HAVING been invited, to take the Opportunity of my being here this Day, to preach unto You, I thought it wou'd not be improper to enter­tain you with some seasonable Me­ditations, which I have lately had on this Text, upon the most affecting Occasion that has ever oc­curr'd to Me in the few Years I have liv'd.

DIVINE PROVIDENCE hath seen meet within a little while to take away by Death ^‖ several Mo­thers in Israel, (who have some of their Relations in this Place) Devout & Honourable Women, whose Memory is blessed; And we cannot but be sensi­bly touch'd with the repeated Stroke in the Remo­val of Another the last Week, that was also valua­ble to all and nearly related to Many of us here [Page 2] present. Truly the Blow is heavy, and the Breach wide. And to be affected with so solemn a Provi­dence, as the Departure of Persons of Name and Worth, of Piety and Serviceableness, Is what every common Neighbour is under civil and christian Ob­ligations to. This is what the special Friends and Acquaintants of the Deceased, who have a nearer Concern in the Loss, are more peculiarly oblig'd to. — But the Relatives are under natural and the strongest Bonds to Mourn the Death of Pious and Useful Persons ——. That I might more particu­larly suit my Discourse to the Case of Relatives in Mourning; especially of Children for the Loss of a gracious Mother, which is the melancholy Case of not a Few in this Audience, (and may be so of Others e're long) I have therefore chosen the Words before Us for the Subject of our present Considera­tion; — I bowed down heavily, as One that mour­neth for his Mother.

THE Person here speaking is holy David, the Royal Psalmist of Israel. He makes a Protestation of his cordial Love towards and tender Sympathy with his Enemies and Persecutors under their Af­flictions. They rejoyced indeed in his Adversity: but he mourned in their's. If they were visited with Sickness, he Sympathized with them, and car­ry'd it towards them with the greatest Compassion and the kindest Usage: If they were remov'd by Death, He Mourned for them, bowing down his head in great heaviness, and condoling the Loss, as tho' there had been an intimate Friendship or near Re­lation between them: Yea, his Grief at their Death did bear some Proportion and Similitude to the Sorrow of dutiful Children, bereaved of a dear [Page 3] and desirable Mother; such an One as David's own was, and whom perhaps he may now refer to more immediately. At their Death, he took on, as for the Loss of his own Mother, a gracious & tender Mother. This discovers the Psalmist to be one of an excellent Spirit, & a truly extraordinary Compassion; a Man made up of Pity and Benevolence, and acted by the superior Principles of Religion. He has set us an Example of uncommon Humanity, and Charity; which challenges Consideration and Imitation. But I shall not insist here. — I design to take No­tice only of the Allusion or incidental Hint in our Text,— of One's Mourning for his Mother,—which intimates the Lawfulness, and Decency, yea and Duty of lamenting the Death of near Relations, and particularly of a dear and good Mother.

AND this is the Point of Doctrine now (as GOD shall help) to be discoursed upon: ‘IT is Lawful, yea Proper, and a Duty to m [...] the Death if near Relations, and particula [...] of a tender and religious Mother.’

THE Decease of such is a just Matter and Motive of Lamentation. Our nearest & dearest Relatives must die and go to the House appointed for all li­ving. Father & Mother must be separated from us by Their or Our Death. The strongest Ties of Nature or Affection can't continue our Union together in this World, when Death comes to dissolve the same. And the Parting with lov'd Relations, is a proper Occasion of Grief. Their Death is a very Melancho­ly Thing, and to be laid to Heart. The Removal of a tender Parent, of a delightful Child, of a loving [Page 4] Brother or Sister, or any affectionate and beloved Relative whatsoever, is a Mournful Dispensation, and to be seriously resented and suitably improved. But I shall confine my self to speak particularly of the Death of a pious & dear Mother. The Death of such an One calls for peculiar Accents of Grief. This is a Lamentation, & shall be for a Lamentation.

HERE we may consider briefly some of the Grounds & Reasons, that warrant & require Chil­dren's Mourning on such an Occasion▪ The follow­ing Particulars may suffice.

I. THE Death of a tender and gracious Mother infers the Loss of a great & comprehensive Blessing; and therefore is a deplorable Evil. The proper Ob­ject of Grief is a present afflictive Evil, whether [...]ivative or Positive. The Want or Loss of Good [...] Negative Evil; and calls for our Mournful Re­ [...]ments. Hence the Bereavement of a dear and [...]cious Mother, (whom to enjoy is one of the chief Felicities of this lower World,) must needs be accounted a most proper Subject of deep La­mentation.

A wise and good Mother is a very valuable Bles­sing. Her Usefulness is extensive, Her Opportuni­ties of doing Good considerable, and her Life is therefore pretious.

OUR wise and virtuous Mothers are no little Or­naments to the Places where they dwell; These Daughters of Zion are none of the least of Zion's Glories, They are some of the Excellent in the Earth▪ And when Death translates these shining Lights, it casts a gloomy Shade on the Town, and Family; it thins the Glory, and casts down the Beauty of Israel.

[Page 5]AGAIN, Our Pious Mothers are a Defense (as well as Honour) to the respective Places of their abode: And the Town and Family, from which they are remov'd, are weaken'd by their Fall, in proportion to the Degree of their Piety, Wisdom, and Influence. Devout Women are many times (in conjunction with others) instrumental to the Protection of a Family or People from desolating Judgments. They contribute to the Safety of a House or Place, sometimes by their prudent Coun­sels, sometimes by their importunate Prayers; yea sometimes by their very Presence: The Presence of these holy, humble Ones, to whom the gracious GOD hath a special Respect, is often a Remora to the Execution of Divine Threatnings on Others, who are ripe for the Indignation of the LORD. For their Sakes GOD doth many times mercifully suspend deserved Judgments, or moderate His Ju­dicial Dispensations. —And therefore the Depar­ture of these pious, praying Persons shou'd affect and grieve the Living. The taking away of such is as a pulling down the Pillars of an House, or a plucking up the Stakes out of an Hedge. When such die, so much of the Strength fails, and of the Defense is gone.

FURTHER, They are more Positive and Active Blessings; and are not only the Means of keeping out hurtful Evils, but also of bringing in many real and desirable Benefits. They are many ways useful by their Gifts and Graces, by their Prayers, their Example, their Advices, Reproofs, Instructi­ons, &c. The whole House fares the better for the wise and good Mother, in all it's Interests. The Health▪ the Estate, Reputation, good Order, [Page 6] Virtue and Religion of the Family, and Place, are all greatly subserved by Her. — When therefore our gracious Mothers die, the Town and Family, (which have enjoy'd their Presence) are so much Impoverish'd, and the common Treasure sunk. So much of the principal stock is drawn out of the Bank. In that House, where the godly Mother ceases, The Measure of Gifts and Graces, and the Number of Prayers & Services are lessend; which is as the letting out of so much vital Blood and Spirits, whereupon Sickness and Weakness of the Body ensues.

