The Life And Testimony Of E. Floyd

Gospel Standard 1858:

As we have been earnestly requested to insert the following memorial without alteration or mutilation, we have consented to do so. Though this so far relieves us from the responsibility of approving of every expression, it does not preclude the declaration of our feeling that we should much prefer the omission of what is said about the Church of England Burial Service. We fully admit, as, indeed, all must, the great beauty and solemnity of that service, but after all, it is but a form, and its miserable prostitution, as read over all indiscriminately, whether they died in Christ or died in their sins, must shock every Christian heart, and has not only grieved hundreds of conscientious clergymen, but has driven many to secede altogether from a system which sanctions, if not compels, such a sacrifice of conscience.

My dear Sir,—Can you not find a place in your valuable periodical for the following precious memorial? for precious I deem it, and I doubt not that it will be so esteemed by all those members of the church of our adorable Redeemer, into whose hands it may fall.

Mrs. E. B. K. Floyd was a native of, and a 90 years’ resident in, Deptford, Kent. And, remarkable to relate, she was born, and lived all those years in the same house; and, moreover, she was born, and, after her marriage, always slept, and at last died, in the same room; at the “good old age” (Gen. 15:15) of nearly 91; in the possession of every faculty, perfect; even her eye-sight without glasses. Nor is this all. Her life, by the singular providence of God over her, was preserved during the awful visitation of the cholera, the destroying ravages of which were so great that 60 persons died of it within a short time, in her own street alone. But her narrative will tell its own heavenly tale. She used to travel all the distance from Deptford to London, above seven miles, generally walking, till latterly, as often as her age and infirmities permitted, to worship God in his public courts, first in Fetter Lane, afterwards at Islington Green, and lastly, at St. Mary Somerset, Upper Thames Street; even up to the age of 82 or 83, a period of more than 25 years. Her death was quite unexpected, at the last, and after a few days’ indisposition; and it was as a child falling asleep and full of peace. She lately expressed a great desire to see me, once more, before she died. To satisfy that desire, and to gratify myself, (for I loved her in Christ dearly,) I went down from town to see her, about three weeks before she died. All was holy cheerfulness, perfect peace, and anxious, but submissive, waiting for her summons to “depart and be with Christ.” Just before I left her, after speaking a little from Heb. 6, (especially the last eight verses,) and prayer, she put into my hands the following brief, but blessed testimony. And I have no doubt that one motive of her great anxiety to see me once more before she departed was that she might commit the rich crumb to my hands, with her last blessing; for her last it eventually proved to be. It is a great and I believe will be a lasting grief to me that the unexpectedness of her death, the very lateness of the intelligence of it, and my own peculiar state of health, with many other insuperable difficulties, prevented my burying her, as I certainly (God willing) should have done, with the Church of England burial service. Could I have gone down to Deptford, I should certainly have preceded the sainted corpse, in all the olden Church of England form, from her house to her grave; and should have read over it there, with all happiness and thankfulness, that beautiful service so appropriate to the committal of the body of a departed saint to its original earth.

”Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself the soul of our dear sister here departed, we therefore commit her body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be like unto his glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.”

And again:

“Almighty God, with whom do live the spirits of those that depart hence in the Lord, and with whom the souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh, are in joy and felicity; we give thee thanks that it hath pleased thee to deliver this our sister out of the miseries of this sinful world; beseeching thee that it may please thee, of thy gracious goodness, shortly to accomplish the number of thine elect, and to hasten thy kingdom; that we, with all those that are departed in thy holy name, may have our perfect consummation and bliss both in body and soul, in thy eternal and everlasting glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The beautiful hymn, at the end of the narrative, is not our departed sister’s own composition, but copied by her as being exactly suited to her happy case, and greatly enjoyed by her, in her prospects of death. I have, or had, by me, many of the dear gone-before one’s letters, but I fear they have been lost.

I am, my dear Sir,

Always yours in the truth “as it is in Jesus” our Lord,

H. Cole

London, November.

TRUTH AND PEACE.—A NARRATIVE OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE, AND SPIRITUAL PROSPECTS WAITING FOR DEATH, OF A MOTHER IN ISRAEL; WRITTEN BY HERSELF.

