Cambridge and proved a prudent and learned man He was afterwards Arch-Deacon of Dublin at which time he was first sent over into England to Queen Elizabeth and the Council with a Petition for preserving the Cathedral of St. Patricks Dublin from being dissolved wherein he prevailed the fruits whereof this his Nephew reaped afterwards being made Chancellor of it and receiving his subsistence from it for many years The second time he was sent over by the Council of Ireland to Queen Elizabeth to procure her Patent for the founding of a College and University in Dublin wherein he prevailed also So that the College of which this worthy person was the first fruits had its being from his Grandfathers motion and his Uncles industry He had a brother named Ambrose Usher who though he dyed young yet was a man of excellent parts very skilful in the Oriental Languages who had translated the Old Testament from the beginning to the Book of Job out of the Hebrew into English which is still preserved under his own hand but upon the coming forth of the New Translation in King James his time he desisted from making any further progress therein Our James was taught first to read by two of his Aunts who were blinde from their Cradles and so never saw letters yet were they admirably versed in the sacred Scriptures being able suddenly to have given a good account of any part of the Bible At eight years old he was sent to the Grammar School where he had the happiness to meet with two excellent Schoolmasters Sir James Fullerton afterwards Leger Ambassador in France and Sir James Hamilton afterwards Lord Viscount Clandeboise who was Usher of the School These two learned men were sent over by King James out of Scotland upon an other design though they were disguised in this imployment And indeed they came very opportunely by the good hand of Gods Providence for this youths founding in learning at such a time when there was a great defect of learned Schoolmasters which he often acknowledged as a special mercy of God to him therein At ten years old was the first time that he could remember to have found in himself any evidences of his saving conversion unto God which was instrumentally wrought by a Sermon which he heard preached upon Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God c. About the same time also meeting with some notes taken from famous Mr. Perkins his Works being not then printed concerning the sanctification of the Lords day proved through Gods blessing so effectual with him that ever after he was the more strict in the observing of it About the same time also he read over St. Augustines Meditations which so affected him that he wept often in the reading of them This young yet hopeful plant thus inuring and accustoming himself to secret duties in his tender years the Devil that grand enemy of our salvation thinking to nip him in the bud assaulted him with divers terrours and affrightments both sleeping and waking hoping thereby to discourage and take him off from the same But he with St. Paul betook himself to prayer with earnestness to be delivered from these Satanical delusions and assaults and at last was heard in that which he feared by being freed from them and strengthened against them with more than ordinary courage and comfort which made such an impression in him as that he could not forget it to his old age The Devil now finding that he could not be affrighted out of his course of godliness made use of another engine which was to allure him with the bait of pleasure some of his friends teaching him to play at Cards wherewith he was so much delighted that it began to prevail over his love to his book yea it came in competition with his love to God and care to serve him which being seasonably by Gods Spirit discovered to him he presently gave it over and never played afterwards At twelve years old he was so affected with the study of Chronology and Antiquity that reading over Sleidans Book of the four Empires and some other Authors he drew forth an exact Series of the times wherein each eminent person lived and during the time of his abode at School which was five years he was throughly instructed in Grammar Rhetorick and Poetry wherein he so excelled and with which he was so delighted that he was fain to take himself off lest it should have hindred him from more serious studies At thirteen years of age he was admitted into the College of Dublin being the first Student that was initiated into it and as it seems it was so ordered upon design by the Governours thereof upon their observation of his pregnancy and rare parts that it might be a future honour to the College to have his name recorded in the Frontispiece of their Admission Book and so accordingly he was the first Graduate the first Fellow the first Proctor c. At the same time Sir James Hamilton hitherto Usher of the School was chosen Fellow of the College and thereby became his Tutor who oft-times admired his accuteness and proficiency whereby in a short time he equalized his Instructers Here he first began to study the Greek and Hebrew Languages in both which he afterwards excelled and made himself in a little time Master of the Arts most of which he modelled in a method of his own especially that of Musick At this time the education and helps which that College afforded were very eminent For though at first there were but four Fellows yet the Tongues and Arts were very exactly taught to all the Students who were divided into several Classes Each Tutor read Aristotles Text in Greek to his Pupils yea each Fellow read three Lectures a day at each of which there was a Disputation maintained either upon the present or the precedent Lecture and sometimes they were ordered to dispute More Socratico On Saturdayes in the afternoon each Tutor read a Divinity Lecture in Latine to his Pupils dictating it as they did all other their Lectures so deliberately that they might easily write after them to their great benefit and advantage At fourteen years old he was judged fit and admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and his usual custome was the afternoon before to retire himself in private and to spend it in a strict self-examination and deep humiliation for all his sins wherein he had such enlargements of heart that a stream of tears flowed from his eyes which afterwards he oft recalled to minde both as a provocation and censure of himself When he was of elder years there was a certain plâ—ce by a water side whither he oft resorted sorrowfully to survey his sins and with floods of tears to confess and bewail them wherein he found so much sweetness and communion with God that he thirsted for such comfortable
Danish cruelty and oppessions he endeavoured to perswade and encourage the Citizens to stand out in defence of the Liberties of themselves their wives and children and not to trust to the fair words and glozing promises of the Danes but rather to endure a little hardship for a time assuring them that the face of affairs would be shortly changed The Citizens willingly hearkned to him but some mercenary Souldiers raising a muteny had thought to have slain him But the plot being discovered the muteny was suppressed and Gustavus advised for his safety to withdraw himself into his own Country and there to obscure himself till a more convenient time should enable him to carry on his design He knew this journey would be full of difficulty and danger For his Way lay through Smalland where the Danish Emissaries were very active to draw the Suedes to moderation and to submit to the Danish yoke yet through it he adventures but with much grief of heart to see the Country people so miserably deluded insomuch that he could not forbear but told them That they should consider the cases of many of their Country-men who had as fair promises from the Danes yet met with nothing but miserable bondage Adding that there was much less danger in standing the push of the Danish Pike than in committing themselves and all that was dear unto them to so broken a Reed as their fair words which had not only failed but mortally wounded the Liberties of their Country-men who had given credit to them Say what he could divers Suedes of the better rank in those parts being pre-ingaged to the Danes perswaded the people otherwise saying That the Danes aimed onely at the suppressing of such of the Suedish Nobility as combined themselves against the Kings Government But as for the people the King was resolved to win them and that they should never need to fear want so long as Salt and Herrings lasted But if they would not be prevailed with they were all but dead men except speedily they forsook their Country and fled Gustavus finding the people hereby so affrighted that they had rather be slaves with quiet than hazard themselves in War he found it not convenient for him to stay any longer there whereupon he secretly departed to Terno amongst his own Tenants and having there provided himself of necessaries he went thence to Refsnass his Fathers house where he concealed himself for the most part of that Summer yet at length he adventured to discover himself to one that had been a faithful Friend to him and once was Archbishop of Upsal but in those troublesome times had been laid aside and now was retired to a Monastery at Gripshâ—lm This man being now grown old was fearful and willing to be quiet though upon hard conditions wherefore he disswaded Gustavus from stirring alleadging the great advantage that the King had having an Army in the Field and the Towns generally under his command affirming that the King desired nothing more than to ingratiate himself with the people for whose assurance he had granted Letters of Grace and a general pardon and therein particularly mentioning Gustavus himself wherefore he advised him to give credit to the King and to submit to his Government And for my part said the old man I dare engage to procure from the King a special full and free pardon for you if you shall desire it Gustavus heard him with silence but liked not his undertaking For thought he this old man may hope hereby to screw himself into the Kings favour Neither indeed did he like to adventure himself upon the Kings promises wherefore he resolved to wave this old mans counsel and to retire himself back to Rafsnass All this while the King continued in the siege of Stockholme where we formerly left him endeavouring partly by force partly by messages of Grace to get possession of that City For which end he first confirmed the agreement which his General had made with the Lords in the Field and then granted a General pardon and Act of Oblivion for whatsoever former faults Then sent his hearty commendations and fair promises to the people in the Country by the Suedish Lords that were of his party yet in many places it met with little or no respect at all Nevertheless in continuance of time by the often droppings of his good words serious Proâ—â—ses Protestations Execrations Letters Patents and Declarations under the Kings hand and seal an entrance is made into the hearts of the men at Stockholm the Gates at length are opened and the King admitted entrance and acknowledged by all to be their lawful King and then was Crowned and solemn Feasts were held for all sorts of people both Suedes Danes and Germans This was a fair morning but who knows what a great-bellied day may bring forth The King all this while was contriving the ruine of the Suedish Nobility and now he hath them in one place within walls and a sufficient guard upon them But it must be done under the fairest pretence that may be for the thing it self was ugly and ill-favoured Hence it was first resolved that a Treason should be supposed to be plotted by the Suedes to massacre the Danes and therefore the Danes as in their own defence should assassinate the Suedes but this was thought dangerous and might in the event turn to the destruction of the Danes in so populous a City and who knows what men in despair may do Then another way was propounded viz. That the King must look upon the Suedish Lords as under the Popes curse and sentence of Excommunication and to draw forth the Kings justice with more colourable zeal the Archbishop of Upsal who had procured that sentence must openly accuse the Suedish Lords as excommunicated persons for Treason against the King robbery of the Church and as spoylers of the dignity and estate of the Archbishop and therefore he must demand Judgement against them And this was approved of And the better to draw these Suedish Lords together a Feast is appointed the third day after the Coronation at which also the Germans and Danes were present and then before them all the Arcbishop of Upsal though unwillingly when he saw what would be the event steps forth before the King and accuses the Suedish Lords of injury done by them to himself both in person and estate and demanded â—atisfaction for his damages The King liked not this charge as not being home enough and therefore told him that he forgat the Popes sentence the crime of Treason and his own place who ought in zeal to the Church to have demanded punishment upon the persons offending After which he commanded the Guards to seize upon the Suedish Lords and as some Writers say shewed them so much mercy as to let them live till the next day and in the interim he set Guards upon all the avenues to the City that none might be suffered to depart
Pastor which suffered much extremity by reason of the persecution of their then prevailing adversaries forcing them from Bermudas into the Desart Continent The sound of whose distress was no sooner heard of but you might have heard the sounding of his bowels with many others applying themselves to a speedy Collection and sending it to them on purpose for their seasonable relief the sum was about seven hundred pounds two hundred whereof he gathered in the Church of Boston no man in the Contribution exceeding and but one equalling his bounty And it was remarkable that this Contribution arrived there the very day after those poor people were brought to a personal division of that little Meal then remaining in the Barrel and not seeing according to man but that after the eating thereof they must dye a lingring death for want of food and upon the same day their Pastor had preached unto them it being the Lords day upon that Text Psal. 23. The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want At such a time the good hand of the Lord brought this succour to them from afar Whilst he was in Old England his eminent piety the success of his labours and his interest in the hearts both of superiours inferiours equals drew upon him much envy and his Non-conformity added thereunto so that he was delivered in a great measure to the will of his Adversaries who gave him not over till they had bereaved him of much of his livelihood his liberty Country and therewithall of the sweet society of lovers friends and many wayes endeared acquaintance more precious to him than life it self Yet the measure of the afflictions of Christ appointed to be suffered by him was not so fulfilled but lo in the time of his exile some Brethren provoked by the censure of Authority though justly not without tears inflicted upon them singled out Mr. Cotton as the object of their displeasure who though above other men declining irregular and unnecessary interesting himself in the actions of the Magistrate and while opportunity lasted endeavouring their healing yet they requited him evil for good and they at least some of them who were formerly companions with him in the tribulations of that Patmos yea respecters of him had taken sweet counsel together and they had walked in the house of God as friends Hence was he with Tongue and pen blasphemed by them for whom he formerly intreated and for whom he both then and afterwards wept and put on sackcloth As touching any Tenet wherein he may seem singular remember that he was a man and therefore to be heard and read with judgement and happily sometimes with favour St. Hierom makes a difference between reading the writings of the Apostles and other men They saith he alwayes speak the truth these as men sometimes erre But no man did more placidly bear a Dissentient than he It contributes much towards the fuller discovery of truth when men of larger capacities and greater industry than others may be permitted to communicate their Notions onely they should use this liberty by way of disquisition not of Position rather as searchers after Scripture-light than as Dictators of private opinions But now this Western Sun hastens to his setting Being called to preach at a neighbour Church he took wet in his passage over the Ferry and not many hours after he felt the effect of it being seized upon with an extream ilness in his Sermon time This sad providence when others bewailed he comforted himself in that he was found so doing Decet Imperatorem stantem mori It is the honour of a Commander to dye standing St. Austins usual with was that when Christ came he might finde him Aut praecantem aut praedicantem either praying or preaching Calvin would not that when the Lord came he should finde him idle After a short time he complained of the inflamation of his lungs and thereupon found himself Asthmatical and afterward Scorbutical which both meeting in a complicated disease put an end to his dayes insomuch that he was forced to give over those comforting drinks which his stomack could not want If he still used them the inflamation grew unsufferable and threatned a more sharp and speedy death If he left them his stomack forthwith ceased to perform its office leaving him without hope of life By these Messengers he received the sentence of death yet in the use of means he attended the pleasure of him in whose hands our times are his labours continued whilst his strength failed November the 18. he took in course for his Text the four last verses of the second Epistle to Timothy Salute Prisca and Aquila c. Giving the reason why he spake of so many verses together because otherwise he said he should not live to make an end of that Epistle He chiefly insisted upon those words Grace be with you all so ending that Epistle and his Lectures together For upon the Lords day following he preached his last Sermon upon Joh. 1. 14. And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us and we â—eheld his Glory as of the onely begotten Son of the Father full of Grace and Peace Now he gave himself wholly to prepare for his dissolution making his Will and setting his house in order When he could no more be seen abroad all sorts Magistrates Ministers Neighbours and Friends afar off and those near at hand especially his own people resorted to him daily as to a publick Father When the neighbour Ministers visited him in which duty they were frequent he thanked them affectionately for their love exhorting them also as an Elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ to feed the Flock encouraging them that when the chief Shepherd shall appear they should receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away Finding himself to grow weak according to that of James he sent for the Elders of the Church of Boston to pray over him which last solemn duty being performed not without much affection and many tears Then as Polycarp a little before his death said That he had served Christ fourscore and six years neither had he ever offended him in any thing so he told them through Grace he had now served God forty years it being so long since his conversion throughout which time he had ever found him faithful to him and thereupon he took occasion to exhort them to the like effect that Paul sometime did the Elders of Ephesus a little before they were to see his face no more Take heed therefore to your selves and to all the Flock over wâ—ich the Lord hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Particularly he lamented that the love of many yea and some of their own Congregation was grown cold towards the publick Ordinances calling upon them so much the more for their watchfulness in that respect which done he thanked them for their loving and brotherly assistance to
