The Seaman's Catechism,
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" in trouble."
Pay it, foul,and pay it speedilyuntoGod, elle he will recover it by justice, and fetch it outofthybones in hell. O trifle not any longerwithGod, and that in such serious matters as these are ?
And now I have done my endeavour to give your former mercies and promises a resurrection in your consciences. O that you would fit down and pause awhile upon these things, and then reflect upon the past mercies of your lives, and on what hath paffedbetwixtGod and your souls, in your former straits and troubles ? Let not theseplainwordsworkupon thy spleen, and make thee fay, as the widow ofSareptadid to the prophet Elijah, 1 Kings xvii. 18. "What have I to do with
" thee, O thouman of God? Art thou come to call my fin " to remembrance ?" But rather let it work kindly on thy heart, and make thee say as David to Abigail, 1 Sam. xxv.
32, 33. "Blessed bethe Lord God ofIfrael, which sent thee "this day to meet me; and blessed be thy advice."
CAUTION V.
THE fifth and lastdangerI shall shall warn you of, is,your contempt and flighting of death. Ah! how light a matter do many of you, at least in words, make of it? It seems you have little reverential fear of this king of terrors, not only that you speak slightly of it, but also because you make но more preparations for it, and are no more sensible of your prefervationsand deliverances from it.
Indeed, the heathen philosophersdidmanyofthem profess a contempt of death, upon the accountofwisdom and fortitude; andtheywereaccounted the bravest men, that mostdespisedandflighted it:But, alas, poor souls! they saw not their enemy against whom they fought, but fkirmishedwith their eyes shut ; they saw indeed its pale face, but not its sting and dart.
There is also a lawful contempt of death. We freely grant, that, in two cases, abelievermaycontemn it. First, When it ispropoundedto them a temptation, on purpose to scare them from Chriftand duty, then they should flight it ; as Rev. xii. 1. " They loved not " their lives unto the death." Secondly, When the natural evil of death is set in competition with the enjoyment of God in glory, thenabeliever should despise it, as Christ is faidtodo,
Heb. xii . 2. though his was a shameful death. But upon all other accounts and considerations, it is the height of stupidity and security to despise it.
Now, to the endthatyou might have right thoughts and apprehenfions of death, whichmayput you upon serious preparation for it ; and that when ever your turn comes te con-
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flict with this king of terrors, under whosehandthePompeys, Cæfars, and Alexanders of the world, who have been the terrors of nations, haveboweddown themselves; I say,that when yourturnandtime comes,as the Lord only knows howfoon it maybe, you may escape the stroke of its dart and sting, and taste no other bitterness in death, than the natural evil of it : to this end I have drawn the following questions and answers, which, if you please, maybe called The Seaman's Gatechism.
And, oh! that you might not dare to launch forth into the deeps, until you have seriously interrogated and examined your hearts upon those particulars. Oh ! that you would resolve,
before you go forth, to withdraw yourselves a while from all clamours and distractions, and calmly and ferioutly catechise your own selves in this manner.
Quest . 1. What may the issue of this voyage be ?
Anfw. Death,Prov. xxvii. 1. " Boast not thyself of to-mor- " row, for thou knowest not what adaymay bring forth." Jam. iv. 13, 14. "Go to now, ye that say, To day, or to-morrow,
" we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and "buy and fell, andgetgain: whereas you knownotwhat shall
"be on the morrow;forwhatisyourlife ? It is even avapour that appeareth fora little time, and then vanisheth away."
Quest. 2. What is death ?
Anfw. Death isa separation offoulandbody, until the resurrection, 2 Cor. v. 1. " We knowthatifourearthly house of this
" tabernacle be dissolved." Job xiv. 10, 11, 12.Readthewords.
Quest. 3. Is death to bedefpised and flighted, if it be so?
Anfw.Ono ! it isoneofthe most weighty andferiousthings that ever a creature went about:fo dreadful doth it appear to some, that the fear of it subjects them to bondage all their lives,
Heb. ii. 15. "And todeliverthemwho,through fear of death, "were all all their life-time subject to bondage." And in scripture it is called, The king of terrors, Job xviii. 14. Or the black prince, as some translate. Never had any prince such a title before.
To some it hath been so terrible, that none might mention its name before them..
Quest. 4. What makes it so terrible and affrighting to men ?
