found of them that sought mee not and verse 24. Yea before they call I will answer and while they speake I will heare If earthly fathers that are euill Matth. 7.11 both in comparison of God and in their owne inclination can giue good things to their children that aske much more our heauenly Father can and will How glad is an earthly father when his children can seeke after that which is good for them and our heauenly Father much more Besides God who hath promised cannot lye Titus 1.2 now he should deceiue his people if they should not finde the grace they duly seeke but he hath said Matth. 5 6. that the hungring and thirsting soule shall be satisfied and supplied Reas 2 2. The Lord will not so farre discourage his seruants and dishearten them as neuer to let them finde that they bestow so much true paines in seeking but he vpholdeth them in seeking by supplying some way or other some time or other that they seeke his wisdome not only feedeth his children with hopes of an haruest to come but affordeth them present food and finding euen in this life so far as will stand with hunger and thirst by which hee incourageth them in their prayers teares labours and sufferings and without which finding for the present in part the smoaking wicke should bee quickly quenched and all the beginning of grace easily lost oyle is not more necessarie to feed a lampe than the supply of grace is to feed grace Psal 116.1 I loue the Lord because hee hath heard my voice and prayers and Psal 65.2 Because thou hearest prayer vnto thee shall all flesh come Reas 3 3. The Lord will not so much withstand his owne glory as not be found of true seekers because his owne glory is the maine end of all his mercy Psal 22.26 They that seeke after the Lord shall praise him namely in acknowledging him true in his promises and plentifull in his mercies Obiect But God is a free giuer of grace and before wee can aske wee shall haue it without seeking what need we then seek so diligently Answ 1. Gods grace is free in respect of merits not of meanes if God should not giue vs sauing grace before we aske it we should neuer haue it and no man can seeke grace but by grace yet God giueth not grace to idle or sleepy persons but to the vigilant and watchfull he is not so prodigall of so excellent a Pearle as to bestow it for nothing or vpon those who hauing tasted the sweetnes of it will not bestirre themselues for more that they may grow in grace 2. Though God doth bestow on vs free saluatiō which costeth vs nothing yet wee must accept it in the meanes which do excite exercise our graces suffer vs to bee neither idle nor vnfruitfull in the worke of the Lord. But if we seeke our seeking is a cause of finding so Gods grace shall not be free Ans 1. Our seeking is no cause of finding but a meanes or way in which we finde 2. In seeking we doe our duty but merit nothing by it for when we haue done all we can we are vnprofitable seruants Note 3. The promise of finding is not made to the seeking but to the seeker being in Christ who findeth for Christs sake not for his owne Obiect But I haue sought long and haue not found Sol. Ans There is a 2. fold seeking 1. 6. Sorts of seekers amisse a seeking amisse and then no maruell if thou findest not Esan sought with teares and findeth not many shall seeke and strine to enter and shall not bee able and of these are sixe sorts 1. wicked men being destitute of the spirit of GOD want their eyes cleared and a blind man shall sooner find a Pearle lost than they this 2. Some seeke without light as fond Familists and Anabaptists who seeke grace in the darke corners of Enthusiasmes and reuelations scorning the light of the Scriptures and Ministrie in which the spirit onely and ordinarily offreth himself to be found 3. Some seeke without the promise and so without faith Israel sought it by merits Rom. 9.31 4. Some seeke without repentance Isay 1.16 wash you make you cleane and then come and reason together 5. Some seeke it vnseasonablie the doore being shut so did Esau when the blessing was bestowed 6. Some seeke withon out sincerity Hypocrites seeke a while but giue ouer as weary of so much paines now the promise is made to none of these the goale is not giuen but to such as striue lawfully A second Kind of seeking that is which faileth not and that is in the true and lawfull conditions of seeking as by the supernaturall eye of faith by the light of Gods Word in the right veine of finding and in the places where the Pearle lieth and in season of seeking whilst the day lasteth and the light is with vs hast thou thus sought and art yet held off I say God must be true Quaerentibus recta rectè hee that