wonders in that Family and we agreed to keep the 28th day of December as a day of Thanks-giving for what God had done but the Lord knowing our dulnesse and weaknes before the day came did cast in further mercies that so we might be quickened to make his praise more glorious as you will see in the subsequent Relation which I received from Mr. Hatfield whose fidelity and consciencious walking is well knowne in the Countrey and therefore his Testimony the more worthy credence The ninth of December the Childe lying in a Trundle-bed at her Mothers bed-feet her Mother when she awaked asked her what a night she had she replied a very good night I praise God I never awaked till now which was about seven a clock Her Mother said Mattee God hath done great and wonderfull things for thee in manifesting so much of his power upon thee and to us in thee the Lord set these things aright upon our hearts Then Mattee replied with a sigh Oh when the Lord is pleased 〈◊〉 do great things for us he expects and looks for great things from us even as the Husbandman that sowes a great deal of seed he looks for a great crop if he have a great seed-time he looks to reap a great Harvest So the Lord when he is pleased to do great things for his people he expects great things from them Then her Mother spake again to her saying The Lord hath set thy condition upon the hearts of his people and thou art a Childe of prayer by which I hope the Lord will have much glory for there have been many dayes set apart to seek the Lord on thy behalfe Then she said Oh is not that a great mercy those dayes were dayes of love to my poor soul We do not discern mercies to be mercies we are so full of corruption and sin because the strong man armed had taken possession in our hearts but there is a stronger then he that will dispossesse him Her Mother said there are many Ministers who have wrestled with God for thee both in publique and in private She said I would be glad to see them that I may give them thanks for their pains and love to my soul Her Mother further said We are comfortably incouraged to depend upon the Lord in the duty of prayer for we have had apparent and immediate Answers from Him Oh said she that is a sweet mercy The seed of Jacob shall not seek the face of God in vain That morning she very freely and cheerfully expressed her selfe in any thing which concerned her spirituall condition and she was so free and her spirit was so enlarged to speak that her Mother disswaded her from speaking so much for fear of spending her little stock of spirits she being but weak Oh no no said she my spirits can never be spent with speaking of my God if any would feed me with speaking of my God I could live upon it The same day being the ninth of December her Uncle Hatfeild a Captain in the Army a godly man came to her and did ask her if she knew him She said Me have forgotten you but I hope God will give me my memory in due time that I may know you then he asked her how she did she said Me is pretty well I praise God but within an hour and a halfe after he came to her again and did ask her if she did know him and after a little time earnestly viewing of him her eyes being yet weak she said Oh my Uncle John my good Uncle my dear Uncle John then said he You have been a long time afflicted but I hope you have found the love of God towards you in this Affliction for those whom he doth love he doth chastize She said I hope so They are bastards and not sons whom the Lord correcteth not Then he asked her If she had not a dimnesse before her eyes Yes said she but I hope that if God please to lend me life he will give me the comforts of life to make my life comfortable and that he will raise me up and give me my senses by little and little then said he You have spoken much of God and have been an Instrument of much good to people that came to hear you She replied My soul will rejoyce in that it was not me it was the Spirit of God in me I am but a poor Earth-worm and can do nothing of my self Then he said You have spoken very much there be two Books written of what you did speak Is there so said she I wish they may look at a good end He did ask her whether she did remember what she had said No said she I have forgot but I hope God will give me my memory that I may tell to others what God hath done to my soul I pray Uncle pray to God for my Memory Being asked severall questions of such things as she had uttered in her stiffe fits she answered to the same sense and in most of the same words It was asked her whether faith or repentance was the first work in conversion she said You must first lay the ground-work of faith and then repent and turn home to the Lord you are not at home here you are but pilgrims and strangers It was asked her what was the Corner-stone in the spiritual building of the Church she said Christ but the stone is three-cornered the Father Son and Holy Ghost It was asked her what was faith hope and charity She said Faith is a gift of God to believe in Christ hope is a hoping to enjoy Christ and charity is the love of Christ It was asked how we may do to get the door of faith opened She said Walk in the paths of Righteousnesse Here by the way you may note that the Spirit of God did sometimes help her to speak things that yet she did not fully understand she had in one or two of her stiffe fits uttered these words Knock at the gate of Righteousnesse and God shall open unto you the door of Faith in reference to that speech this Question was asked her but God had not at that time revealed it to her I believe more of the marrow of the Gospel could scarcely have been uttered in so few words It 's the great question with poor souls they say If we could believe then we might have any thing but how shall we get faith here many puzzle themselves as if God had put them to shift for themselves as a poor man works and gets money and that will buy him all things no though we must ordinarily get faith in Hearing c. yet not by our Hearing the Answer is here Stand and knock at the gate of Righteousnes that Righteousnes which justifies us when we believe doth purchase faith for us that we may believe Pardon this digression It was asked
