A brief and short Treatise, CALLED THE CHRISTIANS PILGRIMAGE TO HIS FATHERLAND.
SHEWETH The troubles that he shall meete withall in passing this World as a wildernesse, to the Heavenly Canaan, which is the true Christians Fatherland.
By THOMAS ODELL Englishman.
At AMSTERDAM, Printed by Iohn Fredericksz Stam, dwelling by the South-Church at the signe of the HOPE. Anno M D C XXXV.
To the right honourable and vertuous Queene ELYZABETH,
All grace, peace and comfort from God the Father of mercy, through Iesus Christ our loving Lord and Saviour be multiplyed unto you, and so lead your Majesty by his H. Spirit through this world, as a wofull wildernesse, and bring your Highnes at the last into his Heavenly Canaan, which is the dayly desire of your Majesties poore petitioner THOMAS ODELL Englishman.
HAving hard and minded the manifold tryals & troubles, wherein the Lord hath exercise your Majesty, I have ofttimes purposed some part of my poore labour, to presēt unto your Lord and King (now at rest) but I was oftentimes hindred in things concerning myself, and most of all through the grieveous afflictions that befell your [Page] Majesty. Your Highnes with many other may thinke it strange, that one so bace should be so bold or presume to present any thing to your Highnes hands, wanting learning, which thing I willingly confesse, for hee that giveth out his beste tallents, giveth to one five, to another two, and to another one, and yet may not that one be buried, but brought to the banke to the Lord, and owners prayse, and good of whomsoever it shall him please. I minding these things, and withall your Majesties lowly and lovely behaviour towards our country-men or women of meane estate, have bene emboldened now at the last to present unto your Highnes this small Treatise, shewing unto all, that the life of a true Christian, is no other then a Pilgrimage through this wildernesse unto our Heavenly Canaan. And these things have I written in sundry parts, first for such which through the great strife and contention in these dayes are forced to runne too and froe, seeking the truth. Secondly the Pilgrimage of Abraham & Sarah, our faithfull parents, and other of bace estate: Also of Hester, with hir Unckle Mordicai. And lastly some part of the worke of our loving Lord and Saviour Christ Iesus in his Pilgrimage, to worke out our Redemption. These things have I brought forth according to the grace of God, given unto me, and acknowledging that my sight but dark, & my knowledge but in part, I doe humbly entreate your Majesty, and ech Godly Reader, through Christian love, to beare with my weaknes herein, and so commit the issue to the Almighty, who preserve your Majesties person from all your enimies, secret or open, strengthen you in all cumbats inward & outward to the end; and then give your Highnes a Crowne of glory in Heaven for ever and ever, Amen. So let it be, ô Lord.
A Pilgrams Meditation, to let ech understand, The Christians Pilgrimation unto his Fatherland.
Christ maketh declaration
For such as seeke salvation,
Them counsell doeth aford,
Wills them make meditation,
Their prayers preparation,
By searching in his vvord,
Which is a light, vvill guyde them right,
Christ putting too his hand,
Will hold them fast, so they at last
Shall find their Fatherland.
WHo now will take for his soules sake
This journey for to goe,
To him we say, first learne the way,
The Scripture teacheth so.
Thus sayth the Lord search in my word
There thou the way shalt finde,
Seeke him with hart, he will impart,
And let thee know his minde.
The Lord did tell to Daniell
That in this latter day,
Many should goe both too and froe,
And aske after the way.
And how some wife should them advise,
Lead them in righteousnes,
And that the Lord would such reward,
Yea them for ever blesse.
Christ doeth relate straight is the gate
And narrow is the way,
In which regard bids us strife hard
Without shall many stay.
Take head to all that will the call,
And say come goe with me,
The way I know and many moe,
The way is faire and free.
I know it well and can thee tell
From place to place throughout,
Leave of to read common with speed
There is no feare or doubt.
But goe thou on let them alone,
Dispute not with such men,
Whose words are faire, yet like a snare
To draw the back againe.
For many preach and others teach,
Yet they themselves are blinde,
Puft up with pride, and cannot guyde
Which many thousands finde.
