to know his wiles to fight Against this Power of death and darkness so That thou maist give the Devil such a blow That he with his dark Kingdom may lose ground Till they shall fall and never more be found Then for thy further information know The Devil will for ever be thy fo And wil the foe of all men ever be And them beguile with feigned flatterie Do thou resolve his works and him to hate And never bite nor tast the Devils baite But him resist withstand and alwayes be For evermore the Devils enemy If so my soul thou must not think to please Thy fleshly lusts nor think to live at ease But hardness as a Souldier must endure A Souldiers life is such thou must be sure But please thy Captain he that hath thee chosen To be a Souldier thy assections loosen From such affairs as now may hinder thee From serving him whose Souldier thou must be To fight this fight of Faith if thou intend To overcome then hold out to the end For those that overcome the Spirit saith And do his Works continue in the Faith That keep his holy Word his Word of Patience Shall be exalted they shall rule the Nations And he that overcomes the same shall be A Pillar in God's holy Temple he Shall go no more from thence out of the same But Jesus Christ will write on him the Name Of God and of the City that is nam'd The New Jerusalem so greatly fam'd For beauty glory wealth that cometh down From God and out of Heav'n where there are none Can entrance have which doth not overcome Both Sin the World and Satan where 's no room For such for none but them that do prevail Shall cloathed be in white such shall not fail To sit with Christ in glory on his Throne And sing the praise of God the Lord alone And though by fighting none can nothing merit He must orecome that will all things inherit Then now my soul it 's good thou ponder well What is thy work while thou on earth dost dwell Make it thy study how thou maist be found In Faith and Holiness more to abound Behold what beauty is in Christ thy Jesus Him love and prize for he is very precious Solace thy self with love his Love so choice Delight to do his Will to hear his Voice What though in strait and narrow paths he lead He in those paths thy soul doth sweetly feed Thou hast by good experience found and known That in those paths thou walkest not alone But he goes with thee leading by the hand Thee where thou canst not hardly go or stand And makes those strait and narrow wayes to be So pleasant and so easie unto thee That thou canst walk those paths with so much ease That many times they much delight and please Thee so that thou maist say and never cease His wayes are Pleasantness his paths are Peace What though no beauty nor no comliness Be seen in him by wise men ne'retheless Think ne'r the worse of him but love him throughly Though he be black he is exceeding lovely Set thy affections on him so delight In his refreshing Presence day and night That thou communion with him maist maintain And labour in his Fear more of 't to gain Bear thou his Image learn of him to be More humble harmless holy that as he A perfect pattern was so is he still Him follow fully and no doubt he will So entertain thee with such great delights So ravishing thy heart with heav'nly sights Thou wilt be so inflam'd in Love so grow With Heav'n thou 't live no more on Earth below My soul sing praise unto the Lord Declare his mighty Works abroad Praise thou his great and holy Name That men his wondrous Works may know His mighty Acts do thou forth show His Glory Kingdom and his Fame Who though thou wast a poor posthume He kept thee in thy mothers womb And there and then thy life preserv'd He brought thee forth and gave thee breath And oft deliver'd thee from death Though thou hadst nought of him deserv'd When thou hungst on thy mothers breast And on her milk didst richly feast He was thy God and did thee keep He watch'd ore thee and did defend Thee from that fierce infernal Fiend He slumbred not nor did he sleep Thou wast a Child and Parentless Praise thou the Lord his goodness bless He rais'd thee up a faithful Friend That was a Mother unto thee This was his goodness verilie Praise thou the Lord world without end All this the Lord did that he might Open thy eyes and clear thy sight That thou maist understand and see His Goodness Mercy Grace and Truth Which thou beheldst whilst but a youth To him the glory honour be And though thy troubles have been great With which thou hast in this world met They never could make thee to yeeld He never in them thee forsook But on thee did in mercy look And for thee car'd and thee upheld What reason then hast thou to fear Or think he will not for thee care In these thy bonds and captive-state Such good experience thou hast seen Of him from time to time I mean When ere thou wast in any strait What needst thou care for all thy foes There 's none of them but he well knows And knows the way how to prevent Them all from doing thee that harm Which they do threaten when they storm And may be often their intent What though the world against thee rise With tongues of falshood and of lyes In him alone put thou thy trust And though they persecute thee sore And hate thee without cause the more Praise thou the righteous God most just My soul then magnifie the Lord Let all his Saints like praise afford His Praises sing both night and day He hath regard to all the meek He strengthens those that are but weak Let all Saints sing Hallelujah Well now my soul wee 'l leave a while rest And then we will discourse again it 's best I think we should talk next of other matter And forasmuch as it is now the latter Most evil times of which we are forewarn'd By Christ himself 't is good we should be arm'd Against the perils which that time attends Then if the Lord us help and to us lends Assistance we will speak of such a thing As may unto our mind and mem'ry bring What Judgments God intends and hath in store Against that great and Scarlet-coloured Whore And of that glorious blessed holy Day When Christ shall sit upon his Throne for aye Here followeth a brief Discovery Of Romes soul filthy stuff and trumpery Together with the Plagues laid up in store Against the day that God will plague the Whore VVE read in Scripture of a Scarlet Whore That hath opprest the Nations very sore Who with her filthy Cup of Fornication Hath made the people drunk in ev'ry Nation This Harlot sits upon a Scarlet Beast A Beast that
