Trustee to the Estate as a Mother as a Daughter as a Sister as a Friend as a Mistress as a Landlady as a Neighbour In all which she was as a singular Blessing to her Relatives so an eminent example to others First as a Wife The heart of her Husband did safely trust in her and she did him good and not evil all the days of his life Never was woman more truly a crown or ornament to man She always lived with a sense of the covenant of God which was betwixt them upon her heart She was an equal mixture of affectionate obedience and obediential affection She would conceal and hide his infirmities deeply sympathised in his long indispositions attended and reliev'd him under them with the greatest tenderness loved his Soul and would both counsel him with prudent zeal and pray for him with greatest ardours and fervency And he was not wanting in praising her He hath with vehement protestations said to me He had rather have her with five thousand pounds though she brought him much more than any woman living with twenty Yea when the very Torrents of his Sorrow were highest for the death of his only Son and Family he made that the circumflexing Accent of his grief 't would kill his Wife which was he said more to him than an hundred Sons Sed quid verba audiam cum facta videam He gave her his whole estate as an honorary testimony of his graceful esteem of her merits towards him and left her sole Executrix a high testimony of his confidence in her integrity Which trust though it cost her almost unspeakable labour and difficulties she discharged with such indefatigable pains such scrupulous exactness and admirable prudence that as she failed not of one Title of the Will till all was fulfilled so she never gave or left occasion of the least noise of any complaining of any interested person but rendred all more than silent satisfied more than satisfied applauding and admiring her prudent and honourable conduct of that great Affair Which she owned to God with much thankfulness as no small Mercy and Blessing to her And for that Noble Estate which was to descend to others after her she would not have wronged it in the least to have gained the disposal of the whole and therefore was at vast expences in repairs both on the Mansion and Farms though her self but a Termer Yea though none were more ready to recede from their own right which determinated in her own personal interests yet would she be stiff and tenacious in what may concern her Successors Usually saying whatever she lost her self she would never give occasion to them that came after her to say she had damnified the Estate or wronged her trust or them I must add one particular because I believe she was the first and will be the last instance of it Her noble splendid way of living which in most is sacrificing to their vanity and ostentation for she lived very great as you all are witnesses was not an act of pride or ambition but purely at least principally of conscience she would not contract or abate because she would not deceive her Lord's trust who gave her the Estate to keep up the honour of his Name and Family in a place where it had flourished and in that kind been famous so many years She was a most incomparable Mother which appeared in the education of one Son of her Body and three Daughters of her Soul for so I may truly speak She never bare more than two Children one Daughter who died young and a Son the gallant hopeful young Lord Rich of whom the world hath had an account by the same hand which hath had the unhappy honour to be employed the third time in this mournful Service Planctus unigeniti at the Lord Rich's Funeral Leez lachrymans at the Earl of Warwick's and this The pious methods of whose education might be suggested with advantage but I should never have done should I allow my self liberty to enlarge on all was commendable or exemplary yet one thing I will not conceal those three excellent Ladies to whom she was an own Mother though but an Aunt-in-law and who are by their Cousins death become so vast fortunes to their Husbands being left with less plentiful portions she would even during her Son's life never leave pressing her Lord to make noble provisions for and settle their portions suitable to their Birth and Qualities which as they well knew so I doubt not but they will most readily attest with becoming acknowledgments as also all the other never to be forgotten obligations which she so nobly ceased not to please her kind humour in conferring on them I never personally saw her Right Honourable Father nor could remember her dutiful observances of him but this I know that engagements oâ— her own affections would not supersede her respects to him in her marriage till his full consent and approbation was obtained And no Child could make more honourable mention of Parents than I have heard her do of hers and for the transmitting it to posterity I cannot say she had resolved to write and publish her Father's Life but I can and do affirm she had it in deliberation and had considerable materials and Collections many of which she hath discoursed and read to me or given me the favour to read my self She was so endearing a Sister no language can express it and therefore it would be inexcusable boldness for me to attempt it A Friend so faithful so kind so constant so condescending so open so free unreserved unsuspicious as I believe is not to be found on earth I could give instance of a Friendship which as she vouchsafed to contract with much condescention on her part continued thirty years not only without interruption or Eclipse but without the least cloud or shaddow of misunderstanding on either side for that long space The best Mistress in the world to almost a Proverb in a double care both of the spiritual and bodily welfare of her servants whom she as much loved to please as other persons servants can do to please their Masters it being her peculiar delight to render the lives of all easie and pleasant and free from discontent that they might serve God with chearfulness And when she was to leave them she left not off her kindness to them or care for them but provided to the uttermost of her power for their comfortable subsistence according to their degree and time of service giving Legacies liberal and noble four hundred pounds three hundred pounds two hundred pounds a piece to some one hundred pound a piece to many to others eighty to many seventy to buy them Annuities or their lives to others fifty forty twenty and a full years wages to every one not specified by name and three Months Entertainment with Lodging Diet and all accommodations as in her life that they might have time to seek out and provide places
hath injoyn'd us all to cry to God for mercy for the breach of and for grace to incline our hearts to keep the fourth Commandment as well as any of the other nine and 't is not hard to observe that the streams of Religion are deep or shallow according as these Banks are kept up or neglected She was a very devout Communicant seldom omitting to prepare her Soul with solemn fasting to renew her covenant with God And in the act of receiving I cannot think of her without reflecting on S. Stephen when he saw the Heavens opened and Jesus standing at God's right hand and his face was as the face of an Angel And to encourage others to such serious preparation to that Sacred Ordinance as she us'd before it I shall shew what sweet advantages she reaped in it and by it And this I shall do by transcribing word for word out of her Diary what I find written with her own hand concerning one of the last Sacrament Days she ever enjoyed For the Sacrament which was appointed to have been administred in her Ladyships Chappel upon Easter-day was put off by reason of her falling ill in Passion week November 25. Sacrament Day AS soon as I awaked I blessed God When I had read in the Word the Chapters of the Sufferings of my Blessed Saviour I spent much time in meditating of his dying love By which thoughts I found my heart much drawn out to love him and melted by his love then with great and awful apprehensions of God upon my heart I went to pray In which duty my