from the loue of GOD towardes her This patience was shaken by the captiuitie of her husband an honourable and woorthie gentleman who beeing Sheriffe of this county was taken prisoner and in extreame perill to bee cruellie handled by the rebells in the Western CoÌ„motion in the raigne of king Edward the 6. again by the death of her foresaid husband within few yeers after again by the change of true religion into forged superstition in the dayes of Queen Mary During all which time she had the form of praier vsed in her house which was authorized in the dayes of king Edward the 6. which pinched her with exceeding grief againe by the death of al her sons gentlemen of great hope again by the death of al her sons in law men of worshipful regard again by the death of som of her nephews daughters gentlewomen liuely treading in the virtuous steps of their godly mother againe by the death of some of her neeces this patience I say was shaken but it stoode firmely as an Oake that is surely rooted weighes not the blastes of winde What shoulde I speake of her humilitie and lowlinesse of minde which bewrayed it selfe in all her outwarde actions and in her verie apparrell in that a Gentlewoman of her degree and ranke woulde so plainelie attire her selfe obseruing the rule of S. Peter who warneth women not to goe gorgeouslie in their apparrell by brayding the hayre and trimming aboute with golde but to bee cloathed with the pretious garmente of the inwarde man This humility was great â— Pet. 3.3.4 bothe towardes God and man towards God in that abounding with good workes which proceeded from a sauing fayth yet shee loathed to bee commended for the same confessing that it was nothing shee did and that it was so farre off that shee trusted to bee saued by her own merites as that shee renounced them and placed them among her euil deeds in that respecte and wholly relyed wholie depended whollie rested vpon Christ Iesus her onelye redeemer mediatour aduocate and Sauioure And towardes man this humility was apparante in that shee disdained not the meanest but with affabilitie applyed her selfe to those that were of the lowest sorte and in that not onely in her life shee declined from pompe and vayn shewes but also straightly and oftentimes charged that her funerals should be solemnized without any ceremonious pompe But what shoulde I speak of her promptnesse to assiste both riche and poor with her counsell and aduise for shee was endued with greate wisedom rare memory graue iudgemente and sharpe foresighte What shoulde I speake of her temperance sobriety of her loue and liberality to schollars kindnesse to ministers of the worde of God and entertainement of all good people of her constancy in her widdowheade For of fower score and seauen yeeres or very neere thereaboutes of her age shee spente fiftye fiue in the time of widdowehead of her vnchaungeable and stedfast zeale in the truth of Christe Iesus So that if Iohn the elder had liued in this age he might haue saluted her by the name of Elect Lady might haue reioyced 2 Ioh 4. that he fouÌ„d her her childreÌ„ her of spring walking in the truth Al these things for that they are so well knowne I sleightly poynte at with the forefinger leauing them to your secret considerations As for her remorse compassion and liberality towards the poore and needy members of Christ bodie not one preacher in tenne howers nor tenne preachers in one hower are able to expresse it as it doth deserue The Orphanes fatherlesse children that she hath nourished the desolate widowes that shee hath sustayned the afflicted straungers that shee hath releeued the sick impotente and maymed Souldiers that shee hath refreshed the diseased persons with sore eies and manifolde hurtes and diuers infirmities that shee hath eased applying the saluâ— waters and medicines with her owne hands gyue plentifull testimony with full mouth of her exceeding charitye What weeke nay what daye nay almoste what howre passed ouer where in some poore or other did not taste of her bountifulnesse â—uke 19 8 Shee excelled Zacheus who stood foorth and said behold Lord the halfe of my goods I giue to the poore Shee was not inferior to Iob who turned not his eie froÌ„ the poore Iob 31 16 17 but cloathed the naked with his garment fed the hungry with his meate and lodged the pilgrime in his house Shee is to be linked