the small company in comparison of them that shall be saved Mat. 7.13 14. I am a poor weak Creature and it hath pleased the great God to cause distempers and weakness and sickness to light on my body These two years and †This was written at least a year and half before she died and she sickly two years and a quarter before she wrote it quarter I never having a days health in this time but very much distemper and infirmity on my body Many times I have thought that the Lord had sent the Messenger of Death to take me at that time out of this present life but by his good hand my life is lengthened unto this present hour Beside all this I have had great trouble and perplexity in Spirit and mind which none but God doth know of which I could never have stood under had not the Lord wonderfully supported me and born me up under it by his mighty hand Now I desire not so much the restoring of my body for I do think I shall never have the enjoyment of health more in this world tho it is not impossible with God But if it were the Lords Will that I should have health again I do hope by his help and assistance to improve it to his praise and glory Tho I have a sinful and corrupt heart within me yet the Lord is mighty to save and help and succor those that trust that put their trust in him Now the Will of the Lord must be done and I desire that the Lord would lay no more on me than he would enable me to bear with patience and that he would comfort me under his afflicting hand and that all sin and guilt cleaving to me may be fully expiated and discharged through the blood of Christ and that the Lord would give me assurance of his love through Jesus Christ tho I am a sinful creature That I may have true and saving faith to lay hold on the Lord Jesus Christ for Salvation that I may never fall away from him If the Lord should leave me to my self then I shall perish eternally but I trust in the Lord and hope that he will pour down his rich and precious mercies on me for Jesus Christs sake that my soul may be truly and perfectly sanctified by his holy Spirit and that I may never be lead aside by the devices of Satan and the corruption of my heart and the deceitfulness of this world but that my soul may be stablished in righteousness and confirmed in the end that I may be blameless in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ that I may have a sure interest in the Lord Jesus then I shall be happy to all eternity O my desire is that however the Lord be pleased to deal with my body that it may go well with my Soul to eternity and that I may have the enjoyment of God through Christ for there is nothing else can give real comfort to any Soul I hope that the Lord hath begun a good work in me and that he will make it perfect in the end and that he will sanctifie his dealings towards me that it may be for his glory and my eternal comfort and I desire that my will may be throughly resigned up into the will of God either for life or death and that I may have much of Gods presence with me and may always have good thoughts of him and of his dealings towards me in all that he doth or shall lay upon me and that I may improve all his mercies for his glory and my eternal comfort and that when he is pleased to put an end to this temporal life that my Soul may be fitted for Spiritual and eternal life in Jesus Christ O now that people would seriously think what shall become of their Souls considering how great the multitude is that go in the broad way that leadeth to destruction and how few there be that enter in at the strait gate that leadeth unto life as Mat. 7.13 14. We have but a little time to live here in this world and that is of very great concernment that we should make a good improvement of it eternity doth depend upon it as we live here so it will be with us to eternity we are now brought upon the Stage of this world here to act our parts for a whole eternity if we make not a wise choice now we are undone for ever What our present choice is such must our everlasting condition be Luk. 10.42 Luk. 16.25 Now is your time to repent of your sins and to make peace with God it cannot be done after death now is the time that Christ is offered unto you and if you will not receive him now you shall never have any part in him hereafter now is the day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6.2 Now is the time you may be accepted of by God and therefore do not stop the mouth of Conscience for if you do it will be the greatest Witness against you hereafter then it will tare and lash you and be a continual torment For their worm shall not die neither shall their fire be quenched Isa 66.24 If you now refuse the calls of God your conscience will continually accuse you hereafter therefore have a care do not refuse to hearken to Gods call for it you refuse now you shall never have any calls nor invitations from God hereafter Have you any business any concern of greater importance to you than the concern of your souls and eternity If you are to appear before some earthly Judg especially if it be about a matter that concerns your life O how thoughtful are you to have all things ready and in order in reference thereunto and should not you be as thoughtful and as careful to make all ready and to set all right in order to your appearing before the Judg of all the earth and that about a matter which concerns the life of your souls about a matter of eternal life or death Well what shall