to sweeten all and carry me patiently through the remaining part of my Days and Trials Be with me when I pass through the Fire and through the Water for my Eyes are unto thee O Lord my God in thee is my Trust leave not my Soul destitute PAPER III. YE will not come unto me that ye may have Life O the Stupidity of poor careless and secure Sinners What will you not come to Christ who alone can give you Life Natural Life and Spiritual Life and Life Eternal We spare no Pains nor Cost to save the Life of the Body but O what Fools what sensless and sottish Creatures are we not to provide for Eternal Life What is this momentary Life given us for but to provide for our Departure hence to labour to get an Interest in God and Christ Our Time was given us that we might have an Opportunity of working out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling and that we may make our Calling and Election sure that we may get some comfortable Hopes that we do belong to the Election of Grace O get your Title to Heaven cleared that you are born again that your Sins are pardoned that your Person is justified and that you are truly sanctified and cleansed from all wilful Filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit Don't indulge your self in any known Sin not in omitting any known Duty nor in the Commission of any known Sin The least Sin without Repentance is damnable but the greatest Sin upon true Repentance is pardonable for the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sins even those that are of a Crimson Die If our Sins be as Scarlet God can make them as white as Snow if we do but truly repent of them and forsake them Let not that Complaint of the Prophet Hos. 5. 4. be verified in you that you will not frame your Doings to turn unto the Lord. What will you not do what in you lies to frame your Doing to please the Lord What will you not avoid some petty Sins that do highly offend your good God and may cause him to hide his Face from you Thus saith the Lord Seek ye me and ye shall live But may not our Conscience condemn us and tell us that that precious Time that our good God hath given us to seek him and to be reconciled to him and to make our Peace with him even that Time hath been spent in Sin and very Vanity in adding Iniquity to Iniquity We are commanded to keep our selves in the Love of God looking for the Mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ unto Eternal Life It is to no purpose to expect Mercy from Christ or to hope for Eternal Life if we do not what we can to keep our selves in the Love of God O then let it be your Study Day and Night to approve your selves to the Lord chearfully obey his Commands patiently submit to Afflictions thankfully receive Mercies and make a holy Improvement of them look to your selves that you lose not those things which ye have wrought but that ye receive a full Reward Allow not your selves in any Sin though never so small in your own Eyes lest God should say as unto the Church of Ephesus Though thou hast made a Profession of my Name and hast made conscience of some gross Sins nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first Love Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick out of his Place except thou repent If our Love to God and his Ordinances be not as fervent as formerly if our Hatred of Sin or sinful Courses be lessened if our Care to please God and our Fear to offend him be less than heretofore we have just Reason to fear that God will deprive us of our forfeited Gospel or harden our Hearts that we shall not profit by it which dreadful Judgment O Lord in Mercy prevent If our outward Carriage before Men should seem never so well nay if we can approve our selves to our own Consciences in many respects yet the All-searching God may truly say not only that he hath a few things against us but many things against us therefore it is our Wisdom to search and try our selves and turn again to the Lord from whom we have too deeply revolted PAPER IV. GOD hath been pleased to deprive me of my dear Husband so that my Care ought to be doubled in the Education of my poor Children when I must discharge his part and my own Duty too I know not how soon God may call me out of this World I have frequent Warnings of my Mortality by the Death of others and my own often Indisposition My Children are now young and therefore what I say may not make due Impressions on them by reason of their tender Age and when I come to die I know not whether I shall have Time Opportunity or my Senses then to speak to them of the things that belong to their everlasting Peace for ought I know I then may be seized as often I have been with Convulsion-fits which may soon carry my Soul out of this into an endless Life so that I may not have any leisure to counsel instruct or charge them to take care of their dear precious and immortal Souls therefore I shall leave my Charge and Commands in Writing that they may often take a View of them as being the Commands of their dying Mother Dear Children I charge you as you hope to meet me with Comfort at the Day of Judgment that you avoid all Sins as Lying Swearing taking God's Holy Name in vain which I particularly mention as incident to your Age I charge you make Conscience of keeping the Sabbath-Day holy Do not think your own Thoughts nor speak your own Words nor do your own Actions remember it is God's Day and must be spent in his Service Before you go to Church bless God for the Mercies of the Night past for giving you leave to see the Light of another Day especially another Sabbath-Day wherein you may have an Opportunity of waiting upon God and getting good to your poor Souls When you are in the solemn Assemblies of God's People let your Carriage be grave serious and awful as remembring God sees you and let your Minds be attentive to what the Minister saith Hear so that your Souls may live Be not forgetful Hearers but be ye Doers of the Word and so shall ye be blessed in all that you do Do not spend any time in idle Recreation or walking in the Fields upon the Lord's Day for the Profanation of that Day is an Inlet to many other Sins My dear Children spend some time every Day in reading God's Word and in Prayer you know not what a Blessing it is to have the Bible therefore do not slight it but make a good Use of it Do not squander away your Time in reading Plays and
