just And to his Life conform Since we Profession make we must The Gospel thus adorn He is our Lord Redeemer and We do profess that we By what he 's done are now redeem'd From all Iniquity His Name we own to call upon Are therefore strictly boâ—… To honour not reproach the same His Glory forth to sound Do we of Nature most divine Pretend for to partake Let us in all our Actions shine And him our Pattern make Do we to 's Doctrine credit give Labour we to adorn The Gospel then in every thing By sutable return Have we his Spirit then we 're led With glorious Success To live and act and walk i' th ways Of Truth and Holiness True Faith in Christ where ' ere it 's found will purge and purify It mends the Heart and every part The Life 's reform'd hereby A Love to Christ we all profess O let this Love constrain Vs for to live to him that dy'd And now is rose again Christ while on Earth was undefil'd Most Sinless was his State No stain or spot did ever soil This Lamb Immaculate He by his Blessed Life while here Did an Example give How we should carry walk and speak And Holy Lives should live In all his ways he was sincere Nothing could ever soil That perfect Innocence of his So free from Craft and Guile Meditations upon Mr. G's Text 1 Joh. 4. 7. And every one that loveth is born of God c. THe gracious Soul that 's born of God And has a saving sight Of what is Evil and what 's Good And knoweth God aright He loveth God and Godliness And every Saint that he Believes God's Image stampt upon In Truth and Verity Lord grant me Teaching from Above Illuminate me so That thou a God in Covenant I savingly may know That Light of Nature all Men have It never can afford The full Idea of that God Who is the Living Lord. Nor can the best of Creatures show Though wonderfully wrought The Splendour of the God Above Too vainly this way sought No 't is the Soul that 's born again And 's by the Spirit taught Can only fear and serve the Lord And know him as he ought Such they 'l sincerely seek to God They call and knock and cry Will learn to pray from Day to Day With Importunity Re thou the Portion of my Soul I then can be content With smallest share of Worldly Fare And meanest Settlement Give me a Christ or I 'm undone Hear Lord my Suit and Cry Let me be thine and Christ be mine Without him I must die Bless to my Soul the means of Grace Thy Institutions all Incline mine Ear O Lord to hear And to obey thy Call Meditations upon Isa 50. 10. Who is there among you that feareth the Lord c. HE that does truly fear the Lord And 's Servant doth obey Who walk's i' th dark and sees no Light May yet upon him stay He may with greatest Confidence A Succour from him claim Who is the Lord Jehovah Great By trusting in his Name Meditations upon Luk. 10. 31. By chance there came down a certain Priest that way c. ALL Mankind since the Fall are bent To travel out o' th way That leads to Bliss and Happiness And sinfully to stray Both Priest and Levite here agree When as a wounded Man They did espy to pass him by Without Compassion Legal and Moral Righteousness Can never give Relief But dreadful Comforters do prove To Souls opprest with Grief And as for formal Holiness Or bare Profession made It never can relieve a Man With Comfort when dismay'd 'T is none of these that can appease The burthen'd Sinner fainting It 's Christ alone that such an one Is longing for and panting Turn then aside my Blessed Lord A wounded Sinner see For I am sure I need a Cure Have Mercy Lord on me Other Physicians all I find But vain as to my Case I must depend unto the end O Lord upon thy Grace O thou the good Samaritan Compassionate and kind Pour in thine Oil upon my Soul Then healing I shall find Meditations on 1 Joh. 2. 29. If ye know that he is righteous c. KNowing that Christ is righteous Must necessar'ly show That he must needs be born of God That Righteousness doth do A Legal Righteousness none can Discharge since Adam's Fall But here 's our Comfort God accepts What 's Evangelical Meditations upon Mr. F's Text Phil. 1. 