THE VVidow VVhiterows HUMBLE THANKSGIVING FOR THE KINGS SAFE RETURN With an Account of John Hall's Vision upon the first day of the Eleventh Month 1692 3. And also a Letter to a Friend concerning John Hall's Message with a Letter from Jamaica concerning the Earthquake that happen'd there a Warning to the Inhabitants of the Earth to fear GOD and give Glory to Him for the hour of His Judgments are come Say unto the KING and to the QVEEN humble your Selves sit down Jeremiah 13.18 The People of Neniveh believed GOD and proclaimed a Fast and put on Sackcloth from the greatest of them to the least of them For word came unto the King of Nineveh and he rose from his Throne and he laid his Robe from him and covered him with Sackcloth and sate in Ashes Jonah 3.5 6. Licensed D. P. April 18. London Printed by D. Edwards in Nevel 's Alley in Fetter-lane for J. B. 1694 THE Widow Whiterows HUMBLE THANKSGIVING FOR THE KING'S Safe RETURN ONCE more I am highly honoured with Mercy and Truth to return Thanks to the Most High for the Kings safe Return Oh what shall I say to the LORD for all his Mercies and boundless Favours for I am as one astonish'd at his Goodness How wonderful are his Works and his Ways past finding out therefore who shall not admire Thee Thou King of Righteousness who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth in thy Hands to bind the Kings of the Earth in Chains and their Nobles with fetters of Iron who rulest in the Heavens and makes bare the Arm of thy Glorious Power in the Earth to dash the Nations asunder and break in pieces the Potsherds of the Earth as a Potter's Vessel Oh Great LORD glorious in Power fearful in Praises doing wonders Thou LORD Jehovah art come and thy Power goes before Thee that shall rend the Rocks and cleave the Mountains in sunder The Everlasting GOD is come to throw down Mountains and Hills and to exalt the low Valleys he 'll awaken the Earth by his thundring Power and the sleepy Inhabitant thereof by his loud sounding Judgments For this know Oh King There 's neither Strength nor Policy shall stand Against what GOD's a bringing on this Land The Youth shall howl the Aged shall weep sore Yet there 's glad tidings for the Meek and Poor The Poor in Spirit I mean Matth. 5.3 who are Heirs of the Kingdom of Glory whom GOD will hide in the hollow of his Hand whilst his fierce Indignation passes over the Rebellious wherefore Oh that my Counsel might be acceptable to the King and that his ways might so please the LORD as that his days may be prolonged in this Land which the LORD for a time hath given him to do the will of GOD in all things with all his Might and with all his Strength that these heavy Judgments which the LORD hath pronounced may not be executed in the King's days For thus said the LORD to me in my deep humiliation before him viz. My Controversie is not with Man or Woman farther than they are found in the Transgression take away the Transgression and where 's my Controversie Is it so O Righteous LORD that thy Controversie is not with Man or VVoman farther than they are found in the transgression of thy Righteous Law and pure Commandments Oh then for thy Mercy sake and the advancement of thy Glorious Power and the praise of thy ever Blessed Name in these Nations and throughout all the Earth turn the King and Queens Hearts with all their Powers and Strengths to Thee as the Riveâ—s of VVaters are turned that with a powerful force of Thy Love and ardent Affection to thy Glory they may joyn unanimously together in Heart and Soul to humble themselves in the dust before Thee the Almighty GOD repenting with Niniveh's Repentance Jonah 3.7 8. For no less Repentance will put a stop to the hot and fiery Indignation of the LORD which is kindled against this Land but to turn every one from his Evil Way and from the wickedness that is in their hands therefore Oh noble Prince anâ— Princess for the LORD's sake who is the King of Eternal Glory the GOD of the Spirits of all Flesh the Everlasting Counsellor the Prince 〈◊〉 Peace the GOD that made the Heavens and Earth the Sea and all thaâ— therein is who hath delivered the King from all his Enemies and gavâ— him his Life for a Prey and for the LORD JESUS CHRIST's sake his Sufâ— fering Life and Bloody Passion who was nail'd to the Cross and gave uâ— his Life there for all Mankind and rose again for the Salvation and Redemption of the Faithful I pray again and again for His sake whâ— hath been with the King in six troubles and in the seventh by his outâ— stretch'd Arm hath deliver'd him Oh for His sake come down from your Thrones and humble your selves in the dust by Fastings and Prayers and deep Humiliation crying mightily to GOD the Father of all your Mercies that He would be with you in Counsel and direct your way in truth before Him to do His most acceptable will in all things that in his infinite compassions for his great and terrible name sake