Quare non modo Quare non hac horâ Aug. Coâ—s lib. 9. cap. 12. for ever How long wilt thou hide thy face from me How long shall I be put off from day to day Why not now Lord said St. Augustin after the Lord had opened his eyes to discover and his heart to choose and desire this one thing This choice can not stand with a careless indifferency 2. We shall diligently and solicitously enquire after and make use of all means to obtain it That eager desire even now mentioned will enforce earnestness in Prayer attentiveness in Hearing studiousness in Reading seriousness in Meditation All our delight will be in the Law of the Lord and in his Law we shall meditate day and night How sweet will the glad tidings of Salvation be to the longing Soul How comfortable to hear of joy and gladness and that Peace of God which passeth all understanding Mat 7.7 Prov. 2.3 c. 10.4 Heb. 12.3 and all those sweet breathings of the Holy Ghost in the Gospel of Salvation And these are the requests of those only that ask and seek and knock This hid treasure cannot be found but by most diligent search It is the diligent hand that brings in this riches He that would partake of these joys must not be weary Gen. 49.18 nor faint in his mind nor slack or take off his hand but persist with all perseverance even to the last gasp waiting with good Jacob for this Salvation Jâ—b 23.12 Prov. 8.11 Phil. 3.8 3. Such as choose this good part will esteem it according to its worth They will set an higher price upon it than any worldly treasure Thus Job preferred it before his necessary Food David before all Riches Solomon accounts it better than Rubies and that all the things that can be desired are not to be compared to it Such a price did St. Paul set upon Christ who is the substance of the Gospel 1 Cor. 1.23 that he accounted all things but loss and no better than * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Unus apex doctrinae c. in Gal. 5. Ego quidem sine verbo ne in Paradiso optarim vivere At cum verbo etiam in Inferno facile est vivere Id. in Psal 120. Dung or Dogs meat that he might win Christ This made Luther say That one Tittle of the Word was more worth than Heaven and Earth and that he would not wish to live in Paradise without the Word but with it he could live in Hell it self A strange Hyperbole but an express evidence of his exceeding great affection to it 4. This choice is ever attended with great care that we come not short of that which we have chosen Let us fear saith the Apostle Heb. 4.1 lest any come short or be cast behind as he that sets in vigorously to run the Race 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but fails before he reach the Goal And again we ought abundantly to heed that we spill not or shed the things which we have heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 John 8. Rev. 2.25 Heb. 2.1 As a riven Vessel which loseth the liquor poured into it This is that which St. John adviseth Look to your selves that we lose not the things which we have wrought but that we may receive a full reward Such was that admonition to the Church of Thiatira That which ye have already hold fast He that is serious in his choice will with St. Paul stretch forth to those things which are yet before and press towards the mark or scope for the Prize Phil. 3.13 14. and grow yet more vigorous in the pursuit Jâ—b 17.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall add strength Thus it appears that no careless or sloathful persons who set light by the Word of God or such as neglect it or prefer the World before it or that grudge to be at cost or pains to attend upon it can be said to make choice with Mary of this good part Vse 3. Let us therefore take care that Mary's Choice may be ours considering what hath been said before our great necessity of it and the great benefit and comfort it brings with it If we refuse we are undone for ever whilst we wilfully neglect and reject everlasting Happiness for the love of momentary vain and sinful pleasures Behold the Lord hath brought thee before the two Mounts Gerizim and Ebal Deu. 27.12 13. Deu. 30.15 19. setting before thee this day Blessing and Cursing Life and Good Death and Evil. Thou hast thy choice consider what thou hast to do whether thou wilt Live or Die Eternally Do not delay the Lord weary not his patience Jude 4. turn not this Grace of God into lasciviousness Despise not the riches of his goodness forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance Rom. 2.4 Take heed now lest there be in thee an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God Heb. 3.7 8 12. Hear his voice while it is called to day lest you be further hardned through the deceitfulness of sin Now is the day of thy visitation take care to know it and improve it This day is Salvation come to thine house Lu. 19.41 c. verse 9. Isa 65.2 Ezek. 18.32 open thy heart and entertain it Lay hold on Eternal Life whilst the Lords hand is stretched out all the day to offer it Do not continue to walk in thy evil way after thine own thoughts but turn to the Lord that thou maist live Object But perhaps thou wilt say How gladly would I make this choice but alas I am so opprest with violence of Temptations and overpowered by my own vigorous corruptions that my