Ministry and Neighbourhood round about who by their concourse at her Funeral shewed plainly in what an high estimation she was amongst them and that her good Name was like a precious Oyntment powred forth The hope of Glory was that sovereign Cordial which abundantly revived and satisfied her spirits whilst she lived and now her hope is turned into fruition and her faith into vision All her sorrows and sighings are turned away and her imployment is without the least tediousness without interruption and intermission to sing Hosannahs and Allelujahs to him that sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever more This Life was drawn up by my Reverend and worthy Friend Dr. Henry Wilkinson principal of Magdalen Hall Oxon. The Life and Death of Mrs. Elizabeth Wilkinson who dyed Anno Christi 1654. Mrs. Elizabeth Wilkinson was born of godly Parents of an ancient and well reputed Family of the Gentry in Devonshire Her Father was Mr. Anthony Gifford her Mother Mrs. Elizabeth Cottle and by them she was religiously educated during her minority After which she lived with an Aunt an old Disciple above twenty yeares together where she had many prizes put into her hands to get wisdome even many spirituall advantages for her eternall good But considering that no helps of education nor any means could prove effectuall without divine influences it pleased the Lord out of the riches of his mercy in a signall manner to vouchsafe a blessing to all those helps for the good of her soul and to crown all endeavours in order thereunto with good success She was observed from her childhood to be very docile very willing to learn industrious in reading of and swift to hear the Word of God preached She was very carefull to remember what she heard and took much pains in writing Sermons and collecting speciall Notes out of practicall Divines She had the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit with that she was eminently adorned She looked not as too many do upon gaudy and vain dresses as any ornament She neither liked them nor conformed to them but went in a grave decent and sober attire She was humble gentle tender-hearted and full of bowels of compassion remembring such as were in bonds as if she had been bound with them Heb. 13. 3. She was of so affable sweet and courteous a disposition that she gained abundance of love and respect from all those that conversed with her and by this means she was the greater gainer by all good conferences It was her usuall custome to move good discourse and ofttimes she turned the stream of other impertinent talk into something which was solid and tended unto edification and that ministred grace to the hearers She kept a Diary of Gods dealings with her soul and of other various dispensations that she met withall She was much busied in prayer meditation and self-examination She would often desire her Husband and others of her acquaintance to deal plainly and impartially with her For said she I would not be deceived with a formall profession nor with a temporary faith Perhaps through affection you may judge far better of me than I deserve wherefore I desire you to sift and search me throughly for I like such plain dealing best of all and those are my best friends which deal most plainly with me In process of time after a carefull watching over her heart and frequent addresses made unto the Throne of grace she found returns answerable to her prayers and desires God gave her a large measure both of parts and graces She was able not only to assert the truths of God but to convince gainsayers She abounded in love faith meekness humility and the rest of the graces of the Spirit insomuch as she became a Christian of the higher Form a tall Cedar of Libanus a grown solid and excellent Christian It pleased God for the triall of her graces to exercise her very much in the School of affliction Insomuch as ten years before her death she was one time reckoned with another at least half the time sick But God ordered this sickness of her body to be a medicine for her soul. For the spirit of prayer was much set on work hereby and her faith love and patience did appear and shine the more eminently Out of the Furnace she came forth as gold purified seven times so that the rod and staff correction and instruction went together and by these fatherly chastisements her soul did thrive more abundantly When she was able she neglected not the frequenting of the publick Assemblies they were her delight and she was a professed adversary to the withdrawing from the publick Congregations of the Saints Both them and the godly and Reverend Ministers of the Gospel she had in high esteem and reverenced them all her dayes And when she was not able to go to the publick Congregations she used to spend her time in reading prayer and meditating at home and imployed her friends to read to her and pray with her Such as were stable and sincere Christians were her delight Those she accounted more excellent than their neighbours She would often say that She valued no friends like to those who were friends to her soul. Concerning her deportment and carriage to her Relations for such as are reall Saints shew it in their severall capacities never was a Wife more full of sincere love and respect to an Husband whom she loved entirely and was as entirely beloved by him Her affection to her children was very tender She was carefull to Catechize instruct and to train them up in the fear of God and upon her Deathbed amongst many other excellent counsels and instructions she added this charge as from a dying Mother that they should remember that they had a Mother who would not allow them in any sin She was carefull also to instruct her servants and to teach them the fear of the Lord. Indeed she was ready and willing as opportunity was offered to do good unto all and as need required gave unto them both corporall and spirituall food She had a large heart and improved it to do a great deal of good in a little time Insomuch as the poor the sick the afflicted and the unexperienced to whom she was very mercifull and usefull whilest she lived had a very great miss of her when she was dead In brief she was one of those Worthies of whom the world was not worthy And yet to give a further Character of her I will here set down a Narrative copied exactly out of her own hand-writing of Gods gracious dealing with her soul as it follows word for word It pleased the Lord out of the riches of his grace to remove me from an ignorant place where I was born and to bring me very young into a Religious Family And when I was about twelve years of age upon the reading in the Practice of Piety concerning the happy estate of
p. 157. l. 11. r. dayes for life p. 233. l. 31. r. knowing for know p. 312. l. 4. r. wrote for wroughâ— p. 318. l. 25. r. jure humanâ— juris humanâ— p. 342. l. 17. r. bury for bâ—y l. the last r other for to her p. 315. l. 8. r the restless for restless the p. 369. l. 17. r. Sabboth for Sabbath l. 27. r. Lubeckers for Lubecks p 435. l. 21. r. the soâ—l for the sould p. 439. l. 7. r. Mâ—t. 6. 3. for Mâ—t. 3. 6. p. 443. l. 11. r. which for when p. 451. l. 15. put in by that l. 24 pâ—t in he p. 452 l. 13. pâ—t out used and put in to p. 457. l. 3. put in of p. 468. l. 29. r. you for yours l. 529. l. 11 r. breeding for being Mr. JOHN CARTER The LIFE and DEATH OF Mr. JOHN CARTER Who died Anno Christi 1634. MAster John Carter was born at Wickham in Kent near Canterburie about the year of our Lord 1554. He was descended but of mean Parents yet were they Religious and of good report who not being able to maintain him at the University wholly upon their own charge there was one Mr. Rose a rich man in Canterbury who taking notice of his Piety in those his tender years of his ingenuity studiousness and proficiency in all School-learning even beyond the pitch of a Grammer Scholar and finding him hopefull and likely to prove a precious instrument in the Church of Christ he took him into his care sent him to Cambridge and contributed such sums of money to him from time to time as were needfull He was admitted into Clare-Hall and was Pupil to Dr. Bing a famous Civilian and Master of that House Presently after his first admission into that House he was taken notice of as one of singular Learning and ripeness for his years Amongst the rest that were of his year he had a Theam given him to make upon this Subject Frugalitas virtutum maxima and when the young Students brought in their Theams the Lecturer took and read them and when he came to Carters Theam he stood and paused awhile and at last said before them all Here is the best Theam that ever I read and gave him some money for his encouragement and highly commended his Industry and always after cast a favourable eye upon him and sought opportunities to do him good When Mr. Carter had taken his degrees of Batchelor and Mr. of Arts his Tutor Dr. Bing out of his singular love to him for his Piety and Learning gave him a Chamber in his own Lodgings where he continued a year or two which conduced much to the compleating of him for the work of the Ministry and all the while that he continued a gremial in the lap and bosom of his Mother the University he held constant Meetings with divers of his famous Contemporaries and that every week as with Dr. Chaderton Dr. Andrews afterwards Bishop of Ely Mr. Culverwell Mr. Kewstubs and divers others whom God raised up and fitted to send forth into his Harvest to gather his Corn then ripe for the Sickle into his Barn At their meetings they had constant Exercises first They began with prayer then applied themselvs to the Study of the Scriptures one was for the Original Languages anothers task was for the Grammatical Interpretation anothers for the Logical Analysis anothers for the true sense and meaning of the Text another gathered the Doctrines and thus they carried on their several imployments till at last they went out like Apollos eloquent men and mighty in the Scriptures and the Lord was with them so that they brought in a very great Harvest into Gods Barn Mr. Carter would not run before he was sent though he was so excellently qualified for the work he durst not venter upon the exercise of the holy work of the Ministry till he had not only an inward but an outward call also viz. an assignation approbation and solemn admission by the laying on of the hands of the Presbyterie When he was ordained the Bishop who in those days was primus Presbyter or Praeses seeking to oppose him asked him this Question Have you read the Bible through Yes said he I have read the Old Testament twice through in the Hebrew and the New Testament often through in the Greek and if you please to examine me in any particular place I shall endeavour to give you an account of it Nay said the Bishop if it be so I shall need to say no more to you only some words of Commendation and encouragement he gave him and so with other assistants he Ordained him Anno Christi 1583. the Vicaridge of Bramford in Suffolk near Ipswich fell void and Mr. Rose of Canterbury beforementioned procured the Presentation thereof for Mr. Carter of the Dean and Chapter of Canterburie in whose Gift it was The Salary at first was only twenty Marks per annum but afterwards the Church raised it to twenty pound per annum and that was the most that ever he had there yet he accepted of it and being setled in it he set himself to do the work of Christ faithfully with all his might as a workman that needed not to be ashamed Every Lords day he preached twice very powerfully and Chatechised the younger sort He also preached a Lecture every Thursday to which multitudes from Ipswich and other adjacent places did resort And God gave such success to his Ministry that by his labours many sons and daughters were from time to time begotten unto God Many precious Christians that remain unto this day acknowledge that their Conversion was by Mr. Carters Ministry Before his Sermons he made but a short Prayer and that always in the same words After Sermon he used to be large and full and expressed himself with great variety of phrases and with much fervency and always he concluded with the Lords Prayer He was very diligent in visiting the sick especially the poorer sort and he never went to the house of any poor creature but he left a Purse-Alms as well as a Spiritual-Alms of good and heavenly advice and prayer No poor body ever came to his door that went away empty his wife also looking to that as carefully as himself Every Saturday throughout the whole year he gave the Milk of his Cows to the poor of the Town and indeed he gave more to the Poor every year then the Revenue of his slender Vicaridge came to in the whole yet God so blessed him that whilst he was in Bramford he quickly paid Mr. Rose of Canterbury all the money that he had disbursed toward his Education in the Uuniversity and before he left Bramford he purchased about twenty pound per annum Gods blessing only makes rich He had but two sons and he brought them both up in Learning and maintained them in the University in good fashion He
Christ most perfect and comprehensive of all our necessities That you may be the better satisfied concerning his sense and judgement in this matter take this transcript out of his Printed Commentary upon Mat. 6. 9. Where after he hath set forth the excellency and perfection of Christs Prayer he addeth Christ now directs us to the right performance of the Duty of Prayer After this manner pray ye Or as St. Luke sets it down When you pray say Not binding us strictly to use these words always and none other but to use the matter manner and like affections But as for them who cannot so well enlarge their suits in other words or for those also who can and do it and yet remain still unsatisfied as not having done it sufficiently and who can do it sufficiently the Lord Christ hath left this most excellent help to use the very words of this Divine Prayer as the most worthy servants of God have ever used to do And learn we here by the way that an absolute necessity lyeth upon us which ought to be our greatest glory and comfort to pray in these words or in this manner For it is the undispensable Commandment of our Lord Christ After this manner pray He had a special dexterity in comforting afflicted Consciences resolving doubts and answering questions when some came to him not long before he changed this earthly for an heavenly Mansion and told him of the rigour of the Prelates how it grew higher every day how they persecuted conscientious Ministers and Christians Of their Innovations and of the Book for Liberty of Sports on the Sabbath days tending to the fearfull profanation thereof He used these expressions I have had a longing desire to see or hear of the fall of Antichrist But I check my self I shall go to Heaven and there news of it will come thick thick thick When others came to him and pressed him with importunity to tell them his Judgement concerning the future state of the Church saying to him that he had travelled much in the study of the Revelations and they were perswaded that God had revealed something more then ordinary to him What do you think said they shall we have Popery once again or no He answered You shall not need to fear fire and fagot any more but such dreadfull divisions will be amongst God people and Professors as will equalize the greatest persecutions A man meeting him near his house called to him saying Oh Mr. Carter What shall I do My wife is entring into her Travel and I think she will die with very fear Mr. Carter answered Make haste run to your wife and tell her that I am going to my Closet as fast as I can to pray for her therefore bid her not faint but to be of good courage and comfort The man accordingly ran to his wife and told her what had passed between Mr. Carter and him Presently her fears vanished God gave her strength and she was delivered immediately and safely and strait after her Husband went to Mr. Carter even before he came out of his Closet and told him what God had done for him Another time a poor man met him by the way and cryed to him piteously saying Mr. Carter What shall become of me I work hard and fare hard and yet I cannot thrive I continue bare and know not how in the world to live He answered him Yet still you want one thing and I will tell you what you shall do Work hard and fare hard and pray hard and I will warrant you shall thrive There dwelled in that Parish a Tanner that was a very godly man and one that had much familiar society with Mr. Carter This man as he was very busie in Tawing of a Hide with all his might not so much as turning his head aside any way Mr. Carter coming by accidentally came softly behinde him and merrily gave him a little clap on the back the man started and looking behinde him suddenly blushed and said Sir I am ashamed that you should find me thus To whom Mr. Carter replied Let Christ when he comes finde me so doing What said the man doing thus Yes said Mr. Carter to him faithfully performing the Duties of my Calling Being at Dinner at Ipswich at one of the Magistrates Houses divers other Ministers being at the Table also One amongst the rest who was old enough and had learned enough to have taught him more humility was very full of talk bragged much of his parts and skill c. and made a Challenge saying Here are many Learned men if any of you will propound any question in Divinity or Philosophy I will dispute with him resolve his doubt and satisfie him fully All at the Table except himself were silent for a while then said Mr. Carter when he saw that none else would speak to him calling him by his name I will go no further then my Treacher to puzzle you Here is a Sole Now tell me the reason why this Fish that hath lived always in the salt water should come out fresh To this this forward Gentleman could say nothing and so was laughed at and shamed out of his vanity At another time a certain man came to him and made his moan saying I have lost the greatest friend that I had in the world I had in a manner all my livelyhood from him To whom Mr. Carter answered When the Fountain is dryed up in one place God will open it in another To one of his Sons he said Son John God hath always brought water for me out of the hard stinty rock Those covetous hard hearted men who have been enemies to my person and Ministery have many times come in and given me countenance and maintenance His eldest son whom he had bred up to the Ministery and who proved a blessed Instrument in the Church of Christ being dead Mr. Carter took care of his eldest son sent him to Cambridge and walking with him towards the Stable took his last leave of him in these words in Latine Cave mi fili fastum ignaviam Antichristum My son beware of Pride Sloth and Antichrist His usual saying was a Traveller must have a Swines belly an Asses back and a Marchants purse Meaning that he must be content with any fare bear all injuries and provide for vast expences We are Pilgrims and Travellers here and we must prepare for wants wrongs and spoiling of our goods It might well be said of him Semper erat ubi non erat His heart was where his head was and now his soul is to wit in Heaven His whole life was nothing else but a Communion day Old Jacob seemed to live in him and sure the Spirit of God breathed as much in him in his words and writings holiness dropped from his Pen in every ordinary Letter that he wrote in his actions and Soliloquies as in any mans in these latter times He was always
