The Lives of Sundry Eminent Persons

[illustration]
The Honorable the Lady Mary Armyne.

F. H. Van Houe. Sculp.

[portrait of Mary Armyne]

The Life and Death of the Lady Mary Armyne, who Dyed Anno Christi. 1675:

THIS Honorable and Excellent Lady, was a branch of one of the most Antient, Noble and Illustrious Families in England, whether we look to Descent, Degree, or Actings; The Family of the Talbots, for a long Tract of time, Earls of Sbrewsbury, whose Heroic performances, both in Civil and Millitary Affairs, done by them in their Native Country, are upon Record to the perpetuating of their Names, and Renown.

But especially their Conquests, and Tryumphs in France were so signal, that the Memory of them continues until this day, and withal so dreadful, that Mothers quieted their crying Children by telling them that Talbot came. And to be Children of such Nobles, is Honorable, even in sacred Writ, (which usually overlooks such minute things) and especially when they are found in the way of Righteousness, as in this pious Lady.

As to her Feature and beauty, it was more considerable even unto old age, than in most of her date in the world, by which we may judge what it was in the spring of her life. And

She was of a lively and Active Spirit; and herein she was much above ordinary▪ For even to the close of her days, she was very active and stirring; able to walk with agility and continuance, without help of hand, or staff.

As to her natural parts, she was quick, vivacious, and comprehensive in Judging of things even to the last hour of her Life: Tho she was considerably above fourscore years old, yet could she discourse as rationally, the very day she died, as others can in the very flourish of their Age and Life: Neither yet was this only a lightning before her death; for she was the same all the time of her weakness even to the last. Now as Rationality raises men above Beasts; so the higher use that any have of it, the nearer they approach to the blessed Angels. And indeed these excellent endowments highly advance men beyond those imaginary ones of Riches, Honors, &c. And thus some of the old Philosophers (though poor and mean in the World) did wonderfully transcend and excel the great Conquerors, whose Name were dreadful in the World. Thus have we a brief account of her Privileges, and natural Accomplishments.

Next let us hear, and consider what her acquired parts and endowments were.

First, in general: She had attained to a great skill and dexterity in the knowledge of all those things which belonged to her Sex, Degree, and Place, which were very numerous, and therefore required such attainments as she had in an high measure arrived at, which also appeared in these particulars.

1. She was not without some competent skill in more Languages than her Native Tongue: particularly, in the French and Latin.

2ly. She was considerably skilled in Divinity, and History. In Divinity, not only knowing practical things, but was very intelligent in matters National, and Polemical, or Controversal. In History she was well versed, not only in the Jewish and Roman Histories; but especially in the Historical part of the Sacred Scriptures, and Ecclesiastical affairs. And as to both of them, many may and do speak with much more confidence, but with far less Skill and Judgment, than she used to do.

3ly. She was one, who well understood how to manage her affairs and concern • ▪ whether at a distance, or near at hand, to the best advantage, to the last of her days, and that without so much a • small miscarriages. Surely few were to be compared with her Ladyship herein.

4ly. She was of a very obliging deportment, and carriage to the utmost date of her life. In this she was a Critick: Few could excel or go beyond her. With her humble and courteous carriage and Speeches, she obliged all with whom she conversed, or had to do. For as she was the owner of an active Body, so of pertinent and pleasing speech, even to the end of her days, and this dexterity she used to employ in the entertainment of her Friends and Visiters, both in health and sickness. And truly this piece of humanity, or candor, is a very lovely thing, much commended to us in the holy Scriptures, both of the Old, and New Testament.

As for Grace, without which all afore-mentioned had been but perishing accomplishments, only Ornaments in mere humanity. Some persons beyondsea men, have nervously attempted to prove, that it is only Religion, and not mere Reason that differenceth men from Beasts.

This honorable Lady was of a holy, and exemplary Life. She used to affirm, that a holy Life, and Graces of the Gospel did far excel, and were more dignifying than Birth, Estate, and then all the great and shining Titles which the World could bestow. She was of the mind, and judgment of that godly Emperor Theodosius, who used to say, that he accounted himself more honored by being a Christian than by being Emperor of Rome: And she used to say, That what Saint Paul affirmeth, was a great Truth, upon her long Observation and Experience: Not many Wise Men after the Flesh, not many mighty, not many Noble are called, [1 Cor. 1. 26.] She was also often heard to affirm: That the new Birth deserves to be (as undoubtedly it is) in highest, and greatest esteem. Born, not of blood, nor of the will of the Flesh, nor of the will of Man, but of God, [1 Joh. 1. 13.]

Through God's goodness this pious and excellent Lady was not like a fair house with an ill inhabitant, but had a noble Soul, which dignified all her other excellencies. The many other things raised her to an high pitch of greatness, yet none did so much honor, and beautify her as her Religion. And that which made it the more Orient, and splendid was its Regularity, Universality and Perseverence.

More particularly, her Religion and Grace appeared in these six things.

1. In that she loved it in others. She loved those that led a godly and gracious life: And Saint John makes this an infallible mark or Testimony of a gracious Person: By this we know that we are passed from death to life because we love the Brethren. He that loveth not his Brother abideth in darkness, [1 John 3. 14.] She affected not, nor indeed could be at ease in evil and bad company. She could, in a good measure say with the holy Prophet David, The Saints, and they that Excel, in these is all my delight, [Psal. 16. 3.] And I am a companion to all them that fear thee, &c. [Psal. 119.] She loved holiness, not only in those of her Family (choosing her Servants by this Standard) But also in Strangers, which was a good Evidence that she loved it for its own sake.

2. In that she really endeavored to promote and advance Religion in others, not only by Counsel, Conference, Admonition, Exhortation, &c. But also by many gracious Letters written with her own Hands; She used to give good Books to some, and Money to others to draw on, and encourage them in their progress towards the Kingdom of Heaven. She gave large yearly Contributions to promote the carrying on of the work begun in New England for the Conversion of the poor Indians in those parts: And this she continued, even to her dying day. And of the success of that undertaking, she had an annual Account to her rejoicing.

When that fatal Bartholomew day came, wherein so many hundreds of godly, able, and painful Ministers were ejected, to the undoing of themselves, their Wives, and Children, and all other ways being prohibited whereby they might get a subsistence; out of Sympathy, and commiseration of their sad, and deplorable Condition, some few days after, she came to Mr. Edm. Calamy, and brought him five hundred pounds (at which time I also was with him) to be distributed among the most indigent, and necessitous Families of them.

She was ready to embrace, yea joyful for any opportunity of serving God in public or private, upon ordinary, or extraordinary occasions. She could truly say with the holy Prophet David: I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord, [Psal. 122. 1.] She was as eagerly bent, and forward to join in holy duties, and Ordinances, as others are, or can be to run after worldly Vanities.

She did highly reverence, and esteem godly Minsters, yea, she had great respect to such of them as were of the lower Form, and of meaner Gifts, if she observed them to be serious, and industrious. She demeaned herself with very much gravity, and humility in God's house of Prayer. She never mentioned the Names of God or of Christ, but with a reverential awe upon her Spirit.

Her Speeches and discourse always dropped as an Honey-comb: It was always savoury, and seasoned with Salt, fit to Minister grace to the Hearers, according to Saint Paul's advise, Col. 4. 6.

She was frequent and constant in giving to Charitable uses. She in her life time, erected, and endowed some Alms-houses in three several Counties: And upon special occasions, gave away many large sums of money upon charitable accounts. She was not weary in well doing whilst she lived, and at her death, she left Forty pounds per annum for Fourscore and Nineteen years for the like uses.

She was always constant in her secret devotions of reading the Sacred Scripture (wherein was her delight) and other choice Books; And private Prayer, at least twice a Day, which course she continued to the close of her days.

In her last sickness whereof she died, she shown some notable Testimonies of the sincerity of her Graces, and Religion.

First, In the servour of her Spirit to continue in well doing even to the last of her life.

Secondly, In her breathing after Christ, and desiring to be dissolved and to be with him, which is best of all.

Thirdly, In her warm, and bleeding sense of the low estate and condition of Religion, and the Profession of it in the World. Her heart trembled for the Ark of God, as did Eli's, 1 Sam. 4. 13.

Fourthly, In her submission to the Divine Will and Disposal. She freely offered up herself to her great Lord and Owner, to do with her, as for Life or Death, as he pleased.

Fifthly, In her peace of Conscience, and freedom from Satanical Molestations and Temptations. In former Sicknesses she had enjoyed much serenity, but never had a more peaceable and submiss frame of soul than at this time. So that in her that Text of Scripture was made plain and true. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: For the End of that man is peace, Psal. 37. 37.

Sixthly, In the strength of her Faith, appearing by her commending Christ as the highest, and most proper Cordial in a fainting hour when all comforts forsake us, which were some of her last words before her death.

Seventhly, In the continuance of her fervent Prayers, in the midst whereof she resigned up her Spirit unto God.

A Learned, and Experienced Minister, who lived not far from her, was sometimes with her. The occasion of his going, and his business with her, cannot be better expressed then in his own words, which I will therefore here set down.

Tho (saith he) I was seldom with her myself, yet these fifteen years I lived so near unto her, as that I might easily have heard the noise of Fame, if she had laid under any manner of scandal: But such was her holy and blameless Life, that obtrectation itself durst not so much as nibble at it.

That little converse I had with her gave me opportunity to know her more intimately, than many, that did but see her blameless, and pious Conversation. For her business with me was no other than to open the State of her Soul, and to confess her infirmities, and to produce her evidences for Heaven, and to desire my Judgment of them, together with my Counsel for her further strength and comfort: And to ask my advice concerning such works of public Good, which she charitably intended, and did afterwards liberally perform.

