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<DATE>2013-09-19</DATE>
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<NAME>Susie Lorand</NAME>
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<P>A Looking-Gla&s;s FOR GOOD WOMEN TO Dre&s;s them&s;elves by: Held forth in the LIFE &amp; DEATH OF M^r^s^. <HI>Katherine Clarke,</HI> WHO Dyed, <HI>Anno Chri&s;ti,</HI> 1675. Late Wife of Mr. <HI>Samuel Clarke,</HI> Mini&s;ter.</P>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed for <HI>William Miller,</HI> at the Gilded Acorn in St. <HI>Paul</HI>'s Church-yard, over again&s;t the little North Door. 1677.</P>
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<HEAD>THE LIFE and DEATH OF M^r^s^. <HI>Katherine Clarke,</HI> WHO Died <HI>Anno Chri&s;ti,</HI> 1675.</HEAD>
<P><HI>KAtherine Overton</HI> (for &s;o was her Virgin Name) was born at <HI>Bedworth</HI> in the County of <HI>Warwick,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Her Pa|rentage and Birth.</NOTE> four miles from <HI>Coventry, February</HI> the Twenty fifth, <HI>Anno Chri&s;ti,</HI> 1602. of Godly, and Religious Parents. Her Father was Mr.
<PB N="4" REF="3"> <HI>Valentine Overton,</HI> Rector of <HI>Bedworth,</HI> where he lived a con&s;tant, and painful Preacher of Gods Holy Word till he was almo&s;t Eighty two years old. Her Mother was Mrs. <HI>I&s;a|verton,</HI> a gracious Woman, and an excellent Hu&s;wife, who took off the whole burden of Family affairs, both within, and without Doors from her Hu&s;band, that he might with the more freedom attend his Holy Calling.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Her Edu|cation.</NOTE>Our <HI>Katherine</HI> was, by the&s;e her Parents brought up Reli|giou&s;ly, and it plea&s;ed God be|times to plant the Seeds of Grace in her Heart, which fir&s;t di&s;covered them&s;elves,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Early working of Grace.</NOTE> when &s;he was about fifteen years Old: At which time God was plea&s;ed to di&s;cover unto her the corruption of her na|ture, and &s;ome common mi&s;|carriages
<PB N="5" REF="3"> which are incident unto youth: And the&s;e made &s;uch a deep impre&s;&s;ion upon her tender years, that where|as &s;he was naturally of a cheerful <HI>Sanguine</HI> Con&s;titu|tion, &s;he now became &s;erious, and &s;omewhat <HI>Melancholy:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Her Temp|tations, And &s;up|port.</NOTE> Hereupon Satan, that Old Ser|pent, and Enemy to our Souls; a&s;&s;aulted her with many, and various Temptations, where|by he &s;ought to quench the&s;e Heavenly Sparks, to &s;tifle this New Creature in its fir&s;t Con|ception. But by frequent rea|ding the &s;acred Scriptures, di|ligent attending to the Word Preached, and &s;ecret Prayer, it plea&s;ed the All-Wi&s;e God to &s;upport, and &s;trengthen her again&s;t him, and all his Devi|ces. Yet did the&s;e conflicts continue the longer, becau&s;e &s;he had none to whom &s;he
<PB N="6" REF="4"> dur&s;t unbo&s;ome her&s;elf, and make her Ca&s;e known.</P>
<P>When &s;he was about &s;even|teen years old,<NOTE PLACE="marg">More Troubles.</NOTE> &s;he was by her Parents &s;ent to <HI>Siwel</HI> in <HI>Nor|thampton-&s;hire</HI> to wait upon a young Lady, that was &s;ome|what Related to her.</P>
<P>Yet this kind of life was &s;o tedious and irk&s;om to her, that at the end of Six Months &s;he prevailed with her Pa|rents to &s;end for her home again.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Her return home.</NOTE> Hear the Narrative of it in her own Word as they were found Written in her Cabinet after her De|cea&s;e.</P>
<Q REND="margDblQuotes"><P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Her own acco<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="3 letters"> of her Con|ver&s;ion.</NOTE>When (&s;aith &s;he) I was but young, my Father being at Prayers in his Family, I many times found &s;uch &s;weetne&s;s, and was &s;o affect|ed therewith that I could not but wi&s;h that my Heart might oftner be in &s;uch a
<PB N="7" REF="4"> frame. But Childhood, and the Vanities thereof &s;oon cooled the&s;e Heavenly Sparks. But my Father cau|&s;ed me to write Sermons, and to repeat the &s;ame; As al&s;o to learn Mr. <HI>Perkins</HI> his <HI>Catechi&s;m,</HI> which I oft re|peated to my &s;elf when I was alone; And therein e&s;pecially I took notice of tho&s;e places wherein he had &s;et down the Signs and Marks of a &s;trong, and weak Faith, being convinced in my Con&s;cience that without Faith I could not be &s;aved; And that every Faith would not &s;erve turn to bring me to Heaven.</P>
<P>Hereupon I fell to Exa|mination of my &s;elf and though I could not find the Marks of a Strong, yet (through Gods Mercy) I
<PB N="8" REF="5"> found the Marks of a true, though but weak Faith, which was &s;ome Comfort and &s;upport to me. And that God which began this good work in me, was plea&s;ed to quicken and &s;tir me up to a diligent u&s;e of &s;uch means as him&s;elf had ordained and appointed for the encrea&s;e thereof: As Hearing the Word Preached: Receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and u&s;e of other pri|vate Duties.</P>
<P>But when I was about &s;eventeen years old my Pa|rents &s;ent me to wait upon a young Gentlewoman in <HI>Northampton&s;hire,</HI> the on|ly Daughter of Sr. <HI>W.W.</HI> At which time being &s;ent &s;o far from my neer and dear Re|lations, and meeting with &s;ome other di&s;couragements
<PB N="9" REF="5"> in the Family, through want of the means of Grace, which I formerly enjoyed, I grew very <HI>Melancholy.</HI></P>
<P>I began al&s;o to have great workings of Con&s;cience in me, and Satan (that deadly Enemy to the health, and welfare of our Souls, who like a Roaring Lyon walks about continually &s;eeking whom he may devour) took his advantage (through my Ignorance of his devices) to rai&s;e up fears, doubts, and terrors of Con&s;cience in me, by rea&s;on of my mani|fold Sins, and for walking &s;o unworthy Gods Mercies whil&s;t I did enjoy them, and for being &s;o unfruitful un|der the means of Grace, and &s;o unable to obey God, and to keep his Commadments.</P>
<P>And by rea&s;on hereof I
<PB N="10" REF="6"> had no Peace, nor re&s;t in my Soul, Night nor Day, but was per&s;waded that all the threatnings contained in the Book of God again&s;t Wicked and Ungodly men did belong unto me, and were my Por|tion, as being one of them again&s;t whom they were de|nounced; In&s;omuch as when I took up the Bible to read therein, it was accompanied with much fear and trem|bling; Yet being convinced that it was my Duty fre|quently to read Gods Word, I dur&s;t not omit, or neglect it.</P>
<P>Thus I continued a great while, bearing the burden of grievous Temptations, and inward Afflctions of Con|&s;cience, yet dur&s;t I not open the wound, nor reveal my condition to any, as think|ing
<PB N="11" REF="6"> and judging my condi|tion and ca&s;e to be like no Bodies el&s;e: But God who is rich and infinite in Mer|cy, and Je&s;us Chri&s;t, who bought his Elect at &s;o dear a rate, would not &s;uffer any of his to be lo&s;t, and there|fore he was graciou&s;ly plea|&s;ed to pre&s;erve, &s;trengthen, and uphold me by his own power from &s;inking into Hell through De&s;pair, and from running out of my Wits.</P>
<P>Thus by rea&s;on of my continual grief and angui&s;h of Heart Night and Day, I was &s;o weakned and chang|ed within the compa&s;s of the&s;e &s;ix Months, that when I came home my Dear Pa|rents they &s;carce knew me.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Her growth i<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> Grace.</NOTE></P></Q>
<P>Some years after her return,
<PB N="12" REF="7"> &s;he (for the mo&s;t part) con|tinued in her Fathers Family, where by a diligent and con|&s;ciencious u&s;e of the means, both publick and private, &s;he did thrive and grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Je&s;us Chri&s;t, as &s;he increa&s;ed and grew in Dayes and Years: and therewith al&s;o learned and ex|erci&s;ed all parts of Hu&s;wifry, which might fit her for the Government of a Family, wen God &s;hould call her thereunto.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Her Marri|age.</NOTE><HI>February</HI> 2, <HI>Anno Chri&s;ti,</HI> 1625. Which was the &s;ame Day on which K. <HI>Charles</HI> the fir&s;t was Crowned, &s;he was, with the con&s;ent of Parents on both &s;ides, married to Mr. <HI>Sa. Clarke,</HI> who at that time was Mini&s;ter at <HI>Shotwick,</HI> four miles beyond <HI>We&s;t-Che&s;ter,</HI>
<PB N="13" REF="7"> who looked upon this Match as the greate&s;t outward tem|poral Ble&s;&s;ing that ever God be&s;towed upon him; whereby he could experimentially &s;ay, That a <HI>Prudent Wife is the Gift of God:</HI> And that in the enjoyment of her, he enjoyed more Mercies then he could well enumerate. But to de|&s;cend to particulars, and to take notice of &s;ome of tho&s;e virtues and Graces where|with God had beautified; and adorned her Soul.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t her Piety was &s;ignal and exemplary from her fir&s;t Conver&s;ion to the Hour of her Death:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Her Piety.</NOTE> Her life was not &s;tained with any &s;candalous Sin, which might be a blemi&s;h, either to her Per&s;on, Profe&s;&s;i|on, or Relations. She was a con&s;tant, and diligent atten|der upon the Publick Mini&s;try
