âââding of ãâã Sâriâtuâes ãâã meâitââion for private performances what shall I say for reading the Scriptures from the first unto the last she was a constant dayly reader of Gods Word And for that same duty of Meditation oh that too much neglected duty it was her constant course one or twice a day to run over what she had heard on the Lords-Day even on the weeke day and I my self have seen her many a time retire her self to walk in a place commonly called the Garth or in some other place in a speciall manner I am perswaded for this very end to presse upon her soule in secret what she had heard in publique And for that of prayer her constant course was to pray by her self three or foure Iâ prayer times constantly every day beside her constant joyning in the family duties And here now if you please let me bring in her death because when she was closing with God in that duty then the Lord concerning her present Death was pleased in a speciall manner to draw neer unto her this you must know that it is one thing to die suddently another thing to die presently or quickly Suddennesse is this when a man never thought on the matter before nor prepared for the matter before but presentnesse or speedinesse may come on a person that is fitted and prepared therefore let me say two things concerning this First for her preparation for Her preparation for Death death and her thoughts and speeches of death it was very much and they were very many and frequent nay the very last day that ever shee lived here on earth even at Noone in discoursing with others to this purpose she said unto her husband Husband you are not like to enjoy me long some replyes being made unto her shee returned this answer But no man knows so much by me as I do by my selfe and this was about eight houâs before her death thus her thoughts were running upon it and no doubt still she was preparing for it and she hath said unto me and others that shee was verily perswaded she should die this kind of death because it seems both her Father and her sister before her dyed so Yet you must remember the distinction that even now we gave you There is a twofold A twofold suddennesâ in dying suddennesse one in respect of preparation and another in regard of time the former was not to her the latter was to make this distinction plain to you It may be you are indebted to a man an 100. pounds and there is no day set for the payment of it hee may come when he pleaseth well say you Sir come when you will your money shall be ready for you you lay the 100. pounds by you in a readinesse because you do not know certainly when he will come it may be such a day he comes and hee knocks at your doores and calls for the hundred pounds you may say now his comming is sudden and not suddain in respect of preparation it is not suddain for you have the money by you but in respect of time it is suddain for hee came in a time you looked not for oh how many thousand thousand have warning enough for Time but as for Preparing for Death alas what preparation is made oh let me labour for the former that Death may never finde mee unprepared and for the latter the will of the Lord be done Shall I tell you one of the rarest Saints that ever breathed here on earth dyed quickly Moses by name why saith God to Moses Moses go up into the Mount and dye nothing but this Go up depart and dye thus Moses dyed So Aaron as a man may say he is onely strip't of his cloaths and so he dyes this is the first thing that I would have you consider concerning her death And secondly this I adde seeing that the Lord was pleased that this death should be how seasonable was it that at this time Her death was seasonable she should be taken out of this world unto God how it is with other men I know not this I am sure of that a child of God as generally at all times so especially towards the evening will goe unto God and make even his reckonings with him that so if death should come to him in the night and his Bed should be his Grave yet then his soule might go to Heaven Now though she had been againe and againe with her God that day both in private and in publique yet she is not weary but as Moses goes up into the Mount so she still goes into her Parlour unto her God in Prayer and at that time she closes with her God so that Hee was pleased to seize upon her body and so presently after her soule departs unto the Lord Jesus Here I bring in her death in her Prayer to wit as when the River is going towards the Sea the Sea at the Tyde comes out as it were to salute it and to bring it in so this blessed Saint oh she was running fast towards heaven and she was almost in heaven all that day after the Sermon well now the Lord seeing her make such speed towards him he comes down to meet her and now hee hath taken her unto himself this for ordinary duties both in