to him but as his pronâ—ness to rest in that as sufficient hindered him from accepting of the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith This very thing kept the Jews from submitting to the Righteousness of God This made our Saviour tell the Pharisees and other Jews that Publicans and Harlots should enter into the Kingdom of God but the children of the Kingdom should be cost out Now in the fear of the Lord there is no snare it keepeth the soul from sin but no way exposeth the soul to sin 2. Those other distinctive excellencies are great snares as they expose the person possessed of them to great suffering and give him no satisfaction and comfort in suffering These sufferings which usually attend those other excellencies flow from the envy malice jealousie covetousness or ambition of others If a man or woman excel their neighbour in riches favour knowledge honour c. they presently become the objects of their envy and hatred this ariseth from the pride of our fellow-creatures that will not allow them patience to be excelled It were endless to tell you what some mens riches and honours and favour of men have cost and what beauty hath cost others and what is most sad Their sufferings afford them no satisfaction proportionable to their smart they under them bear the whole weight of their cross with their own shoulders It is true the fear of the Lord too doth not indemnifie the persons possessed with it from trials of scourgings and cruel mockings no not from the fiery trial which the Apostle would not have believers think strange Saint Paul had both troubles without and fears within And it was said of old That he who departeth from evil maketh himself a prey Which is a sentence verifieth it self still and will hold so long as there is a World to hate us which hated Christ first And the Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord or any of the seed of the Serpent in the world which will be till our Lord hath trodden all his enemies under his feet But as usually the sufferings of Gods people on this single account are not proportionable to those others mentioned so neither are they without such a proportionable comfort and satisfaction as makes them indeed no sufferings to them The Martyrs fire is become a bed of Roses The sufferings of this life not worthy to be compared with the glory to be revealed 4. A fourth thing which evineeth the vanity and deceitfulness of those other excellenciet is their subjection to vicissitudes and changes I take this to be a principle adjudged by reason That supposing a thing to have in it some grains of excellency yet if it be subject to diminution putrifaction or any kind of consumption there must be a proportionable deduction and abatement from its excellency For we reasonably judge that any thing which hath any intrinsecal goodness in it it is the more excellent by how much it is more during and of longer continuance Now take all those excellencies which I mentioned as contradistinct to this fear of the Lord They all of them have an uncertainty in them which must necessarily with considerate persons abate of their true value Though beauty be but a pittiful thing yet how much more valuable were it than it is if we did not see it a flower which upon every frost or cold wind every sickness and disease will fade how much more valuable were strength than it is if age and sickness would not make it abate and riches if they would not take to themselves wings and flee away and honour if it were an indelible character But alas all these things are gourds they come up and they perish too in a night Beauty lasteth but a few years if in the mean time no disease abate or take it away Strength hath no longer date Riches are subject to the hand of violence who may plunder them and to the thief who may break through and steal the goods which we had thought laid up for many years They are also subject to the disposal of divine Providence who often declares them moveables and disposeth of the stock of this world this or that way as it pleaseth him Honours depend upon the wills of Princes and are given and taken away when and as they please There is nothing of a certainty or of a perpetuity in any of these things But now the fear of the Lord is subject to no such accident I will saith God put my fear into their hearts that they shall never depart from me It is a thing as I have shewed you of infinite value and is not subject to any change at all It is a Jewel with which when the soul is once adorned it never putteth it off any more but weareth it till it entreth Eternity and puts on the Crown of Glory for evermore It is the seed of God of which the Apostle speaketh which abideth in men and keepeth the soul that it cannot sin the sin unto death It is the well-spring of living water which when once it springs up in the soul it springeth up unto eternal life It is a Jewel that will not be debased gold that will not admit of rust O the excellency of grace above all the perishing excellencies of other things which as the Apostle speaks of those beggerly elements perish with the using We may say of this fear of the Lord compared with other excellencies as the Prophet speaketh of the grass and the flower compared with the word of the Lord The grass withereth and the flower fadeth but the word of the Lord endureth for ever Beauty withereth and strength withereth Riches fade and Honours fade and all other created excellencies wither and fade but the fear of the Lord abideth for ever 5. Lastly All those other excellencies fail the persons which have them in the most needful times If there were something of vanity in beauty some deceitfulness in favour some emptiness in all those other things which I mentioned yet much might be spoken for them would they but serve a soul in an evil day But if this be found true of them that like Swallows they all leave us in Winter and are furthest off from giving us that satisfaction which we desire from them and they in appearance promise us in a time when we have most need of them certainly this must needs depreciate them in the view of every rational eye Now that they do this is demonstrable past all denial We have two evil daies I mean evil to our sense the day of Affliction and the day of death In the day of affliction be it bodily or spiritual external or internal what do all things in the world signifie or wherein doth one man differ from another save only by the fear of the Lord. The beautious face hath lost its lovely colour The strong mans finews are loosed The knowing man is ignorant how to give himself
waters far more sharp than brine With perfect grief fit Victimes for this shrine A Song 's desired my poor Muse complied But ere she sang it out she burst and died Grief set the Cliff so high sorrow so rackt Her tender heart-strings that when toucht they crackt She yet is loth to yield she hopes to groan A shatter'd verse or two o're such a stone Ah! for one doleful shrick to rend the Sky Then would she on this grave lye down and die But dying leave some Legacies to give To any who have yet an heart to live A broken heart within which riven frame Iâ—prâ—mis In every chink this Noble Lady's Name A face gutt'red with tears a panting breast Item Which when the tongue gives in may sigh the rest And when the fancy fails a bleeding eye Item To weep a more Pathetick Elegy These her neglected Arms she gave to me That I with them might hug this Prodigy Of Vertue which in a fast Gordian knot I 'le tye and with her reliques let them rot Here lyes extinguished a fallen Star Which fixt in th' spangled frame would very far Out-shine those lesser lights whose beaming would Darken the Sun and turn the Moon to blood How had the Pilgrims flockt about her Tomb Had there been ever such a Saint at Rome Add but her merits to that Churches store And they might sin whole Ages on her score Ah Lord what thing is this the world calls man Whom some few inches of a grave can span Though nere so swell'd with honour nere so vast That Kingdoms cannot hold yet found at last Though now more room more earth more worlds they crave Coopt up within the confines of a grave How did this stately Cedar lately ' expan'd Her high and lovely top with which she fann'd The Air and from it gave a lovely shade Refreshing such as the world weary made Alas she 's faln and in a Vault is sunk All we can say 's Here lyes a goodly Trunk Which in a moment by a sudden turn Is ashes made and fitted for an Urn An Urn on which the Mourner only must Grave this Here lyeth Honourable Dust With this great Lady's see another Herse O're which my breathless Muse cann't sing 2 verse 'T is needless why they were in Vertue blood Honour and Piety what e're is good And to be praised both the very same Repeat what 's said change but the christen name 'T is true of both and thus indeed they were Two Noble Sisters A thrice Noble Paâ—r A short Account Of the Holy Life and Death Of the Right Honourable The Lady Frances Hobart the Relict of Sir John Hobart late of Blicklin in the County of Norfolk BARONET SAint John heard a voice from Heaven Rev. 14. 13. saying write to which when he replied What shall I write the answer was Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them A phrase which implies not any motioâ— of works but rather the promotion of the person that hath wrought and remuneration for his or her work This reward they have partly in Heaven where Christ rewards his Saints though not for the merit of their works yet according to them Rev. 22. 12. both for nature and degree and they partly have it upon the Rev. 22. 12. Earth whiles the name of the wicked â—otts their memory is blessed and wherever the Gospel is preached what they have done is told in remembrance of them The Widows while they wept for Dorcas shewed the Coats and Garments Acts 9. 39. she had made Solomon commands that the Vertuous Woman should have the fruit of her hands and that her own works should praise her in the Gates This is my present task and the last office I have to perform to that great and noble person whose death hath turned us into an house of mourning I shall begin with her cradle and consider her in the threefold period of her life while a Virgin a Wife and a Widow but I shall lightly pass over the two former knowing nothing but what I gathered from her Ladyships various occasional discourses during the eighteen last years of her life in which I had the honour of a daily converse with her Ladyship as to which I had the advantage of a stricter observation This noble Lady was born in London in the year 1603. being the eldest of eight daughters who all lived to marriageable years with which it pleased God to bless the Right Honourable John late Earl of Bridgewater Vicount Brackâ—â—y and Lord Elsmore Lord President of Wales By his noble Lady the Lady Frances daughter to the Right Honourable Ferdinando Earl of Derby Of this twice noble stock this Excellent Lady was the First-fruit a circumstance possibly not inconsiderable for gaining credit to the following relation of her vertuous life there being something of that in Horace true Fortes creantur fortibus bonis Est in Juvencis est in Equis patrum Virtus nec imbellem feroces Progenerant Aquilae columbam Doctrina sed vim promovet infitam Rectique cultus pectora roborant Such as the Parents such the children be The breed of Horses and Neat beasts we see In Spirit like their damms and Sires prove Fierce Eagles bring not forth a Sable Dove c. It holds not indeed as to infused habits Justus non gignit justum sed gignit hominem said Augustine but as to Moral habits which have their seeds and rudiments in nature there 's much in it Splendid and noble actions are much advantaged by this foundation though education raiseth the building and Grace at last layeth the Corner-stone perfecting what thus is began in nature and improved by instruction and education This Noble Lady had no sooner passed the hands of her Nurse and began to use her tongue but she was in her Fathers house betrusted to the tuition of a French Gentle-woman whom I have often heard her mention with a great deal of honour from her she learned to speak the French tongue before she could distinctly speak English a faculty which she retained to her dying day And having her Organs of speech so early formed to it she so naturally accented it that Natives of that Country would hardly believe her born in England The years of her Nonage were spent in learning things proper for that Age and which might accomplish her for that noble station which she was ere long to take up in the World Now she learned to handle her Lute to sing dance c. things in her maturer Age of which she made little or no use and far less reckoning but they fitted her for the Court which she was to be acquainted with before she could be dismissed into the Ceuntry Now she learned to read to write and cast account nimbly and exactly and to use her Needle and order the affairs of an
