a Funeral Sermon. ,John zo. z;. Quarumeunque peccata remiferitis, whofosver fns ye remit, they! are remitted, do lignifie much more, then the bare complement of an indifferent ufage and Ceremony. The fame day the departed (which was 3annuary 26. about three a clock in the afternoon) the fens for me four fereral times to go to prayers with her, thrice in the morning, and once in the afternoon ; at which fall, time all her children (one only excepted which was not in Town) were prefent, and joyned in prayers together withus : Soon after that, I was called to her again, to perform my laft Minifteral Office, the recommendation .of her foul into the hands of Almighty God; and then indeed (and not before) her (cafes began CO fad her ; and within few minutes, after, in much peace and fweetnefs, the con- cluded her 'aft breath. I do here willingly país over many other moll remarkable carriages of hers, during the time of her ficknefs : as her molt Chrifkian--Chariiy, her confiant Devotion, her flupendous Silence and Patience , even to a miracle , and the amazement of beholders, Her perfects Weanednefs from the world, her con- tinual thoughts and difcourfes of the joys and happinefs of heaven : and indeed in this latter, God Almighty was exceedinggracious to her ; for the would often with, that if it might {land with the good will and pleafure of God ; as he dealt with his fernant ("Wafts, and gave him (a little before his de..th) a fight and view of the land of promife ; fo he would alto (tome time be fore her departure hence) vouchfafe her fome fenfible miles and feelings of the joys and happinefs of heaven : And truly in this the had her re- quefl granted, and God was (in moll fignal manner) as good to her as her defines : for her foul was full of the glory of God, and of the joys and happinefs of heaven; and the was (in a manner) caught up into Paradife, and taw in her fpirit change fights, and heard words of joy and peace not to be uttered; and did fenfibly feel new comforts every day breaking in fresh and more upon her foul; and lived to fee all her former fears vanilhed, and doubts farisfied, and obje6 ions anfwered, and temples refolved, andhopes evidenced, and (in a word) her whole mind moft fweetly compofed and fettled, into a heavenly potlure of pious confidence and affurance, fo that now the had nothing left to do, but to refolve with holy David, Pfalm4. 8. To lay her down in peace, for the Lord had gracioufly made her ro dwell in fafety. Accordingly a few days before her death , the was pleafed to utter her Pelf to me in theft (or I am Pure filch like) words. Oh Sir, what e gracious od have I! bow rich in hie mercies towards me! how favourable in hie correilions of me! The thing which I fo greatly feared, (a painful torturing death) he has turned into eafe and comfort, And my wordly cares and thought- Pine(' for the proviflon of my children, he has alfe (in great meafsere) taken of of my hand. And now, what do I lingring and tarrying here any long:r.,? all my work, le done, and the world has no further need of abe, why may I not forthwith go to my God ? Ir it not much better for me to be diffolved, and to be with Chriii ? Thefe and (Lich like heavenly fayings, were her frequent and ufual difcourfes with me : fo that it was an exceeding joy and comfort to me, when at any time the did fend for me ; neither do I know chat I ever went to her, and did not learn Tome what remarkable from her. And indeed every (perch and jlofhcre of hers, was a moll fruitful Sermon to all thofe who had the happinefs to attend about her, and to initialer unto her, and did either hear the one, or ob ferve the other ; the one a vifible Sermon of patience, the other an au- dible Sermon of devotion. But I fee I am now tarred into a large Field, and may fay with Elibu in ,Job, chap. 32. 18. I am full of matter, and the fpirit within me confirainetb me : And indeed I can very hardly wind my Pelf out; but I mutt have regard to my promife of brevity : Take all therefore which I (hall add further in theft few words; and believe it, they are not the words of vanity or flattery, but of truth and lober-. nefs, 37
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