A Christians Acquiescence in Divine Providence, Dedication 2

A Christians Acquiescence in Divine Providence · Dedication 2

TO THE MOST HONOURABLE The Lady LUCY Counteſs of HƲNTINGDON, And HENRY Lord LOƲGHBROƲGH His Majeſties Lieutenant of the County of Leiceſter. All increaſe of Honour and Happineſs.

THis Sermon and Narrative (Right Honourable) which I here preſent you withal, though they mainly impute the adventure of their publication to the importunate Affection of a dear Husband to his deceaſed Ladies memory, yet I dare not altogether acquit my ſelf of the guilt thereof; at leaſt ſo far, as the eaſineſs of conſent will render me criminal. For, I muſt confeſs, that I was apt to bite with ſome greedineſs at the Occaſion thereby offered me, of giving the world a publick Teſtimony of the honour I owe to both the Families to which this Excellent Perſonage concerne in them ſtood Related; both tha whence ſhe was Deſcended, an that, whereinto ſhe was by marriage Engraffed.

And being thus, betwixt importunity and inclination, prevailed withal to run this riſqu… I hope, I have in the reaſons … both, given a general account … the fitneſs of my entituling you to the Patronage of them.

But withal (Right Honourable) there is ſomething alſo of peculiar in the claim which on your Honours behalf may be made unto them.

For you (Madam) as you bleſſed the world with the Subject of the Narrative from your Womb: ſo, you furniſhed me alſo with the Argument of the Sermon from your mouth, in a Text, which (among other expreſſions ſavouring of a well ſeaſoned ſpirit) dropped from your lips at the arrival of the ſad tidings of your dear Daughters departure. And I the rather choſe to make it the Subject of my Diſcourſe upon that ſad Occaſion, becauſe your noble Example in the often practiſe of the Leſſon contained in it, accommodated me with a notable Inſtance of its practicableneſs: Q. ſextius habet quod & oſtendat tibi beatae vitae magnitudinem, & deſparationem ejus non faciet, Ep. 64.it being a great advantage to the ingratiating of any Duty, when we can by ſome great example, deliver it (as Seneca ſpeaks in another caſe) from the ſuſpicion of being impoſſible.

I have formerly admired at the Temper of that noble and learned Roman Lady, Cornelia Nunquam 'ego me felicem non dixerim, quae Gracchos pepererim. Cicero de Conſol.the Daughter of the great Scipio, and Mother of the Gracchi, of whom Tully reports, that when ſhe had loſt her Son Caius, a very hopeful Gentleman, in his very prime, and in him, her twelfth Child, ſhe brake out into this gallant Expreſſion, that ſhe would nevertheleſs alwaies eſteem her ſelf an happy woman, in that ſhe had had the honour to be the Mother of ſuch Children. But I have of late learned to leſſen this wonder, having ſeen her herein out-ſhined by one no leſs noble and learned than ſhe, and that is your ſelf; who, in much a parallel caſe, have demeaned your ſelf with a far greater, becauſe a truly Chriſtian, Fortitude.

And indeed (Madam) if ever any Mother had reaſon to take Comfort from ſuch a Conſideration, you have, in that though you have ſurvived divers of your Children, yet have you withal had the happineſs to ſee them all ſignally vertuous even beyond their years, and conſequently, alſo the Argument of an ample Aſſurance of their eternal felicity, in their early maturity and fitneſs for it.

In which reſpect, how can it indeed be other than an infinite ſatisfaction to you, that in ſending ſo many Children to the place of happineſs before you, you are (as it were) glorified by piece meal: and inſtead of planting Families from your bowels on earth, have contributed towards the planting of Colonies in Heaven; inſtead of recruiting the Forces of the Church Militant, have furniſhed the Trophies of the Church Triumphant, and (according to the judgment of ſome Divines of Note) ſupplied the vacant ſeats of ſo many of the Apoſtate Angels with Saints deſcendant from you?

The uſual diſtaſts taken at this kind of Providence, (whether from the uncomely foreign it is thought to make in nature, which ſeems (according to the Proverb) to deſign the wearing out of the eldeſt firſt; or from the diſappointment of the common expectation, that our liberi ſhall be poſteri, our Children live to ſhut our eies and receive our laſt breath, and dying commands, and keep up our Names, and inherit our Eſtates and Honours when we are gone; (a kind of ſupplemental and ſubſidiary immortality which propagation in all ſpecies of Creatures ſeems to aim at, and (in a ſort) promiſe as part of amends for the Death of Individuals) and whatever it is of the like nature which heightens vulgar paſſions) are all ſuch low and pitiful excuſes of impatience, and implicite blaſphemies againſt the great Soveraign of the World; that I cannot ſuſpect the Heroical generoſity of your ſpirit, needs the aſſiſtance of any Conſiderations (which yet both Morality and Chriſtianity afford in great plenty) to be ſuggeſted by me for the removal of them. For you have made it ſufficiently evident to all that know you, that you are a perſon who do (as the Philoſopher ſaith) fortius amare, love your deareſt temporal comforts more valiantly than ſo; as experimenting the ſweet only and not the ſoft impreſſions of that moſt powerful Affection.

And therefore (without enlarging this Epiſtle into another Lecture of Chriſtian ſubmiſſion to, and Acquieſcence in Divine Providence) I only tender that of the following Sermon to your hands, not ſo much in the nature of a Perſwaſive to your Duty, as the Product of your Example.

And you (My Lord) by the dear affection which you have born to all the ſurviving Branches of that Noble Family, and to this excellent Lady in particular, ever ſince the deceaſe of your noble Brother and their Father the late Earl of Huntingdon, have rendred your ſelf ſo much more than an Uncle to them, that I fear I had not done you right, had I not given your Name the very place that the Natural Father's, had he lived, might have claimed in this Dedication.

And I am withal the more hardened to this adventure, (which otherwiſe the little acquaintance I have with your Lordſhip might render preſumptuous) by the remembrance that when your Lordſhip rendred your ſelf the principal attendant of theſe ſacred Reliques to their Dormitory (though the great haſt of your affairs then enforced you to call for the Sermon before the day appointed, and neceſſitated the delivery of it with ſome diſadvantage by the ſurprize; yet) your goodneſs was pleaſed to give an ample teſtimony of your acceptance of my endeavours therein, as having not only in ſome proportion diſcharged my Duty to the Living, but alſo done ſomething of Juſtice to the Dead. And therefore, I hope, that what was then honoured with your acceptance, when (in that diſcompoſure) it had no higher ambition than to obtain your pardon, may now, having gained by a review ſomething of more orderly compoſure (though it yet fall much beneath the excellency of the Subject) aſpire to your Patronage alſo.

To conclude, I ſhall eaſe both your Honours of the trouble this tedious Epiſtle hath given you, when I have offered up a ſhort Prayer on the behalf of all the ſurviving Relations of this excellent Lady; viz. That God will enable them by his Grace to improve this ſad Providence to their utmoſt advantage, which will be beſt done by copying out her Vertues in their own practiſe; conſidering, That Domeſtical examples of eminent Goodneſs, as they reflect an honourable luſtre upon the Families from which they are extracted, (Saints adding a greater glory to any Pedigree than Princes) ſo ought they, into them eſpecially who are neareſt of Relation, to inſinuate the moſt ardent and affectionate deſires of Imitation: as thoſe, which through proximity of bloud, have the aſſiſtance of ſomething of natural to endear them to the Affections; the help of frequent and familiar converſe to imprint them in the memory; and laſtly, the Evidence gathered from conſtant obſervation, to juſtifie to the Judgment the reality of that Beauty which appears in them in all Dreſſes, againſt the ſuſpicions of Auxiliary tinctures, wherewith our uncharitableneſs uſually burdens the moſt reſplendent vertues of thoſe that are meer Strangers to us.

And, for a cloſe, may the God of all Grace ſo bleſs them with an increaſe of all gracious qualities, that they may all riſe up into the like reputation of ſingulat Inſtances and Examples of Chriſtian Perfection with Her that is gone before them; and yet manage their growth ſo thriftily for us, that by a precocious maturity, they may not precipitate their removal from us; that this profligate Age may be the longer bleſſed with ſuch living Convictions and Reproofs of its deſperate viciouſneſs; and themſelves enjoy the more ample opportunity of advancing the Comfort of their Friends, and their own Reward.

Theſe Requeſts, as there is none who prefers them on your hehalf with more zealous affection, ſo, I dare confidently affirm, there is none that ſhall find himſelf more obliged to be thankful for the Anſwer of them, than

(Right Honourable) Your moſt humble ſervant in the work of the Lord Jeſus Simon Ford. Northampton, Oct. 20. 1664.

p. 1ΗΣΥΧΙΑ ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΟΥ OR, A CHRISTIAN'S ACQUIESCENCE In all the Products of DIVINE PROVIDENCE, &c.

Acts 21. 14.

And when he would not be perſwaded, we ceaſed, ſaying, The will of the Lord be done.

THis Text, as it relates to The Coherence of the Text.the Hiſtory whereof it is parcel, contains the reception given by the Chriſtians at Caeſarea to that peremptory denial which they received from St. Paul to their importunate diſſwaſion of him from going to Jeruſalem: where one Agabus a Prophet (the ſame in p. 2likelihood, whoſe true Prediction of a Famine in the daies of Claudius Caeſar is mentioned, Acts 11. 28.) had foretold, that he ſhould run an hazard of his Liberty (at leaſt) if not of his Life alſo, conſequently; ſeeing ſo eminent a Propagator and Propugner of Chriſtianity as he, being once in his Enemies hands, could not probably expect leſs from them, than utmoſt extremities. This denial you have recorded, v. 13. He anſwered, what mean ye to weep and break my heart? for I am ready not only to be bound, but to die at Jeruſalem for the name of the Lord Jeſus. His Anſwer ſpeaks him Man, and Chriſtian: As a Man, he ſhews himſelf moved with their Affections; but as a Chriſtian he declares himſelf not to be removed from his Reſolutions; He hath an heart ſo much fleſh, as to be affected tenderly with their kindneſs, but ſo much flint, or ſteel rather, as to receive no impreſſion from their Counſel. For, the firſt words of my Text tell you, that he would not be perſwaded. And herefore ſeeing he would not, the p. 3Brethren (as paſſionate as they were in their importunities) had grace enough to conquer nature, and perſwade themſelves to ceaſe their ſuit: as apprehending an intimation of Gods will to the contrary of what they ſo earneſtly deſired, from the impregnableneſs of that heart, which they ſaw held out with ſo noble a reſolution againſt the batteries of ſo many united prayers and tears. They are loath to conteſt any farther, where they ſee God and Grace of a Party againſt them; and therefore they raiſe the ſiege, ceaſe their ſollicitations, and unanimouſly ſay, The will of the Lord be done.

A ſhort Text, beloved, but that A brief Deſcant on the Text.which contains a long Leſſon, to be ſtudied and practiſed the longeſt day of your lives: an eaſie Text, but comprehending an hard Task, one of the hardeſt in all the compaſs of Chriſtianity, viz. the moſt high and heroical duty of a full, abſolute and perpetual reſignation of our ſelves, and all our concernments to the ſoveraign pleaſure of Almighty God.

p. 4Indeed, every word in the Text iſcite habere n corde quod nis homo habet in lin…. Quod vult us hoc agat. Ipſa lingua popularis eſt le…um que ſed doctrina ſalutatis. In Pſ. 32.Ps 32is practically hard, but one, and that is [ſaying] which is ſo eaſie that St. Auſtin told his people long ſince, that theſe Forms, The Will of the Lord be done, and let the Lord do his pleaſure, &c. are lingua popularis, common diſcourſe; wherefore he adviſeth them to learn to get this leſſon by heart, which every one was able to ſay by rote, and then they ſhould find, Doctrina ſalutaris, an wholſom and ſaving Doctrine contained in it.

1. And firſt, foreign, is an hard word to be cordially pronounced by ſinful fleſh and blood. Man in his lapſed eſtate is loath to own any Lord over him, Pſal. 12. 4. what they conceit they are, Jer. 2. 31. every one would fain be; foreign, a Lord to himſelf, independent even upon God himſelf, ſo as to need to come no more at him, as there the Phraſe is. And that this Leſſon is of no mean difficulty, appears, in that God near eighty times in the Scripture, tells men he will be at extraordinary pains to learn it them, (ſometimes by mercies, and p. 5otherwhiles by Judgments) in this common Phraſe, Yee ſhall know that I am the Lord.

2. foreign, the Will of this Lord, is yet an harder word to be practically conned. Generally, men are enemies to Arbitrary Power, and Government by will, even in God himſelf. Let him rule by known Laws, and Preſidents only, (provided that withal he be reſponſible to the High Court of humane Reaſon for what he doth, and admit every mans particular Reaſon to be of the Quorum, and ſit as Judge in the Court) upon theſe conditions, it may be, he may be received as a Titular Lord among the Sons of Men. But ſo to own him as a Lord, as to leave him free to do what he pleaſeth in Heaven and Earth, and in all deep places, (even in Hell it ſelf) Pſal. 135. 6. to have all the world at his ſole beck, without ſuffering any one to reply againſt him, Rom. 9. 20. to have as abſolute an unaccountable power over all things as the Potter hath over the clay, v. 21. this is an had ſaying, (as they ſay in another caſe p. 6John. 6. 60.) and who can endure to hear it?

3. foreign, Let this abſolute will be done, is not one jot eaſier for mans heart to utter. foreign, may poſſibly go down with us. Gods will, when it is done, and no man can help it, neceſſity will enfore men to ſwallow, after a Faſhion: becauſe it is in vain to attempt to re-call yesterday, to render factum, infectum; what is done, not to have been done. But Friends, this will not ſerve, there is more in this word than ſo. This foreign, imports our free and voluntary Vote, both of conſent when it is to be done, and of approbation and applauſe when it is done. Now ſurely, this is hard. To give God our Fiat beforehand, to the doing of that will of his, which it may be tends to the undoing of our ſelves: and to ſubſcribe to it when done, as done to our mindes; yea, ſo done, as it could not be better done; and this not foreign, out of conſtraint, but foreign, willingly; not as a man beſtowes his Goods upon the Waves in a Storm, foreign, with p. 7an unwilling will, but as a man parts with his money for a good purchaſe; to acquieſce, as ſatisfied in it: not with a canina patientia, (as Tertullian, and Bernard call it) a Doggs patience, a patience perforce, but with a patientia Chriſtiana, a true Chriſtian patience, grounded upon choice; in this ſence, foreign, (though Engliſhed is Greek ſtill to moſt men, and non poteſt legi, an hard chapter, and few can read it.

4. Laſtly, foreign, We ceaſed, comes behind none of the reſt for difficulty. To calme all our paſſions, and the expreſſions of them in whatever kind; and be ſtill, (as God bids the tumultuous World, Pſ. 46. 10. and Chriſt the tempeſtuous Sea, Mark 4. 39;) to take up our Croſs cheerfully and make no words of it, how un-eaſie ſoever it ſit; not to deprecate the leaſt circumſtance of that Providence which grates moſt cloſe upon our deareſt Intereſts and Concernments; and in Thought, Speech, and Behaviour, to ſhew that our ſpirits enjoy a perfect calme, not ſo p. 8much as the leaſt wrinkle of a wave remaining upon them; where is the man that will be perſwaded, that this Yoke is eaſie, and this Burthen light? Mat. 11. 30.

And yet as hard a Leſſon as this is, the Diſciples in the Text had learned it; and, I hope, ere theſe Sands be ſpent, ſo will You too, at leaſt, as to your judgments and Conſciences, (for God alone can diſciple Paſſions,) ſo that you ſhall be convinced, that theſe Brethren ſaid well, and did better; and therein confeſs, that you are bound to ſay, and do ſo too, ecchoing from your hearts and lives to every providence of God, foreign, The Will of the Lord be done.

The words offer themſelves to The Parts of the Text.be handled in a double capacity.

1. In the Matter

2. In the Form of them.

Firſt, The Matter of them is the carriage of theſe Chriſtians of Caeſaria upon the occaſion beforementioned; which farther may be ſub-divided into

p. 9I. Dictum, what they ſaid, to wit, The will of the Lord be done.

II. Factum, What they did in conformity to this ſaying, they Ceaſed, that is, fotbore to ſollicit their ſute any further.

Secondly, the Form of them; and that conſiſts in the Hiſtorical Relation of both (by the appointment of Gods Spirit) from the Pen of St. Luke, who himſelf, (as appears by the Relation it ſelf running in the Plural, We ceaſed,) was pars magna, had a great ſhare in all the paſſages of this part of St. Pauls Story.

Theſe two parts we will handle The firſt Part handled. I. The Matter of the Text. 1. Its firſt Branch the Dictum.diſtinctly; beginning with

I. The Matter, or ſubſtance of the Text: wherein, firſt comes to hand,

1. The Dictum, What theſe Brethren ſaid, Fiat voluntas Domini. The Will of the Lord be done. And this learns us this Obſervation,

That, When Gods revealed will and ours ſo claſh and enterfere, 1. Obſervation.that both of them cannot be done, it is a neceſſary piece of Chriſtian p. 10duty for us to vayle our wills to Gods.

Say not, this is falſe Logick, to infer a general Rule from a particular Example. For that is not a particular example, which though particular perſons only be concerned in, yet bears a conformity with a Principle univerſally owned by Chriſtians, and recorded as congruous to that Principle by the appointment of the Holy Ghoſt, for the imitation of others. Theſe Brethrens practiſe was produced by this Principle; and therefore warrantably may this Principle be concluded from their practiſe.

To the more clear handling of Explained.this Point, it will be needful (according to the intimation given you therein,) to diſtinguiſh of the will of God, under the different conſiderations of ſecret and revealed. The ſecret will of God is a Rule, by which he alone acts: the revealed will of God is that that we are to manage our ſelves by: Secret things belong (only) to God; but thoſe things that are revealed, belong to us and to our children. p. 11Deut. 29. 29. The ſecret will of God therefore, as, and whiles it continues locked up in the Cabinet of his own breaſt, to which he alone keeps the Key, (upon that very account, becauſe we neither do, nor can know it,) obligeth not us farther, than as it ſtands in a capacity to be revealed; and in this capacity, it requires from us a general, implicite, hypothetical, and diſpoſitive ſubmiſſion onelyonly, (i. e. an holy diſpoſition, inclination, and purpoſe of heart to ſubmit to it) whenever it ſhall come to be ſignified, and revealed. But the will of God once actually revealed, requires a particular, expreſs, actual, and poſitive ſubmiſſion of us. The ſecret will of God, whiles ſuch, may be lawfully prayed againſt, and acted againſt: otherwiſe, all Prayers muſt be ſinful, which God thinks not fit to grant, and all courſes of humane providence unlawful, which prove unſucceſsful; an aſſertion ſo abſurd, that no ſober Chriſtian will own it. Yea, more, the will of God, even when expreſſed and ſignified p. 12to us, (that, I mean, which concerns the inflicting any evil upon us or ours) if it be expreſſed only conditionally, or, (though it may be delivered in abſolute terms, yet) may according to the Tenor of the Scripture be warrantably ſuppoſed to imply a Condition; we may both pray againſt, and by all other pious and prudent courſes 2 Sam. 12. 22. Jon. 3. 8, 9. Iſ. 38. 1, 2.2 Sam 12:22Jonah 3:8Jonah 3:9Isa 38:1Isa 38:2labour to prevent. Of which we have at leaſt three known Inſtances in the Scripture; in the ſeveral Caſes of David, Hezekiah, and the King of Nineveh. And the reaſon hereof is, becauſe in ſuch Caſes, the will of God revealed, being not peremptory and abſolute, is fulfilled on the one hand even by its fruſtration upon the performance of the Conditions, upon which it was ſuſpended, as it would on the other, by taking place, according to the commination, in caſe the Conditions ſuppoſed be not performed. So David, and the King of Nineveh both argue; For who can tell whether God will be merciful? &c. And in this manner, it is probable, the Brethren in the Text underſtood p. 13the Prophecy of Agabus, labouring to prevent it, whiles they ſaw no cauſe to conclude it abſolute, and irrevocable; and till they perceived by the evident hand of God upon St. Pauls heart, that he himſelf had in all likelihood defeated their importunities, in order to the compleating of his own will.

