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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60670	Life in death, or The living hope of a dying saint, handled in a sermon preached at the funeral of that eminently vertuous, and religious gentle-woman, Mris. Mary Morley, late wife to Colonel Harbert Morley, Esq; and daughter to Sr. John Trevor Knight. By Zachary Smith, minister of the Gospel, and pastor of the church at Glynde in Sussex, Sept. 18. 1656.	Smith, Zachary, b. 1604 or 5.	1656 (1656)	Wing S4351; ESTC R214782	29,879	40

therefore it s of undoubted truth and asserted by the spirit of Truth that Gods people are in a blessed condition after death Not only such as die for the Lord who were put to cruell torments and to suffer death by Antichristian Persecutors for not complying with them in their idolatrous worship but such as die in the Lord are blessed i.e. such as were effectually called unto fellowship with Jesus Christ and united to him by faith as members of his mysticall body are happy in their death Death puts a period to all their troubles and labours and brings them to the enjoyment of rest and peace and to receive the reward of their works Here are no purgatory-torments mentioned to be endured by them after death but a perfect cessation from all labour and a full enioyment of rest and blisse To give instance in some examples of Gods people who have had hope in their death we finde that Jacob when he lay on his Death-bed professed his hope of salvation and enioying a better life Gen. 49.18 I have waited for thy salvation O Lord so Abel Enock Noah Abraham Sarah Heb. 11.13 These all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen them a farre off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers on earth declaring plainly that they expected a better Countrey that is an heavenly Thus Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward and endured as seeing him who is invisible vers 25 26 27. Job's spirit was upheld from sinking into despair under all his pressures losses and afflictions and he professeth his hope even in death Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 as if he had said if God should take away my life yet would I in the midst of death expect a better life from him So David Psal 23.4 Though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil And Psal 73.26 my flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever his hope of being received into glory after death encouraged him to go on in the wayes of righteousnesse whatever afflictions he underwent in his life time Paul in time of his imprisonment at Rome lest the Philippians should be discouraged at his sufferings professeth his earnest expectation and hope of salvation and that he was not any way afraid of death but rather desirous of it in regard of the gain and benefit he should reap by it Phil. 1.21 for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain that is Christ is my life here by grace and hereafter by glory he is both the Authour and end of my life and if I be put to death that shall no way endamage me but rather bring me great advantage in regard that thereby I shall exchange and gain Heaven for Earth and an happy eternal life for this miserable and mortal life and vers 23 I am in a strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better And again 2 Tim. 4.6 7 8 giving notice of his approaching death and that the time of his Martyrdom was now at hand he professeth his hope in his death I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me onely but unto them also that love his appearing and again 1 Cor. 15.19 If we have hope in Christ in this life onely we are of all men most miserable Cyprian speaking of the nature of death to believers saith It is Janua vitae victoria belli portus maris The gate of life the victory of war the haven of the Sea death to Gods people is as the Angel was to Peter to fetch him out of prison and set him at liberty Act. 12.7 c. and as Pharaohs Messenger was to Joseph to remove him out of the Dungeon into Pharaohs Court Gen. 41.14 where he was highly advanced to Honour and Dignity The benefits which believers hope to be made partakers of by death are either such as concern their Souls or their bodies The Souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holinesse Heb. 12.23 and brought to the spirits of just men made perfect Death abolisheth sin and corruption in believers and brings finalem gratiam the perfection of grace that may make them capable of glorie as sin brought death into the World so death drives sin out of Gods peoples natures Rom. 6.7 he that is dead is freed from sin there is not so much as any remnant of sin that cleaves to a believing Soul after death but it is presented unto Christ without spot or wrinkle void of all sinfull infirmities Here the best of Gods Saints grone under the burden of their corruptions 2 Cor. 5.4 and cry out with