Relations of this deceased Saint to let them see how little cause they have to mourn and to afflict their souls but the Lord who knows how to speak comfort infinitely better hath been with their hearts Only let not the Husband grieve and say Ah! what a dear Wife have I lost nor the Children say what a dear Mother have we lost But rather 1. Consider What she hath found She hath found that which â—he hath been seeking all her days â—he hath found that God that Christ that Heaven that Bosom and those embraces that she waited and long'd for 3. Consider You will never be happy till you be where she is gone before you 3. Consider It is but a very little while and you shall see her again as Augustine comforted his Italica concerning her dead Husband and let you and I and all of us mind our work and be upon our march towards Heaven taking our encouragement from the Text where the Lords makes a proclamation of Grace I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me FINIS POSTCRIPT NOW though the Husband of our Deceased Friend has been somewhat averse from publishing any thing of her own yet being at last prevail'd upon I shall commend to the Reader some particular Experiences of the Lords early dealing with her soul as I have found them written by her own hand First I find this Position laid down by her in her own Book viz. That very many Scriptures do imply a possibility that a believer may know that he is elected of God and that his election is of free grace through our Lord Jesus Christ unto holiness which shall end in glory Phil. 2. 12 13. 2 Cor. 13. 5. 2 Pet. 1. 10. with very many more which I shall forbear to mention On which ground she proceeds to take a particular account of her own spiritual estate as follows IT hath been much upon my thoughts to write some of those Scriptural Experiences which I have found and received great comfort in from the Word of God being as I judg brought home to my soul by the Spirit And being now past the Fortieth year of my age not knowing how soon the Lord may call having always had a desire to be on my watch that I may be found ready and willing when ever my Lords time is This Mercy I have been begging many years I can truly say for some Months past I have had no rest in my spirit till I began to write these things and after fasting and prayer by my self while in doubt what to do fearing the falsness of my own heart I was encouraged by a Sermon that I heard on these words in Psal. 77. 1â— I will remember the works of the Lord surely I will remember thy wonders of old Where was much pressed the duty of Christians To relate what God had done for them And out of the longing desire I have for the good of you my dear Little ones that you may value the precious Word of God wherein your Mother hath found so much comfort you two that is SA and MA. are the only remnant that God hath spared and blessed be God that hath left us as to this day a Berry or two You are the children of many prayers the Lord grant you may be blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus and make you serviceable while you live and fit you for an inheritance among the Saints in light In order to that I beg you in the name and fear of God that you highly prize the Word of God and every Ordinance of Jesus Christ appointed in his Word I would say with David Come my Children hearken unto me and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul Psal. 34. 11. Psal. 66. 16. I have found the Word read and preached yea many a Scripture that I could not remember I read or heard preached on yet it hath pleased my gracious God to send many a word to relieve and comfort my soul his word hath been to me a convincing word a reproving an instructing and a very comforting word and that my soul knoweth by great experience I intend if the Lord permit and will send his Spirit to bring things to my remembrance without that I can do nothing to set down the kindness of the Lord from my Childhood that was pleased to begin with me be-times O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledg of God c. Rom. 11. 33 34 35 36. I can remember while a Girl at school about the age of nine or ten I took great delight in reading the stories in the Scripture which did much affect me Afterward I was more taken with the New Testament that did reveal more of Christ to me Then I began to pray as I was able I do not remember that I ever did make use of any written or printed form The first sin that I remember troubled me was telling my Father a lye and it had this aggravation with it that he told me If I would tell him how it was he would believe me rather than my Brothers and Sisters and out of fear of them I said as they did but with a very trembling heart which much troubled me some years after this when I begun to hearken to the word Preached where I heard that sin set out I was much affected and mourned much under the sense of sin seeing a burden in it I desired to look after a remedy The first Minister that I remember I hearkned to was Mr. H. of Kensington where my Father was in the summer I did then begin to understand my state by nature how under the wrath and curse of God Then I began to see my need of and did desire after Jesus Christ being as I thought then willing to take him on his own terms Jesus Christ was then as I thought precious to me and being willing to understand my own case and condition it pleased the Lord to open my heart to hearken diligently to the word Preached wherein I found much comfort which ingaged my heart unto the Lord and made me unwilling to neglect any duty which he commanded or to commit any sin which the Lord forbids This I well remember to be the frame of my spirit near thirty years ago Hearing much that it was the end of life to glorfie God it made the earnest breathings of my soul to be this Oh but how shall I glorifie God! After this by a Providence I heard Mr. M. at Westminster my Father being there for some months he was on that Scripture 2 Chron. 