God he afterwards found not only to be beneficiall unto him in preparing his heart for his work but also that it became an effectual means of his more peaceable and comfortable settlement in that place where the people were divided amongst themselves by reason of a potent man in the Town who adhered to another Cambridge man whom he would faign have brought in But when he saw Mr. Cotton wholly taken up with his own exercises of spirit he was free from all suspition of his being Pragmatical or addicted to siding with this or that party and so both he and his party began to close more fully with him Secondly Whereas there was an Arminian party in that Town some of whom were witty and troubled others with Disputes about those points by Gods blessing upon his Labours in holding forth positively such truths as undermined the foundations of Arminianism those Disputes ceased and the Tenets of Arminianism were no more pleaded for Thus God disposeth of the hearts of hearers as that generally they are all open and loving to their Preachers at their first entrance For three or four years he lived and preached amongst them without opposition They accounted themselves happy as well they might in the enjoyment of him both the Town and Country thereabouts being much bettered and reformed by his Labours But after he was not able to bear the Ceremonies imposed his Non-Conformity occasioned his trouble in the Bishops Court at Lincoln from whence he was advised to appeal to an higher Court and imploying Mr. Leveret who afterwards was one of the Ruling Elders of the Church of Boston in New England to deal in that business and he like Jacob being a plain man yet piously subtile to get such a spiritual blessing so far insinuated himself into one of the Proctors of that high-Court that Mr. Cotton was treated by them as if he were a Conformable man and so was restored unto Boston After this time he was blessed with a successfull Ministry unto the end of twenty years In which space he on the Lords Dayes in the afternoons went over the whole Body of Divinity in a Catechistical way thrice and gave the heads of his Discourse to those that were yong Scholars others in the Town to answer his questions in publick in that great congregation and after their Answers he opened those heads of Divinity and finally applied all to the edification of his people and of such strangers as came to hear him In the morning of the Lords Dayes he preached over the first six Chapters of the Gospel of St. John the whole Book of Ecclesiastes the Prophesie of Zachariah and many other Scriptures and when the Lords Supper was administred which was usual every monâ—th he preached upon 1 Corinth 11. 2 Chron. 30. the whole Chapter besides some other Scriptures concerning that subject On his Lecture days he preached through the whole first and second Epistles of John the whole Book of Solomons Song the Parables of our Saviour set forth in Matthews Gospel to the end of Chapter the 16th comparing them with Mark and Luke He took much pains in private and read to sundry young Scholars that were in his House and to some that came out of Germany and had his house full of Auditors Afterwards seeing some inconvenience in the Peoples flocking to his House besides his ordinary Lecture on the Thursdays he preached thrice more in publick on the week days viz. on Wednesdays and Thursdays early in the morning and on Saturdays at three a clock in the afternoon Only these three last Lectures were performed by him but some few years before he had another famous Colleague He was frequent in Duties of Humiliation and Thanksgiving Sometimes he continued five or six hours in Prayer and opening the Word So indefatigable was he in the Lords Work so willing to spend and be spent therein Besides he answered many Letters that were sent him far and near wherein were handled many difficult Cases of Conscience and many doubts cleared to great satisfaction He was a man exceedingly beloved and admired of the best and reverenced of the worst of his Hearers He was in great favour with Dr. Williams the then Bishop of Lincoln who much esteemed him for his Learning and when he was Lord Keeper of the Great Seal he went to King James and speaking of Mr. Cottons great Learning and worth the King was willing notwithstanding his Non-conformity to give way that he should have his Liberty in his Ministry without interruption which was the more remarkable considering how that Kings Spirit was carried out against such wayes Also the Earl of Dorchester being at Old Boston and hearing Mr. Cotton preaching about Civil Government he was so affected with the wisdom of his words and spirit that he did ever after highly account of him and put himself forth what he could in the time of Mr. Cottons troubles to deliver him out of them that so his Boston might still enjoy him as formerly but his desires were too strongly opposed to be accomplished About this time he married his second Wife Mistriss Sarah Story then a Widow He was blessed above many in his Marriages both his Wives being pious Matâ—ons grave sober and faithfull By the first he had no children the last God made a fruitfull Vine unto him His first-born was brought forth far off upon the Sea in his passage to New England So that he being childless when he left Europe arrived a joyfull Father in America In memorial whereof he called his name Sea-born to keep alive said he in me and to teach my Son if he live a remembrance of Sea-mercies from the hand of a gracious God He is yet living and entred into the Work of the Ministry A Son of many Prayers and of great expectation The corruption of the times being now such that he could not continue in the exercise of his Ministery without sin and the envy of his maligners having now procured Letters Missive to convent him before the High Commission Court which Letters a debauched Inhabitant of that Town undertook to serve upon him who shortly after died of the Plague Mr. Cotton having intelligence thereof and well-knowing that nothing but scorns and imprisonment were to be expected from them according to the advice of many able heads and upright hearts amongst whom that holy man of God Mr. Dod of blessed memory had a singular influence he kept himself close for a time in and about London as Luther sometime did at Wittenberg and Paraeus since at Anvilla Yet was not that season of his recess unprofitable For addresses during that time were made unto him privately by divers persons of worth and piety who received satisfaction from him in their Cases of Conscience of greatest concernment And when he went into New England it was not a flight from duty but from evident danger and unto duty Not from the
Plato satth St. Augustine Height of place ever addes two wings to sin Example and Scandal whereby it soars higher and flyes much farther Oh therefore how cautious should Rulers be lest they be partakers of other mens sins 1 Tim. 5. 22. They have enough of their own to answer for Potentes potentèr torquebuntur Let them take heed lest the iniquity of their heels of those that follow them at heels doth compass them about Psal. 49. 5. And as the evil examples of Great ones are very pernicious so are their good examples very profitable Such as were the Kings of Judah such were the subjects like Prince and like Priest like people Before Vespatians time the Romans were grown to great excess and profuseness in their apparrel houshold stuffe and attendants having by their Conquest of the East learned the Eastern vices and though many good Laws were made against it yet could they not be restrained But so soon as he came to the Empire being a sober moderate and temperate Prince himself all that former vanity grew out of fashion I am not ignorant how some of late have endeavoured to bespatter and to bring an Odium upon the Names of some of our former Worthies whose Lives I have formerly published as though they were Fanaticks Anabaptists because they would not have their children baptized by Popish Priests enemies to the State Traytors c. But the memory of them shall be blessed when the names of these their traducers shall not This is no new thing Indeed it s an old trick of the Devil and his instruments to belye Gods Children and to represent them in the ugliest hue they can devise thereby to make them the more odious Thus Doeg dealt by David The Priests and Prophets by Jeremy The Persian Courtiers by Daniel and his Companions Amaziah by Amos Hamon by the whole Nation of the Jews Tertullus by Paul And the Heathen Idolaters by the Primitive Christians whereof you may see many Examples in my Mirrour p. 44 45. But though the credit of the Saints may be Flyblown for a season and somewhat obscured yet as the Moon wades out from under a cloud so shall their innocency break forth as the light c. Psal. 37. 6. Buried it may be in the open Sepulchre of evill throats but surely it shall rise again A Resurrection there shall be of Names as well as of Bodies at the farthest at the last day But I fear to exceed the length of an Epistle and therefore I shall conclude with the words of the holy Apostle St. Paul The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all So begging your prayers I rest From my Study in Thredneedle-street Octob. 10. 1661. Yours to serve your Faith and further your Joy SA CLARKE Vpon this Book of Lives VVHo e're shall please to cast a glancing-eye On these unpolish't and rude lines which I Expose to publick view may chance t' admire A womans hand should dare so to aspire But why should man and wife divided be Who long have liv'd in love and unity For mine own part I do not know the reason Except a womans verse be out of season Indeed I almost blush thus to be seen Amongst so many Worthies as have been Famous for Learning give them but their right Yet let me dare 'mongst them to throw my mite Of these Examples sure I am there 's need To back our faith and strengthen us indeed Against such traps and nets as now are spread To catch Gods people in the wayes they tread Yet if these Worthies rather chose to dye Than known Truths to betray or once deny Then let us tread their path which path is blest That when we dye we may with them have râ—st And now to him that wrote this Book Due praise and thanks I give And pray that it may never dye But when he dyes may live To the Reverend c. Upon his Book of Lives VVIll not the rest of mankinde blush for shame When they shall read what under every name Is there related may not Ushers graces Raise conscious blood into our modern-faces He honour'd more his Dignity and See Then they did him God send more such as he May not Crook Whitaker and painfull Hill Shame Drone-vinedressers who want skill or will May not or rather will not every story Uâ—bâ—aid the present age and stain our glory When those that are not over-vicious shall Run hazard to be styl'd Fanatical And these much more whom you present to view May probably be call'd Fanaticks too For Moses and the Prophets are despised Apostles and Evangelists not prized What wonder then if those whom here you raise Even from the dead to guide in holy wayes Shall be reproached scorned and neglected And that example which they gave rejected Yet Sir your piâ—us labours sober men Will prize and praise God for your happy Pen Whereby that prâ—cious treasure once contain'd In earthen vâ—ssels now broke by deaths hand Is for our use preserved iâ— good part And we therewith enriched by your Art Let them who would your labours rightly prize Endeavour to untwine these mysteries Candles put out yet shining bright and fair Cities demolished yet standing are Salt turned into dust yet seasons much Uncanonized Saints yet truely such J. C. The Names of those Divines and Others whose Lives are contained in this Volume MR. John Carter who dyed Anno Christi 1634. Mr. Samuel Crook who dyed Anno Christi 1649. Mr. John Cotton who dyed Anno Christi 1652. Dr. Thomas Hill who dyed Anno Christi 1653. Dr. William Gouge who dyed Anno Christi 1653. Mr. Thomas Gataker who dyed Anno Christi 1654. Mr. Jeremy Whitaker who dyed Anno Christi 1654. Dr. James Usher Primate of all Ireland who dyed Anno Christi 1655. Mr. Richard Capel who dyed Anno Christi 1656. Dr. Robert Harris who dyed Anno Christi 1658. In the second Part. Gustavus Ericson King of Sueden who dyed Anno Christi 1562. Mrs. Jane Ratcliffe who dyed Anno Christi 1638. Mr. Ignatius Jurdaine who dyed Anno Christi 1640. Mrs. Margaret Duck who dyed Anno Christi 1646. Mrs. Margaret Corbet who dyed Anno Christi 1656. Mrs. Elizabeth Wilkinson who dyed Anno Christi 1654. Being sometimes occasionally absent from the City these faults have escaped the Corrector which I pray thee mend with thy Pen before reading of the Book PAge 29. line 4. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 33. l. 8. r. strenuous for pervous p. 77. l. 1. put in when so ne c. p 87. l. 1. r. conscionably for conscionable p. 91. l. 4. put out an p. 129. l. 15. put out was p. 140. l. 1. put in of l. 20. r. her for his p 144. l. 22. put in occasion p. 149. l. 20. r. familiarly for familiarity p. 150. l. 29 r Bishops for Bishop p. 156. l. 23. r. strange for strong
used to do and came out of his Bed-chamber into the Hall and after Prayer he called for his ordinary breakfast which he used before he went to Church for still he held his resolution for Preaching which was an Egg he took it into his hand but alas it would not down whereupon he said to his daughter Eunice I am not able to go to Church yet I pray thee lead me to my Bed I will lie down a little and rest me So he rose up out of his chair and walked up and down she supporting him and when he came to the Parlour door before he put his foot over the threshold Oh Eunice saith he What shall I do Put your trust saith she in that God of whom you have had so much experience who never yet did leave you nor forsake you Yea saith he the Lord be thanked So he gathered up his strength went to the Bed-side sat down upon it and immediatly composed himself to lie down He lifted up one of his Legs upon the Bed without any great difficulty laid down his Body and rested his Head upon the Pillow His Daughter still stood by expecting when she should lift his other leg upon the Bed thinking that he had been faln asleep and she was not mistaken for so he was It proved his last sleep and before she could discern any change in him his soul had taken its flight into heaven even into the Arms and embraces of his Blessed Saviour whom he had faithfully served all his life long being about fourscore years old He intended a Sabbaths labour for Christ and Christ gave him rest from his labour even the rest of an eternal Sabbath When his daughter began to speak to him and to lift him she found that his breath was departed yet was there not any change in his countenance at all his eyes and his mouth continuing in the same posture they used to be in his sweetest sleeps Thus the Lord gave unto his faithfull Servant the desire of his soul and a return of his Prayers such an easie passage as that his death could not be discerned from a sweet natural sleep Not many days before his death he called his daughter and said to her Daughter Remember my love to my Son John I shall see him no more in this life and remember me to the rest of my children and Family and deliver this message to them all from me Stand fast in the faith and love one another This was the last message that ever he sent to them He ended his life with a Doxology breathing out his last with these words The Lord be thanked When he had thus yielded up his Spirit into the hands of his heavenly Father his daughter Eunice dispatched away a Messenger to his Son John at Norwich for so had her Father given order before he died that his body should not be put into a Cofsin till his Son John came and God carried him through the journey in hard weather so that through Gods good providence he arrived at Belsted early on the Tuesday and going into the house of mourning he found the Body of his deceased Father still lying upon the bed they uncovered his face and sweetly he lay and with a smiling countenance and no difference appearing to the eye between his countenance alive and dead only that he was wont to rejoyce and to bless his Son at their meeting and now he was silent His son fell upon his face and kissed him and lift up his voice and wept and so took his last leave of him till they should meet in a better world February the 4th in the afternoon Anno Christi 1634. was he Interred at which time there was a great confluence people from all the parts thereabout Ministers and others all taking up the words of Joash King of Israel Oh my Father my Father the chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof Good Mr. Samuel Ward that famous Divine and the glory of Ipswich came to the Funeral brought with him a mourning Gown and offered very respectfully to have preached his Funeral Sermon now that such a Congregation was gathered together and upon such an occasion But his Son and daughter durst not give way unto it for so their Father had often charged them in his life time and that upon his blessing that there should be no Sermon at his burial For said he it may give occasion to speak some good of me that I deserve not and so false things may be uttered in the Pulpit Mr. Ward rested satisfied with this and accordingly did forbear But the next Friday at Ipswich he turned his whole Lecture into a Funeral Sermon for Mr. Carter in which he honoured him and lamented the Churches loss to the great satisfaction of the whole Auditory Gloria fugentes sequitur Glory is like your shadow follow it and it will flie away from you but she from it and it will follow you And so it proved with Mr. Carter He was most eminent for Humility Humble he was in his habit and humble in all his deportment For though his Gifts called him before great men yet his most ordinary converse was with those of an inferiour rank in whom he saw most of the power of godliness So that he might truly say with David Psal. 119. 63. I am a companion of all them that fear thee and of them that keep thy precepts He wrote very much but he left nothing behinde him save what is Printed and his Exposition upon the Revelations and a Petition to King James for the taking away of burdensom Ceremonies out of the Church Nothing else but a few broken Papers which he regarded not Probably he burnt the rest when he saw his appointed time draw neer meerly out of a low opinion of himself and his own gifts He avoided all things that might tend to outward Pomp and ostentation He would have no Funeral Sermon He left order in his Will not to be buried in the Church but in the Church-yard where he and his wife that glorious pair he interred together without so much or rather so little as a poor Grave-stone over them He had learned of Christ to be meek and lowly in heart He was humble in his Life and humble in his Death and now the Lord hath highly exalted him He kept a constant Diary or day book in which every day he set down Gods extraordinary dispensations his own actions and whatsoever memorable things he heard or read that day He cast up his Accounts with God every day and his sins were blotted out before he came to his last reckoning his day of refreshing came and he rests from his labours Plus vivitur exemplis quam preceptis saith Seneca Examples of the dead are Sermons for the livâ—ng He was a true child of Abraham and the blessing of Abraham fell upon him I will bless them saith the Lord to him that bless thee and I will curse
leave a sweet savour and relish upon their spirits and whole converse To give you a true and full Character of his whole deportment in few words He was a good and a faithfull Steward in his Masters house alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord a Pillar in the house of his God never weary of his Lords work but best pleased when he had done most service His conversation was immaculate and unblameable His behaviour uniform and universally pious He was grave without austerity pleasant without levity Courteous without dissembling Free in discourse where he might profit yet reserved where he saw cause He was seldom the first speaker although he was best able to speak He loved usefull discourse but abhorred froth and babling He was witty without vanity facetious without girding or grieving of others He knew his place yet was not insolent Resolute he was but not wilfull He maintained his authority but was not haughty A great Master he was of his own Passions and Affections and thereby abundantly furnished with the more abilities and embellishments that most attract and maintain the dearest love the deepest reverence and highest respect He was a great admirer of Learning and Piety in others though they were far below himself in both His affections were above though he were below He conversed more with Heaven than with earth while he remained on it and is now a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord and a Royall Diadem in the hand of his God as being an ornament unto Heaven it self He lived in the world seventy five years within one moneth in which long race he saw many sad changes and sore storms beating hard upon the Church tossed with tempests and not yet at Anchor But never was David more distressed for his dearest Jonathan than this man of Bowels was for the calamities of the dear Spouse of Christ. He was most incessantly inquisitive after the Churches estate in all Countries A sad lamenter of all her afflictions A daily Orator and mighty Advocate for her at the Throne of Grace and never enjoyed himself but when he descried her under sail towards some Creek or Haven wherein she might find comfort and rest being much in Prayer and Fasting for her full reformation and perfect deliverance Some good hopes whereof he conceived in the prosperous atchievements of the Great Gustavus Adolphus late King of Sweden semper Augustus But when he by the sad and unsearchable providence of the only wise God suddenly and untimely fell in the full carier of his victories and of the Churches hopes and that the Christian world was by his fall hurled from the height of so great expectation he continually mourned over the unhappy setting of that glorious Northern Starre as a sad presage of all the inundations of miseries since befallen and that still are rising higher and higher upon the Church of Christ the quick and deep sence whereof lay close upon his heart to his dying day Neither was he without his sufferings and dangers in our uncivil Civil Wars He was affronted by rude Ruffians and bloody minded Souldiers who tyranized over him in his own house not permitting him quietly to enjoy himself and his God in his private study to which he often retired not only from their insolencies but from their Blasphemies Even thither would they pursue him with drawn swords vowing his instant Death for not complying with them in their bloody engagements Yet it pleased that gracious God whom he had so faithfully served to preserve him for further service and to make that an hiding place for his preservation which they intended for his slaughter house and after all to bring him to his end in peace When he had faithfully served his Generation by the will of God in the Gospel of his Son for above forty seven years he was gathered to his Fathers in a good old Age full of Days and Honour by a blessed and happy Death the certain result of an holy life Decemb. 25. Anno Christi 1649. the day formerly used for celebrating the Nativity of his great Lord and Master the Lord Jesus Christ. The last Testimony of the Peoples great love to him must not be forgotten by any that desire to preserve his precious memory in their hearts with honour This amply appeared by their great lamentation and mourning for him in his sickness and at his Death and sad Exequies His Funeral was extraordinarily celebrated not only by the voluntary confluence of the greatest number of people that ever crouded into the spacious Fabrick of that Church and by many hundreds more there assembled about the door which were unable to get in But by multitudes of Gentlemen and Ministers all striving to out-mourn each other standing about his Hearse with tears recounting his excellent Labors his fruitfull Life their great profiting by him as sometimes the widows about Peter weeping and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them every one aggravating their griefs and losses in his gain and striving who should honour him most in bearing his Body to the bed of Rest. The Testimony given him at his Interment by him who performed that last office of love with many tears and which he knowingly spake from his long and intimate acquaintance and conversing with him almost forty years together take with you for a close in that Ministers own words out of the Pulpit Although said he Funeral Orations are commonly either the vain flourishes of mercinary tongues or the weak supports of an emendicated fame and since good mens works shall praise them in the gates it is but to light a candle to the Sun and since bad mens works cannot be covered with so thin a daub It is but to paint arotten Post. Yet some Testimony is due to such as having obtained a more eminent place in Christs mystical Body the Church have also been instruments of more than ordinary good to his Members Samuel died a Judge a Prophet a Great man a Good man in Israel and all the Israelites were gathered together to honour his Obsequies and lamented him and buried him 1 Sam. 25. 1. To say nothing then of so rich a Cargazoon so full a Magazine so rare a subject of all commendable qualities and admirable endowments were a frustrating of your eager expectations To say little were a wrong to him that deserved so much to say much were both a derogation from his merits that may challenge and an imputation upon your Judgements and affections that will acknowledg more due than I can now deliver Nevertheless since the memorial of the Just is a sweet perfume give me leave to strew a few of his own flowers upon his Herse and I will discharge your Patience His holy Life and consciencious courses his constant Labors thrice a week in the Ministery of the Gospel unless in times of sickness or necessitated restraint for the space of
