A sermon at the funeral of the virtuous lady, and honoured, Ann, late wife of Thomas Yarburgh, Esq . Preached on Monday, the 10th day of July, 1682. By Matthew Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe, Matthew, 1637 or 8-1707. 1682 Approx. 52 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 12 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2012-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2). A61998 Wing S6205B ESTC R222127 99833355 99833355 37831

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A61998) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 37831) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 2064:26) A sermon at the funeral of the virtuous lady, and honoured, Ann, late wife of Thomas Yarburgh, Esq . Preached on Monday, the 10th day of July, 1682. By Matthew Sutcliffe. Sutcliffe, Matthew, 1637 or 8-1707. [2], 20 p. printed for Thomas Cockerill, at the Three Legs in the Poultrey, over-against the Stocks-Market, London : 1682. Reproduction of the original in the British Library.

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eng Yarburgh, Ann, d. 1682 -- Early works to 1800. Funeral sermons -- 17th century. 2020-09-21 Content of 'availability' element changed when EEBO Phase 2 texts came into the public domain 2011-09 Assigned for keying and markup 2011-09 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2011-10 Sampled and proofread 2011-10 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2012-05 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

A SERMON AT THE FUNERAL OF The Virtuous Lady, and Honoured, ANN, late Wife of Thomas Yarburgh, Eſq;.

Preached on Monday, the 10th day of July, 1682.

By MATTHEW SƲTCLIFFE.

LONDON: Printed for Thomas Cockerill, at the Three Legs in the Poultrey, over-againſt the Stocks-Market, 1682.

JOB 14.1.

Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

WHEN the Royal Pſalmiſt looked upon theſe aſpectable Heavens, and beheld there the glory of God written in Characters of Light, he admires that grace that firſt made Man a little lower than the angels, Pſal. 8.5. and crowned him with glory and honour; and that Providential care which is mindful of him, and viſi •… him every moment. Such an infinite diſtance there is betwixt God and man, that it is a wonder God will ſpend a thought upon us. Lord, Pſal. 134.3, 4. what is man that thou takeſt knowledg of him? or the ſon of man, that thou takeſt account of him? Man is like to vanity: his days are as a ſhadow that paſſeth away. His being in this world hath nothing firm and ſolid, but is like a ſhadow, which depends upon a cauſe that is always in motion, the light of the Sun; and is always changing, till it vaniſheth in the darkneſs of the night. The conſideration whereof made the ſame Pſalmiſt in another place break forth in that pathetical exclamation, How vain a thing is man! How vain indeed in every act and ſcene of his life, from his firſt entrance to his exit! He is begotten in ſin, formed in darkneſs, brought forth in pains. His firſt voice is Cryes; no ſooner is he diſcloſed from his Maternal Cells into the open air, but he weeps; and no wonder, ſeeing his birth is his unhappy entrance upon the valley of tears, where he is attended with ſo many miſeries, as nothing but the ſhortneſs of his abode there could make tollerable: that ſo this compendious Draught of Man might in all its parts be exactly conformable to the wretched Original, which holy Job hath expoſed to our view, in the words of the Text, Man that it born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble.

Theſe words comprehend a picture of Man in Minature, but very like, and to the life. He is born of a Woman, that's his Original; and as from thence he receives his being, ſo together with it his weakneſs and infirmities; he liveth here a few days, but in ſo ſhort a time he endureth a multiformous multitude of miſeries. In each ſtep of Man's progreſs we read his vanity. He is vain in his procreation, born of a woman; there is nothing more mean, nothing more abject. And leſt the thoughts of that pleaſure his ſenſes may furniſh him withal from corporeal objects, ſhould exalt him, in his very ingreſs into life he is ſadly warned of his departure out of it; he muſt not expect many days, for he ſhall live but a few: And leſt he ſhould flatter himſelf, that this ſhort ſpace of time which is allowed him, he ſhall enjoy free to himſelf, he is here told, that even that time ſhall be taken up with miſery and ſorrow. His ſew days are full of trouble.

1. Let us conſider Man in his Original, or firſt entrance into the World, and in reſpect of that, How mean and abject is he? What came we from at firſt, and originally, but from nothing? There was a time when we were not, having alone a potential being, a being not yet in being, but wrapt up in the cauſes of it; yea, there was a time when we were not in any ſecondary cauſes, but alone in the Omnipotency of God, who was able to make us out of nothing. And that which came from nothing, can ſurely be no excellent thing in it ſelf, or if it have any excellency, it hath it from another, even from that Almighty Efficient which did produce it, to whom the glory of it is due. But we muſt conſider Man in his natural or more immediate Original, or in his procreation; Man that is born of a woman. He is the ſinful Off-ſpring of ſinful Progenitors. To be born of a woman, imports both the ſinfulneſs and the weakneſs of our Nativity. We are all conceived in ſin, and before we enjoy the light, we are ſpotted and ſtained in our Originals; and before we enter upon the ſcene of life, we receive that infection which wraps up in it the ſeeds of death. The Infant of a day old is not without ſin; and the continuation of his life is but a multiplication of that firſt guilt. Wherefore holy David had juſt cauſe to deplore ſo ſenſibly the corruption of his nature, which bears equal date with life it ſelf, Pſal. 51.5. Behold I was ſhapen in iniquity, and in ſin did my mother conceive me. And how can he be free from ſin that is born in ſin? Job 25.4 How can man be juſtified with God? Or how can he be clean which is born of a woman? Sin hath poſſeſſed our reins, and covered us in our mothers womb. Eph. 2.3. We are all born children of wrath, and heirs of vengeance. Indeed our Nature, as it proceeded from God, in our primitive creation, was perfectly pure and undefiled; but as it comes now by natural generation propagated from Adam, it is corrupted and unſound. All the good we poſſeſs in our life, and in our faculties, in our ſenſes and in our underſtanding, we received from God our Creator, the chief Fountain of all good; but the vicious pollution which hath infected and depraved all theſe, proceeded not from that moſt pure Author of our beings, but from Original ſin committed by the wilful prevarication and apoſtacy of man from his Maker.

