I would have thee Courteous Reader to ponder in thy heart to vvit the gift of singing spiritual Songs and Hymnes whih she prâ—sents thee with some instances of in her Book here and there occasionally touching which Administration I am willing for thy â—dification to say 1. That singing of Psalmes Hymnes and Spiritual Songs bâ—ing an Ordinance of Gods vvorship ought to be performed by a gift and the assistance of the Spirit as well as prayer 1. Cor. 14 12 15. What is it then I vvill pray vvith the Spirit c. I vvilising vvith the Spirit c. Now as to take a book and râ—ad a prayer out of it or to say a prayer without the Book is not to pray in the Spirit so to read a Psalme in a Book and sing it or to sing the same Psalme without the Book is not to sing in the Spirit If the singing of Psalmes be a part of Gods worship as doubtless it is then it ought to be performed by assistance of the spirit for the true worshippers ought to worship God in spirit and truth John 4 23 24. 2. That Christians ought to sing Spiritual Songs and Hymnes as well as Psalmes unto the Lord And that with grace in their hearts Col. 3 16. for the melody which the Lord loveth iâ— in the heart rather then in the voyce Eph. 5 19. 3. They who performe this part of Gods worship whether they speak unto themselves in private or unto others more publickly ought to have the word of Christ to dwell richly in them yea and to be filled with the Spirit as the Apostle testifieth Ephes 5 vers 17 18 19 20 and Coloss 3 vers 16. I have known some other Godly and gracious Christians besides this grave and holy Matron who have this gift of Singing and I my self have some experience of this kinde of Anoynting of the Spirit of praise which will I hope ere long be powred forth upon the sons and daughters of Zion And then they will praise Jehovah singing to the Lord a new Song and his praise in the Congregation of Saints as is prophesied Psal 149 1 2 5. and Isai 51 11. and 52 1 8. c. The holy Spirit can dictate the Matter yea and words of praise and singing as well as the matter and words of prayer And why may not the Lord assist a poor gracious humble soul to sing in the Spirit as well as to pray in the Spirit seeing there nothing too hard for God to do It was by many and is still by some denyed that there is any such thing as a Spiritual gift of prayer save onely that vvhich is acquired And yet the gracious experience of many Godly persons doth testify that there is such a gift of the Spirit called a spirit of supplication which is powred forth upon the Lords people And although many nay most Godly Christians do not believe there is any such Spiritual gift of â—â—nging as I have here intimated yet some few poor gracious humble soules have good Experience that there is sometimes a measure of the holy Spirit powred upon them where by they are so filled with the Spirit that they break forth into singing Pray therefore that thou mayest sing and praise the Lord when the Redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing to Zion Isa 51 11. And the Children of Zion be joyful in their King Psal 149 1. Unto whom be glory and dominion for ever AMEN So prayeth he who waiteth for his Kingdome and Coming HANSERD KNOLLYS ERRATA PAg. 1. Line 8 9. read forbearance line 16. r. sinned l. 19. r. petty Pag. 3. line 1. r. I was stirred line 3. 4. r. to me towards Heaven Pag. 4. l. 7. r. stumblest Pag. 6. l. 1. r. heed Pag. 7. l. 6. r. Christening Pag. 8. l. 25. 26. r. unbelief Pag. 9. l. 12. read renewings These and some other litteral mistakes the Reader is desired to mend in the perusal of this Book Christian Womans experiences of the glorious working of Gods free Grace I Had once hard thoughts of the people of God yet being on a time perswaded to go to hear them I went though not out of love to them but to vvatch vvhat I could observe and being then over perswaded against them and the Ministers Text that then preacht was Rom. 2 4 5 6. or Dispisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbeacance and long suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee unto repentance but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up to thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous Judgment of God who will render to every man according to his deeds Verily at this opportunity the dread of God did much smite upon my heart that I had so long sinnend against his patience and goodnesz He had this passage that the sword of the Lord hung as in a twine threed to cut of all pitty swearers and I having been one that durst not swear great oathes but small ones I was addicted to I thought it met with my particular condition Then had I little acquaintance with any that feared the Lord unless it were one family and they were much afraid of me for a season because I had been so vain Then was I cast upon the Lord alone who did much support mee by his grace blessed be his name yet the very first night after he began to work upon my heart I fell under this temptation that I should not eat any more but rather die and then I should cease from sinning against the Lords goodness I then cast away my prayer-book for it did not reach my necessities and I cried unto the Lord alone to teach mee to pray Then did I endeavour to keep close to the best teaching ministery I could find I was very ignorant yet did search the Scriptures diligently but found them very dark to mee I dayly saw a more clear discovery of my sinful nature and then began to be sorely perplexed with feavs that I could not be a child of God because I knew not how to get victory over my sin and though I used all meanes I could yet my corruptions would sometimes break forth which made mee often times ready to dispare and to cast of all But one day amongst the rest the Lord made mee resolve though he kild mee yet I would trust in him he made mee also desire of him that if he would not save mee yet that he would not let mee go back again into sin for the sence of Gods goodness was much upon my heart Then in several Sermons God was pleased to speak peace to my poor soul yet after through the violence of temptations I often questioned my condition sometimes I was tempted to murder my self sometimes to starve my self yet the Lord upheld mee for I could not make my case known to any but God for the space of two years all which season I was wonderfully kept by
