S 94 TheI(i$hteoud Mans Service 43. 44. 45, 44. 47, . ofr$' But to confine our Application only to thofe threewithin the kit fixfcorc years; if God Ihould fay unto them, One ofyou have betrayedmy truth, how would it put them all upon their particular purgation ! It it ILord ? faith thefirft generation in the reign of King Edwardthe fixth ; furely they(hall be acquitted who in the Ma- rian days fealed the truth with their blood. Is it I Lord ? faith the fecond genera- tion, tatting allthe Reign ofQueen Elizabeth to the middle ofKing James. That alíowill be cleared as publickly preferving the purity of true Do&riuc in the thirty nineArticles. What alhame (hall it be, ifwhen ourage lhallask with Judo, Isit I? wefhall be returned, thou haft faid it. Yours is the Age that hath betrayed my Truthto Error, Unity to FaEtion, Piety to Prophanefs ; fad, when fuch a Fast ¡hall be fo clearthat it cannot be denied, and yet fo foul thatit cannot be defended. However this my too jute fear may confift with hope of better things ofyou,aud lushas ac- company to falvation. 1 muff conclude with you Reverend Fathers, whommy loyalty cannot pafs by without doing mydue homage to the Crown ofyourAge, efpccially if it be found in the wayof truth. Give me leave to tell, you belong to that generationwhich is paged out of this world : not only the Van or Front, and alto the main body and battel ofyour Army are marched to their graves (and their fouls I hope to heaven) whilftDivine Providence for reafons belt known to himfeif, path referved you to bring up (as I may fay) the very rear of the rear of your generation. O do not mi(take this Reprieve for a Pardon ç and here give me leave to ufe a plain but ex. prcffìve Similitude. Have you never feen a wanton child run a firebrand againft the Hearth or back of the Chimney, and fo on a fudden make a skie ofspark!? ofwhich (parks Tome infiantly expire, others continue a pretty timo and then go out, others Taft a little longer, whilft oneor two (as having a greater flock offoot to feed them) hold out agood while,but at ¡aft are cxtingutfht. Man is born to labour,as (parks do flyup. ward, force prefently go out wafted from the womb tothe windingfhcet ; others live to ripemen,otheratobeold men; fome wholet emper and temperence aremore fignal than in others, to be counted wonderous old, but all at laft die and fallto the earth. We read, Rçv.to.z. ofanAngel who had hisright foot on the Sea,andhis left on theearth. This may (eem aftrange ftride, fave that itabateth the wouder,becaufe Angels when pleafed to affume bodies, may extend themfelvcs to a vaft (thoughfi- nite) proportion. But you,thoughmeer mcn,and weak men,muft ftride a greater diftance ; having your left foot already in the Grave, endeavour to have your right foot in Heaven, andwaving all love ofthis world, (et your minds and meditations alone onGod and godlinefs. In a word. whateverour Age be, riling, fhining, or facing, Men, Brethren or Fathers, let us endeavour with 'David in myText,accord.. ing tothe willofGod to ferve our own Generation. Come we now to the fad oceafion ofour prefent meeting, to performthe !aft Chriftian Office to our Decea(ed Brother, well known to many ofyou, and to none better than tomy (elf. A child is like a man in the fimilitudeofparts,though not of degrees, and in Tome meafure he did fincerely with David ferve his Gene- ration. He was a dutiful Sonuntohis aged Mother, as thecannot butconfefs, and will I hope (as oecafion is offered) remember and reward it to his wife and chil- dren. A loving Brother, a kind Husband, and I doubt not but his widdowwill difchargeher mutual affection to him in his relations. Bathfheba thus defcribed a good wife, Pro.31.1z. She willdo her Husband good andnot evil allthedales ofher life. It is not faid,ali thedayes of his hIe,but ofber life. What if he fhouldchance todie,and the to furvive him,yea after tomarry again, (as God forbidany fhould bedebarred marrying in theLord, cfpecially for their own and children advantage) yet (till thewould do good untohimall the dayes ofher fife. Tohim,that is tohis memory,mcntioning with refpeEt : to him,thatisto his childrenand friends,careful over the one,and courteous over the other. He
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