ThéFruit ofEves 7°ranfgreffgri. cafe, thereceived a great deal ofcomfort from her Midwife,who badher notfear, for the lhould have this fon aifo : but it. came to pal; as herPiet W 4 departing, for the died, that her font name was called Benonjta that is, a fonofforrow, as we fee verfe 18. Who canexprefs the woeof thatday ; andthebitternefs ofthat lofs toJacob?who was now bereft of his dearly-beloved Wife, bÿ the fruit of whofe womb hehad reaped fuch increafe of biding ? before, the childrenhad the careof two watchino over them ; now only ofone, and that fuch a one as was not accuttomed to interef' himfelfin training up young Children, but left it toher, and the took it from him. O death void of mercy,and refpeétofperfons ! that (he fhoulddie,it was Tome grief to him, but that thedied in travel, that did moft trouble him, and increafe his grief. And well might he stile their fon"Benony,the fonofforròw: for it was indeed-a for- row to them all : to her,to him,to their iffue,to their friends, and acquaintance, to their fervants,to all that knew them,or had any relation to them. ButJacobwill not exceed theboundsofChriftianity,he was at the late comforted: herefers himfelf, his children, his infinite, andalmoftintupportable lofsto God Al- mighties pleafure, from himthe was received, and to hires he is contentagain to re- turn all. The mourning, and lamenting that he made on her. behalf it couldnot retal her again : all the tears he could flied forher, wereof no force or power at all to make heralive ; too much forrow might happily indanger his own life,and thenhe Ihouldhighly offend againft Almighty God, Patience andChriftian fortitude were the only remedies left him, and theeehe refolves on. Letus learn hence aslongasthe world lafts,to know that worldly comforts what- foever they be, and howfoever we may efteem of them, they are fubjeCt to change. Love withunfeignednefswhat may be fa loved ", but take heed you lovenot too much , for fear the takingof that away from,you, that wasfo dearly lovedofyou; make you fall into impatience, and fin againft God. Let us fo lovethatwemay thinkof lofs, if it ftandwith Gods pleafure; hut yet letusfolove, that we efteem it no lofi ifhe pltafe. Let- his goodwill, andpleafure ever-more moderateour affections: fo happilywefhalt,enjoy the thingbeloved; a great deal longer. But ifwe exceedin lamenting, werowe as ¡eft, and righteous-as Jacob, God will beangry with us for it. Notonly thy deareft-wifé,buetüy dcareft Child, thy deareftfriend ; whatfoeverismofi cleartothee; lhatl then feel the ftroak ofmortality, that the heart maybe taught to with for eternity, crying heavily, and fighingwith a mournful voyce, with thofewords of the Preacher, Vanityofvanities all is but vanity. There is a threefold puni (lament infliaìed upon all women kindinanfwer to the three finscommitted by our Grandmother Eve. Firft, becaufe the gave toomùch creditto thewords of theSerpent, telling her, that bothAdapt and the (horrid'be as Gods, knowinggood and -evil ; therefore it was pronounced prelently uponher, that 'her furrows and conceptions thould be multiplied. Secondly, becaufe againft the exprefs command ofAlmighty God,íha did eatthe forbiddenfruit, therefore it was pronounced againft her, thatin forrow the fhould bringforthChildren,every time herhour was at handthe fhoúldhardly efcape death. I neednot enlarge my felt; youan know it to-be too true ; nay fometimes, and that oft-times too it colts yourlives an example- we have hereinthe'Text in Pacbel,and in our deceafed Sifter here before us, and many others. Thirdly, and laftly, becaufe the was afeducer"of her Husband; thereforefor a- puniithment, all your defiresought to be fubjett to your Husbands, and by the war- rant of the Scripture they muff"rule over you. Death is adebt to natureandmufthe payed : there is no avoidingof it, no puttingit-off, when GOD thinksitfit, it infallible to all, in.rcfpe& ofthe matter,and`end : though in refpedtf of the tinican manner, many times it be divers. Some die when they 'areyoung ; frame. in the middleof their age, and forme live till they be veryold: That for the time: Some die of Convulfions, fomeofDropfies, fóme ofFeavers t- and to be&d , fame inChild-bed; as Edcbet here didandourdepartedSiffero But of whatdifepfe:: H h h fouet 411.
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