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

VI. As she did lay out her self and time in the service of God, so also the greatest part of her estate, laying up little here; her layings out, were more then her layings up: she was heaping up her treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, nor thief break through and steal, how did she scatter her benevolence every day! and so as her left hand knew not what her right hand did. Much money did she cast into the poor's basin at Fasts, and at those fasts once a month at the morning exercise, the keeping of which she omitted not, though many times not well; at other private fasts she gave very much; there was seldom a week in the winter ⟨p. 123⟩time, but she was called to a private fast for particular persons in some great affliction, many weeks she hath bin known to have been twice a week at those extraordinary duties, to the performance of which she would be sure to make all ordinary businesses and visits of friends give place; some weeks it hath bin known she hath bin at 3 fasts a week, at which fasts she gave the more, knowing it would be given to the godly poor, and being winter time, and the harder with them; which scatterings would arise to no small sum in a year if they could be known how much they were. Sometimes it hath bin observed and sometimes could not, at the least it hath been observed to have bin 2 shillings a time; at the more private fasts she would give more: In her going to those fasts, if she thought the farness of the way would weaken ⟨p. 124⟩her strength, which she kept for the duties, she would send for a Coach; at nights if fair, she would often come home on foot, both for her healths sake, and to give the more to the poor; saying many might think, she went on foot out of covetousness, but they would be much mistaken; and when she came home from those fasts, what shift would she make to steal up to her chamber by the door of the room, where such as came to visit, were, that she might not be detained from her closet duty's. But to return to her charity every day, how did she scatter her bounty among the poor!

VI. As she did lay out her self and time in the service of God, so also the greatest part of her estate, laying up little here; her layings out, were more then her layings up: she was heaping up her treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, nor thief break through and steal, how did she scatter her benevolence every day! and so as her left hand knew not what her right hand did. Much money did she cast into the poors bason at Fasts, and at those fasts once a moneth at the morning exercise, the keeping of which she omitted not, though many times not well; at other private fasts she gave very much; there was seldome a week in the winter