most precious blood He undertook for you in your place stood And now hath made you Kings Priests by birth And one day you shall reign with him on earth Then shall that Princely Heav'nly song be sung On Harps of God most sweetly tun'd and strung The song of Moses who Gods servant was The holy Lambs song likewise this song is Which song methinks before I further go I must insert that you this song may know Most great and marvellous all thy works are Lord God Almighty who shall not thee fear And glorifie thy Name for thou art holy And just and true thy ways are righteous wholly All Nations shall now come and worship thee For now thy Judgements manifested be Thou King of Saints most true just are thy wayes This song then Saints shall sing him shal praise Such perfect heav'nly frames of heart they shall Be alwayes in their glory won't be small But such as always shall their souls so fill With joy they 'l sing praise to the Lamb and will Continually rejoice set forth the praise Of him who is the Ancient of all Dayes For then the glory of the Lord they 'l see The Lamb will always with them present be They then will God see face to face no blame Will he find in them but will write his Name Upon their foreheads he will dwell with them And they for evermore shall be with him They then shall be his people he will be Their God for ever to eternitie Then shall they hear no sighing nor no cries All tears he 'l wipe away from off their eyes No death nor mourning sorrow greif nor pain Shall ever overtake those souls again For such things then there will be left no room Because the Bride enjoys her dear Bridegroom If she rejoiceth now to hear his voice When she his face shall see she may rejoice When she beholds his person and doth see His Beauty Glory and his Majestie All former things with her will pass away Now she can sing and on Gods Harps can play Nothing can her to grief or sorrow move How can she mourn that hath her fill of Love What ere she did here in this mortal state She 'l now rejoice to mourn it is too late The Bride did mourn and weep while he was gone Who is her Bridegroom though she wan't alone Her heart was with him he with hers and still He with his Spirit did her always fill With full assurance that she was his Bride And that he from her went but to provide A City and a Mansion for each one And then he 'd come and leave no more his own And wel-beloved Spouse his chiefest Joy His Darling to the Lions to anoy Who can report the joy when she goes thither She there wil meet with when they meet together Thus have I hinted as I said I would In such a place so well as well I could The doubtless fall of that great Scarlet Whore Who in her loftiness and pride doth soar Above the Throne of Kings but she shall be Thrown down from thence into the deepest Sea From whence she nevermore shall rise again The healing of her breach will be in vain And as I promis'd so I 've now perform'd To hint that Christ shall one day be enthron'd Yet one or two words more by way of use I still have yet to say which may produce Some good effect to some though not to all But to the Whore I think 't will none at all But some there be which are of her that yet Adore her much if they 'l reade what is writ I mean her plagues here hinted in this book It may provoke them now about to look If they 'l consider well what Sorcery What Fornications and Idolatry What guiltiness there is upon her still Of th' Martyrs blood which she a Sea did spill Who knows but that it may a motive prove Some one or more from off their lees to move And who can tell but this may call forth some From out of her lest they share in her doom When they shall reade her sins her plagues withal Or else partake with her in her great fall And therefore let it be a use of terror Of great astonishment of fear and horror Unto the Pope and all his Cardinals His Moncks and Friers ev'n those Canibals Who eat the flesh of men trade with their souls And drink the blood of Saints as Wine in bowls Let pains and pangs and sorrows on them seize The time doth hasten now when God will ease Himself of such an evil Generation Who are such foes to Christ his Death and Passion Whom they would tear pluck out of his throne If they thereby could but keep up their own The next and last word I intend to speak At this time is unto the poor and meek Those filly harmless Lambs the lot and stock Of Jesus Christ our Lord that little flock Here 's comfort new for you and consolation That follow hard in the Regeneration That blessed Lamb of God which went before Whom follow after fully for the more You follow him the more your peace will be Here and hereafter your felicitie Though he lead thorow many rocky wayes To that sweet place of rest yet see you praise Your Prince it is the certain way that leads Unto God's Kingdom though it trouble breeds Unto the flesh to climb such rocks and hills He will go with you that with pleasure fills Your souls there can be then no cause of fear To go that way that Christ is with you there For he hath been and is strength to the poor Help to the needy in distress and more A refuge from the storm and from the heat A shadow is when grievous storms do beat The storm of furious ones whose blast doth fall As doth a mighty storm against a wall Know where you cannot go he will you carry And he that shal come wil come and won't tarry Fear not then little Flock rejoyce and smile At this it 's but a very little while But he will come and wil you all imbrace Then shal you see his glorious shining face The way 's but short the labour 