with her Ladiship and perceiving the stone upon which she stumbled indeavoured her assistance partly remembring her 1. Of what Solomon saith That none can judge of love or hate by all that is before him Eccles 9. 1. For it may fall out alike to him that is spiritually wise and to him that is spiritually a fool 2. Partly by minding her of what the Apostle tells us That God chasteneth whom he Heb. 12. 6. loveth and scourgeth every one whom he receiveth 3. Partly arguing thus with her If afflictions be tokens of divine wrath then health and prosperity are signs of divine love which is evidently salfe 4. Parâ—ly by remembring her of the many examples of Gods children in Scripture to whom God had wrung out bitter waters in a full cup who yet at that time when they were so afflicted were undoubtedly beloved of God and exceeding precious in his eyes Such were Joseph David Job Daniel and many others recorded in Scripture With these and such like Arguments I had satisfied her sanctified reason and judgement and thought I should have heard no more of this temptation But soon after it was inforced Two things she had to say 1. The greatness of her affliction spake more than a chastisement with a rod she was scourged with Scorpions 2. The Lords multiplying afflictions and repeating sad Providences to her seemed to argue that he had a quarrel against her Why else should he return upon her body when he had served an execution upon all she had besides To this I replied 1. That the afflictions of Gods people are not called chaâ—â—isements because they are lâ—ght or little but because they come from the hand of a gracious Father not as legal demands of satisfaction to divine Justice offended because they flow from a principle of love not of wrath and are designed to a gracious end 2. That for the multitude of them Job had as many yet was a person singularly beloved of God and one of whom God gave testimony that there was not one like him in all the East 3. That as the afflictions of Job were of divers hands and exceeding heavy so the succession of them was much like to hers God first took away his children then his estate and last of all let loose Satan upon his person and gave him a liberty to tempt him With these and such like considerations I endeavoured to arm her against this fiery dart at last it pleased him who was therefore tempted that he might be able to succour those that were tempted by his mighty power to lift her over this stone of stumbling and she became fully satisfied that she could neither from the greatness nor multitude of her trials conclude any thing against the love of God to her 2. Tempt If during her afflictions she did not also want the inward consolations of the holy Spirit but alas saith she I have no inward assurance of Gods love no sensible consolations c. Perceiving that her adversary had betaken himself to a new battery I endeavoured to direct her in the use of the Armour of God for the repâ—lling of his darts thrown from hence by offering to her consideration 1. That even Gods dearest children have often wanted these influences of the Spirit What else made David cry out When wilt thou comfort me and vestorâ— unto me the joy of thy salvation What else made the Spouse Cant. 3 1. at such a loss for him whom her soul loved What else caused those sad complaints of the Psalmist Psal 77. To this she replied That it was true but surely if she indeed had any interest in God he would not hide himself from one so pressed with afflâ—ctions as she was God indeed might thus try his children in health and at liberty but would a tender Father so hide himself from so distressed and a dying child This was hard to imagine of God who is Love I replied to this purpose That sensible consolations were not the necessaries of salvation 2. That the love of God to his children is far more seen in giving the soul necessaries than accommodating it with superfluities 3. That God is no where in Scripture tyed by his promise to Saints for the comforts of assurance to be given them in at this or that hour 4. That it is a very great mistake in Christians to judge they want the manifestations of the Spirit because they want these consolatory reflections for the Spirit manifesteth it self in the soul as well by the influences of strengthening and quickening as comforting grace and the witnessings of it That David was become like a bottle in the smoke that his eyes failed for Gods Word saying When wilt thou comfort me Psal 119. 82 83. yet he was at that time Gods child yea the man according to his heart That Job also as might be gathered from several passages in his Book often wanted these sensible manifestations at last I commended a Sermon upon that subject to her after the reading of which her Spirit was more composed and she satisfied that if she could but find the strengthening and quickening influences of divine grace she had no reason for want of sensible consolations to conclude against her self 3 Tempt Satan perceiving this fiery dart well nigh quenched betakes him again to his quiver for another arrow his next device was to perswade her that she wanted also the strengthening grace of God soon after I heard her speaking to this sense 'T is true Sir if I could but find the grace of God strengthening me unto duty against sin I think I ought not to cast away my hope though I do want assurance that I am my Beloveds and my Beloved mine but alas I want this Sir I am now at such a pass I cannot pray c. God hath laid his hand upon my mouth and I cannot open it so much as to say unto him Abba Father Observing the subtilty of this crafty adversary to perswade her from some partial weaknesses and those also much occasioned from bodily distempers that she wholly wanted the workings of the Spirit of Grace I accordingly applied my self to her She tells me it was true she had learned from the Apostle Rom. 8. 11. That if she had the Spirit of Christ she was his which way soever the Spirit as the author of special and distinguishing grace pleased to work in her and she did believe That if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwelt in Rom. 8. 11. 15. Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 8. 26. her he that raised up Christ from the dead should also one day quicken her mortal body by his Spirit dwelling in her But Sir said she this spirit is a spirit of supplication a spirit of adoption teaching to cry Abba Father a spirit helping our infirmities in prayer To which I replied 1. That this was no more than the lot of Gods children Asaph or whoever was the author of that 77 Psalm complained
I discharged my Ministerial Office in the City and to take some oversight of his Family as to the things of God Sir John himself having lately been valetudinarious and the Family without any spiritual guide I found it in some disorder and the severall persons in it my Ladyes Daughter only excepted being persons grown in years I apprehended it no easie thing to reduce it to a due Religious Order and Discipline My design was it being a Family of much leisure to bring it up to a Course of Prayer in conformity to Davids Copy Morning and Evening and at Noon-time Reading some portion of Scripture twice each day and expounding it as my leisure would allow me Catechizing once every week a stricter observation of the Lords dayes and Repetitions of Sermons both on that and other dayes when we had attended upon the publick Ordinances I did not do this as thinking it what God requireth of all Families but in regard I thought God expected more of us to whom he had given more leisure from distracting occasions of the World Partly in regard my hands at that time were not so full of more publick employment but I could attend this more than ordinary service in the Family and indeed because I thought I saw the Family so much behind hand as to spiritual knowledge as ordinary performances in a short time were not like to reach the end which I aimed at As to the generality of the Servants I feared this might prove like the putting of New Wine into old Bottles and be judged a yoke they were not able to bear I therefore first communicated my thoughts to my Lady Sir John Hobarts sickly state not allowing much liberty of discourse at that time Her Ladyship chearfully approving my thoughts propounded them to her husband who with great expressions of thankfulness testified his approbation to me and commanded his Servants diligently to attend the duties and himself when his distempers would permit him was never absent ordinarily for some time at our Prayers At Noon and Night he was with us The Morning Service was by seven of the Clock rarely after eight from which her Ladyship unless in a bed of sickness in eighteen years I think was hardly twice absent and was ordinarily with the first of the Family in the room where they were performed before her sickliness brought them to her own Chamber The business of Catechizing was more difficult yet