rienced triumphant joy, in the bleffed hope and affurance of eternal life! through the merits of their dear Redeemer.

I have also beheld, on the other hand, the habitations of fplendor exhibit a mournful scene of distress, far different from the former! then, when the approach of death hath begun to appear, attended with all its tremblings and fearful apprehensions of an after ftate! when the foul, agonizing in its pains, hath viewed things in a far different light to what it had before done, when even the riches, in which it had long trusted, fell short of giving the leaft fatisfaction: no hope of future happiness afforded to the poffeffor! but, on the contrary, a gloomy profpect of defpair; of an eternal state of mifery! of this I have been made a forrowful witnefs, that fome have gone out of the world," without God, without hope ;"* without one comfortable reflection from the facred ransom of a dying Saviour.

In vain have they ardently wifhed, in an expiring hour, that they might have been permitted to lengthen out their allotment of life, a little longer; that they might have but a short space of added time afforded them for the important purpose of repentance, and amendment of life; for "feeding the hungry, cloth"ing the naked, and visiting the fick;" virtues, to which they had no pretence, in any of their past hours, and which then it proved too late for them to

* Eph. ii. 12.

attain, however neceffary, for their standing approved at the laft judgment, to which they were approach. ing.

May we all therefore learn instruction, from examples like thefe; and derive fuch advantage from this prefent folemnity; feeking and embracing "the good "word of life;" and ever stedfaftly adhering to it, fo long as we continue in mutability.

May we never withdraw ourfelves, from watchful attention, to the guidance of divine Providence; never indulge ourselves in arrogance, or trust too much to the rectitude of our own hearts: but " pray without ceafing," ,"* that we may be enabled to " do works meet for repentance;"+ and thereby attain an eternal inheritance in the kingdom of God.

Once more fuffer me to entreat you, my friends, in great good will, often ferioufly to reflect upon the importance of the petition which I have thus far endeavoured to enforce-" Two things have I required of thee, O Lord! deny me them not before I die." As I am fully fatisfied it is not and will not be fufficient for me, though I should stand ever so eminently high, on the account of riches, or honours, in the esteem or applause of men; "Remove, therefore, far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; but feed me," I pray thee, "with food convenient for

me, left I be full and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or left I be poor and steal, and take the name my God in vain."

of

Ever beware of the first admiffion of evil. Guard the avenues of your hearts; make it your peculiar study "fo to number your days," as to "apply your hearts unto wisdom ;"* and to advance therein, keep the account of your paffing moments with greater exactnefs than you would wish to do of your most important temporal concerns.

It is an ufual faying, "That short reckonings make long friends:" continue this short and frequent reckoning; ever efteeming "the numbering of your days aright," to be the most neceffary and blessed exercise; that hereby ye may be in a continual readiness for your final removal, how fudden foever it may be permitted.

nue to "

Some of you are doubtlefs truly fenfible of the importance of thus acquiring, the divine favour; contikeep your hearts" in this frame" with all diligence, for out of them proceed the issues of life :" † remember too that as we are a people who have been frequently blamed for departing from fet forms, how neceffary therefore it is for us all to keep up, in the very inmost receffes of our hearts the daily facrifices of prayer and praife, of fervent mental fupplications, reverently to offer them to the "Father who seeth in fecret and rewardeth openly ;" and let us never for

* Pfal. xc. 12.

+ Prov. iv. 23.

+ Matt. vi. 61.

May

get, that if the mind once gets off its guard, and relaxes in its earnest purfuit of the divine favour, the enemy is then moft watchful to enter and to feduce. you all therefore keep within the verge of innocency: and ever let your morning oblations, and evening facrifices accompany your spirits to the throne of grace.

Ye rifing tender youth, of whom there is a number in this city, for whofe welfare I am at this time, and believe I fhall ever remain, anxiously folicitous :

May grace, mercy and peace, attend you through the fucceeding steps of your lives! May the Father of infinite mercy ftill accompany your fpirits! May you live in the perfect love and fear of him; making conftant, daily inquiry into your immortal states; always remembering that you must one day fall beneath the stroke of death! May your evening and morning facrifices, therefore, of fervent prayer, and of a fincere and ftedfast devotion, be constantly directed up to your Creator! Affuring yourselves that in cafting your care upon, and trufting in him, he will remember you in his divine love; that he will "remove vanity and lies far from you, and feed you with food convenient for you ;"* that "in bleffing he will bless you: and in multiplying he will multiply" his favours towards you; crowning you in the end with joy unfpeakable and full of glory!" †

To conclude, let us all treasure up in our minds, and firmly retain this comfortable affurance, "Verily there is a reward for the righteous; verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth."

A Prayer after the foregoing Difcourse.

IT is unto Thee, the Author of all our mercies, thou moft glorious and holy One! that we presume to have recourse; and with the deepest humility and refignation of mind, to acknowledge thy present bleffings, and the diffufion of thy wisdom and goodness, with gratitude, reverence and feeling fubmiffion! As thou best knoweft what is beft for us, we beg that we may be continually favoured with thy providential and fatherly difpenfations; and with that mercy which fanctifies them, which renders them most highly inftructive and ufeful to us that hence we may enjoy inward peace in the time of outward trouble: we befeech Thee thus to carry on and complete our fanctification and falvation, that in thy appointed time, we may attain "an endless inheritance with the faints in light." *

We humbly request that "all things may work together for good to those" that are afflicted: may they properly liften to the inftructive voice of affliction;