Paul Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death before death the best Christians complain the good that I would I do not but the evil that I would not that I do Rom. 7.19 but now after death the least in the Kingdom of Heaven saith the evil that I would not I do not and the good that I would I do 1. By death they have full discharge from all possibility of offending God Death is a loosening to the Children of God here they are as it were tyed to a stake to be baited by Sathan and his instruments death is the breaking of the Chain and the Soul escapeth as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler as the fire burnt the bonds of the three Children and so procured their liberty so death is a Goal-delivery to the Children of God That one happy pang which pulls away the Soul from the body doth also pull away sin both from the Soul and body Greenham Byfield Hieron Hildersam c. to this purpose many of our English Divines have written excellently to comfort the surviving friends of deceased Saints to cure them of the fear of death So Polan Syntagm 342. Mors electis credentibus non est pro peccatis satisfactio sed peccati abolitio transitus in vitam aeternam By death believers are freed from all occasions of sin Temptations to sin Power and dominion of it yea from all dregs and remainders of sin This made the Martyrs so willing to endure any kinde of death that Tyranny could devise that they might be rid of their sinfull bands and this corruptible burden which presseth down the Soul that looks

LIFE IN DEATH OR The living Hope of a dying Saint HANDLED IN A SERMON Preached at the Funeral of that Eminently Vertuous and Religious Gentle-woman Mris MARY MORLEY Late wife to Colonel Harbert Morley Esq and Daughter to Sr. JOHN TREVOR Knight By Zachary Smith Minister of the Gospel and Pastor of the Church at Glynde in Sussex Sept. 18. 1656. Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Prov. 10.28 The hope of the righteous shall be gladnesse but the expectation of the wicked shall perish 1 Cor. 15.19 If in this life onely we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable Polani Syntagma pag. 342. Mors electis credentibus non est pro peccatis satisfactio sed peccati abolitio transitus in vitam aeternam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Nazianzen Orat. 21. London Printed by W. Bentley for Andrew Crook at the sign of the green Dragon in Pauls Church-yard 1656. To the Honourable Sr. JOHN TREVOR Knight And to his vertuous Consort the Lady ANNE TREVOR As also to the Honourable Colonel HARBERT MORLEY Esq HONOURABLE I Make bold to prefix your names to this plain ensuing Sermon not that I conceive it worthy of your Patronage but because none had sadder hearts than your selves at the occasion of it nor any Persons on earth greater Interest in or nearer Relation to that precious Gentle-woman at whose Funeral it was preached If my heart deceive me not it 's not desire of vain-glory that makes me willing to publish this Sermon but rather these motives First a desire that God may have the glory of the Soveraignty of his grace ascribed unto him who can so deeply implant his fear in the hearts of his people that they shall never depart from him and can keep alive those sparks of heavenly fire which he casts into the bosoms of his Children in the midst of the Sea of worldly encumbrances or enjoyments Many waters cannot quench love a proof whereof was evident in her she lost not her first love to Christ and his Truth in these times of Libertinisme and Errour neither did the Cares or Profits or Pleasures or Honours of the world whereof she might have her hands full choke the good seed of Gods word in her but still she kept the best room of her heart free for Christ and heavenly things Many of my reverend brethren have of late years born publick testimony to the Truth of Christ I take this occasion to give in my testimony to the Truth of his grace maintained and manifested to the last in this blessed Saint Though Paul tells us that not many wise not many mighty not many rich not many Noble are chosen and called yet one such at least was in this little Parish whiles she continued among us who gloried more in the Lord than in riches or honour or all worldly enjoyments and I hope some yet remain among us looking towards Christ and heaven much provoked thereunto and bettered by her example Another motive that induced me hereunto was an earnest inclination in my spirit to testifie that honourable respect that I did bear towards her I am not afraid to tell the world that she was a Gentle-woman whom I did as much honour and as highly esteem as any one living of her sex and quality in regard of the vertues and graces which I observed shining forth in her carriage whereby she did very much beautifie and adorn her profession of Religion I find Matth. 