heart was lifted up in the high praises of God for both spiritual and temporal mercies and my affections were much drawn out in the duty in which my heart did follow exceeding hard after God for a nearer communion with him in the Sacrament than ever yet I had I then renewed my covenant with God and made promises that by his Grace enabling me I would walk more closely with him for the time to come That which in especial manner I begged of God at this Sacrament was more love to him more holiness more contempt of the world and the Glories of it that I might be more useful to the Souls and Bodies of my Fellow Christians than formerly I had been Those mercies which in especial manner I was grateful for were the Creation and Redemption of the World and for the Gospel and the Covenant of Grace and for converting Grace and for Justification and for some measure of Sanctification and for so much Patience exercised toward me before my conversion and in order to it imbittering Creature-comforts that I might seek for comforts above and for a sanctified affliction and for some degree of patience to bear it and for supports under it by the warm and lively comforts of the Holy Ghost and for returns of prayer and for so many opportunities to seek unto God and for the sweet reviving hours I had enjoyed with God in solitude by Heavenly Meditations and for the Word and Sacraments and the sanctifying motions of Gods Spirit I was in a more than usual manner melted in the duty and shed a very great plenty of tears in it which when I came from I found a longing desire to partake of the Lord's Supper and a great joy that I was going to partake of it Then I went to hear the Text was I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh to the Father but by me I was attentive at that good Sermon And by what I heard of the excellency of Christ had my heart much warmed with love to him Afterwards at the confession before the Sacrament I found my heart in a more than usual manner broken for my sins which I bewailed with great plenty of tears and from my heart judged and loathed my self for them After I had received I found my heart in an extraordinary manner warmed with love to God And my Soul did follow very hard after him to be made more holy and for Grace to serve him better than ever yet I had done I had very lively affections in the duty in which I received much joy and had sweet communion with God in it After I had at the Table of the Lord given to the Poor I came from the Sacrament with my heart in a sweet grateful and Heavenly Frame and then in private blessed God for that blessed Feast and begged strength to keep my promises I had made to God of new obedience In the Afternoon I heard again the same person upon the same Text I was in an attentive serious frame at that good Sermon The Subject of which was to shew that Christ was the only way for poor penitent sinners to come unto the Father I meditated upon the Sermons and prayed them over And had also meditations of the Joys of Heaven with the thoughts of being for ever freed from sin and of being ever with the Lord where I should enjoy him in his fullest love I found my heart much revived and my Soul did then make strong Sallies and Egresses after that blessed Rest After Family Duties were over at which I prayed with fervency I did before going to Bed commit my self to God O Lord I do from my Soul bless thee for this sweet day in which thou wert pleased to vouchsafe unto me thy most unworthy Servant more Soul-joy than thou didst give me for a long time before She was a very ferious and artentive hearer of the Word and constantly after Sermon recollected what she heard sometimes by writing always by thinking and calling it to mind that she might make it her own and turn it into practice not content to be a forgetful fruitless hearer only but a doer that she might be blessed in her deed And such she was for the external performances of Religion And though this was beautiful and lovely yet her chief glory was within in the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible in that dress of Graces which adorned her Soul this string was all of Orient Pearls and evenly matched not one ill watered or of unequal size There was not one dryed or withered Limb one member wanting or defective in the new creature she was complete in Christ all of a piece The Head of her Knowledge was comprehensive and clear The Eye of her Faith was piercing and steddy The Ear of her obedience was open and light of hearing and boared at the door posts of wisdoms house Her Palate was savory and relishing to which God's Law was sweeter than the honey and the honey-comb and more esteemed than her necessary food The Cheeks of her Modesty were fair and ruddy The Arms of her desires were stretched out after God and flexible to embrace him The Hands of her Justice and Charity were strong and open The Breasts of her Bounty were well-fashioned and full of milk and the Bowels of her compassion were tender and fruitful Her hunger and
Temple but served God with fasting and prayers night and day 1 Thes 5. Rom. 12.12 Pray without ceasing continuing instant in prayer giving thanks continually and in all things And the Left Hand though it grow on another Arm draws Sap and Virtue from the same Tree and Root to make it fruitful in variety and multitude of Acts of Justice and Charity 1. Of Justice thinking speaking no evil of any Man but dealing honestly with all Men Superiors Equals Inferiours in all natural moral civil Actions in all concernments of Body Goods and Name wronging no Man defrauding no Man but doing to others as they would others should do to them and observing this rule constantly and in all occasions and occurrences and so doing righteousness at all times 2. In Charity Matth. 25. relieving the distressed feeding the hungry cloathing the naked visiting the afflicted by sickness prison or any other pressures instructing the ignorant comforting the feeble-minded and supporting them who are cast down under any temptation Eccl. 12.6 â— and this not once or twice or to one or two but sowing this seed in the Morning and not withholding in the Evening giving this portion to seven and also to eight casting Bread upon the waters yea scattering by all waters This briefly of the good Womans character 2. Her Crown Praise Praise is the shadow which attends the Body of Virtue The Eccho which sounds an honorary Testimony 1. From the Consciences of all Men even those who will not practise it themselves cannot but approve it and applaud it in them that do if there be any virtue if there be any praise the Apostle of the Gentiles nay the Consciences of the very Gentiles hath annexed them so close together Se Judice nemo nocens absolvitur they cannot be parted for as no vicious and guilty person can be absolved though he were to be his own Judge so no virtuous person can be condemned Rom. 2. though to be judged by his Enemies That law written in the heart cannot but approve the Transcript and Counter-part and Copy of it self where ere it meets it 2. From the Mouths of all good Men and those especially who have found and felt its beneficial influence Beloved thou dost faithfully whatever thou dost to the Brethren 3 Joh. 5.6 and to Strangers which have born witness of thy Charity before the Church S. Paul even boasted of the forward zeal of them of Achaia 2 Cor. 9.12 13. 2 Cor. 8.3 and God was glorified for their liberal distribution to all Men. And of the Churches of Macedonia he bears record That to their power yea and beyond their power they were willing of themselves Job 31.20 The Loyns of the poor blessed Job who were warmed by the sleece of his Sheep Her children rise up and call her blessed for the care of their tender and pious education and her husband for her chaste conversation and faithful industry of which he is not only a witness but reaps the benefit of it and for those he praiseth her 3. From the whole Chorus of the Heavenly Hierarchy the Angels Joy in Heaven is the most landative acclamation to her Virtues 4. From God and Christ whose Euge Well done good and faithful servants whose Come ye blessed of my Father whose testimony I was hungry Matth. 