Salt Upon Salt
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A96767.0001.001
Project Note
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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
Salt upon Salt: Made out of certain INGENIOUS VERSES Upon the Late STORM And the Death of His HIGHNESS Ensuing.
By which Contemplative Object, Occasion is taken, to offer to Consideration the probable near approaching of greater Storms, and more sad Consequences.
By GEO. WITHER, Esquire.
SALT seasons all things, saving only those Which must feed Fishes, Maggots, Dogs and Crows.
Read it, and heed it, For you need it; And so, God speed it.
London, Printed for L. Chapman, at the Crown in Popes-Head-Alley, 1659.
To the READER
OCcasion
from a
trifling Object
springs,
Once more, to offer
heed
of
serious Things.
For, by perusing some late printed
Rimes,
That, which may much concern the
present Times,
Was tendered to my
Thought;
and what to me
Was offered, shall to you now offered be.
When I began to know the
World,
and
Men,
I made
Records
of what I found them then,
Continuing ever since, to take good heed,
How they
stood still,
went
back,
or did
proceed,
Till of my
Scale of Time,
ascending Heaven,
The
Round
I stand on, maketh ten times
Seven;
And, being likely, now, ere long to leave them,
A
Memorandum,
I intend to give them,
Of what,
this day,
they do appear to me,
As also, what they may here after be;
(According as they shall direct their
Course
)
That, whether they are
better
grown, or
worse,
It may be to
GOD
's Honor
seen
and
read,
(What ere besals) when they and I, am dead.
When in this
Isle
my
Muses
first were known,
The heads of
VICE
were not so Monstrous grown,
(Nor then so numerous) as now they be;
For,
Cerberus
in those days had but three,
And
Hydra
seven: At present, they are more
In
Number,
and more
Large,
then heretofore:
So that these
Monsters,
for whose overthrow
I was engaged, nigh
fifty years
ago,
Are grown so formidable, that, they make
The
Fortresses
of
Moral Virtue
shake,
And, yield at present, work enough to do,
For
Hercules,
and Mighty
Sampson
too.
Yet I have lost no Ground, but kept the
Field;
And will, till I have
Conquer'd,
or am
Kild:
For, though some daily
fall off,
who pretended
Adherence to the
Cause
which we defended,
(And though my Elder Brethren do but flout me)
I find an
Unseen Army,
pitched about me,
Which takes my Part, and will effect at length,
That, which is far beyond my single strength:
And, he, who dies, in making good his
Place,
Though he prevails not,
dies without Disgrace.
The
List,
I enter not, with guileful Charms,
Of
Human Eloquence,
nor with such
Arms
Defensive, or offensive, as were brought
By them, who have of late, our
Battails
fought;
But only with a
Sling, Stones,
and a
Staff,
At which my
Friends
jeer, and my
Foes
do laugh;
Yet (mark the Sequel) for, a day will come,
That shall place
Justice
in the
highest Room;
That, they who by their
Brethren
were envide,
(Or by their
Masters
wronged) shall be tried;
That those
Poor People,
who oppressed be,
In
Body,
or in
Conscience,
shall be free;
And, that, though this be scorned, it shall be sed
Whilst I am
Living,
or, when I am
Dead,
That, by those, now-contemned
Pebble-stones,
Which I have flung, there will be
Broken-Bones,
And
Bruised Brains,
which did to some of those.
Prove Mortal, who have been my
Countries
Foes.
Mean while, I will prosecute what I intend,
Not much regarding what a
Foe,
or
Friend,
Shall either
Counter-act,
or
Counter-say,
But, bear their
Spights,
and
Censures as I may.
Nor to my
Theam
will I so close be tide,
As not, sometimes, to make a step aside,
To take in that, which may conduce unto
The
Work,
which I
in chief,
intend to do;
But, act as my
INSPIRER,
moveth me:
For, I am by
Him
inspired, not
He
by
Me.
And therefore, here, before I take my leave,
I will warn you, (lest your thoughts I may deceive)
That
Method
not to look for, which by those
Is used, who express their Minds in
Prose;
For, Things, not in
pre-meditated Thought,
(To me upon a sudden, being brought)
I
took in,
as they came; and what they were
Oft knew not, till in
Words,
they did appear:
Which having signifi'd, you may thereby
Guess, what to judge of them, as well, as I;
And, whether, that should not your hearts incline
To think, there's somewhat in them more then
Mine.
Last Year,
I sent a FLASH, which is let pass,
Unheeded, as a Thing that never was:
Now follows the
Report,
or
Clap of Thunder,
which have been
seen
and
heard,
thus far asunder,
To give the longer
Warning;
for the
SHOT
And THUNDER BOLT'S, (if
Grace
prevent them not)
Will
next year
fly among you: GOD amend us,
And, then, I am assured, He will defend us.
Your Servant and Remembrancer, GEORGE WITHER.
SALT upon SALT: Made out of certain ingenious Verses upon the late Storm, and the Death of His Highness ensuing; by which Contemplative Object, occasion is taken to offer to consideration the probable near approaching of greater Storms, and more sad Consequences.
The said Verses are these that next follow, according to the Author's printed Copy.
WE must resign; heaven his great
Soul
doth claims
In
Storms
as loud as his
Immortal Fame;
His
dying Groans,
his
last Breath
shakes our
Isle,
And, Trees unout, fall for his
Funeral-Pile;
About his
Palace,
their broad Roots are tost
Into the
Air;
so,
Romulus
was lost;
So,
New-Rome,
in a
Tempest,
mist her
King,
And from
obeying,
fell to
worshipping.
On
Oeta's
top, thus
Hercules
lay dead,
With ruined Oaks, and Vines about him spread:
Those, his last Furie, from the
Mountain
rent,
Our dying
Hero,
from the
Continent
Ravish'd whole Towns, and Forts from
Spaniards
reft,
As his last Legacy to
Britain
left.
The
Ocean,
which our Hopes had long confined,
Could give no Limits to his vaster Mind.
Our Bounds enlargement was his latest toil,
Nor hath he left us pris'ners to this
Isle;
Under the
Tropic,
is, our Language spoke,
And Part of
Flanders
hath received our Yoke.
From
Civil-Broiles,
he did us dis-engage,
Found Nobler Objects for our Martial Rage,
And with wise Conduct, to His Country showed
Their
Antient Way
of Conquering abroad.
Ungrateful then, if we no tears allow
To Him, who gave us
Peace,
and
Empire
too.
Princes,
who feared Him, grieved, concerned to see
No pitch of
Glory,
from the
Grave
is free:
Nature
herself, took notice of His Death,
And, sighing, swelled the
Sea,
with such a Breath;
That, to remotest shoars, her Billows roll'd,
Th'approaching
Fate
of her great
Ruler
told.
The Result, occasioned by the preceding Theam.
A Way with
self-respects;
For now of late
My
Private,
and this
Public Weals
Estate
Are much alike; and both of them, to me
Seem in this
Crisis,
at this day to be,
Threatning a
Sudden Ruin,
if much further
Confusion
spreads, before reduced to Order.
My
Genius
therefore, doth my Heart incline
To seek that
Weal,
whereon dependeth mine,
Lest, whilst for
Private welfare,
I endeavor,
That, and the
Public Peace,
be lost forever.
This to prevent, (though some will think I dream)
There is
occasion
couched in this
Theam:
And (notwithstanding, much it may be feared,
That, what it shall produce, will not be heard,
Among the
tumults
and
confusedness
Which now abound) it will have some Success:
For, otherwhile, by
Trifles,
that is wrought,
Which could not by great
Powers,
to pass be brought.
A
small shrill whistle,
in a
Storm,
becomes
More signal then the beating of great
Drums:
And, who knows not, (he breathing thereinto)
What, by a
Ramshorn Trumpet,
GOD, may do?
Our late
loss,
doth on me to call begin,
As if I somewhat were concerned therein,
And had a part to Act, wherein I may
Supply, at least, a
Fools part
in the
Play.
And, since
occasion
given there is none,
I, of my own accord have taken one,
Which, if a causeless anger, it provoke
To mischieve me, the care's already took;
I am too
low a mark
for
Supreme Powers,
Too
high,
to dread an
equal
when he low'rs.
The
main prop,
of this
Government
is gone,
The
Stone,
our
Master-builders
built upon
Is now removed; and, either I mistake,
Or, all that's built thereon begins to
shake,
And quite asunder too, will fall at length,
Unless upheld, with more then
human strength.
No former
Prince,
whose
Actions
yielded matter
So worthy of a
Muse
that would not flatter,
Di'd at a time, wherein there lived so few
To give him that, which justly was his due,
(Without a
diminution
or
excess,
Either of which, makes
great things,
to seem
less
)
For, having viewed most
paper-monuments,
Whereby the
Fancie
of this Age presents
His
Fame
to memory; I find their
Rimes
Are so distracted, as if with these
times
Their
Authors
sympathized in their
wit,
And knew not what they
meant,
nor what they
writ:
Else, doubtless, none had failed so in expressing
His
purpose,
as to
curse,
instead of
blessing;
As he, whose
Pcëm-elegiacal
Is closed up, with the name of
Jerubbaal.
Some, so maliciously
Invectives
write,
As if their
Pens,
in Juice of
Aconite
Were dipt (or rather in more venom'd matter)
So opposite to that, which they who
flatter
Hide underneath their
tongues,
that, in the stead
Of showing hatred only to the
dead,
They,
living men
impoyson through the
ear
When their
uncharitable Charms
they hear:
For, these have not alone in
scurrile Verse,
Blur'd him with what their malice could asperse
True,
or
untrue;
but, also, take GOD's room,
Dare to proncunce his
everlasting Doome;
And, wickedly, with
Damned souls
in Hell,
(As others do with
Saints
) him parallel:
Which argues an Intention, to defame
The
person,
though he merited no blame.
Some others, on that
subject
wantonize
As if their
Muse
were hawking Butterflies:
Some, are all
Oil:
some, have but this
one fault,
The want of
Sulphur, Mercury,
and
Salt:
And, few of them, save he, whose
lines preceding,
I make my
Text,
afford ought worth the reading:
And, they now put me into such a
fit
That, if I have not much more
Grace
then
wit,
It may to harsher
Censures
me expose
Then any one of them, yet undergoes.
Except
Obscene Verse,
(and strong lines, from whence
Are hardly screw'd
intelligible sense
)
Strains
like to this, these
Times,
best prize to praise;
And, 'tis a
smart neat Peece,
ΘΡΙΚΙΟΝ says:
Which, I deny not; for, it mounts as high
As any
English Pegasus
can fly,
And, is as
well-pac'd:
But he feels the Reins
Lie loose upon his Crest, and
overstrains,
To know, what best the
season
doth befit
With his
own Ends,
this
Author
wants not wit,
And, I believe, takes much more care then I,
What will best please, and wherewith to complie;
Though I, have more then forty years and five
Found, that my
Course,
is not the
Course
to thrive.
These
Verses,
which to make my
Theam
I choose
Are but the
sportings,
of their Authors
Muse,
And seem to me like
Knacks
which in a Hall,
I have seen hung up, for
Flies
to play withal.
These are
Wits
bubbles, blown up with a Quill,
Which
watery-Circles,
with
weak-Air
doth fill;
Or, like a
squib,
which fires, and cracks, and flies,
And, makes a
noise,
that little signifies.
I, envy not his
Fame,
who is deceast,
Nor ought, whereby, it may be more encreast:
I, never suffered ought by his Displeasure;
But, did enjoy his
Favor,
in some measure,
Which he knows, unto whom all things are known,
I, more employed for his
weal,
then mine
own,
And, disadvantaged my
self,
to do him
Such
services,
as, I thought, I did owe him.
For these respects, none justly can suppose
I grudge him ought, which may by
Verse
or
Prose,
Be added to his
Fame;
or, that the
Mome
I will play, by carping, or detracting from
Another's contributions, if I see
They are in truth, what they may seem to be.
