ingaged are Are both to King and Parliament untrue For many signes your faithlesnesse declare And many things your giddinesse doth shew You are most firme to that which you conceive Your private weal or safety best promotes While that is doubtfull you Demurs can weave When that is plaine you quickly turne your Coats And to that end you craftily provide Quaint shifts to serve your turnes on either side Some by Intelligence themselves indear Or by some service acted under-hand By secret Favours Friends you can prepare Who in the Gap for you at need shall stand Some have a Son a Father or a Brother Who Ledger with your Adverse-party lies To make good Terms of Peace for one another According as Occasions may arise And to advance this Project they who spend Their Blood and Fortunes with a single heart Indeavouring truly for the noblest end Engaged are to act a desp'rate part Which into present mischiefs them doth cast And into feares of greater at the last You have not Faith enough in GOD to trust Though wonder-working Faith you do pretend And that hath tempted you to things unjust That makes you on your arme of flesh depend That makes you bold when you should rather feare And fearfull grow when you should bolder be That makes your Foe so vigilant appeare And you so many things to over-see That makes you for your Ayd poor tricks devise And take that Course which Scandall on you draws That makes you think that false Reports and Lies Are meritorious in an Honest-Cause And by these fallings you your peace delay And justifie your foes in their lewd way They who abhorre Pluralities in other And in your Clergie hate non-residence Can Office unto Office joyn together And in themselves suppose it no offence Some can heap up Command upon Command Share or take all the honour and the pay When but for cyphers nay for lesse they stand And other mens true value take away Some when the Publike was in great distresse Though they Commanded few had pay for many Yea some of you who better minds professe Were paid for souldiers when you had not any And some have took who yet for payment call In Plunder and Free-quarter more then all Of Orphans cries and of the Widdowes tears Whose Fathers and whose Husbands for your sake Have spent their lives and fortunes in these wars More heed more care more pitie you must take When at your doores and at your feet they lie To crave a part of that which is their own To feed them in their great necessity More Bowells of Compassion must be showne And they who to contribute have not spar'd Paines Councells Prayers Persons nor Estates In publike duties must finde more regard Before the furie of this Plague abates For who can hope the GOD of Righteousnesse Will shew forth mercie to the mercilesse They who in Peace the blood of War have shed As Ioab did or have expos'd their friends And faithfull souldiers to be murthered To hide their Plots or to effect their Ends Must not be winked at nor they who dare So partiall in their judgements to become As to inflict on those that equalls are In their transgressions an unequall-doome For of this partiall dealing there is found A murmur in your streets and Common-fame Reports injustice so much to abound That he speedes best who merits greatest blame And that for sin when Accessaries bleed The Principalls find favour and are freed Your Beasts of prey who live upon the spoile And by the publike ruines fat are growne Must either quite be chased from this Isle Or from their dens be rouz'd and hunted down Your Ambodexters who are neither true To GOD nor Man to King nor Parliament Must learn a better temp'rature to shew And of their fraud and ficklenesse repent Those Rotten-Members those false Officers And those Committee-men who have deceiv'd The Kingdomes Trust must for that guilt of theirs Passe other doomes then yet they have receiv'd Before those wrongs and practices do cease Which keep away your much desired Peace They who have almost perfected the times For desolation by habituating Themselves in Sodom's and Gomorrah's crimes And by an impudently imitating Of their impenitence ev'n they that had The pride of life sacietie of bread And liv'd in idlenesse must now be made To taft their suffrings who are hunger-fed To feele the paines of their laborious life Who sweat in good employments and the scorne Which humble-men have long without reliefe By their oppression and ambition borne These must be humbled and perhaps destroy'd Before your expectations are enjoy'd Your counterfeit and rash Reformers too Must change their hearts and regulate their zeale Ere you shall compasse what you hope to do In matters of the Church or Common-weale Your Scribes and Pharisees who by long prayer Devour poore Widdowes houses and by shewes Of honestie and by pretending faire To pietie good meaning soules abuse They who in tithing mint and annise are More strict then in the weightie points of Law And burthens great for other men prepare When they themselves will hardly lift a straw These must e're perfect Peace you here shall see Be more unvizarded then yet they be Your pettie-Tyrants must be likewise fewer Then now they are e're GOD will condescend To ease your burthens or your griefes to care Or bring your dis-agreements to an end For how in equitie can you expect Your GOD should free you from those injuries That