wilt keep him in perfect Peace The Hebrew runs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shalom Shalom Peace Peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee Never did the espoused Maid long more for the Marriage-day nor the Apprentice for his freedom nor the Captive for his Ransom nor the condemned man for his Pardon nor the Traveller for his Inne nor the Marriner for his Haven nor the sick man for his health nor the wounded man for his cure nor the hungry man for his bread Phil 1.23 nor the naked for clothes then she did long to die and to be with Christ which for her was best of all How often were those words in her mouth Rev. 22.20 Come Lord Jesus come quickly The face of none is so comely to the Saints eye the voice of none so lovely to his ears the taste of none so pleasant in his mouth as Jesus Christ The Name of Jesus hath a thousand treasures of joy and comfort in it saith Chrysostome and is therefore used by Paul five hundred times as some have reckoned The Name of a Saviour saith one is Honey in the Mouth Musick in the Ear Bernard and a Jubilee in the heart And how often was that blessed word in her mouth Remember O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart Isa 38.3 and have done that which is good in thy sight a serious sense of her uprightness in the main of her walking with God did yield her more then a little sweetness and comfort when she was upon her bed of Pain one of the last speeches of a dying upright Christian was this Satan may as well plâ—ck God out of Heaven John 10.28 29 30. 2 Tim. 2.12 as plâ—ck my soul out of â—his keeping She knew him in whom she had believed and was perswaded that he was able to keep that which she had committed to him against that day A child that hath any precious Jewel given him cannot better secure it then by putting it into his fathers hands to keep so neither can we better provide for our souls safety then by committing them to God Keep that which I have committed that is eithâ—r my precious soul which I have committed to his care and custody to bring it forth glorious at that day of his appearing or my eternal life happiness and crown of glory which I have as it were deposited w th him by faith and hope and thus it was with her The Apostle saith he committed to Gods Custody a Pawn or Pledge but about this Pawn or Pledge Interpreters differ One saith It is his soul Another saith It is himâ—elf And a third saith It is his works And a fourth saith It is his sâ—fferings And a fifth saith It is his salvation In short he committâ—d to God his soul himself his doings his sufferings to be rewarded with life and salvation and so did she who is now at rest in the Lord. Lord saith Austin I will die that I may enjoy thee I w ll not live but I will die I desire to die that I may see Christ and refuse to live that I may live with Christ The broken Rings Contracts and Espousals contents not the true Lover but he longs for the Marriage-day and so did she who has now exchang'd a sick bed for a Royal Throne and the company of poor Mortals for the Presence of God Christ Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect It was well said of one So far as we tremble at death so far we want love its sad when the Contâ—act is made between Christ and a Christian to see a Christian afraid of the making up of the Marriage But your deceased Relation was no such Christian I know nothing in this world that her heart was so much set upon as the compleating of the Marriage between Christ and her soul My eye is upon that text Isa 57.1 The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart and 〈…〉 men are taken away none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come I have read of one Philo a Jew and of another that when they came to any City or Town and heard of the death of any godly man though never so poor they would both of them mourn exceedingly because of the great loss that place had by the death of that godly man and because it was a warning-Piece from God of evil approaching but ah how many famous godly Ministers and how many châ—iâ—e Christians hath the Lord of Hosts taken away from us and yet who lays it to heart There is no greater Prognostick of an approaching storm thâ—n Gods calling home so many Worthies of whom this world was not worthy as he has lately done Now O that God would beautifie all your souls with all these 12 Jewels with which your Mother waâ— adorned in life and 〈◊〉 Sir you having signified to me that it was your Mothers minde and your desires that her following Experiences should be printed I did think it might be somewhat seasonable to put you all in minde of such things as I had among many others observed and which should be all your ambition to imitate as you would give up your accounts