measure My cognizance of him perswades me so And whether he thus perfect were or no It serves the turn as well to let us see What you and I and every man should be Yet of this Christian temper I had proof To make it forth with evidence enough For though in fundamentals we agreed Essentially as by what did succed Is manifest yea though we did accord In one GOD in one CHRIST one Faith one word One will and hope as all true Christians do Yet in some accidentall means thereto We disagree'd yea often did dissent In some things which 'twixt others made a rent And I was oft so earnest in dispute His tenents to disprove and to confute That they who should have heard us might have judg'd Not me to him but him to me oblig'd And that like Paul â—â—d Barnabas at least A parting would haâ—e followed our contest Yet though we both stood firm to what we thought Nor losse of love nor breach 'twixt us it wrought But rather to each other kept us nearer The firmer in our friendship and the dearer Because we both knew that one Judg we had In whom Atonement would at last be made Because we both intended not that He Or I might conquer but Truth victor be And I might conquer but Truth victor be And this declareth his deserving more Then all that I have said of him before For what man els but he would not have thought My Obligations should my soul have brought In bondage to his Judgment or at least Kept me from owning mine by hot contest Who els but he would have continued on His love and bounty unto such a One As thwarted his opinions and not rather Have made me scatter what he holp to gather Converted former friendship into hate And sought to ruine me in my Estate Which had with ease been done since at that time My chief subsistance was receiv'd from him But of his judgment what er'e think I might I knew his love was firm his heart upright And this beleef of no man I could have Who gave his charity to make a slave Or who from bondage did my flesh unbind To lay a greater Thraldom on my mind No though from servitude he set me free If he thus cruel should to others be Nay though a King with me should share his Throne And prize me as his chief elected one Were he a Tyrant over other men I could not give him love for love agen Nay further be it spoke with reverence To him I speak of and without offence Could I believe that GOD in whom I trust Were though he lov'd me cruel and unjust I would not seek with him in Heav'n to dwell But rather go and live alone in Hell For he that 's with essential GOD delighted And thereunto by hearty love united Should therewith feel to him such vertue giv'n As would translate the lowest Hell to Heav'n I fear I go too high in my expressions I le therefore stoop again from these digressions To speak what 's possible to be beleev'd Of those by whom this cannot be receiv'd And shew them in my common strain how far From Christian love the greatest number are Who most professe it that affect they may A far more excellent and better way If carnall lusts will give them time to read it And their self-love admit of Grace to heed it It is not love but cruelty in those Who would on others consciences impose Their Yoaks or break the bands of loving kindnes Because their friends have weaknesses or blindnes Nay which of cruelties appears the worst Because they would not be from that divorst Which is their comforts chief preservative And without which none happily can live Here or hereafter And when doing so To these imposers no true good can do What is a friend for or what better are Those friends then foes who neither can forbear Nor help to bear that Friends infirmities With meeknes whom he hath been pleas'd to prize But beat the lame because they cannot run Leave him that 's blind because he sees no Sun And seperate from them for that which they Would willingly disclaim and cast away If they were able or els did not fear They thereby sinners against Conscience were Whereas they rather should with these abide To lead the lame to be the blind-mans guide And with long-suffring to instruct the other Till he becomes a true beleeving Brother Oh! how far off how far are such as those From imitating him who lov'd his Foes And dide to save them who persue with hate Their friends for those concerments which relate Unto themselves alone How far are such From loving them who have offended much This temper at this time is very rare For gen'rally almost we bite and tear So barbarously each others flesh and fleeces And rend CHRISTS Robes into so many peeces That we seem rather Woolves and doggs then sheep Belonging to that Flock which he doth keep Nor are they only Woolves in sheeps array Who thus their Woolvish nature do betray But ev'n on some of us who of his Fold Are Members this distemper doth lay hold Ev'n we forsooth for whom our GOD hath done So much of late we we who look upon Our selves at this time as a People chose By special providence to scourge his Foes And to be they whom he first cals to bring Unto his Throne our Everlasting King Whose Banners LOVE Ev'n we have here of late Instead thereof advanc'd the Flagg of HATE To be our Standard and the same display With as much virulency as we may Against each other Yea against those too Who seek GOD'S face as truly as we do Some of us so aloft our selves do carry With hope of great atchievements temporary That we forget from whence we first ascended Slight them for whose sakes we have been befriended None loving but our selves and looking on All els as if the Earth for us alone Had been created and all others born For objects of our hatred or our scorn And leave them unrewarded by whose hands The ground was won on which our building stands Some of us on a spirituall account To such an overweningnes do mount As if we only were the men to whom Belongs that Kingdom which is yet to come Or as if Heav'n for none els were ordain'd But those who are among us entertain'd bound up to our Rules marked with our Prints Or qualifide with our distinguishments And so bewitch't are we by our own Dreams With that which we have Preach'd upon those Theams That if we take not heed 't will bring about That mischief which we purpose to keep out For we through want of love are so devided By having this way or els that way sided To raise what others build up or in striving To raise a Babell of our own contriving That some perchance may see the Dragons tail Swing once more over us ere we prevail Yea want of love on all sides so misteaches Here