hath Nor can deprive him of his right it 's sure To him and shall for evermore enoure Saith David in his Psalms The Heathen rage Vain things imagine what doth this presage God sits in Heav'n and hath them in derision And will at length himself make the decision Though they do set against him and 's Anointed And counsel take they shall be disappointed Vnto them all he 'l speak then in his wrath Though he forbears and seems to be so loth Yet will he vex them in his sore displeasure When he shall set his King his only Treasure Upon his holy Hill then the Decree Concerning him will soon declared be Thou art my Son I have begotten thee Then ask my Son ask thou I say of me And I will give thee thine Inheritance Thou shalt upon my Holy Hill advance The Heathen shall be to thee for a portion The Earth I give to thee for thy possession The utmost parts thereof I give and thou Shalt break them with a Rod of Iron now In pieces shalt thou dash them as a Vessel That 's broken a in Morter with a Pestle Again saith David in another place Such is the Majesty of Christ the Grace Of this most mighty Prince and Lord of all That Kings shall stoop and down before him fall And they that in the Wilderness do live Shall bow before him and him honor give His Enemies who will they nill they must Fall down before him and shall lick the dust The Kings of Tarshish and them of the Isles Shall presents bring to him to have his smiles The Kings of Sheba and of Seba too Shall offer gifts to him if that would do Yea all the Nations under Heav'n that are Shall him obey all Kings then shall him fear And David in another Psalm doth say That God his Enemies will drive this day Before him God will then his foes down beat And plague all men he will that do him hate My faithfulness saith God with him shall be My mercy also and his Name I 'le see Shall be exalted I will set his hand Upon the Sea so in the Rivers and He 'l cry Thou art my God my Father then And say the Rock of my Salvation when My first-born I will make whose so by birth Far higher than the Kings are of the Earth But some it may be here will now object And say These Scriptures all have no respect To Christ but Solomon by them is meant And David penn'd these Psalms to that intent To shew he should be set on such a throne That like to him there should be never none So great so rich so mighty as was he If so then all these things fulfilled be I answer That these Scriptures can't be so Receiv'd nor understood for this I know That Solomon was never God's first-born Nor never did God so exalt his Horn To give to him such great and large Dominion To reach from sea to sea in my opinion Nebuchadnezzar was a greater man Then ever was the great King Solomon For Daniel said to him O King it 's thou Art grown so mighty strong and great that now Thy potent greatness reacheth unto Heav'n Such is thy boundless and thy large Dominion It doth extend unto the ends of th' earth God unto thee such glory given hath Though Solomon his glory was so much That in his day there was no King had such Yet consid'ring Nebusshadnezzar he Was great Commander universallie O're all the world it clearly follow will Those Prophesies God did not then fulfil In Solomon because it 's plain that he Had never such a glorious Monarchie I then conclude they meant and rather may The King of Babylon which none will say So universal as the others was Nor yet so great nor universal as Our Lords shall be when he doth come to reign As those fore-cited Scriptures speaketh plain Besides what I before did shew indeed That Christ must be that King of Davids seed These reasons then I end though many more I might produce in Scripture there 's such store But I with these shall well contented be Such satisfaction are they unto me But yet I matter not for th' sake of those That may more doubtful be before I close Bring forth such Scriptures which do more conduce To satisfaction then I here produce That prophesie of Balaam who when He hired was to curse Gods Israel then He prophesi'd and said My eyes shall him Behold but shall not now they are too dim I shall behold him but it won't be nigh Though I the knowledge have of the most High There shall a Star come out of Jacob and A Scepter out of Israel the Land Of Moab shall he smite the corners all The sons of Seth shall be destroy'd and fall And Edom shall because of their transgression So Seir likewise shall be a possession Unto his Enemies but Israel he Shall in those days do then most valiantlie Then out of Jacob will he come that shall Possess and have dominion o'ne them all Balaam then took up his Parable Beheld and saw that day was terrible And said Alas though 't is a day of bliss To Jacob who shall live when God doth this Again good Hannah when the Lord her Womb Had opened that she conceiv'd to whom He gave a Son which when she had brought forth She lent unto the Lord a son of worth He was to her yet for the Lord she 'l spare Her child her only son that was so dear And then to pray and praise the Lord goes she And thus she saith by way of prophesie The Adversaries of the Lord shall be All broke to pieces out of Heaven shall he Thunder upon them then the Lord will judge The Earth and ends thereof this priviledge The Lord shall have and strength he 'l give his King And will the Horn of his Anointed bring To be exalted and he 'l help the feet Of all his Saints though men them ill entreat As for the wicked they shall silent be In darkness when that they this day do see To do these wondrous things God will not fail For know by strength no man shall then prevail Oh what a glorious time this then will be When Saints shal reign with Christ triumphantlie That most transcendent glory and the state Christ shall be in which he 'l participate To them their lot their portion and a shares Because they 're sons they likewise are Joint-heirs With him and in his throne they shall sit down And shall receive a Kingdom and a Crown Not such a corrupt Crown that fades away But such a Crown of Life that won't decay Then fear not little Flock for 't is the pleasure Of God your Father to give you the treasure That 's in a Crown by Grace he will you save And hath thought meet the Kingdom you should have He that is Prince of Kings Kings of the earth Who you so lov'd that you he washed hath From all your sins in his
