bare cipher which it properly resembles and cannot profit in the day of wrath for Christ tells us so much What will it profit a man to gaine the whole world Marke 8.36 and to lose his owne soule But place Christ before it and then every creature in it shall be avaylable for our good And Christ assures us this too Matth. 6.33 first seeke the Kingdom of God and the righteousnes thereof and all other things shall bee added unto you So then the way to be truely great is to bee truely good vertue is the best Nobility Christianity the greatest dignity and godlinesse the surest gaine Let it bee then our chiefe labour So to number our dayes since it will both supply our houses with wealth and apply our hearts to wisdome which brings me to the last particular viz. Finis Finis the End why wee desire to bee so taught That we may apply our hearts to wisdome Wherein observe first What kind of wisdome this is Secondly how our hearts are said to bee applyed unto it For the first there are two sorts of wisdome as Heady wisdome and Hearty wisdome Earthly wisdome and Heavenly wisdome Marthas wisdome and Maryes wisdome Now were wee ever to live in this world Marthas wisdome would be preferred but since our dayes are numbred with God Maryes choyce will best teach us so to number them our selves as to apply our hearts to heavenly wisdome Which may be distinguished from the earthly in 4. particulars 1. By the Object The Object of heavenly wisdome is Christ who is made unto us Wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1 Corinth 1.30 But of earthly wisdome vanity and sinne 2. By the Properties Heavenly wisdome is pure peaceable gentle and easy to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without Hypocrisy Iam. 3.17 But earthly wisdome is mixt with sin mudded with lust cruell crafty and quarelsome Iam. 3.15 3. By the Schoole where they are to bee learnt Heavenly wisdome is taught onely of God by his Spirit and in his Word but the other hath as many Masters as there are corrupt mindes 4. By the end at which they aime The one tends chiefely to the good of the soule howsoever it fare with the body But the other chiefely to satisfy and fulfill the lusts of the flesh without respect unto the soule Let an earthly wise man have Esaus blessing Gen. 27.39.28 the fatnesse of the earth and let who will take Iacobs blessing the dew of Heaven Psal 4.8 Let their corne and wine and oyle increase it is all they care for as for the light of Gods countenance they regard it not For the Second hee that beleeves what God affirmes applyes his heart to faith Hee that does what God commands applyes his heart to Obedidience and hee that makes use of both these in their benefits and effects to the good of his soule applyes his heart to wisdome Now hee that will so number his dayes as is before layd downe must thus apply his heart to a sixfold wisdome First to the Virgins Wisdome the wisdome of Preparation Math. 25.4 The wise Virgins tooke oyle in their Vessells Wee all know the Bridegroome Christ Iesus will come but when wee know not and therefore we ought alwayes to bee prepared with the oyle of grace in our lamps that when hee shall come we may be ready to enter with him into his everlasting glory I find no other difference betwixt the wise Virgins and the foolish but onely this the one did that in time which the other would faine have done when it was too late If thou bee wise then prepare in time least thou repent when it is too late Secondly to the serpents wisdome the wisdome of Preservation Matth. 10.16 Bee yee wise as serpents c. It is accounted a great part of wisdome in the Serpent to preserve his head with all the care that may be because all his life lyes in his head a little blow on the head quickly kills him but wound him never so much on the body his head being safe he will recover it againe Now the Apostle tels us that our life is hid with God in Christ our head Colos 3.3 in whom we must bee carefull to preserve and keepe our Faith though wee suffer never so many wounds in our persons goods or good names Resolving with the Apostle that neither tribulation nor anguish nor persecution c. shall bee able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Rom. 8. ult Thirdly to the Stewards wisdome the wisdome of Prevention Luke 16.8 The Lord commended the unjust Steward because hee had done wisely c. The Steward we know being ready to bee put from his place to prevent poverty made himselse friends with his Masters goods which was reputed a point of wisdome in him Now wee are all but Stewards of what wee possesse and know not how soone we shall bee taken from them or they from us Here then is our wisdome in time to make us friends with these Mammons of unrighteousnes for so Christ calls these earthly riches in comparison of the true treasure that when they sayle us Luke 16.9 we may be received into everlasting habitations which may bee best done by our Charity to the poore members of Christ for Prov. 19.17 what we give to the poore we lend to the Lord saith Salomon and what is layd out he will repay us againe The poore mans hand is the rich mans reasury what hee layes up there he shall find in heaven hee that feeds the hungry puts bread into Christs owne mouth hee that clothes the naked puts a garment on Christs owne backe and hee that gives to the poore puts a penny in Christs owne hand himselfe