he put them on a way to attain this â—nd not by might nor by power not wisâ—ome of men nor outward meanes of Physick but that grace might be advanced â—o send for the Elders of the Church and â—et them pray over the afflicted which was done in the spirit of grace and supplication and after twice wrestling with God in fasting and prayer he was pleased to be intreated And as gloriously admirable was Gods hand in raising her up as in casting her down for in the close of the second dayes work that God might manifest himselfe to be a God hearing prayer and that creatures in their lowest condition might never more despond he shewed some glimmerings of his gracious favour and within a few dayes gave to her understanding senses speech the use of her legs and since a daily income of health and strength and which is better then life suffered not these high actings of his Spirit to be an occasion of puffing her up but kept her in a gracious humble depend inâ— frame of spirit for being inform'd whaâ— she had said she replied thus in her childisâ— speech Have I me cannot tell I can 〈◊〉 nothing of my self it was not me it was thâ— Spirit of God in me I am nothing but poor earth-worm and me hath nothing buâ— what my God giveth me for me is nothinâ— but dust and ashes Again some two 〈◊〉 three dayes before God gave her the use 〈◊〉 her legs her father desiring to neglect nâ— lawfull meanes wished one to signifie hiâ— pleasure to her that he had thoughts oâ— procuring a Physicians advice concerning her whereto she sweetly answered she would be disposed by her parents will buâ— her desire was to wait Gods end she could wish no Physician might partake of any glory with God for he alone had done the cure he alone deserved the praise Thus Reader hast thou a true Narrative of that which seems marvellous in our eyes the Lord remove from thy heart all selfe and prejudice make thee willing to give God the glory of his own workings slubber not over this passage of divine Providence with carelesse or profane thoughts eye God learn to live by faith and despise not Ordinances which God hath from heaven in this occasion borne witnesse to I have purposely avoided all frothie flourishes of the tongue lest the truth should be suspected for I would win thy heart not thy senses not words but things take wise men of whose number if thou would'st be thought one judge soberly and the end is obteined By The unworthiest yet a faithfull Wel-wisher to thy precicious Soul Wa. Barnard Church-Sandal January 28. 1652. THE NARRATIVE Wherein is related how this Child was visited and the manner of her Disease when she did utter those Heaven born Truths herewith published THis Child who hath been the subject of such wonders of Providence is the daughter of Master Anthony and Mistris Faith Hatfield of Leighton in the West-Riding of York-shire her name is Martha Hatfield she was compleat twelve years old the 27 day of September in the year of our Lord 1652. She hath been from her birth a childe of wonders being so litle when she was brought out of her mothers wombe that it waâ— thought she would speedily have returned 〈◊〉 the common wombe where all living muâ— ere long be laid up But God who quicknetâ— the dead who is the preserver of man contâ—tinued her life and she grew up very hopeâ—fully as a plant of Gods own planting yeâ— some years before this visitation she was observed to be of a sad spirit oft retiring into corners and weeping for a long time and could not then render any reason thereof but it evidently appeared afterward that she was much afflicted with the spleen-winde which encreased notwithstanding the use of means to greater extremity But before I proceed I must desire the Reader not to expect an exact Relation of her Disease in physical terms of art because it pleased the all-wise Disposer of all occurrences so to order the spirit of the childe and his own dealings towards her as you may see anon that no means could be used towards her recovery and so no Physicians did stay with her to observe the symptomes of her disease so that it 's but conjectural what it was it 's thought the rigid convulsions or rather that it was a complicated disease of many of those distempers which affect the brain but I shall give it you in our Countrey Dialect as those that were usually with â—er did apprehend it I shall observe this Method 1 I shall speak of her disease 2 Relate her speeches 3 The manner of her recovery 1 Her Disease The Spleen-winde after some time did â—row to that extremity that she could not â—igest her meat but vomited up all that she â—ook which yet was but a small quantity for 〈◊〉 long time after which she was taken all of one side beginning