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 'iWiUL St^ 
 
 
SPOIL 
 
 TAKEN FROM THE V >. 
 
 TOWER OF LONDO^ 
 
 WITHOUT 
 
 SIEGE, VIOLENCE, BLOODSHED, CON^ 
 QUEST, or LOSS to the Owners. 
 
 IN A 
 
 LETTER to a FRIEND. 
 
 -' BY 
 
 WILLIAM HUNTINGTON, S.S, 
 
 MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL 
 
 AT PROVIDENCE CHAPEL, LITTLE T ITC H FI EL D-ST R EET ; 
 
 AT MONKVVELL-STREET CHAPEL, IN THE CITY; 
 
 AND AT RICHMOND, IN SURREY. 
 
 Moreo'ver, I hwve gi'ven to thee one Portion above thy Brethren, 
 
 Gen. xlviii. 22. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Sold by G. Terry, Paternofter-row; J. ChaliTiCrs, N^ 210, White- 
 crofs-ftreet, near Moorfieldsj J. Davidfon, N° 7, Poltern-row, 
 Tower-hill i Mr. Baker, N° 226, Oxford-ftreet; Mrs. Howes, 
 N° 15, Charles-ftreet, Wells-ftreet; at Monkwell-llreet Chapel 
 every Tuefday evening ; at Providence Chapel, Titchfield-ftreet j 
 by Mr. Mantle, Lewes, SulTex ; Mr. Fcnlcy, Broad Mead, Brillo!} 
 and by Mr, Chamberlain, Portlmouth. 
 
 MDCCLXXXVIH. 
 
 [Price SIX-PENCE. J 
 
O I 
 
 TAKEN FROM 
 
 THE TOWER, 
 
 From a certain Loyalift in the Burning Bufh, to the 
 Son of David, alias Mr. Davidson, No. 7, 
 Pofiern Row, fecured by a fVall, though in 
 view of the Ditchy living near the Tower, 
 
 DEAR SIR, 
 
 I WISH grace, mercy, and peace to be for 
 ever with thee through Jefus Chrift, our moft 
 blefled God and Saviour. In my way home, 
 after you was fo kind as to accompany me in 
 viewing the many curiofities in the Tower, I fell 
 to conndering and fpiritualizing the various 
 things that I had feen ; and upon refledion my 
 roving fancy took her flight, and at her re- 
 turn many things were exhibited on the thre(hold; 
 the conclufion I made is; that your ficuation 
 is fomewhat Angular, and your privileges fuch 
 as few can boaft of. 
 
 You live in daily profpe(5l of the high tcwefy 
 
 Pfa. xviii. 2, which the royal pfalmifl, though 
 
 A 2 highly 
 
4 spoils taken from the 
 
 highly favoured of God, was not always indulged 
 with. When we are fixed on the high tower the 
 world appears as the drop of a bucket, or the 
 fmall duft of a balance, lighter than vanity and 
 lefs than nothing. You know the promife is 
 that the faint (hall dwell on high — that his place 
 of defence Ihail be the munition of rocks — that 
 bread fhall be given him and his water ihall be 
 fure — that he Ihall fee the King in his beauty, 
 and behold the land that is very far off. 
 
 The royal armory is within a howf/oot of your 
 perfon, wherein there hang a thoufand bucklers^ all 
 Jhields of mighty men^ Cant. iv. 4. Many a good 
 foldier of Jefus Chrift, when engaged in the 
 fight of faith, has felt his need of the helmet of 
 hope, — the breafl-piate of righteoufnefs, — the 
 fhield of help,— the fhield of faith, — the girdle 
 of truth, — and the fword of the Spirit, who 
 never could fay, as you can, that they lived all 
 the year round clofe to and in full view of the 
 royal armory. 
 
 Nor have you any thing to fear from the borfe 
 armory. The horfes, their armour, their for- 
 midable riders, and rheir weapons of war, ftrike 
 no terror i they are all fixed, and confined in 
 perpetual imprifonment—there is no apprehen- 
 lion of any danger from them ; all the terror 
 they have caufed in the land of the living is now 
 over. What would thoufands of Chriftians have 
 given to have fcen the Saracens in the fame man- 
 ner confined when they appeared fo terrible: as 
 
 it 
 
Tower of London, 5 
 
 it is written, " And the number of the arnny of 
 « the horfemen were two hundred thoufand 
 ** thoufand : And I hc^rd the number of them. 
 ** And thus I faw the horfes in the vifion, and 
 «^ them that fat on them, having breail-plates 
 " of fire, and of jacin£l, and brimftone ; and the 
 " heads of the horfes were as the heads of lyons, 
 *' and out of their mouths iffued fire, fmoke, 
 ** and brimftone. By thefe three was the third 
 ** part of men i<.illed," Rev. ix. 16 — iS. Thus 
 the Tower prefents fome things in effigy which 
 John faw in vifion ; and the iron bread-plates on 
 the Saracens troop horfes were lively emblems 
 of the feared conciences of that troop of locufts 
 who fpread the doctrines of the Turkifli aicoran ; 
 and of the trading fwarm of Popifli prieds, who 
 get money for themfelves, and fouls for the devil^ 
 by felling bulls and pardons. 
 
 Many a young Chriftian who has had Chrift 
 in him the hope of glory, has been afraid at firfl: 
 to launch out into the world in a public pro- 
 feflion, faying, with the fiuggr.rd^ there is a lion 
 without , Ifloall be flainin theftreets^ Prov. xxii. i^. 
 whereas you can go every day and fee not only 
 the lions, but wolves, bears, tygers, and leo- 
 pards, all confined in their dens ; yea, you can 
 lay on your bed and hear their terrible roar, but 
 not one of them can come nigh thy dwelling. 
 Highly favoured Daniel, only for calling upon 
 his God, was caft in among them ; but as he 
 cleaved clofe to the lion of the tr'bc of Judah, 
 A 3 the 
 
6 Spoils taken from the 
 
 the others could do him no mifchief. O what a 
 day will that be, when the lion of the hottomlefs -pit 
 lliall be as clofely cooped as thofe are in the 
 Tower. The angel will conne down at the tinne 
 appointed, and bring his chain in his hand — 
 lay hold of that old ftrpent the Devil, and 
 bind him a thoufand years, caft him into the 
 pit, and fet a feal upon him, which will make 
 the den more fecure than the feal of the king of 
 Babylon made that of the lions den, that his 
 purpofe might not be changed concerning Da- 
 niel •, or the feal of the Jewifh rabbies on the 
 Saviour's fepulchre, which was intended to baffle 
 the force of Omnipotence. 
 
 TJie ToweY'ditch may ferve to remind thee of 
 the very many who by milTing the way to the 
 fir eight gate have been dire6i:ed farther from it by 
 blind guides, who have groped for the wall till 
 the leader and the led have both fell into the 
 ditch together. Two or three perfons have fell 
 into the Tower-ditch in thy days; but it is to 
 be feared there are many more who daily fall 
 into a ditch far worfe and far deeper than that. 
 But there is a wall between thee and the ditch, 
 though but a very low one — which may ferve to 
 remind thee of Zion's fafety; in that day fhall 
 this fong be fung, We have a ftrong city, falva- 
 tion will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. 
 Souls encompafTed with thefe are well fecured 
 from the ditch. The wall being fo very low on 
 the hill fide, and fo high on the fide of the 
 
 ditch, 
 
^ower of London, 7 
 
 ditch, ferves to fhew us the fide on which the 
 mifer takes a view of his bags, whofe wealth is 
 his ftrong city^ and as an high wall in his own con^ 
 ceity Prov. xviii. ii, fo the outward Tower wall 
 appears to a perfon on the ditch fide ; but was 
 he upon Tower-hill ic would harldly be feen ; 
 fo let a worldling be ftationed on Zion-hill, and 
 his wall vaniflies altogether, and appears Icfs 
 than nothing. But to fet a man here is the 
 work of him who faid to the Publican, This day 
 is falvation come to this houfe\ upon the proclama- 
 tion of which the wall of wealth yielded up the 
 fort of the heart, and the root of all evil was no 
 longer a bulwark of fafety. 
 
 You have a confiderable number of men under 
 arms near your dwelling both day and night; 
 whereas Zion and her rightful fovereign have bur 
 few if any more who keep guard round their 
 royal fl:ate bed : Behold his bed which is Solomon^ s ; 
 three/core valiant men are about it, of the valiant of 
 JfraeL They all hold /words, being expert in war ; 
 every man hath his /word upon his thigh, becaufe of 
 fear in the night. Song iii. 7, 8. This guard may 
 ferve to remind thee of the minifters of the gof- 
 pel, who are to defend the truth, and the church 
 of the living God, which is the ground and pil- 
 lar of it, with fuch fpiritual weapons as the 
 Lord's armory furnifhes them with. But thy 
 fure defence is in the God of armies, who is 
 both our guardian and our watch; unle/s the Lcrd 
 keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain, 
 
 A 4 If 
 
& Spoils taken from the 
 
 If I miftake not, thy dwelling is between two 
 hills; one is called Great and the other Little 
 "Tower Hill, It is a blefled thing to have one's 
 dwelling among the hills; that is, to have the 
 ancient mountain of eternal election made 
 fure behind, and the everlalling hill of glori- 
 fication in fnil view before. It is prophecied 
 that the mountains Jh all bring peace to the people, and 
 the little hills by right eoujnefs^ Pfa. Ixxii. 3. upon 
 tliefe God has promifed fhov^ers of bleffings, 
 which make the heart foft, and caufe joy un- 
 fpeakable to fpring up within-, this crowns a 
 gofpel year with goodnefs, while God's paths 
 drop fatnefs — they drop upon the paftures of 
 the wildernefs, and the little hills rejoice on every 
 fide, Pfalm Ixv. 11, 12, 
 
 The royal crown may ferve to remind thee of 
 the crown of knowledge with which the prudent 
 are crowned;—- of the crown of loving kindnefs and 
 tender mercies which the believer appears in- on 
 certain court days; — of the crown of life promif- 
 ed to the faithful overcomer at his death; — of the 
 crown of right eoufnefs which is to be worn by kings 
 and priefts when they will appear as faithful 
 witnefTes at the day of judgment; — and of the 
 incorruptabJe crown of glory that is undefiled, and 
 that never fades away, referved in heaven for 
 thofe who are kept by the mighty power of God- 
 through faith to falvation. He whofe eyes are as 
 aflame of fire , and on whofe head are many crowns^ 
 Rev. xix, 13. will one day or other bring thefe 
 
 forth 
 
^Gwer of London. 9 
 
 forth in all their divine luftre; when the chofea 
 fraterniry are raifed up from the duj}^ and the beg- 
 gars from the dunghill, and made to fit amo^g princes^ 
 and to inherit the throne of glory, i Sam. ii. '6, 
 
 The royal diadem with its numerous gems 
 brought to my mind the inconceivable beauty, 
 and the iparkling luftre of divine majefty, thac 
 the ever bltfled Saviour, the Prince of Peace, 
 fometimes appears in, when he comes to pay his 
 addrefles or love vifits to poor wretched fin" 
 ners, in order to v/oo and efpoufe them to him- 
 felf. In thofe nuptial days, the Lord of Hojls is a 
 crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the refidue of 
 his people^ Ifai. xxviii. 5. Nor will Zion be lefs in 
 the eyes of her royal bridegroom when he rifes 
 and fhines with all his glorious majefty on her; 
 fhe will be a royal diadem in the hand of her God, and 
 he no more termed for faker or defolate, hut Hephzihah^ 
 the Lord's delight, Ifai. Ixii. 3, 4. To be blefled 
 with a favory experience of this, and to enjoy the 
 Spirit's fweet influences, are fummary pledges and 
 foretades of what is to come j thefe are the markt 
 that fecure the prize of the high calling of God in 
 *Chrijl Jefus. The foul that knows, experiences, 
 and enjoys thefe things, and is perfuaded in his 
 own mind (by the Spirit of faith) of the reality of 
 them, and of his part and lot in them, may fay, at 
 Job did, My judgment is as a robe and a diadem. 
 Job xxix. 14. 
 
