into that better world which she so much longed after often professing that there was nothing that could tempt her to wish for life but the breeding up of her little ones which yet now she was the less solicitous about because she could leave them in the hands of their tender and careful Father not doubting as old dying Jacob said when he was blessing the two Sons of Joseph Gen. 48. 15. 16. That that God which had fed her all her life long untill that day and the Angel which had redeemed her from all evil would bless them And now finding her self arrested by the messenger of Death and her body like the house of Saul growing weaker and weaker but her soul like the house of David waxed stronger and stronger took higher flights and made nearer approaches to God that gave it When her Husband came to her as he did frequently he continually admonished and minded her of the gracious Promises of mercy in Christ and of faith in him and desired her to be strengthened and comforted in them Her answer was she was comforted in them she found the comfort of Gods Spirit in her and verily believed she should see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the living Psal. 45. 13. Ever and anon saying I am comforted Gods Spirit is in me which makes me endure my sickness and more pains than you can think of so comfortably as I do When she knew of none by her usual prayer was Lord look down upon me in thy mercy Lord forgive me my sins Lord assist me with thy holy Spirit Lord thou hast assured me of the forgiveness of my sins Lord assist me still with thy holy Spirit And many times passing the whole night without sleep she spent that time in these and the like heavenly prayers and ejaculations in which her Husband and those which attend her continually still found her when they came to her Never man had a more faithfull dear and loving Wife or more carefull of what concerned him than himself and more tender of any thing said or done against him than if it had been said or done against her self And when he seemed to lament the loss he should have if God took her from him She meekly answered We came not into the world together and therefore may not look to go out together When he replied that it would be much better for their children if he went first as by the course of nature was most likely she said that he could do much better for the children than she could and thanked God for that she could now leave them with him For the space of three weeks she kept her bed and about a fortnight before her death being surprized with a fainting fit in which she was like to depart and thereby perceiving that earth would suddenly return to the earth whence it came that her soul might be the better winged and prepared for a return to God that gave it she deâ—ired that all the Family might be called up and joyn in prayers with and for her At which time observing the grief and passion of her Husband and those that were present expressed plentifully by tears from their eyes she besought him and them not to grieve and lament for her happiness About that time a Reverend person coming to visit her Husband he solicited him to enlarge that great act of favour unto him by a greater act of charity to his wife by visiting her also whom God now visited with sickness as also to pray with and administer some comfort unto her which he most willingly condescended unto and having taken a strict account of her faith in Christ and hopes of a better life he left her with his Fatherly benediction top full of comfort and when she was afterwards told that he came out of respect and kindness to visit her Husband she said No but God had sent him for her comfort often acknowledging the consolations which she had found by him When any came to visit her in the time of her sickness at the parting she desired them to pray for her and often sent Messengers and caused Letters to be directed to her friends in London to pray for her for that she was now preparing for another world When she was sometimes desired for her childrens sake to chear up her self her answer was that to leave them did not trouble her because she was assured that God would provide for them adding that she would willingly leave Husband Children and all to go to Christ which was just the minde of that blessed Martyr Ignatius Befall me said he what will or can so I may enjoy Jesus Christ my Love my Life that was crucified for me or rather St. Pauls case expressed in that most elegant Barbarisme Phil. 1. 23. Desiring to be with Christ which is multo magis melius much more better And now finding the day of her life wasted to the evening and ready to dye into night on the Lords day before her death she desired the prayers of the Congregation in the Parish where she lived being well assured as she said that many good people would pray heartily for her After which some coming to visit her and exhorting her to patience and to remember the afflictions of Job she answered that she had had her part in his afflictions God having given her Luctuosam foecunditatem as St. Jerom said of Laeta a sad and sorrowfull fruitfulness taking away seven of her children in their minority so that she as Hanna spake in her song 1 Sam. 2. 5. that had born seven waxed feeble yet she comforted her self with this hope that they were in Heaven before her and hoped that they would be Lamps to lead her to heaven for she assured her self that they followed the Lamb whithersoever he goeth and for those two which were yet alive she thanked God for that she saw no ill qualities in them Besides she said that God had taken away her goods from her but had given her patience which to her was of more value and she esteemed it above them all knowing that God was able to restore all when he pleased She often acknowledged Gods goodness to her in sending her a milde sickness and not taking her away with some sudden stroke as he did the wife of Ezekiel Chap. 24. 16. or by some tormenting disease as he is pleased to visit some of his dear ones acknowledging the wonderful mercy of God to her therein A week before her death she called her eldest Daughter to her being to go from her to School at Putney and putting her hand on her shoulder she said to her I give you that blessing which my Mother gave me at her death The God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob bless you and then added the blessing which Aaron by Gods own appointment was to give the children of Israel The Lord bless thee and keep thee