Himself to all things but Christ crucifide And in respect of him plac'd those among Such despicable things as drosse and dung He therefore let them pass to be forgot And will not mention what he prized not He living walk'd upright in crooked ways And chose the best part in the worst of days He dying cheerfully himself denide That being thereby wholly nudifide From all that was his own he might be clothd With what he lov'd instead of what he lothd And he that can throw off such Rags as these Shall find himself exceedingly at ease How can I know this some perhaps may say If he be dead and I now far away Thus when I saw him last I saw him then Himself undressing from that bane of men Self-love and selfness and I know he never Would fall from his intention and endevour Till that were done For I was always neer him In spirit though I did not see nor hear him We did communicate when not by quill Or with our tongues in spirit and in will As Angels do yea many times when we In words and terms appear'd to disagree Because of that defect which is in those Ev'n then in will and spirit we did close And they whom such experiments acquaints With that communion which belongs to Saints Do know that men may credibly aver Sometimes what they did neither see nor hear And worthy my regard it doth not seem What others of this mistery shall deem This confidence of Him is but the same Which he exprest of me when last I came To visit him at which time I receiv'd Assurance of what is of him beleev'd For these the last words were which from his tongue I heard and they from this occasion sprung I told him that I might be faulty judg'd Considering how to him I was oblig'd That nor by conversation nor by pen I lately had with him like other men My thoughts communicated but persu'd My own affairs as if to be renu'd Our Friendship needed not those complements VVhich discontinance of respect prevents To such effect I spake whereto he gave This answer which I oft repeated have VVith much contentment trouble not thy self VVith needless things we are now past the shelf That ship-wracks friendship That which seems neglect To others and begets a dis-respect Secures you more to me then if you had Left your affairs at hazzard visits made And added to your frequent visitations Acknowledgments of Debts and Obligations As others do It would not give me more Assurance of you then I had before For my own heart hath so informed me Of what you are and of what you shall be VVith an assurance so undubitable And everlastingly irrevocable That whatsoever shall of you be told Though we each other never more behold Nor line comes from you I shall live and dye More confident of your sincerity Then if it were expressed every day By all that you or other men could say These words though mine give really the sence VVherein he did express his confidence In this sence his last words to me he spoke And so my everlasting leave I took I think it may inferred be from hence Things may be known beyond the reach of sence VVithout corporall presence and that we Of some things though but part of them we see May know the rest He that doth see me go And hear me speak may without question know That I have heart and lungs although his eye Ne'r saw them or the place in which they lye And he that knows but what he hears and sees Is from a beast removed so fevv degrees That I shall mention unto him in vain VVhat to the Saints communion doth pertain Only to those I therefore vvill proceed To speak vvho can beleeve as vvell read To be he rather labor'd then to seem And sought his honor in self-disesteem He vvanted not repute of being good Save vvhere his meaning vvas misunderstood VVhich seldom hapned but vvhere prepossession Gain'd entrance by a mis begot suspition And vvhat he suffered by it did produce Effects vvhich vvere to him of some good use And such as gave sometimes occasions too Of that vvhich good to other men vvill do Such as did knovv him vvell knevv none to be A truer Friend or better man then he He by youths frailties learned to improve In riper years th' increase of Faith and Love And by his life exemplified that Of which the Formalist doth only prate His Charity was large yet what he did As much as might be he from others hid For often his misdoings he would tell But seldom mention wherein he did well He took more comfort in a needfull giving Then pleasure in large benefits receiving And liking not their thrift who do defer Almsdeeds untill their treasures useless are Unto themselves he did by timely giving Forgiving and a seasonable relieving Shew he beleev'd that thereby leave he shall More to his childe then if he lest him all And that he fear'd should he not fructifie When in his hungry members Christ pass'd by Till that which may be call'd his own time came He and the cursed figtree were the same He in his judgment joyned not in one With some good men But disagreed with none So far as to infringe the band of peace Or hinder Christian charities increase Because he knew