The work of God in a dying maid being a short account of the dealings of the Lord with one Susannah Whitrow, about the age of fifteen years, and daughter of Robert Whitrow, inhabiting in Covent-garden in the county of Middlesex, together with her experimental confessions to the power and work of the Lord God, both in judgments and mercy to her soul / published for the warning and good of others who are in the same condition she was in before her sicknss [sic]. 1677 Approx. 41 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 25 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-11 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A65944 Wing W2039 ESTC R33641 13542029 ocm 13542029 100092 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A65944) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 100092) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1559:36) The work of God in a dying maid being a short account of the dealings of the Lord with one Susannah Whitrow, about the age of fifteen years, and daughter of Robert Whitrow, inhabiting in Covent-garden in the county of Middlesex, together with her experimental confessions to the power and work of the Lord God, both in judgments and mercy to her soul / published for the warning and good of others who are in the same condition she was in before her sicknss [sic]. Travers, Rebecca. Whitrowe, Joan. Martin, Ann. Ellis, Sarah. 48 p. s.n.], [London : 1677. Portions by Rebecca Travers, Sarah Ellis, Ann Martin, Joan Whitrow. Place of publication suggested by Wing. 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Society of Friends. 2004-06 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-06 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-07 Judith Siefring Sampled and proofread 2004-07 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-10 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE Work of God IN A Dying Maid : BEING A short Account of the Deallings of the Lord with one SVSANNAH WHITROW . About the Age of Fifteen Years , and Daughter of Robert Whitrow , inhabiting in Covent-Garden , in the County of Middlesex . Together with her Experimental Confessions to the Power and Work of the Lord God , both in Judgments and Mercy to her Soul. Published for the Warning and Good of others , who are in the same condition she was in before her Sicknss . Printed in the Year 1677. THE Work of God IN A Dying Maid . FRiends and People , to whom these following Lines may come , these may give you knowledge , that being spoken unto by a Friend , of the State of Sickness , and Wonderful Expressions that were uttered by this Maid now Deceased , made me desirous to see her , and as a Mother fearing God , knowing what Joy it must be to have a Child that had Transgressed , to turn to the Lord with all the Heart , and to find Acceptance with the Almighty , as I have cause to believe she did ; for he was with her , and I felt a living Power to opperate in her , that neither her Youth , nor Comliness , with any other outward Expectation , that she formerly had or might have of the Glory of this World , left a place in her to desire any longer Life in this World , but as she had before I came , cryed out against her self , for loving and going to these Vanities and Parish Places of Worship ; so now in my hearing she was much raised in her Spirit , in the Sense of the Joy that she believed she was entring into , praying and praising the Lord with a pleasant Melody , and desiring also that her Mother might be taken out of this Wicked World : I felt the Loving-kindness of God unto her , and she was brought near to me ; the Lord shewed me she must Dye , and being the Only Child of her Parents ; and having heard this tender-hearted Mother , had buried her Only Son not a Quarter of a Year before , which by relation was an excellent Child for his Years , not being Six and an Half , for Wisdom and Learning , and Outward Comliness a very Beautiful Child , and one of a great Courage , yet of a very tender , sweet , loving Nature , and more than all , in Soberness pursuing of the better part , so I felt and know in these sudden and renewing Trials there was Judgment ; and beholding her Mother's Quiet and Patient bearing of it , had this brought to my Remembrance , That they are blessed that can stand in Judgment ; and none but a Tender Mother can tell what it is to have Hopeful Children so soon taken from them , and fee the Lord is Righteous in what he doth ; and I that have drunk into this Cup , and a more bitter one , must confess , The Lord is Righteous in all , and his Judgments are true , but his Mercies are over all his Works , and his Love Everlasting , and who lives therein , gives Thanks for all things ; and this appears to me worthy to be known and retained , that so Young a Hopeful and Beautiful Maid should be taken off from her Vanity , yet that the Mercy of the Lord should so freely extend it self unto her , that she might testifie against her own , and the World's Vanities and Worships ; and tho' but in