while Stop Floods in their full Career and they rage and swell When the Death of a near Friend hath opened the Sluces let the Waters play a little in the Channel till it be calmer Passions spend and tire themselves in their Exercise Grief is sometimes eased by the Expression of it There is Reason too for it if that of Cardan be true that an heavy Heart is eased by nothing so much as by Sighs and Tears because Tears empty the Head of some Vapours with which it is surcharged and Sighs lighten the Heart of some fuliginous Damps that oppress it These are Nature's Offers for Ease You see the Reasons 2. What Grief and Sorrow this is that God alloweth and approveth What is sinful Grief I shall shew you in the next Point here what is lawful and required I answer Not every Sorrow For there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a godly Sorrow and a worldly Sorrow 2 Cor. 7. 10. Godly Sorrow worketh Repentance to Salvation not to be repented of but the Sorrow of the World worketh Death In the general it must be a godly Sorrow In these Respects 1. You must see somewhat of God in the Affliction It is a Motive this on both Hands both to Sensibleness and Patience that it is from God Heb. 12. 5. My Son despise not thou the Chastening of the Lord because it is from God A Man slights every ordinary Chance but when it is from God then it worketh more effectual upon the Spirit As we see in the case of the Philistines 1 Sam. 6. 9. If that Stroke that happened upon them were a Chance they would trouble themselves no further about it but if it were from the God of Israel they would advise about sending home the Ark. 2. It must be serviceable Sorrow to set you the nearer to God Sorrow is of the Nature of those things that are required not for themselves but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for some farther thing You must not rest in your Sorrow but make use of it that it may work kindly employ it about the Work of the Sanctuary Do not cherish your Affections for their own sakes but so as they may be helpful to the Soul Do not go about to still the Affection to think that 's all that is required let it do the Soul Service and be glad you have your Hearts under such an Advantage You know how Ioshua served the Gibeonites he did not slay them but condemned them to be Hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water for the Sanctuary Grief and Sorrow well managed will make a good Drawer of Water for the Sanctuary Make your Sorrow your Servant now to draw Water for you to make you smart and bleed for a good Use and Purpose There is a gracious Promise to them that sow in Tears Psal. 126. 5. They that sow in Tears shall reap in Ioy. Now we are in Tears but we do not sow Tears Tears are not Seed we have not the Crop But what shall we do to make them Seed spiritualize them make them spiritual Tears let the Water run in a holy Channel and then like the Waters of the Sanctuary they will be healing Waters The Death of a Friend though never so dear to us will never cause any but carnal Tears they minister a good occasion of Mourning but they do not minister a Cause and Ground of Mourning It is good to distinguish between the Cause and the Occasion At such a time God calleth for more than ordinary Sensibleness and Sorrow but not because he hath declared his Pleasure concerning our Friends that is Murmuring not Mourning We should take this occasion indeed but our Sorrow should work upon a spiritual Ground and Object 1st We should take this Occasion to mourn for our own Sins Miseries are but the Effects of Sin You should labour to make Sin bitter by your present Feeling There should be I say a special renewing of our Repentance by such Providences Experience teacheth best Now you see what Sorrow Sin bringeth If Men would but improve their Occasions of Sorrow thus their Hearts would be more keen against Sin It is a great Argument to make Men continue in a Course when it never proveth Evil to them Therefore God challengeth them Ier. 2. 5. What Iniquity have you found in me that you depart from me Just as a Martyr said I have served Jesus Christ thus many Years and should I deny him now But if Men would thus observe these Experiences Sin cannot make this Challenge We can say of Sin Thou hast killed my Husband or Wife at such a time my Daughter my Brother at such a time c. Consider and say Have not I provoked God to remove the Comfort of a Parent or near Relation from me It is said of Gideon Iudg. 8. 16. that with Briars and Thorns he taught the Men of Succoth So God many times teaches us 2dly We should take this Occasion to weep for the publick Abominations When Polus the Tragedian was to act a mournful Part he brought in the Urn or the Pot of Ashes of his own dead Son that drew real Tears from him We are all to act a mournful Part now even to mourn for our Abominations before the Lord. It may be your Grief is flat and low awaken it by these private Instances But take heed let it not stay there this is but to give the Occasion some other thing must be the Cause and the Object of it O pour out a little Water upon the publick Sins they are Sparks that we have kindled as the Prophet speaks Isa. 50. 