nothing of what he did was too little nor any thing too much there could have wanted nothing and there was nothing redundant if he had not dyed he had not merited deliverance from Spiritual Death if he had not risen he had not conquered Natural Death if he had not ascended he had not led all Captivity Captive Let every action of Christ comfort thee who did all that he did for thee Thirdly From hence we may be instructed why so many are afraid of death Temporal Death I mean The cause may be double either a want of Christ or a want of Faith 1. Wicked vilâ— wretches they are afraid to dye Oh that that cup might ever pass from them they know not how to think of that day and parting hour and truly no great marvel death with its sting in it will fear the stoutest man in the world For a poor wretch to be ready to dye and cry out Now goes out my poor soul to answer for all my oaths and blasphemies for all my Sabbath breaking and profaness now must I take my leave of all comforts friends wife children all adieu for ever If death be not kil'd it self it kills the heart of the stoutest the poor wretch cannot see that Christ hath redeemed him from the power of the grave 2. Gods own dear children may fear death through a want of faith not applying with such a confidence as they ought the merits and vertue of Christs death to their souls Those now that the Lord hath given a perswasion to that they have an Interest in Jesus Christ those dye without fear they know their Redeemer lives and this was the happiness of this precious Saint of God that he hath now taken from us She had comforted her self against the fear of Death that she could say O death where 's thy sting Therefore in a book she had composed and written for her own use to Her book â—s annexed to this Sermon comfort her against the fear of Death She makes it her work to prove her interest in Christ and did it by several marks which made her dye without giving death an ill word or countenance death came but he had lost his sting Christ had been its plague A second Use may be of Consolation to comfort the children of God against the fear of death Lift up your heads O ye righteous be glad ye upright in heart All your enemies are trodden under foot fear not sin death nor hell Death hath lost its sting Hell hath lost its victory 1. Fear not spiritual death Sin shall no longer have dominion over your mortal bodies for Christ hath died to free you from the guilt of it and to deliver you from the power of it It may live it shall not reign it may fight against it shall not conquer you 2. Fear not temporal death Consider the Wasp hath lost its sting What hurt can it do thy soul It is not thy ruine Christian It is thy perfection Luke 13 32. I do cures saith Christ to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected Thou art not perfected here Christian there is a crown of glory that the Father will set on thy hâ—ad with the black hand of death Who fears the Serpent that hath lost its teeth the Bee that hath lost its sting O death Christ hath been thy death Though thou mightst be afraid to take up death when it was a Serpent yet see its turned into a rod. What is thy life Christian is it not full of frowns are not all thy days almost tears and sorrow Doth not the wicked world look a squint upon the Saints of God is not suffering an hereditary disease that runs in the blood of Mighty Jesus that every Saint is born to inherit the Cross and through Golgotha to take his way to glory what should wed thee to the world Christian not thy desire of life and sure it cannot be thy fear of death Death hath nothing formidable in it Say to it Christ is dead O death where is thy sting then Much less can they fear eternal death for they are passed from death to life and the second death hath no power over them I have but a word more and that is of Exhortation First To all to get an interest in Jesus Christ Thus prepare your selves for the day of dissolution It is a statute in the Records of Heaven That all men should once die and afterwards come to judgment Death is a bitter cup to those that know nothing to sweeten it Learn here to get a part in the Lord Jesus Christ a title to him an interest in him He hath taken out the sting of death he hath been its plagâ—e but not for all see therefore for thy interest in him Hic labor hoc opus est Christians here is your work you spend else your time for nothing and your labor for that which will not profit Work out your salvation give all diligence to make your calling and election sure This is your land-work Saints and while it is done you will never be prepared to go to Sea to set sail for eternity he will never be satisfied with time and days that hath not some grounds to hope for eternity O that you would labor to make this work your work You spend your days in labor and sorrow and when you die you will lie down in sorrow Believe it you that spend your strength for that which will not profit you will see the day when your souls will be troubled for the hours