25. and ye fed me naked and ye cloathed me is the highest praise imaginable or possible Now this praise is first promised She shall be praised God leaves us not without encouragements to make us good Promises and Threats Rewards and Punishments are the great instruments of Government both with God and Men and all Rewards include Praise and are the silent yet the loudest commendations A Crown of Righteousness 2 Tim. 4.7 8. and Life is provided and fore-promised to them that fight the good Fight that keep the Faith that are faithful unto death Great and precious promises 2 Cor. 6.7 that God will receive us be our Father and our God to provoke us to cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and perfect holiness in the fear of God 1 Pet. An Inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven Rivers of pleasure fulness of joy an eternal Kingdom and everlasting life And in the Letter the highest praise Rom. 2.28 for he that is circumcised in heart and spirit that is a Christian within his praise shall be of God and he is approved indeed whom God commendeth Ps 11.26 and we have God's word for it that the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance 2. 'T is commanded and given in charge concerning her to others Give her of the fruit of her hands let her works praise her in the Gates Let them be spoken of and mentioned to her honour in the Assemblies of the great Men and in the concourse of the people which use to be most frequent in the Gates God gives not only leave but charge and 't is not only an allowable courtesie but a just debt and tribute due to virtuous persons to declare and celebrate their famous Acts. 'T is an Apostolical precept to the Philippians concerning Epaphroditus who for the work of Christ was near unto death hold him and not him only but such as he in reputation Phil. 2.29 Yea our Lord himself concerning Mary who anointed him and wrought a good work upon him Mat. 26.13 Praedicendo praecepit Verily I say unto you wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memorial of her And God will have the Virtues and the Victories of his Saints recorded to provoke our imitation of them and encourage our weakness to war against vice saith S. Gregory 3. It 's performed concerning her thou excellest them all 1 Cor. 14.12 we should labour to excel in Duty Seek that you may excel What do you more than others See that ye abound more and more so run out-run others that ye may obtain and praise shall be proportionable Thou excellest them all We find such Encomiums frequent in Scripture Thus of Hezekiah 2 King 18.5 He trusted in the Lord God of Israel so that after him was none like him of all the kings of Israel nor any that was before him that is for strength of Faith So of Josiah 2 King 23.25 And like unto him there was no king before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might according to the Law of Moses neither after him arose any like him So God's testimony of Job Job 1.8 is That there was not a Man like him in all the earth So S. Paul testifies of Timothy Phil. 2.20 I have no man like minded who will naturally care for your estate Thus have I lightly shaken the principal Branches of this goodly Tree and the ripe and pleasant Fruit
deserve great praise 2. The object of Praise is some excellent good it must be good or it deserves reproach but it must be also excellent or no notice is taken of it Now the fear of God is excellent Psal 19. The Saints are the excellent of the earth Psal 16.3 The righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour Prov. 12.26 Wisdom excelleth folly as light excelleth darkness Eccles 2.13 And the things of God's law wherein good men exercise themselves are said to be more excellent Rom. 2.18 The godly therefore are to be praised for they are excellent 3. It must be a chosen good for it would be no praise for any Man if that were possible to be good without or against his will If I do this thing willingly I have a reward 1 Cor. 9.17 Now this good woman chuseth Mary hath chosen the good part Luk. 10.42 And so did our honourable Mary if ever any and it is implyed in the reproach cast upon Sinners Prov. 1.29 That they did not chuse the fear of the Lord that the Saints do chuse it Psal 119.30 I have chosen the way of truth thy judgments have I laid before me and vers 137. I have chosen thy precepts Isa 56.4 The eunuchs which chuse the things which please me And it 's the high commendation of Moses Heb. 11.25 26. That he chose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season and esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt 4. It must be some permanent and abiding good not fading not like the morning cloud and early dew now the fear of the Lord endureth for ever Psal 19.9 and where it is in truth it will both continue and grow The righteous is an everlasting foundation Prov. 10.25 The good part they chuse shall not be taken away They repent not of their repentance and Christ hath prayed that their faith fail not They go from strength to strength till they appear before God perfect in Zion and bring forth more fruit in their age The path way of the just is as the shining light Pov. 4.18 which shineth more unto the perfect day 2. I shall consider the object of Praise more specially and what men are esteemed to merit praise for with respect to God their Neighbours and themselves 1. Men are praised for their well performing of their duty to God as good servants 2. For their Beneficence to men in all relations as useful just kind charitable amongst and towards all men 3. For their wisdom to themselves as being prudent discreet and wise in their own concerns Now Religion the Fear of the Lord is productive of all these in an eminent degree and therefore are they greatly to be praised in whom it is 1. This fear will make good servants to God This is a principal part of a servants duty Mal. 1.6 If I be a Master where is my fear Now this fear is the root of universal obedience he that fears God will not dare not offend him Fear God and keep his Commandments this is the whole duty of man Eccles 12.13 Only fear the Lord and serve him if you fear him you will not fail to serve him What doth the Lord require of thee Deut. 10.12 but to fear him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul serve the Lord with fear Psal 2. Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12.28 Yea the fear of God will help to clean from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit and to perfect holiness 2 Cor. 7.1 So that if it be praise-worthy to be a dutiful child and obedient servant to God as certainly nothing deserves it better the woman that feareth the Lord hath a just claim to Praise 2. The fear of the Lord will make fruitful in all good offices to our Neighbour humble and obedient to Superiours careful of and tender to Inferiours just and kind to all and munificent and liberal to those that are in want This good woman in the Text who feareth the Lord in her heart had fruitful hands and works of her own to praise her in the gates 'T is the excellency of Religion to make good in all relations Good Magistrates 't is the first qualification of Jethro's Justice Able men that fear God Exod. 18.21 So Nehemiah of himself Neh. 5.15 The former Governours which were before me had been chargeable to the people and had taken of them bread and wine and forty shekels of silver yea even their servants had rule over the people but so did not I because of the fear of God and good Subjects Fear thou the Lord and the King Prov. 24.21 Fear God and honour the King 1 Pet. 2.17 One will enforce the other and will make subject for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 It will make loving and good Husbands and it will make good and obedient Wives like Sarah for holy women who trust in God are in subjection to their own husbands 1 Pet. 3. And this made this Virtuous Woman so excellent a Wife It will make good Family-Governours who will walk in their house with a perfect heart and will neither provoke their Children nor deny what 's equal to their servants whilst