any rulous answer from her, took her by the hand, and bad her be of good Comfort, for this should be the laft Fit that ever she should feel of this kinde, whereto fhe feemed to answer, that upon that condition, fhe could well be content for the time, with that, or other torment: reply was made to her, as fhe thought, with a redoubled afurance of that happy. iffue of this her laft tryal; whereat fhe began to conceive an unspeakable joy; which yet upon her awaking left her more difconfolate, as then conceiting her happiness imaginary, her mifery real; when the very fame day, she was vifited by the reverend,and (in his time) famous Divine, Mr.Anthony Gilby,under whofe Ministry she lived; who, upon the Relation of this her pleasing Vifion, and the contrary effects it had in her, began to perfwade her, that Dream was no other then Divine, and that she had good reason to think that gracious premonition was fent her from God himself, who, though ordinarily he keeps the common rode of his proceedings, yet sometimes in the Distresses of his Servants, he goes unusual wayes to their relief; hereupon fhe began to take heart, and by good Counsel and her fervent prayers, found that happy predi&ion verified to her, and upon all occafions in the remainder of her life, was ready to magnifie the mercy of her God in fo fenfible a deliverance: what with the tryal of both thefe Hands of God, fo had the profited in the School of Chrift, that it was hard for any friend to come from her Difcourfe no whit holier; how often have I bleffed the memory of those divine paffages of experimental Divinity, which I have heard from her mouth! what day did she pass without a large task of private devotion, whence she would ftill come forth with a Countenance of undiffembled mortification: Never any lips have read to me fuch feeling Le&ures of piety; neither have I known any Soul, that more accurately practised them, then her own; Temptations, Defertions, and Spiritual Comforts were her usual Theme. Shortly, for I can hardly take off my Pen from fo exemplary a fubject, her Life and Death were Saint-like. My Parents had from mine Infancy devoted me to this facred Calling, whereto, by the bleffing of God, I have seasonably attained; for this cause I was trained up in the publick School of the place; After I had spent fome years (not altogether indiligently) under the Ferule of fuch Mafters as the place afford. ed, and had neer attained to fome competent ripeness for the University; my School-mafter, being a great Admirer of one Mr. Pelfet, who was then lately come from Cambridge, to be the publick preacher of Leicefter; (a man very eminent in those times, for the fame of his Learning, but especially for his facred Oratory) perfwaded my Father, that if I might have my Education under fo excellent and compleat a Divine, it might be both a nearer, and eafier way to his purpofed end, then by an Academical Institution; The The motion founded well in my fathers ears, and carried fair probabilities, neither was it other then fore-compacted betwixt my School-Master and Mr. Pelfet, foas on both fides it was entertained with great forwardness. The Gentleman, upon effay taken of my fitnefs for the use of his ftudies, undertakes within one feven years, to fend me forth, no leffe furnished with Arts, Languages, and grounds of Theoricall Divinity, then the carefulleft Tutor in the ftricktest Colledge of either Univerfity; VVhich that he might affuredly performe, to prevent the danger of any mutable thoughts in my Parents, or my felf, he defired mutuall bonds to be drawn betwixt us: The great charge of my Father, (whom it pleased God to blefs with twelve children) made him the more apt to yield to fo likely a project for a younger fon; There, and now were all the hopes of my future life upon blasting; the Indentures were preparing, the time was fer, my fuites were addreffed for the journey; VVhat was the iffue? O God, thy Providence made and found it, Thou knoweft how fincerely, Anno and heartily, in thofe my young years, I did caft my Etatis. felf upon thy hands; with what faithfull refolution, 15o. I did in this particular occafion refign my self over to thy Difpofition, earnestly begging of thee in my fervent Prayers, to order all things to the best, and confidently waiting upon thy VVill for the event; Certainly, never didI in all my life more clearly roll roll my felf upon the Divine Providence, then I did in this bufinefs; and it fucceeded accordingly; It fell out at this time, that my elder brother having fome occafions to journey unto Cambridge, was kindly entertained there, by Mr. Nath. Gilby, Fellow of Emanuel Colledge, who, for that he was born in the fame Town with me, and had conceived fome good opinion of my aptnefs to Learning, inquired diligently concerning me; and hearing of the Diverfion of my Fathers purpofes from the University, importunately difwaded from that new courfe, profefling to pitty the lofs of fo good hopes. My Brother, partly moved with his words,and partly wonne by his own eyes, to a great love, and reverence of an Academicall life, returning home, fell upon hi's knees to my Father, and after the report of Mr. Gilbies words, and his own admiration of the place, carnestly befought him, that he would be pleased to alter that fo prejudiciall a refolution, that he would not fuffer my hopes to be drowned in a fhallow Country-channel; but that he vvould revive his firft purposes for Cambridge; adding in the zeal of his love, that if the chargeablenefs of that course vvere the hinderance, he did there humbly beseech him, rather to fell fome part of that land, vvhich himself fhould in courfe of Nature inherit, then to abridge me of that happy means to perfect my education. No fooner had he spoken those vvords then my Fa in Father no less passionately condescended, not without a vehement Proteftation, that whatsoever it might coft him, I fhould (God willing) be sent to the Univerfity; neither were those words fooner out of his lips, then there was a messenger from Mr. Pelfet knocking at the door, to call me to that fairer bondage, fignifying, that the next day he expected me, vvith a full dispatch of all that bufinefs; To whom my Father replyed, that he came fome minutes too late, that he had now otherwife determi. ned of me, and with a refpective message of thanks to the Master, fent the man home empty, leaving me full of the tears of joy for fo happy a change; deed I had been but loft, if that project had fuc-ceeded, as it well appeared in the experience of him who fucceeded in that room, which was by me thus unexpectedly forfaken? O God, how was I then taken up with a thankfull acknowledgment, and joyfull admiration of thy Gracious Providence over me; And now I lived in the expectation of Cambridge; whither ere long I happily came, under Mr. Gilbies tuition, together with my worthy friend Mr. Hugh Cholmley, who, as we had been partners ofone leffon from our Cradles, fo were we now for many years partners of one Bed; My two firft years were neceffarily chargeable, above the proportion of my Fathers power, whofe not very large Ci ftern, was to feed many pipes befides mine; His weariness of expense was wrought upon by the Coun- |