Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	lord_n	soul_n	time_n	6,068	5	3.8390	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13561	Three treatises The pearle of the gospell, The pilgrims profession: and A glasse for gentlewomen to dress themselues by. To which is added A short introduction to the worthy receiuing of the Lords supper. By Thomas Taylor, Doctor of Diuinity, and late preacher of Aldermanbury Church in London.	Taylor, Thomas, 1576-1632.; Taylor, Thomas, 1576-1632. Pearle of the gospell. aut; Taylor, Thomas, 1576-1632. Pilgrims profession. aut; Gunter, H.; Taylor, Thomas, 1576-1632. Glasse for gentlewomen to dresse themselves by. aut; Taylor, Thomas, 1576-1632. Short introduction to the worthy receiving of the Lords Supper. aut	1633 (1633)	STC 23856; ESTC S113869	74,858	266

1. Gods grace is free in respect of Merits not of Means if God should not giue vs sauing grace before we aske it we should neuer haue it and no man can seeke grace but by grace yet God giueth not grace to idle or sleepy persons but to the vigilant and watchfull he is not so prodigall of so excellent a Pearle as to bestow it for nothing or vpon those who ha●ing tasted the sweetnesse of it will not bestirre themselues for more that they may grow in grace 2. Though God doth bestow on vs free saluation which costeth vs nothing yet we must accept it in the meanes which doe excite and exercise our graces and suffer vs to be neither idle nor vnfruitfull in the worke of the Lord. But if we seeke our seeking is a cause of finding and so Gods grace shall not be free ANS 1. Our seeking is no cause of finding but a meanes or way in which we finde 2. In seeking we doe our duty but merit nothing by it for when wee haue done all we can we are vnprofitable seruants 3. The promise of finding is not made to the seeking but to the seeker being in Christ who findeth for Christs sake not for his owne But I haue sought long and haue not found Ans. There is a twofold seeking 1. a seeking amisse then no maruel if thou findest not Esau sought with teares findeth not many shall seek and striue to enter and shall not bee able and of these are six sorts 1. wicked men being destitute of the spirit of God want their eyes cleared and a blind man shall sooner find a Pearle lost then they this 2. Some seeke without light as fond Familists and Anabaptists who seeke grace in the dark corners of Enthusiasmes and reuelations scorning the light of the Scriptures Ministery in which the spirit onely and ordinarily offereth himselfe to be found 3. Some seeke without the promise and so without faith Israel sought it by merits Ro. 9. 31. 4. Some seeke without repentance Isa. 1. 16. wash you make you cleane and then come and reason together 5. Some seeke it vnseasonably the doore being shut so did Esau when the blessing was bestowed 6. Some seeke without sincerity Hypocrites seek a while but giue ouer as weary of so much pains now the promise is made to none of these the goale is not giuen but to such as striue lawfully A second Kind of seeking that is which faileth not and that is in the true and lawful conditions of seeking as by the supernaturall eye of faith by the light of Gods Word in the right veine of finding and in the places where the Pearle lyeth and in season of seeking whilst the day lasteth the light is with vs hast thou thus sought and art yet held off I say God must bee true Qu●rentibus recta rectè he that seeketh quae oportet quomodo oportet shall certainly find and therefore I say to thee that seekest good things well 1. Thou hast found grace sufficient as Paul did when he seemed to be denyed of the grace desired thou hast found grace in some measure at least insuch measure as may cause thee to hunger for more 2. God may delay to giue thee a greater measure and yet not deny thee it may be that which thou seekest is worth more labour than yet thou hast bestowed distinguish now betwixt Gods Delaies and Denials hold on thy seeking thou shalt find in good time Thirdly the best and holiest seekers of all find but for the estate of this life that is in small measure a taste a first fruits here is but a sowing in grace God leaueth his children in many wants for the present for diuers ends 1. For their humiliation as Paul had a pricke in the flesh left 2. To maintaine hunger and thirst after more 3. To long after the time of perfection and full saciety when they shall be fully conformed to the image of God Fourthly thou hast found a promise of God to be fully satisfied at length Mat. 5. 