Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	body_n	soul_n	true_a	7,689	5	4.8842	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33971	Par nobile two treatises, the one concerning the excellent woman, evincing a person fearing the Lord to be the most excellent person, discoursed more privately upon occasion of the death of the Right Honourable the Lady Frances Hobart late of Norwich, from Pro. 31, 29, 30, 31 : the other discovering a fountain of comfort and satisfaction to persons walking with God, yet living and dying without sensible consolations , discovered from Psal. 17, 15 at the funerals of the Right Honourable the Lady Katherine Courten, preached at Blicklin in the county of Norfolk, March 27, 1652 : with the narratives of the holy lives and deaths of those two noble sisters / by J.C.	Collinges, John, 1623-1690.; Collinges, John, 1623-1690. Excellent woman.; Collinges, John, 1623-1690. Light in darkness.	1669 (1669)	Wing C5329; ESTC R26441	164,919	320

I will give thy substance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all Jer. 17. 3. Isa 30. 7. thy treasures to the spoil Isa 30. 7. They will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young Asses Honours credit and reputation are expressed under the other term in the text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often used in Scripture to express the favour of others to us Thus the world accounteth him or her that is rich honourable in credit and favour with the world more excellent than those that are of mean parentage mean estate or of no repute in the world And thus I have given you a short account of the most of those things which raise the value of any person in the world to which might have been added Wit and Fancy and some noble vertuous actions The latter is mentioned in the text Many daughters have done vertuously And indeed though it be the great errour of the men of the world to over-rate those things and because of them to set too high a value upon the person possessed of them yet there is something of true worth value and excellency in them and they at least some of them and some of them more than others do confer something of excellency upon the person whom it pleaseth God to bless with them Solomon himself yields it when he saith in the text Many Daughters have done vertuously And that leadeth me to a further consideration what there is of real value in these things we shall find if we wisely consider it That the true excellency which these things have and which they can confer upon the person blessed with them chiefly dependeth upon these things First They are all of them the gifts of God though they be not of his choicest and best sort of gifts yet his gifts they are and not the portions of all persons That one is more nobly and ingenuously born is Gods gift who breathed his soul into a finer piece of clay than anothers He is our Potter and they are his hands that have shaped one body into a more lovely and beautiful form than anothers and hath knit the joynts of one more strong than anothers It is he that hath given to one a quicker understanding a more dexterous wit and fancy a more solid judgement a more tenacious memory a more active spirit than another All this cometh from the Lord. It is he that hath more disposed the mind of one than another to moral vertue meekness ingenuity courtesie sobriety c. It is he that hath given to one more than to another favour in the eyes of Princes and great persons or in the eyes of the common people It is he that hath given to one a greater estate than to another and by whose guidance and assistance one doth more noble and virtuous actions than another Promotion cometh not from the East nor from the West nor from the South but God is the Judge he pulleth down one and setteth up another saith the Psalmist Psal 67. 6 7. Favour is not to men of skill Eccles 9. God gave Joseph favour in the eyes of his Keeper and the Israelites in the sight of the Egyptians It were easie to shew you the Scripture speaking the like concerning Riches and other-accomplishments of Nature and gifts of Providence so Christians call them acknowledging the donor of them the Heathen called them the gifts of fortune which they dreamed to be one of the four causes of all things and made to be a God Now I say this putteth an excellency upon the things themselves and also upon the person possessed with them whoso hath them hath more to shew for a favour that God hath to him than he that wanteth them unless he hath this same excellent thing in my text A second thing which commendeth these or some of these things is their usefulness as to our comfortable being and subsistence in this life Riches and Favour though they be things more external and forein to what truly makes up a reasonable creature or adorneth him considered in that capacity yet they have this excellency in them that whoso is possessed of them is at a better advantage than another man for a comfortable subsistence in the world and to do good to others than he that is poor and of no credit and reputation in the world Strength and health of body upon which strength you know much depends are necessary and advantagious to us for our comfortable subsistence An Active busie diligent spirit is that also which maketh rich through the blessing of God and upon this account all these things have a true and real excellency in them and ought to be looked upon as the blessings of God which we ought to acknowledge and to receive with thankfulness at his hand Lastly There is an excellency in some of them and which they give to the persons that are possest of them which lies in their approvableness to the reasonable nature of man All of them do not so approve themselves to our rational part reason understands not the excellency of great parentage or a fair face nor of riches