Hence was it that David finding a mutinie within 43. ult his soule hee takes up the contention by charging his soule to trust in God O when other mens soules are under confusion and restlesnesse and moving within them As the trees of the Esa 7. 2. wood are mooved with the winde because they are hard bestead when feares and terrors doe rack and rend their hearts in pieces and all because they trust not in God then the soule whose trust is in the Lord hath quiet in spirit and he saith Why should Psal 49. 5. I feare in the daies of evill hee then sings over the forty sixe Psalme with holy Luther Vse 3 Thirdly wee should strive to attaine to Davids pitch and endeavour to be such that can truly say In thee is Psal 57. 1. my trust or as in another Psalme My soule trusteth in thee Thus to doe is very necessary and comfortable but yet of great difficulty it is a hard thing to bring the heart from creature confidence unto divine confidence that a soule should be beset with misery and apprehend nothing but stormes and threatnings of destruction and yet now to stay it selfe upon God in whose hand the cloud and calamity is is a worke both above and against nature which that wee may be brought unto I will propound these six helpes First you must goe to Six helpes to trusting in God Schoole to learne Gods name aright They that know thy Psal 9. 10. Name will put their trust in thee saith David and in another Psalme hee saith How excellent is thy loving kindnesse Psal 36. 7. O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings Now the name of God is The name of God what the Lords revelation of himselfe in his Word and it doth comprehend under it all the glorious Attributes of God together with the promises of grace and mercy which he hath made unto his The knowledge of Gods name what Church and the knowledge of that name is no more then the informing our mindes and understandings in the truth and meaning of God in all his glorious Attributes and gratious promises surely if the soule did once come to apprehend God aright in the Attributes of his Wisdome Power Mercy and Providence and to looke upon all the promises as absolute truths and full of goodnesse it would not but be drawne into trust and confidence God saith in one Psalme I will set him on Psal 91. 14. high because hee hath knowne my Name the meaning is I will see he shall be safe because he hath trusted in mee where we see that the very Trusting in God called the knowing of Gods name and why trusting in God is called by the knowing of Gods name and why so 1. Because in trusting we gaine an experimentall knowledge of Gods name 2. Because by knowing of his name we come to the trusting in his name will any man trust in him whom hee doth not know surely God unknowne can never be relied upon I must therefore make it my worke not onely to know there is a God which is to know him by name but I must know him in his sufficiencie of strength for safety and defence and as one that will gratiously admit mee into his protection I recoursing unto him in obedience and Faith if ever my soule shall draw into him in a way of confidence and dependance Secondly get a friendly 2. To get acquaintance with God and familiar acquaintance with God as ignorance so strangenesse cannot rely upon God and it is not every ordinary acquaintance with God but a speciall acquaintance with him that doth breed a dependance on him A man must know God by way of tryall ere hee will trust him and a man Speciall acquaintance with God what must have speciall intimacie with God so as to see him a reconciled God unto him in the face of Iesus Christ ere he can bring his heart to trust in him I say if a man can see God as his Father and best friend even one twixt him and whom there are no quarrels and differences he shall with much cheerefullnesse of heart relie upon him Thirdly set up Faith into 3. Set up Faith into exercise and life exercise the grace of Faith must not onely live in us but we must also live by it if ever wee intend truly to trust in God the life of sence weakens our dependance on God the life of reason sets up our dependance on the creatures but the life of Faith doth quicken and raise up a strong dependance on God this is the dwelling in the secret of the Psal 91. 1. most high and the shutting up of the soule within the Esa 26. 20 doores of the divine chambers I conceive thus much of the life of Faith 1. It will make God that unto us which our necessities doe require him to be even a rock and Tower refuge and fortresse Because thou hast made the Psal 91. 9 10. Lord which is my resuge thine habitation there shall no evill befall thee where we see that Faith in working makes God an habitation 2. It will draw home the particular and the generall promises of safety unto a mans selfe in particular Now the setling of the promises on the soule is the way to bring in a man unto dependance for it doth let in or enter a man into the goodnesse of God hence Psal 119 114. saith David Thou art my hiding place and my shield I hope in thy Word where we see that David did make God his hiding place by hoping in his Word 3. It will intitle a man unto Iesus Christ in whom all the promises are yea and Amen The way to come into God is Iesus Christ and God is no farther an hiding place to the person of any man then he is united to Christ by Faith It is Christ that makes God our Shield and Tower and so as Faith doth worke it selfe upon Christ it doth worke the soule upon God for I cannot fasten my selfe upon God but in and by the Mediatour upon whom my Faith is pitched Fourthly leane not unto 4. The giving over a mans selfe Pro. 3. 