Memorials of early piety. Occurring in the holy life & joyful death of Mrs. Jerusha Oliver. : With some account of her Christian experiences, extracted from her reserved papers: and published, for the service of Christianity; but especially to serve the intentions of early religion. : [Four lines of Scripture texts] Mather, Cotton, 1663-1728. Approx. 67 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 59 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI : 2009-10. N01265 N01265 Evans 1508 APX2544 1508 99019279

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Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 1508. (Evans-TCP ; no. N01265) Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 1508) Images scanned from Readex microprint and microform: (Early American imprints. First series ; no. 1508) Memorials of early piety. Occurring in the holy life & joyful death of Mrs. Jerusha Oliver. : With some account of her Christian experiences, extracted from her reserved papers: and published, for the service of Christianity; but especially to serve the intentions of early religion. : [Four lines of Scripture texts] Mather, Cotton, 1663-1728. Oliver, Jerusha, 1684-1710. [4], 54, [2] p. ; (12mo) Printed and sold by T. Green, at his shop in Middle Street., Boston in N.E. : 1711. Running title: Memoirs of Jerusha Oliver. Attributed to Cotton Mather by Holmes. Bookseller's advertisement, p. [55].

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eng Oliver, Jerusha, 1684-1710. Booksellers' advertisements -- Massachusetts -- Boston. 2008-06 Assigned for keying and markup 2008-08 Keyed and coded from Readex/Newsbank page images 2008-09 Sampled and proofread 2008-09 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2009-02 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

Memorials of Early Piety.

Occurring in the Holy Life & Joyful Death OF Mrs. Jeruſha Oliver. With Some Account of her Chriſtian Experiences, Extracted from her Reſerved Papers: And Publiſhed, for the Service of Chriſtianity; But eſpecially to Serve the Intentions of EARLY RELIGION.

Mark xiv. 9.

— This alſo that ſhe hath done, ſhall be ſpoken of for a memorial of her.

Luke viii. 52.

And all wept and bewailed her: but he ſaid, weep not, ſhe is not dead, but ſleepeth

BOSTON in N. E. Printed and Sold by T. Green, at his Shop in Middle Street, 1711.

PREFACE.

THE Deſign of the ESSAY we are upon, is, To Do Good in the world; and very Particularly, among Younger Perſons of the Female Sex; whoſe Improvement in Piety, would not be too much Studied, if there were much more Study Employ'd than there is upon it.

I am able to ſay, on the behalf of this Eſſay, That I have a ſmall Army of Neighbours Importunately calling upon me for it; A good number who tell me, tis pity ſuch Piety ſhou'd have two Burials; one in the Grave; 'tother in Oblivion: And it is a very allowable thing to gratify their Importunity. But this is a ſort of a Thread-bare Apology, which I have no value for; I have caſt it off a great while ago. It ſignifies nothing, if the Things Publiſhed upon it, are not for the Service of Mankind. And if they are ſo, [as, Reader, I hope, what thou haſt before thee, will be!] there needs neither That, nor any other Apology at all, for their Publication.

I have not Complemented the Memory of the Deceaſed Perſon; or treated her, as a Baſil his Julitta, a Nyſſen his Pulcheria, a Chryſoſtom his Pelagia, and a Jerom his Marcella. Nor have I been labouring to make an Addition unto Beverovicius's Catalogue, of, Women that have been Conſiderable. I have only Shown ſome of the Garments of Righteouſneſs; I will not ſo much ſay, Made by a Younger Dorcas; (only that the Needle-work of her Pen was Employ'd thereupon:) but Worn by her, and Made, I ſhould rather ſay, by the Good Spirit of Grace, whoſe internal Raiment of Needle-work, renders the Daughters of the LORD, all Glorious within. The Account, I hope, is Modest; and without Flouriſh; And every thing in the world forborn, but what was thought might be Ʋſeful.

The Lamp found in Tulliola's Tomb, was not of ſo much uſe, as that Shining Piety, which is in ſuch Papers, as we find in a little Trunk of a Young Agatha departed from us. We are with a mighty Advantage told, what ſhould be done, when we are at the ſame time ſhown, what has been done, in a courſe of Piety.

The Sorrow on the Death of ſuch a Chriſtian, is marvellouſly Extinguiſhed, by ſuch Reliques! O Rome, How preferrible to thy boaſted Reliques! I had almoſt ſaid, Every Sorrowful Tear is a ſort of a Sadducee.

And the ſatisfaction of having Done Good, by Exhibiting the Memorials of Piety left by ſuch a Christian, will be an abundant compenſation, for all the Obloquy, of ſome Envious People, who are of another, and a well known Character.

It was a peculiar Honour to Shallum, Neh. III. 12. That he and his Daughters, did more than a little to build up the City of God.

MEMOIRS OF Mrs. Jeruſha Oliver, Who Died, 30. d. 10. m. 1710.

§ 1. ABOUT the middle of the former Century, there died at Norwich in Great Britain, one of the Female Sex, & of no very conſiderable Quality, in the Thirtieth Year of her Age; who left behind her a Confeſſion of her Faith, and a Relation of her Experience, with ſome other grateful & uſeful Remembrances of her Piety. The famous Dr. John Collings, thought it worth his while, to Publiſh thoſe Memorials, with a Sermon of his own, which he Entitles; The Life and Death of a true Chriſtian; deciphered in a Sermon, at the Burial of Mary Simpſon, a Religious Young Maid, lately Living in the City of Norwich.

There has lately Died in Boſton, one of the Female Sex, as conſiderably Circumſtanced; who had not attained unto that Age by ſeveral Years; but who has left behind her, as Memorable Teſtimonies of her Piety, which may prove as Grateful and Uſeful to many Survivers; and I am deſired by many, to make a brief Collection of them. Tho' the Collector ſhould be ſuppoſed never ſo nearly Related unto the Perſon Deceaſed, yet while he forbears every thing that looks like Flouriſh and Applauſe upon her Character, and gives but a bare Tranſcript, and Extract of thoſe Memoirs, which her own Pen had provided, it is to be hoped, that many, eſpecially Young Perſons, and of the Female Sex, may Enjoy the Benefit of theſe things, without any Invidious Reproaches upon the offer of them. Nazianzen began his Funeral Oration upon his Deceaſed Siſter Gorgonia, with a ſhort Anſwer to all Cavil againſt ſo Domeſtick a Performance; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , They being things that I am ſo nearly Related unto, they are not the leſs True, but the more known, for That; and it is but the more Juſt for me to give an Account concerning them. What was Good Reaſon Twelve Hundred Years ago, ſhould ſtill be ſo!