It remains then, that the will of Lomb d. 45. Il. diſ: 14.God, to which ours muſt ſubmit, is his will revealed, according to the nature, and meaſure of that revelation.

The revealed will of God (according to the Schools) contains his precepts, his prohibitions (under Praecipit, & prohibet, permittit, conſulit implet.which I ſuppoſe they include alſo his promiſes and threatnings annexed to them) his permiſſions, his counſels, and his performances. In reference to all which, our duty is thus to be diſtributed; We muſt do what he bids, forbear what he forbids, follow what he adviſeth, bear with what he permitteth, and bear what he inflicteth, without the leaſt oppoſition or reluctancy from our wills: or in caſe any ſuch ariſe p. 14in our hearts through paſſion or temptation, our wills muſt then be denied, and not dandled; humbled, not honoured; mortified, not gratified.

St. Bernard expreſſeth this ſubjection Serm. de ſubjectione voluntatis.of our Wills to the Will of God in three particulars, We muſt (ſaith he)

1. Velle omnino quod certum eſt Deum velle, abſolutely and entirely will what we certainly know God wills; not oppoſing our nay to his yea.

2. Nolle omnino, & execrariquod certum eſt Deum nolle, abſolutely nill and execrate what God nills and diſlikes; not oppoſing our yea to his nay.

3. Neque velle ex toto, neque penitus non velle quod incertum eſt utrum Deus velit aut nolit: to be indifferent, or (at leaſt) very moderate, not peremptory and eager in thoſe things concerning which the Will of God is dubious and uncertain; but to ſuſpend our yea and nay till God have expreſſed his.

And then are we, in any of theſe p. 15out of order, as St. Auſtin ſaies, Ad ſuam voluntatem flectere Deum, non ſuam corrigere ad Deum In Pſ. 32.Ps 32when we rather labour to bend Gods will to ours, than amend ours by his.

I intend not here to treat of ſubjection to the Will of God in its latitude, but to confine my ſelf to that, in God's revealed Will, which both the Text and this ſad occaſion leads me unto, the providential part of it relating to ſuch Iſſues and Events wherein we are concerned, whether in our perſons and intereſts; and therefore are endangered to temptations of reluctancy from our particular diſ-ſatisfactions and diſpleaſures. It is this will of providence that the Brethren in the Text ſtrike ſail to in this Chriſtian expreſſion, The will of the Lord be done, q. d. If God will have it ſo, that no entreaties ſhall prevail to keep ſo dear an Apoſtle and eminent inſtrument of God's glory and the Churches good from honds and impriſonment, then ſo be it. Let Paul be bound, and our wills too bound up from obſtructing it; that God may have the liberty of his will: let our prayers and tears p. 16be fruſtrated, rather than his pleaſure and determination be defeated. The Lord it ſeems will have it ſo, and we will have it as he will. And in the ſame frame do we find good old Eli, when God ſent him that thundring threatning by Samuel, It is the Lord, ſaith he, let him do what ſeemeth him good, 1 Sam. 3. 18. And David when he fled from Jeruſalem to avoid that dangerous Rebellion raiſed by his Son Abſalom, whiles he yet knew not the Lords pleaſure concerning the event, is in utrumque paratus: If the Lord will permit me to find favour in his eies, he will bring me back again; but if he ſay thus, I have no delight in thee, here am I, let him do as ſeemeth good to him, 2 Sam. 15. 25, 26. And thus our Saviour in the Garden, wherein (according to St. Auſtins notion) voluntatem ſuam figuravit & noſtram, he exhibited Ibidem.as it were in a Table together his will and ours, the will of Nature and the will of Grace, after he had expreſſed an human ſinleſs infirmity in ſtartling at ſo grievous a ſuffering, makes a gracious ſurrender p. 17of his Will to his Fathers, ſaying, not my will, but thine be done.

Thus, you ſee, do the Saints of God uſe to ſubmit to the revealed will of Providence, antecedenter, even before it is done, by conſenting that it be done; yea, as in the inſtance of David but now mentioned, before he hath ſo much as revealed what he will do; ſo preparing Iſ. 40. 3, 4.Isa 40:3Isa 40:4the way of the Lord by complanation of every mountain that may retard him.

And a like ſubmiſſion do they yield to the ſame will of providence, conſequenter, after it is done, by way of approbation; as being highly ſatisfied in this, that he hath done whatſoever he pleaſed. Thus holy Job falls to the ground, and adores that providence, which had reduced him from the Throne to the Dunghil, Job 1. 20.Non petimus ut Deus faciat quod vult, ſed ut nos facere poſſimus, quod Deus vult. Serm. de Orat. Dom.

And in both theſe, their practiſe ſuits their prayers, who are taught to pray in definitely, Thy will be done Mat. 6. 10. In which Petition, though Cyprian be of the mind, that we only beg grace to yield active p. 18obedience to God's will enjoined, yet even that includes grace alſo to give paſſive obedience to his will inflicted; patience being no leſs a duty in this, than performance in that. foreign, (as once Epictetus ſaid) contain the ſumme of Moral Philoſophy, to bear what God laies on us, & to forbear what he forbids us to do And there is a great deal of Chriſtianity in them too: For, the firſt Commandment requiring us to own him for our God, Verbis reliquit Deos, re ſuſtulit. De Nat. Deor.we muſt not, as Tully ſaies of Epicurus, give him a Name without a thing: or, (in the language of a better Author, Tit. 1. 16) Profeſs we know, and honour him, and yet in works deny him, which we ſhall certainly do, if we ſubſtract from him the one half, and that the chiefeſt of that homage which we owe him, our ſubmiſſion to his juſt and neceſſary ſeverities.

And now that what hath been Argued.ſaid, may not ſeem an unequal yoke, or unreaſonable Task to you, I ſhall endeavour to ſatisfie your Judgments concerning it by theſe Reaſons.

p. 191. On Gods part, and here Reaſon tells us,

1. That God will have his will on us, as well as of us, whether we will or no. For who hath reſiſted his will? Rom. 9. 19. and who ever hardened himſelf againſt God, and proſpered? Job 9. 4. The very Heathens had this notion of Fate (which ſome (with great likelyhood of truth) think, ſignifyed no more to the niceſt of them that maintained it, however their opinion were expoſed by their Adverſaries, than the power of an omnipotent will in its unavoidable and irreſiſtable effects) that it alwaies dragged thoſe againſt their wills, who would not be led with their wills to ſubmit unto it;

Ducunt volentem Fata, nolentem trahunt. Seneca Trag. foreign Epict. c. 77. Edit. Roterd. Better read by Lipſius in his Notes on Seneca Ep. 107. foreign Lact. de vero cultu.Whence Cleanthes, (for to him Simplicius aſſigns that ſaying delivered in Iambick verſe at the end of Epictetus) took up that noble p. 20Reſolution of following, whereever his God and his Fate led him; as thinking it more eligible to obey with his good wil, than to be hurried againſt it. It is true, the irreſiſtableneſs of ſuch events as God aſſigns us, is a reaſon for ſubmiſſion much below a Chriſtian; for (as Lact antius ſaies) nulla laus eſt non facere quod non poſſis) it is no commendation to a man not to do, what if he would he cannot, and ſo to ſubmit to that providence which he cannot reſiſt: yet, becauſe even Chriſtians ſometimes act below Chriſtianity and humanity too, I thought it not amiſs to ſuggeſt this low conſideration here, as that, which, if it will not purchaſe them the praiſe of doing well, yet may ſerve to keep them from the guilt of doing ill, kicking againſt the pricks of providence, and attempting a bootleſs and hurtful reſiſtance againſt an irreſiſtable will. But,

Secondly, that that carries a more generous veyn of Reaſon in it, is,

2. That could we hinder God of his will, yet it is moſt juſt and p. 21equall that we ſhould yield it him voluntarily, upon the account of his deep Wiſdom, great Goodneſs, ſpotleſs Juſtice, and abſolute Soveraignty: conſidering, that he that is infinitely wiſe can commit no error; he that is infinitely good can do no evil; he that is ininfinitely juſt can offer no wrong; and he that is an abſolute Lord, and unlimited Soveraign, needs ask no leave in whatſoever he pleaſeth to doe. Now, God is ſo wiſe, that the Scripture tells us he is only wiſe, and all creatures fooles to him, Rom. 16. 17. all his works are done in wiſdome, infinite, incomprehenſible wiſdome, Pſ. 104. 24. ſo good, that it aſſures us there is none (as he is good, abſolutely, originally, independently, and immutably) good but he, Mat. 19. 17. All the Earth is full of his goodneſs, Pſ. 33. 5. There is no unrighteouſneſs in him, John. 7. 18. He is righteous in all his wayes, Pſ. 145. 17. And though all the World ſift and ſcan his actions never ſo much, they will be able to finde nothing after him, to quarrel him juſtly for, p. 22Eccleſ. 7. 14. and therefore we ſhall but exalt our folly, and render it more conſpicuous, Prov. 14. 29. and declare our ſin, Iſ. 3. 9. and ſhew our taking pleaſure in unrighteouſneſs, 2 Theſ. 2. 12. if we ſet up our fooliſh, evil, and unjuſt wills, in oppoſition againſt him.

Wilt thou quarrel him, becauſe his wiſdome is not concordant with humane maximes, his goodneſs is not meaſured by humane meaſures, and his juſtice not directed and governed by humane lawes? Conſider then in the laſt place, that it is (as Tertullian ſayes,) a moſt fooliſh Stultiſſimi, qui de humanis divina praejudicant. Adv. Marc. lib. 2.thing to prejudge Gods affaires by humane Rules. Becauſe he is an abſolute Soveraign over all the World; he doth what he pleaſeth in the Army of Heaven, and among the Inbahitants of the Earth, and none can ſtay his hand, or ſay unto him, what doſt thou? as the greateſt Monarch, at that day in the World, confeſſeth, Dan. 4. 35. Now it is proper to an abſolute Soveraign, to give Laws to all, and receive them from none: yea, to be as unaccountable as the Potter p. 23is to the clay, to all under his Dominion, Rom. 9. 21. and therefore not to be commanded to yield an anſwer to any ones cavills concerning the work of his hands, as both the Context, the Chaldee Paraphraſt, the Arabick Verſion, and St. Jerome will have us underſtand that Text, which ſome modern Divines take for an high ſtraine of Divine condeſcention to the force of Prayer, Iſ. 45. 11. It is hardly poſſible (ſaith St. Auſtin) but in Aliquid proprium velle difficile eſt ut tibi non contingat, ſed ſtatim cogita, illum ſupra te, te infra illum, illum creatorem, te creaturam, illum omnipotentem, te infirmum, corrigens te & ſubjungens voluntati ejus, &c. Aug. in Pſ. 32. ubi ſupra.Ps 32ſomething or other every man ſhould incline to his own private will; but then he ought preſently to think, that God is the Soveraign, he the ſubject; God the Creator, he the creature; God Omnipotent, he impotent; and then he will ſee cauſe to correct himſelf, and ſay, yet not as I will, Lord, but as thou wilt.

To ſumme up this Paragraph then. If the will of man ſhall take upon it to preſcribe to the will of God, either Man muſt pretend to more Reaſon, or more Right to govern the World than He. To pretend to more Reaſon, muſt imply a fondly blaſphemous conceit, p. 24that he hath either skill to doe it more wiſely, or goodneſs to doe it more obligingly, or juſtice to do it more equally than God: And, to plead more Right, implyes no leſs a blaſphemous abſurdity; For who hath more right to diſpoſe of the Creature, than he that made it? Now, he made us, not we our ſelves, Pſ. 100. 3. Of him, and from him, are all things, Rom. 11. 36. and therefore in reaſon (as followes) they ſhould be to him. All the World was created for his pleaſure, Rev. 4. 11. and undoubtedly (therefore) he hath right to diſpoſe of it at his pleaſure. The Father is the moſt proper Governour of the Childe he hath begotten, and the Workman Maſter of the Manufacture that he hath made. How abſurd then is it for us, that are foreign, Gods off-ſpring, Act. 17. 28. and foreign, his Workmanſhip, Quorſum tandem proſiliet veſtra arrogantia ut non ſinatis me—in officina mea dominari? Calv. in Iſ. 45.Isa 45Eph. 2. 10. not to ſuffer the Father of our beings to govern in his own Family, and the great Architect of all the World, to be Master in his own Shop? as a learned Commentator deſcants on p. 25that Text of Iſaiah but now quoted.

2. And Secondly, on our part, it is infinitely for our advantage to be managed by the will of God, beyong what it would be to be left to our own, and that in four particulars.

1. This onelyonly can effectually quiet us, Pſ. 119. 165. Great peace have they that love thy Law, and nothing ſhall offend them, ſayes the Pſalmiſt. All our diſturbances (as St. Bernard deſcants upon that Ʋnde ſcandala, unde turbatio, niſi quod propriam ſequimur voluntatem? &c. Bern. Serm. de ſub. vol.Text) ariſes from this, that men will not be governed by Gods Law, but their own wills. Mans will, if left to its own diſpoſe, will never be at reſt. Its own deſires (like Actaeons Dogs in the Fable) wil worry, diſquiet, and diſtract it continually. And this (1,) partly from the dubiouſneſs and heſitancy incident to it in its choice, whence, men that may have what they will, cannot tell many times what to chooſe, of all that variety which diſtracts their deſires. The rational appetite is as much at a loſs, de magno tollere Horace.acervo, to chooſe among many p. 26objects, as the bodily appetite is (in a dubia coena) to pitch upon what Diſh it will feed on in a great Feaſt. (2.) And partly from the unconſtancy and fickleneſs of it, which cauſeth it ſo frequently to alter its choice. The ſick will of Mutationibus ut remediis uti. Sen. de Tranq. An.man (as the Moralist expreſſes it) doth, as the will of the ſick man, think changes its cure. So prone are we alwayes to fly from our ſelves, (ſayes old Lucretius) that is, Hoc ſe quiſque modo ſemper fugit.diſlike our preſent condition; though, had we never ſo much choice before us, we cannot tell how to mend it: So that it muſt needs be as much trouble to a man to fix ſuch a Mercuriall faculty; as, the Nurſe hath, that is to pleaſe that Child with Baubles, that diſlikes old, and likes new every quarter of an hour. (3.) And partly from its greedineſs, ariſing from its vaſtneſs, and (in a ſort) infiniteneſs of capacity: which nothing moderate will ſatisfie in any kind, while there is any thing beyond it deſirable, or but appearing ſo to be: Creſcit indulgens ſibi dirus hydrops. Hor. Ode.Like an hydropicall thirſt, that (as the Poet tells us) by its very ſatisfactions p. 27is rendered more inſatiable; and (as the Moraliſt hath it) Incipit ſemper a fine, find's the ſatiſfaction of one deſire the production of another. Whence the ſame Moraliſt tells, that Attalus compared Senec. Ep. 73. & 72.the greedineſs of appetite in Man, to that of a Dog, that as ſoon as he hath greedily ſwallowed one bit that is flung to him, in ſpem futuri hiat, he is ready, and gapes for another.

So that in all theſe reſpects, it is moſt for our eaſe and quiet to be determined, and limited in our deſires by a ſuperior will, eſpecially a will of ſo much wiſdom, goodneſs, and Juſtice, as I have before told you, Gods is. And ſubmiſſion to this alone, can fix, ſettle, and ſatisfie us.

2. This onelyonly can truely better and improve us: I mean, contribute to us a true, inward, and gracious excellency of ſpirit; and heal the ſinful diſtempers which naturally we groan under. Our viciouſneſs of nature and life, whence is it, but from our own wills? whence the Apoſtle deſcribing our p. 28natural depravedneſs, Eph. 2. 2. aſcribes it, in a great meaſure, to our foreign, the irregular appetites we are ſubject unto. When God gave the firſt Man his will, that liberty ſerved him for no further uſe than to enſlave himſelf, by debaſing the foreign, or governing faculty of his Soul to a ſenſual, brutiſh appetite: ſo that he whom God made upright, made himſelf crooked and deformed, by ſeeking out many inventions, Eccleſ. 7. 29. Now, contraria, contrariis, ſay Phyſicians. Diſeaſes are cured by contraries. Wherefore, if our own wills have depraved us, the onelyonly way to cure this depravedneſs, is to reduce them to ſubjection, and conformity to the will of God. Gods will (ſaith the Apoſtle) is a good, and perfect will, Rom. 12. 3. and therefore our perfection muſt be to ſtand compleat in all the will of God, Col. 4. 12. For (according to the Philoſophers Rule, foreign Ariſt. Top. L 3.foreign,) there being ſuch an infinite goodneſs in Gods will; to be moſt like it, muſt be, to be beſt.

p. 293. This only can ſave us from eternal ruine and deſtruction. A man never more ſpeedily and ſurely damns himſelf, than when God gives him up to his own hearts luſts, Pſal. 81. 12. when God threatens to let ſinners alone, Hoſ. 4. 17. he threatens all evil to them compendiouſly. For, 1. How often, if left to our ſelves, do we wiſh and purſue thoſe things moſt paſſionately, which are moſt prejudicial to us? ſo that it is a ſore ſuſpicion, that any thing is nought for us when our own appetites greedily deſire it. And if God would ſtudy a cloſe, quick, and certain way of being revenged upon a man, he need but open his ſtores to him, and give him the liberty of chooſing for himſelf.

Evertere domos totas, optantibus ipſis, Dii faciles. Juven. ſat. 10.ſays an Heathen. An eaſie God ſtands his Creature in no other ſtead, than to undo him with his own conſent. Were it not better then, for a man to be croſſed in his will, by Gods, (as we do our children when they cry for knives or other hurtful things) than to be let p. 30alone to be ruined by his own?

