continued labouring in that imployment through many pains till Tuesday the 6. of December Anno Christi 1653. About which time as his natural strength was exceedingly decayed so now also his Intellectuals began to fail and for the following three dayes a drousiness seized upon him insomuch that he could not hold up his head to look into a Book but slumbered away his time in a Chair and upon Friday being the third day after he had given over his studies enquiring what day it was he cried out Alas I have lost three dayes The day following being Saturday he had no desire to arise out of his bed neither indeed could he in regard of his weakness which was such and he was so sensible of it that he said Now I have not long to live in this world the time of my departure is at hand I am going to my desired Haven the apprehension whereof was no little joy unto him for he had often said to such of his friends as came to visit him in his sickness I am willing to dye having I bless God nothing to do but to dye Indeed sometimes he seemed to be in the same strait with St. Paul between Life and Death having a desire to depart that he might be with Christ which was best of all but yet very desirous he was to finish his Commentary upon the Epistle to the Hebrews which he knew would be very useful to the Church of God and in that respect he was willing to live and God so far answered his desire in that particular that he lived to finish it within half a Chapter But when he perceived that his time in this world could not be long O! how sweet and joyful was the apprehension of Death unto him which he often termed his best friend next to Jesus Christ. So that he came willingly he was not plucked and dragged to Death Death was his familiar acquaintance it was his priviledge as well as his task When his good sister said to him in his sickness Brother I am afraid to leave you alone Why Sister said he I shall I am sure be with Iesus Christ when I dye The meditation of Death was not more frequent than sweet unto him His soul was upon the wing and was bent Heaven-ward even whilst it was in the cage of his decrepit body Upon Saturday though he kept his bed through weakness yet was he more wakeful and his spirit more lively and cheerful than for several dayes before which questionless was from his joyful apprehension of his approaching departure His speeches that day were more than ordinary Heavenly He spake much in the admiration of Gods Free grace and riches of his Mercy in Jesus Christ. As while he lived he led a heavenly life so about the time of his death by those comforts and joyes that he found in his soul he seemed to be in Heaven even while he was upon the earth and so he continued full of sweet and divine comfort and heavenly expressions to the last of his understanding and speech which continued to Munday morning when both of them failed him from which time he lay breathing yet shorter and shorter till eight of the clock at night about which time in the presence of all his Children and divers of his Friends he quietly slept in the Lord making an happy change from earth to Heaven which was Decem. 12. Anno Christi 1653 being 79 years old after he had served God faithfully and painfully in his Generation A Catalogue of the Books published by him Of Domestical Duties on Eph. 5. and 6. The whole Armour of God on Eph. 6. Of the sin against the Holy Ghost on Matth. 12. 31 32. Mar. 3. 28 29. Upon the Lords Prayer called A Guide to go to God Gods three Arrows Plague Famine and Sword on Num. 16. 44 c. 2 Sam. 21. 1. Exod. 17. 8. The extent of Gods Providence Nov. 5. on Matth. 10. 29 30 31. The Dignity of Chivalry on 2 Chron 8 9. The Saints Sacrifice or a Comment on Psal. 116. Two Treatises 1. The Sabbaths Sanctification 2. A Treatise of Apostacy on Luke 15. 31. The Saints Support A Sermon before the Commons in Parliament on Nehem. 5. 19. Mercies Memorial Nov. 17. on Exod. 13. 3. The Progress of Divine Providence A Sermon before the House of Lords on Ezek. 36. 11. A Funeral Sermon on Ezek. 24. 16. The Right way A Sermon before the Lords on Ezra 8. 21. Two Catechismes A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews My Reverend Friend Mr. Tho. Gouge eldest Son to this famous Doctor desired me to insert this Life amongst these other Worthies contained in this Volume The Life and Death of Mr. Thomas Gataker who dyed Anno Christi 1654. MR. Thomas Gataker or Gatacre for so he wrote himself till of later years to prevent miscalling occasioned frequently by the view of the Letters he changed it into Gataker was a branch of a very ancient Family so firmly by Gods Providence planted in Shropshire that the Stock hath continued in the same House carrying the Name of its owner and known by the Title of Gatacre-Hall by an un-interrupted succession from the time of King Edward the Confessor His Father Mr. Thomas Gatacre being a younger Son of William Gatacre was designed by his Parents to the study of the Law in order whereunto he was admitted a Student in the Temple And during his abode there he occasionally went to visit some of his Kindred who were then high in place and power whereby he was often present at the examination of some Christian Confessors of the Gospel in those bloody times wherein Satan armed all his Forces to suppress that dawning light which threatned ruine to his Kingdome of darkness The harshness and cruelty of those proceedings together with the constancy of those weak yet sincere Christians who with evidence of truth and resolution of minde maintained faith and a good conscience were very prevalent with him to facilitate his entertainment of that purer Doctrine of the Gospel which began to shine into his soul. This being apprehended by his Parents fearing his change in Religion they sent him over to Lovaine in Flanders and to win him to a compliance with them in Religion they setled upon him an estate in a Lease of an hundred pounds per annum in old Rents but like St. Paul Phil. 3. 8. He counted all outward advantages as nothing in comparison of the knowledge of Iesus Christ. His Father therefore perceiving how fixt and unmoveable he was in his choice of Religion in which yet he had nothing to except against but only the novelty of it he recalled him into England and in great displeasure revoked his former Grant of 100 â— per annum which yet could not be effected without his Sons consent But this young Disciple had already learned the hard lesson of self-denial and of forsaking all to follow Christ and therefore to preserve his
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
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
his death besides very considerable summes extraordinary All that knew him found him very communicative not onely of his studies for the advantage of their mindes but of part of his stipend for the relief of their bodies and indeed in works of charity he more needed a bridle than a spur He was not so severe in his judgement about Episcopacy as to disown other Reformed Churches but declared that he loved and honoured them as true members of the Church universal and was ready for the Ministers of Holland France â— to testifie his Communion with them He was a man of a most exemplary moderation meekness humility and ingenuity Anno 1641 he drew up an Expedient to accommodate some of our differences in Ecclesiastical Affairs which some moderate men of both parties were ready to subscribe But in matters of Doctrine for the substantials it was often his charge that Ministers should not preach any thing as to please men but God who hath put them in trust 1 Thess. 2. 4. For such as seek to please men are not the servants of Christ Gal. 1. 10. And in defence of those truths no man was more resolute and constant than he not giving place by way of subjection no not for an hour Gal. 2. 5. but in circumstantials he thought it to be our duty with St. Paul to please all men and not our in all such things 1 Cor. 10. 