SURELY then we ought to lament the Death of our honoured and pious Mothers with a very pecu­liar Sorrow. We ought to bewail it on the Account of the general Loss, which the whole Family and Town sustains.

AND We shou'd every One bewail his own Per­sonal Loss therein. We shou'd sadly lay to heart our own particular Concern in the common Be­reavement. We [the Children] are some of the greatest Losers. When our pious and wise and careful Mothers are taken away, Who can say how many Blessings we are depriv'd of by this one awful Blow? It infers a mighty Change, a dreadful Breach on our Comforts, and often a sad Increase of our Cares. Tho' when we enjoy'd them, we did not sufficiently value and improve them; yet when they are gone, we soon find a lamentable Miss of them. What a Melancholy Vacancy does their Removal make? When they die, We lose the Sight of them, which was so much the Desire of our Eyes. We lose their Wisdom, Abilities & Graces, which render'd them such Delights and Helps unto us. [Page 7] We lose their profitable Conversation, & can no more take sweet Counsel together with them. We want their wise Advices, their faithful Admonitions, their holy Examples, their devout Prayers, and Labours of Love. We can no more enjoy any kind As­sistences from them of any sort. Death puts a Pe­riod to all their good Offices. Their works follow them,— in this sense.

A great and sore Loss then do the Posterity of gracious Women receive in their Death. And this Reflection bespeaks a very sensible Grief on so sad an Occasion.

II. THE Death of an useful gracious Mo­ther is commonly a Rebuke on her Surviving Poste­rity for their Sin. Consider'd as a Natural, and much more as a Penal Evil, this Loss is greatly to be lamented. There is many times much of the Wrath of GOD mixed with this Affliction: And the Consideration of this may well put an Edge on our Resentments & add Weight to our Grief. Such a Bereavement is often a stroke of Vindictive Justice. The Sin of the Children sometimes in­flames the Wrath of GOD, and procures the Death of their Mother. They are vile and wicked, and not worthy of Her; or are full of guilty Provoca­tions with reference unto her. If we over-rate, and over-love our valuable Parents, if we place all our Dependence on and Delight in them; if we make the Enjoyment of them the great Solace of our Lives, and build our Hopes of future Comfort too much on their Continuance, and are loth to leave them at the Divine Dispose: If we idolize them, and give 'em that Seat in our Hearts, which [Page 8] only belongs to GOD our sovereign Ruler and only sufficient Portion, and do not desire & rejoyce in his Presence and Favour as we ought to do; This may justly provoke Him to separate from us the beloved Object. GOD is jealous of His own Rights, He will not admit any Rival or divide His Glory with another: If He observes Parent or Child lie too near our Hearts, and take up too much Room in our Breasts, whereby He is shut out from those Regards which are due unto Him, no Marvel if He make a Breach, to testify His Dis­pleasure —. And on the other hand, if a gracious Parent be neglected, undervalued, and set at nought, This is greatly provoking to GOD; and no Wonder, if He so resent the Sin, as to punish the Guilty with a Bereavement of their despis'd and abused Privilege —. Alas! how prone are we to be basely unthankful for our good Pa­rents, especially our pious Mothers, while they are spared to us? And how apt to slight the many Advantages that we enjoy or are capable of re­ceiving by them? How disobedient, or unkind, or negligent are we prone to be in our Carriage to­ward them? — And now, it may be for some such Miscarriages as these, that GOD is visiting of us. He takes away our over-valu'd Parent, in Dis­pleasure at and in Testimony against our Idolatry. Or He bereaves us of the contemned Blessing, to punish our criminal Ingratitude, & Undutifulness: He will make us to know the worth of it by sad Ex­perience of the Want of it.

THUS the Death of a wise and good Mother is sometimes a Punishment of Sin and a Fruit of re­venging Wrath, in a special manner. And in this [Page 9] Dispensation indeed there is ordinarily a Mixture of holy Displeasure.

AND is not this a Mournful Consideration? Shou'd not this Thought make our Hearts bleed, and our Eyes flow with Tears of Sorrow? Verily it is our Sin, that is the Sting in every Affliction: and GOD's Wrath which is the Bitterness in every Cup. The Divine-Judgment is the Gall & Worm­wood in our Adversities, the great Aggravation of our Sorrows: and our Eye may well be consu­med because of Grief, when GOD is chastening Us in His hot Displeasure, Truly it well becomes the most unbroken and heroic Minds to melt into soft and tender Passions, to relent and sigh under the Tokens of Divine Anger, and at the Remembrance of Sin, which pulls down the Wrath of GOD on our guilty Heads —. An awful Regard then to the Hand of Divine Justice in taking away a pious Mo­ther shou'd influence Us to mourn such a Death. The Frown & Rebuke of Providence herein shou'd awaken a most afflictive sense of Her Removal.

