blessed person in Psal 1. In that Law will he meditate day and night And if this be a signe in any then much more in this good Christian For indeed vntill it pleased God to conuert her soule which was about siue yeares ago she walked according to the course of the world and maruelled as she her selfe confessed what people meant to runne dragling to Sermons But the Lord changed her mind and then I thinke she ran as fast to Sermons as the rest of her brethren and sisters I meane as the rest of Gods deare Saints and children The second Marke The word worketh in me a redresse of my wayes And that this signe was in this worthy woman it was euident vnto me who was made throughly acquainted by her voluntary confession with her estate She acknowledged vnto me after her conuersion how vaine her course had bin in former times Yea she concealed not from me the greatest sinnes that euer she committed in all her life time And therefore I saw with mine eyes what an admirable redresse of wayes the word and Spirit of God had wrought in hâ— Now brethren when the word of God workes a through and effectuall redresse it is an euident signe of an happie estate condition For the word worketh effectually in none but in such which do beleeue as we gather out of the words of the Apostle in 1. Thess 2. 13. The third Marke I find a respect to all the commandements of God desiring to obey in the least commandement as well as in the greatest I find a willingnesse to obey against profit pleasure credite ease libertie and the liking of carnall friends And that this signe was in this worthy Christian it is also euident She hath desired to obey in the least and much more in the greatest commandements She for her part made conscience as well of litle oaths as of great of deceiuing in a shilling as well as in a pound of the lust of the eye as well as of the act of vncleanenesse of words as well as of deedes and of thoughts as well as of outward practises This was manifest vnto me by her complaints against herselfe in such things as a carnall hypocrite would haue esteemed but motes whereas she esteemed them beames And that she had a willingnesse to obey against profit it is likewise euident for she was an especiall meanes to perswade her husband not to incomber himselfe with too much worldly imployment but rather to content himselfe with lesse worldly gaine and to redeeme time for hearing Gods word and for other holy occasions Secondly she obeyed against pleasure for whereas she had wont to seeke her bodily recreation vpon the Sabbath day in walking vp and downe in sitting at her gate in talking of worldly matters and such like now she was growne so deuout and pious as that she made conscience to expell worldly thoughts vppon the Lords day as appeared by many godly questions from time to time put forth vnto me by her Thirdly she obeyed against credite for whereas in her carnall estate her carnall neighbours respected her afterwards when they obserued this godly change in her they ceassed to giue her that respect which was due vnto her yea indeed they enuyed hated and neglected her Fourthly that she obeyed against libertie and ease it was also manifest for whereas in her carnall estate she could take libertie to keepe her bed vpon the Sabbath day till eight of the clocke now in her spirituall estate she could afford to rise by fiue a clocke in the morning and that in the cold winter and when she was with child and to go to the Lecture in the citie at six a clocke and this she did constantly Fifthly that she obeyed against the liking of carnall friends it was also plaine for they stormed against her for these godly courses and did not spare to tell her That if she thus proceeded she would vtterly vndo her selfe and ouerthrow her estate and yet against all these pull-backes she held on her godly course vnto the end And know this my deare brethren that there is no surer euidence of a good estate then vniuersall obedience What was it that confirmed the estate of Zachary and Elizabeth to be a blessed and happie estate but this in that they walked in all the commandements of God without rebuke Luke 1. 6. The fourth signe or Marke I find feruencie and frequencie in prayer in secret Concerning the feruency of this good woman in prayer and that in secret I my selfe haue bene an eare witnesse for I haue heard her pray when she was not aware of me And for her frequencie the family are not ignorant how exactly she kept and obserued her religious houres in priuate There is no hungrie person doth more duely obserue his meale-times then this faithfull person obserued her times for prayer and reading And who will not easily acknowledge that the true spirit of prayer is a notable signe of a blessed estate For God doth powre the spirit of prayer vpon none but vpon such vpon whom also he powreth the spirit of grace Zach. 12. 10. And what saith blessed Paul Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued Rom. 10. 13. Yea what saith Christ himselfe Matth. 6. 