Of man in general.

THis visible world is a great Book written by the hand of God for his own glory and mans use; Every Creature is a leaf or page of this Volume; but man is the picture of the Author set in the Frontispice; He that abuses the Creature, makes a base Comment upon a glorious Text; but he that abuses himself, goes about to deface and blot out the effigies of his Crea­tor.

Man consists of a soul and a body, which are never separated until death, and meet not again till the resurrecti­on.

[Page 2]It was the morning salutation of the page to King Philip, Remember that you are a man; that is, that you have soule and body; let the sloathfull man remember that he hath a soule that must be saved; and let the proud man remember, he hath a body that must die; and then the one will not live like a beast, neither will the other think himselfe to be an Angel.

The body is but the tent or cot­tage of the soul, or rather that mantle which, when the spirit, (like Elias) ascends into heaven, is cast down and left behind upon the earth; and (as it is said concerning celestial and terre­strial bodies,) so of these two; The glory of the body is one, and the glory of the souls is, another; What is it in which the body or flesh can glory? 'tis not strength, beauty, or age; for in strength the beasts and fishes, in beauty the plants and flowers, in age the very Rocks and Stones doe far excel men. In breife, the body of man is but [Page 3] a brittle earthen vessel, the center of diseases, a daughter to corruption, a sister to the wormes, a tenant to the grave, a little dust carried by the wind of his vital breath, which when the wind ceases, falls to the ground, and rests in the bosome of the earth from whence it was Taken.

Thus the outward or carnal man is not an object of admiration but pitty; He lies like Lazarus upon the dunghil of the earth; his sins are his sores, his righteousness his rags; his friends that flatter him, and his ene­mies that reproach him, are all but dogs; some bark, some bite, some fawn, some lick his sores. He came naked into the world; and whatsoever he hath he beg'd it of Got, and bor­rowed it of his fellow creatures; His Pilgrimage is from Jerusalem to Jericho, from the womb to the tomb; his constant companions are vanity and vexation, the one attends him in health and Wealth, the other [Page 4] in sickness and poverty; the one would draw him to presumption, the other would drive him to despair; in short, there is nothing does more resemble his life then the taking a pipe of to­bacco; for his gains & proffits are that which he sucks in, his expences & dis­burstments that which he puffes out his actions like the smoake, are offen­sive to many, and pleasing to few or none, at length he knocks out the ashes and so Concludes.

But the soul is mans more noble part which is capable of having com­munion with God, and therefore ought not to be subject to the body. The body is Hagar the Bondwoman, But the soul is Sarah the free Woman; Sarah must not be a slave to Hagar; if the flesh deny subjection to the spirit, she must like Hagar (by morti­fication,) be put away that so the free born soul may enjoy her liberty which is to serve God. The Philoso­pher gives this definition of the soul; [Page 5] Anima Rationalis est perfectio Corporis Organici, The Perfection of the bo­dy; Now as the soul is the perfection of the body, so is Christ the perfe­ction of the soul.

For as the body without the soul is but a loathsom lump of rotteness and putrefaction; so the soul without Christ, is a thing dead in sin as odious in the sight of God as that in the eyes of men; As salt that hath lost its sa­vour such is the soul that hath lost its Saviour.

There are two faculties of a Ratio­nal soul; the will and the understand­ing which mutually help and assist one the other; I have heard of two men which travelled together; the one blind and the other lame; the blind carried the lame; and the lame direct­ed the blind. The will of man is blind and therefore must be directed by the understanding; The understand­ing is lame, and therefore must be car­ried by the will; When truth it self [Page 6] treated of self denial, he commanded us to cut off Right hands and to pull out right eyes; Where note that he means not the members of the body, but the faculties of the soul, the un­derstanding is the souls eye, by w^ch she sees, The will is her hand by which she acts and these or said to offend when they offend God; but when the one is joyned with faith, and the other with obedience, they are both instrumental to bring us to the enjoyment of our Saviour; for by the understanding we know Christ and by the will we lay hold of him.

Every man is either spiritual, or carnal: like Solomons two Harlots, The one carries a living child in her bosome that is the spirit, the other a dead one that is the flesh; The living child is that which breaths in holy desires, cries in devout prayers, sucks in hearing the word, grows in grace and is made perfect in glory; but the dead neither growes, cries, feeds, nor [Page 7] breaths, but is a peice of formal deceit a religious carcase, a whited sepul­cher, which is beautiful without, but within ful of corruption.

The first thing which he that was miraculously restored to his sight beheld, was men, like trees, walking; there is nothing in all the creation so fit an emblem of man as a tree; for as in trees there are three things to be observed; leaves, blossomes, and fruit; so also in men there are three things to be considered; words thoughts and deeds; He that is onely verbally good, is like the Bar­ren fig tree which brought forth nothing but leaves; The words of men are like the leaves of the trees, yet oftentimes we know by the leaves what Fruit the tree bear­eth; the words of the malicious are like the leaves of Holly, very of­fensive and full of prickles, the words of the unconstant are like the leaves of Aspine, continualy wavering, and [Page 8] not to be credited; the words of the deceitful are like the fig leaves which they sew together, and make both coverings for their nakedness and cloakes for their iniquity; as for thoughts they are but blossoms, for he that onely thinks to doe good and puts it not into excecution (like K. Agrippa or the young man in the Gospel) is a false fair promising tree that is full of blossomes but the fruit is nipt in the bud, blasted and never comes to perfection; but mens actions are their fruits; some are like sower grapes which set on edge the teeth of all with whom they have to doe; others like the apples of Sodome, ap­pear fair without, but at the first touch turn to ashes; but a godly man like a good tree brings forth plea­sant fruit, which like the sweetnesse of the Vine, both pleases God, and refreshes men. To conclude, all men are trees; they which are good, shall be removed from hence to Pa­radise; [Page 9] but they which are evil, shall be cut down and cast into the fire.

A Religious Prince.

IS a representative of God, in a threefold respect; as a Man, as a King, and as a Christian; He is com­posed of Greatness and Goodness, the Conjunction of which Stars por­tends happiness to his People; In his breast is the Throne of Honour, and the Parliament of Vertue; where Power and and Pietie meet together, and Majestie and Mercie kiss each o­other. The Rod of Moses brought not so many miseries upon Egypt, as his Scepter brings blessings upon England; His very presence makes his Land become a Canaan for his in­nocence and sweetness, like milk and hony refresh the hearts of all his Loy­all Subjects.

To make him a Man after Gods [Page 10] own heart, he hath been educated in afflictions; he hath carried the Crosse before he wore the Crown, and is religious by his second birth, as well as royal by his first; so that he is a King not onely by descent but me­rit; for there is none fit to be the Viceroy of Christ, as he who hath been twelve yeares his Standard-bearer.

If you look into the Court, wonder not to see phantastick Gentlemen and proud Ladies; for even Solomon had his Apes and Peacocks; but take no­tice that he hath besides these a more Heavenly retinue, which obtain, not their places by bribes or interests. The Cardinal Vertues are his Dome­stick Servants, and the Graces are his Maids of Honour: His best Har­bingers are fervent Prayers, His Cup-bearer is Temperance, and Di­vine thoughts attend him in his Bed­chamber; when he would be instructed, the Holy spirit is of his privie [Page 11] Counsel; and when he is in dan­ger, the Angels are his Life-Guard.

