with shame See his Life by Mr. Clark p. 296. And another Lady Wife to the Lord Mordant confirmed by occasion of the Jesuit's absenting from the Disputation and sending his excuse that he had forgot all his Arguments tho' he had them before as ready as his Pater Nâ—ster as he believed through the just Judgment of God because he had undertaken to Dispute with so worthy a Man without License of his Superiour Ibid. p. 278. 4. One Mr. Charles Langford in a Book Published by him called God's wonderful Mercy in the Mount of woful Extremity A. C. 1672. Tells us that for near Forty Years he had been Buffeted severely by Satan who had left no Stone unturn'd to do him all the mischief that he could For the space of Forty Years saith he or thereabouts hath it pleased the Hand that took me out of my Mother's Womb to train me up and lead me along in this uncomfortable Wilderness of Temptation tho' I cannot say that in all these Years he hath left me to the violence of Spiritual Conflicts for then the Burthen had been too heavy for Flesh to stand under so long Yet must I needs say my clearest Day all that time was but clark and however I seemed to others in point of Comfort outwardly sure I am my Soul enjoyed not her rest nor could I ever say I was all that while more than a Prisoner of hope still subject unto Bondage and not discharged of the Debt nor delivered from my Fears It was but a hard shift that I made to hold up my head when I was at best my worst cannot be expressed until now at last that God for whom I waited in the way of his Judgments and from whom were my Expectations in the use of appointed means all this while came and was found of me when I look'd not for him and delivered me from my strong Enemy set my Feet upon a Rock and Established my goings I can say by experience Now I know there is a God and now I know there is a Devil Such have been the Delusions cursed Injections of Blasphemous Thoughts and dreadful Temptations wherewith he hath endeavoured to â—ll my Soul till the day the Lord by his great power delivered me out of his Hands That I have cause to know him and to make him known as I am able to the World In short tho' he had been tempted to Murder his Wife and made Provision for it and she knew it yet she still performed the duty of a faithful Yoke-fellow and upon April 16. 1669. a day for ever to be Solemnized as Glorious and Honourable by me his poor Creature They are his own words she going on in her constant course of Prayer after she had given the Lord his Holy and Reverend Titles using Moses's Arguments brake forth into these words My Father my Father What wilt thou do with my Husband He hath been speaking and acting still in thy cause Oh! Destroy him not for thine own Glory Oh! What dishonour will come to thy great Name if thou do it Oh! Rather do with me what thou wilt On Rather Do what thou wilt But spare my Husband c. He that is pleased to stile himself a God hearing Prayer and in most of his great works delights to advance his own power by using small and unlikely means after long tarrying and in a time when I looked not for him came now and owned his own Ordinance crowned the Cries and Faith and Patience of a poor Woman with such success that my praise shall be continually of him The proud may scorn but the humble shall hear thereof and be glad That roaring Lion mine Adversary the Devil that old Serpent that red Dragon that unclean Spirit that Liar that false Accuser Murderer Appollyon Abaddon even now when he thought himself almost settled in the Possession of his long sought Dominion and that there was no casting him out of my Soul which he had abused making it his Dung-hill whereon he laid all the fifth of Hellish Thoughts and Abominations that he could now was sent to his own place by my dear Lord Christ who broke the Doors of Brass and rescued me from the Rape of Hellish Furies c. See the Book writ by his own Hand p. 53 54. c. 5. When I was Minister of Shipley in Sussex a certain Man of another Parish on a Lord's Day after Evening Service came to me and desired to speak with me about some particular Case of Conscience I think it was concerning the Sin against the Holy Ghost after some discourse upon the point he told me that he had for many Years been haunted with doubts and great fears about his Salvation and could enjoy no comfort but at last unexpectedly as he was at his Loom for he was a Weaver by Trade a certain Text of Scripture was suggested to his mind by he knew not what secret Impulse and thereupon all the thick Fog which he had so long laboured under was scattered and the Room was filled with Light and he enjoyed a great Serenity and Peace and Comfort afterwards 6. Mrs. Polsted of Bednel Green for a great while was in great Darkness and Deserted It prevailed even to the uttering of words dreadful to her Friends But drawing near to her end she desired my Sister Dunn to stay with her that Night she died and to close her Eyes She lay by her upon the Bed when she spake to her thus O Mrs. Dunn it is a dreadful thing to be separated from Christ for ever for ever Yes so 't is says her Friend but I am perswaded it shall never be your Portion She fell into a kind of a Slumber and a little after spake Mrs. Dunn Christ is come let us haste to meet him let us haste to meet him She ask'd her if she had now closed with Christ yes said she I stick to my first choice I stick to my first choice What shall I render to the Lord What shall I render to the Lord And so died praising the Lord. 7. Mrs Charlton once told me That after a Desertion of about Eight Years she had such a Floud of Spiritual Joy that when she walk'd in the Streets they seem'd to her Pav'd with Gold for a Fortnights time and she was fain to beg of God to stay his Hand Her Body being not able to bear it 8. Mr. Nutkin of Okingham told me That once after near Fifty Years Profession upon a Day of Thanksgiving observed by himself upon a recovery from Sickness and to beg a Sanctified use of Health restored on a sudden a dark Cloud fell on him that all his Profession had been Hypocrisie That Day and the Night after which he passed without Sleep it continued and he was so held down by the Temptation he had not power to look into his Bible The next Day he thought thus Have I been so long acquainted with the Lord and shall not I dare to look into his
so have some excellent Persons in this Countrey done Governour Eaton at New-Haven and Governour Hains at Hartford died in their Sleep without being sick That Excellent Man of God Mr. Norton as he was walking in his House in this Boston was taken with a Syncope fell down dead and never spake more Nor is there any Rule or Reason for Christians to pray absolutely against sudden Death Some Holy Men have with submission to the Will of the most High desired and prayed for such a Death So did Mr. Capel and God gave him his Desire for on September 21. 1656. having Preached twice that Day and performed Religious Duties with his Family he went to Bed and died immediately The like is reported by Dr. Fuller in his Church History concerning that Angesical Man Mr. Brightman who would often pray if God saw fit that he might die rather a sudden than a lingring Death and so it came to pass For as he was travelling in the Coach with Sir John Osborne and reading of a Book for he would lose no time he was taken with a Fainting Fit and though instantly taken out in the Arms of one there present and all means possible used for his Recovery he there died August 24. 1607. The Learned and Pious Wolfius not the Divine who has written Commentaries on several Parts of the Scriptures but he that published Lectionum Memorabilium Reconditarum Centenarios on May 23. 1600. being in usual Health was after he had Dined surprised with a sudden illness whereof he died within a few Hours That Holy man Jacobus Faber who did and suffered great things for the Name of Christ went suddenly into the silent Grave On a Day when some Friends came to visit him after he had courteously entertained them he laid himself down upon his Bed to take some Repose and no sooner shut his Eyes but his Heaven-born Soul took its flight into the World of Souls The Man who being in Christ shall always be doing something for God may bid Death Welcome when ever it shall come be it never so soon never so suddenly Thus far Mr. Mather God who is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek him was pleased to give a Quietus est to the Reverend Mr. Hurst suddenly taking him from his Work to receive his Wages advancing him from the Pulpit to the Throne April 14. 1690. as he did the laborious Bishop Jewel who was first of the same Merton College in Oxford in somewhat alike manner from preaching at Lacock in Wiltshire now near an Hundred and twenty Years since who had said to a Gentleman disswading him from preaching then It did best become a Bishop to die preaching or standing in the Pulpit seriously thinking of that comfortable Elogy of his Lord and Master which you heard our Preacher chose for his Text at the Interment of Mr. Cawton Happy art thou my Servant if when I come I find thee doing Mr. Wells and Mr. Pledger were if I mistake not both struck with sudden Death on the Lord's-Day An Ingenious Poet of our own said in his Jambicks of the excellent Mr. Vines who went to his eternal Rest the Night after his Preaching and Administring the Lord's Supper the beginning of March 1655. Abit beata Mors Modis oportet hisce Episcopum mori And another then to the same purpose in our Mother Tongue wrote also Our English Luther Vines whose Death Iweep Stole away and said nothing in a Sleep Sweet like a Swan he Preach'd that Day he went And for his Cordial took a Sacrament Had it but been suspected he would die His People sure had stopp'd him with a Cry But his Hour was then come and so was that of the famous Mr. Hollingworth at Manchester who when at a Fast in Praying and Preaching he had as far outdone himself that Day as he used to outdoe other Ministers chang'd his Habitation here for a better having done his Work upon the irresistable Stroke of a deadly Apoplexy So was that as I have heard of the holy Mr. Ambrose So that of the laborious and much-followed Mr. Watson and we know lately of our Brother Mr. Oakes carried out of the Pulpit As was the Learned and Pious Professor Dr. Joshua Hoyl out of the University Pulpit in Oxford Death which came to him was in hast and made quick dispatch it gave one blow and down he fell Mr. Thomas Gouge died says Archbishop Tillotson who preach'd his Funeral Sermon in the 77th Year of his Age Octob. 29th 1681. It so pleased God adds this Great Author that his Death was so sudden that in all probability he himself hardly perceiv'd it when it happen'd for he died in his Sleep So that we may say of him as it is said of David After he had served his Generation according to the Will of God he fell asleep I confess continues our Author that a sudden Death is generally undesirable and therefore with Reason we pray against it because so very few are sufficiently prepared for it But to him the constant Employment of whose Life was the best Preparation for Death that was possible no Death cou'd be sudden nay it was rather a Favour and Blessing to him because by how much the more sudden so much the more easie As if God had designed to begin the Reward of the great Pains of his Life in an easie Death And indeed it was rather a Translation than a Death and saving that his Body was left behind what was said of Enoch may not unfitly be applied to this Pious and Good Man with respect to the suddenness of his Change He walked with God and was not for Good took him See his Funeral Sermon CHAP. CXLVII EPITAPHS MANY Instances of EPITAPHS in Prose and in Verse may be collected from the old Greek Poets and Historians who yet were but Children compared to the Chaldeans and Egyptians But the Ancientest President of Epitaphs must be that recorded in the Ancientest History viz. the Old Testament 1 Sam. 6.18 where it is recorded that the Great Stone erected as a Memorial unto Abel by his Father Adam remained unto that Day in being and its Name was called the Stone of Abel and its Elegy was Here was shed the Blood of Righteous Abel as it is also called 4000 Years after Mattn 23.35 and this is the Original of Monumental Memorials and Elegies 1. St. Bernard 's Epitaph made by one Adam a Canon Regular Clarae sunt Valles sed claris Vallibus Abbas Clarior his clarum nomen in Orbe dedit Clarus avis clarus meritis clarus honore Claruit ingenio religione magis Mors est clara cinis clarus clarumque sepulchrum Clarior exultat Spiritus ante Deum Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist p. 105. 2. The Epitaph upon Bede made by one of his Scholars Hac sunt in Fossà Bedae Snacti Ossa But in the Morning this was found on his Tomb. Hac sunt in Fossà Bedae Venerabilis Ossa Ibid.