I discharged my Ministerial Office in the City and to take some oversight of his Family as to the things of God Sir John himself having lately been valetudinarious and the Family without any spiritual guide I found it in some disorder and the severall persons in it my Ladyes Daughter only excepted being persons grown in years I apprehended it no easie thing to reduce it to a due Religious Order and Discipline My design was it being a Family of much leisure to bring it up to a Course of Prayer in conformity to Davids Copy Morning and Evening and at Noon-time Reading some portion of Scripture twice each day and expounding it as my leisure would allow me Catechizing once every week a stricter observation of the Lords dayes and Repetitions of Sermons both on that and other dayes when we had attended upon the publick Ordinances I did not do this as thinking it what God requireth of all Families but in regard I thought God expected more of us to whom he had given more leisure from distracting occasions of the World Partly in regard my hands at that time were not so full of more publick employment but I could attend this more than ordinary service in the Family and indeed because I thought I saw the Family so much behind hand as to spiritual knowledge as ordinary performances in a short time were not like to reach the end which I aimed at As to the generality of the Servants I feared this might prove like the putting of New Wine into old Bottles and be judged a yoke they were not able to bear I therefore first communicated my thoughts to my Lady Sir John Hobarts sickly state not allowing much liberty of discourse at that time Her Ladyship chearfully approving my thoughts propounded them to her husband who with great expressions of thankfulness testified his approbation to me and commanded his Servants diligently to attend the duties and himself when his distempers would permit him was never absent ordinarily for some time at our Prayers At Noon and Night he was with us The Morning Service was by seven of the Clock rarely after eight from which her Ladyship unless in a bed of sickness in eighteen years I think was hardly twice absent and was ordinarily with the first of the Family in the room where they were performed before her sickliness brought them to her own Chamber The business of Catechizing was more difficult yet made easie by these noble Parents prevailing with their own Daughter to go before the Family in a noble Example which she continued untill she had attained a competent knowledge in the most necessary Principles of Religion From the time I first came into the Family it pleased God to keep Sir John Hobart in a dying condition though he had some more lucid intervals than other within less than eight moneths God removed him into a better life It was his great satisfaction all along his sickness to see his dear Daughter making such a proficiency in the knowledge of the things of God and so willing to set an example to his Family and he mentioned it as his dying comfort that he had seen his Family before his death in a course of Reformation which he doubted not but his Lady would bring to perfection Now was this Excellent Lady brought to the third and last period of her life Now she sate solitary as a Widow mourning as a Turtle that had lost her Mate and for a while not knowing how to receive comfort because He was not Having recovered her self from her passion and learned to hold her peace because this was the Lords doing she made it her first request to me that I would abide with her and keep on the course of Religious dutyes in the Family which I had began proposing to me an high incouragement from an assurance that I should find her proposing to her self the pattern of the man according to Gods own heart Psal 101. 1 2 6 7. endeavouring to walk in her house with a perfect heart That those who were of a froward spirit should depart from her That her eyes should be upon the faithfull in the land they should serve her That he who wrought deceit should not dwell in her house he that told lies should not tarry in her sight To which resolution she was afterwards very severe The times began to be troublesome through the distempers of the Army and some fears began then to arise that Ministers who could not comply with the extravagancies of that time should not be suffered to enjoy their publick liberty Her Ladyship partly to obviate that Evil partly to give her self advantage however times fell to do good to the Souls of many at no small charge converted some less usefull lower rooms of her house into a Chappel which was conveniently capacious of more than 200 persons Here she obliged me at first to preach a Lecture every week and to repeat one or both of my Sermons every Lords Day at night after the more publick Sermons were finished in the Town which for 16 years was continued to a very full Auditory and to the great advantage of many younger persons and of those who had not such advantages as they desired in their own houses for hearing again what they had been hearing in the day time A work of piety the more remarkable for this her Ladyships Chappel lying in the way to that field where the younger persons were formerly wont to profane the latter part of the Lords day by idle walks discourses and Recreations intercepted many of them and proved a bait to allure them both from the example of it into a further reverence of the Sabbath and from the Doctrine they heard there to bring them to a further acquaintance with God After this she ingaged me also to preach a Morning Sermon there on the Lords dayes those monthly dayes only excepted when I was to administer the Communion of the Lords Supper more publickly This course her Ladyship continued so long as I had a liberty to preach or her Ladyship a liberty to hear But that I may speak more distinctly The Christian Philosopher divideth all vertue into Piety and Probity which indeed is our Saviours division of the whole Law into the two Precepts Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self We must first consider her Ladyships obedience to the first and then to the second 1. Even from her Childhood some seeds of severer piety began to discover themselves in her I have heard her mention the pleasure she then took in reading Mr. Dod's Exposition of the Commandements Then as I have heard her relate it her pleasure was in those Ministers whose Doctrine was most lively and whose lives were most pure and holy But her self would constantly own the fixed change of her heart to have been wrought by God under the Ministry of that eminent Servant of God Mr. John
Carter late Minister of St. Peters Mancraft in Norwich of whom she was a constant Hearer Her pious Soul having thus been kindled with an holy fire quickly flamed in a Gospel conversation her light shining out so before others that they saw her good works and glorified her Father which was in Heaven And I doubt not but many in the view of them glorified God in the day of their Visitation I know not whether in the memory of any the City of Norwich was blessed with any person of her quality who in any proportion to her incouraged the wayes of God with her Purse and recommended them by her unparallel'd example Let us take the due proportion of a Christian single-woman from the great Apostle of the Gentiles and compare her with his Rule He speaking 1 Cor. 7. 34. of married and unmarried Christian women saith The unmarried 1 Cor. 7. 34. woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and spirit but she that is married careth for the things of the world that she may please her husband And the same Apostle giving us the description of a Widow indeed deciphereth her thus 1. Negatively she is one that liveth not in pleasures for saith he The woman that liveth in pleasure is 1 Tim. 5. 5. dead while she lives 2. Positively he describes her thus She trusteth in God and continues in 9. supplications night and day and directing what Widow he would have dignified in the Church he saith If she hath been the Wife of one husband by which I conceive he understands Chastity if she be well reported of for good works if she have brought up children and lodged strangers if she have washed the Saints feet if she hath relieved the afflicted and diligently followed every good work We shall find this excellent Lady Saint Pauls qualified Widow 1. Negatively She was none of those who lived in pleasure while she lived Very far from spending her precious time in sleep or banquets at Balls or profane Playes or insignificant Visits or that spend their Estates in soft and gay Garments or indulging their Palats besides what time she necessarily spent in the services of her body she spent all her hours either in the more publick or private exercises of Religion or in such Visits where she might either do or receive good if she made any other they were her burthen rather than pleasure to repay the civilities of others never being patient of being out-done in Civilities She seldom spent half an hour either in a Dinner or Supper and both ate and drank in so small proportions that not denying allowances for particular constitutions she was a perfect demonstration how little Nature would be content with she was so far from taking pleasure in costly raiment that for some years after the loss of her dear husband she could not be perswaded to wear a silk Gown and professed to do it that she might have abundantly to relieve poor Christians in want and when at any time she saw an object of charity requiring a greater proportion than suited her present stock of money she would yet do it telling me it was but wearing a Gown two or three moneths longer For Musick Dancings Gaming 's her serious mortified Soul was grown a perfect