THat hard question which Solomon propounds in the tenth Verse of this Chapter, Who can find a virtuous woman? I could have answered with an [...], more rapturous and quick, and [Page 2] brisk, than that of Archimed [...] [...]en he had solv'd the posing Problem; had not her sudden loss surprised and over­ballanced the joy of finding her, and sunk it into a gulf of inexpressible grief, which might justly strike me dumb with astonishing amazement, in­to the deepest silence, Prooem. in Eccl. as S. Jerome tells his Paula and Eustochium, it hap­pened to himself, upon the unexpected death of the holy Blaesilla.

And this might excuse our measu­ring, and wearing out, this solemn sad­dest hour, not by sliding Sands, but as they used of old, by distilling drops of Water, [...]. our bitterest and saltest Tears, or rather, if our Blood can circulate and flow in such a consternation, and be not chilled and stagnant, with Streams of that, both from our Veins and Hearts. But though the Laws of Nature might indulge such gratifying of our passions, Lev. 10.3. Aaron held his peace. as we are Men, the Law of Grace will not allow it, as we are Christians: to whom a sullen si­lence is as much forbidden as a submis­sive holding of our peace is changed on us.

For we must not sorrow, 1 Thess. 4.14. as Men without hope, for them who leep in [Page 3]Jesus, as without any hesitance, we may conclude she doth, who lived so entirely to him; and it would be too rank a selfishness, and unkind a Sacri­lege, to rob her, but in our wishes, of the enjoyment of God, and the inheritance of Saints in Light, that we might a­gain enjoy her kind, obliging, Col. 1.12 holy conversation, in this vale of Banishment and Darkness.

If therefore, she being dead, yet speaketh, as doubtless she doth, Heb. 13.4. and will do to all that had the honour and happiness to know her, either to our comfort or conviction; let me force a passage through my obstinate and stu­pifying sorrows, and partly be her Eccho, partly represent her in ef­figie, that by this innocent and useful way, she who is gone to live with God in Heaven, may still live with us on Earth, in our grateful remembrance of her virtuous perfections, in our seri­ous practice of her wise and holy coun­sels, and in a ready imitation of her exemplary Piety.

But because the most usual and use­ful method of instructing, is, by giving rules first, and then illustrating those rules with apposite and fit examples, [Page 4]which prove them practicable, and possible at least, if not easie also, to be observed, I shall pursue that order, and give you the rule and measure, from the wisest of Men in his Generation, and the example from the best of Wo­men in her own; the first from the Pen of the Royal Preacher, the second from the Hearse of a noble Lady, both Epithetes which carry grandeur in their sound, and may awaken, yea, com­mand attention.

The whole Chapter contains a Dia­logue betwixt Bathsheba and her Son Solomon, under the well disguised name of Lemuel, wherein she, after her scan­dalous fall (to shew the mighty pow­er of Divine Grace and sincere Repen­tance) now consecrated to be a Pro­phetess, The Pro­phecy which his Mother taught him. by a divine afflatus, instructs and catechises him in things of greatest importance, and nearest concernment, which she performs with a strong Pa­thos, and most winning insinuation, and hath the honour to have her pru­dent, holy counsels recorded in the Sa­cred Canon. And this fills up the nine first Verses, and from thence he reci­procates, and in a lofty strain appro­veth and applauds his Mother.

This latter part presents us with the Icon and Character of an excellent and Heroick Woman, which is laid down in two and twenty Verses, according to the number, and in the order of the Letters of the Hebrew Alphabet; every Letter in due sequence, beginning a se­veral Verse, Psalm 25.34.111.119. Lament. and divers other. to intimate there's some­what signal in it, which is composed with so much art, as we find many o­ther eminent portions of the Holy Scriptures are.

Some Interpreters allegorize these words, and make the Virtuous Wo­man the Figure of the true Church. Others refer them to the Holy and e­ver Blessed Virgin-Mother. Others suppose them to describe an holy and devout Soul, that consecrates it self en­tirely to God in the practice of all di­vine and truly ennobling Virtues. O­thers will have them to be, by a Proso­popoeia, the Idea of Spiritual Wisdom, and Heroical Virtue in the Abstract. But the most, and I think the best Ex­positors, esteem them the Icon, Idea, Character and Picture of a truly Wise, Religious, Godly, Gracious Woman, drawn by the Holy Ghosts own Pencil, in the hand of the most exquisite Ma­ster and Artist, Solomon.

He begins with an inquest after her, Who can find a virtuous Woman? im­plying, she's a rare creature, and hard­ly found, but to encourage your search, he assures you, she's worth looking for, her value being inestimable, for her price is far above Pearls and Rubies, and all Precious Stones. And then de­scends to draw her Pourtraicture and Beauty, with comely and due propor­tions, with bright and orient colours, and sets her in the most advantageous Light, in eighteen Verses. And final­ly crowns her with this Wreath of Laurels, with this golden Coronet, with this Diadem of costly Jewels, which make my present Text.

Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but the woman which feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

Give her of the fruit of her hands: let her own works praise her in the gates.

The words are a Royal Garland, set on the Temples of the Virtuous Wo­man, by the hands of Solomon and God. I may not give the scent of every single Flower, the sense of every severa word. [Page 7]Such solemn trifling would look like fulsome Pedantry, and ill become the mournful gravity of this occasion.

The mixed and compound fragrancy resulting from the whole, wreathed and bound up together, is this; That solid and true praise is only and superlatively due to the sincerely, godly, and gracious wo­man, who may claim it by the fruits her virtue hath been pregnant with: or Goodness in good earnest, substantial Re­ligion which hath fruitful hands, deserves, and shall obtain, an honourable testimony both of God and Men.

But as too minute a niceness is un­manly, and obraids the Auditory, so too general a procedure is confused and cloudy, acts the Dictator, and ar­bitrarily imposeth both on Text and Hearers, rather than deduceth fairly, and convinceth clearly: I shall there­fore use that method which is free from both extremes, taking for grant­ed what is obvious, and rendring so, by additional Light, the rest which needs it.

I may call this Text the Porch to the Temple of Honour, and it hath two Doors, one to shut out the bold Intruders, and false Pretenders: the [Page 8]other to admit the true and rightful claimers. Plainly it shews;

1. Negatively, who doth not de­serve.

2. Positively, who doth deserve true praise.

1. Negatively, no Woman deserves true praise.

1. For Favour.

2. For Beauty.

2. Positively, every Woman de­serves true praise.

1. Who feareth the Lord.

2. Who is fruitful in good works.

First, per remotionem, negatively, because the Gates of this Temple are thronged with Worshippers, and Praise hath many Candidates and Vo­taries, and many run for this prize, but only one obtains it. I shall briefly shew how Solomon thrusts back, and shuts the Door against, nonsuits the Plea of most Pretenders, under two instances, of Favour and Beauty, and by parity of reason shocks the bold confidence of all others, who can shew no better Charter for their claim: as if he had said, whatsoever is false and vain can produce nothing that is true and lasting: [Page 9]but Favour is false, deceitful, a lye. And Beauty is a vanishing, a fading, fleeting thing; therefore all the praise you affect, or can obtain by these, is like the Seed from whence it springs: false and deceiving, perishing and vain, and she who sows such wind, may expect nothing but a crop of Whirlwind, Hos. 8.7. Vide Cora. a Lapide in locum. a blasting and a cold return.

By Favour is meant a comely pre­sence, a graceful deportment, a win­ning carriage, decent gesture, hand­some motions, a ready wit, and good expression, and a decorous conversati­on, made up of all these and such like Ingredients, which is most taking, and renders Women desirable and accepta­ble, and procures Favour in the Eyes and Hearts of Men.

By Beauty he understands a goodly proportion of members, a just Sym­metry, and due situation of parts with the fit mixture of the Rose and Lilly, Pulchritu­do est Gyp­sum sepul­chro in­ductum, i. phlegma sanguine commi [...]tum pulcbre per pellem pellucens. S. Chrys. the best Varnish of a clear well co­loured skin, and whatever else com­poses an harmonious Air. Or, if you please, Beauty, whether natural or ar­tificial, whether the mixture of Blood and Flegm shining through a good skin, as S. Chrysostom defines it, or Ceruss [Page 10]and Vermilion daubed on, to hide a bad one: whether a Gift wherewith God hath blessed them, or a Theft for which God will blast them; whether the Benefit of the Author of Nature, or the Artifice of him who delights to disguise and destroy his Workman­ship.

Both these are vain and inconstant, false and deceitful, adventitious, or ex­ternal, the best no effect of our choice, as every thing must be which is praise­worthy.

The worst proceeding from a cor­rupt and sinful will, therefore blame­worthy, and reproachable, not excu­sable, Temporis & morbi ludi­brium. G. Naz. Can. 1.6. much less commendable. Not Ague-proof, nor tenable against the first assaults of age or sickness, nor dare be looked upon by Wind or Sun.

And not only empty, vain, and de­stitute of good; but fallacious and de­ceiving, and full of evils, snares and bands, and nets, and great temptati­ons. Fastus inest pulchris, siquiturque superbia formam. First, to the Women themselves, who have them, or who make them; too often rendring them proud, dis­dainful, wanton, lascivious, despisers of others, wasters of their time, Ido­lizers of their own reflections in a Glass, [Page 11]and careless, or afraid to behold the image of their impurer Souls in the Crystal of God's Law, and more afraid of being sick, or dying, than of a thou­sand Sins or Hells.

Secondly, deceiving and destroying silly Men, through whose Livers, Prov. 7.23. the seats of Lust, those mortal Darts do strike, which an invisible Bow shoots from their wanton Glances, and be­witching Smiles and Arts.

And by parity of reason, the like may be said of all the other perishing, empty, lying vanities: honours, rich­es, strength, the wisdom of the flesh, and learning meerly humane, which are but adventitious Goods at best, and seldom make Men better, often worse. What shall I say, shall I praise you for these? I praise you not: nor will God ever praise you, or reward you for them.

Nay, I must rather drive such false Hucsters for true praise, out of the Temple of lasting Honour, with such a Scourge as the Prophet Jeremiah long since prepared for that purpose; Let not the wise man glory in wisdom: Jer. 9.23. nor the witty woman in her wit. Let not the strong man glory in his strength: [Page 12]nor the fair woman glory in her Beau­ty. Let not the rich man glory in his riches: nor the fine woman glory in her dress. Let not the honourable Man glory in his Honour, nor the courted Mistress glory in her Favour. Let not the learned Man glory in his being Natures Secretary; nor the wanton woman in being skilled in the depths of Satan. But let him and her that would glory, and not be ashamed, or glory in their shame, glory in this that they know the Lord, and love and fear him in sincerity and truth. Which brings me to the positive part, and is the foundation which Solomon lays, whereon to build a Pyramid of lasting Fame.

Not the graceful, Pulchritu­dinem exi­stima animi ornatum non in cor­poris for­ma, sed in moribus pulchritudo sita est. Corn. a La­pide ex Chrys. but the gracious woman, not she who glories in her face, but she who like the King's Daughter is all glorious within, even the woman that feareth the Lord she shall be prai­sed.

In which positive part we have the good Womans Character, and Crown.

1. Her Character, which hath two parts, for the new creature also con­sists of Soul and Body, an inside, and an outside.

[Page 13]1. She fears the Lord, there's the Soul of her Virtue, the root of the matter within ground, Grace in the Heart.

2. She hath fruitful hands, there's the Body of her Virtue, the good Tree above ground, works in her life.

2. Her Crown, Praise and Renown. Which is,

1. Promised to her: She shall be praised.

2. Commanded for her: Give her of the fruit of her hands, let her own works praise her in the gates.

3. Performed concerning her: Thou excellest them all.

As briefly as may be concerning these Particulars: and first let us view both Pages on which her Character is written.

1. A woman that feareth the Lord, that is, who is sincerely religious, good in good earnest. Nothing is more fre­quent or obvious in Scripture than such Synechdoches, as put one eminent Grace for all the Chain of Graces. So some­times the Love of God, sometimes Trust in God, and most commonly the [Page 14] Fear of God is put for being truly re­ligious, or is made the Periphrasis of a godly Man. As in that signal pro­mise of the New Covenant, Jer. 32.38, 39, 40. They shall be my people, and I will be their God, and I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and their Children after them. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good, and I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Job 1.1. There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was perfect and up­right, one that feared God, and eschew­ed evil: so vers. 8. Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an up­right man, one that feareth God, and e­scheweth evil. vers. 9. Doth Job fear God for nought? Eccl. 12.13. Fear. God, and keep his Commandments, that is the whole of Man: Psal. 15.4. He ho­noureth them that fear the Lord; where the godly Man is under this De­nomination of one that feareth the Lord, opposed to the wicked, called there a vile person. 'Tis also an infallible sign [Page 15]of the presence of all other Graces, in the exercise of which true Godliness consists; for as the Law is copulative, so are the Graces by which we obey it, and as where the Soul is discovering it self by one vital act, all its faculties and powers are; so where the Spirit of God is working one Grace in truth, the Spirit of all Grace is, for the Spirit can no more be without its Graces, than the Soul without its Faculties: yea, the fear of God contains all Graces in it, therefore when Abraham offered up his Son Isaac, which was a mighty act of Faith and Love: God saith, Now I know thou fearest me, Gen. 22.12. And as 'tis so frequent, it would be endless to cite all, so 'tis so obvious, 'tis need­less to cite more.

