slept When she first awaked she said Thou wicked Satan How durst thou tempt the Lord of Life After that she fell into a Slumber again and alwaies â—s she awaked she cried Sweet Christ pity me Sweet Jesus pity me Sweet Christ have mercy upon me several times going over those Petitions Then in the Twilight her Father going to â—er asked her how she did She fixed her eyes stedfastly upon him but never spake more Twice before Breath was out we fell down beâ—â—re the Lord and sent her to Heaven upon â—he wing of Prayer Thus it was apparent That the many Petitions she had put up to Heaven for her easie â—â—assage were granted her and her Entrance â—â—to her Fathers House in Glory where she hath â—â—ken up her everlasting abode to be ever with â—â—e Lord was about the Hours of Four or Five â—n the Morning August the Third 1672. Amen Amen Hallelujah A SERMON Preached at the Funeral of Mrs. MARY WILSON By George Nicholson Minister of the Gospel Psal 103.14 15 16 17 18 verses were sung Luke 12.40 Be ye therefore ready also for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye thinâ— not WHile the Lord Jesus was at his Setmon there started up a certain Person out of the Auditory that moved an unseasonable suit 〈◊〉 Him v. 13. Master speak to my Brother that he divide the Inheritance with me Like many poor Creatures that when they come to heâ—â— the Word of God they have their Hearts so stuffed up with the World as that the Word of God takes no place with them nor finds no â—oom in them such was this poor man now menâ—ioned that while Christ was Preaching he was proling for the world Well! His unseaâ—nable request though it did interrupt Christ â—n his present Discourse yet occasioned new proâ—table matter to flow out of his mouth For â—ster the Lord Christ had given him a particular â—heck for such a Proposal together with a denial 〈◊〉 gratifie him in such a request Ver. 14. He â—â—eth on and delivereth a seasonable and neâ—â—ssary Caution v. 15. Take heed and beware of â—â—ovetousness the which he backeth with a â—â—ong Argument in the same verse For a mans â—â—e consisteth not in the abundance of the things â—at he possesseth And to make the Caution to take hold of his â—â—arers He gives an instance by way of Parable 〈◊〉 a certain rich man that was covetously bent â—â—er the world who whilst he was racking his â—â—ains about his worldly Profits his life was cut â—â— his Soul required and he a Fool for his â—â—ins from v. 16. to the 20. v. The Applicaâ—â—â—n of which Parabolical instance ye have in 〈◊〉 21. So is he that layeth up Treasure for himâ—â—â—f and is not rich towards God Well in his â—â—â—lowing Discourse he applieth himself unto 〈◊〉 Disciples from ver 22. to the 30. wherein in he useth several Arguments with them to setch them off from the love of the world All which lye dispersed in the aforementioned verses which I cannot now stand to draw forth but must leave them for you to cull out at your leisure And that he may effectually take them off from the world he setteth before them and proposeth to them greater and better objects than the world could present them with As iâ— he should say If ye will lay out your selve and spend your strength and spirits about thingâ— Behold here are excellent things that are worth your pursuing after and labouring for Herâ— is the Kingdom of God the Righteousness oâ— God Bags that wax not old and Treasure iâ— Heaven that faileth not v. 31 32 33. Math. â—â— 33. Let your Hearts be taken up with thâ— things and never fear but all other things â—â— far as they are necessary for you shall be addâ—â— unto you And that they may receive thâ—â— Kingdom and Treafure which faileth not 〈◊〉 The Lord Christ directeth them to be ready 〈◊〉 waiting for the coming of Christ v. 35 3â— And this he presseth upon them by two conâ—â—derable Arguments The First is drawn from that honourable aâ—â— happy Welcome which such shall have at 〈◊〉 coming of Christ v. 37. Blessed are those Sâ—â—vants whom the Lord when he cometh 〈◊〉 find watckiâ—g Verily I say unto you that 〈◊〉 shall gird himself and make them to sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them The Second Argument is drawn from the uncertainty of the time of Christ's coming which is laid down by a familiar Comparison of a Thief 's coming to break up a House when the Good-man of the House is off his watch v. 39. And this know that if the good-man of the house had known what hour the Thief would come he would have watched and not have suffered his house to be broken thorow From which comparison of the Thief 's sudden and unexpected coming the Lord Jesus presseth them to be ready For as the Thief so he himself cometh at in hour when men think not Be ye therefore ready also for the Son of Man cometh at an your when ye think not The words are a serious Exhortation delivered to his Disciples and his then present Auditory wherein we may take notice of these two general parts First An important Duty enjoined Be â—e therefore ready also Secondly A plain yet â—owerful Argument to press this Duty upon â—hem For the Son of Man cometh at an hour â—hen ye think not The words are so very plain as that we need â—ot spend much time about their Explication â—or shall we make knots where there are â—one The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here translated ready signifieth generally Preparation or Readiness according to the subject matter that it hath relation to so that be ye ready here is be ye prepared for the coming of Christ But that which will need a little unfolding is What we are to understand by this coming of Christ in the Text Answer There is a twofold coming of Christ First There is his coming to the particular Day of Judgment