Being encouraged by the words of David, in Psa. 64:16, “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul,” I have endeavored to set down some of the most gracious dealings of the Lord with my poor soul. I pray the Lord to bless the reading of it to all my dear family, that they may, “Seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near.” They will feel the comfort of it in their last moments, when all creature comforts fail. They will be able to say by faith, The Lord Jesus Christ is my salvation, and my everlasting inheritance and portion. This is the prayer of their affectionate mother, E. B. K. FLOYD.

After walking the downward road that leadeth to destruction, according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, forty years, my blessed Lord was pleased to send these words with power to my mind, one morning, in my sleeping- room, to raise me from the sleep of death: “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. (Isa. 55:6.) It struck me with astonishment, as I never remembered to have had a word of Scripture come to my mind before; and while I pondered it over in my mind, it suddenly came to me that I had never sought the Lord in his appointed means. O my ignorance! I knew nothing of the appointed means of grace; I knew nothing of the Lord Jesus Christ as a Saviour, nor the plan of salvation any more than a Hot-tentot, though brought up in the Church of England. About a fortnight after, these words came with power, so that I really thought I heard the words spoken to me: “Look unto me, and be saved.” These second words coming, began to make a shaking among the dry bones. I began to feel quite unhappy; what to do I did not know, and I was ashamed to speak to anybody about what I felt.

Many other words came to me, which made me feel I was a great sinner; but where to fly for refuge I knew not. At last I was constrained to open my mind to an old lady who lived with me at that time, and she persuaded me to go and hear Mr. Burgess preach, as she was a member of his chapel; and I went on Monday evening. The first time I went to chapel, the text was, “And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.” (Ezek. 20:34.) It appeared as if it was sent for me; it was so impressed on my mind. I did not know much of the sermon. It was the first time I had heard a gospel sermon. From that time my heart was drawn there, and I left the Church of England; but as often as I could I went and heard Mr. Burgess. Sometimes I got a little encouragement: at other times quite distressed, fearing there was no mercy for such a sinner as I felt myself to be. Then the Lord was pleased to send some sweet words to encourage me to press on; such as these: “I never said to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye my face in vain;” and, “Fear not I am with thee; be not dismayed, I am thy God.” I could not get to hear preaching very often, and when I did I was ashamed that any one should see me. Then these words would follow me, “He that is ashamed of me, of him will I be ashamed; and this, “No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of heaven.” One time, being in deep distress of soul, and harassed by many enemies, from without and within, as I was going to chapel, one Wednesday evening, I was begging of the Lord, in my poor way to show me if I was in the right way; and he was pleased to speak these words to my heart, “Thine eyes shall see thy teachers.” When I came there at that time I was looking to man, not knowing that power belongeth to God. I thought to see Mr. Burgess, but it was a stranger that came, which was a damp to my spirits; but when he took his text it was this: “Because the Lord heard I was hated, he hath given me this son also.” When he began to open the text, he so described the trials, oppositions, and difficulties that a heaven-born soul meets with, that if he had known, all my concerns; he could not have described the state I was in more clearly than he did at that time. Under the sermon I felt I had that blessed Son in me; which is Christ, the hope of glory. I can say it was the first time I felt the Word preached with any power and comfort, and I had a hope it would continue; but, alas! how soon it was all gone! I then understood what Mr. Hart says:

“True religion’s more than notion: 

Something must be known and felt.”

And a blessed sensation it is. I heard afterwards that the minister’s name was Locke; and I really believe the Lord sent him that evening with tidings of comfort to my soul. After this I sank very low again; when Mr. Burgess preached from Luke 14:5, and it was much blessed to my soul, as I felt interested in a great part of the sermon. Likewise I was very much exercised about the new birth, like Nicodemus: “How can these things be?” An old gentleman I used to converse with tried all in his power to make me understand it, but I could not; and I can say, to the glory of my blessed Lord, that what teaching I have had is from himself, and not from man. In this exercise of mind I went to chapel, when Mr. Barret preached, who ministered in turn with Mr. Burgess, from these words: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Cor. 5:17.) He treated so much on the new birth, and the Lord was pleased to give me so much understanding to receive it, that I felt clearly what it was, and that I was born again.

And so the Lord was pleased to lead me on for five years, before he manifested himself to my soul; not but that I had many sweet foretastes of his love to my soul. And about a fortnight before he gave me to feel the pardon of my sins, and to see my interest clear in my dear Redeemer, my soul, if I may so express myself, was like a spiritual dialogue, with texts of Scripture, such as these: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved;” “Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief;” continually passing through my mind, that I can say I lived quite above the world.