But take thou head, the Scripture read,
Then God will be thy guyde,
Sease not to pray both night and day,
So shall thy foote not flyde.
Faith, hope and love from God above
See that thou take with thee,
Seeke them with hart, he will impart,
For God is kinde and free.
What father is so hard to his
Children, that aske him bread,
To give a stone, we see ech one
Would have his children feed.
Much more the Lord his Spirit aford
To such as aske in faith,
It is the word that Christ our Lord
Unto his servants sayth.
These gifts of grace where the take place
The Lord doeth well approove,
Amongst them all she principall
Is faith that works by love.
Faith, hope and love are from above
And may not be devided,
Faith doeth unfold, hope taketh hold,
When both by love are guyded.
When man once hath obteyned faith,
He is like ship forth sayling
Upon the seas in storms alwayes,
His currage often quayling.
When storms arise, then faith outcryes
And will not leave of sounding,
Till he can say, hope make a stay
For here is sure grounding.
Then hope in haste will anker cast,
Where faith hath found abiding,
And keep the ship from sand and clip,
So long as it lyes riding.
When storms are paste, then in all haste
The anker up is taken,
Faith will not fayle, but hoyst the sayle,
And waight till winds doe waken.
Then sayles he forth, east, west, south, north,
As God shall give direction,
By rocks and sands, by fearefull lands,
Still finding Gods protection.
Though God thus blesse, give good succes,
Thy faith yet will he try,
But all for good, well understood,
Though ofte he make the cry.
Yea when storms rise in fearefull wise,
And make thee pray with weeping,
Thou shalt descerne, Christ at the sterne,
Who then will not be sleeping.
But up will stand, the winds command
And cease to cease their swelling,
Which must obey, without delay,
Gainst him is no rebelling.
Then gone is feare the Heaven neare,
Where thou shalt make thy stay,
In Fatherland at his right hand,
To live with him for aye.
Thus much for all in generall,
But now to you, O Queene,
We shall relate those of hie state,
Which here have Pilgrams bene.
As Paul doeth write and eke resight,
The greater sorte of olde,
From age to age, their Pilgrimage
Unto the Iewes unfould.
He brings a trayne in golden chayne,
The lovely Patriarkes,
Which did by faith, as there he saith,
Great things, well he that marks.
This worke begun hee doeth anon
In order set them downe,
As Abell, Enoch, also Noah
Three men of great renowne.
But here we shall not speak of all,
Though the were men of worth,
In other place, we touch there case,
But here wee chose on forth.
A faithfull man, whose life now can
Learne us, if we take head,
And have good care, because we are
Accounted for his seed.
For Paul he saith, that we by faith,
Are Abrams children,
And if that we his children be,
So are wee Pilgrams then.
If we refuse, we doe abuse,
Christ Iesus in his word,
Who tels us this, the servant is,
Not better then his Lord.
This Abraham meeke as a lam,
When God did call him forth,
Left friends and land, and toke in hand
A journey of great worth.
A Covenant the Lord did grant
To him and his for ever,
Who liu'd upright in his Gods sight,
Who also fayld him never.
To Canaan this faithfull man
With wife and Loth came thither,
And ranne his rase from place to place
This sayd he knew not whether.
For God did try him presently,
Sent famin in the Land,
And then must he to Egypt flee,
Yet found Gods helping hand.
In Egypt there he liv'd in feare,
Through bewty of his wife,
He feared sore that some therefore
Would take away his life.
Then Abram sought away he thought
Would take away this feare,
He sayd to all, both great and small
That she his sister weare.
When as the King, had heard this thing
Tooke Sara into cort,
But God therefore did plage him sore
That small was his comfort.
Sent them away without delay
From Egypt the must part,
To Canaan and there anan,
Hee tasted this like smart.
He sayd like thing unto the King
Abimelech by name,
Who tooke hir then from him againe,
Yet God did help the same.
The Lord him lov'd this King reproud,
Who gave him hir againe,
So strife did cease, and he had peace,
Which did not long remaine.
He labored soore, diged wels store
In that his time of rest,
This Kings heardmē strove with him then
And tooke away the best.