Let the conſideration of this teach us humility, and repreſs in us the poyſon of pride; the firſt ſin that ever ſprung out in our natures next to Infidelity, and laſt in rooting out. Conſider, O man, thy Original; that thou waſt born void and deſtitute of all holineſs, and in a ſtate of pollution; and by reaſon thereof a child of wrath, without any poſſibility to eſcape eternal damnation by any merit or power of thy own; but muſt needs ſink down to Hell, and be made fewel for eternal burnings; and canſt thou find any thing in thy ſelf whereof to be proud? Let us therefore look back to the vileneſs of our Original, and be humbled; let us lament and bewail our moſt wretched eſtate by nature, and conſider ſeriouſly how deeply our firſt Parents have engaged us in ſin and miſery. Before we had any poſſeſſion of felicity, or could claim any intereſt in it, we had forfeited it in Adam. We had a puniſhment before we had a being. We are all of us here born in the laſt age of the world, but we dyed in the firſt. This is the portion left us by our Parents, Original ſin, and a corrupt inclination in our natures unto all evil. And ſin being the cauſe and forerunner of death, it hath ſo ſown and involved the ſeeds of it in our natures, that as the Apoſtle ſaith, The body is dead already becauſe of ſin. Rom. 8.10. The Officers and Serjeants of Death, Dolours, Infirmities, and Diſeaſes, have ſeized already upon our bodies, and marked them out for lodgings, which ſhortly muſt be the habitations of death. Not only is the ſentence pronounced againſt us, Thou art duſt, Gen. 3.19. and to duſt thou ſhalt return; but it is already begun to be executed. Our carcaſſes are bound by the Officers of Death; and our life is but like that ſhort time which is granted to a condemned Criminal betwixt his Judgment and his Execution. And this brings me to

2. The ſecond thing we have to conſider in the Text, Man's duration or abode in the world, which is very ſhort, he is of few days. Tho the hope of life may ſo bewitch us, that in our falſe imagination we conceit there is more ſolidity and continuance in one year that is before us, than in ten that are paſſed by us; the time that is paſt being vaniſhed like a thought: but that which is to come, we are apt to think it longer than indeed in experience we ſhall find it; yet the Spirit of God, who beſt knows how ſhort and vain our life is, calls the time we have to abide here, but a few days. And if we judg aright, he that liveth longeſt, hath no more: for the days that are paſt are dead already, and thoſe that are yet to come, are uncertain; ſo that no more is left to us we can be ſaid to live, but the preſent moment; which immediately flyes away to give place to another, that by a ſucceſſion of fleeting moments our vain life may be prolonged. But that the days of man upon earth are few, I ſhall further ſhew you, by illuſtrating it in an inſtance or two.

1. Our days are few, if they be compared with God, and preſented to meaſure with Eternity. If the days of our life be ſet in compariſon with the duration of Gods Eternity, they bear no proportion to it, but vaniſh in the conſideration as nothing. Therefore David confeſſeth unto God, Pſal. 39.4. Thou haſt made my days as an hand bredth: and mine age is as nothing before thee. And in another Pſalm he ſaith, Pſal. 102.25, 26, 27. Of old, O God, thou haſt laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They ſhall periſh, but thou ſhalt endure; yea, all of them ſhall wax old like a garment, as a veſture ſhalt thou change them, and they ſhall be changed: but thou art the ſame, and thy years ſhall have no end. And agreeable is that of holy Job, Job 10.5. Job 36 26. Are thy days as the days of a man? Are thy years as mans days? And again, God is great, we know him not, neither can the number of his years be ſearched out. Therefore he is called the living God, as St. Acts 14.15 Paul in his Sermon to the Lyſtrians, oppoſeth to their vain Idols the living God. I need not make man worſe than he is, nor his condition more miſerable than it is; but could I, if I would? As a man cannot flatter God, or over praiſe him; ſo neither can he undervalue man. Job 7.3. He is made to p ſſeſs months of vanity. But Gods Eternity is interminabilis vitae, tota ſimul, & perfecta poſſeſſio. The Living God is a ſimple, abſolute, and eternal Being. There is no ſimilitude will bear any proportion in illuſtrating this compariſon of our days with God. A furlong is a great journey to a Snail; to a Horſe, or a Hound, it is nothing. A Ship with a fair Wind, will ſail a great way in a day; but what is that to the Voyage of the Sun, that every day ſurrounds the world? In all theſe there is an intermediate neceſſity of place, time, and motion, which belongs not to the infinite Eternity of God. Thus we are bounded, and bound up with time; but God is Eternity, and into that, Time never entered. For Eternity is not all everlaſting flux of Time; but time is a ſhort Parentheſis in a long Period; and Eternity had been the ſame that it is, tho Time had never been at all.

