The Lives of Sundry Eminent Persons, Part 2 · Biography 13
The Life and Death of the Right Honourable Susanna Countess of Suffolk, who Died, May the 19th, 1649.
THis most Excellent Lady was Born in or about the Year 1627. She was the Second Daughter to the Earl of Holland: And came into the World by Accident, Six Weeks, as they accounted it, before her time; Nature, if we may so say, or rather Providence, being importunate to bring her forth, because she would be so admirably useful, and had but so short a time to continue here below.
How happily and zealously she Improved her short Time and Life, I will, with all sincerity, endeavor to shew.
And now, where shall I begin? and how shall I make an end? both seem alike difficult to my preparations; whereon shall I lay the Foundation to Build a Precious Name and Memorial for her, who her self had Purchased it so many ways? shall I tell you of her Natural Parts and Indowments? shall I tell you how her Parents and her self had perfected those by careful Education, Art and Industry? shall I let you know how those were made Graceful, by a meek, pleasant and affable Deportment? How they were adorned with the choisest Jewels, which every Virtue could afford her, or which is rarest, that all these were Consecrated by a religious, even, frame and temper? and Lastly, which is the highest Perfection attainable on Earth, That she and they were Sanctified by the visible opperations of the Spirit of God, whose Image sat Bright and Glorious on her Soul, and did shine through all her Conversation? These are the solid sure Foundations of a Good Name, and all these Crouded so into my Thoughts at once, that they were easily lost in the many fair paths and turnings, through which (look which way soever you would) her Excellencies, Parts, Virtues, Graces, were ready to invite and draw my Meditations.
But that this Universality may not disorder your Thoughts, as they have done mine, I must not seek such Arguments for her Praise, being dead, (as have no fast bottom for an Inward Good Name, and) for which she would not only dispraise, but sharply censure me, if she were living. Namely, for any thing she had by Nature; although from that too in this regard, seeing whatsoever Nature had given her, she made a Vessel to lay up some Grace or other in.
If I should tell you of the Sharpness of her Wit, I could not better instance to Her Wit.prove it, than that in Questions of Religion, chiefly Cases of Conscience, and difficult places of Scriptures, she was most sudden at making Nice Doubts, and extraordinary happy in resolving them, at least to the satisfying of others, although such was her Humility, and low esteem of her own Gifts, that she would earnestly labour for the resolution of others, rather than trust to her own.
Her Judgment was most sound, as did appear, as by her concurrence with the Her Judgment.Wise and Learned in Opinions about Secular Affairs, private or publick, so chiefly in the Controversies in Religion; that amids all those differences and varieties of Opinions, (to the Knowledg of which she was drawn by her curious Soul, which had a mighty Thirst after all kind of Knowledg, especially in matters which concerned God, Religion, and Eternity, I say, though she knew all, Good and Evil, yet) she had a Discerning Judgment, and Exercised Senses to chuse the Good, and refuse the Evil; not only in Points simply necessary to Salvation, in which we may believe the Spirit of God would not let her fall, but in Speculative Truths her Opinions were not tainted, nor her Mind shaken, with any of those plausible Errors, wherewith the Times did then so miserably infest and distract the Church of God, and led Captive many well-meaning Souls; but her knowing and wellgrounded assent went along first with the Sure Rule, the Writen Word of God, then with those, who for sticking to that, have been held the Soundest and most Classical; VVheresoever, in cases, she differd from the most received opinions, it was commonly in Practical points, and seldom but she inclined to the more strict, her very Error (if it were one) deserving its own pardon.