Anfw . Several things concur to make it terrible to the most of men: as, first, Its harbingers and antecedents, which are strong pains, conflicts, and agonies. Secondly, Its office and work it comes about, which is to transfer us into the other world. Hence, Rev. vi. 8. it is set forth by a pale horse : an horse for its use and office to carry you away from hence into the upper, or lower region of eternity; and a pale horse, for its
The Seaman's Catechism. ghafthness and terror. Thirdly, But above all, it is terrible in regard of its consequence ; for it is the door of eternity, the parting point betwixt the present world and that to come ; the utmost line and boundary ofalltemporalthings. Hence, Heb. ix. 27. " It is appointeduntomenonce to die ; but after this
"the judgment," Rev. vi. 8. " And I looked, and behold, a "pale horse, and his name that fat on him was Death, and hell
" followed him." Ah ! it makes a sudden and strange alterationuponmens conditions, to be plucked out of house, and from among friends, andhonours, and so many delights, and hurried in a moment into the land of darkness, to be cloathed with flames, and drink the pure wrath of the Almighty for ever.
This is it that makes it terrible.
Quest. 5. If death be so weighty a matter, am I prepared to die?
Anfw. I doubt not; I am afraid Iwantmanythings that are necessary to a due preparation for it.
Quest. 6. What are those things wherein a due preparation for death confisteth ?
Anfw . Many things are necessary. First, Special and saving union with Jesus Christ.
This is that whichdifarms it of its sting: " O death,where is thy sting ? Thanks be to God, who " hath given [us] the victory, through [our] Lord Jesus Christ,"
1 Cor. xv. 55, 57. So John xi. 26. " Whosoever [liveth], " and [believeth] in me, shall never die."
Whosoever liveth, (i. e.) is quickened with a new spiritual life and principle, and so puts forth the principal act of that life, viz. faith, he shall never die, (i. e.) eternally.
This hornet, death, shall never leave its sting in his fides.
Secondly, To entertain death comfortably, the evidence andknowledgeofthis union is necessary, 2 Cor. v. 1. " For we [know], that if our earthly
"house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of "God," &c. And then he cannot only be content, butgroan tobeuncloathed,ver. 2. A mistake in the former will cost me my soul ; and a mistake here willlofe me my peace and com. fort.
Thirdly, In order to this evidence, it is necessary that I keep a good conscience in all things both towardsGodand man, 2 Cor. i. 12. "This is our rejoicing, even the testimony
"of our conscience, that in simplicity, and godly sincerity, not " in fleshlywisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our
"conversation in the world." This good conscience respects all and every part of our work and duty to be done, and all and every fin to be renounced and denied: fo that he is that is early uniteduntoChrift by faith, hath the clear evidence ofthatunii
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on; and the evidence fairly gathered from the testimony of a good conscience, witnessing his faithfulness, as to all duties to be done, and fins to be avoided, he is fit to die ; death can do him no harm;but, alas! these things arenottobe found in me.
Quest. 7. But what if I die without such a preparation as this is ? Whatwilltheconsequence of that be?
Anfw. Very terrible, even the separation of my soul and body from the Lord to all eternity; John iii. 36. "He that " believeth on the Son hath everlasting life : and he that be- " lieveth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God
" abideth on him."
Heshaltnotfee life; there is the privativepartofhis misery, separation from thebleffedGod. And the wrath], mark it, not anger, but wrath ; not the wrath of man, but of [God], at whose rebukes the mountains skip like frighted men, and the hills tremble: the wrath of God not only flashes out upon him, as a transient flash of lightening, but [abideth], dwells, sticks fast ; there is no power in the worldcanloosethe foul from it. [Upon him], notthebodyonly, nor the soul only, but on [him], (i. e.) the whole person, the whole man. Here is the principal positive part of that nan'smifery.
Quest. 8. Can I bear this misery ?
Anfw. No: my heart cannot endure, nor my hands be strong, when God shall have to do with me upon this account.
Icannotbear his wrath; angels couldnotbear it; it hath funk them into the depths of misery.
Those that feel but a few sparks of it in their consciences here,are even distracted by it,
Plalm lxxxviii. 15. Christ himself had never borneup under it, had it not been supported by the infinite power ofthedivinenature, Ifa xlii. 1." Behold my Servant whom I uphold."
