Balaams reply to the asse, or, The clergies ansvver to the contreys complaint by H. VV..

Balaams Reply to the Ass, OR THE Clergies Answer TO THE Countrys Complaint.

[1]

To the Reverend Bishops. YOu learned Prelates of the House of Peers! That sit in Moses Chair, and bow your ears To Widows just Complaints, and Orphans Tearal

[2]

Grave (Fathers of the Church) to you we come! Begging for Justice! though they say we are dumb; If we were so indeed twere well for some.

[3]

To you we send or our complaints alass, None fitter then an Angel to appease. The fray, betwixt poor Bala'm and his Ass?

[4]

And that your Lordships are concern'd I'm sure; Unless you can both scorn, and loss indure, The livings are your own, our's but the cure!

[5]

Twill be no wonder to your learned Train, That Issacar of Levy should complain! The Asses spleen will in his mouth remain.

[6]

Nor wil't I hope seem sttrange to any one, That there's amongst us such division, Proud Jack did evermore abuse poor John!

[7]

In vain it is for Bala'm to reply Unto the Asses charge, when all men cry, A switch and spurr's the heft Phylosophy!

[8]

Yet in my heart I think no wise men do, Think us false Prophets, for they all do know, They are but Asses, that do count us so.

[9]

But oh we cannot hold, should we not speak, And sigh aloud, our very hearts would break, Twould vex a Moses were he nere so meek!

[10]

Say can it chose but greive our souls to see? Simeon and Levy fight, both disagree? And sorry boys, old Fathers villifie?

[11]

Did ever any since the cursed Ca•…•…, Turn up his fathers skirt, divulge his shame? Yes, yes, mine own dear sons have done the same!

[12]

And as if God were deaf, and Conscience dumb, Rebellion but a peccadillo, some Like Nero have display'd their Mothers Womb.

[13]

Lord didst thou send, the wild and Savage Bear, To slay th' unto'ward boys that sooffing were; At the good Prophet for his want of hair?

[14]

How canst thou stay thy hand, when men and all, Do joyn together and us scoffing call, Though not bald Priests by chance, yet Priests of Ba'al

[15]

And why on John what mean those names and words, Or hath the Church her Knights, as well as Lords? Or, tell me are het Keys exchang'd for Swords?

[16]

True not long since he lay dead in a sown, Of civil Wars, the cross, and waining Moon, Parted her Ensigns, and the was undone.

[17]

But that some gallane hearts that scornd the loss Of life and goods, at heft but splended dross Stay'd for to help their Mother bear her Cross.

[18]

But why Sir John would not St. George have been A better Epethite, but chiefly when Griffins; and Dragons are so nee'r a kin?

[19]

Or wa'st a greater peice of eminence, To be a Mother, then a Maids defence, Is love inferior to obedience?

[20]

Why the rude Vulgar folk do call us John, And add a sir, I must profess I'm one As must go seek a Revelation?

[21]

True, we have been as we do all confess, A long time in the howling wilderness, Save that we might not preach up righteousness!

[22]

Besides our Commons too were very small, Like to the Baptist's, yet they differ all! John fed on Honey, but we fed on Gall.

[23]

Yet we embrace the title, tis no shame For to be Christn'd with the Baptists name, May we be like him all a burning flame!

[24]

But ah this is not all that you do see, A thousand harder names as yet here be In the poor Persons Genealogy.

[25]

Dogs, Bears and Wolves, Tigers and such as they That range the silent Woods live on the pray Are Hieroglypicks fit for as they say.

[26]

And yet God know a our hearts, and and souls we cou'd Nor fight, nor fews, be infolent, nor prond, Or flush our selves with quaffing humane blood!

[27]

But so the Tyrant Monarchs of the East, Us'd in (their Triumphs, o•• the•• solemn 〈◊…〉〈◊…〉, To bias poor Christ•••…•••… in the skins of 〈◊〉〈◊〉

[28]

What 'tis we have done, truely we do not know, To merit ill of them, did we weed go, With bended knee to supplicate our Fo!

[29]

If we have took away from any one, More then our Tent'hs, on this condition, We are ready to make restitution!

[30]

If Altars, Tapers, be Idolatry, Gowns, Cassack, Tippets, rags of Popery, Shew'us good reason for't wee'l lay 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by

[31]

But if the reading prayers be all our bl•••…•••… 'Cause 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 maybe taught the same, The Ass may then 〈◊…〉〈◊…〉 from 〈◊◊…〉〈◊◊…〉

[32]

For is the 〈◊…〉〈◊…〉 men doth 〈◊◊…〉〈◊◊…〉 Of so much 〈◊…〉〈◊…〉 that he 〈◊◊…〉〈◊◊…〉 To this, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••ye may sooner speak the•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉

[33]

But oh we cannot pray our hearts are scant, Strange that we cannot pray, and yet can cant The poor Man never did expressions want

[34]

True, we cant hang the head, and look demure, Talk fast, and lowd like Monkeys in a Lure, And then not question but to sin secure!