made easie by these noble Parents prevailing with their own Daughter to go before the Family in a noble Example which she continued untill she had attained a competent knowledge in the most necessary Principles of Religion From the time I first came into the Family it pleased God to keep Sir John Hobart in a dying condition though he had some more lucid intervals than other within less than eight moneths God removed him into a better life It was his great satisfaction all along his sickness to see his dear Daughter making such a proficiency in the knowledge of the things of God and so willing to set an example to his Family and he mentioned it as his dying comfort that he had seen his Family before his death in a course of Reformation which he doubted not but his Lady would bring to perfection Now was this Excellent Lady brought to the third and last period of her life Now she sate solitary as a Widow mourning as a Turtle that had lost her Mate and for a while not knowing how to receive comfort because He was not Having recovered her self from her passion and learned to hold her peace because this was the Lords doing she made it her first request to me that I would abide with her and keep on the course of Religious dutyes in the Family which I had began proposing to me an high incouragement from an assurance that I should find her proposing to her self the pattern of the man according to Gods own heart Psal 101. 1 2 6 7. endeavouring to walk in her house with a perfect heart That those who were of a froward spirit should depart from her That her eyes should be upon the faithfull in the land they should serve her That he who wrought deceit should not dwell in her house he that told lies should not tarry in her sight To which resolution she was afterwards very severe The times began to be troublesome through the distempers of the Army and some fears began then to arise that Ministers who could not comply with the extravagancies of that time should not be suffered to enjoy their publick liberty Her Ladyship partly to obviate that Evil partly to give her self advantage however times fell to do good to the Souls of many at no small charge converted some less usefull lower rooms of her house into a Chappel which was conveniently capacious of more than 200 persons Here she obliged me at first to preach a Lecture every week and to repeat one or both of my Sermons every Lords Day at night after the more publick Sermons were finished in the Town which for 16 years was continued to a very full Auditory and to the great advantage of many younger persons and of those who had not such advantages as they desired in their own houses for hearing again what they had been hearing in the day time A work of piety the more remarkable for this her Ladyships Chappel lying in the way to that field where the younger persons were formerly wont to profane the latter part of the Lords day by idle walks discourses and Recreations intercepted many of them and proved a bait to allure them both from the example of it into a further reverence of the Sabbath and from the Doctrine they heard there to bring them to a further acquaintance with God After this she ingaged me also to preach a Morning Sermon there on the Lords dayes those monthly dayes only excepted when I was to administer the Communion of the Lords Supper more publickly This course her Ladyship continued so long as I had a liberty to preach or her Ladyship a liberty to hear But that I may speak more distinctly The Christian Philosopher divideth all vertue into Piety and Probity which indeed is our Saviours division of the whole Law into the two Precepts Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self We must first consider her Ladyships obedience to the first and then to the second 1. Even from her Childhood some seeds of severer piety began to discover themselves in her I have heard her mention the pleasure she then took in reading Mr. Dod's Exposition of the Commandements Then as I have heard her relate it her pleasure was in those Ministers whose Doctrine was most lively and whose lives were most pure and holy But her self would constantly own the fixed change of her heart to have been wrought by God under the Ministry of that eminent Servant of God Mr. John
that he was so troubled he could not speak Psal 77. 4. 2. That the Lord had silenced her Ladiships tongue by his own hand laid upon it in a continual course of afflictions Now though God indeed requires of us the homage of our lips Let me hear thy voice saith Christ to his Spouse Cant. 2. 14. for it is comely And Take unto you words and say saith the Prophet yet he doth not expect this homage where by his providence he dischargeth our tongues of it 3. That there is a praying without the voice which also the Lord heareth Groaning Psa 102. 5. Psal 6. 8. hath a voice Psal 102. 5. and weeping a voice Psal 6. 8. Hezekiah chattered like a Crane yet the Lord heard him In short I besought her Ladiship to consider that the business of prayer was in Scripture expressed by wrestling with God by lifting up the eyes hands heart unto him by pouring out of the soul before him all which might be without the use of words Thus Hannah prayed and was 1 Sam. 1. answered yet spake not a word And I doubted not but her Ladiship thus could and did pray 4. Finally I desired her Ladiship to observe that in Gal. 4. 6. God is said to send his Gal. 4. 6. Spirit into our hearts teaching us to cry Abba Father And Rom. 8. 26. that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities with strong cryes and groans Rom. 8. 26. which could not be uttered Now groans at least are the language of the hearts There is indeed another assistance of the holy Spirit teaching us what to pray for but this floweth not from the Spirit in a way of special grace but as it is the author of spiritual gifts which those might have who had no true interest in God nor had received the Spirit of Christ as a spirit of Sanctification With these and such like considerations I endeavoured to satisfie her Ladiship who yet could hardly be satisfied because she could not pay so full and perfect an homage to God as formerly she had done but her unweariable adversary again reneweth his assault The next news which I heard was this 4 Tempt Sir I have seriously thought upon what you told me and am convinced that though I spake never a word yet if I could keep my heart lifted up to God if I could wrestle with him with my Spirit this were acceptable prayer but whatever you may think I cannot do this When at any time I compose my self to prayer I am tortured with pain that I cannot do it at other times through drewsiness I fall asleep c. By this time her Ladiships tormenting distemperatures prevailed upon her to a great degree so as night and day she had little rest beyond the influence of Anodines stupifying her sense As soon as she had taken these she used to compose her self to secret prayer by and by the operation of the medicine overtook her and inforced sleep when the operation of the Anodine ceased her pains returned and she awoke and then whenever she composed her self to it her pains disturbed her only this she added to her complaint to find out any cause of which for a while posed me That although at first when she composed her self to look up to God she found not much pain yet when she was entered once into her duty she was sure to be racked with the increase of her pain I know that the Devil is but a small friend to our communion with God and would in what he could hinder it I also knew he had a natural power God permitting the exercise of it by which he could disturb bodily humours and divert them to an affected part but not willing to impute it to a praeternatural cause unless quite at loss upon further deliberation I conceived there might be this natural cause of it This good Lady desired when she served the Lord to serve him with her spirit and when she addressed her self to God summoned up all her spirits to do it with the more intention of mind and fervour of spirit Now this I conceived might be a natural cause of the increase of her pain at such a time in regard that her spirits which were wont to serve her body in the supportation of her under her affliction were at this time drawn up to another imployment and the several parts of her body at present left destitute it might give a natural advantage to her infirmity but this was but my particular fancy I told her 1. That short ejaculations were most suitable to her present condition and were heard of God as well as longer prayers for we are not heard for our much speaking 2. I minded her of a speech of Mr. Rutherfords If I were in health I would desire but to cast one long look toward Heaven 3. I told her it was unreasonable for her Ladiship to conclude her self to want the strengthening influences of the holy Spirit because as to this or that act of duty possibly she might not discern such an influence