gave And did become his flesh then sure they have Eat up his Body and his Blood did drink If so 't were hard to understand or think How Judas with a kiss could him betray And afterward him carry so away With Swords and Staves before the Judgement-sent Of Pilate after his Disciples eat His body and his blood the night before He was betray'd And also furthermore How could the Jews accuse him if so be They eat him up then could it not be he Besides they did not only him accuse But they did buffet him the wicked Jews With one consent did all against him cry Deliver Barrabas but crucifie This man for we have often heard him speak Against the Temple and against God eke For whosoever speaketh blasphemy We have a Law by which Law he must dy 'T is very strange and wonderful to me How they could hang his body on a Tree And pierce his precious side so with a Spear If he was eat his body was not there Nor could his precious blood be ever shed Upon the Cross if his Disciples did Drink up his Blood when they drank of the Cup 'T was not there shed if they had drunk it up 'T would make one smile to think if this were so How Pilate was deceiv'd he did not know That his disciples did his body eat If Rome say true this was a pretty cheat And then the Jews were also much mistaken When they believ'd for certain they had taken And brought the Man before the Judgement-seat And had the life of that Deceiver great As they him call'd it seems 't was not the same For his disciples eat him ere they came By this it may be seen Rome doth deny That Christ upon the Cross for us did dy Though she enjoins her subjects to adore The wooden Cross such impudence this Whore Hath got that she may make the world believe That when she looks thereon she doth so grieve None like to her to think that ere the Jews Should be so wicked Jesus to abuse And put to death that was so good a man And yet if Rome say true she doth and can Eat up his flesh this makes me wonder more Because she saith his flesh was eat before By what is said one may already spye This Errand Whore can tell an errand lye But further if our Lords Disciples have His body eat their bellyes were his Grave If so no doubt the women likewise much Deceived were when they so early such Great hast did make to see where they had laid His body unto whom the Angels said He is not here but risen from the dead Go tell to his Disciples what is sed And let them know the Grave could not him hold As he before had often them foretold Away they went and told this to the rest But their report they did not in the least Give credit to their words did rather seem To be a tale or some such idle dream But after this as two of them did go To Emmaus but they did not him know Christ on the way they went drew near to them But as I said they did not know 't was him He takes occasion to begin some talk As they together on the way did walk And doth enquire why they were so sad What that communication was they had They answer him Art thou a stranger here That thou this weighty matter dost not hear Concerning Jesus whom they crucifi'd Who was condemn'd and for the people dy'd We trusted that it had been he that should Have now redeemed Israel and would Vpon the third day rise up from the dead And there some women are that have it sed That he is risen and again doth live Which doth astonish us but we can give No credit to them for they have not seen His person though to day they 've early been To look for him where they his body laid Then Christ to this them answered and said Oh fools and slow of heart for to believe What all the Prophets spake won't you receive And from the Prophets he did show that he Accordingly must crucified be And rise again the third day from the dead As all the holy Prophets witnessed But when they drew near to the Village where They were to go Christ made as though he were Not minded farther with these two to go But they constrained him with Reasons so That he went in to tarry there that night He sate at meat and vanish'd out of sight He blest and broke the bread and then they knew That it was he and what he said was true We then conclude his Schollars did not eat His body corp'rally that is a cheat That Rome invented to deceive the blind A thing in Scripture never man did find For this is clear that Jesus Christ was slain Laid in his Grave the third day rose again His real body that was crucifi'd The same was rais'd again as Thomas try'd For he was doubtful of the matter still Would not believe that Christ was risen till To satisfie his doubt Christ condescends So graciously that he his doubt soon ends By saying Thomas feel my sides and hands Which Thomas doth and then amazed stands And saith My Lord my God I now do see 'T is thou thy self no other man but thee Then afterward Christ in the sight of all His 'leven Disciples whom he did forth-call And led them forth as far as Bethany He blessed them and from them straight did fly He did ascend to Heav'n out of their sight Into that glory and transcendant light Where he before with God his Father dwelt And where he ne're such bitter usage felt As here on earth he did from such as those Who for his love became his cruel foes Where now in heav'n his body doth remain And shall until he doth descend again From heav'n to earth to recompence all men As their deeds be done in the body then How can the bread be transubstantiated When by a sottish Priest 't is consecrated His body being now in heav'n above And from that throne will never more remove Until the time appointed by the Father Which will be dreadful unto Rome the rather Because she doth those murder and devour That wil not her adore nor own her power The flesh of Christ she eats she drinks his blood Not that in heav'n ti'nt to be understood But that on earth his members that are here That serve the Lord in spirit faith and fear His body that 's in Haven she cannot eat Although she lyes and faith it is her meat But that she cannot reach that 's one good turn For if she could she would him eat or burn And yet this Whore is still so impudent That of her Whorish trade she won't repent Nor doth she blush but boldly will attest That she 's the Church of Christ I think 't is best For her to say so prov 't she cannot do Unless she prove and that I know is true That she the Synagogue
