Ambrose - Houston-Packer Collection BX5200 .A49 1674

14 ldfon, I will bJte the ittdig>talioll of the Lord, bec•ufe I bave finned again{/ him : 0Jii;:;;;– Shc never murmur:d not re~incd one whir, bur as f?e was raughr, fo !he learnt and confo·,~·:d to that frame of Elz and D•vzd, Lord here 1 am, do wztb ''" a I {ttmi t,OJJd zn thine own ey_er. 4• In faith •. She was ~vcr and anoR,during hrr,ficknefs acting fairh .' often !he ack~owledged her own nothmgnefs, vtlenefs, wrcrchednefs; that !he ~asoflurle fatrh, ~nd of no abillly, in refpect ofher felf, to help her felf.lndeed her weak~els '".. fa~th, mgrac~and in a\.I performanm was her confiant complaint; •nd rhts m~de me to nl_Ind her of rhar promife, that he ""uld"" q~<ench thefmoak;ng Jl,x, nor break,.tiJe bruifed reed, unttl he brought forth judgrment unto vi{Jor . Mat. 1 z, 20. Some others I have fe~n moll'confidenf in t~eir ficknefsoffalvation, whom thou~h I due not cenfurc, beaufe unacquamted Wllh the If g~ouncts, yet I ingenouOy acknowledge th t I .like dearly of an humble, trembling, felf-condem~ing frame, Sure I am that they who a• v ilefi in their own eyes, are perfons in whom God moll d'clighreth. I remembe; how P~ul in Scri;~ ture bdpauered htmftlf, but are not thofe pa1T1ges hi,s beauty-pars? Gtve me a man amongfl you that wtllllck the dufi of Jcfus feet,t.and I dare fay of .ruch a one, that Chrifi wi!l take him into his armes, and lay him m hiS bofome: rt was her condition, !he was all in con[,9JOn of her fpiritual pov_erty, yet !heea~ her felf mto the ble1Ted-bleeding armes of Jefus Chrill; yea !he lay at his feet crymg, Lord, I btlteve, b~lp tbolt my lt~belitf: and again, I reft ttpqn Chrtjl, and upon Chrifla. lonefor Htavm and 8alvallOJI: and again, Th•ugh the Lord fl'Y me, Y.lt will I tmfr in him: and agun, He bath delivered, and he dotb deliver, and I truf/ in j11m thJt bt tvi/1 deliver me{/ill: and again, Hold out f•ith, lind a>ton thou wilt come to 1Jijion. This hfi word, bold OHt f~itb, was one of the !aft words O.e fpake on that lafi day of her life. · S· In her love to Minifiers. Her heart was wholly fei on Chrifi; and as a rruclignof ir, ·lhe loved Chrirls image, efpecially in his Minirlers, And now I fpoak my own lofs,; amongfi others fhe was pleafed to cafi her atfections on the unworthiefi of all my Mafiers me1Tcngers. In her life– time fho.preferr·d me 'to this place;the Lord made lier,the ~rfi wheel of his providence in bringing me hither, and it was fame trouble to her fpirit rhat I left this paftoraL charge before >he left the W(•rld, In·deed !he honoured all t,he Minifiers ofChrift, ye~ the very function it fclf for Chrifi his fake. Oh how will !he rife up in judgement at the la£\ ~ay againfi thofc that make it their work to rcproaGh; vilifie, and contemn the difpenfers of Gods word: . · 6. In her love ~nd charity to\\>ards all. Many difcords have been in' ihefe fad times;' and ,lhe bath fuffered much im many refpects ~ yet in her app~oaches near to the confines of.Ete.rnitr, I defircd her to forgive others, as !he dchred God to forgive her ; at whtch q,e proclaO)~d i! very affectionately, that Shefreely forgave all the World; ••1d Jbe defired all wh•m fhe b.d •ffenr;(ed-.J.¥ for~ giv• her. Her children then kneeling about her, !he gave _them ·a blcffing, as .Jaceb,gave ,to Jo[epb and h1s i:hrldrcn: this bltffing was pronounced With that cheerfulnefs, heartmefs, and fervency of fpirit,that it melted hearts,and caufed aflood of tears round about her Bed;info much,that lhe was forct to rouze up her felf, and to befpeak them, as Chri£\ did ~hofe weepil_Jg women, PYup not for mt,but wtep for your felvu;why fhouldy•u weep for me tbatjlm goUtg to my Ch~if/,and to thpfejoyu prt· paud by Chrij!? And then !he gave a charge; the fubjcct of 1t was a relative, refpcctiV!= duty to be performed by brethren; it conccrn'd htm mofi who was the beginingofher /trengtb, or the ex– cellency ofh<r power: Gen. 49· 3· and fo faras ]ufiice, or Religion calls, I prefume it will never be forgotten by him, . . 7· In her defirc to die and to be with Jefus Chrifi, which was befiofall. Sometimes ll1e cried, Ob when will thatgood ho~r come! And again fometimes, Oh that I were djjfolved, that I might be r.>itb Chrift! But telling herofher duty, tlwlhe roufi wait, for wattmg wasapoliurefitfor fervants; Pfal. I 23. 2. Behold a! tbt eyes offirva~ts lool{.u•:•• the ha1rd oftheir Mafters!audaithe· eyes of a ,,;den unto th< hattdof htr Mijire[I, fa our eyes w•tt ~<P~" thtLo:d our,God Zl»ltl he have mercy upo 11 111 • Why then ( faid:!he ) I wiUI wait, why !:.or~I wz/1 watt un11i m~ 'Yf"gtjhal! co111t Only !he mindedthat promife, Heb. 1 o. 37. For yet a very lmle wh.'le, •nd he that Jhall come wzU come, a>td he will not tarry. One thing was her trouble, !he was afraid that her firong heart would not yield wirhout much ttrugling to the firoke of death; of thiS lhe told me and otfi:;s ,once and againi; her reafuns were be£\ known to her felf, but !he prophefied truly; for mdeed when death came to her heart , !he uttered fuch groanes that !he outgroaned all our p~aycrs. At Jail death by degrees overcame the firength ofnature, and then !he calmly and quretly left the world in the mid(\ ofour prayers; )Ufi m that pa1Tage, that her foul m•ght be tak_•n up by the Lord Jefus Chrift iuto tile Bridegroom•chambtr. . . You fee now how fhe redetmedthe time in life tnd death. As Chnfi ford to the LawyerJo Ifay to you, Go tbote and do lik,.ewi[e, Luke, ro. 37· It is but a while that all of you .have to ltve, ~D~ therforelbefeech you improve time,lay hold ofevery feafon to get to Heaven.Lrveeverytiay Mi[ll were your I•[~' on earth. . Walk.. accurately, ,_,,{Jly, circumjpcaly, uo.~ ·~ foals 1 but at w{c, Ke~ d<tming the time, becauje the dayu are evil, . soli Deo glontt. ,..,..'

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=