On April 23rd, 1812, as I was in my sleeping-room, these words came with such power to my heart as I had never felt before: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth give I unto you.” O the joy and the comfort that followed those words cannot be described! And these texts of Scripture followed: “Come unto me, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul;” “My beloved is mine, and I am his;” “He brought me into his banqueting-house, and his banner over me was love;” and many more; so that I felt I was a pardoned sinner. I felt my interest clear in my dear Redeemer; washed in his blood, and clothed in his righteousness. I could feel his anger was turned away, and I was comforted. I could feel the kingdom of heaven was come into my soul. “O taste and see that the Lord is good.”

“O, my Jesus, thou art mine, 

With all thy grace and power;

I am now and shall be thine, 

When time shall be no more.”

Not long after this, the enemy beset me with this: “How do you know your sins are pardoned? The Lord did not say, “Daughter, go in peace, thy sins are forgiven.” Then I began to think I was deceived altogether, and I begged and entreated the Lord to make it clear to me, and not let me be deceived, and rest in a false hope short of the salvation of my immortal soul. The Lord was pleased to send these words, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” I knew there was nothing in my flesh that would satisfy my soul, and I could rest in nothing short of the Spirit witnessing with my spirit that I was born of God; and I felt the power of it, and went on very happy, in the light of the Lord’s countenance for some time; till the enemy beset me again as before, that I did not know I was a pardoned sinner that I knew those words were now applied to me; so down I sank lower than ever; but my ever- blessed and condescending Lord did not let me be many weeks in this desponding state; for one day, as I was reading my Bible, I came to these words in Isaiah 43:25: “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” Well, said I, now I know my Lord has pardoned my sins, and when they are sought for they cannot be found, and I cannot come into condemnation. The Lord was pleased to bless me with the light of his countenance, and the manifestation of his love, for nearly three years. And when he was pleased to withdraw his sensible presence, and bring me down from the Mount, I did not know what to make of it after such sweet indulgences; for if such sweetness in the streams, what must the fountain be! Then, as Mr. Hart says:

“I to my own sad place return. 

My wretched state to feel,

I tire, I faint, I mope, and mourn, 

And am but barren still.”

After this, I sank into great darkness. I did not know at that time I was to be weaned from the breast of consolation, and to go in and out, to find pasture. But I can say, glory be to the name of my dear Lord! he has led me in a right way, and has promised never to leave me nor forsake me; and I know his promise can never fail, let me be in whatever frame I may. One time I was meditating on the ever-blessed and adorable Trinity; and I felt it so clear as I could never express it, that the Three adorable Persons in the Trinity were from eternity all concerned in the salvation of my soul. Had it not been so I could never have been saved; and I was preserved in Christ Jesus, and, in his own time, called out of nature’s darkness into his most marvellous light to glorify his blessed name to all eternity.

Nothing very particular occurred till our dear pastor’s (Mr. Burgess’s) last illness. I shall pass on till then. When he was so ill he could not venture out of an evening he gave us exhortations on Thursday mornings; and if I mistake not he spoke eight times from these words: “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” (John 15:2.) And most sweet seasons I enjoyed in hearing him. He was then fast declining, and all his friends could see and know that as his outward man decayed, his inward man was renewed day by day. That day when the Lord was pleased to take him from this world of sorrow, to be for ever with himself in glory, these words were on my mind the whole day: “Although I feed thee with the bread of adversity, and with the water of affliction, yet thy teachers shall no more be hid in a corner, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers.” I could not make it out, knowing our teacher was so soon to be taken from us. I said, Lord, how can this be? Not being in expectation of any one, when he was no more. I knew the blessed Spirit is the best teacher. Not long afterwards, a separation took place in the chapel. The under shepherd was gone, and the sheep were scattered. We have never since assembled together at Mr. Burgess’s house for prayer, singing, and reading. Sometimes we have had good experimental ministers to preach to us there, and we have felt a great deal of comfort at times; and I can set my seal to the truth of the Lord blessing us with his presence at our meeting in his name. But still I was at a loss to understand that text of scripture being so impressed upon my mind, as we were still without a teacher, and have been so for five years and a half.

