A Triple Paradox, Part 1
Confinement is more advantageous than Liberty.
RESTRAINT, which is an Engine, right or wrong,
Made uſe of, (firſt, or laſt, ſhort time or long)
By moſt Oppreſſors, hath been oft my lot;
And, at this preſent, I eſcape it not:
For, (though not in the ordinary way
It ſeemeth now inflicted) I might ſay,
I am impriſoned, and ſo confin'd
That, I am no way free, except in mind.
Of moſt enjoyments I am quite depriv'd
Which from external things may be deriv'd,
Yet thereby not undone; for I poſſeſs
My whole eſſential Freedome neretheleſs.
My toyes are loſt, but by their deprivations
I furniſh'd am with real conſolations,
Which, though they to the world-ward make no ſhows
Yield ſweeter comforts than the things I loſe,
And make my hidden Freedoms to be more
Than thoſe the world vouchſafed heretofore:
For, to her Freedoms, when reſpect I gave
I was then only free to be a ſlave,
Whereas, this, doth from nothing me reſtrain,
Which, to true Liberty, doth appertain.
That, which gives moſt content to fleſh and blood
I finde to be the baſeſt ſervitude;
And that we nothing have whereof to boaſt
Till what the world calls Liberty is loſt.
What Freedom want I, ſave what being had
makes many Free-men ſlaves, and wiſe men mad?
None, have upon themſelves, and others, brought
More plagues than they have done, who would be thought
The freeſt men: for Freedoms miſ-imploy'd
Have lately all our Liberties deſtroy'd;
And, moſt, whom we much reverence as our betters
Are but our fellow-ſlaves in golden fetters.
What Liberty had I, whereof to vaunt
By thoſe Infranchiſements I ſeem to want?
I was at Liberty to rowle in duſt,
To proſecute my fancies and my luſt;
And therein joy'd, when I could walk abroad;
But, now, I finde the Services of GOD
Are Perfectſt Freedom. That, I am debarr'd
Of nothing, which deſerveth my regard;
And, that the Liberty I did poſſeſs,
Was not true Freedom, but Licentiouſneſs;
At which experiment I am arriv'd,
By loſing that whereof I am depriv'd.
This (though fore-ſeen it was) to me befell
Before I for it was prepared well,
And, I confeſs, at firſt it made a change
Within me, and without, that ſeemed ſtrange:
But, not long after, at the ſecond ſight,
That, which appear'd the wrong-ſide, prov'd the right;
And I am well contented therewithall:
For, I could ſee GODS Mercies through the wall;
Diſcern'd, when inwardly, I turn'd mine eyes,
Much more of Heaven, than when I ſaw the skies.
And, that, from very little I was barr'd,
Which I have reaſon greatly to regard.
What can I ſee abroad, which hath not been
By me before, almoſt to loathing ſeen,
Or, heard not ſo deſcrib'd, that being ſhown
It will not ſeem a thing already known?
Both Changes and Rechanges I have view'd;
Seen new things old become, old things renew'd;
Princes petitioning diſdainful Grooms
Great Kings dethron'd, & Peaſants in their rooms;
Laws out-law'd, Out-Laws raiſed to be Judges
Of Laws, Lives, Goods, and of our Priviledges,
By Law and Conſcience; Loyaltie made Treaſon,
And Treaſon Loyaltie; Non-ſenſe for Reaſon
Allow'd, and Reaſon thought irrational:
Yea, Meteors I have ſeen riſe, and Stars fall;
Foundations that immoveable appear'd
Thrown down, and Caſtles in the Air uprear'd.
I have ſeen Heads and Feet exchange their places,
Wealth make men poor, and honour bring diſgraces;
Beauties, which raviſhed beholders eyes
Wax more deformed than Anatomies,
Or, no more lovely to be lookt upon,
Than Rawridge, Mumble-cruſt, or Bloody-bone,
But, truth to ſay, they who moſt lovely be,
Now, no more pleaſureful appear to me
Than Pictures, nor ſo much as ugly faces
Whoſe hearts are beautifi'd with inward graces,
Although to Beauty very few were more
A Servant, than I have been heretofore,
And if that pleaſe not, which I once lik'd beſt,
What pleaſure is there to behold the reſt?
