Iniquity and then the greater must their Judgment be Therefore to you O ye Judges Justices and Officers of all sorts that do not fulfill the Will of GOD nor Execute the QUEEN's pious Commands which is to suppress Swearing Drunkenness and Whoredom with all the rest of the Abominations with which the Land swarms Horribly and speedily will He come upon you and give you the Reward of your Evil works who mind your Earthly Honours your Profits and Pleasures with all the rest of your Self-interests and so takes up your Rest in these enjoyments but neglects your Duty in the weighty matters of the Law to Execute Justice and Judgment Is this the Thanks you return to the LORD for all His wonderful Mercies for the deliverance of the Nations and the giving you your Lives and Liberties to turn his gracious Goodness into wantonness consuming his Excellent Creatures which he of his bountifulness hath bestowed on you for that end for you to serve Him and his Creation in all holy Reverance and humble Thanks-giving to his Divine MAJESTIE And not to spend them wastfully upon your vain pleasurs and sinful delights How many poor destressed Families both in City and Country would be glad and rejoyce to have that Firing to warm and refresh them and theirs in cold and bitter Weather that was spent in waste when the KING came home to gratifie the humors of an ungodly Crew who one day cries Hosana Hosana and the next day with a louder Vote Crucifie Crucifie so unstable as waters is this Viperous Generation as hath been evedently seen upon all occasions as there Interest serves therefore what Trust or Considence can be put in the Arm of Flesh But in the Living GOD who alone can carry on His Work without the help of Mortals or make choice of whom He pleases even the meanest and most contemptable in the eyes of Flesh to carry on His great Work His wonderful Work for the destruction of Babilon and all the graven Images of Her Gods will HE throw to the Ground yea into the bottomless Pit for Ever where she shall never rise more Amen Halalujahs to the LORD our GOD for Ever Then will the LORD Return to the People a pure Language Holiness to the LORD yea upon every door of the LORD's House shall be writ Holiness and upon all the Vessels therein for the Knowledg of His Virtuous Life and Heavenly Power shall cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea Glory be to our GOD and to the LAMB for Ever And to the KING and QUEEN Grace and Peace be multiplied the Eternal GOD be there Refuge that under His Arms they may be preserved forever that by loving the LORD their GOD by obeying His Voice and by cleaving unto HIM there days may be prolonged in the Land which the LORD their GOD hath given them For what great things hath the LORD done for you Oh! That the Greatness of His Love may draw you forth into a holy admiration of His goodness For who is like unto Thee O LORD May the KING and QUEEN say among the GODS who is like unto Thee Glorious in Holiness fearful in Praises doing Wonders the LORD is a man of War JEHOVAH is His Name the right Hand of the LORD hath done valiantly the Right Hand of the LORD is Glorious in Power which hath subdued the Nations and Brought the KING home in Peace Oh admirable Goodness the Archers have shot sore at him and hated him on every side but his Bow hath been maid strong through the HAND of the Mighty GOD. The right Hand of the LORD hath done Valiently the right Hand of the LORD is Glorious in Power who hath bound up the King's Life in the bundle of Life with the LORD that the Everlasting GOD may be feared loved obeyed and Exalted above all forever and the KING and QUEEN humbled at HIS Feet casting there Crowns at the Feet of the LAMB for wherewithal else should they come before the LORD and bow themselves before the High GOD but with broken and contrite Hearts Worshipping and Adoring HIM in the innermost part of their Souls and there Sacrificing their Pleasures and Honours withal the Intrests of a perishing World and desiring nothing but that the Will of GOD may be done in your Earth as it is in Heaven And that you may be the Instruments to bring it forth in the World that as GOD hath honoured you and done great things for you and for the Nations so you may make it your whole study and business to Exalt the Name of GOD in the Earth by your holy humble and self-denying Lives And that you the Magistrates of the HIGHEST may not bear the Sword of the LORD in vain but make use of your Power which GOD hath given you who are His Vice Gerents here on Earth to Execute Justice on such as rebel against His divine MAJESTY Begining at your own Court first and there to suppress every appearance of Evil and this is but your reasonable service and no more then what your Greatness requires that your Subjects yield Obedience to you in all things And whatsoever is less then this is