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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	body_n	soul_n	suffer_v	12,447	5	6.7408	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02734	The christian life and death, of Mistris Katherin Brettergh late wife of Master William Brettergh, of Bretterghoult, in the countie of Lancaster gentleman. With the manner of a bitter conflict shee had with Satan, and blessed conquest by Christ, before her death, to the great glory of God, and comfort of all beholders.	Harrison, William, d. 1625.	1634 (1634)	STC 12865; ESTC S117327	20,842	26

them and the terrors of the almighty have fought against them They haue had no peace in their soules nor comfort in their consciences their prayers have beene shut from God their sinnes haue beene terrible vnto them crying that their iniquities had gone ouer their heads and were a burden too heavy for them to beare And they have thought themselues spectacles of shame and reproch and as monsters vnto men They were grieved for the sinnes of their parents and complained that they were desolate forsaken and most miserable and wretched in the world yet for all this were they still the deare children of God as you are this day Nay saith hee I pray you consider what corments God inflicted vpon his deare Sonne on the Crosse did hee not cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He complained that his soule was heavie vnto death yet was he heard in that which he feared and God deliuered him After this hee read vnto her the 22. Psalme wherein Dauid complained partly of his owne but principally of the most bitter anguish which our Sauiour Christ endured and suffered in body and soule putting her in minde that her case was not so bad as Davids not much vnlike our Sauiours who endured all that and more for her and therefore she had no cause to feare seeing Christ had obtained victory and would vndoubtedly bee with her deliuer her and eternally glorifie her with himselfe for euermore and so continually hee propounded to her such comfortable places of Scripture as might meete with her infirmities This greatly refreshed her and gaue her occasion many times to call vpon God for increase of grace and deliuerance from her grieuous temptations The which God of his accustomed goodnesse vouchsafed on Tuesday about three a clocke in the afternoone what time shee felt her selfe in very good measure deliuered from all her former feares and afflictions But on Saturday next after which was the day before her death shee was wholly released and filled with such inward comfort that it greatly affected vs that saw it This is the summe of that temptation which she had wherein what can any man see that might giue iust occasion to report our religion comfortlesse or the Gentlewoman died despairing This we are sure of that to be without temptation is the greatest temptation as also that nothing ●esell her which hath not befallen the holiest of the children of God And shee that considered her owne corruption which how great it is in the best of Gods Saints I need not say and bethought her selfe of the punishment due thereunto if God in iustice should reward her no maruell if she brake out sometime into heauie complaints I make no question it was the worke of God in her to suffer Satan to accuse her and afflict her for her sinnes that so shee might the better see them and consider the ha●nousnesse of them and before her departure repent her of them and betake her wholly to Christ for the sauing of her soule And if it pleased God thus to make her possesse her sins before she died let those which neuer yet knew the weight of their sinnes 〈…〉 e wise in time and remember that hee shall neuer haue his sinne forgiuen which first or last doth not vndergoe a holy despaire for it and acknowledge nothing to remaine in himselfe but matter of iudgement and condemnation and comfort and eternall life to flow alone from Iesus Christ. And as for those which haue learned to scoffe at the terrors of Gods children and to censure such as are at sometimes cast downe with feeling the anger of God against sinne let them consider the blessed issue that God gaue to the troubles of this Gentlewoman and let them acknowledge his worke in her And if they will not doe this but proceed to traduce the dead then let them call to minde those of the Popish crue and persons of greater note among them than this Gentlewoman was which haue died most fearefully indeed Cardinall Sadelot Iacobus Latomus the Diuinity Reader at Louaine Ho●mester the Frier Guarlacus Bom●lius Crescentius the Cardinall Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester and diuers the bloudy persecutors in Queene Maries time and some of the Popes