15. 17. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days I took great delight to hear him being often angry he had done so soon My soul was much refreshed by the signs and marks he gave of a perfect heart I did usually go from hearing into my Chamber and beg earnestly of God for a perfect heart in which as I thought I
did supply the place and among the rest I heard Mr. G. on these words Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life Joh. 6. 68. As I remember this was his Observation That soul that had once given up it self to could never bear a going off from Jesus Christ. His arguing thus with a doubting soul Try thy self cannot you bear a leaving of God then doubt not that he will leave you would you know whether God loves you consider do you love God for you could not love him unless he loved you first By these and several arguments the Lord was pleased so to set it home on my heart I may well forget the words my heart being so full of peace and joy through believing 1 Pet. 1. that I cannot express it being as I judg better felt than exprest it did seem at that time to me as if I had tasted of that joy unspeakable and full of glory I know not what to make of it except it were a sealing unto the day of redemption I thought then my joy being so great I could willingly have gone out of the body to have been with the Lord. I remember I went home and fell on my knees admiring the freeness of grace to such a worm as I crying out with the Apostle O the depth The sense of free-grace and rich mercy did much overcome me the which I hope I shall admire to all eternity O the goodness of God! when I had again and again refused to be comforted yet he waited to be gracious to me This I write and speak that God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Ghost may have the glory of their own work When under my doubts and fears I seldom went to hear but the word did seem to speak unto me and several Scriptures came suddenly to my mind that did reprove and quiet and comfort me such as these Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope in God for I shall yet praise him This hath been made good unto me and that in the Psalm In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul and that it is good for me to draw near to God Psal. 73. 28. And that a day in thy courts is better than a thousand Psal. 84. 10. And I can truly say as David did I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in tents of wickedness Experienced I have that of Job I have esteemed thy word more than my necessary food Job 23. 12. I have had great support from that Scripture All that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Joh. 6. 37. I have often thought of that Scripture with joy Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto me and not unto the world for who maketh thee differ from another and what hast thou that thou didst not receive I have again and again in these words and many more admired freeness of grace towards such a poor doubting soul as I was I doubt not but he which hath begun will finish his own work on Sarah Lye Amen Amen Thus far I have written a relation of the first 20 years of my age what was the great thing that most troubled me it was That I might have assurance of the love of God and a well-grounded hope of an interest in Christ that what the Lord Jesus had done and suffered might be applied unto me and having hopes through grace and rejoycing much in hopes of the glory of God which hope maketh not ashamed After this I began to have great tryals as to the loss of my relations my Parents that were very dear to me both dying within four Months this with many more troubles much cast me down yet to observe the Providences of God to me and how by his word he sent me relieving experiences should I set it down in order would swell to a great Volume Only thus much I may speak to the praise of God that when Father and Mother forsook God took me into his care and hath graciously provided for me and hath given me an Agurs portion which I beg'd of the Lord when but a Girl I can truly say All the ways of the Lord are and have been to me mercy and truth For this God I have chosen to be my God for ever and ever and I doubt not but he will be my guide even unto death And now my dear Child or Children that shall read of this way and method that the Lord did use in bringing me off from all things to himself take heed pray take heed you do not limit the holy One of Israel nor tye up God to this or any way of working the Lord worketh all things after the counsel of his own will but we are commanded to search our hearts and try our ways and to examine our selves and to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure Look that the work of conversion be wrought and leave time and way to the All-wise God that governs the world and orders all things to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen and Amen All that I have written in these few sheets is not out of any book but that of my own conscience no assister but the spirit and to no end but that God in all things may have glory for I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought in me FINIS Books sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside ONe Hundred select Sermons upon several occasions by Tho. Horton D. D. Sermons on the whole Epistle of Saint Paul to the Collossians by Mr. J. Daille translated into English by F. S. with Dr. Tho. Goodwin's and Dr. John Owens Epistles Recommendatory An Exposition of Christs Temptation on Matth. 4. and Peters Sermon to Cornelius and circumspect walking By Dr. Tho. Taylor A Practical Exposition on the third Chapter of the first Epistle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians with the Godly mans choice on Psalm 4. v. 6 7 8. by Anthony Burgess Forty six Sermons upon the whole eighth Chapter of the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans Both by Tho. Horton D. D. late Minister of Saint Hellens An Analytical Exposition of Genesis and of twenty three Chapters of Exodus by George Hughes D. D. Books 4to The Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration by George Swinrock M. A. A Discourse of Actual Providence by John Collings D. D. An Exposition of the Five first Chapters of the Revelation of St. John by Charles Phelpes An Antidote against Quakerism by Step. Scandret An Exposition on the five first Chapters of Ezekiel with useful observations thereupon by William Greenhil The Gospel-Covenant opened by Pet. Bulkley Gods holy Mind touching matters Moral which he uttered in ten Commandments Also an Exposition on the Lords Prayer by Edward Eston B. D. The Fiery-Jesuit or an Historical Collection of the rise encrease doctrines and deeds of the Jesuits exposed to view for the sake of London Horologiographia optica Dyalling universal and particular speculative and practical together with a description of the Court of Arts by a new Method by Sylvanus Morgan The Practical Divinity of the Papists discovered to be destructive to true Religion and mens souls by J. Clarkson The Creatures goodness as they came out of Gods hand and the good-mans mercy to the bruit-creatures in two Sermons by Tho. Hodges B. D. Certain considerations tending to promote Peace and Unity amongst Protestants Mediocria or the most plain and natural apprehensions which the Scripture offers concerning the great Doctrines of the Christian Religion of Election Redemption the Covenant the Law and Gospel and Perfection The vanity of man in his best estate in a discourse on Psal. 39. 5. at the Funeral of the Lady Susanna Keate by Richard Kidder M. A. The Morning-Lectures against Popery or the principal Errors of the Church of Rome detected and confuted in a Morning-Lecture preached by several Ministers of the Gospel in or near London Four useful discourses 1 The art of improving a full and prosperous condition for the glory of God being an appendix to the art of Contentment in three Sermons on Phil. 4. 12. 2 Christian submission on 1 Sam. 3. 18. 3 Christ a Christians life and death is gain on Phil. 1. 21. 4 The Gospel of peace sent to the sons of peace in six Sermons on Luk. 10. 5 6. by Jeremiah Burroughs Dr. Wilds Letter of Thanks and Poems A new Copy-book of all sorts of useful hands The Saints priviledg by dying by Mr. Scot. The Vertuous Daughter a Funeral Sermon by Mr. Brian The Miracle of Miracles or Christ in our Nature by Dr. Rich. Sibbs
15 It is here said of him that from a Child he had known the Holy Scriptures which were able to make him wise to salvation Oh let it be truly so said of you Vse 1. Of Information The folly and inadvertency of the most of the Sons and Daughters of men who seek the world serve their lusts pursue lying vanities and forget God and seek him not Oh what cause have we to complain of Children of Parents and Masters of Families how little care there is among any of an early seeking after Christ Parents generally teach their Children to seek pride to seek the lusts and pleasures of this world and their carnal delights But who is there that goeâ— forth early to seek the Lord We can rise early for the world go from Mountain to Hill to seek after the Profits thereof Isa. 5. 11 The Drunkard will rise early that he may follow strong drink the Thief watches the twilight but none seek the Lord. Vse 2. Exhort To those that have sought the Lord while they were young and do yet continue to seek him I have a word or two to you 1. The first is to advise you to admire exceedingly to admire the goodnefs of God to you in that he ever gave you hearts to seek him Oh wonderful grace that you that were born at the same time with others have sate under the same means with them that never yet have lookt towards Heaven and their souls are now perhaps dropt into Hell Oh I say admire exceedingly admire that God gave you and not them an heart to seek after him to mind Christ and Heaven and the great concern of your souls and surely you cannot but admire it if you consider how little of man there was in it and how much of man there