the Scripture before prayer many times quickeneth the heart to Christ And to meditate on Gods mercies to our soules and bodyes and what great things Christ hath suffered to purchase these mercies for us is a great help to stir up to that heavenly duty of praising and thankfulness which is a maine duty I would stir up my self and others unto because our hearts are apt to be very backward unto it and secondly because it is a duty to be done at all times In all things give thankes yea in afflictions For God hath promised all shall worke together for good to them that love God Thirdly to be filled with the Spirit of praises makes the soul to live in heaven while it is on earth verily we had need be stirred up to this duty for he that offers praise glorifies God Psal 50. last verse And Iesus Christ complaines against the neglect of it in that place where the ten Leppers were clensed and but one did returne thankes saith Christ was there not ten cleused but where are the nine O! athankful frame doth compose the heart to great contentedness in every condition it is of a divine nature it stirres up the graces of God in the soul as love and faith with hope in God and charity to others Therefore pray for the Spirit of God to put the heart into a praising frame for there 's need of the exercise of much heavenly wisdome in the performance of this duty for â—t is a spiritual work Another experience I have had that it is our duty and very profitable to watch against all evil thoughs these ften grieve the holy Spirit of God as of old he complained how long shall vain thoughts lodg within you and God looking upon man beholding what was in his heart and seeing his thoughts to be evil onely and continually and it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth and it grieved him at the heart and God said I will distroy man whom I have created from the facre of the earth Gen. 5 6. And then down comes the flood of Gods displeasure upon the old world not for sinful actions only but thoughts also Therefore keep your hearts with all diligence Prov. 4 23. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh And in the multitude of words is sin I would desire all to take heed of idle words and mind well what ye speak when and how avoid all needless speeches and put far away all vain foolish jesting an evil which my self was some times very prone too and as too many do harm by I endeavored to make my self and others merry but alas 't is sinful mirth and it will bring sadness here or els which is worse end in sorrow hereafter thus was I convinced of this evâ—l being upon a joyrney meeting one that was a stranger to mee thinking to make him and my self laugh spoake jestingly to him but he presently fella swearing and cursing and railing which when I heard wounded me to the heart that I by my folly should provoke the poor man so to sin against God my mirth soon turned into mourning And while I mourned before the Lord over this my great evil which had produced such a sad effect God was pleased to set this upon my heart Cannot I make thee more merry with heavenly and spiritual joy then thou canst make thy self with such foolish vain and sinful mirth And the Lord hath since filled mee with that sweet refreshing joy that is a thousand times better to mee then all sinful mirth Further in reference to words I would commend unto yow some Scripture rules Iam. 1 26. compared with Math. 12 27. from whence we may observe that when any person doth utter words that be vain earthly or froward it doth plainly manifest that there is an earthly vain and froward heart whiâ—h is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 11 20. and in Iam. 1 19. The Apostle doth perswade Christians to be swift to hear but slow to speak and slow to wrath And Jesus doth exhort his followers that their yea should be yea and their nay nay saying that what soever is more is evil And Iams 1 21. bids us lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness that is to say what ever is more then needful in words apparel and diet yea and in all things and what ever profession any person may make if they bridle not their tonge they deceive themselves and their Religion is vain hath God through his free grace passed his distinguishing love upon a little Remnant doubtless 't is their duty then to distinguish themselves from others in their words habit and in their whole conversation so to walke as becometh the Gospel Phil. 1 27. Surely if persons were awakened by the voice of God that speaks lowd in the present afflictions they would so doe 't now is not a time for any of Gods Children to continue their superfluities when many do want necessaries Let me intreat such to read and mind what is written in Rom. 12 1 2. And 1 Pet. 2 11. If we could but be moderate in the use of all things what good Stewards should we be of the manifold blessings of God which he hath betrusted us with and we must give an account of in the day of the Lord. Prosperity hath made many to glory in the flesh and exalt themselves in which vain glory some still do continue although the great Eternal God hath and doth testify from heaven against it but if it be not repented of and departed from God wil turn it into shame Hosea 4 7. As they were increased so they sinned against me therefore will I change their glory into shame it s now a trying time and all persons by their conversations will discover what they are and were ever the deeds and workes of the flesh appear and are alowed 't is evident there is not the Spirit of God in them And they who have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his And 't is not a talking of but walking in the Spirit will help against the fulfilling the lusts of the flesh and manifest who are the true Children of God Oh! that persons were wise to consider their latter end then surely they would not neglect the knowledg of those things that belong to their peace but chuse that better part that shall never be taken from them Which would make them happy for ever Oh! that all would be persuaded to commune with their own hearts and consider their own wayes And to mind the dreadful Judgments of God and his vials of wrath that shall be powred out against sin and sinners surely they would see it is high time to departe from pride vain glory coveteousness oppression hypocrisy mallice and all sin For verily God is visiting for these things and for persons still to continue therein may it not be feared and justly exspected that God should increase his Judgments and punish