 The golden fceptre may remind thee of the fcep- 
 tre of righteoufnefs, by which every faithful fub- 
 
 jea 
 
io Spoils taken from the 
 
 jed of the King of Kings is ruled. Vidory over 
 devils, the world, felf, fin, and death, is the 
 bkiTed efFed of being under the fceptre of righ- 
 teoufnefs and the dominion of grace. It is true, 
 none of thefe adverfaries are deftroyed in the 
 ilridefl: fenfej but their dellroying power is with 
 refpcdl to the ele^l, and they will be all beat 
 down under our feet in due time. I am an eye 
 witnefs that you touched the golden fceptre once \ 
 but this is not enough, we muft arppear at court 
 daily to renew our friendfhip, and give proof of 
 our loyalty. Beware of a fhynefs — a diftance — a 
 lukewarmnefs — indulged fins — contraded guile 
 — an accufing devils — or, what is worfe than all, 
 an accufing confcience getting between the King 
 and theej thefe things obfcure or bring a cloud 
 over the throne of grace, which in time hinders 
 prayer from going forth. At the worft of times, 
 and with the word of cafes, do as fome did in 
 the days of old, who faid, / will go in andjland 
 before the Kingy and if I perifrj I penfJo ; to whom 
 the golden fceptre y^as held out, and half the 
 kingdom promifed ; but Chrift gives more, for 
 the whole kingdom is ours. 
 
 'The curtana or blunt f word of mercy, which is car- 
 ried between the two fwords of juflice, the fpi- 
 ritual and the temporal, brought to my mind the 
 terrible appearance that the Lord makes when he 
 firft comes to the chofen finner and wounds him 
 with the fword of the Spirit, which feparates 
 joints and marrow and difcovers the receffes of 
 
 the 
 
Tower of London. 1 1 
 
 the heart, infomuch that the poor finner thinks 
 he is going to deftrudlion j whereas the /^e-^ri <?/ 
 mercy^ though it hath got two edges, yet it hath 
 no point. The wound or rather bruife that the 
 Saviour gives us with this, when he appears as 
 conqueror, ferves to make more work for him as 
 a phyfician. I wound and I heal, faith the blefT- 
 ed Redeemer; the Lord maketh fore and bind- 
 eth up ; he that girds his /word upon his thigh as 
 the mod mighty, is anointed to hind up the broken 
 hearted and to fet at liberty thofe that are bruifed. 
 Luke iv. 18. I think this blunt fword may re- 
 prefent that which Mofes fpeaks of; Happy art 
 thou O I/rael', who is like unto thee 3 people faved by 
 the Lord t the Jhield of thy helpy and who is the sword 
 OF THINE EXCELLENCY. Deut. xxxiii. 29. An ex- 
 cellent fword this, there is none like it ; the 
 wounds we receive from this are excellent, noble, 
 divine, and durable j God grant they never may 
 be healed while we live in the world, feeing a 
 broken fpirit is an acceptable facrificej under 
 every wound remember it is the fword of mercy ; 
 in mercy it is ufed, and through mercy it will do 
 no hurt; mercy has a foft hand, a tender heart, 
 and compaffionate bowels; if fatherly feverity 
 gives a wound, tender pity applies the balm. It 
 may be faid of a faint in a good fcnfe as it is faid 
 of the Popifh bead in a bad one; That he received 
 a wound by a fword and did live, for his deadly wound 
 was healed \ and the whole world will one day 
 wonder as much at the faint, as it wondered after 
 
 the 
 
12 Spoils taken from the 
 
 the beaft. In fhorr, it will not be terrible to a 
 child of God to die of the wounds given by the 
 fword of mercy. This weapon is generally ufed 
 where peace is proclaimed -, there is that fpeaketh 
 like the piercing of a Jwordy but the tongue of the 
 wife is health, Prov. xii. 18. 
 
 The ivory fcep Ire with the dove on the top put mc 
 in mind of Solomon's ivory throne, which that 
 peaceable prince made for himfelf, overlayed with 
 the hejl goldy the throne had fix fteps, and the top of 
 the throne was round behind \ and there were ft ays on 
 either Jide of the place on the feat ^ and two lions flood 
 hefide the flays -, and twelve lions flood there on the one 
 fide and one the other upon the ft^ fleps \ there was not 
 the like made in any kingdom, 1 Kings x. 18 — 20. 
 This throne beautifully typified the throne of 
 grace; the light colour may fnew the Saviour's 
 holy and merciful proceedings with his own peo- 
 ple ; the two lions at the foot of the throne, the 
 one reprefenting the terrible majefty of his deity — * 
 the lion hath roared who will not fear^ God hath 
 fpoken who can but prophecy ? theotherthe majefty 
 of his rifen, exalted, and g]orifi:*J humanity, he 
 being the lion of the tribe of Judah, The hy. fteps 
 may prefigure the Saviour's way to his throne; 
 he went to it, ift. By his defcent from heaven i 
 2dly. By his aiTumption of human nature ; 3dly. 
 By his ftate of humiliation as a fervant ; 4thly. 
 By his obedient defcent by death into the grave; 
 fthly. By his refurreflion ; and 6thly. By his af- 
 cenfion to heaven, where he is fat down on the 
 
 throne 
 
' ^ower cf London. 1 3 
 
 throne of majcfly on high. The twelve' lions on 
 the fteps of the ivory throne might reprefent not 
 only the twelve tribes, who at firil fupported So- 
 lomon on his throne, but the twelve apoftles, who 
 as prime miniders of (late, and the honourable 
 privy council of the great king, appeared bold, 
 valiant, and courageous, fpent all they had, and 
 were fpent themfclves in defending the honour, 
 hereditary and meritorious right of their 
 royal mailer to thet hrone of David, and the go- 
 vernment of the houfe of Ifrael ; their (landing oa 
 the fteps may denote their afcenfion after their 
 mafter, and the impolTibijity of any getting to the 
 Saviour but by obedience to the dodrines which 
 they taught; it may likewife denote their afcen- 
 fion to be with their Lord, who will one day ap- 
 pear- twelve lions indeed, when they fit on twelve 
 thrones judging the twelve tribes of Ifrael. The 
 ivory Jeep tre put me in mind of the fceptre fwayed 
 by the Saviour in glory; he is king of Zion and 
 king of glory, king of faints and king of angels, 
 "principalities and pov/ers. The colour of this 
 fceptre put me in mind of the bright, the glo- 
 rious, and lovely proceedings of the great king 
 among the fpirits of juft men made perfeft. 
 
 The dovt upon the top^ the emblem of pence ^ ferved 
 to remind me of thofe peaceable manfions and 
 quiet habitations above, where uninterrupted 
 peace fi:iall be enjoyed, the wicked ceafe from 
 troubling, and the weary be for ever at reft. The 
 dove brought to my mind the bk(red Spirit of 
 3 God, 
 
1 4 Spoils taken from the 
 
 God, which refls upon every loyal fubjed of the 
 Saviour's fpiritual kingdom; and on which ac- 
 count the church is called by her royal bride- 
 groom, My love, my dovcy my undefiled\ my dove 
 that dwells in the cleft of the rocky Let me hear thy 
 voice, fays the altogether lovely, Let me fee thy 
 countenance ; fweet is thy voice and thy countenance is 
 comely. 
 
 The fther fountain being empty put me in 
 mind of the emptinefs of all fublunary enjoy- 
 ments, which at firft fight feem topromife much, 
 but afford no more than the fountain did to us, 
 that is, the beholding of it with our eyes which are 
 never fatisfied with feeing. An empty fountain 
 feems a concradidlion in terms, becaufe it has no 
 fupply from itfelf j it fliould rather be called a 
 ciftern, becaufe it will hold water if you put it 
 into it ; but all the tranfient enjoyments of this 
 world are in a ciftern that can hold no water. 
 My people, faith God, have committed two evils, 
 they have forfaken me the fountain of living water 
 and hewed out ro themfelves cifterns, broken 
 cifterns that can hold no water. God is a foun- 
 tain of living water, from whom through the 
 Lamb comes that glorious river, the flreams 
 -whereof make glad the city of God ; fouls filled 
 and fatisfied with this water never third for the 
 vanities of this world again ; he has got a fpring 
 within him, as wifdom fays, z good man is fatisfied 
 from himfelf^ that is, from a knowledge of his own 
 
 fafety 
 
Toz^er of Lcndcn. 13 
 
 fafety and happinefs, for his very heart is a foun- 
 tain, being partaker of that water that fprings 
 up into everlafting lifej on v/hich account the 
 church is called a garden enclofed, a fprhig Jlmt up^ 
 and a fountain fealed. This fpring fliall carry us 
 at lad into that inexhauftable fountain from 
 whence the dreams defcend; then we (hall be 
 abundantly fatisfied with the goodnefs of his hcufey 
 and drink of the river of his pleafure ; fur i£;ilb him 
 is the fountain of life-, until which happy and 
 blefied period we muft content ourfelves with 
 that glorious declaration that heaven has made 
 
 to Zion — ALL MY SPRINGS ARE IN THEE. 
 
 The golden eagle with her expanded wings put 
 me in mind of the amazing condefcenfion and 
 tender love of God, which quickens, enflames, 
 and bears the church above the world. Mofes 
 reprefents this bird as turning over her eggs, that 
 they may all get warm alike; as hovering over 
 her young, and taking them on her wings and 
 mounting up with them, in order to teach them 
 how to fly-, and then compares it to the tender 
 care and love of God to his people : " As an 
 ** eagle (lirreth up her nefl:, fluttereth over her 
 ** young, fpreadeth abroad her wings, taketh 
 " them, beareth them on her wings; fo the Lord 
 ^^ alone did lead Jacob, and there was no ftrange 
 '* God with him : He made him ride on the 
 " high places of the earth," Deut. xxxii. 1 1 — 13. 
 
