her Family ordering and taking care thereof and them in it and herself imployed about something or other of the same when she was not in her spirituall converses with the Lord or taken off by other occasions She considered well both her husbands estates and freed them from the incumberances for her children whom she much endeavoured to make the children of God in bringing them up in his nurture and admonition and keeping divers days of fasts by her self to seek the Lord for them in which and divers other respects they could not but arise and call her blessed and give we her of the fruit of her hands and let her own work praise her in the gates As her life so her death was full of grace and comfort the Lord strengthened her upon her bed of languishing and made all her bed in her sicknesse when she was walking through the valley of death she feared no evil her God was with her his rod and his staffe they comforted her and ministred to her an enterance abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Though her paines and tortures were great the Physitians applying cupping glasses to her and lancing her yet the Lord did comfortably lift up the light of his countenance upon her and put gladnesse in her heart and made her patience have its perfect work she was full of heaven breaking forth in expressions of Gods goodnesse to her saying God hath been very good to me how good is God and how good it is to wait upon God there hath not the least cloud interposed between God and my soul all this sicknesse I will go to my God triumphing Thus with gladnesse and rejoycing was she carried to enter into the Kings Pallace into the joy of her Lord where there is fullnesse of it and pleasures for evermore O mark we the perfect behold we the upright for the end of such is peace No marvail that even Balaam in the sence hereof did so desire to die the death of the righteous and that his end might be like theirs and well had he done if he had withall desired his life alike For ever magnified be my good God who hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of our habitations that caused the lines to fall unto me in such a pleasant place so long even six years in the same family with her and that I should be chosen and ordained a Pastor to her and the people there at Hawkherst That ever I was so acquainted with such an eminent practicall experimentall spiritual staid believer abounding so much with the graces and sealings and joyes of the holy Ghost That I should have such a taste of that happinesse and delight that is in the society of reall Saints How did I live as in a lower heaven walking as in Paradise whilst I was there rejoycing in the goodnesse of the Lord all the day long calling the wals salvation and the gates praise what sweet experiences of Christ had I frequently communicated to me from her How greatly did she stâ—engtheâ— my hands in the Lords work in the middest of all the opposition among that people the righteous God recompence it and all the work and labour of love she shewed towards his name unto me into the bosome of heâ— children seven fold as likewise alâ— I found from my much honoured long deceased friend Mr. Scot heâ— husband in his day whose memory is very precious to me O unhappy Engagement that so disengaged us from one another and that people there The Lord is righteous and his wayes also mercy and truth his pathes are judgment a God of truth and without iniquity just and right wonderfull in counsel excellent in working Wisdome and might are his he changeth time and seasons making every thing beautifull in them manifold are his works in wisdome hath he made and done them all the earth is full of his riches whatsoever he pleaseth that doth he in heaven and in the earth and in all deep places We are not to murmure and say what is the cause the former dayes were better then these for we may not wisely inquire concerning this yet unsensible we should not be of such a losse and breach as this is like the sea who can heal it whereunto shall I liken and compare it that such a burning and shining light should go out amongst us such a fixed star a star of the first magnitude should seâ—â— our horizon How hath the Lord covered those parts with a cloud in his anger and cast down the beauty of them to the ground how is the gold become dimme and the most fine gold changed how is the precious daughter of Zion and the glory of those parts departed For these things I weep mine eye mine eye runneth down with water Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of teares that I might weep day and night even with the weeping of Jazer yea mourn with a great mourning as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon for good Josiah when he was taken away Oh dolor exprome vires non sum solito contentus sone neâ— indociles lugere simus Scotam â—â—emus Ye Ministers of Christ weep over her that was such a cordiall constant prizer of you O Weal of Kent take up a wailing for her the brightest star in all your firmament is set O Hawkherst make a bitter lamentation for her whose coming among you was like the rain upon the mown grasse as shoures that water the earth O poor of those parts and Houlbourn and elsewhere set upon the ground and keep silence cast dust upon your heads gird your selves with sackcloth hang down your heads to the ground arise cry out in the right in the beginning of the watches pour out your hearts like water before the face of the Lord â—ift up your hands towards him who hath taken her away from you that did not with hold you from your desire nor caused your eyes to fail that did not eat her morsel herself alone and you did not eat thereof that did not see you without covering or perish for want of clothing whom your eares have blessed when heard her and your eyes have given witnesse to her when seen her and your loines have rejoyced when warmed by her and ye widows whose hearts she hath made to sing for joy when she saâ— as Queen among the mourners O Hungarian Scholars call for the mourning women and send for cunning women that they may come and let them make haste and take up a wailing for you that your eyes may run down with teares end your eye lids gush out with water for a great Patronesse of yours is gone Sir I am not yet out of my amazement by this great and suddain blow to perceive the end of the Lord. In respect of her self it is happinesse not suffering her to be longer absent from him here in the body having with her swift
