The Lives of Sundry Eminent Persons, Part 2 · Biography 12
The Life and Death of the Right Honourable, the Lady Elizabeth Langham, who died, Anno Christi, 1664.
THE descent of this eminently pious Lady was from a Noble Family; the Her Parentage.House of Huntington, the Earldom whereof hath continued long in the name of Hastings, and, in the person of her Brother, sets its foot upon the seventh round of the Scale of Honour; yet this humble Lady was never known, either in word or deportment to shew any elation of Spirit upon that account: Nor was she ever observed, with regret, to behold herself exceeded by the vain pomp, and Her humility.more splendid Retinue of diverse, that were inferiour to her in quality. Yea, when her Husband, [Sir James Langham] sometimes modestly excused the tenuity of the condition she had espoused (by marrying where she found an Heir in being to a great part of his estate) in comparison of what she descended from: She would interrupt such discourse, professing the high satisfaction she took to find herself in such a state of life, wherein she had both liberty and assistance to the works of severe Piety; and withal the addition of an Honourable and comfortable worldly competency.
Her Education was in a School or rather Acaedemy of Learning, and Nursery of Virtue; Her Education.namely the constant inspection and converse of her vigilant Mother, the Countess of Huntington, from whose great parts and Graces, she was formed into a more than ordinary Woman and Christian. Under her (mostly) she injoyed an Education in a religious retiredness, which she often took notice of, and blessed God for, as that which not only secured her from the knowledge of Vice by Domestical examples (no such thing daring to appear under that Noble Ladies Government) but also removed her from the very News of those evils which were acted abroad: So that she had the happiness to be ignorant of the vitiousness of other great Personages, even by hear-say.
As for those principles, that might qualifie her for a vertuous life, as she had the opportunity of learning them from the practices of those with whom she conversed, so (cheifly) from the grave and frequent instructions of her Lady-Mother, who, that the whole compass of her duty might be the more facily and firmly imprinted in her memory, took the pains to digest all into verse, whereby she the more easily insinuated them into the hearts and heads both of this and her other Lady-Sisters.
By this means it pleased God that the Mother had much comfort in all her Daughters, but especially in this Lady, whose Soul was so pliable and ductile to receive the impressions of so excellent a stamp, as appear'd by the proportionable improvements, which she attained in every stage of her life; as we shall hear by what follows.
1. For her Childhood, which tender Age had something of rare excellency in it, Her childhood.besides the presage of what it promised for the future. St. Paul himself noted it as a rare thing in young Timothy, that from a very Suckling he had known the Scriptures, (2 Tim. 3. 15.) Nor was it less to be noted in this excellent Lady, how early the seeds of true Piety and Devotion put forth and shewed themselves: Not only in the Her early growth in Grace.blade but blossom also and fruit, insomuch that from a Child, such impression of the fear of God possess'd her heart, as made her a diligent performer of religious Duties, and a strict observer of the Lords dayes, even to a degree of exactness beyond most Persons, and yet not beyond the Rule set down, Isa. 58. 13. in so much, that she would neither discourse, nor willingly hear others discoursing of any common ordinary matters upon that Holy Day. And as she grew to more capacity, so to this negative strictness, she added a positive conformity to the rules of severest godliness: Not only by a diligent hearing of the Word preached, but digesting it by Meditation and Conference; being no less studious (on that day especially) to learn the Mysteries of practical Godliness, than in those of the rest of the week to furnish herself with what other knowledge tended to civil accomplishments.
She was also from her Infancy ever conscientiously dutiful, and obedient to her Her dutifulness to her Parents.Parents (yea to the very smallest punctilio's) wherein so ever she had the least intimation of their pleasure: Insomuch as her Lady-Mother, upon a special occasion, perceiving her, from the misapprehension of some advice she gave her, to be more affected than she desired, was fain to expound herself to her, and to give this as a general Rule to her, That sundry things, which she had spoken to her, were never intended as peremptory Commands, but only as Advices and Counsels, which, in things of Indifferency, must not be overcharged. Yea, her Lady-Mother hath been heard to say, That she was the Child that never offendeded her in all her Life.
As she grew to more maturity of years, she was observed to be precise in Her Justice.Justice and exactness of keeping her Word; which, that she might be the better enabled unto, she was very circumspect and sparing of making Promises, and not lavish of Discourse; a quality, which undoubtedly kept her from much Sin, which Her taciturnityis not wanting in multitude of words (Prov. 10. 19.) which also contributed much to her perfection, which (as the Apostle St. James tells us) doth much consist in the Government of the Tongue (Jam. 3. 2.) She spake much with herself, and little unto others; insomuch that a Noble Person, of a very discerning Judgment, and no less a severe Piety, who had the advantage of being a Witness to almost all her Life, hath been heard to say, That she believed this Lady had the least account to give for words of any that ever she knew. Yet she laid not this restraint upon her Tongue for want of Abilities to discourse, or for want of Matter to discourse of: For she had great intellectual accomplishments, and those improved by much secular Learning, whereby she was enabled to converse with Persons of eminent Scholarship.
