_THE Discourse which I now offer to the Publick was drawn up on a very
sorrowful Occasion; the Death of a most desirable Child, who was
formed in such a Correspondence to my own Relish and Temper, as to be
able to give me a Degree of Delight, and consequently of Distress,
which I did not before think it possible I could have received from a
little Creature who had not quite compleated her Fifth Year._
_Since the Sermon was preached, it has pleased_ GOD _to make the like
Breaches on the Families of several of my Friends; and, with Regard to
some of them, the Affliction hath been attended with Circumstances of
yet sorer Aggravation. Tho' several of them are removed to a
considerable Distance from me, and from each other I have born their
Afflictions upon my Heart with cordial Sympathy; and it is with a
particular Desire of serving them, that I have undertaken the sad Task
of reviewing and transcribing these Papers; which may almost be called
the Minutes of my own Sighs and Tears, over the poor Remains of my
eldest and (of this Kind) dearest Hope, when they were not as yet_
buried out of my Sight.
_They are, indeed, full of Affection, and to be sure some may think
they are too full of it: But let them consider the Subject, and the
Circumstances, and surely they will pardon it. I apprehend, I could
not have treated such a Subject coldly, had I writ upon it many years
ago, when I was untaught in the School of Affliction, and knew nothing
of such a Calamity as this, but by Speculation or Report: How much
less could I do it, when_ GOD _had touched me in so tender a Part, and
(to allude to a celebrated ancient Story,) called me out to appear on
a publick Stage, as with an Urn in my Hand, which contained the Ashes
of my own Child!_
_In such a sad Situation Parents, at least, will forgive the Tears of
a Parent, and those Meltings of Soul which overflow in the following
Pages. I have not attempted to run thro' the Common place of_
immoderate Grief, _but have only selected a few obvious Thoughts which
I found peculiarly suitable to myself; and, I bless_ GOD, _I can truly
say, they gave me a solid and substantial Relief, under a Shock of
Sorrow, which would otherwise have broken my Spirits._
_On my own Experience, therefore, I would recommend them to others, in
the like Condition, And let me intreat my Friends and Fellow-Sufferers
to remember, that it is not a low Degree of Submission to the Divine
Will, which is called for in the ensuing Discourse. It is
comparatively an easy Thing to behave with external Decency, to
refrain from bold Censures and outragious Complaints, or to speak in
the outward Language of Resignation. But it is not, so easy to get rid
of every repining Thought, and to forbear taking it, in some Degree at
least, unkindly, that the_ GOD _whom we love and serve, in whose
Friendship we have long trusted and rejoiced, should act what, to
Sense, seems so unfriendly a Part: That he should take away a Child;
and if a Child,_ that Child; _and if that Child, at that Age; and if
at that Age, with this or that particular Circumstance, which seems
the very Contrivance of Providence to add double Anguish to the Wound;
and all this, when he could so easily have recalled it; when we know
him to have done it for so many others; when we so earnestly desired
it; when we sought it with such Importunity, and yet, as we imagine,
with so much Submission too:--That, notwithstanding all this; he
should tear it away with an inexorable Hand, and leave us, it may be
for a while, under the Load, without any extraordinary Comforts and
Supports, to balance so grievous a Tryal.--In these Circumstances, not
only to justify, but to glorify_ GOD _in all,--chearfully to subscribe
to his Will,--cordially to approve it as merciful and gracious,--so as
to be able to say, as the pious and excellent Archbishop of _Cambray_
did, when his Royal Pupil, and the Hopes of a Nation were taken
away_[+], "_If there needed no more than to move a Straw to bring him
to Life again, I would not do it, since the Divine Pleasure is
otherwise".--This, this is a difficult Lesson indeed; a Triumph of
Christian Faith and Love, which I fear many of us are yet to learn._
_But let us follow after it, and watch against the first Rising of a
contrary Temper, as most injurious to_ GOD, _and prejudicial to
ourselves. To preserve us against it, let us review the Considerations
now to be proposed, as what we are to digest into our Hearts, and work
into our Thoughts and our Passions. And I would hope, that if we do in
good earnest make the Attempt, we shall find this Discourse a cooling
and sweetening Medicine, which may allay that inward Heat and
Sharpness, with which, in a Case like ours, the Heart is often
inflamed and corroded. I commend it, such as it is, to the Blessing of
the great Physician, and could wish the Reader to make up its many
Deficiencies, by Mr._ Flavel's Token for Mourners, _and Dr._
Grosvenor's Mourner; _to which, if it suit his Relish, he may please
to add Sir_ William Temple's Essay on the Excess of Grief: _Three
Tracts which, in their very different Strains and Styles, I cannot but
look upon as in the Number of the best which our Language, or,
perhaps, any other, has produced upon this Subject._
_As for this little Piece of mine, I question not, but, like the
Generality of single Sermons, it will soon be worn out and forgot. But
in the mean time, I would humbly hope, that some tender Parent, whom
Providence has joined with me in sad Similitude of Grief, may find
some Consolation from it, while sitting by the Coffin of a beloved
Child, or mourning over its Grave. And I particularly hope it, with
Regard to those dear and valuable Friends, whose Sorrows, on the like
Occasion, have lately been added to my own. I desire that, tho' they
be not expressly named, they would please to consider this Sermon as
most affectionately and respectfully_ dedicated to them; _and would,
in Return, give me a Share in their Prayers, that all the Vicissitudes
of Life may concur to quicken me in the Duties of it, and to ripen me
for that blessed World, where I hope many of those dear Delights,
which are now withering around us, will spring up in fairer and more
durable Forms._ Amen.
Northampton,
_Jan._ 31, 1736-7.