Approbation

Reverend Sir,

'Twas extremely obliging that you honoured me with the perusal of your Hagiomimesis, (the occasion was sad, the improvement good) where the nature and ground of the Imitation of Saints, is distinctly opened, and rarely Illustrated by an excellent example; when that digitus ferro-luteus saw the fatal hour approaching, he cryed out,¹ ut se aliquis ad mortem capessendam exemplo juvaret, that some one would die by him, that he might learn to die by the example; and this was like him, whose name was vir sanguinum, a man of blood: But that brave person, that great Saint your treatise refers to, hath by the incomparable instance of her gracious behaviour, taught us all, how to die, and now to live too, which is the first and hardest lesson. Benè vixisse, magnum est; ²I judge ⟨image 4⟩the same Anointing which took her up to the Galleries of Love, fashioning her insensibly into so curious a President, hath disclosed to you this secret,³ of giving life by dead bones, preserving Religion from mortality, gathering flowers from the Coffin, Embalming Examples, and finding out advantages in the severest Providences. Good Sir let me once more desire you to publish your Meditations on this subject, and the rather, because we have had the fire of the last day, lately represented to us in a dreadful figure, happily you may now at length provoke the present evil world to Emulation,⁴ and save some. Jerome espoused the example of Hilarion. Who knows in what methods God will please to discover himself to poor sinners? Will any say, (they knew not Hammer-Smith) you dipped your Pen too much in love, when you drew the fair Character of an endeared Child? Regard it not, aequo animo audienda sunt imperitorum convitia,⁵ & ad honesta vadenti contemnendus est iste contemptus. The Inhabitants of the Earth are so much below the cloud of witnesses,⁶ that being [Greek or Hebrew]Tender eyed, they cannot see the glory wrapped up in it; Let the profane say in scorn to Elisha, go up, go up (meaning as Elijah did) 'tis enough for him to inherit his Masters spirit,

Some years since the merciful Providence of God gave me a Summers rest in the house of that admirable Person (which I ever after found to be one of the hundred built upon the Land of Promise) much was I there also in her last sickness,¹ and still I observed Wisdom and Holiness, Gravity and Meekness,² tempered in her to an unparalleled sweetness. [Greek or Hebrew]. A blest Pandora, a highly favoured Enthumia, ³one that had the Other spirit, the Even spirit, eodem vultus tenore, etiam adversis interpellantibus perstitit, ⁴as was said of Socrates. The pure spirit came down upon her, rather tanquam Columba, then instar ignis; hers was that Dove-like, Agnine spirit; pro eloquio nutus erat, with what wonderful regard did she walk? Tota pulcra, all fair, and ever fair, shining with holiness when descended from the Mount; her Manna seemed to breed no Worm; Christ dwelt in her with a constant loveliness, and was fairer in her, then in ten thousands! She did excel to a wonder in the esteem of all that conversed with her. But now she […] fallen, she is fallen, and gone down to the Chambers of the Dead. A tutto vi è rimedio. ⟨image 5⟩fuor che alla morte. Hasten therefore to us your Hagiomimesis, that the fall of the righteous may be the Salvation of the world,⁵ which is the hearts desire, and prayer of,

Some years since the merciful Providence of God gave me a Summers rest in the house of that admirable Person (which I ever after found to be one of the hundred built upon the Land of Promise) much was I there also in her last sickness,¹ and still I observed Wisdom and Holiness, Gravity and Meekness,² tempered in her to an unparallel'd sweetness. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. A blest Pandora, a highly favoured Enthumia,

Dear SIR, Your Servant in our Lord, William Woodward. Octob. 10. 1666.