<PB N="14" REF="8"> of Gods Holy Word; And when &s;he lived where &s;he had the opportunity of hearing Lectures in the Week Day, &s;he made choice to attend upon tho&s;e who were mo&s;t plain, practical, and powerful Preachers, from who&s;e Ser|mons, and Gods Ble&s;&s;ing up|on them, &s;he always &s;ucked &s;ome &s;piritual nouri&s;hment and came home refre&s;hed from them. And when Days of Humiliation, or Thank&s;|giving came, &s;he never failed to make one among Gods People in the Celebration of them.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Sabbaths Sanctified.</NOTE>The Lords Days &s;he care|fully Sanctified, both in Pub|lick and in Private; ri&s;ing ear|lier upon them then upon o|ther's, e&s;pecially when &s;he had many young Children about her, that &s;o &s;he might have
<PB N="15" REF="8"> opportunity, as well for &s;e|cret, as for Family Duties, before &s;he was called away to the Publick. She was like un|to <HI>Davids</HI> Door keeper, One of the fir&s;t in and la&s;t out of Gods Hou&s;e. Her con&s;tant Ge&s;ture at Prayer was Knee|ling, thinking that &s;he could not be too humble before God. Her u&s;ual manner was to write Sermons to prevent drow&s;ine&s;s and di&s;tractions, and to help Memory, whereof &s;he hath left many Volumes, and her Practice was to make good u&s;e of them, by frequent reading and meditating upon them; And if at any time &s;he was ca&s;t into &s;uch Places, and Company as were a hinde|rance unto her in the &s;trict Sanctification of this Holy Day, it was a grief and burden to her.</P>
<PB N="16" REF="9">
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Scriptures read.</NOTE>There was no Day that pa&s;&s;ed over her head (except Sickne&s;s, or &s;ome other una|voydable nece&s;&s;ity hindred) wherein &s;he did not read &s;ome portions of the Sacred Scrip|tures, both in the <HI>Old,</HI> and <HI>New Te&s;tament,</HI> and of the P&s;alms; and in Reading &s;he took &s;pecial notice of &s;uch pa&s;&s;ages as mo&s;t concerned her &s;elf. She was frequent, and con&s;tant in Secret Prayer, and Meditation. She al&s;o read much in other good Books, e&s;pecially, in the works of tho&s;e Eminent, and excellent Divines, Mr. <HI>Ambro&s;e,</HI> and Mr. <HI>Reyner:</HI> and in reading of them &s;he u&s;ed to tran&s;cribe &s;uch pa&s;&s;ages as mo&s;t warmed her Heart.</P>
<P>She never neglected any opportunity of receiving the Sacrament of the <HI>Lords Sup|per,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Sacra|ment pre|paration.</NOTE>
<PB N="17" REF="9"> and before her coming to it, was very &s;trict, and &s;e|rious in the Duty of <HI>Self-Exa|mination,</HI> and for her furthe|rance therein, at tho&s;e times &s;he read &s;ome of tho&s;e Books that treated upon that &s;ubject. And the Fruits of her holine&s;s manife&s;ted them&s;elves in the exerci&s;e of tho&s;e Graces which God required of her. She was not a Wordy, but a Real Chri&s;tian: A true <HI>I&s;ra|elite</HI> in whom was no guile. Her endeavour was to yield univer&s;al, con&s;tant, cheerful, and &s;yncere Obedience to all Gods Commandments, and wherein &s;he failed, and came &s;hort, it was her grief, and Burden. Her Meditations up|on what &s;he heard and read were frequent: And her Heart having <HI>indited a good matter, her Tongue was as the Pen of a
<PB N="18" REF="10"> ready Writer,</HI> taking Oppor|tunities to &s;peak to the Edifi|cation of tho&s;e with whom &s;he conver&s;ed.</P>
<P>She filled every Relation with the Exerci&s;e of &s;uch Graces, and Duties as were &s;uitable thereunto, knowing that where Relative Duties are neglected, and not made con|&s;cience of, there al&s;o our pre|tended Religion is in Vain.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">A good Wife.</NOTE>Fir&s;t: As a Wife: She was &s;ingular, and very Exem|plary in that reverence and o|bedience which &s;he yeilded to her Hu&s;band, both in Words, and Deeds. She never ro&s;e from the Table, even when they were alone, but &s;he made courte&s;ie. She never drank to him without bowing. His word was a Law unto her: She often denyed her &s;elf to gratify him: And when in her
<PB N="19" REF="10"> &s;ickne&s;s, and weakne&s;s he mentioned her Ca&s;e in parti|cular unto God in his Prayers, the Duty being ended, &s;he would make him courte&s;ie, and thank him. In ca&s;e of his ab&s;ence &s;he would pray with her Famliy Morning, and E|vening: The like &s;he would do in his pre&s;ence, in ca&s;e of his Sickne&s;s, and inability to perform the Duty him&s;elf. Her Mode&s;ty, and Cha&s;tity were rare, and remarkable: But fitter to be conceived by tho&s;e which know what be|long, to them, then to be ex|pre&s;&s;ed in Words. For there is a conjugal, as well as a Vir|ginal, and Vidual Cha&s;tity.</P>
<P>In Ca&s;e of her Hu&s;bands Sickne&s;s, &s;he was a tender, di|ligent, and painful Nur&s;e a|bout him; Skilful, and care|ful in making him Broths,
<PB N="20" REF="11"> and what el&s;e was needful for him. If at any time &s;he &s;aw him in Pa&s;&s;ion, with &s;weet and gentle words &s;he would mollify and moderate it. She was often a Spur, but never a Bridle to him in tho&s;e things which were good.</P>
<P>She was alwayes well plea|&s;ed with &s;uch Habitations, as (in their many removes) he provided for her; And with &s;uch Apparrel, and Diet as his means (which was &s;ome|times &s;hort) would allow. She never grutched, nor grum|bled at any of tho&s;e Di&s;pen&s;a|tions which Gods Al-wi&s;e Providence carved out unto them.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">As a Mo|ther.</NOTE>Secondly, As a Mother to her Children (whereof God gave her nine, four Sons, and five Daughters) &s;he nouri&s;hed them all with her own
<PB N="21" REF="11"> Brea&s;ts; was very handy and hand&s;ome about them in their minority; Kept them &s;weet and cleanly; In neat and mo|de&s;t Habits; Knew how to order them both in Health and Sickne&s;s. She loved them dearly without fondne&s;s; Was careful to give them Nurture as well as Nouri&s;hment, not &s;paring the Rod when there was ju&s;t occa&s;ion. And as &s;oon as they were capable, &s;he was vigilant and diligent to &s;ea&s;on their tender years with Grace and Virtue, by in&s;tilling into them the fir&s;t grounds, and Principles of Religion; And as they grew up, &s;he did more freely di&s;cover her tender Af|fections to them, by In&s;tructi|on, advice, and good Coun&s;el as there was occa&s;ion; And when they were di&s;po&s;ed of <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">broad, by her gracious let|ters,
<PB N="22" REF="12"> and hearty In&s;tructions at their meetings, &s;he labou|red to build them up in grace and godline&s;s: And God was plea&s;ed to let her &s;ee (to her great Joy and Comfort) the fruit of her Prayers, and pains in keeping them from &s;canda|lous Cour&s;es in the&s;e corrupti|ons, and in working Grace in mo&s;t of their Hearts. When they were married, and had Children, &s;he was frequently making one thing or other for them.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">As a Mi&s;tre&s;s.</NOTE>Thirdly. As a Mi&s;tre&s;s to her Maids: She was careful (&s;o far as &s;he could) to bring &s;uch as were Religious at lea&s;t, &s;eemingly, into her Fami|ly; And having occa&s;ion to be much in their Company &s;he would take all occa&s;ions and opportunities to manife&s;t her love and care of their
<PB N="23" REF="12"> Souls, by frequent dropping in good Coun&s;el, and whole|&s;ome In&s;tructions; By Cha|techi&s;ing; Enquiring what they remembred of the Ser|mons they heard, Reading her Notes to them; Encou|raging them in what was good, and with the Spirit of meekne&s;s blaming them for what was evil. And for Hu&s;|wifery, and Hou&s;hold Affairs, &s;he in&s;tructed their Ignorance, commended and incouraged what they did well, and her &s;elf (being of an active, and &s;tirring di&s;po&s;ition, and ha|ving her hand in mo&s;t bu&s;i|ne&s;&s;es) &s;et them a Pattern, and gave them an Example how to order the &s;ame. She was careful (&s;o far as po&s;&s;i|bly &s;he could) to prevent all &s;poil, and to &s;ee that they did not eat the Bread of Idlene&s;s.</P>
<PB N="24" REF="13">
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">As a Friend.</NOTE>Towards her friends, and her own, and her Hu&s;bands Relations &s;he was courteous and amiable in her deport|ment, free and hearty in their entertainment. She would have plenty without want, and competency without &s;u|perfluity; And al&s;o neatly and well ordered, that none which came to her Table (whereof &s;ome were Per&s;ons of Honor and Quality) but commended her Cookery, and were well plea&s;ed with their entertain|ment.</P>
<P>In her Hou&s;hold Furniture &s;he loved not to want, nor de|&s;ired more then was needful. It was,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Her Hou&s;|wifery.</NOTE> though not co&s;tly, yet cleanly, and &s;he was frequent in repairing and mending de|cays, and what was ami&s;s, both in Linnens, and Wool|lens.</P>
<PB N="25" REF="13">
<P>For her Apparrel,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Her Habit</NOTE> &s;he was never willing to have that which was co&s;tly for the mat|ter, or gairi&s;h for the manner: Rather under then above her Rank. For the Fa&s;hion of it, it was grave and Exemplary, without Newfangledne&s;s and Levity. She followed <HI>Peters</HI> directions which he gave to Chri&s;tian Women in his time [1. <HI>Pet.</HI> 3.3. &amp;c.] <HI>who&s;e a|dorning, let it not be that out|ward adorning of plaiting their Hair, and of wearing of Gold, or of putting on of Apparel. But let it be the hidden man of the Heart, in that which is not cor|ruptible, even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit, which is in the &s;ight of God of great price. For after this manner in old time, the holy Women who tru&s;ted in God adorned them|&s;elves being in &s;ubjection unto