That, at this preſent, and all other ſights
Afford ſo little which my heart delights,
That, all the earth, and one poor little room
Are ſo equivalent to me become,
That I know nothing any other where
More to be priz'd than my enjoyments here;
And, that which makes me ſo indifferent
Nor melancholy is, nor diſcontent.
Confinement, in a houſe of ſtrength doth dwell,
A homely, and ſometimes a naſty Cell,
In furnitures, and in attendance poor,
A Cerberus lies alwayes at the door
Fawning a little, when we entring are
But ever ſnarls while we continue there:
Yet, I ſo quickly had found out his diet,
That, I knew either how to keep him quiet,
Or order ſo my ſelf, that when I pleaſe,
I can lye down and ſleep in LITTLE-EASE;
Enlarge within, that which without hath bound,
Contrive conveniences, where none I found;
And, every whit as much content receive
In what I have not, as in what I have.
I view not here the pleaſures of the fields
Or what a Garden, Grove, or Meddow yields
Which were of late my daily recreation,
But, I have Viſions by my contemplation,
Which hither, during my Confinement brings
Not only ſights of more eſſential things
But an aſſurance of enjoyments too,
Whereof I doubted more a while ago.
I could not be at that Solemnization
Which honoured my Soveraigns Coronation,
Nor ſaw his Royal Train in their late Marches
Through LONDON, under their Triumphant Arches;
Yet in my ſolitarineſs, alone,
What they were doing, I did think upon,
With what ſhould elſe be done, that's not done yet
And, which I wiſh we may not quite forget,
Nor ſo long, that there, may at length be loſt
Much real honour, and no little coſt;
And which, perhaps, to bring now into mind
By this expreſſion, I am thus confin'd;
For Providence, did neither me reſtrain
At this time, nor infuſe theſe thoughts in vain.
Ionick, Dorick, and Corinthians works,
In which, an Architectors cunning lurks
Apart, or inter-wove (with that apply'd
Whereby it may be richly beautifi'd)
I can conceive, as if I ſaw it made,
And all which paintings thereunto can add.
I know, as well as they who did behold
That coſtly Show, what Silver, Silk and Gold,
Pearls, Diamonds, and precious Rubies, can
Contribute to adorn a horſe or man.
I have ſeen all materials which were thither,
To make up that great triumph, brought together.
Princes and Dukes, and Marqueſſes and Earls,
Plebeians, Men and Women, Boyes and Girls,
As many thouſands as then preſent were
I did as well imagine to be there
As if I them had ſeen; and can ſuppoſe
Not only what is acted at ſuch Shows,
But alſo, more than was at any one
Since firſt the Roman Triumphs were begun,
And fancy by my ſelf ſuch glorious things
As would quite beggar Emperors and Kings
To repreſent them. So, by being there
I had but ſeen a meaner Show than here
My fancy could have made; and what had I
Been then, I pray, advantaged thereby?
What had I gained then, by ſitting long
And paying, to be crowded in a throng?
What great contentment could I have deriv'd
From what Mechanick Artiſts had contriv'd,
Compar'd to that which my imagination
Contriv'd in honour of that Coronation?
At which the Trophies coſt, at moſt, no more
Than would have made ſome needy perſons poor?
I ſeldom took, at any time much pleaſure
In Shows, which ev'ry vulgar eye can meaſure;
And time and coſt require to make them gay,
Yet in a moment vaniſh quite away,
Behinde them leaving nothing that conduces
To Pious, Moral, or to Civil uſes.
What though I did not ſee the King that day?
I did in my Confinement, for him pray
As heartily as any perſon there,
And, GOD, perhaps, aſſoon the ſame will hear,
Although my Tongue was not then heard among
Thoſe Acclamations of the vulgar throng,
Which did ſalute his ear; my ſilent Voice
Wing'd with Devotion (though it made no noiſe)
Aſcended Heav'n, and may bring bleſſings down,
Which will conduce to ſetling of his Crown,
If he unfix it not by miſ-endeavour,
Or, valuing of the Gift more than the Giver.
