Improvement of Imprisonment
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A66756.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
AN IMPROVEMENT Of Imprisonment, Into Real Freedom; Of Disgrace, Into Honest Reputation; Of Poverty, Into Perdurable Riches; Evidenced in a few Crums & Scraps Lately found in a PRISONERS-BASKET AT NEWGATE; And Saved together, by a Visitant of Oppressed Prisoners, for the refreshing of himself and those who are either in a worse Prison, or (who loathing the dainties of the Flesh ) hunger and thirst after Righteousness.
HE,
who,
five thousand
hungry Souls had fed
With
two small Fishes,
and five Loaves of Bread,
Would have the
Fragments
saved; for, that is sweet
To some, which others trample under feet;
This Prisoners late
Experiments
may be,
Of use to them, who know much more than he:
For, men to credit those, are soonest moved;
Whose
Words
to be sincere, by
Deeds,
are proved.
By GEORGE WITHER.
London, Printed in the Year, 1661.
THE AUTHOR OF THESE Fragments, TO THE Humble, the Poor in Spirit, and to all those Afflicted-Ones, who disdain not these CRUMMS.
EXperience,
though to Fools it
Mistress
be
Oft, makes men Wise; For, some effects on me
To that end it hath had: & though with mocks
Most entertain my
Triple-Paradox,
It will, by what ensues (I hope) appear
That,
Truths,
by me, therein averred were;
And, that, whatever shall succeed thereon,
My
Words,
and Actions, do concur in
One.
Those few, who did here visit me, in love,
Seem'd, with so much contentment to approve
Their homely Entertainment with these
Scraps,
That, they were pocketed; and some, perhaps,
Them, will
Communicate:
Which if they do,
So let it be, and
much good doit them
too:
I wish, for their sakes, that they better were,
But, if, as they did mine, their hearts they cheer,
I, may to
Constancy,
encouraged be
By their Example, more than they by me
At present are: and
mutual Ayd's,
ere long,
Shall make the weakest of us, to grow strong;
For, by GOD's Providence, (not seldom) springs
Noblest Effects, from most contemned things.
" Let, all, who of these
Fragments,
Copies had
" These
Lines
(to be perfixt before them) add.
CAPTIVITY IMPROVED INTO FREEDOM By the Grace of God.
GEORGE WITHER, to his Friends, who have inquired after him, since the late seizure of his Person, Books and Papers.
WHere
I now am,
you much desire to hear,
What, I am
blamed for
; what,
I
want,
or
fear
;
Which, this will briefly tell you: I am well,
(In
Purgatory,
between
Heaven
and
Hell.
)
My
Fact,
(which I acknowledge, in good sooth,
May some offend) is only
writing Truth
;
And, that is, in prevaricating times,
Much more offensive, then some heinous Crimes.
I nothing
Want,
that's truly needful, save,
Due thankfulness to GOD, for what I have,
Who hitherto, in an unusual wise,
Without my care, vouchsafeth me supplies;
Which hereby, I acknowledge, to this end,
That, others may in straits, on him depend.
All, I need now to
fear,
is, that before
I shall be freed,, I way be made so poor
The
Messenger,
will hardly get his fees,
Or,, that the
Remnant
of a Loaf and Cheese,
Which at my now forsaken Chamber lies,
Will mouldy be, or eaten by the Mise.
I do not fear, that what I have expressed
Or published, will not abide the
Test,
Unless my
Judges,
do, by looking back
The
Gen'ral-Pardon,
ineffectual make:
For, that, which I last wrote, was but fruit torn
Out of the Mothers Womb before 'twas born,
Which, whether
Life,
or
Death
receive it should,
No man with certainty, determine could;
And, if (according unto my
Appeals
)
That, which I purposed for the
Public-weal,
And honor of the
King,
may be perused
Intirely, and not palpably abused,
By
taking from,
or
adding thereunto,
I do defy the worst, this
World
can do;
Well knowing, that, if she conceal what's done,
From Public view, yet passeth
dooms
thereon
Which may be to my wrong, 'twill be revealed
And judged by GOD, to whom I have appealed.
Though now there be not left with me, one
Line
Of what I last wrote, I no whit repine:
For,
Providence
will further my intent,
Thereby, much better, than the course I meant;
Or, else will raise up, if that be calcin'd,
A sprightlier Product of the self-same kind,
Which to obliterate, none shall presume,
Nor time abolish, nor the flame consume,
Till it hath took effect to that good end,
For which I did at first, the same intend;
And,
Joseph-like,
when I shall tried be,
Either the
King,
or GOD, will set me free,
To whose
Free-mercies
only, I appeal
Even in those things, which I intended well:
For,
extreme Justice,
is a dreadful thing,
Whether pronounced by GOD, or by a
King
:
And, otherwhile, men of an
upright-way,
Permitted are, in some things to
mis-say,
That
Spirits
may be tried, and those things known
Which are of GOD, from that, which is our own.
I have not purposely, one Paper hid
To cloak the worst, that ere I said or did;
And if men would but at my
frailties
wink,
I will tell them, when they please, even all I
think,
Although against my Life it might offend
So, their
Demands
to public welfare tend:
For, to that purpose, if it needful were,
I dare
say
more, than many dare to
hear,
(As would be known by what is now surprised,
might it be read in public, undisguis'd)
Yet, not exceed my limits never-theless,
Or, bounds of
Reason,
or of
Soberness.
I have discharged my
Conscience,
as I thought
The present times required that I ought,
Considering, that otherwise, such
Tools
May be of use; and, men reputed
Fools
Speak things, as pertinently in some cases
As they, who are imployd in
Wise men's places.
I am not ignorant, with what disdain
Our
Pantaloons
my
Poems
entertain;
Nor ought displeased, that what I have writ
Seem'd
Frothy-stuff,
unto a
Flashy-wit,
My
sour Herbs
are as pleasing to some pallats
As
Apricocks, Muskmillions,
or sweet
Sallets
To
wanton Appetites
; and wholsomer
Than that, wherein they more delighted are.
My
Verse,
to them, seems
Vanity
to be;
So seem
They,
and all
Earthly things
to me.
By them, I numbered with
Fanatics
am,
And they, by me, reputed are the same.
My
Muse,
harsh sounds unto their
ears
applies,
Their
Manners
do as much offend mine
eyes
;
And, if I merit Punishment, who
chid
them
For things misdone, what merit they who
did them?
Should none Reprove, but persons wholly free
From Sinfulness, no Sin Reprov'd should be;
And where our
general Reproofs
offend,
Few men, their
private Errors
will amend.
All that is in my
Thoughts,
my
Words
or
Deeds
Approvable, from GOD's free Grace proceeds,
And none deserveth blame, but I alone
(If I do) for what now is thought misdone.
Yet,
come not at me,
till you may be sure
Your
Visits
may no detriment procure
Unto yourselves; for (though that I am zealous
Of
public Safety
) many are so jealous
Of our Sincerity, whom they shall find
From them, in some things, of a diff'ring mind,
That they, who walk by
Gospel
and by
Law,
May chance to suffer like
Jack Fletcher's
Daw,
Which taken among Pigeons, Pies and Crowes
For whom a Net was laid, did speed like those:
And, to help keep an
Innocent
from starving
May censured be, by some an Ill-deserving,
Which paradventure may be now my Lot.
(If
Christian Charity
prevent it not)
More to their shame than mine, who, now have here
Been their
Remembrancer,
nigh fifty year.
But, for me, take you neither
care
nor
grief
;
Death,
will much more advantage me than
Life:
I walk not blindly, in the Paths I tread,
And they will make me safe, alive, or dead.
I am assured, that his
Providence
Which orders things of much less consequence
(Whether concealed or published) will make
That which I have written, good effects to take;
And also by their means, perhaps, who be
As yet displeased, both with my
Book
and
me.
Grant me but
NATURE'S
Freedoms, and let then
The
Privilege
of
COURTS
and
SINGLE-MEN
Do what they can: for, I have broke no Law
Whereof, a
sober Man
should stand in awe;
Nor need I
Patrons
; nor ought have I done
To make me be afraid, through want of one.
I, reverence the
Powers
that are
Supreme,
And, know so well, what doth belong to them,
That, I cannot offend by
Libelling
Either against the
Parliament,
or
King
As many may suppose; for,
VICE
may be
Reprov'd, yet, they kept from Aspertions free;
As will appear, when I have open laid
What, for my
Vindication
may be said.
I love and honor more, a
Foe,
that's just
Than
him,
who
saves my life,
and
breaks his trust:
And, will not thank them, who, shall see wherein
I merit blame, yet palliate my sin;
Or, shall excuse me from due punishment,
When I shall know my fault, and not repent.
Nor will they be excused, in future times,
(Though yet they may) who make our
DUTIES crimes
Mine, is (if any) no more but
Omission
Of somewhat; or, at worst, but a
Misprision
:
And, my
Case
now, may be resembled well,
By what, unto a
Northern Lasse
befell,
Who, having been corrected very sore
For calling of her
younger Sister
Whore,
Which was indeed untrue; her
Mother,
said
Unto the
lesser Girle,
tell truly Maid,
Did she not call thee Whore?
She answered,
NO,
(She did not) but,
she thought to call me so.
I know there are those, who consider can
What use there may be of an
honest Man
Who seeketh not for Honors, or for Pelf;
Hates none; affects his Neighbor as himself;
Fears naught but GOD, and his
own heart
; his
King
Doth reverence, and can in Prison sing:
When more desire to be affected thus,
It will be better both for them and us:
And, he who makes these things his chief ambition
Though
Wrongs
he feel, can never fear
Perdition.
If less than formerly, I am befriended,
I, and my Suff'rings, quickly shall be ended.
If I find favor, you shall hear that from me
Which, to acknowledge, it will well become me:
Till then therefore
Adew
; and hereby know
That I am pleased, and well, if you be so.
Chr. oUr reDeeMer LIVeth.
Aug. 12. 1661. From Mr. Northrops, one of the Kings Messengers in Westminster, where I am civilly used.
George Wither, His first Meditation, upon his Commitment to Newgate, Aug. 22. For his Poem called Vox Vulgi, neither Published nor Finished.
I.
SO; I do now begin to be preferred;
And from an
Owl
within an
Iviebush,
Advanced am, to be a
Newgate-Bird,
As fast incaged, as my foes need wish.
My
Feathers
have so plucked already been
That, no more I can lose now, but my skin,
And when that's torn away, I may presume
My Flesh and Bones, in short time, will consume.
II.
I was restrained before, but, not so strait
Was my Restraint, nor in so close a place;
I had my load, but not such overweight,
Nor seemed I, so exposed to disgrace.
My
Friends
were overcharg'd with me before,
And will, this way, be now oppressed more:
For, that whereof my
Judges
me condemn,
Falls not so much on
me,
as upon them.
III.
But, is this Newgate, whereof so afraid
Offenders are? Is this the dismal place,
Wherein, before I came, I heard it said
There's nothing, but grief, horror, and disgrace?
I find it otherwise; and, doubtless, either
It is bely'd; or, they who are sent hither,
Within themselves, when to this house they come,
Bring that, which makes it seem so troublesome.
IV.
I no worse here, then where I was before
Accommodated am: for, though confined
From some things, which concern my Body more
Then formerly, it hath enlarged my mind.
Here, by degrees, with what the world most fears
(With
Tormeuts,
and their
Executioners
)
I may be so acquainted, if I please,
That, things which threaten pain, shall bring me ease.
V.
Here, I can see the bottom of that
Pit
Which gapes to swallow me: here, I can view
What some, who have more
prospect,
see not yet,
Nor will, till they their fears cannot eschew.
Here, I find
Objects
to prepare me for
That, which my
Flesh
and
Blood,
doth most abhor;
And, am assurd, that, to what place soe're
I, hence am sent, that GOD, will meet me there.
VI.
Though here, my
outward-being,
seems no better,
But, in appearance daily worse to grow,
My
Inward comforts
and my hopes are greater,
And, will be greatest when they make least show▪
Although my
Oil
and
Meal
doth not increase
Since I came hither, 'tis no whit the less:
Yea, though I am at more charge every day,
Then did of late, a
weeks
expense defray:
VII.
For that cost, they supplied have, to whom
My
life,
it seems, is dearer, then to me;
And, they engaged for me are become;
LORD! whence proceeds this
kindness,
but from thee?
So is it, that, I now can hardly tell
Whether, my
Friends,
to
save
me, show more
zeal
Or
they
more
malice,
who have sought of late
To ruin both my
Person,
and
Estate.
VIII.
I find already, by what I have noted,
My best
Expressions
will concealed be.
My
Verses
(as the
Devil Scripture quoted
)
Produc'd by
Scrapps,
to disadvantage me.
I see myself opposed by no small odds,
Frown'd on, by mighty men, and
mortal God's
Who sit so high, that they nor feel, nor know
What things are suff'red, by poor-men below.
IX.
Not only
Railing Foes,
on every side,
But my
Acquaintaince
also, and mere
Strangers,
Unjustly, me defame, Jeer, and deride;
Threats
follow me behind, before, lie
dangers.
Yet to no mortal for support I send,
Nor make complaints by Letter, or by Friends;
Nor will, except to them, to whom belongs
The Judging of my
Actions,
and my wrongs.
X.
My
soul,
these things consider well, and whence
They do proceed: consider
why,
likewise;
Who, puts into thy heart, this
confidence
;
Who, by unknown hands, each days want supplies;
Who,
comforts
doth augment as
griefs
increase;
Who, clothes and feeds thee in this
Wilderness,
And, when
Terrestrial ayds,
are quite bereaven
Rains on thee,
Quails
and
Manna
down from heaven.
XI.
Mark, how this
Realm
is here Epitomiz'd,
As to a
Blest,
and
Reprobate condition
:
How
Mercies,
and
how Judgments are
despised,
By most men, at the brinck of their perdition;
How few, be wrought upon, in either place,
By
Threatenings,
or by promises of
Grace.
How many, laugh, sing, swear, curse and Blaspheme
Even when,
Hell,
ready seems to swallow them.
XII.
Here, thou shalt see, that mere
Stupidity
And
gracelesness,
transporteth many a man
To out-face
Death,
with less Timidity
Then some with all their
Moral Virtues
can:
Here, thou shalt learn, that if thy Prosecutions,
Thy zeal, thy Courage and thy Resolutions
Spring only, from a
Natural Estate,
Thou, with all these, mayst be a
Reprobate.
XIII.
Let therefore, these
Experiments,
which are
Be enteraain'd; and, if henceforth God should
(As he perhaps will)
common helps
withdraw,
Let them quite go, and
catch on him fast hold.
For, if thou then despair, or shalt distrust
His
Love,
who never was to thee unjust,
This, will then prove to be a
carnal-boast,
And, thou, with all thy vain hopes wilt be lost.
XIV.
Since also, thou dost feel thy heart more prone,
By
smiles
and
favors,
to be drawn aside,
Then by
harsh usage,
to be wrought upon,
Let thy weak'st
Bulwarks
be most fortifi'd,
Lest, they, who have not strength enough to win
The
Fort
by
force,
by
Stratagems
get in;
And, thou then ruined, be past all repair,
As many are, by those, who speak them fair.
XV.
That
Spirit, try,
which thy
Resolves
begets;
For, other while, as resolute are they
Who are possessed but with
Ranting-Fits,
As any, in whom
Passion
bears no sway.
Contempt of Torment,
sometimes springs from
Madness,
Stoutness,
from
Anger,
or
despairing-sadness
:
Martyrs,
and men, of
Reprobated sense,
Bear suff'rings, with small outward difference.
XVI.
Search thou thy
heart,
therefore, with prudent care,
That,
Malice, Pride,
nor
Vengeance
lurk therein:
That
Love
of GOD, and all
mankind
be there,
Linckt with a detestation of all Sin;
And, if thou find it so, be not afraid
What e're against thee shall be done or said:
For,
Resolutions
built upon that Rock,
Will, of all raging Stormes, endure the Shock.
XVII.
Though
Princes
in their
Supreme Councils
blame thee,
And such as are
profane,
FANNATICK call thee;
They shall not able be, to fright or shame thee,
By any consequent which may befall thee:
And, if so prudently thou guide, thy
Pen
That, when it strikes at
faults
it spares the
men,
The
Wise
will form the
Fools,
themselves devide,
And, every
Just-man's
Vote, be on thy side.
XVIII.
Though it always proves not, do not grieve
Nor vex thereat: for, what GOD calls thee to,
To put in Execution thou shalt live,
In spite of all this froward world can do;
And future times, will laugh to scorn the
storms
And
Mountains,
raised by
Giants,
against
worms
When they shall see, (which they will see at last)
The
Towers of Babel
on their Builders cast.
XIX.
Make
Jesus Christ,
to be the sole Foundation,
Of thy
Affection,
of thy
Hope
and
Trust,
Of thy
Belief,
of thy
Sanctification,
Of all thy
Musings,
and of all thou
dost
:
For, nothing Justifies, but, doth Condemn,
That is not,
In, for, from,
and
by him,
Without respect to any
Interest,
Except, what, with his
Glory,
may consist.
XX.
LORD, thou hast, by renewing, in some measure
My much depraved
Will,
inclined me,
In all things, to submit to thy
good pleasure,
Let what's defective, now, made perfect be,
That, known it may be to this
Generation,
Man may attain to such a
Resignation,
That, he shall more delight,
thy will
to do,
Then, that, which his
own will,
provokes him to.
XXI.
Prais'd be thy Blessed
Name,
who, as thou didst
For
Joseph
(when he was in Prison bound)
For me, in my
Imprisonment
provid'st,
And, by thy
servants,
everywhere art found:
Be with me, as to be thou hast begun,
Until my
Generation Work
is done,
And, when that's finished, for which I was born,
Let me with Joy, into thine
Arms
return.
To the Right Honorable the Lord
Mayor,
and the rest of the Commissioners of the Peace and
Jail-delivery,
for the City of
London,
now Assembled in a General Sessions.
The Humble Petition of George Wither.
THe said Petitioner, having six and thiry years now past (before the great Pestilence raged) lived in this City (about half that time, after he came to mature Age) did in Affection thereunto, make here, his Voluntary Residence, when hundreds of thousands forsook their Habitations, that if GOD spared his life during that mortality, he might be a Remembrancer of his Judgments and Mercies, both to this City, and the whole Nation ; which he performing according to his ability, hath hitherto (with his life only, and a good Conscience ) escaped the Plagues of War, Poverty, Pestilences, and Parliaments ; and is now a Prisoner in your Jail of Newgate, in order to be tried, by the House of Commons, at their next Meeting, for intending to offer to the private consideration of the Lord Chancellor of England, a Poem called Vox Vulgi, surprised (before it was finished) in this Petitioners hands; who being lately so Totally deprived of a considerable estate as not to be left worth this piece of Paper, is in danger through want of necessaries, to perish within your Walls, before the time of his Trial will come, unless GOD (as he hath lately done) shall Extraordinarily provide him his daily bread, by the Charity of some, who, perhaps are scarce able to provide for themselves and Families.
