MARTHA HATFIELD THE WISE VIRGIN OR A wonderfull Narration of the hand of God wherein his severity and goodnesse hath appeared in afflicting a Childe of eleven years of age when stricken dumb deaf and blinde through the prevalencie of her disease yet upon her wonderfull recovery was heard at severall times to utter many glorious Truths concerning Christ Faith and other subiects To the wonderment of many that came far and neer to see and hear her The works of the Lord are great sought out of all them that have pleasure therein Psal 111. 2. All thy works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall blesse thee Psal 145. 10. Natura in minimis maximè mirabilis By James Fisher a Servant of CHRIST LONDON Printed for John Rothwell at the Fountain and Bear in Cheap-side MDCLIII To All those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity and especially my much endeared Friends the Parents of this Childe of Wonders Grace and Peace be multiplied through the Knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. THe Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord in the whole dispensation thereof seems to be nothing else but a Composition of wonders every thing therein being matter both of wonderment and document And as in other respects so particularly in the manner of the propagation thereof and in the way whereby our wise good God hath brought it home and setled the precious truths thereof upon the hearts of his chosen ones Though God useth a generall Uniformity yet is there also a particular variety of Dispensation God sometimes stepping out of the ordinary course of instituted means to meet with the darknesse unbelief and other weaknesses of poor souls especially in these last Ages of the World wherein there are some rarities of Providence whereby God seemes to speak unto us that he is intending to do some new and strange thing in the Earth And if you look narrowly what these means are which God hath chosen out you shall plainly discover that of the Apostle to be verified all along that they are the foolish the weak the base and the despised things of the World He hath not chosen armes or armes of the Mighty ones nor the mouth of the Sword but the Sword of the mouth for out of the mouthes of Babes and Sucklings he hath ordeined strength whereby he effecteth wonderfull things for the advancement of his Kingdome here in the World That which comes out of the mouths of these Babes shall accomplish his Royall Will Thus it was with the Head and Captain Generall of this Infantry the Lord Jesus he was at first a Babe and a Suckling and the Apostles were such in their originall and such are all those who are their Successours But this Scripture seems to receive a further completion even in the Letter of it in this instance and example of which I shall now make Relation Out of her mouth the Lord hath ordained such things should be uttered as may I hope through his blessing prove instrumentall for the promoting of some part at least of that glorious Gospel-Designe of Love towards lapsed Creatures which you will finde recorded in the subsequent Relation and that both in the time of her extream weaknesse as also since her Restauration and Recovery and because God hath raised up one so extraordinarily to declare so much of his Will unto us surely God expects that we should more then ordinarily improve these his dispensations and the rather because such Mirabilia Dei are usuall presages of great mutations in the Countreys where they are acted and if men answer not God in such Providences he usually gives them up to spiritual evils and after that to temporal Desolations May not Germany Scotland Ireland acknowledge this with teares in their eyes that they have not walkt worthy of the glorious appearances of God amongst them and may not England subscribe the same confession in letters written as Draco's Lawes were with their own Blood Hath not God shewed signes and wonders in all these Nations And are not spirituall Judgements as gray haires visibly here and there upon us and is it not observable that the Jewes before their being given up to utter Desolation enjoyed the highest dispensations that ever when a people are lifted up to Heaven as Capernaum was with Gospel-priviledges and yet have much of hell in their practices the next news we hear of them will be that they are brought down to Hell by Gods Judiciall Providences The extraordinary works of Gods mercies being abused make way for extraordinary Judgements But I wish hope that others but especially you my dear Friends relations who have been eye and ear-witnesses of these rare actings of Providence and whose hearts have been so much affectd therewith will wisely consider the Lords doings and lay them upon your hearts until your hearts be warmed therewith and your lives conformed accordingly This Childe being acquainted with some intentions of some of her Friends to print her Speeches answered I wish they may aime at a right end a most seasonable Item and if we do not endeavour to have them first printed in our hearts and to publish them in our lives we shall give but a poor account of the publication of them to the world If the World must know as we do judge that fit that such a light should not be set under a bushell what God hath done for us I beseech you let 's carry it so as the World may know to our joy and not grief what we do for God Oh let 's take heed to our spirits that we do not with these sweet flowers of mercies as children with their Nosegayes smell at them and delight in them for a short time and then cast them away God hath done wonderfull things for us Oh that it might appear he hath wrought wonderfull things in us His wonderful works do declare his Name is neer to us let our works declare that his Name his Service Word Worship and all his Institutions and Commands are dear to us If God walk in the middest of us then we should be exactly careful that no unclean thing be found in us It did much aggravat◠Solomons defections from the Lord that they were acted after God had appeared to him twice God hath not appeared once or twice but many times and in sundry manners and particularly in this Providence much of God appearing in her every time she spake how great will our sin be if after God had given us such a deliverance nay so many mercies in the womb of this we should again break his Commands grow loose and mindlesse of God and forsake his Ordinances and wayes as many do Gods Works in this instance declare his Name to be neer and that exclusively by way of exclusion of all other names and David might mean so much in that phrase that his Name and the names of all his gallant and Heroick Commanders were to
be excluded that Gods Name might not be obseured God did all in this businesse and therefore it 's fit that he alone should be exalted Oh let 's give him that little all we have let 's strive to exalt him he may be higher in our hearts though not in himselfâ— and the rather because these Providencies have fruitfully administred varieties of advantages for the raising up of our spirits in the exaltation of Gods glorious Name May not the parents of this childe say with â—onderment God raised up one out of Davids House 2 Sam. 12. 11. who attempted to deprive him of his earthly Kingdome but God hath raised one out of our Family who may be instrumentall to further our enjoyment of an heavenly Kingdom They I know desire that others would help them in endeavouring to render according to the mercies received and how should they or others improve such dispensations but by labouring to act faith at a higher rate then we have done Faith hath two legs whereby it comes to Christ and it 's called a comming to Christ John 6. 35. submission and closing in such mixâ— providences as these where God checkers his dispensations working Checker-work there will be much use of a submitting frame of heart to submit our selves children and all to the Will of the Father of our spirits Heb. 12. 9. and we should improve this Providence in raising up this Childe by faith for the raising up of the Church from under all her Convulsions and prevailing diseases many other wayes we should improve such Works of God but I have already exceeded the bounds of an Epistle I shall onely urge you and my selfe to suck that sweet brest of the promise Psalm 50. 15. you have prayed God hath delivered and now he expects to be glorified and he promises you shall glorifie me Can then our unbelief our dead sluggish fickle unconstant and forgetfull heart hinder it if God say thou shalt who hath resisted his Will Oh then lie at the pool of this promise untill your unbelieving unthankfull hearts be healed Lie at this beautifull gate untill you receive an almes and a word Come that shall raise up your Spirits that you may walk and leap and praise the Lord. Let me entreat you to review this Childes Speeches but especially to eye God in all his providentiall actings towards her untill your hearts be raised to exalt the glorious Lord in all those Attributes which shine forth in this Scene of his Actings Eye them for the strengthening of your faith to trust God in all your straits to submit to God when he is pleased to presse you down with the left hand of afflictions whilest he writes a fairer copie of his Law in your hearts with the right hand of his holy Spirits powerfulâ— visitations eye them that you may learn to love Jesus Christ with more sincerity and to use the world more cautelously lest it use nay ride you as others with great cruelty eye them that so you may learn to sanctifie God in your hearts who hath diseases and cures at his command who gives the opening of the mouth and causes the tongue of the dumb to sing and the tongue of the stammerers to speak plainly and confirmes the feeble knees all which and more he hath done for this Childe eye them also that your hearts may be brought in love with and confirmed in your love to the precious and yet ô sad despised Ordinances and Institutions of Jesus Christ the King of his Church which God hath opened a Childs mouth to plead for And if you may gather such sweet fruits as these from off the Branches of these providentiall actings of our wise God I shall sit under the Tree rejoycing that God hath made me Instrumentall to call you forth to so good an employment and subjoyn my selfe Your's Through Grace James Fisher Sheffeild January 20. 1652 3. To the godly consciencious READER IT is thy priviledge for soul-advantage that thou livest amongst Sermons and it is a choice mercy in the Saints Count-book that now when so many bid Preaching depart and Ordinances depart and Duties depart yet still the Lord is not wanting to appear in some kinde or other owning his appointments Yea thou mayst observe Jesus Christ to be so desirous of thy Company that he leaves no means unattempted to win thy soul to God for the deare love of Jesus Christ seems to flow and break over the banks of ordinary means that so it may encompass thy heart and fetch thee wholly into the Father Now surely Christian thou wilt confess that it 's a barren soul indeed whom the over-flowings of Christs love will not make fruitful Believe it Gods unwonted layings out of Love are not answered with stinted and wonted layings out of obedience Great cost and little incomes is unprofitable trading When the Lord helpâ— us to receipts we had need beg hard that hâ— would help us with returns for questionlesâ— God expects those should be Commemoration-dayes whereon his Saints have their exceedings of Love 't is certain Christians when Jesus Christ steps out of his high-road he has some special businesse then with Sinners Now thou to whom this Book shall come the Lord thou seest hath stepped aside to speak with thee take heed how thou refusest to heare the voice that speaks from Heaven Christ sees that Word-preaching will not serve and therefore he sends thee both Word and Work-preaching and all that he may make thee Eternally blessed Oh do thou not still go about to frustrate Christs endeavours in his work of winning thy poore soul 't may be thou hast long stopped thine Eares to his Words but what wilt thou stop thine Eyes to his Works too Oh look to this young Divine to this Child-Preacher or rather to the Lord in this Childe-Preacher and if thou canst not spell Christs meaning by his words yet put together Words and Works and thou shalt soon see what they make if thou canst not know Christ by his ordinary appearings yet oh learn to know him by his Extraordinary for truly it is a brutish thing to bury Christ in his own works Look Christian Here thou mayest see a 〈◊〉 burning and yet not consumed yea a â—â—sh burning and yet blossoming Natural 〈◊〉 preserved when natural means of preserâ—â—tion were denied but indeed a few loaves â—â—ll feed five thousand when Christ has the â—â—oking of them God can make a little of 〈◊〉 crâ—eature go farre when he makes it up â—â—th a great deal of Christ for we see though 〈◊〉 Commons were shorter then Daniels yet 〈◊〉 finde her very well-liking think thereâ—ore at what Ordinary or rather Extraordinary â—ath she dieted surely she had food we â—new not off Well might she live who fed so â—lenteously on life it self and certainly that â—ife of hers was a happy life which dwelt so â—eer the life of happiness We did not know â—hy the life of nature should be continued except
