Two Treatises, Part 2 – Part 2
A PROFITABLE MEMORIALL of the Converſion, Life, and Death of Mris. MARY GVNTER, ſet vp as a Monument to be looked vponupon, both by Proteſtants and Papiſts.
I Could not better ſpēd ſome part of the dayes of my mourning for the loſſe of my deare wife, than in ſetting downe briefly ſome Paſſages of her courſe and Pilgrimage, that the happy memory of her graces and vertuous life might euer liue with me, both for incitation, and imitation. And if my deſires were ſtrong to make them more publike for the direction of ſome others, I hope it will rather be charitably aſcribed to the working and ſtirring of my affection towardes her Aſhes, than to any vanitie of minde, or oſtentation in her. Beſides, I am ſure, that if a Proteſtant had beene ſeduced from vsus (as ſhee was called out of Popery) and had liued and died ſo zealous in that Religion, as ſhee did in this, the aduerſaries would hauehave made their aduantage of it, and publiſhed the ſame as one of the miracles of their Church. And I ſee not but it may bee as lawfull for mee, as it may prooue profitable for others, to ſet down the knowne Truth concerning her; that as ſhee was in her life, ſo alſo ſhee may happily continue now after her death, an happy inſtrument of Gods glory in earth, as I am aſſured ſhee is a veſſell before him filled with his glory of heauen.
THis gracious Woman was for birth a Gentlewoman,Her birth. but deſcended of Popiſh Parents, who dying in her infancy, ſhee was committed vntounto the tuition of an old Lady,Popiſh education. honourable for her place, but a ſtrong Papiſt, who nouſled and miſled this Orphane in Popery, till ſhee came about foureteene yeeres of age; at which time this Lady died. VponUpon which occaſion, God (hauing a mercifull purpoſe towards her conuerſion) by his good Prouidence, brought her to the ſeruice of that Religious and truly honourable Lady, the Counteſſe of Leiceſter, who entertained her with more than ordinary reſpect, both becauſe of her young yeeres, as alſo becauſe ſhee was allied to Sir Chriſtopher Blunt, then husband to the honourable Counteſſe; at whoſe requeſt his Lady had taken her into her care.
To this Honourable Counteſſe ſhee came a moſt zealous Papiſt, and reſolute, as ſoone as poſſibly ſhee could apprehend a fit opportunitie, to conuey her ſelfe beyond the Seas, and become a Nun; for ſhe then thought that that was the ſureſt and likelieſt way to get Heauen: which as ſhee had an earneſt deſire to attaine, ſo would ſhee take the neereſt way which ſhee thought would bring her thither.This religious care of the honourable Counteſſe, as ſhee did all her life thankfully acknowledge it, ſo is it very obſeruable both for the high commendation of her honor and for the imitation of others of her honourable ranke.But ſhee could not ſo cloſely carry her ſecret deuotions and intentions, but that by the carefull eye of her Honourable Lady, they were ſoone diſcouered, and not ſooner diſcouered than wiſely preuented; for preſently her Lady tooke from her all her Popiſh books, Beades and Images, and all ſuch trumpery, and ſet a narrow watch ouer her, that ſhee might bee kept from her Popiſh Prayers, and not abſent her ſelfe from the daily Prayers of the Family, which were religiouſly obſerued: further, requiring her to reade thoſe Praiers that her honour daily vſed to hauehave in her priuate chamber with her women.
Her Ladiſhip alſo carefully preuented her from her Popiſh company and counſell by word or writing, for neither might ſhee write nor receiue any letter without the view and conſent of her Honour.
Shee alſo conſtrained her to bee countable for the Sermons which ſhee heard in the houſe, which were conſtantly two eueryevery Sabboth day, (for the increaſe of the ſound knowledge of God, which is the onelyonly Hammer of Popery.) And heereby ſhee in ſhort time obtained great ability to communicate to others the ſubſtance of thoſe Sermons which ſhee heard, the rather becauſe it was conſtantly obſerued by all the women in that honorable Family, to come together after the laſt Sermon, and make repetition of both.