§ 2. THE Young Gentlewoman, who is now (as I have told you,) to Write, rather than to be Written of, was Born at Boſton in N. E. April 16. 1684. a Daughter of Dr. INCREASE MATHER; And in ſo ſaying, I have ſufficiently intimated, what Education was beſtow'd upon her. The Reverend Mr. Richard Mather of Dorcheſter, and (by the Mothers ſide) Mr. Cotton, the for ever Famous Teacher of the Church firſt in Boſton, were her Grand-fathers. She wanted not for good Senſe; and as ſhe was betimes a Good Reader, ſo by being a Great Reader ever ſince, Four Years Old, in Hiſtorical Books, as well as Theological, ſhe furniſhed her mind with a ſtock of many Valuable Treaſures. But the Early Fear of God, was the moſt Valuable of all the things that Enriched her; and not the leaſt Obſervable. Secret Prayer was an Exerciſe of her Infancy; The Fear of Sin, had a ſtrong Influence upon her; And eſpecially ſhe ſo fear'd a Lye, that ſhe then began a Cuſtom ſhe never left off; to Avoid Poſitive Expreſſions, but rather to ſay, I think, or, It may be, or, Tis likely; even in things that ſhe was moſt aſſured of. So Dutiful ſhe was to her Parents, that I have ſeen it aſſerted under their Hand; She never gave occaſion to them, to be once Angry with her, throughout the whole Courſe of her Life! What ſhe was in her Infancy, one might a little infer, from a Catalogue of her Sins, which her Penitent Soul drew up, as ſhe was paſſing out of that Age, and yet ſcarce Entring into the Years which we call the Teens. Her Catalogue does conſiſt of ſuch ſtrokes as theſe; What Sins have I been guilty of! O my Sins have been very many! — My Prayers have been ſleighty: And I have ſpent my Time very unprofitably, And I have Read the Holy Word of God ſleightily. And I have Heard the Word of God ſometimes, not with ſo much Diligence as I ſhould have done. And ſometimes I have not attended upon Hearing of Prayer as I ſhould have done. And I have been Proud. And I have been Unthankful. And ſometimes I have not Obeyed my Father and my Mother as I ought to have done. And I have Eaten things, which were hurtful for me to Eat; And I have Eat more than I have had need to have done. And I have been afraid to go alone to Pray. I uſed to Pray, when I was a bed. Thoſe were Lazy Prayers indeed! I have omitted thoſe Duties of Meditation and Self-Examination. And I have ſometimes omitted to ask a Bleſſing of God, when I have been going to Eat; and to give Thanks, when I had done Eating. And I have Performed this Duty ſleightily. And I have been Guilty of one Sin, which is greater than all theſe; That is, Unbelief. And beſides all this, there is that Sin of Sins, my Original Sin; My Nature is Sinful. Thus wrote Jeruſha, while her Infancy was hardly yet Expired. Theſe were the worſt Things that ſhe could Charge upon her ſelf, when ſhe was then making her Eſſays towards the well-grown Devotions, of no leſs than Whole Days, of Retirement, for the Humiliations of a Repenting Soul. O more Aged Profeſſors of Religion; To what a Tenderneſs in your walk with God, will you be Awakened; when you ſee a Child, Reflecting with all the Bitterneſs of Repentance, on miſcarriages which few, few among the Children of men, have any Trouble for, take any Notice of!

§ 3. WHen ſhe was Twelve Years old, the Reſolutions of Piety in her were arrived unto ſuch a Fixation and Eſtabliſhment, that ſhe came to a very Solemn Tranſaction with the Glorious GOD. She Entred into His COVENANT; and ſhe did with all poſſible Solemnity ſet her Hand unto an Inſtrument for that purpoſe, which appears to have been very much her own Drawing up: tho' ſhe had a well-known Copy of another before her. Here it is.

The Covenant between God & my own Soul.

THE Lord has been very Merciful to me; tho' I have been a very Sinful Creature. I have Great Cauſe to Love and Serve ſo Gracious a God. What can I do leſs, than give up my ſelf wholly to the Lord, to be for Him, and not for any other? And, O moſt Holy Lord God, wilt thou be pleaſed to Accept of me? Yea, Lord, I know, thou wilt accept of me, if I do Sincerely Give my ſelf to Thee in CHRIST. Then, O Lord, I Pray thee, for the Sake of the Lord JESUS CHRIST, Be at Peace with me. O Lord, I have fallen from thee, by my Sins, and I am by Nature, a Child of Hell. But thou, O Lord, of thy Infinite Mercy haſt offered to be my God. Therefore I come unto thee, and I Renounce my Sins; and, with thy Grace inabling me, I will Forſake them. I have been Serving thine Enemies, and Forgetting the God that has dealt very Mercifully with me. But now, O Lord, I will Endeavour to Serve thee; And I will not allow my ſelf in any known Sin; and I will uſe the Means, which I know, thou haſt appointed ſo the Deſtruction of my Corruptions. I here give my Heart unto thee; O Lord, I Pray thee to give me a New Heart. And I deſire Grace from thee, that when thou ſhalt call me thereto, I may part with all that is dear unto me in the World, rather than turn from thee to the ways of Sin. O Lord, I have not any Hopes of being Saved upon the account of any Righteouſneſs of my own. I acknowledge, that of my ſelf, I am Helpleſs and Undone, and without Righteouſneſs. And whereas, thou doſt offer to be my God thro' Chriſt, I do here take the Lord JEHOVAH, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for my Portion. And I do give my ſelf Body and Soul, for thy Servant. I do here alſo Accept of the Lord JESUS CHRIST, as the only way, by which Sinners may have Acceſs to thee. And I do here joyn my ſelf in a Marriage-Covenant with Him. O Lord, JESUS, I come unto thee, a moſt lothſome Creature. Who am I, that I ſhould be Married unto the King of Glory! I Accept of thee for my Head & Husband; and Embrace thee in all thy Offices. I chuſe thee, the Lord my Righteouſneſs. Grant that thy Wiſdom may be my Guide; I deſire, that thy Will may be my Will, and thy Word my Law. I put my Neck under thy Yoke, I Subſcribe to thy Laws as Holy and Juſt and Good; and I do Promiſe to take them, at the Rule of my Life.

Jeruſha Mather

This Tranſaction was on a Twentieth Day of February, 1696. And in the remaining Years of her Life, conſtantly, as the Twentieth Day of February arrived. it was her Practice, to Review her COVENANT, and Bewayl her Sins againſt it, and Fly to the Blood of the Everlaſting Covenant for the Pardon of them, and Renew her Holy Reſolutions to Live yet more Watchfully and Fruitfully, & Implore the Aſſiſtences of Heaven to perform what ſhe Reſolved.

I will only Single out One or Two of thoſe Commemorations, from her Memorials: February 20. 1703. It is this Day Seven years, ſince I did make a Covenant with God; in which Covenant, I did take the Lord Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for my Portion and Best Good; and did Promiſe to Forſake Sin, and to Endeavour to Serve God; And did Accept of Chriſt, for my Head & Husband, and did Embrace Him in all His Offices. The Lord Pardon my not being ſo Sincere in, and ſo Faithful to, that Covenant, as I ought to have been, and make me Sincere in it, and Faithful to it; And Pardon all my Sins; keep me from Sin; and that for the Sake of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

At another time. Feb. 20. This Day Twelve years ago, I did very Explicitely enter into Covenant with God. The Lord Pardon my not being ſo Sincere in, and ſo Mindful of, and ſo Faithful to, that Covenant, as I ought to have been, and make me Sincere, and Mindful, and Faithful; And make me very Thankful unto that God, who has not cut me down for my Unfruitfulneſs, but has ſpared me, not for Three Years only, but Four times Three Years, notwithſtanding my Covenant-breaking. And the Lord ſpare me ſtill, for the Sake of the Sacrifice of Chriſt, and grant that I may receive thoſe continual Supplies of Grace and Strength from the Spirit of Chriſt, that I want, and grant, that the Holy Spirit may Poſſeſs me, and fill me with Good Thoughts, and Good Deſires, and Good Reſolutions, and Good Actions; and grant that I may Glorify God as long as I Live; and grant that my Death may be Happy & Joyful; and that for the Sake of my Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

That She might go on, with a more Confirmed Piety, when ſhe was near Sixteen years old, She joyned unto the Church, of which her Father and her Brother are the Paſtors; and Exhibited unto the Church, an Acceptable Declaration of her Faith & Repentance; and at the Table of the Lord, Seal'd the Covenant, in the way of His Appointment.