Learning or Industry so was he most carefull not to trust in them but to fix his dependance wholly upon God Herein he was not unlike to blessed Bradford who studied kneeling Another Synesius who was wont to divide his life between Prayer and his Book Like unto Paul Not sufficient of himself to think any thing as of himself and professing all his sufficiency to be of God But we will give our selves say the Apostles continually unto Prayer and to the Ministry of the Word Men of labour they were and men of Prayer As any weighty cause presented it self either in the Church Commonwealth or his Family he used to set dayes apart to seek the face of God in secret Such were the bowels of this spirituall Father the Horsmen and Chariots of this Israel He might say with Paul He was in fastings often His conversation upon earth was a trading in Heaven A demonstration of the praises of him who hath called him A temperature of that holiness sweetness and love which continually gained upon the hearts of many spectators The habituall gracious scope of his heart in his whole Ministry is not illegible in that usuall subscription of his at the end of all his Sermons Tibi Domine Unto thy honour O Lord. A tast of the divine Soliloquies between God and his soul you may please to take notice of from these two transcribed Poems left behind him in his Study written with his own hand A thankfull acknowledgement of Gods providence In Mothers womb thy fingers did me make And from the womb thou did'st me safely take From breast thou hast me nurst my life throughout That I may say I never wanted ought In all my meales my Table thou hast spread In all my lodgings thou hast made my bed Thou hast me clad with changes of array And chang'd my house for better far away In youthfull wandrings thou didst stay my slide In all my journeys thou hast been my guide Thou hast me sav'd from many an unknown danger And shew'd me favour even where I was a stranger In both my Callings thou hast heard my voice In both my matches thou hast made my choise Thou gav'st me sons and daughters them to peer And giv'st me hope thou l't learn them thee to fear Oft have I seen thee look with mercies face And through thy Christ have felt thy saving grace This is the Heav'n on earth if any be For this and all my soul doth worship thee Another made by him as it seems upon his remove from Boston into that wilderness of N. Engl. I now may expect some changes of miseries Since God hath made me sure That himself by them all will purge mine iniquities As fire makes silver pure Then what though I find the deep deceitfulness Of a distrustfull heart Yet I know with the Lord is abundant faithfulness He will not lose his part When I think of the sweet and gracious company That at Boston once I had And of the long peace of a fruitfull Ministry For twenty years enjoy'd The joy that I found in all that happiness Doth still so much refresh me That the grief to be cast out into a wilderness Doth not so much distress me For when God saw his people his own at our Town That together they could not hit it But that they had learned the language of Askelon And one with another could chip it He then saw it time to send in a busie Elf A Joyner to take them asunder That so they might learn each one to deny himself And so to piece together When the breach of their Bridges and all their Banks And of him that School teaches When the breach of the Plague and of their Trade also arow Could not learn them to see their breaches Then God saw it time to break out on their Ministers By loss of health and peace Yea withall to break in upon their Magistrates That so their pride might cease A Disputation is well called the Sieve of truth So in his Polemical labors he was a seeker thereof in love His scope was the Glory of God Unity of the Church and the edification of men not the ostentation of wit It was his holy ambition not to seem to be learned but indeed to be bettered A sincere seeker of light not of victory Witness his Brotherly acceptance of Dr. Twiss his Examination of Mr. Cottons Treatise of Predestination from whom he acknowledged that he received light thereby and was ready to attest the great abilities of the Doctor that Star if any in this age of the first magnitude It is true Mr. Cottons mind was then exercised about the point of Reprobation Touching the point of Election it is sufficiently known that he was not only Orthodox but also cleer As there were of old that pretended the Predestinarian Heresie to have had it's rise from St. Austin and Grevinchovius of late blushed not to say of famous Dr. Ames who was Arminianorum malleus Amesius Pelagianizat Dr. Ames playes the Pelagian So the wonder is less if this sound and judicious Divine hath not escaped the imputation of Arminianism from some notwithstanding the redundant Testimony of his Doctrine and generally of all that knew him to the contrary yea that occasionally he hath been heard to say by Testimony yet alive and above exception that he looked at Arminianism as another Gospel and directly contrary to the Covenant of Grace What Melancthon sometimes said to Eccius may be here truly applied to him Mr. Cotton in his Disputations