in some measure bethink my self and consider my latter End Lord I have reason to conclude that few Sands remain in my Glass to run With what Astonishment Anguish and Trouble may I review my Life past not one Thought Word or Action but needs a Pardon I blush to see how vile I have been and if I cannot bear the Scrutiny of my own Conscience how shall I abide thy severe Trial who hath kept an exact Account of all my Sins and Offences A numberless Number of Sins may be charged upon me which I confess I have been guilty of To whom shall I betake my self for Relief and Mercy but to thee O my gracious God for that I have heard that the God of Israel is a merciful God that he is slow to Anger and plenteous in Mercy that he doth abundantly pardon and forgive the Sins Offences and Provocations of his poor Creatures and therefore as I would not presume so I dare not despair Lord I fly from the Throne of thy Justice to the Throne of thy Mercy and humbly implore Pity Pardon and Compassion for thy Son's sake Magnify thy Grace in pardoning me though my Sins have abounded let thy free Grace superabound Blot out all my Sins out of the Book of thy Remembrance and let my Name be written in the Book of Life Let me be meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light when this earthly Cottage shall crumble to Dust. Let me be admitted to that Building an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens Let not me though unworthy be excluded from thy Presence Look on me in and through thy well-beloved Son in whom only thou art well pleased and for his sake be reconciled to me a vile Wretch By his Stripes let me be healed I have nothing to plead for my self only the Satisfaction of my Blessed Saviour on whom alone I rely for Pardon and Life Give me some undeniable Evidence that I do belong to the Election of Grace and that within a little while I shall be released from this Body of Sin and Death and shall be made perfectly blessed in a full Injoyment of thee to all Eternity Let me have some comfortable Hopes and Foretaste of a blessed Immortality to sweeten my Passage through and out of this World I am hastning and posting apace into an endless Eternity O that I were ready for my Appearance at thy Bar. Ah Lord if my Judg be not my Advocate with what Dread and Astonishment must I needs think of thy Tribunal where I must appear before a Heart-searching and a Sin-revenging God! There is not one Sin in my whole Life but is seen to thine all-seeing Eye and is all naked and open to thee Lord I would humbly beg that my Sins though many and great may all be pardoned and forgiven Many horrid Sinners have been received to Mercy and though my Sins are of a Crimson and Scarlet Dye yet the Blood of an All-sufficient Saviour can wash them white He is able and willing to save all those that come to God through him and he ever lives to make Intercession for them Help me by Faith to lay hold on this Redeemer who came into the World on this very Errand to save poor Sinners and reconcile them to God If so I dare not I will not despair yet Lord I beg I may not presume Help me humbly to cast my self prostrate at thy Feet and implore thy Heavenly Benediction Bless me even me in turning me away from all my Sins let them never separate between thee and my poor Soul Let them all be remitted and then it will be as if they had never been committed In my last and sorest Agonies let me see thou art reconciled to me Be with me till I die and when I die and when this World can yield me no Help Comfort or Support let me find it all in thee I know thy Presence can sweeten all the Troubles of this Life and Death it self Then let me not be dismayed at that last and great Enemy When I pass thorow the Valley and Shadow of Death I will fear no Evil for thou wilt be with me O Lord I beg thou wouldst not then be a Terror to me Thou art my Hope in the Day of Evil Help me then to hold up my Head with Comfort hoping my Redemption draweth nigh Let not this World have such possession of my Heart and Affections as to make me unwilling to dislodg and go hence when thou callest me off the Stage of this Life Let the last Scene of my Life be the best part of my Days Let me honour thee by doing thy Will and submitting to whatever thou my God shalt think fit to lay on me Help me to bear patiently thy afflicting Hand either Sickness or worldly Crosses or Death it self Let me not dare to murmur grumble or complain when Death looks me in the Face Let me not be too much daunted startled and affrighted at its Approach Thousands and ten thousands have gone through that dark Passage and shot that Gulph and there is no escape for any of the Children of Adam they that have deserved Death Eternal have no cause to grumble at Death Temporal especially if it be unstung nay then there 's Cause of Triumph for it is an Entrance into Life and Messenger to Glory therefore I hope and firmly believe and trust that that God who hath conducted so many safe through those dark Regions will not leave my poor Soul in its last Conflicts PAPER X. I Sensibly find my outward Man perish and decay but how comfortable would it be to me if I could as easily perceive the inward Man to be renewed day by day This Earthly Tabernacle is tottering and e're long will tumble down but in what plight is the poor Soul that now inhabiteth this ruinated Cottage What Provision hath it made against that Day when it must be turned out hath it got an Interest in and a Title to an enduring Substance a House above eternal in the Heavens This Life of mine is but a Vapour it appeareth but for a little while and then vanisheth away Lord teach me to number my Days that I may know how frail I am This outward Man is daily consuming wasting perishing and decaying and shall I be careless negligent remiss and unconcerned about my future State how it will go with me hereafter in the other World Though my bodily Strength abate yet let the inward Man be renewed every Day and wax stronger and stronger When the Comforts of this Life are as Iob saith of the White of an Egg unsavory have no Relish and are no Satisfaction to me let me have Comforts and Cordials that this World knoweth not of even the Light of thy Countenance and that will put Gladness into my Heart more than all the Treasures and Pleasures of this vain World Whatever thou deniest me deny me not thy self to be my God and Portion and let me have an
invidious Death O why so soon Why must her Night come e're sh 'as ended Noon Well may those Wretches fear to die Whose ill-spent Life No Prospect but Eternal Wee does give Thou calmly didst surrender up thy Breath Unterrify'd at the Approach of Death Nor did emasculating Grons betray Thee emulous of any farther stay Or loth the gastly Summons to obey Thy Life was wondrous but its Exit is A Glorious Apotheosis Thus though with Splendor Phoebus gilds The Morning of his Race Yet are his brightest Beams reserv'd The setting Sun to grace Feb. 19. 1693 4. Sic moerens deflevit HEN. CUTTS The CONTENTS of the Papers Paper I. AN humble Avouchment of God to be her Portion pag. 34. Paper II. An earnest Expostulation with her self in reference to the great Concern of her Pretious and Immortal Soul p. 37. Paper III. Her most serious Thoughts on this Passage You will not come unto me that you may have Life p. 44. Paper IV. Her grave and godly Advice to her Children p. 47. Paper V. Her humble and chearful Deportment under Afflictions p. 53. Paper VI. A thankful recounting of many particular Mercies vouchsafed to her p. 55. Paper VII The Scriptures of great Use and Comfort p. 63. Paper VIII Serious Reflections on the late Earthquake p. 67. Paper IX X. An awful Sense of Death and her own approaching Dissolution p. 71 76. Paper XI A delightful Contemplation of the Blessedness of the Saints in Heaven p. 82. Paper XII Texts of Scripture that yielded great Comfort and Support under her desponding Thoughts p. 90. Paper XIII An earnest Desire to be fitted for and brought unto Heaven p. 99. A Funeral Sermon 1 COR. 7. 