DOCTRINE. That abundance of the Children of Men, and of our most hopeful, pious and promising Children do Die Young.

A very plain, and poor, little Observation you'll be ready to say; what any Child may make, and I would pray them to do so. I'm sure, you don't think that I intend to labour in the proof of this obvious Truth, and Universal Experience of Mankind. There is great Inequality as to the length of peoples lives here in the Body, tho' at the longest the life of man is very short; as a Va­pour that endureth but a short time. There are the untimely Births which never see the Light: and many that are Born alive, yet only number a few breaths, hours and days, and expire again, without fulfilling their Week or Month. What brittle and tender things are our Babes, and what multitudes die in Infancy! Delights, lent us for a year it may be, and then taken (we hope) to the Delights of God for ever. In Childhood the blooming flow­er falls too, and Autumn comes almost before the Spring's begun. If thro' a million Dangers, mortal to others, we get up to Youth, yet how sud­denly and often does Death cut down the ver­dant budding plant! And when from Youth we are got to Manhood, even then in the prime of our strength we are often snatch away from Fami­lies, [Page 6]from Service, and from all Worldly Enjoy­ments. Job 21.23. The number of his months are cut off in the midst; he dies in his full strength, his Breasts are full of Milk, and his Bones are moistned with Marrow.

Thus is it with the Children of Men; and this happens alike to all, both to the Evil and the Good. Now my Design is with Modesty and Holy Reve­rence to Enquire into the Reasons of Providence in this particular, which tho' it may sometimes appear very dark, and be very grievous to particu­lar persons, yet certainly is in it self very Wise, and Holy and Gracious.

I am to Observe then, that abundance of our hopeful and lovely and promising Children, and those top that are really Pious and Godly in their Childhood, do Die Young. It always has been, and still is so. Righteous Abel, the first fruits of fallen Man to God, the first Martyr for Religion, and the first-born of the Grave, died young. E­noch was no Old Saint in his Day, tho' ripe for Heaven, when God took him. He died not, it's true, but was the Earnest to the Old World of the Resurrection. The ten Children of Job, who we hope Inherited their pious Fathers Sanctity, and Prayers, died together in their Youth. Heavy the Tydings to their amazed Parents—The House fell upon the Young men, and they are dead, and I on­ly am escaped alone to tell thee. Sometimes the Holiest, and whom God loves best, he takes soonest. [Page 7]So it was we know in the peaceful Death of the young Prince Abijah. 1 King. 14.13. He only of Jeroboam shall come to the Grave, because in him there was found some good thing. To name no more, Our Blessed Saviour himself has sanctify'd an Early Death by dying in the prime of the Life of Man.

And now give me leave to do some Honour un­to the Divine Providence, (as it shall enable me) in ordering these Early Deaths. It is a thing ve­ry grievous to us, lamentable to see, and heavy to bear, and so it should be; yet we may not com­plain of the Divine Government, no not in this; however grievous it be to Grace and Sense together. Let the Sovereign GOD call soon for them that fear him, and are but beginning to serve him, and so are likely to honour him, and be Blessings in the World; whose Hope and Crown they are; yet is he easily justified in his doing, and clear in his judging thus. Now that I may begin right on this Argument, which is one of the deep things of God; Let me say,

1. The Soveraignty of God is enough, and instead of a thousand Reasons, to his Creatures in any of the Dispensations of his Providence, which may be dark to them. I'm afraid that the Sovereignty of God is not at all conceived of, nor adored by multitudes of Christians, as it ought to be. The Scripture every where speaks in the most exalted strains that can be about it. And when the Dis­pensations of God are such as furprize and confound [Page 8]our weak Reason and Understanding, then very often instead of going about to satisfy our scruples, and level them to our Capacity, it bids us worship, instead of arguing about the Unsearchable Councils of Heaven; and contemplating the Greatness of God to be dumb. So in Gods dealings with his Servant Job, when he and his Friends had been contemplating the possibility of such Inflictions on an Upright person; at last Elihu takes up the Argument, and reproves them all for presuming to talk so freely of the Great GOD; asking them if God were to give them Account of what He did or could do? or if they must be dissatisfy'd with the Almighty's Actions when ever they could not account for them? He vouchsafes them no other satisfaction but the Greatness & Dominion of God; and when God himself spake afterward out of the Whirlwind, it was in the same lofty Style and Rea­soning; proper to, and worthy of a God. Job 33.12, 13, 17.36.22, 23, &c.

