The excellent woman a sermon preached at the funeral of Mrs. Elizabeth Scott ...…

In August, 1647. a little after my husband died, my heart was exceedingly out of frame, but a Sabbath day at night the Lord came sweetly to me, in persuading me to trust in him from what he had done; So I had sweet assurance of his Eternal love through Christ at prayer, and the pardon of all my sins, and gave my ⟨p. 16⟩self to him to do with me what he would, and so the temptation and those thoughts went away, and I had sweet peace. Afterward we kept a fast in the family, to humble our selves for the breach in the death of my husband, and then I had great desires to honour God in my place, and gave up my self to God and had peace, and afterward sweet assurance that I was his. This Sacrament at Hawkherst I was not prepared as I ought to have been, the day before I lost my frame of grace exceedingly, by my unsensibleness of Ireland's misery, and being merry when I should have sorrowed, and on the Lords day morning before I went to the Sacrament, I had a grievous temptation, as if I might live without ordinances, and as if there were no necessity of them; O this deadened my heart to the duty, yet my faith fought ⟨p. 17⟩with it, and brought me to the Lords supper, where I received Christ, and gave my self to him, and found sweet comfort and strength from Christ in his Ordinance; and I do resolve in Christs strength, to walk holily and closely with God all my days to his honour, and to cleave close to Christ in all his Ordinances, whilst I can enjoy them. Being reproved by one, my heart did greatly rise, and I found I was not willing to submit to Gods will and ways in all things, but I had a great combat, and was resolved to submit to God in all, and saw more of my heart and the world then ever, and I had sweet influence from God and shinings of his face in prayer. The next Lords day after I had received the Sacrament, I went to the Sacrament again, my Lord having by a providence provided another feast for me, knowing my ⟨p. 18⟩necessities; and I did sit under Christs shadow, and did receive his body and blood by faith. Another Sacrament at evening I had very sweet fruits and effects of Christ in me. Another Sacrament afterward I was much failing and wanting in doing my duty and acting my grace, but God gave me Christ in free grace, and I desire to live by faith upon him, to him and his glory, giving my self to the Lord to be his, and not mine own;