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

I Understand you intend to print your Sermon preached at the funeral of our most honoured friend Mrs. Scot, that Saint of the Lord, that eminent believer of the highest form, and therewith some narrative concerning her. It is not only lawful, but sometimes very ⟨p. 57⟩expedient to show the Coats and Garments Dorcas made whilst living; especially the excellencies of great believers whose memory is blessed; and which may so much conduce to the advancing of the glory of Gods free grace, and the good of others; for which cause no doubt the several graces and holy actings of Gods people, are left on holy record. I am willing to cast my mite into the treasury. Her conversion (she told me) was occasioned by a fall from her horse in hunting time, whereby one of her legs were put out of joint, which the Lord so sanctified to her, as it brought her to the serious receiving of the immortal seed of the Word thereby forming Christ in her, in whom the New-birth did most evidently shine ever after. O happy fall, that did so exalt her; before she was very vain, delighting ⟨p. 58⟩in dancing and hunting; But then God brought her to hear his rod, and to receive instruction, and to solace her self in the joys of the spirit, and to pursue the ways of holiness; thus God did not take away her comforts, but changed them, and gave her better in the room; He did not dry up the stream, but diverted it and turned it into a better channel. It was not long after her conversion from nature unto grace, but she was likely to be perverted from truth unto error, and was much troubled about the way of Separation, some of which way lived near her, and got access to her, and so was in danger of loosing on the one side, much of what she had gained on the other; But the gracious God, out of his continuing goodness, (as she told me) provided Mr. Elmestone, that old disciple, a skilful Pilot to freer her coune