of him as may be most 〈◊〉 thy glory and for the good of his soul â—d body Good Lord bless our sister who hath taâ—n so great pains with my mother and me â—d our other little brother Lord make him â—ine and guide him in all his wayes in his â—ung-yeers that his soul may be precious in â—y sight and my other sister the Lord â—ve her grace And that other little sister â—ood Lord take away that infirmity from her â—ye if it be thy will And for that sister whom â—hou hast disposed of in marriage the Lord â—less that family and give them more and more of thy Spirit to guide them in thy wayes and Lord give him a Spirit of prayer â—ut let us not make haste for thy time is the best And for that little branch Lord as it grows in days years grant that it may grow in grace and walk in thy way And for that godly sweet servant of thine * that prayed so heartily for me the last night the Lord bless him and Lord bless thy servant who is gone to use means for her health and bless the means for without thy bessing nothing can profit and Lord if it be for thy glory bring them together and if not make them contented to yield to thy will Good Lord bless all our Family and make them thine and teach all our friends to walk in thy wayes When she began this prayer all about her were so amazed with the suddenness of it that they could not for the joy and astonishment wherewith their spirits were filled observe each passage so exactly as is desired they had done so that many of her expressions are lost but these things set down are as neer as they that were present could recall to their thoughts related and written down in her own very words After this prayer her head fell and she was as in a trance and as she past into it she said The Lord be with you all I am now going to Heaven where I hope one day you will come to me And when she was come forth of that trance in which they thought she would have died she was exceedingly rapt up with joy which perhaps was the Heaven she spake of that she was going to laughing and spreading her arms and clasping them close to her that they could not be opened but presently she opened them and exprest herself in these words I have found my Christ ô I have found my Christ how sweet is he to me After this fit of joy she fell into a sore conflict with Satan and opening her arms which were clasped with hugging her sweet Christ unto her she struck so vehemently as 〈◊〉 she had more then ordinary strength and â—prest her self in these words Away away away Satan with a stern â—untenance which was a great change in her â—â—ce which was so amiable before in her reâ—oycing of it and so she continued for some â—â—me and then the Lord was pleased to give â—er comfort again And then she laughed and rejoyced much more then before and spread her arms and â—lasped them close again and said O my Christ is come again my Christ is come again 〈◊〉 shall vanquish Satan and cast him behinde me Then she fell again into another conflict with striking as before but never spake in a conflict but the conflict being over she spake and laught and behaved her self in the like manner as before O now my sweet Christ is come again he is come again and hath destroyed my spirituall enemy who would have destroyed my soul O labour for Christ and that the Name of Christ may be written upon all your hearts with letters of gold Thus one time with comforts and at other times with conflicts she continued the greatest part of one night which they that were present thought was about the several times that night but they were all so astonisheâ— both with the matter and manner that the could not certainly relate how many of thoâ— conflicts and comfortable fits she had neâ—â—ther indeed as they acknowledge are theâ— able to relate the manner thereof as it waâ— made known unto them After this about 17 dayes she lay stiff and never spake all that time and it pleased thâ— Lord so to order her disease that she came to her self twice a day viz. at twelve a clock aâ— noon-day and six at night and then she did understand herself but could not speak and to these times she kept constantly for about 17 dayes and then she would make signes to wash her mouth with small beer or water they not knowing what she would have but she could manifest dislike of what was offered if it was not that which she desired she took no food all this time but onely washt her mouth as was said twice a day About this time coming to herself she fell into great extremity of vomiting for two dayes and that which she vomited was like gall or soot and bloud and by times continued in that extremity for seven or eight dayes and was carried about in the arms of one or other or sate on their knees having little rest save some short Dormes she spake â—uch and uttered many sweet expressions Many times being desired to take some â—od she answered I would take food if God would give me leave but I cannot I â—annot and when they would do any thing â—bout her if it might be to give her some â—ase she would say Alas here 's no ease â—ere O that you will not suffer a poor creaâ—ure to have some ease there 's no comfort â—o be had here but there 's ease in Heaven At another time she said O Lord some â—ase for a poor distressed creature Lord for â—hy Son Christ his sake Again Where 's my father and my mother that they may pray for me I had a father and a mother and brethren and sisters Again she was much troubled and said What a naughty naughty Lass was I to be so impatient but now I have more pain and the Lord hath given me more patience now I can say with David It is good for me that I have been afflicted Good It is good indeed for my father hath got good and my mother hath got good and I have got good and God hath got glory I would not have been without this affliction for any thing this is a good affliction indeed Her sister Hannah speaking to her Must these little pretty hands go into the grave and rot in the dust I said she what should they do else poor sinful corrupt flesh Her father asking her Childe art not hungry thou hast eaten nothing of a long time She said I hunger for nothing but Christ I am very hungry after him I would very fainâ— have him Then he asked her if she would drink she said I am very thirsty for Christ They were speaking to her of a Physician but she said My comfort is in Christ
Jesus Christ for his mercies are greater to us then we can desire May the 25. Come poor soul come poor soul see how God stretcheth forth his hand to an afflicted soul thou hast been afflicted but now I will take thee up into Heaven God will take a poor afflicted soul into Herven Good is thy Word O Lord to be esteemed â—ot onely in our heads but in our hearts take â—way these stony hearts O Lord that thy Word may work a thorough work in us Oh take my soul O Lord into thy protection and lock it up in thy cabinet for I am assured Lord that I shall be in happiness with thee and thy holy Angels in Heaven Labour to get faith in Jesus Christ and it will keep you out of the deep pit Trust in Jesus Christ and be mindful of his wayes and he will be mindful of you He waketh and neither slumbereth nor sleepeth who would but follow his steps and not Satans Lord open thou our hearts and our eyes that we run not headlong into that bottomless pit of hell and destruction Come my Disciple and take up thy cross and walk and thou shalt be saved Pray for fixed hearts and souls in Jesus Christ that they be not cast into hell-fire God give us fixed and zealous hearts for Jesus Christ and fixed for Heaven The Lord will not turn back from us if we do not turn back from him he will carry us up to Heaven where there is no change but joy and rejoycing for evermore Trust in Jesus Christ and he vvill rebuke your spiritual enemy Satan is the greatesâ—â— enemy to your souls if he get them he vviâ—â— cast them into hell-fire Come my people into my Tabernacle and I will embrace you with my arms and there shall be cause of joy and rejoycing with God and his holy Angels for ever If you can but rise with Christ and seeâ— those things that are above he will take you up into Heaven and lock you up in his Cabinet if you can but rise with him there will be cause of joy and rejoycing for ever with my God and his holy Angels for ever If we can but rise so high as Heaven there will be cause of joy and comfort and no cause of discomfort if we be but raised so high as to seek those things that are above then we are happy Come let us sing a new Sang let the praises of God be alwayes in our mouthes and let them never depart out of our mouthes Come and let us reioyce and be glad with our heavenly Father where there is cause of comfort and no cause of discomfort Let us labour to draw nigh home for we are not at home whilest we are here let us therefore hunger and thirst after better places we are but as pilgrims and strangers here but we must labour to wait with patience till our glass be run We are but as Travellers that travel to and fro let us labour to come to an abiding place where there is no change then there is comfort then we come to that place that our souls thirst after What a gracious Father have we let us be thankful unto him for our manifold mercies and blessings what cause have we to give him praise for them let us never be unmindful of giving him praise and he wil never be unmindful of us What a Christ have we that doth all things in wisdome Oh what he hath done for us we can never suffer so much for him as he hath for us he suffered the death upon the cross for us Good is thy Word O God and to be esteemed of us let us not be ignorant of it let us have a token of thankfulness in our hearts let us acknowledge it that we may give God the glory of it again teach us the way that we may acknowledge and be thankful Come my people do not thirst but come and drink of the waters of life freely and you shall never thirst again I suppose she meant do not rest in your thirsting but come and drink Come my people follow me into that pleasant place of Heaven and there you shall have joy everlastingly Put thy Spirit into our hearts and take away these stony hearts that we may become new Christians Come my people enter in at the gate Strait is the gate but I will lead you and open the gate of that comfortable place the gate of Heaven Oh trust in God and labour to be true believers and he will free you from sin and Satan that roaring lion that seeks whom he may devour put your trust in the Lord and then you will have cause of joy and rejoying for ever Oh God thou art merciful unto thy children and the more we hunger and thirst after thee the more merciful art thou Lord we thank thee for thy mercies that thou hast bestowed upon us God is gracious in all his wayes and actions Let us trust still in God if we do but trust in God we shall never faint although I be in a suffering condition here I shall be in a comfortable condition hereafter How sweet is Christ in his dealings and â—ispensations he will not let Satan that cunâ—ing roaring Lion do me any hurt Oh ground faith in our hearts O Lord â—pon thy Son Jesus Christ oh ground our â—earts aright upon him and he will provide for us and take us up into his Kingdome where there is no cause of mourning but all â—oy and comfort for ever We are but as pilgrims here and stay a time till our glass be run and then Jesus Christ will be our protector and guider where we shall rejoyce for ever I will keep your souls in my protection I will rebuke Satan that roaring lion for your sakes Note that oftentimes she would have uttered words but could not and then her lips would move so that I conceive some of her speeches were spoken in relation to something that she had in her minde and could not utter and so in the last speech which is set down and this may help the Reader to understand some other of her Speeches May the 26th Seek the things which are above where Christ sits at the right hand of God our Father if we can but rise so high there we should have cause of comfort and none of discomfort for ever and ever Happy shall we be when we are raised so high as to sit at the right hand of God our Father God my Father hath chained up Satan that roaring lion that he cannot enter into my soul God doth sometimes suffer Satan to afflict us that we may be drawn neerer to him God lets us lie in afflictions that we may get good by them and himself glory Let us praise God for all his mercies and he will showre them down upon us the more The more we seek to give God glory for all his mercies the more will God seek to poure down good upon us
Let us labour to have our conversation built upon the Lord stedfastly let us labour to have our foundation of life built upon that substantiall rock stedfastly for if it be built upon sandy ground it vvill fall but if it be built upon that stedfast rock it vvill stand for ever and ever Lord pull back Satan that Serpent thaâ— goeth about to devour my poor soul but he cannot he cannot he cannot enter in my Christ will give him no power Let us labour to forsake sin and live unto righteousnesse and truly repent of our former sins which we have sinned which we have committed formerly let us truly repent of them Oh let us cry aloud unto the Lord in the time of extremity and calamity and he hath promised that he will give ear unto us October the 16th Oh let us trust in the Lord for he is a trusty one he is to be trusted let us cast both our bodies and souls into the hands of that everliving and glorious God for he hath bid us to cast our care upon him and he will care for us If we should trust a carnall man that hath no care of his salvation but of the trash of this world he is so greedy of it and hungers and thirsts after it that he thinks that that will make him but the neerer we are to the trash of this world the farther are we off of God if we could but hunger and thirst after the riches of Christ vve should not hunger after the riches of this vvorld as vve do Oh that vve had but hearts to conceive the riches of Christ from the riches of this vvorld for vve think that the riches of this vvorld vvill be the making of us but alas alas they vvill be the undoing of us The wisdome of man is foolishnesse but the wisdome of God is righteousnesse October the 17th Lord Lord vvash us and cleanse us in the purity of thy onely begotten Son in vvhom thon art vvell pleased that vve may become pure Virgins of thine for vvithout vve be in some part holy as thou art holy and in some part perfect as thou art perfect vve can never enter into the Kingdome of God into the Kingdome of Heaven Resist the Devill and he will flie back from you he vvill go avvay murmuring and repining at you take heed he enter not into your hearts for if he do he vvill leave corruption behinde him even as the snail leaveth slime behinde it so he leaveth the corruption of sin behinde him The corruption of the Devil vvill shevv it selfe and the holy righteousnesse of God vvill shevv it selfe but there is a great deal of difference for where the corruptiou of Satan remainerh there is nothing but lasciviousnesse blasphemy lying threatening and keeping of evill company but where the purity of Christ remaineth there is upright dealing righteousnesse and true holinesse Lord fill us with thy Spirit Lord endue us with the Spirit of Christ for where the Spirit of Christ remaineth there can no corruption enter in Oh let us labour for the riches of Christ for if a poor man that is never so poor hath but the riches of Christ he is accepted of God for with the Lord there is no respect of persons October the 18th Trust in the Lord Jehovah for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Let us labour for faith the greater faith the greater joy faith is the beginning of wisdome it is the first thing that doth belong to a Christian Oh if we could but get faith it would carry us above all it would carry us from the lowest earth to the highest heaven Oh let us labour for Christ that holy One by whom we live move and have our being Lord sanctifie our unsanctified hearts and keep us from dissembling for if we dissemble with man we shall not dissemble with God there are many false hearts in this world but God knowes them God knowes their comming in and their going out though hypocrisie be hid from man it cannot be hid from God God knows our thoughts words works actions The heart of man is deceitfull but God can finde it out God knows every work we do every word we speak every thought we think and we must answer for them one day the Lord will call us to an account at the day of judgement he is a righteous Judge he will judge righteously if we deal not uprightly with man we shall not deal uprightly with God Lord soften these stony ignorant hard and carnall hearts of ours Lord mollifie them with thy graces with all thy gracious gifts as faith that we may be fit to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Oh let us be patient untill the appointed time of the Lord he waits on us but we cannot be contented to wait upon him we could be contented to be all our lives without afflictions but if we should not know affliction we should not know comfort We should be so taken and blown up with comfort that we should not know our selves if we should not have discomfort mixt with comfort we should value it so much that we should value the creature more then the Creator October 19. about 4 a clock in the afternoon Let us labour to be followers of that Beloved One he that doth not the will of my Father vvhich is in Heaven he is not vvorthy of the Lord. Oh let us put off the rags of sin and put on the robes of righteousnesse that we may be fit to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Again the same day about eight of clock she spake and she did keep to that hour untill November 21. Narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it but wide is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be that go therein Oh let us labour for Christ that Love that Dove that undefiled One he is the Door-keeper he will lead us from the gates of hell unto everlasting life Lord pull dovvn those that have a minde to pull down thee and raise up those that have a desire to raise up thee Lord give us patience to vvait upon thy time appointed vve vvould be all our lives vvithout affliction but it is for our good not for our hurt but for our good thou doest not chastise us for our hurt but for our good for the Lord hath said they are not my children but bastards whom I do not chastise not Oh vvhy should not vve vvait upon him that vvaiteth alvvayes upon us vvhy should not vve be patient but vve are so naughty and full of corrupt nature that vve cannot be contented to vvait upon him till our Glass be run he vvaiteth and vvatcheth over us every hour and minute vuhen the time appointed cometh he can raise any of us up even as he did the Maid vvhen he said Arise and
