An Alarm to TRUMPETS: OR, Mounte Chival to every dejected, remisse, and secure Trumpet, either in England, Scotland, or Ireland.
By E. F.
My bowels, my bowels, I am pained at my very heart, my heart maketh a noise in me, I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soule, the sound of the trumpet, the alarme of warre.
Destruction upon destruction is cried, for the whole land is spoyled: suddenly are my tents spoyled, and my curtains in a moment.
How long shall I see the standard, and heare the sound of the trumpet?
London, printed by R. I. for E. F. 1651.
To Horse.
To his worthy Friend M r. John Bret, Trumpet in speciall to His Excellencie the Lord Generall CROMWELL.
I Am perswaded that you are very sencible that we are fallen into as sad and as bad times as hath befallen this Nation, since and long before we were acquainted with it; and indeed, let us ballance the effect but by the cause, and here's no cause of wonderment at all: We have often grieved and sadned the good Spirit of the Lord, & now the Lords Spirit is about to saden us; wee have most unkindly lain his honour in the dust, & now he is about to throw us into the grave; we have bin disobedient to the golden Scepter of Christ, and now he may justly breake us in peeces with a rod of Iron. Yet however the changes and revolutions of the times may prove, it will goe well, very well with them that fear the Lord, of which number, I doe confidently beleeve that you are one; [Page] witnesse your Christian carriage amidst the sad miscarriages of very many men of our Profession since the wars began; and though you have lain open to as many, if not more, temptations then any of us all, considering the very many Messages that you have bin imployed in, and how you have bin earnestly solicited both by the adverse party abroad, and importuned by your loving friends at home; and yet the candid love and reciprocal affection you alwaies had to temperance and sobriety, by assistance from on high, you have very safely waded through them all. I must confesse 'tis a great honour to you, that you have bin Trumpet to three most famous and renowned Generalls. viz. To the Right Honourable Robert Earl of Essex, to the right Honourable Thomas Lord Fairfax, and to the Right Honourable the Lord Gen: Cromwell; but to be servant to the most high and ever-living God, is an honor for you in a superlative degree Indeed. Ile say no more for fear I may bee thought to flatter you, onely intreat your love to patronize and shrow'd a sheet or two under your kind protection; in doing which, you will very much oblige me to remaine,
KNowing for certain that poor sinfull man of all Creatures living is most prone and incident, (especially in a naturall condition) to permit and suffer the benefits of the Lord easily to slide and slip out of his minde, and to bury in oblivion all those great and memorable mercies that he from time to time most graciously hath bin pleased to give & bestow upon such worthlesse wormes, and poore unworthy Creatures as wee are; and therefore to get our hearts into a frame of better obedience for the time to come, let us a little consider what the Lord hath done for men of our quality by Sea and Land; notwithstanding we have so grievously offended him both by Land and Sea, and for his unparallell'd love, and matchlesse mercies extended to us on the Ocean Sea, there is many ancient and able Trumpets that are yet extant and living to this day, can give a large and better testiment thereof then I, the names of some of them, as my small acquaintance and short memory will give [Page 2] me leave, I briefly shall insert to you, viz. Mr. Warner, Mr. Stock, Mr. Hopkins, Mr. Bosgrave, Mr. Beale, Mr. Flowers, Mr. Simson, M. Farrell, M. Slaughter, M. Day, M. Hawkins, Mr. Creammer, Mr. Deane, Mr. Loveday, Mr. Whitmeale, Mr. Cardiffe, Mr. Walker, Mr. Anslow, Mr. Smith, Mr. Jefferies, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Gerard, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Coe, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Hermon, Mr. Hill, Mr. Norman, Mr. Buckly, Mr, Collins, Mr. Spilsworth, Mr. Argoe, Mr. Boone, Mr. Seaton, Mr. Williams, Mr. Peacoke; these with many more, can evidence unto the world, what mercies and miraculous preservations they have had, and how Divine Providence hath led them as it were by the hand, from place to place, from City to City, from Port to Port, and from one Haven to another, and never left them till hee had brought them home, and safely arrived them where they faine would bee; and for his love and lenity by Land, there is few or none of any fashion, ranke, or quality, but can sufficiently demonstrate to the World, what choise and singular Deliverances they have had since and before the beginning of these intestine and unnaturall Warres; and since Calamity like to a tedious Torrent, hath swiftly overtaken three poore distressed and distracted Nations all at once; and because I am loath to appeare too silent in reference unto what was said before, I [Page 3] shall give you a list of some of the places, and