6. in the meane time esteeme thy seeking as a seed time thy labour is sowen in heauen thy seed is cast into the bosome of God and if it presently returne not so much comfort ioy and increase as thou desirest it is laid vp and will bring thee good store and a happy crop for hereafter therefore be not weary of well doing for in due time thou shalt reape if thou faint not If no man seeketh this Pearle aright but findeth see a difference betweene this commodity and all other Seeke any other thing in the world with thy best endeuor and thou maist faile and not finde He that seeketh siluer shall not be satisfyed Seeke wealth pearles honor pleasuers thou shalt often faile of them but seeke the best thing and alway speed In all other things many seeke one thing but finde another goe to the Physicians to seeke health thou maist meet with death to the Lawyer to seeke law and iustice thou maist finde iniustice and oppression at some friends hands thou maist seeke fauour and friendship but finde hatred and enmity as Joseph sought at his brethrens but findes them foes and enemies But in matters of grace thou shalt finde the same things thou lookest for seekest thou the Pearle thou findest the Pearle as the Merchant did nay findest an excellent one farre better than thou lookedst for the worth of which is not to be valued in this vale of darkenesse Here is also a difference betweene seeking things at Gods hands and at mans all that aske at mans hands speed not though thou maist aske neuer so iustly as in the example of the vniust Iudg. A poore man asketh at mans hands mercy and misseth of it knocke at mans doore it is not alway open But the gate of grace is neuer shut Gods eare is alway open as a fauorite sitteth in the eare of the King and speedeth in any suite so doth the godly seeker speed with God This comforteth poore soules seeking and panting after grace so long as thou canst seeke thou art sure to find though the Lord hide his face for a time and seem to locke vp his mercy from thee yet vphold thy selfe in seeking and thou shalt find in due season Psal. 9. 9 10. The Lord also will be a refuge for the poore a refuge in due time euen in affliction Wantest thou strength against temptations Seeke by prayer the grace of Christian fortitude be strong in the cry of prayer and as a theefe will runne away when the true man maketh a noyse and out-cry so will Satan vpon this noyse of feruent prayer cease his assault Wantest thou peace of conscience chearefulnesse in doing or suffering wouldest thou see a sweet looke from God or needst thou any other blessing for life or godlinesse Seeke it with instance doe as the woman of Canaan who sought grace at the hands of

Diognetum LONDON Printed by I. B. for Iohn Bartlet at the signe of the gilt Cup in Cheap-side 1633. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE Lady LEITICE Countesse of Leicester all encrease of Honour and Happinesse MADAM HAuing importuned and prevailed with that Reuerend Preacher who performed that last office for your LADISHIPS late Seruant to afford mee a perfect Coppy of his Sermon which for the fitnesse and worthinesse of the matter I thought much pittie to be buryed with her and purposing to adde a short Relation of the happie Life and Death of my deare Wife both which I thought were very exemplary I emboldned my selfe to present the same to your HONOVR not onely as a thankfull testification of my humble dutie and seruice for all those gracious endowment which I so happily enioyed in her of all which vnder God your Honour was a chiefe instrument but also because I know that your Honour who gladly apprehended al the meanes of her comfort through her life would as gladly receiue the true Narration of her assured Comforts and Conquest in h●r so Christian death and dissolution Neither is the Sermon vnfit for your Hunours perusall whom God hath honoured with so many daies yeares taught not to feare either the end of your Pilgrimage out of this strange Countrey or the neere approach to your owne home Thus humbly praying your Honours acceptance of that which is most properly yours I pray the Father of mercie to adde to all your noble Vertues the continuance of your true prosperitie Your HONOVRS in all humble seruice H. G. THE PILGRIMS PROFESSION PSAL. 39. 12. I am a stranger with thee and a soiourner as all my Fathers THis holy Prophet being by great distresse of mind and disease of bodie brought very low as appeareth in the whole Psalme and so low as he was ready to breake patience and to offend with his tongne yet after a doubtfull combat betweene faith and frailty his Faith steps aboue flesh and leads him out of himselfe to wait vpon God with holy silence and lifteth him vp to God in feruent and earnest Prayers which are the breath of Faith both for pardon of sin the cause and for release from the affliction and plague the effect of it And because the sense of misery was deepe hee striues with God with great vehement and earnestnesse of spirit ingeminating his petition in this twelfth vers Rising vp in his requests by degrees as one that meaneth to preuaile with God as another Iacob and not let him goe till he haue blessed him and therefore first he desireth the Lord to heare his Prayer But because the prayers of the Saints are often faint and feeble and without any strong motion he desires the Lord to hearken to his cry the sense of his need vrged strong cryes feruency and importunity And further because euery strong