But Abram would not that it should
Continue in their hand,
He that redeems for that it seems
It was the best in land.
He loved deare, that water cleare,
And held it all his life,
Gave it a name, fit for the same
Call'd it the well of strife.
These trials heare kept him in feare,
Yet were they not quiet done,
The great'st of all did him befall,
When as he had a sonne.
Which must be tayne, and also slayne,
And offred to the Lord,
For sacrifice Abram likewise
Did straight obey his word.
He tooke Isaack, layd on his backe
The wood to make the fier,
The Altar make the wood up layd
Then Isaac did inquire;
Now for the lamb. And Abraham
Sayd, God would it provide,
Layd him thereon, and thereupon
Ae Angell to him cryde.
When he did stand with knyffe in hand
To slay his onely sonne,
With words so mild, kill not thy child,
This work was now neare done.
Looking aside a Ram he spyde
And that he offred there,
Thus God did proove his faith & love,
And bleste him every where.
The Lord was nye and stood him by,
And did increase his strenght,
That he went forth as man of worth,
And won the pryse at lenght.
For why truely he looked hie,
He sought a city faire,
Built by the Lord, who did aford
It him, who now is there.
Whose children all, both great & small
Which seeke the things are best,
Their time well spend, shall in the end
Therein his bosome rest.
Though Sara weak, God would not break,
The Covenant he made,
Gave hir Isaack, of whom we spake,
Which was a lively shade.
For she at lenght, by faith got strenght
Concev'd and bare this sonne,
By faith alone, all sinnes were gone
By faith this prise she wonne.
Gods promis made, gave his faith ayde
Where to she had an eye,
Who made hir seed, as we may read
Like starres upon the skye.
Hir Daughters all, that follow shall
Hir lowelynes in life,
Made hir man Lord, in deed and word,
Although she were his wife.
Who lov'd hir deare, yet Godly feare
Made hir him reverence,
I doe not feare, the faithfull heare
At this will take offence.
Humility exalteth hie,
Be it with great or small,
When such as pride doe make their guyde
At lenght shall cache a fall.
Those parents blest are at their rest,
That ran a Godly race,
Now shall we know how God also
Did high exalt the base.
Rahab may not be quite forgat
Who did receve the spyes,
Though she seem'd light by faith upright
Found favour in Gods eyes.
She dwelt we know in Iereco,
Which was a sinfull city,
These spyes came there in deadly feare,
And she on them had pitty.
She heard ech day that Iosua
Was come to take the land,
And did beleeve that God would give
The same into his hand.
These spyes were sought, but she so wroght,
That thee preserved were,
Who let hir proove their faith and love
Which tooke away hir feare.
A token they gave hir that day,
To hange over the wall,
Hir house thereby did stand firmely,
When all the rest did fall.
And Iosua to spyes did sayè
Performe your promis made,
Who brought hir thence with hir parents
And friends under hir shade.
After we read of Iudahs seed,
One tooke hir to his wife,
And through the same Christ Iesus came
Which is the Lord of life.
Let all learne here that live in feare,
To love and logde such spyes,
Which now doe preach, & them cá teach
And set before their eyes.
Their wofull case in such a place,
Where soul can have no rest,
And so them bring to Christ their King,
VVhere they shall both be bleft.
Here followeth the tryals of Queene
Hester, with hir Unckle Mordicai,
that captive in Babylon, and how the
Lord did highly exalt them.
HEre shall we find, how Hester kind
With hir friend Mordicai,
God turn'd their grief into relief,
Their sorrows into joy.
We find it thus, King Assurus
Did make a royall feast,
VVhich lasted long, his love was strong,
And stretched to the least.
Upon a day in Royall ray,
He for Queene Vasta sent,
That ech might see the Queene bewte,
But she would not consent.
VVherefore the King, about this thing,
Tooke counsell of his wise,
VVho told him hence a great offence
Might to them all arise.
Their wifes might say, shall we obey,
Queene Vasta hath deny'd,
Thus shall ech man be vexed than,
His wife will him deryde.
These wise then sayd, seeke for a mayd
Throughout your Kingdoms all,
And let your grace give hir the place,
Which did to Hester fall.