the last Hour , the Lord of Goodness granted her an Entrance into his Vineyard , and Power she received to magnifie his Justice and Mercy , that out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings will perfect his own Praise : And sure I am , the Dealings of the Almighty God with her on her Dying-Bed , was Forewarning some , and Instruction to others , that all might believe , and come to the Obedience of the Life , where all may profit , and be built up unto Eternal Life , over Death and Hell , in the Life of Jesus our Lord , which is the Desire of Her that through Grace is a Lover of all your Souls , called Rebecca Travers SVsanna Whitrow sickned the 5th Day of the 3d Month , 1677. and lay until the 9th Day , under great Judgment and Terrors of the Lord for Sin and Iniquity , and about Four in the Afternoon she broke forth in exceeding Earnestness , crying to the Lord for Mercy , with Wonderful Words , till about three hours , then did the Lord hear her Cries , and answered the Desire of her Soul ; and when she had obtained Mercy from the Lord , then did she fall into an exceeding travil in Soul and Spirit , praying mightily to the Lord in the behalf of her Father , and so lay four or five Hours crying earnestly to the Lord for her Father , before we writ down any of her Words . Her Natural Spirits were almost spent before these Words were taken as follow . Lord , Remember not his Offences , let me bear them , Lord , let it be easie to him , Lord , make the Way easie ; make his Friends to be Enemies unto him , that thou mayst have Mercy on him : Lord his Temptations are great ; Lord , carry him through , O let him not perish with the World ; Lord , do thou support him over this World : Should a little silly Dirt of this World draw away his Mind ? O Lord , satisfie me whether thou wilt grant me my Desires : Blessed Lord , hear me ; O Lord , hear me ; O Lord , let his Mind be set on things above ; Lord , fix his Mind upon thee ; Lord , let me never rest ( unsatisfied ) Lord , help him ; turn him , Lord , and he will be turned ; Lord , if I leave him behind me : O Lord , help me ; O Lord , help him : O Lord , hear me ; O my Lord , I have not strength left ; O Lord take him to thee ; but , Lord , grant me my Request ; O Lord , help me ; Lord , take not away my Strength before thou hast granted my Desire . O Lord , my Desire is not to live in this Abominable World : Lord , if thou take me not to thy self the Tempter will come again : O Lord , my Heart can never rest , until thou hast turned him to thy self : O Lord , must I be taken away without any Satisfaction ? O Lord , shall I have no help for my Distress ? O Lord , Lord , there is no way for him but to Watch and Pray continually , lest the Tempter prevail . Lord , are my Sins forgiven ? O Lord , had not my Eyes been in those Vanities , my Heart had not gone after them : Lord , strengthen thou me , but to see my Desires : O Lord , can I pray no longer ? O Lord , how hath my Strength failed , and my Heart decayed ? O Lord , let all consider what is this Kingdom : O Lord , thou comest as a Theif in the Night : O Lord , I beseech thee to tell me , if thou hast granted my Desire ? O Lord , thou wilt take me : O Lord , must I go before my defire be Answered ? O , must I go ? O , is there no delay ? O Lord , let me but stay to hear an Answer . I am very happy that I shall not live in this Wicked World : O Lord , I am going ; O Lord , take me . Then to her Relations , O why will you keep me so long ? I shall be kept longer . Robert Whitrow her Father . Joan Whitrow her Mother . William Nash , Susanna Meurs , Nurse . Sarah Ellis her Testimony CONCERNING Susanna Whitrow , To her Mother . A few Words which were expressed by this precious Child in the time of her Illness . I Not thinking she was so near her End , did not bear in memory as many of her Words as I might have done : I can truly say , I was much refreshed in seeing the great Work and Power of the Lord upon her , and hearing the precious Words that proceeded out of her Mouth : When first I came to see her , she had lain about a Weekill ; she seemed to be in much Extremity of Pain , and crying out to the Lord , saying , O Lord , the Enemy has wounded my Heart , he has wounded my Head , and he has wounded my Hell ; Come Lord , I make room , I make room , my Heart is open : O rip me up , and set me in thy Bosome , as thou didst the last Night : O , I feel the Enemy coming in like a Flood ; Lord , drive him out . Another time I went to visit her , when she was in great Conflict of Spirit and Body , and her Mother withdrew from her , to seek the Lord , leaving her Father by her Bed-side , in which time she uttered little or nothing , but lay Groaning ( she would hardly suffer her Mother to be from her , if she could help it ) after a while her Mother came again , and she said , O Mother Cease not , Cease not , though no one had told her , that her Mother was a praying to the Lord , but only as she had a sence of it in her self ; and when her Mother came to her