sure you do not neglect to read and pray by your self morning and evening and labour to mind what you are come into the world for Endeavour to get the Lord for thy God make him the chief of thy joy and delight When thou art to pray or read or hear the Word look upon those services as thy priviledg not as thy task as thy duty and yet as thy dignity that thou maist go to the great God of Heaven and Earth as to a gracious and loving Father in Christ When thou findest thy heart backward to any good duty go to God and beg of him to help thee and quicken thee c. Be cheerful and mind thy duty to God the good Lord bless thee and do thy poor soul good so shall it be well with thee for ever Good Child don't neglect to read and pray c. The Lord bless you and keep you bless your soul with spiritual blessings that you may be still doing something to further your souls good Another of her Daughters she thus bespake Redeem all the time that possible you can to secret prayer and often read the Scriptures which will make you wise to salvation and will afford you pleasure at the last when all things here will fail I shall pray for thee and thy dear Sisters that you may all grow in all the graces of the spirit and may be wrought and made meet for the heavenly glory c. 12. As concerning her care to prepare for the Sabbath and her great love to Gods Ministers Word Preached and Ordinances c. IN preparing for the Sabbath I have then been up when others in the Family where I have been have been in bed Of late by reason of my illness and weakness I have lain sometimes longer on Sabbath-day mornings than ordinary but it hath troubled me and the Reason was because sleeping little in the night I found when I rose earlier I was ready afterwards to be sleepy and more unfit for Gods service But if when I had more time and health and strength I had not been more abundant in the service of God and more earnest after Heaven and the things of Heaven than I can be now my spirit would even sink within me Gods Ministers I love dearly yea so dear are they to me that it does me good to see their faces and I could even fall down and kiss their feet and compel them to come into my house and methinks my house is the better when they have been in it Oh I dearly love them Being when I was in the Country invited on a lecture-Lecture-day by an honourable person to Dinner the best feast which I had that day was at the hearing of the Word for I had it made appear to me there that I had made entrance into Heaven and I was so comforted that I could have found in my heart to have fallen down at the Ministers feet and have thanked him It did me good at Dinner to hear him speak c. I have never been better satisfied nor pleas'd than when I have been hearing the Word Preached and meditating on it and conferring with the people of God and praying in secret and hearing counsel and direction for my soul and it has been my prayer as I have been going to hear that God would make out some counsel and instruction or reproof to me and the Lord hath heard me counselled me and comforted me I do so love the word of God it is so sweet to me when I meditate on it and I do so love Gods Ministers and it does so rejoice me to think of Mr. Merrills coming to my House A worthy Minister in the Country deoeased I hope he will come I must say as Lidia to Paul If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord come into my house c. And tell him if I dye I would not have him neglect any more to see such as do so much desire to see him as I do I long to see him c. He is an eminent Minister one who is firm to his principles fears neither mens frowns nor regards their smiles c. He hath been instrumen al of much good and comfort to my soul God was the efficient he the instrument c. I cannot see how the prizing of Gods Word and not to prize Gods Ministers can stand together I am sure I prize both and pray that God would incourage his Ministers Ordinances have been very sweet to me God in and by them hath come to me and met me that I could say with Peter It is good for me to be here And I have thought the time very short I have been hearing the word hath so comforted-me I have gone under trouble but have return'd refreshed Being one day very ill and desiring her to stay at home she answer'd that must be the last place I go to And in a sickness before she said it grieves me I went no longer though she went longer than well she could Oh! how much did she rejoyce and how glad was she to go into the House of the Lord How blessed did she count those who dwelt there Oh! I made account said she to be ready betimes and I shan't get in c. How ready and willing was the spirit when the body was weak I got cold says she by going at such a time to hear but I do not repent for I had a sweet refreshing there blessed be God Thus how lovely amiable and desirable to her were the Tabernacles of the Lord of hosts And how did her soul long yea even saint for his courts I How truly might she say with David Psal 26.8 Lord I have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine konour dwelleth and one thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to bekold the beauty of the Lord c. And how truly might she call Sabbaths and Ordinances her delight she had there seen God and his face his power and glory his goings in his sanctuary yea Sabbaths were to her as the Subburbs of Heaven Ordinances are not in Heaven but Heaven she hath many a time met with in Ordinances and she drinks but that Wine new now in Heaven which she began to drink in Ordinances here Matt. 26 29. 13. As concerning some further evidences for Heaven I Have a great deal of comfort in this That I am as willing to take Christ for my Lord as for my Saviour and that I desire and endeavour to my utmost to obey him and have heart-risings against sin both in my self and in others and desire to hate and abhor all appearances of sin I have desired to walk before the Lord in uprightness and have walked with God sincerely though not perfectly and I would not offend God nor dishonour him but have desired to glorify him obâ—y him and to be ruled and