<PB N="26" REF="14"> their own Hu&s;bands.</HI></P>
<P>And what&s;oever Apparel &s;he had, &s;he was careful to keep it from &s;tains, and rends, and &s;o &s;oon as any thing was ami&s;s pre&s;ently to amend it, in&s;omuch as &s;he made it la&s;t long, and yet it was always whole aad neat. All her own, and Husbands linnens, &s;he made her &s;elf, and much of her other Apparel: And at lei|&s;ure times &s;he imployed her &s;elf in knitting Stockings for her &s;elf and Grand-Children; and was as careful, and han|dy in mending her Husbands Cloaths, as her own.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Her Chari|ty.</NOTE>She was very Charitable to the Poor where ever &s;he lived, according to that E&s;tate wherewith God had entru&s;ted her. She was ready to relieve &s;uch as were Objects of Cha|rity, with Meat, or Drink,
<PB N="27" REF="14"> and to lend them Mony, and to mini&s;ter &s;ome <HI>Phy&s;ical</HI> things (whereof her Clo&s;et was never empty) according as their nece&s;&s;ities required.</P>
<P>She had a very melting Heart, and truly Sympathized<NOTE PLACE="marg">Her Sym|pathy.</NOTE> with the Church and People of God whether at home or abroad in all their &s;ufferings, and rejoyced in their Pro&s;pe|rity. She was much affected with, and afflicted for that great lo&s;s which the Church of Chri&s;t had, when &s;o many able, Godly, faithful, and painful Mini&s;ters were eject|ed; not thru&s;t forth into, but thru&s;t out from labouring in Gods Harve&s;t; wherein her Husband, and two Sons were co-&s;ufferers, to the lo&s;s of their livelihoods; yet the lo&s;s of their Liberty lay nearer to her Heart, and was a far greater
<PB N="28" REF="15"> Grief to her then the out|ward wants they were expo|&s;ed to.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Her Hu|mility.</NOTE>Her Humility was not infe|rior to her other Graces. She had alwayes a very low e&s;teem of her &s;elf, and was ready to prefer others before her &s;elf, and would not take it ill when her inferiors were &s;et above her: She well remem|bred the Apo&s;tle <HI>Peters</HI> charge. <HI>All of you be &s;ubject one to another, and be cloathed with Humility. For God re&s;i&s;teth the Proud, and giveth Grace to the Humble.</HI> And that of St. <HI>Paul, Rom.</HI> 12.10. <HI>In honour prefer one another.</HI></P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Her Love to God, &amp; Man.</NOTE>Her Love to God, to his Ordinances, and to his Chil|dren was hearty, and without Di&s;&s;imulation. <HI>She abhorred that which was evil, and clave to that which was good.</HI> She
<PB N="29" REF="15"> was of &s;o &s;weet and meek a di&s;po&s;ition that &s;he never u&s;ed to &s;peak evil of any, but was ever prone to forgive and for|get wrongs.</P>
<P>She was very prudent in managing her Hou&s;hold affairs to the be&s;t advantage.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Her Pru|dence.</NOTE> She would have diver&s;e Di&s;hes of Meat with little co&s;t; yet &s;o dre&s;&s;ed and ordered as made them grateful and plea&s;ing un|to all: When they were alone, &s;he had &s;uch variety of Di&s;hes and Dre&s;&s;es as prevented nau|&s;eou&s;ne&s;s. She was careful to &s;ee that nothing was lo&s;t or &s;poiled. By her wi&s;e and frugal managing her Hou&s;hold, though her husband had ne|ver much coming in, yet at the years end he could al|wayes &s;ave &s;omething: So that <HI>her price to him was far above Rubies: His Heart tru&s;t|ed
<PB N="30" REF="16"> in her.</HI> For &s;he <HI>did him good, and not evil all the Dayes of her Life. Prov.</HI> 31.10.11, 12.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Her A|ctivity.</NOTE>In her Younger Dayes &s;he was healthful; Of a cheerful and active Spirit, and abhor|ring Idlene&s;s; She would have her Hand in every bu&s;ine&s;s. In her Old Age, though &s;he was crazie, yet whil&s;t &s;he could &s;tand, &s;he would be about one kind of work or other.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Her Patience.</NOTE> She bore her weakne&s;s and Affli|ctions with much Patience and holy &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion to the will and good plea&s;ure of God, &s;he was &s;o uniform in the frame of her Spirit, and &s;o maintained her Peace with God through her Holy and humble walking, that when Death, many times in her &s;ick|ne&s;s, threatned to &s;eize upon her, She feared it not, as know|ing
<PB N="31" REF="16"> that it would be gain and advantage to her: Concerning which hear what &s;he her &s;elf left in writing which was found after her Decea&s;e.</P>
<P><Q REND="margDblQuotes">In my younger Dayes (&s;aith &s;he) my &s;piritual Af|flictions, and inward trou|bles continued long before I could attain to any a&s;&s;u|rance of my Salvation: But of late years it hath plea&s;ed God of his infinite Mercy, and Free Grace to give me more A&s;&s;urance of his un|changeable Love to me through Faith in his Rich and free Promi&s;es of Life,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Her Faith.</NOTE> and Salvation, through <HI>Je|&s;us Chri&s;t,</HI> who is pretious to my Soul, and who is the Author and fini&s;her of my Faith; God ble&s;&s;ed for e|vermore: To whom be Prai&s;e and Glory World
<PB N="32" REF="17"> without end <HI>Amen.</HI></Q></P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Her amia|blene&s;s.</NOTE>In her conver&s;e with her Friends <HI>She opened her Mouth with Wi&s;dom, and in her Tongue was the Law of Kindne&s;s (Prov.</HI> 31.26.) which made her Company grateful unto all, and burden&s;ome, or underva|lued by none.</P>
<P>Divers years before her Death, upon catching Cold, &s;he had many fits of Sickne&s;s, and weakne&s;s, and &s;ome of them were Violent as brought her neer unto Death; Yet the Lord had mercy upon her Husband and Family in rai|&s;ing her up again almo&s;t be|yond hopes, and expectation: And &s;he was alwayes a Gai|ner by her Afflictions,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Afflicti|ons &s;ancti|fied.</NOTE> God making good that Promi&s;e to her, <HI>Rom.</HI> 8.28. <HI>All things &s;hall work together for good to them that love God, To them
<PB N="33" REF="17"> who are Called according to his purpo&s;e.</HI> For after tho&s;e fits &s;he walked more humbly, ho|lily, fruitfully, and faithful|ly, both in her General, and particular Calling, as one that waited daily for the ap|pearing of her Lord, and Ma|&s;ter. The Winter before her Death, &s;he enjoyed better Health then &s;he had done for &s;ome Winters before.</P>
<P><HI>May</HI> the 25th. <HI>Anno Chri&s;ti,</HI> 1675. Some Friends came from <HI>London</HI> to dine with her, and that morning (according to her u&s;ual cu&s;tom in &s;uch Ca&s;es) She was careful, and bu&s;y in providing for their kind intertainment:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Her la&s;t Sickne&s;s.</NOTE> But it plea&s;ed God whil&s;t they were at Dinner to &s;trike her with a kind of Shivering, which made her look paler then or|dinary, and after Dinner her
<PB N="34" REF="18"> Di&s;temper continued, &s;o that &s;he was &s;oon confined to her Chamber, and not long after, for the mo&s;t part to her Bed. But herein God &s;hewed her great mercy, and had re&s;pect to her weakne&s;s, in that, du|ring all the time of her lan|gui&s;hing &s;he was free from Sickne&s;s, and pain, only &s;ome|times &s;he was troubled with &s;ome Stitches,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gods Mercy.</NOTE> which yet were tollerable, not violent: She was al&s;o troubled with &s;ome Vapours which made her Breath very &s;hort; Yet had &s;he a pretty good Stomach, and &s;he reli&s;hed her Food well till about two Days before her Death; But then, though &s;he did eat, yet &s;he &s;ound lit|tle ta&s;t in her Meat. Her &s;leep was pretty good, and alwayes very quiet. She was never ill either after Food or Sleep.
<PB N="35" REF="18"> Only two Dayes before her Departure &s;he &s;lept little, by rea&s;on of the continual rut|ling of Flegm in her Throat, when &s;he wanted &s;trength to expectorate.</P>
<P>As for the State of her Soul during all the time of her &s;ick|ne&s;s, &s;he enjoyed con&s;tant Peace and Serenity, and had (through Gods Mercy) much Joy, and Peace, by believing; Satan (that Roaring Lion) who u&s;es to be mo&s;t &s;trong when we are mo&s;t weak be|ing &s;o chained up by God that he had no power to mo|le&s;t her. She often cryed out <HI>Hold out Faith and Patience:</HI> She told her neare&s;t Relati|on, when &s;he &s;aw him mour|ning over her, that &s;he was going to be joyned to a Better Husband.</P>
<P>Her younge&s;t Son, taking
<PB N="36" REF="19"> his leave of her the Day be|fore her Death, &s;he gave him much Heavenly coun&s;el for the good of his Soul, and Ble&s;&s;ed him, and all his, as &s;he did the re&s;t of her Chil|dren and Grand-Children. She earne&s;tly de&s;ired to be Di&s;&s;ol|ved, and breathed after a ful|ler enjoyment of <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t,</HI> which &s;he accounted <HI>be&s;t of all:</HI> She would &s;omtimes &s;ay, <HI>that it was a hard thing to Dye:</HI> And <HI>This is a hard work.</HI> Her Under&s;tanding, Memory, and Speech continued till within two Minutes of Death; And a little before, her Daughter &s;peaking to her of <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t,</HI> She replyed, <HI>My God and my Lord:</HI> And &s;o <HI>June</HI> the 21, about five a Clock in the morning, She fell a&s;leep, ex|changing this Life for a bet|ter, without any alteration