again , she was in a sweet still Frame of Spirit , and cryed out , Ah! my dear Mother , O my blessed Mother , the Lord has shewed me , my Mother shall have a double Portion of his Spirit , yea , my Mother shall have a double Portion . This she spoke several times over , with many more precious Words , that are past out of my Mind . Another time I came to see her , a Day or two before she dyed , and her Countenance was changed , and she looked very sweetly , and lay praising the Lord , saying , Oh my Saviour , my blessed Saviour . Another time her Mother went out of the Room ▪ in to the next Room about some Business , and she called earnestly to her Mother , and said , Ah! Mother , I had much in my Heart to have spoke to thee : Care not for this World ; a little will serve us , we shall not want ; the Lord will feed his People as he did Elisha by the Ravens ; yea , the Lord will feed us as he did Elisha . Sarah Ellis . COncerning that False Report that was raised by some Envious Persons , which she formerly kept Company with , hearing of her Change from that Vain Conversation she had formerly lived in , they reported , That she was in love , and that that was the Cause of her Distemper . When her Father came home , and had given me a Relation of what those Persons had infused into him , although I was satisfied to the contrary , I went to my dear Child , and examined her concerning it , and because I would be clear , of what-ever might happen hereafter concerning it , I said unto her , My dear Child , thy Father and I will give our Consent freely for thee to Marry him , and we will do to the uttermost of our Power for thee , to make thy Life comfortable with him all thy days ▪ Then she said , My dear Mother , I thank you ; but that Man is no more to me than one I never saw with my Eyes , neither will I ever him , if he had all the Possessions of the Earth : It 's true , there was something betwixt us , he being very urgent with me upon the account of Marriage , proffering to settle a considerable Estate on me , and my Father at that time being a little harsh to me , I thought I would set my self at Liberty ; but upon better Consideration , I told him , I would do nothing without my Father and Mother's Advice , which he was unwilling to ; in that and some other things I was dis-satisfied ; I considered , if I should have him , I should be ruined ; so , that small Affection I had to him , I withdrew ; and before I fell sick this last time , I did desire never to see him more : And now , my Mother I am clear of him , and all Men living . Oh , my bowed down and broken-hearted Mother ! What hath been thy Sufferings in this Family ? Oh! how hast thou been oppressed with our Iniquities ? Ah , bowed down ! Ah! how often hast thou told my Father , The Lord would visit him with sore and grievous Judgment if he did not Repent , and turn from the Evil of his Ways ? Ah! how often hast thou said , The Lord would plead thy Righteous Cause with us ? Now the Day is come , thou hast so long warned us of ; now the Lord is risen ; now the Lord is broke in upon us . Oh how great hath been thy Care and Pains , which thou hast taken to bring us into the Fear of the Lord ? Oh , thou Blessed of the Lord ! Great shall be thy Reward , the Lord will give thee Beauty for Ashes , and the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness : Bleffed be thou my Mother . Her Mother being at that time Praising and Magnifying the Lord ; then she said , My blessed Mother , now is that Vision fulfiled , which the Lord shewed thee concerning me , That my Soul should bless thee , and thy Soul should bless the Lord. Then she broke forth into sweet Melody , singing Praises unto the Lord. Blessed are the Poor in Spirit ; Lord , I am Poor , I am Needy , I need thy Strength continually to withstand the Temper . O Lord , stand by me , move not from me ; for if thou go , the Tempter will come ; I will hold the fast ; thou art my Saviour ; thou shalt save me from the Tempter . My dear Mother , send for that dear Friend ( meaning R. T. ) that prayed by me the other day ; she is a precious Woman ; her Heart is upright before the Lord , the Lord hath shewed it me ; I love her ; let her pray by me to the Lord against the Tempter : And send for that faithful Servant of the Lord W. P. The Lord will hear the Prayers of the Faithful ; but I have been Unfaithful . O , how often have I sinned against my Saviour , the Light in my Conscience , which shewed me the Way I should walk in ? O , how often hath he knocked at my stony Heart , saying , This is my blessed Truth , which the Quakers Preach , by which all Souls that I have made shall be saved in ? Then I have said in my Heart , After such a thing and such a thing is accomplished , I will leave off my Life of Vanity , and become a new Creature . Oh! I was she that trusted in LYING VANITIES ; I thought I should have had LONG LIFE , and then I did intend to serve the LORD in my OLD AGE . Oh! how have I been against a Woman's speaking in a Meeting ? but now , whether it comes