Mistris Shawe's tomb-stone or, the saints remains. Being a brief narrative, of some few (amongst many) remarkable passages in the holy life and happy death of that precious servant of the Lord Mrs. Dorothy Shaw, (late the dearly beloved wife of Mr. John Shaw preacher of the Gospell at Kingstone upon Hull,) who sweetly slept in the Lord, Decemb. 10th. and was interred at Trinity Church, in Hull, Decemb. 12. 1657. Collected by her dearest friend: with many usefull instructions, especially for his own and his six daughters consolation and imitation. Shawe, John, 1608-1672. 1658 Approx. 196 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 97 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2012-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2). A93051 Wing S3029 Thomason E1926_1 ESTC R209982 99868826 99868826 121182

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A93051) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 121182) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 239:E1926[1]) Mistris Shawe's tomb-stone or, the saints remains. Being a brief narrative, of some few (amongst many) remarkable passages in the holy life and happy death of that precious servant of the Lord Mrs. Dorothy Shaw, (late the dearly beloved wife of Mr. John Shaw preacher of the Gospell at Kingstone upon Hull,) who sweetly slept in the Lord, Decemb. 10th. and was interred at Trinity Church, in Hull, Decemb. 12. 1657. Collected by her dearest friend: with many usefull instructions, especially for his own and his six daughters consolation and imitation. Shawe, John, 1608-1672. [72], 103, [9] p. Printed for Nathanael Brooks, at the Angel in Cornhill, London : 1658. By John Shaw. Running title reads: The saints tomb-stone. With 5 final advertisement leaves. Annotation on Thomason copy: "June". Reproduction of the original in the British Library.

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eng Shaw, Dorothy, d. 1657 -- Early works to 1800. 2020-09-21 Content of 'availability' element changed when EEBO Phase 2 texts came into the public domain 2011-05 Assigned for keying and markup 2011-05 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2011-06 Sampled and proofread 2011-06 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2012-05 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

Miſtris SHAWE'S Tomb-ſtone. OR, The Saints Remains. Being a brief Narrative, of ſome few (amongſt many) Remarkable paſſages in the holy life and happy death, of that precious ſervant of the Lord Mrs. Dorothy Shaw, (late the dearly beloved wife of Mr. John Shaw Preacher of the Goſpell at Kingſtone upon Hull,) who ſweetly ſlept in the Lord, Decemb. 10th. and was interred at Trinity Church, in Hull Decemb. 12. 1657. Collected by her deareſt Friend: with many uſefull inſtructions, eſpecially for his own and his ſix daughters conſolation and imitation.

Job 1.1.

Job was a perfect and upright man, and one that feared God, and eſchewed evil.

Pſal. 37.37.

Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace.

Pſal. 116.15.

Precious in the ſight of the Lord, is the death of his Saints.

2 Tim. 4.7, 8.

I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of glory.

In Chriſto vixi, morior vivo que beata; Do ſordes morti, caetera Chriſte tibi. Nolui aliquid loqui vel ſcribere quod improbaturum putem Chriſtum. Oecolamp.

London, Printed for Nathanael Brooks, at the Angel in Cornhill, 1658.

TO THE Right Honorable, and truly Religious Ladyes, the Lady Frances Strickland, the pious Conſort of William Lord Strickland of Boynton; and the Lady Anne Strickland, the gracious Conſort of Walter Lord Strickland, One of his Highneſs the Lord Protector's Honorable Councell, J. S. Wiſheth grace and peace. Right Honorable,

THough I my ſelf cannot bring forth any thing worthy your Honour's view, yet that which is dearest to me, the memory of my dear and precious wife, I commend to your Honours: and though I have ever judged both of you Eminent in Piety, yet ſomething perhaps in this deceaſed ſervant of Chriſt, may not be unworthy of your ſerious thoughts, and may further ſtirr up your pure mindes in the wayes of God, yet more to honour that God who hath ſo much honoured you: The Lord hath exceedingly bleſſed you both, with Pious Your marriage is conjugium non conjurgium. Comfortable and Eminent Yoke-fellows, and yet hath more honoured you by marrying you to Gods own Son, the heir of heaven, (and indeed therein lies your chief and laſting happineſſe). Probably this ſhort diſcourſe (which was very haſtily written, as it dropt from my pen, in much grief and ſorrow on the ſuddain, to divert that flood of grief which I found my ſelf unable to withſtand at preſent, as well as I would) may ſomewhat further your Honours Comforts againſt the hours of approaching and inevitable death: God hath called both your Honours to great eſtates and places, and you cannot but know that therein lye ſnares. When the Duke of Venice had ſhewea to Charles the 5th. his moſt ſtately Palace, he, after the ſight thereof, onely anſwered,Haec ſunt quae nos faciunt invitos mori. Theſe things are they that make us unwilling to dye: We uſe to ſay, there are two manners of Enough, and indeed there is Eſaw's enough (or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . much) in the world without God, Gen. 33.9. and Jacobs enough 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . (or all) firſt God, and then content in theſe other things with him, Gen. 33.11. This latter enough, I hope God hath given you, Chriſt and with him all other needfull things, Rom. 8.32. Let this Tombſtone be to your Honours, as King Phillips Monitor, to put you in mind of what is certain, yet we are too prone to forget, Lam. 1.9. viz. death. The Egyptians uſed to have a deaths-head at their greateſt feaſts: thinke we of death in the greateſt plenty. When Moſes and Elias talked with Chriſt, at his glorious tranſfiguration on the Mount, their diſcourſe was about death, Luke 9.30, 31. Chriſt once cured the blind mans eyes with clay, ſo may he ſtill more open our eyes with the conſideration of our clay, and mortality; do as Eumolpus Ego ſic ſemper & nbi que vixi tanquam ultimum diem, nunquam rediturum, conſumerem. ſaid he did, namely endeavour to live every day as if it ſhould prove his laſt day. God hath of late much exerciſed both your Honours with weak bodies, (ſo that what would be a curſe to ſome, would be a bleſſing to you, to wiſh that which John wiſhed to Gaius, 3 John 2. that your bodies may proſper as your ſouls proſper). The gracious God give you theſe two choiſe mercyes, which are moſt ſweet when they go together, Pſal. 103.3. forgive your ſins and heale all your diſeaſes. I hope you will not take it ill from me (whom you have Conſtantly ſo much I may ſay of both your Honours with Jerome, vobis & quod poſſum debeo, & quod non poſſum. favoured) that I propound to your Honours ſo mean a perſon for your imitation: be pleaſed to conſider, that its the beſt that I had, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ſaid the poor Grecian to the Emperour. and whoſe example I my ſelf deſire to follow in the way to life; It is the uſe at the Election of the Emperour of Germany, to ſhew to him on his Election day ſeverall marble-stones, deſiring him to chuſe, of which of thoſe he would have his Tomb-ſtone made, to mind him even then of his Death; I have here ſhewed you the Tombſtone of one that lived very holily, and dyed very happily, which may encourage your Honours against the night of ſable death; Satan is buſie to vex whom he cannot deſtroy, and though he cannot bring a childe of God to Hell, yet he will bring Hell to a childe of God; and oftimes brings his ſharpeſt darts towards his death; though Satan cannot make him fall out of the ſtate of grace yet he labours to make him fall in the ſtate of grace, & its good to have your hearts Comforted againſt that day. Senarclaeus ſaith of John Diarius, that the day before he was ſlain by his own brother, (as Abel was by Cain for Religion's ſake) he ſpake to him ſo ſweetly, and feelingly, that he thought that he felt the holy Ghoſt come powerfully upon him with his words; and ſurely I could ſay much to this purpoſe concerning this deceaſed ſervant of Chriſt, that ſhe ſpake even to her death with that affection, warmth, and life, as one that firſt felt what ſhe ſpake, and then ſpake what ſhe felt: That holy learned man Mr. Brightman, (who dyed about fifty years ſince) deſired much (if the only wiſe ſo pleaſed) to dye a ſuddain (though to him not ſuddain) death, & ſo he did. Auguſtus Caeſar was wont when he heard of any that dyed eaſily and ſuddainly, to wiſh ſuch a happyWhich he called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . death. I cannot ſay that ſhe dyed exceeding ſuddenly,Though ſhe was at the Congregation twice on the Lords day, Decemb. 6. and aſleep in the Lord on Thurſday, Decemb. 10. but I can ſay that ſhe dyed exceeding happily. May your Honours in theſe ſaying-dayes, (wherein is ſo much diſputing and unedifying janglings about Religion, 1 Tim. 1.4, & 6, 5. wherein Rachells ſight exceeds Leahs fruitfulneſſe) may your Honours (I ſay), take that counſell, which holy and learned Melancthon gave his mother (then troubled with variety of diſputes about Religion) namely, Go on in holy practiſe, to do what you know, and trouble not your ſelves (as you do not) with the endleſſe and needleſſe brabbles of the times, which would weary, and not edifie you: and which made holy Strigellius and Melancthon (very learned pious men) to deſire to dye, to be freed from They deſired to dye, to be freed, ab implacabilibus odiis Theoiogorum. them; how many in ſtead of heart-ſearching & holy practiſing, mind only opinions notions and diſputes, which the ſerious thoughts of death might happily aellay: the Poet ſaith (and perhaps you know), that ſwarmes of Bees meeting in the aire, will ſometimes fight with great violence, yet if you cast a little duſt Virgil. Hi motus animorum at que haec certamina tanta Pulveris exigui jactu compreſſa q ieſcunt. Sir Hen. Wotton Provost of Eaton, would have no other Epitaph on his Tombe but this, Hic ſitus eſt author illius Sententiae, Diſputacdi pruritus fir Eccleſiarum ſcabies, ſaith learned Dr. Arrowſ. And Luthers prayer was, à doctore glorioſo, a paſtore contentioſo, & inutilibus quaeſtionibus liberet eccleſiam ſuam Dominus. amongſt them, they are preſently quiet; Oh that the ſerious conſideration of our dust and mortality might ceaſe and quiet our needleſſe differences, and unprofitable diſputes. Go on I beſeech you to study Gods word, and your own hearts, death, and your great account; Learned Suarez uſed to ſay, that he more eſteemed, that little pittance of time, which he conſtantly ſet apart every day for the private examination of his own heart, then all the other part of the day which he ſpent in Voluminous controverſies; hold on therefore in Gods work and fear not to lye down in the bed of the grave which Christ hath made ſoft for you; Chriſt hath, both conquered for you, and conquered in you: the great work is paſt here, if God hath made you new Creatures, raiſed you from the dead, (the death of ſin and nature) hath changed you from darkneſſe to light, its an eaſier work to put that new Creature ſo made, ſo raiſed, into heaven, and to remove him from the leſſer light of grace to the greater light of glory: he that hath done the greater (which you experience) will ſurely do the leſſer.—But I ceaſe your Honours further trouble, onely humbly crave your pardon for this my boldneſſe, herein, and my plainneſſe in the enſuing narrative, (for ſorrow knew neither exactneſſe of method, nor curioſity of phraſe) and when your Honours have leaſure, vouchſafe to read the life and death of her, who was moſt dear to him that is,

A poor faithfull remembrancer of your Honorable Conſorts, and your: Ladiſhips, at the throne of grace. I. S. Charter-houſe near Kingſton upon Hull. December 23. 1657.
TO The Dear Kinred, Friends, and Acquaintants of his deceaſed ſervant of Chriſt Mr. Dorothy Shaw, eſpecially thoſe now inhabiting, in Kingſton upon Hull; in Derbyſhire, Cuttthorp, Somerſall, &c. in Yorkſhire, at Peniſtone, York, Sickhouſe, Hal-broom, Brom-head, Rotherham, &c. in Lancaſhire, Mancheſter, Alding-ham, &c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Dear and Christian Friends!

THe Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 11.4. that Abel being dead, yet ſpeaketh (or is ſpoken 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . of, as is ſaid of that woman, Mat. 26.13.) I queſtion not but this pretious ſervant of the Lord, mentioned in this enſuing Narrative, will be much ſpoken of among you; and the good example of her holy life, and happy death ſtill ſpeaks aloud to you all, and calls upon you to attend the meanes of grace watchfully, whereby ſhe felt very much profit; and take heed that you be not drawn from them, by the ſubtilty of the old Serpent or his factors who are full of wiles; for whom Satan cannot keep wholly ignorant, or draw away to open prophaneſſe; yet with other ſleights, he withdrawes them by degrees from all Gods ordinances, one after another, ſo as they grow quickly cold, or negligent in Family duties (which they call not, their duties but liberties) and put all their Religion in their private opinion, on which they ſpend all their zeal, and though they regard the Lords day, no more then ſinging Pſalmes, yet ſeem to do ſomething on that day, merely to keep their proſelytes that day from a powerfull Miniſtery, (a Popiſh Antichriſtian plot, and ſet on by the Prince of darkneſſe, leſt his kingdome ſhould go down, and poor ſeduced ſouls be ſaved;) Our Saviour forewarns us that before his coming, Math. 25. divers Virgin-profeſſours, who though they had no oyl of grace in their hearts, ver. 3. yet had ſomething that kept their Lamps burning, verſe 8. ſome ſound principles, and common graces; ſhall, before Chriſt come, even loſe thoſe Principles, and their Lamps go out. And truly many ſometimes-profeſſors have in theſe dayes, loſt even their principles, and become almoſt noChriſtians, or very Atheiſts; but this ſervant of the Lord kept both ſound Principles, her Lampe burning, and ſaving Graces: ſhe was not like Nebuchadnezzars Image, her feet were of gold, as well as her head; ſhe relyed on Chriſt alone, as the onely perſonall foundation, 1 Cor. 3.11. fundamentum fundans, and on the Scriptures as on the only doctrinal foundation, Eph. 2.20. fundamentum fundatum; Christi ſatiſpaſſio fuit ejus ſatisfactio: ſcriptura fuit vita ejus regula regulans, conſcientia regula regulata; ſhe could not bear with curſed blaſphemies, Rev. 2.2. but as Zuinglius, when the Heretick Servetus condemned him for his harſhneſſe towards him, he anſwered, in aliis manſuetus ero, in blaſphemiis in Chriſtum non it à; or as Luther, Inveniar ſanè ſuperbus, &c. modo impii ſilentii non arguar, dum dominus patitur, or as Ierome in the like caſe, Mori poſſum, tacere non poſſum.

She ſtill ſpeaks to you more to look after the power of godlineſſe, and to faith and profeſſion joyn ſincere obedience: we uſe to ſay, that Philoſophy ſeeks,Philoſophia quaerit, Theologia invenit, religio poſſider. divinity finds, but the power of godlineſſe poſſeſſeth the ſweet and comfort of true happineſſe; though ſhe could not (to uſe Junius his diſtinction) placare Deum, pacifie God, (that is Chriſt's worke alone,) yet did ſhe placere Deo, ſhe had this teſtimony that ſhe pleaſed God, Heb. 11.5.She did what Luther directs, ſervare mandata, ſcilicet in Chriſto; and that is ſweet. She obeyed God with fear and love, Pſal. 2.11. ſhe had obedientiam ſervi, yet not ſervilem; She had amorem mercedis, an eye to the recompence of the reward, yet not amorem mercenarium, ſhe ſerved God as well with the heart and love, as with the hand and life; with the fear of a child, and love of a ſpouſe, Math. 28.8. She gave to God both totum cor, and totum cordis, her whole heart and that in the ſincerity of it: ſhe was watchfull as well in duties, as againſt ſins, and as well againſt one ſin, as another; though ſhe could not keep totum logis, yet ſhe obſerved totam legem, Iames 2.10. Pſal. 119.5, 6. She lived though not ſine vitio, without ſin, yet ſine crimine without blame, as Elizabeth and Zachary did, Luke 1.6. She well knew that though God did not ordain good works, that we ſhould live by them, yet that we ſhould live in them, Eph. 2.10. ſhe deſired as well a Chriſt in her, Gal. 2.20. Col. 1.27. as a Chriſt for her, as well as to pertake of Chriſts redemption by power to reſcue her from corruption by his ſpirit, as of his redemption by price to reſcue her from condemnation by his merit; ſhe was much troubled to ſee men ſeek ſo much after new light, and ſo little after new life; to hear men talke ſo much of Chriſts temporall raign in the world, and yet obſerve ſo little of his raign in their hearts and lives.

She ſpeaks to you, more to vallew grace, and love godlineſſe wherever you ſee it, to prize goodneſſe above greatneſſe, magnitudinem virtutis, ſupra magnitudinem molis: ſhe was of Moſes's minde, Heb. 11.25, 26. prized real Saints above all the world, as the moſtScripture calls Good Magiſtrates the onely men of that place, Jer. 5.1. and elect men, as if they were all the men in the world, Joh. 12.32. becauſe they are the top and chief of men: As men for that cauſe are called every Creature, Mark 16.16. excellent, Pſal. 16.3. Piſcelinus being a great Scholler was made by the Emperour a Noble man, and afterwards he rejected the ſociety of Schollers, and clave wholly to the Company of the Nobility, which made the Emperour Sigiſmund to ſcoffe him, ſaying, I can give Nobility, but not parts and learning. But as the Scripture calls grace, glory, 2 Cor. 3.18. ſo ſhe did valew it as her glory here, and way to glory hereafter; and her heart was much after thoſe (above all worldly pomp) in whom ſhe judged, that grace bare ſway. I think ſhe was ſomewhat of the minde of ſome of the Ancients, that ſaid, that Herod might have kept his oath, Mark 6.23. and yet have ſpared John Baptists head, becauſe Johns life was worth more then all Herods kingdome.

She ſpeakes to you, to be more weaned from this world, and to have yours affections and converſations more in heaven; I will not ſay of her, what Luther ſaid of himſelf, that though Satan ſhot his fiery darts,Hortibilia de deo, terribilia de fide &c. of remptation againſt him, yet he never tempted him to covetouſneſſe; nay I am bold with Learned Mr. Capell to think, that Luther ſpake herein, as he verily thought, but not really as it was; (though, if he ſpake as it was, I wiſh that herein we were all Lutherans) yet I can truly ſay, that by faith ſhe had in a great meaſure weanedneſſe from, and victory over this world, 1 Ioh. 5.4. She ſpeakes to you to get up your evidences and aſſurance, that Chriſt is yours, and you are Chriſts; and not to know onely, that there is a God, a Chriſt, a Heaven, but that this God, this Chriſt, &c. are yours, Pſal. 48.14, & 144, 15. Cant. 2.16. Quid est Deus ſi non ſit meus: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ſaith Chryſoſtome, Faith appropriates God to a mans ſelf, Gal. 2.20. If it was not for this poſſeſſive [Mine] ſaith Learned Mr. Trap, the devil might ſay the Creed to as good purpoſe as we. See that you can ſay with Thomas truly, My Lord and my God: David in one verſe, viz. Pſal. 18.2. names eight titles, and in the whole verſe, nothing but thoſe eight expreſſions concerning God, and appropriates them all to himſelf, my rock, my fortreſſe, my deliverer, my God, &c. Shee ſpeakes to you, to bear afflictions patiently & cheerfully. When ſhe obſerved her legs to ſwell, and it was told her, that that was a dangerous ſigne, oh, how cheerfully and joyfully did ſhe ſpeak, which makes me think of good Graſſerus, when he obſerved his legs to ſwell with a dropſie, he joyfully ſaid, Euge Deo ſit laus & gloria, quod jam mea inſtet liberatio, & horula gratiſſima; Bleſſed be God, my freedome now drawes ſo near. Though grace be not that lapis philoſophicus, yet its farr better, its that lapis theologicus, that precious ſtone that can turn all afflictions, yea death its ſelf into gold and gainMarble ſweates againſt rain, yet never the ſofter; ſo the wicked relent under afflictions, yet after with Pharo h repent of their former repenting, but to the elect, afflictions lead them to the truth, and the holy Ghoſt leades them into the truth. to a believer, Phil. 1.21. as Chriſts obedience for us takes not away the neceſſity of our obedience; ſo neither do his ſufferings for us, take away the neceſſity of our ſuffering afflictions and death, but yet they take away the ſting and curſe, and ſweeten them to a believer: ſhe that with Paul, Gal. 1.18, & 2, 1: counted her life not from her firſt, but her new birth, (or as old godly Similes ſaid, that he had been in the world 60 years, but had lived but ſeven,) ſhe needed not fear that ſting of death.

She ſpeaks to you to ſearch your own hearts diligently, Pſal. 4.4, & 77, 6. and not to be Athenians, all for newes abroad, and ſtrangers to your own hearts. Seneca ſaith, that its the nature of men, magis uti perſpecillis quam ſpeculis, rather to uſe ſpectacles or optickglaſſes to ſee abroad among others, then looking-glaſſes, to reflect upon our ſelves; it was never well with the Prodigall till he came to himſelf, Luke 15.