30. And they that weep as though they wept not I Shall insist upon that Clause at this time In it I shall observe 1. A Concession He grants them some kind of Sorrow and Grief 2. A Correction He moderateth it 1. He grants them some kind of Sorrow in that he puts Weeping for Adversity the Affection for the Condition the Effects for the Cause as allowing them an holy Sensibleness of their Misery they that weep Then he correcteth and moderateth this Sorrow as if they wept not because he will not trust such a dangerous Weapon in their own Hands and leave the Corinthians to the Vileness and Waywardness of their own Affections though I allow you to weep yet 't is as if you wept not The Points are two I. That God alloweth yea requireth of his People some Sorrow and Sensibleness of their Condition II. That the Heart must be so managed under this Sorrow that we may be said not to weep rather than to weep at the same time it must be with such Moderation Or thus Christians should so sorrow under the Sense of their Condition as if they did not sorrow I shall speak briefly of both these Doct. I. God requireth and alloweth some Sorrow They that weep I shall 1st shew you that God doth so 2dly Shew you what this Sorrow is 1. To prove that so it is I will not stand to instance Places of Scripture in a Point so familiar The Reasons are 1st This is the End why we have Affections that they may be exercised in their Season God hath planted in every Man Affections sutable to every Condition in which he placeth him It is said the Stars in their Order fought against Sisera so Affections We have Joy for Prosperity Sorrow for Adversity What did God mean to give us such contrary Affections if not that they should be acted in their Order and Time that these Affections should like the Spokes turn with the Wheel of Providence And therefore God complaineth much as if he were frustrated of his End when we do not answer Providence by an Exercise of those Affections that are sutable to it as Ier. 5. 3. I have smitten them and they have not grieved God wondereth they should be so unnatural as not to grieve when stricken by him So for Mercy Hos. 11. 3. I taught Ephraim to go taking them by their Arms but they knew not that I healed them that is they were not sensible of it did not take notice and were not sutably affected with the Love of God They are ranked among the rest of Men that are under their natural Condition who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without natural Affection to be flinted hornyhearted such as have no Smartness no Quickness of Affection especially when the Misery is of such a Nature that near Friends are taken from us is very displeasing to God 2dly Because that due Exercise of Sorrow under Affliction is very serviceable and beneficial to the Soul 1. To help spiritual Duties Anima nunquam melius agit quam ex impetu insignis alicujus affectus The Soul works best when it hath the Advantage of an Affection When the Soul is made better by the Bitterness of Grief we feel and the Soul maketh the Affection of Sorrow to be Vehiculum a kind of a Chariot to carry on the Work of Repentance Ier. 2. 19. Know and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God When the Iron is hot if you strike in you may get good take the Advantage of your Hearts under your Sorrows 3dly To make it serious Sorrows gather the Soul together and make it more it self A Man cometh to himself in his Grief Usually God taketh this Course with his People though they begin in the Flesh they end in the Spirit Sorrow maketh Reason to stand still Solomon speaketh of bethinking themselves in the Land of their Afflictions 1 Kings 8. 57. Jolly Persons are slight never think upon any thing Those that wallowed in Pleasures did put far away the Day of the Lord Amos 6. 3. Till the Prodigal was tamed by outward Grief and Want he never had Thoughts of returning They that did not grieve when God struck them Ier. 5. 3. refused to receive Correction The more sorrowful the Mind is the more serious Sorrow drieth up all those swimming Thoughts and pleasing Imaginations by which Men drive away their Time and divert their Care and therefore there is a great deal of Benefit comes by it it puts the Soul in an advantagious way of receiving Good 4thly This would double the Affliction not to grieve for such things as nearly touch us To break the Bent and Course of Nature is dangerous Affections when strongly stirred must have their Exercise for fear of greater Harms It is an Ease sometimes to mourn Strangled Grief choaks the Heart 1 Sam. 25. 37. Nabal's Heart became as a Stone within him when he heard Tidings that mightily affected him it had been better he had wept and mourned As Chirurgeons first let the Sore soften before they begin to draw it Iob 2. 13. Iob's Friends said not a Word to him the first seven Days for they saw that his Grief was great They let Sorrow have its Course for a
ADVICE TO MOURNERS Under the Loss of Dear RELATIONS In a FUNERAL-SERMON long since preach'd by the late Reverend Dr. Thomas Manton D. D. And now occasionally published on the much lamented Death of Mrs. Ann Terry who died the 9th of November 1693. With a short Account of some Passages of her Life and Papers left under her own Hand LONDON Printed by I. D. for Ionathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-yard 1694. THE PREFACE READER THAT which occasioned this Discourse and Preface is a late Stroke of Providence in translating a Daughter of Abraham from hence to Abraham's Bosom where she now rests in the delightful Expectations of her full Resurrection unto Life Eternal She was a Person whom I well knew and greatly valued and that I did discern by free and frequent Conversation with her Treasures of Knowledg and Grace richly abiding in her and with great Iudgment and Savour pertinently brought forth by her in order to her fuller Satisfaction and Edification in what concern'd her Soul as to its Duty whilst embodied and its full Bliss when it was to be removed hence She ever was concern'd to know her Duty and the true Matter Grounds and Usefulness of her Christian Hope in order to the effectual influencing of her concerned Spirit in her determined Services and Station She ever was solicitous to know her VVork and to discharge her Trust as a Christian and answerably to her Relations and Family wherein she behaved her self not as without Law to God but as under Law to Christ and so deported her self with true and commendable Exemplariness as a VVife a Mother and a Mistress and as one full of Thoughts and Care therein to abide with God and to approve her self to him in his own solemn Day of Iudgment She was a Person of great Exercises through the tedious Urgencies of her long and many bodily Infirmities which she bore with Patience and providently improved unto the great Advantage of her better Part. She would not suffer Sense to sit in Iudgment upon Providence but fetch'd her Measures of God's dealing with her from that Faith and from those Thoughts which took their Directory from God's own Sacred Oracles She concealed her Resentments of her Troubles so far as I could see from all save only such as she judged able judiciously to