She was exceeding modest, and decently grave in her whole Behaviour; Not Her modesty.from any dulness of Constitution, nor affection of morose and reserved Virtue: But from a just apprehension, how unagreeable to an exact strictness of Life (which she had designed for her self) and how unconducing to the Reputation of her Sex, a too Sanguin Deportment is often found: Yet that she was not Cynically averse to a decent and convenient degree of Affability and Courtesie (a Virtue which was also very Affability.conspicuous in her) appeared, in that she used to receive the Visits of the meanest of her Neighbours with very great kindness, and would converse with them with a great deal of becoming condescention: And as any of them appeared to her to savour more of Godliness, she would (upon occasion) add a decent Proportion of Familiarity: For she studiously declined to admit any into her Bosom, but such as by exact observation she found to answer that Character of worth, by which she first valued herself, and then chose her intimate Friends; namely, not Greatness but Goodness.
This her Courtesie she extended to all sorts of Persons, even to such whom we Courtesie.look down upon with a supercilious Countenance, to wit, whose necessities made them Petitioners to her Bounty: For even such she entertained with great affability: So that what was once said of Titus the Roman Emperor, might be truly said of her, That no Person departed out of her Presence discontented: Yea, even to those to whom she denyed her Alms (and some Persons are not meet Objects for a discreet Charity) she would so handsomely reprove for not using their bodily Abilities to get more honest and Prudence.more creditable Bread, that they seemed to go away no less satisfied with her prudent and seasonable Counsel, than they would have been with her Alms.
Her inviting Countenance did so embolden the Poor to implore her help and Patronage; Charity.her compassionate Heart rendered her so sensible of their Conditions, and her Prudence so enabled her to manage their Causes, that as she was most frequently imployed in many of their important Addresses to several of her Relations on whom they depended, so she prosecuted their Suits in such a manner, that mostly she proved successful, meeting with such a Blessing from God upon her Charitable Endeavours, as the Justice of the Causes in which she engaged might warrant her to expect.
Her very Servants had a share in the obligingness of her Conversation; For tho Meekness.she well knew her own Quality, and could keep them at a convenient distance, yet she attempered her carriage even to them, with so much mildness, that she was never observed to let fall a hasty or passionate expression to any of them, tho sometimes she was much provoked thereunto.
She was of so innocent a Deportment, even from her Childhood, that one, of capacity enough to observe, and of Integrity enough to clear the Relation from the least suspicion Innocency.of Flattery, gives her this Character; That during the space of ten years, wherein she lived in her Mothers Family, she could never observe any intemperate Word or Action; or any thing, which, if all the World had been acquainted with, would have in the least tended to her just diminution or disparagement.
She studied much how to gratifie the Tempers, and to content the Dispositions Prudence.and Propensions of those with whom she conversed in all lawful ways; insomuch that she hath been often observed to deny herself for to please others, according to the Rule of the Apostle St. Paul, Rom. 15. 2. And this quality rendered her, even in matters of Argument (which she wanted not Abilities to mannage to good purpose) not obstinately tenacious of her own Opinions, but obligingly compliant to the Judgment Humility.of others, where Conscience of Duty required not the contrary: And this she did, that she might give offence to none, but be (as far as possible) profitable to all; which was the more observable, because Owners of great Parts commonly affect a Dictatorship in Discourse.
These qualities rendred her of an excellent composure for a Friend, and accordingly Her Friendship.a rare Friend she was. She indeed did not rashly admit any to the Honour of her Bosom Acquaintance; but having once lodged any there, she was candidly free and open in communicating what her Judgment (which was always riper than her years) suggested to be most for the profit and advantage of their Souls concernments, whether Advice, Comfort, or Reproof: For which last, she always reserved a Liberty, even towards her choicest and most intimate Friends, which yet she constantly managed with abundance of winning meekness and tenderness: And so severely conscientious was she in the discharge of this truly friendly Office, that having frequent Occasions to receive Visits from, and to return them to Persons of her acquaintance, that made the Reverend Names of Jesus and Lord, Interjections in their ordinary Discourse, that she made it a Case of Conscience, whether she did not greatly neglect her duty in not reproving them for it.
And that she might not appear more rigid unto others in this kind than she was Tender Conscience.to herself, her own Life was a Comment upon that Text, Eph. 5. 15. See therefore that ye walk circumspectly, &c. For so exactly did she walk, that her care was to avoid not only what she condemned, but what she did but suspect in the Conversation of others, insomuch, that her Conscience would not permit her to pardon herself what her Charity taught her to indulg in others.