I, should be pleased that those
Lines,
which precede,
(With what else doth relate to him that's
dead
)
Whereby, some think, he may be honored much,
To all who hear, or view them, might prove such,
That, no occasion might from them be took,
Of what, to his dishonor, will be spoke;
Or, to increase those
Vanities
which are
Already, multiplied, over far.
I, therefore, now expect to be excused
Although at this time, I have nothing
mus'd,
That, may concern him, in the
common mode;
For, in that
place,
he, now hath his abode
Where he regards not
Bawbles. Praises,
there,
Or
Flatteries,
no whit regarded are;
The most
enchanting Charms,
there, cannot charm him:
Detractions,
or
Invectives
cannot harm him;
To write those
Truths,
which might have done him shame
Whilst here he lived; or gained the Writer blame,
Ought, now to be declared as well as those
From whence his highest
commendation
flows;
And, that may settle
Peace,
now being spoken,
Which in his life-time, might the
Peace
have broken.
The
sacred-Pen-men,
future times acquaints,
Not only with the
merits
of the
Saints,
But also, with their
Failings;
and as great
By th'
one,
as the other, is man's benefit:
For, which respect, I will not be afraid:
To speak, what to good purpose, may be said;
Nor, from my
Text
(as now) to wheel about
To fetch in that, which others needless thought;
For,
Method,
is not so much my intent,
As by good means, a
mischief,
to prevent:
And, my
digressions,
may advance my end,
As much as that, which I did first intend.
'It is now, high time, for us to spend our hours,
In gath'ring
Fruits,
and not in picking
Flow's.
I love to see
truth,
in her
nakedness;
And, that, she should sometimes, put on a
Dress,
With such
Poetic Flourishes
adorned,
That
safe
may keep her, and from being
scorned;
To which end, I myself, compel'd have been
To mask and veil her, when I have foreseen
Apparent
Dangers;
and another time
To clothe her, in that fashionable
Trim
Which most affect; that, there with brought acquainted,
True
Beauty,
may be known from what is painted.
And, that, they who were drawn in, by the
Sign,
Might
Guests
be, for the goodness of the
Wine.
My Reverence to the
Muses,
is not small;
For, all true
Poets
are Prophetical,
And had a
Preparation
in the Womb,
Before they forth into the World did come;
Not, that their
Faculty,
should be applied
To stir up
Carnal Lust,
or puff up
Pride;
But, that they should to
Piety
invite,
And make
Mankind
in
Virtues
more delight;
From which, prevaricating, they have lost
Their Honor; and are quite despised almost.
They should not strive for words to please the ear,
In which, no
solid Matter
doth appear;
But, write so plainly, that, the
meanest Wit
Might from their
Musings,
reap some benefit.
They should not weave their
Webs
of
Stuffs
that be
So, diff'ring, that, they never can agree;
Nor, when our
Sin,
for
Sober-Mourning
calls,
Play us a
Jigg,
or sing us
Madrigals.
Meer verbal
Whimseys,
in a
Serious Cause,
Which most part of the Readers more amaze
Then edify; (by that which never was,
Nor is, nor shall
hereafter come to pass
)
Look like solemnizing an
Ordinance
In
Pious Duties,
with a
Morrice-Dance;
Or, like their actings, who, against the Forces
Of well-armed Foes, bring Troops of
Hobby-horses.
What, in the
Theam
foregoing, is there said
Which honors him deceased, if well weighed?
And hath not rather into question brought
Things, which to question, few men would have thought?
There, at his
Death,
a
Storm,
is feigned to roar,
Which was over-blown almost a week before;
And, had it not been so, some would from thence
Have drawn, perhaps, an
evil Consequence;
More
Fancies,
forming in the
People's
Brain,
Then two such
Storms,
would have blown out again.
Allusions,
too, are made, as if surmiz'd
That, He, henceforth should be Idolatriz'd,
As more then
Man,
whom we this day perceive
Laid lower then the meanest Men that
Live.
To teach us, that, in
Princes,
there's no trust;
That, all mere
Human-Glories,
are but dust;
And, that,
Death
will, their
Vanity
discover,
At whatsoe'er cost, Double-Guilded over.
So, did His
last Breath
shake this
Isle
of our,
As Pellets from a
Pot-Gun,
shake a
Tow'r.
For, all her
Shakings,
to my best perceiving,
Rise from our own
Distempers
who are
Living.
So, for his Funeral-Pile, un-cut Trees fell;
So,
Romulus
and He were Parallel;
So,
New-Rome,
in a Tempest, mist her King,
Then, from obeying, fell to worshipping;
And, so, on
Oeta, Hercules
lay dead,
As
Chalk
's like
Cheese,
and
Beer
is like to
Bread.
So, from the Continent, He Towns hath torn,
As he, who teats a Hedge, and gets a Thorn
Which wounds his hand, and when he dreads no harm,
Doth gangrene, to the losing of his Arm.
So, are our
Freedoms,
and our
Bounds
enlarged,
As his, who, from a
small Debt,
is discharged,
To re-oblige himself, in that, which may
Sweep
Liberty,
and all he hath, away;
And, if our
Endings
prove like our
Beginnings,
Our
Losses,
will be greater then our
Winnings.
What
Comfort
yields it, to impose a
Yoke
On others, if our
Fetters
be not broke?
What
Pleasure
brings it, if our
Confines
be
Inlarged, if in them, we are not free?
What
Profit,
is it unto us at
Home,
That some in
Foreign Parts,
enrich'd become,
If, we mean while are
Beggars?
or else more
At least, impov'rish'd, then we were before?
What
Honor
is it, that, both
Tropics
hear
Our
Language,
if to speak
Truth,
few men dare?
Or what by
Conquests,
will be got or saved,
If they who
Conquer'd,
are at last inslav'd?
Not unto us, not unto us, be given,
(Or to our
Chiefs
) but to the GOD of Heaven,
The thanks and honor, that, both our
Late Wars
With Neighb'ring Foes, and our
Domestic Jarrs
Are
Super-added:
Would GOD, I could say,
Were wholly ended: (as I hope I may)
For, had not
He,
with our
Protector
stood,
We, till this day, had wallow'd in our Blood;
Yea, had not GOD, a
timely aid
brought in,
Destroy'd long since, both
He,
and we had been.
Our
Antient Way
of Conquering
abroad,
Which this
Muse,
doth implicitly applaud)
What got we by it, but a
Cursed Game,
Atchiev'd with
Blood,
and lost with
Blood again?
I know not what the
Conscience
of a
State
Or
Policy
by Law, may tolerate;
With that I will not meddle: But to me
It seemeth not to Quadrate or agree
With
Moral Honesty,
or
Sacred Laws,
(Unless there be
unquestionable Cause,
And
Power apparent,
which doth warrantize
GOD's calling us to such an Enterprize)
That, we, into our Neighbors
Lot,
should fall
With
Fire and Sword;
and Honorable call
Those Deeds, for which, LAW, to their
Actors
gives
The stiles of
Pirates, Murderers
and
Thieves:
Or, that, a few, should without free assent
Of all the
People
in a
Parliament,
Ingage them by a
Quarrel,
which may cost
Their
Lives,
and all that may with
Life
be lost:
I know no
Law
or
Gospel,
warranting
So hazardous or reasonless a thing;
Or, that, we who subjection do profess
Unto the King of
Righteousness
and
Peace,
Should take the
Wages,
and the
Colours
carry
Of him, that's both His and our Adversary.
Nor can I understand, how we then do
As we would willingly be done unto,
When to accomplish the ambitious ends
Of
Princes,
we have hazarded our
Friends,
To trouble, and infringe the
Peace
of those,
Who would not willingly have been our
Foes;
Till many
hundred thousands
are undone,
To satisfy the
boundless Lust
of
One;
Squandring away those
Blessings
to th'increase
Of
Discord,
which we might have kept in Peace.
How many a goodly
City, Town
and
Field,
Which did a comfortable Dwelling yield
To
Millions,
who were no way interested
In
Tyrants
Quarrels, have of late been wasted?
And, what a sad
Account
to make have they
Upon whose heads, that
Blood
and
Spoil
doth lie?
Believe it; though to keep from Violation
Those
Laws,
which have respect to every
Nation,
GOD's
Universal Justice,
doth engage
The
Nations
on each other, War to wage;
Yet, use they should not make of His
Commissions
To satisfy their
Vengeance,
their
Ambitions,
Or
Avarice;
nor any way extend them
Beyond those Ends for which he doth intend them.
It is but little less then Blasphemy
The Works of
Nature,
so to mis-apply
As this
Muse
doth, who in a
Strain
doth write,
As if none could express a
Glow-Worm's
light
Unless he did Hyperbolize, so far,
At least, to equalize it to a
Star.
He seems, as if he would insinuate
That
Nature,
at his Death was passionate;
And makes that
Creature
speak, which never
Flatters
Or
Speaks
at all, save only in such Matters,
As do concern GOD's glory, or, may shame
Those
Wits
who grossly mis-apply the same.
So,
Nature,
hath took Notice of His Death,
And, sighing, swelled the Ocean with her breath,
The Death of her great
Ruler
to foreshow,
As 'twas presaged when my
Cat
did
Mew:
For,
Nature,
never heed in such wise, took
Of any
Princes
Death, but, when it shook
The
Universe,
to see the SON OF GOD
Dead on the
Cross,
with Arms displayed abroad:
And from the
Reverence
that's due to such!
High
Mysteries,
this, hath detracted much,
Of this kind, and of such-like
Airy-Puffs,
Of such deceivable, vain, empty stuffs,
Are most of all those
Books,
and
Trophies
made,
Which
Princes,
to eternize them have had:
And, so small credit, is attributed
To what is either to their
Honor
sed,
Or their
Dishonor,
that,
wise Men
reject it,
As of no Value; or at least, suspect it,
As an effect of
Flattery,
or of
Hate,
Though many set it at a higher Rate.
For, their
Praise,
whom we find most prodigal
Of
praises,
merits no respect at all;
But, rather, from the
Hearers,
back returns
On him that's
Prais'd,
and on the
Praiser,
Scornes:
And, seldom, shall you find much
worth
in them,
That have
immodest Praises,
in esteem.
Yet, these vain Blasts of Fame, oft, sound as loud
As
Cannons,
or as
Thunder
from a Cloud:
The People entertain them with
Applause;
Of much
Expense,
they are the needless Cause:
By these,
wise Men,
are otherwhile bewitched;
By these, are
Fools
and
Flatterers
enrich'd:
But, thereby, such effects alone are got;
As
Powder
hath, when fired without
shot.
Yet, so to prize them, many men are given,
As if, without them, none could climb to Heaven;
Or, as if he, of whom most
Lies
we tell,
Should find least Torments, in the Pains of Hell.
The Principle I own, is to adhere
To that
Power,
which
Supremacy
doth bear,
And I will (without an Oath) be true to those
Who are by GOD, and by this
People
chose,
Till they advance another, whom I see
Invested with
Power-Absolute,
to be;
And, whether he comes in, by
Right
or
Wrong,
Leave that, to them, to whom it doth belong.
Him,
I will serve, not with base
Flatteries
Which blind his Judgment, or put out his eyes.
In my
Addresses,
I will never tell
To him, what I may fear he knows too well:
Nor further then I know him,
magnify him,
Lest his own
conscience
knowing I
belie him,
(Or speak more then my
knowledge
can acquire)
He, hereby know, I am a
fawning Lyar.
Before him, I will those things only set,
Which I think, he may possibly forget,
Or, which unto his knowledge are not brought,
Or (if known) not considered as they ought;
And, do it so, that he shall not despise
What's done, if he be either
Good,
or
Wise:
If not, yet when my
Duty
I have done,
I will bear with Patience, what ensues thereon.
In all the
Changes,
which have been of late,
I have preserved this
Rule
inviolate.
Though some think not, when one
Power
was made two,
And,
wiser Men,
knew not which way to go.
