The Godly Mans Ark, Eulogy
A Brief Repetition of what was said of Mrs. Elizabeth Moore at her Burial.
THough I have finished my Text, yet I have another Text remaining, of which I must speak a few words; and that is, The Party deceased, at whose Funeral wee are here met.
Shee was a Woman (I verily beleeve) truly fearing God, and yet throughout her whole life loaded with many and great troubles. God picked her out to bee a pattern of afflictions, as hee had not long before that Reverend and godly Minister, Mr. Ieremiah Whitakers.
This Pattern teacheth us three Lessons.
1 That all things come alike to all in this world, and that no man knoweth love or hatred by any thing that is before him. The best of Saints sometimes are upon the Dunghil, when the vilest of men are upon the Throne. The best of men are afflicted, when the worst of men are in prosperity.
2 That there is not so much evil in affliction, or so much good in prosperity, as the world imagineth. For if there were, God would not bestow so much prosperity upon the wicked, and exercise his dear children with so many afflictions.
3 That there will come a rewarding day, in which it shall certainly bee well with the Righteous. When I see a wicked man prosper, I say, Surely there will come a punishing day, in which the wicked shall be turned into Hell. When I see a godly man in adversity, I say, Verily there is a reward for the Righteous, Psal. 58.verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth. Such examples prove that there is another life besides this. And that if the godly had hope onelyonly in this life, they were of all people most miserable.
I will not trouble you with a relation of her Christian carriage in the time of her health, because it is sufficiently known to most here present. I shall onelyonly take notice of her great care and diligence in making her calling and election sure. Shee had not her Ark to build when the flood came, nor her Corn to get when the seven years of Famine came: Shee had laid up a stock of graces, and comforts against the evill hour; Shee had not her Evidences for Heaven to get, at the houre of death. But shee had collected and composed them in the time of her life, and when shee came to dye, shee …ad neither her graces, nor her comforts, nor her Evidences for Heaven to seek, shee had nothing to do but to dye.
Her sickness was very long, and very painful, concerning which I shall briefly acquaint you with these few particulars.
1 God moved the hearts of very many godly people, to take compassion of her sad and afflicted condition, and to contribute liberally (shee being poor) towards her relief; this merciful providence wonderfully comforted her; She saw Gods love in it, and was so much affected with it, that she was (for a little while) really and exceedingly afraid (notwithstanding her great torments by reason of a cancer in her breast) lest she should have her heaven in this life, and lest this mercy should bee all her portion. The Lord recompence that labour of love and that Christian charity a thousand fold into the bosomes of those who manifested so much kindnesse to her.
2 Her Patience was very great. As God increased her pains, hee increased her patience, even to the admiration of such of us as were frequent spectators of it. She was brought to such a sweet frame of spirit, as to bee willing to live under all her torments, as long as God pleased, and to dye whensoever he pleased.
3 Shee was a woman of a very fearful nature, and in the time of her health had many doubts and scruples (notwithstanding all her care forementioned) about her salvation. But in her sickness, all her doubts vanished. God chained up Satan. The Devil had no power to tempt her, shee felt a great calmness in her soul, and had much inward peace, and injoyed more of God, and his consolations, in the time of her sickness▪ than in the time of her health.
4 Shee was very forward in spreading and diffusing those graces which God had bestowed upon her, and in giving good counsel to those who visited her. I have heard her often, and often perswading her friends to prize health, and to improve it for the good of their souls, to lay up against an evill day, and to stock themselves with grace before sickness come. Shee would frequently say, O the benefit of health! O prize health! praise God for health, and improve health for your eternal good.
5 Shee was very well vers't in the Scriptures. The Law of God was her delight; and this kept her from perishing in her affliction. Shee was continually fetching cordials out of the Word, to comfort her under her great pains, and to preserve her from fainting. The twelfth Chapter of the Hebrews was a precious cordial to her, so was the eight of the Romans, and the 2 of the Corinthians the 4. Chapter and the 17, 18. verses. For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
While wee look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen, are eternal.
1 Cor. 15, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal, must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shal have put on immortality; then shal be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sinne, and the strength of sin is the Law.
But thanks bee to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ.
Phil. 3. 21. Who shall change our vile body, that it may bee fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby hee is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
A little before her death shee said, In the Lord Iehovah there is righteousness and strength; righteousness for justification and strength for supportation. Shee said, that the Word of God was the best cordial in the world: And that one minutes being in Heaven, would make amends for all her pain and misery.
6 And lastly, I cannot but take special notice of the happy close of her life, and of the blessed end shee made. It is said of Iob, James 5. 11. Yee have heard of the patience of Iob, and have seen the end of the Lord, &c. This our Christian Sister did in a great measure, partake both of Iobs pains, and Iobs patience, and made as happy an end, as hee did, though in another kinde. In the morning of that day in which shee dyed, shee fell into a slumber, in which shee heard (as shee thought) one saying to her, This day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise. Immediately shee awaked full of joy, and though hardly able to speak, yet shee uttered it to those who stood by, and was much comforted with it. Now though I am far from putting any confidence in dreams, and doubt not that a man may dream hee shall go to Heaven, and yet bee cast into Hell. Though I do not think that comfortable dreams are sufficient evidences of salvation. (Nay, when they are brought as proofs of erronious opinions, I account them Diabolical delusions; and when wicked men have them, pleasant presumptions.) Yet notwithstanding when a woman who hath spent many years in the service of God, and is visited by God for above a year, with great and most grievous pains, shall at the close of her life, (when shee is upon the very brink of eternity) have such a sweet, refreshing, and heart-chearing impression upon her spirit; when heart fails, and flesh fails: When shee can hardly speak to express the greatnesse of her joy, then to hear a voice (as it were) saying to her, This day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise. This (in all probability) was the voice of God, and not of man. This was the Lords doing, and it is marveilous in our eyes. I forbear saying any more. Shee is gone from a Prison to a Palace; from a Purgatory to a Paradise. Shee is at rest with God, where all tears are wiped away from her eyes: The Lord fit us by his grace to follow her in due time into the Kingdome of glory. Amen.