MONICA Americana.
A Funeral-SERMON, Occasioned by the DEATH of Mrs. Sarah Leveret, (Once the Honourable CONSORT of JOHN LEVERET Esq. GOVERNOUR of the Massachuset-Colony, NEW-ENGLAND,) Who changed Earth for Heaven. [...] d. 11 m. 1704.
With an ELEGY upon her Memory.
Mulierculae istae Lacrymis Suis caelum nobis praeripiunt.
BOSTON: Printed for Samuel Phillips, at the Brick Shop. 1705.
Female Piety Exemplified. In a Funeral-SERMON, on the DEATH of Mrs. SARAH LEVERET. BOSTON. Thursday 4 d. 11 m. 1704, 5.
MARY hath Chosen that Good Part, that shall not be taken away from her.
BUT has this Pious MARY any Daughters in our Dayes to be found among our selves? Any Admirers and Followers of Her Exemplary Piety? It may not be made a Question of. The [...]ublick Admonitions to do like MARY, in Chusing the Good Part, will come with a Good Force, if we can show a MARY, (or a SARAH) in our very Neighbourhood, of whom we might say▪ Behold, An Exemple of doing so! Certainly, there are such Handmaids of the Lord among the Daughter of our Zion: And as there were Three Maries to One John, under the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ I wish, my Sex were not near as much [...] [Page 4] done in the Number of them that make Choice of that Precious LORD. Among the Daughters that have thus done Vertuously, I can say to my Hearers, that such an one was this Day Se'nnight with us in the Congregation, like a devout MARY, Unweariedly listening, as she use to be, unto the Word of God. But she is now flown away to that Congregation, where God is Worshipped, not only without Weariness, but also without any Infirmity, without any Imperfection. It is fit, that such a Mother in Israel, should be spoken of; and there is now an opportunity for it, in the Presence and Audience of a GENERAL ASSEMBLY of our Israel. It was her Excellent Character for Prudence and Goodness, and particularly for her Imitation of the Celebrated MARY, in a Constant, Awful, Affectionate Attention to the Word of God, that has carried me away to a Theme, on which I need say nothing (nor shall I,) but what was to be Read in her Holy Conversation. I am sure, This will be a way of Womens Teaching in the Church, which the Apostle never disapproved of! And we may now confirm an Observation, That the Word of God it self sometimes comes in as a Recompence and an Instrument of Honour unto them who have Honoured the Word with a more than ordinary Diligence, and Attention.
Our Lord JESUS CHRIST was Entertained at the House of Martha, in Bethany, who had her [...]ister Mary living with her. Of these Two Sister [...] [...] was lothe to leave the Room, while the [Page] Lord Jesus Christ was there uttering the blessed Mysteries of our Salvation; but Martha was very busy in providing a civil & handsome Treat for so high a Guest, and complained, that the other was unkind, in thus leaving her alone, to provide what was Needful. The Answer of our Lord unto this Complaint has two things in it. First, Martha is Advised; That she overdid in her Care, about External matters; and our Lord convinces her of her over-doing, by advising her, That there is One Thing more Needful, than all those things about which we are prone to be too careful. Secondly, Mary is Commended, for the Choice that she had made. And this Choice is commended, first, from the Object of it. A Good Part. The Lord JESUS CHRIST Himself; the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; the Mercy proposed in the Gospel; This was the Good Portion, that she had chosen. And then, from the Effect of it. It should not be taken away from her, nor should she be taken away from that; Her possession of what she had Chosen should be perpetual. Will my Hearers, and very particularly the Sex whose Laudable Zeal, gave an occasion for our Text to be found in the Bible, now receive a DOCTRINE of the Greatest Importance in the world? It was received, and it was most practically and admirably illustrated, by that Excellent Person, whom in my whole Discourse, you may, if you please, think me all along speaking of.
There is a GOOD PORTION, that is Chosen by every Good Christian; and this GOOD PORTION is never to be taken away from them that Choose it
The First Proposition.
There is a Good Portion propounded unto the Choice of men, in the Word of God.
