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,…

the other by Penitent-gospel-sorrow may be prevented; therefore while I do the one, I will take special care that the other be not left undone.

But if your Sorrow be only turbulent Passion, you add sin to sin in your Sorrow. And instead of sorrowing for former Sins, you will be falling into new, and sorrow neither for new nor old. You will vent your Passion by the actings of Corruptions, saying, Oh, that I had never been born! Since my Relation is dead! Oh, that I might also dye! God hath dealt with none so bitterly, as he hath dealt with me. My Husband dead! H•w shall I be maintained? My Father and Mother dead! and I not disposed of in the World; who is there to take care of me? My Wise dead! My bosom Companion dead! the comfort of my Life fallen into the Grave? When I am sick, and in danger of Death, who have I to take care of me, now my meetest help is gone? How! ⟨p. 51⟩is this your sorrowing for your Dead? Do you thus mingle your Sin with your Tears, and your Corruption with your Lamentation? If your Father, or Mother, or both be dead, in your Passion and turbulent Sorrow, do you forget that God doth live? If your Husband be dead, cannot God provide for you without him, that did provide for you by him? If Children dye, is not God more to you than many Children? If your Wife be taken from you, cannot God help as much as such a Creature did, or could to bear your Burdens and Afflictions; cannot he provide or prevent? Oh, let us bridle our turbulent Sorrows, and vexatious Passions, lest they hurry us from God, and cause us to yield to great Temptations.

But if your Sorrow be only turbulent Passion, you add sin to sin in your Sorrow. And instead of sorrowing for former Sins, you will be falling into new, and sorrow neither for new nor old. You will vent your Passion by the actings of Corruptions, saying, Oh, that I had never been born! Since my Relation is dead! Oh, that I might also dye! God hath dealt with none so bitterly, as he hath dealt with me. My Husband dead! H•w shall I be maintained? My Father and Mother dead! and I not disposed of in the World; who is there to take care of me? My Wise dead! My bosem Companion dead! the comfort of my Life fallen into the Grave? When I am sick, and in danger of Death, who have I to take care of me, now my meetest help is gone? How!