and that is at the Death of every Person For it is in the power of his own hand alone to fetch away the Souls of Men The Souls of Men are brought before Christ immediately upon the Death of the Bodies of Men to receive their Doom or Judgment Heb. 9.27 It is appointed unto men once to die and after this the Judgment Secondly There is Christ's coming to the 〈◊〉 Judgment which is at the end of the World and the Resurrection of the Bodies of Men. Thâ—â— I grant is called signally The coming of Christ his Second coming Acts 1.11 1 Thes 4 1â—â— Heb. 9. last I know some Expositors would have this coming of Christ to the last Judgment to be intended here But I rather think it to â—â— meant of his Coming to the particular Judgment and that for this reason Because his Discipleâ—â— and the then Auditory to whom he spoke weâ—â— not like to live to see Christ's last Coming
Death which is our burthen and which we groan under Rom. 7.24 She shall sin no more nor sorrow no more nor die no more though she be dissolved yet she is with Christ which is best of all she is perfectly holy and perfectly happy where she shall rest from her labours and her works shall follow her Râ—vel 14.13 There are three things that make Men and Women count themselves happy here below To have a good estate to have it in a good place and to have it by good Neighbours now all these three she and every one that dies in the Lord do eminently enjoy First Their Heavenly inheritance is exceeding great 2 Cor. 4.17 Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard the like 1 Cor. 2.4 1 Pet. 1.4 Secondly 'T is in a good place Heaven 2 Cor. 5.1 which is an House and City made for them and builded by God and therefore must needs be good Heb. 11.10 Thirdly 'T is by good Neighbours God Christ the Holy Spirit Angels and Just Men made perfect Adam had a good inheritance and in a good place but he had an evil Neighbour of the Devil that troubled him and marr'd all but there are no ill Neighbours in Heaven whether she is gone and therefore perfectly happy You must not understand this as if I asserted that I had an absolute certainty and assurance of her happy state for its God's Prerogative alone to know certainly who are his 2 Tim. 2.19 and therefore Grace is called the hidden man of the heart we cannot certainly know the good state of another 1. Because there is not any thing in Religion which can be exprest to another which may not flow from an Hypocritical as well as a sound and sincere Heart 2dly Peter was deceived in Simon Magus and calls Sylvanus a faithful Brother as he supposes 1 Pet. 5.12 Yet first the Scriptures speak of such marks of Grace whereby we may know that others belong to Christ John 13.35 whereby Christians are made manifest to others 1 Corin 11.19 and declared to be the Epistle of Christ 2 Cor. 3.2 3. Secondly There is such a sympathy and conformable working of God's Spirit in the Saints and their hearts answer eachâ— other as Face answers Face in a glass that they are but as one Soul Acts 4.31 yet this amounts not to an absolute but to a charitative at most but to a moral certainty so far as its possible for a man to perceive the gracious estate of another such a certainty yea as great a certainty as is attainable by the forementioned ways from whence it comes touching her happy state â—hath been no stranger to me nor to your self â—either and therefore sith your loss is not comparable to her gain sorrow not immoderatly look through your loss and see her gain beyond it and sorrow not as if you were without hope For if you should this first would â—ewray your ignorance of the blessed estate of God's Children after this life Secondly Such Sorrow is rather for hopeless Heathens than for Christians for Egyptians than for Israelites or â—osephs Gen. 50 3-7 or for Davids when â—hey fear that their Absoloms are dead in an unâ—â—generate estate Thirdly Her Death is no â—bolishing of Nature but a Sleep for a time and Resurrection and an awaking time to eternal Life to be satisfied with Gods likeness is certain wherefore comfort your self with these things â—ll these you have in 1 Thos 4.13 14 c. Psal 17. last Secondly Though your Loss be great yet his may lessen it and give some allay to it that it â— but a loss of her bodily presence for a time you have not lost your Friend but sent her a little before you praemittimus non amittimus saith one he is still your Daughter Abraham's wife is â—alled his wife though dead eight several times â—n the 23. Gen. to note saith Mr Calvin that â—he divorce of death is such that there remains nevertheless some conjunction and there iâ— other thing than the restoring to time tâ—â— maintains and preserves the law of mutual câ—â— junction and neerness to note out saith Parus on the place that death makes not any sâ— divorce betwixt godly Couples and Friends 〈◊〉 that there remains still a blessed conjunction 〈◊〉 twixt them which is founded in the hope of happy Resurrection now is it not better have a Daughter in Heaven than upon Earth Thirdly How can you say that your Loâ—â— great When you have lost nothing that 〈◊〉 your own she was God's first and last bâ— by Creation Redemption Adoption c. 