that "all Princes of the Earth that come to visit your Majesty, and bring their physicians with them, will carry notes and writings home with them that shall stand all ages and people in great stead forever. And as for your religion in worshipping Jehovah in his holy Temple, he is the great God, and above all Gods, and all your performances are glorious. But yet other nations have much joy, content and comfort, every nation in serving their own Gods. For they cannot be persuaded to embrace your devotions, as too strict and rigid. You may not add any thing to what your God commands, nor take away any thing he forbids. But we may add any thing as just occasion calls for, and sometimes take away what was not so fitting, which things are rational to all nations, for what is it but may be amended? Yea, I have heard of your Priests, Prophets and learned men that there will be a great alteration in your religion after some certain time, that all this service that you do shall be ended as if it had never been, for they do say there shall be another manner of kingdom, priests and temple, and sacrifices, and worships. These things considered, is it not an hard thing to persuade your bordering Princes to embrace your religion which shall have such a great change among yourselves? "And for these causes it is that those honorable women, that your royal Majesty hath taken into so near society to yourself, and into your most honorable Court, cannot be drawn to your religion, and among the rest my most honored and noble sister, your sacred Majesty's consort, to whom you have manifested such love and respect in an high degree, for which all the family of my father and mother do much rejoice. And although your most excellent Majesty have given her (out of your gracious respect to her) good counsel, and she is much grieved that she cannot give content to her most Sovereign Lord in changing her judgment in religion from that she was educated in: wherefore if I may be so bold to implore your Grace's favor on her behalf in granting her small request to build her a Chapel on Mount Olivet to satisfy her mind, it is but her fancy. I am sorry, for my part, she cannot comply with your devotions. She is but a woman, and I hope no hurt will accrue to yourself or kingdom, and if I may have leave of your sacred Majesty to say it is but too much strictness, for I am well persuaded of your religion, that you may be saved with your profession, and so I hope we shall as soon also come to the Elysian Fields of all happiness as well as you." At this speech of the Queen's brother the King was somewhat moved, and began to be angry; but he fell at the King's feet and besought him that he might "speak two or three words more in my sister's behalf, and I hope I may speak freely that you did covenant with my sister that she should use her conscience, and that she and her attendants of our nation should have free exercise of their devotions, and therefore let it please your Majesty, give us leave to put you in mind of your promise; and how can they perform their devotions unless they have a place of assembly, else it had been better for her never to have come to the land of Israel. But as you had given us cause to admire your special love to my sister; so we humbly pray, let us have no occasion to distrust it. And let me say one thing more: it will marvellously affect our nation, and it will persuade them that you love us, if you please to grant this request to the noble daughter of our liege Sovereign Lord the King of Moab, my father; and yet one thought more comes into mind which I suppose will be pleasing to your sacred Majesty, that if you perceive any damage or danger is likely to issue upon it, you may pull down every stone of the building and level it with the ground." KING. The King said: "Trouble me no more with these matters; I will grant no such thing. Your speeches are unsavory and full of ignorance. I could answer all your fond allegations, but it is not for Kings to dispute with them that have nothing to do with us in such cases. Where the word of a King is, there power is, and let that suffice you." This brother went and told his sister of all the discourse with the King and of his denial, at which report she fell sick and was very sad. Upon which the King gave her a visit and she wept abundantly. Now the King had some relenting in his heart, for the King perceived it was grief and trouble of heart. He spake very kindly and tenderly to her. A man of ingenuity cannot endure, unless a Nabal, a Fool, a Churl, to see his near and dear consort to weep, a woman endowed with excellent parts of wit, understanding, grace of speech, courteous, loyal, comely, sweet and beautiful, and what may give a man content (I speak simply of man and woman). The King, after he had in a most pleasant manner saluted her, departs, and then her spirit was revived, color began to be in her cheeks, and lightsomeness in her coun tenance. Although a woman be as a man's self very desirable; yet in case of religion, and the worship of the Most High, who is a jealous God, and his worship is pure and holy, and will not abide our thresholds to be set by his thresholds, in this case we must deny ourselves (as not to be servants of men, much less of women) and her that is most dear of earthly comforts, that lies in the bosom, and dearer than all other relations whatever, rather than to be a means that the name of Jehovah be profaned by false worships. He that doth not so, the Son of God saith, is not worthy of