27. Only let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ GOD grant our Conversations here May ever more be such As may the Gospel of our Lord Adorn and Credit much It presses Holiness in Life And teaches to deny Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts And living soberly The Gospel pure and its Rules Do reach the inward part And notice take of all Mistakes Both in the Life and Heart 'T is Holy Righteous Just and Good Directs us to abstain From all appearances of Ill From Carriage light and vain To cleanse our selves from Filthiness Both of the Flesh and Spirit T' avoid indecent Wantonness And Gospel-Rules to credit All sinful Gestures it forbids And Carriage vain and light The Glances of a Lustful Eye And Works that shun the Light Thy Word O Lord's a Word of Truth Forbids Deceit and Guile Teaches to fly Hypocrisy And ev'ry Motion vile An Hymn upon Mr. C's Text Eccles 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator c. REmember thy Creator now Whilst youthful Days do last Now know love fear and serve thy God For Age is hastning fast The Evil Days are drawing on Then now lay up thy Treasure For being come thou 'lt find and say In these I have no Pleasure An Hymn upon Rev. 2. 10. Fear none of those things c. FFar not the Troubles Jesus saith Vnto his Church below That thou may'st here be call'd to bear And forc'd to undergo The Devil by his Instruments To Prison some shall hale Yet 't is but some it is not all The Promise cannot fail A ten Days Trial such may have And Tribulation bear But being faithful unto Death ACrown of Life shall wear An Hymn on 1 Tim. 2. 5. ONE God there is and only One One Mediator High The Man Christ Jesus who for all Did pay full Price and die On 1 Joh. 2. 1 3. IF any sin we have on High An Advocate who spilt His precious Blood that he thereby Might expiate our Guilt On Rev. 5. 13. BLessing and Glory and Renown To him we give therefore That sits o' th Throne and to the Lamb Of God for evermore Psal 113. turned into other Verse and a more common Tune April 1686. OYe the Servants of the Lord His Holy Name adore Sing forth his Praise with one accord And bless him evermore Ev'n from the rising of the Sun Vnto its going down Cease not this praising Work begun Give Glory and Renown Above all Nations God is High His glittering Glory count Does very much for Majesty The Heavens High
Riper-years of lost Time in Youth will prove sad and cost dear and be assured that Time 's lost that 's spent either in Eating Drinking Sleeping Visiting or Sportings more than Necessity requires 13. If the Lord should again make thee Head of a Family and bless thee with Children as well as Servants take care of their Souls train them up for God and let thy House be a Nursery for Heaven take an account every Week of their Proficiency in Spirituals and always esteem of those Children and Servants most that love fear and serve God best Travel in Birth to see Christ formed in thine and know that if any go from thy House to Hell through thy neglect their Souls will be required at thy Hands 14. Make Religion thy Business and always account the serving of God and the saving thy Soul to be the greatest Work thou art sent into the World about and continued in the World for give not Christ the World's leavings much rather let the World have his 15. Get right and well-grounded Evidences for Heaven O lay not a Sandy Foundation for the Building that 's to stand to Eternity 〈…〉 some Evidences for Heaven thou'lt find in the first part of this Treatise others in Rogers's Evidences for Heaven Examine thy State often and impartially and never be satisfied till the Interest betwixt Christ and thy Soul be compleated and cleared up 16. Sit loose from the World and seek not great things for thy self here My Circumstances in the World be such that I cannot leave thee much more than what was setled upon Marriage but all I could I have and a little with the Lord's Blessing is better than the great Revenues of many Wicked Make sure of an Estate in Heaven live much upon Invisibles choose Christ for a Portion and thou art made for ever 17. Be content with thy Condition here whatever 't is and expect Sufferings A Christian's Life here is militant If thou continue to keep thy Face Heavenwards which I trust thou wilt then may the Devil the World and the Flesh be frequently sallying out against thee But O pray that thy Faith fail not and that God's Grace may be sufficient for thee 18. Labour to persevere in the good Ways of God maintain thine Integrity and hold out unto the end whatever it cost thee Be a Follower of those who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises or Things promised All thy Bitters here will serve to make Heaven more sweet to thee and being Faithful unto Death Christ will give thee a Crown of Life 19. Get off from thine own Bottom place no Confidence in the Flesh look off from thine own Righteousness thine own Duties thine own Services when thou doest the best in point of Justification and depend and rest only on Christ upon whose account alone thou canst be accepted and saved It 's Christ's Righteousness alone imputed to thee for