The Duty and Honor of Aged Women, Half title – Dedication
A Funeral Sermon Occaſion'd by the DECEASE of Mrs. ABIGAIL FOSTER, Of Boſton, in New-England.
THE DUTY and HONOUR OF Aged Women, Deliver'd at the Lecture in Boſton, March 15. 1711. After the FUNERAL of the Excellent, Mrs. Abigail Foſter. Conſort and Relict of the late Honourable, John Foſter Eſqr. One of her Mejeſties Council, &c.
By BENJAMIN COLMAN.
BOSTON: N. E. Printed by B. Green, for Joanna Perry at her Shop over againſt the South ſide of the Town Houſe. 1711.
To my Vertuous and Honour'd FRIENDS the GENTLEWOMEN of Boſton, Who have deſir'd the Publiſhing of this SERMON.
I DESIRE thankfully to Acknowledge the Favour of GOD to Me, in the kind Acceptance which this plain & faithful Diſcourſe has found with You; Praying Him to bleſs it indeed for much Spiritual and Everlaſting Advantage to Your Selves and Others: that it may help to excite You unto, and aſſiſt you in ſuch an Exemplary holy Conduct, as may be your preſent Comfort & Honour, and may end at laſt in Your Eternal Peace & Glory.
I MUST confeſs that the Singularity and Nicety of the Subject, as well as its Weight and Dignity, gave me no little fears and Check in determining my Tho'ts there-unto; but I now the more readily Publiſh them, becauſe Treatiſes of this Nature ſeem wanting among us.
IT is a good Sign to ſee People pleas'd with the particular Direction of the Word to themſelves, either in way of Doctrine, Reproof, Excitation or Warning: it gives Hopes that they will ſet themſelves to Practice, which is the Crown and End of Hearing. Yet neither is it always thus; Practice does not alwayes follow Conviction & Delight; As the Prophet was to Iſrael, a very lovely Song of One that had a pleaſant Voice, and cou'd play well on an Inſtrument; they ſhow'd much love, they heard his Words, but they did 'em not. It is the Practice of theſe Truths that muſt Adorn & Save You, render you Amiable and Heavenly, like the Kings Dau'ter, all Glorious within.
IT muſt be confeſs'd to the Great Honour, of Your SEX, that more of the Life & Power of Religion is with You, than with Us. When I have ſometimes contemplated this, I have tho't that as it may be partly owing, under the Soverain Pleaſure & Election of GOD, to a natural Tenderneſs of Spirit & Your Retiredneſs from the Cares & Snares of the World; ſo more eſpecially to Your Multiplied Sorrows, the Curſe pronounc'd upon our firſt Mother Eve, turn'd into the greateſt Bleſſing to Your Souls. Your frequent Returns in Your own Apprehenſion towards the Gates of Death, by which We all receive our Life, ſuitably lead You to a returning ſerious Tho'tfulneſs for your Souls and of Your Spiritual State; and that in a more ſedate calm manner, & with longer Continuance, (for divers Months together) and ſo with better Effect ordinarily, than Fits of Sickneſs are wont to have upon us; which do more ſurpriſe, & terrify for the time, but are uſually ſoon over and their Impreſſions vaniſh.
A PECULIAR Regard is due to You, and indeed ever had, in the Labours of Your Paſtors; among which I bring my Offering; for my Ability where-unto I freely confeſs my Self Indebted, after the Holy Scriptures, to the Wiſe Conduct, Deportment, and Religious Diſcourſes, which with no little Admiration I have obſerv'd ſometimes Habitual to divers of our Gracious Mothers. So that I here return You but Your Own, what ſome of Your Selves have ſupply'd me with, and taught me. 'Tis a Pleaſant way of Learning, and thus Good People do often Inſtruct their Teachers.
I AM Senſible of the Advantage which the Diſcourſe receives, from Your Reverence to the Memory of that Excellent PERSON, Whoſe Death is the ſad Occaſion of it. The Town juſtly Mourns the Awful, Sudden & repeated Breaches made in that Honourable Family: While at the ſame time, It is comforted in its Expectations from the Surviving BRANCHES, and in the Diſpoſal which Providence has made of the Eſtate into ſuch Hands, from Whom the Publick Promiſes it Self ſo good a Uſe of it.