Her Phancy was most Divine, and although she sed it very much with Humane Her Phancy.Authors, delighting in VVit, that was Pure, and filled with ingenious and artificial conceit, Poetry especially, in the apprehension of which she was very Dexterous, and would ever set a Mark upon such expressions as were most emphatical and quaint, many times adding a Grace by her particular interpretation, even beyond the intention of the Author, but with exceeding fitness and significancy; yet she most confined her Phancy to Gather Flowers in Paradise, in Gods Garden, in his Book, and in such as exercised their VVits in that Field, especially in Divine Poetry, in which kind she took an excessive delight to be conversant in Mr. Herberts Temple, in which she found out such fit and significant Elegancies, that when she read or repeated them, it was hard to determin whether the Author or she made the sence, such innumberable Descants would she make upon every single expression there; And to shew what delight she took in that heavenly VVit, I have heard her more than once, seriously aver, that if there were no more extant but her Copy, some hundreds of pounds should not purchase that little Book from her; and if it had come to the offer, I am well assured no money (of which she was no admirer at all; of Wit, Devout Sanctified Wit especially, very much) could have gain'd it from her.
Her Memory excelled not her other Parts, and yet was even to admiration Happy, Her Memory.of which the proofs were not so many in secular affairs, because her exercises in them were but of discretion, Necessity, and to please Others; Her joy and delight were in such things as adorned her Soul, and in such her Memory was the most Faithful Servant that could be imagined; she did not make it her I ask to get things without Book, but what she liked, her Memory, like a good Steward, would carefully lay up, even without bidding; Begin a Religious Ode of Mr. Herberts, which she had read, and she would ordinarily repeat the rest without sticking or missing; nay scarce could you begin any verse in the Bible to which she would not persently add the latter end, as to the Psalms of David, and some other places, I have been an Ear-witness at the tryals, and this only by the willingness of her Memory, not any tasking of it; These she had at her Heart, therefore might say them by Heart, she had them rooted in her Heart and Affections, and therefore might more easily rebearse them, they lay uppermost, and therefore were ready at all occasions. Out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh.
I must not forget to give one pregnant instance of her Memory, when imployed about these better things, she hath sometimes the day after the Lords Day, locked up her self in private, and from her Memory committed to writing a Sermon, which she had heard the Day before, so perfectly that little was wanting in the very words wherein it was delivered. Several were Eye-Witnesses of one Sermon which she thus took from the mouth of a Grave Prelat; This she had propounded to her self to do constantly, and with great alacrity pleased her self in the thoughts of it, but necessary occasions on the day following, for the most part robbing her of her much-desired privacy, she was with great grief (and I have heard her complain) compelled to lay that practice aside, until God should give her more fixed opportunities.
When I think what Nature made her, I cannot also but remember that Grace restored her, even her Body, to be a living Temple of the Holy Ghost, and these Three choyce Ornaments of hers, her Memory, Judgment, and Phancy, may find some fit resemblance with those Three peculiar Treasures, which were laid up the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Temple of God; namely the Pot of Manna, the Tables of the Covenant, and Aarons Rod that Budded: Her Judgment was as the Pot of Manna, in which she could find all wholsome soul-feeding Doctrines; her Memory as the Tables of the Covenant, Gods Law being her meditation Day and Night; her Phancy as Aarons Rod that Budded fresh, Buds of refined Wit and invention, always sprout-from it.
Besides these she had a most Methodical Head, to dispose of all her affairs Personal, Domestick, Civil, Religious, into the clearest order that might be; And to this natural Aptness to any Art, or any Imployment, even to Tongues and Sciences, Musick, Needle-work, Cutting, Drawing, and whatsoever was useful, or harmlesly delightful.
As these Natural endowments might procure her a Good Name with those, who look no higher, than meer Nature, so if I should touch at those Vertues, which gain reputation for Morality, I might advance her esteem in this Sphere, as one, who was the most absolute Governess over her own Passions, that these times could instance in; she was seldom angry, so far as to chiding, and if it came to that, she commonly checkt her self, and if she observed any did mark her, it should end in laughing at her own Passion; it being often told her, that she knew to do any thing more skilfully, than to chide, especially if it were for any worldly matter; But if it were for any thing that concern'd the Cause of God, she would be more serious in it; and often turn her Anger into a zealous reprehension and displeasure; An Oath in her hearing, or if by Chance some scurrilous, light, or prophane Speech should slip from any, it Would make her blood to rise in her Face, if she had interest in the offenders, they were sure to be reproved, and on many, to reduce them from their rash inclinations in that kind, she would invent to impose some handsome Penalties; if they were strangers she would let fall some witty Check, consistent with civility, or by withdrawing her self signifie her dislike.
