indeed This done insisting some while in directing her how she might purchase that assurance and that trust she so heartily prayd for I left her untill the Thursday after By which time the Sun of righteousnesse with healing in his wings having dispelled in good measure those mysts of diffidence which eclipsed the light and peace of her soule began againe to shine forth in his wonted cleerenesse reviving and cheering up those drooping affections which had so long languished in the want of his comfortable presence insomuch that to my great rejoycing I found her magnifying of mercy which before she doubted of and comforting her selfe with those Scriptures which before her soule refused comfort in being tendred unto her I told her I did heartily blesse God for this happy change in her and she replyed that the grace of Christ was sufficient for her upon whom she did wholly rest and rely for her salvation disclayming all conceipt of worth or merit in her selfe entreating me to pray to God for her that it would please him to pardon those distrustfull thoughts which she had formerly of his goodnesse and to perfect that re-assurance of his love in her heart she joyning with us very cheerefully and devoutly all the time expressing a marvelous longing for the fullnesse of spiritual and heavenly joy Insomuch that while I inserted that petition of the Prophet Doe well unto thy Servant that she may live and praise thy name she interrupted me saying ô pray onely for my soule for I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is farre better The Sunday following in the afternoone I was requested to preach to the Congregation of this Parish whither being come and enquiring of her health I was generally assured that they had observed her to be that day more composed cheerefull then usually she had bin but while the whol Families of her friends were Religiously exercised in the Church she intimated to those that wayted about her that she felt her selfe sensibly to change her Cough having a little before left her a sure signe in those diseases of death approaching whereupon they asked her if they should call the Lady her mother or husband or any other unto her but she answerd no they were she said about a good worke and she hoped that she should live till they had done and God granted her request for no sooner was the Sermon ended and all her friends againe returned about her but she heartily wished for some one to recommend her soule to God it was my happinesse to be there at that time and they entreated mee to performe that last office for her which we hasted to doe perceiving her to decline apace while she to the admiration of all that were present considering her great weakenesse repeated after me very zealously almost what soever I delivered and concluding with the Lords Prayer she most devoutly rehearsed that word for word which as it was the first she learnt so I may truely say it was the last she uttered for immediately hereupon as if she had onely staid for this Convoy to her eternall rest she most sweetly and peaceably exchanged this life leaving her surviving friends like the Apostle in a strait betwixt two not knowing which to chuse whether more to mourne for her losse or to rejoyce for her so blessed and happie departure But why doe I speake of losse since to use Saint Pauls phrase to her to live was Christ and to dye was gaine for she is not amissa but praemissa not lost but gone before death to her being but like Iordan to Israel a waftage from the wildernesse of this world to the Canaan of everlasting blessednes wher her soul is bound up in the bundle of life securely reposed in the bosom of Abraham 1 Cor. 15. â—4 her body like seed being sown in the Lords gleb-Land for so the Germans call the grave shal be there safely preserved by her heavenly Father that good Husbandman Ioh. 15.1 unto the harvest of that great day when by vertue of the resurrection of Christ 1 Cor. 15.20 The first fruits of them that sleepe she shall awake out of this Sepulchrall vault againe both glorious and honorable and the grave being dispossest of her body her body shal be re-possest by her soule and both body and soule everlastingly possest of that immortall incorruptible and never fading Kingdome 1 Pet. 1.4 reserved in heaven for her whose King is Christ whose Subjects are Saints whose Law is love whose rule is equity whose honour is verity whose peace is felicity and whose life is Eternity Unto which he brings us all who hath bought it for us and us for himselfe Christ Jesus therighteous to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit three Persons one eternall immortall invisible and onely wise God be rendred and ascribed all glory honour power praise might majesty dignity and dominion henceforth and for evermore Amen In praematura fata Dominae Elizabethae nuper uxoris patrui mei charissimi Caroli