Very justly may the Great GOD disdain to let us reason with him against any Circumstances which He orders for us, either in respect of Life or Death. Shall not the Clay ly still under the Pot­ters skilful Hand? Balaam was provok'd to stand corrected by his Ass; and yet the Ass taught the Prophet with Justice and Mildness: Yet Vain Man, that is born like the Wild Asses Colt, would be wise before God, even to reprove his Maker!

Let me further observe here Two Things.

• [Page 9]1. Life and Death are among those things that abso­lutely belong to the Divine Sovereignty. Who but the God of the Spirits of all flesh shall say, when our Souls shall come into these dwellings of flesh, and when leave them? The Key of Hades is in his Hand, and it is one of the Insignia of his Supream Dominion. The Life he gave is his own, and shall he not do what he will with it?
• 2. God is to be resigned to even with respect to the de­grees of present Serviceableness, or Future Glory. We should desire indeed a Distinction in both Worlds, owning our selves unworthy mean while of a Name in either of them. But in the midst of Ʋsefulness here, and of the prospect of Advance­ment in a better World, we must bear a spirit of absolute Submission if God call us to Die. To do much we should always desire, that we have done no more, should be our Humiliation; that we have done any thing is matter of Thanksgiving, and if it must be no more, we must (like our Famous and Eminent Mr. Mitchel when a dying) bless God for the least, which we never deserv'd, and so re­sign our else desired Life. If we have any place in the Firmament of Glory, we must leave it to God to ordain our magnitude and brightness there; and as one Star differs from another Star in Glory; so is the Resurrection of the Dead. Now he that telleth the Number of the Stars, and calleth them all by Name, has done the same in Numbring the Elect, and making them Vessels of Honour.

[Page 10] I proceed now to say,

2. Our lovely, gracious Elect Children cannot be too soon in Heaven. Happiness and Bliss in the fulness and perfection thereof can never come too soon. If God takes the Elect Infant from the Mothers Breast, or the Fathers Knees, to Himself an infi­nitely better Father; pray, what loss is it? How blessed is it for the Babe that no more days or months were ordained for it in this scorching and freezing world of ours! in this world of Sin and Affliction! Will the Babe pine after the Mothers Breasts, when Angels have taken it in their brighter Arms to carry it to, and lay it in the Bosome of JESƲS; the Good Shepherd of Souls, who layes the Lambs in his Bosome? Surely 'tis best of all to go to an immediate Everlasting Rest, since God ordains it; never to have felt at all the Evils of guilt or trouble which the Godly are here so of­ten groaning under! Well then, we are never too young to be happy: Happiness can never come too soon; that Surprize must at last be exceeding pleasant.

3. Sometimes it has been the desire and choice of Holy Children, with submission to the Sovereign Pleasure and Wisdom of God, not to have a long conti­nuance here in this World. This is a rare thing in­deed, yet we lately had an Instance of it in our Neighbourhood, in that Excellent Youth, the Son of Major Fitch, whose gracious Example, and la­mented Death will not be soon forgotten. It was [Page 11]a pretty frequent passage with him, that he saw little in this World to make one desire to live long here. 'Twas a sign that his heart was soon and strangely set on Heavenly Things. This re­quires some very comfortable degrees of hope and good assurance of our Interest in a better Life. There are but few even of the Children of God in ad­vanced years, who upon settled and weighed prin­ciples of Devotion, arrive unto an habitual willing­ness to Die. Yet some strange Instances of it have been found under the Early Impressions of Divine Grace: The fear of Sin, the longing for freedom from it, and the desire to be with Christ, may some­times excuse even the desire to be dissolved, pre­serving Resignation to God: but the Glorifying God on Earth, the Serving our Generation according to the Will of God, and the Believing in the Alsuf­ficiency of the Grace of God to keep us thro' the World, must make Life when prolonged, not only easie, but delightful to us, and an Esteemed Mercy of God to us. Certainly to abide in the flesh is very needful and desirable, while to live is Christ: but when we change this thought, and can say to our selves—to me to die is Gain, it may be difficult not to verge too much with the Holy Apostle in his desires rather of a dissolution; & to groan being bur­dened in this Tabernacle; knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord, Phil. 21.23. 2 Cor. 5. begin. Some Good People have wish'd for a Sudden Death; but most of the Chil­dren [Page 12]of God with great Reason joyn rather in that part of our Littany, to be preserved from it. How­ever, it very much takes away the darkness of the Dispensation, when it comes to be the matter of a devout persons desire and choice. But these are Extraordinary Cases, not to be bro't into Example, nor to be commended to our Imitation; & there­fore not to be insisted on.

