on to their own destruction But wo and alass where are these holy Zeaâ—ots now in our age that lies prostrating themselves before the LORD â—ight and day And though they see the Sword of the LORD drawn over these Nations as David and the Elders of Israel 1 Chron. 21.16 17. which were cloathed in Sackcloth falling upon their Faces crying out most bitterly before the LORD with rended hearts saying Is it not I â—hat have sinned and have committed Evil in thy Sight Is it not I That have loved Covetousness which is Idolatry Is it not I that have gone a whoring from thee after my Lusts and Pleasures my Silver and Gold Pride and Profits of a perishing World so long till I have provoked the Eyes of thy Glory to say as thou didst to Israel of old For â—hree Transgressions and for four I will not pass by the Iniquities thereof And now Oh LORD GOD let thy hand be upon me and my Fathers House to bring me to a true and unfeigned Repentance offering unto Thee Body Soul and Spirit a Sacrifice of Righteousness to love and serve Thee all the days of my appointed time until my Change com And thus in judging and condemning your selves and bearing the Indignation of the LORD the Altar is set up in the Threshing-Floor of Orman the Jebusite where true Penitents sacrifice their Lusts vile Affections and their own wills ways and works this is the Valley of Jehosha â—hat where Mohab shall be threshed to pieces Isa 5.10 as Straw is thrashed in Madmenah therefore saith GOD Let the Heathen be awakened and â—ome up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat for there will I sit to Judge all the Heaâ—hen round about Therefore Oh Multitude Multitude come into the Valley of Threshing for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of Threshing here will God plead with all Flesh here will he Judge between the Precious and the Vile and when you have born the indignation of the LORD for Sin and Iniquity so long till Judgment turns to Victory then will he arise and plead your Cause The word Jehoshaphat signifies Pleading or Judgment and that which is call'd the valley of Jehoshaphat was before called the valley of Berachah 2 Chron. 20.26 which signifies Blessing or Thanksgiving and from hence proceeds the true and acceptable Praise from the valley of Judgment where GOD destroys the Iniquity and so it comes to pass that whatsoever is done in the History must be done again in the Mystery therefore whosoever will have Life and Salvation must come into the Valley of Judgment â—udge your selves hate and abhor your selves believe your selves from the bottom of your Souls to be the vilest and unworthiest of all the Creatures of GOD in respect to your disobedience and rebellion against Him and his Holy Laws and this must be your Work in the best state you have yet attained to yea if you were come to such a Statâ— as Paul was come to when he said 1 Cor. 4.4 Though I know noâ— thing by my self yet herein am I not justified but he that justifies me is thâ— LORD Therefore how much more ought it to be the daily and hourlâ— work of those that call themselves Christians of this Generation whâ— are so loaded with Sin that the Spirit of God both within and withouâ— them is oppressed as a Cart is oppressed under the Sheaves but lest any should think I mean a bare Historical Judging or Pharasaical crying out LORD have Mercy upon us miserable Sinners Here you may cry out long and loud as Jezebels Prophets did and never be heard or answered no no I mean a going down into the valley of Judgment the valley of Jehoshaphat where God himself will sit to Judge the Heathen that knows not him nor his Righteous Judgments and yet are crying out LORD have Mercy upon them miserable Sinners who never knew this River of Jordanâ— 2 Kings 5.14 or Judgment to cleanse them of their Leprosie their going down into the deep where they behold his Wonders this valley of Tears where Luke 10.39 Mary sate to hear the precious words that came from his gracious Lips which are not to be heard but by leaving all the hurryings and turmoiling Incumbrances of a perishing World to sit attentively at his Feet seeking loving admiring nothing but Him no not its own life but for his sake that it may serve him therewith and this was the pleasure and treasure of all the regenerated Christians that were born again both under the Law and Gospel and this way in which they attain'd this Resurrection and holy life was through Judgmentâ— I will saith David sing of Mercy and Judgment to thee Oh my Strength will I sing Blessed are they that keep Judgment and do Righteousness at all times I will praise thee with an upright heart When I have learned thy Righteous Judgment my Flesh trembleth for fear of Thee and I am afraid of Thy Judgments The Fear of the LORD is clean saith he and endures for everâ— The Judgments of the LORD are Truth and Righteous altogether more to be desired than Gold yea than much fine Gold sweeter than the Honey and the Honey-Comb Moreover by them is thy Servant warned or made Circumspect and in keeping of them there is great Reward And in the Law Exod. 28.13 the Vrim and the Thummim which signifies light and perfection or Knowledge and Holiness GOD commanded iâ— to be put into the Breast-plate of Judgment which was to be upon Aaron's Heart continually when he went in before the LORD And now Christ our Pattern and High-Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisadeck fulfilled that Heavenly Institution in his Earthly Body who bore the Judgment of GOD upon his Heart in his suffering life which he hath in his merciful loving Kindness as it were left us a legaâ—y or Portion to be like unto him in all things to fill up that which is â—ehind of his Sufferings in our Flesh for it is not only given us to beâ—ieve but to suffer for his sake but I would not have you mistaken I do not confine all true Christians to those external Sufferings of Christ as Mockings Scourgings and nailing to the Cross for it may be some may not be called to suffer on that wise but the Sufferings I now treat of are the Internal sufferings of the Soul which the Apostle Paul spake of when he said I bear in my Body the Dyings of the LORD JESVS and said our Blessed Saviour If ye suffer with me ye shall Reign with me mark that with Him That is a Heart-breaking Suffering an inward Suffering to be grieved in the very bottom of your Souls if you do the â—east thing that grieves the Spirit of GOD in you keeping so intent to your Watch that you may see the Tempter before he comes and then your Weapons are to be the Sword of GODs Spirit your Prayers and Supplications with strong Cries even as a Woman in â—raâ—ail to the
