4 IrIAI, t. o ThePlatformofCharity, or, e.01 wordfor the =alien in Hand: Funeral Sermons (faith Saint Asti in) are not comforts to the dead, but helps to l the living. It is for their fakes that furvive,that God bath givenus theft occafions and for your fakes that are yet living; that I have chofenthis Text; where you have the rule and the example concurring together. The lifeofour deceafedSifter,was but a commentary upon this Text ; Shehath been ( amongft thofe that knew her, in her life ) a lively pattern, and example, of theperformance ofevery duty, that we have now fpoken of. It pleated God t6 tranflate heras a choice Plant from a far Country (a Nurfery amongft the Chùrches in other parts) intohis Vineyard,into hisGarden,intohis Orchard : his Church here in England Since the came hither, and bath been planted here; She became no fruitlefs, nor dead tree, but according to the bleffingpromifed to that mart which meditates in theLawof God, day and night She brought forth fruit, and had a green leaf amongus. She brought forthabundance ofgood fruit, and is laid in the earth with the green lcafofagood name,and flouritheth now;asagood example to thole thatlive, even being dead. After, itpleafedGod when the eaníetoEngland, toreveal to her, ihcmayoffal- vationmore fully then theknew before, to make her underftand moreclearly of the power of godlinefs, and what thepradice ofChriftianity meant, which the before had receivedonly in theTheory, informs ofdoEirines, but not fo heartily,and teri- oufly looking into them. She grewvery covetous ofgood company , and ( the benefit that comes bythat ) goodconference andexample. She made greatadvantage ofher time,in the large fenfeofdoing good. She took her opportunities to do good toher felfandher foùl,by the obtainingof the know- ledge ofGodin Chrifl; and yet neverthelefs, even towards her latter end ( not be- ingperfwadedthat the had done enough that way,) fhepromifed to adMariespart more lively, if God would fpare her longer: time on earth, and exceed her for- mer venues, by her latter endeavours, and to refrain from eíTtarthat trou- bles. Thofeopportunities theembraced inhealth (by the providence andgoodnefs of God) weremanaged byher,with fuchcare and retpeft, that fuccefsfollowed their conclufionswithmuch advantage. She increafed in love(that radical grace as the lap Both increafe in the root, extending that love to Chrift and to the fervantsof God : ever delighting in their company ; prizing them at a high rate, as the only excellent ones, and fomevery poor and weak Chriftians naming them according to the phrafc ofour Saviour, worthyperfons ; and fuch a one was a worthy man, or a worthy woman, being the tearmswherewith fheexpreffedher honourable efteem' of thofe that feared the Lord. Betides, in the whole courfe ofher lifethe exercifed the Scriptures, I have fear notes ofher own gathering out of the Scripture: wherein it feemed thedefired to become a profitable reader, in makingufe offuch particular placesas (truckagainft fuch corruptions,whichthewas moreefpecially defirous to take notice of : and fuch dite&ions to duties,and encouragements by promife were likew ife infertedtherein, that ('I am perfwaded) I cannot do better than tocommend this duty tothepractice ofall the fervantsofGod, thatwhen they come to perufe the Scriptures,they would furnith themfelves with pen and ink, andthenupon all occafions they maybenoting down fomewhat for their own advantage : that they may have a manual, or little book of obfervations, for their guide and direftion in the courfeoftheir lives. She was a heartyy ter of fin, and of all evil, and theappearance thereof, being careful todo good fo faras the was convinced in any thing to her revealed, and wil- ling to receive inftruftions, and to be informed in thofe things that were not re- vealed. Thole that knew her may well witnefs with me, that the never negle6ted the fmalleft occafon conducing to the improvement of her foul in the wayes of I goodnefs. But for the fecond,the mainintent ofthisText,and the reafon for whickI took it, in ¡.
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