4. Possibly God may have consulted the Spiritual ad­vantage of a desirable and gracious Child in its Early Death. I mean both in respect of Grace here, and Glory hereafter. Had the Child lived, you know how certainly it had been exposed in this place of sin, temptation and danger: what from the Snake in the Grass, latent Indwelling Sin, and that Adder in the Path, the Devi and Satan; what from an Insnaring World, and the lusting flesh resisting the Spirit in all its heavenly desires. It is a Cir­cumstance of great happiness to be once safely past all these hazards, & out of the reach of these mor­tal Enemies and fiery darts; never to be tempted, nor to sin more; but to be confirm'd in a State of Grace, and ascertain'd, possess'd of Everlasting Happiness. Now God only knows how little a longer time might have been improved; how lit­tle might have been got by it, how much might have indeed been suffered by it. It is a sad truth, but a certain one, that many Good people have found little or no advantage to their Spirtual Life by length of time. They were Converted young, it may be, [Page 13]and if they had died young, they had been in the same place in Heaven, if not in a better, then ha­ving liv'd to more years. How often have people gone backward, quench'd the Spirit of Grace, and hurt their own Souls. Take the Instance of Solo­mon; how gloriously did he begin, and outshone in Grace, as he did in Wisdom and Dignity: He was the Wonder of the Church, as his Temple was of the World: He went before the very Ministers of Re­ligion, and the Lords Prophets in zeal and in devo­tion: and now had he died young, his Grace had been without a stain upon it: but he liv'd to show the frailty of the Greatest Saint in a State of World­ly Affluence, and the hazard there is from Sensual Objects in our greatest Attainments here below. I dare not presume to think whether his fall has put him a great way back in the List of the Glorify'd, his Repentance and Recovery being glorious in our Eyes; but certainly if his Graces had not been brighter above, had he died in his unspotted youth, and before his fall, yet had his Name among Saints on Earth been so.

We are Sailing in a very tempestuous and uncer­tain Sea, like Mariners that sometimes set out with a fair and strong Gale, and make half their Passage in a few days; but then they meet with some rough contrary Winds that force 'em to Ly by at least, if they are not driven back, and have many a League to measure over again, if ever they make their Pas­sage at all. If the Ship spring a leak, tho' it do [Page 14]not founder, but after many hardships the Port is gained, yet the Loss and Damage sustained is usual­ly very much. So are there many that Set out well in their Youth, and at last get to Heaven, but it is sorely shatter'd and broken, through their falls before one temptation and another in their way. The Floods do not drown them in perdition, but yet thro' their ill Conduct and foolish Management much of their rich Freight and Lading is damnify'd and thrown Overboard. They can show the Rich­es they once had put aboard them, but alas, canker'd and marr'd now: they are not when they die, even what they were in their early years, but their Beauty marr'd by the advance of Age; which tho' it be natural to the Body, yet it is unnatural to the Immortal Soul. They die Penitents it's true, but not Proficients; and tho' they get to Heaven at last, yet no higher there than if they had died in their younger days.

Upon all, say, if it is not very possible that God may graciously have consulted the Spiritual Ad­vantage of many an Elect Vessel of Mercy, in their Early Death. We have no foresight of things to come, but God has the most perfect that can be; and tho' there's no foresight of Grace in the Saints before it is given, but only in the purpose of God to give it, for in our corrupt nature it never could be at all but of his free Gift; yet in the best of Saints there's an easie foresight to us all of Corrup­tion ready to break out upon all Occasions, with­out [Page 15]Gods restraint and prevention thereof: and to God it is open and naked how good people will act if they come to be in these and those Circumstan­ces. Some God permits for wise Ends, and the Good of others, to live and shew the prevalency of Corruption in them, against suitable strivings and measures of his Grace; and others God pre­vents from being like Instances and Sufferers, by a happy Early Death. And tho' he does not say, as to particular persons (and less may we) that this is his End; yet possibly it may be so in the very Instances we are mourning over. Indeed for ought we know, had they liv'd they wou'd have grown in Grace more and more; and it is meet for us to suppose and hope it wou'd have been so: but 'tis as true, that for ought we know it wou'd have been otherwise: and it is not at all amiss for us to satisfy our selves after this manner; when the matter is necessarily left so doubtful to us, and hazardous. But so much for this particular.

