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' Additional commants:/ , Commantairas supp H mantairt|; L'Institut a mierofiknA la maillaiir ammplalra qu'il hii a *t* po s sibia da sa praeurar. Las dMaHs da eat aHawpfaira qui sont paut-itra uniqua s du point da wua MMlOfN|pnH|9Mf 4^ pMIVMIf MOMwMC IMW MIMpS raproduita. ou qui pauwant axifar una miodif ication dans la matlioda normaw da fMniaia sont indiquas ci da s seus. , . ■ ^ ■ □ CokNirad phtM/» Papas da coulaiy rastorad and/or iaminatad/ rM&urtes at/ou paNicuMas discokMirod^ stainad or foi#d/ dAcoioftei tadMl^M ou oIbiiAm datachad/ r~~Uniowthroufh/ I ^ Transparent [""VQualitv of Li^ Qualiti inJ D print varies/ in l ta la de rimpression Continuous pegination/ nation continue Includes index(es)/ Comprendun (des) index Title on header taken from:/ Le titfe de I'en-ttte provient: □ Title pege of issue/ Page de titre de la livraison D Caption of issue/ Titre de^dipart de la livraison p~| Mastheed/ Ginirique (piriodiques) de la livraison. i)f f This item is filmed et the reiduction ratio checked bekiw/ Ce document est f ikni eu taux de reduction iiMliqui ci:dessous. tOX 14X' 18X t2X ItX aox 22X 26X 36X ^^rm 24X 28X n 32% ■J Th« oopy filni«d h«r« luw bMn . to th* g«fwrMity of : v Anglicin Churairof Cinada QMMial Synod AnIilvM thinks L'Oxomplairo film* fut roprodult grioo A la a4i)4roalt« do: AnfiieMi CtMirch of Camdi Qmmvm Synod AraMvw quality IdOibWty tho Tho Imaooa appoaring hara ara tha poaalbia eonaldarinfl tha cofidltlon of tha original copy and In kaaping filming oontraet spacif leatlona. Original ooplaa In printad papar cOvoia ara fttmad baglnhing with tha front covar and anding on tha laat paga wHh a iprintad or llluatratad Impraa- alon. or tha baek oovar whan approprlata. All othar oflglnal coplaa ara fllmadi baginning on tha first paga jMfltha printad or Ulustratad Impraa- sfon. snd andli^ dn tha.liMt paga with a printad or Hhistratad Imp r pss l on. """"""•■'■■'•''•■'■:^.... Laa Imagaa auhMmtda Ont 4t* raproduKaa awaa la phM grand aoln. oompto tami da la eondMon at da la nattatA da I'aRamplaIra fltonA. at an oonformM avae laa oondltlona du eontrat da fHmaga. ' Laa anamplakaa arlglnaux dont la oouvartura an paplar aat ImprimAsf sont fllmAs an oomman^ant par la pramlar plat at an tarmlnant soH par la damMra paga qut eomperta una ampralnta * dimpraaalon ou dlSuatratlon. solt par la aaoond plat, salon la caa. Toua laa aMtraa axamplalraa orlglnaux aont fNniAs an eomman^ant par la pra m lAra paga qiijl cPmporta una ampralnt a dimpraaakm ou dINuatratlon at an tarmlnant par la d a m lA ra paga qui comporta una taMa Tha last rac^rdad frama on aach microfleho » shaN contain tha symbol —»> (moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol ▼ (moaning "END"). wMohavar appnaa. Un daa symbolaa suhranta apparattra sur la damMra Imaga da ohaqua mierofleha. salon lo eaa: la aymbolo *^ signlfia "A 8UIVRE". la symbols ▼ slgnifla"nN". plataa. charts, ttawinay ba fNmad at diffarant raductton ratioaTThoaa too larga to ba antlraly included in'^ona axposura ara fNmad (Mglnnlng In tha uppar laft hand comor. laft to right and top to bottom, aa many framaa aa raquirad. Tha following diagrama llluatrata tha mathod: Laa cartaa. planehaa. tabisaux. ato.. pauvant Atrip fllmAaA daa taux da rAductkm dIffAranta. Lorsquo la doeumant aat trap grand pdur Atra ^« raprodult an un aaul cHehA. II aat fNmA A partir f^ da I'angla aupAriaur gaudha. da gaucha' A drolta. at da haut an baa, an praiiant la nombra d'Imagaa nAeaaaaka. Laa dlagramnpi sulvanta INuatrant la mAthoda. /\ (( • 1 2 f 3 1 ***** - «*■■ >- ■ ■' • ■ . 