Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	know_v	word_n	5,396	5	4.2358	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45720	The firebrand taken out of the fire, or, The wonderfull history, case, and cure of Mis Drake, sometimes the wife of Francis Drake of Esher in the county of Surrey, Esq., who was under the power and severe discipline of Satan for the space of ten yeares, and was redeemed from his tyranny in a wonderfull manner a little before her death,by the great mercy of God, and (instrumentally) by the extraordinary paines prayers, and fastings, of fource reverend divines, whose names are here subscribed, viz. B. Vsher, D. Preston, M. Hooker, M. Dod; Trodden down strength by the God of strength	Hart, John, D.D.	1654 (1654)	Wing H949; ESTC R15516	54,457	202

such as were the Scribes and Pharisees Julian the Apostate and the like who maliciously persecuted and blasphemed Christ notwithstanding that by his Doctrine and Miracles they were convinced of his Diety of this he shewed her shee could not be guilty of All sbe could alleadge against her selfe consisting only in a matter of thoughts which could not without action and former qualification bee that sinne or within the compasse thereof Which were only things wrapt up in that we call tentatio Foeda strange injected thoughts of God as Rom. 1.23 representing him to the fancy in abominable similitudes likening him unto the vilest and basest things which were only Satans wild fire tentations for which seeing shee even then and since abominated them being sorry for them Satan must answer for they being hers no further then as shee entertained and allowed of them And also that these thoughts being thought of and injected betwixt the top and bottome of the hill whereupon her Fathers house stood never breaking forth into any speech or action which shee was sorry for could not be any such sinne as shee imagined and therfore prayed her to content her selfe and the rest satisfied and not suffer the Devill to delude and torment her any more in this kinde All this discourse shee heard willingly without replication untill he had finished what he would say when shee being very rationall and convinced of the truth of what hee had delivered acknowledged her error and Satans delusion promising no more to entertaine any such like thoughts of that sinne A further complaint But withall shee told him that it was no matter for this though shee were free thereof yet she had other sinnes enough to damne her and was assuredly a Reprobate and cast away being shee could not love God nor any other creature being devoid of all naturall affection and given over to a Reprobate sense so as shee was most certaine that the Decree of God against her was past being that shee had no heart or power to performe any holy duty but was like a creature starke dead ye a twice dead good for nothing but for hell fire wherewith shee sometimes would laugh and smile but wee must conceive that even in the midst of this laughter the heart was sad for in private not long after shee would have sore fits of weeping Knowledge of Gods Decree denyed unto any one In vaine it was now to dispute with her or perswade her in any thing untill her judgment was convinced rectified in that matter of the Decree of God For shee flung off all with seeming assurance of her knowledge being sure that the Decree of her reprobation was past of her rejection whereof she was sure and certaine Therefore this being the next strong hold to be battered down he bent in the next place all his strength this way Denying unto her that it was possible either for the Devill or any other creature to know the Decree of God either for salvation or reprobation but that this revelation came in the use of meanes God blessing the same for which cause all must use the meanes who would bee saved not medling with the Decree of God nor prying into his secrets for which then was alledged that excellent Scripture Deut. 30.12 That what they were to performe and know Was not in heaven that we should say Who shall goe up for us to heaven and bring it unto us that we may heare it and doe it Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say Who shall goe over the sea for us c. But the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest doe it Further hee urged that if thus much were certainly know by her he shewed her Argu ∣ ment it must he by a Spirit of revelation demanding of her what spirit had revealed thus much unto her If the spirit of the Devill as it could bee no other then he was a liar and the father of lies as Christ Ioh. 8.44 speaks hee speaking of his own and not from God therefore not to believed And as the for the Spirit of God he shewed who only searches knowes and reveales unto us the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 none but hee knowing the things of God not any creature This holy Spirit he shewed her had no such office assigned him of Christ in the word to be a spirit of discouragement to reveale reprobation being the Comforter appointed to lead the Saints in all Truth to reveale and tell things to come and teach us all things Ioh. 14.36 This were directly against his nature mission Argu ∣ ment and office and the Decree of God Thus to beat men off the use of meanes discouraging them in the good way who must wait and lie at the doore of mercy still untill the Lords good time and pleasure were revealed and known in the use of meanes And this also was press'd unto her further Argu ∣ ment 3 horrible blasphemy and impiety it were either to honour the Devill so farre or assume unto her selfe by his meanes the knowledge of things to come this being th●● which