INDEED, as Providence order'd it, which determineth our Habitations, Mrs. Foſter had the Early & Firſt Reverence of my Childhood; Her Multiply'd Bereavments & Yearly returning Sorrows than making deep Impreſſions on the Nei'bourhood, whilſt Her Exemplary Reſignations greatly Edify'd it. Thoſe dayes of Mourning have been ſince follow'd with a long Uninterupted Leaſe of Proſperity. So GOD often prepares Perſons for their Temporal Comforts by many previous Trials; which is both a gracious Care to preſerve them Humble and Mortify'd in their Affluence, and alſo a preſent Reward, as Job had, for paſt Patience.
TO CONCLUDE, The Example is indeed very Great & Worthy of Singular Remark, to the Glory of the Power of Divine Grace, when Perſons are Preſerved Humble, Grave, Devout, Bountiful in the midſt of Inſnaring Riches: their Prayers and their Alms going up before GOD, yea remaining alſo with Men, for a laſting MEMORIAL.
LET THOSE that have Riches be Exhorted to an Emulous Imitation: And may the Grace and Conſolations of GOD abound to our Aged, and the ſame Bleſſed Spirit of Holineſs and Comfort be poured out on Younger Perſons; Which is the Earneſt Prayer of,
YOUR moſt Humble Servant, BENJ. COLMAN.
The DUTY and HONOUR OF Aged Women, &c.
TITUS. II. 3.
The Aged Women likewiſe, that they be in Behaviour as becometh Holineſs.
SOLOMON tells us, that the Hoary Head is a Crown of Glory if it be found in the way of Righteouſneſs. A double Honour has GOD put on that Venerable Head, and a double Reverence is due there-unto from all Beholders: the Ornament of Grace Superadded to the laſt and higheſt beauty of Nature; and ſo the neareſt Approach on Earth to that Viſion of the Son of Man, Who is alſo the Ancient of Dayes & Father of Eternity, Rev. i. 14. His Head and his Hairs white like wooll, as white as ſnow. HE, the Eternal Purity and Holineſs ſometimes gildes the Grey Head with a beam and Raye of His own Glory, and the white hairs ſhine as the light; like ſome thread of the tranſfigur'd SAVIOURS Raiment, or a lock of Moſes deſcending from the Mount.
EVEN Nature teaches, what the Law of old ſo ſtrictly enjoyned, Lev. xix. 32. To riſe up before the hoary head, and to honour the face of the Old Man. But Grace teaches us to pay this Act of Reverence with double love & pleaſure, where we can ſee any advanc'd in Holineſs as well as Years, full of Grace as well as Dayes.
EVERY now and then we ſee ſome of theſe beauteous Old Monuments of Time and free Grace taken down, or rather taken up from our heads like Elijahs, worn out with labours and faſtings, or conſum'd with Zeal; while Others of either Sex are waiting in the Temple, like Simeon & Anna for their happy diſmiſſion alſo. They are waiting for the full Conſolations in CHRIST; by the SPIRIT they come into the Temple; they embrace their Saviour in the Arms of faith; they Speak of Him to all that are Looking for Redemption, they Serve GOD with Faſtings and Prayers night and day, and are ready to Sing their Nunc dimittis, Lord, now letteſt thou thy Servant depart in Peace, &c.
IN Honour unto Such, both Living & lately deceas'd, I have preſum'd to fix at this time on theſe Words; The Aged Women alſo that they be in Behaviour as becometh Holineſs.
TITUS was the Superior Paſtor or Biſhop of Crete, left there by the Apoſtle, St. Paul, to ſet in order the Churches. The Apoſtle writes him here a very Solemn Charge and Directory; Canons for the Church very ſufficient, if men wou'd but Swear and pay a ſtrict Canonical Obedience.
IN this Chapter he is directed what to Speak and Preach; In General, Sound Doctrine; i. e. Wholeſome, Solid, Subſtantial, and neceſſary Truths, which contribute to the Souls health & nouriſhment. Particularly, He is directed to teach Aged People, both Men & Women, their Duty. The Aged Men, v. 1. that they be Sober, Grave, Temperate, Sound in Faith, in Charity, in Patience. Theſe are the great Ornaments of Old Age, and greatly requiſite for the Comfort, Honour and Safety of it.