as a Father go before the sheep And feed them well and them from danger keep From being by the crafty Fox annoy'd Or by the Lyon or the Wolf destroy'd And he that is the chiefest Shepherd will Such Shepherds certainly reward so well They shall not once from him receive a frown Nor triple Mitre but of life a Crown By what is said we may already find The Lordly Pope is of another mind Than Peter was for he no Lord would be Nor no man else that was in his degree Which proves the Pope as you may clearly see To have no Primitive Antiquity For there no Popes nor Cardinals were then Nay Christ forbids such Lords should be for when He was upon the earth a charge left he With his Disciples that they should not be Lordly nor lofty as when men do meet Them in the Market-place they should them greet Nor must they suffer any of them to call Rabby for Christ was Master ore them all No nor must they presume by no means neither To call a man upon the Earth their Father For they no Father have on earth but one Which is in Heaven their Father is alone Nor no preheminence must any seek But holy humble they must be and meek For he that doth exalt himself shall be Abas'd so much our Lord hath said That he That will be greatest 't is his will he shall No Master be but servant to them all Indeed the Princes of the Gentiles do Dominion exercise ore men 't is true And such as Lords and one that 's greatest he Did exercise ore them authority But Christ's Disciples must not Lord it so If any seek such power he must know This is the mind of Christ that such men should Be ministers unto the rest that would Keep faithful in the place which Christ hath set Them in and ne're such honor seek to get And further Paul unto the Corinths saith That they had no dominion ore their Faith Nor were they Lords but helpers of their joy They stood by Faith then would they not destroy That Faith that Jesus Christ unto them gave For there is no man on the earth can have Dominion over Faith but Christ alone For that Prerogative is his and none But he can lay such claim unto the same Though Pope or call'd by any other name And yet this lofty proud imperious Whore Assumes this great Prerogative and more She doth by force presume to contradict That precious Faith the Faith of Gods elect Nay such she saith is her Authority That Kings and Princes she dares to defie Which Peter never had then this if true She Peters Faith and Practice never knew And therefore it concluding is that Rome Hath not Antiquity beyond what some Now living have who in the Faith now be That Peter had those have Antiquity The next thing which we chiefly are to heed Is her Succession she doth also plead And saith from Peter 't was she did receive Her great Commission if you 'l her believe And that from him and since down all along Which she will prove by arguments so strong That none shall them oppose her reasons are So wicked strong indeed that no man dare As for her arguments the best are these If any Rome oppose or her displease Away with him unto the Inquisition Or take him Gaoler grant him no permission Of any Liberty but keep him from His Friends or those that unto him would come And keep him there close up some months or years And then he will conform be fill'd with fears Of worser things that after will ensue If all these fail and none of them will do Then out she brings that argument at last That is the strongest and that keeps them fast Unto the question answer Yea or no Will you conform or to the Fire go The strongest argument Rome hath is Fire Which is confuted when Saints do expire In flames as Witnesses of Christ against Her Usurpation Darkness Ignorance That she hath introduc'd and caus'd to be Committed ever since the time that she A right did plead or claim unto Succession As she pretends to Peters great Commission But also unto this we do reply She doth not him succeed the reason why Is very clear exceeding plain that she A Successor of Peter cannot be Because that none but those of Peters Faith Can him succeed or that from Peter hath Receiv'd Commission or Authority To be a Bishop or to use thereby The Pow'r of Christ to rule or take the care Of peoples souls such men must make no spare Of pains nor labour neither should they please Themselves nor live in pleasure nor at ease Nor pomp and state nor have things as they will But must deny themselves if they 'l fulfil Their Ministry with joy which they receiv'd Of Jesus Christ in whom they have believ'd And ready be to offer up their All For him and for his Flock if God should call Them forth to such a service and a work Them to defend against the Pope or Turk Defend I say by sound and wholsome preaching Of Gospel-truths and them confirm by teaching To let them understand to see and know What great Impostors there 's at Rome and show Their great prophaneness and their filthy pride Idolatry and cruelty beside But as I said Succession no man hath But such as follow Christ and keep the Faith That precious Faith which Peter had and none But that which Christ did build his Church upon For those that do succeed in that true Faith They and no other true Succession hath Which all impartial men may clearly see By what Paul writeth unto Timothy This charge he gives to Timothy That all The things that Timothy had heard of Paul Among those many witnesses that he Did Faith and Truth confirm to Timothy The same he did receive he must commit To faithful men for so Paul thought it fit And not to men that had not Faith nor such That erred from the Faith or thought it much To feed the Flock except they had the wool And would make war except their mouths were full But unto such whose lives were commendable And who to teach the Truth were very able That they likewise to other faithful men Should give the self-same charge as Paul did then That down along none should succeed but he That kept the Faith From time to time you see From what is said it doth appear so plain That there doth no Succession now remain In Rome because Rome now hath wrackt and lost The Faith of Peter whereof she doth boast For she that Faith hath often stigmatiz'd With such defame and hath apostatiz'd That long ago she her Succession lost And Christ withall she chang'd him for the Host Which now she doth adore and fall down to And therefore let us give the Whore her due If any one there be she doth succeed It is the Serpent for she doth proceed So fully in his ways and paths she goes
