239 / 674
SERM.
THE
DP!
Atli
OT IQINDRLD
iDIPROVED.
21p
duly considered
my
past conduct toward
my
relations
deceased, and does
it improve
itself to
my
conscience
at
the
review
?
Or
have
I
found matter
for
self-
conderima-
tion and
repentance? Have I treasured
up the
memory
of
their virtues
in
my
heart, and
set them before me as
the
copy
of
my
life
?
Have
my
thoughts followed the
soul
of
my
dear departed
friend,
and
traced
it
with
plea-
sure
to the world
of
blessed
spirits
;
and
does
my
own
soul seem to
fix
its
hope
and joy
there, and to dwell
there
above
?
Are
my
thoughts
become
more
spiritual
and
heavenly
?
Dó
I
live
more
as
a
borderer
on
the
other
world, since a piece
of
me
is
gone
thither
?
And
am
I
ready for the summons,
if it
should come
before
to-morrow
?
"
Happy
christian,
who
has been
taught
by
the
Spirit
of
grace
to
improve the death even
of
the
dearest rela-
tive
to so
divine
an advantage
!
The
words
of
my
text
are
then
fulfilled
experimentally
in
you:
"
Death
is
yours
:"
Death
itself
is
made
a.
part
of
your
treasures.
The parting
stroke
is
painful indeed,
but
it
carries
a
blessing in
it
too;
for
it
has
promoted your
heavenly
and
eternal
interest."
.Amen.
HYMN
FOR
SERMON
XLII.
DEATH
OF
KINDRED IMPROVED.
JTUST
friends
and
kindred
drop and
die? O
may
our feet
pursue
the
way,
Our
pious fathers
led
;
While
love and
holy
zeal
obey
The
counsels
of
the dead.
Must
helpers
be
withdrawn?
While
sorrow,
with
a
weeping eye,
Counts
up
our comforts
gone.
Be thou our comfort,
mighty
God,
Our helper
and
our
friend
:
plor
leave
us,
in
this dang'rous
road,
Till
all
our
trialil
end.
Let
us
be
wean'd from
all
below
;
Let
hope
our
grief dispel;
Death
will
invite our
souls
to
go,
Where our
best
kindred dwell,