stranger to them Untill some few years before her death when infirmities increasing upon her suffered her not to do as formerly This was the constant course of her life She seldom was in her bed after Four of the Clock in the morning towards her latter end her health inforced her to abide in it longer yet to the last Seven was her utmost hour from the time she rose till Seven of the Clock she spent her time in the private Devotions and retirements of her Closet then she came out to the more publick duties of the family which she never missed and seldom but was first in the room in Prayer Reading the Scriptures Expounding one or more of these Exercises as opportunity served and some discourses afterward she then usually spent more than an hour the rest of her time till Noon was spent in her Chamber in dressing or in her Closet reading looking over Accounts c. Sometimes for half an hour she walked Then she came out again to Prayer in her Family in which and in Dinner and following Discourses she usually spent two hours and sometimes exercised her self for half an hour afterward Her afternoon was spent in reading or making Visits chiefly to such Christians as she had an Interest in or sometimes in spinning or sowing with her Maids About Six she again came to her Family-duties in which at Supper and discourses after it she ordinarily spent three hours and then withdrew to her Closet for many years together there she abode reading and praying till Twelve or One of the Clock till at last with no ordinary difficulty she was perswaded by her learned Physitian to abate an hour or two of that excess for her health sake Thus she lived a most mortified life to all the contents of this World excepting only what arose from Communion with God and his people using as great severity to her self as those who judge such Castigations of their body the price of Heaven 2. The Positive part of St. Pauls description in the first place respects Religion so he describeth her to be one 1. Trusting in God 2. Continuing in supplications night and day 3. Caring for the things of the Lord that she might be holy in body and minde and spirit The first is an internal the second a more external Act of Religion Trusting in God as it speaketh our secret affiance in and adherence to the promises for this life or that to come is so secret an act of the soul that oft-times the Soul that doth it cannot discern the truth of its own act much less can another discern it otherwise than from the effects Some of those effects which will come nearest the certain discovery of this habit are an unfained love to the Word and Ordinances of God Freedom from distracting eares for to morrow Love to God Fear of offending him Hope in his mercy c. How much this admirable Lady valued the Word and Ordinances of God was conspicuous to all that knew her most to us who had the advantage of more intimate communion with her Besides that she was rarely to be found alone without her Bible before her she had drawn up for her self a method for reading the Scripture to which she was very strict so as every year she read over the Psalms Twelve times the New Testament thrice and the other part of the Old Testament once Besides this that she might want no satisfaction to any doubt arising upon her reading the Scripture she had furnished her self with a large Library of English Divines which cost her not much less than 100 l. of which she made a daily use She was while in health
and a Candlestick for the Servants of God who passed that way but like Lydia she would adjure them if they judged her faithfull to come to her house To this purpose she had set apart one Chamber in her own house to which she had given the name of The Ministers Chamber She highly prized any laborious Godly Minister and that for his works sake and she had as little kindness for any who attended not their Work or whose lives defamed their Doctrine and Function having nothing but the colour and form of their Coat to make them known she had indeed a peculiar kindness for some but a great love for all whom by any thing she could discern deriving from Christ and dedicating their time and hearts to his service So far as I could estimate it she every year spent the fourth part of her Revenues upon good Ministers and poor Christians Her charitable acts were like that pious act of Araunah of whom the Scripture saith As a King he gave unto the King What she did of this nature she did nobly and a very large heart and hand God had given her How often hath she lodged strangers relieved the afflicted washed their wounds instead of their feet washing of which being not our guise How diligently did she follow every good work Her Coach was ordinarily seen waiting for her at the doors of poor and mean persons whiles others like Michal looked out at their wanton Windows saw it and mockt It pleased her Ladyship when she came home to fancy what the wanton Gallants of the Town said How glorious was the Lady Frances to day spending her time in Visits to poor Knitters She had an answer ready with a small alteration from the man according to Gods own heart It was before the Lord with such as he hath chosen to Eternal life leaving Vain persons to perish in the recompence of their iniquity While others were measuring the ground with their idle feet she upon her bended knees was taking her turns with God and taking the heighth of the third Heavens While they were discoursing of the Mode in this or the other habit she was discoursing with poor Christians upon sick and Death-beds about the long white Robe of Christs righteousness the New Name the white Stone the Chains about the Saints necks while they were laughing and pleasantly busied at their Feasts Balls and Playes she was in her Closet mourning and offering up to God the spiritual sacrifice of Prayers and Tears both for her self and them She was of our Divine Poets mind that Kneeling never spoiled Silk-stocking nor Gown neither and that Christian Cottages never dishonoured a more stately Coach I have known some very mean Christians but indeed of great grace and great experience in the wayes of God from whom lying on their beds of afflictions she would hardly be two dayes absent nor did she judge any time too long to spend with them She would often say to me that she believed Love constrained equally if not more in spiritual Relations than in those that were natural and when in her dark hours she sometimes ran the fate of other Christians wanting such evidences of Grace as she desired to have found she would from this relieve her self that if St. Johns Argument were infallible 1 Joh. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren she yet had a ground of hope for if her heart did not strangely deceive her she loved them and that because of their holiness c. nor was she any of those that said she had Faith or Love and had no Works None of those whom St. James reflects upon Who if a Brother or Sister were naked and destitute of daily food would say to them James 2. 15 16. Depart in peace be you warmed and be you filled notwithstanding gave them not those things which were needfull to the Body Her love did not evaporate and spend it self in an empty-handed Visit or meer pitying of such as were in affliction she many wayes refreshed their bowels if she found their bodily distempers difficult she would ordinarily send her own learned Physician to them who himself was a Luke too towards such as feared God if she found them under spiritual trouble she would direct me to them She would put her own hands to their wounds send them dishes from her own Table when she had been with them at any time like the good Samaritane in the Gospel when she came away she would take out money from her purse and give to Nurses saying to them Take care of this person and whatsoever you spend more when I come again I will repay you Her self denyal in all acts of piety and charity to the souls and bodies of others was the just admiration of all sober persons in the place where God had fixed her for which she was universally honoured even by those who were of far different complexions from her Nor was she at all morose in her converse Her piety taught her civility and affability and a readiness to do good to all though her delight according to that of David was in those Psal 16. 3. whom she apprehended dear unto God and she was according to the Apostles direction most abundant in doing good to those of the Gal. 6. 10. houshold of Faith Though her Expences were great and noble yet those upon her self were mean and inconsiderable She cared not to be known by so pitifull a badge of Honour as Costly Apparel but was far more ambitious of purchasing to her self an honourable report from good works which yet she did not to be seen of men and was carefull as to the most of them that they should neither be taken notice of in the doing nor that any record should be left of them her desire was to have praise not from Men but from God Landes quia merebatur contempsit quia contempsit magis merebatur So little did she affect applause that drawing her last will at least the Preface to it with her own hand whiles I had the liberty of my publick Ministry she willing me to preach at her Funerals added as I remember these very words And I desire him to forbear all commendations of me a vile sinfull Creature Thus did this Noble Lady go in and out before us commending the holy wayes of God not only to all in the house with her but to all that dwelt round about her Thus did she shine in her Horizon she was not a reed shaken with the winde not one carried about with every winde of Doctrine she was not a person known by her cloathing in soft and costly rayment yet she had been no stranger to Kings houses she was a burning and a shining light and for many years the people of God in the City of Norwich rejoyced in her light to say nothing of more extraordinary advantages they injoyed at least three opportunities each week
