PRISON MEDIATIONS
1. Friend, I salute thee in the Lord,
And wish thou may'st abound
In faith, and have a good regard
To keep on holy ground.
2. Thou dost encourage me to hold
My head above the flood,
Thy counsel better is than gold,
In need thereof I stood.
3. Good counsel's good at any time,
The wise will it receive,
Though fools count he commits a crime
Who doth good counsel give.
4. I take it kindly at thy hand
Thou didst unto me write,
My feet upon Mount Zion stand,
In that take thou delight.
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.