He is byas'd in his actions and Bal­lasted in his passions by the fear of God; Augustus Caesar could not so easily allay his anger by repeating the letters of the Greek Alphabet, as he by thinking of him who is Α and Ω. In a word, we may observe that England in those late bloody times was like the Sonne of Cis Tor­mented with an evil spirit, which could not be driven away, till we had sent for David the anointed of the Lord, our lawful King; How ex­cellently he hath turned his instru­ment, let all the world (that sees our Reformation) Judge; For he hath made Prudence his Tenour, Ju­stice his Base, and Mercy his Trebble, strining which he hath skrewed up higher then the rest (as Gods mercy is above all his works:) And there­fore, those turbulent Spirits which [Page 12] are not pacified with the Musick of his Government, but are still readie to cast their Javelins even at Majestie it self, are surely possessed with a worse Devil then that of Saul.

A reverend Divine.

WE read of Venerable Bede, that being blinde he was led by an unhappie boy to preach to a heap of stones. It is the complaint of many people that their preachers are like Bede, blind Guides; It is the grief of more Ministers, that their hearers are like that sensless Congre­gation, Men of stonie hearts; It shall be my prayer, that he who is the Sun of Righteousness, would enlighten the eyes of the one, and mollifie the hearts of the other.

The Prophets in ancient times were called Seers; a name very in­congruous for those of our age; Few [Page 13] of them can see any thing, unless it be moats in the eyes of others, when there are beams in their own.

Where then shall we find a true Divine? Diogenes (they say) sought an honest man, and the Place where he sought was Athens the most Fa­mous Universitie of Greece: It often times falls out, that where there is the most Learning, there is the least honestie.

But that must not be our Rule; Humane Learning is necessarie for a Minister; for without that he may interpret the Gospel, as those Infi­dels did the words of our dying Lord, when they said, He calls upon Elias to come and save him; or like that bundle of Nonsense tied up in a Cassock that would blot out Eli, and write Trumpington; or like the Bishop of Dunkelden, who knew nei­ther the Old Testament nor the New.

Yet this Knowledge must be san­ctified; [Page 14] He that is Mediocriter Do­ctous, let him be Egregie pius: Pro­phane Gown-men are like Psapho's Birds; that being let out of their Cage, the Achademy, Flie into the Countrie Villages, and chirp in the Pulpits their half conn'd [...], saluting their Creator as the Crows did Caesar with a Complemental [...]: But Latine and Greek Phrases (e­specially if they flow from unhallow­ed lips) are but a stronger charm to sleepie Consciences, and dawb an Il­literate Auditorie with the untem­perate Morter of the old Babel.

Two things therefore qualifie a Divine for his Function [...] & [...], Grace and Eloquence; He is in one sense lawfully the Husband of two Wives: Philosophie and Divinitie; for the one he did with Jacob, serve seven years at Oxford or Cambride, but alas, she proved a blear eyed Leah, and not so amiable as he expected: But he hath at length gained Rashel, [Page 15] that is, Divinity which is more beau­tiful and quiker-sighted.

He looks upon the sacred scriptures as a dial & the Holy Ghost as the Sun, whose assistance must needs be necessa­ry for them that read for a dial with­out the sun is useless; yet haying this help we know the truth by the one as well as the time of the day by the other; and therefore he sets the watch of his judgement by this dial; not like the foolish Sectaries whose erroneous opinions are like lying clocks; their braines are full of wheeles, which the lusts and passions of their hearts hurry about too fast, and make the hammers of their tongues give many false allarum's; For that bold phanatick that layes aside the holy writ, and walkes by a pretended light within, is like the Sextons wife who scorned the advice of the dial and beleived that her hus­bands clock went truer then the Sun. His doctrin is plain and powerful, [Page 16] and if he use notes, it is onely for method and memory; for he delivers nothing but the fruits of his own labour and study.

As for his prayers, they are more mental then oral; his words and his meditations hasten towards God as Peter and John towards the sepul­cher; but his heart like the beloved disciple out runs his tongue, and his devotion like a bullet peirces the gates of heaven before you can heare the report of the Gun.

His preaching may well be called lightening, for it hath the same won­derful operation, it effects broken hearts in sound breasts and melts the soul in the Scabberd of the body.

And as he is in regard of doctrine a light of the world so in regard of his Conversation he is the salt of the earth; indeed all good men are salt, for they season others and keep the body politick from stinking. Salt, Sulphur and Mercury, are the three [Page 17] principles of the Chymists. It was the sin and misery of Sodom and Gomorah that they had too little salt, and too much sulphur. Thus all his actions are savory and well rellished without gross scandal that might be nauseous and offensive to the squea­mish stomack of a weak brother; for his words and workes are the same thing, and his life is a true repe­tition of his sermon.

He well understands what our Sa­vour means by a Prophets reward, and therefore he hates covetousness, and scornes to listen to a Presbyterian Call; He is well contented with a competent allowance, and accounts the love of his neighbours and the successful fruits of his ministry his best preferment.

Neither is he only actively but also passively Good; and as his innocence shews that he is a sheep, so his suffer­ings argue that he hath been amongst wolves. He hath alwayes honoured [Page 18] the King as his master, and owned the Bishops as his fathers, and for their sake hath been silenced, not impriso­ned; Yet he hath chosen to be eject­ed rather then to take an Oath a­gainst his Prince, when he was brought to that hard Dilemma that he could not keep his Benefice and the fifth Commandement.

But now this harmless dove that was by the Hand of Providence put out of the Ark of his Parsonage, is return­ed again with the olive branch of peace in his mouth, to signifie that our deluge of blood is well abated; wheresoever therefore he is sent, let him be joyfully received; for (as David said of the Son of Zadock) he is a good man, and he brings good ti­dings.

A Vertuous Woman.

IS a true coppy of our mother Eve, with a perfect correction of all her Errata's; The second Edition of a piece of Female divinity polished with beauty, and bound up in Cha­stity, to convince the world that piety and goodness are of the femi­nine Gender.

He that beholds her thinks he sees the prophesy of a new heaven, and a new earth, fullfilled; for her very countenance looks like the shame fac't blushes of the first light that peep'd out of the ill-shapen Chaos, and all her actions are Symptomes of a new Creature.

Her face is like the face of a Cheru­bin, which she vailes in the presence of God, because it is impossible for her to behold his majesty, and covers in the presence of men because it is [Page 20] dangerous for them to look upon her beauty.

Yet she hath an eye, not like an ignis fatuus, or false light which leads poore wandering men astray, but like that Star which appeared in the East, brings you to the knowledg of God; for in her looks you may read lectures of modesty which invite not, but check lascivious attempts; and (as the beams of the Sun put out les­ser fires) extinguishes the flames of lust in the hearts of incontinent per­sons.

As for her cheeks they are the his­tory of nature, wherein she hath elegantly recorded the wars of York and Lancaster in a faire discription of the combate between the white rose and the red. Her body is like a goodly Cedar of Lebanon tall and strait, or rather like the Royall Oake of Eng­land, the happy mansion of a most princely Tenant.

She is like Apelles his picture, Venus [Page 21] to the Waste; but as for her other parts they are Terra incognita, for in her chamber▪ is the shrine of chastity, and her bed is like the Sepul­cher of our Saviour, a place where never man lay.

I brief, she is the most admired and the most desired thing here be­low; as great and strange a wonder upon earth, as she that was cloathed with the sun was in heaven; and next to Abrahams Bosome you would chuse to lye in hers.

To conclude, he that would have such a wife, must resolve to live al­wayes unmarried; for she is an ima­ginarie and not a real being, rare as a Phenix or a Philosophers stone; and he that would woe her, must tra­vel to Ʋtopia.