2. The other Page hath this Inscripti­on, Fruitful hands: the good Woman is like Dorcas full of good works.

1. Hands, two Hands to hold the two Tables of the Law, Deut. 9.15. as Moses came down from the Mount with the two Tables in his two hands, in each hand one, neither empty nor idle.

The first in the Right Hand, there's Religion towards God. The second Table in the Left Hand, there's Righ­teousness [Page 16]and Charity towards Men.

2. These Hands bear Fruit, good works spring, and grow naturally, freely, seasonably, easily, maturely as fruits from a prolifique Tree, planted in a good soil, and by the Waters side, as the godly Man is described in the first Psalm: called Fruits of Righteous­ness, Fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5. where S. Paul hath a signal Antithesis betwixt Graces and Vices, calling the first Fruits, the other Works; the Works of the Flesh: vers. 19. There's servile drudgery in them: Fruits of the Spirit: vers. 22. There's a spiritu­al easiness in the production of them by the new Nature.

3. They are Fruits, in the plural, for variety of kinds, for number in every kind. First, various acts of Devotion, Prayers, Prayses, Reading, Hear­ing, Meditation, Conference, Prepa­ring, Communicating, and all these re­iterated, the Morning and the Evening Sacrifice, the weekly Sabbaths, solemn Fasts and Festivals, secret, private, pub­lick Devotions, Morning, Evening, and at Noon day: Psal. 119. yea, at Midnight, seven times a day: yea, in a sober sense, all the day long, nay, all day, and all night [Page 17]too, as it is testified of Anna, Luk. 2.37. That she departed not from the Tem­ple, but served God with fasting and prayers night and day.1 Thes 5. Rom. 12.12.Pray without ceasing, continuing instant in prayer, giving thanks continually, and in all things.

And the Left Hand, though it grow on another Arm, draws Sap and Vir­tue from the same Tree and Root, to make it fruitful in variety and multi­tude of Acts of Justice and Chari­ty.

1. Of Justice, thinking, speaking no evil of any Man, but dealing honest­ly with all Men, Superiors, Equals, Inferiours, in all natural, moral, civil Actions, in all concernments of Body, Goods and Name, wronging no Man, defrauding no Man, but doing to others as they would others should do to them; and observing this rule constantly, and in all occasions and occurrences, and so doing righteousness at all times.

2. In Charity, Matth. 25. relieving the distres­sed, feeding the hungry, cloathing the naked, visiting the afflicted by sick­ness, prison, or any other pressures, instructing the ignorant, comforting the feeble-minded, and supporting [Page 18]them who are cast down under any temptation, Eccl. 12.6. [...]. and this not once or twice, or to one or two, but sowing this seed in the Morning, and not withholding in the Evening, giving this portion to seven, and also to eight, casting Bread upon the waters, yea, scattering by all wa­ters. This briefly of the good Wo­mans character.

2. Her Crown, Praise: Praise is the shadow which attends the Body of Virtue. The Eccho which sounds an honorary Testimony.

1. From the Consciences of all Men, even those who will not practise it themselves, cannot but approve it and applaud it in them that do; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, the Apostle of the Gentiles, nay, the Consciences of the very Gen­tiles hath annexed them so close toge­ther, Se Judice nemo nocens absolvitur. they cannot be parted: for as no vicious and guilty person can be absol­ved, though he were to be his own Judge: so no virtuous person can be condemned, Rom. 2. though to be judged by his Enemies. That law written in the heart cannot but approve the Tran­script, and Counter-part, and Copy of it self where ere it meets it.

[Page 19]2. From the Mouths of all good Men, and those especially who have found and felt its beneficial influence.

Beloved, thou dost faithfully whatever thou dost to the Brethren, 3 Joh. 5.6.and to Stran­gers, which have born witness of thy Charity before the Church: S. Paul e­ven boasted of the forward zeal of them of Achaia, 2 Cor. 9.12, 13. 2 Cor. 8.3 and God was glorified for their liberal distribution to all Men. And of the Churches of Macedonia he bears record, That to their power, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves. Job 31.20. The Loyns of the poor blessed Job who were warmed by the sleece of his Sheep: Her children rise up and call her blessed, for the care of their ten­der and pious education, and her hus­band for her chaste conversation and faithful industry, of which he is not only a witness, but reaps the benefit of it, and for those he praiseth her.

3. From the whole Chorus of the Heavenly Hierarchy, the Angels Joy in Heaven, is the most landative accla­mation to her Virtues.

4. From God and Christ, whose Euge, Well done, good and faithful servants, whose, Come ye blessed of my Father, whose testimony, I was hungry, Matth. 25.[Page 20]and ye fed me; naked, and ye cloathed me; is the highest praise imaginable, or possible.

Now this praise is first promised, She shall be praised: God leaves us not without encouragements to make us good. Promises and Threats, Re­wards and Punishments, are the great instruments of Government, both with God and Men; and all Rewards include Praise, and are the silent, yet the loudest commendations.

A Crown of Righteousness, 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. and Life, is provided, and fore-promised, to them that fight the good Fight, that keep the Faith, that are faithful unto death. Great and precious pro­mises, 2 Cor. 6.7. that God will receive us, be our Father and our God, to provoke us to cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and perfect holiness in the fear of God. 1 Pet. An Inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, re­served in Heaven: Rivers of pleasure, fulness of joy, an eternal Kingdom, and everlasting life. And in the Letter, the highest praise, Rom. 2.28. for he that is cir­cumcised in heart and spirit, that is a Christian within, his praise shall be of God, and he is approved indeed whom [Page 21] God commendeth; Ps. 11.26. and we have God's word for it, that the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.

2. 'Tis commanded and given in charge concerning her to others. Give her of the fruit of her hands; let her works praise her in the Gates. Let them be spoken of and mentioned to her honour in the Assemblies of the great Men, and in the concourse of the people, which use to be most fre­quent in the Gates; God gives not on­ly leave, but charge; and 'tis not only an allowable courtesie, but a just debt and tribute due to virtuous persons, to declare and celebrate their famous Acts. 'Tis an Apostolical precept to the Philippians concerning Epaphrodi­tus, who for the work of Christ was near unto death; hold him, and not him only, but such as he, in reputation. Phil. 2.29. Yea, our Lord himself concerning Ma­ry, who anointed him, and wrought a good work upon him: Mat. 26.13. Praedicendo prae­cepit, Verily, I say unto you, wheresoe­ver this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this that this woman hath done be told, for a memo­rial of her. And God will have the Virtues and the Victories of his Saints [Page 22]recorded, to provoke our imitation of them, and encourage our weakness to war against vice, saith S. Gregory.

3. It's performed concerning her, thou excellest them all; 1 Cor. 14.12. we should la­bour to excel in Duty. Seek that you may excel. What do you more than o­thers? See that ye abound more and more, so run, out-run others, that ye may obtain; and praise shall be propor­tionable: Thou excellest them all. We find such Encomiums frequent in Scri­pture. Thus of Hezekiah, 2 King. 18.5. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him was none like him of all the kings of Israel, nor any that was be­fore him, that is, for strength of Faith. So of Josiah, 2 King. 23.25. And like unto him there was no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to the Law of Moses, neither after him arose any like him. So God's testimony of Job, Job 1.8. is, That there was not a Man like him in all the earth. So S. Paul testifies of Timo­thy, Phil. 2.20. I have no man like minded, who will naturally care for your estate.

Thus have I lightly shaken the prin­cipal Branches of this goodly Tree: and the ripe and pleasant Fruit which is fallen from them all, I shall pick up and serve in one Dish. To be sincerely religious, to be a vertuous, gracious, god­ly woman is the highest accomplishment, and deserves the greatest praise: nay, 'tis the most honourable testimony can be given to any, to say of her in truth, she was godly, and feared the Lord.

There seems to be a great agreement and likeness betwixt the hundred and forty fourth Psalm, in point of happi­ness, and this Chapter in matter of Duty; and Praise resulting from it. And therefore the transcribing those words, may give much light and illu­stration to what lies before us. David therefore to shew, populum quae faciunt beatiorem, What will make a people happy, proceeds thus, v. 12. That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth, that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the simili­tude of a palace. Vers. 13. That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store, that our Sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our [Page 24]Streets. Vers. 14. That our oxen may be strong to labour, that there be no breaking in, nor going out, that there be no complaining in our Streets. Vers. 15. Happy is that people that is in such a case. Every one will be ready to acknow­ledge and admire the happiness of such a People. But saith David, I'll tell you who are infinitely and more truly happy, yea, who are only so indeed; yea, happy is that people whose God is the Lord. So Solomon in this Chapter, to describe the Woman who deserveth praise, she that is so good a wife, that the heart of her Husband doth safely trust in her, that will do him good, and not evil all the days of his life, that is a Crown to him, and renders him ho­nourable in the gates. She that is so good an Houswife, that she worketh wil­lingly with her hands, stays at home, ri­seth early, is industrious, planteth, pur­chaseth, increaseth her estate, she that is so good a Mother, as to educate her children well, and so good a Mistress as to provide most carefully for all her ser­vants, that they are so far from wanting cloaths, that their Liveries are Scarlet. She that is so good a Neighbour that she treats the rich, and relieves the [Page 25]poor and needy, Super omni [...] a vultus ac­cessere boni. and obliges all by the law of kindness in her tongue, sweet­ning all by kindest words, and kinder looks. This Woman certainly de­serves to be admired; yea, is almost a­dored as a terrestrial Goddess. But after all this, saith Solomon, yet shew I you a more excellent way to obtain true and lasting praise; the godly Woman, the Woman that feareth the Lord, she, she deserves to be praised a­bove all others.

Most Men and Women affect to be praised, but 'tis for the most part for vain and deceitful things, which de­serve no praise at all; and if they at­tain any, 'tis a poor and empty praise which may sound and make a noise in the world, amongst the foolish heard, but signifies little with wise Men, and nothing at all with God, who designs Glory and Honour for none but those who seek it by patient continuance in well doing, and working good, Rom. 2.7, 10. But to fear the Lord, that is, to be godly, this deserves praise indeed. A truth so evident, and clear by its own light, 'tis hard to add any thing to it for proof or illustration, to make it clearer, nature hath printed it in our [Page 26]hearts, and the new nature in a second and fairer edition, as a common prin­ciple. And first notions are indemon­strable.

To praise is to bear witness, or give an honourable testimony, of a Man or Womans having such a Virtue, Grace, Perfection, Excellency in them, and the very acknowledging and testifying that they have them, is a praising of them highly: as Acts 11.24. Barna­bas is abundantly praised, in that testi­mony that he was a good man, full of the Holy Ghost, and of faith, without adding other encomiastick Words. So when God himself vouchsafes to write Job's Panegyrick, Job 1.1. he calls him his servant, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil. Acts 13.22. And S. Paul expresly saith, that God gave testimony to Da­vid, when he said of him, I have found David a man after mine own heart, who shall fulfil my will. For as we say for reproach, call a man ungrateful, and you can say no worse, you have stigmatized him with the foulest brand. So for Praise, call a Woman Godly, you need say no more, there's praise enough in that. So that if you [Page 27]confine me strictly, I must stick in the Center, and draw no lines from it, but all will return upon it self, and be the Epha never so full, it will settle upon its own Base: I may say aliud, but not amplius, none can be commend­ed highlyer, than to have this Cha­racter imprest, they fear the Lord.

Again if I should compare the fear of the Lord with other things to give it its due preference, or let my self loose into an enumeration of its causes, pro­perties, effects, signs, consequents, advantages, and unseasonably com­mon-place upon it, I should lanch into an Ocean, in which I should lose my self and your patience, and despair to kenn a shore in more than an hours sail­ing: I shall therefore confine my self, or rather willingly submit to be con­fined by the straits of time, to very narrow measures, which shall be these two:

1. To point in general at the objects of Praise, and shew what interest Re­ligion or the Fear of God hath in them.

2. To shew what usually acquires praise to men, in reference to God, their Neighbours and themselves, and [Page 28]declare how being sincerely religious, will intitle us to it on those Ac­counts.

