CAptivity and Imprisonment cannot (as I humbly conceive) but be ac­counted in Reason, in the number of the greatest and sorest Evils of this Life to Mankind, therefore not unfitly represented in those two Verses following, which I have long since met with.

For Man doubtless is a vigorous active Be­ing, Created for Action and Business, for So­ciety and Conversation, yea, to have enter­course even with the whole World; and this is no wonder, considering with Seneca their Divine Original; therefore those Restraints which a Prison puts upon Men's natural ap­petites and desires in those outward Con­cerns of the World, must needs be appre­hended by Man, as a very great Evil and [Page 3]Affliction, and in truth very burthensome to Mankind.

Now to be Instrumental somewhat to al­leviate this weighty Affliction of a Prison, and to make it (if not easie) yet portable and comfortable, in some measure, but further also very advantagious and beneficial to the Poor Sufferers, especially, as to the Improve­ment of their Minds, and conducive to their Eternal Welfare in the other World, as it is the main end of this intended Discourse; so it will (I humbly conceive) be no con­temptible piece of Charity, and what God may accept from him, who is not in a Ca­pacity for the other external Charities to the Body, and therefore hopes it may find a fa­vourable reception with God, and with all honest and ingenuous Minds.

It is most true what the Scripture speaks, Heb. 12.11. That no Affliction or Chastise­ment for the present seems joyous but grie­vous, but yet afterwards yieldeth the peace­able fruits of Righteousness, to them that shall be exercised thereby, that is (as I humbly conceive) who shall be so affected with their sufferings as to cause them to break off their Sins by true Repentance, and to see to the well regulating of their Lives; when they can say with good David, Psal. 119.67. Be­fore I was afflicted I went astray, but now I [Page 4]have kept thy word, and vers. 71. It is a good thing that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes, and vers. 75. I know O Lord that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me: For then we may say truly, O blessed Prison! the shackling and fettering of the Body; when it becomes a means of the freedom and en­largement of the Soul and Mind, and to be thereby freed from the greatest Captivity and Slavery in the World, the Drudgery and Bondage of Sin and Satan; making us become the Servants of God, the Favorites of Heaven. This Blessing would make you to be free Prisoners indeed, and give you cause to rejoice and triumph in your suffe­rings, and say, O blessed Prison and Con­finement! which caused me to consider of my ways, and to become serious and wise, to think of God, and to consider my self, and to make my Peace with Heaven, and to make it my business to store my Soul with Grace and Vertue, to capacitate me thereby for Eternal Happiness hereafter; for (as a late worthy Author discourseth) since Man was Created for a supernatural and divine end; so the Life which disposeth to that end is divine and supernatural, according to that Maxim in Philosophy, that the end [Page 5]and the means ought to be proportioned, and of one and the same order.

And now may I not say? that none but a Fool or a Mad-man, but would desire that his Afflictions and Imprisonment might be thus blessed to him, and made thus advan­tagious for his Eternal Welfare? (even a greater advantage than Joseph had from his Imprisonment in Egypt.) To the promoting of which great end, may I present to your view those great benefits and advantage you may make by your Confinement to a Pri­son?

As first, your Imprisonment hath freed you from many Temptations, that usually at­tended you in your Trade and worldly Em­ployments; for as Solomon tells us, Ecclesiast. 27.2. As a nail sticks fast between the joyn­ing of the Stones, so doth sin stick close between buying and selling.

2. You are in a present afflicted and suf­fering Condition, and it is usually observed, that the eye that sin shuts, pain opens; for if ever Men will be serious and consider, and be wise, it must be under sufferings. And this in truth is God's end in sending them, as the before-mentioned Scriptures, with many others testifie. That Holy Fa­ther St. Austin therefore says of himself; Pe­riissem [Page 6]nisi periissem (i.e.) I had perished and been undone for ever, had I not been sore­ly afflicted in this Life; for as another speaks, Afflictio domat cupiditates, ex erat fi­dem, Coronat patientiam (i. e.) Affliction tames and subdues our lusts and vices, quic­keneth and exerciseth our Faith and Trust in God, and Crowns our Patience.

