3t0 TtiE DEAtH OF KiND`RED IMPRO'nD. DERM. XLII. to the land of silence, they lie asleep in the dust and darkness ; Zech. i. 5. Thus death is made ofadvantage to us, even when it strikes us in so tender apart: For it teaches us this sacred lesson, how vain and empty are all our hopes in crea- tures ! The dart of death is like a pen of iron in his hand, and he writes emptiness and vanity on every friend, on every relative, that he takes from our family, from our side, from our bosom : He writes it in deep and painful, 'characters, and holds our souls to the solemn lesson. The same truth stands written in many a part of the book of God, in divine and golden letters : but perhaps, we would never have learned it, had not death copied it out for us in letters ofblood. H. The death of our kindred drives us to a more im- mediate and constant dependance on God. When the stream is cut off, what should we do but run to the foun- tain? If the stars vanish, we seek the sun beams. And 'O may the sun arise, and shine upon our .souls with grow- ing light and comfort as the stars disappear. ! While our friends or kindred were alive, we made them our refuge in every distress ; we have trusted in them perhaps too much ; we have lived too much upon them, with the neglect of God. A parent, a brother, or perhaps a dearer relative ; these were our high tower, our de- fence, our-sun, and our shield : These assumed that sta- tion in our hearts, and that high place in our esteem, which is due to God only. But, when this tower is bat- tered down to dust, when the shield of clay is broken to pieces, and this dim and feeble sun turned into darkness, then we make God alone our sun, our shield, and our high tower of defence. Then we search out earnestly, what kind and condescending characters and relations God has assumed in his word ; and we read and survey the gracious titles ofour Lord Jesus Christ, with newand unknown delight. Have anyof you lost your earthly parents ? Thenyou read with pleasure those words of the Psalmist, If my father or my mother forsake me, as they must do at the hour of death, then the Lordwill take me up," Ps. xxvii. 10. And you rejoice in that glorious promise, " Be ye separate from idols, saith the Lord ; that is, separate yourselves 3
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