2. Our days are few, if they be compared with what we our ſelves ſhall have after this life: They bear no proportion to that Eternity of Joys or Miſery which ſhall ſucceed them. This mortal life is very ſhort, if we compare it with the life to come, which ſhall never have an end. The difference betwixt this life, and that to come, is ſomewhat reſembled by the difference betwixt a Leaſe for years, and an Eſtate in Fee-ſimple: the one runs on ſtill, but the other expires at a certain period. So are our days but few, if we compare them to that eternity of days we expect in Heaven. For this corruptible, 1 Cor. 15.53. muſt put on incorruption: and this mortal, muſt put on immortality. There is Eternity which hath neither beginning nor end, which is the duration of God: and there is Perpetuity, that which the Scripture calls everlaſting Life, the ſtate of our Souls in Glory. This hath a time to begin; but it ſhall out-live time, and be when time ſhall be no more. Now what a minute is the life of the durableſt Creature to this Everlaſtingneſs? What a minute is a Mans life, in reſpect of the Sun's, or a Tree's? The duration of the World, is but a minute to Eternity: Man's life is but a minute to the World: Occaſion is but a minute to our life; and yet we ſcarce apprehend a minute of that occaſion, if we do not lay hold on this opportunity, wherein we may receive good, and become bleſſed.

In both theſe reſpects it is manifeſt, That our days on earth are very few; of which the Patriarch Jacob being ſenſible, confeſſed, Few and evil have the days of my pilgrimage been. And holy Job, tho he was a man of ſorrows, and a great part of his lifetime was ſwallowed up by many bitter calamities; on which ſcore one would think he ſhould rather complain of the tediouſneſs, than of the ſhortneſs of his life; (for ſorrow makes time long, Minutes ſeem Hours, and Days Months to the miſerable. Our imagination makes the day of our ſorrow like Joſhua's day, when the Sun ſtood in Gibeon; the Summer of our delight is too ſhort; but the Winter of our adverſity goes ſlowly on): yet notwithſtanding this, he concludes, That mans days are few: he cometh forth as a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth alſo, as a ſhadow, and continueth not. Whereunto is exactly conſonant that of the Evangelical Prophet, Iſa. 40 6 7. All fleſh is graſs, and all the goodlineſs thereof, as the flower of the field: the graſs withereth, the flower fadeth. Nay, the Scripture ſometimes to inſinuate how ſhort our time is, vouchſafes not to number it by days, but calls our whole life a Day. Long life is a Summer day, ſhort life is a Winter day, joyful life is a Sun-ſhine day, troubleſome and ſorrowful life, is a gloomy and tempeſtuous day. But it ſeems a day is too long a term for it; and therefore the Prophet calls it a moment; Iſa. 26.20. Hide thy ſelf for a little moment, until the indignation be over-paſt. So vain a thing is man!

And that our days are few, will further appear, if we conſider thoſe ſimilitudes by which the holy Scriptures do ſometimes ſet forth the vanity of this our mortal life. Job 7 6 7, 9. Holy Job compares it to a Weaver's Shuttle, that runs ſwiftly through the Web; to the Wind, that paſſeth away ſpeedily, and returneth no more; to a Cloud, which vaniſheth, and is ſeen no more, when the Sun, whoſe influence drew it up, ſuddenly diſſipates it by its Rayes. He complains alſo, that his days were ſwifter than a poſt, Job 9.25, 26. they flee away, they ſee no good. He compares alſo the courſe of our life to an hungry Eagle, who beſides the velocity of her natural motion, being incited by the eagerneſs of her Appetite, flyeth haſtily upon her Prey: to a Ship ſailing ſwiftly before the Wind, which looſing from the Harbour with a proſperous Gale, immediately leaves the land behind, and is ſoon out of ſight, leaving no footſteps or impreſſion behind it, by which it can be diſcern'd that it hath been there. And as it is with the paſſengers that ſail in it, whether they ſit or walk, or howſoever they change their actions, yet do they ſtill go on to their deſigned Haven: So it is with us; whether we eat or ſleep, or whatſoever we do, we are ſtill poſting forward toward our end. Moſes compareth our life to the graſs, Pſal. 90 5, 6. which in the morning flouriſheth and groweth up, in the evening is cut down and withereth. To a Sleep, which inſenſibly paſſeth away before we know what we were doing in it: and to a dream of the night, than which nothing is more vain or uncertain. This is a true repreſentation of the vanity of our life, which like the ſhadow of a Dial is in perpetual motion, tho its progreſſion be by minute and imperceptible ſteps. Our days vaniſh and flye away as a vapor, or the morning dew, and we our ſelves as the flower of the field ſoon wither away.

By all this we ſee how little the Spirit of God eſteems of that whereof the ſons of men eſteem ſo much. Our ſin hath ſhortned our days, and made them few and miſerable. The pleaſures of life are worm-eaten, and the glory of the fleſh is but like Jonas's gourd, which one day grows up, and the next day is conſumed by the worms. If Solomon, who had experimented all the pleaſures this life could yield, after tryal of them cryed out all is vanity; and Job when he was diveſted of all his wealth, looking back to his fore paſſed days, was conſtrained to confeſs, I have poſſeſſed months of vanity; how can we look to find more comfort or felicity in this wretched life, than thoſe holy men have found before us? If we ſeek our comfort in the periſhing gain, glory, or pleaſures of this life, we ſhall be compelled to lament at laſt, That we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing; we have wearied our ſelves in vanity, and it doth not profit us.

Since then our days are few, let it be our care to ſpend them well, and to make the beſt improvement of them. Let us therefore pray with the Prophet Moſes, Pſal 90.12 Lerd ſo teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wiſdom. And the conſideration of the ſhortneſs and vanity of our life, will teach us true wiſdom in theſe reſpects.

