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

1. That it doth not follow from hence, that because the Heathen mourn for their Dead, therefore Christians are bound not to mourn at all. It is not the thing it self, but the manner of it that is here cautioned against: none but Stoics ever prohibited this, and that upon a false Hypothesis: it hath been already taken notice of, that the Law of nature and of Religion concur in it; and there are some things which mere Gentiles do, that are morally good, and commendable, and performed according to the light of nature, and dictates of right reason.

1. That it doth not follow from hence, that because the Heathen mourn for their Dead, therefore Christians are bound not to mourn at all. It is not the thing it self, but the manner of it that is here cautioned against: none but Stoicks ever prohibited this, and that upon a false Hypothesis: it hath been already taken notice of, that the Law of nature and of Religion concurr in it; and there are some things which meer Gentiles do, that are morally good, and commendable, and performed according to the light of nature, and dictates of right reason.

2. Nor doth this caution forbid us to use all outward expressions of our sorrow in our mourning. Such as weeping; when our Saviour said to the woman at the bier of her dead Son, weep not; it was not a reproof of her action, but a preparatory to her comfort, in the restoring of him to life again: and the putting of themselves into a mourning garb; although there be a great ⟨p. 42⟩deal of vanity and excess used by many […] this regard; yet the thing in it self is no• forbidden, and Gods People in former time• were wont to use such expressions of grief as these; such as covering of the lips, and putting on Sackcloth, &c and if the inward affection be a thing lawful, the sober discovery […] it cannot be denied, if it be not in it self a thing unworthy of a Christian, and reproachful to his Profession; but