Meat out of the eater. Or, Funeral-discourses occasioned by the death of several relatives.…

And, O my Hearers, Let this Meditation awaken you, so faithfully to discharge your Duty to each other, that at the Parting Time you may with Joy Reflect upon your Faithfulness. Parents and Children, Masters and Servants, and all others, howsoever you be Related; call to mind, I beseech you, Tis but a Little Time that you have to be together; Oh, Improve this Little Time, to the best Advantage for Eternity, It is urged, Eccl. 9. 10. Whatsoever thy Hand finds to do, do it with thy might, for there is no work … in the Grave, whither thou goest. Have you nothing to do for the Souls of each other? Oh, Do it as well as you can, and as fast as you can; that so, a Little while hence, when you can do no more, you may make ⟨p. 212⟩this Joyful Reflection, I have left nothing undone, that was to be done, for the Good of the Friend, that is now to be taken away.

But most of all, may all Consorts attend this Lesson of Wisdom. Take heed of Grieving one another. A Sad Parting Time is at hand: but, I do assure you, it will very much abate the Sadness of it, if you may then say, I have Lovingly, Honestly, and unfaintingly done all the Service that I could, for the Relative that is now taken away. In a peculiar manner, we owe very much of Service, to the Souls of each other. It was said, 1 Cor. 7. 16 What knowest thou, O Wife, whether thou shalt save thy Husband? Or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy Wife? Thus, O Wife, hast thou nothing to do for the Salvation of thy Husband? or, O Man, for the Salvation of thy Wife? Oh, Do it out of Hand. Pray with one another, as well as for one another. Propound unto each other the Articles of the Covenant of Grace, and Assist each other in a Consent unto those Articles Forward each other in the Exercises or Piety, and Assist each other in your Endeavours at those Exercises. As it is in general, a true and a good observation. They that would have the comfort of Relations, ⟨p. 213⟩