<PB N="37" REF="19"> in her Countenance, but only that her colour was gone. She clo&s;ed up her Eyes her &s;elf, as who &s;hould &s;ay,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Death.</NOTE> <HI>It is but winking, and I &s;hall be in Heaven.</HI> She <HI>changed her Place, but not her Company.</HI> She &s;ickned <HI>May</HI> the 25th. <HI>Anno Chri&s;ti,</HI> 1675. She con|cluded her Dayes <HI>June</HI> the Twenty Fir&s;t, being <HI>Munday,</HI> about five a Clock in the Mor|ning, when having ended her la&s;t <HI>Sabbath</HI> upon Earth, &s;he began to celebrate an Ever|la&s;ting <HI>Sabbath</HI> in Heaven. She was Aged Seventy three years and about four Months, and had been married almo&s;t Fifty years.</P>
<P>Thus did this Holy Wo|man wear out, not ru&s;t out: Burn out, was not blown out: Yea, &s;he flamed, not &s;mothered out, &s;he &s;erved
<PB N="38" REF="20"> God in her Generation, and then retired into that Place where is Health without Sick|ne&s;s: Day without Night &punc; Plenty without Famine: Rich|es without Poverty: Mirth without mourning: Singing without &s;ighing: Life with|out Death: And the&s;e, with infinite more to all Eternity. There is un&s;potted Cha&s;tity: Un&s;tained Honor: Unparal|led Beauty. There is the Tree of life in the mid&s;t of this <HI>Paradi&s;e.</HI> There is the River that waters the Garden. There is the Vine flouri&s;hing, and the Pomgranate budding: There is the Banqueting-Hou&s;e where are all tho&s;e De|licacies, and Rarities where|with God him&s;elf is delighted. There &s;hall the Saints be a|dorned, as a Bride, with rare Pearls, and &s;parkling Dia+monds
<PB N="39" REF="20"> of Glory. A Glory fitter to be Believed, then po&s;|&s;ible to be Di&s;cour&s;ed. An <HI>Ex|ceeding, Exce&s;&s;ive, Eternal weight of Glory</HI> (2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 4.17.) Even &s;uch a weight, as if the Body were not upheld by the Power of God, it were impo&s;|&s;ible but that it &s;hould faint under it: as an eminent Divine &s;peaketh.</P>
<P>After Mrs. <HI>Clarkes</HI> Decea&s;e their was found in her Cabi|net a Paper which by frequent u&s;ing, was almo&s;t worn out.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Promi&s;es to &s;trength|en her Faith.</NOTE> It contained a Collection of the&s;e &s;everal Texts of Scrip|ture which &s;he had recour&s;e unto in times of Temptation, or De&s;ertion.</P>
<P>Who is among you that feareth the Lord: That obey|eth the Voice of his Servant: That walketh in darkne&s;s and hath no Light: Let him tru&s;t
<PB N="40" REF="21"> in the Name of the Lord and &s;tay upon his God, <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 50.10.</P>
<P>For the Name of the Lord is a &s;trong Tower; The Righ|teous run unto it, and are &s;afe. <HI>Prov.</HI> 18.10.</P>
<P>Thou wilt keep him in per|fect Peace, who&s;e Mind is &s;tai|ed on thee, becau&s;e he tru&s;t|eth in thee, <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 26.3.</P>
<P>Ble&s;&s;ed is the Man that ma|keth the Lord his tru&s;t, <HI>P&s;a.</HI> 40.4.</P>
<P>Ble&s;&s;ed is the Man to whom the Lord imputeth not Sin. <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 32.2.</P>
<P>Though our Hearts may fail us, and our Fle&s;h may fail us, yet God will never fail us. <HI>P&s;a.</HI> 73.26. For he hath &s;aid, I will never leave thee nor for&s;ake thee, <HI>Heb.</HI> 13.5.</P>
<P>And again: I will be a Fa|ther unto you, and ye &s;hall be
<PB N="41" REF="21"> my Sons and Daughters, &s;aith the Lord Almighty. 2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 6.18.</P>
<P>I, even I am he that blotteth out thy Tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions for mine own &s;ake, and will not remember thy Sins, <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 44.25.</P>
<P>My Grace is &s;ufficient for thee: For my &s;trength is made perfect in weakne&s;s, 2. <HI>Cor.</HI> 12.9.</P>
<P>By Grace you are &s;aved through Faith, and that not of your &s;elves: <HI>Ephe.</HI> 2.8.</P>
<P>I give unto them Eternal Life, and they &s;hall not peri&s;h, neither &s;hall any man pluck them out of my Hand, <HI>Joh.</HI> 10.28.</P>
<P>Who are kept by the Pow|er of God, through Faith un|to Salvation. 1. <HI>Pet.</HI> 1.5.</P>
<P>The Foundation of God &s;tandeth &s;ure, having this
<PB N="42" REF="22"> Seal; The Lord knoweth who are his, 2. <HI>Tim.</HI> 2.19.</P>
<P>There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us,</HI> who walk, not after the Fle&s;h, but after the Spirit. <HI>Rom.</HI> 8.1.</P>
<P><HI>Chri&s;t</HI> is the end of the Law for Righteou&s;ne&s;s to every one that believeth. <HI>Rom.</HI> 4, 10.</P>
<P>It is God that ju&s;tifieth; who is he that condemneth? <HI>Rom.</HI> 8.33.34.</P>
<P>The promi&s;e is to you, and to your Children, and to all that are afar off; Even as many as the Lord our God &s;hall call, <HI>Act.</HI> 2.39.</P>
<P>The Gifts, and Calling of God are without Repentance&punc; <HI>Rom.</HI> 11.29.</P>
<P>The&s;e Texts of Scripture having been as &s;o many Cor|dials unto her in Times of
<PB N="43" REF="22"> Temptation, it is hoped that they may prove &s;o to others, and therefore for their &s;akes they are here &s;et down. And hereby it appears that &s;he was not without &s;ome &s;hakings, but, through Gods Mercy, they were &s;uch as made her root the fa&s;ter: And by her prudent, and &s;ea&s;onable hol|ding forth the Shield of Faith, and the Sword of the Spirit, &s;he became more than a Con|querour, through him that had loved her.</P>
<P>In another little Book, which was found after her Death, &s;he gives this account of her&s;elf and of Gods graci|ous dealing with her.</P>
<P>From the beginning <HI>(writes &s;he)</HI> of Gods &s;hewing me Mercy in my Conver&s;ion.</P>
<P>I here &s;et down Gods gra|cious dealings with me,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Her Con|ver&s;ion</NOTE> not
<PB N="44" REF="23"> for mine own Prai&s;e, but for the Glory of God, and to &s;tir up my Heart unto true Thankfulne&s;s for &s;uch invalu|able Mercies. And then &s;he &s;et down the time, manner, and means of her Conver&s;ion: And afterwards proceeds thus.</P>
<P><HI>What have been my Experi|ences of Gods gracious dealings with me at &s;everal times under Afflictions:</HI> As</P>
<Q><P>Fir&s;t when Per&s;onal Af|flictions have lain upon me, in regard of Bodily Sick|ne&s;s or Spiritual Di&s;tem|pers.</P>
<P>Secondly. Or, Family Afflictions, when God hath taken away my dear Chil|dren.</P>
<P>Thirdly: Or, when I have been under fears that God would take away my
<PB N="45" REF="23"> dear Husband, by &s;ome dangerous Sickne&s;s which he lay under.</P>
<P>Fourthly, Or when I have been under great fears in the time of our Civil Wars.</P>
<P>Fifthly, Or when I have been under &s;piritual De&s;erti|on, by Gods hiding his Face, and Favour from me. Or by rea&s;on of weakne&s;s, and wants in Grace: Or by rea&s;on of &s;trong, and pre|vailing Corruptions. Or by rea&s;on of Satans Temptati|ons: In all which Ca&s;es &s;he left a memorial of Gods gracious di&s;pen&s;ations to|wards her. I &s;hall &s;et down only a few of them.</P>
<P>It plea&s;ed God (&s;aith &s;he) for many years, to keep me (for the mo&s;t part) in a &s;ad and di&s;con&s;olate e&s;tate, and
<PB N="46" REF="24"> condition, not cleerly Evi|dencing the certain A&s;&s;u|rance of his Love to my Soul: So that many times I que&s;tioned whether I was a Child of God or no: Whether I had part in <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us</HI> or no: Whether I &s;hould e|ver attain to Life and Sal|vation or no: And this made me walk with a droo|ping, and di&s;con&s;olate Spi|rit, &s;o that I could take no true comfort in any thing: But though <HI>heavine&s;s endu|red for a Night, Yet joy came in the Morning,</HI> when the Lord cau&s;ed the Light of his Countenance to &s;hine upon me, which was bet|ter then Life.</P>
<P>It plea&s;ed God upon the Death of my younge&s;t Child, that it lay very hea|vy upon my Spirit, in&s;o|much
<PB N="47" REF="24"> as I was brought oft upon my Knees to beg &s;up|port from God and to crave his Grace and a&s;&s;i&s;tance that I might not break out to &s;peak, or act any thing whereby Gods Name might be di&s;honoured, or the Go&s;pel di&s;credited: And that he would be plea&s;ed to make up this outward lo&s;s, with &s;ome more durable, and &s;piritual Comforts. And I found a &s;ea&s;onable, gracious, and &s;peedy an|&s;wer to the&s;e my Reque&s;ts. For though I lay long un|der the burden of that lo&s;s, yet in this time did the Lord &s;weetly manife&s;t his &s;pecial Love to my Soul, a&s;|&s;uring me that he was my gracious and reconciled Father in <HI>Chri&s;t;</HI> whereby my Love to him was much
<PB N="48" REF="25"> encrea&s;ed, and even infla|med; So that, by his Grace, it wrought in me more di|ligence, and carefulne&s;s to maintain and pre&s;erve the&s;e Evidences of his Love, and to yield a holy &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion unto his Will, as well in &s;uf|fering, as in doing: As al&s;o by avoiding what&s;oever might provoke him to withdraw the Evidences of his Love from me, without the &s;en&s;e whereof I could take little or no comfort in any thing.</P>