I think it my Duty to interpoſe my Advice unto the Young Readers, on this occaſion. I fear, I fear, that the Action of Entring into Covenant with God, is too often done, with a little too much of the Strain of the Old Covenant. And for this very Cauſe, the Lord often leaves His Covenanting, and really Regenerate Children, to Some Remarkable Falls into Sin afterwards, that He may drive them into more Evangelical Terms, and make them ſenſible that it is not a Covenant of Works, but a Covenant of Grace, wherein they are to draw near unto Him. I make no doubt, that the Propoſals of the Two Pious Alleines, and Janeway, and Guthry, and others, for, Explicit Covenanting with God, yea, Writing and Signing the Inſtrument, have been a mighty Service to Religion, in very many Thouſands of Chriſtians, as they were in our Jeruſha. Yet I will ſhew you mine Opinion. The Form uſed by thoſe Men of God, is hardly quite Evangelical enough. I would propoſe, that the Nature of the New Covenant, which is all over, Grace, Grace; be thoroughly conſidered by them who do this Action; and that the Terms of, I Confeſs, and, I Conſent, and, I Deſire, be preferred, unto, I Will; as Language beſt Suiting the Nature & the Tenour of a Covenant, in which, tis not by Doing, but by Receiving, that we arrive unto Bleſſedneſs, and that our Holy Reſolutions be form'd, as points of Thankfulneſs to the Lord from whom we Receive the Gift of Righteouſneſs, and as parts of our Promiſed Bleſſedneſs; and the ſtyle thereof be, O my God, I ask of thee, that thou wilt give me the Grace to do ſuch and ſuch things!

On Febr. 20. 1709. She remembers that it was then Thirteen years ſince ſhe had thus given her ſelf to God, and has ſerious and holy Reflections on it: She did not Live to another 20th. of February.

§ 4. SHe had a great Felicity in a more than ordinary ſtrength and ſharpneſs in her Eye Sight, being able to Read by ſuch a dim light as others could not, for which ſhe was Thankful to God, and made a good improvment of it. She became from her Childhood a notable Miſtreſs of her Pen; wrote a Fair Hand, and rarely Miſs ſpelt a Word in all that Paſſed her Hand. She was to her Father his Amanuenſis, could read his ordinary hand and characters: Tranſcribed ſeveral of his Printed Books for the Preſs. Among the many other Good Things, wherein ſhe employ'd her Pen, One was her Diary, wherein ſhe did, eſpecially for the Laſt Ten Years of her Life, enter ſuch Paſſages as concern'd her Interior State; and indeed ſeldome let a Day paſs without entring Something or other, that was an Aſpiration of Serious Piety: always Ending with that clauſe; For the Sake of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. All that I propoſe now to do, is only to make a few faithful Extracts from, and uſeful Remarks on, theſe Reſerved Memorials. And the firſt thing, which I will mention, before I Proceed unto any thing elſe in the World ſhall be, a Notable Proof, That the Doctrines of Grace, have no Tendency to extinguiſh the Zeal of Good Works, and that Juſtification by a Precious Faith in the Righteouſneſs of God our Saviour, is no Enemy to the moſt Conſcientious and Elevated Purity. In her Diary, ſhe very often makes her Flight unto the Righteouſneſs of the Bleſſed JESUS, as the only Refuge of her Soul, the only Hope of her Acceptance with God. Very, very often her Language is this; The Lord Enable me, Sincerely to Renounce all my own Righteouſneſs, and enable me Sincerely to Accept of the Righteouſneſs of CHRIST, and to depend on that alone, for my Juſtification; And the Lord be Reconciled to me through CHRIST, and Pardon all my Sin, and keep me from Sin; and that for the Sake of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. This is the conſtant Strain! But now, Reader, Didſt thou not obſerve one clauſe in her Prayer; And keep me from Sin! This is what I am now to obſerve. Such a Dread and Hatred of Sin, there was in the Soul thus relying upon the Righteouſneſs of the Sinleſs JESUS alone, to Juſtify her, that it is a clauſe for ever occurring in almoſt every Prayer, Let the Subject ſhe is upon be what it will: And keep me from Sin! I believe, the clauſe occurs many more than a Thouſand times.

§ 5. EAch Book of her Diary, ſhe uſually began on her Birth-day. Then ſhe noted her Age; Her Thanks to Heaven for Obtaining the Help which continued her to this Day; Her Griefs for the paſt Sins of a Life rolled away in ſo much Unfruitfulneſs; And her Prayers, that the Next Year might be under the Bleſſing of God, and better ſpent, than any that had gone before it.

When ſhe heard any Sermons Preached, (yea, or but the Repetition of them at a more Private Meeting) She would mention the Preacher, and the Subject; and there-upon add the Principal Wiſhes, which were enkindled in her Soul, by what ſhe had been entertained withal. O our Hearers, If we were ſure, that you were generally Such Attentive and Such Improving Hearers, how much would it Encourage our moſt Exquiſite Preparations for the Offerings of the Sanctuary!

If ſhe were Detain'd from the Publick, ſhe would in her Diary bewayl it, as a Chaſtiſement upon her former Deficiences. And ſhe would write down, her Wiſhes fetch'd out of the Books, that ſhe Read at home.

The Comfortable Diſpenſations of Providence towards her, She mention'd, with her Thankful Remarks upon them. Yea, tho' it were but in being Safely carried out and home, as far as Roxbury; She ſees the Mercy of God in it.

If any Afflictive Thing befel her, She mention'd it, with her Uſeful Remarks upon it. Eſpecially, if it were an Ill Turn upon her Health; tho' it were but a Cold, or a Fit of the Toothach; There's a Prayer on the occaſion.

She Remarks the Dealings of God with Others; Eſpecially if any thing either Good or Bad were obſervable in the condition of the Town; But moſt of all what occurr'd Joyful or Grievous, unto her neareſt Relatives, and their Families; and ſhe employes agreeable Meditations & Supplications there-upon.