 The eagle is a very towering flyer, noted for 
 fcent and quickncfs of fight; on which account 
 
 heavenly- 
 
1 6 Spoils taken from the 
 
 heavenly-minded fouls are compared to hefj 
 *^ they (hd\\ nnount up as upon eagles wings, 
 «' they fhall run and not be weary, they ihall 
 ** walk and not faint." Job fays the eagle be- 
 holds afar off \ and I am fure the eye of faith fees 
 farther than all the eagles in the world i the 
 antient faints faw the promife at a diftancej 
 Enoch the fcventh from Adam faw the day of 
 judgment ; and the eye of faith will pry into 
 heaven itfelf, and fee the way thither i fo that 
 the eye of faith exceeds the eye of the eagle, for 
 that is a path that no fowl knoweth^ and which the 
 vulture's eye hath never feen. It is faid of the eagle 
 that fhc can look at the full blaze of the fun ; 
 fo can the Chriftian, when the Sun has looken upon 
 him-, he can fee him that is invifible, and find 
 his fight lirengthened inftead of Vv^eakened — it 
 affords pleafure inftead of pains it is a precious 
 thiiig for the eyes to behold the fun. 
 
 We were informed that the holy oil is put into 
 the golden eagle, and poured out of its beak 
 into the golden fpoon, with v^'hich the kings of 
 Great Britain are anointed s that put me in mind 
 of the golden pipes ^ which empty the golden oil cut of 
 themfelvesy Zech. iv. 12. The candlefiick repre- 
 fents the church; the howl upon the top of it the 
 gofpel of Chrifl preached; the feven lamps the 
 eyes of the Lord upon it, and his precious fal- 
 vation in it; tht feven pipes reprefent tried, pu- 
 rified, and faithful miniikrs, v/ho are miniflers 
 of the fpiritj who being anointed with the oil of 
 
Tcwer of London, 17 
 
 joy themfclves, anoint others with the fame oil in 
 the name of the Lordy Zech. iv. 2. James v. 14. 
 and all this comes from Him who is faid to bear 
 Jacob as on eagles wings, who was anointed with 
 the oil of gladnefs above his fellows. Pf, xlv. 7. that 
 he might give us beauty j or afhes, the oil of joy for 
 mournings and the garment of praife for the fpirit of 
 heavinefs^ Ifa. Ixi. 3. This anointing makes us 
 kings and priefts unto God. This oil makes 
 the countenance of a faint to (hine; it keeps the 
 lamp of his falvation burning with love^ Ugl-^ty 
 and zealy fo that it goeth not out by night, 
 nor even at midnight-^ " the light of the righ- 
 teous rejoiceth, when the lamp of the wicked is 
 put out." There is a treafure to be defiredy i'aith 
 the wife man, and it is oil in the dwelling of the 
 wife-y which will certainly be fulfilled when the 
 fooiifh virgins will fay to the wife. Give us of 
 your oil, for our lamps are gone out. 1 his oil 
 is no lefs than the Ploly Ghoft, the Spirit of all 
 grace. Jefus was anointed with the Holy Ghoft. 
 The foul that has got this blelTing fliall find all 
 things work for his goodj " let the righteous 
 fmite him, it fliall be a kindnefs ; let him reprove 
 him, it fhall be an excellent oil." Job was no 
 ftranger to this when he made this doleful and 
 lamentable complaint: "O that I were as in 
 " months pafl, as in the days when God pre- 
 *« fervcd me; when his candle fliined upon my 
 *' head, and when by his light I walked through 
 " darknefsi as I was in the days of my youth, 
 B " when 
 
1 8 Spoils taken from the 
 
 " when the fecret of God was upon my taber- 
 *^ nacle; when the Almighty was yet with me; 
 *^ when my children were about me-, when I 
 " waftied my fteps with butter, and the rock 
 ** poured me out rivers of oil," Job xxix. 2 — 6. 
 The golden fpoon may ferve to caution us again ft 
 remiiTnefs in duty, coldnefs, flothfulnefs, and 
 negligence in the ways of God, which make 
 Chriftians weak, fickly, and childi(l:i in fpiritual 
 things. Spoons are table furniture, generally 
 ufed to feed children ; we are commanded to 
 grow in grace and knowledge—to be men in 
 underftanding. A ftunted, weak, rickety child 
 is always in the cradle, the chair, the arm.s, the 
 fwing, the back-firing, or the go-cart^ they are 
 always in danger — never out of harm/s way. Paul 
 fpeaks of the Hebrev/s, who for the time they 
 had made a profeffion ought to have been 
 teachers, v,'ho needed teaching again — being 
 children — needing milk inflead of meat; he that 
 ufeth milk, fays the apoftle, is unfkilful in the 
 word of rio;hteoufncrs — for he is a babe. It is 
 to our own advantage that we grow in knowledge 
 and experience;^ we are then able to give a 
 reafon of our hope, defend our own teftimony^ 
 ftop the mouth of a gainfayer, and difcover the 
 emptinefs of a fawning hypocrite. It is by trials, 
 by watchfulnefs, by diligence, by meditation, 
 by reading, by fpiritual converfation, and by 
 prayer, that QhxMWdiVi^ grov) as the rine^ revive as 
 the corn, and flouriin as the palm tree. Such 
 
 fouls 
 
Tower of London, 19 
 
 fouls are capable of difcerning, receiving, and 
 digefting ftrong and wholefome doclrines, which 
 the apoflle calls mear. *' I have fed you (faith 
 *' he) with milk, not with meat, for ye were noc 
 '^ able to bear it, nor yet now are ye able; 
 ^' ftrong meat is for them of full age, who by 
 '^ reafon of ufe have their fenfes exercifed to 
 ** difcern between good and evil." If my friend 
 can bear fuch food as this, there is another cu- 
 riofity that may be confidered, and that is 
 
 The golden j alt cellar of ft ate ^ made like the 
 fquare white tower, which is ufed at the king's 
 table on the day of coronation. This golden 
 faltcellar may prefigure a believing heart blefied 
 with the grace of God, which will preferve us 
 to God's everlafting kingdom: Have fait in your* 
 felves^ fays the Saviour, and have peace one izntb 
 another, Mark ix. 50. Every fpiritual facrifice 
 (lands in need of this favory article. The facri- 
 PiCes of a broken heart, of prayer, of praife, of 
 alms-giving, of thankfgiving, yea, and even the 
 body which is to be prefented as a living facvificCy 
 flands in need of fak : " Every oblation of thy 
 ** meat-offering flialt thou feafon with fait; nei- 
 " ther fiialt thou fuBer the fait of the covenant 
 ** of thy God to be lacking from thy meat- 
 " offerings} with all thine offerings thou (lialc 
 " offer fait," Levit, fii, 13. Every facrtfice floall be 
 falted with fait y Mark ix. 49. The apoflles and 
 Jewifli difciples were the fait of the land of Ca- 
 naan ; ye are the fait of the earthy Matt. v. 13. — 
 B 2 and 
 
20 Spoils taken from the 
 
 and fo the Jews found it at the deflrudlon of 
 Jerufalem, When the Chriltians fled to Pella in 
 Caelo Syria^ the Jews had loft all their feafoning, 
 and their favour, and they became a ftink in the 
 noftrils of God, and he numbered them to the 
 fword, till they ftank upon the earth. 
 
 Salt is a prefervative, and of a communica- 
 tive nature; fo divine grace faves a man, and 
 ferves to feafon others; without this a man is 
 nothing; without this he can be of no fpirituai 
 ufe or advantage to others: Let your fpeech he 
 always with grace, feafoned with falt^ that ye may 
 knew how ye ought to anjwer every man^ Col. iv. 6. 
 It is this favory article that makes the difference 
 between a real Chriftian and a hypocrite; the 
 latter may learn the language of a Chriftian, his 
 outward deportment, and the form of religion, 
 and talk about a good and bad fpirit, as fome 
 do who know of no other fpirit than that of 
 fpirituous liquors; but thefe hypocrites cannot 
 counterfeit nor defcribe this fait; this feafoning 
 lies too deep for them, it can only be known by 
 experience, and defcribed by the experienced. 
 He that was inftrumental of making known the 
 favour of Chrift's name in every place, and was 
 a fweet favour unto God in them that are faved 
 and in them that perifh, could fay, // is meet for 
 we to think this of you all — that ye are all partakers of 
 '^7ny grace^ Phil. i. 7. A wolf in flieep^s clothing 
 may preach, converfe, or write, but he cannot 
 feafon ; hypocrites may be pleafcd and charmed 
 
 with 
 
Tcwer of London, 2i 
 
 with words, for they don't know but what the 
 kingdom of God is in word; we know thaty^// 
 is good ^ but "xUh them it hath lojl its favour , they 
 have no relifh for it, therefore how fhall they he 
 fecfoned with it ? Luke xiv. 34. The true Chrif- 
 tian looks more after the power than the found; 
 he is more for favory meat than mufic: Can that 
 which is un favory be eaten without fait y fays Job, or 
 is there any tafte in the white of an egg? How forci- 
 ble are right words, but what doth your arguing re* 
 prove, Job vi. 6, 25. 
 
 The golden bracelets brought to my mind the 
 fpirituai ornaments of the Jewifli church in her 
 profperity; ** I decked thee alfo with ornaments, 
 '^ and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a 
 ** chain on thy neck; I put jewels on thy fore- 
 " head, and ear-rings in thine ears, and a beau- 
 '« tiful crown on thy head," Ezek, xv'i. 11, 12. 
 The beft royal robe that ever Zion put on is the 
 imputed righteoufnefs of J efus Chrifi \ the next to that 
 is the garment of falvation-, and under both thefe 
 the ornament of a meek and quiet fpir it, in the fight 
 of God of great price. The fined and molt deli- 
 cate hand is the hand of faith, by which the foul 
 lays hold on eternal life-, by this the King of Heaven 
 was held in the galleries. Cant. vii. 5. with this 
 the princefs royal held her adorable lover ; / held 
 him fafty 1 would not let him go, until I had brought 
 him into my mother's houfe and into the chamber of her 
 that conceived me. Song iii. 4. where the marriage 
 treaty was fettled — My beloved is mine and 1 am 
 B 3 his. 
 