The Word of God, is it self a Good Word. When Mary Chose (as Ours also did, above all the Delights upon Earth,) to attend upon the Word of God, she Chosen Good Part. But there is this especially Good in the Word of God; It Exhibit a Good part unto our Choice. Man is a Dependent creature▪ He depends upon God for satisfaction. Every man seeks a Portion; that is is to say, an Happiness wherein he may be satisfied. That Enjoyment, wherein God will give men to find satisfaction is, a Good Portion for them. In the Word of God, we have such a satisfying Portion set before us.
But, What is that Good Portion?
In General; The Good Portion is the same that our Lord JESUS CHRIST has pronounced The One Thing that is Needful. Our Lord having said, One Thing is Needful, then adds, Mary has Chosen that Good Portion. But now, The One Thing that is Needful, is, Our SALVATION by our Lord JESUS CHRIST. Of all things the most Necessary for us, is that Eternal Salvation, whereof our Lord
[Page]But more Particularly.
First. The Great and Good GOD is a Good Portion; a very Choice Portion for the Souls of men. Else it had never been said, Lam. 3.24, 25. The Lord is my Portion, saith my Soul; The Lord is Good unto them that wait for Him. The Almighty GOD makes a Tender of Himself unto us, to be our Portion. O Riches, O wonders of Soveraign Grace! Why do not our Conquered Souls, Cry out, Lord, Be thou my Portion! And surely, GOD must be a Good Portion. As, There is none Good but God; so we must say, Lord, Thou art Good and thou dost Good. The SOUL of man cannot [Page] [...] [...]on, what can do so▪ [...] and the Servant of the Lord. [...] 5, 6. The LORD is the Portion of my Inheritance; I have a Goodly Heritage.
Secondly. An Interest in the Lord JESUS CHRIST is a Good Portion: What Christian does not count it his best Interest? Our Lord JESUS CHRIST is often called, The Good One, and, The Good Thing. A Fountain of all Good, must needs be a Good Portion. The Sun is not more a Fountain of Light, then our Lord JESUS CHRIST is a Fountain of Good. Men count they have a Good Portion, when they have Riches enough. [...]e Person that has the Lord JESUS CHRIST [...] a Portion, has Riches enough, We read, Eph. [Page 9] [...].7. about, The unsearchable Riches of Christ. An Union with the Lord JESUS CHRIST will invest [...] Person with a Portion that will Supply all Wants, Prevent all Fears: For, Col. 1.19. It has pleased the Father, that in Him there should all Fulness [...] well. To have all Fulness for a Portion, is to have [...] Full Portion; and a Full Portion is a Good One. Truly, an UNION with the Lord Jesus Christ, is the pearl of great price. If ALL will not make a Good Portion, what will? But, Col. 3.11. CHRIST is ALL. Behold, A Portion that furnishes our Hungry Souls, with the Bread of Life; Our Naked Souls' with the Garments of Salvation; Our [...]ickly Soul with Healing from His Wings! Miserable Souls that Reject such a Portion! Oh! our dear People; Do it not!
Thirdly; The Righteousness of the Lord JESUS CHRIST reckon'd Ours, is a Good Portion; It is most Righteously to be reckon'd so. SIN is the Worst Evil. To be Saved from Sin, is a Good Portion. It was the Exclamation, Psal. 32.1, 2. Oh! the Blessednessess of the Man! Oh! the Blessednessess of the Man! There is a Law of Righteousness, wherein the Holy God has Condemned us unto dreadful Confusion, upon the least Failure of our Obedience to Him. We have grievously failed in our Obedience, and the Sentence of the Law has doom'd us to suffer the Vengeance of Eternal Fire. Tis a Good thing sure, to be Released from the Sentence of Eternal Death, and at the same time to be Possessed of a Righteousness, wh [...] [...] [Page 10] the Law of God has adjudg'd Eternal Life as a Reward. The Son of God, Assuming our Nature became a Mediator, particularly Exercising [...] Priestly Office, in the yet more particular capacity of a Surety, to answer the Law of Righteousness in our stead. This our Surety, did both endure the Penalty of the Law, and fulfil the Precept of it, in our stead, according to the Covenant between God the Father and the Son, about His doing so. Our Lord JESUS CHRIST had a most Right [...] Heart, and led a most Righteous Life, and at length underwent the Miseries, that are the Essentials [...] the Punishment, which was due to us for our Unrighteousness. Thus there is a Glorious RIGHTEOUSNESS wrought out and brought in, for the chosen People of God. And now, has not [...] Person a Good Portion, who is owne [...] such a RIGHTEOUSNESS? This Righteousness is called, An Inheritance. [Heb. 11.7.] Oh! We Inherit a Good Portion; we are very Rich Heirs, if the Righteousness of our Lord JESUS CHRIST be Ours. May God, by an Act of His Free Grace, Impute this RIGHTEOUSNESS unto us, and Graciously look on it, as belonging unto us, for Us to be Judicially dealt withal according to the Merit of it: Verily, If we are of the Apostles mind, we shall forego all the Things under Heaven, for so Good a portion. Said he, Phil. 3.8, 9. I suffer the Loss of all things, that I may win CHRIST, and be found in Him, having that RIGHTEOUSNESS, which is thro' the Faith of Christ.