She ſpeaks to you to pitty thoſe, even your very enemies, that lye in their blood, ſhe could do thoſe two things that no wicked man can righly do, (1.) love her bodily enemies, (2.) hate her ſpirituall enemies; ſhe was far from Poyery, yet did ſhe often pray for the dead, and commend others for preaching to the dead, ſuch as were dead while they be alive, not dead Phyſically and orporally, but morally and ſpiritually.

She ſpeaks to you, ſtill to look well to your ſpiritual marriage with Jeſus Chriſt here by faith, that is your great promotion and honour, that bond will not break in the ſaddeſt hour.Armundus Viſabunda. One tells us of five ſiſters of the ſame birth pedigree, and race, whereof one was married to a King, another to an Earle, a third to a Gentleman, a fourth to a mean man, a fifth to a filthy beggar; though they all were alike by birth & deſcent, yet their difference lyes in their marriage: Truly we are all alike by creation, by the fall, by nature, by the firſt birth, but the hearts and affections of ſome are joyned to the world, ſome to their luſts, and ſins, and ſome to Chriſt; and there is their true honour in life, and death, and after death. — But my ſad thoughts detain you too long; only let us all learn by her example ſo to live, as that we need not to fear death, which will ſhortly ceaze upon us. We read of King Lewis the eleventh of France, (and ſome other Grandees in the world) that they charged their ſervants, and all about them, that when they ſaw them ſick, they ſhould not dare ever to name that terrible word [death] in their hearing. But ſhe of whom I now write, took Hezekiahs medicine in her life, to prevent the terror of death, Iſai. 38.3. and Paul's, 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. ſo as ſhe could look either backwardHoc eſt Vivere bis, vitâ poſſe priore frui. or forward with joy. Whom you loved living, now follow her ſteps to her death; then ſhall you not need to fear death, ſo, as if dying and damning wouldNon metuo mori, ſed damnari, ſaid a dying man. go together; but as Sir Fulke Grevill defired to have this Epitaph on his Tomb, [here lyes a Friend of Sir Philip Sidney]; ſo may you have that comfort and honour, when you are laid to ſleep, which this ſervant of Chriſt now enjoyes [here lyes a Friend of Jeſus Chriſt, Iohn 11.11.] A Courtier, and favorite of King Cyrus being poor, and one telling him of it, he ſaid, he had enough becauſe King Cyrus was his Friend; the like Polybius ſaid, being in Caeſars Court, becauſe the Roman Emperour was his Friend; but theſe Friends ſoon dyed, but in life, death, and ever, hapyy they who have God reconciled for theirExod. 33.11. 2 Chron. 20.7. Iſa. 41.8 Joh. 11.11 & 15.14, 15. James 2.23. Friend.

Theſe haſty Obſervations following, dropping from a ſad pen, which might juſtly have had Antoninus his title, [Notes for my ſelf] I have communicated to you and others, for your and my own conſolation and direction: pray, pray, pray; and when you have ſweeteſt Communion with God, forget not him who begs an intereſt in the interceſſion of Chriſt' and ſupplications of his hidden ones; and who is Chriſts and his Churches and yours, or not his own.

John Shaw, Four things there be, that in my heart, I fixed have; The thoughts of Heaven, of Hell, of Doomſday and my Grave. Birk.
TO The Chriſtian, and Candid Reader. Reader!

STay but a few words, before thou paſſe to the enſuing Narrative, and then much good may it do thee. (1.) Know, that what followes; was not any Sermon or Sermons Preached, and therefore wonder not, that there are ſo many Hiſtories and humane quotations: otherwiſe I readily yeild what Lipſius ſaith to be a truth, ut drachmam auri ſine imagine Principis, ſic verba praedicantis ſine authoritate Dei contemnent homines. In Sermons, its Scripture authority only, that comes cum privilegio, (2.) know that the Authour hereof when this was penned, had but half a heart left, and his head full of thoughts, and both head and heart much, (very much) diſturbed; and gathered up ſuch thoughts, as ſuddenly offered themſelves. Wonder not then, if there be not that exact Method, and curioſity, which perhaps thou mayeſt expect. (3.) There is no worth and excellency in theſe thoughts, more then in many Sermons Preached by the Authour. (I think its no vain-glory to ſay that there is leſſe, for) I am ſure thoſe Sermons have been far more deſired, to have ſeen the light, which yet lye buried, as many will confeſſe into whoſe hand this will come, how much they have importuned him to publiſh thoſe Sermons vindicating of, and directing to a right uſe of Gods Ordinances, as the right call to the Miniſtery, qualification neceſſity and work of the Miniſters of the Goſpel, (the great enemies of all Antichriſtianiſm,) with ſatisfaction to Cavills and Scruples; from thoſe texts, 1 Cor. 4.7. 2 Cor. 6.1. the neceſſity and uſe of a Chriſtian Magiſtrate under the Goſpell, with the extent of his power, circa ſacra, about matters of Religion, from Iſa. 1.16. Rom. 13.4. and the caſe of peoples ſubjection in theſe dayes; the lawfulneſſe, benefit, and right manner of ſinging Pſalmes, from Col. 3.16. in the dayes of the New Teſtament. The warrant for, benefit by, and right improvement of Child-baptiſm, together with the error and danger of Antipaedobaptiſm, from Col. 2.12. The nature, ends and uſe of the Lords ſupper, and who ought to come, and how qualified: and if men offer to come, by whom and upon what account men ought to be admitted, or rejected; from ſeverall ſorts, the morality of the Sabbath, in the new Teſtament, and the right manner of obſerving the Lords day, &c. And therefore if thou get any good by theſe enſuing thoughts, thou art in part beholding to the Authors paſſion and affection.

I only now commend 5 things to thee, and beg other 5 for thee, and then farewell. (1.) Take ſpeciall care to love thy ſelf; no thy luſts, thy carcaſe, &c. but thy ſoul is thy ſelf, Compare Mark 8.36. [loſe his own ſoul] with Luke 9.25. [loſe himſelf] the ſoul is the man, 1 Pet. 3.20. (2.) Hate thy enemy, and be revenged on him; not thy neighbour, whom thou ſhouldſt love as thy ſelf, and who at worſt can but kill the body; but thy ſins which are God's, and thy ſoul's worſt enemies, and which can kill the ſoul; be revenged on them, 2 Cor. 7.11. here kill or be killed. Zenacherib after his Army was deſtroyed by an Angel, Iſa. 37. and he returned home again with a hook in his noſe, Iſa. 37.29. he enquired of one about him, what he thought the reaſon might be, why God ſo favoured the Jewes; he anſwered, That there was one Abraham their Father, that was willing to ſacrifice his Son to death, at the command of God, and that ever ſince then, God favoured that people: Well, ſaid Zenacherib, if that be it, I have two Sons, and I will ſacrifice them both to death, if that will procure their God to favour me; which when his two Sons heard, they (as the ſtory goeth) ſlew their Father, Iſa. 37.38. as rather willing to kill, then be killed; ſo deal thou with thy ſins. (3.) Strive to get riches, and be as covetous after them as thou canſt: but not theſe riches which are full of poverty and vanity; but true riches, Luke 16.11. James 2.5. unſearchable riches, Eph. 3.8. Covet the beſt things, 1 Cor. 12.31. get all, get Chriſt, who is all in all, Col. 3.11. beg the ſpirit, which is all good things; compare Math. 7.11. with Luke 11.13. (4.) Labour alwayes to have thy own will; but this onely in Luther's ſenſe; by alwayes reſigning and ſubmitting thy will to Gods will, fiat voluntas mea, quia tua Domine: let Gods will be thy will, and ſo thou mayeſt alwayes have thy own will, without ſin. (5.) Be ſure to take the ſtronger ſide, not in that ſenſe, as thoſe meant, whom Epiphanius calls Cainits (or Cainiſts) who he reckons among Hereticks, who Sainted and honoured Cain, becauſe he prevailed againſt Abel, ſo as to kill him, and therefore they judged that God liked him; they alwayes liked the ſtrongeſt ſide: but take Chriſts ſide, ſtand with the Lamb, according to Scripture-rule, he is ſtronger Nazian. obſerves that Chriſt is in Scripture compared to the weakeſt things as a worm, water, Lamb, &c. and the devil to the ſtrongeſt, as Lion, Dragon, &c. yet ſtill Chriſt is stronger and overcomes. then the ſtrong man, Luke 11.21, 22. he goes Conquering and to Conquer, both in us, and for us, is the beſt comfort in the beſt times, and the onely comfort in the worſt, and will alwayes prevaile at laſt, — And five things I beg for thee and me. (1.) That living and dying, we may be found not in our own rags, or old Adam, but in a Chriſt, Phil. 3.9. the Virgin Mary did not ſo much rejoyce in Chriſt her Son, as Chriſt her Saviour. In the holy of holyes, all things were gold or covered with gold: and if we be accepted, dutyes or perſons, in life or death, we muſt be covered with this Chriſt.

(2.) That we may have intereſt in the ſecond Covenant, (which allowesThe ſecond Covenant containes both promiſes of grace, and promiſes to grace. pardon to penitents, wherein God promiſeth Salmeron holds that after the Angels ſinned God gave them ſome ſpace to repent ere they were condemned; but he hath ſcearce one other of his opinion. Offer of pardon to ſuch as repent, is a priviledge of the ſecond Covenant, made not with Angels, but Men. to work in us, what he requires of us, accepts of ſincerity &c. things which the firſt Covenant knew not) Jer. 31.33. 2 Sam 23.5. and that not onely, quoad jus faederis, but quoad faederis beneficia, an intereſt both in the Covenant of grace, and in the grace of the Covenant.

(3.) That the kingdome of God may come in us now, Luke 17.20, 21. (while others are diſputing about a temporall kingdome of Chriſt without us) that ſo we may come, into Gods Kingdome hereafter. (4.) that God (who onely can teach to profit, Iſa. 48.17.) would teach us to profit, both by his word and rod, his ordinances and providences. (5.) That God would guide us by his counſel, and after receive us into glory, Pſal. 73.24. — Paul may plant, Apollos water; and now the great God give the increaſe. Farewell.

Thine, J. S. Charter Houſe. Decemb. 30. 1657.
Mors tua, mors Chriſti, fraus mundi, gloria coeli. Et dolor inferni, ſunt meditanda tibi. Birk. A Saint, Dear Mother, and a pretious wife, Doth now poſſeſſe an everlaſting life: In Chriſt ſhe joyed, and for ſin repented, She liv'd beloved, and ſhe dy'd lamented: She was the gift of God (as was her Dorothy, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the gift of God. name) And God that gave the gift, cal'd for the ſame: Her other name ſhew'd all things here are vain, But where's perfection, now ſhe doth remaine: Twice born, twice married, three lives ſhe hath ſeen, With her firſt Husband Christ, ſhe raigns as Queen. Beſides the life of nature, grace, and glory. Let her ſtill live in this our mournful Story. J. S.
The Bleſſed Soul's ECCHO. Dear heart! let's talke again, tell me below, Some little, of thoſe great things, now you know: Souls Anſwer! Till we meet, here; I cannot ſpeak my fill, Yet aske, I'le Eccho ſomething to you ſtill. What is it now (Dear ſoul) that you enjoy? Souls Eccho. Joy. Is your joy ſmall, or is it plentifull? Ecc. Full. What is that State whereof you now ſo glory? Ecc. Glory. Is that your glory ſhort, or everlaſting? Ecc. Laſting. Who is it now (Dear ſoul!) that thus doth eaſe you? Ecc. Jeſu. Doth he embrace you in his armes of bliſſe? Ecc. Yes Would you be here again, or elſe above? Ecc. Above. Where ſhall we meet, and talke anon in th' even? Ecc. in Heaven. Tell me I pray, can you now ſin or no? Ecc. No. You are ſo changed now, how ſhall I know you? Ecc. I know you. Which is our way to you (as you believe)? Ecc. Believe. Will not Profeſſion ſerve and curious notion? Ecc. Motion. Will not diſputings ſerve, and pious talking? Ecc. Walking. How would you have us live below, (Dear love)? Ecc. in Love. What Rule would you to us on Earth Commend? Ecc. Amend. This joy, full, glory, laſting, bliſſe, above, Sweet Jeſu grant me; for tis thee I love. That I ſin not, but thine in Heaven may know, (As Adam, knew his Eve when firſt her ſaw). Grant me this faith, to Move, Walk, Love, Amend, That I may live with thee, world without end. A thouſand times farewell dear heart, Till we ſhall meet, and never part: Oh may we ſhortly meet again, To praiſe our God; Amen, (Eccho) Amen. I. S.

CHriſtian and Ingenuous Reader! (for ſuch I deſire thee to be who vouchſafeſt to read this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) I cannot, I ſhall not call hee a faultfinder, though thou findeſt many faults, both in the Authour and Printer hereof; but as for the bleſſed Saint enſhrined under this Tombstone, ſome that have long known her, yet no way related to, or intereſſed in her, have often ſaid, and still do, that they never knew any other with whom they were acquainted, but they have heard one or other, good or bad, to ſpeake or report ſome evil of them; but they never heard any either good or bad, (no not the worst) ever ſay any evil of or againſt this now glorified Saint, (though ſhe daily found and ſadly complained of manifold infirmities in her ſelf; I ſay infirmities, for ſhe did not wickedly depart from God, 2 Sam. 21.22. nor from his Statutes, verſ. 23. but kept her ſelf from her iniquity, verſe 24. and was clean in Gods ſight, verſe 25.) But oh could the walls and ſeverall Roomes about the Charter-houſe; could the walks in her garden, and moſt eſpecially her garden-houſe ſpeak, they would tell her ſighs, and ſobs, her tears, and wrestlings; and what ſweet talk ſhe had with her beloved frequently: beſides her more conſtant ſtanding duties, her beloved took her in the fields, &c. Cant. 7.11, 12. She was of Epictetus his mind, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ſi vis eſſe bonus, primò crede quòd es malus. Her lowly meek and upright ſpirit, her humble and inoffenſive converſation; with her ſincere and ready endeavour to do any good to whomſoever ſhe was able, did much encreaſe that love and eſteem, that reſpect and good name, which ſhe had from all ſorts; and therefore the ſadder is my and our loſſe:Though I endeavor to follow Epictetus his rule, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. i. e. Never ſay that thou haſt loſt a friend, wiſe, childe, &c. but only reſtored them to him, of whom thou didſt receive them, &c. Alſtedius tells of ſome that thought this world would end in the year 1657. becauſe the numeral Letters of that Chronogram [MVnDI Con-Lagratlo] make up that number of 1657, but ſure I am this world then ended as to her, Decemb. 10. Being juſt that very ſame day, whereon 25. years before we were married. 1657. and my ſelf and 6 poor Pupils, may ſay that much of our worldly comfort, (or portion, Eccleſ. 9.9.) then ended here: and may ſadly remember that which God bad the Prophet Ezekiel, ſo perfectly remember, viz. the tenth month, and the tenth day of that month, Ezek. 24.1. (its thrice in the 2d. verſe, that day, this ſame day, this ſame day.) But for (1.) the Authour of this Narrative, he cannot ſo clear himſelf; for know that theſe thoughts ſuddenly dropt from him in a ſad hour, and were immediately ſent to the preſſe, as they ſtood in their Sheetes, the Authour not having any Copy of them left with him; but upon ſecond and better thoughts, the Authour ſent for theſe back again, to review, correct, or enlarge them; but not obtaining that, he by Letters prevailed with ſome reverend and godly and learned bretheren to view and judge of theſe notes, and according to their judgment, they then be to prest or ſuppreſt, but their modeſty overmastered their great abilities, as you may ſee: after that, he ſent up half a ſheet more to be added, but for want of a Coppy at home to direct him he could neither righly informe the Printer where it ſhould be inſerted, nor himſelf whether any of thoſe new additions were formerly in the Narrative; and this is the true reaſon of ſome Tautologies & repetitions of ſome things, and of the diſplacing of others: (though l a l he done it more exactly, he could not have expected to have ſatisfied all, for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . (i.e.) quis ſatia verit omnes, theog. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ne que enim poſſet Jupiter, And (2.) for the Printer, know that the Authour lives above 130 miles off from the preſſe, and therefore many faults are, and many I fear, uncorrected; and I am much of Carthagena's mind, who, to thoſe three things which the Antients held impoſſible ſaith that to find a Book Printed without Errata's, ſhould undoubtedly have been added as a fourth Impoſſible, if the art of printing had been then invented; though the Author had Briarius's hand, and the Printer Argus's eyes: I can only ſay with the Poet, liber optimus ille, qui minimis urgetur, at eſt ſine crimine nullus. I onely beg thy care (good Reader) (1.) to amend thy own faults, (2.) to pray for the Author that he may amend his, (3.) to do thy underſtanding that right, as to correct theſe following (being ſome of greater) miſtakes of the Preſſe. thus.

Expect, but fear not death: Death cannot kill, Till God (that firſt muſt ſeal her patent) will. Wouldſt thou live long? keep time in high eſteem; Which gone if thou canſt not recall, redeem. Quarl. Hierogl. Vade liber, quanquam fis parvus mole, ſed ampium Lectori fructum, Det deus Omnipotens. Jo. Sh. M. A. ſometimes of C. C. C. P. at Kingſton upon Hull.
THE Teſtimony of the worſhipfull Doctor Robert Wittye, of the City of York, Concerning the deceaſed ſervant of the Lord, Mrs. Dorothy Shaw, in a Letter to her Husband, ſoon after her death. Dear Sir!

I Cannot but Sympathize with you, in your loſs (and ſo do all here) who have loſt a dear loving Friend: ſhe was in all my obſervation moſt loving to her Friends, faithfull in her Relations, eminently pious towards God, owning both the form and power of godlineſſe; and, as I can well witneſſe, one that was never daunted or diſcouraged, when you was involved in the greatest troubles, that I have known you in from truth's moſt potent and bitter enemies: ſhe was pittifull to the poor, and helpful to ſuch as ſtood in need, ſhe was Nathanaels Siſter, an Iſraelite in whom was no guile; Iacobs daughter, who was a plain man; her inſide was alwayes outward; her life was to all her ſex a patterne of piety, and her death of patience: ſhe now reaps the fruit of her labours, and the end of her faith; and is in the armes of her Saviour, which is better then yours: and bears her part with that heavenly quire, whoſe ſong is Halleluiah: As to the world and its emnity, (wherein ſhe had ſome ſhare with you) ſhe is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : I am certain, her gain is greater then your loſſe, which may much leſſen your and our ſorrow; Me thinks I hear her ſay, with our ſweet Saviour,Luke 23.28. Weep not for me, but for your ſelves, &c. Fixe your eye on her gain, rather then lay your finger on your own ſore; ſhe was very fit to dye, and had nothing elſe to do. Which that we may ſo be, is the prayer of

Sir, Your Sympathizing Friend, R. Witty. York, Decemb. 23. 1657.
THE Teſtimony of Mr. Heathcote Paſtor of Rowley, in the Eastriding of the County of York, concerning the precicus ſervant of the Lord, Mrs. D. Shaw, (whom he had been acquainted withall from her youth) in his Letter to Mr. Shaw dated, Jan. 8. 1657. To my Reverend Friend, and beloved Brother, Mr. John Shaw, Preacher of Gods word, at Kingſtone upon Hull. Dear Sir!

