transgresseth the command of the LORD may find it at home But Saul instead of deep Humiliation and thorow Reformation in broken and contrite heartedness as David did and destroying what he had saved alive he falls to Worshipping to pacifie his concerns that way There are many Saul's now adays that salves up their evil Consciences that way and goes on making such a noise with their Worshipping that the cries of the oppressed in them cannot be heard and so goes on crucifying the LORD of Life afresh by their ofen quenching the motions of His Holy Spirit in them till at last His Holy Witness lies slain in their Sodomite hearts and then they triumph and make merry over it and send Gifts one to another and drink Iniquity as an Ox drinks Water without reproof when the Witness is slain But alas all this will but serve whilst their time is out for this Sore thus healed will break out again for the Spirit of Life from GOD shall enter the Witness and then shall the Book be opened wherein is written LAMENTATIONS AND WOES Therefore the Prophet Samuel knowing all these things refused to go with Saul to worship the LORD although he so earnestly begged and intreated him for he knew the worshipping in that rebellious Spirit was Abomination to the LORD notwithstanding his confession that he had sinned And besides all this Samuel knew there was something else to do before worshipping to appease the Wrath of GOD. Bring me hither said he Agag the King of the Amalakites Then said Samuel As thy Sword hath made Women childless so shall thy Mother be Childless among Women And Samuel hewed Ageg to pieces before the LORD Let none mistake me in this Similitude I do not mean that the Lives of any should be taken away no no for I would not do the least hurt to the greatest of all my Enemies for that was not the Work of Christ my LORD who came not to destroy mens Lives but to save them and to destroy their Iniquities and for this I am offered up in Body Soul and Spirit which is the highest Sacrifice I can pay and happy should I be to be counted worthy to be an Instrument in that blessed Work to others in this my Day and Generation to hew Ageg to pieces before the LORD the Prince of the Power of Darkness which rules in the Children of Disobedience And this is it that I have laboured so much for and made so many humble Addresses to the KING and QUEEN that they may not neglect this great Salvation but that they may be the happy Instruments in this blessed work of Reformation that the Will of GOD may be done in them and throughout their Dominions to the Glory of GOD and the Exaltation of His ever Blessed NAME and the happy establishing them in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of their Lives which is the humble Prayers of the LORD's Servant and you true faithful Subject according to the will of GOD. From one that is of no Sect or gathered People yet have I sought the LORD from my Childhood until this day And having found the only good which is GOD to be my Teacher and the ALMIGHTY to be my Counseller who is my Sabboth of Rest And in His Holy Pure unspotted Life I have unity and fellowship with all that are in this throughout the Vniverse Putney New-years Day 1692 1. JONE WHITROWE This following was writ by another who desired to have it incerted here IF any one though intending well should be so inticed as to strengthen that deceiveable murmuring discontented Spirit that would stir up Strise and Division amongst the Heads of the Nation they may expect trouble upon trouble until they forbear Repent and give Glory to Him who searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reigns against whom it is in vain to strive THE END
TO King William AND Queen Mary GRACE and PEACE THE Widow Whitrow's Humble Thanksgiving to the LORD of Hosts the King of Eternal Glory the GOD of all our Mercies unto whom be Glory Glory and Praise for the King 's safe Return to England And Jabes called on the GOD of Israel saying If thou wilt bless me indeed and inlarge my Coast and that thine Hand be with me to keep me from Evil. And GOD granted him that which he requested In the Margent Then would he perform his Vow which he had Vowed 1 Chr. 4.10 Printed And Sold by most Book-sellers in London and Westminster 1692 1. To King William and Queen Mary GRace Mercy and Peace from GOD the Father and His beloved Son our blessed LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ who hath been a Tower of Salvation to the KING and QUEEN Glory be to Him forever unto HIM who hath Delivered the KING from many Deaths praises forever Give Thanks unto the LORD with me and let us Exalt his Name together who doth wonderful things for