And indeed she was always of a tender and delicate Conscience, sensible of the least and smallest Sin, or but probable appearance of it; amongst which take these two Instances (of many others that might be given). That in her younger years, she addressed herself to her Governess with Tears, intreating her to forgive her, for that in her very Childhood she was Conscious that she had been defective in Affections to her; for she thought that she did not then love her. A fault (surely) which others are far more guilty of, and yet are less troubled for it. Another time, in her more mature Age, when she had mildly enough, threatned a Child, over whom she had some inspection committed to her, that if she did not such a thing she would not love her, she presently recalled that, as too hard a word, saying, Alas! God deals not so with us, notwithstanding our continual Disobedience.Friendship.
As a Friend, she observed, that exchange of Kindness is the Fewel that feeds the Flame of mutual Affections, and keeps it from burning dimly, or going out, and therefore that it was a Nourisher of Ingratitude: And she accounted it the greatest Solecism in Friendship to be suspicious in receiving, or parsimonious in returning Kindnesses; and therefore what of this Nature she received, she would not (tho sometimes possibly there were probable grounds so to do) interpret it amiss; professing that she abhorred the suspicion of a Design in Kindness, as the very bane of Gratitude: And in her returns she was always nobly obliging, as studying rather to stand in her Friends Book a Creditor than a Debtor.
We heard something before of her Devotion as an early Blossom: But it had not the Her growth in Grace.Fate that usually befalls such Precosious Flowers, to be blasted and fall of before it come to maturity; For as she grew in Years, she grew also in Grace, and in Acquaintance and Communion with God, and kept a constant correspondence and intelligence with the Court of Heaven; which Heavenly Trade she followed so close, that her Lady-Mother, whilst she was under her Government, observing how she laboured at it more than the constitution of her Body could well bear; and being afraid, lest by overstraining the Bow to reach the Mark she aimed at, she might be in danger of breaking it, once in a friendly manner told her, That if she intended to hold on that course, she was not fit to live in this World. To which this humble Lady (probably reflecting upon herself that term of unfitness to live, in another Notion than it was meant) answered with much meekness, No indeed, Madam, I confess, I am not.
When she was married, she abated not of her Devotion, and thereby rendred herself Her great Devetion.a singular instance of exception, to the difference which the Apostle St. Paul puts betwen a Wife and a Virgin (and which the Romanists make so much use of to advance a Vowed Virginity, which invention of theirs they prefer before marriage, an Institution of God) 1 Cor. 7. 34. We may better judge of her Devotions by the proportion of time which she assigned for them every day; and her constant retirements for that purpose were answerable to Daniels thrice a day (Dan. 6. 10.) And since the Decease of her precious Sister in Law (Dr. Langhams Wife) who dyed some Weeks before her (as if hereby she had taken the Alarm to prepare for her own Dissolution shortly to follow) she more than doubled that proportion, even to David's seven times a Day, Psal. 119. 164.
In her Devotions she busied herself, not only in secret Prayer and Meditation, but Time improved.also in constant reading and studying of the Sacred Scriptures, which always took up a considerable part of her daily hours of retirement, together with her reading of something or other of the Writings of some Learned, Practical Divines, with which Books her Closset was well furnished. She also made it part of her task to read over one Sermon a day, mostly out of her Note Books (for she constantly pen'd the Sermons which she heard) by which practice of hers (which she learned from the mention of the like in the life of the young Lord Harrington) and by frequent inculcation, she fixed in her Memory all that she heard, and had it in readiness for the direction of her Conversation, whensoever she had need to make use of it.
Some, it may be, hearing how great a part of her time she spent thus in secret, may be desirous to know, what time she could allow for triming and adorning her Body: Or haply may suspect her to have been some strange deformed piece, who being faln out with her Glass for telling too much Truth, had neglected all care of auxiliary handsomness as meer lost labour; and that she addicted herself to the beautifying of her Soul, out of despair of ever rendring her Body tollerably handsome, Soul preferred to the Body.much less beautiful. To satisfie therefore such as may entertain such thoughts, they may be informed, that her Person was such, as to a decent and middle Pitch, accompanied with a just proportion of all Parts, wanted not a Face, whose amiable Lineaments, might, by the ordinary Artifices of that kind, have been advanced to the Reputation of a Beauty, had she thought fit to have made use of them. Yet she neglected not to bestow upon it so much time and pains (after the necessary concerns of her Soul) as decency required, tho haply not so much as curiosity (had she studied it) would have called for. And this may satisfie such Questionists.
To this proportion of constant Devotion which she tasked herself for every Day, if we add her great care to fill up all the rest of her time in profitable Converse, we Time precious.cannot but look upon her as a great Example of that Command, Eph. 5. 16. For she did buy Time out (as the word signifies) of the Hands of those Wasters of precious Minutes, which buy it all up, even from the most Religious imployments, to lavish it out in Pass-times and Recreations. Whence it was, that (tho she did not rigidly censure others) yet she never allowed herself to see any Masks, Interludes or Plays; or to play at Cards or the like Games; and that because she doubted whether the expence of so much time, as commonly such Diversions do require, would be allowed upon her account or no. Much unlike to many great Persons, whose Time so lyes upon their Hands (as a dead Commodity) that they study always possible to put it off, because they know not▪ what profitable use to put it unto: A Prodigality, which how much cause they may have to repent of, they may come to understand, when, upon their Death-Beds, they find the want of those precious Hours and Minutes for more serious uses, which formerly they so lavishly wasted. The Heathen will rise up in Judgment against such, who purposed to allow a whole Day to no Converse that would not make him amends for the precious Time expended in it. (Sen. de Tranq.)