shall do another injury And then that very great antipathy That now between the creatures is shall dy For then the Wolf shall lie down with the Lamb And dwell together sure of this I am The Leopard then shall lie down with the Kid The Calf and Lion young are also rid The one of 's preying nature and the other Can now confide in him as in a brother Nay though the Lion be a Fatling by He 'l not him harm they 'l down together lye So gentle and so tame they will be then A little Child may lead them both and when This time is come the Cow then with the Bear Shall feed their young together lye and there The Lion shall like to an Ox eat straw To prey on flesh he now shall have no maw The deadly great and most destructive nature The Venom which is found now in the creature Their deadly sting shal then be took away When once a sucking-Child shall dare to play On the Asps hole the weaned Child may then Not fear to put his hand upon the den Of that so deadly Cockatrice for there They shal not hurt destroy none shal them fear In Gods most holy Mountain and the Earth Shal filled be with knowledge and with mirth Cover'd with knowledge shal the Earth then be As now we see the Waters do the Sea There 's such a glorious time as this to come Or else the Prophets are mistook not some But all for all of them of this time spoke Foreseeing that there was a heavy yoke That Rome should keep the faithful People in And afterward that cursed Man of Sin Until there come a Rod out of the Stem Of Jesse and a branch spring out of him Out of his Root shall spring that holy Prince That King of kings and Lord of lords from hence It comes that Christ our Lord is said to be Of Davids Off-spring notwithstanding he Is Davids Root and shal possess his Throne In the appointed time as hath been shown But that I might this Truth yet clearer make Then this that follows likewise from me take That Christ shal rule and reign on Earth as King To prove I further do this Reason bring Because the Earth and all that therein is Are by Creation-right all of them his They were made by him and not only so But for him too and then his Right we know It is that one day he should them possess Which were made for him to enjoy and bless With Righteousness with which he 'l judge the poor Reprove the meek with Equity more He with the Rod of 's Wrath wil smite the Earth And slay the wicked also with his breath For Righteousness the girdle of his loins And Faithfulness the girdle of his reins Shall be and then will come that blessed day That he the Root of Jesse will display The Glory of his Rest as on a hill Stand for an Ensign and the Gentiles will Unto it seek his Rest shal glorious be Thrice happy they that shall this Glory see When this is come to pass that Prophecie Spoke by Isaiah will fulfilled be Behold in Righteousness a King shall reign And Princes rule in Judgment shall again As from the wind and tempest which we see A hiding-place a covert there shall be As in a dry and thirsty place and as The shadow of a mighty great Rock is A man shall be as Water Rivers and As such a Rock is in a weary Land The eyes of them that see shall not be dim The ears of them that hear shall hearken then The rash of heart shall knowledge understand Their passions then they shall so well command The tongue of stammerers shall ready be To utter words to talk to speak plainly The Glory of that day shall be so great My pen's too weak that Glory to repeat So great it is my thoughts it doth so fill That here another Reason follow will That Christ shal come the Earth to rule will be Apparant made as 't wil appear for he By right of purchase is become the Lord Of all the Earth and all it doth afford He therefore dy'd reviv'd and rose again That he might this Prerogative obtain To be the Lord both of the quick and dead This may in Pauls Epistle soon be read By his obedience to his Father he Obtained such a glorious dignitie By dying on the Cross that cursed death For which his Father him exalted hath And such a Name hath given unto him Above all names that 's given into them That are in Heav'n in Earth or underneath The Earth to him all which have life and breath At his most glorious Name their knees must bow There 's few but will for truth this sure allow And ev'ry tongue confess that Christ is Lord This Glory they must unto God afford When God the Father rais'd Christ from the grave He then to him this Princely honour gave To sit at his right hand in heav'nly places In recompence of all those foul disgraces That he sustain'd while he was on the Earth Although he was the King thereof by birth So far above all Principalitie All Power Might Dominion Dignity And ev'ry Name that 's nam'd not only whom Is in this world but in that world to come And hath put all things underneath his feet Though all things be'nt subjected to him yet He bore the great iniquities of many Of all indeed he did not leave out any Then with the great a portion he 'l divide And with the strong divide the spoil beside Because he did his soul pour out to death This glory God to Christ now given hath That as the Earth he bought and paid the score That it stood charged with so he 'l restore All things again when he from Heav'n descends To take away what ever in 't offends And then all living shall enjoy and see How glorious Christ's Government will be That which already hinted is well may Give satisfaction unto all if they Be so unbyass'd and be so intent In searching out what all the Prophets meant And Christ and his Apostles for all they Did prophesie and speak of this good day By these and such like sayings as I bring Of which there is a multitude that sing The self-same song as I above have done For sure I am they all with me are one But ne'retheless it still is my intent One Reason more to contribute or hint That Christ shall rule and reign here on the earth Is true because it is his right by birth He Christ the first born is of ev'ry creature And he of all things also is the Maker The first-born is mongst many brethren too The first begotten Son of God and who The brightness of his Fathers glory is The express Image of his person his Gods only Son whom he appointed Heir Of all things that hath been shall be or are In Heav'n above or in the Earth beneath They all are his by birth there 's none that