removed again out of England into Holland and I brought the papers of my experiences with mee which the Ship being cast away were lost with the trunck in which they were Then was it much set upon my heart that God was displeased with mee for not putting them in print and then the guift of singing and praising was much ceased and I was troubled for the which I sought the Lord and did begg ' that if he were offended at mee for not printing and leaving them behind mee that he would pardon it unto mee and that if it were his good pleasure I should write them again I did pray that he would let his Spirit come to inable mee again in singing and prayer as it was wont to do and be my remembrancer to write again and indeed it did so not long after in the night both in song and in prayer But then I having not time was much hindered yet notwithstanding according to the time I had I set my self to do it and the Lord was pleased to assist mee in bringing again to my remembrance things of long standing Now before I departed from England I was satisfied in my spirit that I had a clear call from thee Lord so to do for indeed more then a year I had such a motion in my spirit backed with many Scriptures for its furtherance Yet nothwithstanding in this Voyage we met wich some diffciulty for the Ship I came over in was cast away but in the time of the greatest trouble the Lord gave mee in these promises that he would be with mee in six troubles and in the seventh he would not forsake mee Call upon mee in the day of trouble I will hear thee and deliver thee and thou shalt glorify mee With this sweet word also thou shalt not die but live to see the mercy I will shew unto thee It was in the night and after some time the Ship being a ground and in great danger and so were all the persons in it one asked mee if I were not afraid I answered the God of heaven my Father hath brought mee hither and if he may have more honour in drowning of mee then by preserving mee his will be done Then when the mast was cut down and the Master with some others said we are dead persons and like to loose our lives yet I had much hope in the Lord because of his promise and after that I and some others in the Ship with mee had committed our selves unto God by prayer I being in the Cabbon laid me down to sleep but I had not it seems lien half an hour but they called us and said there was Land not far of if wee would seek for help vvhich accordingly vve did But it being but about the break of the day vve did vvander over the sandâ— but could find no vvay out of the sea as it vvere compassing us aboue round then vve all returned to the Ship again and some concluded vve must go in an perish there so they vvent in again But vve said if vve must perish vve vvould be still seeking to save our lives And as our God to whom we had committed ourselves guided us we went another way on the sands and as I was going looking to God to be my Pilot not knowing whether vve vvent for the sea vvas one both sides of us and vvee had but a small vvay on the sands to vvalk in and as I vvas begging of the Lord to keep in the seastill vve found out a place not onely for our ovvn escape but that vve might see deliverance for our friends in the Ship also the Lord vvas pleased to set this upon my heart As thy deliverance is so shall Englands be vvhen they are brought to greatest streights then vvill deliverance be from God A hint of some night meditations and effects of prayer I being avvake one night and very full of trouble in my mind because I vvas no more spiritual for I had found my self very dead-hearted in prayer over night for the vvhich I vvas very sadly afflicted in spirit and indeed then vvanting place of retirement to send up strong cries unto the Lord did much deaden my spirit for I found it vvas the practice of Jesus Christ sometime to be in the vvilderness sometime in the mountain all night in prayer alone and sometimes alone in the gardin and I find prayer in secret much acceptâ—d vvith God according to that vvord Pray to thy â—ather in secret and he will reward thee opeâ—ly Math. 6 6. indeed so full of sorrovv vvas I that I uttered no vvords but sigâ—d and groaned to the Lord. Then this came in Vpon the 〈◊〉 thou shalt live 〈…〉 of â—oâ—e I will the 〈◊〉 〈…〉 be made all times to see 〈…〉 flowes in mee Then did I groaâ—e before the Lord that he vvould give in some promise the Lord cast in this that the grace or prayer vvas before the guist of prayer and that this vvas the grace of prayer to give up our selves in faith to the guidance of the spirit and so by â—aith to have communion vvith the Father and the Son in the Spirit for Christ tâ—ld the Woman John 4 v. 21 22 23. Neither in thus mountain noâ— in Ierusalem shaâ—l mâ—n worship the Father but the â—our is coming a now us when the true worshippâ—rs shall worship the Father in Spirit and iâ— truth sor the â—ather sâ—â—keth such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth This Woman then could say that Christ vvould teach all things vvhy should not vve look for the teachings of the Spirit novv seeing Christ hath not onely been vvith us in the flesh God and man but had also promised us the pourings out of the Spirit to teach us all things and to bring all things to our remembrance Then further I vvas mourning that I could not injoy the ordinances of God â—n their purity and the Lord shevved mee that I must offer up my 〈◊〉 And vvhen Abraham vvent to do that he left his servants belovv the hill and consulteâ— not vvith flesh and blood Also aftervvard I had such vvonderful experience of communion vvith God through the Spirit as I am not able to utter it I avvaking another night vvas greatly complaining that the flesh did so 〈◊〉 in the Spirits vvork that vvhen I vvorld do good evil is present â—â—en did the spirit put me upon uttering many heavenly complaints in a vvay of singing and after that vvith the help of the Spirit to pray vvith much enlargâ—dness And aâ—ter that there vvas by the same spirit vvith very much povver this vvord Be silent before mee all flesh Oh! and then follovved the vvonderful speakings of God by his blessed Spirit to my poor soul vvhich I cannot utter as to the manner of them bâ—t the nature of them vvas exceeding comforting to my self and also filled 〈◊〉 vvith great hopes to all the people of God