greater blessing to my Relations and to get clearer evidences for Heaven c. So tender was she of the honour of God that when says she carnal people come to see me though I am ill and weak yet I strive all I can then to bear up and to be cheerful for why should they think the God of Israel is not a good God c I am willing to live if I may honour my God more and do him better service and receive more good then I desire he would spare me c. but if he please not to prolong my life I desire to submit to his Will I am afraid lest I should dishonour him by thinking my time long c. Where she lived before there being an Ale-house at next door where God was much dishonoured and his Name blasphemed it was a very great trouble and affliction to her and when she was removed though by reason of her great weakness and illness it was not without much danger and difficulty she very much rejoyced that now she should not dye among swearers and blasphemers O says she that we could more and more depend upon our good God and honour him more in a way of believing who hath manifested himself a God so ready to help and deliver his poor Servants in the time of their streights O that I could more and more honour him and it is the grief of my soul when any distrustful thoughts do arise and my great fear is lest I should dishonour God either by distrust or impatiency When thou art absent I want thy company but yet am contented may it be for Gods Glory and then it will be for our mutual good c. 6. As concerning her thankfulness and her being much in blessing and praising God ALways when I awake the first word I say is Blessed be God if I be at ease I bless him and if in pain I bless him it is no worse and I find much comfort in blessing of God and trusting in him And if God sees it good I should yet live I would live to praise him and speak good of his name I bless God he helps me to bear what he lays upon me I bless God my pains are not so great to day as they have been now my strength is less Dost not thou see God is making my passage ea sie I bless God Blessed be the Lord for ever that he will take such pains with such a poor worm to fit me for Heaven He is a God at hand and not a far off neither hath been as a stranger he hath given me much patience and quiet submission to his Will all along to him be the glory thereof When I am in great extremity and never a part free yet blessed be God he lays no more on me then he inables me to bear I bless God I find much comfort in my soul which does much support me Fearing she might too much waste her spirits with speaking I desired her to forbear but I cannot said she but speak good of my God whiles I can speak When I am gone though God should bring further affliction upon thee and thy family yet be thankful whatever you do be thankful Being one night under grievous pains she quietly resign'd her self up to God saying if he please to give me rest I will thank him if not I will submit to him That night prov'd a comfortable night to her c. She would often have that expression I desire to bless our good God and to be very thankful to our good God that word good God she often had and what do I do complaining when I have enjoyed so much health c. But it was not much she ever injoyed but a little is much to a truly thankful heart who looks upon it self as never deserving the good it receives but more than deserving the evil it suffers and he also turning that unto good Thus that which is her whole work now in Heaven was much her work here on Earth to be blessing and praising and giving thanks to God and that in every thing even when God was sharply afflicting her She had her Psalms of praise in the wilderness her songs in the night What then has she now in that inheritance of the Saints in light She glorified God in the fires Isa 25.15 That is in and under great afflictions What does she now in that place of refreshings Those Angels and heavenly Heroes about the Throne whom she is now praising and singing Hallelujah's with in Heaven she much conformed to even here on Earth here below and now she is wholly taken up with that blessed delightful work above where it is Hallelujah and again Hallelujah Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Amen Rev. 5.13 7. As concerning her weanedness from the World I am leaving this pitiful poor world this low valley the Lord hath weaned me from the things here below I could not say what it was I delighted in here but my delight was in God and in his sweet Word c. When I lived in the Countrey the Casement being one day open I was â—ooking into the Garden and I thought thus with my self Many they much delight in Gardens and Flowers c. but methinks I have no delight in these nor in any outward thing though the most I have had in any outward thing hath been in Gardens and to walk in the Fields Trouble me no more with these things I am now leaving all here below let me only mind now how to get to that heavenly Sion above c. I am seeking a City to come an habitation with God in whose presence is fulness of joy and at whose right band are pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 Thus her way was above and she was still looking not at the things which are seen which are temporal but at the things which are not seen which are eternal 2 Cor. 4.18 By faith she overcame the world and was carried after higher and better things even those things hoped for and not seen which Faith is the substance and evidence of Heb. 11.1 These things were poor mean low vile things to her better being discovered even spiritual heavenly and eternal the things within the vail She was cloth'd with the Sun had true faith in Christ the Sun of righteousness with which she was adorn'd and now the Moon the World and all the mutable things thereof are under her feet and she treads on the worlds trash c. 8. As concerning her Humility Meekness Lowly-mindedness Charity c. I Am a dry stick a worm a poor worm a poor worthless worm I have nothing but in Christ I have all And his yoke she had taken upon her Matt. 11.29 and learn'd of him the lesson of meekness and lowly-mindedness There is says she a little Gold and a great deal of Dross Hearing how ill another was what am