11. Behold all ye that kindle a Fire and compass your selves about with Sparks It is meant of Sins not as it is wrongly expounded of walking in our own Duties Well pour out this Water upon these Sparks When a Town is on Fire every one will bring his Bucket Why when the whole Kingdom is compassed about with these Sparks God giveth you these private Occasions that you may bring your Bucket to quench the common Flame So Luke 23. 28. Weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your Children Alas who could choose but shed Tears to part with such a blessed Companion as our Saviour Yet not for me saith he but for the Survivors Weep for your Sins and Calamities that are coming upon you Let such an Occasion open the Flood-gates but then cut out a Passage for them that they may run this way 3dly For the publick Miseries Private Sorrows should be swallowed up in the publick Look as private Mercies are no Mercies unless it be well with Sion and therefore it is annexed as a special Blessing Psal. 128. 6. that they should see their Childrens Children and Peace upon Israel Descensive Love is strong always but in these times more strong because every one expected the Messiah to come of his Race but that is nothing without Peace upon Israel it is not a consummate Mercy
the reach of Sin and Sorrow and are now Possessors of this Blessed Inheritance We are told it is reserved but for whom For those who are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation Lord it is thy Work from first to last it is thou that preparest this Inheritance and thou alone canst make thy People meet to be Possessors of it Let me find the comfortable Effects of thy Almighty Power which may enable me through Faith to attain Salvation that at the end of my Days I may receive the Salvation of my poor precious and immortal Soul for his sake who I hope loved me and washed me and died for me and is now at thy right Hand interceding for poor penitent Sinners Let me have a share of those Benefits he hath purchased for his Elect People Do thou O Blessed Father prepare Heaven for me and make me meet for it and however thou dealest with me in this World do not deny me Heaven at last the Hopes of that alone doth sweeten my Pilgrimage and make my Passage through this World tolerable therefore I humbly beg that whatever I miss here I may not be excluded from thy comfortable Presence but may be of the Number of those blessed Ones for whom thou hast prepared an incorruptible and undefiled Inheritance which fadeth not away but is reserved in Heaven for all those that Infinite Grace qualifies for and makes meet to be Partakers of PAPER VIII WHen thy Iudgments O Lord are abroad in the Earth the Inhabitants should learn Righteousness What 's the Lesson that I and all Persons ought to learn by the late dreadful Earthquake Hath it not a Voice Doth it not cry aloud and tell us that our Sins have reached Heaven that God is angry and displeased with us and that except we repent we shall likewise perish We are as grievous Sinners as any therefore have just cause to think God hath a Controversy with us in this Kingdom In a neighbouring Nation God hath seen meet to lay his afflicting Hand in a tremendous manner he hath visited them with a sore amazing and dreadful Judgment in permitting thousands to be destroyed by a lamentable Earthquake and Inundation of Water And who or what are we that we should expect to be exempted from the same or worse Judgments We whose Sins have exceeded theirs may rationally look to drink the Dregs of their Cup for we in England have had more Means of Grace than they but we have not improved them we have had the Gospel but we have slighted it we have had the Offers of Salvation but we have rejected them we have had Sabbath upon Sabbath Sermon upon Sermon and yet have not made a due Improvement of these precious Opportunities So that it 's but just with God to destroy us and our Habitations in which we have too too often dishonoured our good God and brought a Scandal on that Holy Profession which we have made We have the Name of Christians but too many amongst us live like Devils Incarnate How much Swearing Lying Stealing Killing and filthy Lewdness is to be found in this Land and Nation and especially in this City O the horrid Oaths and Imprecations that are every Minute uttered is dreadful to consider What little Conscience is made of keeping the Sabbath that is as a Day of Recreation to most and those that spend it best do too much think their own Thoughts and speak their own Words and do their own Actions So that every one must lay their Hand upon their Mouth and cry Guilty Guilty Have not we in this Nation cause to expect great and amazing Judgments when in our Land those Sins are found that a moral Heathen would blush to commit Our Sins as well as the Ninivites have reached to Heaven O that our Repentance was as real universal and unfeigned as theirs and then there might be still some Hopes that God in Judgment would remember Mercy and would not stir up all his Wrath though we are an undeserving ill-deserving and Hell-deserving People Lord we are in the dark and know not what thou art adoing with us Thou hast lately let us see what thou canst do in a Minute thou hast shaken the Earth and it trembled and it