5. The Righteous are sometimes taken away from the Evil to come. As the Prophet observes, Isa. 57.1. And sometimes it's certain, that Hopeful and Pious Children are so, as Abijah was: 1 King. 14.13. And King Josiah too, to whom it was promised as a to­ken of Divine Favour; 2 Kings 32.20. That be­cause his heart was tender and humble before God, therefore he should be gathered early to his Fathers, & his Eyes should not see the Evil that was coming on Judah and Jerusalem.

[Page 16] Long Life here in this World is unavoidably at­tended with many Sorrows, especially if a person be pious and devout. Mens own Sins, and the Sins of others, especially of Relatives; our Afflictions also by Bodily Pains and Sickness, and by Bereave­ments in Estate and Relatives, multiply Grief upon us thro' our present Pilgrimage, and make the days of the years of it very Evil. They that die young are soon out of this dark and suffering Scene; if they had liv'd longer, there had been possibly many things which they little foresaw to have imbitter'd their lives to 'ern; yea, the very things (many of 'em) wherein they promis'd themselves the most comfort. How often have the Relatives that Survive come to bless their Depar­ted Dead, saying,—Blessed are the closed Eyes that never saw these things. This is true, both as to Sins and Judgments, and those both publick and private. For Instance, it may seem to us every way to have been happier for Eli to have died young, than in his Age to have seen the Iniquity of his Sons, and their Death in their Sins, together with the Cap­tivity of the Ark, which he died under the heavy Tydings of. How bitter is it to a Godly person, to live and see Children and Brethren grow up and prove Apostates from God, Children of Belial, and perishing under the Judicial Strokes of Divine Providence. It is better never to live to bear, than to bring forth these Sons of Sorrow. God sees (says the late Excellent Mr. N. Taylor) ‘the rising Storms [Page 17]to come, and when they wou'd Overset the Ves­sel, and therefore dispatches the Sailing Orders, and provides a safe Harbour: His Greens he early Houses also in a warm place, because they are so tender, that the sharpness of the coming Weather wou'd nip and kill them. The mean while there's Corn that can endure the cold of Winter, and the heat of the Summer; and it is fitting that it stand and grow full ripe, and be gather'd when it is turn'd white for the Harvest.’ The hopeful Youth is sometimes taken away in favour from the Evil to come.

6. Many things respecting the Nature of Saving Grace are to be learn'd from, and are seen in the Early Deaths of pious and hopeful Young people. As,

