A1r

To
King William
and
Queen Mary,
Grace and Peace.

The
Widow Whitrow’s

Humble Thanksgiving to the Lord
of Hosts, the King of Eternal Glory, the God
of all our Mercies, unto whom be Glory,
Glory, and Praise for the King’s safe Return
to England.

“And Jabes called on the God of Israel, saying, If thou wilt
bless me indeed, and inlarge my Coast, and that thine
Hand be with me to keep me from Evil. And God granted
him that which he requested.――In the Margent,
Then would he perform his Vow which he had Vowed”
1 Chr.4.10.

Printed: And Sold by most Book-sellers in London and
Westminster, 169216921.

A1v A2r 3

To King William and Queen Mary

.

Grace, Mercy and Peace from God the Father, and His
beloved Son our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
who hath been a Tower of Salvation to the King and
Queen; Glory be to Him forever, unto Him who hath
Delivered the King from many Deaths, praises forever. Give
Thanks unto the Lord with me, and let us Exalt his Name together,
who doth wonderful things; for His Mercy endureth forever:
O Lord, who shall declare thy mighty Acts! neither can the Heaven
of Heavens selebrate Thy Praise: how much less we poor Mortals that
are but Dust before Thee; before Thee the Eternal One, who art
infinitly Better and boundless beyond all thanksgiving and praise; yet of
Thy Holy clemency and unspeakable goodness hath vouchsafed Sinners to
Approach unto Thee
.

Therefore, Oh come let us fall down before the Lord our
Creator, the Mighty God, and worship Him at His foot-stool with
Rended Souls, with broken and contrite Hearts, that our Cries
may pierce the Heavens to the Throne of His Grace, to move His
Glorious Majesty, to send forth his Light and Truth, that may
break through the thick clouds of Ignorance and gross Darkness,
that hath covered the Hearts of the People of these Nations, together
with his invincible Power to break down, root up, and
destroy with an utter Destruction that Spirit of Atheism which
hath Corrupted both Priests and People of these Nations: O
God! Race it, Race it, I beseech Thee, to the Foundation thereof, together
with that Accursed thing, the Spirit of Covetousness, Hypocrisie,
Malice and Deceit; that Thy Throne may be Established to a thousand
Generations. Thou Creator of all things from Everlasting to Everlasting,
take Thy Dominion, and Rule by Thy Eternal Power, till Thou hast made
All Thy Enemies Thy foot-stool: for why Lord should they Rob Thee of
thy Right, and Give Thy praise to their Idols, their horrible Lusts and
cursed Pleasures. O God Arise! O God Arise! that Thy Enemies
may be scattered, that all that hate Thee may fly before Thee; which way
Thou pleasest Lord: But if it be for Thy Glory, save the Creature,
and destroy the Iniquity, that there may be no End of Thy Praise.

For what Great things hath the Lord done for us, who hath A2 delivered A2v 4
delivered poor Afflicted distressed Ireland from the hurtful Sword,
and thrice brought the King safe to England again. And preserved
this Nation in safety in the King’s Absence, Glory be to God on
high, and on the Earth peace and good-will to Men, in Thee Oh England

Oh England! England! that thou didst know in this thy Day the
things that belong to thy Everlasting Peace, but they are hid from
thy Eyes: yet for the sake of some in Thee am I thus concerned. And
seeing the Lord hath done such Great things, what remains on the
King and Queen’s part, and of thy Inhabitants, Oh Land?
But to walk in Holiness and Righteousness before His Holy Divine
Majesty, all the days of your Lives: for so his Holiness
commands, saying, “Be ye Holy, for I the Lord your God
am Holy.”

Therefore, Hear Oh Kings! and Give Ear ye Judges of the
Earth; Serve the Lord with Fear, and Rejoyce before Him, the
Lord of Hosts the Mighty God with trembling: and not as the
Atheistical Heathen Christians do, who rejoyce not as the Angels of
Light, but as the Angels of Darkness or of the bottomless Pit, For
whom is the blackness of darkness Reserved
: A Just Recompence of
Reward for such prophane Rejoycing, who were as if they would
tear His Majesty out of His Throne, to come in Flames of Fire as
He did in Sodom, to Execute Vengeance on such Offences, on such horrible
Offenders: Oh the Hellish Noises! the Outragious Cries,
Prophane Swearing, Cursing, Drunkenness and Whoredom, Fighting,
and threatning to Murder one another, Destroying the good
Creatures, consuming them upon their Lusts, whilst their Neighbours
want Bread: and these are the Swearers by the Blood of the
Immaculate Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the World
, who cries
“Rot” and “Damn them”; whose Damnation is Just, seeing nothing less
will serve their turns: These are some of the crying Sins of this
Nation, which will bring swift Destruction, and Provoke the
High God to turn the fruitful Land into a barren Wilderness, for
the Sins of them that live therein.

