Englands Parliamentary Chronicle, Encomia
A Coloſſus of Eternall bounden Gratitude: OR, A Panegyricall Pyramides of perpetuall Praiſe. Firſt erected by our Britaines ingenious and ingenuous MERCURIE: And, now, Re-erected by the unworthy Authour of this Parliamentary-Chronicle, with ſome plain and homely Inlaid-Work of his own, inſome convenient places.
1 To God,
TO the Eternall-Ternall-Trin-Ʋn Glorious and ineffably illuſtricus, Great and Gracious, moſt Holy, and moſt Wiſe Wonder-working JEHOVAH, Great Britains onelyonly Rock of Defence, and moſt prudent Pilot, ſteering and upholding her Weather-beaten Bark, through the midſt of the Ocean of all her turbulent and overflowing Floods and ſwelling Waves of bloody Woes and Wretchedneſſe. The moſt Potent and Provident Shepherd of his Engliſh-Iſrael, diſcovering and defeating all the malignant Machinations, and Hell-hatcht deep Deſignes of Wrath and Ruine, moſt maliciouſly intended, and moſt deſperately attempted by Papiſticall, Prelaticall and Atheiſticall Wolves, a degenerous Generation of her Ʋnnaturall-Native… Paricides. To this Great God, this Righteous Lord and King of Heaven and Earth, who is thus glorious in Holineſſe, fearfull in Praiſes, and hath (in meer Mercy and free Grace) done all theſe moſt memorable Wonders for us, in Crowning us with ſo many moſt glorious Victories and treading our Enemies under our feet, Let England and Scotland, and with them, all the Powers and Potentates of the World (with the 24 Elders, Revel. 4. 10, 11.) fall before this great God, and the Lambe that ſits upon the Thr…ne, and worſhip Him that liveth for ever and ever; and caſt their Crowns down at his feet, before the Throne, ſaying, Thou, O Lord, alone, art moſt worthy to receive all Glory, and Honour, and Power; For, Thou haſt created this great Salvation and Deliverance for us; Ye…, and All-Things were created, and are for thy pleaſure and Praiſe. Even ſo, Amen.
2 To the Parliament.
TO the High and Honourable-Court of Parliament, the renowned Lords and Commons, as His Sublunary, prime and principall Agents and Inſtruments, in theſe our mighty and even miraculous Deliverances; I muſt and doe moſt juſtly and ingenuouſly acknowledge your Loyalty and Zeal, to and for God and your Country; your conſtant out-darings of all Plots and Conſpiracies. (witneſſe, that grand and unparallelled Affront and Abuſe, January, the 4. 1641.) Yea, all Violence from abroad, and at home. The many thouſand Miſcheivous Machinations againſt us. Your continuall, and indefatigable tuggings through ſo many Counterplots and Oxford fine-Deſignes, the like, never heard of, nor recorded, in any age or hiſtory. Have yee not moſt unanimouſly kept, even to this day, (and, long may yee) that famous Act of Continuation, even miraculouſly ſealed unto you by the Royall Hand? Who could have ſaid, 7 yeares agoe, That a Parliament ſhould have ſate, at all again, in England? Much leſſe, a Parliament to ſit inceſſantly, till now, at Weſtminſter, eſpecially conſidering that forementioned intended Acheldama, or Field of Blood, in the Houſe of Commons, by thoſe armed ruffianly Royaliſts; Yea, and an Army whom yee payed, when they were plotting and preparing to come againſt you; and, as it were, rewarded them for intending your deſtruction, (a Bounty hardly heard of, in other ages) and yet, for all theſe, a Parliament! They that ſaw whole Committees of Nobility and Gentry poſting to York, and doing what they could to carry the very Parliament-Houſe (had it been poſſible) along with them.