5. selfe-policie and selfe-power hence saith Salomon Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and leane not to thine owne understanding surely wee must empty our selves of our selves if ever wee will be brought to trust upon God what man will be beholding to another so as to seeke unto him and to cast himselfe upon him if he conceive himselfe to be selfe-sufficient and surely this is mans proud disposition that he will be as little beholding to God for any thing as he can for hee will try his owne wits and parts and friends in the first place and if hee finde in them reliefe then hee will stick and stay wee see in experience that no man commits his body to the
sight of sinfull objects and that could not so easily swallow downe those vanities and courses which others doe not so much as scruple at to her dying day shee did abhorre Popish and Superstitious vanities and was much grieved that any should take upon them to practise or maintaine any thing that was contrary to Gods Word and justly scandalous unto Christians Secondly God had given 2. Lovingnesse to the godly her to become very loving hearted unto the godly if she saw in any but aliquid Christi that is something of Christ with holy Bucer shee dearely loved them the graces of God bestowed on them drew her affections to them making her greatly to delight in their company and conference shee often would say to mee where is the pleasure that sinfull societies can yeeld unto a Christian I am sure I can finde no delight in being amongst them O it is the godly and such as truly feare God that are my delight and that shall be truly welcome unto my house there are many Christians this day alive that can testifie her reall love unto them a good patterne for us all to follow wee should make them the men of our company and delight here that are our companions in grace and shall be our company in Heaven Thirdly shee was large 3 Desires and cravings after goodnes and amendment hearted in her desires after goodnesse and good things a little heart shee had but low which made her very greedy after and desirous of grate such a holy covetousnesse and unsatiable thirst was implanted within her that shee could never give her selfe satisfaction in any present measure of grace or actuall performance of duties but was carried with a vehement desire of bettering or mending her selfe in both out of that desire which she had to profit and benefit her owne foule and to augment and enlarge her selfe in graces and duties Hieronyâ—â—i Epistolae ad Paulam Marcellam aliaâ— with those religious Romane Ladies of whom S. Ierome speakes shee would be full of holy enquiries solid questions and apt cases of conscience God gave unto her that excellent gift of improoving Christian acquaintance and Christian society for hardly could any good Minister or able Christian come to visit her in her health or sicknesse but shee would be pressing and putting of them on to some soule-profiting discourse by which she might both doe her selfe and others good oh it is a blessed thing for Christians to bee acting Maries part and I could heartily wish that in this she might be followed in this City and other parts for I finde this to be a common fault that God puts into our hands many opportunities of doing our selves good by the company of Ministers and Christians and wee have no hearts to improove them wee thinke that when wee have feasted them and for a time courteously entertained them wee have done enough Oh how often hath mine eares heard her wishing that she had more power to beleeve and spirit to pray and to obey This Sister of ours made it her daily worke to be treasuring up a stocke of grace for another world and the neerer she was to glory the more thirstie was she after grace Surely where those longings and thirstings after soule enlargement in graces and duties are wanting there may bee a strong supposition that spirituall life is also wanting For herein doe artificiall bodies differ from naturall bodies that the one are capeable of extension the other are not Fourthly She was fearing 4. Fearfull of her owne standing and state hearted in respect of her spirituall and eternall condition she did much trouble her selfe about that one thing necessary namely the setling of the happinesse of her soule both here and hereafter shee had an heart making Heaven to be Heaven and it was a great businesse with her how shee might bee sure to have Heaven when she left the world she was not in the number of those who onely then thinke of going to Heaven when they see themselves ready to drop into Hell Neither was Heaven unto her an empty Notion or going to Heaven an ordinary matter but a thing of the highest concernement she knew that she had a soule and what it was to have a soule mistaken or miscarry in so great a matter as salvation yea so serious was this Christian Sister of ours in this maine businesse that shee would often suspect her owne care and question her owne evidences for