26.13 that our Saviour takes care that a Memorial of Maries Piety Beneficence towards him in anointing his head and feet with precious Oyntment Joh. 12.3 might be published and perpetuated in after-ages and I am much emboldned by that instance of Christ to take some care that this Maries Memorial also who delighted to sit at Christs feet and hear his word and who often anointed his head with the sweet Oyntment of Piety and Devotion glorifying him as God and his feet with the Oyntment of Charity and Compassion relieving his poor Members and so ministring to Christ of her substance may be published and transmitted to posterity In hope also that the Readers hereof may through the blessing of God be edified and provoked to walk in the way to eternal life and follow after righteousnesse so as they also may have hope in their death I have adventured to commit this Sermon to publick view to give people warning not to go on in their sins lest they be driven away in their wickednesse nor to content themselves with the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees lest they come short of the Kingdom of Heaven nor to rest in a bare groundlesse lazie conjectural Hope lest their hope make them ashamed and exhorting them to use all diligence to make their calling and election sure by making sure their interest in Christ by faith considering that such as are without Christ are without hope Ephes 2.12 whereas such as have Christ framed in them have learned a rich and glorious mystery Christ in us being the hope of glory Col. 1.27 For if with Paul we resolve endeavour that Christ shall be magnified by us whether by life or death he will be unto us both in life and death advantage Phil. 1.20 21. And when Christ who is our life shall appear we shall also appear with him in glory Col. 3.4 I shall not trouble you further with any Apology for my boldnesse in mentioning your names and addressing my self to you in the Dedication hereof assuring you it is not with any desire or intent to revive or encrease your sorrow or aggravate your grief who had the greatest share in that great losse which we have of late sustained but rather to asswage and allay it by minding you of that great gain and advantage which she hath gotten by death Our Saviour tells his Disciples when comfortlesse at the thought of his departure from them If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I go unto the Father John 14.28 I know you loved her dearly as a dutifull Childe to you her Parents and as a tender affectionate faithfull spouse and true Christian yoke-fellow to you her Husband let your love to her be now expressed rather in rejoycing that she is gone to her heavenly Father that she is at rest in the bosom of her Spiritual Bridegroom than in mourning for her departure from 〈…〉 of this Vale of misceries considering that to be with Christ is far better and in the presence of her heavenly relations she may enjoy fulnesse of blisse and pleasures for ever more If the Poet spake truth when he said Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris That it 's a comfort to the afflicted to have companions of their grief you may take some comfort in considering you had many who did sympathize and condole with you at her death yea very many of the Children of Sion did mourn and make bitter lamentation so that

death that his dead body shall be again united to his Soul and 3. raised up in glory 1. Cor. 15.43 Yea our vile bodies shall then be changed and fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3.21 Col. 3.4 The Glory of beleivers bodies at the Resurrection will appear in these 5. particulars 1. They will be perfect and entire in regard of Parts limbs or senses however they might be maimed or defective before 2. They will be faire beautifull and illustrious full of splendour and brightnes what ever blemishes or deformityes they were disfigured withall before Matth. 13.43 then shall the Righteous shine forth as the sunne in the Kingdom of their Father The most beautifull body on earth is but like Carrion sullyed with smoke and foot in respect of the glorified body of poor Lazarus at that day 3. They shall be immortall i.e. in such a condition that they can never die again This mortall shall put on immortallity and so Death shall be swallowed up in victory 1. Cor. 15.53 54. 4. Incorruptible i.e. not only free from putrefaction but also from all weaknes both of infirmity and deformity such as cannot again be corrupted with sinne Now our bodies are corruptible and so mutable subject to manifold infirmityes but then they shall be strong and powerfull 1. Cor. 15.42 43. It is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sown in weaknesse it is raised in power 5. Spirituall Bodies not that our bodies shall vanish into Ghosts or spirits but they shall be so admirably glorifyed and perfected that they shall be able to subsist without meat drinke physike sleepe c. wherewith naturall bodies are sustained Rev. 7.16 they shall hunger no more nor thirst any more Matth. 