When ſhe underſtood that her Brother in England had been Sick and was Recovered, ſhe poured out her Soul in Praiſes to the Lord; and in Prayer for that Brother on that Occaſion. It is not then to be wondred at, if ſhe was deeply affected with the ſtate of ſuch of her near Relations as ſhe had a continual Converſation with, and was at all times Acquainted with their Condition. It would make this Account too large, ſhould all ſuch particulars of that Nature be inſerted. Nor would we trouble the World with private Concerns. Only as a Monument of her Piety and Prayerfulneſs one Inſtance ſhall be taken notice of. She thus writing in her Diary, July, 10. 1708. This Day my Siſter Sarah, [She is Conſort to Mr. Walter, Paſtor of the Church in Roxbury;] who had been Ill almoſt a Month; was in very Dangerous circumſtances. A Meſſenger came to inform her Friends of it. I was much concerned for her, and much afraid that ſhe would have Died. But the Gracious and Almighty GOD, who can do every thing; and who has granted great Deliverances to me, and to all my Brothers and Siſters, and who did ſome Years ago wondrouſly, and even beyond Humane Expectation, deliver my Siſter from Death, did again hear Prayers for her, and did grant her to be ſafe Delivered this Afternoon. The Lord Sanctify to my Siſter, and to all Concerned, and to me in a ſpecial manner, the great Danger ſhe was in, and the great and gracious Deliverance ſhe has had this Day. The Lord perfect her Recovery, and grant that ſhe and I too may Live while we are fit and willing to Dye.

In her Diary, Aug. 10. 1710. which was Two Years after the former, ſpeaking of the ſame Siſter; her words are, She has lately Experienced ſignal Mercy. I was concerned for her, and inclined to Pray that ſhe might have a better Lying-in than ſhe uſeth to have. My Good God heard me; ſhe has had a much better Travail than ſhe uſes to have. The Lord preſerve her Life reſtore her to Health, ſanctify all Divine Diſpenſations to her; make her Thankful, and make me Thankful for Mercies vouchſafed to her.

Such as theſe were the breathings of her Pious Soul. It is ſurely a great Loſs to them that ſurvive, when ſuch a Praying Relation is taken from them: Yet it is a Comfort that their Prayers Live after they themſelves are gone out of this Sinful & Sorrowful World.

She Oftentimes (and Conſtantly before the Communion,) ſet apart a Time, for Solemn Self-Examination. Many Books of Piety ſerved her in this moſt neceſſary and Profitable Exerciſe. Particularly Mr. Doolittle's; and of late years, Mr. Henries Diſcourſe of the Lord's Supper: But ſhe had none more at hand than one Entituled, A Companion for Communicants. The Reſult is entred ſtill in her Diary, I don't find the Triumphs of Aſſurance; a frequent Reſult: but frequently tis, a Modeſt and Humble Hope, That ſhe has had a True Converſion, and that ſhe is a True Believer on her Saviour.

In one of her Diaries her words are, This Day I ſpent ſome time in Self-Examination; The Lord grant that I might have the infallible Marks of a ſincere Chriſtian; and grant that I may diſcern thoſe Marks In another her words are, I hope God has made me a true Believer on Chriſt. I have given my ſelf to Him; and I deſire to have Him for my Portion. Very often ſhe writes, This Day I ſpent ſome time in Examining my ſelf. And frequently Concludes upon it; I hope I am a Believer! I hope I am Converted!

§ 6. SHE was no ſtranger to that great Article of the Chriſtian Aſceticks, To Retire whole DAYES, for Communion with God! To ſet apart Whole Dayes, for Prayer with Faſting, (at leaſt ſo much Faſting, as the Feeble ſtate of her Health would allow;) in Secret, before the Lord. On which Dayes, it was her uſage, to Pour out her Soul unto the Lord, in the moſt Extended Supplications; Confeſs her own Errors, and Implore the Favours of God for her ſelf and others; And between thoſe Devotions, intermix the Reading of ſuch Things, as might blow up the Flame of Piety. The Firſt Time that I find her Employed in the Faſt of the Cloſet, is, when ſhe was but Thirteen Years of Age. A marvellous way, for a Child to grow Grave, and Wiſe, and Holy; For a Child to be an Hundred Years Old. The laſt time ſave one, that I find any Diſtinct Record of her being thus Engaged, was upon the Propoſal of her Marriage to a Vertuous Young Man, Mr. Peter Oliver, a Goldſmith in Boſton. One in Good Reputation for a Skilful Artiſt in his Calling, as well as for his Piety. With whom ſhe was like to have Lived Happily, he being very Tender of her. When her Marriage with that Perſon was like to proceed, ſhe then writes, among other things; I would keep a Day of Prayer, to Deſire the Direction and Bleſſing of God, and that every Circumſtance of that Affair may be ordered in much Mercy. And that I may be provided with the ſupplies I now want. And I would Repent of all the ſins of my Single ſtate before I Marry. And I would ſeek unto God, for Grace and Wiſdom, to order my Temporal Affairs with Diſcretion; And to Glorify and Serve God, in all Relations and Conditions. The Lord hear me, and grant that my Soul may be Married unto CHRIST, and that both in Life & Death, I may be the Lord's. The laſt Time of all was juſt before ſhe Removed from her Fathers Houſe, to Houſe-keeping, and about three or four Months before her Death.

When Publick Dayes of Humiliation, and Thanksgiving arrived, her manner was to write down in her Diary, the things which 'twas her Deſire, to be Humbled for; and the Things to be Thankful for. Here ſhe conſidered not only her own Sins, and her own Sorrows, but thoſe alſo of the Family whereto ſhe was Related; and thoſe of the Church whereof ſhe was a Member; and thoſe of the Town and Land. Yea, her Conſiderations reached as far as the Circumſtances of our whole Nation, and the Afflictions of the People of God abroad in the World. It is very ſurprizing to ſee what will be done this way, by a Child, that has an Heart poſſeſſed by the Holy Spirit of God! And, when the Mercies of God were to be acknowledged, ſhe not only took Notice of the Bleſſings that ſhe had her ſelf received, but alſo of the Inſtances wherein the Lord had Bleſs'd her ſeveral Relatives; (eſpecially, in the Services which He honoured her Father, and her Two Brothers to do for Him:) and the Things wherein the Town & Land, and Great Britain alſo were favoured of the Lord. Her Pious Methods are enough Explained, without our Tranſcribing at large many Paragraphs of her Memorials; only one or two of them.