was only proper unto Iob vah himselfe by his spirit to shee and reveale advising her to beware in this kinde not to encreas● the wrath of God against her seeing God Isa 44.7 46.10 diff●rencing himselfe from Idols an● all their discoveries is to knew things that are come and a comming declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times th● things that were not yet done From all which issued this deduction that shee was infinitly abused in this strange conception and that the Devill or shee from him were not certaine of any things to come unlesse revealed by the Spirit of God shee having from thence no such revelation that therefore she was by Satan utterly cozened and abused in the matter of Gods Decree and so was bound to use the meanes trust and wait upon God therein shee being his creature to let him do what he pleased with her either in life or death This strong fiery dart thus repulsed and quenched shee became also convinced in this point that only God not the Devill could reveale his owne Counsels and Decrees and therefore that per●●ps shee might bee deceived in this her strong confidence in that ●inde But still retaining the third That her indisposition unto all man●●● of goodnesse Satan holds hard having 〈…〉 pronenesse unto all manner of evill her naturall temper and composition of minde not able to use any meanes or take any paines for heaven too evidently demonstrated that shee had no part or ●●●tion there and therefore that she ●●d better leave off all then labor in vaine Answ 1 Hereunto answer w●● made That God though he h●● Decreed to save mankinde by th●● meanes of a Mediator yet in h●● good wise Providence had so on The use of meanes is strongly pressed upon her to bee saved

in h●● most untoward crosse carriages this got much ground upon h●● spirit and brought her to do many things which no harsh crossnesse could possibly effect with he● And therefore this couse was no● taken not to vex her any more o● urge her with perswasions to go to Church ' or to doe any thing ●o displeasing unto her but to goe ●long with her spirit with patience ●bounding with love mercy good words and the like untill ●hee were convinced in judgement when they needed not to hale or pull her Duties would then come off freely For indeed this is the undoing of many poore souls in the like or any distempers to chide rate and urge them to much which is a crosse way displeasing and unprosperous yea disproportionable unto that course Christ takes whom wee should imitate not to break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax and a crosse way To make judgement return unto victory In wich Case Iacobs pace with his flocks with such is the best and safest way to drive them gently especially those who are with young in who Christ is now b●● a breeding and forming that so● may as the Prophet speaks Isa 〈◊〉 see of the travell of his soule 〈◊〉 be satisfied And indeed such har●● spirits who are too quick with su●● poor souls being too nimble wi●● them before they know their d●●● ease are but like rude Surgions 〈◊〉 unskilfull Physitians who venter 〈◊〉 give physick before they know th●●● ground of the disease who man times in place of curing doe ●●ther kill or so much the mo●●● ulcer their wounds Hitherto we have seen Sata● malicious A change on her occasions violent subtile various in his temptations changing shapes by all meanes striving 〈◊〉 have overthrown this good souls abuse her judgement affections fancy and best reason to fight against her selfe notwithstanding all which the Lord miraculously preserved her was with her in and brought her through this ●●●ery affliction to wonder and admiration Wherefore if the ●eader will have a little more patience he shall see how the Lord overthrew all those strong holds which the enemy had by his wild-fire unresisted temptions and fiery darts injected in this good creature which being not presently cast forth againe as wild-fire should be thus enflamed her affections and endeavours against her selfe as in part hath been and God willing shall be related For first he fastned this temptation upon her Temptation as his great maine Bulwork That she had sinned that great unpardonable sinne against the holy Ghost and therefore that it was in vaine for her either to use any meanes for salvation or ho● for it and therefore that it w●● fruitlesse and in vaine for her 〈◊〉 heare the word read pray and t●● like which hee wonderfull fas● had radicated in her Hereupon hee inferred that 〈◊〉 Gods Decree shee was a Reprobate a cast away Temptation appointed for damnation being shee was such a bar●● hearted impenitent sinner not being able to repent and therefore w●● a treasurer up in all shee did 〈◊〉 wrath against the day of wrat●● and the revelation of Gods ju●●● Judgements againsts her and therefore seeing that shee mu●● eternally perish living for heaping up sin only for aggravation of her punishments therefore to make herselfe away the sooner the better which temptation a long time stuck fast seeming unremovable From whence Satan made this third deduction like a Sophisticall Logitian Temptation begging the Question that therefore now it was in vaine to use any meanes at all but seeing her portion was now only in this life therefore to deny her selfe no manner of pleasures or jollity and mirth but to cast off all these sad and soure things of holy duties performing which were to no purpose now that the irrevocable Decree was past which was unchangeable And therefore if shee should bee saved shee should bee saved howsoever and that God would soften her heart and give her grace to use the meanes But that the fearefulnesse of her estate did shew hee