was of thy infinite Mercy that we were not all destroyed and sent quick to the lowest Hell Thou art God and not Man therefore is it that we are not consumed It 's of the Lord's Mercy that we are yet spared Help us O Lord to make a good Use of this Reprieve for we are as Brands pluck'd out of the Burning What Jeopardy were we in when the Earth of late trembled under us and our Houses seemed to be tumbling about our Ears our Hearts failing us no Place left to run to for Shelter How dejected and astonished did People look one upon another What Fears possess'd the Breasts of many all in expectation of sorer Calamities than yet felt but God hath hitherto spared us we are yet in the Land of the Living on this side the Grave and everlasting Burnings God hath of late shook the Earth O that we poor Mortals could get a Title to those unshaken Regions above which are not obnoxious to those Vicissitudes and Changes that here in this lower World we are liable to We ought to make a good Use of the late Earthquake it should awaken every one in particular to see in what Posture of Readiness we are in to meet our God What if he should repeat this amazing Judgment and not only threaten but actually destroy us It were but just with God to deal with us as lately with Iamaica How insensible have we been of their Judgments and Calamities how unreform'd are we though we see how God deals with others of our Fellow-Creatures We in probability are as great Offenders as they we spared they consumed God gives us Space to repent O that he would not deny the Grace of true Repentance We may look upon this late Warning like Ionah's Message that within a little while this City and Inhabitants shall be utterly destroyed Without dispute our Sins have reached Heaven the Cry of them is very great and should God deal with us as we have deserved we might long since have been consumed our Bodies been sent to the Grave and our Souls to Hell But we have a God whose Compassions fail not therefore is it that we are not utterly forsaken He is God and not Man wherefore it is that we are not Monuments of his Justice But his Mercies are still extended to us a sinful rebellious Nation O that they may lead us to Repentance and that the Effects of his Goodness may be shewed in our thankful Lives for this and all other Mercies which the Bounty of his Providence still vouchsafeth us PAPER IX DEath seemeth to make its near Approach to me and I am of all Persons most inexcusable who have frequent Warnings of my Departure hence if I do not
invidious Death O why so soon Why must her Night come e're sh 'as ended Noon Well may those Wretches fear to die Whose ill-spent Life No Prospect but Eternal Wee does give Thou calmly didst surrender up thy Breath Unterrify'd at the Approach of Death Nor did emasculating Grons betray Thee emulous of any farther stay Or loth the gastly Summons to obey Thy Life was wondrous but its Exit is A Glorious Apotheosis Thus though with Splendor Phoebus gilds The Morning of his Race Yet are his brightest Beams reserv'd The setting Sun to grace Feb. 19. 1693 4. Sic moerens deflevit HEN. CUTTS The CONTENTS of the Papers Paper I. AN humble Avouchment of God to be her Portion pag. 34. Paper II. An earnest Expostulation with her self in reference to the great Concern of her Pretious and Immortal Soul p. 37. Paper III. Her most serious Thoughts on this Passage You will not come unto me that you may have Life p. 44. Paper IV. Her grave and godly Advice to her Children p. 47. Paper V. Her humble and chearful Deportment under Afflictions p. 53. Paper VI. A thankful recounting of many particular Mercies vouchsafed to her p. 55. Paper VII The Scriptures of great Use and Comfort p. 63. Paper VIII Serious Reflections on the late Earthquake p. 67. Paper IX X. An awful Sense of Death and her own approaching Dissolution p. 71 76. Paper XI A delightful Contemplation of the Blessedness of the Saints in Heaven p. 82. Paper XII Texts of Scripture that yielded great Comfort and Support under her desponding Thoughts p. 90. Paper XIII An earnest Desire to be fitted for and brought unto Heaven p. 99. A Funeral Sermon 1 COR. 7. 30. And they that weep as though they wept not I Shall insist upon that Clause at this time In it I shall observe 1. A Concession He grants them some kind of Sorrow and Grief 2. A Correction He moderateth it 1. He grants them some kind of Sorrow in that he puts Weeping for Adversity the Affection for the Condition the Effects for the Cause as allowing them an holy Sensibleness of their Misery they that weep Then he correcteth and moderateth this Sorrow as if they wept not because he will not trust such a dangerous Weapon in their own Hands and leave the Corinthians to the Vileness and Waywardness of their own Affections though I allow you to weep yet 't is as if you wept not The Points are two I. That God alloweth yea requireth of his People some Sorrow and Sensibleness of their Condition II. That the Heart must be so managed under this Sorrow that we may be said not to weep rather than to weep at the same time it must be with such Moderation Or thus Christians should so sorrow under the Sense of their Condition as if they did not sorrow I shall speak briefly of both these Doct. I. God requireth and alloweth some Sorrow They that weep I shall 1st shew you that God doth so 2dly Shew you what this Sorrow is 1. To prove that so it is I will not stand to instance Places of Scripture in a Point so familiar The Reasons are 1st This is the End why we have Affections that they may be exercised in their Season God hath planted in every Man Affections sutable to every Condition in which he placeth him It is said the Stars in their Order fought against Sisera so Affections We have Joy for Prosperity Sorrow for Adversity What did God mean to give us such contrary Affections if not that they should be acted in their Order and Time that these Affections should like the Spokes turn with the Wheel of Providence And therefore God complaineth much as if he were frustrated of his End when we do not answer Providence by an Exercise of those Affections that are sutable to it as Ier. 5. 