6. Pray vnto thy Father in secret and the Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly The fift Marke I find a striuing against the most secret corruptions of nature I bewaile my transgressions against the inward worship of God as well as against the outward I bewaile the hardnesse of mine heart and mourne because I cannot mourne as I ought How exceedingly this holy Christian did bewaile her failings against the inward worship of God I was not ignorant for many a time hath she complained vnto me what distractions she hath found in prayer and in the hearing of Gods word Yea she obserued the subtiltie of Satan how he would thrust other good motions and meditations vpon her vnseasonably of purpose to hinder her in her present holy businesse and moreouer mine eares were continually filled with her complaints in respect of hardnesse of heart and with her mourning because she could not mourne as she ought And that she had a striuing against the most secret corruptions it was likewise apparent vnto me which was made acquainted with her spirituall estate for it was her godly care still to be instructed how she might cast out and resist euill motions groning and sighing vnder them as vnder a most vncomfortable heauie and intollerable burden Now what greater signe is there of a good and gracious estate then to be sensible of the combat of the spirit against the flesh What greater euidence was there that Paul was now a regenerate person then this to wit that he found this striuing in his heart and that he was sensible of the law of his minde resisting the law of sinne which was in his members Rom. 7. 23. What greater signe
THE MONVMENT OR TOMBE-STONE OR A SERMON PREACHED at Laurence Pountnies Church in London Nouemb. 21. 16 19. at the funerall of M rs Elizabeth Iuxon the late wife of M r. Iohn Iuxon By STEPHEN DENISON Minister of Gods word at Kree-Church in the honourable Citie of London Pro. 10. 7. The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot Math. 26. 13. Wheresoeuer this Gospell shall be preached in the whole world there shall also this that this woman hath done be told for a memoriall of her The third impression LONDON Printed by Richard Field dwelling in Great Wood-streete 1620. TO M r. IOHN IVXON CITIZEN OF THE FAMOVS CITIE OF London and his fiue children whom I loue in the truth STEPHEN DENISON wisheth increase of all true happinesse and prosperitie DEare friend it hath bene my purpose a long time to giue some publicke testimonie before I die of your loue and kindnesse shewed vnto me and considering that God hath offered such an opportunitie as this I thought I could not do lesse â—…hen to testifie my thankfulnesse vnto you and to â—iue Gods Church an occasion both to blesse God for you and to remember you yours in their prayers I do acknowledge that you haue bene and so vnto this day you do remaine the most faithfull friend and bountifull benefactor which hitherto I haue found vpon the earth You and your worthie wife now deceassed were the good Shunemites which gaue me the first constant entertainement in this Citie Your care ouer me hath bene great your saithfulnesse true and your bountie to me not little I am perswaded God will blesse you for it and that Gods deare people will loue you for it and for mine owne part I shall still remaine in your debt to pray for you and to do you the best spirituall good that I can God hath depriued you of a vertuous wife and me of a deare friend but the will of the Lord is good and he knoweth what is best Comfort your selfe concerning her death by the sound experience which you had of her godly and vertuous life and remember with ioy that which drew teares from you at her death to wit what a great care she had of your soule whilest she liued Remember also with comfort those excellent marks which were in her which you saw in her and knew in her as well as my selfe I confesse you haue a great misse of her many wayes but the consideration of her vndoubted happinesse must comfort you concerning that misse Labour you to make a good vse of her visitation and death let it moue you to renew your couenant with God and to be mindfull of your owne mortalitie to prepare for it in due time to worke out your owne saluation with feare and trembling Get oyle into your vessell whilest you haue time that so you may be ready when the Bridegroome cometh to enter in with him And now giue me leaue to speake a word or two to your beloued children You M. Iohn Iuxon the first borne let me exhort you to flie the lusts and vanities of youth and giue your mind vnto goodnesse remember your Creator now in the dayes of your youth Learne with Timothy to know the Scriptures of a child as you are the first borne in age so be you the first borne in grace be an example vnto the rest of the children in vertue and stayednesse fulfill the prophesies which go of you Your tender father reioyceth in you and hopeth that grace is in some measure begunne in you and for my owne part I hope good of you therefore be you good Aâ—d you M. Thomas Iuxon let me admonish you not to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse vse that capacity which God hath giuen vnto you for the glory of God be carefull to giue your minde vnto learning and to know God be obedient to your parents feare God and keepe his commandements for this is the whole duty of man as Salomon saith Eccles 12. And otherwise if you will not hearken vnto this then must I say with the same Salomon Reiòyce â— yong man in thy youth and let thine bea rt cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into iudgement Eccles 11. 