Day of Judgment upon Mr. Dunton's Paraphrase of Mat. 25.41 215 Sentence more particular on the Ignorant Slothful on Worship-Neglecters Sabbath-breakers Swearers Scoffers Persecutors Licentious Gluttons Drunkards Adultevers Covetous Vnmerciful Vnrighteous Liars Slanderers Ambitious Envious Wrathful Moralists Hypocrites Apostates Backsliders Impenitent Vnbelievers c. 222 223 c. Meditations in Verse on John 6. 36. by way of Objection and Answer 238 c. The dying Soul's last Farewel to the World 248 The Welcome to Heaven 249 An Hymn on Isa 8. 17. 250 A Meditation on Mat. 11. 28 29 30. 251 A Poetical Remembrance of Mr. John Oaks 252 An Hymn on Mr. Slater's Subject Eph. 2. 5. 256 An Alphabet in Verse 260 An Hymn on Mr. Perriot's Text John 14. 27. 262 An Hymn on Mr. S's Text Col. 3. 1. 263 Another Hymn on the same Text and on 1 Cor. 15. 20 21 22. 264 Meditations on Mr. S's Text Joh. 2. 6. and Doctrines 265 c. Meditations on Mr. G's Text 1 John 4. 7. 269 Meditations on several Texts and Doctrines from Pag. 270 to 279 Verses on the French King's Persecution 280 An Acrostick and Anagram on Mr. G. D. 291 An Elegy on Mr. G. D. by his Nophew J. D. 293 Some PASSAGES most remarkable in the whole Course of my LIFE collected taken and methodised by my own Hand out of my Diary for the most part though I have not omitted other Things as they have occur'd to Memory In which I have discovered my darker Side in the Days of my Unregeneracy as also my brighter Side after it pleas'd the Lord to touch my Heart with a Sense of Sin to awaken my Conscience to shew me my undone and lost Condition by Nature and my need of a Saviour By G. Disney In the Month of October 1690. The EPISTLE Dedicating this little Book as my last Legacy to my Dear Wife M. Disney my honoured Mother Brothers Sisters with other my Dear Relations and Friends who may have the perusal of God's Dispensations towards me both in Younger and Riper Years from my own Pen who though dead yet thus speaketh My Dearest Wife c. SInce the Lord in his Providence has been pleased to remove me from you by Death and â—all me hâ—me so that I can no further nor other ways be serviceable to you I I must beg your Acceptance and Perusal of this the last Legacy of your Deceased Friend who tho dead you find speaking You may now take a Review of me if so vile a Thing as I was can be worth your Pains I have in the following Papers given you some Passages of my Diary methodised in which I have endeavoured as impartially as I can if my Heart deceive me not to give you the view of my Dark Side as well as my Bright And both for these Reasons By the former you may take a view of the miserable Corruption of my most wretched Nature You have there the very Picture and Character of one posting to Hell the Wiles and Subtilties of an active busy Devil the Snares and Baits of a bewitching World and the mischievous Consequences of bad Company By the latter you may behold the wonderful Rich and Free Grace of God in Christ to me to me I say one of the vilest and greatest of Sinners to me that had hardened my Heart after many and many a Reproof and might upon that account have expected sudden Destruction and that without Remedy To me that had not only sinned my self but had drawn others into Sin too Here stand and wonder at Free Grace in snatching such a Brand out of the Fire and in bringing me from under Satan's Slavery and Dominion into his own marvellous Kingdom O that the Lord might have the Glory of the Mercy he has so eminently given me the Comfort of Come then my Dear Friends away to Christ and if you have done this as I hope you have why then stay with him abide here and mend your Pace Heaven-wards You can never I am sure either mend your Master your Work or your Wages Have you set your Faces Heaven-wards O never think of looking back Are you not far from the Kingdom of Heaven O yet go further for it would be dreadfully sad to perish at the very Gates of Glory You have it may be escaped many of the Pollutions of the World and 〈◊〉 and suffered too something for Dear Christ Well! have a care of loâ—ing all and falling short of the Glory of God for want of a 〈◊〉 Work and of holding out to the End You have the Lamps of Profession but have you the Oyl of Grace You can â—ry Lord Lord but do you do the Will of your Heavenly Father Dear Friends persevere have a care of Apostary Lukeâ—â—◠〈◊〉 or a 〈◊〉 Form of Godliness hold so the end whatever you may suffer 〈◊〉 â—ose for your so doing and be confident Heaven will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amends for all And if this 〈◊〉 Book should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by any 〈◊〉 Relations such who are yet in the â—all of 〈◊〉 and in the Bonds of Iâ—iquity I must earnestly persuade such 〈◊〉 come to Christ Poor 〈◊〉 Sinners away to Christ Come you must at last be good nay you shall be good if any thing I can do 〈◊〉 say may prevail I may not Do so 〈◊〉 to your Immortal Souls 〈◊〉 to suffer you if I 〈◊〉 help iâ— to persist and perish in a way of Wickedness in a way you as well as I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—o Hell and Destruction It 's not I believe too late yet for you to accept of Christ freely 〈◊〉 fully offerin the Gospel to the greatest of