from Man , Woman or Child , it is precious indeed . O that I could be with my Mother , the Lord is with her , that I might have a little time longer , that my dear Mother and I might go in the Country , and walk in a Wood together , that we might seek the Lord , and never lay our Eyes to-gether till we have found him . Witnessed by me Ann Martin O Lord , my Strength faileth , I wait upon thee , renew my Strength : O my holy Lord , be pleased to restore me to my former Health , then will I wait diligently upon thee ; I will sit on the Ground , with my Head in the Dunghil ; I will never lift up my Soul to Vanity ; my Heart shall never go after the Sight of my Eyes . My dear Mother , pray for me ; for whatsoever thou askest of the Lord , it shall be given thee . My dear Mother , thou often hast told us of the Terrible and Dreadful Day of the Lord God that is at hand ; O , it will be a dreadful day to the Wicked of all sorts , the Lord hath shewed it me ! O Wo , Wo , Wo to the Children of Scoffers ; for as it ▪ was in Elisha's day , so shall it be in this the day of the Lord's Power , the Bears out of the Wood shall devour them . And treambling she said , O I feel thy terrible Power , O God , strike Dread , Terror and Astonishment in the Hearts of thy Enemies ; O in all Workers of Iniquity , who make a mock at Sin , and a Derision of thy People , and take pleasure in their abominable Ways , which thou abhorrest ; O thou wilt make all Flesh tremble . O , my Mother , I have heard God's thundering Power rattle , rattle , rattle upon the Heads of his Enemies ; and the Lord hath shew'd me he will destroy this Place : A Wo will be to the Children of Pride in that day ; and Wo , Wo will be to the Blind Guides that wear the long Robes , the false Teachers of this Nation : O did not our Blessed Lord say , If the Blind lead the Blind , both should fall in to the Ditch : Ah Lord ! how should it be otherwise ? for they hate the Light , and count it an insufficient thing . O did not our Blessed Saviour say , Believe in the Light , that you may be Children of the Light ; and bid them all , Watch and Pray , lest they enter into the Enemies Temptations ? And how could they watch without Light ? for they could not see the Tempter when he came in the Dark . Ah , that Scripture is fulfilled upon this People , That Darkness should cover the Earth , and gross Darkness the People ; and then Night should be unto them , that they should not have Visions , and the Day shall be Dark that you shall not Divine . And this was Egypt's Darkness ; Ah! but the Children of Israel had Light in the Land of Goshen : O extoled be thy Name thou God of Power ; O , if thou wilt be pleased to restore me to my former Strength , O then I will speak of thy wonderful Power ; yea , my Voice shall be as the sound of a Trumpet , which shall Convert Sinners unto thee ; yea , I will sit in the Dust , and cover my Head with Ashes , and put on Sack-cloth within and without . Then she taking some-what to Drink , lay still a little time after , but immediately broke forth with Joy in her Heart , making sweet Melody to the Lord , and so lay half an hour singing unto Lord , but not uttering any Words ; then she broke forth into Praising and Magnifying his great Works . O that cursed Place , that House of Abominations , that Play-House , that abominable House , where they commit their abominable Whoredoms ; God will destroy it . Her Mother said unto her , What House my dear Child ? she answered , That Church , as they call it , in Covent-Garden , the Members thereof are Proud Persons , and Covetous , and Deceitful , Lyars , Drunkards and Whoremongers : Ah! my blessed Saviour said , We should know them by their Fruits . O these were my Cursed Fruits which I brought forth when I was a Hearer of that Church , Pride and Disobedience to my Parents : How often have I adorned my self as fine in their Fashions as I could make me , yet they have looked upon me with Scorn , and despised my Dress , and said unto me , How like a Taudrey you have drest your self ? You are not at all in the Mode : then I came home on their Sabbath Day , and gone immediately up into my Chamber , and locked the Door , and altered all my Laces , and so I have gone to their Worship in the Afternoon Drest in their Mode , and then I have pleased them . Pray my dear Mother call my Father , I have something to say to him , I desire my Body may not be laid in that abominable place , but among the People of the Lord called Quakers ; for now I am a true Quaker , now I tremble before the Lord and his Holiness ; Come ye holy Prophets , who were Quakers and Tremblers at the Word of the Lord ; come Moses , Jeremiah ; come holy Habakkuk , now I am one with thee , now my Belly Trembles , my Lips Quiver , and my Heart Drops , because of the Lord , and the greatness of his Majesty . O my Lord , yea my Lord ; for so I can call thee , because thou rulest in me , and my Soul is subject to thee : But they have many Lords and many Gods ; they have Gods of Silver , and Gods of Gold , the Work of their own Hands . O Lord , my Strength fails ; my Father , my heavenly Father ; I wait upon thee ; renew my Strength , my holy Father ; be pleased to restore me to my former Health ; then I will wait diligently upon thee , I will sit on the Ground with my Head in the Dunghil , my Heart shall never go after the sight of my Eyes . My dear Mother , pray for me ; for whatsoever thou askest of the Lord it shall be given thee . The reason why I desire to live is , because I have so greatly dishonoured the Lord in my former Life , and now I would live the rest of my time to his praise : For now if I live , I shall be as one raised from the Dead , to declare his Wonders : But what shall I say ? Tho' one should rise from the Dead they would not believe . She was exceedingly filled with the Indignation of the Lord against the Priests , and spoke very much against their Idle Practices and their Abominable Ways , which is not taken in Writing , but these Words the Maid-Servant writ down as she spoke them ; she cryed out aloud and said , Father , O Father , these Priests that deceive the People they study all the Week what to say when Sunday cometh : O Father , but the day of the Lord is coming , that he will confound all their Study and all their Wisdom , and in that day they shall not be heard for their much speaking , they are Physitians of no Value . My dear Mother , I fear I shall not have a place so near the Lord as my Soul desires ; for I am sensible , there are degrees of Glory , and as the Creature acts here for the Lord , so shall its Reward be hereafter : I have done nothing for the Lord , but he hath done all for me , therefore I desire to live , that I might live a Holy and Righteous Life , that my Conversation might be in Heaven , though my Body be here on the Earth , that I might invite all , as David did , to taste and see how good the Lord is : They have tasted of their perishing Life of Vanities , yea they they have drunk a full Cup , their Measure is running over ; O , but they never tasted the Joys , the unspeakable Ravishments of Soul that attend the humble holy Life of Jesus : Oh , if they had ever tasted the least Mite thereof , they would bid adue to all their dirty Life of Vanity ; ah , they would not dare to spend their precious Time in adorning themselves like Jezabels , Patching and Painting , and Curling their Monstrous Heads ; but O the Christian Life is another thing , they must not give themselves the liberty to think their own Thoughts , much less to act such Abominations as these . After she had lain a while Praising and Magnifying the Lord , then she spoke very deep and weighty things , which are not set down , concerning the Wise Virgins and their Lamps burning , and exhorted all to keep very diligently upon their Watch ; for said she , The Lord will come as a Thief in the Night , and in a Day when he is not looked for ; therefore Watch and Pray continually ; here the Tempter cannot enter ; this is the way my Saviour spake off , when he said , You must take up your daily Cross ; this is that Flaming Sword , which is spoken of , you must pass through mark that , you must pass through , it before you can come to the Tree of Life ; this is the Cup my Saviour asked if you could drink off ; and this was that Baptism he asked if you could be baptized withal : Come all you that call your selves Christians , what of the Life of Holy Jesus is in you ? who was a Man of Sorrows ; you light and airy Ones , you wild and wanton Ones , you that are Lovers of Pleasures more than God , you Workers of Iniquity who are always crying , Lord , Lord , but do not the things that I say , this shall be your dreadful Doom , that you are SATERS , but not DOERS ; you Workers of Iniquity , that think you can never have enough of the Pride of Life , the Lust of the Eye , which is not of my heavenly Father ; and so you are of your Fathor the Devil ; for his Servants you are whom you obey . At another time she said , I have heard them say , that my Mother is so grounded in her Religion , that it is impossible ever to turn her . My Mother is grounded indeed , she is established upon the Rock that shall never be moved ; my Mother shall never be moved ; her Name is written in Heaven ; yea , in the Lamb's Book of Life ; it is sealed , it is sealed , the Lord hath told me so , and bid me tell her , There should none be able to pluck her out of his Hand . Come my blessed Mother , I have something to say to thee , thou art Mary , thou art Mary ; my Mother , thou hast chosen that good part which shall never be taken from thee ; thou shalt sit continually at the feet of thy Lord ; Ay , this is my Mother's Portion ; O what Portion is like this ? this is more than to sit in the Thrones of Princes . Be ye holy as I the Lord your God am holy ; this they say is Impossible . O , would the holy , just and true Lord command that which is impossible ? In this they count the Lord a hard Master : O but what can my Soul say of thy Power , when I sought thee , but could not find thee , I