minister to her Satisfaction Her Objections were not trivial but such as did require considerable Resolutions of which she was very apprehensive observant and I think tenacious of Her Troubles hindered not her Converse with God in Solitudes nor the fit Indearments and Improvements of both relative and friendly Converse She is now gone to the Felicity and Imployments for which she was through Grace and holy Industry considerably prepared And what her Spirit breath'd for and after may be discerned in part by these few Instances of her Closet-work which her sorrowful Husband hath thought fit to communicate to the World 'T is such a Wife as he has lost as that the Sense and unavoidable Remembrances of that Loss may well urge sorrowful Nature to its Tears and Groans And of these considerable Measures are needful and allowable but Provocations to excessive Grief through such a Stroak render it needful that Christian Bounds and Limits to such Sorrows be seasonably proposed and well considered And therefore this Funeral Text is fitly offered to the Mourners Thoughts by the Apostle that recorded it and by the Reverend Author who has fitly insisted upon that Clause The serious Perusal whereof and of these few Memoirs of the Deceased so devoutly contemplative for her own Good and for the Benefit of others is really judged worthy of due Consideration both by the Publisher and by thy true Friend in and for the great Disposer of Times and Lives whilst I am thine in all Christian Services Matthew Silvester It being thought necessary to make some particular though short mention of the Party on the account of whose Death this Sermon and Papers are published it naturally follows from a Principle of Gratitude Honour and Iustice that 's due to the dear and precious Memory of Mr. Terry's first VVife to take notice also of some of those indearing Qualifications that were very conspicuous in her The less indeed will be said of either because what is related of the one is so applicable in all respects to the other IT is no small part of the Honour that 's due to her Memory that she was a Daughter of that excellent Divine Dr. Thomas Manton and bestowed in Marriage to Mr. Terry by his peculiar Choice out of that most kind and cordial Respect that he had for him She was as to her Person very lovely of most curious and excellent Parts of a ready and quick Wit and good Understanding and such a transcendent Sweetness of Temper joined with true Religiousness that she was highly valued and esteemed by all that knew her In all relations she answered her pious Education as a Child a Mother and Wife never any went beyond her It hath been often said that she was made up of Love which Character she fully answered She had Love sufficient for ten good Wives it 's impossible for any in that Relation to express more than she did to her dear Husband who was as to her the Life of all her other Comforts and this express'd not with childish Fondness but with Prudence and Discretion To the Day of her Death she would say that her Love was still increasing and she found that every Day she lov'd him more and more She carried her self with all imaginable Duty and Respects to her Relations to whom she was very dear Great was her Prudence and Conduct in the Management of her Houshold-Affairs She had the Bowels of a tender Mother to the Souls as well as the Bodies of her dear Children and did endeavour by Counsel and Instruction to instil in them the Principles of true Godliness She had that true Piety towards God and Publickness of Spirit to do Good that she was beloved of all that knew her she was of that free and generous Temper that she thought no Pains too much to serve her Friends to the utmost of her Power as many can witness in the late publick Troubles She had a most indeared Respect to all the Ordinances of the Gospel which she frequently attended on and that many times when she was more sit to be confin'd to her Chamber She had many Mercies to bless God for for many Years together but not without her sore Troubles which did not apear to every one both outward and inward but under them all there was no Abatement or Decay in respect of her Duty either to God or Man The Death of several of her Children was the Beginning of her Sorrows and afterwards that of her dear Father whom she loved with a most passionate Love This bore hard on her tender Spirit and brought her into a great Melancholy Her Troubles continued more
thou didst give Friendship in others but a Name A mere Pretence an empty Sound In thee Reality became In thee and scarce in any else was sound Many of Wisdom's Daughters have done well But thou Great Heroine didst all excel V. By sharp and long continu'd Pains To thee this World embitter'd was That Chear with which God entertains Those whom he has appointed to a better Place Thither at length thou' rt gone allow'd to be One of that Heav'nly Royal Society Eight lovely Babes before thou sentst from hence To take Possession for thee of thy Bless'd Inheritance There dost thou shine in Robes of uncreated Light Whose dazling Lustre than the Sun 's more bright There dost thou with a tuneful Voice And more melodious Heart rejoice For ever love for ever sing The Praises of thy glorious King Yet give us leave though we congratulate Thy never-fading Happiness And Scenes of unpoluted Bliss Our own Loss to regret Thou wast so well belov'd Death's fatal Dart Wounded ten thousand others when it pierc'd thy Heart VI. Heaven knew thy Worth and call'd thee hence lest we Too ready to commit Idolatry At thy Vertues amaz'd should prostrate fall Court the Idea and contemn the great Original Let those aspiring Ones erect a Tomb And with a fruitless Cost adorn Some stately though decaying Urn Who only great by being buried would become Thy Fame by pure Desert is rais'd so high That ' spight of Time and Fate it shall not die But as it well deserves live to Eternity Sic raptim cecinit HEN. CUTTS Her EPITAPH HERE lies or rather lives a Saint whose Worth No Heraldry's able to blazon forth Perfectly fair as to her outward Form But greater Beauties did her Soul adorn Good to a Miracle in Temper even Always submissive to the Will of Heaven By her own Deeds she most her self commends The best of Wives of Mothers and of Friends Precious in ours but in her Maker's Eyes A Pearl of most inestimable Price Much too Angelick long on Earth to stay To Heaven her blessed Home she 's flow'n away There 's her immortal Part her frailer Dust Shall have the Resurrection of the Just. To sum up all her Vertues this is she That was what others should but cannot be HENRY CUTTS On the greatly lamented Death of Mrs. Ann Terry my most dear Aunt who departed this mortal Life on the 9th of November 1693. in the thirty eighth Year of her Age. A Pindarique Ode O faciles dare summa Deos eademque tueri Difficiles Lucan Stanza I. IN vain do Mortals court Eternity In vain do they attempt to baffle Fate And hope by Actions worthy Praise Themselves to Immortality to raise No they are all to Death predestinate For both the Vertuous and the Vitious must Fall alike undistingaish'd in the Dust Else thou bright Mirror of thy Sex Had been preserâ—'d aliâ—e To endless Ages but thy glorious Fame Thy fading Ahes shall survive And with Arabian Sweets persume thy fragrat Name II. O that my long since bed-rid Muse Cou'd somewhat worthy thee produce But how alas can she enfeebled sing The Praises of an earthly Cherabim How can she he prepar'd for such a losty Theme Or such rapturous Strains bring forth As may be adaequate to thy immensurable Worth He that unto thiue Altar comes Must