joyful frame, till she died; a little before which, it being the Lord's day she ask'd what time of the day 'twas, and when they told her 'twas thre of the clock, she replied, "What? is the Sabbath almost done? well, m eternal Sabbath is going to begin, wherein I shall enjoy all felicity, an sing hallelujahs to all eternity." And hereupon she quickly fell aslee in the Lord. EXAMPLE III-Mr. Nathanael Mather dy'd Oct. 17, 1688, at the ag of nineteen, an instance of more than common learning and vertue. O his grave-stone at Salem there are these words deservedly inscribed: "Th ashes of an hard student, a good scholar, and a great Christian.” He was one who used an extraordinary diligence to obtain skill in the several arts that made an accomplish'd scholar; but he was more diligent in his endeavours to become an experienc'd Christian. He did with much solemnity enter into covenant with God, when he was about fourteen years old, and afterwards he renew'd that solemn action in such a form as this: "I do renounce all the vanities and wretched idols and evil courses of the world. "I do choose, and will ever have the great God for my best good, my last end, my only Lord, he shall be the only one, in the glorifying and enjoying of whom shall be my welfare, and in the serving of whom shall be my work. "I will ever be rendering unto the Lord Jesus Christ my proper acknowledgments as unto my priest, my prophet, and my king; and the physician of my soul. "I will ever be studying what is my duty in these things; and wherein I find my self to fall short, I will ever count it my grief and shame; and betake my self to the blood of the everlasting covenant. "Now, humbly imploring the grace of the Mediator to be sufficient for me, I do, as a further solemnity, hereunto subscribe my name with both heart and hand.” Having done this, he did for the rest of his life walk with much watchfulness and exactness. One of the directories which he drew up for himself, was this: “O that I might lead a spiritual life! wherefore let me regulate my life by the word of God and by such scriptures as these: "1, For regulating my thoughts-Jer. iv. 14; Isa. lxv. 7; Mal. iii. 17; Psal. civ. 34; Phil. iv. 8; Prov. xxiii. 26; Deut. xv. 9; Eccles. x. 20; Prov. xxiv. 9; Mat. ix. 4; Zech. viii. 17. "2, For regulating my affections-Col. iii. 2. 5; Gal v. 24. For my delight, Psal. i. 2 Psal. xxxvii. 5. For my joy, Phil. iv. 4; Psal. xliii. 4. My desire, Isa. xxvi. 8, 9; Ezek. vil 16. My love, Matt. xxii. 37; Psal. exix. 97. My hatred, Psal. xcvii. 10. My fear, Luke My hope, Psal. xxxix. 7. My trust, Psal. lxii. 8; Isa. xxvi. 4. 4, 5. "3, For regulating my speech-Eph. iv. 29; Col. iv. 6; Deut. vi. 6, 7; Psal. exix. 46; Psal. Ixxi. 8. 24; Prov. xxxi. 26. “4, For regulating my work-Tit. iii. 8; 2 Tim. ii. 12; 1 Tim. v. 10; Tit. ii. 14; Mat. v. 47; 1 Tim. vi. 8; Rev. iii. 2; Rom xiii. 12; Acts xxvi. 20." Another of his directories was form'd in an Hymn: "LORD, what shall I return unto "(II.) My question shall be oft beside, "(IV.) Thy will I will embrace for mine "(VI.) Ejaculations shall ascend Not seldom from me. (VII.) I'll attend Turn all to gold that comes to hand. "(VIII.) And in particular among "(IX.) But last, nay, first of all, I will, He would also keep whole days of prayer and praise, by himself: and he would set himself to consider much on that question, "What shall I do for God?"-He was much in meditation, and often wrote the chief heads of his meditation. He would read the Scriptures with a note, and a wish fetched out of every verse. And at night he would ask I. What has God's mercy to me been this day? Many more such imitable things are in the history of his life (divers times printed at London) reported of him. EXAMPLE IV.