Notwithstanding this, she had a Natural Comity, pleasantness of Behaviour, and Her Behaviour.Civil Urbanity, by which seldom any who fell under her reproof could depart sorrowful out of her presence, except it were because they did depart, or for that by not setting a Watch to the Door of their Mouths they had given just offence to her tender Christian Ears. These Vertues I name, because where discretion puts them forth in Society, they are as Precious Balms to heal the wounds, which others sinful behaviour infflict on Company, or go uncured by that fullen absence of those, who are morose, and know not how to apply remedies in season and out of season, fit and suitable to the maladies.
It were an endless labour to speak of her Behaviour, which for the most part was innocently cheerful, unaffected towards Superiours and Equals, undislembled towards friends, familiar towards inferiours, affable and accessible to all, and in much conversation her Words were commonly Gracious, and seasoned with Salt; she was Constant in her Frindship, and none more useful, willing to take any pains, where she pretended that; unapt to hear ill of any, of whom she had once conceived well; nothing was so great a disease to her, as an accusation of those, of whom she had a good opinion; her Servants fared not the worse for being Servers, to whose errours she could be as Indulgent, as to Friends, and never lookt on any Servant which she had, and believed Faithful and Vertuous, but as upon an humble Friend. This, and her diffusive kindness, which extended to all she knew miserable, did (I dare say) much increase the tears which fell for her Death, none understood Relations, none could possible observe them better than she, I appeal to Husband, Parents, Kindred, Friends, Servants, Neighbours, to witness this truth.
I would not inlarge on these, which seem to be but Moral Vertues, if they had been indeed no more but meer Morality; but I am assured they flowed from a gracious disposition in her; they were the streams from Jordan, the Laver of Regeneration, and we may well baptize them Christian Vertues in her; For it is well known, that all her actions, which deliberation did give birth unto, she did them out of a Conscience of duty, and as in the Sight of God.
Hence was that Holy Fortitude and Boldness for Truth, for which she durst be Valiant, Her Holy Fortitude.she would suffer any inconvenience, rather than she would tell an Untruth, or make an Excuse, or let any of her Servants do it, or by any Equivocation deceive or elude a question; For this have I known her much afflicted, when she had business, especially her Religious Task, how to shun company, and shun a Lie, that she might not be found out; but any Rock would she venture upon rather than an Untruth; and indeed it is to be doubted, that the not fearing to split against this hath made many make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience.
Her Charity I need not speak of; the Poor and Distressed, whom her pitiful heart Her Charity.had often relieved, did at her Death and long after Mourn over her loss, and much Praise her abundant goodness in releiving them; this she ever did without the least Ostentation imaginable. Indeed she was made up of Christian kindness and Pity; and though I told you she was a Perfect Governess of her Passions, yet her Compassion always governed her; nor did I ever know her shut her hand, when any in want opened their Mouth for an Alms, she could not excuse her self by sometimes having no Money about her, if any of her Attendants had, they were sure to be Almoners.
But her High-way Charity was not the Tithe of what she gave, they need not come to her to ask, but Clothing, and Food, and Physick, and other Comforts, were sent to their Habitations, that had any, nay, and these provided also for some, who must otherwise have lyen without Doors, and her self a frequent Visitour to be truly informed of their Persons, and Condition.