sweeter Tho unto sence it seems to be so bitter Than any Princely Court or stately Palace When with his presence he the soul doth solace If in a Prison Jesus Christ be there It 's cause of joy to meet him any where No sorrow can nor will that soul betide That hath dear Jesus lying by his side And he that night and day can take a nap In Jesus Christ the Lord 's Anointed's Lap Can there rejoice and in a Dungeon sing For joy of heart that Christ is there with him Tho Paul and Silas in the stocks were laid At midnight they in that condition pray'd And sung for joy of heart their Lord was there And with his love did them refresh and chear And made their bonds so pleasant and so choice With his good presence comforts and sweet voice That made them sing aloud with joyful praise VVhich did their Jaylers stonish and amaze And put them into such a fright and fear They could not tell the Prisoners were there Not knowing that in Prison they were free VVhen others were in bonds in liberty Why should I then with Prison-bonds be frighted Tho in my bonds I am by many slighted Sith I full many many times have known That blessed Jesus leaves me not alone But doth refresh my soul both day and night I never am out of his Princely sight He by his Spirit doth my soul uphold So teach and comfort strengthen and new-mold So frame so form so fashion and compose My heart so vile to be at his dispose That with my bonds I 'm mighty well content And at 's command to be I 'm fully bent So he with strength and grace support my soul VVho ere he be in this that shall controul And so he please still to continue with me Nor will he ever leave me nor forsake me As he hath promis'd in his faithful word VVhich I believe and to it do accord And am ascertain'd that he cannot lye Nor ne'r his holy blessed self deny Nor will he break that Covenant he made VVith faithful Abraham and all his seed That seed of Faith I mean not of the Law That which the Scriptures long ago foresaw Then need not I to fear what man can do VVhat ere he be that saith he 'l make me rue If Christ my Jesus be but on my part I need not fear they cannot make me smart Nor can they touch my hair except he please Them to permit I cannot one hair leese But should he them permit to try my Faith My Love and zeal to him and for his truth On me some grievous torments to inflict VVith which my sinful flesh they should afflict And sorely bruise and wound and cut and burn Yet would such handlings to my comfort turn In taking up and bearing of the Cross There can nor will be to my soul no loss It is the certain way unto the Crown Christ went that way himself 't was his renown Then now O Lord assist me with thy Grace That I may run not faint that blessed race Which in the end will bring me to that rest Where Sin and Satan can't my soul molest Where I shall never hear Oppressions voice Nor grief nor pain nor trouble but rejoice In thee alone and praise thy holy Name Admire thy Glory Beauty and thy Fame Where I shall have no work to do but praise The God of Heav'n the King of Saints always And if thou Lord dost please still to employ me In any harder work thereby to try me Grant as the day is so my strength may be For strength I have not any but from thee And then command me what shall seem good to thee I am thy Servant ready to obey thee 1. MY soul praise thou the God of Might And in the Lord be glad His Grace is wondrous in thy sight for he such pity had 2. Of thee when thou a sinful wretch didst wallow in the mire Of lust and filth then did he snatch a brand out of the fire 3. He lov'd thee when thou lovd'st not him such was his Love and Grace He took thee from the very brim Of Hell that dismal place 4. VVhen terrors did my soul amaze and sorrows day and night He out of them my soul did raise to see those beams so bright 5. That on my darken'd soul did shine which darted from the Son Of Mercy Grace and Love Divine my soul with it was won 6. More to admire than comprehend comprehend I could not VVhat kind of love God did intend unto my foul I knew not 7. Comfort and light I did receive which sweetly staid my heart And made me wait hope and believe God would his mind impart 8. At length unto my thirsting mind that long'd so much to know More of his Grace and Mercy kind the Lord was pleas'd to show 9. unto my soul that these were pangs new-birth pangs upon me Which much in doubt for sometime hangs I knew not they were on me 10. But when the Lord had me begat a lively hope unto Then I perceiv'd 't was nought but that with cords my soul he drew 11. I say with cords of love so sweet so choice unto my soul VVith which the Lord did me then meet that was so vile and foul 12. Then straight-way did the Lord speak peace and issues out a pardon The troubles of my soul did cease that heart which I did harden 13. VVas then most sweetly mollifi'd even melted and so broken My soul was then so satisfi'd it hardly can be spoken 14. Oh then how was my heart inflam'd with love to Christ my Lord That of his word I was not asham'd but gladly could afford 15. To lose my All for his dear sake that lost his Life for me And laid it down that he might make my peace with God and be 16. An able Saviour that can save me to the uttermost That I an open way might have to God which I had lost 17. Oh then my soul how art thou bound thy self to serve no more Thou from the Lord hast mercy found praise thou his Name therefore 18. Be not a servant unto men their lusts do not obey Nor serve no longer any sin that will thee soon destroy 19. But serve the Lord with all thy might 't was he that hath thee bought Thou art non's else but his of right he thy salvation wrought 20. And paid a price for thee so dear so precious and so great Then praise the Lord him love and fear for that is wondrous meet 21. Forsake him not he is thy Life thy Peace thy Joy thy All A present help in time of strife in troubles great and small 22. And tho the wicked rage and storm and threaten what they 'l do There 's none of them can do thee harm Christ is thy Rock then lo 23. What cause to fear the wrath of man it 's that shall praise the Lord And the remainder he 'l restrain this shall be known abroad 24. My soul