〈◊〉 was never yours only you had the loan of 〈◊〉 God lent you her so many years as she liâ—â— and now He hath call'd for her and taken his own home again And will you be troubâ—â— and grieve and sorrow because he hath senâ— and taken his own home again If a man you any thing for a while will you grieveâ—vex and take on when he sends for it or 〈◊〉 it home again or will you be troubled that was made fitter for God when he call'd foâ— by Death than when you received her 〈◊〉 God at her first breath She received oâ— natural being at her birth but after a spirâ—â— being in the new Birth God making you iâ— mental herein that she might be meet for lowship with her Father in Heaven and partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in â—â—ht Colos 1.12 And are you troubled that â—â—d call'd for his own when fitted for him â—s she so good that she was too good for God â—â—d will you aggravate and greaten your sorrow â—on this account O wonderful For a David 〈◊〉 mourn immoderatly for his Absalom who â—â—bably feared that he was gone to a place of â—â—ment was no wonder at all But for you 〈◊〉 sorrow inordinately for her that is gone to â—aven a place of Pleasure and endless Joy is â—â—y strange and gone to her Father whose â—ughter she was and is none of yours For â—re is no earthly Comfort we enjoy that is our â—â—n only lent us and we are Stewards beâ—sted with it for a while at length God calls 〈◊〉 it again when he pleaseth only Grace when â—en us is our own because its never taken from 〈◊〉 this Seed remains in us till it be perfected Glory Luke 16.12 1 John 3.4 Fourthly Consider that though she be dead â—â—o you yet living even in her body as to God 〈◊〉 before him Luke 20.38 For though death â—â—aks the union betwixt the Soul and Body 〈◊〉 it breaks not the bond of the Covenant beâ—â—een God and her the Covenant is alive â—â—ugh she be dead Matt. 22.31 32. The â—â—tion of God to Abraham was as strong when was dead as when he was alive God is not God of the dead but of the living for all the Saints are alive to him though dead as to us yet they are alive to him as their Souls are alive so their bodies are as living bodies and though rotting in their
taken you into it who were as they are and is especially engaged to your Children by the tenour of his Covenant with you That nothing but their own willful refusal final impenitency obstinacy and infidelity can deprive them of his Salvation Bewail the Sins of any in your Family as if they were your own resist them by Instruction Admonition Reproof and Correction as the case requires and pray earnestly against them Especially teach all under your charge to eschew evil and do good by your own daily Practice and Examples And be sure you engage them and train them up in the constant Duties of Gods sacred Worship and Service Sixthly As Religion is your signal Profession so let your whole Lives in all the natural and civil actions thereof be influenced animated and as it were fermented by it Eat drink work walk â—ake sleep speak and be silent mourn and be merry by the Rules of Religion And let the lustre of it be conspicuous in all â—our civil Converses of Buying Selling Borrowing Lending Giving and Reâ—eiving Let your Principles Grounds Motives â—nd Ends be really religious not carnal â—nd selfish Be true and faithful Just and Upright Sober and Temperate Chast and Modest Courteous and Affable Compassionate and Charitable Meek and Peaceable Innocent and Patient Kind and Helpful Look that your relative Duties to Superiors Inferiors and Equals both in Church and State Rom. 13. 1 to 7. 1 Tim. 2.12 Tit. 3.1 1 Pet. 2.13 to v. 18. be religiously discharged and performed Honour the higher Powers Pray for them fervently pay Tribute willingly And be conscientiously subject in all true Loyalty Let his Majestie 's Eminent Clemency evident so signally in our precious Gospel-Liberty attract and ingage your Affections to him Let your Church-communion be glorious in all the holy Effects of mutual Love Watchfulness and Tenderness And keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace Eph. 4.3 Let the Splendour of Religion in your Conversations evince the Purity 1 Pet. 2.12 and Power of Religion in your Consciences that God may be glorified and men may be edified by you Let none you live neer or meet with lack your possible and seasonable Help for the good of their Souls that need it and will but accept it And Finally Rom. 2.4 my Brethen whilst others despise the Riches of God's Goodness Forbearance and Long-suffering not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth them to Repentance But after their Hardness and impenitent Hearts treasure up unto themselves Wrath against the Day of Wrath and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God Who will render to every man according to his Deeds See that you by patient Continuance in Well-doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality And he will render unto you eternal Life at the End of this temporal Life The least glimps and foretaste whereof how glorious and ravishing it is they can best tell you that have had the Experience Oh! Let Christ and all of Christ his Natures Person Attributes Offices Obedience active Passive Conflicts Conquests Triumphs and Purchases and all of God in Christ be precious unto you for all are yours if you be his Let him be the fat and the sweet the hope and the help and the happiness of your whole life and death whether you live Rom. 14.8 live to him or whether you die die to him which only by holy living and dying you shall do and then whether you live or die you are his Though you can but dye once naturally yet you may dye dayly spiritually i.e. in (a) Phil. 1.21 23. Affection (b) Job 14 14. Expectation (c) Deut. 32.29 Preparation (d) Matth. 