But we left this excellent Lady pursuing her daily design of acquainting herself Bible prized and studied.with God in her set hours of Devotion; accounting it (as she said) a singular Mercy that the Great God of Heaven and Earth, would vouchsafe his Creatures such plentiful discoveries of himself both in the Books of Nature and Providence: Yea, and beyond both those, in his written Word: and therefore she prized them all, but the last especially with an infinite Affection, insomuch, that she often rose early in the Morning to read and meditate therein: Nor would she, when she was engaged in that holy Work, suffer any interruptions how necessary soever, without evident signs of trouble and discomposure, till she returned to her Beloved Bible again: Yea, towards the very Book it self, out of her love to the excellent matter contained therein, she expressed such a respect, that she resented, with a pious displeasure, any undecent usage of it, or careless throwing of it among other ordinary Books.
She had an high esteem of every part of the Holy Bible, yet there was one part Psalms delighted in.of it, namely the Book of Psalms, which she seemed to be most passionately affected withal (perhaps, because Similitude being the ground of Love, according to the Great Philosopher) she found such agreement betwixt her own Heart, and the Spirit of that Book. This her affection she shewed by reading, or causing to be read, one or more of them constantly at her hour of repose in the Evening, which by Meditation and Discourse, she used to improve, to her own benefit and theirs that were about her.
And in her Bed she was wont to lock up her lips till morning with the repetition Pious Prudence.of some one Psalm, that she had by heart, to which, having added some pious Ejaculations with wonderful fervency, she usually dropped a sleep in some holy Extasie of devotion. And as she shut up her lips, and heart too in this manner at night, so she constantly opened them again in the morning with the same Golden Key: So that her sleep seemed to be but a Parenthesis betwixt her evening and morning devotions, which discontinued indeed, but did not disorder them; Yea, rather connexed, and united them into one intire piece, of which (probably) her very sleeping phantasie, by holy dreams made a part, seeing it was next to impossible, that even they, being hedged in between too such immediate acts of devotion, should not receive a proportionable tincture from the same.
These her set devotions (probably) she methodized usually according to her own discretion; Yet did she not so tie up her self to her own designed order, as not to leave to herself a latitude, upon any extraordinary occasions, to vary as they required. This appeared in that upon the solemn Great Festivals, at least so observed in our Church, she would accommodate them to those seasons respectively.
In the course of her life she was precisely careful to avoid all manner of sin; And very Sin avoided.solicitous in all Emergencies, that were of consequence, to understand what her duty was, that so she might practise it according. For as she made Gods Testimonies her delight; so did she make them her Counsellors, as (Psal. 119. 24.) insomuch that she never determined any doubtful occurrence without great deliberation, and the best advice she could procure. But especially after her marriage, she made frequent use given by the Apostle St. Paul, 1 Cor. 14. 35. When she desired to learn any thing, to ask her husband. And indeed, herein was she singularly happy, in being by Gods good providence directed to such an husband, as abundantly answered that character given by another Apostle, dwelling and conversing with her as a man of knowledg, 1 Pet. 3. 7. One who was very able, and no less propense to entertain such kind of converse, especially with so near a relation as the wife of his bosom. And herein indeed, (besides the advantage which, by this means, she reaped to herself) she highly gratified him, by supplying him with opportunities of an imployment, which was so sutable to his own Genius and disposition: And withal, she herein practised the advise given her at her marriage by her prudent Lady Mother, to make herself fit conversation for her husband; Whereof this is a notable instance; That if at any time in her sollitary discourse with her husband (with which kind of converse she was much delighted) there had happened acessation on both hands for a little while, she Time improved.would be presently apprehensive of the loss, and would desire him not to let her time pass unimproved; But either to renew the conference; Or to read some good book to her.Talents improved.
And yet (so eager she was of improving her Tallents by all good means) that she did not alone make this advantage of his society; But also she constantly attended the publick ordinances, from a due respect unto which she was too weighty a Christian duplicate page duplicate page to be unsetled by the pitiful prejudices of those giddy times, as too many then were, to the unsufferable affronting of Gods goodness: Who vouchsafes them to us, and (it is to be feared) too often, to the forsaking of their own mercies, in the perticular benefit which they might receive by them. And that she might make the best improvement of the presence of Gods Ministers, whose Lips God hath appointed to preserve Knowledge, she would according to his Command, (in private conference, when occasion was offered, as well as by publick ordinances) seek the Law at their Mouth, as Mal. 2. 7.