eminent fights, where God in mercy most graciously did appear, both for the safety & preservation of such as did professe the quality of a Trumpet; as Branford, Hounslow, Basing, Dorchester, Lynne, Weymouth, Tanton, Bristoll, Bridgewater, Plymouth, Listethell, Newbury, Oxford, the Vizes, Cherry-downe, New-market, Glocester, Edgehill, Marston-Moore, Nazeby, with many places more, in all which fights and severall skirmishes, I never yet could learn that there was above twenty Trumpets slain, onely now and then a Trumpet wounded and taken prisoner sometimes, which could not possibly bee avoided in such notable chase and dangerous fights as many of these same were; and how the Lord hath mightily preserved you both in Scotland, Ireland, Holland, France, and Spaine, and other remote places of the world, is not unacquainted, nor concealed to any rationall and knowing man; besides, when you have ridden solely by your selves, sometimes fourty, threescore, a hundred miles an end, how have you bin preserved from private Ambuscadoes, Toryes, the Mosse-Troopers, Robbers, and the like? delivering your Letters and severall Messages with a great deale of safety, civilitie, and respect; and in conclusion, very well returned to your own Garrisons in health againe, which is and hath bin no small mercy to us, if we consider of the [Page 4] same aright; nay, hath he not very often made the very quarters of the enemy a receptacle and place of safety for us: Moreover, how bountifull and forward hee hath bin to bestow upon us many a liberall and large advance, notwithstanding how backward we have bin to advance his glory for the same, and what a non-improvement we, or the most of us have made of the many favours, and the large Tallents he hath given unto us, is best knowne unto his sacred selfe and our poor sinfull selves; Likewise how carefull God hath alwayes bin to feed us with the finest Wheat, & cloath our bodies with the purest Wool, notwithstanding wee have not hungred and thirsted after Righteousnesse, nor yet earnestly desired to have our souls invested with the long white garment of Christs Righteousnesse, as they that live under a Gospel dispensation ought indeed to doe; and truly, if every one that hath a silver Trumpet, had but a sanctified soul annexed thereunto, doubtlesse we should be more sound in our judgements, and more pious in our practise then at this day wee doe appeare, and manifest our selves unto the world to bee; but some I know will readily object and say, what is the meaning of all this? doth Vice correct Sin? doth he that presses us so hard to consider the goodnesse of the Lord to us, and our ingratfulnesse to him do so himself? doe we not know he is a man that hath as much forgot the love and lenity of God as any of us all? or [Page 5] are we not acquainted that he is one that hath a long time had the forme of godlinesse, yet hath denied the power and efficasie of it in a good Life and Conversation, and to this day for ought we know, or visibly can discerne, continues the same man? Why truely Gentlemen, I must ingenuously confesse with heavinesse of heart, and griefe of soule, that you are not mistaken in what you doe affirme, I willingly could wish you were, on condition I should take the mistake very patiently; for indeed I must confesse; according to the allowance of the word, that I am one that hath refused to worke in Gods▪ Vineyard, excused the great Supper of the Lord, and sleighted the marriage of the Kings Son; by which sad consequence it hath come to passe that I have sinned against the clearest light, and dearest love that ever poore creature could transgresse against; and if any one of you that is lesse offensive then my self, will please to fling the first stone at me, I shall neither snarle at the hand, nor yet bite the stone, but kindly salute the one, and meekly kisse the other; and truly there is great reason for the same: for if the Young-man in the law that was but disobedient to his earthly parents, was to be stoned to death, how justly might this sentence passe on me that have bin so stubborne, rebellious, and disobedient to my Heavenly Father? And if in the Gospell St. Stephen suffered for his constant adhearence to Christ and his Truth, well may I suffer [Page 6] for my constant separation from the truth of Christ. In few words; Gentlemen, I am a man that am really dead in trespasses and sinnes, and yet I trust in the blood of the Lambe, I am not twice dead and pulled up by the roots, and though I have gone a long time a stray from my God, I shall now at the last and eleventh houre of the day, returne to my deare Shepheard and sweet Bishop of my soul. In order hereunto I shall intreat your prayers unto God for me, as mine shall be to the Thron of Grace for you, and that in much mercy he would be pleased to say to your spirituall desertions, and my inordinate affections, as he is pleased to say unto the raging surges of the Sea; thus far shall you goe, and no further. This is and shall be the prayers of
A Briefe description of the vanity of the times wherein we live.