was against it When did ever a straying Sheep seek the Shepherd When ever did the wild-Goats look after one to lead them If Jesus Christ had not found you first you would never have sought after him if he had not found you you would or could never have found him if he had not took hold of your hearts it had been impossible for you to lay hold on him It is utterly impossible for any man in his natural estate and condition to seek after Jesus Christ this is a work that never will or can be done unless God give a new heart and a new spirit there wants something within to promote and effect this work which God only can and must give 2. You that have so done you that have sought the Lord early I would advise you to go on and to persist in seeking Christ and as you go on forget not what sweet experiences you have had of the love and kindness of Jesus Christ what discoveries of light and grace what comforts and revivings what refreshing joys and delights you have met with in your seeking of him these things ought not to be forgotten by you And here I shall set before you the worthy example of a Knight of 80 years of age who two or three days before he dyed set a-part a day on purpose to call to mind the former experiences he had of God and of what kind and how God had dealt with him in his waiting upon him in his Ordinances from time to time And I am informed that this dear servant of God that is now gone hath left behind her a Diary written with her own hand what experiences she had of God in her waiting upon him in his Ordinances and how and what God had spoken to her and by what Ministers And these examples are worthy both of your serious consideration and also excellent patterns for your imitation But 3. You that have so done you that have sought God and Christ early I would advise you to go on in seeking the Lord till you have found him in his glory As you have in your seeking found him in a way of grace here so go on I say till you have found him in his glory hereafter what darkness and difficulties soever lye in the way of your waiting upon him in his Ordinances and appointments that you may be like the Church of Thyatira and that it may be truly said of you as it is said of that Church Rev. 2. 19 I know thy works and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy works and thy last to be more than the first This Testimony Christ himself gives concerning this Church The nearer you come to Christ and to enjoyment of him in glory the more haste you should make every thing in nature does so a Stone the nearer it comes to the center the swifter is its motion And the Sun seems to move swiftest when it is near setting Trees of Gods planting bring forth more fruit in old age Psal. 92. 13 14 Those that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God They shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing See Isa. 49. 29 30 31. 2. I have a word of advice to them if there be any such here that are full of days and it may be full of the world but empty very empty of the knowledg of God and have had little or it may be no acquaintaince at all with Jesus Christ nor did ever look after any We may perhaps say as Job said Job 12. 12 13 With the ancient is wisdom and in length of days understanding With him is wisdom and strength he hath counsel and understanding But is it always so Is there wisdom and understanding always among the aged Be there not among them such as are like Ephraim of whom it is said Hos. 7. 9 10 Gray hairs are here and there upon him yet he knoweth it not And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face and they do not return to the Lord their God nor seek him for all this They do not consider the grave whither they are going Be there not careless men and women among us that do not yet look out after Christ that do not provide for the welfare of their souls but are cumbred about many things as Martha was Yea many aged men and aged women who have lived all their days pudling in and about the world and worldly concerns and have hitherto neglected the one thing necessary viz. seeking after Christ and the knowledg of him and to get an interest in him Do you not yet know that you are going to appear before the Judgment-seat of Christ And will you not yet come off from this world but the longer you live you will love the world so much the better Is it not high time that something of the concernments of another world should interpose between your life and your death I shall offer you only two or three considerations in reference to this 1. And first I would beseech you and perswade you as I would be perswaded my self That seeing you have hitherto neglected
