The sovereign God acknowledged and blessed, both in giving and taking away. A sermon occasioned by the decease of Mrs. Deborah Prince, on Friday July 20. 1744. In the 21st year of her age. Delivered at the South Church in Boston, July 29. Being the Lord's-Day after her funeral. : With a brief account of the dealings of God towards her; especially in the time of her sickness and passing through the valley of the shadow of death. / By her father. ; [Four lines of Scripture texts]

The sovereign God acknowledged and blessed, both in giving and taking away. A sermon occasioned by the decease of Mrs. Deborah Prince, on Friday July 20. 1744. In the 21st year of her age. Delivered at the South Church in Boston, July 29. Being the Lord's-Day after her funeral. : With a brief account of the dealings of God towards her; especially in the time of her sickness and passing through the valley of the shadow of death. / By her father. ; [Four lines of Scripture texts]

Table of contents

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Title page

The Sovereign GOD Acknowledged and Blessed, both in Giving and Taking away.

APPENDIX. Containing Copies of some of her Papers.

The Method I intend by GOD'S Grace to keep every Day.

In the Morning.

At Noon.

At Night.

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A LETTER.

Another LETTER.

CORRECTIONS.

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Mr. PRINCE'S SERMON Occasioned By the DEATH of His eldest Daughter.

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The Sovereign GOD Acknowledged and Blessed, both in Giving and Taking away. A SERMON Occasioned By the DECEASE of Mrs. Deborah Prince, On Friday July 20. 1744. In the 21st Year of her Age. Delivered At the South Church in BOSTON, July 29. Being the LORD'S-DAY after her Funeral. With A BRIEF ACCOUNT of the Dealings of GOD towards Her; especially in the Time of her Sickness and Passing through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

By Her Father.

Psal. xxxvi. 9.

In thy Light shall we see Light.

Zech. xiv. 7.

It shall come to pass, that at Evening Time it shall be Light.

Psal. xxxiv. 2.

The Humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

BOSTON, Printed by ROGERS and FOWLE for T. RAND in Cornhill. 1744.

The Sovereign GOD Acknowledged and Blessed, both in Giving and Taking away.

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JOB I. 21.

The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; Blessed be the Name of the LORD.

THIS is the latter Part of the first Speech of Job, on the surprizing Loss, not only of his Estate; but also and more especially his Children, who no doubt were vastly the most dear to Him, and their awful and sudden Death by far the most afflicting.

See how bitterly He bewails their Loss in Chapter xxix. 2—5. Oh that I were as in Months past, as in the Days when GOD preserved me! when his Candle shined upon my Head, and when by his Light I walked through Darkness! as I was in the Days of my Youth, when the Secret of GOD was upon my Tabernacle! when the ALMIGHTY was yet with me! when MY CHILDREN were about me.

While one in haste was telling Him, the Sabaeans had taken away his Oxen and Asses and slain his Servants working with them; another comes and tells Him, the Fire of GOD had fallen from Heaven and burnt up both his Sheep and Servants with them: while this was speaking, runs a third and tells Him, the Chaldaeans had carried away [Page]his Camels and slain his Servants attending them: and while this was speaking, comes a Fourth with more surprizing News than all— How a Great Wind had blown down the House where his CHILDREN were making merry, and killed them also.

This last Message, as a judicious Expositor observes, was by the Policy of Satan reserved to the last, (1) Because the Tidings for the Loss of his Goods would not have been so grievous, had He heard of his Children's Death before, to whom He hoped to have left them: And indeed when a Man lies under a Great Affliction, a Less is not much minded. (2) Because when he was more and more surpriz'd and pressed with the former heavy and successive Tidings, He would be the less able to bear this most afflicting of all, the more likely to sink down under it, and to brake forth into Impatience and evil Tho'ts and Speeches against the sovereign GOD. (j)

But upon this immediately we read— ‘Then Job arose, and rent his Mantle, and shaved his Head, and fell down upon the Ground, and worshipped, and said, Naked came I out of my Mother's Womb, and naked shall I return Thither; The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; Blessed be the Name of the LORD.’

Here we have (1) His affectionate and religious Carriage; and (2) His wise and pious Speech on this Occasion.

1. His affectionate and religious Carriage.

Then JOB arose: as one that sunk not under his heavy Affliction; but that in a suitable Manner He might behave Himself, and show his due Resentment of this afflicting Providence.

And rent his Mantle and shaved his Head: This He did as a lively Expression, both of his great Trouble, and of his penitent and contrite Frame of Spirit under so grievous a Chastisement. As for these outward Rites [Page] observed in those ancient Times and Places; they were particular Customs of a meer arbitrary Nature, which People of other Countries or Ages are by no Means obliged to use: But where those Rites prevailed, they were very significant and moving both to the afflicted themselves and to those who saw them. So JACOB rent his Cloaths at the supposed Death of his beloved Joseph. Gen. xxxvii. 34: And the Intent might be to signify, how his Heart was rent with Grief, and what little Comfort He took in the Things about Him. So the shaving of the Head was also used in Times of great Affliction: as in Jer. vii. 29. Cut off thine Hair O JERUSALEM, and cast it away, and take up a Lamentation. And it seems to be done to signify, that their Case was so deplorable, as it became them to lay by all their Ornaments; the Hair being then accounted a principal Part of their Ornament. (j)

And fell down upon the Ground, and worshipped. He either fell down on his Knees, or rather prostrate on his Face; as Mercer & all the other Versions represent Him†. But He fell down on the Ground, to signify his low Humiliation under the Stroke of GOD: and He fell down, to worship in a more lowly Manner, or as a Token of the most profound Adoration and Submission. The Syriack and Arabick render it; He fell down on the Earth adoring. And worshipped: i. e. with religious Reverence He saw and humbly own'd, paid Homage and submitted to that DIVINE, sovereign and awful POWER which had so sorely smitten Him.

And here, his humble Worship is not meerly mental, or wholly silent; but with becoming outward Postures, it also b [...]es forth in Expressions full of lowly Sentiments about Himself, Acknowledgements of the holy Hand of GOD, and of Honour to Him under all these grievous Dispensations.

[Page]2. We have then his wise and pious Speech, on this Occasion.

Short indeed, but extreamly pertinent and pithy—

And said, 'Naked came I out of my Mother's Womb: with Self-abasement He looks back to the Time of his Birth; when He came naked into the World, without the Estate and Children He had since possessed, and is now without again. And naked shall I return Thither: He now as humbly looks forward also to that certain Time approaching when He must return as naked out of the World as when He came into it. By a beautiful Turn of Speech, He seems now to look on the Earth to which he was fallen either as his Original or Future MOTHER, and the Grave as her Womb, to which e're long He should return as naked as He was Born. As if He had said—‘As I came naked from my Mother'sWomb; I shall return naked to This Earth to which I am fallen.’ Yea by Returning Thither, He may seem to signify; that when He should go out of this visible World, He should return to a State in the Grave like that in the Womb of his Humane Mother: (that as There He was once shut up in Darkness, waiting for a happy Deliverance; so when his Body came to be shut up naked in the Grave or Womb of his Mother the Earth, it would be There as an Embrio also, waiting for an happier Exit into a World of Glory. (j)

Nor are his Tho'ts confin'd to Himself, or the Earth, or his great Affliction: But He looks up to GOD as the Orderer of whatever befell Him, and under all He Blesses this sovereign Being. The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; Blessed be the Name of the LORD.

By the NAME of the LORD is meant THE LORD HIMSELF: as the Name is often taken for Him who bears it †. The Words in the Original are—JEHOVAH gave, and JEHOVAH hath taken away; Blessed be the Name of [Page] JEHOVAH: and in every Clause he repeats this venerable Name JEHOVAH, to signify, how intently his Mind was fix'd upon HIM in these afflicting Dispensations, and what a sublime Pleasure the Idea gave Him.

In these Things we see his soaring Piety in the midst of his most grievous Trials; and how by Faith it rises from the deep Resentments of Nature in sinking Sorrows, to the Heights of Grace and Employment of Heaven in Blessing the Name of the LORD.