him in their holy fellowship and commended them to the blessing of God His pious Consort and those Olive Plants that sate lately about his Table now gathered together about the Bed of a dying Husband and departing Father This was his last solemn transaction with man in this world Silver and Gold though he wanted not he had not much to give them but the blessing of a righteous Paâ—ent he left with them That Reverend and Godly man Mr. Wilson who excelleth in Love as Mr. Cotâ—on did in Light the faithful Pastor of that Church taking his last leave of him and most ardently praying unto God that he would lift up the light of his countenance upon him and shed his love into his soul he presently answered He hath done it already Brother His work now finished with all men perceiving his departure to be at hand and having nothing else to do but onely that great work of dying in the Lord he wholly composed and set himself for his dissolution desiring that he might be permitted to improve that little remnant of his life without impediment to his private Devotions and divine Soliloquies between God and his soul and for that end he caused the Curtains to be drawn and a Gentleman and Brother of that Congregation that was much with him and ministred to him in his sickness he caused to promise him that the Chamber should be kept private But a while after hearing the whispering of some brethren in the Room he called to that Gentleman saying Why do you break your word with me Not long after being mindful no doubt of that great helpfulness which he received from that aforementioned Brother throughout his visitation he left him with this farewel The God that made you and bought you with a great price redeem your body and soul unto himself These words were his last words after which he was not heard to speak but lying some hours speechless he quietly breathed out his spirit into the hands of him that gave it December 23. Anno Christi 1652. being entred into the Sixty eighth year of his Age. The Life and Death of Dr. Hill who dyed Anno Christi 1653. MR. Thomas Hill was born at Kingston in Worcestershire of Godly Parents and David accounted it his great honour and blessing to be the Son of Gods Handmaid Psal. 86. 16. His Parents dedicated him unto God from his Child-hood designing him to the work of the Ministry and in order thereunto they trained him up in School-learning in the Country and being there well fitted they sent him to Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge where the Rose was not cankered in the bud his youth not corrupted nor debauched as too many are But this morning like that 2 Sam. 23. 4. was without clouds not sullied with any noted miscarriage but on the contrary as it is said of Sampson when young that the Spirit of the Lord began then to move him Judg. 13. 25. So in his then sober and studious behaviour the Sun looked out betimes in that Summer morning and through Gods Grace otherwise than it oft falls out in nature he gave promising hopes of an after clearer day This being taken notice of by the Governours of the Colledge they thereupon after examination had chose him Scholar of the House he as his Saviour still growing in wisdome and stature and in favour with God and man And then after some good time spent in his private studies in the Colledge for his further perfecting and the more happy seasoning of his spirit he went and sojourned with that man of God now also with the Lord Mr. Cotton at Boston in Lincolnshire where by Gods rich blessing upon his most godly directions and example and the society he had with him and other eminent Christians in that place he was much improved and furthered as otherwise so especially in Heavens-way which happily went along with him to his journies end Upon his return from thence to the Colledge it was not long before he was chosen Fellow with general approbation though upon a most strict and double examination more I think than ever was in that Colledge before or hath been since though it still is and ever hath been according to the Statutes very strict and serious and which hath been blessed to be a special means of holding up true worth and learning in that happy Society And now through Gods good hand of providence leading and strengthning him he proved a diligent painful and successful Tutor of very many Pupils and divers of them persons of quality who since have proved great blessings both to the Church and Commonwealth And thus as he was before a pattern to young Schollars so after he was a Tutor no diligence was wanting whereby he might be instrumental to Gods Glory and the good of those who were committed to his charge But this our wise Master-builder satisfied not himself as a Tutor in polishing of builders but as a faithful and painful Minister he laboriously endeavoured to square other lively stones for Gods Temple 1 Pet. 2. 5. and so as he read to Schollars in the Colledge he also diligently and conscionblâ— preached to a neighbour Congregation St. Andrews in the Town so that many poor souls long after had cause to bless God for him Nor was he an Hireling to flye when the Wolf came but when the Plague in this time of his Ministry raged in the Town he still continued with them in his Ministerial employment the better Shepherd he who not onely fed the sound but also healed and bound up the torn and weak of the flock This Alabaster Box of precious oyntment thus powred out filled the whole house with its odour and the sweet fragrancy of it did spread abroad so that now he came to be more taken notice of by many both great and good men and so by some of eminent worth and honour he was called to the Pastoral charge of Tichmersh in Northamptonshire where he laboured faithfully in Gods Harvest for the space of about eight or nine years and partly by preaching and conversing up and down with others but especially with his own Parochial charge he proved a great blessing not onely to that Town but also to the whole Country in every place where he came spreading a good savour and leaving it behinde him During the time of his being at Tichmersh he sometimes repaired to Warwick Castle to that Noble Robert Lord Brook who highly esteemed him and in whose Family he grew acquainted with Mrs. Mary Wilford at that time Governess to the Lady Frances Rich a young Lady of rare parts Daughter to the Right Honourable Robert Earle of Warwick and mutual affections growing betwixt them he was married to her who since his death was re-married to the Reverend learned and pious Dr. Tuckney Master of St. Johns Colledge and Regius Professor in Cambridge my much honoured friend so that she hath
for the publick peace and justice of the Nation that the antient form of Government should be revived That for the present they see the Nation without a supream Magistrate and without a Senate That the former hath murthered the later and the people ejected the former That he hoped in a short time to render an account of the Nation reunited and in a peaceable condition which is the end of War but some person must be elected to govern them when in a peaceable condition and a Senate must be constituted according to the antient custome of Sueden who may elect the supreme Governour That they the States of Sueden are the only first movers in this work and have power to constitute this Senate anew and therefore he prayes them to proceed according to their discretions for the settlement of the Government and such instruments as are necessary and conducing thereto The States seeing their way clear before them without further demur proceed to the election of a Senate consisting of some of those of the former Senate who had escaped the enemies fury and continued faithfull to whom they added others of the great men and having constituted them they granted to them the same power and priviledges which the ancient Senate had and in particular to elect one such person as they should think meet to be their lawfull King or Governour The Senate being thus chosen and impowred they unanimously elect Gustavus for their King and send a Message thereof to him humbly requesting that he will not refuse to take the Kingdome upon him and to perfect the work of restoring liberty to the Nation and vindicating the same from all Tyranny Gustavus having heard this Message answered That the burthen of governing a Kingdome was too heavy for his shoulders That it was one thing to govern in Warre wherein he was trained and another thing to be a King wherein he was not skilled That he was well wearied already with the dangers cares and labours of the Warre and now having brought the Nation into a posture of subsistence in peace he hath his ends and therefore desires them to rest contented therewith and that they would make choice of some other person of the Nobility of Sueden to be their King assuring them that himself would gladly serve under him whom they should choose and so thanking them for their good opinion of him he dismissed the Messengers The States and Senate having heard this answer were no wise satisfied with it and therefore renew their requests the Popes Legate also joyning with them and tell Gustavus plainly that they will not receive any negative nor can he evade the election if he regard the Senate or convention of States or the peoples good Gustavus hereupon is at length overswayed and yet abhorring all unworthy self-ends he professed his acceptance only upon the same grounds which moved them to elect him and that withall he was convinced that the work was of that nature that he was unable to go through with it therefore he would rest upon the Lord of Sabbath for his assistance and protection and next under him upon the Lords of Sueden whose wisdome care and industry he much prized especially desiring the earnest and daily prayers of all the people upon which account only he would submit to their desires And so according to the ancient custome by mutuall obligations of Oaths Gustavus is solemnly declared and proclaimed King of Sueden yet refused he to be crowned till five years after The first thing that was done after this election was the requitall of the Lubeckers for adventuring their men Ships and estates with the Suedes against the Danes in recompence whereof the Suedes granted that they would never make peace with the Danes without the consent of the Lubeckers That upon the surrender of Stockholme such wares goods and debts therein as the Lubeckers and Dantzickers should own upon Oath should be secured and returned to them That the Lubeckers shall be paid for their service That the Sea should be free for them and that they shall have a free trade in Sueden That they only of all forreign Nations shall have a free Trade in the Ports of Stockholme Calmar Sarcopen and Abbo That the King shall do them right That he shall never set prizes upon any of their Merchandise nor compell them to sell or leave their goods against their wills That their goods and estates wracked shall be restored to the owners without loss That their goods sold in Sueden by their Mariners or servants without order shall be restored to their owners and the offenders punished That the King of Sueden shall not harbour any of the enemies of Lubeck That if any difference shall arise between the Suedes and Lubeckers the same shall be ordered by four Lords of Sueden sent to Lubeck and so many Citizens of Lubeck joyning with them These were confirmed under the hands and Seals of the King and Lords of Sueden and Commissioners of Lubeck This was more than a recompence to the City of Lubeck had they been as careful to keep touch with the Suedes as the Suedes were with them Shortly after Stockholme was surrendred to the King who entred the same in the month of June after welnigh three years siege wherein the Danes had time enough to have relieved it if they had been convinced of any right that they had to the Kingdome of Sueden Upon his entry he was proclaimed King of Sueden and Gothland with great applause and joy of all sorts Hereupon divers Towns and Castles were surrendred to him and in the reare the Dukedome of Bleking and the Town and Castle of Elsburgh the onely commodious Port that the Suedes have into the Western Sea But still the Dukedome of Finland and the adjacent Countries were out of the Kings possession and therefore beginning now to study good Husbandry for those people whom he must own he dismissed his Forreign forces and the residue of his Army he sent into Finland under the command of Ivar and Ericus Fleming who within the space of one year reduced all that Country into obedience and the Northern people submitted upon the credit of their Neighbours so that the whole Kingdome was now united under the Kings command and he had nothing to do but to study peace and justice And accordingly he first made peace with the Muscovite having none other enemy whom he need to fear nor indeed any that bordered upon him but the Muscovite on the East and the Dane on the West and as for the Danes their condition was this King Christian being fled Frederick Duke of Holst being sent for came into Denmark and by the Nobility was elected and crowned King some years before Gustavus was crowned in Sueden though Gustavus was in Arms divers years before him â—oth these coming to the Throne upon the same title of the peoples liberty and
intercede for them The Bishop told him that such Conventicles were forbidden by the Law the State being jealous lest the seeds of Sedition or Heresie might be sown in them To whom Mr. Jurdaine replied My Lord Do you think that the Lord Jesus Christ when he comes to Judgement will say concerning these and such like poor Christians Take them Devil take them because though they sought me by fasting and prayer yet they did not observe every circumstance with so much prudence as they might have done Whereupon the Bishop dismissed them I am now come to the last act of his Life his sickness and the period of that his Death In his sickness which was very painfull he being sorely afflicted with the Stone and Cholick yet did he manifest more than ordinary patience not opening his mouth in any word that might savour of repining or discontent at his present condition but meekly and patiently submitting to Gods afflicting hand and waiting for his long-expected and much desired dissolution He did then much act faith in Jesus Christ and his gracious Promises and his assurance remained unshaken though Satan was then busie with him by his temptations But being strong in the Lord and in the power of his might he did resist him Some of his nearest Friends that observed his confident Assurance in the course of his life and of his happy estate in heaven after death did suppose that Satan would have set upon him with so much violence as to have shaken his Assurance as no doubt he had will enough to do but God who had him in chains would not permit him to do it But he went out of the world as a Conquerour out of the Field being through Christ victorious over all his spiritual enemies One particular in his sickness may not be omitted which was his taking all occasions of exhorting and encouraging others to constancy in the faith zeal for God and making sure of Heaven and when his spirits began to fail him he would say I cannot speak much more to you now Râ—member what you have heard from me in my health He was willing also to incite others that were absent to the discharge of their Duties The Mayor of the City that then was sending to see how he did he called the messenger unto him and said Remember me to Mr. Mayor and tell him from me that he have a special care of these three things To do Justice To provide carefully for the poor and to make sure of Heaven His gracious speeches in the time of his sickness were many and more than can be here expressed Having fought the good fight of Faith and finished his course he sweetly and quietly resigned up his soul into the hands of his blessed Saviour and Redeemer He departed this Life July the 15. Anno Christi 1640. being the Sabbath day The Sabbath was his delight on earth and on that day God gave him to enjoy an eternal Sabbath with him in Heaven As he had sweet communion with God in the use of Ordinances for many years on that day so he went to enjoy an immediate communion with God on that holy day and after all his labours he entred into rest even that glorious Rest in Heaven Heb. 4. 11. His departure hence was in the Seventy ninth year of his age and according to his account for the New-birth in the Sixty fifth year For so long he reckoned since the time of his effectual Calling At the celebration of his Funerals there hath not been known any man to be more lamented than was he the loss being so great not to the City alone but to all those Western parts the influence of his example as a zealous Magistrate and Christian reaching far and near After he had served his own Generation by the will of God he fell on sleep Act. 13. 36. The Life and Death of Mrs. Margaret Ducke who dyed Anno Christi 1646. THe Father of Mrs. Margaret Ducke was Mr. Henry Southworth a Gentleman of a good Family Her Mother was a vertuous and Religious Matron He was a Merchant and Customer of London by which means having acquired a plentiful estate he contented himself with it and withdrew from thence to a more quiet and retired that is a more happy life at Wells where he lived plentifully and having onely two Daughters his Co-heirs he gave them liberal and pious education in all those wayes which commend and accomplish well-bred Gentlewomen This Gentlewoman who was the younger of his Daughters was deservedly dear to both her Parents and lived with them till their deaths which fell out to be shortly one after another For as they were lovely and pleasant in their lives if I may so use the words of Davids lamentation over Saul and Jonathan 2 Sam. 1. so in their Deaths they were not divided She was then about the one and twentieth year of her age at which time she was desired in marriage by many younger in years and higher in means and lands than the Gentleman was unto whom with her great contentment even to her dying day she yeelded her self and her affections resolving as the vertuous Marcella in St. Jerom answered her young Woer Cerealis who was of a Noble and Consular race Si nubere vellem utique maritum quaererem non haereditatem that when she married she would marry an Husband not an estate though yet God had blessed her Husband with a competency of these outward things Their Marriage was celebrated by that incomparable and even in this age famous Prelate Bishop Lake in the City of Wells who never married any persons besides themselves where for some years they lived together and the Town to this day gives an ample testimony to their piety and charity For her part they say as Gregory Nyssen said of Placilla that if she prevented him not in any work of charity yet she was sure to concur with him therein and when she departed from thence they soon complained and lamented the want of her charity The blinde complained that they wanted an eye the lame a staffe the mourners one to comfort them the languishing one to visit them as St. Jerom said of Nepotian For indeed she was eyes to the blinde feet to the lame she was a mother to the poor and distressed and to those who had nothing to help them The blessing of those as Job saith of himself that were ready to perish came upon her and she caused the widows heart to sing for joy From Wells they removed to Blackfriers in London where she lived long under the powerful Ministry of the thrice worthy and learned Dr. Gouge a man famous for his pains in the Church of Christ. What her Life Faith Charity Patience was during her abode there was well known to all in general and particularly observed by that Reverend Doctor and abundantly testified at her Funerals by him so that nothing needs to be added to