cry is not heard vnlesse it proceed from a broken and contrite spirit He prayeth the LORD not to keepe silence at his teares well hee knew that prayers of faith watered with teares of godly sorrow are eloquent perswaders to dray a comfortable answer from God they cannot suffer him to sit silent long who hath prepared both a bottle to reserue them in and an handkerchiefe to wipe them away from the eyes of his children Try it after holy Dauid who will or can make euery day a spring to sowe● thy prayers in heauen and water them sometimes with an Aprill showre of mournfull teares for thy sinne and misery and ●hon hast preuailed aganist Gods silence thou shalt heare a sweete and comfortable Answere in due season Now the words read are a reason of his earnest request drawne from the acknowledgement of the frailty vanity and breuity of his life laid downe by a comparison taken from strangers or Pilgrims of which number he professeth himselfe to be and may well be called The Pilgrims profession In tying which words with the former it may be asked first what force can there bee in this reason to moue or incline God to mercy because he was a stranger with him it might rather imply that God should the more estrange himselfe from him and stand further from his helpe I answer 1. The Hebrew phrase I am a stranger with thee signifieth as much as to say I am a stranger before thee or in thy sight And not that he was a stranger in affection or conuersation from God as the wicked who are said to be strange childred and strangers from the wombe For how could Dauid be such a stranger who set the Lord euer before him and at his right hand that hee might not sinne against him 2. As it is a confession and testimony of his owne humility and sense of his misery it is a motiue to mercy as if he had said I am a stranger and need helpe because as a stranger I lye open to many iniuries and inconueniences but thou art the God of the abiect thy property is as to cast down the proud so to raise vp such deiected soules as I am and therefore heare my prayers cryes and teares 3. As it ascribeth vnto the Lord the honour of mercy it is a motiue to mercy for holy Dauid puts the Lord in mind of his own gracious inclination and affection to strangers for he hath commanded vs to be kinde to strangers and hath in speciall manner vndertaken the protection of strangers Ps. 146. 6. The Lord keepeth the strangers and therefore his faith binding God after a sort to his owne law and promise assureth himselfe of Gods mercy because he is a stranger 4. As it is an acknowledgement of his own impotency and the misery of his life it pleadeth strongly for mercy as if hee had said Thou knowest Lord that I am a stranger here and so long as I am so I cannot but carry a burden of flesh and a body of sinne and daily thereby deserue thy most heauy displeasure and therefore I beseech thee be not so extreame against me as in iustice thou mayest but considering my frailty mingle my corrections with mercy And wheras I discerne also by my bodily weaknesse and infirmity that I am a stranger here and of short continuance I pray thee remoue thy hand and let not all my life be miserable but stay thine anger from me that I may recouer my strength before I goe hence and bee no more And vpon the same ground Iob makes the same request Let him cease and leaue off from mee that I may take a little comfort before I goe and shall not returne c. Secondly it may bee asked How can Dauid vse this as a reason for his recouery which hee vsed before vers 4. for the hastening of his death for because his life was short and miserable therefore he desires he might die in all haste To which I snswer That great difference there is between Dauid foiled by flesh and Dauid

want of the thing sought for Common men if they finde health wealth friends pleasures and the like outward things are well contented corne wine and oyle to cheere their hearts But these wise Merchants seeing grace no other thing contenteth them but grace one glimpse of Gods countenance through Iesus Christ is sweet aboue all And as he that seeketh a Iewell doth looke still after it a thousand things come in his way and eye but he passeth slightly ouer them and seeth them not nor seeketh he them euen so doth the Christian Merchant and as the ciuill Merchant attaining Pearles doth rest ioyful in them as in such commodities as will helpe his happinesse in the world So the godly Merchant finding this one Pearle of the Gospell which is the grace of life goeth away reioycing and resteth well appaid for all his labours and sufferings He was before he light vpon this Pearle the most vnhappy man in the world but now he cannot hide his ioy but as the poore widow which called in her neighbors to reioice with her because she had found the lost groat Luk. 15. 9. so can he neither wholly hide nor yet expresse halfe the ioy he conceiueth in his new commodity and purchase But many seeke and that with tears that faile of grace as Esau and many shal striue to enter saith Christ and shall not be able and Ro. 9. 