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
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
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
most precious blood He undertook for you in your place stood And now hath made you Kings Priests by birth And one day you shall reign with him on earth Then shall that Princely Heav'nly song be sung On Harps of God most sweetly tun'd and strung The song of Moses who Gods servant was The holy Lambs song likewise this song is Which song methinks before I further go I must insert that you this song may know Most great and marvellous all thy works are Lord God Almighty who shall not thee fear And glorifie thy Name for thou art holy And just and true thy ways are righteous wholly All Nations shall now come and worship thee For now thy Judgements manifested be Thou King of Saints most true just are thy wayes This song then Saints shall sing him shal praise Such perfect heav'nly frames of heart they shall Be alwayes in their glory won't be small But such as always shall their souls so fill With joy they 'l sing praise to the Lamb and will Continually rejoice set forth the praise Of him who is the Ancient of all Dayes For then the glory of the Lord they 'l see The Lamb will always with them present be They then will God see face to face no blame Will he find in them but will write his Name Upon their foreheads he will dwell with them And they for evermore shall be with him They then shall be his people he will be Their God for ever to eternitie Then shall they hear no sighing nor no cries All tears he 'l wipe away from off their eyes No death nor mourning sorrow greif nor pain Shall ever overtake those souls again For such things then there will be left no room Because the Bride enjoys her dear Bridegroom If she rejoiceth now to hear his voice When she his face shall see she may rejoice When she beholds his person and doth see His Beauty Glory and his Majestie All former things with her will pass away Now she can sing and on Gods Harps can play Nothing can her to grief or sorrow move How can she mourn that hath her fill of Love What ere she did here in this mortal state She 'l now rejoice to mourn it is too late The Bride did mourn and weep while he was gone Who is her Bridegroom though she wan't alone Her heart was with him he with hers and still He with his Spirit did her always fill With full assurance that she was his Bride And that he from her went but to provide A City and a Mansion for each one And then he 'd come and leave no more his own And wel-beloved Spouse his chiefest Joy His Darling to the Lions to anoy Who can report the joy when she goes thither She there wil meet with when they meet together Thus have I hinted as I said I would In such a place so well as well I could The doubtless fall of that great Scarlet Whore Who in her loftiness and pride doth soar Above the Throne of Kings but she shall be Thrown down from thence into the deepest Sea From whence she nevermore shall rise again The healing of her breach will be in vain And as I promis'd so I 've now perform'd To hint that Christ shall one day be enthron'd Yet one or two words more by way of use I still have yet to say which may produce Some good effect to some though not to all But to the Whore I think 't will none at all But some there be which are of her that yet Adore her much if they 'l reade what is writ I mean her plagues here hinted in this book It may provoke them now about to look If they 'l consider well what Sorcery What Fornications and Idolatry What guiltiness there is upon her still Of th' Martyrs blood which she a Sea did spill Who knows but that it may a motive prove Some one or more from off their lees to move And who can tell but this may call forth some From out of her lest they share in her doom When they shall reade her sins her plagues withal Or else partake with her in her great fall And therefore let it be a use of terror Of great astonishment of fear and horror Unto the Pope and all his Cardinals His Moncks and Friers ev'n those Canibals Who eat the flesh of men trade with their souls And drink the blood of Saints as Wine in bowls Let pains and pangs and sorrows on them seize The time doth hasten now when God will ease Himself of such an evil Generation Who are such foes to Christ his Death and Passion Whom they would tear pluck out of his throne If they thereby could but keep up their own The next and last word I intend to speak At this time is unto the poor and meek Those filly harmless Lambs the lot and stock Of Jesus Christ our Lord that little flock Here 's comfort new for you and consolation That follow hard in the Regeneration That blessed Lamb of God which went before Whom follow after fully for the more You follow him the more your peace will be Here and hereafter your felicitie Though he lead thorow many rocky wayes To that sweet place of rest yet see you praise Your Prince it is the certain way that leads Unto God's Kingdom though it trouble breeds Unto the flesh to climb such rocks and hills He will go with you that with pleasure fills Your souls there can be then no cause of fear To go that way that Christ is with you there For he hath been and is strength to the poor Help to the needy in distress and more A refuge from the storm and from the heat A shadow is when grievous storms do beat The storm of furious ones whose blast doth fall As doth a mighty storm against a wall Know where you cannot go he will you carry And he that shal come wil come and won't tarry Fear