leave a sweet savour and relish upon their spirits and whole converse To give you a true and full Character of his whole deportment in few words He was a good and a faithfull Steward in his Masters house alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord a Pillar in the house of his God never weary of his Lords work but best pleased when he had done most service His conversation was immaculate and unblameable His behaviour uniform and universally pious He was grave without austerity pleasant without levity Courteous without dissembling Free in discourse where he might profit yet reserved where he saw cause He was seldom the first speaker although he was best able to speak He loved usefull discourse but abhorred froth and babling He was witty without vanity facetious without girding or grieving of others He knew his place yet was not insolent Resolute he was but not wilfull He maintained his authority but was not haughty A great Master he was of his own Passions and Affections and thereby abundantly furnished with the more abilities and embellishments that most attract and maintain the dearest love the deepest reverence and highest respect He was a great admirer of Learning and Piety in others though they were far below himself in both His affections were above though he were below He conversed more with Heaven than with earth while he remained on it and is now a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord and a Royall Diadem in the hand of his God as being an ornament unto Heaven it self He lived in the world seventy five years within one moneth in which long race he saw many sad changes and sore storms beating hard upon the Church tossed with tempests and not yet at Anchor But never was David more distressed for his dearest Jonathan than this man of Bowels was for the calamities of the dear Spouse of Christ. He was most incessantly inquisitive after the Churches estate in all Countries A sad lamenter of all her afflictions A daily Orator and mighty Advocate for her at the Throne of Grace and never enjoyed himself but when he descried her under sail towards some Creek or Haven wherein she might find comfort and rest being much in Prayer and Fasting for her full reformation and perfect deliverance Some good hopes whereof he conceived in the prosperous atchievements of the Great Gustavus Adolphus late King of Sweden semper Augustus But when he by the sad and unsearchable providence of the only wise God suddenly and untimely fell in the full carier of his victories and of the Churches hopes and that the Christian world was by his fall hurled from the height of so great expectation he continually mourned over the unhappy setting of that glorious Northern Starre as a sad presage of all the inundations of miseries since befallen and that still are rising higher and higher upon the Church of Christ the quick and deep sence whereof lay close upon his heart to his dying day Neither was he without his sufferings and dangers in our uncivil Civil Wars He was affronted by rude Ruffians and bloody minded Souldiers who tyranized over him in his own house not permitting him quietly to enjoy himself and his God in his private study to which he often retired not only from their insolencies but from their Blasphemies Even thither would they pursue him with drawn swords vowing his instant Death for not complying with them in their bloody engagements Yet it pleased that gracious God whom he had so faithfully served to preserve him for further service and to make that an hiding place for his preservation which they intended for his slaughter house and after all to bring him to his end in peace When he had faithfully served his Generation by the will of God in the Gospel of his Son for above forty seven years he was gathered to his Fathers in a good old Age full of Days and Honour by a blessed and happy Death the certain result of an holy life Decemb. 25. Anno Christi 1649. the day formerly used for celebrating the Nativity of his great Lord and Master the Lord Jesus Christ. The last Testimony of the Peoples great love to him must not be forgotten by any that desire to preserve his precious memory in their hearts with honour This amply appeared by their great lamentation and mourning for him in his sickness and at his Death and sad Exequies His Funeral was extraordinarily celebrated not only by the voluntary confluence of the greatest number of people that ever crouded into the spacious Fabrick of that Church and by many hundreds more there assembled about the door which were unable to get in But by multitudes of Gentlemen and Ministers all striving to out-mourn each other standing about his Hearse with tears recounting his excellent Labors his fruitfull Life their great profiting by him as sometimes the widows about Peter weeping and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them every one aggravating their griefs and losses in his gain and striving who should honour him most in bearing his Body to the bed of Rest. The Testimony given him at his Interment by him who performed that last office of love with many tears and which he knowingly spake from his long and intimate acquaintance and conversing with him almost forty years together take with you for a close in that Ministers own words out of the Pulpit Although said he Funeral Orations are commonly either the vain flourishes of mercinary tongues or the weak supports of an emendicated fame and since good mens works shall praise them in the gates it is but to light a candle to the Sun and since bad mens works cannot be covered with so thin a daub It is but to paint arotten Post. Yet some Testimony is due to such as having obtained a more eminent place in Christs mystical Body the Church have also been instruments of more than ordinary good to his Members Samuel died a Judge a Prophet a Great man a Good man in Israel and all the Israelites were gathered together to honour his Obsequies and lamented him and buried him 1 Sam. 25. 1. To say nothing then of so rich a Cargazoon so full a Magazine so rare a subject of all commendable qualities and admirable endowments were a frustrating of your eager expectations To say little were a wrong to him that deserved so much to say much were both a derogation from his merits that may challenge and an imputation upon your Judgements and affections that will acknowledg more due than I can now deliver Nevertheless since the memorial of the Just is a sweet perfume give me leave to strew a few of his own flowers upon his Herse and I will discharge your Patience His holy Life and consciencious courses his constant Labors thrice a week in the Ministery of the Gospel unless in times of sickness or necessitated restraint for the space of
now broken silver Trumpet so long remember that by the space of forty and seven years he ceased not to warn every one with tears Remember what he hath spoken while he lived Remember what he yet speaks being Dead Hold fast the form of sound words which ye have heard of him Hold fast the faithfull word which he hath taught you Hold fast the profession of your Faith without wavering Take heed of wolves Beware of Dogs Take heed of men Men of perverse minds speaking perverse things to draw disciples after them Although the Prophets die yet Gods word spoken by them shall live for ever and will do good to them that walk uprightly and shall take hold on them that obey it not So let us leave our Brother in the Bed of Honour till the joyfull morning of the Resurrection of the just when he amongst them that have turned many unto righteousness shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever The Righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance Psal. 112. 6. The issues of his brain and heart made publick were only these First that exquisite and accurate Guide to true blessedness so often reprinted and so highly esteemed by all that read it through with understanding and care Then at several times he gave way to four occasional and select Sermons viz. The Waking sleep The Ministerial Husbandry The Discovery of the Heart and Death subdued That wherein he had taken most pains which since is published in Print by Dr. Burgess and Mr. W. Gregory is an excellent Treatise wherein his main design in very apposite and acutely distinguishing Characters was to lay open not those more apparent and obvious contrarieties of vertues in Holy and vices in wicked men evident unto ordinary capacities upon the first aspect but the more hidden and less discerned difference between the plausiblyâ— seeming vertues of evil men and the real Graces of the truly Godly as likewise between the raigning sins of Hypocrites and the daily infirmities of the Saints which many times even by quick-sighted Spectators are both mistaken In prosecution whereof he first brings forth the Hypocrite in his best dress and attire and then sets by him a Regenerate man living up to his Rule adding the differences between them thereby to unmask the Hypocrite and to detect his Incroachments upon the name and priviledges of the Saints Secondly he sets out a true Childe of God labouring under infirmities and an Hypocrite under the power of sin which cannot consist with saving Grace notwithstanding all his flourishes that so he may clearly distinguish a Christian in black from a Counterfeit in white and between the bewailed weaknesses of the Saints and the wilfull wandrings of the wicked A work no less needfull to all than gratefull to the Soul-sound self-searching Christian that labours for sincerity and the assurance of it But the iniquity of the Times full of Hypocrisie and Atheism hating and hindering such discoveries and by all means discouraging those that would make them together with the Authors constant Imployment even unto the impairing of his strength and spirits in feeding his Flock disabled him from compleating that admirable Piece Sundry other issues of his fertile and excellent wit and curious Invention he left behind him as divers choice and sacred Aphorisms Anatomica Nosognostica Pathologica Therapeutica Physiologica and Prophylactica As also divers Divine Emblemes and Similitudes all eminent demonstrations of his exquisite abilities and profitable improvements of them The Life and Death of Mr. John Cotton who died An. Christi 1652. JOhn Cotton was born at Derby Anno Christi 1584. His Parents were persons of considerable quality and of good reputation Their condition as to the things of this life competent neither unable to defray the expences of his education in good literature nor so abounding as to be a temptation on the other hand unto the neglect thereof and God who had then predetermined this then tender plant to be a Tree of Life for the feeding of many thousands and to be a chosen Vessel to bear his Name before the Nations in way thereunto he inspired his Parents with an effectuall sollicitude concerning the ordering of this their Son in his minority This care in his Parents was quickly above expectation answered in the first-fruits of their Sons proficiency who more and more encreased great hopes concerning him throughout the whole time of his minority wherein he was trained up in the Grammar School of Derby When he was about the age of thirteen he was admitted into Trinity College in Cambridg where his industry was great and his profiting in the Arts and Languages above his equals so far commended him to the Master and Fellows as that he had undoubtedly been chosen Fellow of that College had not their extraordinary expence about building of their great Hall at that time put it by or at least deferred their election untill some longer time From Trinity he was removed to Emanuel that happy Seminary both of Piety and Learning and in that Society the Lord gave him favour so that in due time he was honoured with a Fellowship amongst them when he was elected to it after a diligent and strict examination according to the Statutes of the College wherein this is not unworthy the taking notice of that when the Poser came to examine him in the Hebrew Tongue the place that he made triall of him by was that portion of Scripture Isaiah the 3d wherein the Prophet declaims against the pride and haughtiness of the Daughters of Sion which Text hath more hard words in it than any other place of the Bible within so short a compass and therefore though a present construction and resolution thereof might have put a good Hebrician to a stand yet such was his ability and dexterity as made those hard words facil and easie and rendred him a prompt respondent And this providence is further remarkable about him That whereas his Father whose calling was towards the Law was but obscure and had not many Clients that made use of his advice in Law-matters before it pleased God after his Sons going to Cambridg to bless him with great practice so that he was very able to keep him there and to allow him full and liberall maintenance Insomuch as this blessed man hath been oft heard to say God kept me in the University Being thus advanced he was in the place of improvement beset with Examples as so many objects of better emulation If he slacken his pace his compeers will leave him behinde and though he quicken it there are still those that are before him But he was not only a lover of Labour but Communicative of his Learning and therefore he proved a diligent Tutor and had many young Students committed to his care He was a Didactical-man both able and apt to teach and truly ability to instruct youth argues a Wise man and to be willing to teach
argues a good man For goodness is communicative And such was his Academical dexterity that he could impart as Scaliger speaks the felicities of wit to his hearers so accomodating and insinuating the matter in hand as that his Pupils might both perceive their profiting and taste the sweetness of that wherein they profited Thus by his School-stratagems he won the hearts of his Pupils both to himself and to a desire of Learning they were each to other as the Prophets and the sons of the Prophets his Pupils were honourers and lovers of him and he was a Tutor a Friend and a Father unto them The manner of his Conversion according to his own relation was thus During his residence in the University God began to work upon him by the Ministery of Mr. William Perkins of blessed memory But the motions and stirrings of his heart which then were he suppressed thinking that if he should trouble himself with matters of Religion according to the light he had then received it would be an hinderance to him in his Studies which then he had much addicteâ— himself unto Therefore he was willing to silence those suggestions and inward Callings which he had from Gods Spirit and did wittingly defer the prosecution of that work until afterwards At length as he was walking in the fields he heard the Bell tolling for Mr. Perkins who lay a dying whereupon he was secretly glad in his heart that he should now be rid of him who had as he said laid siege to and beleagured his heart This became matter of much affliction to him afterwards God keeping it upon his Spirit with the aggravation of it and making it an effectual means of convincing and humbling him in the sight and sense of the natural enmity that is in mans nature against God Afterward hearing Dr. Sibs then Mr. Sibs preaching a Sermon about Regeneration wherein he shewed First what Regeneration was not and so opening the state of a meer Civil man Mr. Cotton saw his own condition fully discovered which through Gods mercy did drive him to a stand as plainly seeing himself destitute of true Grace all his false hopes and grounds now failing him and so he lay for a long time in an uncomfortable despairing way and of all other things this was his heaviest burden that he had wittingly withstood the means and offers of Grace and mercy which he found had been tendered to him thus he continued till it pleased God to let in a word of Faith into his heart and to cause him to look unto Christ for his healing which word also was dispensed unto him by the same Doctor Sibs which begat in him a singular and constant love to the said Doctor of whom he was also answerably beloved That which frist made him famous in Cambridge was his Funeral Oration for Doctor Some Master of Peter House which was so accurately performed in respect of Invention Elegancy Purity of Stile Ornaments of Rhetorick Elocution and Oratorious beauty of the whole as that he was thenceforth looked at as another Xenophon or Musa Attica throughout the University Some space of time intervening he was called to preach at St. Maries where he preached a University Sermon with high Applause from the Academical Wits insomuch as the fame of his Learning grew greater and greater And afterwards being again called to preach in the same place as one Oration of Pericles left his hearers with an Appetite after another so the memory of his former accurate Exercises filled the Colleges especially the young Students with a fresh expectation of such Elegancies of Learning as made them flock to the Sermon with an Athenian Itch after some new thing as to the ornaments of Rhetorick and abstruser notions of Philosophy But his spirit now savouring of the Cross of Christ more than of humane Literature and being taught of God to distinguish between the Word of Wisdom and the Wisdom of Words his speech and preaching was not now with the enticing words of mans wisdom but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power The disappointed expectation of the Auditory soon appeared in their countenances and the discouragement of their non-acceptance returned him unto his Chamber not without some sad thoughts of heart Where yet he had not been long but lo Dr. Preston then Mr. Preston knocks at his Chamber door and coming in acquainted him with his spiritual condition and tells him how it had pleased God to work effectually upon his heart by that Sermon After which Dr. Preston ever highly prized him and both fully and strongly closed with him which real Seal of God unto his Ministery much comforted his soul far above what the present less acceptance of the Auditory had dejected him or their former acceptance had encouraged him His Concio ad Clerum or Latine Sermon which he preached when he proceeded Bachelor of Divinity which was after he had been at Boston about half a year was very much admired and commended His Text was Mat. 5. 13. Vos estis sal terrae quod si sal infatuatus fuerit quo salietur Ye are the salt of the earth but if the salt hath lost its savour wherewith shall it be salted In handling of which Text both the weight of the matter the elegancy of Phrase Rhetorical strains grave sweet and spiritual pronunciation rendred him yet more famous The like did his answering of the Divinity Act in the Schools having a very acute Opponent Mr. William Chappel to dispute with him So that in Cambridge the name of Mr. Cotton was much set by Unto this earthen vessel thus filled with Heavenly Treasure the Inhabitants of Boston in Lincolnshire made their address saying Come and help us And in that Candlestick the Father of Lights placed this burning and shining Light To whom he removed from Cambridge about the twenty eight year of his Age. At his first coming he met with some obstructions from the Diocesan then Bishop Barlo who told him that he was a young man and therefore unfit to be set over such a divided people Mr. Cotton being ingenious and undervaluing himself thought so too and purposed to return to the College again But some of his Boston Friends understanding that one Simon Biby was to be spoken with who was neer to the Bishop they presently charmed him and so the business proceeded without any further trouble and Mr. Cotton was admitted into the place after their manner in those days Two things are here not unworthy our observation which Mr. Cotton would sometimes speak of to his Friends First That in the beginning of his Ministery he was exercised with some inward troubles which much dejected him And indeed good spirits are much bettered by their conflicts with the worst of spirits Spiritual Preachers are often trained up in the School of temptation So true is that Theological maxime Meditation Prayer and Temptation make a Divine This Dispensation of the All-wise
