Memoirs of Mrs. Eleanor Radford

[from a copy in MRS. SAVAGe’s HAND-WRITING.

Eleanor, the third daughter of Mr. Philip Henry, was born at Broad Oak, July 23d, 1GG7, being Tuesday. Her father writes in his memorandum of it, “Blessed be God, who was present in the time of need.”

She was baptized privately, July 27th, by Mr. Jonathan Edwards, of Jesus College, in Oxford.

Her natural temper, from a child, was timorous.

She had her name Eleanor appointed her by the last will of her grandfather, who died half a year before she was born.

While she was a child, she had frequent illness, which the Lord graciously brought her through. She was of a very tender, loving, and towardly disposition, and became acquainted betimes with the things of God, of which, through her great modesty and self-diiridence, she was not very forward to express herself, but very sincere and industrious in her converse with them.

She began early to write sermons, and the daily family expositions of the Scripture, and what she wrote she made use of; for while she lived in her daily reading of the Scriptures, in her closet, she read along with them the expositions she had written. She gathered, in writing, what she thought observable in the books she read, or in the papers communicated to her, and kept it together.

She was married to Mr. Samuel Radford, a tradesman in Chester, January 1st, 1688-9; and as by the grace of God, she was enabled to do the duty of, so she had abundance of comfort in, that relation.

What account we can find among her papers since her death, concerning her spiritual state, and her communion with God, is only a constant register which she kept of all her approaches to the Lord’s Supper. She made her first approach in the 17th year of her age, and then writes thus:

“I was advised by my father to put tlicse three questions to niyseU’, for my help in preparation, and to examine myself upon them. AVhat am T? What have I done? and what do I want? And by these three questions I did search and try myself, according to my weak ability, and what was amiss therein I humbly beg of God to pardon.

Question 1st What am i? Am I in a state of sin, or in a state of grace, a child of God, or a child of the devil? Have I renounced all for Christ?

Answer. I hope I can say, in the truth and uprightness of my soul, that I have renounced all my sins, and taken Jesus Christ to be mine, and given up myself to him to be his.

Question 2d. What have i done?

t.^nsivcr. God knows, and my own conscience knows, how greatly I have sinned against, and provoked, the pure eyes of his glory.

1. The sin of my nature testifies against me, and I desire to testify against it. Lord, forgive the sinfulness of my nature.

2. The numberless number of actual transgressions which I have been guilty of.

In thought: which of the commandments have I not broken? A’ho can understand my heart sins?

In word: telling untruths — some, since I have known to do better. I am convinced that my vain and idle words must come into judgment, and my idle unprofitable letters too.

In deed: omitting known duties. I have not been so frequent and constant as I should have been, in the duty of secret prayer; in reading God’s word, and singing his praises alone. Committing known sins. I have not carried it aright towards my relations, superiors, inferiors, and equals. I have not been diligent to use my uttermost endeavours, as 1 should have done, for the salvation of the souls of those with whom I have conversed. I have always had too good an opinion of myself. Lord, humble me for my pride. I have enjoyed great means of knowledge, and yet am very ignorant of what I might, and should have known. I have often quenched the motions of the Spirit and not hearkened to the voice of my own conscience. ‘Lord, who can understand his errors? ’ * Cleanse thou mc from secret faults. My sins have been more aggravated than the sins of others, having been committed against light and conviction — Having drawn up this bill of indictment against myself, next comes in, Queslio7i 3d. What do i want?

1. I want pardon for these, and all my sins;

2. An interest in Christ, as my Redeemer and Saviour

3. I want to have my strong corruptions weakened;

4. And my weak graces strengthened. These, and many more, I expect, and desire,

to have supplied at the Lord’s table.

The Lord will supply all my wants out of his fulness. Amen. I was admitted to the Lord’s table this February 17th, 1683 — 4, where I felt unspeakable sweetness; then and there the knot was tied, and the bargain made, which I would not release for a thousand worlds. I desire from the bottom of my soul, to bless God that ever I knew the meaning of a sacrament. I have this day felt that in my soul, which did much warm and refresh me, viz., a full persuasion of the love of God to me, and I desire to love him better than ever. I have heartily closed with him to-day: my soul hath said — * None but

Christ’ — ‘NoMG but Christ.’ — The Lord make my heart more and more sound herein. The exhortation was that of Christ’s, ‘Go and sin no more.”