's smal you spend Faint not you 'l soon come to your journeys end Afflictions are but light the Glory 's pondrous But a moment eternal Glory 's wondrous There 's no comparison between these twain If for a light Affliction you can gain A weight of Glory for a moment you Receive eternal-Glory with Christ doo What loss can't be who would not walk a path That dirty is if it an ending hath In Rest and in unutterable Joys Rather than one that leads to nought but toys The best and all of them this great fault have They leave a man when he goes to his grave Nay more while he is but on toys a poring And is them like to petty gods adoring They steal away his heart if he intend To follow that way still 't wil in the end Lead him to death that death to never dy But live in torments to eternity Then wait with patience for your Prince and King When ha appears he then will with him bring Such great rewards will make up all your losses Your suffrings trials troubles and your crosses Content your selves be satisfi'd and rest In this that you have such an interest In Christ and in his Glory that no man Though nere so mighty or so great that can Deprive you of 't God greater is than they None can you harm if he but say them nay Admit they should do what with their will stands They can't you pluck out of your Father's hands Beware then that you don't his love disdain Take heed you don't his holy Name prophane By any sin or unbeseeming walking By any foolish jesting idle talking But I the Prisoner of the Lord beseech You all to study and consider which Way you may sanctifie that holy Name And bring forth praise and hounour to the same That sacred Name of God which now doth seem To be reproach'd which some do much blaspheme Walk worthy of that calling wherewith ye Are called and be sure you alwayes see Your conversation all times cloathed is With lowliness that Christ-like grace of his That unto all men you may make 't appear That as was Christ so you like-minded are And be not rash but meek enduring wrong If you be like to Christ he suffer'd long Forbear ye one another live in love And God will still be with you from above And keep your hearts minds through Christ our Lord If you like brethren do in love accord Then make it ev'ry one your great endeavour And do at all times in the same persever To keep the Spirits unity and peace That God may dwell with you and you increase In all the fruits and graces of the Spirit You may esteem'd be worthy to inherit A Crown of life a Kingdom and a Throne Which will enjoyed be by those and none But those that faithful are unto the death For so God's holy blessed Spirit saith I now conclude and end and take my leave Hoping these lines though rude you will receive And mend those faults in love you may there find If any benefit you reap then mind To give the praise to God the honour 's his Give none to me but all to him whose ' t is All Glory be to him that ever liveth I 'm yours in him to love and serve John Griffith FINIS
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
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
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
simple heart in love to grow With them or any thing they can propose The more I gain of them the more I lose And that through Christ and strength of grace I might Have all my whole affections vanquisht quite So kill'd so slain so conquer'd and orecome That in my heart there might be left no room For any filthy sin or lust to harbour That oft hath caus'd my soul to sigh and labour Under the pow'r thereof the grief the pain Of which my heart doth many times complain By reason of the domineering power Of Sin and Satan that for ev'ry hour Did once assault me with its bates and wiles Those cunning stratagems which oft beguiles Poor souls and brings them oft-times to a snare In which they 're taken ere they are aware But now this is become my souls ambition To have it brought in full and whole subjection To Jesus Christ my Lord that nought but he May rule and bear the sway in me and be Both uppermost and chief and reign as King Within my soul and heart oh that 's the thing I long to find and feel and know and have And day and night do always beg and crave That Christ might dwell by Faith so in my heart That I might get and learn that blessed Art To bring down ev'ry thought into subjection And cast down ev'ry vain imagination And ev'ry high thing that doth self and flesh Exalt against the Lord my God I wish And earnestly desire that I might be So dying to the world the world to me Transform'd by the renewing of my mind And not conform'd unto the world but find The Art to know and prove what is that good That perfect acceptable will of God And that I might the pow'r of Jesus know The power of his Resurrection so The fellowship of his dear suffering That my poor soul might be in ev'ry thing And his dispose and while I 've life and breath So made conformable unto his death That if by any means I might attain The resurrection of the dead and gain To be conform'd to th' Image of the Son Who ' mongst the many Brethren was first-born That I in heart and mind might dwell no more Here on the earth but in my spirit sore Rest dwell and live and walk and climb Into that Paradise that Throne sublime Where Christ doth sit in shining glory he I 'de there be with and ever with him be With which most glorious place O Lord affect My stony heart that I may have respect To nothing more nor nothing more so eye Than that reward that 's in Eternity That so my soul may have the strength to