THE Dying Man's Destiny, AND THE Living Man's Duty, OPENED.  
And Applied in a SERMON PREACHED On Board the Loyal-Eagle, upon the Coast of Cormodell in the East-Indies.  
At the Solemn Obsequies of Mr. Richard Bernard, Chirurgeon, Who, at the Conclusion of it, was (with universal Sorrow) thrown into the SEA, Feb. 1. 1680.  
Together, with an ELEGY on his Death.  
By C. N. Minister of the same SHIP.  
LONDON, Printed for Dorman Newman at the King ●●…rm● in the Poultry, MDCLXXXII.   

Ecclesiast. the 12th. ver. the 5th. Because Man goeth to his Long Home, and the Mourners go about the Street.  
SO woeful is the Corruption of Man, by Original Apostasy; that the whole of him is vitiated, and he totally incapacitated, either for prosecuting the great end of his Creation, or for enjoying the great good, unto which he was Created. The end of his Making was the honour of his Maker; whose Will was the first of Causes, and whose Glory was the last of Ends. And for the accomplishing so great an End, he was endued with faculties which truly ennobled him, with an understanding that highly advanced him, even to a degree a little below Angels; with a Majestick-Soveraignty, which crowned him with glory and dignity above all the other Inhabitants of the Universe. But the Current of these Faculties is now changed, the strength of this Understanding is now weakened, the glory of this Majesty is now eclipsed, and Man is become a poor abject, inconsiderable, nothing; nothing Creature, unable to serve God, his highest End; and to enjoy God, his chiefest Good. He can do nothing now, but commit iniquity; nor pleasure himself with the Possession of any thing, but Vanity. The poison of Sin hath so envenomed, enfeebled, and wholly altered him; that he can neither perform any duty to God, or (with any satisfaction) receive mercy from God. Oh! How bitter were the greatest Comforts to him in the day of his fall, when he could no longer shine in that sphere he was created in, nor be doing that work he was created for: Then, Oh then, the pleasant walks of Eden's Garden were too hot to hold him; and the fragrant Roses of that Terrestrial Paradise were too prickly for him. And no wonder the Creature could afford him no Comfort, when his Sin-sick-soul was uncapable of receiving any from the Creator. The Fountain of Light was more terrible to him, than the blackest Mists of Darkness; the Father of Mercies more affrightening, than the Complication of all Miseries; for so we are told, he was Afraid of God, and went and hid himself in the Garden. In this forlorn condition is all the Posterity of Man, till they come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ; who, as a Brother, was born for the day of Adversity to them? by whom they must be form into the New-Birth, and so be brought spiritually to serve God, and to enjoy God in the State of Regeneration, whom they could never know in a natural condition.  
But that which renders Man yet more despicable; more contemptible, is, that since the Fall, he not only fails, and pitifully falls short of Theologicals; but he is maimed, and extremely erroneous, even in Naturals: that is, he cannot keep from extremes in any vicissitudes and changes he may go thorough, in any circumstances he may be under, though contrary to the dictates of his own Reason. Hence, he cannot enjoy Mercies without slighting them, or placing his whole happiness in them. He cannot feel Judgements without being hardened, as Pharaoh was; or filled with despair, as Cain was. He cannot love objects that safely and innocently may be beloved, without being weary of them, or too much overprizing them. He cannot Mourn at objects that really call for Mourning, without Stupidity, or an immoderate fluctuation of Sorrow. Now the golden Mean between the extreme of the latter, as it is that implicit design of the words I have read unto you; so it shall be the main scope and drift of my following Discourse among you; and I doubt not, but to make it evident, that the practical Part of this, is no less the Duty, than the Glory of every wise Man: which although it cannot, be attained to without some difficulty, yet it ought to be studiously endeavoured after, by every one of us that pretend to Christianity; that when we see Men go to their Long Home, we may with Religious Prudence, know how to act the part of Mourners in the Street.  
I shall not trouble you with any Relative Consideration of these words, or any Analitical Explication of the Chapter in which they are. Though the Preachers most elegant, and tropical Remarks on the Organical parts of Man's life, highly deserve a serious review. If I had time (or were spirited) to make inspection into them. But alas! I can better sigh than speak, and far more easily pour out floods of tears, than express any fluency of words. I never Preached upon a more sad occasion, nor never was so wholly indisposed for an Orator as now. My Harp is turned into Mourning, and my Organ into the Voice of them that Weep. And therefore I hope you will pardon my impoliteness, and excuse my absurd transition from the Context, to the Text: In which (without any farther Preface) be pleased to observe.  

First, The Dying Man's Destiny, expressed,— Because Man goeth to his Long Home.  
Secondly, The Living Man's Duty, employed,— And the Mourners go about the Street.   
From both these I shall infer this Conclusion.  
Doct. When Man goeth to his Long Home; (that is, when he dyeth, and is put in the Grave) there is a Mourning due from his Survivers, and aught, especially, to be paid by those that are near to him, and do behold him.  
It will not be incongruous, if we take a little notice of the Periphrasis here in the Text, of Man's Dying, it is called a going to his Long Home. In locum seculi sui, unto the place of his time; So Junius reads the words, that is, He goeth to the Grave, where he must remain a great deal of time; which is all one with our Translation, that calls it, His Long Home. Now, the Grave is a Long Home.  
First, Comparatively; or with respect to our sojourning, and abiding here in this World. The time of the Bodies being in the Soul (for so our modern and best Philosophers have chose rather to express it, than to say the Soul is in the Body) is but a very short space. One of the Ancients was so affected with the shortness of Man's abode, in this vale of Tears, that he was at a stand, whether he should call his life, Vitam morientem aut mortem viventem; A dying Life, or a living Death. Indeed the Arithmetic of Man's time, in Scripture, is very small: If we consider his Years, they seldom exceed Fourscore; yet then, is his strength labour and sorrow; he is soon cut off, and he flies away. If we reduce these years into days, we are told, Man that is Born of a Woman, is of few days, and full of trouble. Oh! But when the Marriage-knot between the Soul and Body is dissolved, when there is a Writ of Divorce issued from the Court of Heaven to separate them; then the Body is laid up in the Grave, and there it remains a long, long time, even till the day of the Resurrection. The Apostle speaks of an Home in this World, 2 Cor. 5. ver. 6. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at Home in the Body, we are absent from the Lord, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here, I conceive, might be better rendered with, than in, and so the Sense will be (supposing it, as indeed we must, the Breathe of the Spirit of Man) we are here as strangers, sojourning or dwelling with the Body, as though we were at Home for a small time. The Supersicies of the Earth, is Man's Short Home; the Bowels of it, is his Long Home. Now, if we compare the time of the longest-lived-man that ever was upon the Earth (which was Methuselah, whose days amounted to Nine Hundred, Sixty, and Nine Years) with the time that he hath since lived in the Grave; we shall find the Grave to be his Long Home, in comparison of the Earth, notwithstanding his days were lengthened so exceedingly upon it. Thus you see, the Grave is a Long Home, Comparatively. But,  
Secondly, The Grave is a Long Home, Really and Positivily. The Time of Man's commoration in this dark Mansion, is not for days, or years, but ages; yea, for many ages: So that, we may call it a small Branch of the vast Ocean of Eternity. If we look at Abel, the first Lord of this Manor; the first that took Possession of this retired Place; how many Thousand Years hath he kept house in this gloomy Tabernacle of the Grave: It hath been a long, a very Long Home to him. The Grave hath been an inhabited Tennament by Adam's posterity, above Five Thousand Years. And we that are yet alive, waiting to go down into it; how long our abode may be in it, we are uncertain; because, We know not in what day or hour the Son of Man shall come to break open the Prison Doors of the Grave, and to set us at liberty, that are in the Prisonhouse. Job speaks of the Grave, as the House he was most certain to go unto, and take up his dwelling in, Chap. 30. vor. 23. For I know that thou wilt bring me to Death, and to the House appointed for all Living. It is an House of a long standing, and will be of long duration, even as long as time itself; it runs parallel with it. The Creation of the World, and the Resurrection of Man out of the Grave, are the two Tropics of time; or the sacred boundaries that Heaven hath put to it; A part post & a part ante, as the Philosopher speaks: For, as before the former it had no Existence; so, after the latter, it shall have no longer continuance, but be swallowed up in the fathomless Gulf of Eternity. Time that now is always running. Mob●li cursu, with a swift pace, will then be stopped in its motion, and be no more. But there are several things that must precede this: Great and weighty Matters must be brought about by the hand of Divine Power, before the End cometh; as we may plainly see, if we consult the sacred Oracles. Anti-christ must be brought down, with all his Usurpations and Idolatries. The Jews must be converted. The number of the Gentiles must be brought in; and the House of the Lord must be set upon the Mountains, and exalted above the Hills, that all Nations may flow unto it: For out of Zion shall go forth the Law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. But till this be done, the Grave is the appointed house for all Living; and therefore it is a Long Home.  
Having thus considered the Grave, as to its Duration; It is a Long Home: We will now speak a little of the Grave, with respect to its Qualification, what kind of Home it is: In the general, it is Man's designed and appointed Home. In the Text but now quoted out of Job, it is said, to be the House appointed for all Living. God hath appointed (by a decree like the Laws of the Medes & Persians, which never can be changed or revoked) that the Grave shall be the one Repository for all the Carcases of Adam's Children, to be laid up in, and kept till the day of the Resurrection. The Apostle speaks of the appointment of Death, (Heb. 9 ver. 27) And as it is appointed unto Men, once to Dye, but after this, the Judgement. Men are appointed to Dye, that they may go to their appointed home, the Grave. God hath appointed Man's being, and the time of his being in this World, as Job steadfastly believed. All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. And he hath appointed Man a place of resting, after he goes out of this World, and that is the Grave: Oh! How should this suppress Fears, and banish Cowardice from the Hearts of all timorous Christians, that are slavishly afraid of the Paleness of Death, and tremble to think of going down into the darkness of the Grave: Why, Sirs, though it be never so dark and gloomy; though it be an house of Rotterness, a place of Putrefaction; it is the home prepared and appointed by our Heavenly Father for us. And therefore, Why should we scruple to lie down in it? Or, why should we have any fearful apprehensions about it? Such persons and lose all the comfort of their lives, as an Heathen well observed,  Qui metuit Mortem, quod vivit perdit id ipsum. 
Oh! We should be always remembering it, and rest satisfied in it, that the Wise, the Righteous, the Holy, the blessed GOD hath appointed the Grave for our Long Home.  
First, God hath appointed die Grave, as Man's proper, suitable home; the home that doth naturally suit with his Complexion and Constitution. When Adam (by his Rebellion) had shaken off the glorious Theocrasy he was under, which would assuredly have protected him from the power of Death; however Homogeneal to his body, by reason of the contrariety of qualities in it; God left him (and that justly) to Fall, to Die, according to the perishing nature of that matter of which his Body was composed, (Gen. 3. ver. 19) In the sweat of thy Face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return. As if he had said; Hadst thou continued in thy Obedience, and hadst kept thyself in thy Innocency, sitting under the shadow of my immediate Government; I would (by my Almighty Power) have preserved thy Body (notwithstanding its Materiality) from ever seeing corruption, or being in the least tainted with putrefaction. But now I'll leave thee to go down to the caverns of the Earth (where thy Body, being dust, naturally inclines) with as much propensity, as the Stone to its Centre, or the touched Needle to the North-pole. What place so meet, what home, so proper for the earthly Tabernacle of of Man's body, as the earthly Apartments in the Grave: Indeed the Grave is no proper Home for the Soul (the better part) of Man; because it is immaterial, incorporeal; not subject to death's Sovereignty, aiming at a future being; and capable of being crowned with the glorious Diadem of everlasting Honour; according to the Sense of that famous Pagan.  
