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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89689	The life and death of Mr. Ignatius Jurdain, one of the aldermen of the city of Exeter; who departed this life July 15th. 1640. Drawn up and published by Ferd. Nicolls, minister of the Gospel at Mary Arches, Exon.	Nicolls, Ferdinando, 1598?-1662.	1655 (1655)	Wing N1139; Thomason E730_9; ESTC R206858	29,189	39

An Ark Heb. 11.8 and they incourage because in them we see that the exercise of godlinesse though difficult yet is possible when men that are subject to like passions and have the same interests and Concernments of flesh and blood that we have can be thus mortified self-denying heavenly holy now examples have this force not onely when the Saints are alive and liable to present notice and observation but after their death when transmitted to posterity by faithful records yea then many times they work more their infirmities being buried with them and their lives do then rather instruct then Exasperate * Pascitur in Vivis livor post fata qu●escit living Saints standing in the way of interests are more hated and looked upon with prejudice but usually there is a greater esteem of the dead how often do Gods Children live envied and die Sainted All this is prefaced Reader to induce thee to a more serious consideration of the present memorials of that holy man Mr. Ignatius Jurdain in some sense the Wonder and Phoenix of his Age and place of abode concerning whose piety and frequent communion with God his constant heavenlinesse his charity in giving lending and entertaining his doing justice with impartiality and diligence thou wilt have a more particular account in the ensuing story only give me leave from my self to suggest a few passages and observations 1. That for his temper he was a man of a raised Zeal and Heroical spirit one of those rare examples which the Lord giveth the World now and then and therefore his actions are not to be measured by an ordinary standard 2. Seldom or never did any come into his company but he would discourse with them about holy things asking the younger how they hoped to be saved the more grown if they professed Religion whether they had any assurance which if they denyed he would tell them that he was even ashamed of them in good earnest saith he I would study the promises and go into my closet and lock the door and there plead them to God and say that I would not go forth till he gave me some sence of his love 3. His entertainment at his Table was free and sufficient but frugal and sober if his Wife at any time excused the slendernesse of it he would say * Humilis cibus t●nius potussunt divitiae Christianorum Hieron Brown bread and Kennel water is good fare with the Gospel I have often heard him say so there is somewhat a like saying of Mr. Greenham's and possibly Mr. Jurdain might borrow it thence it suiting so well with the temper of his spirit 4. A formal man had once preached a Sermon at the Cathedral about heaven the discourse was for the most part frothy and beneath the dignity and worth of such an argument Mr. Jurdain was present as well as my self after Sermon I went to his house being to receive a Letter from him for Oxford after many good instructions he asked me if I had been at the Sermon that morning I told him yea and did you saith he hear those wonderful things which God hath provided for them that love him and so readily picked out all those passages which were any way subservient to use and profit 't was wonderful to me to see how an holy heart can draw comfort out of any thing the Sermon as Mr. Jurdain repeated it to me was another kind of Sermon and seemed to be very savoury and spiritual I remember with what warmth and vigour he spake of it even to this day and hope that I never shall forget it 5. This is not to be forgotten his sending a Letter to the late King and expostulating with him about his setting forth the Book concerning sports and recreations on the Lords day which was inclosed in another to the Bishop of Exeter to desire him to convey it and notice being given to the Bishop that Copies of it were divulged possibly by the transcriber he thought he could not conceal it with safety and therefore carried it to the King who when he had read it in a great Anger said he would hang him But the Bishop a pious man fell upon his knees and besought his Majesties pardon alledging That God had not a better servant nor his Majestie a better Subject in the whole Land When the Bishop returned from his moneth of attendance Mr. Jurdain went to visit him and after civilities past the Bishop said Ah Mr. Jurdain would you put me upon so hot a service you know there are many eyes upon me meaning the Archbishops faction who suspected him as a favourer of Puritans Yea my Lord replyed M Jurdain there are eyes upon you the eyes of God and his holy Angels to see how you discharge your Office and Duty as the Kings Chaplain and a Bishop of the Church 6. Now and then when he had leisure he would often go to his neighbours shops and admonish them to take heed that the cares of the World did not deadden their spirits to heavenly things telling them If they had many thousands it would not still the cry of conscience purchase the least fovour from God not so much as ease the pain of the teeth or keep off one fit of an ague yea if mony were thrown to the dogs they would not so much as smell at it 7. He would often perswade his fellow-Magistrates to a liberal provision for the poor and when they would ask him where they should have money he would Answer God will provide rather then the poor shall want let us sell our Gownes 8. When he distributed money to the poor with his own hands in a time of great infection and so some asked him if he were not afraid of the plague What saith he afraid of Gods visitation let us fear rather the plague sore of our own heart 9. In his troubles in the Star-Chamber when one told him he was sorry the Lord-Keeper was against him he Answered I have a greater Lord-Keeper then him the Lord is my keeper I shall not be afraid 10. 'T is not amisse to observe what others thought and said of him I remember a godly man observes of him that in every businesse though in some he adventured far the Lord carried him thorough with reputation and so compares him with another of great parts who though godly was alwaies foiled in every undertaking Drunkards and frequenters of the Ale-house were afraid of him he was their usual bugbear their Memento in the middle of their excesse was It is time to be gone Mr. Jurdain will come by and by the ordinary sort of men were convinced of his integrity I have over-heard men carnal and vitious at a time of election of Burgesses for the Parliament speaking to one another if you choose any choose Jurdain he will be right for the Common Wealth and do the City se vice he was twice chosen Burgesse for the Parliament and twice Major of