3. I have smitten them and they have not grieved God wondereth they should be so unnatural as not to grieve when stricken by him So for Mercy Hos. 11. 3. I taught Ephraim to go taking them by their Arms but they knew not that I healed them that is they were not sensible of it did not take notice and were not sutably affected with the Love of God They are ranked among the rest of Men that are under their natural Condition who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without natural Affection to be flinted hornyhearted such as have no Smartness no Quickness of Affection especially when the Misery is of such a Nature that near Friends are taken from us is very displeasing to God 2dly Because that due Exercise of Sorrow under Affliction is very serviceable and beneficial to the Soul 1. To help spiritual Duties Anima nunquam melius agit quam ex impetu insignis alicujus affectus The Soul works best when it hath the Advantage of an Affection When the Soul is made better by the Bitterness of Grief we feel and the Soul maketh the Affection of Sorrow to be Vehiculum a kind of a Chariot to carry on the Work of Repentance Ier. 2. 19. Know and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God When the Iron is hot if you strike in you may get good take the Advantage of your Hearts under your Sorrows 3dly To make it serious Sorrows gather the Soul together and make it more it self A Man cometh to himself in his Grief Usually God taketh this Course with his People though they begin in the Flesh they end in the Spirit Sorrow maketh Reason to stand still Solomon speaketh of bethinking themselves in the Land of their Afflictions 1 Kings 8. 57. Jolly Persons are slight never think upon any thing Those that wallowed in Pleasures did put far away the Day of the Lord Amos 6. 3. Till the Prodigal was tamed by outward Grief and Want he never had Thoughts of returning They that did not grieve when God struck them Ier. 5. 3. refused to receive Correction The more sorrowful the Mind is the more serious Sorrow drieth up all those swimming Thoughts and pleasing Imaginations by which Men drive away their Time and divert their Care and therefore there is a great deal of Benefit comes by it it puts the Soul in an advantagious way of receiving Good 4thly This would double the Affliction not to grieve for such things as nearly touch us To break the Bent and Course of Nature is dangerous Affections when strongly stirred must have their Exercise for fear of greater Harms It is an Ease sometimes to mourn Strangled Grief choaks the Heart 1 Sam. 25. 37. Nabal's Heart became as a Stone within him when he heard Tidings that mightily affected him it had been better he had wept and mourned As Chirurgeons first let the Sore soften before they begin to draw it Iob 2. 13. Iob's Friends said not a Word to him the first seven Days for they saw that his Grief was great They let Sorrow have its Course for a
Cains look with fallen Countenances Gen. 4. 6. Let the Pharisees please themselves in their sowr Looks Mat. 6. 16. A Christian's Countenance should shew him to be above his Misery sprightly and chearful though you take away their Coat as Ioseph's Mistress did you cannot take away their Comfort they are glad they can escape with their Conscience though they should leave their Coat behind them I remember Scaliger playeth the Critick with Homer because Champion Achilles is brought in weeping his beloved Briseis was taken from him So it is a Disgrace to our high Profession when a Christan is brought in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weeping it is beneath you It is said in Acts 5. 41. They departed from the Presence of the Council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ. Philpot's Stocks in the Bishop of London's Coal-house was but a pair of Organs as he saith Nor is it true only in these honourable Sufferings for the Glory of our Religion but in the Strokes of Providence in this very Business of deceased Friends The Apostle makes it the Property of Pagans to mourn excessively 1 Thess. 4. 13. Sorrow not as those that have no Hope i. e. as Pagans they did abound in it as see Gen. 50. 3. compared with v. 10. Ioseph mourned for Iacob but seven Days the Egyptians seventy even ten times as much Nay Pagans err so much this way that if they could not find Grief they would force Grief and therefore at their Funerals if they had no Sympathy they would slash their Faces and cut their Flesh that they might be sorrowful And therefore God saith Deut. 14. 1. Ye shall not cut your selves and make Baldness in your Eyes for the Dead ye are the Children of the Lord your God that is you have higher Principles you know such Sorrow needless And hence was it that the Primitive Christians were wont to sing triumphant Psalms at Funerals as it appeareth out of many Places of Chrysostom to shew they had higher Hopes of their departed Friends 3. It is very prejudicial You have no Benefit but a great deal of Hurt by it 2 Cor. 7. 