Part 57

5. I am, indeed, in prison now In body, but my mind Is free to study Christ, and how Unto me he is kind.

6. For though men keep my outward man Within their locks and bars, Yet by the faith of Christ I can Mount higher than the stars.

7. Their fetters cannot spirits tame, Nor tie up God from me; My faith and hope they cannot lame, Above them I shall be.

8. I here am very much refreshed To think when I was out, I preached life, and peace, and rest To sinners round about.

9. My business then was souls to save, By preaching grace and faith; Of which the comfort now I have, And have it shall till death.

10. They were no fables that I taught, Devised by cunning men, But God’s own Word, by which were caught Some sinners now and then.

11. Whose souls by it were made to see The evil of their sin; And need of Christ to make them free From death which they were in.

12. And now those very hearts that then Were foes unto the Lord, Embrace his Christ and truth, like men Conquered by his word.

13. I hear them sigh and groan, and cry For grace, to God above; They loathe their sin, and to it die, ’Tis holiness they love.

14. This was the work I was about When hands on me they laid, ’Twas this from which they pluck’d me out, And vilely to me said,

15. You heretic, deceiver, come, To prison you must go; You preach abroad, and keep not home, You are the church’s foe.

16. But having peace within my soul, And truth on every side, I could with comfort them control, And at their charge deride.

17. Wherefore to prison they me sent, Where to this day I lie, And can with very much content For my profession die.

18. The prison very sweet to me Hath been since I came here, And so would also hanging be, If God would there appear.

19. Here dwells good conscience, also peace Here be my garments white; Here, though in bonds, I have release From guilt, which else would bite.

20. When they do talk of banishment, Of death, or such-like things; Then to me God sends heart’s content, That like a fountain springs.

21. Alas! they little think what peace They help me to, for by Their rage my comforts do increase; Bless God therefore do I.

22. If they do give me gall to drink, Then God doth sweetn’ning cast So much thereto, that they can’t think How bravely it doth taste.

23. For, as the devil sets before Me heaviness and grief, So God sets Christ and grace much more, Whereby I take relief.

24. Though they say then that we are fools Because we here do lie, I answer, goals are Christ his schools, In them we learn to die.

25. ’Tis not the baseness of this state Doth hide us from God’s face, He frequently, both soon and late, Doth visit us with grace.

26. Here come the angels, here come saints, Here comes the Spirit of God, To comfort us in our restraints Under the wicked’s rod.

27. God sometimes visits prisons more Than lordly palaces, He often knocketh at our door, When he their houses miss.

28. The truth and life of heavenly things Lift up our hearts on high, And carry us on eagles’ wings, Beyond carnality.

29. It take away those clogs that hold The hearts of other men, And makes us lively, strong and bold Thus to oppose their sin.

30. By which means God doth frustrate That which our foes expect; Namely, our turning th’ Apostate, Like those of Judas’ sect.

31. Here comes to our rememberance The troubles good men had Of old, and for our furtherance, Their joys when they were sad.

32. To them that here for evil lie The place is comfortless, But not to me, because that I Lie here for righteousness.