the wisest here belowe Know but in part the things they ought to know And that to clear his sight GOD now and then Did leave a darkness upon other men Yea and sometimes a frowardness to prove And exercise his patience and his love The Christian liberty he did profess Without allowing of licentiousness He labour'd that the Conscience might be free From force yea though depravd it seem'd to be Because he saw more hypocrites thereby Then Converts made and that hypocrisie Is worse then error For it seldom burns For Conscience and to GOD as rarely turns Because likewise he was not vvithout fears That some vvho burn'd in zeal to weed out tares Might purposely or causually instead Of that which they pretended forth to weed Either pluck up the wheat or do it hurt By careless treading it into the durt For hardly can distinguishment be made Twixt Ray and Wheat when they are in the blade Moreover since the owner of the Corn Commanded that such weeds should be forborn Till Harvest to assent he was afraid That this Commandment should be disobaid Lest to himself he might contract the guilt Of blood that may be innocently spilt And from this tendernes some took offence Not justly given or arising thence If he sometimes did put himself to trouble By vainly building with wood straw or stubble As all men do which quite away consumes To nothing when the fiery tryall comes The losse was his which only did redound To losse of what was better lost then found He was but man and man at best is light And must have grains allow'd to make him weight As he had fallings and
then my sleep The subject which this hour employes my pen Makes my dead friend to live with me agen I visit him and oft he visits me With inter-courses which no eyes can see Within my Chamber none els being there Me thinks we two as if alone we were Converse together and he brings unto My memory and thought what I should do To order so my life that when I dye No living soul may be more glad as I. Sometime with him I walk unto his grave To view what kind of lodgings dead men have And whether I can see among them there Such dreadfull things as flesh and blood doth fear Yea there at midnight I have with him been And every corner of the grave have seen By Contemplation which sees many sights Not to be view'd by ordinary lights Yet there I did behold no greater dread Then when I sleep most sweetly in my bed Sometimes he comes into my mind and brings A multitude of temporary things To be by many thought of who yet live And were of that late Representative Which from it honor and it being fell Because they nor beleev'd nor acted vvell Of somethings too that neerly vvill concern The wise till they are grovvn too wise to learn He me remembers by those conferences Which vve oft had vvhen he enjoy'd his senses And whereupon I oft did more then guesse At what was verifide in their successe Yea and sometimes he makes me think upon The present Powre and on what 's yet undone And should be done and will be done ere long Unles it grows in self opinion strong And sleights that counsel which may save the State As their Foregoers did till 't was too late Sometime the thought of him translates me hence To Heav'n where what transcends intelligence And my expression is to me disclos'd By fraction and by notions discompos'd Which nay the lesse a certainty declare Of some things which for edifying are Sometime again for we can any whither Go safely we descend to Hell together By contemplation and there take full views Of that which on Hypocrisie ensues And on each other failing and offence Perpetuating an Impenitence And thence assume occasion to improve My thank fulnes for that eternall love By whom I am secured from that place Through his preventing and assisting grace By thinking upon him who in his grave Lies thoughtles of what thinkings I can have Thus I my self employ and by things past The ordering of future things forecast And find a means whereby I do refresh My Spirit whilst imprison'd in the Flesh And wherefore judg you I my time thus spend Is it to tell the World I had a Friend How vain were that since I am not to know It cares not whether I have Friends or no. And loves to hear of no respect that 's shown To any whom she takes not for her own Is it to gain a gratiousnes with those Who have what he hath left at their dispose That were to fall ten thousand leagues below My spirit and more base in me would show Then it would do in them to look upon With such a thought what here by me is done For these my retributions are as free From self ends as his bounty was to me And rather should be paid back ten time double Then I would loose my freedom for that buble It is to please his near and dear relations With large applauses and commemorations Of him that 's gone Alas that doth but keep Sorrows awake which els would fall asleep Doth but his knowledg in the fiesh renew Which keeps his better being from their view Adds brine to thirst and to devouring fire Casts Oyl which makes it but to flame the higher And if no better use could hence be rais'd It came to far lesse then not to be prais'd Is it to honor him that 's in his Grave That were the simplest thought the fool could have What honor can they want who tryumph there Where sulnes of eternall glories are What honor can he have from earthly things Or glory from a fame with paper vvings Which cannot make a flight for many miles Beyond the compasse of these British Isles Or from an Epitaph on stone or brasse Read by a fevv in some obscured place Or hovv vvill it concern or please him novv Who to himself vvould not in life allovv Those attributes of honor vvhich appear'd Then due nor for an empty title car'd And vvould have been displeas'd if he had knowvvn I