in prayse with Dorcas Acts. 9.39 for if Peeter were heer and shee were as Dorcas to be raised againe howe infinite is the number of coates and garmentes that the poore would shewe foorth or speake of which they haue receiued froÌ„ her liberality She is not to be separated from the holy and charitable weâ— Luke 8 2 men which ministred to our Sauiour himselfe on earth for as they did minister to the head so did she to the body and therefore Christe accountes that meat that drinck that cloathing Mat. 25.36 that entertainemente and that visitinge and comforte which is imployed on the sillie poore to bee bestowed on himselfe And as the Iewes when that they desired Christe to helpe the Centurions seruaunte they saide Luke 7 4 5. that hee was worthye for whome our Sauiour Sauioure shoulde doe it For hee loues our nation say they he hath built vs a sinagogue soe if odious Ingratitude possesse not the harts of the poore whome in manifolde sorte this compassionate and charitable Lady hath releeued they will with one voyce crie out and saye that shee was moste worthye of longer life and of doubled dayes because shee was a nurse to the needy an eie to the blinde a foote to the lame a mother to the Orphanes a staffe to the afflicted a comforter and supporter to the distressed and miserable I perceiue I am entred into the broade Ocean with displaied sayles and therefore least I be caried further then I maye quickly returne I will hasten to draw towards the shore Her life being beawtified with these induements and qualityes and hauing spent her daies in grace godlines who maye doubt but that her death and dissolution was correspondent to her former race At sundrie times when she was visited with sicknesse shee was not desirous of longer life neither woulde shee haue others to put her in hope of recouery but wholy longing to be remooued hence and to dwell with God the Lorde firste making a pithie and Christian coÌ„fession of her fayth in God the Father the sonne and the holy Ghost she still desired with Symeon to departe in peace with Paul to be dissolued to be with Christ Luk. 2.29 accounting christ to be her aduaÌ„tage both in life and death Phil. 1.21 Rom. 14.8 Psal 84 10. and her selfe to bee the Lordes whither shee liued or died with Dauid wishing to in habite most amiable inhabitations of heuen esteeming it better to remaine
Dauid of the Prophets of the Apostles who where the true and deare seruants of God and yet were tried in the fornace of affliction Christ himselfe was assaulted of Sathan had trappes layed in his waye by his enemies was hated of sinfull men and did flee from their fury felt hunger werisomnes of body was mocked scorned railed vpon despitefully entreated spit vpon and crowned with thorns beaten with whips and at last led to the crosse and to execution tyll hee dyed and gaue vp the ghost so that the onely example of CHRIST himselfe whose whole life was nothing but a passion and tribulation may suffice to teache vs That the disciple is not aboue his Master nor the seruante aboue his Lord It is enough for the disciple to bee as his Master and the seruant as his Lorde If they haue called the Master of the howse Beelzebub Matth 10.2 how much more them of his househould f. For if we suppose that we shall feele no tribulations we must not imagin that we can be true Christians Assoon as we begin to liue godly in christ sayth saint Augustine Cum câ—periâ— piè in Christoâ— viuere ingreâ—es torcular pâ—parate ad prâ—suram Aug Psal 57. we enter into the winepresse and we ought to prepare our selues for wringing and pressing and we must take heede that we bee not found so drye grapes that we yeeld out noe good licour when we are pressed An heathen Philosopher cold say that the man is most vnhapy vnto whom no aduersity betideth it is an argument that he is contemned of god as a weake sluggish person A sword-player acounts it reproch to fight with a man of no valour for hee knowes that there is noe glory to vanquishe him that is vanquished without dauÌ„ger Euen so worketh gods prouideÌ„ce He setteth vpon euery one endued with most courage â—ihil eo infoeli â—us cui nihil e â—enit aduersi â—rgumentuÌ„ est â—deo illum conâ—mni vt imâ—ellem igâ—uum â—en in lib. de â—ouid Dei trieth his power against him He tried by the fier Mutius by pouerty Fabritius by banishment Rutilius by torments