November 23. 1709. To-morrow a Publick Thanksgiving is to be attended in this Province. The Lord Pardon my not deſiring a Thankful Heart ſo much as I ought, & give me a Thankful Heart; and grant that I may on the morrow attend both on Publick and Private Duties as I ought. Make me Thankful for Publick Mercies; Mercies vouchſafed to the People of God every where. Mercies to the Engliſh Nation. Mercies to this Land; To this Town; To this Family, To my Relations, and to me. There has been no Breach made in the Family by Death a great while. The Health of the Family has been preſerved in a Gracious meaſure. My Parents are yet Living, and enjoy Health. My Father is favoured with a very Happy Old Age. My Brothers are both Employ'd in the work of the Miniſtry; and I hope have obtained Grace to be Faithful therein. My Siſters have I hope all of them Grace in their Hearts, and they have all of them had great Temporal Bleſſings beſtowed on them at one time or other. My Siſter Greens Husband has in the Year paſt, Experienc'd an Eminent Sea-deliverance. The Lord make me Thankful for all theſe Mercies. As to my ſelf, I am Alive. I have had many Deliverances from Death. I have had many Reſtorations from Sickneſs, and one a few Months ago. I have had Friends about me; and ſuitable Medicines when I have been Sick. I enjoy things not only for Neceſſity, but for Conveniency. I have been preſerved from Painful Diſeaſes, which ſome better than I have been afflicted with. I have been kept both at Home and Abroad, from many Evils which would have befallen me, if my God had not preſerved me. My Fears have been many times prevented. I enjoy a far greater meaſure of Health and Strength now, than I did a while ago. I ought to be Thankful for my Memory, and Underſtanding, and Speech; and for my Eye-ſight, which I have in greater meaſure than many others. I ought to be Thankful for Temporal, much more for Spiritual Bleſſings. I was Born of Pious Parents; and my Grand-Parents all of them were Pious. I have had a Pious Education. I enjoy the Holy Scriptures; and live under a Lively Miniſtry. I have many Good Books. I enjoy Sabbaths & Sacraments. And I hope God has given me Grace in my Soul. I think I Love CHRIST; I am ſure I deſire to Love Him, and to Live to Him. I have had ſenſible Anſwers of Prayer; and one this Week. The Lord grant that the Mercies of God to me, may cauſe me to Devote my Body, my Soul, my All to my God; and grant that I may Praiſe, and Love, and Glorify Him as long as I Live; and grant that my Death may be Happy and Joyful; and keep me from Sin, and aſſure me that my Sins are Forgiven; and grant that I may Rejoyce in the Lord, and Joy in the God or my Salvation, and that for the ſake of my Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

Theſe were her Meditations by way of Preparation for a Day of Publick Thanksgiving. We ſhall only further inſert what is found among the Memorials of her walking with God, relating to a Day of Secret Prayer, between God and her own Soul. An Exerciſe of Piety, in which ſhe was (as has been ſaid) very frequent. The laſt of them was September 16. 1710. This being (ſaith her Diary) the Day that I uſe to ſpend ſome time of it in Self-Examination; and in probability tis (if not the laſt) one of the laſt ſuch Dayes that I ſhall have before I remove to Houſe keeping, where it may be I ſhan't have that Leiſure Time, nor that Opportunity of a Convenient Private Place, that now I have. I would feign ſpend as much of this Day as my Bodily Infirmities will permit, in Self-Examination, (though my Health won't ſuffer me to Faſt) Humiliation, Repentance and Prayer. I have Experienc'd Gracious Anſwers of Prayer. When I was about to Marry, I ſet a Day apart in a ſpecial manner to ſeek unto my God, for a Bleſſing on that Affair. My God did Graciouſly Anſwer my Prayers then. Now I am to remove from this Habitation, I would ſeek unto God that He would order every Circumſtance of that Affair in much mercy; that He would Pardon the Sins I have been Guilty of here; and that He will give me Grace to Glorify Him in all Places, and in all Relations, and that He will give all that wiſdom I ſhall want to guide all my affairs with diſcretion, and that He will alſo, if it be His holy Will, preſerve my Life and Health. I am (I think) above five Months gone with Child, which has occaſioned my being much indiſpoſed at times. I would in a very ſpecial manner this day prepare for my Lying-in, and would therefore prepare for Death. I am of a very fearful diſpoſition naturally, and am much afraid of Death, and therefore afraid what will be the iſſue of my being with Child; but I deſire to commit my whole ſelf, Soul and Body, and all the concerns thereof unto my God, and my Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and particularly that affair of my Travail and Lying-in. My God has prevented my fears ſometimes. I deſire to truſt in him that He will do ſo concerning this alſo. The Lord grant that I may be aſſured that my Sins are pardoned, and grant that I may through Chriſt obtain the victory over Death, & over my fears of Death. And let the bleſſing of God be on me while I am with Child. If it be His holy Will preſerve me from hurtful falls and blows and frights, and from every evil accident, and grant that I may go out my Time, and when my Travail comes, Let it be eaſy, ſafe, and ſhort if it be the Will of God, even far better than my fears, and that for the Sake of my Redeemer, who was born of a Woman. And let the bleſſing of God be on the fruit of my Womb. Let it be a perfect Child, and let it be the Lord's. I would devote my ſelf and my unſeen Offspring unto God. And I do through the Grace of Chriſt reſolve, and in His Strength promiſe, that if God will ſpare my Life, and the Life of my Offspring, I will endeavour to bring it up in the fear of God, and will endeavour that it may betimes Serve God, and Believe in Chriſt. The Lord accept of me and mine thro' Chriſt and give me a renewed and reſigned will, and fit me for whatever may be the Will of God concerning me, and keep me from Sin, and hear my Prayers, and grant that I may pour out my Soul before God this day, & having done ſo, grant that I may be no more ſad; and this for the Sake of my Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

After this manner: Thus Self-Examining: Thus Humbling her Soul, thus Praying, thus Repenting, thus Truſting in God through Jeſus Chriſt, did ſhe leave her Fathers houſe, and by reaſon of bodily Infirmities came no more into it, after ſhe was removed into a Family of her own, but is now in her Heavenly Father's Houſe: being in that Temple, ſhe ſhall go no more out.

§ 7. ONE main Intention of her Diary, ſeems to have been, that ſhe might note the principal Deſires, which her Soul was on each Day, under the power of; which in the Supplications of the Cloſet ſhe principally inſiſted on. Auſtin would ſay, The Life of Chriſtianity, was chiefly made up of Holy Deſires. The Holy Deſires, and the Daily ones, of this Young Woman, were the Things that filled Hundreds of Pages in her Memorials. From the thouſands of her Pious Anhelations after Spiritual Bleſſings, I will only ſingle out a few, that may carry more particular Inſtructions in them, and ſuch as I would wiſh the Perſons of her Age and Sex may take a proper Notice of. Tis not the Commending of the Dead, but the Inſtructing of the Living, that I am aiming at. Theſe which follow were ſome of her Holy Deſires.

The Lord Enable me to count the Coſt of walking in the Narrow way, & Enable me to Reſolve to walk in that way, whatever it Coſt me; and Enable me to make ſure, that I be entred in that way before it be too late.

The Lord Enable me to hate Idleneſs. Grant that I may Live more Profitably! Pardon my Daily Unprofitableneſs; and Enable me every Day to Redeem the Time, as I ought to do. Enable me to make Religion my main Buſineſs; That I may be ſure to ſpend my Time well, and ſet Holy Examples before me; but above all the Example of CHRIST, for my Imitation.

I have too Vain an Heart. The Lord Enable me to Mourn as I ought to do, for the Vanity of my Heart And the Lord Pardon the Vanity of my Heart; And give me a Sincere, and a Serious, and an Humble, and a Thankful Heart.

The Lord Grant, that I may not Content my ſelf with meer Morality: But that I may Sincerely give my ſelf unto the Lord JESUS CHRIST. — The Lord Enable me, to give my very Heart and Soul to Chriſt, and Enable me to Love Chriſt more than any thing in this world.

The Lord Pardon my not Mourning for the Sins of others, as I ought to have done; and Enable me to Mourn both for my own Sins, and for the Sins of others, as I ought to do; And the Lord be my God.