Sov'raignty-abused may inflict Whilst you on one another tyrannize Or how can possibly true Peace be there Where well nigh all are Tyrants to their power And as they get advantage domineer Insult oppresse impov'rish and devoure For this oppression you may plainly see In some of everie Calling and Degree Nigh ev'rie one the King exemplifies In usurpation of Prorogatives Above his due Nay that which he denies Vnto his Prince injuriously he strives To take unto himselfe The Peer upon The Commoner usurps The Husband so Vpon the Wife The Father on the Son And on their Servants thus the Master do In everie Corporation thus presume The Governours yea thus the Magistrate Of lowest ranke doth on himselfe assume What in his Chiefe he will not tolerate And they who their own Freedoms fain would save Are alwaies willing others to inslave These and such Scabs and Tetters must be sear'd E're they will heal And you must cut away Those Members whereon Gangrieves have appear'd Which els this Kingdoms body will destroy For multitudes of those among you

shall please To take true notice of the detriment Sustain'd by them who seeme no adversaries Or them who friend-like in your Quarters live Whose hand at once both fire and water carries And mean worst actions when best words they give If you shall heed how they have cheated bin With honest showes and outward pietie When there was little or nought else within But rotten falshood and hypocrisie You would not murmur as if you had thought This Parliament had failed you in ought Nay you their power and prudence would extoll Or his great wisdome rather and his power Whose mercies are exceeding wonderfull That quite you were not ruin'd ere this houre And marvaile that your Senate could subfist Another day if trulie you did know How manie moneths a dang'rous Vipers-nest Did in the verie bosome of it grow Or if you had a perspective to see What Engines are still moving to unfix them VVhat failings yet in their own Members be VVhat foolings in their fav'rites to perplex them And what a New Division now they run Vnthought on when this Parliament begun For that divided Clergie out of whom As thou fore-saw'st and didst long since fore-shew The present Plagues upon these Lands are come And by whose factions they will endlesse grow If not prevented have betwixt them got Another Quarrell and another Creature Of which the world abroad yet heareth not And which till now among the things of Nature Had not a Being Nay it hath not yet So true a Being though it hath a name That any man may so discover it As truly to expresse or know the same For 't is not what it was nor will it stay To be to morrow what it is to day It is indeed a Thing which neither had Nor shall nor can have any certaine shape A thing in making still but never made A Card drawne out of some Vtopian-Map To make your Pilots steere they know not whither Till they arrive at the Antipodes To saving Truth or else be carried thither By many changing winds on moving Seas Where they shall split upon the rockie shores Of Heresie or suffer ship wrack there Where melancholy Desperation rores Or else into those Creeks be driven where They moored lye in dull Securitie Or land upon a Carnall Libertie Your Linsie-woolsie Faction not appearing So Jesuited as they are made use Of Simon Magus a bewitching hearing And by that Sorcerer did late infuse This fancie and it hath occasioned Such difference in Opinions and so rent Men from each other that the same hath bred Obstructions which disturb the Parlament In their proceedings Yet your enemie By whom this late unlooked for Offence First came shall not effect his end thereby But they who are to be approv'd shall thence Draw Observations and a pious use Of meanes unthought on which will Good produce For at the present though Offence be given And men of Belial by Deceiving-lights Have to their pow'r endeavoured and striven To work their ends by cheating of your sights With false appearances and shewes of Good And though right pious men who see faire showes And have not yet their purpose understood Do for a little while adhere to those Yet when by triall and assisting-Grace The bottome of it fully is discern'd The work desired shall be brought to passe Yes by this wrangling somewhat shall be learn'd To bring a prudent Reformation in And make it purer than it would have bin The Publike Peace then interrupt you not Nor vex your private spirits to promove Those Fancies which Distemp'rature begot And will at last not worth your owning prove Let not Demetrius to maintaine his trade Make up-roares in the Land as if more care Were of his Occupation to be had Than of those things which of most value are But let Discretion teach you to appease Tumultuous spirits by some sweet allay Which peradventure shall prev●ile with these Not only to give eare to what you say But also for the Truth to be ere long As zealous as they were to do it wrong So foolish be not as to shut your eyes Or stop your eares from all that seemeth new Or all things as new sangles to despise Which at first sight seeme uselesse or untrue So furious be not as to prosecure With an uncharitable prosecution All those who in opinion shall not suit With Disciplines of your own Constitution Nor be so mad as wholly to deface All Superstructures on the true Foundation Which are not uniforme to