III. GOD allow, expects, and requires, that We mourn on this Occasion. GOD has formed our Nature so as that We are capable of being mov'd with different Passions and Affections, according to the Variety of Objects that occur, whether good or evil, present or absent. And while some Things are suited to actuate our Joy; Others are fitted to agitate our Grief. These latter are present Evils; and when they are perceived, Nature is dispos'd to sorrow. A mournful Sensation of Bereavements, and other Afflictions, is but agreable to the Law of our Creation, to the Tendency of our Nature, and [Page 10] the Dictates of right Reason. It agrees to our pre­sent Make & Frame; and is according to the pri­mitive Design of the Powers of Sense and Passion which are so deeply planted in Us: and 'tis im­possible indeed, while in the Body, to be untouch'd with sorrowful Impressions within, when oppressive Troubles without invade Us. No Affliction is for the present joyous, but grievous. However sup­pose it not an Impossibility, yet it is a culpable Irre­gularity. It is unreasonable & irreligious. Our afflicting Passions, as well as others, were origi­nally intended for Exercise; the proper season whereof is a day of Trouble. And They were de­sign'd for good Ends; which can't be attain'd with­out the seasonable and regular exerting of Them. Reason then condemns a Stoical Apathy under Af­flictions: and Religion doth no less. Christianity does not command nor commend, nor tend to effect a stupid Insensibleness under the Hand of GOD. Piety is not intended for the Extinction of Reason and Subversion of Humanity. But the Design of Religion is to correct the Disorders of na­tural Affections, to guide and help Them in their Exercises on proper Occasions. Gospel- Light is design'd to direct Us, and Gospel- Grace to assist Us, in governing our Passions to their respective Ends and adjusting them to their various moving Causes. Religion then does not forbid, but only moderates ana regulates, our Sorrow under bereaving Dispen­sations. We may lawfully give Vent and Ease to our disquieted Minds in pensive Groans and Com­plaints, and let out Grief operate and express it self in all natural and decent Ways —. Yea, This is what lies as a Duty upon Us, to order our in­inward [Page 11] Frame and outward Behaviour according to our Condition, in Compliance with the Methods of Providence and from a Reverence to the holy Hand of GOD. We are to regard the Work of the LORD, and to consider His Operation in all that befals Us; and shou'd study to comport with the Design and answer the Call of every Dispensation. Accordingly under Bereavements We are call'd to Weeping and Mourning; and GOD approves and expects, that We feel the stroke, that We be in­wardly affected, and breath out our Grief in all the humble Expressions hereof: This is intimated in that Observation of the Wise Man, Eccl. 7.2. It is better to go to the house of Mourning, [so He calls the House where Death comes] than to the House of Feasting: for that it the End of all Men, and the Living [if They are wise and godly] will lay it to Heart. And so in that Caution of the Apostle, 1 Thes. 4.13. I wou'd not have You to be ignorant, Brethren, concerning Them which are asleep, that Ye sorrow not, even as others which have no Hope.— He allows the Sorrow; but checks the excessive Degree, and reproves perhaps also some unseemly Ways of expressing It.

IV. GOD is highly displeas'd at a sinful Stu­pidity under such a mournful Bereavement: and to indulge This is truely a Symptom of wretched Hard­ness, and Abjectness of Mind. If we are not sensi­ble of Judgments and do not resent the Displea­sure of GOD in them, it is an awful Sign of car­nal Security, and a daring Affront to the Divine Providence. There are many heavy Complaints on Record against the obdurate Jews of old upon [Page] this Account. Thus we read, Isai. 42.25. He hath poured upon Jacob the fury of His Anger; and it hath set Him on fire round about, yet He knew it not; and it burned Him, yet He laid it not to Heart. So in Jer. 5.3. O Lord, Thou hast stricken Them, but They have not grieved; They have refused to re­ceive Correction; They have made their Faces har­der. than a Rock. And in the next Verse He calls this Carriage Madness; I said, Surely These are foolish; for they Know not the way of the Lord; They consider not the Judgment of GOD. And the Wise Man enters a Caveat against this Folly, Prov. 3.11. My son, Despise not the Chastening of the Lord.

TO be stupidly blind and not see the Hand of GOD smiting Us, or to be wilfully indolent and not feel the Weight and Smart of those Blows we receive, loudly proclaims our want of a Christian Temper of Soul, and sadly evidences the Hardness of our Hearts and Atheism of our Minds. "Indo­lence under the Effects of GDD's Anger is (as One speaks) like the stilness of the dead Sea, whose Calm is a Curse" —. To be resolvedly insen­sible and inconsiderate under Afflictions is to har­den our selves against Discipline, and set GOD's Judgments at Defiance. It is to strengthen our selves against the Almighty. It is a profane Neg­lect & Contempt of the Divine Wrath. And hence must needs offer very great Provocation to GOD. Nothing more exasperates, than a slight of one's Displeasure. To make light of the Wrath of GOD, is most certainly very incensing to Him. — It is therefore prodigious Folly and Sin to be unaffected with GOD's Frown in the Death of near and dear [Page 13] Relations, and particularly of our valuable Parents. Some in this Case shift off all troublesome Impres­sions by flying to remaining temporal Comforts; or by an abusive Applying the Consideration of Death's being the End of all Men, looking on It as a necessary Event, a Thing of Course, and com­mon to every One, as what cou'd not be avoided, and for which there is no Remedy: and therefore It must be endur'd; Grief will be no Cure —. In some such Ways as these, Many seek Re­lief, and bear up Themselves by these Methods under the Loss of Their Parents, and other Rela­tives; without any View to the Hand of GOD or Sense of His Anger out against Them.— But surely to be thus caseless under Divine Rebukes, upon any Grounds whatsoever, discovers great Va­nity of Mind, and a secret Infidelity in the Heart. Where a Principle of Grace is in it's due Operati­on, It will influence the Understanding to consider the Tokens of GOD's Displeasure, and will soften the Heart, & cause a very tender and permanent Feeling of Them. Insensibility under the strokes of GOD's Hand is not religious Constancy & For­titude, but a wicked and foolish Stupidity. It ar­gues a very unhappy State of Soul; and offers a very heinous Indignity to Divine Providence.

V. SOMETIMES the Death of a pious Mo­ther leads the Way and opens the Door to many other Evils: be-sure carnal Security under such a stroke of GOD lays open to more heavy Judgments. Sometimes such a Bereavement is the Fore-runner of great Evils. The Righteous is taken away from the Evil to come.

[Page 14]AN Increase of moral Evil is often consequent on such a Providence. At the Gap, which the Death of a wise and good Mother makes, does many times enter in a Torrent of Impieties and Vices. It is very grievous to think, what Ungod­liness, what Unrighteousness, what Contention, what Intemperance, and other foolish Lusts, have found their Way into Families, after the Removal of the pious Mother; whose grave Presence, and prudent Counsels, and Reproofs, together with Her holy Example, had kept a Check on the vicious Dis­positions of the Children, and Others, while She was alive: but being now free from this Re­straint, They give Themselves a Loose and Indul­gence in Sin. Yea what a sensible Decay of Reli­gion, and Growth of Wickedness hath there been sometimes among the Body of a People in a Town upon the Death of a Number of the godly Mo­thers therein; who have so considerable an Influ­ence in Family-Religion, which is necessary to Public Order! It is too notorious, that sometimes a deplorable Change soon appears in the rising Posterity, when the gracious Mother is taken from Their Head: A degenerate Seed rises up; and when it is thus with any Number of Families in a Place, the old Proverb is often verifyed, A little Leaven leaveneth the whole Lump. —

MOREOVER, the Death of such is often the Fore-runner of afflictive Judgments. The Remo­val of the pious Mother makes way for penal E­vils to come in upon the Family. There are Deaths perhaps to be multiply'd, or other Cala­mities to be inflicted; and from a tender Respect to this gracious Woman, GOD does gather [Page 15] Her (as He did Josiah,) to Her Grave in Peace, that Her Eyes may not see, and Her Heart be griev'd at the Evil to be brought on Her Children and Relations: And that He may not be put to deny the Requests of this fervent Inter­cessor on their Behalf—. This pretious One must be safely lodg'd in Heaven, out of the Reach of all Griefs and Sufferings, before the destroying Angel has Commission to execute Judgments on Her Posterity. The Jewels are secur'd, before the Rubbish is consumed. The Wheat is hous'd, when a Storm is rising: and then the Doves flock to the Windows.

