Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
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A26645
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Mirabile pecci, or, The non-such wonder of the peak in Darby-shire discovered in a full, though succinct and sober, narrative of the more than ordinary parts, piety and preservation of Martha Taylor, one who hath been supported in time above a year in by H.A.
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H. A.
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1669
(1669)
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Wing A9; ESTC R13065
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43,707
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98
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small mistakes of Words and Terms which afterwards were polished to a more acute and regular way of speaking 5. But the manner of her Speech was not worth the taking notice of if you compare it with the matter of the same Her ordinary sayings were very considerable with which I question not but I by my own or friends Collections might have Stuft more Sheets then at this time I must have leave to Bestow upon Her Story Most of these were Scripture Dialects and of them I shall give you no account I know others who have writ upon Young Maids under some such like Visitations have bestow'd twenty forty or more Pages upon the meer repetition of Scripture Passages These I do not I dare not reflect upon though I shall not imitate It was the good Assertion of one of her Judicious Visitors That he never heard her speak any thing untheological and that though she pretended to nothing of Inspiration nor any thing extraordinary but what was the Effect of her Reading and Diligence yet whatsoever Discourse did câ—â—urr he never found her lost in it but that she was clearly with good Language and to purpose able to talk of it The ordinary Subjects of her Discourse were upon the Blacks and Whites the Storms and Sun-shine of the Christians Life She thought no time lost in which she could but say something against sin and for Holiness in which she could but cry up the Promises to lost returning sinners and the Advantages of Affliction to them that belong to God in which she could but sufficiently dilate upon the miseries of a besotted World and the glorious enjoyments of the New Jerusalem SECT II. BUt I shall here give you a Copy of some of her ordinary sayings as they were not much above a Month ago taken from her own Mouth by the Hand of a Friend They were short Answers to Questions proposed but I shall take no notice of the Questions I blesse my God he hath wrought in me a desire exercise my self in all wayes and duties of Holinesse so as he may receive glory others edification and I comfort in the Day of Jesus I desire I resolve for sincerity I know that its God that works all in me and for me of my self as to pious actions I can do just nothing it 's He He that is become all to me and I am nothing but what I am in him my motion my being is in Him and of Him The Reproaches of the World which are many and crowd in upon me do not cannot rob me of my Joy which I have in Christ Jesus my Lord my Portion my Righteousness my Life my All. I in Christ or rather in me doth oppose Sin Errour Deceit yea all manner of uncleannesse both of Flesh and Spirit and it is He that giveth me the Victory over all Enemies Visible and Invisible So that to him belongs all the Praise and be shall have it I discaim any share in it let him have all I know by Nature wrath was my Portion and that I was born in open Rebellion to God Now if Christ through his unspeakable goodnesse and sorrow did redeem me to himself I am sure I ought to be zealous of good works and to glorifie Him with my Soul and Body which are his If I was able to feed upon all the good Creatures of God where as nâ—w I cannot yet they could none of them satisfie or solace my poor weak hungry Soul It is the enjoyment of him who is the Bread of Life the Life of my Life that is my satisfaction to whom be glory 2. Sin is the Serpents fruit and so it comeâ— to be of that Poisonous Nature that it infects thâ— World sets God and Men at difference woundâ— the soul and begets the sting of Death Holiness as I shall speak of it is a Believerâ— serious Conversation which he lives in Christ by which he is doing what he can to re-gain thaâ— Image of God he lost in Paradise and to get himself ready for an happy estate in Heaven where all Holiness dwells Afflictions are the actings of Gods dear love towards Believers for whom the Lord loveth he afflicteth Afflictions are those strange seeds which while they are taking root in the Believers heart do beget war weeping and sorrow but yet at length they do bring forth the profitable the pleasant and peaceable fruits of righteousness The promises which are many great and precious are the rich manifestations and assurances of Divine goodness by which God designs to encourage the poor Believer and bear up his heart under all his sorrows The Reconciliation of the Promises and Providences of God seems to be one of the greatest mysteries and sweetest studies in the world To see how sweetly these joyn themselves together at the journies end though they seem to thwart one the other all the way The Word of God I mean the Word of Reconciliation is as it were God speaking forth himself to us in Jesus Christ It is the rule and Guide to Holiness to God and Happiness To speak of Heaven is a very great difficulty for 't is unspeakable kingdom of Glory eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive of those things which God hath there prepared for them that love him How should I then tell what Heaven is any further then thus That there is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore and that which makes all these excellent is that they are everlasting Death is no evil Messenger to the Saint for the Sting is taken away and he gains by dying Christ hath been the death of Death and so Death is no death to the Saint It is but as it were his dissolver out of Flesh into Spirit so that when Death comes the Saint may tryumph and bid it welcome What I said of Heaven I may speak just backward concerning Hell The torments are unutterable and for their extremity express'd by weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth these also are the more terrible because everlasting As I am crucified to the world and the world to me and as I know the Devil is my Adversary and God a present Help in time of trouble so I look upon all the scandals that are cast upon me to be as Pearls in my Crown I look upon my preservation without the use of creatures to be the manifestation of Infinite Power for the benefit and advantage of them that fear God to let them see how God can preserve life by and if himself and for the hardening of the obstiâ—â—â—â— and impenitent for my own awakening and â—â—â—â—ging into a way of holiness 3. Thus I have given you a taste of her sayings out of the Paper above mentioned which I have compendiz'd and put something into another order inserting also some few short Sentences which I heard my self or were communicated to me by worthy friends doing what I could to keep to her very words
