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
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
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
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
attended with such danger In thy own native Country nay that place That very City which with such disgrace Hath thee abur'd with such contempt and scorn In which thou were both bred brought up born Who should of right a Mother be to thee And thou her Child defend from injurie And from whose breasts thou shouldst such nourishment And not from her sustain such detriment As thou hast done and still art like to do If she so much degenerate into A Monster so unnatural and strong Without all pity to devour her young If thou hadst unto her some Rebel bin Then justly might she punish thee for sin If thou by Oaths hadst made her Land to mourn That were a thing she ought not to have born Or hadst thou by such foul debauchery Her glory blemish'd with such infamy As some have done she ought not to refrain From such Corrections as might thee restrain Or hadst thou given any cause unto Her righteously or justly to pursue Thee at this rate as for some time she'th done Then let her never own thee for her son But cast thee off as one to be rejected And nevermore by her to be respected But if thou hast in nothing her offended Nor any evil to her hast intended If thou hast rather laboured her to save From those great Evils which God's Judgements have Been threatned long against her glory then Why should she evilly intreat thee when Thou speak'st somtimes yet keepst within thy station Against her sins sin shameth any Nation And will at length bring down that dreadful Wrath Of that just God whose Judgments on the Earth Have oft been manifested on such places To do uncleanness who have set their faces And have rejected counsel who did harden Their hearts like to a stone such God won't pardon Though he will suffer long and presently Don't rain down Fire and Brimstom from on high As once he did on Sodom who the strangers That Lot receiv'd who like devouring rangers The Angels hunted for about Lot's door Until they smitten were with blindness sore Nor would they hearken unto Lot's advice But griev'd his foul persisted in such vice That did from Heav'n bring down God's Wrath c. Ire Consum'd they were with his eternal Fire Dost thou to London do such injury When thou reprovd'st her sins so modestly That no exceptions justly can be taken To that end too that London might awaken And from her sins return repent and live And never more such great occasion give To God whose Wrath revealed is from Heav'n Against all such unrighteousness of men That Truth withhold in all unrighteousness And live in every kind of viciousness As she hath done for many years and doth By crying sins call down for God's great Wrath And is there any way she can prevent The Wrath of God except she do repent Then is not he her friend that doth reprove Her for her crying sins so much in love To her and hers that alwayes prayes she may Be kept from those sore plagues that ev'ry day Hangs ore her head and will for certain be Upon her on a sudden and then she May cry Alas would we had counsel taken We had not then been now of God forsaken But if for what thy duty is she do Become so far thy enemy and foe To persecute thee for 't yet more and more And use thee ten times worse than heretofore She did yet go thou on and never cease To cry aloud and spare not speak no peace To such as hate reproof and such as take Delight in serving sin else may'st thou make Thy self partake with them as guilty be As they are of their own iniquity For so doth duty bind and love to those Who for thy love are now become such foes To thee that how to ruine thee they seek And quite undo thy Wife and Children eke Though badly they require thy love and pains As for to let thee have no better gains Yet this will comfort be unto thee still That God will recompence thy wrongs and will For what thou dost in love to him reward Thee for 't and will assuredly regard Thy sighs and groanings which are secretly Put up to him into his ears they fly His heart they move his piercing eyes to pity But Wo will be to the oppressing City VVhat ere the usage be thou meetst with here It can't be worse than what thy Saviour dear Did find and meet with from the hands of them That were his Country-men for unto him They gave but sorry entertainment too Although the best they had was but his due For him they stigmatiz'd with names so bad They said he had a Devil and was mad And call'd him Belzebub they were so bold Much more then will they them of his houshold The Servant is not greater than his Lord. If they no better welcome could afford To give to him that was the Lord of all Thy entertainment then can be but small Who art a stranger in thy Country now A Freeman yet a Foreigner then how Canst thou expect to be accommodated Where thou a stranger art and so much hated By such as don't thee know nor can't thee love Because thou art a Child born from above And yet thou dost no more require alas Than quietly in peace along to pass Unto the most Celestial Canaan No injury thou 't do to any man No bread thou dost not seek to have or eat But what 's thine own no nor no other meat Their Gold nor Silver neither dost thou crave As for their Honour none of it thou 't have And yet like Esau they prove so unkind Thou canst not through this world a passage find To go in peace without the fear of danger Unto that Country where thou art no stranger But go thou must there is no remedy 'T is but a folly by the way to lye Shouldst thou go back and from that Country run Take opportunity for to return Back to the vomit or unto the mire As thou maist many have if thou desire To live at ease and take thy pleasure here But then be sure thou 't lose the glory there And like to Esau fall to so much dotage To sell thy Birthright for a mess of pottage Thenf or a Pilgrim stranger thy self take Thou art no other no provision make But what may serve thee in thy journey here That is enough then take no further care Consider here no biding-place hast thou No City that continue will then how Shouldst thou that care that is inordinate Cast off lest thou shouldst surfeit with it strait Or it be in thee like to weeds and thorns Far worse then all the cruel mocks and scorns That thou maist meet with in this pilgrim-state From all the Seed of Ishmael who hate The free-born Children and the heav'nly Seed Which do the Land of Promise chiefly heed But cast thy care on God and be content With Food and Rayment which he hath thee sent And