26.39 Submission and (e) Ps 31.5 Act. 20.22 23 24. Resignation I leave you to pick out the matter which I have couched in words for you use as concisely as I could that I might not too far transcend the bounds of an Epistle The ensuing Narratives present you with a worthy Example of a dear deceased Viâ—gin-Saint once a Member of your Fellowship now translated into the Celestia-Chore Early living and timely dying iâ— the Lord and to the Lord. Not permitteâ— by him to have other Husband than Himself in greatest mercy doubtless to herself Whilst others sought her He senâ— for her and unexpectedly but not unpreparedly took her from all her Relations and Lovers to marry her in Glory whom Hâ— had espoused in Grace Whose Piety Prudence Gravity Modesty with other Gifâ—â— and Ornaments natural and supernatural were illustrious in her above most of her Age and Sex But I 'le detain you no longer from the Natratives themselves And the seasonable and useful Sermon preached at her Funeral with some prom and Consolatory Letters from several Godly Ministers to her disconsolate Father upon the sad occasion of her Death All which I commend to your diligent perusal and to Gods Blessing thereupon for your Spiritual and Eternal Good I am A servent well-wisher oft your Souls prosperity and your Servant in the Lord for that end The Introduction THe Saints of God most Christian Reader are to be honoured both living dying and after death though not with the honour of Invocation which finds no letter of Command or Direction no letter of Promise or Acceptation no letter of Example or Practice in the whole Word of God but is a reproach to the Saints and a dishonour to God whose Name and incommunicable Title is The God hearing Prayers and therefore to him shall the desires of all flesh come and if all to him then none to Saints yet with the honour of benediction and imitation of their Vertues and Graces They they only are the most magnificent illustrious noble excellent ones in the world Psal 16.3 They are more noble than others Acts 17.11 They are Kings and Priests Rev. 1.6 They are more excellent than their neighbours Prov. 12.26 More excellent in regard of their Descent and Stock as having God for their Father In regard of their Inheritance Heirs of Heaven and Earth 1 Cor. 3.20 21. In regard of their Food they are fed with heavenly Manna they eat Angels food eat the Flesh and drink the Blood of Christ and in regard of their Cloathing their Cloathing being of imbroidered Gold Psal 45.13 They have put on the Wedding-Garment the Garments of Salvation the white Robes of Christs Righteousness the white linnen yea Christ himself Whereas the unjust are men of no name vile persons though never so great Dan. 11.21 To be contemned and despised Psal 15.4 They deserve not the name of men Jerem. 5.1 They are not to be honoured in some Cases so much as with a Look or with a Word or with a Bow 2 King 3 14. Luk. 23.9 Esth 3.2 But the Godly are men of renown they want nothing that can make any truly honorable and noble they are admitted into the King of Heavens Service Servants of the great King Gods Attendants and Courtiers employed in
Use 5. Lastly Is it the great Concernment of all that would be saved to make ready for the Coming â—f Christ Then it would be needful to lay â—own some Directions how to get ready against â—he time of Christ's Coming But the time â—ow calleth me off and therefore I must desist only take this single Direction Think daily of â—he Day of thy Death and the uncertain time â—f Christ's certain Coming and this seriously â—hought on will spur thee on to get ready for is Coming Men too commonly cast off the thoughts of â—eath and of Christ's Coming to Judgment and this maketh them so remiss and careless as â—hat they mind not preparing for a dying Hour â—nd appearing before the Judgment Seat of Christ to give an account of all that they have done in the Body whether it be good 〈◊〉 whether it be evil FINIS In Obitum MARIAE WILSON Filiae Ricardi Wilson Generosi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HEu dolor infandus cur mors saevissimè vitam Amputat innocuam quae sibi culpa fuit Rara fides hujus radiis pietatis amoenis Affulsit vitii nescia vana fugit Omnia sancta petit semper sua facta benigna Omnibus purâ numina mente colit Occubuit morti lacrymarum ex valle revâ—lli Hei mihi virtutis flosculus hic moritur Quòd fecit †Anagram Marie Wilson Crosfieâ—d Flores Deus illos creamine constat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stat sine Morte decus â—mbre rigate genas abiit moriente Mariâ Ipsa arbusta dolent nunc dolor urget idem Dicere si fas est rupes fragore movêre Cùm Phoenix mundi desine Musa perit To Mr. R. W. depressed with grief for the loss of his so vertuous and only Daughter What Mourn excessively under your Cross O Sir Abandon Sorrow though you R Loss I grant be Reall And Of large extent Your only Child Yet know She was but lent A fruitful Plant she Was i' th Field of God But beeing Ripe In Grace now her abode God changed hath for Earth Ly dwellings given A Mansion Large among the Saints in Heaven And yet Do you think hardly Of your God For Sure there 's Mercy latent i N his Rod Then stay your Tears and David-like submit For he who sent the Cross will hallow it Ad pium Lectorem PArdon me Reader if thou judg't unmeet That my rude Muse with her decrepit feet Should thus intrude herself into the Press ' Mongst others to proclaim the worthiness Of this accomplish'd pious Virgin who While here did all her Age and Sex outgo In vertues race and now hath won the Goal Whilst we her friends with tears her loss condole â—hen God to th' world had shown this polisht â—tone â—soon for ends best known to mself alone â—â—mov'd her hence and plac'd her among them â—hat do adorn the New Jerusalem â—e're thou didst converse with her I 've done â—er spiritual worth was obvious as the Sun â—anscendent Love she to the truth did bear â—o pains she spar'd Gods Sacred Word to hear â—nd if this Heavenborn Dorcas thou knewst not â—m all perfection up and she was that â—ut stay my Muse let her good works commend â—er whom I dare not praise because a Friend â—e mute no more with hobling Verses come â—th her blest Life 's her best Encomium Which th' foregoing Narratives exemplifie â—nd will perpetuate her Me mory â—o us who do survive Let 's imitate This Heavenly pattern then and always wait â—he Master's coming lest when 't is too late We cry Lord Lord open to us the Gate â— may we not like Goats at Christ's left hand â—e found oh dreadful but still ready stand With oyled lamps to meet the Lord for he Will surely come to judg both thee and me M. C. Upon the Death of Mrs. Mary Wilsoâ— who was Buried August 4. 