particular Instances of these kind of Meteors the Scripture tells us at the Birth of our Saviour a Star appeared which perhaps was the Comet spoken of by Heathen Authors in the Days of Augustus of a stupendious Greatness upon which the Tibertine Sibyl shewed the Emperour the Divinity of our Saviour in these words Hic Puer Major te est Ipsum adora Our last great Comet I doubt not was of extraordinary signification not to us only but to whole Europe and farther so far as it was conspicuous What a gracious God have we that never scarce goes about any great Commotions or Changes in the World but he gives Warning before-hand As if not willing to take us tardy He shews his Signs in the Heavens above when he is about to do any great Work in the Earth beneath And therefore as Darius in the Case of Daniel Chap. 6.26 27. Let Men tremble and fear before this God for he is the Living God and steadfast for ever his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed and his Dominion shall be even unto the end he delivereth and rescueth and worketh Signs and Wonders in Heaven and Earth 2. Thunder and Lightning Called by the Psalmist the Voice of God and by some supposed to be that Trumpet that shall sound at the Last Day to raise the Dead and to call to Judgment I will not trouble you with declaring the strange and divers Effects of this kind of Meteor its hurting of things inward when the outward are safe shattering the Bones when the Flesh is left sound melting the Blade of the Sword when the Scabbard is free breaking the Vessel when the Wine slows not away exempting poisonous Creatures from their Venom and infusing it into those who are not so striking Men dead and leaving them in the same posture it found them as if still alive c. It is enough to say that 't is a stupendious Meteor and may well be called the Voice of the Divine Excellency Job 37.2 3 4 c. Job 26 6-14 It is said of Nero that a Thunder-bolt fell upon his Table and struck the Cup out of the Emperor's Hand And we have known in our Age some strong Towers and high Buildings demolished to the very Ground with Lightning Some Men struck dead some lamed some blinded Trees clove asunder A Learned Divine of our Nation tells of a profane Person walking abroad with another upon the Lord's-Day when it thundred his Companion telling him of it made Answer 'T is nothing but a Knave Cooper beating of his Tubs But he had not gone much farther but himself was struck dead This may teach us to put on a Reverential Awe of the Divine Majesty at such Seasons That Emperor Caligula who used to brave it out as if he meant to vie with the Almighty and cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was an Instance of the Divine Patience but no safe Example for Imitation The Psalmist is more ingenuous Psal 29. c. Give unto the Lord O ye mighty give unto the Lord Glory and Strength And Psal 97.1 2 3 4. To see all the lower World cover'd with thick Clouds and the Cracks of Thunder shake the very Pillars of the Earth and terrible Flashes and Corruscations of Lightning with a speedy pace fly from one end of the Heavens to the other is so like the Voice of God and a Type or Shadow of that black gloomy Day which shall put a Period to the World that it may well be a Memento of our Duty and Reverence we owe to the Divine Majesty and may well put that Question into our Mouths Who shall be able to stand when God appears When this great and terrible God shall by the Sound of this Trumpet or the Voice of an Arch-Angel Summon the World to Judgment who shall dare to appear before him If the Giving of the Law and the Enacting or rather Promulgation of our Religion upon Mount Sinai was so dreadful as Exod. 19.16 Chap. 20.18 19. What will the Great Assizes be when all the Men that ever lived in the World shall be called to give up their last Account and receive their Final Doom Then Oh! Come ye Mountains and fall upon us and ye Rocks cover us and hide us from the Wrath of the Lamb Then Oh! where will the Heart and Stoutness of the presumptuous Sinner shew itself How will he that brav'd it here with the Almighty be able then to stand his Ground and maintain his Cause Psal 50.1 2 3 4. 3. Air and Winds Which what to make of we know not 't is such an invisible and yet real Meteor that it will puzzle the Natural Reason of the most subtile Philosopher to tell the Nature of it The Air is so like the Nature of the Souls in our Bodies or a Spirit in general that we know little more of either one or other than what we know by the sensible Effects John 3.8 The Wind bloweth where it listeth c. If Man be so dim in Naturals with what Face can he boast his Knowledge of Spiritual Objects We neither know the Air that surrounds us every-where nor the Wind that whistles in our Ears nor the Souls that lodge in our own Bodies We are so blind so near home And 't is enough to make us blush at our own Weakness and such Ignorance should make us Humble and such Humility should make us Learn And 'till we are thus qualified we are not fit to learn What a proud Lump of Clay is foolish Man that cannot comprehend Things so near him Things meerly natural Things so common and ordinary and yet will call every Point of his Religion even the sublimest Mysteries to the Tribunal of meer Reason and determine in particular Branches and Puâ—ctilio's as peremptorily and decisively as if be had been Privy Counsellour to the Almighty and judge others censoriously unkindly for differing from him but in the lesser doubtful difficult Points of Religion and prosecute severely for not knowing and believing with equal clearness as himself But besides We are often wondring at the Nature of God himself and cannot tell how to frame a Notion of a Being every-where present Is not the Air and Wind a fit Emblem to shadow forth this Attribute of the Divinity to us Is not the Air in every Creviss of our Houses in our Nostrils in our very Bowels Doth it not fill the World and enter into the smallest Pores of our Bodies And yet 't is but a Creature and we see it not Why should we think it such an impossible thing for the God of Heaven to fill all Places with his Presence and yet be limited to no Bounds nor visible to any Eyes The same word that we use to signifie Air is used also to express the Spirit of God by in almost all the Languages viz. Spiritus Latin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amp c. And we find the Spirit of God choosing sometimes to come down and shew
the bravery of the Temple by the Excellency of the outward Court If the Walls of Babylon are so great what is the City But if the very Suburbs of the New Jerusalem yea the Neighbour-Villages and Country round about at so vast a distance be so rich so plentiful what shall we think of the place itself If the Sun shines to us so glorious so far off what is it if you were near to it I desire not Readers to impose upon your Faith tell me you that admire this World for so delicate an Eden do not you think the God that made it and gave it to the Children of Men most of which care but little for him hath he not a far better for himself and his own Children Psal 8.1 3 c. 2. The Reports of them that have been there or had some sight of the place I shall name St. Paul for one 2 Cor. 12.2 4. Will ye believe such a Man See what he saith 2 Cor. 4.17 18 2 Tim. 4.8 and in several other places I mention St. John the Apostle for another entertained with extraordinary Visions in the Isle of Patmos Rev. 21.2 c. Will ye believe the Son of God that came down from Heaven to visit the Children of Men And came on purpose to court us and prepare our way thither he hath told you of those Rewards in several places Mat. 8.11 Mat. 13.43 Mat. 22.30 Luke 12.32 Luke 20.36 John 10.28 Neither have they only told us these Stories but seal'd their Reports with Miracles and Sufferings And others have believ'd them as wise as we and we believe others in Things as strange and incredible that are not so worthy of Credit as this And why do we stumble here But verily Canaan was a Type of Heaven and the Reports of that a Figure of these and the Unbelief of the Israelites in that Case a Shadow of ours in this They would not believe then nor we now but the Aggravation is on our part Caleb only of them that were sent to search the Land encourag'd them We have a Cloud of Witnesses to encourage us and yet we will not believe Well many of them fell short God not being pleased with them let us take care lest we fall also the same Example of Vnbelief 4. The Inhabitants that dwell there and are like to be our Companions for ever Here we sojourn in Meshech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar we cohabit with a People of unclean Lips and an uncircumcised Heart In Hell the Company is worse nothing there but damned cursed blaspheming Spirits In Heaven is pure Society without any mixture of Evil or Unkindness The Apostle tells you who they are and I suppose you know Heb. 12.22 23 c. 1. God himself Blessed for Evermore The Lord is in his holy Temple the Lord's Throne is in Heaven Psal 11.4 The Lord of Hosts wonderful in Counsel and excellent in Working A King Eternal Immortal Invisible who dwells in the Light which no meer Mortal Man can approach unto The Strength of Israel glorious in Holiness fearful in Praises gracious and merciful slow to anger of great kindness abundant in Goodness and Truth The Father of Lights with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning The Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come the same God for ever and ever The humble holy and compassionate Jesus who died for us who trod the Wine-press of his Father's Wrath alone for us and came from Heaven to Earth from Earth to Hell from Earth to Heaven again to prepare the Way and provide Mansions of Bliss and Crowns of Glory for us The Blessed Spirit the Second Advocate our tender Guide Solliciter and Comforter the Three-One God blessed for evermore 2. The holy Angels glorious Creatures as far superiour to the Excellency of Man as Man is to the Beasts that perish We may guess their Excellency 1. From their Priority of Creation Indeed Moses or whoever was the Author of Genesis gives us no Historical Account of their Creation because it concern'd not us But we may probably conjecture that they were made before us not only because of their Excellency but because likewise they are said to be present Witnesses of the Creation of Man and sung together Job 38.7 When the Foundations of the World were fasten'd and the Corner-stone laid And besides no sooner scarce was Man in Paradise but Satan was there ready one of the fallen Angels to lay a Temptation for him 2. Their Nature having neither the Clogs of Flesh Bones or Blood as we have but free nimble intellectual Spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Principalities and Powers endow'd with an extraordinary Measure of Knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eyes before and behind of a quick Sight and Conception and a quicker Expedition in the Dispatch of Sacred Duty Love hath given Wings of an ardent Zeal and a flaming Affection thence called Seraphim in a word immaterial and immortal 3. Their Number You will not expect that we should count the Stars of Heaven Rev. 12.4 Some of the Heathens thought them innumerable so Max. Tyr. and Pythagoras thought all the Air was full of them Thales omnia Deorum sunt plena Orpheus counted 365 Hesiod Three Myriads the Holy Scripture Thousands and Ten thousand times Ten thousand c. Dan. 7.10 Whatever they are they are many and glorious Creatures insomuch that the very appearance of them in this lower World would dazle and affright us We have frequent mention made in the Old Testament of their appearing to some Persons of greater Favour and Eminency in the Church and yet even then it was an astonishing Wonder and even good Men look'd upon it as a Presage of Death Judg. 13.6 19 22. and it would be so now We are dash'd in the Presence of a Man that is extraordinarily famous and eminent for Wisdom Goodness or Greatness How many have we read or heard of Men of a competent Spirit Presence and Courage have been struck mute in the Company of some Great Sir How should we veil our Faces now to Angels as they to God in Heaven The Rags of our Mortality Sin and Baseness is enough to make us blush in such pure glorious heavenly Company That which I drive at in all this is to shew That if the Inhabitants be so rich so brave the Country is a Paradise If the Courtiers are so gorgeously apparelled and arrayed with so high a Glory the Court is more glorious These are the Natives of the place And do not you think the place where they live is mighty pleasant They must needs fare well that go to such good Company 4. But besides all this we shall have the Society of the Spirits of Just Men made perfect Fan the World and sift it so clean that all the Chaff may be driven away and nothing left but pure Grain Good Men Men that love God and work Righteousness and cleave to that which is good Run over all
was proved that Julian Cox came for an Alms to the house where this Maid was a Servant and that the Maid told her she should have none and gave her a cross Answer that displeased Julian VVhereupon Julian was angry and told the Maid she should repent it before Night and so she did For before Night she was taken with a Convulsion Fit and after that left her she saw Julian Cox following her and cried out to the People in the house to save her from Julian But none saw Julian but the Maid and all did impute it to her imagination only And in the Night she cried out of Julian Cox and the black Man that they came upon her bed and tempted her to drink something they offered her But she cried out she desired not the Devil's Drenches This also they imputed to her imagination and bad her be quiet because they in the same Chamber with her did not see or hear any thing and they thought it had been her Conceit only The Maid the next Night expecting the same Conflict she had the Night before brought up with her a Knife and laid it at her bed's head About the same time of the Night as before Julian and the black Man came again upon the Maid's bed and tempted her to drink that which they brought but she refused crying in the audience of the rest of the Family that she defied the Devil's Drenches and took the Knife and stabbed Julian and as she said she wounded her in Leg and was importunate with the Witness to ride to Julian Cox's House presently to see if it were not so The Witness went and took the Knife with him Julian Cox would not let him in but he forced the Door open and found a fresh wound in Julian's Leg as the Maid had said which did suit with the Knife and Julian had been just dressing it when the Witness came There was Blood also found upon the Maid's Bed The next Morning the Maid continued her out-cries that Julian Cox appeared to her in the House wall and offered her great Pins which she was forced to swallow And all the Day the Maid was observed to convey her Hands to the House wall and from the VVall to her Mouth and she seemed by the motion of her Mouth as if she did eat something But none saw any thing but the Maid and therefore thought still it might be her Fancy and did not much mind it But towards Night this Maid began to be very ill and complained that the Pins that Julian forced her to eat-out of the VVall did torment her in all parts of the Maids Body several great Swellings appeared and out of the heads of the Swellings several great Pins points appeared which the Witnesses took out and upon the Tryal there were about Thirty great Pins produced in Court which I my self handled all which were sworn by several Witnesses that they were taken out of the Maid's Body in manner as is aforesaid Judge Archer who tried the Prisoner told the Jury that he had heard that a Witch could not repeat that Petition in the Lord's Prayer viz. And lead us not into Temptation And having this occasion he would try the Experiment and told the Jury that where she could or could not they were not in the least measure to guide their Verdict according to it because it was not legal Evidence but that they must be guided in their Verdict by the former Evidence given in upon Oath only The Prisoner was called for up to the next Bar to the Court and demanded if she could say the Lord's Prayer She said she could and went over the Prayer readily till she came to that Petition Then she said And lead us into no Temptation but could not say And lead us not into Temptation though she was directed to say it after one that repeated it to her distinctly But she could not repeat it otherwise than is expressed already though tried to do it near half a score times in open Court. After all which the Jury found her guilty and Judgment having been given within Three or Four Days she was executed without any Confession of the Fact 14. In the Town of Beckington by Froome in Somersetshire liveth Mary Hill a Maid of about Eighteen Years of Age who having lived very much in the neglect of her Duty to God was some time before Michaelmas last past was Twelve Month taken very ill and being seized with violent Fits began to Vomit up Two Hundred crooked Pins This so stupendous an Accident drew a numerous Concourse of People to see her To whom when in her Fits she did constantly affirm that she saw against the VVall of the Room wherein she lay an old VVoman named Elizabeth Carrier who thereupon being apprehended by a VVarrant from a Justice of Peace and Convicted by the Oaths of Two Persons was committed to the County Goal About a Fortnight after she began to Vomit up Nails pieces of Nails pieces of Brass Handles of Spoons and so continued to do for the space of Six Months and upwards And in her Fits she said there did appear to her an Old Woman named Margery Coombes and one Anne Moor who also by a Warrant from Two Justices of tho Peace were apprehended and brought to the Sessions held at Brewton for the County and by the Bench committed to the County Goal The former of these died as soon as she came into the Prison the other Two were tried at Taunton Assizes by my Lord Chief Justice Holt and for want of Evidence were acquitted by the Jury The Persons bound over to give Evidence were Susanna Belton and Ann Holland who upon their Oaths deposited that they book'd out of the Navel of the said Mary Hill as she lay in a dead Fit crooked Pins small Nails and small Pieces of Brass which were produced in Court before the Judge and from him handed to the Jury to look upon them VVhereupon Mr. Francis Jesse and Mr. Christopher Brewer declared that they had seen the said Maâ—y Hill to Vomit up at several times crooked Pins Nails and Pieces of Brass which they also produced in open Court and to that end they might be ascertained it was no Imposture they declared they had searched her Mouth with their Fingers before she did Vomit Upon which the Court thought fit to call for me who am the Minister of the Parish to testify the knowledge of the matter which I did to this Effect that I had seen her at several times after having given her a little Small Beer Vomit up crooked Pins Nails and pieces of Brass That to prevent the supposition of a Cheat I had cause her to be brought to a Window and having lookt into her Mouth I searcht it with my Finger as I did the Beer before she drank it This I did that I might not be wanting in circumstantial Answers to what my Lord and Court might propose I well remember a Gentleman on a