It is now a Cold Seaſon. And my Heart is too Cold. The Lord Pardon the Coldneſs of my Heart, and Pardon my Praying after too Cold, and too Careleſs a manner; and give me a New & an Heavenly Heart; and grant that I may be Fervent in ſpirit, ſerving the Lord. And Enable me to Redeem the Time as I ought, when I am warming at the Fire.

The Lord Pardon all my Proud Thoughts, and Words, and Actions; and give me a very Humble Heart. Pardon the Pride of my Heart; and Pardon all my Sinful Thoughts, and Enable me to watch over my Heart, as I ought to. That Vain Thoughts may be a Burden to me!

The Lord Pardon my not Loving Prayer as I ought to; and cauſe me to Love Prayer; and pour on me the Spirit of Grace and of Supplication. Give me the Spirit of Prayer, and grant, that I may Love Meditation!

Grant that I may be apt to Blame my ſelf, and not apt to Blame other perſons; and Enable me to endeavour to Reform in my ſelf, what I ſee Amiſs in other perſons.

The Lord Enable me every Day to be Thinking on the Day of Judgment; and Grant, that I may be prepared for the Coming of that Day; and Enable me to Long for the Coming of that Day.

The Lord grant, that Death may find me in Chriſt, and Enable me to be often Thinking upon Death, and upon Heaven. I know I muſt Dy. The Lord grant that I may ſo Live, as that I may have nothing to do, but to Dy, when the Appointed time of my Death does come.

The Lord grant, that the Experience I have had of the Vanity of Earthly Things, [Now being Seventeen Years Old,] may Learn me to ſet my Heart upon Heavenly Things. And grant, that the Experience I have had of the Certainty of Death, and of the Uncertainty of the Time of it, may learn me to be continually preparing for Death.

The Lord Enable me to Live as a Stranger on the Earth, and Enable me to make ſure of an Houſe not made with Hands, Eternal in the Heavens; and Pardon my too much ſetting my Heart upon Earthly Things.

It is a great Mercy, that I may Read the Scripture every day. The Lord make me very Thankful for that great Mercy! And Enable me, to have Recourſe unto the Scripture, as unto a Weapon that will Vanquiſh my Temptations. Enable me to Love, & Prize, and Search the Holy Scripture!

The Lord Sanctify to me, all the Afflictions that I have met with; and that I do, or am yet to, met with;

And grant that my Deſires to get Good by Affliction, may be more, and greater than my Deſires to be Delivered from Affliction.

The Lord give me an Heart ſet upon Doing Good, and Pardon my not Doing ſo much Good, as I ought to do. Grant that I may be careful to improve all my Talents unto the Glory of God; and that the Conſideration of the Littleneſs of my Time on Earth, may quicken me to do all that I can! That I may be often thinking; How I may Glorify God? And that I may Endeavour, that Others may Glorify God; And be earneſt in Prayer, That I may know wherein I may Glorify God.

The Lord give me an Heart, willing to Submit unto the Will of God in every thing; and Enable me, when I am under Affliction to be Patient and Thoughtful. Enable me to bear, whatever Croſſes my Saviour ſhall pleaſe to ſend upon me; and when I am under Affliction, to be very Humble, and Fruitful, and Prayerful. And Pardon my not getting that Good by Affliction, that I ought to have got by it.

The Lord Pardon all my Sin; and Enable me to ſee what Sin it is, that I am moſt apt to fall into; and Enable me to watch againſt that Sin, and to mourn for that Sin, in a peculiar manner.

The Lord grant that I may have Eternal Life, and Spiritual Health; and grant that the Chief Reaſon, why I deſire Temporal Life, and Corporal Health, may be, that ſo I may Serve and Glorify my Lord Jeſus Chriſt And that I may Sincerely and Entirely Reſign my Will unto the Holy Will of God, at all times, and in every thing.

Has Chriſt ſo Loved me, as to Dy for me? Then I have unſpeakable Cauſe to Love and Serve Chriſt. The Lord Enable me to Love Chriſt more than any thing; and give me an Heart ſet to Glorify Chriſt; to Live to the Glory of Chriſt, as long as I live, and willing to Suffer for the Name of Chriſt. That I may Serve Chriſt, as long as I Live, and go to be with Chriſt, when I Dy. Keep me from ſetting my Heart upon the Things of the World; and Enable me to Love Chriſt, unſpeakably more, than the moſt Deſirable Things I have in this world. And Enable me Chearfully to Reſign the moſt Deſirable Things I have in this world, when God Commands me to Reſign them. And grant, that I may be prepared for Eternity.

The Lord grant, that I may not think, the better of my ſelf for being in Proſperity, nor the worſe of others for being in Affliction. And grant, that I may not be Diſcouraged, when I meet with Affliction; but that I may be made Better by Affliction. And grant that the Mercies of God may cauſe me to Devote my ſelf Body & Soul unto the Service of my Lord Jeſus Chriſt. The Lord Sanctify to me, both Afflictions, and Mercies. I hope, I had rather have Sanctified Afflictions, than Unſanctified Mercies.

The Lord Pardon my being too unmindful of my Baptiſmal Obligatitions; and help me to improve my Baptiſm, as I ought to do.

The Lord enable me to Mourn for All my Sins; and enable me to Mourn moſt, for my Original Sin, and grant that I may not Dy in a Natural, Unconverted Eſtate. Make me very Senſible of my Original Sin; and grant, that I may not Dy before I am New Born; but enable me in the Days of my Youth, to make ſure of a Thorough Converſion. I hope, I have given my ſelf unto Chriſt!

The Lord enable me, to take heed, how I Hear the Word Preached; and grant, that when I hear Sermons, I may have many Holy Ejaculations! And that I may hear the Word with a Particular Application of it to my ſelf.

The Lord grant, that I may get Good by Afflictions; and not only by my own Afflictions, but alſo by the Afflictions of Others; and that all things may Work together for my Good. And the Lord make me Thankful for the Mercies of Others, as well as for my Own. And grant, that I may be a true Mourner, both for my own Sins, and for the Sins of Others. And grant, that I may be much in Prayer for Others as well as my Self. 'Grant, that my Life may be full of Prayer; and that I may be full of Chriſt, and full of Joy, and full of Uſe.

It is the Lord, who has given me that Health, that I enjoy. The Lord make me very Thankful. And if it be His Holy Will the Lord perfect my Reſtoration; and direct to the uſe of what means ought to be uſed for me; and give a Bleſſing on means; and Pardon my being too apt to depend on means; and keep me from too much Depending on means: and enable me to Deſire Life and Health for Right Ends; and enable me to be more Deſirous of the Health of my Soul, than of Bodily Health; and grant, that my Soul may proſper and be in Health; and enable me Sincerely to Reſign my whole Self, and all my Concerns, unto the Diſpoſal of my Heavenly Father. I hope, I had rather have Sanctified Sickneſſes, than Unſanctified Health.

The Lord keep me from Sinning, when I go a Viſiting; and enable me to manage my Viſits as I ought to.

