TheI'raife of Mourning, or, upon thy heart? Doth he offer a gracious meffage of peace to thy foul? both he (peak peace at any time by the miniffry of his Word ? Imbracc thofe offers, yceld to thole conditions of peace, left thou be deprived ofpeace at the end. Againe, bath G OD given thee any irength over temptations? Hall thou prevailed over thé aflànits ofSathan , and other of thy enemies ? Hath he made thee a con- duerour ? take heed how thou inflare{I thy felf againe, how thou inthrallcft thy (elf in yeelding to Sathans yoke,left he buffet thee by him in a worfemanner at thy end. Thus(I fay)thou canfl fcc nothing befal anyofGods fervants in their death,orin the manner oftheir death,whetherit be more pleafing,ormore forrowful;morecalm a dduier,ormore tempeftuous and full of trouble;whether it bemorecomfortable, ormore lamentable,but it may beufeful unt thee. If it begood , it may be it 1hall be fowith thee;if it be bad,it may be it 111211 be fo with thee too.The main bufine(s that a man bath to do, is to make fure of himfelfin this life. It was the qucffion that Saint e. Auflrn made to thofe that told him of a violent death that feized upon one. But bow did be live ? ( faith he) he made no matter how he went out, but how he carried himfelf in the world.And truly this is the great Oueftion, that e- very man fhould put to his foul. I muff out of the world , how have I lived when I was in the world? had GOD any glory by me? had men any goodby me? have I furthered my account againfl the day ofreckoning, that I may give itup with joy? it makes no matter how Igoe óút of the world, lam fureifmy life have been ferviceable to God, and beneficial tomen, my departure (hall be for gain and advantage, it is for a better world. Thus much (hall ferve briefly for the opening ofthefe words and for that that it appliable from them. For the prefent occafion a word. Funeralfermons arenot intended for thepraifeof the dead,but for the comfort of the Iiving.Therefore I have chofenfuch an argument to handle at this time asmight be ofufe, andprofit to you that live. Befides that, I am in particular andbyparti- cular order, debarred offpeakingany thing concerning our deceafed Sifter; though I might have fpoken much, and that very ufeful royou. The beftufe that you can makewillbe this , to confider the life The led amongft you. She was a pattern, and example of holinefs, ofa wife and upright carriage in her wayes : follow her in that: Ylark¿,the Godly and uprightman, the endof that man ispeace. There was none that knew her , but upon good affu ranee are perfwaded ofher happinefs now. Would you then have the fame happinefs after ? take the fame courfe that thedid , be much in prayer, and dependance upon the ordinancesand in fellow- fhip with the fervants ofGod; be profitable in doinggood,profltable in receiving good: mannage the opportunities and times well that God giveth you, as (he did, gaining much inlittle: the did much work in a Ihort (pace : let that beyour care, and then this will be your comfort in the end. Thus if you make this ufeof the death of others before you, you (hall prepare for your own death, and that (hall be only a paffage for you to Eternal life. DELIVE
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