after the several Ordinances and Priviledges of a Church-Communion The Churches of New-England have usually been very strict in their Admissions to Church-Fellowship and required very signal Demonstrations of a Repenting and a Believing Soul before they thought Men fit Subjects to be entrusted with the Rights of the Kingdom of Heaven But they seem'd rather to augment than abate their usual Strictness when the Examination of the Indians was to be perform'd A day was therefore set apart which they call'd Natootomeuhtenicusuk or a Day of asking Questions when the Ministers of the adjacent Churches assisted with all the best Inrerpreters that could be had publickly examined a good number of these Indians about their Attainments both in Knowledge and in Virtue And notwithstanding the great satisfaction then received our Churches being willing to proceed surely and therefore slowly in raising them up to a Church-state which might be comprehended in our Consociations the Indians were afterwards called in considerable Assemblies convened for that purpose to make open Confession of their Faith in God and Christ and of the Efficacy which his Word had upon them for their Conversion to him which Confessions being taken in Writing from their Mouths by able Interpreters were scanned by the People of God and found much Acceptance with them I need pass no further Censure upon them than what is given by my Grandfather the well-known Richard Mather in an Epistle of his published on this occasion says he There is so much of Gods Work among them as that I cannot but count it a great Evil yea a great Injury to God and his Goodness for any to make light of it To see and hear Indians open their Months and lifting up their Hands and Eyes in Prayer to the living God calling on him by his Name Jehovah in the Meditation of Jesus Christ and this for a good while together to see and hear them exhorting one another from the Word of God to see and hear them confessing the Name of Christ Jesus and their own Sinfulness sure this is more than usual And tho' they spoke in a Language of which many of us understood but little yet we that were present that day saw and beard them perform the Duties mentioned with such grave and sober Countenances with such comely Reverence in their Gesture and their whole Carriage and with such plenty of Tearâ— trickling down the Cheeks of some of them as did argue to us that they spake with the holy Fear of God and it much affected our Hearts At length was a Church-state settled among them They entred as our Churches do into an Holy Covenant wherein they gave themselves first unto the Lord and then unto one another to attend the Rules and Helps and expect the Blessings of the Everlasting Gospel and Mr. Eliot having a Mission from the Church of Roxbury unto the Work of the Lord Christ among the Indians conceived himself sufficiently authorized unto she performing of all Church work about them grounding it on Acts 13.1 2 3 4. and he accordingly administred first the Baptism and then the Supper of the Lord unto them Thus far Mr. Cotton Mather I shall next insert the Dying Speeches of several of the Converted Indians formerly published by the Reverend Mr. Eliot They are deliver'd to me by a Friend that brought them with him from Boston in New-England and are so great a Rarity that 't was with difficulty he procured them in New-England where they were Printed neither was there a Copy of 'em to be found in London Mr. Eliot begins thus Viz. Here be but a few of the Dying Speeches and Counsels of such Indians as died in the Lord. It is an humbling to me that there be no more it was not in my Heart to gather them but Major Gookins hearing some of them rehearsed he first moved that Daniel should gather them in the Language as they were spoken and that I should Translate them into English and here is presented what was done that way These things are Printed not so much for Publishment as to save Charge of Writing out of Copys for those that did desire them JOHN ELIOT 38. Waban was the first that received the Gospel our first Meeting was at his House the next time we met he had gather'd a great Company of his Friends to hear the Word in which he hath been stedfast When we framed our selves in order in way of Government he was chosen a Ruler of Fifty he hath approved himself to be a good Christian in Church Order and in Civil Order he hath approved himself to be a Zealous Faithful and Stedfast Ruler to his Death His Speech is as followeth I now rejoyce tho' I be now a dying great is my Affliction in this World but I hope that God doth so afflict me only to try my praying to God in this World whether it be true and strong or not but I hope God doth gently call me to Repentance and to prepare to come unto him therefore he layeth on me great pain and affliction tho' my Body be almost broken by Sickness yet I desire to remember thy Name Oh my God untll I die I remember those Words Job 19.23 to 28. Oh that my Words were now written Oh that they were printed in a Book that they were graven with an Iron Pen and Lead in a Rock for ever For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth And though after my Skin Worms destroy this Body yet in my Flesh I shall see God c. I desire not to be troubled about Matters of this World a little I am troubled I desire you all my Brethren and you my Children do not greatly weep and mourn for me in this World I am now almost dying but see that you strongly pray to God and do you also prepare and make ready to die for every one of you must come to dying Therefore confess your Sins every one of you and believe in Jesus Christ I believe that which is written in the Book of God Consider truly and repent and believe then God will pardon all your great and many Sins God can pardon all your Sins as easily as one for God's free Mercy and Glory do fill all the World God will in no wiseâ— forget those that in this World do sincerely repent and believe Verily this is Love oh my God Therefore I desire that God will do this for me tho' in my Body I am full of Pain As for those that died afore we prayed to God I have no hope about them now I believe that God hath call'd us for Heaven and there in Heaven are many Believers Souls abiding Therefore I pray you do not overmuch grieve for me when I die in this world but make your selves ready to die and follow me and there we shall see each other in â—â—â—â—al Glory in this World we live but a little while therefore we must be always
of Ireland once had but I have been assured from my Honoured Friend James Tyrrel Esq his Lordship's Grand-son that this was not an Ecstasie but that his Lordship upon reading the 12 13 14 c. Chapters of the Revelation and farther Reflecting upon the great increase of the Sectaries in England supposed that they would let in Popery which consideration put him into a great Transport at the time when his Daughter the Lady Tyrrel came into the Room when he Discoursed to her divers things tho' not all contained in the said Printed Paper Thus far Mr. Aubery 10. Mr. Brewen of Sâ—apleford as he excelled others in the Holiness of his Life so he much excelled himself towards his death his Motions towards Heaven being then most vigorous and quick The Day before his last sickness he had such extraordinary Inlargements of Heart in his closet-Closet-Duty that he seemed to forget all the Concernments of his Body and this lower World and when his Wife told him Sir I fear you have done your self hurt with Rising so early He Answer'd If you had seen such glorious things as I saw this Morning in private Prayer with God you would not have said so for they were so wonderful and unspeakable that whether I was in the Body or out of the Body with Paul I cannot tell And so it was with the Learned and Holy Mr. Rivet who seemed as a Man in Heaven just before he went thither 11. It is Recorded of our Famous Jewel That about the beginning of Queen Mary's Reign the Inquisition taking hold of him in Oxford he fled to London by Night but providentially losing the Road he escaped the Inquisitors who pursued him However he fell that Night into another eminent hazard of Life for wandring up and down in the Snow he fainted and lay starving in the way panting and labouring for Life at which time Mr. Latimer's Servant found and saved him See his Life 12. The Protestants besieged in Bezier's in France were delivered by a Drunken Drummer who going to his Quarters at Mid-night rang the Alarm-Bell of the Town not knowing what he did and just then were their Enemies making their Assault And as weak and improbable means have been blessed with Success to the Church in general so to the preservation of its particular Members also William of Nassau Prince of Orange as he lay in Camp near to the Duke of Alva's Army some Spaniards in the Night brake into his Camp and some of them ran as far as the Prince of Orange's Tent where he was fast asleep but he had a Dog lying by him on the Bed that never left Barking and Scratching him by the Face till he had awaked him whereby he escaped the Danger Strada 13. Queen Elizabeth's Preservation in the Tower in the time of her Imprisonment is a Remarkable Providence not to be forgot viz. When her Bloody Sister Queen Mary had design'd her Death she was preserved by King Philip Queen Mary's Husband who had not perhaps his Fellow in Christendom at that time for Cruelty and Persecution of the Reformed and was moved to the Saving the Princess Elizabeth's Life not so much by his Bowels of Compassion as a Principle of Policy For if Queen Mary should die Childless as indeed he feared if the Princess Elizabeth had been taken out of the way the Queen of Scots a Papist would have come to the Crown of England who being inseparably joyned in League with France might both of them together been too hard for Spain and that his Gentleness to the Princess could be on no other account appears plainly by his putting his Eldest Son to death upon no other Account than for his being so mercifully inclined to the Protestants in the Netherlands This remarkable Providence needs no vouching but however it may be found in a Book that goes under the Name of Mr. Slingsby Bethel in Octavo p. 6. Printed in London A. C. 1694. 14. When several oppressed with the Cruelty and Tyranny of Richard the Third did confederate to Raise Henry Earl of Richmond to the Crown and by his Marriage with Elizabeth Eldest Daughter of Edward the Fourth to Unite the Houses of York and Lancaster Mr. Henry Wiat was one therein Ingaged and Intrusted in the Association and Correspondence between the Duke beyond Sea and his Friends in England and passed with Messages for which he was Suspected and Examined but for want of Proof discharged he was afterwards thereof Accused committed to the Tower and Tortured for Discovery of the Duke's Design and Friends in England but neither Threats Torture or fair Promises of Reward could prevail so that he was cast into the Dungeon and Fed with Bread and Water and there lay at the Duke's Descent and Victory where a Cat did use to come to him and bring Provision or he had been Starved He for his Fidelity was preferred made a Knight Baronet by Henry the Seventh and of the Privy Council to Henry the Seventh and Henry the Eighth This Relation hath been received true in the Family in Kent and in Memory thereof his Picture is preserved with a Cat creeping in at a Grate with a Pidgeon in its Mouth and these Verses added Hunc macrum rigidum maestum fame frigore cura Pavi fovi acui carne calore Joco This Relation was sent me November 16. 1696. by Counsellor Wiat now Living at Serjeants Inn near Fleet-street II. Sea-Dangers and Deliverances 1. Great were the Dangers and wonderful the Deliverances of Will. Okely and his Company the Relation of which from his own Book I have thus Contracted An. Dom. 1639. We took Ship at Gravesend in the Mary of London Mr. Boarder Master bound for the Isle of Providence in the West-Indies Five Weeks we lay in the Downs waiting for a Wind and then we set Sail and came to Anchor near the Isle of Wight but by this time all our Beer in the Ship stunk and we were forced to throw it over-board and to take Vinegar to mix with Water for our Voyage The next Lord's Day we set Sail again and coming between the Island and the main Land we stuck fast in the Sands but the Tide coming in heaved us off The sixth Day after our setting Sail from the Isle of Wight we discovered three Turks Men of War who Chased us and at break of Day boarded and took us Having kept us close Prisoners at Sea at the end of five or six Weeks they brought us to Algiers where I was sold for a Slave the first Market-Day to a Patron who told me I must allow him two Dollars a Month and live ashoar where I would and get it where I could though I knew not where to Levy the least Mite of it Wandering up and down I light of an English-Man in his little Shop that Traded with Tobacco and a few other Things His Partner I became with a little Money I had reserved and a small modicum my Patron had allowed me for my
whom he might be Ordained he pitched upon the Bishop of Catalonia to whom when he came and had Conversed a while with him there grew a very strict Bond of Friendship between them Ibid. p. 105. 5. Under the Seventh Persecution Theodora a godly Virgin for her Religion was condemned to the Stews where her Chastity was to be a Prey to all Commers which Sentence being executed many wanton young Men were ready to press into the House but one of the Brethren called Didymus putting on a Soldier 's Habit would have the first turn and so going in perswaded her to change Garments with him and so she in the Soldiers Habit escaped and Didymus being found a Man was carried before the President to whom he confessed the whole matter and so was condemned Theodora hearing of it thinking to excuse him came and presented her self as the guilty Party desiring that she might Die and the other be Excused but the Merciless Judge caused them both to be put to Death Clark Gen. Martyr p. 82. 6. In Queen Elizabeth's Reign in a Fight between the Earl of Kildare and the Earl of Tir-Owen two of the Earl of Kildair's Foster Brethren were Slain whose Death he took so heavily that himself shortly after Died for Grief For there is no Love in the World comparable by many degrees to that of Foster-brethren in Ireland Camb. Brit. Irel. p. 116. 7. Dr. Cranmer was a Faithful Friend to the Lord Cromwel even in his Disgrace insomuch that he ventured King Henry VIIIth's Displeasure to excuse for him and absented from the Parliament when he was condemned Church Hist. by Dr. Burnet 8. Minutius Faelix saith that he and his Friend Octavius did both will and will the same things 9. Humphry Duke of Glocester being Wounded and Overthrown by the Duke of Alenzon at the Battel of Agincourt in France was rescued by his Brother King Henry Vth who bestriding him delivered him from the Danger Speed Chron. Clark's Mirrour c. 56. p. 231. 10. Pelopidas and Epaminondas were singularly noted and commended for the perfect Love and Friendship that was ever inviolable kept between them even till their Deaths having been joined together in so many Wars Battels Charges of Armies and in Government of the Common-wealth They were both alike born to all Vertue only Pelopidas took most pleasure in the Exercise of his Body and Strength and Epaminondas in the Exercise of his Wit and Learning the Recreation of the one was to wrestle hunt and exercise his Strength of the other to hear study and always to learn something in Philosophy Their great Love each to other was shewed in a Journey they made together unto Mantinea to aid the Lacedemonians who were now in League with the Thebans wherein they being both set in the Battel near together amongst the Foot-men against the Arcadians it fell out that that point of the Lacedemonian Army wherein they were retreated and many of them run away But these two gallant young Men resolved rather to die than to fly and standing close together they couragiously resisted the many Enemies that assaulted them till such times as Pelopidas having received seven dangerous Wounds fell down upon a heap of dead Bodies as well of their Friends as of their Foes then Epaminondas thinking he had been slain stept notwithstanding before him and defended his Body and Armour and he alone fought against many desiring rather to die than to forsake Pelopidas lying amongst the Dead but himself at last being thrust through the Breast with a Pike and receiving a sore Cut on his Arm with a Sword was even ready to sink when Agesipolis King of the Lacedemonians came with the other point of the Battel in an happy hour and so saved both their Lives when they were even past hope Plut. in vita Pelop. 11. Audamidas a Corinthian by Birth had two Friends Aretaeus and Charixcenus both wealthy himself being very poor This Man at his Death made this his last Will and Testament viz. I bequeath my Mother to be nourished and cherished by him in her Old Age. Item I bequeath my Daughter to Charixcenus to be placed out by him with as big a Portion as possibly he can give her The Girl was at that time Marriageable The Heirs as soon as they heard of the Will came forthwith and accepted those things that were given in charge but Charixcenus dying within five days Aretaeus undertook the whole Charge maintained the old Woman during Life and married the Man's Daughter together with his own on the same day allowing them out of five Talents two Talents apiece for their Portion Lucian in Toxar Dial. CHAP. XXXVIII Remarkable Hospitality BY a Hospitality I mean a Charitable Disposition of Soul to entertain and relieve such as are in real Distress And the Apostle enforceth this as a Duty upon Christians with a good Argument when he bids us Not to be forgerful to entertain Strangers because that some by so doing formerly had received Angels into their Houses unawares And who knows till after some time of Conversation with them what Graces may be lodged in the Breasts or what Commissions may be put into the Hands of those Persons that Lazarus like wait at our Gates 1. A religious and rich Matron at Anticch entertained Origen together with his Mother and his Brethren after the Death of his Father and the Confiscation of his Goods 2. Gregory the Great was much given to Hospitality so that when many Inhabitants from divers parts fled from the barbarous Cruelty of the Longobards and came to him he entertained and relieved them inviting daily to his House many of those Exiles He made also large Distributions unto others giving them Corn Wine Flesh Cheese and many other Refreshments in their several Seasons he sent often also large Relief to the Sick Lame and Impotent not only in Rome but in many other Towns and Villages round about insomuch that all that he had seemed to be a common Granary Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist p. 98. 3. Mrs. Margaret Corbet was eminent for a charitable and bountiful Spirit She was another Dorcas Full of Good-Works and Alms-Deeds That high Elogium that Solomon gives to a vertuous Woman may properly be applied unto her Many Daughters have done vertuously but she excelled them all Prov. 31.19 Many there are that come far short of her but very few that went beyond her in Acts of Charity God gave her a liberal and plentiful Estate and that was a great Mercy But it was a far greater Mercy that he gave her a free and 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 Job 31.16 19. may fitly be applied unto her He would not withhold the poor from their desire nor cause the eyes of the Widow to fail He would not see any to perish for want of Clothing nor any poor