In reference to the works or actions of our life, it will teach us to be wiſely diligent. Wiſdom is requiſite to direct our choice of the beſt buſineſs for the employment of our time. For the beſt uſe we can make of this ſhort life, is to provide in it for a better. For when death comes upon the ſtage, it ſweeps away all, and as to the good things of this life, is an utter privation of them. Then the ſoul muſt go forth of this world, and of all her followers in life, can only be attended with good or evil: If ſhe have done good in the body, her reward is great and certain in heaven; but if ſhe be ſurprized in ſin, hell ſhall be her ſhare; hell, the lake of Gods wrath, the ſtorehouſe of eternal fire, a bottomleſs Abyſs of miſery, where there is no evil but muſt be expected, nor good that can be hoped. And as Wiſdom, ſo Diligence is no leſs required of us. Since we have much work to do, and but little time to do it in, it behoves us to beware that we ſquander it not away in trifling or idleneſs. Seeing our time is ſhort, Eccl. 9 10. we muſt double our diligence. Whatſoever thine hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledg; nor wiſdom in the grave whither thou goeſt. If we trifle away our days in vanity, he that is the ancient of Dayes will call us to a ſevere account for them. We ſhould therefore be covetous of no worldly thing but Time, and that not for the duration of our pleaſures, but to work out the ſalvation of our ſouls. There is no uſury ſo allowable as this; not that men ſhould ſell time to improve money, but husband time to improve grace. Otherwiſe a long time will bring but a long and a ſad reckoning. When God gives us time, to do the buſineſs we came for, it leaves us either without imputation of idleneſs, or without excuſe. Our life wears away by living, and is diminiſhed by addition; every day added to it, is ſo much taken from it. Each ſtep ſets us forward to our graves; and we are nearer now, than when we entred the Church dores. Time goeth away by minutes, therefore it is not perceived: the ſhorter ſteps it taketh, the more inſenſibly it paſſeth. Therefore as it ſtealeth upon us, let us welcome it with good induſtry; and as it ſtealeth from us, let us ſend it away with a good Teſtimony. Thus though it quickly leaves us, it ſhall not leave us worſe than it found us.

In reference to the good things of this world, Phil. 4.5. it calls upon us to uſe moderation. Let your moderation be known to all men, the Lord is at hand. The conſideration of the fewneſs of our days, may juſtly teach us to moderate both our deſires and purſuits after, and our enjoyments of the things of this world. For why ſhouldſt thou ſet thine heart upon that which is not? As God ſaid to Baruch by his Prophet Jeremy, Jer. 45.4, 5. I will deſtroy this whole land, and ſeekeſt thou great things for thy ſelf? So, ſhall we deſign or promiſe to our ſelves great things in this life, when life it ſelf ſo ſuddenly flyeth away? Or ſhall we ſet our affections on the things of this world, when they cannot tarry with us? Or if they like true ſervants could continue, yet we like frail Maſters muſt vaniſh. This I ſay, brethren, the time is ſhort: 1 Cor. 7.29, 30, 31. it remaineth, both that they that have wives, be as they that have none; and they that weep, as thoſe that weep not; and they that rejoyce, as thoſe that rejoyce not; and they that buy, as thoſe that poſſeſs not; and they that uſe this world, as thoſe that uſe it not: for the faſhion of this world paſſeth away.

And in reference to the ſufferings and afflictions of this life, it teacheth us to bear them with patience and true Chriſtian magnanimity, becauſe they are but ſhort, and can endure but a little while. Therefore we ſhould not fear them before they come, nor ſhrink under them, or be diſcouraged when they are come, ſeeing we know they cannot laſt long, but muſt ſhortly have an end. The time of trouble in the holy Scripture is called ſometime a day of trial, and ſometime an hour of temptation. And as our bleſſed Lord ſaid to the three Diſciples, Could ye not watch with me one hour? So may he ſay to us all ſo often as we faint under affliction, Could ye not ſuffer with me one hour? It was the comfort Athanaſius gave to the Church in his time, againſt the cruel violence of Julian, the perſecuting Apoſtate, That he ſhould be but Nubicula cito tranſitura, a little ſtormy cloud that ſhould quickly paſs over: and it is certainly true concerning all our troubles, and the inſtruments of them, that if we wait a while upon our God with patience, we ſhall ſee them no more. And then Olim hac meminiſſe juvabit; our ſufferings here ſhall add to the weight of our joy hereafter, and that by way of remembrance. 2 Cor. 4.17 For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a moſt ſuperlative eternal abundance of glory.

3. I come now to the third and laſt thing we are to conſider in the text, which is the quality of mans duration, and full of trouble. Trouble is a diſquiet or commotion of the mind, ariſing from the ſenſe of ſome good thing which we cannot attain, or cannot keep; or of ſome evil which is either felt or feared. But I underſtand it here of the things which trouble us; thoſe afflictions and croſſes either inward or outward, which are real troubles and diſquietments, to which our lives are ſubject. For as this holy man ſaith, Job 5.6. Although affliction cometh not forth of the earth, neither doth trouble ſpring out of the ground; yet man is born to trouble as the ſparks flye upwards. And agreeably the Wiſe man hath obſerved of man, all his days are ſorrow, and his travel grief. And if any man deſire me to give him an example of this, I may call upon the whole World to give an example to the contrary. Now the meritorious or procuring cauſe of all our trouble, is ſin: for as all trouble is from God as the primary efficient Cauſe; ſo he never inflicts it without a juſt reaſon. Never came Judgment from God, but ſome provocation from man went before. The hand of Divine Juſtice never makes man ſmart without a cauſe. David might complain of his cruel and malicious Enemies, They perſecute me without a cauſe. No man could ever challenge God of this; he is provoked every moment; and wo were it for us if he ſhould ſtrike ſo often as he is provoked.