And, ſince that, a peſtilent and pernicious jugling-juncto, or Mock-Parliament, at Oxford, and yet, a Parliament at Weſtminſter! They that knew the inteſtine-Temptings, ſecret-Sidings, and perverting-Partyings, made within your own Walls, and yet, a Parliament at Weſtminſter! A Parliament, indeed, of Prayer, ſummoned from Heaven; and by Prayer continued, in ſpight of Hell! And what ſhall I ſay of you, moſt Excellent Worthies, far tranſcending ancient Romes ſo famouſed grave and renowned Senators? Yee have pulled down our tyrannicall Greivances, and ſet up our hereditary Liberties; Which, the People will (beſt) ſee, when the gliſtering of Swords is over (the eye of popular judgement being now a while, dazled with warre) every Greivance, now, ſeeming to reſide in that which, ſo, for the preſent pinches. Yee have taken down, by your Excellent Ordinances, moſt of Idolatry, from among us, not ſuffering that Babyloniſh Harlot to have her name, ſo much as in a peice of Glaſſe, nor the ſhadow of a ſtrange God in the Walls of our Church-Buildings. Yee have Ordinanced away oppreſſing Prelacy, and Popiſh-apiſh Innovations, and Mimicall Ceremonies, thoſe Dark-Lanthornes of the Biſhops, by which, they (inſenſibly) thought to have brought in the triple-Crown, and none ſhould have ſeen it, till it had been among us. Yee have Ordinanced ſtanding-Remedies for ſtanding-Troubles, even a Monethly-Faſt, or Spirituall-Militia; and are not wee a hard-hearted People, that muſt bee comp…lled to Repentance by a Law? Yee have Ordinanced a precious and pious Solemn League, or Covenant, to tye 3 Kingdomes together to their God, and One to another, if it might bee; A moſt heavenly Engine, indeed, conſidering there are ſo many Tuggers to pull them aſunder, both Papiſts, Prelates, atheiſticall-Malignants, and unhappily, if not unholily, diſſenting Separatiſts. Yea, you have Ordinanced a reverend, religious, and learned Aſſembly of Divines (a divine auxiliarie, indeed) to promove and properate the bleſſed work of building and beauti…ying Gods-Houſe with powerfull and pure Ordinances, and the Kingdome with a thorow-Reformation. Theſe and many mo ſuch like admirable Advancements of the Lords Glory have yee moſt happily and honourably eſtabliſht and effected, for which, Poſterity ſhall have juſt cauſe everlaſtingly to praiſe and bleſſe the Lord for you. Finally, I may ſay of you, both renowned Houſes of Lords and Commons, as Solomon of his praiſe-worthy Woman, Prov. 31. 29. Many Parliaments have done excellently, but, This preſent Parliament hath excelled them all.
3 To the Aſſembly of Divines.
TO the truely venerable Aſſembly of Divines, whom I muſt, moſt deſervedly, congratulate for your unwearied pains, inceſſant diſputes, and learned, toylings to build up (as much as in you is) the Houſe of God, to a glorious Evangelicall ſtructure; yea, and for your holy and grave remindings of the Parliament, continually, to keep time with God in Victories and Loſſes, by Praiſes and Humiliations. And, if any ask mee, What yee are, now, a doing? I anſwer, Yee are doing; yea, doing the Work of the Lord, in ſending the Word abroad by your divine Agents and faithfull Factors for Reformation. Yee are praying and diſputing us out of our diſtempers and diſtractions; And, ſhall not Wee bee patient, untill Yee (by Gods gracious guidance and aſſiſtance) have argued-out the Truth from Errour, and illuſtrious Light, from Glow-worm-Gliſtrings, and too evident Darkneſſe? God forbid. However, Reverend Gentlemen, heer's your Comfort, your Work (maugre all unbrotherly and uncharitable prejudice) is with your God, who will not leave it unrewarded.
4. To the City of London.
TO thee, moſt famous and faithfull Metropolis of the Kingdom, the City of London, who deſerveſt not the leaſt Congratulation in this our Panegyrick Pyramides of juſt Praiſes? Of which, I may moſt juſtly ſay (with the ſweet Singer of Iſrael; Pſal. 87▪ 3.) Many and moſt glorious things are ſpoken of thee, O City of God! Haſt not Thou been (under God) a grand-Bulwark, and a conſtant Garriſon to the Cauſe of God? Have not yee (moſt venerable Senators and renowned Commons thereof) been a glorious and impregnable Reſerve to 3 tottering Kingdomes? Doe not Glouceſter, Newberry, Redding, Arundell, &c. look red with the glorious guerdion of your crimſon-Conqueſts? Have yee not exchanged your Shops for Tents? Your ſoft and ſmooth advantages, at home, for rugged-difficulties, and rough-dangers abroad? Have you not been an admirable rich Armory, and a munificent Magazine to the Lords juſt and moſt righteous Cauſe? Hath it not been your Artillery (for the moſt part) and Ammunition, which have given ſuch and ſo many ſucceſſefull Alar…s to the enemies of God? Have not your happy Habitations been a Hyding-place, and a ſafeguarding Sanctuary, to Gods afflicted Outcaſts, and diſtreſſed Saints, their Wives