bring no less than Hecatombs Thy Vertues do require a nobler Pen Vertues above the reach of mortal Verse And all that the sublimest Flights of Fancy can rehearse But yet methinks though not inspir'd I may be suffer'd to attend Unto her melancholy Urn So dear an Aunt so much esteem'd a Friend Thy Bed of Rest with briny Tears I 'le strow And on thy gloomy Hearse my Wreath of Cypress throw III. Thy outward Beauty was so exquisite It claim'd at once both Wonder and Delight Hadst thou but lived in Apelles time And thy corporeal Graces in their prime He had not pick'd up Features here and there To limn a Goddess all in thee collective were Nature thy Form thus elegant â—â—â—â—iv'd As if that yet more radiant Gem thy Mind Disdain'd in a less glorious Case to be confin'd But O! who can express Th' Immensity of thy ubounded Tenderness A Temper so for Obligations frram'd Requests were ever granted soon as nam'd A general Philanthropy thou hadst And so th' whole Universe thy Debtor mad't For thy surprining Goodness did extend Beyond the narrow Limits of a Relative or Friend Thus we in thee a Female Titus find Born to be the Delight of all Mankind IV. But still those had the best Pretence To thy distributive Benevolence As were afflicted tatter'd poor Who up and down the World by want were thrown And unjust Fortune's Langhing-stock become Rarely did they go unrelieved from thy Door Nor didst thou hereby aim at Praise The wise Man's Scorn though Pride of Fools Or strive vain-gloriously to gain Applause Thou wast too gen'rous such mean Ends to have Thy left Hand seldom knew what 't was thy right Hand gave Vertue that 's so transcendent wants a Name Exceeding Wonder and surpassing Fame Such was thy exemplary Piety So imaffected and so void of Art As made appear Sincerity Had Livery and Seisin of thy Heart What didst thou not attempt to be A Denizon of Immortality Whilst here on Earth in thee we might have seen A Citizen of New Jerusalem Thou couldst not with inglorious Sloth dispense But stormedst Heaven with a Holy Violence Inflamed with Seraphick Fire Thither thou didst from whence thou cam'st aspire Thither thou didst both Aims and Actions bend And to that blessed Port did all thy Steerage tend V. Knowledg the richest Boon that can be given To Earth's Possessor by indulgent Heaven Which others often labour for in vain And reap no Fruit to recompense their Pain Thou hadst without a stint Dispensed with such Liberality That t was not difficult to find A whole Encyclopaedia in thy Mind It came so swift we almost did believe 'T was not acquir'd by Study but intuitive Yet so transcendently immense was thy Not to be parallellâ—d Humility As is that vast illustrious Magazine of Worth That with so great a Splendor did shine sorth And unto all that knew thee was reveal'd Were only from thy modest self conceal'd Thus o're his radiant Face a Vail the God-like Moses drew And shrowded Glories much too bright for mortal Eyes to view VI. Yet so divinely great a Life Found not uninterrupted Ease Thy Conduct in full Lustre did appear When thou by Fate wast summoned to steet Thy fluctuating Bark in most tempestuous Seas Heaven saw it fit to exercise Thy passive Vertues that Afflictions should Imbitter a vain World to thee A World made up of Vanity And from its Ore refine such precious Gold This Blessing only didst thou want before Thou wast a Saint but now almost a Consessor At length too good for Earth thou' rt called hence A Member of the Church Triumphant to commence But why
Cains look with fallen Countenances Gen. 4. 6. Let the Pharisees please themselves in their sowr Looks Mat. 6. 16. A Christian's Countenance should shew him to be above his Misery sprightly and chearful though you take away their Coat as Ioseph's Mistress did you cannot take away their Comfort they are glad they can escape with their Conscience though they should leave their Coat behind them I remember Scaliger playeth the Critick with Homer because Champion Achilles is brought in weeping his beloved Briseis was taken from him So it is a Disgrace to our high Profession when a Christan is brought in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weeping it is beneath you It is said in Acts 5. 41. They departed from the Presence of the Council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ. Philpot's Stocks in the Bishop of London's Coal-house was but a pair of Organs as he saith Nor is it true only in these honourable Sufferings for the Glory of our Religion but in the Strokes of Providence in this very Business of deceased Friends The Apostle makes it the Property of Pagans to mourn excessively 1 Thess. 4. 13. Sorrow not as those that have no Hope i. e. as Pagans they did abound in it as see Gen. 50. 3. compared with v. 10. Ioseph mourned for Iacob but seven Days the Egyptians seventy even ten times as much Nay Pagans err so much this way that if they could not find Grief they would force Grief and therefore at their Funerals if they had no Sympathy they would slash their Faces and cut their Flesh that they might be sorrowful And therefore God saith Deut. 14. 1. Ye shall not cut your selves and make Baldness in your Eyes for the Dead ye are the Children of the Lord your God that is you have higher Principles you know such Sorrow needless And hence was it that the Primitive Christians were wont to sing triumphant Psalms at Funerals as it appeareth out of many Places of Chrysostom to shew they had higher Hopes of their departed Friends 3. It is very prejudicial You have no Benefit but a great deal of Hurt by it 2 Cor. 7. 10. there it is summed up in one word Worldly Sorrow worketh Death that is chiefly Sorrow for worldly things that works Death temporal and eternal in its Desert temporal Death as it exhausteth the Spirits wasteth the Marrow Worldly Sorrow leaveth a very strong Impression upon the Body as Solomon saith Prov. 17. 22. A broken Spirit drieth the Bones it dulleth and deadens the Heart If a Man would not save his Tears yet he should reserve them keep them up for holy Uses God may give you many spiritual Occasions to empty your Bottle do not be over-free of them Affections over-exercised are usually restrained against the next Occasion And as they procure Death in respect of the Vigour of the Body and Soul so an eternal Death too it deserveth it And so the Apostle is to be understood for he opposeth it to Godly Sorrow which hereafter you shall see you have no cause to repent of as you have of Worldly Grief is a most serious Passion and though a Man may forget himself in his Joy he should not forget to think of the Danger Worldly Sorrow worketh Death 4. It is very unreasonable If Men would cite their Affections before the Tribunal of Reason and ask them what 's the matter why they are so violently stirr'd they might discern much of their Folly Psal. 42. 5. David calleth himself to an account Why art thou so disquieted O my Soul why art thou cast down within me Ask why it is and you will see either no reason or a corrupt one Iniqua lex est quae se examinari non patitur saith Tertullian And so it is an evil Heart that will not be called to an account Suspect those Passions that are loth to be examined Do but ask your selves why do I grieve now you shall see the Answer will be foolish unreasonable unthankful or savouring of Discontent Why it may be you will say Many dear Comforts are taken from me O Brethren that is an ill Expression no outward Comfort can be taken from a Christian We should live in such a continual waiting for God's Pleasure and in such a quiet Submission thereunto as not to look upon our Comforts as taken from us Iob indeed useth the word Iob 1. 