Grounds of Comfort and Encouragement
for the Secret Mourners
of England (and els where)
resolving stedfastnes in the
Covenant.
But tym'st Thou, with deep sighs, thy Song? do tears
The lands cald to mourning and humiliation in
day of the Lord's deep displeasure, Ezek. 9.
Their fountaines force, and Muse, while Britaine hears
No language but Alarmes, no milder sounds
Then of engadgements, Tumults, Death and Wounds?
Weep, justly weep. Tears sute the season. This,
A day, in which God calls for mourning, is,
A gloomy day, in which the Childe of Light
Of our darkness, Isa. 50. 10.
Sitt's in the shads of darknes, short of sight.
The day of Joseph's straits; of deep distresse
Of Joseph's affliction and Sion's tryall in
England and Ireland, under pressure of sectarian power.
To many a precious soul, chaisde (for redresse)
To him who's Mighty, on whom help is layd,
His suffring Members, by his Arme to ayd,
(His Arme, that earst proud Rahab, and the snaike
Amos 6. 6; Heb. 6. 18;
Psal. 90. 19.
In peeces cut, and way through waves did make)
That yet made bare, it may awake, to wound
The Dragon's Seed, from principles unsound
The lively delineation of whose tenets and course
(drawn by the Holy Ghost) may be seen in the 2 of the 2 Epistle of
Peter and in the Epistle of Jud.
Which poison spreading and dispersing snares
The simpler to surprise, by fraud or fears
Unstable souls seduce; from whence (the way
Of Truth blasphem'd) are vexd, from day to day,
The souls of Saints; while men, who mischief frame,
Like raging waves, foame forth their filth and shame.
The Publick foe be These, O England, These
These the publick enemy of England, and the rod
upon the lot of the Righteous, there.
Shall Tasks enjoyne, and straiten (as they please)
The cords of thy Captivity, at best
The rods are, on the Righteous lot that rest.
These the covert enemy of Scotland, lying at
advantage against the Lord's Inheritance, here.
How-ever bound in Conscience to resent
Their practises, whence doth arise our Rent,
To you, for War, do not our Trumpets sound.
No message but of peace to Christ's suffering
members there.
No. Your sad posture doth our Spirits wound,
In order unto which resolv'd we have
Unanimity and Brotherly association to be
intertained with them in order to the League & Covenant, and prosecution of
the ends thereof.
With you, and for you, to our League to cleave,
With Charity to All, who pure and clean
To keep their Garments, upon guard have been,
And waiting are, God's Way and Time to take,
The Yock of bondage from thrald necks to shake
That both here and there, God may be feared and
the King honoured, 1 Pet. 2. 17.
That, (as sweet fruits from these effects) may spring
The Fear of God, and Honour of the King.
Awake to duties then; your eyes be fixd
In pursuence of these ends, England (in God's
oppor tunity) upon clear grounds encouraged to duties.
Upon these ends. Become shall Ephraim (mix'd
Among the People) like an unturn'd Cake,
Or heartlesse Dove, discourag'd, faint, and weak?
God (doubtlesse) for himself, airl'd (earst) in Thee
1. As a Land long ago arled and owned by Christ,
so many faithfull Martyres haveing layed down their lives for him
there.
A Church O England, set from darknesse free,
While at the stake, thy faithfull Martyrs stood
A good Confession, sealing with their blood.
Yea, God the Bargan (yet again) renewd
2. As a Land which hath revived the Bargan afresh
with Christ, having sworn his Covenant and sealed it with so many lives,
sacrificed for it, there. God hath in wisedom made the enemy in that land be
seen in their Colours, hath gathered together with arms in their hands, and
permitted to stur (as he hath set the bounds) for manifesting his own Glory
in his Churche's Deliverance, by their more speedy overthrow, and the fuller
execution of fury upon them.
When that espoused Land, with love pursud,
His Covenant did swear, and at low rate
Did value lives, that Jesus might be great.
Lo! God hath wisely, and to purpose, brought
His foes together arm'd, for Armes who sought,
And let them out a link, that stir they may,
Yet so as no where, but as He gives way,
Thus shall He in one houre, or day, decide
What else some ages dispute might abide.
Wait on ye then, whose weight is Sion's case;
God to be waited upon as One who shall surely
gather, and rejoyce the sad hearts of the scattered Remnants of that land,
and else where, to whom the reproach of his house is a burden,
Zeph. 3. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.
Wait on that Holy One who hides his face
From Jacob's house; sure, He you gather shall,
And tenderly deal with his remnants small.
For our correction, and their overthrow
However God hath established there, for a season a
prevailing enemy, for Judgement, (even the ruine of that Malignant party
that first took the sword against him) as also for our correction,
Hab. 1. 12. Yet shall the vision speak and be heard in its apointed
time, Ibid. 2. 3.
Who 'gainst him first ingadg'd, hath God this foe
Rais'd up, but heard shall in its season be
The vision. Issu'd forth is the decree.
But friends their fit time, foes their fatall houre,
It's time God's Glory (from His acts of pow'r)
Their times, yea promises conditionall
Have for accomplishment. The work withall
Freinds, enemies, the work, God's glory, as also
conditionall promises (as Levit. 26. 41; 1 Kings 8. 38)
haveing all their apointed times of advantage, disadvantage, advancement,
manifestation and accomplishment, till the times of all the forsaids meet,
none may judge or complaine of God's delayes.
Its time of best advantage hath. Assign'd
To each the proper time is. Till we finde
All in one point to meet, none may complain,
Nor of delayes a jealous thought retain.
Let this suffice, your times are in his hand,
Who from the fire can pluck a kindled brand,
And like a mighty man, rous'd up from sleep,
Shall help right early, and the best time keep.
His Reck'ning from Eternity he laid,
It may suffice, that in his hands are the times
of his elect, Psal. 31. 15; who keeps the best time, and will help
right airly, Psal. 46. 5.
And times, and wayes, and means harmonious made
To bring to passe His Ends; and did foresee
Delayes, which arbitrary were and free,
To his deep wisdome, gainfull. So though (now)
Ye know not what he doth, ere-long to you
His face he shall unvail. Then make no hast,
Yee who by faith, on promises can feast,
But patience shew, till God shall give the word,
Which Heaven and Earth to publish shall accord.
Let Colours fly, Drums beat. Gird on your Swords.
Arme, Gallants, Arme. The Battell is the Lord's.