5 2 Spoils taken from the 
 
 his. The bed fpiritual ^r^ri'/f/ that I know of, is 
 the bond of everiafting love; this is the bond o( 
 union and the bond of all perfeclion, and is a rir^g 
 for the finger. Luke xv. 22. a chain for the neck. 
 Cant. iv. 9. and a bracelet for the wrift. Ezek. xvi. 
 II. it is a fure, a fatisfadlory and an everlafting ' 
 token ', it is the oiain tie of eternal wedlock, and 
 the root of all the joys that attend it either in this 
 world or in that which is to come. The hand of 
 faith, however delicate in the eyes of fome, is 
 nothing without this ornament, i Cor. xiii. 2. 
 Faith wcrketh by love. This ornament makes the 
 fpoufe appear an honour to her hufband and an 
 honourable manager of her houfnold (her chil- 
 dren rife up and call her bleffed). Faith worketh 
 by Icvey and love is an helpmiace to faith-, Cha- 
 rity believeth all things -, v^ith this working hand 
 the fpoufe maketh fine linen and Jelleth it^ and de^ 
 livers girdles of truth to fpiritual merchants ; firength 
 and honour are her clothings and floe fh alt rejoice in time 
 to come, Prov. xxxi. 124, 25. 
 
 The golden Jpurs worn at the coronation m.ay 
 ferve to caution us againll flothfulnefs; we are 
 commanded to run the race ^^^x. before us, not to 
 turn to the right hand or the left, not to look 
 back or tarry in ail the plain ; Chriitians are not 
 compared to elephants or camels, but to horfes, 
 harts, hinds, and roes; creatures that are fwift 
 a-foot. The fpurs brought to my mind the cutting 
 reproofs and rebukes that the lively and truly 
 gracious chriftian fometimes gives to the fluggifli, 
 
 carelefs. 
 
Tower of London, 23 
 
 carelefs, and remifs profeflbr. Solomon fays, A 
 reproof enter elh more into a uife man than an hundred 
 Jlripes into a fool. Frov. xvii. 10. A bright, fliin- 
 ing, diligent chriftian is a living reproof to the 
 wicked, and a golden fpur to a fluggiili profefibr. 
 Nothing is more mortifying to a heavy jib horfe 
 than a good roweled fpur; you know the flock of 
 the houfe of Judah^ that the Lord of hofts vifited, are 
 called his goodly horfe in the battle, Zach. x. 3, and 
 troop horfes are feldom ridden without a provok- 
 ing fpur ; Paul fpeaks of the liberal Corinthians, of 
 whom he boafted to them of Macedonia, that feme in 
 Achaia were ready a year ago, and that their zeal had 
 provoked very many, 2 Cor. ix, 2. 
 
 The moH: difagreeable fight to me in all the 
 Tower was what they call, the fchool of apes. This . 
 apifh academ.y, without a teacher, put me in mind 
 of a band of hypocritical profeflbrs, who think to 
 bribe heaven with a counterfeit fhew, and to pafs 
 difguifed in fneep's clothing, though they are 
 without Chrifl in the world. Eliphaz fays, The 
 congregation cf hypocrites ftoall be dsjolate, and fire 
 jhall confume the Tabernacles of bribery. Job xv. 34, 
 That very large ape that fat at the left hand corner 
 as we entered the room, which took the other lit- 
 tle ones into its hands, put them between its 
 hinder legs, warmed them by the fire, hugged 
 them in its arms, while all the little ones fat in 
 awe with their eyes fixed, obferving nothing but 
 the motions of him, had a very ftrange appear- 
 ance. This lord paramount, which fat as a father 
 
 B 4 of 
 
24 Spcils taken from the 
 
 of the family, put me in mind of the devil's 
 fondling and making fport of thofe of his own 
 houfchold, which the Saviour calls the fynagogiie 
 of Satan, Rev. ii. 9. Chrifi: fays xhdii mammon is 
 the mafler of thofe mimickers of religion, who 
 draw near to God with their mouth while their hearts 
 are far from him \ yea, he calls the devil the fa- 
 ther of hypocrites j Wee unto you fcribes; pharifees^ 
 hypocrites, Luke xi. 44. 2> are of your father the 
 devily and the lufts of your father ye will do, John 
 viii. 44. Apes are noted for mimickry and ac- 
 tivity ; I have feen fome of them mount over and 
 tumble like a mountebank on a ftage; you know 
 the word hypocrite fignifies a mountebank or Jlage 
 player in fcripture, who generally appears in the 
 charader of another indead of his own, as an 
 hypocrite does in the character of a faint ; hence 
 the Saviour's caution, Beware of falfe prophets^ 
 which come to you in fioeeps clothings hut inwardly they 
 are ravening wolves. Mate. vii. 15. I confidered 
 the fchcol of apes as lively emblems of Job's 
 congregation of hypocrites, on the following ac- 
 counts. 
 
 ift. They come the nigheft to the human fpe- 
 ciesof any of the brute creation; and of all the 
 religious orders among men there is none come 
 fonear the new creation, or to fouls created anew 
 in Chrift Jefiis as a varnillied hypocrite, who has 
 laid by his written form of religion and coun- 
 terfeits a fpiritual worfhipper. 
 
 2d]y. 
 
^ower of London, 25 
 
 adly. The ufe that the ape makes of its fore 
 paws, which are fo much like the human hands, 
 difplays the dexterity of the hypocrite, who can 
 weave the Jpider's weh of felf-righteoufnefs, and 
 hatch the cockatrice egg of fer pen tine mifchief. 
 Ifai. Ixix. 5. even in the church of God. Hence 
 wifdom compares the hypocrite to that fubtle 
 weaver; and there is a kind of apes called the 
 fpider ape ; The Jpider taketh hold mth her hands 
 and is in king's palaces. Pro v. xxx. 28. and like 
 the fpider, the hypocrite generally entangles him- 
 fclf in his own web ; hence Bildad declares the 
 hypocrite s hope Jkall per iJJo, that his hope Jhall he cut 
 off^ and his truft jhall be in a fpider' s weh. Job viii. 
 13, 14. 
 
 ^dly. The fagacity of the ape which tries to 
 imitate every thing that it fees a perfon do ; {o 
 the hypocrite imitates the faint. Does the chrif- 
 tian enforce fpiritual holinefs ? the hypocrite does 
 the fame; but to what purpofe ? if a man was to 
 enforce obedience to the third commandment all 
 the year round to me, yet if himfelf lived in blaf- 
 phemy, I fhould hate him and lightly efteem his 
 doctrine, as it appeared to have no influence on 
 himfelf. It is common for hypocrites to make a 
 great outcry againft the grace of God, and cry 
 up the holy law as the only rule of life, while any 
 difcerning eye may fee they privately hate and 
 feek to injure the caufe of God; would fooner 
 offend his fervants and worfliippers, than fpend one 
 hour to reform the vile. This Ihews their en- 
 mity 
 
2 6 spoils taken from the 
 
 mity againft God, the pleafure they take in the 
 triuinplis they give the Philiftines; befides, pre- 
 cepts enforced by people abandoned to v/icked- 
 HKiiSy who live on, cohabit with, and (iand as 
 pii-nps for private drunkards, what can be ex- 
 pedlcd fronn them? when it is evident they aredcl- 
 titute of the grace of God, nurresl^)r hypocrites, 
 making a gain of godiinefs, living like drone bees 
 on the hive of the induflrious, and eat the bread 
 of idlenefs. Reproofs or inftrudions given by 
 fuch awful characters only harden rebels in their 
 fins, and can have no more weight on a ferious 
 perlbn than tlie rebukes of Judas (whom the Sa- 
 viour calls a devil) had, when he rebuked the 
 Saviour and Mary about the wade of ointment ; 
 no faint under the dominion of grace and in 
 union with Chrifi: can ever flight the power of the 
 Spirit, by giving heed to an abufcd precept in 
 the mouth of a palpable impoilor. We know 
 the grace of God teaches the laint to have refpecb 
 to all the commandments, the fourth as well as 
 the reft; a precept in the mouth of a rebel is 
 like a parable in the mouth of a fool. Six days 
 fnalt thou labour and do all thy work, Exod. xk. 9. 
 If any will 72ot work neither fjj all he eat, 2 ThefT. iii. 
 10. If any provide not for his own^ and el'pecially 
 for thofe of his own houfe, he hath denied the faith and 
 ^s wcrje than an infidel. 1 Tim. v. 8. they are to 
 fliidy to be quiet, to do t!:-eir oirn hufincfsy and work 
 with their own hands, 1 The il. iv. ii. If the hy- 
 po critic 
 
^ower of London, 27 
 
 pocritc denies the faith, how can he keep h*s cre- 
 dit up but by making a noife about the law ? for 
 it is the talker and the hearer of the law that is juf- 
 tified by hm^ not the doer, Rom. ii, 13. for he is 
 an Antinomian. 
 
 4thiy. The knowledge that thefe creatures 
 feem to have of the difierenc fexes of" the human 
 fpecies has fomething very (hocking and difguft- 
 ful in it. They are creatures noted for craftinefs, 
 always in mifchicf, dealing things and hiding 
 them, and the feeming pleafure that they take in 
 doing it, is emblematical enough of the lechery 
 and treachery of hypocrires ; witnefs the council 
 of that arch monder, that fworn enemy to God's 
 Ifrael, namely Balaam, as it is written ; and 
 Mofes faid. Have ye faved all the women alive? Be- 
 hold, tliefe caufed the children of Ifrael, through 
 the council of Balaam^ to commit a trefpals 
 againft the Lord in the matter of Peor. Numb* 
 xxxi. 15, 16. Thus the devil got his end, through 
 the inilrumcntality of wretched Balaam, which 
 ended in the defi:ru6lion of the women of Moab as 
 well as the men of Ifrael. The efTccfls of Balaam's 
 council may be gathered from the following paf- 
 fage ; And Ifrael abode in Shittem, and the peo- 
 ple began to commit whoredom with the daugh- 
 ters of Moab. And they called the people to 
 the facrifices of their gods ; and the people did 
 eat and bowed down to their gods. And Ifrael 
 joined himfelf to Baaipeor; and the anger of the 
 Lord was kindled again ft Ifrael. Numb, xxv. i — 3. 
 