themselues as namely Pope Six●us Quintus of late yeeres all which died most fearefully and miserably and shewed manifest signes at their death that their popish superstition was the condemnation of their soules And if they will iudge of my religion by my death let them acknowledge their religion is the doctrine of desperation and that the truth and faith which was able to fill the heart and to●●ue of this blessed Gentlewoman at her death with such heauenly comforts is the doctrine of Christ reuealed from heauen that wee might liue and dye in it From Tuesday till Whitson euen her comfort still increased and temptations banished away Shee would th●● very chearefully ioyne with the company in prayer and singing Psalmes as occasion offered and performed all such duties as was meet fo● her in that estate One day her brother Master Iohn Breuen of Breuenstapleford came from his house in Cheshire to visit her and after some kinde salutation passed betweene them hee said vnto her Sister be not dismaied at your troubles but remember what the Apostle saith that iudgement must begin at the house of God To whom shee answered as one that was also very readie in the Scriptures with the very next words following True it is and if it begin at us and the righteous shall scarce be saued where shall the sinners and vngodly appeare After that she prayed with him and sung a Psalme with him as one that receiued great comfort by him and acknowledged in him a heart set to seeke the things belonging to the Kingdome of Christ. During this time in the night with such as waked with her shee would pray and rehearse for her comfort many texts of Scripture and namely the 8. to the Romans many times concluding and closing vp that she read or repeated with prayer and most comfortable bles and applications thereof to her selfe with shew of such ioy and comfort that the hearers reioyced at it When she receiued any meate shee prayed God not onely to sanctifie those creatures for her bodily sustenance but also to fill her soule with the waters of life often repeating that of the Reuelation To him that thirsteth will I giue of the waters of life freely One time she tooke her Bible in her hand and ioyfully kissing it and looking vp toward Heauen she said that of the Psalme O Lord it is good for mee that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes The law of thy mouth is better to mee than thousands of gold and siluer Another time shee called her husband to her and said O Husband beware of Papistry keepe your selfe holy before the Lord Yeeld not to the abomination of the wicked lest they reioyce and

me but blessed blessed blessed bee the Lord my God who hath not le●t me comfortlesse but like a good shepheard hath he brought mee into a place of rest euen to the sweet running waters of life that flow out of the Sanctuary of God and he hath lead me into the greene pastures where I am fed and exceedingly comforted yea hee hath restored my soule and lead me into the plaine and easie paths of righteousnesse The way that now I goe in is a sweet and easie way strowed with flowers and as a fine sandie way yea it is more easie and soft than the sand for I goe and tread vpon wheat euen vpon the finest flower of wheate Oh blessed be the Lord O blessed be the Lord that hath thus comforted me and hath brought me now to a place more sweet vnto me than the Garden of Eden Oh the ioy the ioy the delight some ioy that I feele Oh how wonderfull how wonderfull how wonderfull is this ioy O praise the Lord for his mercies and for this ioy which my soule feeleth full well praise his name for euermore And these praises of God she soundeth foorth like Dauids harmonie being indued with Dauids spirit to the praise of the eternall and mercifull God continuing all night in such like prayers and prayses to God except some small time that shee was silent and quiet Master Harrison prayed twice with her that euening as also in the morning being Whitsunday After hee had prayed once with her going then toward his publike charge shee sent for him to pray once more with her before he went which he did to the ioy and gladnesse of heart both of her and all that were present and so hee tooke leaue of her and departed Another faithfull man or two came presently in the morning and diuers other well affected who were with her at the time of her death and often prayed with her that forenoone shee still abounding in spirituall comforts and consolations sometimes as one awaking out of sleepe she would say the Lord was her keeper and deliuerer Againe one saying vnto her the Lord blesse you Yea said she and the Lord Iesus blesse vs all And so seeming to sleepe a little while and awaking againe shee said Lord I trust in thee haue