have been earnest with you and with whom I have been earnest for you that the match may be really made up between you which being effected my labour is recompensed my Errand is accomplished my Desire is satisfied my Joy is fulfilled And now that I have this unexpected opportunity of making publick some hints only of some of the choice desires of my Soul to you and to the Lord for you Know ye therefore that they are such as these First That none of you all who are taught and do believe and profess the absolute necessity of Regeneration in order to eternal Salvation rest satisfied in your Spiritual conditions Mat. 18.3 2 Cor. 13.5 Gal. 6.15 Rom. 8.9 10. without some hopeful evidences that you are born again and truly converted that ye are in the Faith new creatures in Christ Jesus And that Christ is in you and abideth in you And that you have the Spirit of Christ Oh! rest not in uncertainties about your Spiritual and Eternal Felicities as you would not about your Temporal but give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Secondly Look that you make good the ground you have got through Grace against the World the Flesh and the Devil by a dayly progress in both the parts of Sanctification viz. Mortification and Vivification And beware that you be not again entangled and overcome 2 Pet. 2.20 and so your last end be worse than your beginning Luk. 9.62 Having put your hand to the Plough look not back much less be ye of them that draw back unto perdition But be ye of them that believe Heb. 10.39 to the saving of the Soul And need I bid you beware of Popery Rev. 13.3 Iniquitas sed mistica pietatis fidelitatis nomine palliata 1 Cor. 10.12 which is the most Catholick Apostacy the Mystery of Iniquity yet palliated with the name only of Piety Antiquity Universality c. yea I say Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall as too many have done It 's operative and strong though but a Delusion and a Lie yea it is the Energy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thess 2.9 11. or strong working of Satan through the just judgment of God with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved Popish Seducers are subtile Artists that have †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sleight of me * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cunning crafâ—iness and †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4.14 2 Pet. 2.19 the method of Errour or Deâ—usion The Ignorant and Sensual are in greatest jeopardie they promise others liberty whilst themselves are the servants of corruption The prime piece of their Worship is palpable Idolatry the whole complex of their common Devotion is Will. worship Superstition and Formality One would think that no serious Professors of Christianity were in any peril of Popery yet Quakers are an Artificial â—roduct of it though they know it not Love God the Gespel and your Souls better than the World and your Bellies Phil. 3.18 19. and you are out of the danger of it Thirdly Phil. 1.10 See to it that ye be sincere Converts sincere Saints that your Faith Love Repentance Obedience c. be sincere For if you be sincere you shall persevere But Hypocrifie will end in Apostasie What is sound is strong and invincible what is sound is special and not common Grace Though common Grace may make a great show cast a great blaze yet like the Comet it consumes of it self till it be extinguished 1 Joh. 3.9 Mat. 13.31 32. True Grace is the Seed of God and though it be little and weak yet its nature is to grow in stature and strength or though it may decay yet it cannot die For its the life of God a Well of living water springing up unto Eternal Life But let its Counterfeit †i. e. comon grace which resembles it so much in all things make you the ofâ—ner and exacter in the use of the Touchstone Fourthly Let your Communion with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ be frequent and full Omit no opportunities nor means thereof Redeem time from your worldly affairs for converse with your God in the Duties of his more solemn Service Knowing that the Holiness Comfort and Happiness of your lives consists in such communion Use and improve the means for the end Read hear pray confer and meditate much And be loth to leave any duty till you attain some sensible enjoyment of his Grace and Love And till your hearts be warmed your graces excited your Affections engaged and your Souls even make you like the Chariots of Aminadab Cant. 6.12 And prize and treasure up your experiences of this kind Neh. 8.10 Retain a lively sense of Divine impressions upon your spirits And let the joy of the Lord be your strength Zech. 10.12 to walk up and down in his Name And lament your loss when you came off from your Duties without success Take heed of Formality in them Fifthly And you that are heads of Families Take heed to your Families over which the Holy Ghost even in your private Capacities hath also made you Overseers That you should watch for their Souls as they that must give account that ye may do it with joy and not with grief Deal particularly and closely with them about the estates of their Souls Labour to convince them of their exceeding sinfulness and misery by Nature And that they are under the Law and so under the wrath and curse of God while they continue therein That they are utterly blind lame deaf Isa 35.5 6 dumb and dead spiritually and under the power of Satan immediatly That their natural Light is spiritual Darkness their sweet is bitter their good is evil Their Moral Civil and Religious works are all Sins in Gods sight Prom. 8.8 for being in the flesh they cannot please God in any thing but displease him altogether though they please themselves and others never so much That they are liable to all Judgments Temporal and to Death and Damnation Eternal every moment Yet all this notwithstanding They are to be persuaded That the Lord Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God is become an All-sufficient Saviour of all men even the worst of Sinners That he hath purchased Salvation for them offers Salvation to them and is willing to enter into a Covenant of Salvation with them if they will but accept him and be ruled by him according to the terms of the Gospel That he hath redeemed them and will justifie them freely Pardon them fully Sanctifie them throughly Adopt them graciously Keep them powerfully and save them gloriously That he hath confirmed his Covenant of Salvation with his Oath and with the Seals of his Blood Spirit and Sacraments That he hath ever been mindful of it
taken you into it who were as they are and is especially engaged to your Children by the tenour of his Covenant with you That nothing but their own willful refusal final impenitency obstinacy and infidelity can deprive them of his Salvation Bewail the Sins of any in your Family as if they were your own resist them by Instruction Admonition Reproof and Correction as the case requires and pray earnestly against them Especially teach all under your charge to eschew evil and do good by your own daily Practice and Examples And be sure you engage them and train them up in the constant Duties of Gods sacred Worship and Service Sixthly As Religion is your signal Profession so let your whole Lives in all the natural and civil actions thereof be influenced animated and as it were fermented by it Eat drink work walk â—ake sleep speak and be silent mourn and be merry by the Rules of Religion And let the lustre of it be conspicuous in all â—our civil Converses of Buying Selling Borrowing Lending Giving and Reâ—eiving Let your Principles Grounds Motives â—nd Ends be really religious not carnal â—nd selfish Be true and faithful Just and Upright Sober and Temperate Chast and Modest Courteous and Affable Compassionate and Charitable Meek and Peaceable Innocent and Patient Kind and Helpful Look that your relative Duties to Superiors Inferiors and Equals both in Church and State Rom. 13. 1 to 7. 1 Tim. 2.12 Tit. 3.1 1 Pet. 2.13 to v. 18. be religiously discharged and performed Honour the higher Powers Pray for them fervently pay Tribute willingly And be conscientiously subject in all true Loyalty Let his Majestie 's Eminent Clemency evident so signally in our precious Gospel-Liberty attract and ingage your Affections to him Let your Church-communion be glorious in all the holy Effects of mutual Love Watchfulness and Tenderness And keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace Eph. 4.3 Let the Splendour of Religion in your Conversations evince the Purity 1 Pet. 2.12 and Power of Religion in your Consciences that God may be glorified and men may be edified by you Let none you live neer or meet with lack your possible and seasonable Help for the good of their Souls that need it and will but accept it And Finally Rom. 2.4 my Brethen whilst others despise the Riches of God's Goodness Forbearance and Long-suffering not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth them to Repentance But after their Hardness and impenitent Hearts treasure up unto themselves Wrath against the Day of Wrath and Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God Who will render to every man according to his Deeds See that you by patient Continuance in Well-doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality And he will render unto you eternal Life at the End of this temporal Life The least glimps and foretaste whereof how glorious and ravishing it is they can best tell you that have had the Experience Oh! Let Christ and all of Christ his Natures Person Attributes Offices Obedience active Passive Conflicts Conquests Triumphs and Purchases and all of God in Christ be precious unto you for all are yours if you be his Let him be the fat and the sweet the hope and the help and the happiness of your whole life and death whether you live Rom. 14.8 live to him or whether you die die to him which only by holy living and dying you shall do and then whether you live or die you are his Though you can but dye once naturally yet you may dye dayly spiritually i.e. in (a) Phil. 1.21 23. Affection (b) Job 14 14. Expectation (c) Deut. 32.29 Preparation (d) Matth. 26.39 Submission and (e) Ps 31.5 Act. 20.22 23 24. Resignation I leave you to pick out the matter which I have couched in words for you use as concisely as I could that I might not too far transcend the bounds of an Epistle The ensuing Narratives present you with a worthy Example of a dear deceased Viâ—gin-Saint once a Member of your Fellowship now translated into the Celestia-Chore Early living and timely dying iâ— the Lord and to the Lord. Not permitteâ— by him to have other Husband than Himself in greatest mercy doubtless to herself Whilst others sought her He senâ— for her and unexpectedly but not unpreparedly took her from all her Relations and Lovers to marry her in Glory whom Hâ— had espoused in Grace Whose Piety Prudence Gravity Modesty with other Gifâ—â— and Ornaments natural and supernatural were illustrious in her above most of her Age and Sex But I 'le detain you no longer from the Natratives themselves And the seasonable and useful Sermon preached at her Funeral with some prom and Consolatory Letters from several Godly Ministers to her disconsolate Father upon the sad occasion of her Death All which I commend to your diligent perusal and to Gods Blessing thereupon for your Spiritual and Eternal Good I am A servent well-wisher oft your Souls prosperity and your Servant in the Lord for that end The Introduction THe Saints of God most Christian Reader are to be honoured both living dying and after death though not with the honour of Invocation which finds no letter of Command or Direction no letter of Promise or Acceptation no letter of Example or Practice in the whole Word of God but is a reproach to the Saints and a dishonour to God whose Name and incommunicable Title is The God hearing Prayers and therefore to him shall the desires of all flesh come and if all to him then none to Saints yet with the honour of benediction and imitation of their Vertues and Graces They they only are the most magnificent illustrious noble excellent ones in the world Psal 16.3 They are more noble than others Acts 17.11 They are Kings and Priests Rev. 1.6 They are more excellent than their neighbours Prov. 12.26 More excellent in regard of their Descent and Stock as having God for their Father In regard of their Inheritance Heirs of Heaven and Earth 1 Cor. 3.20 21. In regard of their Food they are fed with heavenly Manna they eat Angels food eat the Flesh and drink the Blood of Christ and in regard of their Cloathing their Cloathing being of imbroidered Gold Psal 45.13 They have put on the Wedding-Garment the Garments of Salvation the white Robes of Christs Righteousness the white linnen yea Christ himself Whereas the unjust are men of no name vile persons though never so great Dan. 11.21 To be contemned and despised Psal 15.4 They deserve not the name of men Jerem. 5.1 They are not to be honoured in some Cases so much as with a Look or with a Word or with a Bow 2 King 3 14. Luk. 23.9 Esth 3.2 But the Godly are men of renown they want nothing that can make any truly honorable and noble they are admitted into the King of Heavens Service Servants of the great King Gods Attendants and Courtiers employed in