2. How often do we deprecate, and fly from thoſe things, which are (of all others) moſt beneficial to us? Like Infants that refuſe wholſome food and Medicines, becauſe they are not ſweetned to their Palat. And ſo do we deſtroy our ſelves by flying the wholſome auſterities of Religion, meerly becauſe aſcetical godlineſs, is too ſower and ungrateful to fleſh and blood? ſo alſo do we, by all means, ſhun affliction, Job. 36. 21.Job 36:21and chooſe ſin rather than it, though to our utter ruine, barely becauſe, for the preſent, it is not foreign, but foreign, not a matter of joy but of grief, Heb. 12. 11. Generally men go to Hell, becauſe they will go to Heaven their own way, not Gods. Which made St. Bernard ſay, Ceſſet voluntas propria, & infernum De Reſ. Domini, Serm. 2.non erit: that there would be no Hell, were it not for mens own wills. Though no man hath a will to be damned, yet every mans own will damns him.

Is it not therefore a thouſand times better for us to deny our own wills herein alſo, and ſubmit p. 31to Gods; who by thoſe things that do not pleaſe us, doth preſerve us from utter ruine and deſtruction; and if he ſhould do any other than diſpleaſe us, muſt be enforced to deſtroy us by humouring us; as that Chirurgion doth, who is loath to ſearch a dangerous wound to the bottom; or cut out of the quick fleſh a cancerous ſubſtance, for fear of offending and diſquieting his Patient? When we need it, it is the greateſt act of Divine indignation that he can ſhew towards us, to forbear ſeverity; ſo St. Auſtin. And on the other ſide, Bleſſed is he whom God correcteth, and teacheth him out of his Law, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Cum parcit Deus, plus iraſcittur. In Pſ. 65.Ps 65For thereby he ſaves his children from the deſtruction that attends the wicked, as follows Pſal. 94. 12, 13. upon which notion Tertullian, very elegantly, and devoutly Decet gratulari & gaudere Divinae dignatione caſtigation is. O beatum illum ſervum cujus emendationi Dominus inſtat, cui dignatur iraſci, &c. De patient.deſcants in this manner. Happy is that Servant whom his Heavenly Maſter is at ſuch pains to amend; whom he will condeſcend to be offended withal; whom by mildneſs he doth not beguile to his deſtruction. And therefore we ought p. 32to rejoice in, and congratulate the high vouchſafement of divine correction.

4. This only can Crown us eternally in Heaven, For who (among men) rewards his Servant for doing Heb. 5. 9. Si pro arbitrio ſuo ſervi dominis obtemperant, ne in iis quidem in quibus obtemperant, obſequuntur. Gub. D. L. 3.Heb 5:9his own pleaſure? It is obedience only, that God Crowns. Chriſt is the Author of Eternal life to them, (and them only) that obey him. Now (as Salvian ſaies) if a man do his Maſters will, according to his own pleaſure, though he do his commands, he doth not obey them. Beſides, it is abſurd to think that God ſhould reward any other than he approves. Now he approves not any one that doth not pleaſe him; elſe, in approving him, he would condemn himſelf. Will you know now who pleaſeth God? St. Auſtin tells you, Ille placet Aug. ubi ſupra, in Pſ. 32.Ps 32Deo (ſaies he) cui placet Deus, that man pleaſeth God, who is not diſpleaſed with him; as acquieſcing and reſting ſatisfied and contented in his pleaſure. After we have done the will of God (ſaith the Apoſtle to the Hebrews) we need to have patience to bear it too, before p. 33we receive the promiſes, Heb. 10. 36. He that thinks to get to Heaven without an entire reſignation of himſelf to Gods will; had need provide an Heaven of his own, and a Ladder of his own too to get thither. For there is no room for him in God's Heaven, nor any poſſibility for him to obtain it, that will not commit himſelf to his conduct, and enter that way which he hath appointed him.

3. And thirdly, there is alſo high Reaſon for this Truth, on the part of the whole Creation of God: which Gods will alone preſerves in being, and peace; whereas our wills would hurry it into ruine and deſtruction, by perpetual wars and confuſions: Meum and Tuum (we ſay) are the greateſt make-bates and ſow-ſtrifes in the World. And how comes this to paſs? The fault is not in propriety: for that is the end of ſtrife, when every one enjoies his own. But it lies in this, that every man will be the Judge of what is his, and what another mans; meaſuring out propriety by his own will. Whence it is, that p. 34men generally think all their own, that (quocunque modo) they can get; and nothing anothers, but what they cannot get from him. Which Alexander the Great ſpake out plain (when, to a City that offered to compound with him, upon terms of dividing their Goods and territories betwixt him and them; Eo propoſito veni in Aſiam, non ut id acciperem quod de diſſetis, ſed ut id haberetis quod reliquiſſem. Q. Curt.he anſwered) That he came not into Aſia to receive what men would give him, but to aſſign them what he ſhould think fit to leave them. And hence grow all wars ſaith St. James chap. 4. 1. becauſe men will ſhare the world among them according to their own luſts. Now the only way to end them, and preſerve the world in Peace, is for God to interpoſe his Arbitration. The which he doth, partly by Law, and partly by Power. It is then beſt with the whole world, when men will ſtand to the deciſions of Gods Law, or will of Precept, in theſe differences. For certainly (although ſome Atheiſts Totam de Diis opinionem fictum a ſapientilus Reip. cauſa, &c. Tull. de Nat. De.ſtrain the notion too far, (as he whom Tully brings in, aſſerting, that all Religion was invented by p. 35Stateſmen for politick ends; of whoſe mind I doubt there are ſtill more than a good many) yet) it is an unqueſtionable Truth, that Religion hath a great influence upon the peaceable Government of Kingdoms, nor can any Body Politick be well governed without it: ſeeing no other ties can be ſufficient to keep any man within bounds, that hath no principle of Conſcience to oblige him, longer, than till he hath power enough, and opportunity offered to diſ-engage himſelf. Whereas, when the Law of God joins with the Law of man, ſuch a one as is truly awed thereby, dares not do any unjuſt action, though he could, and were ſure he had power enough to ſecure him therein from humane Juriſdiction.

But becauſe there are ſome who have no ſenſe of Religion at all, (and ſo will not ſtand to Gods Arbitration by Law) or if they have, yet are apt to interpret Gods Law for their own advantage; therefore (to keep the world in being) God is fain to deal with theſe men by an Arbitration of Power, which p. 36(will they, nill they) they cannot foreign, &c. Hom. Il. Θ.evade. Thus Homer deſcribes his Jupiter with a pair of golden ballances in his hand, weighing out the Fates of Armies and Nations; to intimate that God alone determines the great controverſies of the world by his irreſiſtable providence, according to his own will; and by the changes and viciſſitudes of Affairs, continues the courſe of Nature, in the channel wherein it hath run from the Creation. Thus when any part of this great body, hath grown unwieldy, by attracting too much nutriment to it ſelf, he hath ſubſtracted from it, to give to others, what was expedient; cantoning great Monarchies, and diſtributing them into more moderate Principalities; and when he hath ſeen it needful (on the other ſide) ſtrengthening weak members by acceſſions contributed from adjacent parts, hath enabled them to ſupport themſelves. And ſo in private concernments, he raiſeth one Family out of the ruines of another, takes away providentially Labans wealth, and gives it to p. 37Jacob, Gen. 31. 9. removes one generation, that another may ſtand Eccleſ. 1. 4.Eccl 1:4up in its ſtead; and ſo provides for all by ſucceſſion; for whom, if they ſhould all exiſt together, the whole World would not ſuffice (as the proud King ſayes of the duſt of Samaria, in reference to his numerous Army, 1 King. 20. 10.) to afford every one an handfull. And ſo is the World maintained, as the River is, by gaining on one banke, what it loſeth on another: as the Moraliſt obſerves, that by theſe contrarieties Natura hoc, quod vides, regnum mutationibus temperat & contrarits rerum aeternitas conſtat. Sen. Ep. 107.of Providence the duration of this great Frame is preſerved. Whereas if theſe Scales could be wreſted out of Gods hand, and Men had them in their own; there would be no end of quarrels betwixt them, but in a fatall ruine of them all, by means of mutuall rapines and bloodſheds,

— ſuoque

Marte cadent ſubito per mutua vulnera fratres.

Ov. Met.

And now, Brethren, I would fain perſwade my ſelf, that by what hath been ſaid, your Judgments are Applyed.convinced of this truth. But that I am afraid, unruly Paſſions will p. 38not ſuffer them (eſpecially in your particular concernments) to pronounce according to their convictions. Reaſon is alwayes more eaſily managed than Paſſion; Man, than the beaſt in Man. The Law of the Members, as the bleſſed Apoſtle complains, is hardly brought into ſubjection to the Law of the Minde, Rom. 7. 23. whence it comes to paſs, that though we know this Doctrine to be true, and will aſſent to it in Theſi, in general; yet in Hypotheſi, (when it comes to be reduced to every Mans particular) there can hardly a Man be found that doth not perſwade himſelf, his Caſe doth not fall under this Rule, nor ought he to be governed by it. I complain of my ſelf, (Chriſtians) as well as of you. And Tertullian did ſo before me, who Confiteor ſatis temerè me, ſi non impudenter de patientia, componere auſum, cui praeftandae omninc id…eus non ſum.—Ne dicta factis deficient ibus erubeſcant De Patient.makes this ingenuous confeſſion in the preſence of God, in the very entrance of his excellent Book, De Patientia. That he had ſomewhat imprudently, and in a manner impudently, undertaken to Treat of a Duty, which he was not able to practiſe: in ſo much, that he was p. 39afraid, leſt his lines ſhould bluſh at the diſagreement that was betwixt them and his Life. Indeed, we may, all of us, if we will be ingenuous, take up the ſame confeſſion, in reference to the ſubject of this Doctrine. We can (all of us) ſay, We muſt ſubmit to Gods will; and (every one of us) finde reaſons to perſwade our Brethren unto it; but, whenever Gods will croſſeth us in our particular Intereſts, how few of us are there, of whom, that may not be ſaid truely, which Eliphaz charges on Job, Chap. 4. 5. Now it is come upon thee, and thou fainteſt, it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. If God take a way a Neighbours Wife, Childe, Eſtate, we can preſently ſay (and no words are more common in our mouths, than theſe) that, ſeeing God pleaſeth to have it ſo, he muſt ſubmit to, and acquieſce in it. But when it is our own caſe, we muſt have a diſpenſation for our impatience, our immoderate grief, our murmuring, our diſcontented Omnes cum valemus ſana conſilia aegrotis damus, &c. Ter.ſpeeches and carriages. So much harder is it to take good p. 40counſel, than to give it. Now in ſuch caſes, it is plain, that our Paſſions uſurp the Throne of Reaſon. And therefore, I pray, give me leave, after all theſe Demonſtrations, with which I have endeavoured to ſatisfie your Judgments; to deſcend to ſome moving conſiderations to make impreſſion upon your Affections themſelves; that by making a Party for God among them, I may, (by their help, once raiſed) be the better able to reduce thoſe others to obedience that ſtand in Rebellion againſt him. And, becauſe there is no paſſion that hath a greater influence upon us, to recover us from our ſinful extravagancies, than ſhame of the abſurdities, that attend them; (for which reaſon Scripture ſo frequently makes it a companion of Repentance,) I ſhall endeavour to ſtir up in you that juſt abhorrency and deteſtation of this ſinfull diſtemper, as may provoke an holy and ingenuous indignation againſt it. Now there are two things in this ſinfull oppoſition and reſiſtance of heart againſt the will of God, p. 41which we may juſtly be aſhamed of.

(1.) That it debaſeth us below thoſe, with whom we account it the greateſt diſparagement to be ranked and muſtered. There is no Name of greater diſgrace among Chriſtians, than an Heathen: and therefore to be accounted as an Heathen, is uſed by our Saviour to expreſs the higheſt brand of infamy that Chriſtianity can marke the greateſt offender withall, Mat. 18. 17. So that, certainly, there can be nothing in the World, which a Chriſtian hath more cauſe to bluſh at, than what is condemned by Heathens themſelves. Now, in the point in hand, it is amazing to think, what an height ſome Heathens have arrived to, beyond moſt of us that call our ſelvs Chriſtians. As you muſt needs ſay, when you ſhall read in Epictetus, foreign, &c. That a Man ought ſo far foreign Epict. Ench. c. 13.to renounce his own will, that he muſt not ſo much as ſeek, or deſire to have things fall out as he will: but be willing to have them fall out as they doe: and, p. 42that Men come into this World, foreign. cap. 24. foreign, &c.as Actors upon a Stage, who are not to chooſe the parts they will Act, but only to take care to Act that part decently, which is aſſigned them; and that Men ought to demean themſelves in the World, as wellbred Perſons at a Feaſt, who carve decently to themſelves of the Diſh that is ſet before them, but call not for that which is taken off, or ſet by. That thus we ought to carry our ſelves towards Wives, Children, Honours, Eſtates,; uſe them moderately, whiles God vouchſafes the enjoyment of them, but if he deny them to us, or take them from us, not to be too ſollicitous after them. That a Man thus affected, foreign. cap. 21.is ſit to be a Gueſt at the Table of the Gods; but he that can advance ſo high, as to deſpiſe all theſe, (even when he hath them) is, in a ſort, a ſharer with them in their Throne and Soveraignty: as alſo, That the chief Principle of Religion is, to have a right opinion of the Gods, as being moſt good and moſt juſt, and adminiſtring all affairs accordingly; that Man is appointed to obey p. 43and acquieſce in all that they doe, foreign, &c. C. 38. Cap. 15.and to follow willingly their conduct, as grounded on the ſupreme Reaſon: for, otherwiſe, Men will meaſure their Religion by their advantages, and love their God, or hate him, as they apprehend him the cauſe of good or evil to them: and that Men muſt not ſay, when any enjoyment is taken from them, foreign, I have lost it; but, foreign, I have reſtored it to the right owner and proprietor thereof; reſtored a dead Wife, or Childe, or Friend, a waſted Eſtate, &c. and whiles they enjoy any thing, muſt look on it, as a Permittes ipſis expendere numinibus, quid conveniat nobis; rebuſ que ſit utile noſtris: Nam pro jucundis, aptiſſima quaeque dabunt Dii. Charior eſt illis, homo, quam ſibi. Juv. Sat. 10.Traveller on his Inn, as his own Lodging, but anothers Houſe: To add to theſe, that of the Heathen-Poet (and he none of the beſt neither) That Men muſt leave it to the Gods to chooſe for them, who, becauſe they love Man better than he can himſelf, will chooſe what is moſt for his profit, though they deny him what is for his pleaſure: and that of Seneca, Magnus eſt animus qui ſe Deo tradidit; puſillus & degener qui obluctatur. Sen. Epiſt. 107.That it is the property of a great, and noble Soul, to reſign himſelf entirely to God; and that none but a low, and degenerous Spirit p. 44will ſtruggle with him. To which, in the laſt place, take that high Speech of one Demetrius (recorded by the ſame Seneca, from his own Mouth, as he ſayes) That he had onelyonly one thing to complain of Hoc unum, inquit, Dii immortales, de vobis queri poſſum quod non antè mihi voluntatem veſtram notam feciſtis. Prior enim ad iſta veniſſem, ad quae nunc vocatus ad. ſum.—Maluiſſem offerre quam tradere. Quid opus fuit auferre? accipere potuiſtis. Sed ne nunc quidem auferetis, quia nihil eripitur niſi retinenti. Nihil cogor, nihil patior invitus: nec ſervio Deo, ſed aſſentio. Sen. de Provid.in the uſage he had received from the Gods; That when they deſigned the taking of his Earthly comforts from him, they did not acquaint him with what they meant to call for before-hand. For, (ſaith he) I would have prevented your calling me to ſuch a condition, by offering my ſelf to it. I would have tendered what you would have had, as a preſent, not paid it as a Tax. What need had you to take from me, what you needed but to have accepted? Nor indeed ſhall you now properly take from me any thing; ſeeing that cannot be properly taken away, that is not detained. I ſuffer no compulſion at all from you, I ſuffer nothing againſt my will. I do not ſo much ſubmit to the Gods, as aſſent and vote with them. I confeſs this laſt Speech ſavours ſomewhat of the high Stoical Rant; (as divers other paſſages in Seneca p. 45both his own, and thoſe quoted with commendation from others of his ſect;) and therefore every expreſſion in it is not to be in ſtrictneſs and propriety of language imitated or approved. But however in the high Rhetorick thereof, we may ſee what an Idea even an Heathen fancy conceives of that profeſſion which man ought to attain unto, (for the Stoicks, I ſuppoſe, when they ſpeak theſe things of themſelves, ſpeak their Judgments (at leaſt) of what they deſign, or are convinced they ought to deſign the attainment of in their own practiſe) and thence infer; that, certainly, we are not able to anſwer it to God, our own Conſcience, or our ſolemn profeſſion of Chriſtianity, if we come ſo vaſtly ſhort of thoſe mens, (whether aims and deſigns, or) avowed principles, whom we count it the greateſt diſgrace to be levelled withal. And we may make uſe of theſe, and an 100 more like Inſtances from the Heathens that knew not God, to ſhame our ſelves, for our non-proficiency in a Leſſon; which even p. 46out of the very ruins and rubbiſh of fallen nature, thoſe Philoſophers were able to read ſo cleerly (at leaſt,) if we will not allow them to have reduced it to practice in their lives and converſations.

But if withall, we ſhall be ſo charitable to them, as to believe they (for the main) practiſed according to their ſpeeches in this kind; (and why ſhould we not vouchſafe them ſo much of our charity (at leaſt) as to allow them to be honeſt men, againſt moſt of whom we have little evidence to judge them other, but from the pens of their Adverſaries?) then, the ſhame of being, not outworded only, but out-lived alſo, by the men that we repreſent to our ſelves under ſo odious a Character, cannot but cloath our faces, and our own confuſion from ſo juſt a conviction, cannot but cover us as with a mantle, when we conſider that we come ſhort of them, whom we ought ſo far to exceed, that a foreign, a bare precedency or going before them (it ſeems by our Saviours Queſtion) will not ſerve our turns, p. 47except we advance to a foreign to excel them ſo far, as to run them out of diſtance, and carry the prize from them, Mat. 5. 47.

But if this conſideration will not ſhame us into a better temper, conſider we in the next place, that to run counter thus to the will of God, is

2. That, that is a real contradiction to the confeſſed principles and practiſes of Chriſtianity, and (by conſequence) faſtens on us the reproach of being falſe to our own avowed Religion. For tell me (thou that calleſt thy ſelf Chriſtian) what is Chriſtianity, but a Doctrine that teacheth conformity to Chriſt? And how art thou conformable to Chriſt, when he profeſſeth ſo often, that he had no will of his own, but only his Fathers will that ſent him? who in his greateſt Agonies ſurrendred himſelf up to his Fathers will with an abſolute renunciation of his own? Mat. 26. 39. How canſt thou be a Chriſtian, that art yet to learn the very A B C of Chriſtianity, ſelf-denial, and taking up the Croſs (Mat. 16. 24.) p. 48duties ſo inconſiſtent with this maintaining a conteſt betwixt our wills and Gods; that the feet of the Antipodes will ſooner meet, than it and they?

Thou therefore, that art of this Character, (though thou call thy ſelf Chriſtian never ſo much) know that Chriſtianity diſclaims, and Chriſt diſowns thee.