Chin were all covered over with Scabs Wheals and Scales so as no Barber could nor would shave him she with her little Scissars played the Barber and made him a deft Beard From this Sickness he fell into another which lasted seven years During which time with incredible Diligence she made ready his Meat put in his Tents laid on his Plaisters dressed and bound up his Thighs all rotten with Scabs and Ulcers his Breath was such that none durst come near by ten paces and abide by it which yet she protested was sweet to her This long Sickness and the Nourishing and Medicining of a Body oppressed by so many Diseases was a great matter in a House that had no Rents or Profits coming in and where Trade had ceased of a long time and consequently the Gain She therefore to furnish Expences sold her Precious Jewels her Gold Chains her rich Carcanets her Garments of great value a Cupboard of Pâ—ate not caring for any thing so her Husband was relieved and contenting her self with little so he wanted nothing Thus Valdaura lingred on a Life by the help of his Wife within a rotten Body or rather within a Grave for Twenty years together in which time she had eight Children by him yet neither she not they had so much as a Scab Wheal or Pimple in any part of their Bodies Valdaura died an old Man for whose Death his Wife Clara made so much Mourning as they who knew her well say never Woman did for any Husband When some instead of comforting her told her God had done much in taking him away and that they therefore came to congratulate with her She detested their Speeches wishing for her Husband again in exchange of five Children and though she was yet both young and lusty and sought to by many she resolved not to marry saying She should never meet with any whom she could like so well as her Dear Bernard Valdaura Lud. viv de Christian Faemina l. 2. p. 360. Camerar Oper. subciscent 1. c. 51. p. 226. 8. The Lord of Harlem in the Low-Countries having by his Exactions and Cruelty made himself odious to all his People was together with his Wife besieged in his Castle by them and so prest for want of Victuals that he was compelled to enter into Treaty His Wife a true Mirrour of Piety and Love towards her Husband amongst other Articles Capitulated That she might have so much of her most precious Movables as she could carry out at one time the which being granted the with the help of her Chamber-Maids carried her Husband lockt in a Chest out of the Castle leaving all her Rings and Jewels behind her Belg. Com. Wealth p. 55. 9. In the Bohemian Persecution we read of the Major of Litomeritia who apprehended Twenty four Godly Citizens of whom his own Son-in-Law was one and after he had almost pined there in Prison he adjudged them to be drowned in the River Albis whereupon his Daughter wringing her Hands and falling at her Father's Feet besought him to spare her Husband but he harder than a Rock bid her hold her Peace saying What can you not have a worthier Husband than this To which she answered You shall never more espouse me to any And so beating her Breast and tearing her Hair she followed her Husband to the River and when he was cast into the midst of the River bound she leaped in and caught him about the middle but being unable to draw him forth they were both drowned together and the next Day were found embracing one another Clark's Mar. V. 1. p. 289. 10. Philip Sir-named the Good Duke of Burgundy married the Sister of Charles the Dauphin and not long after this Charles basely and perfidiously slew Philip's Father whereupon Philip being full of Anger and Grief went to his wife saying O my Wife thy Brother hath murthered my Father Upon this his Wife that loved him dearly burst forth into Tears and Lamentations fearing least this Act of her Brother's would make a Breach betwixt her Husband and her which her Husband taking Notice of comforted her saying Be of good cheer tho' it was thy Brother's yet it is not thy Fault neither will I esteem or love thee the less for it c. Which accordingly he made good so long as they lived together Lip Exem Pol. p. 200. 11. Budaeus that learned French-man had a great help of his Wife in Points of Learning she used to be as busie in his Study as about her Huswifery Clark's Mar. V. 1. C. 65. p. 291. 12. Mrs. Katherine Clark was singular and very exemplary in that Reverence and Obedience which she yielded to her Husband both in Words and Deeds She never rose from the Table even when they were alone but she made Courtesie She never drank to him without bowing his Word was a Law unto her she often denied herself to gratifie him and when in her Sickness and Weakness he mentioned her Case in particular unto God in his Prayer the Duty being ended she would make him Courtesie and Thank him In case of his absence she would pray with her Family Morning and Evening the like she would do in his Presence in case of his Sickness and Inability to perform the Duty himself Her Modesty and Chastity were rare and remarkable but fitter to be conceived by those which know what belongs to them than to be expressed in Words for there is a Conjugal as well as a Virginal and Vidual Chastity In case of her Husband's Sickness she was a tender diligent and painful Nurse about him skilful and careful in making him Broaths and what else was needful for him If at any time she saw him in Passion with sweet and gentle Words she would mollifie and moderate it She was often a Spur but never a Bridle to him in those things which were good She was always well pleased with such Habitations as in their many Removes he provided for her and with such Apparel and Diet as his Means which was sometimes short would allow She never grutched nor grumbled at any of those Dispensations which God's All-wise Providence carved out unto them Clark's Lives last Vol. p. 154. 13. Madam de Saint Blanker Wife to the late magnanimous Mareschal de Biron was Visited by a Lady of great Birth who brought with her very goodly Works of Silk which she and her Daughters had wrought in Samplers She brought with her also one of her Children that danced delicately and played sweetly on the Gittern whom she shewed to the Lady Mareschal that she and her Children should learn to spend their time in the like delightful Exercises Madam Mareschal made her Answer That she could not devise any better Works Exercises wherein to instruct her Sons and Daughters that in the Fear of God and good Means whereby their Hearts would become magnanimous to do Service for their King according as their Father had formerly done And indeed all the Male-Children issuing of her
they must go with me to hear at the same place I do but if they are joyn'd with any others then I 'll let them go sometimes there and sometimes with me They shall give an Account of what they hear until the Affairs of my Family are such that I can't do it They shall read to me at least once a Day or else I 'll ask them about their Reading for I shall think it to be my Duty when I take any into my Family to take some care of their Souls as well as for their Bodies and to do all I can for their Souls good by Admonishing them and giving them all the good Council I can and giving all Encouragement I can in what is good If they grow wicked and careless and will not bear Reproof I shall look upon it my Duty to change them and not to mind what People say of my frequent changing of Maids David would not abide a Lyar in his sight and I am sure that is most pleasing to God to have as near as I can all in my Family that fear him and deight in his holy ways As for Children if it please God to bless me with them I shall look upon it to be my Duty if I am able to Nurse them my self and to take all the care of them I can in their Infancy and betimes to check the Buddings of Original Sin by not encouraging of Revenge or Pride in them and as soon as they are able to learn to teach them their Catechism and what is good but so as not to tire them but make it as pleasant to them as I can by giving them all the Encouragement and Praise when they do well and timely Correcting them when they do what is sinful As for my CARRIACE TO MY HVSBAND I shall reckon it both Prudence and my Duty to study his Humour when we first come together and then to do all I can without sinning to please and oblige him to obey him in all things that are not contrary to the Commands of God If I should light on one that is wicked I 'll endeavour what I can by my carriage to engage his Affections throughly to me and then to make use of that tye to engage him to God and by my Christian Carriage to try what can be done to win him over to Christ by reproving of him with all Meekness and acknowledging my great Love to him and that 't is Love that makes me do it and my desire of his being happy for ever I shall reckon it my Duty if I have a good Man to be willing to learn of him and to do what we can to engage each other more entirely to God to make use of our Love to one another to inflame our Souls with Love to Christ Being convinced from Scripture and Reason that 't is my Duty to give to the Poor I now resolve when I marry to give according to my Ability though I cannot resolve upon any Sum yet I 'll give according to my Ability When I make any Provisions that I 'de have kept I 'll give some to all in the Family that so I may not put 'em upon the Temptation of Stealing And as for other Victuals they shall have sufficient but none to waste if I can help it This is a thing that I hate for People to repeat my words after me I will not therefore allow any under my care to do it and if ever it please God that I keep Servants I now resolve to endeavour to do my Duty towards them though they should not do theirs towards me and to endeavour conscientiously to discharge my Duty towards all Relations begging of God that he would now help me to do it O that I could now do all with an Eye to God and be willing always to be at his dispose in every thing Next follows her occasional Reflections upon Variety of Subjects as I find 'em in her Diary REFLECTION I. Occasioned upon seeing my Mother very melancholy one day after she and I had had some words and I fearing she was displeased with me OH my Soul see how afraid I am at the Anger of an Earthly Parent It lays a Restraint upon me in their presence when I think I have any ways offended them I am grieved for fear of their Anger and would do the utmost I can to have 'em reconciled to me again O my Soul I may well wonder at the Patience of God towards me that when I daily grieve his holy Spirit resist all the Workings of his Grace yet he bears with me I am not neither can I be any ways so obliged to an Earthly Parent as to my dear Heavenly father and yet I sin against him offend his Justice abuse his Mercy frequently in the day-time without one serious Thought on my own Ways When I offend my natural Parents I can reflect on my self consider what I have done that may any ways give the Offence I can offend my dear God and not be troubled as I should be O the Wâ—nders of Divine Patience that God should bear so long with one so vile O the Wonders of free Love that when God knew before my Creation what a base disingenuous ungrateful Wretch I should prove yet nothing could hinder his Thoughts of love towards me before the Foundation of the World was laid Well O my Soul I see I am so infinitely indebted to free Grace that I can never do enough to testify my Thankfulness to God I am so infinitely indebted to Divine Justice that without fresh Supplies of pardoning Mercies I am irrecoverably undone for ever O God I beg of thee that I may be more and more sensible of my unchild-like Carriage towards thee that I may be more and more grieved when I offend thee that I may do my utmost endeavours to please thee in all things and yet daily grieve that I can do no better REFLECTION II. Upon seeing her Sister T 's continually loving to be talking of her Cousin W. and when she had begun a Discourse to carry it on with great Delight SEE how Persons talk of those they love they are grieved if they are troubled at any thing so that two Persons Satisfaction must go to the making one happy and one's Trouble will make them both miserable Turn in O my Soul into thy self and consider what a vast Difference there is betwixt God's Love to the Soul and all other kinds of Love in the World God lov'd the believing Soul millions of Years before it had a Being And though he knew what Sins the Creature would commit how all his Laws would be broken yet this could not hinder his Electing Love So that then you 'l grant the Sinner could not deserve God's Love since its being it hath done â—â—â—d daily doth grieve and offend him yet this cannot take off God's Love from the Soul The Love of a Creature is for some Real or Imaginary Excellency and Suitableness Their Love
conscientiously to discharge my Duty to all Relations let the Event be what it will O that I were so spiritual as to make a good use of all the Disappointments I have ever yet met with I bless God I have not promised my self Happiness in any thing in the World but have been some way or other disappointed in it God is very kind to me in it He sees how my Affections are still running out after the Creature and how apt I am to be fond of that which draws my Heart from God Now I will return to God let God do what he pleases with me I bless God for Relations and Friends but I desire to enjoy them more as God is pleased to make them a Blessing to me than for any outward Comfort I have in them O that I could love Christ more and Creatures less I see they are uncertain Comforts but in Christ is never failing Delight and Satisfaction to be had Upon a Dream she dreamt on the Nineteenth of November in the Year 1680. HER Dream in her own Words was this viz. Methoughts I was above Stairs and either something or a Voice said to me That I must in a very short time come and appear before my Judge there to give an Account of all I have done and then I should be tried whether I was sincere or no in what I did Methoughts I presently died but Soul and Body remained together 'till I were Summoned to Judgment I was extreamly concerned at this Voice and began to bethink myself what Account I could give at Judgment I could not tell whether I was really sincere or no. I began to Examine myself and thought what should I do The Day of Grace was over 't was too late to repent and the like c. and I could not tell what would become of me for ever I dreamt I went down Stairs and there the People told me I look'd like Death Aye says I so I well may when I am dead I could not tell what to do for a room to pray in to see if there were any hopes of acceptance I was so amazed and affrighted that I was almost besides myself for fear I was not siucere I then thought what Ends have I proposed to myself in the performance of Duties and could not find that I had designed any thing of Self in what I had done I was I hoped sincere though under great Fears and Amazements because of my appearing before the Heart-searching God I awaked in a great fright REFLECTION VI. Her Reflection in her own Words upon this Dream was this viz. OH my Soul What shall I now do This that was but a Dream will shortly be true I must e're long be Summoned to Judgment in a more Solemn Manner than I can now think of and there I must give up my Account before the Great GOD. If I am an Hypocrite I shall then be undone for ever Sure there is something more than ordinary in this Dream God is wonderful good and kind to me I have been very careless and negligent in the performance of all Duties God is pleased to give me one Warning more to see if I will do what I can towards an Assurance of Salvation If after all these Warnings I shall be found Christless my Damnation will be greatly aggravated my Summons to Judgment will be more dreadful than I can now think it will be When I must appear before my Judge fitting on his Throne I shall there be accountable for all my Thoughts Words and Actions before that God who knows them better than I do my self When the Sentence shall be pronounced and the Judge will stay to see it executed there will be no Repealing of that Sentence no avoiding its Execution but I must for ever then enter either into endless Joys or Torments What shall I now resolve upon I do and cannot but believe that this Day is near Die I must I am not sure of one Moments time more Am I mad then to live as I now do To be contented when I know not what will become of me for ever I now resolve through the Assistance of the Blessed Spirit to be more in the Work of Self-examination that I may not be surprized by Death or Judgment Blessed be God for bearing with me so long for giving me one Warning more before the Great Day of Judgment What wonderful Patience have I abused What need have I to be speedy and sincere in my Repentance and now do what I wish'd in my Sleep I had time to have done REFLECTION VII Upon Scalding her Foot Sept. 7. 1681. Her Reflection upon it was this which follows in her own Words viz. OH how great was that Smarting Pain I then presently considered if that pain was so dreadful what would be the Torments of the Damned If it is now so sad to have a little hot Liquor poured on ones foot what will it be to have Soul and Body tormented to lie burning in Fire and Brimstone for ever This pain though great yet is quickly over I have cooling things for it but in Hell a Drop of Cold Water cannot be obtained to cool the Tongue of the Damned tho' if that could be yet it would do but little good What doth God point out to me by all these Providences but that I should do the utmost I can to scape Hell Torments I have now time and opportunity to work out my Salvation How inexcusable shall I be if after all I should neglect so great Salvation What cause have I to admire Christ who not only died to deliver his from Hell-Torments but hath purchased such Joy and Glory for all such as durst trust themselves with him Well now what do I resolve upon Oh! for an Holy Ingenuity in my Carriage towards God! that I could but live as becomes the Redeemed of the Lord and make use of all Providences and Ordinances as God hath appointed them for Her Carriage before she Received the Sacrament IN her Sixteenth Year she had longing Desires to receive the Sacrament which she acquainted her Pastour with who told her That then she must forsake all Sin and cleave to Christ and not live in the omission of any known Duty or in the commission of any known Sin then he said She must make Religion her Business He said He hoped she made Conscience of Secret Prayer He said She knew what Paul said concerning the unmarried Woman That she cares for the things of the Lord how she might be holy both in body and spirit And he bid her observe this and he did not question but Christ would bid her Welcome and accordingly on the Sabbath-day following she went to the Sacrament but before she went she spent some time in Examination and could not find but that she had Truth of Grace And then she brake out in the following pathetical Ejaculations viz. Oh! how should the Thoughts of Free Grace ravish and fill me with Love to