But what do I speak of her Charity to the Bodies of the Poor? she had a Way of relieving the Souls of all by her Daily Alms of Prayers offered up; by her Instructions where she found the Ignorant, by her Counsels to the Doubting and Scrupulous? How hath she been moved to see some Wretches by distraction deprived of their Reason? how she would inquire after the known and secret causes of such Distempers, and cast about to have some Cure if possible? I am sure she hath spoke and wrote, and travell'd, for one, well known in her time, whom it pleased God to let fall into that to be lamented Condition.
But still she had more kinds of Charity than I have named, one was in forgiving Injuries, which might be by mistakes perchance, but if wilfully or maliciously cast upon her, it was the same thing, indeed the same Nothing in her account or Memory. I told you of her Memory, how Tenacious it was; but truly if it were to lay up an ill-Turn, it had no hold at all; Benifits and Good-Turns, Good-Deeds, and Good-Sayings, were Ingraven in her Heart, as if written in Adamant, never to be blotted out, Offences and Injuries never came near it, her Memory was Water to them, even the Water of Lethe, which makes them that drink of it forget all things, all things of that nature I am sure was soon forgot by her; An Unkindness indeed, for the time might make a deep impression, a great wound in her Heart, where all things were so contrary to it, so made up of Kindness, Pity, and Charity, but it could never beget the like unkindness there.
I could now speak of the lively Sings of her Faith and Hope, by which her Soul Her Faith and Hope.mounted even into the Bosom of Christ, above all fears and griefs, which these Times brought thick upon her; Fear indeed, if it came suddenly, would a little surprize her, an incidency to that Sex, and the tenderness of her nature, but assoon would she recollect her self, and by Reason and Religious Arguments dispel all carnal Fears.
So did her Grief yield to Faith and Patience, and the Comforts which she could fetch readily out of Gods Storehouse, and pertinently for her present malady, and the cure of it. When her first-born Son, her then only Child, had the Pangs of Death upon him, she (after Prayers and Tears) sat very disconsolate, and when at the report of his departure, Floods of Tears would needs Flow from her Eyes, to stop these Flood-gates she took her Bible, and fell to singing of Psalms, until she had broken the violent torrent of her Passion, and brought her Soul to a cheerful Submission to the Will of God.
I have spoken of her natural Parts and Endowments, a little touch I have given of some of her Virtues and the Ornaments of her Mind. Those more outward of her body, as she undervalued them, so I pass them over: yet one thing let me Her Humility.tell you of her Apparel, and indeed the chief, which she delighted in, and that which was seen above and over all the rest, was that Garment which the Apostle commends, Humility, she was clothed all over with that, the Ornaments of her Mind and Body all shined through that, and the Veil of Modesty.
But for her Attire and Dressing, this I can aver, that her self had the least affection Her Attire.for it, for her self, but only for those who were related to her, that she might not seem mean or unworthy their allyance or affections. This resolution she had taken up long since, and avowed to wear no other Garments but Black, so long as she should live, not only presaging what those Tragical Times might require, but as being the gravest and most suitable to her disposition. And to check all thoughts of Phancy or delighting in outward Ornaments, amongst some Places in her Bible, at which she set a Memento, and a Mark to be often read, there did after her Death stick a Pin, which she fastned with her own Hands in the Margent, against that Place in the Third of the First of St. Peter, where the Duty of Christian Wives to their Husbands is prescribed, but particularly it did point at the Third, Fourth, and Fifth verses, Whose adorning, let it not be the outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of putting on of Apparel, or of wearing of Gold, but let it be the hidden Man of the Heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price; the place is worth the consideration of all, especially of that Sex.
A rare mark of modest Gravity of one of her Place and Age, she being at her Death (which adds much to all that I have said or shall say) but just past the Two and Twentieth Year of her Age, not come to her full strength and flourishing, such a Blossom I think can scarce be paralleld.
Having, as I said, spoken a little of her Endowments, and the habits of her Mind, spare me a little time to let you see that her Practice was according to those Habits, which she had not as Talents Buried in a Napkin, but with mighty diligence and vigour improved them to her Masters use, to Glorifie God the giver of those Gifts, to edifie and benefit those to whom she related, and to make her own Calling and Election sure.