Heaven being ever and anon jealous least that shee should faile of Heaven at the last This was admirable and imitable in her that shee would be putting her selfe to the triall that so shee might see and finde her selfe to be Heaven proofe and judgement proofe and when upon long reasoning and due triall shee could not put of from her selfe the evidences of a gracious condition out of a holy feare shee brake out into these words Sir are you not mistaken in your trialls or in my selfe I pray you to deale plainely and faithfully with my soule doe not make me to beleeve that I am better then I am or that my estate is safer then it is remember that you are Gods Minister and you must give an account to God if that you doe not discharge your duty in discovering to me the truth of things Let me know the worst of mine estate for I desire not neither did I send for you to be slattered and soothed by you O think of this all you that tie up the liberty and authority of Gods Ministers when they come to visit you who cannot endure the setling of your spirituall estates by the searching of your soules Fiftly She was bold hearted 5. Zealous in spirit the fire of holy zeale was kindled within her spirit and shee was so farre from being ashamed of God and his cause that as occasion was offered and as it became her in her place shee would speake for God and plead for the power and purity of His blessed worship and service yea shee kept that liberty to her selfe which many loose namely so to enjoy her best friends that with all she would wisely dislike and Christianly reproove what shee saw or heard to be amisse in them which made such as well knew her the more truely to honour and love her Sixtly She was Heavenly 6. HeaveÌ„ly mindednes hearted and dead to the world whilst shee lived in the world shee so minded her countrey in Heaven that she could willingly part with all the creatures for Heaven nay she had so ordered her affections and affaires that shee had little else to doe but to die when shee was to die well knowing that an heart set into the creatures is loath to make an exchange of earth for Heaven it was neither Husband nor Children nor Mother nor Brothers or Sisters nor Friends that could stand in her way to make her loath or unwilling to die they were all lookt upon with a dead eye long
THE EYE OF FAITH open to GOD. Vnfolded in a Sermon Preached at the Funerall of that vertuous and Religious Gentlewoman Mrs JVLIAN BLACKVVELL together with a Narration of her vertuous Life and happy Death By JOHN SEDGVVICK Batchelor of Divinity and Preacher of GODS Word in London Prov 31. 30. Favour is deceitfull and beauty is vaine but a woman that feareth the Lord she shall be praised LONDON Printed by GEORGE MILLER MDCXL TO THE WORSHIPFVLL IOHN BLACKVVELL Esquire his Majesties Grocer comfort and happy imitation of the deceased Sir WHilst Ministers preach Funerall Sermons they find the wind setting in their faces from their auditors some thinke that too little others that too much and most that what is spoken concerning the dead is but formality or flattery They report that the Aethiopians doe picture Angels black and Divels white and I thinke that they Amandus Polanus Syntag. Theol lib. 20 c. 17. justly suffer censure who doe knowingly call evill good and good evill yet I deeme that meete and just praise is a due to Gods Saints departed and Salatia vivorum non suffragia mortuorum Orationes Aug. though they add not to their honour and happinesse being in Heaven yet they may proove both comforts and instructions to the living left upon earth especially to such who forgoe those with griefe whom they for a time enjoyed with love I doe not send the living to the dead with Papists yet let mee tell you that there are these things comfortable to the living from the dead 1. Their holinesse of life and comfort in death grounded evidences for our hope of their future happinesse And 2. That there shall be a time of meeting and enjoying each other againe at the last day such being not lost but gone before us add to this the good of their examples which are of great force for the teaching of posterity who may take them for their patterne and so resemble them in their religious courses that they may seeme to survive in them both these ends are my aime in publishing this Sermon and with it the just testimony which I gave unto your late loving and beloved Wife whom death hath freed from all sinfull and sorrowfull evils and brought to the enjoyment of her God in Heavens happinesse shee well knew that the world could never make her fully happy and that Christians are never in their best condition till that they are in their heavenly condition I desire not to renew your griefe but to shew that I had a share in your losse of that Iewell laid up by God in the highest Heavens whom all your care and cost which did demonstrate you to be a loving Husband could not longer continue on earth whilst shee was yours you did I confesse what could be done for her credit comfort and continuance and thereby deserved from her that praise which often shee gave of you to my selfe and others but being gone there remaines a double monument of her one of her owne for shee hath left with you those in whom shee liveth whom I need not say to you you must love as a Father and a little