10. there it is summed up in one word Worldly Sorrow worketh Death that is chiefly Sorrow for worldly things that works Death temporal and eternal in its Desert temporal Death as it exhausteth the Spirits wasteth the Marrow Worldly Sorrow leaveth a very strong Impression upon the Body as Solomon saith Prov. 17. 22. A broken Spirit drieth the Bones it dulleth and deadens the Heart If a Man would not save his Tears yet he should reserve them keep them up for holy Uses God may give you many spiritual Occasions to empty your Bottle do not be over-free of them Affections over-exercised are usually restrained against the next Occasion And as they procure Death in respect of the Vigour of the Body and Soul so an eternal Death too it deserveth it And so the Apostle is to be understood for he opposeth it to Godly Sorrow which hereafter you shall see you have no cause to repent of as you have of Worldly Grief is a most serious Passion and though a Man may forget himself in his Joy he should not forget to think of the Danger Worldly Sorrow worketh Death 4. It is very unreasonable If Men would cite their Affections before the Tribunal of Reason and ask them what 's the matter why they are so violently stirr'd they might discern much of their Folly Psal. 42. 5. David calleth himself to an account Why art thou so disquieted O my Soul why art thou cast down within me Ask why it is and you will see either no reason or a corrupt one Iniqua lex est quae se examinari non patitur saith Tertullian And so it is an evil Heart that will not be called to an account Suspect those Passions that are loth to be examined Do but ask your selves why do I grieve now you shall see the Answer will be foolish unreasonable unthankful or savouring of Discontent Why it may be you will say Many dear Comforts are taken from me O Brethren that is an ill Expression no outward Comfort can be taken from a Christian We should live in such a continual waiting for God's Pleasure and in such a quiet Submission thereunto as not to look upon our Comforts as taken from us Iob indeed useth the word Iob 1. 23. The Lord hath given the Lord hath taken but he useth it so as if he would be understood as if the Lord had accepted of the Resignation for he blesses God for it Even our highest Comfort our Lives the Lives of the Saints are not taken from them God doth but as it were accept of the Resignation As Stephen Acts 7. 59. Lord Iesus receive my Spirit So Rev. 22. 20. Even so come Lord Iesus come quickly It is said of the Wicked indeed that their Lives are snatched or taken away as Iob 27. 8. What Hope hath the Hypocrite when God taketh away his Soul or snatcheth it away So Luke 12. 20. Thou Fool this Night shall thy Soul be required of thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall challenge and get away thy Soul from thee Therefore we should resign up our holy Friends to God as well as they do themselves But let us see how unreasonable this very Particular is of Mourning for the Dead Is it to do them good They are not the better for our Tears they are past Recovery by our Weeping Is it not to envy their Blessedness to wish them alive again 2 Sam. 12. 23. Wherefore should I fast can I bring him back again I shall go to him he shall not come to me Is it because they were so good that we mourn The better for God they are gone to their own home Is it because so bad 2 Sam. 13. 39. David was comforted concerning Anmon because dead though he died in Sin Or is it because they died so soon which heightens your Loss Consider who decreed it are you wiser than God Is it for your own Good you weep that is an holy Weeping Weep as if you wept not Thus if Men would expostulate with themselves they would see the Unreasonableness of their Sorrow it is to no purpose We express things to no purpose by Water spilt on the Ground certainly Tears in such Cases are but spilt Water Use 1. To instruct you to take home this Lesson so to sorrow under the Sense of your Afflictions as if you did not sorrow be it the Loss what it will though I shall chiefly speak to the present Occasion Do not let the Grief oppress your Heart Ay but how shall we do so I shall give you some Motives As 1st Be sure to get an Interest in spiritual Mercies The Doctrine saith Christians ought so to sorrow as if they sorrowed not We cannot speak to others in this Language unless we should perswade Men to slight the Hand of God We throw Bones to Dogs but Bread to Children
Romances and filthy Books which will corrupt your Fancies and make you unfit for the Service of God I say to you as David to his Son And thou Solomon my Son know thou the God of thy Fathers 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 Children as soon as you are capable of knowing any thing I would have you labour to know God own him love him obey him and serve him and that with a willing Mind knowing that he searcheth your Hearts you cannot deceive him for he knows the Imagination of all your Thoughts better than you know them your selves If you seek him he will be found of you You may seek earthly Friends and at last be disappointed you may seek Riches and lose your Labour but if you do rightly seek God he will be found of you and then happy are you for ever You see that if you forsake him he will cast you off for ever O miserable and wretched are they that are cast off by God where shall they go for Comfort that have lost his Friendship and Favour Children if you lose all you have in the World it is nothing to the Loss of God's Favour If you lose Father and Mother yet if God will take you up you are happy If all Friends fail you if God do not fail nor forsake you nor cast you off still you may be happy your true Felicity