I say Will you set about this great business this great concern Or is it all one with you whether you live or die are saved or damned to all eternity Oh that people would consider how near they are to eternity How near we are to our everlasting habitation You are all going down amain the stream of time into the great ocean and you will shortly come thither There is not a step you step nor a breath you draw nor a word you speak nor a moment of time you live but hath an influence upon eternity Oh now that unconverted sinners would set about this great work to prepare for their souls and eternity before they go hence and be no more in this world Sinners will you set about this great business Your work is wholly yet to do tho it may be your day far spent your glass is almost run your sun near setting and all your work to do Oh 't is high time for
you to awake out of your sleep unless you mean to sleep the sleep of eternal death These golden sands running will quickly be gone a short race will soon be run O what a nothing is our life as one may say a span a dream a wind a shadow a vapour a post swifter than a post Job 7.6 You are all going to your long and last home to the house of eternity Every man goeth to his long home Eccles 12.5 How doth he go He goeth swiftly always in motion night and day sleeping and waking labouring or loitering this post hastens time and tide stays not Man doth not discern or perceive how his precious time doth fly from him And we know not how soon all our precious time will be gone from us we know not how soon our souls shall be separated from our bodies We know not how soon we shall pass into eternity And Oh that people would consider which of the two eternities they are going towards Oh that they would deeply and seriously consider that there is one place for the sheep and another for the goats one place for the righteous and another for the ungodly one place for believers and another for unbelievers An eternal night or eternal day eternal pains or eternal pleasure eternal happiness or eternal misery eternal life or eternal death eternal Heaven or eternal Hell Oh that my dear Brethren and Sisters would truly and sincerely seek after the welfare of their precious and immortal Souls now while it is time My dear Brethren and Sisters I have many times had great fears and cares about your precious Souls as you are nearest related to me so you are nearest to my heart I could desire that all men would turn from their sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and close with him that so they may have life and salvation by him but my greatest desire is for you my hearts desire and prayer to God for you is that you might be saved My dear Brothers and Sisters great is the misery of an unregenerate estate without regeneration repentance conversion and holiness none can be saved and see God as in John 3.3 5. and Luk. 13.3 5. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish And Heb. 12.14 Without holiness there is none shall see the Lord and a carnale state is an estate of death Rom. 8.6 And if ye live after the flesh ye shall die ver 13. And the Apostle saith love not the world neither the things that are in the world for if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 John 2.15 Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God Whoseever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God Jam. 4.4 Now if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new 2 Cor. 15.17 and as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God Rom. 8.14 Oh that you would consider and meditate upon these and such like Texts of Scripture and try your selves thereby how it is with you Mr. Joseph Alleins book of conversion might prove a great help with the Lords assistance and blessing and there are many other good books that might prove a help to you herein which the Lord direct you unto and that you may read and consider and lay it to heart and that you would search narrowly into your own hearts and the Lord of Heaven grant that his heavenly and spiritual blessing may rest upon you all I have many times desired the Lord for you that he would cause you to see the great evil of sin and to close savingly with Christ and receive him upon his own terms and that you may be regenerated and born again that you may be truly converted unto God that you may receive forgiveness of sins and that your souls may be truly sanctified that you may all be redeemed by the Blood of Christ and may be justified by faith in him and that the Lord would sanctifie his dealings towards you that it may be for his glory and your good and that you may live to the praise and glory of God and be comforted in him to all eternity Oh now that you would give up your selves to God resign up your selves in Covenant to him through Jesus Christ for ever to be his to walk in his wayes to be guided by his laws to be ruled and directed by him at all times that you might never depart from him Oh that you would truly prepare for death and eternity Make a true preparation for death and then you will be in a well set way to live for till people are prepared for death they are not well fit to live Oh now you should give up your selves to God by prayer pray heartily to God that he would come in with converting and sanctifying Grace into your souls Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you Jam. 4.8 The Lord is very near to them that call upon him intruth