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,…

Indeed God was displeased with David for his Sin, and for his Sin his Child did die, and yet after the Child's death we do nor read he sorrowed for the Child that died for his Sin, with such sorrow that he did for Absalom that died in his own Sin. But is your Case and David's alike? He sorrowed for his Sin, and humbled himself for his Sin, and fasted and prayed with weeping Tears to God, but did you do so? He obtained the pardon of his Sin, but have you also? Is it not to be questioned when you have no sorrow for Sin, nor God's displeasure, nor the dead, when your Case (which is not ⟨p. 40⟩the case of all) was such, that one did cause the other.

Indeed God was displeased with David for his Sin, and for his Sin his Child did die, and yet after the Childs death we do nor read he sorrowed for the Child that died for his Sin, with such sorrow that he did for Absalom that died in his own Sin. But is your Case and David's alike? He sorrowed for his Sin, and humbled himself for his Sin, and fasted and prayed with weeping Tears to God, but did you do so? He obtained the pardon of his Sin, but have you also? Is it not to be questioned when you have no sorrow for Sin, nor God's displeasure, nor the dead, when your Case (which is not ⟨p. 40⟩the case of all) was such, that one did cause the other.

4. Want of Sorrow for the dead taken from them, from want of sense of God's hand upon them, and against them, argues, That they are spiritually Blind, and cannot see; spiritually Deaf, and cannot hear; spiritually Benumbed, and cannot feel. When your living fall down dead, God's hand is lifted up, and you do not see. You see them fall into the Grave under your fe•t, but you do not see the hand of God lifted up over your head. Isa. 26.11. Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see. When your living Relations do dye, there is Gods rod upon you, and it hath a Voice, a loud, a shill, and doleful crying Voice; but you do not har, did I say, a Rod? Nay, God hath been in your House with his Axe, hewing down your Living, lopping off the Children, as so many Branches; cutting off the Father, or the Mother, or both, and plucking up the Family by the Roots, and yet you do not hear the sound of the Rod, nor of the Axe, nor consider who it is that did appoint both. When your Relations dye, it is a stroke of God upon your selves; he kills them, and smiteth you, and yet you have no feeling of his blow. What! are the living dead, while they do live? Are the living become like unto their dead? Having eyes, but do not see; and ears, but do not hear; and flesh, but cannot feel? You stand