Regulus by poyson Socrates by death Cato Thus sayd an Ethnick of those that sought but glory among men had but vain glory for their reward but how much more truly may it be sayd that god tryed Iob by botches Tobit by blindnes and Stephen by stones the Baptist by bands and prisonment and the martyrs by infinit tortures For whosoeuer desire to retourne into Paradise must passe through the fire and water of affliction whether it be Peter the Apostle to whom the keys of the Kingdome of heauen were giuen â—mnes qui â—d Paradisum â—dire defideâ—nt oportet â—nsire per igâ—em et aâ—uam â—e fuerit Peâ—us c. Aug. sermone ad â—ppium or whether it be Paule the Lords chosen vessell or whether it be Iohn to whome heauenly misteries were reuealed They must needs all say that without tribulation and affliction we cannot come to God Neyther doe the faithfull alone suffer tribulation in this life but misery affliction is commonly incident to all man kind as holy Iob sayth man that is born of a woman is of shorte continuance and full of trouble i Hâ—â—ayeth not Iob. 14.1 that man and this man are battered with trouble but he vseth the indefinite word man that euery one might remember his own lot So that the sonne of Sirach seemes to comment on Iob when he writes that great trauell is created for all men and an heauy yoke vpon the sonnes of Adam from the day that they goe out of their mothers wombe till the day that they retourn to the mother of all thinges Thoughts and feare of the hearte and imaginatioÌ„ of things waited for wrath enuy troble and vnquietnes rigor strife fear of death and the day and death these are vsuall from him that sitteth vppon the glorious throne vnto him that is beneath in the earth ashes froÌ„ him that is clothed in blew silke and weareth a crowne euen vnto him that is cloathed in simple linneÌ„ k Ecclus 40. â— 2.3.4.5 Euery maÌ„s life is like a rock in the Sea beaten vppon of the floods on euery side like a tree on an high and open hill blowne on by the winds from euery quarter and like a burning candle which may be put out by sundry meanes but if yt be not putt out yet in continuance it burnes out it selfe and like a butt or marke vnto which sorrow shootes and danger shootes and misaduenture shootes and at last death that most sure archer shootes and strikes it dead What our substance is namely dust and earth and what our estate is namely painefull laborious and combersome is euident by that speach of god to Adam after his fall in the sweate of thy face saith god shalt thou eat bread til thou retourn to the earth for out of it wast thou taken becaus thou art dust Gen. 3.19 and to dust shalt thou retourne And therfore the Psalmist affirms our brittle substance and our wreched life to be motiues whie God hath compassion on them that feare him as a father hath coÌ„passion on his children For saith he he knoweth whereof wee are made he remembreth that wee are but dust Psa 103.13.14 1 Chro. 29.15 This sweete singer of Israell calles himselfe and euery man besides but a stranger and so iourner like as all our fathers were A straunger and traueller hath litle or no contentation til he come to the end of his iourney either he complaines of the raine or of the wind or of the heate of the sunne or of his lodging or of his vnfitting dyet or of the yrksomnes of his iourney so man hath still occasion to complain of his troubles in this life and can neuer enioy perfect security while hee remayneth heere And vpon good reasoÌ„ might the same prophet breake foorth and say Lord what is man that thou regardest him or the sonne of man that thou thinkest vppon him Hee stayes not heere but declares the cause of his admiration man sayeth hee is like to vanitie Psalm 144 3 his dayes are like a shaddowe that vanisheth As if he had sayde though wee feed our body neuer so deliciously though we cloath our flesh neuer so sumptuously though we prouide for our life neuer so couetouslye yet our dayes tary not but departe as vanitye Thou that flowest with wealthe and gloriest in reputation wilte thou knowe thy weight thou art ligher then vanity then nothing wilt thou know the length of thy dayes they are a spanne wilt thou know how and in what sorte thou fadest as a slender picture and image For when Dauid had desired the lord that he might know his end the measure of his dayes what it was and how long he had to lyue he presently giues himselfe this answere beholde thou hast made