vvould on him this trifle have bestovvn Onely because it to his honor tends Although therewith compos'd to other ends Beside although it somwhat may concern His reputation I am not to learn That these Blasts for the most part oftner rear A dust to cloud it then preserve it clear Or stirs up envy hate or evill-will To brawl which else it may be had lain still For to the Flower that spreads the fairest blooms The Cankerworm and Caterpiller comes Moreover they who least deserving are May in this kind of honor have a share With best Desert and buy with what was theirs A better Monument then this appears Is it for some advantages design'd Unto my self sure no for none I find Hereby acquirable nor had I brought My poverty to light if I had sought Self-honor seeing there is nothing more Dishonourable thought then to be poore Well then if it were neither so nor so What is my purpose in what now I do Ev'n this That from the best man whom I knew Here living I might set forth to your view A self-deniall through the want of which The Common-wealth grows poore and poore men rich That also by him in whose charity GOD did appear in my necessity Others may be provok'd through his examples To shew more love unto those living Temples In which he dwelleth and at least forbear To ruine them although they have no care Of their Repair For this is one of those Deficiencies which multiplies our woes And through defect whereof our former cost And present hopes will suddenly be lost As they have been unless we do with speed Put what is yet but words into a Deed Not dreaming still that we from GOD can hide What is by men apparently espide For though we will not see what we behold Nor credit what we know true being told It shall in spight of all our impudence Let in a Fear against which no defence Can possibly be made and then the doom We fear'd in secret openly shall come He of this self-deniall vvas a Teacher Yea and as vvell a Pattern as a Preacher Who taught vvith power such principles as these And not as do our Scribes and Pharisees I vvrote this partly likewise in requital Of his rare kindness and by his recitall Of vvhat he vvas to stir up imitation In all those vvho had any near relation Unto his fleshly being and thereby To pay my debt to his posterity And that if vvell improved it might be Some
Publique hath not to releeve a friend That 's perishing and yet the self-same day Though no need were profusely give away Large sums among themselves and gratifie Those men who with their faction do comply And own their ways opinions and designs As if they did possesse the Indian Mines VVhat Consciences have they who pay some worst VVho merit best and last who serv'd them first Provide for those who for self-ends do serve And let the Common-wealths true servant starve Give ready Coyn to some and unto them Who did the same work at the self-same time Not any thing at all except perchance A Warrant Order or an Ordinance Which by begetting others doth still add New troubles and expence to what they had And without profit so inlarge their cost By pretious time and redious labour lost That if at first their debts they had forgiven And added so much more to make all even To get a flat deniall some had gain'd Much more thereby then will be now obtain'd Though they were pay'd to morrow One I know VVho by experiment hath found it so Yet some of them who may this conscience own Wo uld seem to think great things on him bestown Because Gods mercy other wayes supplies That which to him their Justice yet denies What partiall Consciences are also theirs Who in establishing of just Arrears Gave some full Interest for debts delay'd And none to others for like debts unpay'd Ten summers after and which may before They are discharg'd stand charged ten years more And then at last perhaps aside be lay'd Among those debts that never shall be pay'd From such corrupted consciences as these Hath sprung our Epidemicall disease Those many fold complainings in our streets Wherewith each friend his sad companion greets Those scandals which are publish'd in disgrace Of persons who were lately in the place Sapream Trust hence also flows that hate The Quarrels discontentment and debate Which is amongst us Hence those hazzards rise VVhich make us fearfull and our Enemies Still hopefull that it either shall occasion Some broyl within or some without Invasion And if I may beleeve what my heart tels That which they do expect or somewhat els Equivalent vvill shortly come to passe If vve below and they vvho are in place Above us make not conscience of our vvayes More then vve have done in preceding dayes For if there be a GOD as my soul knovvs There is by that vvhich daily from him flovvs If there be devils as I knovv vvell to There are by vvhat I see their servants do GOD or the Devill vvill to us appear By some new Act of Grace or work of fear To purge hearts from death procuring works And that hypocrisie within them lurks And keep us to the rule of doing so To others as we would be done unto Of which good practise whilst he here was living My Westrow having by examples of giving Deserved to be a pattern I contrived This vvay of having him again revived That I and you and others by the light From henoe reflecting may walk more upright Lord let these overflowings of my Spirit Which in themselves have neither powr nor merit Produce forth good effects and not be found Like that which gives an useles emyty sound Let it be some way fruitfull unto them Who had relations in the flesh to him Who hereof gave occasion and some way To every Reader who peruse it may And not a memorandum only be To other men but likewise unto me Vouchsafe me grace whilst here I live to serve In this my Generation not to swarve From