or honours c. But now knowledge prudence sobriety temperance modesty with other moral virtues are things which have in them a certain innate and connatural beauty even reason being Judge and make the person possessed of them as much to excite another that is ignorant immodest impudent intemperate foolish as light excelleth darkness and upon this account it was that the wiser Heathens valued them though they knew nothing of the revealed mind and will of God in reference to them and considered them not at all as falling under a divine precept but only as improvements of nature and due products of a soul that had not lost its reason and was not metamorphosed by debauchery The Heathens had no other eye than that of reason no other ballance than that in which to weigh things that differed And now I think we have made a just estimate of other things the fear of the Lord only excepted which either do or may put a value upon any person in this world above his neighbour we have seen what they are and how much they signifie The summ is this That there are many things which either really or at least in common opinion make a man or woman to excel Bodily perfections strength health beauty mental endowments knowledge judgement wit prudence moral vertues temperance sobriety c. An active diligent spirit and temper fitted for business in our respective callings things more external such as honour estate favour credit and reputation And though it be very usual as I have said to over-rate these things and to overvalue persons blessed with them because of them yet these things considered as the gifts and favours of God and as things of singular advantage to us with reference to the comfortable beeing and subsistence of our outward man in the world and as some of them are naturally far more

glass and espying a little better air of her countenance a better mixture of colours in her cheeks than in other womens thinks this is warrant enough for her to admire her self stretch out her neck and mince it with her feet all the day after Or if the view of her face doth not in all points please her she thinketh it worth the while to spend both her money and her precious time to mend it with patchings and paintings with trickings and trimmings of her self And doth not the vain gallant think Beauty something who is so bewitched with it that forgetting the noble soul of which he is possessed ordained to higher imployments and the reason which he inheriteth which should guide him to a better purpose thinks his money and his time well spent while both are miserably expended to evidence his dotage upon this painted Sepulchre which it may be within is nothing but darkness filth and rottenness In the mean time let us look wistly upon this thing which we call Beauty is it any more than a perfection of b●dily parts pl●ced in a due proportion each to other and with a due and proportioned mixture of such colours as are proper to flesh and blood As to the former what is there in it more than is to be found in many an Horse or Dog it may be an higher degree As to the latter what is there more than in a Rose or a Lilly Nay what so much as in many a flower of the field or in many a picture As to many of these it may be said as our Saviour said of Solomon compared with the Lilly The most beautiful woman is not for colour like one of them Oh what a lye is beauty then that which in outward appearance is such that a vain woman will sacrifice her soul life estate time to obtain preserve or maintain it that which a vain man will spend all that he is worth in a base service and homage to it when in reality it is no further perfection than may be found in a Dog an Horse or other brute creature yea in a vegetable creature in a pittiful flower or plant above what can be found in any of the Sons and Daughters of men For Favour or Honour it is a thing that carrieth a great shew in the world what high thoughts of themselves doth it raise in them that are ●●gnified with it what a supercilious eye do those that have it but in a superiour degree cast upon those but a step beneath them How much doth it make vain man admired served complemented in the world But in reality what is this gay thing The world is yet at a loss where to find its residence whether in honorante or in honorato in the person that giveth or that receiveth it Certain it is that it is a meer air and in reality just nothing that which is often gained by fordid persons which neither betters the man as to his body mind nor soul only serveth him as to a comfortable subsistence in this life and gains him the wall a cap and a knee and a title Take Riches another thing which in vulgar opinion carries with it a great notion of excellency and imprinteth upon man a considerable difference from his neighbour They make a fair shew and have a great appearance hence whoso hath them swells in the opinion of himself and all he world does him homage But what is silver and gold in reality What is gold more than yellow sand and silver more than white earth considered in it self without the relative value which men put upon it Indeed more by far is to be said for the inward habits of the mind Knowledge Prudence Sobriety and the rest of the moral vertues but neither are they without their vanity as I shall shew you anon I shall add no more to this first thing demonstrating the vanity and emptiness of such other things as inhance the price of one man above another They are a great deal more in appearance than they are in reality 2. The second thing which I instanced in was this They are such as never fill or satisfie the mind of the person possessed of them like dreams of feasts notwithstanding which we are hungry lyes in our right hand like wind in the body which often filleth the stomach and spoileth the appetite to its proper food but never nourisheth the