A25469:133
The life and funeral sermon of the Reverend Mr. Thomas Brand Dr. Samuel Annesley
The life and funeral sermon of the Reverend Mr. Thomas Brand Dr. Samuel Annesley.
London: printed for John Dunton, 1692
THE Reverend Mr. BRAND's Funeral Sermon. › Application. › Application 1
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3. Every day review what you have written; do it with Meditation and Prayer. Where you left it the day before, endeavour to take it up with the same (or greater) Sense of being concerned for the Souls of those to whom God sends you, he hath done much; it cannot be denied, but what hath been done, may be done. Here's one gave up himself more entirely to God, and to do good than I have yet done. What, though his worldly Estate was better than mine, shall I therefore imitate him in nothing? What! do nothing more than I did before! Think of it and pray over it again, and lay it by again, till it be ripe for a Resolution.
3. Every day review what you have written; do it with Meditation and Prayer. Where you left it the day before, endeavour to take it up with the same (or greater) Sense of being concern'd for the Souls of those to whom God sends you, he hath done much; it cannot be denied, but what hath been done, may be done. Here's one gave up himself more entirely to God, and to do good than I have yet done. What, though his worldly Estate was better than mine, shall I therefore imitate him in nothing? What! do nothing more than I did before! Think of it and pray over it again, and lay it by again, till it be ripe for a Resolution.
4. Take it up again, and read it over, and pray it over, and think it over, with subtracting, adding, altering as upon the most mature deliberation the Matter requires, and then bring it to a serious, humble, and temporary Resolution; and whether you will bring that Resolution under another refining. I submit it to you, but when it hath come under your last hand mould it into a Cautious, Self-dying, Temporary Vow: You know my Brethren better than I, that well composed Vows are extraordinarily helpful for the doing of extraordinary Service, and they are ordinarily blessed with more than ordinary Success, but the Success depends much upon the manner of their composition. I have named three Qualifications, which must be inseparable, namely, Cautious, for rash Vows involve the Soul in ⟨p. 119⟩