• 1. It shows us that Grace intends not to secure us a long Life here in the Body. No, it is the assimilation of the Soul unto another Life, and its preparation for it: it is to wean the Soul from the sensitive life, and to raise it above the same: it points the Soul unto the life of spirits in holiness and happi­ness that is to come; and on no pretence therefore can it fix the heart down in any desires or pros­pect of living long here. Indeed, Grace never short­ned any ones life here, but has prolong'd rather ma­ny a mans; length of days are in her right hand and long life shall she add unto thee: Prov. 3.16. There is nothing in a principle of Grace and Holy living, but what tends to the preservation and lengthening [Page 18]out of mans life. It bears antipathy to, and de­testation of all those Intemperances and vicious Ex­cesses, which shorten mens days. It does by trust and prayer commit us to the care & blessing of the God of our lives. It desires to live to his Glory; and it secures to us that so far as God sees it best for us, we shall live in his world. But no further can a principle of Grace look to a continuance of the present life. No, the first and chief Relation of Divine Grace, and Benefit from it is unto a life to come. Col. 3.3. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in GOD. The Spiritual Life only is worthy to be called our Life; and this is hid with Christ; as the life of the Branches is hid in the Root: So are our Hopes for Eternity deposited and laid up with Christ in Heaven.
• 2. Again, The Death of pious Children teaches us this also of a Principle of Grace, that where it once is, the Soul is safe. Let Death come as soon as it will after a persons Coversion, when once a Sancti­fying Change has passed on him, be he never so young, the Soul is safe. It is indeed very desirable to us on many accounts, that there be some good space granted to us for the Exercise of Grace, and the Actings of the Regenerate Life: that so the Great GOD may have some Honour and Service from us, the fruits of that Grace which He hath Implanted in us; and we some good Evidence and hope of His Grace in us, and of our Title to Eter­nal Life; that so we may at last die in peace and [Page 19] Comfort as well as Safety. But this is not absolutely necessary: and a person really dies in peace, in a State of Salvation, and goes to Heaven, if a Change be truly wro't in the Soul, tho' God do not spare him any length of time to bring forth the fruits of his Grace. And the Early Deaths of pious Ones may satisfie us, That Salvation depends not on length of time for the continued Exercise of Grace; tho' it be in its self a Favour of GOD greatly to be desi­red, if it may be His Will.
• 3. Hence also does it evidently appear, that Sal­vation is not of Works, but of Free Grace altogether. If it were of Works of Righteousness wro't by us, it were much to be apprehended that they who die young could never be saved. If Infants are saved, it must be of free Grace, forthese can have no Works of their own: no, not so much as one Act of Faith are they capable of: and yet of such is the Kingdom of Heaven. Multitudes of them are sancti­fy'd and justify'd, and taken to Heaven. In some proportion it is thus with him that dies young: suppose within the Month or the Year wherein the Grace of God has taken hold of his Heart; when he is but just beginning to live to GOD, is but turning to Him in his own apprehension, and by his own confession has done nothing for Him; but was beiginning he hop'd in earnest to think of do­ing something, & Now must be gone: However, he dies in Christ and goes to Him: but then how rich and free is that Grace which saves him? Where [Page 20]is Boasting? Where is any life of working so much as to be imagined?

Wherefore to finish this Head, How amiable and adorable doth this render saving Grace to us! that however young we die, 'tis possible to be saved by it; that how soon soever it takes possession of us, it puts us into a secure and happy Sate. O how lovely and desirable a thing then is it! how very valuable and precious!

See you One that has but just begun to seek and serve GOD, and GOD has so suddenly, instantly, presently rewarded and glorified him! when CHRIST his Judge shall name this Child with ho­nour in the Last Day, what can it answer?— LORD, when did I ever serve Thee? What did I ever do for Thee? From the day that thy Grace found me, I had not a year, not a month, not a week (it may be) allowed me to live to honour Thee! No, Gracious LORD! in the day almost wherein thou didst please to Sanctifie me thou didst also Glorifie me. E'er I cou'd find thy Grace in my Soul, I found my self taken to thy Glory; and as I was but beginning to seek thy Mercy, I found my self Embraced in the Arms of it.

O what should render GOD & His Grace more amiable to us, than his glorifying it after this man­ner to the young Penitent, the Infant Saint! No sooner born from Above, than taken Thither.

7. And lastly, The Death of those that are pious and gracious in their Youth is of excellent Ʋse, and [Page 21]great Necessity, to quicken and excite their Acquain­tance, Friends and Relations to an instar and careful Preparation for their own Dying Hour. Many are the Instructions and Admonitions in it, both to Elder and Younger People. It may be of great Service to Survivors. And this is a Reason worthy of a Good GOD, whose care is for the Souls of many in his Providential Dealings with One.

Let me then Observe, and so make the proper Application of the Doctrine, in this Illustration of it.

1. That to be sure in the Early Death of pious Children, there are many Useful Admonitions in­tended to those that are Young. Younger Friends and Relatives should take the Warnings of GOD, which are firstly and directly meant to them.

You must be admonish'd, O Young Person, that you your self may die soon and suddenly likewise. You should never see one of your Own Age buried, or one younger than your self die, but you should seriously think—'It might have been my turn as well, or mine may be the next, and within a few days (if not to day or to morrow) I may follow. What am I better than my Companion? or it may be my life is not of half the worth that his or hers was! nor has been half so well improved or re­deemed! or if it has, yet this makes no diffe­rence; since the best die young.

