SOME Prison-Meditations AND EXPERIENCES WITH Some Hints touching the Fall of the Mother of Harlots and the exaltation of the SON of GOD upon the Throne of DAVID Written in Newgate by JOHN GRIFFITH a Prisoner there My heart is inditing a good matter I speak of the things which I have made touching the King Psal 45.1 Thou wilt shew me the path of life in thy presence is fulness of joy at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee Psal 73.24 25. And there followed another Angel saying Babylon is fallen is fallen that great City because she made all Nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication Rev. 14.8 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion Psal 2.7 Printed in the year 1663. The Epistle Dedicatory To all in every place that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and Truth and that wait for his glorious appearing more especially unto that Remnant to whom I stand more particularly related Grace be multiplied with encrease of Faith and Love from God the Father and his Son Jesus the Anointed through the Comforter Christian Salutation Well-beloved ITs matter of comfort to the Lords poor despised people in a dark day that he is pleased not to leave his nothing-ones that either have or do suffer any thing for the sake of blessed Jesus without some signal tokens of his comforting and strengthening-presence with them by which they are in a good measure kept from fainting and that he doth seal up instruction to their souls leading them to the Rivers of Pleasures causing them to drink deep of his Love and Free-Grace in his dear Son Oh what a choice Mercy it is that the Most High God should so far condescend as to have regard to such worthless Creatures who in the day of their fulness so much provoked the Eternal God by their unthankfulness and mis-improvement of such Choice Mercy as the Mercy of the Gospel is It is wonderful Grace that God should notwithstanding such provocations wherewith he hath been provoked by Congregations in general and by every Member in particular still continue the good savour of his Grace upon the hearts of any of them or that he should account any of his poor servants worthy to suffer Reproach and Bonds for his sake Which Mercy which I esteem very choice and sweet to my soul he hath been pleased for some time to let me enjoy which is wonderful in my sight that such a nothing empty Creature as I am should be employed by him in such a Noble Work and in such a Noble Cause as to suffer Bonds for the sake of blessed Jesus Yet notwithstanding the length of time I have been in durance I find my heart is not so cleansed and brought to the foot of Christ as I hope it may and wait it should And if it so please the Lord to sanctifie these Bonds that I may by the help of his holy Spirit so crucifie the remains of Corruption that I find still in my heart and subdue and bring in subjection every vain imagination that every high thing that exalts it self may be brought in obedience to the King then may I bless the Lord for the day that ever I lay in Newgate The which I may say I am engaged and not without cause already to do for asmuch as God hath let me see my self and the baseness of my own heart the unbelief and diffidence that lodgeth there in some measure which giveâ— occasion to me to magnifie the Grace of God the more in that he should be graciously pleased to accept such an unworthy Worm as I am in his dear Son A clear evidence of which through Grace I can say I am not without in my soul yet not so as wholly to be without ups and downs occasioned by temptation working upon my Frailties which my dear Lord Jesus is pleased to assist me in and cause them to work for good unto my soul Blessed be Jehovah I have in this Poem rudely scattered here and there some of those MEDITATIONS and EXPERIENCES that God hath been pleased to visit my Soul with the which I present to the view and commend to the serious thoughts of all the Faithful but more particularly to that Remnant and chosen ones to whom I stand more immediately and particularly related in the bonds of the Gospel Hoping all the Spiritual will take them in good part and judge of them in the Spirit of Love to whose Christian correction I readily subject my self and Labours hoping also thâ—â— they will put the fairest construction and interpretation both upon them and me that Brotherly Love and Duty binds them to I could not willingly pass to the Conclusion of this poor Work until I had first hinted something touching the Fall of Mysterie Babylon that old and great Whore and of the Exaltation of our dear Lord the thoughts of which now in my bonds makes me very merry and is as a cordial to comfort my poor heath for which I wait and to which time I trust he will keep that which I have committed to him My dear Brethren 'T is but a very little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry In this time of our Pilgrimage let us labour to exalt him in our hearts that he may be chief and rule as Lord and King there that when we come to lay down this house of clay we may be cloathed upon with our House from Heaven and be found of him without fault at his coming To which end wait diligently upon the Lord in his Word and Ordinances Be much with God in Prayer praying for all Saints and for me the most unworthy Servant of Christ that I may be kept faithful to death and let your walks be in Heaven So shall the King greatly desire thy Beauty for He is thy Lord and worship thou Him Farwell Grace be with you all Amen From my poor pitiful Study in Newgate Septem 22. 1663. Your Brother in the dear love of Jesus JOHN GRIFFITH COurteous Reader by reason of the Authors absence many faults have escaped the Press which thou art desired to mend with thy Pen. SOME Prison-Meditations AND EXPERIENCES c. AS I in Prison lie I sometimes muse What should the reason be they me so use That they contrary unto Law Reason Should keep me here in Jayle so long a season No crime or charge against me can they lay Yet I shall lye in Prison still they say I think their will 's their Law I cannot see But that the reason is they thus use me What should the reason be they nought will have But what 's their will to keep me as their slave Within stone walls and bars of iron strong As if I had done unto them such wrong