A kind of perswasion to temperance.
Against excessive mirth in mournfull times.
Necessary Aphorismes for a Trumpet to observe.
THree things very good for a Trumpet to practise; to practise his Trumpet, to practise the truth, and to practise piety.
Three good things for a Trumpet to obey; to obey his Creator, to obey his Commander, and to obey the Gospel of Christ.
Three good things for a Trumpet to remember; to remember his Creator in the dayes of his youth, to remember his youth in the dayes of his age, and to remember his end in the beginning of his dayes.
Three things very bad for a Trumpet to forget; to forget his great deliverances by [Page 11] Land, his wonderfull preservation by Sea, and his marvellous safety in the City.
Three bad things for a Trumpet to be full of; to have his eyes full of adultery; his head full of foolery, and his mind full of mischiefe.
Three things very unfit for a Trumpet to begin; to begin Healths, to seeke Healths and to sound Healths.
Three good things for a Trumpet to find; to finde mercy with God, and honour him for it; to finde favour with good men, and respect them for it; and to finde out his faults, and obtain faith to mend them.
Three good things for a Trumpet to keep; to keep a faire correspondency with those he deales withall, to keep good company, and to keep a good conscience.
Three good things for a Trumpet to set light by; to set light by the losses of the world, to set light by the crosses of the world, and to set light by deeds of darknesse.
Three things very bad for a Trumpet to be an Artist in; to be an Artist in the wayes of wickednesse, to be expert in the paths of impiety, and to be delightfully acute in the wiles and stratagems of sinne, and Satan.
Three things very bad for a Trumpet to lose; to lose his taste, to lose his teeth, and to lose his time.
Three things very dangerous for a Trumpet; to look high, to feed high, and to climbe high.
Three things very good for a Trumpet; good store of modesty, good store of mercy, and good store of money.
Three things very bad for a Trumpet to fall into; to fall into a Pit, to fall into Perjury, and to fall into Poverty.
Three things very bad for a Trumpet; a bad Moore, a bad march, and a bad mind.
Three very hard things for a Trumpet to learne; to learne continency in the Stewes, temperance in a Taverne, and righteous actions amongst roaring boyes.
Three good things for a Trumpet to keep; to keep touch, to keep tune, and to keep time.
Three things very good for a Trumpet; a good colour, good cordins, and a good conscience.
Three other things good for a Trumpet; good Lungs, a good Lip, and a good life.
And make no provision for the flesh.
Let me crave your patience to peruse a few lines more and I have done.
According to my meane ability, you have had a little taste of the Lords extraordinary love and lenity to us, and our empty returnes of obedience to him [Page 17] againe. Now as we have had a feast of his favour, could he but have a little relish of our love to him it would doe well; it is not unknowne to you, that there is but three paces more especially that doth direct a man either to paine, or Paradise: He that by his little and small sins, as he accounts, slowly creeps to Hell, doth very bad; but he that by his more known and scandalous offences goes a round pace thither, doth a great deale worse; but he that by his more profuse and riotous living runs thither, doth worst of all: So on the contrary, he that by his small and feeble faith endeavours for to creep to Christ, doth well; but he that by a stronger faith goes lustily, doth better: but he that by the mighty power of God with cheerfulnesse, and alacrity, doth sweetly run his wayes, doth best of all; O that we could so run, as through the strength of Christ we might obtaine.