wonders in that Family and we agreed to keep the 28th day of December as a day of Thanks-giving for what God had done but the Lord knowing our dulnesse and weaknes before the day came did cast in further mercies that so we might be quickened to make his praise more glorious as you will see in the subsequent Relation which I received from Mr. Hatfield whose fidelity and consciencious walking is well knowne in the Countrey and therefore his Testimony the more worthy credence The ninth of December the Childe lying in a Trundle-bed at her Mothers bed-feet her Mother when she awaked asked her what a night she had she replied a very good night I praise God I never awaked till now which was about seven a clock Her Mother said Mattee God hath done great and wonderfull things for thee in manifesting so much of his power upon thee and to us in thee the Lord set these things aright upon our hearts Then Mattee replied with a sigh Oh when the Lord is pleased 〈◊〉 do great things for us he expects and looks for great things from us even as the Husbandman that sowes a great deal of seed he looks for a great crop if he have a great seed-time he looks to reap a great Harvest So the Lord when he is pleased to do great things for his people he expects great things from them Then her Mother spake again to her saying The Lord hath set thy condition upon the hearts of his people and thou art a Childe of prayer by which I hope the Lord will have much glory for there have been many dayes set apart to seek the Lord on thy behalfe Then she said Oh is not that a great mercy those dayes were dayes of love to my poor soul We do not discern mercies to be mercies we are so full of corruption and sin because the strong man armed had taken possession in our hearts but there is a stronger then he that will dispossesse him Her Mother said there are many Ministers who have wrestled with God for thee both in publique and in private She said I would be glad to see them that I may give them thanks for their pains and love to my soul Her Mother further said We are comfortably incouraged to depend upon the Lord in the duty of prayer for we have had apparent and immediate Answers from Him Oh said she that is a sweet mercy The seed of Jacob shall not seek the face of God in vain That morning she very freely and cheerfully expressed her selfe in any thing which concerned her spirituall condition and she was so free and her spirit was so enlarged to speak that her Mother disswaded her from speaking so much for fear of spending her little stock of spirits she being but weak Oh no no said she my spirits can never be spent with speaking of my God if any would feed me with speaking of my God I could live upon it The same day being the ninth of December her Uncle Hatfeild a Captain in the Army a godly man came to her and did ask her if she knew him She said Me have forgotten you but I hope God will give me my memory in due time that I may know you then he asked her how she did she said Me is pretty well I praise God but within an hour and a halfe after he came to her again and did ask her if she did know him and after a little time earnestly viewing of him her eyes being yet weak she said Oh my Uncle John my good Uncle my dear Uncle John then said he You have been a long time afflicted but I hope you have found the love of God towards you in this Affliction for those whom he doth love he doth chastize She said I hope so They are bastards and not sons whom the Lord correcteth not Then he asked her If she had not a dimnesse before her eyes Yes said she but I hope that if God please to lend me life he will give me the comforts of life to make my life comfortable and that he will raise me up and give me my senses by little and little then said he You have spoken much of God and have been an Instrument of much good to people that came to hear you She replied My soul will rejoyce in that it was not me it was the Spirit of God in me I am but a poor Earth-worm and can do nothing of my self Then he said You have spoken very much there be two Books written of what you did speak Is there so said she I wish they may look at a good end He did ask her whether she did remember what she had said No said she I have forgot but I hope God will give me my memory that I may tell to others what God hath done to my soul I pray Uncle pray to God for my Memory Being asked severall questions of such things as she had uttered in her stiffe fits she answered to the same sense and in most of the same words It was asked her whether faith or repentance was the first work in conversion she said You must first lay the ground-work of faith and then repent and turn home to the Lord you are not at home here you are but pilgrims and strangers It was asked her what was the Corner-stone in the spiritual building of the Church she said Christ but the stone is three-cornered the Father Son and Holy Ghost It was asked her what was faith hope and charity She said Faith is a gift of God to believe in Christ hope is a hoping to enjoy Christ and charity is the love of Christ It was asked how we may do to get the door of faith opened She said Walk in the paths of Righteousnesse Here by the way you may note that the Spirit of God did sometimes help her to speak things that yet she did not fully understand she had in one or two of her stiffe fits uttered these words Knock at the gate of Righteousnesse and God shall open unto you the door of Faith in reference to that speech this Question was asked her but God had not at that time revealed it to her I believe more of the marrow of the Gospel could scarcely have been uttered in so few words It 's the great question with poor souls they say If we could believe then we might have any thing but how shall we get faith here many puzzle themselves as if God had put them to shift for themselves as a poor man works and gets money and that will buy him all things no though we must ordinarily get faith in Hearing c. yet not by our Hearing the Answer is here Stand and knock at the gate of Righteousnes that Righteousnes which justifies us when we believe doth purchase faith for us that we may believe Pardon this digression It was asked
feares but God who comforteth such as are cast down comforted them in this Infant-preacher much of whose discourse was an earnest pressing unto faith When her sorrowing parents and astonished friends were as it were at their wits end in relation to her sad condition even then she wished them frequently to roll upon upon God who would bring them to their desired haven to their expected end Oh let us labour for faith said she for He thâ—t is faithfull unto death shall receive the crown of life And in relation to their affliction she said Satan is always malicing perplexing the Children of God to make their journey uncomfortable thinking that if he get not victory then he shall never get victory but my Christ hath vanquished Satan This handmaid of the Lord Reader to give thee a taste of her was piously principled even from her Cradle the Spirit blossoming in her in the very Spring of her age Even while she spelled words and syllables she spel'd out Christ for if she met with a free promise or some good sentence holding out Gods love to man she would say Mother this is a sweet place and usually read it over again Yet though she thus grew in the inward her outward man was weakened and decayed till the twelfth year of her age the year of these wonderfull transactions betwixt God and her spirit as if that year Christ would again honour now in this member of his to confute such as would be thought some-body in these days as once in his own person he silenced those Doctors of the Jewish Synagogue In this eleventh year viz. Aprill 1652. her bodily disease increased so did her love to heavenly things also for even those toyes which that age delights in she desired not so much as â—o hear named by her sisters setting her thoughts upon and inuring her tongue to speak of those things above where shortly she expected to arrive At last the disease over-mastered her strength seized upon the Organes of her senses so that she could neither speak see nor hear to the apprehenâ—ion of any about her she could not move â—ut as she was born by others and much of this time her teeth was so closed that she was not capable of receiving food onely some liquid matter they dropped in at a broken tooth and this very little she putting it out so fast as it was given her thus lay she diverse moneths even untill December an object of sorrow to her parents and of astonishment to all others capable onely of their pity not of their help but a mirrour of the mighty power of God proving by this argument that Man liveth not by bread alone it is not the arm of flesh that is to be confided in but he that knoweth our infirmities is onely able both to help and heal them During this continued Paroxysme she had very frequently sometimes every day certain grand extasies whereby after that her body had been racked on the wheel of convulsion it became as stiffe and expanse as that bodie which is seized on by death and coldnesse In which extasies God did to astonishment appear For now flowed those streames of living waters those precious divine sentences contained in the ensuing pages which thou tasting with the Organes of the same Spirit they were delivered thou canst but admire Look on the person a childe going on twelve years and canst but confesse that out of the mouth of a babe and suckling God hath perfected praise Look at the condition wherein she uttered these in a deep â—ance and dost not see it fulfilled that the tongue of the dumbe shall sing Look at the things she spake are they not deep things of God is there heresie or errour intermingled Couldst thou discern the manner of her expressions the vivacity of spirit how the words drop from a touched experienced self-concerned heart thou wouldst say as the Queen of Sheba said of Solomon The halfe was not told thee Look at the suitablenesse of the things spoken and thou 'st confesse they came not by the will of man but this holy one of God spake as she was moved borne supported and carried out by the holy Spirit Concerning this last cirâ—umstance when some rashly affirmed that â—e was acted by Satan they judging accorâ—â—ng to carnall reason at the next extasie which was the onely time of her speaking â—he uttered thus I am not in the hands of â—atan but in the hands of my God when â—ome pretenders to Revelations as these â—mes are full of such visited her at that veâ—y time she was carried out to say Take â—eed you sowe not tares for if you sowe tares you shall reap tares and afterwards fully witnessed gainst them thus Take heeâ— you deâ—ise not Gods Ordinances nor his Instruments that he hath sent to preach his Word God will let you go on with your delusions for a time but there will come a day of Judgement to try whether you be right or false and again Lord restrain those that go about to interrupt those Instruments which thou hast sent to preach out thy holy Word in thy Congregations it is requisite that offences should come but wo to them by whom they come November the ninth being purposed â—or a day of seeking God by fasting and prayer the night before she encouraged them that were about her with that of the Psalmist Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me And the night after the work was done she admonished them thus Oh let us call to minde what the Lord hath done for us and not be like the natural man that looketh his face in a Glasse anâ— presently forgetteth what manner of man he was Thus God by this his handmaid opposed profane scoffers cautioned misled creatures and bare witnesse to the excellencie and necessity of the now sleighted Ordinances and Ministery Reader here thou mayest a while behold as it were a conflict in her godly parents betwixt joy and grief their teares issued not all from the same Fountain the one eye was swolne with drops of gladnesse the other of sorrow while they beheld the deep trials of God upon them their lips quivered rottennesse entred into their bones they trembled in themselves but when again they beheld how God laid their tossed and afflicted with fair colours checkered his work paved his steps with black and white marble then again they are comforted As that Popish Bishop when not able to determine whether Solomon were a childe of wrath or love caused his Effigies to be drawn half in heaven half in hell so they judge their affairs â—o resemble that Cloud which ushered the â—sraelites to the land of Promise it had a â—ark side as well as a bright Thus God â—olds them till the time came that he would command deliverances for them then