Terra Domus non est animis accomoda nostris,  
Alrius it nostrae conditionis honour.  
The Grave is also a proper Home for the Body, by reason of the great change Death makes in the Body; which renders it wholly unfit to continue upon the Earth, without intolerable and insupportable offence to the Living. When Death hath served his Writ of Arrest, and fixed the Impession of his cold hand; Oh! how miserably is the fairest Face then disfigured, how pitifully is the sweetest Countenance then changed; how horridly is the compleatest Body then corrupted, and become a noisome spectacle to its nearest Relations? Insomuch, that the fondest Husband than abominates the presence of his most amiable Wife; the tenderest Father than loathes the sight of his most beloved Child; the dearest and most intimate Friend, then stands aloof off from him, whose company was once truly precious, and acceptable to him. Therefore the Grave is the properest home for the breathless-body of Man; for there it sleeps, and rests without offence to any.  
Secondly, God hath appointed the Grave, as Man's fixed settled home; a place of rest after his toss, and hurryings to and fro in the World. We are born to Die; yea, we begin to Die as soon as we are delivered out of our Mother's Womb:  Nascentes Morimur, finisque ab origine pendet. 
And we must expect no quiet, till Death concludes the play of our lives. The Apostle tells us, that here we have no continuing City, but we seek one to come. Indeed (like Noah's Dove) we scarce know where to rest the Sole of our Foot in peace. Here we are often forced to be moving, and removing, from one habitation, to another, from one country to another; yea from one end of the earth to the other; we are never fixed, nor throughly settled till we come to the Grave; and then there will be an end, for ever, of all our Wander, and weary some Pilgrimages. Man (whilst travelling in the Regions of Mortality, under the circumstances of being obnoxious to divers contingencies) may, not unfitly, be compared to a Ship, under sail, in the wide Ocean; for that he is always rolling and tumbling, beaten up and down with Winds, and Waves of various providencies, and fatal accidentalities that do attend him; and so continually upon the Surfe of Motion; that he never drops Anchor, never is at quiet till warped into the Harbour of the Grave: And then, Oh then he is fast, and rides secure from all Storms and Tempests! For there the wicked cease from troubling. and there the wearied are at rest.  
Thirdly, God hath appointed the Grave, as Man's bounded, confined home. The place where all his desires after, and all his endeavours for the enlargement of worldly possessions, will have their termination. Whilst Man is upon the Earth, he is unsatiable in his coveting earth, and thinks he hath never enough of it. His heart is like the daughter of the Horseleech, still crying, Give, give; and is never satisfied. As Juvenal speaks of Alexander:  P●l●o juveni vix totus sufficit orbis. 
The whole World was not enough to quench the thirst of his ambitious Humour; yea some say, he Wept, because there were no more worlds to Conquer. Oh! But when he comes to the Grave, he is then confined to his breadth and length, and uncapable of desiring any more; he is then bounded in his dimensions, without a thought of any enlargement. When we see the most covetous, or ambitious Man, going to the Grave; we may see, in tanto, a fulfilling of that Prophecy, That the loftiness of Man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of Man shall be brought low: (Though I know as to the full completion of it, it hath another tendency) for then his high Aspirations, and all his vain Expectations are at a Ne plus ultra; and he confined to a narrow scantling of room in this Long Home. Oh! consider this, you, whose greedy minds are never satisfied with terrene fruitions; but are always craving and grasping after more; that are contriving how to add house to house, and lay field to field, till there be no place; that are sweeting and toiling, journeying and travelling, and taking a world of pains to increase the Store of your so much adored earthly Treasure. Remember, I beseech you, there is no buying or selling, no trading or traffiquing in the Grave: No bettering, or making finer or larger your accommodations there: The poorest Codrus hath as much room, as much conveniency in this dark Region, as the richest (Croesus.) For this is the Home where every Man hath enough to serve him, and is confined to the dimensions of it.  
Fourthly, God hath appointed the Grave, as Man's common, epidemical home. The place where all the Sons and Daughters of Adam must lie down together, of what nation or language, of what degree or quality soever they are. The small and the great, the good and the bad are there: There is no distinction of persons or conditions of men in that Climate. The most glorious Saint hath no more privilege, or better entertainment in the Grave, than the worst of Sinners. Job, though he was a good Man, one that put his whole trust and confidence in God, & one that was beloved of his God; and therefore ascertained of his Souls possessing the Mansion of eternal Glory: yet as to his Body, he knew that must far as the rest of the world did. Hence we find him claiming kindred with the natives of that Country below, whither he was going: I have said to corruption, thou art my Father, and to the worm, thou art my Mother and my Sister. And again, Though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. Though he was so excellent a Saint, and had so pure a Soul; yet his Body was corruptible, and must become food for worms. We read of two (and but two) bodies of Adam's Line, that were carried immediately from Earth to Heaven, without stopping at the Grave with the rest of their Brethren: The one was Encch, of whom it is said, He was not, for God took him: The other was Elijah, who who in a Chariot of Fire, with Fiery-horses, was drawn up from beside the River Jordan, to the New Jerusalem, the holy Hill of Zion, to be for ever with God, and With the Spirits of just Men made perfect. The very Body of our Lord Jesus (for the absolute conquering of Death, and full completing the work of our Redemption) was necessitated to go down into the Grave; though not to corrupt and perish there. For David personating him, thus prophetically spoke— Thou wilt not leave my Soul (taken here figuratively for the outward Man) in Hell, (that is the Grave for so Sheol signifieth) Neither wilt Thou suffer thy holy One to see Corruption. Implying, that all other bodies must see corruption; under whatever circumstances, they may be considered; when they come to this common home, this general receptacle of the Grave. For, as all must lie down, and take up their dwelling there together; so all must perish, and rot, and be consumed there; and that from the same cause, and after the same manner. The Grave is a common home for the wicked in Judgement, it is their Jail, where they are kept safe till the great and general Assizes of the Day of Judgement; when the last Trumpet will sound, and the Echo of it will be heard from the one end of the Earth to the other, with this doleful Summons; Arise ye Dead, and come to Judgement. When the Vision of John will be made good to a tittle; And I saw a great white Throne, and him that sat on it, from whose Face the Earth and Heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them. And I saw the Dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life, and the Dead were judged out of those things that were written in the Book according to their Works. And the Sea gave up the Dead which were in it, and Death and Hell (that is the Grave) delivered up the Dead which were in them, and thy were Judged every Man according to their Works. And the effect of this great Trial, and dreadful Appearance, will be, the Bodies of the wicked shall be sent to Hell, as well as their Souls, and be Tormented there for ever: God can, and for the glorifying of his Justice, he will Condemn both Body and Soul to Hell-fire at last. Those Ears that have been always open to let in the Air of obscenity, and tickled with delight in the hellish music of profane Language, shall then be terrified with the doleful Howl, and Cry, and Gnashing of Teeth, that will there be in an horrible manner among the wretched Miscreants. Those Eyes that have been as Windows to let in Lust, and all manner of wantonness, and filthiness into the Soul, shall then be punished with beholding the ghastly Looks of affrightening Devils, that will be continually staring the damned in the Face. Those Tongues that have been the Bellows of the Devil, blown into from Hell, always employed in belching forth horrid Oaths, blaspheming their Creator; or thundering out direful Execrations, cursing the Creature; and that without either shame or remorse shall then be miserably scorched in that inextinquishable Fire, which there burneth Day and Night. In a word, those Bodies that here have been vessels of uncleaness, members of an harlot, recepticles of all profaneness, shall then be rolling on fiery Pillars in those everlasting Burn, in those devouring Flames, which the Breath of the Lord hath kindled; when that amazing, and soul-confounding Sentence is pronounced upon them, by the Month of the righteous Judge himself, Depart from me ye Cursed, into everlasting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. But now the Grave is a common home to the Saints, and People of God in Mercy; it is the place where their Bodies are clarified, and refined from all dross and corruption, and so made fit for Glory. Oh! what a glorious Morning, what a joyful blessed day will that of the Resurrection be, to All that sleep in Christ: For then, with their bodily Eyes, shall they behold their Saviour, and in the reunion of their Bodies, with their Souls, shall they be for ever with him; hearing him speaking in that soul-reviving, soul-refreshing, yea, soul-ravishing Language to them; Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, from the Foundation of the World. Then the Body, that is now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a body of meanness; or a low abject vile Body, by reason of its corruption; shall in that day become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Body of Glory; for it will be changed, and made like unto the glorious Body of the Lord Jesus, and in conformity to that Glory put on, Stolam immortalitatis▪ the Garment of immortality. The dead bodies of Saints shall live; yea, together with the dead Body of Christ shall they arise: They shall awake, and sing, though now they dwell in the Dust; for their Dew, is as the Dew of Herbs; and the Earth shall give them up as the Lord's Dead. Now then, if the Grave be Man's proper home, his seltled home, his confined home, and his common home: Ah! How should all of us, whether rich or poor, high or low, old or young, be familiarising this home to ourselves, as that which we must all come to. Oh Sirs! Methinks you should have serious and awful thoughts of your ghastly paleness, your loathsome blackness, and your habitations in the dark. And so I pass from the Dying Mar's Destiny— He goes to his Long Home: To the Living Man's Duty— He ought to be a Mourner in the Street: I told you, in the Doctrine, there was a Mourning, due from the Survivers, to the Deceased; I shall now labour to make it appear; and that upon a fourfould account.  
First, Naturally, There is a natural Obligation to Mourn, when any Man goes to his Long Home; and surely they are very unnatural, that do not pay it.  
First, For that, they that Live, are of the same Mould with them that Dye. All are made, and composed of the same perishing Earth. Hence David speaks not only of himself, but of all Men, when he inscribes Vanity on them, Psalm. 39 ver. 5, 6. Behold thou hast made my Days as an hand's breath, and my Age is as nothing before Thee, verily every Man at his best estate is altogether Vanity. Surely every Man walketh in a vain show, surely they are disquieted in vain; He heapeth up Riches, and knoweth not who shall enjoy them. Here is a general Rule without any exception, that every Man, be he never so great, or high, or rich, or wise, or learned in the world; and that in his best estate, take him under what circumstances you will, is Vanity; yea, altogether Vanity: a poor crazy, empty, evanid thing. Now, when Man, that is so vain, so perishing in his own Nature, sees one of the same Mould, with himself, carrying to the Grave, to be placed in his Long Home; the Law of Nature exacts a tribute of Tears from him (though he had no particular acquaintance with, or obligation to the person deceased) because he beholds a crumbling away, and a fading of that Earth, whereof himself is made; at which, Nature cannot but have a reluctancy, and vent its sympathetical Passion. But as the Apostle speaks of some Monsters in filthiness, and uncleaness, that they did that which is against Nature; so we may see many so hardened in stupidity, that contrary unto nature, they are not affected with, or concerned at the Death, or going to the Grave, of almost any person.  