the more for the Mothers sake another of mine in this Publication wherein her memory is made pretious among the Saints and perpetuated unto all posterity a Worke done by mee upon your owne earnest intreaty and therefore cannot but be welcome unto you You have your desire let mee have mine Thinke of your losse and remember your selfe and place in which God hath set you doing things so that your comfort within and credit without may still be upheld in the Churches of God amongst whom you have obtain'd an excellent name I need to say no more to you but that I am Your much obliged friend Io Sedgvvick From my house in S. Dunstances in the East London To the Reader and in speciall to my worthy good Friends in and a-about the City of London Peace and setling of mind THe shaking of A double temper of men in tâ—mes of danger the water doth not more discover the mudd that 's at the bottome nor the beating of the pulse the distemper of the body then Times of Danger doe bewray men in point of defect or excesse now men appeare 1. To be carelesse either to be carelesse and gracelesly secure having their eyes bound up and their consciences so seared that they neither see or feare any danger or to be over-fearing having their 2. To be over fearefull eyes too open upon or their hearts too much affected with the sadnesse and miseries of the times the first sort I leave to the vanity of their minde and sinfullnesse of their courses assuring them that their continuance in carnall security is to them an evident forerunner of their future misery the latter sort I shall advise to consider of these two things First that the The Springs of over-much fearing over-much fearing of mans heart in evill times doth arise from a false eye or a wrong foundation I meane the eye and the Arme of flesh he that at such time hath no other eye to see withall then that by which he seeth every thing or being able to pierce no deeper or looke no higher then naturall reason or outward objects can helpe him shall be sure to finde that his senses will faile him and his troubles sinke him Besides the Arme of Flesh trusted unto and relied upon will make him to ebb and flow and shall hold his spirit in a course of such constant agitation that in the end he shall flagg and faint Flesh at the best is too weake a prop to stay the soule a certaine impeacher and empairer of mans confidence and comfort and who so doe put it into the place of a god shall undoubtedly find from it the deceivings of a creature Secondly that the best way to quit our selves of an over-fearing heart in the daies of trouble is to get an eye of Faith which alone shuts up the eye of sense and getteth such views of Gods Love Power and providence that God is knowne to be and also made the sole stay and staffe of the soule upon whom whosoever truly trusteth he is in such safety that no malice of men or divels can endanger him My Brethren had we the Angelicall eyes of faith we should feare lesse though times vnto sense are distressefull and almost desperate this alone can see a better issue then carnall reason can apprehend and an higher power to protect and guard then humane helpes are either liekly or able to affoord this will make a man waite till the fifth Scene of the Tragedy is acted knowing that troubles have their turnings as spring-tides have their ebbings This eye David had in his troubles as the following Discourse will shew you and this eye I wish unto you all that your confidences and comforts may abound and though I hope that many of you have this eye yet beholding your dimnesse and weaknesse I
and there is no Christian man or woman but must needs confesse so much and beside the generall calamity we have the time of our particular misery our conditions either are or have beene sad and perplexed tell mee now where are your eyes fixed upon God then it 's well and give mee leave to presse you to this triall upon this one ground because that multitudes of men have no eyes upon God in evill times Surely if our eyes are upon God First we shall make God present with us beholding and regarding us in our miseries the eye doth make the object present to it selfe and faith looking upon God doth make God present to a Christian the truth is that it 's no misery that can divide a Christian and his God for God hath tied his presence and love with his children in the fire and water and prison and dungeon and Esa 43. 2. it is as true that if the eye of faith be once rightly set upon God in times of trouble there is no want of God to such a soule such a one whose eyes are upon God may want the company of neere and deere friends they may be sequeâ—tred and kept from him but â—he company of a God he can â—ever want a Christian is neâ—er without his God so long as hee can keepe up the eye of his Faith upon God Though I walke in the valley of the shadow of death thou art with mee thy rod and thy staffe they comfort mee O sweet comfort and happy condition in times of distresse when the soule can say men are against mee yet God is for mee men are shut out from mee by men but my God they cannot shut out from mee the eye of Faith will bring downe God into a dungeon and see him in a dungeon and maketh a man to see no want of creature-company because he hath divine company Secondly wee shall have some comfortable