372 THE WATCHFUL CHRISTIAN DYING IN. PEACE. DISC. TI. and she is the fitter companion for the inhabitants of a world of love. We lament, that such a pattern of early piety should be taken from the earth, when, there are so few practisers of it, especially among the youth of our degenerate age, and in plentiful circumstancesof life. But it is a matter of high thankfulness to God, who endowed her with those valuable qualities, and trained her up so soon for a world so much better than ours is. Let our sorrow for the deceased be changed into devout praises to di- vine grace. Let us imitate the holy language. of St. Paul to.the Thessalonians, and say, "We are comforted, even at her grave, in all our afflictions and distress, by the remembrance' of her faith and piety. What sufficient thanks Can we render unto God, upon her account, for all the joy, wherewith we, rejoice, for her sake, before our God, night and day praying exceedingly, that we may see her face in the state of perfection? And may God himself, even our Father, and -.our, Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to the.happy world, where she dwells," 1 Thess. iii. 7-11. The imitation of what was excellent in her life, and watchful readiness to follow her in death, are the best honours we can pay her me- mory, and the wisest improvement of the present provi- dence May the Spirit of grace teach us these lessons, and make us all learn them with power, that when our Lord Jesus shall come to call us hence bydeath, or shall appear, with all his saints, in the great rising-day, we may be found among his wakeful servants, and partake of the promised blessedness I Amen.
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