bear The troubles I am like to meet with here That in the darkest dismal'st time and day No trouble may my soul amaze nor fray And take away the Clouds and Mists that be Sometimes between my heart my soul and thee That sometimes vails from me that love light And hides thy face and glory from my sight Which makes my soul for to lament and mourn Such troubles are too heavy to be born And suffer not my soul no more to live So much below that glory thou wilt give To those that love thy Name to those that fear The Lord thy Christ and wait when he 'l appear And fill my heart and soul with such a measure Of Light in that estimable treasure That I by Faith thy glorious face may see With which my soul may still refreshed be And always have assurance of thy love By that sweet sealing-Spirit from above Take up my thoughts into those endless joys Let me no longer live upon those toys That 's here on earth those passing earthly things That rather to my soul disquiet brings Than any joy or comfort Lord I find There 's nothing in this world gives peace of mind In that Celestial place where thou dost dwell That place of glory that no tongue can tell Nor mortal eye hath seen nor heart conceive What 's there in store for them that do believe There where thy Presence is there 's fulness store Of joy and pleasures now and evermore Then by thy Spirit give me to behold The Glory of thy Self to me unfold That most transcendant Beauty and that Light Where Angels worship thee both day and night That though no heart is able to conceive it Nor mortal eye perceive the Brightness of it Nor tongue relate what things are laid up there For them that do thee love and serve and fear And though I can't the least of Mercies merit Yet Lord reveal them to me by thy Spirit That I may daily more and more so slight So disesteem the world that I so might Just as a pilgrim-stranger travel here So freed from all the world and worldly care That I might never think my self at home Until I find that City that 's to come Before thou canst arrive this blessed Port And enter in this Haven such a sort Of waves and tempests may against thee rise Which Satan will against thee so devise To keep thee off by force with wind weather Unless thou play the man thou 't ne'r come thither Then look about thee and consider well And hearken unto what I shall thee tell Thou seest thou hast a journey now to go Be careful that thou dost it travel so Still casting off those things that may thee let That thou may'st safely to the end on 't get Thou art no other than a stranger here A sojourner as all thy fathers were Then think not thou shalt be so kindly us'd For strangers many times are much abus'd Though strangers should be all received well And entertained be it all times fell That sojourners and such as strangers be Which travel towards Heav'ns eternity That holy City Heav'nly Canaan Did find small friendship here from any man Our fathers Abraham and Isaac too With Jacob and the rest did find it so For they did live as strangers in the Land Which was by Promise their own Country and Because they sought a City God had made That had foundations he the basis laid The builder and the maker of the same Was he alone they from their Country came To sojourn in the Land of Promise when God call'd them forth out of their Country then They sought by Faith another Country where They should have rest from travel and the care That usually attends the way they went To heav'ly Canaan where they were bent To go through thick and thin what ere it cost The end would make amends for all they lost They all did die in Faith did not receive The Promise yet the Promise did believe And if my soul thou dost intend to go In that same path they went thou'lt find it so That thou art but a Pilgrim-Stranger here A Travellor unto a Country where Thou wilt a Resting-place enjoy indeed Then go not back but on the way proceed Think it no hard thing thou shouldst be a stranger And that thou art
hither to provided hath for thee Then let thy care be cast on him for he Doth care for thee and thine and alwayes will Then let thy care be only to fulfill His blessed mind and how thou maist him please To do his Will brings most content and ease Consider that the World doth pass away There 's nothing in 't that will long with thee stay Nor nothing in 't that brings true comfort neither But he that doth Gods will abides for ever Why shouldst thou then seek great things for thy self Nay seek them not not any worldly wealth It is but labour lost if thou hadst got The world for all its glory profits not But rather will a hindrance prove to thee No furtherance at all the world can be In this thy journey which thou now must go Then love it not but count it for thy so Remember Godliness is such great gain Together with Contentment if attain Unto 't thou dost it will thee richer make Than all the world can do then nere forsake That way in which thou maist be rich in faith There 's none is truly rich but he that hath That durable and everlasting treasure Which far exceeds the glory wealth and pleasure That all the world affords if one had all Which is therein its glory is but small For on the greatest of it may be writ All is but transitory and not fit For none but those that will no other have Which leaves men ere they get unto the grave Those mind no more then what will bring them thither Tho there they part cannot go together But Heav'nly treasure is not of this kind A man can never leave this wealth behind The dead are bless'd that in the Lord do dye They rest from labour