[Page 11] Fourthly. A Principle of GRACE in the Soul, [...] Good Portion; The Least Portion of such [...]rinciple will dispose a man to think it so. As [...]as said, Heb. 13.9. It is a Good thing, that the [...]rt be Established with Grace; thus we may say, [...] Good thing, to have an Heart Principled with [...]ce. The Holy Spirit of God is Good. We read, [...] Thy Spirit is Good. The Spirit of Grace is a [...] Portion to the Person that has it. A Princi [...] [...] GRACE infused into the Soul, gives a New [...]me unto the Soul; and that New Frame is a [...] One. In true GRACE, we have the Image [...]od, we have the Foretaste of Heaven; we have [...] Seed of a blessed Immortality. Tis a Portion that [...] Meet for the Portion of the Saints in Light. [...] sometimes Enquire after the PORTION [...] or Such an one. Why, If they have the [...] of Christ, they have a Good Portion; [...]ey have that which when it is found in Women, or Men either,) we are told, 1 Pet. 3.4. It is of [...]eat Price. Is not a Portion of what is far better than Silver and Gold, a Good Portion? Of GRACE we read, Prov. 3.14, 15. The Merchandise it is better than the Merchandise of Silver, and the in thereof than fine Gold; It is more precious than [...]arts; and all the Things that thou canst desire, are [...] to be compared unto it. One Drachm of true GRACE in the Soul, is a Portion of more worth, [...]an all the Riches of the Indies. Oh! That our beloved Hearers, might all of them have, as One [...] them lately gone from us remarkably had, the GRACE to count it so!
[Page] Fifthly. The Heavenly Blessedness of the Fut [...] State, is a Good Portion; If a Person have n [...] thing of Earth, yet while Heaven belongs un [...] him, he has Portion enough. If we have a Port [...] in the Heavenly Canaan, truly, The Lines are fa [...] to us in pleasant places. If the Earthly Cana [...] were a Good Land, certainly much more is t [...] Heavenly Canaan so. We shall find in Heaven, He [...] 10.34. A Better Substance, than any we left [...] Earth. When we come to the Heavenly Blessedn [...] in another World, we shall there find a confidence of all Good. A Portion in Heaven w [...] totally rescue us from the Curse. In Heaven, the [...] will be no Evil inflicted: All Sin and all Grief [...] for ever banished from those Regions of Light When we come into the City of God, we shall then want no Good Thing. God will show Marvelous Kindness to us in that Strong City. Every Mansion in the Heavenly City, is incomparably furnished. A Good Portion is a Mansion then▪ If Peter in the Suburbs, could say, Tis Good to [...] here! What shall we say, What Good shall we fin [...] when come into the City it self? —
— All Words are Swallowed up! —
Thither, Thither is One lately gone from us who had such a Sense of a Good Portion▪ And She did, what is going to be Spoke, in
The Second Proposition.
The Good Christian does CHUSE the Good Portion; And none have it, but they tha [...] Chuse it. A Christian is as much distinguished by [Page 13] much denominated from, his Choice, as any [...]ng whatsoever. The Choice that a Good Christi [...] makes, is of a Good Portion.