the most honourable work and service They are the Workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.10 They bear the Image of Christ are made partakers of Gods Holiness Heb. 12.11 And of the divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 they have holy and gracious Practices imitators of God as dear Children Now can there be to the Sons of Men a greater honour than to hold semblance with the Majesty of God Glorious is that Image of God wherein they were created whereto they are renewed into which they are transformed from glory to glory 2. Cor. 3.18 Which also Saints manifest by their actings of Grace and â—â—acious holy Practices Godliness is God-likeâ—â—ss and Holiness is the Saints honour 1 Thess â— 4 Humility and lowliness of mind decks â—â—d adorns the Saints 1 Pet. 5.5 That the â—race of God how vilified soever amongst men â—et it makes Saints glorious in the sight of God â—oliness and Grace makes persons the most conâ—derable and weighty Hast thou considered my â—rvant Job it makes them heavy ponderous â—nd weighty and to have substance in them â—nd therefore worthy to be reverenced esteemed â—nd honoured all others are light in the Balance and therefore to be contemned vilified â—nd slighted but chaff lighter than vanity â—sal 1.4 and 62.4 Pro. 10.20 the word in â—â—e Hebrew for honour and glory comes from a â—ot which signifies heavy or ponderous because â—hat which we honour and respect we look upon â—â— as a thing that hath weight and substance in it â—he Apostle calls that most glorious state of the â—aints in Heaven a weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Honour is a mans weight in the esteem of others Sin makes wicked men light and then lightest of all when they make light of Sin But Holiness addes honour and weight to the persons of â—he Saints Holiness towards God makes venetable amongst Men. Hitherto then turn the â—tream of your ambition to grow honourable by â—oly and gracious practices Be ambitious to live holily as Paul was That you may be honourable in the eyes of God and accepted of him 2 Corinth 5.4 The old World would build them a Tower to get them a name and to win them fame amongst men Gen. 11.4 The ambition oâ— Worldlings is to call their Houses by their own Names to perpetuate their Memories Psal 49.11 to erect Monuments of costliest Fabrick to perpecuate their remembrance For this end and use men use to set up the most lasting materials Pillars of Marble and Pyramids of Stone But these or any other things besides Grace and Holiness as Riches Dignity Power Credit Learning Wisdome c. which men hope to be remembred by and become famous in the world are but as Ashes mean and of no consistence Job 13.12 Though men lay them by and esteem them as Monuments to Posterity oâ— as Memorials to preserve their Names to all Genâ—rations yet they are ordinarily scattered likâ— ashes in the air or spilt like water upon thâ— ground which cannot be gathered up and sâ— will all that whatever it is which vain me frame or fancy to themselves to make them memorable and renowned amongst posterity or succeeding Ages But Grace is the only Glory anâ— gracious and holy acâ—ings the best Monument â—â— perpetuate our memoâ—y There is more glory in the least Grace than in all earthly glory the least degree of Grace is more glorious than all the glorious Advancements that the world can afford us Holiness and Grace is the beauty of Men and Angels yea of God himself it makes Saints beautiful and honourable in themselves in the eyes of God and in the eyes of all good Men while living when dead and after death yea for ever The Righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance Psal 112.6 Because the Saints are precious in Gods sight therefore they are honourable Isa 43.4 honourable both in the sight of God and all good men God's eyes and heart are upon them The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous saith David they have respect to all Gods Commandments Psal 119.6 and God hath respect to them in all their Concernments Exod. 2. ult They honour him and he honours them 1 Sam. 2.30 For any service done for him he will honour them John 12.26 what ever they do well shall be sure to receive a fair testimony from God They need not blow a Trumpet in their own praise when they have done well as the Pharisees did For what they have done well the Lord himself for their honour will report to all the world as he did Job's holy carriage in doing and suffering both in the whole course of his life and in that particular passage of the loss of his Cattle and Children Job â— 21 22. They that carry themselves well either iâ— Suffering or working for God shall have glory honour and peace from God Rom. 2.10 And when they do any new or further service for God God will add some further honour anâ— respect to them as he did to Job when he haâ— done a piece of new service Job 2.3 He hold fast his integrity He was described before in thâ— first Chap. as an holy man now he is described a a tried man as an approved Souldier Job obtains this honour in the Combate with Satan a glorious addition to his character As Job's graces increased so did God's testimony increase concerning him God will not conceal any of the graces nor the improvements of the grace of his people Nay if they speak but a good word for God they shall hear of it again God takes it and pens it down Malac. 3.19 As it is usual with Kings for great Service done them especially in Wars and Battels to make additions to their Titles of Honour to give some new Mottoes or put some new Devices in the Coat-Armour of those who serve them So the Lord doth to his Saints Thus Jacob in prevailing by Prayers and Supplications the Ammunition and Armes of the Saints with the Angel is called Israel a prevailer with God God honours the Saints while living he call them his Friends Abraham the Friend of God John 15.14 15. What a great honour was it to Noah that God himself when they were all got into the Ark would shut the door Gen. 7.16 He honours them and prizes them in their Death their Death is precious Psal 116.15 He honours them when Dead It was an honour to Moses that the Lord buried him Deut. 34.6 Though its true there was another reason why the place of his Burial was kept secret lest they should superstitiously adore him and worship him yet 't was a real respect and honour that he buried him The Lord puts white Garments of Glory upon them that they may walk with him in them Revel 3.4 Yea He puts a weighty Crown of Glory upon their Heads 2 Cor. 4.17 A Crown of Glory that fades not away And as they are honourable in the sight of God so in the eyes of his Saints the Citizen of Zion
Therefore we must necessarily understand it 〈◊〉 his Coming to the particular Day of Judgment to judg every Person when he dieth At least it cannot but be included herein The words offer two Points of Doctrine fairly to our Consideration Doct. 1. That it is the great concern of all Men that would be saved to make ready against the coming of Christ Doct. 2. That the uncertain time of Christ's certain coming should make all men to prepare and get ready for his coming The first Doctrine is that which we shall mainly insist upon as suiting the present sad occasion and the condition of all our Souls For the prosecution whereof three things shall be done First I shall shew you what it is to make ready against the coming of Christ or wherein this readiness doth consist Secondly Why it is the great concern of all that would be saved to make ready for the coming of Christ Thirdly Make Application of the Point First What it is to be ready against the coming of Christ or Wherein this Readiness doth consist I know that men generally think â—t no great business to get ready for Christ's â—oming Some think it is easily done And others think it is already done And a Third think that it matters not whether it be done or not for Mercy will save them whether they be ready or not But let all these consider That there is a Twofold Readiness that all must be found in that look for Salvation First There is a Fundamental Readiness Secondly There is an Actual Readiness First There is a Fundamental Readiness and this is also twofold First Negative Secondly Positive First There is a Negative-Fundamental Readiness and this lieth in putting off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts Ephes 4.22 The Scripture phraseth it several waies as To deny all ungodliness and worldly Lusts Tit. 2.12 former part To put away the evil of your doings To cease to do evil Isa 1.16 17. To lay aside every weight and that Sin which doth so easily beset us Heb. 12.1 To pluck out the right Eye and cast it from us to cut off the right hand and cast it from us Mat. 5.29 30. And many more such Phrases are to be found scattered up and down the Scriptures But these may suffice to teach us thus much That all that must be done before any man can be fundamentally prepared to meet the Lord Jesus I know there are many men in the world that make Gods Mercy the only pillow to bolstâ—â— themselves up in their wickedness that think they shall have peace though they add Drunkenness to Thirst that is Though they make provision for the flesh to fulfil it in the Lusts of it But let such know That if ever they be saved they must look to this Negative-fundamental Readiness that is Cast away all their Iniquities for bear to walk in the forbidden path of Sin for the Scripture assureth us That such as walk in crooked paths shall be led forth with the Workers of Iniquity that is They shall be â—ed to the place of Execution with such ungodly Sinners Psal 125.5 Secondly There is a Positive-fundamental Readiness which lyeth in being born again Joh. 3.3 Verily verily I say unto thee Except a man be born again be cannot see the Kingdom of God The Scripture also phraseth this several waies as To put on the new man which of to God is created in Righteousness and true Hosiness Ephes 4.24 To be renewed in the Spirit of our mind Ephes 4.23 To be born of the Water and of the Spirit Joh. 3.5 To be begotten again 1 Pet. 1.3 Jam. 1.18 To be â—onverted Math. 18.3 To repent Luk. 13.3 â— Act. 2.38 and 3.19 To believe in the Lord Jesus Act. 16.31 To be a new Creature 2 Cor. â— 17 To learn to do well Isa 1.17 To rash and make clean Isa 1.16 To make you a â—ew heart and a new spirit Ezek. 18.31 To â—â—ve godly righteously and soberly in this present â—vil world Tit. 2.12 And several other waies his Positive-fundamental Readiness is expressed in the Scriptures But I have given you these to let you see that all this you must be and do before you can be said to be ready to meet the Lord Jesus What ever the mad doting world dreameth of yet must men be brought to see That if ever they inherit Eternal Life they must go thorow this Regeneration-work They must become new Creatures and all old things must be done away and all things must become new Look to this all you that talk of Heaven and say you are marching up through the wilderness of this World to the eternal good Land of Canaan If you be deceived herein you are undone eternally Secondly There is an Actual Readiness that all must endeavour after that expect Salvation and this consisteth in these Seven Particulars First This Actual Readiness lyeth in the exercise of that Grace that is already wrought iâ— the heart of any man and this supposeth a fundamental or habitual Readiness of which we have but now spoken If once the Habit 〈◊〉 Grace be infused and seated in the Soul there must be the acting of it which is the drawing oâ— it forth into exercise If a man hath Faith hâ—â— must live by Faith if he hath the root of Holiness within him it must blossom and bud There is no Actual fitness for meeting of the Lord Jesus where there is no exerting and putting forth of the acts of Grace Luk. 12.35 Let â—our loins be girded about and your lights burning and ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord v. 36. where it is implied That â—hose Souls are not in a fit posture for Christ's â—oming that have not their loins girded and their lights burning that is That are not actually applying themselves to the exercise of Grace or trimming their lamps as the Phrase is Mat. 25.6 7. Believe it Christian Thou art â—ot actually ready to meet the Lord Jesus if thou â—rt not living by Faith and labouring to keep live the breathings of the Holy Ghost in thy â—oul The Apostle Peter sheweth us what Posture men should be in that are looking for salvation by Jesus Christ they should be actually bent to the acting of Grace 1 Pet. 1.13 â—herefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the Grace that is to be â—rought unto you at the Revelation of Jesus â—hrist Secondly This Actual Readiness lies in makâ—ng new Additions of Grace to that Grace that â— already received To be coming forward in â—oliness and increasing with the increase of God To sit down with the Grace that thou â—ast already received is to remain under great â—efects and gross Neglects which is nothing â—se but plain and down-right actual Unpreparedness to meet the Lord Jesus The Scriptures tell us of Additions of Grace to be made to out Grace not only additions of Grace