forty seven years wherein he could give an account of above seven thousand elaborate Sermons preached by him are so well known not only in this or the neighbour Parishes but through the whole County and the Country round about that I need not mention them Few men ever ran so long a Race without cessation or cespitation so constantly so unweariedly so unblamably All which time he was a burning and a shining light joyfully spending and being spent for the good of Gods people Many many of whom he hath guided to Heaven before him who received the beginnings of spiritual life from his Ministry and many more shall walk in that light after him And from his splendent Lamp divers faithfull Ministers some Triumphant before him some Militant after him have lighted their Candles His Tuesdays Lecture being more profitable to teach usefull Divinity than an Academy whereby he did not only Dolare lapides sed artifices Two things rarely met in one man were both eminent in him A quick invention and a sound judgement and these accompanied with a clear expression and a gracefull elocution To which Integrity and Humility being joyned made him a transcendent Minister and a compleat Christian. In his sickness full of biting pains which he bore with great Patience it was his greatest grief that God had taken him off from his labour which was his life and joy His heavenly mind like the heavenly bodies counted his work no weariness If he were weary in work he was yet never weary of work His spirit was still willing when the flesh was weak And he often used to say in his health Si per hanc viam mors sum immortalis and in his weakness Odi artus fragilemque hunc corporis usum desertorem animi And when he saw no more ability for labors he accounted it superfluous to live and chearfully not only yielded but patiently desired to die in a satiety and fulness of life not as meat loathed as many times natural men do but as a dish though well liked that he had fed his full of He had his intellectuals strong in a weak body witness his last Swan-like song in this place the sweet Doctrine of our Adoption in Jesus Christ on Rom. 8. 16. so far he had gone in that Chapter most clearly and acuratly delivered and aptly distinguished from Justification and sanctification yet that day October 16. going to Church and sensible of his own weakness he said to a dear Friend who told him that he came to see and hear him perhaps it may be my last as to all our loss it was indeed And as if his motion in Gods work had been natural he was more quick more vigorous toward his Center and like the Sun shewed his greatest light when he was nearest his setting His last Ministerial duty privately done in great weakness of Body unable to go to the Church was the Baptizing of two children wherein he streamed such beames of Divinity sounded such bowels of Humanity shewed such sweetness of affection to his charge that I seriously wished his whole Congregation had heard him in this departing farewell And being told how well it was approved he replyed with tears in great humility Lord what am I What am I To diverse of his loving Neighbours visiting him he often protested that Doctrine that he had taught them was the truth of God as he should answer at the Tribunal of Christ whereunto he was hasting exhorting them to stand fast therein as he most affectionately prayed for them professing of them with joy I have kind friends kind neighbours Lord reward them all and grant they may find mercy with him in that day His desire was to give to his Neighbours if enough could have been had his Printed Catechism which to my knowledge hath had the approbation and commendation of the profoundest and accutest Judgements in both Universities and well it might being a compleat Body of Orthodox Divinity and to have this assertion of the Apostle Peter written before it Exhorting and testifying that this is the true Grace of God wherein ye stand and to subscribe his name to it After he had in himself received the sentence of death approaching which he chearfully did when he saw no more likelihood of Labour he desired his Friends not to pray for his life but pray God said he for Faith for Patience for Repentance for joy in the Holy Ghost and the Lord heard him in that he desired for he was a rare pattern in all these as amongst many others these gracious words of his may witness Lord said he cast me down as low as Hell in Repentance and lift me up by faith to the highest Heavens in confidence of thy salvation I wish our proud presumptuous impenitentiaries had heard him crying for Repentance and seen him weeping for Grace It might perhaps have melted their stony hearts As he was full of days so was he full of grace full of peace full of assurance The Tuesday before he departed This day seven night said he is the day on which we have used to remember Christs Nativity and on which day I have preached Christ I shall scarce live to see it but For me was that Child born unto me was that Son given who is Wonderfull Councellor the Mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace And no less full was he of true Honour for his worth and work sake in the hearts of all that feared God his memory shall be blessed and his name a sweet perfume to posterity when the names of his reproachfull scorners the last brood of Beelzebub shall rot and stink and be an abhorring to all slesh He is now come to the end of his labour and the beginning of his rest His work was with his God and his reward shall be from his God Now he sees the blessed and blessing face of God which is the glory of all sights and the sight of all glory Thus set this bright Occidental Star A Star of the first Magnitude One of the first and I dare say without envy of any that knew him and that knows himself one of the most glorious Lights that ever shone in this Orb or ever is like to arise in this Horizon O! how is such a publick loss to be lamented Of such a Champion of Christ Such an Atlas of the Truth that set his shoulders to support the shaken pillars thereof in these days of abounding and abetted errours Well may this Parish mourn well may this Country well may his Friends his Family well may we of the Ministry bewail it saying O my Father my Father the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof Ah my Brother my Brother I am distressed for thee very pleasant hast thou been unto me Lovely and gracious in Life lovely and glorious in Death Heu tua nobis Morte simul tecum solatia rapta I end in one word of Exhortation You that have heard the joyfull sound of this
thereof It is true he had an advantage above many in his natural constitution and it's influence from his education heightened intellectuals and moralities was not inconsiderable but that which gave the being of meekness which sanctified and perfected all was the Grace of Christ. He was of an accute apprehension and therefore sensible of but yet so little in his own sight that he was not easily provoked by an injury Sensibleness of dishonor done to God by sin or of what the offender had done unto himself by sinning left such impressions upon him as that his taking notice of any injury done unto himself was not usually taken notice of He had well learned that lesson of Gregory It is better many times to fly from an injury by silence than to overcome it by replying It was Grynaeus his manner to revenge wrongs by Christian taciturnity If inferiors expostulated unnecessarily with him he would patiently hear them and give them a brotherly account pacifying their minds with a gentle grave and respectivâ— answer Take one instance in this kind instead of many unto one of his hearers then sick of singularities and therefore the less able to bear sound Doctrine following him home after his publick labours in the Congregation and instead of better incouragement telling him that his Ministry was become either dark or flat He gently answered Both Brother without further opening his mouth in his own defence choosing rather to own the imputation than to expostulate with the Imputer Disputations are great trials of the spirits of intelligent men Hooper and Ridley were patient Martyrs but somewhat impatient Disputers The Synod held at Cambridge in New England as matters were then circumstanced was unto this good man an hour of temptation above what had ordinarily befaln him in his Pilgrimage yet such was his eminent behaviour throughout as argued in the consciences of the Spectators singular patience and left him a Mirrour for the temperament mildness and government of his Spirit Pious meekness fits for Church Society Yet though he was so gentle meek and flexible that men might perswade him above what could be expected usually from a man of his worth in the things of God he was steadfast and unmovable The Sanctuary cannot want the fire that is from Heaven neither may it be touched with the fire that is from Hell Gentleness of disposition when actuated by Christ makes us so much the more acceptable and profitable unto man But if the Spirit withdraweth his assistance we fall short of reaching Gods ends and the seasonable suppressing of exorbitancies If this good man had alwayes had that voice sounding in his heart which one wished that mild Lantgrave of Hessen might have heard from the Smiths forge Duresce duresce Utinam Lantgravius durescat Happily there are that think some disorders disturbances and irregularities might by Gods blessing have been prevented But ordinarily and in matters of greatest weight the Lord was with him Though his forbearance was both observable and very imitable in things that concerned himself yet he could not forbear them whom he knew to be evil An experience whereof he manifested some Heterodox spirits by their specious discourses about Free-Grace and subtle concealings of their Principles so far deceived him into a better opinion of them than there was cause as that notwithstanding they fathered their Errors upon him in general and abused his Doctrine to the countenancing of their denial of Inherent Grace in particular yet was he slow to beleeve these things of them and slower to bear witness against them But so soon as the truth herein appeared to him hear his own words taken out of his Letter to Mr. Davenport The truth is saith he the body of the Island is bent to backslding into Errour and Delusions the Lord pitty and pardon them and me also who have been so slow to see their windings and subtil contrivances and insinuations in all their transactions whilst they propagated their opinions under my expressions diverted to their constructions Yea such was his ingenuity and piety as that his soul was not satisfied without often breaking forth into affectionate bewailing of his infirmity herein in the publick Assemblies sometimes in his Prayer sometimes in his Sermon and that with tears He was a man of an ingenuous and pious candour rejoycing as opportunity was offered to take notice of and to bear witness to the gifts of God in his Brethren thereby drawing the hearts of them to him and of others to them and that to the encouragement of them and the edification of many He did not think himself a loser by putting honour upon his Fellow-labourers but was willing that they should communicate with him in the love and esteem of the people He was not only a son of Peace enjoying continually the feast of a good conscience with serenity and tranquillity of affections at home but also a peace-maker quallified by the graces aforementioned to be a choice Instrument in the hand of the Prince of Peace amongst the Churches where if any difference arose Mr. Cotton was ready being called thereunto to afford his help for the composin of them and had a singular faculty and ability therein by reason of that excellent wisdome and moderation of spirit which God in Christ had given him whose blessing also did ordinarily crown his endeavours with good success He was one the reality of whose profession gave many cause to bless God for the kindness of the Lord shewed unto all sorts by him His portion in the things of this life exempted him from being an object of envy in that behalf yet behold Quantum ex quantillo so much communicated out of so little we may not here be altogether silent concerning the Grace of God bestowed upon him whereby according to his power yea above his power he was benificent unto others but especially to those of the Houshold of Faith The Gospel opened his heart his lips and the doors of his house He well remembred that Scripture There is that scattereth and yet encreaseth and there is that withholdeth more than is meet but it tendeth to poverty As also The liberal soul shall be made fat Amongst others his Fellow-labourers in the Ministry were entertained with peculiar contentment By one instance see his spirit in the rest A certain Minister who had gotten into the fellowship of that eminent man Mr. Arthur Hildersham and many other godly Preachers being acquainted with their secrets betrayed them into the Prelates hands This man coming afterwards to Boston and meeting with Mr. Cotton this Gaâ—us had not the heart to speak to him nor to invite him to his house which he said he never neglected to his knowledge to any stranger before much less to any of his own order Some years since there was brought unto Boston a report of the necessity of the poor Saints at Sigataea a little Church whereof the Reverend Mr. White was their faithful
Pastor which suffered much extremity by reason of the persecution of their then prevailing adversaries forcing them from Bermudas into the Desart Continent The sound of whose distress was no sooner heard of but you might have heard the sounding of his bowels with many others applying themselves to a speedy Collection and sending it to them on purpose for their seasonable relief the sum was about seven hundred pounds two hundred whereof he gathered in the Church of Boston no man in the Contribution exceeding and but one equalling his bounty And it was remarkable that this Contribution arrived there the very day after those poor people were brought to a personal division of that little Meal then remaining in the Barrel and not seeing according to man but that after the eating thereof they must dye a lingring death for want of food and upon the same day their Pastor had preached unto them it being the Lords day upon that Text Psal. 23. The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want At such a time the good hand of the Lord brought this succour to them from afar Whilst he was in Old England his eminent piety the success of his labours and his interest in the hearts both of superiours inferiours equals drew upon him much envy and his Non-conformity added thereunto so that he was delivered in a great measure to the will of his Adversaries who gave him not over till they had bereaved him of much of his livelihood his liberty Country and therewithall of the sweet society of lovers friends and many wayes endeared acquaintance more precious to him than life it self Yet the measure of the afflictions of Christ appointed to be suffered by him was not so fulfilled but lo in the time of his exile some Brethren provoked by the censure of Authority though justly not without tears inflicted upon them singled out Mr. Cotton as the object of their displeasure who though above other men declining irregular and unnecessary interesting himself in the actions of the Magistrate and while opportunity lasted endeavouring their healing yet they requited him evil for good and they at least some of them who were formerly companions with him in the tribulations of that Patmos yea respecters of him had taken sweet counsel together and they had walked in the house of God as friends Hence was he with Tongue and pen blasphemed by them for whom he formerly intreated and for whom he both then and afterwards wept and put on sackcloth As touching any Tenet wherein he may seem singular remember that he was a man and therefore to be heard and read with judgement and happily sometimes with favour St. Hierom makes a difference between reading the writings of the Apostles and other men They saith he alwayes speak the truth these as men sometimes erre But no man did more placidly bear a Dissentient than he It contributes much towards the fuller discovery of truth when men of larger capacities and greater industry than others may be permitted to communicate their Notions onely they should use this liberty by way of disquisition not of Position rather as searchers after Scripture-light than as Dictators of private opinions But now this Western Sun hastens to his setting Being called to preach at a neighbour Church he took wet in his passage over the Ferry and not many hours after he felt the effect of it being seized upon with an extream ilness in his Sermon time This sad providence when others bewailed he comforted himself in that he was found so doing Decet Imperatorem stantem mori It is the honour of a Commander to dye standing St. Austins usual with was that when Christ came he might finde him Aut praecantem aut praedicantem either praying or preaching Calvin would not that when the Lord came he should finde him idle After a short time he complained of the inflamation of his lungs and thereupon found himself Asthmatical and afterward Scorbutical which both meeting in a complicated disease put an end to his dayes insomuch that he was forced to give over those comforting drinks which his stomack could not want If he still used them the inflamation grew unsufferable and threatned a more sharp and speedy death If he left them his stomack forthwith ceased to perform its office leaving him without hope of life By these Messengers he received the sentence of death yet in the use of means he attended the pleasure of him in whose hands our times are his labours continued whilst his strength failed November the 18. he took in course for his Text the four last verses of the second Epistle to Timothy Salute Prisca and Aquila c. Giving the reason why he spake of so many verses together because otherwise he said he should not live to make an end of that Epistle He chiefly insisted upon those words Grace be with you all so ending that Epistle and his Lectures together For upon the Lords day following he preached his last Sermon upon Joh. 1. 14. And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us and we â—eheld his Glory as of the onely begotten Son of the Father full of Grace and Peace Now he gave himself wholly to prepare for his dissolution making his Will and setting his house in order When he could no more be seen abroad all sorts Magistrates Ministers Neighbours and Friends afar off and those near at hand especially his own people resorted to him daily as to a publick Father When the neighbour Ministers visited him in which duty they were frequent he thanked them affectionately for their love exhorting them also as an Elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ to feed the Flock encouraging them that when the chief Shepherd shall appear they should receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away Finding himself to grow weak according to that of James he sent for the Elders of the Church of Boston to pray over him which last solemn duty being performed not without much affection and many tears Then as Polycarp a little before his death said That he had served Christ fourscore and six years neither had he ever offended him in any thing so he told them through Grace he had now served God forty years it being so long since his conversion throughout which time he had ever found him faithful to him and thereupon he took occasion to exhort them to the like effect that Paul sometime did the Elders of Ephesus a little before they were to see his face no more Take heed therefore to your selves and to all the Flock over wâ—ich the Lord hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Particularly he lamented that the love of many yea and some of their own Congregation was grown cold towards the publick Ordinances calling upon them so much the more for their watchfulness in that respect which done he thanked them for their loving and brotherly assistance to