at her neck which â—aused her to hold her head awry and from â—hence it went into her arm and took away â—he use of it for many dayes and when her â—arm was better it fell into her leg on the same side and continued there until she fell quite down which was after this manner She had extraordinary fits of violent vomiting and after that Convulsions which occasioned extream torments especially in the night and so she continued sometimes better sometimes worse for many dayes sorely troubled with a stopping c. In which time she had the use of her understanding and could speak and with many sweet words was able to exhort her parents to trust in God Saying If we had but faith it would carry us thorough all the troâ—bles of this world Then about April the sixth 1652 〈◊〉 perceived such a change in her that 〈◊〉 thought she would die presently and she 〈◊〉 into a fit of extream pain in her side whicâ— took away her breath and her senses for 〈◊〉 houres and she was stricken all over stiff 〈◊〉 which time she lay as if dead hopelesse 〈◊〉 life in the judgements of those who beheâ—â— her Yet about the third houre she was enabled with great alacrity to express the joyâ— of Heaven and sweetly prayed for herselâ— and all her relations as she conceived theiâ— necessities required First for her father thy servaÌ„t the head of thâ— family Lord give him faith in Jesus Christ to lay hold upon thee and give him patiencâ— to be contented with thy will and for ouâ— mother who hath been so long weak Lord restore her and make her a comfort to us all and teach her to submit to thy will and for my Grand-mother that old stock that old stock that thou hast made such a comfort to us good Lord we thank thee for her and if I live I desire to be thankful for her And for our brother who is to be disposed of good Lord direct the heart of thy servant our father to dispose
of him as may be most 〈◊〉 thy glory and for the good of his soul â—d body Good Lord bless our sister who hath taâ—n so great pains with my mother and me â—d our other little brother Lord make him â—ine and guide him in all his wayes in his â—ung-yeers that his soul may be precious in â—y sight and my other sister the Lord â—ve her grace And that other little sister â—ood Lord take away that infirmity from her â—ye if it be thy will And for that sister whom â—hou hast disposed of in marriage the Lord â—less that family and give them more and more of thy Spirit to guide them in thy wayes and Lord give him a Spirit of prayer â—ut let us not make haste for thy time is the best And for that little branch Lord as it grows in days years grant that it may grow in grace and walk in thy way And for that godly sweet servant of thine * that prayed so heartily for me the last night the Lord bless him and Lord bless thy servant who is gone to use means for her health and bless the means for without thy bessing nothing can profit and Lord if it be for thy glory bring them together and if not make them contented to yield to thy will Good Lord bless all our Family and make them thine and teach all our friends to walk in thy wayes When she began this prayer all about her were so amazed with the suddenness of it that they could not for the joy and astonishment wherewith their spirits were filled observe each passage so exactly as is desired they had done so that many of her expressions are lost but these things set down are as neer as they that were present could recall to their thoughts related and written down in her own very words After this prayer her head fell and she was as in a trance and as she past into it she said The Lord be with you all I am now going to Heaven where I hope one day you will come to me And when she was come forth of that trance in which they thought she would have died she was exceedingly rapt up with joy which perhaps was the Heaven she spake of that she was going to laughing and spreading her arms and clasping them close to her that they could not be opened but presently she opened them and exprest herself in these words I have found my Christ ô I have found my Christ how sweet is he to me After this fit of joy she fell into a sore conflict with Satan and opening her arms which were clasped with hugging her sweet Christ unto her she struck so vehemently as 〈◊〉 she had more then ordinary strength and â—prest her self in these words Away away away Satan with a stern â—untenance which was a great change in her â—â—ce which was so amiable before in her reâ—oycing of it and so she continued for some â—â—me and then the Lord was pleased to give â—er comfort again And then she laughed and rejoyced much more then before and spread her arms and â—lasped them close again and said O my Christ is come again my Christ is come again 〈◊〉 shall vanquish Satan and cast him behinde me Then she fell again into another conflict with striking as before but never spake in a conflict but the conflict being over she spake and laught and behaved her self in the like manner as before O now my sweet Christ is come again he is come again and hath destroyed my spirituall enemy who would have destroyed my soul O labour for Christ and that the Name of Christ may be written upon all your hearts with letters of gold Thus one time with comforts and at other times with conflicts she continued the greatest part of one night which they that were present thought was about the several times that night but they were all so astonisheâ— both with