wait how long shall I seek how long shall I call and utter my voice weeping saylng oh come away come away unto me thou whom I mourn for whom I long after whom my soul loveth oh I have waited so long that I am weary and begin to be almost without hope of his coming any more unto me Well what shall I do and whether shall I go I will even lay me down in sorrow and make it my bed make grief my sheets and tears my pillow and sighing and mourning my sleep untill he come whom my soul loveth for verily I cannot I cannot be satisfied with another besides him Oh who amongst the sons and daughters of Men shall I make my moan unto unto whom shall I complain and ease my heart unto where shall I find one who is sensible of my condition that can simpathize with me and that can speak a word in season unto my poor soul oh is it thus with any as it is with me Yes yes I believe there is many hath been and many now are in thy condition Oh where may I find one of them that I might ease my heart unto him and spread my condition before him for oh verily my bowels is very open to those who be in my condition well have patience be quiet and be still and lend an ear unto me and I may speak a little how it is with me and it may be if the Lord will to thy comfort for oh truly my soul loveth thee oh my heart is moved with compassion towards thee oh my bowels my bowels is open unto thee and my soul greatly simpathize with thy soul and could even wish my soul for a time in thy souls stead oh though indeed I am but a Child yet truly I am in some measure sensible of thy condition and can read it by my own and oh how willingly would I help thee according to my ability oh truly methinks I would even be a help unto all who stand in need of help but especially unto thee thou poor soul what art thou poor so am I what art thou weak and feeble so am I oftentimes what art thou empty so am I oftentimes what art thou cold and barren so am I sometimes what art thou as one desolate and destitute so am I sometimes what doth thou eat thy bread weeping and mingle thy drink with thy tears it is so with me at sometimes when I want the enjoyment of him whom my soul loveth for truly it is with me sometimes as it is with thee for sometimes I have not the enjoyment of my beloved as I have at other times but sometimes he seems to be withdrawn and to hide his face from me oh then it is with me as it is with thee oh then sorrows take hold upon me and trouble surroundeth me about as a wall and mourning covers me as a garment and none seeth my tears but the Lord oh then my leanness my leanness my coldness and barrenness is my greatest burden which causeth me to go bowed down in spirit saying in my heart Oh whether is my beloved gone and what is the cause he hath withdrawn himself from me wherefore is it thus with me what is the matter what shall I do what will the Lord leave me what will my God forsake me what will the Lord now cast me off who hath done so much for me Oh what is the cause that it is thus with me wherefore is the windows of Heaven shut up and the shoures of refreshment from on high withheld from me oh once I could say the Lord is my shepherd and my soul doth not want he causeth me to feed and even to lie down in green Pastures and leadeth me by the still waters and spreadeth my table with dainties and anointeth my head with the oyle of gladness and causeth my cup to overflow with new Wine But oh alass for me now I am in a dry and thirsty land where no water is oh what hath the Lord cast me off for ever Oh my tears is my meat and drink whilest my enemy saith unto me where is thy God dost thou think he will ever appear again unto thee why dost thou thus hunger thirst cry and pant after him alass it is in vain for thee to wait for him once indeed thou had the enjoyment of him once thou went with the multitude with them to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise with a multitude that keep holy day but alass thou must not look for such a day again And thus the adversary of my soul endeavoureth to add sorrow to my sorrow and to encrease the weight of my burden that so I might sink and never rise But oh the Lord my God is near to help me even in that time when I can scarce perceive him and when I am as Peter was ready to sink then his invisible arme of mercy is ready to save me and a secret hope the Lord preserveth alive in me which is as an anchor unto my soul which keeps me from suffering shipwrack a hope that the Lord will appear again to me to my joy whereby some encouragement I feel stirring in me to wait upon the Lord patiently and to trust in him though I do not see him and to relie upon him and hope in his tender bowels when he seems to be far off me and to roul my self upon him and surely he will appear again to thy joy oh my soul who canst not be satisfied without his presence even the presence of the Lord thy God which thou desireth more then all things else whatsoever wherefore the Lord seeing it is so with thee that thou desireth his presence more then all other things surely surely he will not cast thee off for ever surely he will appear again to thy joy wherefore why art thou so much cast down oh my soul and why art thou thus disquieted within me oh hope hope thou in thy God for thou shalt yet praise him the Lord will yet again command his loving kindness in the day time