representation of God unto us it iâ— true in nature that the eye in it selfe hath no colour but all its colour is in the object and I conceive that the glorious discoveries of God are made over unto Faith till the eye of Faith be erected in the soule God is in darknesse to a man let things have a colour Simile and luster in them untill light come to make them cleare they are as if they were not so though there be a glory in God yet to sence and reason God is a God in night and darknesse or such a one as cannot be espied and observed but when Faith comes into the soule now God is a God in the light and the Christian is enabled in some measure to enjoy the blessed reflexe of God to his soule whereby even in his greatest misery he is able to look upon his God with that boldnesse that the very beholding of his God in the way of Faith doth greatly joy and glad his soule making him unspeakeably glorious unto his soule a man that lookes up to God shall see more grounds of comfort seated in God then grounds of sadnesse in his troubles the face of times cannot gather more blacknesse or threaten more misery then Gods face doth promise and assure peace and protection Faith seeth all the worst below and best above in God and with God Thirdly we shall be ravished and greatly affected with the glories and beauties of God vision drawes on affection or things doe affect the soule by sence by looking we come to liking the true cause why a wicked man doth neither joy in God or admire the beauties that are in God is because he wants eyes to look upon God but the man whose eyes are opened open unto God takes notice of such excellency of grace and mercy in God that his soule is taken with God and rapt up into a holy ravishment and admiration Now he cries out who is a God like unto our God O the Majesty and mercy that is in him I see that in him for mee and my necessity that I cannot see in all the creatures put them together the soule doth now begin to feede it selfe and cheere it selfe in and upon God in the midst of all afflictions making this to be its greatest comfort that it hath such a God who is so great a good to enjoy Faith cannot looke up to its God without encreasing of its confidence and comforts Fourthly we shall be set into a longing after God and his comforts the seeing of things stirres up desires in us after them so the looking up to God doth fill the soule with a fervent longing after the Lord the Christian that lookes up hopes the soule in this case is much after the manner of a tender wife who looking for her Husband by such a day or such an hower shee is faint and full of griefe untill that day come and when the day is come shee runnes to the doore and window to see if he be not comming being much troubled that hee is not yet come surely all the sight of God which we have by Faith doth cast us into hope of enjoying God according to his promise and now our soules Psal 119. 81. Rom. 8. 23 Psal 119. 82. doe faint for him and his salvation we sigh in our selves waiting and our eyes doe faile for his Word saying when wilt thou come to us and comfort us O when shall I have my helpe and deliverance from the Lord the eye of Faith doth either actually bring downe God into the soule and is as the setting of the eye of a skilfull fowler upon a bird who if he hold the bird in his eye he will not have him long out of his hand or actually carrie up the soule unto God in strength of desire so that the soule cannot be in any quiet untill God be gotten and gained Fiftly we shall not be overwhelmed by the sight of any calamities troubles beheld without a God doe exceedingly damp and daunt the spirits of men till Elishaes servant had his eyes opened to see the strength of Heaven his heart was much dismayed by the hoste of the Syrians but to have an eye to God in times of trouble will prove the great upholdment of the soule it is no miserable estate that can distresse that man whose eyes are the eyes of Faith say that troopes of troubles come and that we are to encounter with contrarieties and crosses even the ruffling rage of wicked meÌ„ whose power in some degree might equall their malice yet such a soule stands and his heart is staied within him for he sees more with him then against him O the wisedome and power which Faith doth see in God for the preservation of those that are his I reade of a Generall who Antigonus finding his souldiers dismaied by the smalenesse of their company and the multitudes of their enemies asked them but how many do you reckon mee at who am your Commander and Leader this Generall is Faith in the soule which takes
