ll\elleemtng tl)e ttmt. The Duty I am prdling on you, is tO redtem the time l aod this I belkve of the deceafed pauy; h 1 !he redeemed hrr time. I (hall not fpeak of her Bath, EducatJOn, Progeny, Nobthty: ~t~mm•taquidfaciunt '? Alas! what's .all this to a Ftmer~J-Sermon? Nor fhall Tfpeak ofher th or flourifhing rime; as 1am a flrang<r to 11 1 fo TbeheYe fhe had, or mtght have her fatl– inous in that time. The temptations ofhonour, riches, profperiry, and you rh are tlronger than ~ imagine • and therefore prayed 'Da'l!id, 'J\.!member not tbefinJ of my y•uth : Pfal. 2 5. 7. and 1~1 rhat are ho~;ourable may pray, Rrmrmber not the (in1 of m1 honour, nobility, •nd grtatn<jJin th' aor/d. For my part 1fhall not rake notice of thefe things, or of thofe times, but rather fpeak of ~er redeeming the time, .fince that time that forf•king the World in greatmcafure, fhe gave up her (elfin a more retired and'folitary way toferve her G0d. . . Now th<n ifhere 1begin\ She bath for thefe many years redffmed her t•me; as thus, 1. Jn hfe, l· .Jn Death. . . · . . 1 • ln life, it will ~ppear m her general and partiCular calling. . . . For the firtt ordinarily every Morning and every cvemng fhe was exercrfed tn thofe duttes of Meditation 'anil Prayer : This was her eourfe, not by firs and ltam, bU:t daily, in her plea• fant walks, or private Chamber, fhe fptnt both her early and later houres in Communion with God. Nor fpea~ I thisb y rtport onely, for of her goodnefs and .bounty. fbe was pkafed every Spring to invite me to her Houfe, an.d by th1s meanes 1w;s acquamted Wtth her confiant courfe. Indeed 1was the more willing to embra<e her welcome, becaufe her Houfe feemed to me as 11 Colltdt,e for Religion, or as a retirement from the nmfes and more frcqueent Ternptatton.s of the World, and this gave her, and me, and all that pkafed, an happy opporrumty to conttnue our devotions without interruption. Some Books !he had for conremplauon, others fo.r an Holy converfation, others for meditation, others for devotion; ofall forts fome, and of..all thefe forts lhe made fomc ufe; but ofall hocks for conttant ufe and practice fhe prefeu~d the Bible, telling me often that other Books had theirufe and delight; till with often reading they became more ordinary, and then they fecmed ro Jofe of their former lufire, glory, and excel.lency; hue the Bible was in her often-readmg ever frcfb, and green, and new : She found m It lhll fuch per pttual fircamsofHoly, Heavenly, and Spirit~al delights, that (as Tertu/JiaN faid) fbe could not but 11dmire and adore tbefulnefsoftbe Scr•ptureJ, ' ~ · Ordinarily !he fpcnt the refi ofthe day in her works of the needle; with her maids a• bout her : Or ifother things ofBoufwifery had interpofed, fbe was never fo tranfported with honour, as tofcorn her duty in the Way ofa particular calling. Well fhe had learnt that idlenefs wasthe rufi and canker of the foul, the Devilscu!bioo, pillow, chief r,epofal, his very tide-time of Temptation; and therefore with confcience and failhfulnef.~ fhe was diligent in her paHicu• Jar, as well as general, '"lling. Now and then fhe would have vifited poor cottages, and re:: lieved their neceffities; but ever was !he courteous to the Neighbourhood, and careful in the affairs ofher own Houfe. Take all together, and for ought I know !he might be a patrern to mofi ofthe Ladies in our Nation, or at leatt as a bright Morning-liar a mongfi other fiars, z. She redermedber time in death, or near her death.; now indeed !he was taken off her par.;' ti,ular calling, and therefore this time !he fpent ( as !he could for ficknefs) in the cxercifc of ,fpirirual duties, and fpiritual graces. For duties fhe was much in ihem, of which we fpeak be· fore; and for graces fhe !hined, and was Rlofi .eminent in fuch as thefc. A!--- 1. In meeknefs, She was ofa meek and quiet fpirit : feldome have Tfeen her exorbitant in paffions, but often have 1fcen her amidfi provocations quiet, meek, gentle, and eafie to be in– treated. In her ficknefs fhe carried it as a lamb ; not a word of paffion or peevi!hnef; iffued out of her lips, fo far as I obferved. The very Image of Chrifi was, in this refpcd, drawn fair with• in her,LearHofme, for I atn meek,.: Matth. 1 1.29. Chrifi a meek ChriH, and fhe a meek creature. 2. In humility, She was of high defcent, and fprung of Royal blood; yet humble in heart, and lowly in fpirit. She never fcorned the poordl Creature, but often Hooped to wonderful condefcentions, asl concdved. In her ficknefs, as well as death,fbe laid her boner in the duii. She was.far,from the opinion nftllem that think humility ~ debaftment, 11nd mtek,.ne(l a der•gation from tb~Jr rrpute;no, no, fhe had othewife learned of Chrifi; humility was her Or.nament, and !he~ewtth fhe d~cked her felf( in the Apottles language 1 Prt. 5· 5· ) or cloathed her fdf, both m health and m ficknefs, when fhe could put on no other cloatlling,. Hence fhe was fiiled by fame, the brtmble barmlt[1 Lady. 3• In palltnce, fubmillion, and contentednefs of fpirit to be at God's difpofal. She had a fore ficknefs, and bccaufe ofher former health it was to her the forer. Of many years before !he had not layn lick mBcdon~ day, but many a turn had !he· rook in her Walks and Gallery, ami through much <Xcrctfe 111 that way fbe had the advantage both of her h<alrh and communion With God; but now the Lord laid her on a B:d officknef•, not for a day or two or thr<e or four , b~t for a long while together. She lhll before had walked with God', was n~w God's 'pri– foner 1 and fuch was rhe nature of the ficknds, that fhe c<'luld not Oir nor move •one foot, yet was fhe pauent and fubmilive. to God'> hand; !he kilfed the rod, !he learnt the Churche! D 2, klfYn
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