Thou calleſt God thy Father, be aſhamed of thy Impudence, who handleſt him rather like a child under correction, than a Father. Thou calleſt him Maſter. How incongruouſly and incoherently with thy practiſe; who, whileſt thou calleſt him ſo, art diſputing and contending who ſhall be more Maſter, thou or he?

Thou addreſſeſt thy ſelf to him (in thy ſolemn prayers at leaſt) and ſayeſt, ſanctificetur nomen tuum, adveniat regnum tuum, fiat voluntas tua; and art thou not aſhamed of thy groſs hypocriſie, when (notwithſtanding thy ſeeming devotion) thy heart gives thy tongue the lie, and ſecretly ſaies [My name, my Kingdom, my will] inſtead of p. 49Gods? But, poſſibly thou mayeſt profeſs to be ſo modeſt, as to allow God two of theſe, the Name and the Kingdom; and thou only ſtickeſt at that hard word, Thy will. Thou art for the ſanctification of his Name, and the coming of his Kingdom; but thou wouldeſt fain obtain thy will. Nay, but, thou fooliſh man, what ſhall God do with the Name or the Kingdom, if thou have the will? what a poor name will be left him in the world, if he ſerve only as an Inſtrument for man to work his own ends by? He that is the principal in any action, carries the Name of it. And what a poor Kingdom, (indeed a meer titular, and arbitrary ſoveraignty) will he have; if he have his power meaſured out to him by the arbitrary inſtructions he receives from time to time from thy will? ſo that by the granting thee thy will, inſtead of a Name and a Kingdom, he leaves himſelf nothing, but the Name of a Kingdom. Nay, indeed, to what purpoſe is it for thee to pray to him at all, if thou take thy ſelf to be p. 50thus foreign? For what a vain thing is it to ask that of God, which, but from thy allowance, he hath no power to give? Beſides, how pellucid is that hypocriſie, which pretends in all humble and ſubmiſſive manner to begg of God; when (thy will depriving him of all power to deny thee) a royal ſtile would better befit thee,

Hoc volo, ſic jubeo, ſtet pro rattone voluntas? ſpeak out man, and tell God, (in plain Engliſh) that when thou ſayſt I begg, and I beſeech, and I intreat, thou wilt be underſtood to ſay, I ſtraitly will and command: bid him deny thee at his peril, thou wilt un-god him if he do, niſi Deus homini placuerit non erit Deus, (as Tertullian ſaies) tell him thou art Tert. Apol.reſolved to own no God any longer than he ſhall pleaſe thee; ſuch language is like thy ſelf, fit for a ſoveraign will to deliver it ſelf in. And indeed, this is the genuine language of every humane will, which lifts it ſelf into competition with Gods, ſo pregnant with blaſphemies is it.

Thou pretendeſt to love God; a ſorty pretence it is, and nothing p. 51elſe, whiles thou art continually miſ-interpreting his actions, and Qui ſatis diligunt now cito offenduntur. Salv. Ep. 1.picking quarrels at him. He loves but poorly (ſaies Salvian) whom every trifle will offend. Thou loveſt him, thou ſayeſt. But wherefore doſt thou love him? Becauſe he gratifies thee in what thou deſireſt. Sic prata, & pecudes dillgimus. Tully.So thou loveſt thy Horſe when he paceth to thy mind, and thy field, when it yields fruit to thy mind, ſays the Orator: this is (as he ſays) mercatura, non amicitia, trading, not love. Thou loveſt him, thou ſayeſt, how long will that love laſt? till he diſpleaſeth thee next. Thou loveſt him, but tanquam oſurus, as one from whom the next occaſion thou takeſt to pick a quarrel at, will alienate thee again. Away with this boys-play, Chriſtians; thus children are won with an apple, and Iuſulſus puer, amas patrem ſi blanditur, odio habes, quod te flagellat: quaſi non & blandiens & flagellans haereditatem paret. Aug. in Pſ. 32.Ps 32loſt with a nut, as the Proverb ſaith. A ſimple child indeed, (ſaith St. Auſtin) that loveſt thy heavenly Father when he dandles thee, and hateſt him when he corrects thee, not conſidering that whether he dandle or correct thee, he provides a portion for thee!

p. 52Thou ſtileſt thy ſelf (it may be) not an ordinary lover, but a friend of God, and pretendeſt more communion and fellowſhip with him than others have. Thou deceiveſt thy ſelf groſly, friend. For friendſhip Idem velle & idem nolle, perfecta eſt amicitiam. Tnlly.(the Orator will tell thee) cannot conſiſt, but in an entire union of wills: ſo there may be (wilt thou ſay) if God will reduce his will to mine, or compound the matter at leaſt; in ſuch things and ſuch God to have his will, and in other things to allow me my will. But ſtay, proud Creature, God and man are never ſo friends, as to become fellows. Abraham, to be ſure, was God's Friend, Iſay 41. 8. and yet he knew his diſtance, as appears in that humble conference, Gen. 18. 27, 30. when a ſuperior vouchſafes to become a friend, he expects for his condeſcention, to be obſerved and complyed withal from him whom he obligeth. This cultura potentis amici, huſbanding of a potent friendſhip, is no eaſie matter. And it principally conſiſts in (that, which thou art moſt averſe to) the perfect melting the p. 53inferiors will into that of his ſuperiour friend. He that claims to be Gods friend, muſt in many caſes, either quit his will, or his friend.

Thou claimeſt ſalvation by Chriſt. How vainly, and incongruouſly to the whole Oeconomy of that great work, as contrived and effected by him; ſee in theſe two things.

1. In general, Chriſt did, doth, will do nothing in that great work for any man, but according to the will of God. Lo, I come, ſaith he, to do thy will, O God; thy Law is within my heart, Pſ. 40. 8. Heb. 10. 9. and he profeſſes, he came to do, not his own will, (much leſs any other perſons) but the will of him that ſent him, Joh. 6. 38.

2. In ſpecial, All the offices of Chriſt, wherein he works out our ſalvation, are managed according to his Fathers will. As a Prieſt, he ſacrificed his will to his Father, before he offered his bloud, Mat. 26. 39, 42. As a Prophet, he ſpake, not of himſelf, but the words that he ſpake, the Father gave him in Commandment, and as the Father ſaid unto him, p. 54ſo he ſpake, Joh. 12. 49, 50. As a King, he derives his Authority from him that ſaid unto him, ſit thou at my right hand, Pſ. 110. 1. And he received his Kingdom by way of petition from his Father: Ask of me, and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance, Pſ. 2. 8. God ſet him as his King upon his holy hill, v. 6. made him Lord and Chriſt, Acts 2. 36. And anſwerably, the ſaving influence of all his Offices is diſpenced in ſuch a manner; as renders it utterly impoſſible for any man to have benefit by them, except upon condition of an entire reſignation of his own will to the will of God. The price of our Redemption, which he paid for us, as Prieſt, hath bought us wholly out of our own power, and made us entirely Gods peculiar. 1. Cor. 6. 19, foreign. Tit. 2. 14.Titus 2:1420. And in ſuffering for us, he hath obliged us to imitate and reſemble him in his Death: exemplifying it in the crucifixion of our inordinate affections and luſts, Gal. 5. 24. The Doctrine, he hath revealed to us, as the great Prophet of the Church (in the whole ſcope and p. 55drift of it) tends to nothing elſe, but the modelling and moulding our hearts and lives according to the declared will of God. The power he exerciſeth over us as King, is erected to no other purpoſe, but to make us a willing people, in all points of Chriſtian obedience, Pſ. 110. 3. The grace that he beſtows upon us, what is it, but the reparation of Gods Image in us; one main part whereof, conſiſts in the conformity of our wills to his? The Holy Spirit which he beſtows upon us, what is He to do, but to lead us in all dutiful obedience as the ſons of God, Rom. 8. 14. and to teach us what to pray for as we ought, by making interceſſion for us, i. e. by exciting holy deſires in us, according to the will of God? v. 26, 27. The Covenant of grace, which he by his mediation hath eſtabliſhed and ratified, betwixt God and us; when the Apoſtle expounds it, what doth he mention, as one of the main Articles in it, but this; that God will put his Laws into our minds, and write them in our hearts? i. e. reduce our wills to a perfect p. 56conformity to his own, Heb. 8. 10?

So that, from all theſe inſtances, it is evident, that to advance our wills into competition with Gods, & not entirely to conform them to his, deſtroys the whole frame of our ſalvation wrought by Chriſt; ſo that it muſt be as inconſiſtent a thing to hope to be ſaved by Chriſt, and yet to deſign the reſervation of our own wills to ourſelves, as to expect the Houſe ſtand firm, when we dig up the foundation that bears the whole building.

And now, let me aſk thee, thou peeviſh, paſſionate, ſelf-willed Creature, what canſt thou ſo much as pretend to free thee from the ſhame of ſo many abſurd, ſelf-condemning inconſiſtencies, and contradictory abſurdities?Object.

Object. Wilt thou ſay, thou art willing to ſubmit thy will to Gods, ſo far as thou canſt in reaſon be ſatified concerning it? But whiles thy Reaſon diſſents, thy will (that is managed according to that which Reaſon dictates) cannot conſent. Such and ſuch particulars in the government of the world, and the managery p. 57of thine own private concerns, thou canſt not but think, might have been ordered better otherwiſe: & thou hopeſt God will not be angry with thee, if thou reaſon the caſe with him, as Jeremy did chap. 12. 1. in order to thine own ſatisfaction.

Generouſly ſaid, and much like a Anſw.Man! but (I muſt tell thee) too little ſavouring of a Chriſtian Thou wouldeſt have God ſatisfie thy Reaſon, what Reaſon doſt thou mean? thy carnal Reaſon? That muſt not be ſatisfied, but ſubdued, and every foreign, every foreign, the ſublime notions, and acute argumentations of it, muſt be reduced into captivity to the obedience of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 10. 5. meaneſt thou thy renewed, ſanctified Reaſon? The very genuine property thereof, is, to be ſatisfied in every thing God doth (eo nomine) upon no other ground but this, that he did it, Pſ. 30. 9. The notions that it hath of Gods wiſdom, goodneſs, juſtice, ſoveraignty, &c. (before Sit pro omnibus rationibus, actor Deus. Salv. de Gub. Dei, L. 3.mentioned) are to it inſtead of all Reaſons to ſway it into an humble p. 58ſubjection, yea, proſtration to his will and pleaſure.

Again, Thou wilt have thy Reaſon ſatisfied. But when will that be? That Reaſon which Gods pleaſure will not ſatisfie, nothing elſe will ſatisfie; for, beſides the pride which naturally men take in cenſuring, (eſpecially their betters) which alone would produce innumerable cavils; (ſo that the great Creator of the world (as Tertullian ſaies to Marcian) would be able to do nothing, that would not yield matter of cenſure to theſe Quid faceret Creator ne a Marcionitis reprehenderetur. Tert. Adv. Marc. L. 2.cenſores divinitatis; but upon every turn they would preſume to tell him, ſic non debnit Deus, & ſic magis debuit, ſo he ſhould not have done, and ſo he might have done better:) I ſay, beſides the pride that humane Reaſon would take in cavilling, the ſelf-love alſo that is naturally in every man, would (after God had offered the utmoſt ſatisfaction) prompt him to hold the concluſion pertinaciouſly, when beaten by the ſtrongeſt conviction out of both the premiſes, applauding his own ſophiſtry p. 59above Divine demonſtration.

Laſtly, Thou wouldeſt bedealt with as a man, and have thy Reaſon ſatisfied. And ſhall God have done, when he hath ſatisfied thee? will he not find all the world alike deſirous of ſatisfaction with thee? And is there not as much reaſon for every one to deſire it as for any one? For, what can be urged, why thou ſhouldeſt obtain it, which may not as well be pleaded for all the men in the world? If then the Creator of the world, ſhall be obliged to ſatisfie all mankind in all that he doth, what an impoſſible task would this prove? Do not mens Judgments differ as much as their Faces? and will not that that will ſatisfie one upon that account, diſ-ſatisfie thouſands?

So, that ſtill thou art abſurd in thy Demands, and inſtead of being anſwered by Reaſon, deſerveſt (as Job did when he was much in thy ſtrain) to be anſwered out of a whirlwind, Job. 38. 1.

But, thou wilt ſay, it may be, it Object.is but a ſmall thing that I deſire to be gratified in. I am contented to p. 60leave the main government of the world to God; and not only ſo, but my own particular concerns, as to the ſubſtance: and all that I would have ſubmitted to my will, amounts to no more than the alteration of a few circumſtances. Loſſes, I could ſubmit to, but this pincheth me; that they befall me in ſuch an enjoyment, which I could worſt ſpare, in ſuch a manner, ſuch a meaſure, ſuch a time, by ſuch inſtruments: And would it not be a ſmall matter for God to gratifie me in theſe petty things?

Miſtake not thy ſelf, friend, in Anſw.calling this a ſmall matter. No;

Magnapetis Phaethon,—(proud Creature) theſe are great things, far greater than thou apprehendeſt. 'Twas a great offer that Herod made the Daughter of his Minion Herodias, when he bad Mar. 6. 23.Mark 6:23her ask to the half of his Kingdom. But thy demands herein to thy God, are greater than his offer. For thou aſkeſt not half only, but the far better half of Gods Kingdom. For although circumſtances in a metaphyſical conſideration, be but p. 61ſmall things, the meer garments, or (leſs it may be) trimmings of an action: yet in a moral conſideration, theſe garments are more worth than the body, theſe trimmings than the ſtuff. For the circumſtances here, make a thing what it is. Such an action, as God cloaths it with circumſtances, is juſt and good; alter the circumſtances, thou altereſt the nature of it: as he circumſtantiates it, it is the Phyſick of thy Soul wiſely compounded for thy cure; let thy private will be but admitted to leave out or alter one ſcruple of the Ingredients, and this Phyſick will become thy Poyſon.

Beſides; be thy Demands, as thou fancieſt, but ſmall, yet ſtill they are demands; and therefore (in this reſpect) great matters, becauſe upon the refuſal of them, thou reſolveſt (it ſeems) to hold out the Fort of thy Heart in Rebellion againſt thy Maker. The ſmaller the Terms are in this caſe, the greater thy diſloyalty, who upon ſuch ſmall terms ſuſpendeſt, yea denyeſt thy Allegiance to thy Lord and Soveraign. p. 62Know therefore (for a cloſe of this point) that thou art abſurdly impertinent in all thy pretenſions againſt the equity of this Duty, the reſignation of thy will univerſally to the will of God. For herein Heathens themſelves condemn thee; thine own avowed principles of Chriſtianity confute thee; yea, thy own Reaſons and Arguments to the contrary, militate againſt thee. And therefore thou haſt nothing more to do (if thou wilt not do amiſs) but to lie down Jer. 3. 25.Jer 3:25in thy ſhame, and repent thee (with holy Job, after a like ſawcy debate with his Maker) in duſt and Job. 40. 4, 5. 42. 3, 6.Job 40:4Job 40:5Job 40:42Job 40:3Job 40:6aſhes, acknowledging, that thou haſt medled with what thou underſtoodeſt not, and therefore wilt proceed no farther, but quietly lay thy hand on thy mouth, and (with the brethren in the Text) foreign, reſt ſatisſied, and give his Will no farther interruption or diſturbance; which brings my diſcourſe and awakens your attention to the ſecond conſiderable in the matter of my Text, which comes now to hand.

p. 632. The Factum, or what theſe 2. The ſecond Branch the Factum.brethren did, in purſuance of what they ſaid, foreign, we ceaſed. The word in the Original, is of a great latitude. Ordinarily it is uſed to expreſs a quiet, ſilent, calm, and peaceable deportment, without the leaſt commotion in ones ſelf, or diſturbance of others. When Wars and Tumults are ended in a Nation, that no perſon contrives or attempts new broils, they are by the Greek Hiſtorians, generally ſaid, foreign. And in this notion, it may well ſute here. Whiles man deſires one thing, and God deſigns another, there is, as it were a war (at leaſt conteſt) betwixt God and him, whoſe will ſhall prevail; but when we reſign our wills, and entirely reſt in his; then we do yield him the Victory, and are at Peace with him. But there is more in it than ſo. For a conquered Nation, may be at peace, and free from creating any more broils; not from any ſatisfaction in their condition, but from-conviction of the bootleſſneſs of ſtirring any more to alter it. And therefore the Etymologiſts find p. 64ſomething alſo in this word, that imports an inward complacency and pleaſedneſs of ſpirit in that condition, wherein a man is thus quiet and peaceable. For they tell us, it comes from foreign, that ſignifies inward foreign, quaſi foreign.ſatisfaction, delight and pleaſure, ſo that the Leſſon which it learns us in this latitude, is

That he that duly ſubmits to Gods 2. Obſervation.will, doth with unſpeakable calmneſs, tranquility, and ſatisfaction of mind, acquieſce therein.

A truly noble, and Chriſtianly Its Explication, and Evidence.Heroical frame of ſpirit this Doctrine expreſſeth; which (according to the former explication of the word) includes two things, to be endeavoured and laboured after by all Chriſtians.

1. An inward ſerenity and clearneſs of mind, that (like a calm after a ſtorm) doth motos compònere fluct us, lay all the waves that rumpled Virg.and ruffled a mans ſoul, whether from diſſatisfaction of judgment, or diſorder of affections. So that inſtead of tumultuating thoughts, and tempeſtuous paſſions, there is, in the Soul of man ſo p. 65quieted (what the Evangeliſt tells us Chriſts increpation reduced the winds and ſea unto, Mat. 8. 26.) foreign, a great calm. And this, to make it the more plain to you, I ſhall ſhew in parts.