The objective cauſe is in thoſe circumſtances of the world, which are ſuch, as it cannot be otherwiſe. In hoc poſi •… i ſumus; we are ſo placed, and in ſuch circumſtances, as we cannot avoid being in trouble. Sorrows encompaſs our whole life, as the earth is inviron'd with the Seas; yea, as the Sea is vaſter than the Earth, ſo our happineſs is exceeded by our infelicity. Few and evil have the days of my pilgrimage been, ſaid that Patriarch; he ſpeaks not a word of any good ones: and Job ſaith, Our few days are full of trouble; ſo ſull of troubles, as if there were no room for any comforts to crowd in. Indeed if we put our happineſs in one ballance, and our miſery in the other, we ſhall find a mighty difference, this laſt far outweighing the former. VVe drink miſery, we do but taſte of happineſs; we journey in miſery, we do but walk in happineſs; nay, which is more, our miſery is poſitive and dogmatical, our happineſs is but diſputable and problematical. All men call troubles by the name of troubles; but happineſs changeth the name according to the man, that either thinks himſelf, or is thought by others to have it. Nay, there is ſcarce any happineſs that hath not in it ſo much of falſe and baſeimoney, as that the allay is more than the Metal. All our felicity is like an Iſland floating in the Sea, it is now in ſuch a point, to morrow in another, and the next day quite overwhelmed. Troubles break in upon us from the world, as waters from the Channels; and God ſends down others from above as waters from the Clouds; ſo that there are undi que flu •• us, troubles on every ſide.

And this being the univerſal Condition of humane life, we may the leſs wonder, if this pious deceaſed Gentlewoman, whoſe Funeral we are now met together to ſolemnize, had her ſhare in it; ſince none, how holy ſoever, could ever obtain a total exemption from trouble. She injoyed indeed a fair and happy freedom from outward troubles, and the cauſes of them; but it pleaſed God, who diſpenſeth all things moſt wiſely, to imbitter the ſerenity of her external condition, with ſome inward troubles, which are more preſſing, and inſupportable. Yet was ſhe not alone in this, nor ſuffered more than the deareſt Servants of God have before been exerciſed withal. How often doth the man after Gods own heart, complain in the bitterneſs of his Spirit; Thine arrows ſtick faſt in me, Pſal. 38.2, 3. and 69.1, 2. and 88.6, 7. and thine hand preſſeth me ſore: There is no ſoundneſs in my fleſh, becauſe of thine anger; neither is there any reſt in my bones, becauſe of my ſin. And again, Thou haſt laid me in the loweſt pit, in darkneſs, in the deeps; thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou haſt afflicted me with all thy waves. And holy Job; Job 6.4. and 7.20. The arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poyſon whereof drinketh up my ſpirit: the terrors of God ſet themſelves in array againſt me. And, Why haſt thou ſet me as a mark againſt thee, ſo that I am a burthen to my ſelf? And it was a bitter complaint of the good King Hezekiah; I reckoned till morning, Iſa. 38.13, 14, 17. that as a lion, ſo will he break all my bones: from day, even to night, wilt thou make an end of me. Like a Crane, or a Swallow, ſo did I chatter; I did mourn as a Dove. It is not therefore always a mark of Gods wrath, to be in trouble; but it is often a token of his Paternal love, an argument of our Adoption, and a title to an excellent Inheritance. Heb. 12.6, 7, 8. For God chaſteneth every ſon whom he receives; and if we be not chaſtened, then are we baſtards, and not ſons. And Chriſt ſaith to the Church of Laodicea, As many as I love, I rebuke and chaſten. Rev. 3.19. Therefore God ſuffers us to feel the more ſorrows, that we may have the more aſſurance of his Paternal love. It was the ground of that long Diſputation betwixt Job and his Friends, Whether that woful calamity was a ſign of Gods love, or of his hatred to him. God himſelf was the Moderator, and decided the queſtion, That all this was in love to him, and tended to his ſalvation. If the Lord be with us, Judg 6.13. why then is all this befallen us? John 11.3. It was Gideon's Expoſtulation with the Angel: and this was Mary's Meſſage to Chriſt, Lord, he whom thou loveſt, is ſick: Si amatur, quomodo infirmatur? As if none could be ſick whom God loves. Yes, therefore are they ſick, becauſe God loves them. A Fever does not more burn up our blood, than our Luſts: and together with ſweating out the Surfeits of Nature at the Pores of the Body, we weep out the ſinful Corruption of our Nature, at the Pores of our Conſcience. Let us take heed of interpreting every heavy Croſs, for a ſign of Gods Anger; and of making that an Argument of Rejection, which the Scripture makes an Argument of Salvation. That whom the Lord loves, he chaſtens, is Orthodoxal Truth; but that whom he ſcourgeth, he hateth, what ſtrange Divinity is this? Where doth the Scripture ever ſpeak ſo? But leſt any ſhould think it ſtrange, concerning the more than ordinary tryals and troubles of Gods own Servants; becauſe ſince the deceaſed Lady was ſo eminently exerciſed therewith, it ſeems to me to have a great ſuitableneſs to the preſent occaſion that hath brought us together, I ſhall endeavour to give you ſome further account of it. And,

1. This is founded in Nature: Good men are fleſh and blood, built up of the ſame Materials, produced from the ſame Original with other men; Eccleſ. 9.2. and therefore ſubject to the ſame troubles, and all thoſe evils that attend mankind in this lapſed degenerate ſtate. All things here come alike to all; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked, &c. Whatſoever difference Piety makes in mens Minds, in their Converſations, and in their future ſtates, it ſeldom makes any in their outward Condition in this World. We are born to ſufferings; the Laws of Mortality, which are unchangeable, ſubject us to them. 1 Cor. 10.13. And homo cum ſim, humani nihil a me alienum puto. There hath no temptation befallen you, ſaith the Apoſtle, but ſuch as is common to men. It is the common and ordinary lot of all men to ſuffer afflictions and troubles. We may not therefore refuſe to ſuffer that common lot to which all men are born; nor take grievouſly what we can no way avoid.

