229 / 674
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,
of
all blessings
that
are
not
im-
mortal.
We
have lost,
perhaps,
an inferior relation, a
son,
a
daughter,
a nephew,
a pleasing
entertainment
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,
join
together,
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.
He
was
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