and will never leave nor forsake such as put their trust in him He that neglects prayer is an unsanctified sinner they that neglect prayer cannot expect the blessing of God on either soul or body All they that are the adopted children of God they have the spirit of prayer in them whosoever is born of God can in some measure express himself to God and cry unto him for pardon of sin for grace for peace of conscience with earnestness and confidence in God Rom. 8.15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Now this spirit of bondage and fear it is the Spirit of God there is a spirit of bondage once in all they that are the true people of God working fear in them and afterwards it doth become a spirit of adoption unto them First the Spirit of God doth convince people of their sins it shews them the evil of sin and so brings them in fear and bondage about their sins and afterwards the Spirit of God doth comfort their Souls people must be convinced before they be converted they must be sensible of their sins and pricked to the heart before they will ask what they must do to be saved Act. 2.37 And then afterwards the Spirit of God doth come in with comfort to their souls then the Spirit of God causeth them to cry Abba Father that is to make their request to God as to a Father Prayer is a duty that doth lie upon all people and God doth accept weak prayers from his children if they be sincere There are many Hypocrites that can make better prayers that can express themselves in prayer better than many of Gods chosen ones but God doth reject them because they are not sincere Prov. 15.8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the
right hand there are pleasures for evermore Under this are comprehended those great and glorious things that make up and compleat the positive happiness of the Saints 1. As to their Souls 2. As to their Bodies 3. As to their Company 1. As to their Souls Their understanding being inlarged and widened shall have a right knowledg of all things a clear sight and vision of God Now we know but in part saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13.12 but then shall we know even as also we are known The will shall be perfected with an absolute indefective holiness with an exact conformity to the Will of God and perfect Freedom from all servitude of Sin The affections shall be set right by an unalterable regularity there shall be a constant cleaving to God a constant loving him without satiety or weariness The Soul shall enjoy a full imediate uninterrupted Communion with God and fruition of him While we are here we are absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 Here our comforts are in and through Ordinances but there God will be all in all immediately 2 Cor. 15.28 2. As to their Bodies There shall be glory upon them they shall be made like the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3.21 What that is was in some glimpse of it seen in Christs transfiguration Matt. 17.2 His face did shine as the sun and his raiment was white as the light that was a little glimpse and specimen of the future visible glory of Christ and the Saints shall be like him they shall shine forth as the Sun Matt. 13.43 Their Bodies shall be indued with new and glorious qualities as incorruption immortality strength and power activity nimbleness Their Bodies shall be spiritual not that the Body shall be turned into a Spirit but the Body shall then live as Spirits and Angels do without Meat Drink Sleep and such like bodily Supports and shall be perfectly conformable and obedient and subservient to the Operations of the Spirit the ready Instrument of the Soul 3. As to their Company They shall be blessed oh the blessed Company that is in the new Jerusalem God Christ Angels Saints And that which Crowns all the Saints shall have the perpetual injoyment of all this blessedness secured to them without any fear of losing it or being deprived of it The Saints shall never put of their glorious Robes after they have once put them on their State is a sure eternal State of actual delights Upon these accounts the people of God do long and pant after the immediate fruition and presence of God in Heaven Vse Let us consider our selves by this property Have we desires after God thus Truly it is to be feared that abundance that do live under the preaching of the Word from whence are held forth such glorious things to be conveyed by God in the immediate fruition of him do not believe or at least do not desire the same but they are well contented with their Portion here on Earth like that Cardinal of Burbon who professed that he would not give his part in Paris for his part in paradise There are they that are of this mind they would think themselves well a paid if there were no other Heaven nor no change of their estates that they have here in this world But I beseech you see to it that you be of another temper and disposition that ye are panting after God in Heaven To this purpose practice these counsels 1. Endeavour after a settled and well-grounded assurance that you have an interest in Gods special love and favour and that you are of the number of those that shall one day be admitted into the immediate presence of God that you may be able to say with the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens Labour after this pray much for this It is our Saviours own direction Joh. 16.24 Ask that your joy may be full O sweet consideration