him in their holy fellowship and commended them to the blessing of God His pious Consort and those Olive Plants that sate lately about his Table now gathered together about the Bed of a dying Husband and departing Father This was his last solemn transaction with man in this world Silver and Gold though he wanted not he had not much to give them but the blessing of a righteous Paâ—ent he left with them That Reverend and Godly man Mr. Wilson who excelleth in Love as Mr. Cotâ—on did in Light the faithful Pastor of that Church taking his last leave of him and most ardently praying unto God that he would lift up the light of his countenance upon him and shed his love into his soul he presently answered He hath done it already Brother His work now finished with all men perceiving his departure to be at hand and having nothing else to do but onely that great work of dying in the Lord he wholly composed and set himself for his dissolution desiring that he might be permitted to improve that little remnant of his life without impediment to his private Devotions and divine Soliloquies between God and his soul and for that end he caused the Curtains to be drawn and a Gentleman and Brother of that Congregation that was much with him and ministred to him in his sickness he caused to promise him that the Chamber should be kept private But a while after hearing the whispering of some brethren in the Room he called to that Gentleman saying Why do you break your word with me Not long after being mindful no doubt of that great helpfulness which he received from that aforementioned Brother throughout his visitation he left him with this farewel The God that made you and bought you with a great price redeem your body and soul unto himself These words were his last words after which he was not heard to speak but lying some hours speechless he quietly breathed out his spirit into the hands of him that gave it December 23. Anno Christi 1652. being entred into the Sixty eighth year of his Age. The Life and Death of Dr. Hill who dyed Anno Christi 1653. MR. Thomas Hill was born at Kingston in Worcestershire of Godly Parents and David accounted it his great honour and blessing to be the Son of Gods Handmaid Psal. 86. 16. His Parents dedicated him unto God from his Child-hood designing him to the work of the Ministry and in order thereunto they trained him up in School-learning in the Country and being there well fitted they sent him to Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge where the Rose was not cankered in the bud his youth not corrupted nor debauched as too many are But this morning like that 2 Sam. 23. 4. was without clouds not sullied with any noted miscarriage but on the contrary as it is said of Sampson when young that the Spirit of the Lord began then to move him Judg. 13. 25. So in his then sober and studious behaviour the Sun looked out betimes in that Summer morning and through Gods Grace otherwise than it oft falls out in nature he gave promising hopes of an after clearer day This being taken notice of by the Governours of the Colledge they thereupon after examination had chose him Scholar of the House he as his Saviour still growing in wisdome and stature and in favour with God and man And then after some good time spent in his private studies in the Colledge for his further perfecting and the more happy seasoning of his spirit he went and sojourned with that man of God now also with the Lord Mr. Cotton at Boston in Lincolnshire where by Gods rich blessing upon his most godly directions and example and the society he had with him and other eminent Christians in that place he was much improved and furthered as otherwise so especially in Heavens-way which happily went along with him to his journies end Upon his return from thence to the Colledge it was not long before he was chosen Fellow with general approbation though upon a most strict and double examination more I think than ever was in that Colledge before or hath been since though it still is and ever hath been according to the Statutes very strict and serious and which hath been blessed to be a special means of holding up true worth and learning in that happy Society And now through Gods good hand of providence leading and strengthning him he proved a diligent painful and successful Tutor of very many Pupils and divers of them persons of quality who since have proved great blessings both to the Church and Commonwealth And thus as he was before a pattern to young Schollars so after he was a Tutor no diligence was wanting whereby he might be instrumental to Gods Glory and the good of those who were committed to his charge But this our wise Master-builder satisfied not himself as a Tutor in polishing of builders but as a faithful and painful Minister he laboriously endeavoured to square other lively stones for Gods Temple 1 Pet. 2. 5. and so as he read to Schollars in the Colledge he also diligently and conscionblâ— preached to a neighbour Congregation St. Andrews in the Town so that many poor souls long after had cause to bless God for him Nor was he an Hireling to flye when the Wolf came but when the Plague in this time of his Ministry raged in the Town he still continued with them in his Ministerial employment the better Shepherd he who not onely fed the sound but also healed and bound up the torn and weak of the flock This Alabaster Box of precious oyntment thus powred out filled the whole house with its odour and the sweet fragrancy of it did spread abroad so that now he came to be more taken notice of by many both great and good men and so by some of eminent worth and honour he was called to the Pastoral charge of Tichmersh in Northamptonshire where he laboured faithfully in Gods Harvest for the space of about eight or nine years and partly by preaching and conversing up and down with others but especially with his own Parochial charge he proved a great blessing not onely to that Town but also to the whole Country in every place where he came spreading a good savour and leaving it behinde him During the time of his being at Tichmersh he sometimes repaired to Warwick Castle to that Noble Robert Lord Brook who highly esteemed him and in whose Family he grew acquainted with Mrs. Mary Wilford at that time Governess to the Lady Frances Rich a young Lady of rare parts Daughter to the Right Honourable Robert Earle of Warwick and mutual affections growing betwixt them he was married to her who since his death was re-married to the Reverend learned and pious Dr. Tuckney Master of St. Johns Colledge and Regius Professor in Cambridge my much honoured friend so that she hath
his Family he was very exemplary His house was another Bethel for he did not onely constantly upon conscientious principles use morning and evening Prayer and reading the sacred Scriptures in his Family but also he catechized his children and servants wherein God gave him a singular gift for their edification for in teaching them he used not any set form but so as that he brought them whom he instructed to express the principles taught them in their own words so that his children as Gregory Nazianzen saith of his Father found him as well a spiritual as a natural Father Yea never any servant came to his house but gained a great deal of knowledge therein So likewise did diverse others who at the request of their Parents were instructed by him He was in a special manner a strict and conscionable sanctifier of the Lords day and that not onely in the exercise of publick duties incumbent upon his Office but also in the private sanctification of it in the duties of piety in and with his Family and secret in his Closet and for this end as he did forbear providing of Suppers the Eve before the Sabbath that servants might not be occasioned thereby to sit up late so neither would he suffer any servant to stay at home for dressing any meat upon the Lords day for the entertainment of friends whether they were great or mean few or many On the Sabbaths after his publick labours were ended divers Neighbours wanting helps in their own Families came to his house where he repeated his Sermons after so familiar a manner that many have professed that they were much more benefited by them in that his repetition than they were in the first hearing of them for he did not use word by word to read out of Notes what he had preached but would by Questions and Answers draw from those of his own houshold such points as were delivered and this Exercise being ended his constant course was to visit such of his Parish as were sick or by pain and weakness were dis-inabled to go to the publick Ordinances with each of whom he would discourse of some spiritual and heavenly subject suitable to their condition and after that he prayed with them wherein he had a more than ordinary gift being able in apt words and expressions to commend their several cases unto God and to put up Petitions suitable to their several needs His usual course was to pray eight times in the publick Congregation on the Lords dayes for as he prayed before and after each Sermon so also before and after his reading and expounding the Scriptures which he performed both in the forenoon and afternoon And in his Family his constant course was to pray thrice every Lords day and that in a solemn manner viz. in the morning and evening and after his repetition of the Sermons He was ordained Minister in the two and thirtieth year of his age and about a year after which was in June 1608. he was called to the exercise of his Ministry in the Parish of Black-Friars London where he continued to his dying day which was about five and forty years and six months never accepting of any other Ministerial imployment though he had the proffers of many great places His manner of coming to Black-Friars was thus That Parish being destitute of a preaching Minister Mr. Hildersam a famous pious powerful Preacher being in company with some of the better sort of the Inhabitants of Black-Friars who complained of their want he told them that there was one living in Stratford-Bow who was out of imployment whom he judged very fit for them Hereupon divers of them went thither on the Lords day where he frequently preached gratis to help the Minister that then was there and upon hearing of him they liked him so well that making report thereof to their neighbours he was by an un animous consent nemine contradicente chosen to be their Minister which election being made known to him he accepted of it and ever after shewed a great respect to the Inhabitants of that place Before Mr. Gouge came to them they had not so much as a Church of their own to meet and hear the word of God in nor any place wherein to bury their dead but by such means as he used the Church and Church-porch together with the Ministers house and Church-yard all which they enjoyed before but upon curtesie were bought in so as now they all as their proper Inheritance do belong to the Parish of Black-Friars And five years after his coming thither the old Church being found too little to entertain those multitudes that flocked thither from all parts of the City to hear him he was an instrument of purchasing in certain rooms adjoyning whereby the Church was enlarged almost as big again as it was before The sum of purchasing new building and beautifying of which Church amounted to above one thousand five hundred pounds all which was procured partly by Collections at his Lectures and partly by the voluntaâ—y contributions of his Parishoners without any publick Collections in other places After this there being divers rooms under the said Church belonging to several Land-lords he used such means as to purchase them also for the benefit of the Parish which he did the rather to prevent all dangers that by wicked minded persons might have befaln Gods people in that Church by any contrivance in the rooms under the same Thus they who had nothing of their own at his first coming have now through his procurement the whole Church the Church-porch a Church-yard a Vault to bury their dead in a very fair Vestry with other adjacent rooms besides the house wherein he himself dwelt so long as he lived all which they hold as a perpetual Inheritance They have also a Lease of certain Tenements of a considerable value for three hundred years all which were procured by his Prudence Interest and Industry Such was his love and respect to this Parish as though he was oft proffered places of far greater value yet he refused them all oft saying That the height of his ambition was to go from Black-Friers to Heaven At his first coming to Black-Friers being in the thirty third year of his age he preached constantly besides twice every Lords day a weekly Lecture viz. on the Wednesdayes in the forenoon which for the space of about thirty five years was very much frequented and that not only by his Parishioners but by divers City Ministers and by sundry pious and judicious Gentlemen of the Innes of Court besides many other well-disposed Citizens who in multitudes flocked to hear his heavenly Doctrine yea such was the fame of Dr. Gouge his Ministry that when any Country Ministers and godly Christians came to London about their affairs they thought not their business fully ended unless they had been at Black-Friers Lecture And it pleased God to give such a
spoken came to him in private and asked him whether he meant this of the Ministry of England as now constituted He returned him this answer Although I will not justifie the calling of every individual Minister in the Church of England as you dare not justifie the Saintship of every member in your Independent Congregations yet I will be ready when and where you please to maintain the Office and Calling of Englands Ministry at this day And that he continued unmoved and unchanged in his judgement and esteem of the Ministerial Calling to the last may be manifested by this passage in his last Will and Testament which is here set down in his own words and written with his own hand For my Son Jeremiah my desire is that he be bred a Scholar and that the Lord would spiritually incline his heart freely to give up himself to the Lord to serve him in the work of the Ministry which Calling and Imployment though now despised I do esteem above all others in the world and do commend it to all mine that if the Lord bless them with Sons they would commend this Calling to their Posterity And truly this deserves seriously to be considered whether there be not herein much to credit and encourage the Ministry of the Gospel that a learned man and so eminent for piety who also had throughly studied the Controversie of the times and had heard and read what could be said against the Ministry should yet upon his Death-bed give such a Testimony unto it when he daily expected to make up his account before God and also give such great encouragement to his Posterity to addict themselves to this calling now even now when such disgrace is cast upon it and when the Ministers setled maintenance is threatned to be taken from them And may not those men who knew Mr. Whitakers worth be hereby awed and moved to take heed how they oppose or slight that Calling of men whom he living and dying judged to be so highly honoured by God himself To this also adde that it was an Ordained Ministry which he thus valued which appears by these two lively Testimonies 1. In that he joyned with that Classis whereof he was a member in Ordaining of Ministers 2. In that he had an hand in the Book not long since published by the Province of London in the defence of such a Ministry not onely by his assent to it but also by his assistance in drawing it up As Mr. Whitaker loved God dearly so God loved him which he manifested by those grace wherewithall he enriched him and truly love tokens are real Messengers of his love that sendeth them and what surer signs can we have of Gods love then when he bestows upon us the Graces of his Holy Spirit Now of these the Lord had given him a more than ordinary measure and besides what hath been said before there were five Graces more which were very Orient and shining in his Crown 1. His tenderness of heart Who ever knew a man of a more melting frame of heart before God whether in Confessions Petitions or Thanksgivings Is there any one living that can say that I have at sometimes joyned with him in Prayer and he shed no tears How did his own sinfulness though it was no more than the ordinary imperfections of the fairest Saint upon earth the evils of the times and the testimonies of Gods displeasure breaking out upon us break his heart into pieces We may truly believe that for the space many years he did never come off from the serious consideration of these things with dry eyes and how many thousands be there of Gods children that would account it a sign of much love from Christ if they could finde such thawings in their frozen breasts 2. His meekness of spirit with which precious Jewel he was richly adorned Who ever saw him transported by passion on a fire through foolish anger or disgused by discontent Though his zeal would waxe hot and burn in him for God and his Glory yet he was a man of a cool spirit and meek like Moses in all his own concernments and this he hath often manifested in a remarkable manner when disputing with men of dissenting Principles and opinions yet his spirit was so even that their unhandsome provocations could not discompose him and drive him into passion 3. For his Patience he may well be called a second Job Many who saw him under those racking pains in his last sickness so frequently reiterated and so long continued were confident that God did put him and keep him in his Furnace to be a pattern of patience unto Posterity It is confessed that he did roar many times till his throat was dry but who ever heard him speak any one word of murmuring or discontent because of Gods afflicting Providence He himself indeed would sometimes through tenderness of conscience charge himself of impatiency because he made a noise in his extremity but that expressed onely Natures sensibleness not sinful frowardnes and when accusing himself causelesly he was minded of Christs roarings yet free from all sin he would be silent I confess indeed that in his desires to be dissolved he would take up Jobs complaint Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery and life unto the bitter in soul which long for death but it cometh not and dig for it more than for hid treasures c. For my sighing cometh before I eat and my roarings are powred out like waters Job 3. 20 24. But he alwayes concluded with submission to the good pleasure of God When he had been asked how he did this was frequently his answer The Bush alwayes burning but not consumed and though my pains be above the strength of nature yet they are not above the supports of Grace 4. The Lord was pleased to vouchsafe him such a measure of the Spirit of Grace and Supplications that his soul was never out of tune for that service Most of his words when he was under torment were holy complaints and prayers to God It will not be impertinent or unprofitable if I here set down some of them O my God help Father of mercies pity Do not contend for ever Consider my frame that I am but dust My God that hath made Heaven and earth help me Oh give me patience and inflict what thou wiâ—t If my patience was more my pain would be less Dear Saviour where are thy bowels why dost thou make me an astonishment to my self and others Why dost thou cover thy self with a thick cloud that our prayers cannot pass Blessed is the man that endureth temptation Lord this is a sad temptation stand by me and say It is enough Am I not thy servant Consider Lord that I am thy servant O these bitter waters of Marah Lord drop sweet comfort into these bitter water of Marah O the blood of sprinkling Lord the blood of sprinkling Lord That