IT looks ominous to the Family, when the pi­ous praying Mother is taken away, who was One that stood in the Breach to turn away Wrath. The Death of such an One leaves the surviving Mour­ners under an ill Presage: and the Cry of the De­ceas'd unto Them is that, in Luk. 23.28. (Sons,) Daughters, Weep not for me, but weep for your selves —. Weep and howl for your Miseries that are coming upon you.

BUT a supine and stubborn Apathy and Incorri­gibleness, when under the Frown of Providence in the Removal of so great a Blessing, does for cer­tain expose to & forebode still further Evils. Cold and carnal Security under this Judgment defeats the good Ends of It, and renders it altogether unprofitable to Us. And not only so, but it lays us open to yet more terrible Rebukes. If We will walk contrary to GOD, He also will walk contrary to Us, and punish us still seven Times more, (Lev. 26.23, 4,) He has many other ways to afflict us. And if we are unaffected with one Judgment, He [Page 16] will proceed to another. Verily, None ever harden'd Themselves against GOD, and prosper'd He will multiply aggravated Mischiefs on care­less unsubdued Sinners. With the obstinate, He will shew Himself obstinate. He will add to Their Yoke; and if They feel not the Whip, He will chastise Them with Scorpions. If more gentle Stripes are despis'd, sometimes cutting Blows are given, 'till utter Destruction comes. But supposing there be a Reprieve from Temporal Ruin, yet most certainly there is an Everlasting Perdition, to which irre­clamable Sinners are reserv'd, in the coming World.

TO be unhumbled then under such a bereaving Dispensation, and impenitently to disregard the Hand of GOD, is an ill Omen of more heavy Judg­ments approaching. Let this Thought serve to deter Us from such Guilt and Folly; that there may be no Occasion for renewing the Complaint, in Isai. 57.1. The Righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart, and godly ones are taken away, None considering, that the Righteous is taken away from the Evil to come.

VI. TO mourn such a Death has a Tendency to our spiritual Benefit, as it assists our right Improve­ment of it. It will be profitable, not only to to­lerate, but to excite and strengthen a mournful Sense of our Affliction; ‘not only to admit, but to enforce the Impressions of Sorrow upon this Occasion.’ Solomon observes, that by the sad­ness of the Countenance the Heart is made better; and therefore the Heart of the Wise is in the House of Mourning. On such an Occasion, the Wisdom that is from above will dispose and engage our Hearts to mournful Affections, and a religious [Page 17] Improvement of the sorrowful Providence: And by this means, The Affliction may turn to our great Advantage. That which in it self is so grie­vous an Evil, may be made instrumental of the most blessed Effects, by the Grace of GOD. Out of the Eater may come forth Meat; and Honey be suck'd out of the Wormwood.

IF we lay to heart the Bereavement, Our Minds will more attentively regard the holy Lessons to be learnt from such a Dispensation, and more easily receive Religious Impressions. Our Hearts must be subdued and melted in order to the good Purposes of Divine Grace. And when They are tender and soften'd under Troubles, We are in a greater Dis­posedness to be wrought upon by the sanctifying Spirit. Worldly Sorrow tends to godly Sorrow: for when the Spirit is tam'd and sober'd, and reduced to a considering Frame, It will more readily ob­serve and resent the moral Cause of Afflictions, which is Sin —. And the mournful Sense of our Trouble will have a happy Tendency to wean Us from Creature-Comforts, considering the uncertain­ty of Them. — And to promote our Acquaintance with GOD, and Desires of His Favour, the good Part which can never be taken away. — It will also help to fix on our Minds a becoming Gravity, and check the Vanity We are so incident to. It will tend to put us on serious Work, and stir us up to Duty; to awaken our Activity in preparing for our own Death, and finishing the great Business, of Life. In a word, A true gracious Mourning pulls out the sting of the Affliction, and turns the Curse into a Blessing, the Cross into a Comfort.

THIS is the Benefit of laying to heart the Death [Page 18] of near and dear Relatives, and this Consideration should induce Us to entertain & cherish a pensive sense of our Affliction in the Decease of a godly Mother.

VII. WE shou'd be influenced hereto from a Principle of Honour, and Love to our deceased Parent. A gracious Mother in Israel, is an honourable Cha­racter. The Scriptures do every where put abun­dant Honour upon these Handmaids of the Lord, and peculiar were the Regards shown to such by our blessed Saviour in the Days of His Flesh ^†. Their name in Israel is that, Highly favour'd, and blessed among Women! The devout Mother is worthy therefore of a Singular Re­spect from Men, especially from Her own Chil­dren. The Fifth Commandment requires Us to honour our Mother, well as Father. And a solemn mourning Her Death is one very fit and decent Ex­pression of our Reverence to Her. A Tribute of Tears at our Loss of Her is a very just piece of Homage to her Worth, & a proper Instance of Filial Piety, due by all the Laws of Justice & Gratitude. To refuse Her this mark of Honour, infers a re­proachful Imputation, and is the most unpardona­ble Baseness, and Slight upon Her. To part with Her as if We suffer'd nothing by our Loss, and were as happy without Her, as with Her, implys a very dishonourable Reflection, and is great In­justice to Her Merits. To die unlamented is some­times denounced as a Curse; Jer. 22.18. And the contrary promised as an Honour; Jer. 34.5.

[Page 19]AND to mourn Her Death is an agreeable Testi­mony of our Love to Her, as well as Honour for Her. A pious Mother ought to have a deep share in our Affections; and We should testify our Love in all the proper Expressions of it. A suita­ble laying to Heart and lamenting Her Death, is none of the least Tokens of filial Affection; and therefore is what we are oblig'd to. Innumerable have been the Proofs of Her Love to Us, Her tender Cares and endearing Labours for Us from the Womb; and such as truly are beyond our Retaliation. And it may be, when We seriously reflect, our own Hearts reproach Us for many Omissions of filial Duty in Her Life-time, and that We have not given such Proofs of our Love to Her, Care of Her, and Delight in Her, as were due from Us. We shou'd therefore now endea­vour to repair former Defects by this last and so­lemn Instance of Love and Respect. Let Her die lamented, to shew that she liv'd desir'd, Let Her Death be a Grief to Us, to show that Her Life was a Joy to Us. We shou'd account our good Mothers worthy of this double Honour; and are inexcusable, if We do not pay it Them.