I Am very ſenſible of, and deeply affected with your great loſs, in that ſad breach which the Lord hath been pleaſed to make in your Family: I know you have parted with as ſweet a Yoke-fellow, and as meet an help, in my opinion, as ever I knew; I cannot therefore much blame you for your much ſorrowing; yet when I conſider her incomparable gain, I rejoyce much more on her behalf then I can poſſibly ſorrow on yours, and I beſeech you, moderate your paſſion, and divert your ſorrow from her, and mourn for your ſelf and the ſins of the times: ſhe hath left behind her in the hearts of all the godly, that knew her, a moſt pretious name; and for my part, I doubt not in the leaſt, but ſhe hath ſound by happy experience, that her deaths-day was far more joyfull to her then her marriage day; her buriall day, then her birth day, Eccleſ. 7.1. ſhe hath onely changed her habitation and her company, and is arrived where ſhe deſired, and obtained what ſhe had earneſtly laboured, and much longed for, Phil. 1.23. I have known her about theſe thirty and four years, and I can with much delight, and do to my great comfort call to mind her great paines, and conſtant labouring in her young dayes after the meanes of grace, for the obtaining of that grace, which did abundantry ſhine forth in her, in her latter dayes. I remember her conſtant coming every Lords day from Cutthorp-Hall to Cheſterfield, (which was two good miles) to partake of worthy Mr. Wain-wrights Miniſtery, and was neither detained by the ſcorching heat in Summer, nor yet deterred by the coldneſſe of the Winter; ſhe had reſolved to take Gods Kingdome by force and violence, Math. 11.12. and I am moſt conſident, ſhe is now an inheritrix thereof, and hath reaped the ſweet of all her labonr and ſweat. When ſhe kept her Fathers houſe, (after her Mothers deceaſe, though then ſhe was young) ſhe made it a receptacle for the Saints, and was very bountifull to the poor, eſpecially to the houſhold of faith; her old father freely allowing her liberty to do therein, as ſhe pleaſed. I have often admired and obſerved her ſincere ſpirit, and true zeal for God, in whoſe cauſe, and for whoſe Saints ſhe would have ſpoken, (even before any, Pſal. 119.46.) and neither have been aſhamed, nor ſhrunke; yet alwayes with much humility, mildneſſe, modeſty, and diſcretion, excelling therein moſt of her ſex that I ever knew, or heard of: the paines that ſhe took, and the care ſhe had to educate her ſix daughters in a godly and religious manner, both by private inſtruction and catechiſing, and alſo by bringing them conſtantly to the publique ordinance, doth very much already, and I hope will more and more appear in every of them, to your comfort and all their benefit: her ſoundneſſe of judgment, and conſtant profeſſion of the truth in theſe wanton times, and that to her very end; together with her ſweet and comfortable declaration of her faith and joy in Chriſt, concerning her eternall eſtate when I was laſt with her (about two dayes before her death) ſtoppeth the current and ſtreame of my paſſion; and I deſire that you would comfort your ſelf with theſe things, and many others of the like nature well known to you. Now the good Lord whoſe doing this is, give you a ſubmiſſive heart herein, and teach you and all her friends, to make a right true ſpirituall uſe of this wiſe providence, and all other His diſpenſations; which is and ſhall be my hearty prayer for you, whilſt it pleaſeth God to continue me.

Your very loving fellow labourer in the Lords Vineyard. Nicolas Heathcote. Rowley, Jan. 8. 1657.
Courteous Reader,

IT is not that I have a conceit, that my Testimony can add any reputation to this piece, that I appear here; but onely becauſe I was intruſted with it by the reverend Authour; and becauſe having had ſome knowledge, and full information of that Worthy Saint deceaſed, whoſe memoriall is here intombed, I am the more able to atteſt to the truth of what is here ſuggeſted, concerning her. Nor do I, in the leaſt, doubt of the verity of every particular here ſpoken to her praiſe: not onely becauſe of the known integrity and unqueſtionable veracity of the worthy Authour, but alſo becauſe of that ſavour which her name hath left in theſe Northern parts, which I have a ſpeciall Relation to, by birth and education: And therefore I do heartily commend this piece to thy diligent peruſall, and am confident thou wilt not count it loſt labour. Thou wilt find here an illuſtrious example propoſed to thy imitation, by looking to which, thou wilt ſee, if thou art one of a more private capacity, how thou maiſt be ſerviceable to the publick, without going out of thy Sphere. Nor is this propoſed in a rude and indigeſted manner. Here is not only a good diſh, but it is well cook'd and ſerv'd up, with ſuch ſawce as will both provoke and ſatisfie thy appetite. The Authour hath well temper'd, utile dulci. But I have detained thee too long from the Treatiſe it ſelf; I commend it and thee, to the bleſsing of the Almighty, begging that He would make it effectuall to every one that reads it.

Math. Poole, Paſtor of Michael's in the Quern. London.
Some Conſolatory thoughts ſent to my Dear and Reverend friend Mr. John Shaw, upon the death of his late excellent wife, Mrs. Dorothy Shaw. 1. MOſt tell more news then truth, yet he who ſhewes Thy wife's in heav'n, ſpeaks truth, but tells no news. Now heav'n hath took her up, what did it more Than oft it did? heav'n took her up before. She, taken up with heav'n on earth, exprest She ſhould, took up to heav'n from earth, be blest. Eve'n here, heav'n dwelt in her; if ſo, they tell No news, who ſpeak her now in heav'n to dwell. The Hen to th' yong of flying fouls may lend Her brooding wings; yet, fledg'd, they upward tend. She whom heav'n natur'd, earth but nurtured So fully grown, to heav'n is fitly fled. I'ſt ſtrange ſhe ſhould with, time be fild, ſince ſhe Foretaſted here a bleſt eternity? Allow we with her Bridegroom to reſide, In love ſo ſtrong, of love ſo ſick a bride, Who found no cordiall like His Company, To cure her of her fainting Malady. Tis true, his pictures pleas'd her (though the ſame, She ſaw ſet oft, but in a rotten frame.) She lov'd indeed thoſe meſſengers He ſends, Who ſaid, Thy Lord to thee, his love Commends. Her Love's love-letters too, with joy ſhe ey'd, Yet [rather come thy ſelf, than ſend] ſhe cry'd. He came, and knockt at th' door by ſickneſſe (ſome Started at it) ſhe ſaid, I hope He's come. She opes unto him, ſees him, joys; he tells, He's come to lead her, lodg her where he dwells. She lay but in John's boſome while ſhe stayd; Now ſhe's in His where John belov'd was layd. Thus lov'd and lodg'd, 'twere cruelty to crave, Her thorny pillow ſhe again might have. Seems it not croſs to love, and all its lawes, If that which cures her ſorrows, thine ſhould cauſe? While here ſhe ſtayd, thy helper ſhe was known, Now grudg her not to go and be her own. She living ſaid, My husband's gain is mine. And now ſhe's gone, her gain eſteem as thine. Her worth inſtructs us how a wife to chooſe, And may thine teach us how a wife to looſe. If God thy Friend hath kild, he kills thy ſins, Though Sampſon dies, yet 'tis with Philiſtins. If God remove's the good which ſenſe injoyes, He takes the bad, which more the ſoul annoyes. To ſpare the precious ſoul, the ſin he ſpils, He loves the garment, and the moth he kills. Tis gainfull loſs, when ere mine eye ſhall part From that, which ſeen, from Chriſt takes off my heart. The ſlip is ſervice; Joſeph fitly flies, When's miſtris him, more than her husband eyes. Dear friend, tis fit, what ever hinders love From Christ, or ſharp, or ſhort, or both ſhould prove. Blest change, not robbery! for God to give, What cannot dye, and take what cannot live. Yet one gain more; the fellow of your bed, You looſe: we gain this iſſue of your head. That loſſe the north ſolely, though ſorely, wounds, But both to north and ſouth, this gain redounds. All ill from th'north? Fond proverb ceaſe to live, Since th'north ſuch wives, and ſuch a book can give. W. Jenkyn, Paſtor of Blacktryers, London.
TO THE Chriſtian Reader. Good Reader,

THe Reverend Author was pleaſed to give me a ſight of theſe papers, (wherein he hath imbalmed the memory of his dear and gracious Yokfellow) before they were comitted to the preſſe. I cannot diſſemble the contentment that I took in the peruſal of them, finding him to diſcover every where, as much of the holy Chriſtian, as the tender Husband; and of the able Miniſter, as of the Chriſtian, whilſt he improveth her example for thy good, and interlineth the paſſages of her life, with many holy and uſeful inſtructions.

The Lives of Gods precious Saints, (how private ſo ever their ſtation be) are very well worthy of record and publick notice, as exhibiting not onely a pattern, and lively tranſcript of Religion, (and truly now and then 'tis good to look upon Chriſts2 Cor. 3.3. Living Epiſtles) but alſo much of provocation and incouragement to holineſs. Simeon the Metaphraſt in the Life of Chryſoſtome, doth ſo fully ſpeak out my ſenſe, in the caſe, that to the Learned I ſhal put down his very Words; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Examples have a ſecret Charme by which they draw out the heart to imitation and practiſe, when we preſs ſtrictneſſe, people think our doctrine is calculated for Angels and bleſſed Spirits, that have deveſted themſelves of the intereſt and concernments of fleſh and blood, and ſo go away with a prejudice; but when they read in the lives of Gods Children, that had like paſſions, neceſſities, temptations, with themſelves, with what ſtrictneſſe and diligence, they carryed on their hopes of a Bleſſed eternity, it hath a marveylous convictive influence upon their hearts, and a ſecret excitation, preſsing them to go and do likewiſe: therefore I ſay the Lives of the Saints written, are very uſeful, and I doubt not but this, being ſo faithfully collected, and judiciouſly improved, wil have its uſe and find acceptance with the godly.

Thine in the Lord, Tho. Manton. Covent-Garden, May the 3d. 1658.
The Author of this Narrative, hath divers other peeces in print, As 1. The Grand ſacrifice, or broken heart, on Pſal. 51.16, 17. 2. Two clean birds, or the cleanſing of the Leper, on Lev. 14.4, 8. 3. Brittaines Remembrancer, or the Nationall Covenant, on 2 Chron. 15.12. 4. The Three Kingdome's caſe, with their cauſes, and cure, &c. on Iſai. 42.24, 25. 5. Britannia rediviva, or, The Soveraign remedy, &c. on Prov. 14.34. 6. ΕΙΚΩΝ ΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΗ, or the Princes Royal, on Pſal. 45.16.
THE Saint's Tombſtone, Or a plain NARRATIVE, OF SOME Remarkable paſſages, in the holy life and happy death of Mrs. Dorothy Shaw, (lately the dearly beloved Wife of Mr. John Shaw, Preacher of the Goſpel at Kingſton upon Hull) who ſweetly ſlept in the Lord, Decemb. 10th. And was interred in Trinity Church in Hull, Decemb. 12th. 1657. Collected by her dearest Friends ſpecially for her ſorrowful Husband's and ſix Daughters conſolation and imitation.

THe man after Gods own heart, holy David tells us, Pſal. 112.6. that the right eous ſhall be in everlaſting rememforance, (with God, with good men. as Demetrius, 3 Joh.v. 12. and in the Conſciences of wicked men:) and his Son, wiſe Solomon confirms it, Prov. 10.7. that, The memory of the juſt is bleſſed: he is full of bleſ ſings while he lives, v. 6. and his memory is bleſſed, when he dies, v. 7. yea, the Hebrew is, his memory ſhall be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for a bleſſing: which a learned Dr. Jermin. Expoſitor interprets thus: [The very remembring of them, ſhall bring a bleſſing, to ſuch as do remember them. God will bleſſe thoſe that honour the memory of his Servants; and beſides, the memory of them will make them imitated, which is a bleſſing that ſhall be rewarded with bleſſedneſs.] The Septuagint reads it, the memory of the juſt is with praiſes: The godly are the only riſing perſons in the world, happy in life, better at death, better at judgment, (that better reſurrection of the juſt) and beſt of all to all eternity: contrarily, wicked are the moſt fallingAs Pope Pius Quintus ſaid, that when he firſt entred into holy Orders, he had ſome good hope of his ſalvation, but after he was made cardinal, much feared it, and now being Pope, he quite deſpaired of it. men, Prov. 10.7. The godly are poſitively happy, and bleſled in their pooreſt and loweſt condition: for as Peter names a Chain of graces, 1 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7. (better then all Chains of Gold or Pearl,) and Paul, a Chain of life and ſalvation, reaching from eternity to eternity, Rom. 8.30. So doth our Saviour name a chain of happineſs, Mat. 5.3. to 12. conſiſting of 8 links, the firſt is Poverty, the laſt is Perſecution, yet in both, the perſon is Bleſſed: which Moſes, that wiſe Stateſ-man, well knew; and therefore when he came to perfect years of underſtanding (full 40. years old,) he choſe the pooreſt condition with the Lords people, before the higheſt condition of all wicked men, (Heb. 11.25, 26.) nay, they are comparatively happy, there is more happineſs in their eſtate, then all the riches of this world can afford, Pſal. 144.15. which made David ſo rejoyce in that, above all worldly intereſts, Pſal. 4.7. and Auſtin ſay, that he would not be a wicked man one half hour, for all the world, becauſe he might die that hour: yea, they are ſuperlatively happy, Pſal. 1.1. (Bleſſed is the man:) the Hebrew is bleſſedneſs in the abſtract, eminently happy, yea bleſſedneſſes, ſuperlatively happy: Bleſſed is the man; Heb. that man, with an accent, that eminent man, (as 2 Cor. 12.2. a man in Chriſt). Such are happy in life, and more happy in death, death cannot kill them, Rev. 2.23. but cure them: it is not death, but life, that kept them ſo long from God and glory: Death cannot kill a godly man totally (not his ſoul, which is with Chriſt far better, Phil. 1.23. is in Paradiſe) death doth by the godly, as they, Mark 14.51.52. did by the young man, caught his Garments, but the perſon eſcaped, ſo death catcheth the body, but the principal part eſcapes to glory; nor can death kill the body finally, only brings it to bed, as King Aſa's Coffin is called, 2 Chron. 16.14. ſo are the Saints graves called, Iſa. 57.12. Death only layes them to ſleep till the morning, Joh. 11. It was an antient Cuſtom among the Jews, (as I read) for people, as they went with a dead Corpſe, to pluck up graſſe by the way, intimating, that the dead friend ſhould ſpring again as graſſe. Death comes to a godly perſon, in the hand of a Mediator, as part of the Covenant, a Covenant-affliction, Pſal. 89.32, 33, 34. as part of our joynture with Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Cor. 3.21, 22, 23. The ſting and curſe of death, is taken away by Chriſt their head, who hath ſanctified the grave, and made death to be to them, no other then as Elijahs fiery Charet, to fetch a dear Child from a hard Nurſe, or ſharp ſchool, to his Father's houſe; Godly men are in the 4 next verſes, Heb. 2.11, 12, 13, 14. twice called Chriſts Brethren, and twice his Children, and therefore to ſuch, Chriſt turns their water into wine; the Serpent in Moſes hand, into a ſtaffe to lean on; and makes that rod to bloſſom and bring forth fruit, meat out of the eater, water from the Rock; ſo that this red Sea doth not drown them, but haſten them from Egypt, to the promiſed Land, death cannot ſeparate them from God, Rom. 8.38. but perfect them, Luk. 13.32. it brings them to a better houſe, 2 Cor. 5.12. to a Manſion-houſe, Joh. 14.12. (for indeed here are no Manſion-houſes, Heb. 13, 14. though ſome are ſo called) to a better Countrey, Heb. 11.15, 16. In this low-Countrey we are ſtrangers, the world knowes us not, 1 John 3.1.2. David was ſo in his own houſe and kingdom; and therefore muſt not wonder at ſtrange uſage here, Pſal. 39.12. David ſaith not; that he was a ſtranger to God, but a ſtranger with God, that is, (as ſome expound it,) God and he were both ſtrangers here, but death will bring them to their own, the high Countrey; for a godly man to die, is but as Bernard calls it, repatriâſſe, Ubi pater, ibi patria. to go home again to his own Countrey, where, (or from whence) he was born: as he is godly, viz. new-born, death brings him to a better Inheritance, of which Peter mentions 5. excellent properties, 1 Pet. 1.4. its kept for him, and he for it, v. 4.5. death brings them to their reſting-place, Heb. 4.9. Rev. 14.13. where is their Father, Husband, Brethren, Friends, &c. to their reaping-place, Gal. 6.9. yea, to their Crown, juſtly gotten, a Crown of righteouſneſs, 2 Tim. 4.8. and everlaſting, a Crown of life, Jam. 1.12. Rev. 2.10. and full of honour, a Crown of glory; 1 Pet. 5.4. Theſe earthly Crowns, have two great wants, want ſatisfaction and perpetuity; they are both unſatisfying at preſent, and uncertain for the future; here all is not only vanity, but vexation, every Crown of gold, ilned with a Crown of thorns, (which made a great man once ſay of his Crown, O Crown, Lam. 4, 5. more noble then happy,) and here we read of many heads, that have been weary of Crowns, and Crowns weary of Heads. In this Nation, how hath the Crown walked, (even ſince Chriſts birth,) from Britains to Saxons, Danes, Normans, Plantagenets, Tudors, Stuarts, &c. William the Conqueror was crowned three times, every year, in three ſeveral places, namely, Glocester, Winchester, and Westminſter, yet ſoon did his Crown fade, and he (as great Alexander before him) when dead, could ſcarce get a grave for ſome time: we read in Scripture of a City, for ſtrength, called infinite, (namely No, or Alexandria in Egypt) Nahum. 3.9. and of anConſtantius ſo Rome, was called aeterna, yet is falling, and Roma mira perenis erit, &c. Emperor (in ſtory) that would needs be ſtyled his eternity (ordinary Titles would not content him) yet the firſt was ſoon ruined, verſ. 10. and the laſt but ſhort-lived, only 40. years; but death brings us to a ſatisfactory Crown, where no want, Rev. 7.16, 17 & 21.4. nor any more death, but ſhall be as the Angels, Luk. 20.36. and everlaſting: Hujuſmodi comparandae ſunt opes quae cum naufragio ſimul enatent, ſaid good Lewes of Bavyer. Look well to ſuch Crowns as will laſt to eternity, Houſe and Lands are moveables, as well as Goods, if not from the Center, yet from the owner: godly may live poorly, but they die rich; but however a wicked man lives rich, yet he dies poor: to him, death is properly the King of terrors, As Ariſtotle called it. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Job 18.14. Which made a great man in this Nation, when he was aſſured by his Phyſitians, that he muſt die, to cry out, I would (ſaid he) I might live, though but the life of a Toad; for better that, then Hell. And it made Cardinal Wolſey when he died at Leiceſter, to ſay, If I had ſerved my God, as I have ſerved my King, God would not now have left me: but now I am forſaken, both of God and man.

Drexellius tells us of a young man, of very bad life, who was very fearful of being in the dark, who after falling ſick, and could not ſleep, cryed out, Oh, if this darkneſs be ſo terrible, what is eternal darkneſs? Such are men without hope, as Homer ſaith of Achilles, that he wiſhed rather to be a ſervant to any poor Countrey Clown, then to be a King to all the ſouls departed, becauſe he had no hopes of a better life. Its a ſad caſe, when at once the body ſtinks, the ſoul burns, and the name rots, Prov. 10.7. yet to the godly, death is no loſſe, (they part with nothing but ſin and vanity) but great gain, (others may gain while living, but theſe gain by dying,) it brings them to perfection of grace and glory, to ſee Chriſt, (and therefore to be like him, 1 Joh. 3.12.) not through a Glaſſe, but clearly, 1 Cor. 13.12. face to face, to enjoy him whom our ſoul loveth, to be ever with the Lord; 1 Theſ. 4.17. Only our duty is, while we live, to be making our Title ſure: that which is ſure in it ſelf, ſhould be made ſure to us, 2 Pet. 1.10. this ornamental grace, is ſo neceſſary to our well-being, that without it, we can neither live, nor die comfortably: therefore a good man, when he was asked, why he conſtantly prayed ſix times a day, and lived ſo ſtrictly, he only anſwered, I muſt die, I muſt die.

King Henry the 7th of England, pretended a ſixfold Title to the Crown, by Conqueſt, Military Election of Souldiers in the Fields near Boſworth, by Parliament, by Birth, Donation, and Marriage; but ſure I am, a Child of God hath a farre better Title to the Kingdom of Heaven, by Chriſts purchaſe, by new birth, by Marriage with Chriſt, the Son and Heir, by Gods free promiſe, &c. yea, here they have eternal life already, Joh. 3.36. & 5.24. Epheſ. 2.6. in our Head, in the promiſe, the earneſt, ſeal, bud, &c. They are in Chriſt now; therefore though they may have a croſſe, yet no curſe; correction, yet no condemnation; a Fathers rod, yet not an enemies wroth; how ſweetly may ſuch as theſe, go to the grave, (which the Jewes call Beth Chajim, the Houſe of the living, Job 30.23.) and not only uſe Chaucers Motto (mors mihi aerumnarum requies) or as he whom ſome call St. Francis, who when Phyſitians aſſured him, that death drew nigh, ſaid, benĕ veniat ſoror mea mors, welcom Siſter Death; but as old Alderman Jordan uſed to ſay, that Death would be the beſt friend that he had in the world, he would willingly go forth to meet it, or rather ſay with holy Paul, Oh Death, where is thy ſting, &c. triumphing over it, 1 Cor. 15.55. For, as Auſtin ſaid of Elect men, that by Chriſts death, they are non ſolum inſtaurati, ſed meliorati; ſo by their own death, they are brought to a ſarre better condition, then here they had,—but quorſum haec? All this is but to uſher in, and give you an example and inſtance hereof, in the boly life, and happy death, of that pretious ſervant of the Lord, (ſtill Gods Servant, Joſh. 1.2. ſtill Chriſts friend, Joh. 11.11. though ſhe ſleep) Mrs. Dorothy Shaw, (late the dearly beloved Wife of Mr. John Shaw, Preacher of the Goſpel in Kingſton upon Hull) who died in the Charter-houſe near Hull, on Thurſday Decemb. the 10th, 1657. Concerning whom, obſerve theſe (among very many other) few gleanings remarkable in her life and death, and learn (eſpecially her Huſband and Children) theſe few Leſſons after her death.