<P>And furthermore, I ble&s;s God for it, and &s;peak it to the Prai&s;e, and Glory of his Rich and Free Grace, My Prayers, and earne&s;t De&s;ires have been an&s;wered, by Gods giving me comfortable A&s;|&s;urance, both from the Te|&s;timony of his Holy Word,
<PB N="49" REF="25"> and the witne&s;s of his Ble&s;|&s;ed Spirit, of my Eternal, and Everla&s;ting Salvation in, and by <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</HI> Yet have I not been without fears, and doubtings many times, through want of looking over my Evidences, or by neglecting to keep a narrow watch over my Heart; Or from weakne&s;s of my Faith, and all through my own default and negli|gence. The Lord pardon it, and make me more circum|&s;pect for the time to come.</P></Q>
<P>By all the&s;e I have gained this Experience.</P>
<Q REND="margDblQuotes"><P>Fir&s;t: That God is true and faithful in making good all his Promi&s;es &s;ea&s;o|nably unto us: As, That all things &s;hall work toge|ther for our Good. And that God will never fail us,
<PB N="50" REF="26"> nor for&s;ake us, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly: That it is not in vain to wait upon God, and to &s;eek unto him in our Straits, who is mote ready to hear then we are to ask.</P>
<P>Thirdly: That I de&s;ire to &s;ee: Yea, and the Lord hath &s;hewed me the vanity, and incertainty of the mo&s;t &s;atisfying Comforts that this World can afford, and what an emptine&s;s there is in them, that &s;o I may, and I de&s;ire &s;o to do, keep weaned affections towards them and to &s;it loo&s;e from them, that I may be ready to part with them, when God calls them from, me or me from them.</P></Q>
<P>Again in regard of Bodi|ly weakne&s;s and Sickne&s;s, my <HI>Experiences</HI> have been the&s;e.</P>
<Q><P>Fir&s;t: That as a broken
<PB N="51" REF="26"> Shoulder can bear no Bur|den; So the lea&s;t Di&s;temper, when the Heart is not in an holy frame and temper is a burden in&s;upportable. If God hides his Face from us, and withdraws the Evi|dences of his Love, and de|nies to a&s;&s;i&s;t us by his &s;trength, we can neither do, nor &s;uffer any thing. And on the Contrary, I found by <HI>Experience,</HI> that I could with much cheerfulne&s;s, ho|ly &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion and willing|ne&s;s, bear great Di&s;tempers, when I enjoyed the favour of God in them: So that then I could readily &s;ay, <HI>Good</HI> is the work of the Lord as well as his <HI>Word.</HI> And, I <HI>will bear the Indignation of the Lord becau&s;e I have &s;inned again&s;t him. Mich.</HI> 7.9. And, <HI>Though he &s;lay me, yet will I
<PB N="52" REF="27"> tru&s;t in him. Job.</HI> 13.15.</P>
<P>Secondly, I found by <HI>ex|perience</HI> al&s;o, that by my pains and Sickne&s;s I was the better able to <HI>Sympathize</HI> with, and to pitty and pray for others in the like Ca&s;e.</P>
<P>Thirdly, Hereby I lear|ned the more to prize Health: And that: Fir&s;t, Becau&s;e in Health we have liberty, and opportunity to enjoy the Publick Ordinan|ces with others of Gods People, whereby the Graces of Gods People are quick|ned, &s;trengthened, and en|crea&s;ed in us which other|wi&s;e (by rea&s;on of our cor|rupt natures) are apt to grow cold and langui&s;h, as will our Bodies when they want food.</P>
<P>Secondly, Becau&s;e in Health we injoy the benefit
<PB N="53" REF="27"> and the comfort of &s;weet, and quiet &s;leep, which much re|fre&s;hes and cheers, and which commonly we want in Sickne&s;s.</P>
<P>Thirdly, Becau&s;e in Health we find &s;weet &s;atis|fying comfort in the u&s;e of Gods good Creatures, where|as in Sickne&s;s the daintie&s;t Food is loth&s;om and trou|ble&s;ome. The con&s;ideration of the&s;e things made me the more to prize Health; To be very thankful for it, and the more careful to imploy, and improve Health, and &s;trength to Gods Glory, and the furtherance of mine own Salvation.</P></Q>
<P>In regard of Publick Dan|gers I have had a great deal of <HI>Experience</HI> of Gods goodne&s;s towards me and mine &s;everal wayes, and at &s;everal times. For</P>
<Q REND="margDblQuotes"><PB N="54" REF="28">
<P>Fir&s;t: When in the be|ginning of our Civil Wars and di&s;tractions I was &s;ome|times overwhelmed with ba&s;e and di&s;tru&s;tful Fears, occa&s;ioned by my not act|ing Faith upon the Promi|&s;es, and not remembring my former <HI>Experiences,</HI> nor con&s;idering Gods love, pow|er, and fidelity to his Chil|dren, in performing his &s;o many gracious Promi&s;es, made unto them in all e|&s;tates, and conditions, and to me among the re&s;t: Here upon I re&s;olved, by Gods Grace and a&s;&s;i&s;tance not to give way to this di&s;tru&s;t and diffidence, praying God to a&s;&s;i&s;t me therein, and found more courage then former|ly, &s;o far as I know mine own Heart (though truly the Heart is very deceitful,
<PB N="55" REF="28"> as I have found by &s;ad expe|rience) The Lord teach and enable me to rely upon him with more courage and con|&s;tancy, and more to live by Faith upon his Promi&s;es then formerly I have done.</P>
<P>Indeed I have been apt to fall into new fears upon ap|proaching dangers; Yet up|on &s;ucce&s;&s;es, and glorious Deliverances, I have oft re|&s;olved never to di&s;tru&s;t God again, and yet my naughty Heart hath deceived me, and made me ready to faint. But this I found by <HI>Experience,</HI> to the Prai&s;e of my Gods Free Grace, that as troubles have abounded, my con&s;o|lations have much more a|bounded. For God brought &s;ea&s;onably into my mind many pretious Promi&s;es, which were as &s;o many
<PB N="56" REF="29"> &s;weet Cordials, which much &s;upported and com|forted my Heart, and up|held my Spirit, when al&s;o new &s;torms have ari&s;en, and unexpected Deliverances have followed, I have, and do re&s;olve, by Gods Grace, not to di&s;tru&s;t him any more. Yea, though more and greater dangers &s;hall a|ri&s;e, yet will I tru&s;t in, and &s;tay my &s;elf upon him, though (as <HI>Job</HI> &s;aid) <HI>he &s;hould &s;lay me.</HI> The good Lord e&s;tabli&s;h my Heart in this good and holy re&s;oluti|on, who is able to keep us to the end, and hath Promi|&s;ed that he <HI>will pre&s;erve us by his Power, through Faith to the Salvation of our Souls.</HI></P></Q>
<P>In regard of Satans Temp|tations; E&s;pecially concer|ning
<PB N="57" REF="29"> my coming to the Sacra|ment of the <HI>Lords Supper,</HI> my <HI>Experiences</HI> have been the&s;e.</P>
<Q REND="margDblQuotes"><P>Finding often that I was very unable to fit and pre|pare my &s;elf for a com|fortable approach to that Sacred Ordinance, I u&s;ed to de&s;ire the Prayers of the Congregation unto God in my behalf, and I u&s;ed the be&s;t endeavours I could in private, as God enabled me, though I came far &s;hort of what was required, and of what I de&s;ired: So that I did tru&s;t, and hope, through Gods mercy, to find a com|fortable Day of it, and to have it a Sealing Ordinance to my Soul. But on the con|trary, I found much dead|ne&s;s, and little &s;piritual ta&s;t, reli&s;h, and comfort in the u&s;e of it: So that my Spirit
<PB N="58" REF="30"> was oft much troubled, and ca&s;t down in me; fearing le&s;t I had &s;ome &s;ecret Sin undi&s;covered, and unrepen|ted of, which cau&s;ed the Lord thus to hide his Face from me.</P>
<P>But then my gracious God brought this into my mind, that the Lord doth &s;ometimes afflict us for the exerci&s;e, and improvement of our Graces, as well as to humble us for our Sins. I al&s;o con&s;idered, that as the Lord doth tender great Mercies to us in this Sacra|ment, renewing his Cove|nant of Grace, and Sealing unto us the Pardon of our Sins in the Blood of <HI>Chri&s;t:</HI></P></Q>
<P>So he gives us leave to engage our &s;elves (by renewing our Covenant with him) to be|lieve in him, and to tru&s;t upon
<PB N="59" REF="30"> <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> for Life and Salvation: And it plea&s;ed God to give me Faith to apply this in per|ticular to my own Soul: And a while after, to &s;hew me, and to make good to my Soul that pretious, and comfortable Promi&s;e, That though <HI>he hide his Face from us for a little moment, yet with Mercy, and loving kindne&s;s he will return to us again.</HI> This was a won|derful comfort, and &s;upport to my dejected Heart: Ble&s;&s;ed be the Lord for ever, I de&s;ire to trea&s;ure up the&s;e <HI>Experien|ces,</HI> that for the future, I may re&s;olve in the like ca&s;e to put my whole tru&s;t and confi|dence in him, that &s;o Satan may not entrap me in his Snares through unbelief, but that I may re&s;i&s;t <HI>him &s;teadfa&s;t in the Faith:</HI> for I am not al|together ignorant, of his <HI>De|vices.</HI>
<PB N="60" REF="31"> Gods Promi&s;e is, that <HI>in all the&s;e things we &s;hall be more then Conquerour, through him that hath loved us:</HI> And hath &s;aid <HI>that this is the Victory which overcomes the World, e|ven our Faith.</HI> 1. <HI>Joh.</HI> 5.4.</P>
<P>In the year 1669: there came to us the &s;ad news of the Death of my &s;econd Son Mr. <HI>John Clarke,</HI> a godly, faithful, and painful Mini&s;ter &s;ometimes before ejected out of the Rectory of <HI>Cotgrave</HI> in <HI>Nottingham-Shire,</HI> who died the 18th of <HI>September.</HI></P>
<P>Thus as the Waves of the Sea follow one another, &s;o God is plea&s;ed to exerci&s;e his Chil|dren with one Affliction after another. He &s;ees that whil&s;t we carry about with us this Body of Sin, we have need of manifold <HI>Trials,</HI> and <HI>Temp|tations,</HI> as &s;aith the Apo&s;tle.
