SEAM. ELII.) THE DEATH OF KINDRED IMPROVED. 209 the death of our relations and kindred in the flesh shall turn to our benefit. I. It shews us the emptiness and insufficiency. of our dearest created comforts, ofall blessings that are not im- mortal. We have lost, perhaps, an inferior relation, a son, a daughter, a nephew, a pleasingentertainment and com- fort of life But death tells us, it was a poor dying com- fort, a pretty piece of brittle clay, broken and dissolved, and mouldering to the dust.. Our love and our grief, it may be, jointogether, to recal the past days of fondness and delight, short-lived delight, and empty vain fondness, that ends in tears and long mourning ! We have lost a superior relation, or perhaps, an equal, a father, a wife,' a husband, or a brother: We have lost a guide, a support, a helper, a dear affectionate friend, entirely loving, and entirely beloved. He was a kind and a skilful guide, but death teaches us the insufficiency of his guidance, who left us in the mid- way, and lets us travel through all the remaining part of this dark wilderness alone. He has given us sweet coun- sel and direction in days past, but he can now direct us no more, we can. consult him no more : Those lips of advice, on which we hung are closed and silent in death : That voice will be heard no more : We must walk .without this counsellor all the rest of our way, be it ne- ver so long, and never so dangerous. Hewas our helper, and our support under daily diffi- culties; but it was a weak support, that could not stand himself, when death shook him : A poor helper, and a sorry defence, that could not resist the powers of disease and mortality, nor defend himself from the assaults of death. He was a friend, and a faithful one too ; but it was a feeble,. a failing friend, even in the midst of his love and faithfulness ; for he was called away, and constrained to .depart from us in a dark and sorrowful minute, artd bath left us to mourn alone. He could not abide with us a moment beyond his summons ; he, forsook us while we were drowned in grief; and could give us no more conso- lation. Our fathers, where are they Our . prophets, our instructors, our guides, and helpers are gone down VOL. I I. P
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