An Instance whereof of special remark, was this, that when she met with any Her Prudence.Divines of Note, at her Father in Law's [Sir John Langham's] Table, with whom, from the time of her Marriage till her Death, she continued (and that plentiful Table was seldom without Divines of Note) she would request her Husband to set on foot some profitable Discourse, which might minister to the Company advantage of their presence and converse, professing that she judged it altogether absurd and incongruous to Reason as well as Religion, that Physitians and Lawyers should be so ordinarily entertained, with discourses proper to their respective Functions; and that Divines only should be treated with things out of the Verge of their Profession; indeed with matters altogether Heterogeneous and Excentrical to the Sphear of their Holy Calling and Office.
Such as we have heard was her Devotion towards God; and she had learned as well her Duty towards her Neighbours, which she made to appear in every Relation and Capacity.
When by her Marriage she was to be transplanted into her Husbands Family, her Lady-Mother failed not to give her such Instructions, which, as Maxims of Duty, she constantly practized in a just proportion to all her Relations. For;
The first place in her Affections she gave to her Husband, whom she so intirely loved, that she hath been heard to profess that she could even die for him: And this As a Wife.her Love she expressed in an eminent Degree, by her dutiful compliance with whatsoever she observed to be acceptable unto him: For she never received the least intimation of his pleasure (tho delivered in the terms of a request) but it found with her the force of a Command, with which (waving her own Opinion in Case of difference from his) she alwayes respectfully complyed; insomuch, that no instances of conjugal Happiness in others, ever minded him of any deficiency in his own, but rather produced a greater complacency in his so great felicity, whilst he found himself happy in his own Choice, even beyond the most eminent Examples.
And not only her Love and dutiful deportment, but her rare Learning also, rendered her to be a meet Help for him, as being thereby made capable of conversing with him in Points, both of Divinity and Humanity, and that very knowingly and judiciously, and that in more Languages than one; for she was able to make use of learned Authors in other Tongues, not needing the help of Translations. As for Latin, that learnedest piece of Peter Martyr [his Common Places] she frequently had recourse unto, and made good use of. For French, she was intimately acquainted with the Works of (That Prodigy of Learning and Language, Doctor du Moulin, out of whose Buckler of Faith, she was enabled not only to defend her own Protestant Faith and Religion, but (as she had any occasion to converse with any Popish Ladies) to batter and overthrow theirs. And for the Italian, she could make as good advantage of what Learning that Language afforded.
And notwithstanding (which, in an accomplishment wherein she so much exceeded most of her Sex, insomuch that more it was remarkable) all these her rare and great parts, she was not at all elated or puffed up with them; that swelling conceitedness (which the Apostle St. Paul tells us, doth too often Fly blow eminent Gifts, 1 Cor. 8. 1. and which is the very Bane of our Times) she was not tainted withal: So that her Husband was a perfect Stranger, and wholly unacquainted with all those inconveniences, which some have fancied, do necessarily accompany a Learned Wife; for even herein she would alwayes lower her Sails to him as to her Lord and Head; making use of her own Knowledg and Learning only to capacitate her to make the best improvement of His; from whom she would (as one, who, together with her other Learning had learned her Duty from the Apostle, to) receive Instruction in all submissive silence or quietness.
To her Lady-Mother she did not forget her Duty in the least; no not when her As a Daughtermarried condition had manumitted her from under her Government; but she still allowed her the next place in her Affections to those of her Husband, and so demeaned herself towards her, that she always esteemed her, not only a very dutiful and deserving Daughter, but (as her own Phrase was) an excellent Friend also.
To her Father in Law she payed the same Duty (according to the particular direction given her by her Lady-Mother at the time of he Marriage) which she performed to her own Mother, as considering, that where the Ordinance of God makes of two Persons one Flesh, it makes also a proportionable Union to their respective natural Relations on both sides; they being but Reliquiae Carnis nostrae, the remainder of every ones own Flesh in other Bodies: As both Arias Montanus, and our own Margin from him, render those words, by which neerness of Kin is expressed, Levit. 18. 5.
To the Memory of her Predecessor in that Relation wherein she stood to Sir James Langham, she testified (contrary to what is usual in such Cases) a very singular and signal Respect; enquiring with some eagerness, after her special Virtues, which she designed for her own imitation, and by giving the Good which she heard of her a just Commendation.
To the Children which Sir James had by his first Lady (Providence having denyed As a Mother.him any by this, except one in expectation, to whom the Death of the Mother rendered the Womb a Grave) she was in her great care and tenderness so much more than a Mother in Law, that it was wholly impossible for any but those which knew otherwise, not to have mistaken her for their natural Mother; and if with them she had had any of her own Body, surely she could hardly have told how to have tendered her love to her natural Issue (in any considerable indication) more Emphatical. So solicitously did she interest herself both in the Education of, and Provision for them; and so concerned herself in all occasions of never so little bodily Distemper, that she deserved thereby to have rendered the Name of a Step-Mother a Name of Honour, and herself an Example, from whom even natural Mothers themselves might not disdain to learn a Law of kindness towards the Children of their own Bodies.