and in the night season his song shall be with thee even praises to the God of thy life oh wait patiently upon the Lord and trust in the living God whose compassions fails not towards those who loveth him oh he will send out his light and his truth into thee again and it shall bring thee unto his holy hill and to his Tabernacle and then shalt thou go to the altar of God of God thy exceeding joy and upon thy harp shall thou praise the Lord thy God thy delight and joy oh it is good for thee both to hope and quietly to wait upon the Lord for the Lord is good to the man that waits upon him unto the soul which seeketh him and cannot be satisfied without him oh wait patiently upon him even as a servant waiteth upon his Master and as a maiden at the hand of her Mistress so do thou wait for the Lord
SOME Prison Meditations OF AN Humble Heart Given forth from a Child in Israel whose Soul very dearly loveth his Heavenly Fathers Children much desiring and travelling in spirit for their prosperity in the Truth even as for his own soul and the Author hereof believing and knowing thaâ— this following Treatise may if the Lord will be of service unto many of the tender honest simple single upright-hearted oneâ— who are following on to know the Lord in the footsteps of righteousness and who dâ—sireth to pass over on to the end in the strait way of holiness therfore even for their sakes is this following Treatise publishâ—d from a constraint of Gods love in singleness and simplisity of heart By a Sufferer for the Truth in the Common Coal of Edmondsbury whose Earthen Vessel bears the name of WILLIAM BENNIT Printed in the Year 1666. Some Prison Meditations of an humble Heart c. OH Oh my Soul be not unmindful of the large mercy and goodness of the Lord shewed towards thee neither forget the exceeding loving kindness of the Holy One manifested unto thee Oh my Soul Oh let the sence of what the Lord thy dear tender pittiful compassionate God hath done for thee continually be fresh in and upon thee oh my Soul for the Lord thy God hath freely done that for thee which none besides him the mighty one could do Oh my Soul the Lord hath brought thee out of the pit even out of the horrible pit and out of the mire and clay wherein thou once stuck so fast as that thou could never have been able to have gotten out by all means possible thou could have invented but must have sunk deeper and deeper therein and so have perished for ever had not the Lord God of infinite mercy helped thee who did cast his eye of pitty and compassion upon thee and out of his meer mercy love and free grace stretched out his hand to help thee oh my Soul when none besides him could help thee and by his arme of loving kindness lifted thee up out of the horrible pit out of the mire and clay and hath set thy feet upon a Rock which stands sure and can never be moved and thereon he establisheth thy goings praises pure living righteous Praises to the Lord thy God be rendered by thee Oh my Soul even for ever and for ever more Oh my Soul remember thou wast once even like a poor silly sheep without a shepherd wandering upon the barren mountains and dry heaths in the wilderness and solitary places full of trouble sorrow and perplexity and knew not the way to the fold of rest oftentimes mourning and weeping alone as a Dove without her Mate when no eye saw thy sorrow but the Lord alone often saying in thy heart whose state and condition is so miserable as mine who so poor and desolate as I none knoweth how iâ— is with me but the Lord alone And indeed the Lord then saw thee and knew how it was with thee oh my Soul and he the tender God of unfathomable bowels of compassion beheld thee in that day when thou did eat thy bread weeping and mingled thy drink with thy tears and he the compassionate one heard thy secret crys and knew thy secret desires and thy sighing and groaning entered into his ears and thy tears which thou dropped upon his altar laid open unto the view of the eye of thy tender mercyful God and his tender bowels was moved with pitty towards thee and for his own seed sake he had compassion upon thee oh my soul and helped thee in the day of thy trouble and delivered thee out of distress who freely reached forth his arme unto thee and took thee by the hand and brought thee out of the wildernesses and desolate places and set thy feet in the right way which hath led thee to a City of habitation and to the fold of rest and now the Lord who both sought thee and found thee out and brought thee out of the wilderness and from off the barren mountains he is become thy shepherd oh my soul and how canst thou want any good thing he oftentimes feedeth thee and even causeth thee to lie down in green Pastures and leadeth thee by the still waters even Shilos brook which runs softly and he spreadeth thy Table in the sight of thy enemies and anointeth thy head with the oyle of gladness and causeth thy cup to overflow with new wine and hath brought thee to sit under thy own Vine and under thy fig tree and none shall make thee afraid oh my soul Oh the goodness of the Lord oh the kindness of the Lord oh the mercy of the Lord oh the pitty of the Lord oh the compassion of the Lord God of tender bowels is even unutterable unspeakable unfathomable and incomprehensible Oh the heighth oh the depth oh the length oh the breadth of the love