Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	church_n	word_n	write_a	3,648	5	10.7659	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75270	The virgin saint, or, A brief narrative of the holy life and Christian death of Mary Wilson with some memorable passages, and occasional speeches a little before her death added thereunto ; to which is also adjoyned a sermon, preached at her funeral by Mr. Geo. Nicholson, together with several consolatory letters, written by divers ministers, to her mournful father, Mr. Richard Wilson of Crosfield in Cumberland.	S. A.; Nicholson, George, ca. 1637-1697. Sermon preached at the funeral of Mrs. Mary Wilson.	1673 (1673)	Wing A28A; ESTC R42607	83,061	185

is described amongst other Qualifications by this also that He is a man that honours them that fear the Lord Psal 15.4 They honour them while living and when dead by an honourable Interment and after Death by honourable Thoughts of them by honourable Speech in the mention of them and by the Imitation of their Vertues and Graces and thus the memory of the just is blessed Prov. 10.7 When persons in After-ages shall remember them and the things memorable in them they shall bless them and highly esteem them they shall not be so much as mentioned or spoke● without praise or benediction This is Honour to their Memories The end therefore of the following Narrative of the holy Life of Mary Wilson next to the Glory of God the Edification of the Church i● general the use and benefit of that Body where of she was a Member and the profit and comfort of her Parents and other near and dea● Relations surviving is the advancement of he● Memory and an encouragement for others imitation who often follow Patterns more tha● Precepts And to present as exemplary th●● the Piety and Holiness of her that is deceased for that end When persons that dye are persons of known worth and usefulness 't is not fit that their Graces should die with them and that Vertue should be defrauded of its publique honour And because God honours them that honour him the Church has been alwaies careful to preserve and embalm their Memories And so is that Promise made good and the Will of God served therein whose mind it is That the Memory of the Jus● should be blessed Prov. 10.7 and kept from rotting whereas the Name of the wicked ro●● together with their Carcases And if the Authors of the ensuing Narrative with its adjuncts had only designed in the Publication thereof to continue the Memory and Christian Example of that precious Saint and ●ervant of Christ whose Death gave occasion to ●hem nothing had been done unworthy a Chri●tian aim Praise and Publick honour being a Debt that is owed to the righteous a debt saith Nazianzen in one of his Funeral Orations that of all debts is most just And as the antient Church was wont to preserve the Memory of the Saints ●● those famous Dyptichs So might they seek ●● continue the Memory of her Graces in this ●ublick Record that though being dead she ●ight yet speak She really deserves both glory raise and honour Glory that she be accounted vertuous and gracious Praise an honorable ●ention of her for her vertues and Honour viz. a ●estification of the former good opinion by some ●utward signs as Commendation erecting of ●tatues or Pillars c. It 's said of Ab●lom that in his life-time he had taken and reared ●p for himself a Pillar and called it after his own ●ame because he had no son to keep his name in ●emembrance 2 Sam. 18.18 Yet that Remembrance of his as Job saith proved like ashes The ●ollowing Narrative will be a far better Monument to preserve the Memory of her Name and ●he name of her Parents It hath ever been the custome of the Church ●● God to write the story of the Lives of eminent and well-deserving persons and it's pity th● such Memorials should be lost and condemn● to an obscure privacy both for their own usefulness and for her sake that was the occasion ●● them Certainly God 's Worthies deserve so●● publique Monument to continue their Memo●● and Example for the imitation of the Good an● the reproof of the Bad. The Apostle tells u●● That dead Saints may yet speak Hebr. 11.4 th●● is Preach by their Example But then the● must be some to continue the memory of th●● example or else how should it speak ought o●● instruction to future Ages Therefore the Apostle observes of Abel in th●● forenamed place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He obtained witness that he was righteous which may be referred to the publick witness and testimony of the written Word where his usual tit●● and stile is righteous Abel Matt. 23.35 And ●● had said before of all the Patriarchs v. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They obtained a good report to wit ●● the Church by the Scriptures Now since th● Canon of Faith was closed up there is no reason that the Memory of the Saints should be lost an● therefore God hath in every Age stirr'd up some that can handle the pen of the Writer by some publick Record to consign their Example to the use of the Church though 't is true it 's confesse● that many have been forgotten who were other●wise famous in their generations for want of ●are in this kind Besides the Lord hath not only given us his Word for a Rule but he hath given us Examples also as a Rule to walk by he hath given us his own Example to imitate Ephes 5.1 1 Pet. 1.15 16. And his Sons Example 1 John 2.6 Heb. 12.2 3. 1 Pet. 2.21 Mat. 11.24 Learn of me But besides these leading unerring Examples the Examples of the Saints are to be commended to our Imitation both in Doing and Suffering Whatsoever was written aforetime was written for our Learning Rom. 15.4 And Examples are written we are bidden To go forth by the footsteps of the Flock Cant. 1.8 Why hath the Holy Ghost set the Pens of so many on work to write the Lives of the Saints Why hath he kept a Record of them in his own Book but for Instruction and Direction of his People in after-time The Lord hath not registred one act of the Saints but it is useful for us The acts of the Saints are full of Practical Divinity and their sufferings and troubles are full of Pathetical Divinity as the Exhortation of St. James doth more than intimate Jam. 5.10 Hence those antient Saints and Believers in Hebr. 12.1 are called a cloud of Witnesses because there is a directive and leading vertue in them As there was a Cloud that went before the Children of Israel in the Day to lead them So this cloud of witness● leads us up and down the wilderness of our Sorrows and in the dark night of our Sufferings That the gracious pious and holy actings ●● the fornamed deceased Saint may be an addition to this Cloud for your direction and conduct ●● in part the design of the following Narrative with the Additionals Read it and imitate Live as she in the Fear of God and Faith ●● Christ and you shall dye as she in his favour and everlastingly partake of that Felicity which she is now possessing in Heaven A brief Narrative of the holy and pious Life and patient peaceful and Christian Death of MARY WILSON MAry Wilson was born at Crosfield in the Parish of Kirkoswold in Cumberland the nineteenth Day of November in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Six Hundred Fifty and Two Her Fathers name is Richard Wilson a person of exemplary Piety and of singular Sincerity and Integrity and a very useful Instrument

I should Conform Therefore tell me whether thou wilt go with me freely or thou wilt have ●● to Conform and so I may abide with you She then replied with Tears in her eyes No ●● Father though they should do with you as th●● did with Mr. I would not have you to Conform As she grew in Years she ripened apace ●● Knowledg and Experience and was much ●● her Duty both to God and Man But to her de● Parents especially she was a lump of Love an● Duty signifying duty by her affable Disposition and humble Deportment and Carriage denying her self in any thing that might have the lea●● shew of dislike to them How much she desired to be in her Duty to ●er God clearly appeared in this in that she ●as unsatisfied to live without the enjoyment of ●ny of God's Ordinances or Gospel-priviledges ●nd earnestly sollicitous to give up her self to God ●nd to his Church in obedience to God's Command by a professed subjection to all Gospel-appintments in God's own way and according ● Scripture-Rule and Order For upon a certain ●me she waited an opportunity and told her ●ather she could not but give him an account ●hat God had graciously done for her Soul and ●en began and held forth at large according to ●e Grace of God bestowed upon her and given ●● her as will by her Experiences more fully appear After much Heavenly Discourse with her about that she had held forth her Father propounded several Questions to her some of which were ●undamental Points in Divinity and he found ●er so apt and ready in her Replies and Answers ●hat he was much satisfied That in what she bake she was guided by Judgment In the close of the Discourse she desired her ●ather to acquaint the Officers of the Church that according to that Scripture 2 Cor. 8.5 They gave themselves up first to God and then a us by the Will of God For she said She was ●ally convinced that a Christian ought not to live ●● the neglect of the enjoyment af any Gospel-Ordinance or