lost in dressing vanity in the following the lusts of the eye and of the flesh O make this your work to get a portion in Christ and believe him who though he knows but little knows that you will finde it a difficult work a work that will be enough for the time and for the strength you have to spend If you have Christ you are well if not you die a slave to death and will be a gally-slave to Satan in Hell for ever O that you would be wise and consider your latter end before you come down wonderfully This was the work and constant work of this precious Siâ—â—er of ours whom God hath now taken from the evil to come It was her practice to hasten over the business of her family as a thing to be done yet not her great work and then to apply her self to the great work of making her calling and election sure In which her pains were as unweariable as others are in vanity That she hath lest behinde her several Books written which are as the Câ—ronicle and Annuals of her life collecting those promises on which her soul rested framing the objections of her own spirit and seeking out satisfaction from Gods Word If in any thing she doubted she â—nquired at the lips of them that should preserve knowledg and pens down their answers observes Gods ways with her self and her own frame towards him and from all gathers up a posie of such evidences of saving Grace as she could finde in her soul to comfort her in her latter hour And if any asks what profited this labor I could onely have wished that such persons had been as I was a witness to her dying happiness to have seen with what a peace of Spirit what a fulness of assurance what hope what joy she entertained her last affliction the messenger of death There they should have seen this promise made good the grave destroyed the Saint delivered hell troden under foot death desired conquered despised this song sung O death where is thy fling O hell where is thy victory Be exhorted O ye that have a portion in Christ be exhorted to tred under foot your conquered enemy What is there in death that is terrible or bitter to those that have a portion in the Lord Jesus Christ Why are you afraid to be made perfect there is no taste of hell in the cup. The prison doors shall not be lockt the bolts are broken off the bitterness of death is past O desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Love the winding-sheet that wrapt up your Saviour the stones and gravel of the grave have nothing in them that is hard or harsh Christ hath been the plague of death and the destruction of the grave I heard a voyce from henceforth saying Blessed are they that die in the Lord yea saith the Spirit for they rest from their labors Lastly From this Text may those that mourn for the dead in the Lord be comforted Hast thou lost a believing friend Weep not for her weep for thy self Not that she is gone but that thou art here Death hath our friend in his hands but not in his power It is Christ that hath said I will redeâ—m you from the power of the grave Is not Christ dead is not he risen again and ascended hath he not led captivity captive why mournest thou then for a Saints freedom is there any thing of bitterness in the cup that thy and her Father hath given her to drink Triumph because she triumpheth rejoyce because all tears are now wiped from her eyes shew a faith in Christs death Resurrection Ascension conquest over Sin Death and Hell The work of Righteousness is peace and the â—ffect of her Righteousness quietness peace and assurance for ever FINIS
COMFORTS Against the fear of DEATH Being some short Meditations composed by that precious Gentle woman Mrs. Anne Skelton late of Norwich Wherein are several Evidences of the work of Grace in her own Soul which were the Stay of her Heart against the fear of Death From which may be discerned the â—â—able of a true Christian spirit To which is added some short Notes of a Sermon preached at the Burial of that choyce Servant of God in St. Andrews in Norwich By JOHN COLLINGS M. A. and one of the most unworthy Embastadors of Jesus Christ for the preaching of the Gospel in the said City Phil. 1. 21. For to me to live is Christ and to dye is gain Ver. 23. For I am in a strait betwixt two having a 〈◊〉 to depart and to be with Christ which is far 〈◊〉 London Printed by I. M. for Nathaniel Brooks and are to be sold at his shop at the Angel in Corhnil 1649. TO My truly honored Friend WILLIAM SKELTON Gent. Increase of Happiness and Comfort SIR IT is my happiness that I can be acquainted a little in her writings with her with whom God was pleased to give me so short a time of acquaintance in this life Sir though I could not deny my worthless labors as my last piece of service to her yet had it not been to tempt out this little piece into the world I should have denyed this Sermon any further publication then the Pulpit in which it was preached I need not excuse it to you Sir who know enough what impar opus humeris constantly lies upon my shoulders that I had neither time to compose it not yet