of the Lord oh my soul truly when thou meditatest of the goodness of the Lord and considerest of his loving kindness and mercy shewed towards thee oh how can but the sence thereof pitch thee even upon a stand of admiration Oh surely surely when thou oh my soul looketh back into his works and considerest how much he hath wrought in thee and for thee thou can see no end of his praises oh praises oh living praises holy righteous praises unto the pure holy righteous Lord God be ascribed by thee oh my soul for ever and for ever more Oh my Soul as thou art kept in the fresh sence and remembrance of the great loving kindness the great mercy the great pitty and unspeakable compassion of the Lord thy tender God which he hath and daily doth manifest unto thee oh my soul Oh how canst thou but in the sence of Gods unspeakable love abound in love in pitty in mercy in kindness in tenderness and compassion towards all people but especially towards all souls who are seeking thirsting hungring breathing crying and panting after Righteousness peace and everlasting rest and eternal happiness Oh my soul the Lord thy God knoweth the frame of thy spirit the Lord knoweth the tenderness of thy bowels and the openness of thy bosom towards all the seekers after Righteousness towards all the travellers to Sion and towards all the Mourners therein Oh my soul remember how that at some times when the great fountain the great deep hath opened and issued forth of his fulness into thee oh my soul and when joy hath come into thy heart as a river and gladness as a mighty stream refreshings as shoures in the spring and consolation as due upon the tender plants and when thou could sing for joy of heart and shout out aloud even prayses and halleluiahs to thy God that then even then thou oh my soul remembreth the poor and needy in his own eyes and think'st thou hearest his cry sounding in thy ear and his soul saying in secret Oh how many is there who eateth of the largest loaves drinketh
conscience and are proved treacherous children denying their father who begat them and casting off their mother who traveled in pain to bring them forth and hating the womb that bore them and paps which gave them suck this hath come upon them through carelesness and sloathfulness and through reasoning and consulting with the enemy of their souls and through looking at the trouble trial sufferings streights and difficulties which appeared in their way and through lusting after the flesh pots of Egipt through looking back into the ease pleasure riches and honour of this world which hath carried them away captive again into Egipt into the house of bondage again wherefore oh my soul watch watch and stand fast in that liberty which the truth Christ the power of God hath brought thee into and take heed thou be not again intangled with the yoak of bondage Oh my soul if there be some who once were fresh green tender living and fruitful unto God who now hath lost their freshness greenness tenderness and fruitfulness towards God and now coldness deadness and barrenness is come upon them to God-ward and their love and zeal for the Lord waxed cold Oh my soul if it have thus happened unto some oh how can thou but fear before the Lord oh my soul least the same should happen unto thee also And if some there be whose minds are gotten into a full liberty and are at ease in the flesh living above the cross of Christ Jesus which crucifies to the world and are grown careless and negligent spending their time often with vain talking foolish jesting and needless communication who formerly spent their time in waiting upon the Lord in meditating and exercising themselves in the things of God being very watchful over their thoughts words works and actions having the pure fear of the Righteous God fresh in their hearts standing in awe of him always least they should sin against him in thought word and deed lying down and rising up in his pure fear eating and drinking and doing all things in the pure fear of the Lord knowing a stay to their minds a stop to their thoughts a bridle to their tongues a watch before their mouth and a fearing in their hearts least they should not be watchful enough over their lives and conversations yea even over their very carriage and gesture their words being very few sober and savoury even savouring of the grace of God in their hearts they desiring and endeavouring very diligently to walk so as that they might in life carriage and conversation be as holy patterns and righteous examples of love of peace of holiness and purity of meekness and lowliness of tenderness and pitty of mercy and compassion of patience and long suffering of sobriety and gentleness c. that so they might walk as becometh Saints blameless and harmless as sons of God without rebuke in the middest of a crooked and perverse generation among whom to shine as lights to the adorning of the truth of God professed by them and to the glory honour and praise of the Lord God and to the joy comfort refreshment peace and consolation of their own souls Oh this condition which once they were in was very sweet blessed and happy and if now they have in measure lost this sweet condition and so in measure are departed from their first love and grown careless and negligent puft up with knowledge without life which only keeps humble satisfying themselves