my appointed work but to persever In doing it with vigilant endeavour That of my Talent when I must appear To give account which time approacheth near I may be faithful found and to that joy Admittance have which nothing can destroy Let neither fears nor hopes neglects or wrongs Deter from doing what to me belongs And though my faculty hath small esteem And needles to the World perhaps may seem In those affairs which may be pertinent To thy great work make it a supplement Of some good use that times to come may see My wither'd leaves did help adorn the Tree During that season wherein cloth'd it stood And were for cure of some diseases good Of what in others to be good or ill I have observ'd let application still So to my self be made that what I saw To be amisse in them may me withdraw From erring paths and in their steps to tread Who nave uprightly walk'd alive or dead That I may truly foot thy measures too As well as pipe them out to those that do Lest I my self a Reprobate be found When all things have compleatly daunc'd their round Let not the Revolutions or the changes Or that prevarication which now ranges Throughout the VVorld me from my station carry Or cause me from good Principles to vary But in the stream of all those great distractions Diffring opinions counter-marching actions Plottings designings threatnings and pertakings Whimsies Chimeras doubtings and mistakings Fawnings and frownings praises or disgraces Wants and aboundings in all times and places So steddy keep my Judgment and so clear That all my Life I firmly may adhear To truth and honesty and plainly see What man intends or is design'd by thee And whatsoere without me makes a din Let me have alwayes peace and joy within My life hath been a warfar to this day And troubles multiply Yet if it lay Within my powr to chuse what other lot The best man living hath or I have not And might my self my own self being make Let me no comfort in my Portion take If I would chuse ought els but that which now I have and thy free mercy shall allow For of thy love so well assur'd am I And how thou best knowst what for me is best That on thy VVisdom Powr and Love I le rest I love to see the doing what thou dost Oh GOD most holy powrful wise and just And therefore though my flesh be terrifide By thy approaches and oft loth to bide Where I may stand to see thee marching on And doing here such things as thou hast done Yea though sometime such horrors on me cease That they do shake my bones yet naytheles My spirit so is pleased to behold Those Judgments and those mercies manifold Which I observe that in no other time Nor might I chuse in any other Clime Would I have liu'd save where I might have seen Such things as have to me discovered been No though thy Judgments which now on us be Have in the flesh with others wrapt up me For whatsoever former times afford Whatever hath been written in the Word What signs or wonders have been to thy glory Recorded in prophane or sacred story Hath been a new transacted in my dayes So have I seen the River and the Seas Made passable So have I seen thy wonders In blood and Vermine in fire hail and thunders And in those
his humane failings So he had also risings and prevailings And all GODS Saints have lesse advantag'd been By their own righteousnes then by their sin For both must be disclaim'd and they brook worst And find it hardest to renounce the first He by stil cleaving to the true foundation And gratious Author of our preservation Found himself safe when all those works were gone Which he had vainly builded thereupon And was well pleas'd to see that turn'd to smoke Wherein he formerly had pleasure took Which vvere it heeded vvell vvould sans all doubt Conclude those Quarrels which arise about Our superstructures and must be denide As useles when by fire they shall be tride To truth essentiall he did firm adhear Although sometimes in termes he did appear To leave it And when thither he retired Where he in quiet privacy expired His mind he so compos'd did so confute All self-mistakings by a self-dispute And so examined and so repented All whereto by mistakes he had assented Unwarrantably whether it related To ought which had been publickly debated Or privatly For Church or Common-weal For GOD or men And there so setled all His Interests that vvith a quiet mind He did enjoy the peace he sought to find And unto GOD a resignation made Of will opinions and of all he had Even of his selfnes and therein found more Enjoyment then in all the world before His body was consumed by the zeal He bore to GODS house and this Common-weal And by foreseeing that he might outlive The honour of that Representative Of which he was a Member For when he And I our thoughts confer'd we might foresee That in a short time as my muse foretold Some moneths before it came that happen would Which now is come to passe although those few Who to the Publike Interest were true Had neither counsel nor endeavour spar'd To help keep off the mischief that was fear'd Ere therefore actually it did ensue Tir'de out with vain endeav'rings he withdrew A place for his retirement he had chose Near to the Banks of Thame vvhere backvvard flovvs The Tide at highest up against the stream That he might neither be too far from them To vvhom he had Relations nor too nigh To such as might disturb his privacy There what he could not other waves promote He sought to further by a zealous Vote There private prayers offered he at home That GOD himself would for the time to come Assume the Work and call in those thereto Who might accomplish what they could not do The World thus left He er'e it him forsook Against the Flesh the Spirits part he took And by their combatings attain'd to have A Resurrection er'e