Soul worse then the Irons did that Brethren owning the same God should consult confinement in a Pit and Captivity to base Isma'lites and Egyptians against him that came to seek and feed them and to scorn him as a Fanatick Dreamer Gen. 37. 19 20. Though after twenty Years Conscience gave them for that Guilt a just reprimand And envy was that which gave them so wicked a motion Acts 7. 9. No Persecution of Pagans or Papagans so bitter and harsh as the Fraternal for with it Cain began the World and the cause was 〈◊〉 dissent in better Worship then his And Ishmael Edom Doeg nay the Men of Anathoth c. have derived it down to all the purest Prophets and Professors since Yea the very devout vext Paul most And the last named Perils was by false Brethren Acts 13. 50. 2 Cor. 11. 26. So now some may Sigh Proh dolor heu gemitus Fratris ab ense cado 'T is sad to Sell and Kill for Gods sake and yet think we do God good Service Joh. 16. 7. Fifthly To be slander'd in our good name vyes with that of envy It beâ—ng as heavy to be blasted in our just Credit for Evil doers As Joseph was as to be hated for well doing For this Joseph had his miâ—timus to Prison with Irons So had Jeremy and Men shut up under such Odious are half murder'd afore-hand and rendred incapable to make their 〈◊〉 defence take away the crime of the ill Name of Sedition Faction Schism Heresie Rebellion given to Paul as Acts 6. 13. 24. 5 14. Chap. 28. 22. and so the Offence ceases ' I was a complaint Jeremy made to Baruch Chap. 26. 5. I am shut up and cannot go to the House of the Lord An heavy privation to be stript of and conâ—in'd from the Place and Priviledge of Divine approaches 't is grievous to any far more to a Prophet And thus Daniel was accused as 〈…〉 and cast into the Den of Lions that yet was able in 's just deâ— to tell the King when he better adverted on 's Innocency that 〈…〉 him he had done no hurt Dan. 6. 22. But for such so to suffer 〈…〉 Sighs Were it not for the Slander of that Mistress of Whoreâ— in our Day the Pious Chastity of our Josephs might escape 〈…〉 Prison But God rescued him from the Hungry Lyons of both sorts 〈…〉 brought him forth and clear'd his Innocency to the King too 〈…〉 vertue Slandr'd and the Innocent punisht unconvicted to gratify raâ— may cause a deep Groan 'T is a sad Word that in Zach. 11. 6. And 〈…〉 fulfill'd on the Jews in Christs time Sixthly Some Circumstances adjunct to confinement add wegh of woe to it As when 't is by the rigour of Laws stretcht on the rack 〈◊〉 makes it sharp or by Laws Surreptitiously got as that Decree against Daniel was Or by such men as ought to be a Terrour to the ill 〈◊〉 a Praise to the good when it 's otherwise what Groans ensue So 〈◊〉 Religious Conscience or the Law of our God is concerned in the 〈◊〉 as in Dan. 6. 5. There being no greater Cruelty then to impe◠〈◊〉 Worship or impose a false 1 Sam. 26. 19. This is to pull 〈…〉 from the Breasts and cause Souls to pine away for want of 〈◊〉 Broad of Life Oh the Deep Sighs that this sends up every Sabboth 〈◊〉 the Ears of the Lord of Zabboth a late And if denying Corn 〈◊〉 a Curse what Curse follows the restraint of those that would diâ— it and cannot O how does it Gratify the Papists to see Aâ— rules for restoring Popery so Observ'd in Suppression of 〈◊〉 most noted Dissenters Lectures Nor is a Prison a sweet Place to be amongst Malefactors as Joseph 〈◊〉 stript of the Company of Relations lockt up by others and kept 〈◊〉 doing good to the Souls of Criminals Put to the Charges of Fees 〈◊〉 and such Contingencies in six Months that would keep our 〈◊〉 twelve Months And all out of a Precarious income that lasts 〈◊〉 ad libiâ—um And it 's no easy thing to hear the â—anting Swashbucklers Oaths Healths Taunts and Blasphemies that daring Fellons Belch 〈◊〉 against God and Innocents as if Religion were a Crime Nor is is a small Circumstance for Men whose Education and Parts Birth and Breeding beside Divine habiliments have rendred Pregnant for 〈◊〉 in their Generations to be coop't up in a Hole or Den for a 〈◊〉 or Trifle having nothing to do save to write their own Life 〈◊〉 rather Death Politicially Nor can we as Paul Preach to the 〈◊〉 or to Friends which might sweeten a Prison and beget Souls 〈◊〉 God in our bonds as Onesimus was and Vergerius did to a Maâ— But especially to be Depriv'd of publick use to our Native Land 〈◊〉 made Home-born Slaves Suspended from our Duty Cited and Spited for it Ejected from places of use and Dear paid for not allow'd a hired house Acts 28. 