for hearing the Word of God at her Ladiships charge But she according to the will of God had with David served her generation and her time now was come when she must fall asleep It must and may be owned for she judged it no blot upon her honour that she was a Non-conformist as to some Modes of Worship in present use as well as to some Doctrines more now in credit than formerly for the latter she was beholden to her Noble Father who as it was said before early prejudiced her against the Arminian principles and for the former she was wont to acknowledge it to those who had the charge of her tender years who sowed those seeds which afterwards brought forth this fruit indeed nothing so prejudiced her against forms of Prayer as her own experience of them For the two or three last years of her life therefore she restrained her self to those exercises of Religion which were performed within her own walls or in some other places not so publick As to which she yet injoyed a great liberty by reason of that honour which persons of all perswasions had for her It was not the will of God she should long survive that liberty which was so precious to her The Lords day next preceding the time when the Act restraining religious meetings took place was if I remember right the last time she went down her stairs I remember while I helped her in going up the stairs from her Chappell to her Chamber that night she told me The Act would do her no prejudice for she should never go down more This as I remember was about the latter end of June or beginning of July 1664. The Dropsie her fatal disease had three or four moneths before seized upon her but death by it made such gradual approaches that till that time she was able without much disturbance to walk up and down That very night as I remember was the first time that she complained of her leggs failing her to that degree yet was her life lengthened out till the latter end of November following Indeed her whole life was a time of Afflictions through the valetudinarious condition of her Noble Husband the loss of Children and her own subjection to distempers through stubborn splenetick obstructions Nor was she for some years before without some prospect of the death by which she should dye though it was a kind of death which she above all others dreaded and would often say concerning it Father if it be possible let that Cup pass from me The time of her last sickness presented us with no great variety of temper in her as to her spiritual condition 〈…〉 kept on her course of Religious Duties in her House and Chamber as formerly Her work was done both as to this and as to another life her House and her Soul was set in order so as she had little to do but to sit still and wait for the salvation of God all the remaining dayes of her appointed time till her great change came I do not remember that during her long sickness she more than twice discovered to me any conflicts in her Spirit though I constantly attended upon her and as constantly inquired upon the frame of her spirit She had sown in tears before and had now nothing to doe but to reap in joy Her death was a long time both by her self and us foreseen in its causes but as to the particular time we were a little surprized when she thought the day of her change in probability at some distance she lost her senses and speech and after two or three dayes quietly fell asleep in the Evening upon the Lords day Nov. 27. 1664. Thus lived thus dyed this twice noble Excellent Lady about the 61 year of her Age. Possibly the Noblest Example of Piety and truest Pattern of Honour Liberality Temperance Humility and Courtesie which it hath pleased God in this last Age to shew upon the stage where he had fixed her A Woman indeed not without her infirmities to assert that were to discharge her of her relation to Humane Nature but as they were of no scandalous magnitude and the products of Natural Temperature not of Vitious Habits so they were so much out-shined by her eminent Graces and Vertues as a curious eye would hardly take notice of them In short None ever lived more desired nor died more universally lamented by all sober persons in that City to which she related She was buried in a Vault belonging to the Family of her Dear and Noble Husband at Blicklin in Norfolk Decemb. 1. 1664. therein paying her deceased Husband a last Obedience who as I have often heard her pleasantly say made it his first request to her upon her Marriage-day PROV 31. V. 29 30 31. Many daughters have done vertuously but thou hast excelled them all Favour is deceitful and beauty is vain but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised Give her of the fruit of her hands and let her own works praise her in the gates OVT of the abundance of the heart saith our Saviour the mouth speaketh which argues every man in the best capacity to discourse upon such Subjects which have had the latest and fullest possession of his thoughts you know I suppose what hath made the latest and deepest impression on my thoughts I think I may say upon yours also I mean the severe dispensation of God to us all in taking from us to use Solomon's expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A noble vertuous woman An elect Lady to use the Apostles phrase A great mother in our Israel Upon whose separation from us who is there amongst us fearing the Lord that is not crying out Ah? my mother my mother The Chariots of Norwich and the horsemen thereof I have therefore resolved to make an Excellent woman the subject of my discourse upon this occasion you have had her pattern in that noble example whom now the Providence of God hath taken from us you have her description in the text A woman fearing the Lord while I am discoursing the Excellency of the woman in the text both absolutely as considered in her self and comparatively as weighed with others in the ballances of Religion and Reason I shall satisfie my self that as to our deceased friend I shall fulfill the will of God in the close of my text Giving of her the fruits of her hands and causing her own works to praise her in the gates We reade of Solomon 1 Kings 4. 32. that he spake three thousand Proverbs Some of the principal of which are doubtless recorded in this excellent portion of holy writ The notion of Proverbs must not be taken so strictly as we usually take it but in a further latitude of sense as comprehending all figurative speeches especially such as have in them ought of a similitude Nomine He. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significatur omnis sermo figuratus Mercer of which sort are many of these
ease The prudent man is not wise enough to remove the distemper nor yet under it to comfort himself None of them by their knowledge learning wisdom can save themselves from death nor redeem their souls from the pit As dieth the fool so also dieth the prudent man leave this life and what profit hath the poor creature of all those fine things which before differenced him from his neighbour wherein doth he now differ he is alike laid in the grave with him But in these hours the fear of the Lord is excellent and of infinite advantage to the soul that is blessed with it 1. In a day of Affliction It is true grace and the fear of the Lord doth not deliver a man from the common incidents of that mortal condition into which sin hath brought us it doth neither free us from troubles without nor yet from fears within but it giveth the soul comfort and satisfaction in this hour Lord remember saith Hezekiah how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart A man fearing God in an hour of affliction is quite another man from one under the same kind and degree of affliction that he is fuller of strength fuller of comfort more satisfied with his condition 2. In the day of Death It is true the first curse must have its verification We have sinned and we must die But dieth the child of God as a fool dieth dieth a man fearing the Lord as the man who hath no fear of God in his heart surely there is a great difference in their latter end Even Balaam had some sight of this when he desired that he might die the death of the righteous that his latter end might be like his See that famous instance of David a man indeed according to Gods own heart yet you know how he failed both in the matter of Bathsheba and Vriah He comes 1 Sam. 23. to his death bed and the Scripture recordeth his last words He considereth the Rule which God had set him that he who ruled over men should be just ruling them in the fear of the Lord that his light should be like the light of the morning c. He considers again that his house had not been so with God as it ought to have been what comforts him Thou hast saith he made a Covenant with me well ordered and sâ—re in all things c. This and this alone is that which in these hours of distress can relieve a poor creature and the worst of men will give in their evidence to this They will at their dying hour and when they lie upon beds of sickness cry out Favour is deceitful Beauty is vain They will then agree with Solomon to warn their friends to fear God and keep his Commandments telling them this is the end of all This now is sufficient to have spoken in the Explication or evidence of the point which may all be summed up in this one Argument Whoso is possessed of that quality which both in it self considered absolutely and in respect of all circumstances is the most excellent person But that man or woman in whom the true fear of the Lord is and dwelleth most eminently is possessed of the most excellent habit whether it be considered in it self more absolutely or with respect to circumstances Therefore that person is the most excellent person I come now to the Application of the Point In the first place what you have heard Use 1 may serve to evince the vulgar mistake concerning the excellent of the earth and also to abate those high conceits which men ordinarily have of themselves who in the little things of the world differ a little from their neighbours The world if this Doctrine be true is greatly mistaken both in their judgements concerning the most excellent things and concerning the most excellent persons 1. I say first in their judgements as to the things that differ and are more excellent than other If you should run to and fro the streets of your City and ask every one whom you meet Friend let me have your opinion what do you judge the most excellent thing in the world it is very like they would not all agree in their answers some would say Pleasures and a satisfaction of their lusts Others would say Riches if a man had as much money as he could spend a plentiful estate to live on Others would say Honour and Favour if a man be great at Court a favourite to Princes they will judge him the happiest man alive It may be others would judge Learning and Knowledge is most excellent or Moral Vertue is the most excellent but where shall we find a person who would say The fear of the Lord is the most excellent thing Some rare person possibly might be found who would say with David There be many that say who will shew us any Psal 4. good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Or with Solomon after he had tasted of all those sweet things which the world affords Eccles 12. 13. Hear the conclusion of all Fear God and keep his Commandments But the most of men would neither like David's nor Solomon's judgement in the case Nay even of those who would say Grace is the most excellent thing how few are they whose practice would not condemn them in what they speak with their mouths Man naturally loves desires valueth chuseth approveth the things which he judgeth most excellent The low opinion which the most men have of Religion and the fear of the Lord their little endeavours for it and pursuit after it are plain instances let men say what they will that they judge other things more excellent Yet could you meet with any who had the sentence of death in himself any strong apprehensions that he must in a short time go down to the pit and upon whom the terrours of Hell had seized this man would tell you that of all things the fear of the Lord is most excellent which is enough to evince the truth of the thing and that nothing but the violence of temptations and prevalence of corruptions makes men to judge otherwise 2. As what you have heard leadeth you to judge truly concerning the best things so it leadeth you also to a true judgement concerning the best persons What the Prophet complained in his time is true in our time We call the proud happy We judge them the best that are the richest the most honourable and who are dignified with the greatest titles Thus oft-times we call a covetous worldling a griping Vsurer or Extortioner a swinish drunkard a sordid unclean person a prophane swearer a blasphemous curser one that rends the sacred Name of God with unheard of oaths revilings blasphemies The best men in our Cities in our Parishes and yet we contend our Parishes to be particular Churches and these the members of them Away with such more than Pagan Non-sense The Heathens would not