hath said it Matth 25.45 Eccl. 11 7. whatsoever you doe unto any of these little ones yee doe it unto me Cast your bread then upon these waters and after many dayes you shall find it againe with a great reward Fourthly to the Ants wisdome the wisdome of Providence Proverb 6.6 Goe to the Ant thou sluggard consider her wayes and bee wise It is observed of the Ant that she labours very painefully in the Summer to get provision together to keepe her in the Winter so should wee doe during the summer of health and prosperity and Sunne-shine of the Gospell of peace 1 Tim. 6.19 lay up for our selves a good foundation against the Winter of trouble need sorrow sicknesse or other adversity The Apostles Counsell is Gal. 6.10 while you have time doe good to all especially to those who are of the houshold of Faith and the Prophet renders you a reason of it because in death God is not remembred Psal 6.5 nor will any give him thanks in the grave while you have the light walk Iohn 11. Phil. 2.12 and while it is called to day worke out your salvation with feare and
joy of his salvation to both your great rejoycings making her to say with the Prophet Psal 94.19 In the multitude of the sorrowes that I had in my heart thy comforts have refreshed my soule How many through the malignity of their diseases have beene dissolved on such distempered and distracted fits that Charity herselfe hath been faine to looke backe and take a view of their lives before she durst passe her verdit of their deaths When her dissolution was so cheerefull and Christian-like that whosoever had beheld it though unacquainted with her life yet must needs have given her that testimony which the Centurion gave our Saviour Math. 27.54 Surely this was the child of God How comfortably may you recount Gods goodnesse towards her at the very point of her departure both for the manner and the time of it not so much as faltering in her speech nor fayling in any of her intellectualls as many others have done but continuing all in their wonted vigour while she continued her life S. Iohn Revel 1.10 is said on the Lords day to be in the spirit and she on the Lords day resigned her spirit and that in a most memorable instant for no sooner were you your friends returned from commending your owne selves to God in the Church but you were immediatly called to recommend her soule to God from the Chamber so where you ended your Sabbath of temporall rest there she began her Sabbath of eternall rest And I may truly say Exod. 8.19 digitus Dei hic est the finger of God was in it or to speake in the Prophets phrase this was the Lords doing Ps 118.23 and it was marvailous in our eyes Suffer me then to comfort you as S. Hierome did Heliodorus Ne doleas quod talem amiseris sed gaudeas quod talem habueris sorrow not so much that you have now lost as give thanks to God that once you had so vertuous a companion who lived so piously and dyed so peaceably And you may also comfort your selfe in the absence of her your selfe united in the words of David for the death of his child himselfe divided You shall goe to her 2 Sam. 12.23 she shall not returne to you And that you may assuredly follow her to those joyes whither she is gone before and already entred Be it your care while you trafficke in this troublesome world to imitate that wise Merchant in the Gospell to pursue and purchase that one pearl of inestimable price Matth. 13.45.46 Math. 6.33 namely the Kingdome of Christ and the righteousnes thereof That so having fought the good fight kept the faith and finished your course 1 Tim. 6.19 2 Tim. 4.8 you may lay hold on eternall life and receive that Crowne which the Lord the righteous Iudge hath conferred on her and promised to you and all that love his appearing Now that both you and yours may constantly persevere in this course and bee everlastingly blest with this Crowne shall bee the dayly prayer of Your uncessant Orator ROBERT MARRIOT A FUNERALL SERMON FOR Mris ELIZABETH DERING PSALME 90.12 So teach us to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts unto Wisdome IF we peruse the passages of holy Writ we shall there find that Christian Buriall is not onely commended but also commanded as a godly and charitable worke the Fathers of the Old and faithfull of the New Testament being our examples in the decent performance of this duty and comely payment of this debt thinking no care nor cost too much which they bestowed on the bodyes the vestments of the soules of their deceased friends while they safely reposed them as precious Relicks in the Wardrope of the Earth Nor was this care without good consideration This one Act of Christianity complying with many others of especiall note as First Iohn 11.25 Col. 1.18 with an act of Faith in Christ the Resurrection and the life who is primogenitus mortuorum borne tanquam ex utero sepulchri and rising the first fruits of them that sleepe to sanctify and assure us who bee the rest of the harvest Secondly with an act of Hope Ever since the Angell sat on the Grave-stone of our Saviour saying Resurrexit Matth. 