his staff, will yet comfort them. We may hope, that by his care, rays of glory shall cheer them through the gloom and the gates of The invisible world, of which he holds the keys †, shall be opened upon them, in a manner which shall least shock and surprise. He will surely manifest himself to them by such gracious tokens, and embrace their separate spirits, with such unknown endearments, as shall leave no room for one moment's terror, or even a moment's suspicion. He will delight to teach them the songs of heaven, as soon as the breath passes from their mortal lips; and attemper the rays of opening glory in such a manner, as he knows most suitable to the state of spirits new-born from flesh.

These meditations seem naturally connected with the subject; and I am sure, they are full of divine consolation, to support us under the death of our pious friends, and in the views of our own, which is so soon to succeed it: especially, when connected with the last reflection I shall suggest, viz.

5. With what holy triumph will Christ rejoice over all his people, when he hath finally recovered them from the power of the grave, and destroyed that last enemy?

What our Lord did in this instance for Lazarus, was but an imperfect specimen of what he intends shortly to do for all that sleep in him. All that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and come forth? and the Dead in Christ shall rise first §. Delightful prospect, for the Redeemer, and all the redeemed! While Christ was thus weeping over Lazarus, he Knew what he would do; and we may assure ourselves, that his gracious heart felt a secret unutterable pleasure in the thought of it. It must be delightful to him, while sympathizing with these mourners, to reflect how soon he should Give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; how soon he should turn their sorrow into raptures of pleasing surprise, by the revival of this lamented friend. And when he came to the tomb, and spake those divinely efficacious words, Lazarus come forth; who can describe, or imagine, the moving circumstances that attended it! With what transport did Lazarus, and Martha, and Mary, embrace and congratulate each other? With what a mixture of amazement and gratitude did they all prostrate themselves at the feet of their Almighty Saviour? and with what fervours of devotion and love did the newly ransomed captive of the grave

*Psal. xxiii. 4. John vi. 6.

+ Rev. i. 18.

Isa, Ixi. 3.

John v. 28, 29. §1 Thess. iv. 16.

consecrate to him the life which he had renewed? A stranger must have beheld such a sight with pleasure: How much sublimer delight must it then give to the great Author of such mutual happiness!

But, Oh my brethren, what was this resurrection of Lazarus to a mortal and a sinful state on earth, when compared with that resurrection to immortal holiness and glory which Christ is designing for all his people! Surely the very prospect of it must delight his compassionate heart, and add new joys to his throne at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Death is making havoc among his subjects here; those whom he loveth, are sick and dying; their Countenances gather blackness*, and their Bones are scattered at the grave's mouth+: But he foresees the day, when he shall lead captivity captive; and he seems to glory in the view of it, and to comfort himself, as it were, in the thought of that ample vengeance which he will shortly take on their cruel destroyer. Is not that the language of those sublime words? I will ransom them from the power of the grave: I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction; Repentance shall be hid from mine eyes ‡. "Like an inexorable conqueror, I will abolish the very memorial of thee."

And when the glorious work is accomplished, with what complacency and delight will he survey it! How joyfully will he welcome that important day, which is to wipe away the reproach of his servants, and to clothe them with beauty, honour, and immortality! When he sees them springing out of their graves, as a mighty nation born at once, and shining in his own complete likeness, with what pleasure will he view that happy change, hear their mutual congratulations, and accept their united praises! Attendant angels will undoubtedly rejoice; The morning stars will sing sweeter, than at laying the foundations of the earth, and the Sons of God will shout louder for joy §. With what pleasure then must the blessed Jesus view it, as the work of his own love, and the travail of his very soul !

It is a known circumstance in the story of Augustus Cæsar, that when he was quitting empire and life, he expressed his great satisfaction in the improvements he had made in the buildings of Rome, so that whereas he found it brick, he left it marble. But surely Christ may much more justly glory in it,

* Joel ii. 6. + Psal. cxli. 7.

+ Hos. xiii. 14. § Job xxxviii. 7. Jure fit gloriatus marmoream se relinquere, quam lateritiam accepisset. Sueton. Vit. Aug. cap. 28.

when he descends in all the pomp of the resurrection-day, that he has made a nobler change, even in this corporeal part of our nature; and that whereas he found it mortal corruptible clay, he has raised it to a strength and splendor superior to that of marble or adamant. This is the joy and triumph of the blessed Jesus: This is the glorious hope, that animates the christian under the mournful prospect of the ravages of death.

Glorious hope! reviving thought! at once adequate to the sorrows of this day; to the solemn occasion of which I must now turn, and persuade myself, I shall not trespass on your patience, though I should a little transgress the limits of your time, while I speak of that venerable and excellent person, of that dear, amiable, generous friend, whose much lamented removal has directed our meditations to this fruitful subject, on which it has been so hard to confine them.