A Rigid Presbyterian.

TO describe him right, is a task like that of the Tailor who took measure of the Devil; for there is nothing more like him upon earth then he; He is lined with Covetous­ness, and covered with Hypocrisie the root and the cloak of all evil. Al­though at this time he carries a Bi­ble, at Worcester fight he wore a sword, so that it is hard to say whe­ther he be of the Tribe of Simeon or Levi. He swallows contrarie Oaths faster then the Eagles in the Tower do gobbets of flesh; For The way to Hell, and then Consciene of a Presbyte­rian, are two broad things. He con­demns the lawfull Rites and Cere­monies of the Church; and is more ravished with the squeaking of a Tythe Pig, then with the Musick of Organs.

[Page 23]He appears in the Pulpit (like Aesops Crow) in a dress of bor­rowed Feathers; for he preaches the workes of other men, which are so much the worse for coming out of his mouth, as wares for being of the second hand.

But it would grieve your heart to see how he racks the Ancient Fa­thers, when he makes his own Con­fession; and mangles the Modern Divines more barbarously then the Hang-man did the body of Hugh Peters; I am sure poore Priscian, gets many a broken head.

His Eloquence consists altogether in railing, as though he had got his Education at Billinsgate; In his Discourse he runs on like a mad Dog foaming and open-mouthed, yelping at the Reverend Bishops, and biting his brethren the Sectaries, whom he makes as mad as him­self.

[Page]Yet sometimes he perceives that his stuff is too short for the hower-Glass, and then the wheeles of his Rheto­rick move very heavily; he then spends much time in humming and spetting, and with the wiping of his nose makes many a filthy Parenthesis.

As for his Text, he handles that as Moses did his rod when it was turned into a Serpent, he layes it down and runs away from it. Yet his Sermon lies all written before him; for the poore Coppy holder in divinity can doe nothing without his notes; This his weakness he would have you thinke is his worth, for he charges men of able parts with presumtion; Yet when he prayes, he shuts his eyes preferring nonsense and Tautolo­gies before the divine Liturgie. Vain Wretch! that dares not speak to men without papers, and yet presumes to talke to God extempore. As for his parishioners, he saints or reprobates them according as they pay their [Page] Tithes, and like a Gypsie, tells good Fortune to none but those that Cross his hand with a piece of Sil­ver; and by him as well as by the Pope, you may be Canoniz'd for Money: Thus he is a meer Balaam that blesses and curses for reward; He that opposes him acts the part of an Angel, but he that submits to him is worse then an Ass.

If you consider his Constancie, he is a kind of religious Proteus, that is now ready to fawn upon that power against which he hath so long bark'd; If therefore there be a Church in England which consists of men, Sure­ly, The Orthodox Faithful Constant Ministers, are the Doors, Windowes, Pillars, Bells and Candlesticks, and Sir John serves onely for a Weather-Cock.

It is confessed, that at the begin­ing of this Happy Reformation he was a little stubborn, perhaps ex­pecting a second war; but now [Page 26] poor Heart!) He hath learned to pray for his Majesty, but (if you could hear the Language of his soul) it is so as impatient Heirs pray for their rich Fathers. There are two sorts of men, who having escaped a deserved pair of Gallowes, pray for the King very strangely, that is a Felon, whilest the Executioner burns his hand, and a Traytor, whilest the Devil sears his Conscience.

If you would know his name, you way find it subscribed to an ugly Petition, for where Bradshaw was the Pilate that condemned; he was one of those Jews that cried Crucifie; He professes sorrow for the Martyrdom of our late Soveraign Lord: But be­lieve him not, for his hand helpt to hale him to the block: In a word, he is (at best) but a State-Crocodile, and one that is Maudlin drunk with the Kings blood.

No more, but if you chance to meet with Cleveland's Hue and Crie, [Page 27] you may tell them he was lately in a sequestred Parsonage.

A debaucht Courtier.

IS an unworthy fellow that obtain­ed his office, not for formal Loyal­ty, but present money; He paid dear for his place; and he that preferred him is like to pay dearer for his cor­ruption. He is a Traitor to God; and therefore can be no good Sub­ject to the King; He acts a double part upon the Theater of the world, Peter and Judas; Peter to his Maker, and Judas to his Master: for by his drunkenness, swearing and debau­chery, he both denies his Redeemer, and betrayes his Soveraign.

Nor is it strange; for oftentimes the transgressions of servants bring Judgements upon their Lords; A holy Prince confesses and complains of the sins of his heels, that is, of his [Page 28] wicked followers. King Charles the First, who was as little subject to vice, as Achilles to wounds, suffered through the iniquity of his peo­ple: Thus it pleased God to smite the Head, for the sinnes of the Heels.

If you cast your eies upon his outside he seems a kinsman to the man in the Moon, for every month he is in a new fashion; and (instead of true gallantry which once dwelt in the breasts of Englishmen) he is made up of com­plements, Cringes, and French Apish trickes, Perfumes, Perriwig, Fancies, Knots, Muffe and Feather, which make him more fit to be set upon a Farmers Hovel to scare Crows, then to serve the King in his Royal pal­lace, they are blots in a Princes Train who have nothing to set them forth but gay cloaths and impudent beha­viour; For they carrie the stalls of pedlers about their knees, and of Tinkers in their foreheads. Indeed [Page 29] rich Garments are fit for honoura­ble persons; but servants ought to imitate the vertues of their Masters and not the fashion of their cloaths; That which becomes a King or Noble Man, is not decent for a Peasant or base fellow; the Lyons skin would not fit the Asse.

In wearing Apparel we must ob­serve three Concords; the first is when a mans apparel agrees with his birth; the second when it agrees with his purse; the third when it a­grees with his parts or breeding: He that wears apparel above his birth forgets his parents, he that wears apparel above his purse un­does his children, he that weares ap­parel above his breeding, is guilty of a false concordance in the rules of morality, and is a very incongruous gentleman. It is a vulgar report, (per­haps a vulgar error) concerning his excellency the Duk of Albermarle, that he once wore a wooden sword in a [Page 30] velvet scabbard; It would be a safer point of faith for the Country-men to believe that in—there are wood­en Courtiers in velvet Coats.

It was ingeniously observed by the Fabulist of the flye, that though she boasteth of her nobility, yet she lives only in summer, a true Hieroglyphick of a Courtier that flourishes only in the summer of prosperity and in the Sun-shine of his Princes favour.

We read that flies were a plague to King Pharaoh; and so have Parasitical Courtiers been to other Princes; If Domitian had rightly understood this, he would have purged his Court from the one as well as his chamber from the other.

In briefe, a prophane Sycophant in a royal Court is a flie; He was at first but a maggot generated in the Carcase of some decayd family; But now friends & intrest have given him wings; that which he most desires is a silver hook, and that which he best [Page 31] deserves is a hempen line; and ha­ving these two he is a fit bait to fish for the Devill.

An Ʋniversity Bedle.

CAnnot be defin'd like Qui Church for the word Est, comprehends both his genus and difference. He hath got just so much Latine as to call a congregation; in which worke his mouth is often opened to very little purpose, and never stopt without great cost. There is nothing so much staggers his faith as our Saviours miracle of feeding the multitude with five loaves and two fishes, and nothing so much stumbles his obedi­ence as a day of publick fasting and humiliation (had he been of the Kings counsel, we should not have observed Lent.) He accounts no plague so terrible as famine, no ver­tue so difficult as temperance, and no [Page 32] Treason comparable to the con­spiracie of the members against the belly.