since to enlarge or refine it but have sent you my own Notes totidem verbis as the first day written I shall beg Sir That her Notes may be prefixed to the Sermon I shall be a little covered under so sweet a shadow and the Readere expectation will be satisfied before his eye reacheth my Sermon But Sir without a Complement which is but the folly of excuse the Sermon holds out something of Christ his name is precious Reading Rhetorick c. are but the poverty of the Creatures endeavors In her writing you will be a Spectator to a pitcht battel sought betwixt her Soul and Death My Sermon will present you with the Conqueror singing Triumph we sight but Christ conquers nay to speak truth he both fights and conquers too After I had seen her upon her death-bed so fully triumphing over the King of Terrors I could not but at her Funeral rejoyce concerning Death with crying O Death where 's thy sting O Hell where 's thy victory It hath often pleased my secret thoughts to remember her over-looking Death when the pangs of Death had taken hold of her Ah Sir how sweet is it to have an assurance of Christs love What a nobleness of spirit is there in the true Christian that can call Death and Hell cowards It is no marvel to see a profane beastly wretch whose conscience the Lord hath feared to damnation dying quietly but to see a knowing Christian of an awakened conscience to dye triumphingly and make an holy-day of leaving all Creature-conteâ—â—nents O this is the mighty Conquest of the Soul through the great work of him that hath led Captivity captive Sir methinks it should comfort you to think how willing she was to part with you though before more dear then her own life to her It argued no want of love to desire Christs company more then yours Alas Sir you never dyed upon the Cross for her Let it refresh you Sir to think how much you were beholden to the Bridegroom of Glory that he would trust you with his Bride so long a time The enjoyment of such a Saint thirty years Sir is a great piece of Heaven Is she gone No Sir only restored Where she is she is in good keeping and as well-beloved as she loves You have resigned her Sir And it was but Justice that the Lord Jesus should have his Wife when he sent such a messenger for her as would not be denyed Ah! Sir let us follow she is gone before It should seem her Mansion was ready before ours or which is most probable her Soul was fitter for it then ours She was first drest and therefore is first gone to take her walk in the Paradise of God Sir let us blush and get ready how long shall her glory antidate ours But it will be some comfort to think that though she hath got the start in Heaven before us yet she will be walking there till we come It is a rare walk that wearres not the feet of he Redeemed ones Here we wall upon stones there we shall have a gardes-walk and legs that cannot be weary â—ut yet let us make haste there 's odds betwixt Earth and Heaven what ever our enjoyments here be This Sermon â—â— rather her own prefixed Meditations may mind you of her Sir who now is before the Throne and is satisfied with the likeness of him who is the brightness of his Father's glory I beseech you Sir as it minds you of her so let it quicken you after her So shall God have the glory your Soul the comfort and he the answer of his prayers who is Sir Your most unworthy Servant in the work of the Lord Jesus JOHN COLLINGS From my study in Châ—plyfield house in Norwich August 26 1648. TO THE CHRISTIAN AND Ingenious Reader Especially such as fear Death for want of assurance of Christs Love Christian Reader I Here present thee with a copy after which I would have thee to write some few Meditations of that precious Saint of God Mistriss Anne Skelton I need not speak for her as those parents said of their child so I shall say of her She is of age let her speak for her self Of age she is for she hath taken up her inheritanes in Glory what her life was let her books speak It was not her course to triffle away her time by sleeping or dressing as the most of her quality use to do God had given her another Spirit viz. to strive to go as fast to Heaven as most gallants do to go before each other in â—all I was acquainted with but a few of her last days but it was easie to discern by the honey the laboriousness of the Bee Her reported practise was to have made Heaven her â—say and the necessary things of this world her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if her time allotted for worldly affairs would allow her any minutes for God she would improve them of they would do her no good she was resolved they should do her no hurt by committing sacriledg upon her religious hours if her Kitchin would lend no time to her Closet yet she would be sure it should steal not a minute from it For her worldly imployments as she was consciencious in her relations so she was refreshed when she could wash the pitch from her fingers and