I shall speak but of those which were the constant Practice of her life, and such as may seem preparations for her Death, and I will be as brief as it is possible to be in such an Argument.
She began the Day with God, and as she open'd it, so she shut up the Evening Her great Devotion.with the same Key of Prayer. Most commonly as soon as she could break sleep from her Eyes (or because she would not take her fill of sleep, which she thought she loved too much, others must wake her) gliding into her Closet, and before she dressed her Body, (except some urgent occasion required it) she perfumed her Breath with Prayer, and then read her daily Task in the Bible, which was the Psalms of David usually observed for the day of the Month, and six Chapters, intending by that course to read the whole Bible over twice in the Year, which I am confident she did not fail of, for these last seven Years; for if necessity did compel her to omit once or twice, she doubled or tripled her number at the next opportunity.
She ordered her Soul first, and then all other things were set in exactest Order, Her Digesting her Time.Books, time, &c. she had digested her hours into methods for affairs, repasts, readings of Books of Humanity, Divinity, Devotion chiefly, as may appear both by the Books marked in the Margent, and noted with her own Hand, as also by her Papers and Memorials, when she began to read any Book. Besides reeding her Task in the Bible, which she did for the daily Bread and Food of her Soul, she for pious recreation and more exact knowledg, had set time apart to examine the hard places by Diodates Notes, and others, which she had by her, and because she could not stop her current of reading at that instant to stay and search every difficulty, she set a mark at them to be searched at her further leisure. She had marks of several kinds, some for difficulties, some for Memorials of choyce places, or pertinent to some peculiar purposes, but I know it was her resolution to have read the Bible together with Expositors in a daily Task, besides her number of six Chapters a day, and the Psalms, and besides that she noted such Places as she intended to confer with Divines or others about the meaning of.
I shall not need to name the other Books, which fed her Devotion, indeed on some she desired to have a holy surfet, to name a few, were to injure her, none came in her way, which she would not tast, and if they relisht, feed on; When she began to read an Author, is sometimes to be found in her Calendar, and in those Books wherein she most delighted, how far she had read, and with what she was most affected, is to be seen by marks in the Margent.
She had a Zeal for the observation of the Lords day, and times set apart for Devotion, Her Zeal for the Lords Day.but especially before she received the Holy Communion (which she did strive to do very frequently, as finding much comfort by it) then she used all exact strictness and serious Preparation.
She sometimes her self would Repeat with some of her Family, what she had remembred of the Sermons; which she could also note in the Church, and used it for a time, until she either found it a little damped the devoutness of her attention, or because she had a purpose so to order it, that she might afterwards have privacy and leisure to write down what her memory would retain (which how much it was I have told you before.)
If I would pursue particulars, it were hard to find any shore in the wide Ocean of her Praises, and yet in describing her life, I need not fear flattery, for truly to set out only some part of her Worth, and to keep back the rest, or to draw her Picture with my rude Pencil, is far beneath the true and genuine Beauty which was in her large Soul, so there is no fear of exceeding.
But if any should say, why nothing but praise? had she no Errours, no infirmities or sins? truly yes, she had, and, as if she had desired with the Apostle, only to Glory in her Infirmities; as if the World were not envious or not prying enough to find them out, she hath left a Catalogue of them upon record under her own hand, as hath been seen since her death amongst her Papers; as if she had rather wished this solemnity might have been spent in rehearsing them, than any of her Virtues: She had written down 46 Particulars, which she used to bewail as faults, or infermities, or wants. But her Sins and Infirmities, so often by her bewailed, and buried in the grave of Christ, I doubt not but your Christian Charity will think fit to be buried with her, or in a deeper Grave, the grave of Oblivion, whilst her Virtues, and Good Name due to them, shall live, and flourish, and find a perpetual Monument in every one of our Hearts. She was, as all Gods Children are, sometimes under great Sorrow and dejection of Spirit, and tryed by great Temptations, under which some few years ago she lay for a time, and it cost her many Tears, which God at the last regarded, and heard her Prayers, delivered her out of the snare, and set her on an high and sure Rock by Faith.