She was born in the Pariſh of Brampton, in the County of Derby, (two miles from Cheſterfield) the Daughter of Mr. George Heathcot, and Dorothy his Wife, of Cutthorp-Hall perſons of very good note, both for the things of Heaven and Earth, both for needful ſpirituals, and uſeful temporals. She was the eldeſt of eight Children, four Sons, and four Daughters, whereof three only now remain alive; namely, two Daughters married in Hull, and one Son, late an Officer in the Army, Ninis ſerò te amavi domine, ſaid Auſtin, Gods adverb is manè early, the Devils verb is Manè tarry. and now in Ireland: She began to look after Heaven and godlineſs betimes:* ſhe firſt ſought Gods Kingdom, and gave her firſt fruits to God, which her Father joyfully obſerving, would uſually call her forth to read Chapters, and good Sermon-books, at evenings to the Family, and queſtion her about the Sermons that they and ſhe had heard, and other points of Religion, wherein ſhe would alwayes give a very profitable account, and was a great help, and good example to all the Family: when ſhe was but young, ſhewas much unſatisfied with (one called) a reading Miniſter in Brampton Pariſh, & therefore ſhewent uſually every Lords day, to Cheſterfield, (which was two long miles) to hear a faithful Preacher, and inſtead of her dinner, went to a private houſe, where many godly perſons uſed to meet, where the Sermon was repeated, and other duties performed, and ſo again to the publick Ordinance in the afternoon, and ſo home at night; and all this very joyfully and chearfully, till they got a faithful and powerful Preacher, oft times to help them at Brampton, whom ſhe was very inſtrumental, (though young) to procure thither; and after her Fathers death, contributed towards his maintenance, out of her portion, to and beyond her abilities; and beſides that, ſhe did with much hungring affection, frequent the word on the week dayes, as ſhe had any opportunity; and ſure, if David ſo prized the Word, above thouſands of Gold and Silver, that he oft calls it his delights, (in the plural number) Pſal. 119.29.92, 14. when there was but a little of it written, neither the new Teſtament, nor a great part of the old; no wonder, if now in the dayes of the Goſpel, ſhe hungred for the word above her neceſſary food, who might ſay with Auſtin, Sacrae ſcripturae tuae ſunt ſanctae delitiae meae, Lord, (thy holy Scriptures, are my holy delights;—But paſs we theſe, and come we to the times ſince I better knew her, in which time; I have (& others might) clearly obſerved theſe particulars.

1. Pſal. 32.2. She was not without guilt, yet without guile: there were none but the two Adams, in whom 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : yet there are ſome in whom 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , John 1.47. She did not uti deo ut frueretur mundo, with Jehu and Judas. Amongſt all the Saints, that yet I had the happineſs to be acquainted with, I never knew any more eminent in that bottom and top grace of a Chriſtian; namely, ſincerity, plainneſs, and uprightneſs in all her wayes towards God and man: (the weakeſt Saint is ſincere, and the talleſt Saint is but ſincere). Sincerity is the honour of a godly man in his life, Job 1.1. and his great comfort at his death, Iſa. 38.3. And for this grace, all that knew her, did honour and admire her; ſhe looked as much at Gods glory, and as little a ſquint as any I knew: The Hebrew word that ſignifies bleſſedneſs, comes of a root, that ſignifies, to go right forward, having oculum ad metam, an eye to the mark, ſure upon this account, this Saint was bleſſed. They ſay, that in the Low-Countries, half of the coſt and pains in building their Houſes, is in the foundation under ground, unſeen: ſure ſhe was much for the foundation, unſeen-work to mens eyes, Mat. 6. a plain Jacob, a ſincere Nathaniel, much in inſide heart-work: which was much in this age, where ſo many are for talk, notions; ſhewes many, like Antigonus doſon, that promiſed much, but in deeds performed nothing, and though they are unwilling to have head and body ſevered by the Axe, yet are willing to have heart and body ſevered by hypocriſie;Mr. Firth of Manſfield. ſhe was, (as it was expreſſed by him (e) that excellently preached at her Funeral) a doing Saint in ſaying-times; and ſo afraid to be too high for others, that ſhe was rather ſometimes too low for her ſelf; and ſurely, perſons are better judged by their doings, then their ſayings, Mat. 7.21. Prov. 20.11. How many in theſe dayes, have the Rickets, their heads ſwell with notions, talk ſtrange phraſes, ſpeak of high attainments, but all their life withers; audi, nemo melius; ſpecta, nemo pejus. She could never like of womens She was of the Apoſtles mind. 1 Cor. 14.34, 35. 1 Tim. 2.11, 12, 13, 14. preaching, and yet her life was a continual Sermon, Exemplis ſanè quae docet illa docet. God loves curriſtas magis quàm quaeriſtas (ſaith Luther,) walkers better then talkers, motion more then notion.

2. When ever ſhe heard of the Church of Chriſt, or any that ſtood up for Religion, truth, and godlineſs, in our Nation or abroad, to be in trouble or danger, ſhe did conſtantly ſpend much time in her Cloſet in prayer, and her eyes were conſtantly ſo bleared with weeping, that they told that which ſhe would fain have concealed from men. Rivers of waters ran down her eyes, Pſal. 119.136. She was one that ſighed and mourned in Jeruſalem, Ezek. 9.4. When any Diurnals, weekly, were brought to the houſe, ſhe would ſay, let me hear ſo far as concerns the Church, and Cauſe of God: for other things, I let them paſſe; ſhe was no Athenian, like them Act. 17. but with Nehemiah, enquired much how it went with Jeruſalem and the Church, Nehem. 1.2.

3. Her Husband cannot remember, that in all theſe 25 years, (for ſo long, juſt to a day, ſhe was married to him) ſhe did ever do any thing that ſhe thought might offendThat could not be ſaid of her, which a Doctor ſaith of ſome Women, liberum arbitrium pro quo tantopere contenditur, viri amiſerunt, uxores arripuerunt. him, yea, but whatever ſhe thought might be his juſt deſire, ſhe would be ſure that that was done; and if ſhe at any time ſaw him diſpleaſed, ſhe would meekly hold her peace, till ſhe ſaw a fit opportunity, to give him all juſt ſatisfaction: She was farre from the Heathens mind, that ſaid, Non amo quemquam niſi offendam.

4. The zeal of Gods houſe, and love to his publick Ordinance, did even conſumeNon amat qui non zalot. her; ſhe would neglect no opportunity, in publique, or private meetings, for any worldly buſineſs uſually; yea, when others thought that ſhe was very unable, and weak, yet ſhe would attend the meanes of grace, and ſay, that ſhe never got any harm, by attending on Gods Ordinances, or doing him ſervice; ſhe kept that ear-mark of Chriſts ſheep, (which many have loſt, in theſe dayes,) ſhe was careful to hear with attention of body, intention of mind, retention of memory, (as in that Text, John 10.27. where all the five ſteps of our ſalvation, are laid down.) Since we were acquainted, I never knew her part from me with that grief, as ſhe did laſt October the 11th, being the Lords day, whereon the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, was adminiſtred, and her weakneſs of body would not allow her to be there preſent: ſure I am, we parted with teares, truly I faw no ſuch appearance of trouble or grief in her, when death apparently ſeized on her; and the next Sacrament-day, Novemb. 15. (which was the laſt time the Lords Supper was adminiſtred before ſhe dyed.) ſhe was a ſweet partaker of that ſealing Ordinance, though forced to reſt her ſometimes in the way, 'twixt her houſe and the Congregation, Pſal. 122.1. I was glad when they ſaid to me, let us go into the Houſe of the Lord.

5. I never heard any motion, or propoſition made; tending to the ſervice of God, and advancing piety, but ſhe was preſſed in ſpirit, and her heart was hot after it, and more eager to ſuffer it, then a worldling could be for a great bargain, Iſa. 2.3.

6. She was a ſpecial help to her Husband, for ſaving his life and liberty in theſe troubleſom times, and a chearful ſufferer with him,Phil. 4.3. to the hazarding both of her-health, liberty, and life in the time of the Wars, and ſince; ſometimes ſhe was hurried by the Cavaliers, towards priſon in Rotherham, ſometimes fled in great danger by Sea in Lancaſhire; her Houſe and Goods robbed, or plundered, that ſhe might ſay as Paul, 1 Cor. 11.26. that ſhe was in danger both by Land and Sea; by robbers, by falſe Brethren, &c.

7. She was as free from She did ubique pietatem attendere nunquam oſtentare cauſas. pride, and covetouſneſs, as I ever knew, or in theſe dayes heard of any; whether pride in apparel, Plautus calls the body only veſtis, farium, She minded the ſoul much above the body. ſhe followed Tertullians Counſel, who adviſed the gallant women in his time, to put on the Silk of piety, the Sattin of ſanctity, and the purple of modeſty, ſo (ſaid he) ſhall God himſelf be your ſuitor; or rather the Apoſtle's advice, 1 Pet. 3.3, 4. like modeſt Rebeckah, Gen. 24.65. (of both whom that of the Poet was not true, Faſtus ineſt pulcris, ſequiturque ſuperbia formam,); and free from pride in gifts, performances, which rots and ſpoils all we have and do. Hence Auſtin, Caetera vitia in peccatis, ſuperbia in rectè factis maximè eſt timenda. 3 Joh. 2. So alſo from covetouſneſs: only ſhe had a great meaſure of that godly covetouſneſs after grace, 1 Cor. 12, 31. She would ſay,Proud perſons are called pride it ſelf. Jer. 50.31, 32. I deſire never to hoard up any of theſe things, only I would have to bear my charges, through my Inn here below, much of Pauls mind, Phil. 4.11.12.

8.1 Tim. 6.6. Luther had rather be the Author of the meaneſt work of the pooreſt Saint, then of all the Victories of Alexander's and Caeſar's. She did more value and love the pooreſt godly man or woman; yea, Servants, in whom ſhe judged the life and power of grace to appear, and more rejoyced in their Company, then in all the greateſt perſons and honours in the world, ſhe might truly ſay, what another godly woman ſaid before her, that ſhe never loved the Company of the wicked, alive, and therefore hoped, that God would never ſend her to them when ſhe died, Pſal. 16.3. and 119.63. Fiſcellinus valued Nobility above learning, which made Sigiſmund the Emperor, to marvel: ſhe valued godlineſs above them both, as the beſt gain.

9. She would oftentimes preſſe her Husband to act vigorouſly for God, and to go boldly, and thorough-ſtitch in Gods work, and let never the care of her, or their Children, be any impediment to him herein, for ſhe could truſt God with them fully, ſhe knew that God cared for them, and reaſon good, for he bought them dear, 1 Pet. 5.7.

10. When motions were made to her Husband, of removing from Hull, where he had very much work, and very little pay, to a place of very great preferment (as to outward meanes) he deſired (as uſually) to know her mind herein; her anſwer was, I will go with you any where chearfully, as I have hitherto done, through Darbiſhire, Devonſhire, Yorkſhire, &c. but I mainly deſire, that you would only look herein at this end, where you think, that God may have moſt honour by you, and let no other by-end whatever, move you at all, God having never put us to any ſtraits, for temporal eſtate: ſhe would not have him ſtir a foot,Exod. 33.15. without the Lord any way; ſhe was troubled to ſee any follow the Miniſtry (as a Popiſh writer complains of their Prieſts) tantum ut eos paſcat & veſtiat, only as a Trade, for back and belly, or as men-pleaſers.

11. In all theſe 25 years, ſhe never once failed in her Husbands abſence, her ſelf to pray with the Family, at the leaſt, twice a day, (a morning and evening ſacrifice) and uſually ſing a Pſalm, and read ſome portion of Scripture to them, and when her Husband was ſometimes very late buſie at his ſtudy, ſhe would conſtantly call the Family together, and have ſome Scripture read, and ſing a Pſalm, and ſo keep the Family imployed, till her Husband came down from his ſtudy, to perform the reſt of the Family-duties.

12. She was of a moſt meek and quiet ſpirit, and was upon all occaſions, ſtirring up her Children in the Doctrine and practice of godlineſs, and very much rejoyced to ſee godlineſs, ſo much appear in them: ſhe was much of holy Clavigers mind, who ſaid, if I can but find the fear of God in my Yoke-fellow and Children, and thoſe about me, ſatis habeo, ſatisque mihi, uxori mea, filiis & filiabus proſpexi, then I have enough in this world, 2 John 4. She would often ſay, that if God was ſo pleaſed, ſhe deſired that her Husband might out-live her, becauſe ſhe judged him more able to educate their Children in the wayes of Heaven.

13. She was a very great helper to Gods poor Saints, that were troubled in theſe late national diſtractions, and was alwayes full of courage, profeſſing ſince, that when ſhe was hurried towards priſon, in Rotherham, that ſhe did not fear any thing, ſave only that her Husband ſhould have ſuffered ſome want, through her abſence, he being at that time hid in Rotherham, where the Enemy ſought him narrowly, yet he could have touched them; they proclaimed him Traytor, and all others Traytors, that knew of him, and brought him not in John 11.57. within 24. houres, plundered him to the full; yet God hidSo was David hid. 1 Sam. 20.5. & 26.1. and the Prophets. 1 King. 18.4. him, Jer. 36.26. (the ſtory hereof is fully related in the Praeface to a Sermon of his, on Iſa. 42.24, 25. called, The three Kingdom's caſe) he lay hid on the hard ſtones, moſt part of three dayes, and three nights, from Thurſday May the 4th, 1643. when the Town was taken, till Saturday even, May 6. The like courage had ſhe, when ſhe fled to Sea in Lancaſhire: yea, her Husband heard of ſome pieces of her charity, in the Sermon preached at her FuneralAnd more ſince. Acts 9.39., which ſhe had kept ſecret, (though ſhe had alwayes from him a general grant and allowance for all ſuch works of charity) which he never knew before: ſhe would not let her left hand know what her right hand did. Swine only do good, when they die, but ſheep while they live: many leave their eſtates to others, meerly becauſe they cannot keep them; but ſhe did good, both heart and hand alive.

14. Moſt tender ſhe was of the poor people in the Charter-houſe, both for their bodies and ſouls, and was daily conferring with, and adviſing of them, and ſeeing them ſupplyed, and did much endeavour to have ſuch preferred therein, as were noted for piety and godlineſs.

15. She had a very freſh look, but exceeding weak Body, ſo as uſually at night, when ſhe was lying down in bed, ſhe would ſpeak to this purpoſe, Oh how weary am I? what a wiſe and good God have I, that did not neceſſitate me to get my living by hard labour, as many Servants do? Oh how good is God to provide theſe beds of reſt? how many work hard all day, yet have none, or hard beds at night? Oh how are our Brethren in Piedmont, or Poland, &c. now ſuffering it may be? And yet here is the ſweet of this mercy, that this is not my portion, but that there ſtill remains a better reſt for the people of God.

16. She would much complain of ſpiritual wants, as hardneſs and badneſs of heart, (as the Church complains, Iſa. 63, 17.) though others As Hannah, 1 Sam. 1.15. complaints that ſhe was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Hard in Spirit, ah a hard bea •• thought that ſhe had a large meaſure of grace, yet ſhe would ſay, oh but they know not my heart: much ſhe complained of her weak memory, that ſhe could not remember the particulars in a Sermon (though ſhe would bring away the ſweetneſſe and ſavorineſſe of moſt Sermons, and find her heart love the word and Chriſt more) yet ſhe would cheerfully recollect and check her ſelf ſometimes, and ſay, Yet this is ſome comfort to me, that I find my memory is bad alſo in other things that concern this world, which gives me hope that its not altogether ſpirituall wickedneſſe, but naturall weakneſſe: if ever ſhe was drowſy under the ordinance ſhe would much bewail it. And indeed, if Nero was ſo angry with Veſpaſian becauſe he ſlept at his Muſick, how much more may our God juſtly be angry with ſuch as ſleep at the diſpenſing of the Myſteries of life, and of the kingdome; ſhe was very far fromShe was far from the mind of proud Vega that ſaid coelum gratás non accipiam. boaſting or preſuming on any thing in her ſelf, fruſtrà nititur, qui non innititur, the voice ſaid to Auſtin, In te stas, ideô non ſtas. Learned Ames ſaith of ſuch men, that their caſe is more deſperate, by how much they do leſſe deſpair: ſhe was far from Castellio's opinion that men are of 3. ſorts; ſome unregenerate, ſome regenerating, and others regenerated; and that theſe laſt have no combate betwixt fleſh and ſpirit: this was croſſe to Pauls experience, Rom. 7. Gal. 5.

17. She was not only a willing companion, but alſo a great Comforter, of her husband in all the oppoſitions that ever he hath met with, in the courſe of his Miniſtery for the Goſpel's ſake (of which he hath had hisTheologus nihil aliud eſt quam centrum ad quod omnes lineae dolorum tendunt Meiſ. Veritas eſt cauſa diſcordiae: mori poſſum, tacere non poſſum. Hieron. ſhare from different hands) and when ever he had unboſomed his troubles to her, ſhe would quickly ſo cheer up his ſpirit with the Lord's word, & former experiences (which he would readily recollect); and diſcover ſuch iſſues and wayes of delivery, that uſually he went away with Hannah, 1 Sam. 1.18. and was no more troubled, but found his muddy bitter waters, turned into wine: ſhe was not like Iob's wife, to aggravate his afflictions.

18. She was mighty in prayer, and would therein expreſſe much warmth and affection, & that ſhe had not onely the gift, but a large meaſure of the grace of prayer, and much familiarity with the Lord; and as a dropping vine ſhe wept much in prayer like Iacob, Hoſea 14.2. Hoſ. 12.4. As its ſaid of Charles the Great, That he talked more with God then with men; ſo was ſhe frequent and fervent in Prayer; which can Vincere invincibilem, & ligare omnipotentem, bind Gods hands, Exod. 32.10. as Iacob and Moſes did. She offered to God not labia vitulorum, but vitulos labiorum, the Calves of her lips, as learned Rivet ſpeakes.

19. Shee would often, (eſpecially of late) ſpeak to her husband to this purpoſe, I am afraid that we do too much love one another, and take from God, that which is his due, and that God will not therefore let us live long together here, but however we ſhall meet together again, where we can neither ſinne, nor part, for ever.

20. She would oftentimes be preſſing, and calling upon her husband, that, beſides family, and ſecret prayer, they two might go to prayer together by themſelves; And upon this account, I well remember what ſtraits they have ſometimes run through, when at firſt they tabled in the houſe of a Friend: and to this end ſhe would often be remembring to him the Example of Mr. Bolton, who uſed to pray 6. times a day, twice by himſelf, twice with his wife, and twice with his Family and the practiſe of the Lord Harrington, and ſuch as ſhe had read of. She did not, like Jezabel, ſtir him up to evil, but to good, Iſa. 2.3.

21. She was a knowing Chriſtian (for her Sex) well acquainted with the doctrin & practiſe of Religion, ſhe had both ſcientiam viſûs & gustûs, head & heart-knowledg: ſhe knew the Hiſtory and Myſtery of the Scripture, in a good meaſure, or, to uſe Calvins phraſe, ſhe knew not onely Cerebralitèr but Cordialitèr, ſhe felt the word ſhe talked of, and ſo was haypy, Joh. 17.3. firſt felt what ſhe ſpoke, then ſpoke what ſhe felt.

22. She did much read theIts ſaid of the virgin Mary, that ſhe ſpent the third part of her time in reading the holy Scriptures. Scriptures, her meditation was in it night and day, Pſal. 1.2. It was ſaid of Thomas a Kempis that he found no reſt any where niſi in angulo cum libello, in a nook with his book. And Luther ſaid, he would not live in paradiſe without the word, and with the word he could live in hell. I may truly ſay of her, that ſhe dearly loved the Scriptures, and was daily reading ſome part of it, and made conſcience to read as well with her heart as with her eyes; and practiſe it alſo;Shee was one of thoſe to whom the word of God was not only delivered, but they delivered into it. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Rom. 6.17. Ille verè Scripturas legit qui verba vertit in opera.