The said Petitionor therefore, (conceiving himself obliged by the Law of Nature, to do what he can to preserve his life (though there be nothing therein considerable, for its own sake) humbly prays your Honors that, if he can procure Bail, it may be accepted for his appearance, when it shall be required, before the said House of Commons; who being the Representative of them, whose welfare he hath preferred before his own, and the Court to whose doom he seems to be referred by the Warrant for his Commitment hither, the said Petitioner, will patiently submit thereunto.
If it be in your Power, and may stand with your good pleasure to vouchsafe him this humble request, the said Petioner thankfully acknowledging your Justice and compassion, will pray for you as in duty he is bound.
George Wither.
The foregoing Petition, being dilivered to the Lord
Mayor
at the Sessions, and no Bail allowed to the Petitioner, he forthwith composed this
Epigram.
To the City of London.
WEre I, a Person, who had power to better
Thy Trade, or make thy Privileges greater,
Or take away the Citizens Estates,
Thy Walls dismantle, or break down thy Gates,
I had been looked upon, though I had done
To thee no kindness, neither meant thee one.
But, of his love, there is no value made
Who naught can to to thy wealth or greatness add,
Though he his life should hazard for thy sake,
That, thee forever, he might happy make.
BAII, will not be vouchsafed; but, I must lie
Among thy Rogues, exposed to live or die;
To starve or beg; and wholly be debarred
Of Liberty, unpitied and unheard
For doing what was honestly intended;
And, wherein, I against no Law offended.
This is, I must confess, nor less nor more,
Then, I had reason to expect before:
Yet, all my labor, is not cast away,
For, it occasion gives me, thus to say.
I wished thee well, and will, what ever shall
To me, in my extremities befall;
For, here's a number yet within this place,
Who are of those in whom the Seeds of Grace
So fructify, that GOD hath superseded
For their sakes, that for which his Justice pleaded;
And I have in my personal distress
So tasted of their Charitableness,
That, thereby I, enjoying health, and life
(My self not seeking, but thy peace in chief)
Expect that Justice only, from thy hands
Whereon thine honor and thy welfare stands;
Which neither is thy Riches, or thy Power
For, these may come to nothing, in one hour;
And, if to them, thou overmuch incline,
I will not change my poor estate for thine.
Among the
Prodigies,
by many seen
This year, I, might for one, have numbered been,
If I, should all Particulars relate
Which do concern my Person and Estate:
But, they must now
Fanatics
counted be
Who, either do believe what they shall see,
Or dare take notice, of those things that vary
From GOD's proceed, in courses ordinary;
And, therefore, I think fitting to conceal them,
Till that, which is to follow, doth reveal them,
To manifest, without all Dubitation,
That, God hath spoken to this Generation.
Mean while, I will suffer: for, our Peace must now
Not from our Actings, but, from suff'rings flow.
Yet, whether, I deserve respect or blame,
Know LONDON, since I now thy Prisoner am,
That, if I have not wherewith to subsist
Thou art obliged, to find me bread, at least,
Whilst here I shall confinement undergo,
Though I had always been thine open foe;
And, that 'tis Tyranny (what ere they are)
To lay on any, more they can bear.
Know likewise, that, if here I shall miscarry
Through lack of what, for life is necessary
Thou, thereby forfeitest, (as I conceive)
A better Charter, then the King can give:
Because, through want of Charity to foes,
Much more to Friends, our part in Christ we lose.
What I have been to thee, it hath been shown;
What thou to me art, it will now be known.
And, possibly, another Creation
Will heed, that I am somewhat to this Nation,
Deserving better, then that lie I should
Within a Jail, at seventy three years old,
For acting and designing nothing worse
Then, how to save them from a greater curse.
Look to yourselves; For, whether bond or free
I am; I know, my GOD, will look to me;
And, I and mine, shall be both clothed and fed,
When they who slieghted us, want Robes & bread.
So believeth George Wither.
Another Meditation, (or Ballad as the World perhaps, will call it) composed by the same Prisoner since his Commitment to Newgate.
I.
MY
Soul,
since we are left alone,
In our
Confinement
here,
Where we disturbed are of none,
To God, come, draw we near.
For, part of his three dreadful WOES,
Are now, so carrying on,
That, if to him, we cling not close
We may be quite undone.
II.
Our selves, let us examine so,
That though our foes condemn,
We may, for what we did misdo,
Make now our Peace with him;
Lest, when the world hath fully tried,
How, here we may be vext,
We, greater miseries must abide
Where, she will throw us next.
III.
SIN, to full ripeness, is not come,
nor
malice,
to her heights;
And, we e're they receive their
Doom
May look for more
despights.
These, which we have endured yet,
Have been sustained with ease;
But, GOD, it may he will permit
Much harder things then these.
IV.
'It is but the
Suburbs
unto
Hell,
whereto, we now are sent;
And (for the future) none can tell
What, hereto us is meant.
To better men, worse things befall
Then seem to be our
Meed
;
And, our Afflictions are but small,
To those, which may succeed.
V.
We have not that dark
Dungeon
seen
Wherein, is
endless Night
;
Nor in those,
Lowsie lodgings
been
Which every sense affright;
We feel not that, which many lack;
Nor Bolts, nor
Gives
we wear,
Fit things for
Belly
and for Back,
As yet, supplied are.
VI.
With sickness, we are not oppressed,
In body, or in mind;
No
outward cares
disturb our rest
No
Inward fears
we find.
For, all the suff'rings wherewith we
As yet, afflicted seem
Are only such as grievous be,
In other men's esteem.
VII.
But, should I, (being old and poor)
Diseased grow
within,
With Aches, have my
Limbes
made sore,
Or, with an
Vlcer'd skin
Be turned into the
Common Jail
To lie upon the ground,
And, all those
outward helps
quite fail
Which I have lately found.
VIII.
Should this befall us, where might then
Our hope and courage be?
This, happens oft to
Righteous men,
And, this, may fall on me.
What, but
complaints
and mournful cries
Would then, be in this place;
Harts aking, or still weeping eyes,
Scorns, and despair of Grace?
IX.
These will be then the best
Reliefs,
That,
Flesh and Blood
can see,
To cure or Mitigate their Griefs
Where such
Desertious
be.
Yet, be of naught (my
Soul
) afraid,
For, by his
Angels,
then,
Shall GOD's Assistance be convaid
When thou art left of men.
X.
They came unto the
Rich man's
doer
At which the
Lazar
died,
And, him to rest Eternal bore
To whom, he
Crums
denied;
And when
Elias
had of bread
The means deprived quite,
He by the
Ravenous Fowls
was Fed
At Morning, and at night.
XI.
Their GOD is
mine
; and if in him,
My
Trust,
I still repose,
He,
will to
me,
be as to
Them,
To save me from my Foes.
Or, if of that deprived I am
which fed me to this day,
I know he will supply the same
As well, another way.
XII.
The
Earth
is his, with her increase,
And wasted were her store,
He hath within a Richer place,
Enough, to send me more;
And, till it comes; That which doth
starve,
Discomfort
and
destroy
;
My life (whilst useful) shall preserve,
And more increase my
Joy.
XIII.
The
Plagues,
which others to
Despair,
And to
Blaspheming
move,
Shall stir me up, to
Praise,
and
Prayer,
And fill my heart with
Love.
Yea, that which on the
Kings of Earth
Will dreadful horrors bring,
Shall make me with Triumphant Mirth,
A
HALLELVJAH
Sing.
XIV.
The
Purging Fire,
which them doth burn,
Who, therein Raving, lie,
Thy Drosse (my
Soul
) to
Gold
shall turn,
Thy
Silver,
Purifie.
And, when thy
Fiery-trial's
past,
No loss will come to thee,
If thy
works
Fixt on
CHRIST,
thou hast,
Though built of
Straw
they be.
XV.
Resolves,
which I had not before,
These
Musings
do beget;
And though, her
Furnace
seven times more,
The
World,
henceforth shall heat,
My
Soul,
return thou to thy
Rest
;
For, GOD, hath me assured,
That, where I ten times more oppressed,
It should be well endured.
XVI.
How blessed is that
Heav'nly Place,
Where thou, Oh
CHRIST,
doth dwell!
If thou canst bring such
Joy
and
Peace,
Into this
Earthly Hell
?
He, with whom, thou still present art,
What ere on him is laid,
If, thee he loves with all his heart,
Needs, nowhere be afraid.
Mewgate, Sept. 3. 1661.
A Return, in Answer to some of them, who sent to know how it fares with me in my Imprisonment.
GOD, gave me
Grace
; by
Grace
I did conceive
A
saving Faith
; by
saving Faith
I live.
My
life of Faith,
hath had a preservation,
By
Hearing, Acting,
and by
Meditation.
By
Meditation,
I reduce to
Words
What my
Experience
in this life affords.
By that
Experience
which I have attained,
A
Patience
in my troubles I have gained;
My
Patience
hath such hopefulness begot,
That, this
disgraceful Prison
shames me not.
Though I am poor (and, as our Proverb says)
As poor as
Job
) unto my God be praise,
I am no
Beggar
; for, I have not yet,
Been forced to ask for Money, Clothes, ot Meat;
Nor tempted (having daily bread) to borrow
Through fear of wants, that may befall to
Morrow
:
And, well remembering, who was pleased to say
There's
Care
enough belonging to each Day,
I, for a day to which I may not live,
Will not of what I have, myself deprive.
With my
Condition,
I am pleased, and merry,
Of my
long-suff'rings
I am not grown weary.
And wish those who pursue me with most hate
No worse, then to enjoy the like estate,
Except my Bands. I have acquired this rest,
By those
Means
and
Degrees,
afore expressed,
And, this, unfeignedly, to you declares
How, at this present time, with me it fares.
Sept. 7. 1661. from Newgate.
George Wither.
A Pass-By, in Relation to those, who seem offended at my Frequent-Scriblings, as they call them.
ME thinks, I hear some say, who look upon
These Papers;
will this fellow never have done?
Which
Questionists,
I, with a smile contemn,
Supposing, labor lost, in answering them:
For, nothing is more pleasing to their ears
Then Scurril Pamphlets, Bawdy Rimes, and Jeers.
To them alone, therefore, who take delight
In
wholesome words,
I will show why still I write;
Presuming, that my Reasons will not seem
To merit, altogether, disesteem.
Although my former
Poems,
and my
Musings
Had not until of late Days, those perusings
Which I expected, nor now valued be
Of many, they have much refreshed me;
And, otherwile, for supplements have stood
Instead of sleep, of Rayment, and of Food.
In
Troubles,
me, they more content have made
Then
Wealth, Repute,
and all the
Friends
I had.
They cause me to be fearless of my
Foes
;
When I am
vext,
my
spirit
they compose;
When I am
Poor,
they are instead of
Wealth.
When I am
Sick,
they help repair my
Health
;
When I am
Well,
they are my
Recreation,
When tempted to
Despair,
Hopes
Reparation.
Thereby, when
Sadness
comes, to
Mirth
I turn it;
When I am
slieghted,
they do make me scorn it.
In Prisons, when my
Body
is confined
They do so many ways enlarge my
Mind
That, doubting whether will for me prove best,
The
Freedom
lost, or that which is
Possest,
I use the means of Both; but, wholly leave
The choice to GOD; and what he gives receive.
They are
Companions,
when I am left alone;
They find me
work to do,
when I have none.
By
day,
me from ill
Company
they keep;
Make
nights
less tedious, when I cannot
sleep.
They
ease me,
when I am oppressed with
wrongs
;
When I want
Music,
they do make me
Songs.
To
Friends,
who like them (where's no better cheer)
They, acceptable
Entertainments
are:
Oft, likewise, I make use of them, instead
Of
Charms,
when, I of
Fools
would fain be rid;
For, if I read them, but a
page
or two,
They strait, grow weary, and away they go.
They fix thoughts, which would quite slip out of mind,
And, when writ down, I them, know where to find;
Yea, other men, thereby, have oft received
Refreshments,
if their words may be believed:
And (which is more then all this) to GOD's
praise,
They are, and may be useful, sundry ways.
For these respects, whoever shall appear
Pleas'd or displeased, to me my
Musings
are
Considerable; and if any one
They do offend, them, he may let alone;
For, though they have been tendered unto many,
I never, yet, enforced them on any,
Against their wills; except perhaps it were
To save them, whose destruction I thought near;
And, (I will not be shy the Truth to say)
No men, have worse requited me, then they:
But peradventure, if that dead I were,
None daring to be their
Remembrancer,
(As I have been) they may more mischief'd be
Through want of one, then troubled now by me.
George Wither's
Appollogy for composing the
Poem
called
Vox Vulgi
; being a
Welcome home
from the
Counties, Cities
and
Burroughs,
to their
Prevaricating Members;
saving the honor of the
House of Commons,
and of every faithful and discreet Individual member thereof; which
Poem
was surprised before quite finished.
The Contents.
The
Author,
here makes his defense;
Clears his asspersed
Innocence;
And frees himself, from Just suspicion,
Of acting ought, without
Commission.
HEre, I have time to meditate upon,
What, I myself, and other men have done,
Occasioning my
suffering,
at this time,
And, in relation to what's thought my
Crime
:
Lest, therefore, I may him offend who gave it,
I will improve this
Leisure,
whilst I have it;
For, when my
Musings,
are expressed in
words,
The better means to Scan them it affords;
And to declare, what I shall now express,
I may hereafter, want both Time, and Place;
Or, being dead, before my
Trial-day,
My false
Accusors,
to my charge may lay,
What they shall please; and none be certain, why
I was committed in this
Jail
to die.
GOD give me strength, to finish this; and than,
Let all my foes, do, and say, what they can.
I am not only questioned, for a thing,
Presum'd misdone, but also, for the
Spring
Whence 'tis derived; and pleased some are, to say
That rending of my whole
Estate
away,
Had me provoked unto an
angry-fit,
Which was the
Cause,
of what I lately writ;
And, that I had a scurrulous intent.
To cast asspertions on the
Parliament.
To make it so appear, deprived I am,
Of what best proves, that, I deserve no blame.
My last
Conception,
(which, before to Light
It could be brought, was snatched out of my sight)
May forced be to speak, what I never thought,
Or, else, be smothered, as a birth'worth naught:
Or, (that an ill intention may appear)
Some
Verses
may be picked out here and there,
(Without those
Qualifyings,
which precede,
Or follow, to illustrate what they read)
Whereby, some
Inferences
may be made,
That, on
Good-manners,
I, intrenched had,
In summing up, and personating that
Which I have heard, the
Common-voice
relate:
Thus much to be intended doth appear,
By what, I do already
see
and
hear.
Which
falsehood,
if, but barely I deny
I shall in
words
alone, retort the
Lie
;
And,
Reason
may be born down by the
noises,
Arising from
plurallity of Voices,
Yeld forth by them, who shall intrude to do,
That, which nor
GOD,
nor
Good-men
calls them to.
I, therefore, will produce a
Vindication,
That may be justified by demonstration;
Or, by such
Reasons
as will do me right;
Unless they shall be kept from open sight,
Or clipt; or, I not suffered be to say
That, which to clear, myself produce I may:
And, if so; by the
consciences
of them
I shall be quit, whose
words
will me cendemn.
My
Cause,
may for the present, injured be;
But, all the World can do no harm to
me.
Though that which is
without me,
wronged hath been
And may be still, all shall be safe
within,
So long as
GOD,
assisteth me, by whom
I, with this
confidence,
am armed become;
And peradventure, they who think to spoil,
This
confidence,
may give themselves the foil.
Their scandal, in the first place, I will assay,
To wipe off, who suppose my losses may
Provoke me, or, that my
oppressions
had
Prevail'd, to make me grow a little mad;
But, they mistaken are in that surmise;
For, to the world-ward, I am so wise,
To be by them distempred, in a mood
Like those, who trust in
Riches
more than
GOD
;
And, by what I am like to undergo,
It will be proved, whether it be so.
I am not so in love, as men conceive,
With that, whereof the
World
can me bereave,
As to engage, for such poor Interests,
My quiet in this life, by those contests
Which I adventure on, if I saw naught,
That much more worth such hazards, I had thought:
And, this mind, if my
Actions
did not show,
In former times, those will that shall ensue,
When, more undoubtedly those things appear,
Which of my
Writings,
the chief motives were.
And will show whether, I did ought intend
To drive on an ignoble, or
self-end.
It may he known, by what was heretofore
Divulg'd, that, nothing now befalls me more
Then I expected; That, I did foresee
What lately seized on other men and me:
That, having been here, in the
Worlds
great School
So long a time, I was not so much
Fool,
As not to know, how,
Friends,
and
means
to make
In seasonable time to save my
stake
And mend my
Game
; if I unto that end
Had played it, which most other men intend;
Or, if I thought those men, who look on me
With most contempt, were better then they be.
I knew as well as any, how to
Fawn,
And
flatter
; what to
give,
and what to
Pawn
For my advantage, if I could have thought
That, worth my seeking, for which most men sought.
But though I find it an
imperfect Light
Whereby at first, I walked, it gave me sight
Of much more then the
World
believed, I saw,
And, kept me of mine
own heart
so in awe,
That, notwithstanding I did for a season
Oft stagger to and fro, 'twixt
Faith
and
Reason,
(And stumbled otherwhile, into those things
Which Ruin, unless
Grace
prevention brings)
I, in the
main,
pursued a
Good Design
;
(Not, I confess, by any power of mine)
And by some
Symptoms,
at the last, perceived,
That, till of my
Estate,
I was bereaved,
My
work,
would neither well be carried on
(When that time came, wherein it should be done)
Nor, take so good effect, as it would then,
Upon my
Self,
or upon
other men.
For, which cause, when I saw it must be so,
Without reluctancy, I, let all go,
And without nourishing, a secret spleen
Against their persons, who my foes have been.
This,
future things,
much better will display
Then all which at this present, I can say;
As also, that, they who from me of late,
Have torn unmercifully, my Estate;
By far worse
motives
thereunto were led,
Then those, which me inclined to what I did.
Loss to prevent, or to regain
what's lost,
I did adventure no more pains or cost,
Then
Reason
warranted, and obligations
Which bound me to have care of my
Relations
;
Or might, then, by pursuing of that
course
Assure me, how much bettered, or grown worse
Men, by those
Judgments
and those
Mercies
were,
Which GOD, had variously dispensed here;
And, having thereby learned what GOd meant
I, with my
losses
was as well content
As is a
Christian
when by
Turks
pursued
(Who overpower him by their multitude)
He wracks his
Vessel
on a friendly shore,
Where, he hath
Life
and
Freedom,
though no more.
Why, should I angry be to see that gone
Which if I had not lost, had me undone?
Which also, will undo them, who now have it,
And (if good heed he take not)
him
that gave it?
Or, which will be restored again to me,
If, for GOD's Glory, and my good it be?