… so I shall have done with that part of Practice, wherein the course of her Life was seen; I desire to add something of that, which might seem to fit and prepare her for, or at least to attend her at her Death.
Indeed her whole Life was that, which sound Philosophers, or rather sound Christians would have it, A Constant Miditation, or Preparation for Death; She was Her Preparation for Death.never long unprepared for that; the assurance of which, how great a Comfort it has been to her surviving Friends, is not easily imaginable.
For it pleased God to let the violence of her Disease seise upon her choycest and most exquisite part, her Intellectuals (although with some short and sweet returns) for Three or Four days before she dyed.
Her Behaviour on her Death-Bed was the most sweet, and the most comfortable, and Christian, that ever I heard of, She was Twice thrown down upon the Bed of Her Behaviour on Her Death-Bed.Death, she might say indeed she Dyed daily by renewed acts of mortification; But in a true and proper sence, before this expiring, she had totally resigned up her self, and expected every moment when the Angels should fetch her Soul from her body once before.
The story is famously known to all that knew her, about Six Months ago (in The cause of Her Death.the Month of November last past) she having reckon'd her self to be with Child, and finding unusual Symptoms, such as in that case she never had experience of, she thought that God did now admonish her to set her House in order, and to set her Soul in order, for it was very probable, he might finish her days on Earth, at her bringing forth.
The time past, which she expected should be the hour of Deliverance, and after it some weeks, which caused great doubting of her Condition, whether she had conceived at all, and sometimes Physitians and those about her concluded the Contrary, but no doubt did she make of being Prepared for Death, of which she often discoursed, and what thoughts she had of its Nearness; and because she had bodily strength and went abroad, she took the opertunity of gaining Spiritual Strength to her Faith and other Graces, by pertaking of the Holy Communion; Six days or there abouts after that, (a Month after her time) she fell into the Pangs of Women in travel, and when the Midwife had spent all the day, and could give no help, but totally dispared, in the evening it was discovered, that it was no living Child, of which she labour'd, but of that, which in the Judgement of all about her, must within a few hours (or days at most) make her a dead Woman.
She soon apprehended their fears, and earnestly beg'd now (as she did at all times) that she might be plainly dealt with concerning her condition for Life or Death, which she would in no Case indure to be dissembled to her, or concealed from her; her friends did observe her Desire, and confessed their hopes of Life to be small or not any, but desired her to submit to Gods Will in her dissolution.
How would you now imagine she received the Sentence of Death? with Frights Her receiving the Sentence of Death.or Fears; or Sorrow and Grief to part with the World, and her dear Relations in it? Truly with a very contrary guise. She sent for those, who most nearest related to her, and her Kindred and Friends, and composing her Countenance and gesture to the most Majestick and undejected Gravity that I ever beheld, She fell to taking leave, bequeathing, not her worldly Affairs, but spiritual Comforts, her fervent Prayers, Divine Blessings, her Weighty Counsells and Admonitions fitted particularly, and made proper to every one to whom she gave her Heavenly Legacies, especially to her Lord, her Children, her Allies, and Servants, and all were such as might tend to direct them in wayes of well-doing, by which they might through Christs merits, meet again in Glory. But all this with such Affection, such Zeal, such Courage, such Demonstration of Faith and Assurance of her going now from Pain and Misery to Joyes unspeakable, that the Image of that Day and her Aspect will never depart out of the Memory, of several who looked on. If you had seen Her on her then supposed Death-bed, you would have thought of Moses on Pisgah, or Jacob on his Death-bed, dividing his blessings, of dying Joshua, or of David, or the best Composed Saints.