I do preſume his duties on that day
He did diſcharge; and (wiſhing others may
Perform their dues to him) do not envy
The glory of that day's Solemnity
To him, for whom 'twas purpos'd, nor the ſight,
Thereof, to thoſe who took therein delight;
But wiſh'd, both might be perfectly contented
In what was at that preſent repreſented;
And hope, nought was to him aſcribed then,
Which rather appertains to GOD than Men:
For, when to Hereds eloquent Orations
The people gave blaſphemous Acclamations,
And he that honour to himſelf apply'd,
Whereby, GOD ought to have been glorifi'd,
The Doom, which that offence did on him bring,
Made him a lifeleſs, and a louzie King.
Of theſe things my confinement did produce
Some thoughts, which are perhaps of ſome good uſe.
I, likewiſe exercis'd my Meditation,
That day, on other things which have relation
To what was then in act; and mus'd upon
That, which occaſion gave of things then done,
On ſome now paſt, and upon other ſome
Which probably will be in time to come.
I mus'd upon the Changes, and the Chances,
The Publick Troubles, and Deliverances
Which I have ſeen. I ſeriouſly did ponder
GODS, and Mens actions joyntly and aſunder;
Our fooliſh Projects, his wiſe Providences,
Both in their Progreſs, and their Conſequences.
I thought both on the People and the King,
What good or evil poſſibly might ſpring
From their deportments towards one another
Now by GODS mercy they are brought together.
On thoſe too, in particular, I thought
Whom, GOD into his power hath lately brought:
How great, erewhile, his wants and ſufferings were,
What, his enjoyments at this preſent are;
And, on ſome other matters, not a few,
Which theſe, to my conſideration drew,
And which perhaps, that day had been by none
Mus'd on, ſo much, had I not been alone.
Moreover it occaſion'd thoughts of that
Which to a Nobler Object doth relate;
Even to that Kingdom, King, and Coronation,
That ſhould be thought on with more veneration
Than all the Monarchs in their greateſt glory,
Who now live, or are memoriz'd in ſtory.
My Contemplation, with as much content,
As others had, to me did repreſent
That DAY wherein CHRIST through Ieruſalem
Rode meekly on an Aſs, whilſt after him
The people throng'd or laqued by his ſide,
And voluntarily HOSANNA cry'd,
Yet afterward purſuing him with ſcorns
Cry'd Crucifie, and crowned him with Thorns;
And this, me thought, was ſo conſiderable,
That it made all our Pomp ſeem deſpicable.
For, then my Muſes drew me by degrees,
To meditate on what my ſoul fore-ſees
Concerning them, who, whilſt they do pretend
CHRIST's Kingdom, do purſue another end;
And that, which for his glory was beſtown,
Make uſe of, for advancement of their own.
Not ſeldom, likewiſe, I then thought upon
Thoſe many thouſand families undone,
Who ſit and weep through want of what that day
Was waſtfully and vainly, thrown away,
At ſuch a time, wherein both Man and GOD,
Proceedings lookt for in another mode,
And when, our publick hazards and diſtreſs,
Requir'd another way of thankfulneſs.
Upon that ſolemn day, (not without wonder)
I ſaw and heard, the Lightning, rain, and thunder
Wherewith GOD ſeem'd to anſwer and out-vy
Our Guns and fire-Works, (though I was not nigh)
And ſuch-reſemblance had the works of Art,
To Nature's, that they could not be apart
Diſtinguiſh'd; but that, to prevent our error,
The laſt was loudeſt, and infus'd more terrour.
This, I obſerved well; and furthermore
Took ſpecial heed, that nigh two Moneths before,
And likewiſe ever ſince, from Rainy weather
We were not oft free, one whole day together,
Until that Royal Triumph was begun,
Nor till that moment wherein it was done:
Yet, durſt I not be ſo prophane, to ſay
(As one hath writ) it dar'd not rain that day.
Nor at that time, Flaminian like, durſt I
Conjecture by a Heatheniſh Augurie
What GOD thereby intended: but, with awe
Conſider'd upon what I heard and ſaw:
And I confeſs, the Lightning, Rain, and Thunder
At this our Seed-time, cauſed me to ponder
On that, which Sumuel prayed GOD to ſend
In Harveſt-time, and what that did portend;
Which I conceive to be a Meditation
Not then improper, for my Contemplation.
And, though ſome peradventure may ſuſpect
That theſe expreſſions, may ſome way reflect
On what concerns them, it concerns him more
Whoſe cauſe and honour I prefer before
All earthly things; and can be not afraid,
Who ere ſhall be diſpleas'd with what I've ſaid;
For, I was barr'd from ſeeing what is done
By men; that, GODS works might be muſed on.