1672. HEre lies the first of that name from Cro field Lord grant that place may more such flowâ— yield Her early buds that place did so perfume As tho her Soul had brought it from the Womb. No pains she thought too hard Gods sacred Word hear And when she harrow'd it she water'd it with tear And yet she would complain of her unfruitfulâ—â— Tho she foretold her Death much like a Prophetess Her dying Breath was such as fill'd the eyes â— ears Of her Spectators all with Joys and yet wâ—â— Tears As to her Natural parts her Genius still was such What Learning ere she saw to take 't in was â—â— much Her works behind her left most amply have declar'd That not unlike she may to Dorcas be compar'd She she she was most singly set apart To be the Joy of her poor Parents heart But now she 's gone to her Eternal Rest Amongst the Saints for ever to be blest To all those that love vertue Reader WHen my serious thoughts had reflected upon the Death of so vertuous a Damsel I could not but deplore her Departure and being importuned by her vertues I gave my Pen the priviledg assisting it with the uttermost of my power to compose this Elegious Poem upon her Death which I cannot expect will be consonant to all humors but only to those that love vertue And Reader thou knowing that the tallest Cedars were but Twigs at first I desire thee to let the strength of thy goodness pardon the weakness of him who is thine in what he may Christopher Rickerby An Elegy upon the Death of a vertuous young Damsel Mrs. Mary Wilson late of Cross-field in Cumberland YE grief-supporting Muses here is that Will sublimate your Senses Ask not what But lend assistance soon do not deny For fear I make complaint to Mercury What Are your Heliconian waters spent Or do you stay t' expect a Complement Be not so slow for Sorrow hates delay Oh hear my hasty call and come away I crave your aid lest Melancholy I Ravish'd with what I speak should faint die Times full-mouth'd Herauld will exactly tell How Death hath rambled from his misty Cell And call'd her hence whose never-dying name Gives Golden feathers to the wings of Fame Whilst she enjoy'd the fullness of her breath Her Life was a Preparative for Death It was her whole Delight and Study still To prosecute her great Redeemers Will. Faith Hope and Charity did sweetly rest Within the Councel-Chamber of her Breast Nay in a word the Graces did agree â—o make one happy Soul and this was she Which was a Pattern sent that thou and I And others by her Life might learn to die â—s for her Moral Duties they were such That should I strive I could not speak too much â—er whole delight was alwaies to appear â—t any place where she God's word might hear â—om whence she suckt such wholsome streams that she â—ft got a plaudit for her Memory â—ay she in every thing did so excel That it was hard to find a parallel This same was she within whose tender breast A mighty Magazin
of worth did rest Her comely Carriage to all men might claim A perfect right to a beloved Name Her actions were so just that they may tell She liv'd uprightly and she dy'd-as well Her Love and sweet Society did call â—en thoosand tears t' attend her Funeral And now she 's gone I hope her Soul 's aspir'd so Heavens high Ralace where she sits attir'd With glorious Immortality and sings â—â—elodious Tunes unto the King of Kings Oh there she rests free from the rubs of earth Hugging no Shadow but a real Mirth Where still me thinks I hear her sweetly sing Grave where 's thy power Death where is thy sting Methinks I hear her warbling tongue declare How good her works how great her wonders are Methought I saw in what triumphing state Her soul was led to Heaven's refulgent Gate Where when she came disro'bd of all her Sin The Gates flew open and her Soul flew in There there the Alpha of her joys will never Know an Omega but endure for ever Perhaps some will conclude me wondrous bold When this Elegious Poem they behold It is an Error that my hasty Quill Too rashly stept into against my will I hope 't is venial for in former times Boldness in truths were pardonable crimes Her splendent vertues did importune me To calculate and write this Elegie Of her That now is taking sweet repose In Heaven's eternal bed where none but those Shall sleep that in their Life-times study'd still Their hungry Lamps with precious Oyl to fill Sith thus she liv'd sith thus she dy'd O then Let 's imitate so good a Life And when We hear the sweet Narration of her Death Let 's learn to die Let them that live by breath Examine her brave actions and they 'll find She had true zeal imprinted in her mind Reader As often as report shall send Unto thy ears the Death of such a Friend Wonder not that she 's dead that 's too much wrong But rather wonder that she liv'd so long For Life 's but like a Candle every wind May puff it out and leave a Snuff behind Liue we a Thousand years we do but run Indebt to Nature when those days are done This is most sure our earthen vessels must At last dissolve and turn again to Dust Sic voluere fata Her Epitaph Mortality may here survey A Grave within whose bosome lay Rare Vertue Zeal whilst she had breath Yet quickly was blockt up by death Wholesome streams of rare