you 〈◊〉 be glad that she is now in a full peaceable yâ—â— gloâ—â—ous condition and state in Heaven Yâ—â— have great cause of rejoycing sith her joy 〈◊〉 begun which shall never end Now the Loâ—â— hath betrothed her to himself in Righteousneâ—â— and that for ever Hos 2.19 I cannot remeâ—ber that you were ever absolutely against her Marriage no nor that you were against it at all provided that she got a good Husband She hath now gotten a good Match indeed the Marriage betwixt Christ and her Soul is compleated and consummated 2 Cor. 11.2 Rev. 19.7 8. Let us be glad and rejoice in him sith she is now married to Christ and will you not rejoice at least a little with your Daughter on â—her Wedding-day She hath sown in Tears and now is reaping in Joy Psal 126.6 And let this also a little prevail with you God gave you your Daughter but during pleasure He might have taken her away the very first day he gave her and have done you no wrong We are Tenants at Will God may when his pleasure is put us out of Possession and therefore we should learn with Job to submit our selves and bless his Name when he giveth or when he taketh away You shall shortly go to her she shall not return to you It 's but a little while and you shall for ever have her company Wherefore comfort your self with these words 1 Thes 4.13 14-17 18. This is all that I can further do to recommend your Case to your Lord who hath engraven you upon the Palms of his Hands If I were able to do more you may believe me that I gladly would Now the God of all Grace confirm and stablish your heart in Truth and Peace till the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God be obtained and I pray that God may be to your Soul the God of all Consolation I pray remember my Love to your Wife and to all our Christian Friends with you My Wife hath her Love remembred to you and begs your Prayers Blacklough Aug. 27. 1672. Your unworthy Brother J. H. The Copies of two Letters written to Mr. Rich. Wilson that tender and sorrowful Father which lately buried his dear and hopeful Daughter Dear Friend I Was informed of the sad tidings of the Death of your Daughter and yesterday yours of â—ugust 10. came to my hand and the Relation 〈◊〉 the manner of her Death did somewhat allay â—â—e sorrow and since the Lord hath dealt bounâ—fully with her in giving her Grace and Gloâ—y you may sing I confess if you respect your â—ss it is so great that you may mourn and â—efuse to be comforted because she is not But â—nsider she was a Loan lent of the Lord. All 〈◊〉 Comforts are but lent Comforts and we are not to repine when God calls for them again but â—â—tiently to submit to Gods holy Will Seing it 〈◊〉 the Lord who hath done it who hath absoâ—â—ute Soveraignty over all his Creatures We â—â—st be dumb and say nothing and as Aaron â—â—ld our peace She is taken away in the flowâ—â— of her Age but God knew it the best time to â—op her and haply she is taken away from â—e Evil to come She is entered into peace â—ou may account your self more happy that once you did enjoy her than now miserable that she is so suddenly removed for she is not lost but gone before us We shall go to her she will not return to us The Lord hath delivered her from Sin and Sorrow and you froâ—â— Fear and Care concerning her How happy would you have esteemed youâ— self if she had been match'd to one who haâ— all desired Accommodations and to a Person who had been endowed with all possible Aâ—â— complishments both Sacred and Civil youâ— eyes seeing it Thus it hath been done to beâ— whom the King of Heaven had a delight to â—â—nour He hath betrothed her to Himself for eveâ— and this day of her Espousals may be the Day 〈◊〉 the gladness of your Heart For this hath in the bowels of it many glorrous Mercies God hath done it and that is enough to satisfie any Souâ—â— and he hath done it for ever His heart is so 〈◊〉 it that there shall never be any breach of 〈◊〉 Conjugal Love and Communion Yâ—â— have heard of the Patience of Job and haâ—â— seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is veâ—â— pittiful and of tender mercy and happily 〈◊〉 end of the Lord in this is for to draw you heart Heaven-ward Where not only youâ— Child but your best and chrefest Love is Be now more frequent in Heavenly Visiâ— and have your Conversation in Heaven aâ—â— where your Treasure is there let your Heart also Mourn not that you go Childless but rejoice that you do not go Christless Neither â—â—y I am bereft of the comfort of my life when â—â—e God of all comforts is yours David at â—â—glag comforted himself in the Lord his God â—o and do likewise for God is All-sufficient to apply all our wants and the Earth is never so â—â—id of Comfort but there is Comfort enough â—â—the God of Heaven in whom Wives Children â—nd every good thing are lodged You could not be assured though you say â—our Daughter never grieved you in all her â—â—me that you should alway have comfort in â—â—er But in the Lord Jehovah there is constant â—â—msort and constant joy Psal 37.4 You â—now the Comforts of the world are but cisterns and may fail Therefore wipe away all Tears and go to the Fountain God whose Favour is â—â—ter than Life and better than all in this life â—â—n whose Light we shall see light However sorrow not like them that have no â—ope The Egyptians bewailed Jacob Seventy Daies Joseph his son mourned but seven Daies Which teacheth Christians to keep a mean in Mourning we may sorrow but it must be with sobriety and in measure When David's Child was dead he arose from the Earth and went into the House of the Lord and worshipped And Job when his Children were dead he blessed the Name of the Lord. And indeed the People of God turn all their Afflictions and Crosses into Prayers and Praises Grace makes every condition work Glory to God as God makes every condition work together for good to them that love him And if we bless God in our Afflictions then our Afflictions are Blessings to us Unto the Righteous saith David there arise Light in Darkness Comfort in Troubles and Deliverances out of all Distresses are the fruit of Gods Grace therefore wait on God in the way of his Judgments and you shall yâ—â— find that he is good and can do you goodâ— Though others dye yet God lives and eveâ— lives to do good When therefore you look oâ— the right hand and see your Dearly-Beloveâ— gone then cry to the Lord and say Thou 〈◊〉 my Refuge and my Portion in the land of the â—â—ving And ever remember that of the Apostâ—â— Christ is all and in all
The Virgin Saint OR A Brief NARRATIVE of the Holy Life and Christian Death of Mary VVilson With some memorable Passages and occasional Speeches a little before her Death added thereunto To which is also adjoyned A SERMON Preached at her Funeral By Mr. GEO. NICHOLSON Together with Several Consolatory Letters written by divers Ministers to her Mournful Father Mr. RICHARD WILSON of Crosfield in Cumberland London Printed for Jonathan Robinson at the Golden-Lion in Pauls Church-yard 1673. Jer. 2.2 Go and cry in the Ears of Jerusalem saying Thus sayth the Lord I remember thee the Kindness of thy Youth the Love of thine Espousals Prov. 31.30 Favour is deceitful and Beauty is vain but a Woman that fears the Lord She shall be praised Luke 2.19 But Mary kept all these Sayings and pondered them in her Heart Luke 10.42 And Mary hath chosen that good Part which shall not be taken away from Her To the Christian Readers especially to the Members of two Congregated Churches in Leathward Cumberland Assembling for Publick Worship in their Licensed Places respectively in Kirkoswold and Hesket Parishes by his Majesties most gracious Permission Authority and Protection Grace Mercy and Peace in Jesus Christ Most Dear Christians THe woful and tremendous misery of all Mankind by Nature since the Fall of Adam is in nothing more manifest than in their wilful Incredulity and affected Ignorance thereof joyned with astupendous Self-conceitedness of possessing or pursuing a sufficient Happiness even in all their self chosen Courses which they severally steer accounting no counsel command nor restraint Divine or Humane more cross to their imaginary Felicity than what is most contrary to their own conceits and wills And so strongly is it rivited into all natural apprehensions that if they might but have their own way and compass their own designs they should then be do as well as they desire Not knowing that the way of man is not in himself Jer. 10.23 it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps But their own way is their folly Psa 49.13 though their Posterity approve their Sayings Yea all are gone out of the way both of duty and felicity and there is none that understandeth Psal 14. there is none that seeketh after God in whom only is all Happiness And this is the common case of all the world in their natural condition as the Apostle infers and proves Rom. 3 9-19 And though all are not of equal Ignorance or Impiety but some by Nature Art and Industry are of clearer Intellects and more sublimated Capacities to know discourse discuss and determine matters of weighty importance as well Ecclesiastical and Spiritual as Natural and Civil as also by the superaddition of common Influences of the Holy Spirit in the use and improvement of Divine Ordinances are induced to walk commendably not only civilly and morally but also religiously far above the rank of the vulgar rude and dissolute multitude yea many real Saints too Yet through defect of effectual Calling out of Spiritual Darkness into Gods marvellous Light will be found short of the least of Gods little ones that believe in his Name and really in the rank of ignorant and ungodly ones Yea and many that are no less conceited of others Ignorance than of their own insuperable wisdome and knowledg as must be supposed So as any Cadency of insinuation to the contrary is resented a disparagement Jo. 9.40 Lu. 11.45 to be replied to with an Are we blind also and Thus saying thou reproachest us also Being consident that themselves are guides of the blind Rom. 2.18 19 20. lights of them that are in darkness instructers of the foolish teachers of babes having a form of knowledg and of the truth both of the Law and Gospel but wanting the powerful knowledg of the truth through want of a saving change of estate abide in the midst of all their knowledg †Joh. 3.19 destitute of all saving knowledg And unless the arm of the Lord be revealed Isa 53.1 8.11 as well as his truth declared and himself speak unto them with a strong hand as well as his Servants cry unto them with a loud voice they will not believe our report they will not be instructed Furthermore There are not a few as may be justly feared even in the Churchell of God who have been convinced as wes as exhorted Act. 2.40 to save themselves from this untoward Generation have also professed their Conversion before and to good satisfaction of many witnesses 2 Pet. 2.18 20. to have clean escaped from them that live in Error and from the pollutions of the world through the knowledg of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And have solemnly avouched the Lord for their God and his holy service for the constant duty of their lives Deut. 26.17 are therefore rightly received into the Communion of Saints and duly participate in all their Priviledges who yet are more willing to be reputed holy than indeed to be so in all manner of Conversation as they are called and commanded 1 Pet. 1.15 16. 1 Jo. 2.15 whose apparent love of the world and things of the world bespeaks a defect of the love of the Father no less than their common careless neglect of secret converse with him which their own hearts were they not either too blind or too partial could not but accuse them of But shall I say Heb. 6.9 Brethren That I am perswaded better things of you and things that accompany Salvation though I thus speak Yea I must say with the same Author Phil. 1.7 It is meet for me to think thus of you all because I have you in my heart Inasmuch as both in my frequent Bonds and in the defence and confirmation of the Gospel against other manifold molestations â—e are partakers of †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocat Paulus illam suam captivitatem gratiam c. Piscator in loc Gratiam vocat quasi singulare a liquod beneficium vincula sua Beza in loc my Grace Neither write I these things to shame you but as my dearly beloved in Christ I warn you that I may awaken you to a serious and diligent search and trial of your Spiritual estates That you rest not in any Profession Performances or Priviledges whereunto ye have attained but as forgetting these things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before you press towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus And Beloved ye are my witnesses and God also what the design of my Ministrie among you hath been Not to seek my worldly gain nor yours but you yea I have willingly neglected and greatly exhausted mine own Temporals to serve you in Spirituals that I might beget you 2 Cor. 12.14 11.2 and engage you to God espouse you to one husband and present you as chaste Virgins to Christ from whom I
