Comfortable Cordials Against Discomfortable Fears, Part 19 – Epigraph

Comfortable Cordials Against Discomfortable Fears · Part 19 – Epigraph

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Turris plurimis Spectaculum, multis habitaculum: nonnullis Refugium; aliis diverſ…rium; Regi Palatium; Regno Gazophylacium, Armamentarium, Propugnaculum, Monetarium: Vinctis piis, Oratorium; Papiſticis, Purgatorium; Clauſis, Monaſterium; Innoxiis, Hoſpitium; Reis, Ergaſtulum; Literatis, Muſaeum; Ebrioſis, Oenopolium; proditoriis, Macellum.

The Tower is to moſt, a Spectacle;

To many its a houſe, wherein they dwell;

To ſome a refuge; Others, a lodging;

A Royall Pallace, it is to the King;

VntoUnto the Kingdome it's a Treaſury,

Armory, Bulwarke, Mint: an Oratory

To Godly priſoners; but a purgatory

To popiſh; to cloſe ones, a Monaſt'ry;

To guiltleſſe ones, it's an Inne; to guilty

p. 9A Bridewell; to learn'd ones, it's a ſtudy;

To idle ones a Dormitory; to

Drunkards, a tipling-houſe them to undoe;

To Traytors it's a ſhambles, where their head

And Quarters hang, when they are but chered.

On his Exile into Ierſy Iſle.

Why ſhould this Exile me grieve, diſcontent,(1) Levil. 25. 23.

Si…h this whole World's a place of Baniſhment?

And men as truely Exiles are at home,Pſal. 39. 12. pſal. 119. 19 2 Chron: 29 15. Heb. 11. 13 1 pet. 2. 11.Ps 39:12Heb 11:13

As in the ſtrangeſt Clime to which they come?

Are not God, Chriſt, Grace, Heav'n to us as nigh

In forraigne Parts, as in our own Country?

Yea; and oft times more neare: this true to be

By **Gen. 12. 28. to 48. Act. 7. 3. to 17. Heb. 11. 8.Gen 12:28–48Acts 7:3–17Heb 11:8Abraham, Iacob, Ioſeph, all may ſee,

I will not then flye, feare my Baniſhment.

But in it joy, and take moſt ſweet content,

Sith God will me protect, **Iſay 41. 5. 6.Isa 41:5Isa 41:6reſtore againe,

Or elſe tranſlate to Heav'n, with him to reigne,

Mine onelyonly Proper **Heb. 11. 14. 16.Heb 11:14Heb 11:16Country, wherein I

Shall live a Free-man for eternity,

In ſpite of my Arch-fees; whom I ſhall ſee.

Exild, **Prov. 11. 8. c. 21 18. c. 12. 13.Prov 11:8impriſon'd, and my ſelfe ſet free.

p. 1020. Dens Turris etiam in Turre:

God is a **Pſal. 18. 2. Pſal. 1. 3. Pſal. 144. 2.Ps 18:2Ps 1:3Ps 144:2Tower in the Tower.

A Tower of Lberty,

In the Tower of Reſtraint; a Tower

Of Comfort, Jollity

In the Tower of Sadneſſe; a Tower

Of ſweeteſt Quietneſſe

In the Tower of Trouble; a Tower

Of bleſted Happineſſe,

In the Tower of Miſery; a Tower

Of Honour, Dignity

In the Tower of diſgrace; a Tower

Of bright Excellency

In the Tower of darknes; a Tower

Of ſtrong ſecurity

In the Tower of danger; a Tower

Of health and true ſafety

p. 11In the Tower of Sickneſſe; a Tower

Of hope and good ſucceſſe

In the Tower of Deſpaire; a Tower

Of joy and cheerefulneſſe

In the Tower of ſorrow; a Tower

Of peace and union

In the Tower of fierce war: a Tower

Of ſafe Protection

In the Tower of perill; a Tower

Of Grace and Piety

In the Tower of vile Sinne; a Tower

Of Life, eternity

In the Tower of grim death; a Tower

Of Glory and great praiſe,

In the Tower of ſuffring: ſuch Tower

God proves to his alwayes.

21. Deus Turris.

Mortalium proculdubiò Beatiſſimus, qui Mundi Exul. Chriſtique …aptivus, Turri iſti tutiſſimae, jucundiſſimae, optimae, maximae perpetuò (dum vixerit) p. 12adjuaicatur. Salvò certè cuſtoditur, qui non ſolùm à Deo, ſed in Deo conſervatur: arctari non poteſt, qui ipſa Dei infinitate (incarceratus) ſpatiatur. Ita eminatur Galielmas Prynne: Martij 3. 1633.

God is a Tower by protecting all

His Saints from Ills, in Ills which them befall;

Againſt, amidſt ill men in every place,

Moſt ſafely, ſtrongly out of his meere grace;

By comforting them in adverſity

Alwayes, moſt ſweetly, moſt abundantly:

By fr…eing them from evills ſpeedily,

In the beſt time, and that moſt potently:

No doubt he is the happieſt man alive,

Who this worlds Exile, and Chriſts deare Captive,

Is during life adjudg'd perpetually

In this moſt ſafe, ſweet, beſt great'ſt Tower to lye.

He is truely kept ſafely, who both by

And in God is preſerv'd continually:

He cannot ſtraitned be, who walkes freely

(Whiles priſoner) in Gods vaſt Infinity.

O this opinion WILLIAM PRYNNE was the

Third day of March, ſix hundred thirty three.