Secondly, There is a natural Obligation on the Living to Mourn for the Dead; for that Death is the thing which every Man in the world hath deserved; as being lineally descended from Adam, who brought Death into the World, and enslaved not only himself, but all his posterity unto its power. So saith the Apostle, Rom. 5. ver. 12. Wherefore, as by one Man, Sin entered into the World, and Death by Sin, and so Death passed upon all Men, for that all have Sinned. Had Adam never sinned, Adam had never died; but in illo die (saith God) in that day thou eatest the Fruit thereof, thou shalt surely die; or (as it is in the Original) dying, thou shalt die. And indeed, as he devolved Gild, so he entailed death (the sad consequence of that Gild) upon all that should come after him unto the end of the World. Oh! therefore, how natural would such a reflection as this be, at the news of any Mortals fall by the stroke of Death, or at the sight of any deceased person, going to his Long Home.— I am a Child of Adam as well as he, and in the guilt and pollution of his original Disobedience was I shaped, and subjected, to all the Miseries that attended that iniquity, did my Mother conceive me, and bring me forth: And surely I have added to the stock of original Corruption, multitudes, innumerable multitudes of actual Transgressions; and therefore I have every way merited Death, and deserved to be imprisoned in the Dungeon of the Grave, as much as he that hath passed through it, and is gone down before me into it. Should not I then be concerned at, and deeply affected with what hath befallen him. The extremity of pain that he was in, the weary some nights that he enjoyed, the tumblings and toss that he underwent, the bitter distress and anguish that possessed his Soul, which enforced those doleful sighs and sobs, those heart-fetcht-groans and shrieks from his dying Breast, are all things that I, in the same (if not in a greater) measure have deserved. Oh! than that my Head were Waters, and my Eyes a Fountain of Tears, that I could mourn and weep, and truly lament at this Mournful Spectacle; and that from this consideration, that as he (the object of Mortality before my Eyes) is deprived of life, and all the comforts of it; as he is snatched away from all his Friends and Relations; as he (of a living Man) is become a lump of dead Clay, a piece of rotten putrifying Flesh, fit for nothing but to feed worms in the Grave, even so have I most justly merited in the like manner to be; nothing hath befallen him, but what is due to me.  
Thirdly, There is a natural Obligation on the Living to Mourn for the Dead, for that there is no living person, but must come to it himself. Death is a debt we must all pay to Nature. Job speaks of Man indefinitely, thereby including every Man in what capacity so ever he is, Chap. 14. ver. 2. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. And we are elsewhere told, that, All flesh is grass, and the glory thereof as the flower of the field; the grass withereth, the flower fladeth; even so, when the Hand of God is upon Man, upon any Man; he maketh his Beauty to consume away like a Moth; for that every Man is Vanity, Selah. We have an Interrogation concerning this, which implies a vehement Negation (for so the Scripture often expresseth itself) Psal. 89. ver. 48. What Man is he that liveth, and shall not see Death, shall he deliver his Soul from the hand of the Grave, Selah. That is, there is no Man living, but must see Death, and come into the dominion of the Grave. Now, if Death be thus common to every Man, than every Man ought certainly to be affected, when he sees another under the power of it. Would it not I pray you, argue more than ordinary stupidity and sencelesness, in that Malefactor, that beholding a Partner in Gild, and Condemnation with himself, dying a shameful painful Death, according to the Sentence of the Law; the which Death he himself must undergo the day following; and yet not to be concerned at such a spectacle, so much as to shed a Tear, or manifest any melt of Heart at so doleful a sight. Oh! How unnaturally hardhearted would you say this Man was. Why, Sirs, this is our very case; we are all real Malefactors before God, condemned by him to death, to the same death, and sooner or later we must be laid on our sick Beds, the common place of Execution; and when we see any in pain and misery there before us: Oh! we should remember it will be our turn ere long. Do we see a dying Man in a languishing departing condition, fetching his last sigh, heaving for his last groan, and giving up his last breath: Oh! we should sadly reflect upon ourselves, as that Father of whom I have read, did at the sight of any Coffin— Ille hedie, ego cras. He is gone to day, and so may I to morrow, or to be sure must go one day or other; than which, nothing is more certain.  
Fourthly, It is not corrupted, but refined Nature, that especially enforces this duty of Mourning for the Dead; and the more Nature is purged, the more it is enlivened in the regular performance of this Work. We find the Spirit of God inciting, and calling upon Men solemnly to do it, Jer. 9 ver. 17, 18. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning Women, that they may come, and send for cunning Women, that they may come. And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our Eyes may run down with Tears, and our Eyelids gush out with Water▪ Why, What is the matter? what is the cause there should be such a great general Mourning? ver. 21. For Death is come up into our windows, & is entered into our palaces, to cut off the Children from without, and the young Men from the streets. Oh! When Death is taking its range about the streets, it is an especial time for Mourners to be there; to manifest a real Mourning, under such a dispensation; to put on Ashes for Beauty, and instead of the Garment of Joy, to be clothed with the Spirit of Heaviness. Religion doth not hinder any natural act, it only regulates the mode, and refines the end of the performance. It doth not hinder natural love, it only teacheth us how to love innocently; nor doth it hinder natural sorrow, it only guides us how to sorrow profitably. As Divines say, Though Religion be above reason, yet it is not contrary to reason; so though it be an enemy to all vicious, corrupt motions of nature, yet it obligeth no person to be unnatural: that is, to fail in doing those things which the principals of natural being do require, as necessary to the demonstration of its being; but rather provokes to a lively, and regular doing of them. And surely this duty, under our present consideration, is that which the spirit of a Man dictates to him, though in a dark mistaken way; and the Spirit of God suggests to him, in a right, safe, justifiable way. That there is a time to Mourn, is past dispute, since the Word of Truth speaks it; and that a Funeral Solemnity (or seeing Man go to his Long Home) is such a time, is also out of doubt, since the Word of Truth enjoins it. Hence we may warrantably, and not uncharitably conclude, That Man, void of Reason or Religion, of Nature or Grace, yea of Love to God or Man, that brings not a Mourning-heart along with him to the House of Mourning.  
Secondly, Relatively; There is a relative obligation upon the living, to Mourn for the dead; which Relation, either in a more large or strict sense, takes in the whole Race of Mankind.  
First, For that all men are related in Adam, as springing from his Loins. Though men are now distinguished into many sorts of Nations, and divers Kind's and Manners of persons; yet they all come from the same Root, the same Offspring; all Children of the same Father, of the same Mother: So we are told, Gen. 3. ver. 20. And Adam called his Wife's name Eve, because she was the Mother of all Living. All the vast numberless multitudes of People throughout the Universe, that have been, or still are in the World, came originally from her Womb. She is the Parent from whence so many Millions of Souls may derive their pedigree. The highest, and most certain degree of Relation in nature's Climax. Methinks then we should not be so unmindful of our primitive Extraction, as to be wholly unconcerned at the departure of one of the same Race with ourselves. There is none so remote from us in Country or Acquaintance, but he is near to us; yea, related to us, Secundum esse, as he is a Son of Adam. And can we afford never a tear, never a sigh, never a compassionate sob to accompany such an one (be he who he will, or what he will) to his Long Home: Ah! 'Tis sign we are hardened against our own Flesh; and that we shamefully forget the Father that begat us, and the Mother of whom we are all Born. Oh! what a debauched, abominable Age do we live in; wherein Men are so senseless, and horridly stupid; so intoxicated with Lusts and Vanities, so bewitched to the Allurements of the World, & so feared in their evil ways and courses; that Death (though it be even at their doors) is disregarded by them; and the going to the Grave of others (though their very Neighbours) is a thing they take no notice of, nor in the least Mourn for; so long as they have their strength and health, to drink and swear, and indulge themselves in their lusts and pleasures; they care not who are Sick, or who Dye, or who go to the Grave, it is all one to them. Truly such persons are so far from being like Christians, that they are ten thousand times worse than Heathens. Oh! how will the Egyptians rise up in Judgement against the Men of this Generation, and condemn them for their melting and mourning Deportment at the Funeral of good old Jacob (notwithstanding he was of another Nation and Religion) when they came to the Threshing-floor of Arad, which is beyond Jordan; 'tis said, they Mourned with a very great and sore Lamentation: insomuch, that the place was called Abel-Mizraim, the Mourning of the Egyptians. But ah! How little Mourning is there found amongst us, upon such occasions!  
Secondly, As there is a Relation in the first Adam, wherein all are concerned; so there is a Relation in the second Adam, wherein not a few are tied, and obliged to be concerned one for another, especially at so great a change, as that of Death. Now this Relation, is either more Large, or more Strict: More Large; and so all, that own Jesus Christ the Son of God, to be come in the Flesh, are within the reach of it, who are therefore called by one general and Catholic name, Christians. But more Strictly; and so it is restrained peculiar to Believers; who by the same work of Grace, are made true Members of the Church-militant, and by the same act of Faith, are expecting the glory of the Church-triumphant: Who are engaged in the same cause, Soldiers under the same Banner, Wrestlers against the same Enemy, even Principalities and Powers, and spiritual Wickednesses in high places: Who are sighting the same Battle, Runners of the same Race, Pursuers after the same Crown, even that which is incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away: Who are Inheritors of the same Promise, Fellow-heirs of the same Kingdom, Waiters for the same Adoption, to wit, the Redemption of the Body: Who are Professors of the same Faith, Believers in the same Christ; Experiencers of the same happiness in the glimpses of Zion's glory, and the fore-taste of the Joys, of the Life to come. In a word, who are under the same Tie, confirmed by the same Seals, bound by the same Covenant to live according to the Rule, and in the Fellowship of the Gospel. This Relation is so near, so great, so obligatory, that the Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the Brotherhood, or a company of Brothers. As all Men are Brothers in Adam, naturally; so Believers are Brothers in Christ, spiritually; and this nearness in Relation, should certainly cause a Mourning, when Death makes a Separation. Oh! when a Godly Man goes to his Long Home, then Godly-Mourning should Go about the Streets; for that there is a great Loss, and will be a real want of his Prayers, his Tears, his Holy Converse, and the good he might farther have done in the World. Upon this account, Elishah Mourned for Elijah, and sent his loud Acclamations of Sorrow to Heaven after him, when he was taken up from him— My Father, my Father, the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof. This made the Ephesians Mourn so dolefully at Paul's departure, because they were never to see him again. So saith the Text— And they all wept sore, and felon Paul's Neck and kissed him. Sorrowing most of all for the words that he spoke, that they should See his Face no more: Paul was their spiritual Father, that had begotten them to God; and therefore they could not but Mourn, to think of parting with so dear a Relation; especially since it was to be an eternal Farewell. How! must they never see his Face more; never hear the sound of that golden Trumpet more, that had been so charming to their Ears; yea, so ravishing to their Souls. Oh! This strained up their Sorrow to the highest Peg; this made them Mourn, with a Mourning truly Mournful. And we read, Acts 8. ver. 2. And devout Men carried Stephen to his Burial, and made great Lamentation over him. Steven was their brother, and companion in the Faith, Patience, and Tribulation of the Gospel; and therefore they looked on themselves obliged to Mourn bitterly, and Lament sorely, when he went to his Long Home. But alas! there is little of this Sorrow in these days; wherein Iniquity doth so much abound, and the Love of so many waxes cold to every good Work. There is no Mourning in the Streets of our Jerusalem, no Lamenting in the City of our Zion, when the Godly Man ceaseth, when the Faithful fail from among the Children of Men. The Prophet's complaint was, verily never more just and pertinent, than now— The Righteous perisheth, and no Man layeth it to heart, and Merciful Men are taken away, none considering that the Righteous is taken away from the Evil to come.  