Who did so meekly entertain all three Thus many Deaths Gods Israel did inclose The Sea before behinde a Sea of Foes On either side the jaws of Mountains high No way from Death but unto Death to flye Not to destroy them but to let them see The power of love which then would set them free Thus Jobs four Messengers which did relate The doleful story of his ruin'd state And his three Friends which acted Satans part He on his flesh and these upon his heart Who by disputing him unto a curse Would make his spirits torments the far worse Were by Gods wise disposal sent to show The strength he on his Champion would bestow Thus Painters put dark grounds where they intend To overlay with finest gold and lend By deeper shadows lustre to that face On which they mean their choisest skill to place Thus workmen season much with Sun and wind Those greatest beams which must the building binde Whilst smaller pieces haply are put in When they come bleeding from the wood and green Oft where is greatest grace God's pleas'd to send Great conflicts those great Graces to commend As the six-fingred Giants sword did bring The more renown to little Davids sling The vanquisht Lion and the conquered Bear Prepar'd that holy Head a Crâ—wn to wear The Angel wrestled first and then did bless And made the greater servant to the less Pain was too great for thee Gods grace for pain And made the greater serve the less again Thy pains serv'd thee for glory and did fit The Head on which a Crown of life must sit This is Gods method to fetch joy from grief To turn our sorrows unto our relief To save by killing and to bring to shore By the ships planks which was quite broke before And thus a barren womb first took the seed Which did six hundred thousand people breed That seed too must from knife and Altar rise And be before a fire a Sacrifice Great Preacher of thy Heavenly Fathers will Thy tongue did many ears with Manna fill Thy life out-preach't thy tongue O blessed strife Thy sickness the best Sermon of thy life Before each Doctrine must be prov'd a new Thine end was one great proof that all was true Before thou preach't by weeks but now by hours Each minute taught thy mourning Auditors Each patient groan and each believing eye Was a new Sermon in Brachygraphy When Nature roars without repining words Grace in the mouth when in the Bowels swords In midst of torments to triumph o're Hell To feel Gods Arrows yet his Praises tell Through thickest clouds to see the brightest light In blackest darkness to have cleerest sight And with our Lord to cry My God My God Upon a Cross under the sharpest Rod. This is indeed to preach this is to show Faiths triumph over Natures greatest wo. Then welcome fiery Serpents scorching sting Which did thee thus to th' Brazen Serpent bring Then welcome Whale which though it first devour Renders at last the Prophet to the shore Well might'st thou bear the stone which Death did throw Who had'st the white Stone the new Name to show Well might'st thou be with such an ulcer calm Whose soul was heal'd before with Heavens Balm When spirits wounds are cur'd though Nature groan An heart of flesh can heal a back of stone Let conscience have her feast and let flesh roar This pain shall make the others joy the more As many times those Flowers most fragrant smell Which nearest to some noysome weeds do dwell Thus have you seen the Forge most clearly glow On which the Smith doth drops of water throw Keen Frosts make fire the hotter and deep night Causeth Celestial Lamps to shine more bright And by a dear Antiperistasis The Childs distress sweetens the Fathers kiss A wounded body yeelds to a sound soul The joyes of this do th' others pains controle As in the day that the Sun beams appear All other lesser Stars do disappear When Heaven shines and Divine love doth reign The soul is not at leasure to complain Internal joyes his heart so well composes That they have judg'd their flames a bed of Roses Mr. Gataker Mr. Whitaker But what shall England do from whence are lopt Two if her richest Acres to Heaven dropt By loss of these two Acres she 's more poor Then if sh 'had lost an hundred Lordships more 'T were a good purchase to gain these agen By giving to the Sea all Lincoln Fen. Two little Mines of Gold do far surpass Huge Mannors where th' whole vesture is but grass Learn we by them what all men will once say One Pearch of Heaven 's worth the whole Globe of clay ED. REYNOLDS D. D. The Life and Death of James Vsher Dr. of Divinity Arch-Bishop of Armagh Primate and Metropolitan of all Ireland who dyed Anno Christi 1655. ALexander the Great commanded that no man should draw his Picture but Apelles the most exquisite Painter in the world and that his Statue should not be made in brass by any one but Lysippus the most excellent Work-man in that kinde So truly the Life and Death of this great and good man is fit to be written only by the ablest Pen that can be found Dr. JAMES USHER James Usher was born in Dublin the Metropolis of Ireland in the Parish of St. Nicholas January the 4 Anno Christi 1580. His Father Mr. Arnald Usher was a student in the Law one of the Clerks of the Chanchery in that Nation and a person of excellent parts and endowments His Mother was Mrs. Margaret Stainhurst who in her later time was seduced by some of the Popish Priests to the Roman Religion they taking their opportunity whilst this her Son was upon some occasion in England and they by their subtilty had engaged her in such vows that when her Son came back he could not possibly reclaim her which they have often boasted of in Print yet her Sons hope was at least upon her Death bed to have prevailed for the reducing of her to the Truth But it pleased God that she dyed suddenly at Drogheda when he was absent at Dublin whereby to his no small grief those his hopes were frustrated and disappointed His Grandfather by his Mothers side was James Stainhurst whose Christian name he bore who was chosen three times Speaker of the House of Commons in the Irish Parliaments in the last whereof he made the first motion for the founding and erecting of a College and University in the City of Dublin He was also Recorder of that City one of the Masters of the Chancery and a man of great wisdome and integrity His Uncle was Richard Stainhurst a man famous in France and other Nations for his great learning which he manifested in several Books published by him one of them when he was eighteen years old between whom and this Reverend person there passed many learned Letters His Uncle by his Fathers side was Henry Usher who was trained up at
Cambridge and proved a prudent and learned man He was afterwards Arch-Deacon of Dublin at which time he was first sent over into England to Queen Elizabeth and the Council with a Petition for preserving the Cathedral of St. Patricks Dublin from being dissolved wherein he prevailed the fruits whereof this his Nephew reaped afterwards being made Chancellor of it and receiving his subsistence from it for many years The second time he was sent over by the Council of Ireland to Queen Elizabeth to procure her Patent for the founding of a College and University in Dublin wherein he prevailed also So that the College of which this worthy person was the first fruits had its being from his Grandfathers motion and his Uncles industry He had a brother named Ambrose Usher who though he dyed young yet was a man of excellent parts very skilful in the Oriental Languages who had translated the Old Testament from the beginning to the Book of Job out of the Hebrew into English which is still preserved under his own hand but upon the coming forth of the New Translation in King James his time he desisted from making any further progress therein Our James was taught first to read by two of his Aunts who were blinde from their Cradles and so never saw letters yet were they admirably versed in the sacred Scriptures being able suddenly to have given a good account of any part of the Bible At eight years old he was sent to the Grammar School where he had the happiness to meet with two excellent Schoolmasters Sir James Fullerton afterwards Leger Ambassador in France and Sir James Hamilton afterwards Lord Viscount Clandeboise who was Usher of the School These two learned men were sent over by King James out of Scotland upon an other design though they were disguised in this imployment And indeed they came very opportunely by the good hand of Gods Providence for this youths founding in learning at such a time when there was a great defect of learned Schoolmasters which he often acknowledged as a special mercy of God to him therein At ten years old was the first time that he could remember to have found in himself any evidences of his saving conversion unto God which was instrumentally wrought by a Sermon which he heard preached upon Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God c. About the same time also meeting with some notes taken from famous Mr. Perkins his Works being not then printed concerning the sanctification of the Lords day proved through Gods blessing so effectual with him that ever after he was the more strict in the observing of it About the same time also he read over St. Augustines Meditations which so affected him that he wept often in the reading of them This young yet hopeful plant thus inuring and accustoming himself to secret duties in his tender years the Devil that grand enemy of our salvation thinking to nip him in the bud assaulted him with divers terrours and affrightments both sleeping and waking hoping thereby to discourage and take him off from the same But he with St. Paul betook himself to prayer with earnestness to be delivered from these Satanical delusions and assaults and at last was heard in that which he feared by being freed from them and strengthened against them with more than ordinary courage and comfort which made such an impression in him as that he could not forget it to his old age The Devil now finding that he could not be affrighted out of his course of godliness made use of another engine which was to allure him with the bait of pleasure some of his friends teaching him to play at Cards wherewith he was so much delighted that it began to prevail over his love to his book yea it came in competition with his love to God and care to serve him which being seasonably by Gods Spirit discovered to him he presently gave it over and never played afterwards At twelve years old he was so affected with the study of Chronology and Antiquity that reading over Sleidans Book of the four Empires and some other Authors he drew forth an exact Series of the times wherein each eminent person lived and during the time of his abode at School which was five years he was throughly instructed in Grammar Rhetorick and Poetry wherein he so excelled and with which he was so delighted that he was fain to take himself off lest it should have hindred him from more serious studies At thirteen years of age he was admitted into the College of Dublin being the first Student that was initiated into it and as it seems it was so ordered upon design by the Governours thereof upon their observation of his pregnancy and rare parts that it might be a future honour to the College to have his name recorded in the Frontispiece of their Admission Book and so accordingly he was the first Graduate the first Fellow the first Proctor c. At the same time Sir James Hamilton hitherto Usher of the School was chosen Fellow of the College and thereby became his Tutor who oft-times admired his accuteness and proficiency whereby in a short time he equalized his Instructers Here he first began to study the Greek and Hebrew Languages in both which he afterwards excelled and made himself in a little time Master of the Arts most of which he modelled in a method of his own especially that of Musick At this time the education and helps which that College afforded were very eminent For though at first there were but four Fellows yet the Tongues and Arts were very exactly taught to all the Students who were divided into several Classes Each Tutor read Aristotles Text in Greek to his Pupils yea each Fellow read three Lectures a day at each of which there was a Disputation maintained either upon the present or the precedent Lecture and sometimes they were ordered to dispute More Socratico On Saturdayes in the afternoon each Tutor read a Divinity Lecture in Latine to his Pupils dictating it as they did all other their Lectures so deliberately that they might easily write after them to their great benefit and advantage At fourteen years old he was judged fit and admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and his usual custome was the afternoon before to retire himself in private and to spend it in a strict self-examination and deep humiliation for all his sins wherein he had such enlargements of heart that a stream of tears flowed from his eyes which afterwards he oft recalled to minde both as a provocation and censure of himself When he was of elder years there was a certain plâ—ce by a water side whither he oft resorted sorrowfully to survey his sins and with floods of tears to confess and bewail them wherein he found so much sweetness and communion with God that he thirsted for such comfortable
Protestants also must have born some share To consider hereof a great Assembly of Papists and Protestants of the whole Nation was appointed in the Lord Deputy Faulklands time The place of their meeting was in the Hall of the Castle in Dublin At which time the Bishops by our Lord Primates invitation met at his house where he and they drew up and unanimously subscribed a Protestation against the Toleration of Popery A Copy whereof because it deserves perpetual remembrance is here inserted The Judgement of the Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland concerning the Toleration of Popery which is applicable also against the Toleration of other Heresies The Religion of the Papists is Superstitious and Idolatrous their Faith and Doctrine erroneous and Heretical their Church in respect of both Apostatical To give them therefore a Toleration or to consent that they may freely exercise their Religion and profess their Faith and Doctrine is a grievous sin and that in two respects For 1. It is to make our selves accessary not onely to their Superstitions Idolatries Heresies and in a word to all the abominations of Popery but also which is a consequent of the former to the perdition of the seduced people which perish in the Deluge of the Catholick Apostacy 2. To grant them a Toleration in respect of any money to be given or contribution to be made by them is to set Religion to sale and with it the souls of the People whom Christ our Saviour hath redeemed with his most precious blood And as it is a great sin so also a matter of most dangerous consequence the consideration whereof we commend to the Wise and Juditious Beseeching the Zealous God of Truth to make them who are in Authority zealous or Gods glory and of the advancement of true Religion zealous resolute and couragious against all Popery Superstition and Idolatry Amen Ja. Armachanus Mal. Cashlen Anth. Medensis Tho. Hernes Laghlin Ro. Dunensis c. Georg. Derens. Rich. Cork Cloyne Rosses Andr. Alachadens Tho. Kilmore Ardagh Theo. Dromore Mic. Waterford Lysm Fran. Lymerick This Judgement of the Bishops Dr. George Downham Bishop of Derry at the next meeting of the Assembly which was April the 23 1627 published at Christ Church before the Lord Deputy and Council in the middest of his Sermon with this preamble viz. Are not many amongst us for gain and outward respects willing and ready to consent to a Toleration of false Religions thereby making themselves guilty of a great offence in putting to sale not onely their own souls but also the souls of others But what is to be thought of Toleration of Religion I will not deliver my own private opinion but the judgement of the Archbishops and Bishops of this Kingdome which I think good to publish unto you that whasoever shall happen the world may know that we were far from consenting to those favours which the Papists expect After he had published it the people gave their votes with a generall acclamation crying Amen The judgements of the Bishops prevailed so much with the Protestants that now the Proposals drove on very heavily and after much debate of things the L. Deputy finding the discontents of both parties encreasing desired our Lord Primate as the fittest person both in regard of his esteem in the Assembly and being a member of the Council and therefore concerned in promoting of the Kings business to sum up the state of things and to move them to an absolute grant of some competency that might comply with the Kings necessities without any such conditions with which upon their answer he would cease moving any further which upon very little warning he did with much prudence according to his double capacity of a Privy Counsellour and a Bishop A copy of which Speech desired of him by the Lord Deputy was immediately transmitted into England But it not being prevalent with the Assembly to induce them to supply the Kings wants it was dissolved Not long after the Lord Deputy Falkland being called back into England when he was to take Boat at the water side he reserved our Lord Primate as the last person to take his leave of and fell upon his knees on the sands and begged his blessing which reverend respect shewed to him gained a greater reputation to himself both in Ireland and England and indeed from his younger years the several Lord Deputies had alwayes a great esteem of him It was no small labour to him to answer those many Letters which came to him from forreign parts and our own Nations upon several occasions some for resolution of difficulties in Divinity others about Cases of Conscience and practical subjects Twelve of the most eminent Divines in London who at his being here were wont to apply themselves to him as to a Father as Dr. Sibbs Dr. Preston c. between whom and him there were most entire affections wrote to him for his directions about a Body of practical Divinity which he returned them accordingly He much endeavoured the augmentation of the maintenance of the Ministery in Ireland and for that end he had obtained a Patent for Impropriations to be passed in his name for their use as they should fall but it was too much neglected by themselves whereby his desires were frustrated He preached every Lords day in the forenoon never failing unless he was disabled by sickness in which he spent himself very much In the afternoons his directions to Dr. Bernard his assistant were that before publick Prayers he should Catechize the youth and that after the first and second Lesson he should spend half an hour in a brief and plain opening the Principles of Religion in the publick Catichisme and therein he directed him to go first through the Creed at once giving but the sum of each Article the next time to go through it at thrice and afterwards to take each time one Article as they might be more able to bear it and to observe the like proportionably in the Ten Commandements the Lords Prayer and the Doctrine of the Sacraments The good fruit of which was apparent in the common people upon their coming to the Communion at which time by ordeâ— the receivers were to send in their names and some account was constantly taken of their fitness for it His order throughout his Diocess to the Ministers was that they should go through the Body of Divinity once a year which he had accordingly drawn out into fifty heads When any publick Fast was enjoyned he kept it very strictly preaching alwayes first himself and therein continuing at least two hours in a more than ordinary manner enlarging himself in prayer the like was done by those that assisted him in the duty His expences for Books was very great especially whilst he enjoyed the revenues of his Archbishoprick a certain part whereof he laid aside yearly for that end but especially for the purchasing of Manuscripts and other Rarities
his death besides very considerable summes extraordinary All that knew him found him very communicative not onely of his studies for the advantage of their mindes but of part of his stipend for the relief of their bodies and indeed in works of charity he more needed a bridle than a spur He was not so severe in his judgement about Episcopacy as to disown other Reformed Churches but declared that he loved and honoured them as true members of the Church universal and was ready for the Ministers of Holland France â— to testifie his Communion with them He was a man of a most exemplary moderation meekness humility and ingenuity Anno 1641 he drew up an Expedient to accommodate some of our differences in Ecclesiastical Affairs which some moderate men of both parties were ready to subscribe But in matters of Doctrine for the substantials it was often his charge that Ministers should not preach any thing as to please men but God who hath put them in trust 1 Thess. 2. 4. For such as seek to please men are not the servants of Christ Gal. 1. 10. And in defence of those truths no man was more resolute and constant than he not giving place by way of subjection no not for an hour Gal. 2. 5. but in circumstantials he thought it to be our duty with St. Paul to please all men and not our in all such things 1 Cor. 10. 31. to edification and concord He was in these things alwayes the same holding fast the form of sound words in Doctrine and practice to the last The night before he left London Oh! the humble expressions he used of his own unworthiness demeaning himself as if he had been the least of Saints which he uttered with many tears He wished those about him to prepare for afflictions and trials which he was perswaded were not far from them Having abode at London one and fifty dayes for so it was punctually noted by himself in a Book it being his custome with David so to number his dayes both for the place where and the manner how he spent them he returned to Rygate Feb. 13. 1655 to the Countess of Peterboroughs March the 20 following was the first day of his sickness upon which day as every day he had been well busied Most part of it as long as he had light he had spent at his study proceeding in his Chronologia sacra clearing all the doubts in his Annals of the Bible in which he had gone as far as to the Book of Judges where the last words he wrote were these Hic praeterea notandum but returned not to make any further progress From his study he went to visit a sick Gentlewoman in that Family and prescribed to her most excellent preparatives for death with other most holy advice in practical matters in which he spent three quarters of an hour but in such an heavenly manner as if like Moses upon Mount Nebo his eyes had been strengthened to take a prospect of the heavenly Canaan That night about eight a clock he first complained of his hip judging it to be a spice of the Sciatica which he had been troubled with about five and thirty years before contracted by sitting up late in the College Library at Dublin but by the application of an ointment he was presently eased of that pain so that he took some rest that night In the morning he complained of a great pain in his side whereupon a Physitian was sent for who used such means as he judged fit for him but the pain continuing and his spirits decaying he wholly addicted himself to prayer only upon the abating of the torment he advised those about him in health to prepare for sickness and death that then they might have nothing else to do but to dye and after a short settlement of the things of this world he took great content in his approaching death A Minister there present assisted him with his prayers but afterwards he desired to be left to his own private The last words he was heard to utter which was about one a clock in the afternoon and a little before his death were these praying for the forgiveness of his sins he added But Lord in special forgive my sins of Omission Herein he had his wish which he often used that he might dye as holy Mr. Perkins did which expired with crying for mercy and forgiveness But did he pray for pardon of his sins of Omission and yet he was a person that was never known to omit an hour but was alwayes imployed in his Masters business either in preaching reading writing or hearing others as of late to read to him either resolving doubts or exhorting instructing and counselling such as came to visit him yet did he dye with this humble expression Lord forgive my sins of Omission A speech that may give us all matter of solemn meditation and imitation March the 21. Anno Christi 1655 this glorious Sun set and from earth was translated to Heaven having been Primate of Ireland just one and thirty years and a Preacher five and fifty years and having lived about seventy five years What he had to leave was only his Library and divers imperfect Copies of his intended Works which death prevented his finishing of The Lord Protector as he was then called gave him an honourable burial at the publick charge in the Chappel of Henry the seventh at Westminster and extended to his what was before intended for himself in the grant of some of the Lands belonging to the Primacy of Armagh for the terme of one and twenty years He was highly admired and much honoured by all the famous Lights of his time through the Christian world Spanhemius Divinity-Professor at Geneva Anno Christi 1639 in his Epistle Dedicatory to him before his third Part Dubiorum Evangelicorum spends above two leaves in extolling him Some of his expressions are Your very great parts Most excellent Usher are known not onely within your own Country but in ours and wheresoever else there is honour given to Piety or price set upon learning c. He speaks much of his Charity to strangers his Humility Piety Works his Library of which he made such use for the publick good that it was not so much his own as the Library of all learned men In a word saith he the name of Usher with us is a name of Piety and Vertue it is of great Renowne at our Geneva c. Gerard Vossius frequently admires him as a man of vast learning worthy of an everlasting Monument The high merits saith he of this most excellent and throughout most learned man both of the Church and of the whole Commonwealth of Learning deserve an everlasting grateful memory A man so excelling in the knowledge both of Humane and Divine things that I cannot speak any thing so high of him but his worth doth surpass it Bochartus and Simplicius call