is described amongst other Qualifications by this also that He is a man that honours them that fear the Lord Psal 15.4 They honour them while living and when dead by an honourable Interment and after Death by honourable Thoughts of them by honourable Speech in the mention of them and by the Imitation of their Vertues and Graces and thus the memory of the just is blessed Prov. 10.7 When persons in After-ages shall remember them and the things memorable in them they shall bless them and highly esteem them they shall not be so much as mentioned or spokeâ— without praise or benediction This is Honour to their Memories The end therefore of the following Narrative of the holy Life of Mary Wilson next to the Glory of God the Edification of the Church iâ— general the use and benefit of that Body where of she was a Member and the profit and comfort of her Parents and other near and deaâ— Relations surviving is the advancement of heâ— Memory and an encouragement for others imitation who often follow Patterns more thaâ— Precepts And to present as exemplary thâ—â— the Piety and Holiness of her that is deceased for that end When persons that dye are persons of known worth and usefulness 't is not fit that their Graces should die with them and that Vertue should be defrauded of its publique honour And because God honours them that honour him the Church has been alwaies careful to preserve and embalm their Memories And so is that Promise made good and the Will of God served therein whose mind it is That the Memory of the Jusâ— should be blessed Prov. 10.7 and kept from rotting whereas the Name of the wicked roâ—â— together with their Carcases And if the Authors of the ensuing Narrative with its adjuncts had only designed in the Publication thereof to continue the Memory and Christian Example of that precious Saint and â—ervant of Christ whose Death gave occasion to â—hem nothing had been done unworthy a Chriâ—tian aim Praise and Publick honour being a Debt that is owed to the righteous a debt saith Nazianzen in one of his Funeral Orations that of all debts is most just And as the antient Church was wont to preserve the Memory of the Saints â—â— those famous Dyptichs So might they seek â—â— continue the Memory of her Graces in this â—ublick Record that though being dead she â—ight yet speak She really deserves both glory raise and honour Glory that she be accounted vertuous and gracious Praise an honorable â—ention of her for her vertues and Honour viz. a â—estification of the former good opinion by some â—utward signs as Commendation erecting of â—tatues or Pillars c. It 's said of Abâ—lom that in his life-time he had taken and reared â—p for himself a Pillar and called it after his own â—ame because he had no son to keep his name in â—emembrance 2 Sam. 18.18 Yet that Remembrance of his as Job saith proved like ashes The â—ollowing Narrative will be a far better Monument to preserve the Memory of her Name and â—he name of her Parents It hath ever been the custome of the Church â—â— God to write the story of the Lives of eminent and well-deserving persons and it's pity thâ— such Memorials should be lost and condemnâ— to an obscure privacy both for their own usefulness and for her sake that was the occasion â—â— them Certainly God 's Worthies deserve soâ—â— publique Monument to continue their Memoâ—â— and Example for the imitation of the Good anâ— the reproof of the Bad. The Apostle tells uâ—â— That dead Saints may yet speak Hebr. 11.4 thâ—â— is Preach by their Example But then theâ— must be some to continue the memory of thâ—â— example or else how should it speak ought oâ—â— instruction to future Ages Therefore the Apostle observes of Abel in thâ—â— forenamed place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He obtained witness that he was righteous which may be referred to the publick witness and testimony of the written Word where his usual titâ—â— and stile is righteous Abel Matt. 23.35 And â—â— had said before of all the Patriarchs v. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They obtained a good report to wit â—â— the Church by the Scriptures Now since thâ— Canon of Faith was closed up there is no reason that the Memory of the Saints should be lost anâ— therefore God hath in every Age stirr'd up some that can handle the pen of the Writer by some publick Record to consign their Example to the use of the Church though 't is true it 's confesseâ— that many have been forgotten who were otherâ—wise famous in their generations for want of â—are in this kind Besides the Lord hath not only given us his Word for a Rule but he hath given us Examples also as a Rule to walk by he hath given us his own Example to imitate Ephes 5.1 1 Pet. 1.15 16. And his Sons Example 1 John 2.6 Heb. 12.2 3. 1 Pet. 2.21 Mat. 11.24 Learn of me But besides these leading unerring Examples the Examples of the Saints are to be commended to our Imitation both in Doing and Suffering Whatsoever was written aforetime was written for our Learning Rom. 15.4 And Examples are written we are bidden To go forth by the footsteps of the Flock Cant. 1.8 Why hath the Holy Ghost set the Pens of so many on work to write the Lives of the Saints Why hath he kept a Record of them in his own Book but for Instruction and Direction of his People in after-time The Lord hath not registred one act of the Saints but it is useful for us The acts of the Saints are full of Practical Divinity and their sufferings and troubles are full of Pathetical Divinity as the Exhortation of St. James doth more than intimate Jam. 5.10 Hence those antient Saints and Believers in Hebr. 12.1 are called a cloud of Witnesses because there is a directive and leading vertue in them As there was a Cloud that went before the Children of Israel in the Day to lead them So this cloud of witnessâ— leads us up and down the wilderness of our Sorrows and in the dark night of our Sufferings That the gracious pious and holy actings â—â— the fornamed deceased Saint may be an addition to this Cloud for your direction and conduct â—â— in part the design of the following Narrative with the Additionals Read it and imitate Live as she in the Fear of God and Faith â—â— Christ and you shall dye as she in his favour and everlastingly partake of that Felicity which she is now possessing in Heaven A brief Narrative of the holy and pious Life and patient peaceful and Christian Death of MARY WILSON MAry Wilson was born at Crosfield in the Parish of Kirkoswold in Cumberland the nineteenth Day of November in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Six Hundred Fifty and Two Her Fathers name is Richard Wilson a person of exemplary Piety and of singular Sincerity and Integrity and a very useful Instrument
if so I may be thought â—â— any measure fit for such a Communion A brief Narrative of the occasional Discourse and memorable Passages that Mary Wilson expressed a little before her Death ON Tuesday July 23. She began to be not Well yet not very Sick but was in a weet frame of Spirit and much in her private Retirements with God But on the Lords Day â—â— night when her Father came home from the Exercise she began to be much worse And upon his going to her and asking her how she â—id She replied O my dear Father I feel â—undance of Coldness and Deadness upon my eart to every Duty which makes me to mourn 〈◊〉 my spirit that I have not had so sweet Conâ—â—erse with my God as I was wont to have with such more melting language to that purpose Whereupon he took occasion to offer her what â—e Lord was pleased to give in unto him for â—er satisfaction viz. That at such a time she â—as an incompetent Judg of her self because her â—stemper was enough then for her to grapple withal â—t then pleased the All-gracious God to give her Comfort and she earnestly with much arâ—ency of spirit implored the Lord for his Divine Assistance to carry her through that Dâ—stemper so as she might be fit either to live oâ—dye On Munday she passed on still in a very sweet frame not seemingly sick On Tuesday about two of the Clock she begun to be very sick and said Father I would entreat you to be found in the use of means for me for if this that lies in my Breast cannot be remeved I cannot long subsist Whereupon with trembling heart he went for a Doctor and before he could return the Lord had opened he Mouth and given her the Tongue of the Learned so that her Lips uttered many divine Sentences which is well hoped will never be forgotten of them that heard her In the Evening she seeing their Man-servanâ— Andrew called him to come to her and shaked hands with him for she well knowing him to be zealously affected desired him to pray for her saying I have a cold Heart of miâ—â— own and many a frozen duty I have performed I desire you to pray for me and pray that â—â— Passage may be easie And further she said unto him What have you seen by me have not I been proud and haughty and have not I taken notice of many thingh that a gracious humble Heart would have passeâ— over To which he replied That if God should have marked his Iniquities he might have see much more in him than ever he saw in her Then she rose up and fetched Mr. Brooke's Apples of Gold And when she came to read these Motives to move Young ones to be good petimes she kissed the Book many a time For those Motives had been sweetly useful to her in the work of her Conversion and now much more in her Dying Condition Then she began to speak about her Temptations she had at her first closing with Christ How Satan would have persuaded her to have rested in Civil Education being from a Child never addicted to any Vice But the Lord was then graciously pleased to let me see said she that there was more in the Power of Godliness than civil Education when once I had experience of Christ's Love to my Soul Though now I have suffered some Coldness to come upon it But if I live I will watch over this cold Heart of mine and if I do return I pray you all to watch over me For Mr. Nicholson lately told us when he â—aught from John 5. latter part of the 14 v. Behold thou art made whole Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee It was observed that Christ's Salvation was intended that after-sinning might be prevented Oh that we could all take heed of after-sinning To that purpose she spent a considerable time in exhorting all aboutâ—er to improve their time This was spoken and pressed with so much Earnestness and Seriousness as was exceeding taking upon the hearts of all those that heard her still ending with much Self-abasement desiring some about her if she should recover to watch over her The next Day two of their Maids coming into the Room She called them to her and kissed them and said Be good Lasses I have been in the School of Christ and have learned many things And if I live through Christ's strength I will teach you Soon after her Father came to her and asked her how she did She then told him She was travelling for another world And further said My dear Father If ever I have offended you in all my life I pray you for give me His sorrowful heart being almost overwhelmed with grief he told her She rarely offended him in all her Life nor could he say he had any just cause to give her a Reproof For if sometimes which yet was very seldom occasion of both were given through infirmity not wilfully her ready and right sence thereof ministred such satisfaction as easily removed the offence and prevented the Reproof Judge then what deep Impression their parting must needs have She then seeing him filled with anguish of heart and not able to discourse with her which I am confident did lose many Divine things he might have had had he been able to have kept up Discourse with her said My dear Father as for you and my dear Mother my Life might be desireable and if it were the Will of the Lord I could be willing to live that I might pay that Debt I owe to you But what God will have done is best of all and that I freely submit to Then pausing a while she said I bless the Lord that will presently deliver me from two great fears in seeing my Father and my Mother dye On Thursday Night She got little or no Rest For the Silver cord was loosed and the golden Bowl was almost broken And on Friday Morning her Father being gone but a little from her She sent for him with speed At whose first coming she chearfully said My Dear Father Let now who will be heir of Cross-field For I am going to be an Heir with Jesus Christ She then taking notice of the sad impression it had upon him said Father Give me up freely He then told her he had fallen down before the Lord that morning and given her up to him whether to live or dy But my Father said she I pray you go again and mind the Lord of that Covenant between you and him But she again taking notice of his â—nability to answer her because of Anguish of heart said My Dear Father Why can you not give me up freely Abraham had but one Son and he was the Seed of the Promise for it was said in him should all Nations be blessed and yet how freely could he offer him up My Dear Father give me up freely and Jesus Christ will be more to you than many Children Father said she you
are but a weak man and I am persuaded that another Winter will set my Mother hard to it And as for you my Grand mother it will not be long till you will be with me Therefore make ready and settle your Concerments in the world assoon as you can that you may not be toyled in the world and then table your selves with Mr. Nicholson Then she calling to mind that Mr. Nicholson was sent for asked If he was come But he being gone upon a Visit of the like nature three Messengers were sent for him before he came which made her think the time exceeding long for his coming and often prayed and desired others to pray that she might live to see his face his precious face that had been so Instrumental for the good of her Soul Then she cried again This Death is hard to abide Pray pray that my Passage may be easy Then she called to their man Andrew saying Where is that Promise I even I will blot one thine iniquities for my Names sake and will not remember thy Sins Then he turned to the place Isa 43.25 And many a time did she go over these words I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my names sake and will not remember thy Sins Then pausing a little said Here will I rest for I have nothing else to rely upon but Christ in a Promise As for all my best Duties that ever I performed in all my life I quit them all as Physicians of no value and do freely cast my self at the feet of Christ And if I perish I 'le perish there This was unspeakable satisfaction to her Father that now those Sermons that sometimes with difficulty she had heard and those Duties she had performed and which had cost her many a Tear should now be all disowned by her as to Justification when she was going to look grim Death in the Face And this her father affirms of his own knowledg she was of such a broken frame of Spirit that seldom or never did she come from her private Retirements but with red Eyes and watery Cheeks And sometime upon particular occasion he hath joyned with her in Prayer when she would have poured out her Soul in such a melting frame of Spirit Heavenly language and powerful Arguments as would have caused him to have groaned in his Spirit and blessed the Lord for those eminent Endowments of Gifts and Graces he had endued her withal Presently she cries again Oh my Father this Death is hard to abide Pray pray that my Passage may be easie Then suddenly with much ardency of Spirit with Hands and Eyes lift up to Heaven said Lord Jesus put forth thine Arm and take me by the Hand and say Come up hither Then she enquiring again for Mr. Nicholson she was told he was not come She prayed again That if the Lord will she might live to see him Then beholding her Father she said How comes it that my Father is without a Cap Then she called for one and sat up and opened it with her own hands and then put