31 32. Israel sought righteousnesse but obtained it not Ans. Many seeke but amisse and therefore faile so Israel sought but not by faith Now the true condition of seeking as the wise Merchant and as the Word directeth standeth in fiue things 1. With an earnest and true loue desire and estimation of the thing sought this wilmake a man seeke diligently and as a thirsty person not coldly carelesly remisly slightly or negligently for such seeking shall neuer find for why did the Church seek Christ so laboriously till she found him but because it was he whom her soule loued ●an 3. 3. The watchmen that went about the City found me to whom I said Haue yee seene him whom my soule loueth And why did Mary seeke Christ hauing lost him three dayes Because shee loued him and reioyced in his person and presence which made her heart so heauy in his absence Luk. 2. 42. Behold thy father and I haue sought thee with heauy hearts The Merchant because he loueth and esteemeth of siluer doth seeke it carefully and earnestly Pro. 2. 4. and the heauenly Merchant shall finde grace vndoubtedly if he seeke it as the other doth siluer Loue is laborious hee that loueth Christ and his grace will neuer cease to seeke him nor faile to finde him See the promise in Jer. 29. 12 13 Then shall you cry vnto mee and you shall goe and pray vnto mee and I will heare you and you shal seeke me and finde mee because you shall seeke mee with all your heart Who soeuer then euer meaneth to finde God and his saving grace must vnfainedly and hartily seeke after him 2. It must be sought in the likely place and meanes of finding the ordinary place where this Pearl is to be found is the assēblies of the Saints there God holdeth forth his scepter and maketh offer of the grace of life Where was the Church to finde Christ with his graces at noone in her thirst but in the steps of the shepherds And these assemblies are the suburbs of heauen called therefore the Kingdome of grace and he that refuseth the good offers of grace in the word sacraments prayer hearing reading conferring and the like shall neuer find it No wise Merchant will slacke any good opportunity of aduancing his estate now the likely meanes in wise seeking are diligently to be vsed as 1 To search the euidence of the Pearle and this euidence is contained in the Scriptures John 5. Search the Scriptures for they witnessee of me Secondly the grant of it is from heauen by prayer Let vs therefore goe boldly to the Throne of grace that we may find mercy and grace to helpe in time of need HEB. 4. 16. Thirdly the couenant is by the application of these meanes singed and deliuered yea and witnessed by the blessed Spirit of God by a blessed change in the beleeuing heart by mortification and subduing the corruption of nature by heauenly motions heauenly mindednesse and gracious conuersation standing not in a shell a forme or shew but in the kernill power and substance of sound godlinesse Thirdly it must be sought first and principally yea onely sought and that for it selfe it must bee sought first in time As Psa. 63. 3. Early in the morning will I seeke thee The Isralites must seeke Manna the first thing they doe in the morning Esau seeketh but too late the foolish Virgins doe knock but the doore is shut 2. It must be sought in the first place Mat. 6. 33. ●eeke ye first the kingdome of heauen the righteousnesse thereof Seek neither other things before it as worldlings nor other things with it as prophane Epicures who would grasp heauen and earth together nor yet seeke it for other things as Hypocrites who professe the Gospell for fauour credit profit or some other in respect of that base things But seek it alone for it selfe and in sincerity for only such seeking findeth it Neuer will Christ be sought for loaues nor can the same eye looke to heauen and earth together Fourthly it must be sought humbly that is first out of thy selfe a man that wanteth water wil goe to the fountaine the waters of grace must flow from the fountaine and wel-head Christ Iesus seek it therfore in him and from him The eye of faith spyeth it in him and the hand of faith doth take it vp from him Secondly it must bee sought with godly sorrow repentance for sin Isa. 1. 16. Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your works from before mine eies cease to doe euill Thirdly with reformation of heart and life Ps. 14. 4. The workers of iniquity are vnfit and vnworthy seekers of grace Fifthly it must be songht constantly Mary and Joseph neuer gaue ouer seeking Christ vntill they found him nor the Church till she found him neither must we giue ouer seeking hauing sound grace for it is not in this seeking as in other things where hauing found we rest contented and seeke no more but here hauing found the thing we sought we must seeke still for a Christian is euer wanting of grace if not in whole yet in part if not in substance yet in some degree and measure of it and therefore this worke as the husband mans is neuer at an end This must needs condemne many of vs of extreame folly and sinne how few of vs haue sought after grace as after siluer for siluer we will take great paines rise early goe to bed late and eat the bread of carefulnesse but when doe we so for grace