1. A mans Judgment is reconciled to think well of the doings of God, which before (poſſibly) he proudly and peremptorily cenſured and condemned; and he is ſatisfied in them, as moſt juſt and good: whence the man is highly pleaſed in what God hath done; as concluding, that had it been left to himſelf to order, he knew not how to have mended it in the leaſt circumſtance! Thus did Hezekiah foreign, Good, faith he, is the word of the Lord which thou haſt ſpoken; and 'tis remarkable, that this word which he owns as ſo good, was a ſevere threatning of the Prophet Iſaiah from God, that was to befall his Kingdom and poſterity: and yet, he is reconciled to it, in his Judgment. And he repeats it again (with the reaſon of his acquieſcence in it with ſo high a ſatisfaction.) For he ſaid moreover, there ſhall be peace and truth p. 66in my daies, Iſ. 38. 8. or (as it is rendred in the parallel place, 2 Kin. 20. 19.) Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my daies? q. d. However, the Judgments threatned be ſevere to my poſterity, in whom I am deeply concerned, yet there is more mercy in it than I could have expected, ſeeing God hath lengthened out the tranquility of his Church and people during my time. I am (holy Prophet) conſcious of an offence (brought home to me by thy miniſtry) which deſerved a worſe Judgment; and therefore, I am highly pleaſed that God hath ſo mitigated his ſeverity. I could not with reaſon have wiſhed a more moderate correction. Thus did David foreign, when he cries out, it is good for me that I have been afflicted, q. d. I would not for all the world have been otherwiſe dealt with, than God hath dealt with me, in theſe my ſad and doleful afflictions, and perſecutions from Saul: and he gives a reaſon of it too, becauſe it learned him Gods ſtatutes, Pſ. 119. 71. and again he ſpeaks his high approbation of Gods ſeverities, v. 75. I know, O Lord, that p. 67thy Judgments are right, and that in much faithfulneſs thou haſt afflicted mee, thou haſt diſcharged the part of a truſty & faithful friend, in all that thou haſt inflicted upon me. I know I had been worſe if I had fared better. Had God gratified my humour, he had falſified his Truſt, his Covenant, wherein he ſtands engaged to me, to give grace and glory, and detain no good thing from me, Pſ. 84. 14. 34. 10. Will you ſee (yet) an higher approbation given to God in his ſevereſt Providences? Look on Job then: who when God had made him poor to a Proverb, and that by ſeveral gradations and ſucceſſive advances of afflicting providences, and thoſe arriving at his knowledge by ſeveral frighted Meſſengers one after another, (which is among men accounted the greateſt addition of torture that can be, to deſtroy a man gradually, that he may ſentire ſe mori, be ſenſible of every approach of death diſtinctly) yet he falls on his face and worſhips the Lord, and ſaies, The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken (he acknowledgeth the juſtice of his proceedings) p. 68he had done him no wrong, to call for his own back again: (and he proceeds) I muſt have left them ſhortly, for I muſt have returned naked to the Earth (my Mother whence I was taken) and God hath but taken them from me a little ſooner, Bleſſed be the name of the Lord. This laſt now, is an high word, to bleſs God for ſuch loſſes, ſhews the judgment to be ſatisfied in the inflicting of them, as in the greateſt of Mercies. Methinks I hear him deſcanting upon this plain-ſong thus, Bleſſed be God that hath taken ſo effectual a courſe (to wean me from the world, and to bring me to an entire acquieſcence in himſelf, for my only portion) as this, the leaving me nothing elſe to rival him in my affections. Bleſſed be that ſharp affliction, which inſtead of letting out my heart blood, hath only lanced an Impoſthume. Bleſſed be the name of the Lord that hath taken from me the rack, and ſtrappado of my anxious thoughts, the fewel of my luſts, the ſnares of my heart, the canker of my graces, the matter of my temptations, p. 69the clogg of my holy affections, the thief of my devotions, the barr and wall of partition betwixt my ſoul, and its full, entire, and ſatisfactory communion with God. Thus high goes the ſatisfaction of the judgment, in this foreign, or calm ſerenity of Soul, acquieſcing in Gods will.

2 And the Affections in this caſe are not behind hand; being (not only from a ſtrong tide of oppoſition to the will of God (it may be) reduced to a dead water; but) by a contrary Tide (occaſioned by the moving of Gods holy ſpirit upon them) turned back, and made to run in the ſame ſtream with it, neither do they (as they ſay ſome ſwift Rivers do, that paſſing through great Lakes keep their own waters unmixed) reſerve any thing of their own; but mingle themſelves entirely with that Ocean of infinite perfections into which they are ſwallowed. So, that let God do what he will, ſuch a ſoul loves him entirely, deſires him affectionately, truſts and hopes in him ſecurely, delights in him ſatisfactorily; p. 70and (on the other ſide) grieves for nothing but offending him, fears nothing but that it may offend him again, is angry at nothing but its own fooliſh prejudices, and hard thoughts of him, for which it could even tear it ſelf piece-meal, out of a juſt indignation; befooling and be-beaſting it ſelf, for tumultuating againſt him, Pſ. 73. 22. &c. And hence ariſeth that ſtrange foreign, or Chriſtian Epicuriſm, (if I may ſo call it) wherein the raviſhed Soul can do (that which Epicurus only vaunted of) cry out even in Phalaris his Bull, Quam dulce! O how ſweet and pleaſant, and delicious are the greateſt afflictions! ſo the Apoſtle James, Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations: and the other Apoſtle ſpeaks of it as a thing of common experience; both his own, I take pleaſure, foreign, find high complacency and ſatisfaction in varieties of grievous ſufferings, 2 Cor. 12. 10. and his brethrens alſo, as he witneſſeth, Rom. 5. 3. We (not I only, but I, and my fellow-Chriſtians) foreign, glory, crow, p. 71and triumph in tribulations. Thus ſerene and calm is the Soul, when it ſatisfactorily reſts in Gods will.

2. It implies alſo an outward teſtification of this inward ſerenity and calmneſs of mind, and that in all our carriages and deportments. A mans very countenance witneſſeth the complacency of the heart in Gods good pleaſure. It doth not fall and lowre, with Cains, out of wrath, and high indignation againſt God, Gen. 4. 5. No fire of anger ſparkles in the eies; no wrinkles of care, ſollicitouſneſs and forethought furrow the brows; no melancholly paleneſs, or vexing leanneſs disfigures the cheeks: but the merry heart (as Solomon ſaies) makes a cheerful countenance, Prov. 15. 13. and the light and health that is in that (Job. 29. 24. Pſ. 42. 9.) ſpeaks the ſound and healthy conſtitution of the Soul that ſhines through it. For Index animae vultus; the face is the minds interpreter.

The Tongue, is not only bound to the good behaviour, as to all expreſſions of diſcontent and diſpleaſure, p. 72as Davids was, Pſ. 39. 9. but contrarily, enlarged, and ſet at liberty to ſound forth the high praiſes of God, and bleſs him (as Job) in the greateſt afflictions, in every thing giving thanks, 1 Theſ. 5. 18. and glorifying him even in the Fires, Iſ. 24. 5.

Laſtly, the very geſtures, carriages, and deportments of the whole body, teſtify that the ſpirit is lightſome, debonaire, and free from all ſuch black and clowdy thoughts as uſually derive an unpleaſing gloomineſs, and lowring ſullenneſs into the whole converſation. So David, when God had declared his Will in reference to his Child, by and by alters the whole Garb of his converſation, waſheth his cloaths, and annoints himſelf, and changeth bis apparel, and eats and drinks as formerly, 2 Sam. 12. 20.

You will ſay, this is an high Application.pitch of perfection indeed, and very deſirable, but yet ſuch, as it may be queſtionable, whether it be poſſible to be attained, and ſo conſiſtent either with nature or duty? For, is it naturally poſſible ſo totally p. 73to caſt off humanity, whiles we live here below, as not to be affected with any the ſinleſs ſoftneſſes, and imbecilities of it? And did our Saviour himſelf ſo far comply with them, as frequently to expreſs a ſenſe of humane infirmities? Beſides, it being not only lawful, but a duty in us, to fear when God threatens, and grieve when he ſmites; does not this carriage ſeem to import a ſtoical Apathy, betwixt which and Chriſtian Patience there is a confeſſed Antipathy? Nay, laſtly, where the affliction is extraordinarily oppreſſing, how extreamly difficult is it for the moſt reſolved Saint ſo to mortifie the very exceſſes incident to lapſed nature, as to keep within any diſtance in this holy race to thoſe high examples but now mentioned; ſo that in us to be contented to fall beneath them ſeems a becoming humility?

I Anſwer, that, notwithſtanding whatever in this kind is or may be objected, that which I have been ſpeaking of, is ſecure from danger. For,

p. 741. As to the ſinleſs reſentments of nature, I grant it neither poſſible nor lawful wholly to put them off, and therefore require not of any man ſo to do; only I forbid them to obſtruct any operation of Grace, which if they do, they ceaſe to be ſinleſs.

2. A due ſenſibleneſs of Gods afflicting hand, if joined (as it ought to be) with a due conſideration of our own deſerts, is not only conſiſtent with, but alſo highly conducing to that higheſt degree of Acquieſcence in Divine Providence which I am treating of, and ſo militates for my Hypotheſis; and

Laſtly, The total mortification of the ſinful redundancies of natural paſſion, though confeſſed to be extreamly difficult, is alſo confeſſedly a Duty, and (by conſequence) gradually attainable: and ſo, ſeeing in the Saints mentioned it appears a perfection actually acquired, we are not to impute it to ſpecial priviledge that they acquired it, but to Gods bleſſing upon their holy endeavours; and make their examples a ſpur to our induſtry, p. 75accounting whatever diſſwades us from it, nothing elſe but ſluggiſhneſs in an humble diſguiſe. And therefore diſ-hearten not thy endeavours by forcaſting impoſſibilities. For, as Epictetus encourageth foreign, &c. foreign Ench. C. 75.the young Candidate of his Philoſophy, whom he had ſtartled with the eminent example of Socrates, by telling him, that in the practiſe of the principles he lays down, Socrates became what he was, and that though he be not yet a Socrates, yet by aiming and deſigning to become a Socrates, and living anſwerably to thoſe aims, he might in time arrive at the ſame perfection with him: ſo do I encourage thee, Deſpair not of reaching to the high perfections of Job, David, Hezechiah, and other eminent Saints; for thou mayeſt in time come to be ſuch an one as they were, if thou wilt live and do as becomes one who intends to be ſo.

My next buſineſs, therefore, ſhal Directions.be to give thee ſuch Directions, by the practiſe whereof thou mayeſt advance towards, and in time arrive at this noble pitch.

p. 761. Firſt, then, thou muſt Love God ſincerely, not only for what thou receiveſt and expecteſt from him, but alſo, and principally, for what thou ſeeſt and accordingly adoreſt in him. And labour to improve the Love thou haſt for him into an intimate acquaintance and friendſhip with him. For hereby thou wilt grow ſo far ſatisfied in him, that thou wilt be aſſured he neither can nor will order any thing that befalls thee otherwiſe than may ſtand with thy beſt advantage; thy heart will reſt ſecurely in him; and thou wilt not find a place in thy boſom for ſuſpicion or cenſure of any thing he doth; yea, thou wilt be ſtudious to pleaſe and approve thy ſelf to him in all things; and think nothing thou haſt too dear for him to diſpoſe of at his pleaſure, which he will vouchſafe to call for or make uſe of; but rather, (as we uſe to expreſs our ſelves to our intimate friends when they have occaſion for any thing in our poſſeſſion) thou wilt tell him from thy heart, that thou art heartily glad p. 77thou hadſt it for him.

2. Interpret Gods providences candidly. Take every thing from foreign. Epict. C. 65.him by the beſt Handle. If any better conſtruction than other can be made of his dealings, take hold of that, and therewithal ſilence thy paſſionate prejudices and miſ-repreſentations that art apt to miſlead thee. What a falſe glaſs is to a beautiful face, and the moved water to a ſtreight ſtaff, that is prejudicate opinion to the beſt of Gods Actions. There is a rare Beauty in all Providences as God orders them, Eccleſ. 3. 11. do you but hang them in a good light, and wipe your eies from all infectious tinctures of prepoſſeſſion, and they will appear no leſs amiable to you, than they are in themſelves.

3. Deſire moderately, For what we have an immoderate appetite unto, as the Iſraelites to fleſh, Num. 11. 13. and an inordinate longing for, as Rachel for Children, Gen. 30. 1. we are apt to over-expect: what we over-expect; if we attain it, we are prone to over-love, and if we miſs of attaining it, or loſe it again p. 78when attained, to overgrieve. And then do our diſcontents advance themſelves upon our diſappointments, and an hundred to one, if (while in our unbounded paſſions, we fling about us like enraged beaſts) we daſh not ſome dirt in the face of God the Author, as well as on the perſons and things which he makes uſe of as the Inſtruments of our Defeats. No man knows what a black train of daring impieties may be at the heels of any inordinate deſire; even ſuch, as if he were told of before, that is moſt favourable to himſelf, when tranſported to them, he would bleſs himſelf from the very thought of them.

4. Maintain a noble and heroical Faith in God, both concerning the affairs of this life, ſo far as they fall under Divine Promiſes, and thoſe of the Life to come. And becauſe the ſecurity you have for both is not alike, you muſt principally fix your confidence in that which relates to your Souls and their concernments; and then having raiſed a well grounded aſſurance p. 79concerning them, you will the more eaſily quench thoſe ſparks of unbelief which are apt to diſquiet you in reference to affairs of an inferiour nature. For he that can depoſite his ſoul with God, being aſſured (with the bleſſed Apoſtle, 2 Tim. 1. 12.) that he will foreign, keep that important pledge faithfully; will eaſily truſt and acquieſce in him for all other things. For will any man diſtruſt him for Counters, whom he intruſts with Gold and Pearls? And hence it will follow, that the more nobly and generouſly your Faith in all things reſts in God, the more full and clear will your ſatisfactions be concerning him in all his dealings; ſo that you will not be eaſily ſhaken in your expectations from him, or debauched into miſconſtructions of him; yea, love, joy, and delight in him, will act as high as our Faith, even in defiance of all appearing contradictions and impoſſibilities. So was it with the Church, Hab. 3. 17, 18. Although the Fig-tree ſhall not bloſſom, neither ſhall fruit be in the Vine, the p. 80labour of the Olive ſhall fail, and the fields ſhall yield no meat, the flock ſhall be cut off from the fold, and there ſhall be no heard in the ſtalls: yet will I rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God of my ſalvation.

5. Remember what you have received from God gratefully, and compare it with what you want, or loſe; which if you do, you will find (upon account) a thouſand mercies, it may be, to one or two in conſiderable croſſes. What the Moraliſt tells us is the too common fault of Ambition, that, non reſpicit, it looks with envy at thoſe few that are before, but never looks back with gratitude at thoſe many that in the Princes favour come behind; thou mayeſt obſerve to be the fault of thy diſcontent, it doth not reſpicere, not look back upon the many mercies beſtowed, or the many other croſſes eſcaped, but only forward, upon that one mercy or croſs, which it deſires or eſchews Could we keep an exact account of the various dealings of God with us all our life long, and confront p. 81his afflicting with his obliging providences, we ſhould find abundance of cauſe to acknowledge even the moſt miſerable term of life, to be fuller of mercies than miſeries; as the Poet tells us, that whoſo compares the fair and foul daies of a year together, —Inveniet plures ſolibus eſſe dies, Ovid.will find the fair daies to exceed in number. Set the one againſt the other (as Solomon ſaies of the daies of adverſity and proſperity, Eccleſ. 7. 14.) and thou wilt find nothing after him to carp or quarrel at. He that will give God thanks for what he hath taken, muſt (according to Jobs order) firſt conſider what he hath given, Job. 1. 21.

6. State your own condition juſtly, not meaſuring it by Phantaſie, but right Reaſon. Opinion makes moſt men miſerable, who would not be ſo, did they not conceive themſelves to be ſo. Whence Epictetus Tam miſer eſt quiſque quam credit. Sen. Ep. 78. Ench. cap. 5.(often before mentioned) adviſeth us to ſay to all the moſt frightful evils, foreign, thou that appeareſt ſo ſcaring a thing, art not the evil indeed p. 82that thou ſeemoſt to be; but the ſpectrum, the phantoſm, the apparition thereof. It is true, (which the Stoick will not allow) that ſickneſs, poverty, diſgrace, loſs of Friends, pain and death, are not, as he ſaies, meer Phantoſms of evil, for they are really and indeed evils: but thus far his words have an undoubted truth in them, that our opinion makes them greater evils by far than they be, the ſhape in which our abuſed phantaſie beholds them is

—Vera major Imago,

far biggar and more diſmal, than that which properly belongs to them. But here is the miſery; we by our phantaſies dreſs the evils we have to do with (like whiflers) in the moſt terrible viſors that may be, and then, forgetting that they are the creatures of our own imagination, we ſuffer our ſelves to be affrighted with them.

Yea, commonly, we commit a groſſer abſurdity than this is, whiles we ſuffer our ſelves to be abuſed into ſad diſorders and diſtempers of ſpirit, by the meer opinions of p. 83others. How eaſie a thing it is to Nemo aliorum ſenſu miſer eſt, ſed ſuo. Salv. de G. D. 1.make a melancholly man ſick indeed, by confidently perſwading him that he is ſo, experience hath evidenced in divers inſtances. And the like fallacy, is ordinarily put upon us by the vulgar opinion of thoſe things which befal us, which makes us think worſe of what we undergo, than our own reaſon (yea or ſenſe) otherwiſe, would pronounce. Now, in all ſuch caſes, we muſt ſtrip all thoſe affrighting evils which ſo diſturb us, of whatever, opinion (our own or others) hath cloathed them withall; and after ſo doing, judge of them by the dictates of ſound Reaſon informed from the Scripture. And then, that providence of God towards us which in a diſguiſe looked like a Devil, when ſtripped of it, will appear a good Angel; and inſtead of running from its gripes, we ſhall run into its embraces.

7. Mind your work that God hath laid out for you to do, ſeriouſly and induſtriouſly. For, what one ſaies of Love, is true of diſcontent and diſſatisfaction in Gods procecedings; p. 84it is otioſorum negotium, the foreign, Diog. apud Laert. L. 6.buſineſs of unbuſied ſouls, who have the more leaſure to mind their wants and loſſes, becauſe they make holy-day from their work. Whereas he that minds his great buſineſs of Eternity ſeriouſly, will rub through with mean accommodations here, and be ſo ſollicitous to prevent the loſs of his own Soul, that no other loſs will much affect him.

8. Hold the ſcales even, in theſe 4 Compariſons.

1. Betwixt God and your ſelves, I mean not only in his infinite wiſdom laid againſt your folly, his infinite juſtice againſt your fond and unjuſt partiality, his infinite goodneſs againſt your badneſs, his infinite greatneſs againſt your meanneſs: but alſo in the collation of his dealings with your own deſervings. A judgment duly poiſed, will alwaies find ſin outweigh ſuffering: and inſtead of upbraiding God with its merits, find cauſe in abundance to deprecate its demerits. He that imputes ſin to himſelf will not dare, whatever he p. 85ſuffer, to impute the leaſt hard or Patienter obimus quod nobis impatamus. De Pat.injurious dealing to God: but will patiently bear what he can find none ſo juſtly to blame for as himſelf, as ſaies Tertullian. Conſidering that whatever a ſinner ſuffers, that Facile eſt qutcquid in praeſenti ſaeculo neccat; iſſud grave quod in aternitate jugulabit. L. 2. Salvad Ecl. La.is leſs than Hell, is ſo much leſs than he deſerves: ſo eaſie a burthen is that which hurts us only in this world, in compariſon with that which will damn us to Eternity, that is, ſuffering than ſin! There is not a more quieting conſideration in the world, than this duly applyed; that, (as one well ſaies) whatever, Nontam miſeri quam mali G. D. L 1.and how great ſoever our miſeries are, our ſins are greater.

2. Betwixt your ſelves and others, whether compared as men, or as Chriſtians. He that compares himſelf as a man with other men, will find this allay to his ſufferings, that he ſuffered nothing but in company, nothing, but what is foreign, Ferre quam ſortem patiuntur omnes, Nemo recuſat. Sen. in Troad. Queri, quod ſpargaris in publico ridiculum. Sen. Ep. 107.common to humanity, 10. 13. And an Heathen will tell him then, that no mans ſhoulders are too good to be laid under a common burthen. And another will acquaint him, that it is ridiculous for any one to p. 86complain that he is daſhed with dirt in a publick Road, where all Travellers muſt look to fare alike.