<PB N="61" REF="31"> 1. <HI>Pet.</HI> 1.6.&mdash;<HI>now for a &s;ea|&s;on ye are in heavine&s;s (if need be) through manifold Temp|tations;</HI> to keep us under, and to make us the better to re|member our &s;elves.</P>
<P>Indeed it hath been the Lords cour&s;e and dealing with me ever &s;ince he &s;topped me in the way as I was po&s;ting to Hell, to rai&s;e up one Afflicti|on or other, either inward or outward, either from Satan, the World, or from mine own corrupt Heart, and nature, not having Grace and Wi&s;dom to behave and carry my &s;elf as I ought under his various Di&s;pen&s;ations and Providen|ces, as appeared at this time by his laying &s;o great and grievous an Affliction upon me in taking away &s;o dear a Son, from whom I had much Soul-comfort, and ardent Af|fections,
<PB N="62" REF="32"> which he manife&s;ted by his fervent Prayers for me, and by his &s;piritual Letters, and Writings to me, wherein he applyed him&s;elf &s;utably to my Comfort in tho&s;e in|ward troubles of Heart and Spirit which lay upon me. This cau&s;ed my Grief and Sor|rows to take the greater hold on me, upon the lo&s;s of one who was &s;o u&s;eful to me: Yet hereby I do not derogate from my Elder Son, from whom I have the like help, and Com|fort.</P>
<P>Upon this &s;ad occa&s;ion my Grief grew &s;o great that I took no plea&s;ure of any thing in the World: But was &s;o overwhelmed with Melan|choly, and my natural &s;trength was &s;o abated, that little Food &s;erved my turn, and I judged that I could not
<PB N="63" REF="32"> live long in &s;uch a condi|tion.</P>
<P>Hereupon I began to ex|amin my Heart why it &s;hould be &s;o with me, and whether carnal and imoderate Affecti|ons were not the great Cau&s;e of my trouble, which I much feared; And having u&s;ed ma|ny Arguments and laid down many rea&s;ons to my &s;elf to quiet and moderate my Pa&s;&s;i|ons, and yet nothing prevail|ed to quiet and calm my Heart, and to bow me to the Obedience of his revealed Will: And withal, con&s;ide|ring that it was God only that could quiet the Heart, and &s;et our unruly, and carnal Affections into an holy frame and order, and, That he was a <HI>pre&s;ent Help in times of trou|ble,</HI> I often and earne&s;tly &s;ought unto the Lord with
<PB N="64" REF="33"> many Prayers, and Tears&punc; be&s;eeching him to quiet my Heart, and to over power and tame my unruly Affecti|ons, &s;o as to be willing to &s;ubmit unto him, and to bear his Afflicting Hand patiently and fruitfully, and to be rea|dy and willing to &s;ubmit (ei|ther in doing or &s;uffering) to what&s;oever he plea&s;ed to im|po&s;e upon me: And to be rea|dy to part with the be&s;t out|ward Comfort I enjoyed when&s;oever he &s;hould plea&s;e to call for the &s;ame.</P>
<P>And it plea&s;ed God &s;ea&s;o|nably to hear my Prayer, to regard my Tears, and to grant my Reque&s;ts, by calming, and quieting my Heart, and Spirit, and by giving me much more contentedne&s;s to &s;ubmit to his Holy Will, and good Plea|&s;ure who is a <HI>God of judg+ment</HI>
<PB N="65" REF="33"> and knows the fitte&s;t times and &s;ea&s;ons to come in with refre&s;hing comforts and who <HI>waits to be gracious</HI> unto tho&s;e that tru&s;t in him. Yet &s;urely I was not without ma|ny Temptations in this Hour of Darkne&s;s from that &s;ubtile Adver&s;ary who always &s;tands at watch to in&s;inuate and frame his Temptations an|&s;werable to our Conditions, and like a <HI>Roaring Lyon walks about continually, &s;eeking to de|vour</HI> poor, yet pretious <HI>Souls.</HI> Then I <HI>called upon the Lord in my di&s;tre&s;s, and he an&s;wered me and delivered me.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Ble&s;s the Lord O my Soul; and all that is within me Prai&s;e his Holy Name.</HI> For he hath remembred me in my low and troubled e&s;tate, becau&s;e <HI>his Mercy endureth for ever.</HI></P>
<P>Having thus had new ex|perience
<PB N="66" REF="34"> of Gods readine&s;s to hear and help when I called upon him; And having found that it is not in vain <HI>to &s;eek to, and to depend upon God in all</HI> our Straits, I could not but re|cord the&s;e things, that &s;o <HI>Eve|ry one that is Godly may &s;eek unto him in a time wherein he may be found,</HI> who is a <HI>pre&s;ent help</HI> in times of trouble, and who doth for us <HI>abundantly above what we can ask, or think</HI></P>
<P>The Lord knows that I write the&s;e things for no other end, but that God may have the Glory, and that others, e|&s;pecially my Relations, may be encouraged to &s;eek God in their Straits, and to tru&s;t in him at all times. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<P>After her Decea&s;e there was al&s;o found in her Cabinet a Paper with this Super&s;crip.</P>
<PB N="67" REF="34">
<P>My Will and de&s;ire is (with the leave of my Hus|band) to be&s;tow upon my Children the&s;e things as to|kens of my Motherly Affecti|ons, and that I may be remem|bred by them. She began with her Husband, and what &s;he gave to him and all the re&s;t, were all wrapped up in &s;everal Papers, and each Name endor&s;ed on the out&s;ide to whom it did belong, And then concludes all thus.</P>
<P><HI>But above all, my Prayers unto God are, that he would e|&s;pecially be&s;tow upon you, all needful Saving Graces, whereby y<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">u may be enabled to Glorifie his Great Name, in tho&s;e &s;eve|ral places and callings wherein he hath &s;et you. Amen, A|men.</HI></P>
<P>She left al&s;o Legacies to &s;ome Poor Neighbours: As
<PB N="68" REF="35"> al&s;o ten &s;hillings to Mr. W. the Mini&s;ter of the place, to buy him a mourning Ring Concluding thus.</P>
<P>If God &s;hall plea&s;e to bring me to my Grave in Peace, let this be the Text at my Fune|ral, <HI>Ephe&s;.</HI> 2.8. <HI>For by Grace ye are &s;aved, through Faith,</HI> This Scripture I was oft put upon to have recour&s;e to in times of Temptations, and De&s;ertion.</P>
<P>In an other little Book &s;he had collected &s;undry Texts of Scripture, which might mi|ni&s;ter grounds of great Com|fort again&s;t Satans Temptati|ons, whereby he labours, by &s;etting before us a black Bill of our Sins, and daily Infir|mities, and our great inabili|ties to every Good Duty, to blot out our Evidences, to &s;tagger our Faith, and to make
<PB N="69" REF="35"> us go heavily, and drooping in our way to Heaven.</P>
<P><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 1.17.18. Cea&s;e to do E|vil, Learn to do well:&mdash; And then, Though your Sins be as Scarlet, they &s;hall be as white as Snow: Though they be red as Crim&s;on, they &s;hall be as Wool.</P>
<P><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 43.25. I, even I am he that blotteth out thy Tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions for mine own &s;ake, and will not remember thy Sins.</P>
<P><HI>Ezek.</HI> 16.6. When I pa&s;&s;ed by thee, and &s;aw thee polluted in thy Blood, I &s;aid unto thee when thou wa&s;t in thy Blood, <HI>Live:</HI> Yea, I &s;aid unto thee when thou wa&s;t in thy Blood, <HI>Live,</HI> V. 8. When I pa&s;&s;ed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold! Thy time was the time of Love: And I &s;pread my Skirt over thee,
<PB N="70" REF="36"> and covered thy Nakedne&s;s Yea, I &s;ware unto thee, and entred into a Covenant with thee (&s;aith the Lord God) and thou becam&s;t mine. V. 9. Then wa&s;hed I thee with Wa|ter: Yea, I throughly wa&s;h|ed away thy Blood from thee, and anointed thee with Oyl.</P>
<P><HI>Ezek.</HI> 36.26, 27. A New Heart will I give you, and a New Spirit will I put within you: And I will take away the Stony Heart out of your Fle&s;h, and I will give you an Heart of Fle&s;h. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cau&s;e you to walk in my Statutes, and ye &s;hall keep my Judgments and do them.</P>
<P><HI>Lam.</HI> 3.31. The Lord will not ca&s;t off for ever.</P>
<P><HI>Joel</HI> 3.16. The Lord will be the Hope of his People.</P>
<P>1. <HI>Joh.</HI> 1, 9. If we con|fe&s;s
<PB N="71" REF="36"> our Sins, he is faithful and ju&s;t to forgive us our Sins, and to clean&s;e us from all Unrighteou&s;ne&s;s. He that believes &s;hall be &s;aved.</P>
<P><HI>Rom.</HI> 8.33, 34. Who &s;hall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? It is God that Ju&s;tifies: Who is he that Con|demneth?</P>
<P>2. <HI>Tim.</HI> 2.13. If we believe not (that is, If &s;ometimes we are not able to act Faith) yet God is faithful: He cannot de|ny him&s;elf.</P>
<P><HI>Ephe.</HI> 1.4 According as he hath cho&s;en us in him before the Foundation of the World. V. 5. Having Prede&s;tinated us to the Adoption of Chil|dren by <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;i</HI> to him|&s;elf, according to the good plea&s;ure of his Will. V. 6. To the Prai&s;e of the Glory of his Grace, wherein he hath made
<PB N="72" REF="37"> us accepted in the Beloved <HI>v.</HI> 7. In whom we have Re|demption through his Blood, the forgivene&s;s of Sins, through the riches of his Grace.</P>
<P>2. <HI>The&s;.</HI> 5.9. For God hath not appointed us unto Wrath: But to obtain Salvation by <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t</HI> our Lord.</P>
<P><HI>Joh.</HI> 10.28.29.30 I give unto them Eternal Life, and they &s;hall never peri&s;h, nei|ther &s;hall any Man pluck them out of my Hand. My Father which gave them me is great|er then all, and no Man is a|ble to pluck them out of my Fathers Hand: I and my Fa|ther are one.</P>
<P><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 50.10. Who is among you that &s;earcheth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his Servant; That walketh in darkne&s;s, and hath no Light:
<PB N="73" REF="37" MS="y"> Let him tru&s;t in the Name of the Lord, and &s;tay upon his God.</P>
<P><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 32.1, 2. Ble&s;&s;ed is the Man who&s;e iniquity is forgi|ven, Who&s;e Sin is covered. Ble&s;&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">d is the Man to whom the Lord imputeth not Sin.</P>
<P><HI>Ephe.</HI> 2.8. For by Grace you are &s;aved through Faith, and that not of your &s;elves: It is the Gift of God.</P>
<P><HI>Rom.</HI> 6.14. Sin &s;hall not have dominion over you: For you are not under the Law, but under Grace.</P>
<P><HI>Rom.</HI> 8.1. There is there|fore now no Condemnation to them which are in <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us</HI> who walk not after the Fle&s;h, but after the Spirit.</P>
<P><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 73.26. Though our Hearts may fail us, and our Fle&s;h may fail us, yet the Lord will never fail us.</P>
<PB N="74" REF="38">
<P><HI>Jer.</HI> 31.3. For he hath lo|ved us with an everla&s;ting Love.</P>
<P><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 26.3, 4. Thou wilt keep him in perfect Peace, who&s;e mind is &s;taid on thee, becau&s;e he tru&s;teth in thee. Tru&s;t in the Lord for ever. For in the Lord Jehovah is everla&s;ting Strength.</P>
<P>Promi&s;es of Protection, A&s;|&s;i&s;tance, Comfort, and deli|verance, whereby our Hearts may be upheld in the evil Day.</P>