desires are nipt in the bud and prove abortive so that I still come short and fail of the attainment Besides I have no power in my self so much as to will without Gods special Grace And it is not of him that willeth Rom. 9.16 nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy But this is reserved in the secret of his own hidden counsel unknown to me For he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth verse 18. Eccles 9 1. And who knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before him Resp Yet are we not upon any of these considerations to be discouraged from this choice Vid. Chemâ— Exam. part 1. de fid justific Geâ—h Tom. 3. de justific c. 4. sect 96. As for that saying in Eccles 9.1 it is not rightly applied to this case though so much urged by the Papists against the certitude of Divine Grace as our Divines have abundantly proved And let us further consider that God hath sufficiently declared in his holy Word how seriously he willeth that we should choose and enjoy this great blessing Deut. 29.29 Why do we object
read and remember your old Mother by In the first place Love and fear God and press and strive every day to increase more and more in the love and service of him in whom you live move and have your being There is no Wisdom or Policy like it And the more you converse with Gods Word and his People the more you will find it and the better you will like it For in his Service is perfect freedom Let me conjure you to let no day go without reading the holy Scripture and other good Books as you have leisure you will find them excellent company And do not only Read but consider what you Read to remember it I should be very glad you would early fit and prepare for the communion of the blessed Body and Blood of Christ not rashly because others do it but advisedly finding the want of it and the preciousness of it which may give you a true hunger and thirst after it and all other Ordinances of God upon which I pray attend very diligently Next Honour and Love your King and look upon Rebellion as the sin of Witchcraft Observe and obey all his just commands and what ever they be pray for him and submit and suffer what you cannot obey of them but never rise nor murmur at any lawful Authority though it be never so cross to your own humour but patiently bear what you cannot amend Lastly Reverence Honour Obey and Love your Father Obey his commands observe his instructions mark his reproofs to prevent the need of them any more And let them not make you love his company less for it is his kindness When he is angry be your very mild and discreet in your replies and do not expostulate with him but own your fault which will quickly obtain pardon for he loves you dearly and so would I fain have you do him Be careful of him in Age or Sickness Love to be in his company And alwaies choose the best company for there is no good got in ill mean company And avoid as much as you can all Debauchery and these that are so Let the fear of God first prevail with you then the pleasing of your Father and your dead Mothers injunctions when she was alive And consider well your Vow made in Baptism which though it were then promised by others yet you are bound to perform now as your Catechise teacheth you To which end consider the Church-Catechise well and there you will find your obligation which I beseech God to enable you to strive to perform in resisting the World the Flesh and the Devil and Loving our good God and our Neighbours I would give you warning of two sorts of People the Flatterer and the Backbiter and of being either your self And when any flatters you to your Face be not pleased with it but have a more strict guard upon your behaviour and actions and examine whether it belong to you or no if it do give God the glory if not take that occasion to endeavour after being what you would be thought to be And if you hear any speak ill of others who do not deserve it Look to your self for you are like to have the same when your back is turn'd My dear Child be careful of your waies and let not these things I say be slighted by you for they come from one that loves you and wisheth your welfare I assure you by Name your old Mother Mary Wharton Feb. 26. 1667. By this it may appear what pious and loving regard she had to her dearest and nearest Relations that after her Death they might have this as her last Legacy to put them in mind of her dear affection to them and of her most godly desire of their spiritual welfare after her departure She had reserved these Papers by her in her Cabinet till she apprehended her approaching Dissolution And then though exceedingly faint yet with a chearful countenance which had ever been her ordinary aspect Index animi vultus an argument of a serene mind she with her own hands transmitted them to theirs And since we are in hand with Paper-evidences of her pious Vertues it shall not be amiss in this place to insert the Testimony of the Right Reverend Bishop of Elphin in Ireland formerly mentioned who had spent much of the time with them during the troubles in Ireland whereby he had the opportunity of intimate acquaintance with the Family and therefore most able to give a good account of their Conversation Having received intelligence of her Death