not then little Flock rejoyce and smile At this it 's but a very little while But he will come and wil you all imbrace Then shal you see his glorious shining face The way 's but short the labour 's smal you spend Faint not you 'l soon come to your journeys end Afflictions are but light the Glory 's pondrous But a moment eternal Glory 's wondrous There 's no comparison between these twain If for a light Affliction you can gain A weight of Glory for a moment you Receive eternal-Glory with Christ doo What loss can't be who would not walk a path That dirty is if it an ending hath In Rest and in unutterable Joys Rather than one that leads to nought but toys The best and all of them this great fault have They leave a man when he goes to his grave Nay more while he is but on toys a poring And is them like to petty gods adoring They steal away his heart if he intend To follow that way still 't wil in the end Lead him to death that death to never dy But live in torments to eternity Then wait with patience for your Prince and King When ha appears he then will with him bring Such great rewards will make up all your losses Your suffrings trials troubles and your crosses Content your selves be satisfi'd and rest In this that you have such an interest In Christ and in his Glory that no man Though nere so mighty or so great that can Deprive you of 't God greater is than they None can you harm if he but say them nay Admit they should do what with their will stands They can't you pluck out of your Father's hands Beware then that you don't his love disdain Take heed you don't his holy Name prophane By any sin or unbeseeming walking By any foolish jesting idle talking But I the Prisoner of the Lord beseech You all to study and consider which Way you may sanctifie that holy Name And bring forth praise and hounour to the same That sacred Name of God which now doth seem To be reproach'd which some do much blaspheme Walk worthy of that calling wherewith ye Are called and be sure you alwayes see Your conversation all times cloathed is With lowliness that Christ-like grace of his That unto all men you may make 't appear That as was Christ so you like-minded are And be not rash but meek enduring wrong If you be like to Christ he suffer'd long Forbear ye one another live in love And God will still be with you from above And keep your hearts minds through Christ our Lord If you like brethren do in love accord Then make it ev'ry one your great endeavour And do at all times in the same persever To keep the Spirits unity and peace That God may dwell with you and you increase In all the fruits and graces of the Spirit You may esteem'd be worthy to inherit A Crown of life a Kingdom and a Throne Which will enjoyed be by those and none But those that faithful are unto the death For so God's holy blessed Spirit saith I now conclude and end and take my leave Hoping these lines though rude you will receive And mend those faults in love you may there find If any benefit you reap then mind To give the praise to God the honour 's his Give none to me but all to him whose ' t is All Glory be to him that ever liveth I 'm yours in him to love and serve John Griffith FINIS
Or had committed crimes of such a nature So filthy and so foul with so much rancour Against their Worships What have they no Law To try me by Or have they got no maw To do me right What should the reason be I am an English man and am born free My Birth-right is not then without just cause To lie in Jayle contrary to the Laws But there 's a reason which I now espye Why they will make me still in Prison lye And that 's because they say I am a Preacher And of Phanatiques am a constant Teacher And therefore 't is they me in Prison hold Unless I would be wickedly so bold To promise them that I will preach no more Then will they me to liberty restore If I 'le conform then they will shew me favor Methinks to me these things have no good favor But what is 't now a crime to Preach and Pray That I must lie in Prison night and day For that and for no other cause do know But preaching Truth must I be used so Full seventeen Months and more as I have been In Prison now is Preaching such a sin That such as preach and have not their consent Can't be redeem'd except they do repent But must be kept in prison all their dayes As I shall be sometimes then Worships says The Prophet Moses was not of this mind For he would not Gods holy Spirit bind Nor limit it to this or t'other man He was content that those should preach that can For when complaint against some to him came Eldad and Meâ—al were the men by name Of whom 't was said These men do prophesie What for my sake saith he dost thou envie I would to God the Lords poor people all Were Prophets and that on them all might fall Such measures of the Spirit from the Lord That may enable them to preach his Word But now the case is alter'd much I see Their Worships will not so contented be As Moses was to prison he must go That preacheth now without their leave I know They would not be so serv'd themselves if they Should be forbid to either preach or pray Be clapt in prison for it when they should Do either of them I believe they would Not take it well to walk so in the dark The Priest forgets that ere he was a Clark Would they be us'd so by Romes brats and be Forc't to conform to Romes idolatry They do profess from Rome they 're separated And that by them Romes cruelty is hated And yet will they the conscience force of those That cannot with them in their Worship close