For she was faire, had godly care,
For which the Lord hir blest,
That she found grace for the Kings face,
And Vastas roome possest.
She brought to light all Hamans spite,
That would the Iewes destroy,
The ground of this envy of his
He tooke srom Mordicai.
Who did resort, and sat in porte
Of King Assurus place,
And safte his life from men of strife,
Who afterward found grace.
This Hamans head was exalted,
And lified up so hie,
All charged now to bend and bow,
When as he past them by.
But Mordicai would not obey,
No honour he would give
To Haggagite an hypocrite,
So longe as he did live.
He knew indeed of wicked seed,
This Haman up was sprong,
For he no doubt typed one out,
Whose dayes will not be long.
Then he abus'd, and sore accus'd
The Iewes before the King,
Charging them hie with trechery,
And so obtayn'd this thing.
This King then sent incontenent
Throughout his Kingdoms all,
By such a day to take away,
Their lives and spoyle them all.
Then Mordicai did fast and pray,
And rent his cloaths likewise,
He put a sacke upon his backe,
Made many bitter cryes.
With grief he goes doeth this disclose
To Hester contenent,
And gave hir charge with speeches large,
Where to hir eare she lent.
For thus sayd he thinke not to be
At rest or save thy life,
Seeke to the King about this thing,
To take away the strife.
It may be thought, that God hath brought
Thy here unto this place,
Herein to use, and save the Iewes,
In this their wofull case.
Hester did say to Mordicay,
Command the Iewes sayd she,
Three dayes to faste, no foode to taste,
And likewise pray for me.
She was in feare, none might com neare
Till he had for them sent,
Yet live or dye, now goe will I,
And to the Court she went.
She found time fit, the King did sit
Upon his Royall seat,
Which Scepter by did Hester spye,
On whom his love was great.
Held Scepter out, then gone was doubt
On Scepter she tooke hold,
Though he sat hie, spake lovingly,
His words made Hester bold.
Now free from feare she drew him neare,
Who asked hir intent,
What she did crave or sought to have,
He would there to consent.
She pray'd the King with him to bring
This Haman to hir feast,
This feast she made was but a shade
To cover hir unrest.
The night before this King was sore
Trouble no rest could take,
Sore was he try'd on every side,
The Lord kept him awake.
For God would not have that forgot,
Which should preserve the Iewes,
Put in his mind, this way to find,
His time that night to use.
He made with speed men for to read,
Things that recorded were,
In reading they found Mordicai,
That lov'd the King so deare.
And sav'th his life from men of strife,
And yet had no reward,
But now the King did minde the thing,
And that with good regard.
Went to the feast which then was drest
But Haman was not there,
For he did lurke had other worke,
A gallos did prepare.
For Mordicay and would that day
Have hanged him thereon,
The King knew not this wicked plot,
And sent for him anon.
The King did than aske of Haman
His counsell in a case,
What he should doe to that man who
He minded for to grace.
Haman him told things manyfold,
Which feare we need not name,
His minde was hie, though who but I,
VVhich turned to his shame.
Then sayd the King performe ech thing
On Mordicai the Iew,
This like a dart in Hamans hart
His currage overthrew.
Then Mordicay he did aray
In Kingly cloathing faire,
On Kings horse he must mounted be
Led through the city there.
With crowne on head a great man led
His horse from place to place,
And all the way, this must he say,
Thus doeth the King him grace.
And honour so that he may goe,
Estemed of all men,
This being done, they goe ech one
Unto his place againe.
And so that day came Mordicay
Againe to the Kings porte,
And Haman went told this event
His friends in wofull sorte.
His wife she resh did not refresh,
Or comfort him at all,
His words she heard, and for reward
Did prophesie his fall.
This King then sent incontenent,
For Haman to the feast,
This hearing than he came anan
His banket now was drest.
Whereat the King did aske what thing
It was that Hester sought,
Were it halfe his she should not mis
See here what love had wroght.
For to be short in humble sorte,
She asked but hir life,
And of the Iewes which made him muse,
Loe here begun the strife.
She did unfold, sayd we are sold,
To be destroyed all,
But had it beene for servants then,
My suite I had let fall.