at last with joy and be happy with her for ever in that other world Considering that these Experiences may fall into other hands besides your own I thought it meet to let such Readers know that these were taâ—en from her by one of you when she was in a very weakly condition and had little more strength then to speak and they are but some of those that lay most warm upon her heart at that time God began to work upon her in the Morning of her days and had there been a Collection of all her most close inward spiritual Experiences they would have been greatly multiplied beyond what is now presented to the Readers eye but that was a Task too hard for her under those variety of weaknesses that she was every â—ay contending with The Experienees â—f old disciples commonly rise high but the Ingenious Reader may easily discern by the twelve Iewels with which she was adorned that she was a woman both of choice and great Experiences Aâ—stin observes on Psal 16.2 Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will deâ—lare what he hath done for my soul He doth not call them saith he to acquaint them with speculations how wide the Earth is and how far the Heavens are streteh'd out or what the number of the stars are or what is the course of the Sun But come and I will tell you the wonders of his grace the faithfulness of his promises and the riches of his mercy to my soul Now all Ministers and Christians that had any inward acquainâ—ance with her soul-concernments they do very well know that she was most taken up with the wonders of Gods free rich and sovereign grace and with
the sweetness the fulness the freeness the riches and the faiâ—hfulness of his Promises and with the riches of his mercy in Christ to her soul To draw to a close it is observable that even the holy Apostles in their Canonical Epistles have spent some good part of their holy lines in the ample Commendations of those eminent Saints to to whom they wrote as Paul in hâ— to Philemon and John in that of 〈◊〉 to an Honourable Lady and thâ— other to a meaner person viz. Gaiâ—â— and that they went not behind thâ— door as we say to whisper but 〈◊〉 on the House-top did proclaim tâ—â— Religious and pious practices of thoâ— more choice Christians to the â—miâ—atiâ—on of others And further when consider that which the Apostle speaketh of Demetrius a rare and noâ— ordinary Testimony 3 Ep. of John 12. Demetriâ—s haâ—â— a good report of all men and of tâ—â— Truth it self and we also bear Record and we know that our Record 〈◊〉 true And yet further when I consider what is Recorded of Hezekiaâ— Thus did Hezekiah throughout all Jâ—dah 1 Chro. 31.20 21. and wrought what was good anâ— right and true before his God Anâ— in every work that he began in thâ— service of the House of God anâ— in the Law and Commandments hâ— did it with all his heart and proâ—â—pered And when I consider whâ—â— high commendations the Apostle bâ—stows upon the Churches of Maâ—â—donia 2 Cor. 8.1 to the eleven verse And upon the Church of Thesâ—alonia 1 Thessal 1.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. And also 2 Thessal 1. â— 4 5 And when I consider that â—t was the Holy Ghost who writ â—â—eâ—â—adâ—â— Epitaph 2 Chron. 24.16 They buried him â—n the City of â—avid among the Kings â—ecause he had done good in Israel â—â—oth towarâ—s God and towards his hoâ—se It is said also of â—osiah in â—his Commendations by the same Spirit Like unto him there was no King 2 King 23.25 Moses and Mordâ—â—aâ— Sarah Deboâ—rah Esther Eâ—â— abeth and others after their deaths have had their due praises When I consider of these things I am very well satisfied in what I have said concerning this deceased Sister and friend I do no ways doubt but that we may vâ—ry safely say good of such when dead whose ordinary course and practice it was to do good while they lived but in this censorious Age No sooner is dâ—st cast upon some Christians head but there are those that will do what they can to throw dirt in their faces Aâ—gustine doth very fitly compare these to Dives his dogâ— they lay licking and sucking Lazarus his sores but his sounder parts they never medled with To trample upon the Reputation and stain the glory of them that die in the Lord argues such Persons to be a kin to Fleas who bite most when men are asleep It was one of Solons Laws that none should dare to speak evil of the dead And Plutarch tells us that that was highly commended and duly observed But is it so now This I am sure that it well becomes Christians not to dare to speak evil if they could of those who for the main have lived holily and died graciously as this deceased friend hath done Let this satisfie us that she is above the Praises and envies of men 'T is the good the profit the advantage of all your souls and