31. to edification and concord He was in these things alwayes the same holding fast the form of sound words in Doctrine and practice to the last The night before he left London Oh! the humble expressions he used of his own unworthiness demeaning himself as if he had been the least of Saints which he uttered with many tears He wished those about him to prepare for afflictions and trials which he was perswaded were not far from them Having abode at London one and fifty dayes for so it was punctually noted by himself in a Book it being his custome with David so to number his dayes both for the place where and the manner how he spent them he returned to Rygate Feb. 13. 1655 to the Countess of Peterboroughs March the 20 following was the first day of his sickness upon which day as every day he had been well busied Most part of it as long as he had light he had spent at his study proceeding in his Chronologia sacra clearing all the doubts in his Annals of the Bible in which he had gone as far as to the Book of Judges where the last words he wrote were these Hic praeterea notandum but returned not to make any further progress From his study he went to visit a sick Gentlewoman in that Family and prescribed to her most excellent preparatives for death with other most holy advice in practical matters in which he spent three quarters of an hour but in such an heavenly manner as if like Moses upon Mount Nebo his eyes had been strengthened to take a prospect of the heavenly Canaan That night about eight a clock he first complained of his hip judging it to be a spice of the Sciatica which he had been troubled with about five and thirty years before contracted by sitting up late in the College Library at Dublin but by the application of an ointment he was presently eased of that pain so that he took some rest that night In the morning he complained of a great pain in his side whereupon a Physitian was sent for who used such means as he judged fit for him but the pain continuing and his spirits decaying he wholly addicted himself to prayer only upon the abating of the torment he advised those about him in health to prepare for sickness and death that then they might have nothing else to do but to dye and after a short settlement of the things of this world he took great content in his approaching death A Minister there present assisted him with his prayers but afterwards he desired to be left to his own private The last words he was heard to utter which was about one a clock in the afternoon and a little before his death were these praying for the forgiveness of his sins he added But Lord in special forgive my sins of Omission Herein he had his wish which he often used that he might dye as holy Mr. Perkins did which expired with crying for mercy and forgiveness But did he pray for pardon of his sins of Omission and yet he was a person that was never known to omit an hour but was alwayes imployed in his Masters business either in preaching reading writing or hearing others as of late to read to him either resolving doubts or exhorting instructing and counselling such as came to visit him yet did he dye with this humble expression Lord forgive my sins of Omission A speech that may give us all matter of solemn meditation and imitation March the 21. Anno Christi 1655 this glorious Sun set and from earth was translated to Heaven having been Primate of Ireland just one and thirty years and a Preacher five and fifty years and having lived about seventy five years What he had to leave was only his Library and divers imperfect Copies of his intended Works which death prevented his finishing of The Lord Protector as he was then called gave him an honourable burial at the publick charge in the Chappel of Henry the seventh at Westminster and extended to his what was before intended for himself in the grant of some of the Lands belonging to the Primacy of Armagh for the terme of one and twenty years He was highly admired and much honoured by all the famous Lights of his time through the Christian world Spanhemius Divinity-Professor at Geneva Anno Christi 1639 in his Epistle Dedicatory to him before his third Part Dubiorum Evangelicorum spends above two leaves in extolling him Some of his expressions are Your very great parts Most excellent Usher are known not onely within your own Country but in ours and wheresoever else there is honour given to Piety or price set upon learning c. He speaks much of his Charity to strangers his Humility Piety Works his Library of which he made such use for the publick good that it was not so much his own as the Library of all learned men In a word saith he the name of Usher with us is a name of Piety and Vertue it is of great Renowne at our Geneva c. Gerard Vossius frequently admires him as a man of vast learning worthy of an everlasting Monument The high merits saith he of this most excellent and throughout most learned man both of the Church and of the whole Commonwealth of Learning deserve an everlasting grateful memory A man so excelling in the knowledge both of Humane and Divine things that I cannot speak any thing so high of him but his worth doth surpass it Bochartus and Simplicius call
was sound and orthodox in his judgement An able and resolute Champion against all manner of Popery and Arminianism as also against Anabaptism and Brownism which did then begin to peep up and infest the Church to tear and rent the seamless coat of Christ. He was always a Non-conformist one of the good old Puritans of England He never swallowed any of the Prelatical Ceremonies against his Conscience So that he was often troubled by the Bishops but God raised him up friends that always brought him off and maintained his Liberty He was prudent and of a peaceable spirit and never censured any that could and did conform if he judged them consciencious and saw any thing of God in them At his first coming to Bramford he saw of the travel of his soul. He had a plentifull harvest many souls being daily added to the Church by his powerfull Ministery and holy life But after he had abode many years amongst them the people began to be glutted with heavenly Manna and loathed it so that there grew a great decay in their first love and about the year 1615. or something before there arose up a generation of malignant spirits who were haters of a plain powerfull and searching Ministry and of the life and power of Godliness These were the Gentry and chief of the Parish These rose up against Mr. Carter pressed him to Conformity complained of him to the Bishop and threatned that they would either bring him to conformity or eject him At this very juncture of time through Gods gracious Providence the Rectory of little Belsted fell to be void A very small Village some three miles from Ipswich and a solitary place the means indeed was better then Bramford yet short of a competency and of the deserts of so eminent a Pillar in the Church of Christ it being but about fifty pound and at the most not worth above sixty pound per annum The Patron Mr. Bloss became a Suitor to Master Carter to accept of it which he refused again and again being resolved rather to endure persecution at Bramford to grapple with all difficulties and to die there rather then to remove But Gods providence over-ruled him At Bramford he saw that he must be outed and Mr. Bloss would take no denial yea and he found favour in the eyes of the Bishop so that he was instituted without subscription or submitting to the Ceremonies and then at last God as it were taking him by the hand and pulling him whether he would or no he removed from Bramford after he had done faithfull Service in the work of the Ministery for about thirty four years in that place and was setled at Belsted Parsonage where be continued eighteen years before God caused him to rest from his Labors and in all that time he discharged his holy Function just as he had done in Bramford in his younger years though his Congregation here was but small yet it pleased God that many Fish came within the compass of his Net from Ipswich and other neighbouring Towns where they were destitute of faithfull Shepherds so that his later Crop in Gods Harvest-field was very considerable Little Belsted was a Tusculanum to him where in his old age he had much secret and sweet communion with God in the house and as an Isaac with him in the Fields which was a beginning of that glorious Communion which he now enjoyes with God in the