Prose Reflection by Jane Attwater

For more on Attwater's life, click here for her entry in the Biographical Summaries. For selections from her poetry, click here; for her hymns, click here; for her letters, click here; for selections from her diary, click here and here; for two of her informal religious discourses, click here and here; for two of her informal religious discourses, click here and here.

Reflection, 4 July 1790

If riches if Friends if Earthly honour increase set not your heart upon y^m for they all perish in using but pray to have your H^ts fixed above remember y^e exhortation of our Lord lay up your treasures in heaven yⁿ there will your hearts be also & chearfully hope & be encouraged y^t your desires will be granted for this also is an evil to w^ch you are exposed whilst in y^e world & the saviour says he has prayed that you may be kept from it.—Finally from y^e whole – what divine compassion! What Godlike pity is manifested in these gracious words of the divine Redeemer! Be struck with reverential awe O my soul!—never dare to willfully offend a God of such purity such Infinite love & mercy.—O blessed Saviour be thou my advocate pray for me y^t my Faith fail not hold thou me up & I shall be safe for of myself I can do nothing ever watch & pray against every sin examine frequently the inmost recesses of y^e heart & pray to the omniscient God in all the ardor of pious sincerity search me O God & try my thoughts see if there be any wicked way allowed in me convince me of it turn me therefrom & lead me in the way everlasting I w^d devote my soul my all to thee O thou God of Infinite grace make me in all as thou wouldst have me to be – take encouragement O my Soul also from the kind condescending assurance & come with humble boldness to the footstool of divine mercy seeing there is such an Almighty Intercessor such a glorious high priest that is touched with the feeling of our Infirmaties & in the days of his flesh was in all points tempted as we are tho without sin is able also to keep thee without sin & present thee faultless before his heavenly father & he ever lives to make intercession. Yes he is ever pleading before the throne for his people.

Text: Attwater Papers, acc. 76, II.B.4.(e.)