mercy vpon me giue me strength to praise thee defend and preserue me in the houre of tentation and lay no more vpon mee than thou wil● enable me to beare Afterwards being asked if shee would haue them ioyne in prayer together againe with her O yes said shee for Christs sake I desire it saying thus to her selfe Heare O Lord and haue mercy vpon me Lord bee thou my helper thou hast loosed my sacke and girded me with gladnesse therefore will I praise thee O Lord my God I will giue thanks to thee for euermore With that all that were present did ioyne in prayer with her and in conclusion ●sing the Lords prayer which she said with them to thine is thy kingdome her strength then being gone her tongue failed her and so shee lay silent for a while euery one iudgeing her then to be neere death her strength and speech failing her yet after a while lifting vp her eyes with a sweet countenance and still voyce said My warfare is accomplished and my iniquities are pardoned Lord whom haue I in Heauen but thee and I haue none in earth but thee my flesh faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer He that preserueth Iacob and defendeth his Israel he is my God and will guide me vnto death guide mee O Lord my God and suffer me not to faint but keepe my soule in safetie And with that she presently fell asleepe in the Lord passing away in peace without any motion of body at all and so yeelded vp the Ghost a sweet Sabbaths sacrifice about foure of the clocke in the afternoone on Whitesunday being the last of May 1601. This was the death of that vertuous Gentlewoman happily dying in the Lord and reaping the benefit of a holy profession wherein wee cannot but acknowledge and reuerence the mercie of God who in our greatest infirmitie makes his grace to shine most clearely A sure testimony of the truth of our profession seruing to incourage vs therein and to moue vs to a godly life It must 〈◊〉 be a diuine Religion and a truth comming from God that thus can 〈◊〉 the heart and mouth of a weake woman at the time of death with such admirable comfort And a wretched conceit and me●re Antichristian is that religion which so hateth and persecuteth this faith which is thus able to leade the true-hearted professors thereof with such vnspeakable peace vnto their graues Her funerall was accomplished at Childwall Church on Wednesday following being the third of Iune 1601. And now for conclusion seeing this blessed Gentlewoman is taken from among vs and receiued into the holy habitations of the heauenly Jerusalem there to remaine in ioy glory and blessednesse for euermore let vs lament for our losse but reioyce for her gaine and let vs pray that in heare wee could as willingly wish to bee with her as she is now vnwilling to be with vs. Salomon saith The memory of the iust shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot Prou. 10. 7. FINIS 2 Sam. 18. 19 20. Gen. 37. 3. 1 Sa. 30. 4. Ioh. 1● 19. Nazianz. Monod Ba●ilii Ier. 9. 〈◊〉 Psal. 11. 2. Mat. 16. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. Stapleford Gen. 34. 1. ●●a 1. 9 1● Psal. 84. 10. 2 Ki. 22. 19. Psal. 16. 3. Heb. 11. 25. 2 Tim. 3. 6 7. Act. 17 11 12. Anna Brettergh Ps. 120. 5. * Iohn Wright into●●squier Richard Orme Raph Heaton c. and many 〈◊〉 Mat. 5. 44. Iob. 1. 5. Gen. 33. 3 4. 1 Sam. 14. 17 18. Ge. 24. 63. Exo. 13. 13. Psal. 16. 4. Ephes. 5. 3. Iudg. 6. 31 32. Eccles. 4. 25. 28. Phil. 2. 20. 〈◊〉 D●● ●●01 Isai. 54. 〈◊〉 May 23. May 25. M. William Brettergh Master Will. Fox M. Edward Aspinwall M. Iohn Brettergh Mistris Ma●d Brettergh Mistris Scholastica Fox William Woodward Elizabeth Challoner Will. Fox Mark 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cor. 8. 12. William Brettergh Iohn Brettergh Edward Aspinwall William Woodwaad Isai. 40. 1 2. 28. 29 30 31. Isai. 41. 8 9 10. 13. 14. 17. 18. Isai. 4● 1. 8. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 13. 14. 15. 16. Isai. 43. 1. 2. 5. 15. Mat. 11. 28. Iob 31. c. Ier. 20. 14. Iob 6. 4. 8. 9. Iob. 16. 9. Lament 3. c. Psal. 6. 3. Psal. 38. 4. c. Psal. 71. 7. Psal. 77. 1. 7. c. Psal. 51. 5. Psal. 102. 〈◊〉 c. Rom. 7. 24. Mat. 27. 46. Mat. 26. 38. Hob. 5. 7. May ●6 Fox Act● and Mon. p. 1●04 61. pag. 19●8 * Francis the Monke one of the ten popish persons conuerted in France An. Dom. 1601. See Hasen Miller historia Ies●itica who sets downe certaine examples of the Iesuites to this purpose Iohn Bruen Esquire William Brettergh Will. ●o● Iohn Brettergh William Woodward Iohn Holland Maud Brettergh Scholastica Fox 1 Pet. 4. 17. 18. Iohn Holland William Brettergh William Woodward * Richard Orme Iohn Holland William Brettergh Will. Woodword Will. Fo● Reuel 21. 6 William Brettergh Will. Fox Psal. 119. 71. 72. William Brettergh M 〈…〉 Brettergh William Brettergh 〈◊〉 8. 