Justification and imparted to thee for thy Sanctification that can or will bestead thee 20. Be rich in good Works and go about doing Good hold on thy Charitable way of doing Good to Bodies but especially befriend poor Souls Be always as kind as thy Circumstances will allow to those worthy good Ministers of the Gospel thou and I were always beholden to and I am perswaded shall be blessing God for as Instruments in his Hand of our Good to Eternity 21. Allow thy self in no Sin for the least Sin loved and allowed is certainly damning When God has at any time convinced thee of a Sin and Conscience has flown in thy Face and thou art full of Terrour go to God down upon thy Knees and beg pardoning Grace and Mercy leave him not till thou hast obtained that Blessing and always have a care of Relapses for though we find a David and Lot and others of the dear Servants of God recorded in Scripture guilty of some great Miscarriages yet we find them sorely broken for those Things and humbled and not repeating and relapsing again into them 22. Prepare for Eternity get and keep Oil in thy Lamp that it be not to buy when thy Lamp should be found burning put on thy Wedding-Garments and be prepared c. 23. Mourn not for me excessively I am gone but thy God and my God stays with thee and I trust will guide thee by his Counsel till he conduct thee to his Glory I am dead but God lives thou hast no Husband on Earth what then If thy Maker be but thy Husband thou hast cause enough to rejoice What though they that have seen me shall in this World see me no more This is my Comfort let it be thine he does see me that has seen though my weak yet my sincere Yernings and Groanings after him he sees me that will never say I know you not being a God that will not forget Covenant he sees me who has seen my Soul in Travel and those Pangs of Desite after him that no others have O'couldst thou but hear what I confidently hope through the Morits and Mediation of my dear Redeemer I shall before thou â—â—est this Paper my God in the Riches of his Mercy saying to this effect Yonder 's poor such a one come to my Gate let him in he chose me for a Portion whilst on Earth and gave himself according to his weak Measures up to me I will in no wise cast him off Surely this would abate thy Sorrows surely then thou wouldst not wish me so Ill as to be on Earth again well live in the Faith of this and walk comfortably with thy God God has made thee indeed whilst on Earth to me the greatest outward blessing that ever I enjoyed O let me not want thy Company in Heaven And now my Dearest on Earth I commit thee to the keeping and Mercy of the Great Jehovah I resign thee to that God who is thy Maker and thy Husband serve him and thy Generation according to his Will here that thou mayest sleep in Jesus and be found in him Gervase Disney POST-SCRIPT OR A Continuation of the most Remarkable Passages of my LIFE since the other the last of June 1686. SINCE my last particular View of my Diary design'd in the Treatise of my Life I find my up's and down's and that I am but a poor vile and weak Creature unable of my self to answer by a holy and humble Carriage the Lord 's great Goodness to me in late signal Deliverances out of Trouble and that upon better Terms than I could expect I was now no sooner at ease and rest thrô the Lord's Mercy and at liberty than I grew secure and begun to be too regardless of Soul-Concerns I too little remembred and considered Promises made when under Affliction and neglected too much to pay those Vows My Circumstances when in Trouble were a Snare to me in some Particulars In my Diary the 19th of September 1685 I find my self blessing God for his Protection and Care of me in my Journey and
Exile for the Friendship of Relations at Norwell and Southwell I am there begging pardon for sinful Compliances as in sitting late in an Ale-house in Southwell where the Company were Healthing it about though blessed be the Lord I drank not much yet I was a bad Example in sitting and sipping with the Wicked in wasting my precious Time my Prayer therefore is that the Lord would pardon that and continue Mercies and give me a thankful Heart in and a lively sense of Divine Goodness The 20th being the Sabbath-day through Mercy I find my self in a pretty good Frame of Spirit and took particular notice in my Diary of Mr. Coats's Subject which was Come unto me all ye that labour c. I there find a Desire that the Lord would work those Truths more and more upon my Heart by his Spirit that my Sins may be pardoned and my Soul prosper The 21st Under some Dulness occasioned by