lefs, graceless condition; and would call on fuch ferioufly to confider of that folemn day when they and F must meet before the Judge of the world.

My parting with you is in fome refpećts in a peculiar manner a melancholy parting; in as much as I leave you in moft melancholy circumftances; becaufe I leave you in the gall of bitternefs and bond of iniquity, having the wrath of God abiding on you, and remaining under condemnation to everlafting mifery and deftruction. Seeing I must leave you, it would have been a comfortable and happy circumflance of our parting, if I had left you in Chrift, fafe and bleffed in that fure refuge and glorious reft of the faints. But it is otherwife, I leave you far off, aliens and ftrangers, wretched fubjects, and captives of fin and Satan, and prifoners of vindictive juftice; without ........ Chrift, and without God in the world.

Your confciences bear me witnefs, that while I had opportunity, I have not ceafed to warn you, and fet before you your danger. I have ftudied to reprefent the mifery and neceffity of your circumftances in the clearest manner poffible. I have tried all ways that I› could think of tending to awaken your confciences, and make you fenfible of the neceflity of your im proving your time, and being speedy in flying from. the wrath to come, and thorough in the ufe of means for your efcape and fafety. I have diligently endeav oured to find out and use the most powerful motives to perfuade you to take care for your own welfare and falvation. I have not only endeavoured to awaken you, that you might be moved with fear, but: I have ufed my utmoft endeavours to win you: I have fought out acceptable words, that if poffible I might prevail. upon you to forfake fin, and turn to God, and accept of Chrift as your Saviour and Lord. I have spent my ftrength very much in these things. But yet, with regard to you whom I am now speaking to, I have not been fuccefsful: But have this day reafon to complain in those words, Jer. vi. 29. "The bellows are burnt,

the

the lead is confumed of the fire, the founder melteth in vain, for the wicked are not plucked away." It is to be feared that all my labours, as to many of you, have ferved to no other purpofe butto harden you; and that the word which I have preached, instead of being a favour of life unto life, has been a favour of death unto death. Though I fhall not have any account to give for the future of fuch as have openly and refolutely renounced my ministry, as of a betruftment committed to me; yet remember you must give account for yourselves, of your care of your own fouls, and your improvement of all means paft and future, through your whole lives. God only knows what will become of your poor perifhing fouls, what means you may hereafter enjoy, or what difadvantages and temptations you may be under. May God in mercy grant, that however alt paft means have been-unfuccefsful, you may have future means which may: have a new effect; and that the word or God, as it fhall hereafter be difpenfed to you, mayprove as the fire and the hammer that breaketh the rock. in pieces. However, let me now at parting exhort and befeech you not wholly to forget the warnings you have had while under my niniftry.-When you and I fhall meet at the day of judgment, then you will re member them: The fight of me your former minister, on that occafion, will foon revive them in your memory; and that in a very affecting manner. O do not let that be the firit time that they are fo revived!

You and I are now parting one from another as to this world; let us labour that we may not be parted after our meeting at the laft day. If I have been your faithful paftor, (which will that day appear, whether I have or not) then I fhall be acquitted, and fhall ascend with Chrift. O do your part, that in fuch a cafe, it may not be fo, that you fhould be forced eternally to part from me, and all that have been faithful in Chrift Jefus. This is a forrowful parting that now is between you and me; but that would be a more forrowful parting to you than this. This you may perhaps bear without

without being much affected with it, if you are not glad of it; but fuch a parting in that day will moft deeply, fenfibly, and dreadfully, affect you.

III. I would addrefs nryfelf to those who are under fome awakenings.

Bleffed be God that there are some fuch, and that (al-` though I have reason to fear I leave multitudes in this large congregation in à Chriftlefs ftate) yet I do not leave them all in total ftupidity and carele ffness about their fouls. Some of you, that I have reafon to hope are under fome awakenings, have acquainted me with your circumstances; which has a tendency to caufe me, now I am leaving you, to take my leave of you with peculiar concern for you. What will be the if fue of your prefent exercife of mind I know not: But it will be known at that day, when you and I fhal meet before the judgment-feat of Chrift. Therefore now be much in confideration of that day.

