The rod of recompence, or, The hand of justice in the punishment of the enemies of church & state by Gods providence and justice brought about after they had by the space of eighteen years afflicted and tormented both / written by John Conset.

THE ROD OF RECOMPENCE OR THE HAND OF JUSTICE . I THE branch which late I reached to the just , Portending Peace And much increase Of hap to those who must Acknowledge Gods high power in Restauration , Of them and theirs from this late desolation . It s message ended , now becomes a rod Of Recompence to those , who man or God Of late contemned , counting nothing holy Which did not tend to th' advance of their folly . Nor spar'd to scourge with insolence the just , And them to trample in the abject dust . These Nimrods now by a most just succession , Must mount the scene to answer their oppression . II. Thus have you seen the Providence divine From captive thrall Of late recall , And end their woes in fine Who did with patience kiss their Soveraigns hests , Them daigning for a while ( to be opprest ) Unto their Tyrant foes to give : But lo , How he rewards their patience , and how He crown'd their sufferings with much consolation , And clears their innocence by this Restauration . III. Whilst those who late their stern oppressors were , Are captive made , And in a shade Of pensive dreary care Benighted , and their horrid guilt loud cries For vengeance on their retchless Butcheries And Providence reads lectures of Instruction To after-Ages ; in their just destruction . IV. Not long it is since the black lines of woe , Did much ore cloud And sore enshroud By this our common foe , Those radiant Beams of Royal Majesty , Which erst enlighten'd faithfull loyalty : As Phaebus fills the lesser stars with light , Whose sole Ecclipse benights their glory bright . V. But now the radiant beams from Gods high favour , Th' Ecclipse remove , And in his love He ( appearing a Saviour To King and people ) those black lines out-raced , Their comely visage which had so defaced ; And brings on th' Scene their active cruel foe , Which thus had drawn on them these lines of woe . VI Not long it is since these black sons of errour Rebellious Frie And progeny And to just men a terror Mounted on their usurped Throne did shine With rayes of Pomp and Triumph ; But in fine Their lustre proves like that which doth proceed From those false fires which mists and vapors feed . VII . Mean while these meteors daily breath out woe , Or captive thrall To the loyal Who in their tract to go Refuse ; and therefore cruel servitude , Or vassa lage to them they do conclude . Nay death and Martyrdome must be their end , Who to their rage will not assistance lend . VIII . But now behold these Titans brought to thrall By those who late , Did satiate By their distress & fall . The spleen and envy of these Tyrants fell , Who now must change their Throne into a cell : Their Triumphs into Dirges must they turn , And those who long have laught , must learn to mourn From whence they came , to that they must return . IX . Like Insects they from corrupt matter came , By th' heat of War And cruel jar Late brooded , to the same Must they dissolve like those Aegyptian flies , Bred but to plague our Countrey for its vice : But through repentance God hath them remanded , Back to their cells again , when th' judgement 's ended X. Their threas must they into petitions change , Who did rejest With dire aspect ( When others torments strange Enforc'd to sue for mercy ) their Petition ; And charg'd them ( Loyal ) with some foul sedition . Steeling their faces with harsh lines of Terrour , Miscalling truth with Epithites of errour ; These may intreat , but iu●tly are forlorn ; Their Terrours turn'd into contempt and scorn . XI . These are the men who trusted not in God , But in their strength And at the length Did sway the ruling rod. And rather chose sins pleasures for a season , Might their enjoyments be , though haughty treason 'Gainst God and man the same conferr'd , than dure Affliction with Gods people , who abjure XII . That gain or pleasure which with Gods behest Doth not agree But when they see What to their souls seems best Do chuse it , though clag'd with clods of affliction , Or vail'd and shadow'd with clouds of dejection . For well they know , that to their present grief Joy shall succeed , and they shall find relief . XIII . But these , believe not God for future good But what they see , They take to be The only chiefest good . And wholly bend their thoughts that to attain ( Gods hests neglecting ) make their God their gain , To which they sacrifice their whole endeavour , And by this