mountains of Spices He being dead yet speaks and his works praise him in the Gates For from the Press we have his Learned and pithy Commentary on the Sermon of Christ in the Mount and two short but substantial solid and profitable Catechisms one Milk for children the other Winter evenings Communication His pains in the study of the Revelations were indefatigable He wrote much in a little room but these Labours of his yet never saw the light Many Ministers that privately did converse with him lighted their candles at his For his carriage and deportment in his Family it was sober grave and very Religious He there offered up the Morning and Evening Sacrifice of Prayer and praise continually so that his House was a little Church Thrice a day he had the Scriptures read and after that the Psalm or Chapter were ended he used to ask all his children and servants what they remembred and whatsoever Sentences they rehearsed he would speak something out of them that might tend to their edification For his own and his Wives habit it was very plain and homely of the old Fashion yet very cleanly and decent insomuch that all that came to his house would say they had seen Adam and Eve or some of the old Patriarchs In all his house also there was nothing but honest plainess He was such an one as Jacob a plain sincere I had almost said a perfect man I am sure a true Nathaneel in whom was no guile He never used any Plate in his House but Vessels of Wood and Earth Pewter and Brass were the highest Mettals for his Utensils All the time of his house-keeping he used constantly at his Table a little wooden Salt which with age was grown to be of a duskish black which was much taken notice of by all Comers He never made Feasts yet always had wholsom full and liberal Diet in his house and all fared alike He and his wife did never think that his children and servants and poor folk did eat enough The righteous man saith Solomon is mercifull to his Beast So he was carefull even for the bruit Creatures that they should be fed to the full All his cattel were like to the first Kine that Pharaoh saw feeding in the Meddow they were fat-fleshed and well favoured insomuch as some godly people used to say merrily If they would be a Cow or a Horse or a Hog or a Dog they would choose Mr. Carter for their Master He had a sharp wit and was sweet milde affable and pleasant in his conversation yet were there not any of his most facetious passages that did not savour of holiness His communication and discourse was always heavenly and his eyes were frequently lifted up towards heaven He did not eat or drink without praising God with his mouth and eyes His whole Conversation was in Heaven Besides his Family Duties and Prayers he prayed constantly in his Closet at his first going to his study and before he came forth to Dinner and Supper He prayed very loud and mostly very long for the extension of his voice he had a double reason one that by his earnest speech he might quicken and raise up his own heart and devotion the other that he might give a good example for secret prayer to his children and servants and he never closed any Prayer without adding the Lords Prayer and his ground for that practise was this He judged his own best Prayers imperfect and that of
speak out at least not so often as he would have had it In his Ministry he never strove for vain glory nor of men sought he praise disdaining to stoop to the lure of popular applaus and therefore he ever shuned those more gay and lighter flourishes of a luxuriant wit which like beautifull weeds make a fair shew at a distance but stink neerer hand wherewith the emptiest Cells affect to be most fraught Like those who for want of wares in their shops set up painted boxes to fill up empty shelves He fed not his flock with airy dews of effeminate Rhetorick which a masculine Orator would shake off from his pen and lips as St Paul did the Viper from his hand nor yet with the jerks and quibbles of a light spirit which he ever abhorred as the excrementitious superfluities of frothy brains and unhallowed hearts but he ever led them out into the green Pastures of solid and savoury truths as their necessities and capacities did require He had and alwayes administred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rationall unadulterated milk for Babes in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and strong meat for grown men He was a wise Master builder who intending to raise a strong and beautifull Fabrick laid a solid Foundation able and sufficient to bear and strengthen all his superstructures He therefore began his Ministry with a pervous and perspicuous handling of such Texts as might discover to his People the Divine Authority sufficiency purity and energy of the holy Scriptures the ten Commandements Articles of the Faith the Lords Prayer the Doctrine of the Sacraments God in Trinity his Decrees Creation Providence of Sin Christ the New Covenant the Fall of Man the Mediator the Gospell Faith Vocation Regeneration Justification Adoption Sanctification Glorification the Church the last Judgment the Christian Warfare and such like All which in process of time he opened and applied sometimes more largely sometimes more briefly but alwayes profitably and sweetly as a workman that needeth not to be ashamed but rightly dividing the word of truth in a practicall way Out of all which in his more mature and riper years greatest strength of parts and depth of judgment he after many serious reviews compiled that excellently compacted Systeme of Divinity in a Catecheticall way which he deservedly intituled The Guid to true Blessedness And out of it he again extracted that lesser Catechisme which he often used with very profitable and delightfull explanations both in his Congregation and Family A most profitable course of teaching and learning the true knowledg of Christ. He went also through many intire Scriptures which doth greatly try and improve a Divine and the more obscure any place was the greater was his diligence with happy success to bring light unto it Difficulties which are Lions in the way of the sluggard proved but spurs to his Industry He went over many of the Psalms as the 1 t 2d 4th 6th 10th 14th 19th 22d 45th 50th 122d 127. The twelve first Chapters of Isay Lamentation the 3d Habbacuk the 3d the Prophesie of Malachy Mathew the 5 t 6th and 7th Chapters All the Examples both of good and bad men in the Scriptures for imitation of the former and detestation of the latter All the Miracles and Parables of Christ All St Johns Gospel an admirable Commentary The twelfth of the Epistle to the Romans the second Chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians the 2d and 3d to the Collossians the 2d to the Thessalonians Chap. 2. The eleventh of the Epistle to the Hebrews the 2d and 3d Chapters of the Revelations with many more besides very many Texts suitable to the times on every occasion being exceeding happy in the choise and prosecution of them Whensoever his Preaching day happened upon January the 17 which was his birth day he still noted his years compleat with this Paenitentiall Epiphonema 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God be mercifull unto me a sinner A memorable evidence of his pious sence of his own unworthiness in the sight of God how much soever he was cried up and esteemed by men No excellency of naturall abilities no eminency of spirituall endowments no acceptation of his labours ever puffed him up but that he still walked in all lowliness and humility towards all men even in his greatest exaltations in the hearts of men Much might be said of his long continued course of Catechising that most profitable and speedy way of implanting knowledg by which he set up so great and cleer a light in his Congregation as will not only discover the wisdom and excellency of the workman and guid their feet in the wayes of truth and holiness who have been enlightned thereby but much facilitate the further polishing of those living stones by succeeding builders His Heavenly and Divine spirit of Prayer seemed to excell all other his excellencies as will be attested by all that heard him in publick or private and that ever knew