him. The story of our first parents must be conferred. When our first Father was persuaded by his Wife with her self to break the commandment-it should seem she persuaded him, for it is said: "Because thou hearkenest to the voice of thy wife." And ever since women are weak to be seduced, but strong, even Satan's engine, to seduce the man with her enchantments (for so they may be very well called) of her eyelids, lips, tears, etc. The Son of God laid this danger before his people. And Satan put this in practice by his wicked Prophet, Numb. xxiv. and xxv. 1, 2. And Satan thus dealt by the Janneses and Jambreses under the New Testament times, who did and do creep as Serpents into houses, to lead captive silly women laden with sins and led away with divers lusts. II. Tim. iii. The wife she is still at home with her children and servants, and how insensibly doth she corrupt them. And if a woman be active, she will corrupt other women, and after a little while men follow their wives, and corruptions gangrenate quickly and spread far. This the Apostle foretold, which came to pass afterward, but especially concerning Mahomet and in the Papacy. Pardon this digression. QUEEN. About certain months after that, the King had called for this honorable and royal Lady. She prepares herself in all costly raiment, cloth of gold and silver of curious needle-work, with chains of inestimable jewels about her neck, that the beams of her spankled raiment with the precious gems made radiant beams (the sun shining through the windows) upon the walls of the King's palaces as she passed; and at last enters the chamber of presence, honored virgins attending her, and presents herself before the King, with her orient eyes, damask rosy cheeks, twinkling eyelids, cherry lips, and all festivity and grace of speech, with comely and pleasant deportment fell at the King's feet. The King took her up by the hand and falls a-kissing her with all loving embracements. The next morn ing she retired herself to a close secret chamber by, and after she had washed and perfumed herself and had put on other change of raiment very costly, craves leave to do her humble duty, and take her leave of the King, whom when the King saw, he was taken again with her eyelids, and closes her fast in his arms. Then she ponders how she may enforce her old errand and after much and pleasant compliment with the King, as soon as she had perceived she had entangled him, then she utters the oracles of the old Serpent, and saith to the King: "How do I admire and wonder at the great respect and love that my Sovereign Lord doth manifest to me, his handmaid, that he should afford such his amiable society! I do perceive your most ardent and endeared love to me above any of your honorable women; your kind and fervent desire towards me though most unworthy hath fired my heart towards your sacred Majesty. I am your servant, and at your Grace's command, and so ever will be to perform all loyal and dutiful observance. I would I were able to express the fervency of my heart unto my Sovereign Lord; and seeing it hath pleased the King so royally to manifest himself, I hope I may present and importune my former humble request unto my Lord, my gracious Sovereign, for the building of a Chapel for my maids, and my household servants and attendants. It shall not be so much for myself as for them, whom I humbly confess are not worthy to come into the confines of Jerusalem, your holy City, much less into the Palaces of Zion, the City of David your father. Your love is so great unto me, which if I should distrust I should most highly offend. For I know you hate Atheism, and as it is an abomination unto you, it grieves my heart that I have no place of devotion to resort unto, when all the ladies of Israel may resort unto your Temple, and I and my maids sit moping at home all amort; as they worship their God so would I love my God, the God of my Father." And she gave the King a gentle stroke on the breast and said: "My noble consort, my Sovereign, my royal Lord, I know I have your heart, I know you love me, and what shall or can be wanting from a loving heart," etc., etc. And the King being ravished with her love, and with such words sweeter than honey, softer than oil, and all subtle flatteries, and after some discourse the King was captivated with her dalliance and snared with her devilish devices, and her hands were as bands; she persuaded him, she enticed him, and forced him to yield, that she had his license to build a Temple on Mount Olivet to Chemosh, the Devil, the idol, the abomination of Moab. Benjamin Woodbridge. PREACHED in Bristol, R. I., and Kittery, Me., 1680-88. DIED at Medford, Mass., 1710. A NEW ENGLAND SAINT. ["Upon the Tomb of the Most Reverend Mr. John Cotton," as quoted in Cotton Mather's A simple serpent or serpentine dove, Made up of wisdom, innocence and love: Embracing old and young, and low and high, Ambitious to be lowest, and to raise His brethren's honor on his own decays; That being gone the stars may show their head;) To churches' peace and ministers' devotions: Convers'd in heaven while he was on earth: Yet so divinely beautified, you'ld count He had been born and bred upon the Mount! A living, breathing Bible; tables where Both covenants at large engraven were; Gospel and law in's heart had each its column; A man of might, at heavenly eloquence, As if Apollos were reviv'd in him, Or he had learned of a seraphim; Spake many tongues in one; one voice and sense A star that in our eastern England rose, |