For be it known to the King, the Night before he came to
London, which was --10-18October 18. I being in my Bed in the dear injoyment
of God’s heavenly Life and Divine love; and in this sweet heavenly
Repose, falling asleep, a dreadful Apparition appeared, Horrible
and fearful, Astonishing and Amazing; insomuch that my
Heart failed, Fearfulness took hold on me; for the Night of my
pleasure had He turned into Mourning, Sorrows took hold on me, yea, A3r 5
yea, the Sorrows of a travailing Woman; but crying vehemently
to the Lord, I was delivered: The Vision I must not declare till
the Appointed time. But thus far I have liberty to call all to prepare
to meet the Lord, whose Day is come, wherein He will Appear
in Flames of Fire to Execute Vengeance on the Wicked and
Ungodly, to Give them the Reward of their wicked and ungodly
Works. But Oh! that the King and Queen might live forever
in that Life which the Judgment is not to. For, “Said the
Lord to the Angel that was clothed in Linnen, who had the Writers
Inkhorn by his side, ‘Go through the midst of the City, even through Jerusalem,
and set a Mark upon the Foreheads of them that Mourn and Cry
for all the Abominations that be done in the midst thereof.’
And said He
to the other Angels, ‘Go ye after him through the City, and smite; let your
Eye spare none, neither have pity, Destroy utterly the Old and Young, the
Maids, Women and Children; But touch none upon whom is the Mark;
and begin at my Sanctuary.’
Then they began at the Antient Men that
were before the House.”
And so goes on, Ezek.9.

Now you may see, if your Eyes were opened; who they are that
shall be hid in the Day of the Lord’s Wrath; not the Wise and
Prudent of this World, although they may have a whole Library
of the Serpent’s Wisdom, nor the Antient in a profession of any
Religion whatsoever: for the older they are in a Profession of any
Worship and do not live the Life of what they know, the greater
is their 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 A3v 6
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 Confidence 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 A4r 7
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 its 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; A4v 8
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
contorroversie 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 Righteoussness 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 heres 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 then B1r 9
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 Maejesty, 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 a man
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 B Will B1v 10
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, “its 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
Salvation, 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 Thou art my
Rock and my Fortrests
; (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, Thou wilt increase mine Honour, therefore
will I praise Thee for Thy faithfulness: Upon 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 Musik 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 affirm 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 B2r 11
puts this Way into Practice, shall quickly be without care, and
shall have no need to got 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 Savior; “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 B2 out B2v 12
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, 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 himseilf, 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 B3r 13
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 issu­e
from it, carefully, solidly, and shall not intermix any other business,
but shalt study this to preserve thy Spirit unpoluted and pure; and
as one that were even now ready to give up the Ghost, shall cleave unto
Him; and fromt his there’s no man can hinder thee.”
And further
this Excellent man, “Without relation to God” (saith he) “thou shalt
never perform aright any thing humane, nor on the other side, any
thing Divine, at what time soever thou wilt, it is in thy power to
retire into thy self, and to be at Rest: For a man cannot retire any
whither for to be more at rest and freer from all businness, then to his
own Soul. Afford then thy self this Retiring continually, and thereby
refresh and renew thy self. O Noble Prince, worthy of Double
honour.”
And then Exhorting, “That whatsoever they did, might
be Just and Holy: Neither”
(saith he) “must he use himself to cut off
Actions only, but Thoughts and Imaginations also, that are unnecessary;
for so will unnecessary consequent Actions the better be prevented
and cut off. He is poor that stands in need of another, and
hath not in himself all things needful for this Life. Consider well
whether Magnanimity rather, and true Liberty, and true Simplicity,
Equanimity and Holiness, whether these be not most kind and natural?”
And farther this blessed Prince, “Let thy God, that is in thee
to rule over thee, find by thee that he hath to do with an Aged man,
a Sociable man, a Roman, a Prince, one that hath ordered his Life,
as one that expecteth as it were nothing but the sound of the Trumpet,
sounding a retreat to depart out of this Life with all readiness.
What is it”
(saith he) “thou dost stay for an Extinction, or a Translation,
for either of them with a propitious and contented mind:
but till that time comes, what will content thee? What else but “to B3v 14
to Worship and Praise God, and to do good unto men?”