Why, should I be displeased to be bereft
Of that, whose
loss
hath an assurance left
Of better things? Of that, which, whilst possessed,
Increast my troubles, and disturbed my rest?
Of that, which I must shortly leave (though mine)
And, know not (when the same I must resign)
Whether, it to their
Weal
or
Woe,
shall tend,
To whom, when I am dead, it will descend?
These things considered, all
wise men
know
That, nor these, nor my former
Musings
flow
From discontentments, or from
wrath
that springs
From loss of inconsiderable things:
And
Wisemens,
good esteems, if keep I may,
A rush I care not, what
fools
think or say,
On whom, the less impression it will make,
The more I rationally write, or speak.
But, that, whereby most blame to me may come,
(And, which will probably be charged home)
Is an
Impeachment
for a heinous thing
That some are pleased to call a
Lybelling
Against the COMMONS; which, if proved true
I will ask no favor: For, I think none due;
And, if it be an unjust imputation
I for my
sufferings
claim a
Reparation,
Expecting (which ought not to be refused)
That, what is called a
Lybel
be produced
To open view, and sight of everyone
Who may concerned be, in what is done:
And, that, none may usurp a Privilege
Thereon to pass a Sentence as my Judge,
Who shall not read, or hear the same throughout▪
For,
Solomon
hath freed it so from doubt
That, to aver, I shall not be a feared,
He, that doth Censure what he never heard,
Deserveth shame
; And I shall rather laugh
And Jeer thereat, then either grieve or chafe;
Because, (at worst) I, then a
Doome
shall have,
Much like as if, a
Fool
had called me
Knave.
If left to Public view, my
Poem
be,
And finished as intended was by me
No worse construction, thereof can be made
Then this, that, I have called a
Spade
a
Spade
;
And, means devised, whereby men may appear
Unto
themselves,
what others know they are.
By
feigned speakers,
I have only said
What was to me by
Common-fame
conveyed
And murmur'd in most places, to worse ends
Then that, wheteto my harmless
Poem
tends:
And, if I may presume the
Truth
to tell
I am rewarded ill, for doing well:
For, thereby, I not only turned aside
That general reproach which was applied
To all the
House of Commons,
and, alone
To them confined it, who brought blame thereon;
But, likewise, without personally blaming
(Or marking any forth) to their defaming,
Have sought to bring it to their Cognisance,
Who might thereby, the
Public weal
advance;
And, who, if it proved worthy Approbation
Might useful make it for the Reformation
Of that, which else, will have a Cousequence
More hurtful, then my
Innocent-Offence,
For, though by publication, I had done
What might have seemed a fault; (and now is none)
The
Generality
but little more
Had thereby known, then what most knew before,
When to worse ends, and more apparent wrongs
'Twas tost, upon the
Rackets
of men's Tongues;
Who, so dissatisfied seem to be
By what, they lately
feel,
and
hear
and
see,
That very frequently they are offended
Even with what for their
welfare,
seems intended;
Because, they having often been deceived
Suspect, some
future mischiefs
then conceived:
Yea, then, are things, when plausibly projected,
The less believed, and the more suspected;
Not by those only, who now called are
Fanatics,
but, by those likewise that were
Distinguish'd by the name of Cavalier;
Yea, and our
Jacks indifferent,
do begin
To be more Talkative then they have been,
Because, they find themselves in danger (whether
They are of this, or that side, or of neither)
So long, as things which Reason order might,
Shall pass by
number
only, without
weight.
To intimate, that,
Parliaments
had been
Disturb'd, by some of those, who were brought in
A
surrepticious
way; and, that by them
The
People
were abus',d is no great crime;
Nor is affirming, that they were deceived
Unfitting to be spoken, or believed,
When generally avow'd; nor to aver
A
Parliament in gross,
may sometimes err,
Since, neither to be
wise,
or
Innocent,
Is, an
inseparable Accident
Of
Parliaments
; as hath apparent been,
By that, which we in our own days have seen:
For, that, they may with
Treason,
and with
Murder,
Be charged, we shall need to look no further
Then, unto those
Transactions
which have past,
Both in this
Parliament,
and in the
last.
What have I then misdone in making known
How foolish, mad, or wicked some were grown?
How much oppressed men are; how grieved; and how
Exasperated, more and more, they grow?
What fault commit I, when I hear men say
What's
done,
and what I see done every day,
If I declare (
sedition
to prevent)
That I perceive most men are discontent,
And froward? since I neither made them such,
Nor, therein am concerned half so much
As other men? nor did intend a course
Thereby, to make what's
evil,
to be worse?
And, since, by that, which lately written was
By me, no mischief can be brought to pass,
Unless, by accident befall it may,
As when
Heat
melteth
Wax,
and hardens
Clay.
It seems hard usage (therefore) to be thrown
Into a
Jail
; of all that was mine own,
In my old Age dispoil'd; shut up alone,
Where, sick or well (attended on by none)
I must in longest nights the hazards take
Of what may happen, sleeping or awake;
Not impudent enough, to beg or borrow,
Nor having certainty of bread, tomorrow,
If
Charity
should fail: which, is a case
Much worse, then oft befalleth in this place,
To
Thieves
and
Murderers:
yet, this is not
Here mentioned as repining at my Lot;
For, whereas I am only lodged there,
Where
Murderers
and
Thieves
confined are,
The Son of GOD, who for my Ransom died
Was twixt a
Thief
and
Murth'rer
crucified:
And, in my present suff'rings I am eased,
By being well assured, that GOD is pleased
With what befalls; and that I shall at last
Be filled with
sweetness,
by what had a taste
Of
Bitterness
at first; and, that to them
Who, me and my endeavor now contemn,
Things may hereafter profitable be,
Which are at present, mischievous to me.
Despised
Instruments
will be of use
To bring to mind, that which will help reduce
Confusion into order, when applied
By
Meekness,
and not spurned at by
Pride
;
And, things which by the world, as much were Jeer'd
As
Joshua's
Rams-horns, when he first appeared
Surrounding
Jericho,
will bring about
As great a
Miracle,
as then was wrought;
Though no
Examples,
yet, nor good
advice,
Nor private
Admonitions
make those wise,
Who have not
Eyes
to
see,
what they behold
Nor
Ears,
to hear a
Truth,
when it is told.
The hour is not yet come, which I expect
May probably give this a good effect.
But, there are times wherein that will content
For which, we shall at other times be shent.
My
Poem,
styled
OPOBALSAMUM,
(Though) more offensive, then my last, to some)
The
Commons
(named the
Long Parliament
)
Did wink at, without show of discontent:
Yea, though in plain terms, I made bold to tell
Wherein, their
faulty-members
did not well.
I, then (as in the last) had so divided
The
Goats
from
Sheep
; and had so well provided
To save their honor, who least guilty were
That (though when that first
Poem,
did appear,
I was to them a
Prisoner,
for telling
What some of them to hear of, were unwilling)
They me enlarged, and vouchsafed me more
Respect in show, then e're they did before.
For, prudently observing, that the shame
Which they in chief deserved, who were to blame,
Was upon all, without distinction flung,
(Till, unto those to whom it did belong,
I had confined it) not one word was spoken
To me, which their displeasure might betoken;
And, some good use was made, (though I confess
Not very much) of what I did express:
And, when, by time, that out of mind was wore,
I, had as little favor as before.
And, so I have had also, ever since;
For, still, some at my writings took offense,
And more my wrongs, by one
foe, one day,
were
Then all my Friends, could right in twenty year.
I may have hope, the
Commons
before whom
I must be tried, as prudent will become.
The
Privilege
of WATERFORD affords,
The Freedom of explaining their own
words
To all her
Citizens.
If my
words
are
Allow'd but that Sense only, which they bear
Grammatically, I no more desire,
So that my
Poem
be preserved entire,
And perfected with my last thoughts thereon
According to my mind when 'twas begun.
For, no great credit again thereby they shall
Who weigh a matter, till they hear it all,
And, they will much bewray their ignorances,
Who heed not
Causes,
with their Circumstances.
There was before my
Book,
as
Epigram
Whereby, I wholly Vindicated am
From that which is pretended; and, I hear
That will not be permitted to appear.
If so, I find it, there is mischief meant
Which I shall find a
Medium
to prevent,
Unless there be, in some an impudence
Much more deserving blame then my offense.
That
Epigram
did evidently show
My
Book
designed for the private view
Of
Clarendon,
(supposed so wise and just,
That, him, the
King
is pleased to intrust
Even with his
Conscience
) to receive his Doom
Before, that forth in Public it should come:
Because, that, I was hopeful it might bring
By means of him, some notions to the King
Whereof his Wisdom, would have made some use
To further, what shall to his Weal conduce;
And, if that
Epigram
concealed be
It both dishonors him, and injures me.
For, liable it makes him, to suspect
That, me, in
Ill designs,
he doth protect;
The wrong to me is without precedent,
For, e're I had expressed what I meant
With my imperfect
Poem,
I was seized;
Accus'd of whatsoever others pleased,
And here, unto an
ignominious Jail
Committed am
unheard,
and without
Bail.
I hope for better usage, when the
Ring
Of
suff'rings
I have trod, till me it bring
Before my
Judges
: (for what e're is thought)
Their honor, I have not infring'd in ought.
Their charge, against me, I, yet know not how
May honestly be proved; but, this I know,
The
House of Commons
may much honor get
By well approving that which I have writ
(Considering, I therein have appealed,
To GOD, and men) if, it be not concealed.
From open view, and mulcts upon me laid
For mentioning in
private,
what was said,
In public by the
People
; who, thereby
And, therein, are concerned as much as I;
Because, my purpose, in that
Poem,
tends
To
common good,
without sinister ends.
And, if we to ourselves, may not relate,
Our thoughts in
words,
and them Communicate
To
Peers
entrusted by the
Supreme Power,
(For Preservarion of their peace and our)
We are in danger, shortly, to become
The veriest
slaves
throughout all Christendom.
But, (as I said in that which was surprised)
The
Prudent Commons,
will be so advised
When they with seriousness, have that perused
Whereby, they are supposed by me abused,
That, finding none reproved save only those,
Who them in their
debatings
did oppose;
And, that they likewise (after next
October,
Who were half mad in
June
) wise, and grown sober,
Will mend their former
manners,
and become
As helpful, as they have been troublesome;
Both
Parties
then, will, peradventure be
Thenceforth, as fully, reconciled to me
As I to all men am; and, what was not
Ill-meant,
shall be
well taken,
or forgot.
If, it be so; It will a
Symptom
prove
Of an abatement, if not of remove,
Of some oppressions, to prepare the way
For what's reserved, until another day.
But, to what end is this
Apology?
Not merely, from this place wherein I lie,
To free my Person; or, from that, which may
To me befall upon my
Trial-day.
No; those effects, must from an abler spirit
Proceed: All I can say, or do, or merit,
To add a contribution thereunto,
So, little, will to such a purpose do,
That, rather, provoke more my Foes, I shall
And deeper, into their displeasure fall:
For, 'tis not pleading in the fittest Season
A
Righteous Cause,
with Arguments Reason;
Nor is it our
well-doing
; or our
saying
The
Truth
; nor
Preaching
; nor
unto them, Praying
;
Nor our
long-suff'rings
; nor (when past they are)
Good services
to them, how great so e're,
That so much moves, as
Flattery, making Friends,
Large Gifts, and serving of their present ends.
I, therefore, have but an
occasion
took
Thereby, to mention somewhat, yet unspoke
A Nobler Cause concerning then mine own,
(And whereon,
Words
will better be bestowed)
Wholly to GOD committing the success
Make that, the chief aim of what I express.
For, hearing what is done, (by
common Fame
)
And partly knowing, that, obliged I am
Not by my
Nat'ral faculties
alone,
On me conferred for that end, (or none)
But, also, by my
Christianity,
(And, not a little, by a
Moral-Tie
)
To
speak,
and
write,
and do the best I may,
To bring them who are out, into their way;
And, I will express, what e're to that effect
I do believe may tend; without respect
To Persons of a high or low degree;
Or, any Powers on Earth, who e're they be.
Councils
and
Parliaments,
and Sovereign
Kings,
I do acknowledge to be Sacred things,
Whose Reputation, whilst (at least) they are
In being, ought with conscientious care
To be preserved; because on them depends,
That, which to public woe or welfare tends.
Yet, He, from whom all Powers their Being had,
And they, for whose sakes only they were made
Ought so to be prefer'd, that, naught be wav'd
Whereby their dues, and honors, may be saved.
We have oft seen and felt, in our own times,
That, they of such
Confusions,
and such
Crimes
Hath been the cause at least in letting in
Much more destructive Plagues, then all the Sin
Of Privare Persons; and, that which we know
Was heretofore,
may be
hereafter so.
Yea, may and will, in every Age grow worse
Unless there be provision of some course
To regulate them; and, a
free concession
(To Persons qualified with discretion)
To mind them of their duties, who have dared
When they to
Public places
were preferred,
Imploy those
Privileges
as their own
Which were for
Public services
bestowed;
And, often do abuse them, to the wrong
Of them, to whom of right, they do belong.
'It is now high time, that Earthly Kings & Judges,
Should wiser grow; and use their
Peiviledges,
To better purposes then heretofore:
For, his great
Kingdom,
now is at the door,
Which will destroy those
Empires
that begun
In NIMROD, and through various forms did run
Until the
Tyrannies,
beginning than
Shall have an end in that
Misterious-man,
Who, by the
Dragon, Scarlet-Whore
and BEAST,
(Though mystically) truly is expressed.
Then, shall those Tyrannies, and Usurpations
Whereby he, long time, hath oppressed the Nations,
And therewith, every
Branch
that sprung therefrom,
Unto an everlasting Ruin come;
Though some of them are seemingly
Besainted,
And with fair shows of
Holiness
Bepainted.
For, I believe (although it doth appear
To few men, yet)
Divine Records
declare
Aswell the
Term
of NIMROD'S
Emperies
As of
Mysterious Babels
Tyrannies,
Whose time,
Six hundred sixty six
is known
To
number out:
and, which must be ov'rthrown
With that, from whence it sprung, when ripe 'tis grown.
That, to be
All in all,
GOD, may be known.(grown.
And (as I have oft infer'd) they, who belong
To that
new Empire,
which will then grow strong,
Shall now way need their Persons, to engage
By
violent Actings
; but, to bear the rage
Of their opposers with a patient heart;
For,
suff'ring
only, will be their chief part.
And, he who in the
Assyrian
host did smite
Fourscore five thousand Persons, in one night,
Shall by the Power and virtue of his Word
Perform that work, without their hand or sword.
The CUP of
Fornication,
so bewitches
With love of
Pleasures,
Honors, and of
Riches
The
great men of the Earth,
that, they think none
Are
sober men,
unless they dote upon
Those
Vanities,
and prosecute those
Ends
To which, their
Policy
and
Power
tends,
Until they grow as mad or drunk as they;
And, then perhaps,
for wise men,
pass they may.
As
David
says,
They will not Understand
;
They will not heed what GOD hath now in hand;
But, obstinately still adhere to those
Who, tempt them on, unto their ov'rthrowes,
Till Ruin comes: For, they are not aware
How cheated by those
Mountebanks
they are;
Nor how those
Parasites
increase their store,
Even to
excess,
by making of them poor:
Nor heed they, how, these cause them to destroy
Those men, by whom they
safety
might enjoy
With
Love
and
Honor,
if they did not lend
Their Ears to those, who no Good-men befren'd.
They shut their
Eyes,
and therefore cannot see
Into what dangers they approaching be;
And, those as much they hate who cross their
will
To save them, as if they did come to kill.
That, which they call, the
Reason of the State,
Too far insisted on, is often that
Which proves the bane of Kingdoms; & yet still
Either
false Prophets, Priests,
or their
self-will
Therewith besots them; though they have been told,
What thereon hath ensu'd in times of old
When, Princes, GOD's directions had despised;
And acted that, which their own hearts devised
Although they by experiments had seen,
What, of their
Policies,
the fruits have been.
These were of old examples:
Saul,
thereby
Deprived was of Life and Sovereignty.
King
Solomon,
by something like that Knack
(To please his Wives) in honor suff'red Wrack.
So,
Jeroboam,
though, GOD promised him,
And to his seed, a lasting Diadem,
By that
State-policy,
whereby he sought
To keep the
Throne,
the loss thereof was wrought.
Jehu,
regardless of GOD's promises
The same course following, had the like success.
High places, Altars, Groves,
and
Priests
of
Baal
Were chief occasions of King
Ahab's
fall,
The bringing of the
God's
of
Edom
home,
In hope that they a strengthening might become
Unto his
Kingdom,
was the overthrow
Of
Amaziah,
and of many moe.
State-Policy,
made
Judah's
King contemn
The
Prophets
Counsel, when
Jerusalem
Was first destroyed, and the Jews enslaved
Who, might then, from that Bondage have been saved;
And, they who truly sought their preservation
Reputed were (as now)
Foes
to their Nation,
Disloyal to their
King,
seized as supitious,
And punished as Factious or Seditious.
State-Policy,
caused breaking of that
Oath
For which GOD was with
Zedekiah
wroth,
And punished in such a
Signal wise
That he lost both his
Kingdom
and his
Eyes:
And, Politick enlarging of Possessions
Or
Power,
by loading
Nations
with
Oppressions,
To further
State-Designs
(until it wracks
Their Loyalties, and then their patience
cracks
)
Hath been, and will be, in all times, and Nations,
The cause of Wars,
Rebellions,
desolations
And changing
Governments:
But, now ere long
When
human Policy,
hath made most strong
The MISTRIS of Terrestrial
Potentates,
By Counsel, Strength, and by Confederates,
Combin'd as they intend (and when their
might
Hath raised
Expectation
to the height)
Then;
She,
and
They,
shall be unto each other
A mutual Plague, and be destroyed together,
With every
Person, Family,
and
Nation,
Which is a Member of that Corporation:
And then, those PEDLERS who are now so jolly,
Shall, packing up the Tokens of their folly
Run to seek out where they their heads may hide,
From that, whereby, they shall be terrifi'd.
Let him, that hath an ear to hear this, hear it;
Let proud men tremble
; Let the
mighty fear it
;
And let the Meek rejoice; For, GOD will turn
Their Sorrows into Gladness, who now Mourn.
It is not only, now, of much behoof,
But, necessary too, that
sharp Reproof
Advice
and
Admonition,
should be given
To all
Estates
and
Princes
under Heaven,
Yea, and particularly be applied
By some, and in some cases, when aside
They from the
way of safety,
stray so far
That, to apparent danger, nigh they are;
(How ere they take it, or what ever shall
Thereby, to their
Premomters
befall)
Because, by
States,
if wickedly inclined,
The greatest Plagues do fall upon mankind.
This made
Elia's
to become so bold
When
Ahab,
of his wickedness he told
Unto his face; and when, to like intent,
A
Writing,
he to King
Jehoram
sent.