Upon trial I found that she had a safe and well settled State of Soul; not free from all degrees of Fears, and lesser doubtings of herself: And far from a presumptuous, unhumbled, and self-justifying. But her evidences were sound, and her discerning of them was so clear and sure, as enabled her to conclude her Right to everlasting Life, and so with the greater peace to think on Death: which, as she had opened to me not long before, so did she it over again at large in her Sickness, not many days before her Death.

At which time, after complaints for such imperfections of Grace as were her trouble, she professed the full Dedication of herself to God, her firm consent to the terms of his Covenant, and her longings after perfect holiness, and her trust in the Merits and Mediation of her Redeemer.

After this those about her had some hopes of her recovery, but she hearing of Mr. Baxter's troubles, sent her Servant to him to hear of his Case, before whose return to her, she was dead.

As she lived to God, so God gave her a long life accompanied with many and great Mercies. Tho she had been long troubled with a sore and dangerous disease [voiding Stones by the Intestines, supposed to come from the Ga •• ] and which had painful, and perilous Paroxyms, and Critical Fits; yet it pleased God in her later years to give her great ease, and freedom from it. Tho it is not unlike, that it was the Root of that fainting Aguishness which put a period to her days. Yet to near the fourscourth year of her Age she served God in competent health, and serenity of mind.

Tho she sprang from an Ancient and Honorable Family, inclined to the Romish Sect, yet God was her Teacher, and did confirm her, not only in the Protestant Religion, but also in the true love of practice, and seriousness in that Religion which she pro • est. She was not like those deluded Formalists, who contend most furiously for this Religion against that, or for that against this, while in truth they are of none. And with zealous Papists, or zealous Protestants, or zealous in more singular Sects, but will never be persuaded to be zealous Christians. They will furiously Persecute, or at least Reproach those that are not of their Church, or Side, or Way, as Erroneous, Irreligious Persons, while nothing can prevail with them to be themselves on Christ's side against the Flesh, the World, and the Devil, &c.

But she was not addicted to Sects, or Novelties upon pretence of rising to the highest Form; but she truly took the height of her Religion to consist in the height of Love to God and Man, and in close and constant obedience unto Christ, and confidence in his Mediation. And they that do so with all their hearts shall have sound and durable Comfort, which will bear them up both in Life and in Death: Whilst the formal, Dogmatical, and superstitious Hypocrite, hath a Consolation which will live, and die with his prosperity, or which is heartless and delusory, as living but on the flattery of himself or of his party.

Tho according to her Rank, she lived in the Decency of a plentiful Estate, it was accompanied with Humility, and lowliness of mind. Her Prudence, Sobriety, and Gravity were very Exemplary; and her Impartiality in loving all that were truly Christians was signal. Yet she much disliked their Divisions, and contentious wranglings. She was not of their mind, who take it to be a mark of Christ's Disciples, to be Accusers of the Brethren, and to Reproach, and Villifie, and Persecute his Disciples, and to deny them tobe his, that they may do these things with less dishonor, and remorse.

She took it to be no countenancing of Schism (as some do) to relieve such Servants of Christ in their distress, as men accuse and afflict as Schismatics, though she was an Adversary to real Schism. When she first heard of above eighteen hundred Ministers ejected, and silenced, Anno Christi 1662, and deprived of all ways, and means of subsistence for themselves and families, She gave freely a considerable Sum of money towards the relieving of the most necessitous of them (as I have shown before) and the good works which she did before her death, we hope will live, and declare themselves, and be an encouragement to others, that are entrusted by God with Riches, to follow her Example, and so make themselves Friends of the Mammon of Unrighteousness.

To live as this honorable, and excellent Lady did, in Gravity, Prudence, Humility Temperance, and in a Charitable, Peaceable, impartial Religiousness; Studying the, Realities, even God and her Redeemer, Grace, and Glory, and her own Heart, and Duty, and how to do Good, and to prepare for her day of account, will prove more safe, and comfortable at the last, than the Proud, Wrathful, Turbulent Religion of such, as strive to set up the Church and Christ (they mean in truth themselves) by Persecution, or Division, by hurting or destroying their Fellow Christians, or Reproaching them, and avoiding them, as unworthy their Communion, &c.

The Life and Death of the Right Honorable, the Lady Elizabeth Langham, who died, Anno Christi, 1664.

THE descent of this eminently pious Lady was from a Noble Family; the House of Huntingdon, the Earldom whereof hath continued long in the name of Hastings, and, in the person of her Brother, sets its foot upon the seventh round of the Scale of Honor; yet this humble Lady was never known, either in word or deportment to show any elation of Spirit upon that account: Nor was she ever observed, with regret, to behold herself exceeded by the vain pomp, and more splendid Retinue of diverse, that were inferior to her in quality. Yea, when her Husband, [Sir James Langham] sometimes modestly excused the tenuity of the condition she had espoused (by marrying where she found an Heir in being to a great part of his estate) in comparison of what she descended from: She would interrupt such discourse, professing the high satisfaction she took to find herself in such a state of life, wherein she had both liberty and assistance to the works of severe Piety; and withal the addition of an Honorable and comfortable worldly competency.

Her Education was in a School or rather Acaedemy of Learning, and Nursery of Virtue; namely the constant inspection and converse of her vigilant Mother, the Countess of Huntingdon, from whose great parts and Graces, she was formed into a more than ordinary Woman and Christian. Under her (mostly) she enjoyed an Education in a religious retiredness, which she often took notice of, and blessed God for, as that which not only secured her from the knowledge of Vice by Domestical examples (no such thing daring to appear under that Noble Ladies Government) but also removed her from the very News of those evils which were acted abroad: So that she had the happiness to be ignorant of the vitiousness of other great Personages, even by hear-say.

As for those principles, that might qualify her for a virtuous life, as she had the opportunity of learning them from the practices of those with whom she conversed, so (chiefly) from the grave and frequent instructions of her Lady-Mother, who, that the whole compass of her duty might be the more facily and firmly imprinted in her memory, took the pains to digest all into verse, whereby she the more easily insinuated them into the hearts and heads both of this and her other Lady-Sisters.

By this means it pleased God that the Mother had much comfort in all her Daughters, but especially in this Lady, whose Soul was so pliable and ductile to receive the impressions of so excellent a stamp, as appeared by the proportionable improvements, which she attained in every stage of her life; as we shall hear by what follows.

1. For her Childhood, which tender Age had something of rare excellency in it, besides the presage of what it promised for the future. St. Paul himself noted it as a rare thing in young Timothy, that from a very Suckling he had known the Scriptures, (2 Tim. 3. 15.) Nor was it less to be noted in this excellent Lady, how early the seeds of true Piety and Devotion put forth and shown themselves: Not only in the blade but blossom also and fruit, insomuch that from a Child, such impression of the fear of God possessed her heart, as made her a diligent performer of religious Duties, and a strict observer of the Lord's days, even to a degree of exactness beyond most Persons, and yet not beyond the Rule set down, Isa. 58. 13. in so much, that she would neither discourse, nor willingly hear others discoursing of any common ordinary matters upon that Holy Day. And as she grew to more capacity, so to this negative strictness, she added a positive conformity to the rules of severest godliness: Not only by a diligent hearing of the Word preached, but digesting it by Meditation and Conference; being no less studious (on that day especially) to learn the Mysteries of practical Godliness, than in those of the rest of the week to furnish herself with what other knowledge tended to civil accomplishments.

She was also from her Infancy ever conscientiously dutiful, and obedient to her Parents (yea to the very smallest punctilio's) wherein so ever she had the least intimation of their pleasure: Insomuch as her Lady-Mother, upon a special occasion, perceiving her, from the misapprehension of some advice she gave her, to be more affected than she desired, was fain to expound herself to her, and to give this as a general Rule to her, That sundry things, which she had spoken to her, were never intended as peremptory Commands, but only as Advices and Counsels, which, in things of Indifferency, must not be overcharged. Yea, her Lady-Mother hath been heard to say, That she was the Child that never offendeded her in all her Life.

As she grew to more maturity of years, she was observed to be precise in Justice and exactness of keeping her Word; which, that she might be the better enabled unto, she was very circumspect and sparing of making Promises, and not lavish of Discourse; a quality, which undoubtedly kept her from much Sin, which is not wanting in multitude of words (Prov. 10. 19.) which also contributed much to her perfection, which (as the Apostle St. James tells us) doth much consist in the Government of the Tongue (Jam. 3. 2.) She spake much with herself, and little unto others; insomuch that a Noble Person, of a very discerning Judgment, and no less a severe Piety, who had the advantage of being a Witness to almost all her Life, hath been heard to say, That she believed this Lady had the least account to give for words of any that ever she knew. Yet she laid not this restraint upon her Tongue for want of Abilities to discourse, or for want of Matter to discourse of: For she had great intellectual accomplishments, and those improved by much secular Learning, whereby she was enabled to converse with Persons of eminent Scholarship.

She was exceeding modest, and decently grave in her whole Behaviour; Not from any dullness of Constitution, nor affection of morose and reserved Virtue: But from a just apprehension, how unagreeable to an exact strictness of Life (which she had designed for herself) and how unconducing to the Reputation of her Sex, a too Sanguin Deportment is often found: Yet that she was not Cynically averse to a decent and convenient degree of Affability and Courtesie (a Virtue which was also very conspicuous in her) appeared, in that she used to receive the Visits of the meanest of her Neighbors with very great kindness, and would converse with them with a great deal of becoming condescension: And as any of them appeared to her to savor more of Godliness, she would (upon occasion) add a decent Proportion of Familiarity: For she studiously declined to admit any into her Bosom, but such as by exact observation she found to answer that Character of worth, by which she first valued herself, and then chose her intimate Friends; namely, not Greatness but Goodness.