1. As to the Objects of true Praise. 'The first and grand object of Praise is God, and the divine perfections, which is so evident through all the Scriptures, and to the light of Rea­son, that I'll not waste time to prove it; and consequently, what is next to them, and likest to them, is the next, and first in the order of the secondary objects of Praise. Now that is the I­mage of God reflected and imprinted on the Soul of Man; and this, Religi­on and the Fear of God produceth: Eph. 4.24. The new man is created after God's image in righteousness and true ho­liness: And Coloss. 3.10. The new man is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.

And they that sincerely embrace the great and precious promises of the Gospel, are thereby made partakers of the divine nature: A God-like temper and disposition. For Godliness is God­likeness. Therefore 'tis enjoyned in such language, Be ye holy, for I am ho­ly: or, as I am holy, saith the Lord. [Page 29]1 Pet. 1.16. and Luk. 6.36. Be ye merciful as your Father is merciful; and be ye perfect as your heavenly fa­ther is perfect, Matth. 5.48. They therefore that approach so near the most praise-worthy object, deserve great praise.

2. The object of Praise is some ex­cellent good, it must be good, or it de­serves reproach; but it must be also excellent, or no notice is taken of it. Now the fear of God is excellent, Psal. 19. The Saints are the excellent of the earth; Psal. 16.3. The righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour, Prov. 12.26. Wisdom excelleth folly, as light excelleth darkness, Eccles. 2.13. And the things of God's law, wherein good men exercise themselves, are said to be more excellent, Rom. 2.18. The godly therefore are to be praised, for they are excellent.

3. It must be a chosen good, for it would be no praise for any Man (if that were possible) to be good without, or against his will. If I do this thing willingly I have a reward: 1 Cor. 9.17. Now this good woman chuseth. Mary [Page 30]hath chosen the good part: Luk. 10.42. (And so did our honourable Mary, if ever any) and it is implyed in the re­proach cast upon Sinners: Prov. 1.29. That they did not chuse the fear of the Lord: that the Saints do chuse it: Psal. 119.30. I have chosen the way of truth, thy judgments have I laid before me: and vers. 137. I have chosen thy precepts. Isa. 56.4. The eunuchs which chuse the things which please me. And it's the high commendation of Moses, Heb. 11.25, 26. That he chose to suffer affliction with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, and esteemed the re­proach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt.

4. It must be some permanent and abiding good, not fading, not like the morning cloud and early dew: now the fear of the Lord endureth for ever: Psal. 19.9. and where it is in truth it will both conti­nue and grow. The righteous is an ever­lasting foundation: Prov. 10.25. The good part they chuse shall not be taken a­way.

They repent not of their repentance, and Christ hath prayed that their faith fail not.

They go from strength to strength till they appear before God perfect in Zion, and bring forth more fruit in their age.

The path way of the just is as the shi­ning light:Pov. 4.18.which shineth more unto the perfect day.

2. I shall consider the object of Praise more specially, and what men are esteemed to merit praise for, with respect to God, their Neighbours and themselves.

1. Men are praised for their well performing of their duty to God, as good servants.

2. For their Beneficence to men in all relations, as useful, just, kind, chari­table amongst and towards all men.

3. For their wisdom to themselves, as being prudent, discreet, and wise in their own concerns.

Now Religion, the Fear of the Lord, is productive of all these in an eminent degree; and therefore are they greatly to be praised in whom it is.

[Page 32]1. This fear will make good servants to God. This is a principal part of a servants duty. Mal. 1.6. If I be a Master where is my fear? Now this fear is the root of universal obedience: he that fears God will not, dare not of­fend him: Fear God and keep his Com­mandments, this is the whole duty of man: Eccles. 12.13. Only fear the Lord, and serve him; if you fear him, you will not fail to serve him. What doth the Lord require of thee, Deut. 10.12.but to fear him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and soul: serve the Lord with fear, Psal. 2. Let us have grace whereby we may serve God accepta­bly with reverence and godly fear: Heb. 12.28. Yea, the fear of God will help to clean from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness: 2 Cor. 7.1. So that if it be praise-wor­thy to be a dutiful child and obedient ser­vant to God, as certainly nothing de­serves it better; the woman that fear­eth the Lord hath a just claim to Praise.

2. The fear of the Lord will make fruitful in all good offices to our Neigh­bour, humble and obedient to Superi­ours, careful of, and tender to Inferi­ours, [Page 33]just and kind to all, and muni­ficent and liberal to those that are in want. This good woman in the Text, who feareth the Lord in her heart, had fruitful hands, and works of her own to praise her in the gates.

'Tis the excellency of Religion to make good in all relations. Good Ma­gistrates, 'tis the first qualification of Jethro's Justice: Able men that fear God: Exod. 18.21.

So Nehemiah of himself, Neh. 5.15. The former Governours which were be­fore me, had been chargeable to the peo­ple, and had taken of them bread, and wine, and forty shekels of silver, yea, even their servants had rule over the peo­ple, but so did not I because of the fear of God, and good Subjects: Fear thou the Lord, and the King; Prov. 24.21. Fear God, and honour the King: 1 Pet. 2.17. One will enforce the other, and will make subject for conscience sake: Rom. 13.5.

It will make loving and good Hus­bands, and it will make good and obedi­ent Wives, like Sarah; for holy women who trust in God are in subjection to their own husbands: 1 Pet. 3. And this made this Virtuous Woman so excellent a [Page 34]Wife. It will make good Family-Go­vernours, who will walk in their house with a perfect heart, and will neither provoke their Children, nor deny what's equal to their servants, whilst they remember themselves have a Fa­ther, and a Master in heaven; Col. 4.1. It will make dutiful children, and faithful servants. Servants obey in all things your Masters according to the flesh, not with eye-service, as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God: Col. 3.22. In a word, it will make honest and righteous in our whole con­versation: S. Peter puts together Acts 10.35. Fearing God and working righ­teousness.

It renders also charitable and bounti­ful to them in need; this good Wo­man, vers. 20. Stretcheth out her hands to the poor; yea, she reacheth out her hands to the needy. The good man is e­ver merciful, and lendeth; yea, liberal, and giveth.

Cornelius is described, Acts 10.1. A devout man that feared God, and gave much alms to the people; and S. James tells us, that true Religion and undefiled is to visit the fatherless, and widows in their affliction, that is to re­lieve them.

So that if to be good in all relations, and to be a Benefactor and common good to mankind, deserves praise, the fear of God deserves it, which makes men such.

Thirdly and lastly, the fear of the Lord will make a man wise for himself, to do himself good: And men will praise thee when thou dost well to thy self; Psal. 49.18. And nothing is more praise­worthy in man's account, than to be wise, nor in the account of God, than to be wise to salvation. Now the fear of the Lord not only makes wise, but is wisdom it self.

The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding: Job 28.28.

Wisdom and Godliness are synony­mous words in the Holy Ghost's Lan­guage, the wise man is the good man, (wise virgins, Matth. 25.) and the wicked man the fool. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; the head, the chief of wisdom; a good un­derstanding have all they that keep his commandments. The praise of every one of them who do so endureth for e­ver: Psal. 111, ult.

I am loth, notwithstanding the straits of time, to dismiss this great truth without some short improve­ment, let me therefore take advantage from the desire of fame and praise, which nature hath planted in us all.

1. To reprove the blindness and fol­ly of Men who will not see, or seeing, not pursue the only true and safe, and sure method of attaining it, by la­bouring to be soundly and sincerely god­ly, but build upon the sand, that hol­low, sinking ground, which will not bear this triumphal Arch, this Royal Pillar; their natural, fortuitous, ac­quired accomplishments, their strength, beauty, riches, honour, fleshly wisdom, all which are perishing and vain, false and deceiving, and will crown them at last but with fading flowers, and wi­thering garlands, with the praise of foolish men, like themselves; never with that praise which comes from God: for the Lord taketh no pleasure in the legs of a man, Psal. 147.10.nor in the face of a woman: in the strength of the one, nor in the beauty of the other; but the [Page 37]Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, and hope in his mercy. I be­seech you therefore, and adjure you by all the obligations of duty to God, and wisdom for your selves, devote your selves to the fear of God entirely. Resolve to be good in very good earnest; to be Christians indeed, and Christians within, circumcised in heart and spirit, Rom. 2.28.that your praise may be of God, 1 Pet. 1.7. and not of men: and found in the faith, that it may be found to praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearance of Jesus Christ.

And to encourage you, lift up your eyes, bestow one steddy, wishful glance upon the goodly fruit, with which this tree of life is loaden, of which, whoever eats shall never die, but live for ever.

1. All your sins shall be pardoned, you shall have peace with God, with conscience, and with all the creatures; acceptance of your persons, and of all your services.

2. You shall be freed from the pow­er, the filth, and the deceitfulness of sin, [Page 38]the vassalage of Satan, the sting of death, and from the pit, and fear of Hell.

3. Your Souls shall be repaired to their original perfections and excellen­cies in the Image of God, and partici­pation of the Divine Life.

4. You shall be ingrafted into Christ, adopted into the Family of God, made temples of the Holy Ghost, with all the Blessings which are consequent on these.

5. You shall be heirs of all the pro­mises; yea, inherit all things: have all your wants supplied, all just desires satisfied, all conditions sanctified, all providences blessed, to promote your everlasting good.

Lastly, you shall be crowned with the unwithering Laurels of true, and of eternal praises, by Men, by Angels, and by Christ, and God; and when you die in nature, begin to live in glory; go to God and see his face, and be for ever with him, in whose presence is ful­ness of joy, and at whose right hand are pleasures for ever more.

And for further quickening and strengthning you against the difficul­ties which may seem to meet you, and to obstruct you in this excellent way. Let me set before you the examples of the Saints of God, who, though men of like passions with your selves, in­wardly clogged with the same corrupt and sinful nature, outwardly beset with the like or same temptations, cast off the weight which hung upon them, broke through the difficulties which did encompass them, and ran the race which was set before them, and through faith and patience obtained, and now inherit the promises, and that sure reward, that Diadem of Joy, and Praise, which God hath provided, and Christ hath purchased for, and promised to them that love and fear him, and wait for his appearance. Re­flect on all the Worthies of the Old Testament, and New, the holy Patri­archs, Prophets and Apostles, the noble Army of Martyrs, all the primitive Christians, whose names are recorded in the Church's Story, all the devout men and women of succeeding ages; and follow that Cloud of Witnesses, as Israel followed that Pillar of Cloud and [Page 40] Fire, through the wilderness till they arriv'd at Canaan.

And that you may not doubt, or fear that God's Arm is shortened, or his hand grown weak, his Bowels straitned, or the aids of his Grace less powerful, sufficient, yea, exuberant than they were of old.

Let me set before you an illustrious, an Heroick, a recent instance, fresh in your memories, known to you all, a President, as much beyond exception, as example, which may silence all your cavils of difficulty, and much more of impossibility.

I mean the thrice honourable, and truly noble, the most excellent and incom­parable Lady, the sacred Shrine of whose venerable Herse we are now drenching with the just tribute of our floods of tears, and strewing with the sweetest Flowers of Applause and Ad­miration, though they as much too few, as these too pale and faint for such an offering.

She was a Woman, of the feebler Sex, a sinful daughter of first sinning Eve, a rich woman, and how hardly can such be saved? That had as much busi­ness [Page 41]to divert her, and as much plenty to entertain her, as much beauty to tempt her, and as much favour to in­tangle her, as any of you, and lived in the same atheistical, degenerate age with your selves, wherein sincere and serious Religion is made the greatest Ridicule, esteemed the most unmodish and unfashionable thing.

And yet in the midst of all these dis­advantages, I may without Hyperbole invite you, as the Cryer us'd to call Spectators to the secular Plays: Come see those Shews, Quos nemo mortalium vidit, vel visurus est, Come see, come hear such an example of Heroick Virtue, of Generous Piety, of sincere, humble, unaffected, serious, fruitful Religion, as in all respects this age hath not produced, as hath had rare, if any Presidents to follow, and will I fear be followed by few, or none, but with long distant in­tervals.

An hundred Mouths and a thousand Tongues, Si mihi sin [...] centum lin­guae, sint oraque cen­tum. though they all flowed with Nectar, would be too few to praise her. O for a Chrysostom's Mouth, for an An­gel's Tongue to describe this terrestrial Seraphim; or a ray of light condens'd into a pencil, and made tactile to give [Page 42]you this glorious child of light in vive Effigie.