Dering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 CÆtera cuncta licet rapias Libitina putabam Virtutem exemptam legibus esse tuis Sed verum est querulo cecinit quod carmine vates Omnia mors pedibus calcat avara suis Quae nunc ploranda est aeterna fuisset Eliza Si virtus auidum vinceret ipsa rogum Hinc mihi singultus laâ— hyrmae suspiria fletus Et quicquid luget fertilis arte dolor Damna tamen fateor foecundo carmine nostra Musa ferax lachrymis connumerare nequit Ergo tuos mea musa libet deponere planctus Amissae cruciant dum memorantur opes Edoardus Dering praedicti Dom. Edoardi Filius Charissimo fratri meo CAROLO DERING KANCIANOLONDINATI Amissam deflenti QVAM Ut Amorem nostrum decuit ut virtus defunctae meruit in communi nominis DERINGANI Hypogaeo arquato sociatam pie condidimus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ELISABETHA meos habuit prima vxor Amores Prima calet flammis ELSABETHA tuis CAROLE fatorum frater consor sq meorum Quam fugit heu cito nos utraq ELSA duos Sic fit sic FIAT PATRIS divina VOLVNTAS Transtulit ille meam transtulit ille tuam Haud peterint Elegi nostros numerare dolores Si foret in luctus Musa diserâ—a novos Illarum Heroo poterit nec earmine diei Caendor Amor Pietas Gratia Forma Fides Prussia dilectam tibi CAROLE credit ELISAM Vicina ad thalames venit ELISA mâ—os Vtraq nunc uno est vxor tumulata sepulchre Et cadit in cineres Vtraq ELISA simul Disce meo exemplo Vivacem nolo Dolorem Sed memor aeterno tempore vivat Amor Frater tuus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dom. Edoardus Dering miles et Baronettus FINIS
A SERMON IN COMMEMORATION Of the truely Vertuous and Religious Gentlewoman Mris ELIZABETH DERING WIFE OF Mr. CHARLES DERING Yongest Sonne of Sir ANTHONY DERING Knight She departed this life at Pluckley in Kent the 26. day of July 1640. By Robert Marriot Vicar of Lenham in Kent PSALME 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints LONDON Printed by E. P. for N. Bourne at the South entrance of the Royall Exchange 1641. TO THE WORSHIPFVLL AND HIS MUCH Honored friend Master CHARLES DERING SIR No triall doth so illustrate the truth and power of that Religion we professe as doth our patient and cheerefull suffering of adversity No adversity doth so sensibly affect us as doth the parting with our intimatest entirely beloved friends No friends are comparable to such as are united to our selves by the bond of Conjugal affection like Nathan's Ewe Lamb eating of our own bread 2 Sam. 12. ◠drinking of our owne Cup and lying in our bosome Now these Circumstances as they doe the more aggravate your losse so will they the more renowne your vertues if you can so farre master your passions as to beare them moderately which you may the better doe by following S. Pauls counsell in this case to his Thessalonians 1 Thess 4.13 Bee not ignorant concerning those that are asleepe that yee sorrow not as others which have no hope Where the Apostle doth not say peremptorily sorrow not for that was with the Stoicks to deny you naturall affection but sorrow not without hope least with the Hereticks you deny your selfe a Resurrection The spirit of God directs you to a meane in mourning which will best sute with your sables that is to weepe as if you wept not 1 Cor. 7.30 So you shall shew your love by your teares and your faith by your moderation And truly Sir amongst the most I know you have least cause to exceed in sorrowes for the death of your deare consort if you please seriously to consider how that nothing deplorable or grievous hath befallen her more than what hath commonly happened to beleevers while in the meane time God wonderfully manifested his goodnesse in sundry remarkable mercies towards her which hee hath ofttimes withheld from many of his choysest children That she dyed that she dyed young that she dyed a stranger in this Kingdome that she was troubled with some doubtings before and that she hath left you destitute since her death as it is all you can object to minister matter of griefe unto you so let me assure you that there is no particular of it either new or strange 1. As for death Debemur morti nos nostraque It is as good a debt as any the world knowes for the levying whereof there is an extent upon all mankind and a statute enacted primo Adami Heb 9 27. and recorded by S. Paul Statutum est omnibus semel mori It is appointed for all men once to dye Hence homo a common name to all men is ex humo from the ground and Adam signifies but Red Earth of which both the Prince and the Peasant are alike Elemented And though there be diversities amongst us while wee live some like Nabuchadnezer have golden heads and some like Chrysostome have golden tongues yet we all stand luteis pedibus on seet of clay for so sayes the Prophet Dan. 2.32.33 What man is he that shall not see death 2. And though long life be accounted a blessing yet is not a short life to bee