that it is the Mind and Will of Christ that we should seek for full joy and peace in believing And take this for an evidence that you shall be admitted to the immediate presence of God if you seek and and enjoy Communion with God in his Ordinances if you do behold him in the beauties of holiness through these glasses I say this is a pledg a beginning and so an evidence of that full Communion you shall have with him in Heaven and of your seeing him there face to face Are your Sabbath-days days of Communion with God that is a sweet evidence that you shall keep an everlasting Sabbath with him in glory but if strangers to God and profane-hearted on Sabbaths you cannot be for Heaven 2. Be in an actual preparation of your selves for it Spouses and Brides that wish and look for their beloved prepare for their coming to them and prepare for their going to them so do you prepare your selves for the enjoyment of God in Heaven To this purpose observe these Rules 1. Labour after the mortifying and subduing of sin especially your most beloved sin Your own iniquity as David calls it Psal 18.23 While that prevails that darkens the sincerity and efficacy of grace in the Soul breaks the peace thereof grieves the holy Spirit therefore remember what the Apostle saith 1 Joh. 3.3 He that hath this hope of seeing God purifieth himself as he is pure Hence when the Apostle would raise up people to an heavenly frame he calls on them to mortifie their special corruption Col. 3.1 5. We find these joyned together denying ungodliness and worldly lusts and looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2.13 14. 2. Be loosned from the World for while staked down and fixed here you are unfit and unready to remove to Heaven It is he that is a stranger and pilgrim on the Earth and that dwells in Tents here ready on a short warning to pluck up stakes and be gone that is a faithful seeker of that better country and a traveller toward it Heb. 11.9 10 13 14. You cannot have two homes nor two rests nor two portions if you take up your home and rest in the World you are not prepared nor principled for Heaven nor fit to go thither Be loosning and drawing off your hearts every day from the World expect not either a perpetual nor yet a long abode here Be sensible of the vanity and emptiness of things here be often thinking of and expecting and waiting for your removal from hence into another World 3. Be finishing of your work and to that end continually doing your present work with all your might do what God hath appointed and called you to is there any work that lies upon your hand that conscience tells you should be done without delay as to get your selves setled in the assurance of Gods love
Blessed are all those that trust in him The last Psalm that ever I heard was the fifteenth the description of a Citizen of Zion And the last Hymn that ever I heard was that entituled Trust in Gods Providence it was very good There it is said The righteous shall not be forsaken or his seed beg their bread A righteous man may have a wicked child as David had an Absalom but the righteous-children of the righteous shall not want their bread The eternal Spirit shall be their comfort Should I live a long time in the world I should not want for I know the Eternal God will supply me The words I speak I know not in what order they are but they are as the Spirit directs and helps me The Lord is good to his servants to all that trust in him I hope I shall be ashamed of nothing but for the works of the flesh The Lord is the same yesterday to day and for ever He is Alpha and Omega the first and the last and my times are in Gods hand My dear Father so long as you trust in the Lord you have your reward with the Father which is in Heaven Father you must be patient with your little Daughter in the flesh I have been in heats and colds but the Lord is able to raise me up as well as to cast me down I desire when my departure is at hand that I may lie down in peace The Grave is a sweet bed I never found such a sweet bed as that bed the Grave is to me in all my life This flesh is laid down in dishonour but it shall be raised in Glory About a year ago I was you know where For certainty sake one asked her saying where do you mean To which another that stood by said I think she means at Morton was it not She replied yea it was There I heard a good man I believe he is so he spake from the spirit I believe he did But when I went unto him once and again hoping to receive some comfort from him in private He was to me strange and filent and his silence at first much troubled me but since I trust my Father which is in Heaven his mind was to teach me himself that was by my close studying of good books and earnest prayer thereby he would teach me himself His mind in that which I went to a man to be resolved in and thereby he comforted me and it was that himself might have all the Glory My dear Brothers and Sisters I love you so well that I could give you my heart I have many good books and I made many * She privately earned some small matter with her needle when able and it was to bestow it in books as she did every envy thereof shifts that is according to the flesh to get them but never wronged any person in the least for them And I have one paper written when in much pain which I shall leave with you Think upon that but mostly think upon the Glorious God and upon the preciousness of your own immortal souls they are more