2. It is more peculiarly founded in Grace. The ſtate of Grace is a ſuffering ſtate; and it is the ordinary condition of Gods Servants to be in affliction, and to be under the Croſs. Acts 14.22. We muſt through much tribulation, enter into the kingdom of God. God ſeeth that men are moſt miſerable, in not being miſerable: therefore he ſuffers thoſe he cares not for, to ſwim in pleaſures; but they ſhall be ſure to have affliction and ſorrow upon earth, to whom he intends joy in Heaven. It is the greateſt affliction, to be without affliction; and on this account, proſperity is more to be ſuſpected and feared, than adverſity. It is a heavy judgment which God threatens his people with; Ezek. 16.42. I will make my fury toward thee to reſt, and my jealouſie ſhall depart from thee; and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry. O, how deplorable and wretched is that mans condition, from whom the Lord withdraweth his jealouſie, and gives him up to his own ways! Not to be angry, is the greateſt anger. There can be no condition more fully repleat with danger and miſery, than theirs is, whom God lets alone in ſin, and ſuffers to go to Hell undiſturbed. Thus the Pſalmiſt obſerves of the wicked, That they are not in trouble as other men; Pſal. 73.5. neither are they plagued like other men. But God owes them a grievous payment, whom he ſuffers to run on ſo long unqueſtion'd. Their ſecurity is like that of the Prophet Jonas, who ſlept moſt ſoundly, when he had moſt cauſe to watch and pray. God was purſuing him as a Fugitive Servant; his Officers were gathered about him, to lay hands on him: the Winds roared againſt him; the raging Waves of the Sea refuſing all other ſatisfaction offered by the Mariners, rolled with impetuous violence about the Bark, reſolved not to reſt till they had apprehended him: all his Companions in the Ship were aſtoniſhed, and amazed, and cryed out every one to his God; only Jonas was faſt aſleep. Was this true peace? or rather falſe ſecurity? So it is with the wicked: God is offended with them, Heaven above is ſhut againſt them, Hell beneath opened to receive them; Satan, that roaring Lion, watching when they ſhall be given him for a prey: All this while they are eating, and drinking, and making merry, in the depth of a dead ſleep: But this wretched ſecurity ſhall have a diſmal wakening, when they ſhall be taken out of their bed of eaſe, and caſt into the lake of Gods Wrath, where the worm dieth n t, and the fire is not quenched.

But if we look to the true pious Chriſtian, Whoſe Croſſes are ſo continual as his? And who more exerciſed with inward troubles than he? Yet his comfort is, That tho troubles interrupt his peace, they cannot deſtroy it, or take it from him; but being ſanctified to him, become a means to eſtabliſh it the more. Corda electorum aliquando concuſſa, melius ſolidantur. The hearts of the Elect, are beſt ſettled after they have been ſhaken with troubles. And the ſervants of God find by experience, that their inward troubles are Preparitives to inward Conſolations. As he that goes to build a Houſe, the higher he intends to raiſe it, the deeper he lays the Foundation: ſo God is pleaſed to humble them loweſt with troubles, to whom he pleaſeth to communicate the higheſt meaſures of his Conſolations and Glory. 2 Cor. 1.5. As the ſufferings of Chriſt abound in us, ſo our conſolations ſhall abound through him.

And if it be enquired, Why it pleaſeth God thus to ſuffer his own ſervants to be in trouble, and to exerciſe them oftner, and more therewith, than other men? it is anſwered, that he doth it for great and weighty Reaſons.

Sometimes for the tryal of their Faith: James 1.1, 2. My brethren, ſaith St. James, count it all joy when ye fall into temptations, knowing this, that the tryal of your faith worketh patience. And Moſes bids the Iſraelites remember all the way which God led them forty years through the wilderneſs, Deut. 8.2. to prove them, and to know all that was in their hearts. Thus God dealt with Job; and thus he deals with many of his ſervants: he caſts them into the Furnace of affliction, that their Faith being tryed, may ſhine the brighter.

Sometimes for the exerciſe of their Graces. Rom. 5.3, 4. We glory in tribulations, ſaith the Apoſtle, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope. Altho afflictions be in their own nature bitter, and not joyous, but grievous; yet they are the occaſions to exerciſe, and thereby to work in us the habit of many excellent Virtues, ſuch as patience, and Chriſtian for titude, and conſtancy under the greateſt evils, which begets in us a great experience of our own hearts, and knowledg of our ſincerity: and this produceth a firm hope in the promiſes of God, which can never fail us in the day of Evil. Thus afflictions do but give us opportunity for the Exerciſe of many noble acts of Religion, and of many Divine Graces, which otherwiſe there would be no place for. For ſome virtues are principally exerciſed with Evil, and all their ſtrength is employed in the victory of that. Wherein conſiſts the honour of Patience, but in the quiet and unmoved enduring of troubles? Nuſquam eſt patientiae virtus in proſperis. Where there are no troubles, patience hath nothing to do. Had Job never been afflicted, his Patience had wanted matter for Exerciſe, and had never become ſo eminently Exemplary. This and ſuch like Virtues, like Stars ſhine brighteſt in the Night. Therefore Afflictions are called Gods Wine-preſs; when they happen to good men, they do but preſs out the Sap and Juice of Grace that is in them, and make thoſe Graces, which lay hid before, manifeſt and apparent unto others. The good man being preſſed with troubles, brings forth the fruit of praiſe and thankſgiving with patience. Sciut aromata odorem, non niſi cum accenduntur expandunt; As ſweet ſpices diſperſe not their odours till they be burnt or beaten; ſo the Servants of God, who otherwiſe ſeem to be void of Spiritual ſtrength, when they are beaten with afflictions, ſend out a ſweet ſmelling ſavour of rich and manifold Graces.