inflict and as long as he pleas'd to afflict both injoying much inward peace and comfort and still fetching cordials out of Gods Word to keep them from fainting Both though their afflictions were heavy defired more the sanctifying of them than their removal and more that they might learn the Lessons God would teach by them than to be rid of them Both were unbottom'd off themselves and their own righteousness and cast their Souls wholly and only on Jesus Christ and his righteousness for life and salvation both as willing to take Jesus Christ as their Prophet to teach them as their King to govern them and subdue them to himself as their Priest to satisfie for them and reconcile them Both proved and tried as silver is tried went as it were through fire and water but now are brought out into a wealthy place Both such as had not their Ark to build when the flood came nor their graces comforts nor evidences to seek when they came to dye but had nothing then to do but to dye having made comfortable provision aforehand against an evil day and improved their time health and strength whilst they had it for the good of their souls Both walked in Heavens way and are now arrived at Heavens happiness both endured the Cross and now receive the Crown and their light afflictions which were but for a moment have but wrought for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 4. Prayer and Meditation and former experiences I Have meditated often on this bed and have had much comfort in several evidences for Heaven and so have sweetly fallen asleep and sweetly awaked again When by reason of weakness I could not pray whilst up when I was in bed I spent a great time of the night in meditation and prayer and was sweetly refreshed And when I cannot speak I lye and think and meditate c. I have had clear evidences for Heaven and Gods loving-kindness hath shone clearly upon me though afterward they have been clouded I remember the days of Gods right hand c. I can truly say I have cryed to the Lord my God and he hath heard me in my distress and delivered me and oh that I could more and more honour him c. The Lord hath been very gracious to me though I have had castings down yet have I had liftings up the Lord hath supported me under great temptations of Satan and much sadness of heart by reason of the Churches sufferings c. 5. Heaven and the future happiness and glory If this earthly house of this tabernacle was dissolved I have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens c. 2 Cor. 5 1. What a restless condition am I in When I am in bed then I would be up when up then in bed c. There remains a rest for the people of God Heb. 4.9 And he will carry me through the gates of Death and bring me to his everlasting rest The times of refreshing are coming on a pace c. I have a painful night but shall have a joyful morning I shall be in the embraces of my dear Redeemer there will be none of these tossings to and fro hereafter I shall rest quietly in the bed of the grave c. If the Lord will have me end my days in this condition with pains and weakness Heaven will pay for all there the weary are at rest Being under convulsions these says she are great shogs but God will carry me through them I am not afraid of death but shuck at these pains but who would not go through pains to such a place of rest In my fathers presence are fulness of joy c. Asking her how she did she said I shall be well anon meaning in Heaven And one telling her he hoped she might be better by such a time she replied she hoped so too being in Heaven I am now going and I verily believe I shall go to God I can't speak now I am very weak and low What a condition was I now in if I could not see beyond death and beyond the grave c I would be buried in such a place but no matter where God will raise up my dust again I am going to the heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of Angels c. and into the bosom of my blessed Redeemer and what blessed company are these c One of her Daughters being in the Country and not returning at the time expected Tell her says she I shall meet her in a better place c. Thus the fore-sight and the fore-thoughts of the future glory comforted her under all her afflictions here and one minute now in Heaven makes amends for all her pain and misery here 15. As concerning her carnest desires to be dissolved c. IF the Lord sees good I would fain depart and leave this body of death when will God send his Messenger Is this the night I must depart hence O! what joyful news would that be another night Surely this is the night God will call me home Come Lord Jesus come quickly make kast make hast O my God when wilt thou come O when will that sweet day come I hope it is now nigh what a joyful time will that be to have a total victory over sin I am now going to be married and the Wedding-knot will be tied for everlasting When will my God come What a deal of do is here for my soul to get out of this carcass and how much a do have I to get loose But these shall meet again I earnestly desire earnestly desire to be clothed upon with that house which is from Heaven c. When will my Father send his Waggons to fetch me And telling her she was as a Ship at the Downs waiting for a fair Gale of Wind but when says she will that blessed Gale come And speaking to her of her going to Heaven to her Fathers House she replied she feared not yet Lord send me safe thither And when through weakness we could scarce understand what she said she breath'd home home home and seem'd troubled when any said they hoped she might recover again c. 16. As concerning the ends and reasons of her so earnest desires to be dissolved UPon serious consideration I found that the end why I desired to dye it was not to be freed of my pains or troubles but that I might be freed of sin and no more dishonour God and that I might injoy more of him and be no more discontented under his hand which I am sometimes ready to be I would fain go to Heaven and long to be in Heaven Why Because then I should be freed of Satans temptations and sin no more and that I might have more time to serve God and I am troubled I can have no more here but then I should do nothing but serve God c. And oh what a mercy and happiness would it be to