thereof It is true he had an advantage above many in his natural constitution and it's influence from his education heightened intellectuals and moralities was not inconsiderable but that which gave the being of meekness which sanctified and perfected all was the Grace of Christ. He was of an accute apprehension and therefore sensible of but yet so little in his own sight that he was not easily provoked by an injury Sensibleness of dishonor done to God by sin or of what the offender had done unto himself by sinning left such impressions upon him as that his taking notice of any injury done unto himself was not usually taken notice of He had well learned that lesson of Gregory It is better many times to fly from an injury by silence than to overcome it by replying It was Grynaeus his manner to revenge wrongs by Christian taciturnity If inferiors expostulated unnecessarily with him he would patiently hear them and give them a brotherly account pacifying their minds with a gentle grave and respectivâ— answer Take one instance in this kind instead of many unto one of his hearers then sick of singularities and therefore the less able to bear sound Doctrine following him home after his publick labours in the Congregation and instead of better incouragement telling him that his Ministry was become either dark or flat He gently answered Both Brother without further opening his mouth in his own defence choosing rather to own the imputation than to expostulate with the Imputer Disputations are great trials of the spirits of intelligent men Hooper and Ridley were patient Martyrs but somewhat impatient Disputers The Synod held at Cambridge in New England as matters were then circumstanced was unto this good man an hour of temptation above what had ordinarily befaln him in his Pilgrimage yet such was his eminent behaviour throughout as argued in the consciences of the Spectators singular patience and left him a Mirrour for the temperament mildness and government of his Spirit Pious meekness fits for Church Society Yet though he was so gentle meek and flexible that men might perswade him above what could be expected usually from a man of his worth in the things of God he was steadfast and unmovable The Sanctuary cannot want the fire that is from Heaven neither may it be touched with the fire that is from Hell Gentleness of disposition when actuated by Christ makes us so much the more acceptable and profitable unto man But if the Spirit withdraweth his assistance we fall short of reaching Gods ends and the seasonable suppressing of exorbitancies If this good man had alwayes had that voice sounding in his heart which one wished that mild Lantgrave of Hessen might have heard from the Smiths forge Duresce duresce Utinam Lantgravius durescat Happily there are that think some disorders disturbances and irregularities might by Gods blessing have been prevented But ordinarily and in matters of greatest weight the Lord was with him Though his forbearance was both observable and very imitable in things that concerned himself yet he could not forbear them whom he knew to be evil An experience whereof he manifested some Heterodox spirits by their specious discourses about Free-Grace and subtle concealings of their Principles so far deceived him into a better opinion of them than there was cause as that notwithstanding they fathered their Errors upon him in general and abused his Doctrine to the countenancing of their denial of Inherent Grace in particular yet was he slow to beleeve these things of them and slower to bear witness against them But so soon as the truth herein appeared to him hear his own words taken out of his Letter to Mr. Davenport The truth is saith he the body of the Island is bent to backslding into Errour and Delusions the Lord pitty and pardon them and me also who have been so slow to see their windings and subtil contrivances and insinuations in all their transactions whilst they propagated their opinions under my expressions diverted to their constructions Yea such was his ingenuity and piety as that his soul was not satisfied without often breaking forth into affectionate bewailing of his infirmity herein in the publick Assemblies sometimes in his Prayer sometimes in his Sermon and that with tears He was a man of an ingenuous and pious candour rejoycing as opportunity was offered to take notice of and to bear witness to the gifts of God in his Brethren thereby drawing the hearts of them to him and of others to them and that to the encouragement of them and the edification of many He did not think himself a loser by putting honour upon his Fellow-labourers but was willing that they should communicate with him in the love and esteem of the people He was not only a son of Peace enjoying continually the feast of a good conscience with serenity and tranquillity of affections at home but also a peace-maker quallified by the graces aforementioned to be a choice Instrument in the hand of the Prince of Peace amongst the Churches where if any difference arose Mr. Cotton was ready being called thereunto to afford his help for the composin of them and had a singular faculty and ability therein by reason of that excellent wisdome and moderation of spirit which God in Christ had given him whose blessing also did ordinarily crown his endeavours with good success He was one the reality of whose profession gave many cause to bless God for the kindness of the Lord shewed unto all sorts by him His portion in the things of this life exempted him from being an object of envy in that behalf yet behold Quantum ex quantillo so much communicated out of so little we may not here be altogether silent concerning the Grace of God bestowed upon him whereby according to his power yea above his power he was benificent unto others but especially to those of the Houshold of Faith The Gospel opened his heart his lips and the doors of his house He well remembred that Scripture There is that scattereth and yet encreaseth and there is that withholdeth more than is meet but it tendeth to poverty As also The liberal soul shall be made fat Amongst others his Fellow-labourers in the Ministry were entertained with peculiar contentment By one instance see his spirit in the rest A certain Minister who had gotten into the fellowship of that eminent man Mr. Arthur Hildersham and many other godly Preachers being acquainted with their secrets betrayed them into the Prelates hands This man coming afterwards to Boston and meeting with Mr. Cotton this Gaâ—us had not the heart to speak to him nor to invite him to his house which he said he never neglected to his knowledge to any stranger before much less to any of his own order Some years since there was brought unto Boston a report of the necessity of the poor Saints at Sigataea a little Church whereof the Reverend Mr. White was their faithful
blessing to his Ministry that many of his Auditors though living in other Parishes upon Trial before sundry Elderships have confessed that the first seeds of Grace sown in their hearts were by the blessing upon Dr. Gouges Ministry And indeed herein God wonderfully honoured his labours by making him an aged Father in Christ to beget many Sons and Daughters unto God and to nourish up others in the wayes of righteousnesse thousands having been converted and built up by his Ministry He used also every month to preach a preparation Sermon before the Communion on the Eve before each monthly Sacrament He was eminently laborious and faithful in the work of his Ministry even to his dying day preaching so long as he was able to creep up into the Pulpit As a tree planted in the House of the Lord he was fruitful even in his old age Psal. 92. 13 14. He often used to say in his latter dayes that he could preach with more ease than he could get up into the Pulpit the reason whereof doubtlesse was this because as the encrease of his Asthma dis-inabled him to go so the encrease of his Intellectuals enabled him to preach with more ease than in his younger dayes His preacing was alwaes very distinct First he opened his Text giving the true and proper sense of it then gave he the Logical Analysis of it and then gathered such proper observations as naturally flowed from it and properly and pertinently improved and applied the same by which method his Ministry proved very profitable to his hearers Many have acknowledged that in regard of the Logical resolution of his Text he went beyond all that ever they heard as also in clearing difficult and doubtful places of Scripture as they came in his way And as his method was clear so were his expressions plain alwayes delivering the solid points of Divinity in a familiar stile to the capacity of the meanest As for his life and conversation it was holy and exemplary himself practising what he preached unto others and living over his own Sermons his Doctrine and his practice concurred and went hand in hand together Before these times of Examination of persons before their admission to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper he used to go to the houses of the better sort in his Parish where he appointed a time for them and their whole Families to meet together that he might examine how fit they were to be admitted to that Ordinance yea he appointed sundry small Families to meet together on a certain day that he might make trial of their fitness also and then his manner was not to admit any of the younger sort to the Sacrament till in his judgement he found them fitted for it Though he addicted himself much to his studies and carried himself peaceably yet wanted he not those that did envy and malign him and that took all occasions to do him what mischief they could As in the case of Serjeant Finch his book about the Calling of the Jews which Dr. Gouge only published and the author himself owned it yet for his publication of it he was committed to prison and kept there for the space of nine weeks together King James being informed that the Serjeant had in that Book declared and endeavoured to prove that the Jews should have a visible Kingdome which should be above all other Kingdoms which Doctrin he abhorred he thereupon grew extream impatient Bishop Neal also with others provoked him against the publisher of the Book which so incensed him that he would admit of no Apology Yet after a while Dr. Gouge was moved distinctly to declare his judgement and opinion about that point of the calling and conversion of the Jews which he did in these ensuing Propositions All that I can gather out of the holy Scriptures about this point is 1. That the Calling of the Jews importeth more than a spiritual Calling to beleeve in Jesus Christ and to imbrace the Gospel 2. This their spiritual Calling may be called an outward glorious Calling in regard of the visibility and generallity of it to put a difference betwixt the promised Calling of the Nation and the continual Calling of some few persons For in all ages since the rejection of the Jews some few here and there have been called Thus the Calling of the Gentiles in the Apostles time when Christians had no pompous Civil Government was an outward glorious Calling by reason of the visible famous Church which they had 3. It is probable that at or after their Calling they shall not be scattered as now they are but shall be gathered together into Churches and be freed from the bondage and slavery wherein they have been many years together 4. To give them a Soveraignty over all the whole Church seemeth to me to be derogatory to that absolute Sovereignty which Christ the head of his Church hath in whom the promises of the perpetuity of Davids Scepter of the extent of his Dominion of the subjection of all Nations are accomplished 5. To set down the distinct time place and other like circumstances of their Calling needeth more than an ordinary spirit and implies too much curiosity 6. The point of the Calling of the Jews being no fundamental point of Christian Religion to be over stiff in holding one thing or other therein to the disturbance of the peace of the Church comes near to Schisme Upon which being examined by Archbishop Abbot and his answer approved he was released from his imprisonment Ordinarily in the Summer Vacation he was with his Family in the Country but not so much for his own ease as for the further service of Gods Church for besides his preaching every Lords day in the place where he resided he improved his time for the publication of those his Treatises which are now in Print viz. The whole Armour of God Domestical duties An Explanation of the Lords Prayer Gods three Arrows of the Plaâ—ue Famine Sword upon occasion of those Judgments then raging The Saints Sacrifice of Thanksgiving upon his recovery from a dangerous sickness To which is now added his Commentary upon the whole Epistle to the Hebrews which was the subject of his Wednesdayes Lectures for many years While he was setled at Black-Friers he Commenced Batchelour of Divinity Anno Christi 1611. which was the eighth year after he had taken the Degree of Master of Arts. Anno Christi 1628 he proceeded Dr. of Divinity at which time eight London Ministers proceeded Doctors upon which occasion Dr. Collins the then Regius Professor put up Mr. Gouges Degree and procured it to pass in the Regent-house before he had any notice thereof and without his consent whereby he did in a manner force him to take his Degree yet so as when he heard what was done he readily went to Cambridge and performed all his Acts according to the Statutes of the University as he had done at the taking of
all his former Degrees Such respect was generally shewed to him as that in sundry publick Imployments he was chosen a Trustee or Feoffee As in the year 1626 he was chosen one of the Trustees for Mr. Whetenhalls three Lectures Also in the year 1616. he was chosen one of the Trustees for buying in of Impropriations and for many other pious and charitable uses wherein indeed he alwayes approved himself a carefull and faithfull Trustee and in some cases by his great pains and cost he procured to be setled for ever such pious Donations as would otherwise have been wrested away and alienated from their intended use The business about the buying in of Impropriations was this There was a select society of thirteen persons joyned themselves together as Trustees to stir up and encourage such as were piously affected to contribute towards the buying in of Impropriations and giving them freely towards the maintenance of godly and able Ministers And these were so faithful to their trust as albeit they met very frequently and spent much time and pains in consultation about that business yet did they never spend one penny out of the publick stock for the refreshing of themselves yea though they had sundry Agents and Messengers whom they imployed about that business and that both far and near yet did they never diminish that stock wherewithall they were intrusted to the value of a penny but themselves at least most of them contributed out of their own purses for the discharge of all by-expences And when they had the opportunity of buying in any great Impropriation and wanted money in stock to go through with it they did amongst themselves give or lend so much as might effect it and amongst others our Dr. Gouge at one time lent 300 l. gratis for that use besides the monthly contribution which he gave By this means in a few years space thirteen Impropriations were bought in which cost betwixt five and six thousand pounds into which their care was to put godly able and orthodox Ministers and their design was to plant a learned and powerful Ministry especally in Cities and Market Towns in several parts of the Kingdome where there was the greatest need for the better propagation of the Gospel in those parts Indeed this was it that raised up so much envy against them and made Dr. Laud the then Bishop of London to consult with Mr. Noy the Kings Atturney General about dissolving this Society and hereupon Mr. Noy brought them all into the Court of Exchequer picking this quarrel against them for that they had made themselves a body Incorporate without any Grant from the King When the Case had been debated by Learned Councel on both sides the result was that the Court adjudged their proceedings to be illegal that their Trust should be taken from them and that what Impropriations they had thus purchased should be made over to the King and that the King should appoint such as he thought meet to dispose of those Impropriations which they had bought in The aforesaid Atturney that strictly examined all their Receipts and Disbursments found that they had laid out of their own money at the time when they were questioned a thousand pounds more than they had received and thereupon obtained an Order of the Court that those debts should be first discharged out of the Revenues of the Impropriations before they should be disposed to particular uses Thus was their Trust quite wrested out of their hands and that excellent work fell to the ground Anno Christi 1653 Dr. Gouge was by the Authority of Parliament called to be a member of the Assembly of Divines wherein his attendance was assiduous not being observed during the whole time of that Session to be one day absent unless it were in case of more than ordinary weakness ever preferring that publick imployment before any private business whatsoever and therein he was not one to make up the number onely but a chief and useful member For he was chosen and sate as one of the Assessors and very often filled the Chair in the Moderators absence and such was his constant care and conscientiousness in the expence of time and improving it to the best advantage that in case of intermission in the Assembly affairs he used to apply himself to his private studies For which end it was his constant practice to carry his Bible and some other Books in his pocket which upon every advantage he drew forth and read in them as was observed by many Episcopacy also being voted down by both Houses of Parliament and so no ordinary way being left for the Ordination of Ministers the Parliament thought fit to set up an extraordinary way by Three and twenty Ministers who for the space of a year were to Ordain such as tendred themselves according to the Rules prescribed by them with the humble advice of the Assembly of which number Dr. Gouge was one and acted with his Brethen therein at which time I observed his strictness in keeping of Fasts For on an Ordination day which was alwayes accompanied with Fasting and Prayer in the afternoon one proffered him a peece of a candied Orange Pill which though he was then very ancient he refused to accept of till the work of the day was finished He was likewise chosen by a Committee of Parliament amongst others to write large Annotations upon the Bible being well known to be a judicious Interpreter of Scripture and how well he performed that Task is and may be evident to all that read his part which was from the beginning of the first Book of the King to Job In which the Intelligent Reader may observe such skill in the Original such acquaintance with the sacred Story such judgement in giving the genuine sence of the Text and such accuteness in raising pertinent Observations that without the help of any other Commentators a man may accommodate himself with the sense Doctrines and uses of most of those Scriptures that came under his hand in those brief Annotations Before this when the Book allowing Sports and Recreations on the Lords Dayes was by publick Authority injoyned to be read in all Churches throughout the Kingdome he as sundry others godly and faithful Ministers refused to read the same resolving rather to suffer the uttermost than to manifest the least approbation of so wicked and licentious a practice it being so contrary to the express letter of the Scripture By reason of his ability and dexterity in resolving Cases of Conscience he was much sought unto for his judgement in doubtful cases and scruples of Conscience and that not only by ordinary Christians but by divers Ministers also both in the City and Country sometimes by word of mouth and other sometimes by writing And indeed he was accounted the Father of the London Divines and the Oracle of his time He was likewise a sweet comforter of troubled Consciences wherein he
is given to those who in their life-time were Governours of the Hospital of Bridewell one of which number this worthy Doctor was yea and a Benefactor too to that House As also that he should not affixe any Escocheons to his Herse though he was a Gentleman of an ancient Descent as if he had thought that the poverty of Christ was his Patrimony and Coat of Arms and his interest in him his greatest and best atchievement or as if both living and dead he would be as the Apostle speaks cloathed with Humility He was much in Communion with God and contented not himself only with his constant daily and ordinary holy duties but was also frequent in extraordinary exercises In the Bishops times when it was not permitted to keep Fasts in the publick Congregations he was one of those Ministers who frequently holp private Christians in their more retired Humiliations In times of fears and dangers he with divers others had sometimes monthly yea sometimes weekly Fasts whereof many were kept in his own house and others of them in his Vestry which he was observed to perform with extraordinary reverence awfulness of spirit His Confessions were accompanied with much sense of and sorrow for sin brokenness of heart self-abhorrency judging of the creature and justifying of God His petitions were pertinent judicious spiritual seasonable accompanied with faith and fervency like a true son of Jacob he wrestled with supplications and tears as resolving not to depart out of Gods presence without a blessing But there was none like him in Thanksgiving when a man would have thought that he had spent the last drop of his spirits and strength in Confession and Prayer O! how would he recollect is spirits when he came to the work of Thanksgiving wherein he would be so large particular warm and vigorous that in the end of the day when mens affections grew flat he would so revive and quicken them as if the work had been then but newly begun and as if that had been the onely work of the day and herein indeed he may be a pattern to all his surviving Brethren in the Ministry He was very inquisitive after the state and condition of the Church of Christ both at home and abroad that he might accordingly order his prayers in their behalf of whom he was never unmindful in his addresses unto God And when he heard that it went ill with the Church of God in any place like another Nehemiah he sate him down and wept and mourned and fasted and prayed unto the God of Heaven in their behalf His study was as great to advance Christ as to debase himself He used frequently to say When I look upon my self I see nothing but emptiness and weakness but when I look upon Christ I see nothing but fulness and sufficiency When the hand of his body was weak and shaking that of his soul his faith was strong and steddy When he could not hold the Cup at the Sacrament nor scarce carry it to his own mouth by reason of his Palsie hand yet then with a firme anâ— fixed affiance did he lay hold upon Christ and with a strong and eager appetite applied his blood to his soul and his manner was sweetly to breathe forth joyful Thanksgivings for his refreshment by the blood of Christ when he was returned to his house after the Lords Supper yea when he could hardly creep with his body to the place where it was celebrated and was forced many times to make use of the help of others to support him in his passage thither even then did his faith run swiftly and was upon the wing to carry him to Christ. When worldly suports failed him when health and strength forsook him he made Jesus Christ the staff of his old age often professing as his great misery and impotency without him so his holy and humble recumbency upon him Great was his patience under the visiting hand of God especially in his old age when God exercised him with painful maladies Though by reason of the sharpness and bitterness of his pains occasioned by the stone and acuteness of his urine and that Lethalis arundo as he oft called it that deadly arrow in his side which he knew could never be plucked out but by death I mean his Asthma which he got by an excessive cold in attending upon publick imployments Notwithstanding I say by reason of these he was often heard to groan yet never did he once grumble against the dispensations of God Never did he complain of God for his sufferings though oft of himself for sinning He never cryed out A great sufferer but oft A great sinner and yet he would overtake that expression again with the discoursing of and comforting himself in A great Saviour and in the depth of his torments he would say Well yet in all these there is nothing of Hell or of Gods wrath His sufferings were never so deep but he could see the bottome of them and would say Soul be silent soul be patient It is thy God and Father that thus ordereth thy estate Thou art his clay he may tread and trample on thee as pleaseth him Thou hast deserved much more It is enough that thou art kept out of Hell Though thy pain be grievous yet it is tollerable Thy God affords some intermissions he will turn it to thy good and at length put an end to all none of these can be expected in Hell He used often to make mention of the extent of obedience which he said was not onely to endeavour to do what God requireth but also patiently to bear what Gods will is to lay upon his creature as Christ himself though he were the Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered In his greatest pangs he oft used this speech of holy Job Shall we receive good from the hands of God and not evil He often commended his soul unto Christ and used to say I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day When any of his Friends went about to comfort him in those gifts which God had bestowed on him and works which he had wrought by him he would answer I dare not think of any such thing for comfort Jesus Christ and what he hath done and endured is the only ground of my sure comfort Many that came to visit him in his weakness professed that they went away better than they came by reason of those savoury and gracious speeches and expressions that proceeded from him Though towards his latter end his fits of the stone were frequent and sharp having sometimes four or five of them in an hour yet such was his desire to finish that his so much desired Commentary upon the Epistle to the Hebrews that so soon as the bitter pain of his fit was over he still returned to his work making some further progress therein And thus he
