heard to fetch a Sigh, and fo on a fudden departed; thus liv'd, thus dy'd this noble Lady, in the actual Exercife of Prayer, according to her own Defire; fhe had Riches and Honour in abundance, as is faid of Jehoshaphat, 2 Cron. 17. 5. and yet he was not puffed up by them, but, as it there follows, ver. 6. her Heart was lifted up, or encourag'd, in the Ways of

the Lord.

Another Example of the Triumphs of Piety and Virtue over the Temptations incident to Secular Grandeur may be the Right Honourable the Lady Frances Digby, who was the moft religious Confort of the truly noble Simon Lord Digby before commemorated, her admirable Qualities being no less worthy of the Ladies Imitation than his of the Gentlemens. She dy'd at Coles-hill in Warwickshire, September 29, 1684. Her Character was very fincerely and impartially defcrib'd by the Pious and Reverend Mr. John Kettlewell, in the Sermon he preach'd at her Funeral, from whom I fhall collect what I think most obfervable in her.

She was a great Inftance not only of all common Virtues, but of those which are almost loft in the prefent Age, which feem to reign fcarce any where but upon Men's Tongues, as if they were impracticable Duties, rather to be prais'd and talk'd of than perform'd. Her Actions made even thofe more rare and neglected Graces vifible to all, and convinc'd a remifs and flothful World that they are real Things, and not meer Eutopian Perfections. God had endow'd her with fo fweet a Temper, that to be univerfally kind and pleafing was one of the moft natural Things in her Complexion, which made a Religion confifting in Love and Charity to be foon embrac'd without Oppofition, and gave great Opportunity to her virtuous, wife, and careful Mother to begin very early to cultivate this rich Soil, and plant the Seeds of Goodness in it, before the Vices of the World

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could make their Attempts upon her; fhe inftruct ed her moft fuccefsfully by excellent and plain Rules, fhewn to the Life in a brave Example, and the humble and well-compos'd Spirit of fuch a Daughter was readily prepar'd to receive the Impreffions, follow the Counfels, and tread in the Steps of fo worthy a Mother. Under the Influence of this happy Education fhe foon arriv'd at a juft and generous Contempt of the World, even in the midft of all that could make her value and be in love with it; and in the Spring of her Years, an Age moft fubject to admire it, he notwithstanding kept it ftill without her, and liv'd above it.

After fhe was depriv'd of that dear and noble Inftructor and Pattern, whom by a difcerning Choice, as well as filial Affection, fhe greatly delighted to obferve and imitate, the Divine Care provided a moft fuitable Husband for her; and to the Intimacy of their Conjugal Relation there was quickly added a more exalted Friendship, founded upon Likeness of Souls and virtuous Grounds, and defign'd to ferve the most excellent Purposes of Religion, in making each other better and wifer. Thus liberally had God endow'd this excellent Lady with Inclinations to Virtue and Goodness, and with Refolutions to ripen and improve them, from which he could not be taken off by any Allurements of Riches, Pleasures, and Honours; and had he been afforded a longer Life, wherein to employ her Talents, the Increafe might have been in a greater Meafure and Proportion, but tho' her Race was quickly done (for fhe dy'd in the Twenty-third Year of her. Age) yet fhe run much in a little Time, and in her green Years was grown ripe in the true Ends and Art of Living.

Her Piety towards Almighty God made her daily converfe with him in her Clofet-Retirements, and very conftantly in the publick Aflemblies, not allowing herself to neglect his Worhip and Service for

little Reafons and Inconveniences, by which the Sloathful and Delicate are apt to excufe their too frequent Omiffions. And as no Motive but fincere Religion brought her to Church, fo the affected to appear there in a plain Drefs, not feeking to recommend herself to others by elaborate Attire, and outward adorning, but only to God by the Devotion of her Mind, and the Ornament of an humble and meek Spirit. She was in a conftant Preparation, as all good Souls are, for the holy Sacrament, and careful to embrace all Opportunities of joyning in it, her hearty and unfeigned Devotion not coming now and then by Fits, but being an habitual Practice, firmly fettled and deeply radicated; neither did the fhew a fmall Inftance of a governing Piety in her calm and uncontefting Refignation to the Divine Will under the fharpelt Trials; he could truft God with any thing that belong'd to her. When the was furpriz'd with Death fhe look'd on the Sweet Babe which she was to leave behind her as fo fecure in the Cuftody of the Almighty, and under him in the Care of her dear Husband, that the Thoughts of it did not in the leaft trouble her. Whatever happen'd fhe preferv'd her felf in an even Temper, being only duly affected, not violently tranfported: "In her Bodily Pains the would fhew nothing of a disturb'd Spirit, but was wont to be pleas'd with all that was done about her. By the Divine Assistance she had acquir'd a ftrange Power over her Defires and Inclinations, and could command and reftrain them almost in any thing, fo as to be ready to deny herself for a good End, as Occafion offered. bi

