salvation and call upon the name of the Lord I will pay my vowes unto the Lord now in the presence of all the people Thus did she note down in a Book the gracious dealings of God towards her to quicken her to thankfulness and suitable improvements to the glory of God Temptations and buffetings are not to be given way unto but opposed to conquer them Her faith she said fought with them and they were subdued under her Jam. 4.7 Resist the devil and he will flee from you Afflictions and mercies when improved bring forth much fruit in the people of God as her sicknesse and deliverances did in her Heb. 12.11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous neverthelesse after-word it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse unto them which are exercised thereby Psal 32.7 Thou art my hiding place thou shalt preserve me from trouble thou shalt compasse me about with songs of deliverance Gods gracious returns of prayer to his people do much engage them in affection to him and encourage them for the future to seek more unto them O blesse the God saith she that heareth prayers and follow God for further mercies And elsewhere I desire this great experience should be food for faith Psal 116.1 2. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications because he hath enclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live 2 Cor. 1.10 Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver In whom we trust that he will yet deliver us True grace is permanent and growing the motion that is naturall is perpetuall My God saith she doth give me sweet experience of the growth of grace in my soul The longer she lived the more she acted Job 17.9 The righteous also shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Revelations 2.19 I know thy works and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy works and the last to be more then the first Mr. Thorowgood's Letter to Mr. Case Reverend Sir I Understand you intend to print your Sermon preached at the funeral of our most honored friend Mrs. Scot that Saint of the Lord that eminent believer of the highest form and therewith some narrative concerning her It is not onely lawfull but sometimes very expedient to shew the Coates and Garments Dorcas made whilst living especially the excellencies of great believers whose memory is blessed and which may so much conduce to the advancing of the glory of Gods free grace and the good of others for which cause no doubt the severall graces and holy actings of Gods people are left on holy record I am willing to cast my mite into the treasury Her conversion she told me was occasioned by a fall from her horse in hunting time whereby one of her legs were put out of joynt which the Lord so sanctified to her as it brought her to the serious receiving of the immortall seed of the Word thereby forming Christ in her in whom the New-birth did most evidently shine ever after O happy fall that did so exalt her before she was very vain delighting in dancing and hunting But then God brought her to hear his rod and to receive instruction and to solace her self in the joys of the spirit and to pursue the ways of holinesse thus God did not take away her comforts but changed them and gave her better in the room He did not dry up the stream but diveried it and turned it into a better channel It was not long after her conversion from nature unto grace but she was likely to be perverced from truth unto error and was much troubled about the way of Separation some of which way lived near her and got accesse to her and so was in danger of loosing on the one side much of what she had gained on the other But the gracious God out of his continuing goodnesse as she told me proviced Mr. Elmestone that old disciple a skilfull Pilot to freer her coune again to rights who can relate more concerning this particular and ever since through grace hath she sailed with a full and steady gale in the ways of truth and holinesse and hath been a fired star in the Church of God no ways moved with the ermurs and fallings of many round about her wandring on the right hand and on the left after once God had caused her eares to hear that word behind her saying This is the way walk in it she shunned their books company and discourses tending that way as taking no pleasure therein and would not tempt God by going to the meetings of such as caused division being sully perswaded of the truth and way she practised thus trees by shaking become more firmely stoted She was converted in the height of Prelacy and was of the true old Puritane and right Nonconformist's Spirit unto her dying day accounting our Churches and Ministery essentially true though wanting in circumstantials she earnestly desired and in her place fervently endeavoured a through reformation without forsaking the Assemblies and leaving the work to others but would set to her helping hand also She went on to perfection but laid not again foundations she held what was good rejecting the ill being of quick and sound understanding to discern between good and bad She would mourn with the house of Cloe for what was beyond her sphere to amend and walked very comfortably with Christ her self in the middest of the golden Candlesticks having her own garments undesiled and others unworthinesse did no way prejudice her She was a very great and constant prizer of the faithfull Ministers of Jesus Christ and rejoyced not in their light for a season she knew them that were over her in the Lord and esteemed them very highly in love for their works-sake and endeavoured peace and unity with the rest She walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless never missing any when able to go and much troubled when necessarily detained by illnesse she thought not they could be too often enjoyed when she could not go in her Coach in Winter time by reason of the deepnesse of the way between Congherst and the Church she would walk on foot in all the rainy and tempestuous weather that long and tedious up and down hill way to ride she alwayes dreaded since her fall and when in London often did she go from high Holbourn to Christs-Church to the morning Sermons on the Lords dayes before the reft began and then to them afterwards Constantly did she attend Lectures and Fasts publick and privare In Summer when she was at Congherst usually there in the Countrey she had a weekly Lecture at Howkherst and the Ministers still at her house Very often did she keep in secret whole dayes of fasting and seeking God by her self in prayer and humbling and afflicting her soul before the Lord. When I was forth