of it It was likely that if her Ladiship examined as to many other duties she might find it and that with an evidence not to be denied 4. I further told her the influence of the spirit was most eminently seen in its workings in strengthening the soul to those exercises of grace which are most proper for our day the present condition and dispensation I meant under which we are and that Faith and Patience were those graces the exercise whereof God more peculiarly requires of his children in a day of affliction and if her Ladiship found the Spirit of God infusing or exerting these habits she need not doubt of the strengthening influences of the Spirit With these things her Ladâ—ship for a while seemed satisfied but her distempers still increased and during the violence of them put her into a great disorder Satan still followed his game and soon after she tells me 5 Tempt Ah Sir you told me that Faith and Patience are those graces the exercise of which is most proper to my condition and if I found the holy Spirit infusing or strengthening me to the exercise of these habits I might be assured that I was not without the strengthening influences of the Spirit though I did not find such an assistance as I desired to every particular duty But Sir you see I am very impatient restless in my self froward with every body about me I cannot be silent under the hand of God nor keep my self from roaring c. And for Faith Sâ—r you know I have told you I have no assurance sometimes indâ—ed I have had what I judged a flash of the light of Gods countenance Once I remember after you had been praying with me and in your prayer mentioned and pleaded many promises it pleased God as I thought to seal some of them to my soul and at some other times that first word which God was pleased to seal unto my
and a Candlestick for the Servants of God who passed that way but like Lydia she would adjure them if they judged her faithfull to come to her house To this purpose she had set apart one Chamber in her own house to which she had given the name of The Ministers Chamber She highly prized any laborious Godly Minister and that for his works sake and she had as little kindness for any who attended not their Work or whose lives defamed their Doctrine and Function having nothing but the colour and form of their Coat to make them known she had indeed a peculiar kindness for some but a great love for all whom by any thing she could discern deriving from Christ and dedicating their time and hearts to his service So far as I could estimate it she every year spent the fourth part of her Revenues upon good Ministers and poor Christians Her charitable acts were like that pious act of Araunah of whom the Scripture saith As a King he gave unto the King What she did of this nature she did nobly and a very large heart and hand God had given her How often hath she lodged strangers relieved the afflicted washed their wounds instead of their feet washing of which being not our guise How diligently did she follow every good work Her Coach was ordinarily seen waiting for her at the doors of poor and mean persons whiles others like Michal looked out at their wanton Windows saw it and mockt It pleased her Ladyship when she came home to fancy what the wanton Gallants of the Town said How glorious was the Lady Frances to day spending her time in Visits to poor Knitters She had an answer ready with a small alteration from the man according to Gods own heart It was before the Lord with such as he hath chosen to Eternal life leaving Vain persons to perish in the recompence of their iniquity While others were measuring the ground with their idle feet she upon her bended knees was taking her turns with God and taking the heighth of the third Heavens While they were discoursing of the Mode in this or the other habit she was discoursing with poor Christians upon sick and Death-beds about the long white Robe of Christs righteousness the New Name the white Stone the Chains about the Saints necks while they were laughing and pleasantly busied at their Feasts Balls and Playes she was in her Closet mourning and offering up to God the spiritual sacrifice of Prayers and Tears both for her self and them She was of our Divine Poets mind that Kneeling never spoiled Silk-stocking nor Gown neither and that Christian Cottages never dishonoured a more stately Coach I have known some very mean Christians but indeed of great grace and great experience in the wayes of God from whom lying on their beds of afflictions she would hardly be two dayes absent nor did she judge any time too long to spend with them She would often say to me that she believed Love constrained equally if not more in spiritual Relations than in those that were natural and when in her dark hours she sometimes ran the fate of other Christians wanting such evidences of Grace as she desired to have found she would from this relieve her self that if St. Johns Argument were infallible 1 Joh. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren she yet had a ground of hope for if her heart did not strangely deceive her she loved them and that because of their holiness c. nor was she any of those that said she had Faith or Love and had no Works None of those whom St. James reflects upon Who if a Brother or Sister were naked and destitute of daily food would say to them James 2. 15 16. Depart in peace be you warmed and be you filled notwithstanding gave them not those things which were needfull to the Body Her love did not evaporate and spend it self in an empty-handed Visit or meer pitying of such as were in affliction she many wayes refreshed their bowels if she found their bodily distempers difficult she would ordinarily send her own learned Physician to them who himself was a Luke too towards such as feared God if she found them under spiritual trouble she would direct me to them She would put her own hands to their wounds send them dishes from her own Table when she had been with them at any time like the good Samaritane in the Gospel when she came away she would take out money from her purse and give to Nurses saying to them Take care of this person and whatsoever you spend more when I come again I will repay you Her self denyal in all acts of piety and charity to the souls and bodies of others was the just admiration of all sober persons in the place where God had fixed her for which she was universally honoured even by those who were of far different complexions from her Nor was she at all morose in her converse Her piety taught her civility and affability and a readiness to do good to all though her delight according to that of David was in those Psal 16. 3. whom she apprehended dear unto God and she was according to the Apostles direction most abundant in doing good to those of the Gal. 6. 10. houshold of Faith Though her Expences were great and noble yet those upon her self were mean and inconsiderable She cared not to be known by so pitifull a badge of Honour as Costly Apparel but was far more ambitious of purchasing to her self an honourable report from good works which yet she did not to be seen of men and was carefull as to the most of them that they should neither be taken notice of in the doing nor that any record should be left of them her desire was to have praise not from Men but from God Landes quia merebatur contempsit quia contempsit magis merebatur So little did she affect applause that drawing her last will at least the Preface to it with her own hand whiles I had the liberty of my publick Ministry she willing me to preach at her Funerals added as I remember these very words And I desire him to forbear all commendations of me a vile sinfull Creature Thus did this Noble Lady go in and out before us commending the holy wayes of God not only to all in the house with her but to all that dwelt round about her Thus did she shine in her Horizon she was not a reed shaken with the winde not one carried about with every winde of Doctrine she was not a person known by her cloathing in soft and costly rayment yet she had been no stranger to Kings houses she was a burning and a shining light and for many years the people of God in the City of Norwich rejoyced in her light to say nothing of more extraordinary advantages they injoyed at least three opportunities each week