On the Lord's Day Octob. 6. she said thus Here is nothing here but sin I am willing to die but either to live or to die which the Lord pleaseth his Will be done and so it will whether I will or no On Tuesday at Night Octob. 8. seeing her Mother weeping she said Mother do not weep for me but leave me to the Lord and let him do with me what he pleaseth And then clasping her Arms about her Mother's Neck her Mother said Thou embracest me but I trust thou art going to the Embracings of the Lord Jesus She answered Mother I know it that when I go from hence I shall go into Health and Happiness or else I should not undergo all my Pains with so much patience More Expressions of Mary Warren Pray you Mother take off these Plaisters for I would not have them I would have no Doctors or Apothecaries for God shall be my Physician and he will heal me I do not value the Things of this World no more than Dirt. Her Mother had told one That she thought her Daughter had Assaults of Satan she once looked very ghastly and now her Daughter said thus Once I think I looked ghastly and turned my Head on one side and on the other Satan stood upon my left side and God was upon my right side and opened the Gates of Heaven for me and he told me Satan should not hurt me though he sought to devour me like a roaring Lyon I am very sore from the Crown of my Head to the Sole of my Foot but I am so full of Comfort and Joy that I do feel but little of my Pain I do not know whether I shall live or die but whether I live or die it will be well for me I am not in trouble for my sins God is satisfied with his Son Jesus Christ for he hath wash'd them away with his Blood Then her Sister standing by she said Sister Betty and Sister Anne be sure your first Work be in the Morning to seek the Lord by Prayer and likewise in the Evening and give Thanks for your Food for you cannot pray too ofen to the Lord and though you cannot speak such Words as others have yet the Lord will accept of the Heart for you do not know how soon your Speech may be taken away as mine was She desired her Mother thus Do not let too much Company be here late at Night lest it should hinder them from seeking the Lord in Duty at home I know not whether I shall live or die but if I die and if you will have a Sermon I desire this may be the Text the Place I do not know but the Words may be comfortable to you That David when his Child was sick he cloathed himself in Sackcloth and wept but when his Child was dead he washed and eat Bread For you have wept much while I have been sick and if I die you have cause to rejoyce My Comfort is in the Lord there is Comfort indeed Though we may seek Comfort here and the Glory of this World yet what is all that All will be nothing when we come to lie upon a Death-bed then we would fain have the Love of God and cannot get it I am full of Comfort and Joy Though my Pains are very great yet I am full of Joy and Comfort I was very full of Comfort before but I am fuller of Joy this Hour than I have been yet It is better to live Lazarus's Life and to die Lazarus's Death than to live Dives's Life he had his Delicates and afterwards would have been glad to have had Lazarus dip his Finger in Water and cool his Tongue The last Night I could not stir my Head Hand nor Foot but by and by the Lord did help me to move my Head a little and at length my Body O what a good God have I that can cast down and raise up in a moment 29. Of the Expressions of an hopeful Child the Daughter of Mr. Edward Scarfield that was but Eleven Years of Age in March 1661 Gathered from a Letter written by one fearing God that lived in the House with the Child In August last this Child was sick of a Fever in which time she said to her Father who is a holy humble precious Man I am afraid I am not prepared to die and fell under much trouble of Spirit being sensible not only of actual Sins but of her lost Estate without Christ in Unbelief as Ephes 2.12 John 16.8 9. and she wept bitterly crying out thus My sins are greater than I can bear I doubt God will not forgive them telling her Father I am in unbelief and I cannot believe Yet she was drawn out to pray many times in those words of Psal 25. For thy Name 's sake O Lord pardon my sin for it is great Thus she lay oft mourning for sin and said I had rather have Christ than Health She would repeat many Promises of God's Mercy and Grace but said she could not believe But whilst her Father was praying the Lord raised her Soul up to believe as she told her Father when Prayer was ended Now I believe in Christ and I am not afraid of Death After this she said I had rather die than sin against God Since that time she hath continued quiet in mind as one that hath Peace with God Her Father saith that since she was Five Years old he remembred not that either a Lye or an Oath hath ever come out of her Mouth neither would she have wronged any to the value of a Pin. For these two last Relations I 'm beholding to Mr. Henry Jessey Next follows a Narrative of the Conversions and happy Deaths of several young Children extracted from Mr. White 's and Mr. Janeway's Treatises upon that Subject to which the Reader is refer'd for a much larger Account 1. THere was a Child of whom many things which I here relate I was an Ear-witness of and other things which I shall speak of him I am fully satisfied of This little Child when he died was in Coats somewhat above eight years old of singular Knowledge Affections and Duties for his Age of whom that I may give a more full Account For his Knowledge 1. He asked how the Angels could sin since there were none to tempt them and they were with God 2. It being told him that all Sins and Duties were commanded in the Ten Commandments and forbid I asked him what Commandment forbad Drunkenness He said Thou shalt not kill for they quartelled and killed one another His Father asked him who bid you learn your Book and there is no Commandment saith Thou shalt learn thy Book The Child answered in these words or to this purpose It is said Thou shalt honour thy Father and thy Mother you bid me learn my Book He asked his Father when he was at Dinner what became of Children that died before Baptism he made a little stop that he might answer him
suitable to his Capacity the Child prevented him saying I think it is thus God knows all things he knows which of those Children had they lived would have served him them he takes to Heaven and he knows which would not have served him them he casts into Hell I set not this down as a true Answer to the Question but it argued more than ordinary consideration in a Child For his Affections 1. Some years since his Mother found him crying His Mother taking him into her Lap ask'd him why he cried he answered with many Tears he feared he should go to Hell yet he served God as well as he could 2. Another time being found weeping upon a Lord's-day his Mother asked him why he cried he said Because he remembred no more of the Sermon 3. Other times he had wept lest he should not go to Heaven For his Practices I bless God his Practices were not unequal to his Affections and Knowledge he was often found in Corners at Prayer When my Wife sent him upon an Errand she would ask him why he staid he would answer with much ado that he thought there was no great haste so he stayed a little at Prayers he spent a quarter of an hour daily in secret Prayer he got his Brother to keep a Diary but he bid that we should not know of it till his Death-bed wherein he set down many of his Sins but none of his Duties for them he said were so few that he could easily remember them Some of which Sins were these 1st He whetted his Knife upon a Lord's-day 2d He did not reprove one that he heard swear 3d. He once omitted Prayer to go to play 4th He found his Heart dead and therefore omitted Prayer He one day hearing the Bell toll said He would not have any Rings given at his Burial but a good Book that may do them good 2. There was a little Child which frequented that excellent Duty of Secret Prayer and would ask the Mother strange Questions concerning Heaven and God and the Mother thought the Child had heard some discoursing of those Questions and so had taken them from their Conferences He once ran to his Mother and said O Mother I must go to God will you go with me His Mother said I must go when it pleaseth God but my Child how knowest thou that thou must go to God The Child answered God told me so for I love God and God loves me and after that cared no more to play but about a month after fell sick and died always saying in his Sickness that he must go to God and asking his Mother whether she would go with him 3. I know also a Minister who told me That one of his Children when but four years old said to him that he had seen God and his Angels and that he must go to them 4. This fourth History I have out of the Sermon at the Funeral of Mr. John Langham eldest Son to Mr. James Langham being but five years and a half old and it 's thus This sweet Child had arrived to that in five years and a little more that some which are here I am afraid have not arrived to in ten times that space He was a very dutiful Child to his Parents and would exceedingly rejoyce when he had done any thing or had carried himself so as to please them He was taken with the Book called the Practice of Piety and delighted to be reading in it His Father speaking to him one day about the Devil and Hell and things of that Nature he asked him if he were not afraid to be alone he answered No for God would defend him His Father asked him why he thought so he replied that he loved God and that he hoped God loved him The day before he died he desired me to pray for him I told him if he would have me to pray for him he must tell me what I should pray for and what he would have God to do for him He answered To pardon my Sins Oft upon his Sick-bed he would be repeating to himself the fifty fifth Chapter of Isaiah and other pieces of Scripture which in the time of his Health he had learned by heart 5. I shall next set down several Passages in a Letter written by one that went to School a rare Example for Children of that Age to follow I find he was to get time from his Sleep to write I shall not set down the whole Letter but leave out things of business and that are introductory The Letter BRother pray let me intreat you to fit and prepare your self for Death for it knocks at the door of young ones as well as the old there are as many young Souls in Golgotha as old the Sythe of Mortality mows down Lillies as well as Grass One thing I beg of you and I hope you will not deny me which is this seeing you have Knowledge Will Mind take heed you be not drawn away by hypocritical Deceivers for the Scripture saith That in the latter days many false Prophets shall arise who would deceive the very Elect themselves if it were possible but it is not possible for God will reserve some for himself Thus far Mr. White 6. Mrs. Sarah Howley at eight years old gave her self much to attending upon the Word preached and still continued very tender under it greatly savouring what she heard She was much in Secret Prayer as might easily be perceived by those who listened at the Chamber-door and was usually very importunate full of tears She was exceeding dutiful to her Parents very loath to grieve them in the least and if she had at any time which was very rare offended them she would weep bitterly She abhorred Lying and allowed her self in no known Sin The Lord's-day before that in which she died a Kinsman of hers came to see her and asking of her Whether she knew him she answered Yes I know you and I desire you would learn to know Christ you are young but you know not how soon you may die Now and then she dropt these words How long sweet Jesus Finish thy work sweet Jesus come away sweet Jesus come quickly sweet Lord help come away now now dear Jesus come quickly Good Lord give patience to me to wait thy appointed time Lord Jesus help me help me She oft commended her Spirit into the Lord's Hands and the last words which she was heard to speak were these Lord help Lord Jesus help Dear Jesus Blessed Jesus And thus upon the Lord's Day between Nine and Ten of the Clock in the Forenoon she slept sweetly in Jesus and began an everlasting Sabbath February 19. 1670. 7. Of a Child that was admirably affected with the Things of God when he was between Two and Three Years old A certain little Child whose Mother had Dedicated him to the Lord in her Womb when he could not speak plain would be crying after God and was greatly desirous to be taught good
Things He could not endure to be put to Bed without Family-Duty but would put his Parents upon Duty and would with much Devotion kneel down and with great Patience and Delight continue 'till Duty was at an end When he had committed any fault he was easily convinced of it and would get into some Corner and Secret Place and with Tears beg Pardon of God and Strength against such a Sin He had a Friend that oft watched him and listned at his Chamber-door from whom I received this Narrative A Friend of his asked him Whether he were willing to die when he was first taken sick he answered No because he was afraid of his State as to another World Why Child said the other thou didst pray for a new Heart for an humble and a sincere Heart and I have heard thee Didst thou not pray with thy Heart I hope I did said he Not long after the same Person asked him again Whether he were willing to die He answered Now I am willing for I shall go to Christ He still grew weaker and weaker but carried it with a great deal of sweetness and patience waiting for his Change and at last did cheerfully commit his Spirit unto the Lord and calling upon the Name of the Lord and saying Lord Jesus Lord Jesâ—â— in whose Bosom he sweetly slept dying as I remember when he was about Five or Six Years old 8. Of a little Girl that was wrought upon when she was between Four and Five Years old Mary A. when she was between Four and Five Years old was greatly affected in hearing the Word of God and became very solicitous about her Soul and Everlasting Condition weeping bitterly to think what would become of her in another World asking strange Questions concerning God and Christ and her own Soul So that this little Mary before she was full Five Years old seemed to mind the one thing needful and to choose the better part and sate at the Feet of Christ many a time and oft with Tears She was very Conscientious in keeping the Sabbath spending the whole time either in Reading or Praying or learning her Catechism or teaching her Brethren and Sisters See took great delight in Reading of the Scripture and some part of it was more sweet to her than her appointed Food she would get several choice Scriptures by heart and discourse of them savourly and apply them suitably A little before she died she had a great Conflict with Satan and cried out I am none of his Her Mother seeing her in trouble asked her what was the matter she answered Satan did trouble me but now I thank God all is well I know I am none of his but Christ's After this she had a great Sence of God's Love and a Glorious Sight as if she had seen the very Heavens open and the Angels come to receive her by which her Heart was filled with Joy and her Tongue with Praise Being desired by the Standers-by to give them a particular Account of what she saw she answered You shall know hereafter and so in an Extasie of Joy and holy Triumph she went to Heaven when she was about Twelve Years old Hallelujah 9. Of a Child that began to look towards Heaven when she was about Four Years old A certain little Child when she was about Four Years old had a Conscientious Sence of her Duty towards her Parents because the Commandment saith Honour thy Father and thy Mother And though she had little advantage of Education she carried it with the greatest Reverence to her Parents imaginable so that she was no small Credit as well as Comfort to them She would be very attentive when she read the Scriptures and be much affected with them and would by no means be perswaded to prophane the Lord's