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
sweeter Tho unto sence it seems to be so bitter Than any Princely Court or stately Palace When with his presence he the soul doth solace If in a Prison Jesus Christ be there It 's cause of joy to meet him any where No sorrow can nor will that soul betide That hath dear Jesus lying by his side And he that night and day can take a nap In Jesus Christ the Lord 's Anointed's Lap Can there rejoice and in a Dungeon sing For joy of heart that Christ is there with him Tho Paul and Silas in the stocks were laid At midnight they in that condition pray'd And sung for joy of heart their Lord was there And with his love did them refresh and chear And made their bonds so pleasant and so choice With his good presence comforts and sweet voice That made them sing aloud with joyful praise VVhich did their Jaylers stonish and amaze And put them into such a fright and fear They could not tell the Prisoners were there Not knowing that in Prison they were free VVhen others were in bonds in liberty Why should I then with Prison-bonds be frighted Tho in my bonds I am by many slighted Sith I full many many times have known That blessed Jesus leaves me not alone But doth refresh my soul both day and night I never am out of his Princely sight He by his Spirit doth my soul uphold So teach and comfort strengthen and new-mold So frame so form so fashion and compose My heart so vile to be at his dispose That with my bonds I 'm mighty well content And at 's command to be I 'm fully bent So he with strength and grace support my soul VVho ere he be in this that shall controul And so he please still to continue with me Nor will he ever leave me nor forsake me As he hath promis'd in his faithful word VVhich I believe and to it do accord And am ascertain'd that he cannot lye Nor ne'r his holy blessed self deny Nor will he break that Covenant he made VVith faithful Abraham and all his seed That seed of Faith I mean not of the Law That which the Scriptures long ago foresaw Then need not I to fear what man can do VVhat ere he be that saith he 'l make me rue If Christ my Jesus be but on my part I need not fear they cannot make me smart Nor can they touch my hair except he please Them to permit I cannot one hair leese But should he them permit to try my Faith My Love and zeal to him and for his truth On me some grievous torments to inflict VVith which my sinful flesh they should afflict And sorely bruise and wound and cut and burn Yet would such handlings to my comfort turn In taking up and bearing of the Cross There can nor will be to my soul no loss It is the certain way unto the Crown Christ went that way himself 't was his renown Then now O Lord assist me with thy Grace That I may run not faint that blessed race Which in the end will bring me to that rest Where Sin and Satan can't my soul molest Where I shall never hear Oppressions voice Nor grief nor pain nor trouble but rejoice In thee alone and praise thy holy Name Admire thy Glory Beauty and thy Fame Where I shall have no work to do but praise The God of Heav'n the King of Saints always And if thou Lord dost please still to employ me In any harder work thereby to try me Grant as the day is so my strength may be For strength I have not any but from thee And then command me what shall seem good to thee I am thy Servant ready to obey thee 1. MY soul praise thou the God of Might And in the Lord be glad His Grace is wondrous in thy sight for he such pity had 2. Of thee when thou a sinful wretch didst wallow in the mire Of lust and filth then did he snatch a brand out of the fire 3. He lov'd thee when thou lovd'st not him such was his Love and Grace He took thee from the very brim Of Hell that dismal place 4. VVhen terrors did my soul amaze and sorrows day and night He out of them my soul did raise to see those beams so bright 5. That on my darken'd soul did shine which darted from the Son Of Mercy Grace and Love Divine my soul with it was won 6. More to admire than comprehend comprehend I could not VVhat kind of love God did intend unto my foul I knew not 7. Comfort and light I did receive which sweetly staid my heart And made me wait hope and believe God would his mind impart 8. At length unto my thirsting mind that long'd so much to know More of his Grace and Mercy kind the Lord was pleas'd to show 9. unto my soul that these were pangs new-birth pangs upon me Which much in doubt for sometime hangs I knew not they were on me 10. But when the Lord had me begat a lively hope unto Then I perceiv'd 't was nought but that with cords my soul he drew 11. I say with cords of love so sweet so choice unto my soul VVith which the Lord did me then meet that was so vile and foul 12. Then straight-way did the Lord speak peace and issues out a pardon The troubles of my soul did cease that heart which I did harden 13. VVas then most sweetly mollifi'd even melted and so broken My soul was then so satisfi'd it hardly can be spoken 14. Oh then how was my heart inflam'd with love to Christ my Lord That of his word I was not asham'd but gladly could afford 15. To lose my All for his dear sake that lost his Life for me And laid it down that he might make my peace with God and be 16. An able Saviour that can save me to the uttermost That I an open way might have to God which I had lost 17. Oh then my soul how art thou bound thy self to serve no more Thou from the Lord hast mercy found praise thou his Name therefore 18. Be not a servant unto men their lusts do not obey Nor serve no longer any sin that will thee soon destroy 19. But serve the Lord with all thy might 't was he that hath thee bought Thou art non's else but his of right he thy salvation wrought 20. And paid a price for thee so dear so precious and so great Then praise the Lord him love and fear for that is wondrous meet 21. Forsake him not he is thy Life thy Peace thy Joy thy All A present help in time of strife in troubles great and small 22. And tho the wicked rage and storm and threaten what they 'l do There 's none of them can do thee harm Christ is thy Rock then lo 23. What cause to fear the wrath of man it 's that shall praise the Lord And the remainder he 'l restrain this shall be known abroad 24. My soul
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
