Mourning preferredbefore Mirth. !mutt die, and Imay die now ; it bath an influenceinto all the adións ofa mans life. . To conclude: In the laft place ; This point is ofufe tous, allo in the deathof others. Firft, to moderate themourning ofChriftians for the death of others. Why ? lit is the end ofall men, it is that that is the common condition ofall then, it lhould not be too grieviotis, not too doleful to any man. We wouldnot have our freinds race ou, to be inanother condition in their birth then others, we would not have them moo,ning fo: have more fingers, or more members then aroan, and would we have themhave thteicashof More dayes? let this ferveas a brief touch upon that. oshets. Secondly, itteacheth us to make good ufe of our fellowfhipwhile we are toge- To im- titer. Not only we may die , but thofe that are ufcful.to us may die all(); Ict us she life make good ufeof one anóther ; while we live therefore. This will make the death ofothets, ofothers bitter, and will be worfe then the death , and Joffe ofour friends , the guilt upon a mans confcience, that he lathnot made that ulé of them while they werealive, that he might have done: let us therefore make the death of our friendseafie by making good oft of them while they live. It did finite theh earl of thofe Ephefians, that they fiould fee the face ofPaul no more; fpecially above the . left it grieved them, that they lhould fee him no more, howwould it have grie- ved them think you , ifthey had alwayes hardned themfelves againft his miniftry before ? Think with your felves ferioufly, here is loch a Minifler, fuck a Cltriftian- friend, that husband andwife, that parent and child, a timeofparting will come; let us make it mile now, by making good ufeof one another while we live , that when friends are taken away, we-may have caufe to thank God, that we have had communion and comfort oftheirfellowthip and focicty, the benefit oftheir graces, the fruit of their lives : andnot forrow for the wantof them by death. So much for that. I come now to the fecond , and principal reafon, why it is better to go to the hassle ofmourning, then to the hoop offeafling, it is this, becaufe theliving (hall lay it tobss heart, 'Wlaat 1hali he lay to his heart? Thatthat is the endofa:1 men ;he (hail lay the deathof all Men to heart. Vfe. r. In,efpeEt of the death of oche,,. s. Tomode°; Thepoint I obfervefrom hence is thus much. Obfervat. z. It is the duty ofthofe that live, to lay to heart the death of others. It is the duty, of the living. That is ferioufly to confider, and makeufe for themfelves of the death ofothers. tolay,o heart You fee theText is clear for thepoint. ,he deathof And there is good reafonwhy it lhould be fo. others. Firft , in refpe& of the glory that cometh to God. - Real. r. Secondly, intherelpe&ofthe good that cometh toour felves by it. Fir(t, God is t. Godisglo glorified bythis, when we lay toheart the death ofothers : there is adithonour tided by it. to God to flight anyof hisa &ions : this is one ofGods works in the world, the deathofmen this is a thing wherein Gods hand is Icen: he faith to the Ions of Adam, Return. The fpirit returnetb to God that gaveit. Itis he that bath the power of life anddeath. Ifafparrow fall notto theground, without theprovidence ofGod ; much leffe the fervants of God; theprecious ones upon the earth , the excellent ones., as Davidcalleth them. I fay , God is leen much in theft works, and it is a great dishonourto God , when men do notconfider the wanks of his hands: David by the fpirit ofprophefie in Pfal. 28. S. wifhetlía curfe upon un- pfal. a8. 7. godly men, and for this reafon among the reft, becaufetbey confider not the operati- on ofhis bands: this is that that puts men into a curft &late, and expofeth them to the wrath of God, when they regard not the works of the Lord. The a&ions of Princes, and great men upon earth, every manconfiderethofthem, and wcigheth them:It is thar,wherein wegiveGod the glory of his wifdom, and of his truth, ofhis power, of his juftice, ofhis mercy, of his foveraignty and dominion, and Lordfhipover the whole earth, when we labour to draw to aparticular ufe to our L fclves ;
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