for siluer we will trauell many miles on horse and foot to a market or faire if we can but gaine or returne halfe a handfull of siluer but for grace we will hardly step out of doores or bestow the least paines to frequent the places of Gods Exchange In seeking siluer euery man will seeke a good penny-worth he is carefull that none ouer-reach him he parteth with his money as warily as may be and will be ready to lay hold on a good bargaine when it is offered In the matter of grace how fearefully doe many thrust it away with both hands wilfully forsaking their owne mercy Jona 2. 8. They that wait vpon lying vanities forsake their owne mercy that is refuse the bargaine of eternall life offered almost forced vpon them and others that seemed to haue receiued a good summe of grace foolishly depart with it and fall away either quite or wholly or else from their measure and their first loue these men are farre from seeking grace and farther from ●inding it This should stirre vp our thirst after grace to expresse our selues wise Merchants seazed on the Pearle which that we may earnestly seeke after let vs consider these fiue motiues 1. Christ seeketh vs and desireth vs to seek him shal Christ seeke thee for thy good and not thou seeke him for thine owne good But Christ seeketh vs as a Hen that gathereth her chickins vnder her wings MAT. 23. 37 and woe vnto vs if we remaine vngathered The father of the prodigall goeth out to meet his sonne returning home to incourage vs to goe out of our selues to seeke him Secondly the fearefull reuenge against such as seeke not nor inquire after God should moue vs to seeke him as ZIPH 1. 6. in the fourth verse I will cut off the remnant of ●aal and in the sixt And them that turne backe from the Lord and those that haue not sought the Lord and inquired for him And if they vnder the Law were so reuenged how much more shall we liuing vnder the Gospell if wee neglect so great saluation If the Gospell be now hid it is hid to them that perish 2 Cor. 4. 3. Oh what a fearefull case is it that the Gospell should serue for the conuiction of men and not for their conuersion Oh thrice vnhappy man that shall peruert this so aboundant grace to his owne destruction and yet the plenty of Gods grace in the Gospel shal condemne thousands that neuer required or ●ought after it 3. Thou shouldest seeke grace from God but he seeketh to pin his grace on thy sleeue God bringeth home the Gospell to thy house and doores hee sendeth forth his seruants he continueth to seeke thee by continuing the meanes the season of grace he seeketh thee daily by his Word his Ministers his blessings his corrections by the motions of the spirit by the checks of thine owne conscience and wilt thou not seeke being sought vnto darest thou receiue such grace still in vaine 2 COR. 6. 5. or turne it to wantonnesse Jud. 3. Fourthly of this saluation the Prophets search diligently 1 Pet. 1. 10. and shall wee to whom it more specially belongeth not so much as aske or inquire after it or shall we thrust it away as the Iewes did ACT. 13. 46. but not without the most fearefull reuenge that euer hapened to any nation vnder the heauens vnder which they lye at this day Fifthly for a man to abide destitute of desire and endeuour after grace sheweth that Satan the God of the world worketh mightily in such an one and hath him in his power to hood-winke him and hide from him the grace of the Gospell that the brightnesse of this Pearle should neuer shine to him lest he should conuert and be saued See 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. This of the first action Who hauing found a Pearle of great price The second action of the wise Merchant is he findeth an excellent Pearle Of the Pearle and of the excellency we haue spoken Now are we in this part onely to speake something of the finding of it And by the Pearle being meant the grace of the Gospell as we haue heard wee learne this Doctrine That seekers of grace shall find it and onely they Psal. 118. 5. I called vpon the ●ord in trouble and the ●ord heard mee and set me at large and Psalm 138. 3. When I called then thou heardest me and hast increased strength in my soule alomon seeketh wisedome and findeth it LVK. 15. 9. MAT. 7. 8. The woman that sought the lost groat found it Whosoeuer asketh receiueth and hee that seeketh findeth Why 1. Faithfull seeking can neuer take God wanting or vnwilling to giue grace both because hee hath promised and is able to p●rforme aboue all we are able to aske or thinke His power is sufficient to supply all our wants and Isay 65. 