Methinks in this they do not do by me As they themselves by Rome would used be But 't is my comfort in the midst of all My many troubles which some count but small They cannot charge me justly with a fault Which can by Law give cause thus to assaults My Carkase so to keep it thus in Jayle Against their Law refusing to take Baile Nay though they were commanded by the King They would not him obey nor me forth bring To any Legal tryal that I might Receive that just reward which is by right My due for more of them I do not crave And 't is but reason that I that should have Had I by Law deserved Bonds or Death I should contented be to lose my breath But if I have not any Law offended 'T is time I trow my trouble now were ended But I a Preacher am I don't deny Though much unworthy of the Ministry A worthless Worm unworthy of that love That Grace and Mercy which came from above Into my soul by which I did receive A Mission for to preach without their leave The Bishop of our souls did me ordain To preach his Grace I trust is not in vain That he bestow'd on me to preach his word And to declare his wondrous works abroad And though for this I do in prison lye I can in him rejoice most heartily And praise that God alone that doth esteem Of such a worthless one as I and deem Me worthy of the cross that for his Name And for the sake of Christ to suffer shame But yet some say I am a fool to lie In Jayle so long depriv'd of liberty Why should not I to them a promise make That I all kind of preaching will forsake For 't is against the Law that such as I Should preach unless I were ordained by The Bishops then without all doubt I may But might they not upon as good ground say The blessed Martyrs in the Marian dayes Did act against the Law for Bonner sayes You are not by the Law to preach or pray Except you do conform such prayers say As by the Queen and Church are now thought fit Should used be throughout the Land but yet Those Martyrs then would not perswaded be But stoutly stood to Non-conformity They rather chose in fiery flames to burn Than from what truth and light they had to turn There are two sorts of fools as I have read And one of them 't is true I am indeed The one wise Solomon so plainly paints In their own colours such will nere be Saiths For Fools saith he are such as knowledge hate Such is their dreadful miserable state That they the fear of God do never chuse Because they would not Wealth and Honor lose Such set a high esteem upon their lusts Their Pride and Pleasure and their gold that rusts In such like fools iniquity abounds And both in City and in Countrey sounds Fools belch out Oaths and dreadful Execrations Which are unto the wise man great vexations Fools call on God most wickedly to damn 'um And dare him to his face as 't were to ram 'um Into the very pit of Hell Fools say There is no God to hear when men do pray Their Oaths to hear or punish them for sin Which they with greediness do wallow in As quassing off of bowls of Beer and Wine Until they are as drunk as any Swine With whoring roaring and their sports and play That by them now are used ev'ry day As baiting Bulls and Bears with dogs and such Like sports as these of which there is too much With idle Stage Plays too and such like trade There 's many souls destroy'd that God hath made He then 's a fool that for these earthly toys Doth lose eternal life and heav'nly joys There are another sort if fools I find But those fools are quite of another mind These fools all worldly glory do despise Becoming fools that so they may be wise All worldly wisdom these for Christ account But loss and dung to win Christ doth furmount All Arts and Sciences all worldly treasure There 's none to them like him these take no pleasure In world or worldly things they are but dross Who offers them the world bids them to loss These do the glory of the world disdain Because its greatest glory is but vain An empty shell a water-bubble
fading Its greatest glory is not worth the having These are such fools they can more glory see In Christ their Prince than any there can be In all Honor Glory Beauty Fame The world affords or any tongue can name A crucified Christ these fools would know As for the world say these tush let it go The world no peace nor comfort can afford Like to a minutes presence of the Lord. Though wife and children unto them be dear Yea dearer far than any thing that 's here That if the world were theirs at their dispose Yet would they be content it all to lose Before they 'd part with either wife or child Their pretty babes so tender and so mild And yet the Love of Christ is dearer far Unto their souls than wife or children are The love of Jesus Christ surpasseth all These fools are ready when their Lord doth call To leave for him their Wife and Children and Their Goods and Houses Countrey their Land Yea Life it self though sweet for his sweet sake That for their filthy sins did undertake These know their Life is hid with him in God And that he will them help to bear the Rod. These are such fools they know that persecution Is unto them a token if salvation And that unto their persecutors 't is A certain token of perdition is Such fools as these I therefore highly prise For there are none but such that 's truly wise 'T is true to worldly wise men he 's a fool That seeks no other wisdom then the School Affords that Christ instructs his Schollars in There 's none of them that values that a pin The Spirits teaching such laugh at and scorn And do resolve that of it they 'l not learn