22.30 This hope of a glorious Resurrection of his Body at the latter day comforted and refreshed Jobs spirit in the depth of his misery under Bodily boiles and distempers and all his other pressures This was an Article of that Christian faith which he made Confession of Job 19.25 26 27. Thus have I proved and cleared the truth of this Doctrinall Proposition viz The Righteous hath hope in his Death I shall proceed now to lay down some Reasons and Grounds hereof Reasons Reason Because the Lord hath made many rich and precious Promises to the Righteous concerning the life to come as well as for this life 1. Tim. 4.8 Godlines is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come Beleivers have heard of future good things promised in the Gospell to be bestowed upon them after this life and this is a ground of their hope in death Psal 130.5 I wait for the Lord my Soul doth wait and in his Word doe I hope Paul speaking of the fruits of faith and love which abounded among the Colossians mentions a motive whereby they were incited and provoked thereunto Col. 1.5 for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven i.e. for those glorious things which your hope assureth you are laid up for you in heaven Hope being there taken by a Metonymy for the thing hoped for But how came they to hope that there were good things laid up for them in heaven He shews the ground of their hope in the next words to be the Word of God whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospell so Titus 1.2 In hope of eternall life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began but hath in due time manifested his word through preaching Beleivers are heirs of promise unto whom God being abundantly willing to shew the immutability of his Counsell confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us 2. Reas Because of Christs Resurrection from the dead 1. Cor. 15.17 18 19 20. if Christ be not raised then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished if in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable but now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept Christs Resurrection is a pledge of ours hence Peters Benediction 1. Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead i.e. confirmed in us a living hope or hope of life in and after death by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ because God raised him up that we might believe and hope in God for our Resurrection unto Glory Vers 21. 3. Reas Because of Christs Ascension Heb. 6.19 20. which hope we have as an Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast and which entreth into that within the vail whither the forerunner is for us entred even Jesus Hope is as the Anchor cast out of the ship on firm ground when tossed and driven with winde and waves this anchor of the Soul is cast within heaven though a believer be yet as a ship at sea tossed with troubles and tempations in this world yet all is safe the soul is sure the anchor of hope being cast within heaven taking hold on Christ the rocke of our salvation who is entred and ascended into heaven as our fore-runner to prepare mansions for us Job 14.2 3. 4. Reas Taken from Christs Intercession that is another ground of a believers hope in death Joh. 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me Christ having prayed that believers may be with him in eternall Glory and happines after death they have good ground to hope and expect that they shall be with him and behold his Glory for the Father heareth him alwayes and never denies him in any suit that he makes in the behalf of his People Joh. 11.42 5. Reas Because God hath not only delivered up his Son Christ to die for them and to purchase life and salvation for them but hath also given Christ unto them and revealed and framed him in them and given them his spirit as an earnest in their hearts 2. Cor. 1.22 whereby God assures them that he will pay as it were the whole sum of his promises for an earnest is as a pledge whereby we confirm a bargain or a peice of money whereby we assure the payment of the whole the first gift therefore of the spirit and of life is a pledge of their whole inheritance which they hope to enioy after death so Ephes 1.13 14. Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of Glory and Rom. 5.5 Hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us yea the experience of Gods goodnes and