VIII. WE have Scripture-Example to argue for this mourning the Death of our gracious Mothers. I shall mention only one Instance; and that is Isaac mourning for his Mother Sarah. This is intimated in Gen. 24.67. Isaac brought Her into his Mother Sarah's Tent, and took Rebekah and she became his Wife; and He loved Her: And Isaac was comforted after his Mother's Death. Sa­rah had been dead now about Three Years: Yet the sorrowful sense of Her Death was not worn [Page 20] off till now. It continued till the Comfort of a new and nearer Relation was brought in to ballance it. Truly an affectionate and dutiful Son was Isaac to His Mother while living, and an hearty Mourner for Her when dead.

NOW this was written for our Ensample and Admonition.

AND thus I have shown, That it is lawful and proper, yea a Duty to mourn the Loss of a dear and gracious Mother. I have been longer on this Point than I design'd, and it may be also than there was need, especially in the present Case. Tho' many times, I must confess, there seems to be too much necessity for the pressing and incul­cating this Duty on the careless Posterity of some Pious Women, upon the like occasion. Indeed Children's Love and Regard to their Parents li­ving or dead, commonly needs a Spur, tho' the Parents too often need a Curb.

BUT now being convinced of the Duty; our Concern is to know, How we may discharge it aright. I shall therefore briefly hint at one or two neces­sary Qualifications of this Mourning.

I. IT must be well-grounded, and flow from Re­ligious Principles.

I might in the first Place have said, It must be a Real and solid Grief; not an airy Pretence and affected Shew. It must be inward, and not lie merely in Words and Actions. The Heart must be full; Impressions within agreeable to Ex­pressions without. But this is not all: It must be a Religious Grief; Voluntary and Chosen, Intelli­gent and Rational, Pious and Devout; It must be a gracious Passion, rais'd upon spiritual Principles and Views.

[Page 21] FAITH in the Providence of GOD must lie in the Foundation of this sorrow. In the Mourning our Loss, there must be a Respect to the original efficient Cause, and an acknowlegement of the Divine Dominion over Us and all our En­joyments. We must see the Providence of GOD in the Bereavement; and it must be very hum­bling to Us, to consider the Hand that smites us.

THERE must be the Fear of GOD in Exer­cise, and a Sense of His Displeasure, sitting heavy upon Us. An Apprehension of the Frown and Rebuke of Divide Providence in the Affliction, should move the inward Springs of Passion, and more sensibly affect Us than the outward Trou­ble however severe and piercing. And the Con­sideration of our Guilt and Demerits should yet more deeply affect our Hearts, sharpen our Re­sentments and fill Us with Bitterness of Soul. Sin, the deserving Cause of our Affliction, must sting our Breasts and tear our Bowels.

AND further, Our Grief must be animated by a Principle of Love to GOD, The Reason of our Mourning must not be so much the Loss of a mere Creature-comfort, as that We are depriv'd of a Blessing, in which We saw and enjoy'd much of GOD. We must lament after GOD, who in the Re­moval of pious and useful Persons, so far withdraws Himself, & calls home His Spirit. This Tho't must give a peculiar Accent to our Lamentations, that a Godly Person is ceased, who had much of the Pre­sence of GOD with Her, and was a rich Blessing to Us on Spiritual Accounts; and by whose Death so much of our Defense & Glory is departed, and so much of our Spiritual Stock of Gifts and Graces, [Page 22] Prayers and Services gone; that one Token of the Divine Presence is taken away, and one Stream from the Fountain of living Waters dried up, which was a Refreshment and a Furtherance to Us in the Way of Life. — This is to mourn after GOD, and according to GOD, when mourn­ing under Bereavements. — Thus Love to GOD, must be the Root of our Sorrow.

AGAIN, There must be a Spirit of Obedience acting of Us. Our Mourning must be from Conscience of Duty, & in Submission to GOD's Authority, who expects and demands This of Us. Our mourning the Death of a gracious Parent should be in Obedi­ence to the 5th Command, which (as hath been ob­serv'd) requires Us to pay this our last solemn Re­spect & Duty to our Father & Mother. It must also be with sincere Aims at the Glory of GOD, (which our Christian Mourning under such a frowning Providence hath various ways an Aspect upon) and not merely in Compliance with the Impulses of Nature, or with the decent Usage of the World.

THUS We must be influenced by Spiritual Principles and Motives in our Lamenting the Death of a pious Mother. Else tho' natural Af­fection may work a little, It is but as the Groan­ing & Howling of the Beasts that have no Under­standing. Our Grief is but a carnal, absurd and in­significant Passion; and profiteth us nothing. And indeed unless We are moved by such Religious Principles, it will be exceeding difficult, if not impossible, to govern our Sorrow aright; which is another Thing incumbent on Us. Wherefore,

2. OUR Mourning must be well regulated; and that both as to the Degree and the Duration.

[Page 23] AS to the Degree; This must be proportio­nable to the occasion; a great Lamentation, an­swerable to the Greatness of the Loss: Our Sor­row in the present Case (the Death of a wise, good and excellent Mother) must be very deep and pungent. This is a just Debt of Honour to the Memory of the Dead, whose Relation to Us was superior and nearer than most, and a due Reve­rence to the Hand of GOD, the Blow whereof now comes nigher to Us, and lies heavier upon Us, than in most other Cases. This is intimated in the the Text, I bowed heavily, as one that mourn­eth for his Mother. And yet We must carefully watch against Excess, and all the Signs of it, as Rage, Despair, Neglect of Duty, Ingratitude for Mercies continued, and the like.