For, so far as my
conscience
would permit,
I served that
Power
which in the
Throne
did sit
Most visibly; in every
change
that came,
Siding with none in
changing of the same:
And when the
Sovereignty,
on him was placed
By GOD's permission, who enjoyed it last,
I did, accordingly, employ my Force
To keep what might be
naught,
from being
worse;
Adventuring, sometimes, so far therein,
That, to my disadvantage, it hath been.
I, was to him, in all things, always true,
Which nothing took from his
Superiors
due.
I did so far forth as it would consist
With GOD's
Praise,
with the
Public Interest,
And his true
Honor,
do what in me lay
All those
Obstructions
to remove away,
Which, by disabling him, might heretofore
Have made his
Dangers,
and our
Mischieves
more.
And, though those Services which I could do him
Some will deride, they have been useful to him:
For, 'tis at present, known, to more then
One,
Yet living, (and was known to
him that's gone
)
That, in the greatest hazard he ever had,
I, seas'nably, by
Providence
was made
An
Instrument of Safety,
when th'
intention
Was almost rip'ned, beyond all
Prevention.
Yea, to prevent them, who by his
Disgrace,
Endeavor'd to destroy the
public Peace:
His
Actings,
too, I praised as I ought,
In what, I, them to be Praise-worthy thought,
Consider'd in themselves: But, his Desert
Left in the
main,
to Him, who knew his Heart:
And knowing it to be GOD's privilege,
(Even his alone) of
Secret things
to judge,
No further ever did, (nor ever will)
Of him, or any man, judge
well
or
ill,
Since first this
Principle
to me was known,
And by Consideration, made
mine own.
It is enough, that
Princes
whilst they live
Are borne withal; and that whilst they survive
We hide their failings, that, none might through them
That
Power,
and that
Authority
contemn
By which they Govern: for, a
Tyranny,
Is somewhat better then an
Anarchy.
If, I suspect my
Prince
a wicked man,
To make him better, I will do what I can;
Lest, he that's next be worse: As once by
Paul
Agrippa
courted was, him court, I shall,
If, need be: or, will flatter him so far
As by our
Servants,
Children flattered are,
To make them do their Duties: but, not woe hin.
For my own ends, to that which may undo him:
(Which I conceive, is such a
Pious fraud
As GOD allows, and honest men applaud.)
In
Life,
I served him thus; now
Dead
he lies
I will speak no more of him, then may suffice
To make those better, and take better heed
Who shall henceforward, in his Room succeed.
Examples, we from
Holy-Writ,
may take,
That of the
Dead
we nothing ought to speak
But, what is true; and that we are as well
Oblig'd, their
failings
as deserts to tell.
That, GOD, may have due
Praise
by everyone;
That
Men,
by knowing truly, what is done,
In those things, which concern them; (and by whom
Their
Mischieves,
or their
Benefits
do come)
May actuate accordingly, in season,
The Dictates of their
Conscience,
and sound
Reason.
It was not then thought (as now in these times
Perhaps, it may be) that, to blaze the crimes
Of
Eli, David,
or
Jehoshaphat,
Or
Hezekiah;
(though unto the
State
Some of them had respect) was
sawciness,
Or want of
Manners,
though they did express
Both to those
times,
and
future Generations
Their
Failings,
with their proper
aggravations.
And therefore, if a just occasion be,
Expect the like
plain-dealing
now from me:
For to the same
End,
I will do mine
Arrants,
And make good my
Commission,
by their
Warrants.
I, grant it
Thanklesness,
as he infers,
If we for
Benefactors
have no tears
When they are dead: For, I desire we may
Their
Dues,
both to the
Dead
and
Living
pay:
But, I conceive it more
ingratitude,
Upon the World, our
Fictions
to obtrude,
And, let that as impertinent pass by,
Which GOD
permits,
or
acts,
to glorify
His
Justice,
or his
mercy,
whose neglect;
Make other things, to want their due effects.
GOD, make us grateful for what is bestowed,
In such wise, that to everyone his own
We may ascribe, and, not to any give
So much, that, of his dues, we him deprive;
Nor so much to one man, that, they may be
Defrauded, who, deserved as well as He.
Such
Partialities,
at first, brought in
All
Tyrannies:
By such,
Free-men
have been
Enslaved by degrees, and thereunto
Our
Fawnings
add more, then all else can do;
And 'tis impossible a means to find
To keep those
Free,
who have a
slavish
mind,
Or
Currish nature;
For, the first want
courage,
And give their
Birth-rights,
for a
Miss of Porrage:
The other, must like
Bandogs
chained be,
Else none who live among them, can be free.
GOD, grant us grace, so to bewail his
Fate,
Who is deceast, as to rejoice in that
Which is thereby
designed:
and, to take heed
We do not complementally proceed
In
formal mournings,
till the
Counterfeit
Makes us, those
Christian mournings
to forget
Which are now called for; and till we have more
True Cause of
sorrow
then we had before;
And, for the
Dead,
pursue a
formal grieving
Destructive to the welfare of the
Living:
Lest, when the
Dead,
their
Dead,
in earth shall cloth,
One day,
become a
mourning-day
to both.
For, to suspect, just cause enough I find
Some mischief, for
that day
would be
designed
And
acted
too, if
Vengeance
could raise
power
To do, what might be done at such an hour:
As those
despights,
do questionless assure
Which on his
Scutcheon
and his
Portraiture
Were lately acted, if believe we may
What seems believed, and
common Fame
doth say.
Interments of the Dead,
were first intended
Lest by them, they who
live,
might be offended
If not removed from sight: Therefore, by giving
Things to the
Dead,
belonging to the
living,
Doth injure both; and neither
get,
nor
give
Such
honor,
as we may perhaps conceive:
But are occasions rather of
Disgraces
And of returning dirt into our Faces.
So Cynical my humor never was
To think,
men
should be buried like an
Ass;
Nor shall I
Judas-like,
be discontent
To see a box of
precious Odors
spent
In burying him; though for a while the
Poor
May want it; if, their wants it make not more
Then they can bear; And, mends be made for that
Which they have suff'red ere it be too late.
But, I abhor it, when I do behold
Walls
clothed, and poor men exposed to cold
And nakedness: or at their needless cost
Another
honor'd
whilst their
credit's
lost
Which is more worth then
Life;
and which to save,
They many times, their
Lives
adventured have.
Small honor, by that
Fun'rall-Pomp,
is got
Where they who bear the charge approve it not.
To bring a
Prince,
with glory to his grave,
Is not to make his
lifeless Image
brave;
To give as great a reverence thereunto
As
Pagans,
to their
Idols,
used to do,
Or, as they, who like
worship
have applied
Unto his
Image
who was crucified.
It is not to make
Pageants
at their cost
(Who think they have too much already lost)
With those vain
Ceremonial Rites
attended,
Whereby, the
sober-minded
are offended;
And till
Spectators,
Jeeringly do say,
It is a very costly Puppet-Play.
Or, till it gives them cause to be afear'd
That,
way
thereby, to worse things is prepared:
For,
this way,
was
Idolatry
brought in;
This way,
most
Superstitions
did begin;
And,
this way,
if GOD let it be pursued
A little further, they will be renewed
Till that day comes, in which, what men endeavor
To build up, shall destroyed be forever.
Philip
of
Spain,
the Second (as 'tis said)
Did, of a
Funeral-Pageant,
thus arayd,
A
Pattern
leave; which is resembled much
By
this;
one
circumstance,
(and some few such)
Excepted, (and for ought that I yet know,
That might be privately, performed too.)
Those
Anti-rooms of State,
with Blacks beclad,
Through which, men to th'
Effigies
passage had,
And, wherein they were forced to
stand bare,
Because a
property
unuseful there:
For,
Pater-nosters,
they should there have sed,
And
Ave-Mary's,
for the
Soul
that's dead,
If they that
Ceremony
had observed
For which those
places
were at first reserved;
And, whereto (though unpractis'd at this day)
Such
Innovations,
will perhaps make
way.
We are already, drawing very nigh
To
superstitions,
and
Idolatry;
And, at the
Back-door,
that is coming in,
Which at the
Fore-door,
hath expelled been.
Who, would have thought, that
we,
who do neglect
One of the goodliest Piles of
Architect
In all the
Christian World,
because, long since,
It seemed
profaned,
by things which gave
offense?
That
we,
should raise up
Trophies,
in its stead,
Of
Straws
and
Sticks,
and
Kexes
to the Dead?
And with
exploded Vanities,
defile
The
Palaces,
and
Temples
of this
Isle?
Who, having seen what zeal expressed was
In pulling down of
Crosses, painted Glass,
Old
Altars,
Images of
Saints
and
Kings,
(And with these, of some
inoffensive things
)
Did then suppose, he should have lived to see
An
Idol,
in that place advanced to be,
Where heretofore, an
Altar,
and a
Rood
To be adored by the
People
stood?
Who can believe, that HE, who viliside
Not long ago, the
vanity
and
pride
Of former
Princes?
That, HE, who had spoke
Against the
heavy burdens,
and the
yoke
By them imposed, and was himself the
Rod
And
sword
assumed into the hand of GOD,
To root them out? That HE, who but of late,
When he dismissed the
Counselors of State
Sayd to their
Sergeant,
Take away that
Bable;
(His
Mace
at that time, lying on the Table)
Should ever of his own accord, think fit
Those
Trinkets
which he slighted to admit?
And, when he down into the
Grave
descended,
Should thither, with more
vain pomps
be attended
Then any
English Prince,
that heretofore
A
Sovereign Scepter,
in these
Islands
bore?
Oh! times, oh manners!
how exceeding vain
Is man's
Heart,
and how giddy, is his
Brain?
Who thinketh not, that such a
Change
hath seen,
And, heeds what they
seemed
who so changed have been?
But, that, far
greater Changes,
will appear,
If GOD, prevents not, that which we may fear?
For that old
Leven,
which aside was laid,
Into the
lump,
is secretly conveyed:
And now
corruptions,
do so over-spread
The
Body Politick,
from foot to head,
That swarms of
Hornets,
and of
Butterflies,
Produc'd and fed, by new-sprung Vanities,
Are like to multiply, till they shall drive
The
lab'ring Bees,
quite out of every
Hive.
Excuse my
zeal,
if over-tarr I'seem
In this point; For, from no disgust of
him,
For whose pretended honor this is done,
Nor from
malevolence
to any one
Who did design it, this
expression
flows;
Nor from what
Prejudice,
may mis-suppose;
But, from the
Cause
that's given of
offense,
And, what I fear may be the
Consequence.
What
Meteors, Winds,
and
Tempests
do foreshow
I know not, neither take much care to know;
Because, they rather warn us, to take heed
What's
doing,
then declare what will
succeed:
But, by our
Flatteries,
and by other things
Which
Pride
produces; by what daily springs,
From our
self-seekings;
from our
Avarices,
And, from our many other sordid
Vices,
This, I am sure's
presag'd,
that if we run
Much farther, in the
Course
that's yet hell'd on,
(And, GOD, our folly to take place permits)
We shall ere long run quite out of our
wits;
And, be at last destroyed all together,
By that
Storm,
which I see approaching hither.
But, who am I, that say I do foresee
A
Storm,
that you should credit give to me?
How can such things, to me, you say be known?
How know you, when the
Sun
is almost down
That,
Night
will follow? and the
Day
draw near
When you behold the
morning-Star
appear?
Look not on him, who tells what may ensue,
But look to that, whereby you may eschew
The threatened
Plague,
which (as GOD's threatenings all
Are for the most part) is
conditional.
To that intent, your
old neglected Friend
Amongst you,
one Remembrance more,
will send
To second
this,
before perceive he shall
A
MENE TEKEL,
written on your Wall,
Unless he sees GOD's patience out of date,
And all
fore-warnings,
like to come too late.
Mean while, take this that follows: For he knows
You look for
Signs,
of that which he
fore-shows;
And, these (although they trivial may appear)
Are true
Fore-tokens
of what's drawing near.