the matter and manner that the could not certainly relate how many of thoâ— conflicts and comfortable fits she had neâ—â—ther indeed as they acknowledge are theâ— able to relate the manner thereof as it waâ— made known unto them After this about 17 dayes she lay stiff and never spake all that time and it pleased thâ— Lord so to order her disease that she came to her self twice a day viz. at twelve a clock aâ— noon-day and six at night and then she did understand herself but could not speak and to these times she kept constantly for about 17 dayes and then she would make signes to wash her mouth with small beer or water they not knowing what she would have but she could manifest dislike of what was offered if it was not that which she desired she took no food all this time but onely washt her mouth as was said twice a day About this time coming to herself she fell into great extremity of vomiting for two dayes and that which she vomited was like gall or soot and bloud and by times continued in that extremity for seven or eight dayes and was carried about in the arms of one or other or sate on their knees having little rest save some short Dormes she spake â—uch and uttered many sweet expressions Many times being desired to take some â—od she answered I would take food if God would give me leave but I cannot I â—annot and when they would do any thing â—bout her if it might be to give her some â—ase she would say Alas here 's no ease â—ere O that you will not suffer a poor creaâ—ure to have some ease there 's no comfort â—o be had here but there 's ease in Heaven At another time she said O Lord some â—ase for a poor distressed creature Lord for â—hy Son Christ his sake Again Where 's my father and my mother that they may pray for me I had a father and a mother and brethren and sisters Again she was much troubled and said What a naughty naughty Lass was I to be so impatient but now I have more pain and the Lord hath given me more patience now I can say with David It is good for me that I have been afflicted Good It is good indeed for my father hath got good and my mother hath got good and I have got good and God hath got glory I would not have been without this affliction for any thing this is a good affliction indeed Her sister Hannah speaking to her Must these little pretty hands go into the grave and rot in the dust I said she what should they do else poor sinful corrupt flesh Her father asking her Childe art not hungry thou hast eaten nothing of a long time She said I hunger for nothing but Christ I am very hungry after him I would very fainâ— have him Then he asked her if she would drink she said I am very thirsty for Christ They were speaking to her of a Physician but she said My comfort is in Christ
Though God do take away the comfort of this world yet he will give us comfort in another world Gracious is God and pittiful to poor souls when they shall call to him for help and saith Lord I am helpless of my self my help is upon thee and I trust in thee then he gives him help comfort by faith in Jesus Christ Who would but trust in such a God that give us Christ that we may joy and rejoyce Oh how good a God have we that doth rebuke the Tempter and will not let him have us though he strive to catch us he would make our going to Heaven uncomfortable and pull away our souls but God will not suffer him for those that God hath chosen they shall receive comfort How gracious is God in all his wayes and worthy to be esteemed of if we do not esteem of him he will not esteem of us he is angry with his people it is but for a while but with those that he is ever angry he will say Go ye cursed into hell-fire and what a pittiful case is that God will stretch out his hand to a poor soul and say Come poor soul come thou hast been long in affliction but I will lay thee up in Heaven there thou shalt be happy and rejoyce for ever Our Father gives us his Son Jesus Christ to save our souls or we had been burning in hell-fire before this time but our God is gracious to us Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire Lord open our eyes that we may see Jesus Christ coming into our souls with white robes we cannot see him with our mortal eyes but Lord make us to see him with ouâ— spiritual eyes this would be the joyfullesâ— sight that ever we did see in all our lives What disobedient children are we that do not go when our Father comands us to go If you be risen with Christ seek those thingâ— which are above where Christ himself sits at the right hand of God Let us have our eyes lift up to Heaven that we may see Jesus Christ sitting at the right hand of God and let us be thankful for all his mercies for if we be unmindful of him he will be unmindful of us Lord our hearts are empty fill them with thy Spirit and take away the corruption that is within us Why are our hearts set upon the World there is nothing but pride and corruption in the World and we poor sinful creatures are subject to run head-long into the World Lord wean our hearts from the World Good Lord give us grace and the eye of Faith that we may see Jesus Christ coming though afar off and that we may come nigh and stick close to him Lord give us faith that we may trust thee and believe in thee and make us true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ for we have nothing of our selves but corruption to trust on and that will flie from us How good God is and merciful to all his â—hildren