publique private and secret respecting the second Commandement Now for extraordinary duties this on my owne knowledge also Her duties extradinary I speak that she constantly every weeke did keepe a private Day of Humiliation retiring her self alone and spending some part of the day with her husband and that in examining of her heart humbling of her soule in reading and in meditating and yet such was her wisdome that she cast things so as she might not be interrupted by those occasions which she might meet withall either in the world or in the family This for the second Commandement For the third for her reverencing of Gods Name it is no great To the 3. Commandement matter for me to say I never heard her swear as I never did during all that seven yeers that I lived with her and I am perswaded had I lived 70. yea 100. yeares with her I should never have heard her swear no no more then that she feared an oath and this evidenceth that she had respect unto the thitd Commandement And for the fourth what shall I say for that a whole day might To the 4. Commandement I spend concerning that day she spent it wholly for God I will tell you nothing but the truth shee did rise constantly at 6. of the clock in the morning and being up she first went apart secretly and commended her own case unto God in Prayer and she did reade Gods Word then she came forth and she to prepare her selfe further for the publique duties went to pray with her husband in private or with the Minister that was there present in the
is not the disparagement but rather should be the inâouragement of another and to them we only say Go and doe likewiâe Thus having commended her I now commend you and yours to the protection of the Almighty desiâing you to patronize and kindly to accept of the weak indeavours of Jan. 20 1644 Your truly affectionate Friend to serve yoâ in Christ J. F. A Prosopopeia to Her MAdam you strangely left your widowed Friends Fâr so tâe ignorant stranger apprehends Who knew you not else 't were no wonder why She should dye once that did so dayly dye You daily mortified your very breâth Whiâh Dying-life prevents that âiving Death When to your wonted roome you did repair You truly powred out your Sâule in prayer 'T is strange that in your passing was no noise When the remotest Heavens did heâr your voice Iâ seems that winged prayer your spirit did heare Amongst the Cherubins and they staid it there Lâft us your ashes Blest that servant whom Tâe Lord so doing findes when he shââl come How sweetly did she steal eternitie 'T is credible you thus desired to dye Blest soule what haste th' impatient Angels made To fetch thee hence away they seem'd t' invade Thy crazy Tent thee to immortalize Envying Mortality so rich a prize The prize was great nor the surprizall strange For still you long d after this happy chânge Were sicke of love and Swan-like did divine Your death and fainting sung Stay me with Wine And comfort me with Apples farâe above The love of Wine or Jonathan was thy Love Or your expiring Cânticle might be this My Welbeloved's Mine as I am His. Or this Thou chears me with thy staffe and rod. Or this Make no long tarrying O my God Or with the Heavenly Bride mighâ dying pray So come Lord Jesu quickly come away Madame wâtâ which of these did you expire When you went up in Chariots of fiâe And flaming Raptures whiâh Psyram d-wise Sâilâ tower and wind âhemâelve within the sâies Thus having prai d straightway about you sprung A flight of Cherubâ in whose armes you sung A tryumph Psalm went up and now are set With your sweet Saviour in Mount Olivet If from that Christ all Mount you can behold This darkesome Vale of tears and duskie mould And see from thence your mourners swolleâ eyes Wringing of hands ââd heâr their bitter cryes Pity and wonder too Pity our fears Wânder to see your Câffiâ float in tears But greater wonder t were to imitate Your gracious ife And our own piteous state Calls for a streâming and un essânt teare Tom the our bed to swimme and not your Bâere Your Sâviour bids ând you Weepe not for me Weep for your selves and your own misery Sure yâu fâresâw some dismall gloomy day Hâstning which made you make suâh hast away I deed and did you see the Flying Roule Sent with black execrations ' gainst that soule That enters league with death applaudeth Hell And sets Heaven at dâstânce ând dâââs swâll With word against th' Aâmââhây fâr there aâe Suâh Gianâ-Atheists who thâ Sunâe outstâre Did these âffrighâ you hence make you retire Astrea-liâe from us and so desire Wââh ââeed to be dâssâlv'd so sâone be gone And hide your self in Heav'ns Paviâion It seemes that wââgâd Bâoâ was large and spread Sâ far that it wâuâd hâve iââe âped In one just dââmâ ând commân judgment bâth Clean aâd uncâean that swears or fears an oath Sure you perceiv'd by some thick pitchy cloud