King 21. 19 20 21. to tell him in short that God would ruine him and his family and all that belonged to him v. 27. Ahab hears those words he rends his cloths puts sackcloth upon his flesh fasteth lyeth in sackcloth and goes softly Here 's the best of a carnal man if his dread of God in his Judgements worketh thus far and to a temporary abstaining from some gross sins it is all you read not a word of Ahabs tending to inquire of the Lord not a word of any cordial humiliation or resolved reformation 2 King 22. 11. Josiah findeth the Book of the Law and heareth there of the wrath of God he rends his cloths so did Ahab but he resteth not here v. 13. He tends to inquire of the Lord for him and for the people and for all Judah c. was this all No chap. 23. He sets upon a real and effectual reformation with all his might Thus you see how the dread and awe of God upon the heart of a child of God doth not drive him from God but unto him it doth not stupifie but quicken him it doth not put him upon a formal temporary particular reformation but upon a fixed real general reformation Pharaohs fear flartled him and put him upon sending to Moses to pray for him and put him upon some good thoughts and resolutions at present but yet Pharaoh notwithstanding this was one who feared not the Lord. But thus much may serve to have spoken to this branch of Application I come now to the last branch I will shut up this discourse with a few words of Exhortation I will reduce all to three particulars 1. To such as have not this fear of God in Exhort their hearts to perswade them to labour for it 2. To such as have this fear of God to perswade them 1. To labour to grow in this habit and exercise 2. To live like excellent persons and to shew they have this excellent blessing 3. Lastly To the men of the world in general to perswade them 1. To an undervaluing of all other excellencies 2. To a true value of this excellent thing and these excellent persons 3. To give them of the fruit of their hands and to suffer their works to praise them in the gates In the first place let me press a word of 1 Branch Exhortation upon such as yet fear not Goâ— to perswade them to it It is a frequent precept in holy Writ Levit. 19. 14. Fear thy God I am the Lord ch 25. v. 17. 43. Eccles 5. 7. Matth. 10. 28. 1 Pet. 2. 17. Rev. 14. 7. Eccles 12. 13. God calls to you Fear God Solomon calls to you Fear God Our Saviour calls to you Fear him that can cast both body and soul into Hell fire The Angels in Heaven call to you Fear God All the Prophets and Apostles call to you unâvoce and this is that which they say Fear God The meaning of this you have heard Not only dread the great and living God in the secrets of your hearts but let all your conversation savour of this fear so comport your selves in your whole carriage both towards God and towards your neighbours as you may evidence to the world not only that you have a natural sense of that infinite distance which is between your Creatour and you and the power that he hath over you but that you may shew that you have this gracious habit of fear wrought in you and that you fear God in the Scripture phrase You see this is a great picce of the will of God concerning you pressed upon you again and again in holy Writ Give me leave to inlarge a little in pressing it upon you I shall first give you some Arguments Secondly I shall offer you some directions in the case from the text And what I have said furnisheth me with two great Arguments 1. This is Wisdom This is Grace Job 28. 28. â—â—e fear of the Lord that is wisdom Prov. 1. 7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Knowledge That man who hath nothing of the fear of God in him hath nothing of God nothing of the Grace of God in him On the other side that person who hath in him the fear of God hath all that is an holy that is a gracious man There can be no more said of any than that he or she are persons not fearing God Nor can there be better said of any that he or she is a person fearing God 2. Secondly You have heard a person fearing God is the most excellent person in the world Favour is deceitful Beauty is vain but a woman fearing the Lord she shall be praised Others may call themselves excellent and the men of the world may call the proud happy but the truly happy the truly excellent person is one fearing God I might add a third 3. This is the only person who deserveth to be praised and whose works will truly praise him Let others be commended and admired for beauty for riches and honour and another for learning as the end of all is to fear God and keep his Commandments So that person that truly answereth this end and doth fear God and keep his Commandments will upon the best evidence which is that of Scripture and reason appear to be the person that is most worthy of praise and commendation Now if I could say no more than this to engage any to this study yet in other things this would be enough Every one naturally desireth the things that are excellent and is naturally covetous of honour and praise Would you have that which is in it self most excellent that which will make you above all others excellent that which most truly deserveth praise and will make you the truest objects of praise Oh get this fear of the Lord Give me leave to add another Argument or two 4. In the fourth place Consider the many Promises made in Scripture to the fear of the Lord Prov. 10. 27. The fear of the Lord prolongeth daies Prov. 14. 26 27. In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence and his children shall have a place of refuge The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death Prov. 15. 16. Little with the fear of the Lord is great gain v. 33. The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom Prov. 19. 23. The fear of the Lord tendeth to life ch 22. 4. By the fear of the Lord are riches Psal 112. Psal 128. are full of Promises to the man that feareth God The things promised in these and those many other Promises annexed to the fear of the Lord are such as every one defireth Who would not have long life riches and honour Either you believe the Scriptures or you do not believe them if you believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God you must assent to whatsoever Propositions are revealed in them as Propofitions of eternal and
a people he is set out as turning his face toward them Hence in Scripture the people of God pray for the favour of God under this notion Psal 80. 3. Psal 80. 3. Cause thy face to shine upon us and we shall be saved Psal 31. 16. Make thy face to shine 31. 16. 27. 8. upon us Psal 27. 8. c. In this sense Cain spake Gen. 4. 14. From thy face I shall be Gen. 4. 14. hid id est from thy favour And it is by some learned Expositors observed that when the term favour is joyned with behold or shine c. it alwaies thus signifies Thus Psal 67. 1. God be merciful unto us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us i. e. shew us some token for good this is sometimes called the light of Gods countenance 2. The fear of God sometimes signifies Gods glorious manifestation to his Saints in Heaven 1 Joh. 3. 2. 2 Cor. 3. 16. where as the Apostle speaketh his people shall see him with open face face to face as he is c. I am inclined to understand the phrase in the utmost latitude I will or shall in righteousness behold thy favourable face in the influences of thy love in this life and thy glory in that life which is to come and accordingly it will not be different to interpret Davids beholding 1. In this life they behold the favour of God with the eyes of their mind apprehending the love of God in Jesus Christ to their souls and being perswaded of it according to that of the Apostle Rom. 8. 38. I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels c. shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. In the life to come they shall behold the face the presence and glorious manifestations of God not only with the eyes of their minds but with their bodily eyes Job 19. 26 27. In my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another Then we shall see him face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. and as he is 1 Joh. 3. 13. I have now opened the former part of the text which I called Davids resolution I will behold thy face in righteousness c. And you see it comes to thus much O Lord it pleaseth thee in the wisdom of thy providence to prosper my bloody and cruel enemies they are full of riches and children yet they walk proudly and dishonour thy name they have a large proportion of the good things of this life and they look upon them as their portion let them do so As for me I am indeed in a low condition poor and afflicted and persecuted but I will look after righteousness I will labour for the righteousness of Jesus Christ and endeavour to live an holy life and conversation having respect to all the Commandments and walking closely with thee Though I be used cruelly and unjustly yet I will walk innocently and manage a just and righteous cause and so doing I will look towards thee and hope in thee Let others look after the favour of the world my business shall be to contemplate thee to meditate to fix the eyes of my soul on thee that I may have the manifestation of thy love to my soul here and that I may enjoy thee in glory hereafter This shall be my aim this my study though I do not now see thee yet if my soul be clothed with the Righteousness of thy Son if I endeavour to walk closely with thee I shall one day either here or in glory behold thy face if I do not see thy face before I die yet in the resurrection I shall see it When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness I come now to the Explication of the latter part of the text which I told you in those words I shall be satisfied The Septuagint reads it I shall be feasted 1. The word signifies a plentifull filling The word by which the Greek Interpreters translate it signifieth such a filling as the beasts are filled with eating grass you know they make themselves very full seeding meerly by sense and according to appetite under no regulation of reason Thus it is used Hosea 13. 6. According to their pasture so were they filled and their heart was exalted To this degree are souls sometimes filled in this life with manifestations of grace Thus are the souls of the Saints filled with Gods manifestations of himself to them in glory Such sometimes are the shinings of divine light upon the soul on this side of Heaven that it knows not how to bear any more it is filled with a joy unspeakable and full of glory But in the other life Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what things God hath prepared for them that love him Yet even then the glory of the Sun of Righteousness will be above the glory of the brightest Star They shall be glorified with the same glory as Christ and his Father are glorified as to the kind not as to the degree of it we can receive but according to our capacity In short they shall be so filled as they shall desire no more The word signifieth perfect fulness and therefore Criticks derive it from a word that signifies seven which in the dialect of Scripture is the number of perfection Seven times a day will I Psal 119. 164. Gen. 4. 15. Pro. 24. 16. praise thee that is many times Vengeance shall be taken on Cain seven-fold She that hath born seven languisheth Prov. 24. 16. The righteous man falleth seven times a day And so in many other texts But further yet the word signifies a filing as with dainties as a man is filled at a feast a man may be filled with bread but at a feast we are usually filled with pleasant bread as Daniel calleth it So then when David saith he shall be satisfied he in effect saith I shall be filled seven times filled brim full perfectly filled as at a feast And indeed thus shall the souls of Gods people be filled but when and how are two questions which by the remaining words must be resolved When I awake saith the text or in awaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in watching or in being made to awake or to watch For the form of the words it admits this variety of interpretation The LXX read it When thou shalt appear unto me The Vulg. Lat. When thy glory shall appear unto me We will first consider the original word in its latitude of significancy and then weigh what it here importeth The word in the Hebrew comes from a roo which signifies three things 1. To make tedious 2. To watch 3. To awake The two latter alone can fit this text and betwixt those two interpretations I find all valuable interpreters divided The Hebrew properly is in watching or in awaking
