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exceeding great, from whence flow such broad streams & De[ep][66]
channels of Unrighteousness as this is ; What a charme of
Satan to me by vertue of Divine Revenging justice, & [wt]
price is yt yt Redeems from this thralldome wch [formerly]
I have despised & I desier to be ashamed, I am & have bin
confounded on this account : I acknowledge yt because I
have sinned & thus sinned, that to me belongs shame & con
=fusion as it is at this Day: Oh yt my head were waters
myne Eyes a fountayne of teares[67] yt I might allwayes bewayle
the plague of my Heart. joy & gladnesse are departed from
me, & scarce dare I look upwards I should surely be [in] a pit
of sorrows were it not as you quote yt yr is Hope in
Israel concerning this thing.[68] But sure, we are not for to
to fly away from God, but for God to fly away from sin
& yt
Repentance is Commanded & required of all men in ordr to Re
^
=mission, you quote [shall a man fall & not arise turne away;
& not Returne][69] I say he should not be so unreasonably
sottish : I hope ye Lord hath given me some Degrees of
sound repentance. I am sorry for my sin, I confesse it to be
very
Exceeding great , I pray to be pardoned , the comfortating
receiving glad tidings of Remission pronounced in yt doctrine
wrin & whereby Remissiõ is preached to ye penitent is ye
balsame yt can heale me; I desire yt all Israel may hea[re]
& feare & doe no such wickednesse, as I have done, & [illeg.]
one be amazed at yt bitter roote wch beares such gall &
wormwood as this is; Let None be bold to sin by my Exam[ple]
but feare to be Dishonnourous of God as I have bin lest
they be hung up as Examples of his infinite disp[leasure]
& become ye griefe of ye Godly & ye derision of ye scorn-
=full as I am. oh! yt I could warne you all, my Dear
Brethren , to be jealous of yr hearts, of yr Tempter, to be
earnest wth God for help, oh yt some good might come
of this great Evill , & yt you would forgive my sin
as concerns you , that ye great congregation may have Ca[use]
to prayse Him , who notwithstanding many great offences [is]
Rich in Mercy to all yt call upon Him. I feare yt in [my]
aggravation I fayle , I desier you would impute it to it an
overburthened Spirit: I desier to Heare from you to have
farther Directions & that you would not reject me. I
intreate your earnest publique & private prayers for
finall Recovery from all my sins especially from this great
sin of Uncleannesse (wch I confesse I am guilty of) & from [all]
Evill. Thus, hoping that ye God & father of or Lord Jesus [Xt]
will make you instrumentall to apply his mind further to me, by a [sor]
=rowfull Spirit wth his & your favour , I doe to what is a[bove]
written unfeignedly subscribe desiring to be
Your pænitent & unworthy brother in [Xt]
The mark of
Thomas ––––– Mill[er]
[66] The right edge of the MS page is damaged; conjectural readings are provided in brackets.
[67] Jer. 9:1.
[68] Ezra 10:2.
[69] Jer. 8:4.