sought not his own Glory but Gods Truth So able an Opponent was rare so candid an Opponent was more rare He that fell into his hands was likely to fall soft enough ordinarily except through his own default not likely to lose any thing save his error A mans wisdom makes his face to shine He had an happy a quick comprehensive and benign understanding as having received the manifestation of the Spirit for the service and profit of others To discover the mind of God and therewith the sentence of Judgment in matters too hard for inferiour Judges was no small part both of the worth and usefulness of him that was to minister before the Lord. So it seemed good to the Father of Lights to make this happy Instrument not only to excel his Brethren but in many respects upon this account to excel himself A Grace so far acknowledged in him as that all sorts both the Magistrates and private Persons whether learned or unlearned exercised with their respective Cases of conscience waited under God in a special manner upon his lips for knowledge and sought the Law at his mouth So equal a contention between learning and meekness is seldom visible in any one person â—he consciences of those that knew him being appealed to he will be acknowledged amongst the meekest on Earth in his dayes So conspicuous was this Grace in him that multitudes beheld it not without making extraordinary mention
University being a means to set up Lectures in many of them and very often assisting in them and as our Savior is observed by some Divines to have preached more frequently the nearer he was to his departure so this his faithful servant as it were presaging that his day would be but short towards his evening he made the more haste and speed in his journy towards his end and yet more abounded in this work of the Lord and now findes That his labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. Thus of him as a Minister And lastly as he was a Christian he was active for God as his Saviour Act. 10. 38. Going up and down and doing good and though otherwise modest yet when the case required it bold in a good cause He was spiritual in communion and a quickner of those with whom he conversed Fruitful in discourse by which the frame of his spirit might easily be discovered Frequent in asking questions which was both his humility and Christian good husbandry thereby to improve himselfe his time and company Affable he was to others of much humility and low thoughts of himself and of great integrity and singleness of heart towards God his Truth Ordinances wayes and servants of a very publick spirit and much affected with the various conditions of the State but especially of the Church and people of God He was a most loving Husband to his wife and a dutiful son to his Parents and in his life time very helpful to his other Relations Many poor both of the University and Town do now feel the want of his bounty which they tasted of in his life time and both they and others had done more at his death as appeared by his intentions of it in the draught of his Will had not the suddenness of his change prevented it In a long continued Quartan God had knocked at his door which in the interim of his recovery awakened him to get all within ready against the coming of his Lord which though to his friends was unexpected yet found not him unprepared In his short sickness he expressed to an intimate Friend his great comfort and joy in Gods discriminating electing-love and to a Reverend Doctor about half an hour before his departure who enquired of him about the setling of his outward estate and inward peace he readily and without the least hesitancy answered that throâ—gh the mercy of God in Christ his peace was made and that he quietly rested in it whereby it seems as was said by one he had his Faith at his fingers ends and having before given all diligence to make his calling and election sure though he was somewhat suddenly called out of this life yet had he an abundant entrance set open to him into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ departing quietly in the Lord Decem. 18. 1653. As to himself he had lived a fruitful and gracious life and therefore as Clemens Romanus speaks of some of the first and best Bishops he closed up all with a happy and blessed death and as to others he lived approved and dyed desired and very much lamented He was a great Friend to the publication of the lives of godly and eminent Ministers and Christians and assisting to me in procuring information concerning the Lives of some of those Worthies whom I have formerly printed Dr. WILLIAM GOUGE The Life and Death of Dr. Gouge who dyed Anno Christi 1653. WIlliam Gouge was born in Stratford-Bow in the County of Middlesex Novem. 1. Anno 1575. His Father Mr. Thomas Gouge was a godly Gentleman His Mother was the vertuous and pious Daughter of Mr. Nicholas Culverel a Merchant in London and she was sister to those two famous Preachers Mr. Samuel and Mr. Ezekiel Culverel she had also two sisters who were married to those two famous and learned Divines Dr. Chaderton the Master of Emanuel College in Cambridge and Dr. Whitaker the Regius Professor of Divinity in the same University so that by the Mothers side he came of a stock of eminent Preachers Our William Gouge in his younger years was first trained up in Pauls School London and was afterwards sent to a Free-school at Felsted in Essex where he was trained up three years under the publick Ministry of his Uncle Mr. Ezekiel Culverel by whose labours he was much wrought upon and if not first begotten yet much built up in his holy Faith as himself often expressed From thence he was sent to Eaton where he was educated other six years during all which time he was more than ordinarily studious and industrious for when other boyes upon play-dayes took liverty for their