OUR Sorrow is inordinate, when it exceeds the just Merits of the Cause; so when our private Grief excludes the sense of Public Calamitys; when it causes a Brutish Oblivion of former Mercies and a base Contempt of present Enjoyments; when it unfits Us for, diverts Us from, or distracts Us in the Duties of our Civil or Christian Calling; when it breaks our Health, and our Spirits sink under oppressive Heaviness; when we voluntarily amplify and aggravate our Affliction, give Way to and delight in Melancholy, and foolishly cherish our disconsolate Frames by one unhappy Method and another, refuse to be comforted, and are deaf to such Considerations as tend to suppress or allay our Sorrow: When We suffer our Grief to dege­nerate into sullen Discontent, impatient Froward­ness, or angry Murmur against Divine Provi­dence; and break out into extravagant Speeches [Page 24] or turbulent Actions. When it is thus with Us; onr Sorrow is exorbitant, and swells beyond it's proper Banks, And such intemperate Grief in all the Signs and Expressions of it, is to be most heed­fully guarded against, let the Bereavement We are under be attended with never such wounding Aggravations. Surely it is meet to be said unto GOD, I have borne Chastisement; I will bear the Indignation of the Lord; and truly, it is good for a Man, that He patiently and submissively bear the Yoke in His Youth. We must take heed, that we do not fret and fume and fling as the Wild Bull in a Net, or be untractable as the wild Ass which is used to the Wilderness. We must not Roar like Bears (as the Prophet speaks) but Mourn sore like Doves, with a humble and quiet Spirit. There must be a Christian Calm in the Mind, and quiet Resignation to the Will of GOD; as becomes those who believe His Sovereignty, Wisdom, Goodness an Faithfulness to His Promises; and as becomes those who are not as others, without Hope. We must not mourn as blind and ignorant Heathen, who were Strangers to the Faith and Hope of the Gospel, for such as die in the Lord. We must calm our ruffled Passions, and ease our oppressed Minds by considering the Designs of Providence, and the Encouragements of the Gospel. Concerning them who sleep in Jesus, We believe that they are remov'd from us to their unspeakable Gain, receiv'd to Glory, translated to a better Country, even an Heavenly. And concerning our selves, We have Hope, that GOD will sanctify their Death unto Us for Spiritual Profit, and repair the Loss with unperishable Blessings in Christ Jesus; and [Page 25] there is Hope, if We are Followers of Them who thro' Faith and Patience inherit the Promises, that We shall with songs of Joy meet them in Heaven again, never (never) to part more.— And now with these Hopes We shou'd temper our Grief, mo­derate our swelling Passions, and bank up our flow­ing Tears, at the Decease of our wise and holy and excellent Parents.— Thus as to the Measure, our Grief must be under the Restraints of Reason and Grace.

SO as to the Duration. Our Grief must neither be of too short, nor of too long a Continuance. On the present extraordinary Occasion, before it must not be a transient Pang of sorrow: but there must be a lasting Impression of such a Providence. We must not soon forget our Affliction and let our sorrowful Resentments quickly cool and die away. Isaac's Grief for His Mother's Death was not worn off of a long Time, as was observed before. — Neverthe­less, It must not (neither) be an obstinate Course of restless Melancholy, as if the Loss were inva­luable and irreparable. No; this resolved, fixed, Grief can't be reconcil'd with Christian Submission, and therefore is not to be indulged. Tho' it is lawful and prudent to let Nature have it's ge­nuine Operation, and breath out it's Grief with freedom; yet sanctify'd Reason must set the Bounds both as to Degree & Duration. The Wisdom that is from above must limit the Time of our Funeral-sorrows, by regarding the Rules of Duty and De­cency.

AND thus I have shown, How & Why We are to mourn the Death of a gracious Mother.

BUT are We only to mourn and weep? Will [Page 26] Tears for the Loss suffice? Nay; but our Mourning must be accompany'd with & occasional of vari­ous other Duties & religious Exercises, Dispositions, and Resolutions; which I shall mention, and so conclude.

THUS, Under this sorrowful Bereavement, We must be strict and serious in Self-Examination, with reference to our Conduct in the Relation of Children to the Deceased. We must examine our selves and try our Ways, with Diligence and Impartiality. And if We find in any Instances or Degrees We have approved our selves dutiful & obedient Chil­dren, and have been a Comfort and not a Grief and Heaviness to our Mother, then We shou'd rejoyce with thankful Praises to GOD; unto whose Grace We must ascribe all that hath been commendable and praise-worthy in Us.—And on the other hand, Whatsoever has been amiss (as no doubt there has first or last been much so,) We must repent hereof with Shame and Grief of Heart. If We have err'd, in an inordinate Love to, Delight in, and Depen­dence on our deceased Parent, while with Us; or if We have slighted Her, been disobedient to Her, under-valu'd the Mercy of GOD to Us in Her, and not sought the Good by Her that was to be gotten, We must lay it to Heart now We are mourning Her Decease▪ We must humble our selves before GOD for all the Follys and Failings of every Kind, which we stand chargeable with.

I will here take Leave to transcribe a Passage to my Purpose, out of an excellent Author, which has occurr'd to me since the Delivering my Sermon: ‘Children should consider upon the Death of Holy Parents, in what Instances They failed of [Page 27] hearkning to their Counsels, and following Their Instructions, Admonitions and Examples; of paying that Honour, Reverence, Duty and Obedience which GOD Commands. They should then remember, consider, and mourn to think how often their Miscarriages against GOD, and Them, were a Grief and Burden to their Souls, and made them walk softly: They shou'd recall the Vanity of Their Childhood, and review the Stubbornness, and Frowardness, and Intracta­bleness of their Youth; and the many particu­lar Provocations They were guilty of while Their Parents lived; against their frequent Reproofs, against the Cry of Their Prayers, and the mean­ing of their Tears, against Their many Warn­ings and compassionate Calls to Repentance, a­gainst all the Methods GOD used to awaken, humble and reform Them: Is not This the Voice of such a Rod to many Children, when their godly Parents are taken away by Death ^*?’

WE should hear the Voice of GOD, and study to answer His Call in the present Visitation, by sincerely Repenting of all our Misdemeanours, in the Character of Children. We must Sorrow to Repentance; this is to be sorry after a godly man­ner, as is hinted, 2 Cor. 7.9. We must pursue one Grief with another, Natural with Spiritual. This is a Diversion of our Resentments to the right Object. When We turn the Current of our Grief, upon Sin, (from the Effect to the Cause) then our Tears run in their proper Channel. The Sorrow of this World, worketh Death; but Godly Sorrow worketh Repentance unto Life. As, when a [Page 28] Man bleeds dangerously in one place, then, to open a Vein elsewhere, turns the Course, and pre­vents the fatal Consequence.

THUS our Sorrow for the Bereavement, must be follow'd with Sorrow for our Sins, which have pro­voked GOD to contend with Us by so awful and awakening a Providence. And with Repentance toward GOD, there must be Faith towards our Lord JESUS CHRIST, whereby We rely on Him for the Remission of our Sins thro' His Blood.

