University of Virginia Library

Lord GOD, if, to thy glory, this may tend,
Give it, some way a Pasport 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 honour thee,
'Tis mine, and as mine, let it smother'd be.

I feel a strong perswasion, in my minde,
That, hereunto, I was by thee inclinde
And, that, there may be somewhat more exprest,
Whereby, thine, and the Publike 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'll 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 wilfully reject thy Grace,
When thou, to them shalt offer an embrace;
And, all things dost vouchsafe, which may enable
To honour 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 mans experience outgoes mine:
For, ev'ry Faculty of mine hath heard
Thy wondrous Mercies, thereunto declar'd
In its own language, to th'intelligence
As well of every Passion, and each sense,
As of my Reason; so, that I can say
They have to me, abounded ev'ry way.

For since I knew the World (ev'n 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 envie sprung.
Few have been more Censorious of my ways,
Or, apter to believe what malice says.

That, which my secret Foes designed had,
To ruine 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 Pow'r; and freed me without shame,
When I was threatned, by the voyce 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 ev'ry 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 repair'd; nor thereunto,
Did I, by fawning upon Friend or Foe,
Add ought; nor ever had a Legacy
To me bequeath'd, 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 my self do wonder,
When past, and present things, I duly ponder,
In what great Wants, I, without Want have liv'd,
And under what Oppressions, I have thriv'd.
This makes the World, which hitherto hath grutcht
That, I, with what is hers should be enricht,
(As many think I am) to wonder more
How I, whom she intended to keep poor,
Subsist in her despight, 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 deem'd 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 opprest.

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 scandaliz'd have been,
Few, of my Rank, have liv'd in more esteem.
Thou, from the violence of great Oppressors
Of Pietie's, and Friendship's, false Professors
Hast often sav'd me; yea, and from the Rage
Of those, to whom, I long since did presage
VVhat they, and I, saw afterward inflicted,
According as my Muses had predicted;
And, they, who then, for that, at me did rave,
Have many yeers, lain quiet in the Grave.

In that great Pestilence (whereof no time
Hath mentioned the like, in this our Clime)
Thou did'st preserve me, when on ev'ry side,
In short time, many twenty thousands dide,
Though underneath the self-same Roof I lay,
VVhere many by that Plague were took away,
That I might leave that Judgement 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
VVhat, most men are, and what thou art to me.
Nay (which is more then this) thou hast, thereby
Not onely shewn to me the Vanity
Of other men; but also, made mine own
Deficiencies unto my self, more known:
And both my Sins and Follies to appear
More my advantage, then my Vertues were:
For, those things, which the Devil to undo me
Design'd; and whereto Flesh and Blood did wo me,
Thou mad'st 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,
VVhich 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
VVhich is in Flesh and Blood, if they vvere quite
Depriv'd of that, wherein they take delight;
THOU, who know'st vvhat defects are in mans nature,
(And therefore art indulgent to thy Creature)
Hast graciously been pleas'd to intermingle
VVhat might distaste, or be unwholesome single;
So temp'ring sweet vvith sow'r, that I by neither
Might harm receive, but Good from both together:
And, vvheresoe'er I live, dost still provide
To neighbour me, one of the Sons of Pride,
To make me vvatchful, and consider vvell
VVhere I yet am; and, among whom I dwell.

To me, Thou likewise hast vouchsaf'd a share
In vvhatsoever Pleasant doth appear
To men of all Degrees, vvho grow not mad
Or drunk, by those Delights, vvhich they have had:
For Poverty and Sorrow have to me
Made Common things, more pleasureful to be
Then their chief Dainties, vvho to that are born
VVhich must be won by others, ere 'tis worn;
VVho have but such Enjoyments at the best,
As they, who come full gorged to a Feast.
Yet, when of those Delights, I am bereav'd,
By whose enjoyment, I content receiv'd;
They leave not, (when departing I do finde them)
A Bitterness upon my Soul behinde 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 know'st) the world my Foe hath bin,
And, would afford me little share therein;
A Portion I have also, there acquir'd
By thy Free-Grace, more then I once desir'd:
And vvhen I coveted more to possess,
(Though by a lawful meanes,) thou mad'st it less,
To minde me, that, nought will with me indure,
Save what by Thy meer 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 imbitter'd be,
By those distempers vvhich remain in me,
I take it, naytheless, with true Thanksgiving,
And vvould not change my Lot with any living.

Though out of Levity and Custom, too,
I, ev'ry day, think, wish, and speak, and do
Like other foolish Men: yet, if I know
Mine own Mind, though Thou vvould'st on me bestow
All I could vvish, for vvishing; I vvould vvave
That Grant: and onely ask of Thee to have
VVhat Thou vvilt; and that Thou vvould'st take away
My Self-will, though my Life upon it lay:
For nought I now desire, to have or be,
But what may be best pleasing unto Thee:
And, if this temper could be still retain'd,
Men vvould believe, vvhat they, yet, think is fain'd.

To fortifie my Faith, and that desire
VVherewith, 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,
VVho knowest all things, if untrue they vvere.
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 my self: 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 minde
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 vvhat doth pertain
To Thy Affairs, whilst vve on Earth remain;
Or make us, vvith Reluctancy, to spare
Our selves to serve Thee; Or, vvhat is more dear
To either, then our selves: But, give each other
To thee, that we in thee, may live together
VVhen we are called hence, and timely know
Our Bliss consists not in things here below.

I know, Thou art vvell pleas'd it should be thus,
And that, hereto Thou wilt enable us:
For, though I feel them, to be somewhat neerer
Unto my Flesh, Thou to my Soul art dearer;
And, as thou gav'st them vvhen they vvere desir'd,
I'll back return them, vvhen they are requir'd,
VVith mine own Soul to boot: Do not dispise
This All; For, in these, All, I sacrifice.

To Thee, for these Relations, I am Debter,
Then vvhich I know no man enjoyeth better,
VVho 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'll undertake it, so, Thou stand but by me,
And shalt thereto, with needful Pow'r 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 resolv'd, that, I will never more
Thereat, repine again, as heretofore:
But onely pray, my Sins, may be forgiven,
Believe, and love, and seek my LOT in Heav'n.
LORD, keep me in this minde; and then, let MAN,
World, Flesh, and Devil, do the worst they can.