This, to reprove King
Asa,
without dread,
The SEER
Hanani
encouraged.
This, made the Prophet
Samuel
so to School
King
Saul,
that in effect, he called him
Fool
;
And,
John the Baptist,
speak as plainly too,
Of
Herod,
as now they termed
Quakers
do
To some with us: This, also, did induce
King
David,
who observed the abuse
Of
Courts
and
Councils,
to cry out on them
To this effect;
how long! will ye condemn
The poor and Innocent? how long! oppress
The man, afflicted, and the Fatherless?
How long! will ye unrighteously neglect
The cause that's just,
for personal respect?
Do Justice, and vouchsafe compassion more
Hereafter,
then ye have done heretofore;
For, (if it be not) to you, be it known
You walk in darkness; you have overthrown
The worlds Foundations; willfully enforce,
All things to move out of their proper course;
And, that, though GOD himself hath called you God's
A difference making (with no little odds)
Twixt you and common men,
yet, die you shall
Like them; yea, die such Death's, as did befall
To wicked Princes, who, unto their place
Went down, with greatest horror and disgrace.
Although such
rough Reprooss
on silken Ears
Grate harshly, and are thought by
Flatterers
To sound like
Blasphemy:
This in old times
The Language was, in which great
Princes
crimes
Rebuked were; This was the usual mode,
Till
slavish men,
feared
mortals
more then GOD.
Thus,
David
spake unto the
Congregations
Of mighty men
; Thus, through all Generations
To them should Truth be told, as need required,
By those who, to that purpose are inspired:
Republics, Kings,
and
Councils, Objects
are
Of such Reproofs, and so reproved were,
And, how inrag'd soever they are grown
GOD, will be
King
; his pleasure he'l make known
By whom soever he pleases, that their crimes
May now, as well as in
preceding times
Reproved be; For,
States
and
private men
Are every whit as guilty, now, as then.
The same at this time, or, the like
Omissions,
The like
Exorbitances,
and
Oppressions
In this our Generation may be found;
And more and more, are likely to abound
If not prevented; for, the things we should:
We neither do, nor suffer those who would,
And, if we can but force men to profess
As we do, though against their
Consciences,
We think we have secured them to our side;
Whereas, when such men's Truths come to be tried,
Who are for fear, or for advantage won
To act what is against their
Conscience
done,
(They, being both to GOD, and
Men
unjust)
In them, there's of all other, the least trust:
For, how long? or to whom? or unto what
Will they be true, who
Conscience
violate?
Doubtless, without a speedy Reformation,
It wholly, will corrupt this
Generation,
Fit us for nothing, but, for what is Evil,
And, to be serviceable to the Devil.
As therefore 'tis unfit that everyone
Should
States,
reprove, 'tis as unfit that none
Perform that
Work,
and brutish, to conceive
That, GOD, the
Worlds
last and worst Age, should leave
Without
Premonitors
; or, that the days
Most wicked grown, required not stranger ways
Of
Admonition,
then have been in use
When, of GOD's
Grace
there was much less abuse:
For,
Providence,
that nothing doth omit
Which, either
Work
or
Season,
may befit,
(Although, but little heed thereof be took)
Hath lately, to this Generation spoke
By many
Prodigies
: Each
Element
Hath very plainly Preached GOD's intent:
Yea, many
Dispensations,
which to us
Seem to be
wicked,
or
ridiculous,
Have somewhat in them, which relates unto
That, which we
have done,
or else
ought to do
Or have
Omitted
; or else to be
Signs
Of that, whereto this
later Age
declines:
And, that such things as those, in these
last Ages
Should be, we have
Authentical Presages.
But,
Visions, Revelations, Prophesies
Or such like, now, the
common-voice
decries
As at an end: which I, confess, is true
As they concern revealing Doctrines new
To
saving Faith
relating: yet, of that,
Which may concern the
Temporarie State
Of CHRIST'S
Church Militant,
or his
Elect
In
Actings
or in
Suff'rings
to direct;
Or, of
unfolding Prophesies
to them,
Which were sealed up, till an appointed time,
GOD, hath vouchsafed in season,
Revelations
As need required in all Generations,
By whom he pleased; and frequently, by such
As, by the world, were not esteemed much.
Some think, that nothing meriteth regard
Save what by
Ancient Prophets,
was declared,
Who were immediately inspired from Heaven,
By special Warrant and Commission given.
Be not deceived; the same
Commission,
still,
Is extant with us, under hand and Seal,
In Execution to be put, by all
Whom, for time being, GOD shall please to call
To be his
Prophets
; who, as well may now
As heretofore, be called from the
Plow,
From
Herds, Fruit gathering, Fishing,
from a Trade
Which, in the World small reputation had,
Or (as when Christianity began)
From being an extorting
Pablican
;
This, may believed be; for, what is else
The meaning of that
Scripture
which foretells
Their
Sons
and
Daughters
in the later times,
Should
Prophesy
? That,
old men
should have
Dreams,
And
young men Visions?
Mind too (if forgot
It be) and know it, if you know it not,
That everyone, who hath in Interest
In CHRIST, is now,
King, Prophet
and a
Priest,
(Anointed, at renewing of his Birth,
To do him services here upon Earth;
And stands obliged, as he occasion sees
To execute all these three
Offices
According to the measure of GOD's Grace
Bestown, and in his proper
Time
and
Place
;
And, these impower'd by his
Commissions
are
To
Parliaments,
and
Councils
to declare▪
(At least in general terms) what may prevent
Dishonouring God, or
common Detriment
;
And be
Remembrancers,
of such like things,
As need requires, unto the greatest
Kings.
Kings,
also, should have still attending them
Such SEERS, as to
David
in old time
The Prophet
Nathan
was. But, in the stead
Of such,
Baffoons,
or
Jesters
do succced,
In
Princes Courts
; by whom, they sometimes are
Inform'd of useless truths, by way of Jeer;
And, other while, perhaps, a formallist,
So far as it with Courtship may consist,
Will mind them of such duties as they see
By them performed; but, such as wholly be
Neglected, and by whose neglect they may
Be quite destroyed, they, not a word will say.
On many
Kings
; their lies a heavy charge;
Their
Kingdoms
are both Populous and large;
There, likewise, are so many thousand cases
Which do concern their
Persons,
or their
places
Or other men; and such a few there are
To represent them to a Royal Ear
And, likewise of those few, there are so few
Who represent unto them what is true,
That, whilst a freedom is allowed to none
To show them what's destructively misdone,
Or, what is famed; All their
Prerogatives
May not secure their Honors and their lives:
Especially, at such a time as this
Wherein GOD searcheth after what's amiss;
And, hath already, both begun to cast
Into his fiery Furnace, and to blast
All
Human Wisdom, Power
and
Righteousness
(Yea all, wherein their confidence men place)
That, they may know, all
Evils
do from them
Proceed, and all things, that are good, from him.
Moreover, that, which long since was foretold,
Some of this
Generation
shall behold,
In
differing States,
and with as
different Passions
According to their differing Inclinations;
And by the
Men,
and
means
the world despises,
In spite of all that
Hamane wit
devises
It shall be brought to pass; And, they who did
Defend the noblest
Cause,
then, best shall speed.
Oblig'd, for these respects, is everyone
To do, what in his place is to be done,
That GOD's Will, so far forth as Power is given,
May here be done on
Earth,
as 'tis in
Heaven:
A safe condition, they are always in
Who trust not in their merits; hate their Sin;
And their endeavors labor to improve
In Faith, and Meekness, Patience, Hope and Love;
That this may be effected, whatsoever
It costs them, in pursuing that endeavor.
For, Privileges of the
Human Nature,
More Sacred are then those of any
Creature
Beneath the GODHEAD; and, to all
Mankind
He is a
Traitor,
who hath ought designed.
Against that
Interest
; and therefore, I
Vow, in defense thereof, to live and die.
In order thereunto, I now employ,
The Faculty and Talent I enjoy,
Which, GOD hath made proportionable to
The
works,
and
men,
with whom I have to do.
That, which I suffer for, on this Account
Was done; By GOD's
Commission
I have doneit.
If truth I write, I am no whit to blame,
If it be false, I an Imposter am;
And, let the
Commons,
when that next they meet,
Deal with me for it, as GOD shall permit.
I have discharged my
Conscience:
And, if me,
He will not save, I, saved will not be;
Nor will I, in this
Cause
plead one word more,
Then, this, and what I have written heretofore.
I know the
World;
she also knows
her own
And, we shall both ere long be better known:
Mean while, this my Imprisonment to me
Will my
Teipsum nosce,
prove to be.
This also, and what's formerly expressed
Of me, and of this Age, will be a TEST.
Now, I will retire unto myself, and sing
To GOD, be glory; and
God save the King.
They, who are wise will observe these things; and shall understand the Loving kindness of the LORD.
Psal. 104.43.
Another Meditation in
Newgate,
somewhat alluding to this old verse in
Seneca,
Nunquam non Potest, esse Virtuti locus.
Which implies, that no
Place,
or
Time
can disadvantage an
Honest-man.
Nunquam non Potest, esse Virtuti locus.
THere's diff'rence in the self same
Times
and
Places,
As GOD conferreth, or withdraws his
Graces
;
Or, as our
Cause
is; or, as we shall find
Our hearts, to be ought more or less inclined,
To bring the
Flesh
into a due subjection,
Unto the
Spirits
Dictates and direction.
For, this
Place,
I perceive to be the same
To me, which I unto myself, now am,
And, not that, which it is to most of them
Who are with me confined at this time.
By
Burthens
(though as great) are made more
light,
Then theirs are unto them; The day or night,
Are no whit tedious; nor unpleasing make
My
sleep,
nor
Cares
renew, when I awake:
But, I as well contented am become,
In all respects, as ev'r I was at home;
Although, as well by my
Intelligence,
I, my Afflictions feel, as by my
Sense:
For, even those things, which in themselves are bitter,
To cure
Distempers,
prove not only fitter,
But sweeter too, then that which in times past
Was more defir'd, and did most please my taste.
The
want of sleep
here, and of such like things
As
else where,
and at other
Seasons,
brings
Pain to the
Flesh,
and to the
Soul
vexations,
Are either made to me sweet
Recreations,
Or give
Instruction,
in another mode,
And more effectually, then things abroad.
Last night,
as in my Bed I musing lay
How
Time
and
Life,
and all things pass away;
How needlessly ourselves we vex and pother,
Destroy, afflict, and persecute each other;
What cost, and pains, and time, we spend to build
That, which will in a little while be spoiled;
And, how, the quiet of our lives we trouble
About our
structures
of wood, straw and stubble;
Which, when our several
Fiery Trials
come,
Will into smoke and Ashes, quite consume;
It made me take into consideration
What I had
Built,
and upon what
Foundation,
That, I myself, might therein be secure
Although my
Works,
the flame should not endure.
And, thereof, having an assurance got
The loss of all my
Works
disturb me not:
For, I, a thousand times more pleased am grown
With
his on whom I Build,
then with mine own.
My
Soul
then, (which in her complantings,
Flies like an
Eagle
mounted on her wings
Through ways, which to no other can appear)
To various
Objects,
scattered here and there,
Her
Flights
directing; at the last descri'd
That
Flame,
whereby the works of men are tried;
To which, mine
Eye of Contemplation
turning,
To see each single
human structure
burning,
It was to me, a much more pleasing sight
Then
Bon-fires
on a
Solemn Day
at night
When young and old men round them in a Ring
Do sit and hear a
Fidler
play and sing;
And, 'mongst all things, which to the Fire then yielded,
The
Paper works
which have been lately built
Did make the greatest
Blaze
; and to mine eyes
Appear'd to be the best
Burnt-sacrifice
That had been off'red in this Age by men,
By, at the least,
nine and a half in ten
;
Because, they have a prime occasion been
Both of our present Plagues, and of much Sin:
And, grieved I was not, that, some of mine own
Must into that
refining fire
be thrown,
For, though that useful they might be some way,
Much of them, have (I fear) too much alay.
There are among our
Papers-Edifices,
Some useful, sanctified, and harmless
Peeces
Which may be helpful to preserve those
Notions
Whereby, our
Faith,
our manners and
Devotions
May be improved, and likewise to clear
The
Lanthorn,
which the
saving Light
doth bear,
From those
bedaubings,
which the Foggs of
Time,
And mists of
Ignorance,
have made so dim,
That, many things, it very dubious makes
And doth occasion manifold mistakes:
But, they are buried so in heaps of trash,
So choked, with intermixed Balderdash,
And, so suppressed by them who hate the
Light,
(Or, persecute the
Authors
with despite)
That, they are but like here and there a
spark,
Which lies at Bopeep, twinkling in the dark;
And, would be quite quenched, if not oft revived.
By him, from whom, they were at first derived.
Yet (like the
Fire
which in a
Wat'ry-Pit,
(Was hid) although such
sparks
be clouded, yet
They will break forth; and kindled by the blast
Of GOD's out-breathings, raise a flame at last,
That shall quite burn up, those
huge Piles
of vain
And Pestilent contrivements of the Brain.
For, they are, and have long time, been the Tinder
Of
Pride
and
Lust,
and
Discord.
They, do hinder
The
Public Peace
; The growth of
Truth
and
Love
They do obstruct; All
wickedness
promove,
And all
Profaneness; Ignorance
they cherish,
Destructive Animosites they nourish:
Yea, have so filled the world with
Books of lies,
Patcht up with forged probabilities,
That, 'tis impossible the
Time succeeding
Should know the Truth of anything by reading,
Without a more then common Intellect
Or, some Divine Assistance to direct.
For, they have put on most things, such disguises,
That,
Virtues,
hardly can▪ be known from
Vices,
Or
Truths
from
Heresies,
or wit from
folly,
Or things
profane
discerned from what is holy;
Nor cheating
Sophistries,
from soundest
Reason,
Nor
Right
from
wrong,
nor Loyalty from
Treason
;
Nor
Reprobates
from
Saints
; nor
Saints
from
Devils,
Nor saving Doctrines from destroying Evils,
Except some help which hath vouchsafed been
From GOD, shall much improve the
Light within.
This notwithstanding, pleased be to know,
(Although there is to them pronounced a
Woe
By whom offenses come) it fitting were
That, if an
Evil
be, it should appear:
And, (since GOD doth permit it for
Probation
That good and evil in each Generation
Sholdu manifest itself) that by the Crimes
Of others,
men Approv'd
may know the Times,
We with a sanctified heart should heed them
And, to those ends improve them when we read them
For which they were permitted. Thus, from
Acts
That
evil are,
the prudent man extracts
Good uses, as Physicians when it needs,
Extracteth Physic out of poisonous Weeds.
Thus far, my
Muse
before I was aware
Had rambled; But,
I will cast the Lure up, here.
These, & such thoughts as these, me waking kept
Whilst, many Dream'd of other things, and slept.
This, of the last nights
Musings,
portion was;
(Which, if you please, may for a
Vision
pass)
And, when the
morning
came, thus, into words
I put, as much as memory affords.
Newgate, the 27th. day of the 7. Moneth, 1661.
A Meditation, occasioned by the same Prisoners calling to mind, Jeremiah's Prophecy to Ebed-melech, the Blackmore, Jerem. 39.15.
I Am obliged, as much as I am able,
To be to other men as comfortable
As they have been to me; and, though (as
John
And
Peter
said long since)
Gold
I have none
Nor
silver
) what I have, I will repay,
And, that, perhaps, may useful be some way.
What was
Ebed-melech,
but, one of those
Who,
Nationally,
were esteemed
Foes,
To GOD, and to his
Church
? which way, can we
By what is writ of him, advantaged be
More then by other
Common Histories,
If, from what's mentioned in such
Peophesies,
We may not with good warranty, apply
The same rewards of
Faith
and
Charity,
(To every man in every Generation)
Which was recorded by the
Jewish Nation,
Both to infuse and warrant, the same hope
Which was confirmed to this
Aethiope
?
But, doubtlesly we may; since, for our learning
For our direction, comfort and forewarning,
All those things, principally, were ordained
Which, in the holy Scriptures are contained.
This person, represents to us, our state
By
nature,
and as men
regenerate.
The life of
Jeremiah
he preserved,
Who, else, within a
Dungeon
had been starved:
Him, forth out of a
loathsome Pit
he drew,
When, nor
Prince, Peer,
or
Priest,
nor any
Jew
To him vouchsafed
mercy:
he, alone,
Did more then any
Isra'lite
had done,
Although a
Gentile,
and a Courtier too,
Who, seldom,
works of Charity,
will do.
And, this, was so accepted of the LORD,
That by the self same
Prophet,
he sent word
(Even whilst that he detained in Prison was
As I am now) that, when upon the place
Of his abode, the
dreadful doom
foretold
Inflicted was, he should the same behold;
And, that, to him, on their destruction day
His life, should be vouchsafed, for a prey.
This
Signal Mercy
to my mind was brought,
In this
place,
pertinently, (as I thought)
Why, from this
Pattern
therefore, may not I
Who, for declaring
truth,
imprisoned lie,
Shew forth that mercy which I have received
And whereby, I am hitherto repriev'd
From what to me, might probably have been
As bad, as that which
Jeremy
was in?
For,
Age
and
Poverty,
in such a place,
Might quickly have destroyed one in my case.
My
Soul,
for this
Compassion,
praise thou
him
Who hath vouchsafed it; and bless thou
them
My gracious GOD, who were the Instruments
In that, which my destruction here prevents:
Although, they of a foreign Nation are not
They, Neighbors, Kinsmen, or Familiars were not
But all of them (except a very few)
Such, as until of late, I neither knew
In
Person,
or by
name
; some of them be
In judgment also, differing from me
In some points; which, infallibly doth prove
Their
Faith
is true, and perfected by
Love.
Their
Charity.
(This I dare boldly say)
GOD, will reward, upon their
Trial day
;
And, in those future dreadful
Visitations
Which, likely are, to come upon these
Nations
Preserve their lives, to see them, who oppress,
Receive their portions with the
merciless.
As sure, as I yet live, it will be thus;
Or, they, at least, when
Christ
calls them, with us,
Before his
Judgment-throne
; repaid will be
What they have here vouchsafed unto me;
For,
mercy,
though extended to a
Beast
(Much more to man) with some reward is blest,
And, though I were a more unworthy wretch
Then was by
Nature,
that
Ebed-melech,
Yet, forasmuch, as me they have received
As one of
Christ's
Disciples, and relieved,
(What ere I am) he,
Charity
regards,
And, they, accordingly shall have rewards.
Newgate, Sept. 26. 1661.
An Antidote against Fear, composed upon the Citizens being unexpectedly in Arms, Sept. 28. 1661. at night.
GOD, keep all safe
abroad
; I am in my
Bed,
And, see no danger yet, or cause of dread.
Immanuel
my Protector is become,
He, keeps all
Pannick-fears
out of this
Roome,
And, though the
Devil
and my
Foes
together
Confederated, they can bring none hither.