sports and pastimes he would be at his book wherein he took more delight than others could finde in their Recreations whereby he profited beyond many his equals At this time whilst he was a Schollar at Eaton he was possessed with an holy fear of God was conscionable in secret prayer and in sanctifying the Sabbaths and was much grieved at the ordinary prophanation thereof by sports and pastimes which were then and there too much allowed as he did oft-times in his life with much thankfulness unto God express From the School at Eaton he was chosen to Kings College in Cambridge whither he went Anno Christi 1595. and at the first entrance of his studies he applied himself to P. Ramus his Logick and grew so expert therein that in the publick Schools he maintained and defended him insomuch as when on a time divers Sophisters set themselves to vilifie Ramus for which end the Respondent had given this question Nunquam erit magnus cui Ramus est magnus which some of the Sophisters hearing and knowing the said William Gouge to be an accute disputant and a stiff defender of Ramus they went to the Divinity Schools where he was then hearing an Act and told him how in the other Schools they were abusing Ramus he thereupon went into the Sophisters Schooles and upon the Moderators calling for another Opponent he stepped up and brought such an argument as stumbled the Respondent whereupon the Moderator took upon him to answer it but could not satisfie the doubt This occasioned a Sophister that stood by to say with a loud voice Do you come to vilifie Ramus and cannot answer the Argument of a Ramist Whereupon the Moderator rose up and gave him a box on the ear then the School was all on an uproar but the said William Gouge was safely conveyed out from amongst them When he was Senior Sophister he was chosen Moderator of the Sophisters Acts in the publick Schools which was a place of great credit and he began every Act with a solemn speech in Latine which was not usual in those dayes and it added much grace to the Act. The said William Gouge took his degrees in order performing for every one of them all those
blessing to his Ministry that many of his Auditors though living in other Parishes upon Trial before sundry Elderships have confessed that the first seeds of Grace sown in their hearts were by the blessing upon Dr. Gouges Ministry And indeed herein God wonderfully honoured his labours by making him an aged Father in Christ to beget many Sons and Daughters unto God and to nourish up others in the wayes of righteousnesse thousands having been converted and built up by his Ministry He used also every month to preach a preparation Sermon before the Communion on the Eve before each monthly Sacrament He was eminently laborious and faithful in the work of his Ministry even to his dying day preaching so long as he was able to creep up into the Pulpit As a tree planted in the House of the Lord he was fruitful even in his old age Psal. 92. 13 14. He often used to say in his latter dayes that he could preach with more ease than he could get up into the Pulpit the reason whereof doubtlesse was this because as the encrease of his Asthma dis-inabled him to go so the encrease of his Intellectuals enabled him to preach with more ease than in his younger dayes His preacing was alwaes very distinct First he opened his Text giving the true and proper sense of it then gave he the Logical Analysis of it and then gathered such proper observations as naturally flowed from it and properly and pertinently improved and applied the same by which method his Ministry proved very profitable to his hearers Many have acknowledged that in regard of the Logical resolution of his Text he went beyond all that ever they heard as also in clearing difficult and doubtful places of Scripture as they came in his way And as his method was clear so were his expressions plain alwayes delivering the solid points of Divinity in a familiar stile to the capacity of the meanest As for his life and conversation it was holy and exemplary himself practising what he preached unto others and living over his own Sermons his Doctrine and his practice concurred and went hand in hand together Before these times of Examination of persons before their admission to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper he used to go to the houses of the better sort in his Parish where he appointed a time for them and their whole Families to meet together that he might examine how fit they were to be admitted to that Ordinance yea he appointed sundry small Families to meet together on a certain day that he might make trial of their fitness also and then his manner was not to admit any of the younger sort to the Sacrament till in his judgement he found them fitted for it Though he addicted himself much to his studies and carried himself peaceably yet wanted he not those that did envy and malign him and that took all occasions to do him what mischief they could As in the case of Serjeant Finch his book about the Calling of the Jews which Dr. Gouge only published and the author himself owned it yet for his publication of it he was committed to prison and kept there for the space of nine weeks together King James being informed that the Serjeant had in that Book declared and endeavoured to prove that the Jews should have a visible Kingdome which should be above all other Kingdoms which Doctrin he abhorred he thereupon grew extream impatient Bishop Neal also with others provoked him against the publisher of the Book which so incensed him that he would admit of no Apology Yet after a while Dr. Gouge was moved distinctly to declare his judgement and opinion about that point of the calling and conversion of the Jews which he did in these ensuing Propositions All that I can gather out of the holy Scriptures about this point