knocked hard , but none would open ? for my Sins stood like Mountains , that I could not come near thee , I would fain have prayed , but could not ; I lay several days and nights prostrate before thee , strugling for Life , but could find none ; and I said , There is no Mercy for me ; then said I , I will never leave thee ; if I perish , I will perish here ; I will never cease crying unto thee : Then I heard a Voice say , Jacob wrestled all night before he obtained the blessing : O then thy Word was strength to my Soul ; O then my stony Heart was broken to pieces before the Lord ; and then the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication was poured into my Soul ; and now I can sing , as David did , of Mercy and Judgment ; unto thee , O Lord , will I sing ; O with a rended Heart , and my Mouth in the Dust will I sing Praises unto thee my blessed Saviour . &c. For several days she had a very great conflict in Soul and Spirit concerning the Tempter ; and strong were her Cryes to the Lord for strength to overcome the Enemy ; she was so deeply engaged in the holy War of the Lord against the Enemy , that she would not suffer her Head to be removed from the Pillow , but said , It must be , as it were , nailed there till she had overcome the Tempter ; she said , I would not suffer a thought to wander , if I move I shall be drawn off my Watch , and then the Tempter will prevail ; then she had a Vision , and as it were the appearance of an Angel , giving us the full description thereof , which we have forgot , only that it was arrayed in White ; she had also a Vision of the Tempter , which she said stood before her bound in Chains ; then she said , It is finished , I have overcome , my Saviour hath bound him ; then she broke forth into Blessing , and Praising , and Magnifying the Lord , that it is beyond the Tongue of Utterance to give a Relation thereof ; for many Days and Nights together she would hardly suffer her self to Slumber , but would waken her self to sing Praises unto the Lord , and to declare of his wonderous Works that he hath done for her Soul. Some Friends came into the Room , but she saw them not , and after many sweet and precious Words , she said , Don't you Feast , but Fast ; you are the People that must Fast and Pray ; and be you contented with mean things ; O what matter for fine Houses , or silken Apparel ; O remember him that sate on the Ground , but wore a Garment without a Seam , our blessed holy Lord , who went up to the Mountain to Pray , that with-drew himself into Gardens and Desolate Places of the Earth , my Soul hath Fellowship with him . O my dear Mother , if it please our dear and heavenly Father to spare me this time , we will get us into the Country to some little remote Place , amongst the Woods , where none can hear us : O then shall our Crys pierce thro' the Heavens , which shall make the Earth to Ring , and the Birds shall hear the Eccho thereof : O , there , my blessed Mother , will we sing Praises , Praises , Praises with rended Hearts , and our Mouthes in the Dust , to the one holy , holy Lord. O thou Glorious One , thou hast overcome my Heart , thou hast ravished my Soul ; O thou pure , pure holy One , what shall I say of thee ? or what shall I render to thee , for thy loving-kindness to me ? O my Heart is overcome with thy love , Praises be unto thee for thy loving-kindness to me . O how shall I do to set forth thy Goodness ; for my Heart drops before thee ? Lord , if it be thy holy Pleasure to take me out of this Life , then let me have , I beseech thee , one whole Day , that my Tongue may never cease Praising thee . And the Lord answered her Request . All that Day she was wonderfully filled with the sweet Solace of the heavenly Life , singing Praises and Hallelujahs to the Lord , and spoke very much concerning the Lamb and his Followers , which had washed their Robes and made them White in the Blood of the Lamb ; and towards the evening , while the Power of the Lord was upon her , there came in two Persons to see her , and she uttered many precious heavenly Words , which were not taken in Writing at which time these Words were spoken by her , O what matter for fine Houses and silken Appearel : and so went on above half an hour , and with a very great weight upon her Spirit , saying , O Israel , what hath thy God done for thee ? & then uttering many deep & weighty Words , she said , The Daughters of Sion are Haughty , they go with their out-stretched Necks , and their wanton Eyes ; uttering many more deep Words ; then taking up an inward Lamentation , she said , O what shall we do for the Daughters of Jerusalem ? After several Days lying in the sweet Solace and heavenly Life of the Lord ( in which time she uttered many heavenly things , which were not taken in Writing ) she did express these Words , O thou Beloved of my Soul ! what shall I say of thee ? for thou art too wonderful for me : O Praises be unto thee : O come all ye holy Prophets , praise you the Lord with me : O praise the Lord O my Soul , upon the