From the Daughter, who was then about eleven years old, she constantly required a repetition (by heart) of the Sermons, which she heard: And for this Task she had by her instructions so Logically methodized the memory of this young Child, that she was able to Analize a Sermon containing thirty or forty perticular Heads, with the most remarkable inlargments upon them.
And this Religious care of her Children she not only continued during her health, but even in the time of her sickness also, so far as her weakness would permit. And to shew that she minded them as long as she minded any thing in this world, even upon her Dying-Bed, she requested her Husband (tho he needed not any such Spur to quicken him in his Duty) to breed them up in the Exercises of severe Godliness; And to see them taught such Evidences of Salvation, as might support them one Day in their Dying Agonies.
To her Servants, she demeaned herself so mildly, as if they had not been so properly As a Mistress.Servants as Humiles amici (in the Moralists Phrase) a Sort of inferior Friends: which deportment won her from them a great deal of awful Love, and Heart Service instead of Eye Service, which is the common vice of those in that Relation. She extended her care even to the meanest of them, and that, not only for their Bodies, but for their Souls also: Calling them, who were more immediately under her inspection (her Maidens) to an account in writing (if they could write) of the Sermons which they heard, and used to help and supply their wants out of her own more exact Notes. She would call upon them in the Morning to go to God, that is, to wait upon him in their Morning Devotions before they came to wait upon her: And if any one of them (for she would examine them severally) confessed, or by silence bewrayed a neglect thereof, she would immediately dismiss her from her present attendance upon her to go about that work, and that, not without some reprehension for giving her service the precedency to Gods. And this care she took (as she would frequently express herself to her husband) from a deep conviction of this truth, that Governors of families are to be accountable unto God for the souls of the meanest under their inspection. A course which (so far as she could bear it) she continued even in her last sickness. For when the importunities of her own bodily distemper kept any of them from the Church, to attend her necessities at home on the Lords-day, she would tell them, that nothing, but an absolute necessity, should have been reason sufficient for her detaining them about her: But yet (said she) your minds are at liberty: let God have as much worship as you can give him, lift up your hearts, lift your hearts: remember it is the Lords day.
Here you have a rare example, very fit to be followed by others of her Sex, and Quality. Yea well it was, if those, which are far inferior to her in Birth and breeding, would learn so much Religion from her, as to consider that servants have souls as well as themselves, yea immortal souls, that require sometime of triming and dressing as well as their Ladies and Mistresses bodies: And that these persons will surely give but a bad account of their servants souls, whose tedious dressings spend the greatest part of every day (not excepting the Lords day it self) and will scarce allow their Maids a minutes retiredness to lift up a short prayer in secret, wherewith to sanctifie their imployments in the day.
Neither did she extend this care of her Servants, only whilst they continued with her, but enlarged it to such as went away from her: An excellent example whereof may be this: when a mean servant came to take her leave of her, she gave her (together with some other expressions of her kindness and charity) much good counsel; and intreated her husband to make some additions thereunto; but especially to dismiss her with a second largess of good advice.
Her charity to the poor was very eminent, not staying till they made known their wants, but even pressing out of them those complaints which their modesty would Her Charity.have suppressed, by her strict enquiry into their conditions, that so she might find out wherein she might be beneficial and helpful to them. And when she was informed of any of their wants that exceeded an ordinary work of charity, she was ever solicitous how she might procure a proportionable relief for such parties so concerned. Neither did her charity extend only to the bodies of those whom she releived: for she gave to most, especially to those, whose great Exigencies (in probability) rendred them more careful and inclinable to follow it, a double alms, both of her bounty, and Christian counsel also; which last (tho the other was not mean) was constantly the best of the too.
But a thousand instances of her great and frequent Charity, have escaped the observation of any, but of those that received it, (she being in acts of this nature contented with the notice of God and her own Conscience:) so that our blessed Saviours Rule in this, was hers: Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth (Mat. 6. 3.) And yet, to Gods Glory and her own deserved commendation and Honour, those good deeds of this nature (which she studiously concealed in her lifetime, to avoid vain glory, which she alwayes abhorred) came to light in a great Her Humility.measure after her death, as appeared in the passionate resentments of those great crowds of poor People, who came thronging to have a sight of her Hearse whilst it was exposed to view, and shewed that it was not so much curiosity as affection that brought them thither, which they declared by their bitter Lamentations and Tears wherewith they bewailed her Death (as the Widows did Dorcas's, Act. 9. 39.) as their common and irreparable loss.