is 1. That the Calling of the Jews importeth more than a spiritual Calling to beleeve in Jesus Christ and to imbrace the Gospel 2. This their spiritual Calling may be called an outward glorious Calling in regard of the visibility and generallity of it to put a difference betwixt the promised Calling of the Nation and the continual Calling of some few persons For in all ages since the rejection of the Jews some few here and there have been called Thus the Calling of the Gentiles in the Apostles time when Christians had no pompous Civil Government was an outward glorious Calling by reason of the visible famous Church which they had 3. It is probable that at or after their Calling they shall not be scattered as now they are but shall be gathered together into Churches and be freed from the bondage and slavery wherein they have been many years together 4. To give them a Soveraignty over all the whole Church seemeth to me to be derogatory to that absolute Sovereignty which Christ the head of his Church hath in whom the promises of the perpetuity of Davids Scepter of the extent of his Dominion of the subjection of all Nations are accomplished 5. To set down the distinct time place and other like circumstances of their Calling needeth more than an ordinary spirit and implies too much curiosity 6. The point of the Calling of the Jews being no fundamental point of Christian Religion to be over stiff in holding one thing or other therein to the disturbance of the peace of the Church comes near to Schisme Upon which being examined by Archbishop Abbot and his answer approved he was released from his imprisonment Ordinarily in the Summer Vacation he was with his Family in the Country but not so much for his own ease as for the further service of Gods Church for besides his preaching every Lords day in the place where he resided he improved his time for the publication of those his Treatises which are now in Print viz. The whole Armour of God Domestical duties An Explanation of the Lords Prayer Gods three Arrows of the Plaâ—ue Famine Sword upon occasion of those Judgments then raging The Saints Sacrifice of Thanksgiving upon his recovery from a dangerous sickness To which is now added his Commentary upon the whole Epistle to the Hebrews which was the subject of his Wednesdayes Lectures for many years While he was setled at Black-Friers he Commenced Batchelour of Divinity Anno Christi 1611. which was the eighth year after he had taken the Degree of Master of Arts. Anno Christi 1628 he proceeded Dr. of Divinity at which time eight London Ministers proceeded Doctors upon which occasion Dr. Collins the then Regius Professor put up Mr. Gouges Degree and procured it to pass in the Regent-house before he had any notice thereof and without his consent whereby he did in a manner force him to take his Degree yet so as when he heard what was done he readily went to Cambridge and performed all his Acts according to the Statutes of the University as he had done at the taking of
out of it And the next day being November 8. Anno Christi 1520 not by legal trial but in a way of Butchery he murthered near a hundred of the Nobles and chief men of Sueden and Citizens of Stockholm and then letting loose the Souldiers upon the City and Country all sorts of persons Ecclesiastical Civil Great Mean Men and Women and Children suffered all manner of violences and deaths that Cruelty could devise their rage extending not onely to the living but to the dead towards whom they used all the opprobrious indignities that could be the lively Character whereof may be described better by some Dane that saw it or some that were interessed in the Scicilian Vespers or the Parisian Nuptials or Irish Massacre than by my pen. After these horrid Murders and outrages Covetousness began to ascend the Stage the King seizing upon all the estates both of the dead and living and to make all sure the Liberties of Sueden being thus brought into the state of a dead man they thought to buy them also so as they might never rise again To which end they set Guards in all places published Edicts and did not onely deprive the Suedes of their Armour but of their Arms and Legs also saying in scorn That a Swede could plow his ground well enough with one arm and a wodden leg But the last and worst of evils was abominable Hypocrisie For this Christian Kings conscience forsooth is pretended for what he did He was touched with much compassion and would not have done it but that his conscience tyed him thereto in zeal to the Church and obedience to the Popes sentence of Excommunication and thus Religion is made the Patron of all these Villanies Yet all this quieted not the Kings conscience but he hastes out of uecden possibly fearing lest the ground should open her mouth and swallow him up or lest the fame of his cruelty should arrive before him in Denmark and make that Nation abhor and vomit him out But behold how vengeance follows him Now is he gone home King of the three Kingdomes of the Baltick Sea and to secure Sueden he had left Guards in every place But cruelty never conquered mens spirits A Tyrant may be feared of all but is hated of all and his own conscience so pursues him that he can be quiet no where And so it fell out with this King for within three years he lost all his three Kingdomes without adventuring one drop of blood or striking one blow for them The manner shall be after glanced upon but my present work is to shew how Sueden now under water comes to lift up its head again This sad news at Stockholme coming to the ears of Gustavus now at Rafsness and in particular the murther of his own Father Ericas amongst the rest of the Nobles he was not at all discouraged but rather provoked with a desire of revenge and to rescue his Country from such barbarous Tyranny yet what with grief and detestation of