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
the godly and the miserable condition of the wicked in their death and so for ever unto all eternity it pleased the Lord so much to affect my heart with it as from that time my heart was wrought over to a desire to walk in the wayes of God But at that time I fear I did not go upon a right principle for I then did not eye the glory of God in it but only my own safety that it might be well with me for ever But quickly after that I had but begun to set my face towards Sion I was set upon with many temptations and perplexities in my thoughts which were very troublesome to me at all times but especially when I was alone the consideration whereof brought such an horrour upon my conscience insomuch as I did not know what to do That little I had whether from education or from the light of Nature caused a striving in me continually against those thoughts of Atheisme which were most terrible unto me I was sensible that it was a fearfull sin to have any such thoughts to lodge within my brest but I desired from my soul to be freed from them and had continuall reasonings within me against them and yet still for a long time I was troubled but could not acquaint any with my condition I did not think that it was so with any other as it was with me In this strait when I knew not which way to turn me even there did the Lord extend his compassion towards me in my greatest extremity in directing me to read Calvins Institutions and especially that part that treats of the Creation Whereupon the Lord was pleased to give in such satisfaction to my soul concerning those things about which I was troubled as that from that time forwards I was not violently assaulted in that kind But no sooner was I freed from that trouble but new ones sprang up For the very remembrance of that horrid sin of Atheisme left such a terrour upon my spirit as made me fear that I had committed that sin against the Holy Ghost and so my condition seemed to be not only for the present but in my apprehension then for ever most miserable All other sins though never so great I knew upon true repentance were pardonable but this sin that I lay under the fear of I knew out of the Word of God should never be pardoned which caused many sad fears upon my spirit known to God alone For the removall of these fears the Lord in mercy directed me to the reading of Mr. Scudders Works where are laid down the marks of that sin Upon perusall whereof the Lord was pleased to satisfie my misgiving heart by a clear manifestation to my soul that I had not committed that sin and so assured me that though my sins were great yet were they pardonable which put me more chearfully upon the use of such means as the Lord had directed me unto And having satisfaction given in concerning this particular there was a great burden taken off from my spirit Although I found no grace in my heart nor discovery of the love of God unto my soul yet in that there was but a possibility there was a ground of comfort administred to my heart which I formerly feared that I should be shut out from But still my fears remained that I was not one of those in particular for whom Christ died The more I looked into mine own heart the more I saw of sin and Satan discouraging me from having any hope that the Lord should accept of such a vile sinfull wretch as I was who had entertained such sinfull thoughts I likewise thought how small the number was of those that should be saved in comparison of others and my repentance I feared came short of that which was required in the Gospel As for faith I could not find the least measure of it in my soul with many other sad discouraging thoughts But when I was most perplexed with fears and doubts even then did the Lord graciously dart in some beams of his reconciled countenance as I was reading something in Mr. Scudders Christian daily Walk c. which the Lord set home upon my soul and brought into my soul so much joy and comfort at the present as neither my tongue nor Pen can express But this joy remained not long for I quickly lost the sense of it yet the remembrance of it was sweet unto me at all times But after this all my former fears returned afresh again upon my heart only I had a door of hope opened that when God saw it best for me he would return and renew his reconciled countenance unto my soul in the clear light and apprehension thereof and this was when I was about sixteen years of age After which time the Lord did exercise me with various dispensations For for two years space I was by providence cast upon a place where I heard very little powerfull preaching small helps for the good of my soul but what the Lord was pleased to give in by the use of private means But his power and abundant mercy was much seen in that time that though I had not much comfort yet the Lord was pleased to keep up my spirit in a way of depending upon him and my fears were less at that time than formerly when I had more helps So gracious was tâ—â— Lord unto me in keeping me alive in a time of famine After this through Gods goodness I was sometimes under the preaching of a powerfull Minister Mr. Bateman of Ockingam who was Crowned with the conversion strengthening and building up of many souls unto whose preaching the Lord gave me such a blessing as I seldome if ever went away from hearing him without comfort Though I came to hear him with many doubts upon my spirit yet the Lord so ruled and directed him as if his Sermons had been only concerning my particular and he fully acquainted with the whole condition of my soul. Sometimes the Lord directed me to some supporting Promises upon which I relied But those Promises which were made to Believers though I highly prized them yet I durst not apply them to my self fearing that I had no interest in them But that Promise Prov. 28. 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find mercy And that 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness And the Promise is 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but for the sins of the whole world and the Invitation Isa. 55. 1. Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price together with
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