See one proof of that Truth, Psal. 39.5. Veri­lye very man at his best Estate is altogether Vanity. [Page 22]A Flourishing Youth and Piety met together seem one of the best Estates of Man: the strength of our years united with the strength of Grace. 1 Joh. 2.14. I write unto you young men, because ye are strong, &c. Yet in this Vigour of Nature and Grace both, may we suddenly expire and vanish away.

Wherefore Early Religion is the highest Wisdom, and Interest of all the Children of men; the most Im­portant and necessary thing that can be. You can never begin too soon to think of your Souls, since you may every day look to die. This alone ought to awaken you to remember your Creator in the days of your Youth, and as you enter upon this life, to chuse that Good part which can never be taken a­way from you; and to Seek first the Kingdom of GOD, and his Righteousness. The Funeral of e­every Infant or Child, calls all the Children in the Streets to be thinking of, and preparing for their own Death: for if you are not too young to Die, neither are you to be Religious, and to make your Souls your care.

It warns you now in your Youth, that you need better Friends & Dependance than any in this World, and a better Portion than this World can slatter you withal. For be you in the arms of your Pa­rents, or bereav'd of them can you number up a great many Friends that heartily respect you, and care for your Interests? Are the Comforts of this Life surrounding you and your Worldly Estate in­creasing upon you? Yet a day or an hour may [Page 23]snatch you away from all; while your helpless Friends stand in Amazement and Sorrow about you, to see you expire. That Child alone is safe & happy, who has the Great GOD for its Father, and Guardian and Portion.

Children! Let me put it to you, whether you have ever yet began to think of your Souls, your Sins, your Saviour, your Baptism, your Dying Hour, and of Eternity. Do you pray, do you fear to sin, do you take any care to be Saved? O what Rea­son there is to fear that few of you little consider any thing of this nature! which of you almost has any tho't about Death now in your Childhood? You scarce seem to apprehend it possible, and much less do you realize it as very likely, that you may die young. Will you never begin to think, Young People? not one sober tho't of your Eternal State, tho' you see so many of your own Stature in the Grave. GOD teach thee betimes so to num­ber thy days, as to apply thy heart unto Wisdom.

GOD can make the Death of your Companions a most awakening and effectual Sermon to you: and it may be worth anothers dying to do thy Soul good, and bring thee home to Christ: It preaches to thee in a more affecting manner than any meer words can, and in the happy season to Rela­tives, when their affections are stirred, and their Souls the more easily come at. And O that our Young people wou'd but hear the good Counsels from the Funerals of their pious Friends that die [Page 24]young! how well worth were it their dying, be­times to fasten such Instructions for the Salvation of others.

2. The death of hopeful Children and Young people may be of great Spiritual Advantage also to Elder persons. Parents should be quickned in Holy Living, by the death of their Children; and the Grey Head should receive Instruction & Awa­kening by the fall of the blooming Youth. There are many things said to them that are in Advanced Age, in the Death of their Juniors.

Are these fallen so soon, how long ago then might I have been in my Grave? may the Elder Christian say. Adore the Sovereign Grace of GOD, that has so long spared you. Had you been cut down thus soon, think what had become of you, & where had you been long since? Consider why God spares you. Shame your self for your Defects, and fear: If the green tree be fell'd, laden with Blossoms, or first ripe fruits; what then shall be done to the dry? Shall that stand always barren and unprofita­ble, to cumber the Ground? What? see we a Child Older in Grace, and wiser and better than we in Years? our selves not so ripe for Heaven, as those that were Ʋnborn when we were Men & Women! So the Army of Israel blush'd when they saw the ruddy Boy excel them all in Faith and Valour.

Are so many Young Ones in Heaven, and are we Old and never like to get thither? How can we bear the tho't? or how shall we when Death comes?

Are so many Young Ones in Heaven, and You O Aged Believer so little Ready in your own Ac­count? Your Evidences so little clear? Your In­terest in Christ so doubtful? Your Days spun and worn out to so little purpose? How should it quicken you to give all diligence in making your Election sure?

Do so many Younger die in Christ, and have not we had all their Opportunities, and more by far than all those which they have so well and timely Improved? How will they rise up in Judg­ment against us, and condemn us! O fatal diffe­rence between man and man! Some dying young in Christ, others living old Christless.