But if we compare our ſelves with others, as Chriſtians (except pride and ſelf-conceitedneſs do miſerably delude us) it will be a great abatement to our vexation, that we ſhall find abundance of better men than our ſelves faring worſe, and the greateſt Saints oftentimes the greateſt ſufferers.

3. Betwixt the happineſs which you enjoy in God, and that which in other things you are either denyed or deprived of. When Hannah complains to Elkanah her Husband of her barrenneſs, he thinks it a ſufficient conſideration to qualify her diſcontent, that ſhe enjoyed in him a mercy better than ten ſons, 1 Sam. 1. 8. And may not thy God with much more reaſon ſtop thy quarrelling mouth, when thou complaineſt of thy loſſes in Creature-comforts, with a queſtion of a like nature, Am not I better to thee than ten, yea, than ten thouſand ſuch children, Wives, Friends, Eſtates? He that, notwithſtanding p. 87all his loſſes, hath a God ſtill, may aſſure himſelf that (to allude to the Poets conſolation of his cheated —Nec, tam tenuis cenſus tibi contigat, ut mediocris Jactur ae te mergat onus.—Juv. ſat. 13. foreignfriend) he is too rich to be undone, though the whole Creation fail him at once. He that can ſay with David, thou art my portion, O Lord, Pſ. 119. 57. will have cauſe to ſay with Jacob too. I have enough, yea, I have all, Gen. 33. 11. and (by conſequence) will not think it reaſonable to be over-troubled at what his God takes from him, be it what it will, whiles, Non eſt ablatus qui dedit, quamuis ablatum faerit quod dedit. In Pſ. 32.Ps 32though (as Saint Auſtin ſaith) he hath taken away his gifts, he hath not taken away the Giver. Upon which conſideration, the Pſalmiſt plucks up his ſpirits, and recovers himſelf out of a deep and dangerous diſcontent, Pſ. 73. 25. &c. and comforted himſelf in a woful extremity, 1. Sam. 30. 6. In a word, the leaſt advantage that can be made of this meditation, cannot be leſs than the ſuppreſſing unruly paſſion for a while, upon this conſideration, that to give it the bridle upon any other loſs is the ready way to endanger the loſs p. 88of him (as to the ſenſe of his favour) who is infinitely better than all things elſe.

4. And laſtly, betwixt that which you hope to enjoy hereafter, and the utwoſt of what you can endure here. And in this compariſon, the Apoſtle holding the balance of the Sanctuary, hath alteady turned the ſcale to your hands in that notable Text, Rom. 8. 18. I reckon (ſaith he) that the ſufferings of this life (indefinitely) are not worthy to be compared with the glory that ſhall be revealed. And again, 2 Cor. 4. 17. foreign.Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us an hyperhyperbolical and eternal weight of glory. Where he laies a feather in one ſcale, and a mountain in the other, yea,—Pelion Oſſae, heaps Mountain upon Mountain, hyperbole upon hyperbole, to ſet out the vaſt diſproportion betwixt our greateſt poſſible afflictions, and our far greater certain expectations.

In a word (to ſhut up this Point) conſider, that he that is the foreign, who appoints the work, and gives the rewards of Patience; that p. 89great God, (who (as Tertullian De Patientia.ſaies) is idoneus Patientiae ſequeſter, the fitteſt Truſtee in the world with whom to depoſit the Prizes which that noble Grace runs for) ſees and obſerves, how you run this Race that is now ſet before you, Heb. 12. 1. and will, if you acquit your ſelves gallantly, honour you here, as well as crown you hereafter; as appears from the ſecond general Part of my Text which comes now to challenge a brief diſpatch, viz.

II. The Form, which conſiſts in The ſecond general Part of the Text.the hiſtorical narration, upon ſacred Record, of what theſe Brethren ſaid and did, under ſo great a Trial. Whence we learn two things by way of Corollary.

1. That we had need to take heed Corollary 1.that in our Afflictions we do not, under the obſervation of Gods critical eie (who gave order to his Penman Saint Luke to record this paſſage, and thereby records himſelf an exact obſerver how his Saints bear Croſſes) miſ-behave our ſelves any way; whether in heart, by pride, diſcontent, diſpleaſure, p. 90and ſecret murmurings againſt him or his proceedings; or in language, whiles ſuch expreſſions ſlip through the foreign (as Homer calls it) that fence of teeth, within which our Tongue is by nature intrenched, as travel without the Paſs of Reaſon, and Religion; ſuch as bewray our own irregular Paſſions, or provoke other mens; or in cariage and demeanour, behaving our ſelves like a wild Bull in a Net, Iſ. 51. 20. or as the troubled Sea that caſteth up mire and dirt, Iſ. 57. 20. or rather like the raging Daemoniack, Mar. 9. 18. but in a calm, ſedate, and ſubmiſſive manner govern our thoughts, words, and actions, as thoſe who in Chriſtian patience poſſeſs our own ſouls, having not ſurrendred them to any inordinate paſſion, Luke 21. 19. and are able to manage that unruly beaſt, which if he can fling us, will trample us under his feet.

2. And ſecondly, That it cannot Corollary 2.but be well-pleaſing to God, if we alſo make the like obſervations of the gallant ſpeeches and actions of his heroical Saints in the like p. 91occurrences, or otherwiſe. For, ſurely, he that not only obſerved himſelf, but alſo took order to tranſmit to poſterity what theſe Chriſtians ſaid and did in ſo notable an exigence, herein gives us an example beyond exception. And it may be of ſingular uſe to us to follow it, upon a double account.

Partly, that we may our ſelves be excited to an holy emulation, and ſtriving to imitate to them, as concluding that poſſible to be done again, which hath been done already, Heb. 6. 12. and 13. 7. yea and ſtraining our utmoſt abilities to exceed them; to attempt to write fairer than the faireſt copy ſet us by them, and (as thoſe who run in a Race) ſtrive moſt of all to conquer thoſe who have won former prizes.

And partly, that we may declare and publiſh to the glory of God and the excitation of others, their vertues and graces, when any opportunity of doing good thereby is offered unto us.

p. 92And thus, you ſee, I have improved my Text (by a juſt conſequence) to ſerve me inſtead of an Apology for my next and laſt undertaking, to wit, the preſenting you with ſuch obſervables concerning the Life and Death of this precious elect Lady, whom we are now met to Interr, as I have been able by utmoſt enquiry to gather up from thoſe who have known her down-ſitting and up-riſing for many years together; and ſome of them curious obſervers of her, as a choice Piece, from her Cradle to her Grave. And I the rather credit the particulars, partly, becauſe I know the Relators to be ſo judicious, as to be able to make their obſervations with due diſcretion; and ſo conſcientious withall, as not to dare willingly to abuſe me and the world with an officious falſehood; and partly, becauſe thoſe things which I have learned from them, do ſo exactly correſpond with that Idea of her, which (from ſome perſonal knowledge) I had before conceived in my own breaſt.

p. 93I know, (as Saint Auſtin in another caſe ſaith) that this precious Saint now in bliſs, laudes nec quaerit nec curat humanas, neither needs nor Auguſt. Epiſ. Cornel.regards humane praiſes; yea, and I knew, that her ſingular modeſty (while ſhe lived) ſeemed to carry on a conſtant Plot by way of prevention, againſt the ſervice I am about to do her, in a ſtudied concealment of her great worth. But yet, ſeeing God hath not ſuffered it altogether to eſcape the notice of thoſe that converſed with her (being not pleaſed, it ſeems, that ſo noble a Soul, though deſiring it never ſo much, ſhould travel through the world incognito) I account it my duty to follow his providence therein, and publiſh that to others, for a more univerſal benefit, which he, for their particular advantage, was pleaſed to make ſome privy unto. And eſpecially having ſo clear a warrant for what I do, from his own word, HONORANTES ME HONORABO (which, from his mouth, this Ladies noble Anceſtors have tranſcribed into their hereditary Coat of Arms) thoſe that p. 94honour me, I wil honour, 1 Sam. 2. 30. Whom, therefore, he hath ſaid he will honour, we have cauſe to conclude it will be acceptable to him, if we honour them too.

And in the firſt place, I think it A Narratixe of divers particulars of note in this excellent Ladies Life and Death.fit my Account of her ſhould begin from the very beginning of that happy Race which ſhe hath now finiſhed. I know it belongs to the Herald, not the Preacher, to ſearch Pedigrees; and I know moreover, that it is the leaſt of commendations, which yet is all that ſome have to commend them, to be nobly deſcended. I am of his mind that ſaid,

— Genus, & proavos, & quae non fecimus ipſi,

Vix ea noſtra voco,

Ovid Met.

that honour deſcending from Anceſtors can hardly be called Ours; and of the Moraliſts, who tells us, that Seneca Ep. 44.Nemo in noſtram gloriam vixit, nec quod ante nos fuit, noſtrum eſt: that true honour is contemporary to him that hath it, not to be born in one age, and worn in another. But yet, as a ſparkling Diamond ſhines with more advantage, when ſet in Gold; ſo do perſonal vertues receive p. 95much external additament of luſtre, when the perſon in whom they are, is, ex meliore luto, of a more noble extraction. And indeed men generally love to trace famous Rivers to their Fountains, which Heathen Antiquity alwaies honoured with a kind of Divinity, for bleſſing the world with ſo plentiful and laſting a ſucceſſion of beneficial ſtreams.

The deſcent, therefore, of this precious Lady was from an eminently noble Family, the Houſe of Huntingdon; the Earldom whereof hath continued ſo long in the name of HASTINGS, that by meer Age it hath worn out moſt of thoſe that preceded in the Catalogue of Engliſh Earls; and now, in the Perſon of her hopeful Brother, ſets its foot upon the ſeaventh Round from the very Top of that ſcale of Honour. And yet this humble Lady, whiles ſhe lived, made ſo little reckoning thereof, that ſhe was never known either in word or carriage to ſhew any elation of ſpirit upon that account, which would have tempted many others, to divers p. 96diſdainful and inſolent extravagancies. Nor was ſhe ever obſerved diſcontentedly to behold her ſelf exceeded by the affected pomps of Equipage and Retinue of divers inferiour to her in Quality; as deſiring not to contend with any in ſo extravagant a vanity, as that, which beſides its offenſiveneſs to others, would be needleſly burdenſome to her Husband. Yea, when her Husband 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 the Eſtate) in compariſon of what ſhe deſcended from; ſhe would interrupt that diſcourſe with profeſſing the high ſatisfaction ſhe took to find her ſelf in ſuch a ſtate of life, wherein ſhe had both liberty and aſſiſtance to all works of ſevere Piety, and withall, the addition of an honourable and comfortable worldly competency. The conſideration whereof hath prevailed with me to paſs over this head with ſo ſlight a touch. And yet I could not but touch it, partly, for the laſting honour of that noble p. 97Family, to which it may be ſome acceſſion, to have yielded the world ſo eminent an example of all manner of vertue; and partly, that in ſo notable an Inſtance, this dreggy age of ours (baſe enough indeed of it ſelf, but withal, too much ſowred into a contempt of nobility by the ſcandalous debaucheries of too many nobilia portenta, (as Valerius Maximus calls the degenerous Iſſue of the famous old Romans) whoſe noble extractions ſerve for nothing elſe, but to make their vices more notable) may be convinced, that, at leaſt, ſome noble ones are called, 1 Cor. 1. 26. and that vertue and grace may be grafted on a ſtock of Honour; the ſame perſon being (as St. Auſtin ſaid of Demetrias) both nobilis genere, Epiſt. ad Prob. & Julian.and nobilior ſanctitate, ennobled by the firſt birth, but more by the ſecond; having both that nobility that is foreign, & that which is foreign, that bloud in the veins which is extracted from many noble and Princely Families, and that grace in the heart, which is no leſs than ſemen Dei, the ſeed of God p. 98received from the regeneration of the Holy Ghoſt.

Her Education, (under which I compriſe the greateſt part of her time, for ſhe was not much above a year a Wife) was in a School, or rather Academy of Learning, and Nurſery of Vertue; I mean, the conſtant inſpection and converſe of her watchful Mother, the now Counteſs of Huntingdon, from whoſe great Parts and Graces, ſhe received in her ſoul that vis plaſtica which formed her into ſo eminent, a both Woman and Chriſtian. Under ber, ſhe enjoyed an education (for the moſt part) in a religious retiredneſs, which ſhe hath often bleſſed God for, as that which not only ſecured her from the knowledge of any vice by domeſtical example (no ſuch —Citius nos corrumpunt vitiorum exempla domeſticae. Juv. Sat.thing daring to ſhew it ſelf under that noble Ladies Government) but alſo removed her from the very news of what evils were acted abroad; ſo that ſhe had the happineſs, Neque Pelopidarum facta, neque nomen audire, to be ignorant of the viciouſneſs of other great perſonages, even by hearſay.

p. 99And as for thoſe Principles that might qualify her for a vertuous life; as ſhe had the opportunity of learning them from the practiſes of thoſe ſhe converſed withall, ſo alſo (and chiefly thence) from the grave inſtructions of her ſaid Lady-Mother; who, that the whole compaſs of her duty might be the more firmly impreſſed into memory, took the pains to digeſt all the parts of it into Verſe, whereby ſhe both conſecrated an excellent vein of Poetry of her own, and in the moſt facile manner inſinuated them into the hearts and heads of both her, and her Lady-Siſters.

Whence it is the leſs to be wondred at, that ſhe found her comfort in all of them to grow with their years; but eſpecially in this Lady, who had a Soul 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 come now to relate.

And firſt, For her Child-hood, (though I know Tully is reported p. 100to have ſaid, that it is the moſt difficult Eſt res diffieilis laudare puerum, &c. In fragm.undertaking in all Oratory to commend a child, becauſe the moſt that can be ſaid in ſuch a caſe, is rather, ſpes than res, matter of future expectation, than preſent exiſtence; yet) I ſhall tell you thoſe realities even of that tender Age, as had ſomething of rare excellency in them, beſides the preſage of what they promiſed for the future. It is noted as a rare thing in young Timothy, by Saint Paul himſelf, that foreign from a very ſuckling, he had known the holy Scriptures, 2 Tim. 3. 15. and from that precocious piety it is no wonder if we hear of certain foreign prophetical predections that uſhered him into the worlds obſervation as he grew up, 1 Tim. 1. 18. gheſſes (it is likely) what ſo pregnant a Child would grow to in time. Nor was it leſs noted in this excellent Lady, how early the ſeeds of true piety and devotion put forth, not only into blade, but bloſſom alſo and fruit: inſomuch, that foreign too, ſuch impreſſions of the fear of God poſſeſſed her p. 101heart, as made her a diligent performer of Religious Duties, and a ſtrict obſerver of the Lords Day, to a degree of exactneſs beyond moſt perſons, and yet not beyond the Rule; Iſ. 58. 13. inſomuch that ſhe would neither diſcourſe, nor willingly hear others diſcourſing of any common or ordinary matters on that day. And as ſhe grew into more capacity, ſo to this negative ſtrictneſs, ſhe added a poſitive conformity to the rules of ſevereſt godlineſs in this particular; not only hearing the word preached, but digeſting it by meditation and conference into her daily converſation; 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 her ſelf with what other knowledge tended to a civil accompliſhment.

She was alſo from her Infancy very conſcientiouſly dutiful and obedient to her Parents, even to the very ſmalleſt punctilios wherein ſhe had the leaſt intimation of their pleaſure. Inſomuch that her Lady-Mother p. 102upon a ſpecial occaſion, perceiving her, from the miſ-apprehenſion of an advice ſhe gave her, more affected than ſhe deſired; was fain to expound her ſelf to her, and give her a Key wherewith to uncypher her boſom for the future, by telling 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 over-ſtrained, which conſidered, gains a ſufficient credit to that which I have been credibly informed, that her Lady-Mother hath been heard to ſay, that ſhe was the child that never offended her in her life.

As ſhe grew up, ſhe was obſerved to be of a preciſe juſtice, and exactneſs to her word; which that ſhe might the better be, (ſeeing it is ſeldom known that they that obſerve not what they ſpeak, are very obſervant of what they ſpeak) ſhe was very circumſpect in, and very ſparing and thrifty of diſcourſe; a quality, that undoubtedly kept her from much ſin (which the wiſe p. 103man tells us wanteth not in multitude of words, Prov. 10. 19.) and contributed much to her perfection, which the Apoſtle James tells us, doth much conſiſt in the Government of that unruly member, the tongue, Jam. 3. 2. I have read in Saint Auſtin, of a paſſage quoted from Tully, wherein he commends Nullum unquam verbum, quod revocare vellet, emiſit. Aug. Ep. 7. Marc.one that he knew, for never having ſpoken any thing which he wiſhed unſpoken, upon which the Father deſcants thus. It may, ſaith he, be underſtood in a more or leſs favourable ſenſe: for (as he goes on) a fool may be capable of this commendation, who, though he ſpeaks many things fit to be recalled, yet underſtands not ſo well what he ſaies, as to recal any thing: but (ſaith he) if it be taken in the moſt favourable ſenſe, concerning one that, knowing what he ſaies, ſaies nothing that he wiſhes unſaid afterwards, it agrees to none ſo well as to thoſe who ſpake by divine Inſpiration. For my part (he proceeds) this is far from being my commendation. For, angit me plane Horatiana ſententia neſcit vox p. 104miſſa reverti: it is my trouble, that wiſhing will not render many of my words unuttered. I am ſure moſt of us have cauſe to partake with that good Father in his Confeſſion. But as for this exact Lady, ſhe took the readieſt courſe to arrive at Tullies character in the beſt ſenſe, by doing what Seneca adviſeth, Minimum cum aliis loqui, multum cum ſeipſo. Epiſt. 105.ſpeaking much with her ſelf, but little with others. Inſomuch that a noble perſon of a very diſcerning Judgment, and no leſs ſevere a Piety, who had the advantage of being a witneſs to almoſt all her Life, hath been heard to ſay, that ſhe believed ſuch a perſon (naming her) had the leaſt account to give for words of any one that ſhe knew. And yet did ſhe not bind her tongue thus to the behaviour for want of abilities to diſcourſe, or matter to diſcourſe of. For ſhe was of great intellectual accompliſhments, and thoſe improved by much ſecular learning, as ſufficed to enable her to converſe that way with perſons of eminent ſcholarſhip.

p. 105A greeably to this Government of her tongue, ſhe was exceedingly modeſt, and becomingly grave in her whole behaviour; not from any natural heavineſs of conſtitution, or affectation of moroſe and reſerved vertue; but from a juſt apprehenſion how unagreeable to an exact ſtrictneſs of Life (which ſhe deſigned) and how unconducing to the reputation of her Sex a too ſanguine converſation is often found. And that ſhe was not cynically averſe to a decent and convenient degree of affability and courteſie (a vertue which was alſo very conſpicuous in her) it appeared, in that ſhe was wont to receive the viſits of the meaneſt of her Neighbours with wonderful kindneſs, and converſe with them with a great deal of becoming condeſcention: to which, as any of them appeared to her to ſavour more of godlineſs than others, ſhe could (upon occaſion) add a fit proportion of familiarity. For very careful ſhe was to admit none into her boſom, but ſuch as by critical obſervation ſhe found to anſwer that character p. 106of worth by which ſhe firſt valued her ſelf, and then choſe her intimates, not Greatneſs but Goodneſs.

