Innocency Though Under a Cloud Cleared, Introduction to hymn – Text 1
Now ſeeing God was pleaſed after a ſmall time that I had been cloſe Priſoner, to refreſh me ſo much, that after many dayes of Prayers and Tears, I was made to ſing, although for ſo doing, I was condemned by ſome; though what I did ſing was that which was given in ſutable to my Condition, and God's dear and gratious Dealing with me; and becauſe ſome did ſo cenſure me for it, I thought good to inſert one o… thoſe Hymns I did make ſince I came here, which is as followeth.
An Hymn I made upon my being taken and carried to Priſon, with the Matter and Manner, Auguſt 20. 1663.
AS I in Bed aſleep did lie
A Meſſenger ſteps in,
And ſaith, Ariſe even by and by,
Here's Warrant from the King,
Your Houſe to ſearch, and you to take,Nehem. 6.8, 12.
You muſt no longer lie:
I ſoon did ſee what plot they make,
To take my Liberty.
When I before the Great One came,Mat. 10.18
He askt why I did ſmile?Luke 21.12
Good Sir, I ſaid, do not me blame,
You'l find in me no guile.
Away, ſaid he, to th' Tower him take,
And him there cloſe let lye;Job 35.12.
No words nor excuſe muſt I make,Prov. 21.13
But leave my Liberty.
When I came here I was amaz'd;Pſal. 46.1. and 86.5.
But God did me ſoon meet,
And bid me not to be afraid;Iſa. 41.10 and 66.5.
Rejoyce, but do not weep.
…y foes, though fair, I will declare,
Thy patience I will try;Rev. 2.10.
… joyce in me, doe not deſpair,James 1.2.
In me's thy Liberty.
No ſooner did this Grace appearPſal. 42.4, 5, 6, 7.
But I cry'd out amain,
O Lord, Let me not now come here,
And go away in vain.Pſal. 79.9.
But let thy hand now ſhew thy heart,Iſa. 27.9.
And let me live on High;Pſal. 86.16.
And from my ſoul let ſin depart,Iſa. 33.16.
For that's true Liberty.
Then did I ſing,Act. 16.25. and ſate me down,
Letting them ſhoot their darts
At him,Pſa. 126.10. who ever wears the Crown,
And reigns in all Saints hearts.
'Tis he that is now Zions King,Pſal. 2.6.
And doth the world defie;
'Tis he which light & life doth bring,Joh. 14.16.
In him's my Liberty.
The Lamb of God, Rev. 5.12. and 1.5.our King will come
In Righteouſneſs to Reign,
His glorious Kingdome is begun,Iſa. 32.1. and 52.7.
He'll all his foes diſdain.
And he himſelf will ſoon declareRev. 19.6.
That,Pſal. 91.13. he alone is He,
Whom Kings & Nations muſt now fear;Jer. 10.7.
In him's their Liberty.
His Wedding Day with men he'll keepRev. 19.7. & 21.9. & 3.4, 5. & 4.4. & 7.14.
And Promiſes fulfil;
With garments white he'll cloath his
This is his Father's will,
That they ſhould all now live with Sheep;Joh. 17.21, 22, 23, 24.
In union for to be,
And ſee themſelves redeem'd from ſin himPhil. 3.20.
To perfect Liberty.
And I in Chriſt ſhall now be bleſtPhil. 3.8, and 1.23.
He unto me did ſay,
Now enter thou into thy ReſtRom. 8.1.
That none can take away:Pſal. 37.7.
Untill my Wrath on men be paſtIſa. 26.20.
I'le ſhut thee up in me;
Though into Priſon men thee caſt,
I'le be thy Liberty.
A Work for thee I have to do,Act. 26.16.
In which I'le thee maintain;Iſa. 41.10.
My Truth thou muſt bear witneſs toAct. 23.11.
Whil'ſt life in thee remain.
Unto my Truth now ſet thy ſealRev. 20.4.
My Name to Magnifie,John 3.33.
I will then ſure to thee revealJer. 33.3.
What's Truth and Liberty.
Priſons of old, |were Prophets Schools,Pſal. 94.12 and 119.71
And there were taught by Me
To learn my Statutes and my Rules,
And eke my Majesty.
And there did I them ſtrength affordPſa. 138.3.
For all Extremity,2 Cor. 1.4, 5
And I who was their only LordPſal. 37.39 & 27.1.
Did give them Liberty.
When I beheld this Glory brightPſa. 118.14.15.
Shining in me ſo clear,
I then did ſing, and alſo write,Iſa. 12.1, 2.
That others might him fear:Pſal. 34.11
And alſo may awake and ſing,Iſa. 26.19.
Tho in the duſt they lye
In Chriſt their Dew on them falling,
By whom's their Liberty.
In all the world he'll this declare…ſal. 89.10.
To all, both great and ſmall,
His Holy Arme he will make bare…ſa. 63.12.
Before the Nations all.
And they that will his Scepter own
Muſt to themſelves now dye:
For He alone that's on the Throne,Mat. 16.24 25.
Gives Life and Liberty
Now I true Liberty doe knowIſa. 61.1.
To Chriſt I'le praiſes ſing,2 Cor. 3.17.
For he through Death will bring me
No more to ſigh and ſin;Rev. 2.7, 17
I wiſh this news abroad may ſpread, home,Iſa. 25.8.
That all my foes may ſee,Rev. 7.17. & 21.4.
