The mourners cordial against excessive sorrow discovering what grounds of hope Gods people have…

2. It moderates the affection of fear which before did exceed. Fear in excess affords continual nourishment unto sorrow; if this passion be but moderated, the other will be far better dealt with: moderate fear is an help to men, because it puts caution into them, and employs them in a diligent using of means to redress their troubles; but if it grows beyond the bounds of moderation, it then drives men from endeavour•, ⟨p. 55⟩and betrays them into the hands of despair, which is the bitterest ingredient of Sorrow: now Hope is a preventive to this; because, how sore soever the present distress be, it commands the man to expect a good issue of it, and to resolve with him, Psal. 56.3. what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

3. It diverts the mind with better thoughts, sorrow takes a great deal of pleasure in feeding it self with poring upon black and bitter speculations; it findeth a kind of a sullen contentment in representing every thing to it self with Sable Colours, and thereupon to sink it self yet lower with its own thought whereas Hope interposeth more bright and lightsome things for the mind to be looking upon, and by such an entertainment as this is, gives unto it a very happy diversion; the heart is hereby opened, and hath liberty given it to fetch breath and recover spirits & life again.

4. It puts men upon the exercise of Patience. Impatience under sorrow, makes it to be a great deal more burdensome than otherwise it would be: now the genuine fruit of Hope is patience: when expectation is raised in a man, it puts him upon waiting, and makes him quiet in waiting; and this is proportionable to the degrees that hope hath arrived to; so that when the good expected is certain to come without fail, and