3. By your Imprisonment, you have the great advantage of Time and Leasure for consideration, reading, meditating, and performing your private Devotions, which in the midst of the incumbrances of the World in your secular Employments and Trading here in this Life you could not en­joy, for as the Son of Syrach speaks, Ecclus. 38.24. The wisdom of a learned Man cometh by opportunity of leasure, and he that hath little business shall become wise. Now consider these advantages you have from your Prison, and make these wise uses of them: More especially make use of your time and leasure in searching after Wisdom as after hid Treasure (as Solomon adviseth, Prov. 2.4. For indeed the Cause of all wickedness in the world ariseth from want of consideration; men will not be brought to it. It is observed by our Divines, that inconsiderate Men are wicked Men; [Page 7]therefore let your Afflictions make you seri­ous, wise, considerate; and let your Sufferings bring you Home, as they did the Prodi­gal Son to his Fathers House. Labour to improve your mind in necessary knowledge and in virtue, and now ply your Devo­tions; the Throne of Grace in Heaven stands open to you, although you are ne­ver so close a Prisoner, and you may rest assured, if your Prayers are qualified as they ought to be, and come from an ho­nest and upright heart, you will receive rich returns from Heaven; for as Porphery a wise Heathen speaks, viz. all wise Men in all Nations—have been very diligent and frequent in Prayer. And as St. James ad­viseth us, James Chap. 5. vers. 13. Is any man afflicted let him pray, &c. And you may there say, as that honest Heathen in Plutarch Hermogenes did, that the Gods which knew all things, and can do all things, are so much my Friends, and so highly concerned for my Welfare, that I am never a Night or Day out of their watchful Providence, but whatever I do, I have their assistance, and whatever I de­sign, their direction. And then what fur­ther cause will you have to bear your suf­ferings with patience, and say with the [Page 8]Philosopher Epictetus? In these things which seem hard and grievous to me, I do (saith he) thus dispose my self; I consider they come from God, and I do endeavour not merely to submit but to assent to him in his dealing; not only out of necessity, but out of choice. Let not a Man take upon him (saith he) to reprehend Providence, 'tis best for a Man to bear what he cannot amend, and to follow God (by whom all events are disposed) without murmuring. Let us (saith he) bespeak God as Cleanthes did; let the great Governour of the World lead me into what condition he pleaseth, I am most ready to follow him, though it be sighing, and suffer that as an evil wretch­ed Man, which I ought to bear as a good Man, with patience and submission. Thus you may, I think by your virtuous con­versation, make your Prison a place of com­fort, yea of rejoycing; as it is said the Phi­losopher did in his homely Cottage, who said that the Gods, the Heavenly Spirits were there with him. And a truly good Man will be easie and chearful under suffe­rings, for he in truth hath always great Reason to be so (as honest Socrates is said to be) for Holy David exhorts and encou­rageth him to it, Psal. 33.1. To rejoyce in [Page 9]the Lord. And St. Paul also, 1 Thess. 5.16. Rejoice evermore. And indeed a vertuous and good Man, hath more Festivals and Holy-days, then any others whatsoever; for it is only sin that in truth interrupteth our Peace, and spoils the Harmony of the Soul. Make (in your Prison) therefore your Peace with God, set your Accounts even between him and your Soul, and thereby get that Peace of a good Conscience, which passeth all understanding; which made Paul and Silas to sing at Midnight, when their feet were in the Stocks and in Prison. And that blessed melody in singing Holy David's Psalms, would far better become Prisons, than to hear among Prisoners that Language of Hell, Swearing and Cursing, profane Singing and Roaring, that daily Musick of our Prisons. It is far more rea­sonable and fit to make that wise use of your worldly losses which that Merchant of Athens is said to do, who when the News was brought to him of the loss of his Estate at Sea, made this good Conclusion from it, viz. That now Providence he saw would have him turn Philosopher, so let your outward loss of your Estate be made up by you in vertue and goodness, those greater, better, and surer Riches which you [Page 10]can never loose without you will your self.