First; A Good Christian does Refuse to be put [...], with a Portion in the Things of this [...]orld. The present World, appears to a Good [...]hristian, an Evil World. There appears nothing [...] horrible to a Christian, as to have This World [...] his Portion. A Christian does with Horror [...]precate the Condition of those men, Psal. 17. [...]. The Men of this World, who have their Portion in this Life. The Things of this World promise to Support us; but a Christian Looks on them as Broken Reeds. They Promise to Comfort [...]; but a Christian Looks on them as Miserable [...]mforters. They Promise to Heal and Help what [...] amiss with us: but a Christian has no trust in their Promise; he takes it for granted, They are [...]ysicians of no Value. Unregenerate Men are very [...]ady to take up with a Portion in Earthly Things. [...]e may say of the Unregenerate, on the worst account that can be; as in Joh. 3.31. They are [...]arthly, and they speak of the Earth; So, They are [...]arthly, and Seek nothing but the Earth, Men have, [...] it were, Incarnated their Souls; They are so [...]uitified and Stupified, that Earthly Things are the only Things they have any Relish for. Perishable things are the only Relishable Things unto the [...]ost of Men. The Love of this World, has Enchanted the most of the men of the World. The [...]ost of men in the World, are the men of this World. [Page 14] It may be said of them; Phil. 3.19. They n [...] Earthly Things. But Regeneration gives to the m [...] of a Christian, another Inclination. [...] Christian is inclined as the Reformer was; w [...] when he had great Presents made unto him, tu [...] ed unto the Lord, and made a vehement Protection; Oh! My God, my God; I earnestly Protest, [...] I will not be put off with such Things as these!
Secondly. A Good Christian, does not o [...] Chuse his Portion in Spiritual Blessings, also make it Evident, that he has made such Choice. To the Good Christian Spiritual Blessi [...] and Spiritual Blessings are set before the Choice o [...] Christian, he prefers the Spiritual, as vastly p [...] ferrible to the Temporal. As when the proffer [...] made unto Solomon, 2 Chron. 1.7. Ask what I [...] give thee; he wisely made Choice of Wisdom: T [...] upon the profer made unto a Christian, so mu [...] of a Solomon is he, that he determines upon [...] Choice; Lord, Give me thy Christ, give me thy Spirit, give me an Assurance of thy Everlasting Love Bring me to thy Heavenly Kingdom; and preserve [...] Blameless till thou bring me thither! What is the Desire of a Christian? He desires rather to Advance the Glory of God, and Enjoy the Favour of God and Obey the Command of God, than to have [...] daily Bread. What is the Labour of a Christian He Labours rather for the Food which endures [...] Everlasting Life, than for the Food which perish [...] and which will not keep us from perishing. T [...] [Page 15] [...]anguage of a Christian about Good, is that; Psal. [...].28. It is Good for me to Draw near unto God. The [...]in Concern lying upon the Heart of a Christian [...] not, What he shall Eat or Drink, or, wherewithal [...]ll he be Cloathed? But, What shall I do to be Saved? [...]he Pleasures that a Christian prefers, what are [...]ey? Not, The pleasures of sin; but, The pleasant [...]ayes of Wisdom. The Riches that a Christian prefers, what are they? Not, The Riches of Unrighteous [...]ammon; but, To be Rich in Faith. And what are [...]e Honours that a Christian prefers? Not, Worldly [...]randeur, not, Humane Applause; but, The Praise [...]at comes from God. Where are the Affections of [...] Christian? Answer, Col. 3.2. Upon the Things that [...]e Above. Hence, the Christian, to prove, that [...]e does Chuse the Good Portion, will rather [...]ose any thing else, than Lose that Portion. This [...]as the Temper of a Moses: [Heb. 11.25, 26.] [...]nd it was the Temper of our Mary too.
Her Acquiescence in it, must be Pourtray'd, in
The Third Proposition.