be too much taken up with quaint and Historicall flourishes there is a sensible decay of the power of God amongst us An Exotick or strange tongue in the publick Congregation whatever men think of it is set out as a sign of Gods displeasure 1 Cor. 14. 21 22. It feeds such humors as should rather be purged out It had no good effect in the Church of Corinth Mens wits will waxe wanton when they be not over-awed by the plain power of Gods Word When Preachers keep not close to the very words of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 6. 3. and to the Doctrine that is according to godliness but love to be tampering with another Doctrine though not with another in the main but even in the manner of delivery only as when it savours too much of the pomp of humane eloquence saith Calvin when it differs from the stile of the Holy Ghost saith Danaeus the people be in danger of turning aside to vain jangling to perverse disputings desiring to be teachers and such like matters The Gold upon the Pill may please the eye but it profits not the patient The Paint upon the Glass may feed the fancy but the room is the darker for it The Sword of Gods Spirit can never wound so deep as when it 's plucked out of these gaudy Scabbards Nakedness deforms too too many in these dayes but it is the best garnishing and Ornament the truth can have A sober dress best becomes a grave Matron There be words as well as things which the Holy Ghost teacheth 1 Cor. 2. 13. The Arrows fetched out of Gods own Quiver will pierce the deepest and make the people fall the soonest under Christ. The weakness of God is stronger than men Pauls weapons were mighty The sincere milk of Gods Word will make Christs Babes to grow best This curious age is too too much given to the affectation of words and phrases and cadencies and holy Dr. Sibs was wont to say that great affectation and good affections seldome goe together The swelling words of vanity may tickle the ear tip the tongue and please in matters of discourse but when it comes to push of Pike they afford but little comfort Mr. Capel had another manner of wisdome than that of words He was an able Minister of the New Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit that hath given doth give and will give life 2 Cor. 3. 6. Having this hope then he used great plainness of speech and by the manifestation of the truth he commended himself to every mans conscience in the sight of God and thereby hath so well seasoned the Country where he lived that the fruit of it without doubt will remain and be seen many years after His Prayers were lively and fervent He was a man that had a very large measure of that Spirit of grace which is a Spirit of Supplication He was so well fitted with abilities to open his mind to God as if with blessed Bradford he had been almost ever upon his knees He could tell his own errand or any other mans at the Throne of grace with as good freedome and to as good purpose as any man living He would not be rash with his mouth when he came before God nor set out what he had to say there with painted eloquence or Court-like complement but his mouth used to be filled with such savoury Arguments as very well became an humble Suppliant He was far from those battologies and miserable extravagancies that too many prayers are stuffed with He would pour out his soul to God at all manner of times upon all manner of occasions with all manner of Prayer and Supplication and with that admirable variety of all sorts of quickening and feeling meditations that it would even ravish the hearts of those who had the happiness to be partakers with him therein Yet for all this he was clear in his opinion for the lawfulness of the use of set Forms of Prayer according to the tenet of all our best and most judicious Divines and according to the practice of all Churches even the best reformed saith Mr. Rogers now and in all former ages So saith Mr. Hildersam yea and Mr. Smith himself saith upon the Lords Prayer though as then he was warping and afterwards wandred far in the wayes of Separation that it was the practice of the ancient Church and of all the Reformed Churches in Christendome of the Churches immediately after the Apostles nay saith he of the Church in the time of the Apostles as may probably be gathered out of 1 Cor. 14. 26. This hath also been the practice of the best lights that ever were set up in the Churches of Christ. It is very well known that the flower of our own Divines went on in this way when they might have done otherwise if they had pleased in their Prayers before their Sermons Nay Mr. Dod himself would seldome end his devotions in his own Family but with the use of the Lords Prayer Nay yet more Mr. Cartwright Hist. Christ. p. 3. p. 535. thinks it very probable that Christ his own self made use of a set Form at meales It is not good to cast stones of offence in the way of our weak Brethren who being of meaner parts want ability memory and audacity to conceive Prayer especially before others that they be not taken off from nor disheartened in this so comfortable and necessary a service of God nor may we lay a trap or snare for our own feet Who knoweth what times may pass over him If God should plunge us into the Ditch and leave us labouring in the noose the loftiest of us all may be faign to take relief from and to make use of these poor contemptible props and crutches as some deem and call them When the soul is so troubled that it cannot speak but Chatter only like a Crane and Swallow Psal. 77. 4. When it is so full of grief that it can do no more than sigh and groan and make a confused noise as Psal. 55. 2. it will then be glad to catch at any thing to give it self vent by Dr. Harris tells us of a second Bradford that in time of his distress was fain to adopt Mr. Bradfords words and to spread them before God as his own because he had said more for him as he thought than he could say for himself I knew saith mine Author a rare and eminent Divine indeed that would be as often upon his knees as any man that ever I conversed with that would sometimes be in such damps that had no more to set before God to give his heart ease by than the words of David in the one and fiftieth Psalm Well might then this knowing Divine of ours that had been so tossed with tempests be tender of that that might be so usefull for poor trembling hearts in a stormy day Get to God therefore as thou canst Sad judgements be upon our people Spirituall
improper in matters of Religion they savour of singularity breed rents and divisions between Preachers and people and take off the minde from things more essential Learned men have observed that Hereticks gat great advantage by the unwary speeches of the Fathers Some of Calvins expressions that were not so well pondered have done no great good to some in our times Nestorius fell into his Heresie by defending an improper speech of his and Eutyches thinking to mend it fell into the other extream Dr. Thomas Tailor speaks much to this point to very good purpose in his Progress to Holiness p. 134 135 154. and concludes that if we will keep the faith of our Fathers we must keep the words of our Fathers Our Mr. Capel was a man of a single heart He was with Jacob Gen. 25. 27. a plain man i. e. A downright honest man as the Original signifies A very Nathaniel an Isralite indeed Joh. 1. 47. in whom though there was some infirmity yet there was no guile He had much of the wisdome that is from above and was as far from Hypocrisie as most men living If all others were of his temper Momus had no need to complain of the want of a window into any mans breast He was what he was indeed and in truth without dissimulation He was very high in his conformity to those Primitive Christians Act. 2. 46. and left a brave President to all that would be what they should be in this particular We of this doubting and deceitful Generation had need to look about us and see what was here set before us in very legible Characters that we may learn to be more above board in our dealings We are faln into an age like that of the Prophets wherein every one hath too much of the Hypocrite We may well cry Help Lord for the faithful fail with a double Heart and double tongue do they speak The most be for all Tides and Times as mutable as the Weather-cock For any manner of Mode so as they can serve their own turns by it Some can be any thing but what they should be We have need to beware of men where every brother will supplant The Hypocrite with his mouth destroyes his Neighbour Prov. 11. 9. It is indeed good to be wise as Serpents but withall we should be innocent as Doves Though it be just with God that the deceiver shall be deceived and some like it well yet is it not just in those that do it They that turn aside to crooked wayes shall be led forth with the workers of iniquity Psal. 125. 5. Plain dealing is a Jewel yea though it be in sin as this acute man tells us in his â—entat Part. 3. It s a dainty fine thing in our confessions repentance and in all wherein we act He that useth it what ever men say or think shall neither live nor dye a beggar Downright honesty is the best policy It is delightful to God Prov. 12. 22. and it will be a comfort to us 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoycing and we never eat â—ur meat with more gladness than when we do all with singleness of heart Act. 2. 46. Mr. Capel was a very useful man in his life He was with Melancthon born for the common good and lived for the publick benefit of the whole Country Whilst he was at his Pastoral charge he gave himself fully and wholly to Reading to Exhortation and Doctrine and his profiting appeared unto all men so that he was generally and that justly reputed a man approved of God rightly dividing the word of truth It is well known what pains he took and to how good purpose during the whole time of his abode there which was about one and twenty years He preached constantly twice every Lords day and besides preached a Lecture constantly every week though he had but an infirm body till by reason of sickness he was taken off And then besides his Sabbath-dayes work he preached onely upon the Festival dayes His lips were touched with a coal from the Altar It may truly be said of him as it was of Musculus that his words pierced like a two-edged sword He could when he pleased be a Boanerges a son of Thunder but his bent was most to be a Barnabas a son of Consolation He was a true Evangelical Preacher and comforted many a drooping heart by his labours in publick and gave abundance of satisfaction in private to many troubled spirits that used to resort to him out of all Countries both far and near He also shewed himself to be a Tree of Gods own planting by bringing forth more fruit still in his age When the times were such some flying so extreamly high the Ceremonies being pressed with rigour and grievous penalties inflicted that he being tender in matters of Conformity must needs quit his Pastoral charge which was Novem. 27. 1634 he betook himself then to his little Cell as Samuel did to his Ramah that had never been looked upon if he had not come thither no more than Islebium and Bretta if not for Luther and Melancthon and there he had more health and cheerfulness of spirit than formerly which he improved well for the publick advantage For There he fell upon the Practice of Physick He indeed had bent his studies that way before hand foreseeing what would follow yet would he do nothing in that kinde it not being his Calling so long as that great work of the Ministry lay upon him But when he had quit the more special tye of the care of mens souls he then took himself to be at more freedome and having a License sent him by the Bishop of Gloucester to authorize him he fell upon the cure of mens bodies and being of great sufficiency his fame was quickly spread abroad He was looked upon as a very Trismegistus or a second Aesculapius He could do much at the diving into a disease and in applying such medicines as were proper and fit Not like some that will be tampering with that Profession and give their doses at adventure He was quick yet in cases of difficulty and danger he would weigh things well In desperate diseases he would adventure far according to the rules of Reason what he gave should be safe He mixed all with his own hands he would stoop to the meanest and serve all at an easie rate His Receits amounted not to the half nay not to one quarter of a common Apothecaries Bill He was blessed by God with great and good success and had resort especially towards his latter end out of his own and other Countries so that he had not leasure to sit at his own meals in quiet Yea many times he was quite tired out till God called him to rest His words were seasonable and savoury His tongue was a Tree of life His lips fed many Whosoever came near him should have something dropping if he did but
one year in the pursuit thereof by force of Arms but effected little Nor did the Archbishop of Upsal get ought in Denmark who saw that he played his own game nor could he escape the seisure of his Temporalities in Sueden for his treachery against his native Country whereupon the year following he obtained the Popes sentence of Excommunication against the Governour of Sueden and all his partakers for invading the rights of his Church and Bishoprick and hereupon the King of Denmark takes courage to invade Sweden once more with an Army under his General who in a Battel overthrew the Suedes and wounded Steno their Governour who thereupon retired to Stockholm the Regal City and unto him repaired all such as intended to adventure their all in the defence of their Country The rest of the Suedes submitted to the Danish General who encouraged thereby marched to Stockholm but meeting with many difficulties in his march and when he came to the City finding no hope to draw them to a Treaty and his Army being now much wasted he sent to Denmark for Recruit and after a while the King in person comes to him and so Stockholme is beleagured which yet held out bravely so that the Danish Army being wasted and the remainder being wind-bound and almost famished a Treaty of peace is set on foot and at last agreed unto by both parties But the King intending nothing less than to stand to it pretends that he could not come into Stockholme to finish the Treaty till pledges were first given for the safety of his person This the Suedes assent to and send him pledges of the Sons of the Nobles who were sent aboard his Ship and the Kings minde changing with the wind away he sails with them into Denmark and there committed them to safe custody And after four years returns into Sueden with a great Army and gives a second overthrow to the Suedes in the Field wherein the Governour Steno was slain then the King marching to Stockholme findes the City standing upon its Guard under the Government of Christina the Wife of Steno where for a while we shall leave him in a long and tedious siege whilst we give you some account of our Gustavus Amongst the pledges carried away and imprisoned as aforesaid by the King of Denmark was this Gustavus the Son of Ericus a Noble Suedish Lord now in Stockholme beleagured by the King This Gustavus was of a Noble Familiy whose Grandfather having married the sister of Steno Stur the Governour thereby he became incorporate into the antient Stem of the Kings of Sueden and in his younger years he was trained up in the Court under his Uncle Steno who was no less valiant in the Field than wise for Government in peace Under him did our Gustavus learn the principles of War which afterwards he began to practice under Suanto the next Governour For after the death of Steno the first the difference between the Danes and Suedes about the Government grew so high that they fought two Battels in both which the Suedes were the Victors Gustavus carrying the Royal Standard of Sueden though at that time he was but eighteen years old and being now about the age of twenty six he was as was said before committed prisoner to the Castle of Callo in Jutland under the custody of Sir Ericus Banner a Knight of Denmark who kept him warily that he might suffer no wrong except from the King himself This imprisonment he had now endured for the space of four years with patience But having daily intelligence brought him of the Danes cruelty to the Suedes his Countrymen he concluded that his own condition was like to Ulysses in Polyphemus his Den being reserved but as a chief dish for the Tyrants pallate when all the rest were devoured Having therefore upon a day obtained liberty to ride on hunting being eager in the chase though he minded another game he rode away and having changed his apparel as well as his course passing through many unknown wayes and dangers after a chase of three hundred miles he arrived at last at Lubeck one of the Hanse Towns and that held correspondence with Sueden against the Dane upon the same quarrel of being oppressed by them No sooner was Gustavus arrived at Lubeck but that his Keeper Sir Ericus Banner was come thither also in pursuit of him who demanded of the Magistrates the delivery of his Prisoner Gustavus pleaded for himself that he was no lawful Prisoner to the King of Denmark but amongst others was delivered by his Country as a pledge for the safety of the Kings person during the Treaty between the King and his Countrymen and that the King contrary to all right and faith detaining him and the other pledges had carried them captive into Denmark that now he was under the Publick Faith of the State of Lubeck to whom he was fled for refuge against oppression desiring to have the benefit of Law and to have the matter tried divers of the Senate of Lubeck were of opinion that Gustavus ought to be returned to the Dane as his prisoner and that it concerned not them to be Judges of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of his imprisonment But the Consul overruled the matter who affirmed that though originally they had not power to determine the point yet Gustavus being before them de facto a Freeman and as such had put himself into the protection of the City of Lubeck and had appealed to them for Justice it becomes them therefore to do herein according to Law and that by the Law of God the Law Civil and the Law of Nations they ought to enquire into the true state of Gustavus his Captivity and to determine the same upon grounds of Justice otherwise they might make themselves parties to the King of Denmarks oppressions if the case prove so before they understand what they do The Authority of the Consul and the strength of his reasons prevailed so far with the rest of the Senate that they passed this definitive sentence That Gustavus shall be protected by the State of Lubeck till the cause be tried This served Gustavus his turn for the present but he knew not how short a time it would continue He knew that interests of Nations are soon changed especially of such petty States as Lubeck was Besides he had too much other work to do to continue long in one place and thereupon secretly without giving notice to any save to his good Friend the Consul whose counsel he took along with him he gat aboard a Merchants ship and sailed into the Bay of Calmar into which he entred secretly and finding that they stood upon their Guard against the Danes he discovered himself to the Lady Magnus that held the Castle acquainting her with the manner both of his Captivity and escape and taking advantage of the reports which then came of the sad examples of the