First his natural Passions vent themselves in rending his Mantle and shaving his Head, in spoiling Himself of his Ornaments and falling down to the Ground: There He humbles Himself and worships: He owns his naked State as He came into the World; that He had since received all his Enjoyments at the sovereign Hand of GOD; that GOD had bestowed them as transient Comforts; that when He comes to Die He must part with them all; that GOD had a Right to take them away before, when He pleased; and that now they are gone, it is HE that has taken them: Yea He owns his Obligations of Gratitude to this DIVINE DISPOSER, in Giving Him his pleasant Enjoyments: and now GOD had only taken what He had kindly for a Time bestowed; he not only humbly submits, but also retains the grateful Sense and Blesses the Name of the LORD.

All these Things seem plainly exhibited in the Example before us; and were doubtless written for our Imitation under the most heavy Bereavements, whether of Children or Others, or of any Earthly Desire whatever.

But from this latter Part of the Speech of Job, we may raise this

GENERAL DOCTRINE, That in our most sore Bereavements, we should not only with a humble Thankfulness and Submission own, that the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; but also further labour after such raised and amiable Views of GOD, as even to BLESS his Name.

[Page]I. We should then with a humble Thankfulness and Submission own, that the LORD hath given, and the LORD hath taken away.

The sovereign Hand and Will of GOD must needs be concerned in all Events. As He made every Thing, every Spirit and every Atom in Heaven and Earth; He formed them with wise Designs, to fill up all their Places in his unbroken and consummate Scheme of Providence. For his wise Pleasure they were and are created. And as He Preserves them all, for his wise Pleasure also they are Preserved. His Kingdom likewise ruleth over all, and his Dominion from Generation to Generation, even for ever. He made the whole Creation on Purpose for Dominion. And He is always equally Present every where, both to uphold and order even every Spirit of the smallest Animal, as well as the highest Arch-Angel; and every Atom, as well as the whole Globe of the Earth. It is equally easy to Him to uphold and govern continually as well as create the one as the other for wise Designs: and there is not the least among them but ever has its Influence as well as Place in his wide Dominion.

The SON of GOD assures us, that not a Sparrow falls to the Ground, or Dies, without Him, and that the Hairs of our Heads are all Numbered. Mat. x. Luke xii. So universal and so perfect is his sovereign Providence. All our Comforts and all our Troubles must be ordered by Him. And when our dear Enjoyments are removed from us, we shou'd then see and own his sovereign Hand both in Giving them to us and in Taking away.

1. We shou'd then with Thankfulness acknowledge, it is the LORD who Gave them.

As we came naked into the World, whatever Comfort we have enjoyed since, we have received from Him; we have received it from his supreme Will and Hand; and he has bestowed it on us as an undeserved Gift, with perfect Freeness and Liberality. Many of [Page] our Earthly Goods may seem to come by our own Forecast, Care and Industry, or the Hand of others; or by a great Variety of second Causes: But these are all comprized within his Influence and Providence: It is HE that gives us Forecast and Power to get worldly Wealth or Honours: It is HE that orders those innumerable Circumstances that render our Contrivances, Cares and Labours prosperous; or that sometimes prospers us without them. It is HE also that gives us Children ‖ and other Relatives: It is HE that form'd them with their various Geniuses, Powers and Pleasancies: And 'tis HE that gives them their Accomplishments, their Moral Virtues, and their Christian Graces; and that makes them lovely and delightful to us.

In short, whatever Creature-Comfort we have enjoyed, we have received from the kind and giving Hand of GOD. And their Continuance to us also is as much his Giving, as when at first Bestowed. We have been unworthy of them every Moment: And as he has graciously continued them, his continuing them has been a continued Giving them.

While He Gives them, we shou'd then be constantly acknowledging his kind and undeserved Gifts with Thankfulness: Nor shou'd our Gratitude expire upon the Removal of them. When they are taken away, we shou'd still remember the Divine Benignity in Giving them at first, and in Preserving them so long: And we shou'd also call to mind the Comfort we have received in them; not to increase our Sorrow, but in the midst of Sorrows, to keep alive the Sense of our Obligations and our due Thankfulness to him that Gave them.

And here we shou'd consider the Gift of these Comforts to us, as related to his wise Decree and Providence; that he Gave them in all their Kinds, their Measures, and their Seasons; and in those that were most wise and fitting: that he gave them to be just such Comforts to [Page] us, as he has made them actually to be: and that he gave them to continue for such a Time as he has continued them, and not a Moment longer. Job vii. 1. & xiv. 5.

In fine, that he had an absolute Right to Give them or not to Give them as he pleased: that he might have chosen not to have Given them at all, or not to have made them so agreable, or not to have Given us so much Comfort in them, or not to have Given them for so long a Season: But every Measure and Duration of our Comfort in them is intirely owing to his sovereign Kindness.

2. We shou'd then acknowledge with Submission also, that the same LORD who Gave has Taken them away.

What ever be the Means of their Removal, yet every Kind of Means is comprehended in his universal Providence. Shall there be Evil in the City, and the LORD hath not done it? Surely no. Amos iii. 6. I am the LORD, and there is none else: I form the Light, and create Darkness: I make Peace, and create Evil: I the LORD do all these Things. Isa. xlv. 6, 7. He does all these Things, either by his immediate or mediate Influence: either by himself; or by the inanimate Powers of Nature, which he ever upholds and governs; or by the holy Angels, who are the ready Doers of his sovereign Pleasure; or by Men, or evil Angels whom he restraineth, exciteth or permitteth as he pleases.

In short, the whole Creation are his Instruments intirely at his Disposal: They are ever under his wise Direction: And as He always does according to his Will among them, so not any Comfort can be taken away without him. When they are removed from us, it is the same GOD who Gave that does it. He is the sovereign LORD who kindly Gave and made them such Comforts to us; who Gave them for so long a Season, not a Moment longer; who had a Right to appoint the Season, and therefore when that Season ends, to Take them away.

For as a learned Man observes; when Job confesses the LORD had Given, he signifies that GOD had so [Page] Given as to reserve to Himself the full Propriety and Power over them: that he does not Give us the Property of them from himself; nor yet the Enjoyment of them in any other Way than in intire Dependance on his sovereign Pleasure. (m)

The most lowly Submission therefore is most clearly due to GOD, in the most sore Bereavments of our Earthly Comforts. And in such Bereavements we shou'd eye his Sovereign Hand and Pleasure, bow down our Wills, and give up all our Scheams, Delights and Affections to Him in these trying Dispensations. (The Septuagint here adds—as it pleased the LORD, so it is done.) It being the LORD who takes away, is Reason enough to silence every murmurnig Disposition, to calm our tumultuous Passions, and oblige us to resign Ourselves and our most dear Enjoyments to his Sovereign Pleasure.

And we shall both clearly see this Reason and feel this happy Efficacy of it; if we have believing Views of his adorable Perfections, his consummate Wisdom, his spotless Holiness, and Justice, his abundant Kindness in and thorough CHRIST, his inviolable Truth, and our Covenant Interest in him. For then in Taking our dearest Comforts from us, we shall view him as acting in a righteous, holy, wise, gracious and faithful Manner: Correcting us indeed in his righteous, holy and fatherly Displeasure; but therewith in Wisdom, Faithfulness and Loving-kindness, for our greater present & eternal Benefit.

Yea,

II. In our most grievous Bereavments, we shou'd yet further labour after such raised and amiable Views of GOD, as even to Bless his Name.

So Job appears to rise in his pious Exercise, upon his sore Bereavments. First with low Abasement he looks backward, and then forward on his naked State, both as he enter'd and is to leave the World: Then with Thankfulness he calls to Mind and owns the Divine Favour [Page] to him in Giving and continuing his lost Enjoyments: Then he passes on to a harder Work of Devotion still, viz. Submissively to yield to the Hand of GOD in Taking them away: And now he rises up to the Hight of Piety, even under his oppressive Grief, and with an elevated Voice he closes his Adoration with Blessing the Name of the LORD.