The King sayd than, were is the man
That doeth presume so hie,
Then answ'red she Haman is hee,
That sits the King so nye.
The King was wroth, stood up went forth,
But Haman begged grace,
Of Hester kind, but none could find,
He now had runne his race.
He sat upon, or leaned on
The banke where Hester sat,
The King came in, then did begin
His heart to rise thereat.
Who sayd likewise before mine eyes
Will he now force the Queene,
Therewith came in his chamberlin,
And told what he had seene.
After the Pallas stood a gallos,
That was exceeding hie,
Hamans invent, whereon he ment
To hang up Mordicai.
But God the Lord would not aford,
That it should come to pas,
But let the King Haman to bring,
VVho thereon hanged was.
Queene Hester then, begun attaine
VVith meeknes and with teares,
Sought of the King, that he would bring,
The Iewcs out of their feares.
VVho letters sent incontenent
Performed hir request,
For breake did he that trecherie,
So that the Iewes had rest.
House of Haman the King gave than
To Hester that same day,
Tooke Hamans ring a costly thing,
And gave it Mordicai.
The words of one call'd Salamon
May here be seene of all,
Humility shall mount up hie.
VVhen pride shall have a fall.
O worthy Queene, here have you seene
Queene Hesters Pilgrimage,
VVith great & small, so goes it all,
And hath from age to age.
There are none free, if that they be
Children of Abraham,
By saith in Christ, Sonne of the hiest,
That meeke and lovely lamb.
VVho for our sake did undertake
A Pilgrimage on earth,
Paye Adams debt, and us doeth set,
In favour by new birth.
He us outsought, and dearly bought,
VVe now are not our owne,
He will us proove, how we him love
VVho hath his love thus showne.
VVhat had we in all dead in sin,
VVhence did this love arise,
He lov'd us first, that were acurst,
And so his enimies.
O love of loves, well he that prooves
And yeelds him love againe,
Counts worlds love los, & like to drosse,
So he may Christ attaine.
VVho with words meek, wils us to seek
His Kingdome first of all,
And righteousnes for to possesses
The other things he shall
Give us indeed, as we have need,
And that from day to day,
He faithfull is, and will doe this,
To all that him obey.
True faith this day is in decay,
The most seeke worldly welth,
Stryving for it, their soules forget,
Seeke not Gods saving health.
Yet he hath thus forbidden us,
Our treasure here to lay,
Where rust or mot, may cause it rot,
Or theeves may take away.
Lay it with love in Heaven above,
From thence it shall not part,
It cannot mis, where treasure is,
There also is the heart.
Paul doth confesse, that Godlynes
It is the greatest gaine,
If we consent therewith content,
For that shall still remaine.
When other stufe more then I n'ofe,
Shall vanish in the wind,
And they no rest, that had possest,
Such things as made them blind.
Th'Apostle Paul tooke vew of all
Such thinges he had before,
Put them to flight, set his delight
In Christ that gave him more.
Of heavenly wealth, for his souls health,
And for good of us all,
In his worke we may read and see,
His tryals were not small.
His Pilgrimage unto old age,
No feare could cast him downe,
For his reward, Christ had prepar'd
In Heav'n for him a Crowne.
Not him alone, but for ech one
That runne his race throughout,
Shall have likewise a Crowne for prise,
Their is no feare or doubt.
This Crowne for prise in Heaven it lies
Under the Fathers hand,
This find we may, Christ is the way
Unto our Fatherland.
Thus doeth he say, I am the way,
The truth and life also,
And that no man without me can
Vnto the Father goe.
Which shewes that we by nature be
But things of little worth,
For dead in sin, we must begin,
To seeke a second birth.
His Kingdome we els cannot see,
Muchles the same inherite,
Except we then be borne againe
Of water and of Spirit.
Which if we seeke with prayers meeke
And with a lively faith,
He will it give, that we may live,
For it is our soules breath.
VVhich will us guyde on every side,
If we there to give eare,
And at the last, will set us fast,
And learne us Godly feare.
Such feare as this beginning is,
Of wisdome from above,
VVhich hath too by for company
A lively faith with love.
