II. For the Righteous are best prepar’d for what is to follow after death.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints: It is but a passage to a far more desirable state. They who depart hence disappear, but are not lost; They sleep, but are not dead forever. Their Spirits vanish not into soft Air, but are committed into his hands, who is able to keep, and will restore them faithfully to their Bodies at the last day. Blessed then are they, who having seen an end of their sufferings, having laid aside their earthly Houses, in which being burden’d they groan’d, shall then receive the end of their Faith, the Salvation of their Souls. Then they, arriv’d in a safe Haven, in a place of Everlasting Rest, shall with Joy look back on what they have been deliver’d from, and with amazement on what they are admitted to. They shall bless the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, for freeing them from the Tribulations and Persecutions, which they either long endur’d, justly fear’d, or from their Heart pitied in their Brethren: then they shall no more tremble under the Chastisements of a Father, or the Judgments of an offended God: Then all Tears will be wip’d away, and all possibility of Grief will cease. Then they shall no more labour under the burden of Years, or more grievous weight of Sins: They shall not cry out, Wo is me, that my soul hath long dwelt with them that hate peace. Or, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? But then they shall see that their light Afflictions which were but for a moment, shall work for them, a far more exceeding, eternal weight of glory: When the Sun of Righteousness shining on them, shall make them shine as Suns in the Kingdom: When they shall always be with Christ, and not see darkly as in a Glass, but face to face see God as he is, who then will be all in all.
For the accomplishment of this hope, the Righteous wait, looking into the Grave without astonishment, as seeing beyond that Gulf, the place where Mortality shall be swallowed up of Life: And therefore when others tremble hearing of the Worm that shall never die, the Fire that never shall be extinguisht, and the dying that shall never end, the true Disciples of our Lord incourage themselves with the assurance of their going into their Countrey above, and entring into a Building, not made with hands, everlasting in the Heavens: That they shall be admitted into Paradise, where no tempter shall come, no Sin shall endanger their Blessedness; but they shall be with Christ, that they may behold and enjoy the Glory to which God hath exalted him. In this perswasion the Primitive Christians used at the Funerals of Martyrs and Confessors, with great joy to sing Psalms and Hymns of Thanksgiving, thereby shewing that they firmly believed that those Servants of Christ had received the Reward of their Sufferings: They carried also Lights burning before their Corps, as before Conquerors, blessing God for crowning departed Saints with rays of the same Glory wherein their Redeemer shin’d; and hoping that following the same steps, they should partake of the same Happiness.
But it is not only the blessed state of the Souls of the Righteous which makes their latter end to be desirable; but that also of their Bodies: They, tho committed to the Earth, tho laid in the Dust, rest in Hope: They do but wait for the sound of the Trumpet of the Archangel of God; and then they shall be raised never more to see Corruption; when the hour shall come, in which the Grave shall give up its Dead, and the Sea shall very faithfully give up its Dead.
As certain as Christ our first-fruits is risen, as He the First-born from the Dead, (however once despised, crucified, committed to the Sepulchre) in his Humanity is at the Right Hand of the Father, so certain will be the Resurrection of all Mankind: The hour is coming in which all that are in their Graves, shall hear his voice, and shall come forth: They that have done evil to the Resurrection of Damnation, and they that have done well to the Resurrection of Life. This is the blessed conclusion of their Days, who for the Merits of their Saviour are accepted as Righteous before God: This Death is surely to be desired, and everyone from his heart may pray, May my latter end be like his.
But if we would not have this prove a meer fruitless Wish, as it was to Balaam; if we would not have our desire, like that of the sluggards, kill us; whoever long for the death of the Righteous, must live his Life. You have heard that his diseases, or griefs, or agonies in departure, are not usually less, or easier, than those of other Men: But his Peace of Mind, his Joy in Conscience, his resignation to God’s Will, and above all, his Faith in the blessed Jesus, (that by it being justified, he shall also be glorified) These make his latter end desirable. Imitate we then their Conversation, whose Death we covet; exercise we our selves to have a Conscience void of Offence towards God, and towards Man; mortifying our Corruptions, and dying to the World before we leave it: And then when our race is finish’d, when we have fought the good fight, doubt we not but the righteous Judge will give us the crown of life, which he hath prepar’d for all that love his appearance.