God he afterwards found not only to be beneficiall unto him in preparing his heart for his work but also that it became an effectual means of his more peaceable and comfortable settlement in that place where the people were divided amongst themselves by reason of a potent man in the Town who adhered to another Cambridge man whom he would faign have brought in But when he saw Mr. Cotton wholly taken up with his own exercises of spirit he was free from all suspition of his being Pragmatical or addicted to siding with this or that party and so both he and his party began to close more fully with him Secondly Whereas there was an Arminian party in that Town some of whom were witty and troubled others with Disputes about those points by Gods blessing upon his Labours in holding forth positively such truths as undermined the foundations of Arminianism those Disputes ceased and the Tenets of Arminianism were no more pleaded for Thus God disposeth of the hearts of hearers as that generally they are all open and loving to their Preachers at their first entrance For three or four years he lived and preached amongst them without opposition They accounted themselves happy as well they might in the enjoyment of him both the Town and Country thereabouts being much bettered and reformed by his Labours But after he was not able to bear the Ceremonies imposed his Non-Conformity occasioned his trouble in the Bishops Court at Lincoln from whence he was advised to appeal to an higher Court and imploying Mr. Leveret who afterwards was one of the Ruling Elders of the Church of Boston in New England to deal in that business and he like Jacob being a plain man yet piously subtile to get such a spiritual blessing so far insinuated himself into one of the Proctors of that high-Court that Mr. Cotton was treated by them as if he were a Conformable man and so was restored unto Boston After this time he was blessed with a successfull Ministry unto the end of twenty years In which space he on the Lords Dayes in the afternoons went over the whole Body of Divinity in a Catechistical way thrice and gave the heads of his Discourse to those that were yong Scholars others in the Town to answer his questions in publick in that great congregation and after their Answers he opened those heads of Divinity and finally applied all to the edification of his people and of such strangers as came to hear him In the morning of the Lords Dayes he preached over the first six Chapters of the Gospel of St. John the whole Book of Ecclesiastes the Prophesie of Zachariah and many other Scriptures and when the Lords Supper was administred which was usual every monâ—th he preached upon 1 Corinth 11. 2 Chron. 30. the whole Chapter besides some other Scriptures concerning that subject On his Lecture days he preached through the whole first and second Epistles of John the whole Book of Solomons Song the Parables of our Saviour set forth in Matthews Gospel to the end of Chapter the 16th comparing them with Mark and Luke He took much pains in private and read to sundry young Scholars that were in his House and to some that came out of Germany and had his house full of Auditors Afterwards seeing some inconvenience in the Peoples flocking to his House besides his ordinary Lecture on the Thursdays he preached thrice more in publick on the week days viz. on Wednesdays and Thursdays early in the morning and on Saturdays at three a clock in the afternoon Only these three last Lectures were performed by him but some few years before he had another famous Colleague He was frequent in Duties of Humiliation and Thanksgiving Sometimes he continued five or six hours in Prayer and opening the Word So indefatigable was he in the Lords Work so willing to spend and be spent therein Besides he answered many Letters that were sent him far and near wherein were handled many difficult Cases of Conscience and many doubts cleared to great satisfaction He was a man exceedingly beloved and admired of the best and reverenced of the worst of his Hearers He was in great favour with Dr. Williams the then Bishop of Lincoln who much esteemed him for his Learning and when he was Lord Keeper of the Great Seal he went to King James and speaking of Mr. Cottons great Learning and worth the King was willing notwithstanding his Non-conformity to give way that he should have his Liberty in his Ministry without interruption which was the more remarkable considering how that Kings Spirit was carried out against such wayes Also the Earl of Dorchester being at Old Boston and hearing Mr. Cotton preaching about Civil Government he was so affected with the wisdom of his words and spirit that he did ever after highly account of him and put himself forth what he could in the time of Mr. Cottons troubles to deliver him out of them that so his Boston might still enjoy him as formerly but his desires were too strongly opposed to be accomplished About this time he married his second Wife Mistriss Sarah Story then a Widow He was blessed above many in his Marriages both his Wives being pious Matâ—ons grave sober and faithfull By the first he had no children the last God made a fruitfull Vine unto him His first-born was brought forth far off upon the Sea in his passage to New England So that he being childless when he left Europe arrived a joyfull Father in America In memorial whereof he called his name Sea-born to keep alive said he in me and to teach my Son if he live a remembrance of sea-Sea-mercies from the hand of a gracious God He is yet living and entred into the Work of the Ministry A Son of many Prayers and of great expectation The corruption of the times being now such that he could not continue in the exercise of his Ministery without sin and the envy of his maligners having now procured Letters Missive to convent him before the High Commission Court which Letters a debauched Inhabitant of that Town undertook to serve upon him who shortly after died of the Plague Mr. Cotton having intelligence thereof and well-knowing that nothing but scorns and imprisonment were to be expected from them according to the advice of many able heads and upright hearts amongst whom that holy man of God Mr. Dod of blessed memory had a singular influence he kept himself close for a time in and about London as Luther sometime did at Wittenberg and Paraeus since at Anvilla Yet was not that season of his recess unprofitable For addresses during that time were made unto him privately by divers persons of worth and piety who received satisfaction from him in their Cases of Conscience of greatest concernment And when he went into New England it was not a flight from duty but from evident danger and unto duty Not from the