 This 
 
28 spoils taken from the 
 
 This old leaven lurked at the root of the Nicola- 
 tians, who taught community of wives, which 
 the Saviour complains of to the angel of the 
 church of Pergamus ; I'hoti haji them there that 
 hold the dc^lrine cf Balaam^ who taught Balack to 
 ccft a ftmnhling Meek before the children of Ijrad ^ Jo 
 haft thou aljo them that hold the do^rme of the i^ico- 
 latiansy 'u:hich thing I hate. Rev. ii. 14, i^. We 
 know there is no efcapir.g the pclluticns that are 
 in the world through luft, but by the almighty 
 power and fovereign gr^ice of God ; it is true, 
 there is a nation pure in their own eyes, buc 
 they are not ^o in God's eyes till warned from 
 their filthinefs. The cunning, artful craftinefs, 
 the pilfering tricks, and the pleafure that the ape 
 takes in doing mifchief, brought to my mind the 
 fubtile proceedings of chofe profelTors which Jude 
 compares to natural brute beafis^ made to he taken 
 and deftroyed, who /peak evil of the things that they 
 underfiand not, Jude x. They are faid to walk in 
 craftiness and handle the word of God deceit- 
 fully. 1 Cor. iv. 2. Some of this (lamp came to 
 betray the Saviour, but he could penetrate into 
 their croftinefs, Luke xx. 23. The pleafure thofe 
 falfe profefTurs take in doing mifchief to the caufe, 
 to tlie reputation, and ufefulnefs of the faints, by 
 giving offence to them, by daggering the weak, 
 by tripping up the heels of the fceker, by 
 llrengthening the hands of evil doers, by em- 
 boldening the prefumptuous, fortifying the erro- 
 neous, and furnifhing the contemptuous with ar- 
 guments 
 
Tower of London* 29 
 
 guments agalnfl the children of God. Some in 
 Paurs days pretended to love the fame Saviour, 
 preach the fame doctrine that Paul did, and yet 
 averred that he faid, let us do evil that good may come. 
 The defcription wifdom gives of thefe is, they 
 are faid to fit at the doors, to call pafTengers who 
 go right on their way, to be loud and clamorous, 
 to watch for the faint's halting, to rejoice when 
 their feet flip, to wait for iniquity, and never to 
 reft at quiet unlefs they have prejudiced or 
 Humbled fome one or other. T^hey Jleep not unlefs 
 they have dene mif chief and their Jleep is taken away 
 unlefs they have caufed fome to fall, Prov. iv. 16. 
 
 The brutal fondnefs of thefe apes brought to 
 my mind the way in which an hypocrite deceives 
 and plunders a fimple believer; there is hardly 
 a fincere foul that I know but in his infant 
 ftate of grace has fell a prey to thefe. When they 
 have a mind to pick your pocket or -make again of 
 yoU) they generally take a glafs or two of rum, 
 brandy, or good old Geneva, and the operation 
 of that, fets all the bowels of candour to work ; 
 then they will pour you out a Vv'hole gill of tears-, 
 Joel well underilood their way, Awake ye drunkards, 
 howl ye drinkers of wine, Joel i. 5. and fo they will 
 until they have got the baubees, and then like the 
 ape with the apple, they fet off (as he does) 
 upon the houfe top, chattering and bidding de- 
 fiance to all the inhabitants within. Of this ftamp 
 were the multitude that followed the Saviour over 
 the fea of Tiberius for the loaves and fiflies, whom 
 8 he 
 
20 Spoils taken from the 
 
 he fent back, telling them, they mud cat his 
 fiefli and drink his blood, or die for ever. 
 
 An ape is very odious and dangerous to -pre^- 
 tiant women ; bad effects have been known to have 
 been produced from women in luch cafes taking 
 fright at the fight of an ape, and furely nothing 
 is more dangerous to a pregnant or fruitful 
 church than a profound hypocrite, v/ho hates the 
 power of religion and the polTeiTors of it j by 
 their hypocrify and their errors they have fome- 
 times fo injured Zion, and even her paflors alfo, 
 that her very offspring have appeared improper 
 children, vifibly marked and chattering a wild 
 gibberifli, between Hebrew and Afhdod, till fun- 
 dry fiery trials have melted their fpirits, and the 
 divine potter has put his hand a fecond time to 
 this work on the wheels, and turned thefe ill- 
 fhapcd velTels into a better form i for as the clay 
 is in the hand of the potter fo are we in his hand, 
 and he does with us as the potter does with his clay^ 
 makes us fuch vefTels as pleafe him, namely, vef- 
 fcls of honour; and when done, thofe that erred 
 ccme to underjlanding^ and thofe that mtmnured learn 
 do5Irine-y fo that thofe marked ones which feemed 
 to have i\\Qface of an ox come to appear with the 
 face of a man, Ezek. i. lo. when the living crea- 
 ture appears in the wheels. Ezek. x. 17. 
 
 I obferved in the fchool of apes, that notwith- 
 flanding all their likenefs to the human fpecies, 
 their cunning, mimicry, and fondnefs, they were 
 
 all 
 
^ower of London. 31 
 
 all chained down to the floor, as not to be truft- 
 ed though in the precinds of the Tower ; this 
 brought to my mind the fcate of hypocrites, who 
 notwithftanding their likenefs to real faints, their 
 cunning by which they deceive, their feeming 
 fondnefs of thofe they flatter, they are all bound 
 down; the -JoicUd is holden lath the ccrds cf bis fw, 
 fays Solomon. Some are tied down to litfty fome 
 to CGvetecufncfs, fome to envy againft the" faints, 
 fome to errorsy and fome to the dram bottle, info- 
 much that the carbuncles of their face proclaim 
 ihG good Jpir it of candcttr th^t ebbs and flows in 
 their bowels; the well-known cant of thefe is, 
 put /ugar 2Lnd brandy^ but no wormzvood nor gcdl, in 
 the miniftry of the word; all zeal, faithfulnefs, 
 reproof, warning, caution, and rebukes is father- 
 ed upon the fpiric of the devil, as if Satan was 
 divided againft limjelf. Thofe who make a gain of 
 godlinefs are noted for candour, and thofe that 
 God ufes to bring finners to Chrift are of the 
 fpirit of the devil ; fo it was in the days of old, 
 to Simon Magus they bad all rcfpe^f as tbe great 
 pozver of God. Afts viii. 10. but Chrift, who de- 
 clared that hypocrites could not efcape the dafjjna- 
 lion of hell, they called Beelzehub the prince of devils. 
 Thefe were of an open candid fpirit; they 
 preached one thing and lived another, as Peter 
 talks of fome who pronnfed liberty to others while 
 themfelves are the fervants cf corruption. We read 
 of vrcphets who prophefied of ivine and pong drink. 
 Mic. ii. II. and no doubt bucfuch filled their 
 
 bottles 
 
32 spoils taken from the 
 
 bottles by their pleafing candied prophecies, till 
 they made fport of them that were prophets of 
 the Lord, calling them fools, and fpiritual men 
 fnady or influenced by a bad fpirit, Hof. ix. 7. 
 David complains that he was the Jong of the 
 arunkardy Pfa. Ixix. 11. However the hypo- 
 crites may gee into the church, yet they are in 
 bondage under the fentence of God, as well as 
 to their own fin; hence we read of fuch, wbo 
 ivere of old ordained to this condemnation^ Jtide 4.— 
 Solomon had a navy of jhips that came once in three 
 ^ears^ bringing apes and peacocks^ 1 Kings x. 22,--^ 
 but our eternal Solomon has no call to fend fo 
 far for them -, he has fcarcely a palace or a lodge 
 in Great Britain where the flewards of the houfe- 
 hold are not complaining that they are over- 
 Hocked with thefe hairy-ones. 
 
 I have fuch an averfion to apes, that I would 
 fooner keep a ferpent or a fcorpion in my houfe 
 than one of thofe creatures; and as a minifter, 
 I would fooner preach to fifty carelefs unre- 
 formed finners, who are called ferpents and 
 vipers, than to a thoufand hypocrites, who fit 
 under the gofpel for bafe ends, abandon them- 
 felves to idlenefs, and by walking in craftinefs 
 get a livelihood out of fimple people, or even 
 ftand pimp for drunkards, rather than work with 
 their own hands, and with quictnefs eat their 
 own bread ; thefe are enemies to God, ftrangers 
 to the power of religion, and the experience of 
 it on the heart of the righteous. The poor 
 
 feeker. 
 
^ower of Londcfii 33 
 
 feeker, who Is fenfible of his want — is of a 
 teachable fpirit — waits at Wifdom's gate — » 
 efteems them that fear the Lord— favours the 
 Saviour's righteous caufe^-^and longs for the 
 manifeftation of pardoning mercy — I love, pity, 
 and pray for; but idle, empty hypocrites I 
 cannot away with ; for their whole ftudy is to 
 prejudice the minds of weaklings, and to injure 
 the caufe of God; with thefe I truft I fhall ever 
 carry on an ofFenfive and defenfive wars Chrifl 
 came not to fend peace between us and them, 
 but a fword, therefore it is a juil and an holy war. 
 Perhaps you will anfwer, 
 
 Peace is thy calling, friend, not war 5 
 Doth not thy calling and contention jarr ? 
 'Tis holy w^r-^— this makes the wonder ceafe; 
 The fight of faith becomes a man of peace. 
 
 The Iraitor^s bridge and gate, by which fome 
 rebels came into the Tower to lofe their lives, 
 put me in mind of the arch-way by which fome 
 come into the church ; and the traitor* 5 gate that 
 leads to the river, fhews the wide gate by which 
 many hypocrites go out, who, as Paul fays, are 
 drowned in dejlru^ion and perdition^ i Tim. vi, 9, 
 Let this bridge and gate caution us againfl the 
 diiloyalty and rebellion of hypocrites; it is 
 dreadful to a loyalift to be imprifoned (though 
 but for a time) by the Great King — but it 
 is a fearful thing to fall into the [revengeful] 
 hands of the living God^ Heb. x. 31. We faw 
 C the 
 
34 i?/^//j taken from the 
 
 the ax by which fome loft their heads; but to mlft 
 
 ofChrift, tolofe xht head of the churchy is an infinite, 
 
 irreparable, and eternal lofs. The blackeft cha- 
 
 rader in the Bible (excepting Satan the prime 
 
 leader of angelic finners) is Judas the traitor* . 
 
 The pieces of cannon that are mounted around 
 
 the Tower, put me in mind of fome of our prc- 
 
 fent BoanergefeSy falfely fo called, who deliver 
 
 every meflage from the mount that burns with fire, 
 
 with hlacknefsy darknefsy and tempefiy the found of a 
 
 trumpet^ and the voice of words, Heb. xii. i8, 19, 
 
 The prophet Elijah, who travelled fo far to pay 
 
 his vifit to Horeb, found the fame earthquake^ 
 
 wind, and fire, as Mofes had done, i Kings xix, 
 
 II. — a caution this to every believing foul not to 
 
 attempt feeking the King of Zion at Sinai or 
 
 Horeb. Mofes put a vail on his face near this 
 
 mount; and Elijah, v;ho v/as the chariot and 
 
 horfemen of Ifrael, was obliged to wrap his head 
 
 in his maniky when God demanded JVhat dofi thou 
 
 here Elijah? i Kings xix, 13. The fiery law is 
 
 to be handled, in order to alarm, rouze, fhake, 
 
 and awaken the drowfy, ccirelefs finner^ but if 
 
 you batter his ears and entertain his mind with 
 
 nothing but repeated rounds of fiery falutations, 
 
 you will foon fear his confcience as with an hot 
 
 Iron, and make his heart cannon and bomb 
 
 proof; and, like Job's horfe when his neck was 
 
 clothed with thundery he will paw in the valley ^ and 
 
 inftead of being afraid or awed, he will rejoice in 
 
 his flrength and go forth even to meet the armed 
 
 rtieny Job xxxix, 13- — 21. 
 