28.6 non est hic He is risen he is not here we have been bold to write on the Tombe-stones of our friends Hic jacet spe resurgendi Here lyes such a one in hope of a glorious resurrection Hence it is observed that Christ from the grave appeared to Mary Iohn 20.15 in a Garden to teach us that he will one day turne all our graves into Garden-plots and so husband our very dust that by vertue of the dew of his Resurrection Esay 26.19 they shall spring out of the Earth like beautious flowers and be for ever planted in the Paradise of God Thirdly with an act of Charity and love to prosecute those bodyes being dead with honour to their graves whom wee nay whom God himselfe so much loved and honored being alive as to style them Members of Christ and Temples of the Holy Ghost Fourthly with an act of Necessity to separate the living from the contagion of the dead Abraham loved Sarah well but being departed hee besought the Hittits for a place to bury her out of his sight As there is nothing whiter then Snow of it selfe Gen. 23.4 yet being dissolved makes the fowlest water so the purest complexion the worst putrifaction according to the old Axiome corruptio optimi est pâ—ssima Lastly with an act of Mortification The Antients did use to take their leaves of their friends having brought them to their graves in these words Vale vale nos te sequemur Adue adue wee will follow thee and wee retaine this course still among us the dead corps are carryed before while the mourners follow after leading us the way in which we must all walke which should teach us to read our owne mortality in others Funeralls while we heare the Bell to tole for anothers passing to consider that if the Lord so please it may take in us also before it ring out when we walk over the graves of others to remember that they are our houses also in reversion and when wee see how suddenly the dayes of others are determined to learne so to number our dayes as to apply our hearts unto Wisdome So teach us c. It is the consent of the Fathers and the opinion of the best expositors that this Psalme was penned by Moses upon this occasion After the Israelits had passed the Red Sea and were entred into the wildernesse Moses sent spies before to discover the land of Canaan who returned with these sad tidings to the people that the inhabitants were Giants the sonnes of Anak in comparison of whom the Israelits were but as Grasse-hoppers and that their Citties were walled up to Heaven and so impregnable At which relation they forgetting the great wonders and mighty workes
a while on earth yet to live long in Gods account not onely to number our dayes but sic so to number them as to apply our hearts c. Which brings in the third particular Forma 3 III. Forma the manner how to number c. sic so so teach us c. Now God in all our sacred performances hath especiall respect unto this preferring the manner of the doing of them before the matter it selfe hence he is said to bee better pleased with Adverbs then with Adjectives non quam bonum sed quam benè God never accounts that for good which is not well done It is not therefore enough to pray but we must so pray as to bee heard Not enough to heare but wee must so heare as to profit Not enough to believe but wee must so believe as to bee saved Not enough to run but wee must so run as to obtaine not enough to number our dayes but we must so number them as to apply c. Now there are six rules teaching us so to number our dayes taken from the practise of ordinary Arithmeticke The First is knowledge he that goes about to cast an account must know his rules how to number how to divide how to multiply how to substract c. Else when he hath cast up his summes he cannot tell whether they be done right or wrong and containe more or lesse In like manner who so will number his dayes must have knowledge of the Rules to number by Now there are Two rules by which all men living number their dayes viz. a rule of Folly and a rule of Wisdome The wicked and ungodly number by the rule of folly they by looking upon death at the wrong end of the perspective thinke it to be farther off then indeed it is and their dayes to bee more then they prove to be and so secure themselves in sinne Matth 25.5.8.10 till in a moment they are taken away By this rule the Foolish Virgins numbred their dayes thinking the bridegroome would not come so soone they slept out their oyle and neglected to buy more till Christ came and found them unprepared and so they were shut out Thus the evill servant in the Gospell numbered Luke 12.45 46. c. When supposing his Master would still delay his coming he began to beate his fellow servants and to eate and drinke with the drunken till his Master came in an houre that he was not aware of and cut him off and gave him his portion with the Hypocrits c. Thus the rich Glutton numbred c. Luke 12.18.19.20 Soule take thine ease thou hast goods layd up for many dayes c. when that night his soule was taken from him The good and godly they number their dayes by the rule of Wisdome which consists in the serious consideration of three things Psal 39.6 1. Of the vanity of mans life so vayne that it will not admit of any extenuation being compared in Scripture to things of smallest if no account Psal 102.11 as to a dreame to a shadow to grasle to a weavers shutle to a shepheards tent to a Bubble Esay 40. â— of which it may be said Quamprimum oritur moritur as soone out as in Colos 3.2 Iam. 4.14 which should instruct us to place our affections on more enduring objects and not to trust too much to this vapour of life 2. Of the Brevity of mans life There are long spaces which by a speedy course are quickly ended and there are short spaces