A storm a comming so your self did shroud Vnder the wings of prayer yet none can say You coward-like affrighted run away But staid and waited in your private roome Till you were taken from the ill to come And snatch d with lingring Lot When suâh â name Is ' ent away fear in appâoâchinâ flââe How many anxious mind which now survive Your châste unspotted soulâ are scorcht alive With fiery Serpents Worms that never dye Which knawing in their âoâscious bosoms lye Whâse akâng hearts are pin'd with discontent Fearâng death Doom-day or Pârâiameât Whilââ you wâth th'Heâvenây Courtiers Feast and passe Yâur time in aneternall Chââstenmâsse Lââd we your Hoây Life that so we may With you keepe evârââsting Holy-Day Mirrour of Vertue still my thinks you live Your hând I see it open still to give Your lips I see them with an orient smile Enchear the good your tongue rebuke the vile I see you frowning brow untaught to sooâh The obstinate ât his relenting smooth Your awfull miâdnesse boâh yâur friends did move And enemies with reverence and with love At pride how like an Empresse would you storme But th' humble found you humbler then a Worm Your feet have made two path-wayes from your dore Th' one to the Temple th' other to thâ Poor But now both wayes ând Poor ând Temple mourn Th'âhurch wants Her frequenâ Guest thought has your urn The rich mâssâ their deâr friends friends bid adieu To riches and such comforts missing you The painfull Prophets want their Patronesse Whom your abounding table oft did blesse And they your table scarce could I dââine Wheâher your guâsts or you were more âivine Hâw ââpâuous was your board yet how discreet Tâe ââreet misses a fâmily York a street Old Age wants his companion younger yeers Their Counsellor and Infants drink their tears For lacke of your refreshings Every one Old Young Poor VVâalthy all their losse bemoan Th'hungry want their Purveyor and the Feast Missing its moderator seems unblest And 's even at Christmas like a Funerall Whiles you Angel-like in the Starry Hall Keep a perpetuall Banket in those roomes Of Cristall where no tear or sorrow comes We feed on both unpleasing to the sence O! had we your victorious patience Stay'd Wisdom Faith and Hope then we might bâââe Mountains of trouble with undanted chear You bore twelve children if I do not erre And soon eleven of them you did interre Nay when your Isaac struck with that disease Which plowes up flesh and blood and there sowes Pease And your sweet Granchild by your onely Daughter VVere rent from you this multiplyed slaughter You bore with constancy unmoveable Not the least murmurcheard but all wâs well God's only wise and his correction milde My Fathers Will is dearer than my Childe And wââ not all your patience well bestowed 2 Cor. 4. When for your short afflictions eâsie load You challenge now a weight of glorious Joyes Great as Eternity and yet ne're cloyes Happy exchange to compasse Heaven for earth Solid and lasting jâyes for fainting mirth Kingdoms for Cities Ever for a Breath And th'great Jerusalem for Nâzâreth Onely your widowed Husband 's left bebind Thinkes on your absenâe with a bleeding mind May your unwearied spirit of patienee bâ Doubled on him to bear his misery For dâuble cause of griefe doth him pursue He missetb both bis children deââ and you More then ten children to him Heavie crosse No Merchant ere sustain'd so great a losse Next your
into thy Chambers and shut thy Doores about thee hide thy self for a moment untill the indignation be overpast For behold the Lord commeth out of his place to punish the Inhabitants of the Earth for their iniquity Esay 26. 20 21. YORK Prrinted by Tho Broad dwelling in Stone-gate over against the Staâre To the Worshipfull his honoured Friend M. Tho Diâkinson Alderman of the City of Yorke one of the Standing-Committee there and Treasuret-Generall of the Army for the City and County Health and Happinesse SIR IN regard of your near alliance to the Subject and dear acquaintance with the Author of this Sermon you may challenge of right the Dedication of these Lines And indeed they were long since yours being immediately upon her death presented to your selfe and your vertuous Consort her Daughter so you are in every respect worthy of them only my fear is they are unworthy of you Yet let them not now in your ascensions be unwelcome to you seeing when the distance was not so great I thought you right welcome to them Now both that Elogie in the fore-going Funerall Sermon and those due expressions in this insuing Funerall Elegie want not the best example for their warrant The Royall Prophet David wept and mourned over Aâmer and by his pathetike Oration melted all the people into tears nay they wept a second time as how could they contain when they heard the moving words of a lamenting Prophet and saw the swollen eyes of a