To the Members of bo [...]h Houses OF PARLIAMENT For their serious Consideration, in making up the Breaches of this Nation.
LORD God! grant England's Parliament
May have their Hearts now wholly bent,
To Act such things, as in God's sight
May be to all both just and right.
O England! thy long Parliaments
Have caus'd, in thee, such woful Rents,
Thy last caus'd Thousands Innocents,
To suffer grievous Punishments.
The Fathers, Children and their Mothers
Are seperated from each others:
The Parents forc'd in Prison to lie,
Till many Scores therein did dye.
And that's not all, in this our day,
For Goods are taken all away,
And nothing left for Young or Old
To lie upon, or keep from Cold.
And many tender Babes now here.
Suffers, as if Transgressors were,
Some Took from Bed, on bare Boards lay,
Bedclothes being taken all away.
And now 'tis counted a light thing,
Houses to break, and enter in,
Take all, and Innocents to starve,
When Parliaments should such preserve.
And if such things be Clristian Works,
Then what is Heathen, Jews or Turks?
Besides those things, they will you tell,
Themselves are not Infallible;
For certainly they do not know,
Whether they'r in the Right or no.
And if there be not certaintie,
Then men may soon mistaken be;
And in Extreams, which still are Evil,
Call Devil, Saint, and Saint a Devil.
O! how do men, in this our day,
Destroy their Neighbours, and yet say,
They are not sure, they cannot tell,
There's none are now Infallible.
O English Men! the God above,
Commands, that you your Neighbours love,
Ev'n as your selves, likewise all men:
His Law you do transgress, till then.
Amongst some other sad Disasters,
Now England's Scum
Note, The Wicked Mercinary Informers.
is made their Masters,If Lord or Knight run not their Rounds,
Then have at them for a hundred Pounds.
But unto you that now are chose,
Men do a trust in you Repose.
Let me to you something propose,
Hoping when met, you all will close,
In Repealing all such Laws,
As do provoke and justly cause,
The Righteous Gods just Indignation,
To be pour'd forth upon this Nation.
Let all men have free Liberty,
To Worship God; for certainly
He is most able to direct,
When other means will not effect.
If forced, then sure, in despight
You can but make an Hypocrite,
Although the Body brought in sight,
The Heart may other things indite.
Force never yet accomplish't that,
Which Forcers mostly aimed at;
Nor never yet did Honour bring,
To Nation, Parl'ament or King.
But now I hope, you'l Honour bring,
To Nation, Parliament and KING,
In suffering all feed on that Pasture,
To stand and fall to their own Master.
And that's the way will please him most,
To purchase which, his Blood it cost.
Therefore, be sure, he'l cast away,
All such as will not him obey.
To antient Laws do you stand fast,
Yet see the Scale be equal cast;
[Page 4] Give Caesar's Due, do you make haste,
Take heed you do not God's Due waste.
Distinguish rightly of such things,
What's due to God, what's due to Kings.
When each of them hath Right, it brings
You justly to perform such things.
As do belong unto your place,
To go beyond, that's your disgrace:
Therefore to that, haste on a pace,
And do those things that's in your place.
Which is good Laws, 'twixt man and man,
Make such, and force them what you can.
But Christ will suffer none to thrive,
That limits his Prerogative.
For he is King of Conscience sure,
And therefore he will not endure,
That any should make Laws for him,
That can't give Faith, nor keep from Sin.
Therefore act not above your Sphere,
You have no Power but only here;
For when men go unto the Grave,
You have no Power to damn nor save.
Therefore there is no Reason why
You should make Laws, and Conscience tye,
Except you could, when men do dye,
Help them to Heaven eternally.
For such as Conscience tye, do not
Regard what Christ hath said in that,
In holy Writ we do not find,
That to do so, it was his mind.
When he was ask't the Question, Whether
The Tares and Wheat should grow together?
Then let the Tares alone, said he,
By th' Angels those must gather'd be.
Yet many Laws are made 'gainst those,
Who are their Friends, and not their Foes.
Lord God! forgive, even all those,
Who were the cause of such great VVoes.
And cruel Sufferings in this Nation,
VVithout all Pity or Compassion,
As if some should not live on Earth,
But starved be by lingring Death.
But now, this is the thing we hope,
You will not act as these and Pope,
VVhom our fore-Fathers did oppose,
Till flames of Fire did them inclose.
For they did rather chuse to dye,
Than act against their Conscience: VVhy?
Because they knew most certainly,
For that to dye Eternally.
And so, they chose to suffer here,
That they in Heaven might appear
With Consciences spotless and clear,
For they were void of slavish sear.
For where the Conscience is in doubt,
No man on Earth can free it out.
For it doth still accuse within,
All such as act and live in Sin.
And so, its time, and Reason why,
Laws be Repeal'd, that Conscience tye,
Which if you do not, certainly
With you God will be angery.
Five may not joyn with Family,
To Worship God in Unity
When many hundreds, as we see,
May meet to act all Vanitie.
And such have not the least Reflection,
But rather seem to have Protection,
When such as truly do serve God,
Oft times do feel their heavy Rod.
And so, as Scripture plain doth say,
We see fulfill'd in this our day,
All that from Evil turn away,
Are often made a daily prey.
For some have suffered very deep,
Their Ox, their Cows, and all their Sheep
Are taken from them, Children weep,
Nought left to cover when they sleep.
Some layn in Prison many a Year,
Some dy'd, which caused many a tear;
For which cause, some do justly fear,
A time of Judgment doth draw near,
Unto this Land, except the Yoke
Be taken off; that heavy stroak,
Which still lies on the Innocent,
Them to destroy was their intent.
Yet such as do offend God, must
Know certainly, that he is just,
[Page 7] To every man, Reward will he,
According as his Works shall be.
Whether private men, or a whole Nation,
God hath for each a Visitation:
Such as are wilful in Oppression.
Shall suffer deep for their Transgression,
O England! England! thou mayst see,
God's Judgments like to come on thee.
Therefore make haste, Repent, and flee
To th' Rock that can save thee and me.
Which if thou dost not speedily
Forsake thy lewd Debauchery,
And make the Oppressed to go free
Thou't suffer great Calamitie.
Abandon also thy great Pride,
And all Ungodliness beside,
Or else thy Torment and thy Sorrow
Will be like Sodom and Gomorrah.
For Sin hath caus'd in many Nations,
Both great and grievous Desolations.
And who provokes the Righteous God,
Must surely feel his heavy Rod.
William Money.
THE END.