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Although fhe fprung from an illuftrious, noble Stock, he was not forward to make known the Honour of her Blood, nor feem'd to prize herself upon it, but fhew'd the true Spirit of Nobility, which is, that when all other Perfons, to keep up Degrees and Order in the World, do refpect and honour Titles,

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yet they who wear them overlook and defpife them, and value themselves only upon what is their own, not what is deriv'd from Ancestors. As for all the Splendor and Gratifications of the World, the feem'd generally fo indifferent in the Purfuit, and fo unaffected in the use of them, as plainly fhew'd fhe fat loose from them; the was fo much above pompous Appearance, and fo inclin'd to folid Goodness, that her Generofity would not fpend it felf upon any Vanity or Extravagance, but to Works of Piety and Charity, with a liberal Soul and an open Hand fhe would most readily contribute; these indeed were her Heart's Delight, and if the valu'd Money upon any Account, it was for the Opportunity and Satisfaction of doing good with it.

Humility was her beloved Grace, which he fought of God with Earneftnefs, and attained to Admiration; instead of being exalted in her own Mind, by reflecting upon her high Birth, and her great Advantages of Eftate and Honour, fhe retained no more than a juft and moderate Estimate of them all, and did not think herself the better or more deferving because she had them, nor others the worse because they wanted them.

These are some of thofe Excellencies which adorned herself. And as for her Carriage towards all the World befides, how truly Chriftian a Part fhe acted, in a constant Kindness and good Nature, in a courteous Affability, an extraordinary Candor, and a moft obliging Eafinefs of Converfation, Mr. Kettlewell has largely reprefented, unto whom I refer my Readers.

Her Death was very fudden, fufpected by none, nor, in all appearance, by herfelf, until fhe awaked in the Jaws of it, and faid, fhe was a dying. This was very fhort Warning; and though after a well spent Life it could not endanger the Safety, yet was it a mighty Trial of the clear Confcience and firm Hopes of this excellent Perfon. If any thing had ftuck upon her, or fhe had been confcious of any thing to affright her, then no doubt had been the Time to fear, when the Judge

had

had fent the Summons, and call'd her to come before him. But whether from the Applaufe of a good Conscience, which having been hitherto a faithful Guide, proved now a Comfort to her, or whether from the Intimation of fome good Angel, who was come to carry off his Charge (if Angels do then begin a Corref pondence, and give kind Intimations, when a Soul is just leaving the Body, and going to converfe and be Fellow-Citizen with themselves) from which foever of these Caufes it happen'd, thus it was, this pious Soul. in that Surprize had a clear, chearful Confidence and a Fore-taste of that Joy and Peace which God was preparing for her. Tho' fhe knew he was going in hafte, The could with great Composednefs fpend fome of those few Minutes the had remaining, to declare her Mind in fome Things fhe would have ordered. And obferving her Nurfe that was attending her to fall a weeping, the undisturbedly rebuk'd her, and bid her not to weep for her, for fhe was going to be happy.

My next eminent Inftance of this fort fhall be Mrs. Elizabeth Burnet, late Wife of the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Sarum, a Lady whofe Life will be a ftanding Pattern to Pofterity, as of all Piety and Virtue, fo particularly of overcoming the Temptations, and improving the Advantages of Wealth and Honour, I fhall here infert the Account that is given of her by the Reverend Dr. Goodwyn, Archdeacon of Oxford, in the Second Edition of her moft pious and excellent Book published under this Title, A Method of Devotion, or Rules for holy and devout Living, with Prayers on feveral Occafions, and Advices and Devotions for the holy Sacrament. The fhort Hiftory which the Doctor with great Truth and Justice has given of her I fhall tranfcribe in his own Words, with very little Abridgment

of them.

She was born the 8th of November in the Year 1661, being the Eldest Daughter of Sir Richard Blake, Knight,

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