suggested the contrary that all her endeavors would prove in vaine this stuck hard a long time Now against any of these no thing could bee fastned upon he against them which was not presently shook off again But especially in that first mentioned of th● Sin against the Holy Ghost here in shee kept close the Devils cou●●● sell revealing the same at fir●●● unto none but unto Mr Dod though afterwards of her selfe three years after being in a good humor shee acquainted the Relator herewith and more also the●● he hath thought fit to vent abroad as unnecessary giving him leave to publish and make known after her death so much of her Case a● might in some such misery be usefull unto others After this Mr Dod at his appointed time returned having seriously pondered all her business digested the same and was joyfully welcomed of her friends though by her in a muddy strange way former tentations by that time having againe growne somewhat strong upon her when yet hee in his usuall mercifull way cheared her up encouraging her what possibly he could And so in some few dayes after fell flatly upon the businesse how to beat down and convince her erroneous opinions wherein shee was so setled and wherein shee thought her selfe most secure in her owne judgement unremoveably setled The maine grand matter troubling her The sinne against the Holy Ghost discussed and stated and quite unhooking her off from all manner of duties as hath been said was That she had sinned that unpardonable sin against the holy Ghost which shee firmly believed Whereunto Master Dod thus replyed directly crossing all her thoughts herein in the negative affirming that she neither had sinned this sinne nor was ever hitherto so qualified as to be guilty thereof which seemed unto her very strange to prove but was easily done For he shewed unto her out of Heb. 6.4 That those who commit that sin fight against their convinced enlighting having tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come having also tasted of the heavenly gift being made partakers of the holy Ghost who in their practise crucifie to themselves the Sonne of God afresh and put him to an open shame and trample upon the blood of the Covenant maliciously opposing the known truth in a constant course remorselesse unto the end having lived thriven under powerfull means which yet they slight maliciously and purposly oppose and persecute But that shee being still in her naturall estate A strong assumption by her own confession being farre from this enlightning never having tasted of this heavenly gift nor of the powers of the world to come was never thus qualified and so had never neither could have committed this sinne so that her temptations and feares in this kinde were but meer delusions onely And for that other sort who committed this sinne without the former inward illumination and taste

dered the conveyance of our salvation as Austin speaks that he w●● made us without us will not save without us therefore that all o● life time we must be humble suto● labourers after endeavourers a● strivers after that salvation which he hath appointed for us using a●● those meanes constantly and no● to lie still in a ditch without endeavouring to rise and to cry Lord help us such a one hee told her did worthily perish It was further now also press'd unto her that God now after that miracle of all miracles in the sending his Sonne to assume our flesh and save us now ordinarily wrought not the same miraculously but by ordinary concurring meanes and endeavours revealed in the word that as those who in the Wildernesse were stung by the fiery Serpents were no healed unlesse they looked up unto the Brazen Serpent no more any now could obtaine salvation unlesse they believed in Christ its antitype And that therefore if she used not the meanes Argu ∣ ment or motive but rejected and wilfully withstood the same as there was no hope any way of salvation so if she used the meanes there being hope and many promises annexed to the same there was good hope of her salvation And put the case which hee denyted that she must needs perish Argu ∣ ment or motive yet much better it were to perish in a way of obedience and duty full of hope all the way and usually successefull whereunto were annexed many promises wherein the truth of God who cannot lie but is faithful in all his promises is engaged then in a wilfull way of disobedience That all experiences since the beginning of the world have shewed Argu ∣ ment or motive that it never yet was in vaine or unsuccessefull but alwayes advantageous and prosperous to use the meanes waite and depend upon God yea though it were as long and longer then the impotent man Ioh. 5. lay at the poole of Bethesda ere hee had help And therefore seeing her case was now just like those foure Leapers who sate at the Gate of Samaria 2 Kin. Who being like to perish in that great famine Motive pressed home resolved if and since they must needs perish if they sate still there but if they adventured into the Campe of the Aramites they might peradventure be saved at the worst but die at their approach thither finding the Amarites fled they had choyce of the spoyle So if shee used not the meanes but despised them shee must of necessity perish but if used shee might no question be saved And so to this effect were urged those places Micah 2.7 O thou that art called by the name of the house of Jacob is the Spirit of the Lord straigthned and those his doings doe not my words doe good to them that walk uprightly and this Seek yee the Lord all yee meek of the earth which have wrought his judgement seek Righteousnesse and seek meeknesse It may bee yee shall bee hid in the