it upon his Head who said It was the last that ever his dear would put him on Then she desired to be remembred to all her natural Relations leaving a word of Exhorto them all namely That they should come off from the world and make sure of Christ Then she desired to be remembred to all Christian Friends and named some of them saying Oh the Society of the Saints the Society of the Saints Were I to live again I would more highly value the Society of the Saints the least of Saints Then she asked her Father What day it was He told her Friday Then she said It will not be long till I shall be in Eternity of Felicity and I shall be interred upon the Lords day Then she asked If she might give them out her Grave-dress Which being referred to her liberty she called for her Desk and sat up and opened it with her own hand and laid aside her Shift and the rest of her Cloaths that she would carry with her to her Grave being all plain She desired her Aunt to put her Fore-headcloath low upon her Brow Then perceiving that this enflamed her Fatherwith Sorrow with the rest of her Relations she said Father Whether shall the Saints know one another in Heaven Who then gave her that satisfaction he could on the Affirmative and further called to mind that Mr. Bolton in his Joys of Heaven doth positively affirm the same by many Arguments as first That all Knowledg is desirable but to know one another in Heaven is most desireable 1 Corin 13.12 But then shall I know even as I am known Secondly The Disciples in the Transfiguration knew Moses and Elias whom they never saw before Ergo we shall know one another in Heaven with many more Arguments to that purpose which were so satisfactory to her that â—he blessed the Lord for that knowledg especially that she should know her dear Father again in Heaven She further enquired Whether the Sins of Saints should come into the Judgment of Discussion at the great Day of the Lord She then remembring Mr. Brooks in his Apples of Gold did speak fully to it and desired it might be read to her which accordingly was done And when she heard it she then blessed the Lord saying whom he loves once he loves to the end A Friend coming in and asking her how she did she said She was taking flight into another world Pray pray that my Passage may be easu Then said Come Lord Jesus take me to thy self hold me fast in thine Arms and let me not go Then she enquired again for Mr. Nicholson who presently came and after Salutation he fell down before the Lord to beg Mercy for her Soul After Prayer was done she desired that the Room might be spared that she might have a little private Converse with him He spent about half an hour with her which as he after told was mostly about some Doubts she had about the strength of her Corruptions and want of Assurance In the close of their Discourse she was still of that mind that she would die He told her others were fitter to judg in that Case than she And asked her how she knew it She then said She felt that that he did not feel So in the close of the Day she fell into a hoâ— Feaver and was violently in it for a season Dâ—ring which time the Tempter waited his opportunity knowing well he had but a little time tâ— do his work in so that through his Temptations and the violency of the Feaver for a smaâ—â— time she was under a damp Then in the close of the Evening the Doctoâ— came again who gave her some things that presently did loosen her Flegm and not looâ— after she fell upon a sweet sleep as the Doctoâ— and Mr. Wilkinson and others that sat with her said it was about two Hours she
slept When she first awaked she said Thou wicked Satan How durst thou tempt the Lord of Life After that she fell into a Slumber again and alwaies â—s she awaked she cried Sweet Christ pity me Sweet Jesus pity me Sweet Christ have mercy upon me several times going over those Petitions Then in the Twilight her Father going to â—er asked her how she did She fixed her eyes stedfastly upon him but never spake more Twice before Breath was out we fell down beâ—â—re the Lord and sent her to Heaven upon â—he wing of Prayer Thus it was apparent That the many Petitions she had put up to Heaven for her easie â—â—assage were granted her and her Entrance â—â—to her Fathers House in Glory where she hath â—â—ken up her everlasting abode to be ever with â—â—e Lord was about the Hours of Four or Five â—n the Morning August the Third 1672. Amen Amen Hallelujah A SERMON Preached at the Funeral of Mrs. MARY WILSON By George Nicholson Minister of the Gospel Psal 103.14 15 16 17 18 verses were sung Luke 12.40 Be ye therefore ready also for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye thinâ— not WHile the Lord Jesus was at his Setmon there started up a certain Person out of the Auditory that moved an unseasonable suit 〈◊〉 Him v. 13. Master speak to my Brother that he divide the Inheritance with me Like many poor Creatures that when they come to heâ—â— the Word of God they have their Hearts so stuffed up with the World as that the Word of God takes no place with them nor finds no â—oom in them such was this poor man now menâ—ioned that while Christ was Preaching he was proling for the world Well! His unseaâ—nable request though it did interrupt Christ â—n his present Discourse yet occasioned new proâ—table matter to flow out of his mouth For â—ster the Lord Christ had given him a particular â—heck for such a Proposal together with a denial 〈◊〉 gratifie him in such a request Ver. 14. He â—â—eth on and delivereth a seasonable and neâ—â—ssary Caution v. 15. Take heed and beware of â—â—ovetousness the which he backeth with a â—â—ong Argument in the same verse For a mans â—â—e consisteth not in the abundance of the things â—at he possesseth And to make the Caution to take hold of his â—â—arers He gives an instance by way of Parable 〈◊〉 a certain rich man that was covetously bent â—â—er the world who whilst he was racking his â—â—ains about his worldly Profits his life was cut â—â— his Soul required and he a Fool for his â—â—ins from v. 16. to the 20. v. The Applicaâ—â—â—n of which Parabolical instance ye have in 〈◊〉 21. So is he that layeth up Treasure for himâ—â—â—f and is not rich towards God Well in his â—â—â—lowing Discourse he applieth himself unto 〈◊〉 Disciples from ver 22. to the 30. wherein in he useth several Arguments with them to setch them off from the love of the world All which lye dispersed in the aforementioned verses which I cannot now stand to draw forth but must leave them for you to cull out at your leisure And that he may effectually take them off from the world he setteth before them and proposeth to them greater and better objects than the world could present them with As iâ— he should say If ye will lay out your selve and spend your strength and spirits about thingâ— Behold here are excellent things that are worth your pursuing after and labouring for Herâ— is the Kingdom of God the Righteousness oâ— God Bags that wax not old and Treasure iâ— Heaven that faileth not v. 31 32 33. Math. â—â— 33. Let your Hearts be taken up with thâ— things and never fear but all other things â—â— far as they are necessary for you shall be addâ—â— unto you And that they may receive thâ—â— Kingdom and Treafure which faileth not 〈◊〉 The Lord Christ directeth them to be ready 〈◊〉 waiting for the coming of Christ v. 35 3â— And this he presseth upon them by two conâ—â—derable Arguments The First is drawn from that honourable aâ—â— happy Welcome which such shall have at 〈◊〉 coming of Christ v. 37. Blessed are those Sâ—â—vants whom the Lord when he cometh 〈◊〉 find watckiâ—g Verily I say unto you that 〈◊〉 shall gird himself and make them to sit down to meat and will come forth and serve them The Second Argument is drawn from the uncertainty of the time of Christ's coming which is laid down by a familiar Comparison of a Thief 's coming to break up a House when the Good-man of the House is off his watch v. 39. And this know that if the good-man of the house had known what hour the Thief would come he would have watched and not have suffered his house to be broken thorow From which comparison of the Thief 's sudden and unexpected coming the Lord Jesus presseth them to be ready For as the Thief so he himself cometh at in hour when men think not Be ye therefore ready also for the Son of Man cometh at an your when ye think not The words are a serious Exhortation delivered to his Disciples and his then present Auditory wherein we may take notice of these two general parts First An important Duty enjoined Be â—e therefore ready also Secondly A plain yet â—owerful Argument to press this Duty upon â—hem For the Son of Man cometh at an hour â—hen ye think not The words are so very plain as that we need â—ot spend much time about their Explication â—or shall we make knots where there are â—one The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here translated ready signifieth generally Preparation or Readiness according to the subject matter that it hath relation to so that be ye ready here is be ye prepared for the coming of Christ But that which will need a little unfolding is What we are to understand by this coming of Christ in the Text Answer There is a twofold coming of Christ First There is his coming to the particular Day of Judgment and that is at the Death of every Person For it is in the power of his own hand alone to fetch away the Souls of Men The Souls of Men are brought before Christ immediately upon the Death of the Bodies of Men to receive their Doom or Judgment Heb. 9.27 It is appointed unto men once to die and after this the Judgment Secondly There is Christ's coming to the 〈◊〉 Judgment which is at the end of the World and the Resurrection of the Bodies of Men. Thâ—â— I grant is called signally The coming of Christ his Second coming Acts 1.11 1 Thes 4 1â—â— Heb. 9. last I know some Expositors would have this coming of Christ to the last Judgment to be intended here But I rather think it to â—â— meant of his Coming to the particular Judgment and that for this reason Because his Discipleâ—â— and the then Auditory to whom he spoke weâ—â— not like to live to see Christ's last Coming
and they wouâ—â— whatever they pretend to the contrary petitâ—â— for a Respite like the poor man in the Faâ—â— that wished for Death when he was overbuy thened with his sticks but when Death aâ— peared the man gets up with his Burden and away goeth he Poor men whatever they think or pretend they would find their Affections lime-twig'd with something or other that they cannot yet be ready to meet the Lord Jesus â— Sixthly There is this also in Actual Readiness to meet the Lord Jesus and that is To have the Affections elevated and upon the wing â—o meet the Lord Jesus The Affections are truly â—aid to be Alae Animae The wings of the Soul for they are the wings that carry the Soul after as desired Object Now when the Soul is â—eady to take its Flight to meet the Lord Jesus and mounteth upwards to meet him in the â—ay as if it would prevent Christ of the pains to â—â—me and fetch it this is Actual Readiness with â—â— Accent or Preparedness in summo gradu in â—e highest degree that man is capable of to â—eet the Lord Jesus We read of Elijah's â—cending to Heaven in a fiery Chariot so when â—e Soul hath its Affections like so many fiery â—hariots to carry it swistly on to meet the Lord â—sus here is Readiness indeed So we find â— Paul thus setting forth his desire to be with thrist Phil. 1.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having a â—hement hot and flagrant Affection to be with â—hrist which is best of all Seventhly To be Actually ready for the Coming of the Lord Jesus Is to have a suitable â—ame and temper of Spirit for a Dying Hour Thou art not prepared to meet Christ till thou art prepared to die Now I will shew you when a man is of a suitable frame of Spirit for a dying hour and take it in these Four Particulars First When a man is freely willing to bâ— disposed of by God this is a suitable frame 〈◊〉 Spirit for a Dying Hour When God sender his Messenger Death to summon a man to appear before the Lord and the man then is able to say Good is the Will of the Lord concerning me and let him do with me as seemeth good in hâ— sight Here is a man of a suitable frame of Spirit for a Dying Hour and consequently ready in a good degree to meet the Lord Jesus Thus the Man Christ Jesus shewed his readineâ— for dying in this suitable frame when he said Not my Will but thine be done Mat. 26.39 43. And good old Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good And Daviâ— 2 Sam. 15.26 Behold here am I let him dâ—â— me as seemeth good unto him Secondly When a man can take complacence in God's so disposing of him this is to be of suitable frame of spirit for a Dying hour Thâ—â— is as I may say the highest pitch in this spiritual frame When a man cometh to this length as to take pleasure in God's taking him off bâ—â— Death this is to rise high in this Heavenâ— frame This I grant is rarely attained unto by those that are come up to some considerable legrees of Assurance that they are already passed from death to life Thus we find it was with Paul and those Saints of whom he speaketh 2 Cor. 5.1 We know saith he that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved â—e have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens here is his and their Assurance Now mark what followeth For in this we groan earnestly desiring to be â—â—athed upon with our house which is from Heaven Paul and the rest of these Saints with him â—ere so straitned in the Body as that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 summo amore complectentes emâ—acing with the greatest delight as an hungry â—an his food or a naked man his cloaths their â—use which they were waiting for from Heaven â—ut how were they to come to be cloathed upon â—ith their house from above No other way ordinarily