30. nor to Exhort four in our Chambers that the Law allows us and this without Jury Oath or Conviction and in a Protestant Nation c. This is Lugendum Luendum Nefas and calls 〈◊〉 great Wrath on the Land To which Oh how many add and thâ—â—e that would stand in the Gap to turn it away fail and are misused mocked as 2 Chron. 36. 16 17. till no Healing no Remedy can Obtain Oh how fatal is this Work to Court City and Countrey Let Zedekiah with his Successours the State of the Jews the City of Jerusalem twice Witness being the first time by the Caldees the second time by the Româ—â—â— Demolish'd both City and Temple for Temple Rights and Civil Franchises stand or fall together if Gods Ark his glory be delivered up our strength will soon go Captive Gods Priesthood and mans Properties being forfeit at once by Male-Administration next the Ark Truckles to Dagon That so few see this though so many will feel it is 〈◊〉 Groan To all the Adjuncts may one Circumstance more of the time be added that 't is for so long time 't is said of the King of Babylon he opened not the House of his Prisoners when he destroyed Cities and made the World as a Wilderness Isaiah 14. 17. i. e. not for a long time 37 years Jâ—â—â—achin Josia's Brother lay in Prison till another Successour Evilâ—â—â—dach Enlarg'd him as 2 Kings 24. 15 17. chap. 25. 27. 29. This was 〈◊〉 Nebuchadnezzars time from the first Captivity This was long enough to dwell in the Pit some are put to long Durance and Patience So was Joseph also his Youthful time spent in this and such like Sufferings and Paul puts it among the Adjuncts of his Cross Aged and now Prisonâ— too Phil. 9. and to be at last Dedicated to a block and lictor was a palt of Nero's Rage and he Suffered Prisons often by one Six Months 〈◊〉 out another Commences in Prisons more frequent so 2 Cor. 11. 23. and Deaths often and though the Lot of all goes not
Yet God himself will do it And if our hopes fail here and we dye in the Pit as one alate did that may not fail there 's a General Jaol delivery at hand And so 7ly and Lastly 't is an allay to Confinement to be assur'd the time is confin'd and set by him that bounds rage of Man and turns it to his praise 'T is a Title given to God with other attributes the Lord foreseeth Prisoners Psal 146. 7. So he did of old by Joseph and so to Peter Paul Silas and so to many in the Marian Days and some condemned to Death I mean not only at Death which is the final deliverance when the Pris'ners rest together they bear not the Voice of the Oppressors and the weary be at rest Job 3. 17 18. But in life oft God owns that Title For 'T is a part of Christ's Office by Prophesie to open the Prisons to them that are bound And to say to them come forth and feed Isai 42. 7. 49. 9. He also paid the Ransome after which 't is unjust with Men to hold them fast the Blood of the covenant is so valuable a price to God that it builds a strong hold of Hope to us our fleeing to 't is both safety and discharge Job 33. 24. I have found a Ransome my Son paid it says the Father and now go open the Doors and bring them out with gladness Besides Experience verifies the facts Joseph lay but untill his word came Psal 105. 