And this ſhee did as yet for feare, but ſtill with this reſeruation, that ſhee would keepe her heart for Popery; and truſted that God would bee mercifull vntounto her (as Naaman) in this which ſhee did onelyonly through feare and conſtraint. But God (who in his owne time worketh in his owne meanes) began to worke in her firſt a ſtaggering in her old way; For, when ſhee ſaw the holy conuerſation of that Reuerend Preacher, Maſter I. W. who was then Chaplin to the Counteſſe; ſhe began to perſwade her ſelfe, that ſurely this mans godlineſſe muſt needs bring him to Heauen. And then the reuerend reſpect of the man made her begin to giuegive ſome better care to his Doctrine, to examine his proofes, and to reuerence his Miniſtry; whereby in ſhort time,Her new birth. it pleaſed God that ſhee was wonne to beleeue the Truth, and renounce her former ſuperſtition and ignorance. And, as it is the property of a true Conuert,Iohn 1.45. being conuerted her ſelfe ſhee endeauoured the conuerſion of others, and was a great helpe and furtherance to the publique Miniſtery that way; For this was a thing which that honourable Familie tooke ſpeciall knowledge of; and there were many that had great cauſe to bleſſe God for her in that reſpect.
Reuel. 12.Now preſently Satan (that Dragon that watcheth to deuoure eueryevery manchilde which ſhall bee borne vntounto God) begins to rage,Her long and ſtrong temptations. and reach at her with ſtrong and violent temptations: and firſt hee terrified her in that ſhee had ſinned the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt; for ſhee had played the deepe diſſembler; and being in heart a Papiſt, yet ioyned with the Proteſtants whom ſhee held for Heretickes, and all this againſt her knowledge and conſcience, and ſo fiercely and inceſſantly hee followed this temptation, as that ſhee was perſwaded it was impoſſible that euer this ſinne ſhould or could bee pardoned. And this temptation was pointed and ſharpened with that dreadfull and fowle ſuggeſtion of ſelfe murder, as if the remedy of the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt, were to deſtroy ones ſelfe. While ſhee was thus long toſſed and tumbled in theſe waues and billowes of Satanicall ſuggeſtions, wherein ſhee was ſo low caſt and deiected (ſtill concealing her griefe) as ſhee almoſt deſpaired of recouery; It pleaſed God to direct that Reuerend Preacher (who was her Father in Chriſt, and whom ſhee euer after embraced with the moſt entyre louelove of the moſt naturall Childe) to entreat of this ſinne; and to ſhew what it was, and by whom and in what manner it was committed. To which Doctrine ſhee diligently hearkening, and by examination of it, and her ſelfe, finding that ſhee had not ſo ſinned after illumination, nor with obſtinate malice againſt God or his Truth (which when ſhee was moſt ſuperſtitiouſly deuoted, ſhee deſired to finde out) it pleaſed God to quiet her minde for that; and ſo led her ouer that temptation.
But Satan that departed from our head, Ieſus Chriſt, onelyonly for a ſeaſon, was not long away from the moleſtation of this his member, but returned and brought leuen worſe ſpirits (were it poſſible) than before, and now his name may be Legion; for now hee would confound and oppreſſe her with multitudes of blaſphemous thoughts, and doubts. Now muſt ſhee beleeue there is no God: That the Scriptures are not his word, but a Pollicie: or if it were his word, who muſt interpret it? or how could ſhee a ſilly woman get the vnderſtanding of ſuch deepe myſteries as are contained in the ſame? Beſides, as ſhe was of minde that ſhee was gotten out of one errour, ſo ſhee knew nothing but that ſhee was miſled into another; for, how could ſhee bee ſure that this was the truth which ſhee now profeſſed, ſeeing there are as many or more learned men of the one opinion as of the other, and all of them maintaine their opinions by the Scriptures. Thus was ſhee vexed and exerciſed with Armies of rouing and vnſetled conceits for fiue or ſixe yeeres together, till God (whom ſhe often ſollicited for direction and aſſiſtance in the combat) brought her to this reſolution, that ſhee would hold theſe concluſions, whatſoeuer diſputes Satan might weary her withall. That there was not onelyonly a God in himſelfe, but a God that was her God: and whatſoeuer opinions there were in the world, that there was but one Truth, and that was to bee learned out of the Scriptures; and though there were much in the Bible which ſhee did not vnderſtand, yet ſhee was perſwaded, that if ſhee would diligently reade and ſearch the Scriptures, with earneſt Prayer to God for a good vnderſtanding in them, ſhee ſhould attaine thence a meaſure of knowledge, ſufficient to bring her to heauen; and holding ſtrongly theſe groundes, ſhee found the temptations waſte away by degrees, and her ſelfe daily more ſtrongly ſetled vponupon the foundation.
