Selected quad for the lemma: book_n
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A26645
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Mirabile pecci, or, The non-such wonder of the peak in Darby-shire discovered in a full, though succinct and sober, narrative of the more than ordinary parts, piety and preservation of Martha Taylor, one who hath been supported in time above a year in by H.A.
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H. A.
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1669
(1669)
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Wing A9; ESTC R13065
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43,707
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98
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for it has been and yet is the inconsiderate that I â—ay not irrational Assertion of many some of them not far remote from her That she is an undoubted Cheat either for the getting gain or for the advancement of a Faction or for both of these The greâ—t foundation upon which they built at first was the Cessation of Miracles the improbability and impossibility in point Nature and their own inacquaintance with what some Men of splendid and mighty Names had writ in the vindication of this total Abstinence But that Martha is no Cheat in the mention'd Affair will appear by the ensuing things 1. She doth willingly admit of all Visitors be they under what ranck or notion soever aâ— the Great the Learned the Mean the Orthodox and the Erroneous onely you cannot blame her if she have a care of her Soul wherein she used to make the Bible her usual Companion the Standard and Rule of her Faith and Actions not the private Thoughts of Men of differing Apprehensions 2. The plainness or if you will the simplicity of her Parents they neither look'd discours'd nor acted like persons skill'd in Politiâ—ks They dâ—d appear to me and many others upon considerable triaâ—s to be among the common rank of Country head-pieces though they were sober yet not subâ—ile They are not so poor but they can make a very good shift to live wâ—thout this craft They did their utmost at the first to make their Daâ—â—hter eat and drink 3. Martha's experienceâ— and approv'd sincerity Thoâ—gh men of differing humours gave her frequent Visiâ—s yet I never heard of any who know her well that could accuse her of a false-hood She used to tell of every drop of liquids which she took and would be offended with them who out of ignorance did diminish the quantity in their relations of her 4. The Charity and strong Testimony of her most considerate Neighbours among whom I could have given you twenty Names of Note and Observation had I thought it prudent to have broâ—ght them upon the publick Stage 5. The Drinesse of her whole Body her non-evacuation of Excrements by the lower and larger passages with the improbability of it because the Intestines the Matrix or the like were long since erected and dryed together These things have been often testified by a great number of Eye-witnesse 6. The continual Cleaving of her Belly to her Bâ—â—k in such a lose manner as if they grew together shews sufficiently there can be no interposing meat oâ— Drink 7. The Inspection and Circumspection of Physitians Chirurgeons Mid-wives and a double Watch that did attend her The two Watcheâ— did consist of forty or threescore Women who did with strictness observe her night and day by two â—t a time for several Weeks at differing seâ—sons The first was set by three Neighbour Towns for their own and the Countries satisfaction the other by the means and appointment of the Right Honourable and thrice Noble Earl of Devonshire who did himself Visit her and did very commendably lay out much care cost and industry to try her to the uttermost Now all these with one common voyce have given their Vote on Martha's side I suppose enough is said to satisfie the rationâ—l and it would not fall within the limits of wisdom to indeavour the satisfaction of the contrary sort of Men. The Wise usually think that Abstrusities in Nature and the unfrequented and more obscure Methods in Providence deserve the attendance of â—nquisition but not of â—nfidelity There ought to be a suspension of the judgement in things that are dubious but not a denial of those that are obvious PART IV. Containing Meditations raised from the foregoing Discourse for the spiritual advantage of the illiterate and ordinary Reader THE PROEM THE most Readers that are in the World may be ranked under four sorts the Carelesse the Curious the Catching and the Conscientious 1. The Careless reads only as I may say for the sake of reading that they may be esteemed such as can and does read these men desire Letters more then Learning Praise more then Practice and the Advantage of Carnal Self more then the Immortal Soul 2. The Curious who adore the gold on the Frame but cares not for the truth or goodness of the Glass who respect the Colours the Paint of Nature more then the fragrant smell or the healing use of the Flower These value Rhetorick beyond Reason and are more taken with the Garnish on the edges of the Dish then with the Meat that lyes upon it They are more for Fancy then Faith and labour at an higher rate to trim the Head with a few airy Notions then to try or adorn the Heart with solid Matter 3. The Catching Reader bends his whole study and lays out the all of that little wit he hath to find or make faults in the Book he reads that he may scoff the Author be he never so judicious and sober 'T is the jejune and empty conjecture of some men that they cannot shine except all other lights be crouded into darkness they know no better way to make their own Names great then by diminishing the worth of others But I shall leave these men to their own happiness which only dwells within their own heads None of all these share in the Design of my Labours 4. The Conscientious this good Mâ—n reads that he may live He like Natures Chymist the Honey-gathering Bee desires to suck or extract Sweet from every Flower yea from the meanest Herb he comes neer He longs to gather something for God and something for the good of his never-dying Soul from every Line he reads He condoles and laments over his want of skill that he cannot so read as to edifie himself either in knowledge or practice by what he reads This honest serious heart may think that he fore-going and first Parts of this small Treatise are but dry and barren Lines very little for Soul-advantage I shall therefore attempt to help this humble Soul by the following Consectaries I would not confine the prudent skillful Reader but only indeavour to assist the weak to whom if I can but contribute a few sparks of light he may its possible make a new addition of his own and blow them all up into a pleasant Heat and refreshing Flame CONSECTARY I. 'T is hence very apparent that the Providence and Care of God hath not done with the world 1. AS this sacred Providence looks backward towards eternity aâ— the foreknowledge and Predetermination of Infinite Wisdome concerning the future making or management of things in time so I shall not speak of it but onely as it refer to the government and conservation oâ— preâ—eâ—vation of all things or beings that â—re in this neâ—her Region the visible World This latter is usually called Actual Providence and differs from the other which is Eternal as the Execution doth from the Decree or the forehand-design from the future acting 2. This Actual Providence of