19. Gods Word in the promise becomes ours in performance and that which tryed his Faith freed him at last Nor are Examples wanting how this is done in all Ages both Ordinary and wonderful whereof all storys are well fraught Sometimes the Rulers themselves that detain'd them unjustly release them on better advice more justly as Pharaoh did Joseph Darius did Daniel Breaking an unrepealable Persian Law to do it Dan. 6. 23 24. Because he trusted in 's God So they that earst had shut Paul up are glad precariously to perswade him out Acts 16. 37 39. as not able to justify that illegal confinement So was that Earthquake a wonderful mean of his discharge tho' under a double restraint ver 24-26 God will shake the foundations of the Prisons rather then suffer his Embassadors of Peace to be long shut up as Pris'ners of War Sometimes Prayers are drawn out at length to draw them out and so Peter was rescu'd by an Angel Acts 12. 5 10. And now and then the Angel knocks a Herod c. on the Head as with the Key ver 23. and so the word grows and multiplies being water'd both with the Blood of Martyrs and at last of Malicious Persecutors Some condemned to dye in flames were by Queen Marys Death free'd And if the time be ask't for one Psalm indigitates it when God appears in 's Glory to build Zion to hear the Prayer of the lowly and destitute and to look from 's Sanctuary on the Earth and hear the Groaning of the Pris'ners and lose the Sons of Death as it is in Psal 102. 13 15 27. 19 c. to 22 ver A Glorious Prophetick Psalm And tho' the time be prolong'd and some may drop as ripe Figs ere it 's accomplish't Yet by the encrease of the guilt of some and the Cryes of oppressed Souls at and under the Altar it cannot be long it 's seldom seen but violence to Sacred matters is aveng'd in the same Age 't is committed As the Eagles theft of flesh from the Altar carry'd alive coal thence that fired her nest young and all tho some Sinners are bore long with yet after Patience has suffer'd sufficient abuse Divine Wisdom Justice and goodness it self consult a time swiftly and speedily to repay recompences Joel 3. 4. Hab. 2. 7. Zac. 5. 1-4 c. And the delay makes a good expected long more Glorious Now if it be so if those be our just Groans and if they ascend on high and these our present allays for a fore taste of better hopes at the day of our full Redemption and Kingdom of our Lord let none grudge if we impart of our Prison scraps to many abroad that Hunger And say to any that own Humanity or Christianity For the Lord's sake remember the Pris'ners If not we chear our selves in the dark as singing Nightingales hoping day in this Gallicinium Corpus mens Oculus Conclusum Libera Laetus Est Fruitur Spectat Carcere Pace Palum The Body 's shut up the mind in Peace does lye The joyful Eye the Heavenly Pole does Spye FINIS An Hymn on Canticles 4. 8. Jesus from all Worldly Delights And Sufferings too his Spouse Invites 1 COme O my Spouse with me come home From Leb'non hast away With me from Lebanon now come From top of Amona From Shenirs Top and Hermon Hill From Dens of Lyons hast And from the Leopards fierce that still Thee on those Hills do wast 2 O come that word Attracts my heart Who will not hearken to 't For some must hear that word Depart Lord bring us to thy Foot To come with thee Lord I 'm content Wilt thou accept of me Tho' in the Lyons Dens I 'm pent Grant there thy Company 3 But can't my Lord be well content Without my Fellowship In pieces me tho' Lyons rent I 'le o're them Mountains skip Lord stay for these Ascents are hard From Leb'nons Sweet Delight Lead me along and be my guard When Lyons me affright And when these Mountains I have past In thy Sweet Company To th' Hill of Spices me at last Conduct to be with thee The Phoenix a Prison-Hymn LOrd here I sit alone My Liberty is gone My Ministry's resign'd to thee Grant Sweet Communion I once did others Water Whom thou now let'st men scatter O Fountain free now water me By what shall flow from thee My Testimony turn Tho' this the fire do burn Unto thy praise and after raise A Phoenix from its Urn. As Birds that lonesome sit Or Joseph in the Pit Or ev'n as when the Pellican To Wilderness takes flight So Lord I to thee sly To have good company Be thou my one companion For I 'm content with thee And when my days are spent That here thou hast me lent Now take me up with thee to Sup Where my Forerunner went An Hymn on Canticles 2. 