But I can assure you that much of what she used to discourse was little inferiour to these for she is well versed in the Scripture and of a quick apprehension SECT III. I Suppose it s now time to shew you something of her Piety or Person 1. Of these you may have gathered somthing by what went before They were introduc'd by a great work upon her Spirit For you must know that all November and in the beginning of December in the year 1667. she were exceedingly puzled to know what would become of her to all Eternity having Sin and Death before her she was put to her utmost shifts to obtain a Christ There are many indeed that think men Mortality may land them in Heaven withoâ—t a work or Grace which we usually call Regeneration upon which conceit its very probable that notable Ruler of the Jews mentioned John 3.1 had built a very high Fabrick of Hope he comes in a secret manner to own Christ as a Teacher come from God because of his Miracles vers 2. but Christ takes little or no notice of what he says but does upon the matter tell him all this will not serve thy turn though thou be a Pharasee one of the strictest Sect yet thou must either be born again or else thou cannot see the Kingdom of God vers 3. Nicodemus was here at a very great stand he could not tell what to make of the words of Christ vers 4. But Christ affirms the same again with as great vehemency and rather greater fulness with the reason of what he says verses 5 6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and will be flesh and corrupt notwithstanding external Profession nay the outward washing of Baptism will not serve the turn alone without the Laver of Regeneration not Works of Righteousness which we have done will do the business for us but there must be the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 There must be a transformation by the renewing of the mind Rom. 12.2 This being born of the Holy Ghost or being Baptized with it and fire as Mat. 3.11 This being bathed and burnt till the filth and dâ—oss of Nature was done away was the grant difficulty with our afflicted Martha She told me That upon this account she was once in great darkness and under sad distress to allude to that â—f Paul Rom. 7.9 Being without the Law she thought her self alive in a condition good enough to carry her to Heaven but when the Commandement came when she understood her own and â—e condition by the Word of God then sin revived then she found it rouse up it self and discover life and strength and then she died she found her self dead under trespasses and sins This kept her for a season upon the Waves under Storms and Winds as I said before without sight of Sun or Star but as she told me it was her happiness that befâ—re she was split upon the Rock of Despair the Sun of Righteousness broke forth from behind the Clouds with healing under his wings She was often put to cry out Phosphere redde diem But the glorious Day-star appearing brought in hope and hearts-ease with it So that upon her own Confession she has enjoy'd much comfort calm and Halcyon dayes 〈◊〉 2. Now I have shew'd you a little of the beginning Work here was the Foundation as laid upon the great elect and precious Corner Stone But to proceed I shall a little shew you the Superstructure in some few things as her Knowledge Gratitude Patience Hope Zeal Love and Perseverance SECT IV. 1. HEr Knowledge She was very large in this comprehending skill in all the most necessary Truths and Duties notably read in the Bible and several other good Books She enjoy'd but a short while to labour in but had done abundance of work She was able to discourse in ail the ordinary known things within the Sphere of Religion The strangness of this appear'd in her small helps at the first all were ignorant about her no knowing Heads to conferr with and then she was far from the Church and the ordinary use of means but of these something hath been said Her Knowledge was not only Speculative and Notional it was not Aiery and only dwelling in the Head but Practical and Experimental She had the happiness not only to know but also to tast the Truth of the Gospel She did not only know there was a God but she tasted and saw how good this God was This was a means to lead her up to God and Christ to fill her heart with thoughts of them and to breed strong and warm affections toward them Her Knowledge did discover it self to be a gracious Illumination by its foundness humility and self-applications it did not only know God but was ready to glorifie him as God it shew'd it self to be a good understanding in that it did the commandements of God The strength of her Knowledge was made apparent by her discovering the Sophismes and detecting the strange whimsies and wild practices of various Opinionists who did every day assault her 2. Her Gratitude did stream forth both to God and Men To Men in being exceeding thankful for the least Couâ—tisie imaginable an humble rational â—eproof should have been received with chearful thanks I saw her once weep that she was not able to make any reâ—uital to those her Friends who â—owaâ—d then came to visit her out of pure Love and for Pious ends It also appeared in her constant importuning Heavens Remuneration to be given into the Bosome of them who did her but the meanest good turn Her thankfulness to God was much of her business she was not only happily employ'd in returning Praise to the Great Provider for those things which all serious Hearts would have made Arguments of Gratitude but also which was the wonder she was usually thankful for the greatest afflictions which lay upon her She forneâ— that before afflicted she went astray and that miseries of Body made her enquire the more industrio fly for the good old way the way of easâ— and happiness She would bless God for every thing like good and holy Bradford the Martyr in his Repâ— to 〈◊〉 saith he If the Queen will give me 〈◊〉 I will thank her if she will Banish me I will thank her If she will burn me I will thank her If she will condemn me to perpetual Imprisonment I will thank her I never saw nor heard that Martha under her greatest sorrow did the least repine at the hand of God but was ready always to vent her Groans with this Language Blessed be God She continually having a fixed eye upon the great undeserved mercy of God would not so much as send forth one Sigh without improving that breath to the praise of God Thus Servulus a â—rimitive Saint lying a long time under grievous afflictions in such a condition as one could scarcely make a distinction between Life and