lieth not in the things of this Life but in your Portion in the everlasting God My Children if you honour God he will honour you but if you despise him he will lightly esteem you He will be with you while you are with him but if you forsake him wonder not if he will forsake you Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you Children honour God by chusing his word for your Rule and Guide by chusing him for your alone Portion prefer him before all the World so that if the Devil should come to you as once to your blessed Saviour and tell you of giving you great Matters if you will but serve him yet resolve to serve and please God Though he see fit to afflict you yet love him and cleave to him trust in him and rely upon him Honour God by keeping his Commandments by believing his Promises by walking in his Ways rather choose to die at a Stake for your Religion than to deny God or his Cause Hath God said he will be with you while you are with him O then keep close to God beg him to keep you from falling to preserve you blameless and unreproveable unto his Heavenly Kingdom Implore him to keep you by his mighty Power through Faith unto Salvation Draw nigh to God in a way of Duty and he will draw nigh to you in a way of Mercy My dear Children I charge and command you to love God and keep his Commandments his Commandments are not grievous but his Laws are all holy just and good Let it be your Aim and End living and dying to approve your selves to God Let his Word direct and guide counsel and comfort you in all Conditions and State of Life whether high or low rich or poor in Health or Sickness whatever your Conditions be in the World if you belong to God he can and will order it for your Good therefore let that be your first Care that you are his you are his by Creation you are his by Redemption and Purchase therefore give up your selves intirely to him to be ruled and guided and disposed of as your Heavenly Father thinketh meet Say Lord here we are do with us as seemeth best to thy Godly Wisdom Do but love us and delight in us and own us and approve us and take us for thine own and then take what Method thou pleasest to bring us to Glory Dear Children you were both dedicated to God in your Infancy remember to renew and keep your Baptismal Covenant wherein you did promise before God Men and Angels to Renounce the World the Flesh and the Devil and to be intirely the Lord's and his only to keep his Laws and Commandments and Statutes all the Days of your Life Dare not to live in the Breach of any of them Watch and pray that you enter not into Temptation Take heed of taking God's Name in vain of playing on the Lord's Day of Lying Swearing and Idleness I repeat these again as being very common and little taken notice of in the World My dear Children remember this Counsel of your dear deceased Mother as one that had a great Concern for your precious and immortal Souls PAPER V. WHen my Spirit is overwhelmed lead me O Lord to the Rock that is higher than my self If I had no Supports now to fly to more than this vain World affords I were a miserable Creature but God hath been pleased in some measure to bless me with the Knowledg of himself whom to know to love and to injoy is Life Eternal I cannot express the Comfort that the Word of God doth yield me even now in my Distress so that I can say with the Psalmist that thy Word is better to me than thousands of Gold and Silver What though the Fig-tree should not blossom neither should there be any Fruit in the Vine If the Labour of the Olive shall fail if the Fields shall yield no Meat if the Flock shall be cut off from the Fold if there be no Herd in the Stalls if dear Relations and Friends die if Husband and Children are taken away yet if thou canst rejoice in the Lord and joy in the God of thy Salvation if thou canst but say that the Lord God is thy Strength thy Portion thy Refuge and thy Deliverer thou mayst be happy whatever thy Condition be in this World If thy good God will but say as unto Israel of old in Isa. 43. 1. But now thus saith the Lord that created thee and he that formed thee Fear not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy Name thou art mine Lord I know I am thine by Creation it was thou alone that formed me I beg that I may be thine by Redemption let me be effectually called O blessed Lord assure me that I am thine and let me know that thou lovest me though thou afflictest me that thou art not angry with me though thou chastisest me sorely There is much Bitterness let there be no Wrath in this Cup Give me some Hopes thou wilt be with me when I pass through the Water and through the Fire Lord if thou wilt be but with me I will fear no Evil Lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon me and then it will put more Gladness into my Heart than if I were possessed of all the good things in the World