But what great Masters can pre­sent in minature? what skillful hand epitomize so great a soul, and draw her in little (on so few remaining Sands) who had nothing little, no­thing mean, but a little esteem of her own perfections, and being mean in her own eyes.

For she was truly excellent, and great in all respects: great in the ho­nour of her Birth, being born a Lady, and a Virtuosa both, Seventh Daugh­ter of that eminently Honourable Ri­chard, the First Earl of Cork, who be­ing born a private Gentleman, and younger Brother of a younger Bro­ther, to no other Heritage than is expres­sed in the Device and Motto, which his humble Gratitude inscribed on all the Palaces he built, ‘God's Providence, mine Inheritance.’ By that Providence, and his diligent and wise Industry, raised such an Ho­nour and Estate, and left such a Family as never any Subject of these three Kingdoms did, and that with so un­spotted [Page 43]a reputation of integrity, that the most invidious scrutiny could find no blot, though it winnowed all the methods of his Rising most severely, which our good Lady hath often told me with great content and satisfacti­on.

This Noble Lord by his prudent and pious Consort, no less an Orna­ment and Honour to their Descendants than himself, was blessed with five Sons, of which he lived to see four Lords, and Peers of the Kingdom of Ireland.

And a Fifth, more than these Titles speak, a Sovereign and Peerless, in a larger Province, that of universal na­ture, subdued, and made obsequious to his inquisitive mind.

And eight Daughters.

And that you may remark how all things were extraordinary in this great Personage: it will, I hope, be neither unpleasant, nor impertinent, to add a short Story, I had from our Lady's own mouth.

Master Boyl (who was then a Wid­dower) came one Morning to wait up­on [Page 44]Sir Jeoffry Fenton, at that time a great Officer of State in the Kingdom of Ireland; who being engaged in bu­siness, and not knowing who it was who desired to speak with him, a while delayed him access, which time he spent pleasantly with his young Daughter in her Nurses Arms. But when Sir Jeoffrey came, and saw whom he had made attend somewhat long, he civilly excused it. But Ma­ster Boyl replyed, he had been very well entertained, and spent his time much to his satisfactiou, in courting his Daughter, if he might obtain the Honour to be accepted for his Son-in-law. At which Sir Jeoffrey smiling, (to hear one who had been formerly married, move for a Wife carried in Arms, and under two years old) asked him, if he would stay for her: to which he frankly answered him he would, and Sir Jeoffrey as generously promised him, he should then have his full consent. And they both kept their words honourably. And by this vir­tuous Lady he had thirteen Children, ten of which he lived to see honourably married, and died a Grandfather by the youngest of them.

Nor did she derive less honour from the collateral, than the descending Line, being Sister by Soul and Genius, as well as Blood to these great Personages, whose illustrious, unspotted, and resplen­dent Honour, and Virtue, and whose useful Learning, and accurate Pens may attone and expiate, as well as shame, the scandalous Blemishes of a debauched, and the many impertinencies of a scrib­ling Age.

1. Richard the truly Right Honour­able, Loyal, Wise, and Virtuous Earl of Burlington and Cork, whose life is his fairest, and most laudable Cha­racter.

2. The Right Honourable Roger, Earl of Orery, that great Poet, great States-man, great Soldier, and great Every-thing which merits the name of Great or Good.

3. Francis, Lord Shannon: whose Pocket-Pistol, as he stiles his Book, may make as wide Breaches in the Walls of the Capital, as many Canons.

4. And that Honourable, and well known name R. Boyl, Esquire, that profound Philosopher, accomplished Hu­manist, and excellent Divine, I had al­most said Lay-Bishop. as one hath stiled [Page 46]Sir H. Savil, whose Works alone may make a Library.

The Female Branches also (if it be lawful so to call them. whose Virtues were so masculine, Souls knowing no difference of Sex) by their Honours and Graces (by mutual reflections) gave, and received lustre, to, and from her.

The Eldest of which, the Lady A­lice, was married to the Lord Bara­more.

The Second, the Lady Sarah, to the Lord Digby of Ireland.

The Third, the Lady Laetitia, to the eldest Son of the Lord Goring, who died Earl of Norwich.

The Fourth, the Lady Joan, to the Earl of Kildare, not only Primier Earl of Ireland, but the ancientest House in Christendom of that degree, the pre­sent Earl being the six and twentieth, or seven and twentieth of Lineal Descent. And, as I have heard, it was that great Antiquary, King Charles the First his observation, that the three anientest Families in Europe for Nobility, were the Veres in England, Earls of Oxford, and the Fitz-Geralds in Ireland, Earls [Page 47]of Kildare: and Momorancy in France. 'Tis observable, that the present young Earl of Kildare is a mixture of the Blood of Fitz-Geralds and Veres.

The Fifth, the Lady Katharine, who was married to the Lord Vicount Rane­laugh, and Mother to the present gene­rous Earl of Ranelaugh, of which Fa­mily I could have added an eminent Remark, I meet with in Fuller's Wor­thies.

This Lady's Character is so signalized by her known Merit, among all Persons of Honour; that as I need not, so I dare not attempt beyond this one word, She was our Lady's Friend-Sister.

The Sixth, the Lady Dorothy Lof­tus.

The Seventh (the number of Per­fection) which shut up and crown'd this noble Train, (for the Eighth, the Lady Margaret died unmarried) was our excellent Lady Mary, married to Charles Earl of Warwick: of whom, if I should use the Language of my Text, I should neither despair their pardon, nor fear the reproach of rudeness: Many Daughters, all his Daughters did virtuously; but thou—

She was Great by her Marriage into the Noble Neighbouring Family, which yet received accession to its Grandure, by the lustre of her Name and Virtues. But she needed neither borrowed Shades, nor reflexive Lights, to set her off, being personally great in all natural Endowments and Accom­plishments of Soul, and Body, Wisdom, Beauty, Favour, Virtue.

Great by her Tongue; for never Woman used one better, speaking so gracefully, promptly, discreetly, perti­nently, holily, that I have oft admired the edifying words that proceeded from her Mouth.

Great by her Pen, as you may (Ex pede Herculem) discover by that little taste of it, the world hath been happy in the hasty fruit of one or two inter­rupted hours after Supper, which she professed to me with a little regret, when she was surprised with it's sliding into the world, without her know­ledge, or allowance, and wholly beside her expectation.

Great by being the greatest Mistress, and Promotress, not to say the Foun­dress, and Inventress of a new Science— The Art of obliging; in which she at­tain'd [Page 49]that Sovereign Perfection, that she reigned over all their hearts with whom she did converse.

Great in her nobleness of Living, and in her free and splendid Hospita­lity.

Great in the unparallel'd sincerity of constant, faithful, condescending Friendship; and for that law of kind­ness which dwelt in her Lips and Heart.

Great in her dexterity of Manage­ment.

Great in her quickness to apprehend the difficulties of her Affairs, and where the stress and pinch lay, to untie the Knot, and loose and ease them.

Great in the conquest of her self, and mastery of her passions, as I could give several pregnant instances, but e­pecially in that of the death of her dear and only Son; wherein her beha­viour was so submiss, serene, and calm, I confess I cannot but judge it scarce imitable, or attainable by any other.

Great in a thousand things besides, which the world admires as such; but I can be, and here profess my self her faithful witness, she despised them all, and counted them but loss and dung in com­parison [Page 50]of the fear of God, and the ex­cellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Substance of great Volumes uses to be summarily contracted into Con­tents and Titles. All I have said is but an imperfect Index, to this great Folio of Voluminous Virtue. You that knew her must have the Book before you, turn over the leaves of your own me­mories, and read with pleasure what those hints refer you to.

But I promised you to present her, as an example of Solomon's Rule, let us therefore bring her, and the Text toge­ther, and never two were better met. If ever this Scripture were fulfilled, 'tis this day fulfilled in your ears.

O thou Great, Heroick, Noble, Bles­sed Soul, (and blessed be that God, and Grace that made thee such) Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Though thou wantedst not Beauty, and didst exceed in Favour; thou didst neither prize them, nor catch at praises by them, but didst fear the Lord with all thy heart, [Page 51]and esteemedst that thy only praise and ho­nour. Thy hands were fruitful, and thy lips too, and thy Fruits were many, pleasant, useful, seasonable, ripe, sweet, and fragrant: both to God and Man.

Thou art now praising God, and we are praising thee: with the Sprigs of those Lawrels will we crown thee which thy own hands did plant, and eyes did wa­ter; that God may be praised in thee, and for thee, and others drawn by holy emulation to transcribe thy Copy. I shall begin with that which always had the first place in her care, and heart, her Religion, and Piety, which in the language of my Text, is the fear of the Lord. And I may, as is said of Hanna­niah, Neh. 7.2. truly attest, that she feared the Lord above many; above most, not to say above all: that she feared the Lord greatly, as is testified of Obadiah, 1 King. 18.3. Or as David calls him­self Gods servant devoted to his fear: Psal. 119.38. So might she most truly.

I shall give you an account of,

1. Her Entrance, or Beginning.

[Page 52]2. Progress, or Growth.

1. Practice, and Exercise of Religi­on as to her self.

2. Of her Zeal, and holy Industry to promote it, and encourage it in o­thers.

First, as to her beginning to be seri­ously Religious, and to make it her bu­siness in good earnest, though she had good education, and had been princi­pled in the Grounds of Catechism in her youth: yet she would confess she understood nothing of the life and power of Religion upon her heart, had no spiritual sense of it, till some years af­ter she was married. She hath told me also with what prejudice and strange apprehensions, as to matters of Reli­gion, she came into the Family in which she lived and died with so much Ho­nour, for she was almost frighted with the disadvantageous account was given of it: but when she came to see the regular performance of divine Worship, and hear the useful, edifying, preaching of the most necessary, practi­cal, and substantial truths, and observe the order and good Government, and received encouragement from her [Page 53]Right Honourable Father-in-law, who had always an extraordinary value for her, and affection to her: her preju­dice wore off, and approbation followed. Which minds me of a comparison, used by the Learned P. Martyr, which occasioned the Conversion of the Pious Galeacius Caracciolus.

If a Man standing at a great di­stance see a Company dancing, he wonders at their antick Gestures, and seemingly ridiculous motions, and thinks them a company of mad men: but if he approaches nearer, and comes within the hearing of the sweet and harmonious Musick, which guides and measures out those motions, and ob­serves how regularly one answers to the other, he then admires them, ap­proves their decency and order, and desires to dance with them. So if a man take up the reports the world gives of serious Christians, or sees them at a distance busily attending all the duties of their holy Calling and Profession, he thinks of them as Festus did of Paul: that they are beside them­selves, or mad: but if he acquaint him­self more throughly with them, and hears and understands the Word of [Page 54]God, which is as it were the Musick to which they dance, and takes notice how they measure all their motions by its melody, he sees such an agreeing and beautiful conformity betwixt them; he cannot but approve it, and joyn with them.

God made use of two more remote means of her Conversion, Afflictions, and Retirement, the kind of the first, and the occasion of the second need not here be named. Only the divine Wis­dom and Grace is very adorable, for a­dapting suitable means to bring his pur­poses to pass: as these were in her cir­cumstances, for she would since ac­knowledge that her great difficulty and remora, was her love of the plea­sures and vanities of the world, which she neither knew how to reconcile with the strictness of Religion, nor yet could be content to part with for that, whose sweets and better pleasures, she was not then acquainted with: God therefore gradually weaned her, by rendring more insipid what had too much pleased her, and by giving her vacancy and freedom from distraction, to acquaint her self more throughly [Page 55]with the things of God. By which she was enabled to set to her seal to that testimony which God gives to spiritual Wisdom, That all her ways are pleasant­ness, and all her paths are peace: and to her Friends would frequently and free­ly do it, assuring them That she had no cause to repent the change she found, of the solid and satisfying pleasures she obtained in Religion, for those unquiet, empty ones, she left in ways of vanity: thereby encouraging them to try, not doubting, but upon experience they would become of the same mind.

Two more immediate helps which God blessed to her, were the preaching of the Word (which God hath ordained for the salvation of them that believe: 1 Cor. 1.21.) and Christian Conference, and (because such an hint may do o­thers good) the pressing the necessity of speedy and true repentance, and shew­ing the danger of procrastination, and puttings off, and stifling present con­victions by delay: This seemed to turn the wavering, trembling balance, and to fix the scale of her resolution.