seeketh quae oportet quomodo oportet shall certainely finde and therefore I say to thee that seekest good things well 1. Thou hast found grace sufficient 2 Cor. 12.7 as Paul did when hee seemed to be denied of the grace desired thou hast found grace in some measure at least in such measure as may cause thee to hunger for more 2. God may delay to giue thee a greater measure and yet not deny thee it may bee that which thou seekest is worth more labour than yet thou hast bestowed distinguish now betwixt Gods delayes and denialls hold on thy seeking thou shalt find in good time Thirdly The best seekers find but in small measure in this life and why the best and holiest seekers of al find but for the estate of this life that is in small measure a taste a first fruites heere is but a sowing in grace God leaueth his children in many wants for the present for diuers ends 1. For their humiliation as Paul had a pricke in the flesh left 2. To maintaine hunger and thirst after more 3. To long after the time of perfection and full saciety when they shall bee fully conformed to the Image of God Fourthly thou hast found a promise of God to be fully satisfied at length Matth. 5.6 in the meane time esteeme thy seeking as a seede time thy labour is sowen in heauen thy seede is cast into the bosome of God and if it presently returne not so much comfort ioy and increase as thou desirest it is layd vp and will bring thee good store and a happy crop for hereafter Gal. 6.9 therfore be not weary of well doing for in due time thou shalt reape if thou faint not If no man seeketh this Pearle aright but findeth see a difference betweene this commoditie and all other Seeke any other thing in the world with thy best indeuour and thou maist faile Eccle. 5.9 and not finde He that
Pilgrimes profession In tying which words with the former it may be asked first what force can there bee in this reason to mooue or encline God to mercy because hee was a stranger with him it might rather imply that God should the more estrange himselfe from him and stand further from his helpe I answere 1. The Hebrew phrase Quis dubitat quod bic psaltes posuit gnimea tecum idem esse quod Liphneca id est coram ie Bucer I am a stranger with thee signifieth as much as to say I am a stranger before thee or in thy sight And not that hee was a stranger in affection or conuersation from God as the wicked who are said to be strange children and strangers from the wombe Psal 58.3 For how could Dauid bee such a stranger who set the Lord euer before him and at his right hand Psal 16.8 that hee might not sinne against him 2. As it is a confession and testimony of bis own humility and sense of his misery it is a motiue to mercy as if he had said I am a stranger and need helpe because as a stranger I lie open to many iniuries and inconueniences but thou art the God of the abiect and thy property is as to cast downe the proud so to raise vp such deiected soules as I am and therefore heare my prayers cryes and teares 3. As it ascribeth vnto the Lord the honour of mercy it is a motiue to mercy for holy Dauid puts the LORD in minde of his owne gracious inclination and affection to strangers Exo. 22. â—1 Reâ— 19.23 Doâ— 10.19 for hee hath commanded vs to be kinde to strangers and hath in speciall manner vndertaken the protection of strangers Psalme 146.9 The Lord keepeth the strangers and therefore his faith binding God after a fort to his owne law and promise assureth himselfe of Gods mercy because he is a stranger 4. As it is an acknowledgement of his owne impotency and the misery of his life it pleadeth strongly for mercy as if hee had said Thou knowest Lord that I am a stranger heere and so long as I am so I cannot but carry a burden of flesh and a body of sinne and daily thereby deserue thy most heauie displeasure and therefore I beseech thee bee not so extreame against mee as in iustice thou mayest but considering my frailty mingle thy corrections with mercie And whereas I discerne also by my bodily weaknesse and infirmity that I am a stranger here and of short continuance I pray thee remooue thy hand and let not all my life bee miserable but Vers 13 stay thine anger from mee that I may recouer my strength before I goe hence and bee no more And vpon the same ground Iob makes the same request Iob 10.21 Let him cease and leaue off from me that I may take a little comfort before I goe and shall not returne c. Secondly it may bee asked How can Dauid vse this as a reason for his recouery which hee vsed before verse 4. for the hastening of his death for because his life was short and miserable therefoer hee desires hee might die in all haste To which I