theirs into whose hands this little Piece may fall that has drawn me out to write so large an Epistle If I had had only the dead in my eye a few lines should have serv'd the turn I doubt not but that you will kindly accept of my endeavours to be serviceable to your immortal souls and who can tell what fruit may grow upon this Tree I shall improve all the interest I have in Heaven that both the Epistle and your glorified Mothers Experiences may be blest to the furtherance of the internal and eternal welfare of all your souls The good-will of him that dwelt in the Bush rest upon you and yours So I Rest Honoured friends Your Souls Servant THO BROOKS A TRUE RELATION OF Some of the EXPERIENCES of Mrs. SUSANNA BELL taken from her own Mouth by a near Relation of hers a little before her death Left as a LEGACY to her Mourning Children IT pleased the Lord to order it so that in my young days I was cast into a Family that feared the Lord. And going to hear Mr. White preaching from those words Prov. 15.15 But he that is of a merry heart hath a continual Feast From thâ—se words he did shew how happy a thing a good conscience was and what a sad thing it was with Judas to have a bad conscience and what a blessed thing it was to have a good conscience From that of Hezekiah Isa 38.3 And he said Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which iâ— good in thy sight This Sermon God made useful to me and after this it pleased the Lord to order it so that I changed my condition and the Lord provided for me a good Husband one that feared him And some troubles being here many of the people of God went for New England and among them my Husband desired to go but I and my friends were very a verse unto it I having one childe and being big with another thought it to be very difficult to cross the Seas with two small children some of my Neighbors advising me to the contrary living so well as I did But I told them that what the Lord would have me to do that I would willingly do and then it pleased the Lord to bring that Scripture to my mind Eph. 5.22 Wives submit your selves unto your own Husbands as unto the Lord. And then my heart was brought off to a quiet submission But after this I being well delivered and the Child well It pleased the Lord soon after to take my Child to himself Now upon this so far as it pleased the Lord to help a poor wretch I begged earnestly of him to know why he took away my Child and it was given in to me that it was because I would not go to New England Upon this the Lord took away all fears from my â—pirit and then I told my Husband I was willing to go with him For the Lord had made my way clear to me against any that should oppose And then my husband went presently upon the work to fit to go And the Lord was plâ—ased to carry us as upon Eagles wings according to that Deut. 32 10 11. We were eight weeks in our passage and saw nothing but the Heavens and Waters I knew that the Lord was a great God upon the shore But when I was upon the Sea I did then see more of his glorious power then ever I had done before according to that of the Psalmist Psal 107.23 24. And when the Lord was pleased
THE LEGACY OF A DYING MOTHER To Her Mourning CHILDREN Being the EXPERIENCES OF Mrs. Susanna Bell Who Died MARCH 13. 1672 With an EPISTLE DEDICATORY BY THOMAS BROOKS Minister of the Gospel LONDON Printed and are to be sold by John Hancock Senior and Junior at the three Bibles in Popes-Head Alley in Cornhill 1673. To his Honoured Friends Mr. T.B. I.B. S.B. I T. Merchants and to their Wives and to the rest of the Children of Mrs. Susanna Bell deceased The Author wisheth all Grace Mercy and Peace Honoured Friends MY Design in this Epistle is not to Complement you but to benefit you 't is not to tickle your ears but to better your hearts nor 't is not to blazon her name or fame to the World whose Heaven-born-soul s now at rest with God and who is swallowed up in those â—ranscendent Enjoyments of that other World which are above the comprehensions of my minde and tâ—e Expressions and Praises of my Pen but 't is to a lure and draw you to aâ— imitation of what was prâ—ise-worthy in her Shall I hint at a few things First imitate her in that sincerity and plain-heartedness which was transparent in her Sincerity is not a single grace but the Source of all graces and the Interlineary that must run through every grace for what is faith if it be not unfâ—ined and what is love iâ— it be not without dissimulation and what is Repentance if it be not in truth Sincerity is the soul of all grace 't is the grace of all our graces what advantage is it to have the breast-Plate of Righteousness the Shield of Faith Eph. 6.13 14 15 16 17 7 Joh 1.4 the Helmet of Hope if they be but painted things it is the Girdle of Sincerity that makes all the other parts of our Armour useful Was she not a true Nathaniel a Person in whom there was no guile I mean no allowed hypocrisie and was not this that which carried her through the pangs of death with a great d al of comfort Isa 38.3 2. 