what a Prayer of Faith elevated to the highest pitch by the Holy Ghost meaneth whether they ever found any to excell him or many to come near him O! those penitent unbowelling confessions earnest deprecations petitions panting-longings and sighings after God and his Grace those mighty powerfull Arguments whereby he set all home feeling Thanksgivings and divine raptures carrying up his soul to Heaven in the sacred flames of his own Sacrifices sweetly perfumed with the Incense of him who presenteth all the Prayers of his Saints on the Altar of Grace He first brought conceived Prayer into use in those parts wherein he was so happy so free from impertinent expressions and unnecessary repetitions so rich in piercing supplications patheticall thanksgivings and gracious wrestlings with the Almighty yea so dexterous to apply himself to prefer all suits and to fit every occasion like an exquisite Archer able to shoot to an hairs breadth and so prompt and full in expressing the very hearts of those that indeed joyned with him in whatsoever they desired for themselves or others as if by a kind of transmigration their souls had passed into his and spake the very bottom of their hearts by his Tongue which their own could not utter And this was such an opening and warming of his hearers hearts before his Sermons and such a sweet closing up of all after his Preaching as added much to the power and profit of all his labours and was to him a transcendent advantage in his whole Ministry And truly his example took so well with all the godly Ministers that heard him that they accounted it their great happiness and honour to follow and imitate him with whom yet very few could keep pace in that most important part of a Ministers work and office whereby they might be the more able to pour out their souls and the souls of their people into the bosom of the Almighty In the Orb of his publick Ministry this fixed Star shined brightly without the least eclipse or
Learning or Industry so was he most carefull not to trust in them but to fix his dependance wholly upon God Herein he was not unlike to blessed Bradford who studied kneeling Another Synesius who was wont to divide his life between Prayer and his Book Like unto Paul Not sufficient of himself to think any thing as of himself and professing all his sufficiency to be of God But we will give our selves say the Apostles continually unto Prayer and to the Ministry of the Word Men of labour they were and men of Prayer As any weighty cause presented it self either in the Church Commonwealth or his Family he used to set dayes apart to seek the face of God in secret Such were the bowels of this spirituall Father the Horsmen and Chariots of this Israel He might say with Paul He was in fastings often His conversation upon earth was a trading in Heaven A demonstration of the praises of him who hath called him A temperature of that holiness sweetness and love which continually gained upon the hearts of many spectators The habituall gracious scope of his heart in his whole Ministry is not illegible in that usuall subscription of his at the end of all his Sermons Tibi Domine Unto thy honour O Lord. A tast of the divine Soliloquies between God and his soul you may please to take notice of from these two transcribed Poems left behind him in his Study written with his own hand A thankfull acknowledgement of Gods providence In Mothers womb thy fingers did me make And from the womb thou did'st me safely take From breast thou hast me nurst my life throughout That I may say I never wanted ought In all my meales my Table thou hast spread In all my lodgings thou hast made my bed Thou hast me clad with changes of array And chang'd my house for better far away In youthfull wandrings thou didst stay my slide In all my journeys thou hast been my guide Thou hast me sav'd from many an unknown danger And shew'd me favour even where I was a stranger In both my Callings thou hast heard my voice In both my matches thou hast made my choise Thou gav'st me sons and daughters them to peer And giv'st me hope thou l't learn them thee to fear Oft have I seen thee look with mercies face And through thy Christ have felt thy saving grace This is the Heav'n on earth if any be For this and all my soul doth worship thee Another made by him as it seems upon his remove from Boston into that wilderness of N. Engl. I now may expect some changes of miseries Since God hath made me sure That himself by them all will purge mine iniquities As fire makes silver pure Then what though I find the deep deceitfulness Of a distrustfull heart Yet I know with the Lord is abundant faithfulness He will not lose his part When I think of the sweet and gracious company That at Boston once I had And of the long peace of a fruitfull Ministry For twenty years enjoy'd The joy that I found in all that happiness Doth still so much refresh me That the grief to be cast out into a wilderness Doth not so much distress me For when God saw his people his own at our Town That together they could not hit it But that they had learned the language of Askelon And one with another could chip it He then saw it time to send in a busie Elf A Joyner to take them asunder That so they might learn each one to deny himself And so to piece together When the breach of their Bridges and all their Banks And of him that School teaches When the breach of the Plague and of their Trade also arow Could not learn them to see their breaches Then God saw it time to break out on their Ministers By loss of health and peace Yea withall to break in upon their Magistrates That so their pride might cease A Disputation is well called the Sieve of truth So in his Polemical labors he was a seeker thereof in love His scope was the Glory of God Unity of the Church and the edification of men not the ostentation of wit It was his holy ambition not to seem to be learned but indeed to be bettered A sincere seeker of light not of victory Witness his Brotherly acceptance of Dr. Twiss his Examination of Mr. Cottons Treatise of Predestination from whom he acknowledged that he received light thereby and was ready to attest the great abilities of the Doctor that Star if any in this age of the first magnitude It is true Mr. Cottons mind was then exercised about the point of Reprobation Touching the point of Election it is sufficiently known that he was not only Orthodox but also cleer As there were of old that pretended the Predestinarian Heresie to have had it's rise from St. Austin and Grevinchovius of late blushed not to say of famous Dr. Ames who was Arminianorum malleus Amesius Pelagianizat Dr. Ames playes the Pelagian So the wonder is less if this sound and judicious Divine hath not escaped the imputation of Arminianism from some notwithstanding the redundant Testimony of his Doctrine and generally of all that knew him to the contrary yea that occasionally he hath been heard to say by Testimony yet alive and above exception that he looked at Arminianism as another Gospel and directly contrary to the Covenant of Grace What Melancthon sometimes said to Eccius may be here truly applied to him Mr. Cotton in his Disputations sought not his own Glory but Gods Truth So able an Opponent was rare so candid an Opponent was more rare He that fell into his hands was likely to fall soft enough ordinarily except through his own default not likely to lose any thing save his error A mans wisdom makes his face to shine He had an happy a quick comprehensive and benign understanding as having received the manifestation of the Spirit for the service and profit of others To discover the mind of God and therewith the sentence of Judgment in matters too hard for inferiour Judges was no small part both of the worth and usefulness of him that was to minister before the Lord. So it seemed good to the Father of Lights to make this happy Instrument not only to excel his Brethren but in many respects upon this account to excel himself A Grace so far acknowledged in him as that all sorts both the Magistrates and private Persons whether learned or unlearned exercised with their respective Cases of conscience waited under God in a special manner upon his lips for knowledge and sought the Law at his mouth So equal a contention between learning and meekness is seldom visible in any one person â—he consciences of those that knew him being appealed to he will be acknowledged amongst the meekest on Earth in his dayes So conspicuous was this Grace in him that multitudes beheld it not without making extraordinary mention