To see her dearest Pledges and Relations, Friends and Servants standing by, flowing with Tears and Lamentations, and her self stedfast and unconcern'd, Counselling; Comforting, Blessing them with her last breath (as she and they …eved) it made an appearance, as if all they had been the Parties, which must dy, and She only to give them Christian advice to Suffer Death with Patience, as if she had been in perfect Health, they in present danger of Death, such was her Assurance and Joy from the Holy Ghost, as if she had begun to tast Eternity, and the Happiness of that Life in the very tidings of Death.
Her Legacy left to her two dear Children was her desire to her Lord, that whatsoever Her Legacy to Her two Children.Provision he should make for their outward condition, (of which she was neither distrustful, nor yet solicitous, but fervently she besought him) they might be brought up in the strictest way of Religion and Life, even in that strictness of life, which the World might count Puritanisme. The strictest ways were alway accounted best for her own self in her Life, and now at her Death she bore witness to them, and commended them … the Dearest Pledges of her Love.
After, she spent her time in declaring the Affiance she had on the Merits, and Her Affiance in Christ.the Assurance she had on the Love of Christ; She did not conceal also how she had wrestled with Doubtings, and did propound the greatest Scruple, which lay upon her Conscience for the sincerity of her Repentance. She spake of the Comfort she had at her last ceceiving the Sacrament, she confest indeed, that she might have soyld her self after; but yet the last night she had also beg'd pardon (and I was told by those, that know it that she had then been a whole hour in private upon her knees, although at that time no danger of Death was feared) and further professed, that now nothing was a greater burthen than this, that although she was Willing to Dye, yet she found also a willingness in her heart to Live, which she much blamed in her self. Although that might proceed from the consideration of the good of those she was to Leave, rather than that it was better for her to stay. And so it seemed good to our Heavenly Father, that she lived Six Months after her time might seem to have been expired; as Nature seem'd importunate to gain her into the World, (as was said in the beginning so she was as unwilling to let her depart out of it, to loose one of her choycest Children) It seemed good to Almighty God, even to let the Sun of her Life go back some few Degrees, after it seem'd to be in the very lowest point of Setting; his marvellous Providence pointing out such ways, and making all Circumstances so concur even beyond hope, (whereof if any one had failed, there could have been no possibility of recovery) that she seem'd rather by a Divine Miracle raised from the Dead, than hy any humane help or hand restored from danger.
And indeed as the Apostle speaks, Heb. 11. 35. Women received their dead raised to life again; so did they then look upon this not as a Recovery, but as a Resurrection. And if you please, reckon her Death from that very hour, that she resign'd up her self to it so freely, and if we look upon her walking since, we may believe she was as one Dead to the World, as one that was Risen with Christ, and had her Conversation in Heaven intentionally, her affection, I am sure on things above not on things on Earth. Account her now as Dead, as one whose life was hid with Christ in God. For shall I speak plainly, she walked on Earth, but she lived not after this, as to her self, to others indeed she did, and to their especial Comfort.
I have observed Two or Three things for which God in his Providence might bestow this little time, and lend her to her Friends on Earth; he might seem to spare her a little, and give her space for these Reasons. One was in mercy to her Father. Another to her Dear Relations at home. A Third was to finish some Work upon her own Soul, for the good Example of others, her own Work was done; however in all these I may say She lived not to her self as in the World.
To her Father in his extream affliction God made her an unexpressible Comfort. I speak not in regard of any temporal things, which God had determined, as we saw, to cut away wholy from him, as to this life, and all the Comforts of it; which not withstanding to procure. What Pains, Travel, Watchings, Fastings, in that extreme cold season did she undergo, (even boyond what Her Duty to her Father in the Time of his Imprisonment.might be expected from her Sex, but especially one of the tenderest breeding in it) was very observable by all, and Satisfactory to him abundantly.