This is about nine and twenty years [Page 56]since, from which time (though be­fore her conversation was viceless, sweet, and inoffensive, yet she would confess her mind was vain) she walk'd with God most closely, circumspectly, accurately. And I verily believe few (if any) ever chose the better part, more resolutely than this our noble Mary, or devoted themselves more unreservedly to God's love, and fear, and service, learning to be good in very good earnest, and to encrease, and grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

2. To promote this, like the wise man in the Gospel, Mat. 7.24. She dug deep to lay her foundations on a rock. She made a strict scrutiny into the state of her Soul, and weighed the rea­sons of her choice, in the balance of the Sanctuary. And with the other Buil­der in the Gospel, sate down and consi­dered with her self what it might cost to finish her spiritual edifice, and whether she were furnished to defray that charge. And also whether the grounds of her hope were firm, and such as would not abuse, and shame her, and her evi­dences for Heaven, such as would [Page 57]bear the Test, and Scripture would approve.

And this she drew up at large, with her own hand judiciously, soberly, mo­destly, humbly, and about twenty years since did me the honour with greatest secrecy to read it to me, and obliged me with all freedom and faithfulness to give her my judgment of it; which I could not but do with much approba­tion. And this, I doubt not, remains amongst her many excellent Papers.

Having thus put her hand to the plough, she looked not back, but minded Religion as her business indeed; and never gave suspicion of trifling in so se­rious a work.

3. Therefore for her practice of it, it was her great design to walk worthy of God in all well-pleasing, to adorn her pro­fessed subjection to the Gospel, by a con­versation becoming it, and to shew forth his virtues and praises, who had called her to his marvellous Light.

First then she was circumspectly careful to abstain from all appearance of evil; and in all doubtful cases 'twas [Page 58]her rule to take the furest side; for she would say, I am sure, 'twill do me no hurt, to let them alone. Though therefore none were further from cen­suring others, or usurping judgment over their liberties; yet for her self she would never allow her self the addition of artificial handsomness, (used nei­ther paint nor patch) and was pleased with a saying of one of her spiritual Friends, upon the reading the Book which apologizes for it: O Lord, I thank thee, that thou gavest me not wit enough to write such a Book, unless withal thou hadst given me Grace enough not to write it. Neither would she play at a­ny Games, because beside many other inconveniences, she judged them great wasters of precious time: of which she was always very thrifty. And though she was known to be a woman of good understanding, yet were there three things which were too hard for her, and she would confess she could not comprehend them.

First, How those who professed to believe an Eternal Estate, and it's de­pendance upon the short inch of time, could complain of times lying as a dead [Page 59]commodity on their hands, which they were troubled how to drive away.

Secondly, how Christians, who would seem devout at Church, could laugh at others for being serious out on't, and burlesque the very Bible, and turn Religion into Ridicule.

Thirdly, How knowing men could take care of souls, and seldom come amongst them, never look after them.

And though in the forenamed par­ticulars, she was content only to give example of forbearance: yet from the Play-house, since the Stage hath taken so great liberty, she would openly de­hort her Friends with greatest earnest­ness.

She, very many years since, began to keep a Diary; and consulted two, whom she used to call her Soul-Friends, and ever esteemed such her best Friends, concerning the best manner of performing it. This, at first, she used to perform every Evening; but finding that inconvenient, by reason of her Lords long illness, which gave her [Page 60]many inevitable diversions and inter­ruptions at that season, she changed it into the quiet, silent morning, always rising early. And therein amongst other things recorded the dayly frame of her own heart towards God, his sig­nal providences to her self, and some­times towards others, his gracious ma­nifestations to her Soul, returns of pray­er, temptations resisted, or prevailing, or whatever might be useful for caution or encouragement, afford her matter of thankfulness or humiliation. And by this means she had arrived at such ex­perience, that she could conclude, at least make strong conjectures of the e­vents of things she spread before the Lord in prayer, by the frame of her own heart, in the performance of it, as I could instance in particulars, if it were convenient.

She used to call Prayer Hearts-ease, as she often found it; and though her modesty was such, and she was so far from a vain, affected ostentation of her gifts, I cannot name one person with whom she prayed, yet can I say she was as well mighty, and fervent in prayer, as constant and abundant in it; [Page 61]for she sometimes using her voice, hath been over-heard, and her own Lord (knowing her hours of prayer) once conveyed a grave Minister into a secret place, within hearing, whom, if I should name, I suppose would not be denyed to be a competent Judge, who much admired her humble fer­vency; for she praying prayed, and when she used not an audible voice, her sighs and groans would eccho from her Closet at good distance. And the very day before she died, she was shut up a­bove an hour, which she spent in fer­vent, private prayer, notwithstanding her indisposition; and indeed prayer was her very element, in which she lived, and actually died; and 'twas as the vi­tal breath of her Soul, and the wing that wafted it immediately to Hea­ven.

But if she exceeded her self in any thing; as much as she excelled others in most things, 'twas in meditation: this was her Master-piece; for she usu­ally walked two hours dayly in the morning, to meditate alone, in which divine art she was an accomplished Mistress, both in set and occasional, in [Page 62]the first chusing some select subject, which she would press upon her heart, with intensest thoughts, till she had drawn out all its juice and nourish­ment: and for the second, like a spiri­tual Bee, she would suck Honey from all occurrences, whole Volumes of which she hath left behind her.

After this consecrating of the day with reading Scriptures, Lectione as­sidua & meditatio­ne diuturna pectus suum Biblio­thecam se­cerat Chri­sti; unde hic fervor, aisi ex amere Dei? unde legis Christi indefessa meditatio nisi ex defi­derio ejus qui legem dedit?prayer, and meditation: a short dressing time, and ordering her domestick Affairs, or reading some good Book, spent the remainder of the morning till Chappel-prayers, from which she was never ab­sent, and at which she was ever reve­rend, and a devout example to her whole Family.

She was a strict observer of the Lords­day, which is truly called the Hedge and Fence of Religion, and though some please themselves to call this Judaizing, to excuse the liberties they indulge themselves: I am sure our Church hath injoyn'd us all to cry to God for mercy, for the breach of, and for grace to in­cline our hearts to keep, the fourth Commandment, as well as any of the [Page 63]other nine: and 'tis not hard to ob­serve that the streams of Religion are deep, or shallow, according as these Banks are kept up, or neglected.

She was a very devout Communicant; seldom omitting to prepare her Soul with solemn fasting, to renew her cove­nant with God.

And in the act of receiving, I can­not think of her without reflecting on S. Stephen, when he saw the Heavens o­pened, and Jesus standing at God's right hand, and his face was as the face of an Angel.

And to encourage others to such se­rious preparation to that Sacred Ordi­nance, as she us'd before it: I shall shew what sweet advantages she reaped in it, and by it. And this I shall do by transcribing word for word out of her Diary, what I find written with her own hand, concerning one of the last Sacrament Days, she ever enjoyed. For the Sacrament which was appoint­ed to have been administred in her La­dyships Chappel upon Easter-day, was put off by reason of her falling ill in Passion week.

November, 25. Sacrament Day.

She was a very ferious and artentive hearer of the Word, and constantly af­ter Sermon recollected what she heard, sometimes by writing, always by think­ing and calling it to mind, that she might make it her own, and turn it into pra­ctice, not content to be a forgetful, fruitless hearer only, but a doer, that she might be blessed in her deed.

And such she was for the external performances of Religion.

And though this was beautiful and lovely, yet her chief glory was within, in the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, in that dress of Graces which adorned her Soul, this string was all of Orient Pearls, and e­venly matched, not one ill watered, or of unequal size. There was not one dryed or withered Limb, one member wanting or defective in the new crea­ture, [Page 69]she was complete in Christ, all of a piece.

The Head of her Knowledge was comprehensive and clear. The Eye of her Faith was piercing and steddy. The Ear of her obedience was open and light of hearing, and boared at the door posts of wisdoms house. Her Palate was savory, and relishing, to which God's Law was sweeter than the honey, and the honey­comb, and more esteemed than her neces­sary food. The Cheeks of her Modesty were fair and ruddy. The Arms of her desires were stretched out after God, and flexible, to embrace him. The Hands of her Justice and Charity were strong and open. The Breasts of her Bounty were well-fashioned, and full of milk, and the Bowels of her compas­sion were tender and fruitful. Her hun­ger and thirst after righteousness was e­ven greedy and insatiable. The heart of her sincerity was sound and lively, and the pulse of her conscience smooth and equal. The feet of her affections were swifter than the Roes on the moun­tains of Bether, more truly winged than the Poets feign their Mercuries. The natural heat of her Zeal more fer­vent than the coals of Juniper, and the [Page 70] radical moisture of her repentance more fluid than the springs of Pisgah. Being seen with dry eyes, under tear-moving circumstances, which very nearly con­cern'd her self, and being asked, how she could refrain? She replyed, I desire to weep for nothing but my sins. Her name was as ointment poured forth, which made her the delight and admi­ration of all good men and women; yea, you may call her a She Jedidiah, a Female Lemuel, the Lord's delights, she with whom God was.

Now the Soul of this excellent Body, which animated all its goodly parts within, was the love of God, and the gorgeous Robe which cloathed it with­out, was her deep humility. These were the Sun and Moon in this great Firmament, all whose Stars were of the first magnitude, and the least of which would have made the great Luminary in another Orb. Such was this beauteous Spouse of Christ, so like her Heavenly Bridegroom, that for that resemblance sake, we may say of her she was ex­ceeding lovely.

Nor was she less solicitous to make others good, than to be so her self. She well remembred our Savious charge to [Page 71]S. Peter, When thou art converted, strengthen thy Brethren: She set her heart to build God's spiritual Temple, and therefore she applyed her self to it with all her might. She had holy Transports for the Glory of God, and she was a great Lover of Souls, and those two engaged her to promote Re­ligion with utmost industry and zeal, which that she might accomplish more advantageously,

1. She avowedly designed to repre­sent Religion as amiable, and taking, and free from vulgar prejudice, as possi­bly she might; not so as might affright and scare men from it: but that it might allure them, and insinuate it's self into their love and liking: to this end she was affable, familiar, pleasant, of a free, and agreeable conversation, unaffected, not sour, reserved, morose, sad, dejected, melancholy, which pre­sents Religion most disadvantageously. She was naturally of the sweetest tem­per in the world: and Grace inoculated into such a stock, thrives even luxuri­antly. Whereas some crabbed, peevish, sullen natures starve the best Cien they are grafted with. As I remember one, [Page 72]of whom 'twas usually said, he had Grace enough for seven other men, yet scarce enough for himself. And she made grace and nature both subservient to the good of others.

As we say of some neat, well fashi­on'd persons, what ere they wear be­comes them, and sits well: I must do her this right, to testifie, I never saw Religion become any person better. And 'twas hard not to approve and love a dress so decent and adorn­ing.

2. She kept her self free and disinte­ressed from all Parties and Factions, that none might suspect a design of ma­king Proselytes to any, but to God.

She was neither of Paul, nor Apol­los, nor Cephas, but only Christ. Her name was Christian, and her Sirname Catholick, she had a large and uncon­fined Soul, not hemm'd in, or pound­ed up within the Circle of any man's name, or drawing a Latitudinarian in the true commendable sense: and who­ever feared God, and wrought righteous­ness was accepted of her.

She very inoffensively, regularly, de­voutly, observed all the orders of the [Page 73]Church of England, in its Liturgy and publick Service, which she failed not to attend twice a day with exemplary Reverence, yet was she very far from placing Religion in Ritual Observances. And I may not deny, that she would sometimes warm her heart (though never with strange fire) at private Al­tars, in her own Chamber or Clo­set.

3. She would perfume the company with good discourse, to prevent idle, or worse communication, not abruptly, obraidingly, or importunely, which is very nauseous and fulsome, and spoils a good game by bad playing. But she was like a spiritual Stove, you should feel the heat, and not see the fire, and find your self in other company amongst the same persons, and rather wonder than perceive how you came there; for she would drop a wise sentence, or moral holy Apothegm (with which she was admira­bly furnished, of her own making or collection) that suited with, at least not far remote from what was talked of, and commending, or improving that, she'd wind about the whole dis­course without offence, yea, with much pleasure.

She kept a Book of such wise, pithy Sayings, much valuing words, which contain'd great use and worth in little compass.

I shall transcribe a few of many.

THe almost Christian is the unhap­piest Man, having Religion e­nough to make the world hate him; and not enough to make God love him.

God's Servants should be as bold for him as the Devils are for him.

What will make thee happy at any time, may make thee happy at all times.

O Lord, what I give thee, doth not please thee, unless I give thee my self. So what thou givest me shall not satis­fie me, unless thou give me thy self.