trust thou in God alone fear not what man can do For Christ will sit upon his throne and then to them wo wo. This I have learn'd and by experience found The more my troubles for Christ do abound My joy and comfort by Christ doth encrease And daily grow and multiply not cease Decay nor vanish but my Lord doth still Exceedingly my soul with his sweet will Affect please and delight there 's nothing more Can do 't the King of Saints be prais'd therefore It 's true there can be no affliction joyous Unto the flesh but very sore and grievous The flesh doth not esteem a Prison gainful But bitter and most miserably painful And so I find it sometimes is with me It makes me wish in heart I could get free Alwayes provided I could have the same With honor to my Lord the King and 's Name Which is more dear to me than is my life My little all my Children and my Wife And they are dearer to me tho I say 't Then all the world beside I 'm sure I know 't Then if I with my flesh and blood should reason I ne'r had staid in Jayl so long a season I have not been from all temptations free But many times they have assaulted me But Christ with 's Grace my soul hath so sustain'd That on my soul temptations have not gain'd Such ground or root against me to prevail Through him they have not made me faint or fail And though they seem to be no pleasant things Yet are they such as profit to me brings For by temptation is my Faith so prov'd And made more precious when I 'm nothing mov'd But helpt against them and made to endure They work such patience in me I am sure That I 'm contented to abide the storm Because they work for good and not for harm I plainly find by tribulations I Have learn'd my many frailties to espye Such as I never knew nor learn'd before I little thought that I had had such store I now can see my heart so vile so base So prone to start aside sin to embrace So ready to betray me to my foes That lodge within my breast and with them close So dull so stupid and so indispos'd So vain so foolish seldom well compos'd So ready to affect the world and'ts pelf Secretly saying Master save thy self Why shouldst thou thus thy tender self expose To be so long afflicted by thy foes Why shouldst thou man so long in Prison lye Thou maist fall sick and of that sickness dye Ponder the matter well tender thy life Thy pretty children and thy loving Wife So selfish is my heart so prone to please This sinful flesh of mine that loves its ease So full of unbelief and diffidence So ready to let go all confidence So fruitless negligent ungrateful So crafty and so subtile so deceitful I find it hard my heart to understand It hath so many turnings windings and So many evils doth it still attend I dare not trust it nor unto it lend An ear to hear its many cunning quirks That in it secretly lies hid and lurks But watch against oppose and crucifie Lest it prevail ore me and so I dye And sleep the sleep of death and all in vain I do or suffer prove my loss no gain Now then my soul behold what cause thou hast To look back to the time that 's gone and past And see consider weigh remember and Bewail thy sins for number as the sand Thy self abhor and loath and mourn for thy Uncomeliness and great imparity To Christ thy Prince that ever blessed one That dy'd for thee else hadst thou been undone And held in Chains of darkness evermore In Hell thy self to moan thy sins deplore A bond slave held in Satans Chain and Kingdom Subjected to his will his wiles and wisdom If thou shouldst have what thou by sin didst merit Thou never wilt eternal life inherit Look back I say behold and see what case Thou' rt in through sin that so by thee the Grace Of Christ thy King may so be magnifi'd His Name exalted and so glorifi'd That thou maist live for ever in his sight And that the King in thee may take delight And now behold my soul how thou art bound Here the rich love of the Lord to sound Declare and publish that all men may see How dearly Christ thy King hath loved thee And what the manner of that love hath been In taking thee from such a state of sin From Satans pow'r of darkness into light Translating thee into that Kingdom bright Of his dear Son that Prince of Life and Peace And Lord of Glory who will never cease By 's blood to speak far better things than all The blood of Abel did which loud did call For God's just veng'ance ' gainst his brother Cain Who had his brother murder'd kill'd and slain I say that speaks far better things for thee On thy behalf to God his Father he By virtue of his Death and Mediation Who lives for ever making intercession By which he pleads thy cause where now he 's sitting And answers for those sins thou art committing In weakness frailty and against thy will Consent good liking and doth daily fill Thee with assurance that thy sin 's forgiven And blotted out and all those scores made even That thou stoodst charged with before the seat Of God's tribunal terrible and great Which in that Court of Conscience there was plac't In which thou wast arraign'd condemn'd and cast 1. How wonderful thy goodness Lord hath ever been to me That thou such kindness shouldst afford of Grace and Mercy free 2. To such a sinful wretch as I so empty and so vile So fill'd with such iniquity that 's ready me to file 3. O Lord it 's wondrous in my fight that thou shouldst have regard To such a worthless nothing-wight which makes my heart though hard 4. To melt as wax before the fire when I thy Grace do weigh It so enflameth my desire Come Lord and make no stay 5. And let my soul taste more of love my soul is not content Without those show'rs fall from above that may my soul prevent 6. Those show'rs of mercy love grace that may be to my heart As show'rs to the new-mown grass that I may ne'r depart 7. From thee who art my God and King my Refuge and my Stay But that I may thy praises sing Come Lord without delay The more Christ doth himself to me make known The more to me his love and Grace is shown The more my soul enjoyes and doth possess The more it longs to have that happiness More to receive enjoy find feel and tast That by its force and strength and power at tast All those remains of sin might be subdu'd And that no fair pretence might me delude Deceive and harm by taking of my mind From Heav'n Heav'nly things nor me so blind Or cause to dote on any thing below Or make my