loud-sounding Instrument ; ye Glorious Angels , you that excel in Glory , sing praises to him that sits upon the Throne : O how am I overcome ! Ye Stones in the Street why rise ye not up to praise him that lives forever ? O thou Light , praise thou the Lord ; and thou Darkness , praise and exalt him above all things forever : O thou Son and Moon , ye Stars in the Firmament of his Power , magnifie the Lord above all forever : O all ye Fishes in the Sea , why come ye not forth to praise the Lord , the mighty God , who gives you Breath and Being ? I will praise thee my holy Lord God , whilest I have any Breath : O praise the Lord O my Soul , sing praises to the God of my Salvation : O my holy One , my holy One , thou hast overcome my Heart : Ah! thou hast ravished my Soul. My dear Mother , I shall be as a new born Babe ; I shall be very simple ; but bear with me ; for the Lord is with me . My dear Mother , I must lay down this Body , the Lord will not trust me longer in this wicked World ; happy am I , my Saviour , my Soul loves thee dearly ; thy love is better then Wine ; my Saviour , my holy One ; how Glorious art thou ? I have seen thy Glory ; I am overcome , my Heart is overcome with thy sweet Countenance : O how lovely art thou ! I am ravished , my Heart is ravished with thy innocent looks , with the sweet smiles of thy glorious Countenance : O come away , come away ; why dost thou stay ? I am ready , I am ready . Then lying some time very still I heard her in a heavenly Harmony , in which frame of Spirit she departed without either Sigh or Groan . Joan Whitrow her Testimony concerning the Loving-kindness of the Lord. OH Lord ! Did I ever ask Riches or Honour of thee ? But I have asked Wisdom and Understanding ; for I said in my Heart , The Marchandise of that , is better than the Marchandise of Gold and Silver ; O Lord , thou art that Wisdom my Soul asked , which cometh from above ; that is first pure , and then holy , and thou art that Understanding my Heart sought for , more than for hidden Treasures ; and did I ever ask Silver or Gold , or Houses , or Lands , for my Childrens Portion ? but I have asked the Fear of the Lord ; for I know right-well , if they had that , they had all Treasures : Ah! Glory , Glory , Glory be unto thee for what thou hast given me ; O my Soul doth magnifie the Lord , & my Spirit doth livingly rejoyce in the God of my Salvation , who hath had regard to the low Estate of his Hand-maid , Oh! what shall I render unto thee for all thy Mercies towards me ? but to stand continually upon my Watch-Tower , and to keep in my Wards whole Nights , that when my Lord comes in the second Watch , or in the third Watch , he may find me with my Loyns girded , and my Light burning , that so I may be ready in Body , Soul & Spirit , to enter into the Joy of my Lord. Oh my Soul ! what hath the Lord been to thee here ? even a place of broad Rivers : O the Height and Length , & the Depth and Breadth of the Love of God to my Soul , in this State : Oh! how hast thou come in and Supped with me , and caused me to eat of the Banket that thou hadst prepared , and caused me to drink of the Wine of thy Kingdom ; so that my Cup hath overflowed , as it doth at this time , in the remembrance of thy gracious Goodness , what thou hast been to me in the day of Tryal , and in the many Tribulations , how thou didst set my Feet upon a Rock , and didst establish my Goings , Praises be unto thee ; and yet this was a small thing of thy glorious Goodness , and bountiful Loving-kindness , but thou hast also given my Children a Name amongst the Living , and Crowned them with Eternal Life : Oh , Eternal Praises , and endless Hallelujahs be given unto thee , our everlasting Father : Oh did I ever think in the day when thou led'st me down into the Deep , that I should have thus beheld thy Wonders in this the day of thy mighty Power , wherein thou hast returned me the Answers of my Petitions , when I said unto thee , Let my Children be thy Children , otherwise I desire none ; for one Child in thy Fear , O Lord , is more to me , than a Thousand in the Spirit of this World : Then did thy Presence over-shadow me , & my Soul was sweetly solaced in thy Love ; Oh! then thou answered'st me and said I will be a Father to thy Children , and a Husband unto thee . Oh , thou Faithful One ! who is a God like unto thee , keeping Covenant with them that Fear thee ? for now thou hast performed thy Word unto thy Servant , Glory be to thee forever . Oh , thou Holy One ! what hast thou done for me ? no Heart can conceive , no Tongue can express the Riches of thy Love ; for thou hast given me my Children again in the Resurrection of thy most holy Life , though their Tabernacle be gone to its place , yet they live with me in the Spirit , for our Communion is with the Holy One. And now , O Lord , what am I , or what is my Family , that thou shouldst shew this great Kindness to ? not unto me , O Lord , not unto me , but unto thy Name be the Praise ; for what am I that I should offer up an Offering unto the Lord ? for