This her Courtesie she extended to all sorts of Persons, even to such whom we look down upon with a supercilious Countenance, to wit, whose necessities made them Petitioners to her Bounty: For even such she entertained with great affability: So that what was once said of Titus the Roman Emperor, might be truly said of her, That no Person departed out of her Presence discontented: Yea, even to those to whom she denied her Alms (and some Persons are not meet Objects for a discreet Charity) she would so handsomely reprove for not using their bodily Abilities to get more honest and more creditable Bread, that they seemed to go away no less satisfied with her prudent and seasonable Counsel, than they would have been with her Alms.

Her inviting Countenance did so embolden the Poor to implore her help and Patronage; her compassionate Heart rendered her so sensible of their Conditions, and her Prudence so enabled her to manage their Causes, that as she was most frequently employed in many of their important Addresses to several of her Relations on whom they depended, so she prosecuted their Suits in such a manner, that mostly she proved successful, meeting with such a Blessing from God upon her Charitable Endeavors, as the Justice of the Causes in which she engaged might warrant her to expect.

Her very Servants had a share in the obligingness of her Conversation; For though she well knew her own Quality, and could keep them at a convenient distance, yet she attempered her carriage even to them, with so much mildness, that she was never observed to let fall a hasty or passionate expression to any of them, though sometimes she was much provoked thereunto.

She was of so innocent a Deportment, even from her Childhood, that one, of capacity enough to observe, and of Integrity enough to clear the Relation from the least suspicion of Flattery, gives her this Character; That during the space of ten years, wherein she lived in her Mothers Family, she could never observe any intemperate Word or Action; or anything, which, if all the World had been acquainted with, would have in the least tended to her just diminution or disparagement.

She studied much how to gratify the Tempers, and to content the Dispositions and Propensions of those with whom she conversed in all lawful ways; insomuch that she hath been often observed to deny herself for to please others, according to the Rule of the Apostle St. Paul, Rom. 15. 2. And this quality rendered her, even in matters of Argument (which she wanted not Abilities to manage to good purpose) not obstinately tenacious of her own Opinions, but obligingly compliant to the Judgment of others, where Conscience of Duty required not the contrary: And this she did, that she might give offense to none, but be (as far as possible) profitable to all; which was the more observable, because Owners of great Parts commonly affect a Dictatorship in Discourse.

These qualities rendered her of an excellent composure for a Friend, and accordingly a rare Friend she was. She indeed did not rashly admit any to the Honor of her Bosom Acquaintance; but having once lodged any there, she was candidly free and open in communicating what her Judgment (which was always riper than her years) suggested to be most for the profit and advantage of their Souls concernments, whether Advice, Comfort, or Reproof: For which last, she always reserved a Liberty, even towards her choicest and most intimate Friends, which yet she constantly managed with abundance of winning meekness and tenderness: And so severely conscientious was she in the discharge of this truly friendly Office, that having frequent Occasions to receive Visits from, and to return them to Persons of her acquaintance, that made the Reverend Names of Jesus and Lord, Interjections in their ordinary Discourse, that she made it a Case of Conscience, whether she did not greatly neglect her duty in not reproving them for it.

And that she might not appear more rigid unto others in this kind than she was to herself, her own Life was a Comment upon that Text, Eph. 5. 15. See therefore that ye walk circumspectly, &c. For so exactly did she walk, that her care was to avoid not only what she condemned, but what she did but suspect in the Conversation of others, insomuch, that her Conscience would not permit her to pardon herself what her Charity taught her to indulg in others.

And indeed she was always of a tender and delicate Conscience, sensible of the least and smallest Sin, or but probable appearance of it; amongst which take these two Instances (of many others that might be given). That in her younger years, she addressed herself to her Governess with Tears, entreating her to forgive her, for that in her very Childhood she was Conscious that she had been defective in Affections to her; for she thought that she did not then love her. A fault (surely) which others are far more guilty of, and yet are less troubled for it. Another time, in her more mature Age, when she had mildly enough, threatened a Child, over whom she had some inspection committed to her, that if she did not such a thing she would not love her, she presently recalled that, as too hard a word, saying, Alas! God deals not so with us, notwithstanding our continual Disobedience.

As a Friend, she observed, that exchange of Kindness is the Fuel that feeds the Flame of mutual Affections, and keeps it from burning dimly, or going out, and therefore that it was a Nourisher of Ingratitude: And she accounted it the greatest Solecism in Friendship to be suspicious in receiving, or parsimonious in returning Kindnesses; and therefore what of this Nature she received, she would not (though sometimes possibly there were probable grounds so to do) interpret it amiss; professing that she abhorred the suspicion of a Design in Kindness, as the very bane of Gratitude: And in her returns she was always nobly obliging, as studying rather to stand in her Friends Book a Creditor than a Debtor.

We heard something before of her Devotion as an early Blossom: But it had not the Fate that usually befalls such Precosious Flowers, to be blasted and fall of before it come to maturity; For as she grew in Years, she grew also in Grace, and in Acquaintance and Communion with God, and kept a constant correspondence and intelligence with the Court of Heaven; which Heavenly Trade she followed so close, that her Lady-Mother, whilst she was under her Government, observing how she labored at it more than the constitution of her Body could well bear; and being afraid, lest by overstraining the Bow to reach the Mark she aimed at, she might be in danger of breaking it, once in a friendly manner told her, That if she intended to hold on that course, she was not fit to live in this World. To which this humble Lady (probably reflecting upon herself that term of unfitness to live, in another Notion than it was meant) answered with much meekness, No indeed, Madam, I confess, I am not.

When she was married, she abated not of her Devotion, and thereby rendered herself a singular instance of exception, to the difference which the Apostle St. Paul puts between a Wife and a Virgin (and which the Romanists make so much use of to advance a Vowed Virginity, which invention of theirs they prefer before marriage, an Institution of God) 1 Cor. 7. 34. We may better judge of her Devotions by the proportion of time which she assigned for them every day; and her constant retirements for that purpose were answerable to Daniel's thrice a day (Dan. 6. 10.) And since the Decease of her precious Sister in Law (Dr. Langhams Wife) who died some Weeks before her (as if hereby she had taken the Alarm to prepare for her own Dissolution shortly to follow) she more than doubled that proportion, even to David's seven times a Day, Psal. 119. 164.

In her Devotions she busied herself, not only in secret Prayer and Meditation, but also in constant reading and studying of the Sacred Scriptures, which always took up a considerable part of her daily hours of retirement, together with her reading of something or other of the Writings of some Learned, Practical Divines, with which Books her Closet was well furnished. She also made it part of her task to read over one Sermon a day, mostly out of her Note Books (for she constantly penned the Sermons which she heard) by which practice of hers (which she learned from the mention of the like in the life of the young Lord Harrington) and by frequent inculcation, she fixed in her Memory all that she heard, and had it in readiness for the direction of her Conversation, whensoever she had need to make use of it.

Some, it may be, hearing how great a part of her time she spent thus in secret, may be desirous to know, what time she could allow for triming and adorning her Body: Or haply may suspect her to have been some strange deformed piece, who being fallen out with her Glass for telling too much Truth, had neglected all care of auxiliary handsomness as mere lost labor; and that she addicted herself to the beautifying of her Soul, out of despair of ever rendering her Body tolerably handsome, much less beautiful. To satisfy therefore such as may entertain such thoughts, they may be informed, that her Person was such, as to a decent and middle Pitch, accompanied with a just proportion of all Parts, wanted not a Face, whose amiable Lineaments, might, by the ordinary Artifices of that kind, have been advanced to the Reputation of a Beauty, had she thought fit to have made use of them. Yet she neglected not to bestow upon it so much time and pains (after the necessary concerns of her Soul) as decency required, though haply not so much as curiosity (had she studied it) would have called for. And this may satisfy such Questionists.

To this proportion of constant Devotion which she tasked herself for every Day, if we add her great care to fill up all the rest of her time in profitable Converse, we cannot but look upon her as a great Example of that Command, Eph. 5. 16. For she did buy Time out (as the word signifies) of the Hands of those Wasters of precious Minutes, which buy it all up, even from the most Religious employments, to lavish it out in Pass-times and Recreations. Whence it was, that (though she did not rigidly censure others) yet she never allowed herself to see any Masks, Interludes or Plays; or to play at Cards or the like Games; and that because she doubted whether the expense of so much time, as commonly such Diversions do require, would be allowed upon her account or no. Much unlike to many great Persons, whose Time so lies upon their Hands (as a dead Commodity) that they study always possible to put it off, because they know not▪ what profitable use to put it unto: A Prodigality, which how much cause they may have to repent of, they may come to understand, when, upon their Death-Beds, they find the want of those precious Hours and Minutes for more serious uses, which formerly they so lavishly wasted. The Heathen will rise up in Judgment against such, who purposed to allow a whole Day to no Converse that would not make him amends for the precious Time expended in it. (Sen. de Tranq.)

But we left this excellent Lady pursuing her daily design of acquainting herself with God in her set hours of Devotion; accounting it (as she said) a singular Mercy that the Great God of Heaven and Earth, would vouchsafe his Creatures such plentiful discoveries of himself both in the Books of Nature and Providence: Yea, and beyond both those, in his written Word: and therefore she prized them all, but the last especially with an infinite Affection, insomuch, that she often rose early in the Morning to read and meditate therein: Nor would she, when she was engaged in that holy Work, suffer any interruptions how necessary soever, without evident signs of trouble and discomposure, till she returned to her Beloved Bible again: Yea, towards the very Book itself, out of her love to the excellent matter contained therein, she expressed such a respect, that she resented, with a pious displeasure, any undecent usage of it, or careless throwing of it among other ordinary Books.

She had an high esteem of every part of the Holy Bible, yet there was one part of it, namely the Book of Psalms, which she seemed to be most passionately affected withal (perhaps, because Similitude being the ground of Love, according to the Great Philosopher) she found such agreement betwixt her own Heart, and the Spirit of that Book. This her affection she shown by reading, or causing to be read, one or more of them constantly at her hour of repose in the Evening, which by Meditation and Discourse, she used to improve, to her own benefit and theirs that were about her.

