The Holy Life and Happy Death of John Bruen, Chapter 35 – Chapter 36
CHAP. XXXV.
AFter theſe things,Standing in need of Marriage. He ſought and found a prudent wife. By good opportunity. Etiam caſlae aaeimae in turpe labuntur aſſenſu, quaeſi imputaret Altiſsinus, quis viveret castus? Aug. con. Iulian. lib. 4 cap. 2. And by good meanes. finding himſelfe to ſtand in need of marriage, and that (both for the comfort of his life, and neceſſity of his Family) it was not good for him to be alone: He ſought the bleſſing of another helper, and a prudent wife, by prayer from the Lord.
And as he ſought, ſo he found, the Lord in his providence ordering and diſpoſing of the occaſion, motion, match and marriage after this manner. As he was in Mancester upon occaſion of the holy exerciſe of Religion kept, and continued in that place, he caſt his eye upon a very amiable, and beautifull young Gentlewoman, which diligently frequented that aſſembly; upon the ſight of whom, he confeſſeth, that he had this thought ariſing in his heart, loe, this is the woman, that the Lord hath provided for my wife.
And ſo, that he might not only pleaſe his eye and follow his affection in his choice, but might deale wiſely and adviſedly for his better ſatisfaction touching her vertues, and graces (which he much deſired were anſwerable to her outward parts.) He acquainted one of his moſt truſty & religious ſervants (as Abraham did Eliezer in a like buſineſſe) with his thoughts and purpoſe,Gen. 24. Of his truſty ſervant. and ſet him preſently a work to inquire after her. Who being borne in that Country and well acquainted in thoſe parts, was well able to anſwer his deſires, and demands, concerning this matter.Declaring unto him, her Parents. And ſo he told him thus much in effect, and after this manner. This young Gentlewoman her name is Miſtris Anne Foxe, Siſter to Maſter Foxe of the Rhodes, ſome 4 or 5 miles from Mancheſter, Her fatherwell deſcended both by father and mother. Her father a Gentleman of good eſtimation, and account (whiles hee lived) with that honorable Perſonage Henry Earle of Darby, Stow. Chro. 1585. Ian. 20.being Controller of his houſe, and one of his Counſell, and one of thoſe ſpeciall Gentlemen that attended upon his honour when he was ſent by Queene Elizabeth Ambaſſadour into France. Her mother yet living.Her mother yet living, a very godly and gracious Matrone, deſcended of the antient and worſhipfull Families of the Addertons, and Lelands in Lancaſhire. Her ſelfe a Vertuous,Prov. 31. Her parts worthy due commendatiō. and Religious young woman, beautifull by Grace within, as well as by Nature without; one that was well reported of in the Church of God, and well eſteemed, and accepted of the people of God; And ſuch a one as in his opinion might be a comfortable match and marriage for him. Upon this relation of his ſervant, and good teſtimony, which he gave her, anſwering ſo well to his deſires, he neglected no time, but tooke his beſt oportunity to make a motion to her mother, and her friends for a marriage, which being well accepted and enterteined by them, he became a Suter unto her,So hee made a motion for marriage. Prevayled in it, and tooke her to wife. and winning her affections, by his gracious ſpeaches, and godly carriage, he prevayled in his Sute, and ſo by mutuall and chearefull conſent of her friends, he took her to wife, with much joy and comfort to both their hearts in their ſo holy meeting and matching together in the feare of God.
The firſt yeare of their marriage, his Mother in law, gave them and theirs their Table, during which time, he was as careful to do good unto that Family, as if it had been his own houſe. And therefore he began to quicken himſelfe,Hee ſet up & renewed the exe…ciſes of Religion in that Family. and to awaken them unto all religious duties of Prayer, and Praiſe, reading of the Scriptures, ſinging of Pſalmes, godly Conference, Catechiſing of the ignorant, &c. Which albeit for the moſt part they were performed before in the Family, yet he now being called and intreated by M. Foxe, and his mother to diſcharge theſe duties, did more powerfully ſtirre up the gifts and graces of God that were in him, and ſo ſet himſelfe a worke more effectually, to ſeeke their Converſion, and edification in the knowledg of God, and Faith in Chriſt Jeſus. All which his holy labours in private, being ſeconded and ſtrengthened by the publique paines of their Paſtour old M. Langley, that holy man of God, and faithfull ſervant of Chriſt in the Houſe of God; were ſo effectually bleſſed and proſpered by the good hand of God upon him, that in the remembrance of that yeare, and the ſweet comforts and contentments, which he found therein.The good ſucceſſe thereof. He hath been often both in his life and was alſo at his death, as it were raviſhed with joy, and rejoycing in the Lord, enlarging his heart in thankſgiving unto him, for his mercies to himſelfe,By his own teſtimony. and to others by his meanes. Hereof he hath left an evident teſtimony under his owne hand, which I will not ſpare to record: let others read, conſider, and give righteous judgement.