he writes this consolatory Epistle to her soffowful Husband from Elphin Honoured Sir ALthough the decease of your pious Consort and sense of your loss must needs work an exceeding great grief Yet the consideration of her holy Life religious End and the hope of receiving her again cannot but revive and comfort you I need not tell you that her publick carriage was an exact Commentary upon that description which Solomon's Mâ—ther gives of a Vertuous Woman Her gentle discreet well-temper'd demeanour all that ever knew her or had the happiness to converse with her will without blushing be witnessed by them But that which sets her beyond all verbal praises As she was of a Vertuous so of a Gracious disposition I speak it unfainedly The fear of God was planted in her heart she had not an outward semblance or shew of Piety but the Power of Godliness which she manifested in her conscionable frequenting of the publick Ministry with Mary treasuring up the Word in her heart and bringing it forth into action What hours were spent in her Closet in Prayer Reading Meditation which was a great means of her spiritual progress in Knowledge and Grace and the surest evidence and seal of sincerity is best known to your self It pleased God by a long and lingring Sickness to mean her from the delights of this World to carry her thoughts and desires Heaven-ward living fruitfully and dying comfortably The Lord shewed in her that it is not in vain to serve him and that a constant course of a Religious Life will minister abundance of sweet consolation at the hour of Death c. And in another Letter of a much later Date having occasion to make mention of her he hath these words Little is nothing and much not enough to be recorded of her Piety Loyalty Charity and Devotion Her own Works will praise her in the gates Thus much I thought good to Transcribe from the Letters of that Holy and Reverend Prelate as an unquestionable confirmation of what I have declared in this Narrative Hitherto we have had a general account of some remarks in her exemplary Life And even as she lived so she died Qualis vita Finis ita Indeed a great part of her Life was but as it were a lingring Death For many years before her Death she was afflicted with an Asthmatical distemper which caused as I conceive an Hectick under which she laboured till she
in the sight of God Her Heaven-born Faith trampled under-foot all conceit or consideration of secular advantage It was no great matter to her to issue from illustrious Progenitors her greatest ambition was to become the Child of God by spiritual birth She esteemed it but a small thing to glitter with the Ensigns of a Noble Family whose great care was to be enrolled among the Saints and Family of God She forgot her self to be Rich or Honourable regarding it only so far that the holiness of her mind might exceed the splendour of her outward man For she esteemed that to be the greatest which is the truest Nobility viz. to be the Child of God and co-heir with Christ Being thus perswaded her constant endeavour was to preserve the honour of her Nobility by keeping it unstained from those Vices which are not only a blemish to it but leave the offenders how Nobly so ever extracted under the ignominy of degeneracy and in the rank of the vilest of men who sell themselves to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord whereby they become willing slaves to the Prince of darkness who worketh effectually in and by them leading them Captive at his Will Whilst they serve their own Lusts and suffer sin to reign in their mortal bodies obeying it in the lusts thereof they even proclaim themselves to be the servants of sin being by it vanquished and brought in bondage She well knew that no man hath any cause to boast of his Nobility when his better part is enslaved it being much more shameful to enslave the mind than the body Her care therefore was to transfer all outward advantages to the inward adorning of the Soul slighting all secular Pomp and splendour that she might with more freedom choose that good part which could not be taken away from her Having so early received into her tender heart the Heavenly dew of Divine Grace natural corruption that common disease of all mankind was thereby even nipt in the bud and received its Deaths-wound before it could get that advantage which it ordinarily obtaineth in miserable mortals How soon did she begin to perform her Baptismal Vow and Covenant renouncing the Devil and all his works the pomps and vanities of this wicked World and all the sinful lusts of the Flesh Those vanities which were the carnal delights and darlings of her equals were her burden and grievance When to please Relations and that she might not seem too scrupulously morose she was some-waies necessitated to be present at the interludes which were at certain times acted in the Family yet as I have heard her sometimes say her heart was otherwise employ'd and she would ever be sure to take the first opportunity to withdraw and retire her self from those vanities to exercise her thoughts in better meditations according to her yet slender capacity Being grown up to years of discretion when her towardliness was more conspicuous in her Religious and Gracious comportment how dear and