23. The Lord hath given the Lord hath taken but he useth it so as if he would be understood as if the Lord had accepted of the Resignation for he blesses God for it Even our highest Comfort our Lives the Lives of the Saints are not taken from them God doth but as it were accept of the Resignation As Stephen Acts 7. 59. Lord Iesus receive my Spirit So Rev. 22. 20. Even so come Lord Iesus come quickly It is said of the Wicked indeed that their Lives are snatched or taken away as Iob 27. 8. What Hope hath the Hypocrite when God taketh away his Soul or snatcheth it away So Luke 12. 20. Thou Fool this Night shall thy Soul be required of thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall challenge and get away thy Soul from thee Therefore we should resign up our holy Friends to God as well as they do themselves But let us see how unreasonable this very Particular is of Mourning for the Dead Is it to do them good They are not the better for our Tears they are past Recovery by our Weeping Is it not to envy their Blessedness to wish them alive again 2 Sam. 12. 23. Wherefore should I fast can I bring him back again I shall go to him he shall not come to me Is it because they were so good that we mourn The better for God they are gone to their own home Is it because so bad 2 Sam. 13. 39. David was comforted concerning Anmon because dead though he died in Sin Or is it because they died so soon which heightens your Loss Consider who decreed it are you wiser than God Is it for your own Good you weep that is an holy Weeping Weep as if you wept not Thus if Men would expostulate with themselves they would see the Unreasonableness of their Sorrow it is to no purpose We express things to no purpose by Water spilt on the Ground certainly Tears in such Cases are but spilt Water Use 1. To instruct you to take home this Lesson so to sorrow under the Sense of your Afflictions as if you did not sorrow be it the Loss what it will though I shall chiefly speak to the present Occasion Do not let the Grief oppress your Heart Ay but how shall we do so I shall give you some Motives As 1st Be sure to get an Interest in spiritual Mercies The Doctrine saith Christians ought so to sorrow as if they sorrowed not We cannot speak to others in this Language unless we should perswade Men to slight the Hand of God We throw Bones to Dogs but Bread to Children
cast into the Fire God will dash the Potter's Vessel Gen. 19. 22. Haste thee scape to Zoar for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither I cannot mark that Exod. 32. 10. Let me alone and I will make of thee a great People God offereth Moses Composition Acts 27. 24. The Lord hath given thee all them that sail with thee These are the Staff and the Stay therefore we have Reason to be sensible of their Removal from us Use 2. We have Reason also to be comforted 1st For the Glory that cometh to God by her sweet Departure Those that have envied her Life may wish for her Death even such Solace as she felt in the most bitter Agonie Numb 23. 10. Let me die the Death of the Righteous and let my latter End be like his It is a great Comfort that wicked Men have not wherewithal to blast Religion when they see how the Love of God can compose our Spirits in the greatest Extremities that befal us either in Life or Death 2dly That she hath left us for Glory It was indeed through many Throws and Pains and Sorrows but Death played the Midwife to help her into Glory It is the Apostle's Exhortation to the Thessalonians 1 Epist. chap. 4. ver 13. That they should not sorrow even as others which have no Hope concerning them which are asleep in Jesus but admonish them to comfort one another with these Words That at Christ's Coming they which survive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air And so shall we be ever with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these Words FINIS PAPER I. I Hope I have avouched the Lord to be my God and resolve to walk in his Ways and to keep his Statutes and his Commandments and his Judgments and to hearken unto his Voice And I humbly implore that the Lord would avouch me to be one of his peculiar People and that he would enable me to keep all his Commandments I often question whether I have any Interest in the Eternal God or whether he will own me as one of his but Lord I humbly say I have and do avouch thee to be my only God and Saviour O cast me not off and I earnestly beg Grace to walk in thy Ways Help me to keep thy Statutes continually Let me not dare to offend thee O that I might never provoke thee my good God to be angry or displeased with me but let me O Lord be a Doer of thy Commandments that so I may have Right to the Tree of Life Lord I have no Right I can plead no Right I fall infinitely short of my Duty but have not I a blessed Saviour to plead for me who died for the Chief of Sinners and he hath promised that none that come to him he will in any wise cast out I know he is able to save to the utttermost all those that come to God through him in his prevailing Name and for his sake I implore Divine Assistance to enable me to persevere and hold out to the end that at the last I may enter in through the Gates into the City into the Heavenly Ierusalem where the Saints and Angels and Cherubims and Seraphims are continually singing Hallelujahs to their King Holy Holy Holy Lord. I acknowledg my Unfitness my Unworthiness for this great inexpressible inconceivable Privilege but though I am unworthy if thou my God wilt count me worthy through the Merits of my dear Saviour I shall have Cause for ever to bless thy Name in the highest Heavens World without End Though I have no Right if thou wilt give me Right to those Treasures and Pleasures which are at thy right Hand for evermore this will be Matter of Thankfulness to Eternity Give me some Hopes that I have an Interest in these invisible things by my Care to please thee and my Fear to offend thee by my unfeigned Respect to all thy Holy Righteous and Just Commandments and by my harkning to thy Voice the Voice of thy Word and the Voice of thy Rod. Thy Dealings are variously dispensed towards me I met with many contrary Winds O let them all blow me nearer to thy blessed Self Lord I humbly say I have avouched thee to be my only God my Salvation my Portion my Rock my Fortress O be thou my reconciled Father to whom I may continually resort and when my Flesh and Heart here fail me as frequently they do be thou the Strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever O God my God do not forsake me nor cast me utterly out of thy Sight The Things of this World they do not they cannot they will not content me O give me some comfortable Hopes that I am thine that thou hast adopted me and that thou wilt sanctify me and make me meet for thy blessed Self I would be every Day sitting and preparing my self for my last Day for my accounting Day when I must be summoned before thy Tribunal Seat to give a strict severe Account for all my Thoughts Words and Actions whereby I have offended thee my gracious and good God but I find my self unfit for any spiritual Duty Lord help me to mind the Work of Time while Time lasts furnish me with Divine Assistance to enable me to do my Duty without which I am utterly uncapable of serving or pleasing thy blessed Majesty Death is hastning Eternity approaching the particular Day of Judgment near and yet for all this how inconsiderate art thou O my Soul to neglect the things that belong to thy everlasting Peace I am often thoughtful what will become of me here and how Matters will go