they remember themselves have a Father and a Master in heaven Col. 4.1 It will make dutiful children and faithful servants Servants obey in all things your Masters according to the flesh not with eye-service as men pleasers but in singleness of heart fearing God Col. 3.22 In a word it will make honest and righteous in our whole conversation S. Peter puts together Acts 10.35 Fearing God and working righteousness It renders also charitable and bountiful to them in need this good Woman vers 20. Stretcheth out her hands to the poor yea she reacheth out her hands to the needy The good man is ever merciful and lendeth yea liberal and giveth Cornelius is described Acts 10.1 A devout man that feared God and gave much alms to the people and S. James tells us that true Religion and undefiled is to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction that is to relieve them So that if to be good in all relations and to be a Benefactor and common good to mankind deserves praise the fear of God deserves it which makes men such Thirdly and lastly the fear of the Lord will make a man wise for himself to do himself good And men will praise thee when thou dost well to thy self Psal 49.18 And nothing is more praise-worthy in man's account than to be wise nor in the account of God than to be wise to salvation Now the fear of the Lord not only makes wise but is wisdom it self The fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding Job 28.28 Wisdom and Godliness are synonymous words in the Holy Ghost's Language the wise man is the
this our noble Mary or devoted themselves more unreservedly to God's love and fear and service learning to be good in very good earnest and to encrease and grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2. To promote this like the wise man in the Gospel Mat. 7.24 She dug deep to lay her foundations on a rock She made a strict scrutiny into the state of her Soul and weighed the reasons of her choice in the balance of the Sanctuary And with the other Builder in the Gospel sate down and considered with her self what it might cost to finish her spiritual edifice and whether she were furnished to defray that charge And also whether the grounds of her hope were firm and such as would not abuse and shame her and her evidences for Heaven such as would bear the Test and Scripture would approve And this she drew up at large with her own hand judiciously soberly modestly humbly and about twenty years since did me the honour with greatest secrecy to read it to me and obliged me with all freedom and faithfulness to give her my judgment of it which I could not but do with much approbation And this I doubt not remains amongst her many excellent Papers Having thus put her hand to the plough she looked not back but minded Religion as her business indeed and never gave suspicion of trifling in so serious a work 3. Therefore for her practice of it it was her great design to walk worthy of God in all well-pleasing to adorn her professed subjection to the Gospel by a conversation becoming it and to shew forth his virtues and praises who had called her to his marvellous Light First then she was circumspectly careful to abstain from all appearance of evil and in all doubtful cases 't was her rule to take the furest side for she would say I am sure 't will do me no hurt to let them alone Though therefore none were further from censuring others or usurping judgment over their liberties yet for her self she would never allow her self the addition of artificial handsomness used neither paint nor patch and was pleased with a saying of one of her spiritual Friends upon the reading the Book which apologizes for it O Lord I thank thee that thou gavest me not wit enough to write such a Book unless withal thou hadst given me Grace enough not to write it Neither would she play at any Games because beside many other inconveniences she judged them great wasters of precious time of which she was always very thrifty And though she was known to be a woman of good understanding yet were there three things which were too hard for her and she would confess she could not comprehend them First How those who professed to believe an Eternal Estate and it's dependance upon the short inch of time could complain of times lying as a dead commodity on their hands which they were troubled how to drive away Secondly how Christians who would seem devout at Church could laugh at others for being serious out on 't and burlesque the very Bible and turn Religion into Ridicule Thirdly How knowing men could take care of souls and seldom come amongst them never look after them And though in the forenamed particulars she was content only to give example of forbearance yet from the Play-house since the Stage hath taken so great liberty she would openly dehort her Friends with greatest earnestness She very many years since began to keep a Diary and consulted two whom she used to call her Soul-Friends and ever esteemed such her best Friends concerning the best manner of performing it This at first she used to perform every Evening but finding that inconvenient by reason of her Lords long illness which gave her many inevitable diversions and interruptions at that season she changed it into the quiet silent morning always rising early And therein amongst other things recorded the dayly frame of her own heart towards God his signal providences to her self and sometimes towards others his gracious manifestations to her Soul returns of prayer temptations resisted or prevailing or whatever might be useful for caution or encouragement afford her matter of thankfulness or humiliation And by this means she had arrived at such experience that she could conclude at least make strong conjectures of the events of things she spread before the Lord in prayer by the frame of her own heart in the performance of it as I could instance in particulars if it were convenient She used to call Prayer Hearts-ease as she often found it and though her modesty was such and she was so far from a vain affected ostentation of her gifts I cannot name one person with whom she prayed yet can I say she was as well mighty and fervent in prayer as constant and abundant in it for she sometimes using her voice hath been over-heard and her own Lord knowing her hours of prayer once conveyed a grave Minister into a secret place within hearing whom if I should name I suppose would not be denyed to be a competent Judge who much admired her humble fervency for she praying prayed and when she used not an audible voice her sighs and groans would eccho from her Closet at good distance And the very day before she died she was shut up above an hour which she spent in fervent private prayer notwithstanding her indisposition and indeed prayer was her very element in which she lived and actually died and 't was as the vital breath of her Soul and the wing that wafted it immediately to Heaven But if she exceeded her self in any thing as much as she excelled others in most things 't was in meditation this was her Master-piece for she usually walked two hours dayly in the morning to meditate alone in which divine art she was an accomplished Mistress both in set and occasional in the first chusing some select subject which she would press upon her heart with intensest thoughts till she had drawn out all its juice and nourishment and for the second like a spiritual Bee she would suck Honey from all occurrences whole Volumes of which she hath left behind her After this consecrating of the day with reading Scriptures Lectione assidua meditatione diuturna pectus suum Bibliothecam secerat Christi unde hic fervor aisi ex amere Dei unde legis Christi indefessa meditatio nisi ex defiderio ejus qui legem dedit prayer and meditation a short dressing time and ordering her domestick Affairs or reading some good Book spent the remainder of the morning till Chappel-prayers from which she was never absent and at which she was ever reverend and a devout example to her whole Family She was a strict observer of the Lords-day which is truly called the Hedge and Fence of Religion and though some please themselves to call this Judaizing to excuse the liberties they indulge themselves I am sure our Church