precious was she to all such of her acquaintance as had devoted themselves to the fear of God She was ever beloved and honoured by them and they of all others were most dear to her Whilst she kept in her Fathers-House and afterwards till the day of her Marriage besides her secret retirements she was a diligent Attendant upon publick Ordinances not omitting to watch at Wisdoms gates and wait at the Posts of her House continually Insomuch as living under the Ministry of that Eminent and faithful Servant of Christ Doctor Holdesworth she would not miss either Lords-Daies nor Holy-Daies Sermons nor Mornings Prayers on Wednesdaies and Frydaies nor such times in the Week as he appointed for Catechise though she was constrained hereby to leave her mornings rest very early and for haste cover with her Scarfe the defects of those Dresses which detained others of her Rank from that which she more prized than all worldly gayeties But these were her more obscure times before she was so fully known to those who are yet living witnesses of her pious regard to heavenly practices From whose credible reports and my own knowledge in the O too short time of our acquaintance which was not full two years take these ensuing few Observations It was the thirtieth year of her Age before she gave way to any motion of Marriage though she had many from very considerable persons but at that time it pleased God who ordereth all the concernments of his dear Children for their assured good to present her with such a motion as could not but be acceptable to her viz. Sir Thomas Wharton Knight of the Bath and only Brother to the Kight Honourable Phillip Lord Wharton of Wharton who being well acquainted with that Family to which his was nearly allied took so much notice of her Vertues and gracious conversation the great attractive of his affections to her that gave him occasion to move her in order to Marriage Which motion most happy to them both she upon serious consideration did embrace yet with this provision such due regard she had to filial duty that her Fathers and her Uncle Sir Thomas Pelham's consent whom she ever honoured as a Father and he ever tenderly loved her as a Child should first be obtained Sir Thomas was at hand and therefore the first address was made to him who readily and chearfully gave his approbation Her Father was then at Oxford with the King and his whole Estate under sequestration nor had she any further expectation from him of any augmentation of that Portion which was long before in her own hands and dispose yet would she not Marry till his assured consent was gained to her full satisfaction which himself did signifie to her by divers Letters which I have seen written from Oxford wherein he declared that he was assured that Sir Thomas would prove both honest and kind and farther assured her that his blessing should accompany them in their Marriage c. And now was the time when that light of Divine Grace long since kindled must become more conspicuous shining more and more unto that perfect day Prov. 4.18 Now that precious seed which had taken such firm root in her heart and had already made a hopeful progress in the blade shall produce the Ear and after that the full Corn in the Ear and yield the great Husband-man an acceptable Harvest Mark 4.28 To mention the particular passages of her well spent Life would rather be to write an History than what is only intended a short Narrative I can therefore here give only a general account of some few passages which yet may sufficiently evidence the sincerity of her Faith working by Love which is the whole of Christianity What is intended may be referred to these two Heads 1. Her Qualification 2. Her Conversation 1. For the former of these She was a careful observer of the Apostles earnest Exhortation adding to her Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge 2 Pet.
be expected than of every pious Soul Mat. 6.6 2 Sam. 7.18 Dam. 6 1â— whose care is not to be seen or heard in those retirements by any but their heavenly Father yet by providence something was found among her Papers written with her own hand upon a special occasion which may afford some discovery of her godly and devout frame of Spirit even in that heavenly and secret Duty The occasion was this That Reverend and holy man of God Mr. John Hudson now the Right Reverend Bishop of Elphin in Ireland Preaching upon that Text 1 Sam. 1.27 For this Child I prayed c. amongst other savoury passages observed That Mercies and Blessings obtained by Prayer will be sweet and that we should especially record special mercies which practice would both help our memory we being very apt to forget mercies Psal 106.7 and also strengthen our Faith Psal 85.1 2 3 c. vers 8 9. I will hear what God the Lord will speak c. Surely his Salvation is nigh them that fear him Her gracious Soul made such good use of that Sermon that she from that time resolved to keep a Record of such special mercies as it should please the Lord to vouchsafe her more especially such as were given in upon Prayer And in those Papers wherein they were found Recorded she thus bespeaks the Lord in her Prayers O my God I desire now to come before thee humbled in my Soul for my own baseness and filthiness from Head to Foot Every