Books also of devotion, and especially such as enter into the heart of religion, and describe the _inward holiness_ of the christian life, have such a large place in her closet, that she is sometimes afraid that she lays out too much money in them, because she cannot forbear buying all the practical books of any note. But of all human writings, the _lives of pious persons_, and eminent saints, are her greatest delight. In these she searches as for hidden treasure, hoping to find some secret of holy living, some uncommon degree of piety, which she may make her own. By this means, _Miranda_ has her head and heart stored with all the principles of wisdom and holiness, and if you are in her company, when she thinks proper to talk, you must be made wiser and better, whether you will or not.
To relate her charity, would be to relate the history of every day for twenty years past. She has set up near twenty poor tradesmen who had failed in their business, and saved as many from failing. She has educated several poor children, that were picked up in the streets, and put them in a way of honest employment. As soon as any labourer is confined at home with sickness, she sends to him, till he recovers, twice the value of his wages, that he may have one part to give to his family as usual, and the other to provide things convenient for his sickness.
If a family seems too large to be supported by the labour of those in it that can work, she pays their rent, and gives them something yearly towards their cloathing. By this means there are many poor families which live in a comfortable manner, and are from year to year blessing her in their prayers.
If there is any poor man or woman, that is more than ordinarily wicked and reprobate, _Miranda_ has her eye upon them, and if she can discover that they are in any great streights or affliction, she gives them speedy relief. She has this care for this sort of people, not only because she once saved a very profligate person from being carried to prison, who immediately became a true penitent, but because she believes that a tenderness of affection towards the most abandoned sinners, is every where represented in the gospel as the highest instance of a divine and godlike soul.
_Miranda_ once passed by a house, where the man and his wife were cursing and swearing at one another in a most dreadful manner, and three children crying about them; this sight so much affected her compassionate mind, that she went the next day, and even bought the three children, that they might not be ruined by living with such wicked parents. They now live with _Miranda_, are blessed with her care and prayers, and all the good works that she can do for them. They hear her talk, they see her live, and join with her in psalms and prayers. The eldest of them has already been an instrument of converting his parents from their wicked life, and shews a turn of mind so remarkably pious, that _Miranda_ intends him for holy orders; that being thus saved himself, he may be zealous in the salvation of souls, and do to other miserable objects, as she has done to him.
_Miranda_ is a constant relief to poor people in their misfortunes and accidents; for there are sometimes little misfortunes that happen to them, which of themselves they could never be able to overcome: the death of a cow, or a horse, or some little robbery, would keep them in distress all their lives. She does not suffer them to lie grieving under such accidents as these. She immediately gives them the full value of their loss, and makes use of it as a means of raising their minds towards GOD.
She has a great tenderness for _old people_ that are grown past their labour. The parish allowance (_Miranda_ says) to such people, is very seldom a comfortable maintenance. For this reason, they are the constant objects of her care; she adds so much to their allowance, as somewhat exceeds the wages they got when they were young. This she does to comfort them under the infirmities of their age, that being free from trouble and distress they may serve GOD in peace and tranquillity of mind. She has generally a large number of this kind, who by her charities, and exhortations to holiness, spend their last days in great piety and devotion.