given mee a tast of the riches of his pardonning love and grace in Christ Jesus I was also carried out to pitty others and begge that God would let them also tast of the same and a particular person was set upon my heart to begge of God for and in a short time the Lord was pleased to answer my desire in working a work of grace in that soul Then I was called by providence to remove into a dark family where I had lived some time beofore and I then finding much opposition against mee was not willing to go thither again but set my self to pray not that I might be willing to submit to the will of God but that I might not remove into that family though had I then understood it my call was clear enough being earnestly desired there unto by my husband and invited by the family who now professed they could not be without mee though when I was there before they did not affect mee well being lofty and could not bear such admonitions that sometime letting fall among them but upon the importunity of my husband and this family I then at length set my self to seek the Lord that my heart might be made to submit to his will what ever it were and that if I did go I might some way or other be useful to him in that place Now that which made mee so unwilling to go unto that family was because of the opposition that I had met with before in the wayes of God and then a want of the means both of preaching the word and fellowship with the Saints But upon my earnest seeking to know the mind of God and to be brought to submit unto it my heart was soon made willing to go which accordingly I did and I had not been long there before it pleased the Lord to worke upon one of the family to my great comfort and refreshing who was one that I looked upon as unlike as any in the family Also the Lord was pleased by death to take away a child from mee which was to my casting down and for some time I was under a cloud and questioned whither I were a child of God and whither my child were saved In that time a good man laboured to comfort mee telling mee before the Lord gave mee a son he gave mee his own son Oh said I that I could see that why said hee if you will see that take head of a cursting law a slandring devil and an accusing conscience all which the Lord hath delivered you from and therefore now wait upon the Lord I am confident the Lord will appear in this thing And the Lord was pleased after seeking of him to set it upon my heart that that child was well with him and that he had such another mercy for mee on earth which he gave mee faith in notwithstanding great oppositions against at that present yet after some half a years waiting upon the Lord I was assured of it A fit of desertion After this the God of comfort was pleased to withdraw and leave mee in a deserted condition which I found to be very sad and I was very much perplexed in my spirit but could not speak of it unto any But going to hear a Sermon the Minister was upon that Text Lord forsake mee not utterly that is to say not overlong least the spirit should fail before thee hee then shewed what desertion was and why God doth sometime seem to leave his own people Because said he throug some pride they thougt they could walk alone and so neglected their watch then God hide his face that they might see their own insufficiency and know that all their peace strength and comfort is in and from him And this through mercy was a great help unto mee at that time Further while I was under that ministry God was pleased to convince mee of the falsness of their Worship which in that place then was used and having an opportunity to go with others to the communion as they call it I could not kneell as the rest did but sat down as if I had kneeled and as I there sat it came upon my heart to think thus as if it had been spoken to mee why dissemblest thou a worship before the Lord hee that commands thee to kneel there may as well command thee to kneel at an Altar although at that time there was nothing known of setting up of Altars which thing I made known to that Minister and did warn him that if Altars should be set up that he would not for filthy lucre sake kneell at them himself nor compel others so to do But he told mee he could not believe any such thing should be but if it should bee so he promised mee he would not conform to them But in a short time after he found il too true for Altarts were reared up and he poor man contrary to his promise did comform himself in that thing and compelled others so to do but the first time he did so it pleased the Lord to smite him with a sore languishing disease that he went out no more Soon after I was at the Christenig of a child as they call it at which time God was pleased to convince mee of the evil and falseness of that piece of Worship also Then was there in the nation a publique fast proclamed and by mans invention there was a form of prayer made and appointed to bo read in every assembly that fast-day this was a third conviction that I had about their formal outside way of worship I had then an opportunity to come into one of those assemblies that fast-day while that prayer was reading at which present this thought came strongly upon mee Is this a worship in spirit and truth which thy soul when it is upon the wing with God cannot joyn with all for I could not joyn with the words then read in that formost prayer Upon which I even melted in my spirit and fell into shedding of tears resolving to seperate from and come no more to joyn in such a way of worship until I had very diligently searched into the true way of Gods worship as it is written in his blessed word and in order there unto I made use of all the best books I could get that were then published to that purpose and also called in the help of many Godly Ministers of several judgment but when all this was done I was still unsatisfied in that behalf And then did I cry unto the Lord to teach mee and it was by the Lord set upon my heart that I must not do any thing in the way of his worship but what I had ground for in his holy word that Gods Servants were alwayes to observe his pattern in all that they do to him and that Scripture was much set upon my heart Rev. 22. vers 18 19. For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophesy of this
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