-Anne Greenough, the daughter of Mr. William Greenough, left the world when she was but about five years old, and yet gave astonishing discoveries of a regard unto God and Christ, and her own soul, before she went away. When she heard any thing about the Lord Jesus Christ, she would be strangely transported, and ravished in her spirit at it; and had an unspeakable delight in catechising. She would put strange questions about eternal things, and make answers her self that were extreamly pertinent. Once particularly she asked, "Are not we dead in sin?" and presently added, "But I will take this way: the Lord Jesus Christ shall make me alive." She was very frequent and constant in secret prayer, and could not with any patience be interrupted in it. She told her gracious mother, "that she there prayed for her!" and was covetous of being with her mother, when she imagin'd such duties to be going forward. When she fell sick at last of a consumption, she would not by sports be diverted from the thoughts of death, wherein she took such pleasure, that she did not care to hear any thing else. And if she were asked, "whether she were willing to die?" she would still cheerfully reply, "Ay, by all means, that I may go to the Lord Jesus Christ." EXAMPLE V.-At Boston, 12 d. 3 m., 1694, there died one Daniel Williams, in the eighteenth year of his age. There was a collection made of some of his dying speeches. Being asked, whether he loved God, he replied, "Yes, I love him dearly; for, Lord, whom have I in heaven but thee?" He said, "God has promis'd, 'they that seek him early shall find him:' ever since I was a child, I dedicated myself to seek and serve the Lord. Though I have not had so much time as some others, yet that little time which I had, I spent in waiting on and wrestling with God by prayer: and I said, 'I will not let thee go, till thou has blest me.'" Seeing some of his relations weep, he said, "Why do you cry, when I am ready to sing for joy?" They saying, they knew not how to part with him, he reply'd, "Why? are you not willing I should go to my heavenly Father? I shall quickly be with my heavenly Father, and with his holy angels, where they are singing of hallelujahs. It is better being there than here. When I am there, I shan't wish my self here in this troublesome world again. I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is best of all." He was much concerned for poor perishing souls. He would say, "Oh, that I had but strength! how would I pray, and sigh, and cry to God for the poor world that lives in sin and pride!" He expressed himself most pathetically to his relations, when he took his leave of them. At last, he asked, "what angel that was that he saw before him? Well," said he, "I shall quickly be with him. Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly!” A friend asking him how he did, he said, "I am one bound for heaven: I would not have you pray for my life; I am afraid you do." On the day of his death, being full of pain, he said, "Jesus Christ bore more than this, and he died for me; and shall I be afraid to die, and go to him? No, I am not." Then said he, "O death, where is thy sting! O grave, where is thy victory!" FINIS. [THE BATTLES OF THE CHURCHES,] OR, A BOOK OF THE WARS OF THE LORD. THE SEVENTH BOOK OF THE NEW-ENGLISH HISTORY: RELATING THE AFFLICTIVE DISTURBANCES WHICH THE CHURCHES OF NEW-ENGLAND HAVE SUFFERED FROM THEIR VARIOUS ADVERSARIES: AND THE WONDERFUL METHODS AND MERCIES WHEREBY THE CHURCHES HAVE BEEN DELIVERED OUT OF THEIR DIFFICULTIES. COMPOSED BY COTTON MATHER. Nunquam Bella piis, nunquam Certamina desunt. [The Christian warfare knows no armistice.] Nunquam Majori Triumpho Vicimus quam Cum Decem Annorum Strage Vinci non Potuimus-SULPIO. [We never achieved a grander triumph, than that of holding out unconquered against martyrdom and massacre for ten years.] Niteris incassum Christi Submergere Navim; Fluctuat, at Nunquam Mergitur illa Ratis. [Vain will be your endeavour to sink the Christian bark: it may be tossed upon the waves, but can never founder.] HARTFORD: SILAS ANDRUS & SON 1853. |