About this time the Lord was pleased to bring Mr. Cole forth to preach in Fetter Lane, Fleet Street. I went to hear his first sermon. It was from these words: “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ; this is the true God, and eternal life.” (John 5:20.) He spake at that time from the first clause: “And we know that the Son of God is come.” He said no one could speak that language but those that had Christ formed in their heart the hope of glory. It brought to my mind the very time that I did receive Christ into my heart, and I felt the power of it. And many things he mentioned in that sermon which seemed to revive the good work in my soul that had been hid for many years; and I went home quite revived, and blessing the Lord for bringing him forth to speak in his name. The next time he preached from this: “And hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true.” When he began to open the “understanding” I was astonished; for I felt I was in possession of it, nearly all. It brought to my mind the very time I felt my soul sealed to the day of redemption, under a sermon of Mr. Burgess’s: “Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arms.” (Song of Solomon 8:6) I felt I was justified, and sanctified; and that in his own time I should be glorified. “Bless the Lord, O my soul!” The next time he spake from these words: “And we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ,” (our Covenant Head from eternity.) I felt the manifestation of it in my soul, as he went on, that I was one of that blessed number that were in Christ from eternity, and could never be lost. So, my soul was sweetly fed from Sabbath to Sabbath. It was quite a new life to me after so much deadness for so many [fourteen] years, except now and then a little revival. It appeared, indeed, as if one of the days of the Son of Man was come.

Being rather poorly, I was deprived of hearing twice, I believe; and that was a great trial to me, for after I had heard Mr. Cole once I could not stay away; for I can say I never felt tired in walking home, [a distance of seven or eight miles,] but sweetly refreshed. The next time, I heard him preach from these words, “Ye worship ye know not what; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.” (John 4:22.) When he began to speak of the gospel idolaters, I could look back to the time when I was one, and as proud a Pharisee as any one that went inside the walls of the church. In particular, when I had received the sacrament my pride was so great I could say, “Stand by, for I am holier than thou.” But when the Lord was pleased to let me feel what a wretched sinner I was, that was my greatest distress; for I really thought I had ate and drunk my own condemnation. But to return. I felt under that sermon that the Lord had made me one of the true worshippers, that worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

The next time he preached from these words: “Now ye are clean, through the word which I have spoken unto you.” (John 15:3.) He spake so sweetly, in so many particulars, of the clearness and spotlessness of our dear Redeemer, and that it was impossible for an impure word to drop from his lips; and he opened so plainly the pollution of our sinful nature, that still when I feel it I am astonished to think that the Lord should ever have mercy on such a one as I feel myself to be. He was so sweetly led in these three sermons, on these words, that I never shall be able to express what I felt and enjoyed under them. Those three sermons, and all the rest that I heard had such an abiding sense that they were my food from day to day. In the last sermon he appealed to conscience: “Can you say, ‘This is my comfort in my affliction, Thy word hath quickened me?'” I could answer, “Yes.” He brought so many words to my mind that the dear Redeemer had spoken to my heart, that I felt I was clean through the words that he had spoken to my heart from time to time.

Now I began to have some thoughts about those words that were so powerfully spoken to my heart the day that Mr. Burgess was taken to glory; for we have had no teacher since his death; and I can say I never had my way so cast up before. I do believe (if I had a memory to retain what I heard from Mr. Cole in, I think, nine sermons) he brought forth my whole experience from the day the Lord was pleased to make me feel that I was a sinner to the present time, which is about twenty-two years. Dare I not say, therefore, that promise is made good and manifest in Mr. Cole being raised up as my teacher, and not mine only, but I hope that of many hundreds, if it is the Lord’s will and pleasure? For many years I have had him on my mind much, and begged the Lord to bring him forth to speak in his name, to be as a brazen wall and an iron pillar in his temple. At that time I did not know what I prayed for; but our blessed Lord says, “What you know not now, you shall know hereafter;” and, blessed, be his name, I do know, now, to the comfort of my soul.

The night after I heard Mr. Cole’s last sermon, on these words, “Now ye are clean, through the word that I have spoken unto you,” I was taken very ill, but the comfort I enjoyed in my soul made me think very light of bodily affliction. On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, I was so sweetly fed with the hidden manna that I wanted no other food. On Thursday evening I was on my knees blessing and praising my dear Lord and Saviour for his great mercies to me, so unworthy, when he was pleased to break in upon my soul again with those sweet words, “Now ye are clean, through the word which I have spoken unto you.” My soul was melted in such a sweet manner! I felt more than words can express. I could do nothing but bless and praise and adore my loving God, for I had found Him whom my soul loved. I went to bed with my Beloved in my arms, and a most sweet night’s rest I had. In the morning he was still with me. My beloved Lord brought me that morning where I had been praying to be brought for many years; that is, to say from my heart. “Lord, thy will be done.” I felt so much of my dear Lord’s presence that I longed to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better. I was in hope every time I shut my eyes to open them in glory. But our Lord says, “Your time is always ready, but mine is not yet.” I continued very ill till the Wednesday week after that sweet manifestation, when my complaint got so much worse that I was obliged to have medical advice. Not that I had any desire on my own account, for I longed to get rid of this body of sin, and to be for ever with my dear Lord and Saviour, who had done such good things for me; for 

“If such sweetness in the stream. 