seek to be inherently holy Col. 1.5 6. for the hope which is laid up for you in Heaven whereof ye heard before in the Gospel which bringoth forth fruit in you c. vers 27.28 So Col. 3.1 2 4 5 from the consideration of their hope of future glory with Christ he exhorts them to heavenly mindednesse and to mortify their earthly Members c. So Titus 2.11 12 13 14. The grace of God teacheth us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World looking for that blessed hope c. Try by these marks whether your hope be such as will not make you ashamed but stand you in stead to afford you comfort in the hour of death or whether you be in the number of those that are in danger of being driven away in their wickednesse and so apply comfort or terrour accordingly but I must hasten to one Use more and so conclude 4. Vse Of Exhortation in 2. Branches 1. To the surviving friends and relations of dying and deceased Saints to moderate their grief and sorrow for their Christian friends when they die seeing the righteous hath hope in his death and by death is made partaker of so many priviledges and enjoyes the possession of what we yet desire and hope for let not Christians sorrow as men without hope for them which are asleep in Jesus 1 Thes 4.13 14. He forbids not Christian sorrow for the dead but Heathenish not moderate but excessive and immoderate either in respect of time or measure of our grief we may water our Plants for our deceased friends as one expresseth it but not drown them It is good that we should lay to heart the death of the righteous and take notice of Gods hand in it and our losse and danger thereby so as to mourn and be affected with sorrow for it the Lord blames them for their stupidity and regardlesnesse who laid it not to heart when the righteous were taken away Isa 57.1 but we should not suffer our hearts to be overwhelmed with grief but moderate our sorrow considering their gain and benefit by death they are taken away from evil to come and enter into peace Our Saviour perceiving the hearts of his Disciples sadded at the thoughts of his departure from them tells them Joh. 14.28 if ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I go unto the Father See how David moderated and asswaged his grief and sorrow when he understood that his Childe was dead by considering that God had now revealed his will by his work whereunto his people must patiently submit their wills and that it would be bootlesse 2 Sam. 12.23 and in vain for him to afflict his Soul further with grief in regard of his Childe whom he could not restore to life being now dead and further he considered his own mortality and his Childes happy estate by death which David also comforted himself in hope of attaining unto I shall go to him c. Consider how willing and ready Barzillai was to part with Chimham and glad to have him preferred in the Court of King David 2 Sam. 19.37 and shall not we be content and willing to part with our dearest friends and relations for their good when the King of Heaven sends for them to live in his Court and to stand in his presence where is sulnesse of joy and pleasures for ever more The 2. Branch of this Use of Exhortation is of more general concernment to exhort all so to redeem their time and to improve their talents whilest they live that they may have hope in their death and that their hope may not be cut off and make them ashamed to this purpose observe and practise these 8. Directions 1. Renounce all confidence in the flesh and lay your mouths in the dust sit alone consider your wayes look into the glasse of the Law to discover and take a view of your spiritual spots blemishes and deformities so as to loath and abhorre your selves yea to despair in your selves by reason of your sin and misery Lam. 3.28.29 2. Close in with Christ get interest in him by faith Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of glory but without Christ without hope Eph. 2.12 Fides est fundamentum spei Faith is the foundation of true hope Gal 5.5 John 11.25 26. Jesus said unto Martha I am the Resurrection and the life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die 3. Renue thy repentance dayly 1 Joh. 3.3 Every one that hath this hope must purifie himself they that hope to appear with Christ in glory must mortifie their earthly Members Col. 3 4 5. Die dayly to sin lest thou die in sin and so perish for ever The wicked is driven away in his wickednesse such as look for that blessed hope must deny ungodlinesse Tit. 2.12 13. sin deadens and destroyes hope 4. Follow after righteousnesse 1 Tim. 4.8 6.11 12. seek righteousnesse it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords wrath Zeph. 2.3 saving hope is called the hope of righteousnesse Gal. 5 5. Walk uprightly Isa 57.2 Add to your faith vertue c. for ●o an entrance shall be ministred to you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.5 11. Be abundant in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. Ult. This consideration afforded succour and relief to the drooping spirit of Hezekiah when he received the sentence of death from the Lord against himself that he had walked before the Lord in truth and done that which was good in his sight Isa 38.3 5. Sit loose from the World in your hearts and affections and be heavenly-minded having your conversation in Heaven Paul tells the Philippians that their end is destruction who minde earthly things and they that