SECT. VIII. A Peroration concerning the Contingencies and Treatings of our departed Friends after Death, in order to their Burial, &c. HEN we have received τάδε δ ̓ ἀμφιπορισόμεθ' οίσε the last breath of our μάλιστα Κήδεός ἐστι νέκυς. Iliad '. friend, and closed his eyes, and compofed his body for the grave, then seasonable is the counsel of the fon of Sirach; Weep bitterly Eccluf. 38. 17. 20. and make great moan, and use la mentation as he is worthy, and that a day or two, left thou be evil spoken of; and then comfort thyself for thy heaviness. But take no grief to heart; for there is no turning again: thou shalt not do him good, but hurt thyself. Solemn and appointed mournings are good expreffions of our dearness to the departed Soul, and of his worth, and our value of him; and it hath its praise in nature, and in manners and public cuftoms: but the praise of it is not in the Gospel, that * · Ως γενναίως ἀποδεδάκρυκέ s,dixit Socrates de Ergaftulario lugente. is, it hath no direct and proper uses in Religion. For if the dead did die in the Lord, then there is joy to him, and it is an ill expreffion of our affection and our charity to weep uncomfortably at a change that hath carried my friend to the Nemo me lacrymis decoret, nec funera fletu Faxit: cur? volito vivus per ora virûm. Ennius. Γέρσας μέντοι πάντας ἐπὶ συνησθησομένους ἐμοὶ, ὅτι ἐν parental, des dev av eтi nanov Tadεiv, mai, pane v undèvre of. fate of a huge felicity. But if τὸ μνῆμα τούμον παρακαλεῖτε the man did perish in his folly and his fins, there is indeed caufe to mourn, but no hopes of being comforted; for he shall never return to μήτε ἢν μετὰ τοῦ θείου γένο Cyrus apud Xenoph. in the ufual measures of time, and the periods of repentance, and the trimming of his lamp: and let the greatness of the calamity be accepted by thee as an inftrument to procure pardon for thofe defects and degrees of unreadiness which may have caused this accident upon thy Servant. Lord, stir up him a great and effectual contrition; that the greatnefs of the forrow, and hatred against sin, and the zeal of his love to thee, may in a short time do the work of many days. And thou who regardest the heart and the measures of the mind more than the delay and the measures of time, let it be thy pleasure to rescue the Soul of thy Servant from all the evils he hath deferved, and all the evils that he fears; that in the glorifications of Eternity, and the Songs which to eternal ages thy Saints and holy Angels thall fing to the honour of thy mighty Name and invaluable mercies, it may be reckoned among thy glories, that thou had redeemed this Soul from the dangers of an eternal death, and made him partaker of the gift of God, eternal life, through Jefus Christ our Lord. Amen. If there be time, the Prayers in the foregoing offices may be added, according as they can be fitted to the prefent circumftances. SECT. VIII. A Peroration concerning the Contingencies and Treatings of our departed Friends after Death, in order to their Burial, &c. HEN we have received Τάδε δ ̓ ἀμφιπονησόμεθ ̓ οἷσι the last breath of our friend, and closed his e eyes, μάλιστα Κήδεός ἐστι νέκυς. Iliad. and compofed his body for the grave, then seasonable is the counsel of the fon of Sirach; Weep bitterly Eccluf. 38. 17. 20. * ̔Ως γενναίως ἀποδεδάκρυκέ e-dixit Socrates de Ergaftulario lugente. and make great moan, and use lamentation as he is worthy, and that a day or two, left thou be evil Spoken of; and then comfort thyself for thy heaviness. But take no grief to heart; for there is no turning again: thou shalt not do him good, but hurt thyself. Solemn and appointed mournings are good expreffions of our dearness to the departed Soul, and of his worth, and our value of him; and it hath its praise in nature, and in manners * and public customs: but the praise of it is not in the Gospel, that is, it hath no direct and proper uses in Religion. For if the dead did die in the Lord, then there is joy to him, and it is an ill expreffion Nemo me lacrymis decoof our affection and our charity to weep uncomfortably at a change that hath carried my friend to the ftate of a huge felicity. But if the man did perish in his folly his fins, there is indeed caufe to mourn, but no hopes of being comforted; for he shall never return to and ret, nec funera fletu Faxit: cur? volito vivus per ora virûm. Ennius. Γέρσας μέντοι πάντας ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμα τοῦμον παρακαλεῖτε monoquévous imot, ers in συνησθησομένους ἐμοὶ, ὅτι ἐν T apare in toquas, is μηδὲν ἂν ἔτι κακὸν παθεῖν, μήτε ἢν μετὰ τοῦ θείου γένο Te v undèv ti a3. Cyrus apud Xenoph. the usual measures of time, and the periods of repentance, and the trimming of his lamp: and let the greatness of the calamity be accepted by thee as an inftrument to procure pardon for those defects and degrees of unreadiness which may have caused this accident upon thy Servant. Lord, stir up in him a great and effectual contrition; that the greatness of the sorrow, and hatred against sin, and the zeal of his love to thee, may in a short time do the work of many days. And thou who regardest the heart and the measures of the mind more than the delay and the measures of time, let it be thy pleasure to rescue the Soul of thy Servant from all the evils he hath deserved, and all the evils that he fears; that in the glorifications of Eternity, and the Songs which to eternal ages thy Saints and holy Angels shall fing to the honour of thy mighty Name and invaluable mercies, it may be reckoned among thy glories, that thou had redeemed this Soul from the dangers of an eternal death, and made him partaker of the gift of God, eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. If there be time, the Prayers in the foregoing offices may be added, according as they can be fitted to the prefent circumstances. SECT. VIII. A Peroration concerning the Contingencies and Treatings of our departed Friends after Death, in order to their Burial, &c. HEN we have received Τάδε δ ̓ ἀμφιπονησόμεθ' οίσε the last breath of our friend, and closed his eyes, μάλιστα Κήδεός ἐστι νέκυς. Iliad '. and compofed his body for the grave, then seasonable is the counfel of the fon of Sirach; Weep bitterly Eccluf. 38. 17. 20. and make great moan, and use la * Ως γενναίως ἀποδεδάκρυκέ dixit Socrates de Ergaftulario lugente. mentation as he is worthy, and that a day or two, left thou be evil Spoken of; and then comfort thyself for thy heaviness. But take no grief to heart; for there is no turning again: thou shalt not do him good, but hurt thyself. Solemn and appointed mournings are good expreffions of our dearness to the departed Soul, and of his worth, and our value of him; and it hath its praise in nature, and in manners and public customs: but the praife of it is not in the Gospel, that is, it hath no direct and proper uses in Religion. For if the dead did die in the Lord, then there is joy to him, and it is an ill expreffion of our affection and our charity to weep uncomfortably at a change that hath carried my friend to the ftate of a huge felicity. But if the man did perish in his folly and his fins, there is indeed caufe to mourn, but no hopes of being comforted; for he shall never return to Nemo me lacrymis deco ret, nec funera fletu Faxit: cur? volito vivus per ora virûm. Ennius. Γέρσας μέντοι πάντας ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμα τούμον παρακαλεῖτε συνησθησομένους ἐμοὶ, ὅτι ἐν to as part on topal, as μηδὲν ἂν ἔτι κακὸν παθεῖν, μas, Tv μndy T o. μήτε ἢν μετὰ τοῦ θείου γένο Cyrus apud Xenoph. |