out of the Willingness of my Heart have I offered my Children unto the Lord , although my Children were as dear to me as my Life , and I could have laid down my Life for theirs , if the Lord had required it ; yet I durst not ask thier Life of the Lord , although my dear Child so much desired it ; but I said unto the Lord , Glorifie thy Name , let thy Will be done in my Ea●th , as it is in Heaven : And now , O Lord , by thy Hand thou hast brought this to pass , and for the Exaltation of thy glorious Name , thou powerful God , art striking Dread and Terror into the Hearts of thy Enemies ; and all that will not bow to thee shall be slain before thee ; for , O thou long-suffering God , how is the Throne of Iniquity established , and thou disposs●ssed of thy Princely Dominion , whose right it is to Reign in the Hearts of the Sons and Daughters of Men ; but they have robbed thee of thy Right , and entertained thy Enemy in thy room ; but now thou art come , now thy Day is come thou so long spake of by the Mouth of thy holy Prophets , That thou wilt dismount the Man of Sin out of his Throne , and set thy Son upon thy holy Hill ; yea the Mountain of the Lords House shall be established on the top of all Mountains ; for thou hast determined to destroy all Iniquity , and to bring in Everlasting Righteousness , Amen , Amen , saith my Soul ; a llG ry , Glory , and Eternal Praises be given unto thee , thou King of Glory . Joan Whitrow . Concerning my dear Son JASON . I Need not speak much ; for most that knew him , did know what manner of Child he was ; both in Person and Parts natural ; therefore I shall only give a small Relation of some of the sensible Words that came from him before he fell sick , for the Satisfaction of some that desire it . Before he went to the Latine School , he was in a most sweet heavenly frame of Spirit , and had such a Zeal for Truth , that if any Lightness or Airyness did appear in any , at that time he was a continual Reprover of such ; the precious Words that came from him at that time are past out of Mind ; I writ down some of them , but they are lost , he delighted exceedingly to hear me rehearse the noble Acts of the Lord , and would be exceedingly broken ; he would often pray when he was alone ; he did earnestly desire his Father upon his Death-bed , That he would let him go from him to the Wall , that he might pray to his God : He desired much to converse with me concerning God and his Kingdom , and would ask me deep Questions , with such heavenly Expressions , to the Astonishment of the Hearers , that I have often said in my Heart , This is the Inspiration of the Almighty that gives my Child this Vnderstanding : He loved the Lord and his People , and would often say , when he saw any that he thought were good Friends , It made his Heart glad to see them : He would often say , If I live , I shall be a good Quaker ; I shall go forth , and declare the Word of the Lord ; I shall be a true Minister ; I will not Preach for Hire ; I will proclaim the dreadful Day of the Lord against the Wicked . About three days before he fell sick , he said unto me , Mother , the next time I go to the Tavern they will bid me preach a Sermon to them in Latine ; then I will say unto them , I will preach you a Sermon in English ; and they will bid me say on ; then I will say , Wo to the proud Persons , Wo to the Scoffers , Wo to the Drunkards of England ; Wo unto them that rise early to follow Drunkenness , and to them that continue until Night , till the Wine doth enflame them ; you Workers of Iniquity , what will you do in the dreadful Day of the Lord , that is coming upon England ? for because you have wasted the good Creatures upon your Lust , the Lord will bring a Famine upon England . Mother , sometimes I have such a Trouble in me , that I am not so good as I would be , that I play so much , and do not every thing as you would have me ; I pray to the Lord , and I say , Lord , destroy this wicked One in me , and put thy fear into my Heart , that I may never do any thing that shall displease thee ; yet for all this , the Devil will come in , and take my mind off the Lord ; oh , then I am so troubled that I say , Lord have Mercy upon me . The day before he fell sick , he did take me by the hand , and said , Mother , I shall dye , oh , that you might dye with me , that we might both go to the Lord together : Then I said , my dear Child , why dost thou desire to dye ? He answered , That I might be always with my dear Lord God , and out of this Wicked World. When at any time he had seen me retired unto the Lord , he hath sate down by me , and would be mightily broken , and hath often said , weeping , Oh that I did enjoy that that you enjoy Oh , that I did know what the Fear of the Lord was , that my Heart might be made glad , as yours is . The Lord shewed me when he was three Years of Age , he was his beloved Child , and he would take him ; and from that time I have expected his Death . He departed this Life , not being Six Years and a half Old. Joan Whitrow . THE END .