Day but would spend it in some good Duties When she was taken sick one asked her Whether she were willing to die she answered Yes if God would pardon her Sins Being asked How her Sins should be pardoned she answered Through the Blood of Christ. There were very many observable Passages in the Life and Death of this Child but the Hurry and Grief that her Friends were in buried them 10. Charles Bridgman had no sooner learned to speak but he betook himself to Prayer His Sentences were wise and weighty and well might become some ancient Christian His Sickness lasted long and at least Three Days before his Death he prophesied his Departure and not only that he must die but the very Day The last Words which he spake were exactly these Pray pray pray nay yet pray and the more Prayers the better all prospers God is the best Physician into his Hands I commend my Spirit O Lord Jesus receive my Soul Now close mine Eyes Forgive me Father Mother Brother Sister all the World Now I am well my Pain is almost gone my Joy is at hand Lord have mercy on me O Lord receive my Soul unto thee And thus he yielded his Spirit up unto the Lord when he was about Twelve Years old This Narrative was taken out of Mr. Ambrose 's Life's Lease 11. Of a poor Child that was awakened when she was about Five Years old A certain very poor Child that had a very bad Father but it was to be hoped a very good Mother was by the Providence of God brought to the sight of a Godly Friend of mine who upon the first sight of the Child had a great pity for him and took an Affection to him and had a mind to bring him for Christ It was not long before the Lord was pleased to strike in with the Spiritual Exhortations of this good Man so that the Child was brought to a liking of the things of God He would ask very excellent Questions and Discourse about the Condition of his Soul and Heavenly Things and seemed mightily concerned what should become of his Soul when he should die so that his Discourse made some Christians even to stand astonished He was greatly taken with the great kindness of Christ in dying for Sinners and would be in Tears at the mention of them and seemed at a strange rate to be affected with the unspeakable Love of Christ After the Death of his Mother he would often repeat some of the Promises that are made unto Fatherless Children especially that in Exod. 22.22 Ye shall not afflict any Widow or the Fatherless Child if thou afflict them in any wise and they cry at all unto me I will surely hear their cry These words he would often repeat with Tears I am Fatherless and Motherless upon Earth yet if any wrong me I have a Father in Heaven who will take my part to him I commit myself and in him is all my trust Thus he continu'd in a Course of Holy Duties living in the fear of God and shewed wonderful Grace for a Child and died sweetly in the Faith of Jesus My Friend is a Judicious Christian of many Years Experience who was
alibi 11. Bishop Vsher's Custom was to pray Four times a Day in and with his Family in the Morning at Six a Clock in the Evening at Eight and before Dinner and Supper in his Chappel at each of which he was always present On Fryday in the Afternoons there was constantly an Hour spent in his Chappel in Catechizing upon the Principles of Religion for the Instructing of his Family and on Sabbaths in the Evening the Sermon which he had preached in the Afternoon was repeated in his Chappel by one of his Chaplains See his Life 12. It is recorded to the everlasting Praise of the young Lord Harrington so famous for Piety that it was his constant use to pray twice every Day in secret twice with some choice Friends and Servants besides his family-Family-Duties See his Life 13. It was the Practice of Sir Nathaniel Barnardiston to pour out his Soul before the Lord in secret thrice every Day and sometimes oftner if he could gain opportunity besides his family-Family-Duties and Days of extraordinary Humiliation which he importunately embraced upon every occasion This I can testifie saith Mr. Fairclough upon mine own Experience that for many Years together when I was first acquainted with him I seldom visited him but if any convenient Place could be found we might not part except we had prayed together Nor was he more frequent in secret Prayer than constant in secret Reading the Scriptures See his Life 14. Mr. Samuel Fairclough upon the escape of his Child after a dangerous Fall made a solemn Vow in the Publick Congregation to give all the Tithe-Wool of the Parish to the Poor The Vow was Registred and Subscribed by his Hand and piously observed See his Life 15. Mr. Cotton Mather tells us Such was the Piety of Mr. Eliot that like another Moses he had upon his Face a continual Shine arising from his uninterrupted Communion with the Father of Spirits Indeed I cannot give a fuller Description of him than what was in a Paraphrase that I have heard himself to make upon that Scripture Our Conversation is in Heaven I writ from him as he uttered it Behold said he the Ancient and Excellent Character of a true Christian 't is that which Peter calls Holiness in all manner of Conversation you shall not find a Christian out of the way of Godly Conversation For First A Seventh part of our time is all spent in Heaven when we are duly zealous for and zealous on the Sabbath of God Besides God has written on the Head of the Sabbath Remember which looks both forwards and backwards and thus a good part of the Week will be spent in Sabbatizing Well but for the rest of our time Why we shall have that spent in Heaven e're we have done For Secondly We have have many Days for both Fasting and Thanksgiving in our Pilgrimage and here are so many Sabbaths more Moreover Thirdly we have our Lectures every Week and pious People won't miss them if they can help it Furthermore Fourthly We have our private Meetings wherein we Pray and Sing and repeat Sermons and confer together about the Things of God and being now come thus far we are in Heaven almost every day But a little farther Fifthly We perform Family Duties every Day we have our Morning and Evening Sacrifices wherein having read the Scriptures to our Families we call upon the Name of God and ever now and then carefully Catechise those that are under our Charge Sixthly We shall also have our daily Devotions in our Closets wherein unto Supplication before the Lord we shall add some serious Meditation upon his Word a David will be at this Work no less than thrice a Day Seventhly We have likewise many Scores of Ejaculations in a Day and these we have like Nehemiah in whatever place we come into Eighthly We have our occasional Thoughts and our occasional Talks upon Spiritual Matters and we have our occasional Acts of Charity wherein we do like the Inhabitants of Heaven every Day Ninthly In our Callings in our Civil Callings we keep up heavenly Frames we Buy and Sell and Toil yea we Eat and Drink with some Eye both to the Command and the Honour of God in all Behold I have not now left an Inch of Time to be carnal it is all engrossed for Heaven And yet lest here should not be enough Lastly We have our Spiritual Warfare We are always encountring the Enemies of our Souls which continually raises our Hearts unto our Helper and Leader in the Heavens Let no Man say 'T is impossible to live at this rate for we have known some live thus and others that have written of such a Life have but spun a Web out of their own blessed Experiences New-England has Examples of this Life thô alas 't is to be lamented that the Distractions of the World in too many Professors do becloud the Beauty of an Heavenly Conversation In fine our Employment lies in Heaven In the Morning if we ask Where am I to be to Day Our Souls must answer In Heaven In the Evening if we ask Where have I been to Day Our Souls may answer In Heaven If thou art a Believer thou art no Stranger to Heaven while thou livest and when thou diest Heaven will be no strange place to thee no thou hast been there a thousand times before In this Language have I heard him express himself and he did what he said he was a Boniface as well as a Benedict and he was one of those Qui faciendo docert quae facienda docent Thus far Mr. Cotton Mather 15. Mr. Henry Gearing's Covenant with GOD As I find it in his Life Published by Mr. John Shower O Most Dreadful GOD for the Passion of Thy Son I beseech Thee accept of Thy poor Prodigal now prostrating himself at Thy Door I have fallen from Thee by mine Iniquity and am by Nature a Son of Death and a Thousand-fold more the Child of Hell by my wicked Practice but of Thine Infinite Grace Thou hast promised Mercy to me in Christ if I will but turn to Thee with all my Heart Therefore upon the Call of thy Gospel I am now come in and throwing down my Weapons submit myself to thy Mercy And because Thou requirest as the Condition of my Peace with Thee that I should put away mine Idols and be at Defiance with all Thine Enemies which I acknowledge I have wickedly sided with against Thee I here from the bottom of my Heart renounce them all firmly Covenanting with Thee not to allow myself in any known Sin but to use Conscientiously all the Means that I know Thou hast prescribed for the Death and utter Destruction of all my Corruptions And whereas I have formerly inordinately and idolatrously let out my Affections upon the World I do here resign my Heart to Thee that madest it humbly protesting before Thy Glorious Majesty That it is the firm Resolution of my Heart and that I do unfeignedly desire Grace
ever saw a Person drunk Nay it was often said That every Inhabitant of Kerton should be distinguished from others not only by the more savouriness of their Discourse but also by the universal Strictness and Piety of their Lives See his Life CHAP. LXV Remarkable Devotion on the Lord's Day THE first Observation of the Christian Sabbath was more by the Providence and Design of God then the Apostles own Inclination Joh. 20.19 the second was performed voluntarily Job 20.26 So afterwards upon the day of Pentecost being the first day they were all with one accord in one place Acts 2.1 And again Acts 20.7 On the first day of the week the Disciples came together to break bread and Paul preached unto them Rev. 1.10 St. John was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day And thus the Observation of the Lord's-Day-Sabbath being commenced it hath been continued by all good Christians to the present Age. 1. Pliny tells the Emperour Trajan that it was the use of the Christians in his time on a stated Day before it was light to meet together to sing a Hymn to Christ as to God secum invicem among themselves by turns and to bind themselves by a Sacrament not to do any Wickedness but that they commit not Thefts Robberies Adulteries that they break not their Word that they deny not the Pledge which being ended they used to depart and to come again together to take Meat but promiscuous and harmless Plin. Epist. 97. p. 306 307. 2. Constantine the Great made Laws for the strict Observation of the Lord's Days commanding That through all the Roman Empire all servile Employment should cease on those Days He prescribed also a Form for the Legions of his Soldiers to be used both on the Sabbaths and other Days And himself used to shew much Reverence and Attention to the Word of God Preached so that many times he would stand up all the Sermon-while and when some of his Courtiers told him that it would tend to his Disparagement he answered That it was in the Service of the great God who was no respecter of Persons Clarmar in vit Constantin p. 11. 5. Bede speaking of Bishop Tuda saith On the Lord's Days the People flock'd by Crouds together either to the Church or to the Monasteries not to refresh their Bodies but to learn the Word of God and if any Priest happened to come into any Village the People presently gathered together and took care to seek from him the Word of Life Bede Eccl. Hist l. 3. c. 26. 4. The Bohemians sanctified the Lord's Day in this manner First by resting from outward Labours from Carrying c. from Dealing in any thing that belongs to outward Works and Negotiation that their Servants and Beasts might have a Breathing-time Exod. 20.10 But much more by abstaining from the Works of the Flesh Drunkenness Dancing Dice idle Walkings and Trifles as also from nuptial Feasts Fairs Markets This also was out Custom especially under a Magistrate favouring the Church that on the Saturday betimes before the Sun set all should desâ—â—t from external Labours and with the Evening begin the sanctification of the Day consecrated to God Secondly by dealing in Divine and Spiritual things by singing Psalms and reading Scriptures on the Evening of the Sabbath but in the Morning and the whole Lord's Day by frequenting the Assemblys meditating on and practising Holy things not once only or twice but four or five times for because c. therefore we dehort from reviewing and looking over Tables of Receipts and Expences that all forgetting things Temporary may learn to meditate on things Eternal Comoenius de Fratrib Bohem. p. 55 56. 5. Mr. Elliot of New England had such an exact Remembrance of the Lord's Day that the Sun did not set the Evening before the Sabbath 'till he had begun his Preparation for it and when the Lord's Day came you might have seen John in the Spirit upon the Lord's Day Every day was a sort of Sabbath to him but the Sabbath-day was a Sign a Type a Fore-tast of Heaven with him He Laboured that on this day he might have to Words or Thoughts but such as were agreeable thereunto he then allowed in himself no Actions but those of a Raised Soul If he beheld in any Person old or young any Profanation of this Day he would be sure to bestow lively Rebutes upon it And hence also to the general Engagements of a Covenant with God which 't was his desire to bring the Indians into he added a particular Article wherein they bound themselves Mequontamouat Sabbath packeteaunat tohschke pomantamog i. e. To remember the Sabbath-day to keep it Holy as long as they lived See his Life 6. Bishop Jos Hall speaking of this Day saith Prayer Meditation Reading Hearing Preaching Singing good Conference are the Businesses of this Day which I dare not bestow on any Work or Pleasure but Heavenly I find it hard to offend in too much Devotion easie in Profaneness 7. Before I went to the University from the Month of August till the latter end of February following I was a Boarder in the House of one Mr. Philip Henry where I had the opportunity of observing his manner of Life and Conversation He was formerly Student of Christ Church in Oxford Junior of the Act Chaplain to Judge Puleston and Minister of Warthenbury But afterwards not conforming he married an Heiress and lived at Broad-Oke in Hanmer Parish in Flint-shire Bishop Wilkins sent twice for him in my time with a design to draw him over to Conformity as he had done many of his Brethren before in his own Diocess Dr. Bridgeman Bishop of Man and his Successor at Worthenbury spoke very honourably of him to Major Trevers and me at is own Table at Chester Bishop Fell of Oxford lamented his going off from the Communion of the Church of England as by Law established and the present learned and ingenious Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry is ready to give an honourable Testimony to his Sincerity I doubt not having some Knowledge of the Correspondence between them This Man ever since I knew him and whilst I was his Neighbour was careful to rise early on the Sunday Mornings to spend a considerable portion of time in his Private Devotions and Preparations then to come down and call his Family together and after some short preparatory Prayer to sing a Psalm commonly the 100 and then read some part of the Sacred Scripture and expound it very largely and particularly and at last kneel down with all his Family and pray devoutly with particular references to the day and the Duties of it and the Minister that was to Officiate After which and a short refection for Break-fast he made hast to Church and took care that all his Family that could be spared should go in due time likewise Sometime he was before the Preacher and often before the rest of the Congregation as once particularly when I gave them a
