a Funeral Sernáon; She did not drop, but pour out her alms, not in (mall and little meafures, but in large and full portions ; neither neededher gifts to be forced and wrung out of her fingers by perfwafions and arguments, as if The had been loth and unwilling to part with them ; but they came freely and readily flowing from her, as being glad and defirous to be rid of them, upon the good account of cha-. rity. She knew God Almighty to be a bountiful paymafler, and that what- ever receipts the fhould charge himwith, cowards the relief of any of his poor members, he would be fare to payoffagain with plentiful inrerereft and advantage; and fo indeed he did molt eminently unto Her, andThe loft nothing at all by the hand; and the comfortsand bleffingsof her life, as they were many fo I am apt to believe, they were fo many the more, upon thisvery account of her great charity. The afflictions and crates which befel herin the comic of her life (for you mutt know, hercloud had a black fide In it, as well as a fide that was bright and thining, and as her comfortshere weremany, fo were her affli&ions and Inffer- ingsnot a few,yet) how patientlydid the bear them ? how pioufly did the improve them? what an holy and fanctified ufe did The makeof them ? and truly Gods goodnefs to her in this particular was-very remarkable, and had much of the miracle of fpecial love and mercy in it; in givingher Bacalam tam virga, a flail with his rod, ftrength w,f th her [offerings ; that notwithftanding the delicate- nefs of her education, ,the weaknefs and tendernefs of her conftituion; yet by the help of her God, The was able to leap over thefe walls, and to difcomfet thit hell of enemies, and to bear her croffes patiently, and endure the brunt, and go through with her afflictions; and in the end digeft all into Phyfick and nutriment. How regular and punótual was The in her fee times of private prayer and devotion? (till allotting and confecratinga conftant part and portion of every day (and that no (mall part neither) for the piousexercifesof prayer, reading; me- ditation, and the like : and here altoI am able to fpeak my own knowledge and obfervation : for having many fudden occafionsto refort to her clofee, it was very feldom, if ever, .that I found her alone there, without a Bible before her; and as the gave her Pelf much to reading the holy Scriptures, fo in the other part of Religion, Imean the devotional 'parr, The war very coaflant and punctual; and prayer was with her to be lure, Clawdiei, fera nellie ; the beginingand ending, the opening and (hutting in of every day. And what bufinefs [Dever The had betides, or entertainments for friends to make, to be Pure God muff be ferved fiat with her, and prayer the firfl work the went in hand with every morning : infomuch, that her clofet was not (as too many Ladies are) an Ex- change only of curious piötures, and of rareand cooly jewels, but a private Ora - tory.(as it were) chiefly defigned for prayer and devotion; neither did the reckon that (he enjoyed her (elf enough, and to be (ore not fo much at any time, as when The was retired thither, and was enjoying actual communion and confe- rence with her God. One excellency more I cannot país over in filence, it was fo eminent and re- markable in her:, and that was her high efteem and value which the (et upon the Miniftersof God, even in tilde latetimes of ours, when the rageand furyof lone had leffened them intofùch unfupportable (traits and necetfities, on purpofe to render, them more proper objects of fcorn and contempt. But the "fury of fome, could not either abateor alienate her zeal from them ; the well underflood and knew whole Ambaffadours they are, and what their work and office is, and uponthis very account, according tothe Apoftles precept, r Vet.. y. 13. She Owned them very highly in love, and evermore held them in reverence and repu- tation; Neither was it an efleem'only of civil refpeEt, and complement to their perlons, but alfo of dutiful obedience and fubmiflion to their doctrine; bearing' always in mind that Command of the Apoftles,Heb. 1 g. 1-i. Obey them that rule over yore, and fesbmit your [elves to them : for they watch for your foals, as thofe that muff give account. Eeeee tknd 33
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