Now I am parting with this flock, I would once more prefs upon you the counfels I have heretofore given, to take heed of being flighty in fo great a concern, to be thorough and in good earneft in the affair, and to beware of backfliding, to hold on and hold out to the end. And cry mightily to God, that thefe great changes that pafs over this church and congregation do not prove your overthrow. There is great temptations in them; and the devil will undoubtedly feek to make his advantage of them, if poffible to caufe your prefent convictions and endeavours to be abortive. You had need to double your diligence, and watch and pray, left you be overcome by temptation.

Whoever may hereafter fland related to you as your fpiritual guide, my defire and prayer is, that the great Shepherd of the fheep would have a fpecial refpect to you, and be your guide, (for there is none teacheth like him,) and that he who is the infinite fountain of light, would " open your eyes, and turn you from dark nefs unto light, and from the power of Satan unto God; that you may receive forgiveness of fins, and inheritance

anheritance among them, that are fanctified, through faith that is in Chrift ;" that fo, in that great day, when I shall meet you again before your Judge and mine, we may meet in joyful and glorious circumftances, never to be feparated any more.

IV. I would apply myfelf to the young people of the congregation.

Since I have been fettled in the work of the miniftry in this place, I have ever had a peculiar cnncern for the fouls of the young people, and a defire that religion might flourish among them; and have efpecially exerted myself in order to it; because I knew the fpecial opportunity they have beyond others, and that ordinarily thofe whom God intended mercy for were brought to fear and love him in their youth. And it has ever appeared to me a peculiarly amiable thing, to fee young people walking in the ways of virtue and Chriftian pi-. ety, having their hearts purified and fweetened with a principle of divine love. And it has appeared a thing exceeding beautiful, and what would be much to the adorning and happiness of the town, if the young people could be perfuaded, when they meet together, to converse as Chriftians, and as the children of God; avoiding impurity, levity, and exaravagance; keeping ftrictly to rules of virtue, and converfing together of the things of God, and Chrift, and heaven. This is

what I have longed for: And it has been exceeding grievous to me when I have heard of vice, vanity, and diforder among our youth. And fo far as I know my heart, it was from hence that I formerly led this church to fome measures, for the fuppreffing vice among our young people, which gave fo great offence, and by which I became fo obnoxious. I have fought the good and not the hurt of our young people. I have defired their trueft honour and happinefs, and not their ; reproach; knowing that true virtue and religion tended not only to the glory and felicity of young people in another world, but their greatest peace and profperity, and higheft dignity and honour, in this world; and

above all things to fweeten, and render pleasant and delightful, even the days of youth.

But whether I have loved you, and fought your good more or lefs, yet God in his providence, now calling me to part with you, committing your fouls to him who once committed the paftoral care of them to me, nothing remains, but only (as I am now taking my leave of you) earnestly to befeech you, from love to yourfelves, if you have none to me, not to defpife and forget the warnings and counfels I have fo often given you; remembering the day when you and I must meet again before the great Judge of quick and dead; when it will appear whether the teings I have taught you were true, whether the counfels I have given you were good, and whether I truly fought your good, and whether you have well improved my endeavours.

I have, from time to time, earnestly warned you against frolicking, (as it is called,) and fome other liberties commoly taken by young people in the land.-And whatever fome may fay in juftification of fuch liberties and customs, and may laugh at warnings against them, I now leave you my parting teftimony against fuch things; not doubting but God will approve and confirm it in that day when we fhall meet before him.

V. I would apply myself to the children of the congregation, the lambs of this flock, who have been fo long under my care.

I have juft now faid that I have had a peculiar concern for the young people; and in fo faying, I did not intend to exclude you. You are in youth, and in the moft early youth: And therefore I have been fenfible, that if thofe that were young had a precious opportunity for their foul's good, you who are very young, had, in many respects, a peculiarly precious opportunity. And accordingly I have not neglected you: I have en. deavoured to do the part of a faithful thepherd, in feeding the lambs as well as the theep. Chrift did once commit the care of your fouls to me as your minifter; and you know, dear children, how I have inftructed you and warned