His Mercy endureth forever O LORD who shall declare thy mighty Acts neither can the Heaven of Heavens selebrate Thy Praise how much less we poor Mortals that are but Dust before THEE before THEE the Eternal One who art infinitly Better and boundless beyond all thanksgiving and praise yet of Thy Holy elemency and unspeakable goodness hath vouchsafed Sinners to Approach unto THEE Therefore Oh come let us fall down before the LORD our Greator the Mighty GOD and worship Him at His foot-stool with Rended Souls with broken and contrite Hearts that our Cries may pierce the Heavens to the Throne of His Grace to move His Glorious Majesty to send forth his Light and Truth that may break through the thick clouds of Ignorance and gross Darkness that hath covered the Hearts of the People of these Nations together with his invincible Power to break down root up and destroy with an utter Destruction that Spirit of Atheism which hath Corrupted both Priests and People of these Nations O GOD Race it Race it I beseech Thee to the Foundation thereof together with that Accursed thing the Spirit of Covetousness Hypocrisie Malice and Deceit that Thy Throne may be Established to a thousand Generations Thou Creator of all things from Everlasting to Everlasting take Thy Dominion and Rule by Thy Eternal Power till Thou hast made All Thy Enemies Thy foot-stool for why LORD should they Rob Thee of thy Right and Give Thy praise to their Idols their horrible Lusts and cursed Pleasures O GOD Arise O God Arise that Thy Enemies may be scattered that all that hate Thee may fly before Thee which way Thou pleasest LORD But if it be for Thy Glory save the Creature and destroy the Iniquity that there may be no End of Thy Praise For what Great things hath the LORD done for us who hath delivered poor Afflicted distressed Freland from the hurtful Sword and thrice brought the King safe to England again And preserved this Nation in safety in the King's Absence Glory be to GOD on high and on the Earth peace and good-will to Men in Thee Oh England Oh England England that thou didst know in this thy Day the things that belong to thy Everlasting Peace but they are hid from thy Eyes yet for the sake of some in Thee am I thus concerned And seeing the LORD hath done such Great things what remains on the KING and QUEEN's part and of thy Inhabitants Oh Land But to walk in Holiness and Righteousness before His Holy Divine MAJESTY all the days of your Lives for so his HOLINESS commands saying Be ye Holy for I the LORD your GOD am Holy Therefore Hear Oh Kings and Give Ear ye Judges of the Earth Serve the LORD with Fear and Rejoyce before Him the LORD of Hosts the Mighty GOD with trembling and not as the Atheistical Heathen Christians do who rejoyce not as the Angels of Light but as the Angels of Darkness or of the bottomless Pit For whom is the blackness of darkness Reserved A Just Recompence of Reward for such prophane Rejoycing who were as if they would tear His Majesty out of His Throne to come in Flames of Fire as He did in Sodom to Execute Vengeance on such Offences on such horrible Offenders Oh the Hellish Noises the Outragious Cries Prophane Swearing Cursing Drunkenness and Whoredom Fighting and threatning to Murder one another Destroying the good Creatures consuming them upon their Lusts whilst their Neighbours want Bread and these are the Swearers by the Blood of the Immaculate Lamb of GOD that takes away the Sins of the World who cries Rot and Damn them whose Damnation is Just seeing nothing less will serve their turns These are some of the crying Sins of this Nation which will bring swift Destruction and Provoke the High GOD to turn the fruitful Land into a barren Wilderness for the Sins of them that live therein For be it known to the KING the Night before he came to London which was October 18. I being in my Bed in the dear injoyment of GOD's heavenly Life and Divine love and in this sweet heavenly Repose falling asleep a dreadful Apparition appeared Horrible and fearful Astonishing and Amaâ—ing insomuch that my Heart failed Fearfulness took hold on me for the Night of my pleasure had He turned into Mourning Sorrows took hold on me yea the Sorrows of a travailing Woman but crying vehemently to the LORD I was delivered The Vision I must not declare till the Appointed time But thus far I have liberty to call all to prepare to meet the LORD whose Day is come wherein He will Appear in Flames of Fire to Execute Vengeance on the Wicked and Ungodly to Give them the Reward of their wicked and ungodly Works But Oh! that the KING and QUEEN might live forever in that Life which the Judgment is not to For Said the LORD to the Angel that