§. XXXII. The late earl of Rochester was inferior to nobody in wit, and hardly any body ever used it worfe: if we believe him against himself, in his dying reflections. An account of which I have had from fome that visited him in his fickness, befides that larger one made public by the bishop of Salisbury. It was then that he came to think there was a God, for he felt his lashes on his confcience, and that there was fuch a thing as virtue, and a reward for it. Christianity was no longer a worldly or abfurd defign; but Christ, a Saviour, and a most merciful one; and his doctrines plain, just, and reasonable, and the true way to felicity here and hereafter. Admiring and adoring that mercy to him, which he had treated with fo much infidelity and obftinate contempt: wishing only for more life to confute his past one, and in fome measure to repair the injuries he had done to religion by it; begging forgiveness for Chrift's fake, though he thought himself the most unworthy of it for his own. Thus died the witty lord Rochester, and this retreat he made from the world he had fo great a name in. May the loofe wits of the times, as het defired, take warning by him, and not leave their repentance to a dying-bed.

§. XXXIII. A noble young man of the family of Howard, having yielded too much to the temptations of youth, when upon his fickbed, which proved his dying-bed, fell under the power and agony of great convictions, mightily bewailing himself in the remembrance of his former extravagancies; crying strongly

to God to forgive him, abhorring his former courfe, and promifing amendment, if God renewed life to him. However, he was

willing to die, having tafted of the love and forgiveness of God; warning his acquaintance and kindred that came to fee him, to fear God, and forfake the pleasures and vanity of this world and fo willingly yielded his foul from the troubles of time, and frailties of mortality.

f. XXXIV. The late princefs Elizabeth of the Rhine, of right claimeth a memorial in this difcourfe: her virtue giving greater luftre to her name than her quality, which yet was of the greatest in the German empire.

She chofe a fingle life, as freeft of care, and beft fuited to the study and meditation fhe was always inclined to; and the chiefeft diverfion fhe took, next the air, was in fome fuch plain and housewifely entertainments as knitting, &c. She had a small territory, which the governed fo well, that fhe fhewed herself fit for a greater. She would conftantly, every last day in the week, fit in judgment, and hear and determine caufes herself; where her patience, justice, and mercy were admirable; frequently remitting her forfeitures, where the party was poor, or otherwise meritorious. And which was excellent, though unufual, fhe would temper her discourses with religion, and ftrangely draw concerned parties to fubmiffion and agreement; exercifing not fo much the rigour of her power, as the power of her perfuafion. Her meeknefs and humility appeared to me extraordinary; the never confidered the quality, but

the merit of the people fhe entertained. Did fhe hear of a retired man, hid from the world, and seeking after the knowledge of a better, he was fure to fet him down in the catalogue of her charity, if he wanted it; I have cafually feen, I believe, fifty tokens fealed and fuperfcribed to the feveral poor fubjects of her bounty, whofe distances would not suffer them to know one another, though they knew her, whom yet fome of them had never feen. Thus though fhe kept no fumptuous table in her own court, fhe spread the tables of the poor in their folitary cells; breaking bread to virtuous pilgrims, according to their want, and her ability. Abftemious in herself, and in apparel void of all vain ornaments.

I muft needs fay, her mind had a noble profpect her eye was to a better and more lafting inheritance, than can be found below: which made her often to despise the greatnefs of courts, and learning of the fchools, of which fhe was an extraordinary judge. Being once at Hamburgh, a religious perfon, whom the went to fee for religion's fake, telling her, it was too great an honour for him, that he fhould have a vifitant of her quality come under his roof, that was allied to fo many great kings and princes of this world, fhe humbly answered, If they were godly as well as great, it would be an honour indeed; but if you knew what that greatnefs was as well as I, you would value lefs that honour.' Being in fome agony of fpirit, after a religious meeting we had in her own chamber, fhe faid, It is a hard

thing to be faithful to what one knows: 0, the way is ftrait! I am afraid I am not weighty enough in my spirit to walk in it.' After another meeting, fhe uttered these words: "I have records in my library, that the gospel was first brought out of England hither into Germany, by the English, and now it is come again.' She once withdrew, on purpose to give her fervants the liberty of difcourfing us, that they might the more freely put what queftions of confcience they defired to be fatisfied in; for they were religious: fuffering both them, and the pooreft of her town, to fit by her in her own bed-chamber, where we had two meetings. I cannot forget her laft words, when I took my leave of her: Let me defire you to remember me, though I live at this diftance, and that you fhould never see me more: I thank you for this good time; and know and be affured, though my condition fubjects me to divers temptations, yet my foul hath strong defires after the best things.' She lived her fingle life till about fixty years of age, and then departed at her own house in Herwerden, in the year 1680, as much lamented, as fhe had lived beloved of the people: to whofe real worth, I do, with a religious gratitude, for her kind reception, dedicate this memorial.

§. XXXV. Bulftrode Whitlock has left his own character in his Memoirs of English affairs; a book that fhews both his employments and greater abilities. He was almoft ever a commiffioner, and companion with those great men

that the lords and commons of England, at feveral times, appointed to treat with king Charles I. for a peace. He was commiffioner of the great feal, ambaffador to the crown of Swedeland, and fometimes prefident to the council: a scholar, a lawyer, a statesman; in fhort, he was one of the most accomplished men of the age. Being with him fometimes at his own houfe in Berkshire, where he gave me that account I have related of chancellor Oxenftiern, amongst many ferious things he spoke, this was very obfervable, I have ever thought,' faid he, there has been one true religion in the world, and that is, the work of the Spirit of God in the hearts and fouls of men. There have been indeed divers forms and fhapes of things, through the many difpenfations of God to men, anfwerable to his own wife ends, in reference to the low and uncertain ftate of man in the world; but the old world had the Spirit of God, for it ftrove with them; and the new world has had the Spirit of God, both Jew and Gentile, and it ftrives with all; and they that have been led by it, have been the good people in every difpenfation of God to the world. And I myself must say, I have felt it from a child to convince me of my evil and vanity, and it has often given me a true measure of this poor world, and fome taste of divine things; and it is my grief I did not more early apply my foul to it. For I can fay, fince my retirement from the greatnefs and hurries of the world, I have felt fomething of the work and comfort of it, and that it is both

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