Featly et. Al. - BV4275 T47 1672

grounds againp unfeafonable e1V1'ourñirag. Certainly, there is not power in all examples to work this e It is the work of Gods (pint. Though a man obferve the death of never fo many before him, yet this can- not work in hima ferious care, to make preparation for his own death, except God add a further work to it. We may fee this in the Exprcflionof Majes, when fo ma- ny died in the Wildernefs: Lord teach as to member our dales, that we may apply1 our hearts to wifdomee As if he Ihould have Paid, Though fo many thoufands died in the Wildernefs, and that by fo many fevcral kinds of death, yet we (hall never apply our hearts to wifdom by thofe examples, except God teach us that wifdom. Cherefore we (hall pray to God to teach us by his Spirit, to make ufe of Examples. Men mull give account for examples afwel as for rules; men mutt give account for ex. amples of Mortality,as well as for Sermons of Mortality : Therefore let the exampleof others Mortality flit you up toprepare for your own, and that you may do fe, be much in calling upon God. Laftly, He fhall not return to met That is in this fenfe, to convac on earth, as he Obfervarion had done before ; l (hall return to him, but hefhallnot return to me. He loth but from the reitterate,and repeat what hehad faid before in effedt. fourth reafon. This is the thing then that Parents muil make account of, both for themfelvesand their Children. For their Children. It fhould make them moderate therefore in their forrow for them. God now bath (hewed his purpofe, and declared his will, therefore we Ihould reft in that will of God. This is the thing that Davidaymed at. Gods will was not only to take away his Child , but fo to take him away, as never to return to him again in that manner; Now God had declared his will , and therefore,Wblfhoald 1 Faff ( faith he, ) as ifhe (hould fay, I will now reft in the will of God. In all thethings which we account croffes, and loffes, in Children and Friender Wit. The main bufinefs of a Chriflian, is not to exprefs forrow, but fubmif hon and fubjeâion to God, to exercife and inure his heart to Patience, and to self in Gods good pleafure and will: As Eli, though he failed in his carriage to his Sons, yet he ¡hewed adutiful refpedt to God his heavenly Father. When Samuel told him the judgment ofGod that fhould come upon his houfe. It is theLord( faith he ) let him do what feemeth him good in his own eyes . Though it were a heavy judg- ment, foeh as wbofoever !horrid hear of it, both his Ears fhould tingle,yet it is the Lord,let him do what feemeth himgoed. As if he fhould fay ; I llave nothing ro do in this bufinefs, but to fubjeft my felf with patient fubmilfîon, and contentednefs to his will, it is the Lord, it becometh not me to contend with him, and to reafon with God concerninghis work, I confefs be is righteous, let him do what feemeth bins good in his own eyes. And foe/Iaron. There was a heavy judgment befallen him, his Sons were confumed with fire; yet, the Text faith, Aaron held his peace. When God manifefied fo great wrath to his houle, in wafting, and confuming, and burninghis Sons; for ottiring of firange fire, yet Aaron held his Peale ; that is, he did only mind how to glorifie God by a contented fubmiffion to his will. So fob, he heard not only of the lofs of his Children, but that he loft the in fuch a manner bya violentdeath, by a houle falling on their heads, rot the Lord highgi- ven, and the Lord bath taken away, blued be the Name of the Lord. Whereas a carnal worldly man would have fallen to (bugling, and contending, and quarrelling again(( God, and fo trouble and perplex his own fpirit.. We do exceedingly imbu- ter Gods Cup, by mingling with it Ingredients of our own portions, and fo make cite afllietion more heavy and grievous then God intends ir. Here is the reafon a We poles notoar Souls with Patience. When we are [edible ofthe lofs of Friends and Children, c. Let us learn to malie it ourbufinefs, tothink, I have a greater work to do, to prepare for my own dead}. God in the death of this man fpeaka to nie to prepare for my own; And then tp glorifie God by fubmilfron to his will, make it appear that thou acknowledgeft power inGod to difpole of thy houle, to do every thing, bypatiently refting in } will.

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