and their work doth hie To follow after them they have no loss Death unto such produceth no such cross Their wealth to lose for them to dye is gain Because with Christ they 'l evermore remain What blessedness is like unto this bliss What riches is comparable to this Though one be poor yet making many rich And though one nothing have to be one which Possesseth all things and can say All 's mine And unto him that doth believe all 's thine Gods Ministers are yours the world withall And life and death this substance is not small Things present and to come are also yours It can't be known what wealth true faith procures He only is the wealthy happy man That reads God's precious promises and can Believe and truly say that these are made To him in Christ what ere in them is said He can by Faith apply by Faith can see That none of them are Yea and Nay but Yea In Christ Yea and Amen all of them are To him that in them through Christ hath a share According to our Proverb 't is the fate Of that man to be poor that God doth hate And such are they that doth oppression use And do the innocent therewith abuse Who are corrupt and partial in the Law That do the poor and needy tear and claw Like to a Lyon or a ranging Bear So wicked Rulers to the people are Which do encourage those that evil do But do the righteous Lion-like pursue That do abhor the upright man and hate Him likewise that rebuketh in the Gate That Judgment turn to Wormwood who hath Left executing Righteousness on earth Whose treading is upon the poor who make That man their prey that doth their ways forsake Or that departeth from iniquity Such they account for mad men and who buy The needy for a pair of shoes the poor That buy for silver by oppression sore Such cause the righteous man to howle and cry With violence the earth is covered by Their turning Judgement backward into Gall The fruit of Righteousness to Hemlock all Such men are very poor though very rich This is an Orthodox truth but very which May seem to be a Paradox to those That love the world and have its honor chose Then see my soul thou dost not fret at him That seems to prosper in his way not them That know no sorrow like to other men Whose eyes stand out with fatness and whose pen Writes grievousness which thing they have prescribed To turn aside from judgment unless bribed The needy and the right of him that 's poor They take away and by oppression sore The Widow doth become to them a prey And th' fatherless are robbed ev'ry day Although with fat such have got shining faces Yet they my soul do stand in slippery places Then envy not their great prosperity Their breath is in their nostrils they must dye Though pride doth compass such as with a chain And violence yet such men are but vain They in their best estate are vanity And so are all things else beneath the sky And God will bring such men to desolation The wicked shall not stand in th' Congregation Of the upright such are but as a dream In which a man in 's sleep doth think and deem He hath much wealth but when he doth awaken He finds it but a dream himself mistaken So are such men the Lord will sure despise Their Image when he doth awake and rise To call them down into destruction then They 'l know that God's the Lord and that he can Them in a moment visit all with horror And can them utterly consume with terror If this be so thou hast no cause to fear The fear of man will bring thee to a snare Trust thou in God and then thou wilt be safe For God thy God such strength and power hath Thou needst not fear what man a worm can do Whose dayes are as a span his hours few Who is as grass that flourisheth to day But on the morrow goes quite to decay Poor man is just like to a famous flower That liveth now but cropt and gone next hour His dayes are like unto a Wevers Shuttle So like to glass or some such brittle mettle So frail is man though of his strength he boast His life is wind he soon doth come to dust Though he in pride may swell and think to rise Above the Rocks nay sore above the skies Yet he must dye and wasteth then away When once death comes death wil for no man stay Though he be one as great as great may be Man giveth up the ghost and where is he Then as thou dost along thy Journey go I hope thou'lt ne're forget thy Maker so To fear the Grass so much thou goest by Or any famous Flower thou dost espye To quit thy journey for such fading dust As Grass and Flowers are which shortly must Be made as stubble for the wicked shall And then be burnt as in an Oven all Be made as ashes underneath the feet Of them that they did evilly entreat Why shouldst thou fear them then what fear can be The wicked fear where no fear is and flee When none doth them pursue away they go
evil Though he his precious Blood and Life did lose 'T was for thy sake the Grave could no way chuse But yeild him up He had the victory O're Grave and Death that potent Enemy For which he is rewarded he 's exalted At Gods right hand though yet he is assaulted By those his foes that now afflict his members But they he 'l make as dust or as the embers He hath thy foes already so annoy'd The world he overcame the works destroy'd Of Satan and his Imps so far that thou Need'st not to fear them to encounter now Then O my soul be sure that out of hand Thou ready art to be at his command VVhere e're he lead thee fail thou not to follow Make no excuse nor say thou'lt come to morrow Delays may prove of such great danger so Thou maist repent thou didst not run and go At his command to Jayle and Banishment To death with joy without