 " To 
 
^ower of London: 35 
 
 *^ To threats the ftubborn finner oft is hard, 
 Wrapt in his crimes againft the ftorm prepared i 
 But when the milder beams of mercy play,. 
 He throws his garb, his cumbrous cloak away. 
 Thunder and lightning, heaven's artillery. 
 As harbingers before the Almighty fly; 
 Thefe but proclaim his ftile, and difappear; 
 The ftiller found fucceeds, and God is there." 
 
 The old fhattered and neglected tozver, which 
 flands at the rennoteft pare fronn the gate of en- 
 trance, and the lownefs when compared to the 
 white tower^ brought to my mind our myftical 
 Babel builders, who, as the Saviour tells us, are 
 intending to luild a tower-, the ^top of which is to 
 reach heaven ; like that which the antient tower- 
 ing fchemers, called by way of derifion Bahel 
 hiilders, began in the plains of Sbinar; but the 
 Saviour tells us fuch tower-builders fet not down 
 firfl to count the cofl; and for want of this they 
 began to build, as the Babel-builders did, i?u( 
 have not wherewith to Jini/hi hence the Saviour 
 fays, the beholders began to mock, as the Trinity 
 did after Nimrod's architeds had produced 
 the plan, and got the royal command for the 
 execution thereof: " Go to (faid the builders), 
 *^ let us make brick and burn them throughly. 
 " Go to, faid they, let us build us a city and a 
 " tower, whofe top may reach unto heaven, and 
 *' let us make us a name, left we be fcattered 
 •*' abroad upon the face of the earth," Gen. xi. 4. 
 The Trinity adopts their language: ^^ Go to 
 C 2 *^ (fays 
 
3^ Spoils taken from the 
 
 *' (fays God), let us go down and there confound 
 *^ their language, that they nnay not underftand 
 " one another's fpeech," Gen, xi. 7. This tower 
 was intended to exceed the rainbow, that was 
 not fufficient to fecure them againfl a fecond 
 deluge; its top was to reach heaven— it was in- 
 tended to get thena a name, and to prevent their 
 being fcattered; but they left it unfinifhed-, for 
 the Trinity had them in derifion, laughed ac 
 their calamity, and mocked when their fear 
 came. It is true they got a name, which will 
 lall as long as the world flands ; it will never be 
 forgot fo long as a falfe prophet or a legal work- 
 monger remains in the worlds yea, even at the 
 day of judgment there will be a confounding of 
 the language of fome builders -, but from this 
 the believer is fecured — he is not to be ajhamed or 
 confounded world without end, Ifa. xlv. 17. This 
 tower was firft ereded in their imagination — no- 
 thing will rejlrain theniy fays God, from that which 
 they have imagined to do-, they were all bent 
 upon ir, left they ihould be fcattered abroad 5 
 but their unanimous precaution againft fepara- 
 tion was the caufe of their difperfionj fo the Lord 
 fcattered them abroad from thence^ and they left off to 
 build the city. Gen. xi. 8. or, as the Pfalmift fays, 
 he fcattered thefe proud [ones] in the imagination of 
 their hearts. 
 
 The enfjgnftaff upon the Tower reminded me 
 of the rod that came out of the ftem of Jeffe, Ifa. 
 xi. I. '' And this rod of Jefie is to (land for an 
 
 " enfjgn 
 
^ower of London, 37 
 
 «^ cnfign of the people; to it fhall the gentiles 
 <^ feck, and his reft fhall be glorious," Ifa. xi. 
 10. This ftaff* reminded me of union ; before 
 the ftandard the troops are ranged and muftered ; 
 and in defence of the Imperial colours they all 
 unite as the heart of one man ; to the royal 
 ilandard rebels are commanded to repair, as 
 foon as a proclamation of the royal favour is 
 proclaimed, — emblematical this of faints uniting 
 in one faith, hope, and fpirit, and of loft finners 
 coming over to him who received gifts for the 
 rebellious^ that the Lord God might dwell among 
 them, Pfilm Ixviii. 18. 
 
 The flag or banner may ferve to remind us of 
 the banner of everlafting love which is difplayed 
 over the head of a young recruit when in the 
 rendezvous or banqueting hcufe^ Song ii, 4. to let 
 him know that he muft engage in the flght of 
 faith as foon as the royal bounty is fpent. 
 
 The mint and the balances, by which the coin 
 is tried and adjufted, brought to my mind the 
 many counterfeit religions which pafs as current 
 in our days; fome are faid to be imprefled and 
 bear an image that God will defpife, Pfa. Ixxiii. 20. 
 others to receive the mark of the beaft^ Rev. xiii. 
 17. others a countenance that witneffeth againji them^ 
 Ifa. iii. 9. others wear 2i%vhore's forehead, Jer. iii. 3. 
 but there are fome who bear the image of the 
 heavenly Adam, Rom. viii. 29. i Cor. xv. 49. only 
 thefe will pafs for fterling in the great day; all 
 muft be put into the balances and tried; God 
 C 3 will 
 
33 Spoils taken from the 
 
 will take no man's word ; many commend their 
 own candid fpirir, but God will try them in the 
 balances of the fandluary: Jll the ways of a man 
 are clean in his own eyes^ hut God weigheth the fpi- 
 ritSy Prov. xvi. 2. furely men of low degree are 
 vanity, and men of high degree are a lie j to be 
 laid in the balances together they are altogether 
 lighter than va7iity^ Pfa. Ixii. 9. In fhort, ail that 
 have not Chrifl in them the hope of glory ^ will have 
 TEKEL written on them — weighed in the balances 
 and found wanting^ Daniel v. 27. 
 
 The Spanijh armcry^ that contains the inflru- 
 ments of torture and cruelty, the iron collar, 
 the iron thumb-fcrews, the formidable tooth-pick, 
 and their ftrange weapons that were taken from 
 the formidable armada, brought to my thoughts 
 the views that the children of Ifrael had when 
 they faw the troops, troop-horfes, war-chariots, 
 arms, and armour of Pharoah and his hofl, on 
 the fhore of the Arabian gulf^ after the King's 
 predided fuccefs and momentary triumph was 
 ended : / will purfue^ I will overtake^ I will divide 
 the fpoily my lufl fhall be fatisfied upon themy I will 
 draw my fwordy my hand fhall defiroy them^ Exod. 
 XV. 9. but God blew with his wind 3 then they funk 
 like lead in the mighty waters^ verfe 10. One blaji 
 cf the breath of God^s noflrils got the vidory; and 
 it was but a puff from the fame almighty Con- 
 queror that blafled this expenfive, deep-laid, 
 and well- contrived expedition. The Pope's 
 hleffing and crofs-keys were no fecurity againft his 
 
 power. 
 
^ower of London, jj 
 
 power, who rides on the heavens for our help y and in 
 ins excellency upon the Jkies^ nor is it likely they 
 fhould, feeing it is predidled, that the pope hinn- 
 felf fhall be deftroyed by a blaft from the fanae 
 jquarter J whom the Lordjhall confume with the fpirit 
 of his mouth and dejlroy with the brightJiefs of his 
 jcoming, 2 Theff. ii. 8. 
 
 The tower gates being kept (hut until opened 
 by a porter, ferves to (hew the way by which fin* 
 nets enter xht gates of Zion-^ it is by the king's 
 leave thefe gates are open to any 5 if he i(rues out 
 a cominand to the contrary there is no entrance. 
 The king of Zion does more •, he not only grants, 
 but gives orders; without his voice there is no 
 admiflion ; to him the porter openethy and to none 
 elfes without a royal grant there is nt) entering 
 the firaight gate or getting within the inner walls 
 of Zion 5 the hypocrite may grope for them or 
 go round about Zion^ count her towers^ mark her buU 
 warksy and tonjider her palaces. Pfalm xlviii. 12, 13, 
 and that is all, while the inhabitants of the 
 citadel can triumph and fay, This God is our God 
 for ever and ever^ and will he our guide even unto 
 death. Pfalm xlviii. 14. 
 
 The warders or guardians of the tower, who 
 wear the king's livery, (hew and explain the cu- 
 fiofities, detecb idle and ill difpofed perfons at- 
 tempting to enter, exhibited to my mind the duty 
 of a gofpel minifter when clad with the right- 
 aoufnefs of Chrifl, with the garment of falvationy and 
 C 4 with 
 
40 Speils taken from the 
 
 with the /pint offanflification, whofe bufinefs it is, 
 to Ihew and explain the royal armory, and the 
 peculiar treafures of the great king; to make all 
 men fee what is the hope of our calling, and to 
 leveal and make known the fellowfloip of the myf- 
 tery^ things which have been hid for many ages 
 pafl, but are now brought to light in a glorious 
 manner by the gofpel. It is the duty of gofpel 
 minifters to take up JlrolierSy who are backfliding 
 and wandering from their refling place or out of 
 the way of underftanding j to take them up with 
 a royal warrant, bring them to the bar of con- 
 fcience, appeal to truth againfl their conduct, and 
 try them by the laws of Zion ; the ancient watch- 
 men fervcd the fpoufe fo ; the watchmen that went 
 about the city found me. Song iii. 3. She ftrolled 
 until fhe had loft fight of her royal confort, pro- 
 voked him to jeaioufy by her conduct, infomuch 
 as fhe fought him but found him not^ fhe called him 
 but he gave her no anfwer. Song v. 6. She was 
 gone back to her firfl hiijhand the law^ Rom. vii. 
 3, 4. and had got the old vail on her face again 5 
 therefore the watchmen found her, they fmote her 
 with the ftaff of authority, they wounded her with 
 the fword of the Spirit ; the keepers of the wall took 
 away her vail from her^ Song v. 7. and brought 
 her back with a bhifhing facCy covered with fname 
 and confufion, to her much flighted Lord, from 
 whom, without any provocation, fhe had tr.'acher- 
 oufly eloped. Thefe warders take up idle pil- 
 fering pcrfons i fo minifters are to detc(5l hypo- 
 
 crit^^Sj 
 
Tower of London* 4t 
 
 crites, who under a mafk of religion, and by- 
 making a falfe fliew and an outcry about holinefs, 
 deceive the fimple and live by facrilege, by rob- 
 bing the church of God, countenancing and 
 ftrengthening the hands of evil doers. The apoftle 
 had no fmall trouble with thefej for ive hear that 
 there are fome which walk among you diforderlyy work- 
 ing not at all, but are bufybodies ; noiv they that are 
 Juch we command^ that with quietnefs they work and 
 eat their own bread, i ThelT, iii. ii, 12. 
 