Innocents in Thee is found the Cries of the Poor for Justice thou hast wrong'd the VVidow and Fatherless and robbed them of their Right thou hatest him that reproves Sin in the Gate and abhors any that speaketh uprightly thou hast crucified the Lord of Life afresh and in Thee He is put to an open Shame by Professors and Prophane by Thy lewd Abominations which Thou secretly and open I without Shame before the Eyes of His Glory doth commit daily eveâ— one glorying in their Abominations The Prophane without Shamâ— glories in their Swearing Damning Drunkenness VVhoring Lascâ—â—vious Talking counting him the best Man that is most strong and acuâ—â— to do all these Abominations And on the other hand the Professors of Religion there 's so much 〈◊〉 be said that Time would fail to rehearse Their Pride Excess in Apparel following in all things the Fashions and Customs of the Heather striving to exceed one another in all manner of Rich and costly Atirâ— and Fantastical Dresses some of them pleading without Shame for then others that are ashamed which are but few say they should be red â—culous and not like other People Surely this is as shameless as thâ— other For if Christ His Prophets and Apostles had done as you say anâ— do where had been their Testimony among the Multitude against thâ— unfruitful works of Darkness which they were to have no fellowshiâ— withal but commanded to reprove them And where is the Cross 〈◊〉 Christ you are to take up and your Self-denying Life you are to folloâ— Christ your Pattern in But your self-ended covering Oh ye Professoâ— will be too short in the Day of account which is swiftly coming tâ— make you bring forth your Talent which you slothfully and maliciously have hid in the Earth and then receive your Portion among the Hipoâ—crites The next to your Habit is your Houses which are deck'd with all manner of Curiosity Richness and Delicacy as your sinful Persons are You great spacious Lordly Houses furnished with all manner of costly ricâ— and sumptuous Furniture which would be too tedious and fill up mucâ— Paper to insist upon but your voluptuous Feeding and excessive Feasâ— ing one another in so much that you run out great Estates both 〈◊〉 your own and other Men's but in your own Families that is amonâ— your â—ervants many of you are very pinching and sparing and to thâ— Poor little or nothing but what you are compell'd to in your Pariâ— Duties and your poor Neighbours many hundreds in City and Courâ— try sits in their Houses with hungry Bellies both of Weavers anâ— others that knows not which way to shift for Bread for their Children some eating Bread sparingly and drink Water Others getting Gardâ— stuff as Cabbage and such like for their Children to feed on whilâ— you feed Dives like lying at your Ease stretching your selves upoâ— â—…ur rich Sattin Beds and Couches wallowing in all your sinful Pleaâ—…es not knowing what to Eat Drink or put on for Richness and â—…inties and others of you Hoards up Treasure as Sand and are nâ—â—… satisfied compassing Sea and Land to get Riches adding House to â—ouse and Land to Land and all for Portions for our Children say â—…ey and thus the Fathers eat sowre Grapes and the Childrens Teeth 〈◊〉 set an edge Thus the Parents makes the Children to fould more â—…e Children of Hell than themselves by giving them that that proves â—…ares to fulfil their Lusts in Pride and Avarice and so your Childrens â—…od must lie at your doors But sometimes it falls out that neither 〈◊〉 nor your Children are Possessors of what you have pawn'd your Souls 〈◊〉 made your Bodies and Minds Drudges and Slaves to the unrighâ—…ous Mammon for on a sudden the Hand of the LORD sweeps it all â—…ay This I have seen in my time and just is the LORD to take â—…ay your Idols your Gods of Silver and Gold and then your Honours â—…st fall in the Dust But what think you that calls your selves Christiâ—…s Was this the End of your Creation Did God create you for this â—…d to serve your Lusts And you that pretends to be called out of the â—orld that is to separate your selves from the Church of England â—hat think you Is this the End of your Calling to bury your selves 〈◊〉 the Earth to run a whoring from the LORD after your Idols â—…ur Gods of Silver and Gold your Earthly Minds Are not you of the â—…rth Earthly Was this the End of your Calling to take up your Rest 〈◊〉 great Houses great Trades great Gain That you may consume it upâ—… your Lust your Pride fashioning your selves after the Modes of â—…e Heathen some in Rich and Gorgious Atire others in plainer but â—…ch and costly and both you strive to exceed one another in Princely â—ouses stately Furniture your Brass and Irons must glitter in your â—…es like the furbished Gold and Silver your Cabinets shines that if â—…u wanted Looking-Glasses you might view your Pride in them the â—oards of your Rooms so exceeding white or shining brown that a clean â—â—…ind knows not how to tread on them Now you that are Dissenters â—…om the Church of all Sorts and Sects from the Presbiter to the Indeâ—endant from the Independant to the Baptist from the Baptist to the â—uaker View your selves here and see how far you differ from the â—hurch of England in the Practical Part and because you are all one in â—…ur Lives and Conversations therefore you must have your Portions 〈◊〉 gether For what though you are all crying low here and low there â—…e saith in this Form and another saith in that Form GOD is to be â—…orshipped in and they that will not sit down with you in your Forms you persecute them so far as your Power goes to Death if possiâ— with your Tongues where the Poyson of Asps are under and sharp than a two edged Sword to slay the Innocent All be it the LORâ— hath said The Innocent and Righteous thou shalt not slay and those that aâ— not what you would have them to be to my knowledge some 〈◊〉 you will not suffer them to buy nor sell And is not this the maâ— of the Beast But wherein do you differ from the Church of England Except that formerly they were more liberal to the Poor than yâ—â— in building Alms-houses and allowing a constant maintenance fâ— them which indeed hath been much more formerly than now for 〈◊〉 is with them as it is with you because Iniquity doth abound therefore the love of many grow cold But you Covetous Earthly mindeâ— Professors of all sorts your niggardly pinching the Poor your givinâ— five ten twenty or Forty Shillings nay five ten twenty Poundsâ— though who is so liberal will not excuse you that have Hundreds anâ— Thousands and many Thousands lying by a year will not excuse you beforâ— the LORD of the whole Earth when His Majesty calls you to an account what you have done with his Treasure he committed to youâ—
THE VVidow VVhiterows HUMBLE THANKSGIVING FOR THE KINGS SAFE RETURN With an Account of John Hall's Vision upon the first day of the Eleventh Month 1692 3. And also a Letter to a Friend concerning John Hall's Message with a Letter from Jamaica concerning the Earthquake that happen'd there a Warning to the Inhabitants of the Earth to fear GOD and give Glory to Him for the hour of His Judgments are come Say unto the KING and to the QVEEN humble your Selves sit down Jeremiah 13.18 The People of Neniveh believed GOD and proclaimed a Fast and put on Sackcloth from the greatest of them to the least of them For word came unto the King of Nineveh and he rose from his Throne and he laid his Robe from him and covered him with Sackcloth and sate in Ashes Jonah 3.5 6. Licensed D. P. April 18. London Printed by D. Edwards in Nevel 's Alley in Fetter-lane for J. B. 1694 THE Widow Whiterows HUMBLE THANKSGIVING FOR THE KING'S Safe RETURN ONCE more I am highly honoured with Mercy and Truth to return Thanks to the Most High for the Kings safe Return Oh what shall I say to the LORD for all his Mercies and boundless Favours for I am as one astonish'd at his Goodness How wonderful are his Works and his Ways past finding out therefore who shall not admire Thee Thou King of Righteousness who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth in thy Hands to bind the Kings of the Earth in Chains and their Nobles with fetters of Iron who rulest in the Heavens and makes bare the Arm of thy Glorious Power in the Earth to dash the Nations asunder and break in pieces the Potsherds of the Earth as a Potter's Vessel Oh Great LORD glorious in Power fearful in Praises doing wonders Thou LORD Jehovah art come and thy Power goes before Thee that shall rend the Rocks and cleave the Mountains in sunder The Everlasting GOD is come to throw down Mountains and Hills and to exalt the low Valleys he 'll awaken the Earth by his thundring Power and the sleepy Inhabitant thereof by his loud sounding Judgments For this know Oh King There 's neither Strength nor Policy shall stand Against what GOD's a bringing on this Land The Youth shall howl the Aged shall weep sore Yet there 's glad tidings for the Meek and Poor The Poor in Spirit I mean Matth. 