have liberty to go sit with her God Her Closet work was no chambering and wantoness but a serious study to make heâ—â—â—â—lling and election sure To this end she reads with understanding observing and carefully transcribing the promises she had gathered up her Bonds and knew how much God was in his Word an accomptant to her Soul and was never in want but she had a Bond to put in sute knowing that he was faithful that had promised She was a consciencious attender upon God in his Ordinances and it was her practise not to hear as one that looks his natural face in a glass that presently goeth away and forgetteth what manner of man he was She would observe mater al passages and upon her retirements record them with her pen if in any thing â—â— doubted she ceased not till she was satisfied And whereas it is the too blame-worthy practise of Christians to seek cavils against themselves striving by their cavillings to unsettle their spirits she rather stadyed to make it her work to find what interest God had in her Soul then what she might have to say against her self nor in this was her labour without fruit Thou shalt read here what a writing she had drawn for Heaven to make it sure to her Soul and 〈…〉 had striven so the Lord had crowned her Souls endeavours with such an assurance as failed not her Soul in her dying hour It was my happiness to be a witness to the latter end of her life It pleased God to continue her holy day to the last hour in such a measure that Death had not an ill look from her There mightst thou haue seen Christian what a conquest Christ had made over Death and Hell Death had in her truly lost his sting and Hell was cheated of its victory Captivity was led Captive I shall commend to thee this little piece penned with her own hand by which thou mayst disâ—â—â—â— with what an excellency of Graces as well as Gifts the Lord had crowned her I commend it to thee not to be read only but that as by a true touchâ—â—one thou mayst try thy own Soul by it and find whether thou beest ready to dye or no. Thou shalt find this choice Servant of God dealing truly with her own heart neither presumptuously flattering nor unwarrantablâ— dejecting her own Spirit For what of â—â—ine is added I beseech thee take the goodwill that he that offers it bears to thy Soul I acknowledg there is nothing of a Schollar in it if there be the more of Christ let God have the Glory thy Soul the benefit and the Author thy prayers who is Thy true Servant in the work of the Lord Jesus John Collings From my study Aug. 27 1648. Infallable Signes OF Saving Grace Each one an Evidence for Heaven each Evidence an Antidote against the Fear of Death Death being to the Soul endowed with Grace only Heavens Gate to enter in by or through it to Eternal Glory and Happiness IT is a â—rrevokable decree of Heaven that all men must once dye yea it is the Law of the God of Nature and must be obeyed no avoiding it The Scripture faith it is appointed to all men once to dye Therefore oh my Soul seeing there is no escapâ—â—â— Death thy only way is to prepare for in get the sting of it taken away so shall it not hurt thee nor be terrible to thee no cause then to fear Death for it shall be but a messenger sent from God thy Father to fetch thee home to him and free thee from all sins which is thy greatest burden and all sorrows and miseries that sin occasioneth and carry thee to Heaven to Happiness and Glory to thy Saviour and Redeemer the Lord Jesus Christ to raign with him for ever in Heaven Now the only way to make Death thus to thee is to clear up thy evidences for Heaven Wherefore on my Soul get thee more Interest in Christ make that more sure to thy self that Christ is thine and thou art his and then no cause at all for thee to fear death As it is certain that Death will come even to thee as well as to others so is it most uncertain the time when it shall come Therefore my Soul defer it not for it stands thee as much upon as thy life may as thy eternal well being for evermore to make that sure to thy self even now while it is called to day and that upon good grounds that thou hast a sure title to Heaven art an heir of it and hast an Interest in Christ then it shall be well with thee after Death that shall be a happy change for thee no cause then to fear it Therefore oh my Soul why art thou so cast down And why art thou so disquieted within me And why fearest thou Death so much Hast thou not some Evidences of Truth of Saving Grace to prove thou art in Christ Darest thou deny it Thou canst not Oh therefore now clear them up view them well again meditate on them seriously bless God for them and let them support and comfort thee against the fear of Death at all times in all extremities or distresles whatsoever may befall thee Consider seriously with thy self hath not God promised to support thee in and deliver thee out of all afflictions and distresses in the best time and mean while that all shall work for thy good Therefore trust thou in him for he never fails any that trust in him rest thou on his promise and he will make it good to thee The first ground work of Grace in thee â—s this God hath given thee the sight of thy self thy sinful wretched and miserable yea damnable condition by nature thy sins both many and great as well thy inâ—â—nd corruption of which David complains Psalm 51. 