What must the fountain be?”

but on account of my family. I was brought so low that it was with much difficulty I could move in my bed, and took very little else but medicine. Then my dear Lord was pleased to feed my soul from day to day with his blessed word. In the morning I could look up and say, “Dear Lord, thou didst in old times feed thy children from day to day, and I am looking to thee for my daily portion.” And he always answered me with some sweet portion of Scripture to feed upon; such as, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, shall man live.” And sweet living it is. I can say I never felt an uneasy moment in all my affliction. When my medical gentleman told me he thought I was a little better, it struck a damp on my spirits, as I did not want to hear it. I wanted to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

On Saturday I was so very low, that I thought I felt death approaching; when these words came:

“When ghastly death appears in view, 

Christ’s presence shall thy fears subdue; 

He comes to set thy spirit free,

And as thy days thy strength shall be.”

And then these words, “Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.”

On one Sunday morning, as I thought I was very near entering my everlasting rest, I was meditating on the sweet manifestations my Lord was pleased to favor me with, I saw, as with my bodily eyes; near the top of the foot-post of the bedstead, something moving before my eyes, the color of a rainbow. It moved gradually to the middle, over the foot of the bed, and then appeared the color of the sun, quite round, and in the form of the glory that is represented round our blessed Saviour’s head. It had such an effect upon my spirit that I shrank from it, as it were, and said, “O, Lord, is it not enough that I have had so many sweet manifestations of thy love to my soul, but I must have an open vision? Dear Lord, I feel it will be too much for my weak frame; I shall faint under it.” For I really thought to see it open and separate, and that I should behold my crucified Redeemer; for it appeared to me as if there was something most brilliant to be seen from behind; but it gradually withdrew from my sight. Then these words came to me, “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise, with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.” And then this, “Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.” I answered, “Lord, thou hast healed my soul; I don’t want my body healed.” But from that time I thought I should be raised up again; and, bless his dear name, he has done so, I trust for his glory and for my good. But to think of the condescension of my gracious God, to condescend to listen to his unworthy creature to withdraw the scene at my request, until I had strength to bear it. One Sunday morning, as Mr. Parker was preaching from a text in the Song of Solomon, the Lord was pleased to give me such a faith’s view of my crucified Saviour, as if I had seen him with my bodily eyes, with the blood in great drops forcing through the skin; his head resting on his right shoulder, and his eyes fixed upon me; as much as to say it was my sins that had been the cause of my dear Saviour’s sufferings. It had such an effect upon me that I was enveloped in tears, and lost to all that was around me for some time. This was about three months after I was recovered from my illness. The Lord said to my soul, “I will make all his bed in his sickness.” And, blessed be his name, he has made mine. I can say it was a bed of mercies, and in very faithfulness he hath afflicted me. For if ever a poor sinner was indulged with the foretaste of eternal glory. I was. And I have been so full at times, that I have said, “Lord, it is almost more than my weak frame can bear.”

Mr. Cole was so much on my mind, and what the Lord had done for my soul under his ministry, I felt as if it was impossible I could leave this world without telling him; and he was pleased to come to see me, which I took very kind, as we were quite strangers. The Lord was pleased to give me strength to speak my mind freely to him; which was a very great comfort to me, and I hope an encouragement to him. If I had never heard Mr. Cole preach, I should never have put pen to paper.