5.3 who are Heirs of the Kingdom of Glory whom GOD will hide in the hollow of his Hand whilst his fierce Indignation passes over the Rebellious wherefore Oh that my Counsel might be acceptable to the King and that his ways might so please the LORD as that his days may be prolonged in this Land which the LORD for a time hath given him to do the will of GOD in all things with all his Might and with all his Strength that these heavy Judgments which the LORD hath pronounced may not be executed in the King's days For thus said the LORD to me in my deep humiliation before him viz. My Controversie is not with Man or Woman farther than they are found in the Transgression take away the Transgression and where 's my Controversie Is it so O Righteous LORD that thy Controversie is not with Man or VVoman farther than they are found in the transgression of thy Righteous Law and pure Commandments Oh then for thy Mercy sake and the advancement of thy Glorious Power and the praise of thy ever Blessed Name in these Nations and throughout all the Earth turn the King and Queens Hearts with all their Powers and Strengths to Thee as the Riveâ—s of VVaters are turned that with a powerful force of Thy Love and ardent Affection to thy Glory they may joyn unanimously together in Heart and Soul to humble themselves in the dust before Thee the Almighty GOD repenting with Niniveh's Repentance Jonah 3.7 8. For no less Repentance will put a stop to the hot and fiery Indignation of the LORD which is kindled against this Land but to turn every one from his Evil Way and from the wickedness that is in their hands therefore Oh noble Prince anâ— Princess for the LORD's sake who is the King of Eternal Glory the GOD of the Spirits of all Flesh the Everlasting Counsellor the Prince 〈◊〉 Peace the GOD that made the Heavens and Earth the Sea and all thaâ— therein is who hath delivered the King from all his Enemies and gavâ— him his Life for a Prey and for the LORD JESUS CHRIST's sake his Sufâ— fering Life and Bloody Passion who was nail'd to the Cross and gave uâ— his Life there for all Mankind and rose again for the Salvation and Redemption of the Faithful I pray again and again for His sake whâ— hath been with the King in six troubles and in the seventh by his outâ— stretch'd Arm hath deliver'd him Oh for His sake come down from your Thrones and humble your selves in the dust by Fastings and Prayers and deep Humiliation crying mightily to GOD the Father of all your Mercies that He would be with you in Counsel and direct your way in truth before Him to do His most acceptable will in all things that in his infinite compassions for his great and terrible name sake shew you what to do and which way to take for the suppressing and total destruction of this boundless flood of Ungodliness that overflows these Nations And dearest Prince and Princess I humbly beg and beseech you for the LORD and his Glory sake and for your own Lives and Liberty sake be not negligent in this great VVork prostrating your selves night and day before the Throne of his Grace crying mightily to him for his assisting Power Heavenly VVisdom and Holy Zeal which his Valiants had of Old Phinehas Numbers 25 7 8 11. Jehoshaphat Hezakiah and Josias these were clad with Zeal as with a Garment these were the Valiants of Israel that knew how to handle weapons of VVar being girt with the Sword of the Spirit and Helmet of Salvation Phinehas was honourable who by his holy Zeal stop'd the Plague from the Children of Israel then said the LORD unto Moses Phinehas the Son of Eleazar hath turned mine Anger away from the Children of Israel while he was zealous for my sake among them therefore I have not consumed the Children of Israel in my Jclousie wherefore say unto him Behold I give unto him my Covenant of Peace and he shall have it and his Seed after him for Ever because he was zealous for his God and hath made him an attonement for the Children of Israel Oh what an influence had this upon the LORD and how this act of Holy Zeal pleas'd his Divine Majesty here we may see the difference between a holy Zeal for GOD and his Glory and a blind Zeal that hath any Interest in it to Self-honour either in Name or Fame or any other thing of this perishing VVorld The first hath power to prevail with GOD to stop the Judgment the latter suffers it to go
Faâ—her of Power to give you his Heavenly Strength so to make War with â—he Enemy of your Souls as to overcome all his temptations to fight manfully and couragiously with your selves with your own desires affections self-love any corrupted Reason and your own Wills These are the potent Enemies of Christ that keeps him from his Right to Reign in your Souls here you are to help the LORD against the mighâ—y which is Sin Flesh and the Devil which you are to engage War withal old Adam the Dragon and Lucifer which you are to adventure your Lives Liberties and Estates to overcome and they that looses their lives here shall find them and they that holds out to the End here shall be Saved and they that forsakes these shall receive a thousand fold â—oth in this Life and that which is to come These are the sufferings you are to join with Christ in here you must be equal workers together with him mark that not without him for without him we can do nothing poor miserable nothings from the Greatest to the Least but â—f we wait upon him in the contempt of our selves in self-abhorrence â—oor Impotent Creatures waiting at the Pool of Bethesda John 5.45 6 7 8. for the Angels moving the Waters here 's the place where Jeâ—us comes with his Mercy and healing Power and Vertue which makes â—he Lame leap as an Hart the Blind to see the Deaf to hear the Dumb â—o speak the Dead to live and heals all your putrified Sores but have 〈◊〉 care your Eve is not to Man for help you must not seek to the Creaâ—ures for that was Asa King of Juda's Sin who rested on the King of Aram and not on the LORD therefore said the Prophet Hanani to King Asa The Host of Aram is escaped out of thy Hand and when he was afflicted with an extream Disease in his Feet he sought to the Physicians and not to the LORD and so died 2 Chron. 