Such things, although we then much mind them not,
Should not amidſt our Triumphs be forgot;
And, that, (which then by me was thought upon)
Much more effectually, perhaps, was done
In this condition which I now am in,
Than could in that ſtate, wherein I have been:
Forgot therefore, by others, if it be
It will ſeem no great wonderment to me;
For, who remember Ioſephs in their ſports,
Or in the jollities at Princes Courts?
Confinement (which I once a damage thought)
To me, hath other priviledges brought.
It manifeſts apparently to me
Who are my Kinſmen, who my Neighbours be;
And whether he who paſſeth by me than,
Be Levite, Prieſt, or a Samaritan:
For, Neighbourhood and Kindred, he beſt tryes
That's robbed, wounded, or impriſon'd lyes.
In Liberty, I ſometimes doubted whether
They, who then came to viſit me, were either
My Friends or Foes, for, I found other while
They whom I truſted moſt, did moſt beguile.
But, few or none my Viſitants now are
Save they, whoſe Viſitations are ſincere;
The Friends I got, when I did walk abroad
I gain'd my ſelf: Theſe, are made mine by GOD.
Theſe were acquired without pains or coſt;
Not won by merit, nor by ſmall faults loſt.
The firſt, were for proſperity decreed,
The latter, for my help, in time of need,
And ſought my Body out, unknown before
Becauſe, they heard it was diſtreſt, and poor;
Which hath to me, Confinement ſweeter made,
Than all the Freedoms which I lately had;
And, me, with that Communion of the Saints,
Experimentally, it now acquaints,
Which, in this life enjoyed is, by all,
Who, in the life to come, enjoy it ſhall,
A Priſon, cannot dreadful ſeem to me,
For, there I firſt was taught my A, B, C,
In Sufferings: There, when I had ſcarcely paſt
Mine Nonage, to be ſchooled I was place't.
And, ſo long as the Providence of GOD,
Was pleas'd, that, to inſtruct me with that Rod,
I ſhould continue my abiding there,
Princes, my Tutors, and Correctors were.
A Priſon, is that Houſe of Diſcipline,
Wherein the MARTYRS uſually begin
To be Probationers; it is the Colledge
Of SAINTS, wherein experimental knowledge
Is firſt acquired by a carnal ſenſe
Of that, which tries their Chriſtian patience.
Priſons, to them, are ſanctified Temples,
Wherein, they by their meekneſs and examples
Preach to the world by Deeds (a powerful way)
What, many other do but meerly ſay.
And, as our Prelates, in each Cathedral
Have ſeveral places, which they pleaſe to call
More or leſs holy: ſo, there likewiſe be
Impriſonments of differing degree:
The Outer-ward, an entertainment gives
Moſt commonly to Murtherers and Thieves,
Or, ſuch like malefactors, who diſpleaſe
The world ſometimes, and interrupt her eaſe,
For which they are confin'd, till their juſt guerdon
They ſhall receive, or bribe her for a pardon;
And whereto ſhe gives all advantages
That may in Priſons granted be to theſe.
But, all her Priſoners are not confin'd
To Wards, and Receptacles of one kind.
The Inner-wards, which do to me appear
The ſame that Chancels unto Churches are,
Are not made uſe of (except now and then)
But for moſt holy and Religious men.
The deepeſt Dungeons be reſerv'd for thoſe
Who dare our Vices, or her Luſts oppoſe;
Or, things repugnant to our ends profeſs,
(When mov'd thereto by conſcientiouſneſs)
And, whoſoere preſumes to plead their caſes,
As Innocents, doth hazard in like places
His own Reſtraint; or elſe unto ſuſpects,
Which peradventure may have worſe effects.
Yet, Freedom yields to none ſo much content,
As theſe enjoy, by ſuch Impriſonment.
For, they with inward comforts are delighted,
Whilſt they with outward darkneſs are benighted:
And ſweet Refreſhments, in amongſt them come
When they are throng'd up in a naſty Room.