homage from their Maker sever , Only in word they 'l own Him ; but in deed , Their own devices , not his word , they 'l creed . XIV . They spar'd no ill to bring about their end , Be 't King to kill , Or other ill Whereto their actions tend They wallow in all worldly joyes , and still ( As if no God there were ) their Genius fill With all delights ; Gods Word they only us'd As servant to their lusts , thus it th' abused . XV. And sith they saw no Judgement them ore take , As if Gods word Did not afford A Rule for us to make Our Guide to holy life , they laid aside , And their success they make their only guide To prove Gods approbation , but behold Their Mediums bad , and their conclusion cold . XVI . Loe he who 'gainst his Soveraigns life did plead , And did attain He should be slain , Who was our chief & head . He for his own life pleads , but is deny'd , Sith at his instance our dear Soveraign dy'd . He could not happy be while Charles did live , Nor we , except to him his meed we give : His passed sweets must we repay with sowre , His Sunshines turn'd to Tempests tossing showre . XVII . And he whose frothy Rethorick did move By subtill words Which nought affords But shows of what they love . The silly ones ( to second his design ) Their Rings , their lives and all for to resign To his disposal , lo now he wants breath , Or words to plead , and save himself from death . XVIII . Full often hath this Miscreant abused That sacred place , Whence rayes of Grace By Gods Word are diffused Amongst poor Mortals them to light into The way of Peace , there did he chuse to do His Antick Pageants ; making it a stage Of Drollery to the profane phrantique age . God thus permitting him uncurb'd to run From ill to worse , till th' height of ills he had done , And last the Guardon af those ills hath won . XIX . And those who erst in pomp and Triumph led Armies at Will Do now want skill To guard their tottering head . Their force is scatter'd , and their Armie 's shaken , For Gods just judgement hath them overtaken , Their valours daunted , and their Crafts out-vi'd , And their designes made void on every side . XX. For he who from his Throne beholdeth all , Which under th' Sun By man is done , Or on this stable ball Doth come to pass , permits mans curst invention Sometimes to take effect , but with intention When he his whole atchievement hath attain'd , And th' summe of all his wicked hope hath gain'd , To let him see his hand can quickly foil His greatest Fortress , and it give to spoil . XXI . When therefore you oppression do behold Within a land Long time to stand , Let not your faith be cold . But know who heaven , and earth , and all hath made , ( Though long he suffer ) yet by him 's ore swaid The powers therein contain'd ; and ' it s He , Who all Oppressours and un●ust doth see , And will in time their injuries repay , Avenge their wrongs at last , though long he stay . XXII . Most true it is we had deserv'd his ire Against his hest ( For ever blest ) By our rebellion dire , With haughty spirits spurning , and with scorn Rejecting his commands ; His patience worn With our rebellious wanton carriage , turning To wrath and fury , 'gainst our vices burning . XXIII . Therefore he gave us to the Philistim To be dejected And afflicted By their tortours grim , Who spoil'd our houses , and our lands did take To their possessions , and our Church did make A Den for foxes , or for Owles a nest . Our selves their Captives whom they rob'd of rest , Our women from their pleasant places they Cast out , and made our joyes become their prey . XXIV . Thus were we toyled with fell servitude , Untill at length God shew'd his strength , Our sorrows to conclude . And did remove from us his scourging hand , When gain'd the end of his Afflictions , and Reclaimed us from sinning , then he throwes Into the fire of vengeance these our foes ; Whom by success he made a Rod to us , Now burnes the same , our woes concluding thus . XXV . Let not therefore Gods patience you incite With violence To innocence To offer shrewd despite . For sure you shall by wofull tryal find , He all your wrongs will treasure up in mind , And at the length , he vengeance on your head Will feirce repay , either alive or dead . XXVI . Now sith , O Lord , thy justice doth thus sure Avenge all wrong Which here is done , And doth also procure In spite of ill relief to th' wronged flock , Who flie to thee as their faiths surest rock . Let us beware how we do thee provoke , To lay on us thy scourge , and fatal stroke . And let 's in faith and fear wait for thy favour , That here and after thou mayst be our Saviour . AMEN . DEO GLORIA .