I am afraid, that my Fears of Death, are a Sign that I am not Fit for Death. The Lord Pardon all my Sinful Deſires of Life, and Fears of Death. The Lord enable me, to make ſure of an Intereſt in Chriſt, and grant, that I may Live above the Fear of Death; and that I may ſo do, enable me to Familiarize Death by Daily Thoughts of it; & to Think much on CHRIST, on His Death, and on His Righteouſneſs; and on His Glory; and to be careful to Walk cloſely with God: And to conſider, what an undeſireable Place this World is; and what a Deſireable Place Heaven is. Grant, That I may long to be in Heaven! And enable me to get as much of that Grace, which will go to Heaven with me, as poſſibly I can! And to Delight in that which is the Work of Heaven: Delight in the Sabbath; and Delight to Serve God, and Love to be where God is Served; and endeavour after an Actual, as well as an Habitual meetneſs for Heaven! And ſo Live, that I may have nothing to do, but to Dy and go to Heaven.

The Lord give me a very Thankful Heart; and grant that I may be often thinking, What ſhall I render unto the Lord for all His Benefits? And enable me to Glorify God with all my Enjoyments, as long as I Live: Devote my All to the Service of my God!

If there be any Sin of Ignorance, that I do Live in, the Lord diſcover it to me; and enable me Sincerely to Hate and Forſake all Sin.

Enable me to be careful, What Perſons I chuſe for my Companions; and keep me from Delighting in Vain Company, and cauſe me to Love Serious Company.

Grant, that I may manifeſt my Love to God, by my Hatred of Sin; and grant, that I may fear Sin, more than Death.

Grant, that I may know (and that I may be very Sollicitous to know,) what Errand my Afflictions come of, and that my Afflictions may do the Errand they come of; and that the Fruit of all my Afflictions may be, to take away Sin; and that I may Chuſe Affliction rather than Sin. And grant, that I may be Thankful for thoſe Afflictions, that do make me more Holy; and that I may have Grace, and Wiſdom and Patience, to bear Afflictions as I ought, and to take up my Creſs!

Grant, that I may Mourn for the Wickedneſs of the Whole World; and that I may be Weaned from this World and that I may be very willing to Leave this Wicked and Wretched World, whenever God ſhall call me to Leave it!

The Lord be my own and bleſs me Bleſs me with Spiritual Bleſſings, & enable me in the firſt & chief place to deſire thoſe Bleſſings. And the Lord add to me thoſe Temporal Bleſſings which I ſtand in need of. He knows what I want and what is beſt for me. I deſire to caſt all my care upon Him, and to put my truſt in Him who has bid me be careful for nothing, but in every thing with Prayer and Thanksgiving to let my requeſts be made known to Him. The Lord keep me from Sin.

I was going on; — But the Swell of the work, which will be Loſt if it be not Confined unto Narrow Limits, forbids my proceeding any further. So much of the Oyl in the Veſſel, may ſuffice to anſwer the preſent Intention. I only ſay; Firſt, I do very Solemnly Declare, That I have been careful not to Add One Word, unto the Writings from which I have been thus Tranſcribing. It muſt alſo be Remembred, that it is not an Able Divine, but a Little Damſel, whoſe Writings are here Tranſcribed. Furthermore, In theſe Few Paſſages, there are the main Lineaments of the New Creature, and of a Work of Grace in a Mind Renewed, and Sanctified, and Purified by the Spirit of God. They that have the Fear of God, will Rejoyce when they ſee theſe things, and Read them with an Allubeſcence of Heart, as finding themſelves wound up to an Uniſon with them. Finally. The View of theſe Diſpoſitions, may by the Bleſſing of God, be helpful, and be honoured with ſome Inſtrumentality, to produce, or maintain the like in others; Eſpecially in Perſons of the ſame Age and Sex with her, from whom we have the Diſpoſitions of Piety, in ſuch Living Exhibitions of it. An Effect preferrible to the beſt Cure ever affirm'd to be wrought by Macrina, the Siſter of Baſil, whom Gregory Nyſſen hath ſo Panegyrized unto! And if it ſhould be ſo; a Deſire of hers, more than Once or Twice occurring in her Diary, will be happily anſwered. There, mentioning her Hopes of her own Converſion; ſhe adds, Enable me to do what I ought, that others may be Converted alſo! Having mention'd her Hopes of having her own Soul Wun to and by her Saviour, She adds; Enable me to do what I ought, that Others may be Wun to Serve Chriſt! Ah, Dear Child; It is now doing, beyond what thy Humble Soul could have Imagined! There is one thing more, not improper to be mentioned, She had an heart ſet to do Good according to the utmoſt of her Capacity: and more particularly, She was of a Liberal diſpoſition; She Deviſed Liberal Things. When ſhe ſent (as now and then ſhe did) her Little Ventures to Sea, at the return ſhe would be ſure to lay aſide the Tenth of her gain for Pious Uſes. After ſhe was in a Married Eſtate ſhe was according to her ability very Liberally Charitable to the Poor; Conſidered the Poor.

§ 8. IT is Evident from her Memorial, that ſhe received many and Wondrous Anſwers of Prayer. There is no need of their being ſo Publickly Expoſed, as they muſt be, if they make any part of this Relation. Only, Let Young Perſons be Encouraged from her Example and Experience. Children, You will doubtleſs find what ſhe did; The Lord is Good unto them that Wait for Him, unto the Soul that Seeks Him.

However, One Important Article, ſhall not be left unmentioned. I find it an Article of Prayer, frequently Reiterated with her; That I may Dy Believingly, Willingly, and Joyfully. And elſe-where, That I may thro' Chriſt obtain the Victory over Death, and over my Fears of Death. Yea, Sometimes it ſoars to this. The Lord grant, that I may have ſuch Fore-ſights and Fore-taſts of the Joyes of Heaven, as may cauſe me to long to be there.

Now, Reader, Expect a very Surpriſing Iſſue!

Her Travail drew nigh; and ſhe had been ſo Indiſpoſed, that her Friends were doubtful of the Conſequences. The laſt Words, that ever ſhe Wrote were theſe.

Dec. 16. 1710. I am Every Day expecting my Travail. The Lord keep me from Sin; And be with me, when my Travail comes, and Deliver me for the Sake of Chriſt, who was born of a Woman. Grant, that I may put my Truſt in Chriſt, and not Fear. Let my Fears be Prevented, for the Sake of my Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

The Prayer-hearing Lord, was marvellouſly Gracious to her. The Day following, ſhe was Delivered; and there has rarely been known a more Eaſy Travail, of a Firſt-born Infant. The Lord alſo anſwered her Prayers in giving her the comprehenſive Mercy of a Perfect Child; which when Baptized had her Mothers Name given to her, but dyed the Week after her Mother; and now Sleeps in the ſame Tomb with her.

After her Comfortable Travail, all that Week, there was great Hope of her being Shortly & Safely Recovered. But on the next Lords-Day, a Sudden Change appeared on her.

And a Change indeed!

She had been of a Timerous and Melancholy Conſtitution; which might ſomewhat contribute, unto that Fear of Death, which had all her Life-time very much kept her in Bondage. But now, to our Aſtoniſhment, ſhe told thoſe who attended her; She was ſure, the Time for her Death was now come; And ſhe was now above that Fear of it, that ſhe had heretofore been Subject to.