your souls your precious and immortal souls your spiritual which are your greatest concernments till now you are grown old I would perswade you yea even beseech you to consider that now you have but a little time left to do your greatest work you have now but one hour In Matt. 20. 6 it is said that Christ went out about the eleventh hour when there was but one hour more to night to hire labourers into his vineyard So it is with you it is the eleventh hour your last hour Besides have you no eyes no ears to see and hear that many dye dayly and weekly how many goodly plants that God had planted in his own house have of late been plucked up by the roots and laid in their Graves yea every day the death of young and old do ring a peal in our ears to awaken us to consider what is to come And will not Conscience it self think you ring a dreadful peal in our ears when we come to dye for that neither a voice from the Grave nor yet a voice from the Temple have yet prevailed with us to seek and secure to our selves an interest in God and in Christ Younger persons than our selves are often taken away and may we not thereby see and read that death it self is coming to teach us all to be prepared and in readiness for this our great change Death lies as it were in Ambuscado for us and sometimes men are taken away by it in the field and sometimes at home sometimes by this and sometimes by that disease but death comes to old age aperto marte in the plain and open field as it were and old men and old women cannot imagine that death is many days march from them and therefore they of all persons had need to seek after God and an interest in Christ night and day seek after this in your Houses in your Closets in your Beds in his Ordinances yea where-ever he is to be found and not to give over seeking till with the Spouse before mentioned you have found him 2. Consider how Christ calls on you in the Text. Read the begining of the Chapter Doth not wisdom cry and understanding put forth her voice vers 1. From whence She standeth in the top of high places by the way in the places of the paths vers 2. She cryeth at the gates at the entry of the city at the coming in at the doors vers 3. To whom doth she cry Vnto you O men I call and my voice is to the sons of men vers 4. What doth she call to them for That they would come and seek wisdom of Christ that they would come and get understanding of him that they would come and get knowledg of him which is wisdom indeed The fear of the Lord that is wisdom indeed Doth Christ thus call and will you not regard nor answer this call What then will be his next call For ought I know it may be this Arise from the dead and come to judgment Consider this 3. And Lastly Consider your grand inducement and incouragement They that seek me early shall find me They that will yet seek him that is your early and God acconnts it so In Psal. 78. 34 When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God While grace is proclaimed while God says They that seek me early shall find me This I say is your early and that which God himself accounts so and will God yet be found of you if you seek him Oh! what cause have you to bless God that ever he made such a promise as this which is Tabula post naufragium And that in Isa. 55. 6 7 Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near Oh wonderful grace that such promises should be published to you and me I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall find me And now I shall no longer be burdensom to you but shall beg of you Children for whom I have provided a few words a short Sermon To hearken to your own Sermon c. Thirdly A word of Exhortation or a short Sermon to young ones Children seek the Lord early whiles you are yet tender and young The Children of their dear deceased Mother should hear her always saying what the Lord said to her They that seek me early shall find me O little Children you lye much upon my heart Remember your Creator in the days of your youth and seek him betimes Eccles. 12. 1. 1. Consider you must dye It is appointed to all men once to dye Heb. 9. 27. And you may dye whiles you are Children How many pretty little ones are every day taken away before your eyes And if you be snatcht away by the cold hand of death before you know God and have found Christ what will become of your precious and immortal souls Would you be willing to dye and be damn'd Would you leave this world and be content to be turn'd into Hell and be punished with the Devil and his Angels Can you think of losing your Friends and your God too for ever 2. Consider what was the great errand upon which God sent you into the world Not to gratifie your Lusts nor to pursue lying vanities but to know God and Jesus Christ. And will you dare you neglect your special work O! whiles you are in your prime mind what you have to do for your souls Can you think it reasonable that the Devil should have your youth the flower and strength of your days and God be serv'd only with a crazy body or the rottenness of old Age O then delay no longer but seek the Lord. And. 1. Do it speedily the Mannagatherers must go forth betimes Exod. 16. 21 so must the Christ-seekers before the Sun be up before the heat of youthful lusts or earthly cares hinder your diligent seeking 2. Do it in earnest with all your hearts Psal. 119. 2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies that seek him with their whole heart 3. Resolve to seek the Lord till you find him in glory not only while your Father Mother or Friends live but as long as you live It was a sad story in Gen. 35. 19 That Rachel dyed when she was but a little way from Ephrath But more sad Luk. 13. 24 When many shall seek to enter into Heaven and not be able 3. Consider That if you seek him early you shall be sure to find him I would bespeak you as David did his young Solomon 1 Chron. 28. 9 And thou Solomon my son know thou the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever It was a very serious speech of Azariah to Asa and to all