If other feare, doe come us neare,
It standeth us in stead,
It lights the mind, this shall we find,
VVhen we the Scripture read.
It stands us by, helps memory,
And brings lost things to light,
It will give strenght, so at the lenght
False feares must take their flight.
This gift of Christ, it is the hiest,
VVhich he had promised,
From Heav'n to sent, unto the ent,
VVe thereby might be led.
In his Gospell, and knew him well,
And his Kingdome also,
For want of this, many of his
Did him not rightly know.
His worke then done, had overwon
The Devill, Hell and Death,
He came againe, to these weake men,
And breathed on them breath.
Then did he call, and bad them all,
Receve the holy Ghost,
And so by it, he made them fit,
Whieh gift he never lost.
This comforter exceedeth farrs
All comforts in the earth,
Then must we read, and take good head,
We lose not this new birth.
Though much it cost, yet may be lost,
VVhich heare we shall make knowne,
This Spirit is sent, and is but lent,
And that to helpe our owne.
The Law doeth Paull a shadow call,
VVhose substance was in Christ,
Isaac no doubt, typed him cut,
VVhich was one of the hiest.
Rabecka she then heare must be
A shadow of great worth,
In whose womb we doe read and see
Too stryved for the birth.
Esaw came first, allthough the worst,
The birth-right yet he got,
Iacob came last, held his heele fast,
And after hath his lot.
Esaw did hunte, made light account,
His birth-right quickly sold,
For cup of porrige, that could his currage,
And made his heart full cold.
The birthright gone, blessing was none
His heritage was lost,
Iacob was blest, he dispossest
In Edom live he must.
The like succes through carelesnes,
Befell unto King Saull,
The Lord did send, him to this end,
To slay the Mallachits all.
The King he spard, had no regard,
But sought to blind Gods eyes,
Some beasts he brought, to please hee thought
God with a sacrifice.
But all this cost was labour lost,
God tooke from him that day,
The spirit of grace, and in the place
Sent one did him dismay.
As then with Saull, so now with all,
That doe his lawes abuse,
This thing doeth here learne all to feare,
And it a right to use.
The Lord is hie, judgeth justlie
No person doeth respect,
Both great & small, this find they shall
VVhich doe his lawes neglect.
Yet hath regard and doeth reward
As ech deserved hath,
Some through weaknes his lawes transgresse,
Yet saveth them by faith.
VVhen they repent their sins lament,
And call to him for grace,
He will draw neare, their prayers heare,
And help them in this case.
Thus doe will he, that all may see
Him mercifull and kinde,
And will not break, a reede so weak
But rather it upbinde.
Nor quench with strokes, the flex that smokes,
But rather maks it burne,
No pleasure hath in sinners death,
But seeketh his returne.
He doeth not like to Moses strike,
Saying fulfill the Law,
That done hath he, and yet must we
Still learne to live in awe.
Law doeth relate, shewes us our state
In sinne against the hiest,
Are gone too far, like scolemaster,
It brings us backe to Christ.
Then must we learne, for to descerne,
In what estate we stand,
Then if we see we laden be,
Christ holdeth out his hand.
Calls us anon, bids us put on
His yoke that easie is,
VVhich quicken will, and our harts fill
VVith peace and joy of his.
Doeth us advise and learne likewise,
He lowly is in heart,
VVhich brings us rest, that is the best,
And easeth all our smart.
Yet are not we, now quite set free,
VVe must take up our crosse,
It under goe, both too and froe,
And count worlds pleasure lose.
Nor yet must we compelled be
Like Symon of Syreen,
Christ bare the smart, this after part,
Is for Gods childeren.
To flesh and blood, this seems not good,
But flesh must beare no sway,
To fleshly lust we may not trust,
The Spirit must be our stay.
The flesh is rude, the Spirit renewde
Must guyde us to the end,
If we be feed, and thereby leed,
Then shall we not offend.
It will us guyde on every side,
If we thereto give eare,
And at the last, will set us fast,
And free us from all feare.
It will us bring to Christ our King,
At his appointed day,
Int' Fatherland, at his right hand
To live with him for aye.
FINIS.