In this exalted Point of Piety he seems to act, not only above, but even contrary to the genuine Resentments of Nature; as to Bless the LORD who had just Taken away both his Estate and Children, and this in a very sudden, awful and aggravated Manner. One wou'd think—a low Submission to the Sovereign Hand and Will that smote him, was as much as genuine Piety wou'd require or dispose him to. But immediately to Bless the SEVERE BEREAVER!—How can heavy Sorrow and chearful Blessing rise from the same Heart and Mouth together? Surely some heavenly Rays of Light must shine into his gloomy Mind; and he must have those opening Views of GOD, as made him for a while forget his Sorrows, and fill'd his Soul with Consolations.

A Mystery this seems to the carnal World: But a Scene the Sanctified are no Strangers to: They often see it; they clearly understand it; and they can easily unfold it to one another. Their Graces work in every Passion and Affection: Their believing Views of GOD will easily set them all a moving: when their Views of GOD are lively, their Graces and Affections grow lively too: And a single View of his transcendent Glory in the Face of CHRIST and of their Covenant Interest in Him; one such View as Job—when he said, I know that MY REDEEMER liveth, will in a Moment raise the Heart from the Depths of Sorrow and Mourning, above all the Views of Creatures, to the Heights of Joy and Praise.

Some such View of GOD as this, it seems was given to Job, while under his oppressing Grief he is bowing down and worshipping his DIVINE CORRECTOR. [Page] While this pious Man is viewing and owning the Hand of GOD in Giving and Taking away, humbling himself before HIM, and bowing his Will to the Divine Pleasure; he gains that exalted View of GOD, which moves him to break forth and Bless his Name.

And indeed a low Submission to the Sovereign GOD in dark and trying Dispensations, is the very next Door to Joy and Transport. Their great Design is to subdue the Will to his. The more hard the Trial, the more compleat the Conquest: And the more compleat the Conquest, the more submissive and calm the Soul; the turbulent Passions layed; the End of the Trial accomplished; and the peaceful and humble Soul prepared for those amiable and raised Views of GOD in CHRIST, and especially as Ours, which will excite our Joy and move to Bless him.

How can the Soul disturbed with unsubmissive Passions under his afflictive Hand, have amiable Apprehensions of him? It is indeed the Want of these Apprehensions that make and keep us unsubmissive. He is in one Scheme of Prospect, and we in another: We are presumptuously ready to think that ours is better, and to prefer our Wisdom to his; or imagine he is not so kind or merciful as we wou'd have him to be, or as we are Ourselves: And these are some of the principal Grounds of our Dissatisfaction or Quarrelling with HIM. O that a diminutive Creature of his, infinitely inferior to HIM in Understanding and Goodness, should be so horridly arrogant and audacions!—

But when we come to have such high Apprehensions of Him, as to silence our complaining Thoughts and still our rolled Passions; the Soul subsides into a pleasing Calmness and Serenity, a humble Satisfaction with his holy Will and Hand: The very Sense of such a Submissiveness, Serenity and Satisfaction in us, will raise our inward Gladness for this Grace bestowed, and move our Souls and Tongues to Bless him. And then in such a State of inward Peace, there's nothing to prevent us [Page] from rising higher in our Views of GOD: But even those Contemplations of him which give us such a pleasing Satisfaction in his grievous Dealings with us, will incline our Minds to the more intentive Contemplations on him: And the more we view him, the more we shall discover of his transcendant Excellence, and the higher will our Pleasure rise, to excite our Thankfulness and Praises.

Now, we see his glorious Sovereignty, his absolute Authority, his unlimited Dominion, his unspotted Holiness, his unblemished Justice, his unerring Wisdom, his universal Providence, his boundless Goodness, his inviolable Truth, his perpetual Mindfulness of his wellordered Covenant, his punctual Faithfulness to fulfil it to us; in short, his absolute Unchangeableness, Eternity and All sufficiency to be our perfect satisfying and endless Portion: We see such an infinite Fulness of Glory and Blessedness in him, and such an infinite Freeness to communicate of them to us through CHRIST the Mediator; that we intirely close in with him, we most highly admire and love him, we rejoice in his Glory and Happiness; we praise him for all that he is in himself, and for all that he does in the World; we wish him only to be what he is, and to do whatever he is pleased to do; we wish his Will may be the perpetual Rule of all his Actions; we wish his Designs may be for ever accomplished; we wish him to fulfil his most wise and universal Scheam, without the Omission of the smallest Branch or the least Iota; and we wish his Glory may be the End of all: Yea we are intirely satisfied, that all these Things shall be; we intirely acquiesce, rejoice and praise him; and to him we freely yield the Dominion, Power and Glory of all for ever.

This it is to Bless the Name of the LORD: And to these high Flights of Faith and Piety should we labour to rise, even in our most sore Bereavements, and in his darkest Dispensations.

[Page]For whatever be the outward Appearance of Things in this present State of Probation; yet the most Glorious GOD is still ever the same: He is now as Holy, Righteous, Gracious, Wise and Faithful, in all the seeming Disorders of this lower World, as in all the Order and Blessedness of the Heavenly Places. The present dark, mysterious Dispensation is only to exercise and try our Faith and Patience: And when these are sufficiently tried, improv'd and brightened, we shall then be exalted into the clear Vision; where all these puzling Mysteries will open fully to the ravished Soul, to its superabundant Recompence for all its present Pains and Perplexities, and to its endless Entertainment, Admiration and Satisfaction. What I do (said CHRIST to Peter) Thou knowest not Now, but Thou shalt know Hereafter, Joh. xiii. 7. And the inspir'd Apostle tells us, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. For now we see through a Glass darkly, (or in a Riddle, as the Original signifies) But then Face to Face: Now I know in Part, But then I shall know even also as I am known.

Thus have we made a few Reflections on the ancient and becoming Example here exhibited, for our Instruction and Direction in our sore Bereavements. A great Number of other Particulars might be observed: But the Subject is very copious, and the Heads we have mentioned are comprehensive of them.

And now for such an IMPROVEMENT as these Things wou'd lead us to. It wou'd easily spread into various Branches: But the Sum of them all may be reduced to This—

Let us Labour in our Bereavements to Go and Do so likewise.

And in Order to such a Behaviour, here we see the great Necessity of Faith, even that vital Faith which is from a Divine Operation, and of the lively Exercise thereof in our Contemplations on the Blessed GOD in the Times of our Bereavements. For 'tis this Faith in [Page] Exercise that gives our Souls the Evidence of HIM who is invisible. It gives the evident Discovery of his invisible Glories in the Face of CHRIST, to the contemplating Mind: And when we come to see them, they will raise our Souls above our most pressing Sorrows, they will fill us with Contentment in Him: Yea they will inspire with Joy; they'l make the Soul exult, break forth in Praise and Bless his Name.

And the more mysterious and dark his Providences, the more we need to raise our Minds from Things below to the believing Contemplations of this Highest and most Glorious Being. When we look on Things Below, a thick and melancholly Darkness encompasses us about, which affects our Minds with Sorrow and sinks them in Dejection: But when we look up to GOD, and fix our Eyes on him, as he appears in CHRIST; we see in him a glorious Light, to chear our Spirits and raise them up to a perfect Satisfaction in him. He was absolutely happy from Eternity without any Creature; and surely in HIM we may be happy also, though bereaved of every other Being. He need only unvail his Glories in the Face of CHRIST, to convince us of it and make us feel it. All Things in Earth and Heaven are nothing to him: As we come to know him, we clearly see it: And the more we know him, the less we esteem the most lovely Creatures in Comparison with him, and the higher we rise in our Admirations of him, and grow in Happiness.

In fine, by the lively Exercise of Faith in the Contemplations of him, we bring the delightful Vision of his Glories into our Minds; he opens them to us, to our Wonder and Complacency; we come even here into the sensible Enjoyment of him; we come into a satisfying Experience of our Interest in him; and our Hearts and Tongues can Bless and Praise him in the Loss of all Things here below.

Such a noble Flight the aspiring Asaph rose unto, and such a Satisfaction he exulted in, when he cried out [Page] aloud as in Psal. lxxiii. 25, 26. My Heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my Reins—Nevertheless, I am continually with Thee: Thou hast holden me by my Right-Hand: Thou shalt guide me by thy Counsel, and afterward receive me to Glory. Whom have I in Heaven but Thee? And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides Thee! my Flesh and my Heart faileth; but GOD is the Strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever.