he foreknew such a day he believed it he hoped for it and rejoyced So Hearing in Scripture often indeed most ordinarily signifieth much more than bare hearing viz. hearkening attentive hearing believing obeying So for words signifying Passion Thus the wrath and anger of God in Scripture when it is threatned doth not only signifie Gods just will to punish but also his acts of vindicative justice I will bear the indignation of the Lord saith the Prophet because I have sinned against him That is I will bear those punishments which the wrath of the Lord hath brought upon me So here The fear of the Lord doth not only signifie an inward awe and dread of God caused by the Spirit of God in the hearts of creatures upon the apprehension of Gods Majesty Greatness Power Glory Goodness or other Attributes but it also importeth all those external acts all that outward deportment and behaviour which naturally flow or which according to the divine rule should flow from that principle So that the woman fearing Jehovah is not only she who in the contemplation of the Majesty Power Greatness Glory Justice and Goodness of God reverenceth and dreadeth him carrying in her heart a continual awe of the great God of Heaven and Earth which makes her heart and thoughts stoop and bow at the meditation or hearing of him in consideration of that infinite Majesty Glory Greatness and Power which naturally require that homage from every reasonable nature but also in the whole of her conversation in all her actions both before and towards God and men in obedience to that principle of Religion Fear exerciseth her self in all things to keep a good conscience void of offence not daring to do any thing which may provoke this God to displeasure whom she thus dreadeth and being exactly careful to do all things which and as he commandeth This is the woman fearing Jehovah so far as we have yet discovered her But this is not all which this term importeth Once more 3. It is very ordinary as in other Writings so in holy Writ by a figure called Synechdoche to express a part of a thing for the whole Look as the Philosopher saith of moral virtues Virtutes sunt concatenatae the Virtue like beads are all strung in a chain and none can properly be denominated virtuous who in some degree or other hath not all habits of virtue So I may say in matters of grace The graces of Gods Spirit are in a chain too Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished my heart with one of the chains about thy neck Cant. 4. 9. A man cannot have one but he must have all of them nor from a single habit can any be denominated a gracious person in regard of this concatenation of grace It is ordinary in Scripture to find a gracious person expressed Synechdochically under the notion of one singular special habit of grace especially some one more principal operative habit Now of all habits there are none more operative than those of Fear and Love None that take more hold on the souls or whose influence upon it is more evident Hence in Scripture it is very ordinary to find an holy gracious person expressed under the notion of one fearing God or one that loveth God Divines have observed that the former is more common to the Old Testament which gives account to the Church of God under its Paedagogical estate when the dispensation of the Covenant of Grace was more terrible and the latter to the New Testament where it is more sweet Thus the grace and godly conversation of Obadiah 1 King 18. 5. of Job Job 1. 8. of the whole body of severer professors Mal. 3. 16. is expressed and so very frequently and in the New Testament where the dispensation is more sweet and gentle it is more ordinary to express the same things under the notion of believing and loving 1 John 4. 21. He that loveth God John 21. 15. Simon Son of Jonas James 2. 5. lovest thou me Jam. 1. 12. To them that love him 2 Tim. 4. 8. Those that love his appearance So Rom. 8. 28. and in many other places But yet though as the Apostle speaketh we be come now to Mount Sion and we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but the spirit of Adoption teaching us to cry Abba Father And as the Apostle saith Perfect love casteth out fear Yet those texts must not be understood of an awfull reverential fear and dread of God such as even the holy Angels have Nor yet of that filial fear of God which every child of God hath and must carry with him even to the gates of Heaven but only of servile slavish fear for even under the New Testament we shall find the servants of God expressed under this Notion A godly man in Thesi is thus described One that feareth God and worketh Act. 10. 35. Act. 10. 22. Righteousness So also Act. 13. 26. Cornelius in particular is thus described A man that feareth God and we shall find that the fear of God is so eminently necessary to the constitution of a godly man that any wickedness by warrant of Scripture may be presumed of those that want it Abraham thus excused himself to Abimelech for his not trusting his people with his life and the honour of Sarah I said the fear of God was not in this Gen. 20. â—1 place And on the other side Joseph gives this as a sufficient security to his brethren that whatever they feared he would do them no wrong This do and live For I fear God Gen. 42. 18 So that you see it is but a reasonable figurative way to express the whole of inherent grace under the notion of The fear of the Lord and to express the whole course practice and exercise of godliness under this single habit or act as a common head and this I think enough to have spoken for the explication of the subject in the Proposition and to give you the true notion of a woman or a person fearing the Lord or as the Hebrew phrase in the Text is The fear of the Lord. It is in short An eminently gracious godly woman Or if you will you may take it more largely thus A woman or a person who being possessed of all the graces of the holy Spirit of God communicated in regeneration and being grown up to some degree of perfection in those spiritual habits eminently lives in a diligent caution and taking heed of whatsoever is contrary to the holy will of God and a diligent and exact performance of all those duties of an holy life and conversation which those sacred principles command and produce in obedience to the whole revealed will of God This is the woman of whom this text speaketh The Woman the fear of Jehovah Let me now come to the second thing to inquire what is said of this person That which in short is said of
to the performance of it under the fear of the greatest terrours such the terrours of the Lord are and under the incouragement of the largest promises and upon the highest principles of ingenuity A man or woman not fearing God may be under obligations to do no man wrong to give to every one his due to do good to others c. But I pray what are his obligations Let us weigh them apart and consider them with the obligations to the same things which are upon the hearts of persons fearing the Lord and who have in them this same principle 1. Others may be under the obligations of humane Laws and blessed be God for them to them we are beholden that there are in the world no more murthers thefts and other disorders to the utter confusion of humane society Men are afraid of the Ax the Gallows c. But alas what is the force of these compared with the terrour of everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels If he be under an obligation to avoid these enormous disorders in humane society who is only awed from them with the fear of a Gaol or Gallows what is he think you who is afraid of being tormented in Hell by the wrath of God to all eternity Where the worm never dieth and the fire never goeth out It is true there is the same obligation upon him that feareth not God he is in danger of Hell fire but it is the person fearing God who alone firmly and fixedly believeth any such thing Others if they do not laugh and mock at such things yet very faintly assent to Propositions of such a nature 2. Obligations may lie upon others to just and vertuous actions from the rational beauty and comeliness of a just and sober conversation above one which is lewd and debaucht Until reason in man be out-lawed and beasâ—ly passions and affections have perfectly subdued it moral vertue will commend it self to humane nature But what is the force of this obligation compared with the Will of God to that man who hath said the Lord shall rule over him Or to the apprehension of a Conformity by such actions to Jesus Christ to him to whom Christ is precious who hath avowed Christ to be his Master and assumed to be his Disciple What is this obligation to the consideration of a gracious man that these are the fruits of the Spirit which he hath received and in which he standeth obliged to walk and that the contrary acts are the fruits of the flesh which he standeth obliged to mortifie which if he so much as savours they will argue him to walk after the flesh and conclude him liable to condemnation as having no interest in Jesus Christ The gracious man does not these things because reason only approves them but because God hath commanded and because God doth approve them because they are the Will of God concerning him because Jesus Christ while in the flesh so walked setting him an an example c. 3. Thirdly Others may have obligations upon them to do some such things from good nature Some naturally are of more sweet and ingenuous natures than others are more naturally inclined to justice pitty mercy and this obligation worketh very high where it is found But alas