The Course of life of the Single Sister Sarah Metcalf

I was born at Southowram febr. 16 1708 & Baptzd in the Church of England, & many drawings of Grace was perceptable to me in my Childrens years which I made use of by in the dutys of the Church in hopes of pleasing God, to the Saving of my Soul from Eternal Distruction, & as I grew in years I beleived myself in such a State of happiness prefable to my dear mother that I became so concerned about her Salv. that I cou’d have no heaven in Eternity without Her tho’ I had no knowledge of our Savr or that there was any other Salvation then what was founded on a religious Life & conversation – & perceived a real Enmitie in my heart to any one that thought themselves better then myself, yet at the same time felt many Emotions in me after the evil & vanities of the world & plainly perceived that my pious course of Life was & continual dissappointment to me to the working up wrath & disscontentment, & when my Br told me that my Sister had experience the forgiveness of Her Sins in the bitterness of my Soul said it was all falseness & delution for there was no such thing to be attaind, my necessities of heart brought me to frequent the Meetings kept by the Brns at Smithhouse & also at my fathers yet a midst all this I lik’d not to venture upon any

foundation then my own works & selfrighteous & quotation from the Scripture for my walk & conversation yet my heart remaind as hard as Stone & I found it a perplexing Circumstance to my Mind when ever I thought of being separated from my mother Either in Time or in Etermity & continued to live with my parents till they both departed out of time which to the best of my remembrance was about my 35 years. I apply myself closely to the preachings Especially those kept by Br Spaningburg which prov’d a great blessing to me I was also look into bands & Class as amongest the Single Sisters, & a midst all carry’d Many disstressing Conviction of my lost condition particularly at my Spinning one day I was Sized with such Terrors of Hell & damnation that I saw myself in a Much worst situation Then Judas, who betray’d the Lord of Life & Glory, those terrors was succeedd by a comfortable asshurence that my Crucified Savr had died for all my Sins, the cherefulness of heart which I now enjoyed sweetend all the Labour of my attendance of my sick Brother who thro Lameness had been some years confined unto his bed, & as I was one day going to fulneck to the Meeting, I open meself a verse as following oh Church of God redeemd Bride, believe it & thereby abide this strengthd & refreshs my heart so as If a Savr Covenantd with me to remain His & His people forever mine July 24 1748 I was received into the congregation which

which was a great Grace to me, my Br from this Time Sicken very perceptably & thro’ the repeated visits of the Brns got a Clear Manifestation of our Savr redeeming Love & departed happyly in a comfortable relyance of His blood & merits, & in 2 months Time I had the Oppertuinity given to remove into the Oconomie at Cleckheaton in which place I injoy’d many happy hours & days & from thence a move to the occonomie at low house & also after that upon the Hill as I become incurable in my health it gave me a better Oppertunity to injoy the meeting of my Choir & congregation & on aug 4 1749 I had the inexepressable Grace to become a participant of the body & blood of Jesus Sacrementily, which was a matter of great abasement for me poor unworthy worm at the removal of the Choir into the Choir house I was one of that number, that had the Grace to be one of the first inhabitants, & injoyd that perticular previlidge of being at the Choir Communion kept by the dear Deciples & have enjoyed all the blessd previlidgs of the Choirhouse to the Mutual Satisfaction & blessng of My heart which thro’ the various schooling of the dear Holy Ghost have got to see what a poor wretchd & spoilt Creature I have been & am by nature, but thro’ his bloody merits I have been inabled to walk my Course with Joy & comfort as a poor Sinner, & wish from the bottom of my heart to have been & seen more & more

more & more of that great Happyness that is injoyable in a Humble & Sinnerlike walk & conversation yet a midst all my Great poverty & innabilitie of Heart I wish’d to be in any wise a Joy & Satisfaction to my dear Savr yet in his aboundant Love & mercy he coud like to prove it to the Grace of being Choir Diciples in which period I felt my choir near & dear to me Even to have cost me tears to feel which an inabilities & unworthyness to such a Grace & the dear H Ghost often Testified to my heart that a Savr & His rich merits was a sufficent for me & my choir & I was Glad & thankful to let go all self righteousness & feel my self a needy Sinner before my Lord & Saviour thro’ percied Feet.