16. and not to the LORD to take away the Sin which was the cause of God's afflicting hand upon him yet a King that did many noble acts to pull down Idolatry and made a Covenant to seek the LORD with his whole Heart and Soul and made a Law that whosoever would not seek the LORD GOD of Israel should be Slain whether small or great Man or Woman yet in this thing he greatly transgressed himself See what a dangerous thing it is to rely upon Man for help either for Soul or Body either in spiritual or temporal Affairs 't is no less than a dis regarding the LORD and believing his Omnipotency to be insufficient and how this can be answered let the wise in Heart judge but the remedy for this raging pestilential Disease is the foregoing Instructions to be emptied of our selves to be made nothing to forsake our own Wills these are Sufferings indeed all other outward Sufferings of what sort soever are but shadows to these though you give up your Bodies to be burnt that doth but reach the Flesh but these reach the Soul those takes away the Life but these the Sin for example How many hundreds or thousands suffers outwardly variety of ways as Poverty Sickness and Death c. and as wicked as ever but the internal Sufferings reaches the Heart and changes it from evil to good Therefore these are the Sufferings that brings Christ to reign in the Soul here whilst it is in the Body in the Life and then hereafter for ever wherefore here we are to imitate Christ our Pattern in his Suffering Life Phil. 2.6 7 8. Let this Mind be in you said the Apostle which was in Christ Jesus who being in the form of GOD thought it no Robbery to be equal with GOD yet made himself of no Reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of Men and being found in fashion as a Man he humbled himself and became obedient unto Death even the death of the Cross Here 's our Pattern he that was LORD of all became least of all although he was GOD equal with the Father yet he emptied himself of all his Glory and humbled himself to an Ignominious Death which signifies a death to all your Honours and Glories you must empty your selves not only of all Sin and Iniquity as Pride Arrogancy Deceit Malice Hatred Covetousness and the like but of all your best Endowments excellencies of Graces Parts and Wisdom your good Works that are really good in themselves works of Mercy to your Neighbours and fellow-Creatures or whatsoever Excellency doth atttend a Heavenly Life that thou thinkest thou oughtest to think well of it or thy self for doing it away with those Thoughts hate and abhor such Thoughts thou oughtest to run away from them Thoughts as Christ did from the Jews when they would have made Him King For what hast thou done that was not commanded thee therefore the good that thou dost is none of thine thou hast nothing thou art nothing nothing is thine but Sin thou never didst a good action nor never thought a good thought shall I therefore ascribe to my self the glory of doing any good to rob GOD of his Honour GOD forbid all good is GOD's but Sin Evil and Wickedness is thine therefore down proud Worm down Dust and Ashes down with your Crowns before the Lamb and Him that sits upon the Throne and confess and ascribe in the deepest humility and profoundest adoration from the bottom of your Souls all Praise Power Might and Dominion Honour and Glory to the LORD GOD Omnipotent from Everlasting to Everlasting Amen Wherefore if you will find GOD it must be by lesning your selves making self of no Reputation by emptying your selves of all your Glories and Excellencies whether external or internal and take nothing to your selves but shame and confusion of Face Dan. 9. and that in a broken and contrite Heart judging and condemning your selves to be unworthy of the least of all his Goodness and this is the Breast-plate of Judgment that must be upon Aaron's Heart continually before the LORD then you learn of Christ who emptied and humbled himself in all things to be tempted as we are yet without Sin and thus Man comes to be restored to GOD out of the Fall for as in Adam all died so in Christ all are made alive to Righteousness and true Holiness If we put him on as t is written Put ye on the LORD Jesus and make no provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lust thereof This is that that recovers Mankind out of the Fall to put on His Righteousness His Humility to put on His Obedience to the Father His Self-denial His Justice His Mercy and to be cloathed with all His Heavenly Vertues This is better than an adherent or an imputed Righteousness which without this we are never the better for but here we eat His Flesh and drink His Blood that nourishes and gives life to our Souls and causes us to
GOD the substance of all Goodness which this excellent spirited Man bears Record to who if we may believe the ancient Writers this Holy Man lived some hundreds of Years before Moses's time as is made out in the Epistle to the Reader the description of this great Treasure is said to be found engravened upon a Smaragdine Table in the Valley Ebron after the Flood If GOD ever appeared in any Man saith the Epistle to the Reader he appeared in him that a Man who had not benefit of his Ancâ—â—ors knowledge being the first Inventer of the Art of communicating knowledge to Posterity by Writing or Engraving should be so deep a Philosopher and high a Divine seems to be a thing more of GOD than of Men therefore it was the opinion of some that he came from Heaven not born upon Earth The Original saith the Epistle so far as is known to us is Arabec and several Translations thereof have been published as Greek Latin French and Dutch but never English before by the famous Doctor Everard so far the Epistle to the Reader Behold how the LORD visited the Children of Men before the Flood and by this blessed Man's Writing how the Spirit of God wrestled and strove sending his Messengers as it were from Heaven to reform and reclaim them from their evil ways but they grieved his holy Spirit and scorned his Messengers till they had provoked him to say Gen. 6.3.12 My Spirit shall not always strive with Man but the Breath shall cease from before me which I have made And then their destruction came as a Whirl-wind And hath it not been the same in all Ages But now the beginning hath near found an end of all 〈◊〉 for the Day of the LORD is come wherein he will do his Wonders of Old and the Mighty GOD is risen in the Power of his Might to plead with all Flesh and to destroy those from off the Earth that will not be gathered to him in this the day of his Patience and long Suffering and for this end hath he sent Messenger upon Messenger Embassador after Embassador to declare His Mind and Will and not only so but his Judgments are now begun in the Earth yet the Inhabitants thereof doth not learn Righteousness therefore the destroying Angel hath received his Commission and of this you have been often warned I am a witness for the LORD he is clear of your Blood Also a few Months ago by a Servant of the LORD's who came two hundred Miles to deliver this Message and the thing is come and coming to pass which he Prophesied of therefore Oh King and Queen for the LORD's sake and for His endless mercy sake Take the Censer Numb 16.46 and put Fire of the Altar and Incense therein and hasten with all your Might to make an Attonement for the People for there is Wrath gone out from the LORD the Plague is begun both in City and Country I am a Witness of what my Eyes have seen and Ears heard therefore Oh let not the King who is the Magistrate of the Highest bear the Sword of the LORD in vain but let him be Valiant for the Truth upon Earth and take the