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
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
conscience pure and intire he gave up that which was intended as a baite to Apostacy But the Lord who hâ—â—h promised to his faithful followers reparation and satisfaction for all their losses for his sake raised him up Friends by whose assistance and encouragement he pursued his studies at Oxford and in process of time when not onely the clouds of ignorance and superstition were dispelled but also those bloody storms in the Marian dayes were blown over he took upon him the publick Ministry of the Gospel and was houshold Chaplain to that great Favourite Robert Earle of Lecester and afterwards Pastor of St. Edmunds in Lumberd street London In which Parsonage house by his wife who was of an honest Family of the Pigots in Hertfortshire amongst other children he had this Thomas who was born September the 4. Anno Christi 1574. In his Childe-hood he was so addicted to those means which his Parents applied him unto for the implanting in him the seeds of good Literature that he rather needed a bridle than a spur For his love of learning equal to that admirable capacity wherewith the Father of Lights had furnished him was so active in the acquiring of it that his Father was fain often gently to chide him from his book Neither were his nimble wit sharp judgement and vast memory perverted to be the instruments of that debauchery wherewith the corruption of our Nature doth too often stain and desloure our first dayes For he had a lovely gravity in his young coversation so that what Gregory Nazianzen said of the great Basil might be averred of him That he held forth Learning beyond his age and a fixedness of manners beyond his Learning Having happily finished his Tyrocinnia of first exercises in the Grammar-Schooles wherein he overcame by his strange industry the difficulties which thâ—se times destâ—tute of many helps which our present dayes do enjoy conflicted withall and outstripped many of his fellows which ran in the same course before he had compleated sixteen years viz. Anno Christi 1590 he was by his Father placed in St. Johns College in Cambridge Not long after his settlement there his Father being called by God to receive the reward of his labours left him not wholly destitute and yet not sufficiently provided for any long continuance of his studies in that place But God who hath engaged his truth and mercy to the upright and even to his seed also Ps. 112. 1 2. especially when the Son doth not degenerate nor thwart the Providence of God by a forfeiture of his title to the Promises provided friends and means for him who was by an hidden counsel then designed to be an instrument of doing much service to the Church of Christ. Thus the fruit was not nipped in a promising bud by the Frost of want Now not from meer favour but from merit upon the proof of his Learning he was 〈◊〉 chosen Scholler of that worthy Society wherein he continued his studies with unwearied diligence and happy success till he with abilities answerable to his Degree commenced Master of Arts. For an instance of his industry take this viz. That he was a constant Auditor of that eminent Light of Learning Mr. John Boys who read a Greek Lecture in his bed to certain young Students that preferred their nightly studies before their rest and ease The notes of those Lectures he kept as a treasure and being visited by Mr. Boys many years after he brought them forth to him to the no small joy of the good old man who professed that he was made some years younger by that grateful entertainment About this time was contracted that streight friendship betwixt our Mr. Gataker and that faithful servant of Jesus Christ. Mr. Richard Stock which continued to the death of this Reverend Minister as appears by Mr. Gatakers testimony given unto him at his Funeral An evidence of that good esteem which Mr. Gataker had now acquired for his Learning and Piety was this That a College being then to be erected by the Munificence of the Countess of Sussex the Trustees of that Foundress being persons eminent for Prudence and Zeal did choose him for one of that Society and they transplanted him into that new Nursery of Arts and Religion being confident that he would as indeed he did by Christs assistance prove very fruitful both for the ornament and benefit of that Seminary Indeed they laid hold of him before the house was fit for Inhabitants fearing lest so fair and promising a Flower should be taken up by some other hand But while the College was in building that he might not lose any opportunity of doing good he retired himself to the house of Mr. William Aylofes in Essex who had prevailed with him to instruct both himself in the Hebrew Language and his eldest Son in that Literature which was proper to his age In this Family partly by his own inclination and partly by the encouragement of the Governours thereof he performed Family Duties for the instruction and edification of the whole houshold expounding to them a portion of Scripture every morning that the Sun of Righteousness might as constantly arise in their hearts as the day brake in upon them In this Exercise whereby he laboured to profit both himself and others he went over the Epistles of the Apostles the Prophesie of Isaiah and a good part of the Book of Job rendring the Text out of the Original Languages and then delivering cleer Explications and also deducing usefull Observations Dr. Stern the Suffragan of Colchester on a time visiting the Mistress of the Family to whom he was nearly related happened to be present at one of these Exercises at which time Mr. Gataker explicated the first Chapter of St. Pauls Epistle to the Ephesians which is known to be most pregnant of Divine My steries But this portion of holy Writ he treated upon with such happy elucidations that the judicious Doctor was much satisfied with his pains therein and admiring the endowments of Mr. Gataker exhorted him instantly to be Ordained to the work of the Ministry whereby those his gifts might be authoritatively exercised for the publick good and improved for the building up of the Church and withall offered him his assistance in that business But Mr. Gataker well weighing the burden of that Calling and judging modestly of his own abilities which he conceived disproportionable for that Office to the full discharge whereof the Apostle hath set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who is sufficient thanked the Doctor for his kinde offer but deferred the matter to further consideration But afterwards by the advice of the Reverend Mr. Henry Alvey formerly his Tutor and whom in this business he now took for his counsellour upon his remonstrance of divers reasons and the importunity of Dr. Stern afresh re-iterated he assented to be Ordained by the said Suffragan The Fabrick of Sidney-Sussex College being now finished