which having a slow mover are long in going but where the space is short and the motion quicke that journey must needs bee soone dispatched such a thing is life The swiftest motion in the world hath been stayed Ios 10.12 â—3 the Sun stood still at the prayer of Iosuah and went not downe in one whole day and yet then at that instant the life of man went a dayes journey forward Admit that of the Psalmist Ps 90.10 viz. that the dayes of our age are threescore yeares and ten which can be granted but by way of supposition for where one attaines unto it threescore and ten threescore and ten times told goe before yet I say admit it and then hee that knowes how to number these dayes by the rule of Wisdom can tell you how that halfe of these yeares by the rule of division are lost in sleepe there remaines then but 35. whereof 15. at least by the rule of substraction must also be taken away for our childhood wherein wee were ignorant how to glorify God or help our selves aright then remaines but 20. yeares which being joyned by the rule of Multiplication to our troubles sicknesses sorrowes necessary cares c. so often multiplyed upon us tell me if God account of no time but what is spent in his service if what the Philosopher spake of man be not true that his life is but a day song Nay if what the Prophet David spake be not true also Ps 36.6 that this day is but a span long 3. Of the uncertainty of Mans life The time past is gone as if it had never beene the time to come is uncertaine we are altogether unsure of it wee have no time but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this very instant and wee know not how long we shall hold that It was the saying of one of our owne Poets Fleres si scires unum tua tempora mensem Rides cum non sit forsitan una dies Thou wouldst weep if thou knewest thy life would end this moneth How canst thou laugh when perhaps thou shalt not live one day Luke 12.39 If the good man of the house knew at what time the thiefe would come he would watch sayes our Saviour and not suffer himselfe to bee surprized nor his house to be broken up our bodyes are the house our soules the prize death the theefe and because thou knowest not at what houre hee will come watch every houre Ideo obscuratur unus ut observentur multi said S. Austin God hath therefore conceal'd from thee that one day of thy death that thou mightest so expect it every day The Antients perswaded to this care by this familiar instance Hadst thou seven servants and wert fully ascertained that at some time or other one of them would kill thee but which or when thou couldst not tell wouldst thou not be very cautelous of them all and very carefull of giving any of them any advantage why now remember thy life is but a multiplication of seven dayes and one of these will kill thee but which of these or when because thou knowest not thou oughtest to be prepared on all of them Let not the thought of thy last end bee the last end of thy thought but foresee this Basiliske death in time so shalt thou prevent the danger 2. The second Rule for the so numbring c. is Intention a man that goes about to cast an account
indeed This done insisting some while in directing her how she might purchase that assurance and that trust she so heartily prayd for I left her untill the Thursday after By which time the Sun of righteousnesse with healing in his wings having dispelled in good measure those mysts of diffidence which eclipsed the light and peace of her soule began againe to shine forth in his wonted cleerenesse reviving and cheering up those drooping affections which had so long languished in the want of his comfortable presence insomuch that to my great rejoycing I found her magnifying of mercy which before she doubted of and comforting her selfe with those Scriptures which before her soule refused comfort in being tendred unto her I told her I did heartily blesse God for this happy change in her and she replyed that the grace of Christ was sufficient for her upon whom she did wholly rest and rely for her salvation disclayming all conceipt of worth or merit in her selfe entreating me to pray to God for her that it would please him to pardon those distrustfull thoughts which she had formerly of his goodnesse and to perfect that re-assurance of his love in her heart she joyning with us very cheerefully and devoutly all the time expressing a marvelous longing for the fullnesse of spiritual and heavenly joy Insomuch that while I inserted that petition of the Prophet Doe well unto thy Servant that she may live and praise thy name she interrupted me saying ô pray onely for my soule for I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is farre better The Sunday following in the afternoone I was requested to preach to the Congregation of this Parish whither being come and enquiring of her health I was generally assured that they had observed her to be that day more composed cheerefull then usually she had bin but while the whol Families of her friends were Religiously exercised in the Church she intimated to those that wayted about her that she felt her selfe sensibly to change her Cough having a little before left her a sure signe in those diseases of death approaching whereupon they asked her if they should call the Lady her mother or husband or any other unto her but she answerd no they were she said about a good