And Saints with underſtanding read,
And know my Liberty.
What if falſe Witneſs ſhould ariſeJer. 6.13.
And labour to betray
My Innocency by their lyes,Mat. 24.9. and 10.21.
My life to take away?
Yet Chriſt's Cauſe I will witneſs to,Luke 21.16
Tho for the ſame I dye,Act. 20.24. & 21.13.
I ſhall not fear what man can do
Againſt my Liberty.
For now my ſoul hath ſweet ſupportPſal. 27.1
Through Chriſt my Rock & Tower,Micah 7.8.
In whom's my peace, joy and comfort,
With freſh ſupplies each hour:Hab. 3.19.
His Love is now my whole delight,Pſa. 138.7.
His Preſence ſtands me by;Iſa. 43.2.
I have him alwayes in my ſight,
O here's my Liberty.
God is my Witneſs and my GuidePſal. 23.1.2, 3, 4, 5.
My conſcience to keep clear;
I know the Lord is on my ſide,
Therefore I need not fear.Jſal. 118.6.
Through Chriſt I am now freed fromJer. 10.11.
And Hypocrites cruelty,Rom. 8.1, 38
So ſoon as God receives my breath deathAct. 7.59.
My Soul gains Liberty.
Patience with Balm my ſores ſupplysPſal. 37.3, 4, 5, 7.
I live above controul,
In Priſon though my body lies,Job 34.29.
They can't inſlave my Soul:
My free converſe with Chriſt is ſweetCant. 5.13.
Which brings in choice ſupply,Pſa. 104.34
That they which now my body keepJoh. 14.17.
Knows no ſuch Liberty.
God did for me this place appointGen. 45.7, 8
Before they brought me here,
And doth my ſoul with Grace anoint,Mica. 7.8, 9
That cheerefully I bear.Hab. 3.18.
And now his Will and Pleaſure's mine,Act. 21.13.
He doth my ſoul make freePſa. 11.2, 6, 7, 8.
To live above, though they combine
To take my Liberty.
I know my ſufferings will have end;Job. 23.10.
Till then I'le them endure,Hab. 3.2.
A Saviour he to me wil ſend,Heb. 10.37
My Freedome to procure;Iſa. 19.20.
And though ther's ſome that it withſtandPſa. 91.14.
He'll make them know and ſeeIſa. 43.4.
That he alone by his own HandDan. 3.17.
Will gain my Liberty.
But ſome Sanballats ſtill do plotNehem. 6.5, 8, 12.
My Body to keep here,
Ye (Judas-like) ſay they let not,
But rather would me clear.Iſa. 24.16.
But God will one day make them know1 Joh. 3.12.
And they ſhall not deny,
That they (like Cain) have alone
Haeted my Liberty.
Till then I ſhall with ſweet contentJob 14.14.
Attend on God, and ſay,Pſa. 27.14.
That tho their evil bows are bent,Pſal. 62.5, 6, 7. & 21. 8, 9, 10, 11.
God doth the Scepter ſway:
And he will turn them upſide down,
And my ſoul ſatisfy,2 Tim. 4.8.
And he'l give me th'Eternal CrownJam. 1.12.
In perfect Liberty.Rev. 2.10.
Amen, Amen. Come my Lord and Life, come quickly, ſaith the groaning ſoul of P. H.
I did intend to have inſerted my Reaſons, that I gave for not taking the Covenant; And the Reaſons I gave againſt the Armies ſigning the Addreſs to make O. C. Protector; becauſe, as I ſaid before, they were ſuch things which ſome ſpirits did very much reproach me for: But I do not upon ſecond thoughts think it fit to inſert here; leſt by it, I throw dirt in the face of ſome, who did out of uprightneſs of heart in the point of the Covenant follow God, in hopes of the Accompliſhment of the Latter-Day-Reformation. And though the Covenant was a ſtep too low t… follow God, in the breaking forth of that grea… Light and Power, by which God will uſher-i… the Accompliſhment of thoſe Prophecies and Promiſes that relate to Latter-Day-Work; ye… ſurely there were many who in uprightneſs o… heart did aim at God and his Intereſt, in that Work, ſeeing no better, or larger, at that time 'Tis good to love all God's Lambs, and not t… throw dirt at any of them; though we ſhould judge them lame Lambs, yet (if Lambs) the… are to be beloved.
Now as to the other, that is to ſay, my Reaſons againſt the Signing of the Addreſs, they were publickly known, and ſo were the dealing… of ſome with me for that matter; But leſt I ſhould be thought to caſt dirt in the face of ſuch tha… have dealt ſo with me, I ſhall forbear; I ſhal… rather croſs my own heart, and follow my Lord in bleſſing, when curſed, and in being ſilent under cenſures. 'Tis an evil day, but yet that which the Scriptures of Truth have told us of, that ſuch things muſt be, not only betwixt Saints and Sinners, but between profeſſed Brethren; And it is good for all that love and long for the coming o… our Lord, not only to pray for it, but be willin… to face, and imbrace ſuch ſorrows, cenſures, and ſufferings that attend Latter-day-Work, ſeeing its that which muſt be, and it's that (though i… croſſeth) which uſhereth-in the prayed-for and …onged-for Crown. To which Grace and Crown of Glory, I leave my ſelf, and all who in faithfulneſs wait for the coming of our Lord.
Amen, Amen. Come Lord Jeſus, come quickly.