2 Cor. 1.12 as it had done Hezekâ—ah Paul and other Saints before A sincere Christian is like the Violet which grows low and hides it self and its own sweetness as much as may be with its own leaves Or like Brutâ—s staffe gold within and thorn without Or like the Ark gold within and Goats-hair without The very Heathen loved a candid and sincere spirit as he that wished That there was a Glass-window in his breast that all the World might see what was in his heart But Secondly imitate her in that Humility 1 Pet. 5.5 which was a grace she was cloathed withal I ever found her low and little in her own eyes much in debasing her self upon all occasions looking upon her self as below the least of mercies with Jacob and as dust and ashes Gen. 32.10 Gen. 18.27 Ps 22.6 Eph. 3.8 with Abraham and as a poor worm with David and less then the least of all Saints with Paul And commonly the more high in spiritual worth the more humble in heart God delights to pour in grace into humble souls as men pour in liquor into empty vessels Humility makes a Person Peaceable among Brethren fruitfâ—l in well-doing cheerful in suffering and constant in holy walking Humility makes a man precious in the eyes of God who is little in his own account is always great in Gods esteem It is well observed by some That those brave creatures the Eagle and the Lion were not offered in sacrifice unto God but the poor Lambs and Doves were to note that God regards not your brave high lofty spirits but poor meek and contemptible spirits Humility is a rare grace Many saith Augustine can more easily give all they have to the poor then themselves become poor in spirit be low in your own eyes and be content to be low in the eyes of others and think not of your selves above what is meet as ever you would write after your Mothers Copy Mat. 18.10 and affect more to be amongst Gods little ones then the great ones of this world Be humble Christians as ever you would be holy be humble Humility is of the essence of the new creature He is not a Christian that is not humble The more grace the more humble those that have been most high in spiritual worth have always been most humble in heart Ignatius could say of himself Non sum dignâ—s dici minimus I am not worthy to be called the least Lord I am Hell but thou art Heaven said blessed Hooper I am a most hypocritical wretch not worthy that the earth should bare me said holy Bradford I have no other name saith Luther then Sinner Sinner is my name S nner is my sir-name This is the name by which I shall be always known I have sinned I do sin I shall sin infinâ—tum Ruth was the Daughter of the King of Moab if we may give credit to the general opinion of the Rabbines or if that be not so probable yet she was one that we may well suppose to have been one of good quality in her own countrey as being Wife of Mahlon the elder brother of the Family of the Prince Naasson yet she accounts her self scarce equal to one of the Maid-servants in the house of Bâ—az Ruth 2.13 So Abigail the wit of the time 1 Sam. 25.41 So El zabeth though she was the elder and the better woman for outward quality Luke 1.43 yet how confounded was she with Mary s visit as being too great a weight of honour for her to bear So Mary Lâ—ke 1 38. If I were asked said Austin what is the readiest way to attain true happiness I would answer the first the second the third thing is Humility Humility doth not only entitle to happiness but to the highest degree of happiness Mat. 18.4 Humility is that Jacobs Ladder which reaches from Earth to Heaven Thirdly imitate her in her charity and mercy towards suffering needy and wanting ones how seldom did you find her ear or hand shut against charitable motions she knew that those that did good to the poor and needy for Christs-sake God would do good to them for the Poors sake most sure for his Sons sake She knew that he who promised They should have that asked had first commanded such to give unto them that asked she knew that unmercifulness is a sin which least becomes and worse beseems one that had so largely tasted of the mercies of God as she had done both in New and Old England She was much made up of pity and mercy to the poor the bellies of the hungry and the back of the naked did often proclaim her pity and charity Many Ministers Widows and fatherless ones have tasted not only of her husbands bounty but of hers also Vain persons when they give they will cause their kindness to run in a visible channel Mat. 6.1 2. they will sound a Trumpet to be seen