All evil works proceed do from the Devil He only is the author of them all Idolatry and errors great and small And men do willingly adhere to him And to his wayes and works rather than them That God appointed this is very right Such men love darkness and do hate the Light For let the Whore command them what she will If 't be to murder any one or kill Be 't Prince or People any what eare they For willingly the Whore's mind they obey Such dear obedient children they have bin Her to obey they think can be no sin But as I said the reason why she doth Forbid to reade the Scripture may be both Because she would not any man should see The Truth and also 't is because that she Fears the Scripture her Whoredoms will make known And all her works of darkness will be shown And therfore that she may her Whoredoms hide The use of Scripture she will not abide Though Christ it 's clear did very well approve The searching of the Scriptures and did move The Jews thereto by his commands that so They might there find wh'ther he were Christ or no. But this proud painted Whore will give to none That liberty but her they all must own Without all doubt or any jealousie But she must be the Church of Christ and why Because her Doctors say 't that 's their belief That 's Ask my fellow whether I 'm a thief They and their writings as she saith by far Must be esteem'd more than the Scriptures are Her Fathers and her Councils and what they Decreed we sooner far must all obey Than any Scripture-Writings for they be Or were writ in the Churches infancie But now the Church is grown to such a state And such maturity we scorn and hate To learn or follow any thing that 's there It is below us and our holy Chair And more than that it will bewray us all The people will us know and then we fall As Dagon did before the holy Ark We then our dogs can send no more to bark Against the Scripture and those holy wayes That practis'd were in the primitive dayes For this we know full well there is no ground In holy Scripture can or will be found For that great pomp and state we now live in Should this be known there 's none would care a pin For us the people very soon would bait Our greatness and our doing soon would hate And quickly pluck us from our holy Chair And pull our feathers till we were so bare That all the world would quickly plainly see What monstrous coz'ning cheating knaves we be But if we can but keep them ignorant We then shall lord it still and ore them vaunt T is but the hiding Scripture from their eyes By thundring threats or under some disguise We then are safe enough and all things still Will go according to our mind and will And therefore 't will be best for us to play That very game we have this many day For that 's the game we by experience find That holds us up and doth the people blind Well now we having briefly shown and seen Her whorish face that saith she sits a Queen And shall no sorrow ever know or see We 'l hint a little what her plagues will be And that there is good ground we may expect That men as well as God will her reject Those plagues that will come on her in one day Nay in one hour and shew what plagues are they What Judgments God hath now laid up in store Against that day that God will plague the Whore First then God will lift up a Banner on The Mountains high that will not be alone The Voice shall he exalt and shake the hand That they may enter in within her Land And go into her Nobles gates and be The great forerunners of her miserie For then God's sanctified ones will he Command and call his mighty ones that be Appointed for his anger who rejoyce In him his Highness and commanding Voice Then shall she howl the day of God's at hand And all among her shall amazed stand Because destruction will upon her fall From the Almighty and the weapons all Of his great indignation then will stand Against her they shall waste her and her Land They come from far so far that from the end Of Heav'n her to destroy God will them send To fear for paints and sorrow they shall drive This Scarlet Whore they shall against her thrive And she shall be in pain as woman are That are in travel and be fill'd with fear So much amaz'd her brats will look and stare At one another wondring what they are Whose faces are as flames for so they 'l be When she the coming of this day doth see That cruel day of anget and of wrath Which day will come though God seems to be loth To plague her for her sins yet when they are Become full ripe he will no longer bear But will against proud Babylon arise Her nakedness uncover and her thighs And lay her in the dust with loathsom shame Cut off from her both son and nephew name And remnant too that there shall be no more Left nor remain of this proud painted Whore For this great Work shall certainly be done When God shall say to Jacob Fear thou none Worm Jacob then shall so exalted be And from the Lord receive such strength that he Shall by Jehovah out of doubt be made According as the Prophets have fore-said A threshing Instrument both sharp and new To thresh this Mountain with this tale is true God will the Mountains beat therewith so small And make the Hills as chaff and fan them all The wind shall carry them away and when The whirlwind shall them scatter Jacob then Shall magnifie and praise the Lord with songs And give the praise to whom the praise belongs For in the holy One of Israel he Shall glory now and everlastingly When God shall give to Zion this Command Arise and thresh up Zion then shall stand Her horns shall then be made as Iron when Her hoofs shall be as brass with which those men I mean of Babylon or Rome shall be Beat all in pieces for their cruelty For God will bath his Sworn in Heav'n and then He 'l send it down upon those wicked men All them that are the people of his Curse That will not turn but still wax worse and worse To Judgement it shall come to judge the Whore For all her cursed deeds which she hath store For when the day of Vengeance shall come in The heart of God he 'l punish all her sin That day of Vengeance which to God is known That year of Recompences for Zion For Zion's controversie shall it be When God shall judge and plague the Whore for he Will tread her down in fury and will make In anger Romes foundations all to shake Then wil the Lord bring down her pride strength Unto the
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
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