How then shall I live, when God doth this ?what will be done to the dry tree ? Oh! there is no abiding of it, it is insufferable ! " The sinners in Zion are afraid ; trembling furprizeth
" the hypocrite : who among us shall dwell with the devour- " ing fire ? Who can endure the everlasting burning ?" Ifa. xxxiii. 14.
Quest. 9. If it cannotbeborne, is there anyway to prevent it?
Anfw. Yes, there is hope in Israelconcerning this thing.
And herein I am in better case than the damned ; I have the [may be's] of mercy, and they have not. Oh ! whatwouldthey give for a possibility of salvation ? Ifa. i. 16, 17, 18. " Wash
"ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from " before mine eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do well," &c.
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" Come now, let us reason together: and though your finsbe " as scarlet, they shall be as snow." Ifa. lv. 7 " Let the "wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his
" thoughts : and let him return unto the Lord, and he will "have mercy upon him ; and to our God, for he willabun- " dantly pardon."
Though mydiseasebedangerous, it is not desperate, it doth not scorn a remedy. Oh ! there is balm in Gilead, and a physician there.
There is yet a possibility, not only ofrecoveringmyprimitive glory,but to be set in abetter case than ever Adam was .
Quest. 10. Howmaythatbe ?
Anfw. By going to the Lord Jesus Christ, Rom. viii. 1.
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in " ChriftJefus." Rom. viii.33,34. "Who shall lay any thing
" to the charge of God's elect ? It is God thatjustifieth, Whe " is he that condemneth ? It is Christ that died, yea, rather,
"that is risen again."
Quest. 11. But what is it to go to Christ ?
Anfw. To go to Christ, is to * embrace him in his +per son and offices, and to rest § entirely and closely upon him for||pardon off in, and †† eternal life: being deeply ‡‡ fenfibie of the want and worth of him.
John i. 12. " To as many as " [received] him,he gave power to become the sons of God,
" even to as many as believed on his name."
John iii. 36.
He that believeth [on the Son] hath life."
1 Cor. i. 30.
" And of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made " unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemp- " tion."
Acts iv. 12. " Neither is there salvation in any " other," &c.
Acts xiii . 39. "And by him all that believe " are [justified from all things,] from whichye could not be
" justified by the law of Moses."
Ifa. xlv. 22. " Look unto " me, and be ye saved," Acts ii. 37. "Nowwhentheyheard
" this they were pricked to the heart," &c.
Quest. 12. But willChrift receive me, ifI go unto him ?
Anfw . Yes, yes; he is more ready to receive thee, than thou art to come to him; Luke xv. 20. "And he arose, and " came to his father : but, when he was yet a great way off,
" his father saw him, and had compaffionon him, and ran, " and fell on his neck, and kissed him." The sundothbut go, the father ran; if he had but received him into the house, it hadbeenmuch; but he fell on his neck, and kissed him. He
*John i. 12.
† John iii. 26.
† 1 Cor. i. 20
Ads xii . 39. tt Ifa. xlv. 22.
§Acts iv. 12, #Aas H.37.
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bespeaks him, much after that rate he expressed himself to returning Ephraim : " My bowels are troubled for him ; I will
" furelyhave mercy on him," Jer. xxxi. 20. There is not the Leastparenthesis in all the pages of free-grace, to exclude a soul that is fincerelywilling to come to Christ.
Quest. 13. But how may it appear that he is willing to receive me?
Anfw. Make trial of him t'hyself.
If thou didst but know his heart to poor sinners, you would not question it.
Believe what he faith in the gospel ; there thou shalt find that he isa willing Saviour ; for therein thou hast, first, his most serious invitations, Matth. xi. 28. " Come unto me, ye that are
" weary and heavyladen."
Isa. lv. 1. " Ho ! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters."
These serious invitations are, secondly, backed and confirmed with his oath, Ezek.
XXXV. 11. " As I live, I desire not the death of a sinner."
Thirdly, Amplified with pathetical wishes, sighs and groans, Luke xix. 42. " Oh ! that thou hadst known, even thou, at " least, in this thy day."
Fourthly, Yea, delivered unto them in undissembled tears, Mat. xxiii. 37, 38. " He wept over it,
" and said,O Jerusalem, Jerusalem!"
Fifthly, Nay, he hath shed not only tears, but blood, to convince thee of his willingness.