body nor satisfieth the hunger I shall shew 1. That they will not satisfie the wants of the soul 2. That they less satisfie the souls expectation 1. I say first They will not satisfie the souls wants The true wants of the reasonable soul are and can be satisfied with nothing but divine influences It is a noble spirit and none but the Father of spirits can fill its emptiness The soul while it sleeps in the Lethargy of sin while it sojourneth in its estate of estrangement from God like the Prodigal it feedeth Swine and filleth its belly with the husks but after it hath once fixed its resolution to return to its Fathers house nothing less than God can fill it it cries out as once Rachel for children Lord give me Christ or else I die It is plainly impossible that any thing but the favour of God and the sense of that favour or at least good hopes of it through grace should ever satisfie that soul that is once awakened to consider its self as in its natural constitution a spiritual immortal being ordained to an Eternity and as it is in its depraved estate by nature a child of wrath I say again the soul thus reflecting upon it self can be satisfied with nothing less than the sense or firm hopes of Gods favour making over the Righteousness of Christ unto it and accepting it as righteous in and through Christ and whatsoever soul is satisfied without this is either ignorant of its own state and capacity or exceeding vain and careless not regarding its highest concerns As Abraham when God bid him ask what he would and he would give it him replied What canst thou give me whiles I go childless So the awakened soul saith What can God give me whiles I go childless Beauty is a pretty thing but what is it to Eternity Riches are useful things but they will not ransom my soul from the pit of Hell Honour will serve me to take a place or the wall in this world but it will not give me a place at Gods right hand Pleasure is a sweet thing oh but endless torments will be a dreadful issue of it Great Friends and Relations are great blessings but it is Christ alone can stand my friend in the Court of Heaven to speak for me that I may not be sent unto eternal burnings 2. And as nothing but divine influences will satisfie the souls wants so nothing else will satisfie the souls expectation The wise man who had as great experience as any mortal man ever had cries out The eye is not satisfied

There is a bundle of Principles some of which have grown too fast too in these evil times which are calculated for the very Meridian of Atheism and devised as if it had been on purpose to banish all dread of God out of mens hearts That things are not ordered by Providence but come in a meer series and succession of necessary natural causes That there are no spirits no such things as indications of divine wrath That there is no Judgement to be made from Providences If we should see the Earth open and swallow up Corah Dathan and Abiram yet there is nothing to be concluded but these may be as honest men as those that do not go down quick into the pit These and such like Principles are Doctrines devised on purpose to make men faces of Brass that they might not blush and necks of Iron that they might not bow at any divine rebukes but might out-face God to the utmost until he tear them in pieces and there be none to deliver 2. Secondly Take heed of customary sinning against God Frequency in sin taketh away the sense of it and a custom of daring God makes men to forget all kind of fear and dread of the Divine Majesty Sin naturally hardens the heart and takes away all natural modesty 4. Fourthly Nothing so contributes to fear as faith Both faith of assent and faith of adherence Faith of assent is that habit by which we give assent to the Proposition of the word Faith of Reliance is a gracious habit by which we rest upon the person of the Mediatour Either of these hath an influence upon us to beget this fear and dread of God in our souls The one as it perswades us of the truth of what the Scripture reveals concerning the Glory and Majesty of God concerning his Purity and Holiness concerning his Justice and Severity all which represent God unto us as the true and proper object of our fear The other as it uniteth us to Christ and endeareth him to our so●ls and so layeth us under a sacred awe of sinning against him as we naturally fear to offend any person whom we dearly and intirely love and honour It is true the Apostle saith Rom. 8. We have not received the spirit for bondage again to fear And again Perfect love casteth out fear But those texts must be understood not of a filial reverential fear but of a slavish servile fear our daily experience teacheth us that the more intirely we love any person the more we fear to offend and grieve them and to do any thing which we think they will take ill at our hands Faith therefore as it is the root of hope and love so it is the kindest root of filial and ingenuous fear 5. Lastly Beg this Grace of God It is a plant of our heavenly Fathers it is a part of Gods Covenant I will put my fear into their heart that they shall never depart from me O beg of God that he would bestow his fear upon you The fear of God is prima gratia saith Bernard torius Religionis exordium radix est custos omnium bonorum i. e. The fear of the Lord is the first grace the very beginning of all Religion the root and the keeper of all good things therefore pray that above all things God would bestow this grace upon your souls But I shall add no more to the first branch of the Exhortation Let me in the next place speak to you in whom God hath created this fear of his great and glorious Name Two things this Doctrine calleth to you for 1. To grow in this excellent habit 2. To live like excellent persons 1. Labour to grow in this excellent habit There is a fear of God in which the more perfect