blood which extinguisheth the fire of thine anger O that it might allay my burning pains I am in a fiery Furnace Lord be with me as thou wast with the tâ—ree Children and bring me out refined from sin when I have sailed through the Ocean of these pains and look back I see that none of them can be wanting I flye unto thee O God hide me under the shadow of thy wings till these terrible storms be overpast 5. God added Humility as a Crown to all his other Graces which yet shone bright in the eyes of all that were acquainted with him Indeed he was cloathed with Humility And hence it was that he would converse so familiarly with the poorest Christians and with them who were of the lowest parts for knowledge even with babes in Christ. This his ordinary expression of himself before God did clearly demonstrate his great humility Poor worm Sinful wretch O pardon my transgressions for they are very great Hereupon he would weep much when he was told how much he was prayed for wondring at Gods goodness that so sinful a wretch and worthless a creature should have so much interest in the hearts and prayers of the people of God And his language in his Will speaks how little he was in his own eyes the words are these I desire that at my Funeral there may be no pomp but that so poor a worthless wretch may be privately laid in the ground And as his Graces were many so were his Comforts many and great which God vouchsafed as singular manifestations of his love to this his dear Servant and Childe O what Kisses of Christs Mouth and what imbraces from the Arms of his Love were bestowed upon this Saint of the most High He enjoyed all along his afflicted condition an uninterrupted assurance of Gods Fatherly love in Christ. In his addresses unto God he constantly claimed propriety in God calling him my God and my Father His inward peace and joy were the support of his heart under all his grievous and grinding pains he was confident of mercies mixtures with all his greatest distempers not at all doubting of the sanctification of them to him through Grace Thus he spake many times in his applications unto God Consider and save me for I am thine How long how long Lord shall I not be remembred yea I am remembred blessed be thy Name This is a fiery Chariot but it will carry me to Heaven Blessed be God that hath supported me hitherto and he that hath delivered will yet deliver Thou Lord never forgettest them that put their trust in thee Alwayes when the extremity of pain was over he would with smiles speak of Gods mercies Though trembling took hold upon him when his violent pains began yet would he with confidence say Now in the strength of the mighty God I will undergo these pains O my God put under thine everlasting Arms and strengthen me Many times he told a bosome friend of his that notwithstanding all his rentings and roarings from which he expected no deliverance but by death he would not for a thousand worlds change estates with the greatest man on earth whom he looked upon as in a way of sin and enthraled thereto And this much bespeaks Gods Fatherly indulgence towards him that Satan could never shake his confidence nor assault his hopes all the time of his irksome irksome distemper And this was further very remarkable that he counted all these inward cheerings the fruits of Prayers that were made for him though God saw cause to deny that ease and recovery to his body which was so much begged and withall he valued those spiritual cordials and refreshings far beyond deliverance from the Gout and the Stone yea and Death it self These things are the rather mentioned to prevent that discouragement or offence which some may be too apt to take at the violence and continuance of his wasting and tormenting pains notwithstanding his own godliness and the uncessant prayers both ordinary and extraordinary which were made unto God in his behalf for he found the sweet fruits of them in his own bosome even when he felt the continuance and increase of his bodily grief Another thing very remarkable in holy Mr. Whitaker was his love to his fellow Christians he was a man made up as it were of love His delight was in the Saints upon earth whom he esteemed most excellent and their society was a constant cordial to his spirit His frequent visits of them that were in trouble and his stirring up of others to the like practice were testimonies of this his cordial love which indeed was not verbal but real He was also abundant in works of charity few men of his estate did equalize him therein He would often say It is a brave thing when a man together with a full estate hath a charitable heart Sometimes upon special occasions he hath given away all the money that he had in the house It was not unusual with him to give twenty shillings to a poor Saint and he had many experiencences of Gods gracious returns in such cases By his last Will he gave twenty pounds to the godly poor of his own Parish There were two Cases wherein his loves were most enlarged to the people of God whereof you may take these two Instances The one when the sufferings were publick He often told an intimate friend of his that Englands late breach with Scotland and the blood that was shed together with other sad consequences thereof had taken such impression upon his heart that the sorrow would never be removed till his death and the sufferings both in Holland and in England in our late Sea-sights were an heavy burden upon his spirit The other Case was