Here is a President for Kings, Queens and Potentates of the Earth to
square their Lives by. This worthy Prince was more Philosopher than
Emperor, his Dominions were greater within then without, and by his
Holy Life and Vertuous Principles was fit to govern the whole World.

Solon, a noble Philosopher and Law-giver to the Athenians, was so
humble, that he refused to be Prince of that People: And being asked
by Cresus, King of Lydia, (when seated on his Throne, Richly clothed and
magnificently attended). If he had ever seen any thing more Glorious?
He answered, “Cocks, Peacocks and Pheasants, by how much their Beauty is
Natural.”
“Fly Pleasures”, (saith he) “for they bring Sorrow: Converse
not with wicked Persons, but meditate on serious things: That it
was the perfection of a man to fore-see and prevent Mischief. That
they that would govern a State well, must govern their Families well.
That we ought not to flatter Great men, lest we exalt them above
their merits and station. A Prince”
(saith he) “must not take up his
time about transitory and mortal things; Eternal and Immortal are
fittest for him.”

O noble Prince and Princess, I humbly beg of you Observe
these Heavenly Maxims.

Periander, Prince and Philosopher, would say, “That Pleasures are
Mortal, but Vertues Immortal. Punish the guilty”
(saith he) “and restrain
men from Sin. That Common wealth is best ordered”
(saith
he
) “where the Wicked have no command.”

Therefore most Honoured and most endeared Prince and Princess,
for so you are in my Heart, because of the Greatness of God’s
Love, which I have received and delivered to you above all before
you in my time; and shall be so, if you receive the Love of God administred,
and put into Practice these His Commands and Precepts;
first in your own Example, and then Executing the Power God hath
given you, which may easily be done, by turning out those that will
not Obey your just and lawful Commands, and put in such in their
room that will; That the King and Queen may not be guilty of
that Iniquity as Saul was guilty of, to save alive that which God commanded
to kill, which was the Cause that the Kingdom was rent from
him, and given to one more worthy, that is, which did the will of God,
And is the very cause why your Predecessors were turned out before
you, and you brought in their room, to try whether you will do His
Will, and perform all His good Pleasure; which if you do, God will
make you the Glory of Nations. For this know, O King & Queen,
and that from the Lord, the day is come, that God will have His Will B4r 15
Will done in Earth, as it is in Heaven; and that which stands in opposition
to it, will He overturn, and throw the Earth upside-down:
And all the Monarchs in it will he break to pieces as a Potters-Vessel;
for the bringing in of His Dominion, which is an Everlasting dominion;
and He shall Reign for evermore; Amen.

And this I humbly Supplicate to the Lord, if it may be for the Glory
of His Holy Name, That the King and Queen may be the worthy
Instruments thereof; and that they may not be guilty of Saul’s
Transgression, who feared the People, and so caused him to break the
Commandment of the Lord, which proved to his destruction: So he
paid dear for his fearing the People, and the People paid dear for his Rebellion
against the Command of God; for it cost him his Life, and
thousands more of theirs. For here lay the case; the command was to
slay All, but the People counselled him to save the best of the Oxen and
Sheep, and the chiefest of the things, which should have been destroyed,
to offer to the Lord thy God, as Saul confessed to Samuel, saying, “I have
sinned; for I have transgressed the Commandment of the Lord, and thy Words,
because I feared the People and obeyed their Voice.”