and think that the asserting of it derogateth from Christs plenary satisfaction which indeed would have something of truth in it had not God in that Covenant reserved himself this liberty If Psa 89. 31 32 33 34. they break my Statutes and keep not all my Commandments then will I visit their iniquity with a rod and their transgressions with stripes Nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips By vertue of Gods Covenant with Christ for us their earnest salvation and the welfare of their souls for ever is secured Nay more afflictions as they are tokens of divine wrath and legal demands of satisfaction to Gods Justice cannot fall upon Gods people but he hath reserved to himself the liberty of a Father in love and kindness to chastise his people with rods The people of God therefore should not think it strange if they meet with these dark issues of divine providence nor should any entring into the waies of God promise himself a freedom from afflictions and trials of this nature Christ hath secured us eternal salvation and all necessary means and influences of grace in order to it but he hath not totally exempted us from the rod of affliction But this is not all The second Proposition speaketh yet more The Child of God may not only live but may 2 Prop. also die and fall asleep unsatisfied as to the likeness of God This is true both as to the likeness of God in them and the manifestations of God unto them 1. As to Gods Image in them this lies in the perfection of holiness and is so far true that it is hard to find a child of God whoever as to this died satisfied what Christian on his death-bed ever said he had faith enough or love enough or holiness enough David cryes out Although my house be not so with God And where is the soul that departing to eternity sees not reason to complain that his heart hath not been so with God as it ought to have been The best of men sinneth seven times in a day 2. But it is true also as to the apprehensions of divine love not being able when they die to say assuredly My Beloved is mine and I am his What shall we say to the great example of our Lord and Saviour It is true he knew he was the eternal Son of God that after his resurrection he should be glorified with that glory which he had with his Father from all eternity and in this respect might differ from some of his children who dying may want that certainty and only die with a good hope through grace yet in this dying hour he cryes out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Nor can we well understand how he should for us die under the curse and sensible feelings of divine wrath unless we grant that he died under the withdrawings of the sensible manifestations of divine love and certainly the Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord. Our own experience also proves it have not we known some persons of whom while they went in and out with us could say These are the anointed of the Lord we saw them walking closely with God fearing every sin making conscience of every duty serving the Lord so far as we could judge in spirit and truth and this not in a fit but constantly yet when they came to die their Candles went out in obscurity We have not seen them in that triumph of faith that fulness of joy and peace which it may be we did expect Not able to say with Job In Job 19. 26. Rom. 8 38. my flesh I shall see God nor with Paul I am perswaded that neither life nor death shall separate me from the love of God in Christ Nor is there any thing in spiritual reason to hinder it Sensible manifestations are none of our necessaries God hath no where promised that they shall not fail the soul in death Mr. Rutherford I remember propounds this to be observed Whether usually when in the time of their life the Saints of God have felt many reflexions of divine love many sensible consolations God hath not left them to die in the dark And on the contrary when any of his children have in the time of their life been full of fear and dejections c. God hath not usually in their sick and dying hours shined upon them with visions of peace It is not to be fixed as a standing Rule for the Almighty is neither to be limited nor tracked in his goings but it may be worthy of our observation Now this seemeth a very hard dispensation Gods people oft-times know not how to live without sensible manifestations of his love but they are much more at loss how to satisfie themselves to die without it May we therefore in any degree of humility guess at some reasons of so sad a divine dispensation 1. In the first place it is enough to a modest soul inquisitive in this particular to say Even so O Father because it pleaseth thee God will have us to know that the wind bloweth both where it listeth and when it listeth and that his Spirit is not less free We shall not know the hour when he will visit his peoples souls nor will he constantly come in at the same hour that he might assert his own liberty to us this may be one and indeed it is the great reason to be assigned of this dispensation 2. The Lord may have a design by it to make a trial of his servants faith It is a good faith that will long maintain a living Saint without sight but it must be a strong faith which will maintain a Christian in his dying hour without it This was the faith of Job Though he kills me yet I will trust in him This is a faith which holds out to the end and shall have the Crown of life which God hath promised It is the last act of faith to serve a departing soul Love goes with the soul into another world Faith parts with it at the gates of death the vision of faith is then changed for the beatifical vision What a man seeth how doth he hope for That faith that seeth Christ through a glass darkly hath its eyes in death quite out The soul comes with open face to behold the glory of God It argues a great spirit in a souldier to fight to his last breath And it speaks a couragious strong faith for a Christian to die believing dying hope is a good hope therefore it is given as the character of a righteous man that he hath hope in death And of the Hypocrite it is said Where is the hope of an Hypocrite when God takes away his soul Job saith that his hope shall be like the giving up of the Ghost Look as dying
the state of the children of God in glory you would easily agree this with me that the joyes and satisfaction in the likeness of God which shall in Heaven be manifested to the souls of Gods people shall abundantly recompence them for all their hours of darkness I have now done with the Explication of the Doctrine I come to the Application in which I shall be the shorter because it hath been wholly practical almost Vse 1. In the first place what we have heard may inform us much concerning the Lot and Duty of Gods dearest servants As to their Lot 1. They may in this life be tempted persecuted by men deserted by God very much unsatisfied as to the Lords likeness both in respect of holiness and comfort we are not by an interest in Christ priviledged from trials we may have troubles without and fears from within By our turning into the waies of God we make the world our enemy by deserting it we inrage the Devil to a further enmity indeed we engage God to be our Father but he is a wise Father who though he alwaies loves yet sometimes in prudence he frowns upon a child But here we must distinguish betwixt a seeming desertion and a real desertion betwixt a total and a partial desertion betwixt a desertion as to the necessary influences of grace and as to the less necessary influences of it betwixt a desertion for a time and for ever God cannot cast on his people for ever he cannot totally desert them he cannot withdraw the necessary influences of grace the union betwixt Christ and the soul cannot be dissolved there can be no intercession of the state of Justification no total separation of the Spirit from the soul when once it hath taken up an habitation in it but as to some influences of grace not so necessary to salvation as to consolatory manifestations as to degrees of quickening and strengthening influences God may forsake his Saints and to such a degree that the soul may to it self seem utterly forsaken 2. Secondly You have heard that it is not repugnant to the justice and goodness of God to suffer his child to fall asleep in death without a satisfaction with Gods likeness without such sensible comforts as others may have Light is sown for the righteous joy for the upright in 〈…〉 1. heart But it is like seed sown into the earth which comes up sometimes sooner sometimes later sometimes not till they come in Heaven sometimes soon after conversion sometimes they walk all their life time much in the light of the Lords countenance sometimes they have an April day with vicissitudes of light and darkness gleams and showers sometimes God appears to their souls in the very hour of death they have been in darkness before and then they cry out as the Martyr to his Brother Austin He is come he is come Sometimes again the light of this life goes out in obscurity to them and they go out of this world weeping yet carrying with them the precious seed of Faith and Love they shall return in the resurrection rejoycing and bring their sheaves with them This may serve to regulate our expectations that they rise not too high for dispensations not absolutely necessary to salvation and to direct our charity that we may not entertain uncharitable thoughts nor pass uncharitable censures upon those whom we have seen in this life strictly walking with God yet not dying with sensible comforts 3. Thirdly The Children of God as well as others shall fall asleep Indeed their death is but a sleep and it shall not be a perpetual sleep Death shall