in respect to the inward perplexity of such as were afflicted in minde having moved a special friend of his the week before his death to bestow a visit upon one in that condition the very morning before his death when speech was grievous to him in respect of his great weakness he asked him whether he had remembred the party that was troubled in spirit which was a remarkable evidence of his strong love to such And besides what hath already been mentioned I might here set down his many wrestlings with God to prevent the flood or troubles which he apprehended the Protestant Churches were now in danger to be overflowed withall as also his compassionate respect to Congregations in the Country which were like sheep wandring upon the barren mountains without a Shepherd And as his love sâ—owed forth to the Saints so was theirs no less towards him Not to speak of the many frequent and friendly visits of godly men and women in the Neighbourhood round about him there was scarce ever heard of any man that was so much prayed for both in publick and in private both upon ordinary and extraordinary occasions as he was There was no particular case so frequently so
zeal as a Christian against prophane swearing and for the strict observation of the Sabhath wherein there is a remarkable instance of both at once and it was this Mr. Jurdaine returning from the Parliament in the company of a person of Honour he was invited by him to stay at his house that night being Saturday and the Sabbath following he having observed that Noble personage to swear as they travelled together told him that he would not go into his house for that he was a Swearer and he feared that the house would fall upon his head Answer was returned that he need not fear that for the house was newly built a fair and strong house To this he replied yea but the flying Rowl of Curses shall enter into the house of Swearers and shall consume the timber and stones of it But to obtain his company the Lord pressed the inconveniencies of his lodging in an Inne on the Sabbath day Mr. Jurdaine replied But I will never go into your house unless you will engage your self that no Oath shall be sworn â—nor cursing uttered by yourâ— your Lady nor none of your servants or Family This was faithfully promised Yea but then said Mr. Jurdaine how shall the Sabbath be kept the answer was That he should have an honest Sermon in the forenoon And what in the afternoon said he Except we shall have a good Sermon in the afternoon also I will not go in That likewise was granted and as it is said all was faithfully performed He was not for judgement only but for mercy also and he shewed mercy to the souls of them that were brought before him as transgressors of the Law and to be punished according to their demerits For he would labour to convince them of the hainousness of their offences that so he might bring them to a sight of their sins and to repentance for the same He did much encourage the Officers under him to a diligent and faithfull discharge of their duty and indeed they stood in much need of it meeting with many discouragements from some others and when he found them somewhat backward through timerousness or other by-respects to execute his Warrants upon persons of high place he would exhort them to be active and forward in doing their duty telling them In good earnest for that was his usuall word that if he had as good a Warrant from God as they had from him to apprehend offenders if he were required to apprehend the Devil himself he would not be backward to put it in execution His zeal was not only in distributive justice as a Magistrate but he was conscienciously carefull as a Christian in commutative justice in his commerce and dealings with men wherein he made the Word the rule of his practice and if he found at any time that he had swerved from that rule he would retract it that so neither his own conscience nor other men might reproach him for walking disorderly and besides the rule and that appeared not only by his avoiding all usurious Contracts but also in making restitution of all that had been gotten thereby He had sometimes taken usury for Money lent to a person about Lime which he had received for divers years for at that time he held it lawfull by reason of the practice which he had observed in some forreign States and the concurrent judgements of some Divines of note who spake in favour thereof but upon his perusall of the Writings of other godly Divines of our Nation and by conference with some worthy Ministers of his acquaintance he was so convinced of the unlawfullness of usury that he did not only forbear the practice of it for the future but restored the interest formerly taken and took no more for the loan of Money than the party borrowing would voluntarily give him He did much bewail the common course of too many who sin against God both in getting and spending their worldly estates For said he as they get it unjustly and by indirect means so for the most part they spend it leudly and lavishly in satisfying their sinfull lusts Neither was he more famous for justice than he was for charity and that both in his life and at his death In his life-time he was a free-hearted man and open-handed He was a great patron of the poor Another Job in that respect He could truly say with him as Job 30. 25. Was not my soul grieved for the poor No doubt it was and the bowels of his compassion did yearn towards them He was an Advocate and did earnestly plead for them and especially for Gods poor honest poor persons whose hearts and faces were set Godward and Heavenward and his hands were very open to relieve them He did that for them which many of far greater estates had not hearts to do He would often say that he wondered what rich men meant that they gave so little to the poor and raked so much together for their children Do you not see quoth he what becomes of it and would reckon up divers examples of such as heaped up much for their children and they within a short time had scattered and consumed all and on the other side he often spake of such as had small beginnings and afterwards became rich or of a competent estate giving a particular instance in himself I came said he but with a groat or six pence in my purse to this City had I had a shilling in my purse I had never been Mayor of