I pray you trouble me not with the Physician But speaking to her father she said Wil you not I beg of you that I may have no other Physician Jesus Christ will be my Physician for my grave is better for me then to be here Again Lord reveale unto me what is the cause of this affliction what sin it is that lies unrepented of sins of omission or coÌ„mission or what sins soever they are Lord reveal them to me and pardon them all and give me repentance for them with many such words which are not remembred Again O Lord I beseech thee look upon me with pitty and compassion Lord do not forget me but think upon me Again Oh my sin is the cause of it Oh teach me to say as David It is good for me that I have been afflicted Again Good Lord look upon me with â—tty and compassion and enable me to bear â—y hand Lord mitigate these pains which â—e upon me Lord pardon all my sins and â—emove all these afflictions which are upon â—â—y body if it seem good in thine eyes Again The Lord hath in mercy looked on 〈◊〉 in his pitty and compassion I hope I shall â—ot be from my Christ long Come Lord Jeâ—us O come Lord Jesus come quickly Then she comforted her self with Jobs â—ase that though he sate on the dunghil â—craping his sores with a potsheard and though God gave Satan power over his body yet not over his soul and though his wife tempted him to curse God what a wicked woman was that what a wicked woman was that said she yet his soul was precious in Gods sight Then musing with herself she uttered herself thus by way of Question Why did God create man for his glory Quest Why doth he afflict his children for their good Quest Why should we desire to die when we are in afflictions seeing the grave praiseth him not and seeing it is for Gods glory to live Again she said Come to me all ye children and I will gather you as a Hen gathereth her Chickens and you shall sing Halleluiahs in Heaven with Christ and all his holy Angels Again Happy are they who appear for Christ for they shall appear with him in glory Again at another time she said that nobody knew what troubles she had gone thorough in reading the Word and Prayer by reason of evil and wicked thoughts and that she was glad sometimes to leave off reading and to go to prayer and said I have sought to God many times with teares which nobody knew of to help me against unprofitable thoughts but now she had got the victory thorough Christ and then she laught This I conceive was the cause of those sad fits of weeping whereof I made mention before of which she could not or at least Satan would not suffer her to give any account These and many other sweet expressions fell from her in those seven or eight dayes which yet are forgotten none thinking then to have presented this story to publick view and whether these things be related in the order they were uttered I 'le not affirme but this I may say they are set down as neer as could be in her own words without any additions and this many credible witnesses will testifie And that you may be induced the rather â—o credit this be pleased to take this character of this childe that before this extream weakâ—ess fell upon her she was observed to be veâ—y frequent in private Prayer and her moâ—her being exercised with long weakness she would read by her out of such good books â—s there were in the house and her mother observed that she would read with much affection so that her mother thought and said she hoped that her heart was taken with the things which she did read the childe would say Mother forsooth is not this a good sentence if you please I will read it over again she was noted to be a very loving tender-hearted and affectionate childe to all and especially she manifested it in many pregnant expressions to her mother in her sickness After this May the first or second she was freed from that extremity of pain her disease much varying and she was stricken all over stiff all her parts being extended as if stretched forth and if any one lifted up her arm higher or lower there it would fix where they set it and so buckle any joynt of her hand and it would stand as it was set thus she continued for 17 dayes and never spake word neither did she take any thing but they washt her mouth with beer or water several times in a day It was noted that when any did speak to her concerning any thing of the World or of any particulars which as a childe she had delighted in she would then shew discontent but if they discoursed of heavenly matters then she shewed no signes of discontent but seemed to give attention Then her Convulsion fits were grown to greater extremity the disease working with strange varieties causing several motions and postures and then at somtimes she had those stiff fits or congelations and then she did utter those sweet sayings afterwards set down and when she grew limber she gave over speaking Here I shall briefly note some things and then set down her speeches 1 She spake not but in a stiff fit or very rarely and then but a word or two and she continued speaking from May the 19 until June the 21 1652 beginning usually about eight of the clock at night and so continued with some little intermission between every sentence to speak for two houres or more and then ceased until the next night about the same time She did speak some things in the morning or sometimes in the afternoon but so very seldome and then she was limber all over but then there were strange workings of the Convulsions twisting her fingers writhing her neck drawing her mouth to her ear 2 It was observed that sometimes in those stiff fits wherein she spake she would change her countenance and look very sadly and frowningly and it was conceived by those who beheld her that then she was under some temptation because the next thing she spake after such frowning fits was alwayes something against Satan that roaring lurking lion and then she would smile and look very cheerfully 3 The manner of her coming into those stiff fits was with beatings of her hands upon her breast and she had sore Convulsions and then of a sudden she had all her parts extended and then she smiled and then they knew that she would speak presently she lay upon her back and had the most sweet amiable cheerful couÌ„tenance that ever I beheld excepting one or two frowning fits in a night all the time of her speaking She had also rejoycing fits clasping her arms and laughing sometimes and sometimes she spake when the Convulsions drew her mouth awry and when she spake sometimes her speech was lower
sometimes more audible alwayes with that vigour vivacity and earnestness of spirit that it did much affect the hearts of them who heard her and sometimes she was so weake that her chaps only moved but no words could be heard further it was observed that she did alwayes speak very good sense and when she mistooke she would go over with the matter again and make it good sensebefore she left off 4 Observe that when her times of speaking came there was one who wrote her words all helping to remember the very words as she uttered them and after they were written down in the space between her speakings they were read over and every one desired to manifest their assent if they judged the words to be truly related and there were usually many present many strangers comming daily to hear her when her speaking times were known and I do believe and know and many will witnesse that there was great care taken that her own words might be set down 5 From this time untill a little before the Lord was pleased to restore her it was thought that she neither did see or hear or know any body and that she never minded what was said to her nor answered to any thing that was spoken to her 6 These wonderfull providentiall allurances some have sinisterously interpreted surmizing nay some speaking that she was bewitched possessed c. and that Satan did speak in her and that it was not her voice but a voice in her to whom God shall give an answer from Heaven in his late dealings and gracious dispensations towards her It was the judgement of a very judicious Physician who was sometimes with her that her disease was natural her speech supernatural It 's true we read in the Scriptures of God that Satan can transform himself into an Angel of light and hath spoken sometimes divine matters and quoted Scriptures but corruptly often Satan herein as Lavater observes imitates Gamesters who suffer young heires to win to make them more eager of the game and so engages them till they have wonne all Satan will comply with the tempers and dispositions of such as he sees strongly enclined to gracious actings rowing with the tide of their inclinations but he notes also out of Ambrose and Chrysostome that he doth this bâ—t to insinuate into them and to draw them by these artifices by these delightful baits to swallow the hook of evil suggestions and temptations but this childe never spake of her temptations or uttered any of Satans language in those her times of speaking but all her speeches were sweet and gracious much of Christ and Faith and against Satan and against many Errours of the present times both in judgement and practice but nothing that might tend to promote Satans Kingdome and I cannot think that Satan would have bin a mid-wife to help to the birth so many masculine sentences and high-born truths as this childe hath uttered such Divisions would much tend to the destruction of his Kingdom he would have mingled some of his dross amongst this pure gold if he had prevailed so far as to gain any interest in and power over this childe 7 In this long time of her silence viz. seventeen dayes her friends began to be much perplexed fearing God had left her and many Prayers were sent up that he would please to open her mouth again and upon the nineteenth of May God having much stirr'd up her mothers heart to seek that mercy from him she comming into the room where the childe lay could scarcely take her seat there before the Childe began to speak and the first words which she uttered and that with much vivacity of spirit were these viz. I was in darkness but now I am in light Which vvords her dear mother vvith others vvho had mourned under the vvant of that mercy did take as a most seasonable ansvver to their Prayers and satisfaction to the doubts vvhich pressed their spirits and they vvere much revived vvith the appearances of God in this svveet change in the childe vvho proceeded on to utter those precious sayings vvhich novv I shall set dovvn in the order as they vvere spoken and taken from her mouth Here followeth the Childes Speeches Which I shall set dovvn and place over against them such Scriptures as her vvords seem to relate to though I cannot think that she ever had in her thoughts or ever read many of those Scripture-phrases vvhich she uttered but God did specially help and guide her in her expressions to the praise of his glorious grace in a poor vveak unlikely instrument vvhich may justifie our practice in publishing these things vve not daring to put such a light under a bushel and if you consider that these things vvere spoken by a childe not yet tvvelve years of age and that vvhen she vvas under such prevailing distempers vvhich took avvay her senses and knovvledge of any friend and her speech at all other times but vvhilest she uttered these things I hope it vvill render the meanest of her speeches no contemptible things The Childes Speeches May the 19th 1652. I Was in darkness but now I am in light Labour for Christ Christ is crept in again claspe him in your arms hold him fast â—ovv you have obtained Christ hold him fast Avvay vvith that roaring lion chain him up my God chain him up Christ is come again hovv svveet my Christ is hovv good my God hath been to me to give me Jesus Christ when you get Jesus Christ hold him fast do not let him go My God hath spoken a word of comfort Seek and ye shall finde ask and ye shall have knock and it shall be opened unto you he bids me knock and he will open How sweet is Jesus Christ sweeter then gold and money if you have him hold him fast now we have him we will not let him go how sweet my God is Oh how sweet my God is May the 20th Oh what a God have we that hath given Jesus Christ to die for us My God hath cast me down with his left hand he upholdeth me with his right hand but he will raise me up with both My Christ is heavier then all this world weigh all the world and Christ and he will weigh all down Oh what a glorious God have I to give me his Christ to save my soul who would but trust him oh trust in him when all things in the World fail he will not fail he will stick fast to you trust him oh trust in him Pluck Satan away pluck him away my God let him not touch me let him not enter into my soul My Christ is come again ô how sweet my Christ is Oh how sweet he is those that feel the sweetness of Christ they will trust in him Strait is the way to heaven but my Christ is gone before me and hath opened the gates he hath laid up treasures for me in Heaven My
eyes but with our spiritual eyes we shall Oh what a good God have we that never slumbers nor sleepeth but watcheth over his poor servants Come my Disciples take up your crosse and follow me and you shall be saved I will be your God and you shall be my people O Lord I desire to wait till my glass be run for I long to be in Heaven with thy holy Angels rejoycing Those that hunger and thirst after Jesus Christ let them come and drink of the water of life and they shall thirst no more and when Christ their life shall appear then they shal appear with him also in glory Come unto me in time of trouble and I will save and deliver you Come my people enter in at the gates of Heaven and I will guide you in it My soul O Lord watcheth and watcheth till the glass be run to be in Heaven rejoycing with the holy Angels for ever Labour for Jesus Christ what are we without Christ we are but as a lump of clay or lead full of corruption and without the Spirit of God Oh Good Lord work a thorough work in us that we may be like thy holy Angels in Heaven Now my Christ is come again oh that I could hold him fast and not let him slip from me Oh Lord give us thankful hearts to thee who hast given us Jesus Christ thy dear Son to take our sins upon him all our sufferings are nothing in comparison of Jesus Christs sufferings he suffered the death upon the Cross for us Lord take away these stony hearts of ours and give us new hearts and take away these thorns out of our hearts and give us thankful hearts that we may be ever thankful unto thee for all thy good gifts that thou hast bestowed upon us May the 24th Lord give us Jesus Christ for without Christ we are nothing but like lost sheep that are gone astray Take heed that the temptations of Satan overcome you not lest he cast you into hell Not into our eares Oh Lord but come into our hearts and take away these stony hearts of ours and give us new hearts How good is thy Word O God! how good is thy Word ground it not in our heads O Lord but in our hearts Pull back Satan that roaring lion which goeth about seeking whom he can devoure and to cast him into hell oh follow not his wayes nor steps for in them there is nothing but blasphemy and lying but follow Christs steps and there will be rejoycing for ever Before that Christ take you up into Heaven he will give you full assurance of himself and lock you up in his cabinet and keep