Here's naught, that any way doth me disease,
Unless, it be a few poor
starveling Fleas,
Which, I perceive are more afraid of me,
Then cause I have of them afraid to be:
For, if I do but shrugg, where it doth itch,
They skip into a hole, and there they couch.
No Thief, I think, to rob me dares appear,
Within these Walls, the
Gallows
are so near;
And, likewise, I believe, 'tis known full well,
I have naught to
lose,
nor ought for them to
steal.
I no
Back-biters
had, since to this
house
I my
Commitment
had, except,
one Louse
Which now is dead, (not having left behind
A
son
or
daughter,
that I yet can find)
And, though I were assaulted with a score
(As here, some are ofttimes with many more)
I am assured, my
Landress
hath a gift
To rid them; and it is a cleanly shift.
I do suspect, that, thus it doth not fare
With all men, who rejoice that I am here;
But, that, although they speak big words and grin,
They have more fears without them, or within;
And, that, some thousands who yet walk the street
With more, and with worse misadventures meet:
For,
Terrors
are abroad, and everywhere
It doth in
Language,
or in
looks
appear.
I, just now, hear a sound like to
Alarms
;
Drums beating, and the
•
lattering of Arms;
I (as they pass along, hear Soldiers voices,
Words of
Command,
and
Military Noises,
Which, by the time, and darkness of the night,
Doth many of the Neighbor-hood affright,
And makes me think (although I cannot tell
What is amiss) that, all things go not well.
What should the matter be? I hope, the men
Whom we saw
dead,
are not
alive agen
;
For, though I live yet, (and live longer may)
I did expect to rise, as soon as they.
Most hoped, they, ere now should have been free,
From that, wherewith disturbed they still be;
But, many see, here's daily an increase
Of what, may more infringe the
Common-peace.
The
Citizens,
I hear, strict watch do keep
This night, in Arms: I hope, were they asleep
We should be safe; and that, this will hereafter
Yield much less cause of
sorrow,
then of
laughter:
For, all our
Factions
are now of each other
So fearful, that they'll hardly come together,
Unless affrighted in the dark they are,
And fall foul on each other, unaware.
Men might (if there withal they could be pleased)
Of pains and cost and troubles, be much eased,
(With much more safety, and more, honor too)
Yet, make no
night Alarms
as now they do.
He, that's a pious, and an honest liver,
Needs not the
Mores
Bow, nor the
Parthians
Quiver,
Nor, to be singly, much less double guarded:
For,
Innocence
is by itself, well warded;
And, when she's most maliciously surrounded,
Then, soonest, her
Oppressors
are confounded.
Of all the
Foes,
that are, or ever were,
There's none so bad, or
••
ngerous as
Fear:
For, it not only many a man
distresses,
When
Plenty, Power,
and
Honor,
he possesses,
(And all the pleasures of his life destroys,
Whilst everything he seemingly enjoys)
But, makes Plagues also, which will never come
To be a greater torment unto some,
Then they are, or, then they can be, if all
Whereof they are afraid, should them befall.
Moreover, it is such a foe as none
Can easily escape when seized upon.
Nor
Power
nor
Policy,
nor
Walls of Brasse
To keep it out, can strengthen any place;
Nor Flesh and Blood, by
Sratagem,
or
Ginn
Expell it can, when it hath broken in.
Were all the
Wealth
and
Weapons
in the
Land,
And all the
People,
at one Mans
Command,
They could not fortify his heart from fears;
For,
Terrors
will creep in even at the ears,
And passage make through every other
Sence,
In spite of all resistance and defense.
That
Fear
is such a
Terror,
I well know
For I have felt it, though I do not now,
Save, as a
natural passion,
which, if well
We moderate, is, what a
Sentinel
Is to an
Army
; and by
Flesh and Blood,
Though, possibly, it cannot be withstood,
(Especially, when by a
willful Sin,
Against
Good Conscience
acted, it breaks in
And grows enraged) yet, by
Grace
we may
Subdue it; And, this, is the only way.
Take
Fear
and
Love,
well tempered together,
(As much, as may sufficient be of either)
Fire
quencheth
Fire
; The
oil of Scorpions,
heals,
The
Scorpions sting
; and, if, of all things else
You would be fearless, you must fear GOD, so
As man ought; Do, as to be done unto
You would expect, and to that
Fear,
add
Love
;
For,
Love
expelleth every other
Fear
(If placed on right Objects, and sincere)
Plucks up all
Vices,
and plants in their places
Habitual
Virtues,
and Celestial
Graces.
The
Love of
GOD, with
Filial Fear
begins,
And with a detestation of all sins.
The knowledge of our
Natural Estate,
In us, Desires to cure it will Create.
The Love of GOD in
Christ,
then, being known,
(And, what, when we incurable were grown
He hath done for us) will more Love beget
If we no false suggestions do admit;
That
Love,
will also, daily stronger grow
If we GOD's nature truly learn to know.
And, not as
Eve
did, him suspect of Evil;
Ascribe to him, what's proper to the
Devil
;
Suspect the
Promises
which he doth give us;
Nor think that he intendeth to deceive us.
For, if we love him, we will then believe him,
In all his Attributes due Glory give him.
We then will
do,
and not disputing stand,
Of that which he forbids, or doth command.
Nor fear, nor stagger, from that Resolution
(Who ever countermands their execution)
But, love him so, as having understood
That all his
Works,
and his
Commands
are good:
So love him, that, we love his whole Creation,
Nought hating, but what's his abomination.
We will not then permit
Human Tradition
With his
known will,
to stand in competition;
Lay bonds on them, whom he from
Bondage
frees;
Charge him, with
Ordinances
and
Decrees
Which he did never make; but forged were
By him, who, lays for every Soul a snare;
Or, by his
Instruments,
whose Merchandises
And Pomp, are much advanced by those devises:
We will not, when he graciously invites,
To penitence, reject him with despights,
And, foes implacable, to them appear
Who zealous of their Weal and Safety are.
These are the
Well-springs
of those many errors
Distractions, miseries, and Pannick Terrors
Which are among us. That, which chiefly here
Begetteth
troubles
and augmenteth
fear,
Is, want of such a
Fear,
and such a
Love,
As may become effectual to improve▪
Those
Judgments
& these
Mercies,
which our eyes
Have seen; & whereby, (though we see GOD tries
These
Nations
to this day) nor
Prince,
nor
Peer
Nor
Priest
nor
People,
doth as yet appear
So mindful as they ought to be of that
Which, was,
for,
or
against
them, done of late:
Nor see I any
Fruit
which thence proceeds,
Save Thorns & Brambles, Thistles, tares or weeds.
But, they who stop their Ears and shut their Eyes,
Against those
Wonders
and those
Prodigies,
Which have been lately sent to startle them
From that
security,
wherein they Dream;
And they who are not much displeased alone
With
Publication
of what God hath done,
But, also with his
Word
; shall
see
and hear,
Those things, ere long, with trembling & with fear,
Which will not be concealed; but, befall
So openly, as to be known to all.
These, have the causes been, that
Christendom
Is lately, an
Acheldama
become;
For, these are those things, which advance the works
Of
Antichrist,
and make way for the
Turks.
Let us repent therefore, whilst we have space,
Lest
Fields of Blood,
be turned to
Golgotha's.
Let us, in this our Visitation day
Give ear unto GOD's
Voice,
whilst yet we may;
Not like Bruit Beasts pursuing one another,
But, lincking fast in Charity together,
Be reconciled to GOD, with
Loving-awe:
For, that sums up the
Gospel,
and the
Law.
Do this, and if of ought your fearful be,
Let all, that you can fear, fall upon me.
A short Excuse, rendering some Reasons why this Prisoner makes no Adresses for his Release, to great Persons for their Favor in his Cause.
I Am informed, by men of good report,
That, there are Noble
Pers'nages
in
Court
Who hate
Injustice,
and, are of their Tribe,
Who love not baseness, flattery, or a Bribe;
And, that, should I myself to these Adresse,
I might perhaps obtain a quick release.
'It is possible; But, I may much endanger
Their
Quiet
; and, am now grown such a stranger
To
Courtship,
that I cannot
Complement,
Or, act effectually, to that intent;
Nor think it prudence (were I moved that way)
To seek a Needle, in a Trusse of Hay.
'It is not my
Principle
(though other while
I have been over-ruled, to beguile
My understanding) that course to endeavor;
And, having found it unsucesful ever
Resolve now (be it for my gain or loss)
To signify my
Cause,
to them in gross,
In
open Courts,
to whom it doth belong,
To be my Judges of what's right or wrong:
For, if impartially, they will not hear
My cause at large, and do me Justice there,
I will not be obliged to any one
To do for
private ends,
what should be done,
For
Justice-sake
; because, where one man shall
Be so corrupt, it may corrupt them all;
And in each
Case,
by turns, for unjust ends,
They may Bribe one another for their Friends,
As heretofore they did, and, as they may
Hereafter, whatsoever I do or say.
Not much esteem of anything I make,
Which other men, can either give or take.
Nor
Safety, Wealth,
or
Honor
pleaseth me
But that which will inseparable be
From me; and which I may attain unto,
And, also keep, whether men will or no.
Virtue's the Fountain whence true honor springs;
Not
Popes, Grand Segniors, Emperors
or
Kings,
For, what they give to make men Honorable,
To me appears to be so dispicable
That, though most men, do their chief darling, make it
If they would give it me, I would not take it:
What, is there likely for me to be done,
By those, who such-like Baubles dote upon?
I, never hitherto, a kindness had
By any
Friend,
which I myself have made;
But, by such only, as God had inclined
(Without a by-respect in any kind)
To do me
Justice,
or to show compassion,
Mov'd by their own Heroic inclination:
And, to that end, GOD, often heretofore,
Hath from among
mere strangers,
raised me more
True Friends at need, my cause to undertake,
Then I deserved, or had power to make;
And, as it me contented much the better
So, thereby, was their honor made the greater▪
Most seek the Judge; but, I believe his word,
Who said,
The Judgment cometh from the LORD
;
And, unto me, it seems an indirect
Aspersion,
or a Symptom of
suspect,
A
Judge,
in private to preoccupate,
And, him by
Friends,
or
Gifts
to captivate;
For, in great
Counsels,
men should nothing do
In love to
Friends,
or hatred to a Foe.
I have observed, that,
Judicial Courts
Whether they be of good or bad reports,
(Or, whether, what is actually there done,
Seem just, or to the wrong of any one)
Are guided by a
Spirit,
which directs
To what is always
Righteous,
in respects
Unto GOD's
Justice,
though perhaps it may
A Human Righteousness infringe some way;
Or, though they, to whom Judgment is referred,
Through
Ignorance,
or
Wickedness,
have erred.
I will therefore, make no
Friend,
nor fear a
Foe,
But, when the COMMONS call me I will go
To hear their
Charge,
for which I have begun
To suffer, ere 'tis known what I have done;
That, least I
break
or
die
before the time
In which I must make payment for my crime,
(If crime it prove) they, rather, overweight
May lay; then, that, which is a Dram too light;
For, punishments are usually well paid,
Though other debts till
Dooms Day
are delayed:
And,
Innocence,
is oft pursued further
Upon suspect, then real
Theft
or
Murder.
In that, for which unheard, some precondemn
My
Person
hither; I, TO GOD and
them
Whom it may most concern,
Appeals
have made
Whereon, I ought a
Trial
to have had
Before I suff'red. My Appeal preferred
To GOD, hath betwixt
him,
and
me,
been heard
Within his
Court of Conscience in my heart
;
And, there am quit of what may on his part
Be brought against me for what I have writ.
He sees it, though the world concealeth it;
And, read it must be by the
Commons
too,
Even quite throughout (if Justice they will do)
Before they censure it; Needless it were,
If just and conscientious men they are,
To Court them to their Duties; and so strong
No Charm of mine can be, whereby a wrong
May be prevented, if to take that ill
They be resolved, which flowed from
Good-will.
At all adventure, wholly to the
Laws,
And to their
Conscience,
I will refer my
Cause
;
Alleage for my defense, what I can say,
And bear that, which will follow, as I may.
A Composure, for his private Refreshment made by the same Prisoner, upon considering the said outward Condition of his Dearest Relations in the Flesh: after which is added the Narrative of a sudden distemper thereupon ensuing.
MY
Contemplation
every hour so travels,
In new pursuits, and into all things Ravells
With so much restlessness, as if she meant
The whole world in a Mapp to represent.
One while she maketh inroads on my
Foes,
To bring me some Intelligence from those;
That, I consid'ring what they go about
Their malice, may the better weather-out.
Another while, to me she represents,
What mischiefs, troubles, fear and discontents
There are abroad; that, I may thereby see
How, they are troubled, who have troubled me;
How 'twixt the two shoars,
Pharohs
Army reels;
How, GOD hath taken off their Charret Wheels
How, he obdures the Insolent and proud;
How dreadfully, he looks out of the Cloud
Which he hath placed, betwixt them and those,
Whom they pursue to their own overthrows.
Sometime, she brings to my consideration
GOD's Love, and inexpressible compassion,
Who, in an extraordinary wise,
Not only hath vouchsafed me supplies
By those who to my Person strangers are,
But also, with such love and tender care
Of my
safe-being,
that I may of them
(As
Christ
did, when his
kindred
asked for him)
Say,
These my kindred are; These, are my Mothers;
These, are my real Sisters and my Brothers.
My Dear'st
Relations in the Flesh, among
Those Friends, this day, appeared in the throng
To be considered; and, I must confess
My Bowels yern'd, to think on their distress,
And, moved with pity, it compelled my
Muse,
To clothe in
words,
that, which now next ensues.
I.
All
suff'rings,
that have tended
To my probation, here,
Cannot be comprehended
In what my words declare;
For, though to help expression
I have a
knowing-sense,
The sum of my
Condition
Cannot be gathered in thence.
II.
In
Pleasures,
and in
Sorrows,
I have had no small share;
Sad
Nights,
and joyful
Morrowes,
My Portion often were;
That, which with Joy affects me,
Is far above the
Sky,
And, that, which yet afflicts me
As deep as
Hell
doth lie.
III.
My near'st, and dear'st
Relations,
Unmention'd though they be,
Among my
Meditations,
Are not forgot by me.
For, though I would not mind them,
My heart, them so retains,
That, there, I still shall find them,
As long as life remains.
IV.
Lest that might have miscarry'd
Which, to neglect I feared,
Like one, quite dead and buried,
I have to them appeared:
And by my late employments,
Despairful they are made,
Of me, and those enjoyments
Which else, they might have had.
V.
Reciprocal
Indearments,
Are by my troubles crossed;
The means of their
Preferments
With my Estate are lost.
These times, have quite bereft them
Of that which gave content,
And, in their power naught left them,
New
mischiefs
to prevent.
VI.
My
Blossoms
are quite withered,
My
Leaves
are much decayed;
My
Fruits,
by those are gathered
Who nothing for them paid;
I, from whom (when they need them)
They should supplies have had,
Have neither
Fruits
to feed them,
Nor
boughs
to give them shade.
VII.
We could, when we were troubled,
Each others hearts have eased;
Converse,
our pleasures doubled,
When we with ought were pleased;
Such Comforts, now to give them,
Companion
they have none,
But, they (what ere doth grieve them)
Must sit, and grieve alone.
VIII.
In Mercy, LORD, look on them,
And pity their Estate;
The
wrongs
that I have done them,
Proceeded not from
hate
;
I did, what I conceived
Doth to thy
work
belong,
But, that's thereby bereaved,
Which is to them a wrong.
IX.
Thereof, be therefore heedful,
Them, favor not the less,
Supply with all things needful,
In this their great distress;
And, when thou me shalt gather
Out of this
Land of life,
Be thou my Children's
Father,
A
Husband
to my Wife.
X.
When I with them must never
Speak more, by
Tongue
or
Pen,
And, they be bar'd forever,
To see my face agen.
Thy
Loving kindness
show them,
Lost comforts to receive,
Instead of what I owe them,
And pay not whilst I live.
XI.
Let all my former failings,
Through frailties, in time past,
And, what may cause bewailings,
Quite out of thought be cast;
And, only recordation
Of those things be expressed,
Whereby their consolation
May daily be increased.
XII.
Preserve them from each
Folly,
Which ripening into
Sin,
Makes
Root
and
Branch
unholy,
And brings destruction in.
Let not this
World
bewitch them,
With her
besotting Wine,
But, let thy
Grace
enrich them,
With
Faith,
and
Love Divine.
XIII.
And, whilst we live together
Let us, upon thee call;
Help to prepare each other,
For what, may yet befall;
So just, so faithful hearted,
So constant let us be,
That, when we here are parted
We may all meet in thee.
This being writ, and once or twice sung over,
My
Reason,
did sufficient strength recover
Those
Passions
to repel, which did begin
Upon my heart at that time to break in:
But, ere they were alay'd, an Accident
Fell out, which that good issue did prevent;
I have so much of common
Manliness,
(Which might more profit me if it were less)
That, all the frailties of the
Human Creature
(Co-incident since my depraved Nature)
Still so attend me, that do what I can
I fall into distemper, now and then;
And ere that day was wholly overpast,
I, by a sudden accident was cast
Into a
Passion,
which did give occasion
Of this ensuing sad
Ejaculation.
LORD, help me now; assist me now, to bear
That, unexpected brunt of
Hope
and
Fear,
To which I on a sudden am exposed,
(Whilst other mischiefs have me round enclosed)
For, great and many, though my troubles be
They, hitherto have not distempered me.
But, now I feel my
Constancy
to shake,
My
Flesh
to tremble, my sad heart so ache,
That, if thou dost not speedily apply
A
Cordial,
I may droop, and faint, and die.
My Treacherous
Flesh
and
Blood,
how false are you!
To me, and to your own selves, how untrue!
How quickly to revolt do you begin!
How cowardly have you my
Foe
let in
At his first
summons?
how have you conspired
To give him that advantage he desired?
And whilst I for your safety did prepare
Join to surprise me ere I was aware?
LORD, let them not prevail; but, help me rally
My
scattered Forces,
and to make a sally
On those who my weak
Citadel
beset:
For they have seized but on my
Out-works
yet,
And, if but over me, thou please to hover,
(Though at a distance) I shall soon recover.
Therefore, at this
Assault,
for me appear;
From me, this
Black Cloud,
by thy presence, clear;
Renew my courage in this day of trouble;
Increase my
Faith,
my former
Hope
redouble;
And let thy
Spirit
teach me so to pray,
That what I shall request, obtain I may.
Be likewise pleased the chatterings of the
Swallow,
And mournings of the
Turtle,
so to hallow;
That those things which are now expressed by me,
May be both acceptable unto thee,
And unto those who hear them not in vain,
Though to my
private suff'rings
they pertain:
For peradventure, that which me oretakes
Hath partly been permitted for their sakes;
That they, by heeding what on them at length
May fall, might by my weakness gather strength;
For, what is in itself a single Trouble,
By circumstances, may be sometimes double.
