SO TtiC Want) TO comb`. she possessed in a peculiar degree, so that she was not greatly elevated or depressed by common accidents or occurrences ; brit this secured her from the rise of unruly passions, those stormy powers of nature, which sometimes sink us into guilt and dis., tress, and make us Unwilling and afraid of the sudden summons of Christ, Lest he should find us under these disorders; We think of her firmness of spirit, and that steady resolu- tion which joined with a natural reserve, was a happy guard against many of the forward follies and dangers of youth, and proved a successful defence against some of the allurements and temptations of the gayer years of life: And then we mourn afresh, that a person so well formed for growing prudence and virtue, should he so suddenly snatched away from amongst us. But this steady and dispassionate frame of soul, well 'improved by religion and divine grace, became an effectual means to pre- serve her youth more unblemished, and made her spirit fitter for the heavenly world, where nothing can enter that it defiled, and whose delights are not tumultuous as ours are on earth; but all is a calm and rational state of joy. We lament yet further when we think of her native good- ness and unwillingness to displease : But goodness is the very temper of that region to which she is gone, and she is the fitter companion fur the inhabitants of a world of love. We lament that such a pattern of early piety should be taken from the earth when there are so few practisers of it, especially among the youth of our degenerateage, and in plentiful circum- stancesof life. But it is a matter Of high thankfulness to God, who endowed her with those valuable qualities, and trained her Op to soon for a world so much better than ours is. Let our sot-. row for the deceased be changed into devout praises to divine grace. Let us imitate the holy language of St. Paul to the Thessalonians and say, " We are comforted even at her grave, in all our afflictions and distress, by the remembrance of her firith and piety. What sufficient tlsan;cs can we render Lento God, upen her account, for all the joy wherewith we rejoice, for her sake, before our God, night and day praying exceedingly, that we may see her face in the state of perfection ? And may God himself even our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ direct our way to the happy world where she dwells," 1 Thess. iii. 7 -12. The imi- tation of what was excellent in her life, and watchful readiness to follow her in death, are the best honours we can pay her me- mory, and the. wisest improvement of the present providence. May the Spirit of grace teach us these lessons, and make us all learn them with poiver, that when our Lord Jesus shall come to call us hence by death, or shall appear with all his saints in the great rising -day, we may be found among his wakeful ser- vants, and partake of the promised blessedness.! Amen.
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