that which was Or that which shall be setled in this Nation For to avoid great inconveniences Wise-men will beare with inconformities Those Doctrines that make void the Morall-Law Those that the Fundamentalls do infringe Of saving-faith Those that mens hearts withdraw From Pietie or give the flesh her swinge Those Disciplines that breake the bands of Peace That interrupt the Civill-Government That sleight the meanes of Pieties increase Or courses that Ill-manners may prevent These are not to be borne with These you may Nay these you must with all your power suppresse And fine confine cut off or send away And so that you may therewithall improve GODS praise the Kingdoms Peace Christian love And if that anie one can means propose Whereby your duties may be better done If anie person can a truth disclose Which hath been clouded since the Day begun If he can tell you or believes he can Informe of anie thing that may concerne GODS glorie or the saving health of man And thinks himselfe to teach and you to learn Oblig'd in conscience And if he shall so Proceed in doing that which he supposeth The Will of GOD requireth him to do That no ungodly aime his Course discloseth Or ought which doth your Publike-peace annoy Why such a Freedom should he not enjoy If anie man a tender conscience hath Which makes him fearfull to offend the same And therewith walkes in so discreet a Path That he deserveth not a publike-blame In anie point aforesaid Why should he Be wrought upon by anie other course Save that whereby the heart may wooed be By Grace and Faith and Reason without Force How shall the Gospells passage be so cleare As is desir'd and as thereto is due If all men be not free to speake and heare On such conditions as before we shew Since to the Church compulsion none invites But some few fooles and manie hypocrites Coercive power indeed is to be us'd In things which to the Outward-man pertaine And wherein Words or actions have abus'd Those Lawes which words or actions do restraine The plots preventing or the practices Which root up those Foundations whereupon You are to build up Piety and Peace Or remedie an evill being done Or for expulsing or correcting those Whose principles whose practice and profession Doth diametrically that oppose Which GOD and Nature puts in your possession As Popelings or such like who do resist Essentially the Government of CHRIST But he that dreames by anie Humane-Law To

gave their Foes into their hand For when he sighteth who can then withstand The Victorie was great and ev'rie one Observ'd what circumstances pleas'd him best But that my thoughts did most insist upon Which others peradventure minded least These Royall-Ensignes from the Field were brought The Lion-Rampant and the Dragon-flying The Roses and Portcullis which me thought Were Pledges future Mercie signifying And so no doubt they shall be if that Race To which GOD calleth us we now shall run And better heed the tokens of his Grace And Earnests of his love than we have done For valiant Fairfax now hath sent us home In Hieroglyphick signes of things to come The Ramping-Lion which doth fignifie A Raging-Tyrant may an Earnest be That GOD will from oppressing Tyrannie Vpon our Good-abearing set us free A Dragon is that most prodigious Beast Whereby the Holy-Ghost hath typifi'd That Foe by whom the Saints are most opprest And by whom daily they are crucifi'd The taking of that Ensigne may fore-shew That if we faithfully the work endeavour The pow'r of Antichrist we shall subdue And from these Islands cast his Throne for ever Vouchsafe us pow'r ô GOD vouchsafe us Grace To drive him and his Angels from this Place The joyning of the Roses doth declare That GOD will to those honours us restore Wherewith he crown'd us when in peace and war We on our Crest those lovely Flowers wore Their blushing Beauties are to me a signe Of that delightfull and soule-pleasing grace Which will make lovely our Church-Discipline When GOD hath chang'd our Discords into Peace The sweetnesse and the vertues of the Rose Do seeme to promise to us those effects And fruit which from internall Graces flowes Yea and their prickles are in some respects Significant for I by them fore-see That his corrections alwayes needfull be By taking their Portcullis from the Foe It may portend and if with penitence We prosecute the Work it shall be so That we have taken from them their defence It may betoken also that GODS hand Will bar our Gates and make our Citie strong And by his Mercie fortifie the Land Against all them who seek to do us wrong But for a surer token of his Grace GOD sends us home among the spoiles of War That Cabinet of Mischiefe wherein was The proofe of what our Foes intentions are And that their projects GOD will still disclose And foole their Policies this Prize fore-showes I then observed in that Victorie Wherewith GODS hand at that time magnifi'd The Peoples-Tribune how much vanitie Is in the Arme of flesh and vaunts of pride And with what good successe he shall advance Who seconded with Meeknesse Faith and Pray'r Doth fight against the rage of Arrogance Of Guilt of Selfe-Dependence and Despaire I furthermore observed that this stroke Was given by a Hand contemn'd of those On whom it fell and that their strength it broke When to themselves great hopes they did propose Yea when they seem'd assured