He sits down at a feast as a modera­tor in that great dispute betwixt Os Ossis, and Os Oris, but he never sayes to the Respondent Abunde satisfecisti: The hungry Sizers wish their knives as deep in his panch as his in the beef; for he is like to leave them poore re­versions; his guts and Gown sleeves, are like Scylla and Charybdis, for that which misses the one, falls into the other.

In the temples of the Heathens, there were two Idols; Bell, and the Dragon; In the Churches of the Christians there are two Hierogly­phicks, Time and Death; Amongst the Heathens the Bedle might have served for Bell, because he is a great devourer; and amongst the Christi­ans he may be an emblem of time, for he is Edax Rerum.

Yet in the Ʋniversity he is not Idoli­zed [Page 33] but made a laughing-stocke; He is a Jack a Lent to the merry Sophisters; and a mark at which the Tripos and his bretheren shoot their fooles bolts; The cock is not so much throwen at on Shrove-Tuesday, as he on Ash-wednesday.

Yet he is a man whose conversati­on is void of offence; for he never does wrong to any but his Breeches. His practice is contrary to that of the Pharises for he makes clean the inside of cups and platters. He is a great example of patience in suffer­ing all those Iokes, Ieeres, Quirks, tricks, and abuses, that are put up­on him; He makes use of them as sower sauce to make his sweet gains have the better relish.

In a word, though he bear the out­side of an Achademian he is a man better fed then taught, having a fat paunch and a lean pate, a full purse and an empty brain; he employes his tongue to find his teeth work, and [Page 34] his life is like that of a Swine, he is alwaies either crying or eating.

A Phanatick.

IS a new name for an old Heresie; one of the Dragons Angels, who being cast out of Heaven, is now come to make war upon earth; He would have you believe, that he fights for the Gospel, although the Gospel for­bids fighting; he calls his Captain Jesus a Saviour, when in truth he is Apollyon a Destroyer: When he pre­tends to worship God, he intends to Massacre his neighbours, and like Pilate mingles blood with his sacri­fices: Thus he abuses our Gracious Kings Mercy, by committing mur­der in the Streets; for when Justice is dormant in the Court, cruelty is rampant in the Citie.

Peace and Truth are the Jachim and Boaz, both of Church and State; [Page 35] The Phanaticke doth really pull down the one, whilest he professes to build up the other.

He scatters his blasphemous Li­bels in the Streets, and high wayes, as they that are infected with the Pestilence doe their Caps, Gloves and Hand-kerchiefs; but amongst all the plagues of Aegypt, there is none like his.

When Oliver Cromwell tolerated liberty of erroneous Opinions, it was as when Epimetheus opened Pan­doras box; for the one let out as many Diseases upon the soul, as the other upon the body.

The Opinions and judgements of men, are like their faces; Amongst all those Millions and multitudes in the world, there is not any two so like, but they may be known one from the other. Yet a thousand se­veral faces, though by some small token they may be known asunder, may every one of them have the [Page 36] Image of man; and a thousand several souls, though they differ in some slight notions and circumstantial points of judgement, may all of them have the Image of God.

But the Phanaticks, and all that prodigious off-spring of the Rumps Reformation, are Monsters in Reli­gion, having not the right make and shape of Christians, but either ad­ding to or diminishing from the holy Scriptures; Though they are Giants in Rebellion, yet they are but Pig­mies in Pietie, Antipodes in Faith, Deficients in what they ought to doe and believe, and Redundants in what they ought not, and mere Hetero­clites in Divinity.

Religion, that should be a matter of practice, they have made a busi­ness of Controversie; the Itch of dis­puting is grown to such a scab in the Church, that it will hardly be cured without some such Brimstone as fell upon Sodom and Gomarrah. [Page 37] Thus the childeren if this Genera­tion are like presumptuous servants, that seek rather to know their Ma­sters secret Counsels, then to obey their known Wills; studying strange Arguments to defend their Hete­rodox tenents, as though the spring of Living Water were Ezek, a Foun­tain of Contention, or Sitnah, a Well of Hatred.

Neither do they onely inveigh a­gainst the Orthodox Clergie, but (as though the kingdom of Beelzebub were divided against it self) fall out one with another; when instead of the still voice of the Spirit, and the Language of Canaan, you may hear Deceiver, Antichrist, Lier, Dog, Devil, and such like Rhetorical ex­pressions fall from their mouths, filling the place of their Conventi­cle with such a noise as was in the Streets of Sodom, when the rude Infidels beset Lots house; Surely the Sabboth of the Lord hath been much [Page 38] prophaned both by us, and our Fa­thers; for they maintained the bait­ings of Bears and Bulls; and we the fighting of these beasts of Ephesus.

It is reported of Gregory the great Bishop of Rome, that seeing some English Children in the Market to be sold, he said, they might well be cal­led Angli, for they seemed unto him Angels; but had hee seen the Men of this Age, he would rather have named them Diaboli, Devils; He did not then see so much of the beauty of England in Rome, as he might now see of the abominations of Rome in England. For there is a great mystery of Iniquity, the grief of Wise men, and the wonder of ignorant, that some rebellious Ze­lots under a pretence of keeping out Popery should indeavour to bring it in for to rise up in armes against our lawful King, is a thing which Jesus never taught, and none but the Pope ever tolerated. It is [Page 39] not the harmless and decent cere­mony of Organs that can be lookt upon as a sign of Popery, but those seditious Priests, that cry against them are themselves the Popes organs and the Devils instruments; the one blows the bellows of their discontented spirits, and the other playes upon the keys of their railing tongues, and thus they make an un­pleasant musick, which consists alto­gether of discords.

But as when God first brought man into the world, he was naked, to signifie that his Creator was not ashamed of his worke, so when the Devil first brought sin into the world it was cloathed with an excuse, least its odious nature should too soon be seen; and amongst the rest these of theft, murder, treason and sacriledge, have been covered with a mantle of tenderness of conscience; but (be­leive it Reader,) if the skins of these men were as tough as their conscien­ces, [Page 40] and their flesh, as hard as their hearts, they would be both ax and Halter proofe; they might laugh at the block and defie the gallows.

Thus hath England for some years been Tomos an Island of Sects; Reli­gion (like Josephs coat a thing of ma­ny colours dyed in difference, and dipt in bloud: Truth like Sybils leaves by strange Windes of doctrine blown into confusion; and Bold Pha­naticks running from the shop-board to the pulpit, and from the pulpit to the gibbet, where we leave them to take their swing; for he that will not have Charles to be his King, must accept of Dun to be his Priest.

A VVhore.

THe young Persian (who for his wisedom was called Darius his Cozen) treated of 2 things, the pre­valency of Truths, and the strength of wo­men; Indeed the strength of women hath been sufficiently manifested in the fall of the first man, the ruine of the strongest man, and the backsliding of the wisest man; yet Iob (through patience) was able to stand, maugre the Devil and his wife; so that it is neither age, strength, nor wisedome, but patience that can overcome a Woman; Patience must be a shield for him that is married, and conti­nence for him that is not: for lust is the Devils bonefire wherein poore man is burned with his owne rib.

The royal preacher speaking con­cerning a Harlot, calls her a strange [Page 42] Woman, but we usually term her a common-woman; and no wonder, for those sins which were strange in Solomons dayes, are common in ours.