Highness and for the same reason he constantly declined publick appearances insomuch as he could not without much reluctancy be drawn by those who had most interest in him unto more solemn Assemblies 3. In his meek conversation with and condescention to the meanest Christians For he refused not familiaâ—â—â—y to converse with the poorest Christian that repaired to him for counsel or satisfaction in their doubts His Charity was large though for the most part secret both in giving and forgiving to poor persons For he would not permit it to blaze only allowed it to shine when his example was requisite to lighten and lead others to glorifie God and gratifie men In redemption of Captives relief of poor Protestants especially of the Ministry to the repairs of publick and common losses and general calamities and to the setting forward of any good work he was strangely liberal the fruit whereof the Lord returned into his own bosome according to that promise The liberal soul shall be made fat Yet did he not so exhaust himself in his life but that in his last Will and Testament he did also bequeathe unto the poor of the Parish of Redrith 50 l. To ten of his Brethren in the Ministry whose wants and necessities especially if occasioned by the iniquity of the times he gave 50 l. i. e. to each of them 5 l. and to eight Ministers Widows 5 l. apiece in all 40 l. to them Thus his good works both went before him and followed him also unto Heaven whereby also he hath left behinde him the perfume of a good name for the imitation of them that survive Justice is presupposed unto Charity For God hates robbery for sacrifice Isa 61. 8. And Mr. Gataker was exactly just in giving every man his due though very frequently he remitted of his own right so that he was according to the Hebrew phrase a just man that is a kinde equitable person of a milde disposition no severe exacter of his own and a free dispenser of Gods gifts so that his Righteousness endures for ever both to his honour upon earth and to his happiness in Heaven In and about his death to which the course of his declining dayes leads us his Patience and Faith were very eminent the later attended with a deep sense of his own sins which he acknowledged unto God and to him only was that Confession needful For as to men his conversation was as â— Bishopâ— ought to be Irreproveable 1 Tim. 3. 2. The first step to his decease for morbus est via ad mortem sickness is the rode way to death was a fainting fit that surprized him on Friday night July the 7 or rather on Saturday morning July the 8 yet of this he made no great account for he disturbed not the rest of a servant by calling for assistance because he had at sundry times such faintings wherein he gave Nature leave to work out her victory over those vapours or viscous humors that oppressed her Yet thus far he made use of it that he compared his infirmity to that of Seneca which according to his relation the Physitians of that age called meditationem mortis and wished that it might prove to him a preparation to his dissolution The indisposition not ceasing with the fit discovered it self within a short time to be a Tertian Ague which how gentle soever yet falling upon a person of his age and crazie temper who had long supported a weak frame with a very regular course of diet made his condition doubtful to his Physitian who was one of learning and worth that imployed his best care and skill about that Patient whom he looked upon as a considerable person to the whole Church July the 17 Having published his Will and taken such order as he thought fit for the settlement of his outward estate he composed himself to God his Tertian growing too strong both for Nature and Art resolved it self into an almost continued Feavor the extream heat whereof was very painful unto him yet during those conflicts he shewed a sweet calmness of minde a heart weaned from the world to which he had no affection though his memory exactly served him for ordering his charity even to the last and in one word he represented a soul wholly submitting to Gods good pleasure He professed more than once that no outward thing troubled him so much as the condition of that Reverend Minister Mr. Sainthill who had but lately undertaken that charge at Redrith upon the uncertain Title of Mr. Gatakers life which now failing so soon besides the expectation of his Friends that Minister he foresaw was like to be unsettled and thereby to suffer some inconvenience Though Friends and Physitians gave him incouraging words at their visits yet he being sensible of his inward decayes could not be flattered into 〈◊〉 hopes of long continuance here earnestly contending that he was not to expect Miracles His expectation of Gods dismissing of him hence was so fixed thâ—t being consulted whether he would appoint any 〈◊〉 person to perform the last office for him He not startled at the Question appointed that Mr. Ash should be intreated to do that work because he had done the same at his last wives Funerals and one opportunity casually offered it self to set forward that design For July the 18 Mr. Ash out of his kinde respect to Mr. Gataker sent him two Funeral Sermons preached by him one at Mr. Whitakers the other at the interment of Dr. Spurstows only childe This gave occasion to Mr. Gataker in the return for that favour to request the last that he could be capable of Upon the receit of a Letter to that purpose Mr. Ash on the Saturday following visited his dear and dying Friend who then told him that he found him conflicting with his last Adversary and that though he knew the sting was pulled out yet nature would struggle These and other of his expressions Mr. Ash presently wrote down and related them at the end of his Sermon That day in the afternoon being July the 22 he called for some Papers of Mr. Baxters which were sent to him by the Author with a desire of his judgement concerning them He wished some short Notes for the perusal of them had been his last work to be read over to him in which he altered something And having dictated a Letter to that his Learned and Reveren Friend he appointed that that with the Animadversions inclosed should be sent to him So vigorous was his minde in a body drooping and dropping into the dust He had now given over the use of Physick as to any prolongation of his life For he said that he would struggle no more because he found that what was prescribed for the refreshing of nature did rather oppress it and therefore he was resolved to wait the Lords leisure An ancient servant that waited on him desiring leave to rectifie the bed-cloaths and saying withall
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