of our fall And thought to ruine and devoure us all And they received that amazing-blow From those Vnited-Brethren whom they thought Their policies had dis-united so That ruine on themselves it should have brought But this by their agreement GOD prevented And gave that victorie to be a signe That if we shall hereafter be contented In love against the Common-Foe to joyne And trust him with our Conscience and our Cause We by that blessed union shall subdue Th'opposers of our Liberties and Lawes And feel the droppings of Mount-Sions dew Be sprinkling all these Islands with increase Of saving-knowledge joyn'd with endlesse peace I mustred up the manie black-events The manie jealousies and new-made factions The discontentments and discouragements The frights the losses dangers and distractions That might have follow'd and o're-whelm'd us all If but that day our spoilers had prevail'd If on that day GOD had not heard us call If on that day to help us he had fail'd And I desire that we could thanks expresse For such deliv'rances aswell in deed As in a Verball-form of thankfulnesse That GOD might alwaies our devotions heed And answere us when in distresse we pray As he our prayers answered that day My heart rejoyced much in that salvation Because I knew it greater then it seem'd And that it wrappeth up a preservation To few men knowne of fewer men esteem'd So much I joy not in the victorie As in that good whereto it may conduce For in GODS Judgments as much joy have I As in his Mercies when I see their use I laugh not as when I have outward ease When I do feel GODS hand correcting me Yet inwardly it comforts and doth please As much as when more glad I seeme to be And more I feare a failing on my part When I am most at ease than when I smart And I have seene so frequently a failing In prosecuting publike executions And such neglects upon a small prevailing Of good Designes and prudent Resolutions With such a dull proceeding in pursuit Of those advantages which GOD bestowes And find them still produce so little fruit In substance answerable to their showes That when I should expresse my joyfulnesse With such a sense as other entertaine A melancholly doth my soule oppresse As if it fear'd my joy would be in vaine But at that time some better hopes I had And in those hopes my Prayer thus I made Eternall GOD as mercifull as just And of both these the Essence in perfection Thou know'st my heart and know'st I nor distrust Thy Pow'r thy Providence or thy Affection Though outwardly I do not much rejoyce It is not an unthankefulnesse to thee That sads my Soule or silenceth my Voyce Whiles others tuning Hymnes of Praises be For oft my heart enjoyes thee all the day Aloud to thee my Spirit often cryes When with my mouth I not a word can say When not a teare will trickle from mine eyes And though I neither pray nor praise thee then As I am bound I do it as I can Thy mercies I confesse and am as glad Of Thee and them this day as he that sings Yet when I mind what use of them is made And what effects from thy compassion springs It mars my mirth And therefore now in stead Of their thanksgiving Psalmes I sacrifice My heart in Prayer which vouchsafe to heed And do not LORD my humble suits despise For if thou grant them it shall praise thee more Thanif that favour by ten thousand tongues Were at this present time repeated o're And celebrated in a thousand songs That hath begot thee one Thanksgiving-day But this shall make thee praised here for aye The many Mercies LORD I do confesse Which by thy Bountie we have here enjoy'd And do acknowledge with all thankefulnesse That ere this day we had been all destroy'd Vnlesse thy Goodnesse and thy Providence Had curb'd the furie of the raging Foe Yea thy Abounding-love was our defence Or we had else been our owne overthrow

Name For by Interpretation 't is as much With you as if yee said Hearing-the-Witch As Simon-Peter and the Sorcerer Long since contended whether of the two Should get possession of the Peoples eare Ev'n so those hearings at this present do As Simon-Magus untill Peter spoke Had so bewitch'd the common-people then That for the POW'R of GOD they him mistook So Formall-hearing now bewitcheth men So it is idoliz'd and some have thought When formally that Dutie they had paid The Holy-Ghost might for the same be bought But as then Peter of the money said Their Hearing with them perish who suppose That GOD his Graces for such wares bestowes You of this itching this bewitching Hearing Have had Experiments and at this day There are such bitter fruits therof appearing That you had need be watchfull and to pray That GOD would please to sanct●fie the eare And circumcise your hearts that you may know When you the Witch and when you Peter heare That you in Grace may edified grow And that this Information make you not Respectlesse of that Hearing or that Preaching Whereby that Saving knowledge may be got Which no man hath but by the Spirits teaching And that you so may Heare that GOD may blesse Hearing with Faith Faith with Truth-full-Peace Take heed unto your Prayers that they reach not Their length that Widowes-houses do devoure Take heed unto your Preachings that you preach not The Spirit weak and raise a fleshly-power Take heed in Giving thanks you do not say In heart when GOD hath victories bestowne That of your Foes his