Tis the Excellency of the Good Portion, and of Chusing it, that the Portion is never to be taken away from them that Chuse it. For,
First, A Christian having once been partaker of the Good Portion, he never can be Deprived of it. It is by the New Covenant, that we come to have our Claim to our Good Portion. [...]t that Covenant is, Isa. 55.3. An Everlasting Covenant. Indeed, The Mountains shall depart, & the Hills be removed; but thy Good Portion, O [Page 16] Saint of God, shall never depart from thee; neither shall the Covenant, by which thou holdest it, be remov [...] saith the Lord, who has had such Mercy on thee, to bring thee unto the Choice of such a Portion.
If God once be Our God, we may sing; P [...] 48.14. This God is our God for ever and ever. Wi [...] once God has given Himself unto us, it will be Gift without Repentance; He never will Repent His Gift. The Engagement of God, unto th [...] that have Him for their Portion, is, I will ne [...] leave thee, nor forsake thee.
If we are once Married unto our Lord JESUS CHRIST, we shall never be Divorced from Him No, He hates Putting away. Being United unto our Lord Jesus Christ, the Knot will be Indis [...] luble. That Glorious Head will never suffer a [...] of His Members to be torn from Him. If the Lord Jesus Christ be our Portion, He will say to us, live for ever more, and because I live, you shall also li [...] As our Lord sayes about them that are His Portion, [He is pleased so to call them!] and ha [...] Him for Theirs, Joh. 10.28. None shall pluck th [...] out of my Hand: So we may say, None shall pluck Him out of our Hand: And, Nothing shall separate us from the Love of God in Him.
If once our Sins are Pardoned, they are Forever Pardoned. Our Pardon will be Irrevocable and Irrepealable. So we read, Heb. 8.12. Their sin & their Iniquities will I remember no more. When we have the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ for ours, we have Durable Riches with [Page 17] the Righteousness. Though the Heavens wax old [...]ke a Garment, the Righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ is a Garment that will never wax old.
God having Adopted us into His Family, He will never annul the Adoption, and chase us out [...]f Doors. Being become the Children of God, we never shall become the Children of the Devil. When once the Grace of God is in our Hearts, it will keep there; it will never be lost. We read, [...] Joh. 3.9. The Seed Remaineth. If once we are escaped from the Tyranny of Satan, we shall never fall again into the Hands of the Hellish Tyrant: Pharaoh shall never fetch us back again! [...]he Grace of God will be a Spring of Living Wa [...] in our Souls, that will flow up into Everlasting [...]ife. The Perseverance of the Saints, is a very con [...]iderable Article of our Creed. When once the [...]pirit of God has made us Temples to Himself, He will never destroy, never desert His Temples. No; [...]e will say, Here is my Rest for ever, Here will I [...]well, for I have desired it.
And what will be our Portion in the Heavens? [...] will be, 2 Cor. 5.1. Eternal in the Heavens. [...]ur Portion will be Life; But it will be, Life Eternal. Our Portion will be Glory; But it will be, [...]ternal Glory. Our Portion will be a Crown; But [...] will be, A Crown that fadeth not away. Our [...]easure in Heaven, will be a Treasure that none [...]n sieze upon. If we are made Pillars in the [...]emple of God, we never shall go out from thence; [...]ough Jachin and Boaz were turned out of Solomons.
[Page 18] Secondly. A Christian seeking the Good Portion, must and will never be drawn away from the Seeking of it. No less an Exposit [...] than the Great Calvin, I think, allows the Reading of our Text after this manner; She shall not be taken away from it. q. d. Ma [...] shall not be [...]en off from her Choice of the Good Part. When a Christian has chosen the Good Portion, h [...] must let nothing Take him off from his Choice. He that has chosen the Good Portion must be Fixed, Settled, Resolved in his Choice, and never desist from his Pursuing of it A man that has chosen the Good Portion may meet with many Temptations to alter his Choice, or to leave off the way that he is in but he must overcome all such Temptations. Apostasy from cares to make sure of the Good Portion, is a very dangerous Impiety. We read, Heb. 10.38. If any man draw back, my S [...] shall have no pleasure in him. Our Worldly Busine [...] often takes us off too much, from that which we should make our Greatest Business. But a Christian must let nothing take him off the Business, o [...] making sure the Good Portion. What say our Lord Jesus Christ? Mat. 16.26. What is [...] Man profited, if he gain the whole World, and lose his own Soul?