 The prophet Ezekiel, that watchman of Ifrael, 
 had no fmall trials from facrilegious ladies j 
 *^ Likewife thou fon of man fet thy face againft 
 « the daughters of thy people, which prophefy 
 '^ out of their own heart, and prophefy thou 
 " againll them ; and fay, thus faith the Lord 
 *' God, woe to the women that fow pillows to all 
 *^ armholes. Will ye pollute me among my peo- 
 " pie for handfuls of barley, and for pieces of 
 " bread to flay the fouls that fhould not die, and 
 <f to fave the fouls alive that ihould not live, by 
 <' your lying to my people that hear your lies ; 
 '' becaufe with lies ye have made the righteous 
 " fad and ftrengthened the hands of the wicked." 
 Ezek. xiii. 19—22. The work of thefe up- 
 holfterers, was making pillows for the armholes, 
 that is, bolftering up hypocrites, loofe profeflbrs, 
 and idle perfons; for which wickednefs, the word, 
 or judgments of God often fmote them, and they 
 JDCginning to fink under the ftroke, ran to one of 
 o thefe 
 
42 spoils taken from the 
 
 thefe Jadies of candour, who told them that the 
 man that rebuked them was not a prophet of a 
 good fpirit but quite the reverfe, therefore not to 
 be regarded; nothing but candour and fweetnefs 
 could ever come from God, from his word, or 
 from his Spirit, and with this pilloWy the fmitten, 
 blafted, withering, and finking hypocrite was 
 propped up and fortified againft the fword of the 
 Spirit, and thofe that handled it; fo that all re- 
 proofs, rebukes, and Iharpnefs, ufed againft an 
 hypocrite, an idle profeflbr, a bufybody, or a 
 blowzy faced drunkard, is the effedls of a bad 
 fpirit, and not to be regarded. A minifter of Chrift 
 is not to fpeak like the piercing of a fwcrd^ nor to 
 v{t fiarpnefsy left they roufe the fleepy or difquiet 
 the carnally fecure profeffor; nothing but candour 
 and fweetnefs is to be ufed ; no zeal for God, no 
 dif obedience is to he revenged^ no mumping hypo- 
 crite is to be difcovered, nothing but bowels of 
 mercy are to be put on by a fervant of the Lord ; 
 thus hypocrites are bolftered up and fortified 
 againft the word of God, until, being often reproved, 
 they harden their own neck^ and are fuddenly de- 
 ftroyedy and that zvithoiit remedy, Prov. xxix. i. 
 This is the bufinefs of thefe prophetefles, the ob- 
 jeds of their hatred are the children of God; 
 they are faid to make the righteous fad, to deftroy 
 fouls that ftiould not die, by hardening them 
 againft all conviflion ; the end they aimed at was 
 a livelihood, it was done for pieces o^ bread and 
 handfuls of barley ; the name of God was polluted^ 
 
 the 
 
• Tower of London* 43 
 
 the hands of evil doers Jirengthenedy and the 
 righteous oppofed, to indulge themfelves in idle- 
 nefs, get the name of a prophetefs, and to en- 
 fhrine themfelves in the houfe, pantry, pocket, 
 and confcience of every poor purblmd finner that 
 received a wound ovjlripe fronn his maker. 
 
 The fecret watchword ^ut me in mind of the 
 witnefs of God's Spirit in the hearts of the faith- 
 ful. This is one fecret that is with the righteous, 
 none know any thing of this but the armies of the 
 Lord of Ho Its ; this watchword comes from the 
 Captain of our falvation, it is whifpered to the 
 heart of every good foldier of Jefus Chrift, and is 
 kept a profound fecret in the camp of the faints; 
 it can never be explained nor divulged by any 
 adverfary or hypocrite in the world, neither the 
 wicked nor the fool underfland this. 
 
 The drawbridgCy which when drawn up cuts off 
 all communication, brought to my mind the Sa- 
 viour who is the only way to the Father, by ven* 
 turing on whom, millions have gone Mttly over 
 the very verge of the bottomlefs pit, which fbill 
 continues to bear all up and fafely over, who 
 come by this new and living way ; but the time 
 will come when this bridge will be drawn up to 
 heaven, the majler will rife up and fhut the door', 
 then all communication will be cut olF, no more 
 grace, mercy, or truth communicated to men, 
 no more communicating troubles to God in 
 prayers the bridge is drawn and the waters of 
 
 wrath 
 
44 Spoils taken from the 
 
 wrath fcparate ; Lord! Lord! open to us, will 
 be all in vain at that day. The Lord forgave the 
 iniquity of my fitly faith the Pfalmifl:. For this fh all 
 every one that is godly pray unto thee^ in a time when 
 thou mayejl he found , furely in the floods of great 
 waters they fhall not come nigh unto him. Pfalm 
 xxxii. 5, 6. 
 
 The bold attempt of Colonel Bloody who dif- 
 guifed himfelf in the garb of a do6lor of divinity, 
 with a band, falfe band, a cap with ears, &c. &c. 
 in order to get acquainted with the keeper of the 
 regalia^ who, with his accomplices knocked down 
 the keeper with a mailer, feized the crown, 
 fceptre, dove, &c. &c, and put them into a wal- 
 let in order to carry them off, but was difcovered 
 and fecured before he could get out of the tower, 
 brought to my mind the daring and prefump-^ 
 tuous claim that hardened hypocrites lay to the 
 crown of loving kindnefs and tender mercy 5 who 
 come into the church only to fpy out our liberty, 
 mifufe the officers, encourage rebels in their 
 "wickednefs and lead them to defl:ru(5l!on. They 
 cannot endure to fee the officers of Zion's king 
 entrufted v/ith fuch valuables ; they covet the 
 office and the honour of it 5 but they have no 
 power from the king, therefore they hate and op- 
 pofe the power in others, and palm the devil, that 
 a6luates them, upon thofe that oppofe their hy- 
 pocrify ; and by thefe means they fupport the 
 intered: of Satan and bring thoufands to his 
 gloomy regions. Jannes andjamhresy who withftood 
 
 Mofes^ 
 
'fower of London. 45 
 
 Mofes^ 1 Tim. iii 8. did, by counterfeiting his 
 power, render him in the eyes of Pharaoh no 
 more than a magician, and the miracles of God, 
 which Mofes wrought, were debafed to a level 
 with magic or devilifh art. This was enough to 
 harden the heart of Pharaoh and all his houfe till 
 their country was ruined, the fiercenefs of God's 
 wrath poured out, evil angels were fent among them, 
 the firft born of man and beaft deftroyed, and 
 Pharaoh and all his hofts overwhelmed in the 
 Red Sea. 
 
 It was four hundred falfe prophets kept in 
 idlenefs by /!hab that brought him to his deftruc- 
 *tion ; thefe AX [poke in the name of the Lord, Je- 
 hofhaphat faid unto the king of Ifrael, enquire^ I 
 pray thee^ at the word of the Lord to-day ; then the 
 king of Ifrael gathered the prophets together, about 
 four hundred, and faid, ihall I go againft Ramoth- 
 gilead to battle, or (hall I forbear ? and they faid. 
 Go up, for the Lord JJo all deliver it into the hand of 
 the king. And Jehofbaphat faid, is there not here 
 a prophet of the Lord befides, that we might en- 
 quire of him ? And the king of Ifrael faid, There 
 is yet one man, (Micaiah the fen of Imlah) by whom 
 we may enquire of the Lord -, but I hate hint, for he 
 doth not prophefy good concerning me, hut evil. And 
 Jchoftiaphat faid. Let not the king fay fo. Then 
 the king of Ifrael called an officer, and faid, Haf- 
 ten hither Micaiah the fon of Imlah, And the mef- 
 fenger fpake unto Micaiah, faying, behold now^ ths 
 
 words 
 
46- spoils taken from the 
 
 words of the prophets declare good to the king with one 
 mouthy there is not a bad fpirited man among 
 them ; every one is clothed with bowels of mercy, 
 there is no wormwood^ bitternefs^ or gall made ufe 
 of i nothing but fweetnefs and candour drops from 
 their lips •, let not thy bitter fpirit blaft the 
 king's fchcme, nor dare to fet thy face againfl an 
 afiemblage of four hundred prophets, who pro* 
 pehfy good W\t\i one confent^ be intreated, lay by 
 your Angularity ; I fpeak as a friend, I know you 
 are a prophet of the Lord, but you mud not pro- 
 phefy againfl thefe good men \ thefe to a man have 
 prophefied good 't let thy word^ I pray thee, be like the 
 word of one of them, and fpeak that which is good. 
 1 Kings xxii. 13. And Micaiah faid. As the 
 Lord li-velh, what the Lord faith unto ?ne^ that will 
 I fpeak. Can this be the Spirit of the Lord ? is ic 
 not the reverfe ? So he came to the king, and the 
 king faid unto him, Micaiah, fhall we go againji 
 Ramoth-gilead to battle, or foall we forbear P and he 
 anfwered him, Go, and projper, for the Lord fi all 
 deliver it into the band of the king, Thefe v/ere 
 the words ^verbatim that were delivered by the 
 four hundred good propliets. But yet this will 
 not do 5 the king took it as a humorous jefb, 
 and faid unto him, Hozv many times fi all I adjure 
 thee that thou tell ;;;<? -nothing but that which is true 
 in the name of the Lord? This was intended to re- 
 prefent Micaiah as a lying prophet in the eyes of 
 JeholLaphat, though he had fpoken nothing but 
 the very words which the prophets of candour had 
 11 dropped. 
 
^oizer cf Lcndon. j^j 
 
 dropped. And Micaiah faid^ Ifaw all Ifrael fcaU 
 iered upon the hills as Jbeep that had no Jhepherdi 
 and the Lord f aid, thefe have no mafter (their king 
 was killed), let them return every man to his houfe 
 in peace. And the king of IfraeL faid to Jeho- 
 Ihaphat, Bid I not tell thee that he would prophefy no 
 GOOD concerning me, hut evil? And Micaiah faid. 
 Hear thou therefore the 'jcord of the Lord \ Ifaw 
 the Lord fitting on his throne and all the hofts of hea-^ 
 venftanding by him, on his right band and on his left. 
 And the Lord faid, JVho fhall perfuade Ah ah that 
 he may fall at Ramoth-gilead ? and one faid on this 
 manner and another on that manner. 
 