answere That great difference there is betweene Dauid foiled by flesh and Dauid supported by the Spirit for wee haue in him lying vnder the temptation an instance of our owne strong-hearted corruption which out of a good proposition can draw most dangerous and wicked conclusions for out of the consideration of the shortnesse of his life hee could draw conclusions of murmuring impatience and almost of desperation But now Dauid is another man and the Spirit of grace hath conquered those assaults and now hee can out of the same premises draw the cleane contrary conclusions to support his faith patience and dependance vpon God For such is the wisdome of the Spirit that hee can draw holy sweet and comfortable conclusions from those principles and grounds from which flesh and corruption vseth to sucke sinne and poison and teacheth the Saints so to doe In the profession it selfe Meaning consider for the meaning foure things 1. 1. What is this stranger What a stranger is 2. Who is this stranger 3. Where he is a stranger 4. The communitie of this condition as all my Fathers were 1. A stranger is hee that being absent from his owne Countrey is trauelling homewardes vnto it For these two conditions are proper to a stranger First that hee is absent from his natiue soyle absent from his naturall friends absent from his Fathers house and absent from his owne home and inheritance thus was Abraham a stranger in Canaan Secondly that he is trauelling home as a Pilgrime to his owne Countrey Thus was Iacob a stranger whose whole life was a trauaile in forraine Countreys out of any certaine and settled dwelling as himselfe professeth Gen. 47.9 The whole time of mypilgrimage is an hundred and thirtie yeeres 2. Who is this stranger Dauid saith I am a stranger which may seeme strange if wee consider that Dauid was a King and that in his owne Countrey and that the Countrey of Iudea in comparison of whose inhabitants all the world besides were strangers as Matth. 27.7 For Dauid was not now in flight before Saul 2 Sam. 21.23 as when hee plaid the foole in the Philistims Countrey before Acbish to saue his life nor in likelihood in chase before Absalom as when being driuen from home hee went vp to the mount of Oliues and wept Neither vndertooke hee any meritorious iourney in a Pilgrims weed For besides that hee was King of Ierusalem and needed not make any tedious Pilgrimage thither Popish Pilgrims were not borne some thousands of yeeres after his Age. Peregrinatio ad Imagines nalla fuit ante 600. annos a Christo nato Perk. Probl. There was now no Sepulcher of our Lord to visit nor no Image of our Lady and yet he professeth himselfe a stranger 3. But where was Dauid a stranger Himselfe saith Before thee that is wheresoeuer hee is before God there hee is a stranger not in another mans kingdome or Countrey as of Moabites or Philistims but in his owne Countrey in Canaan he is a stranger yea at Bethlem in the City of Dauid and in Sion the Fort of Dauid hee is a stranger This hee expresseth Psalme 119.19 I am a stranger vpon earth that is in euery part of the earth euen in mine owne house in mine owne bed in mine owne body and bosome I am a stranger with thee Wherein the holy Prophet both acknowledgeth the Lord the proprietary of whom he held his Countrey and Kingdome Lev. 25.23 For it is as if hee had said I am a stranger in thy Countrey my Countrey is thy Countrey and thy Countrey is my Countrey and now I doe but soâ—ourne a while with thee in thy Countrey till I returne home and dwell with thee in my Countrey As also hee insolâ—â—th a motiue why the LORD should
other things before it as worldlings nor other things with it as prophane Epicures who would graspe heauen and earth together nor yet seeke it for other things as Hypocrites who professe the Gospell for fauour credit profit or some other in respect of that base things But seeke it alone for it selfe and in sincerity for only such seeking findeth it Neuer will Christ bee sought for loaues nor can the same eye looke to heauen and earth together Fourthly Fourthly humbly it must be sought humbly that is first out of thy selfe a man that wanteth water will go to the fountaine the waters of grace must flow from the fountaine and well-head Christ Iesus seeke it therefore in him and from him The eye of faith spieth it in him and the hand of faith doth take it vp from him Secondly it must be sought with godly forrow and repentance for sinne Isay 1.16 Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your works from before mine eyes cease to doe euill Thirdly with reformation of heart and life Psal 14.4 The workers of iniquitie are vnfit and vnworthy seekers