of God, the last, best gift of heaven. And a thousand circumstances may inhance the distress; perhaps the child, the friend, died in our embrace! Perhaps, was snatched away, when we looked not for it! Flourishing, cut down like a flower! In all these cases, we not only may, but ought to be affected: it is the design of God, that we should. He would not have us stocks and stones: he would have our affections regulated, not extinguished. Therefore
"Nature unreprov'd may drop a tear:"
There may be sorrow without sin.
5. * A still deeper sorrow we may feel, for those who are dead while they live, on account of the unkindness, ingratitude, apostacy of those, who were united to us in the closest ties. Who can express what a lover of souls may feel, for a friend, a brother dead to God? For an husband, a wife, a parent, a child, rushing into sin as an horse into the battle, and in spite of all arguments and persuasions, hasting to work out his own damnation? And this anguish of spirit may be heightened to am inconceivable degree, by the consideration, that he who is now posting to destruction, once ran well in the way of life. Whatever he was in time past, serves now to no other purpose, than to make our reflections on what he is, more piercing and afflictive.
6. In all these circumstances we may be assured our great adversary will not be wanting to improve his opportunity. He who is always