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
the earth For on the Earth once Davids throne was plac'd And on the Earth it now is quite defac'd And on the Earth his throne shall be again Then Christ shall on the Earth both rule â— reign For on the throne of David he shall sit And ore his Kingdom rule and govern it But here by some it may objected be That Christ doth reign now on the earth and he Exalted is already by his Father And shall not rule nor reign on Earth no other Wise than by his Wisdom Strength and Pow'r He rules his Saints and People ev'ry hour And so the World by 's Might and Providence He govern'd hath ere since he went from hence Small sign it is that Christ on Earth doth reign When few his Laws obey and few refrain Him to blaspheme but ready are to evil What ever they are prompt to by the Devil Doth Christ now reign rule amongst those men That swear and curse and drink roar and then Fall out and quarrel fight and kill and whore Of whom the World doth yeild such mighty store That one would think and may conclude ful well That most are rul'd by Lucifer or Hell Can any one think or imagine how Christ should be said to reign on earth when now His people are most times so much oppressed So persecuted and so much distressed That for his sake they 're made a mock and scorn Whose time is now not to rejoice but mourn For what is done to them is done to him He takes it so and so 't will be all them That persecute his Saints shall find it so When he appears though now they won't it know When Saul with Letters went to Damascus To persecute and spoile the Saints then thus Christ said to him when on the way he smites Him to the ground with those bright shining lights That shone about him and all those that went With him no doubt the High-Priest had them sent Him to assist in this great work of darkness To persecute those men that were so faultless That Christ rebukes him as he on the way Did go and as I said did to him say Saul Saul why dost thee thus me persecute To kick against the pricks it is no boot Then Saul astonisht says Lord who art thou I 'm Jesus whom thou persecutest now For what thou dost to them thou dost to me Thou canst not them afflict but I must be Afflicted with them if thou art their fo I feel the stroke the wound is mine also If Jesus Christ will when he comes accuse All them that do his Saints to help refuse VVhen they in prison were or sick or lame Or naked hungry and will them so blame Because they did not cloath or them relieve Nor unto them would any comfort give Nor visit when in Gaol or sick they were And them refuse to succour and to cheat And takes what 's done to them done to himself When he shall say to them that have much wealth Depart you cursed into scorching flames Eternal burnings hound in fiery Chains Of dreadful darkness now and evermore Prepared for the Devil for before When I was sick you did not visit me That is you did not comfort them that be My little ones when they distressed were No help nor no assistance would you spare For as you did to them you did to me Depart then now for ever cursed be If Christ I say shall take these things as done Unto himself they suffer not alone That are his people but he suffer so In them that this I 'de very gladly know How Christ on earth is said to rule and reign VVhen still on Earth he 's crucifi'd and slain When Christ his father David's throne shal mount He shall all evil works call to account The Heathen shall be his Inheritance VVhen he unto his Kingdom shall advance Then he the utmost parts of th' earth shall have And will his poor despised people save VVhen his Dominions shall extended be Through all the earth and eke from sea to sea And from the Rivers to th' ends of the earth This great Dominion is his right and birth For when his Kingdom that we pray for 's come VVhich strongly doth import there is no room Left to conceit he doth already reign And in his Kingdom is for then 't were vain To pray for that which now already is And hath been many hundred years if 't is But two as many now a-dayes do say Let 's tare out then that Pray'r he taught's to pray But when it 's come I was about to tell That all things ev'ry where will go full well For then the Will of God will likewise even Be done on Earth as now 't is done in Heaven There will be then no Ram 'um dam 'um Blades That tare stare fight would with their shades But all his creatures living will him praise Because of those most joyful glorious dayes That Christ shall rule and reign here on the Earth The Scripture plentifully holdeth forth That he that reads impartially may know It is a glorious heav'nly Truth although It is the most esteemed but a fable Yet those that be the born of God are able To see much heav'nly glory in 't they do Receive such comforts from 't and not a few That they are made through Grace nothing to fear What they may suffer for the Glory there But that I may a little further clear This much despised Truth to me so dear And choice and sweet I will some Reason show That Christ the Kingdoms of the Earth shall so Possess as yet he never did but shall One day them have in full possession all First then when Christ shall rule on Earth and reign And Davids Throne shall be set up again There shall be such so great increase of Peace That Quarrels Broils and Wars shall ever cease Then shall there be no envying nor hating No Titles unto this and that debating By Sword and Fire as now is and hath bin And ever will and shall be until then All men shall then so quietly enjoy What they do build and plant none shall anoy Nor them molest they in their habitation Shall then secured be no molestation Nor no disquiet shall e're them come near They shall possess without all kind of fear What is alloted them they 'l be so sure That none shall trouble unto them procure The Nations then though now and heretofore Have learned War they War shall learn no more Of Righteousness there then shall be a stream Shall run through ev'ry street this is no dream Nor fond conceit Justice and Equitie Will flourish then and there no more will be Oppression us'd the cause of him that 's poor Shall not perverted be nor nevermore The Widows cause or Fatherless sha'nt then Be turned back at that time shall no men Hate one another nor no man then shall Imagine ill against his brother all Shall live in such a blessed unity No man