 | Miscellaneous works of George Wither |  |
32
A Warning-Piece to London,
Discharged out of a Loophole in the Tower during the Authors Close imprisonment there.
It was meditated upon the deplorable consuming of an eminent Citizen with his whole Family, in the night, by a sad and suddain Fire, at the beginning of our most Joyful Festival, in Decemb. 1662.
[_]
The Author conceived, that it would better stir up the hearts of some, by being sung, then Read: Therefore, he composed it in Lyrick Verse, fitted to the Tune of the Lamentation, at the end of the singing Psalms, if the last Strain of that Tune shall be repeated with the two last lines in every Stanza.
[1]
VVake London wake, Fast, watch, and pray,Well heed likewise this Warning-song;
To eat and drink, rise up and play,
Hath been thy daily practise long:
Oh! from henceforth, remember more,
Thy Brethren, whom oppressors grieve;
Refresh the fick, relieve the poor;
For none without good works believe.
If hardly sav'd the Righteous are
Ah! how shall wilful sinners fare?
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2
The Rich man, heedlesly discernsThe near approaching day of wrath,
To fill his Warehouse and his Barnes,
Is all the present care he hath.
At large, he preparation makes
For offerings to his Belly God,
Till Justice an occasion takes
To mixe those offrings with his blood;
When fools in folly most delight,
They, often, loose their Souls that night.
3
Our Love is cold, nigh ripe our sin,And, in their march, GOD's Judgments be;
At his own house they do begin;
Then, from them, who shall now be free?
To make us thereof take more heed,
One house they singled out of late,
And, in a bright flame-colour'd weed,
Upon the top thereof they sate
And when to sleep they laid their heads,
Consum'd her dwellers in their beds.
4
Why should not each man to whose earThis news was in the morning brought,
Upon himself reflect with fear,
Thus, thereon musing, in his thought?
LORD, this unlook'd for stroke of thine,
Hath often been deserved by me;
This sad mishap might have been mine
This night, had it so pleased thee;
But, (praised be thy holy name)
Here, yet alive, and safe I am.
5
Oh with what terrors, were they strokeHow sadly were they discompos'd,
To find themselves when they awoke
With stifling fumes, and flames inclos'd?
34
If to remembrance they did call
What they had done, awhile before,
And, what so quickly did befal.
More dreadful it appears to me,
Then Dungeons, Racks, and Halters be.
6
Thus will they fare, when his last DoomeTo pass on sinners, Christ appears;
Thus, in a moment, he will come,
When least the world his coming fears.
Thus, whether then her heedless heart
Is either sleeping or awake,
Surprized with a suddain start,
They shall with horrid terrors quake,
When they behold with sad amaze,
All things about them in a blaze.
7
Unless my thoughts misdictate me,A secret Judgment, in this Act,
May doubtlesly discerned be
To shew GOD's hand was in the fact.
For, though his waies are in the dark,
Forth from the Cloud, a flashing breaks
To shew us, (if we such things mark)
His purpose, by the Course he takes.
In darkness he hath perfect Light,
And all mens deeds are in his sight.
8
But, though this Judgment be severe,Let not us who escape it, ween
Them, greater sinners then we are;
But, judg what our deserts have been.
Christ doom'd not those whom Pilat slew
As more to blame, then other men,
Though with their blood he did imbrew,
That, which they sacrifized then;
35
On whom the Towre of Silo fell.
9
Hereof, small sense have carnal men;This, for sad news, at Noon they tell,
Return unto their sins agen,
And sleep next night at brink of hell:
That, which concerns their safety most,
As quickly slips out of their mind
As letters written in the dust,
Blown out with ev'ry puff of wind.
Of others harms, how senseless grown
Are they, who do not mind their own?
10
This came to pass within thy walls,That, thou mightst thereof take good heed,
Mind, who thereby upon thee calls,
And think, what further may succeed:
It was not from those places far,
Where much to be, thou dost delight,
That thou shouldst heed thy dealings there;
And, it befel there in the night,
That, thou, a stricter watch maist keep:
For Sathan wakes, when men do sleep.
11
Hereof, likewise, let heed be took,That, when thy heart was most supine,
This Judgment, in upon thee broke,
Amidst thy Musick, mirth and wine;
And, that, unless for sin thou mourn,
Relieve and comfort men distrest,
Thy Feasts, to Fastings GOD will turn,
And, smite thee when thou fearst it least.