O Lord, who givest Grace to the humble, give me Grace to be hum­ble.

He loves God too little, who loves any thing with him, which he loves not for him.

The true measure of loving God, is to love him without measure.

So speak to God, as though men [Page 75]heard thee, so speak to men, as know­ing God hears thee.

Seneca said, he was better born, than to be a slave to his Body.

Luther said, Christ's Cross is no Let­ter, yet it taught him more than all the Alphabet.

We should meditate of Christ's Cross, till we be fastened as close to him, as he was to his Cross.

By how much the more Christ made himself vile for us: by so much the more precious he should be to us.

We need every day blood for our hearts, as water for our hands.

Through Christ's wounds we may see his Bowels.

He only can satisfie us, who satisfied for us.

He that takes up Christ's Cross hand­somely, shall find it such a burden as Wings to a Bird, or Sails to a Ship.

'Tis a great honour to be Almoner to the King of Heaven.

The Bowels of the poor are the best soyl, which brings forth an hundred fold.

Who would not starve a Lust to feed a Saint.

To give is the greatest sensuality: [Page 76]How indulgent then is God to annex future rewards, to what is so much its own recompense.

To be libell'd for Christ is the best Panegyrick.

Where affliction is heavy, sin is light.

God chastises whom he loves, but he loves not to chastise.

Sin brought death into the world, and nothing but death will carry sin out of the world.

If all mens troubles were brought in­to a common store, every one would carry back what he brought, rather than stand to a share of an equal divi­sion.

Though time be not lasting, what depend on it, is everlasting.

The best Shield against Slanderers, is to live so, that none may believe them.

He that revenges an injury, acts the part of an Executioner. He that pardons it, acts the part of a Prince.

Sanctified afflictions are spiritual promotions.

Man is a pile of Dust, and puff of Wind.

Why are we so fond of that life [Page 77]which begins with a Cry, and ends with a Groan!

But I will not cloy you, knowing it is safest to rise with an appetite; e­ven when we are entertained at a Ban­quet.

4. Where she had particular kind­ness, or personal interest, she would improve the authority of her friend­ship to gentle, but free correption, and argue, and perswade so strenuously, that her Bow, like Jonathan's, seldom re­turn'd empty; and plead the cause of God, and their own souls, to whom she spake with so winning and insinua­ting sweetness, that 'twas hard to resist the Suada, shall I say, or rather the spirit, by which she spake. Let me re­found and eccho from her lips (though alas too faintly) how she would with melting charms, and powerful strains, attempt upon the Friends, for whom she had a kindness, and whom she longed to rescue.

‘COme, come, my Friend, you must be good, you shall be good; I cannot be so unkind, nay, so unfaithful to the laws of Friendship, as to let you perish, and perish in a way, you know as well as I, leads down to Hell. It grieves my very soul to see so good a nature ensnared against the dictates of its own light, by bad example, custom, or some­what else— And if they replyed with excuses,’ she would stop them thus: ‘I pray, my Friend, have pa­tience, hear me out, I know, or guess at least, what you would say, and I would not have you say it. 'Tis bad to commit sin, but 'tis worse to plead for it, and defend it. None sin so dangerously as those who sin with excu­ses. The Devil then ties a new snare, when he gets into our tongues to fa­sten us to our failings, and raises an out-work in our own mouths, to se­cure the Fort he possesses in our hearts: I take it for granted, all other Holds were slighted easily, could you conquer such or such a vice, too much by custom prevailing with you. [Page 79]Unhappy custom that dares prescribe against God's Law—But, Friend, use no arguments that will not hold water at the day of judgment: though hand joyn in hand, you know what follows. And no example, cu­stom, number should allure us, which cannot excuse us, and secure us. But this is the mischief of sin liv'd in, it bewitches the heart to love it, that it cannot leave it. Cannot, so men love to speak; but 'tis because they will not, that is, will use no en­deavours to be rid on't. But you must leave it, there's no remedy though it cost you trouble, smart, and self-denial. There's as much as all this comes to, in cutting off a right hand, and digging out a right eye. I speak to you, as to one in whom I have a party to help me plead. I mean your conscience, and the be­lief of the Scriptures; for if you were one of those on whom you know I use to set my mark, I should not give you this trouble, nor esteem my self under more than the Laws of general charity to wish you better, should hardly venture my little skill to make you so.’

Thus and much more powerfully would her zeal for their good cause her to argue with her Friends, that she might by holy violence attract them, and allure them to be good, and hap­py.

5. She was of an extensive charity, and would make people good by be­lieving them to be so, and by this en­gagement make them ashamed to deceive her hopes, and disappoint her expectation.

[Page 84]6. She had a tender, conscientious care to provide good Ministers, and to encourage them, would augment their maintenance where 'twas small; Leez, Braintree, and Foulness, &c. may be her witnesses in this, and indeed she was the heartiest and truest Friend I e­ver knew to such, and do despair ever to know her like, in this respect.

7. She had a great care of the Souls of her Servants, and if she had any ambition in her, 'twas in this, to be the Mistress of a religious Family. This appeared amongst others, in these par­ticulars.

1. In exacting their attendance on God's publick Worship, and reverent behaviour there.

Her Eye surveyed her Chappel, and none could be absent, but she would miss them.

2. In personal instruction, and famili­ar perswading of them, I appeal to the consciences of all that serv'd her, what one of them hath she not, on some oc­casion, dealt with to do them good.

3. In preparing them for, and per­swading them to the frequent partiei­pation [Page 85]of the Lord's most holy Sup­per.

4. In scattering good Books in all the common Rooms and places of atten­dance, that those that waited might not lose their time, but well employ it, and have a bait laid of some practical, useful Book, and fitted to their capacity, which might catch and take them.

5. In making it the Foot-step to pre­ferment, for she used to make the hun­dredth and first Psalm the Rule of her Oeconomicks; and though she treated all her servants as Friends, yet they were her Favourites, which most sig­nally feared God.

And she was not a first Table Chri­stian only, we need not draw her Pi­cture with a side-face, to hide the dis­figurement of either side, both her hands wrought in the work of God: she did not claudicare, but walk'd in his ways with both her Feet. She had learn'd S. John's Lesson: That he who loves God, must love his Brother also.

1. She was exactly righteous.

2. She was prodigiously charitable.

1. She was exactly just in word and [Page 86]deed. She never forfeited her Title, to the privilege of Peerage, to be be­lieved upon the honour of her word; which was, as sacred as any oath, and as good security as many bonds. No in­convenience to her self would make her recoil, or flinch from the obligati­ons she had brought her self under, by her own mouth: yea, she had such an abhorrence of a dishonourable recess, from express, or but intimated promi­ses, that it would render her esteem of such persons exceeding cheap and mean, who by little arts and shifts would loose and free themselves from their engagements, and disappoint the expectations they had raised in others, to save their charges, accounting their money spared, a very poor and base redemption of their reputation.

She abhorred a lye; and us'd modest­ly to give this testimony of her self, You know I dare not, I will not lie. And her Lord knew this so well, that though he were positive enough, yet would never persist, if there happened any contest, against whatever she affirmed peremptorily.

And a lye was the foulest blemish a­ny could stain themselves with, in con­versing [Page 87]with her, and the most unpar­donable fault, a servant could contract, to whom she us'd to say, Tell me the truth, and I can forgive you any thing.

I shall take liberty on this occasion to add a passage, which may be useful on a double account:

1. To let her Honourable Friends know she forgot them not, though her purposes were prevented.

2. How she feared the shaddow of a lye.

About a Month before she died, she was, (though then in as perfect health, as I have known her) determined to alter her will. And whereas she had be­fore given many honourable Legacies in money to persons of great Quality: she said, she would alter them all, for this reason, because they were rich, and money they needed not: but she would give it in something they might keep, as kind memorials of her: and when she had set down all their names in a Paper, she also bethought her self what would be most acceptable to every of them: For, said she, that renders a gift most agreeable, when it suits the fancy of the party to whom it is designed. And then surveying her own store, she fixed on [Page 88]what to give to most of them, but not finding her self actually provided, of what she might bequeath to all, she re­solved to leave all to a Codicil, to be an­nexed to her Will, and expresly said, ‘I am now, God willing, going to Lon­don, when I have finished my Will, and then I will by discourse find out, undiscerned, what will be most plea­sing to every one of them, and will provide accordingly.’ Yet when the draught of her Will was made, she would put into the Will its self for the Right Honourable the Countess of Scarsdale her beloved Sister-in-law, (who was one of that number to which in her former Will she had given a Legacy in money) a set of silver Sconces, which adorned her own Cham­ber. And when I asked her Ladyship why she would not leave her to the Co­dicil among the rest, she was pleased to give this reason: Because, said she, she is the only person living to whom I e­ver intimated being in my will, and I would not die, and have it found other­wise, and so be under the suspicion of ha­ving told a lie, or dying with a lye in my mouth.

She had learn'd S. Paul's Lesson to [Page 89]perfection, To speak evil of no man: and where she could not speak well, the worst injury she would do was to be silent, and say nothing, unless it were to some single Friend, of whose Taciturnity she was secure by experi­ence.

Nor would she invidiously diminish the just praises of any who deserved them. Nay, would rather study to ex­tenuate their other failings, by present­ing the light side to hide the dark one. And would commend them for one good quality or action, to cover many bad ones: and would say, yet I must do them this right, they are so, or so — for all this.

And she was no less accurately just in deed than word: she had learn'd to do, as well as to say: she not only gave goodly words, but good performances.

And because the due discharge of the duties of our Relations is one of the most signal evidences of Righteous­ness, and the greatest ornament of our Profession of Religion. I shall touch briefly how she used to acquit her self in that respect: as a Wife to her Hus­band living, as an Executrix to his Will, and a Trustee to the Estate, as a [Page 90] Mother, as a Daughter, as a Sister, as a Friend, as a Mistress, as a Landlady, as a Neighbour. In all which she was as a singular Blessing to her Relatives, so an eminent example to others.

First, as a Wife. The heart of her Husband did safely trust in her, and she did him good, and not evil all the days of his life. Never was woman more truly a crown or ornament to man. She al­ways lived with a sense of the covenant of God, which was betwixt them up­on her heart. She was an equal mix­ture of affectionate obedience, and obe­diential affection.

She would conceal and hide his infir­mities, deeply sympathised in his long indispositions, attended, and reliev'd him under them with the greatest ten­derness, loved his Soul, and would both counsel him with prudent zeal, and pray for him with greatest ardours, and fervency. And he was not want­ing in praising her. He hath with ve­hement protestations said to me: He had rather have her with five thousand pounds (though she brought him much more) than any woman living with twenty. Yea, when the very Torrents of his Sorrow were highest for the [Page 91]death of his only Son (and Family) he made that the circumflexing Accent of his grief: 'twould kill his Wife, which was he said more to him than an hundred Sons: Sed quid verba audiam, cum facta videam: He gave her his whole estate, as an honorary testimony of his graceful esteem of her merits towards him, and left her sole Executrix, a high testimo­ny of his confidence in her integrity. Which trust, though it cost her almost unspeakable labour and difficulties, she discharged with such indefatigable pains, such scrupulous exactness, and admirable prudence, that as she failed not of one Title of the Will, till all was fulfilled; so she never gave, or left occasion of the least noise of any complaining, of any interested person, but rendred all more than silent, satis­fied, more than satisfied, applauding, and admiring her prudent, and ho­nourable conduct of that great Affair. Which she owned to God with much thankfulness, as no small Mercy and Blessing to her. And for that Noble Estate which was to descend to others after her, she would not have wrong­ed it in the least, to have gained the disposal of the whole; and therefore [Page 92]was at vast expences in repairs, both on the Mansion, and Farms, though her self but a Termer. Yea, though none were more ready to recede from their own right, which determina­ted in her own personal interests; yet would she be stiff, and tenacious, in what may concern her Successors: U­sually saying, whatever she lost her self, she would never give occasion to them that came after her, to say, she had damnified the Estate, or wronged her trust, or them. I must add one particular, because I believe she was the first, and will be the last instance of it.

Her noble, splendid way of living (which in most is sacrificing to their vanity and ostentation) for she lived very great, as you all are witnesses) was not an act of pride or ambition, but purely, at least principally, of conscience; she would not contract, or abate, be­cause she would not deceive her Lord's trust, who gave her the Estate to keep up the honour of his Name and Family in a place where it had flourish­ed, and in that kind been famous so many years.