with talking of what they formerly enjoyed of the Lord â—nd of what they have done and suffered for the Lord c. I say if it be thus with some then oh my soul in the sence of what is come upon them how can thou but fear dread and tremble in heart before the Lord not in the least measure or degree to watch for evil in any or to have an eye open to spy out the nakedness of another or to take an occasion against them because of their failings and haltings or being bâ—sie in looking at others conditions and in keeping their Vinyards and neglect the keeping of thy own Nay nay oh my Soul let it not be so with thee but if thou as thou setteth in thy habitation without desiring at all to look abroad at others seeth that it hath and is happened unto many according as is forementioned then oh my soul only let it be as a warning unto thee the more to fear before the Lord and to be the more watchful in the light and to keep closer unto the Lord least the same things should happen unto thee oh my soul as hath happened unto them unto whom let thy tenderness extend and thy dear love abound with secret crys and strong groanings unto the Lord thy God on their behalfes and on thy own behalf that thou may be kept and preserved unto the end Oh alass for thee my poor soul how weak art thou and how unable to stand as of thy self wherefore cleave cleave and keep close unto the Lord thy tender compassionate God and then assuredly the Lord will cleave unto thee and will not leave thee oh my soul wherefore lift up thy head in the strength of the Lord and look up unto the holy one whose dwelling is on high in the holy place and with thee oh my soul as thou art kept humble in heart contrite in spirit meek in mind and trembleth at his word and look not at thy own weakness feebleness and inability but keep thy eye unto the Lord and trust in his name relie and depend upon his arme and hope in his tender bowels who maketh the poor rich the weak strong the simple wise wait thou patiently upon him and look not out at the greatness of others measures neither look thou at the smallness of thy own least faintness weariness and discouragement should thereby come in upon thee and thou murmur because thy measure is no greater but be thou contented and truly satisfied with thy portion and be faithful unto the Lord in thy measure and being faithful in the little thou shall be made ruler over much and enter into the joy of the Lord wait upon him who hath freely given in thee what thou hath of him and he can give thee more there was nothing in thee that was of thee which induced the Lord to communicate that measure of his fulness unto thee which he hath dispensed to thee but of his own meer mercy tender love and free grace who of his own free will hath begotten thee again unto a living hope so that thou right well knoweth that it is not he that willeth nor he that runeth but God who sheweth mercy Oh thou had not awakened out of the sleep of sin and corruption had not the mighty God thundred from his dwelling place upon thee and awakened thee oh my soul surely thou had never been raised out of the dust of sin and grave of iniquity had not the Lord of his own free will raised thee up
and brought thee forth by his own Almighty power Oh my soul surely thou had never as as of thy self turned unto the Lord had not the Lord of his own free will turned thee and after thou was turned thou repented and after thou was afflicted thou smote upon thy thigh yea thou was confounded because thou bore the shame of thy youth and surely my soul after the Lord had turned thee in measure unto him thou had not followed him in the narrow and strait way through the Cross in the self denial had not the Lord thy God drawn thee after him by the cords and woings of his tender love and surely thou had turned back again from the Lord into the mire and durt again and had never stood untill this hour but must have fainted and dyed ere this day had not the Lord of his own free will kept thee preserved thee upheld thee and supported thee by his own almighty power whose grace hath been sufficient for thee both in the day of prosperity and in the day of adversity in the time of tryal in the hour of temptation and so let all flesh be silent in thee oh my soul and the Lord only exalted and the boaster for ever excluded and God alone have the glory and self wholly slain and the Lord alone honoured and praised and his unspeakable love and free grace admired and his holy name feared and obeyed by whose grace thou art what thou art and his grace bestowed upon thee hath not been in vain blessed blessed be the Lord and pure holy praises to him and glory and Halleluiah to him in the highest Amen saith my soul Oh Lord what was I and what was my Fathers house I was neither a Prophet nor a Prophets son what was I that the King of glory should cast his eye upon me even when I laid as among the pits what was I that he should hold forth the scepter unto me and I should find favour in his sight who regarded my low estate and raised me out of the dust and brought me from off the dunghill to sit among Princes Oh my soul the Lord hath done much for thee since the day he formed thee in the womb and brought thee forth for his praise he hath made the crooked things strait before thee and rough smooth and mountains he hath laid low before thee and