know not whether the City did more honour him in chusing him to be Major or he the City in his zealous and faithful discharge of his office and publick trust His Publike life in his Magistracy But I intend to limit my relation to his Acts and doings as a Magistrate yet therein he was most exemplary to all that succeeded in that place of dignity or the like in any other City or Corporation but shall declare that which hath been partly observed and testified by men of known Fidelity * Testes fide digni and Integrity and partly noted by mine own experience and observation which that I may the more distinctly record I shall refer all to three heads his Piety Justice and Charity shewing how he honoured God therein and then how God honoured preserved him when he was about his work 1. To begin with his Piety wherein he was most eminent there have been few men observed to walk so with God as Enoch 1. His Piety Gen. 9.5 and before him as it was enjoined to Abraham Gen 17. and to hold so constant and close communion with him as he did It was his constant practise (g) Gen. 5.22 Chap. 17.1 for many years together even to his old age to arise betwixt two and three of the clock in the morning and that in the coldest season of the year and then to meditate and pray in secret until sixe a clock the appointed time of the morning Sacrifice in the family when he was called from secret devotions to the exercise of religious family-duties rare and unparalled example of all that I have known or heard of And that at any time he had overslept himself as he accounted and did not rise untill four a clock he would much bemone himself for that he had lost so much time of sweet and comfortable communion with God And had he not experimentally found much sweetness in this his spiritual converse with God as David did (h) Psal 104.34 Psal 104. he could not have continued so constant therein And he thus awaking with God and renewing his acquaintance with him from day to day no marvaile that he did walke whith him all the day long His Sincerity His care was to walk very exactly and sincerely according to the Apostles direction (i) Eph. 5.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Dr. Prostons Sermon on that Text. Eph. 5. but though he studied to approve himself to God and to walk as in the sight of God (k) 2 Cor. 2.17 2. Cor 2. yet he could not escape the malicious censures of men if he did all in Hypocrisie he knew that he had the imputations of dissembling and hypocrisy cast upon him by men void of charity and sincerity but the testimony of his own conscience did more comfort him then the uncharitable censures of men deject him and he had wont upon that occasion to take up the words of Job Chap 27. (l) Job 27.5 Till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me and many have often heard him to professe that he would not willingly sin to get a world though the evil which he (m) Rom. 7.25 His sincerity questioned would not do that he did as it is incident to the best of men Rom. 7.1 and he did bewail it with griefe of heart The sincerity hoth of his intentions and actions have been questioned and some have not been ashamed to say that under colour of doing justice and providing for the poor he robbed the poore and helped to keep his own house with that mony which was due to the poore But for that falshood which was charged upon him there 's none could ever better clear him from it then himself not only his conscience witnessing for him before God but his books wherein he kept an exact record of the mony which he received for swearing and drunkennesse according to the penaltie of the law and the Officers that distributed the mony testifying his uprightnesse before men so that he might truly say with Jacob Gen. 30. (n) Gen. 30.33 My righteousnesse shall answer for me and so it did herein both before God and men His Conscience in the exercises of Religion He was a man that made Conscience of all exercises of Religion both in private and publick his frequent discourses of heaven and the way thereunto and assurance of interest therein did declare that his heart and conversation were much in heaven Matt. 12. (o) Mat. 12.34 35. And he had wont to take occasion to confer of spiritual and heavenly things with all sorts of men that he did converse with One should seldom hear him speak but of heaven and heavenly things his heart was so full of heaven that he could not but utter and breath it forth in his discourses with men and especially with those whose hearts and faces were towards heaven when he was at Table receiving his daily food he did usually minister occasion of holy discourse divert vain and unprofitable talke to edifying speeches that might minister grace to the hearers Eph. 4. (p) Eph. 4.29 and to take occasion from earthly things to speake of heavenly as from the sweetnesse of the Creatures to speak of the infinite sweetnesse which is in God from feasting on earth to the sitting down with Abraham (q) Mat. 8.11 Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven and feasting with God and his blessed Saints there and when the Table-cloth was taken away he would often say In heaven there 's no taking away here we are soon satisfied and cloyed but there will be such a feash that we shall be continually delighting our souls in it without any cloying And his manner was to close his meales with the singing of some short Psalm His Reading good Books He delighted much in reading good and holy books but especially the Book of books the holy Scriptures wherein he most delighted he had taken therein the property of a godly person (r) Psal 1.2 Psal 119.97 Ps 1. and Psa 119. The word of God was his meditation all the day long yea day and night he did not onely read the scripture more then twenty times over but he read it with special observation as appeareth by the * Starres in the margent S. Senens Bibl. l. 3. or such like signal notes asterisks and markes in his Bible and application to himself The like course he took in reading over that useful book of Mr. Rogers his seven Treatises and other practical bookes wherein he was very conversant and his collections out of severall Authors do abundantly testifie And he took so much delight in reading that voluminous and excellent book of the Acts and monuments of the Church set forth by Mr. Foxe commonly called the book of Maertyrs that upon occcasion he told a Friend that he had read it seven times over His Zeal His zeal for God and his glory and against