he betook himself to the station and imployment whereunto he was before designed and to the work depending thereon wherein his pains in seasoning young Students with principles of Piety and Learning were both great and very successful For some of them that watered their Gardens at his Spring or kindled their Lamps at his Light grew up to great eminency as Mr. John Hoyl and Mr. Thomas Pell who were afterwards worthy Fellows of that Society About that time there were certain persons in the University zealous of promoting the glory of God and of gaining souls to Christ that lay in a sad condition through the defect of Pastors able to teach and lead the people in the wayes of truth life and peace especially Mr. Abdias Ashton of St. Johns College and Mr. William Bedel of Emanuel who set on foot a design of preaching in places adjacent to Cambridge even to a considerable distance These men invited Mr. Gataker to be a partner in this good imployment who being drawn and encouraged by them preached every Lords day at Everton a Village in the meeting-confines of Cambridge Bedford and Huntingtonshire where a decrepid man who was reported to be sixscore and ten years old sustained the name of Vicar Vix magni nominis umbra Here a Family of the Burgoines resident in that place deserveth this honourable remembrance that Mr. Roger Burgoine during that time used Mr. Gataker with great humanity and respect which by him was construed to be an effect of his Piety After he had thus religiously imployed himself for the space of half a year manifesting his publick spirit therein he had some causes that moved him to retire from the University at the motion of Mr. Ashton before mentioned who had been his Tutor whereupon he removed to Sir William Cooks Family then resident in London This place and imployment occasioned a more publick discovery of his Ministerial Gifts with the singular approbation of many persons of note not onely for their outward estate but also for their affection unto and judgement in Religion Hereupon the Lecturers place of Lincolns Inne falling void some principal persons of that Honourable Society who had been his Auditors occasionally elsewhere made addresses unto him inviting him unto that place offering their assistance and alledging the facility of his Introduction by the Lord Chief Justice Pophams interessing himself in the business whom they knew to have loved his Father Mr. Thomas Gataker being once his intimate friend and contemporary in the study of the Law and to favour this his son very highly for his own worth and work in the Ministry But he according to his usual modesty declined the undertaking of it and resisted the importunities even of his Friend Mr. Stock till Dr. Mountague Master of Sidney-College repairing to London and being made acquainted with the design in hand though â—e had it in his thoughts to invite Mr. Gataker back to the College that he might read an Hebrew Lecture which had a Salary annexed to it by the Lord Harrington â—eâ— laying that aside he pressed Mr. Gataker with Arguments and Authority encouraging him against his own dissidence and so wrought him at last to an assent that without any suit made by him the Lord Popham should recommend him to that Society Thus was he chosen Preacher at Lincolns-Inne where he spent ten years to the great advancement of Piety amongst them and with an happy Reformation of some abuses of the Lords day as he himself testifies in his Apologetical Discourse against Lilly p. 16 17. But notwithstanding that engagement Mr. Gataker did not totally abandon the Family of Sir William Cook to whose Lady he was near by blood and dear to them both upon the account of his pious and profitable labours amongst them Therefore in the Vacation-times being dis-ingaged from his attendance at the Innes of Court he resided in that Family exercising his Ministry either in their Chappel or in the Parish Church as occasion offered it self and this he did with an Apostolical minde not for filthy lucre but freely making the Gospel a burden onely to the Dispenser of it yet such was the care and piety of that Religious pair that they also would not serve God with that that cost them nothing For aftewards in consideration of those his pains freely taken amongst them they settled upon Mr. Gataker an Annuity of 20 l. per annum which also he received for some few years but afterwards he saw reason to remit it to the Heire of that Family forbearing to make use of his right he had to it and forbidding his Executor to demand any Arrears of that Annuity This is mentioned the rather to shew the generous temper of this holy man of God who aimed at the spiritual good of others more than at his own temporal advantages and how infinitely he was removed from the fordid acquisition of gain or the prostitution of his sacred Function unto secular designs which may stop the mouth of malice and the impudent clamours of some whose consciences being either gauled or cauterized spared not to traduce him for covetousness But his own pen wrote the best Apology as indeed according to that of Nazianzen they that will give him a just Character have need of his Eloquence Whilst he attended on that Flock at Lincolns Inne Sir William Sidley a learned Mecaenas and pious Patron of the Church proffered him a fair Benefice and when Mr. Gataker declined the burden of a Pastoral charge and pleaded an unwillingness to be removed from those worthy Gentlemen of whose favour he had such good experience he endeavoured to perswade him that by taking an assistant all those inconveniences would be salved and so he needed not to desert that Society which in Termâ— time only required his labours and attendance But Mr Gataker who poised the burden in the ballance of the Sanctuary alwayes judged one cure of souls to be sufficient for one man and therefore ventured the unkinde resentment of the Noble Gentleman upon his refusal rather than the multiplying of preferments to himself After ten years labours profitably imployed at Lincolns Inne not onely to the great benefit of the then living servants of God but also for the behoof of posterity especially by that his learned Tractate of Lots there and then conceived and formed wherein what satisfaction is given to conscience in many cases let the judicious acknowledge Mr. Gataker thence removed to undertake the Rectory of Rotherhithe in Surry of the grounds motives and manner whereof he himself hath largely given an account to the world in his Apologetick against Lilly p. 44 48. of which this is the sum The Rectory of Redrith in Surry as it is commonly called being void and one of an infamous life labouring hard to succeed in it in order to which before the former Incumbents death he had set on foot a transaction with the mother of certain Orphans in whose
spoken came to him in private and asked him whether he meant this of the Ministry of England as now constituted He returned him this answer Although I will not justifie the calling of every individual Minister in the Church of England as you dare not justifie the Saintship of every member in your Independent Congregations yet I will be ready when and where you please to maintain the Office and Calling of Englands Ministry at this day And that he continued unmoved and unchanged in his judgement and esteem of the Ministerial Calling to the last may be manifested by this passage in his last Will and Testament which is here set down in his own words and written with his own hand For my Son Jeremiah my desire is that he be bred a Scholar and that the Lord would spiritually incline his heart freely to give up himself to the Lord to serve him in the work of the Ministry which Calling and Imployment though now despised I do esteem above all others in the world and do commend it to all mine that if the Lord bless them with Sons they would commend this Calling to their Posterity And truly this deserves seriously to be considered whether there be not herein much to credit and encourage the Ministry of the Gospel that a learned man and so eminent for piety who also had throughly studied the Controversie of the times and had heard and read what could be said against the Ministry should yet upon his Death-bed give such a Testimony unto it when he daily expected to make up his account before God and also give such great encouragement to his Posterity to addict themselves to this calling now even now when such disgrace is cast upon it and when the Ministers setled maintenance is threatned to be taken from them And may not those men who knew Mr. Whitakers worth be hereby awed and moved to take heed how they oppose or slight that Calling of men whom he living and dying judged to be so highly honoured by God himself To this also adde that it was an Ordained Ministry which he thus valued which appears by these two lively Testimonies 1. In that he joyned with that Classis whereof he was a member in Ordaining of Ministers 2. In that he had an hand in the Book not long since published by the Province of London in the defence of such a Ministry not onely by his assent to it but also by his assistance in drawing it up As Mr. Whitaker loved God dearly so God loved him which he manifested by those grace wherewithall he enriched him and truly love tokens are real Messengers of his love that sendeth them and what surer signs can we have of Gods love then when he bestows upon us the Graces of his Holy Spirit Now of these the Lord had given him a more than ordinary measure and besides what hath been said before there were five Graces more which were very Orient and shining in his Crown 1. His tenderness of heart Who ever knew a man of a more melting frame of heart before God whether in Confessions Petitions or Thanksgivings Is there any one living that can say that I have at sometimes joyned with him in Prayer and he shed no tears How did his own sinfulness though it was no more than the ordinary imperfections of the fairest Saint upon earth the evils of the times and the testimonies of Gods displeasure breaking out upon us break his heart into pieces We may truly believe that for the space many years he did never come off from the serious consideration of these things with dry eyes and how many thousands be there of Gods children that would account it a sign of much love from Christ if they could finde such thawings in their frozen breasts 2. His meekness of spirit with which precious Jewel he was richly adorned Who ever saw him transported by passion on a fire through foolish anger or disgused by discontent Though his zeal would waxe hot and burn in him for God and his Glory yet he was a man of a cool spirit and meek like Moses in all his own concernments and this he hath often manifested in a remarkable manner when disputing with men of dissenting Principles and opinions yet his spirit was so even that their unhandsome provocations could not discompose him and drive him into passion 3. For his Patience he may well be called a second Job Many who saw him under those racking pains in his last sickness so frequently reiterated and so long continued were confident that God did put him and keep him in his Furnace to be a pattern of patience unto Posterity It is confessed that he did roar many times till his throat was dry but who ever heard him speak any one word of murmuring or discontent because of Gods afflicting Providence He himself indeed would sometimes through tenderness of conscience charge himself of impatiency because he made a noise in his extremity but that expressed onely Natures sensibleness not sinful frowardnes and when accusing himself causelesly he was minded of Christs roarings yet free from all sin he would be silent I confess indeed that in his desires to be dissolved he would take up Jobs complaint Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery and life unto the bitter in soul which long for death but it cometh not and dig for it more than for hid treasures c. For my sighing cometh before I eat and my roarings are powred out like waters Job 3. 20 24. But he alwayes concluded with submission to the good pleasure of God When he had been asked how he did this was frequently his answer The Bush alwayes burning but not consumed and though my pains be above the strength of nature yet they are not above the supports of Grace 4. The Lord was pleased to vouchsafe him such a measure of the Spirit of Grace and Supplications that his soul was never out of tune for that service Most of his words when he was under torment were holy complaints and prayers to God It will not be impertinent or unprofitable if I here set down some of them O my God help Father of mercies pity Do not contend for ever Consider my frame that I am but dust My God that hath made Heaven and earth help me Oh give me patience and inflict what thou wiâ—t If my patience was more my pain would be less Dear Saviour where are thy bowels why dost thou make me an astonishment to my self and others Why dost thou cover thy self with a thick cloud that our prayers cannot pass Blessed is the man that endureth temptation Lord this is a sad temptation stand by me and say It is enough Am I not thy servant Consider Lord that I am thy servant O these bitter waters of Marah Lord drop sweet comfort into these bitter water of Marah O the blood of sprinkling Lord the blood of sprinkling Lord That
opportunities and it was his usual custome to spend Saturdayes in the afternoon in these duties Amongst other sins he much bewayled his too much love to humane learning which made him as glad when Munday came that he might renue his studies as he was when Sabbath day came wherein he was to apply himself to the service of God and it cost him many tears that he could not be more heavenly-minded at that age At fiftten years old he had made such a progress in the study of Chronology that he drew up in Latine an exact Chronicle of the Bible as far as to the Books of the Kings which did not much differ from that of his late Annals excepting his enlargements by some exquisite observations and the Syncronismes of Heathen story About this time also he was much afflicted with a strong temptation which moved him to question Gods love to him because he was so free from afflictions which was occasioned by some inconsiderate passages which he met with in some Authors and long was he under some trouble before he could get rid of it Before he was Bachelor of Arts he read Stapletons Fortress of the Faith and therein finding how confidently he asserted Antiquity for the Popish Tenets withall branding our Church and Religion with novelty in what we dissented from them he was much troubled at it not knowing but that his quotations might be right and he was convinced that the Ancientest must needs be best as the nearer the Fountain the sweeter and clearer are the streams yet withall he suspected that Stapleton might mis-report the Fathers or wrest them to his own sense and therefore he took up a setled resolution that in due time if God prolonged his life and health he would trust onely his own eyes by reading over all the Fathers for his satisfaction herein which work he afterward began at Twenty years old and finished that vast labour at Thirty eight strictly tying himself to a certain portion every day what occasions soever intervened Whilst he was Batchelor of Arts he read divers of the Works of the Fathers and most Authors which had written the Body of Divinity both Positively and Polemically in consuting the Popish errors and had read many of their Authors also by which means he was so well acquainted with the state of those controversies that he was able to dispute with any of the Popish Priests as he often did with the principal of them Anno Christi 1598 The Earle of Essex newly coming over Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and being chosen Chancellor of the University of Dublin there was a solemn Act appointed for his entertainment and Mr. Usher being then Batchelor of Arts answered the Philosophy Act with great applause and approbation About this time his Fathers intention was to send him over into England to the Innes of Court for the study of the Common Law which was a great trouble to him yet in obedience to his Fathers will he assented and resolved upon it but it pleased God that his Father shortly after dyed viz. August the 12. Anno Christi 1698 so that then he being at liberty to make choice of his studies devoted and applied himself wholly to Divinity and thereupon was chosen Fellow of the College being before uncapable of taking the Oath which was required of all Fellows at their Admission viz. that the present intent of their studies should be for the Profession of Divinity unless God should afterwards otherwise dispose their mindes And here again was an other occasion of disturbance to his mind ministred to him For his Father left him a good estate in land but finding that he must have involved himself in many Suits of Law before he could attain to the quiet enjoyment of it to the interrupting of his other studies he gave up the benefit of it to his brothers and sisters suffering his Uncle to take Letters of Administration for that end resolving to cast himself upon the good Providence of God to whose service in the work of the Ministry he had wholly devoted himself not doubting but he would provide for him yet that he might not be judged weak or inconsiderate in that Act he drew up a note under his hand of the state of all things that concerned it and directions what to doe about it When he was nineteen years old he disputed with Henry Fitz-Simonds a Jesuit in the Castle of Dublin as himself acknowledgeth in his Preface to his Book called Britanno-mochia Ministrorum the occasion of which Dispute was this The Jesuit by way of challenge as it was interpreted gave forth these words That he being a Prisoner was like a Bear tyed to a stake but wanted some to bait him Whereupon this eminent man for so he was though very young was thought fit and able to encounter him though at their first meeting he despised his youth as Goliah did David Mr. Usher proffered to dispute with him about all Bellarmines Controversies for which a meeting was appointed once every week and it fell out that the first subject proposed was De Antichristo about which they had two or three solemne Disputations and Mr. Usher was ready to have proceeded further but the Jesuit was weary of it yet gives him a tolerable commendation and much admired his abillities in such young years concerning which he saith There came once to me a youth of about eighteen years of age one of a too soon ripe wit scarce you would thank that he could have gone through his course of Philosophy or that he was got out of his childe-hood yet was he ready to dispute upon the most abstruce points of Divinity And afterwards the same Jesuit living to understand more of him saith that he was A catholicorum doctissimus the most learned of such as were not Catholicks being as it seems unwilling or ashamed to call him Heretick Anno Christi 1600 when he was about twenty years old he commenced Master of Arts and answered the Philosophy Act and was chosen Catechist of the College in which office he went through a great part of the Body of Divinity in the Chappel by way of Common place and Ministers being scarce at that time there were three young men of the College chosen out and appointed to preach in Christ Church before the State One was Mr. Richardson afterwards Bishop of Ardah who was appointed to preach an Expository Lecture upon the Prophesie of Isaiah every Friday Another was Mr. Welch afterwards Dr. of Divinity who was designed to handle the Body of Divinity on Sabbaths in the forenoon the third was our learned Usher who was to handle the controversies for the satisfaction of the Papists on the Lords dayes in the afternoons which he did fully and cleerly alwayes concluding with some emphatical Exhortation that it tended much to the edification and confirmation of the Protestants in their Principles as many of them in their elder yeares have