Interest in thy Son my only Saviour and Redeemer and do thou graciously give thy Holy Spirit to direct guide quicken counsel and comfort me the remaining part of my sojourning here How few Days may put a Period to my Life I know not In all probability it will not be long before I leave the Stage of this World and be summoned before the Bar of God to give a strict and impartial Account of my past Life O it is an awful thing to die and come to Judgment I beg O Lord I beg that I may be made meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Sanctify me wholly let my whole Spirit Soul and Body be preserved blameless unto the Coming of my Lord Jesus Christ. O be thou pleased to preserve me unto thy Heavenly Kingdom Many Fears and much Ground for Fears have I that I shall never enter into Rest But blessed Lord do not exclude me from thy comfortable Presence hereafter Do thou make me fit to be a Member of those blessed Inhabitants of the New Ierusalem Though I am altogether unworthy yet if thou O Lord please to account me worthy I may then be so happy as to stand before the Son of Man with Courage and Comfort Keep thou me by thy Almighty Power through Faith unto Salvation Let me be preserved from fainting sinking and desponding in my last Conflicts and Agonies Let me see thee who art invisible and with an Eye of Faith look within the Vail whence I look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ to change this vile Body of mine that it may be fashioned like to his glorious Body Let this Saviour be my Saviour and Redeemer even the Lord Jesus Christ and let me be assured that he is mine and I am indeed his and that this vile contemptible wretched Body shall be changed and made like to his glorious and blessed Body This is such an Honour and Privilege that I have hardly a Face to ask But I find a Warrant in thy Word to look long expect pant and wait for so happy a Day and Time as to be in a sinless State and Condition where we shall see our Saviour and be like him where earthly Troubles and Sorrows shall vanish and decay where the World the Flesh and the Devil shall have no Power to tempt molest or disturb those that thou O Lord God Almighty shalt admit into thy Heavenly Kingdom and Glory O blessed Souls that are here owned by thee approved by thee and shall at last be received by thee into those Eternal Mansions above Lord I humbly put in for a Share in these inestimable Mercies and Privileges Earthly things cannot content me without some Hopes some Prospect some Glimpse of thy Love and Favour If thou afford me this I may then bear the Inconveniencies the Hardships and ill Usage I meet with here in this howling Desart Let not my Unworthiness be a Bar and Hindrance to hinder good things from me Look not on me as in my self a vile polluted wretched undone Creature but behold me in and through thy well-beloved Son and for his sake alone be gracious and merciful to me I have been guilty of black and horrid Sins and Millions of Sins have I been committing daily without Sense Sorrow or Remorse O may such a Sinner as I find Mercy Lord I sometimes doubt and despair and conclude there is no Hopes for me I fear Heaven-Gate is shut against me and though I cry and knock it may all be in vain Lord I cannot bear such a Thought as to think I am rejected forsaken and cast off by thee I e'n cry out with the Jailor What shall I do to be saved What shall I do to obtain Eternal Life I find many comfortable Promises in thy Word to repenting and returning Sinners that those that come to thee thou wilt in no wise cast out and that the Blood of Jesus Christ thy Son cleanseth from all Sins Lord I desire to come to thee and come in a right manner and humbly beg thou wilt not cast me out nor cast me off as one whom thou no more canst love Let me have the Benefit of that healing cleansing Peace-speaking Blood of the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the World I find in thy Word a black Catalogue of Sins and Sinners too who have been guilty of gross Offences whose Crimes would certainly exclude them Heaven unless thy unlimited Mercy and Compassion had inclined thee to look with Pity on them When the Apostle had mentioned those foul and horrid Sins that should deprive poor Souls of the Joys of Heaven he immediately for the Benefit of After-Ages and the Comfort of desponding Souls adds But such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God Lord thou alone knowest what numberless Numbers of Sins I am guilty of and for which e're long I shall be summoned to give a strict and severe Account Lord I have nothing to plead for my self why I should not be condemned but I humbly cast my self at the Throne of thy Grace and implore Mercy Mercy Lord Mercy I need without this I cannot live comfortably nor die safely O let me even me be washed let me be sanctified let me be justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus let me be a Partaker of the Benefits of his Death Resurrection Ascension and Intercession and let me be assured I am one of those that shall live and reign with him World without end In my sorest Distresses and last Agonies and Conflicts let me see thee a God in Covenant and reconciled to me Let not my Evidences for Heaven be then to get When I come to die let me have nothing to do but to die and surrender up my Soul into the Hands of that God who gave it me Let not the Foresight or Prospect of Death be so terrifying as to overwhelm me and cause me to fall from thee Be with me when I pass through the dark and dismal Passage of Death When Flesh Heart and all Creature-Comforts fail and forsake me O Blessed Lord be thou the Strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever-more PAPER XI WORK while it is Day the Night is coming in which none can work Now is the Day of God's Patience and Forbearance this is the only time that God hath allotted for Work and Service He that doth the Work for which he came into the World faithfully and carefully shall in the Evening of the Day receive a bountiful Reward but if he neglects his Opportunity and squanders away his Time in Idleness and Sloth the Night will surprise him and then it will be too late to begin that Work which before he would not be perswaded to set about This Counsel is serious and grave every one hath Work to do O that all would be convinced of this great Truth we have Souls to