Thirdly, There is a Relation by Affinity, which obligeth Men to Mourn at the Departure (or going to their Long Home) of any so Related to them. This Relation is by Marriage; or joining Families that were remote, and wholly unacquainted by Hymen's bands together. Thus Hamor and Shechem desired, That themselves and all their Citizens, might be Related to the Family of Jacob, when they communed with him in the Gate— These Men are peaceable with us, therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land,— Behold, it is large enough for them, let us take their Daughters to us for Wives, and let us give them our Daughters. As if they had said, Let us contract a Relation by making interchangeable Marriages; that so we may be near to them, and better acquainted with them. And surely in the compass of this Relation, it ought to be a sensible Affliction, when Death is Marring the Glory of their Society, and breaking the Hedge of their Unity, by taking one away. This was the cause of the Mourning of Orpah, and Ruth, at the parting with their Mother Naomy, who was indeed their Mother but by Marriage, Ruth 1. ver. 14. And they lift up their voice, and wept again; and Orpah kissed her Mother, but Ruth clavae unto her. They could not think of a Farewell, without powering out floods of Tears. Nay, so strong were Ruth's Affections, that when it came to the pinch, she would not leave her; But was resolved to accompany her in all her Travels and Troubles, whatever she should undergo, or meet with for it; and therefore she told her— Thy God shall be my God, and thy People shall be my People, where thou goest, I will go, where thou diest, I will die, and there will I be buried. Now, as Solomon says— Go to the Aut thou sluggard, consider her ways, and be wise. So I say in this case, Go to this Moabitish-Woman, thou hardhearted Christian (that canst with dry Eyes, and a sottish Spirit, behold a Relation entombed in the Earth) consider the depth of her Affection, the pureness of her Love, the tenderness of her Heart, and be Religiously Wise in knowing how to carry it under a parting-dispensation. Oh! remember that as there may be an innocent and lawful Mirth, when Relations first meet, to begin their acquaintance, or contract their proximity together; so there aught to be a Mourning in a moderate way, when there is any parting or separation by the hand of Death.  
Fourthly, There is a Relation by Consanguinity, which not only obliges, but enforces Tears from the Eyes of all persons (unless unnatural bruits) accompanying any so related to them, to their Long Home. This Relation comes not only by a general deduction from Adam, but by a more near and immediate alliance, and conjunction in Blood; whereby they become Bone of one Bone, and Flesh of one Flesh. Such is the Relation between Husband and Wife, Parents and Children, Brothers and Sisters, etc. Now what Husband can forbear Tears, when his dear Wife is snatched out of his Arms, by Death; when the delight of his Eyes is taken away with a stroke. Who can then but imitate affectionate Abram, of whom it is said, Gen. 23. ver. 2. And Sarah died in Kiriath-Arba; the same is Hebron, in the land of Canaan, and Abram came to Mourn for Sarah, and to Weep for her. She was the companion of his youth, the wife of his delights; the mother of his Isaac, yea the better half of himself; and therefore he could not but Weep, when she was gone from him. What Wife can refrain Mourning, when her beloved Husband is going down into the shades of Death, and she to be left a poor desolate, disconsolate Widow, as Naomi and her two Daughters in the land of Moab were: And how can poor Parents keep in Sorrow, when they see Death preying upon the Children of their Bowels, and confining their tender Limbs to the cold Grave. Hence we find David giving vent to his passion, for the Death of Absolom, in this pathetical Exclamation, 2 Sam. 18. ver. 33. And the King was much moved, and went up to the Chamber over the Gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my Son Absolom, my Son, my Son Absolom, would God I had died for thee: O Absolom my Son, my Son. Indeed Divines conjecture the reason of David's so great Mourning, was the fear of Alsolom's miscarrying, as to his eternal State; his doubt that it was not well with his Soul; he dying in a state of Rebellion, both against his earthly and heavenly Father. Though this might have some impression on David's Heart, yet questionless 'twas Nature itself drew out his Sorrow, from this very consideration, that he was his Son, and there needs no other to enforce a Mourning. From this sprung that Voice of Lamentation, and Weeping, and great Mourning, which was heard in Ramah, poor Rachel's pitifully Weeping for their Children, and refusing to be Comforted, Because they were not. And then reciprocally, what Children can be so hardhearted, so stony-spirited, as not to wait upon their Parents Coffins with Tears to the Grave. When Jacob was gathered to his Fathers, and had yielded up the Ghost in a good old Age, we read that his Son Joseph fell upon his Face, and wept upon him, and kissed him. And truly this Mourning is but an expression of Love; and where it is not, we may safely infer, that those persons had no love, no affection at all for their Relations, when alive.  
Thirdly, Morally; There is an obligation (which none that pretend to any principles of Morality will disown) upon the Living to Mourn for the Dead.  
First, For that a Man is lost by Death. As to the enjoyment of him, and society with him, he is perished from among Men. Now Man being a sociable, delightful Creature, the Loss of him is considerable, and aught to be laid to heart, by all that survive him. Man is to be looked upon as the chief piece of Workmanship in the Creation; the glory of all the Works of God in the lower Region. So wonderfully was he made, so strangely was he fashioned, so excellently was he adorned, that the good Angels admired him, and the Bad envied him; which was the occasion of their Fall, as some learned Writers have supposed. And what God speaks of forming the World in general, we way apply to the Creating of Man in particular; with respect to the excellency of the Work, when he was presented on the Theatre of the World. How did the Morning Stars, in that day, sing together, and how did all the Sons of God shout for joy. And surely the Dissolution of Man affords as much cause of sorrow, as his Making did of gladness; especially considering that it is in Scripture, called, a destroying of him. Thou turnest Man into destruction, and then thou sayest, Return again ye Children of Men. When Man is in the midst of his honour, in the height of his glory, in the greatest of his power; in a moment, in the twinkling of an Eye, he may be dashed in pieces, and be destroyed from off the Earth; for by the blast of God he perisheth, and by the breath of his Nostrils he is consumed. One small puff blows him away, and he is no more to be heard of, as though he had never been. And should not this be matter of grief and lamentation to the Living, to see so excellent a Creature as Man, deprived of his Being, bereft of his Breath, stripped of his Enjoyments, and all his Glory to be laid in the Dust. Ah! What Eye can behold such a sight, what Ear can hear of such a thing, and not be deeply affected with it, and Heart-pricked with sorrow at it. Oh! How was our blessed Lord Jesus concerned, how Mournfully was he touched, when he heard the tidings of Lazarus decease, though he was determined, & very well knew how to raise him up, and bring him to Life again. Pray hear what is said of him, John 11. ver. 33. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the Spirit, and was troubled. Here are two words in the Greek, and both emphatical, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; he roared, or cried out in the Spirit. That is, he Mourned inwardly, and Lamentably, at the loss of Lazarus. Again, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, He vehemently troubled or disturbed himself. He was mightily affected with the change Death had made in that Family, which he had so great and peculiar a Love for. Our Saviour shown this great example of Morality, that he might modestly, and moderately express the sentiments of Grief, which we ought to have at the departure of Man, from the Land of the Living.  
Secondly, For that when a Man goes to his Long Home, all the pleasure in his society is dead with him; nothing remains of it, but the remembrance which serves only to aggravate, and heighten the Grief of the Survivor. 'Twas a true saying of one— Aura secunda bonus socius. A good companion is as a prosperous Gale, carrying a Man pleasantly, and with comfort, through the Tempestuous Sea of this World. And again— Bonum sodalitium optimum solatium. Good Company is the best solace: Indeed, suitable society is the comfort of Life, the improvement of parts, the joy of the Intellect, the only distinguishing Privilege that gives the Preference to Men above Beasts. Take away this, and what happiness is it to be a Man, or what is humane Life any thing to be accounted of. But when Man is dead, there can be no more delight in him, or comfort received by society with him. There is no converse in the shades below, no interlocution in those gloomy Regions. The Grave is a silent house, where the Eyes of all the Inhabitants are closed in the Dust, and their Mouths filled with cold Clay. And therefore this should cause Mourning in the Streets, when we see a Man going to his Long Home (especially such a Man whom we have had any intimacy with) because we shall never have the opportunity of enjoying any pleasant hours with him, or delighting ourselves in the spikenard of his friendship, which was wont to send forth so fragrant a smell. We must then bid farewell to all discoursing upon any subject, to all advising about any difficulties, to all profiting by any Polemic Notions started and improved in an amicable way. In a word, we must bid an eternal Adieu to any pleasure or satisfaction we received in communing with him, for we shall enjoy no more of it for ever. Oh! surely this cannot but cut deep in a generous Soul; this cannot but greatly wound a spirit, whose thoughts are drained from the dross of Plebeian conversation, that has any esteem at all for the advantages of a rational Life. Upon this account it was, that the old Prophet in Bethel, Lamented over the Man of God which came from Judah, who was slain by a Lion, as he road upon an Ass in the Highway. He bitterly Bewailed, and Mourned for his Death, crying out— Ah! alas my Brother. As if he had said, I have been extremely refreshed by thy company, in hearing the Word of the Lord from thy Mouth, concerning the destruction of the Priests that burn Incense upon the Altar, and the pulling down the House of Jereboam. Oh! How have I been strengthened in my Courage, confirmed in my Faith, and the more resolved in the Ways of God, by this thy Prophecy. But now thou art gone, I shall never have any more of this profitable and spiritual Discourse with thee. This made him Weep over his torn Carcase, and bitterly Lament his untimely Fall, and to give a solemn Charge to his Sons, that when he was Dead, they should Bury him in the Sepulchre wherein this Man of God was Buried, and lay his Bones close by the Bones of this Prophet.  
Thirdly, For that when a Man Dies, and goes to his Long Home, he is past doing any more good; or being any farther serviceable in his Generation. There is no praising or praying in the Grave, or any remembrance of God or Man. As the Tree falls by Death, it will lie till Judgement, without bringing forth any fruit at all. Whilst Man is in the Land of the Living, he is capable of doing some good; or being useful in that place and condition wherein God hath set him. But when Death cuts him off; his day of opportunity is at an end, and the night is come upon him, in which he cannot work, nor do any more as he hath done. And therefore there is just cause of Mourning and Lamenting at his Decease. Thus the Widows of Joppa Bewailed the Death of Tabytha, a Woman full of good Works, and Alms-deeds, which she had done, Acts 9 ver. 39 Then Peter arose and went with them; when he was come, they brought him into the upper Chamber; and all the Widows stood by him Weeping, and showing the Coats and Garments which Dorcas made while she was with them. By which they commended her Charity, and bitterly Bewailed her fatal Exit. The thoughts of parting with such a Woman, who was so charitable, so useful; even broke their Hearts with Sorrow, and dissolved their Eyes with Tears. They brought the Garments to view (which she had made to  the Backs of the Naked with) and set them before Peter, and the rest that accompanied him, to justify the ground of their Mourning; or rather, to heighten the Passion of their Sorrow, from this sadning consideration, that she was ever uncapable of making any more; that the Poor were never like to be the better for her again; They could not but Mourn, that she was so soon taken off from prosecuting the many good projects she had in her Head arid Heart, of being useful to the Poor, and them that were in Distress. Ah, Sirs! when we see a Man going to his Grave, we may sadly cry out, He will never, he can never do any more good; His opportunity of glorifying his Creator, or of serving his fellow-Creature, is past and gone, and will never return again. It is impossible he should be any farther serviceable in Church or Commonwealth. And surely this should enforce a Mourning from all, who take delight in, or are capable of receiving Comfort from the doing good of others. But it may be, you will say, there are many Men that do no good at all while they Live, but a great deal of harm; who are so far from being useful, that they are wholly unprofitable; yea, very prejudicial to God's honour, and Man's welfare in their Generation; That are a Plague to the place where their abode is, and a Curse to all, whose unhappiness it is to be near them. Now, should we Mourn for them, should we Grieve when they are taken out of the World; should we go as Mourners about the Streets, when such barren Trees are cut down, and carried to their Long Home? Yes, verily, we should; because, while a wicked Man is alive, there is hope, or at least, a possibility of his Recovery from his wicked State; of his being washed and sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. But when he dies, there is no possibility of his reclaiming, or being renewed to Repentance— for there is no work, no device, no invention (and I may add, no reformation) in the Grave, whither we are going.  