courage of Joshua the zeal of Phinehas and the humility of Jehoshaphat to go forth in the Strength of the LORD to make War with the Enemies of GOD that keeps his Divine Majesty from His Right to rule in the Souls of the Children of Men and this shall be your present and future Happiness to stop the prophane and boundless flood of Ungodliness that overflows these Kingdoms of the King and Queens Dominions together with that accursed Idolatrous thing Covetousness Hatred Malice Deceit Double-dealing Lying Slandring Cheating Treachery betraying Trusts and Innocence into the hands of Murderers besides all the Sins of Sodom and Jerusalem when it was destroyed these things brought the Wrath and Vengeance of GOD upon them and these Sins cries aloud yea louder and louder in the Ears of the LORD GOD for Plagues Woes and Vengeance upon this Land and good reason for it For you have I known saith the LORD above all the Families of the Earth therefore will I punish you you have I loaded with my Mercies and Benefits you have I opened the Windows of Heaven to and showred down Blessings upon that there hath not been room enough to receive them you have I brought to a Land that flows with Milk and Honey and yet this hath been a small thing with me saith the LORD But I have given you the Gifts and Graces of my Holy Spirit by which you have been made rich with the Knowledge of my Will but you have deck'd your selves with my Jewels Ezek. 16. and bestowed my Gifts upon your Lovers and gone a whoring from me saith the LORD after your own Inventions therefore thus saith the LORD Because you have rewarded me Evils for all my Goodness therfore will I visit you and take away my Corn my Oil my Wine my Milk and my Honey because you would not serve me in the injoyments of all these Mercies you shall serve your Enemies in the want of all these except you speedily repent O England England What lamentable Lamentation shall I take up for Thee if ever there was a Day to call for the Mourning Women Now it 's come therefore you that are well skill'd in Mourning Jeremiah 9.17 20. Come away and do not stay let nothing hinder you to join with me in this Work with rended Hearts and bowed down Souls teach your Daughters to mourn and every one your Neighbour to lament that our Eyes cast out Teers and Eye-lids gush out VVater let us cloath our selves in Sackcloth and roul our selves in the Dust in Fasting and Prayers night and day crying vehemently and incessantly to the Lord that we may be ready to enter into the Ark before the Flood comes to drown all Earthly Habitations with their Foundations For all Flesh hath corrupted its way therefore the End of all flesh is come up before the Lord and by Fire and Sword will God plead with all Flesh and the Carkesses of men shall be as Dung upon the face of the Earth They shall die of Sickness and Diseases I will spend mine Arrows on them and my Sword shall devour yea Flesh of Kings Captives and Potentates of the Earth Thus will the Maker of all Things ease Himself of His Enemies and avenge Him of His Adversaries for because His Mercy and long Suffering will not humble Sinners his Righteous Judgements will Therefore Oh England England Repent repent repent otherwise what lamentation shall be taken up for thee Oh that my Head were full of water and my Eyes a Fountain of Teers that I might weep day and night for the Destruction that comes as a VVhirlwind upon Thee O Land where the Sins of Sodom are found where the â—ins of Jerusalem are found where the Sins of Jamaica and Cicilia are found In Thee Oh Land is found the Blood of
Hard heartedness Covetous Earthly mindedness and altogether and do you think to escape the righteous Judgments of God that knows all these things and yet live in the same Sins to provoke the Eyes of his Glory No you shall surely drink of the same Cap except you speedily repent the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and your outward Services your outside Profession of God and Godliness your Religious Duties your Holy Orders From the Throne to the Dunghill in Profession out of the Life of Jesus shall not be able to deliver you from the Plagues and Judgments that is to come and coming speedily upon this Land without a sincere Repentence for the Earth groans to be deliver'd of such Hipocrites such useless Branches that brings forth no Fruit neither to God nor Man But again to the former Christ said Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy Soul with all thy Strength withall thy Might and thy Neighbour as thy self for upon these two hang the Law and the Prophets So then here is the very stint of Religion now how far this goes must be examined into And God said Thou shalt have no other Gods but me now if it had not been for this Command the Flesh might have said These are thy Gods Oh Israel that brought thee out of Egypt thy Silver Gold and precious Stones hath wrought all thy wonderful and unheard-of Deliverances for you know they made a Calf of their Treasures and danc'd about it whilst Moses was with God in the Mount receiving a Law against all such Abominations And now the Lord of the whole Earth is come again to search out the Iniquity of our Times and are not you found in the same Steps of your Fore-fathers serving your Gods of Silver and Gold and all worshiping the Works of our own hands admiring your selves ways and works Adoring them as Gods although the LORD hath commanded saying Thou shalt have no other Gods but me So here is the Breach of this Command and also of the other two for Christ said we cannot serve GOD and Mamon therefore if you give your Love to any of these GOD cannot have All Then how much less hath he when all your hearts all your Souls all your Strengths all your Mights all your Loves and Delights is given up to serve your Idols of Silver and Gold your Pride Self-Interrsts Glories and Honours these have your Hearts these have your Loves and Delights and whilst these your perishing Gods have all the Everlasting GOD your Creator and Maker must have none And thus you 〈◊〉 God of his Right and turns his Glory into shame and again Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Pray consider how far this Command extends for Christ brings it into an equal Competition do you suffer your selves to want any Food or Raiment or other Necessaries that is fitting for your outward Body to serve its Necessities the same care you should take for your Neighbour that their Bodies and Minds might be the fitter to serve their Maker with all humble Thanks-giving and Christ said Whatsoever ye would that Men should do unto you do ye that unto them I humbly gave the Queen in writing how the aforesaid might be accomplish'd but if your are wanting in this your Duty to your Neighbour how will you perform the weighty Matters of the Law for this is as it were but the External Service the outside Duty of Christianity yet no Christians nor no Exceptance with Christ without it which Christ calls the Unrighteous Mamon Wherein saith he if you are unfaithful who shall commit to you the true Riches so that when you have performed all the Will of God in this point and made your Neighbour equal so far as I have treated of Nay if you shall give all your Goods to the Poor as some have done that have not had that knowledge of God that you have which shames you and will be a swift Witness against