Now this strange common-woman is a kind of Land Syren, far more dan­gerous then they in the Sea; for he that falls into her hands, runs a three­fold hazzard, of destroying soul, bo­dy and estate.

In her face there hangs some rags of ore-worn beauty like old cloaths in a Broakers window to make you believe that there are better wares within; and the Language of her eyes is, What do you lack Sir? Yet he that trades with her, is like to have a sad purchase, for she can sell him no­thing but repentance and a foul dis­ease.

If she be a great person, she hath two necessary implements to help and to hide her infirmities, a Black-a-moore, and a little Dog; for with­out these, she would be neither fair nor sweet.

[Page 43]For her cheeks, she hath an artifi­cial dye, and (contrary to the rules of Heraldry,) she layes mettle upon mettle, and colour upon colour. Argent upon Or, and Gules upon Sables.

It is reported of an ingenious Limner, that he pictured a Boy car­rying Grapes; The Grapes were so lively painted, that the Birds of the Aire catched at them, thinking they had been really what they seemed: whereupon the Painter did as much dislike one part of his work, as he had reason to commend the other; saying, That had he painted the Boy as lively as the Grapes, the Birds would have been afraid to come so near: Even so a Female Paintresse excells in one part of her work, and fails in the other. Beauty which is half the outside of a compleat Lady, she can so handsomly pourtray, that wanton Youngsters like silly Birds, are ready to catch at the Grapes of [Page 44] her Lips; but could she paint Mode­sty as well as Beauty, Lascivious men would keep further off. But she that prostitutes her own flesh, and lets out her Hackney body for hire, will make use of all advantages to draw in Custome, and to advance Trading, as rude behaviour, unclean talk; and if she have a skin clearer then her Conscience, bare brest and shoulders like the nakedness of Bathsheba, who did at the same instant pollute Da­vids soul, whilest she washt her own body.

Thus she makes sinfull Merch­andize of her selfe, and converts that which should be a Temple of the Holy Ghost, into a stall of beast­ly lusts, much like the zeal of our late times, who made a stable of Pauls Church. As for her upper parts, they are the shop of Cupid, and her lower parts are his Ware-house; at length old age makes her turn Bank­rupt, spoils her game, and in graves [Page 45] wrinckles, where she once painted Roses, and then with all her black spots and patches, she looks but like an old resty Gammon of Bacon stuck with Cloves, scarce so beautiful, but I am sure not half so savoury; and then she is like a rotten stick, which serves onely to kindle green ones: The place where she is most a stran­ger, is the Church, and the place which she best deserves is a pair of stocks; but where she most desires to be, is a Tavern or a Play-house; Sometimes like Dinah she walks the streets, sometimes like Jael she stands at the Door, and sometimes like Jezabel she looks out at the win­dow.

In brief, she is a loathsome stinking Carrion, too unclean to enter into Heaven, too diseased to continue long upon earth, the shame and stain of her Sex, the scorn of wise men, and the destruction of fools; too foul a subject to be touched with any thing [Page 46] but a pen or a pair of Tongues, and therefore I have done with her. Foh how she stinks.

A happy Rustick.

IS one whose Conversation is in Heaven, and his Habitation in the Country; Where he injoyes two things (which are very rare in the Citie) a sweet Aire, and a good Con­science. He is such to God, as he would have the Earth to be to him­self fruitful, according to that talent which is lent him, and as in his labour he tastes the fruit of his sin, so in his enjoyments he eats the fruit of his labour. He is good out of a double principle, partly out of ignorance of the evil he knows not, but chiefly out of detestation of that he knows: He hath studied Piety, more then Court-ship, and knows better how to pray then Complement.

[Page 47] Emanuel Thesaurus makes a kinde of jest at our Father Adams fall, and says, quia Deum non coluit, Terram co­luit, but the honest Plowman doth both; for though his imployment be like the imployment of Cain, yet his sacrifice is like the sacrifice of A­bel; in this he differs from the silken Apes of London; he hath durty hands, and a clean heart.

He is early up both at his Devo­tion and Labour, the watchful Cock is his Chaplain, whose crowing puts him in mind not onely of his work, but of his sins, as it once did Pe­ter: The greatest part of the Day he spends in honest pains; and when he takes his recreation, it is harmless, wholsome and man­ful.

Although he abounds not in wealth, he is master of one precious Jewel, a contented mind, which (like the Philosophers stone) turns all it toucheth into Gold, and makes [Page] every condition pleasant. In short, he is one, at whose door the weary Cynick may set down his Lanthorn, and say, [...].

A Beastly-Drunkard.

I, Who these 26. years have been a Pilgrim in the wildernesse of this world, have observed therein two sorts of Beasts; There are Qua­drupedes, or fourefooted Beasts, and these did God make in the great world; and there are Bipedes, or two-footed Beasts, and these did man make in the little world of himself: Unto the Beasts which God made, did Adam give names; but unto the Beasts which Man made, did the De­vil give names: Amongst the rest, a Drunkard, which is in truth no other then a Swine, doth our Grand Impo­stor call a good fellow.

But away with this vizzord, such [Page 49] good fellows are not fit to have fel­lowship with God, nor societie with good men, but rather to go in the company of that bristled Herd, which is turned out before the Swine-ard.

A Drunkard is inwardly (and some times outwardly) a beast; he was once a man, but his His Hostesse Circe or Morphandra, with the powerful charm of her Pots and Flaggons, hath quite changed his shape: He was once a free man, but now he is a slave to his own lust; For he that makes Indentures with his feet, doth bind himself Apprentice to Sensua­litie; he is condemned to the Prodi­gals drudgerie, that is, To feed swine, to foster and foment an insatiable brutish appetite which hath learned the Language of the Horsleaches daughter, Give, Give. Lastly, he was once a living man; but now he is dead in sin and (like the French Em­bassadours child) hath his heart bu­ried in a cup.

[Page 50]In the curse of Jeroboam God threatens to cut off him that pisseth against the wall; the Drunkards may well have a share in this curse; for they live onely to pisse against the wall, even the lavish expence of that which should relieve and succour their poor wives and children: But surely the stones of those walls shall crie out against these men at the day of judgement.

But to conclude, let him that is an immoderate drinker, remember the Story of Dives; there is no tip­ling in Hell; Let him remember the Story of Judas, the sop made way for the Devil; Let him consider the words of the young Prophets to Eli­sha, There is death in the Pot.

An ignorant old man.

IS one who dishonours his Age by his folly; a man in years, but a child in understanding; he hath lived so long, till the world and himself are mutually weary one of another. And he cares not how soon he leaves this, if he vvere but prepared for a better; he is grovvn very near his grave, but far enough from Hea­ven; in his crookedness his soul and body observe an equal proportion; for neither of them vvalk, uprightly: He vvill tell you many stories of things that vvere done in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth, and yet you may pose him, if you ask him vvhat he remembers of the last Sermon he heard; Thus like a Crab-fish, he is cravvling tovvards his long home, and yet he looks backvvard at his former follies, not considering his lat­ter [Page 52] end, spending most of his dayes in conning his Preterperfect tense, but not at all regarding the Future.