And therefore God that 's just and only wise Doth justly stop their ears and blind their eyes And from the prudent hides his precious truths When he to babes reveals them from whose mouths He wil have praise they shall the good way find When those that say they see are wondrous blind Well then I am content a fool to be But not a fool that loves iniquity But such a fool who for eternal bliss Am well content to suffer more than this For his sweet sake that suffer'd more for me When for my sake he dyed on a tree A shameful cursed bitter cruel death On my behalf to expiate the wrath Of God his Father there was none but he Could do 't and that the more engageth me To be a fool as fools please to esteem me For precious Jesus seke who did redeem me Whose love unto my soul I far more prise Then all the fading-wealth beneath the skies And for his glorious Name am well content To suffer and endure imprisonment And do resolve through Christ strength of grace I nere will be so filthy vile and base By any means my liberty to gain Whereby the Name of God I might prophane I were a fool indeed if for a trifle I should so much my Conscience wrack and rifle Of all that consolation joy and peace And in a moment cause it all to cease That I now have and feel in Christ my Lord By Faith and Grace and comfort of his word And wrack that Faith by which I know I stand In full assurance that the Holy Land That Paradise of God that Rest I mean That goodly place no mortal eye hath seen Is mine by right of testament and wil Confirm'd to me by blood which Christ did spill To purchase that possession for my soul Where him I shall enjoy without controul And there I know I God and him shall see In perfect joy and true felicity All sorrow then with me shall have an end No more Oppression shall my soul offend What ever now I lose I then shall find Oh how the thoughts of this contents my mind There shall I see a joyful goodly sight Those precious souls and those Saints in light That have before endur'd the Cross and shame Reproach rebuke and scorn defame and blame With cruel mockings scourgings whippings and Most barbarous deaths almost in ev'ry Land Which for a Crown of Life they did abide A Kingdom Glory and a Throne beside What tongue can tell me what that joy will be When I so many blessed Saints shall see All glorifi'd and shining as the Sun And as the Stars far brighter than the Moon With blessed Abram Father of the faithful The thoughts of this methinks is wondrous joyful There will be Isaac Jacob and the rest That in the Lord are sweetly gone to rest There Peter Paul and John with many more That in their Pilgrimage laid up in store A good foundation ' gainst the time to come VVho for Christ sake forsook both all and some With all those blessed Martyrs that have bore A faithful testimony ' gainst the Whore Those hellish filthy cruel brats of Rome And all their Romish stuff their dross and scum Their god of bread their great abomination Their idle brain-sick Transubstantiation If I among all these do get a share As praised be the Lord I nothing fear But in this place of joy I have my portion A place of Rest a Stock a House a Mansion As Christ my Jesus when he went away Did to his well-belov'd Disciples say That sure within his Fathers House were many And this I doubt not but if there be any He will prepare a dwelling-place for me VVhere I shall all this glory find and see Then were not I a fool if for my freedom I should offend dear Christ and lose a Kingdom A throne a Crown of Life and endless Glory If I were such a fool I should be sorry VVhat would it my profit should I gain the world If shortly into Hell my soul be burl'd Among the damn'd not only for a moment But if ever to endure eternal torment In flames of fire to waste and not consume In dreadful dismal sights where is no room Left for Repentance no Redemption new From this Tartari'n Lake infernal Crew Where Dives may to Father Abra'm cry Oh Father Abram see what torment I Endure in flames of fire my scorched tongue Doth burn and fry Oh Father be not long But send good Laz'rus who I once rejected I now in torments am but he 's respected Send him I pray to ease my tongue my grief And with cold water give me some relief But Abraham thus answer'd him and said My Son remember when thou wast array'd In Purple and fine Linnen and didst fare Deliciously thou wouldst by no means spare The sorry crumbs that from thy Table fell But now he is in Heav'n thou art in Hell Thou hadst thy portion in that World before Thy torments now must be for evermore You 'l then conclude with me as I hope well I 'd better dye in Jayl than burn in Hell A Gaol what 's that it's no unpleasant thing If Christ be there that only blessed King He with his Love doth make a Prison