But as that amiable Person, who trod in the Steps of Mary, made unto her self a close Application of such Truths as were from time to time dispensed unto her, from the Word of God [Page 19] Let these Truths now have our
APPLICATION.
It must be, first in a Dehortation, and then in an Exhortation; But both, with much Brevity, because who can stand before Gods Cold?
I. Be warned, O my Hearers, Be charged, against Proposing to your selves, a Portion in the Things of this Life. If you love the Lives of your Souls, Oh! Do it not!
It is indeed the guise of Ungodly men, to take up with a Portion in the Good Things of this World; which are indeed Good Things, but no Good Portion for the Souls of Men. I wish, we would all seriously put this Enquiry to our selves; What Portion have I yet secured? Alas, too many of us, it may be, can have no better said of us than that, Amos 2.7. They pant after the Dust of the Earth. What the Apostle said of Demas, the like may the Good Portion say of too many among us; He has forsaken me, having loved this present World. The Lust of the Flesh, the Lust of the Eye, and the Pride of Life, — Quae Tria pro Trino Numine mundus habet. These are the Sorry Dunghils, wherein the most of men are Digging for their Portion. Something must be said unto them. Let it be that, Amos 6.13. Ye Rejoyce in a Thing of Naught. And let it be added;
The man who seeks a Portion in the Things of [Page 20] this World, shall never have any other Portion. The Wild Carobs that were the Portion of the Prodigal in the Parable, are a fit Emblem for the Portion of the Worldly-minded man. Starved Soul, How canst thou Subsist upon it?
And then, The man who has no other Portion, but in the Things of this World, is a very Miserable man. As it was said, 1 Cor. 15.19. If in this Life only we have Hope, we are of all men the most miserable; So we may say, If in this Life only we have our Portion, we are very miserable. The Portion of such an one, it will be Taken away. Perhaps his Portion will be Taken away from him. Casualties & Enemies will Take it away. Job found it so; said he, The Lord has taken away. Naomi found it so; said She, I was full, and now am Empty. This is the Disgrace of Sublunary Things; A man may have them to Day, and lose them to Morrow. We read, Prov. 23.5. They take themselves Wings and flee away. However, he shall be Taken away from his Portion. What a Thunder was that? Luk. 12.20. Thy Soul shall be required of thee; Then, whose shall those things be, that thou hast provided? A mighty Saladine has nothing left him, at his Funeral. What is then the Hope of the man, that has Gain'd never so much? Alas, The Succeeding, yea, the Eternal Portion of the unprovided Soul, will be the wretchedness of the wrath to come. The Heritage appointed by God for a Wicked man, what will it be, but the Worm which never dies, the Fire which never shall be [Page 21] quenched? We read, Psal. 11.6. Upon the Wicked He shall rain Snares, Fire and Brimstone, and an horrible Tempest: This shall be the portion of their Cup. Then, as it was said unto the Rich man, Remember, that thou in thy Life time receivedst thy good Things, but thou art now Tormented: So, it will be said, unto the lost man, Remember, that thou in thy Life-time receivedst thy portion; but now an Endless Torment shall be thy Portion.
II. And now, Chuse the Good Portion, O All ye People every one of You; And having chosen it, Rejoyce in your Choice. As it was pressed; Isa. 55.2. Wherefore do you spend your Labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and Eat ye that which is Good, and let your Soul delight it self in Fatness: Thus, it is now to be pressed; Wherefore do you Labour inordinately for the Things of this World, These things will never satisfy you. There is a Good Portion set before you; Oh, Let your Souls feed upon it with Eternal Delight.
Be it known unto you, That God is in His Gospel Offering a Good Portion unto your Choice. He that said, Mar. 10.51. What wilt thou, that I shall do for thee? Says to every one of us, What wilt thou have me bestow upon thee for thy Portion? Oh! Give a Good Answer to this Offer, and Chuse a Good Portion, when it is offered. Say before the Lord;
‘Lord, Be thou my Portion! Lord, let it be my Portion, to have thy Christ made unto me, Wisdom [Page 22] and Righteousness, and Holiness and Redemption Lord, Bring me to the Portion Reserved in th [...] Heavens for thy chosen People!’
