Two Treatises, Dedication 1
Par Nobile.
TWO TREATISES.
The one, concerning The EXCELLENT WOMAN, Evincing a perſon Fearing the Lord, to be the moſt Excellent Perſon: Diſcourſed more privately upon occaſion of the Death of the Right Honourable, the Lady Frances Hobart, late of Norwich, from. Pro. 31. 29, 30, 31.
The other, Diſcovering a Fountain of Comfort and Satisfaction, to perſons walking with God, yet living and dying without ſenſible Conſolations: diſcovered, from Pſal. 17. 15. at the Funerals of the Right Honourable, the Lady Katharine Courten, preached at Blicklin, in the County of Norfolk, March 27. 1652.
With the Narratives of the holy Lives and Deaths of thoſe two Noble Siſters.
By J. C. D. D. late Miniſter of the Goſpel in Norwich.
Prima gratia eſt timor Domini: Bernardus in Serm. de donis Sp. Sancti.
Sine hâc gratiâ primâ gratiarum, quae totius Religionis exordium eſt, nullum bonum pullulare ve… manare poteſt.
LONDON, Printed in the Year 1669.
THE Excellent WOMAN: Diſcourſed more privately from Proverbs 31. 29, 30, 31. Upon occaſion of the Death OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, The Lady FRANCES HOBART.
By J. C. D. D.
Connexa ſunt timor, & Religio, nec manere poteſt altera ſine altero. Bernardus.
LONDON, Printed in the Year 1669.
TO THE Right Honourable, THE Lady ELIZABETH COUNTESSE, Dowager of Exeter.
Madam,
THat noble perſon (to whoſe memory theſe ſheets are devoted) and my relation to her, were ſo well known to your Ladiſhip, that I am ſure you will find no difficulty to conclude that ſomething of this nature is but a debt to her memory, and eſpecially from my ſelf, upon whom ſhe laid ſo many obligations, that if I ſhould hold my peace, the very ſtones would ſpeak: Nor Madam, can I think diſcourſes of this nature uſeleſs, being, though of no ſignificancy, in ſubſidia mortuorum, to advantage the dead; yet not inſignificant both in ſolatium, and ad exemplum vivorum, for the comfort and example of thoſe who are alive, that others may learn the ſteps of holineſs, by which ſhe aſcended that bleſſed Manſion into which we believe her entred, and by which ſhe mounted to that pinacle of honour in the Church of God, upon which we lately ſaw her, and which her memory yet poſſeſſeth. This (Madam) being determined, I had no difficulty to find out to whom I ſhould inſcribe them. Both the ſubject matter of the diſcourſes, and your Ladiſhip's near relation to her Ladiſhip challenged that at my hands. The deſign of the ſheets (Madam) introductive to the ſequent Narrative of her Ladiſhip's life, is to evince a great truth to the world, concerning which the practical errours, which we daily ſee in it, give us reaſon to believe it not ſufficiently perſwaded, viz. That the perſon fearing the Lord is the moſt excellent perſon. Were the world better convinced of this moſt demonſtrable Propoſition, thoſe perſons would not find it ſo difficult to reconcile the world unto them, and to gain a quiet room, in the latitude of it, wherein to paſs the time of their ſo journing here with fear; only leading ſuch a converſation, as might comport with the fear of God, according to the degrees of light they have received. Thoſe Madam, who know the value of perſons fearing Jehovah, muſt from principles of reaſon have a kindneſs for every one whom they ſee afraid to ſin againſt that great and glorious Name, though that timoration makes them recede from them in ſome practices, wherein they could deſire them to be like themſelves. But Madam, how unreaſonable ſoever the more peeviſh world ſheweth it ſelf in their judgement of, and behaviour to ſuch perſons. Your Ladiſhip hath for many years declared your ſelf to have a juſter apprehenſion, and teſtified it both by your own choice of the right waies of the Lord, and your exemplary kindneſs to thoſe whom you have found walking therein. Theſe Papers, Madam, will juſtifie your Ladyſhip's judgement, and may poſſibly help to confirm what your Honour hath ſo long believed.
To the latter part of theſe ſheets your Ladiſhip is entituled by your near relation to that Honourable perſon whom they concern, and the intireneſs of affection, which you mutually bare each to other. She ſeldom mentioned your Ladiſhip in your abſence; but the form of her mention was, My dear Siſter of Exeter. With your Ladiſhip it was that ſhe conſulted in her difficulties, refreſhed her ſelf in her dark and ſad hours; to whom therefore doth her Picture more of right belong, than unto your ſelf? It might indeed have deſerved a better hand, but as it is, I dare ſay your Ladiſhip will ſee many a line in her countenance, which you will remember and ſay, Sic vultus, ſic illa manus, ſic ora ferebat, that it is exceeding like your Ladiſhips noble Siſter. If your Ladiſhip asketh why it cometh ſo late after her Funerals, I muſt anſwer, Madam, that your Honour is not altogether ignorant what hath happened to me ſince that time; notwithſtanding which, the Copy of theſe ſheets were in the Stationers hands more than two years ſince, and unhappily (through his ſlowneſs) periſhed in your dreadful Burning: ſince which I have indeed had time enough to have revived them, but have been diſtracted with ſo much buſineſs of other natures, as before this time I have not been able to finiſh what long ſince I intended, and had begun. They now come forth not in ſo good a dreſs as I could wiſh, but as imperfectly as works uſe to do, finiſhed in ſo many parts as I have been inforced to finiſh them in, and by.
Such as they are, I moſt humbly offer them to your Honour, as a ſmall oblation to the memory of her to whom your Ladiſhip knows I owed much more; and as a poor acknowledgement of the many obligations which it hath pleaſed your Ladiſhip to lay upon me, who have no way, but ſuch as this; and my fervent prayers to approve my ſelf
Your Honours moſt humbly obliged Servant, J. C.