Old men when they are vexed and discontented, are very apt to invite death; but (in cold blood) won­derous unwilling to give him enter­tainment. Aesop tells us of an aged Man, who being grievously laden with a bundle of sticks, cast them down; and as though his Life had been a burden unto him as well as his wood, he began very passionately to call for Death: Death, (who seldome stayes till he is called or sent for) on the sudden appears Vouz Avez, Master Mors, What would my Grandsire have? The old man that was willing to live another win­ter, and to warm his fingers with the Fewel which he had provided; intreated the grim Skelleton, that he would onely help him up with his load. Thus carnal spirits in some formal Confession, may throw down [Page 53] the burden of their sins, and desire to be dissolved; but when the pale Messenger, who must work his Dis­solution, once knocks at the doore and cries, Adsum, Oh how loth they are to die? they had rather still live in their former slaverie, although it is to be porters to sin, and pack­horses to Satan.

Have you never been entertaind in a Noble Mans buttery, and ob­served the policy of the servants how you must first drink with one, then with another, after him with ano­ther, until every one hath had a single course at you, and at last run you quite off your legs; thus abu­sing their Lords Hospitalitie, by making men drunk.

Just such is the world, where se­veral temptations strive to intoxi­cate the poore stranger, man; there is a thing called Cupid, which drinks the Sack of Eyes, and the Claret of Lips; There is a thing called Mam­mon, [Page 54] who like Cleopatra, or Sir Thomas Gresham, doth swallow Pearles and Jewels: There is ano­ther called Revenge, which drinks nothing but blood.

In this Company, hath our old man tippled away the Morn of his Youth, the Noon of his Strength, and the Evening of his Age, and is now laid down to take a nap in the Grave, where we leave him till the Resurrection.

A Player.

IS an Artificial fool, that gets his li­ving by making himself ridicu­lous; he hath lickt up the Vomit of some drunken Poet & (like a jugler) casts it up again before a thousand Spectators. He is the ignorant mans Wonder, the rich mans Jester, and the Devils Factor, that by a strange delusion sends men laughing to hell.

Yet I confess that Comedies, (if [Page 55] not prophane nor lascivious) may be sometimes lawful recreations for great Persons, whose melancholly heads are daily troubled with weigh­tie Affaires: But unto inconti­nent Youth, (those Martyrs of Lust, and uncleanness) they are but as Oyle to their flames, and as bags of gun-powder tied under their Armes.

Hence it was that Heroick Sid­ney upon his Death-bed condemned that rare Monument of his match­less wit, his Arcadia to be burned, fearing perhaps least it should burn others; Romances and Playes, are dan­gerous Edge-Tooles, which unwa­rie Readers must not meddle with: They are hot burning Irons, which Chaste Ladies like the Empresse Kun­nigund may safely handle without hurt, whilest other goe away with burned — and seared Con­sciences.

The effeminate Citizens of Sy­baris, were so much given to mirth [Page 56] and jollitie, that they taught their very Horses to dance, but when the Martial Trumpet called forth these Carpet Knights into the Field, the merry Palfreyes (according to their former Education) danced deaths dance before their Enemies. How many of the more effeminate Eng­lish are trained up in wantonnesse, dancing and playing? But I won­der how they will dance at the sound of the last Trumpet, or what new Maske they will have at the day of Judgement.

But not to regard these Shad­dowes, let us looke a little at the Substan [...]e; our Life is but an Inter­lude; Happie is he that acts his part well.

There are some who turn a Co­medie into a Tragedie, and as the first Psalme, begin with Blessednesse, and end with perishing; But he is the most excellent Actor, who imi­tates Christ, and the best Comoedie is a Holy Conversation.

A Mechanick Magistrate.

WHen God first created Man, he did miraculously form him out of the Dust of the Earth, without the Medium of Natural Ge­neration; and when Christ first Or­dained Ministers, he did extraor­dinarily call poor Fishermen from their Nets, who had not the help of Humane Learning; So likewise, there was a time when God raised up Ma­gistrates from mean employments, Saul from seeking Asses, David from keeping Sheep, Sanga [...] and Gideon from Husbandrie to be Kings and Judges over his people. But now miracles are ceased; and although all men are Created by God, yet they are begotten by men their Fa­thers. And though all lawful Mini­sters are sent by God, yet they are outwardly called by Bishops, the [Page 58] Fathers of the Church; though all true Magistrates are appointed by God, yet they must have their Com­missions from the King, who is the Supream Earthly Magistrate, and the Father of the Countrie. We must not now look to see men immediate­ly created, or Magistrates and Mini­sters miraculously inspired and cal­led; It is folly and presumption to seek after either; for there is as much unwarrantableness in the one, as im­possibilitie in the other.

Yet our Jereboam, Cromwell, did not onely make Priests of the meanest of the people, but Justices of the basest of Trades-men. We reade that Julius Caesar was stabbed to death with bodkins; I confident­ly believe that it were the bod­kins of Taylors, the Aules of Cob­lers, and the tooles of other Mechan­nicks, not the Swords of any true Nobilitie, or Gentrie, that murde­red our late Caesar of Glorious me­mory. [Page 59] And these blew-aprond Benchers were called, The Keepers of the Libertie of England, and yet enemies to Truth, disturbers of Peace, perverters of Judgement, and blots in the Magna Charta, both of Humane and Divine Lawes.

Such a one was he who knew no other Law but that of the Sword, and desired to act by an illegal arbi­trarie power. He was a great Ene­my to Fidlers, Wakes, and May-Poles; but poor beggers he perse­cuted without mercie: For observe, There was none so cruel against beg­gars, as those that made them so; When they came to his doore, he would shew them the Courtesie of the Town, a pair of Stocks or Whip­ing-post, and sometimes his Charitie would prefer them to a Prison: He lived frugally upon his ill-purchased Lands, foreseeing perhaps the Change that was to follow: For his Coun­sel he made use of his Clerk, and some [Page 60] neighbouring Priest who came into the Pulpit, by the same sword that brought him upon the Bench; And for his Almoner, he kept a great Ma­stiff Dog, who would open at a stran­ger as loud as a Son of the Kirk of Scotland, when he railes against the Prelates, and Common-Prayer-Booke. The basenesse of his spirit was seen in his insulting over Noble and Ho­nourable Persons; for he made his betters to buckle, and comply, and taught even Lords themselves to say Shibboleth; As for those that stood out, he robd them both of their profits and pleasures, and allowed them neither wealth nor recreation, but made their Houses become their Prisons, and confined them to their own thresholds. Thus were the poor Gentlemen inclosed in a Magick Cir­cle, where they continued until this Devil was conjured down; For they durst not so much as ride a hunting for fear of him, who (like Nimrod) [Page 61] was himself the greatest Hunter.

But now (blessed be God) that Game is over, and some of those Dogs, who (like Acteons Hounds,) worried their Master, are already hanged, and the rest have Clogs, and Collars; and as for his Worship, he is out of Commission, abused, contemned, reviled and trampled upon by those people, amongst whom he lately acted his part, and played Justice Nimis to some, and Nihil to others.

The Case is altered, and Heaven hath now restored our Judges as at the first, and our Counsellours as at the beginning, and the Mechanical Magistrate is now made an Example, and not a Minister of Justice.

A scandalous Minister.