Neither was ſhee onelyonly by the grace of God a Conquerour in theſe temptations, but I may ſay with the Apoſtle, in a maner more than a Conquerour by them; for, God (who bringeth light out of darkeneſſe) made theſe temptations a ſweet ſeaſoning of her whole life. By occaſion of which, ſhee tied her ſelfe to a ſtrict courſe of godlineſſe, and a conſtant practiſe of Chriſtian Duties, which ſhe religiouſly obſerned euen till her dying day.
For firſt,Her religious life. that ſhee might bee ſtabliſhed in the Truth, and confirmed againſt thoſe former wauerings and weakneſſes, ſhee vowed, that God aſſiſting her, ſhee would eueryevery yeere reade ouer the whole Bible in an ordinary courſe,Extraordinary diligence in the Scriptures. which courſe ſhe conſtantly obſerued for the ſpace of fifteene yeres together, beginning her taske vponupon her birth day, and reading eueryevery day ſo many Chapters as to bring it about iuſt with the yeere. By which exerciſe ſhee gained a great increaſe of knowledge, and no leſſe ſtrengthening of her faith; for ſhee did not reade careleſly or negligently, but alwayes kept a note of what places ſhe did not vnderſtand, and would ſtill be inquiring the meaning of them, as ſhee met either with Miniſters, or ſuch as ſhee thought were able to informe her in the ſame. And her cuſtome was euer before ſhee opened her Bible, to ſend vp a ſhort prayer vntounto god, for the opening of her blinde eyes, to the vnderſtanding of thoſe ſacred myſteries, that ſo they might bee as a Lanthorne to guide her feet in the wayes of holineſſe, vntill ſhee had attained her deſired happineſſe.
And not here with contented, as a good Mary ſhee pondered the Word of God in her heart, for by her great induſtry in the Scriptures, ſhee had gotten by heart many ſelect Chapters, and ſpeciall Pſalmes; and of eueryevery Booke of the Scripture one choife verſe: all which ſhee weekly repeated in an order which ſhee propounded to her ſelfe: and being asked why ſhee was ſo laborious in getting and retaining thoſe Scriptures in memory? Her anſwer was, that ſhee knew not what dayest of triall, or perſecution might come, wherein ſhee might bee depriued of her Bible, and other good bookes and helpes; but ſo much of the Scriptures as ſhee could get into her heart, ſhee knew no Tyrants or Enemies could bereaue or rob her of (God make thee that readeſt, and me that writeth this, ſo Chriſtianly prouident, as in theſe dayes of plentie to lay vp ſomewhat for the dayes of ſtraitneſſe and famine.) Secondly,Her inſtance in her priuat Prayers.from that time of her trouble ſhee reſolued vponupon Daniels practiſe, wherein ſhee was alſo conſtant; namely, beſides the family duties, which were twiſe a day performed by the Chaplin in that Religious houſe in which ſhee liued till within one yeere of her death; And beſides the priuate Praicrs that ſhee dayly read in her Ladies Bedchamber, ſhe was thrice eueryevery day on her knees before God in ſecret, like a true worſhipper, whoſe delight was to bee in Gods preſence. By meanes of which daily exerciſe, beſides all other comfortable fruits, ſhee attained a ſingular ſweet gift in prayer, whereby ſhee could both ſtrongly wreſtle, and happily preuaile with God, whoſe grace ſuffereth himſelfe to bee ouercome with the praiers of his weake ſeruants.