To such a Flight of Faith should we aspire, when bereav'd of the dearest of our Earthly Comforts, whether it be of a Father, a Mother, a Wife, a Husband, a Brother, a Sister, a Son or a Daughter; the Two last of which were in the grievous Case of Job, when he made this humble Acknowledgment and Blessed the Name of the LORD.

And in the Taking away of our Children, we have more especial Reason to Bless him; when he has made them amiable and delightful, in their natural Constitutions, acquir'd Endowments, and wise Behaviour.

When he has given us Children of a lively and pleasant Spirit, a calm and even Mind, a clear Understanding, an easy Apprehension, a ready Memory, an ingenious Disposition: More especially when in the forming of their natural Constitution, he has given a great Measure of common Grace: By which I mean, a sweet, mild and kind Temper; a tender and honest Heart, Gentleness, Meekness, Modesty, Humility; a Tho'tful Mind, a Thirst for Knowledge, an Aptness to observe and learn, and a respectful Readiness to obey their Parents: And most of all, when growing up, he has not only restrain'd them from Youthful Sins and Follies, made them serious and considerate, discreet and circumspect, cautious of offending others; but also excited their Thoughtfulness about their Souls and Eternity, and given the lively Signs of sanctifying Grace; which in its genuine Exercise is the Height of Loveliness on Earth, will grow to Glory in Heaven, and render [Page] them most lovely in the Eyes of Saints, Angels and CHRIST, for ever.

When he has Given us such a Child as This, though mortal, for a transient Season, and to expire before us; He undeservedly and highly favours us, and we have additional Cause to Bless Him, though he takes it away.

And this brings me to the known Occasion of this Discourse, the Death of my Dear and eldest Daughter: On which Account I have abundant Reason, not only to bow down with low Humility and mourn my Great Loss, the awful Frown of GOD therein, and my Sins among the provoking Causes of so heavy a Stroke; but also to say with Job, and O that I might say it in a sutable Manner — The LORD hath Given, and the LORD hath Taken away; Blessed be the Name of the LORD.— To Bless Him in Giving so dear a Creature, who has been so Great a Part of the Delight of my House these Twenty Years, seem'd easy while she was continued with us: But to Bless Him now upon Taking Her away in the Flower of Life;— I find it difficult, above the Power of Nature, I need the Grace of Job to do it, and for this I earnestly desire your Prayers.

You have from her Childhood seen her grave Behaviour in this House of GOD and other Places. You have generally known her Character, and have sufficiently given it; especially in her Sickness, at her Funeral, and in your common Discourse. I need not therefore give it to this Assembly. And I am more especially restrained, not only by my near Relation, but also by what she spake to me one Morning early and alone about three or four Days before she Died: Said she, with all the Emotions of a grieved Heart, ‘Dear Father! I have been told, you speak to People in my Commendation: I beg you wou'dn't! I am a poor miserable Sinner! I don't deserve to have one Word said in my Favour! Pray Sir don't! I beg you wou'dn't.’ You can't think how Grievous it is to me!

[Page]On these Accounts I must forbare her Character: Or I might truly represent it in an amiable. Light, for the Excitation of the Children now before me: Or if I were to say, I had just now drawn it; her Acquaintants would reply; ‘I might have justly said a great Deal more, and should Bless the Name of the LORD.’

But because GOD's Dealings with Her both before and in her Sickness have been so remarkable; I can't but think it will be for his Glory and your Advantage, to present you with some Relation of them. In which I shall chiefly show her great Infirmities, and the surprizing Display of his Sovereign Grace and Power in her last Extremity.

It was on Dec. 23. 1723, when He Gave her to me: And just about ten Months after, He first threatened to take Her away. This was one of the most distressing Seasons both with my Family and this Congregation. For at the very same Time lay exceeding ill, both She and her only Brother, and also your Rev. Senior Pastor: And they were all apprehended in Danger. But the merciful GOD was pleas'd to hear our Cries, and spare them all for near Twenty Years together. I mention this to put us in Mind of our great Obligations, and excite our Praises.

As she grew up, he was pleas'd to restrain her from youthful Vanities, to make her serious, and move her to study the BIBLE and the best of Authors both of History and Divinity: Among the latter of which, Dr. Watts and Mrs. Row's Writings were very agreeable and familiar to Her. The SPIRIT of GOD was also pleas'd to work on her Heart by, Dr. Sewall's Ministry, for whom she had a high Esteem, and by other Means of Grace: Especially when she came to be about Fourteen Years of Age; ‘convincing and humbling her (as in a Paper of hers she represents it) of all her Sins both Original and Actual, of their Greatness and Heinousness, and of her Need of a SAVIOUR; [Page] enabling her, as she hoped, to repent of her Sins and forsake them; to look on CHRIST as a compleat Redeemer; to renounce her own Righteousness, and depend on his only; and making her willing to accept Him as offer'd in the Gospel, as her Prophet, Priest and King, to instruct, intercede for and rule over Her.’

Upon this she was desirous of Renewing her Covenant in Publick, and coming up to all his Ordinances: But Apprehensions of her own Unworthiness and Fears of Eating and Drinking Judgment to herself, discourag'd and prevented her; till July 18. 1739, when she narrowly escaped being drowned in her Father's Bosome. For as I had just received her into my Arms in a Boat, in Order to go aboard a Vessel in the Harbour bound to her Uncle Denny's at Arrowsick; the Boat shear'd off, and I fell back with her into the Salt Water Ten foot Deep, with which she was almost fill'd; and we Both continued under it out of Sight of her Brother and second Sister looking on for about a Minute. And if a Couple of Strangers from Connecticut had not been Providentially near at Hand to reach Her quickly; in a Minute or two more she had been past Recovery. But now she lived Five Years and two Days longer.

Being affected with this great Danger and Deliverance, she seem'd to be further awakened and stirred up to her Duty of Devoting Herself to her DIVINE PRESERVER, of walking in all his Commandments, and living to his Glory. And in Consequence of this, at her own Motion, she was on Lordsday the 5th of the following Month, Propounded; and the 19th Publickly Gave Herself to GOD in Covenant, and came into full Communion with us.

When Mr. Whitefield came and preached in the Fall of the Year ensuing; she, with Multitudes of Others, was excited to a livelier View of Eternity, to a greater Care of her immortal Soul, to a stricter Search into [Page] Herself, and a more earnest Labour after vital Piety and the Power of Godliness, and to make them more the Business of her Life. And how such Experimental and Searching Writers as Mr. Shepard of Cambridge, Mr. William Guthry of Scotland, Mr. Flavel and Mead of England, Mr. Stoddard of North-Hampton and Mr. Mather of Windsor in New-England, &c, were more diligently read and highly valued.

She now suspected all her former Experiences; that her Heart remain'd unrenewed, and that she had not rightly received CHRIST; until Dec. 13. 1740: When on a Day of Private Prayer and Fasting, those Divine Passages were set home with surprizing and overcoming Power on her distressed Soul in Mat. viii. Mark i, and Luke v. And there came a Leper to Him, full of Leprosy, who seeing JESUS, fell on his Face and besought Him, saying, ‘LORD, if Thou WILT, Thou CANST make me clean:’ And JESUS moved with Compassion, put forth his Hand, and touched Him, and saith unto Him, ‘I WILL!—Be Thou clean!’ And as soon as He had spoken, immediately, the Leprosy departed from Him, and He was cleansed. With those Passages of Grace, there came into her such a sweet and raised View both of the Power, Willingness and Will of this Dear REDEEMER, to cleanse her from the Leprosy of Sin and save Her; as to satisfy her of it, and draw her to him in such a Manner as she never felt before. And she told her younger Sister, that if ever she rightly embraced the SAVIOUR and was converted; she thought it was at that happy Season. Tho' this I never knew 'till since her Funeral: it being one of her Infirmities to be too reserved.

Whether she had any particular Apprehension of the Shortness of her Life, I cannot tell: But GOD who knew it, seem'd to put Her on Redeeming her Time, and eagerly improving Opportunities of Hearing his Word both Publickly and Privately, in Season and out of Season, and in the stormiest Weather, as if she had — [Page] and every Opportunity wou'd be the last. Some People blam'd Her, as being over-diligent and eager: But she had Salvation and Eternity in View, went on steadily without regarding such Suggestions, seemed to grow dead to the present World, and to mind nothing so much as to make her Calling and Election sure.