day of the Lords anger Zeph. 2.3 And so that of Amos 4.12 Therefore this will I doe unto thee O Israel and because I will doe these things unto thee prepare thy selfe to meet thy God O Israel even that God who is said Amos 5.8 to turn the shadow of death into the morning all which put her on strongly unto the matter of endevour seeing as it is Micah 4.12 Now know the thoughts of the Lord neither understand they his counsell so that their being a possibility for ought shee could know to use the meanes as she was able them was an absolute necessity for her to submit her selfe unto the meanes These and the like things thus deliverd did much amaze her spirit to have beene thus farre deluded and mistaken in her own Case and wherein shee was so setled resolute and confident unto all which shee at length made this Reply Her convinced answer That now she was convinced and did certainly believe that none but God knew things that were to come that shee had erred in judgement in so thinking of her selfe That the desserate Case and estate shee was in had caused her to make such conclusions against her selfe That now shee believed the Devill had no knowledge of Gods Decrees concerning the everlasting estate of the creature no more then pleased God to reveale unto him That she was contented to do what shee could in using of the meanes if shee might bee assured to reape any benefit thereby But that the accidentall indisposition both of her body and minde were such as shee in this Case could doe nothing to help her selfe no more then a stark dead creature could and therefore that God must doe all in which Case if hee were so pleased to give unto her strength and grace to work then shee would otherwise she could doe nothing a sore temptation which even untill her last she could hardly shake off Answ Hereupon he Replyed that God as was said wrought by meanes and that shee was bound to read the Word diligently to pray heare the same meditate and conferre thereof That this was Gods way and appointed meanes to make even such dead creatures live as shee pretended her selfe to be as it is Ioh. 5. That the time then was and was a comming when the dead should heare the voyce of the Son of God and those who heard his voice should live Wherefore seeing that their was such a mervellous efficacy in hearing of the Word and use of meanes Wherein the power of the Spirit did co-operate to make the same effectuall There was an absolute necessity to use the meanes for the attaining of salvation or else one were thus guilty of their owne damnation in wilfull rejecting and refusing of the meanes Unto all which her answer was Her further answers That shee had no power so to doe but when that God would enable her then shee would Yet hee prayd her to read the Word and pray as shee could and the like which shee refused alleadging that she could not pray and for reading of the Word to what purpose were that so to read her own damnation or to heare judgements and arraignments against her selfe that shee was better as shee was and therefore prayd him to urge her no more in this kinde untill God were pleased to work somewhat in her with abilities so to doe which if hee had a purpose to save her hee would surely doe Shee is ●rought ●ff and from the ●hird ●●r and ●emptation But for his paines and for his conviction of her judgement rectifying of her from those forementioned errors shee gave him thanks promising no more to torment her selfe with cogitations of them for she was satisfied in the Sinne agaist the Holy Ghost in the matter of the Decree and in Satan or her ignorance of any things to come his knowledge to be none at all But that for the present here shee must rest no further shee could possibly goe wishing him to

one time she would never do so any more to attempt any such tryall Whereupon at length all adventured to suffer her once more to see what Gods providence would prove in so strange a Case But withall if some crosse place came they prayed her not to bee discouraged whereupon shee suddenly opened the Book about the middle thereof in the Prophesie of Isaiah and without looking what shee did she put her finger upon that excellent vers Isa 40.27 Why sayest thou O Jacob and speakest O Israel my way is hid from the Lord hast thou not known hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Creator of the ends of the Earth fainteth not neither is weary there is no searching of his understanding hee giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he encreaseth sirength even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles and they shall walk and not faint Which place being considered of and read so crossing her hopes and expectation made her being much abashed to blush For therein shee was reproved for her crosse conceits of God touching her as neglected of the Almighty and for all her weaknesse and imperfections was shewed that God could help all who with a word made heaven and earth enabling her to doe all duties at his good pleasure being therewith encouraged to wait and depend upon God in the use of meanes by such an excellent promise And so was therewith shewed how good God was unto her every way shewing love notwithstanding her untowardnesse and tempting of him by such signes At which not knowing what to say shee flung off poorely saying Object this was promised to Iacob and Israel It was nothing unto her and her Case Whereunto answer was made out of that place Answ Rom. 15. Whatsoever was written before hand was written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope and so was thereby vanquished in judgement that she promised now to be satisfied and never any more to make