My best Friends peradventure, now will wonder
How, I am thus, as with a clap of thunder,
Struck suddenly; and my Foes, with a scoff
Will Jeer, to see me so soon taken off
From my late courage and high Resolution,
(Whilst I was putting it in Execution,)
When they shall know, that, but concerns my
Wife,
Which breaks through all the comforts of my life,
And thus disorders me: But, when they hear me
Even some of them, who at the first will Jeer me,
(If they have any
Manhood
left in them)
Shall me of no such levity condemn,
As yet they may, when all the circumstances
I have declared to cure their ignorances:
For, one of GOD's choice
Prophets,
had a Trial
Not much unlike this, of his
self-denial,
When he (as I do) in his Generation,
Bore witness of their great abomination:
Which (if ought more) had little more effect,
Then I may, at this present day, expect.
He (whilst GOD's work he followed) to the heart,
Was pierced (through his Wife) with sorrows dart.
She (as the holy Scripture testifies)
Was unto him, as precious as his eyes,
The comfort of his life, and far more dear
(As I believe) then all things transcient were.
And peradventure he had grieved more
Then yet I do, had not the day before
GOD, both foretold her death, and charged him too,
Not to bewail the Wife he loved so.
What, this to me doth intimate, I shall
Forbear to tell now; but, if that befall
Which I may fear, it will have an effect,
Whose demonstration, I shall not neglect
If so long I survive, as to declare
That
Sequell,
for which, it will way prepare.
Mean while (since hope hath taken race with sorrow)
For some few days, that little time I will borrow,
To make it known, how, by a
Pannick dread
I am at present, so distempered;
And in such sober Language will declare it,
Without
Hyperboles,
that, if men hear it
With like sobriety, it will perchance
Their edifying in some kind advance.
When, I had finished those Meditations
Last mentioned (which concern my dear'st Relations
As to the world) A messenger of sorrow
That very day, (I, looking for, next morrow
My Wives arrival) brought, not news alone
That
sudden sickness,
her had seized upon;
But, that, she likewise in a Feaver lies,
With which are
complicated Maladies
Portending death: and Death desired so
That, they about her, can with much ado
Preserve her life. This news, as soon as told,
Laid instantly, upon me such fast hold,
That, ere I could into my heart retire
I seemed to be wholly set on fire:
And (being for surprisal, the more fit
By what, that day, for better use was writ)
Instead of that, which might have quenched the same
I snatched up oil, and threwit into the flame.
So frail I am not (though made of such Mettle
That I am sometime soft and sometime Britle)
As to be shaken merely with a fear
Of things which every day expected are;
But, many sad concomitants attended
This
Message,
not till then so apprehended;
For, at that instant everything pressed in
Which might a doleful Tragedy begin,
With such confusion, that, what entered first
I knew not, neither which disturbed me worst.
So that, I naught could call to mind, but that
Which my
Afflictions,
did more aggravate.
Imprisonment,
I felt not till that day,
Wherein I found, that I was kept away,
Where, I to her could no assistance give,
For, whose sake, I did most desire to live;
My
Fancie
represented to my sight
In how disconsolate and sad a plight,
She there was left, dispoil'd of all she had,
Excepting, what might make her heart more sad▪
With foes surrounded, not one to befriend her,
Not servants in that weakness to attend her,
No good Physician living there about,
Scarce anything within doors, or without,
For food or Physic: for, while she had health
Her courage did supply her want of Wealth,
And all things else, with help, of what from Heaven
Was by his providence in all wants given,
Who hath been my support; By him alone
She hath in many straits been carried on,
And all oppressions with such courage bore
As if she had been rich by being poor:
Which her despightful neighbors heeding well
(And, that she far'd like
trodden Camomel
)
Words unto this effect, were heard to speak
Will not, with all this loss, her stout heart break?
GOD, was, and still, her helper he will be;
But, for all this, what thanks is due to me?
What help am I who should a help hav
•
been,
When such extreme Affliction she was in?
Dear BETTY, how inhumanly oppressed?
Art thou? and oh! how is my Soul distrest
Now, I here think upon thy high desert,
And, how discomfortably left thou art!
If it might comfort thee, would thou, didst know
(Else not) what tears out of mine eyes do flow:
For, I, from whom the worlds despights can strain
Nor sighs, nor tears, from tears cannot restrain.
Woe's me (my
Dear
) my life I would resign
Might it accepted be, to ransom thine,
And were at my dispose; for, cause am I
Of that sad plight, wherein thou now dost lie;
Since, what the
world
hath done, is nothing more,
Then thou hast always looked for heretofore.
Yet, take it not unkindly; for, to thee
No ill was meant, in what was done by me:
He, (as I thought) to whom myself I owe,
(And, who did thee, and all I had bestow)
Requir'd the services that brought upon me
That, which to thy undoing, hath undone me;
And he will either back again restore
What's lost, or give us better things, and more
This, knowing thou believe'st, and dost confide
In him, hath much my
Passion
qualified;
And makes me hopeful, GOD, will bring thee hither,
Or, me to thee, that, we once more together
May praise his
Name,
and live till we can part,
Without the least distemp'rature of heart.
Whilst this hope lasts, lest notice being taken
That, I with one small
puff of wind
am shaken;
Lest also, this begets a fear in some,
That I may totally be overcome,
When the
•
perceive, that he, who hath professed
So much, hath with so little been oppressed;
And, lest they also may discouraged be,
(If I sink under that which lies on me)
I will, for that cause, hence occasion take,
(Aswell, for
their,
as for
mine, and her sake
)
So plainly, what befalls me to express,
That, no heart which hath any tenderness,
Beseeming men, shall think a greater Trial
Of
human patience,
in a
self-denial
Can ever in the Flesh be undergone,
Then this▪ which they suppose a
slender one,
I have a just occasion too, by that
To render her, that
honor in the Gate,
Which is her due; and whereto I do stand
Obliged by King
Lemuels
Command;
And, from what I express, perhaps, likewise,
There may some other
good effects
arise.
What could the malice of the
Devil
invent,
To make more grievous my
Imprisonment
Then at this time, wherein (for ought I know)
The last, and needful'st duty that I owe
Unto my
dearest Friend,
ought to be paid,
To be unjustly in a
Prison
staid?
Were I detained but from such a one,
As many have, (
a Wife in name alone
)
I should be glad perhaps, I now am here,
Or, though within a far worse place it were:
But, if I may with modesty express,
What I believe, I can affirm no less
Then this;
Though many women have done well,
Mine, with the best may be a parallel:
And, since my power to nothing else extends
Which may, for what she suffers make amends,
In
words,
at least, I will give her what is due
And say no more, then I believe is true.
Perhaps, when told, it will so far exceed
What is according to the
common Creed,
That, many will suspect it; But, know this
There is in that man very much amiss
Who, of his
consort,
doth not so believe
In some degree, as I of mine conceive.
For, if he finds her not a
helpful Wife,
Either, for this, or for the other Life;
The fault's his own, though she may faulty prove;
And he ingratefully requites GOD's Love.
GOD gave her not, but, he himself acquired her,
By some ill means; or, for those ends desired her
Which make no
Marriages,
but what are evil,
And, were made by the
World,
Flesh and the Devil.
Else, he would honor
Providence Divine,
By praising of his
Wife
as I do mine.
Or, by confessing freely, as he ought,
That, GOD is just, in giving what he sought.
Whether mine live or die, let none who hear them
Grudge her these praises, for her
worth
will bear them.
At first, I loved her, for his sake that gave her;
Of him, I sought her, and from him I have her,
If she be yet alive, (which I yet hope,
And, that he to my fear will put a stop.)
That, we each other might affect the better,
(And, to be mutual helpers prove the fitter)
As EVE from ADAM, GOD did, as it were,
First, make her out of
me
; then, me by her
He made more perfect; And since
Eve
was made
No man on earth a fitter
helper
had.
If any woman may Charactred be
By
Lemuels
pattern, I think this is she:
For, having oftentimes compared them,
Betwixt them, little difference did seem.
She is a
Prize,
worth every precious stone
In
India,
were all their worths in One.
My
heart
in her hath trusted so, that yet
I never, since I knew her, felt a fit
Of
Jealousy
or
doubt,
in any kind,
Which brought the least distemper to my mind.
She, at all times, much
good
to me hath done,
But,
evil,
in her life time, did me none.
With courage, her Affairs she went about
By
Day
; at
Night,
her Candle went not out.
She was among the
last,
who came to bed;
The first, who in the Morning raised her head;
And, that no duty might be left undone,
Martha,
and
Mary,
she still join'd in One.
In all
Domestic Business,
she was skilled,
Both in the
house,
and likewise in the
Field:
And whilst my time was other ways bestowed,
Dispatch'd both my affairs, and her own.
She was no Prodigal, nor basely sparing;
All things were done without
vexatious caring
;
She chid those, who (when chiding was in season)
Were to be quickened more with
noise,
then
Reason
;
And, when to angry words they did provoke,
Her anger ended, when the words were spoke;
When, also, they were grieved, who did misdo,
She pardoned, and with them, oft, grieved too.
All her Affairs, she managing with Reason,
Appointed
work
and
meat,
in their due Season
To every servant; and good notice took
Both of what was
well,
or
Ill done,
or spoke.
She feared GOD, and honor gave to them
Who were invested with a
Power Supreme
;
Her life, she squared by GOD's
holy Word,
According to the
Light
he did afford;
And, had herself so exercised therein,
That, often she my
Concordance
hath been;
Yea, and in
Human Histories,
to me
Been in the stead of my MNEMOSYNE.
A better
Woman, Mistress, Mother, Wife,
I never saw, nor shall see during life.
Rebecca
like, she gave me still to eat
Aswell most savory, as wholesome meat;
And, when GOD sent me food, good care she took,
The
Devil
should not send me in a Cook.
To
me,
to
mine,
and our poor neighbourhood,
She, in the stead of our
Physician
stood;
She, still according to her power was ready
To give what things were needful to the needy;
Who did not willful
Beggarship
profess,
That, they might live in sorded Idlenese;
And, purchasing her own food with her sweat,
Abhorred the bread of
Idleness
to eat:
She could
speak well,
yet readier was to
hear
;
Exceeding Pleasant,
and yet as
severe
As
Cato.
Though
Corporeal Beauties
be
Worn out with Age, she is the same to me
She was at first, and 'twas no
mean perfection,
Which, in my Youth, surprised my Affection.
This is her
Character,
and in the word
Of
Truth,
this is thereof, a true record.
In her, I did as much contentment find,
As if I had enjoyed all
Woman-kind:
For, though a poor man's
Consort
she hath been,
She had a
spirit
might become a
Queen
;
Yet, knowing how to
want
and to
abound,
Could make it stoop even to the very ground;
And, if she die, I shall but little care
For anything she leaves behind her here,
Except her
Children,
and that which relates
To GOD, and to our
Spiritual Estates.
The deprivation of her company
And, of thar joy in her society
Which I have had, is far a greater loss,
Then, all those many Baubles and that dross,
Whereof the world deprives me; or, of them
(Had they heen mine) which others most esteem.
This
separation
is the greatest despite
That
malice
could have done me at her height;
And might we live, where we might live alone
To talk of that, which GOD for us hath done,
(And means to do) my Joy would be much more
With
competence,
then with the worlds whole store,
Were I deprived of her; who, might be here
So necessary a
Remembrancer.
Now, Judge (if you or I, do this believe)
Whether I had not cause enough to grieve,
That we were so, divided from each other,
Left hopeless, we again should meet together.
Though such in every point, she may not be,
Yet, since that she doth such appear to me;
Think, if by fear of loosing such a Prize,
A man who is far stronger, and more wise,
Might not, when thereby suddenly oretaken
As much with like
distemp'ratures
be shaken:
And, whether (taking to consideration
The sense I have of every
Human Passion
)
Ought may befall, as I am
Flesh and Blood,
That could more difficultly be withstood.
But, notwithstanding what's expressed, let no man
Suppose I have forgot she is a
Woman.
I am not so
Uxorious,
or unwise,
To think that she hath no
Infirmities
;
Or, that to any other she doth seem
So worthy as she is in my esteem.
The rough hard shells in which rich Pearls do lie,
Shew not their Beauty to a strangers eye.
And
Virtues,
when that they most perfect are,
Sometimes, like
faulty Actions
may appear
To lookers on, who have not means to know
How done,
nor to
what end,
nor
whence they flow
;
And then especially, when their
Spectators,
Are
Envious,
or
their Foes,
or
Virtue's
haters.
The mildest
Medicine,
sore eyes, diseases,
A sickly Stomack wholesome'st meat, displeases;
And so the best and noblest Dispositions,
Are most dislik'd by men of base Conditions;
Because their
Virtues,
if they neighbors are,
Do make their
Vices
greater to appear.
Her precions
Balms,
have sometimes made me smart,
But, I confess, the cause was on my part,
If she administered a bitter pill
In
love,
to make me
well,
when I was
Ill.
And well she might sometimes occasion find,
To give me wholesome Physic of that kind,
By cautions and remembrances applied
In season, when my wit was foolifi'd:
For, nothing purposely, from her I hid
That, in my life, I
said,
or
thought,
or
did.
And (that she might, at full, be privy to
My whole Affairs, and all I had to do)
No Letter unto me in absence came,
But leave I gave her to break ope the same.
Which freedom (with such) mutually bestowed
Made me to her, and her to me so known,
That, what the outside of my Actions be,
My
Conscience
hardly better knows then she.
Small use of an
Affection
can be there,
Or proofs of
Friendship,
where no failings are.
There's hardly possibility of living,
With any one, who never needs
forgiving
;
For, he, who in his
Consort
finds no blame,
When he fails, will confounded be with shame.
By these
Expressions,
which have shown in part,
My
Passions,
I have somewhat eased my heart.
And, though impertinent, they seem to be
To others, they are pertinent to me,
In showing me my weakness, and from whom
My helps, in all extremities must come.
My
Passion
is the same; but, this, makes way
For
Reason,
to command, which did obey;
And, this
Divertisment
a stop, brings in
To that, which else, might have destructive been.
Yet, Instrumental, though my
Reason
was
Herein, th' Efficient is
Preventing Grace:
And therefore,
Him,
from whom this Mercy came,
I, thus Petition to complete the same.
My God! my heart, thou hast now touched nearly,
And dost in that, which I affect most dearly,
Begin to try my
Faith;
That
Faith
of mine
Which (if a true
Faith)
was a gift of thine;
It was by thee, upon my Soul begot:
Into Temptation, therefore lead me not
Beyond my strength; But
LORD deliver me
From Evil,
that, I may not foiled be
:
Thy only
Son,
to thee, taught me to pray
In words to this effect, when any way
I was oppressed; Compassion therefore take
On me, (though not for mine) LORD, for his sake;
And me dismiss not, in this sad Condition,
Without a kind reply to my Petition:
For, as
Lot
said of
Zoar,
LORD, the
boone
I new request is but a little one;
And, peradventure, should my foes perceive
Thou dost of every comfort him bereave
Who hath desired to magnify thy
Name,
It might occasion give them to blaspheme,
Or, make thy
servants
to begin to Fear
That, thou regard'st not how oppressed they are.
That
Helper,
which thou didst on me bestow,
(And, Whose assistance is much needed now)
Thou seemest to call upon me to resign,
As one, who must no longer now be mine.
Be not displeased LORD, if I shall say
Thou take'st the comfort of my life away;
And that, I do expect thou shouldst not leave me
Quite comfortless, if thou of her bereave me.
Why dost thou Dictate to my heart this Prayer,
If thou intend'st, to leave me in despair?
It cannot be, thou move me shouldst to crave,
That, which thou dost not purpose I should have.
I do depend on thee, and hazarded
Both her, and all that in this world I had
For thy
Cause,
if my heart be not untrue:
Though therefore, nothing is by
merit
due,
Vouchsafe, (if with thy will accord it may)
Her life with health, and for a longer day,
That, we with thankfulness, in
praises giving,
May show thy
Mercies
forth, among the
living.
With Tokens of thy
favor,
make us glad,
According to the
Troubles
we have had.
And, make thy other
servants
hopeful be
Of that
Salvation,
which thou show'st to me.
Make it appear unto this
Generation
That, we have the same GOD, the same
Salvation
In these our days, that was in former times,
Aswell, as such like
Tyrrannies
and Crimes.
Make it appear that thou hast love for us
Aswell as heretofore for
Lazarus;
That, thou, who didst hear
Hagar
for a Son,
And,
Hannah's
Prayer, when she begged for one,
Dost not despise my Prayer for the life
Of my beloved and Afflicted Wife;
Or, hast less pity now then heretofore
Thou hadst of other some, who did deplore
Their dead or dying Friends; and when they mourned,
Had them into their bosoms back returned.
Let it be known to those who do begin
To think, thou art not that which thou hast been,
Because that this Age hath produced occasions
To show thyself in other
dispensations.
Though to run back to
Egypt,
we are ready
;
As froward, as Rebellious, and as giddy.
As they whom thou broughtest thence; though, every way
As false, as faithless, and as apt as they
To set up
golden Calves:
Though, as were then
There be among us here, such wicked men
As
Jannes,
and as
Jambres,
who resist
Not
Moses,
but a greater, JESUS CHRIST
;
And, strive by their
Inchantments
how to bring
Us back to
bondage,
and seduce the King
By cursed sorceries; yet, make it known;
That, thou in
Britain
dost a People own:
That as when
Israel
was from
Pharaoh
saved
;
That, as thou wert with
Moses
and with
David,
And with thy
People
who in thralldom were
At
Babel,
thou art present with us here.
(LORD! I beseech thee mind thou not the less
My private suit, although my zeal to this
Diverts me from it: for, I will further yet
Pursue that, though thou me shouldst quite forget)
Apparant make it, that, some yet inherit
A Portion of the self same
pow'rful Spirit
Which filled
Elias;
and if need require,
That thou hast
Prophets,
who can call down Fire,
Hail, Thunder-bolts,
and other dreadful things
Upon the Troops and Armies of those Kings
Who Persecute thy
Saints;
and Heaven constrain
Either to let fall, or withhold the
Rain,
As to thy service it shall appertain!
For, this, though, hardly yet believed of any,
Will shortly be made manifest to many;
And thy vouchsafing this request of mine,
May make it, to this Age, perhaps, a sign
That, thou, as heretofore, dost lend an ear
At need, to every private sufferer,
As well as unto
Public Grievances,
And, that, when ripen'd are
Iniquities
A greater Conquest will be got by
Words,
Then ever was in any Age, by
Swords.
My Dear
Redeemer,
if it may be thus,
Be pleased to Mediate this boon for us.
That suit, for which this
Prayer
was begun
I will renew, now this
digressions
done
;
Yet, neither this, nor ought else I will require,
(Though rather then my life, I this desire)
But, what, with thy
Good pleasure
may consist:
And, thou hast nothing openly expressed
To make me doubtful that may not be done
;
For, then, I therein thus far, had not gone.