In the exercise of this her Charity and Bounty, out of her great Fear (as we heard) Her Prudence.lest she should be too well thought of, if others knew the proportion of it, and that she might be the more assured of it, that it was not diverted from the right Channel, she commonnly trusted no Hands with it but her own; making it her care before she went abroad at any time, to furnish her Poor-mans Purse with such Monies as were fit to be distributed and divided, amongst such necessitous People, which Providence, before her return might cast into her way.
One remarkable passage must not be omitted under this Head of her Charity, tho it only so far concerns her as to shew her Judgment in the choice of fit Subjects to lay it forth upon, and it was this; She was once told of the prodigious Bounty of some of her Ancestors towards Religious Places and Persons; as also for the training up of young Studients in the Ʋniversities: As soon as this last sort of their Charity was mentioned, she applauded this especially, thus expressing her thoughts of it; Indeed (said she) it is the best Charity to promote the Good of Souls; and in that respect it is a much nobler Bounty to be the means of consecrating the Life of one, than relieving the Age and Infirmities of twenty.
She always professed a great detestation to Tale-bearing, which is the bane of Love and Charity, from which she had a high degree of abhorrency. She always suspected Tale-bearers hated.a Passionate Accuser, as being commonly more faulty than the Party accused; it being the usual Artifice of Malice, to endeavour the concealing of its own guilt by stopping the Ears of Justice with a prejudicate Opinion against those from whom it fears a Recrimination: And in all differences of this nature which came under her Cognizinee, she constantly used this healing Method; first to allay the acrimony of the contending Spirits, and then to accommodate the difference it self.
Indeed her Charity in all points, did answer the Character which the great Apostle St. Paul gives of that heavenly Grace, 1 Cor. 13. which to read, is to comprise the whole History of her Life in an Abstract or short Epitome. Read it, and accommodate the several parts of it to the former Relation: Charity (and such was hers) suffereth long, and is kind, envieth not, vaunteth not it self, is not puffed up, doth not behave it self unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoyceth not in Iniquity but rejoyceth in the Truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things, verse 4, 5, 6, 7.
And truly to so eminent a progress in all manner of perfections, there could hardly be made any accession in this World; so that it was high time for her to be transplanted from hence to the Society of the Spirits made perfect in the other World. And God (whose manner it is to gather his Fruit when it is fully Ripe) having now made her meet to be a pertaker of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light, accordingly thought fit to translate her thither, March 28th. Anno Christi 1664.
Her Sickness of which she dyed, surprized her on a sudden, being the Small-Pox, Her sickness.disguised under the reliques of a Feaver, which to appearance was almost dispelled: And truly such a surprize of Death, in the very borders and confines of expected Health, might well have discomposed and put out of frame any Soul, but such an one as hers, which always kept so good a Guard, that no event could befall her for which she was not well prepared.
During the Twilight of Hopes and Fears, which sometimes held both her Physitians and Relations in suspence concerning her, she always seemed in her own inclination to desire St. Pauls choice, Phil. 1. 23. To have a desire to depart and to be with Christ, Begging of her Dear Husband, who was (as he had great cause) humbly importunate Her deportment therein.with God that he might have a longer enjoyment of her, that he would not pray for her Life but for her Soul, that God would make her fit to die; or if he pleased to gratifie the desires of those who so affectionately desired her Recovery, that he would so sanctifie his Hand unto her, that she might obtain Grace of him to pay her Vows. For truly her great aim and design was, to be perfecting Holiness in the Fear of God: And the great request, which she made for herself in the midst of her Feverish Paroxism, was, that by the burning heat (as she said) she might be purified and refined: and conformable hereunto was that request of hers (taken notice of in a former Sickness which fell out a little before her Marriage) which she expressed with most Emphatical vehemency; O that I could do the whole Will of God!
In other times of this her last sickness, when her Husband praying by her, prosecuted with earnestness his constant request for her recovery to Health, and a longer Life; when the Duty was over, she would kindly chide the exuberancy of his affections, and desire him to rest content in Gods Promise, That all things should work together for his good, Rom. 8. 28. and to submit (as she wholly did) to his Sovereign Will, telling him withal, that he had no reason to let lose the Reins to Sorrow, if he saw her dye with good evidences of her going to Heaven; and to allay his passions in his greatest fears of that separation, which he so much deprecated; We came not (said she) into the World together, nor can we expect to go out of it together; yet is it a great satisfaction to me that I am going thither, whither, after a while, you shall follow me. And she was somewhat inquisitive (probably in order to the advancement of that satisfaction) what degrees of Communion the glorified Saints have one with another, and what measure of Knowledge they have of each other? A Question which is often asked by gracious Souls, but surely impossible to be fully answered from clear Grounds of Scripture, the Arguments on both sides being alike probable; neither need it create any trouble unto us, tho we still remain in the dark about it; 'tis but a little while before comfortable experience will decide the controversie to all that wait for the coming of the Lord Jesus, beyond all our uncertain Disputes; yet this we may conclude of, that if it will add any thing to our comfort and happiness, it shall not be wanting in that place where is fullness of joy, &c.