worth than ten thousand worlds I have been much troubled and I have gone to God and have received much comfort but never had so much joy and comfort in all my life as when I was I think you know where Here one asked where To which another near her said I think she meaneth when she was at Mr. Serles at the Lords Supper Then she said yea it was so O the joy and comfort that I then received It was such as I never had in all my life I cannot express it When many others stayed in the outer rooms and outer Courts as hinted before through their cowardliness and childishness with such 't is sad But had I breath for ever I could not do enough for my Saviour I return praises to the Eternal God for himself and for my Saviour and for the Holy Ghost The Lord will cease a little and refresh me before I go hence and shall be here no more Tho I have but a little breath yet the Lord can give in more if I had none he can raise me up again The will of the Lord be done Here she breathed a little and afterward with an austere countenance and her voice altered she thus proceeded A Backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways Backsliding is a filthy thing but a good man shall be satisfied from within himself in his heart and conscience by the Spirit of God God made all things at first very good but the best was the living Soul but we all sinned and were good for nothing but to lie with Devils then God sent his Son to redeem his Elect And I trust I am one of them but I cannot as yet assure my self my hope is in the Lord for ever and ever I trust in him I trust in him I commit my self to him for ever and ever and ever Amen The Lord will give in more Grace I wait for him and for him alone All that I am and all that I enjoy is the Lords Hitherto one wrote in short-hand but not all that she spake lack abundance Here she stopt whereupon the writer ceased A little while after she spake again much more but the pen being laid aside and she spake so fast and all in short sentences that none thereof was written Next a Copy of the written Paper aforementioned of her own composing which she had delivered as her last legacy to her Brothers and Sisters whom she obliged by promise to improve to the Glory of God and the good of their own souls and was the last thing that ever she wrote But before you have an account thereof give me leave to premise this request to the Reader That in reading he would mind by whom written viz that he would mind her sex age and education A maid young and plain And likewise that he would mind for whom designed and intended viz. for her Brothers Sisters of whom there were double the number younger to those that were elder than her self all young Considering this and the intention of her affection towards them so let none naustate at the plainness of the stile or phrase or if now and then he find repeated and used the same matter words or Texts of Scripture or somewhat borrowed from others Such to whom this plain fare is beneath may leave it Such to whom it affords any savoury relish let them feed on it and improve it A Copy of the last things written by Damaris Pearse O that I could but win Souls to Christ Prov. 11.30 ALL men by nature are under the power of their sins Psal 51.5 They are naturally bent to do evil their hearts are bent after sin and iniquity and it is by the convincing awakening and sanctifying power of Gods Spirit that the hearts of any are changed And except a man be converted and born again he cannot enter into the
therefore they minded onely Worldly Matters and things from below And so it is with all others besides they have Worldly Earthly Unsavoury dispositions in them and therefore they desire no other things than such as may be suitable to them Oh that people would bethink themselves and lay to heart their notorious folly in letting out their affections upon such poor mean things of the world a little airy honour an empty pleasure beggarly treasures things of nought Amos 6.12 A Fashion 1 Cor. 7.31 A Fancy Act. 25.23 Vanities Eccles 1.2 Uncertain perishing things all the enjoyments and comforts of the world they are but as liquor in a brittle glass soon crackt and soon lost A Great Man a Bishop once boasted of three things that he could not lose his Riches Learning the Kings Favour but a while after in seeking a blessing on his meat he could not speak sence was forced to beg relief and before he died professed he was sure the King did care more for the worst of his dogs than for him Oh take off your affections from all worldly things study God his insmite perfections that he is an all-sufficient good a suitable permanent everlasting good and that you can never be truly happy till you have an interest in him Oh let out your affections after him Vse 2. Of Exhortation Consider your selves look into your selves where are your desires which way and to what coast do these winds of your souls drive you Is it towards God or towards the world You crave and thirst and long and desire something there is which you would have and cannot be satisfied till you have it now what is it Is it the husks of this world or is it bread Do you pant after the dust of the earth according to the Prophets Phrase Amos 2.7 Or with the Church The desire of our souls is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee Isa 26.8 You are hungry and thirsty unquiet and unsatisfied what is the matter Do you like the dry earth gape and cleave for showers to bring