15. Will. Fox Maij 30. William Brettergh Maud Brettergh Elizabeth Challoner Psal. 107. 8 9. ●●ai ●7 1. Psalm 103. 1 〈◊〉 3 4. Psal. 144. 3. Psal. 8. 4. Isai. 54. 8. Psalm 16. 5. 9. 11. Iudg. 5. 3. Psal. 16. 6. Exo. 30. ●3 R●vel 8. 4. M. William Fox William Brettergh Will. Fox Will. Woodward Will. Fox Psal. 27. 1 3 Deut. 4. 31. Psal. 27. 13. Psal. 108. 1. Psal. ●2 1 2 William Brettergh Cant. 1. 1. Will. Fox Psal. ●7 8. 9. William Brettergh Psal. 31. 5. William Woodward Mat. 11. 25 William Fox Psal. 139. 1● William Brettergh Iob 19. ●5 ●6 ●7 M. William Harrison William Brettergh Will. Fox Iohn Brettergh William Woodward Psalm 23. 2. 3. Psal. 147. 14. William Brettergh William Woodward M. Edward Aspinwall Will. Fox William Brettergh Iohn Brettergh William Woodward Mistris Maud Brettergh Mistris Scholastica Fox Elizabeth Challoner and diuers mo● Psalm 30. 10 11 12. Isai. 40. 〈◊〉 Psalm 73. 25. 26.

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AND DEATH OF MISTRIS KATHERIN BRETTERGH LATE wife of Master WILLIAM BRETTERGH of Bretterghoult in the Countie of Lancaster Gentleman With the manner of a bitter conflict shee had with Satan and blessed conquest by CHRIST before her death to the great glory of God and comfort of all beholders MICHA 7. 8. Reioyce not against me O mine enemies though I fall I shall rise againe And when I sit in darkenesse the Lord shall be a light vnto me PSALM 37. 37. Marke the vpright man and behold the iust for the end of that man is peace LONDON Imprinted by FELIX KYNGSTON 1634. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER grace and peace in IESVS CHRIST VVHen Achimaaz the sonne of Zadoc requested that he might be the messenger to bring Dauid word of Absoloms death Ioab would not suffer him Thou shall not saith he be the messenger to day but thou shalt carry newes another time but to day thou shalt carry none for the Kings sonne is dead He knew Dauids affection was such that the newes of his childes death would bee most heauie to him and the messenger himselfe not welcome for his message sake This is all our infirmity no tidings more grieuous to us then when wee heare of the death of those whom wee loue The Parent bewailes his Childe the Husband his Wife the Friend laments the death of his Friend and wee thinke it the losse of another friend to depart with this our griefe Iacob mourned for Ioseph his sonne that hee would not bee comforted of a long season but thought hee would weepe for him as long as he liued When the Amalekites had burned Ziklag and led away captiue the mens wiues and their children Dauid and his campany wept till they could weepe no more When Lazarus died his sisters Martha and Mary were much discomforted for him So heauie a thing wee see it is to bee seuered for a time from those that are deare vnto us One onely thing there is which is able in this case much to temper our affections when we see our friend to die in the Lord that is in comfort of conscience and assurance of saluation through Christ. This blessed departure God giues to many for diuers good purposes First that the world may know that peace is the end of the iust and comfort in death is the portion of the righteous Secondly That his eternall truth in our holy profession may appeare to bee able to comfort us not only in our life but in our death also when all other comforts forsake vs. Thirdly that our enemies may see our faith is not in vaine Fourthly that the weake by their example may be encouraged to a holy life when they see it bring with it so happy a death and that they may be strengthened against the feare of death seeing it is alwayes comfortable to those that lead a godly life Fifthly and finally that the friends of the departed by their heauenly departure may be admonished not to mourne so much for their death as to reioyce for their life and to thanke God that euer it was their lot in any degree to be ioyned or matched with so blessed seruants of God This Gentlewoman Mistresse Katherine Brettergh was one of this number her life as long as God continued it was deere to those among whom she was as the life of a friend might be Her husband friends kinsfolks brethren sisters and all the godly that knew her enioyed a great blessing of God of her and her death no doubt was grievous to her husband as the death of a vertuous yokefellow This is the thing I thought with profit might bee presented to the view of other also that knew her not for when I had for my owne priuate vse and the vse of my friends faithfully collected out of the fresh memories of those that were present and eie-witnesses as well as my selfe and set downe the manner of her sicknesse and death I considered that the knowledge thereof could not but bee welcome