a Christian is the more he decreaseth in it This is that servile and slavish fear which I mentioned dreading God as a Judge an Enemy one that can cast both body and soul into Hell fire The more a soul grows up into communion with God and into an assurance of union with him the more this fear dieth and weareth out of his soul It is a dread of God which attendeth the spirit of bondage and much possesseth the soul in the moment of its conversion and wears off as the soul comes to receive the spirit of Adoption touching it to cry Abba Father and groweth mo●● perfect in Love But there is another fear which as the soul groweth more perfect in love and in the exercise of grace the more this groweth up and increaseth in the soul this is that fearing of the Lord and his goodness of which the Scripture speaks Such a fear as the tender wife fears her husband with and the dutiful child its Parent who he knows int●rely loves him he feareth not his Fathers rod but he fears his frown he fears the change of his countenance towards him This is that habit of fear in which I would have you to grow 2. And as in this habit so in the performance of all acts and exercises by which you may testifiethis your reverencing of the great God of Heaven and Earth The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom saith Solomon it is both the beginning and the perfection of it The fear of the Lord is a grace necessary at all times especially in evil times Cyril saith that the soul that is full of the fear of the Lord velut n●uro obsepta fortis est is strong as a City guarded with a wall and in a manner invincible 2. This Doctrine calleth to you to live like excellent persons I hinted the reason of this before every one should live ratably to his honour and dignity Persons fearing God are the most excellent persons they should therefore live like the excellent of the Earth distinguishing themselves from others by their lives as God hath distinguished them by his favour But I have hinted this before and therefore shall not here inlarge upon that discourse I have but one word more to add That is to the men of the world in general To them I shall speak from the advantage of what you have heard for three things 1. To undervalue other excellencies in comparison with this Learn to speak after Solomon Favour is deceitful Beauty is vain Riches commend not a soul to God they profit not in the day of wrath Why should you set your eyes upon things that are not and admire things that have nothing of worth in them proportioned to your affection to them admiration of them pursuit after them Knowledge is a fine thing by it a man differs from a beast Wisdom and Moral Vertues are excellent things by these things men out-shine men and excel each other as light excelleth darkness But what are all these to the fear of the Lord O then let these things ride but in the second Chariot let the fear of God in the throne of your estimation be greater than they are Remember nothing so much

with her Ladiship and perceiving the stone upon which she stumbled indeavoured her assistance partly remembring her 1. Of what Solomon saith That none can judge of love or hate by all that is before him Eccles 9. 1. For it may fall out alike to him that is spiritually wise and to him that is spiritually a fool 2. Partly by minding her of what the Apostle tells us That God chasteneth whom he Heb. 12. 6. loveth and scourgeth every one whom he receiveth 3. Partly arguing thus with her If afflictions be tokens of divine wrath then health and prosperity are signs of divine love which is evidently salfe 4. Par●ly by remembring her of the many examples of Gods children in Scripture to whom God had wrung out bitter waters in a full cup who yet at that time when they were so afflicted were undoubtedly beloved of God and exceeding precious in his eyes Such were Joseph David Job Daniel and many others recorded in Scripture With these and such like Arguments I had satisfied her sanctified reason and judgement and thought I should have heard no more of this temptation But soon after it was inforced Two things she had to say 1. The greatness of her affliction spake more than a chastisement with a rod she was scourged with Scorpions 2. The Lords multiplying afflictions and repeating sad Providences to her seemed to argue that he had a quarrel against her Why else should he return upon her body when he had served an execution upon all she had besides To this I replied 1. That the afflictions of Gods people are not called cha●●isements because they are l●ght or little but because they come from the hand of a gracious Father not as legal demands of satisfaction to divine Justice offended because they flow from a principle of love not of wrath and are designed to a gracious end 2. That for the multitude of them Job had as many yet was a person singularly beloved of God and one of whom God gave testimony that there was not one like him in all the East 3. That as the afflictions of Job were of divers hands and exceeding heavy so the succession of them was much like to hers God first took away his children then his estate and last of all let loose Satan upon his person and gave him a liberty to tempt him With these and such like considerations I endeavoured to arm her against this fiery dart at last it pleased him who was therefore tempted that he might be able to succour those that were tempted by his mighty power to lift her over this stone of stumbling and she became fully satisfied that she could neither from the greatness nor multitude of her trials conclude any thing against the love of God to her 2. Tempt If during her afflictions she did not also want the inward consolations of the holy Spirit but alas saith she I have no inward assurance of Gods love no sensible consolations c. Perceiving that her adversary had betaken