he had a Grave But lo their long fought Battel novv is past The Spirit triumphs and the flesh at last By yeelding to be conquered hath vvon More then by being victor it had done And now is lodg'd in her withdrawing-room To rest untill the tiumph-day shall come There from it labors let it therefore cease There let it lye in hope and rest in peace Till to a better life that Flesh and we Rais'd by a second Resurrection be There to appear where we shall fully know What is but darkly apprehended now Where we shall see the root of all those things Whence flow our needless bitter Quarrellings And where accordingly we shall receive To what we acted or as we beleeve Oh! come LORD JESUS come and fetch us thithes Gather thy Saints and chosen-ones together And mean time in that Saint be glorifi'd For whose commemoration I provide By thine and their examples who do follow Their steps Oh! so inform us how to hallow Our hearts so cleanse our hands and guide our feet That they now gone before and we may meet Thou that art both our life and way therto That open door through which we are to go A Fountain alwayes flowing to refresh The thirsting Spirit and the fainting Flesh Supply unto us by thy Holy Ghost What by our selves and others we have lost O thou who being GOD'S eternal Son To free us from a dungeon leftst a Throne And underneath his heavy wrath didst lye Till thou crid'st out Lamasabakthani To Heav'nly joyes convert our earthly greef Decrease our doubtings and increase Beleef Our carnal love improve to love divine Till our Affections loose themselves in thine Oh! let that Love from whence all beings flow Which made all things above and all below Whose Wisdom did first set them in their way Whose Providence preserv'd them to this day And shall hereafter govern and dispose That which keeps Order and that which misgoes Oh! hasten to perfection hasten on The work intended ere the world begun And let that Glory which produce it shall Be his and his alone that 's ALL in ALL. Thus mused I or much if not the same To this effect before the morning came These contemplations ere I knew him dead By thinking on my Friend conceiv'd I had Which afterward in words thus up I drest To leave it thereby vocally exprest What penance I was put to for omitting A duty my obligements well befitting Then as the dawning Light began to creep About my Chamber I fell fast asleep Next day no longer meaning to defer A Visit but till means prepared were I meeting with a Friend of his and mine Informed him what I did predivine What I had suffered what I have done With what I had that day resolv'd upon And to prevent it was assur'd by him That my Presagings were no idle dream For he was dead indeed and on the morrow To be interr'd which did renew my sorrow And reingage me further to pursue What to his pious Memory is due For there is much behind as yet unsaid Which being truly known and duly weighd Will add a fairer lustre to his Fame Not without some reflectings to my shame For leaving him without a Valediction Who was so true a Friend in my affliction Assoon therefore as I have gotten leisure What 's yet remaining forth in Words to measure Expect it and in pawn thereof till I Shall to your view expose it let this lye With this ensuing Epitaph till He Shall honour'd by a better musing be The EPITAPH HIs GRAVE though he desired none With Name or Title thereupon Was made below this Marble stone And here interred now He lies To wait CHRISTS coming in the Skies At whose approach the DEAD shall rise Yet seek not here among the DEAD On stones or brass or sheets of Lead What to his honour may be read But if you more of him would hear Peruse the sheets whose Forefronts bear His NAME inscribed and read him there For though that MONUMENT be built Withou cost graving paint or guilt It shall remain when this is spilt Yea though it hath but paper wings It shall out last those lasting things Which make up Monuments for Kings CANTO the second After a due preoccupation It offers to commemoration Particulars Insists upon
Or seek to fill a viol with such matter As it admits not Things vvhich must be known As well by others eyes as by my own To make them certain I le no further mention Without proof it seem a self invention That which hath passed ' tvvixt us tvvo alone Those things vvhereof my knovvledg can by none Be doubted of to mind I vvill recall And out of many bring forth one for all One that shall set forth his deserving more Then all that I have mentioned before At lest according to that excellence Which suits a sensuall Intelligence And when vvith that expression I have done I le rather leave it to be thought upon Then imitated till self-love begins To loose that ground vvhich hitherto it vvins He that is really a faithfull friend Hath that vvhich doth vvithin it comprehend All morall vertues yea and therevvith too That charity vvhich from true Faith doth flovv For such a person cannot be alone In being so a faithfull friend to ONE But also to all others yea extend His love to all GODS creatures as his friends And doubtles far above all those to him Who for himself alone created them This vertue therefore doth on men confer The highest excellence they can have here And this rare vertue vvhereof I the Sound Had vainly heard before in him I found And thereof such experiment vvill give That you shall think of him as I beleeve And that in charity he did out go Most men vvho thereof make the greatest show That you may know him whom I knew so well My means of knowing him thus first I le tell The late intestine Wars which with a flood Of miseries and with a sea of blood Ore flow'd these Nations like a raging torrent Which bears dovvn all vvith an impetuous current Brake in ev'n at first rising