But to shew that it was the service of his Soul that she aim'd at, as if her Soul had been held in life, for that purpose that she might be an Instrument to draw her Fathers with her to Eternity.
Let me tell you but this. When all hopes of Life were past, and after She, with the rest of those Her Love to his Soul.who were dear to him, had taken their final leave, that the rest of his hours might be spent with his spiritual Comfortors, She could not give sleep to her Eyes, nor Slumber to her eye Lids, untill she had once more visited and discoursed with him, but yet in matters relating wholy to Eternity. And therefore coming betimes in the Morning, first timorously into his Chamber (after she had watched all night in a room hard by for that purpose) when he had with joy discernd and welcom'd her, they presently fell into Conference; in which she, with an humble boldness, did so question and answer, rip up and stich together again, gently wound and then give balm to the State of his Soul; In a word she did so apply both Law and Gospel to him, that being refreshed with these comforts, he cryed out, Happy I that I should from a Child of mine own receive such Consolation, And after that he told a Reverend Divine, who came to administer the like Consolation, That he thanked God he had a Child there, who, (though he said it before her face) was able to be his Counsellour in all his doubts. Also another Divine present, heard her half an hour to admiration as he professed.
After her Fathers death none, so nearly relating, bore all with the like Christian patience as she, acknowledging it the wise Method of Almighty God thus to bestow Mercy on a Soul, which, without Her bearing his Death.so great a measure of Affliction, in Health and in the Glory of his prosperity, could not, or would not ever have so humbly and sincerely sought it from the Bed of sickness, if death should have taken him from that Place.
She likewise said that she could not (if it were possible and lawful) with her heart and judgment with him alive again, although it were well known, that never Parent lay deeper in the Affections of a Child than he in hers. But she durst not wish him so bad a change, as to leave Heaven for Earth, especially this earth as things now make it.
To another she said, that now, if God would give her leave, she would go into the Country, and she had cast her Family-business into such a way, that for her self she would have nothing to do Her setting her House in Order.but to be Ready to Dye. For, this let me note, there was not a night in Six Months since her last recovery from her mortal sickness, that she rose from off her knees from her prayers without Tears running down her Cheeks, as I am certainly informed by those who had reason to know it.
And now she desired conference with one, whom in her Souls affairs she had trusted, from whose Hands she intended to receive that Holy Mystery, she discovered her spiritual codition to him plainly and Clearly; and Charged him to deal as severely and impartially with her, and still would urge him again and again, after this manner, O but you deal more gently with me, than you would with another I beseech you let me know the worst.
Although her disease got into her Brain and bred some disturbance there, yet it pleased God to afford her many clear and bright Glimpses; One remarkable I shall mention wherein she poured forth her Soul in a large Prayer, the words of which cannot be recollected, but in effect, it was of such most fervent, melting, moving passages, as if she would out-wrestle God, and rend from him his mercies by unresistable violence, and take the Kingdom of Heaven by Force out of his hands, especially, as for laying before him his Name, his Attributes, his Bowels, his Christ, all his Cimfortable Promises, which she fetch't with most admirable skill, choyce, and Fluency from every precious Vein in the Rich Mind of his Word: This was the last continued Act of Reason, which she performed; only, when her strength was even spent, she owned her Dear Relations, when they came unto her, and did let them understand, she was now marryed to Christ? joyn'd with most heedful attention in Prayer, with one, whom she then desired to do that office, gave signs of approbation, and requested that he which poured it out on her behalf would not go out of the room; after that, within little more than an hour, in a quiet kind of sleep, the Passages of Life being stopped, she yielded up her Spirit unto God that gave it, the 10th Day of May, 1649. leaving behind her the most Her Death.Bitter and most Loud Lamentations of her Friends. To whom she was the most desired Creature, that God ever placed in their Eyes or Relations.
FINIS.
End of the text · Samuel Clarke, The Lives of Sundry Eminent Persons (1683)