Welcomesweet Rest, by me so long Desir'd,Who have with Sins and Griefs so long been tir'd;And welcome Death, my Father's Messenger;Of my Felicity the hastener.Welcome good Angels, who, for me distrest,Are come to guard me to Eternal Rest.Welcome, O Christ, who hast my Soul Redeem'd,Whose Favor I have more than Life esteem'd.Oh! do not now my sinful soul forsake,But to thyself thy Servant gath'ring take.Into thy Hands I recommend my Spirit,Trusting through Thee Eternal Life t'inherit.
Welcomesweet Rest, by me so long Desir'd,Who have with Sins and Griefs so long been tir'd;And welcome Death, my Father's Messenger;Of my Felicity the hastener.Welcome good Angels, who, for me distrest,Are come to guard me to Eternal Rest.Welcome, O Christ, who hast my Soul Redeem'd,Whose Favor I have more than Life esteem'd.Oh! do not now my sinful soul forsake,But to thyself thy Servant gath'ring take.Into thy Hands I recommend my Spirit,Trusting through Thee Eternal Life t'inherit.
Welcomesweet Rest, by me so long Desir'd,Who have with Sins and Griefs so long been tir'd;And welcome Death, my Father's Messenger;Of my Felicity the hastener.
Welcomesweet Rest, by me so long Desir'd,
Who have with Sins and Griefs so long been tir'd;
And welcome Death, my Father's Messenger;
Of my Felicity the hastener.
Welcome good Angels, who, for me distrest,Are come to guard me to Eternal Rest.Welcome, O Christ, who hast my Soul Redeem'd,Whose Favor I have more than Life esteem'd.
Welcome good Angels, who, for me distrest,
Are come to guard me to Eternal Rest.
Welcome, O Christ, who hast my Soul Redeem'd,
Whose Favor I have more than Life esteem'd.
Oh! do not now my sinful soul forsake,But to thyself thy Servant gath'ring take.Into thy Hands I recommend my Spirit,Trusting through Thee Eternal Life t'inherit.
Oh! do not now my sinful soul forsake,
But to thyself thy Servant gath'ring take.
Into thy Hands I recommend my Spirit,
Trusting through Thee Eternal Life t'inherit.
NowFarewell, World, in which is not my Treasure;I have in thee enjoy'd but little Pleasure.And now I leave thee for a Better Place,Where lasting Pleasures are, before Christ's face.Farewell, ye Sons of Men, who do not savorThe things of God; who little prize his Favor.Farewell, I say, with your Fool's Paradise,Until the King of Terrors you surprise,And bring you trembling to Christ's Judgment Seat,To give Account of your Transgressions great.Farewell, New England, which hast long enjoy'dThe Day of Grace, but hast most vainly toy'dAnd trifled with the Gospel's glorious Light;Thou may'st expect a dark Egyptian Night.Farewell, young Brood and rising Generation,Wanton and proud, ripe for God's Indignation,Which neither you nor others can prevent,Except in Truth you speedily repent.Farewell, sweet Saints of God, Christ's little Number,Beware lest ye through sloth securely slumber;Stand to your Spir'tual Arms and keep your Watch,Let not your Enemy you napping catch;Take up your Cross, prepare for Tribulation,Through which doth lie the way unto salvation.Love Jesus Christ with all sincerity;Eschew Will-worship and Idolatry.Farewell, again, until we all appearBefore our Lord, aWell-donethere to hear.Farewell, ye faithful Servants of the Lord,Painful dispensers of his Holy Word,From whose Communion and SocietyI once was kept through long infirmity.This of my Sorrows was an aggravation;But Christ be thankéd, through whose MediationI have at length obtainéd LibertyTo dwell with Soul-delighting Company,Where many of our Friends are gone before,And you shall follow with a many more.Meanwhile stand fast, the Truth of God maintain,Suffer for Christ, and great shall be your Gain.Farewell, my natural Friends and clear Relations,Who have my Trials seen and great Temptations;You have no cause to make for me great Moan;My Death to you is little Loss or none.But unto me it is no little Gain,For Death at once frees me from all my Pain.Make Christ your greatest Friend, who never dies;All other Friends are fading Vanities.Make him your Light, your Life, your End, your All;Prepare for Death, be ready for his Call.Farewell, vile Body, subject to decay,Which art with lingering sickness worn away;I have by thee much Pain and Smart endur'd;Great Grief of Mind hast thou to me procur'd;Great Grief of Mind by being Impotent,And to Christ's Work an awkward Instrument.Thou shalt not henceforth be a clog to me.Nor shall my Soul a Burthen be to thee.Rest in thy Grave until the Resurrection,Then shalt thou be revivéd in Perfection,Endow'd with wonderful Agility,Clothéd with Strength and Immortality;With shining Brightness gloriously array'd,Like to Christ's glorious Body, glorious made.Thus Christ shall thee again to me restore,Ever to live with him and part no more.Meanwhile my Soul shall enter into Peace,Where Fears and Tears, where Sin and Smart shall cease.
NowFarewell, World, in which is not my Treasure;I have in thee enjoy'd but little Pleasure.And now I leave thee for a Better Place,Where lasting Pleasures are, before Christ's face.Farewell, ye Sons of Men, who do not savorThe things of God; who little prize his Favor.Farewell, I say, with your Fool's Paradise,Until the King of Terrors you surprise,And bring you trembling to Christ's Judgment Seat,To give Account of your Transgressions great.Farewell, New England, which hast long enjoy'dThe Day of Grace, but hast most vainly toy'dAnd trifled with the Gospel's glorious Light;Thou may'st expect a dark Egyptian Night.Farewell, young Brood and rising Generation,Wanton and proud, ripe for God's Indignation,Which neither you nor others can prevent,Except in Truth you speedily repent.Farewell, sweet Saints of God, Christ's little Number,Beware lest ye through sloth securely slumber;Stand to your Spir'tual Arms and keep your Watch,Let not your Enemy you napping catch;Take up your Cross, prepare for Tribulation,Through which doth lie the way unto salvation.Love Jesus Christ with all sincerity;Eschew Will-worship and Idolatry.Farewell, again, until we all appearBefore our Lord, aWell-donethere to hear.Farewell, ye faithful Servants of the Lord,Painful dispensers of his Holy Word,From whose Communion and SocietyI once was kept through long infirmity.This of my Sorrows was an aggravation;But Christ be thankéd, through whose MediationI have at length obtainéd LibertyTo dwell with Soul-delighting Company,Where many of our Friends are gone before,And you shall follow with a many more.Meanwhile stand fast, the Truth of God maintain,Suffer for Christ, and great shall be your Gain.Farewell, my natural Friends and clear Relations,Who have my Trials seen and great Temptations;You have no cause to make for me great Moan;My Death to you is little Loss or none.But unto me it is no little Gain,For Death at once frees me from all my Pain.Make Christ your greatest Friend, who never dies;All other Friends are fading Vanities.Make him your Light, your Life, your End, your All;Prepare for Death, be ready for his Call.Farewell, vile Body, subject to decay,Which art with lingering sickness worn away;I have by thee much Pain and Smart endur'd;Great Grief of Mind hast thou to me procur'd;Great Grief of Mind by being Impotent,And to Christ's Work an awkward Instrument.Thou shalt not henceforth be a clog to me.Nor shall my Soul a Burthen be to thee.Rest in thy Grave until the Resurrection,Then shalt thou be revivéd in Perfection,Endow'd with wonderful Agility,Clothéd with Strength and Immortality;With shining Brightness gloriously array'd,Like to Christ's glorious Body, glorious made.Thus Christ shall thee again to me restore,Ever to live with him and part no more.Meanwhile my Soul shall enter into Peace,Where Fears and Tears, where Sin and Smart shall cease.
NowFarewell, World, in which is not my Treasure;I have in thee enjoy'd but little Pleasure.And now I leave thee for a Better Place,Where lasting Pleasures are, before Christ's face.
NowFarewell, World, in which is not my Treasure;
I have in thee enjoy'd but little Pleasure.
And now I leave thee for a Better Place,
Where lasting Pleasures are, before Christ's face.
Farewell, ye Sons of Men, who do not savorThe things of God; who little prize his Favor.Farewell, I say, with your Fool's Paradise,Until the King of Terrors you surprise,And bring you trembling to Christ's Judgment Seat,To give Account of your Transgressions great.
Farewell, ye Sons of Men, who do not savor
The things of God; who little prize his Favor.
Farewell, I say, with your Fool's Paradise,
Until the King of Terrors you surprise,
And bring you trembling to Christ's Judgment Seat,
To give Account of your Transgressions great.
Farewell, New England, which hast long enjoy'dThe Day of Grace, but hast most vainly toy'dAnd trifled with the Gospel's glorious Light;Thou may'st expect a dark Egyptian Night.
Farewell, New England, which hast long enjoy'd
The Day of Grace, but hast most vainly toy'd
And trifled with the Gospel's glorious Light;
Thou may'st expect a dark Egyptian Night.
Farewell, young Brood and rising Generation,Wanton and proud, ripe for God's Indignation,Which neither you nor others can prevent,Except in Truth you speedily repent.
Farewell, young Brood and rising Generation,
Wanton and proud, ripe for God's Indignation,
Which neither you nor others can prevent,
Except in Truth you speedily repent.
Farewell, sweet Saints of God, Christ's little Number,Beware lest ye through sloth securely slumber;Stand to your Spir'tual Arms and keep your Watch,Let not your Enemy you napping catch;Take up your Cross, prepare for Tribulation,Through which doth lie the way unto salvation.Love Jesus Christ with all sincerity;Eschew Will-worship and Idolatry.Farewell, again, until we all appearBefore our Lord, aWell-donethere to hear.
Farewell, sweet Saints of God, Christ's little Number,
Beware lest ye through sloth securely slumber;
Stand to your Spir'tual Arms and keep your Watch,
Let not your Enemy you napping catch;
Take up your Cross, prepare for Tribulation,
Through which doth lie the way unto salvation.
Love Jesus Christ with all sincerity;
Eschew Will-worship and Idolatry.
Farewell, again, until we all appear
Before our Lord, aWell-donethere to hear.
Farewell, ye faithful Servants of the Lord,Painful dispensers of his Holy Word,From whose Communion and SocietyI once was kept through long infirmity.This of my Sorrows was an aggravation;But Christ be thankéd, through whose MediationI have at length obtainéd LibertyTo dwell with Soul-delighting Company,Where many of our Friends are gone before,And you shall follow with a many more.Meanwhile stand fast, the Truth of God maintain,Suffer for Christ, and great shall be your Gain.
Farewell, ye faithful Servants of the Lord,
Painful dispensers of his Holy Word,
From whose Communion and Society
I once was kept through long infirmity.
This of my Sorrows was an aggravation;
But Christ be thankéd, through whose Mediation
I have at length obtainéd Liberty
To dwell with Soul-delighting Company,
Where many of our Friends are gone before,
And you shall follow with a many more.
Meanwhile stand fast, the Truth of God maintain,
Suffer for Christ, and great shall be your Gain.
Farewell, my natural Friends and clear Relations,Who have my Trials seen and great Temptations;You have no cause to make for me great Moan;My Death to you is little Loss or none.But unto me it is no little Gain,For Death at once frees me from all my Pain.Make Christ your greatest Friend, who never dies;All other Friends are fading Vanities.Make him your Light, your Life, your End, your All;Prepare for Death, be ready for his Call.
Farewell, my natural Friends and clear Relations,
Who have my Trials seen and great Temptations;
You have no cause to make for me great Moan;
My Death to you is little Loss or none.
But unto me it is no little Gain,
For Death at once frees me from all my Pain.
Make Christ your greatest Friend, who never dies;
All other Friends are fading Vanities.
Make him your Light, your Life, your End, your All;
Prepare for Death, be ready for his Call.
Farewell, vile Body, subject to decay,Which art with lingering sickness worn away;I have by thee much Pain and Smart endur'd;Great Grief of Mind hast thou to me procur'd;Great Grief of Mind by being Impotent,And to Christ's Work an awkward Instrument.Thou shalt not henceforth be a clog to me.Nor shall my Soul a Burthen be to thee.
Farewell, vile Body, subject to decay,
Which art with lingering sickness worn away;
I have by thee much Pain and Smart endur'd;
Great Grief of Mind hast thou to me procur'd;
Great Grief of Mind by being Impotent,
And to Christ's Work an awkward Instrument.
Thou shalt not henceforth be a clog to me.
Nor shall my Soul a Burthen be to thee.
Rest in thy Grave until the Resurrection,Then shalt thou be revivéd in Perfection,Endow'd with wonderful Agility,Clothéd with Strength and Immortality;With shining Brightness gloriously array'd,Like to Christ's glorious Body, glorious made.Thus Christ shall thee again to me restore,Ever to live with him and part no more.Meanwhile my Soul shall enter into Peace,Where Fears and Tears, where Sin and Smart shall cease.
Rest in thy Grave until the Resurrection,
Then shalt thou be revivéd in Perfection,
Endow'd with wonderful Agility,
Clothéd with Strength and Immortality;
With shining Brightness gloriously array'd,
Like to Christ's glorious Body, glorious made.
Thus Christ shall thee again to me restore,
Ever to live with him and part no more.
Meanwhile my Soul shall enter into Peace,
Where Fears and Tears, where Sin and Smart shall cease.
A CHARACTEROF THE REVEREND AUTHOR,Mr.MICHAEL WIGGLESWORTH,PREACHED AT MALDEN, JUNE 24, 1705.BY THE REVEREND DR. COTTON MATHER.
Hewas Descended of Eminently Religious Parents, who were Sufferers for that which was thenThe Cause of Godand ofNew-England. While he was yet a youth, he was marvellously concerned that he might have an Heart filled with the Spirit of God. This Concernment upon his mind appeared especially in his watchful Endeavors to haveSpiritual Sinschased out of his cleansed Heart.Pride, the Sin ofYoung Men, yea, ofallMen;Pride, the Sin which few Men try or trouble themselves about; this Devout Youth was full of Holy and Watchful Trouble about it: And he then wrote a very Savoury Discourse, Entituled,Considerations against Pride, and another, Entituled,Considerations against Delighting more in the Creature than in God. This was to Mortify in himself the Sins rarely minded by the most of men.
Having had a Pious and a Learned Education, the first Publick Station wherein I find him, was that of aFellowand aTutorinHarvard Colledge. With a rare Faithfulnessdid he adorn that Station! He used all means imaginable to make hisPupilsnot only good Scholars, but also goodChristians, and instil into them those things which might render them rich Blessings unto theChurchesof God. Unto his Watchful and Painful Essays to keep them close under theirAcademical Exercises, he added Serious Admonitions unto them about their Interior State; and he Employed hisPrayersandTearsto God for them, and had such a flaming zeal to make them worthy Men, that upon Reflection he was afraidLest his cares for their Good, and his affection to them, should so drink up his very Spirit, as to steal away his Heart from God.
FromCambridgehe made his remove toMalden, and was their Faithful Pastor for about a Jubilee of years together.
It was not long after his coming to Malden that a sickly Constitution so prevailed upon him, as to confine him from his Publick Work for some whole seven of Years. HisFaithfulnesscontinued when hisMinistrywas thus interrupted. The Kindness of his Tender Flock unto him was answered in his Kind Concern to have them served by other Hands. He took a short voyage unto another Country for the Recovery of his Health; which, though he recovered not, yet at his Return I find him comforting himself with inserting of this Passage in his Reserved Papers:
Peradventure the Lord Removed me for a season that he might set a better Watchman over his Flock, and a more painful Laborer in his Vineyard. This was one thing that I aimed at in Removing (to help the People's Modesty in the case), and I believe the Lord aimed at it, in Removing me for a season.
Peradventure the Lord Removed me for a season that he might set a better Watchman over his Flock, and a more painful Laborer in his Vineyard. This was one thing that I aimed at in Removing (to help the People's Modesty in the case), and I believe the Lord aimed at it, in Removing me for a season.
His Faithfulness now appeared in hisEdifying Discoursesto those that came near him; much bewailingthe want of a Profitable and Religious conversation in so many that profess Religion. And that yet he might moreFaithfullyset himself to do Good, when he could not Preach heWroteseveral Composures, wherein he proposed the edification of such Readers as are for plain Truths, dressed up in aPlain Meeter. These Composures have had their Acceptance and Advantage among that sort of Readers; and one of them, theDay of Doom, which has been often Reprinted in bothEnglands, may find our Children till theDayitself arrive.
It pleased God, when the distress of the Church inMaldendid extremely call for it, wondrously to restore hisFaithful Servant. He that had been for near Twenty Years almostBuried Alive, comes abroad again, and for as many years more, must, inPublick Usefulness, receive the Answer and Harvest of the Thousands of Supplications with which theGod of his Healthhad favoured him.
HowFaithfullydid he now Deliver theWhole Counsel of God!
HowFaithfullydid he RebukeSin, both in hisMinistryandDiscipline!
How Faithful was he to theWork of Godin the Churches ofNew-England, and grieved at every thing that he thought had any Tendency to incommode that Glorious Work! But howPatient, howLoving, howCharitableto such as in lesser Matters differed from him!
How Faithful was he in the Education of hisFamily! A very Abraham for his Commands unto them, toKeep the Way of the Lord! A very David for his charge unto them toKnow the God of their Father and Serve Him!
His long Weakness and Illness made him anable Physicianfor theBodyas well theSoul.
As he wasFaithful to the Death, so he wasLively to the Death.
It was a surprise to us to see a little, feebleShadowof a Man, beyondSeventy, preaching usually twice or thrice in a week, Visiting, Comforting theAfflicted, Encouraging thePrivate Meetings,Catechisingthe Children of the Flock, and managing theGovernmentof the Church, and attending theSick, not only as aPastor, but as aPhysiciantoo; and this not only in his own Town, but also in all those of the Vicinity. Thus he didunto the Last; and he was but oneLord's-Daytaken off before his Last. But in theLast Weekof his Life, how full ofResignation! How full ofSatisfaction!
From his Exemplary Life I will single out one thing, his EARLY RELIGION. OurWigglesworthwas a Godly child, and he held on living to God and Christ until the Seventy-Fourth Year of his Age.
When he lay a Dying, some one spoke to him about his having secured hisInterestin the Favor of Heaven, and hisAssuranceof thatInterest. He Replyed, [Me-thoughts like myPolycarp,]
I bless God I began that Work betimes, and ere I was Twenty Years Old I had made thorow work of it. Ever since then I have been pressing after the Power of Godliness, the Power of Godliness! For more than Fifty Years together I have been Laboring to uphold a Life of Communion with God; and I thank the Lord I now find the Comfort of it!
I bless God I began that Work betimes, and ere I was Twenty Years Old I had made thorow work of it. Ever since then I have been pressing after the Power of Godliness, the Power of Godliness! For more than Fifty Years together I have been Laboring to uphold a Life of Communion with God; and I thank the Lord I now find the Comfort of it!
Words that contain in themA History of a Lifemore Valuable than I have seen a Volume in Folio.
(BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY REV. COTTON MATHER.)THE EXCELLENTWIGGLESWORTH;REMEMBERED BY SOME GOOD TOKENS.
HisPen did onceMeat from the Eaterfetch;And now he's gone beyond theEater'sreach.HisBodyonce soThin, was next toNone;From hence he's toUnbodied Spiritsflown.Once his rare skill did allDiseasesheal;And he does nothing nowuneasyfeel.He to hisParadiseis joyful come,And waits with joy to see hisDay of Doom.
HisPen did onceMeat from the Eaterfetch;And now he's gone beyond theEater'sreach.HisBodyonce soThin, was next toNone;From hence he's toUnbodied Spiritsflown.Once his rare skill did allDiseasesheal;And he does nothing nowuneasyfeel.He to hisParadiseis joyful come,And waits with joy to see hisDay of Doom.
HisPen did onceMeat from the Eaterfetch;
And now he's gone beyond theEater'sreach.
HisBodyonce soThin, was next toNone;
From hence he's toUnbodied Spiritsflown.
Once his rare skill did allDiseasesheal;
And he does nothing nowuneasyfeel.
He to hisParadiseis joyful come,
And waits with joy to see hisDay of Doom.