View him in his dying posture upon the cross, stretching out his dying arms to gather thee, hanging down his blessed head to kiss thee ; every one of his wounds was a mouth opened to convince thee of the abundant willingness of Christ to receive thee.
Quest. 14. But myfins are dyed in grain ; I am a sinner of theblackesthue: will he receive and pardon such a none?
Anfw. Yea, foul, if thou be willing tocommitthyselftohim :
Ifa. i. 18. "Come now, let us reason together ; though your " fins be as scarlet, I will make them as snow ; though they
"be red like crimson, I will make them as wool."
Quest. 15. This is comfortable news ; but may I not delay my closing with him for a while, and yet not hazard my eternal happiness, seeing I refolveto come to him at last ?
Answ. No ; there must be no delays in this case; Psalm. cxix. 60. " I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy com- " mandments."
Quest. 16.Why may Inotdefer it, at least for a little while ?
Answ. Formanyweighty reasons this work can bear no delays.
First, The offers of grace are made to the present time, Heb. iii. 15. " Whilftit is said to-day, hardennotyourheart. "
VOL. VI.
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There may be a few more days of God's patience, but that is unknown to thee.
2. Your life is immediate uncertain ; how many thousands are gone into eternity since the last night ? If you can say to sickness when it comes,Go,and come again another time, it were somewhat.
3. Sin is not a thing to be dallied with.
Oh, who would be willing to lie down one night under the guilt of all his fins ?
4. Delays increase the difficulty of conversion : sin still roots it elfdeeper ; habits are the more strengthened, and the heart still more hardned.
5. There be thousands now in hell,thatperishedthrough delays ; their consciences often urged and pressed hard upon them, and many resolutions they had, as thou haft now; but they were never perfected by answerable executions, and so they perished.
6. Thy way of sinning now is desperate ; for every moment thou art acting against clear light and conviction; and that is a dreadful way of fiuning.
7. There can be no solid reason for one hours delay; for thou canst not be happy too soon : andbefure of it, i fever thou come to taste of the sweetness ofa
Christian life, nothing will more pierce and grieve thee than this, that thou enjoyedst itnofooner.
Quest. 17. Oh, but the pleasures of fin engage me to it; how shall I break these cords and snares ?
Anfw. That firare maybe broken by considering solemnly these five things..
1. That to take pleasure in fin, is an argument of a most deplorable and wretched state of foul.
What apoifonous nature doth it argue in atoad,that is fucking in nothingbutpoisonandfilth where-ever it crawls? Owhat an heart hastthon ! Hastthounothingtofind pleasure in but that which makes the Spirit of Christ fad, and the hearts of saints ake and groan, which digged hell, and let in endless miseries upon the world ?
2. Think that the misery is involves thee in is infinitely beyond the delights it tempts thee by: it dothbutdelightthe sensual part, and that but with a brutish pleasure, but will torment thy immortal soul, and that for ever. pleasure will quickly go off, but the sting will remain behind.
" I tasted but a little honey on the top of my rod, (said Jona- "than) and I must die," r Sam.xiv. 433. Nay, that is not all; but the Lord proportions wrath according to the pleasures fouls have had in fin, Rev. xviii. 7. "How much the hath
" lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give unto The " her."
4. What dost thou pay, or, at least, pawn for this pleasure ? Thy soul, thy precious soul, is laid to stake for it;
- and, in effect, thus thou sayest, when thou deferreft the closing with Christ upon the account of enjoying the pleasures off in a
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dittle longer: Here, devil, take my foul into thypoffeffion and power: ifI repent I will have it again ; if not, it is thine for ever. Odear-bought pleasures!
What is the world ? A great exchange of ware, Wherein all forts and sexes cheapning are :
The flesh, the devil, sit and cry, what lackye ?
When most they fawn, they most intend to rack ye.
The wares are cups of joy, and beds of pleasure ; There's goodly choice, down weight, and flowing measure.
A soul's the price, but they give time to pay, Upon the death-bed, or the dying-day.
Hard is the bargain, and unjust the measure, When as the price so much outlasts the pleasure.
QUARLES.
Lastly, It is thy gross mistake to think thou shalt be bereaven of all delights and pleasures, by coming under the government of Christ : for oneofthose things in which his kingdom consists, is joy in the holy Ghost, Rom. xiv. 17.