forth Corn and wine Is the voice of your hearts Who will shew us any good or is it Lord lift up the light of thy countenance upon us Physitians judg of the state of their Patients bodies by their appetites they who long for trash speak their stomach foul they who hunger afer wholsom food are esteemed to be in health so ye may judge of the estate of your souls by your desires if you chiefly desire the trash of the world your spiritual state is not right But if you can say with David Psal 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee and here is none upon earth that I desire besides thee Blessed are you of the Lord you are in a safe condition but here have a care that your desires be qualified as I spake of before that they be constant desires not occasional desires as it is with some when at a Sermon or in time of danger and fear of death O then such cry out O for an interest in God for a reconciled God but after a while these desires are off again which argues them not to be a thirst which still holdeth on and increaseth changeable desires are false desires and look to it that your desires be ardent desires vehement not low flat weak indifferent as it is with many they pray as if they prayed not seek as if they seek not not pressing not wrestling striving with God Spiritual thirsts are not lazy wishes nor indifferent formal lukewarm requests there is alwayes an edg upon that spiritual appetite which we call thirsting Oh I beseech you consider your selves and know that this is your great interest to have ardent fervent desires after God and that you cannot be contented without an interest in his favour The third thing to be spoken to is Wherein the people of God chiefly long after God and pant to appear before him To this I shall say They do according to the exhibitions and conveyances that God makes of himself to his people Now know that God doth convey himself to his people 1. Here on earth in the way of his Ordinances 2. in Heaven by the immediate communication of himself And in both these respects they vehemently desire after God To speak to these two a little 1. Gods people desire God in ordinances thus it was with David here in this Psalm this was his great desire and longing he was debarrred of the ordinances and now he longs and thirsts after God with a great deal of vehemency and intention Now his soul thirsteth for God It appears that he desired after God in ordinances by that which is said in the 4th verse When I remember how I had gone with the multitude I went with them to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise with a multitude that kept holy day He minds the happiness of his former condition I had gone with the multitude I went to the house of God and we may see what impression this made upon his spirit when he compar'd his former condition with his present his very soul was grieved saith he When I remember these things I pour out my soul in me and this made him to break out in these words Oh when shall I appear before God and Psal 63.1 2. When he was in the Wilderness of Judah My soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is to see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in thy sanctuary He desires to be restored to the publick ordinances and to his former injoyments of them he would have communion with God in his Ordinances he would have that communion which he had formerly so Psal 84.1 2 How amiable are thy tabernacles O Lord of Hosts My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh crïeth out for the living God Yea he envieth the bird the sparrow and the swallow who might come near the Altars when he was thrust from them and crieth out Blessed are they that dwell in the house of God ver 3 4. and Psal 27.4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that I will seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple His desire to enjoy God in ordinances had the chief place in his heart above all earthly desires and delights whatsoever one thing have I desired this only thing that I may dwell in the house of the Lord so again Psal 119.20 My soul breaketh for the longing it hath unto thy judgments at all times my soul breaketh What ardent strong desires were in the heart of David after the ordinance No question but David had communion with God in prvate in his closet in his own heart he was not neglective of private duties but frequent
through Christ to clear up your evidences to get down your rebellious corruptions or in your place family common-wealth is there any service to be done foreflow it not but finish dispatch it while our work is not done we are not ready 4. Be often thinking of your future blessedness this will set an edg upon your affections what 's the reason that people are so much in love with the world It is because their minds do run out upon it and they promise themselves great matters from it they have inlarging fancies and therefore they have inlarged desires answerable therewith The same would also be with us as to heavenly matters if our mind were more upon them it would then make us impatient till we were in the full fruition of them Touching the present occasion tho I know that Funeral-Panegyricks and the promiscuous commendation of the dead does abundance of mischief for hereby the godly are justly grieved and offended and the wicked hardned and heartned in their evil courses the ministry disgraced Yet as the death of Gods people is precious in