5. As also thy continued actual transgressions all thy life along which are the fruits of that bitter root either outward or inward to wit thy natural aversness to all good pronness to evil perversness of heart rebelliousness of will disorder of affections and distemper of thy whole Soul in every part not as a meer natural disturbance only but as a spiritual disease a wicked and wretched disposition evil in it self of it self displeasing to God and deserving his curse and damnation of thy Soul and body although it should never break forth into any actual excess And now my Soul hath not God also in some measure humbled thee and broken thy heart too for thy sins Are they not a burden too heavy for thee to bear Wert thou not once in thirte own apprehension in a most desperate condition ready to sink under the load of them Therefore oh my Soul â—o Christ calleth thee to come to him and promiseth he will ease thee Mat. 11. 28. There is a promise for thy faith to rest on apply it to thy self to support thee Dost thou not confess thâ—â— to God bewailing 〈◊〉 with great grief and sorrow of heart
Yea dost thou not abhor thy self judg and pass on thy self the sentance of condemnatior to be thy due desert and that it were just with God if he had cast thee into hell long ago No no hypocrite ever was willing to have this filthy sink of his wholly laid open to God as thou my Soul art But did God leave thee in this miserable wretched desperate and damnable condition thou art in by nature since the fall of Adam whose 〈◊〉 thou wert then in and so guilty of his sin and not only so but deprived of that Image of God that there is in thee nothing that is good noâ— a strange averseness and unpâ—ness to all good and a pronness and readiness to all evil No no for ever blessed praised and magnified be my good God that out of his own free and unspeakable love infinite mercy and abundant goodness he hath found out a way and shewed thee a way and means to free thee from this misery save and make thee eternally happy that neither Angels not men could do no way whereby no â—â—eature no means in Heaven or Earth 〈◊〉 do it as Acts 4. 12. Neither is there salvatioÌ„ in any other for there is no other name under Heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved Even then God manifested his superabundant surpassing unsearchable unexpressable incomprehensible love to the utmost to give his only begotten and deerly beloved Son the Lord Jesus Christ the second Person in the Trinity God to take upon him our nature and dye and shed his most pretious blood for sinners of whom thou art chief and in the Gospel God offereth his Son Christ freely to all that will come and drink of this water of Life freely as Rev. 22. 17. therefore as freely to thee as any other Yet further to heighten this wonderful Love of God consider the time when he did this even then when thou desiredst it nor nor soughtst it nay when thou wert an enemy and traytor to him and then for God so infinite in Majesty so to condescend to poor wretched sinful man that had so falâ— and plunged himself into such a woful sinful and damnable condition Oh how great is the riches of his mercy and love Yet God 〈◊〉 not there but behold more in the Gospel he opens the worth Excellency All sufficiency and Fitness of Christ to save thee in particular and he helps thee with grounds and incouragements to beleeve in Christ though but weakly and he doth in some measure strengthen thee to rest and cast thy self on his mercy in Christ because of his promises yea at such times as there is a sense of the waâ—â— of him so David Psalm 42. 5 8 9 11. And now my Soul â—ast thou not not accepted of and imbraced this free offers or render of Christ made to thee by God thy Father in as much as the Gospel is preached to thee and that upon his own terms in all his offices applying him to thy self to be thy King and Soveraign Lord to rule and govern thee by his Laws his Word and his Spirit to be thy Prophet to discover the Counâ—ile of God to thee and reveal himself to thee in his Gospel and to guide and instruct thee in his Baths Dost thee not as much and heartily desire to have Christ rule thee as to love thee or â—oâ—he a Priest to offer up himself a Sacrifice for thee Thou darest not thou canst not deny it A second Sign or Evidence of Saving Grace â—o thy earnest and unsatisfied restless desire of Christ Nothing but Christ can satisfie my Soul I thrist after him my hearts pants for him as the Hart after the rivers of water so panteth my Soul for thee O Lord and I will never give thee rest but will wrastle with thee as thy Servant Jacob once did I will never let thee go thou that hast promised to give Christ to them that ask till thou give me Christ and make me to know that he is mine and I am his I can in truth say so for as I can search and know mine own heart if it do not deceive me as the Apostle saith Phil. 3. 