shew you what to do and which way to take for the suppressing and total destruction of this boundless flood of Ungodliness that overflows these Nations And dearest Prince and Princess I humbly beg and beseech you for the LORD and his Glory sake and for your own Lives and Liberty sake be not negligent in this great VVork prostrating your selves night and day before the Throne of his Grace crying mightily to him for his assisting Power Heavenly VVisdom and Holy Zeal which his Valiants had of Old Phinehas Numbers 25 7 8 11. Jehoshaphat Hezakiah and Josias these were clad with Zeal as with a Garment these were the Valiants of Israel that knew how to handle weapons of VVar being girt with the Sword of the Spirit and Helmet of Salvation Phinehas was honourable who by his holy Zeal stop'd the Plague from the Children of Israel then said the LORD unto Moses Phinehas the Son of Eleazar hath turned mine Anger away from the Children of Israel while he was zealous for my sake among them therefore I have not consumed the Children of Israel in my Jclousie wherefore say unto him Behold I give unto him my Covenant of Peace and he shall have it and his Seed after him for Ever because he was zealous for his God and hath made him an attonement for the Children of Israel Oh what an influence had this upon the LORD and how this act of Holy Zeal pleas'd his Divine Majesty here we may see the difference between a holy Zeal for GOD and his Glory and a blind Zeal that hath any Interest in it to Self-honour either in Name or Fame or any other thing of this perishing VVorld The first hath power to prevail with GOD to stop the Judgment the latter suffers it to go
GOD the substance of all Goodness which this excellent spirited Man bears Record to who if we may believe the ancient Writers this Holy Man lived some hundreds of Years before Moses's time as is made out in the Epistle to the Reader the description of this great Treasure is said to be found engravened upon a Smaragdine Table in the Valley Ebron after the Flood If GOD ever appeared in any Man saith the Epistle to the Reader he appeared in him that a Man who had not benefit of his Ancâ—â—ors knowledge being the first Inventer of the Art of communicating knowledge to Posterity by Writing or Engraving should be so deep a Philosopher and high a Divine seems to be a thing more of GOD than of Men therefore it was the opinion of some that he came from Heaven not born upon Earth The Original saith the Epistle so far as is known to us is Arabec and several Translations thereof have been published as Greek Latin French and Dutch but never English before by the famous Doctor Everard so far the Epistle to the Reader Behold how the LORD visited the Children of Men before the Flood and by this blessed Man's Writing how the Spirit of God wrestled and strove sending his Messengers as it were from Heaven to reform and reclaim them from their evil ways but they grieved his holy Spirit and scorned his Messengers till they had provoked him to say Gen. 6.3.12 My Spirit shall not always strive with Man but the Breath shall cease from before me which I have made And then their destruction came as a Whirl-wind And hath it not been the same in all Ages But now the beginning hath near found an end of all 〈◊〉 for the Day of the LORD is come wherein he will do his Wonders of Old and the Mighty GOD is risen in the Power of his Might to plead with all Flesh and to destroy those from off the Earth that will not be gathered to him in this the day of his Patience and long Suffering and for this end hath he sent Messenger upon Messenger Embassador after Embassador to declare His Mind and Will and not only so but his Judgments are now begun in the Earth yet the Inhabitants thereof doth not learn Righteousness therefore the destroying Angel hath received his Commission and of this you have been often warned I am a witness for the LORD he is clear of your Blood Also a few Months ago by a Servant of the LORD's who came two hundred Miles to deliver this Message and the thing is come and coming to pass which he Prophesied of therefore Oh King and Queen for the LORD's sake and for His endless mercy sake Take the Censer Numb 16.46 and put Fire of the Altar and Incense therein and hasten with all your Might to make an Attonement for the People for there is Wrath gone out from the LORD the Plague is begun both in City and Country I am a Witness of what my Eyes have seen and Ears heard therefore Oh let not the King who is the Magistrate of the Highest bear the Sword of the LORD in vain but let him be Valiant for the Truth upon Earth and take the courage of Joshua the zeal of Phinehas and the humility of Jehoshaphat to go forth in the Strength of the LORD to make War with the Enemies of GOD that keeps his Divine Majesty from His Right to rule in the Souls of the Children of Men and this shall be your present and future Happiness to stop