vvhere then lay My chief Estate and svvept it all avvay That little thereof vvhich elsevvhere vvas left Was also by th' Oppressors hand bereft Save only some small part of my Estate Consisting in rings housholdstuff and plate Which being portable preserved vvere Or got together by my future care That vvhich expos'd my portion to the raging Of my destroyers vvas a free ingaging Against the common foe And they vvith vvhom I for the Publique did ingag'd become Gave me the Publique Faith that vvhat I lost Should be repaired at the publique cost And that my Children should be look'd upon VVith favour and regard vvhen I vvas gone By these incouragements I did pursue Their services untill I neither knevv Which way my pâ—esent wants might have supply Or whereon for the future to rely And then perforce retreated for recruit To prosecute the Cause with fresh pursuit VVhereof I got some few effects in show VVhich in the substance prov'd not to be so But rather brought much greater mischiefs on me Then all my open enemies had done me For some vvho had but fainedly pretended To that vvhich I had seriously defended Perceiving me preparing to disclose Their falshood did become my open Foes And through their Complices who by the hand Of Providence were weeded from the Land Soon after they so wrought that Innocence And Faithfulness were judged an offence Maugre apparent proofs and demonstrations Yet extant by their own examinations So I was finde confinde and on my head That censure lay'd which they had merited With seven fold more and for my service past Into disgrace was innocently cast With nothing for subsistance but that poore House-furniture which was within my doore To add more burthen to those heavy weights And drive me thereby into greater streights My Friends and my Acquaintance then began To look upon me as a faulty man Who had deceiv'd their hope so that if they Who though too few to help me day by day Were at my trial had not seen and heard Th' injustice done me and the same declar'd I had in likelihood ere this day ended My life in want disgrac'd and unbefriended For as my Friends fell off my Foes fell on With fresh pursute of what they had begun And had not GOD in an unlook'd for houre Deprived them of their abused powre They had destroy'd me quite But I at last Escap'd and they into the pit were cast Mean while they insolently domineer'd Made songs and pamphlets on me scoft and jeer'd And had so villifide my Reputation To those who represented then this Nation That of four thousand pounds to which account My due prov'd fully truly did amount I could not get one penny for relief Of me or mine to mittigate our grief Though I had forced words into their ears Which from by-standers oft extracted tears And to compassion might that Judg have wan Who neither feared GOD nor car'd for man To add yet further to my great afflictions GOD with a sicknes spreading forth infections Visits my house and drove all those from thence Who were some comfort in my indigence That being shut up and excluded from All other helpers I to him might come My children were all sick of that disease Their single keeper to her little ease Was their sad Mother whilst as sad as she I sought whereby they might supported be And we who served were a while before With sixteen houshold servants sometimes more Had then but one Boy who sick also lay And one poor woman hired by the day To pay and feed those I my plate had sold My Wife the silver and the lace of gold Which lately trim'd her Garmâ—nts ript away To buy things needfull for the present day Her Ornaments she chang'd for bread to eat Then sold the dishes which did hold our meat And last of all our highest valued things The pretious stones the jewels and the rings To us from honorable Persons sent As tokens of respect the same way went And what was left ill spar'd though it could be To follow for ought I then could see Only this hope remain'd that GOD had sent A sicknes which by death would wants prevent Or give us by his own hand some repair For of his love I never shall despair In this good hope the Worlds neglect I scorn'd And my petitions into prayers turn'd Directed unto him who only knew My wants and what was likely to ensue But he likewise to answer me delaid And for a while seem'd deaf to what I pray'd Yet knowing not what els remain'd to do Or whether or to whom for help to go Nor caring if GOD left me for supplies From other hands I still renew'd my cries To him alone and suddenly was cheer'd With somewhat which to sence no where appear'd And as a Loves thinking in a dream He hears his best Be oued calling him Starts up in hast and runneth out to meet The voice that cals him ere he find his feet And goes he knovvs not whether So with me It far'd who hoping not deceiv'd to be Walk'd forth to see if providence divine Would bring to sight or mind some Friend of
You shall be welcomed with come ye blessed Who fed and cloath'd me when I was distressed These things consider'd this which I begun Pretending some reproof intendeth none But rather is that debts be not forgot A memorandum only or a note Subscribed with my hand for intimation That you with me shall have his obligation Whose word is pass'd already to restore Whatever shall be lent unto the poor And who doth good to every one intend Whose heart he moves the needy to befriend Yet that mean time I may not failing be To pay as much in hand as lies in me Receive this Benediction Whensoere The day of fiery tryall shall appear To prove your Faith and purge you quite from all Your selfnes which ere long time will befall Let then your Faith be strong and GOD be seen A friend to you as you to me have been And let your charity before him stand To manacle and weaken