himself to a new battery I endeavoured to direct her in the use of the Armour of God for the rep●lling of his darts thrown from hence by offering to her consideration 1. That even Gods dearest children have often wanted these influences of the Spirit What else made David cry out When wilt thou comfort me and vestor● unto me the joy of thy salvation What else made the Spouse Cant. 3 1. at such a loss for him whom her soul loved What else caused those sad complaints of the Psalmist Psal 77. To this she replied That it was true but surely if she indeed had any interest in God he would not hide himself from one so pressed with affl●ctions as she was God indeed might thus try his children in health and at liberty but would a tender Father so hide himself from so distressed and a dying child This was hard to imagine of God who is Love I replied to this purpose That sensible consolations were not the necessaries of salvation 2. That the love of God to his children is far more seen in giving the soul necessaries than accommodating it with superfluities 3. That God is no where in Scripture tyed by his promise to Saints for the comforts of assurance to be given them in at this or that hour 4. That it is a very great mistake in Christians to judge they want the manifestations of the Spirit because they want these consolatory reflections for the Spirit manifesteth it self in the soul as well by the influences of strengthening and quickening as comforting grace and the witnessings of it That David was become like a bottle in the smoke that his eyes failed for Gods Word saying When wilt thou comfort me Psal 119. 82 83. yet he was at that time Gods child yea the man according to his heart That Job also as might be gathered from several passages in his Book often wanted these sensible manifestations at last I commended a Sermon upon that subject to her after the reading of which her Spirit was more composed and she satisfied that if she could but find the strengthening and quickening influences of divine grace she had no reason for want of sensible consolations to conclude against her self 3 Tempt Satan perceiving this fiery dart well nigh quenched betakes him again to his quiver for another arrow his next device was to perswade her that she wanted also the strengthening grace of God soon after I heard her speaking to this sense 'T is true Sir if I could but find the grace of God strengthening me unto duty against sin I think I ought not to cast away my hope though I do want assurance that I am my Beloveds and my Beloved mine but alas I want this Sir I am now at such a pass I cannot pray c. God hath laid his hand upon my mouth and I cannot open it so much as to say unto him Abba Father Observing the subtilty of this crafty adversary to perswade her from some partial weaknesses and those also much occasioned from bodily distempers that she wholly wanted the workings of the Spirit of Grace I accordingly applied my self to her She tells me it was true she had learned from the Apostle Rom. 8. 11. That if she had the Spirit of Christ she was his which way soever the Spirit as the author of special and distinguishing grace pleased to work in her and she did believe That if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwelt in Rom. 8. 11. 15. Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 8. 26. her he that raised up Christ from the dead should also one day quicken her mortal body by his Spirit dwelling in her But Sir said she this spirit is a spirit of supplication a spirit of adoption teaching to cry Abba Father a spirit helping our infirmities in prayer To which I replied 1. That this was no more than the lot of Gods children Asaph or whoever was the author of that 77 Psalm complained

Carter late Minister of St. Peters Mancraft in Norwich of whom she was a constant Hearer Her pious Soul having thus been kindled with an holy fire quickly flamed in a Gospel conversation her light shining out so before others that they saw her good works and glorified her Father which was in Heaven And I doubt not but many in the view of them glorified God in the day of their Visitation I know not whether in the memory of any the City of Norwich was blessed with any person of her quality who in any proportion to her incouraged the wayes of God with her Purse and recommended them by her unparallel'd example Let us take the due proportion of a Christian single-woman from the great Apostle of the Gentiles and compare her with his Rule He speaking 1 Cor. 7. 34. of married and unmarried Christian women saith The unmarried 1 Cor. 7. 34. woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and spirit but she that is married careth for the things of the world that she may please her husband And the same Apostle giving us the description of a Widow indeed deciphereth her thus 1. Negatively she is one that liveth not in pleasures for saith he The woman that liveth in pleasure is 1 Tim. 5. 5. dead while she lives 2. Positively he describes her thus She trusteth in God and continues in 9. supplications night and day and directing what Widow he would have dignified in the Church he saith If she hath been the Wife of one husband by which I conceive he understands Chastity if she be well reported of for good works if she have brought up children and lodged strangers if she have washed the Saints feet if she hath relieved the afflicted and diligently followed every good work We shall find this excellent Lady Saint Pauls qualified Widow 1. Negatively She was none of those who lived in pleasure while she lived Very far from spending her precious time in sleep or banquets at Balls or profane Playes or insignificant Visits or that spend their Estates in soft and gay Garments or indulging their Palats besides what time she necessarily spent in the services of her body she spent all her hours