the prophane and boundless flood of Ungodliness that overflows these Kingdoms of the King and Queens Dominions together with that accursed Idolatrous thing Covetousness Hatred Malice Deceit Double-dealing Lying Slandring Cheating Treachery betraying Trusts and Innocence into the hands of Murderers besides all the Sins of Sodom and Jerusalem when it was destroyed these things brought the Wrath and Vengeance of GOD upon them and these Sins cries aloud yea louder and louder in the Ears of the LORD GOD for Plagues Woes and Vengeance upon this Land and good reason for it For you have I known saith the LORD above all the Families of the Earth therefore will I punish you you have I loaded with my Mercies and Benefits you have I opened the Windows of Heaven to and showred down Blessings upon that there hath not been room enough to receive them you have I brought to a Land that flows with Milk and Honey and yet this hath been a small thing with me saith the LORD But I have given you the Gifts and Graces of my Holy Spirit by which you have been made rich with the Knowledge of my Will but you have deck'd your selves with my Jewels Ezek. 16. and bestowed my Gifts upon your Lovers and gone a whoring from me saith the LORD after your own Inventions therefore thus saith the LORD Because you have rewarded me Evils for all my Goodness therfore will I visit you and take away my Corn my Oil my Wine my Milk and my Honey because you would not serve me in the injoyments of all these Mercies you shall serve your Enemies in the want of all these except you speedily repent O England England What lamentable Lamentation shall I take up for Thee if ever there was a Day to call for the Mourning Women Now it 's come therefore you that are well skill'd in Mourning Jeremiah 9.17 20. Come away and do not stay let nothing hinder you to join with me in this Work with rended Hearts and bowed down Souls teach your Daughters to mourn and every one your Neighbour to lament that our Eyes cast out Teers and Eye-lids gush out VVater let us cloath our selves in Sackcloth and roul our selves in the Dust in Fasting and Prayers night and day crying vehemently and incessantly to the Lord that we may be ready to enter into the Ark before the Flood comes to drown all Earthly Habitations with their Foundations For all Flesh hath corrupted its way therefore the End of all flesh is come up before the Lord and by Fire and Sword will God plead with all Flesh and the Carkesses of men shall be as Dung upon the face of the Earth They shall die of Sickness and Diseases I will spend mine Arrows on them and my Sword shall devour yea Flesh of Kings Captives and Potentates of the Earth Thus will the Maker of all Things ease Himself of His Enemies and avenge Him of His Adversaries for because His Mercy and long Suffering will not humble Sinners his Righteous Judgements will Therefore Oh England England Repent repent repent otherwise what lamentation shall be taken up for thee Oh that my Head were full of water and my Eyes a Fountain of Teers that I might weep day and night for the Destruction that comes as a VVhirlwind upon Thee O Land where the Sins of Sodom are found where the â—ins of Jerusalem are found where the Sins of Jamaica and Cicilia are found In Thee Oh Land is found the Blood of
Hard heartedness Covetous Earthly mindedness and altogether and do you think to escape the righteous Judgments of God that knows all these things and yet live in the same Sins to provoke the Eyes of his Glory No you shall surely drink of the same Cap except you speedily repent the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and your outward Services your outside Profession of God and Godliness your Religious Duties your Holy Orders From the Throne to the Dunghill in Profession out of the Life of Jesus shall not be able to deliver you from the Plagues and Judgments that is to come and coming speedily upon this Land without a sincere Repentence for the Earth groans to be deliver'd of such Hipocrites such useless Branches that brings forth no Fruit neither to God nor Man But again to the former Christ said Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy Soul with all thy Strength withall thy Might and thy Neighbour as thy self for upon these two hang the Law and the Prophets So then here is the very stint of Religion now how far this goes must be examined into And God said Thou shalt have no other Gods but me now if it had not been for this Command the Flesh might have said These are thy Gods Oh Israel that brought thee out of Egypt thy Silver Gold and precious Stones hath wrought all thy wonderful and unheard-of Deliverances for you know they made a Calf of their Treasures and danc'd about it whilst Moses was with God in the Mount receiving a Law against all such Abominations And now the Lord of the whole Earth is come again to search out the Iniquity of our Times and are not you found