more darke then the leaving the soule destitute in divine respects doth make the soule sad and miserable 'T is misery to be under misery but in times of misery to be left unto misery by Gods withdrawing of himselfe from a man makes the misery overmiserable For a lame man to fall it's misery but when hee is downe to have his crutches taken from him and all to forsake him it 's the leaving of him in misery It is a mercy to finde divine succour in misery Obser 3 Thirdly That it is a great mercy to bee followed with spirituall succours and divine supplies in times of misery this is easing to the spirit and the burthen will be the better borne and endured this is chearing and reviving the spirit will not soone sinke and faint under any trouble whilst God is with it and all its comforts are about it the woe is to him that is alone Obser 4 Fourthly that the instant and constant desire of a Christian Divine assistance presence is to be sought should bee after divine assistance in troubles 1. A man shall never need a God more in company and comfort then when he is in and under trouble if all the creatures leave us as they may yet till God leave us wee shall never be destitute for God is all in all for the reliefe of that soule with whom hee is present besides 2. the soule hath many pretious promises for divine supply and succour in evills and therefore hee may be the more bold to put up his request to God Leave not my soule destitute To conclude the whole Vse 1 First I pitty such men who are forsaken and destitute men such whom Sathan hath bereaved of their comforts God denies his grace unto or withdrawes the influence of his comfort from A desolate Widdow forsaken of friends a brave Commander destitute of men and munition and a soule left by God in misery are equally miserable Vse 2 Secondly We learne that men destitute of God are the most helpelesse creatures under Heaven such shall doe God the King and the Country little good service that have Feathers in their hatts Armour on their backs and Weapons in their hands wanting Grace in their hearts though their oathes may be many and violence great yet their strength is small for they are destitute and deserted persons Vse 3 Thirdly In the middest of our dangers let us labour to keepe God with us and about us if we make him our friend wee need not feare who is our enemy and God supplying us wee have strength enough and shall finde comfort enough in the midst of dangers and death it selfe * ⎠* The Narration of the vertuous Life and happy Death of Mistrisse Iulian Blackwell WEE are this day The Application to the occasion met according to the practise of the Saints in Scripture to performe a duty and pay a debt to the remainder of our Christian Sister Mistrisse Iulian Blackwell which is now to be laid with honour in her grave as into a house of safe custody and bed of rest to remaine there untill the resurrection And finding this to be the practise of venerable Cent. Mag. 4. c. 6. p. 45 5. antiquity to celebrate the Funerals of Christians with the mentioning of their just praises you must give mee leave treading in Testimonium dabo veritati non amicitiae Ber. their paths to give testimony unto the truth in speaking of her gratious disposition and vertuous conversation onely take two things along Securius sinceerius visa solent quam audita narrari Goff vit Bern. lib 1. pre ces with you First that I intend to speake no more of her then what mine owne knowledge and observation doth leade mee unto Secondly that my aime in this Worke is to moderate the grieving spirits of those that were neere unto her whose losse is great and to yeeld unto you all matter of good instruction and Christian imitation seeing you know not how soone her condition may be yours And here passing over her descent leaving that to the Heralds I might begin with her curtesie modestie and gravity in her outward course and carriage in which shee did so shine that shee wonne much love from all such who well knew her and were themselves lovers of a courteous and sober conversation Next I might lay downe before you her fidelity and love to her loving Husband with whom shee lived in an unspotted way avoiding that lightnesse and loosenesse which is too too notorious and shamefull in many of her Sexe I might also further discourse of her tendernesse and love unto her children to whom shee shewed her selfe a Mother indeed by seeking their good in the best things and furthering them to her power in the waies of holinesse But leaving these there 10. Things in her are ten things which I observe as notable in her and worthy all our imitation First God had made her 1. Tendernesse of heart seene in foure things a Christian of a very tender heart and sensible spirit as her naturall disposition was softly so shee had a spirituall disposition of softnesse there were foure waies by which her tendernesse of Spirit did appeare 1. Shee was apprehensive 1. Sense of sin and feeling of sins working and burden the body of sinne which shee did beare about her as a body within her body shee made such a body of death unto her that with teares shee would often complaine to my selfe and others of her wretchednesse and wearisomenesse under the same a blessed temper and arguing spirituall life to find and feele the contrary workings of sinfull corruption unto the workings of grace within the soule 2. Shee was sensible of Satans 2. Acquaintance with tēptations temptations and his strong workings against her graces and her comforts Satan was her adversary and shee knew what it was to have Satan to be her adversary surely if God be a mans friend Satan will be his enemy and who so have tender and gratious spirits they cannot but be more or lesse sensible of Satans workings against them Satan did so often and sensibly disquiet her that shee feared least shee should at the last be overcome by him 3. Shee had a sympathizing 3. Sympathy spirit feeling the present conditions of the members of the mysticall body whether in misery or in comfort if the Church and Christians did rejoyce shee rejoyced also if they were in sadnesse shee was in heavinesse in which practise shee shewed her selfe a right living member and I could wish that there were not the failing of bowels this way amongst too too many of us What a shame is it unto us that Churches abroad are bleeding and many Christians at home in misery and dying and yet none in comparison do regard or feele the same 4. Shee had an undigesting 4 Risings against sinfull vanities spirit I meane a spirit that was full of painefull gratings at the