and Children, from all parts (almoſt) of the whole Kingdom, whom, yee have with your Chriſtian Charity and moſt helpfull Hoſpitality nouriſht and cheriſht with the Breſt-milk of your Love and Bounty? Have yee not been, as it were, an unexhauſtible Exchequer to this great Cauſe? Witneſſe the wonderfull free and frequent disburſments of your money out of your Cheſts and purſes, and liberall Emptyings of your former rich and coſtly Cup…oards of Plate, all to enrich the Goſpel, and advance the glorious Work of Reformation of Evils in Church and State. And hath not this your zeal for God & his Truth, moſt illuſtriouſly flamed forth of late alſo, in that moſt famous and faithfull, that pious and prudent Remonſtrance or Petition of yours, exhibited to Both Houſes of Parliament, May 26. 1646. for the beating down of Hereſies, Errours, and Schiſmes, and the moſt religious advancement of the bleſſed work of pure Reformation, and a holy and happy ſettled Government of the Church of God? Such a pattern and monument of your Piety and godly zeal, I ſay, as ſhall remain to your Praiſe, and indelible renown to Poſterity, throughout all Generations. And hath not Heaven ſweetly reſented (In Chriſt) theſe your precious Expenſes, and fervent zeal for Religion, as ſo many holy Hol…cauſts, and hath, as it were (even already) ſent down thanks and recompence of your Love and bounty, in much meaſure, into your Houſes and Habitations? Witneſſe (even to the juſt and joyfull admiration of your Friends, and the envious astoniſhment of your Foes) the conſtant and copious incomes of Peace and Plenty, Health and Liberty, but moſt eſpecially (and, which, indeed, Crowns all the reſt) of the radiant and reſplendent Goſpel-Beams of pure and powerfull Word and Ordinances; No leading into Captivity, in your ſtreets, no ſlaughter or ſchrecvings out of your Wives, Virgins, and little Children, nor Peſtilentiall Mortality in your Houſes. And, yee are (and that, moſt worthily) for all theſe ſo rich and rare, ſo many and marveilous Mercies, the preſent Wonder of the whole World, and, ever, O, for ever, ſo may yee bee the Praiſe of all ſucceding Posterity.
5 TO our War-like VVorthies.
To all the famous and renowned Worthies of Great-Britaine; and, firſt, To our meritoriouſly deare, and entirely beloved, loyall and faithfull Brother-Kingdome of Scotland, to which wee are everlaſtingly bound in all mutuall, and reciprocall bonds of Love and Vnity; Whoſe hearts, the Lord did ſo affect and envlame with Sympathizing Love and Zeal to his glorious Cauſe, and to our (then) moſt low and calamitous Condition, that with moſt brotherly …ervour and fellow-feeling affection, they entred into a holy League and Solemn Covenant with us, of mutuall defence one of another; Cheerfully left their own Country and Kingdom, their deareſt Friends, Wives and Children, and (through many difficulties and diſtreſſes, in a bitter and ſore pinching Winter-march, even to deep admiration) carrying their lives in their hands, came in unto us, to help the Lord and us againſt his mighty and our moſt malicious Enemies. And whom, as the Lord made the main and principall inſtruments of the beginning of our happineſſe, both in ſaving our throats from the death-threatning knives of deſtruction, and procuring us a moſt unhoped and unexpectible Parliament (as the caſe was with us, then) which (under God) hath been the fountain of our felicity to this day: So, now at laſt alſo, the Lord hath made choyce of them to bee the Conſummators, and, as it were, the main fin…ſhers of our felicity, in putting the Perſon of the King into their hands, as counting them faithfull to improve ſuch a Prize to the beſt advantage of his Glory and our Good, if wee had but honeſt hearts ſo to conſider it. And, heerin, more eſpecially and peculiarly, to his Excellency, Magnanimous and Victorious Generall Leſley, Earl of Leven, moſt worthily famous among us, for ever, both for this famous Prize, the Kings Perſon put into his hands; And for his moſt renowned Courage and Valour at Newcaſtle and Marſton-Moore. Next, To his Excellency, the moſt noble and renowned Lord Generall, Robert Earl of Eſſex, moſt famous, faithfull and courageous at Keynton and Newberry. To the moſt valiant and magnanimous preſent CaptainGenerall, his Excellencie, Sir Thomas Fairfax, as famous and faithfull at Naſeby, Briſtol. &c. of which two moſt noble and loyall Generalls, I may ſay (as Plutarch, in his Lives, did of thoſe two renowned ancient Romane-Commanders, Fabius, and Marcellus,) They have been (under God) The Sword and Buckler of the Kingdome. To the right noble loyall and religious Robert Earl of Warwick, the famous and faithfull Lord High-Admirall, whoſe Chivalry at Sea, and whoſe Seaſonable Charity to Lime, ought never to bee forgotten by us. To the renowned Peers and Patriots of their Country, the noble Earl of