And in her Bed she was wont to lock up her lips till morning with the repetition of someone Psalm, that she had by heart, to which, having added some pious Ejaculations with wonderful fervency, she usually dropped a sleep in some holy Extasie of devotion. And as she shut up her lips, and heart too in this manner at night, so she constantly opened them again in the morning with the same Golden Key: So that her sleep seemed to be but a Parenthesis betwixt her evening and morning devotions, which discontinued indeed, but did not disorder them; Yea, rather connected, and united them into one entire piece, of which (probably) her very sleeping fantasy, by holy dreams made a part, seeing it was next to impossible, that even they, being hedged in between too such immediate acts of devotion, should not receive a proportionable tincture from the same.

These her set devotions (probably) she methodized usually according to her own discretion; Yet did she not so tie up herself to her own designed order, as not to leave to herself a latitude, upon any extraordinary occasions, to vary as they required. This appeared in that upon the solemn Great Festivals, at least so observed in our Church, she would accommodate them to those seasons respectively.

In the course of her life she was precisely careful to avoid all manner of sin; And very solicitous in all Emergencies, that were of consequence, to understand what her duty was, that so she might practice it according. For as she made God's Testimonies her delight; so did she make them her Counselors, as (Psal. 119. 24.) insomuch that she never determined any doubtful occurrence without great deliberation, and the best advice she could procure. But especially after her marriage, she made frequent use given by the Apostle St. Paul, 1 Cor. 14. 35. When she desired to learn anything, to ask her husband. And indeed, herein was she singularly happy, in being by God's good providence directed to such an husband, as abundantly answered that character given by another Apostle, dwelling and conversing with her as a man of knowledge, 1 Pet. 3. 7. One who was very able, and no less propense to entertain such kind of converse, especially with so near a relation as the wife of his bosom. And herein indeed, (besides the advantage which, by this means, she reaped to herself) she highly gratified him, by supplying him with opportunities of an employment, which was so suitable to his own Genius and disposition: And withal, she herein practiced the advise given her at her marriage by her prudent Lady Mother, to make herself fit conversation for her husband; Whereof this is a notable instance; That if at any time in her sollitary discourse with her husband (with which kind of converse she was much delighted) there had happened acessation on both hands for a little while, she would be presently apprehensive of the loss, and would desire him not to let her time pass unimproved; But either to renew the conference; Or to read some good book to her.

And yet (so eager she was of improving her Tallents by all good means) that she did not alone make this advantage of his society; But also she constantly attended the public ordinances, from a due respect unto which she was too weighty a Christian 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 to be unsettled by the pitiful prejudices of those giddy times, as too many then were, to the unsufferable affronting of God's goodness: Who vouchsafes them to us, and (it is to be feared) too often, to the forsaking of their own mercies, in the particular benefit which they might receive by them. And that she might make the best improvement of the presence of God's Ministers, whose Lips God hath appointed to preserve Knowledge, she would according to his Command, (in private conference, when occasion was offered, as well as by public ordinances) seek the Law at their Mouth, as Mal. 2. 7.

An Instance whereof of special remark, was this, that when she met with any Divines of Note, at her Father in Law's [Sir John Langham's] Table, with whom, from the time of her Marriage till her Death, she continued (and that plentiful Table was seldom without Divines of Note) she would request her Husband to set on foot some profitable Discourse, which might minister to the Company advantage of their presence and converse, professing that she judged it altogether absurd and incongruous to Reason as well as Religion, that Physicians and Lawyers should be so ordinarily entertained, with discourses proper to their respective Functions; and that Divines only should be treated with things out of the Verge of their Profession; indeed with matters altogether Heterogeneous and Excentrical to the Sphere of their Holy Calling and Office.

Such as we have heard was her Devotion towards God; and she had learned as well her Duty towards her Neighbors, which she made to appear in every Relation and Capacity.

When by her Marriage she was to be transplanted into her Husbands Family, her Lady-Mother failed not to give her such Instructions, which, as Maxims of Duty, she constantly practiced in a just proportion to all her Relations. For;

The first place in her Affections she gave to her Husband, whom she so entirely loved, that she hath been heard to profess that she could even die for him: And this her Love she expressed in an eminent Degree, by her dutiful compliance with whatsoever she observed to be acceptable unto him: For she never received the least intimation of his pleasure (though delivered in the terms of a request) but it found with her the force of a Command, with which (waving her own Opinion in Case of difference from his) she always respectfully complied; insomuch, that no instances of conjugal Happiness in others, ever minded him of any deficiency in his own, but rather produced a greater complacency in his so great felicity, whilst he found himself happy in his own Choice, even beyond the most eminent Examples.

And not only her Love and dutiful deportment, but her rare Learning also, rendered her to be a meet Help for him, as being thereby made capable of conversing with him in Points, both of Divinity and Humanity, and that very knowingly and judiciously, and that in more Languages than one; for she was able to make use of learned Authors in other Tongues, not needing the help of Translations. As for Latin, that learnedest piece of Peter Martyr [his Common Places] she frequently had recourse unto, and made good use of. For French, she was intimately acquainted with the Works of (That Prodigy of Learning and Language, Doctor du Moulin, out of whose Buckler of Faith, she was enabled not only to defend her own Protestant Faith and Religion, but (as she had any occasion to converse with any Popish Ladies) to batter and overthrow theirs. And for the Italian, she could make as good advantage of what Learning that Language afforded.

And notwithstanding (which, in an accomplishment wherein she so much exceeded most of her Sex, insomuch that more it was remarkable) all these her rare and great parts, she was not at all elated or puffed up with them; that swelling conceitedness (which the Apostle St. Paul tells us, doth too often Fly blow eminent Gifts, 1 Cor. 8. 1. and which is the very Bane of our Times) she was not tainted withal: So that her Husband was a perfect Stranger, and wholly unacquainted with all those inconveniences, which some have fancied, do necessarily accompany a Learned Wife; for even herein she would always lower her Sails to him as to her Lord and Head; making use of her own Knowledge and Learning only to capacitate her to make the best improvement of His; from whom she would (as one, who, together with her other Learning had learned her Duty from the Apostle, to) receive Instruction in all submissive silence or quietness.

To her Lady-Mother she did not forget her Duty in the least; no not when her married condition had manumitted her from under her Government; but she still allowed her the next place in her Affections to those of her Husband, and so demeaned herself towards her, that she always esteemed her, not only a very dutiful and deserving Daughter, but (as her own Phrase was) an excellent Friend also.

To her Father in Law she paid the same Duty (according to the particular direction given her by her Lady-Mother at the time of he Marriage) which she performed to her own Mother, as considering, that where the Ordinance of God makes of two Persons one Flesh, it makes also a proportionable Union to their respective natural Relations on both sides; they being but Reliquiae Carnis nostrae, the remainder of every ones own Flesh in other Bodies: As both Arias Montanus, and our own Margin from him, render those words, by which nearness of Kin is expressed, Levite. 18. 5.

To the Memory of her Predecessor in that Relation wherein she stood to Sir James Langham, she testified (contrary to what is usual in such Cases) a very singular and signal Respect; enquiring with some eagerness, after her special Virtues, which she designed for her own imitation, and by giving the Good which she heard of her a just Commendation.

To the Children which Sir James had by his first Lady (Providence having denied him any by this, except one in expectation, to whom the Death of the Mother rendered the Womb a Grave) she was in her great care and tenderness so much more than a Mother in Law, that it was wholly impossible for any but those which knew otherwise, not to have mistaken her for their natural Mother; and if with them she had had any of her own Body, surely she could hardly have told how to have tendered her love to her natural Issue (in any considerable indication) more Emphatical. So solicitously did she interest herself both in the Education of, and Provision for them; and so concerned herself in all occasions of never so little bodily Distemper, that she deserved thereby to have rendered the Name of a Step-Mother a Name of Honor, and herself an Example, from whom even natural Mothers themselves might not disdain to learn a Law of kindness towards the Children of their own Bodies.

From the Daughter, who was then about eleven years old, she constantly required a repetition (by heart) of the Sermons, which she heard: And for this Task she had by her instructions so Logically methodized the memory of this young Child, that she was able to Analize a Sermon containing thirty or forty particular Heads, with the most remarkable inlargments upon them.

And this Religious care of her Children she not only continued during her health, but even in the time of her sickness also, so far as her weakness would permit. And to show that she minded them as long as she minded anything in this world, even upon her Dying-Bed, she requested her Husband (though he needed not any such Spur to quicken him in his Duty) to breed them up in the Exercises of severe Godliness; And to see them taught such Evidences of Salvation, as might support them one Day in their Dying Agonies.

To her Servants, she demeaned herself so mildly, as if they had not been so properly Servants as Humiles amici (in the Moralists Phrase) a Sort of inferior Friends: which deportment won her from them a great deal of awful Love, and Heart Service instead of Eye Service, which is the common vice of those in that Relation. She extended her care even to the meanest of them, and that, not only for their Bodies, but for their Souls also: Calling them, who were more immediately under her inspection (her Maidens) to an account in writing (if they could write) of the Sermons which they heard, and used to help and supply their wants out of her own more exact Notes. She would call upon them in the Morning to go to God, that is, to wait upon him in their Morning Devotions before they came to wait upon her: And if any one of them (for she would examine them severally) confessed, or by silence bewrayed a neglect thereof, she would immediately dismiss her from her present attendance upon her to go about that work, and that, not without some reprehension for giving her service the precedency to God's. And this care she took (as she would frequently express herself to her husband) from a deep conviction of this truth, that Governors of families are to be accountable unto God for the souls of the meanest under their inspection. A course which (so far as she could bear it) she continued even in her last sickness. For when the importunities of her own bodily distemper kept any of them from the Church, to attend her necessities at home on the Lord's-day, she would tell them, that nothing, but an absolute necessity, should have been reason sufficient for her detaining them about her: But yet (said she) your minds are at liberty: let God have as much worship as you can give him, lift up your hearts, lift your hearts: remember it is the Lord's day.