It is not the Portion of all the Children of God, to Dy with Triumphant Joyes. Very Eminent Servants of God, have, with Holy Bains, declared on their Death-beds, that tho' they have Enjoy'd a Calm of Soul, yet they had no uncommon Joyes. Yea, Sometimes they have rather Suffered ſome Dejection, ſome Deſpondency of Mind Pious Throgmorton when Dying, asked the famous Dod, What ſhall be thought of a Dying man, who has not the Light of the Countenance of God ſhining on him? Mr. Dod replied, What ſhall be thought of JESUS CHRIST, who when He was a Dying Said, My God, My God, Why haſt thou forſaken me? This Thought revived him. On the other ſide, It is the Portion of Some, to go away Triumphing unto the Heavenly World. So did our Great Ames, unto the Aſtoniſhment of a Popiſh Phyſician; who asked, Whether Proteſtants did uſe to Dy after that manner! Thus Mr. Holland, thus Dr. Winter, had ſuch Views and Joyes of Heaven in their Dying Hours, That they Scarce knew, whether they were in the Body, or out of the Body. Yea, Some Handmaids of the Lord have had ſuch Experiences; The Fearful Sex have Triumphed over the King of Fears. Dying Mrs. Stubbs ſaid unto thoſe about her, O that you did but ſee what I ſee! I ſee Millions of Angels; whom God has appointed to carry my Soul to Heaven. Dying Mrs. Brettergh ſaid, O the Joyes! the Joyes! the Joyes that I feel! They are Wonderful, they are Wonderful, they are Wonderful!

And ſo our Dying JERUSHA!— When ſhe certainly knew, that ſhe was to Dy, ſhe ſaid unto thoſe about her; Here is a Strange Thing! when I was in Health, Death was a Terror to me. But now I know, I ſhall Dy. I am not at all afraid of it. She ſaid, This is a Wonderful Work of God! I know, that I am going to Chriſt: That I ſhall ſhortly be in the Heavenly Jeruſalem, with an Innumerable Company of Angels, and among the Spirits of Juſt Men made Perfect. Said ſhe; I ſee things that are Unutterable! Then ſhe Sang for Joy. And yet in her whole Diſcourſe had nothing that Look'd at all Delirious. Her Father, at her Deſire coming to her, found her in an Ecſtaſy of Joy; Saying, O the Glory of Heaven! O the Glory of Heaven! O the Glory of Heaven! I ſee a Glory, which cannot be Expreſs'd; Perſons and Things, which I want a Language to declare what they are! She deſired a Meſſage to be carried from her, unto her Siſter at Roxbury; That ſhe ſhould be ſure, not to be afraid of Dying. Her Father ſaid unto her; Why? Are not you afraid of Death? She replied with great Earneſtneſs; Not in the Leaſt! Not in the Leaſt! Not in the Leaſt!

I can readily Suppoſe, that the Force of Imagination will ſometimes carry People into Strange Tranſports. And I can heartily Subſcribe to the Words of our Jeruſha's famous Uncle, Mr. Samuel Mather, late Paſtor of a Congregation in Dublin, and the firſt Preacher in the North Congregation in Boſton, (in his Book of, The Types. p. 42.) I had rather have a little Solid Comfort, in that Good old plain Scripture way of Faith and Repentance, and Labouring with my own Heart to apply the Promiſes; And I value this more than if an Angel ſhould appear to me out of Heaven, to tell me, that I am a Child of God. I am ſure, that if I walk cloſely with God, if I exerciſe my ſelf unto Godlineſs, and unto Communion with Him, in Faith and Prayer, and in Seeking of Him, and Humbling my ſelf before Him daily, I am ſure, that in this way I cannot miſcarry. Yet the ſame Judicious Perſon adds, I would not adviſe Believers, utterly to reject all Comforts, where there is poſſibly ſomething of Enthuſiaſm intermixt, if there be a Suitableneſs to their Condition in the Promiſes brought to their Hand in ſuch a way, and there be a Reliſh of the Goſpel, and the Promiſes and Bleſſings of it. And ſometimes theſe Raptures are ſo circumſtanced as to carry upon them the plain Signatures of an Angelical Operation. Eſpecially when they are in Perſons never known to be on the leaſt ſubject to Enthuſiaſm, or to any thing of a Rapturous Nature, but much the contrary, as it was with our Jeruſha.

Theſe Raptures did not continue many Hours. Her Flights were ſomewhat abated. The Solid Comfort her Uncle Speaks of, contented her; yet ſhe never had any Dread of Death on her Spirit after this Day. Some Days afterwards her Father asked her, Whether ſhe were ſtill Willing to Dy? Her Anſwer was; Tis Natural to deſire Life; but I am willing to be at Gods Diſpoſal, Whether it be for Life, or Death. As ſhe drew near her End, She Signified, both unto her Father, and unto her Brother; That ſhe Hoped ſhe was now going to Heaven. On Dec. 30. in the Night, after ſhe had been for ſome time Speechleſs, her Speech unexpectedly Returned ſo far, that ſhe deſired, Her Father might Pray with her, That ſhe might be quickly in the Kingdom of God. He did ſo; and bleſs'd God for giving him ſuch a Daughter, and gave her back unto the Lord. She continued above the Fear of Death; and One of her Laſt audible words was, I am in Diſtreſs to be gone! So ſhe fell Aſleep in JESUS.

It is no Unuſual Thing, for Praying Ones, who have been much Afraid of Death, in the time of their Health, to be Strangely carried above it, as their Death approaches. Our Jeruſha had an Excellent Grand-mother, (her Fathers Mother,) who was One Remarkable Inſtance of this Obſervation. She was a Gentlewoman of rare Piety; and One who ſpent much Time in Reading, and in Meditation and Supplication, and Communion with God. Nevertheleſs, She was for many years much afraid of Dying; and particularly fearful, that the Pangs of Death would prove terrible, and very grievous and painful. It pleaſed God, that the Event proved much otherwiſe than ſhe feared She dyed Eaſily; and fill'd with Divine and Holy Joy. She left the World with thoſe Words; Eye has not ſeen, Ear has not heard, neither entred into the Heart of Man, the things which God has prepared for them that Love Him!

DEATH, More like a Prince of Life, than King of Fears, Said, Now I'm come, to anſwer all thy Prayers, and Tears.

Thus Nazianzen in his Funeral Oration on his Devout Siſter, ſeems to Report it with Raptures, that ſhe dyed Singing of thoſe Words; Pſal. IV. 8.

In Peace with GOD ly down I will; My Quiet Sleep I'l take. In Glad Aſſurance me to Dwell, Thou, Glorious LORD, wilt make. FINIS.
Advertiſement. •• ere is deſigned for the Preſs,

MEditations on the Glory of the Heavenly World.

I. On the Happineſs of the 〈◊〉 of Believers, at the Inſtant 〈◊〉 their Separation from their Bodies.

II. On the Glory of the Bodies 〈◊〉 God's Children in the Reſur ••• tion World, when they ſhall be the Angels of Heaven.

III. On the Glory of both Soul 〈◊〉 Body in the Heaven of Heavens, or the Day of Judgment, to all •• ERNITY.

Increaſe Mather, D. D.

To be Sold by Timothy Green, at 〈◊〉 Shop in Middle-Street, the North 〈◊〉 of Boſton, New-England.