tender-hearted King Part of his Oration was Know you not that there is a Prince and a great man this day fallen in Israeâ so the day of this Ladies Fuâerall there fell a Matron and though not so great yet which is much better a good woman and Mother in Israel So foâ my Elegiâ that sweet singer of Israel is also my Pattern for he lamented with the like yet far surpassing Lamentation over Saul and Jonathan part whereof I âere insert as I long agoe translated it VVeepe ye Isacian Daughters weepe O're Saul who did so bravely âeepe And cloath you all in Skarlet trimme And in all pleasures made you swimme 'T was he about your Robes did fâuld Those mâssâe Cbains of beaten Gold Yet all these were but glistring trifles or if treasures yet onely Treasure on earth subject to Moaths Rust and Theeve s but the adorning of this Matron was not in the plaiting of the haire or of wearing of gold or putting on of Apparell but in the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the Ornament of 1 Pet. 4. 5. a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great price and in this she surmounted all the Daughters of your City as also in many golden rules and in a shining example Nor was she onely the wife of thât Merchant who is known in the Gates when he sitteth among the Eldeâs of the People Prov. ult 23. but she her self also was that Merchant who considered a field and bought it even that field with hidden Treasure Mât. 13. 44. for which as the Merchant man for the Pearl ver 36 she sold alâ that she had to purchase Indeed the Kingdome of Heaven was her Treasure and her Pearl which heâ body hath âill in hope her soule in possession and both shortly shall enjoy in perfect fruiâion If we love her and would bee with her let our care be to go to her seeing she shall not return to us In the mean time our tears for her may be wip'd from our eys since all tears are wiped from hers that which is required of us is our repenting for sinne not lamenting for her not our mouânfull exgressions but our chearfull imitaâion The Epigrammatist did thus revive his old friend Prisâus upon the death of Saloninus Sed defiâre nefâs num qui te Prisâe reliquit Vivit qua veluit vivere pârte mââis 'T were sinne to weepe since he for whom you grieve Mart. Epig. Lives in that part wherein he wish't to âive She is now where she long long'd to be her desire was to be dissolved and to be with Christ with whom we leave her Thus it becomes us to set forth the vertue and praises of her who set forth the praises and vertues of him who hath called us out of darknesse into his marvellous light Iâ is observeable in that Text that the word tâanslated Praises sâgnifieth also Vertues as in the margin whâch sâewes that only Vertue is Prâise-woâthy so the royall Preacher The woman that feareth the Lord she shall bee praysed not her favor for that is deceitfull not her beauty for that is vanity but her fear is commended and her veâtue highly prized ver 10. Especially if she excell in vertue Psal 16. 3. as the righteous do The righteous is more excellent then his neighbor Prov. 12. 36. and a man of understanding is of an excellent Spirit 17. 27. by which we understand the Fear of God for this is called that good Understanding Psal 3. ult the praise wherof endures for ever And this grave and understanding Matron is that Righteous one that Mulier strennua that wise and vertuous woman which the wise man so much enquireth after and having found advanceth her above all her fellows Many Daughters have done ve tuously but thou surmountest them all thus it pleaseth him who hath called the Poor of this world to be rich in Faith to make the weaker vessels strong in Faith and Daughters of Abrahâm whose Daughters they are as long as they do well do vertuously especially if they excell in thus doing and indeed this doing vertuously is that Practicall not Speculative beauty on which we should bestow all our amorous and imbellishing phrases in the highest strains and expressions of commendation and glory Excelling vertues shall have extolling praise Now for her such were her perfections that I know not whether she more illuster her Sex by communicating her immanent graces unto others or obscure it as the greater light the lesse by her eminent brightnesse out-shining others so that I hope it were no disparagement to Greatnesse though I should apply that vers which was sung of the Lady Elâctâesse to this Elect Lady of the same name Tell me if she was not dâsign'd The Eclipse and Glory of Her Kinde Thus we ought in the best manner we âan to honour them that fear the Lord but above all to honour him who hath put this feare into our hearts that we may not depart from him so ceasing further to praise her let us never cease to praise God for her and pray unto him for our selves that we may be follâwers of her even as shee was of Christ Now if there be any of her sisters that do vertuously yet not so vertuously think much that we have bin so liberal in her commendations let them know that first we only do her right and secondly that we have done them no wrong for the commendations of one