thirst after righteousness was even greedy and insatiable The heart of her sincerity was sound and lively and the pulse of her conscience smooth and equal The feet of her affections were swifter than the Roes on the mountains of Bether more truly winged than the Poets feign their Mercuries The natural heat of her Zeal more fervent than the coals of Juniper and the radical moisture of her repentance more fluid than the springs of Pisgah Being seen with dry eyes under tear-moving circumstances which very nearly concern'd her self and being asked how she could refrain She replyed I desire to weep for nothing but my sins Her name was as ointment poured forth which made her the delight and admiration of all good men and women yea you may call her a She Jedidiah a Female Lemuel the Lord's delights she with whom God was Now the Soul of this excellent Body which animated all its goodly parts within was the love of God and the gorgeous Robe which cloathed it without was her deep humility These were the Sun and Moon in this great Firmament all whose Stars were of the first magnitude and the least of which would have made the great Luminary in another Orb. Such was this beauteous Spouse of Christ so like her Heavenly Bridegroom that for that resemblance sake we may say of her she was exceeding lovely Nor was she less solicitous to make others good than to be so her self She well remembred our Savious charge to S. Peter When thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren She set her heart to build God's spiritual Temple and therefore she applyed her self to it with all her might She had holy Transports for the Glory of God and she was a great Lover of Souls and those two engaged her to promote Religion with utmost industry and zeal which that she might accomplish more advantageously 1. She avowedly designed to represent Religion as amiable and taking and free from vulgar prejudice as possibly she might not so as might affright and scare men from it but that it might allure them and insinuate it's self into their love and liking to this end she was affable familiar pleasant of a free and agreeable conversation unaffected not sour reserved morose sad dejected melancholy which presents Religion most disadvantageously She was naturally of the sweetest temper in the world and Grace inoculated into such a stock thrives even luxuriantly Whereas some crabbed peevish sullen natures starve the best Cien they are grafted with As I remember one of whom 't was usually said he had Grace enough for seven other men yet scarce enough for himself And she made grace and nature both subservient to the good of others As we say of some neat well fashion'd persons what ere they wear becomes them and sits well I must do her this right to testifie I never saw Religion become any person better And 't was hard not to approve and love a dress so decent and adorning 2. She kept her self free and disinteressed from all Parties and Factions that none might suspect a design of making Proselytes to any but to God She was neither of Paul nor Apollos nor Cephas but only Christ Her name was Christian and her Sirname Catholick she had a large and unconfined Soul not hemm'd in or pounded up within the Circle of any man's name or drawing a Latitudinarian in the true commendable sense and whoever feared God and wrought righteousness was accepted of her She very inoffensively regularly devoutly observed all the orders of the Church of England in its Liturgy and publick Service which she failed not to attend twice a day with exemplary Reverence yet was she very far from placing Religion in Ritual Observances And I may not deny that she would sometimes warm her heart though never with strange fire at private Altars in her own Chamber or Closet 3. She would perfume the company with good discourse to prevent idle or worse communication not abruptly obraidingly or importunely which is very nauseous and fulsome and spoils a good game by bad playing But she was like a spiritual Stove you should feel the heat and not see the fire and find your self in other company amongst the same persons and rather wonder than perceive how you came there for she would drop a wise sentence or moral holy Apothegm with which she was admirably furnished of her own making or collection that suited with at least not far remote from what was talked of and commending or improving that she 'd wind about the whole discourse without offence yea with much pleasure She kept a Book of such wise pithy Sayings much valuing words which contain'd great use and worth in little compass I shall transcribe a few of many THe almost Christian is the unhappiest Man having Religion enough to make the world hate him and not enough to make God love him God's Servants should be as bold for him as the Devils are for him What will make thee happy at any time may make thee happy at all times O Lord what I give thee doth not please thee unless I give thee my self So what thou givest me shall not satisfie me unless thou give me thy self O Lord who givest Grace to the humble give me Grace to be humble He loves God too little who loves any thing with him which he loves not for him The true measure of loving God is to love him without measure So speak to God as though men heard thee so speak to men as knowing God hears thee Seneca said he was better born than to be a slave to his Body Luther said Christ's Cross is no Letter yet it taught him more than all the Alphabet We should meditate of Christ's Cross till we be fastened as close to him as he was to his Cross By how much the more Christ made himself vile for us by so much the more precious he should be to us We need every day blood for our hearts as water for our hands Through Christ's wounds we may see his Bowels He only can satisfie us who satisfied for us He that takes up Christ's Cross handsomely shall find it such a burden as Wings to a Bird or Sails to a Ship 'T is a great honour to be Almoner to the King of Heaven The Bowels of the poor are the best soyl which brings forth an hundred fold Who would not starve a Lust to feed a Saint To give is the greatest sensuality How indulgent then is God to annex future rewards to what is so much its own recompense To be libell'd for Christ is the best Panegyrick Where affliction is heavy sin is light God chastises whom he loves but he loves not to chastise Sin brought death into the world and nothing but death will carry sin out of the world If all mens troubles were brought into a common store every one would carry back what he brought rather than stand to a share of an equal division Though time be not lasting what depend on
they more mis-interpreting her civility than she did the others sanctity 2. For her Defect of Anger which implies if it be faulty want of zeal against sin and sinners and so 't is an unjust charge for though I confess she could not rage and storm and discover her anger as some persons do who verifie the saying Ira furor brevis Anger is a kind of madness for her sedate composed serene mind and sweet and amicable disposition was scarce forcible to what was so contrary to her nature yet would she make deeper impressions of her displeasure for great faults than those who appeared most furious like a still soaking shower which will wet more than a driving storm And therefore 't was observ'd that if any servant had been faulty they had rather have passed the Gantlet thrice of their Lord 's most furious expressions than have once been sent for to their Lady's Closet whose treatment was soft words but hard arguments against their faults and like that silent lightning which without the noise of Thunder melts the Blade and sindgeth not the Scabbard neither the frightful hissing nor the venom'd sting but the penetrating oil of Scorpions This little is enough to extenuate her almost commendable faults and 't is a great evidence of her goodness that these things were imputed as Blemishes for they who would not spare her in these little errors shewed plainly that she was not chargeable with more or