Deare Sirs, let us consider, and a little recollect our memory what we came into this world for; was it doe you think to sport like the Leviathan in the Sea, and for to wast our dayes in wanton dalliance, surely no; alas, you know our errand hither was, to get God glory, and to save our poore soules; [Page 18] but how neglective we have been in he one, and constantly remisse in the other, [...]s you know knowne unto the Searcher and Trier of the reines farre better then to us, for we doe finde by sad experience, Judgements has not deterr'd us. Menaces has not warn'd us, nor many mercies won us; and though the Sword be drawne, yet we cannot be drawn from the vaine vanities of this present life, and fading pleasures of this wicked world.
There is a notable passage in the second of Kings, the fift chap. and about the 26, & 27 ver. where covetous Gehazi abusing the name of his kinde Master to Naaman the Syrian, by which meanes he receives of him two tallents of Silver in two baggs, and the two changes of Garments without the consent of the good old man, but the businesse being understood, and clear'd up to him, he sharply doth reprove him for his fault, saying unto him, Is this a time to receive mony, garments, olive-yards, vine-yards, sheep, oxen, men servants, and maid servants? and in few words told him, that the Leprosie of Naaman should cleave to him and his posterity, and strait way he went out of his presence a Leper as white as Snow. Why even so might all the [Page 19] good Elisha's, the Ministers of the truth, justly reprove & say to us, when in our frantick mood we are no whit ashamed to knock and call for Wine when wee have Wine enough, and with our Trumpet openly proclaime our follies to the world, may they not then alleadge, is this a time for to drink wine in Bowls, and sound shril healths til we are sick againe? is this a time for to spend all our time to purchase change of Garments for the body, and to neglect the covering of the soule? is this a time to ravell out our dayes in filthy idle jests, and spend our precious minuts in obscene and scurrilous discourse? is this a time to visit Theators, sit in a Tavern, sing, rejoyce, and laugh, when as the pious party and holy people of the Land sit by the Waters of Babylon weeping, and have hung their Harps upon the Willows, and wil not be comforted because God is displeased?
One pregnant passage more betweene David and Ʋriah, and I shall conclude; it is in the second of Samuel the 11. Chap. the 8, 9, 10, and 11. verses. After the Prophet David had demanded of Ʋriah how Joab did, how the people did, and how the wasting Warre did prosper, he being willing to win him to his bed, he doth use some modest motives to [Page 20] invite him thither; but when his purpose would not take effect, he uses another argument to perswade him, that he had rid a very tedious and toylsome Journey, and therefore thought it meet and necessary hee should repose and rest himselfe a while, but pray observe his warlike answer to him.
And Vriah said unto David, The arke, and Israel, and Judah abide in tents, and my Lord Joab, and the servants of my Lord are encamped in the open fields; shall I then goe unto my house, to eat and drinke, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soule liveth, I will not doe this thing. The Application that we may easily collect from hence is this.
That if this gallant and heroick Christian did so readily refuse these pleasures, and refreshments that were very good and lawfull of themselves, as to goe downe to his house to eat and drinke, and to embrace his Wife: because the Arke, Joab; and many of Gods people were incamped in the open fields, and might for ought he knew, bee ingaged with the enemies of the truth before he might returne back to the Campe againe; how should this move us then now that the Arke, I mean the Cause of God is in dispute, and many of Gods people hath bin encamp [...]d in open [Page 21] field many a Winters night, and tedious stormie day? how should this, I say solemnly invite us to forsake our former foolish disports, and utterly to abandon and relinquish every unlawfull lust & pleasure whatsoever; and if our hearts be so obdurate that we cannot bring them to suffer for the Lord in open field, let us never suffer them to sin against him in a private roome; and if wee cannot be wooed to joyne with the people of God for the testimony of the truth and a good Conscience, let us never joyn with the people of the world against our Conscience and its testimony.