before shee died it is a glorious conquest to get victory over the world and the creatures before a man dies Seventhly Shee was publique 7. Publikenes of spirit hearted having her spirit set upon the times both in the sins and sorrowes thereof being so sensible of both that she could bewaile both and would be often in stirring up others to pray for Sions peace and glory Oh how did shee rejoyce when she saw any hopes of good towards the Church of God revived and shee would be much cast downe under the feares of nationall calamities fearing that her sinnes were the procurers of the same Eightly She was bearing 8. Patience hearted God put her pietie to proofe laying his hand heavily upon her in much weakenesse which kept her long under the Phisitians hands yet under all gods dealings she was a patterne of patience quietly resigning her selfe so to the good will and wisedome of God that shee did not checke or dislike God in the course of his providence but did acquit the Lord as righteous and just in his way and did let him alone in his workes being troubled at the rising of impatiency within her desiring chieflly that God would be pleased to make her able to beare his hand and to give her a sanctified use of his hand which she knew would be for good unto her Ninethly Shee was stout 9. Stoutnesse hearted which appeared in this that she did not feare the king of feare death it selfe I know that shee was very sensible that the time of her departure was at hand for shee apprehended more in her selfe then the many skillfull Physitions could in her body she would tell mee that they were all mistaken in her disease for she should not escape this sicknesse which was now upon her and though she did thinke much and talke often of it yet it was not death it selfe that could daunt or dampe her spirits she did no feare to die having the knowledge of this that it was only death which could bring her unto her desired home Tenthly and lastly Shee 10. Confidence in death was confident hearted her experience of God and faith in God had raised up her soule to such a trust in Gods mercy that finding death approaching shee left of disputings with Satan and fixing her eyes with much stedfastnesse on Heaven about the beginning of the Sabboth which was the day of her delight whilst she lived and I make no doubt a token unto her of an eternall rest in Heaven she concluded her life with this saying Death Death O Lord in thee is my trust which wordes of hers gave occasion to her loving Husband to give unto mee that Text of Scripture to preach on at her funerall And now leaving her Application to the Auditory whose soule is made perfect in Heaven and free from all sinne and sorrow give me your patience from the whole Narration to lesson you in these things that so you may 4. Duties depart hence with profit First see the joyntnes of women with men in the common salvation of Christians God hath given unto them soules as well as men and he is pleased to make them as eminent in graces and gracious practises as he doth men and therefore their sex should not be despised nor their holy courses scorned whilst they doe but endeavour to save their poore soules Secondly know That the more gracious men and women are in their lives the more comfortable shall they be in their deathes and the more honourable after their deathes such seeke for comfort and credit in a wrong way that doe not seeke it in a gracious way Thirdly Learne that wee must improove all the holy examples of Gods Saints by following their courses and Exempla maxime movent Cic de Orat lib. 3. actions the Heathen man telles us that good examples are of great force and sure I am that among Christians this is a truth that good examples are of speciall use and profit and such as we must be accountable for to God as well as for precepts we cannot doe greater honour to our religious Ancestors deceased then to endeavour to resemble them in goodnesse and godlinesse Oh that you would all resolve to go home being such as shee was and doing that which shee did of whom we have spoken Lastly Draw your owne deaths out of this occasion let it put you into dying thoughts remember that you must all follow her that is gone before you and how soone you know not and that every step of your life degrees you into the Chamber of death you being here sayling down times streame into that gulph of death which enters you into Heavens or hels eternity My beloved upon this short and shortning time of yours which is uncertaine and irrevocable depends eternity and if ever you will be wise for your soules bee wise in this to make your life the only providing time for Heavens eternity And so much for the Text and the occasion * ⎠* FINIS Imprimatur THO WYKES Iuly 30. 1640.