Mr. Tennent's searching Preaching raised in Her, as in many Others, a great and constant Jealousy of being Deceived: And upon every spiritual Declension, a Cloud of Darkness overwhelm'd her and inclin'd her to judge she was. His insisting also that without sanctifying Grace, our BLESSED SAVIOUR gives none a Right to Partake at his Table, occasioned her much Perplexity. For from thence she argued; that unless she knew she had sanctifying Grace, she cou'd not knowshe had a Right: And to Partake without knowing she had a Right, would be not to Partake in Faith, but in Presumption, and this she had no Right to do. And hence when Doubts of her State of Grace arose, she dare not Participate; but onty attended with Desire, and I believe with deep Regret and Self-abasement. So though her Jealousies and Fears were troublesome; I am apt to think they were useful; not only to make her Look more into and see herself, and make her more broken, humble, and careful, but also excite her Prayers and Labours after livelier Degrees of Grace and the clearer Evidence of it.

Sometimes she had Light and Comfort: But I think oftner otherwise. And this seem'd to be another Infirmity; that she was afraid of Comfort, lest it belong'd not to her, and she should be thereby deluded. For I think she should have humbly received every Comfort which the Sovereign GOD by the Scriptures offered her; to excite her Thankfulness, Love, Praise and Zeal, Encouragement to go on in her Christian Course, and Care to guard against ungrateful Negligence and Security.

In her lively and pleasant Frames she wrote down her happy Idaeas, and they were her choicest Writings; [Page] But afterwards in a Time of Decay she burnt them: And the Reason she gave to an intimate Companion and one of the Female Society to which she join'd for the most indearing Exercise of social Piety, was, because, in Case she should be suddenly taken away, her Friends would think Her to be as Good as those Writings represented.

But I now come to her Sickness.

On Tuesday, May 29, she was seized on a sudden with a slow Fever: And upon going up to her Chamber drop'd a Word, as if she should never come down alive.

From the Beginning she was much more apprehensive of Danger than any else: And though concerned about her Soul; yet complained of her Stupidity, Hardness of Heart, Blindness of Mind, Impenitence and Unbelief; censuring and condemning herself of all Good, denying she had any sanctifying Grace, but judging she had been deceiving Herself with the counterfeit Resemblance of it.

Her Fever continued without Intermission for about a Month: And then becoming Hectical, persevered with some small Abatements in the former Part of the Day; and then rising higher in the Afternoons and Nights to a terrible Degree until she expired.

Though she had several surprizing Turns when she thought she was Dying; yet I saw no very dangerous Symptoms 'till Lord's-Day, July 1, at my Returning Home from the Afternoon Exercise: when she was grown so ill that we apprehended she was hastening to her great Change, and her Mother thought Herself obliged in Faithfulness to tell her our Apprehension. Upon which she thank'd her for the Kindness; but quickly fell into great Distress in the awakening Views of a near Eternity and her being unprepared for it. With Agony she cried —‘O I am just going into ETERNITY! And I have no Interest in CHRIST, and I can't Submit, I can't Believe! O what shall I do! [Page] O Dear Sir, What shall I do! &c.’ I told Her, ‘There was no other Way, but to condemn Herself at the Foot of the Allsufficient and compassionate REDEEMER, and there to lie and die imploring the Mercy he offered; and if she did so, I believ'd He would in no wise cast her off or let her perish.’— It would brake a Heart of Stone to hear her! And O the Horror of that Night! It was one of the most distressing I ever knew!

We were afraid of her Dying all that Night. When I was obliged to leave her that she might get some Rest, I ordered the Watcher, as at other Times, to call me, if there should be any Alteration: And when I came to Her early in the Morning, I found her exceeding ill, weakened and discouraged; and that being restless she had not slept a Wink, being afraid of closing her Eyes, least she should suddenly open into Eternity. But after some Discourse and Prayers, she was perswaded to resign Herself into the Arms of JESUS, composed herself to rest, and slept: And upon awaking was a little refreshed; which I improv'd to encourage her.

However, her awful Darkness still continued. And though I reasoned with her about her former Experience, yet all in vain. ‘O Dear Father, (said she) you have better Apprehensions of me than you should have: You don't know what a vile Creature I am: I have dreadfully apostatized from CHRIST, have grown exceeding negligent of religious Duties, and was returning to the World again.’ I told her, we did not perceive it; that I could not see those Decays she spoke of, to be inconsistent with a regenerate State, though they were Matter of deep Abasement, and she should have a Care she denied not the gracious Work of GOD within Her. ‘She beg'd me not to speak to her nor Pray for her as a converted Person, but as a wretched, unconverted Sinner; who had closed with CHRIST from meerly sensitive and selfish Motives, as Fear [Page] of Hell, and not from the highest Apprehension and Love of HIM as most desireable to see and enjoy.’

I told Her CHRIST as a compassionate Saviour had revealed Hell to us on Purpose, that we might be afraid of it, and by the Fear be mov'd to fly to him to save us from it; and this must therefore be a dutiful Compliance with his gracious Purpose; that this Kindness in discovering Hell, with his Concern and Willingness to save us from it, is a Part of his Amiableness, for which we ought to love and embrace him; though we should indeed be excited also with the higher Motives of his Personal Excellencies: But by her former Experience, it seem'd to me, she had closed with him from the Views of these as well as the other. — ‘She could not deny that she had sometimes thought so; but could see nothing of his Loveliness now, and concluded she had been deceived.’

I also argued from her Love to the House and Word of GOD, and to his People and Ministers; from her peculiar Love to Those whom she apprehended to be most eminent for vital Piety; especially those Ministers who most laid open the Hypocrisy of the Hearts of Men, who made the Hypocrites and Formalists the most uneasy, and were most zealous for the Power of Godliness: From her bitter Mourning we were Witnesses of for the Loss of the Rev. Mr. Cooper, though she was neither related to, nor acquainted with Him any otherwise than by a diligent Hearing his Lectures; but only because of his Eminence in Piety, Preaching, and Activity in Promoting the Doctrines of Grace, the Conversion of Sinners, Edification of Converts, and therein the Cause of CHRIST: † As also from [Page] her Choice of pious Companions, and other hopeful Signs of Grace: But all to no Purpose. And though the Rev. Dr. Sewall likewise laboured to resolve her Scruples, we found that none but the ALMIGHTY Himself could do it: Though we believed her to be a Child of GOD, yet if HIS SPIRIT did not witness with her Spirit that she was so, she could not see it, nor could we help her to the View, and to Him we were oblig'd to leave it. Dr. Sewall observing to me, from his former Acquaintance with her, that if she shou'd die in Darkness, we should have good Ground to hope, that GOD had given her Grace and wou'd take her to Glory.

I then chang'd the Tenor of my discoursing from Day to Day: And supposing she were not converted, represented her Case as indeed very dreadful, but not as desperate: And at several Times, as she was through grievous Illness able to bear, endeavoured to set before her the infinite Fountain of Mercy and Grace in GOD; how this Fountain is open, free, and eternally overflowing thorough CHRIST even to the chief of Sinners; how he delights in overflowing; how He thereby glorifies every Person in the Godhead, both FATHER, SON, and SPIRIT; and how he would be so far from loosing any Glory, that he would glorify more of his Perfections in Forgiving and Saving her, than in Rejecting and Damning her. I endeavoured also to set before her the wondrous Pity, Condescension, Offices, Humiliation, Sufferings, Sacrifice, Righteousness, Merits, Exaltation, Glory, Power, Grace, Calls and Promises of CHRIST; how touched with a Fellow-Feeling of her Infirmities and Miseries; how tenderly compassionate; how open his Arms; how earnestly inviting and intreating; how ready to receive her, bestow his Righteousness on her, intercede for and reconcile her to the HOLY GOD: That one single Intercession of his would save her Eternally: He need only say, 'O DIVINE FATHER! Here is a poor guilty, wretched, perishing and rained Sinner; for my [Page]Sake be reconciled to her;' and GOD would be reconciled immediately, that very Moment: That CHRIST only waited for her coming towards him; and as the Father of the Prodigal, he would even run immediately to meet and embrace her, intercede for and reconcile her, yea bestow HIMSELF, his SPIRIT and all his Benefits and Graces on her.

