heart and â—ryeth the reins Great mistakes through a deceitful heart thou maist entertain and apply to thy self that comfort which of right belongs not to thee a deceitful heart saith oft times Peace where no true peace is therefore O how pretious is that peace of God that passeth understanding that only can make the Soul happy that blessed peace which the Lord Jesus breathed upon his poor disciples and left them as a glorious legacy of pretious Love O my soul It must be Christ in thee the hope of Glory must be the author of thy comfort and eternal happiness therefore sayes the Apostle by this truth try the truth of your condition examine your selves whether ye be in the faith 2 Cor. 13. 5. Prove your own selves know ye not your own selves that Christ be not in you except you are reprobates a sad and dismal condition to be rested in and since it is so needful a thing to be found in Christ O my Soul how requisite would it be and how much would it add unto thy present and eternal comfort to be fully assured in this point of so great importance but what should a poor weak creature do Lord I will cast my self at thy footstool O do thou prove me and try me and suffer me not to rest under a deceitful heart make clear this in the way of prayer meditation c. and to my Soul that by the spirit speaking peace my soul may be sealed up with everlasting comfort by which to glorifie the riches of thy free Grace for ever Meditations of being in Christ TO be in Christ is to be a new Creature quickned inlivened delivered from the power of sin and Satan and the deadness of our sinful natures to serve the living Lord the spirit is given unto those whom he hath called by Grace and taken into Covenant with himself for he that hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his and this spirit is holy humble gratious teaching the soul to know the voice of him that gives it My sheep her my voice the Lord knows them also for he hath given them of his own spirit and so made them to be partakers with him of the Divine nature by which grace the soul comes to be a follower of Jesus Christ denying ungodliness and sinful lusts All these things which are in opposition to so glorious a change and to be more in confâ—â—mity unto our Lord and Saviour who hath gâ—ven of his spirit unto poor souls that they might be so nâ—w the fruits of the spirit is love joy peace long sâ—ffâ—ring genâ—â—â—â—â—ss goodness faith weakness temperaâ—ce fuâ—filled all in that blessed pattern the Lord Jesus who out of Love to the poor Soul made himself an example that thou thereby mightest learn of him instructions Now the righteous Lord loves righteousness and is gratiously pleased to place a delight in that soul that desires to walk humbly before him having access unto the father by the same spirit of Christ living in the soul by faith through him to find acceptance at the throne of Grace and favour in the sight of the great and holy God now my soul be earnest in the search this great thing ask the assistance of thy great JEHOVAH thy tender loving father who only can give grace and promiseth gratiously that he will supply the wants of them that truly seek him and shall spread their case before him through so rich a mediator the Mediator of that new and everlasting Covenant of grace and mercy who hath said for the comfort of his poor Wormâ— here whatsoever ye shall ask the father in my name believing it shall be done unto you O is the Lord so gratious and hast thou so great refuge to run to why standest thou here gazing Meditations of being the Servant of Christ OH how rich a priviledge is it to be a Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ hath not my Lord been pleased to give me a heart truly to beg this yea from my soul to beg that he would cast his yoak upon my neck that he would accept of me poor worm to be his servant O how much more did my soul long to be made a door keeper in the house of my God then to injoy the greaâ—est glories of the world O how hath my soul longed yea thirsted after the living Lord that he would please to make me one whom he would honour with the beholding of â—is glory not desiring greater priviledge O but my Soul now see and above all admire the gratious condescention or thy glorious God who hath not only answered the poor request which he did through grace inable thee to breath out before him but hath abundantly inlarged his bounty and filled thee with joy he hath filled the hungry Soul with good things with the best things and given thee not only a sight of his Glory but O the abounding Love the unspeakable goodness of thy gratious God an interest in that glory so