with me here in this Life Ah but when is the time to provide for Eternity to get my Title to Heaven cleared to get an undeniable Interest in Christ Jesus which will yield me Comfort in the greatest worldly Distresses Lord give me some Hopes that thou hast avouched me to be thine and that I have sincerely without Reservation or Power of Revocation avouched thee to be my God PAPER II. DO thou by a patient Continuance in Well-doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality and Eternal Life Be not weary of Well-doing for in due time thou shalt reap if thou faint not Is there Glory Honour Immortality and Eternal Life set before me and yet shall I tire and wax weary Dare I be impatient and fret at any of the Lord's Dealings towards me If Heaven were oftner in my Eye and View I should be more calm and composed in the midst of all Trials Troubles and Afflictions that do or may overtake me during my Abode in this distracting and Sin-defiling World Is there Glory to be had hereafter and shall not I endeavour to be a Sharer therein Is there Honour to be conferr'd upon those that are true Worshippers of the Lamb and shall I be dull and dead and sluggish and unmindful of the Honour that
with me as to worldly Matters I was not a little comforted and refreshed also by the last Verse of that Psalm which saith Surely Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the Days of my Life and I will dwell in the House of the Lord for ever I am sure Goodness and Mercy have followed me to this very Day therefore I will not distrust the merciful Kindness of God to me to my Life's End But if I should be stripp'd of earthly Blessings I beg I may have the Liberty of God's House here and the Happiness of dwelling with him for ever hereafter If I should with Lazarus be clothed with Rags and fed with Crumbs all my Days if my Body should be full of Sores yet if God will own me and approve me and at Death receive me to himself I may with tolerable Patience bear the Inconveniencies of my Pilgrimage-state knowing that they will not last long And that I may with the more Confidence cast my poor fatherless Children upon God I will call to mind those Places that did quiet me under the Loss of my dear and loving and tender Father which were these that God was pleased to promise to be a Father to the Fatherless and that when Father and Mother forsake then the Lord would take them up God hath bidden poor Creatures to cast their Burden upon him assuring them that he takes Care of them and sustains them And the forementioned Place Isa. 41. 10. is a sufficient Cordial to keep any Soul from fainting and sinking under any Distress whatsoever therefore I hope and trust and believe that the good God who hath been so bountiful so merciful and so kind to me to extend so many Favours to me will also take pity of my fatherless Babes With him the Fatherless find Mercy Lord I therefore commit them into thy Hands as unto a faithful Creator and Redeemer and beg that thou wouldst here guide them with thy Counsel and afterwards receive them to Glory Sometimes when my Children have been taken very ill so that there was no room for hope of Life to outward Appearance yet even then hath my good God supported me by some comfortable Portion of his Holy Word Once one of my Children being given over I was in great Perplexity of Mind that Place came to my Thoughts Call on me in the day of Trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me I was extremely revived at the Consideration of that Place for that was then a Time of Trouble to me And then being incouraged that if I called upon God he would deliver me I did then with firm Hopes and Confidence rely upon my merciful God and Father whom I have found ready to help and deliver me out of many Distresses Blessed and for ever blessed be his Name who was pleased to hear the Cries and Groans of his poor unworthy undeserving ill-deserving and Hell-deserving Creature And seeing God was pleased to deliver me from my great Fears my next Inquiry should be how I may glorify this good God Lord help me to make it the Care and Business and Study of my Life how I may please thee and honour thee and serve thy Blessed Majesty the remaining part of my Days Amen Amen PAPER VII WHat a Cordial to the Godly is the first of Peter the first Chapter the second Verse and so on Where we find that God intends Heaven for them and is graciously pleased to reserve and preserve them for it it being a reviving Consideration to me sometimes to see how God deals with his poor Children and what Steps he takes to bring them to Glory I will for the Benefit of my too often desponding Soul ruminate on this Place of Scripture where I find these Words of Peter an Apostle of Iesus Christ who writes to the Strangers scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia Elect according to the Fore-knowledg of God the Father through Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience and sprinkling of the Blood of Iesus Christ Grace unto you and Peace be multiplied In this Verse I observe how the whole Trinity are imployed in the Salvation of Sinners God the Father he elects he fore-knoweth whom he will bring to himself then the Spirit sanctifieth those whom God hath elected and makes them obedient to their Heavenly Father and they are sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus Christ their Sins for his sake are all done away therefore the Apostle may well say Grace unto you and Peace be multiplied for who can want Grace or Peace whom God the Father Son and Spirit are contriving how to bring them to Glory We may well go on with the Apostle blessing God for his unspeakable Mercies saying Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant Mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively Hope by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the Dead to an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation O Blessed Blessed Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here in this Life we want Time and Hearts to bless the Lord for his abundant Mercy towards us Eternity will be little enough to sing forth the Praises of the King of Kings for giving us a lively Hope that one Day we shall be so happy to be admitted into the Heavenly Society that are continually viewing the Face of the Lamb and contemplating his Glory This inestimable Privilege is only procured and purchased by the Sufferings Death and Resurrection of our alone Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who hath provided an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away O the Emphasis of these Words an Inheritance What a poor Mortal to be an Heir of Heaven And this Inheritance is incorruptible not subject to Corruption Alteration or Change and it is undefiled The Things of this World are defiled with Sin they are vile contemptible and vain nay Vanity it self but this Heavenly Inheritance we see is incorruptible and undefiled And to compleat our Fruition it fadeth not away but continueth throughout all Successions of Ages There is no Probability nor Possibility of Decay or End for the Immutable and Eternal God hath assured us that they fade not away but are reserved in Heaven a secure Place beyond the reach of Men or Devils It is not in the power of Friend or Foe to dispossess the Children of God of this Heavenly Inheritance When I consider the Happiness the inconceivable Felicity of the Saints above that are now Possessors of this Inheritance that is incorruptible undefiled and that will never fade away I am apt to say with Austin's Mother when she had heard a Discourse of the Glory above What do I here then So am I reflecting What do I here in this defiling World sinning against and offending God when many are got safe beyond
hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sun light on them nor the Heat for the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living Fountains of Water and God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes O what blessed Imployment are the Saints ingaged in in serving God Day and Night in his Temple where the everlasting JEHOVAH that sitteth on the Throne shall eternally dwell among them The Bliss of these Heavenly Inhabitants is inconceivable Well may the Apostle say Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard what God hath laid up for them that love him It is exceedingly above what we can think or imagine or conceive Who can tell what it is continually to injoy the comfortable Presence of the great God and the Lamb When God's People have had but some Glimpse of his Favour and Friendship and some Hopes of dwelling with him they have impatiently longed for a Dissolution They count this World as a Prison in which they are separated from their God their Christ and the Holy Angels which will be their everlasting Companions Those that God will admit into his everlasting Glory he hath told us they shall be exempted for all hurtful Evils never shall they hunger more nor thirst any more Lord too too many Thoughts do I spend about these outward Supplies of Meat and Drink and Raiment O when when wilt thou bring me to Heaven where these things will be of no Use nor Value to me Happy and only happy are they whom the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne will feed and lead to the Fountain of Living Water from whose Eyes all Tears shall be wip'd they shall know no more what Death meaneth In Heaven there is no Sorrow nor Crying nor shall there be any more Pain for all old things shall be done away the former things are passed away past and gone nothing remains but Joy and Gladness and praising of our Great Creator sounding out continual Halleluja's to the King of Kings Lord is it my Duty to be fitting and preparing my self for this blessed State and for my Approach before thy awful Tribunal and dare I still neglect it Help me to remember that I must work while it is Day the Night of Sickness Sorrow and Death are approaching and then I cannot work Lord Jesus make me meet make me fit for thy blessed self that when I come to leave this base World I may be admitted to the Heavenly Society of Saints and Angels Cherubims and Seraphims where are ten thousand times ten thousand saying with a loud Voice Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing Every Creature in Heaven and Earth shall then say Blessing Honour and Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Amen and Amen PAPER XII I Am frequently assaulted with this sore Temptation that I shall never persevere and hold out to the end but shall tire and saint and grow weary so that every Trial shall master and overcome me so that I sometimes fear there is no Hopes for me of entring into Rest I fear I shall fail short of eternal Life which is a cutting Consideration to me and sometimes sinks me into the Depth of Misery But that I may not wholly despond I will here recite some Places of Scripture which consist of Precepts and Promises and which I hope may be of use to me and may make me stir up my self to do what in me lieth to lay hold on the Hope set before me and may cause me to look to thee O blessed Father for Grace and Strength to hold out to the End of my Days Let me not grow weary in Well-doing for in due time I shall reap if I faint not In Rev. 2. 10. it is said Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that ye may be tried and ye shall have Tribulation ten Days Be thou faithful unto Death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Doth God say Fear none of those things which ye shall suffer and yet shall I be overwhelmed and dejected and distracted for fear of Troubles and Calamities Here is mentioned the worst of Enemies the Devil he shall afflict some and cast them into Prison but at this we ought not to be terrified for sometimes God doth it to try his poor People and he doth permit them to be in Tribulation but God limits the time it is expressed here ten Days that is a certain for an uncertain time it implies but a short time were it at our Adversary's the Devil's Disposal we might be as many Years as here are mentioned Days yea all our Life-time in continual Sorrow but we are in the Hands of a merciful God and though he see meet sometimes to scourge and try us yet he will not let us be tempted beyond what he will enable us to bear and for our Incouragement he hath said If we be faithful to Death he will graciously reward us He that saith Be thou faithful make me faithful and then I need not doubt but he will give me this Crown of Life It is not nor cannot be merited by us it is the free Gift of God Here are several Promises he hath graciously made to those that hold out to the end as in ver 7. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Who would not strive to overcome that at last he may be admitted into the Paradise of God where he shall eat of the Tree of Life and then shall hunger and thirst no more but shall be happy in the Injoyment of God and the Lamb to all Eternity Ver. 11. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the Second Death What a comfortable Promise is this The First Death is nothing in comparison of the Second What 's Death Temporal if compared to Death Eternal When we die we are deprived of earthly Friends and earthly Comforts but if the Second Death hath Dominion over us then there is an eternal Banishment from the comfortable Presence of God and an eternal Separation between God and the poor Soul which is Hell it self O Lord give me Grace that I may so fight strive run and conquer and at last overcome that I may not be hurt of the Second Death Ver. 17. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna and will give him a white Stone and in the Stone a new Name written which no Man knoweth saving he that receiveth it This is an unspeakable Privilege indeed to have the Bread of Life This hidden Manna it is hidden from the World and given only to those who through Faith and Patience lay hold on eternal Life How happy are those that
have the White Stone of Absolution and have in it a new Name written Once indeed they were Children of Darkness Children of this World but now through Grace they are made Children of Light they have the Image of God impress'd upon their Souls and though the World know it not yet the Persons that receive this inestimable Privilege find at least sometimes a Change in their Heart and can rejoice in their future Hopes that however it goes with them here yet they can be contented knowing it will not be long e're they be past the Inconveniencies of their present Pilgrimage and shall then be admitted into the Heavenly Canaan where all Troubles and Sorrows and Calamities shall be done away and they shall injoy God World without End Amen Chap. 3. v. 5. He that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white Raiment and I will not blot out his Name out of the Book of Life but I will confess his Name before my Father and before his Angels How many Motives are here to Perseverance Just now a Promise of hidden Manna to eat now of white Raiment to clothe the Person that overcomes This white Raiment is the Righteousness of Jesus Christ in which poor Sinners must be clothed If they should have nothing but their own Righteousness