slavish fear of Man which I find bewail'd that Day with this Petition That the Lord would enable me to live by Faith and that I might encourage my self in the Lord my God under all outward Discouragements whatsoever who has delivered me does deliver and I trust will deliver me his poor Creature O! that my Sins may not provoke the Lord to turn away his Face The 23d Having this Day been stating Accounts with my Wife and several others with reference to Disbursements the three Months in the Summer of my Exile and Troubles in the Year 85 though I find them extraordinary large yet thrô Grace I find my self free from those Passions that upon such Accounts I used to be prone to my experience again there recorded of God's gracious Appearances for me 26th Mercy there again taken notice of in the Lord 's delivering me from Trouble and a Petition That if it were the Lord's Will I might be preserved from entering into Bonds which I and all my Friends did believe would be very ensâ—â—ring to me there I find Sin bewailed and lay heavy upon my Conscience 27th Manifestations made of Deliverance still from danger I there bless God I am still at liberty and hear nothing from the D. of N. of entering into those Bonds he required I then heard of Dr. Temple's Execution and took notice of distinguishing Mercy that he should be taken and I left who through Man's Rage and Wrath was in danger I there bless God I was not the Man 27th I took notice of the many comfortable Sabbaths that I have enjoyed since I came home without Fear or Disturbance Cousin Billingsley preached here from these Words Commune with your own Hearts which much affected me 28th A like Account as to Mercy and I remember no actual Sin that Day 29th The like Account with my Experience that God had blessed the means I had used for the cure of a Cold that held me 8th of October 1685 This day I returned from Lincoln where I had been some time and took notice the Lord gave me a very comfortable Journey no sad Providence occurred in the Journey I am yet delivered from Enemies notwithstanding their Rage and Threatning and from the ensnaring Bonds I begg'd then of the Lord That he would continue this Mercy and give me to live a thankful holy humble and fruitful Life and pardon the particular Sins of this Day and help me against it and to perform Promises made under my Afflictions 9th I there bless God for the Mercies of that Day and beg pardon for my Sins and that the Lord will cause me to live better the next Day 10th My Sins stare me in the Face being many and great there I find my self begging that I might eye the Blood of Christ and might through Grace be interested in it being the only Sovereign Remedy for a poor Sinner yet I am preserved from ensharing Bonds and enjoy through Mercy comfortable Liberty and sit under my own Vine with delight 11th This I find a comfortable Sabbath when Mr. Coats did most sweetly call invite and encourage Sinners to come to Christ O! that I may not stand out the Lord bless the Sermon to my poor Soul and pardon my Sins 12th No actual Sin that I know of I this Day begg'd Direction from Heaven about the Oath of Allegiance I and others in my Family were called to take and next day I did take it having observed no Intimations from the Lord against it but being well satisfied about it besides I feared if I refused it would be worse with us upon the account of our Meetings which I did desire to keep up I beg the Lord would enable me to keep the Oath being taken as a sacred Thing I am yet at liberty and free from ensnaring Bonds 15th I that Day begg'd the Lord would humble me under any thing of Sin that might be in my Swearing and taking the Oath the Day before 16th This Day Mr. H. acquainted me that one did say That the Lord would lie heavy upon me that I was to give a Security by Bond of 7000 l. which would ask a great time for me to get and that I was only Capt. L's Prisoner at large Well I find this hint in my Diary that Day That I can trust my God who has delivered me and that he will deliver me still from the Fury and Rage of Men and the Effects thereof 17th This Day I had an encouraging Letter from V. L. as if the Duke had done with me which I begg'd then the Lord would grant and enable me to live up to so great a Mercy For several other days after I am blessing God for the comfortable and quiet abode in my House and petition'd that the Lord would keep me from sinning away such Mercies 20th Wasting Time the great Sin acknowledged this Day and a Petition that the Lord would please to make me more active and diligent in Soul-concerns every Day as being every Day nearer Death 22d This Day I observe from Joh. 7. 