my dayes as an handbredth and my age is as nothing in respect of thee surely euery man in his best state is altogether vanity doubtles man walketh in a shadow Psal 19.4.5 And what confidence should we repose in this fickle life sins the oracle and voice of God commaunded Isayah to crye that all flesh is grasse all the grace therof is as as the flower of the field the grasse withreth the flower fadeth because the spirit of the lord bloweth vpon it Isai 4.6.7 surely the people is grasse One herbe may be sweter then another one herb may be of more virtue then another one flower maye bee of more endurance then another yet at last all hearbes wither and all flowers fade so one man maye bee wiser then an other and richer then an other and learnedder then another and honorabler then another and stronger then an other But the state and condition of all flesh is to be miserable and mortall For what is our life sayth blessed Iames 2 Iam. 4.4 Jt is euen a vapour that apipeareth for a little time and afterward vanisheth awaye Doest thou not marke how hugie and and statelie the vapors appeare when they mount vpward vnto the heauen and yet how soone they vanish euen in the turning of the hande Another such thing is this life though it decke it selfe with neuer so glorious pompe yet it falls awaie as a bubble to day a man tomorrowe none Gregorie Nazianzene tompares our life to a toppe which childreÌ„ whirl driue to froe with the scourge Sursum deorsum voluitur reuoluitur Et cum videtur stare consistit minus It is tossed vp and down foorth and back and when it seems to staÌ„d coÌ„staÌ„tly or to mooue least it whirleth most NaziaÌ„ carm ex translatione billij Gen. 11.2 Dan. 4.27 it falls suddeÌ„ly And therfor if any wil follow his counsel he may in three wordes describe fullie the life of man Insomnium fumusue flosue herbae breuis It is a dream a vapor a flower If any shold be so vainglorius ambitious as to build the tower of Babel with Nimrod or a magnificeÌ„t pallace with Nebuchadnezzar or a piller to preserue a memorable fame with Absalom 2. Sam. 18.28 yet the hungry teeth of time and continuance wold deuour the most specious workes and will eyther consume them before vs or vs before them If faith could saue from death Abraham should not haue dyed if might could do it Samson should not haue dyed if wisdome could doe yt SalomoÌ„ should not haue dyed if riches dainty fare and gorgeous arraye could doe it Diues should not haue dyed if zeal diligent discharge of calling could doe it Paul should not haue dyed if sanctimonie and chastity could doe it Mary the holy blessed virgin should not haue dyed at a word if monarchies lordships cold deliuer from death Cyrus Alexander and Caesar should not haue died And therfore Horace tells his frend Torquatus that wheÌ„ his glas is run down his race finished Car. lib 4. Ode 7. Non Torquate genus non te facundia non te Restituet pietas It was not his noble desceÌ„t it was not his pleasant and eloquent tounge it was not his virtuous life that coulde restore recall his dayes A Iesuit our countrimaÌ„ speakes of a company of religious men in Rome which ar coÌ„monly calld the fellowship of dead men they seldom or neuer ar seen abroad but in rare extraordinary processions wher they goe they carry the pourtraiture of death made after a gastly greesly shape this written by it nemi ni parco I spare and forbear none Turnerus Deuonius Heb 9 27. I wold himselfe the rest of the massing Romanists did alway behold that picture for if they remembred that it is appoynted for al men to dy once then cometh the iudgment it were meruelous if they did not begyn to be ashamed of their pride theire compassing of the sea land to make Romish Proselytes that may be twofold more the children of hell if it were possible then them selues are Mat. 23.15 Thus you see that al meÌ„ generally ar miserable mortal both the godly vngodly But why ar the godly commonly more afflicted then others for it is sayd of the Elder to Iohn v 14. that they came out of great tribulatioÌ„ This is not for the god doth forget them or for that god cannot or wil not deliver theÌ„ preseÌ„tly out of all daÌ„gers but for that god loues them more then other and draws them neerer and neerer to himselfe by chastisement and correction Consider the