of grace Fiftly 5. Constantly it must be sought constantly Mary and Ioseph neuer gaue ouer seeking Christ vntill they found him nor the Church till shee found him neither must we giue ouer seeking hauing found grace for it is not in this seeking as in other things where hauing found we rest contented and seeke no more but here hauing found the thing wee sought we must seeke still for a Christian is euer wanting of grace if not in whole yet in part if not in substance yet in some degree and measure of it and therefore this worke as the husband mans is neuer at an end Vse 1 This must needes condemne many of vs of extreame folly and sinne how few of vs haue sought after grace as after siluer for siluer we will take great paines rise early goe to bed late and eat the bread of carefulnesse but when doe wee so for grace for siluer we will trauell many miles on horse and foot to a market or faire if wee can but gaine or returne halfe a handfull of siluer but for grace we will hardly step out of doores or bestow the least paines to frequent the places of Gods exchange In seeking siluer euery man will seeke a good penny-worth hee is carefull that none ouer-reach him hee parteth with his money as warily as may be and will be ready to lay hold on a good bargaine when it is offered In the matter of grace how fearefully doe many thrust it away with both hands wilfully forsaking their own mercy Iona. 2.8 They that wait vpon lying vanities forsake their owne mercy that is refuse the bargaine of eternall life offered almost forced vpon them and others that seemed to haue receiued a good sum of grace foolishly depart with it and fall away either quite or wholly or else from their measure and their first loue these men are farre from seeking grace and farther from finding it Vse 2 This should stir vp our thirst after grace to expresse our selues wise Merchants seazed on the Pearle which that we may earnestly seeke after let vs consider these fiue motiues 1. 5. Motiues to prouoke vs earnestly to seeke after grace Christ seeketh vs and desireth vs to seeke him and shall Christ seek thee for thy good and not thou seeke him for thine owne good But Christ seeketh vs as a Hen that gathereth her chickins vnder her wings Matth. 23.37 and woe vnto vs if we remaine vngathered The father of the prodigall goeth out to meet his sonne returning home to incourage vs to goe out of our solues to seeke him Secondly the fearefull reuenge against such as seeke not nor inquire after GOD should mooue vs to seek him as Zeph. 1.6 in the fourth Verse I will cut off the remnant of Baal in the sixth And them that turne backe from the Lord and those that haue not sought the Lord nor inquired for him And if they vnder the Law were so reuenged how much more shall wee liuing vnder the Gospell Heb. 2.3 if we neglect so great saluation If the Gospel be now hid it is hid to them that perish 2 Corin. 4.3 Oh what a fearefull case is it that the Gospell should serue for the conuiction of men and not for their conuersion Oh thrice vnhappy man that shall peruert this so aboundant grace to his owne destruction and yet the plenty of Gods grace in the Gospel shall condemne thousands that neuer required or sought after it 3. Thou shouldest seeke grace from God but he seeketh to pin his grace on thy sleeue God bringeth home the Gospell to thy house and doores hee sendeth forth his seruants he continueth to seeke thee by continuing the meanes and the season of grace he seeketh thee daily by his word his Ministers his blessings his corrections by the motions of the spirit by the checks of thine owne conscience and wilt thou not seeke being so sought vnto darest thou receiue such grace still in vaine 2 Cor. 6.5 or turne it to wantonnes Iud. 3. Fourthly of this saluation the Prophets search diligently 1 Pet. 1.10 and shall wee to whom it more specially belongeth not so much as aske or inquire after it or shall we thrust it away as the Iewes did Acts 13.46 but not without the most fearefull reuenge that euer hapned to any nation vnder the heauens vnder which they lye at this day Fiftly for a man to abide destitute of desire and indeuour after grace sheweth that Sathan the God of the world worketh mightily in such a one and hath him in his power to hood-winke him and hide from him the grace of the Gospell that the brightnesse of this Pearle should neuer shine to him least he should conuert and be saued See 2 Cor. 4.3 4. This of the first action Who hauing found a Pearle of great price The second action of the wise Merchant is he findeth an excellent Pearle Of the Pearle and of the excellencie we haue spoken Now are we in this part onely to speake something of the finding of it And by the Pearle being meant the grace of the Gospell as wee haue heard wee learne this Doctrine Doct. 1 Seekers of grace shall finde it That seekers of grace shall finde it and onely they Psalme 118.5 I called vpon the Lord in trouble and the Lord heard me and set me at large and Psalm 138.3 When I called then thou heardest mee hast increased strength in my soule Salomon seeketh wisdome and findeth it Luke 15.9 Matth. 