Fourthly, For that when a Man Dies, and goes to his Long Home, we shall never see him more: he vanishes (as it were) out of our sight, and we are never more to behold him, or cast our Eyes upon him. He is both actively and passively in an invisible state. So Job Mournfully speaks of himself, chap. 7. ver. 7, 8. Oh remember that my Life is wind, my Eyes shall no more see good. The Eye of him that hath seen me, shall see me no more; thy Eyes are upon me, and I am not. What more cutting Expression, what more sadning Inculcation, what more provoking Incitation to Mourning, can there be, than the Sense of this; that we shall behold the Face of our beloved Friend (after his departure from us) no more! Were Man to Return, though after never so many Years absence from his home, or continuance in the Grave: Were he to visit his habitation again, and become the objective delight of his poor Mourning Friends and Relations, it might be some alleviation to their Grief, when he takes his journey to his Long Home. But Oh! What a prick to the Heart, what a stab to the Soul, what a deadning to the Spirits, what an inundation of Sorrow (like the opening of Pandora's Box) is this lamentable Thought to an ingenious Man, that he must never, never, never more behold the Face of this or that Relation in this Region of Mortality; nor have any converse with him on this side the Bank of Eternity! What Husband can think so of his Wife, and not melt? what Wife can have such a thought of her Husband, and not faint? what Parent can consider this, with respect to his Child, and not mourn? what Child can reflect upon the impossibility of ever seeing his Father or Mother more, and not be overwhelmed with grief? In a word, What Friend or Relation can ponder on such an eternal Farewell, as is then given, and not be dissolved into Tears; yea, and not to Mourning like the Mourning of Hadadrimmon, when Cloistered up in Megiddo's Vale? It is the opinion of Divines, That the chiefest of the Saint's happiness, consists in Vision, or in the use of the visive faculty, which will then be enlarged, and made glorious to perfection; for they shall see the Face of God in Righteousness, and be satisfied with his likeness; they shall be for ever with open Face, beholding (as in a Glass) the Glory of the Lord, and be changed into the same Image, from Glory to Glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Sure I am, the Saints greatest comfort in this World, consists in Vision, or beholding God's Image in his People; and that not only the work of his Power in their comely Features, but the work of his Grace in the divine Characters of Wisdom, engraven in their Souls, and immediately reflected upon in all their Actions. Therefore it cannot but cause Mourning, when such delightful Objects are removed out of sight, and never more to be beheld.  
Fourthly, Modifically; There is a modifick Obligation upon the Living, to Mourn for the Dead; in respect of the manner of men's Dying, or the circumstances they are under, in that great Hour.  
First, For that Sickness is the Prologue of it; the Paleness of Death, is generally ushered in with the Pains and Sorrows of Sickness. Thus it was with the Child of the great Shunamite, that had so courteously entertained Elisha, and built a Chamber for him; Furnishing it with those Utensils, which she knew were most acceptable to a contemplative Man: In requital of which kindness, he promised her from God, a Child; and a Child she had, but it Died; but before it Died, it fell Sick, and was tormented with Pains. So we are told, 2 King. chap. 4. ver. 18, 19 And when the Child was grown, it fell on a day that he went out to his Father, to the Reapers: And he said unto his Father, my Head, my head; and he said to a Lad, carry him to his Mother. And when he had taken him, and brought him to his Mother, he sat on her Knees till Noon, and then Died. His Head first Ached, before his Breath Departed. And this is the usual way of Men's Dying; first to complain of some Disease in their Bodies, before there is a separation between that, and their Souls: One cries out of his Head, another of his Bowels; one is Sore-pained, another is Heartsick upon his taking his leave of the World. And as the Apostle Peter speaks of the last times, The Sun shall be turned into Darkness, and the Moon into Blood, before the great and notable Day of the Lord comes. So it is most true in this case; Health shall be turned into Sickness, Strength into Weakness, Pleasure into Pain, Delight into Sadness, before the great and notable Day of Death comes. Which indeed (in itself considered, abstracted from the hopes of a future Being) is a day of Wrath; a day of Trouble and Distress, a day of Wastness and Desolation; a day of Darkness and Gloomyness; a day of Clouds and thick Darkness; a day of the Trumpet, and Alarm against the sensed Cities, and against the high Tower. Now who can behold a Friend in any pain, or under the power of any Distemper upon a sick Bed, and not Grieve at it? What Object calls more for Pity and Commiseration, yea for Grief and Lamentation, than a pained Heart-sick-man, who cannot help himself, or receive Ease from any Application; especially of that pain that precedes his Dissolution; for  Contra vim mortis non est medicamen in hortis. 
And as Distempers are coroding and tormenting in their Natures, so they are Multitudinous in their number. There are innumerable Diseases that go before Death, that are as pursivants in the same Livery, warning the Sons of Men to be ready at Death's approach according to the Poet,  Mille modis lethi miseros mors una fatigat. 
And as another well expresseth it,  Mille modis Morimur miseri sed Nascimur uno. 
There is but one way of our coming into the World; but a Thousand, of our going out. 'Twas a Curse upon Man after his Fall, that he should live by the Sweat of his Brow, and the same Curse hath entailed this misery upon him, that he must Die in the Anguish of his Soul. As he Lives in Sweat, so he Dies in Pain; and this Pain cannot but enforce Mourning from all tenderhearted Spectators that are about him.  
Secondly, For that a Dying-man, is really himself a Mourning-man. When Man is going to his Long Home, his Soul is clad with Cypress; his Spirits are drooping, and in a sorrowful trembling posture, he is waiting the finishing of Death's last stroke: He lies groaning, and pitifully crying out on his sickbed; and with rowling-eyes, liftedup hands, and panting breasts; he sighs, he sobs, he dies. And from this condition, good Men are no more exempted, than wicked, at their deaths; nay, we find the best of Men, even buried in Sorrow, in the day of his humiliation, when he was going to his Death, Matth. 26. ver. 38. Then saith he unto them, my Soul is exceeding Sorrowful, even unto Death, tarry ye here, and watch with me. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The word signifies, Fear on every side. The faculties of his Soul were (as it were) beset, and besieged with Grief: Sorrow went round about him. Indeed, Aristotle would not own, that a Man of Spirit could be capable of such a Sorrow; but 'twas his ignorance in the things of God, which made him think so: And our Saviour's sorrowful posture, is a sufficient confutation of that Notion. Verily Sirs, when the terrors of Death (notwithstanding the Sting of it is taken away) takes hold upon the most Heroick-spirited; yea, upon the most gracious qualified among the Sons of Men, it makes him presently hang his Harp upon the Willow-tree, and hid his Face within the drawn Curtains; converting his Songs into Sighs, his Laughing into Mourning; and all his Rejoicing into heavy Groans; Emblematically be speaking to all that are round about him, with a shaking head, and ghastly look, what Job did so passionately— Have pity upon me, Oh ye my Friends, have pity upon me; for the Hand of God (yea, the hand of Death) hath touched mt. Help, help! O Wife! O Children! What shall I do; my Spirits are fainting, my Breath is going, my Soul is departing, and I must leave you all! And then turning, sighs and sobs to that sorrowful Note of Jobs, Oh that I were as in Months past, as in the day when God preserved me: When his Candle shined upon my Head; and when by his Light I walked through Darkness: as I was in the days of my Youth, when the Secret of God was upon my Tabernacle. Thus poor Man concludes the Tragick-Scene of his troublesome Life, inbreathing out such doleful Epicediums. He came into the World, Crying, and he goes out, Sighing. He Cries the first thing he does, after he is Born, and he Sobs the last thing he does, before he Dies. Now what Heart can be so obdurate, to behold Man expiring in the midst of his Sighs, and not say, as Thomas said of Lazarus— Lord let its go, that we may Die with him: So let me go and Sob with him, and bear him company in the bitter Agony he is now in.  
Thirdly, For the great change Death makes in the person Deceased; of an active lively Man, he is become a dead lump of Clay; so changed, and wholly altered in the Physiognomy, and outward appearance of the Body: that we may say with the Poet,  Qui colour albus erat nunc est contrarius albo: 
The Man that a day or two ago, looked so fresh and fair, Oh how pale, how wan, how ghastly, how affrightening does he look now! The Man that was so pleasant, so every way desirable in his conversation a little while ago; how loathsome and detestable does he appear now; That it makes his dearest Relations say of him, as Abraham said of Sarah, Gen. 23. ver. 4. I am a stranger and a sojourner with you, give me a possession of a Burying place with you, that I may Bury my Dead out of my sight. Sad was the Change death made in Sarah, which enforced this so seeming unnatural Resolution in Abraham, to put her out of his sight. He could no longer look upon her, as his delightful Wife to sleep in his Bosom; but as a rotten piece of Flesh, that must be removed away. Man in his Coffin, is like a growing flower; how splendidly does it look, how fragrantly does it smell, whilst upon the stalk; but no sooner cropped, but it presently fades, and in a few hours is trodden under foot, as dirt. So that we may say of him, as the Nations said of the King of Babylon— His Pomp is brought down to the Grave, and the noise of his Viols; the Worm is spread under him, and the Worms cover him: Oh! Sirs, All Man's Pomp, his Beauty, his Glory is then withered away. And as it was said of our Redeemer (in his state of humiliation) There is no from or comeliness to look upon him, nor no beauty in him, that we should desire him. His Body is then a contemptible, despicable, abominable thing: Hence the Apostle makes use of these expressions of meanness, and contemptibleness, concerning man's going to his Long Home; elegantly showing thereby, what his Body (under those circumstances) is; It is sown in corruption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in a state of filthiness and contamination: Again, It is sown in dishonour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in a state of ignominy and contempt: Again, It is sown in weakness, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in a state of inability to withstand the Power of Death. Once more, It is sown a natural Body, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A Body subjected to all the miseries appertaining to, and entailed upon Apostate Nature. From all this, we may gather the proper description of the Body, when it is prepared for, and carrying to the Grave. It is a filthy polluted, a base ignominious, a frail impotent, a rotting perishing Body. This is the outward state of every man, when Death has mowed him down. And therefore we should Mourn at so great and sudden a Change: Though I confess our Mourning should be in hope, with respect to the departure of the Godly: For though their bodies be Sown in corruption, they will be Raised in incorruption; though Sown in dishonour, they will be Raised in glory; though Sown in weakness, they will be Raised in Power; though Sown natural, they will be Raised spiritual bodies. For their corruptible must put on incorruption, and their mortal must put on immortality; and then Death itself shall be swallowed up in Victory. But the present change in their Bodies by Death, calls for a due Mourning from their Survivors.  