Here you have a rare example, very fit to be followed by others of her Sex, and Quality. Yea well it was, if those, which are far inferior to her in Birth and breeding, would learn so much Religion from her, as to consider that servants have souls as well as themselves, yea immortal souls, that require sometime of triming and dressing as well as their Ladies and Mistresses bodies: And that these persons will surely give but a bad account of their servants souls, whose tedious dressings spend the greatest part of every day (not excepting the Lord's day itself) and will scarce allow their Maids a minutes retiredness to lift up a short prayer in secret, wherewith to sanctify their employments in the day.

Neither did she extend this care of her Servants, only whilst they continued with her, but enlarged it to such as went away from her: An excellent example whereof may be this: when a mean servant came to take her leave of her, she gave her (together with some other expressions of her kindness and charity) much good counsel; and entreated her husband to make some additions thereunto; but especially to dismiss her with a second largess of good advice.

Her charity to the poor was very eminent, not staying till they made known their wants, but even pressing out of them those complaints which their modesty would have suppressed, by her strict enquiry into their conditions, that so she might find out wherein she might be beneficial and helpful to them. And when she was informed of any of their wants that exceeded an ordinary work of charity, she was ever solicitous how she might procure a proportionable relief for such parties so concerned. Neither did her charity extend only to the bodies of those whom she relieved: for she gave to most, especially to those, whose great Exigencies (in probability) rendered them more careful and inclinable to follow it, a double alms, both of her bounty, and Christian counsel also; which last (though the other was not mean) was constantly the best of the too.

But a thousand instances of her great and frequent Charity, have escaped the observation of any, but of those that received it, (she being in acts of this nature contented with the notice of God and her own Conscience:) so that our blessed Savior's Rule in this, was hers: Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth (Mat. 6. 3.) And yet, to God's Glory and her own deserved commendation and Honor, those good deeds of this nature (which she studiously concealed in her lifetime, to avoid vain glory, which she always abhorred) came to light in a great measure after her death, as appeared in the passionate resentments of those great crowds of poor People, who came thronging to have a sight of her Hearse whilst it was exposed to view, and shown that it was not so much curiosity as affection that brought them thither, which they declared by their bitter Lamentations and Tears wherewith they bewailed her Death (as the Widows did Dorcas 's, Act. 9. 39.) as their common and irreparable loss.

In the exercise of this her Charity and Bounty, out of her great Fear (as we heard) lest she should be too well thought of, if others knew the proportion of it, and that she might be the more assured of it, that it was not diverted from the right Channel, she commonnly trusted no Hands with it but her own; making it her care before she went abroad at any time, to furnish her Poor-man's Purse with such Monies as were fit to be distributed and divided, amongst such necessitous People, which Providence, before her return might cast into her way.

One remarkable passage must not be omitted under this Head of her Charity, though it only so far concerns her as to show her Judgment in the choice of fit Subjects to lay it forth upon, and it was this; She was once told of the prodigious Bounty of some of her Ancestors towards Religious Places and Persons; as also for the training up of young Studients in the Universities: As soon as this last sort of their Charity was mentioned, she applauded this especially, thus expressing her thoughts of it; Indeed (said she) it is the best Charity to promote the Good of Souls; and in that respect it is a much nobler Bounty to be the means of consecrating the Life of one, than relieving the Age and Infirmities of twenty.

She always professed a great detestation to Tale-bearing, which is the bane of Love and Charity, from which she had a high degree of abhorrency. She always suspected a Passionate Accuser, as being commonly more faulty than the Party accused; it being the usual Artifice of Malice, to endeavor the concealing of its own guilt by stopping the Ears of Justice with a prejudicate Opinion against those from whom it fears a Recrimination: And in all differences of this nature which came under her Cognizinee, she constantly used this healing Method; first to allay the acrimony of the contending Spirits, and then to accommodate the difference itself.

Indeed her Charity in all points, did answer the Character which the great Apostle St. Paul gives of that heavenly Grace, 1 Cor. 13. which to read, is to comprise the whole History of her Life in an Abstract or short Epitome. Read it, and accommodate the several parts of it to the former Relation: Charity (and such was hers) suffereth long, and is kind, envieth not, vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth not in Iniquity but rejoiceth in the Truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things, verse 4, 5, 6, 7.

And truly to so eminent a progress in all manner of perfections, there could hardly be made any accession in this World; so that it was high time for her to be transplanted from hence to the Society of the Spirits made perfect in the other World. And God (whose manner it is to gather his Fruit when it is fully Ripe) having now made her meet to be a partaker of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light, accordingly thought fit to translate her thither, March 28th. Anno Christi 1664.

Her Sickness of which she died, surprised her on a sudden, being the Small-Pox, disguised under the relics of a Feaver, which to appearance was almost dispelled: And truly such a surprise of Death, in the very borders and confines of expected Health, might well have discomposed and put out of frame any Soul, but such an one as hers, which always kept so good a Guard, that no event could befall her for which she was not well prepared.

During the Twilight of Hopes and Fears, which sometimes held both her Physicians and Relations in suspense concerning her, she always seemed in her own inclination to desire St. Paul's choice, Phil. 1. 23. To have a desire to depart and to be with Christ, Begging of her Dear Husband, who was (as he had great cause) humbly importunate with God that he might have a longer enjoyment of her, that he would not pray for her Life but for her Soul, that God would make her fit to die; or if he pleased to gratify the desires of those who so affectionately desired her Recovery, that he would so sanctify his Hand unto her, that she might obtain Grace of him to pay her Vows. For truly her great aim and design was, to be perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God: And the great request, which she made for herself in the midst of her Feverish Paroxism, was, that by the burning heat (as she said) she might be purified and refined: and conformable hereunto was that request of hers (taken notice of in a former Sickness which fell out a little before her Marriage) which she expressed with most Emphatical vehemency; O that I could do the whole Will of God!

In other times of this her last sickness, when her Husband praying by her, prosecuted with earnestness his constant request for her recovery to Health, and a longer Life; when the Duty was over, she would kindly chide the exuberancy of his affections, and desire him to rest content in God's Promise, That all things should work together for his good, Rom. 8. 28. and to submit (as she wholly did) to his Sovereign Will, telling him withal, that he had no reason to let lose the Reins to Sorrow, if he saw her die with good evidences of her going to Heaven; and to allay his passions in his greatest fears of that separation, which he so much deprecated; We came not (said she) into the World together, nor can we expect to go out of it together; yet is it a great satisfaction to me that I am going thither, whither, after a while, you shall follow me. And she was somewhat inquisitive (probably in order to the advancement of that satisfaction) what degrees of Communion the glorified Saints have one with another, and what measure of Knowledge they have of each other? A Question which is often asked by gracious Souls, but surely impossible to be fully answered from clear Grounds of Scripture, the Arguments on both sides being alike probable; neither need it create any trouble unto us, though we still remain in the dark about it; 'tis but a little while before comfortable experience will decide the controversy to all that wait for the coming of the Lord Jesus, beyond all our uncertain Disputes; yet this we may conclude of, that if it will add anything to our comfort and happiness, it shall not be wanting in that place where is fullness of joy, &c.

During the whole time of her sickness, she was very solicitous of her deportment and carriage, under the afflicting hand of God, and afraid lest the restlessness occasioned by her Disease might be the fruit of Impatience; for which reason she would oftentimes (with a holy jealousy of herself) ask those about her, whether she did not seem to them to be deficient in Patience? And would seem to be troubled at the remembrance of the carriage of such Christian Friends, with whom she had been on their sick-beds, as conscious to herself how far short she came of them.

Some conflicts with Temptations (if they may be so called, and not rather the tenderness of her own Conscience apt to smite her (as David's did, for cutting off but the Skirt of Saul's Robe, 1 Sam. 24. 5.) for the smallest omissions, of which yet, those that knew the strictness of her walking with God, thought she had little cause to complain) and yet those very complaints in the nature of them, argued a very great prosiciency in Holiness. Take one Example whereby you may judge of the rest: She bewailed that she had not been so sensible as she ought to have been, of the State and Condition of the Church of Christ. A thing which (I fear) most of us may more justly charge upon ourselves, considering the woeful havoc at this day made in it by the Eastern Wild Boar out of the Forest, and by the Foxes, the Romish Emissaries in several disguises, which seek to spoil its tender Grapes: Surely we do not as we ought, prefer Jerusalem before our chiefest Joy.

But it pleased God that these thin and light Clouds were soor dispel'd and disappeared, the light of God's Countenance breaking through them and filling her Soul with comfort; so that she told a Friend that visited her, that she thanked God, that instead of a World full of troubles and miseries, God now had given unto her the sight of a better Country, and the Prospect hereof, together with the clearing of her title to, and interest in it (a thing which in her best health she expressed a great deal of solicitousness for, insomuch as she hath sometimes said, with an Emphasis of zealous earnestness, who is there than being once assured of the Pardon of Sin, would not be willing to die the next hour?) made her now she had attained it, so willing and ready to resign up her Soul into the Hands of God her heavenly Father, as knowing whom she had trusted; and to lay down her Earthly Tabernacle in exchange for that House not made with Hands, eternal in the Heavens.

And thus fell what was Mortal of this precious and incomparable Saint, to her own infinite gain, but to the inexpressible loss of all her surviving Friends and Acquaintance, but especially of her near and dear Relations. And indeed it was her counsel to her tenderly loving and affectionate Husband in the time of her health, to take heed of overloving her, wishing him to be ware of it, as he desired not to be rid of her; for (said she) God will endure no Rival.

The Life and Death of the Right Honorable Susanna Countess of Suffolk, who Died, May the 19th, 1649.