9. And you Mistris Elizabeth Iuxon let me put you in mind that as you beare the name of your vertuous mother so you would be carefull to follow her godly steps be you diligent to heare Gods word preached and to reade the same in priuate euery day meditate that which you heare and reade and be carefull to practise that which you learne both in your generall and particular calling For these were the stops of your worthy mother And you Mistris Sarah Iuxon remember also after whom you are named to wit after Sarah the wife of Abraham Be diligent to reade the story of Sarah in the booke of Genesis and follow her in all things that are good and imitable And remember the words of the Apostle that women are the daughters of Sarah so long as they do well 1. Pet. 3. And lastly you mistris Marie Iuxon if God shall giue you life to liue to come to yeares of discretion and vnderstanding consider what I say vnto you You are named after the blessed virgine Marie As she therefore conceiued Christ in her wombe so do you conceiue him in your heart As she pondered the words of the sh epheards in her heart so do you meditate of the word of God day and night Yea consider what graces were in her and labour for the same Yea let me say vnto all you three pure virgins beware you of the sinnes of the times take heed of following the vaine fashions of the world take heed of pride take heed of whoredome and all manner of vncleannesse haue a care with whom you consort your selues marrie not without the consent of your parents or gouernours and be sure that you marrie in the Lord. In a word be carefull to reade and consider the marks which were in your mother and labour to find the like in your selues And thus you shall leade a blessed life and accomplish a happie death and at the last shall come to that heauenly kingdome whither your deare mother is gone before Vnto the which heauenly kingdome the Lord of his mercie bring vs all for Iesus Christ his sake Amen Yours in all Christian dutie STEPHEN DENISON TO THE READER COurteous Reader I haue bene exceedingly importuned and that by many worthy Christians for the markes which our worthy sister deceassed left behind her I could not tell how so well to satisfie the religious request of my brethren in this thing as by making publike for the common good both the Sermon and the Markes Here therefore I offer them to thy Christian consideratioâ— reade them with a single eye
weigh them well and if thou reape any benefite giue the whole glory to God and remember the vnworthy writer in thy prayers Thine in the Lord S. D. THE MONVMENT OR TOMBE-STONE Iob 7. 3. 4. So am I made to possesse the moneths of vanitie and wearisome nights are appointed to me when I lie downe I say when shall I arise and the night be gone and I am full of tossings to and fro vnto the dawning of the day IN the first verse of this chapter the holy man Iob layeth downe a generall position to wit that the dayes of morâ—all man are like the dayes of an hireing and this position he laboureth to make good in the subsequent or next ensuing verses and that by dâ—claring wherein the comparison staâ—deth betweene the dayes of an hirâ—ling and the dayes of mortall man these words following As a seruaâ— earnestly desireth the shadow and as a hireling looketh for the reward of hâ— worke so am I made to possesse the mâ—neths of vanity and wearisome nighâ— are appointed for me c. This is tâ— coherence Now this text is for the matter it a lamentable complaint where for order and methods sake we mâ— take notice of two points first of tâ— person complaining and that was I in this word I. Secondly of the maâ—ter of the complaint which is twâ—-fold First for the vanishing of 〈◊〉 time in these words So haue I benâ— made to possesse the mâ—neths of vanitâ— Secondly for the tediousnesse and â—â—tremitie of his paine in the rest of tâ— text And wearisome nights are appoâ—ed vnto me when I lie downe I say when shall I arise the night be gone and I am full of tossings to and fro vnto the dawning of the day So am I made to possesse the moneths of vanity It may here be demanded in the first place what is meant in these words by vâ—nitie Vnto which iust demand for the clearing of the text I answer that this word vanity is taken in two sences in holy Scriptures viz. sometimes for the vanity of sinne and so it is vsed in Psal 119. 37. where Dauid intreateth the Lord to turne back his eyes from beholding vanity that is froÌ„ beholding sinfull obiects And in deed my deare Christian brethren sin is iustly styled by the name of vanity for there is no vanity to the vanity of sin For how vaine a practise it is for a little momentanie pleasure and for a modicum of transitory profit that a man or woman should set the glory of God the merits of Christ the kingdome of heauen and their owne saluation to sale I leaue it to your owne conscience to iudge But for mine owne part I esteeme wilfull and desperate sinners to be the most vaine and foolish people in the world But concerning this kind of vanitie Iob doth not speake in this place for it is not meant that Iob had spent his moneths in the vanity of sinne as they do which spend their precious time in pricking pinning and painting and pampering in running to stage playes in haunting of tauerns and alehouses in prosecuting of vnnecessary suites at law and such like for Iob indeed was none of this cursed crew but he was perfect and vpright and one that feared God and eschued euill as God himselfe giues testimony of him in the first chap. of this booke at the first verse yea this blessed Iob was such a man as that there was none like him in all respects in the whole world at the least in his age and â—ime For so it is said of him in the second chapter and third verse of this holy booke We must note therefore and obserue that the word vanity is taken also in Scripture for the vanity of a saâ—ing condition and so it is vsed in Psal 144. 