AGAIN, We shou'd remember and give GOD the Glory of all that was excellent and valuable in our deceased Parent. Her Infirmities (the few she might have) which are put off with Mortality, We must cover in Silence, & bury in Oblivion; but Her Excellencys, that were many and which are perfected in the Glory of GOD. We must call to Mind, admire, and speak of. This is a very na­tural & fitting Concomitant of our Mourning, and a due Tribute of Honour to Her Memory, as well as a just Regard to the Honour of Divine Grace, by which She was what She was, and which ought this way to be magnified. Let GOD then have the Glory of those shining Graces & Gifts that adorn'd Her. Let Her Children rise up and call Her blessed; Let Them speak aloud Her due Praises: Let Them speak often to one another, and on proper Oc­casions to Others; Let them tell how She liv'd, and say how She dy'd. Let Them say what an exact, tho­row, universal Christian She was; what a loving & obsequious Wife; what a careful, wise and tender Parent; what an affectionate and respectful Sister▪ what a discreet and condescending Mistress; what a true and constant Friend; what a courteous, bene­volent [Page 29] and obliging Neighbour, &c. In a word, we must endeavour modestly to set forth all the various Parts of Her bright and just Cha­racter; which made Her Person so lovely & vene­rable to Us while She liv'd, & will render Her Me­mory ever pretious and delightful to Us, now She's gone: And which in her Life-time She desir'd (in great Humility) might be hid (as much as possible) from the View and Observation of the World; not desiring (nor able to bear with) the Praise of Men: but now She is out of Hearing, 'tis nothing less than Decency and Duty in Her Children to stand up and tell of Her good Deeds, and relate Her Virtues; and never to mention Her Name, but with the utmost Respect and Honour. A lau­dable Thing it is in the Children of such an ex­cellent Parent, to set Themselves to shew forth Her deserved Praises: 'tis a good and pleasant Work, which We shou'd always be ready to Rise up and engage in ^†. It is a work We are much ad­vantag'd for, being so well acquainted with Her worth; and are much oblig'd to, being so greatly indebted to Her (under GOD) for our Being and Education. And it is made a part of the Elogium given the virtuous Woman, that She has Children who rise up and call Her Blessed. 'Tis none of the least of Her Honours, that She is praised by those who have had such peculiar opportunities to know fully Her manner of Life, and most retir'd Carriage; from whom She most highly deserv'd; and whose Praises (if any at all) She wou'd chiefly covet. Give Her then of the [Page 30] Fruit of Her hands, let Her reap the Honours She has so dearly earn'd; and let Her own Works (Her virtuous Children, who are in a great measure Her Work in the Lord) praise Her in the Gates ^*.

FURTHER, We must recollect and thankfully acknowlege to GOD the many Favours and Blessings He has Dispensed to Us in and by our deceased Pa­rent. A wise and good Mother is a singular Mer­cy; which does not fall to every ones share. This is the Gift of GOD, a rich Gift and invaluable Privilege. Wherefore We should praise GOD for the Riches of His Goodness, in the Disposal of Us into this happy Relation. We shou'd bless GOD, that ever We had so excellent a Parent; that He did chuse out such a Person to bring Us into the World, and to bring Us up in the World; who was of so admirable a Temper, easy and soft, yet with­out Weakness; so prudent in Her Conduct towards Us, using Authority without Severity, being strict without Ill-nature; so tenderly careful about, and watchful over Us; so early & constantly pain­ful in Instructing and Educating of Us; so solemn in Her Charges upon Us to give up our selves to GOD; so fervent and unceasing in Her Prayers for Us; even travailing in Birth of Us again until She cou'd see Christ formed in Us: so exemplary in Her Walk before Us; so assisting to Us in our Walk with GOD; being always a prudent Coun­sillor and faithful Monitor to Us, exciting Us to Duty, reproving Us for Sin, warning Us against Temptations, directing Us in Difficulties, encou­raging Us under Doubts and Fears, comforting Us [Page 31] under Troubles and Afflictions, and confirming Us in the Way of Truth. These, and many other good Offices of Her's from our Birth, We have to re­member, and ought to acknowlege with the most grateful Sense of Divine Goodness to Us herein. Every Relative is to Us all that and only that, which GOD makes the same to be. We ought then to bless GOD that We have had so great a Blessing in a Mother; And We must be very thank­ful that We enjoy'd her so long; A Privilege which not a few in the World are deny'd. ‘What poor shifts had We made in our Minority, if We had not had a good Mother to comfort Us?’ ^‖. If She had not been continued to Us, until our Ar­rival to Maturity, How many Blessings and Com­forts had We miss'd of? How many Disadvantages had We met with? We should be thankful then that She was spar'd to Us so long.

AND further, We shou'd observe and resent the various Mercys mix'd with the Judgment. We shou'd take a thankful Notice of what Comforts remain to Us. Have We our honoured Father still living, or kind Parents in Law, or tender Consorts, or lo­ving Brothers & Sisters, and other Relatives and Friends continued to Us? We shou'd be thankful herefor. It is of the Mercy of GOD, that We are not left altogether Solitary and Desolate. And then the Comfort We had in the Manner and Circumstances of our late Parent's Death, shou'd be observed with Gratitude. Thus had We by rea­son of Her previous Illness and Languishment, a weaning Time, & space for preparing to meet GOD [Page 32] in the Way of Judgment? Had She opportu­nity and assistance to glorify GOD by extra­ordinary Acts of Faith, and an inviolable Patience, and Submission to the Divine Will on her Death-bed; by a lively exercising and expressing Her Love to, and Delight in GOD. Her Trust in Christ, Her Repentance for Sin, Her Gratitude for Mercys, Her Contempt of the World, Her Desire and Hope of Eternal Life; and by leaving Her Testimony for the Excellency, Sweetness and Benefit of a Holy Walk and Communion with GOD, (upon long Experience even from a Child,) Was this the Case? Truly it is a very comfortable Reflection, and just matter of Thanksgiving. But it is yet more comfortable; if We had Opportunity to be present with Her in Her Sickness and latter Mo­ments; to see the End of the Lord; to behold the Trial of Her Faith, and Her Example of suffering Affliction; to see the happy Exit of Her good Con­versation in Christ; Her Patience in waiting at the Door, and her Hope of entring within the Vail: to hear Her dying Prayers for Us, to receive Her dying Counsels to Us; and attend Her heavenly Discourses, wherein out of the good Treasure in Her Heart, She brought forth good things new and old. If We had Opportunity to be thus edified and comfor­ted by Her on Her Sick-bed, This must needs be a very refreshing Mixture in our bitter Cup, and bespeaks very thankful Acknowlegements of the Divine Favour to Us.