When Sodom sinned without shame,
Down thereon, Fire and Brimstone came.
12
The Drowned world, was warn'd of oldOf what would in short time befal,
36
Yet unregarded still by all.
They married and in marriage gave,
Did eat and drink, as we do now,
Did so, the wrath of GOD outbrave,
And, as we, liv'd they car'd not how:
But, lo, when in least awe they stood,
Out break the Deeps, in came the Flood
13
Thou, LONDON, whosoe're doth weep,Dost, on thy Viol, play and sing;
Thy Children, daily revel keep,
Ev'n when their Passing bells do ring.
Themselves on costly Beds they streach,
Regarding not how Joseph fares;
To them, who of Repentance preach
They listen, but with Adders ears.
And, well he speeds, who shall be heard,
If mischiefs be not his reward.
14
In sixteen hundred ten and one,I, notice took of publick Crimes,
With mine own faults, I first begun;
Observ'd the Changes of the Times:
And, what GOD had on me bestown
Employed for the Common good;
Therein, I sought to find mine own,
Which, was so oft misunderstood,
That I, for being so employd,
Have been three times, nigh quite destroyd.
15
In sixteen hundred twenty five,When thou wert sick, I watcht by thee;
Then, did my First Forewarning give,
And, this perhaps, my last must be.
For, now, my Tools away are took,
Some things half wrought, some but begun;
37
Concludes my work, before tis done;
And that Flesh Ragg, by me yet worn,
May soon drop off, or, off be torn.
16
Here, I yet live, where, what me grieves,But few of thine, have heeded much;
Nor Mayors, Aldermen, or Sheriffs
Or any noble, great or rich;
But, in Long-suffrings being old,
(If not relived by the poor)
By sickness, hunger, or by cold
Death had ere now, unlockt my door.
Lest thou as much neglected be,
Think more on GOD, though less on me.
17
My Publick warnings, are supprest,As once, was Jeremiahs Roll;
Which GOD, will when he sees it best,
Revive, with an inlarged Skroll:
Meanwhile, by stifled musings tir'd,
The flames within me closly pent,
Like powder in Granado's fir'd,
Do tear my heart, through want of vent,
And crack my earthen vessel more
Then all my suffrings heretofore.
18
Within thy West and Eastern Jail.Now twice ten months confind I've lain,
Denied both Relief, and Bail,
Which Law allows, and Rogues obtain:
To tell, what others did, or said,
Is thought in me a grand misdeed,
Though being of their harms afraid,
I did but bid my friends take heed:
If this be falls for words well ment,
Woe to ill deeds, with ill intent.
38
19
Alas! how apt are we to fear,Or fancy danger, where is none?
Yet how unapt, how loth to hear,
What may prevent a certain one?
Except propounded in their mode,
Who, in their own conceit are wise,
The Counsels both of Men and GOD
They, either frustrate, or dispise:
Which being well weigh'd, is a signe,
That, to destruction they decline.
20
Seaven daies before the late sad night,Thy Prætor, seized in my hands
What GOD inclined me to write,
For timely warnings to these Lands;
So, that, which to their weal conduc'd,
Hath hitherto been fruitless made;
And, I more strictly have been us'd,
Though, I before, hard measure had.
But, GOD, by whom it was begun,
Will gard me, till my work is done.
21
No more seems now within my powre,But, down to lie, beneath my Lode,
Attending my Redemption hour,
With patient waiting on my GOD.
Yet, there is hope, that Prayers may
To what is feared stoppage put;
And, since, to Heaven ther's open way,
(Though from the world, I close am shut)
As Jonas did (when in a Whale;
Close prisoner kept) to God ile call.
22
Correct us LORD, but not in wrath,Purge rather, what misdone hath been,
By any temporary Death,
Then by correcting sin with sin,
39
Let us, who think our selves most clear,
In private, search out our own guilt,
And, wherein else, we faulty are,
That, by a self-condemning Doom,
We may escape the wrath to come.
23
Preserve thy Church, Lord, bless the KingAnd, seeing thou hast him restor'd,
Him, out of all his troubles bring,
And, make his will, with thine accord,
That under his Protection here,
We, without faction, hate or strife,
(In all uprightness, without fear)
May live a sanctified life,
And, he indulge the Conscience tender,
As best becomes, the Faiths Defender.
Thus, on what lately did befal,
I sung my Musings, to the wall,
Which gave thereto, as much regard
As most will, when abroad tis heard:
For, little have such lines as these,
Which may a Carnal pallat please.