7 8. The things that werâ— advantage to me I now account loss for Christs sake yea I esteem all things but as dung incomparison of Christ Dost not thou my Soul prize Christ sat afore all outward contentments Even in the height of them they are but as withered flowers to thee no pleasure not sweetness in them without Christ Nay no inward corruption but thou art right willing to part with for him It 's not the manner of Hypocrites to be thus willing to relinquish all outward contentments much less to â—aâ—don all inward corruptions for Christ but in them is still some private Reservation But the earnest desire of my Soul is to have all sin subdued in me Lord Lord by the power of thy holy Spirit mortifie and kill every sin Oh! let not any one sin rule in me that I should obey it in the lust of it though sin doe well in me yet let me overcome it truly it is my heavy burden that I am in yoked with sin therefore long I to go out of my self for in me is nothing that is good But in Christ is all ability to duty and against sin all life and profit from the Ordinances and Christ conveys all especially to his Members by their resting on him for it which we call beleeving Now Gods gracious invitations to come to Christ thou my Soul dost imbrace and upon the serious consideration of the all-sufficiency fitness and willingness of Christ to save thee and the infinite love of the Father to give his Son for thee and the unspeakable love of Christ in his condescâ—ntion to the Father so to dye and undergo all the wrath of God and all for thee and the freeness of the mercy of God offering Christ in the Gospel and his Commandment to beleeve as 1 John 3. 23. And this is his Commandment that we should beleeve in the name of his Son Jesus Christ Also the sweetness and freeness of his promises to them that beleeve Now in obedience to the one and confidence of the other thou my Soul are at length thereby imboldened and incouraged to repair to Christâ— and by the freeness of the promises art incouraged to apply them to thy self not daring to exclude thy self but dost beleeve though but weakly A third Sign or Evidence of Saving Grace is thy Faith thy full purpose of heart and setled resolutions and endevors still ever to rest and 〈◊〉 upon the Lord Jesus and his merits alone for the discharge of thy sins thy Sanctification Justification thy Souls safety and salvation this indeed is the very act of justifying Faith to which life and salvation is so oft in the word promised and shall unsailably be made good well therefore mayst thou rest satisfied in it yet I rest on him to strengthen my weak faith I
more and thou shalt have more Grace that is the only way to obtain it And remember Mr. Archers Answer once to thee concerning this particular Dear Sister Let not that make thee doubt thou christ no truth of â—ence which is an Evidence or effect of Grace and is not until Grace be â—t is no sign thou hast not Grace but their thou hast Grace These things which make thee doubt added to the former make me assumed of the goodness of thy state Satan ever makes that to be feared and doubted that is true and good These be conflicts of corruption Satan which company Grace These be that smoak that argues fire and Christ will not by 〈◊〉 the smonking Flax They be effects of Sanctification therefore be comforted here with I beseech you Another sign of truth or Grace is Thy very fear and jealousie of thy own unsoundness and deceitfulness of thy heart this acquits thee of hypocrisie and justifies thy sincerity this is a holy jealousie fear of falseness to God and that thâ—se are not in sincerity in thee For first These dispositions in thee desires and endeavors being signs or Grace must of necessity be granted to be signs of sincerity since that that is no grace in truth that is not sincere Secondly thy diligent search and inquiry into thy self and jealousie of thy self is an evident argument of the sincerity of thy heart and that thou wouldst not deceive thy self with flattery false or vain hopes Another signe of true Grace is thy putting thy self upon tryal of others that thou didst not rest satisfied with thine own tryal of thy self but desiredst Gods Ministers whom thou didst judg most sincere strict and faithful much pressing them to deal truly plainly and freely with thee without any flattery as they will one day answer it to the great God of Heaven And they bear witness to thee my soul from Gods own Word of the much of Grace in thee Thou didst not account thy own poor weak endeavors â—o search and try thy self sufficient although thou didst it to the utmost of thy power and ability apprehending that they might be more able to discover some deceit of thy heart that thou couldst not finde out There follows another signe of saving grace that is yet farther Thou hast put thy self upon the Lords own tryal How often hast thou in secret gone to thy God on thy knees and earnestly intreated and beseeched him to search thy heart and reins thy most secret sins and intimate corruptions and that he would shew thee thine iniquity and cleanse thee from thy sin not willing to hide any one from him so David Psal 39. 