"cumstances; true, but I am not covetous: "Had I been covetous of much, all my Com"fort and Peace would have gone with my

Substance. But I plainly fee the Comfort of "Life does not lie fo much in the Abundance of "these Things, as in the Art of enjoying a little. "I have loft indeed a dear Friend, and a love"ly Creature; but my Happiness was more "wrapt up in that God, to whom that beloved "Perfon is gone: God will bring them along "with him. That which beautified their Cha"racter, and made them fo lovely, was what "could not be loft, but is perfected by the "Translation. I love them ftill, and take a "Pleasure in loving them, which relieves the "Sorrow for their Abfence. The Man who "does not fear Death fo much as an ill Life; who "thinks Impatience a worfe Difeafe than Gout "or Stone; who thinks Pride a greater Re"proach than being flighted; Covetoufnefs a "viler Thing than Poverty; and that to offend "God with immoderate Grief, is worfe than "any Lols whatfoever: That Man's Comfort "and Peace is not precarious; does not lie at the Mercy of other Men's Fancies and Passions ; "and is above the Reach of Accidents."

He knows not the World nor himself, who depends upon Life, fuch as ours; who is dif tracted at a crols Accident, as if he was privileged from the common Lot, and fome ftrange Thing had happened to him. Did you never before imagine, that the Perfon you are now

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lamenting for was a Mortal, as well as yourself? That what was born muft die? That what has befallen others, might happen to you? That what owes its Value only to Fancy, has only a fanciful Worth? And what can be bought with Money here on Earth, is not more excellent, nor less perifhing.

There is indeed a Knowledge of the World that polishes the Gentleman; to be learned in Courts and Camps, and in a general Conver, fation: But the Knowledge that fecures a Man's Peace and Quiet through all Events, is to be found only in the Bible. That Book will tell us, that this World is not our Refting-place, "for it is polluted:" That it must not, nor cannot be our Portion: That it is not an equal Price for our Souls, though we could gain the Whole of it: That the World lies in Wickedness, an Enemy to Chrift and his Intereft: That it is one of our Enemies we must overcome by Faith: That it is of a perishing Nature, and in conti❤ nual Change and Variation.

To confider this World as Philofophers, it is a fine Building: Every Thing is adjusted in Number, Weight, and Meafure. We admire thy Heavens, the Work of thy Fingers; the Moon, and the Stars, which thou haft ordained! But why does the Aftronomer stop short at the vifible Heavens? Why not penetrate farther, to that Glory which God hath fet above those Heavens? Faith is the Evidence of Things not feen by the Telescope. There is the Chriftian's Home

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Sect. XI. Home and Country. Here we are Strangers, and Pilgrims, paffing out of it. In short, he knows the World beft, who comes up to that Text, Love not the World, nor the Things of the World; and concludes with the great Mornæus, that," If all the World was made for Man, "Man was made for fomething more than all the World." Let us balance the Thoughts of what we have loft, with the Remembrance of what we were made for.

What do we fee in ourselves, that we should expect always to be pleafed? We are not better than our Fathers. If I am dead to this World, why am I so distracted that another is dead out of it? If I am not dead to this World, I ought to be fo, and to be more concerned for my own Soul than for any dead Friend. Learn to think and speak of this World now, as you will do when you are going out of it.

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knowledge it to be a Place where you must dai'y lofe fomething, till you have loft all. And let your Soul affuredly conceive, that having had its Original from Heaven, it is one of those Things which must, one Day, return thither, (Bishop Patrick.)

While your Sorrows are afloat, turn them into a godly Channel. It will be more easy at fuch a Time, to employ them in mourning for Sin. This is fetching Meat out of the Eater, and Comfort out of Trouble. This is making Sorrow, otherwife fruitlefs and hurtful, to be of Ufe and Service. So the fkilful Hufband

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man directs the Stream to his Mill, and makes it work, instead of running to waste, or doing Mischief. Perhaps this is one Intention of the Providence. At leaft, it will be a wife and happy Improvement of it: "Since I am now "fo ready to burst out into Tears, I will weep "part of them over a finful Life." This will make it a healing Wound, and a comforting Sorrow; and at the fame Time, give Vent to Nature, and Exercise to Grace.

This is often beft done upon our Knees in Prayer a Time of Affliction is a Time of Prayer. Is any afflicted? Let him pray. Call upon me in the Day of Trouble, and I will deliver thee. Be careful for nothing over-much; but in every Thing, by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving, let your Requests be made known unto God, Phil. 4. 6. For, he will regard the Prayer of the Deftitute, and not despise their Prayer; Pfal. 102. 17. Thus God in. vites you to come and drop fome of your Tears at his Feet: It is likely he may turn your Sorrows into Joy. It will compofe the Spirit, calm the Paffions, fpiritualize the Affections, ftrengthen Faith, Hope, and Love; for under the Influence of the other World, we always lefs regard this.

O Holy Spirit! Is it not thy Name and Office to be The Comforter? Does not my Cafe need Comfort? Art not thou as willing and ready to help, as I am defirous of it? Come, Holy Ghoft, and do thine Office of H 2 Con

Confolation to a poor Soul that needs it. Lord, increase my Faith, and in the fame Proportion my Sorrows will abate, and my Confolation will abound. Hope and Faith are the only Supports under Things that have no Cure in this World. It is in Believing that we have Joy unfpeakable, and full of Glory.. It is in Believing that our Hearts are fortified against the Troubles and Pangs that others feel. So Chrift has connected them together: Let not your Hearts be troubled; ye believe in God, believe alfo in me. Lord! I believe; help my Unbelief. I believe in God, and the great Truths of Natural Religion. I believe alfo in Thee, and the peculiar Difcoveries of the Gofpel. I believe thy Providence manages all Things according to the Purpose of thine own Will and Wisdom. I believe thy Promises fhall be fulfilled, which are a great Support to my Mind. I believe thy watchful Care and never-failing Love to thine own. I believe the Reality and Excellency of the future World, and have good Hope, through Grace, of my Title to it. And how little, how very little, do all thefe lower Things appear, when that World is in full View! The Juft, who live by Faith and die in Faith, may rejoice in Faith, in the Midft of their Sorrows. The Joys of Faith are the best Remedy against the Grief of Senfe. I had fainted, unless I bad believed to fee the Goodness of God in the Land of the Living. It was Faith, the Evidence of Things not seen,

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