THis most Excellent Lady was Born in or about the Year 1627. She was the Second Daughter to the Earl of Holland: And came into the World by Accident, Six Weeks, as they accounted it, before her time; Nature, if we may so say, or rather Providence, being importunate to bring her forth, because she would be so admirably useful, and had but so short a time to continue here below.

How happily and zealously she Improved her short Time and Life, I will, with all sincerity, endeavor to show.

And now, where shall I begin? and how shall I make an end? both seem alike difficult to my preparations; whereon shall I lay the Foundation to Build a Precious Name and Memorial for her, who herself had Purchased it so many ways? shall I tell you of her Natural Parts and Endownments? shall I tell you how her Parents and herself had perfected those by careful Education, Art and Industry? shall I let you know how those were made Graceful, by a meek, pleasant and affable Deportment? How they were adorned with the choicest Jewels, which every Virtue could afford her, or which is rarest, that all these were Consecrated by a religious, even, frame and temper? and Lastly, which is the highest Perfection attainable on Earth, That she and they were Sanctified by the visible opperations of the Spirit of God, whose Image sat Bright and Glorious on her Soul, and did shine through all her Conversation? These are the solid sure Foundations of a Good Name, and all these Crouded so into my Thoughts at once, that they were easily lost in the many fair paths and turnings, through which (look which way soever you would) her Excellencies, Parts, Virtues, Graces, were ready to invite and draw my Meditations.

But that this Universality may not disorder your Thoughts, as they have done mine, I must not seek such Arguments for her Praise, being dead, (as have no fast bottom for an Inward Good Name, and) for which she would not only dispraise, but sharply censure me, if she were living. Namely, for anything she had by Nature; although from that too in this regard, seeing whatsoever Nature had given her, she made a Vessel to lay up some Grace or other in.

If I should tell you of the Sharpness of her Wit, I could not better instance to prove it, than that in Questions of Religion, chiefly Cases of Conscience, and difficult places of Scriptures, she was most sudden at making Nice Doubts, and extraordinary happy in resolving them, at least to the satisfying of others, although such was her Humility, and low esteem of her own Gifts, that she would earnestly labor for the resolution of others, rather than trust to her own.

Her Judgment was most sound, as did appear, as by her concurrence with the Wise and Learned in Opinions about Secular Affairs, private or public, so chiefly in the Controversies in Religion; that amids all those differences and varieties of Opinions, (to the Knowledge of which she was drawn by her curious Soul, which had a mighty Thirst after all kind of Knowledge, especially in matters which concerned God, Religion, and Eternity, I say, though she knew all, Good and Evil, yet) she had a Discerning Judgment, and Exercised Senses to choose the Good, and refuse the Evil; not only in Points simply necessary to Salvation, in which we may believe the Spirit of God would not let her fall, but in Speculative Truths her Opinions were not tainted, nor her Mind shaken, with any of those plausible Errors, wherewith the Times did then so miserably infest and distract the Church of God, and led Captive many well-meaning Souls; but her knowing and wellgrounded assent went along first with the Sure Rule, the Writen Word of God, then with those, who for sticking to that, have been held the Soundest and most Classical; Wheresoever, in cases, she differd from the most received opinions, it was commonly in Practical points, and seldom but she inclined to the more strict, her very Error (if it were one) deserving its own pardon.

Her Phancy was most Divine, and although she sed it very much with Human Authors, delighting in Wit, that was Pure, and filled with ingenious and artificial conceit, Poetry especially, in the apprehension of which she was very Dexterous, and would ever set a Mark upon such expressions as were most emphatical and quaint, many times adding a Grace by her particular interpretation, even beyond the intention of the Author, but with exceeding fitness and significancy; yet she most confined her Phancy to Gather Flowers in Paradise, in God's Garden, in his Book, and in such as exercised their Wits in that Field, especially in Divine Poetry, in which kind she took an excessive delight to be conversant in Mr. Herberts Temple, in which she found out such fit and significant Elegancies, that when she read or repeated them, it was hard to determine whether the Author or she made the sense, such innumberable Descants would she make upon every single expression there; And to show what delight she took in that heavenly Wit, I have heard her more than once, seriously aver, that if there were no more extant but her Copy, some hundreds of pounds should not purchase that little Book from her; and if it had come to the offer, I am well assured no money (of which she was no admirer at all; of Wit, Devout Sanctified Wit especially, very much) could have gained it from her.

Her Memory excelled not her other Parts, and yet was even to admiration Happy, of which the proofs were not so many in secular affairs, because her exercises in them were but of discretion, Necessity, and to please Others; Her joy and delight were in such things as adorned her Soul, and in such her Memory was the most Faithful Servant that could be imagined; she did not make it her I ask to get things without Book, but what she liked, her Memory, like a good Steward, would carefully lay up, even without bidding; Begin a Religious Ode of Mr. Herberts, which she had read, and she would ordinarily repeat the rest without sticking or missing; nay scarce could you begin any verse in the Bible to which she would not persently add the latter end, as to the Psalms of David, and some other places, I have been an Ear-witness at the trials, and this only by the willingness of her Memory, not any tasking of it; These she had at her Heart, therefore might say them by Heart, she had them rooted in her Heart and Affections, and therefore might more easily rebearse them, they lay uppermost, and therefore were ready at all occasions. Out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh.

I must not forget to give one pregnant instance of her Memory, when employed about these better things, she hath sometimes the day after the Lord's Day, locked up herself in private, and from her Memory committed to writing a Sermon, which she had heard the Day before, so perfectly that little was wanting in the very words wherein it was delivered. Several were Eye-Witnesses of one Sermon which she thus took from the mouth of a Grave Prelat; This she had propounded to herself to do constantly, and with great alacrity pleased herself in the thoughts of it, but necessary occasions on the day following, for the most part robbing her of her much-desired privacy, she was with great grief (and I have heard her complain) compelled to lay that practice aside, until God should give her more fixed opportunities.

When I think what Nature made her, I cannot also but remember that Grace restored her, even her Body, to be a living Temple of the Holy Ghost, and these Three choice Ornaments of hers, her Memory, Judgment, and Phancy, may find some fit resemblance with those Three peculiar Treasures, which were laid up the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Temple of God; namely the Pot of Manna, the Tables of the Covenant, and Aaron's Rod that Budded: Her Judgment was as the Pot of Manna, in which she could find all wholesome soul-feeding Doctrines; her Memory as the Tables of the Covenant, God's Law being her meditation Day and Night; her Phancy as Aaron's Rod that Budded fresh, Buds of refined Wit and invention, always sprout-from it.

Besides these she had a most Methodical Head, to dispose of all her affairs Personal, Domestic, Civil, Religious, into the clearest order that might be; And to this natural Aptness to any Art, or any Employment, even to Tongues and Sciences, Music, Needle-work, Cutting, Drawing, and whatsoever was useful, or harmlesly delightful.

As these Natural endowments might procure her a Good Name with those, who look no higher, than mere Nature, so if I should touch at those Virtues, which gain reputation for Morality, I might advance her esteem in this Sphere, as one, who was the most absolute Governess over her own Passions, that these times could instance in; she was seldom angry, so far as to chiding, and if it came to that, she commonly checked herself, and if she observed any did mark her, it should end in laughing at her own Passion; it being often told her, that she knew to do anything more skillfully, than to chide, especially if it were for any worldly matter; But if it were for anything that concerned the Cause of God, she would be more serious in it; and often turn her Anger into a zealous reprehension and displeasure; An Oath in her hearing, or if by Chance some scurrilous, light, or profane Speech should slip from any, it Would make her blood to rise in her Face, if she had interest in the offenders, they were sure to be reproved, and on many, to reduce them from their rash inclinations in that kind, she would invent to impose some handsome Penalties; if they were strangers she would let fall some witty Check, consistent with civility, or by withdrawing herself signify her dislike.

Notwithstanding this, she had a Natural Comity, pleasantness of Behaviour, and Civil Urbanity, by which seldom any who fell under her reproof could depart sorrowful out of her presence, except it were because they did depart, or for that by not setting a Watch to the Door of their Mouths they had given just offense to her tender Christian Ears. These Virtues I name, because where discretion puts them forth in Society, they are as Precious Balms to heal the wounds, which others sinful behavior infflict on Company, or go uncured by that fullen absence of those, who are morose, and know not how to apply remedies in season and out of season, fit and suitable to the maladies.

It were an endless labor to speak of her Behaviour, which for the most part was innocently cheerful, unaffected towards Superiors and Equals, undislembled towards friends, familiar towards inferiors, affable and accessible to all, and in much conversation her Words were commonly Gracious, and seasoned with Salt; she was Constant in her Frindship, and none more useful, willing to take any pains, where she pretended that; unapt to hear ill of any, of whom she had once conceived well; nothing was so great a disease to her, as an accusation of those, of whom she had a good opinion; her Servants fared not the worse for being Servers, to whose errors she could be as Indulgent, as to Friends, and never looked on any Servant which she had, and believed Faithful and Virtuous, but as upon an humble Friend. This, and her diffusive kindness, which extended to all she knew miserable, did (I dare say) much increase the tears which fell for her Death, none understood Relations, none could possible observe them better than she, I appeal to Husband, Parents, Kindred, Friends, Servants, Neighbors, to witness this truth.

I would not enlarge on these, which seem to be but Moral Virtues, if they had been indeed no more but mere Morality; but I am assured they flowed from a gracious disposition in her; they were the streams from Jordan, the Laver of Regeneration, and we may well baptize them Christian Virtues in her; For it is well known, that all her actions, which deliberation did give birth unto, she did them out of a Conscience of duty, and as in the Sight of God.

Hence was that Holy Fortitude and Boldness for Truth, for which she durst be Valiant, she would suffer any inconvenience, rather than she would tell an Untruth, or make an Excuse, or let any of her Servants do it, or by any Equivocation deceive or elude a question; For this have I known her much afflicted, when she had business, especially her Religious Task, how to shun company, and shun a Lie, that she might not be found out; but any Rock would she venture upon rather than an Untruth; and indeed it is to be doubted, that the not fearing to split against this hath made many make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience.