She was a most incomparable Mo­ther, [Page 93]which appeared in the education of one Son of her Body, and three Daughters of her Soul; for so I may truly speak. She never bare more than two Children; one Daughter, who died young, and a Son, the gal­lant, hopeful, young Lord Rich, of whom the world hath had an account, by the same hand which hath had the unhappy honour to be employed the third time in this mournful Service: Planctus unigeniti at the Lord Rich's Funeral: Leez lachrymans at the Earl of Warwick's: and this.

The pious methods of whose educa­tion might be suggested with advan­tage, but I should never have done, should I allow my self liberty to enlarge on all was commendable, or exem­plary; yet one thing I will not conceal; those three excellent Ladies to whom she was an own Mother, though but an Aunt-in-law, and who are by their Cousins death become so vast fortunes to their Husbands, being left with less plentiful portions, she would even du­ring her Son's life, never leave pressing her Lord to make noble provisions for, and settle their portions suitable to their Birth and Qualities, which as they well [Page 94]knew, so I doubt not but they will most readily attest with becoming acknow­ledgments, as also all the other never to be forgotten obligations, which she so nobly ceased not, to please her kind humour, in conferring on them.

I never personally saw her Right Ho­nourable Father, nor could remember her dutiful observances of him; but this I know, that engagements o [...] her own affections would not super­sede her respects to him in her mar­riage, till his full consent and approba­tion was obtained.

And no Child could make more ho­nourable mention of Parents than I have heard her do of hers, and for the transmitting it to posterity, I cannot say she had resolved to write and pub­lish her Father's Life; but I can, and do affirm, she had it in deliberation, and had considerable materials, and Col­lections, many of which she hath dis­coursed, and read to me, or given me the favour to read my self.

She was so endearing a Sister, no language can express it; and therefore it would be inexcusable boldness for me to attempt it.

A Friend so faithful, so kind, so con­stant, [Page 95]so condescending, so open, so free, unreserved, unsuspicious, as I believe is not to be found on earth. I could give instance of a Friendship, which as she vouchsafed to contract with much condescention on her part, continued thirty years, not only without inter­ruption, or Eclipse, but without the least cloud or shaddow of misunder­standing on either side for that long space.

The best Mistress in the world, to al­most a Proverb, in a double care, both of the spiritual and bodily welfare of her servants, whom she as much loved to please, as other persons servants can do to please their Masters, it being her peculiar delight to render the lives of all easie and pleasant, and free from dis­content, that they might serve God with chearfulness. And when she was to leave them, she left not off her kind­ness to them, or care for them, but provided to the uttermost of her power, for their comfortable subsistence, ac­cording to their degree and time of ser­vice, giving Legacies liberal and noble, four hundred pounds, three hundred pounds, two hundred pounds a piece, to some, one hundred pound a piece to [Page 96]many, to others eighty, to many se­venty, to buy them Annuities or their lives; to others fifty, forty, twenty, and a full years wages to every one not specified by name, and three Months Entertainment, with Lodging, Diet, and all accommodations, as in her life; that they might have time to seek out, and provide places for themselves, and not be exposed to inconveniences, by a sudden remove.

She was a most noble, I may say, indul­gent Lanlady, and would usually say of her Tenants, Alas, poor creatures, they take a great deal of pains, and I love to see them thrive, and live com­fortably, and I cannot endure to see them brought into straits, and therefore would without grudging or difficulty have all things made convenient for them, and if they had sustained any considerable losses, effectually consider it. And for her Copy-hold Tenants, would urge with warmth the timely finishing the Rolls of her Courts, and delivery of their Copies, professing she could not in conscience suffer it to be neglected, because it was all they had to shew for their Estates, a piece of e­minent justice, not more honourable [Page 97]than necessary in Lords of Mannors.

And lastly, as a Neighbour, she was so kind and courteous, it advanced the Rent of adjacent Houses to be so near situated to her, not only her House, and Table, but her Countenance and very heart were open to all persons of Quality in a considerable circuit, and for the inferiour sort, if they were sick, or tempted, or in any distress of Bo­dy or Mind, whither should they go but to the good Countess whose Closet and Still-house was their Shop for Chi­rurgery, and Physick, and her self, (for she would visit the meanest of them personally) and Ministers whom she would send to them, their spiritual Physicians. But as her love to God was the soul of her Religion, so the exuberancy of her charity towards those who needed her abundant libera­lity, was the conspicuous Crown which beautified all her sweetness, and goodness towards Men: for in this she was forward, I bear her record, to her power, yea, and beyond her power; for she would even anticipate her Reve­nue and Incomes, rather than want wherewith to be liberal. S. Jerom pla­ced in the highest rank of the praises [Page 98]of his admired Paula, that she not only made her self poor to relieve, but died in magno Aere alieno: S. Hier. E­pitaphium Paulae. And I am sure it used to be said of our excellent: Lady, That was the Lady that would borrow mo­ney to give away: She would not live poor (in good works) to dye rich, yea, though she had chosen Executors, in whom her heart could trust as safely as ever her Husbands did in her, yet she would make her own hands her Executors, and they were very faithful, to her in­larged heart.

But to be more particular; when she had in her Lord and Husbands life time, a separate maintenance or al­lowance, settled by Marriage Articles, she was pleased to ask me my opinion concerning the quota pars: What pro­portion one is obliged to consecrate to God of our Estates, and when I told her it was hard, if not impossible, to fix a Rule which might hold universal­ly; but the circumstances must be con­sidered in which persons stood, their Qualities, their Incomes, their Depen­pendances, necessary and emergent Occasions, inevitably occurring—But she persisting to urge a more parti­cular answer as to her self, what would [Page 99]be fit and becoming her to do, I not be­ing ignorant of her circumstances, (I must bear my own shame in acknow­ledging the straitness of my own heart, told her) I supposed a seventh part: But before I could suggest the rea­sons, she preventingly replied, she would never give less than the third part, and she kept her resolution to the full and with advantage; laying aside constantly the third part for charitable uses, and would sometimes borrow of that which remained to add to it, but never defaulk from that to serve her own occasions, though sometimes pres­sing enough.

When she came to the possession of so large an Estate as her Lord bequeath­ed her for her life, she in good measure made it true, what a great Person was reported to say; that the Earl of War­wick had gave all his Estate to pious u­ses: Meaning thereby, that he had gi­ven it to this Noble Lady, who would so convert it.

And 'tis a great truth, which I have had from her own mouth, that all the satisfaction she took in it, was the op­portunity it afforded her of doing good. And I have heard her earnestly averr, [Page 100]that she would not accept of, or be in­cumbred with the greatest Estate in England, if it should be offered her, clog'd with this condition, not to do good to others with it.

But some may say, were her Eyes as open as her Hands, did she not scatter it as carelesly as profusely? Nothing less, her liberal Soul devised liberal things: I will point at some few of many.

1. There are some Objects of real Charity, which are not so to vulgar Eyes or Purses; on whom she would confer, and whom she would surprise, with no­ble and suitable assistances, this struck deep, drew an whole bag at once, but made no noise.

Some scarcely known to any but my self, and it may be had not been to me, but to ask my judgment, whether it might be reduced to the account of cha­rity, to give to such and such, being in such circumstances: For she was never less tender of their modesty than com­passionate of their necessity, and was more sollicitous for their pardon, than their thanks, for helping them.

2. Foreiners who fled either to pre­serve their Religion, or to embrace what they were convinced of to be the truth.

[Page 101]3. A great many young Scholars of hopeful promising Parts, whom she wholly or in good measure educated at the University, allowing some thirty, some twenty, some ten, some eight, many five Pounds per Annum, and some others who had more assistance, less.

4. Abundance of young Children which she put to School in the neigh­bouring Towns, I cannot say how ma­ny, but rather sans number, all that were poor and willing to learn: Nay; that could be perswaded to it, whose Schooling she did not only pay for, but gave them both Books and often Cloth­ing; and not only near home but as far as Wales, contributing nobly to that pious design, of that good old man and indefatigable promoter of it Mr. Gouge, so amply attested by a Cloud of Witnesses, beyond exception, to rescue Wales from its remaining ignorance and demi-Bar­barism.

5. Many Ministers of both denomi­nations, as well Conformists whose li­vings were so small as not to yield them a subsistance, as those who had none at all.

6. Many occasional Objects of Charity, which you may surely conclude, failed [Page 102]not to ply at those Stairs where 'twas seldom low water: And though she was sometimes imposed upon, and de­ceived by those that neither needed nor deserved what she gave, yet this did not discourage her from giving again: For she said, she had rather relieve ten that only appeared meet objects and were not, than let one go unrelieved who was so indeed: For though they deceived her in her giving, God would not deceive her in accepting, what was sincerely done for his Name sake.

7. Lastly, the Poor which she fed in great number, not only with fragments and broken meat, but with liberal provi­sion purposely made for them. She was a great pitier, yea a great lover of the poor, and she built a convenient house on purpose for them at her London-Seat, (as they had one at Leez) to shel­ter them from rain and heat while they received their dole, and when she was at London with her Family, had in her absence, whilst no house was kept at Leez, a kind of house kept for their sakes alone: That is, twice a week, good Beef and Bread provided for the poor of four adjacent Parishes, and hath [Page 103]taken order in her Will to have the same continued three months after her de­cease, and by the same Will hath given an hundred pounds to be distributed to the Poor of Braintree, Felsted, Little-Leez, and Much-Waltham, at or shortly after her Funeral.

And though it cannot reasonably be expected from one who had no Lands of Inheritance, to leave charitable foun­dations. Yet I may, without Hyperbole, say, that every year she lived, after she came to be Mistress of the Estate, she gave as much in charity as would have purchased Lands sufficient to have en­dowed an Alms-house or Free-school. And that pious and liberal foundation of Rochford Alms-house, which though founded legally by a Patent granted un­der the Broad Seal for its confirmation, by the Ancestors of that Family, of which she bore the Title; was by the death of the Founder, not endowed, yet as all her predecessors had done.

She always paid the Alms-people their full designed Allowance, and or­dered by her last Will it should be so done for a year after her decease. And I must here take leave to add, to their great honour, and the satisfaction of all [Page 104]that relate to that Family, that those Right Honourable and worthy persons, to whom the estate descends, have a­greed to continue the same plentiful al­lowance: And if I were worthy to ad­vise them, I would earnestly perswade them to make Legal Settlement, and endow it with Lands to the value of what they resolve to allow, be­fore they make the division of the Estate.

But methinks I hear it asked, what! had she no Spots, no Scars, no real nor imputed Blemishes? how could she live in such an Age and not be corrupted or at least traduced? neither scorched by the fire of infection, nor blackned by the smoak of revengeful detraction, for o­braiding the guilty by her innocency? This overdoing is undoing, if you would make us believe she had no faults, we shall sooner believe you have no truth: And that all you have said hath more of Romance, and what you fancy, than Narrative of what she was or did. I confess 'tis next to a miracle to consider, both how divine Grace enlarged her heart, and established her goings, and restrained the tongues of others from reproaching, or shewing dislike of that [Page 105]in her, for which they deride and hate, not to say persecute others.

But I must implore that candour while I embalm her memory, with the sweet Oyntment of her own good name, you granted to her vertues, which acquired it, and made it so fragrant.

I therefore solemnly protest, I have spoke the truth (though the truth in love, as I am allowed and requir'd Eph. 4.15.) and have not knowingly disguised or falsified, nor dipt my pen in flattering colours.

But since you are so inquisitive, and seem to deny me the just and civil free­dom, to draw a veil of silence over her imperfections, and your curiosity will be peeping under that sacred Pall, which should secure and shroud the worst of men from being pryed into; and the Vault, and Grave, that place of darkness and forgetfulness, which should bury all defects and render them invisible, must be ransack'd: Draw back the Curtains, let in the light, survey its secretest re­cesses; nor She, nor I in her behalf, fear the most piercing Eagle-eye or Scent: Nor that I deny her to have been a Sin­ner, while I adore that Grace that made her a Saint, or that she was a Woman, [Page 106]while I proclaim her a Terrestrial Angel.

But these three things I say, and will adhere to.

First, That she was not notoriously defective in any Grace or Vertue, but as eminent in all as most have been for any single one: She was not only aliquid in omnibus, but omnis in singulis, she did abound in every grace. Which St. Gregory Naz. admires in Gorgonia, and St. Jerom in Nepotian: Ita in singulis virtutibus eminebat, quasi caeteras non ha­beret.

Secondly, She was never stained with any scandalous deformity, another rare mercy: For though she did humanum pati, slip now and then, or stumble if you will; she fell not, much less lay or wal­lowed to defile her Garments, which I testifie not only from my own observa­tion, but her own Pen.