to offer the Blind the Lame and the Sick And offer this to thy Prince saith the LORD and see if he will be content with Thee or Except thy person Malachi 1.8 And in vain is all your Praying Praising Preaching and Hearing if this Work be not done Search the Scriptures I beseech you and see if you can find that ever any thing was Acceptable to GOD but a Holy and Righteous Life and there you may find plentifully that GOD rejects all their outward dutys both of Jews Pharisees and Christians although He HIMSELF instituted them and throws them quite away saying Bring no more your vain Oblations And so goes on But wash you saith He make you Clean c. Then to the Pharisees Ye Hypocrites make clean the inside first To the Christians Thou hast a Name that thou livest but thou art dead Rev 3. So that it s not the Name of any sort whatsoever but the Life Therefore O KING and QUEEN for the Glory of GOD and honour of His Most Holy and Glorious NAME And your prosperity in this World And your Everlasting Happiness in that which is to come Be not negligent in this Great Work which all your Happiness and the Nations depends upon Therefore O KING be Valiant for the Truth upon Earth and come Thou forth to help the LORD against the Mighty for His contorversie is with the man of sin and He will plead with all Flesh It is written Curse ye Meroz Curse him bitterly because he came not forth to help the LORD against the Mighty But that the KING may be Blest with an everlasting Blessing let Him joyn with the LORD in this great Work with all His strength and with all His might to destroy Sin and Iniquity in his Dominions and to bring in and set up Everlasting Righteousness
to Reign And in this Work he shall be more then a Conquerer through the Power of CHRIST which shall certainly be with Him if He sets about it Coragiously and Manfully not fearing man nor trusting in the Arm of Flesh And this will bring more Glory to GOD and Honour to the KING then if he conquered Nations by the Sword For that destroys but this saves mens Lives and destroys the Iniquity And in this WORK he shall be Greater then William the Conquerer or all the Monarchs of the World and his Fame shall go to the furthermost parts of the Earth And in this Work shall the most HIGH rejoyce And all His Heavenly Host for saith CHRIST There is more Joy in Heaven for one sinner that repents and turns from the Evil of his wayes then in Ninety and Nine Just persons that needs no Repentance And if the KING is faithful to GOD in this Work he shall conquer and overcome all his Enemies for if their Sins be overcome then they are overcome because it is their Sins that causes them to Rebel For from whence comes Wars saith the Apostle come they not from your Lusts Then it seems take away the lusts and Wars will cease so here 's great necesity for the KING to be fervently fixed in this Work to take away the Cause that the Disease may cease And this let the KING know that whomsoever he is made an instrument to in this Work to overcome their Vices their hearts shall be knit to Him as Jonathan's was to David who loved him as his own Soul And that blessed Prophesie of Daniel shall be fulfilled on the KING which saith Blessed are those that turns many to Righteousness for they shall shine as the Stars in the Firmament of GOD'S Power forever And here the KING shall be a Nursing-Father and the QUEEN a a Nursing Mother then more shall be the Children of the desolate then of the married Wife And GOD will bring their Sons from far and their Daughters from the furthermost parts of the Earth yea many People Kingdoms and Nations shall say Come let us go up to the Mountain of the LORD and He will shew us His Ways and we will walk in His Paths Then Endless Praises and Everlasting Halalujahs shall be to GOD on HIGH and on the Earth Peace and Good-will to men But if this Work be not Done there is no Peace to the Wicked saith the LORD But we must expect Wars and Rumours of Wars as CHRIST said and the End not to be yet till the Cause is removed nor can it be Expected that the KING should conquer and overcome his Enemies Abroad whilst his strong and most Potent Enemies Reign at Home And indeed it is unreasonable that the KING should Require that of his LORD and SOVERAIGN the LORD of all MAJESTY to fight his Battels abroad when the KING doth not Execute the Power GOD hath put into his hand at home for the Suppressing That which HIS Righteous Soul abhors And further the Command of GOD is When thou goest out to War with thine Enemies then take heed saith the LORD that there be no wicked thing in Thee Mark that O KING no wicked thing that is not only no Wickedness in the Cause nor no Self-intrest nor Self-honour But no personal Impieties in the Persons that carries it on not only gross Impieties as Drunkenness Whoredom Swearing and the like But all manner of vain