The wanton huggs a wanton strain,
The miser, that which treats of Gain;
Ambitious men give most applause
To that, which their, Ambition claws;
In lies and follies, fools delight,
And, if this ever come to sight,
It will by none, be relish'd well
Save those, with whom the Graces dwell.
I sung my Musings, to the wall,
Which gave thereto, as much regard
As most will, when abroad tis heard:
For, little have such lines as these,
Which may a Carnal pallat please.
The wanton huggs a wanton strain,
The miser, that which treats of Gain;
Ambitious men give most applause
To that, which their, Ambition claws;
In lies and follies, fools delight,
And, if this ever come to sight,
It will by none, be relish'd well
Save those, with whom the Graces dwell.
The more Precautions are in season,
(The more agreeable to Reason)
Their Rage it will the more increase,
Who are inclined to oppress;
And, if I die not in this place,
It will be meerly of GOD's grace,
To make it known, the Rage of man,
Is bounded, do the worst he can.
These Musings, and some other too,
Escap'd surprize, with much ado,
And, that whereof I was bereft
Me, for awhile in sadness left;
Yet, much more sorrowful am grown
For others sakes, then for mine own,
Because, the world so misbefriends,
What to her own well being tends.
(The more agreeable to Reason)
40
Who are inclined to oppress;
And, if I die not in this place,
It will be meerly of GOD's grace,
To make it known, the Rage of man,
Is bounded, do the worst he can.
These Musings, and some other too,
Escap'd surprize, with much ado,
And, that whereof I was bereft
Me, for awhile in sadness left;
Yet, much more sorrowful am grown
For others sakes, then for mine own,
Because, the world so misbefriends,
What to her own well being tends.
God, never any Place bereaves
Of saving means, till him it leaves;
Nor is their any man quite lost,
Till he resists the holy Ghost.
He, helpless leaves no willing one
In acting what he would have done;
But, when to selfness, man adheres
Then, as he worketh, so he fares.
GOD, gives first motion to each wheel,
In motion also, keeps it still,
If he with him Compliance feel,
Else let's it go which way it will.
Thus he will do, and thus hath done,
Ev'n ever since the world begun.
Of saving means, till him it leaves;
Nor is their any man quite lost,
Till he resists the holy Ghost.
He, helpless leaves no willing one
In acting what he would have done;
But, when to selfness, man adheres
Then, as he worketh, so he fares.
GOD, gives first motion to each wheel,
In motion also, keeps it still,
If he with him Compliance feel,
Else let's it go which way it will.
Thus he will do, and thus hath done,
Ev'n ever since the world begun.
That, men his works and mind might mark,
He preach'd by Noah and his Ark,
And, to prevent their threatned doom
Allow'd them sixcore years to come.
That, Sodom timely might repent,
He, Lot to be exemplar sent;
When Balam misaffected was
He made a Preacher of his Ass;
And by a Whale, he Jonas sent
To bid the Ninevites repent,
Who, more thereto inclined were
Though heathens, then most Christians are.
What did to Israels weal belong,
He gave by Moses in a song,
That, when Records could not be had,
They, thereof mindful might be made.
When their Transgressions were nigh full,
To Babel they were sent to school;
Since which time, they still growing worse
(Till they incur'd Cains dreadful Curse,
For shedding of their brothers blood,
Who died zealous of their good)
Them, out of their good land, GOD hurl'd,
To rovee like him about the world;
Depriv'd (now sixteen hundred years)
Of Prophets and Remembrancers:
And, in this mode, with ev'ry Nation
God deals, e're final Reprobation.
He preach'd by Noah and his Ark,
And, to prevent their threatned doom
Allow'd them sixcore years to come.
That, Sodom timely might repent,
He, Lot to be exemplar sent;
41
He made a Preacher of his Ass;
And by a Whale, he Jonas sent
To bid the Ninevites repent,
Who, more thereto inclined were
Though heathens, then most Christians are.
What did to Israels weal belong,
He gave by Moses in a song,
That, when Records could not be had,
They, thereof mindful might be made.
When their Transgressions were nigh full,
To Babel they were sent to school;
Since which time, they still growing worse
(Till they incur'd Cains dreadful Curse,
For shedding of their brothers blood,
Who died zealous of their good)
Them, out of their good land, GOD hurl'd,
To rovee like him about the world;
Depriv'd (now sixteen hundred years)
Of Prophets and Remembrancers:
And, in this mode, with ev'ry Nation
God deals, e're final Reprobation.