any such tryall but to offer her selfe unto the use of meanes and to wait the Lords leisure what hee pleased to doe with her Yet still alleadging the impotency in her that she was able to doe nothing herein towards this great work but that God must doe all when being enabled shee would doe that whereunto she should be strengthned Shee is perswaded to mine in singing of some ●rt of Psalms Yet wanted there one thing more to get her to joyn in singing of Psalmes which with much adoe shee was brought unto alleadging that her Case admitted of no such melody neither had shee cause to sing but to mourn all her life time Yet being told that is was a duty to sing prayses unto God for all his mervellous mercies power and goodnesse as well as to joyn in hearing of the Word and that thanksgiving being the everlasting work of Heaven in continuall praysing of God was a work could not be too soone begun upon earth and that the Psalmes being of divers compositions and postures of thanksgiving petition gratulation complaint and deprecation shee might joyne in some many of which might fit her Case shee was contented to joyn in Psalmes of complaint petition mourning and deprecation but in no other of any acknowledgement of any mercy received For said she If I be onely reserved as a stalled Oxe unto the slaughter what cause have I to give thanks and if I be not to goe to Heaven what have I to doe with the work of Heaven before the time or having some work wrought in me whereby I may be assured of my interest therein About this time willingly shee would have lived under some powerfull Ministry Why shee would have lived under a powerful Ministry hoping that thereby some such work might be wrought upon her as might enable her to performe duties and for this cause secretly made the Relator goe into Essex to try whether or not that worthy powerfull late thundering Preacher Mr Rogers of Dedham would have entertained her at his house who willingly granted the same But when the businesse was moved unto her Father and Mother neither they nor her Husband would consent unto the same though Mr Dod and Mr Culvervell both affected to have gone with her so too indulgent were they over her which refulsall much unhookt her spirit and had almost put her in her former Case againe so much did it afflict her but no remedy An experience of her spirit of Satans malice against her at length shee conformed her selfe unto necessity I should much trangsgressse and wrong this discourse of Gods mercies into this good creature if I should omit any passage of Satans subtelties and attempts against her how farre they prevailed for so the Power and goodnesse of God unto her in saving her at length will so much the more evidently appeare to his glory Therefore this ensuing passage I relate as the furthest extent of Satans malice One day as shee was walking in her garden at Waltham upon Thames with the Relator and another friend for Esher that place where her trouble first began shee never after could endure suddenly shee stopt and fixed her eyes fast upon the ground staring upon it with strange wilde looks for halfe a quarter of and hour from which we could hardly divert her but at last did though shee seemed much troubled to be interrupted and then as her cusstome was when the waters of her spirits and thoughts were become muddy she began to seem to cast off all means again saying That her heart was so heard as it could never bee softned this was by those with her then much opposed and denyed as fast as she affirmed the same enforcing that God who with a Word made Heaven and Earth could soften it wherunto shee in anger replyed why then God cannot soften my heart at hearing of this blasphemous speech spoken in the heigth of temptation the Relator without speaking one word unto her suddenly left her for such speeches were not to be born with countenanced or disputed with but to be cast off with detestation and abomination for contra principiis non est disputandum they say A little while after shee being then ready to ride abroad and goe to her house at Esher to take the aire going to take horse shee demanded of the Relator whether hee would not ride abroad with her whereunto hee replyed No he durst not goe in her company who did so lately blaspheme for fea● the ground would open and swallow them up but that seeing under the Law the blaspemer was to die the death that he would go to the Archbishop and complaine of her heard witnesse against her and provide faggots to burn her wherewith we both parred in seeming discontent She being gone the Relator ere his

her Which was not long in suspence for now having a fit person to rough hew her as it were whom shee could neither weary out nor over-come in Argument but was able to discerne and catch Satan in all his Sophismes there every way fell out strong disputes betwixt them But all within the compasse of those former things wherein Mr Dod before had convinced her Satan delighting still to rase new uprores in her and as his custome is not to suffer us to be at peace though we be out of danger Such now were his practises anew to winde up his old bottomes and to renew disputes even in those things she was convinced of For Mr Hooker being newly come from the University had a new answering methode though the same things wherewith shee was mervellously delighted and being very convetous of knowledge was pleased with new disputes and objections to fasten further upon her selfe those forementioned things still further and further sifting into the same old Truths whereof shee was well perswaded and as is said convinced Yet could not he so evenly hold the ballance in mannaging of her spirit