and foolish Talking Joaking and Jesting are things not allowed to Christians for if Christians are not allowed to think their own Thoughts how much less Vain Words But Let your Words be few saith CHRIST seasoned with Salt that they may administer Grace to the Hearers And David saith Set a watch before my Mouth and be Thou LORD the Door-keeper of my Lips And saith he I said I will look to my Ways that I offend not with my Tongue Oh! how intent was he saying O GOD my Heart is fixed I will sing c. His mind was staid upon the LORD here was no room for vain words light airy and frothy discourses he abhorred all such Impieties his mind was set on divine things his Affections were set on things Above and not on Earthly things His converse was with GOD and his communion with the HOLY ONE and here he was here on after GOD's own Heart He enjoyed Heaven whilst he was here on Earth for where the presence of the LORD is there is Heaven he loved the LORD dearly and therefore took delight to do His Will and keep His Commandments And by doing this said he Thou hast made me wiser then all my Teachers yea saith he I have more Wisdom then the Ancients And why was it so because GOD was his Teacher O GOD saith he Thou hast taught me from my Youth even until now therefore will I tell of all thy Wonderous Works And because of David's love and faithfulness to GoD the LORD made a Covenant with him and with his Seed for ever That is with the Faithful that loves the LORD and walks in His Ways as David Abraham Isaac and Jacob did And these Holy Ones made a Covenant with the LORD to serve Him all the days of their Lives They did not make a Covenant with Death and Hell as this Generation doth to serve their horrible Lusts and vain wicked Pleasures No no but quite contrary O how I love thy Law saith David it s my Meditation all the day I will wait continually and will praise THEE more and more my Mouth shall daily rehearse thy Righteousness and Thy Sabvation for I know not the sum of them No for they were beyond number Be THOU my strong Rock whereunto I may always resort THOU hast given Commandment to save me for THOV art my Rock and my Fortrest Take notice of that O KING and of what follows viz. Deliver me O my GOD out of the hands of the Wicked out of the hands of Evil and Cruel men for THOU art my Hope O LORD even my Trust from my Youth upon THEE have I been staid from the Womb my Praise shall be always of THEE And THY Righteousness O GOD will I Exalt for THOU hast done great things who is like unto THEE THOV wilt increase mine Honour therefore will I praise THEE for THY faithfulness Vpon the Vial unto THEE will I sing O HOLY ONE of Israel for my Soul hast THOU delivered c. Oh! how David was filled with the living sence of the Goodness of GOD and the ALMIGHTY Exalted in his Soul But What hath the Wicked to do to take My NAME into their Mouths saith GOD seeing they hate My Holy Spirit to inform them They hated all my Counsel and would have none of my Reproof Yet the Atheistical Christians in their unclean Lives and Idolatrous ways sings to the Vial and invents to themselves Instruments of Musick like David although they hate and abhor his Holy Suffering and Self-denying Life by which he obtained the
Victory over all his Enemies both within and without And further I assirm in the Name of the LORD that whosoever follows this Way which I by the Spirit of GOD have directed to having the holy Scriptures the Life of Christ His Prophets and Apostles bearing me Record thereunto whosoever puts this Way into Practice shall quickly be without care and shall have no need to go to the best of men for Teaching or Counsel much less to the worst But this I humbly Advise the KING and QUEEN as my own Soul to keep down all Self all your own Knowledge Wisdom and Parts and come before the LORD as a little Child as Christ said This is the state you must come to before you can enter the Kingdom of GOD and this is the state Adam was in before his Fall before he Eat of this forbidden Tree the tree of Knowledge which was never given for Food for saith GOD In the day thou eats thereof thou shalt Surely dye But had he stood in the Will of GOD where he was placed and not have Entred into his own Will and Imaginations there had been no need for the Flaming SWORD to have been placed to keep the way of the Tree of Life The Flaming Sword that turns every way to seperate you from your Lovers and all your Delights before you can Eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of GOD. And this flaming Sword is the Cross of Christ and the holy Cross of Christ is the Power of GOD which must crucifie you to the world and the world to you And when all this is done you must be in the profoundest Humility that ever man or woman was in turning your selves into the very Dust from whence you came and there to be nothing for ever