NONE are exempt from the Inſtructions and Admonitions of the Word. Miniſters muſt Preach to both Old & Young. GOD's School is (as One ſayes) not only for the Initiating of the Youth, but alſo for the Edifying the Aged.
NOR is the Sex any Exemption from the Exhortations of the Word. We muſt upon occaſion Preach to Women their peculiar Duties. Timothy is bid to entreat the Elder Women as Mothers, & the Younger as Siſters with all Purity. And ſo Titus muſt do likewiſe, — The Aged Women, that they be in Behaviour, &c.
IT will not therefore ſeem Indecent, nor I hope be Unacceptable, that I now beſpeak the Mothers in Iſrael, for their Direction, Excitation, and Comfort in the holy Wayes of GOD. Let Them accept this Duty from the leaſt of their Sons. I hope it looks reſpectful and reverential, while I uſe this Authority given us of GOD. And let Us all in Tho't and Word both, take heed to obſerve a ſtrict Purity.
THE Occaſion of my preſent Addreſs to You is obvious. Several Aged Women, and ſome of *Mrs Foſter, Mrs. Webſter, &c.Eminence have lately gone from us. Let thoſe who thro' Grace Survive, take heed to their Behaviour, that it be as becometh Holineſs.
GREAT is the Honour which the Scripture from the Beginning does unto Good Women. The Records of their Graces and Devotions are Many and Eminent: Their Services to the Church and Intereſts of Religion ſignal and Illuſtrious: Their Zeal, Faith, Purity, Charity, Patience bright and conſpicuous: Their Courage and Conſtancy at the Croſs of Chriſt and at His Grave, out-did the very chiefeſt Apoſtles: And peculiar were the Regards and Honours wherewith our LORD rewarded their Piety & Fidelity. Wherever he ſaw their Behaviour to be as became His Holineſs, they were lovely in his Eyes, and dear to his Soul. HE accepted the Miniſtrations of Martha, (a)Luk x. 41.but more the devout Attention of Mary; the flowing Penitence too of the (b)vii 38.fair Sinner at his feet; She waſht 'em with her Tears, nor did He forbid her to touch 'em, nor ſpurn'd her away. How graciouſly did He ſeek out the (c)Joh. iv. 10.Samaritan at the Well, to waſh her polluted Soul from the Spring of living Water, his Spirit and holy Breath! How did He Praiſe and Magnify the (d)Luk. viii 47. Mat. xv. 18.Poor Womens Faith, who lay trembling at His feet! And how tenderly did He beſpeak the (f)Luk. xxiii. 27, 28.29.Weeping Dau'ters who follow'd Him to his Croſs, while He disdain'd a look or a word to the impious Rout that hal'd Him along to it with Scoffs & Flouts! And finally, when He was riſen from the dead, as the holy Women were firſt at the (g)Mat xx…iii. 1, 2. Joh. xx 14, 15Sepulcher, ſo firſt he appear'd to them.
I WILL not proceed to Speak of the Miniſtrations of Holy Women to Prophets and Apoſtles; the Honours that (h)1 Kings xvii, 2 Kings iv.Elijah & Eliſha did 'em, and the Rank or Order which many ſuppoſe they even held in the Primitive Church; tho' the Learned know well how great a Current of Expoſitors interpret my Text to this very ſenſe, Scil, the (i)1 Tim. v. 9.Deaconeſſes who therein Miniſtred.
TO return: The Text is not a Rule peculiar only to Women, nor appropriate to the Aged; Men need the Exhortation at leaſt as much, if not more, and Younger Women more than their Mothers. But as the Divine Providence leads me, & my Text more eſpecially confines me to the Aged Handmaids of the LORD; ſo eminently it is their Duty and Honour that they be in Behaviour as becometh Holineſs.
IN Behaviour: the Greek word is ſingular: foreign: of large ſenſe, and well tranſlated by the moſt general word, Behaviour. The whole outward deportment and carriage; the whole Life and all the Actions of it; Every thing that appertains to our Publick Appearance & Converſation; Garb, Dreſs, Gate, Countenance, Speech, Silence, Geſture, in the Habit of them all, do fall under this Copious word, Behaviour.