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 circumstances
of
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
by
death, 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.