Funeral Sermon. 35 But our Lady here was none of there, the well knew what mifchief comes of idlenefs, what great advantages it gives our fpiritual adverfary ; whole fittefl time to call: in his Tares of finful thoughts and motions into us, is, when we are afleepand idle; and therefore the was careful to be continually bufying her fell about Tome good employment or other, either in her Clofer, at her devo- tions, or in her Family, about her houfhold affairs, or among her neighbours, in friendly and charitable vifits, that fo in cafe her fpiritùal enemy (hould come fuddenly dunning 'upon her at any time with his _temptations, the might have her anfwer ready, via. That Pe had other work in hand, and was not at .leifure now to attend him, . Her life.as to outward providences, was not unlike 3ofephi Party coloured Garment, Tunica varia, a Coat of divers colours ; or like the Prophet Ifsiah's vinum aguá mixtum, Wine, mingled wich Water : God Almighty thinking it bet} for the fecueity of her graces, to Sawce her Paffover with lower herbs ; and to train her up under aconflant varietyandviciffitude of temporal providences t that neither too many comfortsmight at any time make her forgetful of duty ; nor too much load of atfli9ion deprefs and weaken her fpirit into defpondency bur that one might ferve as an allay to the other, And the fweetnefs of her comforts, help to promote and further the better digeflion of her croffes. And indeed (for her own part) (he evermore made a mofl Chriflian emptovement of thefe providential intermixtures : and would ever and anon be chiding the Ind- den ebullition and motion of an angry paffion in her, with holy fob's calm and pious reply, chap. z: to. what ?' fhall!receive goodat thehand, of the Lord, ald,lball ! not receive evil ? 1hall I take his judgments unkindly, and not much rather his. mercies thankfully? A moll exaél and pundual obferver the was evermore of Family duties, and wholefom Orders ; and though in all otherre(pe6ts a more gracious and obliging Lady to her. Servants, (apregnant proof and eeflimony whereof, the hath left behind her to the view of the world, in her lafe will and teflameuc) yet herein, if any of her Servants made a tranfgreflon, and theperceived them at any time abfent from Prayers (unlefs upon the jute excafe of neceffary bufinefs) they were lute to have a fevere and (harp ieproof from her. And the would often tell me, that the never pleated her felf in her Family duties, nor thought the did terse God acceptably, and as was- fir, unieía the had all her Family abciut her; jute of 3ofbnab's pious refolntion for all the world, chap. 24. r í. As for Me andmy boafe, we mid ferve the Lord. I have hitherto given you a charadìer of this mole excellent Ladies life, during the time of her health. I (hall come now-to her lafl ab£ of all, her moll Chri- fhan carriage and deportment, during the whole time of her Gcknefs: and here I ,hall report nothing more, then what mint own eyesand ears were ob- fervers and witneffes of : for as Ihad the honour to attend her for many years together, in the time of her health ; So in the whole time of her Gcknefs, I had the happinefs to minifler to her fpirituál occafions, in the proper way and Office of my Funóhion : And fo, as I had the fittefl opportunity of any other, Idid in like manner makeit my bufinefs, totake as exact an obferration of her as I could. - It cleated God indeed (who beff know: what ie good for his children) to vific her with a long and tedious Gcknefs ; and that too, (harpened with many bit- ter accents of pain and torment, for feveral months together f But (bleffed be hi, holy name for it) her patience all that whole while continued equal, and no whit inferiour to her pain : fo that Standen by could more eafily guess at the pains and torments which the muff needs lie under, by a confideration of the kind" and nature of her difeafe : dimbyany either repining language,: or impa- tient complaintsfrom her own mouth. One time indeed, (and never but that once) when I was with her,I found her la- bouring under fome, inward conflitisand thoughtfulnefs, couching her fpiritual Hate andcondition;but thole filch,as right well became the pious hopeand humility E e e e e 2 of
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