Divine Conduct, or The Mystery of Providence

There be two signal and remarkable acts of ⟨p. 208⟩faith, both exceedingly difficult, viz. its first act, and its last. The first is a great venture that it makes of it self upon Christ: and the last is a great venture too, to cast it self into the Ocean of Eternity upon the credit of a Promise. But yet I know the first adventure of the Soul upon Christ is much more difficult than the last adventure upon death; and that which makes it so is in great measure, the manifold recorded experiences that the Soul hath been gathering up from the day of its espousals to Christ unto its dying which is (in a sense) its marriage day. Oh with what encouragement may a Soul throw himself into the arms of that God with whom he hath so long conversed and walked in this world! Whose visits have been sweet and frequent, with whom the soul hath contracted so intimate acquaintance in this world; whom it hath committed all its affairs to formerly, and still •ound him a faithful God; and now hath no reason to doubt, but it shall find him so in this last distress and exigence also.

At death the people of God receive the last mercies that ever they shall receive in this world by the hand of Providence, and are immediately to make up their Accounts with God •or all the mercies that ever they received from his hand. What can be more suitable therefore to a dying person, than to recount with himself the mercies of his whole life, the manifold receipts of favour for which he is to reckon with God speedily: and how shall this be done without a due and serious observation and recording of them now? I know there are thousands of mercies forgotten by the best of Christians: a memory of brass cannot ⟨p. 209⟩contain them: And I know also that Jesus Christ must make up the Account for us, or it will never pass with God; yet it is our duty to keep the Accounts of our own mercies, and how they have been improved by us, for we are Stewards, and then are to give an Account of our Stewardship.