And becauſe ſhee knew that religious faſting is the whetſtone of Prayer, ſhee tied her ſelfe to ſet apart ſix dayes in eueryevery yeere, wherein ſhe was extraordinarily humbled in faſting and prayer, for her owne ſinnes, and the ſins of the times. At all which times ſhee was in ſpeciall manner earneſt with the Lord, that hee would bee pleaſed further to reueale vntounto her his whole Truth, needfull for her ſaluation, and keepe her conſtant in the obedience thereof vntounto the end.
And becauſe ſhee knew that the right and worthy Receiuing of the Sacraments affordeth a Chriſtian ſpeciall ſtrength, and much ſtability in the courſe of godlineſſe: as ſhee diligently apprehended that comfort when ſhe could conueniently receiue that Sacrament; ſo for many yeeres ſhee had laid a band vponupon her ſelfe, neuer to receiue it, but the day before to fit, and examine her ſelfe ſeriouſly, deeply humbling her ſelfe before the Lord in faſting and prayer all the day long.
Thirdly,The tenderneſſe of her conſcience. the trouble of her conſcience, made her euer of a tender conſcience: fearefull ſhee was of offending God and her owne conſcience; and watched her ſelfe narrowly; and to keepe her ſelfe in awe; for the ſpace of fiue yeeres before her death, ſhe kept a Catalogue of her daily ſlips, and ſet downe euen the naughtie thoughts which ſhee obſerued in her ſelfe, that one day in eueryevery weeke ſhe might extraordinarily humble her ſelfe for all the failings of that weeke, and this with ſuch moderate abſtinence as might beſt fit her weake body to humble and feruent praier. And all theſe priuate religious duties, ſhee performed ſo ſecretly, that none but her boſome friend knew of their performance. As ſhe was thus fearefull of ſinnes preſent, and to come, ſo her conſcience was tender in reſpect of ſins paſt as may appeare by this memorable inſtance. Whileſt ſhee was a child bred vp in the chamber of that old Lady, ſhe was entiſed by lewd ſeruants who fed her with figs, and other ſuch toies, fit to pleaſe children withall, to ſteale money out of the Ladies Cabinet which often ſtood open in her Chamber, and which they knew ſhee had the fitteſt opportunitie to doe of all other: whereunto her childiſhneſſe giuing way, ſhee found it not miſſed, and ſo continued it for ſeuen yeeres or thereabouts without any great checke of Conſcience. But when the light of God came in and made a priuy ſearch in the heart; and made her able to take her ſelfe with the fact; now ſhee was aſhamed and confounded in her ſelfe, and her ſtirred conſcience gaue her no reſt, nor could ſhee conceiue any hope of quiet, beeauſe ſheſaw, ſhe had done that which ſhe could no way vndoe. If ſhe looked at the ſumme of money taken … giuen away, … conceiued that by continuing in that courſe ſeuen yeeres together, ſhee might hauehave wronged that Lady thirtie or fortie pound. If ſhee thought of reſtitution, ſhee was no way able. Thus ſhee carried the burden of this ſin a long time, eaſing it aſwell as ſhee could with a reſolute purpoſe, if euer God pleaſed to make her able, to make reſtitution to the heires of the deceaſed Lady. And accordingly ſo ſhee did. For whē that honourable, and bountifull Lady, whom ſhee ſo long ſerued, gaue her a large portion when ſhee beſtowed her in marriage, ſhee forthwith made choice of a Reuerend Miniſter, whom ſhee emploied therein (enioyning him ſecrecie) and becauſe ſhee would bee ſure to make full reſtitution, ſhe deliuered him ſixty pounds, to tender vntounto this Ladies heire, as from a concealed ſeruant of the Ladies, who had vniuſtly taken it away from her. And when the Gentleman returned ten pounds of it backe againe, ſuch was the tenderneſſe of her conſcience, that ſhee would receiue none of it to her own vſe; but gaue it away to poore and pious perſons and vſes. And this childiſh errour God turned to her good; for in all the two and twenty yeeres of her ſeruice vntounto that honourable Lady, ſhee neuer durſt make vſe of any thing that was vnderunder her charge, were it ſmall or great, but ſet it downe in writing, and once eueryevery yeere did make it good, either in the kinde, or in ſome other thing which ſhee bought for her Ladiſhips vſe.