every hand That would oppress those whom you leave behind Let them GODS favour in all troubles find Be safe preserved in all times and places By his free mercies and preventing Graces And let this prayer stil about GOD'S Throne Be fluttering till he saith so be it done These Verses for his large benevolence Were for a long time all his evidence Nor would he more receive though many a time Security was offer'd unto him And once it was in words like these denide When first I your necessity supplide My purpose was not meerly to relieve Your present need but likewise ayd to give That by your own endeavour with my cost You might recover that which you have lost The State hath no part satisfied yet Of your allow'd and overlong due debt And till that shall be done I will expect No payment neither ought to that effect But his assistance having made me strong That to recover which had been by wrong Detained from me in a private hand And having somwhat more at my command I thought my self oblig'd as I was able To render some returns proportionable To my Estate So he accepts at last Security for part and left the rest Of which to him I somewhat yearly brought Without his asking as expecting ought By any thing expressed untill that Were pay'd me which is owing by the State Or till the residue I could repay By some enablement another way This shews it is no frivilous occasion From whence this Poem springs or Obligation To be as inconsiderable slighted Which me to this acknowledgment invited But rather in regard of GOD and Man An act which ought as fully as I can To be exprest That for it I might give The praise to GOD and men th' example have For by his charity GOD'S love appears I was thereby preserved many years From perishing Thereby likewise together VVith that assistance which I had from other Concurring helps which have the same way been To me by GOD'S good providence sent in I got to be possessor of the gate Of those who were mine enemies of late And thereby also partly to expresse To others in their need my thankfulness Thereto the Noble and much Honored Bradshaw and Dixwell ayde contributed Among some others who are not forgot Although their kindnes I here mention not Yea GOD for me so likewise did dispose The purpose of my avaritious foes That doubly it advantag'd me and more Then all those loving friends had done before VVhich suddenly improoving my Estate Beyond what I did hope or aimed at The World doth seem to think and some do say That I to thrive have practised her way And on my conscience would now love me too If truly she beleev'd it had been so For nothing renders her a Foe to me But that she fears my words and deeds agree And that though baits and snares for me are laid To serve her ends I shall not be betraid Now having finished this little story VVhich hath a neer relation to GOD'S glory As well as to the honour of my Friend With some brief inferences I will end But lest these may detain you overlong Here pause and read them in the following Song The fourth CANTO Of Christian love the large extents The sad the bad the mad events Of discord here the Muse displaies That Idol SELFNES open laies Some other things to heed commends And then with praise and Prayer ends WHat shall that Musing profir which affords Nothing but bare Relations or meer words Or what will things avail that shall be read Concerning those who sleep among the dead If no advantages at all they give To benefit or better those that live Sure none Lest therefore these may justly passe For tingling Cymbals or for sounding Brasse Some useful notes or notions I le discover On this occasion ere I passe it over And though I cannot talk as others do He preach my way and preach to purpose too Of many things which merit mention may Wherein my Friend hath pattern'd out the way Of walking and of practise three things here Shall be insisted on as those that are Deserving speciall heed Such as if we Well imitate a true ALL HEAL shall be End all Quarrels Take off from our eyes The blinding scales and filmes of prejudice Which keeps us dark and from a right perceiving of truth and in a wilfull misheleeving An imitation thereof would bring hither Outward and inward peace and knit together CHRISTS disunited members so that love Would ripen knowledg Knowledg help improve A saving Faith That Faith renevv the Will A will renewed would GODS minde fulfill And therewith so acquainted make us grow That we should learn to Act as vvell as know The first of these is Love love not extending It self to these or those but comprehending All things created with an imitation Of CHRIST by meekness in his conversation With Publicans and sinners and vvith such As knew but little and beleev'd not much Such vvas CHRISTS love and if I do not miss According to man's measure such vvas his For though that vail of flesh vvhich others vvear And that vvhich clothed him vvhen he vvas here Disguiz'd his inward man and made him pass For one of those vvho running of a Race Doth beat the air in vain yet they vvhose eyes Observed him vvhen he vvas neer the prize Savv he had usde the means and chose the ground Which best advantag'd him and would be crown'd When many at a loss themselves would find Who better dieted and disciplin'd Were thought to be For none could know so well What best befitted him as he might tell Near to his latter end he had attain'd Such love to all and therewith so unfain'd A longing both to win and to be won Unto the Truth that he was Fo to none So much as to himself and by forbearing By hopefulness long-suffering patient hearing And meekness without bitterness of spirit True quietness of heart he did inherit Within himself and waited when GOD'S leisure Would of his grace to others fill the