would then give if she had been in hast and gone by any poor people and saw they did not beg she would send her servant sometimes with something to them whilst she kept on her way She would not walk London streets long but one or other would come to her begging for an almes and she would ask her servant if he knew them to be common beggers if he thought no she would be sure to give At Lectures if she saw any that were old or in poor habit attending the word then she would be sure to give them In cold seasons when it was hard with poor people she would be alwaies a speaking of the sufferings of the poor that had no fire or scarce any bread much sympathizing with them asking her servant if he knew any that it went hard with that she might relieve them sending her benevolence her charity was so well known that seldome a day if at home but she had petitions from one or other for the same many under the notion of distressed Ministers because they knew they should receive the greater almes and that they might be sure not to misse of the same they would get a testimoniall of their godly lives sufferings and necessitys with the names of some godly Ministers she knew or had heard of and then hath she given the more when she thought their condition real but give it so privately her self as none should know how much but the receivers None that came with petitions did go away without almes unlesse she had known they had come the second time having bin relieved before many a time have her servants gone up to her chamber or when she was at dinner with a paper or petition they knowing when best to find her at home she would ask them if they knew them fit objects of charity but let the answer be I or no she would send them down something if she could not go down her self saying she would rather give to them that had no need then send one empty away that had sending them down word if they had counterfeited other mens names they would very much wrong themselves as sometimes we could perceive they abused her charity and grew so subtile that they would indite Letters punctually to her by name they having their almes according to their demerit Her charity was exceeding much amongst all the poor people at Hawkherst in Kent where her house was where she was many summers since she used to be in London the winters they have all cause to remember how many have had relief at her door Seldom a Lords day but eighteen had relief there she would exhort those poor to serve God and ask them if they had been at Church those dayes and if they had not they should have nothing which caused some of them to go the oftner for they would be sure to tell one of another and not a day in the week but many of them came and had relief at noon and at nights Sir more I could relate but Mr. Case spake of them in his Sermon and therefore shall proceed no further in these particulars wherein also it may be well said She exceeded many daughters that have done virtuously It pleased the Lord to fill her concluding days with many troubles and abundance of businesse it was wonderfull the trouble and the many businesses she had and how chearfully she went through them and how eminently the Lord appeared to be with her in carrying her through all and making whatsoever she took in hand to prosper Since she came out of the country last she scarce had any time to visit her friends this winter which I never knew before but spending her time much with God Indeed her life was a continual motion never idle in the least either in her closet or with her family in performing religious dutys or reading or writing or going to Lectures and fasts or giving instructions concerning houshold affaires she being now house-keepper in London also as well as in the Countrey to ease the Lady her Mother in her ancient years which she did never before in London though alwaies in the Countrey till this last winter O what a losse hath her friends yea what a losse hath the Church of God and hundreds of poor people whose bowels she refreshed But now she is gone before where her soul long desired to be The Lord help us to make after and not to wish for her again or that she had not dyed Why should we be so foolish it will not avail and why so sinfull and so impudent as to contradict God he saw it best to remove her hence and why should we wish her back again she is triumphing in heaven over the world sinne and Satan singing Alleluja unto Him that sitteth on the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever She is among the spirits of just men made perfect and the innumerable company of holy angels and with the great God the judge of all and with the blessed Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and with the holy Ghost the Comforter in the large fruition of the beatificall vision where is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore and why should I wish her from such glorious company and transcendent blisse as never eye hath seen nor ear heard neither hath entered into the heart of man to which mercy 's the Lord in his due time bring us by the merits of his dear Son and our Saviour Jesus Christ Sir These six Heads which I have here sent you are what my friend writ who hath known her many years Yours affectionately to serve you in Christ NICOLAS THOROWGOOD FINIS Errata Pag. 79. lin 19. for Landherst r. Sandherst p. 118. l. 12. dele comma after shop