zeal did rest In the close Chamber of her Breast Like Dorcas she sought to fulfil Sound work for her Redeemer still O but Death came and said thou must Now go dissolve and turn to Dust She is the first that ever came Hither from Cross-field of that name Whose vertuoos Life none will deny Taught Death to live and Life to dye I hope the Alpha of her joys will never Omega know but last for ever Spes mihi magna subit By me Christopher Rickerby School-master of Lazonby For his invaluable Friend Mr. Richard Wilson at Crosfield My Dear and Well-beloved Brother IT shall not be my work at this time to set your wound a bleeding a fresh or to adde weight to your present Affliction But I hope I shall willingly endeavour to heal it and to bear a part of your burthen and to have you upon my heart when I make my Address to God for Mercy and Pardon for mine own Soul And shall beg of God to support your Soul and to be to you instead of all Relations and Comforts which this vain fading perishing and deceitful world can afford you and that Christ may be to you instead of ten Children and give you a Name better than that of Sons and Daughters yea That Christ may be your all in all And I hope the Lord hath taught you not to sorrow as one without hope for she whom you so dearly loved is gone to her dearly Beloved there to dwell for ever where she is freed from Satan Sin and Sorrow all tears being wipt away from her eyes yea she is gone to her Husband Lord and King where she reaps the fruit and comfort of all her Labours and is blessed for So are the dead that die in the Lord Yea She now enjoyes thâ—â— sweet of all her private Retirements in Prayer and Meditation wherein she kept her communion with God in Christ whilst here And she wâ—â— lately shined as a glor ous Star in this Church is now glorified in Heaven she is possessed oâ— those mansions of Glory purchased and prepared by Christ for her Joh. 14.2 and there she 〈◊〉 beholding the Face of God reconciled to heâ— Soul by Christ where she is singing Hallelujahs yea the pure Praises of God and this shall â—â— her work yea rather her delight to all Eternity And then My dear Brother why should noâ— you with David the Child being dead arise and come into the House of the Lord to worship 2 Sam. 12.20 Brother Let me tell you in some sense if I may adventure to speaâ— it you have as much yea more reason to be contented and thankful than David had for your Daughters name was Mary who hath chosen thâ— better part which cannot be taken from her's And O that you were prevailed with willingly and thankfully to bear the indignation of thâ— Lord and to walk humbly with him who killeth and maketh alive who bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up Deut. 32.34 I believe Faith will teach you to kiss a striking Lord and to acknowledg the Soveraignty of aâ—â— angry God in the Death of your only Daughter to be above the power of Mortals who â—lucks up a Flower in its prime and is not to be â—lamed by us for it Our Lord hathpluckt up â—ne of his Roses let us pray that his blessed Will may be done our Lord hath numbred man's months and set him his bounds which â—e cannot pass Job 14.5 I verily believe your Lord hath taught you to lay your hand upon your Mouth but I shall be far from desiring â—ny to make light of such great tryals and losses â—ut rather could wish that every cross were â—ook't in the face seven times and were read â—ver and over again It is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts and speaks something hath some â—â—and and the man of understanding will learn â—o hear and fear the Rod and him that appointed it O try what is the taste of the Lord's Cup and drink the Lord sanctifie it to you â—hat you may grow thereby I trust in God â—hat whatever speech it utter that that is one word in it for you in Job 5.17 Behold blessed the man whom the Lord correcteth and that it is safe for you you are from home while here you are not of this world as your Redeemer was not of this world there is somthing a keeping for you that is worth the looking after All that is here is condemned to dye and to pass away as a
Graves yet he ownâ— them as much as if they were flourâ—shing in Stately Palaces neither can Death break the union between her and Christ this outlive Death Though Death triumph over the natural union of Soul and Body it can never break thâ— mystical union betwixt Christ and a Saint thâ— union betwixt Christ and her Body remains inâ—violable by vertue of which union it shall bâ—raised up again and united to her Soul and then she shall be ever with the Lord. Fifthly Consider that if God should have continued her with you for a long season in that pain and languishing condition which he could and might justly Whether you would not have had greater cause to sorrow and to be trouble with her presence in such pain than now you have for her absence in her freedome from it These things seriously considered and laid 〈◊〉 heart I should think might keep you from to much sorrow and trouble for your loss 3. As to Third viz. Your Sins which yâ—â— may possibly judg to have had an hand in this prâ—â—sent sad stroke to this I would say as follows First If this Afflictive Providence be for your gain and advantage that survive and remaiâ— alive and for hers that is deceased then yoâ— have no great cause to be troubled any further â—â—an as it may make the present Dispensation an advantage to you Now that it will be for her bod and great advantage you have no cause in â—e least to scruple or at all to suspect or question her Soul is in Paradise in Abraham's boâ—â—me and for her Body God hath rock't it â—leep and laid it in a bed where it shall rest and sleep till it awake to eternal Life