she fild all her Relations with wisdom and fidelitie verse before my text Her Children rise up and call her blessed She was a Mother of ten thousand to them Both in respect of A good mother in temporals Their Temporal Estates Their Spiritual Estates As to their Temporals God wrought little less then miraculously by her for their aboundant enlargement Three Sons she had by two several Husbands to whom she hath left faire and liberal Estates as if they had been all Elder Broâ—hers though it was not in the power of their dying Fathers hands to do it Hir First-born Sir Howland Roberts of Glassenbury in Kent Her First-born the hopes and honour of his Fathers Family by her wisdome and indefatigable industry she hath quietly invested into the Ancient and Honorable Inheritance of his Noble Ancestors of Glassenbury in Kent in the Possession of that Ancient Name of the Roberts alias Rookhersts ever since the Conquest So makeing â—ood Solomons character the wise woman buildeth her house Pro. 14.1 Her youngest Son Her youngest Son born but to a third part of his Ancestors inheritance and that also not without incumbrances by her incredible prudence she hath lest now Heire Apprent to the whole estate not of a mean consideration Conghurst in Hawkhurst in Kent With the Exemplar in this description of an Execellent woeman v. 16. She considered the field and bought it and with the fruit of her hands she planted the vinyard Her Middle Son Second by her first husband Her middle son born to little or nothing of his progenitors by the favour God gave his gracious mother in the sight of her own Honorable family was adopted into a very worthy portion of a Noble inheritance of the Howlands The elder gracious the younger hopefull For her two daughters who were very pretious in her eyes She hath Secured sortions not beneath their living Fathers honour though far above their dying abilities It is wonderfull in my eyes that she should provide so fully for all her children out of such a narrow and perplexed estate as fell to her managing by her Husbands for certainely the world as it is usually did overvalue her incoms and undervalue her issues I say it is not less then a miracle to any that shall duly consider it that she should have so little comparatively and doe so much both for her one family and for the Houshold of Faith She gave to strangers as if she had forgotten her own Children and so provided for her Children as if she had been a stranger to works of mercy But doubtless God was with her and made good the Mistery of the widows Cruse of Oyle handful of Meale for the paying of her debts preserving of her Family This worthy Gentlewoman was not less a Mother to them in Spirituals then in temporals A good mother in spirituals the neglect whereof is the great sinne of most Parents and the ruine of their Children I b. 39.13.14.15.16 of whom we may say as Job of the Ostrich She leaveth her Eggs in the Earth and warmeth them in the dust and forgetteth that the foor may crush them or that the wild beasts may breake them she is hardened against her young ones as though they were not hers her labour is in vaine without feare because God hath deprived her of wisdom neither hath he imparted unto her understanding The most of Parents if they can but Earth their Children enough and warn them in the Dust the Dust-heapes of the world if they can but lade them with thick Clay as Habbakkuk phraseth silver and gold Hab. 2.6 they think they have provided well for them in the mean time thâ—y consider not that the foot of temptation may crush them or that wilde bruitish lusts may destroy them they remember not that in all this provision heaped up there is nothing done for the immortal soule nothing laid in that may be a fence against temptation or a preservative against sin so much their hearts are hardened against their young ones as though either they were not theirs or as if they had no souls Their labour is in vain all the care and travel for their Children is fruitless laid out only upon emptie vanities which perish in the using and their Children with them forever without intervening grace The Reason followeth The god of this world hath deprived them of saving wisdome and hath shut their eyes against spiritual understanding This precious Handman of the Lord was not so Her great care was to make them good rather then great rich in grace rather then rich in the world Her word was towards them that of the Apostle my little children of whom I travel in birth again or the second time till Christ be formed in you Gal 3.19 I am confident their spiritual birth cost her more throws and sorrows more cries and tears then ever their natural did Her Children were all to my knowledge to her what Aug. was to Monica Children of many tears and prayers which are all upon the file in Heaven and I am humbly confident answers of peace are preparing for them they were all the Children of her vows Oh the care and pains she took for their holy educa ion what perpetual labour did that gracious foule take in Catechising them in the princples of Religion Chatechizing continually dropping in holy instructions How carefull was she that they should sanctifie the Sabbath read the Scriptures repeat Sermons wherein all of them had attained to excellent abilities some by pen the rest even the * youngest by memory Not above nine or ten yeares of age her Methods and Travell herein were incredible Surely in all these respects as it is here said of this Excellent woman verse 28. Her Children rise up and call her blessed They doe and they have cause so to doe and great need they have to look that the Harvest be answerable to the seed lest otherwise their Education rise up in judgement against them in time to come and they have cause to curse themselves instead of blessing her and to wish they had been born of a Turk or an Infidel rather then of so holy a Mother But I hope better things c. Her care of her servants Her servants have not lest cause to bless her then her Children whose Spiritual soule good she tendered as if they had all been the fruit of her owne bowels They shared with her Children in her pious discipline and instruction according to their several capacities she would caution them to prepare for holy Ordinances Holy Ordinances and enquire how it was with them after the Ordinance was finished what they remembred what impressions they found upon their Spirits She would be often conferring wiâ—h them about their Evidences always calling upon them to get a bottom to work out their salvation with fear and trembling and to redeem the time I had