either in the more publick or private exercises of Religion or in such Visits where she might either do or receive good if she made any other they were her burthen rather than pleasure to repay the civilities of others never being patient of being out-done in Civilities She seldom spent half an hour either in a Dinner or Supper and both ate and drank in so small proportions that not denying allowances for particular constitutions she was a perfect demonstration how little Nature would be content with she was so far from taking pleasure in costly raiment that for some years after the loss of her dear husband she could not be perswaded to wear a silk Gown and professed to do it that she might have abundantly to relieve poor Christians in want and when at any time she saw an object of charity requiring a greater proportion than suited her present stock of money she would yet do it telling me it was but wearing a Gown two or three moneths longer For Musick Dancings Gaming 's her serious mortified Soul was grown a perfect stranger to them Untill some few years before her death when infirmities increasing upon her suffered her not to do as formerly This was the constant course of her life She seldom was in her bed after Four of the Clock in the morning towards her latter end her health inforced her to abide in it longer yet to the last Seven was her utmost hour from the time she rose till Seven of the Clock she spent her time in the private Devotions and retirements of her Closet then she came out to the more publick duties of the family which she never missed and seldom but was first in the room in Prayer Reading the Scriptures Expounding one or more of these Exercises as opportunity served and some discourses afterward she then usually spent more than an hour the rest of her time till Noon was spent in her Chamber in dressing or in her Closet reading looking over Accounts c. Sometimes for half an hour she walked Then she came out again to Prayer in her Family in which and in Dinner and following Discourses she usually spent two hours and sometimes exercised her self for half an hour afterward Her afternoon was spent in reading or making Visits chiefly to such Christians as she had an Interest in or sometimes in spinning or sowing with her Maids About Six she again came to her Family-duties in which at Supper and discourses after it she ordinarily spent three hours and then withdrew to her Closet for many years together there she abode reading and praying till Twelve or One of the Clock till at last with no ordinary difficulty she was perswaded by her learned Physitian to abate an hour or two of that excess for her health sake Thus she lived a most mortified life to all the contents of this World excepting only what arose from Communion with God and his people using as great severity to her self as those who judge such Castigations of their body the price of Heaven 2. The Positive part of St. Pauls description in the first place respects Religion so he describeth her to be one 1. Trusting in God 2. Continuing in supplications night and day 3. Caring for the things of the Lord that she might be holy in body and minde and spirit The first is an internal the second a more external Act of Religion Trusting in God as it speaketh our secret affiance in and adherence to the promises for this life or that to come is so secret an act of the soul that oft-times the Soul that doth it cannot discern the truth of its own act much less can another discern it otherwise than from the effects Some of those effects which will come nearest the certain discovery of this habit are an unfained love to the Word and Ordinances of God Freedom from distracting eares for to morrow Love to God Fear of offending him Hope in his mercy c. How much this admirable Lady valued the Word and Ordinances of God was conspicuous to all that knew her most to us who had the advantage of more intimate communion with her Besides that she was rarely to be found alone without her Bible before her she had drawn up for her self a method for reading the Scripture to which she was very strict so as every year she read over the Psalms Twelve times the New Testament thrice and the other part of the Old Testament once Besides this that she might want no satisfaction to any doubt arising upon her reading the Scripture she had furnished her self with a large Library of English Divines which cost her not much less than 100 l. of which she made a daily use She was while in health

gave another a kiss what was he angry for the Ring for use in the world was more worth than a kiss What use could be made of that Oh! but the kiss spake an eminent degree of the Princes love and so imprinted a greater excellency upon him that had it When the Lord giveth unto any strength beauty riches honour they are but as so many Rings But where he gives his fear there he gives the kiss and this speaketh a greater excellency in the fear of the Lord and in the person blessed with it than in any other thing or person the soul that hath this hath indeed ascended above them all in the favour of God that soul hath ascended above them all As you see the strength of this demonstration dependeth upon these two postulata 1. That the person in favour with God i● upon that account more excellent than any other person that is not so And this is no hard thing to be granted by those who judge that the favour of an earthly Prince who is but a mortal man do●h give an excellency to the person blessed with it 2. That the greater degree of favour any soul hath with God the greater is his excellency which easily followeth if the former be granted This is the first thing But secondly Let us consider the particular subject which the fear of the Lord blesseth Or if you will the special channel in which it runneth or indeed the capacity in which it blesseth the soul Take the most of the aforementioned gifts they only innance the price and value of the outward man Beauty is subjected in the surface of the body strength in the nerves and bodily parts riches honour favour great friends and relations they are indeed the gifts of God and of great use and advantage but the advantage of them is from their usefulness to the well-being of the outward man and the accommodation of a man in this life Some indeed of the things aforementioned innoble the inward man that doth knowledge prudence moral vertue Some distinguish betwixt the body the mind and the Spirit The Apostle seemeth to allow that distinction 1 Thes 5. 