in delivering them from all the â—emptations of their spiritual enemy which â—aily seeketh to destroy them Oh come my people into my Tabernace â—nd I will take you up into my throne and â—here you shall rejoyce with me and my Angels for ever and ever Labour for Jesus Christ and when you have obtained him embrace him and he will embrace you cleave fast to him and he will cleave fast to you Acknowledge Jesus Christ who is our Saviour and when all things in the World fail he will not fail he will stick close to you and not forsake you Let us be thankful for all mercies though they be but little ones for when we are thankful for little ones he will poure more upon us and if we be not thankful for the least mercy he will poure down great curses upon us Look into the actions of God and the more you look into his works the more power of God you shall finde in them all that he doth he doth it for the good of his poor Children and those that fear him May the 27th Lord purge our bodies and purifie ouâ— corrupt hearts that thy Word may work thorow work in us cast back cast back thaâ— tempting roaring lion that goes about seeking whom he may devour What disobedient children are we for that which God commandeth we will not do but that which he forbiddeth that we do and run on headlong to our own destruction If the Spirit of God once work in our hearts then we shall be happy and shall sound out the praise and glory of our God for he is wonderfull in our eyes Lord open thou our mouth and let our lips shew forth thy praise our God make speed to save us ô teach us to know Jesus Christ for how will that ravish our poor soules to know our Saviour and then we shall draw nigher to heaven and rejoyce with our Father Come my people come enter into my Tabernacle and I will have mercy upon you Help help Lord for Christs sake that I may obtain that happy place for there is comfort without discomfort and joy without sorrow May the 28th What disobedient children are we for doâ—g those things which we ought not to do â—nd in leaving undone those things which â—e ought to have done Come my people enter into my Tabernaâ—le and I will gather you under my wings as a â—en gathereth her chickens and I will assure you of your salvation and you shall rejoyce with my holy Angels for ever and ever Let us labour to get faith in Jesus Christ who will gather us from our enemies when a poor soul thinks he is cast down into hell then Christ comes and raiseth it up then that soul will rejoyce with Christ and he will keep it from falling into that deep pit he will not let it fall again who would but trust in such a God as this that will give his children hearts to believe and fear him Labour to get Jesus Christ for we cannot get him without pains if we mean to be one with him O how ought we to take pains and labour to know and acknowledge Jesus we must struggle and strive for him or else we can never obtain him May the 29th How good is our God that takes pity upon a poor afflicted soul for when a poor soul is going to hell and seeth no help but in Jesus Christ then it cries Help help help Lord and then Jesus Christ delivereth that poor soul out of hell Labour for Jesus Christ and seek for him he is not gained easily we must seek for him and take pains for him or we shall never obtain him unlesse we take pains we shall never sinde him Lord give us hearts that we may seek after Jesus Christ and that we may relie upon him by faith that we may be made true believers in thy Word Lord open thou our mouths that our lips may shew forth thy
lambe of God be pleased to open to us the door of faith November the 1. Lord purifie these drossy hearts of ours that we may become pure Virgins of thine and leave them without dross or sin remaining in them Lord restrain those that go about to interrupt those instruments which thou hast sent to preach out thy holy Word in thy Congregations it is requisite that offences should come but wo be to them by whom they come Oh let us labour to gain the Kingdome of Heaven and struggle and strive for it for it is not gained with a little ado but Heaven is won by violence and the violent take it by force Lord enrich these poor fainting souls of ours with thy graces that we may become able instruments to inherit the Kingdome of Heaven November the 3. Lord endue us with thy rich graces as faith which is the richest grace of all but our hearts are so stony that we cannot apprehend them aright to make a right use of them but make them of a fit temper that we may have our wills melted into that Will of that everlasting everliving and glorious Lord our God that we may lie at the feet of that immaculate lamb of thine untill those two arms of Love be pleased to take us up into the throne of Heaven Put on the whole armour of God that we may be able to stand against all the wiles of the Devill Oh labour to take notice of that everliving and glorious Lord our good God and of all his mercies that he hath been pleased to pour down upon us for if we take notice of him he will take notice of us both of all our needs and necessities and necessary things both temporall and spirituall for if we sit loose from him he will sit loose from us November the 4th Oh let us labour to repent of all our sins which we have lived in formerly and call to minde what the Lord hath done for us in distresse When we were in the hands of our enemies he hath preserved us from the hands of our enemies for