was clothed in Linnen who had the Writers Inkhorn by his side Go through the midst of the City even through Jerusalem and set a Mark upon the Foreheads of them that Mourn and Cry for all the Abominations that be done in the midst thereof And said He to the other Angels Go ye after him through the City and smire let your Eye spare none neither have pity Destroy utterly the Old and Young the Maids Women and Children But touch none upon whom is the Mark and begin at my Sanctuary Then they began at the Antient Men that were before the House And so goes on Ezek. 9. Now you may see if your Eyes were opened who they are that shall be hid in the Day of the LORD's Wrath not the Wise and Prudent of this World although they may have a whole Library of the Serpent's Wisdom nor the Antient in a profession of any Religion whatsoever for the older they are in a Profession of any Worship and do not live the Life of what they know the greater is their
Victory over all his Enemies both within and without And further I assirm in the Name of the LORD that whosoever follows this Way which I by the Spirit of GOD have directed to having the holy Scriptures the Life of Christ His Prophets and Apostles bearing me Record thereunto whosoever puts this Way into Practice shall quickly be without care and shall have no need to go to the best of men for Teaching or Counsel much less to the worst But this I humbly Advise the KING and QUEEN as my own Soul to keep down all Self all your own Knowledge Wisdom and Parts and come before the LORD as a little Child as Christ said This is the state you must come to before you can enter the Kingdom of GOD and this is the state Adam was in before his Fall before he Eat of this forbidden Tree the tree of Knowledge which was never given for Food for saith GOD In the day thou eats thereof thou shalt Surely dye But had he stood in the Will of GOD where he was placed and not have Entred into his own Will and Imaginations there had been no need for the Flaming SWORD to have been placed to keep the way of the Tree of Life The Flaming Sword that turns every way to seperate you from your Lovers and all your Delights before you can Eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of GOD. And this flaming Sword is the Cross of Christ and the holy Cross of Christ is the Power of GOD which must crucifie you to the world and the world to you And when all this is done you must be in the profoundest Humility that ever man or woman was in turning your selves into the very Dust from whence you came and there to be nothing for ever For if You are any thing then GOD the Eternal BEEING cannot be All who is the Alpha and Omega the first and last blessed for ever Amen Yet in this Blessed state are you a drop of that Ocean from whence Endless Blessings flow for saith our LORD and Blessed Saviour Blessed are the Poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of GOD. And if you continue loving the LORD with all Your Hearts and with all Your Souls with all Your strength with all Your might But take notice I beseech you HE must have All All your Love and Affection for if any thing else whatsoever hath it besides the LORD you rob GOD of his Right and this is that which will stop the Springs from flowing from this Endless Fountain of Life and Love Therefore I humbly Beseech You in the Bowels of the Love of GOD that Above all things and at all times with all the strength of Your Souls in all Your Thoughts Words and Works that you purely love and intend for the Honour and Glory of GOD who is the Eternal Happiness and Blessedness of all men and your own portion for ever And that you may this the better do you must most strictly Observe your selves within Keep thy Heart saith the Prophet with all diligence for out of it comes the Issues of Life Therefore sink you down into the innermost parts of your Souls and there stop all the out-goings of your minds to any thing but to GOD alone And in silence hear what the LORD saith within you and with JESUS depart from the multitude avoiding all Imployments and multiplicity of Business as much as is possible you shall rest with GOD in unity shutting up all your Sences in quietness continually Praying and calling upon GOD your Eye being fixed on Him as David's was in all your actions you shall enjoy His presence in every Place Time and Thing admitting nothing within your selves but GOD continually that you may continually receive the Heavenly Influence of His divine love into your Souls And as I have the Life and Doctrine of Christ my LORD and all his Holy Ones in former Ages to bear Witness to this my true and faithful Testimony of a holy retired Life