Her Courteſie, as I have intimated, ſhe extended to all ſorts of perſons; even to thoſe whom we commonly brow-beat, and look down upon with a ſupercilious loftineſs of countenance (thoſe, I mean, whoſe neceſſities made them petitioners to her bounty) for even thoſe ſhe treated with great affability. So that what was ſaid once of Titus the Roman Emperor, was true Sucton. in Tito.of her, Neminem a ſe triſtem dimiſit, that no perſon departed out of her preſence diſcontented. Yea, even thoſe whom ſhe denied her Alms (and ſome perſons in want are not meet objects for a diſcreet charity) ſhe would ſo handſomly reprove for not uſing their abilities of body to get more creditable Bread, that they ſeemed no leſs ſatisfied in her Counſel, than they would have been whith her Alms.

Her inviting countenance did ſo embolden the Poor to implore her p. 107Patronage, her compaſſionate heart rendred her ſo ſenſible of their conditions, and her prudence ſo enabled her to manage their Cauſes, that as ſhe was moſt frequently imployed in many of their important addreſſes to ſeveral of her Relations upon whom they depended; ſo ſhe followed their ſuits in ſuch a manner, that moſt an-end ſhe proved ſucceſsful, as meeting with ſuch a bleſſing of God upon her charitable endeavours, as the juſtice of the cauſes in which ſhe engaged might warrant her to expect.

Yea, her very Servants had a ſhare in the obligingneſs of her converſation. For though ſhe well underſtood her own Quality, and could keep them at convenient diſtance, yet ſhe attempered her carriage, even to them, with ſo much mildneſs, that ſhe was never obſerved to drop an haſty or paſſionate expreſſion to any of them, though much provoked thereunto.

Of ſo innocent a deportment ſhe was (even from a child) that one of capacity enough to obſerve, and p. 108integrity enough to vindicate the relation from the leaſt ſuſpicion of flattery, gives her this character that during ten years abode in her Mothers Family, ſhe could never obſerve any intemperate word or action; or any thing, which if all the world had been acquainted with, would have in the leaſt tended to her juſt diminution or diſparagement.

She much ſtudied the gratifying the Tempers, and contenting the diſpoſitions and propenſions of thoſe ſhe converſed with, in all lawful waies: inſomuch, that ſhe hath been often obſerved to deny her ſelf for the pleaſing of others, according to that Apoſtolical Rule, Rom. 15. 2. And this diſpoſition rendred her, even in matters of Argument, which (as I told you before) ſhe wanted not ability to manage, not obſtinately tenacious of her own opinion, but obligingly compliant to the Judgment of others, where the conſcience of duty required not the contrary; that thereby ſhe might render her ſelf, offenſive to none, but p. 109as far as might be, profitable to all. A quality thus, the more obſervable, becauſe not ordinary in others, who being owners of great parts, commonly affect a dictatorſhip in diſcourſe. So true is it, that

Qui volet Ingenio cedere, rarus erit! Theſe qualities rendered her of an excellent compoſure for a friend. And accordingly, an excellent friend ſhe was. She did not (as was before noted) raſhly admit any to the honour of her boſom acquaintance; but when once ſhe had lodged any perſons there, ſhe was candidly free and open in communicating what her Judgment (which was alwaies riper than her years) ſuggeſted to be moſt for the advantage of their particular ſoul-concerns, advice, comfort, or reproof. For which laſt, ſhe alwaies reſerved a liberty even towards her choiceſt and moſt intimate friends; (and moſt indeed towards them) but managed it, conſtantly, with abundance of winning meekneſs and tenderneſs. And ſo ſeverely conſcientious was ſhe in the diſcharge of this friendly office, (for ſuch indeed p. 110it is, whatever men ordinarily think of it, and the neglect of it, where it needs, an act of hatred, Levit. 19. 17.) that having frequent occaſions to receive viſits from, and return them to perſons of her acquaintance, that made the reverend names of [Jeſus! and Lord!] interjections in their ordinary diſcourſe (a thing which to me ſeems too near of kin to that taking the name of God in vain, which the very letter of the third Commandment forbids) that ſhe made it a Caſe of Conſcience, whether ſhe did not highly neglect her duty in not reproving them.

And that ſhe might not appear more rigidly to others in this kind, than ſhe was to her ſelf, her own life was a comment upon the Apoſtles foreign, Eph. 5. 15. ſo exactly ſhe walked, that ſhe took care to avoid not only what ſhe condemned, but what ſhe did but ſuſpect in others converſation. Inſomuch, that her conſcience would not permit her to pardon her ſelf, what her charity taught her to indulge in others.

p. 111And indeed, ſhe was alwaies of a very nice and delicate conſcience, ſenſible of the ſmalleſt and lighteſt ſin, or but probable appearance of it. The skin of that Sybarite whom Seneca mentions, De Ira lib. 2.who complained he was ſorely hurt with lying upon doubled roſe leaves, was not more tender than her conſcience was. Of which (though out of place) take theſe two Inſtances of many that might be given, that ſhe was known once in her younger years to addreſs her ſelf to her Governeſs with tears, intreating her pardon for that in her very child-hood ſhe was conſcious ſhe had been defective in affection to her, for ſhe thought, that then ſhe did not love her. A fault (I doubt) which others that are far more guilty of it, are leſs troubled for. Another time in her maturer Age, when ſhe had mildly enough threatned 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 an hard word, ſaying, Alas! God deals p. 112not ſo with us, notwithſtanding our continual diſobediences.

But, to return (whence we digreſſed) to her character as an accompliſhed Friend. One eminent property of true friendſhip was very conſpicuous in her; (and the more, conſidering what is commonly imputed to her Sex) that ſhe was moſt careful to lock up her friends ſecrets in her own breaſt, and to conceal their inſirmities. Thoſe whom upon a Chriſtian account ſhe made her friends, ſhe loved very affectionately, or (in the Apoſtles phraſe rather) with a pure heart, and foreign, with the utmoſt ſtreſs of zealous fervency; nor could ſhe endure to be accounted tepid and indifferent in her love towards them.

And yet in all this ardency of true affection ſhe ſtill obſerved her conſtant wont of being ſparing in verbal expreſſions of the eſteem and value ſhe had for her friends; and that, out of ſcruple, leſt ſhe ſhould incur the danger of flattering them, or at leaſt ſeeming to do ſo. Yea, ſhe was wont (ſorely p. 113againſt her natural genius and diſpoſition) ſometimes to curb and reſtrain the over-flowing kindneſs of her carriage and deportment, out of a conſciencious fear, leſt ſhe ſhould thereby gain the applauſe of others; being more afraid to be too well ſpoken of, than moſt perſons are of deſerving to hear ill.

As a friend, ſhe obſerved, that exchange of kindneſs is the fewel that feeds the flame of mutual affection, and keeps it from burning dimly or going out, and therefore was a great nouriſher of gratitude; accounting it the greateſt ſolciſm in friendſhip, to be ſuſpicious in receiving, or parſimonious in returning kindneſs. And therefore what of this nature ſhe received, ſhe would not (though ſometimes poſſibly there were probable ground ſo to do) interpret amiſs, as profeſſing ſhe abhorred the ſuſpicion of a deſign in kindneſs, as the bane of gratitude. And in her returns, ſhe was alwaies nobly obliging, as ſtudying rather to ſtand in her friends Books a Creditor than a Debtor.

p. 114I mentioned her Devotion before, as an early bloſſom. But I muſt tell you now, that it had not the uſual fate of ſuch precocious bloſſoms, to be blaſted and drop off before it arrived at maturity. For as ſhe grew in years, ſhe grew alſo 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, whiles ſhe was under her Government, obſerving how ſhe laboured at it more than her conſtitution of body would well bear; and being afraid, leſt by overſtraining the bow to reach the mark ſhe aimed at, ſhe would endanger the 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 the humble Lady (reflecting probably upon her ſelf 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.

p. 115After ſhe was married, ſhe abated not of her Devotion; and thereby rendred her ſelf a ſingular inſtance of exception, to the difference the Apoſtle puts between a Wife and a Virgin, (and which Romaniſts make ſo much uſe of to advance a vowed Virginity, an invention of theirs, above marriage, an inſtitution of God) 1 Cor. 7. 34. you may the better judge of her Devotions by the proportion of time which ſhe aſſigned them every day. I am credibly informed that her conſtant retirements to that purpoſe were proportionably to Daniels, thrice a day, Dan. 6. 10. And, ſince the deceaſe of her precious Siſter-in-Law (whoſe Dr. Langham's Wife.great worth deſerves a far more honourable remembrance, than upon this occaſional mention can be allowed) dying ſome weeks before her; (as if ſhe had taken the Allarm to prepare for her own diſſolution ſhortly to follow from that providence) ſhe more than doubled that proportion even to Davids ſeven times a day, Pſ. 119. 164.

p. 116In mentioning her Devotions. I mean not only ſecret prayer and meditation, but alſo conſtant reading and ſtudy of the Scriptures, which was alwaies a conſiderable part of the employment that filled up her daily hours of retirement; together with ſomething or other of the writings of ſome learned practical Divines, with which her Cloſet was well furniſhed. I might reckon alſo as a part of her daily task, the reading over one Sermon a day, moſt daies, out of her notebooks, (for ſhe conſtantly pen'd the Sermons ſhe heard) and I could wiſh that other great Sermon writers, would herein follow her example, and not turn their notes to waſt-paper ſo ſoon as they filled their books, as 'tis to be feared too many do. By which practiſe of hers, (learned from the mention of the like in the Life of the Young Lord Harrington) by frequent inculcation, ſhe fixed in her memory all that ſhe had heard, and had it in a readineſs for the direction of her converſation, when ever ſhe had need to make uſe of it.

p. 117And now, it is poſſible that ſome perſons that knew her not, upon the mention of ſo great a daily task of Cloſet Religion (comparing her with other Ladies of that Quality) may be ſollicitous to know, what time ſhe could allow for the trimming and adorning her Body; or, it may be, 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 meer loſt labour; and addicted her ſelf to the beautifying of her Soul, out of deſpair of ever rendring her bodie tolerably handſome or beautiful. To ſatisfie therefore all thoſe who, may be concerned in this matter, I muſt tell them, that, as her Perſon was ſuch, as to a middle and decent Pitch, and 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: So ſhe neglected not to beſtow upon p. 118it ſo much time and pains, after the neceſſary occaſions of her Soul, firſt attended, as decency required, though poſſibly not ſo much as Curioſity (had ſhe ſtudied it) would have called for. And ſo much ſhall ſuffice for this digreſſion.

To this proportion of conſtant Devotion which ſhe cut her ſelf out for every day, if you add her great care to fill up all the reſt of her time, with profitable converſe, you cannot but look upon her as a great Inſtance of that command, Eph. 5. 16. So did ſhe foreign, buy Time out (as the word ſignifies) of the hands of thoſe waſters of precious minutes, which are apt, where they are not obſerved, to foreſtall the Market, and buy it up all even from the moſt religious employments; I mean, Paſtimes, and Recreations. Whence it was, that (though ſhe did not rigidly cenſure the liberty taken by others in that kind as abſolutely, and in its own nature unlawful; yet) ſhe never allowed her ſelf to ſee any Maſque, Enterlude, or Play, or to play at Cards or the like Games; p. 119meerly, becauſe ſhe doubted whether the expence of ſo much time, as commonly ſuch diverſions require, would be allowed upon her account, or no. Much, herein, of a different temper from thoſe great Perſons, whoſe Time ſo lies on their hands, as a dead Commodity, that they ſtudy all waies poſſible to put it off, becauſe they know not what profitableuſe to put it unto. A prodigallity, which how much cauſe they have to repent of, they may poſſibly underſtand, when upon their death-beds they find the want of thoſe precious minutes for more ſerious uſes, which they have ſo laviſhly thrown away. In the mean time, to the Apoſtolical command (but now mentioned) I would entreat them to add in their ſerious meditations, the commendable reſolve of that Heathen, who purpoſed Nemo ullum aufer at Diem, nihil dignam tanto impendio redditurus, Sen. de Tranq.to allow a whole day to no converſe, that would not make him amends for the precious Time expended in it.

But, to return again to our excellent Perſonage, whom we left purſuing her daily deſign of acquainting p. 120her ſelf 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; and beyond both thoſe in his written Word. And therefore ſhe prized them all, but eſpecially the laſt, with an infinite affection; inſomuch that ſhe often roſe early in the morning to read and meditate thereon: nor would ſhe, when ſhe was engaged in that holy work, ſuffer any interruptions how neceſſary ſoever, without evident ſigns of trouble & diſcompoſure, till ſhe returned to her beloved Bible again. Yea, towards the Book it ſelf, for love of the excellent matter contained in it, ſhe expreſſed ſuch a reſpect, that ſhe reſented with a pious diſpleaſure, any undecent uſage of it, or careleſs throwing it among ordinary Books.

Now, though ſhe had a ſingular value for every part of the holy Bible, yet there was one part of it, p. 121the Book of Pſalms, which ſhe ſeemed to be moſt paſſionately in love withall; Perhaps, becauſe (ſimilitude being the ground of Love, according to the great Philoſopher) ſhe found ſo much agreement Ariſt: Eth: 8:betwixt her own heart, and the ſpirit of that Book. This affection ſhe ſhewed 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 was wont to improve to her own benefit and theirs who were about her. And in her bed, ſhe was wont to lock up her lips till morning with the repetition of ſome one that ſhe had by heart, to which, having added ſome devout ejaculations with wonderful fervency, ſhe uſually dropped aſleep 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 p. 122indeed, but not diſordered them; yea, rather connexed and united them into one entire piece, of which (it is probable) her very ſleeping Phantaſie, by holy Dreams, made a part; ſeeing it was next to impoſſible, that even they, being hedged in between two ſuch immediate acts of Devotion, ſhould not receive a proportionable tincture from them.

Theſe her ſet Devotions, 'tis likely, ſhe methodized moſt commonly according to her own diſcretion; but yet, ſhe did not ſo tie up her ſelf to the order of her own deſignment, as not to leave her ſelf a liberty upon any extraordinary occaſion, to vary as that occaſion required. Which appears, in that upon the ſolemn great Feſtivals, at leaſt, obſerved in this Church, ſhe would accommodate them to thoſe ſeaſons reſpectively. A courſe, which I am a little jealous, may, from ſome perſons perhaps, undergo a cenſure, as if it ſavoured ſomewhat of ſuperſtition. But, as ſhe feared not that cenſure in the practiſe, as finding that benefit p. 223thereby, which abundantly weighed down that ſcar-crow in her own conſideration: ſo do not I fear it in the relation, as being perſwaded that it may be of uſe to ſome one or other, who may be thereby induced to take up the ſame courſe with the ſame advantage.

For, whereas thoſe grand Articles of Religion, the Incarnation, Death, Reſurrection and Aſcenſion of our Saviour, have (each of them) a ſignal uſe and influence towards the improvement both of Faith, and Holineſs if particularly ſtudied and applyed, yea, and the recurring of thoſe Feſtivals, wherein they are by publick order commemorated, affords a ſpecial opportunity thereunto, by giving us a particular remembrance of them; it ſtands with Reaſon, that the taking hold of ſuch opportunities when offered, and accommodating our private readings, meditations and prayers to them, ſhould yield us the particular advantage before mentioned; which poſſibly, in a like meaſure at leaſt, we might not reap otherwiſe. For experience p. 124ſhews, that thoſe ſignal mercies ſeldom come under our particular obſervation, for reſpective improvement, except upon thoſe ſeaſons for divers years together. And for this reaſon, I ſuppoſe, or the like (of no affinity to ſuperſtition at all, which our Lady was too knowing a Chriſtian to be endangered unto in ſuch a matter) ſhe took up, and continued this Practiſe.

In her courſe of Life, ſhe was preciſely careful to avoid all manner of ſin; and ſollicitous in all emergencies of conſequence to underſtand her duty, that ſhe might practiſe accordingly. As ſhe made Gods Teſtimonies her delight, ſo ſhe made them her Counſellors alſo, Pſ. 119. 24. Inſomuch, that ſhe never determined any dubious occurrence without great deliberation, and the beſt advice ſhe could procure. But eſpecially, when ſhe was a Wife, ſhe made frequent uſe of the counſel given by the Apoſtle Paul, 1 Cor. 14. 35. when ſhe deſired to learn any thing, to ask her Husband. And herein was ſhe ſingularly p. 125happy, in being directed by Providence to ſuch an Husband as abundantly anſwered that character of another Apoſtle, dwelling (and converſing with her) as a man of knowledge, 1 Pet. 3. 7. One, who as he was able (richly able) to maintain, ſo was he no leſs propenſe to entertain ſuch a converſe, eſpecially with ſo near a friend as the Wife of his boſom, upon any occaſion. So that herein (beſides the advantages hereby reaped to her ſelf) ſhe highly gratified him, by affording him the opportunities of an employment ſo acceptable to his own Genius and diſpoſition; and withall practiſed the advice given her upon her Marriage by her prudent Lady-Mother to make her ſelf fit converſation (ſo ſhe expreſſed it) for her Husband. A notable Inſtance whereof may be; that if, at any time, in her ſolitary diſcourſes with him of this nature (with which kind of converſe ſhe was much delighted) there had happened a ceſſation on both hands for a little while, ſhe would preſently be apprehenſive p. 126of the loſs, and deſire him not to let her time paſs unimproved, but either to renew the conference, or read ſome good Book to her.

And yet, (ſo greedy ſhe was of improving her ſelf by all good means) ſhe did not make this advantage of him alone; but conſtantly attended the publick Ordinances, from a due reſpect unto which ſhe was too weighty a Chriſtian to be blown away by the pitiful prejudices of theſe times; as too many are, to the unſufferable affronting of Gods goodneſs, who vouchſafes them to us, and (it is to be feared) too often, to the forſaking their own mercy, the particular benefit they might reap from them. And that ſhe might make the utmoſt improvement of Gods Miniſters, whoſe lips God hath appointed to keep knowledge, ſhe would according to his command (in private conference, as well as publick Ordinances when occaſion was offered) ſeek it at their mouths, Mal. 2. 7. An Inſtance whereof of ſpecial remark, may be, that, when She met with any Divines of note p. 127at her Father-in-Law's Sir JOHN LANGHAMS Table, with whom after her marriage till her death She reſided (and that plentiful Table was ſeldome without ſome ſuch gueſts of ſpecial eminency) She would requeſt her Husband to offer ſuch diſcourſe, as might give the company the benefit of their preſence and converſe; profeſſing that ſhe judged it altogether abſurd and incongruous to Reaſon, as well as Religion, that Phyſitians and Lawyers ſhould be ſo ordinarily entertained with diſcourſes proper to their reſpective Faculties; and Divines only treated without the verge of their Profeſſion, with matters altogether heterogeneous and eccentrical to the ſphere of their holy Function.