Alas, you see already here is three tottering Nations, and a few stedfast soules; many broken heads, but a few bleeding hearts; therefore it is very requisit that hereafter we doe walke more circumspectly, not as fooles, but as wisemen, Redeeming the time because the dayes are evil; in order hereunto, it is very fit that we speedily, frequently, and fervently apply our selves unto the thron of Grace to obtaine mercie, and find Grace to helpe in time of need: imploring and beging of him for the sonne of his loves sake, to infuse into us a principle of Life and Grace, that we may bee his Children not onely by [Page 22] name, but by nature also; so shal we stand in awe, and sin not, commune upon our beds & be still, counting it indeed an ignominious shame, that the Lackey should live more in awe of his Lord, then we of Jehovah- [...]issi; that the Servant should stand more in awe of his Master, then we doe very often of our Maker; and that the Child should stand more in awe of his earthly Parents, then we of our heavenly Father. Tis time (sayes David) that thou have mercy upon Sion, yea the time is come; and in order hereunto, it is time that wee forsake our sinnes, yea, the time is come, it is time that we abandon our impiety, when our impiety is about to abandon us; it is time to forsake riotous and tippling houses when the Judge is at the doore; high time to get Christ into our hearts, when the Kingdome of heaven is at hand. But I grow too tedious, consider what is said, and the Lord give us understanding in all things.
A few faire Caveats for secure Christians.
DEclare in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem, and say, Blow ye the Trumpet in the Land, cry, gather together and say; Assemble your selves, and let us goe into the defenced Cities.
Set up the standards towards Zion, retire, stay not, for I will bring evill from the North, and a great destruction, Jer. 4. 5, 6.
And the Word of the Lord came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? and I said, I see a seething pot, and the face thereof was towards the north.
Then the Lord said unto me, out of the north an evill shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the Land, Jer. 2. 13, 14.
O ye children of Benjamin, gather your selves to fly out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the Trumpet in Tecoa, and set up a signe of fire in Beth-haccerem, for evill appeares out of the north, and great destruction; thus saith the Lord, Behold, a people commeth from the north Country, and a great Nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth, Jer. 6. 1. 22.
The great Day of the Lord is neare, it is neare, and hasteth greatly, even the voyce of the Day of the Lord; the mighty man shall cry there bitterly, that day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble, and distresse, a day of the Trumpet, and Alarm against the fenced Cities, and against the high Towers, Zeph. 1. 14, 15, 16. And behold, God himselfe is with us for our Captaine, [Page 24] and his Priests with sounding Trumpets, to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight not against the Lord God of your Fathers, for you shall not prosper, 2 Chron. 13. 14.
Therefore behold, the dayes come saith the Lord, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites, and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burnt with fire, then shall Israel be heire unto them that were his heires, saith the Lord, Jer. 49. 2.
Blow ye the Trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy Mountaines, let all the inhabitants of the Land tremble, for the day of the Lord commeth, for it is nigh at hand; blow ye the trumpet in Zion, sanctifie a Fast, call a solemn assembly, Ioel 2. 1. 15.
For the Builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded, and he that sounded the trumpet was by me; and I said unto the Nobles, and unto the Rulers of the people, the work is great & large, and we are separated from the wall one far from another, in what place therefore ye heare the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us, our God shall fight for us, Neh. 4. 18, 19, 20.
Shall a trumpet be blowne in the City, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evill in the City, and the Lord hath not done it, Amos 3. 6.
Sonne of Man, speake unto the Children of thy people, and say unto them; When I bring the Sword upon the Land, if the people of the Land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their Watch-man, if when he sees the Sword come upon the Land, he blow the trumpet, and warne the people, then whosoever heares the sound of the trumpet, and takes not warning, if the Sword come and take him away, his bloud shall be upon his owne head.
He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning, his bloud shall be upon him; but he that takes warning shall deliver his soule, Ezek. 33. 2, 3, 4, 5.
A prudent man fore-sees the evill, and hides himselfe, but the simple passe on and are punished, Prov. 22. 3.
But stay: