We suspend the formal inch.

Whether she was not
afraid of death? She answered to this purpose, that she had not the
least degree of fear of death. They asked her why she would be so
confident? She answered, If I should say otherwise, I should speak
contrary to what I know. There is, said she, indeed, a dark entry, that
looks something dark, but on the other side there appears such a bright
shining light, that I cannot be afraid! She said not long before she
died, that she used to be afraid how she should grapple with death; but,
says she, God has showed me that He can make it easy in great pain.
Several days before she died, she could scarcely say any thing but just
Yes, and No, to questions that were asked her; for she seemed to be
dying for three days together. But she seemed to continue in an
admirably sweet composure of soul, without any interruption, to the
last, and died as a person that went to sleep, without any struggling,
about noon, on Friday, June 27, 1735.

She had long been infirm, and often had been exercised with great pain;
but she died chiefly of famine. It was, doubtless, partly owing to her
bodily weakness, that her nature was so often overcome, and ready to
sink with gracious affection; but yet the truth was, that she had more
grace, and greater discoveries of God and Christ, than the present frail
state did well consist with. She wanted to be where strong grace might
have more liberty, and be without the clog of a weak body; there she
longed to be, and there she doubtless now is. She was looked upon
amongst us, as a very eminent instance of Christian experience; but this
is but a very broken and imperfect account I have given of her: her
eminency would much more appear, if her experiences were fully related,
as she was wont to express and manifest them, while living. I once read
this account to some of her pious neighbors, who were acquainted


.

Relevant Pages