Black Clouds,
are now ascending over these
Lands,
Whose
Figures
do portend some
human hands
Promoting that great
Storm;
But, when abroad
It
spreads,
you will perceive the hand of GOD,
Who, by a
slow-approaching
doth express,
He comes to punish, with unwillingness.
Each man, who is not willful, plainly sees,
He etners into
Judgment,
by degrees,
To move us to
Repentance,
that the
Doom,
But threatened yet, might vanish ere it come.
GOD, hath made known unto us, in some measure,
By every
Element,
his just Displeasure:
Those things, without which, nothing is enjoyed,
Have all our late
Enjoyments
much destroyed.
By
sudden Fires,
our dwellings are consumed,
And, into smoke, our
precious things
are fum'd.
The
Waters,
in their Wombs, have swallowed up
No little
Portion
of the
Merchants
hope,
And, overflowing
new, and Antient Bounds,
Swept Flocks and Herds out of the lower Grounds.
The
Air,
by
Storms
and
Blastings, Frosts
and
Snows,
Destroy'd our
last Crops,
in their fairest shows;
Yea, after publicly we made Confessions
That, GOD, accepting our
Humiliations,
Had thereupon, vouchsafed pregnant Hopes
Of
Future Health,
and of more
Plenteous Crops;
Even since that
likely hope,
we, for our
Sin,
Depriv'd of that
Expectancy
have been.
The
Earth
which bears us, too; for our
Offences
With-holds her
Bounty.
Their sweet
Influences
The
Heavens
withdraw.
Death,
when unlook'd for, seizes
More oft then formerly, by
New-Diseases;
And, they, to give
Account,
are call'[d upon,
Who lived, as if accountable to none.
Hereto, the
Naturalist,
perhaps will say,
Such things do happen to us every day,
Or, in a short time, either more or less:
Which I will grant; but notwithstanding, this
He must grant too, that from the
Worlds beginning
These were, and are, the known
Rewards of Sinning:
That they are also
Signs,
GOD will bring greater
And more
Afflictions,
if we grow not better:
That
Judgments,
(though they be not general)
On
Families,
and
Private Persons
fall
Even day by day: That, we have lately seen
Large
Vials of GOD's Wrath,
pour'd forth have been
Upon the stubborn
Irish,
and the
Scot,
To warn us what will also be our
Lot;
And that none should GOD's Patience, therefore slight,
Because a long time, He forbears to smite;
Or, puffed by
timely Warnings,
when he sends them,
Because this way, to us he recommends them:
For,
this way,
they declared were of old,
And,
this way,
they shall now again be told.
But, hear me further, and relate I shall
Some things, which do not every year befall;
Our ablest
Horse,
(even those perhaps, wherein
More
trust
reposed was, then should have been)
Die suddenly, and Ditches are bestrow'd
With those
Eones,
whereupon our
Gallants
rode:
Their
Stink
(as once a
Prophet
said) ascends,
Yet, still, his hand against us, GOD, extends.
Those
Leggs,
likewise, which are our
Second-Strength
Do reel already, and will sink at length
That
Body
which they bear: the
Wings
by which
We flew from Shoar to Shoar, and were made rich,
Begin to flag, and fly not to and fro,
With such Success, as they were wont to do.
Some, whose
new Honors
bloomed but
last Spring,
Fell with the Leaf,
to show, how vain a thing
Ambition
is, and let them understand
Who flourish yet, their
Winter
is at hand.
Much, of our precious
Life-Blood
up is drunk,
The
Sinews
of our
Power
are cracked and shrunk;
Our
Honor,
with our
Public Faith
is lost;
Our
Private Credits
are destroyed almost:
And, hard it is to say, whether the
Debtor
Or
Creditor,
is in Condition better.
The
Parliaments
Securities are slighted,
And,
He,
whom they have by their
Acts
invited
To purchase, (and, of paying whose just Dues
An
Ordinance,
and
Orders
made fair shows)
Though, more then
ten years,
are elapsed since,
Gets neither
Money, Land,
nor
Recompence,
Nor hope of
Justice;
but,
Suits,
to the wasting
Of his Estate, which may be everlasting:
And, they, who should, from these
Oppressions
clear him,
Either regard him not, or, or sit and jeer him;
Though both by
Law,
and
Oath,
they stand obliged
To see the
Public Credit
dis-engaged.
That which is due to
Poor Men,
is delayed
Till they have lost it
twice,
ere 'tis
once
paid.
He that hath
Lent,
till he can
lend no more,
Is sure to lose all, that he lent before;
And, that which to be
given,
hath been thought,
Proves dearer otherwhile, then what we
bought.
All which things, being rightly understood,
Are
Signs
(if not of
much ill
) of
small good.
Should I here mention all
Prevarications,
Which being
fifteen Years together,
tide
(As by the Leg) near
London
to reside,
They would fill up a
Volume:
and, but that
Thousands can witness what I might relate,
It would be thought, I did
Untruths
aver,
And, that, I were a shameless slanderer:
For, our
Abominations
have exceeded
All
Measure,
and are more then can be heeded.
It can by no true
Englishman
be born,
Without much
Indignation,
and more
seorn,
To see
Foot-walkers,
when on
Horse-back
set,
So much their late Condition to forget,
As, superciliously to look on those
By whom, out of
Obscurity
they rose;
And when men seek but
Justice,
and their
own,
How these, (as if to have an Alms bestowed
They were implor'd) provoke with harsh replies
The
suff'ring-Suppliant,
till his
Blood
doth rise,
And
Words
are spoken, whereon doth ensue
Another
Wrong,
because he spoke what's
true.
Sometimes, from week to week, from year to year,
Suits
are deferred, which they with speed should hear;
Yet, nothing then effected, but expense,
More adding to a former indigence.
Both
Means
and
Time,
which fully might enable
To do their
Work;
they spend in
Bibble-babble,
Or needless
Complements;
and will not wave
A
Feast
or
Visit,
though it were to save
A man from Ruin; and when
Plaints are long,
By
long Oppression,
they away are flung.
Their
Suppliants
are forced to hunt them thorough
Their
starting holes,
like
Rabbets
through their Borough.
Yet, hardly come to speak with them, before
They (as it were) set
Purse-Nets,
at each door;
And then, unless they likewise, get a
Hay
Pitch'd round about them, they will slip away.
That, which is absolutely in their Power,
And, might be finished in half an hour,
Is made a
Business
during term of life;
And, then, the
Suitor
dies without relief:
For,
Suppliants
are oft deferred so long,
That, they at last, who should redress the Wrong
Are puzzel'd too; and such as have been grieved
So num'rous grow, that few can be relieved.
No marvel;
for the
Body-Politick
In every part almost, is
Lame
or
Sick;
So, that, those Limbs, which in themselves are able,
Are rendered by the rest unserviceable;
For, though the
Foot
be whole, it cannot go
Because, the
Great Gout,
lames the
greatest Toe.
And, very mean performances are found
Where, in
both Hands,
there's but
one finger
sound.
If, it objected be, that such
Delayes
May justly be occasioned many wwayes;
'It is granted, that, it may be so in some;
But not till
twice seven years
elaps'd become,
Without apparent wrong: And, that abuses
Are this way offered, for which no excuses
May be allowed, some thousands living are,
Who, if need be, thereof can witness bear.
When
Public-Debts
have many years been due,
And
Creditors
compelled for them to sue
Till they, in
Labor, time,
and other
Cost,
The
Principal,
and so much more have lost,
The
Shameless Officers
instead of paying,
Put off the
Creditors,
with this harsh saying,
'It is an old Debt;
as if men did them wrong
To ask for that which had been due so long;
And, that, the way to right them, who implore
Redress for
old wrongs,
were to do them more.
Nay, there is so much falsehood and deceit
In many, that, they make poor men to wait
From day today, from morning until noon,
From noon till night,
Delay,
still spinning on,
(Till many days and nights, and weeks are spent)
As if to grant their
Suits
they truly meant,
Although they from the first hour, did intend
To give them flat denial in the end.
And, usually, when they speak fair and smile,
They pick your Purse, or cut your Throat the while.
They, who are guilty of such things, and know
That I, and thousands, know them to be so,
Will say, perhaps, I
Rail;
but 'tis no matter;
To
Rail,
is somewhat better then to
Flatter.
None but a
Fool
with term it
Railing,
when
Reproaching
Vices,
we conceal the
Men.
None, but a
Brazen-faced-Offender
dares,
Exceptions take to that, which truth avers;
And none but
Mad-men
cast reproach on those
Who chide them, to prevent their overthows.
I will proceed to further Demonstration
Of those
Signs,
which portend a
Desolation.
Strange Prodigies,
which not so oft have been
In this our
Clymate,
are now often seen.
By
Looks,
or
Language,
it is hard to know
Whom you may now repute your Friend or Foe:
They, who have but
one Head,
have now
two Faces,
And
two Tongues:
Both their
Offices
and
Places,
The Members of the self-same Body shift;
Though neither of them, hath the others gift.
The
Little Toe,
although to be a
Thumb
It hath been raised, will not content become,
Unless it may obtain that
both the Hands
Shall be subjected under his commands.
The
Head's cut off;
and though that in its stead,
The
Foot,
may have admittance to be
Head,
It (quite forgetting what it was before)
Will scarce be pleased, unless it may be more.
Nay, from
Ambition, Vermin
are not free;
That nasty
Body-Lice,
would
Head-Lice
be.
Those wicked
Spirits
that engender strife,
Among us, more then ever, are now rife.
Stupidity, Distraction, Giddiness,
With such-like, many thousands do possess;
And, haunted now, our
Habitations
are
With worse
Hobgoblins,
then the
Fairs
were.
To their own
Principles,
but very few,
Save
Enemies
and
wicked Men
are true.
Those
Changes,
which but rarely did befall,
Are in these Islands Epidemical.
The
Servant
rides, the
Master
goes on foot,
And, is his
Servant
's Servant, too, to boot:
The silly
School-Boys
do presume to teach;
The
Foxes
pray, the foolish
Geese
do preach;
And, most things are so turned
topsy-turvy,
That what looks best, methinks, is very scurvy.
Not only those
Egyptians,
among whom
We live, oppressors of us are become,
But
Brethren
also strive; yea,
Saints,
with ire
Are so inflamed, that they can out for fire
From Heaven, on those, who only disagree
From them, in things that but indiff'rent be;
And, we are told, by one whom I believe,
What it portends, where such things we perceive
By
Natural Experience,
we have found
That,
Instruments
which yield a diff'ring sound,
(And
Tones,
are
Voices,
though they various be)
In
Consort,
do melodiously agree.
So, we should likewise, find these
Differences
In
Judgment,
whereat we now take Offences,
Would make true
Harmony,
if we to Him
Did leave it, who knows how to order them;
And took more care (then most of us have done)
To set our own
Tongues,
and our
Hearts
in tune.
Our
Friends
in Foreign Parts, and here at home,
Each of the other jealous are become;
And should there be a
Breach,
no Mortal knows
Whether our
old Friends,
or our
elder Foes,
Would prove our greatest
Enemies;
or, whether
They, would to mischieve us, join all together.
Our
New Allies,
are likely at our need,
To be to us, but an
Egyptian Reed,
Or, like a costly
Armor,
by whose weight,
We are more tired, then guarded in the Fight;
And somewhat sounds from them (unless Fame lies)
Which an
unpleasing Sequel
signifies.
These things, (at least united) do foreshow
That, some
foul Weather
shortly may ensue:
GOD, also stands, with Arm outstretched still,
The Sentence of His
Justice
to fulfil.
If we consult but with mere
Human Reason,
What's likely to succeed at such a Season
As this appears, by loss of him alone,
Who lately was removed from the Throne:
What
Counsels
and what
Cost
it will require
To keep so many
Irons in the Fire
As he hath left
unwrought;
and what it would
Cost more, to let them lie till they are cold.