1. I was found of them that sought mee not and vers 24. Yea before they call I will answer and while they speak I will heare If earthly fathers that are euil both in comparison of God and in their owne inclination can giue good things to their children that aske much more our heauenly Father can and will How glad is an earthly father when his children can seeke after that which is good for them and our heauenly Father much more Besides God who hath promised cannot lye ●itus 1. 2. now he should deceiue his people if they should not finde the grace they duly seek but he hath said Mat. 5. 6. that the hungring and thirsting soule shall be satisfied and supplyed 2. The Lord will not fo farre discourage his seruants and disharten them as neuer to let them finde that they bestow so much true pains in seeking but he vpholdeth them in seeking by supplying some way or other some time or other that they seek his wisedome not onely feedeth his children with hopes of an haruest to come but affordeth them present food finding euen in this life so far as will stand with hunger thirst by which he incourageth them in their prayers teares labours and sufferings and without which finding for the present impart thesmoking wick should be quickly quenched and all the beginning of grace easily lost oyle is not more necessary to feed a lampe than the supply of grace is to feed grace Psal. 116. 1. I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voyce and prayers and Psal. 65. 2. Because thou hearest prayer vnto thee shall all flesh come 3. The Lord will not so much withstand his owne glory as not be found of true seekers because his owne glory is the maine end of all his mercy Psalm 22. 26. They that seek after the Lord shal praise him namely in acknowledging him true in his promises and plentifull in his mercies But God is a free giuer of grace and before we can aske we shall haue it without seeking what need we then seek so diligently ANS

present and to come so her conscience was tender in respect of sinnes past as may appeare by this memorable instance Whilest shee was a childe bred vp in the chamber of that old Lady shee was entised by lewd servants who fed her with figges and other such toyes fit to please children withall to steale money out of the Ladies Cabinet which often stood open in her Chamber and which they knew shee had the fittest opportunity to doe of all other whereunto her childishnesse giving way shee found it not missed and so continued it for seven yeares or thereabouts without any great checke of Conscience But when the light of God came in and made a priuy search in the heart and made her able to take her selfe with the fact now shee was ashamed and confounded in her selfe and her stirred conscience gaue her no rest nor could shee conceiue any hope of quiet because shee saw shee had done that which shee could no way vndoe If shee looked at the summe of mony taken and giuen away she conceiued that by continuing in that course seuen yeares together shee might haue wronged that Lady thirty or forty pound If she thought of restitution she was no way able Thus shee carried the burthen of this sinne a long time easing it as wel as she could with a resolute purpose if ever God pleased to make her able to make restitution to the heires of the deceased Lady And accordingly so she did For when that honourable and bountifull Lady whom shee long serued gave her a large portion when shee bestowed her in marriage she forthwith made choyce of a Reverend Minister whom shee employed therein enjoyning him secrecie and because shee would be sure to make full restitution shee delivered him sixty pounds to tender vnto this Ladies heire as from a concealed servant of the Ladies who had vniustly taken it away from her And when the Gentleman returned tenne pounds of it againe such was the tendernesse of her conscience that she would receive none of it to her owne vse but gave it away to poore and pious persons and vses And this childish errour God turned to her good for in all the two and twenty yeares of her service unto that honourable Lady she never durst make vse of any thing that was vnder her charge were it small or great but set it downe in writing and once every yeare did make it good either in the kinde or in some other thing which she bought for her Ladiships vse Fourthly the sense of her owne weaknesses and wants made her of a pittifull and charitable disposition towards the wants and miseries of others Shee had ever a large heart to the poore especially the godly poore shee neuer did see or heare of any that were in want but her heart did mourne if shee had not to releeve them neither was her hand shut for she did yearely lay aside a portion of money to the vttermost of her ability if not beyond for their releefe Thus she lived holily happily and desiredly Neither could so gracious a life be shut vp but by an answerable that is an happy death and dissolution whereof I will adde but a few words and so leaue her to her happinesse til we meet happily againe True it is that the life of a Christian should be a continuall meditation of death as it is a continuall