Sentences of Scripture there likewiſe written.

PSAL. 69. 33.

The Lord heareth the poore, and deſpiſeth not his priſoners.

PSAL. 146. 7, 8.

The Lord looſeth the priſoners; the Lord raiſeth thoſe that are bowed downe.

p. 13PHIL. 4. 11, 12, 13.

I have learned in whatſoever ſtate I am, therewith to bee content, I know both how to be abaſed, and I know how to abound: every where, and in all things I am inſtructed, both to bee full, and to bee hungry; both to abound, and to ſuffer need: I can doe all things through Chriſt, which ſtrengthneth mee.

PSAL. 34. 17. 19. 22.

The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all; the Lord redeemeth the ſoule of his Servants, and none of them that truſt in him, ſhall be deſolate.

PSAL. 37. 23, 24. 37, 38, 39, 40.

The ſteps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and hee delighteth in his way: Though hee fall, hee ſhall not be utterly caſt downe, for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand: Marke the perfect man, and behold the upright: For the end of that man is peace. But the tranſgreſſours ſhall bee deſtroyed together, the end of the wicked ſhall bee cut off: But the ſalvation of the righteous is of the Lord, hee is their ſtrength in the time of trouble. And the Lord ſhall help them and deliver them: hee ſhall deliver them from the wicked, and ſave them, becauſe they truſt in him.

PSAL. 71. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.

Thy righteouſneſſe alſo O God, is very high, who p. 14haſt done great things, O God who is like to thee? Thou which haſt ſhewed me great and ſore troubles, ſhalt quicken mee againe, and ſhalt bring mee up againe from the depthes of the earth. Thou ſhalt encreaſe my greatneſſe, and comfort me on every ſide. I will alſo praiſe thee, with the Pſaltery even thy truth: O my God unto thee will I ſing with the Harpe, O thou holy one of Iſrael: My lips ſhall greatly rejoyce when I ſing unto thee: and my ſoule which thou haſt redeemed: my tongue alſo ſhall talke of thy righteouſneſſe all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto ſhame that ſeeke my hurt.

MICAH: 7, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

A mans enemies are the men of his owne houſe: Therefore I will looke unto the Lord; I will waite for the God of my ſalvation, my God will heare mee: Rejoyce not againſt me ô mine enemy: when I fall, I ſhall ariſe: when I ſit in darkneſſe, the Lord ſhall bee a light unto mee. I will beare the indignation of the Lord, becauſe I have finned againſt him, untill hee plead my cauſe and execute judgement for mee, Hee will bring me forth to the light, and I ſhall behold his righteouſneſſe. Then ſhee that is mine enemy ſhall ſee it, and ſhame ſhall cover her which ſaid unto mee, where is the Lord thy God? mine eyes ſhall behold her, now ſhall ſhe be troden downe, as the mire of the ſtreets.

On his Suffrings on the Pillory.

Chriſt for **I ſay 53. 4. 5. 6. 8. 10. Rom 4. 25. 1 Cor. 15. 3 1 Pet. 2. 24.Rom 4:251 Cor 15:31 Pet 2:24myſake, ſinnes, and Redemption

From Hell and endleſſe Torments; ſufferedon

The **Heb. 12. 2. c. 13. 12 12. Gal. 3. 13. Phil. 2. 8.Heb 12:2Gal 3:13Phil 2:8Croſſe, a ſhamefull, curſed Death, with all

p. 15Alacrity, joy, promptitude: And ſhall

I not for his ſake then moſt cheerefully

Both ſtand, and ſuffer on the Pillory,

Without all bluſh, or feare? ſince 'tis no ſhame,

But **Phil. 1. 29 2 Tim. 2. 12. Rev. 7. 13. to 17.Phil 1:292 Tim 2:12Rev 7:13–17Honour, thus to ſuffer for Chriſts name.

Verſes made by W. PRYNNE, as he returned by Water to the Tower after his laſt ſufferings, upon his Stigmatizing.

S. L. Stigmata Laudis.

Stigmata Maxillis referens, Inſignia Laudis,

Exultans remeo, victima grata Deo.

Bearing Lands Stamps on my Cheekes, I retire

Triumphing, Gods ſweet Sacrifice through fire.

On his returne from Exile.

Foes ſent me hence, but God, and his Saints cryes

Have brought me back, 'tis wondrous in all Eyes.

No Exiles, Priſons, Chaines, powers can detaine

Thoſe whom God will recall, free, raiſe againe.

p. 16ISAY. 51. 11. 14. c. 41. 5, 6.

The redeemed of the Lord ſhall returne, and come with ſinging unto Zion, and everlaſting joy ſhall be upon their head; they ſhall obtaine gladneſſe and joy; and ſorrow and mourning ſhall flee away. The CAPTIVE EXILE haſtneth, that hee may be looſed, and that he ſhould not dye in the pit, nor that his bread ſhould faile. Feare not, for I am with thee, I will bring thy ſeed from the Eaſt, and gather thee from the Weſt, I will ſay to, the North, Give up; and to the South, keep not backe; bring my ſonnes from farre, and my daughters from the ends of the Earth.

FJNJS.

ERRATA.

IN the Epiſtle v. I. it were, r. t'were p. 2. l. 32. The r. He p. 3. l. 8. He's, r he The verſes p. 9. of his Exile into Jerſy, ſhould have come in p. 15. after Stigmata Laudis.

End of the text · William Prynne, Comfortable Cordials Against Discomfortable Fears (1641)