you from that hunting roaring lion If he conquer me he will cast me into hel-fire but my Christ will not suffer him to touch me my Christ is stronger then he he will not let him prevail against me My body is but wormes meat in the grave but what care I for my body so that my soul be in Heaven with my God and his Angels Seek for Christ and you shall finde him hunt for him and he will be found of you Strait is the gate that leadeth to Heaven and few there be that finde it but wide is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go therein The afflictions of the body are nothing but the soul is a rare jewel when both body and soul are afflicted then there is cause of sorrow but pray to God that he may support your souls O take my soul into thy protection for if both body and soul should be gone then all is gone but when they are in thy hands then they are safe then there is no cause of sorrow but of rejoycing and singing Aalleluiah for ever Trust in God walk in Gods way the more you walk in Gods way the more he will give you kis assurance Get into Jesus Christ for in him there is joy and comfort and no cause of discomfort If we could but get one touch of the sweetness of Jesus Christ it would ravish our hearts so that we would strive to get nigher and nigher unto him Oh what a good God have we who would not trust in such a God let us but eye God and he will eye us and the more we look unto God the more will his power be exalted in us What if a man have not onely part but the whole World yet he can never be satisfied and a poor soul that onely hath a desire after Christ cannot be contented but when a poor soul hath gained all Christ then it is satisfied A poor soul will be alwayes hungring hungring hungring and thirsting till he have gotten all Christ then he will be satisfied and say he hath enough How loving and gracious is our God that doth all things in wisdome and mercy and for our good in pitty and compassion Oh how happy a thing it is and joyful for â—o see when a poor soul is going to Heaven and Christ sayes Come poor soul come â—ome and I will lock thee up in my Cabinet and keep thee from sin and Satan He is an everlasting God stick close to him and he will stick close to you As many as I love I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent When we are in affliction Christ is all in all but some in their afflictions are apt to say that God hath forgotten them but whom God loveth he correcteth and afflictions are but to make us stick closer to God that it may be for our good and comfort Let us sing praise to our God and be thankful let us not turn back from him and he will not turn back from us Whom God loveth he correcteth in mercy Correction is good for poor souls it maketh them stick closer to Christ and that they may know him the more both for his own glory and their own good every way As the Father calleth his childe when he hath done amiss and asks why he doth so and gives him correction so God he gives his children correction but it is for their good and comfort God scourgeth and whippeth his children but he will not give them one whip nor one lash more then is for their good Just is God in all his dealings he neither slumbreth nor sleepeth but is diligent and carefull in watching over his poor children Let us give him praise for all his mercies lest he turn his blessings into cursings Labour for Jesus Christ stick close to Jesus Christ and he will stick close to you he will never forsake you till you have him you can never be satisfied Labonr to follow things according to Jesus Christ for if we gain Christ we gain all When all helps fail Christ will never fail you he will never forsake you Let us labour to get into Jesus Christ that we may be like the Angels in Heaven and let us bend our mindes to
Though God do take away the comfort of this world yet he will give us comfort in another world Gracious is God and pittiful to poor souls when they shall call to him for help and saith Lord I am helpless of my self my help is upon thee and I trust in thee then he gives him help comfort by faith in Jesus Christ Who would but trust in such a God that give us Christ that we may joy and rejoyce Oh how good a God have we that doth rebuke the Tempter and will not let him have us though he strive to catch us he would make our going to Heaven uncomfortable and pull away our souls but God will not suffer him for those that God hath chosen they shall receive comfort How gracious is God in all his wayes and worthy to be esteemed of if we do not esteem of him he will not esteem of us he is angry with his people it is but for a while but with those that he is ever angry he will say Go ye cursed into hell-fire and what a pittiful case is that God will stretch out his hand to a poor soul and say Come poor soul come thou hast been long in affliction but I will lay thee up in Heaven there thou shalt be happy and rejoyce for ever Our Father gives us his Son Jesus Christ to save our souls or we had been burning in hell-fire before this time but our God is gracious to us Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire Lord open our eyes that we may see Jesus Christ coming into our souls with white robes we cannot see him with our mortal eyes but Lord make us to see him with ouâ— spiritual eyes this would be the joyfullesâ— sight that ever we did see in all our lives What disobedient children are we that do not go when our Father comands us to go If you be risen with Christ seek those thingâ— which are above where Christ himself sits at the right hand of God Let us have our eyes lift up to Heaven that we may see Jesus Christ sitting at the right hand of God and let us be thankful for all his mercies for if we be unmindful of him he will be unmindful of us Lord our hearts are empty fill them with thy Spirit and take away the corruption that is within us Why are our hearts set upon the World there is nothing but pride and corruption in the World and we poor sinful creatures are subject to run head-long into the World Lord wean our hearts from the World Good Lord give us grace and the eye of Faith that we may see Jesus Christ coming though afar off and that we may come nigh and stick close to him Lord give us faith that we may trust thee and believe in thee and make us true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ for we have nothing of our selves but corruption to trust on and that will flie from us How good God is and merciful to all his â—hildren in delivering them from all the â—emptations of their spiritual enemy which â—aily seeketh to destroy them Oh come my people into my Tabernace â—nd I will take you up into my throne and â—here you shall rejoyce with me and my Angels for ever and ever Labour for Jesus Christ and when you have obtained him embrace him and he will embrace you cleave fast to him and he will cleave fast to you Acknowledge Jesus Christ who is our Saviour and when all things in the World fail he will not fail he will stick close to you and not forsake you Let us be thankful for all mercies though they be but little ones for when we are thankful for little ones he will poure more upon us and if we be not thankful for the least mercy he will poure down great curses upon us Look into the actions of God and the more you look into his works the more power of God you shall finde in them all that he doth he doth it for the good of his poor Children and those that fear him May the 27th Lord purge our bodies and purifie ouâ— corrupt hearts that thy Word may work thorow work in us cast back cast back thaâ— tempting roaring lion that goes about seeking whom he may devour What disobedient children are we for that which God commandeth we will not do but that which he forbiddeth that we do and run on headlong to our own destruction If the Spirit of God once work in our hearts then we shall be happy and shall sound out the praise and glory of our God for he is wonderfull in our eyes Lord open thou our mouth and let our lips shew forth thy praise our God make speed to save us ô teach us to know Jesus Christ for how will that ravish our poor soules to know our Saviour and then we shall draw nigher to heaven and rejoyce with our Father Come my people come enter into my Tabernacle and I will have mercy upon you Help help Lord for Christs sake that I may obtain that happy place for there is comfort without discomfort and joy without sorrow May the 28th What disobedient children are we for doâ—g those things which we ought not to do â—nd in leaving undone those things which â—e ought to have done Come my people enter into my Tabernaâ—le and I will gather you under my wings as a â—en gathereth her chickens and I will assure you of your salvation and you shall rejoyce with my holy Angels for ever and ever Let us labour to get faith in Jesus Christ who will gather us from our enemies when a poor soul thinks he is cast down into hell then Christ comes and raiseth it up then that soul will rejoyce with Christ and he will keep it from falling into that deep pit he will not let it fall again who would but trust in such a God as this that will give his children hearts to believe and fear him Labour to get Jesus Christ for we cannot get him without pains if we mean to be one with him O how ought we to take pains and labour to know and acknowledge Jesus we must struggle and strive for him or else we can never obtain him May the 29th How good is our God that takes pity upon a poor afflicted soul for when a poor soul is going to hell and seeth no help but in Jesus Christ then it cries Help help help Lord and then Jesus Christ delivereth that poor soul out of hell Labour for Jesus Christ and seek for him he is not gained easily we must seek for him and take pains for him or we shall never obtain him unlesse we take pains we shall never sinde him Lord give us hearts that we may seek after Jesus Christ and that we may relie upon him by faith that we may be made true believers in thy Word Lord open thou our mouths that our lips may shew forth thy
praise Lord pour out thy Spirit upon our souls and it will make us draw nigher and nigher unto thee Many are they Lord that cannot obtain Jesus Christ it is because they do not take pains but let us arise and be doing for without pains we can get nothing we must take pains and struggle for Jesus Christ else we can never obtain him Lord fill our hearts with Jesus Christ for they are empty fill them full of Jesus Christ that we may be able to live by faith upon him Lord fill our hearts with the knowledge of Jesus Christ for our hearts are empty and with the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ Lord enrich our souls that we may enrich the Kingdome of God Let us be thankfull to God for all his mercies and blessings which he is pleased to bestow upon us for the more thankfull we are the more will he poure down his mercies and blessings upon us How gracious is our God that doth all things in wisdome and mercy to his poor servants he doth nothing to them but that which is for their good in mercy and in righteousnesse O Lord give us true faith in the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ that we may relie upon him for our Salvation What a sweet thing it is to enjoy Jesus Christ happy is that soul that doth enjoy such a gift from our Father If we should be thankfull all our dayes we can never be thankful enough for he suffered the death upon the crosse for our sins Lord pardon and forgive us all our sins and wash them away in the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and then shall we be purified and become pure Christians Let us give praise unto our God for all his mercies and blessings that he hath bestowed upon us let us alwayes be praising our God and be thankfull and ever thankfull May the 30th Lord humble our hearts and open our eyes that we be not led away with Satan and run headlong to our destruction We have enemies too many to draw us back from Jesus Christ but there are very few that will draw us to Jesus Christ Lord take our souls into thy protection and keeping for when they are with thee they are safe Let us sing praise to our God for his mercy endureth for ever Lord take away our unbelief and fasten us to Jesus Christ that we may become new Christians Lord wash away all our sins in the blood of thy Son Jesus and purifie our affections that vve may become pure Virgins in Jesus Christ Come let us drink of the water of life and then we shall never thirst again Oh hovv happy are they that can but obtain Jesus Christ for if vve be never so poor in this vvorld if vve can but obtain Jesus Christ vve shall have riches enough for then vve shall be rich in glory May 31. The Lord give us faith for without faith we cannot get Jesus Christ The Lord give us knowledge for without knowledge we cannot attain faith and without faith we cannot attain to salvation If we can attain to the height of faith we shall attain to the height of Jesus Christ and if we attain to the height of Jesus Christ we shall attain to the height of glory Lord humble us under our burthen of sin That when Christ who is our life shall appear we may also appear with him in glory Come my people Call upen me in time of trouble and I will heare you and answer you Oh wash us and cleanse us that neither spot nor stain be upon us wash us clean in the bloud of Christ that we may become new Virgins pure Virgins Let us bless God and be thankful for all those mercies that he is pleased to poure down upon us let us be thankful yea very thankful for the more we thank him the more will he poure down his mercies upon us June 1 1652. Lord pardon and forgive us all our sins and give us hearts earnestly to beg pardon for them if thou hadst not been a merciful Father we had all been burning in hell-fire we had all been burning and howling in hell-fire before this but thou hast given thy So Jesus Christ to die for our sins for his sake we beg pardon for them Lord give us thankful hearts we have cause to be thankful if we had a thousand hearts we could never be thankful enough to thee for all thy mercies that thou hast bestowed and showred down upon us Lord give us thy Word and ground it in our hearts Lord give us thy Spirit into our hearts for without thy Spirit the Word iâ— but a dead letter I will be your God and ye shall be my people Lord give us faith in Jesus Christ for without faith in him we can never acknowledge Jesus Christ to be our alone Saviour and Redeemer She spake not again until June the fourth Oh my God I give unto thee my soule my body and my heart and all hoping that I now am going unto that happy place which I have desired so long June the 5th If a poor man which hath not a bit of bread nor a broom to sweep his house withall yet if he have but Christ he is richer then that man which hath all the riches of this World Who would but trust in such a God that will save and defend us from all evil Who would but trust in such a Christ that will defend us from Satan and all our enemies both bodily and spirituall Who would but trust in such a Christ that will preserve us as he did Jonah three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly Lord humble humble our stony hearts that they be not puft up with pride and vanity How often would I have gathered you together as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings and ye would not but were stubborn and rebellious June the 6th Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered you together as a Hen gathereth her Chickens and you would not Let not your hearts be drawn after the vanities of this world nor after the steps of Satan which goeth lurking lurking watching and waiting like a Serpent but follow Christs steps for if Satan get you he will fling you into hell-fire Long is the way to heaven and much a-do we have to get thither but short is the way that leadeth to hell What disobedient children are we that will not follow Gods commands that which is evil he forbids us and that we do and that which is good he commands us and that we we do not Lord wean our hearts from this world let us not be led by sin nor Satan let not Satan get any power over our souls if he get power over our souls he will cast them into the bottom of hell for ever and ever This world is nothing but fading comforts nothing but drosse losse and dung in