On the next opportunity she writes; “I came away greatly comforted, and more sensible of the love of Christ to me, and I hope I shall have cause to bless God for this day, as long as I have a day to live. The exhortation was Psalm lvi. 13. ‘Thou hast delivered my soul from death, wilt thou not deliver my feet from falling?’ He that hath done the greater will do the lesser.”

On another, “This was a price put into my hand to get wisdom. Blessed be God. The duty pressed was — to continue with Christ in his temptation: the Lord help me so to do.”

“Another precious day of grace. I was a guest at the blessed table, and must say, as Mephibosheth — ‘Who am I that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?”

“Another sweet opportunity, wherein I have, as well as poor I could, given myself to God wholly, only, and for ever. Amen.”

On another — “I have to-day, by the unspeakable goodness of my God to me, come away from his table with abundant consolations and satisfaction, because I hope I am in Christ Jesus. I am grieved that I walk no more closely with God. O that the sweetness I have found to-day may engage me to more watchfulness. I have this day, with an eye of faith, seen the great love of Christ to me; I tasted it, and was refreshed. Blessed be God, I had a comfortable day of it; I endeavoured to set faith on work, and came away comforted.”

At another time: “A sweet opportunity; the duty pressed was, ‘Arm yourselves, likewise, with the same mind.’”

At another: “A wonder of mercy, that I, who am not worthy of a crumb from the table, should be admitted to sit at it, and feast, not only with, but upon, the Lord. How is it’? I have renewed my covenant afresh with him, and deliberately chosen him for my treasure; and now, I bless God, I count the world, and all things on this side him, but trash.”

“Another precious opportunity. The duty pressed was, ’ to work out my own salvation with fear and trembling.’ The Lord help me in it, and work in me both to will and to do.”

At another: “From Phil. iv. 1, ‘So stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.’”

At another: “The exhortation was from Ps. cxvi. 16, * Truly, I am thy servant.’”

At another: “From 1 Samuel xii. 24, ‘Only fear the Lord.’”

At another: “From Romans xii. 1, ‘Present your bodies a living sacrifice.’”

At another: “This was an avouching day: I did afresh take God to be mine. The Scripture closed with was Deut. xxvi. 17, Thou hast avouched the Lord.’”

At another, “Job x. 15. ‘If I be wicked, wo to me.’ Wo, and a thousand woes to me, if I be wicked. I that have known more, and professed more, and been more convinced than others. I that have had so many mercies from God, and so oft renewed my covenants with him. If I be wicked, and must go to hell at last (as all that are wicked must,) it will be hell indeed to me.”

At another time: “I was minded of that great duty, ’ in all my ways to acknowledge God,’ from Prov. iii. G.”

“I was exhorted from Hebrews xii. 1. ’ to lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth most easily beset me.’

From 1 John i. 12, ‘Not to sin.’

From Psalm xxxi. 23, ‘To love the Lord.’

From Romans viii. 1, ‘To walk after the Spirit.’

From 1 Cor. xv. 58, ‘To abound in the work of the Lord.’

From 2 Cor. v. 14, 15, ‘To live to Christ.’

From 1 Thess. iv. l,*To walk so as to please God.’

From Col. iii. 1,2, 3, * To seek the things above.’

From 2 Peter iii. 18, ‘To grow in grace.’

From Eph. V. 15, 16, ‘To walk circumspectly.’”

From Eph. iv. 22, 23, ‘To put off the old man, and to put on the new man.’ I hope I have done that to-day, which I shall have cause to bless God for, to eternity.’”

“From 1 Cor. x. 12, ‘Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.’”

“A sealing day; the Lord did accept, and pardon. I did endeavour to give myself to Christ deliberately, sincerely, freely, and, it shall be, for ever. The Lord keep it always in the imagination of the thoughts of my heart, and establish my way before him.”