44. in my reading this Passage Some of them would have taken him but no Man laid Hands on him Upon which Mr. Baxter has this Note God binders bad Men from doing what they would do and they know not how he doth it I have had great Experience of this my self the Lord be praised 25th This Day God made a very comfortable Sabbath to me and I trust will do my Soul good by it and set home another Sermon I then heard from Mr. Cotes concerning the Ease of Christ's Yoke I am yet through Mercy continued in my Family in Peace and Safety enjoy distinguishing Mercy and Love God help me to make a right use of it and still restrain Men that they do not hurt me and enable me to give thee the Glory of that Mercy thou pleasest to give me the Comfort of 26th This Day I was at Cos R's Funeral the Lord prepare me for my Change I came from thence over a dangerous way in Safety 27th God has this Day preserved
wherein is Rending and Tearing Work with more of himself and the Influences of his Blessed Spirit O Brother it's one of the bravest Sights in the World to see a Christian in the Exercise of Grace sutable to the Dispensation to see him acting Faith Patience Humility Submission Resignation and Divine Joy in a time of pressing Affliction This will recommend Religion to the World and convince the Men of it there 's more in it than meer Talk Heartily glad we should be if you would come for a while to London to divert your self here among good Men I hope it might be for your Advantage and do conclude it highly necessary for you a while to leave Kirkstead we all send our hearty Remembrances to you and yours the Lord fit us all for our great and last Change and in the midst of our private Losses let us remember the Affliction of Sion So prays Your sympathizing Brother and Servant G. Disney POEMS The Damneds Doom or some Meditations in Verse upon the last great Sentence at the Day of Judgment made by me Jan. 1685 upon Mr. Dunton's Paraphrase of Mat. 25. 41. Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Dunton's Heavenly Past-time pag. 96. HEark heark the Trumpet sounds the Court is met Christ as Chief Justice on the Bench is set Adorn'd with glorious Robes and rich Attire Not now abas'd on Earth advanced higher Guarded by Saints and Angels such as they Must all attend the Service of this Day He who when Prisoner here was forc'd to stand And at a Mortal's Bar hold up his Hand Was mock'd at spit upon reproach'd and bled Must now be Judg alone of Quick and Dead Thô here debased yet now Heaven rings With Hallelujahs to this King of Kings Jesus Call forth the Prisoners then they must appear To answer for themselves thô Crimes are clear Hear what they 'l say thô all they say alas Can never â—inder th' Sentence that must pass Sinners appear come forth your Graves arise You all are summon'd to the grand Assize You called are into the great Court-Royal And may not stay you must attend your Trial Make way for wretched Prisoners there make room They 'r going to receive their final Doom But now methinks I see those trembling Souls Gazing about to find some hiding Holes Calling to Rocks to hide them but in vain For such late Calls and Cries can nought obtain Their Hearts were hardned in a Day of Grace When God did sweetly call and give them space For to repent and now those rocky Stones Has no regard at all unto their Groans The Mountains will not fall to hide them from The Wrath of him that sitteth on the Throne O what a Sight I see the wretched State Of Fools bewailing Folly when too late From Hell and Graves they come but must not stay They are to pass Accounts and so away Now Soul and Body meets and must remain By Righteous Sentence in eternal Paâ—â— They Partners were in Sin whilst here below And must together groan in endless Wâ— The Graves do open and the Prisoners rise And now methinks I hear the dolâ—ful Cries Of those poor Sinners who on Earth took Pains To make their Souls as black and full of Stains As any could be grudging always when They were out-stripâ— in Sin by any Men Methinks I hear their Pleas and see them quaking And all the little Shifts they would be making And all because they would appear at th' Bar Of God a little better than they are The griping Vsurer now looks about To find some better Hands than his Hands 〈◊〉 Which he do's well remember heretofore Did often by Extortion wrong the Poor The Wanton dare not own his wanton Eye I must says he have better or I die Mine oft unâ—hastly upon Women gaz'd And for laseivious Looks I stand amaz'd The Lawyer