if we were as we should be we should be thankfull every hour of a day but God knoweth we are far short Good Lord refine us even as silver and gold is refined and make us without spot or blemish even as thy spotlesse lamb and cloath us with the righteousnes of him November the 5th He that knoweth the will of his Father that is in heaven and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Lord renew these stony hearts of ours and give us hearts of flesh Lord open our blinde eyes that we may see clâ—erly the errour of sin and the purity that is in Christ and the corruption that is in our selves We poor miserable and wretched creatures Lord pardon and forgive us all our sins that we have committed against thee and wash them away in the blood of that thy beloved One and leave us without spot or stain remaining in us November the 6th The Works of God are wonderfull and his wayes past finding out Servants obey the will and command of your Masters which are upon the earth knowing that you have a Master in heaven Oh let us call upon the Lord in the time of extremity and calamity and he hath promised to give ear unto us November the 8th Call upon me in the day of trouble aâ—d I will hear you and you shall glorifie me Oh Lord endue us with thy graces that we may be fit to come to the School of Christ to learn the lesson of faith Oh let us labour for that beloved One for if we have him we have all if we want him we want all he will stand unto us when all will fall down all things are but drosse and dung in comparison of him Oh labour to repent of all your sins but you must first lay the ground-work of faith and then truly repent and return home unto the Lord. Oh let us cry aloud unto the Lord in the time of necessity and he hath promised to give ear unto us Cast your care upon the Lord for he careth for you in the time of extremity and calamity when all helpers in the world fail he will be your greatest help of all he must do it or none Oh let us labour to fear the Lord that we may live in his fear and die in his favour Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest Oh what a sweet promise is this if we had but hearts to apprehend it aright but our hearts are so stony and so full of corruption that it can take no effect but Lord mollifie them November the 9th Oh let us call to minde what the Lord hath done for us and not be like the natural man that looketh his face in a glasse and presently forgetteth what manner of man he was Oh let us labour and take pains for that well-beloved One and labour to sâ—ick close unto him for if we lose him we lose all and if we gain him we gain all Oh let us labour to set our affections on the things that are above and not on the world wherein there is nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit Oh let us labour to wait and be patient untill his appointed time for his time is the best time My Christ hath vanquished Satan that luâ—king roaring lion that goeth about to devour my poor soul but I hope he hath nothing to do with me I hope my God will own me for his own he is alwayes malicing and perplexing the children of God to make their journey uncomfortable and thinketh that if he get not victory then he shall never get victory Come all ye that are a thirst and drink freely of the Spring-well-water of life and you shall never thirst again Lord Lord endue us with thy graces that we may become lively branches in thy Vineyard prune it dresse it and water it and look to it that nothing hurt it nor harme it Oh let us labour for faith for they that are faithfull until death shall receive a Crowne of life Lord satisfie these unsatisfied hearts of ours for if a man have all the world he thinketh that he hath not enough but when he hath Christ then he is fully satisfied Ah what can a Christian heart desire more then a crucified Christ then a naked Christ what can a Christian heart desire more he is the jewell of all jewels he is the upright One Labour to deal faithfully in all things for as you do so you must look to be done by if you sowe to the flesh you shall reap corruption but if you sowe to the Spirit you shall reap life everlasting Lord endue us with thy graces and set them aright upon our hearts but they are so benummed luke-warm and key-cold that we cannot apprehend them to make a right use of them but
so continued his good hand upon her and she encreased in strength daily so that upon the 28th of December the time appointed for the Thanks-giving when we met there she was able to come forth into the Hall to meet and welcome us and we did behold a Miracle it was wonderfull in our eyes so that our hearts did rejoyce with a kinde of trembling at the glory of the Lord which appeared in that Object and it did the more affect because it was more then many if not most of us heard of before we came into the house so that we see God had put still more matter of praise into our mouths when we came together to the duty she came and joyned with us most part of the day but the place where we met being very full of people she towards the close of the day grew somewhat faint and weary and so withdrew but was well presently and much affected was her heart with 〈◊〉 goodnesse of the Lord in the morning before we engaged our selves in the duty of that day she desired that we might sing a Psalme or two which she had made choice of viz. the 103 Psalme or the 118 Psalm which of them the Ministers pleased and in the close of the day the Assembly were desired to praise God in the words of David written in the 118th Psalme and some of the verses of that Psalme which did best suit with the occasion of the day were cull'd out as the six first verses and the 13th verse to the end of the 18th also the 21 and 23 24. and the two last verses In that day as we desired to exalt the Lord in our hearts who had so signally fulfilled divers promises and that in particular Psal 118. vers 15. which had been often urged formerly so were her Parents very solicitous lest they should not render unto the Lord according to his marvellous appearances for them and to them therefore was that promise urged Psal. 50. 