Piety, and poesy. Contracted. By T. J.

On Peter's Imprisonment and Release.

IS the Great Shepherd, whom our Saviour call'd To feed his Sheep and Lambs, like them, install'd Now by a wolvish Tyrant? Or did he Envy our Peter's office? and would be Himself in that high place? Badmen (we know) Desire a Good-man's Title, though they shew No virtue of their Calling, Thieves wou'd be Term'd True men, though their Trade be Felony, 'Tis a strange govern'd Kingdom, where they keep Shepherds in hold, and Wolves to feed their Sheep: Must Heavens mighty Keeper now obey The wretched bondage of a Jazlors Key? Must Fetters cling about his sacred Bones? And, for his Guard, four bold Quaternions Of Lift-depriving Souldiers, such as flie All acts that tend not unto Tyranny? What is the Saint accus'd of? Can your Laws Inflict a punishment without a Cause? Was he too Holy for your vitious Time? Too just? or, was his Innocence his Crime? 'Tis a hard case where virtue must intreat For right, when Guilt sits on the Judgement seat: Peter this case is thine; yet (thou dost know) Not thine alone, 'twas our great Masters too, Then since his Neck unto that Yoke did come There is no Majesty, like Martyrdom:

Observe the Sequel: In the dead of Night, VVhen Silence rul'd the sleepy VVorld, and Light. VVas quite extinguish'd, (for the Lord did make It darker sure, for his lov'd Peter's sake) For whose abuse Herod and's impious Men Might well despair of seeing day agen: In prison 'twixt two stout-arm'd Souldiers, there Most sweetly slept our holy Prisoner, Though burthened with his Chains, Nought can immure Rest from that Soul that is from guilt secure: A sudden Light more glorious than the Sun Enter'd the Prison VValls, which first begun To strike and awake Peter, it is held A doubt, whether that Peter first did yield The motion of his Eyes unto the smite This glorious body gave him, or his Light, But now he is commanded to arise, To shake his Bonds off, which he doth, off flies The Locks, and Bolts of Prison-Doors, and He Follows this Light that leads to Liberty: Thus, in one Minute, doth the Jailor leese (Spight of his care) his Pris'ner, and his Fees.