Therefore you his forrowful furviving Half, and the rest of his Mourning Friends fhould not think on him as loft, but as fet at liberty; not as decaying amongst the Clods of the Valley, but as fhining on an illuftrious Throne. Stop your Tears, for were he fenfible of your Grief, and capable of making a Pause in the midst of his Hallelujahs, he would say to you that furvive, Weep not for me, but weep for your felves. Therefore let us all think what Improvement to make of this fudden and furprizing Providence: And those things that 'tis proper to inftruct us in, I shall but just name, and conclude. Let this Providence put us on the most serious Confideration; In the day of adverfity confider, fays the wife Man. Let us confider and reflect upon the Vanity and Uncertainty of Human Life; furely when fo bright and vigorous a Flame is fo fuddenly extinguish'd, that Scripture is eminently fulfill'd that fays, Verily Man in his best Estate is altogether Vanity. Let us learn a holy Indifferency to the things of this World; let us be convinc'd how ineffectual are all kind of means to preserve Life, when the Decree is gone forth. If the Skill of Physicians, if the melting Affection of a Wife, and the fervent Prayers of Minifters could have prevented the Death of our Friend, we had not been mourning here at this time: Therefore let us adore the Sovereignty of God, who acts as he pleafes, and gives no account of his Matters to the Children of Men. Let us truft in the Lord, who changeth not, and fubmit to his difpofing Will, which is directed by Wisdom and Love. Finally, prepare to follow; Be ye also ready: walk with God while

you

you tarry here, that when he calls you out of this lower World, he may take you into his blissful Presence, and fay unto each of you, Mat. 25.21. Well done, thou good and faithful Servant; thou haft been faithful over a few things, I will make thee Ruler over many things: enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord.

A

A

Funeral Sermon

Occafion'd by the

DEATH

OF

Mr.WILLIAM WILKS,

Who departed this Life Nov. 21. 1700.

Preach'd at Stepny the 26th of the fame Month.

To my Worthy Friend

Mrs. SARAH WILKS.

MADAM,

WAS your Husband's Request on his Death-bed, and your Renewal of it after his Deceafe, that engag'd me to difcourfe from that Text of Scripture (at the time of his Interment) which is the Foundation of the following Sermon. Which through the Importunity of you and your Friends, and not my own choice, is now made publick; elfe I could never have had the va nity to expofe fo uncorrect a Difcourfe in an Age fo judicious and polite. But if any thing in So plain and unpolish'd a Sermon, Shall any way promote the Glory of the Re

G

deemer,