what is this to his obligation who hath these things as branches of the Law of God ingraven upon his heart and that in that deep sculpture which the finger of the holy Spirit useth to make to his who hath a new name yea and a new nature given to him and from that new nature acts according to the prescript of Divine Law freely and ingenuously not from constraint Luther sometimes said of such a one Justus non debet bene agere sed bene agit A passage that had need of a candid interpretation but thus far true That a man or woman truly fearing God is not so much constrained by the force of a Divine Law in which sense it may be the Apostle saith that the Law is not made for him as compelled by his new nature and the generous principles of the new creature his nature is quite altered the things which he hated he now loveth and what he formerly loved he now abhorreth 4. Again a man or woman not fearing God may be under some obligations to just and vertuous actions which may make him a good neighbour From Honour obedience to Governours Courtesie to some who have done him a kindness or an ingenuous nature abhorring to do wrong to such as have done him none But alas what are these compared with the honour of maintaining the repute of a Christian of a child of God who is concerned to walk unblameably as a Spouse of Christ which must be presented without spot and wrinckle who is pressed to these actions from a far higher ingagement upon his ingenuity as they are the prescripts of that God who hath loved him with an everlasting love of that dear Saviour who hath not loved his life for his sake I saith he must love mine enemies do good to them that hate me bless them that persecute me and pray for them who despitefully use me Thus I shall be like my Father which is in Heaven Thus I shall fulfil the Royal Law of Love under which my Saviour hath laid me I cannot say I love him if I do not keep his Commandments 5. One not fearing God may be principled to some such actions from some hopes either from some particular friends who if he behave himself vertuously will do well by him make him their heir or for some hopes of honour credit and repute in the world and these things oft-times go a great way But how much greater is the obligation to these things under which a gracious soul is from his hopes of the injoyment of God here and the blessed fruition of him in the beatifical vision hereafter These are the hopes of a person fearing the Lord how infinitely higher than all earthly hopes of what nature soever What are all the hopes in the world laid in ballance with them how much lighter than vanity I will add but one thing more 6. A person not fearing the Lord may be ingaged to the doing of these things from some Law that he hath laid upon himself some Oath or Promise But what are these to the correspondent engagements of this nature which are upon the hearts of all truly fearing the Lord. To say nothing of the Baptismal Engagements common to others with them though better remembred by such as have not received the grace of God in vain or such as they have renewed in their daily prayers in sicknesses or so oft as they have come to the Lords Table What think you of that great engagement to these things amongst others which every one fearing the Lord taketh upon him in the day when the Lord calleth him out of darkness into marvelous light and putteth his Spirit into him There is no obligation like
ease The prudent man is not wise enough to remove the distemper nor yet under it to comfort himself None of them by their knowledge learning wisdom can save themselves from death nor redeem their souls from the pit As dieth the fool so also dieth the prudent man leave this life and what profit hath the poor creature of all those fine things which before differenced him from his neighbour wherein doth he now differ he is alike laid in the grave with him But in these hours the fear of the Lord is excellent and of infinite advantage to the soul that is blessed with it 1. In a day of Affliction It is true grace and the fear of the Lord doth not deliver a man from the common incidents of that mortal condition into which sin hath brought us it doth neither free us from troubles without nor yet from fears within but it giveth the soul comfort and satisfaction in this hour Lord remember saith Hezekiah how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart A man fearing God in an hour of affliction is quite another man from one under the same kind and degree of affliction that he is fuller of strength fuller of comfort more satisfied with his condition 2. In the day of Death It is true the first curse must have its verification We have sinned and we must die But dieth the child of God as a fool dieth dieth a man fearing the Lord as the man who hath no fear of God in his heart surely there is a great difference in their latter end Even Balaam had some sight of this when he desired that he might die the death of the righteous that his latter end might be like his See that famous instance of David a man indeed according to Gods own heart yet you know how he failed both in the matter of Bathsheba and Vriah He comes 1 Sam. 23. to his death bed and the Scripture recordeth his last words He considereth the Rule which God had set him that he who ruled over men should be just ruling them in the fear of the Lord that his light should be like the light of the morning c. He considers again that his house had not been so with God as it ought to have been what comforts him Thou hast saith he made a Covenant with me well ordered and sâ—re in all things c. This and this alone is that which in these hours of distress can relieve a poor creature and the worst of men will give in their evidence to this They will at their dying hour and when they lie upon beds of sickness cry out Favour is deceitful Beauty is vain They will then agree with Solomon to warn their friends to fear God and keep his Commandments telling them this is the end of all This now is sufficient to have spoken in the Explication or evidence of the point which may all be summed up in this one Argument Whoso is possessed of that quality which both in it self considered absolutely and in respect of all circumstances is the most excellent person But that man or woman in whom the true fear of the Lord is and dwelleth most eminently is possessed of the most excellent habit whether it be considered in it self more absolutely or with respect to circumstances Therefore that person is the most excellent person I come now to the Application of the Point In the first place what you have heard Use 1 may serve to evince the vulgar mistake concerning the excellent of the earth and also to abate those high conceits which men ordinarily have of themselves who in the little things of the world differ a little from their neighbours The world if this Doctrine be true is greatly mistaken both in their judgements concerning the most excellent things and concerning the most excellent persons 1. I say first in their judgements as to the things that differ and are more excellent than other If you should run to and fro the streets of your City and ask every one whom you meet Friend let me have your opinion what do you judge the most excellent thing in the world it is very like they would not all agree in their answers some would say Pleasures and a satisfaction of their lusts Others would say Riches if a man had as much money as he could spend a plentiful estate to live on Others would say Honour and Favour if a man be great at Court a favourite to Princes they will judge him the happiest man alive It may be others would judge Learning and Knowledge is most excellent or Moral Vertue is the most excellent but where shall we find a person who would say The fear of the Lord is the most excellent thing Some rare person possibly might be found who would say with David There be many that say who will shew us any Psal 4. good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Or with Solomon after he had tasted of all those sweet things which the world affords Eccles 12. 13. Hear the conclusion of all Fear God and keep his Commandments But the most of men would neither like David's nor Solomon's judgement in the case Nay even of those who would say Grace is the most excellent thing how few are they whose practice would not condemn them in what they speak with their mouths Man naturally loves desires valueth chuseth approveth the things which he judgeth most excellent The low opinion which the most men have of Religion and the fear of the Lord their little endeavours for it and pursuit after it are plain instances let men say what they will that they judge other things more excellent Yet could you meet with any who had the sentence of death in himself any strong apprehensions that he must in a short time go down to the pit and upon whom the terrours of Hell had seized this man would tell you that of all things the fear of the Lord is most excellent which is enough to evince the truth of the thing and that nothing but the violence of temptations and prevalence of corruptions makes men to judge otherwise 2. As what you have heard leadeth you to judge truly concerning the best things so it leadeth you also to a true judgement concerning the best persons What the Prophet complained in his time is true in our time We call the proud happy We judge them the best that are the richest the most honourable and who are dignified with the greatest titles Thus oft-times we call a covetous worldling a griping Vsurer or Extortioner a swinish drunkard a sordid unclean person a prophane swearer a blasphemous curser one that rends the sacred Name of God with unheard of oaths revilings blasphemies The best men in our Cities in our Parishes and yet we contend our Parishes to be particular Churches and these the members of them Away with such more than Pagan Non-sense The Heathens would not