Sinners do but sincâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 of Siâ—â— abandon your Wicked Counsâ—â— and Companions give up your selves to a 〈◊〉 stricâ— and serious Life and by Faith lay hold of Christ as offered and heartily implore Aid and Assistance to this purpose and your Work 's done Come poor Souls in time for sake your Sins and embrace the Ways of Holiness that Christ may be yours I have tried both ways my self and can from my own Experience assure you that the Ways of God are abundantly the best Ways and Heaven's Wages the best Wages I have found more real Pleasure and substantial Delight in the Peace of a good Conscience in well-grounded Hopes that my Sins are pardoned in serving God and in expectation of Eternal Life through Christ than I ever did or could take in the Follies and Vanities of an ill-spent Youth I confess I was once of your Mind but can now assure you that I repent nothing more God has convinced me of my Folly and I heartily invite you to taste and try with me how good God is to repenting retarning Sinners And if what I have here through the Assistance of Divine Grace offered may be to God's Honour and the Advantage of poor Souls it will be a sufficient requital of his Pains whose hearty desire it is to meet you all in Heaven GERVASE DISNEY London October 10.
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
Abode some pleasant Place What needs more Mis'ry than not see thy Face Judg. Away thou cursed Miser'ant 't is too late Possess the Mis'ries of a wretched state To Hell be gone let Racks increase thy Pains And Fiends torment thee with their dolorou◠Strains Here thou didst wallow in thy sensual Pleasure And now must burn in Flames that know no Measure Prisoner Ah Lord if I must go with Curse and Ire And that to such a woful Place as Fire Yet let me beg this Boon I never may Continue any long time there or stay Let me pass swiftly thr◠and then have Ease Let this the Anger of my God appease Material Fire 's sad Men kindle here What then are Flames that burn with Brimstone there Judg. Away Wretch stay no longer cease thy Wooings Thou reapest but the Fruits of thy own Doings Eternal Pain thy tortur'd Mind shall rend That has no present Ease nor future End There go contribute to those dreadful Cries Where Fire 's never quench'd nor Worm e're dies Prisoner Let not my Lord be angry if I take Yet Liberty to plead my Life 's at Stake This dismal dreadful Doom for to depart From thee the chiefest Good en'e breaks my Heart But yet in Flames for evermore to be Does fill my Torments with Extremity Well if it must be so that I drink up The bitterst Dregs of this imbittered Cup Yet favour me so far as I may choose My own Companions there Lord don't refuse May I be join'd to such as may abate And not encrease the Torments of that State Judg. No Sinner thy Companions must be such As thou in Life-time didst delight in much Such who on Earth were Tempters most to thee Shall now in Hell thy worst Tormentors be Those who to lead thee Captive here took pains Shall now for ever with thee hang in Chains You all when fagotted shall burn together And these things be endured Soul for ever Ah ghastly Sight devouring Flames to see With Adders Frogs and Toads for ever be To hear the Screeches of those Monsters then That cannot be express'd by any Pen All this and greater Mis'ry does inthral Yet Stings of Conscience will prove worst of all Sentence more particular Judg. BRing forth the Prisoners bring them one by one That every one may sentenc'd be alone Set them to ' th Bar that every one may hear What 't is they 're damned for what they must bear Ignorant Come forth besotted Souls that have not known The Myst'ries of the great Salvation That ignorant have been thô Gospel-Light Has shin'd about their Tabernacles bright Take them then Devils bind them very fast The time they had for Learning now is past Slothful Come forth ye slothful Servants come make haste Who did not well improve but Talents waste On Earth you most unprofitable were And well may trembling stand now you are here Talents I did intrust you with to use Vnto my Glory which you did abuse You either spent them vainly on your Lust Or laid them up in Napkins for to rust How couldst thou eat and drink and sleep and play Before thy Work was done Soul what canst say Your pleasant Morsels prove a bitter Sweet For take them Devils bind them Hand and Feet Worship-Neglecters Come forth all those that Families had here But in them would not Gospel-Worship bear Thô Sin and Satan have your Thresholds trod You had no Entertainment for your God! You were my Creatures and did Worship owe But did not pay this Debt to me you know And thô you Subjects were would never bring The Homage that you should to me your King You liv'd upon my Bounty every Day Your Charge in Keeping-house I did defray And yet when all was done you would not Pray Thô Wrath and Vengeance threatned was to fall On Families that would not on me call Yet all I find in vain you Strangers are Both to your Family and Closet-Prayer Then rank them Devils ' mongst your cursed Train Their Prayers that would have done are now in vain Sabbath-Breakers Come forth ye Sabbath-Breakers Sinners high You must be try'd and all be cast and die You