But here we may be ready to expostulate, Why was so excellent a Christian so soon, why so suddenly snatcht away? Why only shew’d, and begun to be known here, and then hastily remov’d? Altho it be sufficient in general, to answer, It is the Lord’s doing, and therefore it is as it ought to be: Yet hath God in his Word revealed very satisfactory reasons for such his dealings: He hath let us know that the Righteous are often taken away, (not in wrath, but in mercy) from the evil to come: That they are recalled from a place of danger; That they are thereby secured from any hazard of their future Blessedness: Above all we are sure that no departed Soul will complain of being too soon removed hence into Heaven. That Abel the first of Adam’s Sons who pleased God, died by a hidden stroke, tho the youngest: and that that Patriarch who walkt with God was translated hence, before he had seen half the days of some of them who lived before the Flood: And that the Son of Jeroboam, Abijah, died a Child, because in him was found some good toward the Lord God of Israel. Therefore the Righteous are never prevented with Death, for they are in rest. For, Honourable Age is not that which standeth in length of time, nor that is measur’d by number of years, but Wisdom is the grey head, and an unspotted Life is old Age. So that in this occasion may we not apply what is said of Enoch? She pleased God, and was beloved of him, so that living among sinners she was translated: yea speedily was she taken away, lest that Wickedness should alter her Understanding, or deceit beguile her Soul. Therefore being soon consummated, she fulfilled a long time; and Youth being soon perfected, riseth up in judgment against the many years and old Age of the Unrighteous. Whoever then have lived so well, may be reputed old; since they have lived to a blessed purpose: If many of 70, or 80 years, are to count no more of their time, than what they have spent according to their Duty, they will prove much younger than this Pious Person; many grey heads will be found Infants of days. Therefore this deceased Christian having answered the end for which God sent her into the World, having been faithful in the talent of Time, however little, that was intruded with her; she is as truly Blessed, as any devout Woman, who may have waited longest in the Temple of God, for the redemption of Israel: For, surely those Persons die not untimely who expire into Happiness, and they have lived to the truest Old Age, who live with God to all Eternity.
Neither will the suddenness her death (by Convulsions which seized her Intellectuals and Vitals at once) cause her latter end not to be wisht for.
Indeed in the Litany of our Church we pray against sudden death; not that the Salvation of all who so die, is therefore questionable; but because such a Death is too often liable to rash and uncharitable censures: and because a leasurable dissolution affords time to perfect Repentance, to pass an uncorrupt Judgment on the pleasures of Sin and the Vanities of the World; and by disingaging the Soul from sensible Objects, dissposeth it for entrance into a Blessed Eternity. However, They who order their Conversation every day as if it were their last, are never surprised; their future condition is not doubtful. Quick riddance out of Life may be requested by such Christians, and be bestowed on them as a benefit.
Since then the sentence was to be underwent, the speedy execution of it was desirable, in behalf of a person provided against it; and it may be reputed a favour that she was hastily taken away. Thereby she was excused from the apprehensions which fore-run Death, and make it more dreadful; she indur’d not the languishings, their irksom Days, and worse Nights, that by slow degrees wast such as are Consumptive: nor did she tremble at the violent assaults, and racking Torments of tedious, often returning Diseases. She was spar’d the grief, which would have pierc’d her Soul, of beholding the tears, the unfeigned sorrow, and distraction, of an afflicted, disconsolate Father, for his beloved, for his only Child, in that very moment wherein he expected the happy increase of his Posterity. And more especially, in parting from her Noble Lord, she was excused Agonies, which only could exceed those which she lately felt, (which were almost mortal) when he for a few months was obliged to leave her.