There is a bundle of Principles some of which have grown too fast too in these evil times which are calculated for the very Meridian of Atheism and devised as if it had been on purpose to banish all dread of God out of mens hearts That things are not ordered by Providence but come in a meer series and succession of necessary natural causes That there are no spirits no such things as indications of divine wrath That there is no Judgement to be made from Providences If we should see the Earth open and swallow up Corah Dathan and Abiram yet there is nothing to be concluded but these may be as honest men as those that do not go down quick into the pit These and such like Principles are Doctrines devised on purpose to make men faces of Brass that they might not blush and necks of Iron that they might not bow at any divine rebukes but might out-face God to the utmost until he tear them in pieces and there be none to deliver 2. Secondly Take heed of customary sinning against God Frequency in sin taketh away the sense of it and a custom of daring God makes men to forget all kind of fear and dread of the Divine Majesty Sin naturally hardens the heart and takes away all natural modesty 4. Fourthly Nothing so contributes to fear as faith Both faith of assent and faith of adherence Faith of assent is that habit by which we give assent to the Proposition of the word Faith of Reliance is a gracious habit by which we rest upon the person of the Mediatour Either of these hath an influence upon us to beget this fear and dread of God in our souls The one as it perswades us of the truth of what the Scripture reveals concerning the Glory and Majesty of God concerning his Purity and Holiness concerning his Justice and Severity all which represent God unto us as the true and proper object of our fear The other as it uniteth us to Christ and endeareth him to our soâ—ls and so layeth us under a sacred awe of sinning against him as we naturally fear to offend any person whom we dearly and intirely love and honour It is true the Apostle saith Rom. 8. We have not received the spirit for bondage again to fear And again Perfect love casteth out fear But those texts must be understood not of a filial reverential fear but of a slavish servile fear our daily experience teacheth us that the more intirely we love any person the more we fear to offend and grieve them and to do any thing which we think they will take ill at our hands Faith therefore as it is the root of hope and love so it is the kindest root of filial and ingenuous fear 5. Lastly Beg this Grace of God It is a plant of our heavenly Fathers it is a part of Gods Covenant I will put my fear into their heart that they shall never depart from me O beg of God that he would bestow his fear upon you The fear of God is prima gratia saith Bernard torius Religionis exordium radix est custos omnium bonorum i. e. The fear of the Lord is the first grace the very beginning of all Religion the root and the keeper of all good things therefore pray that above all things God would bestow this grace upon your souls But I shall add no more to the first branch of the Exhortation Let me in the next place speak to you in whom God hath created this fear of his great and glorious Name Two things this Doctrine calleth to you for 1. To grow in this excellent habit 2. To live like excellent persons 1. Labour to grow in this excellent habit There is a fear of God in which the more perfect a Christian is the more he decreaseth in it This is that servile and slavish fear which I mentioned dreading God as a Judge an Enemy one that can cast both body and soul into Hell fire The more a soul grows up into communion with God and into an assurance of union with him the more this fear dieth and weareth out of his soul It is a dread of God which attendeth the spirit of bondage and much possesseth the soul in the moment of its conversion and wears off as the soul comes to receive the spirit of Adoption touching it to cry Abba Father and groweth moâ—â— perfect in Love But there is another fear which as the soul groweth more perfect in love and in the exercise of grace the more this groweth up and increaseth in the soul this is that fearing of the Lord and his goodness of which the Scripture speaks Such a fear as the tender wife fears her husband with and the dutiful child its Parent who he knows intâ—rely loves him he feareth not his Fathers rod but he fears his frown he fears the change of his countenance towards him This is that habit of fear in which I would have you to grow 2. And as in this habit so in the performance of all acts and exercises by which you may testifiethis your reverencing of the great God of Heaven and Earth The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom saith Solomon it is both the beginning and the perfection of it The fear of the Lord is a grace necessary at all times especially in evil times Cyril saith that the soul that is full of the fear of the Lord velut nâ—uro obsepta fortis est is strong as a City guarded with a wall and in a manner invincible 2. This Doctrine calleth to you to live like excellent persons I hinted the reason of this before every one should live ratably to his honour and dignity Persons fearing God are the most excellent persons they should therefore live like the excellent of the Earth distinguishing themselves from others by their lives as God hath distinguished them by his favour But I have hinted this before and therefore shall not here inlarge upon that discourse I have but one word more to add That is to the men of the world in general To them I shall speak from the advantage of what you have heard for three things 1. To undervalue other excellencies in comparison with this Learn to speak after Solomon Favour is deceitful Beauty is vain Riches commend not a soul to God they profit not in the day of wrath Why should you set your eyes upon things that are not and admire things that have nothing of worth in them proportioned to your affection to them admiration of them pursuit after them Knowledge is a fine thing by it a man differs from a beast Wisdom and Moral Vertues are excellent things by these things men out-shine men and excel each other as light excelleth darkness But what are all these to the fear of the Lord O then let these things ride but in the second Chariot let the fear of God in the throne of your estimation be greater than they are Remember nothing so much
them You have dear Sir made it appear in your practice that the fopperies of the Romish Religion are baits fit for no noble and ingenuous souls nor any that have once seen them in their proper element You have had an ocular demonstration of the folly that attends it and the licentious leudness tolerated and patronized by it and while others in a Land of Righteousness have learned wickedness and from the very Tents of Protestants have proved Renegadoes to the Faith makeing shipwrack both of it and a good conscience You have defied the Babilonish Whore in her very bed of filthiness and been faithful where Satan hath his Throne treading upon the Lion and the Adder and without harm trampling the young Lion under your feet 'T is Sir I hope because the Lord hath set his love upon you that he hath delivered you and he will set you on high because you have known his Name Go on dear and honoured Sir to make the tear of your Parents to be your fear to love that dear Saviour whom above all the world your dying Mother begged for your portion You must Sir give me leave chiefly to insist upon the mention of your Mother you know she alone was known to me so much as by face Go on Sir to justifie her interest in Heaven by making it appear that her prayers were for you heard and accepted Let all her Vertues and Graces be read in your holy conversation When she came to die though it was in the prime of her years it was no grief of heart unto her that she had consecrated her life to God and early drawn off her self from the perishing vanities of the world I can assure you Sir she never repented her of one of those very many hours which she had spent in prayers and tears on the behalf of her and your immortal soul or which she had spent in reading the Word of God or in hearing of it preached in season and out of season I speak this not Sir as in the least suspecting your forgetfulness of the Law or the life of your Mother but you can never enough remember her and as the Apostle speaketh I only desire to stir up your mind by way of remembrance I hope dear Sir you will please to pardon my offers of these Papers to you I have told you your interest in them and though they be but an inconsiderable Present yet your ingenuity will inforce your acceptance of them from him who under his present circumstances knows not better how to improve himself Sir Your most affectionate Friend and Servant J. C. LIGHT in DARKNESS PSALM 17. 