hand did thousands slay And that there fell ten thousands by your owne Vnto your Fasts and your Humiliations Take likewise heed lest by your negligences Those Duties may be greater aggravations Of your but seeming-sorrow'd-for-Offences And take heed lest hypocrisie may breed Obstructions in you of due Taking-heed If truly you desire a happie-Peace Repent your false Repentance and in haste Your suits with true sinceritie addresse Before the Day of mercie shall be past Reforme your Publike Fasts and let them show Ev'n in the Out-ward-man so truly sad That others may your inward-sorrow know And by the same so sensible be made Of what you feele that it may make them find A change in their owne hearts and by that change Become to pious dutie so inclin'd That them from Vanitie it may estrange And ev'rie day one thus draw on another To Penitence till all repent together To make this dutie further to extend And grow more generall you shall do well Vnto your Adversaries to commend And unto those who in your quarters dwell This motion That since both of you professe One GOD you might assemble on one day To meet before his Presence to confesse Your wickednesse wide open there to lay Your Causes And for judgement to referre Your selves to him For such an introduction A meanes to draw you somwhat nearer were And to remove it may be some obstruction Which hinders Peace or els to bring that on By which your work the sooner may be done If they that have the better Cause think fit With some such meek and pious invitations As they might frame for this end to admit That day whereon their Foes humiliations Pretended are it either shall allure Your Adversaries to that Penitence Which will a speedy amity procure Or aggravate so greatly their offence That GOD shall quite reject them as if they Refused your Appeal or to abide His Doome and did intend some other way Or by some other Censor to be tri'd And what event will thereupon ensue It were a needlesse matter to fore-shew When all are thus assembled on one day Or els of all so many as GOD's grace Shall make therewith content For though it may To you be somwhat yet nor Time nor Place Are in respect of Him considerable Yea when you in his presence shall appeare To this effect as he shall you inable Fall down before him with all meeknesse there Together then with seriousnesse begin The Fast anew In true humiliations Let all bewaile their errours and their sin Till in their mournings and their Lamentations The famous mourning equallize they shall Of Hadadrimmon in Megiddo Vale. Let joyntly People State and King unite In penitence as they in sinne have done Themselves let them for all their sinnes indite Their new and ancient sins before GOD's Throne And forasmuch as in this later-Age And in this place he seemeth as it were To bring all things again upon the stage Which heretofore in action did appeare Yea since they who will heed it may behold All that concernes th' Estates or conversation Of Saints or sinners in GOD's Word fore-told Epitomized in this Generation Let not his warnings both by Word and Deed Be frustrated through want of taking-heed Remember to be waile your Gentilismes Your Babylonish-whoredomes heretofore Your ancient-heresies and moderne-Schismes That GOD for these may judge these Isles no more Observe and well observe it that because You govern'd lesse by Law then by your will That GOD almost depriv'd you of those Lawes And that because your projects to fulfill Or to promote your carnall-Policies Morality and Piety by you Were made but stales the worlds old-Heresies And Heath'nish-manners are sprung up anew To interrupt and marre the publike-Peace For your dissembling and unthankfulnesse Remember that like Israel you have spar'd The Canaanites that should have been destroi'd That like rebellious Saul you had regard To Agag and forbidden spolles enjoi'd Remember how you stagger'd off and on Betwixt the LORD and Baal in ancient-time And how farre you in later yeares have gone To repollute these Islands by that crime Remember that like Judah you have made Confed'racies with such as are GOD's Foes Though warnings counsells and commands you had To shun their friendships who the Truth oppose And mindfull be how you on them reli'd Whom Egypt and whom Asbur typifi'd Remember that you have like Solomon Though you had his example to beware Been carelesse those Alliances to shun Which both pernitious and forbidden were For all this Empire guiltinesse contracted As well by heeding not to have prevented What by your Kings and Peeres of State was acted As in not having yet this sin repented Repent that as in Judah by her Kings You have by halves reform'd Religion too Call therewithall to mind what fruit it brings The work of GOD with negligence to do And humbled be for ev'ry other sin Whereof these Isles have jointly guilty bin Let those three Parties which have made this day These Islands wretched by their great Transgressions And chas'd their Glory and their Peace away Make jointly and asunder their confessions For all have much offended ev'n the best Are guiltie of enough to have destroi'd The temporall well-being they possest And all their hopes of what may be enjoi'd Let luke-warme Newters those poore-spirited Degenerated Britains without heart Who as ignobly have demerited As those who persecute the guiltlesse