A practical exposition of the X. Commandments with a resolution of several momentous questions…A practical exposition of the X. Commandements with a resolution of several momentous questions…

It is now, Noble Madam, a long time, not far from towards 30. years (what ever was before) since your Ladyship was known by some to be helped, through G •a •e, seriously to sit down at the receipt of these Customs from the cross and afflicting dispensation • which then occurred to ⟨image 5⟩you, whereby ye did observably improve better, and increase your spiritual stock and state, some-way to the admiration of Standers-by; and since that time, for most part of it, you have been in the holy Providence of God, tried with a tract of Tribulations, each of them more trying than another; and some of them such, that I think (as once the blest Author of this Treatise on occasion of a sad and surprising stroke, the removal of the desire of his eyes, his gracious and faithful Wife, after a whiles silence, with much gravity and great composure of spirit, said, Who could persuade me to believe that this is good, if God had not said it:) if all the world had said and sworn it, they could very hardly, if at all, have persuaded you to believe that they were good: But since God, that cannot lye, hath said it, there is no room left to debate or doubt of it, let be to deny it; and if your Ladyship (as I hope you have) hath been all this while gathering up the Customs of spiritual good and gain, imposed upon these many, various, and great tribulations, wherewith the Lord, no doubt, on a blessed design of singular good to you, hath thought fit to exercise you beyond most persons living, at least of your so noble station and extraction: O! what a va •t Stock and Treasure of rich and soul-enriching precious experiences of the good and profit of all these Afflictions and Tribulations must you needs have lying by you? What humility and soft-walking, what contrition and tenderness of heart; what frequency and fervency, what seriousness and spirituality in Prayer? what sitting alone and keeping silence because he hath done it? what justifying of God, and ascribing Righteousness to Him in all that he hath done? what sweet Soli-loquies communings with the heart on the Bod, self-searchings and examinations? what delightsome meditations on God, and on his Law? what Mortification of Lusts, what deadness and denyedness to, and ⟨image 5⟩what weanedness from all Creature-comforts and delights of the sons of Men? What solicitous securing of the grand Interest amidst these shakings-loose of all other interests?