[35]

We do not love a long and tedious story, Full of Perenthesis, pride and vain glory, The Pater Noster's the best Directory!

[36]

We do profess that we are none of those, That Circumflex their Sermonas with their Nose, And mingle Hopkins Rimes, with Wisdowes Prose!

[37]

Yet would you but vouchsafe to view the prayers, Of your good Mother sinoe these latter years, Mixt with the incense of a Prelates Tears?

[38]

Would you but hearken to her groans, and cries, Her sweet Patheticksand Apostrophies, You'ld say there was no richer Sacrafice!

[39]

The penitent Disciple I d•••…•••… sw••••••, Ne'r wept so much, when the pert 〈◊…〉〈◊…〉, Fastned his Fetters, and did him scure▪

[40]

Even so the B•••••• tree, lovingly bestows It's Tears 〈◊…〉〈◊…〉 that do ••…••… Tears healing as the blood that from it flows!

[41]

But stay here •••…•••… fright Just like a Taylors Bill, a threadbare Knight, They say we are 〈◊〉〈◊〉, loose, prophane, and ••ight!

[42]

I do not wish these Articles may be, As false a charge, as manifest a ly, As those were of a former Century!

[43]

For then the bribed Person that should go, To prove the imputation to be so, Would be the greater scandal of the two.

[44]

But yet I pray, that we may be no less Religious in plenty then distress In Canaan, then in the Wilderness▪

[45]

But we are Drunkards, men will lye and swear, Though we with modesty and tears declare, True is our Doctrine, 〈◊…〉〈◊…〉 our prayer!

[46]

Then us for Theives, and Robbers they do brand, Though we profess we would upon no hand, Purchase an 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Churches Land!

[47]

But we are wanton, lustful, fond and fickle, And in our Neighbours Corn do thrust our Sickle When we God won all hate a Conventickle.

[48]

Lastly we are dark Lights, blind Guides by name, Though if we were, say which deserves must blame, A glimering Taper, or a wandring flame?

[49]

And yet the faults not ours, we had no doubt, Remain'd till now, bright shining and devout, Had not a Sequestration blew us out▪

[50]

That Northern gust, that fatal Hurrican, That rush'd through all the quarters of the Land, Rooted up Oaks, 〈◊…〉〈◊…〉 the Mushroms stand!

[51]

Good Lord how prejudice and passion blea••s, Our eys; how self 〈◊◊◊…〉〈◊◊◊…〉 by the ears, Which way the wind blow, the Saylor steers!

[52]

If we say nothing then they spur•• and kick, Call us dumb dogs, and throw us bones to pick, The Ass will vapour when the ••yons sick!

[53]

When we resufe to see at least to mind, Their grose abuses, then the Preist is blind, Weeping perhaps to see them so unkind!

[54]

But if we justisie our holiness, And prove by reason, what we do profess, The wisdome of the world is foolishness!

[55]

At last when envy cannot find a hole, To shroud her-self, down they sit and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Tis a poor silly superctitious soul

[56]

These are the scoffs and Jears, the cruel hits, That wicked heads invent in drunken fits, To vex good men, and exercise their wits!

[57]

O wicked World, O monstrous Commonweal, When men with great applause might kill and steal, Censure was Saintship, Sacriledge was zeal!

[58]

When Churches 〈◊…〉〈◊…〉 like stables, Altars bare, Or Turn'd to Mangers, Priests and Organs were, Both silenc'd, none might preach unless they'd swane!

[59]

No Musick in the Church but Widows cries, No Sacraments but Oaths, no Rites but lies, No Christian Burial, and no Sacrifice!

[60]

But thanks be to our gratious God, for why? He heard our prayers, and harkn'd to our Cry, And thereupon turn'd our captivity!

[61]

We'are all in peace, long may we so remain, May the Grown flourish on our Soveraign, And Aarons Rod blosom and bloom again!

[62]

May all the Kings and Churches Enemies All their plots, projects, and conspiracies, Be blown away like silly Gnats and Flies!

[63]

And 〈◊〉〈◊〉my Lord•• since we to you have cry'd, And nothing that 〈◊◊…〉〈◊◊…〉 you hide, Pict your sorrows, pardon us beside•…•…,

[64]

O Father 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 how canst thou see, The bondman scoff at Isaack and not be, In love to him offended presently?

[65]

Alass we don't sigh and complain because, Our honor's lie at stake, but the good laws, Your reputation, and the Churches cause.

[66]

Tis time, tis time my Lords, or to keep in For your own safeties, or go armed when The Lyons couchant, in the Asses skin!

[67]

I'le say but this tak't on a Levits word, When once the Ass doth of his own accord Thus kick Sir John Hee'l quickly ••…••…ng my Lord.