LORD! from their wandrings call them home;
Into thy fold, back let them come.
We got advantage by their fall
Let it increase by their Recall.
Since they, and we in ev'ry sin,
Have Paralels, a long time been,
Let our joint force, henceforth be spent
To move each other to repent,
That, they and we may in that Place,
Become Partakers of thy Grace,
Where Jews and Gentiles shall be saved,
By our Redeemer, and thy David.
Into thy fold, back let them come.
We got advantage by their fall
Let it increase by their Recall.
Since they, and we in ev'ry sin,
Have Paralels, a long time been,
Let our joint force, henceforth be spent
To move each other to repent,
That, they and we may in that Place,
Become Partakers of thy Grace,
Where Jews and Gentiles shall be saved,
By our Redeemer, and thy David.
42
By wiser men, in times of old,
Much was exprest, which I have told,
And, they have both in Prose and Rimes,
Forewarnings given in their times;
Declar'd in season, how GOD deals
With wicked Realms and Common-weals.
Our own Records likewise declare
GOD's frequent dispensations here;
How constantly, avenging wrath
In ev'ry Age pursued, hath
The greatest Tyrants in their turns,
Though sometimes, he their doom adjourns.
But, that, no just excuse will be
Either, to other men, or me,
If we shall negligently do
What, GOD inclines our hearts unto,
And may, now, or in future daies
Advance mans welfare, and God praise.
For, on us lieth Obligations,
To bring forth in our Generations,
VVhat needful seems to be exprest;
In such a manner also drest
As best that Ages temper fits
In which we live, and best begets
A timely heed, in those to whome
VVe serviceable would become:
Yea, we to them must hand it too;
Else, lamely, we our duties do.
Thus, I according to my powre
Have done, and therefore kiss the Towre
From whence, I send this Warning-shot
By Ammunition hardly got.
Much was exprest, which I have told,
And, they have both in Prose and Rimes,
Forewarnings given in their times;
Declar'd in season, how GOD deals
With wicked Realms and Common-weals.
Our own Records likewise declare
GOD's frequent dispensations here;
How constantly, avenging wrath
In ev'ry Age pursued, hath
The greatest Tyrants in their turns,
Though sometimes, he their doom adjourns.
But, that, no just excuse will be
Either, to other men, or me,
If we shall negligently do
What, GOD inclines our hearts unto,
And may, now, or in future daies
Advance mans welfare, and God praise.
For, on us lieth Obligations,
To bring forth in our Generations,
VVhat needful seems to be exprest;
In such a manner also drest
As best that Ages temper fits
In which we live, and best begets
A timely heed, in those to whome
VVe serviceable would become:
Yea, we to them must hand it too;
Else, lamely, we our duties do.
Thus, I according to my powre
Have done, and therefore kiss the Towre
From whence, I send this Warning-shot
By Ammunition hardly got.
43
LONDON, as Moses gave a song to be
Israels MEMENTO, I give this to thee;
To shew, that (though the world doth me deprive
Of what was hers) I somewhat have to give
Which I by GOD's free grace, may call mine own,
And, is not needlesly on thee bestown.
But, e're some change, the means thereof bereave,
Now, both of Friends and Foes, Ile take my leave;
Adue my Foes; for often, by event,
You did me good, though none to me you ment.
To pray for you, I know, I am your debter,
And, therefore so I do; GOD, make you better,
And so to mark and mind what he intends,
That, we may in his Love, henceforth be friends.
My friends, farewel; and no whit grieved be
Though you should me no more in Babel see,
For, at the Holy Lambe, we safe shall meet,
E're long, in New Jerusalems high street.
Israels MEMENTO, I give this to thee;
To shew, that (though the world doth me deprive
Of what was hers) I somewhat have to give
Which I by GOD's free grace, may call mine own,
And, is not needlesly on thee bestown.
But, e're some change, the means thereof bereave,
Now, both of Friends and Foes, Ile take my leave;
Adue my Foes; for often, by event,
You did me good, though none to me you ment.
To pray for you, I know, I am your debter,
And, therefore so I do; GOD, make you better,
And so to mark and mind what he intends,
That, we may in his Love, henceforth be friends.
My friends, farewel; and no whit grieved be
Though you should me no more in Babel see,
For, at the Holy Lambe, we safe shall meet,
E're long, in New Jerusalems high street.
Written in the Towre 1662.
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