I so much love When she enjoyed the greatest portion of temporal or spiritual comfort yet would she never say Master it is good to be here as Matth. 17. 4. but making that but a step for an higher ascent she rather inferred It is good going hence For if on earth there be so much good how pleasant and desirable is Heaven the joyes on earth to those that are there are but as the earth is to Heaven little and low dark and heavy Why I do not fear Death I fear not Death because it is but the separation of the body from th sould and that it is but a shadow of the body of death Rom. 7. 24. whereas the separation of the soul from God by sin Isa. 59. 2. and of soul and body for sin is death indeed I fear not Death because Death is such an enemy as hath been often vanquished and because I am armed for it and the weapons of my Warfare are mighty through God and I am assured of victory I do not fear Death for the pain of it for I am perswaded I have endured as great pains in life as I shall finde in Death and Death will cure me of all sorts of pains and because Christ dyed a terrible and cursed Death that any kinde of Death might be blessed to me and that God who hath greatly loved me in life will not neglect me in death but his Spirit will succour and strengthen me all the time of the combate I do not fear Death for any loss For I shall but lose my body by it and that is but a prison to my soul an old rotten house or ragged garment nay I shall not lose that neither for I shall have it restored again at my Saviours second coming made much better than now it is For this vile body shall be like the Body of Christ and by death I shall obtain a far better life And as an incentive of Divine love she prepared a breviate of Gods principal benefits to her self for meditation on her Death-bed and for thanksgiving to God which was this How shall I praise God 1. For my Conversion 2. For his Word both in respect of my affections to it and the wonderful comforts I have had by it 3. For hearing of my prayers 4. For godly sorrow 5. For fellowship with the godly 6. For joy in the Holy Ghost 7. For the desire of death 8. For contempt of the world 9. For private helps and comforts 10. For giving me some strength against my sin 11. For preserving me from gross evils both before and after my calling c. She shewed her holy love to God by conforming her practice to his Precepts according to that Joh. 14. 15. If you love me keep my Commandements She thought nothing too much that she should stick at if God commanded or forbad it nothing so small but his Word was able to give it weight enough to bow down her neck to the obedience of it If it was a greater matter that he required of her she considered that he was a God infinitly both great and good and that unto her who had and would do for her ten thousand times more and greater things than she could do for him If it were a little thing she conceived that the contempt or neglect of it would aggravate her guilt as Naamans servants said to their Master If the Prophet had bidden thee do some great matter wouldst thou not have done it How much rather when he saith unto thee wash and be clean 2 King 5. 18. the less the duty is the more is the disobedience if we do it not for thereby we extenuate the Authority of the Almighty and such as sleight it in a little thing will not regard it in a greater She was therefore very precise in every point which God required the perâ—formance of By this means she still increased in holiness and sanctification and kept a greater distance from great offences according to that of St. Jerom Non cito ad majora progreditur qui parva formidet who so is afraid of a small sin will not easily grow bold on those that are greater Her love to God was strong as death Cant. 8. 4. yea and much stronger so that Death could not affright her for she desired daâ—ly to look death in the face nor could it hurt her more than she was content to endure For though it was not likely that she should go through the narrow wicket of Death and not be pinched in her passage yet was she well contented with it seeing it was the ready way to come to God whom she so much longed to behold Her Charity was very chary of the credit of the absent towards whom she would not suffer either her tongue or her ears be guilty of any wrong or robbery of their reputations She never imposed false crimes or feigned faults upon others She never discovered their secret sins or aggravated those that were known She never denied dissembled nor diminished the vertue or good parts of any Though her hatred of sin was such as became a sincere Christian yet knew she how to distinguish betwixt sin and the sinner and setting a severe dislike on the one she reserved as charity required love or compassion for the other Her Charity was regular according to the Rules of Scripture which she set down in a paper with quotations of Texts for her direction in four particulars 1. I must give readily Job 31. 16. Prov. 3. 28. 1 Tim. 6. 18. 2. I must give secretly Matth 6. 3. 3. I must give liberally 2 Cor. 8. 12. 9. 6. 4. I must give cheerfully 2 Cor. 8. 12. It was answerable also according to her own ability and others necessities She had rather give a little to many since the number of the needy is very great then a great deal to a few and she so ordered her charity that she might still be able to exercise her hand that way and not as some who give so much that after a while they can give no more And upon extraordinary occasions if she were not magnificent the let was not in her minde but in her means Her Charity was vigorus and so cordial that what she gave was alwayes without grudging knowing that God loves a cheerful giver 2 Cor. 9. 7. yea she was so cheerful herein that she bestowed nothing upon her self with more readiness than she did upon others whether it were towards the maintenance of the Ministry or in giving Almes to the poor and yet herein did she follow the rule of our Saviour Matth. â— 6. Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth for she was many times as close in giving her own as a Thief would be in taking away from others so that none did more good deeds with less shew or sound of words than she For the object of her charity she took her direction from the Apostles precept
the poor of their right that he added much of his own distributing sixpences and shillings even when he had no money in bank He had not onely the testimony of his own conscience and of good men for his upright and just dealing but even of such who had little goodness in them A prophane Gentleman jeeâ—ing at his heavenly discourses another of good quality though of little piety replyed Well Gentlemen you may laugh at him but on my conscience he meaneth well and whosoever of us goeth to Heaven shall meet Mr. Jurdaine there He was a man that made conscience of all the duties and exercises of Religion both in private and in publick His frequent discourses of Heaven and the way thereunto and assurance of his interest therein did declare that his heart and conversation were much in Heaven He used 〈◊〉 take occasion to confer of spiritual and heavenly things with all sorts of men that he conversed with One should seldome hear him speak but of heaven and heavenly things His heart was so full of heaven that he could not but utter and breath it forth in his discourses with men and especially with those whose hearts and faces were towards Heaven When he was at Table receiving his dayly food he did usually minister occasion of holy discourses and diverted vain and unprofitable talk to such edifying speeches as might minister grace to the hearers according to that exhortation Eph. 4. 29. He took occasion from earthly things to speak of heavenly as from the sweetness of the creatures to speak of the infinite sweetness which is in God from feasting on earth to the sitting down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of heaven Matth. 8. 11. and feasting with God and his blessed Saints there And when the Table-cloath was taken away he would often say In heaven there is no taking away here we are soon satisfied and cloyed but there will be such a feast that we shall be continually delighting our souls with it without any cloying And his manner was to close his meals with singing some short Psalm He delighted much in reading good and holy books and especially that Book of books the sacred Scriptures wherein he most delighted and thereby shewed that he had the property of a godly man set down Psal. 1. 2. 119. 97. The word of God was his meditation all the day long yea both day and night He did not onely read the Bible above twenty times over but he read it with special observation as appeareth by the Asterisks and marks in the Bible which he used making particular application to himself The like course he took in reading over that usefull Book of Mr. Rogers his seven Treatises and other practical books wherein he was very conversant and his collections out of several Authours do abundantly testifie And he took so much delight in reading that voluminous and excellent Book of the Acts and Monuments of the Church that upon occasion he told a Friend that he had read it seven times over His zeal for God and his glory and against Idolatry prophaneness and other evils whereby God was highly dishonoured was most eminent and remarkable He was a man of an Anti-Laodician temper he had well learned the Apostles direction Rom. 12. 