but by being uncloathed of the â—uses of their Bodies But could they be â—eased to have their cloathing of Flesh stript off â—em Not simply as such for this was against â—e Law of Nature which is for the preservation â—â— it self but yet as the Bodies uncloathing was â—e way and means to bring them to be cloathed â—â—th Immortality so they could take pleasure â—â—d delight in it This is no more than what â—â—ul hath elsewhere expressed Phil. 1.23 Having desire to depart and to be with Christ which is far better The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here translated to depart signifieth properly to be dissolved or to have the cords of Nature loosened the bands between the Soul and Body untied Now St. Paul saith It is his desire or as thâ— word is his fervent desire to be dissolved No that he simply took pleasure in the dissolution 〈◊〉 his compositum or union between his Soul and Body but as his dissolution would be the waâ— to bring him to Christ which he so much longeâ— for so he took pleasure or as Beza expound it contended in his desire to be dissolved So those Martyrs we read of in Heb. 11.39 would not accept of deliverance though theâ— were tortured or as the word is stretched form upon the Rack that they might obtain a beâ—â—â— Resurrection They would not thank their Adversaries for saving their lives or be beholden to them for their sparing mercy but rathâ—â— took pleasure in so cruel a Death as ordered 〈◊〉 them by the Almighty that they might obtain better Resurrection It is said of Aaron thâ—â— he received a commandment from the Lord 〈◊〉 die in Mount Hor Numb 33.38 But hâ—â— did he die Did he take complacency in thâ—â— disposal of the Almighty Yes as appeared from Numb 20.23 24 25 26 27 28. where 〈◊〉 is said That Moses stripped Aaron of his Garments not against the will of Aaron but with the free consent of Aaron as appeareth by 〈◊〉 freeness and readiness without the least reluctancy intimated to go with Moses unto Mount Hor to die there Aaron as far as we can gather any thing from the letter of the Text made no more of dying than a man doth of putting off his cloaths to go to Bed or of having them taken off that he may go to his rest which ordinarily is an act of complacency and delight to a man after his weariness and toilsome labour The same may be gathered from Moses himself Deut. 32.48 49 50. with Deut. 34.5 compared which is in excellent frame of Spirit for a Dying-hour Thirdly When a man can hang loose from and freely part with all his worldly comforts and enjoyments this is an excellent frame of Spirit for a Dying hour For a man to set his earthly comforts at his back and have only Heaven before his face this is a blessed temper of Spirit It is said of
habitual Readiness the grace of Regeneration being found within him yet may he sadly smart for his Relapses before â—e give up the Ghost Hast thou not heard before what hazards even the Godly do run for want of actual Preparation Is it a small thing in thine account to be under the Trounâ—ings of Satan the hidings of God's Face the â—remblings of Conscience and the terrors of Death Remember therefore from whence thou â—â—rt fallen and repent and do the first works or â—â—se the Lord Christ will come unto thee quickly â—nd remove thee out of thy place except thou reâ—ent Be watchful and strengthen the things â—hat are ready to die which yet remain for thy works are not found perfect before God Rememâ—er therefore how thou hast received and heard â—nd hold fast and repent If therefore thou shalt â—ot watch the Lord Christ will come on thee as Thief and thou shalt not know what hour he will â—ome upon thee Rev. 2.5 and 3.2 3. Use 2. Secondly Is it the great concernment â—f all that look to be saved to make ready against the coming of Christ Then it is thâ— greatest Folly imaginable to neglect making ready for Christ's Coming That man lies aâ—â— waies under the imputation of extreme Folly that neglecteth his principal Concerns Is 〈◊〉 not an arrant Fool that will not mind his moâ—â— necessary Concernments wherein his very lâ—â—â— and welfare is wrapt up Quae te dementia cepit That you may see the extreme folly and maâ—ness of men herein I will shew you it a litâ—â—â— more particularly and that very briefly First That man that neglecteth making reâ—dy for Christ's coming he hath no regard 〈◊〉 or care of his great Soul His Carelessness about making due Preparation to meet the Lâ—â—â— Jesus doth plainly speak forth thus much That whether his Soul sink or swim be saâ—â— or damned he mattereth it not He willâ—â—â— so much as trouble either his Head or Heart about it And is not this the greatest pieceâ—â— Folly that can be What man more madâ—â— foolish than he that setteth his Soul aside 〈◊〉 forgetteth or else careth not to do any thâ—â— about it that may tend to save it Our 〈◊〉 Jesus telleth us That the Soul of man is beâ—â—â—â— than the whole world for so much his woâ—â—â— do sound Math. 16.26 What is a man profâ—â—â— â—f he gain the whole world and lose his own Soul â—r what shall he give in exchange for his soul Now is that man any other than a simple Fool that neglecteth his Soul which the whole world cannot equalize the worth of or repair the loss of if he could enjoy it all to himself Secondly That man that neglecteth Preparation for the Coming of Christ he doth but treasure up wrath unto himself against the day of Wrath and Revelation of the righteous Judgement of God And is not he a Fool that provideth Instruments of Cruelty for himself And thus doth every one though they think it not that neglecteth to make ready for Christ's appearance I speak to such as never mind the work of Repentance but go on in a course of Sin these of all others are the greatest Fools in that they do all the while store up plagues for themselves Rom. 2.4 5 6. Thirdly The Folly of him that mindeth not making ready for the coming of Christ appeares in this That he doth but harden himself against â—he coming of Christ And is he not a grand Fool think ye that thus setteth himself against Christ Whoever hardened himself against God and prospered I do not think that every one that mindeth not to make himself ready to meet â—he Lord Jesus doth intentionally and resolredly harden himself against Christ for these â—re only that Atheistical and debanched Crew that are void of all Fear and Conscience that bid open defiance against Heaven Psal 73 9â— But my Friends after you have heard it to be your Duty to make ready against that time when you shall be called to appear before Christ iâ— you then neglect to do it it will be interpreted of Christ to be a hardening your selves against him Because you know it to be your Duty and yet will not do it And what a Madman 〈◊〉 he that will put himself into such a posture aâ— will bespeak him to be hardening himself against Christ Can their hearts endure or their hands be strong in the day that God shall deal with them Ezek. 22.14 Will ye provoke the Lord to jealousie are ye stronger than he Remember it was Israels overthrow in the Wilderness that they hardened themselves against God this made their Carkases fall there so that they never came to Canaan Psal 95.8 9 10 11. Heb. 3.8 9 10 11. I shall leave but that one place further with you and then consider of it Revel 6.14 15 16 17. And the Heaven departed at a Scroll when it is rolled together and every Mountain and Island were moved out of their places And the Kings of the earth and the great Men and the Rich men and the Chief Captains and the Mighty men and every Bondman and every Freeman hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the Mountains And said to the mountains and Rocks Fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand You see that Christ will make the stoutest of men to tremble that harden themselves against him Fourthly Their folly appeareth by this who neglect to prepare and make ready for Christ Jesus his Coming in that so doing they undervalue Heaven And is he not to be reckoned a prosane Fool that makes no reckoning of Heaven The poor Indians folly was seen in this That they were so willing to part with their Gold for some pieces of Brass or for other Toys and Trifles that were of no great value Now that man that taketh no care to make himself ready to come before the Lord Jesus his neglect doth plainly declare That Heaven beareth to price with him For there is no man that â—ometh within the sound of the Gospel â—ut he heareth That without Repentance no salvation and that without Holiness no man shall see the Lord. Now after the declaration â—â— all this in the ears of such a person If he shall sive in the neglect of looking after Repentance â—r the work of Holiness he doth evidently maâ—ifest That Heaven signifieth not much to him for he that will not carefully look after the heans and also use them that relate to such an â—nd his very neglecting of the means doth bespeak him to have no great regard to the end especially when he knoweth that it is not possible in an ordinary way to come to enjoy such an end without making use of such means And will not this prove a man to be a Fool Remember that Esau is called a profane person or as the
Use 5. Lastly Is it the great Concernment of all that would be saved to make ready for the Coming â—f Christ Then it would be needful to lay â—own some Directions how to get ready against â—he time of Christ's Coming But the time â—ow calleth me off and therefore I must desist only take this single Direction Think daily of â—he Day of thy Death and the uncertain time â—f Christ's certain Coming and this seriously â—hought on will spur thee on to get ready for is Coming Men too commonly cast off the thoughts of â—eath and of Christ's Coming to Judgment and this maketh them so remiss and careless as â—hat they mind not preparing for a dying Hour â—nd appearing before the Judgment Seat of Christ to give an account of all that they have done in the Body whether it be good 〈◊〉 whether it be evil FINIS In Obitum MARIAE WILSON Filiae Ricardi Wilson Generosi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HEu dolor infandus cur mors saevissimè vitam Amputat innocuam quae sibi culpa fuit Rara fides hujus radiis pietatis amoenis Affulsit vitii nescia vana fugit Omnia sancta petit semper sua facta benigna Omnibus purâ numina mente colit Occubuit morti lacrymarum ex valle revâ—lli Hei mihi virtutis flosculus hic moritur Quòd fecit †Anagram Marie Wilson Crosfieâ—d Flores Deus illos creamine constat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Stat sine Morte decus â—mbre rigate genas abiit moriente Mariâ Ipsa arbusta dolent nunc dolor urget idem Dicere si fas est rupes fragore movêre Cùm Phoenix mundi desine Musa perit To Mr. R. W. depressed with grief for the loss of his so vertuous and only Daughter What Mourn excessively under your Cross O Sir Abandon Sorrow though you R Loss I grant be Reall And Of large extent Your only Child Yet know She was but lent A fruitful Plant she Was i' th Field of God But beeing Ripe In Grace now her abode God changed hath for Earth Ly dwellings given A Mansion Large among the Saints in Heaven And yet Do you think hardly Of your God For Sure there 's Mercy latent i N his Rod Then stay your Tears and David-like submit For he who sent the Cross will hallow it Ad pium Lectorem PArdon me Reader if thou judg't unmeet That my rude Muse with her decrepit feet Should thus intrude herself into the Press ' Mongst others to proclaim the worthiness Of this accomplish'd pious Virgin who While here did all her Age and Sex outgo In vertues race and now hath won the Goal Whilst we her friends with tears her loss condole â—hen God to th' world had shown this polisht â—tone â—soon for ends best known to mself alone â—â—mov'd her hence and plac'd her among them â—hat do adorn the New Jerusalem â—e're thou didst converse with her I 've done â—er spiritual worth was obvious as the Sun â—anscendent Love she to the truth did bear â—o pains she spar'd Gods Sacred Word to hear â—nd if this Heavenborn Dorcas thou knewst not â—m all perfection up and she was that â—ut stay my Muse let her good works commend â—er whom I dare not praise because a Friend â—e mute no more with hobling Verses come â—th her blest Life 's her best Encomium Which th' foregoing Narratives exemplifie â—nd will perpetuate her Me mory â—o us who do survive Let 's imitate This Heavenly pattern then and always wait â—he Master's coming lest when 't is too late We cry Lord Lord open to us the Gate â— may we not like Goats at Christ's left hand â—e found oh dreadful but still ready stand With oyled lamps to meet the Lord for he Will surely come to judg both thee and me M. C. Upon the Death of Mrs. Mary Wilsoâ— who was Buried August 4. 1672. HEre lies the first of that name from Cro field Lord grant that place may more such flowâ— yield Her early buds that place did so perfume As tho her Soul had brought it from the Womb. No pains she thought too hard Gods sacred Word hear And when she harrow'd it she water'd it with tear And yet she would complain of her unfruitfulâ—â— Tho she foretold her Death much like a Prophetess Her dying Breath was such as fill'd the eyes â— ears Of her Spectators all with Joys and yet wâ—â— Tears As to her Natural parts her Genius still was such What Learning ere she saw to take 't in was â—â— much Her works behind her left most amply have declar'd That not unlike she may to Dorcas be compar'd She she she was most singly set apart To be the Joy of her poor Parents heart But now she 's gone to her Eternal Rest Amongst the Saints for ever to be blest To all those that love vertue Reader WHen my serious thoughts had reflected upon the Death of so vertuous a Damsel I could not but deplore her Departure and being importuned by her vertues I gave my Pen the priviledg assisting it with the uttermost of my power to compose this Elegious Poem upon her Death which I cannot expect will be consonant to all humors but only to those that love vertue And Reader thou knowing that the tallest Cedars were but Twigs at first I desire thee to let the strength of thy goodness pardon the weakness of him who is thine in what he may Christopher Rickerby An Elegy upon the Death of a vertuous young Damsel Mrs. Mary Wilson late of Cross-field in Cumberland YE grief-supporting Muses here is that Will sublimate your Senses Ask not what But lend assistance soon do not deny For fear I make complaint to Mercury What Are your Heliconian waters spent Or do you stay t' expect a Complement Be not so slow for Sorrow hates delay Oh hear my hasty call and come away I crave your aid lest Melancholy I Ravish'd with what I speak should faint die Times full-mouth'd Herauld will exactly tell How Death hath rambled from his misty Cell And call'd her hence whose never-dying name Gives Golden feathers to the wings of Fame Whilst she enjoy'd the fullness of her breath Her Life was a Preparative for Death It was her whole Delight and Study still To prosecute her great Redeemers Will. Faith Hope and Charity did sweetly rest Within the Councel-Chamber of her Breast Nay in a word the Graces did agree â—o make one happy Soul and this was she Which was a Pattern sent that thou and I And others by her Life might learn to die â—s for her Moral Duties they were such That should I strive I could not speak too much â—er whole delight was alwaies to appear â—t any place where she God's word might hear â—om whence she suckt such wholsome streams that she â—ft got a plaudit for her Memory â—ay she in every thing did so excel That it was hard to find a parallel This same was she within whose tender breast A mighty Magazin