in giving in such sweet returus of prayer let him alone have the praise and be ye all incouraged and stirred up to pray continually and be very watchful that if at any time God do move you to do any thing do it with all your might according to the assistanco the Lord gives you for I have found it a great grieving of the spirit to put it of with delayes through carnal reasonings of the flesh which indeed vvould have hindreed mee in offering of these few experiences to the view of the vvorld but vvhen God vvas pleased to give me a heart to it and I set upon it vvith a resolution in his strength to go through it not with standing all opposition Oh! then was the Lord pleased to come in again and fill my soul with peace and joy unspeakable and full of glory which was to my great refreshment I being then in a strange Land Holand seperated from Country kindred and fathers house yea there and then did our good God according to what I had wont to have give into my spirit heavenly Allelujas both night and day with many sweet Instructions from him self when it was with us as it were a time of famine of the word our Teathers being removed into corners and thrown into prisons in the Year 1662. O! how was I then stirred up by the teachings of that good Spirit often to praising and often to very earnest prayer as for my self so for his poorasslicted persecuted people and then also I found my heart much enlarged to love and to do good and lay out my self for sa ints of all perswasions yea and all others also as I had opportunity And upon this ground because my dear Redeemer the Lord Jesus hath set mee a pattern to do good to all and what talent soever we do recieve we must lay it out to his praise if it be but one and it shall be increased this I have had experience of be not backward to improve thy talent because another may have more then thou that springs from a root of pride and negligence is the way to loose what thou hast but look up to God for a blessing upon the right use of what thou hast received and if he seeth it good that thou mayest better honnor him with more he will give in thee in his own way and time for then shall ye know if ye follow on to know the Lord. Hose 6. 3. It is also promised that they who be planted in the house of the Lord like a watered Gardin shall they grow and florish and bring forth fruit in their old age Psa 92 12 13. Further o let all the beloved of the Lord take a specialcare of every Gospel ordinance and commandment of our Lord to hold forth what light you have received for there is non of the ordinances of the Gospel to be slighted for they hold out unto us those choyce priviledges that vvere purchased for us vvith the precious blood of Jesus Christ I have found great peace and injoyed much of Gods presence in vvaiting upon him in the vvay of his appointments and I have found the Lord not leaving but teaching of mee vvhen I out of conscience have forborn vvhere they vvere not tobe injoyed according to the rule of the Gospel and expose my self to any suffring to injoy them in the purity of them and indeed God doth take special notice of them vvho they be and vvhere they dvvell Revel 2 13. that in sore persecuting and suffering times hold fast his truths and do not deny his name Mal. 3 16 and hath promised that they vvho keep the vvord of his patience shall be keept in the hour of temptation And vvhen he hath humbled us he vvill shevv us the pattern of his house the goings out and the comings in thereof and the fashions Lawes and ordinances thereof that we may do them Ezek. 43 11. And the time doth hasten that God will turn to the people a pure Language And all shall know the Lord from the least to the greatest And he will lead the blinde in a way that they know not he will make darkness become light and crooked things streight and bitter things sweet and hard things easy and this he will do and not forsake us Further let none be discouraged to do their duty though never so weak yet if thou beest acted by the Spirit of God weak meanes often times becomes effectual to accomplish great things for by experience also I know when some persons have been praying together that one being senceable of the state of the other and mourning over their sin before the Lord God have made use of those very mournings and breathings to convince the other of their sinful state with the danger of it and thereby have been caused to turn from sin unto the Lord whose eyes were never opened before One Maid who by this meanes was convinced and said nothing at present but after prayer retiring herself to her Bible with a purpose to see what word of comfort she could find there and it pleased God to hand to her that place Rom. 8 13. For if ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the Spirit do mortisy the deeds of the body ye shall live which word God did make very powerful and effectual to help forward his work upon her soul All these speak forth the freeness of Gods rich grace therefore who ever readeth and under standeth what is in this free workings of God good Spirit let him alone have all the praise and glory and the Lord inclined my heart every day more and more to praise him for his unchangeable love in Jesus Christ therefore let them that read this give God praise for this undeserved mercy and let me have a share in your prayers that I may be filled with a spirit of praise for none have more cause then I to speak well of his great and holy name and that I may honour God that little time that I have to live upon the earth and that in all changes For if God sees affliction to be good for mee I desire not to dispise his chastizements for I have found more strength in a great affliction then in a little one and my soul hath been filled with joy out of measure Therefore if we be brought to this take joyfully the spoiling of our goods knowing we have a better inheritance and the giving up all to the will of God who gave all to us we shall have all given to us with advantage oh the fulness of him that filleth all in all but I am nothing and can do nothing no longer then he doth assist therefore praise him for ever more And since I was taken of from my incumbrances in the world and had more time to spend in the wayes and work of God waiting on him for more of himself the Lord according to his promise hath revealed himself more abundantly and I have