23. If it be allowable 1 Thes 5. 23. none of the things aforesaid the fear of the Lord only excepted reach further than the mind that is the soul of a man considered as a a rational substance Look upon the soul as a noble immortal beeing under an ordination to an eternal existence in happiness or misery and these things signifie little to it A noble person may go to Hell A rich and honourable man a knowing prudent man a comely beautiful person may have their portion in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone Yea and the Apostle saith not many of them will go to Heaven Not many noble not many wise c. But now the most noble inward part of man and that not considered only as a rational substance but in its most excellent capacity ordained to eternity is the subject wherein this excellent quality resides That which it blesseth The price of the body is raised by strength beauty a good and healthy constitution The price of the mind is raised by knowledge wit judgement memory and by moral vertues But the value of the soul considered as a spiritual beeing that is immortal and under ordination to eternity is raised by grace by the fear of the Lord and indeed by that only This is that which marketh out a soul for Heaven while another is left in the road to everlasting burnings The seat of this noble quality is not the surface of the outward man which is the throne of that pitiful thing which the world so much doteth on which we call beauty nor yet the bones sinews nerves of a man which are the seat of strength nor the head of a man which is the seat of knowledge and prudence nor the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rational part of a man which is the seat of moral vertue where it sitteth as a Queen and giveth Laws to brutish passions and all motious of the sensitive appetite But it is the immortal soul considered as a spiritual substance and destinated to immortality and life and an eternal existence Now this soul and thus considered is the better part of man man considered in his most excellent capacity and whatsoever blesseth adorneth and advantageth the soul considered in this notion and under this capacity must needs be more excellent than what only commendeth the body which is but the outside of a rational creature or the mind which a Pagan may have in as good a condition as a Christian As that house is the more noble and excellent house which hath the best inside and where the rooms are best furnished not that which hath nothing but a lofty gay front So doubtless in the judgement of reason that man or woman whose soul is ennobled with the most excellent qualities is far more valuable than he or she who have nothing to commend them but a well proportioned body or an hansom face Pro. 11. 22. Pro. 11. 22. As a Jewel of gold in a Swines snout so is a woman of beauty we may add pari ratione a woman of strength wit parts c. without discretion without the fear of the Lord. The woman fearing the Lord is The Kings Daughter all glorious within She is excellent in the most excellent part and in the most excellent capacity Others may have an excellent outside she hath a most excellent inside Others may be painted Sepulchres she hath a most excellent soul They have excellent limbs and features in their faces she hath the most excellent qualities in her nobler and more inward part They are it may be well accommodated for this life she is best prepared for eternity therefore she must needs ascend or be lifted up above them all It is an usual saying amongst Philosophers Animus cujusque est quisque The mind of the man is the man It is much more true of the soul considered in the capacity I mentioned The bodies indeed of the Saints are called The Temples of the Holy Ghost but it is by reason of the redeemed souls which inform them The Holy Ghost dwelleth in the whole person of the believer as his Temple The body is but as the Outward Court into which common excellency comes such as strength beauty c. The mind of man is as the Inner Court into which come a better sort of divine gifts this is ennobled with knowledge prudence c. and other habits of intellectual and moral vertues But the soul considered in the capacity before expressed as a spiritual immortal substance is that part of man into which the Holy Ghost entreth and which is as it were his throne Here the fear of the Lord resideth and maketh it truly excellent I shall now conclude my second demonstration That is the most excellent quality which ennobleth the most excellent part and that in the