removed many a hill out of thy way and he hath made a way for thee in the Wilderness and a path through many a thicket he hath lopt the bough with terrour and the great one of stature hath been hewn down he did cut up the thicket of the Forrest with Iron and Lebanon did fall by a mighty one oh he hath made the hard things easie unto thee oh how hath his love made thee willing to bow thy neck to the yoak and to take up the Cross and totally to despise the shame and to follow the Lamb through some trials and tribulations whose love hath drawn thee after him whose love hath as it were made thee to forget thy Fathers house Oh how hath his love caused me to cast off other lovers and to love the Lord my God who is now become my treasure and my heart is with him so that if I be shut up in prison if I enjoy him oh then days months and years may pass over my head and time is not thought long nor sufferings hard because of the enjoyment of the presence of the Lord my treasure whom my soul loveth for whose sake I am willing to suffer whose pure sweet refreshing comfortable presence makes a prison delightsome to me praises pure living praises to my God for ever who hath been with me in six troubles and in the seventh he hath not left me he is my buckler my shield my strength my Rock my safe guard my strong tâ—wer wherefore I 'le not fear the threats of the wicked neither regard the cruelty of the ungodly nor heed the purposes of my enemy nor mind the dâ—terminations of unrighteous men through the strength of my God I will not fear though the Earth be removed and carried into the midst of the Sea and though the mountains shake through the swelling thereof though the Heathen rage and the people imagine vain things and the Rulers take councel against me I 'le not fear what Man can do unto me for the Lord is with me and I shall not be moved and the Lord will help me and that right early yet alass for me poor poor worm I am but a child weak and feeble but indeed having had great experience of the love of my God and of his tender fatherly care over me how can I but confidently trust hope relie and depend upon the Lord my God believing that he the mighty one will enable me the weak one to wade through and endure those tryals he pleaseth to exercise me withal who through his love and mercy hath caused my trials to work for my good praises to his name for ever more who hath nine times delivered me out of the hands of unreasonable men out of their prisons and holes where I have suffered for the Testimony of my God through his enabling of me without murmuring against him praises unto him alone no honour no honour no glory but unto God saith my soul who hath kept me by his power from bowing to the Beast or drinking of the Whores Cup pure praises to my dear God for ever more who will free me once again from bonds in his own time I am willing to wait thy season oh my God who art with me and oh let me never depart from thee oh Lord and then I know thou will never leave me but thou wilt be my God to help me still and to support me still and to comfort me still and refresh me still and quicken me still and to feed me still with bread from Heaven fresh Manna morning by morning and give me to drink of the River of thy pleasure daily who wilt enable me to stand faithful to thee unto the end of my days that I may finish my Testimony for thee thy name and truth in this thy day even with joy and lay down my head in peace in thy tender bosome of endless love oh my tender God and therein repose with thy dear Children for evermore have my full satisfaction of love in thee thou fountain of Love and therein fetch my full breath for ever more Oh let it be so oh let it be so oh my dear God for thy own seed sake to thy own praise thou holy one who is worthy worthy of all glory glory honour and everlasting thanksgiving and pure living praises for ever and ever more Amen Halleluiah glory and eternal renown to the almighty one in the highest Amen Oh my soul thou dearly loveth the whole Flock of God where-ever they are scattered upon the face of the Earth oh thou greatly desireth their prosperity and tranquility and that
over thee with joy he 'l joy over thee with singing then it shall be said sing oh daughter of Sion and shout oh Israel and rejoyce with all thy heart oh daughter of Jerusalem for the Lord hath taken away thy Judgment he hath cast out thy enemies and thy warfare is accomplished and thy great travel is finished and now thou shalt rest from thy labour and they who hath laboured and mourned with thee and for thee shall rejoyce for joy with thee and suck and be satisfied with the sweet consolation of thy breast and milk out and be delighted in the abundance of thy glory oh the Lord thy husband thy maker the God of hosts is his name will extend peace joy comfort and everlasting refreshment as a mighty stream and endless consolation as a river oh then shall they be comforted in thee after their sorrow and be born up upon thy sides and dandles upon thy knees for as a woman comforteth her only son so will the Lord comfort Jerusalem in the sence whereof her Children shall rejoyce and their souls be right glad and flourish as an herb and their spirit shall praise and sing glory unto him who is Lord and King of Heaven and Earth who is worthy worthy of all glory praise and honour for ever and