Priviledg when they might enjoy them and in order thereunto according to the forecited Scripture there ought to be a more solems giving up of our selves to walk in Gospel Order before we can rightfully partake of all Gospel Priviledges And she then further said She should be ready according to that Scripture Psal 66.26 Hearken unto me all you that fear the Lord and I 'le tell you what he hath done for my Soul 〈◊〉 give a reason of the Hope that was in her and Satisfaction so far as she was able when called to it● Which Practice and orderly Scriptural proceeding of hers may be both a seasonable Reproof to several Professors of this present Age who securely remain like Sheep scattered upon th●● Mountains living in the continued neglect ●● Gospel-Fellow-ship and Ordinances thereby exposing themselves to be as a Prey for ravening Wolves and to be taken in the Snares of subtle seducing Foxes As also a good Pattern for th● Imiation of others who are looking after th● Lord and asking the way to Zion with their faces thitherward As to her Carriage and engaging Disposition t●● those with whom she was acquainted they be●● know themselves But this was well known that if her Father could have answered the many Invitations that many dear Friends gave her to their Families he might have enjoyed her but seldom at home As to her Duty and reverend Respect that she gave to her Parents both at home and abroad ●t was such and so much that gave them sometimes occasion to fear that some might censure ●hem as being ambitious of such Respect which made them caution her to that purpose But when they did it she would reply No my Father what I do is but my Duty I cannot help ●t if others will misconstrue it As to her Usefulness in Sacred things her ●ractice in reading the Scriptures and the Labours of Holy Men was such as it was very rare ●o name that Scripture that she could not have turned unto and what else she read was much ●er own for she would at any time have discoursed the material Points of what she read specially in Mr. Brooks his Apples of Gold Mr. Love's Different Degrees of Grace and Mr. Shepherds Sincere Convert and Sound Belever comparing these together and then her own condition with them all She was also well-grounded in the Assemblies catechisme which she learned when she was yet ●ry young Once a Week when the Family had been catechised she would come to be examined herself desiring still to be more and more informed ●● the knowledg of those great Fundamental ●ints Nay such was the eagerness of her de●●e to get Knowledg and Understanding in the great matters of Godliness that her Father hath said Many a night after all the Family have been gone to Bed would she have kept him up propounding many Questions and raising many Objections and Doubts insomuch that he hath said he may speak it to his loss and shame h●● hath been weary to sit so late to have answere● her yet for all that she would not willingly part with him but would say Father As some harder Questions these are not hard enough● All which clearly discovers and manifests o● what great use she was to her Father in putting him to the daily exercise of those measures of Gift and Graces that God had bestowed upon him As to her Practice in Religious Duties She was a constant Observer of Set-times for her private Devotion and Retirements with God an● a great Lover of praising God in Singing ●● Psalms not only in Family-Duty but also by her-self alone Her Parents say and some in th● Family besides know That after she hath been laid down in Bed she would have rais'd a Psalm She was much upon the 81 Psalm beginning a● the 14 vers and Psal 84.13 Thine arm is strong and full of power c. and Psal 31.19 20 21 and 125. 2d Translation She was also a constant Attender upon the Word preached it is known to many that Day nor Night however th● Weather blew it seemed not hard or tedious ●● her when she knew of an opportunity of hear●● the Word and it s no great Wonder she havnig such great encouragement thereunto through ●he Lord's abundant blessing her Endeavours with so great an increase both of Gifts and Graces In point of Memory from the fifteenth year ●f her Age to the last Sermon that ever she ●eard she would ordinarily have repeated them ●x tempore Her Father hath taken a Sermon ●om her Mouth a Week after it was preached ●nd penn'd it So zealous was she in the Service of her God ●hat she was observed after she came Home from ●earing the Word preached she forthwith went ●id fell down before the Lord and watered it with Tears and then assoon as the Family was ●● order she came and repeated A Friend ●●tely declared since her Decease with