She would reply—'O she could not come to CHRIST, 'she could not trust in Him, she could not believe, &c. I told her, If she thought she could not come to him, nor towards him; He was come to her; He was come in shewing her, her Sin, Danger, perishing Condition and absolute Necessity: He had done abundantly for her already and was ready to do infinitely more: He was now at Hand, and looked on her; and she need only look up to Him, and he would interceed and save her: Or if he had given her a Heart to cast Herself down at his Feet, and resolve if she perish'd, she would perish There: I believ'd He would never let her perish There: He must have infinitely more Mercy than the Bowels of her own Father for her. ‘O but this Heart of mine (she said) is hard, and my Mind is blind, and I can do nothing.’ I told her, that to feel her utter Impotence and lost Condition, and condemn Herself at the Foot of the REDEEMER, was the Gospel-Way to receive both Saving Strength and Righteousness from Him: What could she wish for more than those most gracious Words in 1 Cor. xi. 31. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. ‘She seem'd resolv'd to lie at his Feet, though she perish'd There:’ But no Ray of Light or Comfort — nor was she able to Submit to Dye, 'till Death appeared.

My Dear People, You must needs be sensible of the great Distress of a Father's Heart, putting his Soul in her Soul's Place, for so many Weeks together.

Incessant Prayers were made for her both in Publick and Private by her Relatives and pious Acquaintants [Page] who dearly loved her: But they all till the last half Hour of her Life seem'd unanswer'd.

Some were perswaded GOD would not remove her, till he gave her Light and Peace and Joy in Believing. And these two Things especially, were Matter of Thankfulness, of Hope and Comfort to us: (1.) That GOD was pleas'd to continue to her all along, when she was quite awake, the clear Exercise of her Understanding; as also great Calmness and Composure, unless now and then in some sudden Apprehension of Dying: (2.) That he was also pleased to enable her constantly to bare his Hand, with Meekness, Patience and Humility; condemning and abasing herself, and Justifying him; yea almost continually, upon the smallest Instances of Bodily Relief, or Kindness of others, tenderly repeating it—O how Good is GOD!—O how Good is GOD!—And so running up every Comfort to HIM.

But in such perplexing Darkness she continued 'till Friday July 20 about Sunset, when with Surprize she entered the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

About 5 in the Afternoon, I was hastily called up, and found her in great Distress for Want of Breath: And no Doubt she was actually Dying, though it was hidden from me. I first ask'd her, ‘If she was yet enabled to Resign to the Dispose and Arms of CHRIST?’ She Replied—She hoped she was in a great Measure: Which was more than I had yet heard from her. After Prayer and some Discourse, she was a little reliev'd, and we left her to compose herself to Sleep. But sleeping a few Minutes; about 6, she waked in the strong Agonies of Death, and was in great Agonies all the while Dr. Sewall was Praying, and the Physician was with Her: But Blessed be GOD, in her full Senses.

When they had left her I told her, the Physician said he could do no more: And we must resign her to the Arms of Mercy. Upon this she surprizingly and calmly compos'd herself to Die: But now had no Strength to speak; and her Breath failing, she shut her Eyes, [Page] and seem'd to be dying away. And now was the most dismal Time of all!— To see her depart in Darkness, without any Gleam of Light or Comfort!—And looking on her, I said; ‘Dear Child! we shall never hear her speak one Word more!’

O the Distress in the Room!— But in the Hight thereof, while I was holding her Arm in my Hands; in 3 or 4 Minutes, to our great Surprize, she opened her Eyes: And recovering a small Measure of Breath, with an inward interrupted Speech, through great Difficulty for Want of Breath and Strength, she had just Time to whisper to me in a new Language; which she expressed with great Earnestness, exerting herself to the utmost, and so as to be plainly heard by 4 or 5 who were nearest to her.—'O I love the LORD JESUS with all my Heart! I see such an Amiableness, such an AMIABLENESS in Him; I prize Him above a Thousand Worlds! All the Delights and Pleasures of the World are nothing to HIM! I ask'd her, If she could now Resign Herself to his Arms? She replied—O Yes! I Believe in Him! I Rejoice in Him! And I rejoice in all the Agonies I have borne! And tell the young People of it: Tell such a one, and such a one, and such a one, and all the Society, for the strengthening their Faith and their Encouragement to go on! Tell such a one, Not to mind the Vanities of the World, but seek to make her Hope stronger. Tell such a one, To live near [...] to GOD, and live nearer to Him: Tell such a one, Not to be so careful about worldly Matters, but to be more careful after CHRIST and Grace. And having deliver'd the like pithy, pertinent and pathetick Messages for 5 others, I then ask'd her—'Well my Dear Child! What have you to say to me?' O Sir, said she, that you may be more fervent in your Ministry, and in exhorting and expostulating with Sinners!

All the while she said these Things in the burning Exercise of Love to CHRIST and Souls, I felt the strong Convulsions and trembling Agonies of Death in her Arm: and as soon as ever she had finished her said Wish [Page] for me, finding her Life a going, she had only so much Breath remaining as just to say—and now LORD JESUS! Receive my Spirit! and letting her Head fall back and dying away, we Prayed; and while we were in Prayer Resigning her Soul to JESUS, she without a Groan or Sob breathed it into his Bosom.

I repeated her Words as she deliver'd them, so as the Rest in the Room might know them: And never did I see so much Distress, especially round a dying Bed, on a sudden turn into so much Joy. I could scarce have thought it possible before, that a Father, a Mother, a Brother and Sisters, could have been so transported in the expiring Moments of one so near and dear to them.

O the mighty Power of GOD! O the Adorableness of his sovereign Pleasure! O the amazing Depths of his Wisdom! O the Wonders of his Pity and Grace! O the Tenderness and Loveliness of the Dear REDEEMER! What irresistible Reason is here to admire and love and chuse and seek Him, and relinquish every Creature as Loss and Dross and Dung in Comparison with him! And O what enlivening Arguments are here, in the midst of the thickest Darkness, like the Belly of Hell, to hope and wait to the latest Breath of Life, for Mercy and Salvation!

Never let a poor, disconsolate Soul from this Time despair in the Mercy and Power of GOD; while it feels nothing else but Guilt and Filth, and Impotence and Wretchedness and Ruin within itself.

O the Glory and Divinity of the true Religion of the the Blessed JESUS! To see even a feeble, tender, dark and self-condemned Soul, patiently and meekly baring all the Anguishes of a constant Fever, with its restless Nights, accompanied with Fears of Death and Eternal Misery, for 7 Weeks and a Half together; humbly justifying the Holy GOD, and continually admiring his Goodness to her: And after all her earnest Desires of Life, that she might have a further Season of making sure of a [Page] happy Eternity, 'till she came into the Agonies of Death; yet then at once to lose her Fears, and even Rejoice in those very Agonies; yea chiefly to employ her few expiring Moments in expressing her dying Concern for their Salvation who were outliving her:— Is this in the Power of Nature, or of any meer Creature? Or is it not the clearest Evidence of a Power Divine, a bright Display of the Excellence of CHRIST, and his Religion, and a pleasing Demonstration of its happy Reality.

O what abundant Cause for all her Relatives and Friends, yea for the People of GOD who have heard of her Darkness and have pitied and prayed for her; now to Thank and Praise him, and to encourage themselves and others to seek and hope in him for the Time to come!

O what unrepliable Reasons for her nearest Friends and Relatives to submit entirely to the Sovereign, righteous, holy and bereaving Hand of GOD, especially when ending with such a Smile of Mercy! But alas! I find my latent Enmity to GOD too often rising in secret Dissatisfactions with his Dealings towards me, against the strongest Reasons and the highest Obligations! O the Enmity of the Heart to GOD! And it may be none may so clearly see it, or so much suspect it, 'till they fall under powerful Convictions, or come to be tried with some very afflicting Providence.