In Belief that this Honourable Person liv’d the Life, and died the Death of the Righteous, we pay this respect, and give this Testimony to her Pious Memory: Mourning as they who have hope, and assur’d that such as sleep in the Lord shall be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in Light. For such our charitable Hope, we have here very Christian grounds, and would to God, That for all to whom we perform the like last Offices, we had the like comfortable Prospect. Give me leave, for the glory of God’s Grace, and the Edification (as it is design’d) of such as hear, especially of the same Sex, to give some short account why she may justly be proposed for an example, and the conclusion of her days be wish’d for. As the outward advantages which this Noble Lady enjoy’d, were visibly eminent, and in the eye of the World valuable, as Birth, Youth, Beauty and Honourable Relation: So the endowments of her Soul are represented as far more to be esteem’d, and accordingly would have shin’d forth if her modesty had not veil’d them. They who knew her from her infancy, assure us, that she had the early blessing of a Religious Education: That she could not remember the time that she began to serve, to pray to, and to praise God; That betimes there appear’d signs of a sanctified Nature in her younger behaviour: That she remember’d her Creator in the days of her youth, and even then laid a foundation for the life to come: That a more beautiful mind shewing it self adorn’d with all the Vertues of her Sex, added still Lustre to outward comeliness; and growing in stature she grew in favour with God and her Parents. That, that fair Morning was overcast with no Clouds, no Tears were shed for any unhappy blemishes of heedless Youth. That the more she experienc’d and tasted in her Soul how good the ways of God were, and what peace of Conscience and serenity of Mind, arose from them, the more she delighted in God, and in Religious Duties: That this her practice of True Piety influenc’d all her Words and Conversation: So that as the Vertuous Woman, She opened her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue was the law of kindness.
The Rules of her Life, which she had written, and I have read, were confirm’d and approv’d by her constant observance of them: In them how truly a Christian course did she prescribe to her self? How truly to be recommended from this place? Enjoyning her self to be sure to begin the day with the praises of God for his preservation of her in the night; and with earnest Prayers to be kept in his Fear, and under his Protection all that Day: To read the Psalms and portions of Scripture appointed for the Day; by which she might be made wise to Eternal Salvation: To meditate on it, in order to improve in godliness and all respective duties to her Maker, and all others: Then not to suffer the remaining hours to be wasted in vain amusements, or over-curious dressing; but setting to such Work as became her Sex, and was useful in her condition: So her works (as the wise Womans) praised her, and the ways of her houshold they commended her. And having past the Morning in vertuous Employment; at a set time in the Afternoon she retired to Prayer, and Reading, and Meditating: And in the Evening, surveyed her Actions, and examin’d them, as strictly as any domestick accounts: Then offer’d her Evening Sacrifice of Praise for the Mercies of the day past, and by Prayer recommended her Body, Soul, and Spirit to the same God, for the safety and refreshments of the night, and lay down to sleep, as one who might wake in Eternity.
Moreover, what was practised in secret, and in the closet, broke forth and manifested it self in the publick Service of God. For how remarkable was her very reverend deportment in his House? How full of awe meet for the place of his more special Presence, and the celebration of his most Holy Mysteries and Sacraments? no straying looks, no contrivances for utmost ease, no sign of thoughts wandring far from his Service: But a seriousness sutable to the gravest of years, and a devotion as might have become her, if she had known how soon she was to appear in Spirit before the Living God.
Such exemplariness in all Vertue and Piety, as it appear’d betimes, so it ended not but with her last. What was so laudably begun, was steadily and happily prosecuted; insomuch, That if we reckon her stay on Earth by her proficiency in what was worthy of Praise and of good report we shall scarce believe that her course was finisht at Eighteen: In years so subject to frailty, wilfulness and folly; and in an age so addicted to Pride, excess of Vanity, and indifference for Religion.