worke and she hoped that she should live till they had done and God granted her request for no sooner was the Sermon ended and all her friends againe returned about her but she heartily wished for some one to recommend her soule to God it was my happinesse to be there at that time and they entreated mee to performe that last office for her which we hasted to doe perceiving her to decline apace while she to the admiration of all that were present considering her great weakenesse repeated after me very zealously almost what soever I delivered and concluding with the Lords Prayer she most devoutly rehearsed that word for word which as it was the first she learnt so I may truely say it was the last she uttered for immediately hereupon as if she had onely staid for this Convoy to her eternall rest she most sweetly and peaceably exchanged this life leaving her surviving friends like the Apostle in a strait betwixt two not knowing which to chuse whether more to mourne for her losse or to rejoyce for her so blessed and happie departure But why doe I speake of losse since to use Saint Pauls phrase to her to live was Christ and to dye was gaine for she is not amissa but praemissa not lost but gone before death to her being but like Iordan to Israel a waftage from the wildernesse of this world to the Canaan of everlasting blessednes wher her soul is bound up in the bundle of life securely reposed in the bosom of Abraham 1 Cor. 15. â—4 her body like seed being sown in the Lords gleb-Land for so the Germans call the grave shal be there safely preserved by her heavenly Father that good Husbandman Ioh. 15.1 unto the harvest of that great day when by vertue of the resurrection of Christ 1 Cor. 15.20 The first fruits of them that sleepe she shall awake out of this Sepulchrall vault againe both glorious and honorable and the grave being dispossest of her body her body shal be re-possest by her soule and both body and soule everlastingly possest of that immortall incorruptible and never fading Kingdome 1 Pet. 1.4 reserved in heaven for her whose King is Christ whose Subjects are Saints whose Law is love whose rule is equity whose honour is verity whose peace is felicity and whose life is Eternity Unto which he brings us all who hath bought it for us and us for himselfe Christ Jesus therighteous to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit three Persons one eternall immortall invisible and onely wise God be rendred and ascribed all glory honour power praise might majesty dignity and dominion henceforth and for evermore Amen In praematura fata Dominae Elizabethae nuper uxoris patrui mei charissimi Caroli Dering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CÆtera cuncta licet rapias Libitina putabam Virtutem exemptam legibus esse tuis Sed verum est querulo cecinit quod carmine vates Omnia mors pedibus calcat avara suis Quae nunc ploranda est aeterna fuisset Eliza Si virtus auidum vinceret ipsa rogum Hinc mihi singultus laâ— hyrmae suspiria fletus Et quicquid luget fertilis arte dolor Damna tamen fateor foecundo carmine nostra Musa ferax lachrymis connumerare nequit Ergo tuos mea musa libet deponere planctus Amissae cruciant dum memorantur opes Edoardus Dering praedicti Dom. Edoardi Filius Charissimo fratri meo CAROLO DERING KANCIANOLONDINATI Amissam deflenti QVAM Ut Amorem nostrum decuit ut virtus defunctae meruit in communi nominis DERINGANI Hypogaeo arquato sociatam pie condidimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ELISABETHA meos habuit prima vxor Amores Prima calet flammis ELSABETHA tuis CAROLE fatorum frater consor sq meorum Quam fugit heu cito nos utraq ELSA duos Sic fit sic FIAT PATRIS divina VOLVNTAS Transtulit ille meam transtulit ille tuam Haud peterint Elegi nostros numerare dolores Si foret in luctus Musa diserâ—a novos Illarum Heroo poterit nec earmine diei Caendor Amor Pietas Gratia Forma Fides Prussia dilectam tibi CAROLE credit ELISAM Vicina ad thalames venit ELISA mâ—os Vtraq nunc uno est vxor tumulata sepulchre Et cadit in cineres Vtraq ELISA simul Disce meo exemplo Vivacem nolo Dolorem Sed memor aeterno tempore vivat Amor Frater tuus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dom. Edoardus Dering miles et Baronettus FINIS
would he never suffer it to faile and that it is the firmest faith which beleeves without feeling when a man can say with Iob though he kill me Iob 13.15 yet will I trust in him For our owne feeling is no fit judge of faith for that is often overwhelmed with temptations but faith must be judged of by the word of God Now the word tells us that faith is not alwayes a burning Lampe but somtimes yea often a smoaking Flax Mat. 12.20 which is so weake that it sends out neither heat nor flame but only a smoake and yet will not the Lord quench this small sparke of faith neither can it perish being begotten of immortall seed viz. the word of God which endures for ever 2 Pet. 1.23 Againe we know Magis et minus non mutant speciem a little or a sicke man is a man as well as a great or a sound one a foule and a feeble hand may receive an Almes as well as a faire and strong one so little and weake faith is faith as well as that which is great and firme and the one may as truely apply Christ as the other For we doe not imagine that faith doth justifie us because it is a strong and perfect vertue but it justifies us for the object which it