did prophane my Sabbaths here on Earth Would not then honour me who gave you Breath Most vilely you have wasted those blest Days By eating Drinking Sleeping Sports and Plays By thinking vainly or by doing ill By acting what was bad or sitting still Instead of Walking with thy God which yields The truest Pleasure thou hast walk'd i' th Fields To gratify thy Flesh with vain Delights And hast not paid to Heaven Heaven's Rights Instead of Waiting at the Posts o' th Door Of my own House thou 'st waited on a Whore Instead of managing thy Soul's Affairs By Reading Hearing Singing Thinking Pray'rs The World has fill'd thy Thoughts and wasted time That was not thine O Sinner but was mine You thought one Day of Prayer and Praise for me Too much to spend on Earth and now must see Your selves excluded Heaven fill'd with Pains Whilst Saints are singing here in highest Strains Take them to Hell then let them hence be led And there be always dying never dead Swearers Come forth you swearing Crew who would prophane By Oaths and Curses my most Holy Name Could hardly speak a Word but Oaths must fly For these thy Sins O Sinner thou must die 'T was my Command you know Swear not at all Vnless to end a Strife you had a Call But in your common Talk my Word did say Let your Yea be Yea and your Nay be Nay And whatsoever's more must needs be Evil Yet less is learn'd by you and taught by th' Devil Come Sinners come you oft have curst and swore And bad me damn you if I durst therefore I now will swear in Wrath you ne're shall see My blessed Rest but turn'd to Hell shall be Take them then Devils in Torments let them lie Where Conscience always stings and Worms ne're die Scoffers Come forth ye Scoffers that could ne're refrain To speak of pious Souls without disdain Who counted Goodness Madness blam'd their Folly Who seriously were strict and truly holy Those things you did account you never saw But Tricks and Francies to keep Men in awe The truly holy humble pious Soul You did account no better than a Fool Then you could say what needs so much ado Men may be much less holy yet sav'd too You tauntingly could say these holy Brothers Would fain seem more religious than others The praying Saint for sooth has th' Spirit got Who yonder goes poor silly whining Sot Well but who made the wisest choice Come speak They who did keep my Law or did it break They who in Soul-Affairs would ne're delay To give to God the best they had or they Who thought such guilty of the highest Folly And call'd religious Thoughts but Melancholy I' th World you had your good things mine their bad But now mine shall rejoice whilst you are sad This was your Folly
Carriage to her was too high and peevish apprehending her too little submissive to me as a Husband and too ready to invade the Authority I thought my self to have a Right to here I might mistake but however by it see abundance of Pride and Corruption in my Nature the Good Lord humble me for that 6. My not discharging it may be all Marriage-Duties as I ought might provoke the Lord. 7. It may be I have done this in cumbring my self with so much worldly Business in bad times and when I had no need Now the Lord seems to knock me off from such Cumbers by taking from me her that was wonderfully assisting to me in them Present Thoughts I have had with reference to my Removal since the Death of my Wife as to a retired Life After my seeking God by Prayer about my Settlement the Encouragements for my continuing at Ollercarr were such as these 1. THE Lord's Providence bringing me to this Place more particularly manifest in my Diary in the first part of my Life and his giving me great Encouragement in my enjoying Gospel-Ordinances here without very much Interruption or Disturbance 2. The Favour and Respect he has been pleased to give me from the whole Neighbourhood 3. A Settlement by House-keeping Necessaries being concerned to take care of some whom I would provide for according to my Ability 4. My having a great Husbandry upon my Hands and eleven Years Lease of this Estate 5. The Capacity I am in of serving this Neighbourhood by the publick Opportunities the Lord has blest me with here Reasons and Encouragements for Removing from Ollercarr 1. THe Loss of my Dear Wife upon whose account at first I was chiefly induc'd to this Place but now very uncomfortable to me 2. The irregular Carriages and Behaviour of Servants in Family-Affairs and my Unfitness to manage and look after them 3. In regard that I have Encouragement enough that I may let this Land or else manage it with two or three faithful Servants in my Absence and it may be more to my advantage than now 4. The very great Unsetledness of Present-times and my Obnoxiousness to their Effects seems to call me to a more retired way of Living than here at Ollercarr 5. The Debts which at present I am in I am apprehensive can no better way be soon discharged which I much desire than by giving up House-keeping at least for some time 6. By a more retired way of Living I may have greater advantage for Self-Reflections and more time than here I can have for the Management of Soul-Concerns 7. The Cumbers of the World will ill sute me in my solitary and lonesome Condition when the Language of present Providence seems to call me