23. When her husband would ſometimes be ſaying to her, that he had been a conſtant, and (according to his abilities) a painfull Preacher now well towards 30. years, and had perhaphs preached as many Sermons, as our Chronicle ſaith Doctor Lichfield made, viz. 3083. in the raign of King Henry the 6th; and though he had had conſiderable maintenaince (and might have had greater) yet never to this day (one year conſidered with another) had he got ſo much as had maintained him and his Family, by the Miniſtery; ſhe would cherfully anſwer, God ſaw that we did not need it, and hath ever kept us before hand, from all wants and ſtraits this way, and not you (as many other a 1000. times better, or at leaſt not ſo ill deſerving as we are) to ſtudy, as well for maintenance of theirThough he loſt much and got nothing in tehſe late troubles. Families, as for their Sermons: and if God had not otherwiſe provided for us to live on, I hope (ſaid ſhe) I could have cheerfully ſit down with bare cloaths, and bread and water, and have done what that godly dying ſervant of Chriſt, Anne Winter of Rotherham ſaid of me, on her deathbed, when her head by feavour was much diſtempered; which Story was thus: When Rotherham was taken by the Kings party, May 4. 1643. (of which before, and in the preface,When Panlinus had his City, gold ſilver, and all taken away, he ſaid Lord let not the loſſe of all theſe troubled me for thou art all, and more then all theſe to me. more fully, to the 3. Kingdomes caſe) and this deceaſed Saint was very hardly uſed, a pretious godly woman of Rotherham, Anne Winter, lying very weak, & her head diſtemptered (ſo as ſhe knew not wel what ſhe ſaid) ſo me good women being whiſpering together in the roome where ſhe lay, ſhe ſpake to them ſharply thus, What are you whiſpering about? if it be any thing for the advancing the cauſe and Church of God, go on: elſe leave off; and if it be about the troubles of the Miſtreſſe, (meaning Mrs. Shaw) fear not, for ſhe can live of a penny a day, if God call her to it as the Martyrs did in their troubles.

24. She was a moſt ſtrict obſerver of the Lords day, and much bemoaned the coming out of the book of Sports allowing them on the Lords day: ſince when, ſhe would ſay Gods hand had ever lay heavy upon this Land, (though even this God could turn for good): ſhe accounted the Sabbath her delight, Iſa. 58.13. (as the ancients called it, deſiderium dierum, and regina dierum): ſhe ſaid not, When will the Sabbath be gone, Amos 8? but, When will it come? like that holy man, that went forth that morning and ſaid, veni ſponſa mea: ſhe remembred the Sabbath before it came, when it came, and when paſt; and was very carefull all that day of her thoughts, words, deeds, and duties, as alſo of all her relations. I well remember that when her Ague had ſeiſed upon her about the beginning of September laſt, which continued till about 14. dayes or near it, before her diſſolution, and then (as we thought) left her; a faithfull and intimate Friend of hers, and an able godly Phyſitian, (vir ſui Dr. Witty. nominis, as was ſaid of the Emperour Probus) being then in Hull, told her that they muſt needs take the diſeaſe in the beginning, and it being known that her aguiſh fit would ſeize on her the next time on the next Lords day, in the afternoon, the Doctor told her, it would be neceſſary for her to take a vomit on that Lords day to remove the approaching Malady: ſhe was perſwaded to it, as a work of mercy and neceſſity, but would go to the congregation in the morning; yet ſome have obſerved that ſhe ſtayed at home in the afternoon with ſadneſſe of ſpirit, and took her vomit; but when it was perceived that ſhe was troubled at the taking of it on the Lords day, becauſe it hindred her from the evening ſervice of that day in publique, ſufficient meanes of ſatisfaction was given her, yet it was ſometimes replyed, ſo it was lawful to fly in caſe of neceſſity on the Sabbath day, yet it was grievous to the godly Mat. 24.20.

25. She did oftimes very directly foretell things to come, as her own death ſhortly approaching (as is in part before flinted) and that ſhe ſhould never ſee her Daughter Dorothy again after ſhe ſhould marry & go to Rotherham, which proved true; and divers other things conſiderable, the truth whereof I will try before I will publiſh them, leſt we might ſeem to be as fooliſh as ſome others, who have vainly printed and preached Chriſts coming on Earth perſonally to Reign in the year 1656. and 5. great things to come paſſe in the years 1655. or 1656. which foole ies God hath confuted, and both God and Man have befooled them, or rather they have made fooles of themſelves. Only concerning Revelations in generall in theſe dayes, I think, (1.) that all Revelations of the ſpirit are not wholly ceaſed, but that there ſtill are and may be Revelations, 1 Cor. 2.10. or inſpirations, Iob 32.8. yet (2.) all Revelations pretended to be of, and from the Spirit, but not according to Gods word, Iſay 59.21. are to be rejected and abhorred in theſe dayes, as proceeding from mens deceived Phantaſies, or Diabolicall deluſions, and God never revealed ſuch things to them: they have ſeen nothing more, no nor ſo much as other men, Ezek. 13.23. Jer. 14.13, 14, & 23, 16. And though I believe that God ſince the Canon of the Scripture ſealed, revealed no new truth, but that all needfull truths are in the Scripture expreſly or by conſequence, yet I conceive that God may and ſometimes doth to ſome choiſe Saints reveale matters of fact according to the word; and though no new light, yet new ſight and diſcovery of the myſteries in the Word; as for example in Queen Maries dayes, Mr. Fox (that wrote the book of Martyrs) being with other exiles and confeſſors at Baſil beyond the Sea; Mr. Fox preaching to his bretheren there, told them confidently, that now was the time for their return into England, and that he brought that news by Command from God: for which bold ſaying, ſome graver divines at preſent ſharply rebuked him, but ere long it appeared that Queen Mary died the very day before his Sermon (which thing he could not then poſſibly know by any ordinary meanes:) Mr. Fox alſo (the ſame grave and holy man) told the Lady Anne Henage lying then very ſick, and Phyſitians and Friends quite deſpairing of all hope of life, that ſhe ſhould recover; as alſo ſhe told the like to Mrs. Honywood, who had long laid ſore diſtempered, and that ſhe ſhould live to an exceeding great age, all which came to paſſe:Mr. Clark in the life of Mr. Fox. likewiſe Biſhop Ridley, when a ſudden tempeſt aroſe on the Thames, as he was croſſing that River, at which all in the boat were terrified looking for nothing but to be drowned, Fear not, ſaid the Biſhop, for this boate carryes a Biſhop, that muſt be burned and not drowned. Likewiſe Biſhop Hooper at Zurick in King Edward the ſixth his Reign, taking his leave of Mr. Bullinger and about to return for England, promiſed Mr. Bullinger to write often to him, but (ſaid he) the laſt newes of all I ſhall not be able to write: for where I take moſt paines, there ſhall you hear of me to be burnt to aſhes; So Luther writ to Myconius when he was ſick, and moſt likely to dye, Deus non ſinet tuum tranſitum, me vivo. But theſe I think are rare, & unuſually but to ſome choiſeAnd ſometimes to others as I could give ſome choiſe inſtances, but that I will not tranſcribe this over again. ſervants of the Lord.

26. She was very found in the doctrine of Religion, and exceedingly ſore grieved at theAs ſhe abhorred damnable practiſes and works of the Devil, ſo alſo damnable doctrines, 2 Pet. 2. (Hereſies of deſtruction) and doctrines of Devils. 2 Tim. 4.1. dangerous errours lately ſpread in theſe Nations, and eſpecially when any fell off, who had formerly been of our ſociety, chiefly at one old man, heretofore a profeſſor in Hull; mightily was ſhe troubled at thoſe who fell to looſe life, and under pretence of fearing a covenant of workes, caſt away the workes of the Covenant; or, under pretence of higher attainments, forſook the form of wholeſome words, and holy practiſe: ſhe loved new ſight and diſcovery in the Scripture, but no pretended new light As Columbus ſaw no new world but made a fuller diſcovery of the old. contrary to the Scripture; ſhe was clear for a needfull ſeperation in a Church, but not, for a needleſſe ſeperation from a Church; but ſore grieved with thoſe that do 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Jude 19. through pretending the ſpirit, and are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , men out of their place, (which Luther judged the cauſe of all diſtempers in Church and State): ſhe read that Chriſt and the Apoſtles ſaw many corruptions in the Church of the Iewes, both in officers, adminiſtrations, and practiſes, as Iohn 9.22, 34, 35. Mark 7.9. Math. 5.21, 48, & 21, 12, 13. yet in that Church was Chriſt circumciſed, his mother purified, he heard thoſe teachers, Luke 2.22, 46. joyned with them on Sabbath dayes in publique prayer, Luke 4.16. &c. Hophni and Phinehas were very bads Prieſts, and ſome in thoſe dayes did therefore ſeperate from Gods Ordinances, 1 Sam. 2.17. but it was their tranſgreſſion, ſo to do, verſe 24. and Elkana and Hannah then did not ſeperate, ſaith holy Hilderſham, (Lecture 29. on Iohn 4.): ſhe did moſt highly valew the old non-Conformaliſts, who would ſeperate from the corruption, but not from the communion of the Church, as Chriſt, though he joyned with the Church of the Jewes then, yet would not uſe the Jewiſh ſuperſtitious purifications, Mark. 7.6, 7. nor put off the paſſover from the right day, as the Jews did, Math. 26.27. She would often ſay, that if thoſe who ſeperated from us, (ſome of whom ſhe had dear affections to, as judging them godly, for Diverſum ſentire duos de rebus iiſdem, Incolumi licuit ſemper amicitiâ) would have joyned with us, to have purged out the curſed errours that broke in upon us, (which by their flying from us they much (through perhaps not purpoſely) encouraged,) we might have been much purer and more reformed ere now: had there no hammer been heard in building up our Temple. She diſputed not, whether our Pariſhes were Churches, or Churches were in our pariſhes; but loved godlineſſe wherever ſhe ſaw it, and laboured to practiſe it. She was ſore troubled at the Anabaptiſts, yet I never heard her ſo ſharp towards them, as that holy Martyr Philpot (one of the learnedſt Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes) who in his letters in the book of Martyrs ſaith, that the Anabaptiſts are an inordinate kind of men, ſtirred up by the devil, to the deſtruction of the Goſpel, Vol. 3. p. 606. She was as much as any for Chriſtian Liberty, but not for unchriſtian licentiouſneſſe, nor antichriſtian Cruelty, & did much obſerve that thoſe that cryed up ſo much for that liberty, (or rather libertiniſm, which Auſtin calls libertas perditionis, & Tertullian, licentia haeretica) when they were below and at an under; yet when they but thought that they were getting above, they would not allow the leaſt of it to others, as we have ſeen inſtances too many near us, both in print and practiſe. Shee judged Chriſtian liberty not to lye, in a liberty to hold truth or errour, to do good or evil, for then God and good Angels had not that liberty, (who yet are moſt free) but ſhe thought that that was Chriſtian liberty enough, when a man might hold all truth, and do all good that God commanded him; and ſhe did not think, that to reſtrain error or wickedneſſe was in it ſelf, any reſtraint of Chriſtian liberty.

27. She fervently prayed for a hearty union amongſt Gods people, that they might be one ſtaffe in the Lords hand, and worſhip God with one lip and ſhoulder: and if Paul thought it beſeeming an Apoſtle to write a part of the Canonicall Scripture, about the agreement of two godly perſons, Phil. 4.2. ſurely we ſhould much deſire the agreement of ſo many; yet did ſhe not limit or meaſure her love, meerly by union in opinion, but lovedShe did, as Bucer, love any in whom ſhe ſaw aliquid Chriſti. See learned Calvins, excellent note, on Iſa. 24.16. all the Saints, Col. 1.4. yet would ſhe much fear that our biting and devouring one another, was ſo bad a requitall of the Lord for all his goodneſſe, that it would much endanger out being devoured one of another, as it did much endanger the Exiles at Franford in Queen Maries dayes. I know not what ſhe would have thought of the Schoolmen and Biſhop Halls opinion, (if ſhe had heard it) namely that the holy Angels may holily vary in the way, though they perfectly agree in the end, urging to that end, Dan. 10.13, 20, 21, & 12, 1. but ſure I am ſhe looked on that paroxyſm twixt Paul and Barnabas, as a foul fault in good men,Good men ſometimes have groaned (as the word is. Jam. 5.9.) in prayer one againſt another which is very ſad. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . and ſhe did much bewaile that prejudice wherewith mens heads and hearts were prepoſſeſſed againſt the truth, judging things according to their praeingaged opinions (as Maſius obſerves) that when Moſes and Ioſhua came down from the Mount, and heard the people ſinging, dancing, playing, &c. before the golden Calf, Joſhua being of a warlike diſpoſition, interprets the noiſe to be the noiſe of war; but meek Moſes interprets it to be the noiſe of ſinging: and as mens tempers are, ſo they uſually judge, and hereby oftentimes detain the truth of God as a priſoner, Rom. 1.18. through blind prejudice: ſhe much deſired that as the lines in a circle, the nearer they come to the Center, the nearer they come one to another; ſo godly men might draw nearer to God, and ſo nearer one to another.

28. She was a moſt tender Mother, exceeding full ofShe was not like Biſhop Bonner who was full of guts, but empty of Bowels. bowels of compaſſion to her Chrildren's, both ſouls and body. In this her long ague, and weakneſſe, if ſhe imagined any of the children (though in other Chambers) to be ſick, ſhe could not be perſwaded even at Midnight to keep her bed, but would needs ſee how they did, or what they wanted; but eſpecially in their ſouls, ſheGal. 4.19. travailed in birth again of them, as Auſtin ſaith of his Mother, toties fillos parturiebat, quoties à Deo eos deviare cernebat, ſhe laid up many fervent prayers for them, and I hope, Impoſſibile eſt, filias tantarum lacrymarum perire.

29. In her paines and extremity, ſhe was much in bleſſing God, ſaying, Oh! this is not Hell (which yet I have deſerved): nay bleſſed be God for a Chriſt, there is nothing of Hell in it.

30. As ſhe lived, ſo ſhe dyed, meekly, quietly, holily, having her underſtanding perfect to the laſt breath; and in her extremity, never did ſhe utter one grumbling word, onely would ſay often, hold our faith and patience (ſomewhat like Calvin's word, quouſque, Domine, quouſque? how long, O Lord, how long). And when her husband ſaid to her, that ever ſince he knew her, ſhe had dearly loved JeſusNihil iſto triſte recepte. Chriſt, and his people, and his wayes, and that ſhe was now going to Chriſt, and his Saints made-perfect, where Chriſt would ſweetly welcome her, and had provided a manſion for her, ſhe (as well as ſhe was able) ſpake theſe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , her laſt words: I have (ſaid ſhe) dearly loved all the people of God, and ſhall ſhortly go to Chriſt, and therefore why ſhould you ſo weep and be diſcontent? God ſweetly whiſpered her in the eare, (as the Hebr. is) 2 Sam. 7.27. and ſhe had praemium ante praemium, a Heaven of peace, before that Heaven of perfect glory.

31. She did highly prize the Miniſtery of the Goſpel, 1 Theſſ. 5.12, 13. the feet of them that brought the glad tydings of the Goſpel were beautifull in her eyes; and that not only at firſt, when ſhe began to look after heaven, but even to the laſt, ſhe did grow in the prizing of the Miniſtry more and more to her death: when her ſtomack was weak to her bodily food, yet was the Stomack of her ſoul, then ſharp and eager after ſpirituall food: ſhe was not like thoſe Changling-Galathians, that could have pulled out their eyes for Paul at firſt, Gal. 4.15. and have pulled out his eyes at laſt. Or as many now a dayes that deſpiſe and caſt off thoſe in the end, whom they profeſſed formerly to have reverenced as their Fathers in Chriſt. Yet did ſhe ever diſtinguiſh betwixt perſons qualified with gifts and graces fit for an office, and being actually officers; ſhe thought that a man that had both gifts, abilities and graces, and eminently every way qualified, for the place of Magiſtracy, Collonell, &c. yet was not therefore a Magiſtrate, or Collonel, &c. till actually and outwardly called thereto; gifts and graces fit one for an office, but make no officer, nor authorize any man to do the work thereof; if a private man, ſufficiently gifted and qualified to judge and determine cauſes, ſhould ſtep up to the bench at the Aſſiſes, and take upon him to ſit in judicature and paſſe ſentence; the paſſing of a ſentence was ſpecifically in its kind a good thing, and if he paſſed a juſt and right ſentence, it was materially good, but ſtill it was relatively bad in him, unlawfull, invalid, becauſe he had no outward call to that office: and thus ſhe judged that gifts and graces make not a Miniſter, nor authorize any to the work of the Miniſtery; whether gifted men, Numb. 16.3, 5. or gifted women, 1 Cor. 14.34. 1 Tim. 2.12. Two things ſhe much bewayled, 1. that many took upon them publiquely to preach that were not competently gifted and qualified for that work, onely were puft up in their vain conceits, others in the mean while could neither pick ſenſe, nor truth in their diſcourſe: 2. that others who were inwardly gifted and qualified for the Miniſtery, would take upon them (in eccleſi â conſtitutâ, extrà caſum neceſſitatis, which Dr. Fulke calls vocatio providentiae,) to do the work of the Miniſtery, contemning that exernal Call that God hath appointed, as a right entrance into that office, 1 Tim. 4.14. Tit. 1, 5. She did believe, that becauſe ſuch did reject Gods Ordinance, God did reject them; and that they did more hurt then good: ſhe knew it was not the letter of the word, or mens parts (though eminent) that could convert, or do men any true good, except God owned them, and did afford his ſpirit in his own way, and ordinance, to make them to profit, Iſay 48.17. the word and ſpirit muſt go together, Iſay 59.21. And therefore men rejecting Gods appointment and ordinance could not profit the people, Ier. 23.32. She much bewayled that in the Biſhops times, there were many Miniſters that were not preachers, (but dumb dogs, &c.) and now, that there are many Preachers that are not Miniſters. And whereas ſome objected, that they needed no outward Call, becauſe that was onely requiſite to ſuch as preached a new Doctrine, ſhe thought that upon that reaſon, of all men, thoſe kind of Preachers moſt needed a clear call; for many of them broached moſt ſtrange and new Doctrines.

32. She was not a ſpeculative but practicall Chriſtian, more for motion then notion, ſhe did not content her ſelf to heare only; but oh, how buſily and carefully did ſhe every Lords day, Lecture-day, and ſuch other times, gleane after the Reapers with good Ruth, beate it out at night, what ſhe had gleaned, and diſtribute to her Children and Servants, Ruth 2.17, 18. Lewis the 9th. King of France was found inſtructing his poor Kitching Boy in the way to Heaven; and being asked, the reaſon, he anſwered, The meaneſt hath a ſoul as precious as my own, and bought by the ſame blood of Chriſt. She was very far from that Florentin's mind, that when he lay on his death bed, called his Children, and ſaid, in this one thing I rejoyce quod vos divites relinquam, that I ſhall leave you rich; but hers was, that ſhe left them gracious: ſhe did not content her ſelf to be of any opinion, form, or ſociety, and there reſt, but ſhe looked to practiſe, walking above talking; ſhe was more for Zebulons ſincere heart, 1 Chron. 12.33. then for Nepthali's goodly words, Gen 49.21. She knew that the Saints of old that went to heaven were walkers, Gen. 5.24. Gen. 17.1. and that no kind of Lord, Lord, (whether in prayer, profeſſion, &c.) would ſerve her, except ſhe did the will of her Father, Math. 7.21. nor would evidence her true relation to Jeſus Chriſt, Math. 12.50. Iohn 15.14. She highly prized that precious grace of Faith, as the great work, Iohn 6.29. the great Commandment, 1 Ioh. 3.23. the ſecond Covenant's inftrument or condition, Mark 16.16. yet ſhe knew that a faith without works would not ſave her, Iames 2.14. nor knowledge without practiſe help her, Iohn 13.17. 1 John 2.4. (though knowledge be an excellent grace, John 17.3.) ſhe thought that love of God was only a pretence, which was joyned with carefull practiſe and obedience, 1 John 5.3. John 14.15. as ſhe expected not to be ſaved by, ſo neither without works: ſhe deſired firſt to glorifie God, as well as after to be glorified by God, ſhe judged that, that itch and curious ſearch which is in theſe dayes after ſtrange new notions and ſpeculations (which doth in many eat out the life of the old practiall godlineſſe) was a plot of the old Serpent, Gen. 3. and a temptation of the fleſh, Col. 2.18.

