A51833:158
Advice to mourners under the loss of dear relations in a funeral sermon long…
Advice to mourners under the loss of dear relations in a funeral sermon long since preached / by the late Reverend Dr. Thomas Manton ... And now occasionally published on the much lamented death of Mrs. Ann Terry, who died the 9th of November, 1693. With a short account of some passages of her life, and papers left under her own hand.Advice to mourners under the loss of dear relations in a funeral sermon long since preach'd / by the late Reverand Dr. Thomas Manton ... And now occasionally published on the much lamented death of Mrs. Ann Terry, who died the 9th of November, 1693. With a short account of some passages of her life, and papers left under her own hand.
London: printed by J.D. for Jonathon Robinson, 1694
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.
PAPER IX.
Death seemeth to make its near Approach to me; and I am of all Persons most inexcusable, who have frequent Warnings of my Departure hence, if I do not in some measure bethink my self, and consider my latter End. Lord, I have reason to conclude, that few Sands remain in my Glass to run: With what Astonishment, Anguish, and Trouble, may I review ⟨p. 72⟩my Life past; not one Thought, Word or Action, but needs a Pardon: I blush to see how vile I have been; and if I cannot bear the Scrutiny of my own Conscience, how shall I abide thy severe Trial, who hath kept an exact Account of all my Sins and Offences? A numberless Number of Sins may be charged upon me, which I confess I have been guilty of. To whom shall I betake my self for Relief and Mercy but to thee, O my gracious God? for that I have heard that the God of Israel is a merciful God; that he is slow to Anger, and plenteous in Mercy; that he doth abundantly pardon and forgive the Sins, Offences, and Provocations of his poor Creatures; and therefore as I would not presume, so I dare not despair. Lord, I fly from the Throne of thy Justice to the Throne of thy Mercy, and humbly implore Pity, Pardon and Compassion, for thy Son's sake. Magnify thy Grace in pardoning me: though my Sins have abounded, let thy free Grace superabound. Blot out all my Sins out of the Book of thy Remembrance, and let my Name be written in the Book of Life: Let me be meet for the Inheritance of the Saints in Light, when this earthly Cottage shall crumble to Dust. Let me be admitted to that Building, an House not made with Hands, eternal ⟨p. 73⟩in the Heavens. Let not me, though unworthy, be excluded from thy Presence. Look on me in and through thy well-beloved Son, in whom only thou art well pleased, and for his sake be reconciled to me a vile Wretch: By his Stripes let me be healed. I have nothing to plead for my self, only the Satisfaction of my Blessed Saviour, on whom alone I rely for Pardon and Life. Give me some undeniable Evidence that I do belong to the Election of Grace; and that within a little while I shall be released from this Body of Sin and Death, and shall be made perfectly blessed in a full Enjoyment of thee to all Eternity. Let me have some comfortable Hopes and Foretaste of a blessed Immortality, to sweeten my Passage through and out of this World. I am hastening and posting apace into an endless Eternity;