My Dear People! With my most affectionate Thankfulness for your tender Pity and Kindness to us under this heavy Affliction, and your great Respect to the Dear Deceased; I desire your Prayers, that we may be supported, sanctified, comforted and quickened; that we may so behave ourselves in such a trying Dispensation, as to Glorify GOD; and so improve it, as to get and live in an habitual and actual Readiness for Death and Eternity. For me in particular that I may be excited to more earnest Labours for your eternal Salvation; May be enabled to answer the affectionate [Page]Wish of my Dying Child; and that the SPIRIT of GOD may greatly quicken and prosper me, with my Dear and Rev. Colleague in the whole of our Ministry! And may the LORD abundantly Reward you both in spiritual and temporal Blessings: And in particular give both to you and yours the most desireable Light of his Countenance in your dying Moments.

But I can not tell how to end my Sermon without a plain Address to you all, in the particular Characters of Parents and Children, upon this Occasion.

1. To those who are Parents.

O both now and constantly consider, your Children have immortal Souls, but very frail and dying Bodies: That they are hastening to Death and Eternity: That their present Life is the only Time of Preparation for them, and this Time is utterly uncertain: That as GOD has graciously given them to you, He has committed their most precious Souls to your special Care, He will require them of you, and now is the only Season you are certain of, to labour in their Preparation for that Eternity and Judgment they are hastening to.

O! do you not love your Children? Do you not pity them under their temporal Afflictions? And are you not ready to do and suffer any Thing for their temporal Comfort, which is but for a few uncertain Moments? And don't you love their immortal Souls? Don't you pity them under the terrible Wrath and Curse of GOD, and the destroying Power of Sin and Satan? And can you quietly see and let them go on in Sin or Vanity, or Neglect of CHRIST, and so down to Hell? Are any of you willing they should descend to that dreadful Place, and there among Devils and damned Wretches, for ever cry and curse you, for your cruel Negligence to save them from that Gulf of Horror.

If a Child of any among you be There already, or should be There hereafter through your Neglect; O how horrible the Guilt, how bitter the Reflection! And if you should be damned with them too; O what a [Page] horrid Welcome will they give you, when you go down to them into the Infernal Regions! and how insufferably upbraid you before the World in the long Day of Judgment, and the Eternity thereafter!

O therefore, now stir up yourselves to improve the present Time to secure them from endless Misery. Tell them of the glorious Perfections of GOD who made, upholds, defends them; gives them every Comfort; observes, disposes of and will surely judge them. Tell them of the Word of GOD, of his righteous, holy, spiritual and extensive Law; of the fearful Threatenings and Curses in it; of Death and Judgment, Heaven, Hell, Eternity. Tell them of their immortal Souls; of their Sinfulness, Guilt and Impotence; and of their condemned, dangerous and undone Condition. Tell them of the Nature and Necessity of Renovation by the HOLY SPIRIT; of the All-sufficiency and Willingness of CHRIST to reconcile them to GOD and save them. Tell them who CHRIST is, and what He has done and suffered on Earth, and what He is Doing in Heaven for their Redemption and Eternal Blessedness. Do what you can to set him forth in all his Offices, his Benefits and Glories. Tell them of the Nature and Necessity of Repenting and Believing in Him. Put them on Reading the Holy Scriptures, and the most experimental and searching Writers: In all appointed Ways endeavour to lead them to the Dear REDEEMER: And never cease to Pray and Labour, 'till you see his Image formed in them.

2. To you the Children both Younger and Elder.

O Dear Children! You plainly see, you may Dye in Youth; and when you Dye you go into Eternity. GOD has made you for Eternity; he will bring you to Eternity; and when to bring you to it, wholly depends on his Sovereign Pleasure. Your youngest Age, your greatest Strength and Health, your Merriment and Confidence, are no Security: nor can the Skill of the best Physicians, nor the Power of Medicines, nor your most [Page] piteous Cries, nor the most earnest Prayers of others, secure you from Death or Eternity in your early Days. But those of you who now think yourselves the furthest off, may be the nearest to them.

And O! If any of you should be surpriz'd this Week, or in any other, when you expect it not, with some fatal and distracting Sickness unprepared; O what can you then do? It pleased GOD indeed to give my Child the Exercise of her Understanding all the while: But O how many others are soon after they are taken, deprived of theirs? And this may be the Case with you. In the Name of CHRIST I warn you of it: And in his dear Name I warn you now to delay no longer, but now and from this Time forward do your utmost to consider and see your dreadful Sinfulness and Danger; and look and seek and cry unceasingly to Him, to show them to you and by Renewing you to save you from them.

He sees you in all your Wretchedness: He pities you most tenderly: He is loth that you should perish: His Arms are open ready to embrace you: He by me now calls you to him: He calls aloud: He calls again. O if he were here in Flesh; how kindly would he look upon you! How would he stretch his Hands out towards you! How would he call you with a Flood of Tears! How rejoice in seeing you moving towards Him! And how greatly would his Heart be grieved with your refusing to come to Him, that you might be saved and be his forever!

O will you at length now hear him? Will you now resolve that you'l slight him no longer? Will you now yield to his melting Calls? Will you now Reply—‘O Dearest JESUS! I will slight Thee no more! I will deny Thee no longer! I am willing to be thine! I desire to be thine, and that Thou mayst be mine, intirely and for ever! O I look to Thee! I come to Thee! I try to come! I give myself to thee! Thou LORD JESUS, hast at last made me willing! Thou [Page] hast raised these Desires in me! And O now answer them! Now take me to be thine! O renew my Heart, and come into it, and dwell and reign in it as thine own for ever! And I will for ever Love and Praise Thee!’

To conclude his present Calls—If you thus comply, O then CHRIST is yours, and all his Benefits are yours, and Death is yours, and Heaven is yours, Eternity is yours, and GOD is yours; They are yours for ever.

Notes

j

A. Jackson.

↵

j

A. Jackson.

↵

†

See Mercer on Job, and the Polyglot Bible, &c.

↵

j

A. Jackson.

↵

†

Sanctius in Pol. Synopsi.

↵

‖

Psal. cxxvii. 3.

↵

m

Mercer in Job.

↵

†

Her younger Sister had also just been telling me; that the Day after Mr. Cooper Died, this Eldest Sister had such an awful View of the Anger of GOD therein, as she was hardly able to bear up under it. I did not insist on her aggravated Sorrow for the Loss of her Rev. Uncle Thacher, because of his Relation; tho' he was very Dear to her on the like Accounts as Mr. Cooper.

↵

APPENDIX. Containing Copies of some of her Papers.

THOUGH she unhappily burnt the choicest of them, for the Reason mentioned before, and has only left some rough and unpolished Draughts of others, which she would doubtless also have destroyed, if she had in the least suspected we should thus improve them; yet in Hopes of their doing some Good, we shall venture to give them to the Publick in their natural Dress, without adding a Word.

The Method I intend by GOD'S Grace to keep every Day.

In the Morning.

Rise at Five.

As soon as I am drest, endeavour to Praise GOD for his Mercies the Night past, and beg his Assistance in Reading his most holy Word.

Then Read some Portion of Scripture, and Meditate upon it, or read some Expositor upon it.

Then endeavour to Praise GOD by singing Part of a Psalm to myself.

Then Address myself to GOD upon my Knees: Adore and Praise him for all his Goodness to me; Confess my Sins, and utter Unworthiness of the Least of his Mercies; beg for the Pardon of them in and through CHRIST, and for Grace and Help against them for the Time to come, and to resist and overcome all the Temptations of the Day. Beg for the Presence of GOD with me throughout the Day; enabling me to do the Duties of it, and guiding me in all the Affairs of it, enabling me to do all to his Glory.

Then set my self about my lawful Business; endeavouring all the Day to keep a strict Watch over my Thoughts, Words and Actions.

[Page]

At Noon.

About Twelve o'Clock, if I can, Retire to Praise GOD for his Goodness to the whole World of Mankind, and to recommend them to him for his particular Favour. Remember and interceed for Friends and Relations in a particular Manner.

Then read a Chapter.

At Night.

Retire into my Chamber as soon as possible: And 1st, Examine how I have spent the Day:

What Mercies I have enjoyed;

What Sins I have committed; and

What Duties I have omitted.