stand idle any time in the least measure though it were but a very little time She would not she said for a great deal spend so much time in dressing as many do knowing how to spend her time if she had more And saying I like this fashion well either in her apparrell or dressing that soonest could be put on and take up least time often charging her maid to get all things ready against she came to be dressed saying she could hardly afford her self time to be dressed yea in the winter evenings would she be long in her closet She was a diligent reader of the Scripture privately by her self every day She kept many dayes of fasts secretly by her self upon many occasions and for her children And those dayes would she set apart for the said fasts upon which there were some great shews or sights to be seen in the City as twice she did upon a Lord Mayors day the occasion of her fasts falling out on those times of the year making choice of those dayes rather then others because of the vanity of the seasons and prophannesse in the City by surfeiting and drunkennesse more then at other times And how full of heaven would she come out of her fasts How heavenly would she pray in the family those nights How fervently how broken hearted in confessions How heavenlized was she in so much that the next day she hath wished she could live without eating or sleeping to spend that time upon the immediate service of God such enjoyments of him did she find therein III. As she was much in holy duties publick and private so she was exceeding carefull to perform every duty in its season that one should not justle out another her private performances should not hinder her publick attendances and her publick service should not infringe her private and very diligent she was in not omitting the least duty God did give her that spirituall art of redeeming and improving time above thousands of Christians Her publick performances though many did not abate her one minute of her private IV. As she was carefull in performing all those duties that concerned her self so also those concerning her family resolving with Joshua that she and hers would serve the Lord. As soon as her children came to any understanding she made them learn the Catechismes first Mr. Wilsons and Mr. Bal's Catechismes and from the year 1653. the Assemblies lesser Catechisme and God did so blesse her endeavours that when her children were very young yet could they soon give her an account of their whole Catechisme without book and as soon as any of them could read she caused them diligently to read and would exercise their memories by calling them to an account of what they could remember of that they had read in the Bible or other good Books and of what they had heard when they had been at Church and it was wonderful to hear what a large account they would give of what they remembred Surely God did much blesse her prayers for them else I know not how possibly they could do so She would make all children pray privately by themselves before they went to bed and in the mornings when they did rise Also she would instruct in repetitions of what they could remember what had bin preach'd telling them oft they must give account to God of their time and what they had read and heard exhorting them to walk in the waies of God when she should not be by seting before them the good to be found in Gods service and the miseries that would fall on them if they walked not in his waies She would not keep any servant that was prophanely wicked saying she would not have such if they would give her their service she would have no servant of an erroneous opinion I have heard her severall times say she would rather have those that were prophane then such because there is little hope of convincing the erroneous but more hope to convince the prophane she was very willing her servants should go to Lectures and to the fasts at the end of the morning exercises which were once a moneth she would afford them time and encourage them to go to them and if she had a servant that could not read she would cause her children to teach such and her self also would do it as she could spare time to encourage them and buy books for them V. I shall give an account of the method of her duties and every dayes work First in the morning as she did rise before she was off her bed she made her children give her an account at her beds side of their Catechismes in course one one morning and another another when they were so large in their accounts as she could hear but one a time when she was off her bed she went to her closet for some time then afterward she had refreshed her self with something she would perform family duties with the family when she had no Chaplaine in reading something of the Word and prayer Then she would use some little exercise she could find best for her health which should not be long and so to her closet again reading the Scripture by herself and spending the rest of the forenoon unlesse some great occasions called her off till about eleven a clock when she came out and while she was making up her own bed which she did every day except the Lords days for her exercise she would cause her children to read the Scriptures one one morning and another another and as they read she would ask them what they understood by such a place instructing them as they read if a place where some judgements were denounced against sin or a sinner she would say see what cause you have not to sin and what you must look for if you do so exhorting them from every such place By that time she had done and was dressed it was well nigh dinner time in the winter time she loved not to come out of her chamber before dinner was at table because the forenoons were so short unlesse some businesse more then ordinary had called her away In summer time sometimes she would walk a little before dinner in Lincolns-Inne-fields and twenty to one if she had not found an object of charity to scatter her benevolence upon before she came in again after dinner after some little space to her closet again where she was sometimes longer and sometimes shorter as her occasions would permit if that afternoon she went to a Lecture or to visit friends she would be sure to go into her closet before she went out of doors and when she came home to her closet again for some time then when she was undressed and in her night garments that was the time of her meditation when she would walk sometimes an hour or untill it drew neer to suppertime and so to her closet againe till supper was ready after supper she would walk again till