TRue it is that we have all fail­ings, and every soul may read that word in Belshazzars Hand-writ­ing, and apply it to himself; TEKEL, Thou art weighed in the ballance and found wanting; Yet there is an allow­ance for light Gold, and Charitie will abate us of some of our infirmities: There are degrees of wickednesse, as well as goodnesse; and as one Star differs from another in Glory, so one sin differs from another in Malig­nitie; Mens transgressions are like their Talents, some have more, and some lesse; Chorazin and Beth­saida ▪ out-sinned Tyre and Sidon; There are scandals in Grain, and sinnes of a deep Die, which not onely crie, but roare for venge­ance. There is no man lives with­out offence, and yet there are some [Page 63] offences which make men unfit to live, as Treason, Murder, and others; There is no Minister without sin, and yet there are some sins which may make a minister unworthy to follow his Function. If a Lawyer be once proved to be faced like Janus, and to receive a Fee from the Plaintiffe, and a Bribe from the Defendant, he is presently thrown over the Bar, and suffered no longer to Plead; and why may not a Priest, that pleads for God in his words, and yet sollicits for the Devil in his actions, be cast out of the Pulpit, and suffered no longer to preach? If thy right eye offend thee, pull it out, and cast it from thee; If the Parson who is, (or at leastwise should be) the right eye of the Parish, be scandalous, let him be pull'd out and ejected, for better it is that one man should suffer in temporal things, then that a whole Congregation of souls should perish for want of know­ledge.

[Page 64]Now there are divers scandals, which brings stains to the Black-Coats of the Clergy; There is idle­ness, swearing, Sabbath-breaking, and drunkenness, the old-fashioned sins of the Cassock, which caused our late Eclipse of Episcopacy; And there is Pride, Covetousness, Hypocri­sie, Envie, Malice, and others the new fashioned sins of the Jump, who have, (or I hope will cause) the downfal of that Dagon, Presbytery; And all these are abominations in the sight of God burdens to the people, Black-patches in the face of Divini­tie, and blots in the Scutcheon of Levi.

A scandalous Minister is a pro­phane ignorant dunce, whom his Pa­rents (looking more at the durty lu­cre of Tythes, then the weightiness of the Calling) designed for the Priest-hood, although he were as un­fit for that work, as blind Tobit to be a Centinel, or Mephisbosheth to be a [Page 65] Foot-post. In order to his prefer­ment, they sent him to the Ʋniversi­tie, where he ate, drank, and slept, plaid a match or two at Foot-ball, stole a Pig, ran away from the Proctor, and staid seven years to as much pur­pose, as the King of France with twenty thousand men, went up the Hill, and so came down agen. At length, making a Friend of Mammon he obtaines a Benefice, where, by his weak discharging of Cure, and his evil ordering of his Conversation, he made the Clergy begin to grow odious, and many Conscientious people for want of bread at home, to run to other Churches, and if it were not to be had there, to turn Separatists, keep private Conventi­cles, listen to Lay-Preachers, and at length come to be preachers them­selves; for his weakness made them too much presume upon their own strength; For because many (through bribery and corruption) have ob­tained [Page 64] [...] [Page 65] [...] [Page 66] an outward Call to the Mini­stry without Qualifications, it hath made others exercise their Qualifi­cations without a Call; Were it not for slothful Shepherds, the Wolves would be kept out; and were it not for such pittiful Sir Johns, we should not have so many Sectaries.

He is in his Pulpit A Cloud without water, a black thing hanging over the heads of the people, but there is no Doctrine drops from him like the Rain, nor Speech like the Dew upon the tender herbs; but a strange hodge­podge discourse, stuft with the husks and shells of Divinity, which in stead of Explaining the Scripture makes it more dark, like a thick Curtain drawn before a window, which keeps out the light, and makes those that are in a Lethargie of ignorance to sleep more securely.

Many years had he not followed this trade, but (as though providence had had a mind to wean him from [Page 67] the dugs of the Bel-ropes) he was by Cromwells Commissioners unlawful­ly, had hanged him up, I think they had neither committed Murder, nor he suffered Martyrdome.

But now thrusting himselfe in a­mongst those learned and pious Di­vines, who suffered for Conscience, Truth, and Loyalty, he is returned with a prodigious Omen to his poor neighbours; who figh to see the Ravens come back as well as Doves; he hath now possession of his Pulpit, although it would be fitter for him to be amongst the Bears in Paris-Gar­den: And blind Balaam is once more got into the saddle, but I beshrow that hand, which held him the stir­rup.

And now (instead of promises of Reformation) he begins to Court his Parishioners with Rehoboams Com­plement, telling them that now his finger shall be thicker then his loyns [Page 68] were before, and that now he may tipple, Cum Privilegio; and as for swearing, the Crime is Venial. And (lastly) that nothing which can be charged against, him can make him un­capable of injoying his Benefice, save only if he speak against the Persons or power of Prelates.

Truly (Reader) If it were so, the Bishops would stand as long as the Pageants in London streets, and no longer; If they be zealous in punish­ing their own enemies, and slack in punishing the Enemies of God; If he that speaks against an earthly Pre­late, must taste of a Pillory, and have his ears pay for the boldness of his Tongue; and yet prophane swear­ers, who blaspheme the name of Christ (who is the Bishop of our souls) be mildly checkt with a Not so my sons, and still permitted to serve at the Holy Altar, we shall then see Lawn sleeves once again whipped out of the Temple; if they will [Page 69] not maintain the Honour and Glory of God, then God will not maintain theirs; but suffer their Glory to be taken from their heads, and their Honour to be laid in the dust. It was a great Errour in old Eli to condemn Devotion for Drunkennesse; It would be a greater in his Successors, to tolerate Drunkenness in stead of Devotion.

But let the Countrey have more honourable thoughts of the Reve­rend Hierarchy, and expect a sudden winnowing and sifting of the Mini­strie: For both God in his Word, and the King in his Declaration, have promised us able Preachers; and the Overseers must take care that their will be done.

A Loyal Subject.

FEar God, and Honour the King, are two duties which the Apo­stle hath joyned together; and there­fore no man can seperate them. He that is not a good Subject, cannot be a good Christian. He that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, can not love God whom he hath not seen; and as in love, so in fear, honour, and obedience we may observe, that he that honoureth not the King, who is his visible God, can not serve God who is his invisible King.

It was a sad complaint of Cardinal Woolsey, that he had been very dili­gent and careful to serve the King, but too unmindful and negligent to serve God; (I wish that his words be not fit for the mouths of some of our age) Yet the Modern Rebels made a shift to avoid that Rock, but lost [Page 71] themselves in the Quick-sands of Disloyaltie; And pretended to serve God, whilest they denied obedience to his Vice-gerent. And therefore if Woolsey served the King, it was for his own base ends; And if our Co­venanting Zelots served God, it was onely to make him a Patron of their Rebellion.

A loyal Subject is a good Christi­an who carefully and consciencious­ly observes both the first and the fifth Commandement, and carries a fair Correspondence both to Heaven and Earth, not robbing God to pay Caesar, but rendring honour, fear, tribute, homage, and service to whom they are due.

It follows then, He is no swearer, for therein he would dishonour the Majestie of Heaven, and pull down a judgement upon the Kingdome; Because of Oaths the Land mourns, And where the Land mourns, I know not how the King should be [Page 72] merry; He who speaks treasonable words deserves death, then what will become of swearers and blas­phemers, who dayly speak treasona­ble words against the King above.

Neither is he one of those Pot-Champions, who have nothing to manifest their faithfulness, but that they talked of his Majestie in the Ta­vern, he remembers the King in his Prayers, oftner then in his Cups; and is very sensile of that Cup, which his Saviour and his Soveraign both drank of, and hath chosen rather to pledge them in a bitter draught of Affliction spiced with sequestration and imprisonment, and having a block or Gallows at the bottome; then to tipple in those base Elements of Wine and Beer; for to drink bowls and glasses of Sack, will sooner in­crease the wealth of the King of Spain, then the health of the King of England.

