The History of Margaret Catchpole, a Suffolk GirlCobbold, Richard
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The History of Margaret Catchpole, a Suffolk Girl
Cobbold, Richard
Catchpole, Margaret, 1762-1819 -- Fiction
"I conceive that we are justified in taking these words to our own
selves in our own contemplation of death, and in considering them
as the most blessed words that can be used to destroy the power
which the King of Terrors often raises in the minds of weak and
sinful mortals. If you are truly penitent, justly sensible of all
your sins, and are fully convinced of the meritorious sacrifice
which God has once made for your sins and those of the whole world,
I see no reason why your faith should not be so fully fixed on
these blessed words as to let them be the hope of your heart. It is
almost impossible for the true penitent to beg to be remembered in
the kingdom of Christ without experiencing comfort from the
Saviour's words, 'This day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise.'
"Death frees us from the dominion of sin; that is, if we die in
Christ. We are then with Him in Paradise, in that state of
innocency in which Adam was before he was driven out of the Garden
of Eden. Our spirits know no fear, since we are in love; and
'perfect love casts out fear, because fear hath torment.'
"Your judge, Margaret, will probably tell you to make good use of
the short time you have to live. I not only tell you this, that you
may be fortified against your sentence of death, but that you may
prepare yourself for entering upon another and a better life. I am
glad to find, by my friend the chaplain, that you have diligently
applied your whole strength to the Word of God, and have found how
weak, how wicked, how lost you have been all the days of your life.
I hope to be able to come and see you, with him, after your return
from Bury, and to partake with you of spiritual refreshment. Till
then, my poor servant, I can only pray that you may be rich in
grace, strong in faith, humble in heart, devout in prayer, lowly
and contrite in spirit, watchful against all temptation, in love,
in peace, in charity with all, praying for all: for your judge,
jury, and fellow-prisoners.
"Oh that your end may be as you wish it, a warning to all your sex,
and especially to those in your situation of life, never to let
passion get the upper hand of virtuous principle! That God may
fortify you with His spirit, cheer you with His Word, and comfort
you in death, is the earnest prayer of your former mistress
"And present friend,
"ELIZABETH COBBOLD.
"To MARGARET CATCHPOLE."
Margaret fed upon the contents of this letter, and followed the advice
given her; and with what effect will be best seen by the account
preserved of her second trial. She went to Bury on the 2nd of August,
and on the 3rd was conducted to the same court, and appeared before the
same judge, as she had done upon her first trial three years before.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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