Youth's comedy, or, The souls tryals and trivmph a dramatic poem, with divers meditations intermixt upon several subjects, set forth to help and encourage those that are seeking a heavenly countrey / by the author of Youth's tragedy.

Gamaliel's Speech to Persecutors.

Persecutors. Gamaliel.

Perse.

UPon the Hill of Mispah let us set Our Snares, and on Mount Ta∣bor spread our Net.

It's Dan, and Bethel, that the Law doth name To be the places for our hallow'd Flame. Why then should any from our Altars run, And not before our Calves sweet incense burn. These, these, are they that do disturb the Land, That break the Law, and won't obey command. Some we have taken, they shall dearly pay Forthosewhich scape through this forbidden way. Let's teach them now with Thorns, the Tribes agree, At Dan and Bethel we should bow the Knee. Let's make no Conscience for to ruin them, That leave our Altars for Jerusalem. It is but fit that we correct their Pride, Who would be wiser than all else beside.

Ga.

You are upon a great attempt no doubt, But want Advice in what you go about. Tell me, I pray you, was it ever found, The way of Violence hath gained ground. Come, come, dismiss the Men that you have caught, The way they take, if wrong, will come to naught:

But if the course they steer prove to be right, Then know against the mighty God you fight. Will you in Battle set the Thorn and Bryer, Shall wither'd Stubble charge consuming Fire? How will his dreadful Wrath burn up the same, When he shall march through in devouring Flame.

Dire Instruments of Death do by him lie, Prepar'd for Vengeance on the Enemy. Against the Persecutors, he ordains His Arrows, and in vital Blood them stains. Upon his Head his Mischief shall return, His Root and Branch, the Wrath of God will burn.

Phar'oh against the Seed of Jacob's bent, Ten sharpned Arrows God upon him spent. This will not do, the proud King will pursue The Ransom'd Tribes, which to the Red Sea, drew. When Israel comes, the Sea lifts up its head, Sees Israel's God, and seeing trembling fled.

The Waters are affraid, the troubled Deeps With rushing noise, make haste to run on heaps The frightned Floods do leave their Channel dry And in congealed heaps on both sides lie. The Eastern Wind sweepeth the Watry Floor, The ransom'd of the Lord safely pass o'r. Phar'oh and all his Armed Host still raves, And follows Israel through divided Waves: I'll overtake, I will the Spoil divide, I'll glut my Lusts, I will destroy, they cry'd. God from the Cloud and fiery Pillar views The daring Troops, that Israel thus pursues. There Charr'ots on a sudden lose their Wheels, The Horse and Horsman in an instant reels. The troubled Host amazed now do cry, God fighteth for them, from their Face lets fly. Unto retired Streams the Lord doth call, They strait return, the Watry heaps do fall. Dri'd Channels now with Waves are overflown, Charro'ts and Horsemen in the Deeps are thrown.

Thus in the Sea the Lord doth them confound, That in the River Israels Seed had drown'd.

Haman their off-spring doth design to kill, And with their Blood the Persian Empire fill. This Agagite doth scorn so mean a prey, As single unfaluting Mordecay: But all his People must a Victim be, To expiate for one unbowing knee.

There is a People, to the King he cry'd, Diff ring in Laws from all your Realm beside; Dispers'd and scatter'd up and down they ly, And such as will not with your Laws comply. It is not for your profit they should live, Therefore Ten thousand Talents I will give Unto your Royal use to be imploy'd, That all those Sectaries may be destroy'd. Forthwith the hasty mis-informed King, Remits the Money, and gives forth his Ring To sign the cruel Edict Posts now fly, To all parts, to promote this Villany.

The day's designed for this bloody Deed, And Haman waits to root out Israels Seed. But this returns upon him and his Race, Being carri d to be hang'd with covered Face.

Read more in Sacred Writ the end of them, That dare to fight against Jerusalem. Within their holes consumed is their Eye, Within their Mouth, their wasted Tongue doth lie. Pining Consumptions do their Bodies vex, From God a Tumult doth their minds perplex. Horrour and Fear, their Spirits do surprize, Each hand against their Neighbours hand doth rise. A cup of Poison, and of trembling Wine, She's made to those that round her draw their line. They that to lift this heavy Stone do try, Do underneath it crusht in pieces lie. Arrows like Lightning fly from bended Bow, Scatt'ring her Foes with deadly overthrow.

Then from these Men refrain, least to your cost, You chance to fight against the Lord of Host. Those Men must needs be wofully undone, That on the Bosses of his Buckler run.

Nuncius.

Nu.

THough Pilgrims in their Passage may be stay'd, By cruel hands in stinking Prisons lay'd; Which may at present grievous be to sense, Yet hath, through Grace, a blessed influence. And though both Men and Devils seek by force, To stop their Progress in this Heav'nly Course, It proves but vain, a higher hand bears sway, And helps them still to prosecute their way.