would reject his gâ—lded Tongue By which be Thousands in the World did wrong He knows that he being fee'd or brib'd ne're stood To make a good Cause bad a bad Cause good The Gallant dare not own his strutting Feet Which often â—rudg'd thrâ— thick and thin to meet A dirty Whore or hectoring drunken Friend To help him vainly precious Time to spend My Feet were swift in running to do Evil I must have other Feet or go to th' Devil The Politician dares not own his Head Another he would fain have in its Stead What that contriv'd he always was pursuing And finds his wicked Brain was his undoing Some they would part with Fingers and would have E'ne any Fingers out of any 's Grave So they may miss their own which was too beâ—â— To sign Decrees against the Innocent Thieves they would part with Hands and Liars Tongues The Instruments of many grievous Wrongs Long-winded Sinners they would part with Lungs The Hypocrite too has a mind to part With his to change it for a better Heart Ill-minded Sinners now would change their Mind For any others of a better Kind And others other things would swap if then They might hereby but pass for better Men Kings would disown their Crowns and Grandure too And now appear in Rags if that woâ—ld do But O! prodigious Madness herein's shown Eâ—r every one must keep what was his own And wicked Men must see their monstrouâ— Folly Who would not whilst on Earth be strict and holy Well! are the Prisoners come then let them hear They must my Wrath and Fury ever bear Sentence Depart 〈◊〉 sed Wretches ne're return Into a Fire that must always burn Prepared for the Devil and a Crew Of wicked Wretches just like such as you Prisoner Ah dreadful Word Depart and that from thee Must needs be th' upshot of all Misery Lord let me stay but here the Sinner â—ries My clamorous Conscience and my blubbring Eyes May Tormoâ—â— be enough dear God abate Some pity shew me for my â—retch'd Estate Is such I cannot bear let Sentence be A little bated by a Sight of thee Judg. Nay Sinner â—noâ— my Presence heretofore Thou did'st noâ— like thô offer'd o're and o're Thou would not entertain me in thy Heart And now my Sentence Sinner â—â— Depart An offered Christ and Pardon thou didst slight And what can follow on 't but dismal Night Prisoner And must I now depart and undergo This dreadful heaâ—y Doom yet let me know That thoâ—â—ilâ— bless me Lord and then I caâ— Refresh my Soul with this where â—'re I am I 'm loth to go but if I must I crave That I before may Heaven's Blessing have Jesus Sinner be gone nay more I must thee tell My Curse shall go along with thee to Hell My Blessing thou despis'd for many Years And canst not have it now thô sought with Tears Thou must for ever fry and flame and rot Depart then Sinner for I know thee not Prisoner And must I be accurs'd and never see Thy blessed Face again then Lord let me Find out for an
prosper that love her I am Madam Your most obliged Friend and humble Servant G. D. A Letter to Mr. Lob at London Jan. 25 83. SIR I Receiv'd your very kind Letter and Christian Lines some time since and had return'd you my Thanks sooner had not extraordinary Business prevented I have cause to bless God for your Acquaintance and for that Christian Society I had with you whilst at London O that I could be as serviceable to you in the best things as you have been to me Poor unworthy Me who needs jogging Heavenwards It 's with us as with others a very dark and gloomy Day but Light is sown for the Righteous who shall reap if they faint not and Gladness for the upright in Heart as the Psalmist speaks O that we could be like the Doves of the Valley mourning after the Lord who seems to be departing from us The Sons of Violence with us act high our Sufferings many but O that none of these things may move us neither may we account our Lives dear to us if call'd to lay them down for the Sake of Christ and his Gospel If the Lord give us but a fixed Heart that we can trust in him we need not then be afraid of the worst times nor the saddest of Tidings but may encourage our selves in the Lord our God under the greatest Discouragements from Men whatsoever Surely the People of God have greatly provok'd God O that we may repent and return to him that smiteth God will certainly arise in the behalf and plead the Cause of his People he will work Deliverance for Sion if not in our time yet in his O that this may satisfy us And that when Foundations seem to be out of course we may with Faith and Patience look up to the Rock of Ages Dear Sir pray for us and for me in particular who need your Prayers that my Faith