you in the Day of Account yet hear as I said before you must not rest for this is but one part of your Duty of Christianity the neglect of which hath been the cause of so many Thieves and Robbers in the Land This is the outward Service that is not to be left undone But there is further Service an inward Service wherein you must give your selves all up to GOD for him to work in you all his good pleasure whereby he may transform thee into himself to be made like unto him in all things But for the carrying on of this Great Work thou must wait upon GOD in silence in the silence of all flesh and suffer him to speak pray work and do all in thee for hear the LORD will disrobe thee of all thy Gifts and Parts and strip thee stark naked as ever thou was born For naked thou cam'st into the World and naked must thou return Stript not only of thy filthy Garments spotted by the Flesh but all the Riches of thy Spirit before thou art clothed with change of Raiment the rich Robes of Eternal Life for it is the poor in Spirit that receives the Kingdom Hear the Soul stands naked having nothing of its own neither Words nor Works to present it self before the LORD nothing but its Poverty its Nothingness its Insufficiency bringing all its little Ones before the Eyes of his Glory to move His Excellency to cast His Eye of Mercy and tender Compassion and spread the Skirt of His Eternal Love over it Here 's the place where GOD will work Wonders hear he will arise in the Power of His Might and make bare His Glorious Arm for the Soul's deliverance Hear the highest makes a Covenant with His Jehoshuas His chosen Ones saying If you will walk in my ways and keep my watch then thou shalt Judge mine House and shalt also keep my Courts and I will give thee a place among them that stand Zacharia chap. 3. Here 's the Reward of all your Travels of all your Warfare of all Wrestlings of all your Holy Violence to take the Kingdom of Heaven by force Here 's the Reward of self-denial and self-abhorrence for the Soul that would be united to Christ must be conformable to Him following him in the ways of His internal Sufferings that purifies the Soul from the pollutions both of Flesh and Spirit and hear it arrives at the Mystical silence where he speaks to it alone in the most secret and hidden parts of the Heart where He teaches it the most perfect and exhalted Wisdom therefore thou art to keep thy self in this Mystical silence if thou wilt hear this secret and heavenly Voice for the perfection of the Soul consists not in speaking much of GOD but in Obedience and in loving Him so much as belongs to Him and you know how much CHRIST saith that is But your silent sublime Meditation is that Elias was in when he heard the still soft Voice in Horch the Mount of GOD
which signifies the Mount of Regeneration where the Soul is retired and shut up in GOD from all the hurrings and busiles of the World and the deeper its gets into this innermost Center the more dead it is not only to the World and the Concerns thereof but to it self in all things whether External or Internal it serves the very necessity of Nature with Grief thinking all time to much that is spent in any thing but in waiting upon GOD alone and this is its continual Exercise to enter into it self there to abide with GOD in perfect Unity and Resignation and being so disinterested and taken off from self that though it should fulfill all the Commands of CHRIST that concerns GOD and its Neighbour and should leave nothing undone of the Duty of a true Christian yet it makes no account of all this before His Divine Majesty nay tho' they being in such an Estate as to receive many wonderful Gifts and supernatural Graces yet they are not lifted up with vain conceit nor prides themselves in these rich Robes but are just as if they had received nothing being always humbled in the depth of their own unworthiness and ever kept in a holy Fear and inflaimed Love to GOD which shews that the Creature exhalted in Gifts is Lucifer But the Soul thus adorned with Heavenly Graces in the Humility is CHRIST JESUS come again in the Flesh therefore this is the Spirit that is to be uppermost whether in Prosperity or Adversity if you would have GOD to be your Teacher for the humble GOD will teach I mean the Humility of CHRIST who emptied Himself of all His Glory both Heavenly and Earthly and humbled himself to the death both in Body and Mind John 30. Luke 22. and 44. both in Soul and Body were his sufferings And if we are his Disciples we must tread in His steps we must first die to self before we can live to God the true Figure is a Corn of Wheat saith CHRIST John 12.24 and the more dead the Creature is in it self and to it self the more it shall know and please GOD but if it doth not mind this continual denying of self and internal Mortification it will never arrive at this state of perfection but through this Baptism of Fire and the Holy Ghost this inward Hearts-breaking Soul-suffering these Faithful Ones comes to wash there long-suffering Robes and makes them white in the Blood of the Lamb for these are redeemed from the Earth and all perishing and transitory Things and therefore have the Harps of GOD in their hands to sing the Song of Moses and the Lamb for from these internal Soul-sufferings comes the Eternal Heavenly Triumphant Joys therefore lift up your Heads ye tribulated Ones that are surrounded with Sorrows both within and without look up to the Rock whence ye are hewn but look not to Man for help whose Breath is in his Nostrils for then it will be just with the Highest to say to you as he did to them of Old Jer. 2.28 call upon your Gods let them deliver you but look unto me saith the Everlasting all ye ends of the Earth and be saved but look not at the Creature howsoever they may be suffered to try and prove you but keep your Eye to your Saviour's Beauty which is Patience Meekness and Long-suffering let these be ever in your Eye but cast not your Eye upon the Instrument who or whatsoever they may be for that will beget anger and wrath in your minds and then you will loose the end of your Sufferings for all these things are suffered to be to wean you off the Creatures to let you see the emptiness and nothingness of all things that hath a begining even to your selves and this is the way to make GOD all and the poor empty Creature nothing But whatsoever your Tryal is or with whomsoever be shure you keep in the Love that thinks no Evil no not to the greatest of all your Enemies and then you will be ready upon all Occasions to do them any Office of Love as the Power is in your hands and their Necessity requires and thus you will fulfill the Royal Law of CHRIST your Lord who said love your Enemies do Good for Evil overcome Evil with Good that you may be the Children of your Heavenly Father who causes His Glorious Sun to shine upon the Just and the Unjust and so your Prayer shall be heard when you say Lord forgive us our trespasses against thee as we forgive them there trespasses against us and thus will the Righteous Judge of the whole Earth take the Cause of the Innocent in His Hands and plead it with their Enemies for vengeance is mine saith the Lord and I will repay for it is as Dindimus said to Alexander the Great He is a Judge of all injuries and the Sighs of those that are injuriously treated become the pain of those that