The vanity of this mortal life, or, Of man, considered only in his present…

A little before this time, the desire of an interview among your selves (which the distance of your habitations permitted not to be frequent) had induced divers of you to appoint a meeting at some middle place, whereby the trouble of a long journey might be conveniently shared among you.

But, before that agreed resolution could have its accomplishment, this sad and most unexpected Event intervening, altered the place, the occasion, and design of your meeting; but effected the thing it self, and brought together no less than Twenty, the Brothers and Sisters of the deceased, or their Consorts; besides his many Nephews and Nieces, and other Relations, to the mournful solemnity of the ⟨image 4⟩Interment. Within the time of our being together upon this sad account, this passage of the Psalmist here insisted on, came into discourse among us; being introduced by an occasion which (though then, it may be, unknown to the most of you) was somewhat rare, and not unworthy observation; viz. That one of your selves, having been sometime before surprised with an unusual sadness, joined with an expectation of ill tidings, upon no known cause, had so urgent an inculcation of these words, as not to be able to forbear the revolving them, much of the former part of that day, in the latter part whereof the first notice was brought to that place of this so near a Relations decease.

But, before that agreed resolution could have its accomplishment, this sad and most unexpected Event intervening, altered the place, the occasion, and disign of your meeting; but effected the thing it self, and brought together no less than Twenty, the Brothers and Sisters of the deceased, or their Consorts; besides his many Nephews and Neices, and other Relations, to the mournful solemnity of the ⟨image 4⟩Interment. Within the time of our being together upon this sad account, this passage of the Psalmist here insisted on, came into discourse among us; being introduced by an occasion which (though then, it may be, unknown to the most of you) was somewhat rare, and not unworthy observation; viz. That one of your selves, having been sometime before surprised with an unusual sadness, joined with an expectation of ill tidings, upon no known cause, had so urgent an inculcation of these words, as not to be able to forbear the revolving them, much of the former part of that day, in the latter part whereof the first notice was brought to that place of this so near a Relations decease.