Vent it self by the Pores We all know as to our own Bodies that Nature with very small help doth by these little insensible Holes in the Skin send forth those Vapors and Humors which would endanger the Body if they should take up their lodging within the same 4. The two Senses of Hearing and Smelling were once that I say not oftner so incomparably acute and quick that she would apprehend and distinguish their several Objects at a vast remove A considerable Ecclesiastick Person who did many times visit her told me That for most of the time he had taken notice of her he found she had all her Faculties and senses excepting that of Seeing in as great vigour as he thought it possible to be in an unglorified Body Our gross way of feeding doth very much dull and clogg up the Senses in their exercise we little know the great comfort we should enjoy in them if we did not so much indulge to the irregular Appetite Temperance or sobriety both as to the quantity and quality of what we live upon would abundantly quicken and put into right motion all the Senses 'T is undeniable that many Brutes who are compell'd to satisfie themselves with a spare and thrifty way of feeding do quite exceed us in Sense But I suppose if you take them in their greatest excellency our Martha did once out-vie them and that was in Smelling not onely that she could take pleasure in Smells for in that it s very probable Man exceeds all other Animals but she over-did them in the very thing in which some say they surpass Man which was the drawing nourishment out of Odors for as I told you in the preceding Section thus she lived for many Weeks together As concerning other things referring to the temper or frame of her Body under her Afflictions you had them touched upon before THE SECOND PART SECTION I. Concerning her Parts and Piety THough she may appear eminent in these especially the latter yet the rariety of them does not lye so much in their greatness as the way of their Attainment She was not Cultivated by Education at home or abroad the Country where she was Born and Bred is but too great a stranger to Accomplishments of either Nature The Inhabitants are more taken up with a strict search about the hidden things of Nature among the Rock and Hills then they are about those more enriching ones of Reason and Religion Their Hands and Thoughts are so much employ'd about that dull and heavy Mineral which is the standing Traffick of those Parts that they cannot afford to wear time or pains upon the more refined or spiritual Ornament of Body or Mind The very Breeding of that Country has been noted for something more then ordinary Rustick The Religion of very many there is but few degrees beyond ignorance Vulgar and pedantick conceptions look upon those more noble improvements to be requisites onely becoming them who have great estates and leasure of this barren and low-spirited humour were the most of Martha's Neighbourhood and first acquaintaince so that she had in the beginning none to discipline or direct her I mean very little Humane or Christian help this may make what follows cast forth brighter beams 2. Her Parts or External Excellencies which made her so taking to the Eyes and Ears of her unprejudiced Visitors were her Deportment Reading Prayer and Discourse For 1. Her Deportment which was very lovely raising up her head in Bed and bowing her self to all with a smiling grateful Countenance continually giving sutable terms of Respect and Decency Her Courtesie her Candour and Comely Carriage quite over-acted her original as to place and persons She was in theâ—e things handsome without humour and courteous without being conceited None experienced the contrary carriage in her but them who did openly declare themselves small Friends to her Person true Religion or her God 2 Her Reading though she was pretty exact in her Mothers Tongue yet the greatest observable was the way of her attaining it which was by her own industry having but little direction beyond the bare knowledge of the Alphabet She did of her self pursue Letters into Words Words into soâ—â—â—â—es and Sentences into her own Heart 〈◊〉 were but spiritual A desire of informâ—◠〈◊〉 her self with her own Eyes out of the Book of Life was the first motive to lay out her afflicted hours upon the learning to Read which having fully and happily obtained she laid out upon the holy Bible or some or other chosen Books And here now she bestow'd all her Breathing Seasons all the Spare Minutes which the Absence from Company violent Pains of Body or the Weakness of the Eyes would befriend her with 3. For Prayer She was observed to be constant in it either in Confessing Sin Begging Mercy or Praising God She seemed to be made up of Prayer when most afflicted The neer approach of the By-standers Ear might be satisfi'd in this That her Voice when at the weakest would be spending it self upon her God by fervent pious Ejaculations to hold up an heart-chearing Intercourse between Heaven and her hungering Soul For an affectionate Joyner in this great Duty when I Visited her I must confess I never found her Parallel She seemed by a sensible serious struggling melting frame of Spirit to go as it were out of her self into an upper Region so that when a rousing Prayer hath been ended she would be puzzled to reduce her self and compose the humane frame Her own personal way of praying which was much concealed and to her self was usually short and sententions but very significant comprehensive humble and powerful 4. Her Discourse which if you consider the Style of it and compare it with the common Dialect of that Country you will find it did for the most part very much excel The Peak Country has a very course Language very thick and home-spun but hers was of a finer unaffected mâ—ke usually pretty fluent and oratorical but never dull and sordid Some took much notice of this as a thing rather strange then contemptible no question but 't is a very lawful Art to advantage good discourse and pious conference with powerful taking Language 'T is if I may so call it a sacred Fraud every way lawful to steal the Ears and Hearts of those with whom we converse to the considerate observation of the deep concernments of an Eternal and better State The Sword of Rhetorick in a Wife Mans hand may wound the Champions of Irreligion and win the Day for Heaven The applauded wit of the Age in which we live doth but too much prostitute it self to the greatest Ribaldry Our Martha had the happiness to enjoy a considerable clear smooth Phrase not guilty of bombast or boyish vanity which for the most part she bestow'd upon the best of things I confess her ignorance of other Tongues then what she was born to did sometimes in the beginning Months of her afflictions produce some