that thou canst through grace now say thou art my God thou art my Lord so great a priviledge to me thou knowest dear Lord my soul desires to resine it self to thee make it such as thou wouldst have it Lord I am thine do by me whaâ—soever seemeth good in thy sight this afternoon the Lord was pleased to bring open home unto my soul the glorious nature of prayer through the Ministry of our dear Pastors from the 12 of Rom. to the 12 v. that this prayer is It is a Saints recreation A glorious exercise in which the Soul hath access to go through a Mediaâ—or whereby a Saint may improve his interest daily at the throne of grace and make humble confession of our manifold transgressionâ— to ask things needful for us these remain on our part but to return humble and hearty thanksgivings to the Lord for all our mercies herein is the Lord glorified and O what a comfort through Grace is it when we can give thanks when we can come and return hearty and humbâ—e thanks at the throne for all the good we have and do daily receive from the bountiful hands of our great JEHOVAH Lord be thou pleased to engrave this upon the heart of thy poor servant Meditations on the 11th of Luke 19. Of a new heart And I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within you and I will take tâ—e stony heart out of the flesh and will give them a heart of flesh WHo is the giver of this new heart even the Lord of Glory what is this new heart it is a pure single upright sincere heart why doth the Lord in the conversion of a Soul give him a new heart because it is the heart that he requires in duties the sincerity of the soul to walk before him in Love this cannot an old base carnal heart do until it be renewed an humble soul goes with a regenerated Soul the Lord will give more grace unto the humble but pride the
boldness thorough Christ have â—câ—eâ—s unto the throne of Grace and through the Son injoy communion with the Father being related to God having him to be thy Father bâ—ing a member of Christ being bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh the temple of the Holy Ghost the Spirit of God dwelling in you and is God thy Father then consider who 't is is pâ—eased to own thee for a child not a man no nor the best of men would you not think it great honour to be the Son of some Noble Man much more if you were Son to a King is it honour to be Son to an earthly King an will you count it no glory to be Son to the King of Kings will you give honour to an earthly King and will you not honour him by whom Kings Reign surely if God becomes thy Father he deserves honour from such a poor wretched creature as thou art consider the transcendant love and iâ—finite wisdom of the great God in calling all out of the world if thou belong to him he will look on thee when thou art in thy blood when thou art covered over with a Leprosy of sin and corruption and no eye pittied thee when thou wert dead then he saith lâ—ve ye being an enemy he reconciled to himself through the Blood of his own Son the Son of his love in whom he was well pleased in whom he delighted in whom there was no sin neither guile found in his Mouth yet this was the infinite unspeakable Love of God to poor sinners and for our sakes was the Lord of glory willing to come down out of the Bosom of his Father into the Circle of corruped earth to disrobe himself of his gloâ—y and take upon him sinful flesh nay he took upon him the form of a Servant and â—umbled hâ—mself unto deaâ—h even thae cursed death of the Cross that he might exalt thee and purchase for thee a crown of Glory what heart is there but a heart of stone that these charractors of Gods unspeakable Love cannot make impression upon have you seen the Love of God in Christ and not been touched with a lively sence of so infinite a mercy have you experienced it is any wise and not found the love of Christ to be a constraining Love surely those that have tasted the gratious sweetness of the Lord will be filled with a holy admiration and will have a heart full of breathings after those Heavenly visions and long for a more intire Communion with the Father of mercies and the God of Love But these seem to be strange things to a carnal Soul they are not to be seen with the eyes of flesh but by the eye of faith through the opperation of the Spirit the holy spirit of God the holy Ghost the comforter which our Saviour promised to send to his disciples and with them the whole elect of God now did we but consider the miserableness of our condition by nature being dead duâ—l blockish having no life or sence at all in any spiritull action yet that the Lord should awaken such out of the graves