Her Charity I need not speak of; the Poor and Distressed, whom her pitiful heart had often relieved, did at her Death and long after Mourn over her loss, and much Praise her abundant goodness in relieving them; this she ever did without the least Ostentation imaginable. Indeed she was made up of Christian kindness and Pity; and though I told you she was a Perfect Governess of her Passions, yet her Compassion always governed her; nor did I ever know her shut her hand, when any in want opened their Mouth for an Alms, she could not excuse herself by sometimes having no Money about her, if any of her Attendants had, they were sure to be Almoners.

But her Highway Charity was not the Tithe of what she gave, they need not come to her to ask, but Clothing, and Food, and Physic, and other Comforts, were sent to their Habitations, that had any, nay, and these provided also for some, who must otherwise have lain without Doors, and herself a frequent Visitour to be truly informed of their Persons, and Condition.

But what do I speak of her Charity to the Bodies of the Poor? she had a Way of relieving the Souls of all by her Daily Alms of Prayers offered up; by her Instructions where she found the Ignorant, by her Counsels to the Doubting and Scrupulous? How hath she been moved to see some Wretches by distraction deprived of their Reason? how she would inquire after the known and secret causes of such Distempers, and cast about to have some Cure if possible? I am sure she hath spoke and wrote, and travel'd, for one, well known in her time, whom it pleased God to let fall into that to be lamented Condition.

But still she had more kinds of Charity than I have named, one was in forgiving Injuries, which might be by mistakes perchance, but if willfully or maliciously cast upon her, it was the same thing, indeed the same Nothing in her account or Memory. I told you of her Memory, how Tenacious it was; but truly if it were to lay up an ill-Turn, it had no hold at all; Benifits and Good-Turns, Good-Deeds, and Good-Sayings, were Ingraven in her Heart, as if written in Adamant, never to be blotted out, Offences and Injuries never came near it, her Memory was Water to them, even the Water of Lethe, which makes them that drink of it forget all things, all things of that nature I am sure was soon forgot by her; An Unkindness indeed, for the time might make a deep impression, a great wound in her Heart, where all things were so contrary to it, so made up of Kindness, Pity, and Charity, but it could never beget the like unkindness there.

I could now speak of the lively Sings of her Faith and Hope, by which her Soul mounted even into the Bosom of Christ, above all fears and griefs, which these Times brought thick upon her; Fear indeed, if it came suddenly, would a little surprise her, an incidency to that Sex, and the tenderness of her nature, but as soon would she recollect herself, and by Reason and Religious Arguments dispel all carnal Fears.

So did her Grief yield to Faith and Patience, and the Comforts which she could fetch readily out of God's Storehouse, and pertinently for her present malady, and the cure of it. When her first-born Son, her then only Child, had the Pangs of Death upon him, she (after Prayers and Tears) sat very disconsolate, and when at the report of his departure, Floods of Tears would needs Flow from her Eyes, to stop these Flood-gates she took her Bible, and fell to singing of Psalms, until she had broken the violent torrent of her Passion, and brought her Soul to a cheerful Submission to the Will of God.

I have spoken of her natural Parts and Endowments, a little touch I have given of some of her Virtues and the Ornaments of her Mind. Those more outward of her body, as she undervalued them, so I pass them over: yet one thing let me tell you of her Apparel, and indeed the chief, which she delighted in, and that which was seen above and over all the rest, was that Garment which the Apostle commends, Humility, she was clothed all over with that, the Ornaments of her Mind and Body all shined through that, and the Veil of Modesty.

But for her Attire and Dressing, this I can aver, that herself had the least affection for it, for herself, but only for those who were related to her, that she might not seem mean or unworthy their alliance or affections. This resolution she had taken up long since, and avowed to wear no other Garments but Black, so long as she should live, not only presaging what those Tragical Times might require, but as being the gravest and most suitable to her disposition. And to check all thoughts of Phancy or delighting in outward Ornaments, amongst some Places in her Bible, at which she set a Memento, and a Mark to be often read, there did after her Death stick a Pin, which she fastened with her own Hands in the Margent, against that Place in the Third of the First of St. Peter, where the Duty of Christian Wives to their Husbands is prescribed, but particularly it did point at the Third, Fourth, and Fifth verses, Whose adorning, let it not be the outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of putting on of Apparel, or of wearing of Gold, but let it be the hidden Man of the Heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price; the place is worth the consideration of all, especially of that Sex.

A rare mark of modest Gravity of one of her Place and Age, she being at her Death (which adds much to all that I have said or shall say) but just past the Two and Twentieth Year of her Age, not come to her full strength and flourishing, such a Blossom I think can scarce be paralleled.

Having, as I said, spoken a little of her Endowments, and the habits of her Mind, spare me a little time to let you see that her Practice was according to those Habits, which she had not as Talents Buried in a Napkin, but with mighty diligence and vigor improved them to her Masters use, to Glorify God the giver of those Gifts, to edify and benefit those to whom she related, and to make her own Calling and Election sure.

I shall speak but of those which were the constant Practice of her life, and such as may seem preparations for her Death, and I will be as brief as it is possible to be in such an Argument.

She began the Day with God, and as she opened it, so she shut up the Evening with the same Key of Prayer. Most commonly as soon as she could break sleep from her Eyes (or because she would not take her fill of sleep, which she thought she loved too much, others must wake her) gliding into her Closet, and before she dressed her Body, (except some urgent occasion required it) she perfumed her Breath with Prayer, and then read her daily Task in the Bible, which was the Psalms of David usually observed for the day of the Month, and six Chapters, intending by that course to read the whole Bible over twice in the Year, which I am confident she did not fail of, for these last seven Years; for if necessity did compel her to omit once or twice, she doubled or tripled her number at the next opportunity.

She ordered her Soul first, and then all other things were set in exactest Order, Books, time, &c. she had digested her hours into methods for affairs, repasts, readings of Books of Humanity, Divinity, Devotion chiefly, as may appear both by the Books marked in the Margent, and noted with her own Hand, as also by her Papers and Memorials, when she began to read any Book. Besides reeding her Task in the Bible, which she did for the daily Bread and Food of her Soul, she for pious recreation and more exact knowledge, had set time apart to examine the hard places by Diodates Notes, and others, which she had by her, and because she could not stop her current of reading at that instant to stay and search every difficulty, she set a mark at them to be searched at her further leisure. She had marks of several kinds, some for difficulties, some for Memorials of choice places, or pertinent to some peculiar purposes, but I know it was her resolution to have read the Bible together with Expositors in a daily Task, besides her number of six Chapters a day, and the Psalms, and besides that she noted such Places as she intended to confer with Divines or others about the meaning of.

I shall not need to name the other Books, which fed her Devotion, indeed on some she desired to have a holy surfeit, to name a few, were to injure her, none came in her way, which she would not taste, and if they relisht, feed on; When she began to read an Author, is sometimes to be found in her Calendar, and in those Books wherein she most delighted, how far she had read, and with what she was most affected, is to be seen by marks in the Margent.

She had a Zeal for the observation of the Lord's day, and times set apart for Devotion, but especially before she received the Holy Communion (which she did strive to do very frequently, as finding much comfort by it) then she used all exact strictness and serious Preparation.

She sometimes herself would Repeat with some of her Family, what she had remembered of the Sermons; which she could also note in the Church, and used it for a time, until she either found it a little damped the devoutness of her attention, or because she had a purpose so to order it, that she might afterwards have privacy and leisure to write down what her memory would retain (which how much it was I have told you before.)

If I would pursue particulars, it were hard to find any shore in the wide Ocean of her Praises, and yet in describing her life, I need not fear flattery, for truly to set out only some part of her Worth, and to keep back the rest, or to draw her Picture with my rude Pencil, is far beneath the true and genuine Beauty which was in her large Soul, so there is no fear of exceeding.

But if any should say, why nothing but praise? had she no Errors, no infirmities or sins? truly yes, she had, and, as if she had desired with the Apostle, only to Glory in her Infirmities; as if the World were not envious or not prying enough to find them out, she hath left a Catalogue of them upon record under her own hand, as hath been seen since her death amongst her Papers; as if she had rather wished this solemnity might have been spent in rehearsing them, than any of her Virtues: She had written down 46 Particulars, which she used to bewail as faults, or infermities, or wants. But her Sins and Infirmities, so often by her bewailed, and buried in the grave of Christ, I doubt not but your Christian Charity will think fit to be buried with her, or in a deeper Grave, the grave of Oblivion, whilst her Virtues, and Good Name due to them, shall live, and flourish, and find a perpetual Monument in everyone of our Hearts. She was, as all God's Children are, sometimes under great Sorrow and dejection of Spirit, and tried by great Temptations, under which some few years ago she lay for a time, and it cost her many Tears, which God at the last regarded, and heard her Prayers, delivered her out of the snare, and set her on an high and sure Rock by Faith.

〈…〉 so I shall have done with that part of Practice, wherein the course of her Life was seen; I desire to add something of that, which might seem to fit and prepare her for, or at least to attend her at her Death.

Indeed her whole Life was that, which sound Philosophers, or rather sound Christians would have it, A Constant Miditation, or Preparation for Death; She was never long unprepared for that; the assurance of which, how great a Comfort it has been to her surviving Friends, is not easily imaginable.

For it pleased God to let the violence of her Disease seise upon her choicest and most exquisite part, her Intellectuals (although with some short and sweet returns) for Three or Four days before she died.

Her Behaviour on her Death-Bed was the most sweet, and the most comfortable, and Christian, that ever I heard of, She was Twice thrown down upon the Bed of Death, she might say indeed she Dyed daily by renewed acts of mortification; But in a true and proper sense, before this expiring, she had totally resigned up herself, and expected every moment when the Angels should fetch her Soul from her body once before.