greater I am now arrived at the last Stage of this Mournful Journey to give an account of her surprising and never enough lamented death What presages she might have of its near approach she never discovered but her preparations for it had been long habitual it was one of the most constant subjects of her thinking and she used to call her walking to meditate of it her going to take a turn with death and it could never surprise or take her unprepared who was always preparing for it Yet there are some passages worthy of our remarks of the watchful kindness of Divine Providence over his own allarming them to trim their Lamps as the wise Virgins did against the coming of the Bridegroom and allowing them fit opportunities to do it as he signally did to her I shall on this consideration very seasonably add another Transcript out of her Ladyships Diary which contains an account of the last Sunday of her health being written but the very day before she was taken ill and in which God did it seems in a most remarkable manner impress the thoughts of her approaching dissolution on her Soul though there were no visible symptoms of it then upon her Body March 24. Sunday AS soon as I awaked I blessed God then I meditated and endeavoured by thinking of some of the great mercies of my life to stir up my heart to return Glory to God And those thoughts had this effect upon me to melt my heart much by God's love and to warm it with love to him Then I prayed and I was enabled in that duty to pour out my Soul to God and my heart was in it carried out to praise God and I was large in recounting of many of God's special mercies to me And whilst I was doing so I found God mighty upon my spirit and my heart in a much more than ordinary manner carried out to admire God for his goodness and to love him And I found his love make great impressions in my Breast And melting me into an unusual plenty of tears Those mercies which in an especial manner I was grateful for were the Creation and Redemption of the World and for the Gospel and the Sacraments and for free Grace and the Covenant of Grace and for the excellent means of it I had enjoyed and for the great patience God hath exercised towards me before and since my Conversion And for checks of Conscience when I had sinned and for repentance when I had done so And for a sanctified affliction and supports under it And for so large a portion of worldly Blessings After I had begged a Blessing upon the publick Ordinances I went to hear Mr. Woodroof his Text was Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear Then after a summary account of the Sermon follows In the Afternoon I heard again the same Person upon the same Text. And then follows a concise and methodical recapitulation of that Sermon also And after that I was in a serious and affected frame at both the Sermons and was by them convinced of the excellency of fearing God and of spending of the remainder of the term of my life in his service And did resolve to endeavour to spend the remaining part of my time better At both his Prayers I prayed with fervency afterwards I retired and meditated upon the Sermons and prayed them over And I had also this Evening large Meditations of Death and of Eternity which thoughts had this effect upon me to make me in an extraordinary awakened frame in which the things of another life were much realized to me and did make very deep impressions upon me And my Soul did follow hard after God for Grace to serve him better than ever yet I had done O Lord be pleased to hear my Prayers which did not come out of fained Lips and to hear the voice of my weeping for more holiness and for being more weaned from the world and all things in it After Supper I committed my self to God This was written the very last day of her health Monday Morning in which we see how God realized to her and gave her extraordinary impressions of Death Eternity and the Life to come when he was about to bring her to it for the very next day she began to be ill of that Sickness of which she died Our excellent Lady was far from their humour whose Consciences are so bad and unquiet company that they hate solitude and dare not be alone For she loved and even hugged her retirements as her greatest satisfactions And though when she was called to it she would deny her self and particular inclination as in the Universe Individuals do to obey the laws of universal Nature to comply with a duty of a larger spread as is related of the devout Marquess of Renti in the two years time he spent in repairing the seat of his Ancestors which diversion he cheerfully suffered as a willing mortification being a duty he owed to the Station in which God had placed him So she chearfully sustained the hurry of business which was inevitable to the acquitting her self of the trust reposed in her by her Lords last Will. But never did Bird take Wing when dis-intangled from a Net with greater cheerfulness nor chirp out the pleasures of its unconfined freedom more merrily than she did solace her self when she had escaped the noise and croud of affairs which ruffled and turmoyled her quiet and suspended the enjoyment of her self And when her dearest Sister was in the
understandings that they are in a spiritual sense what Job said he was in another eyes to the blind and are still teaching young Disciples what they who are old have been taught of God and so train them up in the School of Christianity And yet by imparting their knowledge of God know him not the less themselves but many times the more and by informing them of the pleasures of Religion bring them into the holy path which leads to eternal life yet hinder not their own progress toward Heaven O Lord I most humbly beseech thee let this Meditation provoke me more than ever yet I have done to impart to my Fellow Christians especially my Family under my authority what I know of thee that by my declaring how good a God thou art I may bring many others to know thee not only with a general but an experimental knowledge which will make them say as I do That thou art good and dost good O let me by declaring what thou hast done for my Soul cause others to joyn with me in adoring thee for thy greatness and loving thee for thy goodness that so we may magnifie thy name together And I may be instrumental to impart light to others and be made a burning and a shining Light my self MEDITAT IX Vpon the drawing of the Window-curtains to prevent the Suns putting out the Fire AS soon as I perceived that the shining of the Sun into the Room would put out the Fire I instantly drew the Window-curtains to prevent it Which minds me of the necessity there is that God should sometimes when he sees the Fire of Celestial Love in the hearts of his People in danger of being put out by other flames take that away from us which would take us away from him And if he doth it not by death yet to prevent our cooling in our affections doth as it were by some dark providence draw a Curtain between us and what we doat upon O Lord I beseech thee when thou seest the Fire of thy Love in my heart ready to be put out by any thing be so merciful as to draw what obscuring Curtain thou pleasest to hinder it that my love to thy Divine Majesty may be like the Fire upon the Altar that never went out O let it never be extinguish'd by any earthly object But let my love to thee drown and swallow up all creature-loves O blot our every name from my corrupted heart that hinders the deeper engraving of thy name there and remove me from what and whom thou wilt so thou wilt thereby bring me nearer to thy self Oh though I have sparks for Creatures yet let my greatest blaze blaze towards Heaven Amen MEDITAT X. Vpon a person who had great knowledge and very quick but unsanctified parts THis person who is in this very prophane Age celebrated for a great Wit and is very acceptable to all his companions upon that account does yet make so very ill use of those acute parts God hath been pleased to bestow upon him that he improves them only to make jests and to laugh at all that is either serious or sacred endeavouring as much as in him lies to make all Devotion