14. I' th Clefts o' th' Rock apart from Noise Christ longs to hear his Doves sweet Voice 1 OH thou my Dove for secrecy In Clefts of Rock Retires In Secret Stairs that hid dost lye Lo this thy Spouse desires Come forth let me thy Count'nance see Fain hear thy Voice wou'd I For sweet thy Voice is still to me And Countenance comely 2. No Secret Staires no Clefts at all VVherein Christ's Spouse does dwell From Christ can hide No Den nor VVall Nor yet the Belly of Hell But even there our Cryes he hears And counts our face most sweet Tho' most bedew'd with Briny Tears And prostrate at his Feet 3. But Lord whence flows this Love and Grace How much to be admir'd That thou so long'st to see our face VVhy is our Voice Desir'd A place there in our Rock now is VVhere Christ his Flock does hide The cause of his desire is this And here we safe Abide But Lord hast thou so great Delight In our Imperfect grace What Joys shall we have in thy sight When we shall see thy face FINIS
Gemitus de Carcere Nantes OR Prison-Sighs AND â—UPPORTS BEING 〈◊〉 Few BROKEN SCRAPS AND Crumbs of Comfort … ly fallen from the great Kings Table the Holy … iptures into the Prisoners Basket who being satisfied 〈◊〉 fall through the Grate a few Leavings for the Hungry … s abroad till God send more Plenty Meliora Speranda Psal 69. 33. The Lord Despises not his Prisoners Usque quo domine Rev. 6. 10. How long Lord c. London Printed in the Year 1684. TO THE READER Reader THou hast herein Prison Visits Repay'd with a Groan from them immur'd within Ecchoing to them at Liberty without 'T is Pity their just Defence that suffer should be an Offence to any or that the Hope of Righteousness to come in them that Feed in Stone Walls at present should obtain no Softer Usage then Words harder then the Walls of a Prison but Patience is both our Duty and Dignity till he comes that will take Account for Idle and Hard Speeches panton ton skleroon Jud. 15. hard to prove and harder to bear Now two things make these Stony Restraints Tollerable if not Comfortable the one store of Water that is Tears and Sighs to Soften hard things and wash away Filth The other Sweet Herbs to Adorn and Refresh Of both sorts the two Sheets following give a Taste to the Hungry If any ask us what we do in Prison We Answer we Sigh and Cry to him whose Ears are open Psal 34. 15. to the Cry of the just or as the Gr. is in their Cry but our doing now is by way of Suffering our Witness more silent and still but as true and effectual If any grudge this Freedom 'T is but our Duty to send the Hungry a few of our Scraps to stay their Appetites till more comes that Spiritual Crumbs of Manna may Feed those that Suffer loss of Goods by Temporal Spoiles and Rapine If the Pris'ners Basket goes about not to Crave but carry broken Meat in time of Famine 't is Pity any should envy either the Bread or the Eater To the Hungry even bitter things are Sweet Prov. 27. 7. If any love to Quaff as that Profane Belshazzar Dan. 5. did in our Tears much good do 't them So we say to the Lords Lambs till God send Plenty and Christ be your Food Dear Souls These things had crept through the Grate sooner had not the Press without been opprest by sad Obstructions and some of the Prisoners within by Multiply'd Tryals and growing bonds so that some expect no Manumission in an ordinary way till Death Arrests us or our keepers by an Habeas Corpus cum Causa to Answer at the Kings-Bench and Ultimate Tribunal and then if not before comes our Audit and good Deliverance Nor are some of us Anxious or Avidous of Liberation