martyr, ' and in my hands to dispose of, I would give it to live all my days with my wife and children in a prison ; but Christ and his truth is dearer to me than all.' You have thousands of such instances upon record. They value him (5.) Above their goods : Heb. x. 34, ' Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods.' So has many thousands since under sharp persecutions. They value him (6.) Above all natural, spiritual, and acquired excellencies, Phil. iii. 7, 8. In all my serious discourses with her about our Lord Jesus Christ, she would still set the crown upon Christ's head. She would lay herself low, very low, that he alone might be exalted. The thoughts of Christ was precious to her, the discourses of Christ were precious to her, the image of Christ was precious to her, the ordinances of Christ were precious to her, the discoveries of Christ were precious to her, the day of Christ was precious to her, the offices of Christ were precious to her, and the rebukes of Christ — whilst she enjoyed his presence under them — was precious to her ; but, above all, the person of Christ was most precious to her. In her eye he was ' the chiefest of ten thousand, fairer than the children of men,' Cant. v. 10 ; Vs. xlv. 1 ; and all the riches, honours, pleasures, and delights of the world were but dung in comparison of him, Phil. iii. 7, 8. Oh at what a rate has the saints of old prized our Lord Jesus ! Mallem, said one, ruere cum Chrisio quam regnare cum Ccesare: Luther had rather fall with Christ than stand with Cjesar. The same author elsewhere saith that he had rather be Christianus rusticus than Ethnicus Alexander, A Christian clown than a pagan emperor. Theodosius, emperor, ^3 referred the title of Memhrum Ecclesice before that of Caput Imperii, professing that he had rather be a saint and no king, than a king and no saint. And godly Constantine rejoiced more in being the servant of Christ, than in being the emperor of the world. Bernard saith ' that he had rather be in his chimney-corner with Christ, than in heaven without him.' It was an excellent answer of one of the martyrs when he was offered riches and honours if he would recant, said, ' Do but offer me some- what that is better than my Lord Jesus Cln-ist, and you shall see what I will say to you,' It was a sweet prayer of one, ' Make thy Son dear, very dear, exceeding dear, only dear and precious, or not at all.' An- other good man cried out, ' I had rather have one Christ than a thou- sand worlds.' I have read of Johannes MoUius,^ ' that whensoever he spake of the name of Jesus, his eyes dropped tears ; ' and of another reverend divine, who, being in a deep muse after some discourse that passed of dear Jesus, and tears trickling down his cheeks before he was aware, and being asked the reason of it, he confessed ingenuously, ' It was because he could not draw his dull heart to prize Jesus Christ at that rate he should and fain would.' ^ Christ lay near your mother's heart, and oh that he may be near all your hearts, that so you may be safe and saved for ever ! But,
10. Tenthly, Imitate her in the casting a mantle of love over the infirmities and iveaknesses of poor, iceak, miscarrying Christians, in the burying of Christians iveaknesses under their graces. Much I know of this, but some know much more. She was not for blazoning of others' weaknesses, whether they were nearer to her or more remote
^ Clarke, as before, p. 186.— G. = John Welch, as before.— G.
•44G THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.