be turn'd into Ridicule and so abuses all the knowledge that God hath bestowed upon him so contrary to the design for which 't was given him of glorifying his great Creator that he only turns it against him to his own final destruction without repentance using it as a Torch to light himself to Hell thereby O Lord I most humbly beseech thee let this Meditation make me chuse to have a little sanctified knowledge rather than the most raised and quick parts unsanctified and help me to improve those parts thou hast bestowed upon me to thy Honour that I may never fight against thee with thy own weapons but may bring some Glory to thee by them O be pleased to give me Light in my Head and Fire in my Heart even that Fire from Heaven by which I may inflame others with true zeal for thy Glory that using those weak parts for thee thou hast vouchsafed to me I may by the little knowledge I have be lighted to the Regions of Bliss whilst otheres with their greater knowledge devoid of Grace go down to utter darkness MEDITAT XI Vpon seeing a Silk-worm spin THis Silk-worm hath for a long time entertained my Eyes with observing how busily it was employed in spinning its curious Threads of Silk and that when it had made it's purse of Silk into which it has confin'd it self if the Looker to it does not wind off what it has spun rather than it will keep that weight of Silk upon its Back it will make a way to get from under it by eating a hole at the top of it and so flings it off Which minds me of those very vain persons that are puffed up with their being adorned with fine Cloaths which is being proud of putting on of that which the Silk-worm puts off This may be useful to caution me against loving and delighting in fine Silks When I do consider that all the finest and best mingled ones that can be put on to adorn me with are all spun by a poor Worm and that to be proud of Fine Cloaths is to be so of that which is the monument of our Sin for if Adam had not sinned we should have had no need of cloathing to have hid our shame And that even Pearls which are by many purchased at so dear a rate that they may adorn themselves with them are but the sickness of the Fish and that Crimson with which crown'd Heads are often cloathed is dyed with the blood of a Fish and that even Gold and Silver for which many persons venture their immortal part is digged out of the entrails of the earth And 't is in the inspired Volume told us that He that loves Silver shall not be satisfied with Silver Nor is all the Gold that is in all the Mines in the whole world worth one immortal Soul O Lord I do most humbly implore that thou wouldst by these considerations of the inconsiderableness that is in all these glittering adornments which poor deluded proud persons look on with eyes of admiration Humble me exceedingly for having in my youth been too guilty of this sin of too much loving and delighting in fine Cloaths being then too much taken up with the adorning of my vile body and too little so with adorning of my better part O Lord make me for the time to come to watch against this sin which did so easily beset me and let me never more lift up my Soul to this tinsel and pagentery vanity but make me study to be like the King's Daughter all glorious within And though thou my God has told us that those that wear gay Apparel are in King's Houses and that in thy inspired Volume the Virtuous Woman is said to have all her Houshold cloathed with scarlet and that her own
cloathing is Silk and Purple which seems to intimate that it is not unlawful to wear Silk Scarlet and Purple and that the Silk-worm was not made only to spin for the proud Yet O Lord I do beseech thee let me never more yield to that pityful temptation of being drawn to esteem either others or my self upon the account of being set out with much bravery but let me value more others my Fellow Christians and prize more in my self the adorning of a sweet meek quiet contented spirit which is in thy sight of great value And if I be adorned with the Graces of thy Holy Spirit help me to consider they will make me beautiful to all eternity where as all my bodily adornments are pull'd of at night when I go to rest and must be all for ever parted with at the night of death by me O Lord therefore be pleased to make me often call to my remembrance the very great and sensible pleasure I have often experienced in cloathing naked Backs when thou hast let me have the honour of being thy Almoner and dispensedst thy charity through my hands to thy necessitous poor and let that make me rather to chuse to cloath naked Backs than to please idle eyes and rather to chuse to see many of my Fellow Creatures kept warm being covered with my Charity in plain but warm Apparel than to starve my Charity by putting upon my self one rich laced Gown which would if sold and distributed unto the Poor make many decent and convenient Gowns for several indigent persons MEDITAT XII Vpon desiring a friend to preserve safe for me some precious things which were kept for me till I needed them and then seasonably produced to help me HOw earnestly did I desire my Friend to lay up safe for me these things and how faithfully hath he preserved them and how seasonably hath he produced them for me at my need This may be useful to excite me to practice gratitude to my best and highest Friend to whom I have oft sent up the respirations of Soul that he would keep for me both those Truths I have learnt out of his Sacred Word and those experiences I have had of his Goodness and supports vouchfafed me under afflicting providences not daring to trust to my memory only these engaging mercies I have received lest his Word and benefits should slip out of my mind and I have petitioned him also that he would bring afresh into my mind those Truths when I most needed them O Lord I adore thee for bringing again afresh to my Memory those supporting promises to strengthen my weak Faith when I most needed them which thou did preserve for me till the times of my greatest exigencies and didst then comfort me by them And O Lord I do also thankfully acknowledge that when thou didst as a gracious Father chastise me by afflictions for my enormities and I was even ready to faint in taking that wholesome Soul Physick of thy prescribing that thou wert then pleased by my considering the benefits which had formerly accrued to my better part by sanctified afflictions to make me not only in some good measure patient under them but didst also make me to believe they would be for my spiritual good And thus thou madest my Memory a Cabinet to preserve my own experiences that they might be seasonably produc'd to keep me from doing as Issachar did crouch down under my burdens MEDITAT XIII Vpon my often waking in the night and presently falling asleep again HOw often have I awaked this Night and instantly fallen asleep again being so drowsie that I could not long keep my self from slumbring This may be useful to mind me of my Spiritual Condition having oft been in an awakened frame in which I have been put upon seeking after the great things of Eternal Concernment which have then been so realised unto me as to take deep impressions upon my heart and hath made my Soul to follow hard after God for Mercy and for power to serve him better but alas how soon have I by carnal security been drowsie and fallen asleep again and though in the Divine Records of Gods revealed Will unto us he hath bid us that we should not sleep as do others but that we should be watchful yet I have been apt to forget that Precept and to say to my self in a spiritual sense what was said of natural rest which is a shutting up of the Senses concerning Lazarus that if he slept he should do well though I slept it should be well with me But O Lord I do most humbly beseech thee do unto me as thou saidst thou wouldst do unto him come and awaken me out of my sleep O let me no longer be so unequal in my Devotions as to have my Goodness like a Morning Dew which soon passes away and so be sometimes awake and sometimes asleep But let me be kept watchful by the serious sense of my mortality and of the strict account I must