FUNERAL Sermons and Oration, among Christians. Though this practice is considerably improved, and cleared of many things which would smell too rank of paganism, and is thrown into a method which, perhaps, may be of some service to Christianity; yet, notwithstanding this new dress, its original may very easily be discerned. The method in which the characters of deceased persons are given in our funeral sermons, is very much the same with that observed in those pagan orations; where first an account is given of the parentage of the deceased, then of his education; after that, we hear of his conduct in riper years: then his many virtues are reckoned up, with his generous, noble, and excellent performances.—Nor let the practice be condemned because of its rise and original; for why may not the customs of heathens, if just and laudable in themselves, and nowise pernicious to Christianity in their consequences, be followed by Christians? Only, since we are come into this practice, there is one thing we should take care to follow them in; and that is, not to make those sermons or orations for every one; but for those only whose characters are distinguished, who have been eminently useful in the world, and in the church of Christ. The old heathens honoured those alone with this part of the funeral solemnity, who were men of probity and justice, renowned for their wisdom and knowledge, or famous for warlike exploits: This, as Cicero * informs us, being part of the law for burials, * De Legibus which directs, that the praises only of honourable persons shall be mentioned in the oration. It would be much more agreeable, therefore, if our funeral discourses were not so common, and if the characters given of the deceased were more just; devoid of that fulsome flattery with which they too often abound.