For if You are any thing then GOD the Eternal BEEING cannot be All who is the Alpha and Omega the first and last blessed for ever Amen Yet in this Blessed state are you a drop of that Ocean from whence Endless Blessings flow for saith our LORD and Blessed Saviour Blessed are the Poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of GOD. And if you continue loving the LORD with all Your Hearts and with all Your Souls with all Your strength with all Your might But take notice I beseech you HE must have All All your Love and Affection for if any thing else whatsoever hath it besides the LORD you rob GOD of his Right and this is that which will stop the Springs from flowing from this Endless Fountain of Life and Love Therefore I humbly Beseech You in the Bowels of the Love of GOD that Above all things and at all times with all the strength of Your Souls in all Your Thoughts Words and Works that you purely love and intend for the Honour and Glory of GOD who is the Eternal Happiness and Blessedness of all men and your own portion for ever And that you may this the better do you must most strictly Observe your selves within Keep thy Heart saith the Prophet with all diligence for out of it comes the Issues of Life Therefore sink you down into the innermost parts of your Souls and there stop all the out-goings of your minds to any thing but to GOD alone And in silence hear what the LORD saith within you and with JESUS depart from the multitude avoiding all Imployments and multiplicity of Business as much as is possible you shall rest with GOD in unity shutting up all your Sences in quietness continually Praying and calling upon GOD your Eye being fixed on Him as David's was in all your actions you shall enjoy His presence in every Place Time and Thing admitting nothing within your selves but GOD continually that you may continually receive the Heavenly Influence of His divine love into your Souls And as I have the Life and Doctrine of Christ my LORD and all his Holy Ones in former Ages to bear Witness to this my true and faithful Testimony of a holy retired Life so I shall instance one of late years Abraham Cowley who as its reported was a man of sweet and singular Wit great Learning and an even Judgment that had known by large experience what Cities Universities and Courts afford and that not only at home but in divers Nations abroad wearied with the World he broke through all the intanglements of it and which was hardest innumerous Friendship and a perpetual Praise and retired to a solatory Cottage near Barn-Elms whence he gives us this following Doctrine of Retirement and may serve for an account how well he was pleased in his Change The first Work saith he that a man must do to make himself capable of the good of Solitude is the very Eradication of all Lusts for how is it possible for a man to enjoy himself whilst his Affections are tyed to things without himself The first Minister of State hath not so much business in publick as a Wise man hath in private If the one hath little leasure to be Alone the other hath less leasure to be in Company The one hath but part of the Affairs of One Nation the other all the Works of GOD and Nature under his consideration The next I shall instant is Marcus Aurilius Antoninus a good and famous Emperor he first treats how he ought to behave himself in his Empire And after that saith he As for GOD and such Suggestions Helps and Inspirations as might be expected nothing did hinder me but that I might have begun long before to live according to Nature or that even now that I am not yet pertaker and in present possession of that Life And he gives the Reason why In that saith he I did not observe those inward Motions and Suggestions yea and almost plain apparent Instructions and Admonitions of GOD was the only cause of it And so he goes on most Excellently I that understood the Nature of that which is good said he that it is to be desired and of that which is bad that it is odious and shameful And further saith They are idle in their Actions who toil and labour in this Life and have no certain scope which to direct all their Motions and Desires to And then treating of some that busied themselves in diving into things of Philosophy Yet saith he of this is not sensible that it is sufficient for a man to apply himself wholly and confine all his Thoughts and Cares to the tendence of that Spirit which is within him truly really to serve him For saith this worthy Prince Philosophy doth consist in this for a man to preserve that Spirit which is within him from all manner of Contumelies Injuries and the sacred Mysteries of Virtue which issufrom it carefully solidly and shall not intermix any other business but shalt study this to preserve thy Spirit unpoluted and pure and as one that were even now ready to give up the Ghost shall cleave unto Him