11. To be fervent in spirit serving the Lord and not the time He was far unlike Ignatius Loiola the Founder of the Order of Jesuits who was a man of fire that was set on fire by â—ell to promote the cause of the Prince of darkness but he had an holy fire kindled in his heart from heaven whereby he did burn with zeal for the advancement of Gods glory and an holy indignation against sin and errour He would if it had been possible have burnt up all the dross and fiâ—th that corrupted the Truths of God and that was contrary to the wayes of holiness and therein he was very like to Ignatius the Martyr Neither did his zeal carry him beyond knowledge like that of the Jews Rom. 10. 2. when in his zeal he used often to cry out Fie upon discretion For he condemned only that counterfeit pretence of discretion which was taken up and pleaded against true and regular zeal And truly if carnal discretion be set up and cried up like the worldlings Idol it is the part of true Christian zeal to cry it down He was a very strict and conscientious observer and sanctifier of the Christian Sabbath or Lords Day He did then rise very early as on other dayes if not earlier and called upon those in his Family to rise early on that day saying This is Gods day and as we do expect that our servants should rise early to go about our work on our dayes so God expects our early rising on his Day to go about his work and service And he used carefully to attend upon Gods holy Ordinances The feet of them that dispenced the Gospel were beautiful in his eyes as Rom. 10. 15. more beautiful than their faces to many others He was one of those Saints that sate down at Gods feet to receive his word Deut. 33. 3. as Disciples used at the feet of their Teacher implied Act. 22. 3. and he was very desirous and willing to learn of any that came with the Lords message unto him He was a Mâ—ason an old Disciples Act. 21. 16. yea a Disciple when he was old It never came into his heart to cast off Ordinances no not when he had attained to an high measure towards perfection He was a constant writer of Sermons even when he was old and that not for his own benefit alone but for the good of his Family to whom he did constantly repeat the Sermons And if he found himself overtaken with drowsiness in hearing the word an infirmity incident to age his manner was to stand up and to rouse up himself that he might hear the more attentively He knew that Religion consisted not in hearing repetition and profession but in practice and therefore his care was to digest his hearing and knowledge into an holy conversation His love was so great to the Ministry of the word and the Lords holy Ordinances that he did intirely love and affect all faithfull and painfull Ministers though their gifts were but mean but he could not away with a lazie Ministâ—r though he was never so learned Where fidelity and learning meet together in one Minister Oh! how highly would he reverence him And being desirous not to go to Heaven alone but to draw others with him his usuall course was when he went with his Family to Gods house to make an exhortation to his children and servants that they should consider into whose presence they were going and whom they were to hear even that great God to whom they were to give an account of every word which they should hear and therefore he required them carefully to store it up for their practice and
could not attend upon it every morning yet he failed not of it in the evening Well Sir said Mr. Jurdaine I will tell you in plain tearms what I would have you â—o do I would take all these goods and throw them out into the street and let them rather be cast away and perish than that they should be a means to ruine my soul unto all eternity From this Assurance it was that he was so fearless of Death He knew that Death was an enemy as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15. 26. But that through Christ it was become a Friend to open the Gate of Heaven Whereas Death in it self is as Bildad saith Job 18. 14. the King of Terrours or as the Heathen said Of all Terribles the most terrible yet he being assured of his interest in Christ found it not so to him for he looked upon it as having lost its sting through Christ. Indeed he made it so familiar to him by his continuall meditation of it that he was so far from fearing it that he did delight to speak of it yea earnestly desired it and with joy expected it whereby he discovered his great proficiency in the School of Christ. It was his usuall saying that if Death were offered him on the one hand and the Kings Crown on the other he would take the Crown and throw it into the Kennel and choose Death far before it He knew that he should be a great gainer by Death and thereby obtain the Crown of life and glory Jam. 1. 12. 1 Pet. 5. 4. and that he feared not but rather hoped for Death And this was further manifested in that when the Plague was very hot in the City of â—xeter and he being in the highest place of Authority there at that time when the poor flocked about his house for relief though he would not causelesly expose himself to danger yet being in the discharge of his Duty he feared not the infection but often professed that if by Gods disposing the Plague should seize on him he would kiss and welcome it as the messenger of Death Nor was the meditation of Death then in his minde onely in times of danger but at all times there was not a day wherein he did not speak of it and not onely when there was occasion offered to talk of it but he would take occasion to discourse of that subject As when he was invited to a Feast he would tell the messenger that he would come if he did live so long And when he went out of his house upon publick or private businesses he would as it were take a solemn leave of his wife telling her that he knew not whether he should return to his house again Yet did he not so much desire Death as to undervalue the blessing of life or to neglect the means for the preservation of it for he acknowledged it to be a great blessing and he was willing to live as long as the longest lived man if it were Gods good pleasure and if he might do him service And when he was sick or in any danger he would carefully make use of the means that he might thereby serve Gods good providence for his recovery or deliverance saying that though he must trust in God yet he must not tempt him by seeming to trust in him His minde was not so much upon Earth and Death as upon Heaven to which he was assured Death would be a passage for him Sure his heart was much upon Heaven or Heaven was much in his heart as appeared by his frequent discourse of it both day and night and our Saviour Christ tells us Mat. 12. 34. That out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks All that knew him and looked upon him without a prejudiced eye would say that he was a most heavenly minded man a man that lived in Heaven as much as most that lived upon earth When in the night he looked upon those glistering lights of Heaven Ezek. 32. 8. the Firmament adorned with those Stars of light Psal. 148. 3. he used to raise up his thoughts and speech much higher even to the glory of the highest Heaven saying If these visible Heavens be so glorious how doth the Heaven above them exceed in glory where God alone shall be the light and yet the Righteous shall shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdome of their Father Mat. 13. 