comparison of Christ What are we better when we are in our pomp in this world when we do nothing but pine in our souls and our souls to be cast into hell where there will be howling for ever and ever Lord pardon our proud worldly hearts for we are alwayes hungring after this sinful world where there is nothing but that which will lead us into hell Oh let us not hunger after this world but hunger after Christ O what a loving Father have we that when a poor soul is thrown down as low as hell and is in great afflictions then he sends Jesus Christ and takes pitty of that poor soul and lifts it up to heaven Christ will look upon a poor soul with the eyes of compassion then that poor soul is happy and he will carry it to heaven where it shall rejoyce with God his holy Angels Tet us hunger for Jesus Christ and when we have him let us hold him fast and let us stick close to him and he wil stick close to us he will be our keeper and Saviour both of bodies and souls Good is thy Word and to be esteemed drive it into our hearts and not onely into our heads but into our hearts that it may work a thorow work in us Come let us flie up to heaven as a bird in the air if we could get up as high as heaven we should be happy Joy joy joy everlasting joy Come let us sing praises unto our God with mirth and joy for we shall sing with our Father and his holy Angels for ever and ever Lord vanquish Satan that roaring lion and tread him under foot that he may not overcome our souls by his evil wayes watching every opportunity June the 7th This night came one of those commonly called Quakers and all that came to her did judge that then she knew none neither could she heare or did ever minde what was said to her or in her company and this man and her Uncle Capt. Hatfield being in discourse she uttered the words following at that time which are very observeable viz. Take heed take heed that you sowe not Tares lest you reap Tares Every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire Lord give us faith in Christ for without faith and knowledge we cannot come unto Christ Come let us flie unto the Throne of grace as a bird doth into the aire Lord give us zealous hearts for Jesus Christ for there is help in him but there is no help upon the earth Lord resist Satan that roaring Lion that goes about seeking whom be may devoure let us cleave to Jesus Christ when Satan draws neere and he will deliver us from that roaring lion June the 8th Lord quicken our dead and ignorant hearts which are stubborn and rebellious but before we be quickened we must lie at the feet of Jesus Christ for without we be quickened we are like an ignorant man that travels up and down and knows not whither Lord humble these proud hearts of ours and take that burthen from us for Christ saith Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavie laden and I will give you rest If we be dead-hearted we must lie down at the feet of Jesus Christ till he be pleased to quicken us Take heed of despising God and his Ordinances for if we despise them God will despise us Set your affections on things above and not on things below for your life is hid with Christ in God Labour for Jesus Christ and he will cast out that spirituall enemy that would cast you out Trust in Jesus Christ for he is a trusty God to trust in Let us put on the whole Armour of God O let us labour for Jesus Christ and he will be our Shepherd and we shall be his Sheep he will lock us up in his cabinet and keepe us from sin and Satan Lord strengthen our unbelieving hearts Let us labour to be strong in faith and we shall be strong in Jesus Christ Let us labour to be rich in Jesus Christ though we be poor in the world I have obtained Jesus Christ When you have obtained Jesus Christ you have obtained a jewell of all jewels Let us be partakers of the Word of God and we shall be partakers of Jesus Christ if we do not know the Word of God nor be partakers of it we shall never know Jesus Christ When we are but weak in body and are true Christians we shall be strong in Jesus Christ If we be weak in body our body loseth by it but our souls gain by it Let us labour to get true possession of Jesus Christ and then Satan that roaring lion can get no possession of us Lord give us the life of grace to spring up in our hearts that we may be drawn to thee Iune the 9th Lord give us the light of heaven that vve may be holy as thou art holy If once grace be but kindled in our hearts then happy shall vve be and blessed Let us trust in Jesus Christ and he vvill conquer our spirituall enemy and purifie our double hearts Let us be thankfull and ever thankfull for all his mercies lest he turn his blessings into curses and poure dovvn his vvrath upon us Lord give us true repenting hearts for our sins lest vve run headlong to hell for vvant of repentance Come my Disciples take up your cross and follow me and I vvill be your God joy joy joy Learn the lesson of faith or you shall never knovv Christ but Lord let us learn this lesson of faith that vve thy unvvorthy servants may be delivered both from our bodily and spiritual enemies We are poor dry creatures but Lord breath thy Spirit into us that vve may be Saints in Heaven Good Lord enrich our souls that we may enrich the Kingdome of Heaven Come my people enter into my Tabernacle and you shall rest in joyes for ever We must labour to have hearts for Jesuâ— Christ or we shall never attain to him we must labour for him he is not easily gained but we must take pains and seek him Let us put off the rags of sin and put on the robes of righteousness Let us struggle for Jesus Christ and labour for him lay hold of him and when we have obtained him let him not slip from us Let us give God the glory of all things and he will poure down all things upon us that are good for us Lord pardon our sins and give us hearts to beg pardon of thee for them Lord give us thankful hearts to acknowledge thy goodness and to be thankful for every little mercy Lord fit and prepare our unprepared hearts that we may be prepared at the sound of the trumpet Let us labour to be married to Jesus Christ and
that is better then all the marriages in the world it is an everlasting marriage he is the richest above all he is an everâ—â—sting portion he that feeds bodies with naâ—ural food will also feed the souls of all those â—â—at believe and put their trust in him with â—piritual food June the 10th Knock at the gates of righteousness and Christ will open the door of faith Trust in Jesus Christ and he will comfort you with that word Come poor souls Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to fight against the Devil and Hell Lord fill our hearts with the fulness of Jesus Christ that no corruption remain in Lord satisfie our hearts for without thee we cannot be satisfied Lord give us faith in Jesus Christ that we may rest believing in him for our hearts are full of unbelief Lord take our hearts off from this worldly trash for this world is nothing else but trash Lord humble these proud hearts that we may cleave and stick more close to Jesus Christ Lord take these base and ignorant hearts of ours cleanse and purge them Let us not be forgetful of Gods mercies lest he be forgetful of God O how good my God is that hath giveâ— me Jesus Christ Lord fill me full of Iesuâ— Christ that I may dwell with him Lord pardon and forgive us all our sinâ— and wash them away in the bloud of Iesuâ— Christ Lord purifie our hearts as the honey iâ— purified from the dross Lord give us faith to believe in Iesuâ— Christ for without faith we can never attain to Iesus Christ Let us lie at the feet of Iesus Christ that we may be raised to the height of glory Let us be thankful for every good mercy for if we be not thankfâ—l God will hide his face from us Lord keep back that roaring lion and tread him under foot he did lay his snare for me but thou hast broken it and I am escaped as the bird from the fowler Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will hear you and deliver you from all dangers in this world and that which is to come Let us labour to attain to the height of righteousness that we may attain to the height of faith for if we do not attain to the height of righteousness we can never attain to the height of faith and if we do not attain to the height of faith we shall never attain to the height of Iesus Christ Trust in Iesus Christ and he will conquer that enemy that would conquer your poore souls but God hath conquered him in me Come poore people let us rejoyce together Come let us sing a new song for all his mercies that he is pleased to bestow upon us How great is the mercy of God to us in keeping of us from sinking down into that bottomless pit Let us take heed of displeasing God lest God displease us and be angry with us Iune the 11th Call upon me in time of trouble and I will hear and deliver you So then all they that put their trust in God and call upon him shall be happy and blest Cast dovvn that roaring lion that goeth about to conquer my poor soul if I do but put my trust in Jesus Christ he will conquer him Lord give us righteousnesse for without righteousnesse we cannot get faith and without faith we cannot get Christ Lord give us true repenting hearts for all our sins for without true repenting hearts we can never get assurance of our salvation Lord ravish our hearts with the joy of Heaven that we may labour and take pains for Jesus Christ for without pains he will never be found Joy joy joy everlasting joy Lord humble our self-willed hearts that we may be thankfnll for all thy mercies which thou hast been pleased to bestow upon us Thou hast been a loving and a mercifull Father but we havâ— been stubborn and rebellious children if thou hadst not been a gracious Father we had all been burning in hell-fire before this Come let us sowe the seed of faith that we may reap gladnesse When we are in affliction we must cry to Jesus Christ for help and he will help us June the 12th Let us trust in Jesus Christ and labour for faith struggle and strive for it then our Father will give us his dear Son Jesus Christ We can never do so much for Jesus Christ as he hath done for us he hath laid down his life to save us Joy joy joy everlasting joy Gods World and this world are not both alike those that are of this world they love the world and such if they do not suffer in this world they must suffer in another world hell-torments in brimstone and fire for ever and ever We pray thee good God look upon thy poor unworthy people and deliver us from all dangers Lord quicken us in thy Son Iesus Christ till we come to that joyfull place where there is no change Lord fill our hearts with the fulnesse of Iesus Christ that we may dwell with thee and thy holy Angels for ever Lord keep our hearts close unto thee and pull us forth of the snare of Satan that roaring lion and make us to escape as the bird escapes out of the net of the fowler What a good God and mercifull Father have we if he had not been mercifull to us we had been all burning in hell before this Lord ripen us for the sooner we are ripe the sooner shall we have assurance of Jesus Christ Lord satisfie our unsatisfied hearts iâ— we had all this world we should never be satisfied but if we had Jesus Christ we should be satisfied We are here like poor captives withouâ— grace in our hearts Without thy Spirit Lord we are but as drie creatures drie bones moscer'd away without thou breath the spirit of life into us Lord purge our unclean hearts that we may be purified in Jesus Christ Good Lord look down upon thy unworthy servants and give us thankfull hearts for all those mercies that thou hast bestowed upon us lest all our mercies be turned into curses June the 13th Come let us suck sweetnesse from Jesus Christ as the Bee sucks sweetnesse out of the flower Come let us call upon the Lord in time of trouble and what afflictions soever we are in he will hear us and deliver us Come let us search these false hearts of ours there is deceit in every corner of them but we must desire of God to help us to search them lest our searching prove all in vain Let us labour to get the truth of Iesus â—hrist if we can but get the truth of Iesus â—hrist it will ravish our hearts first he â—epares our hearts for the work of faith â—en he works faith in them Those that God hath chosen he will pluck â—ut the blinde eye