7.8 The woman that sought the lost groat found it Whosoeuer asketh receiueth and he that seeketh findeth Why Reas 1 1. Faithfull seeking can neuer take God wanting or vnwilling to giue grace both because hee hath promised and is able to performe aboue all we are able to aske or thinke His power is sufficient to supply all our wants and Isay 65.1 I was
seeketh siluer shall not bee satisfied Seeke wealth pearles honor pleasures thou shalt often faile of them but seeke the best thing alway speed In all other things many seeke one thing but finde another goe to the Physitians to seeke health thou maist meete with death to the Lawyer to seeke law and justice thou maist find iniustice and oppression at some friends hāds thou maist feeke fauour friendship but finde hatred and enmitie as Ioseph sought at his brethrens but findes them foes and enemies But in matters of grace thou shalt finde the same things thou lookest for seekest thou the Pearle thou findest the Pearle as the Merchant did nay findest an excellent one farre better than thou lookedst for the worth of which is not to bee valued in this vale of dacknesse Here is also a difference betweene seeking things at Gods hands and at mans all that aske at mans handes speed not though thou maist aske neuer so iustly as in the example of the vniust Iudge A poore man asketh at mans hands mercy and misseth of it knocke at mans doore it is not alway open But the gate of grace is neuer shut Gods eare is alway open and as a fauorite sitteth in the eare of the King and speedeth in any suite so doth the godly seeker speed with God Vse 2 This comforteth poore soules seeking panting after grace so long as thou canst seeke thou art sure to find though the Lord hide his face for a time and seeme to locke vp his mercy from thee yet vpholde thy selfe in seeking and thou shalt find in due season Psal 9.9.10 The Lord also will bee a refuge for the poore a refuge in due time euen in affliction Wantest thou strength against temptations Seeke by prayer the grace of Christian fortitude be strong in the cry of prayer and as a theefe will runne away when the true man maketh a noyse and out-cry so will Sathan vpon this noise of feruent prayer cease his assault Wantest thou peace of conscience chearfulnes in doing or suffering wouldest thou see a sweet looke from God or needst thou any other blessing for life or godlines Seeke it with instance doe as the woman of Canaan who sought grace at the hands of Christ and would not be repulsed Math. 15.22 And the poore woman by her importunitie preuailed in her suit with the vniust Iudge Luke 18.5 And how much more shall faithfull importunitie preuaile with the most righteous faithfull God Obiect But my seeking is so weake and sinfull that I shall neuer finde my sinne quite marreth my seeking and hindreth my finding Sol. Is there more weakenesse in thy seeking than in Iacobs seeking the blessing yet his weake and faultie seeking found it Obiect O that I could finde any feeling or worke of grace but the strong hart of my corruptions is not yet brokē I haue lost all my labour and found nothing but discomfort of it Sol. Let not thy soule prescribe and instruct the Lord how or what way or when to do thee good but waite and striue and find and preuaile Secondly seeke against sense and feeling euen out of the belly of the whale of desperation it selfe lay hold on the free grace of God and thou shalt find an issue his sweet loue dropping comfort sweeter than hony combes to thy soule Vse 3 Thirdly see the reason why grace groweth so thin euery where Grace not found because not sought euen because hee that hath not attained grace neuer sought it aright the want is not in God nor in the meanes but in thy selfe and manner of seeking Non deficit dātis misericordia Non medicorum insufficientia sed quaerentium negligentia culpanda Blame thy selfe for not finding who hast failed in the manner of thy seeking for perhaps Thou art full and feelest not the need of grace as the Church of Laodicea Reu. 3.17 and then how canst thou seeke A beggar will not stir abroad so long as hee hath any thing at home Or art prophane and scornest the blessing as Esau Or art a hater of it and the