23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me And the Lord hath at sometimes made answer to thy heart That he is thine and thou art his shewed some little glimpse of his love and favor to thee as it were at 〈…〉 which hath been more joy of heart to thee then if thou hadst a thousand worlds Therefore O my soul praise thou this God of love and all that is within me praise his holy name as Psal 103. 1. Oh magnifie his free-grace mercy and love that he hath given thee some love-tokens as pledges of more hereafter Oh my soul raise up thy self to sound out the praises of the Lord and all that is within me bless his great and glorious name For truly he hath delt bountifully with thee Oh how can I how shall I express my thankfulness unto him Surely I will tell others what the Lord hath done for my poor soul that they also may trust in him For truly it s never in vain to seek and wait and trust in the Lord. Therefore O my soul do not be no more cast down and so disquieted within me Trust in God for I shall that is he will give me cause to give him thanks he is my present help and my God As David said so say I. Oh that I could chide my soul out of its unquiet condition seeing I cannot I will complain to God of it and desire him to do it for me as David did Psal 43. 6. O my God my soul is cast down do thou raise and comfort it for thou art able to do it Though I cannot I know thou Lord art able to cheer and revive my drooping spirits and thou wilt cause me to taste how good thou art that I may set forth thy ravishing sweetness unto others acquainting them what great and unexpressible goodness the Lord hath manifested to me O dwell my soul a while here suck more sweetness out of this love of God O how great is this love of God that pardons all thy sins of nature and custome oâ— long continuance as well as later great as well as smaller of omission as well as commission sins of ignorance and knowledg secret sins and more open sins sins in thought word and act sins of thy youth and â—â—per age He blots them out all as a creditor that takes his pen and blots out all debts leaves none to condemn O the greatness of this infinite love of God O stand still and behold what love the Father hath shewed wonder and be amazed and ravished with this love of all loves O the riches of this love of God to thee O admirable superabundant surpassing love O excellent precious sweet unheard of love O wonderful indeed rare unspeakable unutterable unexpressible incomprehensible love O love everlasting one dram whereof is better then life it self much sweeter then the hony and the hony comb Another Evidence of Grace is the sweet intercourse that hath been betwixt God and thee my soul Sometimes thy praying to him his answering thee Gods upholding and quieting thee sometimes in greatest dangers so Job and David Therefore stir up thy faith and live by it for time to come Thou hast humbled thy soul and God hath comforted thy soul Now he hath this communion with none but his own children Another Evidence of Grace is Thy hearty sorrow and grief for thy sinning against mercies and unthankfulness for them and not profiting by them arising from the consideration of Gods goodness to thee whom thereby thou dost offend These are undoubted signes of Grace Psal 51. 3 4 5 6 10. I acknowledg my transgressions and my sin is ever before me Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done evil in thy sight that thou mighâ—est be justified when thou speakest and be cleared when thou judgest Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Psal 19. 12 13. Cleanse me from my secret sins keep thy servant also that presumptious sins raign not over me Rom. 7. 14 15 22 23 24. For we know that
promised to supply that good save from that evil Why then my soul shouldst not thou joy in hope of it or mayest thou not have hope since God hath promised it And why doth not thy hope beget joy in outward things it doth so Thou mayest see the full joyes of Heaven Christs presence Gods face perfect glory and these all enjoyed by thee all enjoyed I say by hope and that by such an hope as cannot fail Rom. 5. 5. as makes not ashamed It s sure and presents the things hoped for most sure for it hath the certainty of Faith for its ground and that is the certainty of God himself For Faith buildeth on Gods promises and they are most certain confirmed by two immutable things First The Word of God Secondly The Oath of God Heb. 6. 