The PatriarchalFuneral. 5 S i The occaffon of this fadnefs is expreffed in a word; but muít be confidered in many more,as being the principal concernment bothof the Text andTime. The mover of his paffion, the obje6 of his grief, the caufc ofhis tears was his Father, /Ind he had a mourning for húFather. This was fo truly the occaffon, that it was the only caufe, that. there can be no reafon imaginable aflìgned why Jofeph fhould mourn, but only becaufe hehad loft a Father. Thoughhe was aged to extremity, though he was holyunto eminency, though he was happy to eternity, thoughno way difadvantageous by his death to any, yet becaufe dead; and that a Father dead; he made a mourningfor him, weufually fay ofancient perforis,that theyhave already one foöt in the graie,and the reit oftheir life is nothing elfe but the bringing/of theft feet together. Why then fhould we weep for the death ofaged perfons, when it can be but the fecond part of their Funeral? That furrowTeems to be but ufelefs which is (pent upon ne- ceffities; and that griefirrational which would,create impofiibilities. The days of Vfal. ÿo. $o. our lives are threefcore years and ten , and ifby redfbn offirength they be faurfcore years, pet is their firengtb labourand f rrow. What reafon then can we produce; thatthe life of a manwhomwe efteem,fhould be forrow to himfclf,andhis death be grief to us ? Now Jacob gave this account of his age to Pharaoh when he tame dovon to Fgypt,7hedays oftheyears ofmypilgrimage are an hundredand thirty fears ; and he lived in the land feventeenyears ; fo the whole ageofJacob, was an hundred Ge2:47, 9,i s. forty andfevenyears. The extremity ofhis age had fanned him to his bed, the per - fea emblemand íhort forerunner ofhisgrave. The eyes of1fraelwere dim,fothat ie Gen. 48. ío. couldnotfee ; he was already in the fhades ofdarknefs. Nay, the time dreg, nigh faith c.gfofis, that Ifrael mufb die; there was a natural neceflityofhis death, an ap- Cen. 4i. i9^ parent impofftbilityof longer life; and yet this confideration is no ekcufe to Jofeph, but bemade a mourningfor hisaged Father. Secondly, the death of the righteous is to be defired rather than lamented t and it were a difnonour put upon Religion to think a pious man letshappy dead, than Luke 21: is. 'When he liv'd. weep notfor me, was the languageof the immaculate Lamb when he went to a fh.amefidandapainful death t and why should he which yields up his foul with comfort; ,leave his body to be covered with fo much forrow ? Thofe which live in impiety, anddepart in theiriniquity, theywhich have here provoked the wrath ofGod, and go hence with that wrath abiding on them, as they could create nothing to their relations but forrow in their life,homuff they neceffarily in- creafe it at their death. $utJacob was a Patriarch, ofeminent and conftant piety ;par - ticularly and remarkably belov'd ofGod, highly bleffed by him, and powerfully blefl'rng in hit name ; andyet when Jacob diethi Jaféph Weepeth : and hemade a mourningfor his pious Father. Thirdly, Death is nothingelfe-buta change ofa fhortand temporary, for an un- alterableand eternalcondition. From whence it folioweth, that thofe which die in theirfins, from thence begin to feel thofe torments which ¡hall never teafe : and therefore they leavebehind them a fad occafion ofgrief and forrow to fuck asare apprehenfiveof the pains they feel: Ifthe Rich man in theGo fpelwere fo careful of hisfurviving brethren ;and fo concerned in their welfare; if they had as well under flood his fadand itreverftble conditions what floods oftears would theyhave flied for himwho calla fo earneffly for a drop ofwater to cool his tongue l Butas fot fuels as pats fromhence into a place of refs and joy, who changethe miferies of thin finful world for the blelfed pretence ofagood and gracious Gods weeping at their departure;may Teem improper and unkind officioufriefs,as stwere a forrowfor their happinefs,andenvy at theirfelicity. Now the foul of Yacobwas certainly at reff, and Jofeph fufficiemlÿ affuredof his hap inefs. lieknew that his Father was heir ofthe fame promife withAbraham : for he lookedfor a City a'bich bathfoundations, whofe Het,. ït. t6,i;, builderandmaker is God ; hediedinfaith,andintbracedehepromrfes; heconfefedthat r6". hewas aflranger on theearth, and that hefought a better country, that is, anheavenly ; and therefareGodhad preparedforhima Crty,and he was in the bofoinc ofAbraham, theplace of felicity.But thehappincfaof his foul is no mule. to]ofèpbfor the Funeral tears due at the interment of his body.Andhe madeamourningfor hishappy Father. Fáutíhlya
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