him frequently Magnum Usherium Usher the Great Morus in his Oration at Geneva dedicated to him stiles him The most Excellent servant of God The most Reverend man of God the Athanasius of our Age. Thy breast saith he is a breathing Library Thou art to Britain as Austin was to Hippo Farewel Britains great Honour Ludovicus de Dieu in his Animadversions on the Acts dedicated to him entitles him To the Excellent Prelate worthy of an Eternal memory c. Paulus Testardus Blesensis stiles him Seculi Ecâ—clesiae decus eximium the greatest honour of the Church and Age. Arnoldus Bootius saith of him That he did excel with a most singular Judgement in the Oriental Languages and in all other abstruse and deep learning Venerable to all Europe whose Authority prevails much with all men c. Mr. Selden saith of him The most Reverend Prelate James Usher a man of great Piety singular Judgement learned to a Miracle and born to promote the more severe studies c. Dr. Prideaux calls him The most rich Magazine of solid Learning and of all Antiquity Dr. Davenant speaks thus of him A man of singular Piety abounding with all manner of Learning Sir Roger Twisden acknowledging the assistance he had from him in his History saith thus This we owe to the most worthy Archbishop of Armagh in whom with incredible learning and rare knowledge of Antiquity his most courteous conversation and wonderful sweetness in instructing the unskilful mixed with a certain serious Episcopal gravity were seen to strive one with the other c. There was an eminent Character given of him by a the whole University of Oxford in the year 1644 by solemn Order in the Convocation which was given in charge to sixteen eminent persons of whom seven were Doctors chosen with the Vice-Chancellor Proctors to see his Effigies cut and an Elogium worthy of him to be prefixed to his Annotations on Ignatius his Epistles there then in the Press and at the charges of the University and in the publick name of it Indeed it was omitted to that book but was aftewards affixed to his Book De Symbolis the Elogium is this James Usher Archbishop of Armagh Primate of all Ireland the most skilful of Primitive Antiquity the unanswerable Defender of the Orthodox Religion the Maul of Errours in preaching frequent eloquent very powerful a rare example of an unblameable life Yea for his learning his very Adversaries being Judges those of the Church of Rome have acknowledged A certain Jesuit in a Book called Hyberniae Vindiciae writing against Dempster a Scotchman who had undervalued the Irish for learning after he had reckoned up many Learned men of his own and other Orders of that Nation at length he addes this of our Primate And if I should put in men of a different Religion I might truly say Scotland never saw another Usher whose sublime wit and most curteous behaviour I wish that unlucky education amongst Sectaries had not been his stepmother Divers others of his Popish Adversaries might be mentioned but I forbear and shall adde onely the Testimony of Dr. William Chappel sometime Fellow of Christs College in Cambridge and afterwards Provost of Trinity College Dublin who was very judicious and a great learned man He gave three reasons why he thought our Primate to be the greatest Schollar in the Christian world 1. Because of his rare natural parts having a quick invention a prompt wit a strong memory a clear understanding a piercing judgement and a ready utterance Seldome said he do all these meet in an eminent degree in the same person but in him they so concurred that it is hard to say in which of them he most excelled 2. Because few men had made so rich an improvement of these parts nor indeed had such means by reason of the choice Libraries which he had the use of viz. his own Dr. Challoners the University Library at Dublin which he had frequent access unto besides the University Libraries and Sir Robert Cottons in England He had also taken indefatigable pains in studying and that for many years together which few other mens bodies and brains could bear 3. Because in these and in the Universities beyond the Seas he was so esteemed and whosoever conversed with him found him a skilful Linguist a subtile Disputant a fluent Orator a profound Divine a great Antiquary an exact Chronologer and in brief a living and walking Library Insomuch that the greatest Professors admired the concatenation of so much learning in one person A Catalogue of the Books published by him De Ecclesiarum Christianarum successione statu in 4o. Epistolarum Hybernicarum Syloge in 4o. Historia Goteschalci in 4o. De Primordiis Ecclesiarum Britanicarum in 4o. Ignatii Epistolae cum annotationibus in 4o. De Anno Solari Macedonum in 8o. Annales Veteris Testamenti in Fol. Annales Novi Testamenti c. in Fol. Epistola ad Cappellum de variantibus textus Hebraici lectionibus in 4o. De Graeca Septuaginta Interpretum versione Syntagma in 4o. A Sermon before the House of Commons Feb. 18. 1618. A Declaration of the Visibility of the Church in a Sermon before King James June 20. 1624. A Speech in the Castle in Dublin the 22 of Nov. 1622. An Answer to Malon the Jesuit in 4o. 1631. The Religion professed by the antient Irish and British in 4o. 1631. Immannel or The Incarnation of the Son of God in 4o. 1639. A Geographical Description of the lesser Asia in 4o. 1644. Confessions and Proofs of Dr. Reynolds and other Protestant Divines about Episcopacy in 4o. 1644. A Discourse of the Original of Bishops and Archbishops in 4o. 1644. His small Catechisme reviewed in 12o. 1654. His Body of Divinity in part his but published without his consent in Fol. A Method for Meditation or a Direction for hearing the Word Annals of the Old and New Testament with the Synchronismes of Heathen Story to the destruction of Jerusalem in Fol. The Life and Death of Mr. Richard Capel who dyed Anno Christi 1656. Mr. Richard Capel was born in the City of Gloucester Anno Christi 1586 of good Parentage descended from an ancient Family of the Gentry of his own name in Herefordshire and of alliance to the Lord Capel but he had learned with brave Philpot to tread that under his feet His Father was a stout man and an Alderman of that City a fast friend first to Mr. Thomas Prior and afterwards to Mr. John Workman having had a principall hand in drawing of him thither both of them men of great sufficiency for the preaching of the Gospell and instruments that the Lord made much use of for the advancement of the true saving knowledge of himself and for the setting up of the reall and substantiall power of godliness in that City during the time that they exercised their Mâ—nistry there His elder Brother yet lives and is an Alderman in that place
After he had been trained up at School and well fitted for it he was sent to the University of Oxford where his diligence and proficiency was such that he was chosen Fellow of Magdalen-Colledge and had the breeding up of some there who afterwards proved excellent and eminent Scholars as Dr. Frewen who was alwayes a thankfull man to him for his education and famous Mr. Pemble who ended his dayes at his house c. His attendance at Court upon the chiefest favourite in the dayes of that learned King James gave him opportunity of advancement iâ— his thoughts had been bent that way but he sought not great things for himself yet continued at Court till the death of Sr. Thomas Overbury that learned Knight and his very good friend and then he had adieu to that course of life As for his inward storms they were very many and exceeding bitter which also were accompanied with many bodily infirmities which attended him in his younger years but it was well for him that he bore the yoke in his youth and there was none that knew so much of his temptations and desertions as thâ—t eminent and learned Divine Dr. Harris by reason of that intimate acquaintance he had with him in those dayes being his kinsman which also was occâ—sioned the more by the often recourse he had then into those parts for the fetching of some spiriruall refreshing from that man of God Mr. John Dod who was both able and willing to speak a word in season to a broken and coâ—rite heart For the eminency of hâ—s parts there were very few that could match him The most even of our most high-flown Eagles have commonly some peculiar gift wherein they most excell and by it â—o very good service to Christ and his Church but this man had grasped all good learning and made every thing his own so evenly to see to that he was very expert in the same and would with Cato the elder be up in the height in all thâ—t ever he was to act in Melancthon used to say that Pomeranus was the Gramarian that himself was the Logician that Justus Jonas was the Orator but that Luther was all in all here was one that was not inferior to Luther If he pleased to turn to the School or to Case-Divinity to Augustine or Chrysostome to Galen or Hippocrates to Aristotle or Tully to History or Philosophy to Arts or Tongues who could tell but himself which of them he was best versed in He was a very living Library a full storehouse of all kind of good literature no less than a little University the mirrour of those parts and above the envy of most The least draught of his Pencil would have told any Protogenes he had been the Apelles He excelled in all that ever he would set his hand to unless it were in his utterance in the publick Congregation and therein indeed he had a great defectiveness God 〈◊〉 him great understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do He stood upon the Watch-tower and saw what was hid from most mens eyes and being quick of sent in the fear of the Lord he gave timely notice to some that stood in place which had it been heeded we had never been so fearfully pestered with those Hydraes heads that are now starting up afresh daily to the great disturbance of our people Simler said of Melancthon at his going from the University of Tubing that none of the learned men there how many soever they were had so much learning as to know the great learning that was in that man Too too many amongst us were even sick of the same disease that knew not the depth that was in this mans brest There were many men in this one man even all Scholarship epitomized in this profound Clerk and yet for all this he had that great blessing which he himself observed as a singular favour vouchsafed to Dr. John Reynolds that great Oracle of Oxford that he never set on foot any manner of new opinion The like is observed of learned Dr. Whitaker stâ—led the Oracle of Cambridge and the miracle of the world A mercy that most men of superlative parts use not to be too rich in There is scarce any strong brain without some strong fancy If the great wits of our times had kept themselves close to the steps of these rare Divines we had never seen the sorrows that we now sigh and groan under and would be glad to be rid of if we knew how For the excellency of his preaching he excelled most men He was an Inâ—erpreter one of a thousand His understanding was strangely opened for the understanding and opening the Scriptures He would bolt out that out of the holy Book of God that would not come into any other mans consideration yet it should be genuine and evidently appearing to be the driâ—t and meaning of the Holy Ghost An intelligent man could never sit at his feet or be in his company but he should meet with that there that would never fall from any other mans mouth nor ever drop from any other mans Pen. His words were as Goads and as Nails fastened by the Master of the Assemblies They were edged with so much reason re-enforced from the lively Oracles that they could not fall to the ground in vain It 's no marvell therefore that the Cream of the whole Country where he lived as they could have opportunity would hang upon his Ministry Yet he used to be very plain in all his expressions He would not deliver what he had from God in an unknown tongue nor yet in words and phrases which were too spâ—uce and trim He had learned his lesson weâ—l of that great Apostle and Doctor of the Gentiles who came not with enticing words nor with any other but such as the very Catechuâ—nâ—ni the youngest beginners might understand He kept close to the footsteps of our choicest Worthies as famous Mr. Dod who used to say that so much Latine was so much flesh in a Sermon Mr. Cleaver Mr. Hildersam and such other holy men of God led by the self same Spirit He would deliver the whole and wholesome truths of God in such an holy and wholsome way that it bred very good bloud in the hearts of his hearers He would stoop so low as to speak to the poor Country people in their own proper dialect so as they could not but even see and feel and find out God and be occasioned to speak of him all the week after If he met with a deep mystery he would make it plain to the shallowest capacity Whatever Subject he sell upon he would handle it so Divine-like that the hearts of his Auditors would be wrapt up into Heaven whilest they heard him winding and turning a point of Divinity like a workman that needed not to be ashamed Whereas now adayes whilest some of our great Divines seem to
marched into those Quarters about Edghil where was fought a bloody Battel Octob. 23. 1642 upon the Lords day in the Vale of the Red Horse being distant about four miles from him yet it pleased God so to order it which he took for a great mercy that he heard not the least noise of it the wind sitting contrary till the publick work of the day was over nor could he believe the report of a Battel til a Souldier besmeared with blood and powder came to witness it From this very time his troubles encreased Now was he threatned by this then by the other Garrison one while he was a Roundhead and then a Malignant frequently oppressed with Souldiers that were quartered upon him yet still he kept his station and some of his Guests would joyn with him in Family-duties which he intermitted not when others would scoffe at them because not mingled with Book-prayers Every Sabbath he held on the course of his Ministry and most of those which quartered with him being Commanders and Officers they shewed themselves civil to him and his onely at one time there was a company who were so outragious in swearing and blasphemy that he could not forbear preaching upon that Text James 5. 12. Above all things my Brethren swear not c. which so netled some of them that they damned themselves to Hell if they did not shoot him in case he preached again upon that Text which they judged to be purposely chosen against them the next Sabbath he proceeded purposely upon the same Text wherein he backed what he had said before and as he was preaching he saw a Souldier take his Carbine and fumble about the Cock as if he was preparing to shoot but Mr. Harris apprehending that he did it onely to disturb him went through his work and heard no more news of his Souldier Thus he continued his labours in those sad times and though he was chosen a member of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster yet because upon serious thoughts he judged his presence less needful there than in the Country he continued his station there till he saw his Tenements in the Neighbourhood fired wood and nurseries of wood destroyed himself threatned and at last enforced by a Scottish Commander to shift for himself yea some of his own Neighbours were now ready to betray him whereupon he went to London and by Gods good providence came thither in safety though a sad man When he came to London he went to the Assembly where he found much more undone than done Indeed he met there with many excellent and learned men but his thoughts were sollicitous for his people his wife and children whom he had left behinde and indeed he found little rest in his spirit till the same good hand of Providence had safely brought them unto him Then went he with more comfort to the Assembly where he did Antiqum obtinere hear all and say little Upon his remove from his house both his Books and his Notes some few only excepted which he had conveyed away beforehand together with all his remaining goods were seized upon and his Living given to another but that might soon have been supplied many offers being made to him from several places and Country Committees The first motion that he hearkened to was the Temple but upon trial he found that Church too large for his voyce and thereupon refused and at last he was sent to Buttolphs Bishopsgate where though the Congregation was too large for him yet being necessitated to do something for the maintenance of his Family he remained there during his attendance upon the Assembly After his continuance there for some time himself with four more Divines were commanded down to Oxford which was then under suspension by the Parliament which imployment he often professed that he did earnestly decline and that principally for two reasons 1. Because the Committee for Hampshire had given him a free call to Petersfield and thither he would willingly have gone 2. Having long discontinued from the University he looked upon himself as very unfit for such a service but in conclusion he was plainly told that such as would not be intreated must be commanded and so he was ordered to prepare for his journey This much troubled him and therefore he first goes to Petersfield and acquaints them how the case stood with him and because he could not come suddenly to them he desires them either to pitch upon some other Minister or else to take the care upon themselves to provide supplies for both the Churches for two they were and to pay the Preachers out of the Revenues of the place The people liked neither of the offers yet were content to wait a while in hopes that he might come to settle with them requesting him in the mean while to provide them such supply as himself should approve of This proved a troublsome work to him though for a time he sent them help from Oxford and thereabout for preachers were now hard to be gotten there being more want of Ministers than of places yet at last two were procured the one of whom gave no good content At last he was put upon it either to relinquish Oxon or Petersfield the former he could not decline and therefore he left the latter though with great regret because he could not seal up such respect and thanks as he conceived was due from him to that Country Neither had he less trouble in providing for Buttolphs Bishopsgate it being no easie matter to please Citizens yet at the last they were supplied to their content About this time many Libels were cast abroad in Oxford against other Preachers and one amongst the rest reflected upon Mr. Harris reckoning up his several Livings and great Revenues wherein they mentioned what was past present and to come and happily if they had heard of the rest which at several times were offered him they would have put them also into that Catalogue Mr. Harris being informed hereof he wrote to some Friends which Letters are already extant wherein he vindicated himself in the main yet withall he professed unto others that it would and should be to him matter of humbling and caution to him whilst he lived that he had given the least advantage to such as sought it for though he stood clear in his own and others consciences who best knew him that he was far from allowing non-residency and plurality of Livings yet to such as were ignorant of all circumstances there was some appearances of evil which also he took the more to heart because from that time forward he found the afflâ—cting hand of God both upon him and his The Preachers that were sent to Oxford found but ill entertainment on the one hand they were aspersed and libelled against by their own Mothers Sons and on the other hand they were challenged to a publick Disputation by one Mr.