such execrable cruelty and doubt that many would be affrighted thereby from appearing in their Countries cause his spirit was much troubled and rendred less able at the present to determine upon the manner of his proceeding and therefore in all haste away he goes to the Mountain-people with this news but they scarce civillized are little sensible of their Countries cause Gustavus therefore makes no stay there but away he goes to a Castle in those parts commanded by one Aaron Peter a Noble man whom once he knew to be well affected to the Liberties of his Country and to him he discovered himself what he was and what were his intentions desiring his counsel but he found the man and others in those parts so amazed at the news of Stockholme as that they forgat both themselves and the publick and were rather willing to couch under any burden than to make opposition against it yea so fearful they were of being suspected by the Danes that they rather desired to be esteemed wholly at their service and especially Aaron Peter who though he pretended pity and compassion to Gustavus in this condition and promised not onely security to his person if he would abide with him but his best assistance in compassing the ends propounded by him yet having drawn from him the utmost of his resolutions after a few dayes wherein he had carryed himself fairly to avoid suspicion he gets himself abroad and away he went to the Danish Lieutenant Bruno and discovers to him the whole matter as well concerning Gustavus his intentions as what counsel himself had given him But Aaron forgat one point of policy which was to let none know his intentions but his own heart for he told his wife whither and what he went about who being more true to her Country and regardful of the Laws of common honesty and hospitality than her Lord was when he was gone told Gustavus whither her Lord was gone and to what purpose and therefore advised him forthwith to shift for himself furnishing him with her own horse to go to Suertso to one that had been Gustavus his Colleague in the University The day following came Bruno the Dan◠with twenty Souldiers to apprehend Gustavus at Aaron Peters house but his Lady told him that Gustavus was secretly departed the day before and so the prey being lost Bruno returns without sport Thus God made a woman a great instrument in saving Sueden from miserable ruine Gustavus being come to Suertso found kinde entertainment but consideration being had to the restless 〈◊〉 pursuit of the Danes it was thought convenient that he should not stay long there for now the enemy hunted upon hot sent and therefore he departed privately beyond the Dallcarls unto Retwick These Dallcarls are a people of Sueden strong and hardy men of resolution and being inured to work hard in the Mines were fit for action whence as some Writers note they have their name of Dallcarls or Carles or robustious men of the Dales having by reason of their priviledges this advantage that they are numerous and rich To these Gustavus applies himself and relates to them the particulars of the Massacre at Stockholme whereby the Suedes had lost much of their best blood he told them also what further danger the Nation was in which he in good language set forth to the life for he could no less skifully manage his tongue than his arms The Dallcarls pitying the state of their Country and having respect to themselves and their friends they told Gustavus that they would adventure all that was dear to them to be revenged on the Danes and to vindicate their Nation from bondage onely they desired him that he would engage their Brethren of the Eastern Dales with them This Gustavus willingly undertook and forthwith departed to Mora the chief City of those Dales whither coming about the latter end of December the next day he obtained audience
the Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace And bid her serve God and pray duly to him both morning and evening and fear his Name and then said she I doubt not but God will bless you as he hath blessed me In the evening of the same day she commanded her younger Daughter to be brought her and to be put upon the bed in a kneeling posture and then putting her hand on her shoulder she gave her also the same blessing as she had given to her sister Four dayes before her death she grew a little better which put her Friends in some hope of her recovery but the day following her sickness seized on her again and so continued upon her that she slept no more till she slept the sleep of death and together with her sickness her Piety Devotions and comforts encreased in her In the last night of her life presently after midnight feeling death now approaching she sent for her Husband and Family out of their beds and told him when he came to her that she was now leaving the world and him and expressed in many words her great devotion faith and assurance of that everlasting life which she now was shortly to enjoy and desired that they might now all pray together which they did she still expressing much devotion and comfort and after an hour spent in those passages she desired that the Bell might be tolled for her and some Gentlewomen of her neighbours coming to her before them she expressed her comforts and assurances of everlasting life as before and with increase and therein and in prayers they continued till near the rising of the Sun After this she seemed for a wh'le willing to slumber and closed her eyes and so lay for a little while but then turned her head to the other side of the Pillow and after a few restless turnings she said what the Prophet Micha had said before her Mich. 2. 