Chancellor Bacon saith That Imagination is next Kin to Miracle-working Faith 25. When King Charles the First was Prisoner at Carisbrook-Castle there was a Woman Touched by him who had the King's-Evil in her Eye and had not seen in a Fortnight before her Eye-lids being glued together as they were at Prayers after the Touching the Womans Eyes opened Mr. Seymer Bowman with many others were Eye-witnesses of this 26. William Bakhouse of Swallowfield in Berk-shire Esq had an ugly Scab that grew on the middle of his Forehead which had been there for some Years and he could not be cured In his Journey to Peterborough he dreamt there That he was in a Church and saw a Hearse and that one did bid him wet his Scab with the Drops of the Marble The next Day he went to Morning-Service and afterwards going about the Church saw the very Hearse which was of Black Say for Queen Catherine Wife to King Henry the Eighth and the Marble Grave-stone by He found Drops on the Marble and there were some Cavities wherein he clip'd his Finger and wetted the Scab In Seven Days it was perfectly cured 27. Arise Evans had a fungous Nose and said It was reveal'd to him that the King's Hand would cure him and at the first coming of King Charles the Second into St. James's-Park he kiss'd the King's Hand and rubb'd his Nose with it which disturb'd the King but cured him Mr. Ashmole told me 28. There is extant a true Relation of the wonderful Cure of Mary Maillard Lame almost ever since she was born on Sunday the 26th of November 1693. With the Affidavits and Certificates of the Girl and several other credible and worthy Persons who knew her both before and since her being cured To which is added A Letter from Dr. Wellwood to the Right Honourable the Lady Mayoress upon that Subject London Printed for R. Baldwin near the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-lane 1664. 29. The following Letter I receiv'd from Mr. Moses Pitt with the Relation of Anne Jefferies Decemb. 3. 96. Reverend Sir I Have here sent you what I have Published of Anne Jefferies which you may if you please Reprint in your Collections only with these Additions which accrued not to my Memory or Information 'till after I had Published the same viz. That these Fairies are distinguished into Males and Females and than they are about the bigness of Children of Three or Four Years of Age. I also desire you to insert this Letter to me from my Kinsman Mr. Will. Tom who was the Person which Dined with the Lord Bishop of Gloucester when I told him this of Anne Jefferies and is a Merchant of as much Note as most in Devon or Cornwall and has been Mayor of Plimouth who knows Anne Jefferies who is still living as well as my self he sent me the Letter on my sending him one of the Books by Post I have the Original by me Plimouth May 12. 1696. Cous Pitt I Have yours with the inclosed Prints and do know and have heard that all in it is very true which with my Duty to my Lord Bishop of Gloucester you may acquaint his Lordship it 's needless for me to write to him I am Your Affectionate Kinsman and Servant William Tom. This is all I think needful to acquaint you with on this Subject I am Your True and Faithful Servant Moses Pitt 30. An Account of one Anne Jefferies now living in the County of Cornwall who was fed for Six Months by a small sort of Airy People called Faiâ—ies And of the strange and wonderful Cures she performed with Salves and Medicines she received from them for which she never took one Penny of her Patients In a Letter from Moses Pitt to the Right Reverend Father in God Dr. Edward Fowler Lord Bishop of Gloucester My LORD WHen about Christmass last I waited on you with my Printed Letter to the Author of a Book entituled Some Discourses upon Dr. Burnet now Lord Bishop of Salisbury and Dr. Tillotson late Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury occasioned by the late Funeral Sermon of the former upon the latter After I had paid my Duty and Service to your Lordship you were pleased to mind me of my having told you a wonderful Story about Seventeen or Eighteen Years since in the Company of a Kinsman of mine a Tradesman of Plimouth who also confirmed part of it from his own Knowledge and the following Narrative you will sâ—â—d to contain the Substance of what you then heard And I doubt not but I could bring several other Persons now living to justifie the Truth of what I here write Nay the Person concerned who is at this time living in Cornwall must own it and a great deal more if she could be prevailed with to speak out My Lord I thought I could if any Person alive have prevail'd with her she being the Servant that attended me in my Childhood but your Lordship may see that I cannot and therefore your Lordship must be content with what I here publish I am satisfied I was not nor could be imposed on in this Affair the Particulars having made sâ— great an Impression on me from my Youth hitherto I know my Lord that the great part of the World will not believe the passages here related by reason of the strangeness of them but I cannot help their Vnbelief Your Lordship knows the Record where it 's mentioned That the great God did marvellous things in the sight of our Forefathers but for all that they sinned yet more and believed not his wondrous Works And therefore Vnbelief is no new Sin crept into the World And moreover my Lord if Men would give themselves time to think they cannot but remember that the great God has done as great and marvellous Works in our Age both in Judgment and in Mercy as be did in the Days of old by which the greatest Atheist may be convinc'd not only of the Being of a God but also that his Power and his Goodness are as manifest now as of old and therefore it 's the Duty of all that do by personal Knowledge know any extraordinary Works or Providences of God which are uncommon to publish them to the World that the great God may be glorified and Mankind edified which is purely and truly the Design of Publishing the following Narrative ANne Jefferies for that was her Maiden Name of whom the following strange things are related was born in the Parish of St. Teath in the County of Cornwall in December 1626. and she is still living 1696. being now in the Seventieth Year of her Age she is married to one William Warden formerly Hind a Hind is one that looks after the rest of the Servants the Grounds Cattel Corn c. of his Master to the late eminent Physician Dr. Richard Lower deceased and now lives as Hind to Sir Andrew Slanning of Devon Bar. I must acquaint you Sir that I have made it my Business but could not prevail to get
their Prescriptions wrought kindly but removed not his Disease he desired divers Christians to pray for him on a Day prefixed and promised to joyn with them as well as he could with some others that should be with him assuring them That he was confident that Disease would not be removed but by Prayer and Fasting The Morning of that Day he had a Fit continued four Hours together upon him and the Devil set upon all that while with most dreadful Temptations telling him he would make him the Scorn of Religion and every Man should reproach it for his sake that had before by his means looked towards it that he should never preach more but should blaspheme the Name of God he had preached with many like Suggestions God gave him Courage Comfort and Victory over them all The Devil told him if he did fast and pray that Day he would torment and hinder him c. We met at the time appointed and Master Rothwel would needs have me to perform the Duty which through God's Goodness I did and the Devil was not permitted to hinder or interrupt him or us and God heard our Prayers so that he had never a Fit after that and the Sabbath-sevennight following he preached but after many Wrestlings with Satan who told him he would make him mad and before all the People in the Pulpit make him a Scorn if he did adventure to preach Nevertheless his Faith in Christ overcame his Fear of Stan and he preached with great Assistance and Comfort upon that Text Psal 116.9 I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the Living Nevertheless that Sickness did so weaken his Brain that ever after he was inclining to some Infirmities which Love must cover See his Life 3. I have spoke elsewhere of Mr. Charles Langford in his Book to which I refer my Reader only take Notice of the Complaint which he makes concerning his own Case in his own Words If by Fever Melancholly or other Bodily Distempers the Natural Spirits which are the Cursitors between the Body and the Soul are made uncapable of performing their Office aright then is Satan sure to be up and doing every Affliction is an Hour of Temptation the Dark is his Delight now is the time for him to lay his Delusions upon the Fantasie and to charge Sin upon the Soul when he finds it most unable to resist and ready to embrace end believe it Langford's God's Wonderful Mercy in the Mount of Woful Extremity Preface See more in the next Chapter and in the Chapter of Discontentedness c. CHAP. XC Satan Hurting by Temptations Injections c. As for ordinary Temptations to ordinary Sins in the common way they are too obvious to every sensible Christian than to need a particular Discourse all that I intend here is to make a Remark upon some that are more strange and unusual either as to the Greatness of the Sins the Temptations direct to or the Season or the Conveyance For Satan doth not always keep the same Road nor the same Pace but sometimes spurs on with more violence and changeth his Path and varies his Methods sometimes he roars like a Lyon and drives on like Jehu Furiously as if he would drive Souls to Hell without fear of any Opposition or possibility of Remedy 1. Anthony Wildgoose being visited An. 1634 with a violent burning Fever upon Recovery being visited by some Friends who prayed with him and sung a Psalm or two viz. Psal 15. and Psal 13. when they came to the last Verse I will give thanks unto the Lord c. Satan standing at his Right-hand to use his own words tempted him to blaspheme the great and dreadful Name of God with the words of Job's Wife To curse God and die c. And this he forced so vehemently into his Mind that he had no power to resist him insomuch that he thought verily he had done it indeed which occasioned much Trouble of Mind to him so that he had very little Sleep Night or Day and was verily perswaded the Devil would carry away suddenly Body and Soul into Hell and so he continued crying out That he had committed the unpardonable Sin despairing of God's Mercy 'till upon a Minister's Vifit and Instructions he recovered a little but by and by fell into worse Torment of Mind than before as if he had been fallen into the very Depths of Hell and in a Trance of some Hours continuance after he had seemed to converse a-while with Devils who tormented him with Whips on a Bed of Iron he though he was restored from thence and stood upon the Earth and that all the Sky was on a Light-fire and that Jesus was come to judge the Earth and was set upon his Throne and he to appear before him immediately And then looking on himself as a most vile black deformed ugly Creature Oh! thought he if I were but like such and such Afterwards recovering from his Trance and Illness of Body he continued in ill State of Mind a long time sometimes ready to make away himself living melancholly and discontented once putting a Knife to his Throat and drawing Blood but upon better Thoughts he withdrew escaping as a Bird out of the Snare c. Miracles of Mercies p. 2 3 4. 2. While Mr. Eliot was preaching of Christ to the Indians a Demon appeared to a Prince of the Eastern Indians in a shape that somewhat resembled the Person of Mr. Eliot or of an English Minister pretending to be the English-man's God The Spectre commanded him To forbear the Drinking of Rum to observe the Sabbath-day and to deal justly with his Neighbours all which had been inculcated in Mr. Eliot's Ministry promising withal unto him That if he did so at his Death he 'd ascend unto a happy place otherwise descend unto Miseries But the Apparition all the while never said one word about Christ which was the main Subject of Mr. Eliot's Ministry The Sachim received such an Impression from the Apparition that he dealt justly with all Men except in the bloody Tragedies and Cruelties he afterwards committed on the English in our Wars he kept the Sabbath-Day like a Fast frequently attending in our Congregations he would not meddle with any Rum tho' usually his Country-men had rather die than to deny themselves At last and not long since this Demon appeared again unto the Pagan requiring him to kill himself and assuring him That he should revive in a Day or two never to die any more He thereupon divers times attempted it but his Friends very carefully prevented it however at length he found a fair Opportunity for this foul Business and hang'd himself you may be sure without his expected Resurrection But 't is easie to see saith my Author what a Stumbling-block was here laid before the miscrable Indians Mather in Mr. Eliot's Life 3. Mr. Powel speaking concerning a Woman by Name E. C. who at the Birth of a Child she had very great Temptations
stretching out her Fingers to the full length used to swear by these Ten Bloody Bones This Woman had a Son called Stephen Maurice who was born with two Thumbs upon a Hand and he likewise marrying had several Children born in like manner with two Thumbs a-piece upon each Hand all which supernumerary Thumbs she in a bloody manner with her own Hand cut off This Woman assisted my Mother as Midwife when she brought me into the World W. T. 6. Sir Roger Mosson of Mosson in Flint-shire had a Coal-pit sunk pretty deep by some Workmen who discovered a good Mine of Coal but meeting with a Fire-damp were so affrighted that they deserted the Work At last a bold Fellow that was a notorious Swearer came and undertook to go on with it He with two or three more Men goes down into the Pit leaving the other Men near the Eye thereof whilst himself with a Candle lighted goes forward but presently was so attacked with the Fire-damp that the other Men were struck down with it in great amazement and had much adoe to recover themselves and an Engine of a vast bulk and weight that stood near the Eye of the Pit was carried up into the Air as high as the tops of some Trees that grew upon a Hill near adjoyning and the Man himself that went foremost with the Candle miserably and irrecoverably perished This I had out of the Philosophical Transactions printed some Years ago but in what Year particularly I remember not having not the Pamphlet by me at present 7. Anno Christi 1649. about the end of June there was a Soldier at Ware going with some others to wash himself in the River but finding the Water shallow he asked if there was no deeper a Place for him to swim in Some told him that there was not far off a deep Pit but that it was very dangerous and therefore advised him to take heed how he went into it To whom he answered God damn me if it be as deep as Hell I will go into it which accordingly he did but immediately sunk to the bottom never rising again but was there drowned Attested by good Witnesses Clark's Mirr c. 129. 8. One Mr. Barrington a great Swearer going forth a Hunting or Hawking on a Lord's-Day or a Festival and not speeding to his Mind came to an Ale-house at Puckrych Five Miles from Ware in the way to Cambridge and called for Drink beginning to swear after his unhappy Custom saying By God's Blood this is an unlucky Day and presently after he bled at the Nose which so vexed him that he began to rail and blaspheme the Name of God swearing Passion Wounds Flesh Nails Blood and Body c. till at last he proceeded farther to bleed at the Ears Eyes Wrists joynts of his Hands and of all his Body at the Navil and Fundament in a wonderful great Quantity and Streams of Blood blaring out his Tongue in a fearful manner as black as Pitch so that no Person durst come near him This continued faith my Author till the Devil and Death made an end of him Next day the Body was laid on a Cart carried to Stondâ—n and buried in the High-way Mr. Batman in his Doom warning to the Judgment p. 418. Who saith he had it from Mr. Barrington's wife afterward married to Mr. Carington in Cambridge CHAP. CVII Divine Judgments upon Sabbath-breakers AS God requires us to Remember the Sabbath-Day so as to keep it Holy so himself Remembers them that dare to Profane it The Child that gathered Sticks on that Day among the Israelites in the early Times of the Mosaick Oeconomy was by the Order of God himself stoned to Death And as he began to shew his Severity betimes in the Punishing of this Sin so he hath continued to the present Age to shew his great Displeasure against it insomuch that I think King James was much in the right when he caused his Declaration for Sports upon that Day to be torn out of his printed Volume of Writings where it is not now to be seen 1. A certain Nobleman profaning the Sabbath usually in Hunting had a Child by his Wife with a Head like a Dog and with Ears and Chaps crying like a Hound 2. Stratford upon Avon was twice on the same Day Twelve month being the Lord's-Day almost consumed with Fire chiefly for Profaning the Lord's-Day and Contemning his Word in the Mouth of his Faithful Minister 3. Feverton in Devonshire whose Remembrance makes my Heart bleed was oftentimes admonished by her Godly Preachers that God would bring some heavy Judgment on the Town for their horrible Profanation of the Lord's-Day occasioned chiefly by the Market on the Day following Not long after his Death on the 3d. of April Anno Dom. 1598. God in less than half an Hour consumed with a sudden and fearful Fire the whole Town except only the Church the Court-House and the Alms-Houses or a few poor Peoples Dwellings where a Man might have seen Four Hundred Dwelling-Houses all at once on fire and above Fifty Persons consumed by the Flame Not many Years after this a Misfortune of the like nature befell the Town again for on the Fifth Day of August 1612. Fourteen Years since the former Fire it was again fired and all consumed except some Thirty Houses of poor People with the School-House and Alms-Houses They are blind which see not in this the Finger of God God grant them Grace when it is next built to change their Market-Day and to remove all Occasions of Profaning the Lord s-Day Let other Towns remember the Tower of Siloe Luke 13.4 and take Warning by their Neighbours Chastisements Fear God's Threatnings Jerem. 17.27 And believe God's Prophets if they will prosper 1 Chron. 20.20 Thus far Dr. Bread in his Theatre of God s Judgments p. 419 420. 4. Mr. Smythyes Curate of St. Giles's Cripplegate in the Confession and Discovery of a Condemned Prisoner executed May the 25th 1687 for Theft saith that it was his Earnest Desire That all young Men especially should take care not to mispend the lord's-Lord's-day And I do now know saith he that ever I observed any Repentance in a Condemned Malefactor who did not bitterly lament his Neglect of his Duty to God on that Day 5. Edmund Kirk Vintner executed at Tyburn July 11. 1684. for murdering his Wife in his Confession acknowledged himself frequently guilty of Profaning the Lord's-Day Vpon which Holy Day saith he I committed the hainous Sin of murdering my poor Wife Thus Sin was punished with Sin a Less with a Greater and the Greater with the Gallows and that Greater committed near the same Gallows And himself confessed That he had to his Wife asking whilst she passed by what Place that was told it was Tyburn where John Gower was lately hanged for killing his Wife O Lord how dear to me thy Counsels are but how just and terrible are thy Judgments 6. Famous and memorable also is that Example which happened at
