The Ornament of Women, Dedication 2
TO The truly Noble and Pious SISTERS Miſt. Elizabeth Machell, and the LADY Letice Holcrofte, Grace and Peace be multiplied.
Much Honoured, &c.
I Make bold to joyn you both in this Epiſtle, whom GOD hath lincked with thoſe firm bonds of Nature, Affection, and eſpecially true Religion, which is a threefold Cord not eaſily broken. I know you both would be heartily glad to ſee her Picture, for whoſe ſake I have ſet Pen to paper at this preſent. But I am conſident, that no Limner could draw her to the life, becauſe ſhe was all glorious within, Pſal. 45.13.and her life hid with Chriſt in God, Col. 3.3.
Therefore ſeeing ſhe muſt bee repreſented rather by a Penne than a Penſil, I have endeavoured to ſet before your eyes ſuch a rude draught, as my preſent, and urgent occaſions would ſuffer me to make at her Funerall. And becauſe thoſe Peeces pleaſe the judicious beſt, which are rather true than rich, or gaudy, I have ſtudyed to ſet her forth in her owne proper colours, not with gariſh Eloquence, and gaudy words, but in that language, which ſhee beſt liked.
Now that I may ſpeake a word in ſeaſon to you in ſeverall. Firſt, for you her deare Mother, in the middeſt of all your mourning let this ſolace your ſoule and ſpirit, that you were not onelyonly the Mother of ſuch a daughter, but had an hand in making her a daughter of Abraham, yea of Almighty God. Your good inſtructions, and example, in frequenting the houſe of God, &c. were a maine motive, (no doubt) to make her in love with that good Word of GOD, which wrought ſo effectually, and in a manner miraculouſly in her, therfore you have much more cauſe of joy and gladneſſe, than of griefe and heavineſſe. If all Parents would but give ſuch example as you have done, both at home and in Gods houſe, ô what holy and happy houſes, and congregations ſhould we have! what thronging and crowding would there bee in moſt Churches, which now are almoſt empty oftentimes! But when moſt Parents provide rather for their Childrens bodies than ſoules, making much of the Carkas, neglecting the Conſcience, no mervaile that there is ſo little hope in moſt of their Poſteritie.
Goe on therfore with good ſucceſſe as you have begun, and ſtill doe more and more worthily in Iſrael. GOD hath given you an heart, not only to be a Favourer, which is eaſie, but a Follower, yea, and a Furtherer of thoſe that hee hath ſent into his Vineyard: the ſame Lord multiply his mercy, grace and ſpirit upon you and yours, that you may ſtill prove Noble patternes unto others.
And now good Madam, to returne to your Ladiſhip, I know you bare no ſmall ſhare of ſorrow with your beloved Siſter in this buſineſſe, becauſe you have a long time loved your deceaſed Kinſwoman, as if ſhee had beene your owne daughter: witneſſe thoſe affectionate words of ſalutation, which you uſually inſerted into the Letters your Ladyſhip ſent to her Mother, which ever had a ſpeciall accent, and emphaſis, when you came to her. Inſomuch as I dare boldly ſay, you deſire nothing more to your deareſt daughters than ſuch a dowry of grace and goodneſſe as her heavenly Father had beſtowed on her.
For you knew her farre different from the diſpoſition of other Gentlewomen, who make their ſoules ſlaves to their bodyes, and both ſoule and body, drudges to the world and the Devill, Becauſe, whereas other women trouble themſelves with many things like Martha, ſhee ſet her ſoule upon that one thing neceſſary, chuſing with Mary that better part, which could not be taken from her, Luk. 10. laſt ver.
Shee was never more diligent than when ſhee was to deale with GOD in his holy Ordinances, and in nothing ſo negligent, as in the world, and things of the world, and yet ſhee complained on her death bed, that ſhe had beene too worldly, Alas! what cauſe then have wee to complaine of others, who dote ſo much upon the droſſe and dung of the world, and make it no better than an Idoll!
That precious time which other Gentlevvomen vvickedly waſt in tricking and trimming the body, ſhe ſpecially ſpent in decking and adorning the ſoule, for vvhatſoever was to bee done, the ſoule ſhould not be forgotten. And vvhereas others are taken up with faire buildings and ſtately houſes, &c. ſhee mainely minded to beautifie her houſe, not only vvith the Forme of godlineſſe, vvhichwhich many families have, 2 Tim. 3.4.but moſt of all with the Power of godlineſſe, vvhichwhich few regard. And hence vvas it that ſhe ſo much deſired to have the ſpeciall care of Families commended unto others at her Funerall. For ſhe ſet up her reſolution with worthy Ioſhuah. Let others doe what they would, Ioſh. 24.15.follow the world, or ſerve their luſts, and the times. She and her houſe would ſerve the Lord.
Neither was ſhee afraid to owne Chriſt as many are, who think it more generous; to ſet up ſports and paſtimes, and follow pleaſures &c. than ſet up Chriſt and his ordinances in their houſes.
Moreover her charity did notably ſecond her Piety, for not only the loynes of the poore but their bellyes, Iob 31.20. Shee was willing to heale their ſores, and helpe their ſouls giving them good inſtructions as well as plaſters.and backes did bleſſe her, as Job ſpeakes, yea, their legges and hands, their eyes and cares, did pronounce her bleſſed. So that we have great cauſe to give God thanks for her work of faith, and labour of love, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 1 Theſ. 1.3. There be ſome, that have Piety, but want Charity, ſuch are but as ſounding braſſe and tinckling Cymbals, 1 Cor. 13.1. And ſome againe have a kinde of Charity; but care not for Pietie, they give much Almes, but doe not give themſelves to God, nor give over their ſinnes. Such Saint Ambroſe ſaith, Multi ſunt qui faciunt eleemoſynā, & tamen peccare non ceſsant tiſti quaſi ſua… offerunt Deo & ſeipſos Diabolo. Amb. Ser. 12.give their goods to God, and themſelves to the devill. But your worthy Kinſwoman was none ſuch, for first ſhe gave her ſelfe to God as the Macedonians did, and then to Gods Meſſengers, and to the Saints, 2 Cor. 8.1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
What then though ſhee dyed a diſtaſtfull death by reaſon of her diſeaſe? Yet ſhe left a moſt ſweet ſmell and ſavour behinde her, even the precious oyntment of a good Name, ſo that the day of her death was much better than the day of her birth, as Solomon ſaith, in the ſame place, Eccleſ. 7.1. Whereas many others, that die of faire diſcaſes leave a noyſome and unſavoury ſent behinde them, going out like the ſnuffe of a Candle.
This was that which made her ſo ready to reſigne her will to Gods in greateſt extremities, and towards her latter end, ſo much to long to goe home (as her words were) for ſhee made no more of death than a departing home, ſo that we ſaw her ſomething troubled, when thoſe that were about her laboured to preſerve her life, ſaying, Why will you not let me goe? as if they did hinder her happines. Thus with my ſingular reſpect to you both, and thoſe that bee moſt neare unto you, commending you, and all yours to the grace of our God, Epheſ. 3.20.who is able to doe exceeding abundantly above all wee can aske or thinke, I reſt
Your Honours much obliged Stephen Geree.