A51833:102
Advice to mourners under the loss of dear relations in a funeral sermon long…
Advice to mourners under the loss of dear relations in a funeral sermon long since preached / by the late Reverend Dr. Thomas Manton ... And now occasionally published on the much lamented death of Mrs. Ann Terry, who died the 9th of November, 1693. With a short account of some passages of her life, and papers left under her own hand.Advice to mourners under the loss of dear relations in a funeral sermon long since preach'd / by the late Reverand Dr. Thomas Manton ... And now occasionally published on the much lamented death of Mrs. Ann Terry, who died the 9th of November, 1693. With a short account of some passages of her life, and papers left under her own hand.
London: printed by J.D. for Jonathon Robinson, 1694
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Is it to do them good? They are not the better for our Tears, they are past Recovery by our Weeping. Is it not to envy their Blessedness, to wish them alive again? ⟨p. 26⟩2 Sam. 12. 23. Wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, he shall not come to me. Is it because they were so good that we mourn? The better for God, they are gone to their own home. Is it because so bad? 2 Sam. 13. 39. David was comforted concerning Anmon, because dead, though he died in Sin: Or is it because they died so soon, which heightens your Loss? Consider who decreed it; are you wiser than God? Is it for your own Good you weep? that is an holy Weeping: Weep as if you wept not. Thus if Men would expostulate with themselves, they would see the Unreasonableness of their Sorrow; it is to no purpose. We express things to no purpose by Water spilt on the Ground: certainly Tears in such Cases are but spilt Water.
Use 1. To instruct you to take home this Lesson; so to sorrow under the Sense of your Afflictions, as if you did not sorrow, be it the Loss what it will; though I shall chiefly speak to the present Occasion. Do not let the Grief oppress your Heart. Ay, but how shall we do so? I shall give you some Motives: As,
1st. Be sure to get an Interest in spiritual Mercies. The Doctrine saith, Christians ought so to sorrow, as if they sorrowed not. ⟨p. 27⟩We cannot speak to others in this Language, unless we should persuade Men to slight the Hand of God. We throw Bones to Dogs, but Bread to Children. We cannot comfort you in a carnal way;