motion to death and such was the latter part especially of the life of this Christian woman who was of weake and sickly constitution many yeares before her death which made her so much the more prepared for her last combat and sicknesse which lasted ten weekes in all which time she certainely apprehended and expected her dissolution it being the principall and almost onely subject of her discourse sixe moneths before it came But thirty dayes before her departure she finding her paines increasing and growing very sharpe and tedious shee spent an houres talke with me concerning her desire for the things of this life and hauing said what she purposed shee thus concluded her speech Now sweet Heart no more words betweene you and me of any worldly thing onely let me earnestly request and charge you that as you see my weaknesse increase you will not faile to assist me and call on me to follow the Lord with prayer and patience For now I know that Satan will shew all his malice because his time is but short against me and hee will easily espy my weaknesse and make his aduantage of it and therefore now especially help me with your counsell comfort and prayers In all the time of her sickenesse our gracious God who as a fast friend standeth closest to his servants when they haue most need of him shewed his gracious presence with her as in all other comfortable supplies answerable to that depth of distresse so especially in hearing and answering her prayers and desires of her heart There were foure requests which we observed shee especially preferred vnto God in her sicknesse and in none of them was denied The first that she might be armed with strength against Satans assaults which she expected would bee fierce and frequent from whom shee was mercifully freed for onely three dayes before her death she began to be dejected in the sense of her owne dulnesse and thereby began to call in question Gods love towards her and the truth of Gods grace in her for said shee were I the Lords why should not I lift vp my head now seeing the time of my dissolution draweth on so neare But these complaints continued not above six houres but she had much chearefulnesse and comfort againe which she expressed both in earnest and excellent Prayers wherein her gift was more then ordinary for her sexe as also in many chearefull thankes and prayses to God for his great mercy for that he had now so chained Satan at this time of her great weaknesse that having beene formerly molested and daily vexed with his assaults for the space of above six yeares together now he would not suffer him to rest on her with his malice above six houres Her second request was that the Lord would strengthen her with patience to endure all her paines to the end and herein she was as graciously heard as in the former for although she was full of paines and assaulted with many strong fits in which no part was exempt from deadly paynes and every of these fits of many houres continuance yet was she never heard to vtter any word of impatience in her selfe or discontent to any that were about her and much lesse to charge God foolishly in whose hands she was as the clay in the hand of the Potter Her third request to God was that she might in all her sorrowes be still supported with some sense of his love and with the assurance of the pardon of all her sinnes And that God was comfortably found of her in this request was very apparant in her joyfull

expectation of death the time whereof she truly foretold five dayes before it came and as this time approached her joy increased so as she was able to comfort her mournfull husband and friends saying Mourne not for me but for your selues for I shall very shortly be more happy than the wishes of your hearts can make me and therefore cease your mourning and helpe me thither by your prayers as fast as you can Her fourth request was that she might have her memory continued unto the last that so by no idle or light speech she might dishonour God or bring scandall o● her profession for she said If I through paine or want of sleepe which she much wanted should haue any foolish or idletalke I know what the speech of the world vseth to be This is the end of all your precise folke they die mad or not themselues c. And as she prayed God gaue her her memory to the last gaspe that she dyed praying for a little before her departure she called vs that were about her and hasted to Prayer for now said she I shall be gone presently which words we then beleeued not but Prayer being ended she said with more strength than she had spoken any thing foure houres before Amen amen Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit Lord Jesus haue mercy on me and receiue my soule And thus with her last breath and words her soule was carried into Abrahams bosome in the Heavens to which her eyes and hands were lifted This was the life and death of this sweet Saint as it was observed and now faithfully witnessed by her mournfull husband who wisheth both his life