Are you come to this Choice? Now, Rejoyce O Saints, in your Portion; And again, I say, Rejoyce. You may thus Rejoyce, even when Losses o [...] many Good Things are befalling of you. [Heb 10.34.] As David when he had Lost all, yet Encouraged himself in the Lord his God: Thus may we, when we have Lost never so much, Encourage our selves, I have in my God yet a Good Portion left that never can be taken away. Christians, You are no other than Travellers and Sojourners in this World. All your Losses, are but a few Inconveniencies befalling Travellers on the Road. You have an Heavenly Father, that will provide for you a Competency of those things which are not your Portion. But those things which are your Portion, Cannot be taken away; and in those things, all your Losses are abundantly compensated.
And now, methinks, I over hear the Triumphs of an Excellent Mary, triumphantly boasting in God, & in the Choice that She has made of Him▪ Psal. 119.111. Thy Testimonies have I taken as an Heritage for ever, for they are the Rejoycing of my Heart.
‘O my Lord JESUS CHRIST; Hast thou given me a New Heart? An Heart that has thy Knowledge Enlightening of it, thy Image rectifying of it? An Heart to Love thee, and Prize thee, and Serve thee, and prefer my Interest in thee, and thy Interest in the World, above [Page] every thing in the World! Wonderful Testimonies of thy Benignity towards me! Rejoyce, O my Soul, Rejoyce in these Testimonies. They are an Heritage for ever to be Rejoyced in! And, O my Lord JESUS CHRIST; Has thy Word assured me, that Thou hast prepared an Heavenly City for thy chosen People? A City wherein I shall enjoy Durable Riches, and Pleasures for evermore! A City, wherein I shall be Saved from all that can be grievous to me, and I shall be fill'd with all the Fulness of God! I believe thy Testimonies! Rejoyce, O my Soul, Rejoyce in an Everlasting Heritage, reserved in the Heavens for thee! And now, what ever I am deprived of, as long as I have CHRIST, and GRACE and HEAVEN left, it is all well enough. I have an Heritage always to be Rejoyced in. Though I should be Afflicted very much, yet if my Afflictions, may forward me in my Advances to this Heritage, I may even Rejoyce in those Afflictions, as in the Testimonies of the Divine Favour to me. Let those be Miserable, that can be Miserable: for my part, I cannot. O my God, my God, Thou art my Heritage; and [...] will Rejoyce in my Heritage; Tis a Good Portion and it never shall be taken away!’
Conclude then; Psal. 73.26. My Flesh and my Heart faileth; but God is the strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever.
BUT it must be Remembred, That it was MARY, who has given us the Pattern, which we [Page 24] thus insist upon. Will those of her Sex there have the Ingenuity, to Look upon themselves as peculiarly concerned in it; and not only to Take, but also to Give a Pattern of such Devotion! If a Timothy were with all Purity, to address the Counsils of God unto that Sex, Let them now receive this Address, That they would make choice of MARIES Portion.
Certainly, They are well Matched, who are Espoused unto the Lord JESUS CHRIST, the Son of God, the King of Heaven and Earth. Let a Friend of that Bridegroom, then come to you with the Language of the Psalmist; Hearken, O Daughter, He is thy Lord, and Worship thou Him.
Certainly, The rarest Beauty under Heaven may not be compared with the Heavenly Beauty of a Soul, which has the Image of God Renew'd upon it. Certainly, There are no Garments comparable to the Righteousness of the Saints, the Fine Linen which the Wife of the Lamb of God is array'd withal. Certainly, There are no Jewels comparable to the Graces, which are Ornaments of great Price in the sight of God Himself.
All this is in MARIES Portion; And your Preferring of it, will be your Securing of it. Use the Wisdom, to Chuse it, Above all things that you can desire; and by Chusing it you will become the Owners of it. Oh! That the Consideration might Win upon you. Do but heartily and sincerely say, O Lord, Be thou mine! My Soul sayes unto thee, O Lord, None but CHRIST, None but [Page 25] CHRIST! From this moment He becomes Thine, O MARY, and thou art Happy throughout Eternal Ages.