look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ to come from Heaven to change their vile bodies and that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body have their conversation in Heaven Phil 3.19.20 21. So 1 Tim 6.8 9 10 11. directing them how to lay hold on eternal life he adviseth them to moderate their affections towards the good things of the World and to be content with necessaries because of the danger of covetousnesse and inordinate desire of riches whereby men have been drowned in destruction and perdition and have pierced themselves through with many sorrowes 6. Be well grounded in the knowledge of the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 Col. 3.16 Psal 130 5. I wait for the Lord my Soul doth wait and in his word do I hope Study the Promises the Tenour of them and to whom they are made that so thou mayest be ready to give a reason of the hope that is in thee 1 Pet. 3.15 7. Labour for a patient submissive frame of spirit

in every condition to undergo what he inflicts and to wait his leisure for deliverance out of all straits Heb. 10.36 ye have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye may inherit the promises they that would rejoyce in hope must be patient in tribulation Rom. 12.12 Rom. 8.25 7. Lastly be much in prayer unto the Lord who is the God of hope that ye may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost Rom. 15.13 and that your hearts may be filled with all joy and peace in believing and that you may be made partakers of the righteousnesse of God both imputed unto justification and infused by his spirit unto sanctification that as becometh Trees of righteousnesse of the Lords planting ye may be filled with fruits of righteousnesse which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God so shall ye have hope in your death and lay hold on eternal life for they which abound in such fruits of righteousnesse shall abound also in the sure and certain hope of eternal life I should now conclude forbear to speak any thing of the dead knowing that to say much in commendation of the dead is sometimes more offensive than profitable to the living but that some Scripture examples encourage me hereunto Act. 9.36.39 Luke being guided by the spirit of God makes mention of a certain Disciple at Joppa named Tabitha and publisheth it after her death that she was a woman full of good works and Almes deeds which she did and tells us of many mourning Widows shewing the Coats and Garments which Dorcas made while she was with them See what ample commendations are given of that good King Josiah 2 King 23 25. like unto him was there no King before him that turned unto the Lord with all his heart and with all his Soul and with all his might neither after him arose there any like him and Heb 11. that whole Chapter is an Encomium setting forth the commendations of men and women famous in their generations for manifesting the life of their faith by their works And in Matth. 26.7 13. the Lord Christ takes care that the memorial of that woman that shewed so much respect and good affection to him as to bestow a box of costly Oyntment upon him should not be buried with her Corpse But wherever the Gospel shall be preached in the whole World there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memorial of her However some of his Disciples might censure her rashly as being too lavish and wastfull Christ the most absolute pattern of temperance defendeth this expence in respect of the circumstances and tells them that she was so far from being blame-worthy that the memory of this act of her piety and good affection to him should live to all ages The best actions of good men and women may be sometimes misconstrued by Christs own Disciples as we see there Yet Christ who knowes the intentions of his people sets a price on their good works and defends them though men misinterpret and condemne them The memory of ought done for Christ or any of his God will not suffer to perish This womans Name was Mary the sister of Lazarus and Martha as you may see Joh. 12.3 she delighed to sit at Jesus feet and hear his word Luk. 10.39 to whom Christ gives Testimony that she had chosen that good part which shall never be taken from her vers 42. she bestowed much costly ointment upon the feet of Jesus as well as upon the head and the house was filled with the odour of the oyntment such another Mary was this so affectionately desirous to sit at Jesus feet and to heare his word and so ready to any act of love and beneficence to Christ the Head or any of his members that she made and bestowed much costly oyntment and other precious cordialls even upon the feet of Christ the poorest and meanest Christians when in their sicknes lamenesse or other infirmityes she was made acquainted with their conditions The odour of her sweet Oyntments did not only fill that house where she made them but the benefit and vertue of them hath been felt to the