Indeed, it allows no finfulpleasures to the subjects of it, nor do they need it ; but from the day thou closest in with Christ, allthypure, real, and eternal pleasures and delights begin tobeardate. When the prodigal was returned to his father,then, faith the text, " They
"began to be merry," Luke xv. 24. See Acts viii. 5, 6. No, no, foul, thou shalt want no joy,for the scripture faith,"They
" shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house, " and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures ; for with thee is the fountain of life," &c. Psal. xxxvi. 8, 9.
Quest. 18. But how shall I be able to undergo the severities of religion? There are difficult duties to be done, and an heavy cross to be taken up; these be the things that dauntme.
Anfw. If pain and suffering daunt thee, how is it thou art not more outoflove with fin than with religion? For it is most certain, that the sufferings for Christ are nothing to hell, the just reward and certain issueoffin; the pains ofmortificationare nothing to the pains of damnation: there is no compare betwixt suffering for Christ, and suffering from Christ ;
Matth. v. 29. " If thy right hand or eye offend thee, cut it " off, and pluck it out; it is profitable for thee thatonemem- " ber suffer, than that the whole bodybecast into hell."
Secondly, Thou seestthe worst, but not the best of Christ. There be joys and comforts in those difficult duties and sufferings, that thou seestnot; Col. i. 24. " Who now rejoice in my fuf-
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" ferings."
James i. 2. "My brethren, countitalljoywhen ye fall into divers temptations," &c.
Thirdly, Great shall be thy assistance fromChrift, Phil. iv. 13."I can do all things
" through him that strengthens me.
The Spirit helps our in- " firmities," takes the other endoftheburden,Rom. viii. 26.
What meanest thou to ftandupon such terms,when it i she a venorhell, eternal life or death, that lie before thee ?
Quest. 19. But to what purpose will my endeavours to come to Christ be, unless I be elected ? All will be to no purpose.
Anfw. True; If thou be not elected, thou canst not obtain him, orhappinessbyhim : but, yet, that is nodifcouragement to strive: for inthyunconverted state, thy election or nonelection is a secret to thee : the onlywaytomake it sure, is by striving and giving all diligence in the way of duty, 2 Pet. i.
10. And if you ponder the text well, you will find, that election is not only made sureintheway of diligence and striving, but calling is put before it,and lies in order to it : first secure thyeffectual calling, and then thine election.
Quest. 20. But I have no strength of my own to come to Christ by: and is it not absurd to urge me upon impossibilities inordertomy salvation?
Anfw. First, Certainly you are moreabsurdinpleading and pretending your impotence against your duty ; for you do think you have a power to come to Christ, else how do you quiet your conscience with promises and solves of conversion hereafter ? Secondly,Though it be true,that no saving act can bedonewithoutthe concurrenceofspecial grace ; yet this is as true, that thy inability to do what is above thy power, doth notexcusethee from doing what is in thy power to do. Canst thou not forbear, at least,many external acts off in ? Andcanst thou not perform, at least, the external acts of duty ? Oh! if thou canst not come to Christ, yet, as the blindman, lie in the way of Christ : do what thou canst do, and confess andbewail thy impotency, that thou canstdono more.
Canst thou not takethyfoul aside in secret, and thus bemoan it ; my poor foul! what wiltthou do ? O what will become of thee, thou art
Christless, covenantless, hopeless, and, which is most sad, sense-
less and bowelless ? oh ! thou canst not bear the infinite wrath of the eternal God,whoseAlmightypower willbefetonwork to torment such as thou art ; and yet thou takest no course to prevent it ! Thou feeft the bufydiligenceofallothers, and how the kingdom of heaven suffers violencebythem: and art not thou as deeply engaged to look to thy own happiness, as any in the world ? Will hell be more tolerable to thee than others?
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Owhatacomposition of stupidity and sloth art thou : Thou liveft after such a rate, as if there were neither fire in hell to torment thee, nor glory in heaven to reward thee. If God and Christ, heaven and hell, were but dreams and fables, thou couldstnotbe less affected with them. Ah, my soul! my soul ! my precious foul! I sit easy to perish ? Wilt thou die as a fool dieth ? Othat men would but do this, if they can do no more !