Take the Alarm, O Dying Aged Sinner! if one come to thee from the Dead thou wilt repent! & that too as we paint the bright Angels of GOD with a Youthful Mein and Air! let him tell thee with a charming voice of the Glories he has so soon pass'd into, and invite thee tho' so late to seek a part in those unspeakable and Eternal Felicities! What? will not this Glorious Vision it self Convert thee! No, tho' one come like Lazarus from the Bosome of Abraham unto you

You that are Parents, be you quickned to think seriously of dying your selves. The fruit of your Bodies are already (some of them) in the Grave; how soon may you look to be there too? Death that has already torn out some of your Bowels, will soon pierce your Heart. Parents are so se­cure [Page 26]and forgetful of their own Mortality, that Death must needs lay its cold hand on their Bo­some, and take their Babes thence, to awaken 'em: And surely they will sensibly feel themselves Mortal, while they see a part of themselves In­terr'd already. So David graciously improv'd the death of his Child,—I shall go to it. Say thus, O Parent, to thy self: I shall soon follow; and be it thy care (O my Soul) so to improve thy present Sorrows, and the Residue of thy few Evil Dayes in the flesh, that I may meet mine whom I have committed to Christ, with Joy in His Presence at the last.

Three words of Advice let me leave with Pa­rents, respecting their Children.

1. To begin betimes to Institute them for GOD. We must give them up to GOD in Bap­tism; and as soon as they are able to learn teach them to know God, and fear Him, and serve Him. Betimes tell 'em of their Precious Souls, and of their Glorious Saviour, and of their Dying Con­dition. Put them betimes on preparing for Death: they will die never the sooner for it, but may much the better, and you'll have the more peace and comfort in their death, if they are sud­denly taken from you. Your Children are daily liable to the stroke of Death, where then (O Parent) is your Care or Love or Kindness to them, if you do not what you can to prepare 'em for it! And how reverently ought Children to [Page 27]mind what their Parents say to 'em about their Future and Everlasting Interests.

2. Let Parents prepare betimes to part with their lovely Children, and get their Soul even as a weaned. Child; even before they wean their Babes from their Breast. We must look for Abrahams trial and E­mulate his Faith, Gen. 22.2. Take now thy Son, thine only Son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and offer him up to Me. Our best are GOD's Due; What He made for Himself, and lends for a while to us. GOD comes into His Garden, and plucks which flower He pleases, and which but the most beautiful & fragrant do men gather? Let the Great GOD take his own, & let us make Abels acceptable Offering, the best of our Flock. The Shunamite, that Great Woman, had one wondrous Son, a special Gift of Heaven to her in Reward of her Piety; but soon had She the sorrow to see him die, and that very suddenly, in her lap: She made no Shriek in that terrible Sur­prize, nor so much as shew'd her Distress to Her Houshold; no, not to her Husband, the partner of her Joyes and Griefs: She went to GOD, i. e. un­to his Prophets feet, where her humble silent Acti­on spake those Auguishes which no Words could utter: the mean while her Resignation to the Will of GOD, & her Contentment therein, was most ad­mirable: the Child was dead, yet said she,—All is well. Give me leave thus to Pharaphrase it.

3. Let us be Comforted and quieted in the Death of hopeful Children. A Child in Heaven is well provi­ded for, well dispos'd of, well preferr'd. It has a good Portion, is gone to a good Father, to a good Family, to good Company; to an Everlasting Rest, and to Infinite Blessedness. The Covenant of God embraces our Children with more tenderness, than our Arms ever did. Blessed are the Dead in Christ, that are soon pass'd from Sin and Sorrow here, to the Eternal Fulness of Holiness and Comfort in the Presence of GOD for ever.

We must not repeat Jacobs Error, who supposed himself bereaved, when Joseph was only Advancing under the special Favour of Providence in Another Countrey. He would needs be an Inconsolable Mourner, and go down into the Grave after his Son mourning, But in time he heard of all his Glory in Egypt, (which what was it to the Glory of the least of our Little Ones that behold the Face of God in Heaven) and then the good Patriarchs Spirit revived, and he said,—Joseph my Son is yet alive, I'll go and see him before I die. Truly, so, O Christian, the Child thou mournest over may be now in Heaven and Glorify'd; It is thy Hope and Faith it is so: let thy sinking Spi­rit then revive and say,—By the Grace of God, I will endeavour so to live, that I may See it in Glory when I Die.