off from these things 8. By giving up House for a time I shall have the advantage of Visiting Conversing with and serving some Relations that need Help and Assistance and I have been too much wanting to 9. Because my present Purpose after seeking the Lord in the case is but to leave my House here for the Winter half-year it being uncomfortable enough then 10. Mr. Coats and his Dear Consort whom I heartily love and honour need be no Losers by this Alteration they may here keep House take Tablers serve their Generation and live at as little charge I believe as any where else and if so then the great Objections I have against leaving this House will be removed and my leaving it encouraged and the Ordinances of God will still be kept up here to the Refreshment of this hungering Neighbourhood 11. I may the rather go upon this account that Mr. Coats the last Year had given me notice to remove from me The Author having gone so far by his own Hand in the Account of his Life to June 86 some farther Passages since that time to the time of his Death be pleased to take a view of in the Preface written by his Worthy and Reverend Pastor In which Place it was thought best to insert them rather than to interrupt what he had collected and recorded himself LETTERS A LETTER to a Relation inviting him to forsake Sin and to pursue Holiness April 1685. SIR COnsidering the ill use you have made of some former Advice given you I have not upon that account much encouragement to make further Attempts of that nature yet knowing that the Work of Convincing and Converting is the Lord's and that the Wind blows where and when it listeth I may not despair but some Good through the Blessing of the Almighty may yet be done upon you I do indeed purposely conceal my Name at present lest you should despise or slight the Advice upon the account of the Adviser whom you have too lavishly and unjustly reproached though I am confident I have deserved better Treatment at your hands But this is not the thing such Passages I can pass by yet sadly bewail them in you as knowing them to be some of the dismal Effects of your drunken Frolicks but remember for these and the like things God will bring you to Judgment I am not ignorant that many of those that wish you well have advis'd and reprov'd you again and again for your sinful Follies and would fain have you as well remember that terrible Threatning That he that being often reprov'd and hardens his Heart shall suddenly be destroy'd and that without Remedy Wherein you have injured me by your Tongue I can pass it by I would not return Slander for Slander nor answer Railing with Railing nor Reproach with Reproach I have not so learned Christ I can heartily pity you forgive you and pray for you and would now fain perswade you to be good and what can be more your Interest than to be so Come Sir if you have any respect to a dear and tender Wife that lies in your Bosom to a small Babe to indulgent Parents to well-wishing Friends to your own Soul Body or Estate but above all to the Commands of a great God you must be good make a stand consider and take up in time It 's my Love to you makes me thus plain with you for I dare not flatter Whatever you may think or however others may endeavour to palliate great Sins by giving them easy Names Sin will be called Sin and Wickedness Wickedness Drunkenness will be call'd Drunkenness and Sweating Swearing at the Great-day and punished as such and why not now Repentance is your Duty and that can never be right and evangelical without Reformation I do believe it is your desire to be eternally happy and can you expect it if you be not holy Without Holiness no one shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. Can you ever expect to get in at the Strait-gate while you walk in the Broad-way no Strait is the Gate and narrow the Way that leadeth unto Life and few there be that find it O that you may be one of those few Will you do the Devil's Work and expect the Lord's
Wages it cannot be for your Bible tells you What you sow that shall you reap and he that cannot lie hath said If you live after the Flesh you shall die but if you through the Spirit do mortify the Deeds of the Body ye shall live I am not for inviting you to a Party or for tying up Salvation to this or that Opinion but I would fain prevail with you to be good for be of what Opinion you will the Scripture warrants me to tell you That without Strictness Self-denial and Holiness you cannot be saved Mat. 16. 42. Mat. 11. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. Dear Sir as you tender the everlasting Welfare of your Soul do no longer as the most but imitate the best and endeavour to be a Follower of those who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises or things promised Forsake bad Company for you know who has said The Companion of Fools shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. Be you a Companion of those that fear God and let not the Wicked any longer intice you or however prevail with you for the Scripture is very clear and positive in it That except Drunkards repent and reform they shall be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. That except Swearers repent of their prophane Swearing and reform they shall fall into Condemnation James 5. 