‘After God had thus savingly (I hope) wrought upon me, I went on constantly, comfortably in my Chri­stian course, though I had many doubts and fears to contend with: And did truly obey that Precept of working out my Salvation with fear [Page 107]and trembling, yet God was pleased to carry me still onward: And though I too often broke my good resolutions, I never renounced them, and though I too often tript in my Journey to Hea­ven, yet I never forsook my purpose of going thither.’

Thirdly, Her very defects and fail­ings were such as others might be proud of, her Weeds would have been Flowers, and her Thistles appeared Roses in ano­ther Garden.

For I never heard her blamed for more than two faults, by the most curi­ous observers and inspectors of her dis­position or behaviour.

1. Excess of Charity.

2. Defect of Anger, or what was re­duceable to those two, two goodly faults: But even these admit Apology more easily than they need it.

1. What was reputed the culpable excess of her Charity, was her credulous easiness, to believe most people good, or at least better than they were. I con­fess she did bend a little to this right hand error, but if it were a bad effect, it proceeded from a good cause. For as 'tis observed, that as they who are con­scious [Page 108]to themselves of some great e­vils, scarce can esteem any less nocent than themselves; so they that have clear and innocent hearts, are ready to judge the like of others. Charity think­eth no evil, and she used this good opi­nion of others, as an instrument to make them what she was so willing to signifie she thought them: And though she would never despair of any man, while she found them under the Awe of Gods Authority and Word, for even those may receive some nourishment, who eat against Stomach, and the Seive under the Pump may be cleansed though it hold no water; yet if she ob­served a person to scorn or deride the Scriptures, despise Gods Ordinances, and turn all that was sacred into ridi­cule—She used, as her Phrase was, to set her mark upon that man: And I must further add, She was neither so often nor so much mistaken in her judgment of persons, as some suppo­sed she was; they more mis-interpret­ing her civility, than she did the others sanctity.

2. For her Defect of Anger, which implies, if it be faulty, want of zeal against sin, and sinners, and so 'tis an [Page 109]unjust charge; for though I confess she could not rage and storm, and dis­cover her anger, as some persons do, who verifie the saying, Ira furor brevis, An­ger is a kind of madness; for her sedate, composed, serene mind, and sweet, and amicable disposition was scarce forcible to what was so contrary to her nature; yet would she make deeper impressions of her displeasure for great faults, than those who appeared most furious, like a still soaking shower, which will wet more than a driving storm. And therefore 'twas observ'd, that if any servant had been faulty, they had ra­ther have passed the Gantlet thrice of their Lord's most furious expressions, than have once been sent for to their Lady's Closet, whose treatment was soft words, but hard arguments against their faults, and like that silent lightning, which without the noise of Thunder melts the Blade, and sindgeth not the Scabbard; neither the frightful hissing, nor the venom'd sting, but the penetra­ting oil of Scorpions.

This little is enough to extenuate her, almost commendable faults; and 'tis a great evidence of her goodness, that these things were imputed as Ble­mishes, [Page 110]for they who would not spare her in these little errors, shewed plain­ly that she was not chargeable with more or greater.

I am now arrived at the last Stage of this Mournful Journey, to give an ac­count of her surprising, and never e­nough lamented death.

What presages she might have of its near approach she never discovered, but her preparations for it had been long habitual, it was one of the most constant subjects of her thinking, and she used to call her walking to medi­tate of it, her going to take a turn with death, and it could never surprise, or take her unprepared, who was always pre­paring for it.

Yet there are some passages, wor­thy of our remarks of the watchful kind­ness of Divine Providence over his own, allarming them to trim their Lamps (as the wise Virgins did) against the coming of the Bridegroom, and allow­ing them fit opportunities to do it, as he signally did to her.

I shall on this consideration very sea­sonably add another Transcript out of her Ladyships Diary, which contains an account of the last Sunday of her [Page 111]health, being written but the very day before she was taken ill, and in which God did, it seems, in a most re­markable manner, impress the thoughts of her approaching dissolution on her Soul, though there were no visible symptoms of it then upon her Body.

March 24. Sunday.

‘After I had begged a Blessing upon the publick Ordinances, I went to hear Mr. Woodroof: his Text was, Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear— Then after a summa­ry account of the Sermon, follows: In the Afternoon I heard again the same Person upon the same Text.’ And then follows a concise and metho­dical [Page 113]recapitulation of that Sermon al­so. "And after that— ‘I was in a serious and affected frame at both the Sermons, and was by them con­vinced of the excellency of fearing God, and of spending of the remain­der of the term of my life in his ser­vice. And did resolve to endeavour to spend the remaining part of my time better.’

This was written the very last day of her health, Monday Morning: in which we see how God realized to her, and gave her extraordinary impres­sions of Death, Eternity, and the Life to come, when he was about to bring her to it; for the very next day she be­gan to be ill of that Sickness of which she died.

Our excellent Lady was far from their humour whose Consciences are so bad and unquiet company, that they hate solitude, and dare not be alone: For she loved, and even hugged her retire­ments as her greatest satisfactions. And though, when she was called to it, she would deny her self and particular in­clination (as in the Universe Individuals do, to obey the laws of universal Nature) to comply with a duty of a larger spread; as is related of the devout Marquess of Renti in the two years time he spent in repairing the seat of his Ancestors, which diversion he cheerfully suffered as a willing mortification, being a duty he owed to the Station in which God had placed him.

So she chearfully sustained the hurry of business which was inevitable to the acquitting her self of the trust reposed in her, by her Lords last Will.

But never did Bird take Wing, when dis-intangled from a Net, with greater cheerfulness, nor chirp out the pleasures of its unconfined freedom, more mer­rily than she did solace her self, when she had escaped the noise and croud of affairs, which ruffled and turmoyled her quiet, and suspended the enjoyment of her self. And when her dearest Si­ster was in the beginning of the last winter, about to leave her; her last farewel she took was in these words: Now I have done my drudgery (meaning her business) I will set to the renewing of my preparations for Eternity, and she made it the repeated business of the last winter.

In the beginning of the last March, she set to the making of her Will anew, and signed and sealed it on the twelfth day of the same Month, and on the Tues­day in Passion Week, March 26. was taken with some indisposition, loss of Appetite, and aguish distemper, and had four or five Fits, which yet in that season were judged both by Physicians [Page 116]and her Friends, more advantageous to her health than dangerous to her life. And in this state she continued freed from her fits in her own apprehension, and in our hopes, till Friday the twelfth of April, on which day she rose with good strength, and after sitting up some time, being laid upon her Bed, discoursing cheerfully, and piously, one of the last sentences she spake was this, turning back the Curtain with her hand,

Well, Ladies, if I were one hour in Heaven, I would not be again with you, as well as I love you.

Having then received a kind visit from a Neighbouring Lady, at her de­parture she rose from her Bed to her Chair, in which being set, she said she would go into her Bed, but first would desire one of the Ministers then in the house to go to prayer with her, and asking the company which they would have, presently resolv'd her self to have him who was going away, because the other would stay and pray with her dayly; and immediately he being called, and come, her Ladyship [Page 117]sitting in her Chair, by reason of her weakness, for otherwise she always kneeled, holding an Orange in her hand, to which she smelt, almost in the beginning of the Prayer she was heard to fetch a sigh, or groan, which was esteemed devotional, as she used to do at other times. But a Lady looking up, who kneeled by her, saw her look pale, and her hand hang down, at which she started up, affrighted, and all applyed themselves to help, and the most afflictively distressed of them all, if I may so speak, when all our sor­rows were superlative, catch'd her right hand, which then had lost it's pulse, and never recovered it a­gain.

Thus lived, thus died this Right Ho­nourable Lady, this Heroick Woman, this Blessed Saint, this incomparable pattern of flaming zeal for the glory of God, and burning charity for the good of men; in the actual exercise of prayer, by which she so often anticipated Hea­ven by pregustation, and which now wafted her longing soul into the Holy of Holies, within the vail: at the kiss of God's mouth, as Moses did, though not [Page 118] full of years, yet full of mature fruits, and Graces, when all men judged her worthy of a longer, but God, the only unerring Judge, found her full ripened for a better life. And in a sweeter Eu­thanasia than Augustus could wish him­self, might claim a more triumphant Plaudite than he. Yea, might have sung her Nunc demittis with good old Simeon, nay, with the holy Apostle, that joyful Epinichion, I have fought a good Fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto them also that love his appear­ing.

You have heard, though too too dry­ly, how she serv'd and honoured God, I should now shew to encourage you to do the like, how he honoured her, according to his word by Samuel: Him that honours me, I will honour. And that of our Saviour, He that serveth me, him will my Father honour.

But I have much prevented my self by what is interwoven through all the preceding discourse: The greatest ho­nour [Page 119]God can put upon his creatures, is to vouchsafe to use them, and to make them Vessels of Honour, fitted for their Master's service. And this he con­ferred upon her in eminent and redou­bled measures. He imprinted on her the fairest impress of his most amiable Image, and rendred her habile, and ready to every good word and work.

He gave her riches, and honour in a­bundance, as is said of Jehosophat, 2 Chron. 17.5, 6. and yet her heart was not puffed up by them, but lifted up under them in the ways of the Lord, as it there follows.

He gave her the Heaven upon earth, (after some shivering scruples, and trembling fears) the blessed calm of a purified, pacified, serene, and well-as­sured conscience.

He gave her the fragrant perfume of an odoriferous name, and more than unspotted, a bright, and resplendent reputation.

He gave her many endeared Cordial Friends, faithful to her as her own Soul, to assist, counsel, comfort, help her, and carry her through her great­est difficulties, and entangling affairs, concerning one of whom she us'd of­ten with much thankfulness to say, He [Page 120]was a Friend of God Almighty's giving; even beyond her own expectation.

He gave her many merciful delive­rances, one very like to that Gregory Nazianzen insists so largely on in his Funeral Oration for his Sister Gorgonia, the Mules in whose Chariot running away, not only bruised, but brake her Bones, and yet God miraculously re­stor'd her. So when the Horses in our Lady's Coach excussed the Coach-man, ran furiously away, God almost mira­culously hung the Coach against a Post in the way, stopped their fury, rescued her life from most eminent hazard, and healed the bruises she received with safety. This happened July, 23. 1661.

He gave her the affectionate esteem of all her Neighbours, to such a degree, that she was like Titus, Deliciae humani generis, the delight and darling of her Country, and with so loving a willing­ness did they delight to serve her, that you might see fifty fresh, brave and gallant Teams, day after day bringing in her provisions, without other invi­tation than the bare knowledge of the time, which themselves would enquire out; and nothing would grieve them [Page 121]more, than to be prevented in pay­ing this Tribute of Honorary Re­spect.

He gave her such an esteem for her prudent integrity, and discreet, and im­partial Righteousness, that she began to be (an employ and honour not usual to her Sex) the Arbitress and Umpress of all the controversies amongst adja­cent Neighbours, many of which she reconciled happily, and all which she decided wisely and justly.

He gave her the universal approbation, love, admiration of all that knew her, that the Proverb was confuted, which saith, Who hath no Enemies, hath no Friends. For either she had none, or her ways so pleased the Lord, he made her Enemies to be at peace with her. For honourable, and mean, rich, and poor, of all degrees, and which is more, of all perswasions, paid her most kind re­spect, honoured, and lov'd her.

Finally, he prevented her with the blessing of goodness, and crown'd her with loving kindness, and tender mercy. He made her glad with the light of his coun­tenance, and satisfied her as with mar­row and fatness; he granted the requests of her lips, and shut not out her prayer: [Page 122]He gave her ability, and time to dis­charge her trust, and settle her world­ly affairs with honour and satisfaction, and he gave her opportunity, space, and an heart to recollect her self, and re­deem what a hurry of business had de­prived her of, and renew her evidences for Heaven.

He took out the sting of death before she died, Intelligeres illam non e­mori, sed emigrare, & mutare amicos non relinquene. Hierom. and the pains of death when she died, and with a kiss of his mouth sucked up her Soul to Heaven, to be immersed in that fulness of joy, and bathed in those rivers of pleasure, which are at his right hand for evermore.

May we live like her, may we die like her, that we may live with her, and with our common Lord, for ever.

And for your noble Lordship, who are now investing your self with her large and noble Mantle—May Eli­jah's spirit rest upon you, as well as his Mantle: that you may rise up an Elisha in her place and stead.

That Leez may be Leez still: the seat of Nobleness, and Honour, the Ho­spital of Bounty, and Charity, the San­ctuary of Religion, and the fear of God.

That so you may live, and may live longer, and as much desired, and when you die (as die you must, for Leez, though a Paradise, hath no Tree of Life) you may die later, and as much lamented as your Noble Predecessors.