Fourthly, For the great change and alteration Death makes in the place of the Deceased; the great Vacuum there is, when Man is removed, and carried away to his Long Home: Concerning which, Job excellently speaks, chap. 7. v. 9, 10, 11. As the cloud is consumed, and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the Grave, shall come up no more. He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more. Therefore I will not refrain my Mouth, I will speak in the anguish of my Spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my Soul. Oh! It is very sad to consider what a great change one stroke of Death may make. A Wife Husbandless, poor Children Fatherless, Servants Masterless, and many Friends Comfortless: And so great is the alteration in the Family, that the whole House resents it; and seems silently to Mourn for it. There is (as it were) a Face of sadness in every place he was wont to be conversant in: Look in his Parlour, where he used to sit with his Wife, and Children about him, and there is nothing but a profound silence; his voice is not to be heard: Look at his Table, where he used to sit with cheerfulness, eating his Bread with joy among his Relations, and the dull demeanour, and sorrowful posture of all the assessors, do plainly, yet dolefully speak; Behold, he is not here: Look in his Shop, where he used to be about his occasions; and the disorder and confusion there, proclaims aloud his being gone, and not to be heard of: In a word, Look in every place where he used to be, and you will find one mourning circumstance or other, a legible Historian of his departure, and being no more among them. So that, if you seek him, you will not find him; if you ask for him, you will hear no news. Now surely, methinks, the very miss of a Man in his Family, the want of him in his place, the great change immediately following his Departure in all his Affairs and Concerns, should be cause enough to enforce a Mourning from his Survivors, if there were no other consideration.  
Thus I have shown you in what respects there is a Mourning due from the Surviving, to the Deceased; and why we ought to be Mourners in the Street, when we see a Man going to his Long Home; even from a Natural, Relative, Moral, Modifical consideration, obliging us thereunto.  
I now pass from the Doctrinal, to the Applicatory part of this sad and solemn Truth: And the only use I shall make of it, shall be a word of Exhortation, to put this Duty in practice, now in the day and season thereof. Never was an occasion more doleful, than that which has brought us hither this day: Never was a Text more suitable than this, which is now to be applied to the Occasion. So that, what Application is to be made, will be, Verbum diei in die suo, A word of day in its proper day. Look Sirs, in yonder Coffin lies a Man known unto us, and beloved by us, ready to go (when we shall put our hands to carry him) to his Long Home. Oh! should not we this day be as Mourners in the Street. Oh! that we could, ourselves, as really evidence the Truth of the latter part of the words, in being Mourners; as our deceased Brother before us, has done of the former part, in going to his Long Home. Verily Sirs, This is the day, the very day, in which the Lord God of Hosts, calls to Weeping, and to Mourning, to Baldness, and to Girding with Sackcloth. And therefore, I shall make use of the Apostles words, for the pressing this Exhortation, James 4. ver. 9 Be Afflicted, ana Mourn, and Weep; let your Laughter be turned, to Mourning, and your Joy to Heaviness. Not a word here but has its Emphasis, and deservies a special Notation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Be touched with a sense of misery, and that in your Hearts, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Mourn in an exceeding great measure, expressed in some outward, overt-Act, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Weep from a broken and tender Heath This Weeping is Nature's privilege, forbiddon by none; as the Poet intimates,  Quis matrem nisi mentis inops in funore nati flere vet at. 
Again, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Let you Laughter, or loud Acclamations of Mirth and Jollity, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, be turned into Mourning, or into a Funeral Elegy or Lamentation. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Your Joy, or the greatest Delight and Contentment, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, into Heaviness, or into a Sorrow, that dejects the Countenance, and makes Men look downward upon the Earth. Now Sirs, put all this together, & that is it which I would press you to this day. Oh! Be so Afflicted, as to be touched with a sense of this awful dispensation of divine Providence, in visiting us so sorely in this the day of his Anger. And then Mourn in a visible real manner. And Weep till your Hearts are even broken with Sorrow. Let your Laughter or outward expressions of Mirth, be turned into Mourning, or grievous bursting forth into Tears. And let your Joy, or any thing of delight, be turned into Heaviness; or into a real dejectedness, or calling down: And the reason is very obvious; this Coffin herd before us, does justly call for it, as containing one, who was lately the Object of our Love and Esteem; but now the deserved Subject of our Sighs and Tears. It is not my principle, nor usual practice, to speak much on such occasions of the Person deceased. The custom of some Predicants, is rather to be bewailed, than imitated, who are inconsiderately Studious to hoist up the Names of those, who they would stutter as high as Heaven, when perhaps at the same time, their Souls are roaring in the hottest Hell. 'Tis also of dangerous consequence to the Auditors. Funeral Encomiastics of the Dead, prove often confections of poison to the Living. People may well grow careless of their Lives, when custom lays an obligation upon the Preacher, to Hackney them to Heaven in his Sermon, when they Dye. But here is something extraordinary in this Funeral, that may be my Apology, for speaking something concerning him, who is going to his Long Home this day. He Dying here in a strange Country, far from his Relations, where none of his Fathers ever were; and that befalling him, which the Poet accounting a great misery,  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: 
'Tis true, he was not drowned, and so did not Die in the Waters in that sense; but he Died upon the Waters, and is now to be Buried in the Waters: And therefore I think it but highly just, to strew some deserved Flowers on his Hearse, that we may all carry home the Fragrancy of his Name in our Memories, since we cannot carry home his Body to his dear Mourning Relations. Besides, I look upon myself as obliged to speak, because I knew more of him, than any, I believe, in the World, did. He was pleased to make my Breast die Repository, where he locked the very Secrets of his Soul: Never two were more intimate; we were pleasant to each other in our Lives: Oh! that in our Deaths we had not been divided. However, my love to him, and intimacy with him, shall not trappan me into any thing of Flattery, which I ever abhorred. And hence I will not insist upon what I wish I could do more (viz) his exemplariness in Piety; Although I am more than confident, the Root of the matter was in him. I know his unavoidable Association with all sorts of Company betrayed him to some tinctures of vanity, which himself was sensible of, and most deeply bewailed upon his dying Bed. But for an example of Morality, a model of Civility, a platform of all Humanity; I dare presume to present you with as exact an one, as has been seen in this Latter-Age. I remember what the Orator says; Frigida laudatio mera vituperatio. A cold kind of praising, is no better than a dispraising. Hence, what I shall say, shall be in the words of Truth, Sobriety, and (I think) justifiable Fervency. I will begin with his Extraction. His Birth was truly honourable; for he was Born of the race of the Firstborn, being immediately descended from the Loins of the Prophets, and such (as in their day) were Stars of the first Magnitude, enrowled in the Catalogue of those Worthies, of whom the World was not worthy. His Grandfather, Mr. Richard Bernard of Batcomb, a most famous elabourate Divine, whose Name is as Ointment poured forth; whose Works praise him in the Gate, and whose Memory will never die, so long as Religion lives in England. His Father also an able eminent Minister, the Husband of one Wife, by whom he had (I think) One and Twenty Children, of whom this, our deceased Friend, was the youngest: So that he was their Benjamin, the Staff of their Old Age; they were careful of his Education, and infused those great principles of Truth into his Infant-years; the savour of which, he retained to the last; so true is that,  
Quo Yemel est imbuta recens servabit odorem Testa Diu: Or, as Solomon Englishes it, Train up a Child in the way wherein he should walk, and when he is old, he will not departed from it: He was Filius Fidelium & Precum; A Child of the Covenant, and a Child of Prayers. There was a great stock of Prayers laid up for him; and I am persuaded they were not lost. After he had past his impuberous days under his Parents Wings in the Country; he was sent up to London to his Brother, Mr. John Bernard, a pious holy Man, in great esteem amongst the Godly; who was more than a Brother, yea a Father to him (as I have often heard him acknowledge, with a great sense of Gratitude) he took great care about disposing of him, in order to his future Settlement. At length he placed him with an honest Master, whom he faithfully and truly Served: I have heard his Master say this of him, He never had such a Servant. His Calling obliged him to use the Seas, which he was as unfit for, as the Sea was unworthy of him. He had a reach at higher things, and his Heroic Spirit hardly brooked the Conversation genuine to this Element; he had an exceeding good Natural Wit, a Ripe Invention, a Quick Fancy, a Logical Head, a Strong Memory; and (as a Crown to all) a Great Judgement: He was an universal accomplished Man, able to carry himself Aptly, and to speak Congruously in all Companies, from the King's Court, to the Beggar's Cottage. He was endued with that Humility and Modesty, which very well became his Young years; and yet with that Depth and Judgement, that was a great deal above his Years. He was unsatiable after Knowledge, especially in the best things. He would often bring me some of the hardest Scriptures to explain, and propose some of the abstrucest Points in Divinity, to be resolved. Indeed he had Notions of a very high Birth, and Conceptions far above one under his Circumstances: Insomuch, that I have often admired him, and said of him, as the Multitude, of our Saviour, From whence hath this Man this Wisdom? He was a constant hearer of the Word, and a great Honourer of those that delivered it: He dearly Loved a Learned Ministry, and by such was he Beloved. Several eminent Divines in London had an high Respect for him. The truth is, I knew not any (whose Judgements was worth a minding) that were acquainted with him, but very deeply affected him, and esteemed him, as one of a more than ordinary Capacity. He greatly delighted in reading good Books, especially Dr. Bates, Of the Existence of God; His Harmony of the Divine Attributes: and Mr. Baxters' Directory: which he mightily prized, and would often say, he looked upon it as the next Book to the Bible. In his Match, he preferred Virtue before Money; contrary to the Genius of this corrupt Age. He advised with me, and indeed gave himself up wholly to me, to choose a Wife for him. In order to which, I brought him acquainted with an honest Religious Family, to which he was soon Related, by espousing a Wife, that Heaven in Mercy, had every way prepared an Help meet for him: In whom he took great Delight; as also in the Piety, and Ingenuity of her Relations; with whose Society he promised himself a great deal of Comfort and Satisfaction, at his return from this Voyage: But poor Gentleman, he is now gone, Death has frustrated all his Expectations of that kind. Labitur Savo Rapiente Fato (to use Senecas words) he is taken away by the overruling Powers above; never to be among his poor Relations, or to be seen by them any more for ever. He had an admirable mixture and mediocrity in the whole of his Deportment; he was Facetious, and yet Solid; Affable, and yet Reserved; Courteous to all, and yet Familiar with very few: He was a most Just Upright Man in all his Deal: I never knew him guilty of the least dirty or disingenuous Action: He was a faithful and true Friend: Vsque ad arras. I found him so in my three years' acquaintance with him, and constant abode with him, both at Sea, and a Shoar. And I have reason to know him; for in all that time, we were very rarely a whole day asunder. The truth is, no Change but this of Death could ever have parted us in this World. I Experienced such a Transcendency, Peculiarity, Constancy in his Friendship, that I despair of ever meeting with such another Friend here below. He was a Credit to his Friends, an Honour to his Family; and the Glory of all his Relations. To Conclude, I do with all imaginable seriousness, solemnly profess (without the least Flattery, or sinister Respects) according to my best knowledge of him (which was as great as was possible for one Man to have of another) upon a long, and critical observing the whole Course of his Life (the greatest Secrets of which, were not hid from me). He was the most Cordate, Innocent, Faithful, Ingenious, and every way Obliging Man, that (in all my Travels through the World, which have been much, or in my Converse with Men of all sorts, which has been great) I ever saw, or was acquainted with. He wanted no Quality of a Man to make him Amiable, nor no Property of a Friend to make him Desirable. For my part, I may truly take up the Lamentation of David over Jonathan, 2 Sam. 1. ver. 26. I am distressed for thee my Brother Richard, very pleasant hast thou been unto me; thy Love to me was wonderful, passing the Love of Women. And therefore I cannot but Mourn myself, and invite you to Mourn with me: And though my Loss is more particular, more peculiar than any of yours; yet there is never an one here, but has a Loss, a great Loss in this Worthy Man; and ought deeply to lay it to Heart, and manifest the sense of it, by a due and regular Mourning. And that I may Methodically, and Gradually lead you into the Valley of Baca; Consider I beseech you.  