his sight so it should be glorious in the eyes of men I could wish therefore that the just praises and true sincerity of every child of God were published even by some Seraphical tongue that both the glory of his grace might shine bright to posterity and that such a fire of Zeal for imitation might be inkindled to the heaters that they passing thorow the same course of holiness might at length be made partakers of the same happiness with the Saints of God let this be an apology for what I shall say touching this gracious person whose Funeral we now solemnize as one said of an honest man that he was decalogus explicatus so I may say of this our Friend deceased This Sermon was exemplified in and by her she longed after God she desired after God in ordinances when she had health diligently attending on them fruitfully partook of them God had blessed her with a good memory as appeared by the many hymns and various texts of Scripture which she repeated in her sickness Her custom was that tho she penned nothing of the Sermons in the hearing of them yet the next day she would write them out in a very methodical way not only the general heads but the particulars with the inlargements the which I have seen She desired God in ordinances and communion with him in the same and she was very careful to improve sabbaths which is an evidence that she hath now immediate communion with God in heaven and is entred into everlasting rest It pleased God to visit her with pains for a long time together and for some dayes before her departure she was as upon a rack her flesh and bones and bowels under much torture yet exceeding patient under the hand of God and would still say Yet God is good and tho God break me in pieces yet will I trust in God As she longed for God in Ordinances so likewise for the immediate fruition of God which proceeded from a full assurance of her interest in him which God was pleased to give in unto her she would say I did heretofore cry out with the Psalmist O spare me a little before I go hence and shall be no more Oh but now with the Apostle I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ and often would she breathe out these words of the Text Oh when shall I appear before God! She was observed to smile under her pains and being askt the reason of it O said she Satan shall be trod under foot shortly and I cannot but rejoice at the thoughts of it She gave good counsel to her brothers and sisters and to those that did watch with her to take heed of sin and of evil company and that they should redeem their time and provide for a blessed eternity All understanding serious Christians that were acquainted with her could not but observe the graces of Gods spirit sparkling forth in her and I remember one said I could give all that I have that it were thus with my children Many other things might be added but I shall say no more she is at rest as to her soul and as she would say her flesh doth rest in hope and now that she is at rest let none disquiet her Relations by any false reports it is a most disingenious thing The Poet could say Pascitur in vivos liber post fata quiescit When men are living they are maligned and reproacht but this ceases when they are dead If any should be so wicked let them know that God may reckon with them here for the same but assuredly hereafter Jude 15. God will convince of hard sayings he that will not pass by an idle word will surely call to an account for bitter sarcasms venomous taunts and devil-like reproaches I have but two words more 1. One to the Parents of this servant of God that they grieve not immoderately for the death of their dear relation Oh remember the evidences that she gave of her interest in the special favour of God of her effectual calling out of the world into the kingdom and fellowship of the blessed God! Graceless relations dying with the marks of their unregeneracy upon them do even scorch the hearts of their gracious surviving Relations with the sence of those flames which they suffer This is supposed by some the reason of that lamentable ingemination of David 2 Sam. 18. and last verse O my Son Absalom my son my son Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my son my son as if he had said Absalom died in rebellion I fear he is fallen into a worser hand than Joab's Oh that my death might have prevented so dreadful a miscarriage O Absalom would God I had died for thee But now when your Relation gave you such testimonies and evidences of her gracious estate I may say as Christ to Mary Why weep ye While you are mourning on earth she is rejoicing in Heaven while you are clothed with black she is clothed in white even the long robes of Christs righteousness therefore do not prophane your Scripture-hope with an unscriptural mourning but let your moderation be seen 2. The other word is to young persons here is an instance besides thousands of others of the frailty and mortality of youth a young Woman in the flower of her age she is gone down to the grave O you that are young then remember your Creator in the days of your youth as this young womans counsel was provide for an happy death and a blessed eternity Oh consecrate your first time to God it may be for any one knows your only time you may die and never come to old age It is storied of a youth that came to a Jewish Rabbi to learn him the law of God the Rabbi asked him what age he was he told his age Why says he thou art too young yet thou