injure them But as was said before to you Servants of the LORD whom he hath counted worthy to be partakers with Him of His Internal and External Sufferings to be rejected of all denied condemned and tempted within and without in Fears and Dreads in Weakness in Watchings and Fastings with Tears of sorrow Night and Day led into the Wilderness and there tempted tried in the Night with great Temptations led in a Way you know not nor see no way out but as it were passing by the Gates of Hell and none pitty nor take your part Hear your Love to GOD will be prov'd to the uttermost whether you will follow your beloved LORD and holy JESUS in His suffering Life who trod the Wine-press alone and of the People there was none with him who was compassed with Sorrows on every side He that was in such a Labyrinth of sorrows as never Man was he saw no comfort neither in Life nor Death above him nor below him from God or Men were our Condition as bad as his if it were possible that we were in the very midst of the heat and fire of Affliction when the flood of Temptation arises an hundred fold above your strongest hold yet here you may be at rest in your beloved LORD in an assured confidence that all things shall work together for your good that loves the LORD although you may cry out and say as I know a Soul that did Was ever any Sorrows like unto mine Did ever any go this Way before me The immediate Answer was Yes Moses and all the Prophets and JESUS the author and finisher thereof Therefore thou art compassed about with a cloud of Witnesses when upon an invisible sight I said O my God Must there be yet more fire then He said unto me In the Fire and in the Water I will be with thee and make thy way thorow all I believed the LORD and was strengthened and his powerful Word was my Salvation Therefore you that are brought into these fiery Trials have a care you murmur not neither
up your rest in your sights tho they should reach to the Third-heaven without this life of Christ I have been a treating of and this I can assure you it will be more for your profit when you come together to sit in Dumb-silence than to spend your precious time in Discourses of your Attainments for what are all your Attainments but airy Notions if you come not to the life of Christ for how many have seen the good Land that never entred it and this know That Visions and Revelations may cease for how many have I heard of and knew some that have had all these and yet lives evil Lives witness Balam who from his sight desired to die the Death of the rightous and that his last End might be as his yet through Coveteousness which is Idolatry by his Counsel caused Israel to commit Sin against the Lord tho' to his and their own Destruction Therefore this is a sandy Foundation to build on but if you build on CHRIST the Corner-stone the tried precious and Elected-stone chosen for that use whom the Master Babel-builders have rejected which is the cause of all their Confusion these have conceived a Faith in the air and therefore bring forth nothing but Storms and pestious Winds striving without Foundations and so are driven to and frow but brings nothing to perfection and therefore must be all thrown down and not one stone left upon another before the Holy City the New Jerusalem which cometh down from God can be but therefore as was said Sights Visions and Revelation are little worth but to condemn those that have them if they do not answer the End for which they were given them to wit a holy pure and undefiled life which is the End of all gifts And farther I know a Soul could write a Volume of Sights Visions and Revelations which she hath had above these thirty Years and some that were given highly to justifie her Ways and Works when she was little in her own Eyes and nothing in her own sight it may be Judging and condemning her self for that which he in his Exalted Power hath justified her and for confirmation hath taken her upin to the bosom of his love where she injoyed close and amorous Embraces His sealing to her the precious promises of His Glorious Life and Eternal Love And now among the many Sights Visions and Revelations she may instant one in three Years abstainency somtimes fasting two Days and two Nights together sometimes three Days and three Nights and at the time of this sight three Days and three or four Nights together she being at this time in great Travail of Soul and suffering in Body with conflicts of Spirit she poured out her Complaint before the LORD and said Oh! my LORD If I have found favour in thy sight and what I have done be pleasing unto thee shew a Token of Good to thy Hand-maid that may be as an Anchor to my poor troubled Soul And that very Night she had a Vision of an invisible Glory which is too long to insert here but how it was with her is as followeth Her Sences were all shut up in GOD she was in closs Communion with the LORD she was as she thought wholly desolved out of the Earthly into the heavenly she thought she was as an innocent Child new born and though she had fasted so long together yet she was filled as with new Wine and the heavenly Manna by the strength of which she declared the great things of GOD's holy Law of his Royal Acts and of his heavenly Power and she was filled with his Praise and then no Tongue can tell nor Pen write how it was with her for she was as if she had had a new Body given her in Innocency Joy and Content as it were quite translated out of the Old into the New all over in ravishing Joy filled with unutterable harmonious Praises so lying for many hours in this heavenly Transportation a heavenly Silence came over all and in this Silence these Words were spoken aloud to her This is the Rest wherein I will cause the Weary to rest this is the Life of the Innocent Swain And this was the Token of Good she required which the LORD in his endless Love Answered This and above a hundred times more which she never took up her Rest in though her Sights were attended with his ravishing Life for these heavenly Mansions are given as a Loadstone to draw the Soul of the down-ward Earth up-ward to fix it self in GOD the Fountain of all these ravishing Streams and Beams that comes from his glorious Son of Rightousness lifting up himself in the Soul to draw it after him as Himself said When the Sâ—n of Man is lifted up He will draw all Men after Him But the time is not yet come that He will draw all Men after him therefore we must wait for the Day of his Power we must wait at Jerusalem for the Promise of the Father which is that He will pour out His Spirit upon all Flesh Jâ—â—â— for hetherto the highest Attainment that hath attended the Life of CHRIST hath been but a glimps of that Glory that is ready to break forth were we but ready for it But is this the way for the Bride to make her self ready to meer the Bridegroom for her to pride her self with the Bridegroom's gifts and that her rich Attier should be the cause to take her Love and Affections off her Bridegroom who should be clean humble and chast to meet her Lord Thus the Harlot having oâ— this Attire is taking for the chast Spouse and virtuous Bride but the Day of her Discovery is at hand wherein she shall be stript naked and bare and then her shame will appear to all But to the aforesaid Attainments the greatest of which hath been but as the Voice of one crying in the Wilderness prepare the Way of the LORD and make straight ways in the Desert for all that hath been hetherto must lay their Mouths in the Dust and say as Iohn Baptis I am not be nor worthy to unlcose his Shooe-latchet because I must Decrease but He must Increase Therefore this is the Work of our Day to know the increase of his Grace of which there shall be no End to know in our Souls and Bodies the fellowship of his Sufferings and to be Baptized into his Death and then we shall know the Resurrection of his Glorious Life the Lamb of GOD that taketh away the Sins of the World who shall change our vile Bodies and make them like his glorious Body to praise Him Evermore World without End Once more I have discharged my service to GOD and Duty to you not of my one Mind or Will for had it stood with my Will I had never been concern'd more with this Generation after I had delivered the three first books to the King and Queen but having delivered the last of the three Titled to Queen Mary going in