When, they of their familiars are depriv'd,
They are by thoſe, who knew them not, reliev'd;
When they from earthly men, faſt lockt have been,
Celeſtial Angels have ſometime broke in;
Knockt off their chains; the gates and doors unbar'd
The Priſon ſhook; the ſturdy Iaylor ſcarr'd
And made him (falling down before them too)
Cry, Men and Brethren, ſay, what ſhall we do?
A Priſon is the beſt retiring Room
That can be got; the beſt Muſeolum
For him, wherein to contemplate, that would
Thoſe Objects without fallacy behold,
Which moſt concern him; or would notions have
Of what he ought to do, hope or believe;
For, moſt of thoſe things, which abroad he ſpies,
Either delude his ears, or blind his eyes,
Pervert his Iudgement, or withdraw his mind
From that, wherein his welfare he might find.
A Priſon is a place; which he that can
Make uſe of, as becomes a prudent man,
Findes there, more laſting, and more perfect ſolace
Than in the greateſt earthly Princes Pallace,
And, when he knows what Priviledges are
In this condition, will ſcorn all that's there.
In Priſon, quickly, underſtand he ſhall
The worſt that can to him, at laſt, befall.
There, he may notice take, how moſt men pother
Themſelves; what plagues they are unto each other.
How, cauſeleſly men terrified are
By thoſe, to whom they dreadful would appear;
And, peradventure, if they patient be
That, they purſued by their Foes will ſee,
By which their ſelf-deſtruction ſhall be wrought,
And thoſe freed, whom, they into bondage brought.
There, they may learn, that to make black or white,
One hair, or add one ſtraws-breadth to their height
Care nought avails; and in that poor eſtate
To laugh at all the worlds deſpight and hate:
For, over them, no power then left ſhe hath,
Except of proſecuting them to death,
Which them ten thouſand fold will happier make
Than all, that ſhe can either give or take.
Theſe are ſuch benefits as I enjoy,
By what, now ſeems my Freedom to deſtroy.
In Priſon, too, this Priviledge I have,
That, living, I deſcend into my Grave,
And by my Contemplation can fore-ſee
What my condition in that place will be.
I ſearch it to the bottom, by that ſpark
Of Light, which ſhineth brighteſt in the dark.
The terrours of that Dungeon I fore-ſtall,
I, (as it were) pre-act my Funeral,
And in a manner alſo, ſee and hear
What will be ſaid and done, when I am there;
Which are advantages not to be known,
Whilſt in the world I flutter up and down.
In Priſon alſo, when leaſt room I have,
And cloſe am kept, I, far beyond the Grave
Do Proſpects view; and can ſee pretty well
What may concern men, both in Heaven and Hell;
Whereof, if here I ſhould my knowledge ſpeak
Them, for Phanatick dreams, the world would take;
And not believe the things I could declare,
Becauſe, ſhe knows that I was never there;
And, therefore, Ile proceed again to ſhow
What, my Experiments are here below.
Reſtraint, from me, hath totally ſhut out
That frivelous, and that offenſive Rout,
Which interrupts my Muſings with diſcourſe
That's either wholly vain, or ſomewhat worſe:
For, to nought elſe, it for the moſt part tends
But fruitleſs complements, or graceleſs ends;
And, what among us, is at meetings blown,
Wrongs other mens affairs, or elſe our own,
Whereas, our words whilſt here we are together,
Tend to the edifying of each other,
In Faith or Manners; or elſe, to improve
That Hope, that Meekneſs, Conſtancy and Love
Which may enable, patiently to bear
Thoſe Burthens, wherewith we oppreſſed are:
And, when our Bodies are aſunder gone,
We never leave each other quite alone;
For, we (ev'n when corporeally apart)
Are preſent, both in Spirit and in Heart.
Though this Fraternity did often minde me,
Till my Impriſonment they could not finde me,
Nor did I know their perſons. Thou, therefore
Oh fooliſh world, to my content add'ſt more
By my Reſtraint, than if to me were given
All carnal Freedoms on this ſide of Heaven;
And, if this be the great'ſt harms thou canſt do,
Prethee, let every ſpight thou doſt be two.
But, all the comforts which beſt friends afford,
(As they are men) may prove like Ionah's Gourd,
For, as next morning, that, did wither quite
Which GOD did cauſe to ſpring up in one night,
So, when the Sun burns, or a ſharp wind blows,
This may as quickly fade, as it aroſe:
For, Death or Injuries, do every day
Take thoſe mens lives, or, their eſtates away
Who are moſt charitable, and, of bread
They may have need, by whom I have been fed,
For, unto all men underneath the Sun
That may betide which doth befall to one.