During the whole time of her sickness, she was very solicitous of her deportment Her Patience.and carriage, under the afflicting hand of God, and afraid lest the restlesness occasioned by her Disease might be the fruit of Impatience; for which reason she would oftentimes (with a holy jealousie of herself) ask those about her, whether she did not seem to them to be deficient in Patience? And would seem to be troubled at the remembrance of the carriage of such Christian Friends, with whom she had been on their sick-beds, as conscious to herself how far short she came of them.
Some conflicts with Temptations (if they may be so called, and not rather the Her Temptations.tenderness of her own Conscience apt to smite her (as Davids did, for cutting off but the Skirt of Sauls Robe, 1 Sam. 24. 5.) for the smallest omissions, of which yet, those that knew the strictness of her walking with God, thought she had little cause to complain) and yet those very complaints in the nature of them, argued a very great prosiciency in Holiness. Take one Example whereby you may judge of the rest: She bewailed that she had not been so sensible as she ought to have been, of the State and Condition of the Church of Christ. A thing which (I fear) most of us may more justly charge upon our selves, considering the woful havock at this day made in it by the Eastern Wild Boar out of the Forrest, and by the Foxes, the Romish Emissaries in several disguises, which seek to spoil its tender Grapes: Surely we do not as we ought, prefer Jerusalem before our chiefest Joy.
But it pleased God that these thin and light Clouds were soor dispell'd and disappeared, the light of Gods Countenance breaking through them and filling her Soul Her Comfort.with comfort; so that she told a Friend that visited her, that she thanked God, that instead of a World full of troubles and miseries, God now had given unto her the sight of a better Country, and the Prospect hereof, together with the clearing of her title to, and interest in it (a thing which in her best health she expressed a great deal of solicitousness for, insomuch as she hath sometimes said, with an Emphasis of zealous earnestness, who is there than being once assured of the Pardon of Sin, would not be willing to dye the next hour?) made her now she had attained it, so willing and ready to resign up her Soul into the Hands of God her heavenly Father, as knowing whom she had trusted; and to lay down her Earthly Tabernacle in exchange for that House not made with Hands, eternal in the Heavens.
And thus fell what was Mortal of this precious and incomparable Saint, to her own infinite gain, but to the inexpressible loss of all her surviving Friends and Acquaintance, but especially of her near and dear Relations. And indeed it was her counsel to her tenderly loving and affectionate Husband in the time of her health, to take heed of overloving her, wishing him to be ware of it, as he desired not to be rid of her; for (said she) God will endure no Rival.
May not the Story of this Lady Saint,
Make many Lady blush thro Patch and Paint?
On the Memory of the Right Honourable the Lady Elizabeth Langham.
HAD I a Subject of a meaner size,
Methinks I could write Volumes, and mine Eyes
Land-flood whole Quires of Paper with a Tide
Of Elegies. Deep Rivers silent slide.
Great Contemplations tye the Tongue, that Mind
That's wrapt to Heaven cannot utterance find.
So Commentators on an easie Text
Are endless in their Paraphrase; But vext
With a Mysterious Place pass'd by (be sure)
And veil your Bonnet with Vot serviture:
So holy Cloysters veneration's dumb,
Their Walls being motto'd with Silentium.
But as the Heralds blazon Princes Coats,
Not by mean Colours, but coelestial Notes;
By heavenly Planets, thence to signifie
Their near approaches to Divinity.
So an inspired Angel from the Muse
Of Jesse's Son, this equal task should chuse,
With Quil pluckt from a Cherubs wing to paint
The great example of this illustrious Saint.
Her Apparition makes me all agast
Like her of Endor, or th' Enthusiast,
Scar'd and convuls'd with his own Oracles.
Thou Constellation of Miracles,
Epitome of the whole Sphear of Excellence,
Extract of all that Nature could dispence;
Where Great and Good, Noble and Humble meet,
Learned and Modest Wit without deceit.
That skill in Scripture, and in Tongues she got,
Made her a living Bible Polyglot.
These did not puff her up, she did descend
To the kind Offices of Wife and Friend;
Mother and Sister as if Ethicks were
Not so much taught her as transcrib'd from her.
O what a glorious Creature, and how rare
A Saint 'twould be, that had what she could spare!
Where hath she left her equals now in Fame,
But in the noble House from whence she came:
Too small, alas! where Vertues sacred Fire
Retires in Embers: O may't ne'r expire:
Dark Lanthern of the most resplendent light,
There is the Goshen, all the rest is Night.
Alas! our Pharos is blown out of late
By which we did prosperously navigate,
And Trade both Indies for more precious wealth;
A nobler Traffick with heaven and her self:
But whilst we did expect so rich a Cargo,
Death on the sudden made this sad Imbargo.
We only expect a Restitution there
Where Saints shall bereveal'd, and th' Revelation clear.
William Langham.
FINIS.