to all those that desire to dye the death of the righteous And so the same causes that moued me to collect it gaue mee also occasion to publish it I remembred the saying of one That it is is great piety to set forth the vertues of the departed if they haue excelled therein yea it is a meanes to encrease grace in our selues I thought so great mercie of God shewed to one among vs ought not to be forgotten but should remaine to us and our children an example to teach vs how good God is to them that loue him and to assure vs that he will neuer forsake vs but in like manner as he did her helpe and comfort vs when we shall by death be called vnto him I considered the vngodly and vncharitable tongues of the Papists abiding in our Country who since her death haue not ceased to giue it out that she died despairing and by her comfortlesse end shewed that she professed a comfortlesse Religion Wherein they bewray their malice and madnesse and shew themselues of what generation they are euen a people saith Ieremie which bend their tongues like bowes for lies and as Dauid saith make ready their arrowes to shoot at them which are vpright in heart And lastly when I remembred the censure giuen by our Sauiour Christ of the woman that powred costly oyntment on his head a little before his Passion though some of his Disciples vniustly blamed her for the same saying What needed this wast yet he himselfe did not only excuse her for that fact saying shee did it to bury him but also commanded that wheresoeuer the Gospell should bee preached throughout the world there also that which shee had done should bee spoken of for a memoriall of her Euen so seeing this vertuous Gentlewoman hath been vniustly accused by some popish persons I thought it ●it that she should not onely be iustly excused but also that a true history of her holy life and Christian death should be now published in print as a briefe history to be seene and read for a memoriall of her I had no other odours wherewith to embalme her I am but the penman the thing it selfe was her owne wrought in her by the spirit of diuine prouidence the which God grant that we may all imitate Amen The holie Life and Christian Death of Mistris KATHERIN BRETTERGH THis Gentlewoman was borne in Cheshire the daughter of Iohn Breuen of Breuenstapleford Esquire well descended and of an ancient House Her education before her mariage was such as became the profession of the Gospell in godlinesse and purity of life and Religion and well beseemed the house where shee was brought up The Scriptures shee knew from a childe and by reading thereof gained such knowledge that shee was able readily to apply them when occasson was offered as we may see at the time of her death and that so fitly and effectually that shee seemed

wretched a forsaken woman and such like pitifull complaints against her selfe with teares continually trickling from her eyes She complained of grieuous thirst such as all the water in the sea could not quench and yet when drinke was giuen her sometimes refused it sometimes tooke a very little of it sw●at burst out vpon her exceedingly and sometime her body burned extreamely So it seemed the sorrowes of death hemm'd her in and the griefes of hell laid hold vpon her Sometimes she was very dull in prayer and once when shee should haue said Leade vs not into tentation shee made a stop saying I may not pray I may not pray being interrupted as she said by Satan and so shewed much discomfort howbeit she was not ●●fe till ●●e could both pray and make confession of her faith with speciall application to her selfe Besides these ●●ry darts of Satan she was once or twice troubled with vaine speeches as of her childe the killing of her husbands cattell that shee thought shee saw a ●●re by her c. But euery one saw that these things proceeded of weaknesse emptinesse of her head and want of sleepe which her disease would not affoord her These ●its though they were for the time grieuous to her selfe and discomfortable to her friends yet were they neither long nor continuall but in the very middest of them would shee oftentim●● giue testimony of her faith striuing and fighting against her tentations Many times when the ●landers by iudged her afflictions at the sharpest would shee call vpon God lifting vp her eyes and hands to heauen and desire him to giue her strength against her tentations Many times with a cheerefull countenance she would desire those that were by not to faint or to giue her ouer but constantly to pray and helpe her against the tempter Once in the midd'st of her tentation being demanded by Master William Fox whether she did beleeue the promises of God or no and whether she could pray she answered O that I could I would willingly