SER M. Redemption; for she had fomething more

VI.

than what, in the Language of this loose age, is call'd, a Lady's Religion. She endeavour'd to understand the great Articles of Faith, as well as to practise the good Rules of Life, contain'd in the Gofpel; and the fenfibly found, that the best way to excite her felf to the Practice of the one, was to endeavour to underftand the other.

And in this Book of God fhe was more particularly converfant on God's day; a Day ever held facred by her, and which, therefore, always in her Family wore a Face of Devotion fuitable to the Dignity of it. It was truly a Day of Reft to all under her Roof : her Servants were then dismiss'd from a good part of their attendance upon her, that they might be at Liberty to attend on their great Lord and Master, whom both She,

equally bound to obey.

and They, were

There was fuch

a Silence and Solemnity at that time obferv'd by all about her, as might have become the House of Mourning; and yet fo much Eafe and Serenity visible in their

Looks

Looks (at least in her Looks there was)

as fhew'd, that They, who were in the Houfe of Feafting, were not better fatisfy'd. Thus did fhe prepare and difpofe her felf for the enjoyment of that perfect Rest, the celebration of that endless Sabbath, which she is now enter'd upon; thus did she practise beforehand upon Earth the Duties, the Devotions, the Customs, and Manners of Heaven.

To fecure her proficiency in Virtue, fhe kept an exact Journal of her Life; in which was contain d the History of all her Spiritual Affairs, and of the feveral Turns that happen'd in her Soul: a true, naked, impartial History! and yet, (which feldom happens in True ones) such an one, where the Perfon defcrib'd is not charg'd with many Blemishes and Failings. Alas for Us, that the Thread of it was no longer continu'd!

In this Glafs fhe every day drefs'd her Mind, to this faithful Monitor fhe repair'd for advice and direction; compar'd the past with the prefent, judg'd of

SERM.

VI.

SFR M. What would be by what had been, ob

VI.

ferv'd nicely the feveral fucceffive Degrees of Holiness she got, and of Human Infirmity fhe fhook off; and trac'd every single step she took onward in her way towards Heaven.

One would have imagin'd, that fo much Exactness and Severity in private fhould have affected a little her publick Actions and Difcourfes, and have flid infenfibly into her Carriage; and yet nothing could be more free, fimple, and natural. She had the Reality, without the Outfide and Shew of ftrictness: all her Rules, all her Performances fat fo well and graceful upon her, that they appear'd to be as much her Pleasure as her Duty; She was, in the midst of them, perfectly easy to her felf, and a delight to all that were about her: ever Chearful in her Behaviour, but withal ever Calm and Even; her fatisfaction, like a deep untroubled Stream, ran on, without any of that Violence, or Noife, which fometimes the shallowest Pleasures do most abound in.

How

VI.

However, Chearful and Agreeable as SER M. she was, yet she never carried her good Humour fo far, as to fmile at a Prophane, an Ill-natur'd, or an Unmannerly Jeft; on the contrary, in her highest Mirth, it made her remarkably Grave and Serious. She had an extraordinary nicety of temper as to all the leaft approaches to faults of that kind, and fhew'd a very quick and fenfible concern at any thing, which she thought it did not become either Her to hear, or others to say.

True Piety, which confifts chiefly in an Humility and Submiffion of mind towards God, is attended always with Humility and Goodness towards his Creatures; and fo it was in this Excellent Lady. Never was there a more deep, and unfeign'd, and artless Lowliness of Mind feen in her Rank and Station: as far as she was plac'd above the most of the World, fhe convers'd as it were upon the level with all of them; and yet, when she stooped the lowest towards them, fhe took care even at that time, to preserve the respect that was due to

her

VI.

SERM. her from them. She had fo much true Merit, that he was not afraid of being look'd into, and therefore durft be familiar and the effect of that familiarity was, that, by being better known, fhe was more lov'd and valu'd. Not only No one of her Inferiors ever came uneafy from her, (as hath been faid of fome Great ones); but no one ever went uneafy to her fo affur'd were all beforehand of her sweetness of Temper, and obliging Reception! When the opened her Lips, Gracious Words always proceeded from thence, and in her Tongue was the Law of Kindness. Her Refervednefs, and Love of Privacy, might poffibly be misinterpreted fometimes for an Overvalue of her felf, by those who did not know her; but the leaft degree of acquaintance made all thofe Sufpicions vanish. For, tho' her Perfections both of Body and Mind were very extraordinary, yet he was the only Perfon that feem'd, without any endeavour to feem, infenfible of them. She was, 'tis true, in as much danger of being Vain, as great Beauty, and a good Natural Wit

could