so I shall instance one of late years Abraham Cowley who as its reported was a man of sweet and singular Wit great Learning and an even Judgment that had known by large experience what Cities Universities and Courts afford and that not only at home but in divers Nations abroad wearied with the World he broke through all the intanglements of it and which was hardest innumerous Friendship and a perpetual Praise and retired to a solatory Cottage near Barn-Elms whence he gives us this following Doctrine of Retirement and may serve for an account how well he was pleased in his Change The first Work saith he that a man must do to make himself capable of the good of Solitude is the very Eradication of all Lusts for how is it possible for a man to enjoy himself whilst his Affections are tyed to things without himself The first Minister of State hath not so much business in publick as a Wise man hath in private If the one hath little leasure to be Alone the other hath less leasure to be in Company The one hath but part of the Affairs of One Nation the other all the Works of GOD and Nature under his consideration The next I shall instant is Marcus Aurilius Antoninus a good and famous Emperor he first treats how he ought to behave himself in his Empire And after that saith he As for GOD and such Suggestions Helps and Inspirations as might be expected nothing did hinder me but that I might have begun long before to live according to Nature or that even now that I am not yet pertaker and in present possession of that Life And he gives the Reason why In that saith he I did not observe those inward Motions and Suggestions yea and almost plain apparent Instructions and Admonitions of GOD was the only cause of it And so he goes on most Excellently I that understood the Nature of that which is good said he that it is to be desired and of that which is bad that it is odious and shameful And further saith They are idle in their Actions who toil and labour in this Life and have no certain scope which to direct all their Motions and Desires to And then treating of some that busied themselves in diving into things of Philosophy Yet saith he of this is not sensible that it is sufficient for a man to apply himself wholly and confine all his Thoughts and Cares to the tendence of that Spirit which is within him truly really to serve him For saith this worthy Prince Philosophy doth consist in this for a man to preserve that Spirit which is within him from all manner of Contumelies Injuries and the sacred Mysteries of Virtue which issufrom it carefully solidly and shall not intermix any other business but shalt study this to preserve thy Spirit unpoluted and pure and as one that were even now ready to give up the Ghost shall cleave unto Him
and from this there 's no man can hinder thee And further this Excellent man Without relation to GOD saith he thou shalt never perform aright any thing humane nor on the other side any thing Divine at what time soever thou wilt it is in thy power to retire into thy self and to be at Rest For a man cannot retire any whither for to be more at rest and freer from all business then to his own Soul Afford then thy self this Retiring continually and thereby refresh and renew thy self D Doble Drince worthy of double Honour And then Exhorting That whatsoever they did might be Just and Holy Neither saith he must he use himself to cut off Actions only but Thoughts and Imaginations also that are unnecessary for so will unnecessary consequent Actions the better be prevented and cut off He is poor that stands in need of another and hath not in himself all things needful for this Life Consider well whether Magnanimity rather and true Liberty and true Simplicity Equanimity and Holiness whether these be not most kind and natural And farther this blessed Prince Let thy GOD that is in thee to rule over thee find by thee that he hath to do with an Aged man a Sociable man a Roman a Prince one that hath ordered his Life as one that expecteth as it were nothing but the sound of the Trumpet sounding a retreat to depart out of this Life with all readiness What is it saith he thou dost stay for an Extinction or a Translation for either of them with a propitious and contented mind but till that time comes what will content thee What else but to Worship and Praise GOD and to do good unto men Here is a President for Kings Queens and Potentates of the Earth to square their Lives by This worthy Prince was more Philosopher than Emperor his Dominions were greater within then without and by his Holy Life and Vertuous Principles was fit to govern the whole World Solon a noble Philosopher and Law-giver to