And, now, foul, you fee what death is,that you have made fo flight of ; and what is the only way that we poor sons of death, have to escape its sting. You have here seen the vanity of all your pleas and pretences against conversion, and the way to Christ prepared and cast up for you. Now, firs, I beg you, inthenameofGod that made you, and as if I made this request upon my bended knees to you, that you will now, without anymore delays, yield yourselves to the Lord. Soul, I beseech thee,haste thee into thy chamber, shut thy door, and bespeak the Lord after some such manner as this,before thoudareftto launch out into the deeps again.
Odreadful and glorious Majesty ! thou hast bowelsofmercy, as well as beams of glory : I have heard the founding of these bowels for me this day. Lord, I have now heard a representation of the grim and ghastly face of death : ah, I have now seen it as the king of terrors, as the door of eternity, as the parting point, where sinners take their eternal farewel of all their delights : I have seen this black prince mounted on his pale horse, and hell following him : I have beenconvincedthis day, that if he should come and fetch awaymyfoulin that condition it is, hell would follow him indeed.
Lord,I have now heard of the prince of life also, in whose bleeding fidedeath hath left and lost its envenomed sting; so that though it may kill, yet it cannot hurt any of his members. To this glorious
Redeemer I have now been invited; all my pretences against him have been confuted, and my soul,in his name, assured of welcome, if I come unto him, and cast myself upon him.
And now, Lord, I come, I come,upon thy call and invitation; I am unfeignedly willing to avouch thee this day to be my
God, and to take thee for my portion.
Lord Jesus! I come unto thee ; thy clay, thy creature moves towards the fountain of pity : look hitherto, behold a spectacle of misery.
Bowels of mercy, hear ! behold my naked soul, not a rag of righteous ness to cover it ; behold my starving foul, not a bit of bread for you to eat : ah! it has fed upon wind and vanity hitherto.
Beholdmywounded foul bleeding at thy foot; every part, head and heart, will and affections, all wounded by fin. O thau com-
The Seaman's Catechism . passionate Samaritan! turn aside, and pour thy fovereignblood intothesebleeding wounds, which, like so manyopenedmouths, plead for pity.
Behold a returning submitting rebel, willing to laydowntheweapons ofunrighteousness, and to come up on the knee for a pardon. Oh,I am weary of the service off in,
Icanendure it no longer! Lord Jesus, thouwast anointed to preach glad tidings to the meek, and to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; come now, and knock off those fetters ofunbelief: 0 set my foul at liberty, that it may praise thee! For so many years Satan hath cruelly tyrannized over me. O that this might be the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of the salvation of my God! Lord, thou wast lifted up, to draw men unto thee ; and,indeed,thou art a drawing Saviour, a lovely
Jesus ! I have hitherto flighted thee, but it was because I did not know thee : mine eyes have been held by unbelief, when thon waft opened in the gospel; but now I see thee as the chiefest of ten thousands. Thou art the glory of heaven, the glory of earth, the glory ofSion ; and, oh ! that thou wouldst
bethe gloryofmysoul ! I confess, I am not worthy thou shouldst look upon me ; I may much rather expect to be trampled under the feet of justice, than to be embraced in thine arms of mercy: and that thou shouldst rather shed my polluted blood, than sprinkle thine own upon me. But, Lord, what profit is there in my blood? Wiltthou pursue a dried leaf? Shall it ever be said, that the merciful King of heaven hanged up a poor foul that put the rope about his own neck, and focamefelf-condemningly to him for mercy ! O, my Lord,
I am willing to submit to any terms, be they never fo hard and ungrateful to the flesh : I am sure, whatever I shall fufferinthy service, cannot be like to what I have suffered, or am like to suffer by fin ; henceforth be thou my Lord and master ; thy service is perfect freedom;be thoumypriest and prophet, my wisdom and righteousness. I resign upmyselfunto thee ; my poor foul with all its faculties,my body with all its members, to be living instruments ofthyglory.
Let boliness to the Lord be now written upon them all, letmytongue henceforth plead for thee, my hands be lifted up unto thy testimonies, my feet walk in thy ways : O let all my affections, as willing servants, wait upon thee, and be active for thee.
Whatever I am, let me be for thee; whatever I have, let it be thine; whatever I can do, let me do for thee ; whatever I can suffer, let me suffer for thee.
Othat I might say,before I gohence, my beloved is mine, and I am his ! O that what I have begged on earth, might be rat i-