fail not that I may with Constancy and Courage own the good Ways of God and hold fast my Integrity the very desire of my Soul being to keep close to God I would fain win as many into Heaven's-ways and as much strengthen such Hands as hang down as such an unworthy Wretch as I may What Interest I have at the Throne of Grace I hope shall not fail to be improv'd for the Church of God and for you my dear Friend Being Sir Your hearty well-wishing Friend and Humble Servant G. D. A Letter to Mrs. Sarah Reyner one of my Charge Jan. 85. Dear Mrs. Sarah I Receiv'd yours which though the first receiv'd is not I perceive the first sent for which I thank you and have according to your Desire sent you by paying it to Mr. Charleton's Clerk 50 s. I much wonder your Sister Elizabeth would not vouchsafe me one Line since she left the Country but however do rejoice to hear upon enquiry you both do well as to this World and I would fain hope you will not be negligent in minding the Affairs of a better World nor dare be regardless of your precious and immortal Souls You are both the Children of Religious Parents have been blest with a good Education and many Prayers are I believe lodg'd in Heaven for you so that you cannot miscarry at so cheap a rate as others may who have not had your Advantages for being good O that I could prevail with you to live up to such distinguishing Mercy You have I perceive good Settlements in the World bless God for that But O! are you well setled and interested in Christ Have you made sure of a Treasure in Heaven have you laid hold on eternal Life and secured the everlasting Welfare of your precious Souls Be your worldly Accommodations never so great till this be done your Work is not half done You are in a City of great Advantages I pray attend upon the best most powerful Soul-searching and Conscience-awakening Ministry you can with the Leave of those who are your Superiâ—rs Be thorow-pac'd in the Ways of God dare not to be slighty and indifferent in the Family-Duties I hope you are priviledged withal nor to neglect Closet-Duties as Prayer Reading the Scriptures Self-Examination Meditation and the like at least Morning and Evening Shun and avoid Temptations as much as may be considering the great Corruption and Depravedness of Nature Remember your Creator in the Days of your Youth and having set your Face Heavenward look not back It will be much my Rejoycing to see you and all of you the Off-spring of most pious Relations now with God do well and if my poor Prayers and Endeavours may any ways contribute hereto they are not they have not they shall not through Grace be wanting I being Yours c. G. D. Some Passages of a Letter in answer to my Mother Disney complaining of Decay of her Sight Honoured Mother I Return you my humble Thanks for your welcom Lines and do hope that the uncertainty of my Man's last Journey to Lincoln will excuse my then Silence It troubles me much to hear of your Eyes Decaying and Dimming which as you please to observe is one Effect of old Age It 's great Mercy the Lord has given you the use of them so long but far greater that he has given you a Heart to use them to his Glory and your own and others Benefit and Advantage I fear your too much Reading in the Day-time and at all by Candle-light has and does that way prove prejudicial to you I would therefore humbly beg you to favour them as much as may be and this am consident of would you please to take up your Abode with us there 's no Eyes in my Family but would chearfully and readily be at your Service to excuse and preserve your own which I trust the Lord will yet continue to you My good Aunt Thornton I am perswaded will not be against my improving this Argument for the Enjoyment of your good Companies here most desirable to us My Eyes I can perceive are not so strong as they have been O that as our bodily Eyes dim and decay the Eye of Faith may grow more clear for certainly a Look within the Vail must be most refreshing and supporting to a gracious Soul and a renewed Mind Those indeed that see best in our Days with bodily Eyes see en'e little or nothing but what has a sad and frightful Aspect and may occasion Matter of sad Thoughts but by Faith we may look into an unseen World take a View of unseen Comforts and live upon unseen Riches and Happiness which are the most pleasant things the most certain and the most lasting The worst in this World need not nay cannot dismay us Whilst we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal 2 Cor. 4. 18 c. A Letter to Mr. Whitaker Jan. 24 1683. SIR THis Day I receiv'd yours till