sweet Daughter and her Husband deare True mourners wait upon your Sable Biere VVith thousands more How soon did you bereave Our Joyes you left your friends yet took no leave So th' Holy Child of Nazareth slunck away Luke 2. From his perplexed Parents every day They seek and sigh and wonder where hee 's gone The third day like his Resurrection Restores him found But they amaz'd begin To check his absence Son where have you bin Our heart akes for you Sharply then their Son VVhat must my Fathers businesse be undone That Fathers children nothtng mis-befalls He still hath businesse for them when he calls And for what businesse were you summon'd hence T' adore the Throne with prostrâte Reverence Rev. 5. To hear the Lamb wâth his own mouth reveale The mystick Oracles of the âeaven-fold Seale To lâarn at once and in perfâction know 1 Cor. 13. The truth of All men argue of below To read your name writ in the White-stone gemme Re. 2. 17. Psa 8. 5. Rev. 8. 3. And to receive the Royall Diadem To pray at th golden Altar and to sing New songs of tryumph to th' immortall King The hidden Manna and the Fruit to eat Rev. 2. 7. Of life i' th midst of Gods own Eden set Embroidered stoles of Ophir-gold to weare Psa 45. Rev. 7. 9. And in your hands victorious Palms to bear To parlie and to be familiar With Saints and Seraphins and the morning star Re. 2. 28. Here you did bear and sing discourse and pray Much more'â not done above and in this way You walk'â to Heaven where glorious now you see Fulnesse of jây in Christs sweet Majesty Many there be who carelesse live and spend Their dayes in ignorance and still depend On longer time for mercy then decay And in some lingring sicknesse melt away Like the foul candle in the socket spent Damping the roome with an unwholesome sent After some blazes doth at last consume And dye and vanish in a noysome fume So these vain Flashes do still judging wrong Themselves dye suddenly though they languish long To dye well yet live ill is a vain strife Sweet Death âere followed an unsavoury Life But you after your conversation bright Had shin'd long time amongst us had your light At once put out with an Extinguisher The blasting Apoplâxie did interre Your brain in earthen mists which over-cast And through obstructions bind the sences fast Here Art is sencelesse too yet are we sure The resurrection this Disease can cure This you foresaw in your last morning flighâ Before the evening of your fatallâ Night For rising from your Bed these words you gave How sweet vvill be our rising from the grave Then from your closet to the Church you hyed Where your own happinesse you heard prophesied The Funerall text was this When a Saint dyes How precious is his death in the Lords eyes Psa 116. Whence you as Christ from Jordan straight returne Or like that mournfull Paire whose heart did burn In Emaus way thus fir'd wiâh Heavânly flame You fully were possest with your own * Elizabeth i. e fulnesse of God Name And thus inlivened with your friends at table Your heart so cheerfull was so comfortable So pleasant was your veine that you correct Your self and smiling sâid to this effect Well Husband here I have not long to bide Why Love saith he I hope a longer Tide We may Nay you reply that may not be T is little known to you whaâs knowâ to me Then straight the sacred Temple did you call Invited to a second Funerall Where present I observ'd your sparkling eyeâ Through th'incense of your evening Sacrifice That done to your last Supper you retire Thence to your Agony This was the gire And circuit of your last and well spent day The Modell of your life and Heav'nly Way Then Israel-like you strive to your last breath He tooke his Maime in Prayer and you that death By which you live Such blessed victories Are soonest got by wreastâing on our knees You conquered death and your sweet end begins More happy years then all the world hath sânnâs Religious Soul could you devise a way Your last sweet Raptures hither to convey The Pattern of your dying Prayer would be Thrice recompence for my course Elegie Yet my blest memory shall your Acts enshrine And Vertues and to vertue me incline Let them whom fears of sudden Death beset Still wear about them this tryed Amulet Agracious heart and life 's the surest guard He ne're dyed suddenly that dyed prepar'd Câll't not a sudden or untimely Doome VVhich did boâh welcome and expected come Happy thrice happy who departeth hence With your sweet Name and spotlesse Conscience Cum mihi supremos Lachesis perneverit annos Non aliter cineres mando jacere meos FINIS