If we consider, That he was of late
The Middle, and, main
Pillar,
of this
State;
The
Atlas
(as the Attribute that's given
By one, hath termed Him) of our
British Heaven,
And, into what
Confusions,
it is thought
All things at his Decease, might have been brought;
Observing therewithal (without concluding
Upon false
Theses,
or, ourselves deluding)
In what apparent Dangers we are left,
By being, at this time, of him bereft,
It may portend, although the
Sun
shines yet,
A
Storm
will rise before that he doth set.
And yet, we ought not so much to reflect
Our thoughts on Him, that we those things neglect
Which more concern us; or suppose that we
Depriv'd of any such advantage be,
As is conceived; for, he had not gone,
But, that, the work ordained for him was done.
GOD, raised him, by
Destroying,
to prepare
A way for that which he intends to rear,
And, to that purpose qualified him so,
As they were, whom of old he called to do
Such
Services;
and, as it seems, intended
No further use of him, when that was ended:
He saw, the
Power
which was on him bestowne
Imployed in
Designments
of his own;
Then, re-assumed it: and, they had been troubled
Perhaps, who pray his
Spirit
might be doubled
On his
Successor,
if GOD, should have said
AMEN,
to that, for which they blindly prayed.
We, likewise, (as of late that
Parliament
From whom he took the
Supreme Government
)
So
Idolized,
that, we thought too little
Confer'd upon him by the
Sovereign Title
Which, GOD permitted him to undertake.
And, what his
Army
pleased of him to make.
To
govern us,
we longed for such a
Thing
As other Nations have; forsooth, a
King,
With all the former burthensome
Aray
Of
Kingship,
which was lately took away:
Though he, as much as
Flesh and Blood
could do,
Refus'd it, with some perseverance too.
And, not content to make him parallel
With all who are recorded to excel
In
Virtues,
by
Profane
or
Sacred Story;
But placed him, in a higher
Sphere
of
Glory.
We gave him Attributes, which unto none
Belongs, but to the
Deity
alone;
And towards him, ourselves oft so behaved,
As if by him alone, we could be saved;
Which peradventure, did provoke GOD's wrath
To do to Him and Us, as done He hath.
GOD's dealing therefore, let us duly weigh,
To do him all the honor, that we may:
For no
respect of Persons, Love,
or
Fear,
Should from that
Duty, flatter
or
deter.
To that intent, it will have some Relation,
To know and heed, that his
last Visitation
By
Sickness,
did that
Day
on him appear,
Which made the time completely just a Year,
Since he solemnized a
Public Fast
To pacify GOD's
Wrath
for
Failings Past;
As also for removing from our
Clime,
Such
Sicknesses,
as raged at that time:
And, that, some
Cautions,
for that day prepared,
Were in their Season, unto him preferred,
To mind him what small good could be expected
From
Formal-Fasts,
where
Justice
was neglected;
And what at last would follow thereupon,
If
Works of Mercy,
were still left undone.
At that time, such
Pre-Cautions
tendered were
(As, if need be, hereafter you shall hear)
For, GOD, to offer them, did me incline,
And, to his hands, they were preferred by mine:
But, whether he perused them or no,
Since they presented were, I neither know,
Nor what
Effect
they had, if that be none,
Which at the years end, did ensue thereon.
We should consider too, how on
that day,
Just that day
twelve-month
he was took away,
(Wherein he kept a
Formal Celebration
Of
Thankfulness,
for public preservation)
That
very day,
of his chief
Triumphs
turning
Into a sad and
Fatal day of mourning:
How
that day,
whereon (if
Fame
hath not lide)
He purposed to be crowned
King,
he dide;
Leaving an
Image,
with a waxen Face,
To be instal'd, and crowned in his place:
Which, as since we defaced
Crowns,
'twas the
first
That wore one, I desire, may be the
worst,
Who shall from this time forward, live to bear
A
Sovereign Scepter,
or a Crown to wear.
If we consider duly as we ought,
These things; with such like, as to serious thought
Are thereby tendered; more, from thence there might
Inferred be, then I think fit to write.
Or, should I tell, what was prepared, likewise,
To make complete his
Formal Sacrifize
Last mentioned, and what effects it had,
Some wholesome uses, might thereof be made
Which must deferred be; because my
Reason
Perswades me, that they are not, yet in
season.
I know a
Flatt'rer,
feared not to say
That, was the
third time,
his
Victorious day
By conqu'ring
Death:
But,
wisemen,
do contemn
That
Gloss,
because, that day,
Death conquered him;
And, do believe, and know, that none but
he
Who dide for our
Redemption
on a
Tree
(And, raised himself, to breathe immortal breath)
Ought to be stilled the
Conqueror of Death.
He only, who, above the Heavens doth dwell,
And conquered with
Death,
both
Sin
and
Hell,
Deserves that
Attribute:
and they, who dare,
To others give the same,
Blasphemers
are,
Except in that sense,
which, makes all who die
In him, partakers of his
Victory.
)
He had his share of
Honor,
and, not little
His
Portion
was; Let not his
Masters
Title
Ascribed be to him: For, they, who hear it,
And are his
Servants,
cannot, will not bear it;
Nor be afraid to speak, what may increase
GOD's honor, whose soe're it maketh less.
GOD called him hence
that day,
to make us heed,
That, he in all his
Actings
doth proceed
By
Number, Weight,
and
Measure;
both to
places,
And
Times
referring them in many cases,
To make observable his
Visitations;
As also, to raise up our contemplations
To that, which he
Designs:
yea, he advances
Their
executions,
oft, with
Circumstances,
Not common; that, by fearching, we may find
His
meaning,
and conform unto his
mind.
I know, he was upon
that day,
advised
To somewhat, which he should not have despised
Whereto he gave small heed, or none at all,
Till what was justly feared did befall:
And, who knows, what beside that wwas neglected?
What was pretended then, what, since projected?
Or, what
mise-prosecuted,
or
mis-done,
Which might provoke the great
Almighty-one,
To call him on that very day from hence,
Which was the day of his
magnificence;
And lay the
Scepter
level with
the spade.
Oh! make thereof, such use as should be made;
For, knowing what I know, relates thereto,
I, cannot unobserved let it go.
We know that
Death,
which is the hire of
Sin,
On that day, always payable hath been,
In which 'tis acted, though, GOD, by reprieve
Defers it oft, or, wholly doth forgive.
We know there are some sins, for which, even they
Who are GOD'S
chosen ones,
are took away
From those
Enjoyments,
which they might have had,
Until a Forfeiture of them is made.
Moses,
for speaking rashly, was denied
The
promised Land,
and in that
Desert
died,
Where others fell; and, thus, it doth befall
To many of GOD's
Saints,
if not to all.
We either know, or we should know, likewise,
That, for our
National impieties
As well as for their own
sins,
Princes may
In
wrath
be
given,
or, be
took away.
The
Holy-Ghost
hath said, that,
when to lies
The
King gives ear
(and such are
Flatteries
)
The people, there are wicked.
And, our sin
The
Cause in chief,
hath peradventure been,
Which, from his first
Intentions,
him declined,
To that which was not for our
weal
designed,
Nor for his
honor:
yea,
ourselves
we may
Most justly blame, if he forsook the way
Wherein, he by the
Public-Card
should steer:
For, some of us thereto his
Tempters
were,
And, by our
servile Flatt'ries,
both made void
His first
Resolves,
and our
own Hopes
destroyed.
As, therefore, when GOD, gave the
Jews a King,
He then, did by a dreadful
Thundering,
And by a
great Rain
in their Harvest time,
Declare that they had much displeased him;
So, peradventure, that
Storm,
which did roar
So universally four days before
He took hence our
Protector,
was intended
To signify, that he is much offended
With all this
Land,
even from him that's on high
Enthron'd, to him, who in the street doth lie:
For, not alone, high
Palaces
it rock'd,
But, also very dreadfully it knocked
At every door; and made a signal spoil,
In every
Shire
and
Province
of this
Isle.
Oh! let us therefore search out his
intent;
For, when he
speaks loud,
there is somewhat meant
Deserving more then ordinary heed,
Whereon (if slighted) mischief will succeed.
He seldom, putteth forth a
dreadful Voice,
Save unto those, whom nothing moves but
Noyse:
And, if that, wakes them not, nor makes them fear him,
The next time, they shall
feel
him, ere they
hear him.
Let not a vain respect to
Worms
and
Dust,
Make us to GOD, and to
ourselves
unjust:
For, what he
acts,
and
how he doth proceed,
We ought, in every
Circumstance
to heed,
Whomever it concerns, and nothing hide,
Whereby he may be duly
glorifide,
Or,
men reformed.
Then, let us, since we may
Be dead to
morrow, hear his Voice today.
We have had
many days,
wherein, he hath
Shewn
Mercy,
and forewarned us of his
wrath.
Sometimes, in
Calm-still voices,
he doth speak;
Sometimes, in
whirl-winds,
which the Rocks do break;
As once 'twas said to
Israel
heretofore,
Then what he hath done, what should he do more?
We have had
many days,
wherein, we made
Both
Vows
and
Prayers,
which acceptance had;
In them we made some shows of
penitence
For that, which gave him cause to take offense,
And for an
Ahab-like humiliation,
GOD, of his
dooms,
vouchsafed a mitigation;
Yet, still, the very same, our
Courses
be.
Now, GOD, will have his
days
as well as
we.
He hath decreed a time, wherein, he will
As we have done our
pleasure,
his fulfil;
And who can tell, how
slowly,
or how
soon,
That, which he hath resolved, shall be done?
What look we for? Lo, on a
day of note,
Our
Shepherd,
our
Protector,
he hath smote.
A
Prince,
of whom our
own
and
neighb'ring Nations,
Had great
proofs,
and far greater
expectations:
Beyond his
set day,
if he spared not him,
How can we hope, he will defer our time?
Who knows, but that, if it succeeded thus
With him in
one year, One year more
to us
May be as fatal, if we still put off
Repentance,
and at this
fore-warning scoff?
Protector,
and ye
Counselors of State,
Be therefore wise, before it be too late:
Ye
Princes,
and ye
Judges
of the
Land,
Learn, and observe what GOD hath now in hand:
And all ye
people
throughout these
three Nations,
Take notice of those dreadful
Visitations
Which are portended, that, they may be made
Quite void, and have
Effects
to make you glad.
Trust not in
Riches,
for, they wings have got,
And, will fly off, when you suspect it not.
Trust not in
Earthly Power;
for 'twill at length,
Break, and be ruined, by its
own strength.
Trust not in
Princes;
For you can of none
Have more hopes, then you had of him that's gone;
But, trust him, who, doth no man's trust deceive;
Of whom nor
Death,
nor ought else can bereave;
And, who, nor
Love,
nor
Power,
nor
wisdom
lacks
To finish, what for you he undertakes.
Think, and speak soberly of him that's gone;
For, he the
work
of GOD hath carried on,
So far as his appointed
Station
went;
And, being but a
mortal Instrument
Made of the self-same brittle
earthen stuff,
That others are, was not, of so much proof
Against the baneful Flatteries of those,
Who seemed his true
Friends,
as against his
Foes
In open Field, who could not act the part
Of such as made their
Batt'ries
on his heart.
I look upon his
Failings
as mine own,
And neither whilst he lived made them known,
(Nor will disclose them further being dead)
But, that the
living
may be profited,
And that, GOD may be honor'd as he ought
By that which to remembrance should be brought.
My
Conscience
bears me witness that I know
No malice, in my heart against a
Foe,
Much less against a
Friend,
whom I professed
To serve; and who, to his
own Interest
(In what he from the right-way did decline)
Did much more injury, then unto
mine.
His
Words
and
Deeds,
were all the means I had
To know him by; and what Result was made
By me thereon, I did since his decease
Thus briefly in an
Epitaph
express,
Which here I will add, the
Censures
to prevent
Both of the
Flatt'rer
and
Malevolent,
Who (in a manner) crucify his
Name,
Betwixt a
Glorious
and
In-glorious Fame
As much as may be, to advance
self-ends,
And nullify, what GOD, thereby intends.