Mancheſter, and famous and faithfull noble Lord, Fairfax, the Parliaments two moſt valiant and ſucceſſefull Generals, both in the North and Aſſociated Counties. To undaunted, and never Enough honoured Sir William Waller, who hath been a ſtrong Wall, and brave Bulwark, indeed, to this Kingdome, as Portſmouth, Aulton, Alsford, and his many other famous Victories can Witneſſe. To magn animous Sir William Fairfax, and Sir John Meldrum, thoſe two moſt Courageous Commanders, who moſt nobly ſpent their beſt blood, for the beſt Cauſe that ever this Kingdom undertook. To as valiant as virtuous Sir William Brereton, famous for his valour and activity in Cheſhire, Namptwich, and now lately, at Weſt cheſter. To religious and magnanimous Major Generall Skippon, that moſt pious Cornelius, and Expert brave Souldier, and Commander, as was admirably evident, in Cornwall, and at Naſeby; of whom it was ſaid, Hee liv'd like an Angel, pray'd like a Saint, and fought like a Lyon. To never ſufficiently praiſed and prized, Major Generall Maſſie, farre more worth than his weight in Maſſie-Gold, as the famous Siege of the City of Glouceſter, and all that County, and the adjacent parts thereof can moſt copiouſly witneſſe. To Renowned and right valiant and Victorious Lei…tenant Generall Cromwel. Thoſe valiant victorious and active Patriots, Sir John Gell, and Sir Thomas Middleton. Renowned Major Generall Brown; Major Generall Laughorne; and Major Generall Poyntz. Valiant and victorious Colonell Mitton, Colonell Sydenham, Colonell Morgan, and brave Captain Swanley. Together with very many other moſt active, loyall, and moſt Courageous Commanders, and brave Brittiſh-Spirited Souldiers, Who all, moſt like unto Davids Worthies (honourably Commemorized, 2 Sam. 23.) have made themſelves moſt meritoriouſly famous in this Preſent Age, and to Future Poſterity, for their ſo faithfully and valiantly ſerving thei… GenRration; Together alſo with the renowned Corporations, and invincible Garriſons of Hull, Glouceſter, Mancheſter, Coventry, Warwick, Northampton, Stafford, Namptiwich, famous and faithfull Plymouth, Lyme, and all the famous and faithfull Governours, Holders, and Ʋpholders of them; With the moſt worthy and well-deſerving Counties of Lancaſhire and Kent; And the other moſt famous and faithfull Parliamentary-Patriots, Cities and Counties, moſt loyally and lovingly appearing in this great and good Cauſe, and moſt freely and forwardly jeoparding Themſelves and their All, in the High-places of the Kingdome; yea, and whoſe gallantry of Spirits, indelible Merits, undaunted Reſolutions, Memorable adventures, and great Engagements, even to Life, Eſtates, and all that was moſt neer and dear unto them, have moſt juſtly called for, yea, Commanded a reſounding Acknowledgement of their ſo honourable and heroick Actions, as an inceſſant Eccho of perpetuated Applauſe, to all ſucceeding Generations, Who have not onelyonly made us to bee their deep-debtours; but even the Goſpel too together with all the Proteſtant-Churches of the World: And the Generations that are yet to come, ſhall pay tributary-Honours to their Aſhes. And, O, that this preſent Generation would plant a Field of ever-flouriſhing Laurell, and fragrant Bayes unto them, and tell their Children; Theſe are for Garlands to deck the browes of all theſe our renowned Worthies, who have not been afraid to look Death in the face, for the preſervation and maintenance of their more than Life, precious Goſpell and Liberties.
6 To God.
ANd, now again (in the laſt place, as in the firſt) ſince the Lord JEHOVAH, our Great and Glorious Wonder-working God, is and ought to bee the Alpha and Omega, of all things in Heaven and in Earth; And is, indeed, the Authour and Finiſher both of our Faith and of all our Felicity; And hath ſo freely and ſo fully wrought and done All our Works, in us, and for us; And ſo admirably raiſed up all theſe Saviours, the Means and Inſtruments to bee thus happily and ſucceſſefully aſſiſtant to us: For all theſe ſo rich and rare; for all theſe ſo many and marveilous Bleſſings, Benedictions, and Preſervations, thus gra…ciouſly and guſhingly flowing out and powred down upon Ʋs: Therefore, I ſay, to This only Wiſe God of Peace and Power, this unexhauſtible overflowing Fountan of Free Grace and Goodneſſe, whoſe Wayes are unſearchable, whoſe Power is unre…iſtible, and whoſe unlimited Love and boundleſſe Bounty is unexpreſſible, Who hath, thus, done abundantly above All that wee were able to ask, think, or deſire, much leſſe (in the leaſt meaſure) to deſerve, according to the Power of his Spirit, wherby hee is able, indeed, to doe All Things, To Him Alone, and Altogether, bee all Honour, and Glory, Dominion, and Praiſe, with all holy Reverence, and Univerſall Obedience▪ in the Church of God▪ by Jeſus Chriſt, throughout all Generations even worldwithout end. Amen and Amen.