16 17 18 19. For men swear an oath for confirmation it is then an end of all strife God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong consolation Which Hope we have as an Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast Yea thy Faith and Hope hath as the immutability so the fidelity and truth of God to rest upon he can as well cease to be God as not to be so good as his Word It hath also the purpose and deâ—ree of God for Gods promises are onely the expressions of his purpose and decree And as the Mercy of God so it hath also the Merit of Christ the efficacy of his Obedience Passion and Intercession And thus also its sure for Christ hath merited all good things for thee present and to come whether it be pâ—rdon of sin victory over sin subduing thy corruption the favor of God or what ever else thou wantest And it s necessitated now by Gods Justice also That being satisfied by Christ and his satisfaction by God accepted Oh why then shouldst not thou joy in hope of all these O consider the strength of all these Arguments to cause and increase Hope and Joy in thee The joy of the Lord is our strength Nehâ— 8. 10. Therefore O my soul be thou no moâ—e so cast down for time to come why art thâ—u oâ— why shouldâ—st thou be so O rouzâ— up and encourage thy self in thy God and strengthen thy Faith by meditating on the truth and goodness of these promises their excellencies sweetness and usefulness to thee and by Resisâ—ing doubtings and so stir up thy Faith in them This is the place of living by Faith therefore O my soul live thou by Faith that is finde out a promise of what ever thou wantest and â—enture on it with eâ—pectation hoping above hope and so fetch every thing thou needest fâ—om the promises O that thoâ— woâ—ldst sing that triumphant Song that the Apostle Paâ—l doth Rom. 8. 38 39. I am perswaded that nâ—ither deâ—th nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinâ—s present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate theâ— from the â—â—ve of God which iâ— in Christ Jesus our Lord. O my soul pray and strive so to do O that thou couldst say as the same Apostlâ— doth Phil. 1. 23. I desâ—re to be dâ—â—olved and be with Christ which is best of all Truly in the mean while God alone is thy portion for thou hast taken him so to be And if God alone be present with thee it s enough He were not God iâ— he were not All-sufficient Now thou hast him in Faith in pledges and earnest yea in possession why then dost thou not enjoy him why dost thou not shake off that senceless drowsiness which makes thy life unpleasant and uncomfortable as though thou hadst none of God O leave off over-heaviness to those that want God to those that either know him not or know him displeased not in Christ Thou Lord shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterwards bring me to glory as Psal 73. 24 25 26 28. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee My flesh and my heart â—aileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portâ—â—n for ever It is good for me to draw neer to God I have put my trust in the Lord God and â—o he answers I will not leave thee nor forsake thee no never as Heb. 13. 5. No at no time When thou art therefore in any strait or distress that thou knowest not what to do then go freely and boldly to the throne of grace in the Name through the Mediation of Christ There 's a friend that will help thee and relieve thee sustain and deliver thee When all other helps â—ail yet I say he will never fail thee do I say so nay verily of a truth it is God himself saith it by his Spirit speaking in his Apostle Therefore build on it â—â—st on it as most certain For as God is truth it self so are all his promises let them be beleeved by thee Press the Lord with his own word or promise and he will perform them even to thee Lord thou hast said that sin shall not have dominion over us as Rom. 6. 14. O let it not have have dominion over me make good that word of thine to me O when shall that time once be O that thou wouldst this day nay this very hour at once kill all sin in me Lord thou hast said Thou wilt Mich. â— 19 subdue our iniquities O Lord do thou it in me for they are too strong for me Is any thing to hard for God no sure surely thou hast power enough to do it And thou saidst thou arâ— willing O what then hinders O my God let thy Spirit come sâ—nd it with power and make its vertue to appear in subduing all sin in me and raising me up to a new a holy life such a life as thou wouldst have me live Lord thou hast said That we shall seek thee with all our hearts and that thou wilt befoâ—â—d of us Jere. 29. 13 14. O remember thine own everlasting Covenant made with thy â—ervants Jere. 32. 40. That thou wilt put thy fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from thee And thou hast said Thou wilt comfort us and we shall be comforted even as one â—hom his mother comforts Iâ— 66. 13. Lord make good these promises in which thou hast caused thy servant to trust O keep thy servant that â—o presumptâ—ous sins prevail over me And cleaâ—se me from â—y secret sins yea from all my sins of thought then shall I be â—pright and I shall be innâ—cent and free from the great transgressions Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my Strength and my Redâ—â—mer A SERMON Composed for the FVNERAL Of that prâ—â—ious Woman Mrs ANNE SKELTON of S.