but that now and then shee would flie out By degrees she is sometimes off hooks still in many distempers wishing to leave off all for shee now saw that there was no remedy the meanes did not work nor prove effectuall unto her To what purpose should shee any more labour in vaine But especially towards the Sacrament then usually shee would be off hooks either not comming or unwillingly if shee did Upon whom this place for her waiting and depending upon God was strongly urged Had. 3. ult That the vision of Gods deliverances was for an appointed time therefore to wait for though it tarried yet it should come and not tarry and that also of Isai 8. I will wait upon the Lord who hath hid his face from the house of Jacob and I will look for him affirming unto her that these and the like hard travels were incident unto Gods best beloved people to have many hard and long trialls and yet at length glorious deliverances as was alledged from that place Amos 3.2 You only have I known of all the Nations of the earth therefore I will punish you for your iniquities which God may doe forgiving the sinne though hee take vengeance of their inventions And that Heb. 12. what sonne is there whom the Father chasteneth not If therefore yee bee without correction whereof all are partakers then are yee bastards and not sonnes Which with the like insinuations from the word closely urged brought down her spirit to mildnesse and meeknesse For though her indisposition and temptations made her many times contrary unto her naturall disposition harsh and untoward with the habite shee had accrewed in time to be crosse and try those soundly shee conversed with yet this happy endowment shee had to be very rationall according unto her conception and would be set down and satisfied with pregnant places of Scripture being seasonably press'd and lovingly opened unto her But the matter of repentance much troubled her Quest of repentance discussed that she could not repent demanding Whether it were possible for her to goe to Heaven without Repentance Hereunto was answered First Sol. 1. That God did not tie salvation unto any measure of repentance but might at his pleasure save especially where there were no grosse sinnes to dam up mercies gates whereof praised bee God shee was free Secondly That God exacted no more of his creatures then he gave unto them as the Apostle to the the Corinths writes If there be first a willing minde accepting of us not according unto those things we have not but according unto those things we have And therefore that her weak desires and measure whatsoever given might be accepted of God For shee could not deny but her wishes were that she might repent and she was in some sort sorry for her indisposition and hardnesse of heart which being a burthen and a kinde of griefe unto her was so a kinde and sort of repentance Therefore was shee exhorted to be patient and not to limite the Holy One of Israel nor prescribe the fountaine and depth of all wisedome which were the best way to bring her unto Heaven but to submit her selfe unto the good pleasure of God trust hope with the best and use the meanes Thirdly Further alleadging unto her That it was not the greatnesse number or continuance of our sinnes that could stop mercy from us but finall impenitency and obduration Fourthly Repentance being the gift of God which hee might at his pleasure give and accept in good part whatsoever measure thereof he were pleased It was not to be doubted of but that she might in time attaine unto so much thereof in the use of meanes as hee would accept of and as might bring her unto heaven For God of all his Attributes is said only to delight in mercy Micah 7. his nature being to forgive and forget iniquity transgression fin and sinnes of custome Fifthly That as sinne was a perpetuall act in us so in God there was a perpetuall act in pardoning of sinne not transient but in a perpetuall constant currant as Zach. 13.1 a fountaine opened ever running to wash away act sinne and uncleannesses with many the like things which now againe wonne her spirit to rest upon God though now and then upon divers occasions she used to fly out a little Yet being continually hammered and hewen with the tough acute disputations of this good man Mr Hooker who was very assiduously industrious in watching her disposition and various inclinations of her changes and tentations by Gods mercy shee grew still better using to present her selfe constantly to the use of meanes having prayer catechizing expounding and reading of the word and singing of Psalms constantly in the family now with delight and willingnesse acted being never weary to have the word expounded yea and in private spending some time by herselfe alone daily as the indisposition of her distempered body heart-burning and in a manner perpetuall head-ach would permit her but yet would not bee known not confesse unto any alone The good soule is yet tossed up and down Now have wee her in the wildernesse tossed up and downe like the Church in their march unto Canaan fraught with divers stormes now backwards now forwards with many turning and winding temptations restlesse in her thoughts because desire hath no rest having some glimmering glimpse of hope but as she said had no grounds for the same expecting when the Lord would bee pleased to work in her some great work for enabling In which Case now up now down the better shee grew in her minde having still therewithall the greater weaknesse and indisposition of body she continued a long time her old friend Mr Dod now and then once in a quarter of a year comming to visite her whom she much rejoyced to see praying not any more to stay