taste of them but it shall not feed upon them Lazarus sleepeth saith our Saviour but I go to awake them The children of God shall all sleep but the Lord will come to awake them the last trump shall sound and those who are dead in the graves shall awake and shall arise they shall hear the voice of the Son of God and live their flesh shall rest but it shall rest in hope The wicked also shall sleep and their bodies shall rest but in no hope of a better state in the resurrection it were well for them if they might indeed sleep a perpetual sleep and wake no more Thus far you have been informed of the Lot of Gods people and further of their great priviledge when they awake in the resurrection to be fully and abundantly satisfied with the Lords likeness But in order to their priviledge you have also been informed of their duty 1 Branch At all times to keep on beholding the Lords face in righteousness in the righteousness of Jesus Christ in the righteousness of an holy and innocent life and conversation to keep a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards man to be continually labouring to perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord to be much in prayer much in the exercise of faith hope patience 2. Especially are they to take care that in their hours of darkness they be not wanting to this duty And further doing this they ought so far to be satisfied as not to murmure not to repine not to think God deals hardly with them but to be thankful rejoycing themselves in this confidence that when they shall awake in the resurrection they shall have what their heart could wish they shall be abundantly satisfied with the Lords likeness Thus far what you have heard serveth you for Instruction Vse 2. Secondly What you have heard may reflect with some check and reproof to many poor souls who truly fear God yet are not come up in this thing to their duty How many do we meet with in the course of our Ministry who though Christ be in them the hopes of glory though they cannot deny what God hath done for their souls their souls tell them they have put their trust in God and committed themselves to the arm of everlasting righteousness they dare not knowingly offend God but make it their business and herein exercise themselves to keep a conscience void of offence both towards God and man yet because possibly at present they have not those sensible reflections which others have and they desire they cannot be satisfied but are ready to complain and murmure and like a teachy child to throw away and despise all they have because they cannot obtain this which they so passionately desire they can see no ground of hope they are perswaded that at last they shall go to Hell and one day perish with all their profession they can find no witnessings no sealings of Gods Spirit How often do we hear these and such like sad expressions from them But Christians I beseech you consider 1. What God said to Jonah Do you well to be angry do you well to repine and murmure David Psal 25. 3. prayes they might be ashamed who are transgressours without a cause Are you not transgressours without a cause hath not God given you more than you have
earned hath he not given you the penny you contracted with him for why are you angry then why discontented why lift you up your voice against Heaven 2. Again How many thousands are there in the world who have as creatures as much claim to God as you for whom the Lord hath not done so much for as he hath done for you He hath given them portions in this life and hath sent them away they have pleasure riches honours c. but no faith no hope nothing of grace no interest in Christ they are dead in trespasses and sins perishing to all eternity You only want a spiritual banquet the most want spiritual bread yet creatures under the same natural capacity that you are 3. Though in one sense you be not sealed yet in another sense you are sealed You read in Scripture of the sealing of the Spirit Ephes 1. 13. chap. 4. 30. 2 Cor. 1. 22. Eph. 1. 13. 4. 30. 2 Cor. 1. 22. We usually interpret those texts of Assurance because seals are used for confirmation But possibly there is another sense as agreeable to the mind of the Holy Ghost A seal you know leaveth the signature or impression of it upon the wax the wax hath the image of the seal upon it The Lords renewing and stamping his Image upon the soul is a sealing of it to the day of Adoption There is a seal of Regeneration and Sanctification as well as a seal of Assurance and though the latter sealing be infinitely sweet and pleasant to the soul yet the former is that which fitteth us for the Kingdom of Heaven Without holiness no man can see God Is there not as much think you of the operation of the Spirit seen in sanctifying quickening strengthening a soul as in comforting it and assuring it of salvation Is it our great mistake that we will look upon nothing as the fruit of the Spirit but joy and peace certainly the renewing and sanctifying of the soul is as much the operation of the Spirit and the strengthening and quickening of the soul in the performance of duty or in the resistance of corruption is as much the fruit of the Spirit in the soul as comforting and refreshing the soul is 4. If God hath thus far inabled you viz. to behold his face in righteousness and to watch for his likeness he hath given you the necessaries of salvation the things which accompany salvation What you want is only what a soul may want and yet get to Heaven Faith and Holiness they are the necessaries to salvation a soul may go to Heaven without Joy and Peace without Faith and Holiness there is no salvation When God hath given you the bread of life have you not reason to be satisfied Though you want that banquet with which he sometimes is pleased to entertain the souls of his people The Example of this rare and eminent servant of God might have at once as to this thing have instructed and reproved many unthankful discontented and repining Christians It had pleased the Lord to strip her naked of most of her creature comforts he had sent such messengers as he sent to Job to her one after another till at last death came to assure her all as to this life was gone she was under a sad and inexpressible trial of affliction It is true in this sad and afflicted state as to her outward concerns she had her lived intervals some glimmerings of divine light sometimes Joy came over night but sorrow came again in the morning the clouds returned after rain That word Col. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of Glory often refreshed her but her adversary was busie her comforts inconstant her assurance little yet she lived in hope and blessed God and was thankful she endured violent pains and in her suffering acted a strong saith and in the saddest distempers would cry out Oh Sir Satan would have me let go my hold on Christ but I will trust in God till I die Though he kills me yet I will trust in him tell me I pray Sir may I not She died in hope her very last words were I hope I hope to make good that of the wise man that the righteous man hath hope in his death and by hope I doubt not but she is saved and now seeing what she hoped and with so great patience waited for Heark and be ashamed thou murmuring and unthankful Christian that art not so much as she disadvantaged from the providence of God yet canst not tell how to be silent because thou wantest consolatory manifestations Vse 3. In the third place What you have heard in this discourse may be useful to us for Consolation 1. On our own behalf 2. On the behalf of others 1. As to our selves concerning our dark hours The people of God are ordinarily very jeolous of their Saviours love and very suspicious of their own sincerity they know not how to trust as the one nor be confident as to the other without the incouragement of comfortable reflections nor how to believe they shall go to Heaven if they go not to it in the fight of it The wise man saith a man knoweth not love nor hatred by all that is before him in this life so that none ought to determine of himself in this case from any external dispensatious of providence A Christian may be poor and afflicted and yet a favourite of God and as he ought not to judge himself from these more external dispensations so neither ought he to judge himself from the want of sensible manifestations to his inward man The child of God may walk in darkness Job David Heman Asaph all had their dark hours if therefore that be our lot yet this is no ground of discouragement to us no ground for any sad conclusion against our souls as to their best interests 2. Again what we have heard affords us a great comfort against the fear of death The Scripture calleth death The King of terrours Job 18. 14. And the Apostle saith that even Gods people through the fear of it are all their life time Heb. 2. 14. subject to bondage It is the common portion of all the Sons of men It is appointed for all men once to die and it is our great interest to arm our selves against the fears of it you have heard from the former discourse 1. That death is but a sleep 2. That it is not a perpetual sleep but a sleep from which we shall awake 3. That at our awaking out of that sleep we shall be satisfied with Gods likeness 1. I say first death is but a sleep It is not an annihilation of a man that misapprehensions of it make it terrible to a man in his natural capacity It is not to the child of God the securing of a person to the Judgement of the great day In this notion unbelievers have reason to consider it what is it then It is but a sleep This gentle notion
greater priviledge than this is It is the happiness of Heaven to behold him as he is to see him face to face and is this no ingagement to lay upon you to seek righteousness to tell you that if you get into a state of righteousness you shall be some of them who shall see the face of God another day in glory who shall be heirs of glory and joynt-heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ Are your lusts more worth than Heaven and your carnal pleasures more valuable than the pleasures of beholding God and being satisfied with his likeness 2 Branch Lastly What you have heard may be of use to perswade you that fear the Lord to your duties under the ecclipses of divine love It is the great business of a Christian to study and know and practise what is his duty in every estate You have heard that it is the lot of Gods people sometimes to walk in the dark and see no light what their duty is under such a dispensation I have at large shewed you I beseech you that you would be consciencious in the performance of it 1. Do not murmure or repine against God he doth you no wrong 2. Do not you leave beholding God though it pleaseth not God to look upon you with such a kind aspect as possibly you dâ—sire Do not give over your waiting upon him in prayer and in all his Ordinances But on the contrary 1. Appear often before him in the righteousness of Christ and plead that with him 2. Walk close with God perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord. 3. Keep your watch take heed of spiritual sleep giving way to temptation or to your own corruptions 4. Believe for that which you do not see hope for him whom you cannot yet behold and with patience wait for the Lord Never yet was a waiting soul ashamed nor a believing soul confounded never yet did an holy soul perish Do this and satisfie your self with holy David That when you awake in the Resurrection of the Just you shall be abundantly satisfied with the Lords likeness and Comfort your selves with these words A Narrative of the holy Life and Death of the Lady Katharine Courten Some useful Observations upon the latter part of the Life and the Righteous Death of the Right Honourable the Lady Katharine Courten one of the younger Daughters of the Right Honourable John late Earl of Bridgewater and late wife of Will. Courten Esq I Shall not undertake the pourtraiture of this excellent Lady from head to foot partly because the circumstances of her birth breeding and education were much the same with her elder Sisters whose Copy I have given more fully so as I should but repeat the same things again partly because indeed till the latter two years of her life she was not at all known to me and partly because that part of her life was it alone wherein she made not her self known to the world It was about the first day of April anno 1650. that her Lap having received an invitation from her noble Sister whom we have formerly in this treatise discoursed of came to spend the retired part of her life with her at Chaplifield-house in Norwich Her time of health with us was about three quarters of a year the other was her dying time I will suppose that none who knew her derived from Adam will think she was not subject to like passions and infirmities with others of the same blood but as these were not such but were consistent enough with eminent degrees of grace so neither were they her pleasure but her burthen And the Apostle tells us that we have an High Heb. 4. 