of worth did rest Her comely Carriage to all men might claim A perfect right to a beloved Name Her actions were so just that they may tell She liv'd uprightly and she dy'd-as well Her Love and sweet Society did call â—en thoosand tears t' attend her Funeral And now she 's gone I hope her Soul 's aspir'd so Heavens high Ralace where she sits attir'd With glorious Immortality and sings â—â—elodious Tunes unto the King of Kings Oh there she rests free from the rubs of earth Hugging no Shadow but a real Mirth Where still me thinks I hear her sweetly sing Grave where 's thy power Death where is thy sting Methinks I hear her warbling tongue declare How good her works how great her wonders are Methought I saw in what triumphing state Her soul was led to Heaven's refulgent Gate Where when she came disro'bd of all her Sin The Gates flew open and her Soul flew in There there the Alpha of her joys will never Know an Omega but endure for ever Perhaps some will conclude me wondrous bold When this Elegious Poem they behold It is an Error that my hasty Quill Too rashly stept into against my will I hope 't is venial for in former times Boldness in truths were pardonable crimes Her splendent vertues did importune me To calculate and write this Elegie Of her That now is taking sweet repose In Heaven's eternal bed where none but those Shall sleep that in their Life-times study'd still Their hungry Lamps with precious Oyl to fill Sith thus she liv'd sith thus she dy'd O then Let 's imitate so good a Life And when We hear the sweet Narration of her Death Let 's learn to die Let them that live by breath Examine her brave actions and they 'll find She had true zeal imprinted in her mind Reader As often as report shall send Unto thy ears the Death of such a Friend Wonder not that she 's dead that 's too much wrong But rather wonder that she liv'd so long For Life 's but like a Candle every wind May puff it out and leave a Snuff behind Liue we a Thousand years we do but run Indebt to Nature when those days are done This is most sure our earthen vessels must At last dissolve and turn again to Dust Sic voluere fata Her Epitaph Mortality may here survey A Grave within whose bosome lay Rare Vertue Zeal whilst she had breath Yet quickly was blockt up by death Wholesome streams of rare zeal did rest In the close Chamber of her Breast Like Dorcas she sought to fulfil Sound work for her Redeemer still O but Death came and said thou must Now go dissolve and turn to Dust She is the first that ever came Hither from Cross-field of that name Whose vertuoos Life none will deny Taught Death to live and Life to dye I hope the Alpha of her joys will never Omega know but last for ever Spes mihi magna subit By me Christopher Rickerby School-master of Lazonby For his invaluable Friend Mr. Richard Wilson at Crosfield My Dear and Well-beloved Brother IT shall not be my work at this time to set your wound a bleeding a fresh or to adde weight to your present Affliction But I hope I shall willingly endeavour to heal it and to bear a part of your burthen and to have you upon my heart when I make my Address to God for Mercy and Pardon for mine own Soul And shall beg of God to support your Soul and to be to you instead of all Relations and Comforts which this vain fading perishing and deceitful world can afford you and that Christ may be to you instead of ten Children and give you a Name better than that of Sons and Daughters yea That Christ may be your all in all And I hope the Lord hath taught you not to sorrow as one without hope for she whom you so dearly loved is gone to her dearly Beloved there to dwell for ever where she is freed from Satan Sin and Sorrow all tears being wipt away from her eyes yea she is gone to her Husband Lord and King where she reaps the fruit and comfort of all her Labours and is blessed for So are the dead that die in the Lord Yea She now enjoyes thâ—â— sweet of all her private Retirements in Prayer and Meditation wherein she kept her communion with God in Christ whilst here And she wâ—â— lately shined as a glor ous Star in this Church is now glorified in Heaven she is possessed oâ— those mansions of Glory purchased and prepared by Christ for her Joh. 14.2 and there she 〈◊〉 beholding the Face of God reconciled to heâ— Soul by Christ where she is singing Hallelujahs yea the pure Praises of God and this shall â—â— her work yea rather her delight to all Eternity And then My dear Brother why should noâ— you with David the Child being dead arise and come into the House of the Lord to worship 2 Sam. 12.20 Brother Let me tell you in some sense if I may adventure to speaâ— it you have as much yea more reason to be contented and thankful than David had for your Daughters name was Mary who hath chosen thâ— better part which cannot be taken from her's And O that you were prevailed with willingly and thankfully to bear the indignation of thâ— Lord and to walk humbly with him who killeth and maketh alive who bringeth down to the grave and bringeth up Deut. 32.34 I believe Faith will teach you to kiss a striking Lord and to acknowledg the Soveraignty of aâ—â— angry God in the Death of your only Daughter to be above the power of Mortals who â—lucks up a Flower in its prime and is not to be â—lamed by us for it Our Lord hathpluckt up â—ne of his Roses let us pray that his blessed Will may be done our Lord hath numbred man's months and set him his bounds which â—e cannot pass Job 14.5 I verily believe your Lord hath taught you to lay your hand upon your Mouth but I shall be far from desiring â—ny to make light of such great tryals and losses â—ut rather could wish that every cross were â—ook't in the face seven times and were read â—ver and over again It is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts and speaks something hath some â—â—and and the man of understanding will learn â—o hear and fear the Rod and him that appointed it O try what is the taste of the Lord's Cup and drink the Lord sanctifie it to you â—hat you may grow thereby I trust in God â—hat whatever speech it utter that that is one word in it for you in Job 5.17 Behold blessed the man whom the Lord correcteth and that it is safe for you you are from home while here you are not of this world as your Redeemer was not of this world there is somthing a keeping for you that is worth the looking after All that is here is condemned to dye and to pass away as a
snow-ball before a Summers Sun And since Death took possession of somthing of yours it hath been and dayly is creeping neare your self Howbeit with no noise of feet your Husbandman and Lord hath lopped off one branch already the tree it self is to be removed into the higher Garden the Lord fit you for your change and help you to bear these crosses for indeed they are great and many and give you a sanctified use of them and to make you white and ripe for the Lord's Harvest-hook by them I have seen the Lord weaning you from this world and its vanities it was never his mind that it should be your portion and let the Lord be praised that it is so you look the liker one of the Heirs of Glory let the moveables go why not They are not yours but fasthold on the Heritage Even our Lord Christ make your interest sure and give you to grow as a Palm tree upon Mount Zion howbeit shaken with winds and many sore blasts yet the root is fast I pray Him whose you are to supply your wants another way for though we cannot see the Lords design in this his wise Providence who ruleth all yet I verily believe this is not only good but best of all For wise Solomon saith Better is the end of a thing than the begiuning Yea Christ calls from Heaven and bids Write Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord they rest from their labours and their works follow them And after Paul had seriously debated the Case whether to live or dye was better for him he concludes that of the two To die and to be with Christ was best of all And therefore my dear Brother this should teach us and work in us a careful Preparation for Death and vehement longings after it and chearfulness in entertaining it and moderation in our sorrowing for her that 's dead Mourning only for our own loss and that especially because the Death and removal of the Godly is a sad if not a sure presage of ensuing Evil. When Noah was entered into the Ark then the Flood came Gen. 7.12 When Lot was gone out of Sodome then it must be burnt When the Lord resolved to destroy Jeroboam house he took away the Child in whom there was some good thing found 1 Kin. 14.10 11 13. Thus when the Lord in ended to bring evil upon Jerusalem good Josiah must first be brought to his grave in peace Because his heart was tender and he humbled himelf at the hearing of the Law of God 2 Kin. 22.16 17 18 19 20. Wo is me therefore considering that even amongst us the righteous are taken away that in four or five Months time almost the tenth man on this side Hartside should be removed yet not considering at least not as they ought to do That The righteous are taken away from the evil to come Isa 57. When our Jacob for wrestling our Caleb and Joshuah for following the Lord and our Nathaniel and besides our Mary is removed How should this awaken us and the very thoughts of it make us tremble and our knees to smite one against another It s true they are beyond the Storm But the presence of the Godly in all Ages hath drawn the love and favour of God to the places where they were For they are dear to God As the apple of his eye Zech. 2.8 And he will be a wall of ire round about the place where they are v. 5. Yea many a time doth God spare the wicked for the godly as the husbandman doth the tares for the wheat 's sake Matth. 13. As God would have spared Sodome and Gomorrah if there had been but ten nay five righteous persons Gen. 18.32 Act. 27.24 Besides the Prayers of the Godly in all Ages have been mighty prevalent with God both for the obtaining Mercies and also for the preventing miseries and keeping of judgments from the places where they liveâ— Psal 106.23 He would saith the Psalmist have destroyed them had not Moses his Servant stoeâ— before him in the breach to turn away his wrath lest he should destroy them Besides they are 〈◊〉 great force for the vanquishing and overcoming of Enemies Moses prevailed more by hâ—â— Prayers than Joshua with all his Soldiers againt the Amalekites Exod. 17.11 One godly man Prayers saith one can do more than a great soâ— of Sinners 〈◊〉 do with fighting So that as Nâ—hal's servants said of David's men so we may â—y of our dear friends that are removed from us they have been very good to us and we have had no hurt whilst we have been conversant with them They have been a wall unto us both by day and by night What cause have we then to fear that may follow the removal of them And then alas What have we lost that have lost â—uch good Examples as most of them were and 〈◊〉 particular your Daughter she one of a thouâ—â—d Her counsel her wisdome her blameless talking was of great use to restrain some from â—in and to allure and draw others at least to be outward performance of many good Duties â—â—d I think I may say that she exceeded most â—â—at ever I knew except Mrs. Catherine Rea of â—â—â—ma in her constant care to please God and â—qual respect to the keeping of all Gods Commandments and in her holy diligence to imâ—ove all opportunities for her Souls profit as 〈◊〉 Meditating Praying Reading Hearing and Conferring And then her Seriousness in Duties and great delight in both First and Second Table Duties What shall I say Her â—â—avity Chastity and Humility and her orâ—ering her self every way so holily so meekly â—â—d blamelesly So that to my knowledg it was a great Conviction to those that were in a great measure strangers to Godliness or any â—trictness and I 'le assure you I often wished that her Conversation had been better known to some and that it might have so been I did fully purpose to have sued for your Consent having gotten hers that we might have had heâ— a while amongst us That our Professors chieflâ— of her Sex whose Carriages and Conversation were not so answerable to the Gospel as they should be might have been convinced of thâ— evil of them and by her Gospel-conversation might have become more wise solid sober serious grave and more careful to provide so their eternal Welfare But alas it 's now to late the time is past and gone which maâ— make us mourn upon our own account But uâ— on their account this may not only reason 〈◊〉 into a Moderation of Sorrow but also cause 〈◊〉 to rejoice in that they are landed safe in Heaâ—ven where she also is even with Christ which is best of all she is now set at liberty and freâ— dome Who is not comforted to see and know that his Friend is brought out of Prison to 〈◊〉 his Friend set free from all Persecutions Siâ— Sorrow and Death and to live and rejoice wiâ—â— Christ 2 Tim. 2.11 12. And may