esteemed a curse since God conferres length of dayes to some sayes S. Austin to shew that they are his gift and denyes them to other some that we may know how that he hath better gifts than this yet cannot he by this deny all be said more to breake promise with his people when for a long life on earth he payes with an eternall life in heaven then Herod with Herodias if promising but the halfe he had given her the whole Kingdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom God loves hee dy's young said Menander God whom hee makes most account of those he soonest taketh said Euripides and Nazianzen tells us hoc nobis adfert longius vitae spatium quòd plura mala partim videmus partim perpetramus partim sustinemus This is all the benefit of long life to see more evill suffer more sorrow and commit more sin 3. Nor was she the onely stranger who departed this life remote from her native Countrey Adam her first Father by generation Heb 11.9 1 Pet 3.6 and Abraham her faithfull Father by regeneration whose daughter she was made by doing well sayes S. Peter dyed both in a strange land So that if you begin with David to complaine and say she was a stranger Psal 39.12 you must add moreover as were all her Fathers then the strangenesse will be taken away and with it your complaint also Trees transplanted ofttimes become more fruitfull and so did she whom God perceiving to beare so well hath removed into his Celestiall Paradise where being planted as saith the Psalmist in the house of the Lord she shall for ever florish in the Courts of our God Ps 92.13 and grow greene to eternity 4. And as for her doubtings they may the more confirme your assurance of her happinesse for the Divell never makes warre against those of his owne kingdome who are as securely his owne as temptation can make them those whom he tempts to doubts and despayre are such whom himselfe doubts and despayres of Luke 11.21 Our Saviour tells you while the strong man armed keeps the house the things which hee possesseth are in peace but when Satan assaults the Fort without it is a certaine signe hee is not yet within nor hath any command of that Castle which he holds not in quiet obedience 5. Besides you are not the first in this kind of losse Gen. 23.2 Gen. 35.19 thus Abraham was forced to forgoe his Sarah thus Iacob his Rachel others have had their share in the like sorrowes and company is some comfort though it be in misery Demonax the Philosopher seeing one immoderatly to bewayl the death of a friend he wished him in a great multitude to looke about if he could find one man exempted from the like accident which fayling to doe community in the case returned him better composed And as these arguments are prevalent to mit igate your griefe so are there others as equivalent to promote your comfort How many have there beene of Gods deare children who have gone out of the world as Israel went out of Egypt in hast having their lives snatched from them by the hand of sudden death while God gave unto your beloved wife time of repentance and preparation How many whose Sun of saving assurance hath even set in a cloud of doubts and distrust full thoughts for ought that hath beene visible in our Horizon while God restored her to the
joy of his salvation to both your great rejoycings making her to say with the Prophet Psal 94.19 In the multitude of the sorrowes that I had in my heart thy comforts have refreshed my soule How many through the malignity of their diseases have beene dissolved on such distempered and distracted fits that Charity herselfe hath been faine to looke backe and take a view of their lives before she durst passe her verdit of their deaths When her dissolution was so cheerefull and Christian-like that whosoever had beheld it though unacquainted with her life yet must needs have given her that testimony which the Centurion gave our Saviour Math. 27.54 Surely this was the child of God How comfortably may you recount Gods goodnesse towards her at the very point of her departure both for the manner and the time of it not so much as faltering in her speech nor fayling in any of her intellectualls as many others have done but continuing all in their wonted vigour while she continued her life S. Iohn Revel 1.10 is said on the Lords day to be in the spirit and she on the Lords day resigned her spirit and that in a most memorable instant for no sooner were you your friends returned from commending your owne selves to God in the Church but you were immediatly called to recommend her soule to God from the Chamber so where you ended your Sabbath of temporall rest there she began her Sabbath of eternall rest And I may truly say Exod. 8.19 digitus Dei hic est the finger of God was in it or to speake in the Prophets phrase this was the Lords doing Ps 118.23 and it was marvailous in our eyes Suffer me then to comfort you as S. Hierome did Heliodorus Ne doleas quod talem amiseris sed gaudeas quod talem habueris sorrow not so much that you have now lost as give thanks to God that once you had so vertuous a companion who lived so piously and dyed so peaceably And you may also comfort your selfe in the absence of her your selfe united in the words of David for the death of his child himselfe divided You shall goe to her 2 Sam. 12.23 she shall not returne to you And that you may assuredly follow her to those joyes whither she is gone before and already entred Be it your care while you trafficke in this troublesome world to imitate that wise Merchant in the Gospell to pursue and purchase that one pearl of inestimable price Matth. 