Methinks, You may see some Encouragement into this Godliness, in the Reputation which God in His Providence most observably bestows upon them, in whom it has been observable. MARY stands upon Record, for Chusing the Good Portion, and will Shine upon Earth as long as there is a Moon in Heaven.
The Commemoration of them, who have Walked with God, until they are Taken by God, it may stir the Envy in some of the Living, but it is a Kindness, not so much unto the Dead, as unto the Living. Let it be Proclamed; A Good Name is a Better Portion than Great Riches, and it is a Portion of them that have Chosen the Best Portion of all.
Tis Instanced in that Worthy GENTLEWOMAN, (One upon every account worthy to be called so,) whose Death is at this Day the Lamentation of them, who reckon the Graves of the Saints, proper places to drop their Tears upon. In her Character, all that have any Regard unto Vertue, agree to fulfil that Promise of God; Prov. 31.30. A Woman that fears the Lord, she shall be Praised. I must in Justice make this Report, That I never once in all my life, to my Remembrance, heard one Ill word spoken of her. We may say of her, as they said of Ruth, All the People knew, that [Page 26] she was a Vertuous Woman. Or as the Martyr Ignatius of his Venerable Mary, That she was [...], A Samplar for all Gods Women. Fitly enough might she have been styled as diverse Holy and Famous Women in the Scripture were, A Daughter of Asher: The SEDGWICK was an Asher, that is to say, An Happy Man, that was the Father of such a Daughter. Our SARAH had her Abraham too: There was a Time when her Husband, the GOVERNOUR o [...] this Renowned Colony, was Known in the Courts and in the Camp, and Sat among the Elders of th [...] Land. SHE was then an Honour unto Him and unto all the Land; And her Deportment had in it, the Discretion, the Gravity, the Tenderness, and the Holiness of those brave Women, which made the Pagans of old Cry out, with wonders Proh, Quales Faeminas habent Christiani! Surely The Christian Women are the best in the world. She was, when she no longer shone with his Rayes, afterwards, and many Years, a Widow, which departed not from the Temple, but served God in His House, with a scarce to be parallel'd Frequency & Industry. In her own House, the Lively Concern that she Expressed, for the serving of her God, and the saving of her Soul, gave a lovely Representation of Christianity to the Life; and she is gone to Reap the Harvest of it, in Everlasting Life. Her Name-sake SARAH, is the only Woman, whose Age is Recorded in the Sacred Oracles. It minds me to say of our SARAH, That [Page 27] unto the Seventy Fifth Year of her Age, did she continue serving of her LORD, and waiting for [...]im.
A whole Countrey is a Loser; it Loses a Good part, of its Glory, and of its Defence, when such a [...]raying Matron is taken out of it!
Before the Palsey struck her, she had heard that comfortable Advice from Heaven, Be of Good [...]heer, Thy Sins are forgiven thee. And she could say, [...]s a rare Gentlewoman of the same Spirit with her [...]id; My Head is in Heaven, my Heart is in Heaven, and it won't be long before I my self come to be in Heaven. The very Day, that her FRIEND, (for [...]y Faith in the Death of her Saviour she had made him so,) I mean, her DEATH. came to call her away, he found her painfully Preparing for him. When some that were very Thoughtful for her, would have disswaded her from venturing abroad unto the Sermon, in so bitter a Season, she made a Reply, which, I wish all the Town would think upon; a Reply to this purpose; If the Ministers can go abroad to Preach, certainly, it becomes the People to go abroad; and hear them. The Sermon she then heard, was Excellently well fitted, for her Funeral Sermon: Describing the Righteous as more Excellent than their Neighbours, it not only declared the Sentiments of her own Regenerate Soul, and who they were whom she had from her very [Page 28] Youth Esteemed as Excellent, but it also relate the very Points, wherein she was her self among, The Excellent in the Earth. But, EARTH Ah, Thou art no place for such Excellent Ones to be alwayes Languishing upon. HEAVEN is in Expectation of them. There, There is the City of the Righteous. There is their Fathers House. Thither she is now gone. There to Serve the Lord in His Temple. God has there wiped all Tears from her Eyes. We must have them in Ours, till our Arrival thither after her.