2. Live in a continual expectation of the creature's change. Things are not half so burdensome when we look for them. A burden cast upon a man's back breaketh it ; but when it is compacted and fitted for his shoulders, he goeth away well enough with it. It was some solace that Job could say. Job iii. 26, ' The evil that I feared is come upon me.' Suppose it be your own or j^our friend's dissolution, live in a continual readiness to part with life, or anything else, at God's call and intimation, and it will not be so grievous to you when it comes.
3. Learn a holy greatness of mind, to be able to live above the creature. Consider the happiness of man is in God alone : all happi- ness consisteth in conformity to, and communion with, God, the chief good ; so that though the creature be gone, your happiness is not gone. That troubleth a man most when his happiness is gone , he will not care so much for other things. It is good to see by what enjoy- ment they reckon themselves happy; if to have husband, wife, or a house well furnished, everything to our command, then when God taketli away these things your comfort is gone. There is much of people's conceits this way. But consider, what do you reckon the best of your enjoyments ? that you have God for your portion : Ps. cxliv. 1.5, * Happy is the jieople whose God is the Lord.' So see Ps. xxx. 7, ' Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.' Set but the heart right in this point, and it will be well. Grace is but the change of a man's chiefest good and utmost end ; that is only the difference between a natural man and a spiritual man about the con- ceits of happiness.
There are other considerations — as the shortness of our misery, the continual abode of other comforts with us ; though some be gone, we are not left naked to the world ; the happy end of all, the good of our souls. But this for a taste.
Men will think a sermon is to no purpose that is spoken to comfort persons in this kind. To this end : —
43G A FUNERAL SERMON. [1 COR. VII. 30.
1. Consider thoro is none of us but may have need of comfort one time or other ; thoug^h our mountain standeth strong for tlie present, it may be removed, and it is good to lay up against a dear year. Such trutlis are most welcome when they come in their season.
[1.] Consider you may have a season Avlien it will be necessary for you: 'Who knoweth what a day may bring forth?' The woman that entertained the prophet, he would fain do her good. No, saith slie, 2 Kings iv. 13, * I dwell among mine own people.' But now that very woman, as in 2 Kings viii. 5, ' She cried to the king for her liouse and her land ;' she that did not stand in need of the prophet, stood in need of the prophet's man. You have your wife, your chil- dren, and friends about you. Oh, there may a time come when you will be glad of one drop of this comfort to support you when they are gone.
[2,] Consider, when it is upon you, you will find it the hardest thing in the world truly to assuage your grief, to grieve so as if you did not grieve. AfHictions are evil, and we are apt to make them worse, to turn wormwood into poison: Heb. xii. 11, 'No chastening for the present but will seem grievous.' Seneca could slightly speak of miseries when he had the use of rich gardens about Rome ; but when he had lost all, he was as much to seek as others.
Now I shall ap{)ly all that hath been spoken to this present occa- sion:— 1st, To show you why we should mourn ; 2dly, Why mourn so, as if we did not mourn.
First, Why we should mourn. Consider, we have lost a pious neighbour, and that deserv^eth sensibleness.
1. Because such ar3 a great loss ; we have lost her service, help, and the benefit that we might have had by her. There is no member of Christ but one way or another is useful to the community; and indeed we found her to be so. We lose an example, we lose useful conference, we lose the pledge of a blessing to a family, to a neighbourhood. May we not say of her as of David : Acts xiii. 3G, ' After he had served his generation by the will of God, he fell asleep ' ? She did serve her generation, and it was her grief that she did it no more and better ; it should be ours that she did it no longer. Serviceable Christians are a great loss, especially in these times ot need.
2. It is a sad intimation to us, and therefore we ought to be very sensible of such a loss : Isa. Ivii. 1, ' The righteous perish, and no man laj'eth it to heart, none considering that they arc taken away from tlie evil to come.' Wicked men think they are the bane of a place : Fluri- mos defecit Christiani nominis gratia ; Christianos ad leoncs. Wicked men are but preserved in reference to the godly ; they are but as a fence of thorns about a garden of roses. Now when the roses are cropped off, what shall become of the thorns but be cast into the lire? God will dash the potter's vessel : Gen. xix. 22, ' Haste thee, escape to Zoar, for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither.' / cannot, mark that : Exod. xxxii. 10, ' Let me alone, and I will make of thee a great people.' God offereth Mo.ses composition : Acts xxvii. 24, ' The Lord iiath given thee all them that sail with thee.' These are the staff and the stay, therefore we have reason to be sensible of their removal from us.