profitable working that tribulation and affliction hath in the godly and who will not ascribe it to gods singuler loue that they are afflicted sometimes more then other to receiue thereby alwayes more profâ—it then other First tribulation stirs vs vp to repentance for sin and is a sermon to amendement of life For the godly are afflicted for their sins not therby to satisfie gods iustice but to confesse their offences and to acknowledge theyr iniquities and to be purged ftom their faults and by temporary correction to auoyde the eternall destruction of worldlings 1 Cor 11 32 God giueth the raynes to the wicked that they may fall into perdition and he bestowes vppon them the blessinges of this life and the fleeting and short ioyes thereof because they are his creatures to the end hee may make them inexcusable and conuict them of ingratitude but hee amends and reclaims his children by the crosse and tribulation For as the Vrchin or Hedghog folded vp round together in his prickly skin seems not possible to bee opened without killing and flaying it of and yet if hot water be sprinkled on it it opens it selfe immediately so some that are so hardned and wrapped vp in the custome of sinning as it seemes that death only may end their vngodlines yet when the hote water of tribulation is powred vpon them they are softned and dissolued and made open to repentance This hote water had such an effectuall operation in Dauid wheÌ„ he cryed Saue me o god for the waters are entred euen to my soule Psalm 69 1 Againe tribulation tries our faith as the fire tries gold and as the fyning pot tries siluer and as the hammer discernes the purity of the mettal For as gold hath a cleer sound vnder the hammer and spreades much before it crack but brasse soundes harshly and breakes quickly so the faithfull endure the hammering of tribulation and yeelde foorth the sweete praises of â—hanksgiuing but the vngodly repine and murmur Pari motu exagitatuÌ„ exhalat horribiliter coenum suauiter fragrat vnguentum Aug. de Ciuit. dei lib. 1. cap. 8. and bewray their vnthankfulnesse and crack when they are brought to â—ammering Stir puddle and it wil smell â—othsomly stir a sweet ointement and it â—ill smell fragrantly euen so affliction â—akes the godly to
As if he had sayed thou wilte grante me that hauing runne ouer the race of this fleeting and fraile life I shall enioy that most ioyfull moste pleasante eternal life in thine heauenlye kingdom Augustine sayeth that in heauen shall bee the euerlasting Sabbath which noe Eueninge shall end There wee shall rest and wee shall see wee shall see and wee shall loue wee shall loue and wee shall prayse Behoulde saith hee that which is in the ende is withoute end Nam quis alius noster est finis nisi peruenire ad regnum cuius nullus est finis For what other end is there ordained for the Godly but to attaine to that Kingedome which hath none end Sibyll sayeth Aug de Ciu dei lib 22 c 30 that it shall not bee sayed in heauen The nighte is come or to morrowe shall come or yesterday is paste neither shall there bee that daye that is wearied with cares nor spring nor summer nor Autumne nor winter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There shall be noe mariage nor death no selling nor buying nor sunne rysing nor Sunsetting for God shall make that longe daye which shall bee endlesse Sibill Oracâ— lib 7 There shall bâ—e so many and such ioys as al the Arithmeticians of this world are not able to number them 〈◊〉 the Geometritians are not able to weigh them all the Grammarians Logitians Rhetoritians are not able to expresse them in fit terms For as the Apostle Saint Paule doth witnesse the thinges which God hath prepaâ—ed for them that loue him are such as eye hath not seene neither eare hath heard neither came into any mans heart There shall be ioy aboue vs 1 Cor 2 9 for the vision which wee shall see there likewise shall bee ioye vnder vs for the beawtie of the heauens and other corporall creatures there shall be ioy within and about vs for the felowshippe and companye of Saintes and Angeles There Salomons wisedome shall be reputed but foolishnesse Absoloms beautie but deformity Azaels swiftnesse but slownesse SampsoÌ„s might but weaknesse â—hom Aquin. â—e uer Theol. â—h 7. chap. 6 Mathuselaes loÌ„g life but frailty the kingdome of Augustus Caesar but beggery The saints would