Kings Captains Freemen Rich Poor Bond-men and great and mighty men shall roar And cry unto the Mountains and the Rocks And hide themselves in holes and dens in flocks Call to the Mountains Fall on us and hide Us from this Throne befor 't we can't abide To come to see the dreadful face of him That sits thereon so dismal is this time We liv'd in pleasure in time past and mock't At these things then not thinking we were lockt So fast in chains of darkness as we see We were Oh what a righteous Judge is he We often call'd upon him us to damn Now Rocks fall on us hide us from the Lamb And from this wrath of his this dreadful doom For now the great day of his wrath is come Put case my soul that thou shouldst be among This fearful rout this miserable throng As out of doubt thou wilt if thou give way Unto the flesh to pleasure Dalilah And all the treasure in the world were thine The wealthy Silver and the Golden Mine What wouldst thou better be it's nothing worth For 't can't deliver in this day of wrath But come my soul wee 'l back a little walk And then wee 'l have a little further talk By no means fall to dote upon thy lust And hearken not to them the world as dust Is blown before the wind then be Content to hear a little more from me Suppose thou shouldst unto the flesh give place How wouldst thou look thy Jesus in the face If thou shouldst turn his love and graciousness Into debauch'ry and lasciviousness Nay though thou shouldst not be so much unclean So grosly wicked vile and so obscene So openly prophane as some now are But outwardly to carry 't pretty fair Yet when that day shall come whereof we spake 'T will make thee tremble and thy heart to ake When Christ shall come and shall exalted be Hee 'l find out them that love hypocrisie When Zion shall be fill'd with righteousness And Hypocrites surpriz'd with fearfulness Then sinners will in Zion be afraid With fear astonisht very much dismai'd Canst thou my soul delight to be or dwel Within devouring fire or canst thou tell How dreadful ' t is or canst thou make good chear Where everlasting cruel burnings are No no thou canst not that 's a dismal day There is no end thereof the pain 's for aye But now suppose that no such thing would be No wrath to come no pain or miserie Canst be content the joyes of Heav'n to lose To gratifie thy lusts thy mortal foes For Heav'n and Glory 's such a place that there None that 's unclean can have a part or share But put the case there were no joys to be What wouldst thou with thy fleshly lusts agree So ill requite that Love and Grace so great Those many entertainments choice and sweet That God hath given thee though thou a fo Wert unto him or to his Grace also Or wouldst thou love the World or turn thy back Upon dear Jesus who was never slack Nor slow to do thee all that blessed good That with his honor and thy welfare stood How couldst forget his kindness love and grace With which he doth thee many times embrace His gracious condescention that was seen In him when for thy sake he dy'd between Two thieves for thee the wrath of God he bore He undertook for thee and paid thy score In him thou liv'st and mov'st and hast a being Through Christ thy Lord comes all supplies then seing His grace is such then be not thou ungrateful Ingratitude to God or man is hateful Where Grace is truly wrought what cause to fear Is there of Hell 't wil work although there were No joys in Heav'n that soul don't work to merit The pleasures there if he them do inherit He 'l say it is of Grace and not desert And such a one hath learn'd and got the art To love dear Christ and love him will and must Because dear Christ was pleas'd to love him first Again my soul I le tell thee one thing more We have a Proverb Store can be no sore Shouldst thou the world embrace and Christ deny Riches will take them wings away they 'l fly Thou maist be took from them or they from thee Of worldly wealth there is no certainty Suppose thou shouldst some Honor have and be As great as stout as strong as wise as he That hath as much of these as any have And be respected by the wise and grave These are but broken Reeds to lean upon No man can help thee in the day of doom As doth the poor so must the rich man dye And come to Judgement great men are a lye What though thou dost some goods and credit lose Because thou wilt not sin but rather chuse To suffer for the sake and Cause of him That will repay thee all thy loss agin Then think not much at any think that 's lost For Christ he was for thee at greater cost Than thou canst be for him his precious blood Was shed to do thee everlasting good Then dost thou lose thy All for his dear sake He did it lend then he his own may take Thou naked cam'st out of thy Mothers womb And naked must return unto thy tomb Thou brought'st nought with thee nought canst carry hence Serve Christ thy Prince with what thou hast from whence All came thou hast then all that ere thou l't have At his good service best who came to save Thee from thy sins and from the wrath to come Then offer up to him thy All and some And think it not a heavy burden nor Below thee thus to live and suffer for That Cause thou art engag'd in think 't no shame To lye in New gate for the sake and Name Of thy dear Jesus who hath thee esteem'd Worthy to bear his Name and thee redeem'd Who art a nothing worthless worm so vile So full of frailties ready to beguile Thy self that he I say should thee employ In such a Work or Cause and should thereby Give thee to see his love himself make known More unto thee than heretofore was shown And let thee see and know thy self and give Thee strength to bear reproach a Jayl and live In full assurance that he wil appear Whom thou shalt see and meet with in the air And all his Saints that dyed for his Word And they and thee be ever with the Lord. If his most glorious face thou'lt ever see And live and reign with him eternallie With Christ I say in rest and endly glory Then hearken now my soul unto this story Thou seest a Souldier thou art now engag'd To fight against this Rabble that hath wag'd War with thee many times each day and hour To bring thee to submit unto their power By snares and wiles the Serpent with his wisdom Doth labour hard to make thee of his Kingdom Then labour thou as hard with all thy might To break his snares
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
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