give to thee of all that I have done in the flesh whether it be good or evil And when thou seest me falling again into my Spiritual Lethargy do thou say unto me as the Mariners in the storm did unto Jonah Arise thou sluggard and call upon thy God PIOUS REFLECTIONS UPON SEVERAL SCRIPTURES Pious Reflections On Several SCRIPTURES REFLECTION 1. LOrd when I read in thy Word of the man after thine own heart saying Rivers of waters run down mine eyes because men keep not thy commandments and yet consider that I am so far from imitating him that I can many times suffer sin to be upon my brother without so much as giving him reproof for it or advising him so much as to consider whom he offends by it Nay sometimes I am ready to make a mock of sin and to laugh at that which is a grief to thy Holy Spirit O Lord I beseech thee humble me under this consideration and make me for the time to come to imitate holy David in my charity towards my offending Brother And with thy servant Lot to have my soul vexed in hearing and seeing the filthy communication of the wicked O let me be so charitable as to weep over the Soul of my offending Brother and let me as much as in me lies help him out of the snare of sin and by my Prayers and holy Example help him towards Heaven REFLECT II. Jonah 4.9 Then said the Lord dost thou well to be angry for the gourd and he said I do well to be angry even unto death LOrd when I read of this peevish Prophet Jonah who because thou wast merciful unto the repenting Ninevites and didst not destroy them in forty days according to what he had proclaimed was so discontented that when thou expostulatedst with him and askedst him whether he did well to be angry he was so far from confessing his fault as that he seemed to dare to approve it even to thy very face by these words I do
well to be angry even unto death O Lord how doth this shew me the madness of this passion of anger and discontent which doth for the present so far distract us that we are ready to justifie a fault in stead of begging pardon for it O Lord I do therefore most humbly beseech thee to inable me to be slow to anger remembring that thou hast told me that he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he that governs his Sipirit than he that takes a City and he that hath no rule over his spirit is as a City that hath no wall O bring all my passions into subjection to my reason and my reason to my Religion Let me not fret my self in any wise to do evil nor to be angry and sin in my Anger but give me a meek quiet contented spirit which is in thy sight of great value Let me learn of thee to be meek and lowly that I may find rest unto my soul REFLECT III. Mark 9.5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus master it is good for us to be here LOrd when I peruse these words of Peter's that it is good to be here this makes me reflect upon my self in relation to this present World who am often times when I am delighted with any thing here below which doth please my sensual appetite ready to say 't is good to be here But O Lord I beseech thee do thou then say to me up and be going for here is not your rest Look beyond things temporal to those which are eternal these worldly pleasures dye in the birth and therefore are not worthy to come into the Bill of Mortality make me to consider these things cannot satisfie me for a moment much less for eternity and that though the world seems to kiss me 't is but to stab me though it makes me sport 't is but to put out my eyes it promises much but performs nothing and therefore let me not say 't is good to be here but let me seek after that city that hath foundations whose maker and builder is God after that better country that is an heavenly REFLECT IV. John 4.28 The woman left her waterpot LOrd when I read that after thou wert pleased to instruct the Samaritan woman that thou wert the Christ the Saviour of the world she presently left her water-pot and went into the City to inform others that they also might come and be blessed with a sight of him who is the desire of all Nations O Lord this doth indeed convince me that the Soul that once findeth thee is presently content to part with all For this woman before thy revealing thy self to her was busied about her water-pot and her worldly imployments but after she had found the Messias she could as it were for joy forget her water-pot and willingly part with it to inform her Neighbours what she had found that they also might have a part with her O Lord that thou wouldst inable me also to leave all to follow thee and that I may like Simon Peter who when thou calledst him from his fishing left his nets straight-way and followed thee leave all my worldly wealth and follow thee and count all things dung and dross to gain thee and with the man spoken of in the Gospel sell all to obtain the pearl of greatest price that having found Jesus I may willingly part with all for thee and having thee may say I have enough Lord I am willing if thou call'st me to it to leave my water-pot and my nets and all for thee REFLECT V. Acts 24.25 And as he reasoned of righteousness temperance and judgement to come Felix trembled and answered Go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will hear thee LOrd when I peruse this Verse and see that thy chosen Vessel though a Prisoner as he reasoned of Righteousness Temperance and Judgement to come could make Felix tremble and yet he could put him off to another season This makes me to reflect upon my self in regard of the good motions that the holy Spirit many times comes to me with as it were in the cool of the day when the heat of temptation is over saying Dost thou well to be angry dost thou well to love this world Dost thou not remember God hath bid the not to love this world nor to consume thy days in vanity nor to be vain in thy imaginations But God has bid thee work out thy salvation with fear and trembling and give all diligence to make thy calling and election sure Remember thou hast a great work to do and thou hast but a little moment to do it in thy body is but dust and must soon return to dust but thy soul is made for eternity it must last for ever it s more worth than an whole world therefore seek rest for that therefore look beyond things temporal to those that are eternal Lay up for thy self treasure in heaven and let thy heart be there also O Lord how often hath thy blessed Spirit thus as it were whispered into my Soul and though upon such serious considerations I have with Felix trembled for the present yet I have with him also said Go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will hear thee But O Lord I beseech thee pardon this procrastination and putting off good resolutions for the time past and now inable me to make haste and not delay to keep thy commandments and to follow the example of the Prodigal who said he would arise and go to his Father and he straight-way arose and went according to his resolution and promise Make me Lord to remember that it is to day if I will hear thy voice that I must not harden my heart and that now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation Let me therefore now work the work of God whilst it is day for the night cometh wherein no man can work Lord make me to consider that if it be hard to repent to day it will be much harder to morrow and that I have no assurance that I shall live till to morrow Make me therefore to remember thee my Creator in the days of my youth before the evil days come wherein I shall say I have no pleasure in them and with the wise Virgins to prepare to meet the Bridegroom of my soul with my lamp ready and well furnished with oyl that when thy blessed Spirit next knocks at the door of my heart by any good motion I may presently entertain it with caresses and satisfaction and not say with Felix Go thy way for this time when I have a more convenient season I will hear thee REFLFCT VI. 2 Sam. 12.5 And Davids anger was greatly kindled against the man and he said to Nathan As the Lord liveth the man that hath done this thing shall surely dye LOrd when I read of Nathans coming to David and by a parable shewing