Exeter And therefore leave children but a little and they by Gods blessing on their labour and industry may become rich But leave them a great deal and they are in danger to be beggars His care for the poor was most remarkeable in the time of the great Plague in that City which was anno Christi 1625. For in the Maiors absence he was chosen his Lieutenant or Deputy and he seeing the deplorable condition of the City accepted of it and then he wrote divers Letters to many Towns in Devonshire and to some in Dorset and Sommersetshire by which meanes he procured severall summes of Moneys for the suppliall of the wants of the many hundreds of poor that at that time were in a very distressed estate One that was an eye-witness related that he had seen morning after morning coming to his door sometimes thirty sometimes forty yea fifty or sixty or more wringing their hands some crying that their husbands were dead Others that their wives were dead Others that their children were dead and that they had not any thing wherewithall to bury them Some again cried that their Families were sick and they had not wherewithall to relieve them Others that they had divers children but they neither had bread nor Money to buy it for them Some cried for bread Some for Physick Others for Shroudes for their dead and he not only heard them patiently but his bowels yearned towards them and his hands were
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
to the Reverend Dr. Harris living then in the University who admitted her to the participation of the Lords Supper in that publick Assembly where he administred it Now let us see also a Letter written by Dr. Harris concerning this godly Gentlewoman whom he highly honoured upon the occasion of his communicating the aforesaid Letter of hers to a friend Do not saith he think it lost time to read over this Narrative It was penned by this gracious woman upon a serious occasion what time she was to give an account of her self at her admission to the Lords Supper The discourse is plain but pregnant of instruction I alter nothing in the thing I onely take notice of the persons therein mentioned As 1. God 2. Satan 3. The parties self All which offer matter worthy thy thoughts First in Satan thou seest his most ordinary way and method in tempting His first attempt is to blow out all light left in the soul and to quell all thoughts of a Deity if possibly he can that so no room at all may be left for God If that cannot be but the conscience will be sometimes talking then his next work is to question and argue the case whether indeed there be such a person as God such a thing as the soul such a book as the Bible such a place as an Heaven or Hell and if he cannot gain such a conclusion from the soul then in the third place the Question is What manner a one this supposed God is And first whilst thou art in thy natural state he represents God made all of mercy and when thou art under mercy all of vengeance and fury there was no place for fear and here none for hope There sin was an inconsiderable thing and beneath Gods cognisance here sin is unpardonable and beyond Gods mercy In both estates he labours the destruction of Faith now in the threats then in the Promises In the first estate you must never yeeld to self-despair no spit in his face that shall once question thy belief in God without the least doubting What not believe my Maker with all my soul What once doubt or suspect him I defie him and the foul fiend that shall say so On the other side when once converted what hast thou to do with the Covenant of Grace and Peace That is bread for Children not for Dogs Hypocrites for such as have sinned against the Holy Ghost as thou hast done and at this bay he holds the soul for some space and eftsoon recruits his forces and renews his Interrogatories thus Thou within the Promise Thou a believer Canst thou say darest thou say that thou hast faith It may be thou darest not deny it but what is that to the point Thou darest not affirm it though partial enough to thy self Be advised by me who loves plain dealing and let not thy false heart and these fawning Preachers befool thee unto destruction Thus the Devil up and down first and last thus he proceeded with man at the first and though sometimes he shifts hands and findes out new wayes yet here lyes his road for the most part and this is the first party here named Now in the second place what doth God It must be granted that he permitteth these Hellish Scullions to scour his Plate and to fit the vessels of honour for their Masters use and they as glad of the office bestir themselves they dawb their vessels and render them as foul and ugly as they can but when they have done their work God takes his Plate out of their hand to their no small grief and in the mean while God goes along with the temptations and in them all supports his poor servants now more immediately by his own hand prompting their Petitions darting into their souls some glimpses of comfort minding them of some Promise to be sure yeelding them some secret hope something or other which draws them along still more or less 2. Now more immediately by men and other means sometimes he directs them to some special Book or Treatise which fits their case and holds soul and life together at present sometimes he sends an Interpreter one of a thousand that shall rip up their misery and shew them their misery and shew them their remedy and at last fetches off his Captives even then when Satan began to crow and cry victory that extremity being Gods opportunity and this is usually though not ever Gods way Now look upon the third concerned the party tempted what doth he He sticks often in the birth fool as he is his first work is to keep the Devils counsel confess and be shamed for ever the Devil is true to him and he will be as true and never peach he travels with a wofull burden of sin guilt horrour but if thou lovest thy self saith the Devil keep thy own counsel trust not God nor man But if the Preacher doth force him to a confession and he can hold no longer then he makes forth but fair and softly First he makes many offers goes and comes and something he would say but is loath he begins afar off and then stops begins again and then stops again takes another day and then comes again with a purpose of uttering all