 Now we come to the fountain head of candour ^ 
 where all falfe prophets and falfe prophetelTes fill 
 their pitchers, to fupply and entertain the minds 
 of a candid public. And there came forth a fpirit 
 end flood before the Lord, and faid, I will perfuade 
 him. And the Lord faid unto him, wherewith ? and 
 he faid, I will go for thy and I will be a lying fpirit in 
 the mouth of all his prophets ; and he faid, thoufhalt 
 perfuade him and prevail alfo, go forth and do fo. 
 This was the fpirit that clothed them all with 
 bowels of mercy, and that filled their hearts with 
 that candour and fweetnefs which entertained not 
 only the king and his nobles, but a candid public 
 at large; they were in the fweetcd union, una- 
 nimous in their predictions, and prophefied good 
 with one mouth. But Micaiah, with his rancour, 
 Ipleen, and bitterocfs, perfifts in his Angularity. 
 
 ISlow 
 
48 Spoih taken from the 
 
 Now therefore behold, the Lord hath put a lying fpir it 
 in the mouth of all thefe thy prophets, and the Lord 
 hath fpoken evil concerning thee. Who could have 
 thought that a lying Jpirit could be in the mouth 
 of four hundred prophets, whofe mouth prophet 
 JJed nothing hut good? Here is Micaiah, who is 
 faid to prophecy nothing but evil, oppofing four 
 hundred prophets, who are faid to prophefy good 
 with one confent ; now, how is a candid public 
 to judge j why this pudding mufl be proved by its 
 fpending. If the good prophecies are true, the 
 vidlory will be given to Ahab, and if Micaiah's 
 evil prophecies be true, then Ahab lofes his life 
 and Ifrael is fcattered, having no mafter-, but as it 
 may be fome time before God decides the point, 
 it will be neceflary to give Micaiah a good 
 drubbing, if it is but to caution others. Then 
 Zedekiah the fon of Chenaanah went near and /mote 
 Micaiah on the cheek, and faid, which way went the 
 Spirit of the Lord from me to fpeak unto thee ? This 
 man had got the Spirit of the Lord, according to 
 his own account, and he prophefied good to a 
 candid public; but as Micaiah did not belong to 
 the public he had no part of the candour; all that 
 he sot was a knock on the head to extort a con-* 
 fefTion ; Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from 
 me ? and Micaiah faid, behold, thou fialt fee in that 
 day, zvhen thou frj alt go into an inner chamber to hide 
 thyfelf. And the king of Ifrael faid ^ take Micaiah, 
 and carry him back to Amon the governor cf the city^ 
 and to Jonf) the king's fen ; and fay^ Thus Jaith the 
 
 king. 
 
Tower of London » 49 
 
 king^ put this fellow in the prifon^ and feed him with 
 bread of affliction and with water of affliction^ until I 
 come in peace. If Micaiah has nothing but thefe 
 bitter herbs to live on till the king returns in 
 peace, he will have a flarving and long imprifon- 
 ment. But the prophet knew better ; if thou re^ 
 turn at all in peace y the Lord hath not fpoken by me ; 
 and he faid^ hearken people y every one of you i read 
 I Kings 2 id chapter. Micaiah fluck to his itxt^ 
 and the Lord preached the fermon, the applica- 
 tion of which was the death of Ahab, of Jezebel, 
 of the royal fannily, and of all the prophets, who 
 fell by the fword •, and fo they arrived at the eter- 
 nal habitations, and in the good company of that 
 fpirit from which all their candour, fweetnefs, and 
 good prophecies came. Thus it often happens that 
 men of candour peridi in ihtw fweetnefs y while thofe 
 that are faid to prophefy no good but evil, prolong 
 their lives and die in peace ; and what fhall we 
 fay to thefe things ? why, if God be for thefe bit- 
 ter prophets, who can be againft them ? Thofe 
 that prophefied nothing but good to men, pro- 
 phefied nothing but lies, and God was againft 
 them; the other prophefied nothing but evil, 
 and yet he prophefied nothing but truth, and 
 God was with him : therefore I conclude that it 
 is better to prophefy evil by the Spirit of truth 
 from God, though falfe prophets fmite us and a 
 candid public condemn us, than to prophefy 
 good by the fpirit of lies from the devil, though 
 all the world approve and admire the moderation, 
 D opennefs, 
 
50 Spoils taken from the 
 
 opennefs, fweetnefs, compafTionate bowels, tender 
 pity, and candid diipofition of the prophet 5 it is 
 not what men call good, for they fonrietinnes call 
 evil good, I(a. v. 20. but v/hat God calls truths that 
 intifi make people free. 
 
 The river 'Thames^ which is of inellimable 
 worth to this metropolis, being compofed of 
 the Tharne, the Ifis, Rickmanfworth, the 
 River Mole, &c, &c. may remind thee of that 
 river the fir earns whereof make glad the city of God^ 
 Pfa. xlvi. 4. You may embark at the Tower 
 and fail to the Nore, to the Downs, and into the 
 EngliHi channel, and fo round the world, if you 
 keep a proper dillance from the polesj nor will 
 you feel much want of either light or heat if you 
 keep under the torrid or temperate zone. So 
 every vefTel of mercy that embarks in the river 
 of the waters of life fhall make a glorious and 
 eternal voyage; he fnall fail in his God, and end 
 in an eternity of pleafure that knows neither 
 bottom nor fhore; the river of regeneration (but 
 no other) leads to this : " There the glorious 
 <^ Lord will be to us a place of broad rivers and 
 *« ftreams; wherein fhall go no galley with oars, 
 ** neither fhall gallant ihips pafs thereby j then 
 *^ is the prey of a great fpoil divided, the lame 
 /' take the prey; and the inhabitants fhall not 
 <* fay I am fick •, the people that dwell therein 
 <^ ihall be forgiven their iniquity." Ifa. xxxiii, 
 21. 23, 24. 
 
 This 
 
Tower of London. 51 
 
 This Is the glorious end we have In view; pof- 
 fefled by our covenant head and reprefenrative, 
 who in our nature, name, and perfons has taken 
 pofTefTion, and appears in the prefence of God 
 for us, who are kept by almighty power througI\ 
 faith to the fame. It is fecured by promife, by 
 oath, by covenant, by the blood of the teftator, 
 by the broad feal of heaven, and by the omni- 
 potence and faithfulnefs of divine, immutable, 
 and infinite veracity; the firft fruits are gathered 
 by the hand of faith, and are a fatisfadtory 
 earnell or fv;eet foretafte to the expedation of 
 hope; we arc predeftinated and called, and fhall 
 therefore be glorified ; we are ranfomed, and 
 fhall return with fongs and everlafting joy upon 
 our head, Ifa, xxxv. 10 ; we are enabled to be- 
 lieve, and fhall not be afhamed nor confounded 
 world without end ; we are loved with an ever^ 
 lajling love^ Jer. xxxi. 3. partakers of everlajling 
 W^y John vi. 47. clothed with an everlafiing 
 righteoufnejsy Dan. ix. 24, faved in the Lord with 
 an everlafting Jalvation^ Ifa. xlv. 7. we fnine in 
 everlafting light, Ifaiaii Ix. 19. are heirs of an 
 eternal inheritance, Heo. ix. 15. and fhall pofTefs 
 an everlafiing kingdcmyVh. cxlv. 13. O what has 
 grace done for us ; we are wooed and efpoufed, 
 and fhall therefore be wedded and enjoyed; we 
 fliall bear the image and likenefs of our royal 
 head — pofTefs a manfion of his own preparing — 
 and be no lefs than heirs of God and joint heirs 
 with the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. 
 D 2 This 
 
gi spoils taken from the 
 
 This world is our furnace, the angels are our 
 guard, regeneration is our road, Chrift is our 
 end, and heaven our home, 
 
 I hope thou wilt not be offended at this public 
 prefent. I know alnns ought to be given in 
 fccret, but as thou art (through grace) a par- 
 taker of the promife, it is rather a prefent than 
 an alms. You know I mufl be employed about 
 fomething ; I hate idlenefs *, I would fooner be 
 what Elijah was — a zealous faithful troubler of 
 Ifrael, than a candid fluggard, who will not lift 
 his hand to his mouth. You would infill upon 
 treating me with a fight of the curiofities of the 
 Tower, and as a recompence I have fent you the 
 few fpoils that I pilfered and pocketed from 
 thence : one good turn deferves another j I have 
 prefented to your view what you defired fhould 
 be prefented to mine; and in order to pull down 
 the price of feeing the Tower, the greateft part of 
 its curiofities are here exhibited to a candid public 
 at fo fmall a price as one fixpence — only for the 
 fake of ready money. 
 
 With refped to the fale of thefe curiofities, 
 your afliduity, vote, intereil, and recommenda- 
 tion is oipeiTted, Advertifements in public 
 newfpapers, bookfellers prefaces, outcries at 
 places of public refort, or the vaporifh puffs of 
 hawking pedlars, appear to me as fo many indi- 
 cations of the craftinefs of the trader, and the 
 
 worth- 
 
^cwer of London* 5j 
 
 worthleirnefs of the dale commodity; {linking 
 fifli require a loud and a lying cry, — they mud be 
 turned over In hade before the cuftomer's eyes — 
 a large price fixed and infifted on — a deal of talk 
 in ftriking the bargain is required — and an hafty 
 flight, attended with a great noife, when the 
 commodity is delivered, left an hue and cry 
 Ihould follow. 
 
 I was very forry at the report of thy ficknefs ; 
 am thankful for thy recovery ; this ficknel's has 
 not been unto death; all the time. we gain by 
 trading there is no room for complaint, whether 
 we occupy bufinefs in deep waters or fuffer in 
 the furnace of affiiclion i every confefllon, peti- 
 tion, fupplication, interceflion, or tribute of 
 praife that is offered to God, has its promife in 
 the word of God, and will turn out to good 
 account at lad. It is better to live near the 
 Tower vv'ith a good hope through grace, than to 
 have the bounds of our habitation fixed in 
 Stationers Courts where there is C-reed Lane at the 
 back, Paternofter Row . in the face, Ave Maria 
 Lane on the right hand, and Amen Corner at the 
 left. I would fooner find the bleiTings of one 
 chapter of the Bible in my heart, than have pof- 
 fedion of the Chapter Hoiife\ it is better to have 
 Paul's God than to be Dean of St. FauVs Church, 
 I would fooner be blefied with a good date of 
 health, than have the advice (gratis) of a college 
 of phyficiansj a ufeful dod:or of divinity is bec- 
 3 ter 
 
54 ' spoils taken from the Tower. 
 
 ter than a dodlor of phyficj a man's fpirit will 
 iuftain the infirmities of the body, but a wounded 
 fpirit who can bear? Farewell^ excufe haftej 
 and believe me to be thy willing fervant, to ferve 
 thee with fuch as I have. 
 
 Bated from the Burning Bulh, 
 April lo, 1788. 
 
 W. HUNTINGTON. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
DA687.T7H9 
 
 Spoils taken from the Tower of London 
 
 lllS nil ll!m m^?' Seminary-Speer Library 
 
 1 1012 00048 9692