My Mother in law, ſaith he, then giving mee Table for a yeare, there and then we ſet up the Exerciſe of Religion morning and evening. In which time I truſt through Gods grace, my Mother in law there got true ſaving grace, and my ſiſter in law, now Miſtris Hinde, and another half ſiſter of hers, and their brothers Maſter William, and Maſter Thomas Foxe, and a ſervant or two, and ſome neighbours, which joyned with us in the evening. Bleſſed be God that is pleaſed by weake meanes, to expreſſe his great power, and mercy towards us.
CHAP. XXXVI.
THus were the mercies of God renewed upon his Servant, and his comforts encreaſed much in a ſtrange Family, for the time that he did ſojourn thus amongſt them.His return home to Stapleford. Which when it was expired, in much contentment and peace, He began to look homewards towards Cheſhire, and to addreſſe himſelfe for his journey to his own houſe. And ſo, taking his beloved Wife along with him,Bringing his wife along with him. hee brought her with much joy and comfort, home to Staplefoord, where they mutually enjoyed one another in great peace, and love, for their owne good, and for the benefit of their whole Family.
And ſo it pleaſed God to repaire, and make up the breach formerly made in his houſe, by the death of his former wife, by bringing in another daughter of Abraham, of gracious and good parts to take her place, and to ſupply what was wanting in that behalfe.
Now after a while, when the Lord had well ſetled and eſtabliſhed him, and his, for, and in the government of their Family again, according to their former exerciſes of Religion and other civill, and domeſticall duties required in the ſame:Divers Gent. deſire to ſojourne with him. There were many Gent. of the beſt rank in the Countrey, that deſired & made much, great fute, ſome for their children, and ſome for themſelves, and ſome for their friends, to ſo journe with him, as we have already heard ſome others had in like manner done before them: And all to this end, that being partakers of ſo good meanes of grace under his godly government, and gracious example of a holy life, the ignorant might be inſtructed, the unruly reclaimed, the ſuperſtitious reformed, the profane converted, or reſtrained;His family a famous Nurſery for Religion. Babes in Chriſt might bee nurſed and grow up by the ſincere milke of the Word, and ſuch as were of riper age, might bee fed and ſtrengthened with other wholeſome Doctrin, as with ſtronger meat. Thus his houſe, and Family, became yet more famous, as a Seminary of true Religion; a Nurſery for the plants of grace,2 Kin. 2.3, 5. 2 Sam. 17.18. 1 Sam. 25. a field or Vineyard which the Lord had bleſſed, to beare trees of righteouſneſſe, and fruits of holineſſe. Not much unlike to one of the Schooles of the Prophets by the river of Jorden or Jericho, or on the top of Mount Carmel; or like to Samuels houſe at Ramah, whether many went to ſeek the Seer, and to have counſell and comfort him.1 Sam. 19.19. Iud. 21.2. 2 Kin. 22.14. Act. 19.9, 10. 2 Kin. 2.7, 15, 18, 2 3. Gen. 28.17, 18, 19 M. Wilbraham placeth his ſon in law and his daughter with him. Like to the Hill of the Teacher, the Colledge at Jeruſalem, the Schoole of Tyrannus, yea a very Bethell, and a little Church of God, 1 Cor. 6.19. a true houſe of God and the very gate of Heaven.
One of the firſt and beſt, and beſt worthy to bee firſt of thoſe Gentlemen which dealt with him in this kind, and to this end, was that thrice worthy, truly honored, and accompliſhed Gentleman Tho. Wilbraham of Woodhey Eſquire, the very beauty and glory of that houſe, and pereleſſe pillar of the Countrey: who having married his eldeſt daughter, to a young Gentleman the heire of the houſe of Ʋtkinton, of great place for his birth and bloud, and of good parts for his naturall endowments and civill diſpoſition (yet much addicted to the pleaſures of the World, and the luſts of youth) was very deſirous to place them both as ſo journers for a ſeaſon in this Gentlemans houſe, and under his Government for their good; that ſo they might be the better wained from ſuch occaſions of evill, as happily elſe where they might meet withall, and better acquainted with the meanes, and ſubſtance of true Religion, together with the power and practice of it, which in all likely hood here they might find, and attaine unto in this Family.