Again, troubles in good men may ſometimes have a reſpect to Sin, and that either to Sin paſt, or future. In reſpect to paſt Sins, they are Medicinal Reſtoratives, by which they are awakened to recover their health by Repentance of thoſe Sins through which they have become ſpiritually ſick and diſeaſed. For howſoever God giveth looſe reins to the Children of wrath, and delivereth them up to their own hearts deſires; yet he will hedg in with thorns the way of thoſe he purpoſeth to ſave, and by ſome ſharp Rod or other will awake them from the mortal ſleep of Security, as he awaked Jonas by caſting him into the Sea; and arreſted Saul in the full career of his perſecution, by ſtriking him at once from his horſe, and from his carnal confidence in the fleſh. And in reſpect to future Sins, troubles are preſervatives from ſuch Sins, into which God ſeeth them of their weakneſs ready to fall, if they be not prevented: And ſo he ſent an Angel of Satan to buffet St. Paul, not for any Sin he had committed, but for a Sin he might fall into; leſt he ſhould be exalted above meaſure through the Abundance of his Revelations.

Again, the Servants of God are exerciſed with troubles, ſometimes to withdraw their affections from the World and to awaken their deſires and purſuits after thoſe better and more enduring riches, which are reſerved in Heaven for them. Should they injoy alway an undiſturbed courſe of proſperity, they would be ready to ſay with St. Peter, when he ſaw the glory of Mount Tabor, It is good to be here: and never think of any other Heaven. But when we find nothing but trouble and diſquietneſs here, then our hearts being thereby convinc'd of the vanity and vexation of all earthly things, do long after that Reſt which remains for the People of God. There is no Reſt to be found here. What the Devil ſought in envy, and Solomon in curioſity, that all men ſeek in vanity. Mar. 12.43. Walking through theſe dry places, they ſeek reſt, and find none. Here we dwell in Meſek, and meet with nothing but diſquietneſs. And they that are toſſed in a tempeſt, how do they long for a good Haven, or harbor of reſt! The more our Pilgrimage is imbittered, the more we ſeek this Reſt. But here we cannot find it: the Heavens move, they have no reſt; the Earth fructifies, it hath no reſt; the Waters, Winds, Clouds, are all at work, they have no reſt. Nor is any reſt allowed to man below. Let us not think to ſet up our reſt here in this tumultuous throng of troubles. Where envy and ſtrife is, there is confuſion, and every evil work. Upon this Wheel, ever whirling about, we are no ſooner ſet down, but ſome trouble or other rowſeth us in the words of the Prophet, Mic. 2.10. Ariſe and depart, for this is not your reſt.

Laſtly, troubles prepare the Servants of God for Salvation: as Grapes muſt be preſſed before they become Wine, and Corn thraſhed and ground, before it make Bread. And tho this ſeem a meer paradox to the men of the World, who go on in a courſe of Sin and Pleaſure: Yet the Spirit of God hath aſſured us; that tho no chaſtening for the preſent be joyous but greivous; nevertheleſs afterwards it yeildeth the quiet and peaceable fruits of righteouſneſs unto them that are exerciſed thereby. As God ſendeth afflictions to ſcourge us, ſo they ſcourge us into the way to Him: and when they have ſhewed us, that we are nothing in our ſelves, they alſo ſhew us, that Chriſt is all things to us. And tho they ſhall remove us out of the World, yet they aſſure us, that no extremity of ſickneſs, no temptations of Satan, no horror of Death, ſhall remove us from him: but when we dye, we ſhall dye in him, and by that death be united unto him that dyed for us, and roſe again. Thus God afflicts his own Servants here, that he may crown them hereafter: they are exerciſed with troubles in this preſent life, that in that to come they may have reſt in the Lord. Thus the Apoſtle ſaith, When we are judged, 1 Cor. 11.32. we are chaſtened of the Lord, that we ſhould not be condemned with the World. The ſorrows and troubles of the Saints, prepare them for Chriſt, and help to gather them to him. Pſal. 126.5, 6. They that ſow in tears ſhall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious ſeed, ſhall doubtleſs come again with rejoycing, bringing his ſheaves with him.

And that that this was the Caſe of this excellent perſon, this deceaſed Gentlewoman, whoſe earthly Reliques we have committed to the Grave; thoſe manifold Graces, and Divine Virtues, that were ſo illuſtriouſly reſplendent in her whole Life, may give us a great and convincing Argument to believe, If we ſhould run through all the ſeveral ranks of Virtues, Intellectual, Moral, and Theological, we ſhould find her defectvie in none of them. But that being too prolixa Theme for our narrow limits of time, I ſhall crave your pardon and leave to mention briefly ſome few of thoſe virtues that were moſt conſpicuous in her, tho without method or order, and as they occur to my thoughts.