But hereby how doth God warn all, Young no less than aged Christians, what a necessity there is of a daily watchfulness, and how blessed it is to be constantly serious and devout? What a condition are they in, who by a like stroke are hurried away in the prime of their strength, and the heighth of their sins? What had the danger of her Eternal Salvation been, if at that time, in that extremity, she had been to begin to call upon God, and to learn the practice of her Duty to him, just when she was summon’d to appear before his judgment Seat? How happy was it for her, That the Lord came at an hour, that he was not lookt for; she was found as a good and faithful servant: and therefore might look to enter into the joy of her Master. To her then, to live was Christ, and to die gain.
But the loss is to the survivors; great cause had a Father to desire that such a Child should live to be a comfort to his Age, and pay her last duty to his Memory: He knew her worth, and he blest God for her; and hath as just cause, as ever any Parent had, to lament her Death: and yet he declares that if he might by his wish, he would not for his own advantage, do her the wrong to recal her into Life, causing her to leave that place of happiness into which he firmly believes her Spirit is receiv’d. And as her Noble Lord still increas’d his esteem and Love, the more he observ’d her discreet, Vertuous and Pious Deportment: So in that her surprising danger, he shew’d an unfeign’d concern; nothing was spar’d, no cost, no assistance that might relieve her Pains, or retrieve her Health. And when the last moments, when the appointed Change came, that undaunted, that approved Valour was overcome; he abandon’d himself to Grief, and confest that in this appearance Death was, even to him, exceeding terrible: And, as her concern for his Honour surmounted her Affection, and restrain’d her from desiring his stay at home last Summer, when his duty called him to the War abroad: So, his unquestionable Resolution was not able to hold in his Tears for this Loss, and to suppress any of the violences of Grief, by which in his Death she would have been transported.
Neither may only such as are Relations be concern’d in so mournful an occasion: Humanity may engage us to lament so great worth in the flower of Youth taken away, without any Branch or off-set left: and Christianity may teach us to bewail the removal of a Light that began to shine so brightly in the midst of us, promising to be an ornament and blessing to the place. But, as to her self, (if the Spirits of the Just departed hence, are allowed to know what is done here on earth, and were permitted to speak to their surviving friends) she would intreat them to moderate their Lamentations: shewing their respects to the deceased, by honouring her in the imitation of what is well pleasing to God, and tends to his Glory and their own Salvation. And therefore whoever of the same Sex, value her character, and desire the same in the like occasion, may they let their adorning be, not the outward one of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, and putting on of apparel, but let it be the hidden man of the heart, the ornament of a quiet and meek spirit. An abstinence from all appearance of Evil, a jealousie over all their behaviour, and the beauty of holiness. These Graces will be always of great price, (tho Favour be deceitful, Comeliness soon blasted, and Portions flown away) They who abound in these, will be dear to their Parents, beloved by their Husbands, respected by all that value Goodness, blest in the Children, lamented in their Deaths, and above all, together with the Saints, heirs of the Grace of Life Eternal.
Wherefore since we know that all things come to an end, and that the time of our departure may be near, it concerns all who have daily intimations of their Mortality, to consider what will stand them in stead after a very transitory Life: And therefore to work out their salvation with fear and trembling, whilst it is called to day; while they have the Light. For there is no device, nor knowledge, nor work, nor wisdom in the grave, whither we all go. They then will be found wise, who have lived, as if they designed chiefly to save their Souls; setting their affections on things above, and not on a world whose fashion so soon passeth away: and who, as this Religious Person, are rich in Faith, and full of good works, which will accompany them beyond the Grave.
If we make this good use of the constant admonitions which are given to us, who are yet in the land of the Living, or rather in the land of the Dying: If we bless him for the examples of such as have been Lights in the midst of perverse generations: If we chiefly bless him, for begetting us to a lively hope of an inheritance incorruptible reserved in the Heavens, through the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Then shall we live, Then shall we also die, unto the Lord; and as sure as Jesus died, and rose again, even so them that sleep with Jesus will God bring with him; when the Spirits of just men shall be made perfect, and when with the General Assembly, and Church of the First-born, in Heaven, they stall ascribe to Father, Son and Holy Ghost, all Honour, and Glory, and Salvation, for ever.
FINIS.