At another:” The exhortation was, from 1 Peter i. 13, * Gird up the loins of your mind.’ It was a sweet opportunity. What I have in hand is nothing to what I have in hope.

* Not unto me, O Lord, but to thy name be the praise’ I had the comfort; God shall have the glory.” At another: “1 Peter i. 22, ‘Love one another.’ I was dead and cold at the ordinance, I would endeavour to make up what was amiss by after diligence. The Lord set in with me.”

“2 Samuel xxiii. 5. — ‘Yet hath he made with me an everlasting covenant.’ 1 did afresh take God the Father to be my chiefest good and highest end; God the Son to be my Prince and Saviour; God the Holy Ghost to be my sanctifier, teacher, guide, and comforter; God’s word to be my rule in all my actions, and his people to be my people in all conditions. The exhortation was, to join in the angels’ song, Luke ii. 14, * Glory to God in the highest.’”

Thus far before she was married.

At another time — “The exhortation was, Ps. lxxxv. 8. ‘Not to return again to folly.’ All sin is folly, but sin, after God hath spoken peace, is folly with a witness.”

At another time:” From Hosea xiv. 8,

* To have no more to do with idols.’ — From Psalm xxiii. 6, To dwell in the house of the Lord.’ — From Col. ii. 6, 7, ‘To walk in

Christ with thanksgiving.’ — From Isa. ii. 5, 6, Walk in the light of the Lord;’ that is, 1st. to walk closely in my family, in my shop. — 2d. To walk comfortably; for God would have his people a comforted people. From John viii. 10, ‘To go and sin no more.’”

At another: “I was very dull and drowsy some part of the time, but came away rejoicing that I had what I came for. The Lord help me to be the more busy after. The Scripture closed with, was Romans vi. 12.”

At another: “The exhortation was from I Peter ii. 9. ‘To shew forth the praises of him who hath called us.’”

“From Joshua xxiv. 21,22, 23, ‘Ye are witnesses.’”

“From Deut. xxix. 9, ‘Keep the words of this covenant.’”

“From Gen. xxix. 1, ‘Then Jacob went on his way.’ Margin, then Jacob lift up his feet; when he had that view of God, chap, xxviii. 12, and made that vow to God, chap xxviii. 20, then he lift up his feet.’

“From Jer. xiii. 11. ‘To be unto him for a name and for a praise, and, therefore, to abstain from those things which make a dishonour and disgrace to God, and to abound in those thinys which are for his honour.”

32S

MEMOIRS OF MRS. RADFORD.

“From Eccl. viii. 11, ‘Keep the king’s commandment, because of the oath of God.’”

“From 2 Timothy ii. 3, ‘To endure hardness.’”

“From 2 Chron. xv. 14, 15, ‘To seek with my whole heart.’ The Lord grant that the impressions of this ordinance may not wear ofi:’”

“From 1 Cor. v. 11, * To purge out the old leaven.’”

“From Daniel xii. 13, ‘Go thy way till the end be, for thou shalt rest.’”

The last she received was July 4th, 1G97. “The exhortation was from the practice of the eunuch, Acts viii. 39, * He went on his way rejoicing.’”

These are some of the Memorandums she kept of these opportunities.

In her letters to her sisters there are many very savoury, pious expressions, that speak what her heart was full of.

“This is the world of troubles and disappointments. I never saw so much of it as now. I desire your prayers for me, that I may be weaned from it more and more.”

“I desire to be content in the place where God hath set me. O that I had wisdom to do the duly of it. I see we must not have every thing that we would have in this world.”

She was seized with a fever, as it proved, though little suspected of several days, August 1st, 1G97

In the beginning of her illness she often expressed an entire submission to the will of God, however he should please to dispose of her.

It was the ninth or tenth day of her illness before it appeared perilous, and then it grew violent, and seized her head.

She breathed out her soul into the embraces of the Lord Jesus, August 13th, being Friday, between four and five o’clock in the afternoon.

She was buried in St. Michael’s Church, Chester, August IGth, being Monday.

Mr. James Owen preached her funeral sermon that evening, at her brother’s meeting-place, on Rev. ii. 7. ‘To him that overcometh will I fifive to eat of the tree of life.’