the Athenians was so humble that he refused to be Prince of that People And being asked by Cresus King of Lydia when seated on his Throne Richly clothed and magnificently attended If he had ever seen any thing more Glorious He answered Cocks Peacocks and Pheasants by how much their Beauty is Natural Fly Pleasures saith he for they bring Sorrow Converse not with wicked Persons but meditate on serious things That it was the perfection of a man to fore-see and prevent Mischief That they that would govern a State well must govern their Families well That we ought not to flatter Great men lest we exalt them above their merits and station A Prince saith he must not take up his time about transitory and mortal things Eternal and Immortal are fittest for him O noble PRINCE and PRINCESS I humbly beg of you Observe these Heavenly Maxims Periander Prince and Philosopher would say That Pleasures are Mortal but Vertues Immortal Punish the guilty saith he and restrain men from Sin That Common-wealth is best ordered saith he where the Wicked have no command Therefore most Honoured and most endeared PRINCE and PRINCESS for so you are in my Heart because of the Greatness of GOD's Love which I have received and delivered to you above all before you in my time and shall be so if you receive the Love of GOD administred and put into Practice these His Commands and Precepts first in your own Example and then Executing the Power GOD hath given you which may easily be done by turning out those that will not Obey your just and lawful Commands and put in such in their room that will That the KING and QUEEN may not be guilty of that Iniquity as Saul was guilty of to save alive that which GOD commanded to kill which was the Cause that the Kingdom was rent from him and given to one more worthy that is which did the will of GOD And is the very cause why your Predecessors were turned out before you and you brought in their room to try whether you will do His Will and perform all His good Pleasure which if you do GOD will make you the Glory of Nations For this know O KING QUEEN and that from the LORD the day is come that GOD will have His Will done in Earth as it is in Heaven and that which stands in opposition to it will He overturn and throw the Earth upside-down And all the Monarchs in it will he break to pieces as a Potters-Vessel for the bringing in of His Dominion which is an Everlasting dominion and He shall Reign for evermore Amen And this I humbly Supplicate to the LORD if it may be for the Glory of His Holy Name That the KING and QUEEN may be the worthy Instruments thereof and that they may not be guilty of Saul's Transgression who feared the People and so caused him to break the Commandment of the LORD which proved to his destruction So he paid dear for his fearing the People and the People paid dear for his Rebellion against the Command of GOD for it cost him his Life and thousands more of theirs For here lay the case the command was to slay All but the People counselled him to save the best of the Oxen and Sheep and the chiefest of the things which should have been destroyed to offer to the LORD thy GOD as Saul confessed to Samuel saying I have sinned for I have transgressed the Commandment of the Lord and thy Words because I feared the People and obeyed their Voice The writing of this Confession makes my Heart melt and breaks me into Tears the consideration thereof how dangerous a thing it is for any to transgress much more PRINCES the Commands of the LORD in ever so little a thing And Saul's repeating over again the reason why they saved them alive that should have been destroyed was To offer a Sacrifice to the LORD But alas all Coverings will be to short but that which is covered with the Spirit of the LORD in the Day of Account when the Iniquity is brought before the Judgment-seat which must there stand the Tryal to be Arragined and Condemned by the JUDGE of all the Earth No pretence will serve them be it never so specious by the art and cunning of men for indeed what higher could be then pretence of Worshipping GOD to offer Sacrifice to the LORD But what was the LORD's answer Hath the LORD more delight in Sacrifice and Offering then in Obeying the Voice of the LORD To Obey is better than Sacrifice and to hearken to the Voice of the LORD then the Fat of Rams For Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft and Transgression is Wickedness and Idolatry Because thou hast cast away the Word of the LORD therefore hath He cast away thee from being King A heavy sentence and worse recompence of reward for his Life went for theirs Here we may see we need not go to Rome for Idolatry for whosoever