many places Read the Proverbs and remember him in this 1. Forsake not an old Friend 2. Be friendly and faithful to your Friends 3. Never trouble or trust Friends unless there be a necessity 4. Lastly be long in closing with Friends and loath to lose them upon experience of them For your Marriages In Marriage you lay the foundation of your present woe or weal therefore here be not rash go not alone yet remember Paul 1 Cor. 7. 2. First study whether you have a calling to Marry yea or no and advise well of that If none forbear if so advise with friends before your affections be engaged In your choice 1. Aim at Grace 2. Good nature and education the best woman is not ever the best wife 3. Good parts of understanding Huswifery c. As for Portion be it more or less be upon certainties and trust not words and for Parentage let not the distance be too great lest you despise or be despised However be sure that the person likes not your fancy but your judgement For your Children Make it your chiefest work to make them 1. Godly 2. Useful Bestow most of their Portions in good Education and if Grace make no difference do you make none in your affections countenances portions partiality this way ends in nothing else but envy strangeness c. For your selves within your selves My desire hath been to carry an even hand over you all and have laboured to reduce you as near as I could all circumstances considered to an equality and therefore my last request and charge is that you will live together in an undivided bond of love you are many of you and if you joyn together as one man you need not want any thing what counsel what comfort what money what friends may you not help your selves unto if you will contribute your aides wherefore my dear children I pray beseech command adjure you by all the Relations and dearness that hath ever been betwixt us that you know one another visite as you may each other comfort counsel relieve succour help admonish one another Whilst your Mother lives meet there if possible yearly When she is dead pitch upon some other place if it may be your eldest Brothers house or if you cannot meet yet send to and hear from one another yearly And when you have neither Father nor Mother be so many Fathers and Mothers each to other so you shall understand the blessing mentioned Psal. 133. For your Estates Be not troubled that you are below your kindred get more wisdome humility goodness and you are above them onely this do 1. Study work more than wages 2. Deal with your hearts to make them less 3. Begin below 4. Joyn together to help one another 5. Rest upon the Promises which are many and precious this way 6. Sow mercy Take of your Mother to this end a piece give that in works of mercy and if all other means fail you that shall maintain you I know I know I say and I am confident in it that if ye will be humbled for my barrenness and will trust God in his own way he will make comfortable provision for you Object no more but trust him For the Publick Bless God that you are born English men and bear your selves dutifully and conscionably towards Authority See God in the Magistrate and hold Order a precious things And for the Church neither set her above her Husband Christ nor below her Children give her that honour obedience and respect that is her due and if you will be my Children and heirs of my comfort in my dying age be neither Authors nor Fautors of any either faction or novelty It s true this is not a rising way but it is a free fair comfortable way for a man to follow his own judgement without warping to either hand Perhaps you may hear variety of judgements touching my walk when I sleep in silence some taxing me for too much some for too little Conformity but be not ye troubled I did what in my circumstances seemed best to me for the present howsoever the event hath not in some points answered expectation yet I have learned to measure things by another rule than events and satisfie my self in this that I did all for the best as I thought Sure I am my Saviour Christ is perfect and never failed so much as in circumstance To him I commit your Souls Bodies Estates Names Lifes Deaths All and my self waiting when he shall change my vile body and make it glorious like unto his own Amen Even so come Lord Jesus Amen On the Memory of that Famous and Godly Minister Dr. Robert Haris my late worthy Friend As once Elias in John Baptist came Back to the Jews in that Triumphant flame Of Light and Zeal wherein he did before Without Deaths help up into Glory soar And by this Transmigration of his Grace Prepared paths before his Masters face Even so in thee blest soul did breathe anew Great Chrysostom yea great Apollos too To thee those mighty Orators did give Their Tongues to speak to thee their life to live Nay thou thy self didst in thy self renew Thy Fort'ys vigour in Fourscore we knew When all thy strength decayd thy Gifts did thrive The man is dead the Preacher still alive Alive in his own Sermons in our love His Name alive below his Soul above And may the younger Prophets still inherit A double portion of their Fathers spirit That by a sacred Metempsychosis The gifts may now be theirs which once were his That every Sermon which we hear may be Rare Preacher a true Pourtracture of thee Yea may it of each following age be true The former are exceeded by the new Visions of young surpass old Prophets dreams The Fathers Light 's outshin'd by Childrens beams That in their measures we may more and more Th'unmeasur'd fulness of our Lord adore E. REYNER The Second Part Containing the LIVES OF GVSTAVUS ERICSON King of Sueden who was the first Reformer of RELIGION in that KINGDOM AS ALSO Of divers other Christians who were eminent for Prudence and Piety We desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end That ye be not slothful but followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the promises Heb. 6. 11 12. LONDON Printed for Will. Miller at the Gilded Acron near the Little North-door in St. Pauls Church-yard 1661. The Life of Gustavus Ericson King of Sueden who dyed Anno Christi 1562. IN the dayes of Christian the Second King of Denmark who also laid claim to the Crown of Sueden after the decease of Swanto the Lords of Sueden chose Steno Stur to be their Governor against whom Gustavus Archbishop of Upsal opposed himself loving his place more than his Country and being crossed in his expectation he promotes the interest of Christian of Denmark who to set forward his claim to the Crown of Sueden spent
are Apothegmes It is not worth the name of wisdome that may be heard only and not seen Good discourse is but the froth of wisdome the pure and solid substance of it is well-framed actions And according to this we may commend her conversation for prudence in practice above that which she shewed either in the use or restraint of her tongue For as St. Jerom saith She taught others more by her example than by her speech much more then by her silence She was a woman of a well composed spirit discreetly advised framing her affairs by good direction of grace and reason without any direction of humour or passion which bare no sway over her at all and very seldome had any shew or appearance in her but when her discretion told her it was fit to make use of them for due advertisement to others and then she would order it with such moderation as that neither her words nor her looks nor her gestures carried any colour of contradiction to her prudence and piety So that her wisdome was a protection to the reputation of her piety against all scornfull reproaches Yea it was a promotion of the Christian profession to more estimation in her person and for her sake And though she was singularly gifted yet was she far from their disposition who think they do nothing well unless they be singular and though she had less to do with worldly matters than most would have had in her condition yet therein also she gave that proof of prudence which Solomon observeth Prov. 14. 1. A wise woman saith he builds her house For she was very provident in managing her Family affairs both whilest she was married and when she was a widow also Now from her Intellectuall parts let us pass to her Morall and we shall find that though she had a very good head richly stored with ingenious and religious notions yet she had a far better heart more abundantly furnished with excellent graces whereof we will single out some 1. For her faith which is the hand that turneth the key to unlock the storehouse of divine beneficence This appeared by a Paper written with her own hand wherein she did set down the Articles of her faith in full plain and perspicuous terms with pertinent proofs of Scripture to every point and then she maketh particular application thereof to her self as thus I do believe the Scriptures to be the very Word of God 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 21. and I have found them so to me by the witness of Gods Spirit which I have felt testifying of them and by the unutterable comfort which I have received by them wonderfully refreshing my heart when it was in the deepest distress whereby God hath made them so good unto me that I account them better than thousands of gold and silver Psal. 119. 72. I do believe that God made man at first after his own Image Gen. 1. 26. which Image did chiefly consist in knowledge and holiness Eccles. 7. 29. Eph. 4. 24. and out of admiration of this Image I do long for that time when I shall be satisfied with it Psal. 17. 15. I do believe that all mankind hath sinned 1 King 8. 46. and that the nature of man is stained with sin from the birth Psal. 51. 5. I know and must acknowlegde that the cause of all the afflictions which do befall me in this life is in my self and I know no cause to murmure at my crosses when I look upon my sin I do believe that Jesus Christ is God and my God Psal. 68. 20. and in that he is a God and my God it doth exceedingly comfort me For he is full of grace to supply my wants a Counsellor to direct me in my doubts Almighty to defend me and an everlasting Father to love pitty and bear with mine infirmities and to spare me a Prince of peace to perform reconciliation with his Father for me and to fill me with the peace which passeth all understanding and that he will establish and order me henceforth and for ever I do believe that the Passion of Christ was by the eternall decree and appointment of God Act. 2. 23. and that his sorrows were sustained for our sins and for our sakes so as he bore all our iniquities 1 Pet. 2. 24. and that in his own person he fullfilled and finished all sufferings needfull for our salvation 1 Pet. 3. 18 and that his Passion so grievous as cannot be imagined is a sufficient price for the sins of the world Joh 2. 29. therefore why should not I be willing to suffer any thing for his sake that hath suffered so great things for me and say with St. Paul God forbid that I should rejoyce in any thing but in the Cross of Christ. I will for ever trust in him and relie upon him as the life of my life and as to me both in life and death advantage and having such a proof of the infinite love of God to me in not sparing his own Son but giving him up to death for me shall I ever doubt of my freedome from condemnation such a price being paid for the discharge of my debts by such a surety I do believe that Christ overcame sin death the grave and Hell and rose again from the dead ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God in Majesty Rom. 1. 4. and that he hath purchased his Church by his bloud and that he is a Lawgiver to his Church Jam. 4. 12. which is gathered by his voice Joh. 17. 9. seperated from sinfull society with the world For she is an holy Church Eph. 5. 25. yet dispersed over the world for she is Catholick Eph. 1. 10. and though Catholick and dispersed yet but one Eph. 4. 4. knit unto Christ by an indissolveable union Col. 1. 18. And I am sure that I am a member of this Church For I am called out of sinfull communion with the world by the voice of the Ministers of Christ who are in his stead and seperated from it by the power of the Word and I do relie upon Christs merits for righteousness and salvation I do not delight in the society of the wicked but in theirs who fear him whom I love with sincere affections as the most worthy people of the world and whatsoever I want of an holy life yet I do not live after my old evil conversation but I constantly endeavour to be more and more holy What thanks shall I give unto God who hath called me out of darkness into his marvellous light and saved me from the common condemnation of the world O the depth of the love of Christ unto me I do believe that there shall be a generall Judgement Psal. 9. 8. that Christ shall be the Judge a visible Judge in his humane nature Act. 17. 13. that it shall be at the last day but the precise day and hour is not known to any man or Angel Mat. 24.
36. that then every man shall be judged Jude 15. and every secret thing shall be brought to light Rom. 2. 16. and that the judgement will be most just and so confessed by all Rom. 2. 5 6. why then should I fear the last Judgement seeing he shall be my Judge who is my Brother Advocate and Redeemer He that was willingly judged for me will give no hard sentence against me yea he hath already absolved me from my sins and given me the earnest of his Spirit and the seal of the Sacraments and I have judged my self that I may not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11. 32. I do beleeve that the glory of Heaven is unspeakable and incomprehensible by us here on earth 1 Cor. 2. 9. that is it eternal Matth. 25. 45. and that it is the gift of God proceeding onely from his free Grace not our merit Luke 12. 32. his free gift bestowed onely upon the Elect Rev. 21. 27. O that I could by the effectualness of contemplation behold the greatness of this felicity which is provided for me yet as I can conceive it I cannot choose but long to be absent from hence that I may be present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 8. whos 's admirable beauty I shall clearly see and know as I am known and that with a perfection both of holiness and happiness such holiness as will not onely free me from all sin but from all possibility of sinning such happiness as that ceasing from all labour and sorrow I shall enjoy an eternal Sabbath and shall be free to all the treasures of Heaven and with the fruition of Gods glorious presence shall enjoy the sweet society of all the glorified Saints and Angels And all this as it is unuterable so it is unalterable For as I cannot be disappointed of it because it is certain so I cannot be deprived of it because it is eternal How then should the hope of the future life but swallow up the afflictions of the life present and why should I fear Death when being dead I shall be so blessed Yet was not her Faith elevated so high but that she could readily apply it to promises of an inferiour degree For as she trusted in God at all times as David teacheth Psal. 62. 8. so did she in all things whether temporal or eternal In straits and difficulties for the affairs of this life she had that ready at hand Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass Psal. 37. 5. If at any time she was sinisterly censured by any one her faith applied that promise to her heart He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light and thy judgement as the noon day Psal. 35. 6. And whatsoever it were that came upon her as a cross her faith was either as a wreathe betwixt her shoulders and it that it did not pinch her or a remover of it from her self to him who was best able to bear it by vertue of that Warrant Psal. 55. 22. Cast thy burthen upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee and that done her faith which teacheth to keep an eaven pace with the promises not making haste Isa. 28. 16. by anticipating the time of accomplishment taught her soul to wait upon God as Davids did Psal. 62. 1. to effect his own work at his own time in his own way and manner wherein she would not prescribe any thing at all By this daily exercise of her Faith she gained a great deal of freedome and lightsomness of spirit which admirably appeared in her deportment upon great disappointments of that which was her own due and unexpected payments unto others when she hath seen no way of supply for the present occasions she hath believed that Gods providence would effect what her forecast could not when she was not wanting in the use of means and that he could furnish her with that which should be sufficient albeit for the present she saw not how nor by what means it would come to pass and therefore when she had done what belonged to her duty in the affiance of her Faith she rested quiet and remained cheerful and slept neither the less nor the worse for it and that which confirmed her confidence the more was that she still found by experience that God was most worthy to be trusted That her Faith was as good as it was great appeared by the effect of it in her Devotion and Piety which was suitable to her knowledge of God and her faith in him by both which as she had a clear apprehension of him so none had more dear and devout affections to him or more assured signs of such than she as appeared in these particulars She was frequently and fervently conversant with God besides the publick in her private supplications and therein was he most favourably familiar with her for he sent forth his Spirit into her heart whereby she cried Abba Father Gal 4. 6. The Spirit of Grace and Supplication Zach. 12. 10. which enabled her in an extraordinary manner and measure to pour out her soul into his bosome and though she duely esteemed of the solemn prayers of the sacred Assemblies whereof a learned and pious Divine said that never any one prayed well privately who contemned or neglected the publick prayers of the Church and never sleighted or censured set forms of Prayer yet could she and that excellently well conceive Prayer and vary her Petitions as the present occasion did require Yea in this Devotion she was so abundant in apt and pertinent expressions that indeed it was admirable that one so silent in her common conversation with the world should be so fluent and eloquent in her entercourse with God Nor was she more copious in speech than fervent in spirit For such was her holy violence in Prayer as that she seemed not to knock at Heaven Gate for another to open it but to make a battery upon it her self and to break in by the powerful importunity of her supplications Her service also of God in this kinde was no dry Devotion but steeped and drenched in showres of tears and though her prudence used as much privacy as might be herein yet such a singular gift could not be hid from her servants and some secret female friends who sometimes when they were sick or possessed with fears or pains of child-birth they would move her with importunity to pray with them and when she yeelded to them and God to her by answering her request they were apt as there was cause to impute the good effect to her fervent supplications A female friend of hers who was her bed-fellow in London for many weeks together and thereby was a partaker of her daily Devotions professed that she was so plentifully furnished for utterance of her requests to God that she never wanted variety of meet words to be presented unto him but when a surcharge of sighs and
forget to acknowledge Gods goodness in bestowing any of these outward things upon him He found by experience that they were but uncertain riches 1 Tim. 6. 17. And that they had wings and would fly away Prov. 23. 5. But he did not run crying after them as they use to do who set their hearts upon them whereas he saw and acknowledged Gods hand as well in taking away as in giving as Job did Job 1. 21. and therefore was quiet and content having experimentally learned in some good measure that excellent lesson with St Paul I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content Phil. 4. 11. By vicissitudes and changes of estates God did exercise his faith patience and contentation Having passed through the severall inferior Offices he at last ascended to the highest place of honour in the City to be Mayor there wherein as hath been shewed he demeaned himself as became a Christian Magistrate and his ambition therein was highly to honour God who had thus honoured him And afterwards he was twice chosen to be a Burgess of Parliament wherein his zeal for God and against the corruptions of the times was abundantly manifested He was a great stickler to have the Bill passed for the punishment of Adultery with death but those times would not bear it Surely some of the Lawmakers knew some speciall reason for it When he made a motion for the passing of that Bill one or more of the Members in the House cried out Commit it Mr. Jurdain commit it upon which a great laughter was occasioned whereupon he presently said unto them in a zealous manner like himself Do you laugh when a man speaks for Gods honour and glory Upon which there was a more than ordinary silence in the House The Bill was at that time laid aside but in a following Parliament it was called upon by the name of Mr. Jurdains Bill He was also as it 's said the first man that promoted the Bills for the more strict sanctification of the Sabbaths and against Swearing Yea God did not only advance him to places of honour and dignity in the eye of the world but gave him an high place also in the hearts of his people and therein God made good his promise 1 Sam. 2. 30. Such as honour me I will honour His name was very precious in the esteem of those that knew his worth both whilest he lived and since his death Indeed it is confessed that he was a by-word unto many and that his name was taken up by way of reproach but it was by such as were upbraided and reproved by his holy and gracious conversation And he valued not their reproaches knowing that his Lord and Master did suffer much more in this kind and that this was but a Chip of that Cross which as he was commanded he was willing to bear Yea he was well content to drink of this bitter Cup after his Master and with him he despised the shame Heb. 12. 2. which the men of the world cast upon him Nay he accounted it his honour to suffer shame for the Name of Christ as the Apostles did Act. 5. 4. But some there were that brought shame upon themselves whilest they thought to cast contempt and scorn upon him Amongst other instances this one was remarkeable That being chosen Burgess for the Parliament not without much opposition and going up to London to clear the Election at which time there was an accusation sent up against him by a man of no mean place and power That he was the Host of the Schismaticks Whereupon some presumed that he would have been sent back with disgrace and accordingly there was a Sermon prepared by one to jeer him at his return this being his Text Psal. 114. 5. What ailed thee thou Jordan that thou wast driven back Thus men of prophane spirits will dare to make the sacred Word of God to serve their own base lusts and ends But Mr. Jurdaine instead of being driven back was confirmed in the place to which he was chosen and so shame was cast into the face of this wicked scorner and his Sermon or Invective rather proved abortive And as Mr. Jurdaine stood up boldly for God so did God stand by and for him and assisted him and carried him through many troubles and dangers that did threaten and even compass him about One act of Gods providence amongst many others was most notable in delivering him out of trouble He having done an act of justice as was hinted before in punishing an unclean person whose offence was aggravated by some hainous circumstances being moved with an holy indignation against the offence he went as it seems besides the letter of the Law in some circumstance Whereupon some friends of the person punished being stirred up with fury for the disgrace that reflected upon them without weighing the dishonour that was done to God and the foul blot that was cast upon Religion resolved to prosecute him to the uttermost for it wherein they put him to great charge and trouble by prosecuting him in the Star-Chamber and when the cause was to come to a finall determination it was much feared by many of his friends and through the boastings of his adversaries that some heavy censure would have passed upon him to his crushing if not to his utter undoing But when his friends on earth failed he flees to Heaven for succour and defence and cried unto God in Davids words Psal. 22. 11 19. Be not far from me O Lord for trouble is near for there is none to help O my strength hast thou to help me And he set apart the evening and a great part of the night by fasting and Prayer to engage God of his side who hath the hearts of all men even of the greatest in his hands to turn them as he pleaseth Prov. 21. 1. And behold the next morning he received a reall and gracious answer from Heaven being not only acquitted but commended by the Lord Keeper God stirring up the hearts of divers in that high and arbitrary Court to speak for him Thus the Lord was a very present help to him in the time of trouble Psalme 46. 1. After he was thus through Gods mercy freed and returned to his house he piled up the Books and Papers of all the proceedings in that troublesome and vexatious business under his Cupboard in his Parlour which was the place to which he did often resort and where he had that daily sweet and heavenly communion with God aforementioned and being asked the reason why he left so many Books and Papers to lie in that manner His answer was These I keep in my sight as memorials and monuments of Gods mercy in freeing me from my troubles Many other particulars might be instanced in but by that little which hath been said you may guess at the great worth of this holy man Only give me leave to adde the observations and testimony
