The mourner directory, guiding him to the middle way betwixt the two extremes, defect,…The mourner directory, guiding him to the middle way betwixt the two extreams, defect,…

1. Do we mourn because their Souls are perfectly Holy and Happy with God and Christ above? No, this is matter of our Comfort, Delight and Joy. Did not we earnestly pray for them, sick and well, that when they left Earth they might be received up to Heaven? And do we sorrow that God heard our Prayers, and hath saved their Souls? Do we thus take on for this? Are our Tears shed because God hath Crowned their Grace with Glory? Are we grieving on Earth because they are rejoicing in Heaven? Are we groaning here, because they are triumphing there? For shame we cannot say, this is the reason and ground of our sorrow, and that in this respect it is plain we do not sorrow for their sakes.

2. Do we mourn because they are fallen asleep in Jesus? Because they are gone to rest in their Beds? Because their Bodies in that state in which they are, remain united to Christ? Are these grounds of sorrow? Should we weep, and waste our Tears because these things are said of them? Or is it not matter of Comfort and Joy unto us, that it is so well with their very Bodies, as these things declared by God himself do import unto us? Is it not better to die in Christ than to live in Sin? Is it not better to sleep in Jesus ⟨p. 95⟩than to be naturally awake, and spiritually asleep in Sin? Is it not better for the Body to lye still, and rest free from Actings of Sin, than to be able to walk in a constant course of wickedness? Is it not more matter of Comfort to have the Bodies of our Friends united to Christ in the Grave, than to have our Relations above ground separated from Christ, and not united to him? If it be, let us cease over-sorrowing for them with whom it is better, tho in the Grave, and begin to sorrow for those with whom it is worse, tho they live with us. Which is matter of greater sorrow, a departed Saint, or a living Sinner? And shall we drop more Tears for one departed Saint than for twenty living wicked Relations? Why so? When all these wicked ones are in danger of Hell, but the departed Saint is past that danger: The ungodly that do live are in danger of Eternal Torments both as to Body and Soul: The departed Saint is past the danger thereof, both as to Body and Soul: For when the Soul is once safe in Heaven, the Body is for ever past all danger of Hell. Is this it that we sorrow for? No verily, we do give thanks to God, that the Body is in these Circumstances, though in the Grave.