Fourthly,Her charitable diſpoſition. the ſenſe of her owne weakneſſes and wants made her of a pittifull, and charitable diſpoſition towards the wants, and miſeries of others. Shee had euer a large heart to the poore, eſpecially the godly poore; ſhe neuer did ſee or heare of any that were in want, but her heart did mourne if ſhee had not to releeue them, neither was her hand ſhut, for ſhee did yeerely lay aſide a portion of money to the vttermoſt of her ability (if not beyond) for their releefe. Thus ſhee liued holily, happily, and deſiredly: Neither could ſo gracious a life be ſhut vp but by an anſwerable, that is, an happy death and diſſolution, wherof I will adde but a few wordes, and ſo leaue her to her happineſſe till wee meet happily againe.
True it is,Her Imgring ſickneſſe. that the life of a Chriſtian ſhould bee a continuall meditation of death, as it is a continuall motion to death: and ſuch was the latter part eſpecially of the life of this Chriſtian woman, who was of weake and ſickly conſtitution many yeeres before her death, which made her ſo much the more prepared for her laſt combate and ſickneſſe, which laſted ten weekes; in all which time ſhee certainly apprehended and expected her diſſolution, it being the principall, and almoſt onelyonly ſubiect of her diſcourſe, ſix moneths before it came. But thirty dayes before her departure, ſhe finding her paines increaſing, and growing very ſharpe and tedious, ſhe ſpent an houres talke with mee concerning her deſire for the things of this life; and hauing ſaid what ſhee purpoſed, ſhee thus concluded her ſpeech: Now ſweet Heart, no more wordes betweene you and mee of any worldly thing, onelyonly let me earneſtly requeſt, and charge you, that as you ſee my weaknes increaſe, you will not faile to aſſiſt me, and call on mee to follow the Lord with prayer and patience; For, now I know, that Satan will ſhew all his malice, becauſe his time is but ſhort againſt me, and he will eaſily eſpie my weakneſſe, and make his aduantage of it, and therefore now eſpecially helpe mee with your counſell, comfort and praiers.
In all the time of her ſickneſſe, our gracious God who as a faſt friend ſtandeth cloſeſt to his ſeruants when they hauehave moſt need of him, ſhewed his gracious preſence with her, as in all other comfortable ſupplies anſwerable to that depth of diſtreſſe, ſo eſpecially in hearing and anſwering her prayers, and deſires of her heart.
There were foure requeſts which wee …bſ…rued ſhee eſpeci… preferred vntounto God in her ſickneſſe,Foure requeſts … them all.and in none of them was denyed.
The firſt, that ſhee might be armed with ſtrength againſt Satans aſſaults, which ſhee expected would be fierce & frequent; from whom ſhe was mercifully freed; for onelyonly three dayes before her death, ſhee began to bee deiected in the ſenſe of her owne dulneſſe, and thereby began to call in queſtion Gods louelove towards her, and the truth of Gods grace in her; for ſaid ſhee, were I the Lords, why ſhould not I lift vp my head now, ſeeing the time of my diſſolution draweth on ſo neere? But theſe complaints continued not aboue ſixe houres, but ſhee had much cheerefulneſſe and comfort againe, which ſhee expreſſed, both in earneſt and excellent Prayers, (wherein her gift was more than ordinary for her ſex) as alſo in many cheerful thanks and praiſes to God for his great mercy, for that hee had now ſo chained Satan at this time of her great weakneſſe, that hauing beene formerly moleſted, and daily vexed with his aſſaults, for the ſpace of aboue ſix yeeres together, now hee would not ſuffer him to reſt on her with his malice aboue ſix houres.
Her ſecond requeſt was, that the Lord would ſtrengthen her with patience to endure all her paines to the end; and herein ſhe was as graciouſly heard as in the former, for although ſhe was full of paines, and aſſaulted with many ſtrong fits, in which no part was exempt from deadly paines, and eueryevery of theſe ſits of many houres continuance, yet was ſhee neuer heard to vtter any word of impatiēce in her ſelfe, or diſcontent to any that were about her, and much leſſe to charge God fooliſhly, in whoſe hands ſhe was as the clay in the hād of the Potter.