them in time by past 't is possible you do not now perceive but I hope you shall afterwards to the bringing forth of the peaceable fruits of righteousness as Christ and one of his Apostles speak in another case John 13.7 Hebr. 21.11 And it s no wonder that you so earnestly desir some assistance and succour for your support sith the present Providential Dispensation toward you is sad and you in much sorrow and heavâ—ness because of it and in a sad condition under it though good old Mr. Dod saith That nâ— man is in a sad condition but he that hath a hard heart and cannot pray But I will suppose that your condition is sad enough all thing considered and that you are very sad and soâ— rowful in and under 〈◊〉 and it may arise from one or all of these three following things First The Remembrance of the no small commodity and comfort both bodily and spiritual that your enjoyed by her sweet company and comfortable and profitable communion with her Secondly Your irrecoverable loss of her as to her bodily presence in this world and consequently your deprivation of partaking of the like profit and comfort from her for the future Thirdly Your former and present Sins which possibly you may apprehend to have had an hand in this sad and sudden stroke that is now fallen upon you But that neither of these asunder nor all conjoyned are ground sufficient for such Sadness and Sorrow that you seem to be affected and afflicted with and to labour under I shall now come to demonstrate First As to the former Profit and Comfort you did partake of through her presence 1. Consider that you are more bound to bless God for what you have already enjoyed this way and in this regard than to be burthened with or troubled for the present sensible want of it As God sets the day of Prosperity over against the day of Adversity as Solomon speaks Eccless 7.14 So should you set the former prosperous days you had with her over against the present adverse days you have now in the want of her and then you will soon see that there is no comparison betwixt the one and the other and that you have no such cause to be so afflicted with the present want of it as to hinder you from or in blessing God for the former enjoyment And if Epicures could satisfie and comfort themselves in their greatest dejections Ex praeteritarum voluptatum recordatione through the thoughts of former pleasures that had affected their Sense How much more may you comfort your self in the remembrance oâ— the pleasure profit and comfort that you had by the almost twenty years enjoyment of her and through the thoughts of it be raised up to blesâ— God for it as Joseph did for the last Seventeen years enjoyment of his dear father And as Joh did when his Children were taken away by death whom the Lord had given him to enjoy so long and as Saint Jerome did Lord saith he thou hast taken away my father whom thou gavest I am not sad because thou hast received him but I give thanks to thee because thou gavest him you have cause and ground enough to go and do the like 2. Consider that by drawing near to God acting faith upon him by living by Faith you may enjoy all that profit comfort and counsel in a larger and fuller manner and measure that you ever did in and by her presence She was but the instrument by which but God the principal Agent who can comfort without her as well as with her the comforts you had we not from her but from God by her 2 Cor. 7. â— Comforted us by Titus he was a good man and â—rought good tydings yet he doth not say that Titus did comfort them but God comforted them â—y his coming 'T is not your Friend or Relation that comforts you but God by them She was but â—he stream He the Fountain she was but a â—reature He the Creator she was but the vessel through which it was poured He the Ocean of â—ll good and comfort 2 Cor. 1.3 4. And inâ—eed God often deprives us of precious means â—nd instruments of good and comfort that we â—ight come to Him and enjoy it all in Him That we might see that it was neither in nor â—ame from the creature but that it was in and â—ame from himself alone where you may find â— for seeking And go with your bucket of â—aith to this Fountain to sill your Soul full of â—ll Comforts And surely it is your happiness as well as of all the People of God that all comâ—â—rt is in his hand and at his disposing conâ—â—dering his nature that makes him willing and â—â—ady to relieve and comfort you his Relation â—â— you he is your Father And will a Father â—t his Child lye comfortless when he can help â—im His Omniscience knows where your shoe brings He knows what comfort you want He â—es your afflictions I have seen I have seen â—â—e Afflictions of my People Israel Exod. 3.7 â—â—e knows what you need Mat. 6.32 His â—mnipresence you are ever within his reach He can lay his hand upon every joint where you are pained and put a Plaister on every wound His Omnipotence He is able to comfort there is nothing too hard for him to do He can command yea create Comforts Commit therefore the keeping of your all to him as unto a faithful Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 Secondly As to your great and irrecoverable loss of her I will not say as you unparallel'd loss for it doth not at all run parallel with somes loss witness Job 's and Elie 's but I will suppose the loss very great as indeed it is Yet First Consider together with your loss her gain oppose her present gain to your present loss you have lost a good Daughter she hath got a better Father and Mother she iâ— gone to God her Father and to Jerusalem above which is her Mother which is a greater gain tâ— her than your loss is a loss to you You have lost a Daughter that was mortal and was boâ—â— to die she hath got a Father that is Immortaâ— that shall never die You have lost her bodily presence she enjoyes the presence of God Christ his Spirit Angels and the Spirits of just one made perfect Your loss is but temporal hâ—â— gain is eternal Your loss is but earthly hâ—â— gain is heavenly Your loss is but a bodily loss her gain is Spiritual Yours was but the loss â— her Graces as to the actings of them among you her gain is Glory She is gone from thâ— Valley of Achor of Bacah and Bochim from Trouble Tears and Mourning to the Valley of Berachah to the Valley of Blessing and Praise to fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore where all tears shall be wip'd away from her eyes where is no more Death or Sorrow or crying or pain she is freed from the body of Sin and
hâ—â— Will might be done now 't is done bless God 4. There is the Love of God from whence â— ariseth for all Saints afflictions are from â—â—ve and there is the good God intendeth in it â—â—d promiseth to work by it which you are â—â—und to bless God for 5. Nay Fifthly You are bound to bless God 〈◊〉 the grief and bitterness of the Potion in the â—up also as it is a necessary and effectual furâ—erance of that Spiritual good which God in is fatherly Correction aims at So we thank â—e Physician and pay him too not because his by sick is bitter but because Health is sweet 6. You have cause also to bless God for giving our Daughter so long a Visitation to prepare â—â—r Death He might have taken her away sudâ—nly as he did Job's children when feasting likewise that she was of so sweet a temper and â—ame and of so composed a spirit in her affliction that the Lord gave her patience and comâ—â—rt that she was kept from dishonoring God in 〈◊〉 Death-Bed Distemper and that you have so â—â—od hope and great satisfaction of her eternal â—â—ppy state Oh therefore bless God give him â—â—anks you are bound so to do in every thing Thes 5.18 I shall adde some Directions â—â—d Cautions and I have done First Take heed of immoderate Mourning â—â—nd Sorrow let it not go beyond its bounds â—â—d limits It 's true we may mourn for the Dead it s not unlawful so to do Religion dâ—â— not abolish Affections but only moderates theâ—â— Grace doth not destroy Nature but only rectifies it it doth not abolish but rectifie reason deprives not of sense but teaches right use 〈◊〉 Senses proportionally kills not Affections but only orders them And the mortifying of All fections pressed in Scripture Galat. 5.24 muâ—â— be so understood that the carnality of theâ—â— only is stricken at not the Affections themselves The Corruption that hath by the Fall grow upon the Affections stands chiefly in two thing Their misapplying to unmeet objects and theâ—â— exceeding or their coming short of their duâ— measure and this is that that God's Spirit doth in senctisying them directs them 1. To theâ—â— right Objects 2. Keeps them to their jâ—â— proportion and meantime Mourn we may therefore for the deceased Abraham did so for his wife Jacob and Joseph did so for their Relations and are commended for it Iâ—'s one 〈◊〉 the dues of the Dead to be lamented at the Funerals the want of it is threatried as Curse and its a practice warranted by inâ—â—â—â— of 〈◊〉 ture by Christ himself by the Saints and by the best in all Ages And to be touched with 〈◊〉 feeling of Sorrow and Griâ—â— at the beholding 〈◊〉 Death it rather barbarous Senselesness that Fortitude of mind It 's true also that we may yea must seriously consider of such Affliâ—â—â— Providences Eccles 7.14 The contrary â—hereunto is condemned Isai 5.12 and 42. â—5 Jerem. 5.3 In special we are to take and â—y to heart Gods hand in dying persons Ecâ—â—es 7.2 3. And to be moved with sorrow 〈◊〉 houses of Mourning where the heart by being made sadder is made better more specially be death of righteous persons is to lye close upon our spirits God laies it to the charge of men â—â—at they do not consider this nor lay it to â—eart Isai 57.1 But when you sorrow and â—ourn for the dead you must see and be are that there be a good ground or rise a â—od end that it be done in right order and â—easure The ground that you may bewail the â—â—mmon curse of Mankind the defacing of the â—â—age of God through Death by Sin for mournâ—â—g for the Dead sprang from this Original â—hat they which are alive might exercise themâ—â—ves in meditating on the curse of Mankind The end that you may be made more serious and put upon Meditation and Preparation for â—â—eath And for the Order that Sin the cause 〈◊〉 it be sorrowed for first and most And for be measure that it exceed not bounds that it â—e not immoderate O take heed that you do not sorrow immoderatly think not the moniâ—â—n unnecessary for Affections are violent specially having shew of lawfulness to set them prward More frequent are the slips of Saints in things for their matter lawful than in those that are simply unlawful Conscience even of good men sets it self loose having plea of lawfulness for the action and therefore more carefâ—â— and cautious you should be lest in your sorrow you should exceed and be immoderate Noâ— Sorrow in this case is immoderate First When it 's too great as Mr. Calvâ— saies Joseph's was in Gen. 50.10 which ought not saies he to be to us instead of a Rule and that great noise and cry cannot be excused which the Inhabitants of the place hearing woâ—dered at For though the purpose of Joseph wâ—â— good in Mourning yet the excess was evil I true when the persons that dye are publick pâ—â—sons in Church or State and of very great uâ— as the Chariots and Horsmen thereof there mâ—â— be a greater Mourning for them Thus thâ— made a great Mourning for Josiah and for Sâ—phen Act. 8.2 Secondly When it 's too long for continuance a Seventy-daies Mourning is Egyptian like â—â—seph who had more cause but withal mâ—â— Grace mourned but seven days not that 〈◊〉 was less kind but more Christian-like prudeâ— Abraham mourns for Sarah even to weeping but lest he should forget his measures saith oâ—â— desires to buâ—y her out of his sight he mourâ—â— for her but exceeded not which is signified the Jews by that one Letter less than ording 〈◊〉 the Hebrew word Libcothah used for weeping Gen. 23.2 Buxtorf also gives this reason â—â—ia luctus ejus fuit moderatus because his sorrow was moderate and therefore in the next â—â—â—it's said that he stood up from before his dead there in likelihood he had sat a while on the â—â—th as was the manner of Mourners to do 〈◊〉 2.13 to take order for her Burial as haâ—ing good hopes of a glorious Resurrection â—â—hen it 's too long for continuance I say its immoderate when our Souls as Rachel's did reâ—â—e comfort Thirdly Then is your Sorrow immoderate â—â—en it doth unfit us for any Duty we owe â—â—her to God or man or our selves and thereâ—â—re take heed of immoderate sorrow and that 〈◊〉 may be kept from it consider 1. That â—â—sons sorrowing out of measure are carried â—ainst God with a blind outrage saith Mr. Calâ—â— for alwaies the excess of sorrow carries us adlong to obstinacy 2. Immoderate Sorrow saith another for losses past hopes of revery is more fullen than useful our Stomach â—ay be bewrayed by it not our Wisdome â—â— Immoderate Sorrow is the ready way to â—ocure an heavie stroke as it sared with Israel â—r their murmuring after the death of Corah c. â—ere died for that repining Fourteen Thousand and Seven Hundred Numb 16.41 45 49. â—â— It 's the way to destroy your self and to prove a