and when he comes to his friend either all is quiet for the present and the pang over or else if he hangs still on the rack then he drops out somewhat but reserves the worst and so is little the better because he comes not to the bottome quickly or if he speaks out all yet there is another rub in the way how can I tell whether this parties testimony be true or no his judgement and affection being right He shews me promises but knows he or I whether those promises do belong to me He speaks of a Christ but what is that to me if he be none of mine He talks of believing seeing is believing It is a senseless thing to trust to anothers goodness when I have nothing of mine own to believe mercy whâ—n I feel wrath shall I not believe mine own eyes And thus after a world of Sermons Sacraments Conferences the poor soul hovers and findes no rest or satisfaction till God be pleased to work him to these things 1. To a resolution of imparting himself to some godly friend and of speaking his whole heart to some one or other 2. Of resting in Gods bare word without the assurance of sense 3. Of accepting of Jesus Christ without any Ifs and And 's notwithstanding his own unworthiness 4. Of waiting upon God and hearkning when he will speak peace and when he is brought thus far that he will be beholden to a Commuinon of Saints and will take Gods word without any farther surety and owe all to Christ though he can contribute nothing and in despight of all suggestions and discouragements will stick to the peace of Christ and look for all his peace in that way saying Though he kill me
my work wipes off my tears S-ighs are all turn'd to songs all tears to wine K-ings favour crowns my heart what should grieve thine A-re we not both of the same houshold still I-at the Banquet and thou at the Mill B-oth fellow-servants I my Pension now N-ext thine work on the Feast succeeds the Plow E-ach of us yet in hopes my Dust to win S-alvation from the Grave thy soul from sin T-hings worth the waiting for Christ comes to save O-mourn no more but write this on my Grave H-ere lies Mother and Babe both without sins N-ext birth will make her and her Infant twins Her Childe was buried with her Thus interwoven were our Names till death Left Wilkinson without Elizabeth Wee 'l joyn again 'T was Man and Wiâ—e before 'T will then be fellow-Saints for evermore ED. REYNOLDS On the truly Vertuous and Religious Mrs. Elizabeth Wilkinson To her Husband Say shall I speak or hold my peace That seems more due but this more ease Where what to speak is hard to say For should I utter all I may 'T were endless And to praise a Friend By halves is but to discommend And would I speak To whom and what To those that knew or knew her not Who knew her need it not for they Know more than I am like to say Who knew her not may think that she Deserv'd but what they hear from me And so instead of setting forth Her praise I should but wrong her worth He that adores with silent view Doth not detract from what is due But all that while his silence sayes He knows not how enough to praise So might I choose I would adore Her speaking worth and say no more But since I must for so you say Not hold my peace I must obey Yet 't is I say too hard a task To answer fully what you ask To know what first I should commend And harder where to make an end Should I begin where first appear Her worths I must begin with Her Higher than so I need not go Tho whence she came be worthy too From first her own deserving merit Claims more than others do inherit Nor is it easie to express What age of hers was spent amiss Her temper meek Her carriage such Her language good and not too much Her habit comely more than brave Her conversation humbly grave What vertues deck't a single life Were doubled when she was a wife How good a wife I need not tell To him who knew her worth so well Nor what was her Maternal care To whom her children were so dear Nor was her good confin'd to home But challenged a larger room To heal the sick the hungry feed And succour those that stood in need Good both to soul and body too Of those with whom she had to do To rich to poor to great and small But in her Closet best of all Which was her Christian daily walk In doing that which others talk Forward to good without constraint And as she liv'd she dy'd a Saint But this to speak at large would crave A Volume not an Epitaph And were it done I might offend By shaming many left behinde Tho more there may be found I fear That will commend than follow her Some minde good words more than good lives Some are good women not good wives Some neither this nor that and some Abroad are better than at home Some hope to dye like Saints although 'T is too too plain they live not so 'T is rare in all respects to see A Wife a Woman like to thee At home abroad in life in death Like unto our ELIZABETH I. WALLIS D. D. A Table of the chief things contained in the first Part. A ADvice to children page 323 c. Affability 118 Afflictions of Gods Ministers 45. 62 65 80 280 290 B Books which are best 314 C Candour 77 Charity 1 4. 41 93 116 149 174 239 303 Comforting afflicted consciences 10 41 114 Communion with God 7 Conjugal love 14 40 139 Constancy 258 Contentment 30 Conversation in Heaven 9 Conversion 57 Courage 287 302 D Diligence 99 132 202 Divisions lamented 227 E Envy 107 211 F Faith 120 150 172 281 Family duties 7 28 101 145 162 Family government 307 Fasting and pâ—ayer 15 63 70 119 162 Fruitfulness in conversation 13 264 G Gratitude 28 H Heart tâ—nder 169 Hospitality 8 34 42 78 Humility 8 20 37 42 68 118 148 172 216 240 269 297 304 Hypocrisie complained of 261 I Ignorance 276 Independency 〈…〉 approved 319 Industry 2 30 34 56 62 63 86 88 105 109 129 137 165 195 219 Justice 14 150 L Life holy heavenly 9 30 40 107 148 268 Love to the Saints 174 M Meekness 74 114 169 Memory good Ministry highly esteemed 101 160 163 167 Ministry successfull 67 105 212 228 234 Moderation 73 271 Modesty 75 251 P Painfulness in the Work of the Ministry 4 32 91 106 132 162 204 212 223 262 263 284. Patience 121 150 169 272 306 Peace-makers 78 115 239 Persecutors plagued by God 22 65 Piety 68 96 147 160 194 Popery not to be tolerated 220 Prayer frequent and servent 9 15 38 69 103 171 219 254 310 Prayer succesfull 11 192 204 230 Set forms of Prayer lawfull 255 Preaching plain best 252 Predictions 