the Horse threw him and broke his Neck and some of his Issue came to untimely ends And it is observed that a Curse hath remained upon the Estate ever since Mr. Thomas Tregoss Minister was so sensible of it that it cost him many fervent Prayers to God for the removal of that dreadful Curse as himself assured a Bosom Friend See his Life 5. Solyman the Turkish Emperor contrary to his Promise commanded the Traitors of Buda to be put to Death 6. The same Solyman promised his Daughter for a Reward to him that would betray the Island Rhodes but when this Christian Traytor challenged his Promise with a large Portion for Matrimony the Emperor brought his Daughter in very costly attired with a Vides me stetisse promissis You see I have stood to my Promise but withal commanded him to be flea'd and put on a Bed of Salt or his Daughter would not be a fit Match except for a Musselman whose Skin was circumeised and clean from Baptism Camerarius CHAP. CXVIII Divine Judgments upon Unfaithful Husbands GOD that hath Ordained the Nuptial Knot for a Band of Vnion intended it not only to tye the Handâ— but the Hearts of the married couple together also and therefore cannot be supposed to wink at the Fault of Vnkindness and Vnfaithfulness in either Party But especially he expects that the Man should excel in Prudence and Patience and give a good Example as well as Arguments and Instructions to his Wife 1. Anno Christi 1652. There was living in the Isle of Thanet in Kent one Adam Sprackling Esquire in the Parish of St. Lawrence who about Twenty Years before had married Katharine the Daughter of Sir Robert Leukner of Kent This Sprackling had a fair Estate but was exceeding Proud and Profane he frequented Taverns and Ale-houses where he used to Rant and Roar and Game and Swear exceedingly and upon small Occasions to Quaarel and draw his Weapon c. He regarded not the Sabbath nor the publick Worship of God By which dissolute Courses and God's Judgment upon him he exhausted his Estate and brought others into Bond for him whom he left to Imprisonment and Ruine and had at last Executions out against him and Bailiffs waiting to Arrest him Whereupon he was forced to keep home and make his House his Prison so that he could not domineer abroad as formerly This filled him full of Rage and made him extream Hasty and Cholerick so that his Wife was constrained to lock up her self from him being a Woman of many excellent Parts and Vertues But upon Saturday Night December the 11th 1652. this Sprackling as it seems resolved to do her a Mischief and being in his Kitchen had one Lamming a Neighbour of his with him and sent for one Knowles a Seaman to hinm but it being Ten a Clock at Night he desired to be excused being in Bed Then did he send for one Martin a poor old Man and his Tenant who tho' in Bed durst not but arise and come to him and when he came Lamming went his ways so that there remained only this Sprackling and his Wife and Martin and one Ewel his Man Then did Sprackling command Martin to bind Ewel's Legs which the one did and the other suffered thinking that it had been only a ranting Humour of their Master Then began he to rage against his Wife who sate quietly by though she gave him none but loving and sweet Speeches yet did he draw his Dagger and struck her over the Face with it hurting her Jaw which she bore patiently saying little to him but he still continued to rage against her and when at last the Gentlewoman being weary and in great fear rose up and went to the Door her Husband followed he rwith a Chopping-knife in his Hand with which he struck at her Wrist and cut the Bone in sunder so that her Hand hung down only by the Sinews and Skin No help was near Ewel was bound and Martin being old and weak and fearing his own Life durst not interpose only he prayed his Mistress to stay and be quiet hoping all would be well and so getting a Napkin bound up her Hand with it After this towards Morning Sprackling still raging and railing at his Wife dashed her on the Forehead with the Iron Cleever whereupon she fell down bleeding but recovering her self on her Knees she cried and prayed unto God for the Pardon of her own Sins and her Husbands But as sh was thus praying her bloody Husband chopp'd her Head in the midst into the very Brains so that she fell down and died immediately Then did he kill six Dogs four of which he threw by his Wife and then chopped her twice into the Leg compelling Martin to wash Ewal's Face with her Blood himself also dipping Linnen in her Blood washed Martin's Face and he bloodied his own Face with it also For all which being apprehended and carried to Sandwich Gaol at the Sessions following which was April the 22d 1653. he was arraigned condemned and hanged on the 27th Day dying very desperately and not suffering any to come near him neither godly Ministers nor Gentlemen who desired to speak with him after his Condemnation This is moe largely published in Print by one that lived near the Place and was present at this Sprackling's Tryal 2. King Henry the VIII puts away Queen Katharine by Divorce after Twenty Years enjoyment of her and being desirous of Sons marries the Lady Ann Bullen and after she had brought him a Daughter the Lady Elizabeth and a Son born dead beheads her His next Wife dies in Child-bed some say she was ripp'd open by the King's Order He is divorced from his next Queen Ann of Cleve His next the Lady Katharine Howard is beheaded for Treason His last Wife was the Lady Katharine Parr His Three last are Childless and the Children of the Two first declared Illegitimate And tho' afterwards all his Three Children swayed the Scepter successively yet they all died Childless And as for himself his Name and Memory hath a Stench with it to this Day It were easie to add more Examples on this Subject CHAP. CXIX Divine Judgments upon Unfaithful Wives GOD hath not imposed upon Wives the Duty of Subjection and Obedience in vain but takes notice whether they observe it or not and accordingly executes his Judgments upon them that make no Conscience thereof And indeed the Sin it self leads naturally to its own Punishment in part by provoking the Husband to Displeasure teaching the Children to Disobey and precuring Shame and Contempt in the World as well as the Wrath of God and the Disfavour of his Providence 1. Cicero put away his Wife Terentia because she had made but small account of him in the Time of the Wars which were betwixt Caesar and Pompey So that when he went from Rome to Pompey she provided no fit Accommodations for his Journey and when he came back again into Italy she never shewed any spark of
Fires with Red Wine and gathering the Bones together to include them in Urns which they placed in or upon some sumptuous rich Monument erected or that purpose The Custom of Burning the dead Bodies continued among the Romans but until the time of the Antonine Emperors An. Dom. 200. or thereabouts then they began to Bury again in the Earth Manutius de leg Rom. Fol. 125 126. They had at these Burials suborned counterfeit hired Mourners which were Women of the loudest Voices who betimes in the Morning did meet at appointed Places and then cried out mainly beating of their Breasts tearing their Hair their Faces and Garments joyning therewith the Prayers of the defunct from the hour of his Nativity unto the hour of his Dissolution still keeping time with the Melancholick Musick This is a Custom observed at this day in some Parts of Ireland but above all Nations the Jews are best skilled in these Lamentations being Fruitful in Tears Tears that still ready stand To sally forth and but expect Command Amongst these Women there was ever an old aged Beldam called Praefica Superintendint above all the rest of the Mourners who with a loud Voice did pronounce these words Ire licet as much as to say He must needs depart and when the dead Corps was laid in the Grave and all Ceremonies finished she delivered the last Adieu in this manner Adieu Adieu Adieu we must follow thee according as the course of Nature shall permit us To Mourn after the Interrment of our Friends is a manifest Token of true Love Our All-Perfect and Almighty Saviour Christ Jesus wept over the Grave of dead Lazarus whom he revived whereupon the standers by said among themselves Behold how he loved him The Ancient Romans before they were Christians mourned Nine Months but being Christians they used Mourning a whole Year cloathed in black for the most part for Women were cloathed partly in white and partly in black according to the diversity of Nations These Examples considered I observe that we in these days do not weep and mourn at the departure of the Dead so much nor so long as in Christian Duty we ought For Husbands can bury their Wives and Wives their Husbands with a few counterfeit Tears and a sour Visage masked and painted over with dissimulation contracting Second Marriages before they have worn out their Mourning Garments Babilas the Martyr appointed to be buried with the Bolts and Fetters which he had worn for Christ Mr. Barker 's Flores It was Lewis the Second of France who when he was sick forbad any Man to speak of Death in his Court Mr. Barker 's Flores Abraham see how he beginneth to possess the World by no Land Pasture or Arrable Lordship The first being is a Grave So every Christian must make this Resolution The first Houshold-stuff that ever Seleucus brought into Babylon was a Sepulchre-stone a Stone to lay upon him when he was dead that he kept in his Garden Beza saith of a Sickness he had at Paris Morbus iste verae Sanitatis mihi principium fuit That Disease was the beginning of my true Health And Olevian to the same purpose of a Sickness he had said I have thereby learned more of Sin and the Majesty of God than I ever knew before As also Rivet said In the space of ten days since I kept my Bed I have learned more of true Divinity than in the whole course of my Life before Mr. Barker 's Flores Socrates the Night before he was to die would learn Musick because he would die learning something Chetwind's Hist Collections We can never be quiet till we have conquered the fear of Death The sight of Cyrus's Tomb struck Alexander into a dumps But when Grace prevails Death hath lost his Terror Aristippus told the Mariners that wondred why he was not as they afraid in the Tempest that the Odds was much for they feared the Torments due to a wicked Life and he expected the Reward of a good one And it was cold Comfort that Diogenes gave a lewd Liver that being banish'd complained that he should die in a Foreign Soil Be of good chear wheresoever thou art the way to Hell is the same Feltham Resolves p. 42. Queen Ann the Wife of King Henry the Eighth when she was lead to be beheaded in the Tower espying one of the King's Privy-Chamber she called him unto her and said unto him Commend me unto the King and tell him he is constant in his course of advancing me for from a Private Gentlewoman he made me a Marchioness from a Marchioness a Queen and now that he hath left no higher Degree of Worldly Honour for me he hath made me a Martyr Baker's Chron. Hen. VIII Philip King of Macedon walking by the Sea-side got a fall and after he was risen perceiving the Impression of his Body upon the Sand Good God said he what a small parcel of Earth will contain Us who aspire to the Possession of the whole World That Great Man Hugo Grotius near his Death professed That he would gladly give all his Learning and Honour for the Integrity of a Poor Man in his Neighbourhood that spent Eight Hours of his Time in Prayer Eight in Labour and Eight in Sleep and other Necessaries and unto some that applauded his marvellous Industry he said Ah Vitam perdidi operose nihil Agendo But unto some that asked the best Counsel which a Man of his Attainment could give he said Be serious sabina a Roman Matron being condemned to die for her Religion fell in Travel and cried out And one said to her If you cry out thus now what will you do when you come to the Stake She answered Now I cry out because I feel the fruit of Sin but then I shall be in comfort as suffering and dying for my Saviour Mr. Barker 's Flores CHAP. CXLIII The Last words of Dying Men as also their Last Wills and Testaments WE are apt to make Enquiry after the Last Speeches and Sentiments of Persons when they are going out of the World because we then believe that their Exes are open and their Judgments 〈◊〉 and they dare net tell a Lye for Fear or Affection when they are going to appear before their Judge and commencing state of Eâ—ernily The Last Words so far as we can understand by Records 1. Of Ignatius I am God's Corn I shall be ground to Meal by the Teeth of Wild Beasts and he found God's white Bread Dr. Cave 's Prim. Christ Clark 's Marr. of Eccl. Hist 2. Of Dionysius Arâ—â—pag He with Eyes and Hands lift up to Heaven said O Lord God Almighty thou only begotten Son and Holy Spirit O Sacred Trinity which art without beginning and in whom is no Division received the Soul of thy Servant in Peace who is put to Death for thy Cause and Gospel Ibid. viz. Clark 's Marrow c. 3. Epiphanius dying said to his People of Salamia God bless you my Children for Epiphanius
she Go learn of her Humility An odd Epitaph upon Thomas Saffin Here Thomas Saffin lies Interr'd ah why Born in New-England did in London die Was the third Son of eight begot upon His Mother Martha by his Father John Much favour'd by his Prince he 'gan to be But nipt by Death at the Age of 23. Fatal to him was that we Small-Pox name By which his Mother and two Brethren came Also to breathe their last nine Years before And now have left their Father to deplore The loss of all his Children with that Wife Who was the Joy and Comfort of his Life June 18. 1687. Here lie Interr'd the Bodies of Captain Thomas Chevers who departed this Life the 18th of Nov. 1675. Aged 44 Years And of Anne Chevers his Wife who departed this Life the 14th of Nov. 1675. Aged 34 Years And of John Chevers their Son who departed this Life the 13th of Nov. 1675. Aged 5 Days Reader consider well how poor a Span And how uncertain is the Life of Man Here lie the Husband Wife and Child by Death All three in five days space depriv'd of Breath The Child dies first the Mother next the Morrow Follows and then the Father dies with Sorrow A Caesar falls by many Wounds well may Two stabs at Heart the stoutest Captain slay On Another Tomb-stone is writ Here lies two loving Brothers side by side In one day buried and in one day died Here lies the Body of Mrs. Bridget Radley the most deservedly beloved Wife of Charles Radley Esq Gentleman-Usher Daily-Waiter to His Majesty which Place he parted withal not being able to do the Duty of it by reason of his great Indisposition both of Body and Mind occasioned by his just Sorrow for the loss of her She changed this Life for a better the 20th of November 1679. Sacred to the Immortal Memory of Sir Palmes Fairbone Kt. Governour of Tangier in Execution of which Command he was Mortally wounded by a Shot from the Moors then Besieging the Town in the 46th Year of his Age Octob. 24. 1680. Ye Sacred Reliques which that Marble keep Here undisturb'd by Wars in quiet sleep Discharge the Trust which when it was below Fairbone's undaunted Soul did undergo And be the Town 's Pallà dium from the Foe Alive and dead these Walls he will defend Great Actions great Examples must attend The Candian Siege his early Valour knew Where Turkish Blood did his young Hands imbrew From thence returning with deserv'd applause Against the Moors his well-flesh'd Sword he draws The same the courage and the same the cause His Youth and Age his Life and Death combine As in some great and regular Design All of a piece throughout and all Divine Still nearer Heaven his Vertue shoâ—e more bright Like rising Flames expanding in their height The Martyr's Glory crown'd the Soldier 's fight More bravely British General never fell Nor General 's Death was e'er reveng'd so well Which his pleas'd Eyes beheld before their close Follow'd by thousand Victims of his Foe * To this lamented Loss for Times to come His Pious Widow Consecrates this Tomb. Here lies expecting the Second Coming of our Saviour the Body of Edmund Spencer the Prince of Poets in his Time whose Divine Spirit needs no other Witness than the Works which he left behind him He was Born in London in the Year 1510. and died in the Year 1596. Abrahamus Couleius Anglorum Pindarus Flaccus Maro Delicìae Decus Desiderium Aevi sui Hic juxta situs est Aurea dum volitant latè tua scripta per orbem Et fama aeternùm vivis Divina Poeta Hîc placidâ jaceas requie custodiat urnam Cana fides vigilentque perenni lampade musae Sit sacer iste locus Nec quis temperarius ausit Sacrilegà turbare manu venerabile bustum Intacti maneant maneant per saecula dulcis Coulei cineres servetque immobile saxum Six vovet Votumque suum apud posteros sacratum esse voluit Qui vivo Incomparabili posuit sepulchrale marmor Georgius Dux Buckinghamiae Excessit è vita Anno Aetatis suae 49. honorifica pompa elatus ex Aedibus Buckinghamianis vitis Illustribus omnium ordinum exsequias celebrantibus sepultus est Die 3. M. Augusti Anno Domini 1667. On the Royal Tombs adjoyning to Cowley 's a Modern Poet writes thus Whole Troops of mighty Nothings lie beside Of whom 't is only said they liv'd and dy'd Here lies Henry Purcel Esq who left this Life and is gone to that Blessed Place where only his Harmony can be exceeded Obiit 21. die Novembris Anno Aetatis suae 37. Annoque Domini 1695. CHAP. CXLVIII Miracles giving Testimony to Christianity Orthodoxy Innocency c. I Can never believe that Miracles ascended up to Heaven with our Saviour so as never to be seen upon Earth more after the first Age of the Church 'T is true they have run in a narrower Stream And when the Gospel was sufficiently established and confirmed by the Testimony of them they were not quite so necessary But some Necessity still occurs and some Miracles have been in all Ages wrought Take these amongst many others and compare them with some other Chapters of this Book 1. Irenaeus in his Second Book against Heresies saith Some of the Brethren and sometimes the whole Church of some certain Place by reason of some urgent Cause by Fasting and Prayer had procured that the Spirits of the Dead had been raised again to Life and had lived with them many Years Some by the like means had expelled Devils so that they which had been delivered from Evil Spirits had embraced the Faith and were received into the Church Others had the Spirit of Prophecy to foretel things to come they see Divine Dreams and Prophetical Visions Others Cure the Sick and Diseased and by laying on of Hands restore them to Health Clark's Marr. of Eccl. Hist 2. S. Augustine tells us that when the Bodies of Gervasius and Protasius the Martyrs were taken up and brought to S. Ambrose's Church at Milan several Persons that were vexed with unclean Spirits were healed and one a noted Citizen that had been blind many Years upon touching the Bier with his Handkerchief was restored to his sight Aug. Confess l. 9. c. 7. 3. In the Reign of Constantine the Great the Gospel was propagated into Iberia in the uttermost part of the Euxine Sea by the means of a Captive Christian Woman by whose Prayers a Child that was Mortally Sick recovered health and the Lady of Iberia her self was delivered from a Mortal Disease Whereupon the King her Husband sent Embassadors to Constantine entreating him to send him some Preachers into Iberia to Instruct them in the True Faith of Christ which Constantine performed with a glad heart Clark in Vit. Constantin p. 11. 4. That Luther a poor Friar saith one should be able to stand against the Pope was a great Miracle that he should prevail against the Pope was a greater