All, things thou seemest to will, accord not to
That, which thou hast decreed for us to do,
As being absolutely necessary:
For, some of them are but
Probationary:
Things, by us, rather to be
willed,
then
done,
As when, to Sacrifice his
Only Son
Thou didst command thy servant
Abraham;
And, when that our obedience is the same,
With us, it otherwhile, doth so succeed
That, thou the
Will,
acceptest for the
Deed;
And, mayst another Sacrifice, this day
Accept in her stead, for whom I now Pray.
This, moveth
Dust and Ashes,
now, to do,
What
Natural Affection
prompts me to:
Make her and me, so perfectly resign
Our selves, that our
will,
may be one with thine
;
And, Pardon this bold pleading; for, had we
No
will,
which may be said our own to be,
There could be no
obedience. Good
nor
Ill,
Can be, in him, that is not free to
will.
LORD! this my
Consort,
is as dear to me
As
Isaac
unto
Abraham
could be
;
Yet, if thou wilt resume her at this time,
(Although with me thou deal not as with
him)
As absolutely, as he did intend
His
Sacrifice;
I,
her
to thee commend.
From thee I had her; up to thee I give her
;
I, wholly unto thy disposure leave her
;
And, whether thou shalt keep, or give her back,
I will wear it as a
Favor,
for thy sake.
And, this, is all I will absolutely crave,
(Wherein, I know, I may request shall have)
If, with thine
honor,
it may to
her good
Conduce, to let her make with me abode
A little longer time, that time allow
;
Or else with all my heart, resume her now.
For, save to serve
thee,
and our
Generation,
According to the end of our
Creation,
(And for thy Glory) neither she, nor I
(If I do know her) wish to live or die.
If, her appointed labor now be done,
(And I must here abide to work alone,)
Take her into thine Arms before she go
;
Make her not barely, to believe, but know,
That, this our sad and sudden
Separation
Is for thy
Glory,
and for our
Salvation:
(For, from the
life
and
Death
of greatest Kings
But seldom so much real honor springs
To glorify thy
Name,
as doth from some
Who fill on earth, a despicable Roome.)
Give her an
earnest,
that she shall possess
Thy love, in everlasting happiness
;
And, that, we, whom she leaves afflicted here,
(Continning in our love to thee sincere)
Shall by the
Mediatorship
of him
Who bought us, meet at thy appointed time,
Where we shall never part; where, Tyrannies,
Of others, nor our own Infirmities,
Nor anything which is
to come,
or
past,
Deprives, of what for thine, prepared thou hast
:
And, if she
live,
so let our
deeds
express
Whilst here we live, what we in
words
profess
;
That others, may, until my dying day
Believe there's truth, in what I write and say,
To that end, keep us pleased with our Lot
;
Though
little, much,
or nothing shall be got
Of what we had; my GOD preserve us too
From stumbling, and from reeling to and fro,
Or stagg'rings in our
Trials,
whereby they
Who are in like Afflictions, stagger may:
But, with true Joy, so let thy
Holy Ghost
Replenish us, that, (although all be lost
Belonging to this
world)
thy
Saints
may see
That, there is
All-sufficiency
in thee.
Now, live or die my DEAR, GOD's will be done;
He fills my heart, and my
Distemper's
gone.
Since, GOD hath freed me from this
Carnal Fear,
Let
World,
and
Devil
henceforth do what they dare.
The greater weights they shall upon me lay,
The sooner, I from them shall scape away.
If, me, they shall into a
Dungeon
throw,
Both dark and deep, that none may come to know
What, I
say, think
or
do
; yet, what's done there,
By these my
Scraps
and
Crums,
it will appear,
Though scribled hastily, yea, help prevent
What, peradventure, is the
Worlds
intent;
And hint, that, though
Close-Prisoner
me they keep,
I shall not wholly spend my time in sleep.
For, doubtless, to my GOD, there, speak I shall
Like
Jonas,
in the Belly of a
Whale,
And (as the Blood of
Abel
did) speak then,
That, which will more prevail then
Tongue
or
Pen.
Isaiah 38.
The living, The living (O GOD) shall praise thee as I do this day.
(YET) Blessed are they who die in the LORD; for they shall rest from their Labors, and their works follow them.
Revel. 14.13.
Octob. 6.1661.
Another Spiritual Song composed, by occasion of the last mentioned Distemper.
I.
WHen in the Morn we rise,
Alas! how little think we on,
What through our ears or eyes,
May pierce our hearts, ere that day's gone?
I, did but borrow
From what, next Morrow,
I hoped to have enjoyed;
And that, hath quite
The whole delight
Of both days, now destroyed.
II.
My thoughtful heart grew sad,
And represented unto me,
Such things as in the shade
Of Death's approaches use to be:
With many a doubt,
(Which
Faith
keeps out)
My
Fancy
fills my head;
And clouds are come,
Which with a
Gloome
This day, have overspread:
III.
If, whilst the
Sun
gives light,
Become so dark, so soon, it may,
How black will be the
Night
That shall ensue so dark a day?
My Soul, I see
Betray'd we'l be,
By our own want of care,
To have prepared
A daily guard,
To keep out
carnal Fear.
IV.
No power was in the
World
Whereby a
Passion
like to this,
On me could have been hurled,
Had naught, been in myself amiss:
By day or night,
(Be 't black or bright)
The
Devil
hath no power
Which can procure
Distemp'rature,
Without some fault of our.
V.
How frail a thing is man,
That,
lifeless words,
array'd in white,
This Morn affright him can
Who, seemed fearless yester night?
Dread of ill news,
Too plainly shows
That, with us all's not well:
For, if it were
We need not Fear,
Though stormed by
Death
and
Hell.
VI.
For, if beneath GOD's Wing
Our safe repose we sought to make,
None, such Ill news could bring,
That, much our Courage it could shake▪
Of, Plagues that smite
By day or night
We need not stand in awe
Of poisonous things,
Of Serpents stings,
Nor of the Lions Pawe.
VII.
Therefore, my
Spirit
rouse
(Our
Foes,
we see, are not asleep)
Let us, no longer drowze,
But, better watch hereafter keep;
Come, Courage take,
And we shall make
These
Bugg-bears
take their flight▪
For, 'tis our Fear,
No strength of their
That now doth us affright.
VIII.
The
Passions
of the mind
Are but the fumes of
Flesh
and
Blood,
Which make the
Reason
blind,
By mispresenting
Ill,
or
Good.
If, unto these,
We closely press,
And, wistly on them look,
They will appear
Such as they are,
And, pass away like smoke.
IX.
And, yet, my
Soul,
beware
Thou bring not to assault these
Foes
Goliath's
shield or Spear,
Nor in his
Head-piece
trust repose.
No, nor unto
What
Self
can do,
But, take thou
David's
sling,
And, what he took
Out of the Brook,
Of
Grace,
among them fling.
A Meditation whilst he was taking a Pipe of Tobbacco.
THough some, perhaps will think the things I do,
Much less then
Idleness,
amount unto;
Yet, to have no
work
troubles me, at least,
As much, as therewith to be overprest;
And, then to be quite Idle, I had rather
Pick staws, catch
Flies,
or shells, and Pebles gather,
Or, (as I sometimes do) the time to pass,
Number my steps, or tell the panes of glass,
And often when a
trifling act
is done,
Make some good use of that, which promised none.
Here, all alone, I by myself have took,
An
Emblem
of my
Self,
a
Pipe of Smoke:
For, I am but a little piece of
Clay
Fill'd with a
Smoke
that quickly fumes away.
This
Vanity,
our
Clymat
never knew
Till near the time, in which, first breath I drew;
And otherwhile, it is of wholesome use
(Though, for the most part subject to abuse:)
Since first I smookt it, after (it came hither)
I laid it by, nigh thirty years together,
And for my healths sake, then, did reassume
That
Bauble
wherewith we
Tobbacco
fume;
(Not hitherto disabled to forgo it,
If any way offensive I should know it)
And, that in mind, as well as bodily
I might he someway profited thereby,
Such
Meditations
come into my thought,
As these, which now, unto my mind are brought.
Even as this
Pipe
was formed out of
Clay,
And may be
shapeless Earth
again this day,
So may I too. So brittle, that one touch
May break it, this is; I, am also such.
When it is broke, made whole it cannot be
By Human Art; so will it fare with me
When I to dust shall be reduced by Death,
Until revived by an
Eternal Breath.
This brittle ware, we, oft have strangely seen
Preserv'd from breaking: and so I have been.
When foul it grows, it must be purifi'd,
By
Fire
; I, in like manner must abide
Those
Fiery-Trials,
which will purge away
That filth which is contracted every day.
Moreover, when therein, this
Herb's
calcin'd,
Such things as these, it brings into mind;
That
Custom,
by degrees, prevaileth still,
To draw us, both to what is
Good
and
Ill
;
For, when this customarily is taken,
It can by very few, be quite forsaken,
Or, heeded, how they turn unto abuse,
That, which is otherwise, of some good use;
Yea, so it them deludes, that oft they think
That, is well scented, which doth always stink;
Yet, me it makes, with thankfulness to heed,
How, GOD wraps up, a
Blessing
in a
Weed:
And, how (when I have weighed things together)
He makes one
vanity
to cure another;
Turns that to
Good,
which was, perhaps, for
Evil,
At first, sent in among us, by the
Devil.
It minds me too, that, as this
Herb
by fire
Must be consumed, so, must all our desire
Of
Earthly things
; and, that wherein we took
Most pleasure, turn to Ashes and to Smoke.
When I had writ thus much, of what I thought,
My
Candle,
and
Tobbacco
were burnt out.
A Hint, of that, which may hereafter (if not despised) conduce to the Setling of Peace and Concord in Church and State.
This
Scrap,
though some will not digest,
Is cast in here, among the rest.
ELia's
like, I thought myself alone,
A while ago, and of my mind, knew none:
But, many I now hope, here living be
Who, join in one
Faith,
and one
love
with me.
My
Soul,
I long time, seemed to possess,
As when the
Baptist
in the Wilderness
Was to be Disciplin'd, and there prepared
For, that, which he performed afterward.
As when he Preach'd
Repentance,
in his days,
High Priests,
nor
Lawyers, Scribes
nor
Pharisees,
Nor of the gay
Herodians,
any one
(Nor many, but the
Vulgar sort
alone)
Regarded it; so, likewise, I might say
Of all my
Premonitions,
to this day;
And may (for ought I know) without regard
Pursue my
Work,
till I have his reward:
If so it happen, I am well content
To follow such a holy
Precedent.
I, am now (as it were) one in exile,
Like
John,
when banished into
Patmos Isle
;
And, to the
seven Churches
in these
Nations
As he then, to the
Asian Congregations
Had somewhat to express; so, I from HIM
(As I believe) who sent his mind to
them
By that
Disciple,
have a needful
Errant,
To be delivered, by
Authentic Warrant,
Which, must lie Dormant, until them to hear it
GOD, shall prepare, and fit me to declare it.
Mean while, I cast in this
Preoccupation,
To be a furtherance to that
Preparation
Whereto GOD's Grace will ripen me, and
The
•
(Hereafter, in his own appointed time;
If nothing that shall be Co-incedent
Doth intervene, that purpose to prevent)
Thus
Christ,
did to a future time adjourn
What, he had then spoke, might it have been born;
And, his example doth instruct my Reason,
To choose for every work, a proper Season.
I have a Love for all the whole
Creation,
Much more, for every Christian Congregation:
I, for each Member of them (whatsoever
Infirmities,
I see in them appear)
Have such a Love, and so enlarged, that
I can with every
Church
Communicate,
In all
Essential duties,
though they may
Be sometimes, much abused with an
Allay:
Because, what me therein offendeth, I,
Without offending others, can pass by;
And, at another time, in private, seek
To make them understand what I dislike;
And, by a meek compliance in what's good,
Bear with a failing, not well understood.
Their
Ignorance,
or
misled Consciences,
Give me no cause of
Personal offenses,
So, they the
Fundamental Truths,
profess
Without malicious minds, or willfulness;
Or by approving, or continuing in
Profaneness, and committing open Sin.
For, since he that knows most, knows but in part
And, hath a Cloudy Region in his heart,
They, of my
Pitty,
rather Objects be
Then of my
hate.
They, so much hurt not me
As damnify themselves: And, I, thereby
Have of my
Meekness, Faith
and
Charity,
Those Exercises, for which (if I have them
In true sincerity) GOD, chiefly gave them.
And, which way can they better be employed
Then, that a common good may be enjoyed?
And that we to our Brethren may extend
That mercy, when we think they do offend,
Which GOD's long suffering doth vouchsafe to us?
And, since he did command it should be thus?
The
Church Catholic,
is a
Corporation,
Whereof, the several
Churches
in each
Nation
Are
Bodies Corporate,
as here we see
In LONDON, many
Corporations
be
Members thereof distinct, governed by
Laws
Peculiar to themselves, as they found cause
To constitute them; yet, unto all these
Belong the Cities gen'ral Privileges;
And every
Individual Person
; there,
Conforms unto those
Laws
which proper are
To this whole
City
; and they live together
In
Peace,
without intruding on each other.
What hinders (but our
Ignorance, Ambition,
Our
Avarice,
and Love to
Superstition,
)
That,
Christian Congregatious
may not thus
Be formed, and regulated so with us,
That, we may live henceforward in true
Peace,
Morality
and
Piety
increase?
Profaneness
be suppressed? and, no more, here,
Affairs
Divine,
and Civil interfere?
What hinders this, but, want of that true
Love
And
meekness,
which our knowledge might improve?
And, whence flows
Discord,
but from intermeddling
With what concerns us not? fooling, and Fidling
About those things impertinent, which, whether
Their tendance be to
this,
or
that,
or
neither
'It is not material, so, that may not be
Infringed, which to all, ought to be free?
That Peace may be preserved; men kept in awe
From violating of the
moral Law,
And, GOD permitted to possess alone
The
Conscience
as (on earth) his Proper
Throne?
For, he from none, will an account receive,
According to what other men
believe,
Or shall
command
; but, answerable to
What he commands us to believe and do,
According to the
Light
he shall afford,
By his assisting
Spirit,
and his
Word:
And, therefore, they, who, out of
slavish Fear,
Of those who peaceably inclined are,
Force
Innocents,
to any
hard Condition
(Thereby to free themselves from their
Suspition
Which is incurable) are Tyrannous,
And foes to GOD, unto
themselves,
and
us.
In my late
Trial,
I have had a shake,
But, it hath deeper driven in the stake;
And hath, I hope vouchsafed by that FIT,
An
earnest,
he so fast will settle it;
That, all the Tempests which in future days
The
World,
the
Flesh
and
Devil
have power to raise,
Shall more increase my courage; and, by mine
Some other, to the like Resolves incline.
GOD, give us Grace, with seriousness
These things in time, with what else may
There is a
way,
how that, may yet be done
Which hitherto, is little thought upon;
And, thereof, in what is expressed here,
A
Hint,
if well observed, may appear.
A Hymn of Thanksgiving to Almighty GOD; composed by this Prisoner, for the gracious restoration of his Wives life and health; who, lying mortally sick (as was supposed) at 52. miles distance during his Imprisonment, in a sad disconsolate condition, and reputed to be dead, about the space of an hour, was miraculously restored.
To the Tune of the
148. Psalm.
I.
HOw soon, my gracious GOD,
Hast thou my Prayer heard?
How just, how kind, how Good,
Hast thou to me appeared?
Blest, be this
Day:
For, what did fright my heart last night,
Thou dost allay:
The
Clouds,
that made, this
Morning
sad,
Are blown away.
II.
As when his moan to thee
The good
Centurian
made,
Though I unworthy be,
Like favor I have had
Vouchsaf'd to me;
Nay little less, in my distress
Received I have,
Then
She,
whose
Son,
and only one,
Was near his grave.
III.
At least, I, so much Grace
Of thee, this day have had,
As daign'd to
Jairus
was
Whose Daughter thou foundst dead,
Upon her Bed:
For, when my Wife, deprived of life
Had long time lain,
Thou, heeding there, our Prayers here
Gav'st life again.
IV.
Thus she, who first was thine
(And so shall always be)
Hath now, been twice made mine,
And, is enjoyed by me;
For which, to thee
A double praise, LORD, all my days,
I ought to give;
Assist I pray, this due to pay
Whilst here I live.
V.
And, let all, who now hear
What, thou for me hast done,
Help me thy praise declare;
For, not to me alone
Extends this boone;
This Act of Grace, vouchsafed was
That, they thereby
Might at their need, know where to speed
As well as I.
VI.
LORD, I have naught to give
For all thou hast bestowed,
But, what I did receive
And was, and is thine own;
Oh! now therefore
This Sacrifice, do not despise
For, I am poor;
Therewith, I shall give
self
and
all,
Who can give more?
A Penitential Hymn, composed by occasion of a Dream the 19th. of Octob. 1661. about Midnight.
I.
MY GOD, thou didst awake me,
This night out of a sad and fearful
Dream,
That, sensible did make me
Of
Sins,
which heretofore small Sins did seem;
And, ere I perfect heed could take,
Whether I slept, or was awake,
He, that is watching every hour,
Whom he may mischief, and devour,
Sought, how he might thereby advantage make:
Rebuke him, for my Dear Redeemer's sake.
II.
Permit thou no
Transgression,
Whereof, I heretofore have guilty been,
Nor great, nor small
Omission,
Which I forgotten have, or overseen,
(Either through want of penitence
Or of confessing my offense)
To rise against me, great or small;
For, LORD, I do repent them all:
And, likewise, (be it more or less)
Renounce all trust, in my own
Righteousness.
III.
As
Job
complained, such
Visions
To me seemed represented this last night
Of my
falings,
and
Omissions
That, sleeping, they did much my heart affright;
Me thought a
Spirit
passed by
Not to be seen with mortal eye;
And, I was minded by a
Voice
(That, spake unto me without noise)
Of things preceding, which (then quite forgot)
So, as I ought to do, I heeded not.
IV.
Oh God! most kind, most holy,
Remember not the errors of my life;
Call not to mind my folly
To add a
new Affliction,
to my
Grief.
World, Flesh
and
Devil,
my foes are,
And, much more then my strength can bear
On me, they have already cast,
Unless, that thou compassion hast;
Oh! throw my sins out of thy sight therefore,
That, they may not be seen, or heard of more.
V.
My Soul doth now abhor them,
Thine
only Son,
hath with his precious blood
Made satisfaction for them;
Thou, didst accept it; I believe it good:
And, therefore, though they sometimes make
My heart to tremble and to ache,
My Soul is confident they pard'ned are
As if they never committed were;
Confirm it so, that, sleeping and awake
Sweet rest in thee, I may forever take.
VI.