But as the Lord has been pleased to give me such a sweet revival in my soul, and blessed the word with such power to my heart, and brought all things to my mind that he hath done for my soul, I feel it my duty to make it known to his minister and to his own children. The Lord has been pleased to raise me again, and I trust it is for his own glory. I think the first text of Scripture that came to my mind in my affliction was this: “He brought me into his banqueting-house, and his banner over me was love.” (Sol. Song 2:4.) The next was, “Arise, shine! for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” (Isa. 40:1.) The next was, “This is my comfort in my affliction; thy word hath quickened me;” (Ps. 119:50;) followed by, “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” (Deut. 33:27.) Then these two, “Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” (Ps. 84:10.) After them, “Blessed are the people that know the joyful sound; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.” (Ps. 89:15.) The next was, “There is a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of our God.” (Psa. 49:4.) The next was, “For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom. 8:2.) The next was, “Fear not, little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32.) The next was, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” (Isa. 40:31.) Then these, “My Beloved is mine and I am his;” “Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for thy countenance is comely;” (Sol. Song 2:14;) “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2.) The next was, “Be still, and know that I am God;” (Ps. 46:10;) and this, “And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels.” (Mal. 3:17.) Then this, “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.” (Zech. 13:1.) And then, “Trust in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength;” (Isa. 26:4); and this, “And call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” (Ps. 50:15.) Then this, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, shall man live,” (Matt. 4:4.) And then this, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.” (Isa. 26:3.) And this, “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” (Exod. 33:14) And this, “The Lord preserved the simple; I was brought low, and he helped me.” (Ps. 116:6)

When the Lord was pleased to withdraw his sensible presence, I could not but mourn, after nearly four weeks of such sweet indulgence as I had enjoyed. Then my dear Lord was pleased to speak these words to me: “I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you again.” (John 14:8.) And, bless his dear name, he has given me many sweet visits, though of short duration. These words were much impressed on my mind in my affliction:

“I’ll tell to all poor sinners round, 

What a dear Saviour I have found; 

I’ll point to my Redeemer’s blood, 

And say, Behold the way to God!”

This was written in 1829 at first, after a great and blessed affliction, and again, [probably for revision and additional collections,] in 1852, and again in 1855.

David says, “My meditation of him shall be sweet.” I do hope, in a small degree, that I can say I know a little of it. For my mind has lately been led very much to look into eternity past. It appeared to me as if by faith I could see the three adorable Persons in the Trinity, contriving the plan of salvation of sinners, by the covenant of grace, to save some of Adam’s lost race; and I could behold our gracious God and Father coming forward and saying, “Save them from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom for them.” And also I could see our dearly beloved Saviour, the only begotten Son of God, come forth and say, “I lay down my life for my sheep, and they shall never perish. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this commandment have I received of my Father.” “All that my Father hath given me, shall come unto me, and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.” And I could also see the adorable Spirit ordained to manifest to the elect, or chosen people of God, those blessed truths, by taking of the things of Christ, and making them known unto them.

Then again, I have been led to look into eternity to come; when our dear Redeemer shall come in the latter days upon the earth, and every eye shall see him; when he shall say to his dear Father, “Behold I and the children which God hath given me.” (Having all the elect, or God’s chosen people, to deliver up to him, and not one of them missing.) “All for whom I gave myself, and suffered, bled, and died to save, are saved with an everlasting salvation.” And I have faith to believe my unworthy name will be in the list, and that when my departure comes I shall be permitted to enter into that assembly of just men made perfect, who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb; and that I shall be clothed with the garment of salvation, for he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit; for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death,” being chosen in the purposes of God before the world was made. “Therefore if anyone be in Christ Jesus he is a new creature. Old things are passed away; all things are become new.”

ALL IS WELL

What, what is this steals o’er my frame!

Is it death? Is it death?

Which soon shall quench the vital flame?

Is it death? Is it death?

If this be death, I soon shall be, 

From all my sins and sorrow free, 

I shall my Lord and Saviour see.

All is well! All is well!

Cease, cease, my friends, to weep for me.

All is well! All is well!

My sins are pardoned; I am free.

All is well! All is well!

There’s not a cloud doth now arise, 

To hide my Saviour from my eyes; 

I soon shall mount the upper skies.

All is well! All is well!

Tune, time your harps, ye saints, in glory. 

All is well! All is well!

I soon shall sing the pleasing story,

All is well! All is well!

Bright angels are from glory come; 

They’re round my bed, and in my room. 

They wait to waft my spirit home.

All is well! All is well! 

Hark, hark, the Lord and Saviour calls me.

All is well! All is well! 

I soon shall see his face in glory.

All is well! All is well! 

Farewell, my friends! Adieu! Adieu!

I can no longer stay with you.

My glittering crown appears in view.

All is well! All is well!

E. B. K. Floyd