member of my Body being ready and inclined to every sin every faculty of my Soul being polluted and defiled with that foul and ugly sin wherein I was conceived and born And to aggravate this having received and still possessing more mercies and gracious dispensations from thee than I think ever any creature had But it is thy free-grace who canst as well give me a thankful heart as a receiving hand which I beg for his sake upon whose account only I come before thee and have this confidence to approach unto thee And here O Lord through thine assistance I desire to recount as I am able some of those innumerable mercies that I daily receive Then after an enumeration of many general mercies she thus proceeds Good God give me the Grace likewise that all this thy goodness may not be in vain upon my poor Soul I bless thy Name for the gracious presence of thy blessed Spirit at all times when I set my self before thee in earnest to seek thy face and favour in private and in especial at a Fast I kept and Sacrament I received when I was left all alone at Wobourn when I received much comfort c. Then again reckoning up many particular mercies received at the Lords hand upon her Prayers to him for her Husband and Son amongst which she forgets not affectionatly to mention the good means of Grace and Salvation they had lived under and the contented peaceable plentiful chearful condition they had enjoyed ever since they came together But these saith she are but Ones of thousands that I have and do enjoy O give me to live in some measure answerable to this goodness of thine c. After this manner hath she Recorded the many special mercies deliverances blessings which she her Husband Son and Family had received noteing the day and month of the year And the whole contexture is in the same tenour of Prayer and Praises ever desiring of the Lord that he would give her to live the life of Faith and Thanksgiving which was her frequent expression But the particular mercies conferred upon her self and her Relations were not the only Subject of her thankful praises So great was her affection to the Church of God and to her dear native Country that publick blessings were also sound Recorded in her secret Devotions Thus when it pleased God to heal the breaches of this distracted Nation by the happy Restauration of his Royal Majesty she thus expresseth her deep sense of that wonderful change But now O God I am confounded and know not what to say nor which way to begin to bless and praise by great Name for thy infinite preservations of deliverances to and blessed restauration of our dear King and his Family from their sad banished and distracted condition which they have long lain under to their own Inheritance And all this is beyond what we could have asked or thought to be without blood or obligation to strangers or any thing but thy own hand which is for ever to be magnified and adored for this great Work for which I beseech thee to give me and all thine to live the life of Faith and Thanksgiving to lay our selves in the dust and to be low in our own eyes that thou alone maist be exalted for these great and wonderful things that thou hast done in our daies for preserving them in the true Religion in the midst of diverse temptations and keeping them from diverse dangers of Soul and Body for all which let our Souls bless thy great Name This may suffice to give some aim whereby to measure her private Devotions which could not otherwise be discovered but by her own Papers occasioned as is before declared But by this it may appear how serious she was in her Meditation of Gods loving-kindness to her and her Relations in every concernment with which she was so exceedingly affected that she could not forbear to speak of it in her private discourses with her friends In the short time of our acquaintance how frequently have I heard her with tears of joy express her deep apprehensions of Gods gracious Providence in their outward prosperity beyond her hopes admiring his blessings according to his holy promise heaped upon them she knew not how owing his hand and disowning all their own care and endeavour as of no signification in reference to the greatness of even outward mercies received This wrought her Soul to the highest content with that Estate which it pleased God to place her in which had it been much meaner would yet no doubt have been acceptable to her thankful heart which ever took its measure from the consideration of Gods bountiful providence in administring blessings sutable to her condition and not from any ambitious emulation of others grandeur Such as is said was her more private converse with God What was more obvious to the eyes of men was very exemplary whether we consider her deportment in the publick Congregation or in her Family duties In the publick Prayers in the Church as also in the Family her Posture outward gesture and voice was ever most decent humble and reverent with all evidences of a broken contrite serious and servent spirit expressing greatest affection with such diligent and undistracted attention without the least shew of Ostentation that whosoever observed her deportment could not but conclude 1 Sam. 1.12 13. Sancti sine voce clâ—mant ad Deum Inspirante Spiritu sancto apud Deum per