earth to Heaven and is departed out of this world to the father She has left these bottoms of death and this low valley of misery and tears and is now gotten to those regions of joy and triumph to those mountains of myrrhe and hills of frankincense those mountains of spices or sweetnesses which are cloathed with everlasting joys and delights and on whose wealthy brows nothing ever springs but life and glory and where never any clouds or storms do once ever arise interpose or interrupt where like a thirsty Roe or Hart she was still aspiring and panting to be and where now she is got and where we leave her even there where is nothing but rest and light and love and delights and fulness of joys and crowns of life and glory perfect peace and pleasures for evermore incense praises and hallelujahs to him that sits upon the throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever Amen And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me Write blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them Rev. 14.13 Favour is deceitful and beauty is vain but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised Prov. 31.30 Give her of the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates Prov. 31.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pro Rosis deciduis coronam immarescibilem Death puf'd this light and its earths banish'd flame Flew up to Heaven and as a Sun became Soli Deo gloria in eternum Some Breathings upon the Decease of Mrs. Luce Perrot December 14 1678. O What a change hath this bless'd morning made To thee bless'd soul who now hast past deaths shade Now no more sorrows pains nor doleful cries But all tears quite are wiped from thine eyes How much afflicted in this vale of Tears But how refreshed now above the Sphears Thy way unto thy Fathers House was rough But now thou hast got thither 't is enough Thy stormy passage now thou art arriv'd At Heavens bless'd Haven makes but more reviv'd Thy pains and ails with which thou wast so prest Do now but so much more sweeten thy rest And though some months yea years they did extend One moment now in Heaven doth make amends And now that thou hast gotten to thy Lot Of bliss assign'd thee they are all forgot Thy pains thy conflicts combats here were many But now thou know'st not what belongs to any But of thy sorrows all thou hast release And now thy Soul is fill'd with blissful peace In bottoms here of death thou did'st reside But now the Spicy Mountains thee abide Thus every way thy change is for the best For Grace 't is Glory and for Labour Rest Thy sins now past and all thy sorrows gone And nevermore thou shalt experience one Thy faith and patience now are at an end Which though long exercis'd did still exten Faith now is turn'd into fruition Into possession expectation Thy Cabinet's dissolv'd thy Jewel 's gone To Heaven and there made up a glorious one Thy earthly house is fall'n that down doth lye But thy Soul 's mounted far above the Sky To th' highest Heaven where true felicity And Glory do it cloath eternally Thou long since weaned wast from all things here And now th' hast got where thy delights still were Thy earnest pantings longings for to be With Christ now fully satisfied hath he Sabbaths below how greatly did'st thou love And one eternal now thou keep'st above Thou feard'st not Death that Messenger so grim But saidst I can I bless God smile on him Yea though so grim sweet Messenger didst call And saidst if come thou 'dst welcome him withal And being so far onward in thy way How troubled wast to hear of further stay Is this saidst thou the night I must depart Oh! with what joy would such news fill my heart Lord Jesus come come Lord come speedily Make hast make hast How oft was this thy cry And when wilt come my God oh hasten thee And Charets of Aminidab like be Of Death I am no more afraid at all Than for to take the choicest Cordial Which is to do me good and Death doth so For through it and beyond it look I do And of my Burial-cloaths more joyfully Than of my Wedding-cloaths discourse can I. My Burial-cloaths My Wedding-cloaths they are And now my blessed Bridegroom is not far Farwel vain world for so I judg'd of thee And never other found thee for to be And that which others so much doted on As poor and pitiful I look'd upon My joys delights were higher fix'd above On God on Christ on 's Word and on his Love His Ways his Ordinances where to be One day than Thousands better was to me Oh! how dejected have I thither gone But how refreshed have returned home Bless'd Soul to thee Christ was to live the main And Death it self is now become thy gain Here he upheld thee in integrity Now sets before his face eternally Here with his counsels guided thou would'st be And thee to Glory now receiv'd hath he And though thy body left behind is here T is but to sow and when Christ shall appear Glorious shall rise and joyn'd unto again Thy Soul thou ever with him shalt remain And in thy flesh then for thy self shallt see God and thine eyes behold eternally THE EPITAPH THE Body here of her interr'd doth lye Who was a pattern of true piety Submissive humble meek and patient Grace and sweet nature in her eminent A loving faithful careful Wise also A Mother such her Children dear unto FINIS