First, We have Lost a Man— one of our Society is gone, and so our number is lessened. Now, if the Loss of a Man ought to be taken notice of in a Nation, or in a City, when there are Thousands still left, how much more considerable is such a Loss to us, who have so few in this our Wooden World. Besides, this is not the first (though indeed the greatest) Loss we have had of this kind. Death has been no stranger to us, from the beginning of the Voyage. You know, before we were clear from Graves-End (a very suitable name, for it is so to many a parting Friend) Death sat threatening of us in a Terrible manner upon the Mison-Mast, from whence he sent a Man (to the endangering of his own Life) on his dismal Errand, to Summon a poor Boy to his Long Home, who outlived not two days, the Blow he received by the others Fall upon him. And by that time we were got to the Downs, Death was upon the Catharpins'; from whence, in the twinkling of an Eye, he tumbled one of our Men dead upon the Deck. And he has been since rainging up and down the Ship, every now and then taking one away from us, which ought to be laid to Heart by us. But behold, now he is come up to the Quarter-Deck, and has smitten one of our chiefest and choicest Men with his fatal Dart. Oh! should not we then be affected with such a dreadful Stroke as this. I am sure in the Preachers Opinion we should, and that not only in the Text, but elsewhere, Eccles. 7. ver. 2. It is better to go to the House of Mourning, than to the House of Feasting; for that is the End of all Men, and the Living will lay it to Heart. That is, the Living aught to lay it to Heart, and so Mourn, and be Troubled at it.  
Secondly, Consider, we have Lost a Friend, a true Friend, according to the strictest Notions of Friendship, which is a Jewel not common, nor of little value now a days: We may now, more than ever, take up that old Complaint,  
Illud amicitiae Quondam venerabile nomen,  
Prostat & in Questu pro meritrice solet.  
Friendship is now exposed to Sale, and become a painted Strumpet, to serve the turns a little while of those that will give most Money for her. But our Deceased Brother, was one of a Thousand, a Friend indeed: His Friendship was real and pure, without any mixture of drossy self-ends: So that what Christ said to his Disciples, John 11. ver. 11. These things said he, and after that, he saith unto them, Our Friend Lazarus sleepeth, but I go that I may awake him out of sleep. We may all of us apply to him in the Coffin, now before us, our Friend Richard sleepth, he is laid down upon on his everlasting Pillar, never to be awakened till the day of the Resurrection. He Loved us all with a tender Love, and served us all with a faithful Care. Oh! how ready, and willing was he to do good to the meanest amongst us. How did he pity, and commiserate any poor Man in Pain or Distress. How have I seen him Weep when he could not Cure. And how Charitable was he to his poor Patients; never sparing, but plentifully spending of his own, to make things good and comfortable for them: And he would often tell me, he could not but in Conscience do it. And for the truth of this, I do, and can appeal to most of you that hear me this day; you know it as well as I: Who then can deny him this Golden Title of a Friend? And he gave sufficient proofs of his Friendship in the very last act of his Life, when he desired me to send for the Officers. Oh! with what uncommon Marks of Affection, with what Transport of Passion, with what Heart-melting Compellations did he take his Dying Farewell of us, even then, when his Cheeks were Pale, when his Lips were Cold, when his Eyes were ready to be closed. Ah! can we reflect upon the Living Marks of his Friendship, and the Dying Tokens of his Love, and not be as Mourners about his Hearse, now he is going to his Long Home.  
Thirdly, Consider we have Lost a Skilful Man, one that was a perfect Master of his Profession; a complete Artist in every thing that belonged thereunto. He was well Read, and Studied in the best Physical Authors; the Sense of all which, in any difficult point, he had ad unguem: Besides, his great Experience, and Practice of all Sorts, which made him every way fit to undertake so great a Charge as he had upon him. I heard an Eminent and Learned Physician in London, say of him, That considering his Years and Circumstances, he never discoursed with his fellow, able to give so rational an Account of the Nature of any Distemper, and to prescribe such proper Applications for the Expelling it. He was very Skilful in Timing all that he did to his Patients: whatever he did, was in the proper day and season thereof, well knowing that to be a great truth, which the Poet tells us,  
In recto medecina valent data Tempore prosunt,  
Et data non apto Tempore vina nocent.  
The truth is, he was Skilful in every thing that conduced to his Patients Good. So that, great is our Loss in this respect. Indeed, the whole of that Judgement is come upon us, which God threatened his ancient People with, in the days of old, Isa. 3. ver. 1, 2, 3. For behold, the Lord, the Lord of Hosts doth take away from Jerusalem, and from Judah, the stay and the staff, the whale stay of Bread, and the whole staff of Water: The Mighty Man, and the Man of War; the Judge, and the Prophet, and the Prudent, and the Ancient▪ The Captain of Fifty, and the Honourable Man, and the Counsellor, and the Cunning Artificer, and the Eloquent Orator. Ah! verily our stay and our staff is gone; He that was the stay of our Strength, and the staff of our Lives: He that was a cunning artificer,, and a skilful Operator in the concerns of our Bodies, is now taken away; therefore we ought to be Mourners about his Hearse.  
Fourthly, Consider, we have Lost an Useful Man; yea, a Man of the greatest Use amongst us. The variety of Distempers Men are afflicted with, and subject to, in these Hot Climates, do sufficiently infer the Usefulness; yea, the Necessity of an able Physician. I know you look upon your Minister as a needless Person, because you are unsensible of the worth of your Souls; if he had gone, you would not have accounted it any great loss: Ah! but now Sirs, God knew how to take that Mercy from you, which you are most sensible of the worth and use of; He knew where to prick the Vein that will most Bleed; and therefore he has taken away the Physician of your Bodies, whom you may most dearly miss, before you go home. And surely this bespeaks your Mourning in a grievous and bitter manner, for this so sharp a Stroke: What Paul told the Colossians, chap. 4 ver. 14. Luke the beloved Physician, and Demas greet you: May be truly applied to him, who was indeed a beloved Physician; and he deserved no other, for his diligent care and pains towards the meanest Patient. He was seldom sent for to any sick Person, being so forward of himself to go, as soon as he heard of it. Most Applications he made use of, went through his own hands, though the Disease was never so loathsome, or the Person never so mean. How then may I bespeak your Mourning over his Hearse this day, us David did the Mourning of Israel, over Saul: Ye Daughters of Israel weep over Saul, who clothed you in Scarlet, and either delights; who put on ornaments of Gold on your Apparel: So, O ye Seamen and Officers of this Ship, Weep over this Painful, Diligent, Affectionate Physician, who refreshed you with Cordials, and other delights: Who was day and night serviceable to you, and Died in that service amongst you. He is now gone to his Long Home, who retrieved many of us, when we were almost there. He helped us, but we could not help him. Ah! how can we think of parting with such an Useful, Faithful, Affectionate Friend, and not Mourn. How can we think of throwing him (who was the very delight of our Souls) Overboard into the wide Ocean, to be made a Prey to the devouring Fishes, and not break forth into doleful Cries and Lamentations.  
Thus you see the cause we have to Mourn, from the Consideration of the greatness of our present Loss: But the many aggravating circumstances of this Loss, do yet call for our Farther Mourning, and the serving up our Sorrow one Peg higher. Hence consider,  
First, He is taken away before our Voyage is done: It would have been a very considerable Loss, if he had Lived with us to England, and then have been removed by Death: It would then have called for Mourning at our hands. I, but it would not have been so dismal a providence, so afflictive a stroke, as now it is, having so long a way to run, and so many difficulties to go through, before we see our several Homes. This was the cause of Israel's so long, and so great Mourning for Moses, Deut. 34. ver. 8. And the Children of Israel wept for Moses, in the Plains of Moab, Thirty days. So the days of Weeping and Mourning for Moses were ended. Mark it, they were yet in the Plains of Moab; had they been in quiet, and full possession of the Land of Canaan; the present dispensation of Moses his Death (though at any time bitter enough) had not been so dreadful, and dismal to them. But this highly heightened their Misery, and consequently their Sorrow, that he was taken from them, before he had brought them to the promised Rest: So now in this case, Oh! what cause have we to Mourn in an exceeding great measure; for that Death has removed our Physician, so long before the conclusion of the Voyage.  
Secondly, Consider, he is taken away whilst the Judgement of God is upon us, in retarding our Passage, and threatening no less than a Winter Voyage. We have stayed so long in the Indies, that there is little likelihood of our going Home this Year. And at present, we are here scorching in an hot sultry Climate; the Winds so cross to us, that we can neither go backward or forward; and what will become of us, the Lord knows: But sure I am, the hand of his Displeasure is stretched out against us; and we feel in part, that terrible Word threatened, Mat. 26. ver. 31. Then said Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the Sheep of the Flock shall be scattered abroad. Ah! Sirs, Death has smitten our Physician, and we are like to be scattered abroad: God Almighty knows where we may be forced to Winter; where we may be driven for shelter from the Furious Ocean, we cannot as yet tell: But the great, yea certain likelihood of our being Tossed up and down the World for several Months, before we can get about Cape of good Hope, makes this Loss the more considerable, and our Condition the more lamentable.  
Thirdly, Consider, he is taken away in his Youthful days, yea, in the very flower of his Youth, in the height and excellency of his Strength. We ought to be Mourners in the Street, when we see any Man go to his Long Home; but to see a Young Man go there, that's newly come into the World: That is beginning (as it were) to live; that is, but blossoming in the early Spring of his Years— to see such an one so immaturely seized upon by the griping paw of Death: Oh! this must needs aggravate Sorrow very greatly. Upon this account it was, that there was made such an heavy Lamentation for the Death of Josiah, that Famous: King of Judah, 2 Chron. 35. ver. 24, 25. His servants therefore took him out of that Chariot, and put him in the second Chariot that he had, and they brought him to Jerusalem, and he Died, and was Buried in one of the Sepulchers of his Fathers; and all Judah, and Jerusalem Mourned for Josiah. And Jeremiah Lamented for Josiah, and all the Singing Men, and the Singing Women, spoke of Josiah in their Lamentations to this day, and made them an Ordinance in Israel; and behold they are written in the Lamentations. He had not Lived out half his days, but was unexspectedly taken off from farther doing of Good; and this made them Lament so sorely over him: And the same cause have we to Lament this day, for this our Deceased Friend, who, contrary to the thoughts and expectations of us all, was on a sudden snatched from us, before he had arrived to the Thirtyeth Year of his Age. He was an healthy strong Man. I remember not above two days before he sickened, he was Jocosely telling me, he looked upon himself as the most healthy and likeliest Man to Live in the Ship. Indeed I thought he was: But Ah! how soon was he gone! A little sickness carried him away. Lord, How vain a thing is Man! How subject to Fade and Perish in his strongest, and most advantageous state. I will not say of our Friend, as Virgil said of his Maecenas,  Longius annoso vivere dignus avo. 