AND now (I may add) Let Us gather up as many as We can of the wise Sayings and gracious Words that fell from Her Lips; the wholesome [...] is, solemn Exhortations, and faithful Warn­ings [Page 33] She gave Us, as well in the Time of her Life, as at her Death: Let us often think them over, and endeavour to imprint Them in our Memories that they may not be lost; and let us resolve to act con­formably to Them, lest We mourn at the Last (when Her Words shall rise up in Judgment against Us,) and say, How have I hated Instruction and despised to obey the Law of my Mother?

LET us also remember her Pious Example, (in which was given us a fair Copy of every Christian Grace and Virtue,) and be Imitators of Her as dear Children. Let us ever keep her excelling Pattern in our Eye; and those Things which We have both learned & receiv'd & heard from Her, and seen in Her, do; and the GOD of Peace shall be with Us. Diligent Imitation of Her will be the best Expres­sion of our Love to Her, and the truest and most significant Commendation of Her. To tread in Her Steps, to transcribe Her Virtues, and exhibit the Image of Her Perfections in our own Lives, This will be to erect for Her the most honorary & lasting Monument; This will make Her Name to live, and preserve Her Memory ever fresh to all that knew Her. And in this Way we shall (it may be) obtain the same good Report of all Men which She had, & as She has done, leave a sweet Perfume on our Name at Death; and have the like happy Exit out of the World; & an equal Inheritance with Her in Glory; and perhaps in like manner leave of our Posterity to be serving GOD on Earth while We shall be praising Him in Heaven. Let us resolve then to be Followers of Her, even as she also was of Christ. Let us study to resemble Her in all the various Excellencies, which make up her compre­hensive [Page 34] Character; Aspiring continually, if by any means We may rise up to this admir'd Model, and not come behind in any Gift, in any Virtue, in any Praise. Let us walk in the same Spirit of Repen­tance toward GOD, and Faith toward our Lord JE­SUS CHRIST. Let us imitate Her solid, regular, and lively Devotion, Prayerfulness, and universal acquaintance with secret Religion; Her Reverence and Love to the Word & Ordinances, Sabbath & Ser­vants of the LORD; Her godly Sincerity, holy Jea­lousy, Tenderness of Heart, Mortification, and con­tinual Circumspection over her Self; Her Catholic Principles, and Communion with all Christians who hold the Head; Her undisguis'd Humility, un­affected Gravity, Modesty, Reserv'dness, Purity, Patience, Meekness, Peaceableness, Ingenuity, Candour, Charity, Prudence, Diligence in Business, Goodness and Fidelity in all Relations, Aequanimi­ty in all Conditions, &c. In a word, Let us be en­gag'd by the happy Influence of Her Example to walk within our Houses with a perfect Heart, to bring up our Children in the Nurture and Admoni­tion of the Lord, and look well to the ways of our Houshold; to study Usefulness in our respective Places, and serve our Generation according to the Will of GOD: and let us give Diligence herein so much the more, (abounding in Prayer for our selves, and ours, and others, and being fruitful in every good Work,) that we may contribute something to­wards filling up the Breach, made by Her Removal, in the Family, Church, & World, that Her Absence may be as little perceiv'd as possible.

LET us seek to have our Loss made up in GOD. Let us be earnest with GOD, the GOD of all Grace [Page 35] and Comfort in & thro' JESUS CHRIST, for all need­ful Support under, a sanctify'd Improvement of and Advantage by so heavy a Stroke; Let it be our Hearts Desire and Prayer that We may be made spiritual Gainers by our temporal Losses; that the Want of Creature-Comforts may prepare us for & be sup­ply'd with Divine Enjoyments. Let this bereaving Providence quicken Us to remember our Creator in the Days of our Youth, to chuse the Unchangeable JEHOVAH for our GOD & Head, our Guide & Por­tion. Let us make Him our Trust from our Youth, that when Father as well as Mother leave Us, GOD may take Us up; who ever lives, tho' Parents & Re­lations are not suffer'd to continue by reason of Death; and whose Word is full of gracious Encou­ragements to the Posterity of Believers. He has stiled Himself the Father of the Fatherless, & with Him the Motherless find Mercy. Let us then en­gage & animate our Selves in the Service of GOD, and Dependence upon Him, from the Consideration of our pious Parentage, or Descent from such as were so nearly related to & interested in the blessed GOD. And let us improve the Death of our dear & holy Parents to quicken ourselves to place our Happiness more in GOD, & invigorate our Love to & Delight in Him; to abstract our Hearts from all Earthly Comforts; & turn our Desires & Hopes toward the Heavenly Joys, which our glorify'd Parents are Par­takers of in the Presence of the Lamb. While (ex­cited by the present Stroke) We are giving Dili­gence to do all that Duty towards our Surviving Relatives which is due, and to get all that Good by 'em which is possible, and are weaning our selves from them, & sitting loose in our Affections, under [Page 36] the sense of Their Mortality & Ours; We shou'd be endeavouring to have our Conversation much in Hea­ven; shou'd seek the Favour & Presence of GOD, and thirst after Communion with Him more & more, which will abundantly compensate for our Loss; & shou'd in Faith & Love be holding some kind of Converse with our dear departed Relatives, ^‖ by meditating on Their admirable Perfections, & blessed Employments & Entertainments, in Their glorify'd State; by rejoycing in Their Advancement to Hea­ven, more by far than We shou'd have done for their temporal Preferment of any sort or degree here on Earth: by daily preparing to follow Them; & often refreshing our selves with the Hope of a joyful Mee­ting & eternal Abode with Them in another & bet­ter World; into which we shou'd be looking the more frequently & delightfully, because of Those that are gone before Us.—They are gone, & We are hastning after Them, and We know not whose Turn it will be next. The Blow of GOD's Hand is come near Us, is awful to Us; and loudly calls upon Us in such Language as that, (Mat. 24.44.) Be ye also ready: for in such an Hour, as ye think not of, the Son of Man cometh. Our dear Parents being dead yet speak: We may suppose Them speaking to Us, their Children in such words as those in 1 Chron. 28.9. (which are King David's dying Charge to His Son Solomon, & with which moving Words I shall now shut up my Dis­course,) Know Thou the God of thy Father [& Mother,] and serve Him with a perfect Heart & a willing Mind: for the Lord searcheth all Hearts, and understandeth all the Imaginations of the Thoughts: if Thou seek Him He will be found of Thee; but if Thou forsake Him, He will cast Thee off for Ever. AMEN.