tears put her Prayers to a pause When the heart is full of love the mouth is filled with praise of a person most deservedly and most dearly beloved whereof we have an example in this vertuous Gentlewoman who when time company and occasion did invite her to communicate to others the good matter which her heart had indited of God she used her Tongue as the pen of a ready writer Psal. 45. 1. And when she had that great King for the subject of her speech she spake of him with such hearty and savoury relishes of sacred delight and reverence and with such an affectionate force as if her soul were ready to leap out at her lips into the ears of others to kindle the same holy fire in their hearts who heard her which burned in her own bosome longing as David did that others might taste and see the goodnâ—ss of the Lord Psal. 34. 8. that they might be Rivals with her in her Religious love and glad she was when any sinner was converted or any already called better enabled to promote the glory of God and that was the end which she principally aimed at in her godly discourse of him In giving vent to her heart in this duty she could spend her spirits with great delight both to her self and to those choice friends who had opportunity to hear her when just occasion was ministred unto her and yet when she had spoken best she found matter of complaint in her own expressions as being too faint and too flat and so far below that which was meet for the Majesty of the great God insomuch as all the acceptation which she desired of him was but to pardon her presumption as the errour of her love for taking upon her to speak of his Excellency and the weakness of her spirit and speech which made her fall infinitely short of doing him right in the publication of his praise Another evidence of her dear affection unto God was the great love which for his sake she bore to whom or whatsoever had any near relation to him according to that 1 Joh. 4. 21. He that loves God must love his brother also and he must love him rather in a direct than in a collateral line as Gods childe rather than as his brother more for Gods sake than for his own The dearest degree of love belongs to those persons and things which are nearest to him and to such she bore a sincere and singular good will As to his Saints with David Psal. 16. 3. and to his true Religion and worship both at home and abroad the happy progress and prosperity whereof was with her as Jerusalem with David preferred above her chiefest joy Psal. 137. 6. and it was a great affliction to her heart to hear any ill tidings of any good man or any good cause She highly prized Gods word and in the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper she felt such a sweet refreshing as might make amends for the severity of her frequent fasting so that for her part and portion of it in respect of the common sort of Communicants she might say I have meat that ye know not of Joh. 4. 32. Dainties which infinitely exceed whatsoever delighteth or pleaseth a sensual pallate For the house of God she shewed her self just of Davids minde when she said I have loved the habitation of thy house the place where thine honour dwelleth Psal. 26. 8. and How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts my soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord Psal. 84. 1 2. If by any imperious impediment she were kept from the Church as by sickness in her body c. her soul was love-sick by her longings to be there and whereas many women take a little occasion to absent themselves from it she would many times force her feeble body to carry her soul to the Sanctuary though the day before she were confined not only to her chamber but to her bed whereby though she hazarded her health yet it pleased God so graciously to accept of her zeal to his House that she was never the worse for those pious adventures She kept a great distance from doting on the world which St. James condemns as enmity to God Jam. 4. 4. Though while she lived she could not choose but be in the world yet did she so love her dear Lord Jesus Christ that for his sake she was exceedingly estranged from the world which appeared 1. By her estrangement from sensual delights which she shewed by her frequent fasting from meats and drinks By her abstinence from such sports and pastimes as before her conversion she had been too immoderately addicted unto and by her fiâ—m resolution to forbear Marriage after her widowhood and to rest in that condition wherein she might best attend upon the service of God Indeed her love and delight in communion with God made her mindeless of meat and careless of provision for the flesh Well she knew that though fasting makes the body weak as David saith My knees are weak through fasting and my flesh faileth of fatness Psal. 109. 20. yet it strengthneth the spirit and maketh it vigorous in conflict and victorious in the event yea fasting and prayer make a potent combination which is able to drive the strongest Devil out of his usurped possession as Matth. 17. 21. These two she used not onely as weapons against the Devil but as wings to elevate her soul God-ward and heaven-ward yet herein was she observant of our Saviours rule Mat. 17. 18. that she fasted without an appearance of fasting onely the next day it might be discerned by her faintness she having spent her spirits in spiritual exercises the day before For those sports and pastimes wherein formerly she had taken too much contentment she not onely abstained from them but much complained of her vanity in them Her eyes which before were used to behold them with delight now shed tears of shame and sorrow that formerly she had set her minde so much upon them and now she imployed them in the more frequent and affectionate reading of the holy Scriptures wherein she took more delight than she had done before in the most pompous Spectacles set out to take the eyes with gazing and the minde with wonder And as for Marriage her heart was so devoted to her Lord Christ that though she had divers fair invitations to it by such as both for profit and credit and other considerable respects were worthy rather to be desired than denied yet she resolved not to change her condition in that kinde and that not onely in love and loyalty to her former Husband but that she might be more free to serve God according to that of St. Paul 1 Cor. 7. 34. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and spirit but she that is married careth for the things
the poor of their right that he added much of his own distributing sixpences and shillings even when he had no money in bank He had not onely the testimony of his own conscience and of good men for his upright and just dealing but even of such who had little goodness in them A prophane Gentleman jeeâ—ing at his heavenly discourses another of good quality though of little piety replyed Well Gentlemen you may laugh at him but on my conscience he meaneth well and whosoever of us goeth to Heaven shall meet Mr. Jurdaine there He was a man that made conscience of all the duties and exercises of Religion both in private and in publick His frequent discourses of Heaven and the way thereunto and assurance of his interest therein did declare that his heart and conversation were much in Heaven He used 〈◊〉 take occasion to confer of spiritual and heavenly things with all sorts of men that he conversed with One should seldome hear him speak but of heaven and heavenly things His heart was so full of heaven that he could not but utter and breath it forth in his discourses with men and especially with those whose hearts and faces were towards Heaven When he was at Table receiving his dayly food he did usually minister occasion of holy discourses and diverted vain and unprofitable talk to such edifying speeches as might minister grace to the hearers according to that exhortation Eph. 4. 29. He took occasion from earthly things to speak of heavenly as from the sweetness of the creatures to speak of the infinite sweetness which is in God from feasting on earth to the sitting down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of heaven Matth. 8. 11. and feasting with God and his blessed Saints there And when the Table-cloath was taken away he would often say In heaven there is no taking away here we are soon satisfied and cloyed but there will be such a feast that we shall be continually delighting our souls with it without any cloying And his manner was to close his meals with singing some short Psalm He delighted much in reading good and holy books and especially that Book of books the sacred Scriptures wherein he most delighted and thereby shewed that he had the property of a godly man set down Psal. 1. 2. 119. 97. The word of God was his meditation all the day long yea both day and night He did not onely read the Bible above twenty times over but he read it with special observation as appeareth by the Asterisks and marks in the Bible which he used making particular application to himself The like course he took in reading over that usefull Book of Mr. Rogers his seven Treatises and other practical books wherein he was very conversant and his collections out of several Authours do abundantly testifie And he took so much delight in reading that voluminous and excellent Book of the Acts and Monuments of the Church that upon occasion he told a Friend that he had read it seven times over His zeal for God and his glory and against Idolatry prophaneness and other evils whereby God was highly dishonoured was most eminent and remarkable He was a man of an Anti-Laodician temper he had well learned the Apostles direction Rom. 12. 11. To be fervent in spirit serving the Lord and not the time He was far unlike Ignatius Loiola the Founder of the Order of Jesuits who was a man of fire that was set on fire by â—ell to promote the cause of the Prince of darkness but he had an holy fire kindled in his heart from heaven whereby he did burn with zeal for the advancement of Gods glory and an holy indignation against sin and errour He would if it had been possible have burnt up all the dross and fiâ—th that corrupted the Truths of God and that was contrary to the wayes of holiness and therein he was very like to Ignatius the Martyr Neither did his zeal carry him beyond knowledge like that of the Jews Rom. 10. 2. when in his zeal he used often to cry out Fie upon discretion For he condemned only that counterfeit pretence of discretion which was taken up and pleaded against true and regular zeal And truly if carnal discretion be set up and cried up like the worldlings Idol it is the part of true Christian zeal to cry it down He was a very strict and conscientious observer and sanctifier of the Christian Sabbath or Lords Day He did then rise very early as on other dayes if not earlier and called upon those in his Family to rise early on that day saying This is Gods day and as we do expect that our servants should rise early to go about our work on our dayes so God expects our early rising on his Day to go about his work and service And he used carefully to attend upon Gods holy Ordinances The feet of them that dispenced the Gospel were beautiful in his eyes as Rom. 10. 15. more beautiful than their faces to many others He was one of those Saints that sate down at Gods feet to receive his word Deut. 33. 3. as Disciples used at the feet of their Teacher implied Act. 22. 3. and he was very desirous and willing to learn of any that came with the Lords message unto him He was a Mâ—ason an old Disciples Act. 21. 16. yea a Disciple when he was old It never came into his heart to cast off Ordinances no not when he had attained to an high measure towards perfection He was a constant writer of Sermons even when he was old and that not for his own benefit alone but for the good of his Family to whom he did constantly repeat the Sermons And if he found himself overtaken with drowsiness in hearing the word an infirmity incident to age his manner was to stand up and to rouse up himself that he might hear the more attentively He knew that Religion consisted not in hearing repetition and profession but in practice and therefore his care was to digest his hearing and knowledge into an holy conversation His love was so great to the Ministry of the word and the Lords holy Ordinances that he did intirely love and affect all faithfull and painfull Ministers though their gifts were but mean but he could not away with a lazie Ministâ—r though he was never so learned Where fidelity and learning meet together in one Minister Oh! how highly would he reverence him And being desirous not to go to Heaven alone but to draw others with him his usuall course was when he went with his Family to Gods house to make an exhortation to his children and servants that they should consider into whose presence they were going and whom they were to hear even that great God to whom they were to give an account of every word which they should hear and therefore he required them carefully to store it up for their practice and
forget to acknowledge Gods goodness in bestowing any of these outward things upon him He found by experience that they were but uncertain riches 1 Tim. 6. 17. And that they had wings and would fly away Prov. 23. 5. But he did not run crying after them as they use to do who set their hearts upon them whereas he saw and acknowledged Gods hand as well in taking away as in giving as Job did Job 1. 21. and therefore was quiet and content having experimentally learned in some good measure that excellent lesson with St Paul I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content Phil. 4. 11. By vicissitudes and changes of estates God did exercise his faith patience and contentation Having passed through the severall inferior Offices he at last ascended to the highest place of honour in the City to be Mayor there wherein as hath been shewed he demeaned himself as became a Christian Magistrate and his ambition therein was highly to honour God who had thus honoured him And afterwards he was twice chosen to be a Burgess of Parliament wherein his zeal for God and against the corruptions of the times was abundantly manifested He was a great stickler to have the Bill passed for the punishment of Adultery with death but those times would not bear it Surely some of the Lawmakers knew some speciall reason for it When he made a motion for the passing of that Bill one or more of the Members in the House cried out Commit it Mr. Jurdain commit it upon which a great laughter was occasioned whereupon he presently said unto them in a zealous manner like himself Do you laugh when a man speaks for Gods honour and glory Upon which there was a more than ordinary silence in the House The Bill was at that time laid aside but in a following Parliament it was called upon by the name of Mr. Jurdains Bill He was also as it 's said the first man that promoted the Bills for the more strict sanctification of the Sabbaths and against Swearing Yea God did not only advance him to places of honour and dignity in the eye of the world but gave him an high place also in the hearts of his people and therein God made good his promise 1 Sam. 2. 30. Such as honour me I will honour His name was very precious in the esteem of those that knew his worth both whilest he lived and since his death Indeed it is confessed that he was a by-word unto many and that his name was taken up by way of reproach but it was by such as were upbraided and reproved by his holy and gracious conversation And he valued not their reproaches knowing that his Lord and Master did suffer much more in this kind and that this was but a Chip of that Cross which as he was commanded he was willing to bear Yea he was well content to drink of this bitter Cup after his Master and with him he despised the shame Heb. 12. 2. which the men of the world cast upon him Nay he accounted it his honour to suffer shame for the Name of Christ as the Apostles did Act. 5. 4. But some there were that brought shame upon themselves whilest they thought to cast contempt and scorn upon him Amongst other instances this one was remarkeable That being chosen Burgess for the Parliament not without much opposition and going up to London to clear the Election at which time there was an accusation sent up against him by a man of no mean place and power That he was the Host of the Schismaticks Whereupon some presumed that he would have been sent back with disgrace and accordingly there was a Sermon prepared by one to jeer him at his return this being his Text Psal. 114. 5. What ailed thee thou Jordan that thou wast driven back Thus men of prophane spirits will dare to make the sacred Word of God to serve their own base lusts and ends But Mr. Jurdaine instead of being driven back was confirmed in the place to which he was chosen and so shame was cast into the face of this wicked scorner and his Sermon or Invective rather proved abortive And as Mr. Jurdaine stood up boldly for God so did God stand by and for him and assisted him and carried him through many troubles and dangers that did threaten and even compass him about One act of Gods providence amongst many others was most notable in delivering him out of trouble He having done an act of justice as was hinted before in punishing an unclean person whose offence was aggravated by some hainous circumstances being moved with an holy indignation against the offence he went as it seems besides the letter of the Law in some circumstance Whereupon some friends of the person punished being stirred up with fury for the disgrace that reflected upon them without weighing the dishonour that was done to God and the foul blot that was cast upon Religion resolved to prosecute him to the uttermost for it wherein they put him to great charge and trouble by prosecuting him in the Star-Chamber and when the cause was to come to a finall determination it was much feared by many of his friends and through the boastings of his adversaries that some heavy censure would have passed upon him to his crushing if not to his utter undoing But when his friends on earth failed he flees to Heaven for succour and defence and cried unto God in Davids words Psal. 22. 11 19. Be not far from me O Lord for trouble is near for there is none to help O my strength hast thou to help me And he set apart the evening and a great part of the night by fasting and Prayer to engage God of his side who hath the hearts of all men even of the greatest in his hands to turn them as he pleaseth Prov. 21. 1. And behold the next morning he received a reall and gracious answer from Heaven being not only acquitted but commended by the Lord Keeper God stirring up the hearts of divers in that high and arbitrary Court to speak for him Thus the Lord was a very present help to him in the time of trouble Psalme 46. 1. After he was thus through Gods mercy freed and returned to his house he piled up the Books and Papers of all the proceedings in that troublesome and vexatious business under his Cupboard in his Parlour which was the place to which he did often resort and where he had that daily sweet and heavenly communion with God aforementioned and being asked the reason why he left so many Books and Papers to lie in that manner His answer was These I keep in my sight as memorials and monuments of Gods mercy in freeing me from my troubles Many other particulars might be instanced in but by that little which hath been said you may guess at the great worth of this holy man Only give me leave to adde the observations and testimony
of Mr. Thomas Manton who knew him well who speaks thus of him Mr. Ignatius Jurdaine may in some sense be stiled the wonder and Phoenix of his age and place of abode concerning whose piety and frequent communion with God his constant heavenliness his charity in giving lending and entertaining his doing justice with impartiality and diligence we have already heard and therefore give me leave only to suggest a few other passages and observations 1. That for his temper he was a man of a raised zeal and heroicall spirit one of those rare examples which the Lord giveth the world now and then and therefore his actions are not to be measured by an ordinary standard 2. Seldome or never did any come into his company but he would discourse with them about holy things asking the younger sort how they did hope to be saved The more grown if they professed Religion whether they had any assurance which if they denied he would tell them that he was even ashamed of them In good earnest would he say I would study the Promises and go into my Closet and lock the door and there plead them to God and say that I would not go forth till he gave me some sense of his love 3. His entertainment at his Table was free and sufficient but frugall and sober If his Wife at any time excused the slenderness of it he would say Brown bread and Kennel water is good fare with the Gospel I have oft heard him say so There is somewhat a like saying of Mr. Greenhams and possibly Mr. Jurdaine might borrow it thence it suiting so well with the temper of his spirit 4. A formall man had once preached a Sermon at the Cathedrall about Heaven the discourse was for the most part frothy and beneath the dignity and worth of such an Argument Mr. Jurdaine was present as well as my self After Sermon I went to his house being to receive a Letter from him to Oxford and after many good instructions he asked me if I had been at the Sermon that morning I told him yea And did you said he hear those wonderfull things which God hath provided for them that love him And so he readily picked out all those passages which were any way subservient to use and profit It was wonderfull to me to see how an holy heart could draw comfort out of any thing The Sermon as Mr. Jurdaine repeated to me was another kind of Sermon and seemed to be savoury and spirituall I remember with what warmth and vigour he spake of it even till this day and hope that I shall never forget it 5. This is not to be forgotten his sending a Letter to the late King and expostulating with him about setting forth the Book concerning sports and recreations on the Lords dayes which was inclosed in another to the Bishop of Exeter to desire him to convey it and notice being given to the Bishop that Copies of it were divulged possibly by the Transcriber he thought he could not conceal it with safety and therefore carried it to the King who when he had read it in a great anger said He would hang him But the Bishop a pious man fell upon his knees and besought his Majesties pardon alleadging That God had not a better servant nor his Majesty a better Subject in the whole Land When the Bishop returned from his moneths attendance Mr. Jurdaine went to visit him and after civilities past the Bishop said Ah Mr. Jurdaine would you put me upon so hot a service You know there are many eyes upon me meaning the Archbishops party who suspected him as a favourer of Puritans Yea my Lord said Mr. Jurdaine there are eyes upon you the eyes of God and his holy Angels to see how you discharge your duty and office as the Kings Chaplain and Bishop of the Church 6. Now and then when he had leasure he would usually go to his neighbours shops and admonish them to take heed that the cares of the world did not deaden their spirits to heavenly things telling them if they had many thousands it would not still the cry of conscience purchase the least favour from God nor so much as ease the pain of the teeth or keep off one fit of an Ague yea if money were thrown to the Dogs they would not so much as smell at it 7. He would often perswade his Fellow-Magistrates to a liberal provision for the poor and when they would ask him where they should have money He would answer God will provide rather than the poor shall want let us sell our Gowns 8. When he did distribute money to the poor with his own hands in a time of great infection and some asked him if he were not afraid of the Plague What said he afraid of Gods Visitation Let us fear rather the Plague-sore of our owne hearts 9. In his troubles in the Star-chamber when one told him he was sorry that the Lord Keeper was against him He answered I have a greater Lord Keeper than him The Lord is my Keeper I shall not be afraid 10. It is not amiss to set down what others thought of him I remember a godly man observed him that in every business though he advenfar the Lord carried him through with reputation and so compared him with another of great parts who though godly was alwayes toiled in every undertaking Drunkards and frequenters of Ale-houses were afraid of him He was their usual Bugbear their memento in the middle of their excess was Its time to be gone Mr. Jurdaine will come by and by The ordinary sort of men were convinced of his integrity insomuch as carnal and vicious men at a time of election of Burgesses for Parliament would say one to another If you choose any choose Jurdaine he will be right for the Commenwealth and will do the City service He was twice chosen Burgess for the Parliament and once Mayor of the City and once Deputy Mayor in a time of great Infection by the Pestilence The Reverend Minister that preached his Funeral Sermon amongst others had this expression Look upon his Will and you will think him the richest man in the City Though many exceeded him in estate but few or none in making provision for the poor Delinquents seldome went from him without conviction A Noble mans servant that had scorned him being brought before him and convicted for having sworn rashly three times Mr. Jurdaine demanded his Fine and shewed him the hainousness of the sin with which the man was calmed and though he came from his companions braving yet he returned with the acknowledgement that he was a good Justicer and when they asked him what Jurdaine did to him he answered He gave me good Law and fair words I have heard above thirty years ago that some godly persons in Exeter were convented before the Bishops Court for keeping some private dayes of Humiliation whereupon Mr. Jurdaine went to the Bishop who was a godly man to