In a word, (although it may be [Page] more easie to shew you what he is not, then what he is) he is a pru­dent Counsellour, a faithful Infor­mer, and a valiant Souldier, like Joseph to King Pharaoh, like Morde­ca to King Ahashuerus, and like Monke to King Charles.

A Male content.

IS a thing quite▪ contrary to a Temporizer, for he swimmes al­wayes against the Tide: His chief end is that he may be taken notice of in the World; and (like Theu­das) he boasteth himselfe to be some body; he is an Enemy both to Civil and Religious Ordinances, and is of­fended at that which even God him­self hath set up: He was not pleased in the dayes of the Old King, nor contented in the time of Tyranny, neither is he satisfied now, but ha­ving seen two dayes, and a night [Page 74] he hath still continued in an unquiet condition, for in the day time the heat of the Sun hath molest­ed him; and in the night he hath barked at the moon;

He is not altogether void of learn­ing; but hath Philosophy enough to make him an Atheist; And Divi­nitie to serve him to take Gods Name in vain; Yet he is a meer child in Knowledge, continually crying and whining, and knows not what he would have. His ignorance is joyned with willfulnesse, which makes it beyond the cure of a Pestel Morter.

He hath been used to Cant very Highly, which hath endangered (if not effected) the cropping his lugs; but such a poor punishment doth but harden him in his folly, for they cannot circumcise his heart with his ears.

In short, he is a mere Lilburn, or King-Fisher, Who, though you [Page 75] should hang him up, would turn his breast against the wind.

A noble Spirit.

IS one that hath really attained to that which King Agrippa was al­most perswaded unto, that is Chri­stianitie, which is a kind of Nobilitie that comes by the second birth much more excellent then that of blood; yet if he be of an honorable Family, it adds lustre to his Religion, and makes his vertues more conspicuous; However he hath a more then ordi­nary birth-right, not only above all other Creatures as a Man, but above other men as a Christian; and is pos­sessed of not only the one Talent that is Natural, Reason, and the two, that is the Law of Moses; but also of the five, that is the Gospel of Christ; Thus by Adoption he is the eldest brother and his Portion is more then [Page 76] double the Jews and the Heathens.

And by the improvement of these Talents, he is grown very rich in grace, having found out and purcha­sed that Treasure which is hid in a Field, redeemed his time, renued his Covenant, and bought the Truth, which is better then Riches; better then Riches indeed, for it is a sure stock, not subject to the corruption of Moth and Rust, or the violence of Thieves and Robbers, but beyond the Reach of Rumps, Devils, or Se­questrators.

He Trafficks by his bountie to the poor, as Merchants by Bills of Ex­change, freely disbursing part of his Estate here, well knowing he shall receive it a thousand fold hereafter; Nay more, he hath learned the high­est point of Religion, that is, To doe good to them who doe evil to him; and this is Christians Vnguentum Armen­tarium, which heals the Patient by being applied unto the instrument wherewith he is wounded.

[Page 77]To conclude, he is compounded of an Ounce of Serpent, and a Pound of Dove, Martha, and Mary, a Pro­testant Faith, and a Roman Catholick Charitle.

A bad Wife.

WHen the common enemy of Mankind, Satan had obtained a commission from the high Court of Heaven to afflict poor Job; he took away his Sheep, Camels, Asses, Oxen, Servants, and Children, but tis ob­served he left him that (cursed thing) they call his wife; Oh the subtilty of the old Fox! Who in every parti­cular affliction slew all his servants save only one whom he left to grieve him wiah the news of his losses, and so likewise in his general calamity slew all his neer relations but only his Wife, whom he left to vex and torment him, for he thought he did [Page 78] him as much injury in leaving her as in taking his children.

When our first Parents made them­selves Garments of Fig leaves to co­ver their nakednesse, in what fashion they were, I cannot tell; but one translation cals them Aprons, and an other Breeches; and no marvaile, for in London it is common for Men to weare Aprons, but more common for Women to weare Breeches.

When Apprentices have served out their time, and are made free, they usually say they have buried their Wives; It seems then they ac­count their apprentiship a marriage, if so let the words be termini conver­tibiles, for (without question) mar­riage is an apprentiship.

In a word, if you would know what an evil Woman is, ask the Citi­zens of London, they can best inform you; she is a great burden, and a grie­vous cross, which none knows but he that hath her.

The R— Parliament.

WAs the dregs and dross of a Senate, a small number met together in the name of the — and doubtless he was in the midst of them; At Westminster they kept Shop, and hired some wide-mouth'd Presbyters to Cry in the Citie and Countrie Pulpits what Wares they had to sell, viz Religion and Reforma­tion; and two things were carried before the Speaker, The Mace, and the good Old Cause: The one he had to shew his Authoritie, and the other to cover his—. The Mace was like a golden or silver Dream, which commonly Ushers in ill Luck, and The good Old Cause, like the Curtain in the Frontispiece of Argalus and Parthenia, which hides the Argument and Contents of the book.

[Page 80]But at length The Mystery of Iniqui­tie appeared in its colours, and all their promises proved like the Heathenish Oracles capable of a double significa­tion, for they did according to their pretence make the King glorious, but after an inglorious manner; wicked­ly accomplishing that, which Caligu­la sinfully desired a general Destru­ction at one blow, a Decollation both of Prince and People.

Thus England, that had for many hundred years enjoyed the blessings of God, in the happy constitution and lawful name of Kingdome was (according to the Principles of Dip­pers) rebaptized in bloud, Christ­ned Common-wealth, signed with the sign of the Red-Cross, that she might not be ashamed to fight under the Banners of disloyal Regicides. Then was wee like Hugh Peters his strange Beast, Monstrum Horrendum, a thing like a Kingdome, and yet no King­dome; there was more legs in one [Page] side then the other, and the tail stood where the head should stand; then had not the Tower so many savage Creatures as the Parliament House, and the Serpents skin was not so monstrous a sight, as the Scottish Co­venant.

A long time they sate; but to what purpose? To weave Spiders webs, & to hatch Cockatrice-egs; They made fine Cobweb-lawes, that would catch little Felons, but would not hold Grand-Traitors? Pettie thieves did sometimes stand at the Barre, whilest great ones sate upon the Bench; and blind Justice prepared a pair of Stocks for one sort of Drunk­ards, and a Throne for another; as though it were a greater sin to be drunk with Wine, then Blood.

But herein was the height of their malice and crueltie, that as they had destroyed Gods Image in their own souls and Mans Image in the KINGS Body, so they thought [Page] it necessary to leave our Caesars Image upon the pieces of money, and for their Coyne, devised a new stamp, a new Inscription, Deus no­biscum: no wonder, It was a right Motto, for the Silver was their Ema­nuel, and of the Moneyes they might truly say, God with us.

But Heaven was just; and for all these things God called them to an account. They who for a long time had used tedious Prayers, as so many Graces before their meals, of Wid­dowes houses; They which had swallowed up such sweet morsels of unjustly sequestred lands, they who were intoxicated with the Wine of the Grapes of Naboths Vineyard, be­gan now to surfet, fell extream sick, and were necessitated to one of these Remedies, either the Halter, or the Act of Indempnitie.

As for those who died in their beds, and had their Trials adjourn­ed till the Day of Judgement; al­though [Page] thier Deaths were not An­swerable to their deserts, yet they were suitable to their lives, and their latter end, were like their be­ginning, and the rest of their acti­ons. They lived and died notorious thieves, for as in their life-time they plundered the Church, so at their death they rob'd the Gallows.