seekers of it turnest their glory into shame art of the generation of them that hate them that seeke the Lord. Or art idle and seekest slightly or formally and can God attend that prayer or request which thou carelesly formally castest out and thy selfe attendest not And here numbers of men lye vnder just reproofe as 1. Such as neuer spent so much labour in seeking grace as Saul did in seeking his Fathers Asses 1 Sam 9.4 2. They that neuer spent so much time to find it as they could for a handfull of siluer and yet hope they haue it or shall haue it When didst thou breake thy sleepe disease thy selfe put thy selfe into all weathers by night and by day for the Word as thou hast for wealth When wast thou so good and thriftie an husband for thy soule as for thy body Neuer looke for grace before thou prizest it and bee sure thou hast it not who so vnder-valuest it Vse 4 Thirdly let vs examine our selues whether by all our seeking wee haue found the Pearle that by these rules 1. He hath found by seeking who still seekes to find 5. Notes of one that by seeking hath found the Pearle for it is not here as in seeking other things heere the finder giueth not ouer seeking but the more be findeth the more he seeketh heere is an vnsaciable couetousnesse and a couetousnesse warrantable Secondly much ioy and large affections to expresse the sence of so great a commoditie the testimony of Gods Spirit witnesseth our adoption once receiue it and it refresheth the soule with ioy vnspeakable and glorious 1 Peter 4.5 and this ioy will not be hid as in the woman finding the lost groat Thirdly the Pearle once found there followeth a contempt of the world a killing of the cares of this life a fencing from the loue of earthly things there is no true content in any thing else he that hath found this Pearle esteemeth all other things euen the best of that the world so admireth dung in comparison of Christ Fourthly being so rich a commoditie it enableth to good workes and as no other Pearle can it worketh the will also to be aboundant in good workes aboundant in the fruits of the spirit in the fruits of Sanctity and holines of life Fiftly it is of so precious vertue as it is in euery one that findeth it an antidote against all the poison of sinne the grace of repentance presently expelleth it the grace of patience is a salue for euery sore the grace of faith is a most soueraigne Cordiall it is of vertue to renouate the whole man and all the parts of the man it cleareth his sight daily it maketh him quicke of hearing it sharpneth all his senses in diuine things it preserueth his stomack and appetite to Gods word it purgeth out his corruptions reneweth his strength as the Eagle
errour God turned to her good for in all the two and twenty yeeres of her seruice vnto that honourable Lady shee neuer durst make vse of any thing that was vnder her charge were it small or great but set it downe in writing and once euery yeere did make it good either in the kinde or in some other thing which shee bought for her Ladiships vse Fourthly Her charitable disposition the sense of her owne weaknesses and wants made her of a pittifull and charitable disposition towards the wants and miseries of others Shee had euer a large heart to the poore especially the godly poore she neuer did see or heare of any that were in want but her heart did mourne if shee had not to releeue them neither was her hand shut for shee did yeerely lay aside a portion of money to the vttermost of her ability if not beyond for their releefe Thus shee liued holily happily and desiredly Neither could so gracious a life be shut vp but by an answerable that is an happy death and dissolution wherof I will adde but a few wordes and so leaue her to her happinesse till wee meet happily againe True it is Her Imgring sicknesse that the life of a Christian should bee a continuall meditation of death as it is a continuall motion to death and such was the latter part especially of the life of this Christian woman who was of weake and sickly constitution many yeeres before her death which made her so much the more prepared for her last combate and sicknesse which lasted ten weekes in all which time shee certainly apprehended and expected her dissolution it being the principall and almost onely subiect of her discourse six moneths before it came But thirty dayes before her departure she finding her paines increasing and growing very sharpe and tedious she spent an houres talke with mee concerning her desire for the things of this life and hauing said what shee purposed shee thus concluded her speech Now sweet Heart no more wordes betweene you and mee of any worldly