To the Reverend Dr. Watts, at Newington.

Sir,

The Opinion I have of your Piety and Judgment is the Reason of my giving you the Trouble of looking over these Papers, in order to publish them; which I desire you to do as soon as you can conveniently; only you have full Liberty to suppress what you think proper.

I think there can be no Vanity in this Design, for I am sensible such Thoughts as these will not be for the Taste of the modish Part of the World; and before they appear, I shall be entirely disinterested in the Censure or Applause of Mortals.

The Reflections were occasionally written, and only for my own Improvement; but I am not without Hopes that they may have the same Effect on some pious Minds, as the reading the Experiences of others have had on [xxviii] my own Soul. The experimental Part of Religion has generally a greater Influence than its Theory; and if, when I am sleeping in the Dust, these Soliloquies should kindle a Flame of divine Love in the Heart of the lowest and most despised Christian, be the Glory given to the great Spring of all Grace and Benignity.

I have now done with mortal Things, and all to come is vast Eternity—Eternity—How transporting is the Sound! As long as God exists, my Being and Happiness is secure. These unbounded Desires, which the wide Creation cannot limit, shall be satisfy’d for ever. I shall drink at the Fountain Head of Pleasure, and be refresh’d with the Emanations of original Life and Joy. I shall hear the Voice of uncreated Harmony speaking Peace and ineffable Consolation to my Soul.

I expect eternal Life, not as a Reward (of Merit) but a pure Act of Bounty. Detesting myself in every View I can take, I fly to the Righteousness and Atonement of my great Redeemer for Pardon and Salvation; this is my only Consolation and Hope. Enter not into Judgment, O Lord, with thy Servant; for in thy Sight shall no Flesh be justify’d. [xxix]

Thro’ the Blood of the Lamb, I hope for an entire Victory over the last Enemy; and that before this comes to you, I shall have reach’d the celestial Heights; and while you are reading these Lines, I shall be adoring before the Throne of God, where Faith shall be turn’d into Vision, and these languishing Desires satisfy’d with the full Fruition of immortal Love. Adieu.

Eliz. Rowe.

Text: Elizabeth Singer Rowe, Devout Exercises of the Heart in Meditation and Soliloquy, Prayer and Praise. By the late Pious and Ingenious Mrs. Rowe. Review’d and Published at her Request by I. Watts, D. D. (London: Printed for R. Hett, at the Bible and Crown in the Poultry. M.DCC.XXXVIII [1738]), pp. xxvii-xxix.