The EPITAPH.
HEre
Dead
He lies; who,
Living
here,
Was
Britain's
greatest
Hope
and
Fear.
And, by what was on Him bestowed,
Had all His Equals over-grown:
His
Predecessor's
Sins and our,
Made way for Him to
Sovereign Power;
By rendering that an Act of
Reason
And
Justice,
which had else been
Treason.
No
Prince,
was ever heretofore
More
praised,
or
dispraised
more.
Advantages,
few ever won
So great: None lost so great a one.
This
World
afford no
Pattern
can
Which better shows what is in Man.
His
Virtues,
were mough to do,
So much as GOD designed Him to.
He
Failings
had: But, when lived any
That had not every way as many,
If he (whilst here abode he made)
Such
Tempters
and
Temptations
had?
Presume
not therefore; but with
Fear
Mind, what you know, and see, and hear:
Yea heed, what GOD, and Men have done,
But judge none but
yourselves
alone;
And aim in chief, how to increase
GOD's Glory, and the
Public Peace.
This
Change,
and failing of our Expectations,
In many several Things, which have Relations
To Us and Him, forewarn us to pursue
Some speedy Course, Confusion to eschew,
And fortify our
Peace:
But, what to do
Few know, or what will best conduce thereto;
Nor shall know, till a
Parliament
convenes
To search what GOD, this
Prince,
&
People
means.
In order to their wished-for
Settlement,
The
State
hath chose another
Instrument,
Whom GOD, hath in the room of
OLIVER,
Permitted to be his
Probationer.
In Prudence, this
Expedient
they have used,
Lest our
Confusions,
growing more confused,
Might bring in
Anarchy:
And if they now,
Pursue what GOD's, and
human Laws
allow,
And shall not
Arbitrarily
proceed
Ought further, then
unquestionable Need
Necessitates, till those things on their
Basis
Are fixed, which were thrust out of their places:
It may in little time, conduce to that
Which
Men of single Heart,
have aimed at.
But,
who,
or
what,
will henceforth be a Bar
To
Righteousness,
the
Sequel
must declare,
And will make manifest, what
Mask
soever
It put upon an opposite Endeavor.
If he hath conscientiously been chose,
(Which none but GOD and his
Electors
knows)
Our
Peace,
by this
Prince,
will be furthered more,
Then by him whom we wrought with heretofore.
Although he brings not such
APPEARANCES
Either for His, or Our Advantages,
As did his
Predecessor:
for we may
Find those
Defects
supplide another way;
Yea, want perhaps, of what the former had
In some kinds, may to our advantage add.
Time,
oft discovers in a timely season,
What cannot be till then discerned by
Reason.
Wise
Samuel,
failed in his conjecturing
Which of the Sons of
Jesse
should be
King.
A
Man of War,
now fittest for the
Throne
Some thought; but, we behold instal'd thereon
A
Man of Peace:
And if in his
Probations
He bide the
Test,
he shall be to these
Nations,
A
Fortress of Defense,
in spite of those,
Who, in his
Government,
shall him oppose;
Provided, we obstruct not
Providence,
By persevering in impenitence.
The
Supreme Title,
is on him conferred,
And, by what way soe'er it was acquired,
That, for the present with a
Sovereign Power
Invests him; and whatever we call our,
Is in his hands, with all th' Authority
Which
Scepters, Globes,
or
Crowns
do signify.
And, of that Dignity he stands possessed
(By GOD's permissive Providence, at least)
Not that he should Usurp, or challenge them,
As due unto his
Fathers House,
or
Him;
But, being forfeited by our
Transgression,
Them, in his hands he hath by sequestration,
To be secured there, till by
Penitences,
A
pardon,
be su'd out, for our Offences,
That, what, by
Natures Law,
and by GOD's
Word,
To us belongeth, may be then restored:
For, GOD, Almighty, to no other ends,
Such
Seizures,
by a Sovereign
Prince
intends:
Save when, on
wicked Nations
he bestows
A
wicked Prince,
for both their overthrows.
If to GOD's ends, he Quadrate his Desire,
He, shall become, far greater then his
Sire.
He shall do nobler things, then ere he did;
More he shall
Conquer,
then he conquerred:
Affairs,
which he of whom we are bereft,
Both
difficult
and in confusion left,
He shall reduce to Order; not alone
Subduing
Men
and
Realms,
as he hath done,
But conquer also, those
destructive Evils,
Which would destroy all, and triumph over
Devils.
Nay, though he had been, either by his
Youth,
By
Flatterers,
pretending zeal to Truth,
Or if he by a carnal
Hope
or fear
Of
Danger,
had been tempted to adhere
To those
Designs,
which under fair pretences,
May, to the
Public Rights,
do violences;
Yet, if he shall conform to GOD, and them,
Whose
Love,
and
Counsel,
he should not contemn;
It shall (by much) a greater honor do him,
Then
Scepters, Crowns,
and
Thrones,
can add unto him.
Yea, if upon the day of his
Probation
He to the
Supreme Council
of this
Nation,
(Assembled lawfully, and duly chose)
Shall rather hearken, then give ear to those
Who flatter him in secret; they shall never
Forsake him, but his
Servants
be forever.
It shall on him, confer more
Happiness
Then, I in words, abm able to express.
Win him more
Love
then can by gold be bought,
Bring in more
Joy,
keep
Terrors
better out,
And (whilst on Earth he lives) secure him more,
Then if each single Soldier were a score;
And, were my Life, of value to be pledge'd
For that
Adventure,
it should be engaged.
Contrary-wise, if he their
Lore
pursue
Who will persuade him, that all is his due
Which he can grasp; or shall instead of
Law
Imploy the sword, to keep
Free-Men
in awe;
GOD, will arise; and none shall need to strive,
A
Remedy,
by
Violence,
to contrive.
For if we wait on him, and sit but still,
Submitting patiently unto his
Will,
Our
Chief Oppressors
he will cause to be
Their own destruction, and so set us free.
Or, make our
Foes
our
Friends,
and back restore
All that was taken from us heretofore.
By such means, GOD in former times releast
His People, who by
Tyrants
were oppressed,
As doth appear, by that which did befall
In
Babylon,
and in th'
Egyptian-thral,
Where, not a man made use of
hand,
or
tongue
To free himself, by
violence,
from wrong,
Except by
Prayers,
which (although offense
It gives to some) is lawful
violence.
And, by some such means when GOD's time is come,
Our
Bondage,
we shall be delivered from.
GOD, hath a thousand ways, to break the
power
Of twenty thousand
Tyrants
in an hour;
Yet, may prove many
Tooles,
till he finds
one,
Or,
moe,
to finish what he hath begun.
If this turn Edge, he, peradventure may
Take those again, that have been
flung away,
Which being purged in
Afflictions Fire,
Will, now be pliable to his Desire.
Their
Actings,
whom we now impow'red see,
Will shortly, evidently signal be,
Of what shall follow: But, I fear th' event,
Will not produce a happy
Settlement,
Till our
Trustees,
Elected shall appear
For
Conscience-sake,
more then for
Belly-Cheer,
Or such-like
by-respects;
(by which we seem
To have our
Birth-Rights
in a mean esteem:)
And, till, GOD, likewise, hath by Lot a
Voice,
(As well as men) both in the future
Choice
Of our
protectors;
and of others too,
Who must help act the work that's yet to do.
But, this will be no pleasing Proposition
To Avarice, Self-seeking and Ambition.
There's yet a
Sign
(to which things fore-expressed
Relation have) more signal then the rest,
Which, if it shall continue as it hath
Continu'd, will add
Vengeance,
unto
Wrath;
And, what vain hope soever, we may cherish,
We, with our
Prince
and
Government,
shall perish.
GOD, where this grows predominant, despises
All Vows, Tears, Prayers, Cries and Sacrifices,
Fasts and Thanksgivings: For, he finds them all
Where this remains, but
Hypocritical.
This is that
Sign,
which did in every Age,
Those irrevocable
Fore-Dooms
presage,
That introduced the
final Desolations,
Of all those mighty
Empires, Kings
and
Nations,
Whereof there's little left now, but a Name,
Preserv'd among us by an empty
Fame,
For our
Examples:
This is that which shook
Their
Thrones,
their
Crowns
defaced, their
Scepters
broke:
Yet, this
Sign
is upon us, at this day;
From us, with speed, remove it LORD, away.
You look, as men expecting I should show
What
Sign
that is. Good GOD! what do you know
If this you know not? Do you not behold
That
Sign,
by what I have already told?
Are you asleep Friends? have you neither
Ears
Nor
Eyes,
that, undiscerned this yet appears?
Do you not hear the
Groans
of Men distrest?
The
Loud-loud Cries,
of those who are oppressed?
Nor what a
sad Complaint
attested stands
This day, by many hundreds of their hands?
Have you not heard, how
Pris'ners
do complain?
Nor seen what Tears are poured out in vain
By
Widows
and poor
Orphans?
see ye not
What vast Estates are by
Oppressors
got,
To their undoing, who their
Lively-hood,
Their
Fathers, Husbands,
or their
Brothers
Blood
Lost for the
Public?
see you not how sad
(Poor souls) they are? how lean, and how unclad?
Have you not heard a
Merciless-Decree
Condemn the
Just,
and set the
Wicked
free?
Do you not see, that, hundreds of
Petitions
Have many years made known Men's sad conditions,
Without
Compassion?
and what dis-regard
Befalls them, who have merited reward?
Observe you not, that they, who made complaints
Even unto those who are esteemed Saints,
Find them as senseless of their saddest moans,
As men hew'd out of
Blocks,
or carv'd in
stones?
And, that
Hypocrisy
(in GOD's account
The worst of sins) is now grown Paramount?
Have you not seen
Blood,
as if water spilled,
And
Black Designes
with
Golden Colours
guilt?
Nor many
foul Offences
made appear
As if they
meritorious Actions
were?
Perceive you not, who joining are together,
Who
give
and
take Power,
to and from each other,
To re-infringe our
Christian Liberty?
And, by pretending Zeal to
Piety,
Or
Civil peace,
advance the
Interest
Of our old Foe, the
Seven-headed Beast,
With his
False Prophet?
and invented have
A
Grin,
both
Soul
and
Body
to enslave?
Perceive you not, that
Importunities,
Which made one from his Bed and Children rise,
(And moved a
Judge,
who feared not GOD nor
Men
)
Prevails not now, as it prevailed then?
And, that, Men's
tender Mercies
are become
More cruel, then their
Cruelties
to some?
Nay, see you not, this
Sign
more signal made
By that, which our
Apostacies
now add?
And, that, this day, we do apparently
Stand guilty of the greatest
Apostasy
From our first
Covenants, Vows
and
Protestations,
Then ever could be charged on these
Nations?
Observe you not, what foolish
Prophesies
We take up? how, of
Fictions
and of
Lies
We make us
Refuges,
as heretofore
They did, whose
Paper-Works,
we down have tore?
And how the lying Prophets and the
Priests
Comply, to save their carnal
Interests?
Have you not lately taken observation,
That
Laws
by gross, have had a confirmation,
Of which there's nothing on Record, (or little)
To warrant them, except their
Names
or Title?
And heed you not what
Mischieves
that abuse
With such-like, may insensibly produce?
Well, GOD, forgive us all; for I believe
These things you may apparently perceive.
But, if you shall make doubt, whether or no
It be, as I believe, or else, not so,
To GOD Himself, for trial I will appeal,
And, to the
People
of this
Commonweal,
Who, know what's done, and will not be afraid
To justify what may be truly said.
For, when this Sign is fixed; though men look high
Or big, it shows
Destruction
draweth nigh.
Yea, though the
proud
may seemingly contemn
This
Sign,
it will impressions leave on them:
For, horrid
inward Pangs,
and
secret Dread
Will seize upon their Hearts, when this is read;
And that great
Storm
of Brimstone, Fire, and Snares,
Which GOD, for men impenitent prepares,
Will oft to mind be brought; and waking keep
Their eyes, sometimes, when they desire to sleep.
