A breviate of the life of Margaret, the daughter of Francis Charlton ... and…

And this Doctrine by degrees she drunk in, and so fully consented to, that (though Timorousness was her Disease) her judgment was quieted and settled herein.

And this Doctrine by degrees she drunk in, and so fully consented to, that (though Timerousness was her Disease) her judgment was quieted and setled herein.

§. 9. The nature of true Religion, Holiness, Obedience, and all Duty to God and man, was printed in her conceptions, in so distinct and clear a Character, as made her endeavours and expectations still look at greater exactness, than I and such as I could reach. She was very desirous that we should all have lived in a constancy of Devotion, and a blameless Innocency: And in this respect she was the meetest helper that I could have had in the world (that ever I was acquainted with): For I was apt to be over-careless in my Speech, and too backward to my Duty; And she was still endeavouring to bring me to greater wariness and strictness in both: If I spake rashly or sharply, it offended her: If I carried it (as I was apt) with too much neglect of Ceremony, or humble Complement to any, she would modestly tell me of it: If my very Looks seemed not pleasant, she would have had me amend them (which my weak pained state of Body undisposed me to do:) If I forgot any Week to Catechise my Servants, and familiarly instruct them personally (besides my ordinary Family-Duties) she was troubled at my remissness. And whereas of late years my decay of Spirits, and diseased heaviness and pain, made me much more seldom and cold in profitable Conference and Discourse in my house, than I had been when I was younger, and had more Ease, and Spirits, and natural Vigour, she much blamed me, and was troubled at it, as a wrong to her self and others: Though yet her judgment agreed with mine, that too much and often Table-talk of the best things, doth but tend to dull the common hearers, and harden them ⟨p. 71⟩under it as a customary thing: And that too much good talk may bring it into contempt, or make it ineffectual.

§. 9. The nature of true Religion, Holiness, Obedience, and all Duty to God and man, was printed in her conceptions, in so distinct and clear a Character, as made her endeavours and expectations still look at greater exactness, than I and such as I could reach. She was very desirous that we should all have lived in a constancy of Devotion, and a blameless Innocency: And in this respect she was the meetest helper that I could have had in the world (that ever I was acquainted with): For I was apt to be over-careless in my Speech, and too backward to my Duty; And she was still endeavouring to bring me to greater wariness and strictness in both: If I spake rashly or sharply, it offended her: If I carried it (as I was apt) with too much neglect of Ceremony, or humble Complement to any, she would modestly tell me of it: If my very Looks seemed not pleasant, she would have had me amend them (which my weak pained state of Body undisposed me to do:) If I forgat any Week to Catechise my Servants, and familiarly instruct them personally (besides my ordinary Family-Duties) she was troubled at my remisness. And whereas of late years my decay of Spirits, and diseased heaviness and pain, made me much more seldom and cold in profitable Conference and Discourse in my house, than I had been when I was younger, and had more Ease, and Spirits, and natural Vigour, she much blamed me, and was troubled at it, as a wrong to her self and others: Though yet her judgment agreed with mine, that too much and often Table-talk of the best things, doth but tend to dull the common hearers, and harden them