refreshing of very many in other families of this Countrey where her memory is and will be honoured For me to speake much in Commendation of that precious Gentlewoman the 〈◊〉 of whose Corpse hath occasioned this Concourse of people and solemnity would be but as if I should hold forth a Candle to shew you the sunne she was such a bright shining light and the Graces of Gods spirit did so eminently and illustriously sparkle forth in her speeches and behaviour to the observation of such as had any acquaintance or occasion to converse with her that the Lord hath caused a great Ecclypse and Darknesse to obscure the glory of that family and this whole Neighbourhood in taking her from us Yea and much sadnes and heavines to seize upon all our spirits at our being deprived of so choice a blessing as we enioyed in her I am confident the praise and properties of a vertuous woman mentioned by Solomon Pro. 31.10 c. might as warrantably without flattery be attributed and applyed to her as to any Gentlewoman in this whole County without disparagement to any other She was a woman that truely feared the Lord therefore she shall be praised vers 30. she was very diligent and solicitous about making her Calling and Election sure and with tears trickling down her cheeks hath she often in private Conference propounded doubts and desired Resolutions and directions from me tending thereunto such as lived in that family or rosorted thither knew her to be very conscionable in observing and sanctifying the Lords day and provoking others thereunto calling her servants as well as her children to account what they could remember of the sermons they heard she began betimes like Timothies Mother Eunice and Solomons Mother Bathsheba to justruct her children in the knowledge of the scriptures and to drop instill into her little ones the Principles of Christianity and to train them up in the way that they should goe she was not only carefull that duties of Religion might be attended on daily by those of her family but was also conscionable and frequent in closet-dutyes She was adorned with a meek and a quiet spirit which in the sight of God is of great price And in her behaviour to her Hushand her chast conversation was coupled with Reverence Love and Obedience a true Christian Yoke-fellow helpfull to him in bearing the yoke of Christ and tenderly regarding the good of his Soul as well as discreetly managing the affaires of the family She was of a sweet winning courteous affable disposition to all very ready to succour and releive any that were poore or sicke whose wants were made known to her whether strangers or neighbours she was so farre from placing any confidence in the flesh or resting upon any thing in her self or her own performances that though she was in high esteem among us for her adorning the Gospell with an holy and unblameable Conversation yet she was very vile in her own eyes and groned much under the sense of her own corruptions her Soul panted so earnestly after Jesus Christ that she counted all but losse and dung that she might win Christ and be found in him In my last conference with her after the discovery of some conflicts betwixt faith and doubting it pleased the Lord so sweetly to come in to the releife of her drooping spirit Nehem. 1.11 and the quieting and satisfying of her Conscience after some musings on Mal. 4.2 that he enabled her to glorify his free Grace and to set her seale to his Testimony concerning Christ in so much that with much vigour and alacrity of spirit she expressed her Resolution in these words I am resolved through Gods Grace to cast my self into the armes of Jesus Christ and rely wholly upon him who I trust will not suffer me to perish Indeed that family and this Parish was adorned with a very precious Jewell whiles that we enioyed her but the Lord judging us all unworthy of her hath taken her hence to weare in his own bosom in heaven whereby we are all deprived of a singular spurre to Piety and help to Devotion I shall adde no more concerning her but make one request to you all that you will not only learn by this sad warning of our Mortality to be prepared for death by following after Righteousnesse that you may have hope in your death and follow her into Glory but that you will expresse your love and respect to her sorrowfull and disconsolate 〈◊〉 fellow and motherlesse Children in praying that 〈…〉 improovement may be made by him of this sad 〈…〉 him and his family and that the children may 〈…〉 Gra●e as 〈◊〉 years They being now deprived of any furth●● 〈…〉 of their mother let me desire you to be in 〈…〉 much in prayer with the Lord that Christ may be framed in them and that they may hereafter be blessings to that family and their Countrey and that this Ancient family of the Morleyes may continue to be eminent for yielding good Patriots and men of publike spirits ready to honour God and serve their Countrey in succeeding Generations FINIS