And thus I hope I may easily perswade you to avoid the securing two Prisons to your selves, two Hells and States of suffering, one here in this Life, and the other hereaf­ter, having with Lazarus your evil things, and a State of suffering in this Life; it ve­ry much concerns you to secure to your self a future happy State in the other World. And may I not say truly, that in several respects, our Prisons have somewhat a resemblance of Hell? by reason of Debau­chery, Profaneness, and Wickedness there practised daily by the Prisoners, as Quarrel­lings and Contests, Swearing and Blasphe­ming, but also their own Conscienees also tormenting them (if their Keepers are so good natured as not to play the Devil with them by cruel and hard usage sometimes also) for certainly, many of them must needs have (without true Repentance) an uncomfortable, yea dismal prospect of their ill-spent lives, their folly, or frensie, either carelesly, or prodigally, spending their Estates, and ruining themselves and their Families, their Fraud, Oppression, and Injustice in their former trading and dealing in the World, with the many sufferers occasioned by them, and their unability to make satisfaction to [Page 11]those they have so wronged; the Reflection upon which (with their present Sufferings and Wants) must needs I say (without a hearty Repentance) be like so many Devils continually tormenting them.

And now may I further here Caution you against these two Disadvantages, or rather Temptations that you have attending your Condition. The first is that of bad Company, a Place where it may be said, Men like Birds pent up in a narrow and streight Cage, de­file one another by their bad Conversations. As to wicked Company, one therefore gives us this advice; to avoid them as you would avoid the Plague, as also further saith truly of them, they are so dangerous, even as a mad Dog, a Viper ready to burst with poy­son, therefore be sure to avoid them as you love your Souls. The next I caution you a­gainst, is the temptation of Idleness, and want of Imployment and Business (which you are in some measure as it were forced upon) which (as a great Divine hath told us) doth even tempt the Devil to tempt us, and fasten his suggestions upon us; which made St. Hierom give this advice, semper bo­ni aliquid operis facito, ut Diabolus te semper inveniat occupatum. (i.e.) Always be doing something that is good, that the Devil ne­ver [Page 12]find thee idle. Therefore if you have no way of employing your selves in your Trades and Callings, you may probably find opportunities of employing your selves in performing friendly Offices to your Fellow Prisoners, who may stand in need of your help and assistance; as also there is honest and lawful Recreation and Diversion which Religion alloweth to us; but (as one well saith) he hath no such Reason to complain of his want of employment, who hath a Soul and Mind to adorn with Knowledge, Virtue, and Religion; and a Soul to save from Eternal Misery and Ruin.

In the last place let me propose to you, that advice a worthy Divine hath given us. That is (saith he) as much as a Man is able, to keep up and maintain a constant chearful­ness of Spirit and lightsomeness of heart, for (as he saith) the heaviness of the mind (as one of the Ancients is said to express it) is the worm of the mind, which eateth up his Parent that brought it forth; and he fur­ther telleth us, that chearfulness causeth the Soul to dwell in a wholesome and sweet in­closure; it enlightens the mind, it encou­rages the heart, it adds Wings to the Affe­ctions; therefore he that forbids it to our Souls, keeps out the welcomest Guest, and [Page 13]the best Friend that nature hath; this chear­fulness (saith he) exceedingly becomes good Souls. Avoid (saith he) sadness under the noti­on of seriousness. In short (saith Seneca) it is a Master-piece of skill to draw good out of evil, and by the help of Virtue, to improve Mis­fortunes into Blessings. It is the mind of Man that makes him rich (saith he) in a Desert or Prison, &c. And he concludes thus, all I desire is, that my Poverty may not be a burthen to my self, or make me so to others.

This short Essay, I have made towards your relief and help, under your sufferings, which I hope may find acceptance with you, it being only to perswade you to make your Afflictions medicinable, as to the improve­ment of your Mind and the Eternal welfare of your Souls, which doubtless is your great Interest and Concern, as also to direct you to a chearful comporting with your present Condition of suffering. And if I may be any ways instrumental herein, in any kind, to the benefit or advantage (if but of one poor Prisoner) I shall not repent my pains herein, but account it a sufficient recompence, and give God the praise; without whose Bles­sing our endeavours signifie little. And to all I have said may I add my hearty Prayers [Page 14]for you all, that God would make useful and beneficial to you, your present state of suf­fering and affliction; more especially for your Eternal Welfare. And also that God would open the hearts of your Creditors, to deal Mercifully with you, and that the hearts of the Rich might be enlarged, to communicate to your necessities. And may I further recommend to your use, the fol­lowing excellent Prayer, compos'd hereto­fore, by the Reverend Dr. Patrick, Dean of Peterborough, in his Book call'd the de­vout Christian published to the World, Anno 1684. Page. 61.