not so earnestly haue longed after heauen had they not beene assured of the surpassinge ioyes thereof Dauid being hindred by his persecuters that he could not bee present amonge gods people in the temple of Ierusalem he shewes his feruent desire towardes that place in which hee mighte serue the Lorde saying as the hart brayeth for the ryuers of water so panteth my soul after thee O god my soul thirsteth for god euen for the liuing god wheÌ„ shal I com appear befor the preseÌ„ce of god And wheÌ„ he was exiled driueÌ„ out of his couÌ„try Psal 42.1.2 and could not come to the tabernacle of the Lorde and the assembly of the saints to prayse god how vehemently doth hee bewraye how hee was affectioned thitherwarde O Lorde of hoastes saith hee how amiable are thy tabernacles My soule longeth yea and fainteth for the Courtes of the lorde Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will euer prayse thee For a day in thy courts is better theÌ„ a thousaÌ„d otherwher I had rather bee a doorekeeper in the house of my god Psal 84.1.2.4.10 then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse If the Prophet did so long thirst pante and faynte after the materiall and transitory temple of Hierusalem on earth how was hee enflamed with a desire to come to the spirituall and eternall temple of the Lord in heauen When our Sauiour was transfigured on the mountaine and his face did shine as the sunn and his clothes were as white as the lighte and there appeared Moses and Elias talking with him Peter rauished with this celestiall apparition sayd to Iesus Master it is good for vs to be heere if thou wilt let vs make here three Tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias Mat. 17.1.8 If the Apostle were so transported with a slender view and small taste of heauenly felicity as that hee desired alwaye to adhere and cleaue vnto it what would he haue donne if he had beene fully entered into his masters ioy Hierom notes vpon these words of Peter that Christ is that alone way to go to the glory and ioyes of heauen that wee must build pitch a tabernacle for him only in our heartes and that we must hear obey him only as the voyce from heauen taught Peter â—at 17 5 and in Peter the rest of the Apostles and all beleeuers and therefore he is bold to say to Peter erras Petre sicut alias euangelista testatur â—e eidos he â—gei â—uke 9 33 nescis quid dicas thou art deceiued Peter as another Euangelist witnesseth thou knowest not what thou sayst seeke not three Tabernacles â—ieron in comâ—ent in cap 17 â—â—att when there is but one tabernacle of the Gospell in which Moses and Elias the law and the prophets are comprised and briefely repeated This ioyfull inheritaÌ„ce of heauen made Paul to say I counte that the afflictions of this presente time are not worthy of the glory which shal be shewed vnto vs and againe our light affliction which is but for a moment â—om 8.18 causeth vnto vs a far more excellent and an eternall weight of glory while we looke not on the things which are seen but on the things which are not seene for the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seen are eternall Cor. 4.17.18 and againe Christ is to mee both in life and in death aduantage whither to liue in the flesh were profitable for me and what to chuse I know not for I am distressed betweene both and though to abide in the flesh is more needefull for the Church of christ J desire to be loosed Phil. 1 21 22 23 24. and to be with christ which is best of all And therefore the militant Church and spouse of Christ alwaies seekes Christ her beloued in the night and troubles of this life and in the streets and open places and wartes and labours euery where to apprehend all opportunities to imbrace him and doth neuer suffer him to depart from her till the day breake Can. 3 1 2 3 and the shadowes flee away that is Nec cum inâ— tus fuerit ceâ— bitur a quarâ— do non pedâ— passibus sed â—sideriis quaeriâ—tur Deus Ec vtique non ext dit desideriuâ— fanctum foelâ— inuentio sed tendit NuÌ„qâ— consummatiâ— gaudu dâ—fidâ— consumptio 〈◊〉 Oleum magiâ— illi nam ipsâ— flamma Bâ— in Can ser. 8 Heb. 11 36. till the darkesome and yrksom life bee ended and that glorious appearing of Christ come when the Church shal be perfectly taken into the communion of Christ and shall gloriously enioy all good things For when the faithfull soule