15. But as for me I will behold thy face in Righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake or in watching for thy likeness THE life of a Saint lies in contemplation and action Contemplation what God is in himself and what he is unto him And spiritual action doing what lies in his power for God The triumphing Saint beholdeth the face of God continually and this is the militant Saints object too but with this difference The Saint triumphant beholdeth the face of God in glory The Saint militant beholdeth his face in duty The one in Happiness the Psal 27. 4. 1 Cor. 13. 12. 1 Joh. 3. 2. other in Righteousness The former sees him face to face clearly these see him but it is in a glass darkly The former see him as he is the latter as he will please to reveal himself and as they are able to comprehend him yet both of them behold his face the one by faith the other by sight And the way to behold the Lords face in glory is first with the Psalmist to behold his face in Righteousness Satisfaction to our minds is the greatest blessing we are capable of and indeed the portion of none but Gods people who have an object in God proportioned to the capacity of their souls Other souls may be filled with wind but these only with wholesome sood Yea and every gracious soul hath it for his portion though in different degrees and from different accounts The Saints in glory see and are satisfied The children of God in this life believe and are satisfied both are satisfied the one from Faith the other from Sight the one from the evidence of things not seen the other from the glory and fulness of things which are seen Those in Heaven with waiting upon God these on Earth with watching for Gods likeness The living Saints satisfaction is not so full as his whose corruptible hath put on incorruption In some things he may be unsatisfied yea and go down to his grave in that dissatisfaction having received no other satisfaction from God but what he hath found in the performance of his duty but if he doth so fall asleep yet he shall awake and when he awakes he shall be satisfied with the divine likeness So saith the Psalmist When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness I think it needless to dispute whether David was the Author of this Psalm or no. A critical Expositor Lorinus ad loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notes that some Greek Copies seem to favour another opinion reading the title of it A Psalm to or for David The Hebrew affix though it gives a latitude to such a conjecture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet it no way necessitates such a construction being indifferently used to express the Genitive as the Dative Case It is generally agreed to be a Psalm of David and the title is no other than that of other Psalms which were unquestionably penned by him Interpreters cannot agree the particular V. Vicars ad loc time or occasion of the composure Some of the Hebrew Writers affirm it composed at that time when Rabbah of the Ammonites was besieged by Joab as Captain General of Davids Army the story of which you read 2 Sam. 12. But as I see no foundation for that conjecture so I have this to offer against it That David at that time being settled upon his Throne and able to spare an Army to invade his enemies it is probable he had not so many nor so considerable enemies as he seems to complain of in this Psalm But leaving that disquisition the matter of the Psalm seems to us more considerable Who so wistly casteth an eye upon it will find it representing a child of light in darkness the man according to Gods own heart under a very great ecclipse as to the light of his countenance and that not only with respect to more external Providences but also as to more internal influences He had enemies from without v. 9. The wicked oppressed him deadly enemies compassed him about They spake proudly v. 10. They compassed him in his steps v. 11. They were to him like Lions and young Lions v. 11 12. As to internal influences his condition was sad He knew not what God would do with him v. 2. He prayes Let my sentence come forth
a people he is set out as turning his face toward them Hence in Scripture the people of God pray for the favour of God under this notion Psal 80. 3. Psal 80. 3. Cause thy face to shine upon us and we shall be saved Psal 31. 16. Make thy face to shine 31. 16. 27. 8. upon us Psal 27. 8. c. In this sense Cain spake Gen. 4. 14. From thy face I shall be Gen. 4. 14. hid id est from thy favour And it is by some learned Expositors observed that when the term favour is joyned with behold or shine c. it alwaies thus signifies Thus Psal 67. 1. God be merciful unto us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us i. e. shew us some token for good this is sometimes called the light of Gods countenance 2. The fear of God sometimes signifies Gods glorious manifestation to his Saints in Heaven 1 Joh. 3. 2. 2 Cor. 3. 16. where as the Apostle speaketh his people shall see him with open face face to face as he is c. I am inclined to understand the phrase in the utmost latitude I will or shall in righteousness behold thy favourable face in the influences of thy love in this life and thy glory in that life which is to come and accordingly it will not be different to interpret Davids beholding 1. In this life they behold the favour of God with the eyes of their mind apprehending the love of God in Jesus Christ to their souls and being perswaded of it according to that of the Apostle Rom. 8. 38. I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels c. shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. In the life to come they shall behold the face the presence and glorious manifestations of God not only with the eyes of their minds but with their bodily eyes Job 19. 26 27. In my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another Then we shall see him face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. and as he is 1 Joh. 3. 13. I have now opened the former part of the text which I called Davids resolution I will behold thy face in righteousness c. And you see it comes to thus much O Lord it pleaseth thee in the wisdom of thy providence to prosper my bloody and cruel enemies they are full of riches and children yet they walk proudly and dishonour thy name they have a large proportion of the good things of this life and they look upon them as their portion let them do so As for me I am indeed in a low condition poor and afflicted and persecuted but I will look after righteousness I will labour for the righteousness of Jesus Christ and endeavour to live an holy life and conversation having respect to all the Commandments and walking closely with thee Though I be used cruelly and unjustly yet I will walk innocently and manage a just and righteous cause and so doing I will look towards thee and hope in thee Let others look after the favour of the world my business shall be to contemplate thee to meditate to fix the eyes of my soul on thee that I may have the manifestation of thy love to my soul here and that I may enjoy thee in glory hereafter This shall be my aim this my study though I do not now see thee yet if my soul be clothed with the Righteousness of thy Son if I endeavour to walk closely with thee I shall one day either here or in glory behold thy face if I do not see thy face before I die yet in the resurrection I shall see it When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness I come now to the Explication of the latter part of the text which I told you in those words I shall be satisfied The Septuagint reads it I shall be feasted 1. The word signifies a plentifull filling The word by which the Greek Interpreters translate it signifieth such a filling as the beasts are filled with eating grass you know they make themselves very full seeding meerly by sense and according to appetite under no regulation of reason Thus it is used Hosea 13. 