of God against it Thou shalt not take the Name of God in vain And another of them reasoning with his fellows about God and the Devil professed that he had rather be in hell with God than in heaven with the Devil And a third who by reason of her age could not speak distinctly said in some discourse with her Father that God Almighty would not bless them who tell Fibbs meaning Lies and that she had rather dye than tell a Fibb so far had their Mothers instructions prevailed with them She was eminent for a charitable and bountifull spirit she was another Dorcas full of good works and Alms-dâ—eds That high Elogium that Solomon gives a vertuous woman may properly be applied unto her Many Daughters have done vertuously but she excelled them all Prov. 31. 29. Many there are that come far short of her but very few that went beyond her in the acts of Charity God gave her a liberal and plentifull estate and that was a great mercy but it was a far greater mercy that he gave her a liberal heart to do good and to distribute To cast her bread on the waters and to honour God with her substance That protestation which Job makes for his own vindication may fitly be applied unto her Job 31. 16 19. He would not with-hold the poor from their desire nor cause the eyes of the widow to fail He would not see any to perish for want of cloathing nor any poor without covering The whole Country round about where she dwelt will bear her witness that she visited and relieved the sick and cloathed the naked fed the hungry and healed the wounded Her purse her hand her heart were all open for their relief She bought many precious Drugs and cordial waters She made several precious salves and gave them all away to such as were in need of them She spared not her best pains being never aweary of well doing insomuch that in the extremity of her greatest sickness such bowels of compassion yearned in her she compounded several Medicines with her own hands and applied them Thus will her works praise her in the Gate and being dead she yet speaketh Prov. 31. 31. Heb. 11. 4. For her precious name liveth The Lord will have the name of the Righteous to be in everlasting remembrance Psal. 112. 6. and the memory of the just is blessed Prov. 10. 7. And precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal. 116. 15. Now this rare Gentlewoman reaps the fruit of her serving of God and the whole harvest whereof she received onely the first fruits in this present world The usual saying is All is well that ends well Come we therefore to speak of her end Her life was holy and therefore her death must needs be happy It pleased the Lord to exercise her with a long and lingring sickness and amidst the weakness of the outward man God gave her great strength in her inward man though her limbs and outward strength failed her yet God was her strength and portion and he never failed her A few dayes before her distemper waxed high her Husband being from home she sent for all her Family both young and old to come in unto her chamber with whom she prayed near two hours with such pathetical heavenly Scripture-language as drew admiration and tears from those that were present She blessed her children counselled her servants heartily and affectionately commended her Husband unto God she wept and prayed and prayed and wept and could not easily part with the company nor yet leave off praying and weeping Upon the encrease of her distemper her spirit was much disturbed and some impertinent speeches did fall from her yet in the middest of all her impertinences Grace and the Spirit of God did eminently declare their Power and Sovereignty in her by many savoury and choice speeches and sweet breathings of her soul some of which are these that follow I was in the Devils claws but Jesus Christ the sweet Bridegroom of my soul the sweet Bridegroom of my soul these words she often reiterated the sweet Bridegroom of my soul hath delivered me At another time I am safe for Jesus Christ is at my heart and I would not part with him for ten thousand worlds Again Come Lord Jesus the Captain of my salvation ride on gloriously conquering and to conquer for me Satan Sin Hell Death and all mine enemies Afterwards again I was in Hell but now I am in Heaven I am in Heaven indeed indeed I am in Heaven I am in Heaven eternally I am in Heaven the habitation of Gods glory unto all eternity Much of this nature she did speak even when her understanding was so disturbed that she scarce did know her near Relations and those who did attend upon her in her Chamber And now all these things are worthy to be transmitted unto posterity and to be had in perpetual remembrance She was an eminently godly Gentlewoman being but little above Eight and twenty years of age when she dyed which was in the beginning of March Anno Christi 1656. But though she was young in years yet was she old in Grace She had lived long in a little time She was a mirror of her age and a renown of her sexe a pattern worthy of imitation She was the beloved faithfull wife of as an intirely loving and faithfull Husband She was a tender affectionate Mother to her own and no less carefull of those pledges committed to his charge She was a most dear Sister an affectionate Mistress carefull both of the bodies and souls of her servants that they should neither want corporal nor spiritual food Her profession was with Joshua Chap. 24. 15. Choose you this day whom you will serve But as for me I and my house we will serve the Lord. She was not onely a friend to her friends but a friend to her enemies even unto such as despitefully used her All the Country round about could not but look upon her whilst living as a publick gain and when dead as a publick loss She was very usefull whilst she lived and will be much missed now she is dead Two things were very eminent in her Setledness in Religion and holiness of conversation By her death the poor have lost a liberal Almoner the sick 〈…〉 a good Physitian the wounded have lost a 〈◊〉 Chirurgion the Husband hath lost a faithful Wife the children a tender Mother the servants a gracious Mistress and not any that knew her of all her neighbours and friends but they will finde a great loss and miss of her All that knew her loved her but onely such whose love is not worth the having She lived much desired and dyed much lamented For her to live was Christ and to die was gain Phil. 1. 21. She was honoured in her life and she was honoured at her death by a confluence of many persons of quality of the Gentry
the godly and the miserable condition of the wicked in their death and so for ever unto all eternity it pleased the Lord so much to affect my heart with it as from that time my heart was wrought over to a desire to walk in the wayes of God But at that time I fear I did not go upon a right principle for I then did not eye the glory of God in it but only my own safety that it might be well with me for ever But quickly after that I had but begun to set my face towards Sion I was set upon with many temptations and perplexities in my thoughts which were very troublesome to me at all times but especially when I was alone the consideration whereof brought such an horrour upon my conscience insomuch as I did not know what to do That little I had whether from education or from the light of Nature caused a striving in me continually against those thoughts of Atheisme which were most terrible unto me I was sensible that it was a fearfull sin to have any such thoughts to lodge within my brest but I desired from my soul to be freed from them and had continuall reasonings within me against them and yet still for a long time I was troubled but could not acquaint any with my condition I did not think that it was so with any other as it was with me In this strait when I knew not which way to turn me even there did the Lord extend his compassion towards me in my greatest extremity in directing me to read Calvins Institutions and especially that part that treats of the Creation Whereupon the Lord was pleased to give in such satisfaction to my soul concerning those things about which I was troubled as that from that time forwards I was not violently assaulted in that kind But no sooner was I freed from that trouble but new ones sprang up For the very remembrance of that horrid sin of Atheisme left such a terrour upon my spirit as made me fear that I had committed that sin against the Holy Ghost and so my condition seemed to be not only for the present but in my apprehension then for ever most miserable All other sins though never so great I knew upon true repentance were pardonable but this sin that I lay under the fear of I knew out of the Word of God should never be pardoned which caused many sad fears upon my spirit known to God alone For the removall of these fears the Lord in mercy directed me to the reading of Mr. Scudders Works where are laid down the marks of that sin Upon perusall whereof the Lord was pleased to satisfie my misgiving heart by a clear manifestation to my soul that I had not committed that sin and so assured me that though my sins were great yet were they pardonable which put me more chearfully upon the use of such means as the Lord had directed me unto And having satisfaction given in concerning this particular there was a great burden taken off from my spirit Although I found no grace in my heart nor discovery of the love of God unto my soul yet in that there was but a possibility there was a ground of comfort administred to my heart which I formerly feared that I should be shut out from But still my fears remained that I was not one of those in particular for whom Christ died The more I looked into mine own heart the more I saw of sin and Satan discouraging me from having any hope that the Lord should accept of such a vile sinfull wretch as I was who had entertained such sinfull thoughts I likewise thought how small the number was of those that should be saved in comparison of others and my repentance I feared came short of that which was required in the Gospel As for faith I could not find the least measure of it in my soul with many other sad discouraging thoughts But when I was most perplexed with fears and doubts even then did the Lord graciously dart in some beams of his reconciled countenance as I was reading something in Mr. Scudders Christian daily Walk c. which the Lord set home upon my soul and brought into my soul so much joy and comfort at the present as neither my tongue nor Pen can express But this joy remained not long for I quickly lost the sense of it yet the remembrance of it was sweet unto me at all times But after this all my former fears returned afresh again upon my heart only I had a door of hope opened that when God saw it best for me he would return and renew his reconciled countenance unto my soul in the clear light and apprehension thereof and this was when I was about sixteen years of age After which time the Lord did exercise me with various dispensations For for two years space I was by providence cast upon a place where I heard very little powerfull preaching small helps for the good of my soul but what the Lord was pleased to give in by the use of private means But his power and abundant mercy was much seen in that time that though I had not much comfort yet the Lord was pleased to keep up my spirit in a way of depending upon him and my fears were less at that time than formerly when I had more helps So gracious was tâ—â— Lord unto me in keeping me alive in a time of famine After this through Gods goodness I was sometimes under the preaching of a powerfull Minister Mr. Bateman of Ockingam who was Crowned with the conversion strengthening and building up of many souls unto whose preaching the Lord gave me such a blessing as I seldome if ever went away from hearing him without comfort Though I came to hear him with many doubts upon my spirit yet the Lord so ruled and directed him as if his Sermons had been only concerning my particular and he fully acquainted with the whole condition of my soul. Sometimes the Lord directed me to some supporting Promises upon which I relied But those Promises which were made to Believers though I highly prized them yet I durst not apply them to my self fearing that I had no interest in them But that Promise Prov. 28. 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy And that 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness And the Promise is 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but for the sins of the whole world and the Invitation Isa. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price together with
yet will I trust in him I will wait and hearken to him when I say he is thus far proceeded Satan may now go shake his ears and receive his answer Its God that justifies who shall condemn Oh! Hell where is thy power Oh! Death Oh! Devil what is thy Commission It s not my meaning to prescribe to God any one way of working but this is the way he often takes with his children and this we may finde exemplified in this foregoing Narrative touching the conversion and procedure of this Saint so far as she hath commented upon her own life Now for her death I will tell thee whâ—t my observations were thereabout 1. I finde that God began with her quickly and called her hence before she was aged and that is mostly his method where an early harvest is intended a timely seeds-time is promised they live quickly and live apace who ripen betimes so was it with her who was seldome out of action after her entrance but gained as much time in so little a time as any I knew 2. I observe that death came not all at once upon her she was yearly dying some years before she dyed her last and thus death was made familiar to her I have seldome known any of her age that was less amazed at the speech and thoughts of death so good a thing it is to know experimentally what it is to dye beforehand 3. Observe how Gods power triumphs in weakest vessels It is a thing I have often thought on that godly women for the most part dye more confidently and comfortably than do good men the Lord trampling upon Satan in them and in her very eminently 4. Her patience was remarkable in the midst of sore pains which frequented her in the beeding and bearing of children yet then her speech was I fear not pains I fear my self lest through impatiency I should let fall any unfitting word It is a blessed frame when pain seems light and sin heavy 5. I plainly saw in her the power of Grace beyond nature 1. When life and death were both laid before her her speech was this I am at my Fathers disposal howbeit of my self I rather incline to death than life 2. Whereas her affections were very strong both to her loving Husband and children insomuch as it was conceived that the last farewell would go very near her when she should part with so precious and dear Friends she was so much taken up with the thoughts of Christ that she seemed not to stick at any such relations Nay thirdly she seemed wholly to forget her natural self for being intreated to favour her body and speech in regard of the lowness of her spirits after some pause she brake forth into these words Shall I for this poor carkass be wanting to my souls comfoâ—t and my Saviours praises Let me have your prayers still and God his praises yea pray not onely for but with me Which being done she overflowed with comfort and in that condition I left her and that stream of comfort led her not long after to the Fountain where are Rivers of joy for evermore Thus lived she a most profitable life Thus dyed she a most fruitfull death God so turned this his servant that living dying and after death she should be fruitfull Thus will God honour those that honour him To him be all honour to Eternity Amen Now it may be usefull to make mention of her last sickness especially eight weeks before her death All her discourses were savoury tending to edification Many good Christians came to visit her who all if it were not their own fault might reap some spiritual benefit from those many excellent speeches which proceeded out of her mouth And the counsels she gave to her Relations and other friends were tempered with gravity and affection She accustomed not her self to affectation of high-flown phrases but held fast the form of sound words She was an old Disciple and her grave and sober language accordingly discovered her so to be From the very first of her last sickness her apprehension was that she should dye shortly and her longing desire was to be dissolved and to be with Christ. She often repeated those words of Job There the weary go to rest and those words in the close of the Revelations Come Lord Jesus come quickly upon the approach of her death whereof she was very sensible she asked her Husband what Promises of assurance were a firm ground for her to bottome upon He named Joh. 10. 28. And I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand Likewise he added Rom. 8. 33. 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyed yea rather that is risen again who is ever at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us He added vers 38 39. For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor â—â—ings to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. These said she are sweet promises That morning she dyed she desired her Husband to read the 17 Chapter of John which Chapter that eminent holy Scotchman Mr. Rollock caused to be read to him when he was dying after that was read she was ravished with great joy and expressed her self accordingly Her Husband and two other Friends prayed with her After the last Prayer was ended she said My flesh and my heart faileth Her Husband answered her That God was the strength of her heart and her portion for ever He would never fail her She returned an answer which were the last words which ever she spoke to him He will never fail me About an hour after she resigned up her spirit unto God who gave it and her last words were I have finished my course She slept in Jesus December the 8 Anno Christi 1654. To her to live was Christ and to dye was gain She lived much desired and dyed much lamented Her name is like precious Oyntment powred forth She lived holily and dyed comfortably and now partakes of those joyes which eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither can enter into the heart of man to conceive even those things which God hath prepared for them that love him Divers Epitaphs were made at the Death of this rare Gentlewoman I shall onely insert two which were made by two Reverend and Learned Doctors On the Death of that worthy Gentlewoman Mrs. ELIZABETH WILKINSON E-re while Dear Consort I was leas'd to thee Wise now to Christ for perpetuity L-iving with thee was sweet with him far best I-n earth joy 's mixt with pain in him all rest I-wrought I suffer'd much in a few years L-ife now rewards