4. where it is said Man is like to vanity his dayes are like a shadow that vanisheth and in Rom. 8. 20. The â—reature is made subiect to vanity that â—s to a fading condition And thus the word vanity is vsed in our present â—ext I haue had as an inheritance the â—oneths of vanity that is vanishing and fading moneths the abstract being put for the concrete or vanity for vanishing And wearisome nights c. Here it may be also inquired what it was that Iob endured in the night for the which â—e termes his nights wearisome â—ights or as it is in the original nights of labour To this I answer Iob endured three things in the nights the which three things made his nightâ—xs the nights of labour and vnrest First he endured fearefull dreame and visions as appeareth in this present seuenth chapter and fourth verse where it is said When I say my bed shaâ— comfort me my couch shall ease my complaint then thou scarest me witâ— dreames and terrifiest me through visions And this was a great passion for iâ— is grieuous to be scared with dreames â—ut it is more to be terrified with visions and apparitions of Angels whether good or euill The want of naturall rest vnto a weake person is very tedious but this addition of terroâ— and horror is much more grieuous 2 The second thing which Ioâ— endured in the night as well as by day it was anguish of mind and trouble of conscience For his calamitiâ— was heauier then the sand of the sea thâ— arrowes of God Almightie were within him the poison thereof drunke vp his spirit yea the terrors of God set themselues in aray againâ—â— him Iob 6. 2. 3. And this was matter of sore labour for as Salomon saith A man will be are his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can beare it Prou. 18. 14. 3. The third thing which Iob endured in the night was extremitie of paine in his bodie expressed by verie grieuous and dolefull fits for when he lay downe he said when shall I arise and the night be gone and he was full or as it is in the originall he had his belly full of tossings to and fro to the dawning of the day And there is none which haue had experience of extremitie of sicknesse but I hope they will easily acknowledge that extremitie of paine is a sore labour Thus much for the clearing of the meaning of the words Now before we come to the doctrines and instructions one maine question may be moued concerning the practise of Iob in complaining whether he did well or ill in it And to this I answer that in many things Iob sinned in the matter of complaint as in cursing the day of his birth Iob 3. and in desiring for anguish to be cut off before his time Iob 6. 9. and chusing to be strangled was like wise a great sin in him Iob 7. 15. But in these words in the text I take it that Iob did not mainly sinne howbeit I do not excuse him altogether from infirmitie but for his words vsed they are warrantable as for his secret affection we haue nothing to do with it we leaue it to God that
thou to escape more then any other art thou any iote the more safe because of thy securitie No verily For when thou shalt say Peace and safetie then shall there come upon thee sodaine destruction As Paul saith 1. Thess 5. Secondly this may serue to reproue such as immoderately do seeke after wealth being as vnsatiable in secking riches as if they and their children were not mortall but immortall as if indeed they were to liue here alwayes and were to make prouision for an earthly eternitie O foolish and filthy couetousnesse when wilt thou say It is enough O vaine man thou prouidest with the danger of thy soule for many yeares when it may be this night thy soule shall be taken from thee and then whose shal these riches be which thou hast vniustly gathered Thirdly it may make for the iust reproofe of them which labour to perswade others that they shall liue long These are like vnto them which promise others libertie and are themselues the bondslaues of corruption And in this many Physitians are too much to blame which will make such large promises to their patients as though it were in them to recouer health at their pleasure when as in the meane time the poore patient dieth vnder their hands The second vse is an vse of Instruction ction for considering that mans life is thus fraile therefore hence we should learne to be humbled in our selues We must remember we are but dust and ashes and therefore we must not haue high conceits of our selues neither must we affect the too much pampering and pranking of the body Alas it may be thou art feeding nicely and curiously to day it may be thou art now pranking thy selfe in pride and in strange attire or painting thy face with Iesabel and before to morrow thou mayest be dead O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord humble thy selfe before the Lord in consideration of thy mortalitie If thou wilt not humble thy selfe thou hast iust cause to feare that the Lord will humble thee and bring thee low Secondly the consideration of our frailtie must teach vs not to deferre or put off our repentance but whilest it is called to day to call our selues to a secret examination of our wayes and courses to humble our selues for them to renew our couenants with God of our obedience and to turne from the power of Sathan