could utter any words at last she exprest her self as followeth Take heed you do not despise Gods Ordinances and his Word which he spake out of his own mouth for if you despise Gods Ordinances and his Word God will despise you and cast you of his left hand and say Go you cursed into hell-fire prepared for you Let us labour to be followers of Jesus Christ and defie the fiery darts of the Devill Let us labour to build our conversation upon the Lord. Take heed of the Devill for he is alwayes â—erplexing and terrifying the servants of God but take heed for it is more dangerâ—us when he commeth in white then when â—e commeth in black for he will but flatter â—ou and make you believe that he will save â—ou shevv you fine things but take heed â—e vvill but flatter you and deceive you that â—e may cast you into hell September the 23th This night and the other nights follovving till the 19 of October she spake constantly about 8 a clock at night Lord build up our hearts upon the High corner-stones vvhich high-corner stones are the Father Son and Holy Ghost Lord pardon all our sins vvhether they â—e Scarlet-sins or Crimson-sins or sins of a double die or sins of ignorance or sins of vvilfulnesse Lord pardon them and vvash them avvay in the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ It is our sins that is the cause of the sufferings of that thy Beloved One thy Son Jesus Christ No man can come to Christ except the Father draw him Let us struggle and strive to have our conversation in Heaven and let us press forward to have our conversation there for without we have our conversation in heaven there will be howling and torment in hell-fire for ever and ever but in Heaven there will be life everlasting Prepare prepare against the day of death for when the day of death commeth then after commeth the day of Judgement and then cometh death to the wicked and life to the righteous Take heed that Satan that roaring lion do not reign in your hearts for it is more dangerous when he cometh in white like an Angel of light then when he cometh in black like a Blackmoore Lord purge and purifie our drossy ignorant and corrupt hearts that we may be followers of thee and wash us and cleanse us in the blood of thy beloved One thy Son Christ Jesus Take heed that Satan get not power over your souls for if he get in his head he will strive to get in his whole body Then she laughed and closed her Arms and said Joy joy joy everlasting joy September the 24th Lord take away these stony thorny and corruptible hearts and purge them purifie and refine them even as silver and gold is refined Let the Word of God be written in your hearts in letters of gold Take heed you sowe not good seed on thorny ground for the thornes will spring up and choke it My Christ will tread Satan under foot he hath promised to do it and he will fulfill his promise he will do it he will not fail he is to be trusted One glimpse of Christ is worth all the world Lord pull back Satan that roaring lion that goeth about to devour my poor soul but he cannot but he cannot touch it Lord establish our hearts upon thee and set them stedfast upon thee and fix them upon thee and change our hearts and make them new vessels Lord wash us and cleanse us in the blood of thy beloved One and make us without spot and blemish even as thy spotlesse lamb My Christ hath vanquished Satan that lurking roaring lion which goeth about to destroy my poor soul but he cannot enter in my Christ is stronger then he he is an help to my soul in the time of trouble in the time of extremity When a poor soul is going a journey to heaven then Satan is alwayes in troubling him for he thinketh if he cannot get power then he can never get power then he is busiest he sheweth his strength he putteth out all his strength Abstain abstain from all vices in this world that are so strong in us as drunkennesse lasciviousnesse blasphemy and drawing into evill company and all other vices lying and thieving for if we anger God it will be just with God to pour his wrath down upon us September 25. Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thee together as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings but thou wouldst not Thy destruction is of thy self Let us wean our hearts from this world for if it once get into us it is hard to get out again we toil and moil for our bodies but which of us taketh that pains for our souls we are sooner fill'd with the trash of this world then with our God we are apt to seek into this world but which of us looks into our hearts and examines our hearts whether they be for God or not and whether we follow the commands of God if we do not follow his commands he will not hear us The heart of man is false and hollow a hollow-hearted man will shine on the out-side but he is rotten within he sheweth it so to this world but God knoweth the heart of man Seeing we have put off the old man with his deeds let us put on the new man which is renewed with knowledge Take heed you put not new wine into old bottles lest the bottles break and scatter the wine Let us labour to lay hold upon Christ and stick close to him and follow his Commandments aud not be like the man that looks his face in a glasse and presently forgetteth what manner of man he was Let us labour for Christ and get faith the greater faith the greater joy Faith is a gift to win Christ by Christ will not be won without faith Many there be that will not believe there is a God but it is the littlenesse of their faith the weaknesse of faith they are fools and do not understand that think so for the fool hath said in his heart There is no God There are many that say they have Christ and they are Christ but there is no more Christs but one Many there be that say that they have Christ and they Christ but they do but make a shew to the world and flatter the world when God knowes they know not what Christ is They make a shew to the world and say Christ iâ— within them and Christ is within them when alas they do not know what he is 〈◊〉 they flatter the world and they think to flatter God too but alas alas the day of judgment the day of judgement alas alas they are blinde and cannot see there is a misâ— before their eyes they run but they cannot tell whither they stumble
there is 〈◊〉 stumbling-block before their eyes Oh how happy a thing it is and joyfull for to see when a poor Christian is imbraced in those two armes of love that beloved One that beloved One those whom he hath chosen he will take them for his own for ever he will lock them in his Cabinet from all sin and sorrow and from the Devils assaults In the day when I make up my jewels they shall be mine saith the Lord. She concluded with much rejoycing but exprest no words September 26 I am the true Vine and my Father is the Husbandman every branch that bringeth not forth good fruit in me shall be hewen down and cast into the fire Those that I do not chastise they are not sonnes but bastards saith the Lord. Lord pull back Satan that roaring lion which would devour my poor soul but he cannot but he cannot my God will not suffer him Obey the Commmandments of God and do not dishonour him but honour him and do not abuse his Titles Words or Works labour to make a right use of them it is them that we must be overthrown or accepted by Take heed you live not in a known sin for if you live in a known sin it is a double sin and if in a double sin God will double his Judgements God will denounce against you the greatest Judgement amongst the Catalogue if you dishonour God he will make you smart for it Take heed of Satan that cunning Serpent beware of him beware of him for he is alwayes drawing and flattering us unto him and when he hath got us unto him hell-fire will be our end Let us labour to forsake sin and cleave unto Jesus Christ and let him be our safeguard if you give way to little sins it will bring on greater sins For which things sake the wrath of God commeth upon the children of disobedience if you give way to little sins it will bring on greater sins and then the greater will be your Judgement Lord sanctifie it unto us that it may take an impression in our hearts and work it in us that it may take a deep impression in our hearts Let us labour to be partakers with that thy beloved One that suffered death upon the Crosse to save us from hell-torments had not he suffered death upon the Crosse for our sins we had been howling in hell this day have we not cause to love him have we not cause to love him that suffered death upon the Crosse that cruell death by the Jews if we should suffer never so much we could never suffer so much for him as he did for us Oh have we not cause to love him let us lay down our lives for his sake that laid down his life for us What miserable creatures are we so that our souls be but saved we never think of Christs sufferings for us we alwayes forget that but we must remember it at the day of Judgement the Lord will call us to an account for all these things In the day when I make up my jewels they shall be mine saith the Lord Jehovah September 27. Lord as thou hast fed our bodies with tempor all food so feed our souls with spirituall food Lord work thy Word with faith in our hearts unlesse it be written with thy Spirit it is but a dead letter In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and all things were made by him Beware of Satan that Serpent that goeth about and stands in corners to watch to vanquish my soul but he cannot but he cannot touch it he cannot enter in labour to have the foundation of life that he may not touch it which foundation is an everlasting foundation it will stand it will never fail Let us labour for Christ for the stronger we are in Christ the weaker we are in this world the stronger we are in this world the weaker we are in Christ Let us labour to build our conversation upon the three-corner stones which is the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Trust in the Lord Trust in the Lord Jehovah for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength Lord satisfie our unsatisfied hearts for if a man have all the world he hath not enough but he hankers and hungers and thirsts more after the things of the world but when we have Christ Oh what can we desire more what would we have more Oh! what can a Christians heart desire more then that beloved One that Christ Jesus labour to have your foundation built upon that Holy one that Holy One. September 29. Take heed you lie not one to another seeing you have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him Be wise in all your doings and be ye present be ye present before the eyes of the Lord ô fear the Lord ô fear the Lord though you fear not men See that you serve the Lord above with trembling and with fear see that with reverence you rejoyce in him in like manner ô let us fear the Lord that we may live in his fear and die in his favour Oh that we had hearts to observe the Commandments of God if we had but hearts to observe his Commandments we should never ruu upon our own souls destruction as we do Labour to spend your time well in this world of abomination and sin for it is but for a little moment and labour to repent before the day of death for after the day of death there is no repentance lest you run headlong into hell to your own destruction for ever and ever Beware of Satan that Serpent and give not vvay to his assaults but despise them and flie back from them Let us labour for Christ let us hunger thirst after him for one glimpse of Christ is better then a 1000 worlds for one glimpse of Christ will ravish a poor Christians heart for when a Christian is drooping and thinking that God hath forsaken him then God out of his favour sheweth him one glimpse and then goeth back again sheweth him but by glimpses and glimpses to make him stick closer unto him even as a star that lightens and darkens and lightens and darkens to make the light shine brighter She spake no more until the sixth of October Come my people enter into my Tabernacle Having spoken these words she fell into an exraordinary fit of laughing and tittering heartily six or seven several times as she used to do in her best health when she was over-joyed with any thing and soon after fell into a mourning and as it were wept in her brest and then she spake the words following Beware of Satan that Serpent lest he reign in your hearts for if he touch you he will creep in and in like a
be whole and she arose and was healed Oh vvhy should not vve be contented for his Arme is not shortened nor his Povver diminished therefore vvhy should noâ— vve be contented In this vvorld whilest we are in affliction we think it is miserable and grievous buâ— hereafter it will be sweetened while we aâ— in affliction we think it is miserable and grievous but the Lord will sweeten it with thâ— cup of mercy the Patient must taste of 〈◊〉 bitter potion before his stomack be cleared Oh let us labour to fear the Lord that we may live in his fear and die in his favour for as we do so we must look to be done by October the 20th Children obey your parents in all things knowing that it is well pleasing unto the Lord. Oh let us labour to have our wills melted into the will of that everliving and glorious God The secrets of God are hid from man and his wayes past finding out but the Lord will reveal them to his children in some part when his time appointed is come Lord humble these proud hearts of ours and endue us with the gift of Humiliation Oh let us labour to return thanks unto the Lord for all his mercies that he hath poured down upon us for the way of begetting more is to return thanks unto the Lord to give reverence unto him we reverence our earthly fathers our natural fathers Oh why should not we much more reverence our Heavenly Father Oh let us labour to forsake this world and all things that are therein for there is nothing that is desirable Oh let us labour to stick close unto that Holy One for when all things in the world fail he will never fail he will stick close to us when all things in this world decay and moscer away he will be an everlasting rock Lord open our blinde eyes that we may see clearly the weaknesse of our selves and the strength of Christ Oh let us labour to lead our lives and conversations well in this life for as we do so we must look to be done by if we sowe unto the flesh we shall reap corruption but if we sowe unto the Spirit we shall reap life everlasting October the 21th Let us labour to repent of all our sinnes which we have lived in formerly which lieth unrepented of for after the day of death there is no repentance as life leaveth us so Judgement findes us October the 22th Oh let us cast our care upon the Lord for he will care for us he hath promised to be a father to the fatherlesse and a husband to the widow Lord pull back Satan that lurking roaring lion that goeth about to devour my poor soul but he cannot my Christ will tread him under foot that he can get no power over my poor soul Lord graft thy Word into our heads and not onely into our heads but into our hearts also We are poor Earth-wormes Lord breath into us the breath of life that we may become lively Saints of thine that we may become lively Saints of thine and that we may sing Hallelujahs with thee in the highest Heavens Take heed you lie not one to another for if you go in that way the Devill will take that occasion to pour in more corruption Lord mollifie these hard hearts of ours with thy graces that are so hardened with sin and corruption October the 24th Lord open the eyes of the blinde that â—ey may see clearly the purity that is in Christ and the corruption that is in themâ—ves they see and perceive not they hear â—nd understand not Lord enrich our souls with thy graces that â—e may be instruments to enrich the Kingâ—ome of Heaven Lord pull back Satan that lurking roarâ—g lion that goeth about to destroy my poor â—ul but he cannot my Christ will give him â—o power he will not let him touch it He â—oth what he can to get victory but he canâ—ot my Christ will not let him The Devil â—aliceth the children of God he is alwayes â—usiest about them and flattering them he 〈◊〉 alwayes thinking to make them fear him â—nd flattering them and thinking to overâ—ome them but those whom God hath â—hosen he will take them for his own the â—oor doubting Christian the Devil is always â—utting feares and doubts into them but when he thinks they are in the lowest conâ—â—ition they are in the highest and when a man thinketh he is in the highest condition he is in the lowest when a poor doubting Christian thinketh he falls he stands aâ— when a man thinketh he stands he falls Lord take away these hearts of stone aâ— renew us with hearts of flesh Lord humble these proud hearts of ourâ— that we may not be swallowed up with thâ— vanities of this world we are apt to 〈◊〉 drawn to the vanities of this world and 〈◊〉 flie back from Christ Oh what disobedieâ— children are we that follow not the commands of so loving a Father that which 〈◊〉 biddeth us to do that we do not and thâ— which he biddeth us not do that we do Oh let us labour for faith for he that 〈◊〉 faithfull untill death he shall enjoy the crowneâ— life October the 25th Come my people enter into thy chamber shâ— the door upon thee hide thy selfe for a little mâ—ment untill the indignation of the Lord be overpast He that doth not the will of my Father which is in heaven he is not worthy of me saith thâ— Lord. Take heed you sowe not good seed upon thorny ground lest the thorns spring up and choak it My Christ hath pulled back Satan that lurking roaring lion which goeth about to devour my poor soul he maliceth my poor soul and thinks to get the victory but he cannot Oh let us labour to be partakers with that Beloved one that immaculate lamb of God that spotlesse lambe that laid down his life to take away the sins of the whole world Oh let us labour for faith that rich grace of our God Lord pour it down upon us that is that rich grace of eternity that is the grace by which we must either live or die without we have that grace we shall never come to God we shall never come to Christ Oh let us labour for faith ô let us labour for faith no faith no Christ no Christ no salvation Lord as thou hast fed out bodies with temporall food so feed our souls with spirituall food that we may be able Instruments to enrich the Kingdome of Heaven Lord endue our spirits with the gift of Humiliation for the Spirit of God is a humble Spirit a meek Spirit a holy Spirit a full Spirit it acts powerfully and breaths where it listeth Trust in the Lord Jehovah for in the Lord Jehovah is our everlasting strength Come my people let us reason together though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as wool though