thing onely let me earnestly request and charge you that as you see my weaknes increase you will not faile to assist me and call on mee to follow the Lord with prayer and patience For now I know that Satan will shew all his malice because his time is but short against me and he will easily espie my weaknesse and make his aduantage of it and therefore now especially helpe mee with your counsell comfort and praiers In all the time of her sicknesse our gracious God who as a fast friend standeth closest to his seruants when they haue most need of him shewed his gracious presence with her as in all other comfortable supplies answerable to that depth of distresse so especially in hearing and answering her prayers and desires of her heart There were foure requests which wee â—bsâ—rued shee especiâ—â—â—â— preferred vnto God in her sicknesse Foure requests 〈…〉 them all and in none of them was denyed The first that shee might be armed with strength against Satans assaults which shee expected would be fierce frequent from whom she was mercifully freed for onely three dayes before her death shee began to bee deiected in the sense of her owne dulnesse and thereby began to call in question Gods loue towards her and the truth of Gods grace in her for said shee were I the Lords why should not I lift vp my head now seeing the time of my dissolution draweth on so neere But these complaints continued not aboue sixe houres but shee had much cheerefulnesse and comfort againe which shee expressed both in earnest and excellent Prayers wherein her gift was more than ordinary for her sex as also in many cheerful thanks and praises to God for his great mercy for that hee had now so chained Satan at this time of her great weaknesse that hauing beene formerly molested and daily vexed with his assaults for the space of aboue six yeeres together now hee would not suffer him to rest on her with his malice aboue six houres Her second request was that the Lord would strengthen her with patience to endure all her paines to the end and herein she was as graciously heard as in the former for although she was full of paines and assaulted with many strong fits in which no part was exempt from deadly paines and euery of these sits of many houres continuance yet was shee neuer heard to vtter any word of impatieÌ„ce in her selfe or discontent to any that were about her and much lesse to charge God foolishly in whose hands she was as the clay in the haÌ„d of the Potter Her third request to God was that shee might in all her sorrowes be still supported with some sense of his loue and with the assurance of the pardon of all her sins And that God was comfortably found of her in this request was very apparent in her ioyfull expectation of death the time whereof shee truly foretold fiue dayes before it came and as this time approached her ioy increased so as shee was able to comfort her mournfull husband and friends saying Mourne not for mee but for your selues for I shall very shortly be more happy than the wishes of your hearts can make me and therefore cease your mourning and helpe mee thither by your praiers as fast as you can Her fourth request was that shee might haue her memory continued vnto the last that so by no idle or light speech she might dishonour God or bring scandall on her profession for she said If I through paine or want of sleepe which shee much wanted should haue any foolish or idle talke I know what the speech of the world vseth to bee This is the end of all your precise folke they die madde or not themselues c. And as she praied God gaue her her memory to the last gasp Her happy departure that she died praying for a little before her departure she called vs that were about her and hasted to Praier for now said she I shall bee gone presently which words wee then beleeued not but Praier being ended she said with more strength than shee had spoken any thing foure houres before Amen amen Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit Lord Iesus haue mercy on mee and receiue my soule And thus with her last breath and words her soule was carried into Abrahams bosome in the Heauens to which her eyes and hands were lifted This was the life and death of this sweet Saint as it was obserued and now faithfully witnessed by her mournfull husband who wisheth both his life and latter end like vnto hers FINIS A GLASSE for Gentle women to dresse themselves by By THOMAS TAYLOR Preacher of Gods word to the Towne of REDING LONDON Printed by I.H. for Iohn Bartlet at the gilt Cup in Cheape-side 1624. A GLASSE for Gentlewomen to dresse themselues by BEcause I know that sundrie women fearing God faile in the matter of