but otherways my Hands writ them and can produce many Witnesse that saw me write them and I had no help but the help of the LORD neither hath there been any hand with me but the hand of the LORD which was strong upon me till I had finished them And why should it be thought incredible for a Woman to write truth any more than a Man Is the Spirit of the LORD straightned that it cannot operate in a Woman as well as in a Man Is not he able to open the Mouth of an Ass Yes to reprove the madness of the Prophets that trains the People up in such blindness and gross Ignorance Dare you presume to limmit the Maker of all things to any thing that had a beginning Was not his first appearance to Women after his Resurrection who sent Mary Magdalen and the other Mary with the glad Tidings thereof to his Disciples And did he not open the heart of Lidia And did not the Apostle Paul say Help those Women that are Fellow-labourers with me in the Gospel of Christ Philippians 4.3 And Deborah the Prophetess judged Israel and they came to her for Judgment and she bid Barak go to War with Jabin the King of Hasor but Barak though a Man was timerous and fearful and would not go without Deborah went with him and she sung Praise for the great Deliverance But the Honour of the Battel was given Jael the Wife of Hebor Judges 4. And did not King Josiah after he had heard the Law read rent his Cloths and wept therefore the King commanded Hilkiah the Priest and Ahikam the Son of Shaphan and Achbor the Son of Michaiah and Shaphan the Chancellor and Afaiah the King's servant saying Go ye and enquire of the LORD for me and for the People c. So Helkia the Priest and Shaphan the Chancellor with the rest of the Nobles went unto Huldah the Prophetess the Wife of Shallum who dwelt in Jerusalem in the College and they communed with her 2 Kings chap. 22. Hear you may see the LORD made use of Women as well as Men and will make use of them yet more now he is coming to pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh Joel From one that is in Unity and Fellowship with all that fears GOD and keeps his Commandements throughout the Universe Jane Whitrow John Hall 's Vision upon the first Day of the Eleventh Month 1692 3. AS I went to accompany a publick Friend John Cooper to a Meeting I was me-thoughts as it were spiritually in a Glorious place where I stood before the Lord where was also William Warin who had there received an Errand and as it were vanished out of my sight on a sudden and was gone to deliver it but I was left behind And me-thought I saw him that sent William bring forth a very great golden Trumpet of a large size and deliver'd it unto me and bid me Proclaim And immediately after to an Angel that stood by he deliver'd a Sword and bid him smite and me-thoughts the sound of the Trumpet caused such an Allarm that it awakened the very-Dead and as the Sound waxed louder and louder and the Cry great I thought I saw Hipocrites and Back-sliders the sinners in Sion hang down their Heads nay and after sometime quit the room as not being able to abide it the Power of the LORD did wonderfully break in And this by the Command of the LORD I commit to Writing as a Testimony for him which the LORD in his own due time will bring to pass Written at my Habitation at Monkhelsden by a Servant of the Lord whose outward Name is The 27th of the 1st Month. John Hall Upon the 22d of the last Month being the 12th Month my Sister Grace Hall being at a Meeting at Raly with Jane Vickers the Word of the LORD came unto her saying Write and continued as an Exercise upon her On the Night her Sleep went from her after she arose she withdrew into a Chamber and the following Words word by word were given her she not knowing the next Word as she writ whereof she innocently gave me an Account Thus saith the LORD I Have a great Work to do in the Earth and terrible shall it be to the Wicked but say unto mine Elect on this wise Ye shall be kept in safety if ye obey my Word I will be with the Righteous wheresoever they are if they will but separate the Wicked from among them but if they will not put away the Wicked from among them then shall my Hand be heavier upon the Righteous for the Wicked's sake And say unto the Wicked on this manner There is yet a little space for you if ye will repent of your Wickedness and Turn unto me saith the Lord You may read how it was in the Days of Old it shall be no less in this the Day of my Wrath saith the Lord for though Noah Daniel and Job were righteous and although there be some such non-a-days yet they shall save neither Son nor Daughter they shall save only their own Souls Written by Grace Hall being 16 Years 3 Months and 8 Days old A Letter to a Friend from Jamaca Spanish-Town the 19th of June 1692. Loving Brother This is to give thee a true and satisfactory Account of our Misfortune There hapned on the 7th Instant about half an hour after 11 at Noon a terrible Earth-quake thoughout the whole Island of Jamaca it hath not left a House standing in the whole place that was built of either Stone or Brick nor any thing that was built with the same Meterials but what it hath made insufficient for tho' some of these stand they are not fit to live in neither dare we hardly come near them because of the frequent shakes we still have All those that it hath pleased the Almighty to save in giving them their Lives for a Prey do now think a Negro's house that is walled and daubed witâ— Morter and Thatched the Eves hanging down almost to the ground a pleasant House Hear you may see Colonels and great Men bowing their Bodies to creep into this little Hutch who before had Houses fit not only to receive but to feast in an extraordinary manner a Prince or King as great as England's Monarch upon ocasion and now by this sad Disaster have hardly Bread to eat and never a House to be in The Ground opened at Port Royal where I dwell with a shake and swallowed whole Houses nay the Street I dwell in was in less than 3 Hours after 4 Fathom under Water and nothing of my House to be seen nor any other only one Timber-house which George Philips lived in The shake opened the Earth the Water flew up and carried the People in quick I lost my Wife my Son a Prentice a white Maid and 6 Slaves and all that ever I had in the World my Land where I was ready to raise five Houses and had room to raise ten more is all