Dear GOD, of my Salvation,
Preserve me by thy Love and mighty Power
From perilous
Temptation,
In Weal, in Woe, and at my dying hour:
Me, let thy
Guardian Angels
keep
When I do wake, and while I sleep,
From shame without, and fear within;
From evil thoughts, and Actual Sin,
That, Friends and Foes and everyone may see,
No man in vain, doth put their trust in thee.
A Requiem to the Soul.
I.
MY
Soul,
vex not thyself at those,
Who, to all
Godliness
are Foes,
Although they make fair outward shows,
And spread and flourish like the
Bay
;
For, deplorable is their case,
They, as the scorched Summer Grass,
Shall soon into oblivion pass,
And all their Beauty fade away.
II.
I have been young, and old am grown
And, many
changes
I have known,
Whereby, it hath to me been shown
Whereto, their wicked courses tend:
With
Honor
I have seen them Crown'd,
With
Power
and
Riches
to abound,
Whose
Place
nowhere can now be found;
For, all their
Pomp
is at an end.
III.
With
shadows
they themselves beguile,
And, GOD, doth at their folly smile;
With patience therefore wait a while,
And, grudge them not their
Portion,
here;
Destruction,
toward them is hasting,
Their
Time
is short, and daily wasting,
But, thine will be for
everlasting,
And, Griefs, as if they never were.
IV.
Employ thyself in
doing well,
And, GOD, with thee shall kindly deal;
Thou, in the
Land
shalt safely dwell,
Well fed and clothed, all thy days.
And when the Glory of their Name
Is blur'd out, with an
evil Fame,
Then, shall thy
Poverty
and
shame
Be mentioned unto thy praise.
V.
Let wordlings feed upon their
Chaff,
Their
Cups
of
Fornication
quaff,
And at thy sufferings grin and laugh;
A midst thy Foes lie down and sleep.
Whilst in their malice, they persist,
In GOD's Protection take thy rest,
For, though thy
Body
be oppressed
Thee, safe, in spite of them, he will keep.
He, whosoever he be, that speaks this
Charm,
Unto his
Soul
in Faith, shall have no harm;
Therefore, as a Receipt approved, take it:
For, for myself alone, I did not make it.
A Meditation upon the many Prodigies and Apparitions, which are mentioned by Public writing, or common Fame.
WE are informed, by questionless
Presages
(Vouchsafed to instruct succeeding
Ages
)
That
warnings
of
Christ's
coming, should be given
By
signs
and
wonders
manifest from Heaven:
And, we have seen, in
Histories
recorded,
That,
Providence,
in all times hath afforded,
Some
Premotions
of those Desolations
Which fell on
Persons, Places, States
and
Nations,
Before they came: For, our most gracious GOD,
(As doth a
loving Father
) shows the
Rod
Before he whips, that he thereby may fright
To
Penitence,
ere he begins to smite;
And, frequently, prevail, if that means may,
Us to reclaim, he flings the
Rod
away:
Which kind
Indulgence,
is in these times, more
Inlarged then, it hath been heretofore.
New
Prodigies,
we hear of every day,
And, likewise hear, how they are puffed away
As but mere
Fictions.
If we find them so,
This, justly, thereupon infer I do,
That, more presumptuous we in these times are
Then ever any other People were:
For, very much corruption it implies
To be in those who make and publish
Lyes.
If there be Truth, in any of those
Visions,
Or Extraordinary
Apparitions,
Which are affirmed; 'It is no less wicked daring,
So to affront GOD's visible appearing
In
Signs
and
Wonders,
as, both to contemn,
And seek by all means, how to smother them:
But, it is worst of all, to publish
Lyes
Of purpose, to discredit
Verities,
As if we meant, to do the most we can
To try the
Patience
both of GOD, and
Man.
If, we believe the things that are aver'd;
Why of GOD's
Judgments,
are we not afeard?
And, either seek to pacify his
Wrath,
Or, magnfie his
Mercy,
who, so hath
Forewarn'd, of what is likely to ensue,
That, we his
Indignation
may eschew?
If we suspect, what publicly is told,
Why do not they, who are in
Power
(and should)
Search out the Truth, that, by due punishment,
They such like
Provocations
may prevent?
For, out of question, to connive at
Lyes,
Or smother
Truths,
worse things presignifies,
Then all the
Apparitions,
that have been
These twenty years, in this our
Climate
seen;
(Though nothing doubted of) and will go nigh
At last, to turn all
Truths
into a
Lye.
I must confess, that, though unto my Ears
There have been brought within these twenty years
So many strange Reports, of
sights
and
Voices,
Earthquakes
and
Thunders,
dreadful
Storms
&
noises
;
Of
Ebbs
and
Tides,
of Suns, and Moons, and Stars,
And Armies in the Clouds, portending Wars,
With such like, as would have perhaps, amounted
Unto a hundred, if I them had counted;
Not one of those I saw: yet, so unjust
I am not, as those good men to distrust
Who have aver'd them: for, though
Prodigies
And such
miraculous Appearances,
Are daign'd in chief, to
Infidels,
and those
Who in God's word, no confidence repose;
Yet, they are likewise, otherwhile, revealed
To true
Believers,
lest, they be concealed
From those whom they concern; or lest, by them
Quite slieghted, who, the
Works
of GOD, contemn;
They, also their own welfare so neglect
That, they be totally without effect.
On trust, I therefore take them: for, if we
Confirmed by their
Witness
may not be,
Whose
Conversations
are to us well known;
How, can we any
Affirmations
own
For
Truths,
Historically writ, by those
Whose
Conversation,
no man living knows?
For, my part I have with my
carnal Eyes,
And, otherwise, beheld such Prodigies
In
Words
and
Deeds,
that, although none of that
Were true, which I hear other men relate,
I (at the least Mysteriously) discover
All those old
Miracles,
new acted over,
In my time, which in
Pharaohs
days were wrought,
When
Israel
out of servitude was brought;
And, many a such like wonderful proceed,
As we recorded in the
Scriptures
read.
I have seen th'
Inchanter's
(yea, and
Aaron's
)
Rod,
Turn'd into
Serpents; Waters
into blood.
I have seen
Frogs
sent, and removed again,
And, yet, we as hard hearted still remain.
I have observed, (at least once or twice)
Our
Dust,
to be transformed into
Lice.
Plagues, which resembled
Locusts, Flies,
and
Hail,
Yet not a jot upon our hearts, prevail.
The
People,
even as
Murrains
do our Beasts,
A
Sin that's Epidemical,
Infests;
And, so with
Blaines
and Byles we smitten be,
That, in a moral sense, mere
Scabs
we be.
Egyptian Darkness
too, hath here, among
Our other
Plagues,
continued very long,
With likelihood to be as gross, as there,
Unless, the
Sun of Righteousness
appear;
Yea, I have seen our
First-born
also slain,
Yet, still, we in obduracy remain.
I, therefore, wonder not, if
private Visions,
Prodigeous sights,
and
Dreadful Apparitions,
(Discern'd but here & there) have naught effected,
Since, things more
Signal,
are so much neglected.
Where,
Moses
and the
Prophets
are not heard,
One from the
Dead,
will find but small regard.
In vain are
Dumb-shows,
where, a
speaking sign
Can to no heedfulness, men's hearts incline.
When CHRIST's own
Words,
will not with credit pass,
In vain, will be the
speakings of an Ass:
Yet, speak must, when GOD shall his tongue untie;
And, whatsoever succeedeth,
so will I.
A Riddle for Recreation, not impertinent to this Place.
INto a
Park,
I lately came,
Wherein are many herds of
Game,
Whereof the Keepers take no care,
And yet, they in abundance are.
They are a
Cattle
of strange Breed
Which, on no
Browse,
nor
Grass
do feed;
Are
Found,
before that they are
sought
;
Aswell in
sleep,
as
waking
caught:
So silently, they
hunted
are
That, neither
Hound
nor
Horn
we hear
When chatcit: They, are the only things,
Left free for
Beggars
and for Kings
To Hunt at will: and, all that we
Assur'd of by our Charters be.
What
Park
is this? What
Game
are these?
Tell me, and Hunt there, when you please.
A Proclamation made by this Prisoner, with the advise of his Privy Counsel, the Muses.
OH Ye's, Oh Ye's, Oh Ye's:
if any man
In
Country, Court
or
City
tell me can
Where my last
Poem
called
Vox Vulgi
lies,
(Seiz'd lately in my Chamber by surprise)
On penalty, of what else follow may,
Let him produce it, e're my
Trial
day;
(Which, yet, I am not certain,
when,
or
where
It will be, neither do I greatly care.)
He, who to me, the same will timely bring,
Shall be rewarded: So, GOD
Save the King.
Given, this 17th. of the 8th. Month, 1661. At my Head Quarters in Newgate, which is, at present, all the places of abode upon earth, which the Prince of this World and his Prelacie have left me.
Geo. Wither.
A Concluding Epigram.
WIth these
Cards,
I, an
After-game
have played,
But, there's
one Card,
by shuffling, so mislaid,
That, now my
fore-game's
lost; yet, if I may
Just
Dealing
find,
Fair Gamesters,
and
Fair-play,
What ever happens, I no question make
But, I at last, may thereby save my
stake
;
And, when the
Sett
is ended, win much more
Then ere I got by
Play,
or
Work
before.
If any good
Effects,
hereby ensue,
A Thanks to GOD, is for my
Troubles
due:
For, had he not made way to send me hither,
These
Fragments,
had not thus been scrap'd together.
Those
Papers,
which are hitherto suppressed,
Shall that occasion, which will manifest
(At last) a more effectual operation
Then, if they might have had free Publication.
If, also, God, me, here shall exercise
With greater
Trials,
better
Fruits
then these
They will produce: Therefore, they shall to me
Be
welcome, when,
or whatsoever they be.
Yet, for the sakes of other men, well pleased
I should be, from my
Troubles
to be eased;
Because, until mine shall have some redress,
Their suff'rings, are not likely to be less.
LORD, therefore, if thou please, make it a sign,
Their Troubles will soon end, by ending mine.
I, thereof, am a little hopeful made,
By some
foretokens,
which I newly had.
Three
likely signs
thereof, he daigned hath;
For, my
Beloved Consort,
he from death,
Was pleased to raise (even whilst within this place
I have remained, exposed to
disgrace
And
Poverty
) he, for my
Children
too,
Whilst this was writing, hath provided so
That, without
Portions,
to their good content,
They
married
are, without
disparagement
;
All parties, Christian confidence professing
Of their dependence on GOD's future blessing.
He, in the presence, and amidst my Foes,
Hath spread my
Table
; and, such bounty shows,
That, these are nothing, but the
Scraps
and
Crums
Of that
supply,
which, daily, from him comes.
Appello DEUM, REGEM, POPULUM, PARLIAMENTUM.
I do, appeal, to judge of my intent,
To GOD,
King, People,
and the
Parliament:
For, one of these, I am sure, my Friend will be,
And, I hope well, of all the other three;
But, they know not my heart, so well as he.
A Post-script to the Readers.
THese Pieces, being communicated to several Persons in writing, were sent back to me imprinted; by what Printer I know not. Two or three large Cantles, are thrown in among them; which, though you would have disliked, in respect of their Quantity, I should have made no shorter; for, I could with more contentment have lengthened them. So much was necessary to exercise my own spirit, and strengthen my Faith and Patience, during the pressures which lie upon me. Therefore, if they begin to seem tedious, give over the perusal: For, they were intended to be communicated to those only, who were voluntarily desirous of them, to whom I beseech GOD to sanctify them in the reading. They were distilled out of me, by that Fiery-trial, which will extend to many other before it be ended, and which will evidence that they are no counterfeit or Sophistical Extractions, though they may seem trivial to some, because they relate chiefly to myself; for, they will be found useful to many of them, who, are or shall be, exercised with like Passions and Afflictions.
That, which tends to the Vindication of the Poem occasioning my Commitment hither, will concern others as well as myself; So, may also that which expresseth my sudden distemper, at the first hearing of my Wives Sickness, lying at 52. Miles distance in a very disconsolate Condition, as to all outward things: And they who are as truly sensible of a Conjugal and Paternal Affection as I am, will perhaps, think when they read what I have written, that it may be of use to some of them, when they consider well the strugglings between my Flesh & Spirit during that Trial ; and, in regard it is in probability, the strongest Temptation whereby the world and the Devil shall have power to afflict me. But, whatsoever shall be thought of that, of the rest of these Parcels, or of me, I sent them to those in writing, who desired to have Copies of them, and to pass further, as God should give leave.
To write no more, I long since did intend;
But, none but GOD knows now when I shall end,
For, still, I find, when I think all is done,
As much to write, as when I first begun.
Your true Friend, and Brother in the best Consanguinity, who thinks it no dishonor, to subscribe himself, GEORGE WITHER, of Newgate, in the City of London, Prisoner.
The 19th. of the 8th. Moneth, 1661.
An Appendix in Relation to what concerns his Wife.
MY
Consort,
(who still means what ere she says)
Perusing what's here mentioned to her praise;
Protests, her modesty is so offended,
To find herself in such a strain commended,
That, she's ashamed to live; and, to be dead
Had rather, then to see it published.
To be avenged for this dislike, therefore
I will to the rest, ad this one
Virtue
more,
Which had been alse forgot; and if she do
Therewith find fault, I will then, ad twenty moe.
For, I forbore her
Praises
till I feared
That, them, she never should have seen, or heard,
And, had exposed them to Publication
Before I was quite cured, of my Passion.
A Table of the several things contained in this Book.
- 1. THe Epistle of the Author. Pag. 3.
- 2. A Missive to his Friends, who inquired for him, after the apprehension of his Person and the seizure of his Books and Papers. Pag. 5.
- 3. His first Meditation after his Commitment to Newgate. Pag. 11.
- 4. His Petition at the Sessions, that Bail might be accepted. Pag. 17.
- 5. An Epigram to the City of London. P. 19.
- 6. This Prisoners second Meditation in Newgate. Pag. 22.
- 7. Answer to some Friends who sent to know how it fared with him after his Commitment. Pag. 27.
- 8. A Pass-by, to them who seemed offended with his frequent scriblings (as they call them) Pag. 28.
- 9. The Authors Apology, for his writing that Book which occasioned his Imprisonment. Pag. 30.
- 10. Another Meditation, alluding to this Verse in Seneca, Nusquam non potest esse Virtuti locus. P. 55.
- 11. A Meditation upon Jeremiah's Prophesy to Ebedmelech, the Ethiopian. Pag. 59.
- 12. An Antidote against Fear. Pag. 62.
- 13. A short excuse, why he makes no Adresse to great Persons for their Favor in his Cause. Pag. 68.
- 14. A Meditation upon his considering the sad outward Condition of his Relations in the flesh. P. 71.
- 15. A Passionate expression of a casual and sudden destemper, upon hearing of his Wives being mortally Sick, as he was credibly informed. Pag. 76.
- 16. A spiritual Song composed upon the last mentioned distemper. Pag. 95.
- 17. A Meditation whilst he was taking Tobacco. Pag. 98.
- 18. A Hint, conducing to the Settlement of Peace and Concord in the Church and State. Pag. 101.
- 19. A Thanksgiving for his Wives restauration to life and health. Pag. 105.
- 20. A Penitential Hymn. Pag. 107.
- 21. A Requiem to the Soul. Pag. 110.
- 22. A Meditation upon the late Prodigies and Apparitions. Pag. 112.
- 23. A Ridle. Pag. 115.
- 24. A Proclamation by the Muses. Pag. 116.
- 25. A Concluding Epigram. Pag. 117.
- 26. A Post-script. Pag. 118.
THE END.
The Authors Dream, the night before the Imprinting of this Book, and (as he believes) the true Interpretation thereof.
I Am
awake:
GOD's blessed Name be praised,
That, he to see the Light, my eyes hath raised:
For,
sleep,
I see, which we repute the best
Of
Temporal things
pertaining to man's
Rest,
(Next to a
quiet Conscience
) may become
A
Torment,
very near as troublesome,
If he, that giveth his
Beloved
sleep,
Did not, within a
Bound,
nights terrors keep.
My
Soul,
so toil'd, and tired out, hath been
With what, this
night,
in
Dreamings
I have seen,
That, peradventure, if I waking, had
Been so oppressed, it might have made me mad:
For, from the twelfth hour, to the fourth, well nigh,
I have been struggling, in an
Agony,
With such
Confusions,
that, if I would tell
How, I have been turmoil'd, I, might as well
Another
World
endeavor to
Create
Out of a
Chaos,
as the same relate:
And, not a littie troubled is my mind,
Now I am
waking,
how, I forth may find
What it
presignifies:
For, I believe
Those
Notions,
I did not in vain receive:
And, therefore, (since no
Daniel
I do know,
Who, either can to me my
Vision
show,
Or, what it means) I will, by GOD's Grace, assay
To make the best use of it, that I may;
Not doubting, but, that he will condescend
To show some glimpse, of what, he doth intend.
It happened (which, forget not to remember)
The day before the
Kalend's of November,
The
first year
(and may be the last) wherein
I had infranchised in
Newgate
been,
For off'ring to
Record,
what I have heard
By
common Fame,
and, was by me declared
To no worse end, then, that, prevent it might
Such like
Confusions,
as me thought, this night
To me were represented. And, who knows
But, that, this
Dream,
a
Consequent
foreshowes
To that relating, which, fulfilled will be
Either, upon these
Nations,
or on me,
Or both of us, if God, averts not from
The best of us, that, which is like to come;
And, as dreadful our
waking Dreams
may be
As this was in my
sleep,
last night to me.
This very day, moreover, (as I hear)
Those
Musings,
which by me composed were
Since my
Commitment
hither, pass the
Press
;
And, our
confusions,
will be more or less,
As they shall take effect. GOD's
Will be done,
(What ere, he pleaseth shall succeed thereon)
For, he, who wak'd me out of this sad
Dream,
Will, when, at their worst, raise me out of them;
Or, when the
Resurrection morning
comes,
Save, me, at least, from all
destructive Dooms,
This, (though my
Dream
admits no explanation)
I take to be a true
Interpretation.
But if, that any finds me out a better
I will approve it, and remain his debtor.
ERRATA.
PAge 3. line 17. read Appeal, page 14. line 30. for which are, r. with awe, l. 34. r. entertained, p. 16. l. 13. r. Though so, p. 23. l. 3. r. be for he, p. 26. l. 23. r. dost for doth, p. 32. l. 18. r. not so. p. 36. last l. r. contrived. p. 39. l. 26. r. first, that, p. 42. l. 14. r. grown wise and sober, l. 33. r. more provoke, p. 43. l. 2. r. of Reason, p. 44. l. 5. r. of letting, l. 11. r. concession, l. 28. for is, r. are, p. 59. l. 6. r. extract good. p. 75. l. 22. r, Revive, p. 79. l. 15. for race, r. truce. p. 51. l. 30. r. every for very. l. 26. blot out now, p. 96. l. 13. r. we for we'l. p. 102. l. 9. for their r. them. p. 108. l. 23. blot out my, p. 110. l. 2. r. his trust.