of there sins and reveal the righteousness of Christ unto them who can but admire the infinite goodness of our God now when this spirit of God workes it comes with power discovering sin and teaching the Soul to deny all ungodlyness and sinfull lusts and to live righteously and soberly in this present evill world the Soul is convinced of siin before of righteousness Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance who will seek to a physitian that is not senâ—able of any want he have of him be that thinks himself most secure hath the most need of help Laâ—dicea said she was rich and full and needed nothing when Christ found her poor blind and naked and she knew not not her miserable condition being destitute and wholy wanting When we see our selves at a loss O whether shall we go but unto Christ who is infinitely able to save unto the utâ—eâ—most all that by faith come unto him let us not dispaire for God is faithfull who hath promised and his word shall stand for ever let us fly unto the throne of his graee by that new and living way which he hath found out and appointed for the eternall comfort of poor sinners even the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory and the Son of his love that whosoever truly repents from his heart and by faith lares hold upon him shaâ—l not perish but have everlasting liâ—e O let us admire the infinite goodness of the â—ord and dilligently inquire whether we have ever had this change effectuall wrought in us or no have we the shâ—mtâ—mbes of a new born Soul in us then we shall â—ee what cause we have to magnifie the riches of his grace in calling us from the world unto himself by his holy spirit that hath not suffered us to lye buryed under the ruins of our own sins out of which we cannot come without the drâ—wings of God and the greatness of the mercy wiâ—l heighten our praise when we consider the infinite number of dead Souls on the right hand and on the left and yet that the Lord should please in a more perticular manner gratiously to look upon us A Heaven born Soul as new born babe desires the sincere milke of the word that it may grow thereby which being fed upon through the power of the spirit is able to bring the Soul into a perfect state in Christ Jesus who is the word of life and the express image of his fathers person A new creature finds in himself a wonderful change every faculty of his soul is changed Christ died to redeem us to himself from the world from our vain conversations As well to sanctâ—fie us as to save us that we should live no longer to our selves but to him that hath bought us and purchased to himself a peeular people zâ—aâ—ous of Good Works that he might reign as a King in our hearts who is the King of righteousenss and who has commanded us to be holy as he is hâ—ly without which there is no seeing of the face of a holy God and siâ—ce it is onely Love and new obediance which proceed from Love that the Lord of Glory hath required of us in return of those unspeakable tokâ—ns of hiâ— Lovâ— to us O what are we or what is our Love that we should not think all we have two little for so good a God that we should not willingly render unto the Lord our ALL is nothing at all what is good is of the Lord not ours and his but just that he should have his own O then let us not keep back any part of what the Lord hath required of us but let us turn to him with the whole heart for it is his by purchase and though he hath in mercy afforded us greater comforts for our use it is not that our hearts should be taken up in them
Lord resisteth Oh give thy poor unworthy one more grace and keep my soul humble under the sence and feeling of thy gratious Love so shall I Lord still praise thee and whilst I live extol the riches of thy grace O to injoy this sweet communion with thy glorious self Dear Lord this is more delightful and more pretious to me then to injoy the greatest treasures upon eâ—rth how pretious is the Lord unto my soul These are the excellencies and the glorious priviledge of a regenerate soul a new creature whose heart is changed through the gratious opperation of the holy spirit the whole nature is changed the glorious Image of the Lord Jesus is râ—newed on it it is made an heir of Heaven a tempâ—e of the Holy Ghost a member of Christ Of thirsting after assurance of Heaven BLessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled they shall be made to drink deep of the wells of Salvation they shall be filled in the mansions of eternal glory when others shall be deprived of the least crum of comfort t is he that seeks shall find and he that knocks shall have the door opened unto him seek