6. According to their pasture so were they filled and their heart was exalted To this degree are souls sometimes filled in this life with manifestations of grace Thus are the souls of the Saints filled with Gods manifestations of himself to them in glory Such sometimes are the shinings of divine light upon the soul on this side of Heaven that it knows not how to bear any more it is filled with a joy unspeakable and full of glory But in the other life Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what things God hath prepared for them that love him Yet even then the glory of the Sun of Righteousness will be above the glory of the brightest Star They shall be glorified with the same glory as Christ and his Father are glorified as to the kind not as to the degree of it we can receive but according to our capacity In short they shall be so filled as they shall desire no more The word signifieth perfect fulness and therefore Criticks derive it from a word that signifies seven which in the dialect of Scripture is the number of perfection Seven times a day will I Psal 119. 164. Gen. 4. 15. Pro. 24. 16. praise thee that is many times Vengeance shall be taken on Cain seven-fold She that hath born seven languisheth Prov. 24. 16. The righteous man falleth seven times a day And so in many other texts But further yet the word signifies a filing as with dainties as a man is filled at a feast a man may be filled with bread but at a feast we are usually filled with pleasant bread as Daniel calleth it So then when David saith he shall be satisfied he in effect saith I shall be filled seven times filled brim full perfectly filled as at a feast And indeed thus shall the souls of Gods people be filled but when and how are two questions which by the remaining words must be resolved When I awake saith the text or in awaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in watching or in being made to awake or to watch For the form of the words it admits this variety of interpretation The LXX read it When thou shalt appear unto me The Vulg. Lat. When thy glory shall appear unto me We will first consider the original word in its latitude of significancy and then weigh what it here importeth The word in the Hebrew comes from a roo which signifies three things 1. To make tedious 2. To watch 3. To awake The two latter alone can fit this text and betwixt those two interpretations I find all valuable interpreters divided The Hebrew properly is in watching or in awaking
soul 1 Col. 27. Christ in you the hope of Glory hath been returned to my soul and comforted me but I cannot call this assurance doubting quickly returned and now Satan would have me let go also my hold on Christ but I am resolved not to let it go until I die shall I not so resolve I beseech you Sir tell me should I not so resolve To this I replied 1. That I rejoyced to hear her Ladiship acknowledging that God had sometimes sealed promised unto her soul that those impressions did not abide constant was not to be wondred at it being rarely the lot of any child of God to walk in the constant light of his countenance but I humbly conceived her Ladiship had great ground to call these impressions of the Spirit of God upon a threefold account 1. They were made upon her soul after earnest prayer 2. They came to one in a dark sad and afflicted condition and to an awakened conscience and to one who had for some time desired to walk close with God and this after long and patient waiting for God 3. The return of that word in which the Lord had made her soul first to hope was a great evidence to me that the Author of the first was also the Author of the second impression 2. I rejoyced more to her Ladiships grant that her Faith of adherence was strengthened and so strengthened as she was resolved not to let it go until she died In which resolution I humbly besought her Ladiship to persist I intreated her Ladiship to consider that there are not two better marks of a strong Faith than 1. The resistance and repelling of temptations to doubt 2. The casting of our souls upon God and adhering to the promise though we want incouragement of sense with Abraham to believe in hope above hope This indeed is a strong faith and gives much glory to God And indeed I thought I never was a witness to the actings of a stronger faith than that of this noble person in the midst of her saddest torments of her darkest hours when she was even distracted through pain and terrours she would cry out to all our amazement It is my strong hold I will not let it go no I will not let it go I am resolved I will not let it go let Satan suggest what he will it is my strong hold I have committed my self unto Christ c. Thus she would cry out bitterly weeping while she spake in great Agonies of her spirit 3. As to Patience I desired her Ladiship to consider that the grace of patience was not a Roman fortitude carrying one out under an affliction without any expression of passion this an Heathen might do without any assistance of distinguishing grace and some distempeâ—atures were such as the best Christians could not so bear them David roared Job complained Christ himself cryed out My God My God Patience is a sacred influence of grace by which we are inabled in the hour of affliction to hope in God whom we see not and meekly to submit to him under his severer dispensations without any murmuring repining or any frowardness of behaviour I told her that although her Ladiship did sometimes roar out through extremity of pain and were restless through torments yet the grace of patience was evidently made manifest in her soul in her humble owning the Justice of God kissing his rod never repining nor murmuring at his dispensations only desiring strength to bear what he would please to lay upon her and her willingness to die or live as he should please to order for it was now patience in her to be content to live finally in her willingness in obedience to Gods command and ordinances though she earnestly desired death yet to use all means though she had no hope of cure to prolong a miserable life so long as God pleased 4. Finally I told her that although possibly sometimes in the height of her distempers some speeches might sound some impatience and unbelief when the extremity of her pain had almost totally deprived her of the use of her reason yet God would not impute this to her for he weighs our performances with our temptations So the Apostle saith You have heard of the patience of Job he that looks in the story will find much in Job which we should call impatience he cursed the day of his birth chap. 3. And we find in his story many other very passionate and distempered speeches yet the Apostle saith not you have heard of the passion and frowardness but you have heard of the patience of Job Though Job sometimes were very impatient yet the Lord considering Jobs patience with his temptations records him as a patient man and so patient as to be propounded to his Saints in following ages as an example of patience he saith not you have heard of the passion or frowardness but you have heard of the patience of Job In short I told her Ladiship that we who were spectators could not but judge her in the free use of her reason full both of faith and patience for her few distempered hours as they were not in number equal to the rest so neither would her tender Father judge her for them By these and other Arguments through Gods assistance she seemed at last satisfied that although she yet wanted the consolations of the Spirit yet she was not without the strengthening influences of it But yet her adversary would not leave her his next temptation was from her apprechended want of Gods quickening grace to which purpose she replies again 6. Tempt Sir I remember you told me that though I wanted the consolations of the Spirit yet if I found its quickening influences I had no reason to despond but Sir I want these my head and my heart is dull there is no life left in my spirit I lift up a lifeless soul to God in prayer never was any in so dull and dead a condition as I am To this I replied 1. That if her Ladiship found the strengthening influences of the holy Spirit they would evidence a state of justification and favour with God now those were evident in her Ladiship how else did her Ladiship in her dark condition commit her self unto God rest upon him and patiently wait for him 2. That as to quickening grace it was seen 1. In exciting the soul to duty 2. In inclining the soul in duty so as it performeth it with alacrity delight and vigour and for the latter it works in us by assisting us in the improvement of our natural parts and powers now this assistance might be wanting to her Ladiship through the indisposition of those Organs by and through the means of which the Spirit perfecteth these operations and her Ladiship must consider that her spirits were tired with succession of pain and stupified by anodines medicines which her learned Physician thought proper for her for the allevation of her pain which otherwise would soon have