The story is famously known to all that knew her, about Six Months ago (in the Month of November last past) she having reckoned herself to be with Child, and finding unusual Symptoms, such as in that case she never had experience of, she thought that God did now admonish her to set her House in order, and to set her Soul in order, for it was very probable, he might finish her days on Earth, at her bringing forth.

The time past, which she expected should be the hour of Deliverance, and after it some weeks, which caused great doubting of her Condition, whether she had conceived at all, and sometimes Physicians and those about her concluded the Contrary, but no doubt did she make of being Prepared for Death, of which she often discoursed, and what thoughts she had of its Nearness; and because she had bodily strength and went abroad, she took the opertunity of gaining Spiritual Strength to her Faith and other Graces, by partaking of the Holy Communion; Six days or there abouts after that, (a Month after her time) she fell into the Pangs of Women in travel, and when the Midwife had spent all the day, and could give no help, but totally dispared, in the evening it was discovered, that it was no living Child, of which she labor'd, but of that, which in the Judgment of all about her, must within a few hours (or days at most) make her a dead Woman.

She soon apprehended their fears, and earnestly begged now (as she did at all times) that she might be plainly dealt with concerning her condition for Life or Death, which she would in no Case endure to be dissembled to her, or concealed from her; her friends did observe her Desire, and confessed their hopes of Life to be small or not any, but desired her to submit to God's Will in her dissolution.

How would you now imagine she received the Sentence of Death? with Frights or Fears; or Sorrow and Grief to part with the World, and her dear Relations in it? Truly with a very contrary guise. She sent for those, who most nearest related to her, and her Kindred and Friends, and composing her Countenance and gesture to the most Majestick and undejected Gravity that I ever beheld, She fell to taking leave, bequeathing, not her worldly Affairs, but spiritual Comforts, her fervent Prayers, Divine Blessings, her Weighty Counsels and Admonitions fitted particularly, and made proper to everyone to whom she gave her Heavenly Legacies, especially to her Lord, her Children, her Allies, and Servants, and all were such as might tend to direct them in ways of well-doing, by which they might through Christ's merits, meet again in Glory. But all this with such Affection, such Zeal, such Courage, such Demonstration of Faith and Assurance of her going now from Pain and Misery to Joyes unspeakable, that the Image of that Day and her Aspect will never depart out of the Memory, of several who looked on. If you had seen Her on her then supposed Death-bed, you would have thought of Moses on Pisgah, or Jacob on his Death-bed, dividing his blessings, of dying Joshua, or of David, or the best Composed Saints.

To see her dearest Pledges and Relations, Friends and Servants standing by, flowing with Tears and Lamentations, and herself steadfast and unconcerned, Counselling; Comforting, Blessing them with her last breath (as she and they 〈…〉 eved) it made an appearance, as if all they had been the Parties, which must dy, and She only to give them Christian advice to Suffer Death with Patience, as if she had been in perfect Health, they in present danger of Death, such was her Assurance and Joy from the Holy Ghost, as if she had begun to taste Eternity, and the Happiness of that Life in the very tidings of Death.

Her Legacy left to her two dear Children was her desire to her Lord, that whatsoever Provision he should make for their outward condition, (of which she was neither distrustful, nor yet solicitous, but fervently she besought him) they might be brought up in the strictest way of Religion and Life, even in that strictness of life, which the World might count Puritanism. The strictest ways were always accounted best for her own self in her Life, and now at her Death she bore witness to them, and commended them •• the Dearest Pledges of her Love.

After, she spent her time in declaring the Affiance she had on the Merits, and the Assurance she had on the Love of Christ; She did not conceal also how she had wrestled with Doubtings, and did propound the greatest Scruple, which lay upon her Conscience for the sincerity of her Repentance. She spake of the Comfort she had at her last ceceiving the Sacrament, she confessed indeed, that she might have soyld herself after; but yet the last night she had also begged pardon (and I was told by those, that know it that she had then been a whole hour in private upon her knees, although at that time no danger of Death was feared) and further professed, that now nothing was a greater burden than this, that although she was Willing to Dye, yet she found also a willingness in her heart to Live, which she much blamed in herself. Although that might proceed from the consideration of the good of those she was to Leave, rather than that it was better for her to stay. And so it seemed good to our Heavenly Father, that she lived Six Months after her time might seem to have been expired; as Nature seemed importunate to gain her into the World, (as was said in the beginning so she was as unwilling to let her depart out of it, to loose one of her choicest Children) It seemed good to Almighty God, even to let the Sun of her Life go back some few Degrees, after it seemed to be in the very lowest point of Setting; his marvelous Providence pointing out such ways, and making all Circumstances so concur even beyond hope, (whereof if any one had failed, there could have been no possibility of recovery) that she seemed rather by a Divine Miracle raised from the Dead, than hy any human help or hand restored from danger.

And indeed as the Apostle speaks, Heb. 11. 35. Women received their dead raised to life again; so did they then look upon this not as a Recovery, but as a Resurrection. And if you please, reckon her Death from that very hour, that she resigned up herself to it so freely, and if we look upon her walking since, we may believe she was as one Dead to the World, as one that was Risen with Christ, and had her Conversation in Heaven intentionally, her affection, I am sure on things above not on things on Earth. Account her now as Dead, as one whose life was hid with Christ in God. For shall I speak plainly, she walked on Earth, but she lived not after this, as to herself, to others indeed she did, and to their especial Comfort.

I have observed Two or Three things for which God in his Providence might bestow this little time, and lend her to her Friends on Earth; he might seem to spare her a little, and give her space for these Reasons. One was in mercy to her Father. Another to her Dear Relations at home. A Third was to finish some Work upon her own Soul, for the good Example of others, her own Work was done; however in all these I may say She lived not to herself as in the World.

To her Father in his extreme affliction God made her an inexpressible Comfort. I speak not in regard of any temporal things, which God had determined, as we saw, to cut away wholly from him, as to this life, and all the Comforts of it; which not withstanding to procure. What Pains, Travel, Watchings, Fastings, in that extreme cold season did she undergo, (even boyond what might be expected from her Sex, but especially one of the tenderest breeding in it) was very observable by all, and Satisfactory to him abundantly.

But to show that it was the service of his Soul that she aimed at, as if her Soul had been held in life, for that purpose that she might be an Instrument to draw her Fathers with her to Eternity.

Let me tell you but this. When all hopes of Life were past, and after She, with the rest of those who were dear to him, had taken their final leave, that the rest of his hours might be spent with his spiritual Comfortors, She could not give sleep to her Eyes, nor Slumber to her eye Lids, until she had once more visited and discoursed with him, but yet in matters relating wholly to Eternity. And therefore coming betimes in the Morning, first timorously into his Chamber (after she had watched all night in a room hard by for that purpose) when he had with joy discerned and welcomed her, they presently fell into Conference; in which she, with an humble boldness, did so question and answer, rip up and stich together again, gently wound and then give balm to the State of his Soul; In a word she did so apply both Law and Gospel to him, that being refreshed with these comforts, he cried out, Happy I that I should from a Child of mine own receive such Consolation, And after that he told a Reverend Divine, who came to administer the like Consolation, That he thanked God he had a Child there, who, (though he said it before her face) was able to be his Counselor in all his doubts. Also another Divine present, heard her half an hour to admiration as he professed.

After her Fathers death none, so nearly relating, bore all with the like Christian patience as she, acknowledging it the wise Method of Almighty God thus to bestow Mercy on a Soul, which, without so great a measure of Affliction, in Health and in the Glory of his prosperity, could not, or would not ever have so humbly and sincerely sought it from the Bed of sickness, if death should have taken him from that Place.

She likewise said that she could not (if it were possible and lawful) with her heart and judgment with him alive again, although it were well known, that never Parent lay deeper in the Affections of a Child than he in hers. But she durst not wish him so bad a change, as to leave Heaven for Earth, especially this earth as things now make it.

To another she said, that now, if God would give her leave, she would go into the Country, and she had cast her Family-business into such a way, that for herself she would have nothing to do but to be Ready to Dye. For, this let me note, there was not a night in Six Months since her last recovery from her mortal sickness, that she rose from off her knees from her prayers without Tears running down her Cheeks, as I am certainly informed by those who had reason to know it.

And now she desired conference with one, whom in her Souls affairs she had trusted, from whose Hands she intended to receive that Holy Mystery, she discovered her spiritual codition to him plainly and Clearly; and Charged him to deal as severely and impartially with her, and still would urge him again and again, after this manner, O but you deal more gently with me, than you would with another I beseech you let me know the worst.

Although her disease got into her Brain and bred some disturbance there, yet it pleased God to afford her many clear and bright Glimpses; One remarkable I shall mention wherein she poured forth her Soul in a large Prayer, the words of which cannot be recollected, but in effect, it was of such most fervent, melting, moving passages, as if she would out-wrestle God, and rend from him his mercies by unresistable violence, and take the Kingdom of Heaven by Force out of his hands, especially, as for laying before him his Name, his Attributes, his Bowels, his Christ, all his Cimfortable Promises, which she fetched with most admirable skill, choice, and Fluency from every precious Vein in the Rich Mind of his Word: This was the last continued Act of Reason, which she performed; only, when her strength was even spent, she owned her Dear Relations, when they came unto her, and did let them understand, she was now married to Christ? join'd with most heedful attention in Prayer, with one, whom she then desired to do that office, gave signs of approbation, and requested that he which poured it out on her behalf would not go out of the room; after that, within little more than an hour, in a quiet kind of sleep, the Passages of Life being stopped, she yielded up her Spirit unto God that gave it, the 10th Day of May, 1649. leaving behind her the most Bitter and most Loud Lamentations of her Friends. To whom she was the most desired Creature, that God ever placed in their Eyes or Relations.