13.45.46 Math. 6.33 namely the Kingdome of Christ and the righteousnes thereof That so having fought the good fight kept the faith and finished your course 1 Tim. 6.19 2 Tim. 4.8 you may lay hold on eternall life and receive that Crowne which the Lord the righteous Iudge hath conferred on her and promised to you and all that love his appearing Now that both you and yours may constantly persevere in this course and bee everlastingly blest with this Crowne shall bee the dayly prayer of Your uncessant Orator ROBERT MARRIOT A FUNERALL SERMON FOR Mris ELIZABETH DERING PSALME 90.12 So teach us to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts unto Wisdome IF we peruse the passages of holy Writ we shall there find that Christian Buriall is not onely commended but also commanded as a godly and charitable worke the Fathers of the Old and faithfull of the New Testament being our examples in the decent performance of this duty and comely payment of this debt thinking no care nor cost too much which they bestowed on the bodyes the vestments of the soules of their deceased friends while they safely reposed them as precious Relicks in the Wardrope of the Earth Nor was this care without good consideration This one Act of Christianity complying with many others of especiall note as First Iohn 11.25 Col. 1.18 with an act of Faith in Christ the Resurrection and the life who is primogenitus mortuorum borne tanquam ex utero sepulchri and rising the first fruits of them that sleepe to sanctify and assure us who bee the rest of the harvest Secondly with an act of Hope Ever since the Angell sat on the Grave-stone of our Saviour saying Resurrexit Matth. 28.6 non est hic He is risen he is not here we have been bold to write on the Tombe-stones of our friends Hic jacet spe resurgendi Here lyes such a one in hope of a glorious resurrection Hence it is observed that Christ from the grave appeared to Mary Iohn 20.15 in a Garden to teach us that he will one day turne all our graves into Garden-plots and so husband our very dust that by vertue of the dew of his Resurrection Esay 26.19 they shall spring out of the Earth like beautious flowers and be for ever planted in the Paradise of God Thirdly with an act of Charity and love to prosecute those bodyes being dead with honour to their graves whom wee nay whom God himselfe so much loved and honored being alive as to style them Members of Christ and Temples of the Holy Ghost Fourthly with an act of Necessity to separate the living from the contagion of the dead Abraham loved Sarah well but being departed hee besought the Hittits for a place to bury her out of his sight As there is nothing whiter then Snow of it selfe Gen. 23.4 yet being dissolved makes the fowlest water so the purest complexion the worst putrifaction according to the old Axiome corruptio optimi est pâ—ssima Lastly with an act of Mortification The Antients did use to take their leaves of their friends having brought them to their graves in these words Vale vale nos te sequemur Adue adue wee will follow thee and wee retaine this course still among us the dead corps are carryed before while the mourners follow after leading us the way in which we must all walke which should teach us to read our owne mortality in others Funeralls while we heare the Bell to tole for anothers passing to consider that if the Lord so please it may take in us also before it ring out when we walk over the graves of others to remember that they are our houses also in reversion and when wee see how suddenly the dayes of others are determined to learne so to number our dayes as to apply our hearts unto Wisdome So teach us c. It is the consent of the Fathers and the opinion of the best expositors that this Psalme was penned by Moses upon this occasion After the Israelits had passed the Red Sea and were entred into the wildernesse Moses sent spies before to discover the land of Canaan who returned with these sad tidings to the people that the inhabitants were Giants the sonnes of Anak in comparison of whom the Israelits were but as Grasse-hoppers and that their Citties were walled up to Heaven and so impregnable At which relation they forgetting the great wonders and mighty workes