Not therefore, upon thoſe things which GOD ſends,
But, on himſelf alone, my ſoul depends:
Here, all my confidence, vain world, is place't,
Or elſe I might be ruined at laſt;
And all my preſent hopes, as vain would be,
As if I had repos'd my truſt in thee.
By this Reſtriction, not a few temptations
Will be repelled; many deviations
Of mine prevented; duties better done;
Things which have been forgot, more thought upon;
It peradventure may prepare me too,
For what I'm yet to ſuffer and to do,
Much better than that Freedom did, or could,
Which, by the Common Tenure I did hold:
And who knows, but ſome corporal miſ-hap
I may or did by this Reſtraint eſcape,
Which might have elſe befell me when together
The people throng'd and trod upon each other.
Which, though no more but ſhunning ſo much harm,
As breaking of a neck, a legg, or arm,
Were conſiderable, and ten to one
Such miſ-adventures daily fall upon
Some perſons unconfin'd, when they leaſt dread them,
Becauſe, where dangers are, they little heed them.
Scap'd I no more here, than that ſlaviſh load
Of Complementings, wherewithall abroad
Men tire themſelves, and others; that, alone
Sufficient were, if well conſider'd on,
To make amends for all the ſufferings
Which my confinement now upon me brings.
For, as to pay this life, I am a debter
To Nature, and then hope to have a better,
My Wants, Reſtraints, and Poverty do leſs
Afflict my Body, by all that diſtreſs
Now laid upon it, than my ſoul hath been
To hear and ſee, what I have heard and ſeen,
Whileſt I had liberty abroad to go,
And hear and ſee, what many ſay and do:
With what diſſembling Complements, Careſſes,
Affected Speeches, flattering Addreſſes,
And falſe Pretendings, men of ev'ry ſort
Do cheat, fool, claw, and one another court,
As if they did Realities intend
When, in meer Nullities, at laſt they end.
How, Letters, Promiſes, Vows, Declarations,
Orders, Oaths, Covenants, and Proteſtations
Annihilated are, and turn to ſmoak
Or ſtinks, which rather poiſon us, and choak
Than truly nouriſh; and how they go on
In acting ſtill, ſuch things as they have done
Who are deſtroyed; and yet, nere the leſs,
Dream they purſue the waies of Happineſs.
I am, as well pleas'd, with my ſad condition,
As others, with what they have in fruition,
And, if deſire a longer life I could,
For nothing elſe the ſame deſire I ſhould,
Except it were that I might live to ſee
What GOD will do, and what their end will be.
Frequent I cannot, with conveniency
(As lately, when I had my Liberty,
I might have done) the Publick Congregation;
But, I, upon GOD's Word, by meditation,
(To exerciſe my ſelf) may ſet apart
The time they dedicate; and both my heart
And my beſt Faculties, employ that day,
In preaching ſomewhat to the world my way
Which will advance GOD's glory, and improve
My Brethren in good life, hope, faith, and love:
Or, that prepare, which thereunto may tend,
When Daies and Times, with me will have an end:
And, GOD (I know) confines not Saving Graces
To ordinary Means, Forms, Times, or Places,
Nor is diſpleaſed when his ſervices
Endeavour'd are, without contentiouſneſs,
As we are able, and with upright heart,
Though of our duties we may fail in part.
Some other Notions, which in this eſtate
Are apprehended, I might now relate,
Which further may illuſtrate thoſe miſ-haps
That man by an Impriſonment eſcapes
But, they are Trifles to what I poſſeſs,
In my conſtrained Solitarineſs.
For, though it be not what I might have choſe
(Had I been left unto mine own diſpoſe)
It proves much better: and for that reſpect
What I moſt naturally do affect
I dare not abſolutely to requeſt,
(Much leſs make choice of) but to him that beſt
Knows what's beſt for me, wholly have reſign'd
Both mine own ſelf, and things of ev'ry kind.
'Tis he, who hath aſſign'd this lot, and all
What ere it be, which thereby doth befall;
And, this Reſtraint, not only makes him dearer
To me, but alſo, to him, draws me nearer,
So that the more my troubles do increaſe,
The nearer unto him is my acceſs.