43. There was scarce any occasion administred or any special act of Gods providence that did occur but it would draw out some speech of Heaven from him as when any cross or loss befell him in his affairs he would say no more but Heaven will pay for all And when in a journey he fell from his horse and lay for a while in a swoon as soon as he recovered his first words were Well I see that I am now deceived I thought that my horse would have cast me into Heaven These are some few heads of the breathings of his piety to which much more might be added and truly they which knew him will marvell not that so much is said of him but rather that there is so little He was as eminent for Justice as for Piety when he was advanced to the chiefest place of Government in that City to be Mayor of that honourable Corporation He was an eminent Magistrate and that not only in the year of his Majoraâ—ty but ever after as long as he lived He looked upon it not as a place of honour onely but as an office of trust wherein he might honour God and execute justice amongst men and reform those evils which abounded in those times in that place He did not glory so much in having the Sword carried before him though it was a singular badge of honour to that City that the Kings swoâ—d should be taken from his side and delivered to the Mayor to be carried before him as a signall testimony of his favour and their loyalty and courage in the insurrection of Perkin Warbeck as he was desirous to draw forth the sword of Justice against evil doers and not to carry it in vain Rom. 13. 4. He was observed to be an impartial Administrator of Justice and one that without respect of persons did punish evill doers of whatquality or condition soever they were that did transgress the Law whether they were Citizens or strangers that came thither if complaint were made to him they should not escape condign punishment as the Laws of the Land or custome of the place did award As for instance There was a Gentleman of quality that was complained of to him for swearing five Oaths and for some other misdemeanours Mr. Jurdaine thereupon sent a Constable with a Warrant to fetch him before him but the Gentleman gave the Constable threatening language so that he durst not execute his Office Whereupon Mr. Jurdaine sent one Constable more for him who brought the Gentleman before him And he being in
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
the Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace And bid her serve God and pray duly to him both morning and evening and fear his Name and then said she I doubt not but God will bless you as he hath blessed me In the evening of the same day she commanded her younger Daughter to be brought her and to be put upon the bed in a kneeling posture and then putting her hand on her shoulder she gave her also the same blessing as she had given to her sister Four dayes before her death she grew a little better which put her Friends in some hope of her recovery but the day following her sickness seized on her again and so continued upon her that she slept no more till she slept the sleep of death and together with her sickness her Piety Devotions and comforts encreased in her In the last night of her life presently after midnight feeling death now approaching she sent for her Husband and Family out of their beds and told him when he came to her that she was now leaving the world and him and expressed in many words her great devotion faith and assurance of that everlasting life which she now was shortly to enjoy and desired that they might now all pray together which they did she still expressing much devotion and comfort and after an hour spent in those passages she desired that the Bell might be tolled for her and some Gentlewomen of her neighbours coming to her before them she expressed her comforts and assurances of everlasting life as before and with increase and therein and in prayers they continued till near the rising of the Sun After this she seemed for a wh'le willing to slumber and closed her eyes and so lay for a little while but then turned her head to the other side of the Pillow and after a few restless turnings she said what the Prophet Micha had said before her Mich. 2. 10. There is no rest in this world and then opening her eyes after some expressions of the comfort which she felt distinctly knowing all that were present and speaking to them all she seemed to slumber again and after a little time spake these words Come let us go let us go repeating those words several times which she spake not in a slumber but being awake and as perfect in her understanding and memory as at any time in her life And it is a comforttable opinion that Divines teach from Luke 16. 22. that the Angels do attend on Gods children especially at the time of their dissolution to conduct their souls from earth to heaven which opinion she sometimes in her sickness related to her Husband and added that she had heard it from the Pulpit and had read it in some Books and she believed it to be true and comforted her self with it After a little time she called for some drink and having taken it it began to alter her as it seems she felt in her self for she presently laid her self back on her Pillow and lifting up her eyes towards Heaven she said Lord have mercy upon me Lord Jesus receive my soul and so continued moving her lips and her tongue but her words were not heard and then held up one hand and then joyned both her hands together holding them up with her eyes still heaven-ward till her strength failing her she laid down her hands by her and stretched her self in the bed without any help and sweetly fell asleep about seven a clock in the morning August the 15. Anno Christi 1646. And August the 24. she was decently and solemnly laid in her bed of rest the house as Job saith appointed for all the living Job 30. 23. where the weary are at rest where the wicked cease from troubling and hear not the voyce of the oppressor Job 3. 17 18. The Life and Death of Mrs. Margaret Corbet who dyed Anno Christi 1656. IF we enquire into the Relations of this Gentlewoman either by Affinity or Consanguinity or both sides the Families are ancient of renown and good reputation Concerning the Family from whence she was descended her Father was Sir Nathaniel Brent late Warden of Merton College a learned Knight whose great pains and dangerous adventures to procure the History of the Councel of Trent which he translated into English are to be remembred with an honourable mention and for his faithful discovery of Jesuitical juglings his name will be had in honour when the names of the Popish party will rot Her Mother the Lady Martha Brent was a Lady of a Gracious spirit abounding in love meekness humility love to Gods Ordinances and Gods Children Her delight with David was in the society of Saints She imitated her worthy Father in the sweetness of disposition who was Dr. Robert Abbot that learned and godly Bishop of Sarum who was Malleus Baptismi Armianismi the Hammer of Popery and Arminianisme His excellent Works or Monuments of his Honourable memory To be born of a godly Family and to be well descended is a mercy not to be neglected Mr. Philpot a zealous Martyr being a Kings Son and an Archdeacon told his adversaries that he was a Gentleman Anabapâ—istical parity and Levelling designs are worthily to be abhorred and looked upon as a ready way to confusion rapine and violence So then we see that she was a Gentlewoman every way well descended Her Ancestors were persons of Honour and from them she had the benefit of an ingenuous and liberal Education This is much but it s more when I say that she came of a godly stock and of praying Relations and indeed this is that which ennobles Nobility it self God in mercy began with this Gentlewoman betimes even about the fourteenth year of her age Then God gave her a willing minde and purpose of heart to serve him in the dayes of her youth Insomuch as she was swift to hear the word of God she waited diligently at the posts of Wisdomes Gate She wrote the Sermons which she heard a practice used by King Edward the sixth that rare English Josiah and she left many volumes of Sermons of her own hand-writing taken with great dexterity and these are as so many choise Monuments of her Industry She was much conversant in reading of the holy Scriptures which can make us wise unto salvation and she joyned with her reading prayer and meditation Her delight was in the word of God It was as with Jeremy the joy and rejoycing of her soul and with the reading of Scriptures she searched Expositors and Practical Divines and attained thereby to such a measure of Divine knowledge as enabled her to state some Questions of controversie for her better use and help of her memory and to discourse very soundly upon the most material points of Religion and even above her age and sexe to maintain the truth as occasion