and latter end like vnto hers FINIS A GLASSE for Gentlewomen to dresse themselues by By THOMAS TAYLOR Doctor in Diuinity and late Preacher of Aldermanberry in London LONDON Printed by I. B. for Iohn Bartlet at the signe of the gilt Cup in Cheap-side 1633. A GLASSE for Gentlewomen to dresse themselues by BEcause I know that sundry women fearing God faile in the matter of their attire and ornament because they want direction which might lead their consciences in stead of the common errour of riotous times And because it is requisite that all that professe the Name of God should bee more carefull of adorning their profession than their persons I haue here set downe a few briefe directions in generall for their helpe that are willing to be ruled by God and his Word and are more desirous to approue themselues vnto him than to please themselues or others with his high displeasure I. First then such must know that the practice of godlinesse depriueth no person of the good creatures of God neither for the necessary nor delightfull fruition of them for it onely giueth right and liberty in them but it ordereth the vse of them and the vsers of them and setteth them in the due place of their goodnesse wherein onely they are beautifull and lawful Rebecca a woman fearing God wore ornaments So Ioseph and Mordecay Ester 8. 2. and Daniel 5. 29. II. Know that we are not at our owne hand in the vse of outward ornaments but vnder rule and appointment God prescribes women how to dresse their heads 1 Pet. 3. 3. and taketh order for the habit of the body and findeth fault with the dressings of the daughters of Sion Isay 3. And threatning the Princes and Kings children cloathed with strange apparell Zeph. 1. 8. speaketh to our Gallants that build towers vpon their heads or erect them as with large hornes or any way take vp an vnlimited liberty in their dresses with some speciall vanity and offence For such dressing of the haire the Lord threatneth the dainty women with baldnesse and shame Isa. 3. III. Such must know that as the kingdome of God standeth not in any of these outward things so they must not bee suffered to hinder the kingdome of God in our selues or others And though they being things so indifferent in themselues as they commend vs not to God yet in the vse of them all wee must exercise certaine vertues in which wee must be acceptable to God and auoyd such vices in the abusing of them as will else discommend vs before him For suppose they be things in their nature neither good nor euill neither commanded nor forbidden as Whether I should weare cloth or leather whether a plaine band or a ruffe whether single or double whether white or yellow yet in the vse of any of these outward and indifferent things my action is either good or euill according to my exercise of vertue or vice in it Neither can any thing be so indifferent in it selfe but it may become euill and sinne in me many wayes as 1. By my election and choyce of it without assurance of my liberty in Christ or with doubting whether I doe well in vsing it or no. 2. By my intention which may be corrupt and vicious in my selfe and preiudiciall to others 3. By many accidentary euents as if others bee by my vse of lawfull and outward liberties occasioned to sinne or thrust forward in carnal licentiousnesse All which I rather propound to be wisely considered for the remouing of that common obiection and conceit That the things are not great and God cares not so much for the dressing of the body so I keepe my heart to him and giue him content in my soule As if these persons conceiued that the body is not the Lords as well as the soule or that that soule can bee Gods when the diuell hath the dressing of the body IV. We must know that although the Word of God af●ord not particular directions for euery particular habit and artire yet we may not thinke it a defectiue rule or short and wanting to guide vs euen in the least or lowest action of our liues because it supplyeth vs with many generall rul●s to all which wee must reduce euery particular action of common life for the allowance or refusall of it And therefore for the help of such as are teachable I thought it might be profitable to apply vnto those generals and bring to their triall this particular of habits and attires vnto which while they are squared none haue so much right to vse them as women fearing God but if they depart from those rules they are not so vnseemely in any as in them The generall Rules are these reduced to foure heads 1. Some concerne God 2. Some our selues 3. Some our brethren 4. Some the ornament it selfe For vnto all these wee must haue respect euen in our Attires and Ornaments I. In respect of God we must attend three rules 1. The first concerneth our warrant and is this No ornament must be vsed but by warrant and leaue from God Our warrant is from the Word our loaue is by prayer the rule for both is expresse 1 Tim. 4. 5. Euery creature of God is good sanctified by the word of God and prayer Whence it