Selected quad for the lemma: city_n
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A35578
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The excellent woman a sermon preached at the funeral of Mrs. Elizabeth Scott ... on the 16 of Decemb. 1658 / by Tho. Case ...
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Case, Thomas, 1598-1682.
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1659
(1659)
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Wing C829; ESTC R36276
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61,914
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248
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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
who had the happinesse of more intimate Converse and acquaintance with her She was Vniversally Eminently Perseveringly good She was Universally good with that Elizabeth in the Gospell she walked in all the commanâ—ements and statutes of God blameless inopem me câ—pia fecit Thardly know where to begin less how to make an end of very much that I could say of her I will confine my selfe to these 10. Excellencies First she was a most knowing Christian 1 Knowldg she had attained to an high degree of proficiency in the School of Christ she was as emminently verst in the methods of Grace and the Mistery of godlinesse able to speak as distinctly and pertinently to any piece of an inward practicall Christian as any of her Sex and standing in Religion that ever I had the happiness to be acquainteâ— with When I first set upon Sacrament-Reformation in thiâ— place she was the first in aâ—â— the Congregation that appeared in the countenancing and incouraging of that worâ— at which time she gave the most singular account of the work of grace and confessiâ—â— of her faith that I have hard to the very high satisfaction and admiration of such as were present Wisdome Scientia is an habit of principles in the understanding Sapientia a right improvement of those principles unto practise 2. And her knowledge was not only notional swimming in the Brain wherewith most of the professors of this age please themselves but her knowledge was joyned with wisdome and prudence whereby she brought down all her principles into practise and turned every DOCTRINE into VSE what light there was in her judgement warned down into her heart beamed out most gloriously in her life conversation She was a practical Christian and indeed her knowledge was the fruit of her obedience according to the tenour of that blessed promise of our Saviour Joh. 7.17 If any man will doe Gods will he shall know his Dotrine A strange Methode In nature knowledg precedes action in Grace action precedes knowledge where there is an obeâ—ientiall disposition knowledge flowes in a pace they that doe Gods will that they may know it and Labour to know Gods will that they may doe it are the thriving Christians So it was with this Excellent woman Her knowledg and practise â—ran paralâ—el and did mutually transfuse vigour and vivacitie one into an other 3. Notwithstanding the greatnesse of her knowledge She was of Singular humility Her knowledg did not puff her up Humility 1 Cor 8.1 her head was not so high but her heart lay as low She was as mean in her own eyes as she was honorable in the eyes of standers by She was a Christian of infinite worth but She knew it not Proud professors doe not usually speak more contemptuously of others then she would doe of her selfe she was of Iobs Spirit Though She were prefect she would not know her owne soul she did despise her selfe Iob. 9.21 And this humility of hers was the Nurse to all her other graces Humilitas conâ—srvatrix virtutum Bern. faith is the mother humilitie the nurse 4. She was a woman of a Meek anâ— quiet spirit Meekness which rendered her very beautifull in the eyes of God and man She could not provoke any nor easily be provoked by any She had much of the wisdom which is from above which is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated She was most fearfull to give offence but most free to forgive it the reason was evident God had forgiven her thousands of talents and therefore she thought it noâ— much to forgive a few pence 5. She was a Mercifull Christian full of bowells the Love of Christ both active and passive i.e. Christs lovâ— to her Mercy and her love to Christ had melted her all into Compassion Compassioâ— to the Bodies of poor Creatures Compassion to souls Job 29.13 Compassion to the Outward man and compassion to the inward Compassion to the outward man The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon her she caused the widows heart to sing for joy She might say with Iob againe If I have seen any perish for want of cloathing Iob. 31.19 or any poore without covering c. Pensioners in Kenâ— Conghurst Hawkhurst Cranbrook London Giles in the fields Ministers Great was the number of Pensioners to whom she alâ—owed weekly summs in the Country and in the Citie who now lie down in sorrow and mingle their drink with â—heir tears Many precious godly Ministers whose subsistence was scantie and meane did she support and encourage with yearly stipends whose names I could relate were I not restraind poor Scholars She was a liberal contributer to the maintaining of poore Scholars at the University witness that subscription for Kent and divers other to my knowledge Oh what sad lamentations and tears will it occasion in many places when it shall be sadly reported abroad Mrs. SCOT IS DEAD At publique Collections for the Churches abroad 10. l. Piedmond and to Calamitous places and persoâ— at home how open and liberal was her hand Besides upon all the Emergent occasions which were not rare amongst us her charity was never straitned I never desired her contribution to any work of mercy but she gave and gave liberally yea it was enough but to hint a considerable work of piety or charity Yea she would prevent asking and overdoe expectation I have been sometimes forced to use the bridle to her when the spur could not spring some cold mettle professors of far greater abilities the truth is her estate was not so large as her heart upon which account I have sometimes left her out of my addresses in many works of that nature for which when she hath occasionally understood it she hath been offended as if a great disservice had been done her The truth is she had the most generous spirit and the most liberal hand that ever I met with in her rank and quality A fifth part of her estate went in Charity By what I have observed I cannot believe she could give away lesse in a year then the fifth part of her annual Revenue And all this without a trumpet nay her left hand KNEW NOT what her right hand did Mat. 6.3 Quest. Quest It may be some will ask I but what good hath she done at her death To which I Answer Answ Somewhat she hath done though not much of which I can give you this twofold accompt 1. That Joynctures are as mortal as the persons themselves that have them indeed they dye together 2. And above all she did in her life what others doe at their death when they can keep it no longer she made her own eyes her overseers and her hands her Executors And her mercy to souls was not lesse then her mercy to the body Mercy to the inward man That was one issue of her