Her intellectual Virtues were known to all that knew or convers'd with her, to be very great. Nature had furniſh'd her with a great quickneſs of Apprehenſion, acuteneſs of Wit, and Retentiveneſs of Memory, Solidity of Judgment; which ſhe had improved by diligent Reading and Converſation, whereby ſhe had accompliſh'd her ſelf in an eminent manner, with the knowledg of all things decent and praiſeworthy in her ſex: and had acquired an ablity to diſcourſe, (at leaſt with any of her Sex) in concerning moſt matters, either of humane or Divine knowledg. She converſed much with the Books of various kinds of Learning, and employed much time in Reading. But her cheif ſtudy was, with thoſe Noble Bereans whom St. Paul commends, Acts 17.11, 12. to ſearch the Scripture daily, becauſe ſhe knew theſe only contain the Words of eternal Life: and therefore with Mary ſhe choſe the better part of Learning, even the Doctrine and Knowledg of Jeſus Chriſt. In theſe ſacred Books ſhe ſought that Knowledg which alone is able to make men wiſe unto Salvation, which ſhe preferred before all other Wiſdom: and by her ſerious and aſſiduous Study and Meditation in them, ſhe did adorn her Soul with the glorious Ornaments of rich and manifold Graces.

Amongſt her perſonal Moral Virtues, the Virtue this Gentlewoman did moſt ſtudy and exerciſe, was Humility. This indeed is the peculiar Grace of Chriſtians, moſt becoming our ſtate, both as Creatures, and as Sinners; the Parent and Nurſe of other Graces, that preſerves us in the light of Faith, and heat of Love; that procures Modeſty in Proſperity, and Patience in adverſity; and is ſo lovely in the eyes of God, that tho he reſiſteth the proud, yet he gives grace to the humble. It is the foundation of honour and glory: for he that humbleth himſelf ſhall be exalted. This Grace of Humility was moſt conſpicuous through the whole courſe of her Converſation, being moſt eminently apparent in the meekneſs and modeſty of her behaviour, in the gentleneſs and affability of her converſe, in the low thoughts ſhe had of her ſelf, and her freedom from cenſoriouſneſs of others; in the plainneſs of her apparel and dreſs. She was, as the Apoſtle exhorts, cloathed with humility; and her chief ernaments were thoſe of a meek and quiet Spirit, which are in the ſight of God of great price.

Her Temperance and Sobriety were great and exemplary, no further indulging the body, but to make it more ſerviceable to her mind. She was far from exceſs, even in lawful pleaſures; but ſtrictly abſtinent from all that are unlawful, that ſtain and debaſe the Soul, and alienate it from converſe with God, and mortifie its taſte to ſpiritual delights. Diligence was alſo a known Virtue in her, her active mind filling up all the empty ſpaces of time with ſomething uſeful or delightful to her ſelf or others.

But beſides all her perſonal moral Virtues, her Piety toward God deſerves our ſerious conſideration. Her Religion was grave and ſober, not mimical, or ſuperſtitious; free from Phanatical Whimſies, and Enthuſiaſms on one hand, and ſuperſtitious Dotages and Fopperies on the other; not flouriſhing in the leaves of a gay, but barren profeſſion; but bringing forth the fruits of Faith, Patience, Meekneſs, Mortification, Charity, Devotion, and holineſs of Life. She was a conſtant and diligent Attender upon the publick Worſhip of God, and not leſs careful in the performance of her private Devotions, giving her ſelf with great aſſiduity and intention of mind to Reading, Meditation and Prayer; ſetting a part certain hours of every day, for the exerciſe of thoſe holy Duties; in which ſhe was regular and conſtant, ſo long as her Memory and other Rationals remained intire.

And in ſhort, there ſhone in her ſuch a happy Conſtellation of precious Virtues, as ſufficiently manifeſted it to have been her pious care and ſtudy, to build up her ſelf in all Grace and Holineſs, and to add to her faith virtue, and to virtue knowledg, and to knowledg temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godlineſs, and brotherly kindneſs, and charity. And tho it pleaſed God, either for the Cauſes by us before mentioned or others beſt known to himſelf, to ſuffer theſe Lights in the latter end of her life to be eclipſed and obſcured by the thick fumes of a black Melancholly, and the diſtempers of a troubled Spirit; yet we who have often ſeen the Sun ſetting in a Cloud, and yet ariſe in his wonted luſtre, do no leſs hope, that theſe Graces ſhall riſe, with her a more bright and radiant in the morning of the Reſurrection.

In fine, her whole life was led according to the ſtrict Rules of Piety and Virtue; whereupon we may in Charity believe, and on good grounds conclude, that ſhe hath fought a good fight, ſhe hath finiſhed her courſe, and kept the faith, and is now gone to receive her reward, the crown of Righteouſneſs, which the Lord, the righteous Judg ſhall give to all that love his appearing.

Therefore leaving her to her quiet and happy reſt, let us return to our ſelves. You have heard how few our days are, and how full of trouble! Let the conſideration thereof awaken us, to paſs the time of our ſojourning here in fear, and to give all diligence to work out our own ſalvation with fear and trembling, that we may paſs from this ſhort and troubleſome life, to that everlaſting one, which no troubles can diſturb, or diſcompoſe, no end ſhall ever determine. Let us prepare for that happy ſtate by ſincere repentance, and a holy life; and ſend up our hearts to Heaven, as an Earneſt, that we would have our Souls there. Let our deſires be above, tho our bodies are below; and being weary of the troubleſome vanities of this world, let us aſpire and long after the bleſſed Seat of Reſt, wherein dwelleth Righteouſneſs and her inſeparable Companions, Peace, Joy, Glory, Happineſs, and eternal Life. As there is no ſin in Heaven, ſo there are no ſufferings, no troubles there, no ſorrow can ever enter into thoſe bleſſed Regions. Thither the reedee •• d of the Lord ſhall come with everlaſting joy upon their heads: they ſhall obtain joy and gladneſs, and ſorrow and ſighing ſhall flee away.

FINIS.