The writing of this Confession, makes my Heart melt, and breaks me
into Tears, the consideration thereof, how dangerous a thing it is for any
to transgress [much more Princes,] the Commands of the Lord
in ever so little a thing. And Saul’s repeating over again the reason
why they saved them alive that should have been destroyed, was, “To offer
a Sacrifice to the Lord.”
But alas! all Coverings will be to short, but
that which is covered with the Spirit of the Lord, in the Day of Account,
when the Iniquity is brought before the Judgment-seat, which
must there stand the Tryal, to be Arragiigned and Condemned by the
Judge of all the Earth: No pretence will serve them, be it never so
specious by the art and cunning of men: for indeed what higher could
be, then pretence of Worshipping God, to offer Sacrifice to the
Lord? But what was the Lord’s answer? “Hath the Lord more
delight in Sacrifice and Offering, then in Obeying the Voice of the Lord?
To Obey is better than Sacrifice, and to hearken to the Voice of the Lord
then the Fat of Rams: For Rebellion is as the Sin of Witchcraft, and Transgression
is Wickedness and Idolatry: Because thou hast cast away the Word
of the Lord, therefore hath He cast away thee from being King.”
A heavy
sentence, and worse recompence of reward, for his Life went for theirs.
Here we may see, we need not go to Rome for Idolatry; for whosoever
transgresseth the command of the Lord may find it at home.

But B4v 16

But Saul, instead of deep Humiliation and thorow Reformation, in broken and contrite
heartedness as David did, and destroying what he had saved alive, he falls to Worshipping
to pacifie his concerns that way. There are many Saul’s now adays that salves
up their evil Consciences that way, and goes on making such a noise with their Worshipping,
that the cries of the oppressed in them cannot be heard; and so goes on crucifying
the Lord of Life afresh, by their ofen quenching the motions of His Holy Spirit in them
till at last His Holy Witness lies slain in their Sodomite hearts, and then they triumph and
make merry over it, and send Gifts one to another, and drink Iniquity as an Ox drinks
Water, without reproof, when the Witness is slain. But alas, all this will but serve whilst
their time is out; for this Sore thus healed will break out again: for the Spirit of Life from
God shall enter the Witness, and then shall the Book be opened, wherein is written
Lamentations and Woes. Therefore the Prophet Samuel knowing all these
things, refused to go with Saul to worship the Lord, although he so earnestly begged
and intreated him, for he knew the worshipping in that rebellious Spirit was Abomination
to the Lord, not withstanding his confession, that “he had sinned”: And besides all this
Samuel knew there was something else to do before worshipping, to appease the Wrath
of God. “Bring me hither” (said he) “Agag, the King of the Amalakites.” Then said Samuel
“As thy Sword hath made Women childless, so shall thy Mother be Childless among Women. And
Samuel hewed Ageg to pieces before the Lord.”
Let none mistake me in this Similitude;
I do not mean that the Lives of any should be taken away; no, no, for I would not do
thse least hurt to the greatest of all my Enemies; for that was not the Work of Christ my
Lord, who came not to desstroy mens Lives, but to save them, and to destroy their
Iniquities; and for this I am offered up in Body, Soul and Spirit, which is the highest
Sacrifice I can pay, and happy should I be to be counted worthy to be an Instrument in
that blessed Work to others in this my Day and Generation, to hew Ageg to pieces before
the Lord, the Prince of the Power of Darkness which rules in the Children of Disobedience.
And this is it that I have laboured so much for, and made so many humble
Addresses to the King and Queen, that they may not neglect this great Salvation.
but that they may be the happy Instruments in this blessed work of Reformation, that the
Will of God may be done in them, and throughout their Dominions, to the Glory of
God and the Exaltation of His ever Blessed Name, and the happy establishing them
in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of their Lives, which is the humble Prayers
of the Lord’s Servant, and your true & faithful Subject according to the will of God.

From one that is of no Sect or gathered People, yet have I sought the Lord from my Childhood
until this day: And having found the only good, which is God, to be my Teacher, and the
Almighty to be my Counseller, who is my Sabboth of Rest: And in His Holy, Pure,
unspotted Life, I have unity and fellowship with all that are in this throughout the Universe,

Jone Whitrowe.

This following was writ by another, who desired to have it incerted here.

If any one (though intending well) should be so inticed as to strengthen that deceiveable,
murmuring, discontented Spirit, that would stir up Strife and Division amongst
the Heads of the Nation, they may expect trouble upon trouble, until they forbear,
Repent, and give Glory to Him, who searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reigns, against
whom it is in vain to strive.

The End.