Memorials of early piety. Occurring in the holy life & joyful death of Mrs.…

I can readily Suppose, that the Force of Imagination will sometimes carry People into Strange Transports. And I can heartily Subscribe to the Words of our Jerusha's famous Uncle, Mr. ⟨p. 51⟩Samuel Mather, late Pastor of a Congregation in Dublin, and the first Preacher in the North Congregation in Boston, (in his Book of, The Types. p. 42.) I had rather have a little Solid Comfort, in that Good old plain Scripture way of Faith and Repentance, and Labouring with my own Heart to apply the Promises; And I value this more than if an Angel should appear to me out of Heaven, to tell me, that I am a Child of God. I am sure, that if I walk closely with God, if I exercise my self unto Godliness, and unto Communion with Him, in Faith and Prayer, and in Seeking of Him, and Humbling my self before Him daily, I am sure, that in this way I cannot miscarry. Yet the same Judicious Person adds, I would not advise Believers, utterly to reject all Comforts, where there is possibly something of Enthusiasm intermixed, if there be a Suitableness to their Condition in the Promises brought to their Hand in such a way, and there be a Relish of the Gospel, and the Promises and Blessings of it. And sometimes these Raptures are so circumstanced as to carry upon them the plain Signatures of an Angelical ⟨p. 52⟩Operation. Especially when they are in Persons never known to be on the least subject to Enthusiasm, or to any thing of a Rapturous Nature, but much the contrary, as it was with our Jerusha.

I can readily Suppose, that the Force of Imagination will sometimes carry People into Strange Transports. And I can heartily Subscribe to the Words of our Jerusha's famous Uncle, Mr. ⟨p. 51⟩Samuel Mather, late Pastor of a Congregation in Dublin, and the first Preacher in the North Congregation in Boston, (in his Book of, The Types. p. 42.) I had rather have a little Solid Comfort, in that Good old plain Scripture way of Faith and Repentance, and Labouring with my own Heart to apply the Promises; And I value this more than if an Angel should appear to me out of Heaven, to tell me, that I am a Child of God. I am sure, that if I walk closely with God, if I exercise my self unto Godliness, and unto Communion with Him, in Faith and Prayer, and in Seeking of Him, and Humbling my self before Him daily, I am sure, that in this way I cannot miscarry. Yet the same Judicious Person adds, I would not advise Believers, utterly to reject all Comforts, where there is possibly something of Enthusiasm intermixt, if there be a Suitableness to their Condition in the Promises brought to their Hand in such a way, and there be a Relish of the Gospel, and the Promises and Blessings of it. And sometimes these Raptures are so circumstanced as to carry upon them the plain Signatures of an Angelical