Her third requeſt to God was, that ſhee might in all her ſorrowes be ſtill ſupported with ſome ſenſe of his louelove; and with the aſſurance of the pardon of all her ſins. And that God was comfortably found of her in this requeſt, was very apparent in her ioyfull expectation of death; the time whereof ſhee truly foretold fiue dayes before it came; and as this time approached, her ioy increaſed; ſo as ſhee was able to comfort her mournfull huſband and friends, ſaying; Mourne not for mee, but for your ſelues, for I ſhall very ſhortly be more happy than the wiſhes of your hearts can make me, and therefore ceaſe your mourning and helpe mee thither by your praiers as faſt as you can.
Her fourth requeſt was, that ſhee might hauehave her memory continued vntounto the laſt, that ſo by no idle, or light ſpeech, ſhe might diſhonour God, or bring ſcandall on her profeſſion; for ſhe ſaid, If I through paine or want of ſleepe (which ſhee much wanted) ſhould hauehave any fooliſh, or idle talke, I know what the ſpeech of the world vſeth to bee; This is the end of all your preciſe folke, they die madde, or not themſelues, &c.
And as ſhe praied, God gaue her her memory to the laſt gaſp,Her happy departure.that ſhe died praying; for a little before her departure, ſhe called vsus that were about her and haſted to Praier, for now (ſaid ſhe) I ſhall bee gone preſently: (which words wee then beleeued not) but Praier being ended, ſhe ſaid with more ſtrength than ſhee had ſpoken any thing foure houres before; Amen, amen. Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my ſpirit. Lord Ieſus hauehave mercy on mee, and receiue my ſoule. And thus with her laſt breath and words, her ſoule was carried into Abrahams boſome in the Heauens, to which her eyes and hands were lifted. This was the life and death of this ſweet Saint, as it was obſerued, and now faithfully witneſſed by her mournfull husband, who wiſheth both his life and latter end like vntounto hers.
FINIS.
A GLASSE for Gentle women to dreſſe themſelves by.
By THOMAS TAYLOR Preacher of Gods word to the Towne of REDING.
LONDON, Printed by I.H. for Iohn Bartlet at the gilt Cup in Cheape-ſide. 1624.
A GLASSE for Gentlewomen to dreſſe themſelues by.
BEcauſe I know that ſundrie women fearing God, faile in the matter of their attire and ornament, becauſe they want direction, which might lead their conſciences in ſtead o… the common errour o… riotous times: And becauſe it is requiſite that all that profeſſe the Name of God, ſhould be more carefull of adorning their profeſſion, than their perſons: I hauehave here ſet downe a few briefe directions in generall for their helpe that are willing to bee ruled by God and his Word; and are more deſirous to approue themſelues vntounto him, than to pleaſe themſelues, or others, with his high diſpleaſure.
I.
Firſt then, ſuch muſt know, that the practiſe of godlineſſe depriueth no perſon of the good creatures of God, neither for the neceſſary, nor delightfull fruition of them, (for, it onelyonly giueth right, and libertie in them) but it ordereth the vſe of them, and the vſers of them; and ſetteth them in the due place of their goodneſſe, wherein only they are beautifull and lawfull. Rebecca a woman fearing God,Gen. 24.30. and 41.42. wore ornaments. So Ioſeph and Mordecay, Eſter 8.2. and Daniel. 5.29.
II.
Know, that wee are not at our owne hand in the vſe of outward ornaments, but vnderunder rule and appointment. GOD preſcribes women how to dreſſe their heads, 1 Pet. 3.3. and taketh order for the habit of the body, and findeth fault with the dreſſings of the daughters of Sion. Iſa. 3. And threatning the Princes and Kings children cloathed with ſtrange apparell, Zeph. 1.8. ſpeaketh to our Gallants that build towers vponupon their heads, or erect them as with large hornes, or any way take vp an vnlimited libertie in their dreſſes with ſome ſpeciall vanitie, and offence. For ſuch dreſſing of the haire the Lord threatneth the daintie women with baldneſſe and ſhame, Iſa. 3.