10. There is no rest in this world and then opening her eyes after some expressions of the comfort which she felt distinctly knowing all that were present and speaking to them all she seemed to slumber again and after a little time spake these words Come let us go let us go repeating those words several times which she spake not in a slumber but being awake and as perfect in her understanding and memory as at any time in her life And it is a comforttable opinion that Divines teach from Luke 16. 22. that the Angels do attend on Gods children especially at the time of their dissolution to conduct their souls from earth to heaven which opinion she sometimes in her sickness related to her Husband and added that she had heard it from the Pulpit and had read it in some Books and she believed it to be true and comforted her self with it After a little time she called for some drink and having taken it it began to alter her as it seems she felt in her self for she presently laid her self back on her Pillow and lifting up her eyes towards Heaven she said Lord have mercy upon me Lord Jesus receive my soul and so continued moving her lips and her tongue but her words were not heard and then held up one hand and then joyned both her hands together holding them up with her eyes still heaven-ward till her strength failing her she laid down her hands by her and stretched her self in the bed without any help and sweetly fell asleep about seven a clock in the morning August the 15. Anno Christi 1646. And August the 24. she was decently and solemnly laid in her bed of rest the house as Job saith appointed for all the living Job 30. 23. where the weary are at rest where the wicked cease from troubling and hear not the voyce of the oppressor Job 3. 17 18. The Life and Death of Mrs. Margaret Corbet who dyed Anno Christi 1656. IF we enquire into the Relations of this Gentlewoman either by Affinity or Consanguinity or both sides the Families are ancient of renown and good reputation Concerning the Family from whence she was descended her Father was Sir Nathaniel Brent late Warden of Merton College a learned Knight whose great pains and dangerous adventures to procure the History of the Councel of Trent which he translated into English are to be remembred with an honourable mention and for his faithful discovery of Jesuitical juglings his name will be had in honour when the names of the Popish party will rot Her Mother the Lady Martha Brent was a Lady of a Gracious spirit abounding in love meekness humility love to Gods Ordinances and Gods Children Her delight with David was in the society of Saints She imitated her worthy Father in the sweetness of disposition who was Dr. Robert Abbot that learned and godly Bishop of Sarum who was Malleus Baptismi Armianismi the Hammer of Popery and Arminianisme His excellent Works or Monuments of his Honourable memory To be born of a godly Family and to be well descended is a mercy not to be neglected Mr. Philpot a zealous Martyr being a Kings Son and an Archdeacon told his adversaries that he was a Gentleman Anabapâ—istical parity and Levelling designs are worthily to be abhorred and looked upon as a ready way to confusion rapine and violence So then we see that she was a Gentlewoman every way well descended Her Ancestors were persons of Honour and from them she had the benefit of an ingenuous and liberal Education This is much but it s more when I say that she came of a godly stock and of praying Relations and indeed this is that which ennobles Nobility it self God in mercy began with this Gentlewoman betimes even about the fourteenth year of her age Then God gave her a willing minde and purpose of heart to serve him in the dayes of her youth Insomuch as she was swift to hear the word of God she waited diligently at the posts of Wisdomes Gate She wrote the Sermons which she heard a practice used by King Edward the sixth that rare English Josiah and she left many volumes of Sermons of her own hand-writing taken with great dexterity and these are as so many choise Monuments of her Industry She was much conversant in reading of the holy Scriptures which can make us wise unto salvation and she joyned with her reading prayer and meditation Her delight was in the word of God It was as with Jeremy the joy and rejoycing of her soul and with the reading of Scriptures she searched Expositors and Practical Divines and attained thereby to such a measure of Divine knowledge as enabled her to state some Questions of controversie for her better use and help of her memory and to discourse very soundly upon the most material points of Religion and even above her age and sexe to maintain the truth as occasion
Comforts â—aith and Joy His love to the Saints His Charity His Sympathy He was much beloved His delight in Preaching Hiâ— Sickness His holy Speeches His tormenting pains His Death His Birth and Parentage The College at Dublin founded His Education A special Providence His timely Conversion Satans malice Prayer powerfull Satans subtilty Gods mercy His admission into the College His great proficiency His admission to the Sacrament His preparation thereto His skill in Chronology His study of the Fathers He is designed to the study of the Law His study of Divinity His contempt of the world His Disputâ— with a Jesus He is Master of Arts and Catechist His Oâ—dination His first Sermon after it Tentation resisted A great Reformation Popery encreaseth His Zeal A Prediction His Body of Divinity Souldiers favourers of Learning His great diligence His Correspondents His first preferment His constant preaching His prevalency in prayer He is Bachelor in Divinity and Professor His strong memory His Self-denial Episcopal subtilty A special Providence A holy practice His Speech in the Assembly The success of his Speech He is Dr. of Divinity The Articles of Ireland His enemies He is made Bishop by the King He preaches to the Parliament His constant preaching His success in his Ministry His answer a Jesuit He is made Primate of Ireland His disputation with a Jesuit The Lord Mordant converted His fruitfull conference His Humility Examples of it Psal. 16. 