But to be plain (why should there be a doubt
Of that whereof, Proofs need not to be brought?)
I, see the want of
Justice
and
Compassion
(The most apparent
Sign
of
Desolation
)
So evident; that, I, do boldly here
Before GOD,
Men and Angels,
witness bear
That our Oppressions are at this day more
Then ere I knew them at one time before,
Since first I knew the world; though I have been
No stranger where men's actings best are seen;
And, where I saw (for their and our Offences)
Six
Parliaments
cut off by
Violences,
Or by untimely ends, within the space
Of these last twenty years, and somewhat less:
Yea, though I have seen
two
Governments arow
Destroyed for
Injustice;
and see now
A
Third
endanger'd; which thus makes me speak,
And like the Son of
Croesus,
forth to break
Into expressions beyond Expectation,
To make men seek their timely Preservation.
For this
Sign
is so fatal, that unless
It quickly be removed by
Righteousness
And
Brotherly Compassion,
we shall never
Enjoy that Peace for which we do endeavor.
Some, naytheless, will judge me worthy blame
And punishment, thus to disclose the shame
Of this my
Nation;
and, I should confess
That for so doing, I deserved no less,
If
Malice
had inclined me thereunto;
Or, if I ought have aggravated so,
That it exceedeth
Truth;
or, if over-blown
These
Crimes
had been, unless by me made known.
But, 'tis not so, nor so; And, if he may
Deserve the Rod, who doth but write or say
What is mis-done, (and speaks it with intent
Those Mischieves which may follow to prevent)
What merit they, who act them without care
Of what sad things, they certain Symptoms are?
That this bears Date the last day of
December
In
sixteen hundred fifty eight,
remember;
And, that a
Reconcilement
be before
We have provoked GOD's Patience, one year more;
Lest, I
myself,
be made another
Sign
Of what the former
Symptoms
pre-divine.
For, those
Confusions
Which distract this
Sate,
Are typisied in my
outward Fate,
And printed on me, by that violation
Of
Justice,
which defiles this Generation.
They seem to have enough in outward show,
To bear their
Port,
to pay the Debts they ow,
And for the future a sufficiency:
So also, if I had my Right, have I.
As (notwithstanding this) with much ado
They, now subsist: So, fares it with me too.
As, at the present, their
Expences
be
More then their
Incomes;
So it is with me.
They have more
Foes
then
Friends;
And much I am
Deceived, if I may not say the same.
My
Foes
and
troubles
in another year
May ruin me; and so will theirs I fear
If he on whose assistance I depend
Prevents not what their Foes and mine intend,
Before another year wheels round, I may
Enjoy an
outward peace;
And so shall they,
If they embrace the means, that will be shown,
And, follow not
Devices
of their own.
Yea, that perhaps, which will to them betide,
Shall in my
Lot,
be first
pretypifide.
If
timely Justice,
be vouchsafed to me,
By
timely Mercies,
they relieved shall be:
If I, permitted am to be destroyed,
Their
power,
may not long after be enjoyed:
And GOD so much incensed may appear
(As with the
Jews
once) that, he none will hear
But for himself, who ere from thenceforth stands
Within the
Gaps,
to keep Plagues from these Lands.
Thus, in plain language, and in homely Rimes
You have a brief Character of these
times,
Made on a
sleight occasion;
to awake
The drowsy; that more heedful, it may make
Men heedless;
and him to be somewhat wiser
Who is not of
good Counsel,
a
Despiser.
A
Soldiers dream,
but of a
barley-Cake
Told to his fellow, when he did awake,
And Spirited with his
Interpretation,
Produced an
Effect,
worth observation;
And so may this, although to some, it seem,
No better then a silly Soldiers
dream.
I will add no more (though much more add I might)
For, here will be too much for them to sleight,
Who, in those
Flatt'ries,
much more pleasure have
That send them with dishonor to the
Grave,
Then in plain spoken
Truths,
which would to them
Have brought
salvation,
if embraced in time.
And here, will be enough to startle some,
To stir up others, till th'
Alarum
come
To such a
number,
as may then suffice
To make a
reconciling Sacrifice.
Unless we
Sodom-like,
stand unreform'd
Until with
Fire and Brimstone,
we are
stormed.
This SALT, made out of SALT, I took occasion
To boil up, for the service of my
Nation
To this height, as conceiving it was meet
To keep what's yet
unputrified
sweet,
And those corrupted humors to expel
Which in GOD's nostrils have an evil smell.
I hope, men will not throw it in mine eyes,
Neither so universally despise
These timely
warnings,
that they shall by
none
To good effect, be read, and thought upon:
And, if but
two or three,
shall thereby gain
Some benefit, I have not lost my pain.
Mine be the shame,
if I, hereby to him
Intend disgrace, whose
Verses,
are my
Theam.
I did but thus, his
Mercury
calcine
For
Physic;
Let him do as much by
mine;
And, if, ought from my
failings,
he deduce
Which may to others, be of wholesome use,
I, shall be pleased; because, what lose I may
In one kind, will be gained another way.
But, if he hath, so generous a mind
As to believe he hath, I am inclinde,
He will return me thanks, that I have used
To no worse purpose, that which he hath mus'd.
Yea, and rejoice, that, what in sport he writ,
This needful
premonition
did beget.
WHen I had penned this, and o'erview'd the same,
Therewith consid'ring what a
worm
I am,
What
they
are, who, offense thereat may take;
What misconstructions,
Prejudice
may make;
With what
scorn
and
contempt
it may be read;
And, having therewithal considered
That, I, am one adhering to no
Faction,
To give me countenance in such an Action.
Nor having in myself, power to defend me,
From Injuries, nor
Patron
to befriend me;
It quail'd my
Courage;
and I will not dissemble,
It made my
heart
ache, and my
Flesh
to tremble.
And I had hid my
Talent
in the ground,
Unless, a timely
Cordial
had been found.
But, he who gave it, my faint heart revived;
From him, new
Resolutions
I received,
Wherewith confirmed, my
Soul
to him addrest
Such
Musings,
as are next, in
Words
expressed.
LORD GOD, if, to thy-
glory,
this may tend,
Give it, some way a
Passport
to that end,
And set thy
Imprimatur
thereupon;
For,
Thou hast done
it, if it be well done:
If it be such, as will not honor thee,
'It is
mine,
and as
mine,
let it smothered be.
I feel a
strong persuasion,
in my mind,
That, hereunto, I was by thee inclinde
And, that, there may be somewhat more expressed,
Whereby,
thine,
and the
Public Interest
May be advanced; which if it be so,
And, thou shalt please, to call me thereunto,
By giving me a
Spirit,
that may fit
So weak an
Agent,
to adventure it,
I will prosecute it home, although it shall
Cost all, which in this
World,
I
mine
can call.
I have been subject to some Hesitations,
Through pity, to those dear and near
Relations,
Which thou on me bestow'dst; and thereby, have
Lost much, which by that means, I thought to save,
To make me take more heed,
by,
and
from whom
All things that shall advantage me, must come:
Them,
therefore, henceforth, I resolve to trust
To thy disposal, whom, I knew so just,
That, thou of those, unmindful canst not be,
Who truly place their
Confidence
on thee:
And, now to fix in me, a
Confidence
For time to come, upon thy
Providence,
By those
Experiments,
which I have seen,
I will confess, what
thou,
to
me
hast been.
So universally thou dost extend
Thy
Love,
that, all men it doth comprehend,
Who shall not willfully reject thy
Grace,
When thou, to them shalt offer an
embrace;
And, all things dost vouchsafe, which may enable
To
honor thee,
or make
life comfortable,
So far, as we may
carnal things possess,
Without obstructing, our
chief happiness.
To evidence this
gratiousness
of thine,
No
living man's experience
outgoes
mine:
For, every
Faculty
of mine hath heard
Thy
wondrous Mercies,
thereunto declared
In its
own language,
to th' intelligence
As well of every
Passión,
and each
sense,
As of my
Reason;
so, that I can say
They have to me, abounded every way.
For since I knew the
World
(even ever since)
Thine,
extraordinary providence
Hath watched over me; and, I, from none
Have had
subsistence,
but, from thee alone;
Or, by
those,
whom no
temporal Relation
Could move thereto, without thine Invitation;
Kind'red
have been to me, in
wants
and
dangers,
If not my Foes, at best, more strange then
Strangers:
And, not the smallest portion of my
wrong
Hath from their
malice,
or their
envy
sprung.
Few have been more Censorious of my
ways,
Or, apter to believe what
malice
says.
That, which my
secret Foes
designed had,
To ruin my estate, thereto did add;
And, through thy
mercy,
more unto me gave
Then ere I got, by all the
Friends
I have.
Friendships
acquired by mine own endeavor,
And, all my
own works,
have been fruitless ever;
Except it were, to bring those
troubles
on me,
Which have no less then
twice
or
thrice undone me,
And made work for thy
Mercy. Thrice,
thou hast
Redeem'd me, when in Prison I was cast
By
Supreme Power;
and freed me without
shame,
When I was threatened, by the voice of Fame
With loss of limb and tortures, and knew none
On whom I could rely but thee alone.
Through
dangers,
into
safety,
thou hast led me;
And, when I wanted meat, by
Ravens
fed me.
Twice,
nigh as poor as
Job,
I have been made;
And every time, that, which was lost, I had
To me returned double; without cheating
The
Common-Wealth;
or private men defeating,
Of what to them belonged; Nor, by
wiving,
(Which is to some, a sudden way of thriving)
Was my
Estate repaired;
nor thereunto,
Did I, by fawning upon
Friend
or
Foe,
Add ought; nor ever had a
Legacy
To me bequeathed, these
losses
to supply;
But, by such
means,
that, if I should declare it,
Few would, perhaps, believe it, when they hear it.
For, I confess, that I myself do wonder,
When
past,
and
present things,
I duly ponder,
In what great
Wants,
I, without
Want
have lived,
And under what
Oppressions,
I have thriv'd.
This makes the World, which hitherto hath grutcht
That, I, with what is hers should be enriched,
(As many think I am) to wonder more
How I, whom she intended to keep poor,
Subsist in her despite, then, how all they
Grew
wealthy,
who were
beggars
tother day:
And from her sight, thy
Bounty,
being hid,
She thinks, I thrived, as her
Servants
did.
And, leaves no means unpractis'd, to destroy
That
Competencie,
which, I yet enjoy.
When to be thought
poor,
it may do me shame,
(Or, make me poorer, then she thinks I am)
She taketh all occasions, then, to say
That,
more I owe, then ever I can pay.
When to be deemed
rich,
may deprive of that
Which is my
due;
she
trebles
my
Estate.
But to prevent the
mischief,
which thereby
Had else ensude, thou sent'st in a
supply;
And, always, hast enabled me, at least
To bear the weight, wherewith, I was oppressed.
Thou, likewise, kept'st me without shame of face,
Maugre
Detractions,
malice, when
Disgrace
Was
then,
and
there
intended, where it might
With most
disparagement,
on me alight:
And though but few, more scandalized have been,
Few, of my
Rank,
have lived in more esteem.
Thou, from the violence of great
Oppressors
Of
Piety
's, and
Friendship
's, false Professors
Hast often saved me; yea, and from the Rage
Of those, to whom, I long since did presage
What they, and I, saw afterward inflicted,
According as my
Muses
had predicted;
And, they, who then, for that, at me did rave,
Have many years, lain quiet in the
Grave.
In that great
Pestilence
(whereof no time
Hath mentioned the like, in this our
Clime
)
Thou didst preserve me, when on every side,
In short time, many
twenty thousands
dide,
Though underneath the self-same Roof I lay,
Where many by that
Plague
were took away,
That I might leave that
Judgment
on record,
To them who were reserved for the sword:
And when the
Sword
was sent his work to do,
From that, thy
Mercy,
did preserve me too.