ye first the kingdom of Heaven and the righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added unto you things of this life are but additional acts of his bounty The great and prime part of a Christians work is to make sure of Heaven and his eâ—ernall happyness hereafter O great is that goodness of the Lord how abundant his compassion his love to poor sinful man who would not have them set their hearts on such poor low things as only this world affords but a Kingdom of glory yea an everlasting Kingdom that shall never fade a kingdom in which dwelleth righteousness the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus no less then these things would the Lord have his poor people covet after the rest are but things less material and shall be given over and above these things shall be added to you O wonderful goodness Such great and glorious priviledges such promises such additional comforts Oh what is man that thou shouldest be so mindful of him or the son of man that thou shouldest thus delight to do him good Oh my soul this is the Lords doings it is the great JEHOVAH is thus pleased to stoop and condescend on terms of mercy to take poor sinful souls into his favour I and he willeth nothing less to them then an eternal weight of Glory and is not this worth seeking after O sure it is to that soul who hath had a tast of what it is su e heavenly treasures far exceed all earthly vanities then surely in proportion to the goodness of them should the desire of the â—oul be let out after them Therefore O let thy affections be set on heavenly things since it is the goodness of the Lord to thee that thou mightest â—ast that he is gratious that thou shouldest by sweet experiences find him to be faithful in whatsoever he hath promised for good unto thy soul thy poor immortal soul which without his grace had perished to all eternity O 't is for good to thee the Lord hath thus commanded thee to seek that everlasting Kingdom O t is thy soul will be the gainer and thou through grace shall one day find it so O remember my Soul thy Covenant with God in the day of thy espousal then when it was the time of love when he was pleased to put thee in the clefts of the rock Christ Jesus and then to cause his gâ—ory to pâ—sâ— before thee to make with thee an everlasting Covenant setled and sure thâ—t in the unchangeableness of his Grace shall stand for ever wer 't thou but all wayes in the contemplations of these heavenly joyes thy heart could find no time to place it self on such mean things as this poor world affords to be rich in Grace and to be heirs of Glory O how much better is it then to be incumbred with the things below to have Communion with God and to joy in the presence of thy King is far better then to be in favour with the greatest Princes upon Earth oh let my soul dear father live daily in the rich experience of this blessed truth more and more whilst my abode is here oh let me find the daily quickning of thy gratious spirit to injoy thy presence is to live in Heaven whilst here oh tâ—s thy self that makes the passage sweet to Glory oh t is the cords of thy Love that makes the soul to run with hungrings and breathings after thee that makes it love thy precepts more then its dayly food thus thou hast made me through thy grace experimentally to tast O then hide not thy face dear Lord from my soul The Loves wherewith thou hast delighted my soul goes beyond all earthly glories oh in the sence of this let my soul walk before my God in its integrity yea for this will I go unto my God and Father for daily supplies since he it is that giveth liberally Meditations of Death IS death a terror to a gâ—atious Soul what is there in it can affright thee when as the sting is gone let it put on its worse ill shapen dress it can it shall produce no harm unto thee Death shall but â—elease thee from a wretched world of misery and prefer thee to a glorious Crown of blessedness the one will make thee everlasting miserable the other eternally happy in the fruition of the fathers Love in the full free and perfect injoyment of his glorious presence unto all eternity oh then how happy how blessed a thing it is to be dissolved and be with Christ where sin shâ—ll no more haunt thee here poor soul thou canst not chuse but see thy self daily involved with sin followed with corruptions one of the worst of sinners and in that thy shame should pull thee down into the dust and make thee daily mourn in the abhorrency of thy vile self since 't is a God of so much Love that thou dost daily sin against oh wretched Soul maist thou cry out who shall deliver thee from this body of death Yet O my soul take