did serve to awaken them to a more solemn way of seeking his face and it was judged that it was his purpose to have his providential dispensations in relation to this childe more publickly taken notice of that so they might not be hid in a corner but many might behold his glorious goings and bear witnesse thereof unto the world when he should finish his work upon her therefore her Parents did write and speak to severall Ministers of his Word two of which have prefixed Epistles to this Narrative and a Day was fixed to be set apart for Humiliation of which many precious servants of God had notice which was the ninth day of November In which Day the Company being met at Mr. Hatfeilds house and the work entered on but the childe was observed by such as did attend her to be somevvhat unquiet the reason vvhereof they knevv not onely a thought came in that if she were brought into the Room vvhere the Company vvas assembled that then she might possibly be quieter vvherefore her Maid brought her in her armes vvhere she continued quietly all the time vve vvere at the duty not once interrupting us and the eye did serve to affect the heart and to helpe them to vvrastle vvith God more affectionately this passage is the more vvonderful because so farre as could be rationally judged she did neither hear or see or knovv any body and so vve knovv not hovv she should understand that there vvas such a vvork in hand unlesse the Lord should hint it to her as he did many of her Speeches if not all and indeed some of her Speeches the night before and night after the Duty vvas concluded do import such a thing See her Speeches November the eighth vvhere she quotes that Psal 50. 15. and suitably to that she added after Oh let us cry aloud unto the Lord in the time of necessity and he hath promised to give ear to us vvhich vvord did strongly call upon us to cry mightily unto the Lord there are many other passages that night vvhich I refer the Reader to and vve took them as messages sent from Heaven to quicken our hearts in the duty there vvas one passage that night viz. her fourth speech about repentance and faith vvhereby she did direct us hovv to order our Humiliations as desiring they might be Evangelicall not legall the fruits of faith not of slavish feares she vvould have us look on Christ and then mourn believe and then repent and vvhen the duty vvas concluded November the ninth at her usuall time she uttered severall passages vvherein vve might observe God exceedingly ordering of her vvords as the first speech that night and the fourth and the seventh and especially the ninth vvhich was an admirable caution given in to us Novv to return that vvhich vvas in relation to the childe set upon our hearts particularly to ask of God vvas this that he vvould please to quiet her spirit ease her of her pain so that the eares of her dear relations might not be filled vvith such dolefull cries nor their hearts vvith those fears and amazements vvhereby they vvere much unfitted to act Faith or do any duty to God or man extram sadnesse and faintings oppressing and overvvhelming their spirits and in this the Lord vvas pleased graciously to ansvver the desires of his poor Servants through the Intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ vvhich vve had notice of at our next meeting and did desire to improve it taking it as a pledge that God vvould do more for us and ovvn us in our Attendances upon him in his ovvn vvay At the end of that day of Humiliation a Motion vvas made that vve might continue once a moneth at least to seek God untill he should be pleased to come vvith healing under his wings Those that vvere engaged in that vvork living at a great distance from one another vve could not vvell meet oftener then once a moneth and vvith that resolution we parted waiting to see what the Lord would do for his Servants in that Family whose condition God did very much assist those who were engaged in that Duty to bear upon their hearts continually with much tendernesse The time appointed for the next day of Humiliation was as I remember the 9 day of December next ensuing But the Lord ordered things so that the childe grew exceeding weak not being able to speak from the 21 of November any more as was before noted so that her friends did think that God was comming to finish his work and her time of warfare here in the body Wherefore her father dispatcht messages to the Ministers and Christians to meet keep a day of Humiliation on Thursday the second of December a week sooner then we thought of and accordingly we met on that day and found her very weak so that she was not brought into the room where we performed the Duties of the day That which amongst other things as particularly relating to her was desired of God was that God would manifest his power in enabling her to speak again that so whilest she lived she might be usefull and instrumentall for his glory her Speeches having bin very powerful upon the hearrs of many we hope to the conversion at least conviction of some and the edification of most that heard them God was also very earnestly intreated with many arguments which his Spirit suggested to raise her up that he perfecting his work might have perfect praises and his work might be cleared to the conviction of slanderous tongues and the further comfort and satisfaction of the hearts of his people the day being finished we departed to our Homes desiring to submit and wait the Lords leasure and if she lived to continue seeking of him But behold God was better to us then we could think and when we had scarce faith to believe what he had in some measure set our hearts a work to ask upon the ninth of December the Day which formerly as I noted we had agreed together to have sought God for her but did perform the duty a week sooner I say upon that day we had as a reall Testimony of her Fathers thankfulnesse to God and reall respects to us the joyfull news of her marvellous Recovery transmitted to us which take as followeth Mr. Hatfield his faithfull Relation of the Lords Work in recovering Mrs. Martha Hatfield his daughter out of her great Afflictions which was by him sent unto the Ministers who had sought God for her upon the second of December 1652. MOre works of wonder from Heaven which may teach us and all that hear of it to depend upon the Lord in the Duty of Prayer and Fasting Since the second of December in which day many sweet Petitions were put up to the Lordon the behalf of this childe we have perceived some Symptomes that God was restoring her understanding as upon the fifth and sixth dayes of December she would have given notice and
her if the Devil did not go about to destroy her Yes said she It was asked Who conquered those Temptations she said Jesus Christ the Devil goeth about to destroy us with his Temptations but I hope they will not be laid unto our charge but to the charge of him from whence they came At another time she was asked why Christ had conquered Satan she answered For his own Names sake and for my sake At another time I being with her did ask her whether she thought that God would recover her strength by his immediate power as he had begun or by the use of means She answered me very solemnly I do believe that God will raise me up by his immediate power without means h.e. Physick Then I asked her if she did not desire that means might be used She answered that she had oft prest her selfe to be willing to use means but yet she could not finde her heart made willing Then I asked why she desired to be willing to use means She answered Because her friends desired it and for their satisfaction Then I asked her what ground she had to believe that God would raise her up by his immediate power She answered Because God did not make her willing to use the means though she had oft desired it of him and if he would have her use means he would make her willing and then she had heard of that Providence how God shut up her teeth whilest the Physician was in the House from the eighth of September till December about three moneths and she further said that she thought that God would not that the Physician should have any one part of the honour of raising her to health but he would have all the glory to himselfe At another time I spake thus to her Cozen Mattee you told me that you did believe God would raise you up by his immediate power he hath done much for you but yet you have many reliques of weaknesses upon you Will you endeavour to act faith upon that power of God She answered It is my desire but I have nothing but what is freely given me of my God One night when they were undressing of her one told her she had no shoes for they had given all her clothes and wearing things to some poor children not expecting her life and her Father said there was a Shoe-maker in the Town but he was a Quaker she asked what that was it was answered he was one that sleights Ministers and Gods Ordinances She replied she would have no Quakers Shoes then At another time the same thing being discoursed of and she giving the same answer her Sister Hannah who was very tender of her and had prejudiced herself with her care of her and of her Mother in their weaknesses asked her if she knew what the Quakers were She answered They are such as are above Onances for then she could not pronounce many words her speech being gradually restored to her her sister said What mean you she answered I shall make you understand they are such as slight Gods Ministers whom he hath sent to preach his Word Another hearing of this discourse did ask her why she would have no Quakers shoes did she think there was any errours sewed up in the seames of the shoes she answered No but saith she they say I am a Quaker and to convince them that I am not I will have no dealings with them Many other such passages there were but I forbear to adde more She continued pretty well and with much cheerfulnesse of spirit and the Lord was pleased to make her meat and sleep comfortable to her but she had no use at all of her legs but was carried to bed and from bed untill the 21th of December which day she being in bed about 9 a clock at night her Father being in the room she told him she felt strength come into her legs he asked her How she said It trickled down and came into her thighs knees and ancles like warm water and so continued a quarter of an hour and after that working was past her Sister Hannah took her up and set her upon her feet and she stood by her self without holding which she had not done for three quarters of a year before having had no use of or strength in her legs and when she was laid in bed again she fell into extremities of hot and cold fits four or five severall times one while as if she had been dipped in hot water and again suddenly as though she had been dipped in cold water and presently after she was very â—ick and vomited and that being over she had much pain in all her joynts and in great extremity from the head to the feet then at an instant she said I praise God I am now as well as ever I was in my life I am neither sick nor have any pain Then her Mother spake to her Ah Childe now thou understandest how suddenly the Lord hath given thee thy limbs even so suddenly did the Lord give thee thy senses and thy speech but then thou wast not able to apprehend it Oh said she how shall we be ever able in any measure to extol the Name of the Lord in praises that are due unto him for all his mercies to us I desire that the Lord would be pleased to perfect my heart and frame it as he will be pleased to accept of it for I have cause to praise the Lord more then others seeing the Lord is pleased to take notice of me more then others Her Mother said Childe is not thy minde full of the apprehensions of the Lords wonderfull dealings with thee Yes said she but I cannot expresse it so largely as I desire to do but I hope the Lord will help me â— can do nothing of my self but I may say with the Apostle Paul I can do any thing through Christ that strengthens me Then her Mother said What are we poor miserable Miscreants that the Lord should make choise of a childe of ours to hold forth so much of his power and glory She answered It is not any worthinesse that is in us but it is the Will of the Lord the Lord saw It good in his all-seeing Decree for he had decreed before I was born that it should be so Her Mother said Oh my unbelieving heart would never yield to think that there would be such a glorious end of this affliction Ah Mother said she the Lord hath done above your faith what cause have we to praise him The 22th of December when she rose in the morning she said she could go but we were afraid to trust her strength it being so long a time since she had any use of her legs yet she desired leave to make triall how she could go and she went up and down the room beyond all expectation and the Lord