33. As ſhe much laboured for truth and growth in the fundamentall graces, that her ſalvation might be certain, and ſhe get to Heaven ſurely; ſo did ſhe labour for that Ornamentall grace of Aſſurance, that her ſalvation might be certain to her, and ſhe get to Heaven comfortably; ſhe had in a very comfortable meaſure attained to aſſurance both, 1. diſcourſive, and 2. intuitive: diſcourſive, by ſearching her heart and life, and diſcourſing with her own conſcience, ſhe found ſuch qualifications, graces, and works of the ſpirit wrought in her, ſuch markes and ſignes of grace and ſanctification, as the Scripture layes down for infallible evidences of Election before time, and ſalvation after, 2 Pet. 1.5.—10. and as cannot conſiſt with reprobation or damnation; ſuch as the Apoſtle layes down in all that firſt Epiſtle of Iohn, as, walking in the light, 1 Iohn 1.7. obedience, 1 Iohn 2.3. purfying her ſelf, 1 Iohn 3.3. and other ſigns all over that Epiſtle, and the Scripture: eſpecially ſhe found Hezekiahs mark of Sincerity, Iſa. 38.3. (ſhe was one that would not lye, Iſa. 63.8. as its ſaid of Golden-mouthed Chryſostome, that he never did,) ſhe was much of the ſame mind with the Emperour Galliu, whoſe Motto was, Nemo amicus, idem & adulator, ſhe thought that no flatterer could be true friend to God or Man): and the beloved Diſciple's mark, 1 Iohn 3.14. dearly loving any, in whom with Bucer ſhe ſaw (aliquid Christi) any thing of Chriſt: and David's mark, dear love to the Word, Pſal. 119.47, 72, 92, 97, 127, 167, &c. 1 Pet. 2.2. beſides that of St. Iohn 1 Iohn 2.15. ſhe had a very great victory over the world, 1 Iohn 5.4, 5. yea a great contempt of the world; ſhe was almoſt come to what old Latimer ſaith in his Sermon of himſelf, that if he had an enemy to whom it was lawfull to wiſh evil unto, he would chiefly wiſh him, great ſtore of riches, for then he ſhould never enjoy quiet; or as an Emperour ſaid of his great Empire, nihil ſe amplius aſſecutum, quàm ut occupatior interiret, &c. And in theſe marks as fruits of the ſpirit did her conſcience much comfort her, as Paul's did, 2 Cor. 1.12. ſo 1 Iohn 3.19.—21. ſhe diſcovered Gods active grace, and love to her, by diſcerning Gods paſſive grace in her: 2. She laboured much in prayer, (ſtriving in prayer, Rom. 15.20. watching to prayer, 1 Pet. 4.7. wreſtling with Iacob, Hoſ. 12). For that intuitive aſſurance, viz. that God would ſuperadd to theſe marks and evidences which ſhe found in her, the ſweet joy and comfortable teſtimony of his ſpirit, Rom. 8.16. and as in a good meaſure ſhe found that the marks of grace, held out in the word, and thoſe in her heart and life, did anſwer; as the impreſſion on the wax anſwers that which is cut in the ſeal; ſo in a ſweet meaſure did the Lord ſuperadde the joy and teſtimony of his ſpirit: ſometimes ſhe would look downward into a baſen of water to ſee the ſhining of the Sun, and ſometimes upward to the Firmament to ſee the Sun it ſelf: We have 3. wayes uſually to confirme and make things ſure, 1. we confirme bargains, by earneſt, 2. writings by ſeales, 3. at tryalls in Law, we produce witneſſes to confirm. The ſpirit of God is all theſe to us: Our earneſt, 2 Cor. 1.22, & 5, 5. and ſeal, Eph. 1.13. and witneſſe, Rom. 8.16. a pure ſpirit, and a purged conſcience afford much aſſurance; ſhe was able by her experience to have confuted the Papiſts, who deny that in an ordinary way, a man can be aſſured that he is for the preſent in the State of grace; and learned Bellarmine when he was near 80. years old knew it not, yet ſhe could ſay, though Papiſts ordinarily are not, cannot be aſſured, that ſhe felt & knew that ſhe was now the childe of God, 1 Iohn 3.2, 14. And whereas the remonſtrants and others ſay that we may know that for the preſent, we are in the ſtate of grace; but yet we cannot be aſſured of our ſalvation, becauſe ere death we may fall away totally and finally; ſhe could anſwer with St. Iohn, in the ſame verſe, 1 Iohn 3.2. that we know now that we ſhall ſee Chriſt in glory, and be like him there; yea if Sons here, then no falling away, but be with Chriſt hereafter, ibidem. She did think that though a juſt perſon under the firſt Covenant might fall from grace, (as Adam did) yet not a juſtified perſon in Chriſt, in the ſecond Covenant, whereof Chriſt is Surety, Heb. 7.22. She thought, that a juſtified perſon might fall like Mephiboſheth fowly, ſo as to hurt him; or as Eutichus, Acts 20. ſo as to weaken him: yet not finally, not as Eli, ſo as to kill himſelf, becauſe God upholds him, Pſal. 37.24. Dr. Arrowſmith. 1 Pet. 1.5. As our moſt learned and godly late Profeſſor ſpeakes. She thought, that not onely old profeſſors might be thus aſſured, becauſe that firſt Epiſtle of St. Iohn was writ for that very end, that we might be aſſured of eternall life, 1 Iohn 5.13. and yet was writ to Children, as well as Fathers, 1 Iohn 2.12, 13. Nor did ſhe think that this aſſurance would make any one more ſecure; and careleſſe how they lived, but more holy, 1 Iohn 3.3. more to purifie themſelves, the more hope they have: and though ſhe had not alwayes been without her doubts and fears; (our Lord Jeſus who had alwayes the grace of union, and of unction, yet had not alwayes the grace of viſion) yet ſhe ſtill recovered her comforts again, and could and did dye with much aſſurance and joy, and free from that trouble of Roger Biſhop of Salisbury in King Stephens dayes who was ſo troubled, that he could not live, and durſt not die, &c.

— But oh, in the gleaning of theſe few, how many handfulls have I loſt, that might moſt profitably have been obſerved in her life! and in theſe few, how far doth the picture come ſhort of the life of her gliſtering graces; ſo that when I run over what I moſt haſtily and paſſionately (currente calamo) have write, I am aſhamed of my ſelf, and may ſadly ſay, in regard of my own defects herein. Cum relego, ſcripſiſſe pudet; quia plurima deſunt; Plurima ſunt quae (me judice) digna lini. But now ſhe is gone to ſleep, having put off her Cloths, not her life (as we do when we go to bed) ſhe ſtill lives, nay never lived ſo well as now, vita Christi noſtram inſtruxit, mors Chriſti noſtram deſtruxit, Bern: and I hope I may ſay as that learned Lord du Pleſſis did, concerning his wife when ſhe was dead, that ſhe had been an aid to him in living well, and ſhould be ſo hereafter in dying well: her death ſhall make me more conſider (I hope) the vanity of this life, and ſay with the Poet, — Oh! What is man? A Scuttlefull of dust,Quarles, a meaſured Span; Mans breath's a bubble, and his dayes a Span; Tis glorious miſery to be born a man. The firſt piece of houſhould-ſtuffe that Zeleucus brought into Babylon, was a Tomb-ſtone; and 'tis the laſt that I have brought into Hull; the Tomb-ſtone of a dear Saint, of whom I, with hundreds, more, may ſay, what Uylſſes ſometimes did of Achilles, Si mea cum veſtris valuiſſent vota —, &c. if our prayers and teares could have prevented, ſhe had not died: but herein is our comfort, that her ſoul is happy, and her body ſhall ere long be like to Chriſts glorious body, Phil. 3.21, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for quality, not quantity, as Theodoret ſpeaks.

When ſhe could not longer live, yet ſhe could ſweetly and happily dye; and might ſay with the Poet, certè coelum patet, ibimus illâc: and though much work be yet undone, yet [her] work is done; though ſhe was not very long, yet ſhe did much in a little time, and wrought hard for God while ſhe had time. Chriſt dyed about the 33d. year of his age, (younger then ſhe) and though much work was then to do, yet he ſaid, I have finiſhed that work that thou gaveſt me to do, John 17.4. ſo Paul, 2 Tim. 4.7.

And now ſhe is gone to her reſt, Rev. 14.13. Iſa. 57.1, 2. She ſweetly ſlept in the Lord on Thurſday, Decemb. 10. being that day juſt 25. years from her marriage in Yorke, and was carried to the place appointed for all living, Iob 30.23. December 12. 1657. where ſhe lyes interred in the middle alley of Trinity Church in Hull. Papiſts take it for a great wonder that Stapleton their great controverſall Divine, was born on the ſame day, whereon their Sir Thomas More dyed, and why may not we take notice, that this Saint dyed neer Hull, the ſame day 25. years that ſhe was married in York. And that, by a quite unexpected providence, her Daughter Dorothy was married theOn Decemb. 10. 1657. The Sun ſhone very bright, but that night the Moon was ſore Ecclipſed, and ſo it proved to be with us. ſame day, whereon (but before) her Mother dyed; ſurely theſe Wheels are full of eyes: the Martyrs uſed to call their dying day their wedding day, and invite their Friends that day to their wedding; ſo this Saint was betrothed to Chriſt here, Hoſ. 2.19.20. but married to him at death,And others obſerve that the ſame day whereon Pelagius was born in Brittain, Auguſtine was born in Africa, as Remarkable. God ſet a death's heads at our feaſt, as the Egyptians uſed. her bleſſed marriage day. Mr. Firth of Manſfield, by a ſpeciall providence lying then in Mr. Shaws houſe when ſhe dyed, preached an excellent Sermon at her Funerall, (at which there was the greateſt aſſembly of people that any remember, that they have ſeen in Hull at a Funerall for many years, as ſometimes to Hezekiah, all Iſrael did her honour at her buriall, 2 Chron. 32.33.) His Text was John 20.17. whence he obſerved that Covenant relations are ſoul quieting; and heart comforting relations, will comfort men againſt the departure of deareſt Friends; which Sermon I wiſh that he would recollect and publiſh for the good of many. The laſt Sermon that ever ſhe heard on Earth, was preached by her Husband, on that text, Iſa. 56.5. being on the Lords day in the afternoon, Decomb. 6. holding out comfort to Godly perſons, that wanted ſome worldly priviledges, as Sons and Daughters to comfort them here, and bear up their names when they are dead, yet God would give them far better priviledges, then theſe, which would abundantly ſupply all other wants, even an everlaſting name, which now ſhe hath got in heaven: and though ſhe hath not left any Children, but only daughters on Earth, (and we know that the word in Hebrew that ſignifies a male, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 comes of a root, that ſignifies to remember and the word that ſignifies 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 women, comes of a root that ſignifies to forget;) becauſe males keep up the name of the family, which females cauſe to be forgotten, yet hath ſhe left a ſweet nameShe was not filia terrae, Jer. 13.13. nor deſired a name among the great men upon Earth. 1 Chron. 17.8. but looked after a name in Heaven, Luke 10.20. in the book of life, Phil. 4.3. & ſavour on Earth, which will make her family to be remembred, for whom ſhe had ſent up formerly many ſervent prayers to heaven, and they ſhall find it; All her troubles and enemies, and dangers by Land and Sea could not cut her off, till her work was done, Rev. 11.7. and her hour come, Iohn 7.30, & 8, 19, 20. God kept her to a day, but her ſoul being joyfull embraced in the armes of her beſt and laſting Husband, and her body laid down in her bed of reſt to ſleep, till the better Reſurrection of the juſt. Let us for a while draw the curtains quietly about her, and ſee what good we may get to our ſelves by this ſharpe affliction: for the good and wiſe God would never have ſuffered any evil (either of ſin or forrow) to be in the world, but that he knew how to bring good out of it; and the Scripture tells us, that ſad afflictions, (1.) before they come, are 1. appointed by God, they paſſe the great councell of Heaven, God doth (and it's beſt he ſhould) chuſe our afflictions, therefore they come wiſely, 1 Theſ. 1.3. 2 deſerved by man, therefore come juſtly, Ezra. 9.13. (2.) when they come, 1. there is a great need of them, we would not ſtrike a beaſt without need, much leſſe would God ſtrike his childe, 1 Pet. 1.6. Without them, we ſhould have been worſe, 1 Cor. 11.32. therefore they come ſeaſonably, 2. much good and benefit by them, Heb. 12.10. Pſal. 119.67, 71. therefore they come profitably, 3. God limits, orders, guides them, therefore they come moderately, Ier. 30.11, & 46, 28. ſo as they may prove great bleſſings here, Iob 5.17. Pſal. 94.12. and may adde to our glory hereafter; therefore they come happily, 2 Cor. 4.17. Rom. 8.18.

And now, my dear and ſweet Children, ſeeing the wiſe God hath taken from me the deſire of my eyes, Ezek. 24.16. and your Mother from your head to day, 2 Kings 2.3, 5. ſeeing God hath cut off the one halfe of my heart, and one halfe of that root you grew upon; ſeeing our Maſter's rod is upon us, let us ply our Books, the Book of Gods word, and of our own hearts; and learn ſome heavenly leſſons: there lyes not onely a command upon me, a Father's duty, but alſo the truſt repoſed, and charge impoſed on me by your Mother: let me adviſe you therefore often to look on this pictureShe would never be perſwaded to have her Picture drawn, while ſhe was alive, I have now here drawn it, when ſhe is dead, no wonder if it be but darkly and imperfectly; though ſhe had very much of the image of God, both on her and in her. of your dear Mother that I have here ſadly limmed for your uſe, and when you view it, ſay as ſometimes Boleſlaus King of Poland, when he looked on his Fathers Picture, oh ſaid he, that I may not do any thing unworthy of ſuch a Father; dreſſe your ſelves by this glaſſe, ſo far as it's agreeable to the word, ſtick to the truth, as ſhe did, both in times of perſecution and other alluring temptations: I know that God (partly by her help) hath given you a large meaſure of knowledge for perſons of your age and ſex, but beſides the tree of knowlege, look to the tree of life; build on the rock, by doing the word, Math. 7.24. Iohn 13.17. adde to your knowledge virtue, and not onely morall virtue, but that (which ſome have queſtioned, whether it ever be called by the name of virtue in Scripture) the grace of life, 1 Pet. 3.7. Your body excells your eſtate, your ſoul excells your body, but grace excells the ſoul: for you are not happy becauſe you have ſouls, but becauſe you have grace, that good work, Phil. 1.6. that good thing, 1 Kings 14.13. ſuch a beaſt and ſo fooliſh am I, that I doubt, if it had layd in my power, I ſhould ſo badly have requited all her love, that I ſhould have raiſed her again to have lived here on earth: but ſure its well for her that I could not; onely I have here (though darkly) drawn her picture for my and your Conſolation, and Imitation. I know you never paint your ſelves, norwear any fooliſh pictures or gariſh attire, but yet I pray you weare this picture, and often remember the holy counſels and practiſe of ſuch a Mother; there was a very ſharp Law among the Romans, againſt parents for mal-education of their own Children; there lay action at law againſt any parent, and he might be ſued, that did not bring up his Children carefully, becauſe hereby not only the Children but the Commonwealth, and the Neighbours were injured; there was no action could lye againſt your Mother, nor I hope ſhall againſt me for this fault; and I am very confident ſo far as I have either ſeen by you or heard of you, that you will never prove ſuch, as it was ſaid of the Emperour Commodus Baffianus Caracolla, &c. that they were the ſhame of civill parents; I have gathered a noſe-gay for me and you to ſmell at, conſiſting (as you ſee) of 33. flowers, amongſt 1000 d. that grew in the Garden of her life, (you may remember many more), and I ſhall here adde 20. Leſſons for me and you to take out and practiſe, and the rather becauſe this rod (which did not come by chance, nor did it ariſe out of the duſt, Iob 5.6. hath a loud voice, Micah. 6.9. Exod. 4.8.) doth call us aloud thereto. I ſay not that every one of theſe flowers is a certain ſigne of grace, and mark of ſalvation, but, as we ſay of Chriſt, that many things ſpoken of him in Scripture, may belong to others alſo but all of them joyntly belong to none but the true Meſſiah; and of Antichriſt, that ſome things ſpoken of him in Scripture, may belong to others, but all of them joyntly belong to none but the Pope, (though in theſe our times many men that have plus fellis qudm humerorum, more heat, then head, more paſſion then diſcretion, call every one that is not juſt of their judgment, Antichriſtian & ſo often ſmite the lamb inſtead of the Beaſt): ſo may I ſay of theſe eivdences, that all of them belong to none but a reall Saint. I would not have you overwhelmed with ſorrow, ſo as to hurt your ſelves, or hinder duty, as it did the Iſralites, Exod. 6.9. your tears cannot help neither her, nor your ſelves, but yet I cannot condemn you, nor would I my ſelf be condemned, for being ſenſible of Gods ſharp ſtroke,2 Sam. 1.24, 25. 2 King. 2.12. and our great loſſe. If our Father had but ſpit in our face, ſhould we not be aſhamed? Numb. 12.14. when the Lord thus ſmites, ſhould we then make mirth? Ezek. 21.10. If I ſee any in the fiery furnace, and not ſo much as the ſmell of fire upon their garments, I ſhall take it for a Miracle; Jeſus Chriſt wept at the grave of Lazarus, and it was a clear ſigne of his love to him, John 11.35, 36. devout men made great lamentation, not for (but over) Stephen, Act. 8.2. who yet was as ſure of Heaven, as any man alive could be, Act. 7.55, 56. Abraham came from his own tent, to Sarahs, to mourn for her being dead, Gen. 23.2. and ſhe was the firſt that we read of in Scripture mourned-for: gratia non tollit ſed attollit naturam. God forbids us not to mourn Ezek. 24.16. So Joſeph mourned for Jacob, Gen. 50.1, 3, 10. See John 11.31. Mark 5.38. The contrary is threatned as a curſe, Jer. 22.18. Ezekiels not mourning, was only as a ſign to the Jews that their Colamities ſhould exceed all ſorrow, Ezek. 24.16, 23. ſo it be not as men without hope, though I confeſſe, we had much more need with Peter and David, &c. to mourn more for our tran greſſions, then afflictions. That deep meaſure of ſorrow was commanded for ſinThe Scholemen ſay, that ſorrow for ſin, ought to exceed all ſorrows, 1. in Conatu, 2. in Extenſione, 3. in appretiatione, 4. in intenſione. He grieves with a witneſſe, that grieves without a witneſſe for his ſin. which was forbidden for affliction: compare Iſa. 22.12. with Levit. 19.27, 28, & 21, 5. Deut. 14.1. they might not make themſelves bald in their ſorrow for the dead, but in their ſorrow for ſin, God called to it. She is now above our tears, ſo alſo is ſhe above our praiſes; yet Solomon highly commends a virtuous woman, which thing the holy Ghoſt, regiſters, Prov. 31.10. &c. and the Septuagint (as I hinted) renders Prov. 10.7. thus 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , memoria juſtorum cum encomiis, and ſo the vulgar cum landibus, the memory of the juſt ſhall be with praiſes; Bernardus Bauhuſins made a book in praiſe of the Virgin Mary, a large book, yet all of it, but one verſe, he calls his book, (unius libri verſus, unius verſûs liber) only he changed this verſe 1022. wayes according (as he thought) to the number of the Starrs; the verſe was this, Tot tibi ſunt dotes, virgo, quot ſidera coelo. How do our Chronicles commend the wiſe of Archbiſhop Parker as a great example of humility, chaſtity, fidelity, &c. as alſo Magdalen the wife of Dr. Paraens, for that, after ſhe was maried, and 40. years of age, out of love to the Scriptures, ſhe learned to read, and took ſuch delight in the word, that ſhe got much of it by heart: and many other virtuous women are much commended for our imitation. I am far from comparing this deceaſed ſervant, with the firſt, yet I think ſhe was not exceeded by the laſt; or if ſo, yet as Joſiah exceeded Hezekiah in ſome things, but was exceeded by him in others, ſo if in any thing they exceeded her, probably in other things ſhe out-ſtript them; why may I not therefore commend her example to you, and to others? But my pen is full of ſorrow, and drops apace: Let us come to ſuch leſſons as we may, to our profit, learn by this example, and ſad providence.

1. Learn we to be more weaned from this vain world, which is both uncertain, and uncertainty it ſelf, 1 Tim. 6.17. not onely unſatisfying, but vexeth with thornes and hinders ſatisfaction, 1 Tim. 6.10. not onely unſanctifying, but hinders oftentimes ſanctification, Math. 13.22. Let this ſharp affliction teach us (for afflictions are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Gods free Schoolmaſters, Pſal. 94.12. ſchola crucis ſchola lucis) let it (I ſay) teach us more to conſider the emptineſſe and vanity of all theſeDivitiae terrenae ſunt paupertat is plenae. things below: if life it ſelf be ſo uncertain and ſhort, what are all theſe things that depend upon it? Eccleſ. 1. & 12. as holy Clavger ſaid Omnia praetereunt praeter amaere Deum. Let us not ſo plot for this world, as if it would never end; and ſo little regard the next world, as if it would never begin; as if we were pilgrims and ſtrangers in the next world, and onely at home here. That will in ſome meaſure be true of us, which was ſaid of our King Henry the 2d; Cui ſatis ad votum non eſſeut omnia terroe Climata; terra modo ſufficit octo pedum; He, whom alive the world could ſcarſe ſuffice,Pſal. 62.9, & 146, 4. & 131, 2. When dead in eight-foot earth, contened lyes.

Though the South wind be hot and dry, and the North wind cold and moiſt, yet every wind blowes good and profit, to thoſe who can gain by loſſes and by death; and therefore, let it blow, Cant. 4.16.