<P><HI>Ezek.</HI> 9.4. Go through the mid&s;t of <HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> and &s;et a mark upon the Foreheads of them that &s;igh and cry for all the abominations that are done in the mid&s;t thereof.</P>
<P><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 34.6. This Poor man cried, and the Lord heard, and &s;aved him out of all his troubles. <HI>v.</HI> 19. Many are the
<PB N="75" REF="38"> Afflictions, of the Righteous: But the Lord delivereth them ou<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> of them all.</P>
<P><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 46, 1. God is our re|fuge and &s;trength: A very pre&s;ent help in trouble. <HI>v.</HI> 2. Therefore will not we fear, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 42.11. My Soul, why art thou ca&s;t down, and di&s;quieted within me? Hope thou in God: for I &s;hall yet Prai&s;e him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.</P>
<P><HI>I&s;a.</HI> 3.10. Say ye unto the Righteous, it &s;hall be well with him.</P>
<P><HI>Prov.</HI> 3.25, 26. Be not afraid of &s;udden Fear, neither of the de&s;olation of the wick|ed when it cometh. For the Lord &s;hall be thy Confidence, and &s;hall keep thy Foot from being taken.</P>
<PB N="76" REF="39">
<P><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 3.8. Salvation be|longeth to the Lord: Thy Ble&s;&s;ing is upon thy Peo|ple.</P>
<P><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 4.3. Know that the Lord hath &s;et apart him that is godly for him&s;elf: The Lord will hear when I call unto him. <HI>v.</HI> 8. I will both lay me down in Peace, and Sleep. For thou Lord only make&s;t me dwell in &s;afety.</P>
<P><HI>Nahum</HI> 1.7. The Lord is good: A &s;trong hold in the Day of trouble, and he know|eth them that tru&s;t in him.</P>
<P>2. <HI>Tim.</HI> 1.12. I know whom I have believed; And I am per&s;waded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him again&s;t that Day. For: <HI>Gen.</HI> 17.2. He is God Al&s;ufficient.</P>
<P><HI>Promi&s;es</HI> made to Gods People in the mo&s;t dangerous
<PB N="77" REF="39"> Times. What confidence we &s;hould have in God.</P>
<P><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 27.1, 2, 3. The Lord is my Light and my Salvati|on, whom &s;hall I fear? The Lord is the &s;trength of my life, of whom &s;hall I be a|fraid. When the Wicked even mine Enemies, and my Foes came upon me to eat up my Fle&s;h, they &s;tumbled and fell. Though an Ho&s;t &s;hould encamp again&s;t me, my Heart &s;hall not fear. Though War &s;hould ri&s;e again&s;t me, in this will I be confidenr. <HI>v.</HI> 4. One thing have I de&s;ired of the Lord, that will I &s;eek after: That I may dwell in the Hou&s;e of the Lord all the daies of my life. <HI>v.</HI> 5. For in the time of trouble he &s;hall hide me in his Pavilion: In the &s;ecret of his Tabernacle &s;hall he hide me: <HI>He</HI> &s;hall &s;et
<PB N="78" REF="40"> me up upon a Rock. Therefore <HI>v.</HI> 9. Hide not thy Face from me. Put not away thy Ser|vant in Anger: Thou ha&s;t been my Help; Leave me not, neither for&s;ake me, O God of my Salvation. <HI>v.</HI> 13. I had fainted unle&s;s I had believed to &s;ee the goodne&s;s of the Lord in the Land of the Li|ving. <HI>v.</HI> 14. Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage, and he &s;hall &s;trengthen thy Heart. Wait I &s;ay on the Lord.</P>
<P><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 40.4. Ble&s;&s;ed is the Man that maketh the Lord his tru&s;t, and re&s;pecteth not the Proud, nor &s;uch as turn a&s;ide to Lyes.</P>
<P><HI>P&s;al.</HI> 32.1. In thee, O Lord, do I put my tru&s;t: Let me never be a&s;hamed. V 3. For thou art my Rock, and my Fortre&s;s; therefore for thy Name &s;ake lead me and guide
<PB N="79" REF="40"> me. <HI>v.</HI> 23. O love the Lord, all ye Saints: For the Lord pre&s;erveth the Faithful. <HI>v.</HI> 24. Be of good courage, and he &s;hall &s;trengthen your Heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.</P>
<P><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 91.2. I will &s;ay of the Lord: He is my Refuge: and my Fortre&s;s. My God, in him will I tru&s;t.</P>
<P><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 94.14. For the Lord will not ca&s;t off his People, nei|ther will he for&s;ake his Inhe|ritance. <HI>v.</HI> 19. In the multitude of my Thoughts within me, thy Comforts delighted my Soul.</P>
<P><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 102.2. Hide not thy Face from me in the Day when I am ln trouble, incline thine Ear unto me. In the Day when I call, an&s;wer me &s;peedily.</P>
<P><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 115.11. Ye that fear the Lord tru&s;t in the Lord.
<PB N="80" REF="41"> He is their Help, and their Shield.</P>
<P><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 112.7. He &s;hall not be affraid of evil tidings. His Heart is fixed tru&s;ting in the Lord.</P>
<P><HI>P&s;a.</HI> 118.5. I called upon the Lord in di&s;tre&s;s: The Lord an&s;wered me, and &s;et me in a large place. <HI>v.</HI> 6. The Lord is on my &s;ide, I will not fear, what can man do unto me?</P>
<P N="1">1. <HI>Pet.</HI> 4.17. The time is come that Judgment mu&s;t be|gin at the Hou&s;e of God: And if it fir&s;t begin at us, what &s;hall the end be of them that obey not the Go&s;pel of God? <HI>v.</HI> 19. Wherefore let them that &s;uffer according to the Will of God commit the keep|ing of their Souls to him in wel-doing, as unto a faithfu Creator.</P>
<PB N="81" REF="41">
<P><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">. <HI>The&s;.</HI> 1.6, 7. It is a Righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you. And to you who are troubled, re&s;t with us, when the Lord <HI>Je&s;us Chri&s;t</HI> &s;hall be revealed from Heaven, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>2. <HI>The&s;.</HI> 3.3. The Lord is faithful, who &s;hall &s;tabli&s;h you, and keep you from evil.</P>
<P>The&s;e I have thought fit to t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">n&s;cribe, hoping that by Gods ble&s;&s;ing they may prove U&s;eful and Comfortable to many others as they were to her. But be&s;ides &s;he had col|lected many others, whereof (to prevent tediou&s;ne&s;s) I &s;hall only give you the Heads. As</P>
<P>Promi&s;es to &s;trengthen our Faith.</P>
<P>For Deliverance from all evil.</P>
<PB N="82" REF="42">
<P>For a&s;&s;i&s;tance in times of trouble.</P>
<P>For the Re&s;urrection of our Bodies.</P>
<P>For Eternal Glory with <HI>Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<P>That God will pre&s;erve his Children from Afflictions &s;o far as it is good for them.</P>
<P>That God will qualify, and moderate their Afflictions when they do come; And proportion them to their Strength.</P>
<P>That Afflictions are &s;ove|raign Medicines to kill Lu&s;ts, and to cure &s;piritual Di&s;ea|&s;es.</P>
<P>Promi&s;es made to &s;uch as &s;uffer in a Good Cau&s;e, for the Truth.</P>
<P>Promi&s;es of Deliverances from the Evil World.</P>
<P>Of Comfort to &s;uch as fall through Infirmity.</P>
<PB N="83" REF="42">
<P>Promi&s;es made to &s;uch as are Ignorant.</P>
<P>Comforts again&s;t doubts and fears of loo&s;ing the Love of God.</P>
<P>Comforts again&s;t forgetful|ne&s;s of Good things.</P>
<P>Comforts again&s;t fears of falling from God.</P>
<P>Comforts again&s;t di&s;may|edne&s;s under many and &s;trong Corruptions.</P>
<P>Comforts again&s;t troubles ari&s;ing fom the want of the means of Grace, either in the whole, or in the Power of them.</P>
<P>Comforts to Gods Chil|dren in ca&s;e of &s;piritual Di&s;er|tion.</P>
<P>Promi&s;es of the continu|ance and Unchangeablene&s;s, of Gods Love.</P>
<P>Promi&s;es of Gods &s;pecial and gracious pre&s;ence with
<PB N="84" REF="43"> his Children.</P>
<P>Promi&s;es of Gods Pro|tection and Providence over his.</P>
<P>Promi&s;es of be&s;towing <HI>Chri&s;t,</HI> and of many Ble&s;&s;ings with him. As, of Redemp|tion: Effectual Calling: Ju&s;ti|fication: Reconciliation: A|doption: Of be&s;towing the Spirit, for their Sanctificati|on; and all Spiritual Grace, As Faith; Confidence in God; Hope; Joy; Love to God: To <HI>Chri&s;t:</HI> To our Brethren: To Enemies: Of Obe|dience: Of Repentance; Of Knowledge: Of audience of their Prayers: Of Morti|fication of Sin, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>Promi&s;es of a&s;&s;i&s;tance in Holy Duties.</P>
<P>Promi&s;es of Gods accep|tance of our &s;piritual Sacrifi|ces.</P>
<PB N="85" REF="43">
<P>Promi&s;es of a ble&s;&s;ing upon Holy Ordinances.</P>
<P>Promi&s;es made to the con|&s;cientious performance of &s;undry Duties. As, to Prayer: To a careful &s;eeking of God: To watchfulne&s;s: To con|&s;cientious Sanctification of the <HI>Lords Dayes:</HI> For the pre|&s;ervation of his Church <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P><HI>In reading of Practical Au|thors &s;he had collected, and &s;et down many things which &s;he found u&s;eful, and Comfortable to her Soul:</HI> As,</P>
<P>Certain grounds of Com|fort to build our Faith upon in times of Temptations.</P>
<P>Signs whereby we may know whether we be in Co|venant with God or no.</P>
<P>Rea&s;ons why God made this Covenant with faln Man.</P>
<PB N="86" REF="44">
<P>What are the Gifts and priviledges of this Covenant.</P>
<P><HI>She hath al&s;o &s;et down m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ny Helps to provoke, and enable us to wait Gods lei&s;ure for the ac|compli&s;hment of his Rich, and free Promi&s;es, though his Pro|vidences &s;eem to run cro&s;s t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> them.</HI></P>
<P>And how we may be ena|bled to apply Gods Promi|&s;es.</P>
<P>And in the Conclu&s;ion of all &s;he thus Writes.</P>
<P><HI>It was the goodne&s;s of my God to remember me in my Youth, that &s;o I might not for|get him, neither in my Youth, nor in my Old Age.</HI></P>
<P>By all this it may appear what were the Gifts, and Graces wherewith the Lord had adorned her, and what her inward Beauty was: And as the Jewel was rare, &s;o was
<PB N="87" REF="44"> the Cabinet wherein it was lodged, comly. And the <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 word"> tels us
<Q><LG>
<L><HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="3 letters">t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">er e&s;t pulchro veniens &egrave; <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="3 letters">pore Virtus.</HI></L>
</LG>
<LG>
<L>That Virtue hath the greate&s;t Grace.</L>
<L>That &s;hineth through a Beau|teous Face.</L>
</LG></Q></P>
<P>And &s;uch truly was hers in her younger Dayes, and &s;ome Characters, and Lineaments of it continued in her Old Age, even to the la&s;t, as &s;undry Per|&s;ons ob&s;erved.</P>
<P><HI>Hallelujah.</HI></P>
<P>What was long &s;ince &s;aid of <HI>Mrs Katherine Bretterg</HI> may be t<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="2 letters">ly applied unto her.</P>
