Some _Trees_, when Men oppresse their Aged Heads, (With waighty Stones) they fructifie the more; And, when upon some _Herbs_, the _Gard’ner_ treads, They thrive and prosper, better then before: So, when the Kings of _Ægypt_ did oppresse The Sonnes of _Iacob_, through their Tyrannies; Their Numbers, every day, did more encrease, Till they grew greater then their Enemies. So, when the _Iewes_ and _Gentiles_, joyn’d their Powre The _Lord_, and his _Annoynted_, to withstand; (With raging _Furie_, lab’ring to devoure And roote the _Gospel_, out of ev’ry Land) The more they rag’d, conspired, and envy’d, The more they slander’d, scorn’d, and murthered; The more, the _Faithfull_, still, were multiply’d: And, still, the further, their _Profession_ spred. Yea, so it spred, that quite it overthrew Ev’n _Tyranny_ it selfe; that, at the last, The _Patience of the Saints_, most pow’rfull grew, And _Persecutions_ force, to ground was cast. The selfe-same Pow’r, true _Patience_, yet retaines, And (though a thousand _Suff’rings_ wound the same) She still hath _Hope_ enough to ease her paynes; That _Hope_, which keepeth off, all _Feare_ and _Shame_: For, 'tis not _Hunger_, _Cold_, nor _Fire_, nor _Steele_, Nor all the _Scornes_ or _Slanders_, we can heare, Nor any _Torment_, which our _Flesh_ can feele, That conquers us; but, our owne Trayt’rous _Feare_. Where, _Honest Mindes_, and _Patient_ Hearts, are Mates They grow victorious, in their _Hardest-Fates_. _By =many Strokes=, that Worke is done, Which cannot be perform’d at =One=._ [Illustration: NON VNO STERNITVR ICTV. ILLVSTR. XXIX. _Book. 1._]