in the same Steps of your Fore-fathers serving your Gods of Silver and Gold and all worshiping the Works of our own hands admiring your selves ways and works Adoring them as Gods although the LORD hath commanded saying Thou shalt have no other Gods but me So here is the Breach of this Command and also of the other two for Christ said we cannot serve GOD and Mamon therefore if you give your Love to any of these GOD cannot have All Then how much less hath he when all your hearts all your Souls all your Strengths all your Mights all your Loves and Delights is given up to serve your Idols of Silver and Gold your Pride Self-Interrsts Glories and Honours these have your Hearts these have your Loves and Delights and whilst these your perishing Gods have all the Everlasting GOD your Creator and Maker must have none And thus you 〈◊〉 God of his Right and turns his Glory into shame and again Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Pray consider how far this Command extends for Christ brings it into an equal Competition do you suffer your selves to want any Food or Raiment or other Necessaries that is fitting for your outward Body to serve its Necessities the same care you should take for your Neighbour that their Bodies and Minds might be the fitter to serve their Maker with all humble Thanks-giving and Christ said Whatsoever ye would that Men should do unto you do ye that unto them I humbly gave the Queen in writing how the aforesaid might be accomplish'd but if your are wanting in this your Duty to your Neighbour how will you perform the weighty Matters of the Law for this is as it were but the External Service the outside Duty of Christianity yet no Christians nor no Exceptance with Christ without it which Christ calls the Unrighteous Mamon Wherein saith he if you are unfaithful who shall commit to you the true Riches so that when you have performed all the Will of God in this point and made your Neighbour equal so far as I have treated of Nay if you shall give all your Goods to the Poor as some have done that have not had that knowledge of God that you have which shames you and will be a swift Witness against you in the Day of Account yet hear as I said before you must not rest for this is but one part of your Duty of Christianity the neglect of which hath been the cause of so many Thieves and Robbers in the Land This is the outward Service that is not to be left undone But there is further Service an inward Service wherein you must give your selves all up to GOD for him to work in you all his good pleasure whereby he may transform thee into himself to be made like unto him in all things But for the carrying on of this Great Work thou must wait upon GOD in silence in the silence of all flesh and suffer him to speak pray work and do all in thee for hear the LORD will disrobe thee of all thy Gifts and Parts and strip thee stark naked as ever thou was born For naked thou cam'st into the World and naked must thou return Stript not only of thy filthy Garments spotted by the Flesh but all the Riches of thy Spirit before thou art clothed with change of Raiment the rich Robes of Eternal Life for it is the poor in Spirit that receives the Kingdom Hear the Soul stands naked having nothing of its own neither Words nor Works to present it self before the LORD nothing but its Poverty its Nothingness its Insufficiency bringing all its little Ones before the Eyes of his Glory to move His Excellency to cast His Eye of Mercy and tender Compassion and spread the Skirt of His Eternal Love over it Here 's the place where GOD will work Wonders hear he will arise in the Power of His Might and make bare His Glorious Arm for the Soul's deliverance Hear the highest makes a Covenant with His Jehoshuas His chosen Ones saying If you will walk in my ways and keep my watch then thou shalt Judge mine House and shalt also keep my Courts and I will give thee a place among them that stand Zacharia chap. 3. Here 's the Reward of all your Travels of all your Warfare of all Wrestlings of all your Holy Violence to take the Kingdom of Heaven by force Here 's the Reward of self-denial and self-abhorrence for the Soul that would be united to Christ must be conformable to Him following him in the ways of His internal Sufferings that purifies the Soul from the pollutions both of Flesh and Spirit and hear it arrives at the Mystical silence where he speaks to it alone in the most secret and hidden parts of the Heart where He teaches it the most perfect and exhalted Wisdom therefore thou art to keep thy self in this Mystical silence if thou wilt hear this secret and heavenly Voice for the perfection of the Soul consists not in speaking much of GOD but in Obedience and in loving Him so much as belongs to Him and you know how much CHRIST saith that is But your silent sublime Meditation is that Elias was in when he heard the still soft Voice in Horch the Mount of GOD