to God Thou thinkest thou mayest do this soone enough when thou art old but how doest thou know whether thou shalt liue to be old or no Or suppose thou liue to be old how doest thou know that God will giue thee repentance at the last when thou hast hardened thine heart against him by thy sins Therefore whilest it is called to day either now turne or neuer either now repent or perish Either seeke the Lord in time whilest he may be found or else neuer seâ—ke him Thirdly the consideration of our frailtie must teach vs first to seeke Gods kingdome and righteousnesse and to lay vp for our selues a good foundation against the time to come We must labour to be rich in faith that when death comes vpon vs we may not slauishly feare it but rather chearefully embrace it as a most welcome messenger It is lamentable to see what paines men take to go to hell how they labour for the obtaining of their lusts and vnsatiable desires and in the meane time remaine altogether voide of care how they might attaine heauen O awake awake remember out abode here it is but for a short time but that estate which is to come whether it be for happinesse or woe it is eternall and whithout end Therefore striue and take paines to enter in by the straire gate We find by experience things of value in the world to wit riches and honours and high places they are not attained without great meaneâ— vsed and shall we thinke that sauing grace Gods kingdome will be obtained without great striuing Let no man or woman deceiue themselues for if the righteous which labour hard in the vse of meanes as in hearing in reading meditating in the vse of the Sacrament in conference in keeping â—aith a good conscience in prayer and such like if such I say shall scarceâ—y be saued notwithstanding all their â—are and striuing then what shall beâ—ome of such as striue not at all or if â—hey do striue it is very coldly and negligently Surely such vnlesse they â—end their pace they can neuer each their iourneys end which is the glorious kingdome of heauen They will be found like trauellers dead in â—he way before they halfe reach â—ome The third and last vse is for comâ—ort and consolation For considering â—hat mans life is so fraile therfore first â—t may be a comfort to such as enâ—ure exile or banishment or imprisonment or hard vsage or pouertie or sicknesse or the like they may remember that their afflictions here cannot be long because their liues are but short Peace shall come and they shall rest in their beds Esay 57. 2. and Blessed are they which die in the Lord yea saith the Spirit they rest from their labours Reuel 14. 13. Secondly the consideration oâ— shortnesse of life may be matter oâ— consolation and comfort vnto such aâ— beleeue for now their saluation iâ— nearer then when they began to beleeue What knowest thou but thaâ— there is but a step betweene thee anâ— heauen Thou art here this yere thoâ— mayest be in heauen before the next thou art here this moneth thoâ— mayest be with Christ before thâ— next Yea thou art here to day thoâ— mayest be in blisse before to morrow O thrise happie estate how woulâ— men admire the happinesse of such begger as were in possibility euery houre to be aduanced to a kingdome And how much more admirable is the estate of euery true Christian who standes in continuall possibilitie to be aduanced to such an estate as neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard neither can it sufficiently enter into the heart of man to conceiue 1. Cor. 2. 9. Thirdly the consideration of our shortnesse of life may comfort all such faithfull Christians as do desire to be freed from sinne Though Satan and the world and their owne corruptions do disquiet them for a time yet they shall not alwayes disquiet them Death will come and that quickly and then thou shalt sinne no more neither shalt thou be tempted â—o sinne any more but thou shalt be â—ike vnto an elect Angell yea like vnto Iesus Christ in perfect holinesse righâ—eousnesse Which estate Gods children more affect then they affect the very happinesse or ioyes of heauen And thus much for the first doctrine Moneths of vanity Hence obserue we in the next place That afflictions sanstified are an especiall meanes â— bring a man or woman to a cleare sight of the vanitie of earthly things Iob being greatly afflicted and hauing his affliction sanctified vnto him was enabled
of Scripture and desired me to intreate of it at her buâ—iall And indeed if I had bene left to mine owne free choice I thinke I could not haue made a fitter choice of a Text in all the Bible For the estate of Iob described in these words doth notably answer to the estate of our sister For were the moneths of Iob moneths of vanitie did they vanish away like smoake did they passe away quickly like the Weauers shuttle Euen so it was with the life of this our sister her dayes were but few and euill her pilgrimage here was but short for she was not full seuen and twentie yeares old when God tooke her away as I am informed As it was with Henoch because he walked with God therefore the Lord tooke him away in his middle age euen so it was with this worthy woman she walked with her God and therefore he hath now taken her vp vnto himselfe in the midst of her dayes Secondly did Iob endure a painfull and tedious griefe in his body Euen so did this our sister her paines were very great her triall was a fiery triall yea her sicknesse was not onely dolorous but likewise it