t 7 o The Chriflianf Ifidory, or, (5.c. For her juftice, I am per waded the was exceeding carefulin all her wages to keep4 goodEonfcience. I am farethe was awoman very diligent and painful in her Calling, the was truly one of there good houfe-wives that Solomon defcribeth in Prov. 3t. and had ftudied that Chapter well , andattained the pray ife of it the could never indure idlenefs in any : there was no plague( the faid,) to idlenefs, and thatdiligencein our callings feteopena doer to rnany'bleffings , and thuts up, the door to many tentations. I maycaliber a difcreet woman, that wasa crown to her husband ; fo Solomon faid a vertuous woman is. He had a rich portion, when God gave him her. Houfes and lands come by inheritance , but aPrudent wite corncob of theLord. She was an excellent guide to her family , toher fervants Children the had none. She had filch children as S .4u(tin fpeaks of, and he faith , they are thofe children that women are favedby. What children, faith he ? Good works : and thofe children the was full of. She did the part of Mother in bringing up herfervants that were with her: infomuch as the wouldfay fometimes ( though they were none ofher ownchildren ) Behold, here am 1, and the children that God bath given me. And for works ofmercy afwell as juftice , the was molt open-hearted and handed, not only to do according, but beyond her ability : aiwayes ready uponevery occafion todifIribute andadminifferto thene- ceffities ofthe Saints, and provoked , and flirted others to the doing ofthe Like. Among her neighbours the lived unblameably: A womanof a meekand quietfpirit, and Saint Teter faith, Such ofGodaremuch fit by. She was no tatter , nor bufie iPet 3.4. medler in other folks matters. For Piety, the was remarkeable. She (hewed it hoth inherhealth and ficknefs. Inher health, both publikely and privately. In publike, the was a religious fre- quenter of the ordinances on the Lords day , and on the week dayes, a diligent hearer andattender, an excellent rememberer : one of the belt Remernbrancers that I have heard of. And in private, the was excellent for duties there, both for the difcharge ofher ownduty , by giving enfample to others, and many times by good and godly exhortations and inftruEtions, and daily by private reading and prayer, the let apart fome time for her fell, forprivate meditation. In her ficknefs, the was a fpeftacle for thoufands to lookon. It pleated. God to lay a long and heavy affliEtion upon her. She had a Cancer in her bread}, that had been on her three years: in the two laic years (he fuffered a great deal of extremity, asyou may imagine by- one thing that! (hall fay. She was fain to en- dure a great deal of dretfingwithCorrafivesand (harp medicines; a great deal ofcut- ting, and fearing , and burning : (he was above fifty times burnt with hot Irons : but ( Lord ) with what patience did the (till indure it ? She would fay, It was no matter ;fanllfled afftllions werebetter thenunfanlfifiedpro(]rerity. .penes laid, when I the piEture of abeautiful woman was to be compleatly drawn; he muff borrow one part from one, and another from another, and pat all together. Shehad learned this. She had looked onmany good patterns in theScripture, and had drawn to herPelf an imitationof them all, fo that the was a pertea andcompleat Model. Though I lay much , yet I know , I fay nothing but the truth. I read of few excellent women in the Scripture,but the made thema patternof one vertue or other. For obedience, the was a Sarahe forwifdom a Rebecca: for mecknefs aHannna: . for a difcreet temper, an eAbigal: for good hufwivery > a Martha: for piety, a ,Mary, a Lydia. I know not any neceffary thing,that belonged to makeup a good C[uiftian, but in Tome meafitre itpleated God to beftow it on her. Thus the continued all her lifein the time oflaerhealth and in ficknefs with fo much pa tieiice as (after a fort) (he endured a martyrdom, and I fee no reafonbut we may allow aMartyrofGods making , afwell as of mans: I am lure, ifGodmake Mar. toot.,' , tyrs, Iknownot any fitter thenthe, fomeek, and patient, and conitant. Many daughters( faith Solomon) havedone vertuoufly, but thoufurmounteft them all. I will not fay fo of her,becaufe I decline flattery. But this I will fay, that I know not many excel her, trade any that come near her. She bath the rewardofthat the bath done, given her ofGod, and herworks fallow her. We leave her to God, and having com- mitted her foul into his hands, We befeech his gracious favour upon our (elves. THE
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