12. That unless Liars put away their Lying and speak every one Truth to his Neighbour they shall have their part in the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone Rev. 20. 8. That if Company-keepers forsake not the Foolish that is the Wicked and live they shall be reckoned amongst the Companions of the Wicked who shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. I charge you not but leave it to your own Conscience to consider how far you are guilty in any of these Matters and then get into your Closet down upon your Knees bewail before God your sinful Miscarriages and beg a new Heart and Grace that you may live a new Life and be assured that what I say is out of a sense of your deplorable Condition whilst you remain in your Sins and a Desire to see you return to that God who waits to be gracious Come to Christ and heartily accept him for he is offered to you O that I could see this great Work done what a rejoycing would it be to all that are good about you Then might your Wife bless God for such a Husband who would help her Heavenwards then would your pious Relations delight in your Society and your Parents with joy say as the Father of the Prodigal This my Son was lost but is found was dead but is alive yea the Conversion of a Sinner on Earth causes Joy in Heaven That the Lord would bless this Advice to you is the earnest Prayers of him who shall then approve himself always Your Friend and Servant in Christ Jesus G. D. A Letter to my Mother Mrs. B. D. upon the Death of her good Daughter and my dear Sister Stanyforth Ever honoured Mother AT this time I have much Business upon my hands and some that requires quick dispatch otherwise my coming to see you would have prevented my writing to you and now I should be sorry that these Lines should add weight to your Sorrows by setting your Wounds a bleeding afresh I am much readier to bear a part of your Burthen having reason enough to be concern'd for and sensible of so sad a Breach as it has pleas'd the Lord to make upon us by the Death of my dear Sister Stanyforth Something I would contribute to your Support and Refreshment under such a Dispensation therefore desire your perusal of the under-written Considerations which has wonderfully supported me the Blessing of Heaven render them useful to you 1. We may and ought to consider the necessity of Dying 2 Sam. 14. 14. For we must needs die Preceding Generations made way for us and shall not we make way for others when God calls 2. The Friends we lose are not so much ours as God's God has taken but what he first lent This comforted Job when amongst other things he had lost his Children The Lord gave saith he and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. 3. God has a hand in the Death of Friends My Times are in thy Hand says holy David and is there not an appointed time to be upon Earth 4. God in the saddest Passages of Providence aims at his People's Good All things shall work together for them that love God c. 5. God is still with us Psal 46. 1. Though Friends forsake us through unavoidable Mortality yet an everlasting God is where he was There is Sweetness enough in God to sweeten all outward imbittering Circumstances Though the Conduit-Pipes thrô which Mercies were convey'd unto us be taken away the Fountain runs still entire in God May we have a care of doing any thing to dim the Eye of our Faith for Hagar we read had a Fountain by but her blubbering Eyes kept her from beholding it 6. How great soever the Stroke and Affliction is we yet deserve greater our Sins are heavier than our Sufferings the Fire of God's Wrath is not proportion'd to the Fewel of our Sins 7. God has taken away one great Comfort but he might have taken away all Shall we receive Good at the Hands of God and shall we not receive Evil 8. Consider the Evil that comes by Discontent and immoderate Sorrow Discontent makes us our own Tormentors Luk. 21. In Patience possess your Souls by Impatience we are Possessors of our Sins and turn'd out of our Understandings Peace and Comfort Too immoderate Sorrow wastes the Spirits Prov. 15. By Sorrow of the Heart the Spirit is broken 2 Cor. 7. Worldly Sorrow worketh Death it greatly provokes God A meek and quiet Spirit is in the Sight of God of great price but a froward peevish Spirit is abominable to him Prov. 11. 20. 17. 20. 22. 5. Psal 18. 26. God may be provoked by this Sin to lengthen out Misery and to adjourn Mercy 9. God gives and takes away Relations at his own Pleasure let us rather praise God we have enjoy'd such a Blessing so long than repine she is gone so soon bless we a smiting as well as a smiling God a taking as well as a giving God 10. The Breach made is sad but herein God has 1. Done us no Wrong 2. He has done our dear Friend no Hurt Done us no Wrong he has taken but his own his own by his Creation by your Donation by Purchase and Redemption and by her own free Resignation And has our dear Father hurt her Is it to hurt her to put her to Bed to throw off her filthy Garments from her to gratify her in her own longing Desire which was To be dissolv'd and to be with Christ and to enshrine her in Glory 11. Think of the Invalidity of Weeping If Tears could possibly bring my