2. Be we humbled that we got no more good by her alive by her heavenly diſcourſe and example. Plato & Xenophon thought it fit and profitable, that mens ſpeeches at meals ſhould be written, (as Luthers, Colloquia menſalia, his table talk is printed,) had we well obſerved this, what good might we have got? Let us yet gather up ſome crums, ſuch as we can remember: better late thrive, than never.

3. Let me (who have now ſo many obligations from God, and your Mother upon me) charge you as holy Mr. Bolton, on his deathbed, did his 5. Children, that you do not dare to appear before God, and her, at the great day in an unregenerate eſtate.

4. Redeem we our time; be carefull how we ſpend every day, which may be our laſt. When that good old man was invited to a feaſt on the morrow, he anſwered, Ego à multis annis craſtinum non habui; It's long ſince I had a morrow (ſaid he). If a Heathen Emperour would bewaile any day which he had ſpent, and could not remember ſome good that he had done, ſaying, Diem perdidi, Nulla dies ſine lineâ. oh how much more we Chriſtians! if heathen Seneca could ſay, Non multum temporis habemus ſed multum perdimus, we rather waſt time, then want it, & hoc animo tibi hane epiſtolam ſcribo, tanquam cum maximè ſcribentem mors evocatura ſit: let us redeem our time from ſin, and vanity, for God and piery. When I have ſometimes ſaid to her (that now triumphs,) we are as ſure to part and dye, as if it was juſt now in doing, and others were at this hour carrying us to our graves, how would ſhe have been affected, and ſtirred up therefore to improve her time for heaven while ſhe had it.

5. Let us have a care ſo to live as we need not fear death, Bernard ſaith that he heard his Brother Gerard, when juſt in dying, rejoyce and triumphing ſay, Jam mors mihi non ſtimulus ſed jubilus. or (to uſe holy Mr. Steph. Marſhalls Phraſe) ſo to believe in Chriſt rather, as not to be afraid of death, knowing that death ends a godly mans death, and not his life: get we our oyle ready in our veſſells that when the bridegroome calls he may find us ready, having nothing to do but to dye.

6. Lay we our hands on out mouths, hold our peace, ſubmit we to Gods will, which we have prayed may be done on earth, let us not think to call God to account for any of his works, before our tribunall who muſt ſhortly call us to account: let not our weakneſſe and folly diſpute with Gods infinite wiſdome, and ſay to that great King, Why doeſt thou thus? but rather ſay, Good is the word and work of the Lord; (I ſaid nothing becauſe thou didſt it, Pſal. 39.9.) The Lord gave, and the Lord rook away, and Bleſſed be the name of the Lord, as well for taking away as for giving, Iob 1.21. Say we, There is infinite wiſdome, goodneſſe, mercy, faithfulneſſe in this ſtroke; therefore ſeeing its Gods will, let it be our will, for had that great Phyſitian that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that Iehova Rophe, Mal. 4.2. been ſo pleaſed, ſhe had not now dyed; Remember that ſaying of Luther to Melancthon, Monendus est Philippus, ut deſinat eſſe Mundi gubernator; when Melancthon was ſad about the Churches troubles, Let God alone to govern the world (ſaid he): let God chuſe our afflictions for us, that may do what he will, that will do what is beſt; & though we do not ſo well know yet (till all the wheels of Providence further move) what God meanes, and why he doth (as perhaps we think,) lay his hands croſſe, and therefore with Ioſeph we deſire to remove them, Gen. 48.17. yet we ſhall know hereafter Gods meaning better, Joh. 13.7. and find that God did it wiſely, Gen. 48.14. and in very faithfulneſſe, Pſal. 119.75. and perhaps ſay periiſſemus niſi periiſſemus. Tiberius the ſecond, (a good Emperour) by taking up a croſſe, found a maſle of treaſure under it; ſo may we in time find benefit by this croſſe, Pſal. 119.71.

7. Let us look as well at the bright ſide of the cloud, and not only at the dark ſide; thankſgiving is a duty not only limited to mercyes, but required in afflictions, 1 Theſſ. 5.18. Iob 1.21. we muſt glorifie God in the very fires, Iſa. 24.15. This would ſtop the floodgates of all immoderat ſorrow; you know your habitation is very near the ebbings and flowings of the Sea, and we ſee the flowing is uſefull, as well as the ebbing, but if it overflow the banks, then its dangerous and hurtfull. So look we as well, at our abundance of undeſerved mercies as at this ten times deſerved croſſe, as (1.) we had the ſociety of this ſervant of God many years, I had her 25 years to a day. God might have called for his own the firſt hour: may not the Lord do with his own what he will? Themistocles invited many Philoſophers to ſupper, and borrowed all his diſhes: in the midſt of the ſupper, the owner ſends for the one halfe of them; Can you indure this diſgrace, ſaid the Philoſophers? Yes (ſaid he) very well, for he might have ſent juſtly for them all. God hath left to you a Father, and to me Children, ſtill to both of us Friends, ſweet Chriſtian Friends (which the Scripture calls neceſſaries 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Acts 10.24.) nay more, hath not taken away Himſelf fromFas nobis non eſt de fortunâ queri, ſalvo Chriſto & promiſſionibus evangelil. Salvo Chriſto, ſalva ſunt omnia. us, this was Davids comfort at Ziglag, when goods, wives, all were gone, Towne burnt, Souldiers ready to ſtone him, yet God was not gone, 1 Sam. 30.6. he ſtill affords us his Goſpell, Promiſes, Spirit, his Son; and not onely a Competency in this world, but the tenders and hopes of a kingdome in heaven, (2.) Look down below us, what others want, what ſorer afflictions they bear, what greater troubles they have endured: ſee Martyrs, remember Muſculus (of whom you have read at large) a learned holy Miniſter, forced to weave for his living; and, turned out there, forced to dig in the ditch; a pad of ſtraw for his bed. See thoſe Scripture-Martyrs Heb. 11. Remember Davids troubles and ſorrows, Pſal. 69. near periſhing, Pſal. 119.92. ſee Iob, eminent for piety and as eminent for afflictions; nay Jeſus Chriſt himſelf a man all of ſorrows, Iſa. 53.3. God had one ſon without ſin, but none without ſorrow; unum ſine Unum ſine corruptione nullum ſine corruptione. Omnis Chriſtianus eſt Crucianus Iuther. flagitio, nulium ſixe flagello. Read over the book of Lamentations, think of our Bretheren in Piedmont and Poland, &c. at this day: nay ſee the lot of all the Lords people, Heb. 12.8. Acts 14.22. (3.) To quiet our hearts, ſee Gods wiſe over ruling providence in it, that orders all things to the falling of a ſparrow, Math. 10.29, 30. its he appointed it, 1 Theſſ. 1.3. he ordered it ſo, that ſhe dyed not (as many precious men) in the Sea, or from home, but in our arms,1 Sam. 7.14, 15. (4.) Afflictions are part of Gods Covenant with us, he hath promiſed them in mercy to us with his Son: He that promiſed that he would not condemn us, yet pomiſed to correct us, Pſal. 89.31, 32, 33. (5.) Gods loving-kindneſſe remaines ſtill: we have loſt a Friend but not a God, Jer. 30. & 46, 28. (6.) God hath neither done her nor us any wrong: He had beſt right to her, and had fitted her for himſelf, and ſaid, That he would have her where he is, Iohn 17.24.Exod. 33.32. Iſa. 49.1. not only God knew her name, but in Scripture Phraſe, God knew her by her name, (which is much ſweeter), and he called for her by her name, (7.) She died not as a fool dieth, 2 Sam. 3.33. we had no ſuch cauſe to mourn, as David for a wicked Abſolom, whoſe deſtruction he might juſtly fear: ſhe went but from the lower, to the higher houſe, to her Father and our Father, John 20.17. And therefore in regard of her it may be ſaid, as Chriſt ſaid, if we loved her, we would rejoyce becauſe ſhe is gone to the Father, John 14.28. Its ſweet when God fitsWhen God calls us from death to life, before God calls us from life to death. 1 Joh. 3.14. before, he calls us away, (8.) Conſider we the Change that ſhe hath made; leſt us, for better Friends: ſhe dearly loved the people of God, now ſhe is with onely Saints, and they freed from corruption and temptation. Doctor Taylor bleſſed God that ever he came to priſon, becauſe there he had the company of that Angel of God, Mr. Bradford. Oh what is Heaven then? Themiſtocles about to ſell ſome Land, bid the Cryer proclaim, that who everwould buy it, ſhould have good Neighbours, as if they added to the worth of the purchaſe. Oh how ſweet, is a Heaven full of bleſſed Saints! for Chriſt to be here with Paul is great ſecurity, but for Paul to be with Chriſt is perfect felicity. She could not here ſee Gods face and live, Exod. 33.20, 22. therefore ſhe was willing with Auguſtin to dye, that ſhe might ſee it, and that more clearly, (9.) The very body now laid to ſleep, ſhall riſe again:Hence ſome think that Sarah is 8. times in one Chapter, called Abrahams dead. Gen. 23. becauſe of the hope of the reſurrection. Fiducia Chriſtianorum, reſurrectio mortuorum. Tertull. this Paul fully proves, 1 Cor. 15. and not only a mortall and a corruptible body, but (as pointing to himſelf,) he ſaith (this) mortall ſhall put on immortality, and (this) corruptible, 1 Cor. 15.53. Credo reſurrectionem hujus carnis, ſaid the Primitive Saints, Iob 19.25, 26, 27. See how Chriſt confutes the Sadduces, Math. 22.29, 30. yea and ſhe ſhall riſe again, though with the ſame body, yet far more glorious; as the ſame bell new caſt: as iron fomerly ruſty, now gloſſy in the ſmiths forge, is ſtill the ſame, yet more glorious, ſo ſhall the Saints bodies be like Chriſts glorious body, Phil. 3.21.1 Cor. 15.53. &c. No more thirſt, hunger, or ſorrow, Rev. 7.16, 17, & 21.4. no more death but ſhall be as the Angels, Luke 20.36. Ejus eſt timere mortem qui ad Chriſtum nolit ire, ſaid Cyprian, let them fear death who are loath go to God: (10.) Though ſhe ſhall not return to us, yet we ſhall go to her, 2 Sam. 12.23.

8. Let us lay hold on eternall life, make ſure of ſalvation, 1 Tim. 6.12. We cannot make ſure our houſes, our Eſtates, our Friends, our lives, but we may make our election and ſalvation ſure, which is far more ſweet and needfull, 2 Pet. 1.10. conſider how ſhort our time is here. The laſt week we enjoyed her, now her ſeat here is empty, as ſometimes Davids was at the feaſt, 1 Sam. 20.18. but ſhe is placed for eternity, let our thoughts much run upon eternity. It's ſaid that Mr. Wood after ſome holy diſcourſe, being at dinner, fell a muſing, and cryed out for near half a quarter of an hour together, (for ever, for ever). A great Sir. T.M. man of this Nation being in priſon for that which he called his Conſcience, his Lady coming to him, did chide him, that he would not do as others did, and ſo live at his own gallant houſe with his wife and children; Wife (ſaid he) if I ſhould do ſo, how long think you I might live; I think ſaid ſhe, you may live theſe 20 years; well ſaid he, it is but 20 years, (and yet its not likely that I ſhould live ſo long,) yet they would end, but I muſt be after that for ever and ever. Mind we eternity; if that (as once one ſaid) be well looked to, all is well looked to.

9. Let us lay up ſome Cordialls againſt our own death, which may comfort us in ſuch an hour. Firſt Cordiall, Conſider that though death (which is unavoidable) will break many near bonds, as (1.) the union twixt near kinted and acquaintance, nay twixt Mother and Children, which are one blood, (2.) yea nearer, the union twixt Husband and Wife which are one fleſh; nay (3.) yet nearer, union twixt body and ſoul which are one perſon, yet there are 3 better unions or bonds which death cannot break, as (1.) the bond of the Covenant twixt God and his people: the Covenant is everlaſting though we be mortall and dye, Ier. 32.40. Many hundreds of years after Abraham Iſaac and Iacob were dead, yet God ſaith, that he was ſtill their God, [I am, and Math. 22.31, 32.] namely their God in Covenant, and they then alive to him; God is as well their God, when they are rotting in their graves, as when flouriſhing in their houſes: God promiſed Iacob, Gen. 46.4. that he would go down with him into Egypt, and he would (ſurely) bring him up again, yet Iacob was dead ere he was brought out of Egpyt, but Gods promiſe ſtill was of force, (2.) the bond of union twixt the believing ſoul and Jeſus; this marriage-knot, death cannot break. When Chriſt dyed, death ſeperated twixt his body in Ioſephs tomb, and his ſoul in paradiſe; yet the union with the godhead was as firme as ever, ſo here, though the naturall union twixt ſoul and body may be diſſolved by death, yet not the Myſticall union twixt the ſoul and Chriſt: (3.) the bond twixt the ſoul and eternall life, is not diſſolved by death, the believer hath not onely right to it by purchaſe, promiſe, &c. but hath poſſeſſion, the beginning of eternall life already, earneſt of heaven here, John 3, 36. and though temporal life, may fail, yet this other here begun, will never end. Some tell us of a temporall Kingdome of Chriſt, that muſt onely laſt certain years, is yet to begin and muſt have an end: but the Scripture ſaith that its begun (not after, but in the dayes of thoſe Kings) Dan. 2.44. and ſhall laſt for ever, even for ever, and ever, Dan. 7.18. (ſo ſhall the beleevers eternall life, here begun, never end.) 2d. Cordiall, that though the grave be our long home, yet it is not our laſting home, its our long home, Eccles. 12.5. but not our laſt home. A godly man doth, as Myconius writ to Luther, mori vitaliter, non lethaliter, dyes to live: he dyes as corn dyes to ſpring again, and that more gloriouſly; as a grain of wheate caſt into the ground, riſeth again with more beauty, blade and eare, 1 Cor. 15. 20, 21. 3d. Cordiall; Conſider, that to godly men death is not an eeven bargain, but great gain, Phil. 1.21. The ſting of death is gone, but the honey is ſtill to be reaped: all ill is gone by death, it cures them of all ſin, ſorrow, poſſibility of ſinning or ſuffering from man or devil. Chriſt our Sampſon hath ſlain this Lyon death, and brought us honey out of the carcaſe of it; we not onely may, but we muſt needs dye, 2 Sam. 14.14. muſt is for this King. We uſe to ſay that neceſſity hath no law, but for death there is both neceſſity and law; neceſſity, by reaſon of our conſtitution and corruption, our bodyes are like tents patcht up of a few bony ſticks, covered over with skin and fleſh: our food and cloathing ſhew our death, we feed on dead beaſts, and often wear their hides and fleece; death was born with us into the world, rockt with us in the cradle, bred in the bone, will nor out of the fleſh; we travell, work, lodge, lye down with it daily, we cannot out run it; but eſpecially ſin hath ſo fretted all the threads of our garment, that it eaſily falls in peices: we do not dye becauſe we are ſick, but becauſe we have ſinned; yea though Chriſt hath not taken away the courſe of death, yet hath he taken away the curſe of death, and made it to be every way for our advantage. We do not think it any loſſe to part with an ague, the ſtone, &c. cold water out of our ſhooes: no more loſſe hath a godly man by dying; its our perfection, Luke 13.32. not our deſtruction; a way to reſt, Rev. 4.13. not ruine; it brings us home, 2 Cor. 5: to our kingdomg. Fourth Cordiall, Conſider, that to a godly man, death is a moſt happy change, Iob 14.14. thereby is neither body quite loſt, nor ſoul loſt; we loſe not our friends, nor any goods that we have need of, or uſe of,Preſts wife of Exeter. (for as that Exeter-Martyr ſaid, In Heaven money bears no worth, is not currant); we ſhall then (and not till then) be above ordinances, 1. We ſhall need no repentance, &c. ſhall have better houſes, friends, &c. Here are nothing but changes, ſorrow and joy, health and ſickneſſe, changes in body ſoul and eſtate; but death ends all changes, there ſhall be no more. 5. Cordiall, Though here we part, and lye down in ſeverall beds at night, and at ſeveral hours, yet we ſhall comfortably meet again in the morning, 1 Theſſ. 4.17. Pſal. 49.14. My dear and tenderWho dyed in. December, 1634. father, and my onely January, 1636. ſon lye interred at Bradfield, where I was born in the Weſtriding of Yorkſhire. My dear and loving January, 1652. mother lyes interred at Pattrington in the Eaſtriding of of Yorkſhire, where my eldeſt daughter and husband (Mr. Mathew Woodell) then Paſtor there, didolive. And now my dear and pretious December, 1657. wife, I interred in Hull: and where we ſhall be ſown in the Earth, the onely wiſe God knowes: but erre long all the Eagles ſhall flock to the carcaſe, Luke 17.37. Sixt Cordiall, Conſider, though the ſtreame be gone, yet the fountain is as full as ever: we that live in Hull, oft times ſee the cocks that convey water to private houſes, cut off, yet ſtill men may freely go to the ſpring; ſo we have a God, a Chriſt, a promiſe ſtill, as freſh, as full as ever; Open our mouths wide, ſuck hony out of this rock, God careth for us, 1 Pet. 5.7. Nimis avarus cui Deus non ſufficit, he is too covetous whom a God cannot ſuffice: Luther ſaid, Lord do with me what thou wilt, ſince thou haſt pardoned my ſin.

10. Learn we to price Gods Ordinances, as this deceaſed Saint did above her neceſſary food. When Chriſt was hungry, Mark 11.12. and went to a figtree and found no fruit to eat, v. 13. yet when he came to the City Ieruſalem, v. 15. he went not (that we read of) to any victualling houſe, but to the Temple, and taught, ſhewing it was his meat and drink to be doing his fathers will. In former times want of bread was Englands miſery: we read in Queen Elizabeths days, that ſuch a man was one of the 4. or 5. Preachers in ſuch or ſuch a County; in her dayes Mr. Tavern ur Sheriff of Oxfordſhire, did in Charity (not oſtentation ſaith Mr. Fuller) give the Schollers a Sermon at St. Maries in Oxford, with his Gold chaine and ſword. And before that, in King Henry the 8. and Queen Maries dayes, how would ſome have given whole cart-loads of hay or corn for a few Chapters in the New Teſtament. But alas, our fault is ſurfetting, contempt and loathing of the Manna, as its ſaid of us in regard of ears of corn, That if there be much ſcarcity of corn, the poor pine; if great plenty and cheapneſſe, the rich repine: ſo its for ſoul-food, When great ſtore of it, many ſlight it. Heretofore was ſad perfecution: when Ioan Clerke (ſaid to be a godly woman) was forced by the bloody Papiſts to ſet fire to burn her dear Father William Tylſworth, who was burnt for the Goſpel at Amerſham in Buckinghamſhire, and many ſuffered much for private meetings wherein they did pray for themſelves, the Church and State: but now we are in more danger of ſleighting, or of hypocriſie; to profeſſe the Goſpell and the ſervice of God only for reward, (which Antigonus ſo condemned) yea for reward and advantage amongſt men; nay many in theſe dayes, that in times of perſecution ſeemed forward, are now Apoſtatized, and gone back. Diogenes once in a great aſſembly went backward, at which all the people laughed him to ſcorn; whereupon he told them that They might rather be aſhamed, who had ſo long gone backward, and declined from good manners and converſation; oh! how many hath Satan cheated and ſeduced of late from the ordinances, and holy practiſes!

11. Learn from her, to be very tender and watchfull againſt the leaſt ſinne: how afraid was ſhe of the very appearance of evil? how did ſhe mourn for originall ſinne, which both is in its nature a ſinne croſſe to Gods pure law, 1 John 3.4. defiling our whole natures; and the ſruit and effect of ſin, Dr. Prideaux. as Adams ſin, which (as a learned man ſaith) was peccatum originans, ours peccatum originale, & the cauſe of ſin, the ſpring of our actual ſins. How did that poor woman cry to King Solomon, of a dead childe found in her boſome; ſo may we, (though not quite dead) yet, of that deadneſſe in our hearts to what is good, as Paul, Rom. 7.24. that while we carry a dying body without, we are peſtered with a body of death within; nay alas, often we are guilty of much ſin in our inſide, when it appears not yet in our practiſe. Chriſt ſaid to Iudas, Iohn 13.27. What thou doeſt, &c. He was then doing, viz. betraying, murthering of Chriſt, whileſt he was at ſupper,There are not onely ſtrong bony ſins (ſo 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 notes.) Amos 5.12. But ſins of omiſſion, which Biſhop Uſher ſo Complained of. he was murthering of Chriſt inwardly; what ſin we would do, but cannot, dare not, or are prevented, that we do in Gods account, Joſh. 24, 9. Balak is ſaid to warre againſt Iſrael, becauſe he gladly would, but durſt not: ſo ſpeculative adultery, Math. 5.28. and heart-murder, 1 John 3.15. is loathſome to God. Mr. Howel tells it as a ſtrange thing, that a Serpent was found in the heart of an Engliſh man, when he was dead; but alas, this old Serpent is by ſad experience found to have too much power in many of our hearts whilſt alive: labour to withſtand the firſt beginnings of ſin, elſe you will find (though you are no great Logicians) that if you yeild the Premiſes, you cannot deny the Concluſion. Austin ſaith that his good Mother Monica by ſipping and ſupping when ſhe filled the cup to others, came at laſt to take a cup of nimis ſometimes.