But 'twas pity (had it been the Will of God) that a few Years more had not been added to his Life: And his being so untimely removed, bespoke our greater Lamentation.  
Fourthly, Consider, he is taken away in the midst of desires, and wishes for his Life. If Prayers, if Tears, if Endeavours of all sorts, could have laved his Life, this Sorrowful and Mournful day had not been. 'Tis a great Judgement for a Man to Live undesired, and to Die unlamented: And hence, when the Lord would express his Anger to Jchoiakim for his wickedness, he threatens him with this Judgement, Jer. 22. ver. 18, 19 Therefore thus saith the Lord converning Jchoiakim the Son of Josiah King of Judah, they shall not Lament for him, saying, Ah! my Brother; or Ah! my Sister; they shall not Lament for him, saying, Ah! Lord; or Ah! his Glory. He shall be buried with the Eurial of an Ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the Gates of Jerusalem. But it is not so with our Friend. I am confident not a Person here, but does really Lament his Death. I see the Characters of Sorrow engraven in all your Faces. I know you Loved him Living, and now Dead, you are Mourners for him And I ●a●e farther 〈◊〉, had your Sorrow been as Effectual, as it was Cordial, you had prevented his Decease. So that, Hand opus est Calearibus. There's no need of any Spurs to your Lamentation, that Labour is happily obviated. I have indeed been showing you, for your Satisfaction and Consolation, the just grounds of your Sorrow, to secure you from the imputation of Irrational. I shall now conclude, only with a few words, to put your Sorrow in the right Channel; that you may sorrow (as the Apostle phrases it) after a Godly sort.  
First, Mourn for this Loss by way of Reflection; That is, Reflect on the condition you might have been in, if God had called you to an account for your manifold Sins. Is a Man of such Use and Worth taken away so suddenly by Death from us; Oh! How should we Fear and Tremble, to think what will become of us, who are of so little Use in the World, who have lived unprositably, and unfruitfully all our days; who have done little or no good, in the several Capacities we have been. How should it also incite us to a speedy and unfeigned Repentance, lest a worse Death come upon us; according to the advice of our blessed Lord, Luke 13. ver. 2, 3. And Jesus answering, said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell ye nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Oh! Sirs, do you think, that this our dear and worthy Brother was a Sinner above all of us; because he is gone down into the shades of Death before us? I tell you nay, but except you and I repent, we shall all likewise perish. Oh! Therefore I beseech you, let this sad providence be a loud call to Repentance and Reformation; and to say with the Church— Come, let us turn to the Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.  
Secondly, Mourn for this Loss by way of Humiliation. Oh! labour to be so sensible of this sad Stroke, as to be humbled under it; and to lie low before the Lord, who hath so sorely visited us in this most grievous manner. Humiliation is the great expected, and designed End of Correction. God led his ancient People through the Wilderness, and exercised them with manifold Temptations, that he might humble them, and consequently do them good in their latter end. 'Tis sign of an hardened, and obdurate Heart induced, when there is no humbling under the mighty Hand of God: And Reprobate-Silver shall Men call them, that are not Resined in the Furnace of Affliction. 'Twas spoken as an horrid Aggravation of Israel's Iniquity, and Impenitency, that after all the Lashes and Scourges of God's Rod, and all his proceed in way of Judgement against them: Yet (says the Text) they are not humbled even unto this day. Ah! Sirs, How Lamentably would our Sins be heightened, how exceedingly would our Souls be ripened for Destruction; if we should not be humbled under this present awful Dispensation! For verily, the Lord is risen up, as in Mount Perizim: He is Wroth, as in the Valley of Gideon; and is doing his Work, his strange Work; and is bringing to pass his Act, his strange Act; in visiting our Transgressions with this smarting Rod; and our Iniquities with this wounding Stripe! And shall we say, the Shadow of the Mountain; and make but a light thing of it? Oh! God forbidden! But rather I beseech you, let us (whilst our Spirits are dejected by this Loss) endeavour to have our heart's humbled in the Sense of the Lord's anger, that he may not farther be provoked to bring worse evils and calamities upon us. How was David humbled, and melted at the News of the Death of Saul and Jonathan? How did he broke forth into this bitter Lamentation, 2 Sam. 1. ver. 19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places, how are the mighty fallen. Truly we may justly take up the same Complaint, in the same words, The beauty of our society, the glory of our company, the excellency of our community, is fallen and perished from among us this day; which bespeaks not only Heart-contrition, but Soul-humiliation.  
Thirdly, Mourn for this Loss, by way of submission, and resignation of your Wills, to the good Will and Pleasure of Almighty God; and ceasing to murmur or complain, because that he has done it. We should say of this Dispensation, as the Magicians said of the Lice, Exod. 8. ver. 19 Then the Magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: And Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he harkened not unto them, as the Lord had said. Oh! Sirs, we should say, this is the handy work of God, of that God, Whose Judgements are unsearchable, and whose Ways are past finding out: and therefore we ought, with all holy filial Reverence, to submit to what he has done.  
Fourthly, Oh! Mourn for this Loss, by way of preparations, for your own turn, whensoever it shall please God to call you to it. This was Moses his wish for Israel; and it is mine for you, Deut. 32. ver. 29. O that they were wise, that they knew this, that they would consider their Latter End. So to consider of it, as to prepare for it. And especially to consider of it, when we see others taken away from among us. Oh! How should Objects of Mortality before us, be as pressing Lectures of Divinity to us, to put us in mind of the certainty of our own Dying, and the necessary prae-requisites to a Dying State; that when we come to the Borders of Death, instead of fearing it, we may sarcasmally triumph over it in the words of the blessed Apostle, O Death, where is thy Sting,? O Grave, where is thy Victory? And when (like Aaron upon Mount Hor) we are stripped of the Robes of Mortality, we may be invested with the more beauteous and transcendent Garment of everlasting Glory in our Father's House, where are many Mansions, to enjoy the Soul-ravishing Communion of blessed Saints and Angels in the highest Heaven; to sit under the shadow of our Glorified Lord Jesus with great delight, and to have his Fruit for ever pleasant to our Taste, wrapped up in the Joys and Consolations of the Spirit, waiting for that one only additional Happiness, even the Adoption; to wit, the Redemption of the Body. In a word, to be with our own God; the God of all Peace and Comfort, in whose Presence there is fullness of Joy, and at whose Right Hand there are Pleasures for evermore.  
FINIS.   

AN ELEGY On the Death of the beforenamed Mr. Rich, Bernard, Consecrated to his MEMORY, BY ONE Who Loved him Dear, Prized him Highly, And Laments him Greatly.  

CAN Grief be silent! Rather, can Grief speak!  
A Topful Vessel scarce finds vent to Leak.  
Hearts that are charged, and overpressed with Sorrow,  
Deny to lend what Mourning Tongues would borrow.  
Words may be formed in saddest case, no doubt;  
But Sighs and Groans will stop their passage out.  
Wonder not then we are so Mute, even now,  
Our Souls to Grief's most rigid Laws we bow.  
And in the Dust seem liveless as we lie,  
True Hieroglyphics of our Misery;  
Sense of our Loss, deprives us of all Sense,  
We more than Masters in Griefs-School Commence:  
Like Weeping Niobes we are become,  
Grief makes us sad, but Horror strikes us dumb!  
Our Tongues can't Accent, what our Hearts direct,  
Deep Groans and Sobs must be our Dialect!  
We'll Sob his Death, and with an Heart-fetched Groan,  
That Loss (which ne'er can be repaired) make known.  
A Loss indeed, beyond a Vulgar Loss,  
As far, as Ophir purest Gold's from Dross:  
Death hath not snatched one of our common Friends,  
But one, in whom the Life of Friendship ends.  
The Soul of Love, the Quintessence of Mirth,  
Whose presence midwived Joy into a Birth;  
Who Loved, and knew to blow (where e'er he came)  
The Sparks of Pleasure to an open Flame:  
So Apprehensive, half-eyed Men might see,  
He was ingenious to a Prodigy.  
His rare and great Accomplishments enhanced  
His Price, above all Value; and Advanced  
Th' admired Capacity of his known Name,  
To cope the glory of Machaon's Fame:  
In all the Rules of Physic he excelled,  
And very hardly to be Paralleled.  
Diseases owned his Power, and Heaven did Bless  
His Skill to most, with wonderful Success.  
Besides all this, he had a greater Art,  
To feel the Pulse of a Distempered Heart;  
And by his Candid Carriage to untie,  
The Gordian-Knot of inward Misery:  
His Wit and Parts, dispelled the Clouds of Sadness,  
And changed Sorrow into peals of Gladness.  
Judge, judge how Mournful now is our Condition,  
That thus have lost a Duplicate-Physitian.   

Well might the Cannons roar when he was gone,  
The fittest Emblem of our general Moan;  
They were our Organs, through which we broke  
Griefs deadly silence, and in Thunder spoke:  
We sent (by them) our loud-mouthed doleful Cries,  
Resounding Woe and Horror to the Skies.  
The Air was black with Smoke, to let us see,  
That Element did Mourn as well as we:  
The Sea did Foam, Neptune was full of Fears,  
Lest he should shake his Kingdom 'bout his Ears.  
And in our Fury rise to such a pass,  
As to attempt the wresting of his Mace;  
For having robbed us of so rich a Gem,  
More-prized by us, than all his Diadem.  
We needed not his Water for a Grave  
Unto our Friend, each Tear more than a Wave  
Would soon have swelled into a Sea for him,  
And been enough for th' Coffin in't to Swim:  
Or rather sink true Sorrow's such a freight  
To poise down more, than many Thousand Weight   

I now despise great Aeolus, and his storms,  
Though represented in tremendious forms.  
The raging of the Seas henceforth no more,  
Shall fright my Soul, thought Winds and Waves do roar;  
Now he is there whose influencing charms,  
Keep back their fury from inflicting harms;  
And by his Art and Skill right Chemical,  
Makes all their Waters more than medicinal  
'Twas often said, The Sea abounds in Store  
More than the Earth, I ne'er believed before;  
But now I shall, and readily submit  
With all my heart, unto the Truth of it;  
Since so much Learning, Parts, and Worth, is in't,  
What can it be less, than a peerless Mint?   

Here stop my Pen, no farther ' tempt to build  
Statues of Mourning in this sable Field:  
Call for the Epilogue, draw out the Screen,  
And put Conclusion to this doleful Scene.  
The Floods of Tears which from our Eyes have run,  
With Sighs he's wafted to Elysium.    

The Epitaph.  

FArewel dear Heart, thy absence makes me sad,  
The truest Friend that ever Mortal had.  
My pleasant Sea-Consort, the very Soul,  
Of that delight, which Sadness does Control:  
My Bosom-Friend, to whom I could dispense,  
The greatest Secrets with safe-Confidence.  
My Counsellor, with whom I could advise,  
And learn by Imitation, to be Wise:  
A Brother dearer, than by Nature can,  
In Life and Death, to me a Jonathan.   

Rest, rest in Peace within thy Watry-Urn,  
Whilst I tossed up and down, shall Sigh and Mourn,  
To think of my great Loss, in losing Thee,  
Once happy in thy sweet Society.   

What! Art thou Dead? My thought my Dream was so.  
Ah! 'tis too true a Dream: the more the Woe.  
Thou hadst thy Plea, though cam'st unto thy Trial;  
Death was thy Judge, and would have no Denial.   
Charles Nicholettes.