to put you in mind how to carry yourself in this sorrowful time. I will do it willingly; the more, because with one and the same labour, I shall both satisfy you, and recollect my own thoughts also to the like performance of mine own duty; and bethinking myself how I might best accomplish it, there came to my mind that short rule of our life, which the apostle mentions in his epistle to Titus, and whereof you have been a diligent hearer in the school of grace, where he reduced the whole practice of Christianity into three heads, of living soberly, justly, and godly; this last directing our carriage towards God, the middlemost towards our neighbour, and the foremost towards ourselves. Now since this is a direction for our whole life, it seems to me that we have no more to do at any time, but to con this lesson more perfectly, with some particular application of such parts of it as are most suitable to the present occasions. And as to sobriety, first (under which the virtues of humility, modesty, temperance, chastity, and contentedness, are contained), since this is a time wherein, as the prophet saith, "the Lord of Hosts calleth to weeping, and mourning, and pulling off the hair, and girding with sackcloth," you shall, by my advice, conform yourself to those that by the hand of God suffer such things. Let your apparel and dress be mournful, as I doubt not but that your mind is; your diet sparing and coarse, rather than full and liberal; frame yourself to the indifferency whereof the apostle speaketh: "In whatsoever state you be, therewith to be content; to be full, and to be hungry; to abound, and to want." Remember now that which is the lot of others, you know not how soon it may be your own. Learn to despise and defy the vain and falsely called wealth of this world, whereof you now see we have so casual and uncertain a possession. This for sobriety, the first part of the lesson pertaining to yourself.

shall

Now for justice, which respects others (and con taineth the virtues of honour to superiors, discreet and equal government of inferiors, peaceableness to all, meekness, mercy, just dealing in matters of getting and spending, gratitude, liberality, just speech and desires), God's judgments being in the earth, the inhabitants of the world should learn righteousness, as the prophet speaketh. Call to mind, therefore, and bethink you, if in any of these you have failed, and turn your feet to God's testimonies. Certainly these times are such wherein you may be afflicted, and say with the Psalmist, "Horror hath taken hold of me, and rivers of tears run down mine eyes, because they keep not Thy laws." Rebelling against superiors, misleading inferiors, not only by example but by compulsion, laying their hand to them that were at peace with them, unjustly spoiling, and unthankfully requiting those that had shewed them kindness, no faith or truth in their promises; judge by the way of the school that teacheth Christ thus: are these his doings? As for those that suffer, I am well assured, I shall not need to inform you, or stir you up to mercy and compassion. That which is done in this kind, is done to Christ Himself, and shall be put upon account in your reckoning, and rewarded accordingly at His glorious appearance. The last and principal part of our lesson remains, which teacheth how to behave ourselves godly, or religiously (to this belong, first, the duties of God's inward worship, as fear, love, and faith in God; then outward, as invocation, the holy use of His word and sacraments, name, and sabbaths). The apostle makes it the whole end and work for which we were set in this world, to seek the Lord; yet, in public affliction, we are specially invited thereto, as it is written of Jehoshaphat, when a great multitude came to invade him, he set his face to seek the Lord, and called the

people to a solemn fast. So the Church professeth in the prophet Isaiah, "In the way of Thy judgments, Lord, we have waited for Thee; the desire of our soul is to Thy name, and to the remembrance of Thee. With my soul have I desired Thee in the night, yea, with my spirit within me will I seek Thee early." In this public calamity, therefore, it is our duty to turn to Him that smiteth us, and to humble ourselves under His mighty hand; to conceive a reverend and religious fear towards Him that only by turning away His countenance can thus trouble us, against that of man which can do no more but kill the body.

Again, to renew our love to our heavenly Father, that now offereth Himself to us as to children, and to give a proof of that love that we bear to our Saviour, in the keeping of His sayings, hating in comparison of Him, and competition with Him, father, mother, children, goods, and life itself, which is the condition and proof of His disciples; and, above all, to receive, and to reinforce our faith and affiance, which is now brought unto the trial of the fiery furnace, and of the lion's den. Oh, that it might be found to our honour, praise, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ! In the mean space, even now let us be partakers of Christ's sufferings, and hear Him from heaven encouraging us, "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown or

life."

Touching prayer, we have this gracious invitation, "Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will hear thee;" the example of all God's saints, and of our Saviour in His agony; to this belong the humble confession of our sins, with earnest request to pardon; the complaint of our misery and danger, with request of our succour and protection; we have, besides, the intercession of our Advocate with the Father, the cry of the innocent blood that hath been

cruelly shed, and the Lord's own interesting Himself in the cause, so as we may say with the Psalmist, "Arise, O God: plead Thine own cause, remember how the foolish man, yea, the man of sin, approacheth Thee daily; forget not the voice of Thine enemies; the tumult of those that rise against Thee increaseth continually." That Psalm, and many others,-as Ps. vi. xiii. xxxv. xliii. lxxi. lxxiv. lxxix. lxxx. lxxxviii. xcii. xciv. cii. cxv. cxxiii. cxxx. cxl. cxlii.,—do give precedents of prayers in such times as these; and the prayer of Daniel, and Ezra (ch. ix.), of Asa and Jehoshaphat (2 Chron. xiv. and xxvi. 12). The stories of David's flight before Absalom, and Jehoshaphat's behaviour when the enemies came against him; of Hezekiah's in Sennacherib's invasion (Isaiah xxxvii.); and the whole book of Esther,—are fit Scriptures now to be read, that through the patience and comfort of them we might have hope.

Now, because we know not how soon we may be called to sanctify God's name, by making profession thereof, you may perhaps desire to know what to say in that day. You may openly profess you are not doubting of any article of the catholic faith, shortly laid down in the Creed, or more largely laid down in the holy Scriptures; but that you consent not to certain opinions, which are no points of faith, which have been brought into common belief, without warrant of Scriptures, or pure antiquity, as namely :

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That it is of necessity to salvation to be under the pope; that the Scriptures ought not to be read of the common people; that the doctrine of holy Scripture is not sufficient to salvation; that the service of God ought to be in a language not understood of the people; that the communion should not be administered to them in both kinds; that the bread in the Lord's supper is transubstantiated into His body; that He is there sacrificed for the quick and

the dead; that there is any purgatory besides Christ's blood; that our good works can merit heaven; that the saints hear our prayers and know our hearts; that images are to be worshipped; that the pope is infallible, and can command angels; that we ought to pray to the dead and for the dead.

In all these, notwithstanding, you may profess your teachableness, if by sound reason, out of God's word, you shall be convinced of the truth of them; and because we know not how far it will please God to call us to make resistance against sin, whether unto blood itself or not, it shall be wisdom for us to prepare ourselves to the last care of godly life, which is to die godly. This the apostle Paul calleth sleeping in Jesus, implying thereby our faith in Him, our being found in His work, and our committing our souls into His hands with peace. Such a sweet and heavenly sleep was that of St. Stephen, whose last words for himself were, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" and for his tormentors, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge;" wherewith I will end this writing, and wish to end my life when the will of God shall be, to whose gracious protection, dear sister, I do heartily commit you.

November 23, 1641.

24. Mrs. Mary Astell to a Lady.

MADAM,-But how much soever I am, and I am as much as any one can be, against private doctors and directors, who are often but corrupt and muddy streams which withdraw us from that well of life that is freely offered to all who will apply themselves to it; false lights who lead us into by-paths, and turn our eyes from that Sun of righteousness which enlightens