of God against it Thou shalt not take the Name of God in vain And another of them reasoning with his fellows about God and the Devil professed that he had rather be in hell with God than in heaven with the Devil And a third who by reason of her age could not speak distinctly said in some discourse with her Father that God Almighty would not bless them who tell Fibbs meaning Lies and that she had rather dye than tell a Fibb so far had their Mothers instructions prevailed with them She was eminent for a charitable and bountifull spirit she was another Dorcas full of good works and Alms-dâ—eds That high Elogium that Solomon gives a vertuous woman may properly be applied unto her Many Daughters have done vertuously but she excelled them all Prov. 31. 29. Many there are that come far short of her but very few that went beyond her in the acts of Charity God gave her a liberal and plentifull estate and that was a great mercy but it was a far greater mercy that he gave her a liberal heart to do good and to distribute To cast her bread on the waters and to honour God with her substance That protestation which Job makes for his own vindication may fitly be applied unto her Job 31. 16 19. He would not with-hold the poor from their desire nor cause the eyes of the widow to fail He would not see any to perish for want of cloathing nor any poor without covering The whole Country round about where she dwelt will bear her witness that she visited and relieved the sick and cloathed the naked fed the hungry and healed the wounded Her purse her hand her heart were all open for their relief She bought many precious Drugs and cordial waters She made several precious salves and gave them all away to such as were in need of them She spared not her best pains being never aweary of well doing insomuch that in the extremity of her greatest sickness such bowels of compassion yearned in her she compounded several Medicines with her own hands and applied them Thus will her works praise her in the Gate and being dead she yet speaketh Prov. 31. 31. Heb. 11. 4. For her precious name liveth The Lord will have the name of the Righteous to be in everlasting remembrance Psal. 112. 6. and the memory of the just is blessed Prov. 10. 7. And precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal. 116. 15. Now this rare Gentlewoman reaps the fruit of her serving of God and the whole harvest whereof she received onely the first fruits in this present world The usual saying is All is well that ends well Come we therefore to speak of her end Her life was holy and therefore her death must needs be happy It pleased the Lord to exercise her with a long and lingring sickness and amidst the weakness of the outward man God gave her great strength in her inward man though her limbs and outward strength failed her yet God was her strength and portion and he never failed her A few dayes before her distemper waxed high her Husband being from home she sent for all her Family both young and old to come in unto her chamber with whom she prayed near two hours with such pathetical heavenly Scripture-language as drew admiration and tears from those that were present She blessed her children counselled her servants heartily and affectionately commended her Husband unto God she wept and prayed and prayed and wept and could not easily part with the company nor yet leave off praying and weeping Upon the encrease of her distemper her spirit was much disturbed and some impertinent speeches did fall from her yet in the middest of all her impertinences Grace and the Spirit of God did eminently declare their Power and Sovereignty in her by many savoury and choice speeches and sweet breathings of her soul some of which are these that follow I was in the Devils claws but Jesus Christ the sweet Bridegroom of my soul the sweet Bridegroom of my soul these words she often reiterated the sweet Bridegroom of my soul hath delivered me At another time I am safe for Jesus Christ is at my heart and I would not part with him for ten thousand worlds Again Come Lord Jesus the Captain of my salvation ride on gloriously conquering and to conquer for me Satan Sin Hell Death and all mine enemies Afterwards again I was in Hell but now I am in Heaven I am in Heaven indeed indeed I am in Heaven I am in Heaven eternally I am in Heaven the habitation of Gods glory unto all eternity Much of this nature she did speak even when her understanding was so disturbed that she scarce did know her near Relations and those who did attend upon her in her Chamber And now all these things are worthy to be transmitted unto posterity and to be had in perpetual remembrance She was an eminently godly Gentlewoman being but little above Eight and twenty years of age when she dyed which was in the beginning of March Anno Christi 1656. But though she was young in years yet was she old in Grace She had lived long in a little time She was a mirror of her age and a renown of her sexe a pattern worthy of imitation She was the beloved faithfull wife of as an intirely loving and faithfull Husband She was a tender affectionate Mother to her own and no less carefull of those pledges committed to his charge She was a most dear Sister an affectionate Mistress carefull both of the bodies and souls of her servants that they should neither want corporal nor spiritual food Her profession was with Joshua Chap. 24. 15. Choose you this day whom you will serve But as for me I and my house we will serve the Lord. She was not onely a friend to her friends but a friend to her enemies even unto such as despitefully used her All the Country round about could not but look upon her whilst living as a publick gain and when dead as a publick loss She was very usefull whilst she lived and will be much missed now she is dead Two things were very eminent in her Setledness in Religion and holiness of conversation By her death the poor have lost a liberal Almoner the sick 〈…〉 a good Physitian the wounded have lost a 〈◊〉 Chirurgion the Husband hath lost a faithful Wife the children a tender Mother the servants a gracious Mistress and not any that knew her of all her neighbours and friends but they will finde a great loss and miss of her All that knew her loved her but onely such whose love is not worth the having She lived much desired and dyed much lamented For her to live was Christ and to die was gain Phil. 1. 21. She was honoured in her life and she was honoured at her death by a confluence of many persons of quality of the Gentry
Ministry and Neighbourhood round about who by their concourse at her Funeral shewed plainly in what an high estimation she was amongst them and that her good Name was like a precious Oyntment powred forth The hope of Glory was that sovereign Cordial which abundantly revived and satisfied her spirits whilst she lived and now her hope is turned into fruition and her faith into vision All her sorrows and sighings are turned away and her imployment is without the least tediousness without interruption and intermission to sing Hosannahs and Allelujahs to him that sitteth upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever more This Life was drawn up by my Reverend and worthy Friend Dr. Henry Wilkinson principal of Magdalen Hall Oxon. The Life and Death of Mrs. Elizabeth Wilkinson who dyed Anno Christi 1654. Mrs. Elizabeth Wilkinson was born of godly Parents of an ancient and well reputed Family of the Gentry in Devonshire Her Father was Mr. Anthony Gifford her Mother Mrs. Elizabeth Cottle and by them she was religiously educated during her minority After which she lived with an Aunt an old Disciple above twenty yeares together where she had many prizes put into her hands to get wisdome even many spirituall advantages for her eternall good But considering that no helps of education nor any means could prove effectuall without divine influences it pleased the Lord out of the riches of his mercy in a signall manner to vouchsafe a blessing to all those helps for the good of her soul and to crown all endeavours in order thereunto with good success She was observed from her childhood to be very docile very willing to learn industrious in reading of and swift to hear the Word of God preached She was very carefull to remember what she heard and took much pains in writing Sermons and collecting speciall Notes out of practicall Divines She had the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit with that she was eminently adorned She looked not as too many do upon gaudy and vain dresses as any ornament She neither liked them nor conformed to them but went in a grave decent and sober attire She was humble gentle tender-hearted and full of bowels of compassion remembring such as were in bonds as if she had been bound with them Heb. 13. 3. She was of so affable sweet and courteous a disposition that she gained abundance of love and respect from all those that conversed with her and by this means she was the greater gainer by all good conferences It was her usuall custome to move good discourse and ofttimes she turned the stream of other impertinent talk into something which was solid and tended unto edification and that ministred grace to the hearers She kept a Diary of Gods dealings with her soul and of other various dispensations that she met withall She was much busied in prayer meditation and self-examination She would often desire her Husband and others of her acquaintance to deal plainly and impartially with her For said she I would not be deceived with a formall profession nor with a temporary faith Perhaps through affection you may judge far better of me than I deserve wherefore I desire you to sift and search me throughly for I like such plain dealing best of all and those are my best friends which deal most plainly with me In process of time after a carefull watching over her heart and frequent addresses made unto the Throne of grace she found returns answerable to her prayers and desires God gave her a large measure both of parts and graces She was able not only to assert the truths of God but to convince gainsayers She abounded in love faith meekness humility and the rest of the graces of the Spirit insomuch as she became a Christian of the higher Form a tall Cedar of Libanus a grown solid and excellent Christian It pleased God for the triall of her graces to exercise her very much in the School of affliction Insomuch as ten years before her death she was one time reckoned with another at least half the time sick But God ordered this sickness of her body to be a medicine for her soul. For the spirit of prayer was much set on work hereby and her faith love and patience did appear and shine the more eminently Out of the Furnace she came forth as gold purified seven times so that the rod and staff correction and instruction went together and by these fatherly chastisements her soul did thrive more abundantly When she was able she neglected not the frequenting of the publick Assemblies they were her delight and she was a professed adversary to the withdrawing from the publick Congregations of the Saints Both them and the godly and Reverend Ministers of the Gospel she had in high esteem and reverenced them all her dayes And when she was not able to go to the publick Congregations she used to spend her time in reading prayer and meditating at home and imployed her friends to read to her and pray with her Such as were stable and sincere Christians were her delight Those she accounted more excellent than their neighbours She would often say that She valued no friends like to those who were friends to her soul. Concerning her deportment and carriage to her Relations for such as are reall Saints shew it in their severall capacities never was a Wife more full of sincere love and respect to an Husband whom she loved entirely and was as entirely beloved by him Her affection to her children was very tender She was carefull to Catechize instruct and to train them up in the fear of God and upon her Deathbed amongst many other excellent counsels and instructions she added this charge as from a dying Mother that they should remember that they had a Mother who would not allow them in any sin She was carefull also to instruct her servants and to teach them the fear of the Lord. Indeed she was ready and willing as opportunity was offered to do good unto all and as need required gave unto them both corporall and spirituall food She had a large heart and improved it to do a great deal of good in a little time Insomuch as the poor the sick the afflicted and the unexperienced to whom she was very mercifull and usefull whilest she lived had a very great miss of her when she was dead In brief she was one of those Worthies of whom the world was not worthy And yet to give a further Character of her I will here set down a Narrative copied exactly out of her own hand-writing of Gods gracious dealing with her soul as it follows word for word It pleased the Lord out of the riches of his grace to remove me from an ignorant place where I was born and to bring me very young into a Religious Family And when I was about twelve years of age upon the reading in the Practice of Piety concerning the happy estate of
the rest of the Chapter all those places the Lord often made a stay unto my soul And afterwards the Lord so blessed one means or other unto me insomuch as I was kept from sinking and falling into such horrour as many of the people of God sometimes fell into But yet my fears and doubts were so many as that my comfort never lasted long If the Lord did but hide his face I was troubled No longer could I beleeve then I found new strength given in that the Lord would ever have mercy upon my soul. The sense of Original sin and Actual transgressions in their filthiness and guiltiness caused my fears yet to remain upon my spirit my faith then seemed very small if I had any which I much questioned I durst not then say Lord encrease my faith but I could cry earnestly Lord work faith in me I found much dulness and deadness manifold distractions in duties so that God might justly have withdrawn himself from me for ever yet notwithstanding all my uneven walking with God he was graciously pleased to manifest his mercy unto my soul. When I was stricken with such weaknesses as I apprehended might quickly have ended my life I fell into a great fear At the first finding my heart to sink the Lord was pleased to gâ—ive me so much respite as to pour out my soul before him desiring strength and support from him to keep up my spirit and to make me willing to submit to his dispensations and the Lord graciously answered my prayers in that he removed all my former doubtings and fears all the time of that sickness which was long and so dangerous that neither I nor others expected my life The Lord then cleared up my evidences for Heaven and gave me in so much comfort against the apprehension of death as I never had in all my life before Other like trials of the Lords love I found still when I was in the greatest extremity and stood most in need of help from him insomuch as at such times I have hoped that I should never again have questioned the love of God to my soul But I have found it otherwise by sad experience For when these impressions were worn of I have been ready to call all in question again concerning my poor soul. It made me oft to think of that which was laid to Solomons charge that he forgat the Lord that had appeared to him twice I found it the hardest thing to believe that ever I went about But this wavering condition could not satisfie my soul for the Lord giving me sometimes a glimpse of his love made me long after fuller enjoyments of it so that I was carried out with a restless impatience to beg that the Lord would take away the heart of unbelief from me which did both dishonour him and hinder me from that peace which the Lord was willing that his people should enjoy My heart then being brought unto that frame I was more willing than ever I was before to impart my condition unto some spiritual Friends whom I desired to deal impartially with me acquainting them with the whole condition of my soul how far the Lord had carried me on and at what I stuck and still as new objections did arise I laboured to get satisfaction Being convinced that I had too much prejudiced my self in that I had not sooner made my condition known to some who were able to give me advice This way of communicating my condition I found the Lord blessed unto my soul insomuch that my hopes were more confirmed my fears more removed my faith more strengthned and by the hearing of such Sermons and reading such Books as came closest unto the conscience and were most for trial of ones spiritual condition I found the greatest benefit by and received the most comfort from them Formerly I had many fears that I was not one of them who had an interest in the Election of Grace But the Lord afterwards put into my heart to enquire whether I had those Graces of his Spirit wrought in me which none but his own elect people could have Upon the strictest searching into mine own heart the Lord was pleased after many years of fear at last to evidence unto my soul that there was a change wrought in my heart will and affections notwithstanding the remainders of sin and corruption which still encompassed me about being confident that he that had begun this good work would not leave it unfinished unto the day of Jesus Christ and the Lord was pleased to set home divers Promises for the strengthning of my faith to wit those which set down the Everlasting Covenant 2 Sam. 23. 5. The Everlasting love of God Jer. 31. 3. Joh. 11. 13. The certainty of the Foundation 2 Tim. 2. 19. The certainty of the Promises 2 Cor. 1. 20. They are all in Christ Yea and Amen and that the children of God have eternal life promised unto them and that none shall be ever able to pluck them out of Christs hands Joh. 10. 28. Then for divers years the Lord was pleased to stay me to lead and guide me till he had set my feet upon that Rock which is higher than I from whence I trust that I shall never be removed And now my hearts desire is to ascribe that measure of hope and comfort which the Lord hath given me at any time onely unto the praise of the glory of his Grace who hath made me accepted in his Beloved which is so great a mercy as I can never be thankfull enough for nor walk answerable thereunto I know when I look into my heart there is matter of fear that the Lord will withdraw the influences of his comforts from me But that which I rest upon is the free mercy of God in Christ expecting performance of his Promises made Rom. 6. 16. Sin shall not have dominion over you because you are not under the Law but under Grace And Ezek. 36. 25. that he will sprinkle clean water upon me and that he will give me a new heart and put a new spirit within me that he will take away my stony heart and give me an heart of flesh being perswaded that the Lord will keep me by his own Power through faith unto salvation And now that I may have all the Graces of the Spirit strengthened and encreased in me which I finde that I stand in continual need of It is the desire of my soul to be a partaker of the Lords Supper which through the blood of Christ onely I have right unto This is the particular account of Gods gracious dealing with this godly Gentlewoman considering there was no administration of the Sacrament in that Parochial Congregation where she lived and used formerly to receive it nor any Pastor at all to officiate there she being desirous to enjoy that great Ordinance and that after a pure way of administration sent this aforementioned Narrative