astonishment To great reproach to stripes to mockings and To have most cruel usage at the hand Of wicked men the bondslaves of the Devil Who are at his command to do what evil He shall appoint them to so ready they His Hellish precepts all are to obey But let them be as ready as they will The precepts of the Devil to fulfil Be thou more ready far them to withstand Than they can be to be at his command For they his servants are whom they obey And he their Master will their wages pay A service bad the wages is more evil When he that pays them wages is the Devil But leaving them a while their Master to We will on with our present matter go If thou 'lt an expert faithful Souldier be Then don't receive commands from none but he Who is thy Captain under whose command Thou hast avowed live or dye to stand To 't still and fight whilst thou hast life and breath Ne're to give o're but faithful be to death His voice then hear his precepts keen and now I 'le tell thee what he saith to thee and how And who thou must be careful of they don't Prevail and spoil thee for some will affront Thee many ways with sundry sudden bouts And will attempt to give thee many routs Beat up thy Quarters put thee to the run So thou the Crown maist lose when all is done Unless my soul as thou a souldier art Thou play the man a valiant souldiers part Then learn thy postures well handle thy Arms And know it is one of thy great concerns To stand upon thy Guard and keep thy tower And always watch against the crafty power Of sin the Devil and his depths and wiles With which he seeketh labours toils and moyls Thee to deceive delude destroy devour Like to a roaring Lyon ev'ry hour Whom fail not to resist with that good shield Of Faith and he will of her flie or yeild Besides the Devil I would have thee know The worlds become thy cruel desperate foe Thou art not of the world but chosen now Out of the world by Jesus Christ then how Iâ— hated him it also will hate thee While thou hast life 't will be thine enemy Nor will it love thee though it love its own The reason is because it hath not known Thy Father nor his Son thy precious Lord And therefore 't is the world wil not afford No better entertainment than these bands With threats reproofs scorns from scoffers hands And yet somtimes the world what e'rs the matter Will speak thee very fair will cog and flatter But trust it not when with its fading things It doth lay siege against thee and then brings Such troops of foes which presently set on who 'l bid defiance to thee with much scorn And fall to scale thy works and take thy Fort With such attempts so strong in such a sort That if thou dost not quit thy self thou'lt yeild And like a Coward faint and lose the field Stand then upon thy watch keep here thy guard Lest thou be foild and lose thy great reward Let nothing of the world though ne're so brave Make thee thereof a good opinion have But use thy shield of Faith defend thy self The world hath nothing in 't but empty wealth And take thy Sword in hand of this be sure The siege nor battel will not long endure That shield of Faith the world will overcome But when this fight doth end there 's in the room Another fight one field's no sooner won But presently another war 's begun For there is yet another foe that will Lie secretly in wait thy blood to spill That are so-close and still in ambushcado But will not make an onset with bravado Except they catch thee careless by the by Then furiously they will upon thee flye But else these secretly lurk here and there Waiting to take thee ere thou art aware For these base foes are such as be employ'd By Satan and his Imps the world beside And often by them us'd that so they may By means of these and by their help betray Thee to their hands and so unto their will That they may triumph over thee and fill Themselves with such revenge with such great ire That they of thee may have what they desire Then of this foe take such a special care Lest thou by it be brought into some snare For this proud foe my soul is not without thee Thou dost at all times carry this about thee It lies within thy bosome all the day At night at home abroad and on the way Thou never go'st no where no time without it It s alwayes with thee in thy secret Closet Nay when thou art the most and best retir'd And in thy thoughts most clear and less bemir'd Turmoil'd or troubled least with such affairs As tend to thy disturbance freest from cares And think'st thy self secure and most at rest Then will this adversary play his best So craftily will labour night and day To get thee fast asleep that so he may With fine enticing wiles and complements Wherewith he 's fitted unto all intents And purposes whatever by the Devil The Father and the Author of all evil That he might flatter thee and cog and wo To that by guile by force he could not do Of this close enemy then have a care Him wound and kill of him make thou no spare Which that thou maist with constant courage do I 'le now go tell thee who is this proud fo This enemy of thine I tell thee plain Are thy own Lusts who will with might and main Wage war and fight but craftily against thee With pleasing baits they 'l labour to deceive thee And sooner with the world than thee they 'l join Use stratagems they may thy heart t'purloin And with the Devil too but they will have Thee made their vassal and their captive-slave And to accomplish this they will thee tell Thou art a foolish man and dost not well To lie in Prison when thou maist conform And keep
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