<PB N="88" REF="45">
<P><HI>Katherina</HI>
<LIST>
<ITEM><HI>Pura: Chri&s;toqua<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> purgata,</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Vita, Chri&s;to p<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">e|parata,</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Morte, Chri&s;to de|dicata,</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Coelis, Chri&s;to con|jugata.</HI></ITEM>
</LIST></P>
<P><HI>Prov.</HI> 31.30. <HI>Favour is de|ceitful, and beauty is vain, but a Woman that feareth the Lord &s;he &s;hall be Prai&s;ed.</HI></P>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="errata">
<HEAD>ERRATA.</HEAD>
<P>PAge <HI>4.</HI> Line <HI>6.</HI> for I&s;a. read I&s;abel, l. <HI>7.</HI> r. Overton f. verton, p. <HI>6.</HI> l. <HI>1<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">.</HI> r. words f. word, p. <HI>11.</HI> l <HI>22.</HI> add to, p. <HI>12.</HI> l. <HI>15.</HI> r. when f. wen, p. <HI>22.</HI> l. <HI>9. 10.</HI> r. cor|rupt times f. corruptions, p. <HI>24.</HI> l. <HI>9.</HI> r. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ll &s;o f. al&s;o, p. <HI>29.</HI> l. <HI>19.</HI> r. Hou&s;hold affai<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">, p. <HI>32.</HI> l. <HI>14.</HI> add &s;o, p. <HI>33.</HI> l. <HI>1.</HI> add the, p. <HI>35.</HI> l. <HI>3.</HI> r. ratling. f. rutling, l. <HI>6.</HI> add it. p. <HI>39.</HI> l. <HI>4.</HI> dele an i, in Exce&s;&s;ive, p. <HI>35.</HI> l. <HI>6.</HI> add it, p. <HI>60.</HI> l. <HI>3.</HI> r. conquerours, l. <HI>13.</HI> r. &s;ometime, p. <HI>66.</HI> l. <HI>25.</HI> r. Super&s;cription, p. <HI>72.</HI> l. <HI>22.</HI> r. feareth f. &s;earcheth.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="publisher's advertisement">
<PB REF="45" MS="y">
<HEAD>Courteous Reader.</HEAD>
<P>THe&s;e Books following are Printed for, and &s;old by <HI>William Miller,</HI> at the <HI>Gil|ded Acorn</HI> in <HI>S. Paul's Church-Yard,</HI> where al&s;o you may be furni&s;hed with mo&s;t &s;orts of Bound or Stiched Books as Acts of Parliament, Pro|clamations, Speeches, Declarati|ons, Letters, Orders, Ordinances, Remon&s;trances, Commi&s;&s;ions, Articles: As al&s;o Books of Di|vinity, Catechi&s;ms, Church government; Sermons on all Occa&s;ions; and mo&s;t &s;orts of Hi&s;tories, Poetry, Plays and &s;uch like, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<PB REF="46">
<LIST>
<HEAD>Books in Folio.</HEAD>
<ITEM>AS&s;emblies Annotations.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Bakers</HI> Chronicle.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Ge&s;ners</HI> hi&s;tory of Bea&s;ts and Serpents.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Heylin's</HI> Co&s;mography.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Jo&s;ephus</HI> Hi&s;tory of the Jews</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Juvenal</HI> with Cuts by Sir <HI>Ro|bert Stapylton.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Ambro&s;es</HI> works.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Cradocks</HI> Harmony.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Churchil</HI> Divi Britanici.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>El&s;on on Colo&s;&s;ians.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Knowledge and Practice, <HI>qua<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> Quarto<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Principles, <HI>oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Gunters</HI> works.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Barbers</HI> Sermon, <HI>I&s;a.</HI> 9.6.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>J. B.</HI> Sermon, Survey of Man</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Job</HI> 14, 10.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Dod</HI> on the Lords Prayer.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Medice Cura Teip&s;um,</HI> o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> the Apothecaries plea again&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter"> Doctor <HI>Chri&s;topher Meret.</HI></ITEM>
<PB REF="46" MS="y">
<ITEM><HI>William</HI> Lord Bi&s;hop of <HI>Gluce&s;ter,</HI> Entituled a plain and full Expo&s;ition of the Ca|techi&s;m of the Church of <HI>En|gland.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Edward</HI> Lord Bi&s;hop of <HI>Norwich,</HI> Entituled, a Sermon preached before the Peers at <HI>We&s;tmin&s;ter</HI> the 7. <HI>Nov.</HI> being a day of &s;olemn Humiliation for the continuing Pe&s;tilence.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Nat. Hardy</HI> Dr. Entituled, Ju&s;tice Triumphing, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> a Sermon preached the 5, of <HI>No|vem.</HI> &mdash; Entituled, The pilgrims wi&s;h, a Sermon preached at the Funeral of Mrs. <HI>Anne Dud&s;on.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&mdash;Entituled, A loud Call to great Mourning, a Sermon preached on the 30. <HI>Jan.</HI> 1661. before the Parliament.</ITEM>
<ITEM>&mdash;Entituled, Lamentation, Mourning and Wo, a Sermon preached the Lords day after
<PB REF="47"> the di&s;mal Fire in the City of <HI>London.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&mdash;Entituled, the Royal Common-wealths Man, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> a Sermon preached at the Fu|neral of Sir <HI>Thomas Adams.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Sam. Drake</HI> Dr. Entituled, &THgr;&Egr;&Ogr;&Ugr; &Dgr;&Igr;&Aacugr;&Kgr;&Ogr;&Ngr;&Ogr;&Zgr;, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> a Sermon preached at the A&s;&s;izes at <HI>York.</HI> 1669.</ITEM>
<ITEM>&mdash;Entit. <HI>Totum Hominis, &amp;c.</HI> a Sermon preached the 15, <HI>March</HI> at the A&s;&s;izes in <HI>York&punc;</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Marriage of Arts a play.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Mi&s;er a play.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Ba&s;tard a play.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Cheats a play.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Faithful Shepherde&s;s a play.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Horatius</HI> a play.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Polyencles a play,</ITEM>
<ITEM>Combat of love and friend|&s;hip a play.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Spani&s;h Gip&s;ie a play.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Fettiplace,</HI> the &s;ouls narrow &s;earch for &s;in, <HI>oct.</HI></ITEM>
<PB REF="47" MS="y">
<ITEM><HI>Fertiplace</HI> Chri&s;tian Moni|tor earne&s;tly and compa&s;&s;io|nately per&s;wading &s;inners un|to true and timely repentance.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Engli&s;h Dictionary, or ex|po&s;itor, the 12 Edition Revi|&s;ed and enlarged, by <HI>S.C. duod.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Compleat Bone-&s;etter, <HI>oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Templum Mu&s;icum,</HI> or the Mu&s;ical Synop. <HI>oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>The famous game of Che&s;s|play, <HI>oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Shelton</HI>'s <HI>Tachygraphia, Lat. oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Clarks</HI> Looking-gla&s;s for per&s;ecutors, <HI>oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Tillot&s;on</HI> and <HI>Stillingfleets</HI> rule of faith, <HI>oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Heathen Gods, <HI>oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Clavis Homerica, oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Beverley</HI> Great Soul of Man, <HI>oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>&mdash; Death-bed Repentance, <HI>quar.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Warren</HI> principles of Chri|&s;tian Doctrin, <HI>oct. Janua</HI></ITEM>
<PB REF="48">
<ITEM><HI>Janua Linguarum Novi&s;&s;i|ma, oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Commenii Ve&s;tibulum, oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Owen</HI> of Love, <HI>oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Savage Life, <HI>oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Buttler's</HI> Life, <HI>oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Syntaxis Era&s;miana, oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Johanne Betto</HI> M. D. Enti|tuled, <HI>De Ortu &amp; Natura San|guinis, oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Thomas Elborow</HI> Entit. The famous Epi&s;tles of S. <HI>Polycarp</HI> and S. <HI>Ignatius</HI> Di&s;ciples to the holy Evangeli&s;t and Apo|&s;tle S. <HI>John;</HI> with the Epi&s;tle of S. <HI>Barnabas,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>oct.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Martials</HI> Epigrams by <HI>Bu&s;|by, duod.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Tho. Mall</HI> &amp; <HI>Theoph. Pol. wheile,</HI> Entit. Holy Li|ving, a &s;eri|ous Exhortati|on thereunto, and choice Di|rections there|in, <HI>&amp;c. duod.</HI></ITEM>
<PB REF="48" MS="y">
<ITEM>Wit Revived, <HI>duod.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Supplication of Saints, <HI>duod.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Butlers</HI> Rhetorick, <HI>duod.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Clark</HI> abour comfort which Gods children have, or at he lea&s;t earne&s;tly de&s;ire and <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="UOM" EXTENT="1 letter">ong after whil&s;t they are in this World, together with the ob&s;tructions of comfort, and the removal of them, <HI>duod.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Jeofferies</HI> New years gift, <HI>duod.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>Divine Examples of Gods &s;evere Judgements upon Sab|bath breakers in their unlaw|ful &s;ports, Collected out of &s;everal Divine &s;ubjects, <HI>viz.</HI> Ma&s;ter <HI>H, B.</HI> Ma&s;ter <HI>Beard,</HI> and the <HI>Practice of Piety:</HI> a fit mo|nument for our pre&s;ent times, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>A brief Remembrancer, or the right Improvement of Chri&s;t's Birth day.</ITEM>
<ITEM>A &s;econd &s;heet of old Ma|&s;ter
<PB REF="49"> <HI>Dod's</HI> &s;ayings, or another Po&s;ie gathered out of Ma&s;ter <HI>Dod's</HI> Garden.</ITEM>
<ITEM>The Hunting for Money the fir&s;t part:</ITEM>
<ITEM>The Hunting Match for Money the 2. part.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Vennings</HI> Alarm.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Mu&s;es fire-works upon the fifth of <HI>November,</HI> or the Pro|te&s;tant Remembrancer.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Perkin's</HI> whole Duty of Man.</ITEM>
</LIST>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="49" MS="y">
<PB REF="50">
<PB REF="50">
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