for ever more Amen saith my soul The thing which the Lord hath purposed must be accomplished in his season and the thing that he hath determined must be fulfilled in despite of all the powers of Darkness Oh that all thy babes and lambs may willingly wait thy appointed time oh Lord God almighty oh dear God keep all thy people retire in thy name that so what ever thou suffer to befall their bodies their souls may be safe bundeled up in the bundle of Life wrapped therein for ever more for a terrible day is like to be upon all flesh and who can be able to abide it Oh dear God increase the patience of thy People strengthen the faith of thy Chosen oh support the weak and uphold the little ones which cannot yet go alone oh that none of thy flock may faint nor grow weary oh that all thine might stand in the day of tryal and be kept in the hour of temptation and borne up under all sufferings that so in the end they may come forth as gold seven times refined in the fire that they may shine as stars in the firmament of thy power making mention of thy goodness graciousness and kindness oh Lord God Almighty declaring of thy mighty acts and sing of thy mercies and wonderful doings and glorifie magnifie honour and praise thee thou mighty everlasting powerful one who art from all Eternity to all Eternity whose Throne is established of old whose septer beareth sway in Righteousness whose Kingdom is Everlasting glory and halleluiah to thee in the highest for ever and for ever moâ—e yea praises praises pure living praises every minute be rendered unto the Lord Almighty saith the soul of William Bennit OH arise arise thou holy righteous seed of the Covenant of life eternal Arise arise thy Light is come and the glory of thy God is risen upon thee Oh thou lovely one Nations shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightness of thy rising Ah thou beautiful one thy Sons shall come from far and thy Daughters from the ends of the Earth Arise arise thou beautiful one who art altogether lovely Oh how sweet is thy Love thou lovely one oh how excellent is thy Love thou choice one oh thy love thy love is more precious then Rubies more sweeter then hony oh thy love is better then wine Oh how hath thy love overcome the hearts of many and wone them unto thee oh thy love draws many after thee oh how doth thy love cause many to cast off all their other lovers to follow thee thou lovely one oh thou art become unto many souls who loveth thee thou lovely one even the chiefest of ten thousands whose eyes are opened to see thy beauty and to behold thy comeliness thou beautiful one oh thou art hid from the polluted neither can the unclean behold thy excellent beauty the Vulterous eye cannot perceive thy Comeliness nor they who hath eyes full of Adultery and cannot cease from sin and have hearts exercised with covetous practises and are gone a whoring after many Lovers oh from these thou art hid thou lovely one even as a garden inclosed as a spring shut up as a fountain sealed from them Oh arise thou choice one and let thy beauty appear unto those who yet hath not seen thy beauty and let them tast of thy love that so they may cast off all other Lovers and follow thee Cast of all and cleave unto thee with their whole hearts Oh arise arise thou beloved one and shine forth in thy excellent glory that even the Nations may be ravished with thy beauty and Kingdoms overcome with thy love and be drawn after thee that a blessing in thee they may obtain Oh arise and let thy fruitfulness appear thou pâ—ecious one and let joy and gladness fill thy heart thou lovely one for the days of thy rejoycing is come and coming and the days of thy mourning is fleeing away Oh thou beloved one thou hath been even as a woman foâ—saken and grieved in spirit and few or none of the sons and daughters of Men hath looked upon thee with an eye of pitty Oh thou hath been as the Owle in the desart and as the alone sparrow upon the house top and as the alone quail in the stuble fields and as a Dove mourning alone without her Mat who hath set solitary alone as in the Wilderness and none among the sons of Men to comfoâ—t thee oh thou beloved one thou hath been like unto a man of sorrow and very deeply acquainted with grief often smitten often grieved often afflicted often wounded often pierced and oppressed even as a Cart that is pressed with sheaves and yet the sons and daughters of Men hath esteemed thee not although indeed thou patient one thou hath been wounded by their transgressions and grieved smitten and pâ—eâ—ced and bruised by their iniquities and hath born the weight of their sins and the burden of their Transgressions even while they like sheep have gone astray every one following his own way and feasting themselves as for a day of slaughter whiles thou hath been mourning because of the iniquity of the people eating and drinking and rising up to play whiles thou hath been weeping and groaning in secret because of the multitude of their transgressions who hath heaped sin upon sin and iniquity upon iniquity and hath loaded thee therewith which hath been as an impress of ten thousands upon thee thou tender one and unto thee they had no regard they took no notice of thy sorrow and burdens But oh thou beloved one thy God thy tender God who loveth thee with an Everlasting love took notice of thy sorrow and he saw