Isa 57.2 and it will also be for your advantage for hereby you will be brought to search out and 〈◊〉 see those sins which lay latent and you saw 〈◊〉 before and to be sensible of them so as to have recourse to Christ for Remission and will not this be your gain Besides it will be as a â—ean to help you to avoid running upon the â—â—e rocks for the future so that hereby sins past â—ill be pardoned and for the future falling â—â—to them prevented which will be exceeding â—â—od for you and great advantage to you Secondly Consider that God threatned to lay very heavy stroke upon Eli and his Posterity or ever and actually executed the threatning and that for his Sin 1 Sam. 3.13 and yet see â—ow patiently he takes it and quietly submits 〈◊〉 his Will It 's the Lord saith he let him do that seems him good 1 Sam. 3.18 Do you laâ—our to be of the same frame quiet your self unâ—er the present sad Dispensation and freely â—bmit to his Will and that you may be moved â—ereunto let these things following be as inducements First Death is appointed for all It 's appointed once for all to die Heb. 9.27 We were all born to die it 's inevitable none can avoiâ— it none escapes it and therfore folly for a man to grieve for it or at it Secondly The time when every one shall diâ— is appointed All the days of my appointed tim will I wait saith Job ch 14.14 The bounds are seâ— over which none can pass v. 5. And is there nâ—â— an appoinâ—ed time to man upon earth Job 7.1 Thirdly The Saints have quieted themselve under sad Providences and quietly submitted because 't was the Lord that was the Author and Orderer of them Thus Aaron when his sorâ—â— were devoured by fire from Heaven held hâ—â— peace Levit. 10.3 Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 Hâ— zekiah 2 Kin. 20.19 when his Sons were take away laies Good is the word of the Lord. Thuâ— David 2 Sam. 15.25 26. and in Psal 39.9 was dumb because thou didst it And Christ him self Mat. 26.39 Not my will but thy Will â—â—done So should you endeavour to say and doâ— sith God hath not only appointed Death and the time thereof but laies on the stroke himself whatever be the meritorious cause or means by which is is done Fourthly It 's your Duty to quiet your selâ— and freely to submit to his Will For First 1. The Will of God is a Soveraign Will Hâ— hath absolute and unaccountable Dominion over his creatures as the Potter hath power over his â—lay I may say here as the Apostle in another case Who art thou that repliest against God Roman 9 20 21. It 's an uncreature-like temper to maintain reluctancy against the will of God 2. His Will is a most righteous Will the Lord never wills or doth any thing wherein he swerves from the rule of Righteousness or wrongs the creature in the least Job 34.23 Jer. 12.1 Righteous art thou O Lord. Non-subjection therefore to the Will of God must needs be an â—â—nrighteous thing 3. Gods Will is an Holy Will He wills nothing but in greatest Holiness neither doth He do any thing wherein he swerves from the rule of Holiness He is holy in all his works Psal 145.17 Habbak 1.13 14. 4. It 's a Will in conjunction with greatest Wisdome proceeding in all things according to wisest Counsels doing all things in truest order manner season and beauty In wisdome he made all things Prov. 3.19 20. He orders all things according to the counsel of his will Ephes 1.11 and makes every thing beautiful in its time Eccles 3.11 And though we do not know now yet we shall afterwards the beauty of all his Providences therefore 't is perverse folly to repine at his Will 5. To the Saints it is a gracious Will whatever the outside of any Providence may be Mercy is the inside to them Mercy is the Soul what ever the Body of it may be All his waies 〈◊〉 mercy to his Psal 25.10 All Providences woâ—â— together for good to those that love him Rom. 8 2â— Even those afflictive Dispensations towards his Children that proceed from Gods Fatherly diâ—â— pleasure and from Sin as the procuring cause the rise and principle is Love and the desigâ—â— and end their good Due chastisement given tâ— a Child by his Father is an argument that 〈◊〉 loves him a Father loves his Child when he corrects him yea when the correction proceed from fatherly displeasure for a Father neveâ— corrects his Child hut when he is displeased with him As a man so God may be much displease with and much love the same person at the same time And as it is your Duty to quiet your heart and freely to submit to his Will so also its youâ— Duty to bless God though the providential Dâ—spensation be sad There are many cogent Arguâ—ments to move you to it 1. You came naked into the world without a Daughter or any thing else and naked you shall return again this was one Argument that moved Job to bless God Job 1.21 22. 2. It s the Lord that hath taken away therefore bless the Lord as Job did Job 1.21 3. God's Will is done and fulfilled and youâ— Prayers are answered You prayed that