simple heart in love to grow With them or any thing they can propose The more I gain of them the more I lose And that through Christ and strength of grace I might Have all my whole affections vanquisht quite So kill'd so slain so conquer'd and orecome That in my heart there might be left no room For any filthy sin or lust to harbour That oft hath caus'd my soul to sigh and labour Under the pow'r thereof the grief the pain Of which my heart doth many times complain By reason of the domineering power Of Sin and Satan that for ev'ry hour Did once assault me with its bates and wiles Those cunning stratagems which oft beguiles Poor souls and brings them oft-times to a snare In which they 're taken ere they are aware But now this is become my souls ambition To have it brought in full and whole subjection To Jesus Christ my Lord that nought but he May rule and bear the sway in me and be Both uppermost and chief and reign as King Within my soul and heart oh that 's the thing I long to find and feel and know and have And day and night do always beg and crave That Christ might dwell by Faith so in my heart That I might get and learn that blessed Art To bring down ev'ry thought into subjection And cast down ev'ry vain imagination And ev'ry high thing that doth self and flesh Exalt against the Lord my God I wish And earnestly desire that I might be So dying to the world the world to me Transform'd by the renewing of my mind And not conform'd unto the world but find The Art to know and prove what is that good That perfect acceptable will of God And that I might the pow'r of Jesus know The power of his Resurrection so The fellowship of his dear suffering That my poor soul might be in ev'ry thing And his dispose and while I 've life and breath So made conformable unto his death That if by any means I might attain The resurrection of the dead and gain To be conform'd to th' Image of the Son Who ' mongst the many Brethren was first-born That I in heart and mind might dwell no more Here on the earth but in my spirit sore Rest dwell and live and walk and climb Into that Paradise that Throne sublime Where Christ doth sit in shining glory he I 'de there be with and ever with him be With which most glorious place O Lord affect My stony heart that I may have respect To nothing more nor nothing more so eye Than that reward that 's in Eternity That so my soul may have the strength to bear The troubles I am like to meet with here That in the darkest dismal'st time and day No trouble may my soul amaze nor fray And take away the Clouds and Mists that be Sometimes between my heart my soul and thee That sometimes vails from me that love light And hides thy face and glory from my sight Which makes my soul for to lament and mourn Such troubles are too heavy to be born And suffer not my soul no more to live So much below that glory thou wilt give To those that love thy Name to those that fear The Lord thy Christ and wait when he 'l appear And fill my heart and soul with such a measure Of Light in that estimable treasure That I by Faith thy glorious face may see With which my soul may still refreshed be And always have assurance of thy love By that sweet sealing-Spirit from above Take up my thoughts into those endless joys Let me no longer live upon those toys That 's here on earth those passing earthly things That rather to my soul disquiet brings Than any joy or comfort Lord I find There 's nothing in this world gives peace of mind In that Celestial place where thou dost dwell That place of glory that no tongue can tell Nor mortal eye hath seen nor heart conceive What 's there in store for them that do believe There where thy Presence is there 's fulness store Of joy and pleasures now and evermore Then by thy Spirit give me to behold The Glory of thy Self to me unfold That most transcendant Beauty and that Light Where Angels worship thee both day and night That though no heart is able to conceive it Nor mortal eye perceive the Brightness of it Nor tongue relate what things are laid up there For them that do thee love and serve and fear And though I can't the least of Mercies merit Yet Lord reveal them to me by thy Spirit That I may daily more and more so slight So disesteem the world that I so might Just as a pilgrim-stranger travel here So freed from all the world and worldly care That I might never think my self at home Until I find that City that 's to come Before thou canst arrive this blessed Port And enter in this Haven such a sort Of waves and tempests may against thee rise Which Satan will against thee so devise To keep thee off by force with wind weather Unless thou play the man thou 't ne'r come thither Then look about thee and consider well And hearken unto what I shall thee tell Thou seest thou hast a journey now to go Be careful that thou dost it travel so Still casting off those things that may thee let That thou may'st safely to the end on 't get Thou art no other than a stranger here A sojourner as all thy fathers were Then think not thou shalt be so kindly us'd For strangers many times are much abus'd Though strangers should be all received well And entertained be it all times fell That sojourners and such as strangers be Which travel towards Heav'ns eternity That holy City Heav'nly Canaan Did find small friendship here from any man Our fathers Abraham and Isaac too With Jacob and the rest did find it so For they did live as strangers in the Land Which was by Promise their own Country and Because they sought a City God had made That had foundations he the basis laid The builder and the maker of the same Was he alone they from their Country came To sojourn in the Land of Promise when God call'd them forth out of their Country then They sought by Faith another Country where They should have rest from travel and the care That usually attends the way they went To heav'ly Canaan where they were bent To go through thick and thin what ere it cost The end would make amends for all they lost They all did die in Faith did not receive The Promise yet the Promise did believe And if my soul thou dost intend to go In that same path they went thou'lt find it so That thou art but a Pilgrim-Stranger here A Travellor unto a Country where Thou wilt a Resting-place enjoy indeed Then go not back but on the way proceed Think it no hard thing thou shouldst be a stranger And that thou art