seaven times more Leit 26 21 24. They who departe not from sin God will departe from them and hovv sad that is let soules consider read Hosea 9 11 12 14. Therefore who ever vvould not be eternally seperated from God let them in time seperate from all sin And let poor soules take speciall heed they live not in any knovvn evil nor neglect any knovvn duty but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof for if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye But if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 8 13. let me propound but this on question and I vvish all young and old Rich and poor to mind it vvhether or no it is not better to separate from sin then that sin should seperate thee from God for ever Oh! vvhat need is there that all vvho love God and their ovvn soules should hate abhorre and depart from all sin because 't is that vvhich God doth so hate as he vvill punish it vvhere ever he finds it Yea if a David a Man after Gods ovvn heart do commit any sin he must be reproved for it and God vvill so frovvne as it may cost many sigths prayers and tears before God restore unto him the joy of his salvation and though secretly committed yet God vvill punish openly that others may hear and fear 2 Sam. 12 12. Oh! hovv have I found by sad experience that pride is a breeding sin and spiritual pride is indeed the very vvorst vvhen persons come to have a little knovvledg of the things of God and have set a fevv steeps in his vvayes Many be too prone then to be puffed up vvith self conceite and to judg all others to be in errors vvho are not just of their perswasion and so to judge censure and condemne them for Heretikes and to persecute them at least vvith the tonge but though sometimes Paul did thus he acknovvledgeth it vvas from a Pharisaical spirit which vve had all need to take heed of and judg not and ye shall not be judged Alas our heavenly Father have many children but there be babes and some stronge men they are not all of an age nor cannot all see alike not acte alike let all the beloved of God cease smiâ—ing and manifest true love one another And vvhat ever their perswasion be all vvho are humble and holy and do faithfully vvalke up to the light they have received let them be beloved for the Fathers sake Oh! that vve may be filled vvith that grace of true Charity for that is a special antidote against all pride malice and any evil thoughts and evil speakings and prejudice and offences one against another 1 Cor. 13 1 4. c. There vve may read at large of the excellency of true charity Oh! the more any one is filled vvith the good Spi it of God the more shall they be enabled against all the vvorks and fruits of the flesh therefore I vvould counsel persons vvhen they avvake vvait for the teachings of the Spirit and for the accomplishment of that promise made to the last dayes And vvhat the Spirit teacheth do ye commit to the Spirits keeping and they vvhith vvhom it is the day of Gods povver are made vvilling both to hear the Spirits voyce and obey it And I vvould have all to endeavor diligently for the injoyment of the Spirit and hearken every one that hath an ear vvhat it speaks for the teachings thereof are very glorious it makes a soul live as it vvere in heaven vvhile on earth Surely vvhen Daniels faith vvas made strong by the injoyment of this blessed Spirit of God so as nothing could hinder him from the vvorship of God Oh! vvhat svveet communion did he injoy vvith God and although throvvn into the lions den yet there vvonderfully and comfortably preserved I have found this that vve are too ready to dispise or slight the Spirit of God vvhen it appears in something beyond us or out of our reach but let us take heed of this evil also This good Spirit of God is that vvhich vvill enable us to chuse to suffer rather then to sin and in all our suffering it vvill vvonderfully assist and uphold us and carry through the forest firy tryals and if vve be throvvn into sufferings for Christ sake be sure he vvil make one vvith us to uphold us in the furnis and vve need not study hovv vve shall be delivered from our ennemies for God vvill deal vvith them as he did vvith Daniel and the three Children for he will recompence the wickedness of the wicked upon their ovvn heads therefore fear not but stand still and vvait and yovv shall see the salvation of God And I do not think that these things be given in to me from the Lord for my ovvne sake only but for your benefit to vvhom it may come and I hope I am so far from having high thoughts of my self that the more I see of God and injoy from God so much the more cause I have to be humble and if others find theirhearts as bad as I have found mine they vvill see cause enough to use all means vvith them and vvhen allis done it must be faith in Jesus Christ must remove this mountain faith vvill carry us out of ourselves unto Christ and cause us to rest on him to do all our vvorkes for us and in us do ye cherish a holy fear against sin and an holy bouldness to come to God and a holy confidence in him for vvhat we come for and let not the fear of man hinder from any duty God calls thee unto to conclude I only commend unto you that vvord in Micha 6 8. So shal I leave this to the blessing of the Lord and the consideration of the vvise COURTEOUS READER IF these my Experiences sute not with thy condition yet let it have a patient view of thee and pass by what is of the flesh Own what is of the spirit and Iudg not what thou shalt meet with of the truth because thou art not yet acquainted in that way for the secrets of God are sometime with pore weak ones that sears him and what is come to pass I hope you will believe If it was not out of obedience to God it should not have com'd to your vew neither would I have put my name to it if I could have avoided it for fear of the rash Iudgment of some Least it should be thought I did it out of pride or to own a prophetical spirit which I know not But I own a Prophetical voice of Christ which if he pleases to speak he can make mee to hear yea to believe this I have Experience of And if these Crumes which I have gathered from my bountiful Lords table you cannâ—t find it savory to you leave it to the hungry broaken hearted Christians to whâ—â— ever crumbe of mercy is sweet when