16. Priest who can have compassion upon our infirmities being touched with a feeling of them having been in all points tempted like as we are only without sin I shall only copy out this excellent servant of God so far as the abundant grace of God appeared in her for our consolation and our imitation of her example Six things I observed in her in the daies of her health speaking much of the grace of God bestowed on her 1. The first was her chearful quiet thankful submission to Divine Providence I have not known hardly read of any Job alone excepted whom the Lord was pleased to blow upon with a series of sharper providences than he did upon this eminent Lady he had even made her a mark for all his arrows I have often thought her afflicted condition much parallel to that of Job he had great substance dear relations an healthful body and in a moment lost the comfort of them all This noble Lady was removed from the great plenty of her Fathers house by marriage to William Courten Son and her of Sir William Courten with whom she enjoyed a plenteous estate inferiour to few subjects of England Silver was with her as dust and as the stones of the field He gave her an Husband who was to her the man of her bosom the delight of her eyes and as the breath of her nostrils he blessed them both with a numerous off spring Thus he had made her mountain to stand strong and in this height of her prosperity she began to say I shall never be moved But it was not long before the Lord hid the face of his providence from her and she was troubled First he strips off her branches taking away one child after another until only one Son and one Daughter were left unto her Then he causeth an East-wind to blow upon her estate scattering and breaking the ships that went for treasures to the Indies every year bringing some sad tydings or other of this nature until the Lord had stript her naked and her dearest Husband was not only ruined as to his whole estate but involved in an irrecoverable debt and this noble Lady who lately equalized her greatest friends in an affluence of the good things of this life became into a condition of dependance upon them and through the violence of men is separated from her dearest relation who was now constrained in a remote Land to seek himself a City of Refuge and to secure her self from the snare of an oath which she judged unnatural it was that she retired to her noble Sister at Norwich yet in all this she charged not God foolishly The Lord had given and the Lord had taken and she blessed the Name of the Lord with a meek and quiet spirit humbly kissing the Rod of God that was upon her and holding her peace because it was the Lords doing who she freely acknowledged might do with her and hers what he pleased and she could not say unto him what dost thou Yea not only so but taken up with the admiration of the goodness of God to her seen in the readiness of her noble friends to shew kindness to her and her remaining children in their afflicted state and much more affected with this than with any trouble for Gods severer dispensations to her I
soul 1 Col. 27. Christ in you the hope of Glory hath been returned to my soul and comforted me but I cannot call this assurance doubting quickly returned and now Satan would have me let go also my hold on Christ but I am resolved not to let it go until I die shall I not so resolve I beseech you Sir tell me should I not so resolve To this I replied 1. That I rejoyced to hear her Ladiship acknowledging that God had sometimes sealed promised unto her soul that those impressions did not abide constant was not to be wondred at it being rarely the lot of any child of God to walk in the constant light of his countenance but I humbly conceived her Ladiship had great ground to call these impressions of the Spirit of God upon a threefold account 1. They were made upon her soul after earnest prayer 2. They came to one in a dark sad and afflicted condition and to an awakened conscience and to one who had for some time desired to walk close with God and this after long and patient waiting for God 3. The return of that word in which the Lord had made her soul first to hope was a great evidence to me that the Author of the first was also the Author of the second impression 2. I rejoyced more to her Ladiships grant that her Faith of adherence was strengthened and so strengthened as she was resolved not to let it go until she died In which resolution I humbly besought her Ladiship to persist I intreated her Ladiship to consider that there are not two better marks of a strong Faith than 1. The resistance and repelling of temptations to doubt 2. The casting of our souls upon God and adhering to the promise though we want incouragement of sense with Abraham to believe in hope above hope This indeed is a strong faith and gives much glory to God And indeed I thought I never was a witness to the actings of a stronger faith than that of this noble person in the midst of her saddest torments of her darkest hours when she was even distracted through pain and terrours she would cry out to all our amazement It is my strong hold I will not let it go no I will not let it go I am resolved I will not let it go let Satan suggest what he will it is my strong hold I have committed my self unto Christ c. Thus she would cry out bitterly weeping while she spake in great Agonies of her spirit 3. As to Patience I desired her Ladiship to consider that the grace of patience was not a Roman fortitude carrying one out under an affliction without any expression of passion this an Heathen might do without any assistance of distinguishing grace and some distempeâ—atures were such as the best Christians could not so bear them David roared Job complained Christ himself cryed out My God My God Patience is a sacred influence of grace by which we are inabled in the hour of affliction to hope in God whom we see not and meekly to submit to him under his severer dispensations without any murmuring repining or any frowardness of behaviour I told her that although her Ladiship did sometimes roar out through extremity of pain and were restless through torments yet the grace of patience was evidently made manifest in her soul in her humble owning the Justice of God kissing his rod never repining nor murmuring at his dispensations only desiring strength to bear what he would please to lay upon her and her willingness to die or live as he should please to order for it was now patience in her to be content to live finally in her willingness in obedience to Gods command and ordinances though she earnestly desired death yet to use all means though she had no hope of cure to prolong a miserable life so long as God pleased 4. Finally I told her that although possibly sometimes in the height of her distempers some speeches might sound some impatience and unbelief when the extremity of her pain had almost totally deprived her of the use of her reason yet God would not impute this to her for he weighs our performances with our temptations So the Apostle saith You have heard of the patience of Job he that looks in the story will find much in Job which we should call impatience he cursed the day of his birth chap. 3. And we find in his story many other very passionate and distempered speeches yet the Apostle saith not you have heard of the passion and frowardness but you have heard of the patience of Job Though Job sometimes were very impatient yet the Lord considering Jobs patience with his temptations records him as a patient man and so patient as to be propounded to his Saints in following ages as an example of patience he saith not you have heard of the passion or frowardness but you have heard of the patience of Job In short I told her Ladiship that we who were spectators could not but judge her in the free use of her reason full both of faith and patience for her few distempered hours as they were not in number equal to the rest so neither would her tender Father judge her for them By these and other Arguments through Gods assistance she seemed at last satisfied that although she yet wanted the consolations of the Spirit yet she was not without the strengthening influences of it But yet her adversary would not leave her his next temptation was from her apprechended want of Gods quickening grace to which purpose she replies again 6. Tempt Sir I remember you told me that though I wanted the consolations of the Spirit yet if I found its quickening influences I had no reason to despond but Sir I want these my head and my heart is dull there is no life left in my spirit I lift up a lifeless soul to God in prayer never was any in so dull and dead a condition as I am To this I replied 1. That if her Ladiship found the strengthening influences of the holy Spirit they would evidence a state of justification and favour with God now those were evident in her Ladiship how else did her Ladiship in her dark condition commit her self unto God rest upon him and patiently wait for him 2. That as to quickening grace it was seen 1. In exciting the soul to duty 2. In inclining the soul in duty so as it performeth it with alacrity delight and vigour and for the latter it works in us by assisting us in the improvement of our natural parts and powers now this assistance might be wanting to her Ladiship through the indisposition of those Organs by and through the means of which the Spirit perfecteth these operations and her Ladiship must consider that her spirits were tired with succession of pain and stupified by anodines medicines which her learned Physician thought proper for her for the allevation of her pain which otherwise would soon have