Prison-Pietie or, Meditations Divine and Moral. Digested into Poetical Heads, On Mixt and Various Subjects. Whereunto is added A Panegyrick to The Right Reverend, and most Nobly descended, Henry, Lord Bishop of London. By Samuel Speed, Prisoner in Ludgate, London |
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On St. Peter's Enlargement. |
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48
On St. Peter's Enlargement.
When the good Angel brought Saint Peter outFrom Prison, there was neither noise nor shout
That should for joy awake the Iron-gate,
Yet of its own accord it open'd straight.
But see how all things in their duties vary;
He chang'd his Prison for the house of Mary
Mother of John, yet stood and knock'd at door,
Could not get in, with ease got out before:
The Iron-gate obedience understood,
Yet he found opposition by the Wood.
Easie the answer is, There no man was
The Gate to open, or to guard the pass;
But as in course it usual was before,
A Portress was design'd to wait the door.
God would not shew his finger where the hand
Of man impower'd was to bear command.
Lord, should a wooden Obstacle increase,
Or be a bar unto our hopes of Peace,
An arm of flesh might set a Peter free
Without those Miracles are wrought by thee:
But shou'dst thou leave us, Lord, do what we can,
We cry, Alas! Vain is the help of man.
To God alone all glory be ascrib'd:
Jaylors extort, but God cannot be brib'd.
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