with the Sectaries and did satisfie Mrs. Roberts I cannot tell whether a passage or two be much worth the mentioning but now I am wtiting I have a mind to adde them First while Mrs. Roberts was as a so journer in Glassenbury summer ended when they could not walk abroad before supper in the evenings when it began to be too dark to see how to work and it was too early to light a candle it was her custome with her Aunt Mrs. Crisp and some other young Gentlewomen in the house Mrs. Crisp her daughters especially to meet together in some one of their chambers and sit talking together about an hour or so till candels were lighted Their talk it may be was sometimes of civil matters and such accidents as had fallen out and come to their hearing but there was also ever for the most part somewhat of Religion in relating what they had read in some good book or other or what they had sometime heard I once upon an occasion about such a time stayed at Glassenbury one whole night and then they called me into their meeting and conference where they requested me to repeat the heads of a Sermon I had preached abroad not long before about setting up Idols in the heart out of Ezekiel the 14. and to pray with them Next when the keeping of the house was put over by his Father to Sir Walter Roberts his Lady who being weak in her intellectuals and unable to manage the businesse of the house Mrs. Roberts then was fain to be governesse of the family and oversee the ways thereof which was pretty great In this time she was in some straight how to perform her morning duty of closet prayer to the Lord she thought that it was meetest that God should be first served and sought unto for his blessing all the day after But it seemeth that the thoughts of houshold businesse did interpose that she performed it not with meet freedom of Spirit wherefore Mr. Whitfield that faithful Minister of the Lord who had some relation to the family by his wife coming there she imparted her doubt to him who gave her his opinion that it was the safest way for her first to go down and settle things in the family for the forenoon businesse and then to retire her self to her solitary devotion which she might attend with all freedome of Spirit from houshold affaires and without fear of interruption Besides if upon her giving the first place to her devotion if matters in the family had at any time done amisse it might have turned to some reproach of her religious profession as making her negligent in that her domesticall employment So sir after much scribling I have done if any thing written will be worth the inserting in your intended Narrative I shall be glad of it that I have lighted on any thing to celebrate the memory of that gracious Gentlewoman whose losse I shall feel with others for want of that encouragement we had from her in piety and her respect of us and so desire to lament it If not it is enough that I have shewed my weak desire to contribute somewhat toward her Funerall Obsequies and so commending you to the safe keeping and love of our good God in Christ I rest Jan. 31. 1658. Yours in the sincerity of Christian respect and good affection JOHN ELMESTONE Mr. Elliston's Letter to Mr. Case Worthily honoured and dearly beloved Friend I Am requested to give in my thoughts and experiences of that pious and precious Saint Mrs. Scot once shining in our eyes but now alas extinct the fragrancy of whose piety was as an oyntment poured forth among us I confesse I have delaied it and had thoughts wholly to have waved it not c. but fearing I might detract from her worth or eclipse it and being also conscious to my self of my unworthiness and unfitness to give testimony especially of so eminent a servant of Christ who alas so oft doubt of mine own interest This femal glory blessed among women whom God had anointed with the oyl of Grace above most of her fellowes was an insatiable worshipper of God in Christ as was said of the Apostle Paul much on the wings of heavenly contemplation and meditation was this divine Eagle She had laid up her treasure there no marvaile then her heart had its tendency thither ah precious bosome wherein was lodged so much of heaven Oh how fearful good soul was she that the lean kine should eat up the fat that Martha's part should play the thief to Mary's Oh how watchful over her heart calling it slippery and deceitfull saying she had but a little while to keep it and the reward would pay for her paines urging her self on that ground to a fidelity and constancy in her watch and ward She carried Mary's Alabaster of precious ointment with her which she was ready to open and pour out plentifully on others suting her savoury discourse according to the conditions of the parties she had converse withall Oh how cautious was she of giving any offence in her attire or any other wayes saying she never put on her best attire but she had thoughts of cloathing her self with the rich robe of Christs righteousnesse and decking her self with the jewels of his graces Oh how exact in all her walkings carefull to make straight steps to her feet looking where she should set her foot before she took it up that she might tread safely she was rich in Grace but poor in Spirit eminent Grace lodged in a low heart Poor worthlesse creature was frequently in her mouth She would condescend to converse familiarly with the poorest member of Christ not having the grace of Christ in respect of persons the ointment of her love fell as well upon the skirts of the garment as on the head she loved Grace for it self looking on it as amiable clad in russet as in velvet in a poor servant as well as in her Mistresse As all her delight was in the Saints so her delight was in all the Saints she had a heart truly mortified to the world shewed in her contemptuous speeches of it and the glory thereof Oh how beautifull were the feet of Godly Ministers to her a rare grace in these dayes How afraid of the corruptions of the times of soul poysoning Doctrines ceasing her self and perswading others to cease from harkening to the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledge She was a great lover of the Word of the Sabboths very carefull as that her self so those under her charge should carefully prepare for them before they came so holily to observe it when it was come A great prizer of all Gods Ordinances and of all opportunities of Grace which she did husband to the great improvement of soul good The observation of humbling days was frequent with her wherein she was very solemn according to the nature of the duty and now she reapes abundantly the fruit of her