Then,

Address my self to GOD through CHRIST, for Pardon, Peace and Cleansing: Returning humble and hearty Thanks for the Mercies of the Day past: And conclude with committing my Soul and Body into his Hands.

Read a Portion of holy Scripture; And if it is pretty seasonable, some other good Book: And so go to Sleep.

§

There are some other rough Draughts of Letters and other Writings which might be useful: But for Want of Room we must omit them. And here offer the Publick the following Lines which we found in her Pocket Book in her own Hand-Writing, after her Decease: Tho' whether of her own Composure or transcribed from some other, we are yet uncertain. However, when we found them, we could not but be surpriz'd to see how they had just been exemplified in her, and seem'd to point us to the Views she had in her own Mind of her Frailty and Mortality at the very Time when her Fever seiz'd her with these Lines about her.

GO careless Mortal, view that withered Flower;

Fresh in the Morn it bloom'd, a beauteous Hue

Sat on its smiling Bosom; all around

Diffus'd, its chearing Odour fill'd the Air;

But 'ere the Sun reach'd the Meridian Height

And in full Glory shone, a Mortal Pale

Seiz'd the fair Flower and robb'd it of its Charms;

See how it fades, it droops, it bows, and dies!

We conclude with the following Papers of her own. viz.

A LETTER.

My Dear Cousin,

I Receiv'd your loving Letter April 2, and am much oblig'd to you for your kind Counsels and Cautions. Indeed the Foundation on which we build our Hopes of eternal Happiness being of the utmost Importance, deserves our greatest Care and Solicitude.

[Page]Those Foundations which you rightly observed the most build upon, are equally false and dangerous. No my dear Cousin, nothing but the most perfect Righteousness of CHRIST, imputed to us and received by Faith alone, can justify us in the Sight of GOD; and his inherent Righteousness wrought in us, can make us capable of injoying God in this or the next World. 'Tis on this Foundation I build all my Hope of Happiness.

All my own Righteousnesses are but as filthy Rags. My best Duties are specious Sins, guilded Iniquities. Every Action an unregenerate Man performs is Sin. I used very much to wonder what was meant by such Expressions as these: But since GOD has of his sovereign Grace and Mercy been pleased to open mine Eyes, and shewn me the Vileness of mine own Heart, that corrupt Fountain from whence all the Streams of evil Actions flow; I have seen that (as Mr. Whitefield says) by Nature I am half a Devil and half a Beast; I know that in me, that is in my Flesh, dwells no good Thing. No, the Heart of Man is evil, and only evil continually, 'till it is changed by Divine Grace: And a corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good Fruit. No, every Action of a natural Man, however good in it self; yet in the Manner of Performance, is stain'd and defiled with so much Sin, as must needs render it abominable to the pure and holy GOD. I wonder how any Body can think to merit by any Thing they can do; when all is polluted with Sin. Alas, we are not sufficient of ourselves so much as to think a good Thought, but all our Sufficiency is of GOD. And if we could perform any one Action after a perfect Manner, we could not merit by it, because it is our Duty to do so: Much less when we can do nothing without Sin. O what Need have we to fly to the perfect Righteousness of CHRIST, and lay hold upon it by Faith! This, this will cover all our Nakedness. But we must throw away all our filthy Rags, before we can be clad with this white Raiment. We must part not only with our Sins, but with our Duties as to putting our Trust in them, and placing our Dependance on them. Yea, this must be upon CHRIST alone. This alone will stand the Storms of Persecution. O my dear Cousin! Let us build upon this Rock, and the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against us. And we must be sure not to make a Christ of our Duties. How apt are we to do it? But if we are not willing to part with every Thing for CHRIST, we cannot be his Disciples.

O my dear Cousin! Pray, pray, pray for me; that my Faith fail not; that I may be willing to part with every Thing for his Sake when he calls me to it. I am sure one Moment's Sense of his Love will make amends for all. What then will an Eternity do? O when I think of Eternity, I am lost! After Ten Thousand Thousand Thousand Years are past, it is but begun. — But I must conclude with my hearty Prayers for the Welfare of your immortal Soul; and desiring yours in Return, Your loving Cousin,

D. P.

[Page]

Another LETTER.

My dear Cousin,

WHAT's the Matter you will not say one Word to me? Are you offended? at what? Come my Cousin, let us live in Love and Peace, that so the GOD of Love and Peace may dwell with us. I'll assure you I am so far from being offended with you, that I love you better than ever, and would do any Thing in my Power for your Good, especially for the Good of your Soul.

O my dear, I am afraid you set your Heart too much upon the Vanities of this World. O what are all Things under the Sun? Nothing but Vanity and Vexation of Spirit. Here's nothing capable of satisfying the Desires of an humane Soul. No here's nothing but Husks: But in our Father's House is Bread enough and to spare. Let us then arise and go to our Father for this Bread of Life; without which we must eternally perish.

O my dear, let me earnestly intreat you to come to CHRIST. O you can't think what a compassionate and tender Father he is, unless you have felt his Love. If you have, you have felt the Meaning of those tender Expressions of the Spouse; My Beloved is white and ruddy the Chiefest among Ten Thousand, and he is altogether lovely: You know what it is to rejoice in him, and in his Love. How much better is thy Love than Wine, O most dear REDEEMER! What's all the Pleasures of Sense, when compared to these exalted Pleasures that flow from his right-Hand? One Smile of his Face is worth ten Thousand Worlds. One Moment's Taste of his Love is more pleasant than an Eternity spent in sensual Pleasures. O sometimes I long to be dissolved, and to be with CHRIST. I would not live here always if I might in this World of Sin. But I desire to submit to my heavenly Father's Will: if I may but be kept from the Pollutions of this World, and have Grace to resist and overcome the Temptations of it.

O I most earnestly beg your Prayers for me: that GOD by his SPIRIT would sanctify me wholly in Spirit Soul and Body; that so I may be prepared to glorify him here, and enjoy him for ever in Heaven In which blessed Place may you and I meet and rejoice together forever Amen. I conclude, praying the best of Blessings may rest upon you, Your loving Cousin,

Deborah Prince.

CORRECTIONS.

Page 15. | Line [...]. | Read Conquest,
16. | [...] 28. | Scheme,
[...] | [...] but 1 | sore Bereaveme [...],
[...]. | [...]0. | buried out of Sight
[...]4. | last but [...] | ungrateful Negligence
[...]5. | [...]7. | emptying her self of all Good,
[...]8. | [...] | Sacrifice.

Information about this book

Title statement

The sovereign God acknowledged and blessed, both in giving and taking away. A sermon occasioned by the decease of Mrs. Deborah Prince, on Friday July 20. 1744. In the 21st year of her age. Delivered at the South Church in Boston, July 29. Being the Lord's-Day after her funeral. : With a brief account of the dealings of God towards her; especially in the time of her sickness and passing through the valley of the shadow of death. / By her father. ; [Four lines of Scripture texts]

Prince, Thomas, 1687-1758.

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI :

Date

2011-05.

ID [DLPS]

N04433

ID [TCP]

N04433

ID [STC]

Evans 5481

ID [NOTIS]

APV7998

ID [IMAGE-SET]

5481

ID [EVANS-CITATION]

99003529

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 5481.

Notes

(Evans-TCP ; no. N04433)

Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 5481)

Images scanned from Readex microprint and microform: (Early American imprints. First series ; no. 5481)

Source

— The sovereign God acknowledged and blessed, both in giving and taking away. A sermon occasioned by the decease of Mrs. Deborah Prince, on Friday July 20. 1744. In the 21st year of her age. Delivered at the South Church in Boston, July 29. Being the Lord's-Day after her funeral. : With a brief account of the dealings of God towards her; especially in the time of her sickness and passing through the valley of the shadow of death. / By her father. ; [Four lines of Scripture texts], Prince, Thomas, 1687-1758..

Extent

40 p. ; 22 cm. (4to)

printed by Rogers and Fowle for T. Rand in Cornhill.,. Boston, :: 1744.. (Half-title: Mr. Prince's sermon occasioned by the death of his eldest daughter.) (Errata statement, p. 40.)

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