comfort in a dying Lord and glory in the strength of him who is the God of thy salvation O let his strength be magnified in thy weakness and the riches of his grace appear more glorious in the saving of such a one thou well maist say thou art the worst of sinners and yet through grace thou canst say thou dost abhor sin dost thou delight in it no t is thy burthen and since t is so take comfort In the remembrance of him who sweetly sayes come unto me he hath taken out the sting and is become thine advocate yea and will plead thy cause through his own merit and everlasting Righteousness in which through free grace and infinit mercy he will present thee spotless before the throne of that Heavenly Grace
King My musing such with which I would not part For all your mirth and pleasant melody Christs dearest love take away my heart In which lies Joy and true felicity Your company wherein you do delight Like to your self are made of earthly moulâ— Which will at length to feast the worms invite Then wheres your pleasures which so dear you holâ— My joys my comforts and my aim shall be To rest in Heaven to all Eternity There 's fellowship with holy Angels bright And Halâ—le-lujahs sing to the King of Kings There 's sweet Communion with the Saints in light When fire consumes your perishing earthly things The Lord feeding and keeping his Flock See how the Lord doth of his Flock take care And plenteously his Love to them doth share Reaching his arm of mercy them to guide And leading them fast by the Rivers side Thore doth them feed in pastures pleasantly And hiding them from Rage o' th enemy Now let thy heart with praises ever sing Even to thy Saviour Shepherd Lord and King Longings to be with Christ Sin sick am I And faâ—n would dye Reaching forth to Eternity I le leave the world with all my heart With it i 'me willing Lord to part To be with thee O Lord its best And in thine arms to be at rest Unto the world I â—ain would dye To live with thee Eternally Sweet Saviour then thou art gone before A place in Heaven to prepare Post Script of her own I know that my Redeemer liveth and that I shall see him with these eyes O that the time would come But I will wait upon the Lord the days of my appointed time till my change come FINIS The Contents 1. THe account of her early conversion 2. Of further discoveries of Christ 3. The longings of her Soul after Church Fellowship 4. Of Recording her experiences 5. The discoveries of Christ to her Soul when joyned to a Church in the Lords Supper 6. Sweet Discoveries of the love of God in Jesus Christ 7. Meditations upon her Saviours love 8. Meditations of Wisdom in imbracing the offer of Jesus Christ 9. Exhortations to her Brothers and Sisters 10. Meditations upon hearing the voice of Christ 11. Of heart examination 12. Meditations of being in Christ 13. Meditations of being the Servant of Christ 14. Of a new Heart 15. Of thirsting after assurance of heaven 16. Meditations of death 17. Of Communion of Saints 18. Meditations of the unchangeable love of God 19. Meditations on the 11th Chap. of Matthew 28 29 and 30. v. 20. Meditations on the great mistery of Godliness 21. Of the excellency of the knowledge of the mistery of Christ 22. God injoyed in mercies 23. Of self insufficiency 24. Of worldly honour 25. Meditations on the power of God God being her Father 26. Her further meditations of death 27. Meditations of a day of Tryal or preparation for sufferings 28. Sparks of Divine Love 29. Apraising Soul 30. Ahymne of free grace 31. A short dialogue between flesh and spirit 32. The Lord feeding and keeping his flock 33. Longings to be with Christ. ERRATA REader your Charity is desired in amending some little faults of the Printer the rest are these In the epistle Page 11. line 15. f. parting 's r. pantings p 15. l. 17. ad which runs f. their r. these p. 1. l. 2. for conversation r. convertion p. 11. l. 20. f. east r. cast p. 15. l. 19 f. this r. his p. 28. l. 6. f. son r. Soul p. 31. f. N. r. O p. 39. l. 9. f. ond read and l. 11. f. de r doc p 47. l. 15. f. truth read tush l. 26. f. as read at p. 49 l. 19 f but read both p. 59. l. 9. f. suffered r. suffer p. 63. l. 11. f. would r. will l. 15. f. ro r. to p. 68. l. 25. f his r. t is p. 79. l. 15. r. bring home p. 88. l. 15. f. received r. revealed p. 89. l. 4. f. it r. is p. 94. l. 10. f. lo r. ho p 103. l. 5. f. your read ours p. 110. l. 14. ad sealed p. 123. l. 15. f. a r and l. 27. ad to p. 131. l. 18. f. him r. bin p. 135. l. 6. f. receive r. rejoyce l. 10. f. any r. my l. 20. ad trial â— 22. f. any r. thy p. 137. l. 1. f. and r. is To be sold at the Black Spread-Eagle at the West End of Pauls