3. 119. 63. His frequenâ— Prayers His Industâ— A Toleratiâ— of Popery dâ—sired The Bishops judgements against it Lord Falklands esteem of him His incessant pains His care of 〈◊〉 Ministry His constanâ— preaching at catechizing His expences in Books and Manuscripts A Prediâ—â—â— Jer. 2â— 9. His zeal against Popery Predictions He lame our Diviâ— His Humility His Labours successful His Pruâ— Prayer powerful His Dispâ—â—â—tions witâ—â—hree Jesuâ— They are foyled Another Disputation A special Providence The success of his Ministry A specialâ—â—vidence His Suffâ— A scandal cleaâ—ed Offers 〈◊〉 to him 〈◊〉 abroad He goes to Oxford And into Wales He is abused by Souldiers His Sicknâ— He is chosâ— Lincolns 〈◊〉 His last Sermon His Chaâ—â— He owns â—â—ther Refoâ— Churches A Peace â—â—ker His Zeal His Humility His last Sickness His Deaâ— His Funeral His learning admired His Character His learning â—cknowledged â—y Papists His Birth and â—arentage His Education His Preferment at Oxford His attendance at Couâ—t His Temâ—â—â—tions His excel◠〈◊〉 Hâ—s knowledge of the times A universal Schollar His-Modesty Hiâ— excellent Preaching Hâ—s communiâ—iveness His plain preaching Note His â—ervent Prayers Set forms of Prayer lawful His sound judgement His constancy The danger of inconstancy in Religion How to be constant therein His single-heartedness Hypocrisie complained of His Usefulness His frequent preaching He leaves the Minâ—stry at Pitâ—â—combe He practiseth Physick His fruitful discourses An excellent Counselor He preached freely Tithes asserted His holy life His Self-denial His contempt of the world His Humility His Moderation His Patience His Death His Birth His going to â—xford His Convers Woful ignorance His first Sermon His return 〈◊〉 Oxford A special Pâ—â—â—vidence Ministers suspended His remove to Hanwell Mr. Whately aâ— Banbury He is setled at Hanwell His Marriage His Affliction Mr. Lancaster a learned and humble man Life of Faith Mr. Dods Character How Mr. Dod prized him His invitatioâ— to London His Labouâ— at Hanwell His frequent preaching and success His Lectur at Stratford upon â—von Relâ—gion flourisheth Gods blessing upon his outward estate The Battel at Edgebill His Troublâ— His Courage He is chosen one of the Assembly His remove to London He is setled at Buttolphs Bishopsgate He is sent to Oxford He is chosen to Petersfield He leaves Petersfield He is traduced His several afflictions A Disputation at Oxford He commenced Doctor He is made Head of Trinity College He refused New College He is chosen to preach a Lectuâ—e in Oxford His wives sore temptations Mercies mixâ— with trials His last Sickness His Humility Hâ—s secret imployments How he spent his time His counsel to his friends His strict observation of the Sabbath His divine speeches His death His timely Conversion His Charity His Humility His pithy â—p eches His Temperance Mr. R. M. His Patience Family Government His adviceâ— his children Gods blessing upon his children His servants Gods servants His good Government in the College His great Learning A good Disputant His fervent Prayers An excellent Preacher His method in preaching His strong Memory His pithy speeches What Sermons are best His advice to young Preacâ—ers His advice about Books His judgement of Mr. Calvin And of other Writers His judgement of our times About Indpendencye About Ordination of Ministers His excellent Speeches An Introduction His parentage His Educatioâ— His imprisonment His escape He comes to Lubeck He is remanded by hâ—s Keeper Pleads for himself Defended by the Consul Protected bâ— Lubeck His escape Calmar His Danger His removeâ— to his own Country The King admitted into Sockholme Plots to destroy the Suedish Lords The Suedish Lords surprâ—sed and murdered and murdered Danish Cruelty Covetousness Hypocrisie What Gustavâ—s then did Treachery A special providence He goes to the Dallcaâ—â—es His speech to them Their answer He meets with new difficulties Sir Laurence Olai assists him He Arms. Gods providence to the Suedes He raiseth an Army Seizeth on the Kings Treasure He divides his Army He advanceth into Helsiâ—g From thence into Gestrict The Danes are infatuated He marches to Westerass The Danes are beaâ—en Westerass taken Upsal taken Gustavus quits Vpsal His danger and delivery Gods providence The Danes again are beaten His Army much encreased The King of Denmark hated at home A Convention of the Estates in Sueden They proffer him the Kingdome Which he refuseth Many joyn with him Abbo besieged Steckburgh surrendred Stockholme relieved by the Nicopen yeelded to the Suedes Tineslor and Westerass surrendred The Lubeckers assist him The Danes beaten at Sea Stockholme straitly besieged He begins a War in Norway The King of Denmark flyes into Germany Then into Flanders A good Wife Calmar surrendred A Parliament called A Senate established They choose Gustavus King which he refuses They press him again He submits His Piety The Lubeckers required The Articles of agreement Stockholme surrendred Finland reduced Peace settled Peace with the Muscovite The Duke of Holst chosen King of Denmark The two new Kings meet The King of Denmarks speech The King of Suedens answer Peace concluded Gospel light in Germany Envied by the Devil Anabaptists trouble all Two of them come into Sueden and cause much trouble Gustavus banisheth them Their infection spreadeth The Pope justifies the massacre at Stockholme The King visits the Kingdome A Convention of the Estates They leave the Church-revenues to the disposall of the King Popish lies and slanders The Dallcarles rebell Religion reformed And are quieted Traytors executed A Famine causeth new stirs Which are soon quieted Convention of Estates caled The Kings Speech to them