12. Learn from her to love godlineſſe above all empty vanities and fading joyes: I do not diſcommend decency in your garbe (our Chronicles tells us that ſtarching is but an invention brought out of Flanders hither by Mrs. Dinghen in the year 1564. not a 100d. years ſince) nor the uſe of lawfull things in a right way, but look upon piety and godlineſſe as your life, 1 Pet. 3.7. And your choiceſt Ornament, 1 Pet. 3.3, 4, 5. as you know that was the very joy of the heart of your dear Mother. Diogenes could ſay of a fair woman without virtue, ôh quàm bona domus, ſed malus hoſpes: but make you Moſes choice, Heb. 11.25. and Davids choice, Pſal. 4.6, 7. account not gain to be godlineſſe, but godlineſſe to be your gain, 1 Tim. 6.5, 6. Learn from her not to content your ſelves with glittering, yet dead morall virtues, which very Heathens had, (though Austin and Proſper deny that) but look to living ſaving and diſtinguiſhing graces: you know how carefull ſhe was this way, though ſhe was well furniſhed with morall virtues. Scipio (that gallant Roman and Conqueror of Affrica) had a Son that had nothing of the worth of the Father, but onely his name: he was cowardly and diſſolute, who coming into the Senate-houſe with a ring on his finger, having his Fathers picture livelily engraven, the Councell made an Act of State, forbidding him to weare that ring, who would not imitate his Fathers virtues: and Alexander ſeeing a Cowardly Souldier of his own name, bad him be valiant or forſake his name. I have not hitherto had any diſcomfort in you, nor any viſible grounds of fears; yet I beſeech you, let her that is dead, but yet ſpeaketh, prevaile with you, not to ſit down in any State, that may conſiſt with reprobation and damnation; love the power of godlineſſe.

13. Seeing we have parted (though to her advantage) with ſuch a helper, adviſer, &c. learn we to run more to God, to fly to Chriſt for Counſell, and ſupport, daily; and lean leſſe to Creature Comforts, (which Luther calls conſolatiunculae Creaturulae;) Chriſt (ſaid the dying Martyr in his Letter to his ſad wife) will rock the cradle, waſh the diſhes, do all for thee that thou wanteſt; if we thus run to him here, we may ſweetly reſigne up our ſelves to him hereaſter, and ſay with Wigandus, Do ſordes morti; caetera, Chriſte, tibi. Hoſ. 6.1. Be ſure to make God your friend (other friends we ſee will leave us) and whoſoever hath him a friend in Heaven, ſhall not want friends on Earth, as namely his own conſcience within; godly men, ſo far as regenerate; yea ungodly men ſo far as good, Prov. 16.7. As Cyrus, Darius, Ez. 6. &c.

14. Learn we to be willing to be at Gods diſpoſing, in what condition he ſees fit: we are worſt when we are at our own diſpoſing, and beſt when at Gods; truſt God, who hath been with us in the ſix troubles, that he will be with us in the ſeventh; yea through the fire and water, Iſa. 43.2. Its good Scripture-Logick for a Saint to argue thus, God hath done thus for us, therefore do for us ſtill O Lord: thus Pſal. 85.1, 2, 3, 4. in the 3 firſt verſes are ſix [Haſts] thou haſt, thou haſt, &c. and all to uſher in the fourth verſe, therefore do for us ſtill. Numb. 14.19. thou haſt pardoned, therefore do pardon, 1 Sam. 17.37. 2 Cor. 1.10.

15. It drawes towards evening, let us be packing up, pack up all our Comforts in God, and then we ſhall never loſe them, Ipſe unus (ſaith Austin) erit tibi omnia, quia in ipſo uno beno, inſunt bona omnia; quiet not our ſelves in any riches on this ſide infinite; nor in any gold on this ſide Eliphaz. his gold, God himſelf, Iob 22.25. nor in any thing that may conſiſt with hell. Plutarch tells of a great Gentlewoman of Ionia, that ſhewed to the wife of Phocion all her rich treaſure, pearls and jewels which ſhe had: Phocions wife again ſhewed to her, her Husband, ſaying all my riches and jewels are in my Husband, ſo ſhould we ſay of God,Habet omnia qui haber habentem onania. Pſal. 73.25. and with Bernard, ipſe deus ſufficit ad praemium. When the States of Venice ſhewed to the Spaniſh Embaſſadour the rich treaſury of St. Mark (as they call it) in Venice, which is ſo cryed up through the world; the Embaſſadour groped underneath to ſee if it had any bottome, and being asked why? he anſwered, my Maſter the King of Spain his treaſure differs from yours, for his hath no bottome, (meaning the Indies). We may ſoon find a bottome and a vanity in all earthly, but not in God, not in Heavenly treaſures, which are unſearchable, Eph. 3.8. The mother of Iohn Galear, Duke of Millain, when her husband was dead, cauſed a Coyn to be ſtamped with this Motto [Sola facta, ſolum deum ſequor]: while her husband lived, he too much doted and truſted on him, (as perhaps ſhe did 1 Tim, 5.5.) but now found that ſhe got good by that which ſhe thought would have been her ruine: it made her more pack up all her Comforts in God.

16. Take heed in theſe ſeducing times, that you be not drawn aſide, from the faith which you have been taught, Col. 2.7. hold faſt the form of ſound words,2 Pet. 3.17.2 Tim 1.13. Many much delight in new and ſtrange words, and love 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , affect new and uncouth expreſſions, which Auſtin of old and Luther ſince obſerved, are very prejudiciall to the truth, and uſually when men Coyne now Pharſes, they are about to forge ſome new Doctrines,Did we more mourn aright for our ſins, we ſhould prevaile for the removing this unclean ſpirit of error out of our Land: compare Zach. 12.12, 13, 14, with 23, 2. non parum intereſt ad Chriſtianam venitatem, quibus verbis utamur, ſaith Auſtin, quia ex mutatâ temerè phraſi ſecuta eſi dogmatum mutatio. Satan that old Serpent is ſubtill and hat hhis Methods, depths, devices; and hath his factors lying in every corner, with their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , plauſible words and fair ſpeeches fine phraſes, Rom. 16.18. ſuch as have their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Eph. 4.14. their coggings ſleights, toylſome craft, and Methods & all to deceive; take heed of itching eares, 2 Tim. 4.3, 4. hearken to whole ſome words, and doctrine that is according to godlineſſe, 1 Tim. 6.3. you know how ſound, how eſtabliſhed, and careful ſhe was this way whom no thing would divert, but like that devout pilgrime, travelling to Ieruſalem, and by the way viſiting many Stately Cities, Townes, Buildings, &c. and meeting with many friendly entertainments, yet would ſtill ſay, I muſt not ſtay here, this is not Ieruſalem: and ſo, do you and I.

17. Prepare we for our own death, that we may not be diſmayed and troubled thereat which is approaching and inevitable. God hath given us fair warnings to prepare for death, both by this breach in our own family, by the great mortality in theſe dayes in the Country and Nation about us, yea death is in our own backs and bones. When Chriſt was transfigured on the mountain, Moſes and Elia (long ſince departed hence) talked with him, & would you know what diſcourſe they there had? the text tells us; it was about death, Luke 9.30, 31. well may we then often ſeriouſly meditate of it, and yet how backward are we herein, Deut. 32.29. Lament. 1.9. How prone to forget our latter end, like men in two boates on a river, they in the one boate ſee the other, as they think, go ſwiftly; but their own boate ſeems to ſtand ſtill, or move but ſlowly, ſo we ſee others dying and decaying, yet are we prone to think that we may ſtill live long; but alas, Omnia ſunt hominum tenui pendentia filo, Et ſubito caſu quae valuêre ruunt: Now to enccu age us againſt the time that death come and ſeize on us, Conſider of theſe 7 meditations. (1.) that Jeſus Chriſt hath gone through the grave and ſweetened it, taken away all curſe from it, and made it a ſweet bed to ſleep in for a time, Iſa. 57.1, 2. The Welch men were never uſe to flye, till their Generall or Leader flye: ſhall we be afraid to follow ſuch a Leader, who will be with us, though we go through the valley of the ſhadow of death. (2.) As Chriſt hath ſanctified the grave, ſo he hath provided manſions and reſting places for his in glory, and is gone before, to welcome us to glory: as he came for us, from Heaven to Earth, ſo is he gone for us from Earth to Heaven to intercede for us in life, and to entertain us at death: we ſhall not be ſtrangers there, Iohn 14.2, 3. (3.) Our debt is fully paid, we are not in danger of any arreſt, or priſon, our ſins are fully paid for, to the utmoſt farthing: our ſins though many, are but the ſins of men, but the ſatisfaction is by the payment of God-Man; who gave not his Heaven and Earth but his very Self to pay to the full. (4.) Conſider that we are not to ſtand and appear in our own rags, but in ſuch a robe wherein God himſelf can find no ſpot, and therefore may rejoyce in the thought of that appearing before God, Rev. 19.7, 8. [Let us be glad and rejoyce, &c. and why? to her was granted, that ſhe ſhould be arrayed in fine linnen clean and white, which is the righteouſneſſe of the Saints.] (5.) we ſhall not dye (for our times are not in mens, but in Gods hands, Pſal. 31.15.) till Gods work be wrought in us; and till his work be wrought by us; till his work be wrought in us, and ſo we fit to dye;As Chriſt took not away the being but the raigning of ſin, ſo neither took he away the being but the hurt of death: ſin in the godly is like thoſe beaſts, Dan. 7.12. whoſe dominion was taken away, but their being is prolonged for a time. like ripe fruit, fit for the barn, Iob 5.26. and till we have finiſhed our work, Iohn 17.4. The work of payment and purchaſe is by Chriſt, fully wrought for us; and that work of duty and obedience that God hath ſent us into the world to do in our generation, ſhall be wrought by us, we ſhall finiſh our teſtimony ere we depart, Rev. 11.7. (6.) Death when it comes, will be our very good Friend, (as old Mr. Iordan uſed to ſay) it will not kill a Saint but kill his ſin, (non mors hominis, ſed peccati;) ſin brought in death into the world, and death carryes ſin out of the world. Chriſt doth that for us by death, which he did not do by grace for us, at our firſt converſion; for then he took away the raigning, but never till the wall fall down by death, the in-being of ſin; death, is to ſuch the out-let to ſin and ſorrow, and the in-let to perfect glory, mors eſt ſepulcrum peccati: And death will do that for us, which all Friends and Phyſitians could not do to the body, cure us of all pains, diſeaſes, &c. as Hugh Laverock and Iohn Aprice, two Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes burnt at Stratford-Bow, whereof one was blind, the other lame; one ſaid to the other, Be of Comfort Brother, My Lord of London is our good Phyſitian, he will help you to legs, and me to eyes for ever. (7.) Fear not the paines of death, ſee the joy of the Martyrs in their death: Remember how patiently, comfortably, cheerfully, this ſervant of the Lord dyed; you are frequent in reading the book of Martyrs; ſee how old Latimer, when ready to ſuffer, urged that promiſe, 1 Cor. 10.13. God is faithfull, who will not ſuffer you to be tempted, above that you are able, &c.

18. Search we our hearts, Lam. 3.39, 40. and beg we of God to know why the Lord contends with us, what Ionah, what curſed thing there is amongſt us provohing the Lord, Iob 10.2. Learn we the voice of the rod; for we may ſay of ſin, what Martha ſaid to Jeſus, John 11.21. if ſin had not bin here, our dear Relation had not dyed.

19. Seeing we are under the Lords rod, let us more avoid, and watch againſt our ſins: learn we the ſweet leſſon of Elihu, Iob 34.31, 32. Surely its meet to ſay unto God, I have born chaſtiſement, I will not offend any more, &c. And that of Chriſt, John 5.14. The Lord puts us in this boyling pot to take away our ſcum, Ezek. 24.6. puts us in the furnace to take away our droſſe, Iſa. 1.25. into the water, to whiten us, Dan. 11.35.

20. God whips us to ſharpen us in the wayes of God, we have gone too ſlow a pace, let us now be zealous and amend Rev. 3.19. per vineula creſco, is the Saints motto; they grow better by afflictions.

And now as Ioſeph ſometimes put off his priſon Garments, when he went in to King Pharaoh, and put on his robes; ſo this Friend of Chriſt, hath put off the rags of mortality, and put on the robes of immortality. And if we had ſuch an officer in uſe amongſt us, as once was amongſt the Greeks, which did meaſure the monuments of perſons, when they were dead according to their vertues, and good converſation in their life, then might ſhe have had a chief Sepulcre, 2 Chron. 32.33. Sic mihi contingat vivere ſic que mori; So let me live, ſo let me dye, That I may live eternally. Diſcupio ſolvi, tecum que O Chriſte manere: Portio fac regni ſim quotacun que tui. Beza. Horribilis mors eſt? fateor; ſed proxima vita eſt, Ad quam te Christi gratia certa vocat. Praeſto eſt de Satanâ, peccâto, & morte triumphans Chriſtus; ad hunc igitur laeta alacriſ que migra. Muſculus.

I may now ſay, what a Pious and Learned man ſaid before me, and ſo conclude.— Quae mihi vita fuit, dulci cum conjuge fugit, (Proh dolor!) infelix ut feliciſſimus idem, Quòd ſic uxori monumentum fio ſepultae. Mr. Dugard.

FINIS.
Courteous Reader, Theſe Books following are Printed for Nath. Brooks, and are to be ſold at his Shop at the Angel in Cornhill. Excellent Tracts in Divinity, Controverſie, Sermons, Devotions. 1. THe Catholique Hiſtory collected and gathered out of Scripture, Councels, and Ancients Fathers; in anſwer to Dr. Vanes Loſt Sheep returned home: by Edward Cheſenſale Eſq Octavo. 2. Biſhop Morton on the Sacrament, in Folio. 3. The Grand Sacriledge of the Church of Rome, in taking away the ſacred Cup from the Laity at the Lords Table; by Dr. Featly D. D. Quarto. 4. The Quakers Cauſe at ſecond hearing, being a full anſwer to their Tenets. 5. Re-aſſertion of Grace: Vindiciae Evangelii, or the Vindication of the Goſpel: or a Reply to Mr. Anthony Burgeſs Vindiciae Legis, and to Mr. Rutherford: by Robert Town. 6. Anabaptiſts anatomized and ſilenced: or a diſpute with Maſter Tombs, by Mr. J. Crag: where all may receive clear ſatisfaction in that controverſie: the beſt extant. Octavo. 7. The Zealous Magiſtrate: a Sermon by T. Threſcot. Quarto. 8. Britannia Rediviva, a Sermon before the Judges, August 1648. by J. Shaw Miniſter of Hull. 9. The Princeſs Royal, in a Sermon before the Judges, March. 24. by J. Shaw. 10. Judgement ſet, and books opened, Religion tried, whether it be of God or men, in ſeverall Sermons: by J. Webſter. Quarto. 11. Iſraels Redemption, or the Prophetical Hiſtory of our Saviours Kingdom on Earth: by K. Matton. 12. The Cauſe and Cure of Ignorance, Error and Prophaneſſe: or a more hopefull way to Grace and Salvation. by K. Young, Octavo. 13. A Bridle for the Times, tending to ſtill the murmuring, to ſettle the wavering, to ſtay the wandring, and to ſtrengthen the fainting: by I. Brinſley of Yarmouth. 14. Comforts againſt the fear of Death; wherein are diſcovered ſeveral Evidences of the work of Grace: by I. Collins of Norwich. 15. Iacobs Seed: or, the excellency of ſeeking God by prayer, by Ier. Burroughs. 16. The ſum of Practical Divinity; or, the Grounds of Religion in a Catechiſtical way, by Mr. Chriſtopher Love late Miniſter of the Goſpell: a uſefull piece. 27. Heaven and Earth ſhaken; a Treatiſe ſhewing how Kings, and Princes, their Governments are turned and changed, by I. Davis Miniſter in Dover: admirably uſefull, and ſeriouſly to be conſidered in theſe times. 18. The Treaſure of the ſoul; wherein are tanght, by dying to ſin, to attain to the perfect love of God. 19. A Treariſe of Contentation fit for theſe ſad and troubleſome times; by I. Hall, Biſhop of Norwich. 20. Select thoughts: or, choice Helps for a pious ſpirit; beholding the excellency of her Lord Jeſus; by I. Hall, Biſhop of Norwich. 21. The Holy Order, or Fraternity of Mourners in Zion; to which is added, Songs in the night, or chearfulneſſe under afflictions; by I. Hall, Biſhop of Norwich. 22. The Celeſtiall Lamp, enlightening every diſtreſſed Soul from the depth of everlaſting darkneſſe: by T. Fetiſplace. Excellent Treatiſes in the Mathematicks, Geometry, of Artithmetick, Surveying, and other Arts or Mechanicks. 23. The incomparable Treatiſe of Tactometria, ſeu Tetagmenometria; or, the Geometry of Regulars, practically propoſed; after a new and moſt expeditious manner, (together with the Naturall or Vulgar, by way of menſurall compariſon) and in the Solids, not onely in reſpect of Magnitude or Dimenſion, but alſo of Gravity or Ponderoſity, according to any Metal aſſigned: together with uſuall experiements of Meaſures and Weight, obſervations on Gauging, uſeful for thoſe that are practiſed in the Art Metricald: by T. Wibard. 24. Tectonicum, ſhewing the exact meaſuring of all manner of Land, Squares, Timber, Stone, Steeples, Pillars, Globes; as alſo the making and uſe of the Carpenters Rule, &c. fit to be known by all Surveyors, Land-meters, Joyners, Carpenters and Maſons: by L. Diggs. 25. The unparalled work for eaſe and expedition, intituled, The Exact Surveyor: or, the whole Art of Surveying of Land, ſhewing how to plot all manner of Grounds, whether ſmall Incloſures, Champain, Plain, Wood Lands, or Mountaines, by the Plain Table; as alſo how to finde the Area, or Content of any Land, to Protect, Reduce, or Divide the ſame; as alſo to take the Plot or Chart, to make a map of any Mannor, whether according to Rathburne, or any other Eminent Surveyors Method: a Book excellently uſefull for thoſe that ſell, purchaſe, or are otherwiſe employed about Buildings: by J. Eyre. 26. Moor's Arithmethick: diſcovering the ſecrets of that Art, in Number and Species; in two Books, the firſt teaching by precept and example, the ordinary Operations in Numbers, Whole and Broken. The Rules of practiſe, Intereſt, and performed in a more facil manner by Decimals, then hitherto hath been publiſhed; the excellency and new practice and uſe of Logarithmes, Nepayres Bones. The ſecond, the great Rule of Algebra, in Species, reſolving all Arithmeticall Queſtions by Suppoſition. 27. The golden Treatiſe of Arithmetick, Naturall and Artificiall, or Decimals; the Theory and Practiſe united in a Sympathoticall Proportion, betwixt Lines and Numbers, in their Quantities and Qualities, as in reſpect of Form, Figure, Magnitude, and Affection; demonſtrated by Geometry, illuſtrated by Calculations, and confirmed with variety of Examples in every Species; made compendious and eaſie for Merchants, Citizens, Sea-men, Accomptants, &c. by Th. Wilsford, Corrector of the laſt Edition of Record. 28. Semigragphy, or the Art of Short Writing, as it hath been proved by many hundreds in the City of London, and other places, by them practiſed, and acknowledged to be the eaſieſt, exacteſt, and ſwifteſt method; the meaneſt capacity by the help of this Book, with a few hours practice, may attain to a perfection in this Art: by Ier. Rich, Authour and Teacher thereof, dwelling in Swithings-Lane in London. 29. Milk for Children; a plain and eaſie method, teaching to read and write, uſefull for Schools and Families, by L. Thomas, D. D. 30. The Painting of the Ancients; the Hiſtory of the beginning, progreſſe, and conſummating of the practiſe of that noble Art of Painting; by F. Iunius. Excellent and approved Treatiſes in Phyſick, Chirurgery, and other more familiar Experiments in Cookery, Preſerving, &c. 31. Culpepper's Semiatica Uranica, his Aſtrologicall judgement of Diſeaſes from the decumbiture of the ſick, much enlarged: the way and manner of finding out the cauſe, change, and end of the Diſeaſe; alſo whether the ſick be likely to live or die, and the time when Recovery or Death is to be expected, according to the judgement of Hippocrates, and Hermes Triſmegiſtus: to which is added Mr. Culpepper's cenſure of Urines.