but hee will not let me Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeleefe which she pronounced with a still voyce And when he replied that if she had a desire to pray and beleeue she did pray and beleeue and that so effectually that hell gates should not ouercome her according to that of the Apostle God accepteth it according to that a man hath not according to that a man hath not she was much comforted thereby Once after a great conflict with Satan she said Satan reason not with me I am but a weake woman if thou haue any thing to say say it to my Christ he is my advocate my strength and my redeemer and he shall pleade for me Sometimes when she was afflicted with the accusation of her sinnes and want of feeling Gods mercy she would with many a pitifull sob and much weeping pray to the Lord Iesus Christ to helpe and comfort her a poore wofull distressed woman and requested others to pray for her And when shee was mooued to make confession of her faith she would doe it oftentimes saying the Apostles Creed and concluding the same with words of application to her selfe I beleeue the remission of my sinnes the resurrection of my body and eternall life to me Amen And hauing done shee would pray God to confirme her in that ●aith euer concluding with the Lords prayer as deuoutly and reuerently as any that were present A Christian friend who by his dayly attendance on her discharged the duty of a faithfull Christian standing by told her that no tentation had be fallen her but that which appertained to the childe of God and that God is faithfull and true and had promised to giue an issue with the tentation whereas she expressed great comfort Master Edward Aspinwall a faithfull professour of the truth and a true Israeli●e was much with her in the time of her sicknesse and ministred much heauenly instruction vnto her and comforted her at all times with apt places of Scripture meeting with her temptations and so put the sword of the spirit into her hand He propounded to her the most plentifull comforts of God vnto his Church in the 40 41 42 and 43. Chapters of Isaiah vttered in such speeches and phrases a● might most fitly answere her discomforts Also he directed her to consider the Passion and Prayer of our Sauiour Christ for all his Iohn 17. Matth. 26. Luke 22. 23. But especiall did hee often i●culcate that sweet inuitation of our Sauiour Come vnto me all you that trauell and be heauy laden I will ●ase you But the difficulty she had sometimes to apply these generals vnto her owne soule in particular made the ease more full of anguish to her felfe and fearefull and lamentable to the standers by Albeit shee acknowledged Gods Maiesty mercy faithfulnesse and truth yet still complained she of her owne weaknesse and vnworthinesse and could hardly appropriate each thing to her selfe To helpe her somewhat herein for properly otherwise it is the peculiar worke of the holy Spirit of God to perswade the heart and soule of her particular interest in these generall promises she was told that the Almighty who was mercifull as she had proued and faithfull as she confessed intended all these mercies to as many as hee did call and make promise to And that hee called her shee must needes confesse both because that then shee not onely her selfe read but hard others reade those blessed words of God vnto her and also for that in former times she had been touched with the loue of God and that his truth and had well profited in the detestation of sinne and imitation of her Sauiour in a holy life And for the proofe thereof shee was wished to remember in former times her Baptisme her frequenting of Sermons and often receiuing the most comfortable repast of the holy Communion her dayly and almost continuall exercise of reading meditating and praying c. Also hee assured her that neither the present agony she was in nor the speeches th●n in that distresse tending to the signification of despaire extorted from her were any iust causes why either she or any that heard her should iudge fearefully of her because all might see the fault was not in her will as appeared by her prayers confessions plaints sighs teares and grones to God for mercie and full assurance in the blood of Christ but in her iudgement not able at that time to discerne the wayes of the Almighty And therein he told her she was made conformable not onely to many the holy Saints of God Iob Ieremy Dauid and others more but also to her head our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus of whom wee reade that some have cursed the day of their birth and called for their end and darknesse to couer them They haue beene as men without hope and swallowed vp in despaire They haue cried how the wrath of God hath torne