Us'd all Means, both direct and finister,
I' th' Power of Gofpel-Preaching Minister?
Have they Invented Tones to win
The Women, and make them draw in
The Men, as Indians with a Female
Tame Elephant inveigle the Male?
Have they told Prov'dence what it must do,
Whom to avoid, and whom to trust to?
Difcover'd th' Enemie's Design,
And which way beft to countermine :
Prefcrib'd what ways it hath to work,
Or it will ne'er advance the Kirk 5
Told it the News o'th' Iaft Exprefs,
And after good or bad Succefs,
Made Prayers, not fo like Petitions,
As Overtures and Propofitions,
(Such as the Army did present
To their Creator th' Parliament)
In which they freely will confefs,
They will not, cannot acquiefce,
Unless the Work be carry'd on
In the fame way they have begun,
By fetting Church and Common-weal
All on a Flame bright as their Zeal,
On which the Saints were all-a-gog,
And all this for a Bear and Dog?
The Parliament drew up Petitions
To't felf, and fent them, like Commiffions,
To Well-affected Perfons down,
In ev'ry City and great Town;
With Pow'r to levy Horse and Men,
Only to bring them back agen:
For this did many, many a Mile,
Ride manfully in Rank and File,
With Papers in their Hats, that show'd
As if they to the Pillory rode:
Have all these Courses, thefe Efforts,
Been try'd by People of all Sorts,
Velis & Remis, omnibus Nervis,
And all t' advance the Caufe's Service?
And fhall all now be thrown away
In petulant inteftine Fray?
Shall we that in the Cov'nant fwore,
Each Man of us to run before
Another still in Reformation,
Give Dogs and Bears a Difpenfation?
How will dissenting Brethren relish it?
What will Malignauts fay? Videlicet,
That each Man fwore to do his best,
To damn and perjure all the reft:
And bid the Devil take the binmoft,
Which at this Race is like to win moft?
They'll fay our Bus'nefs to reform
The Church and State, is but a Worm;
For to fubfcribe, unfight, unfeen,
To an unknown Church-Discipline.
What is it elfe, but before-hand,
T'ingage, and after understand?
For when we fwore to carry on
The prefent Reformation,
According to the pureft Mode
Of Churches, beft Reform'd abroad,
What did we elfe but make a Vow
To do we knew not what, nor how?
For no three of us will agree
Where, or what Churches thefe fhould be.
And is indeed the felf-fame Cafe
With theirs that fwore Et cetera's 5
Or the French League, in which Men vow'd
To fight to the last Drop of Bloud,
Thefe Slanders will be thrown upon
The Caufe and Work we carry on,
If we permit Men to run headlong
T' Exorbitancies fit for Bedlam!
Rather than Gospel-walking times,
When flightest Sins are greatest Crimes,
But we the Matter fo fhall handle,
As to remove that odious Scandal 3
In Name of King and Parliament,
I charge ye all, no more foment
This Feud, but keep the Peace between
Your Brethren and your Country-Men;
And to thofe Places ftraight repair
Where your refpective Dwellings are,
But to that purpose first surrender
The Fidler, as the Prime Offender,
Th' Incendiary vile, that is chief
Author and Enginier of Mifchief
That makes Divifion between Friends,
For Prophane and Malignant Ends.
He and that Engine of vile Noise,
On which illegally he plays,
Shall (dictum factum) both be brought
To Condign Punishment as they ought.
This must be done, and I would fain fee
Mortal fo sturdy as to gain-fay:
For then I'll take another Courfe,
And foon Reduce you all by Force.
This faid, he clapt his Hand on Sword,
To fhew he meant to keep his word.
But Talgol who had long fuppreft
Enflamed Wrath in glowing Breaft,
Which now began to rage and burn as
Implacably as Flame in Furnace,
Thus anfwer'd him. Thou Vermin wretched,
As e'er in Meazled Pork was hatched;
Thou Tail of Worship that doft grow
On Rump of Justice as of Cow;
How dar'ft thou with that fullen Luggage
O' th' felf, old Ir'n and other Baggage,
|