He, fortifies my confidence in him,
And heartens me, the World thus to contemn,
As boldly as if doubtleſs cauſe there were
For her to fear me, more than I fear her.
I have my fears, but they are nothing elſe
Save what Perdues and Scouts, and Centinels
Are to an Army: they do not diſ-heart
A valiant Souldier; though they make him ſtart
At firſt Alarm; but cauſe him to prepare
For thoſe aſſaults, which nigh approaching are.
When I am judged, in an undone-caſe,
Becauſe, confin'd, in wants, and in diſtreſs;
When all my outward Comforters are gone,
And, I lie muſing on my bed alone
Of what I knew before, or heard that day;
Of what my Friends fear, and my Foes do ſay;
What men they are, who ſeem with me offended,
What is already done, and what intended;
Sometimes a little ſhuddring doth begin,
As if a panick-fear were breaking in,
Which he marks, ere to me it doth appear
Forthwith, ſteps down betwixt me and that fear
Supplies defects, expelleth doubts and ſadneſs,
Repleniſheth my heart with ſober gladneſs,
About me ſets his Angels, watch to keep,
And (as to his beloved) gives me ſleep.
Theſe things conſidered, Priſons and Reſtraints
(Which have been long, the portion of the Saints)
Are not alone things little to be fear'd,
But alſo many times to be preferr'd
Before thoſe Liberties, and all thoſe things
That can be found in Palaces of Kings;
What ere their flatterers are pleas'd to ſay,
By fruitleſs hopes, to drive their fears away.
For, more are there endanger'd, more deſtroy'd:
There, many times, is leſs content enjoy'd,
Leſs outward ſafety, and a great deal leſs
Of what conduceth to true happineſs,
Than in a Priſon: And who ere well heeds
What, there is done, and what thereon ſucceeds
Will finde cauſe, their condition to bewail
Sometimes, much more, than his that's in a Gaol.
For, errors flowing from Proſperity
Indanger more, becauſe unſeen they lie.
Men may by their Afflictions be prepar'd
For whatſoere can follow afterward,
And are oft fitted by a lingring grief,
For future happineſs in death or life:
But, while corrupted by exceſſive Treaſures,
Befool'd with honours, and bewitch'd with pleaſures,
The cauſe of ſelf-deſtruction ſtill they nouriſh;
They grow as brutiſh as the beaſts that periſh;
And, daily ſo beſotted, by degrees
That, ſenſe of their humanity they leeſe;
So long dream, they are GOD's (or ſomewhat greater,
Till they are Devils, or but little better;
And ſuddenly, when they think all goes well,
Sink from ſuppoſed Happineſs to HELL.
Moſt men, (yea very many of the beſt)
Their Talents, till they Palm-like down are preſt,
Improve not; nor their Duties truly do,
Till by Afflictions they are whipt thereto.
A Priſon, was long time the School, wherein
Chaſt Ioſeph thoſe progreſſions did begin,
Which, him forth from obſcurity did bring
To be the ſecond perſon to a King.
Ionas was not obedient to GOD'S Call
Till he, both by a Storm, and by a Whale,
Was diſciplin'd: And, if I had a thought
My duties were performed as they ought
In any thing, affirmed it ſhould be
That, thereto my Afflictions fitted me:
For, ſuch like Simples, as I am, require
To make them yield forth Oyl, the Preſs, or Fire,
My Flinty-nature gives not out one ſpark
To light my ſelf, or others in the dark,
Till knockt with Steel. This knowledge I have gain'd
Of mine own temper, and it is unfain'd.
To be impriſon'd, ſlander'd, or made poor,
Shall therefore, henceforth, frighten me no more,
Nor make me, whilſt I live aſham'd of either
Of thoſe three Lots, nor of them altogether.
Prieſts, Prophets, Kings and Saints, yea (whilſt abode
He made on earth) the glorious Son of GOD
Was pleaſed to ſubmit to all of them
(But to the latter two in an extream)
And, with ſuch Company, Ile undergo
My ſhare, and think, I'm thereby honour'd too.
To this effect, much more might here be ſaid,
But, this will be ſufficient, if well weigh'd,
Which, I ſuſpect; for, very few men heed,
Or mind, long, what they hear, or what they read.