thy self from such another storm And likewise they 'l suggest the world 's a glory A famous lovely thing or such like story The wealth and honor of it worth the having The love of money nothing else worth saving The friendship of the world is very good That which a man may have and yet love God And that it would be mighty fine and brave If thou shouldst such or such a Living have And O how gallant would it he to meet An honorable person in the street If such a one should kindly thee salute And entertain with complements to boot Give thee respect and offer favours and I am your servant Sir at your command Then stand not out thou fool but with them close They may become thy friends that are thy foes And by that means thou maist thy state much better Than now it is by far and that were fitter Than thus to lye in Gaol and spend thy little Why sure thou shouldst be of another mettle There was a time when thou didst look more high Than so for shame wilt thou in New gate lie That dismal stinking foul and filthy place Fye be asham'd thy self so to disgrace With these and such like things thy flesh would please And so delight thee by proposing ease And pleasures of the world that so they might Cause thee to love the world and make thee slight Thy watch thy guard and garrisons and all And then what then thou' rt gone and soon wilt fall Into the pit the snare that they have made To take thee in on purpose they it laid Well then its time about thee now to look Account it mercy that thou art not took Prize it and well consider that it s now High time to use what strength thou canst but how To manage this affair against this so Come learn of Christ hee 'l shew thee what to do His Grace implore if thou dost wisdom lack Ask it of God he will not turn thee back Nor thee upbraid he giveth liberally Ask thou in faith he will not thee deny Moreover if thou mean'st the field to win Abstain from ev'ry lust all kind of sin Thy members on the earth now mortifie To all of them see that thou daily dye Account thy self alive to God to sin Live not but dye if thou the field wilt win Abstain from all appearances of evil Abhor the works of darkness and the Devil As for thy flesh provision no time make The lusts thereof to satisfie nor take No pleasure in a fleshly carnal mind Nor in a frothy spirit thou wilt find Them hurtful to thee prethee me believe A carnal mind doth oft God's Spirit grieve For they that have a fleshly carnal heart Stil mind the flesh and with their lusts won't part But such as are born of the holy Spirit Will mind those things they shall one day inherit Besides a carnal mind to death will lead And many foul and filthy lust doth breed But to be minded spiritually Is life and peace to perpetuity A carnal mind ' gainst God is enmity Nor is it subject to his Law but why Because it is an evil ill disease Who ever hath it can by no means please The Lord for thou maist well be sure of this He that Christs Spirit hath not is not his This is my soul a Maxime certainly Who lives after the flesh shall surely dye But If thou by the Spirit dost endeavour To mortifie the flesh thou 'lt live for ever Now here 's the war the battel is begun Hold out my soul till thou the field hast won The flesh against the Spirit now will lust The spirit against the flesh these twain are just Contrary unto each in opposition There can nor must be granted no admission Of peace or of agreement 'twixt these twain Then give not o're till thou the flesh hast slain Nor lend no ear to what thy flesh doth say But fervently in Faith against it pray And take thy Sword that holy Word of God To thy assistance 't will thee help afford And hide it in thy heart lay 't up within That thou against the Lord maist never sin Thou wilt not be asham'd when thou shalt have Respect to all his Precepts and them crave As for those things wherewith the flesh doth still Seek to deceive thee and doth sometimes kill Thee with so many fancies and thy mind Disturb with them and seek thy eyes to blind Thou might'st not see the glory that 's beyond The Grave and tell thee often that its fond To think of such and such brave things above But would have thee the world embrace and love But hearken unto me I 'le thee inform How thou against this Enemy shalt arm Now then my soul suppose wee 'l put the case That thou shouldst be so cowardly and base To hearken to the flesh and to it cleave And shouldst it follow and the Spirit leave And put the case my soul that thereby then Thou shouldst become as great as any man Encreas'd with wealth and worldly honor have Be counted wise enjoy what ere is brave Have th' world and all its glory in a string So much that thou needst not want any thing The flesh can wish or what thy heart can crave But it command and presently it have And what if with all these vain things together Thou shouldst a Rapier wear a Hat and Feather And be so proud so lofty and so stout That from a man thou 'lt scorn to take a flout And be so full of complements and gallant So full of valour quarrelsome and val'ant That if one should but give to thee the lye Make no more on 't but stab him presently Suppose I say that thou hadst all these things And all the glory this world with it brings What art the near in death they can't thee serve Nor from his dreadful strokes thy life preserve For when the King of terrors to thee comes Thee to arrest and seize then all the sums The world affords if all of them were thine Would insufficient be there 's no such Fine That he of thee will take thy life to spare Thy life must go he will not stay nor care For all the world if thou the world couldst give Then dye thou must and must no longer live And go to dust and leave the world behind thee And as thou dy'st just so shall judgment find thee For after death there is a day to come Which some men call the dreadful day of doom A dreadful day indeed a day of wrath Too late then to repent thee of that froath Thou livedst in while thou wast here so brave And then wilt rue that ere thou wast a slave Unto the flesh the devil and the world If head-long into Hell thou shouldst be hurld Oh then my soul consider well and see That all the world will nothing profit thee For there 's a time to come that shall and will All those that serve their lusts with horror fill When