LOVE and goodwill to All, the Author sends; But specially to ZION and her FRIENDS.  

SOund Zion, sound the Praises of thy King,  
And let thy well-tuned Instrument honour bring  
To Him; for Zion thou right well dost know,  
The Gentiles and their Idol gods must bow,  
And bend unto thy King, or broke must be;  
For who's like Zions God in Majesty?  
Who may compare with Zions King? sure none.  
Then all you Idols of the Earth, begun,  
Appear no more, contend no longer thus;  
You strive against the God of Heaven, not Us:  
All your Contriving and Decrees, not just,  
Rise out o'th' Pit, and therefore perish must.  
Gather yourselves together, Plot, Combine,  
Against the Branches of the Heavenly Vine;  
And let Egyptian darkness if it can,  
With all the Earthly Wisdom, Wit of Man,  
Obscure the Glory of the glorious Sun,  
And end that endless Race it hath begun.  
If you have power t' accomplish such a thing,  
File Mortals bow and bend to Zions King:  
Hinder the Fire from burning, and the Rain  
From showering on the Earth; and then again,  
Earth's vast Circumference compass with a span,  
Do this among the sons of men who can:  
Raze out the Righteous Seed which God hath set  
In every soul, Then the Dominion get:  
But till all this be done, Man strives in vain;  
For should Truth seem to fall, 't shall rise again:  
And thou, O Zion, in thy Tent abide,  
Rest in pure stillness, whatsoe'er betid,  
Keep in the holy Zeal, Rest and repose  
Thyself within thy Zoar, there thou knows  
thou'rt safe enough, for there the Vulcrous eye  
Can never come to wrong thy Innocency:  
Within God's Ark, rest, when the Floods do rise,  
Heed not the Tempest, but keep low, Be wise;  
Dwell in God's Patience, in pure Love to all;  
(Know where the waves swell high they're near a fall)  
No other Weapon see thou use but this,  
For LOVE's the conquering weapon, that it is.  
Look at the good thing that's in all, 'tis thine,  
And let thy Love, thy mecknese on it shine:  
Make thy way to it, let thy Love be sure;  
And bear with weakness, injuries endure;  
Let Innocency to its own make way,  
Offer upon Love's Altar, so thou may  
Reach to the Just, and the Just will be  
A Witness (Zion) for thy God and thee.   

Babel will boast, for Babel must mount higher.  
But fear not (Zion) for thy God will try her.  
Thirsts she for blood? All power is His, she'll find  
Thy God will limit her bad wrathful mind:  
And though she threaten hard, and much may do,  
Thy God will save thee, and reward her too:  
Thy God is with thee (Zion) and He hears  
Thy Cries in secret, and he counts thy Tears:  
He in thy troubles will support thy Faith,  
And in a moment will rebuke Man's Wrath:  
He Knows Worm Jacob loves his wrestling Seed:  
God will help Zion when she hath most need.  
Can he forget his own? Ah surely not,  
Was ever any of his Fold forgot?  
Did ever any trust in him, and miss  
Of Joy, of Comfort, of Eternal Bliss?  
Stand Zion in thy holy Zeal: thy God  
Will surely smite the Tempter with his Rod:  
And when thy Faith and Patience God hath proved,  
Mortals shall see, how God his Zion loved  
When she's i'th' Furnance, will not He refine  
His Jewels (Branches of the Heavenly Vine?)  
Sackcloth and Ashes shall be laid aside,  
Zion he'll honour as his Heavenly Bride:  
His Jewels and his Ornaments shall be  
Fixed upon that Robe he puts on thee:  
The High and Mighty of the Earth shall bend  
To Zions God: Man's Wrath shall have an end:  
Princes shall bow, come bending on the Knee  
To that God, Zion, that thus honours thee.  
Then let not Storms nor Tempests high dismay thee,  
Nor let the slattries of the Whore betray thee:  
Dwell in that Life which makes thee wise and bold,  
Live in the Burning Zeal (more worth than Gold.)  
Be wise, Worm Jacob, in thy Glory shine,  
The Cause thou suffers in, is God's not thine.   

Upon that Rock which cannot moved be,  
Blessed God, Keep Zion, and preserve thou me.   
Lincoln, first day of the 3d month called May, 1665. Martin Mason.   

Lo ●●●● 〈…〉 Year ●● 66