The Reverend and eminently worthy Dr. Samuel Clark had the honour to be descended from ancestors remarkable for their learning and piety. Mr. Samuel Clark of Bennet Fink, so well known by his historical writings, was his great grandfather by the father's side; and Mr. Samuel Clark of Aylesbury, the author of those judicious annotations on the bible, which are still so generally esteemed, was his mother's father. As he bore the name of each, he imitated them both, as well in their ministerial, as christian character. His immediate parents were very valuable persons, whom God spared to an advanced age to rejoice in such a son; whom, in regard to the early marks both of genius and seriousness which they discerned in him, they early consecrated, together with his younger brother, the late Reverend Mr. Daniel Clark, to the service of the sanctuary. He pursued his academical studies under the direction of the learned Dr. Ker, with whom, as I have been assured by those who were then his companions, he acquired an early reputation; particularly, for that accurate acquaintance with the greek language, and that intimate knowledge of the scriptures, both of the Old and New Testament, in the original, which is so important, I had almost said, so indispensable a part of ministerial furniture.

When he left the academy, he did not chuse to enter on

* I have often heard Dr. Clark express the great satisfaction he had, in reading a piece of this author, which is called Select Lives, in a small folio. It indeed contains many very memorable things, no where else to be found; and Dr. Clark said, his early acquaintance with it had so happy a tendency to form his mind to the knowledge and love of inward religion, and its secret exercises; that he could not but carnestly recommend it to others, especially to young theological students,

preaching directly, though I believe few of his years were better qualified for it: But he resided some time in two families of rank, under the capacity of a chaplain and tutor; where, while he was directing the studies of young gentlemen committed to his care, he was greatly improving his own. He had in one of these families considerable offers of preferment in the established church; which, in concurrence with other much weightier considerations, put him on studying the foundations of nonconformity with great attention. The result is well known to you, by the happy effects of it, which you enjoyed for so many years: And though no man was less inslaved to a party-spirit, or more ready to do justice and honour to learning, moderation, and piety, wherever he found any of them; yet I am authorised to say, he never repented the choice he made, under all its temporal disadvantages: Nor is it any wonder to me, that the observation of growing years, and the freest converse with men and books, and above all, the nearest views of eternity increased his satisfaction in it.

During this period of retirement, of which I have just been speaking, he gave that accurate examination to all the most remarkable theological controversies, on which he fixed his judgment in relation to them. And as he heard all the different parties of christians pleading for themselves, and endeavoured to try them all by scripture, as the only infallible standard, he happily steered between opposite extremes: And his great natural sagacity enabling him to see much farther into many questions, than the generality of mankind do, he plainly discerned, that many matters which have been most warmly debated, have related to what is circumstantial rather than essential in the doctrines of christianity, and when sifted to the bottom, relate rather to different phrases, than different ideas. This gave him that moderation, for which he was so eminently remarkable and amiable; and engaged him, while he was vigorously supporting and strongly enforcing the great peculiarities of the gospel, to hold the truth in love, and not only to bear with those that expressed themselves differently with respect to some of them, but to pay a real deference to those valuable qualities which he discerned in them, and to which no man seemed to render more impartial justice. It was a maxim, which he early imbibed, and constantly retained, “that all the heresies which had corrupted and afflicted the church, owed their original to men's departing from the simplicity of scripture, and must derive their cure from a return to it."

When he appeared under the character of a preacher, he

happily joined the rational and pathetic with the scriptural and evangelical strain. In consequence of this, the most judicious hearers were entertained, whilst the least knowing were instructed, and they who had made the greatest progress in the divine life were led on to farther improvements. It was an honour to the taste and judgment of those who then constituted this society, that they unanimously made choice of him for their pastor: And who can express how great a blessing it has been to the church and auditory, to have enjoyed the benefit of his labours more than thirty-eight years? During which, as every public assembly in which he presided, has been witness to the fervency of his prayers, and the excellent matter and tendency of his discourses; so he has had a testimony in the conscience of every one that knew him, how powerful his instructions and exhortations were enforced by the most blameless and honourable conversation.

Most remarkably may it be said of him, that in strenuous imitation of his Divine Master, he went about doing good; and all the branches of his work were his delight. As his mind was furnished with a rich variety of knowledge, in consequence of a long and very close attention to reading, meditation, and prayer; so he was always ready to communicate it, and desirous to support, wherever he came, a spirit of rational and improving conversation; that he might fill up his time profitably abroad as well as at home, and redeem the hours which are so frequently lost even by persons of knowledge and piety. Seasons appointed for meals were not exempted from his care; and as the book of God, of course, furnished out his own family food for the mind during that of the morning*, so what he daily met with in other books, often greatly improved by his own judicious reflections, was happily introduced on other occasions.

His generous heart was always working with some benevolent and useful design; and he endeavoured to inspire all about him with such sentiments, and to encourage to the utmost every worthy pursuit, whether in his brethren in the ministry, or in private christians. His steadiness of temper carried him through the various accidents of life, with uncommon composure. Far from that desultory temper, which is

*It was in Dr. Clark's family a general custom, if no other necessary subject of conversation occurred, for every member of it present at breakfast to repeat a text of scripture; and I have known it from thence transplanted elsewhere.