till our Word comes and God and the King by a Golden Key cause Pulpit and Prison Doors to fly op'n at once and then our Liberty may be of Use for God and the good of Souls the best End of Life In the Interim our Patience must possess our Souls being well Satisfy'd that our Prison Sighs and Cryes if our Cause be good are Preferable to Dumb Pulpits and Dear-bought Liberties by Insnaring Bonds or Sinful Complyances mixt with the Terrours that most Worshippers are now Exposed too The Lord send us all a Good Deliverance VALE Prisoners Sighs and Supports COnsidering it has been the lot of the best and noblest Souls that have bore mortal Flesh even Christ Himself to be in Prison for a good cause yea in a Native Land And that God has an open ear to the Groans of such And finding the kindness of Auditors and Visitors not otherwise to the compensated 't is meet till debts can be paid in full to pay in part by Linesâ— And seeing Stone Walls are but Dumb Preachers 't is very Lawful to make the just cryes on the inside to Eccho to all without That some that envy'd our Liberty may by seeing their own pitty our Captivity and others joyn their Supplications to our Sighs for the Gospel and Christs sake To that End let Christians at Liberty Eccho to us in bonds sensing both our Prison Sorrows and Supports the one in this sheet the other in the next For the first though no Christian who deserves that Royal Stile and knows what Sin and Sorrow meanes can want his Sighs Yet Pris'nersâ— for Religion yea thinking Persons at Liberty with whom any seriâ— Piety or thoughts of Eternity do obtain cannot well abandon such secret efforts of mind now when the whole Creation Groans as these following Sighs and Tears utter And sounds reverberate and Eccho best on the Waters Now first To begin at the root all sorrow is the Fruit of Sin He 's a Sot that Snarles at the Stone as Dogs do not eying the hand that sent it No Man how good soever his cause is but may find Sin enough Personally demerriting the Rod though not from Men And as God may at the same time inflict a scourge justly for Sin and yet permit a Tryal to befal us by Men unjustly and in both lay on a Sanctify'd Cross So we may in the same breath both condole our Sin and Captivity the yoke of our Transgression being wreathed by Gods hand and also enter our just appeal to God the just Judge for our Defence and Vindication And as each is call'd individually in secret to Mourn for his own so for others Sins and the Oppressions of the Day under which our Liberties groan God in Wisdom laying Sufferings on some in a Body Politick though Innocent for the sake of the nocent And this is one of our Groans Secondly Some Prisons are as Josephs strait Dungeons that allow us not the Jura humanae Naturae and like the House of Jonathan Jer. 37. 20. Dirty holes to the Prophets of God Chap. 38. And some of the Keepers â—gged severe Potiphars like Paul's Goaler Acts 16. 22. though some have no cause to complain so such as some of the Marian Martyrs Suffered and Sigh'd under turgid Alexanders that for gain can torment the Pious and Favour profane Capital Criminals S. R. Complain'd that to the Pious Law and Justice was deny'd which Rogues and Mâ—â—therers have gratis for Gods sake Thirdly To be clapt up and so forgot is a deep Sigh This was the Chief Butlers fault and Joseph's Case recogniz'd occasionally by Pâ—â—raoh's Dream Gen. 49. 17. Though Reason might have taught more gâ—titude to Joseph that foretold his happy Restoration Men in restraâ— may gladly hear good Tydings that in Honour forget their 〈◊〉 Fellows and Friends And being advanc'd too high daign not a look or recognition to Equals now below them And to be forgot is in a sort to be as one Dead or Buryed alive Psal 88. 8. 18. Few grieve for Josephs affliction or strait Amos. 6. 6. Fourthly The envy of Brethren is yet a Deep Sigh be they by Nature Nation or Profession so It cut Josephs