them in time by past 't is possible you do not now perceive but I hope you shall afterwards to the bringing forth of the peaceable fruits of righteousness as Christ and one of his Apostles speak in another case John 13.7 Hebr. 21.11 And it s no wonder that you so earnestly desir some assistance and succour for your support sith the present Providential Dispensation toward you is sad and you in much sorrow and heavâ—ness because of it and in a sad condition under it though good old Mr. Dod saith That nâ— man is in a sad condition but he that hath a hard heart and cannot pray But I will suppose that your condition is sad enough all thing considered and that you are very sad and soâ— rowful in and under 〈◊〉 and it may arise from one or all of these three following things First The Remembrance of the no small commodity and comfort both bodily and spiritual that your enjoyed by her sweet company and comfortable and profitable communion with her Secondly Your irrecoverable loss of her as to her bodily presence in this world and consequently your deprivation of partaking of the like profit and comfort from her for the future Thirdly Your former and present Sins which possibly you may apprehend to have had an hand in this sad and sudden stroke that is now fallen upon you But that neither of these asunder nor all conjoyned are ground sufficient for such Sadness and Sorrow that you seem to be affected and afflicted with and to labour under I shall now come to demonstrate First As to the former Profit and Comfort you did partake of through her presence 1. Consider that you are more bound to bless God for what you have already enjoyed this way and in this regard than to be burthened with or troubled for the present sensible want of it As God sets the day of Prosperity over against the day of Adversity as Solomon speaks Eccless 7.14 So should you set the former prosperous days you had with her over against the present adverse days you have now in the want of her and then you will soon see that there is no comparison betwixt the one and the other and that you have no such cause to be so afflicted with the present want of it as to hinder you from or in blessing God for the former enjoyment And if Epicures could satisfie and comfort themselves in their greatest dejections Ex praeteritarum voluptatum recordatione through the thoughts of former pleasures that had affected their Sense How much more may you comfort your self in the remembrance oâ— the pleasure profit and comfort that you had by the almost twenty years enjoyment of her and through the thoughts of it be raised up to blesâ— God for it as Joseph did for the last Seventeen years enjoyment of his dear father And as Joh did when his Children were taken away by death whom the Lord had given him to enjoy so long and as Saint Jerome did Lord saith he thou hast taken away my father whom thou gavest I am not sad because thou hast received him but I give thanks to thee because thou gavest him you have cause and ground enough to go and do the like 2. Consider that by drawing near to God acting faith upon him by living by Faith you may enjoy all that profit comfort and counsel in a larger and fuller manner and measure that you ever did in and by her presence She was but the instrument by which but God the principal Agent who can comfort without her as well as with her the comforts you had we not from her but from God by her 2 Cor. 7. â— Comforted us by Titus he was a good man and â—rought good tydings yet he doth not say that Titus did comfort them but God comforted them â—y his coming 'T is not your Friend or Relation that comforts you but God by them She was but â—he stream He the Fountain she was but a â—reature He the Creator she was but the vessel through which it was poured He the Ocean of â—ll good and comfort 2 Cor. 1.3 4. And inâ—eed God often deprives us of precious means â—nd instruments of good and comfort that we â—ight come to Him and enjoy it all in Him That we might see that it was neither in nor â—ame from the creature but that it was in and â—ame from himself alone where you may find â— for seeking And go with your bucket of â—aith to this Fountain to sill your Soul full of â—ll Comforts And surely it is your happiness as well as of all the People of God that all comâ—â—rt is in his hand and at his disposing conâ—â—dering his nature that makes him willing and â—â—ady to relieve and comfort you his Relation â—â— you he is your Father And will a Father â—t his Child lye comfortless when he can help â—im His Omniscience knows where your shoe brings He knows what comfort you want He â—es your afflictions I have seen I have seen â—â—e Afflictions of my People Israel Exod. 3.7 â—â—e knows what you need Mat. 6.32 His â—mnipresence you are ever within his reach He can lay his hand upon every joint where you are pained and put a Plaister on every wound His Omnipotence He is able to comfort there is nothing too hard for him to do He can command yea create Comforts Commit therefore the keeping of your all to him as unto a faithful Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 Secondly As to your great and irrecoverable loss of her I will not say as you unparallel'd loss for it doth not at all run parallel with somes loss witness Job 's and Elie 's but I will suppose the loss very great as indeed it is Yet First Consider together with your loss her gain oppose her present gain to your present loss you have lost a good Daughter she hath got a better Father and Mother she iâ— gone to God her Father and to Jerusalem above which is her Mother which is a greater gain tâ— her than your loss is a loss to you You have lost a Daughter that was mortal and was boâ—â— to die she hath got a Father that is Immortaâ— that shall never die You have lost her bodily presence she enjoyes the presence of God Christ his Spirit Angels and the Spirits of just one made perfect Your loss is but temporal hâ—â— gain is eternal Your loss is but earthly hâ—â— gain is heavenly Your loss is but a bodily loss her gain is Spiritual Yours was but the loss â— her Graces as to the actings of them among you her gain is Glory She is gone from thâ— Valley of Achor of Bacah and Bochim from Trouble Tears and Mourning to the Valley of Berachah to the Valley of Blessing and Praise to fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore where all tears shall be wip'd away from her eyes where is no more Death or Sorrow or crying or pain she is freed from the body of Sin and