Mourning preferredbeforeMirth. 3 r Again fecondfy ; As it condemnes the general negle(t that is amongst men o i yfe z, this duty, fo it ferves to reprove; that finful laying to heart of the death ofothers For reproof. that is too frequent and common in the world, That is, firlt, when menwith too much fgndnefs, and with toogreat excelle and t.ofthe excefs dittemper ofaff.:Lion -, look upon their dead freinds, as if God could never re- of fotrown for pair the lode, nor make amends for that he hathdone in takingof them away. Ra- dead füends. chel mourneth, and will not be comforted. Davidmoumeth, aid will fcarcc be comforted. ohAbfolon, my fon, My fon, would God I baddied for thee. What is all this, but to look on freinds, rather as Gods thon men, asifallfuf&ciency were included in them only? Men lookon their freinds,as Micah did upon hisI- dol, whenthey bereaved himof it, they took away all his comfort and quiet, You have taken away my Gods (faith he ) and what have I more ? or as Laban, Iudg, 8. 24. that whenhis Idols were ftoln away, his heart was dead, he could notifsy in his houre, he could not enjoy himfelf, whereforehaveyou ftollen away my Gods? faith Gen 31. to. he. So, I fay , men lookon their dead freinds as they fhould lookupon the Crea- tour,and not as upon the creature; they take theirdeath toheart, but not in a right manner, This is the very reafon why God many times makesyour Chriftianfreinds fo unprofitable to you when they live , becaufe you idolize them, you advance them above God. This is the reafon alfo, whyyou are fo unable tobear the lofs of them when they die, Godbeating yob.' nowwith your o wn rod, and making you feel the fruit and effe& ofyour own folly. This now is an ill taking to, heart the death of freinds tomourn as men without hope. Secondly,there isa taking to heart , and conGderingof the death ofmen, but it is anunrighteous conGdering, an unrighteous judgingof the deathofothers. If men fee one die, it may be a violent death, then they conclude, certainly there is Tome apparenttoken ofGods judgement on fuch a one. Ifthey fee another die , with tome extremity of torment, and vehement pains, certainly there isTome appa- rent evidence of Gods wrath upon this man. If they fee anotherin fome great and violent tentation, ftrugling againft many tentations, they conclude prefently,cer- tainly, fuchare ina worfercafe then others.I may fay to all thofe, as Chrift faid once to thole that told him of the eighteen men upon whom the tower in gibe fell,think you that theywere ¡Inners above all men that dwelt in ferufalem ? Or rather as Solomon faith, All things come alikeunto all, there is one event to the righteous,and to the wicked, to the clean, and to the unclean, to him that facrificetb, and to him that facrificeih not ; as is the good, fo is theftnner ; andhe thatfweareth, as be that feareth an oath. Learn to judge righteous judgement, to judgewifelyofthe death ofothers, take heedofcondemning of the generationofthe juft. But rather, in the laft place. Makethis ufe of the death ofevery one. Doth fuch a man die by anordinary ficknefs, having his underltanding, and memory continued to the end ? Doth fuch a man die in inward peace and comfort , with clear and evident apprehenfions of Gods love, fo that he can with Simeon fay, Lordnow leeteftthou thy fervant depart inpeace ? What ufe thouldeft thou that li. veftmakeofthisnow? Certainly, let the í'weetnefs of their death, make thee in love with the goodnefsoftheir lives. That is the only way to a happy death, to a comfortable endindeed , the leading of a fruitful and profitable life. Again, doff thou feethe children ofGod full of temptations, full offears and difquietnefs offpirit in their death? Sometimes fo overcome with the violenceof thedifeafe,asthat(it maybe)they fpeak then impertinently andidely,it may be finful- y? What ufe Ihouldelt thou make of this now ? _ Certainly letthe terriblenefsof the example of Inch a mans death, let it be a terrour to thee, and a means to fairthee uptoMore carefulnefs ofmaking good ufe of thy time inthislfe: 21cabal dieth and his `heart is in him as a (tone. If ever God quicken thee, if everGod breath upon thy foul, or en1;iven thee by the inward motions of his Spirit , em- brace thofe opportunities,and feafons ofgrace, left God (mite thee with an ever- ailing deadnefs. Again, hathGod caufed the light ofhis countenance to thine upon s. Ofthe rafla ceafuridg of the manner of others death. Luke. t I. 4. Eccief.9, z. Vfe. 3. For Infrueti- In. Luke z.=9.
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