was long and tedious continuing vpon her with great extremitie for the space of a yeare and vpwards God did grinde her in the mortar of his fatherly correction like spice that so she might be made the more fragrant sacrifice vnto himselfe Thirdly was Iob brought by his sicknesse to the sight of the vanitie of earthly things So was this seruant of God she had attained an holy scorne of the contentments of this life For when I demanded of her whether the comelinesse of the roome where she lay and furniture of her house did not somewhat tempt her to desire still to liue she answered me That nothing in the world did moue her to desire life no not her very children which were farre more deare vnto her then any worldly riches whatsoeuer So that I found she was quite dead to the world in her mind before she was dead or depriued of life in her bodie God grant that euery one of vs may labour for the like grace of sâ—und mortification For if we be dead and crucified vnto the world it is a good signe that we are aliue to God Fourthly was griefe and smart irkesome and troublesome vnto Iob himselfe Then it was the great mercie of God to giue patience vnto this our sister in any measure And let vs not thinke it strange if she roared and cried with paine at some times but let vs rather feare that if we had bene in her case and had tasted her sorrowes we had bene like to fall into greater extremitie then euer she fell It is the propertie of a good child to crie whilest he is a beating as well as of a bad But here is the difference a good child when the smart is gone will kisse the rod and loue his parents and be sory for his fault whereas a wicked child will murmure against and hate his parents Now this our worthy sister shewed her selfe to be a good child for she cried when she felt the smart but when she had aâ—y mitigation she condemned her iâ—patiencie and iustified God kissing â—is rod by shewing a very tender affection of loue to God whensoeuer she thought or spoke seriously of him Fifthly were these painfull nights appointed vnto Iob not by fatall necessitie or by chance and fortune but by the prouidence of God Euen so it was with this our sister For hoâ—soâ—uer the first occasion of her sicknesse might seeme vnto vs to bee meerly casuall yet the truth is that euen casualties themselues are guided by the diuine prouidence For as Salomon saith The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is from Iehouah Prou. 16. 33. And thus I haue declared vnto you how fitly this text doth answer vnto this present occasion Now may it please you further to consider the spirituall estate of this our sister And her spirituall estate shall appeare by a strict and serious examination which she tooke of her selfe in the time of her health It is set downe with her owne hand and was found by her husband after her departure amongst the rest of her things which she most esteemed and for my owne part I know them tâ— be no fables For I knew her spirituall estate by siue yeares experience liuing in the house with her Now I thought good to make them publike not onely for a due memoriall of this blessed seruant of God but also for the common good of Gods Church as being indeed exceedingly importuned by good people thereunto If you desire to reape benefite by the markes reade them not as a bare report or commendation of the partie deceassed but duly obserue euery marke what it importeth and next obserue in what manner it was found in this worthy woman thirdly weigh well the places of Scripture which are alledged to proue the Markes to be peculiar to Gods elect and lastly examine whether thou findest these signes in thy selfe or no for this is the way to benefit by them The Markes which this our sister found to be wrought in her by Gods holy Spirit are many I will reduce them to as few heads as I can for the helpe of your memorie I will not adde any thing aboue the sence of that which she hath written onely it shall be my endeuour to bring that which she hath written into distinct order for better capacitie and to declare vnto you my owne particular knowledge concâ—rning her estate And the Markes are these following being noted in the small letters for distinction And behold she that is dead shall yet speake vnto you The first Marke First I desire to be exercised in the word day and night and I finde a willing receiuing of Gods commandements they are not grieuous And that this precious signe was in this worthy woman let her practise shew it To my knowledge when she was in the Citie she heard for the most part nine or ten Sermons euery weeke whereof foure of them constantly vpon the Sabbath day besides catechizing Also she read daily morning and euening some part of the Scripture from the beginning of the Bible vnto the end thereof And she did not reade the Scripture as many do in haste but with serious consideration application and meditation Moreouer Gods commandements were not grieuous vnto her but she obeyed them with chearefulnesse I neuer made any motion vnto her for any that were in distresse but as soone as she heard it she obeyed Yea the word was so farre from being grieuous as that it was more sweete then the hony and the hony combe as she acknowledged Yea she slept euerie night with this meate in her mouth the word being her last meditations in the night and her first thoughts in the morning And this constant meditation of Gods word is giuen as an infallible marke of a