A26870:65
A breviate of the life of Margaret, the daughter of Francis Charlton ... and…
A breviate of the life of Margaret, the daughter of Francis Charlton ... and wife of Richard Baxter ... : there is also published the character of her mother, truly described in her published funeral sermon, reprinted at her daughters request, called, The last work of a believer, his passing-prayer recommending his departing spirit to Christ, to be received by him.
London: printed for B. Simmons, 1681
Chapter 3: The workings of her soul in and after this Sickness.
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.
And now the Requests that I desire you to make to God on my behalf, are these. 1. That he will give me a more thankful soul, that I may praise him all my days. 2. And an humble heart, that I may be taught of God, who looketh on the proud afar off. ⟨p. 10⟩[…] ⟨p. 11⟩[…] ⟨p. 12⟩3. And a tender conscience, that I may fear to offend him, and hate all sin. 4. And strength so to resist temptations, that I be not led by Satan to dishonour God, or to provoke him. 5. And a meek and quiet frame of spirit, that I may be contented to bear the afflictions that God shall lay me under without murmuring or repining. §. 3. This being that which she gave us in, I find under her hand this secret renewal that same day of her Covenant with God, which I annex. This being a day set apart for returning thanks to God for his mercy in delivering me from the gates of death, these people being they that have earnestly supplicated the throne of grace on my behalf; I here now renew my Covenant with Almighty God, and resolve by his grace to endeavour to get and keep a fresh sense of his mercy on my soul, and a greater sense yet of my sin: I resolve to set my self against my sin with all my might, and not take its part or extenuate it, or keep the Devils counsel, as I have done, to the wronging of God, and the wounding of my own soul. I resolve by Gods assistance to set upon the practise of known duty, and not to study shifts and evasions to put off those which are either troublesome, chargeable, or likely to render me dishonourable and vile in the eyes of the carnal persons of the world. And this I do upon these considerations, and for these reasons. ⟨p. 13⟩1. My life hath been a life of great mercy. God hath preserved it more than this once, and hath done exceeding great things for me, which engageth me more than many others, though all rational creatures are obliged to live to God their Maker. 2. God hath not only given me life, but in some measure ability and opportunity to do him service; yea, and already some encouragement in the hopes of the success of some of my poor endeavours. [I suppose on some of her servants.] 3. God hath more engaged me to himself, by taking me into his Family, and planting me in his Garden, and watering me with the dew from heaven. He hath set me in a fruitful soil: He hath given me the high privilege of a part in the hearts and prayers of his people;