to appear in they would not be able to stand in the Judgment How blessed and happy are all those for whom this white Raiment is prepared they are assured that their Name shall not be blotted out of the Book of Life It is an inestimable Privilege to have their Names register'd in Heaven for to them Christ saith that he will confess them before his Father and before his Angels to be owned approved and commended before Men and Angels and the great Assembly of the Just. This should excite us to be diligent and faithful to the end that at the last we may overcome and be Sharers of these great Benefits that are promised unto those who are clothed with this white Raiment Ver. 11. Behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast that no Man take thy Crown We not knowing how soon our Saviour may come ought to be watchful careful and diligent and hold fast Faith and a good Conscience that so we may hold out to the end that none may deprive us of our Crown Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the Name of my God and the Name of the City of my God which is New Jerusalem which cometh down out of Heaven from my God and I will write upon him my new Name To be a Pillar in God's Temple is an high Honour it is a fixed Place no danger of being removed if once set there and God will write his Name upon it and own it for his own and ingrave the Name of the City Ierusalem which is above as a Token that they are Denisons and Inhabitants of the New Ierusalem and then the Lord will write upon him a new Name The Lord knows them that are his he distinguisheth them from the rest of the World Happy are those that be in such a Case Blessed are those whom God hath chosen to be a Pillar in his Temple To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my Throne even as I also overcame and am sat down with my Father on his Throne Who would grudg at a little Pains and Labour and Difficulties if at last he may overcome his Spiritual Enemies Here 's a gracious Promise that our blessed Saviour makes that if we do overcome though it must be by his Grace his Strength and Assistance he will grant us to sit with him on his Throne What an Honour is this to be conferr'd upon poor Mortals What to sit with Christ and his Holy Angels upon a Throne Well may we say with the Apostle Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard what God hath prepared for those that love him If we do overcome a few Difficulties and deny our selves some small things for Christ's sake will he thus amply reward us by admitting us to be Sharers with him in the Glories of Heaven He hath said it and his Word shall stand that if we overcome we shall sit with him even as he hath overcome and is set down with his Father Our Saviour indeed did the whole Will of his Father and overcame all the Hardships and Difficulties that he met with in accomplishing his Father's good Pleasure He was despised of Men he was spit upon he was mocked and buffeted and at last crucified and yet how meekly did he submit to all this We find him in his greatest Agonies saying Not my Will but thine be done and the Cup that my Father hath given me shall I not drink it And shall I dispute his Will and Pleasure Our Saviour he indured the Cross despised the Shame and is now set down at the right Hand of the Throne of God He bore all the various Difficulties he pass'd through here with an invincible Courage and Constancy and now we are assured that he is set down on the Throne of God and hath promised that those that are true Followers of him shall in due time inherit Eternal Life and shall sit down with him on the Throne of God as certainly as he is already set down with his Father Chap. 21. v. 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son Here are several Particulars instanced in what those shall possess that overcome and here to conclude it is said he shall inherit all things all things necessary for this Life or a better all things conducing to this Life and the other But to compleat the Happiness of the Godly God hath promised to be his God and that he will own him as his Son And I am sure none can be miserable that have this God for their God and Portion Seeing here are so many comfortable Promises to those that overcome help me O my God that I may not seem to fall short of entering into thy Rest but help me to persevere and hold out to the End Do thou strengthen me against all needless Fears Thou that saidst Fear none of those things that thou shalt suffer give me an undaunted Spirit against all earthly Troubles What though thou meetest with many Troubles and Trials yet thy God hath told thee they shall not last long If thou sink under thy Burden thou art undone but if thou couragiously overcomest these Promises to thy Comfort thou mayst lay hold on Be faithful to the Death and then thy good God will give thee a Crown of Life which fadeth not away but is reserved in Heaven for these that love and fear him PAPER XIII O Lord I beg a Meetness for Heaven make me meet to be a Partaker of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light I am unmeet unfit unprepared unworthy to be a Partaker of those Privileges that are injoyed above at thy right Hand by thy redeemed Ones But Lord I humbly desire thou wouldst sit prepare and qualify me for Communion with thy self in Glory Help me to be getting Dispositions for Heaven to be meet to live above I often desire to be at home at my Father's House to be there where God and Christ is where the Saints and Angels and all the Host of Heaven are continually lauding blessing praising and magnifying thy Great and Holy Name O Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts shall ever such a poor Worm as I be admitted to dwell with thee in thy Heavenly Temple I that am so ill-deserving I that am so undeserving dare I presume Can I hope upon good Grounds that I shall be of the Number of those happy Ones who shall be called unto thy Kingdom and Glory there to live and reign with thee World without End Sometimes I am overwhelmed and utterly despair of this high Honour when I consider what a vile Wretch I am by Nature And when I reflect on the Sins of my Life that my whole Life hath been one continual Provocation against thy Divine Majesty I can hardly find Day or Hour wherein I have not offended thee Nay I fear my very Prayers are Sins and Abominations to thy pure Eyes And if my Condition be such how is it like to fare with me to all Eternity Who will be my Companions in the other World if I am cast off by thee and excluded from thy Presence which Lord I earnestly implore may never be my Portion Give me leave to plead with thee I find in thy Word that the Blood of Christ cleanseth from all Sins those of a Crimson and Scarlet Dye and also I read that he came to save the Chief of Sinners that are sensible of their lost and undone Condition and that fly to him for help He hath said those that come to him he will in no wise cast out Being incouraged by thy Holy Word to come to thee in thy Son's Name I humbly beg for his sake that all my Sins may be pardoned and done away that I may be sanctified washed and cleansed in the Laver of his Righteousness Let me have a Meetness and Fitness for Heaven where I long to be Help me to be laying up a good Foundation against the time to come that I may lay hold of Eternal Life Let me be kept by the mighty Power of God through Faith unto Salvation O keep me from falling and preserve me blameless to thy Heavenly Kingdom for Christ Jesus's sake Amen FINIS * Titus Vespasian the Roman Emperor * The Circle of Instruction * Taken up amongst the Blessed