15. Thou shalt glorifie me which as was declared to them is not onely demonstrative of their duty but operative to enable them to perform their duty and so we parted with our hearts full of joy and desires that we might be strengthened by the power of the Lords might to walk worthy of these glorious ownings of his poor worthlesse creatures Since this day of Thanks-giving the Lord hath in much mercy increased her strength every day she did not then go so strongly as since she hath done one observable passage there was she was sitting in a Chair and both she and the Chair fell and she hurt her leg but not long after she was observed to go with more strength and nimblenesse then before and God made that fall a means of her rising up to more strength and not onely are her outward parts through the goodnesse of God strengthened but her understanding memory and ripenesse of apprehension are much enlarged beyond what they vvere before her sicknesse which we vvere much afraid had been utterly and altogether destroyed in this sad visitation and as a further addition to make the mercy yet more compleat the Lord hath been pleased to work a great change in the frame and temper of her disposition which formerly by reason of the prevalencie of the Spleen vvhich she is novv vvholly freed from as from all other infirmities vvhich she had formerly vvas much inclined to sadnesse and fretfulnesse but novv she is of a vvondrous meek quiet and sedate temper and vvalks on vvith much cheerfulnesse and evennesse of spirit so that vve may discover much of God in her carriages she is also very diligent in reading and prayer and such other employments as her Mother sees fit to exercise her in so that she may be a pattern for many vvho far exceed her in years and God doth keep her in a wonderful humble frame she is not lifted up vvith her Receptions but desirous to vvalk up to her Mercies she hath not much ravishing joys but God hath made good that promise to her He hath brought her health and cure and hath revealed to her abundance both of peace and truth It hath pleased God since these passages of his Providence again to try that Family in removing from them that precious Gentlewoman Mrs. Fr. Westby Mother to Mrs. Hatfeild and Grandmother to this Childe an ancient Disciple of Christ vvho had gained a great addition to her stock of Graces and comforts by this Childes Afflictions and Restauration She vvas full of the joy of the Lord in the beholding of these vvonderfull vvorkings of God in that Family and is novv translated to Heaven where she is praising God for those many other Mercies in a higher strain then our untuned spirits can reach unto and when God had brought that affliction upon the Family this Childe perceiving her dear Mother to be much dejected vvith that dispensation did much labour to comfort her and amongst other passages this vvas one With tears she spake to her Mother thus Good Mother labour to submit to the Will of God ô labour to submit if vve do not submit vvillingly God can make us to submit I shall shut up the Narrative vvith this passage of this Childes dear Father in the Close of his Relation vvhich he sent to me viz. The povver of the Lord be made knovvn in all his Works vvith thankfulnesse to his glory for ever To which I will adde my AMEN The Conclusion of the NARRATIVE THat Caution which this sweet Childe hinted as was before noted that we should look to a good end in publishing her speeches took such Impression on my spirit that though I was strongly urged to it I durst not venter upon the presenting of these things to Publique view before I had first examined my ends in that undertaking and could through the free grace of God I hope in sone measure approve my Heart to him in that enterprize And since I have undertaken it I am sorry that I could not dispatch it sooner whilest the impressions were fresh upon the spirits of her Friends but my many diversions and interruptions in that populous place where God hath east my lot must be my Apology and I hope the publishing of these things now may serve through the supply of the Spirit of Christ to revive those thoughts and resolutions which I hope wil never be wholly oblitterated That which I shall onely adde is the ends and uses which I conceive our wise God might have and which we and others should make of such wonderfull works of his and I shall refer them to two Heads they are such as concern Either 1 Particularly that Family Or 2 Generally the Nation 1 Particularly that Family and there 1 God did foresee what his intentions were as to that Family in taking to himselfe that precious Gentlewoman Mrs Westby the Grandmother of this Childe she was one of the most affectionate Mothers that I have been acquainted with she had