Such, as you have heard, was her devotion towards God. And She had as well learned her duty to her Neighbour, which She evidenced 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 thoſe Inſtructions, p. 128which as Maxims of duty She conſtantly practiſed in a juſt proportion to all her Relations. And accordingly,

The firſt place in her Affection, She beſtowed upon her Husband, whom She ſo loved, that She profeſſed ſhe could even die for him. This her Love She ſhewed in an eminent degree of dutiful compliance with whatever ſhe obſerved to be agreeable to him. For ſhe never received the leaſt intimation of his pleaſure, though delivered in a way of requeſt, but it had with her the force of a Command; with which (waving her own opinion, in caſe of difference from his) ſhe alwaies reſpectfully comported. 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, whiles he found himſelf happy in his own choice, beyond the moſt eminent examples.

And, as her Love and dutiful Carriage, ſo alſo her Learning rendred her an Help meet for him, p. 129as being thereby made capable of converſing with him, both in points of Divinity and Humanity, very knowingly and judiciouſly, and that in more Languages than one; being able to make uſe of Learned Authors in other Tongues, without the help of a Tranſlation. As for Latine, that learnedeſt piece of Peter Martyr, (his Common-places) ſhe frequently had recourſe unto. For French ſhe was intimately acquainted with the works of (that Prodigy of Learning and Language) M. du-Moulin, out of whoſe Buckler of Faith. ſhe was both enabled to defend her own Proteſtant Faith and (as ſhe had occaſion to converſe with any Ladies of the Romiſh communion) to aſſault and overthrow theirs. And, for Italian ſhee could make as good an advantage of what Learning that Language affords.

And yet (which in an accompliſhment wherein ſhe ſo much exceeded the reſt of her Sex, in ſo much the more remarkable) was ſhee not hereby elevated. That foreign, or ſwelling conceitedneſs, p. 130(which the Apoſtle tells us too often fly-blows eminent Gifts, 1 Cor. 8. 1. and is the very bane of theſe times) shee was not tainted withal, ſo that her Husband was perfectly unacquainted with all thoſe inconveniences which ſome have fancied do neceſſarily accompany a learned Wife. For to him, even herein, She alwaies would ſtrike ſail, as to her Lord and Head; making uſe of her own knowledge only to capacitate her to make the beſt improvement of his; of whom She would (as one that with her other learning, had learned her Duty from the Apoſtle) foreign, 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 eſtate had manumitted her from her Government; but, allowing her ſtill the next place in her affection, and reſpects to her Husband, ſo demeaned her ſelf towards her, that She eſteemed her not only a very dutiful and deſerving Daughter, but (as her own Phraſe was) an excellent p. 131Friend alſo. To her Fatherin-Law, ſhe payed the ſame Duty (according to the particular directions, which ſhe received from her at her marriage) which ſhe performed to her Lady-Mother; as conſidering, that where the Ordinance of God makes two perſons one fleſh, it makes a proportionable union to their reſpective natural Relations too; they being but Reliquiae carnis noſtrae, the remainders of every ones own fleſh in other bodies: as both Arias Montanus, and our own Margin from foreignhim, render, thoſe words by which nearneſs of kin is expreſſed, Levit. 18. 5.

To the memory of her predeceſſor in that Relation ſhe bore to Sir James Langham, ſhe teſtified (contrary to what is uſual in ſuch caſes) a very ſignal reſpect, enquiring with ſome earneſtneſs after her ſpecial vertues, which ſhe deſigned for her own Imitation, and giving the good ſhe heard of her, a juſt commendation.

To the children that Sir James had by that Lady (providence denying p. 132him any by this, evcept one in expectation, to whom the death of the mother rendred the womb a grave) ſhe was in care and tenderneſs ſo much more than a Motherin-Law, that it was impoſſible for any, but thoſe that knew otherwiſe, not to have miſtaken her for their natural Parent; and if, with them, ſhe had had any of her own body, I believe ſhe could hardly have told how to have rendred her love to her natural iſſue (in any conſiderable indication) more Emphatical. So ſollicitouſly did She intereſt her ſelf both in education of, and proviſion for them; and ſo concern her ſelf in their behalf, in all occaſions of never ſo little bodily diſtemper; that She deſerved thereby to have rendred, even Noverca, a name of honour, by being ſuch a Mother-in-Law, from whom even natural Mothers themſelves, might not diſdain to receive a Law of kindneſs towards the children of their own bodies.

From her Daughter of about 11 years of Age, She exacted conſtantly a repetition (by heart) of p. 133the Sermons ſhe heard; for which Task She had by her Inſtructions ſo logically methodized theme mory of that ſo young a child, that She was able to Analize a diſcourſe of 30 or 40 particular heads memoriter, with the moſt remarkable enlargments upon them.

This care of her children She not only continued during her health, but even in her ſickneſs alſo She influenced that that others took of them, ſo far as her weakneſs would permit. And to to shew that She minded them as long as She minded any thing 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 be ſupports to them one day in their dying Agonies.

To her Servants, She demeaned her ſelf ſo mildly (as I before told you) as if they had not been ſo properly Servants, as humiles amici, (in the Moraliſts phraſe) a ſort p. 134of inferiour friends. Which carriage won her from them a great deal of aw-ful Love, and heartſervice, inſtead of eie-ſervice, the common vice of thoſe in that Relation. She took care even of the meaneſt of them, not only for their bodies, but their Souls alſo: calling them that were more immediately under her inſpection (her Maidens) to account (in ſcriptis if they could write) for the Sermons they heard, and helping their deficiencies from her own exacter notes. She would call upon them in the morning (as her phraſe was) to go to God, i. e. to wait upon him in their morning Devotions, before they waited on her. And if (for She would examine them concerning it) any one of them confeſſed, or by ſilence bewrayed a neglect therein, She would diſmiſs her immediately to that work from her preſent attendance, not without ſome reprehenſion withall, for giving her ſervice the precedency of Gods. And this care She took (as She would frequently expreſs her ſelf to her Husband) from a deep p. 135conviction of this truth, that Governors of Families, are accountable to God for the Soul of the meaneſt under their inſpection. A courſe which (as far as She could bear it, She continued even in her laſt ſickneſs, for when the importunities of her own bodily diſtempers kept any of them from Church to attend her neceſſities at home on Gods day, She would tell them, that nothing but an abſolute neceſſity ſhould have been reaſon ſufficient for her detaining them about her. But yet, (would She ſay) your minds are at liberty; let God have as much worſhip as you can give him: lift up your hearts, lift up your hearts and remember 'tis the Sabbath.

An example, this, very fit to be followed by others of her Sex, and Quality; yea, it were well, if thoſe that are much inferiour to her both in Birth and breeding, would learn ſo much Religion from her, as to conſider that their Servants have Souls as well as themſelves; and Souls, that require ſome time to trim and dreſs them, as well as their Ladies and miſtreſſes p. 136bodies. And that thoſe perſons will ſurely give but a poor account one day of their Servants ſouls, whoſe tedious dreſſings ſpend the greateſt part of every day, (not excepting Gods Day it ſelf) and will not allow their Maidens a minutes privacy, to lift up a ſhort prayer in ſecret, wherewith to ſanctifie the employments of the day.

Nor did She extend this care towards her Servants, only whiles they continued with her, but enlarged it even to thoſe that departed from her. An Inſtance whereof may be, That when a mean ſervant came to take leave of her, She gave her (together with ſome other expreſſions of her charity and kindneſs) much good counſel, and deſired her Husband to add ſomething to her favours too, but above all to diſmiſs her with a ſecond largeſs of good Advice.

To the Poor, She was hugely charitable; ſometimes not ſtaying till they expreſſed their own wants, but preſſing out of them p. 137thoſe complaints, which their modeſty would have ſuppreſſed, by her own enquiries into their conditions, that She might know wherein She might be beneficial to them. And when She had information of any wants above an ordinary charity, She was even ſollicitous how to procure a proportionable relief for the parties concerned, nor was She charitable to the bodies only of thoſe whom She relieved, for She gave to moſt (but to thoſe eſpecially, whoſe great exigences (in probability) rendred them more capable and inclinable to follow it) the double Alms of her bounty and counſel together; which laſt (though the other were not mean neither) was conſtantly the beſt of the two.

A thouſand Inſtances of her great Charity in this kind, have eſcaped the obſervation of any, but thoſe only that received it; (She being in acts of this nature contented with the notice of God and Conſcience) ſo that our Saviours Rule in this, was hers, not to let her left hand know what her right hand p. 138did, Mat. 6. 3. And yet, to Gods glory, and her own deſerved commendation, thoſe good deeds of this nature, which She ſtudiouſly (to avoid what She alwaies abhorred, the very appearance of vainglory) concealed in her life time, in a great meaſure came to light after her death, as appeared in the paſſionate reſentments of great crowds of poor people, who (as is uſual in ſuch caſes) thronging to obtain a ſight of her Herſe whiles expoſed to view, declared that, not ſo much their curioſity as affection drew them thither, by the bitter lamentations and tears wherewith they bewailed her death (as the Widdows did Dorcas, Acts 9. 39.) as their common and irreparable loſs.

In this her bounty, partly, out of her great fear (as I told you before) to be too well thought of, if others knew the proportions of it; and partly, that She might be the more aſſured that it was not diverted from the right channel, She commonly truſted no hands but her own: making it her care before p. 139She went out of doors at any time, to furniſh her Poor-mans Purſe, with ſuch monies, as were moſt convenient to be diſtributed and divided among thoſe neceſſitous people, which providence before She returned, might caſt in her way.

One ſpecial paſſage I muſt not omit, under this Head of Charity; though it only ſo far concern her, as it expreſſeth her judgment in the choice of fit ſubjects to lay it forth upon. She was once told of the prodigious bounty of ſome of her Anceſtors towards Religious places and Perſons, and particularly, upon young ſtudents in the Ʋniverſities. This laſt ſort of charity as ſoon as mentioned, She eſpecially applauded, 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.

Let me cloſe up this Section, with the averſeneſs ſhe expreſſed p. 140to (the great bane of Love and charity) Tale-bearing, for which ſhe conſtantly had a high degree of deteſtation, She alwaies ſuſpected a paſſionate Accuſer, as commonly more faulty, than the party accuſed; it being the uſual artifice of malice, to endeavour the concealing 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 cognizance, ſhe conſtantly uſed this healing method, firſt, to allay the acrimony of the contending ſpirits, and then to accommodate the difference it ſelf.

In a word, her Charity in all points anſwered the Character which the great Apoſtle gives of that Heavenly Grace, 1 Cor. 13. which to read, is to compriſe the whole Hiſtory of her Life in a nutſhel, a ſhort Abſtract or Epitome. Read it here if you pleaſe, and accommodate the ſeveral parts of it to my former Relation. Charity, (and ſuch was hers) ſuffereth long p. 141and is kind, envieth not, vaunteth not it ſelf, is not puffed up, doth not behave it ſelf 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, endureth all things, v. 4, 5, 6, 7.

And now, 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 another. And God (whoſe wont it is Heb: 12: 23:to gather his fruit when it is fully ripe) having thus made her meet for the inheritance of the Saints in Col: 1: 12:light, accordingly, thought fit on March 28. 1664. to tranſlate her thither. Her ſickneſs, of which ſhe dyed, ſurpriſed her tanquam ex inſidiis, being the ſmall Pocks diſguiſed under the reliques of a Feaver (to appearance) almoſt perfectly profligated. Such a ſurprize of death in the very borders and confines of expected health, had p. 142been ſufficient to have diſcompoſed any ſoul, and ruffled it into diſorder, but ſuch an one as hers; which kept alwaies ſo good a guard, that no event could befall her for which ſhe was not provided.

During that twilight of hopes and fears, which ſometimes held both her Phyſitians and Relations, in ſuſpence concerning her; ſhe alwaies ſeemed in her own inclinations to propend to Saint Pauls choice, Phil. 1. 23. having 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 for a longer enjoyment of her; that he would not pray for her life, but for her ſoul, and that God would make her fit to die; or if he pleaſed to gratifie the deſires of thoſe who ſo affectionately wiſhed her recovery, that he would ſo ſanctifie his hand unto her, that ſhe might obtain grace to pay her vows. Indeed her great aim and deſign, was to 2 Cor. 7. 1.2 Cor 7:1perfect holineſs in the fear of God; and her great requeſt for her ſelf in p. 143midſt of her feveriſh Paroxyſms, was, that by that burning heat (as ſhe ſaid) ſhe might be purified and refined. Conformable hereunto, was that Requeſt of hers, taken notice of in a former ſickneſs, which fell out a year before her Marriage, which ſhe expreſſed with a moſt pathetical vehemency, O that I could do the whole will of God!

At other times of this her laſt weakneſs, when her Husband praying by her proſecuted with earneſtneſs his conſtant Requeſt, for her recovery to health, and a longer life; ſhe would, after the duty, kindly chide the exuberancy of his affection; & deſire him to reſt content in Gods Promiſe, that all things ſhould work together for his good, Rom. 8. 28. and to ſubmit (as ſhe wholy did) to his ſoveraign Lugeatur mortuus; ſed ille quem gehenna ſuſcipit quem Tartarus devorat, &c. Hier.will: telling him withall, that he had no reaſon to give the reins to his ſorrow, if he ſaw her die with good evidences of her going to Heaven. And to allay his paſſion in his greateſt dreads of that ſeparation, which he ſo much deprecated, p. 144We came not (ſaid ſhe) into the world together, nor can we expect to go out of it together; yet it is a great ſatisfaction to me that I am going thither, whither you, after a while, ſhall follow me. And ſomewhat inquiſitive ſhe was (probably in order to the advancement of that ſatisfaction) what degrees of Communion the Saints glorified have one with another, and what meaſure of knowledge they have of each other? A queſtion, which is often asked by gracious ſouls; but (in my judgment) impoſſible to be reſolved from clear grounds of Scripture, the Argument on both ſides being alike probable. And it need not create any trouble to us, if it remain in the dark. It is but a little while, ere comfortable experience will decide the controverſie to all that wait for the coming of the Lord Jeſus, beyond all our uncertain diſputes.

She was very ſollicitous during her whole ſickneſs, of her cariage and deportment under Gods afflicting hand; and afraid leſt the reſtleſſneſſes p. 145occaſioned by her diſtemper, might be the fruit of her impatience. To which purpoſe, ſhe would oftentimes, (with an holy ſelf-jealouſie) ask of 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 and ſuch Chriſtian friends, whom ſhe had converſed with on their ſick beds, as conſcious to her ſelf how ſhort ſhe came of them.

Some Conflicts ſhe had with Temptation (if I may ſo call it, and not rather the exceeding tenderneſs of her own Conſcience, apt to ſmite her (as Davids did for cutting off but the skirt of Sauls 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 proficiency in holineſs; witneſs one amongſt the reſt eſpecially, viz. that ſhe had not been ſo ſenſible, as p. 146ſhe ought to have been of the eſtate and condition of Gods Church; a thing which ſurely moſt of us may more juſtly charge on our ſelves (conſidering the Havock at this day made in it by the Eaſtern Wild-bore out of the Forreſt; and Pſ. 80. 13. Cant. 2. 15.Ps 80:13Song 2:15the little Foxes out of their holes, Romiſh Emiſſaries in ſeveral diſguiſes ſpoiling its tender grapes) but that we do not (with her) prefer Jeruſalem above our chief Pſ. 137. 6.Ps 137:6joy.

But theſe were but thin and light clouds, quickly ſcattered, the light of Gods countenance breaking through them, and clearing up hers. So that ſhe told one of her viſitants, with a great deal of comfort, that ſhe thanked God, that inſtead of a world full of troubles and miſeries, he had now given her the ſight of a better Country. And this proſpect, together with the clearing up of her Title to it, (a thing which in her health ſhe expreſſed a great ſollicitouſneſs for, inſomuch that ſhe hath been heard to ſay with ſome Emphaſis of zealous earneſtneſs, Who, p. 147being once aſſured of the pardon of ſins, would not be willing to die the next hour?) made her, now ſhe had attained it, ſo willing to Luk. 23. 46. 2 Tim. 1. 13. 2 Cor. 5. 1.Luke 23:462 Tim 1:132 Cor 5:1reſign her ſoul into the hands of God, as knowing whom ſhe had truſted: and lay down her earthly Tabernacle, in exchange for that Houſe made without hands, eternal in the Heavens.

And thus fell, what was mortal of this precious Saint, to her own infinite gain, but to the inexpreſſible loſs of all her ſurviving friends and acquaintance, but eſpecially her dear Relations. Who (notwithſtanding, I hope) will conſider, that, ſeeing the WILL OF THE LORD IS DONE, it becomes them to acquieſce in it. It was (as I am informed) her counſel to her tenderly loving and affectionate Husband, in her health, to take heed of over-loving her, bidding him beware of it, as he deſired not to be rid of of her: for God would endure no Rival. I hope (though, withal, I confeſs it a difficult piece of ſelf-denial not to over-love a Wife ſo over-deſerving; p. 148and ſo ſtrong a temptation may very well excuſe and leſſen an offence of that nature) that worthy perſon to whom that caution was given, had alwaies ſo much of the Chriſtian, as might balance the Husband in him; and preſerve him from ever rivalling his Maker. But, however let me preſume to remember De non noſtro amiſſum dolemus. Cum alie num amiſſum aegre ſuſtinemus, affines cupiditatis invenimur, Tert. de Pat.him, that this may be done ex poſt facto, by over-grieving, when God hath taken away ſuch a comfort. As no doubt Phaltiel was Davids Rival, not only whiles he enjoyed his Wife Michal; but alſo, when ſhe was ſent for from him, in that he accompanied her, as far as he dared, weeping, 2 Sam. 3. 16.

And let all her other Relations conſider, that, the more vertuous ſhe was, and the more any way qualified to be a comfort to them here; the fitter was ſhe to yield them the opportunity of offering the compleater ſacrifice of ſelf-denial and holy Reſignation, by giving her to God; for whom nothing can be too good, ſeeing we can have nothing ſo good as he deſerves, who is the Author of all good, yea, is p. 149himſelf all good, and alſufficiently ſo, to us. Let them conſider, how ripe ſhe was for Heaven, and then they cannot but connclude it had been to her loſs to have been longer detained from it: as it is to the choiceſt fruit to hang on the Tree beyond due maturity. And this very conſideration (if any of them were not ſufficiently prepared for this loſs before-hand) ought to have had the force of a preſage, to fortifie them againſt this Event: ſeeing it could not (in reaſon) be expected, that a Life ſo thick packed and crowded with Vertue and Grace, ſhould be long: her living ſo much in a little time (by that common Rule, celerius occidere feſtinatam maturitatem, that over-haſtened Quintil. Inſt.fruit is the firſt that falls) was a kind of ominous intimation that ſhe had not long to live; and that riding ſuch Poſthaſt towards Heaven, ſhe would not be long thence. However, now Gods will is done, let our hearty aſſent thereunto, ſhew us Chriſtians; our rejoicing in her happineſs, her friends; and our imitation p. 150of her excellent perfections, true honourers of her memory; who is gone before us to that bliſs, to which (I think, we may all ſafely ſay) the Lond in due time bring us all for Chriſts ſake. Amen.