Thou hast, moreover, from the menacing
And dreadful Wrath of an
incensed King
Deliver'd me, without a
Mediator,
Or back receding in the smallest matter,
From
Truths
aver'd. Thou from th'unjust intent
Of
Evil Members
in a
Parliament
Did'st
twice
preserve me: and, all those
Neglects,
Of
Justice,
and those other sad effects
Which I have suff'red, Demonstrations be
What,
most men are,
and what
thou art to me.
Nay (which is more then this) thou hast, thereby
Not only shewn to me the Vanity
Of
other men;
but also, made mine
own
Deficiencies
unto myself, more known:
And both my
Sins
and
Follies
to appear
More my advantage, then my
Virtues
were:
For, those things, which the
Devil
to undo me
Design'd; and whereto
Flesh
and
Blood
did woe me,
Thou madest to be a means of
Preservations
From those, and also, from the like
Temptations;
And all the
troubles,
which the world brings on me,
With those great
Injuries
which have been done me,
(Instead of harming me) have in the Dust
But tumbled me, to rub away the Rust;
Or been a necessary
Discipline,
To fit me for those
Services
of Thine,
Which else had been omitted to this day;
Or, if done, not so done, as now they may:
For which my Soul out of that Dust doth raise
A Voice, in
Hallelujahs,
to thy
Praise.
Yet lest, these thy
great Mercies,
might at length,
Prove ineffectual, by that little strength
Which is in
Flesh and Blood,
if they were quite
Depriv'd of that, wherein they take delight;
THOU,
who knowest what defects are in
man's nature,
(And therefore art indulgent to thy
Creature
)
Hast graciously been pleased to intermingle
What might distaste, or be unwholesome single;
So temp'ring
sweet
with
sow'r,
that I by neither
Might
harm
receive, but
Good
from both together:
And, wheresoe'er I live, dost still provide
To
neighbor me,
one of the
Sons of Pride,
To make me watchful, and consider well
Where I yet am; and,
among whom
I dwell.
To me, Thou likewise hast vouchsafed a share
In whatsoever
Pleasant
doth appear
To men of all
Degrees,
who grow not
mad
Or
drunk,
by those
Delights,
which they have had:
For
Poverty
and
Sorrow
have to me
Made
Common thing
•
,
more pleasureful to be
Then their
chief Dainties,
who to that are born
Which must be
won
by others, ere 'tis
worn;
Who have but such
Enjoyments
at the best,
As they, who come full gorged to a
Feast.
Yet, when of those
Delights,
I am bereaved,
By whose enjoyment, I content received;
They leave not, (when departing I do find them)
A
Bitterness
upon my Soul behind them;
But, give the better appetite to those
Whose taste, and pleasure, I shall never lose:
And LORD, it flows from thy
great Mercy,
too,
That,
flesh and blood,
should willingly forgo
What
constitutes themselves,
to place
affection
Upon an
inconceivable Perfection.
Though, (as Thou knowest) the world my
Foe
hath been,
And, would afford me little share therein;
A
Portion
I have also, there acquired
By thy
Free-Grace,
more then I once desired:
And when I coveted more to possess,
(Though by a lawful means,) thou madest it less,
To mind me, that, naught will with me endure,
Save what by Thy mere
Bounty,
I procure.
If, therefore, it be lost, confess I must
That, Thy permission of it will be just;
And, with contentment, I will let it go,
Though all the rest, be taken from me too:
For, I most covet those things to enjoy,
Which neither I, nor others can destroy:
And, though sometime, Thy
Cup
embitter'd be,
By those distempers which remain in me,
I take it, naytheless, with true
Thanksgiving,
And would not change my
Lot
with any living.
Though out of
Levity
and
Custom,
too,
I, every day, think, wish, and speak, and do
Like other
foolish Men:
yet, if I know
Mine own Mind, though Thou wouldest on me bestow
All I could wish, for wishing; I would wave
That
Grant:
and only ask of Thee to have
What Thou wilt; and that Thou wouldest take away
My
Self-will,
though my
Life
upon it lay:
For naught I now desire, to
have
or
be,
But what may be best pleasing unto
Thee:
And, if this
temper
could be still retained,
Men would believe, what they, yet, think is feigned.
To fortify my
Faith,
and that desire
Wherewith, at present, Thou dost me inspire,
Thus of thy Mercies past, I have in part
Confession made: and, if I know my heart,
I durst not them before Thee thus aver,
Who knowest all things, if untrue they were.
Yet, pardon my
mistakes,
if any be,
And, make, what I conceive thou art to me,
A
Pledge,
of what thou wilt be, to mine end.
Above all other
Enemies,
defend
And, save me from
myself:
For,
World
nor
Devil,
Can then inflict upon me any evil,
That shall deprive me of ought
transitory,
Which may advance my
welfare,
or thy
Glory.
Next to my
self,
my
second-self,
and
They
Who sprung from
us,
do stand most in the way
To hinder me, in that, whereto, my
mind
Perswadeth me, it is by thee inclinde:
For, my respect to them, I must confess,
Oft, makes me guilty of
faint-heartedness.
Oh! be so merciful to
them
and
me,
That, neither of us, may a Grievance be
Unto each other, in what doth pertain
To Thy
Affairs,
whilst we on Earth remain;
Or make us, with Reluctancy, to spare
Our selves
to serve Thee; Or, what is more dear
To either, then
ourselves:
But, give each other
To thee, that we in thee, may live together
When we are called hence, and timely know
Our
Bliss
consists not in things here below.
I know, Thou art well pleased it should be thus,
And that, hereto Thou wilt enable us:
For, though I feel them, to be somewhat nearer
Unto my
Flesh,
Thou to my
Soul
art dearer;
And, as thou gavest them when they were desired,
I will back return them, when they are required,
With mine
own Soul
to boot: Do not despise
This All;
For, in these,
All,
I sacrifice.
To Thee, for these
Relations,
I am Debtor,
Then which I know no man enjoyeth better,
Who meriteth so little the possessing
Of any extraordinary
Blessing.
Yet, if thou hast a
Work
to call me to,
By which, I may my
Self,
and
them
undo,
I will undertake it, so, Thou stand but by me,
And shalt thereto, with
needful Power
supply me.
Yea, though Thou shalt no more Thy
Blessings
double
As heretofore; but waste away in trouble
(By multiplied
Sufferings, Wants,
and
Grief
)
The remnant of my, yet, prolonged Life;
I am resolved, that, I will never more
Thereat, repine again, as heretofore:
But only pray, my
Sins,
may be forgiven,
Believe,
and
love,
and seek my
LOT
in Heaven.
LORD, keep me in this mind; and then, let MAN,
World, Flesh,
and
Devil,
do the worst they can.
Sarcasmus Aenigmaticus. Hereto is added the following Riddle, with the occasion of composing it, as neither altogether impertinent to what precedes, nor to what is counseled by this Portion of Scripture;
Answer a Fool, according to his foolishness, lest he be wise in his own conceit,
Prov. 26.5.
Prov. 26.5.
AS well, to
Foes,
as
Friends,
I thought it fit
To show this
Poem,
ere I published it,
Because a
Foe,
sometimes, lets fall a word,
Which (heeded well) more
Caution
may afford
Then
friendly Censurers:
And, to that end,
When I to some had read what here is penned;
By them, proposed
jeering Questions
were,
Fit for no Answer but by
Counter-jeer.
Yet I will Answer them, when unto me
This following RIDDLE, shall unriddl'd be.
WHat may that be, which, when it is
Exprest
Is most
Unknown?
Is
Worst,
when 'tis at
Best?
And when it is at
Greatest,
then 'tis
Least?
'It is Black and White, Red, Yellow, Blew and Green;
Yet,
Understood, Felt, Smelt, Heard, Tasted, Seen;
Neither
now is,
nor
shall be,
nor
hath been.
To any one, who tells me what it is,
That's answerable every way to this,
I do engage; and thereto set my hand,
To tell him anything he doth demand.
George Wither.
ERRATA.
PAge 1. line 20 for
Vines,
read
Pines.
Page 9. line 25. for
Super-added,
read
Superseded.
Page 18. line 32. for
because,
read
became.
Page 22. line 8. for
all,
read
of.
Page 23. line 11. for
puffed,
read
pass.
Page 24. line 14. put out
or.
A bitter-sweet Passion of the Soul, Expressed in A HYMNE to GOD. By The same AUTHOR.
MY dear, my gracious GOD!
From me, Thy
Face,
why hidest Thou?
Oh! why is Thy abode
So
far,
so
long,
removed now?
See, how alone
(Now Thou art gone)
And helpless, I am left;
Of everything
That joy may bring,
Heed, how I am bereft.
2.
I, who but lately seemed
2
Of many
Friends
beloved to be,
And, so of some esteemed,
As if their
Souls
had lived in me;
(Though, nor neglect,
Nor dis-respect,
Of them deserved I have)
Am now, forlorn
As one
unborn,
Or lodged in his
Grave.
3.
The lovely
Desert-Owl,
3
Which dares not fly abroad by Day;
That
persecuted Fowl,
For which the
Fowler
Snares doth lay;
Is not
hipt
at,
As I, of late,
By
Wag-Tayls, Daws
and
Crows.
Nor hardlyer scapes
His Gins and Traps
Who seeks her overthrows.
4.
For, when with some
Delight,
4
My heart began on Thee to muse,
This
World,
forsook me straight;
And, ever since, doth me abuse.
To
Hate
and
Scornes,
Her
Love
she turns;
Her
Friends,
my
Foes
she makes:
What
sland'rous Lies
She can devise,
Of me, she faines, and speaks.
5.
And, now, with Vaunts and
Brags,
5
That, she, on me,
avenged
appears;
From me, her
gaudy Rags,
With all her
Gifts,
away she tears:
And not content
So to have rent
What was by
her bestowed,
She would bereave
(With what she gave)
Those things, that are
mine own.
6.
She doth corrupt my
Friends,
6
My Wrongs and Sorrows to increase;
Job
's
Comforters
she sends,
To make more grievous my
Distress:
To mind she calls,
Things
true
and
false,
Which may my
Peace
impair;
With whatsoe'er,
May make me fear,
And, let in
Black Despair.
7.
Not those
Defects
alone,
7
For which, she justly me suspects,
(Or
Duties
left undone,)
To my
Vexation,
she objects;
But, doth devise
How, she likewise
May to my blame pervert,
What I designed
With upright mind,
And
singleness of heart.
8.
And, (which augments my care)
8
My
Selfness
oft with her conspires,
Which ere I am aware
Lets in false Fears, and vain desires;
Which, taking part
Against my Heart,
Therein such Tumults make,
That, sometimes, they
Bear
Spoiles
away,
And, cause my
Faith
to shake.
9.
Yet this affrights me more,
9
Then all their
Malice, Force
or
Guile;
Thou, though I Thee implore,
Stand'st by, as
Newter,
all the while.
What she hath done
Thou look'st upon,
And, knowest what they intend;
Yet letst them still
Pursue their Will,
As if Thou wert her
Friend.
10.
Oh!
whither,
or to
whom
10
Can I for Health or Comfort fly?
If Thou, my
Foe
become,
Whereon, henceforth, shall I rely?
I hope may have
That in the Grave
Immortal Life
may be;
And find as well
A
Heaven
in
Hell,
As
Joy
in ought save
Thee.
11.
But, LORD, though in the dark,
11
And in contempt, thy servant lies;
On me there shines a
Spark
Of
Loving-kindness
from Thine eyes:
Yea, though without
(Quite round about)
I am enclosed with
Sin,
Increasing
Foes,
Fears, Wars
and
Woes,
Thou, Peace
preserve'st
within.
12.
For, when I looked on
12
Those
Terrors
which begirt me round,
I thought, Thou hadst been gone,
Because no outward
Hope
I found.
Yet hid
Thou
wert
Within my Heart,
Still present, all the while,
And my late
Fear
Doth false appear:
For, now I see Thee
Smile.
FINIS.