10 201 225 226 Providences remarkable 2 6 4â— 56 64 66 79 129 191 207 215 234 235 27â— Prudence 30 36 57 74 229 S Sabbath sanctified 69 102 298 Satans malice and subtilty 191 192 Self-denial 35 105 135 142 205 268 Sermons which are best 313 Single-heartedness 261 Slanders 290 Speeches gracious 11 122 178 299 304 317 c. 320 Studiousness 40 67 97 116 Sympathy 45 120 174 T Temperance 117 305 Temptations 61 249 294 Temptations resisted 199 Thansgiving page 119 Tithes asserted 266 W Wives vertuous 14 32 Word meditated on 98 World contemned 196 269 Z Zeal 5 113 148 163 166 201 226 239 A Table of the principal things contained in the second Part. A Afflictions of Gods children p. 497 514 Anabaptists raise troubles 374 Assurance 457 B Bible translated into Suedish 387 Bishops temporalties given to the King 382 Bounty 431 C Charity 438 470 507 Comforts of Gods children 424 494 518 522 Constancy 446 505 Conversation heavenly 452 Conversion 415 502 512 515 Covetousness 342 Courage of Gods children 384 466 468 477 505 Cruelty 341 342 D Death desired and why 432 460 Death not feared and why 435 Devotion 499 E Enemies loved 439 F Faith of Gods children 420 424 496 519 523 Family government 506 Fasting and prayer 429 Fidelity 400 G Gods mercy to his children 516 517 519 526 Growth in Grace 447 513 H Heavenly-mindedness 416 461 Hospitality 473 Humility 425 444 503 Hypocrisie 342 I Joy unspeakable 457 518 Justice 462 463 465 L Life holy 449 491 Love to Gods children 428 437 50â— Love to Gods house 490 M Meekness 492 503 Mercy to souls 465 Ministes loved 45â— Modesty 44â— P Patience 440 485
The Bishops refuse to submit He resigns his Kingdome to the States Note The Nobles oppose the Bishops They request him to reassume the Government The Temporalties of the Bishops given to the King The Bishop of Hincopeâ— flies The Clergies pride abated Gustavus is crowned Reformatiou carried on The Kings piety Satan rages So do the Bishops And others that affected Popery The Kings courage The Mutineers disagree Some flye Others put themselves upon triall Are cast and condemned The Kings prudence Another interview of the two Kings The Kings marriage His Piety He preferrs godly Bishops Reformation carried on The Bible translated King Christian invades Norwey policy Some Suedes revolt to him Others were more wise King Christians foolish credulity He is made a prisoner Note The King of Sueden meets with new troubles 〈…〉 Tumults about Bells Subjects treat with their King The Kings policy He punishes the Rebels The King of Denmark dies An Interregnum there Reformation of Religion in Lubeck Woolweaver a turbulent person The Danes refuse to joyn with Woolweaver So doth Gustavus Woolweavers pride The King and Woolweaver fall out The Earl of Hoyes treachery Pride goes before a fall Divisions in Denmark Gustavus joyns with the Lords of Denmark The Duke of Aldenburgh beaten Woolweavers treachery against Gustavus Suanto's fidelity Aldenburgh beaten Woolweaver is hanged and quartered Haffnia surrendred The King makes a truce with Lubeck Note The King of Suedens Prudence The Crown of Sueden is made successive and why The Crown is entailed upon Gustavus his Family Gods blessing upon his Family Christian resigns his Crown Gustavus his Posteâ—ity Gustavus grows famous Note Policy of Princes The King of Denmark dies Another chosen Christian the Tyrant dies Gustavus dieth His Character Her parentage Her conversion The manner of it Her excellent parts Heavenliness Her prudence In her speech In her silence Her holy communication Her wise demeanâ—ur Her faith The confession of her faith Her Faith Her Comfort Her frequent Prayers Her fervent Prayers Her prevalent Prayers Her holy Speech Her Humility Her love to Gods children and to the Church of Christ. Her love to the Word and Sacrament and House of God Her weanedness from the world Her frequent Fasting Her abstinence from Sports and from Marriage Her weanedness from the world Her bounty to the Ministry Her desire to dye Why she desired Death Why she feared not death Her thankfulfulness Her universal obedience Her love to God Her Charity Her love to her neighbours Her Sympathy Her Patience Her Modesty Her Humility A good Wife Her preferring others before her self Her Sincerity Her Constancy Her growth in Gâ—ace Her sickness Her Death His Birth and Education His Conversion His holy life His early rising to converse with God He is slandered and vindicated His heavenly Conversation His much reading His Zeal His Prudence His strict observation of the Sabbath His love to Ministers His desire to have others saved His Assurance His joy unspeakable How he maintained his Assurance He stirred up others to labour for it His desire of death Yet carefull of life His heavenli-mindedness His Justice His Impartiality Examples of it A great reformation wrought by him His Courage He reforms the prophanation of the Sabbath His zeal and courage His mercy to souls His justice He restores Use-money His Charity His hospitality How God honoured him He is chosen Mayor and Burgess of Parliament His courage He is reproached by the wicked The power oâ— prayer His Prudence His Sickness His Patience His death His Funeral Her Parentage Her Marriage Her removed to Blackfriers Her love to Gods House Her retiredness Her weakness Her holy life Her Meekness Her Sickness Her patience Her Comforts A loving Wife Her Faith She begs Prayers Her Afflictions She blesseth her Children Her Devotion Her Death Her Parentage Her timely Conversion Her Piety Her Humility Her Meekness Her Pâ—udence and Gravity Her love to the Saints Her Courage Her frequent prayers 〈…〉 Her Family government Her Charity Her Sickness Her holy speeches Her Character Her Death Her parentage and education Her timely conversion Her piety Her growth in grace Her afflictions sanctified Her Relative duties The time aâ— manner of 〈◊〉 conversion Satans malice Gods mercy Satans subtilty Gods mercy Her comfort and joy Gods mercy in want of meanâ— Gods providence Her faith in Promises Her fears and doubts Her prayers answered A hard thiug to beleeve She imparts her condition to Christian friends And findes comfort Her self-examination Her faith Her thankfulness Satans method and subtilty Gods mercy to his own Mans folly She dyed daily He Patience Her holy speeches Her sickness Her joy unspeakable Her Death