apprehends that is Christ the Mediator Nor are we so much to conclude of faith from the firme perswasion it works in us as from the resting and relying thereby on the merits of Christ for salvation Moreover I laboured to possesse her with this truth that God can be no more said to forsake his Servants when for a time he hides away his face then the Sun can be said to be set when it is but under a cloud for howsoever the sensible presence of Gods Spirit whereby he makes his Children to feel him by the gracious effects which he workes in them be subject to changes and Eclipses yet the secret presence of his Spirit never departs from them but is continually ruling guiding and sustaining them in all their troubles according to his promise in the old Testament Esay 43.2 and in the New Math. 28.20 Yea by vertue of this secret presence he entertaines life in our soules when to our owne judgements we are become altogether dead and senselesse as there is life and sap in a tree when it hath neither fruit nor leaves which is evident by our standing in many temptations wherein we could find no present grace upholding us For had we our happinesse in our owne hands as once we had we could not be able to hold out against the least of Satans assaults but that he must needs deprive us of it but God seeing what bad keepers we are of our owne Jewels hath translated the custody of them unto Christ and hung the keyes at his girdle by whom they are so safely kept for us 1 Pet. 1.4.5 and we for them as saith S. Peter that now the least sparke of saving-grace in any beleever is more then all the power of Hell is able to quench Thus having spent some time with her by enlarging these and adding many other comforts out of the Scripture which need not here to be repeated endeavouring in what I could to satisfie her in every doubt perceiving a great part of her distemper to be occasioned from the weakenesse of her body the wearynesse of her spirits and the want of rest I tooke my leave of her for that time not without this acknowledgement of comfort from her selfe that she hoped I had done her some good promising at the intreating of her friends to visit her againe within few dayes at the house of the worthy Lady Dering the now sorrowing mother of this Gentlewoman whither the next day she was removed which accordingly I did the fryday following and understanding that she with her had bindiscoursing immediately before my comming and her entirely loving Brother the right Worshipfull Sir Edward Dering whose observation of her was this that those doubts and feares whereof she complained proceeded not so much from any sinfull cause occasioned by her selfe whereof she could accuse her selfe as from an over-earnest longing desire of more spiritual comfort and illumination then God was pleased for the present to make her sensible of as afterward it more cleerely appeared unwilling then to tire her enfeebled spirits with too much talke together I stayd a while before I saw her Then being brought into her Chamber she told me she much rejoyced at my comming being perswaded that she should reape comfort by my discourse and was minded to request me to pray with her whereunto then she had a great desire but the continuance of these good motions she said was so short that before she could call for me they were gone and she re-possest so with her former doubts and feares that now she had no heart thereto whereupon I replyed that I made no question but that these good motions would returne again In the mean time she might hereby take notice of Gods Method with his dearest Children sometimes ravishing them with S. Paul 2 Cor. 12.4 as it were into the third heavens by filling their soules with unspeakeable joy and gladnesse sometimes againe with the same Apostle humbling them as it were to hell by casting his angry countenance upon them suffering satan also to buffet them yet making them gainers both by his comming to them and his going from them for by the one they gaine comfort against despaire by the other warning against persumption therefore as she ought when she felt those heavenly Motions in her heart to cherish them so when she felt them not she ought not to think her self contemned Withall I shewed her that it is the endeavour of many beleevers so eagerly to pursue after more grace as that they deny themselves the comfortable use of what they have like many worldlings who having a competent portion of earthly things in the eye of others yet repine as if they had nothing because they have not so much as themselves desire wherfore I besought her as to remember carefully to seeke for more so not to forget thankefully to acknowledge what she had which was the onely way to invite God to conferre upon her a larger measure of Spirituall consolation I then offered unto her the assistance of my prayers which she imbraced and while we were intreating at the throne of grace on her behalfe for the returne of Gods favourable presence and the light of his countenance upon her and that he would againe restore her to the joy of his salvation c. I applyed unto her that petition of David Lord comfort the soule of thy Servant for in thee hath she put her trust which words were no sooner uttered but she cryed with a loud voice ô that I was assured that I am thy Servant and that I could trust in thee as I ought then should my soule be comforted