that he was so troubled he could not speak Psal 77. 4. 2. That the Lord had silenced her Ladiships tongue by his own hand laid upon it in a continual course of afflictions Now though God indeed requires of us the homage of our lips Let me hear thy voice saith Christ to his Spouse Cant. 2. 14. for it is comely And Take unto you words and say saith the Prophet yet he doth not expect this homage where by his providence he dischargeth our tongues of it 3. That there is a praying without the voice which also the Lord heareth Groaning Psa 102. 5. Psal 6. 8. hath a voice Psal 102. 5. and weeping a voice Psal 6. 8. Hezekiah chattered like a Crane yet the Lord heard him In short I besought her Ladiship to consider that the business of prayer was in Scripture expressed by wrestling with God by lifting up the eyes hands heart unto him by pouring out of the soul before him all which might be without the use of words Thus Hannah prayed and was 1 Sam. 1. answered yet spake not a word And I doubted not but her Ladiship thus could and did pray 4. Finally I desired her Ladiship to observe that in Gal. 4. 6. God is said to send his Gal. 4. 6. Spirit into our hearts teaching us to cry Abba Father And Rom. 8. 26. that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities with strong cryes and groans Rom. 8. 26. which could not be uttered Now groans at least are the language of the hearts There is indeed another assistance of the holy Spirit teaching us what to pray for but this floweth not from the Spirit in a way of special grace but as it is the author of spiritual gifts which those might have who had no true interest in God nor had received the Spirit of Christ as a spirit of Sanctification With these and such like considerations I endeavoured to satisfie her Ladiship who yet could hardly be satisfied because she could not pay so full and perfect an homage to God as formerly she had done but her unweariable adversary again reneweth his assault The next news which I heard was this 4 Tempt Sir I have seriously thought upon what you told me and am convinced that though I spake never a word yet if I could keep my heart lifted up to God if I could wrestle with him with my Spirit this were acceptable prayer but whatever you may think I cannot do this When at any time I compose my self to prayer I am tortured with pain that I cannot do it at other times through drewsiness I fall asleep c. By this time her Ladiships tormenting distemperatures prevailed upon her to a great degree so as night and day she had little rest beyond the influence of Anodines stupifying her sense As soon as she had taken these she used to compose her self to secret prayer by and by the operation of the medicine overtook her and inforced sleep when the operation of the Anodine ceased her pains returned and she awoke and then whenever she composed her self to it her pains disturbed her only this she added to her complaint to find out any cause of which for a while posed me That although at first when she composed her self to look up to God she found not much pain yet when she was entered once into her duty she was sure to be racked with the increase of her pain I know that the Devil is but a small friend to our communion with God and would in what he could hinder it I also knew he had a natural power God permitting the exercise of it by which he could disturb bodily humours and divert them to an affected part but not willing to impute it to a praeternatural cause unless quite at loss upon further deliberation I conceived there might be this natural cause of it This good Lady desired when she served the Lord to serve him with her spirit and when she addressed her self to God summoned up all her spirits to do it with the more intention of mind and fervour of spirit Now this I conceived might be a natural cause of the increase of her pain at such a time in regard that her spirits which were wont to serve her body in the supportation of her under her affliction were at this time drawn up to another imployment and the several parts of her body at present left destitute it might give a natural advantage to her infirmity but this was but my particular fancy I told her 1. That short ejaculations were most suitable to her present condition and were heard of God as well as longer prayers for we are not heard for our much speaking 2. I minded her of a speech of Mr. Rutherfords If I were in health I would desire but to cast one long look toward Heaven 3. I told her it was unreasonable for her Ladiship to conclude her self to want the strengthening influences of the holy Spirit because as to this or that act of duty possibly she might not discern such an influence of it It was likely that if her Ladiship examined as to many other duties she might find it and that with an evidence not to be denied 4. I further told her the influence of the spirit was most eminently seen in its workings in strengthening the soul to those exercises of grace which are most proper for our day the present condition and dispensation I meant under which we are and that Faith and Patience were those graces the exercise whereof God more peculiarly requires of his children in a day of affliction and if her Ladiship found the Spirit of God infusing or exerting these habits she need not doubt of the strengthening influences of the Spirit With these things her Lad●ship for a while seemed satisfied but her distempers still increased and during the violence of them put her into a great disorder Satan still followed his game and soon after she tells me 5 Tempt Ah Sir you told me that Faith and Patience are those graces the exercise of which is most proper to my condition and if I found the holy Spirit infusing or strengthening me to the exercise of these habits I might be assured that I was not without the strengthening influences of the Spirit though I did not find such an assistance as I desired to every particular duty But Sir you see I am very impatient restless in my self froward with every body about me I cannot be silent under the hand of God nor keep my self from roaring c. And for Faith S●r you know I have told you I have no assurance sometimes ind●ed I have had what I judged a flash of the light of Gods countenance Once I remember after you had been praying with me and in your prayer mentioned and pleaded many promises it pleased God as I thought to seal some of them to my soul and at some other times that first word which God was pleased to seal unto my