1 : c 2 3 //■ -+— •- /■ 6 FUNERAL SERMON, "v. ■. ■ 'S" ■ '■ ■ ' jipmdflr in BU J«mrt* €lntt% ST. JOHNS, L. C. ON THI ■ '■ OCCASION OP THE DEATH or MRS. "ALEXn. HAMILTOJJ PEBRCB, ov SVHPAT* DBCBHBBIi M« lS34t BT THE REV. JOHN COCHRAN, A.B. ASSISTANT MINISTEB. MONTREAL: PRINTED BJJAMES h THOMAS A. STARKE* V ,.•"/■'■■:/ ■-. 1835.' ',' "»} ^»tU'*Ji3w»i'*T»^ '- ' I, . i,l^ ' -*" . 1 ■ r* "■ .... -■ !■■ /^ /"• ^^- • /'"^^^'^ ■ ... /^■..yi7'^<^^- ■ ■ .y r. ■ 1 ., .' ■■:^.^'"' ■■■:■''' ■•\v'^^- .^ -/ ■ ■■' /■■ ■;' . ' ■■■. ' TB ■•.■■■:,•.-'.. . / /' . j|^ . - ■■-■■■' ■■■... ,- ■ ^v-'- '';■'■■:''■■ .• ■/-.■• '.■■.- .■■ r' „ ■■"■ . ■ ........ . •- " : /■■■■■ / ■ . ' « . :il^- ::•■-, ■"■^.•■^•■■•' - '"■: . ■■.■ ,■ ' ■■'.;, ^ .•,.».'.'',. . - ;' /■; ■■'-.■"■.■ - - . ' y ' ■ ' ■'"" ....■■"* y . ■ . ii ■ ■ .« -■ ■ ' : ' ' '' ' ' ' ■'"-■■■'■'■ . ' * ''*;■,. ■ . ' ■ ■ ■- .„ ■..■■. • ■ . ■ . ■ ■■ ,. . . . ; ■ ■:.■■■' 'f- ■ / r .■■■■''■/■:-'':^-'-'7- '-'..'.■•.;- v.'- ■-..:■>'- - . . ■/ / ■ i^WWf^B^^^— I ■ : TO ALEXu. H. PEmCE, Esquire. -1. •%;■ Am THE RBLATIVBS OF THB LAMENTED DECEASED, IS MOSJ RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, ■«-_ ar THEIE MOST SINCERE AND SYMPATHISING FRIEND, JOHN COCHRAN. St. J«lhm»t JaBVMrjr* 188S. t. / /' . .: .V . * I. \ FUNERAL SERMON. Psalm Ixnix,, v«r$$ 48'-*" What nun is he that llvetb, and shall jiol sea 4mih ? Skall ha daUvar hia atwl from the hand of tba grave?" ThIb loftiest oak, whose branches shade the mountain's top, and^ipse head reaches to the clouds, shall de- cay; jhest towers of human greatness shall \>e levdledj^'the mountains themselves shall fall; the Mraters shall fail from the wide-spreading oceah ; and the floods shall be dried up ; ** and all the host of Heaven shall be dissolved, ahd the Heavens shall^be . rolled together as a scroll, and all their host shall 'fell down, as theleaf &lleth from the vine, and as a fall- ing fig firom the fig-tree." Annihilation awaits the inferior creation ; and, as the day was when the thou- sand inhabitants of the air and of the forest were not ; so shall the period soon arrive when they shall cease -to be. The Hand, which formed the other works of Omnipotence, created man also; and the Almighty, " DiKu, at St John's, on Tuesday the 25tb instant, Mrs. Susan Heath, wife of Mr. A. H. Fuac^ merchant, after a painful illneas of two weeks, at the age of 26 years. The virtues abd many excetlent qualitiea of this amiahle young Lady had endeared her to a numerous circle of friends ; and her loaa will be sincerely de- plored, not only by her disooi|solate husband and" doting pwrenta, (of whom she was the only child) but by the aociety in general, of which she waa a dislinguislied ornament. She left ti^o little childran, the yomigest pnij six days old." {Extract MmtrealHeraU, Veumber 26th, ld3i. J ■ )'. ^' ■ f % .\ 6 \ who called him into existence, blossed hint tioyond all other objects of his providential care. Not only did this favoured one of Heaven possess authority over every living creature, but ho cnioyed the noble faculty of reason, and had within him the principles of immor- tality. God entered into covenant With the first man, and obedience, on the part of the latter, entitled him to never-ending life from his Lord. But the terms were not observed by Adam. He yielded to the tempter's power ; and thus became liable to death, and entailed sin and its miseries on his posterity; From the time of man's fall ** his days are determined, the number of his months ;8 with God, who has appointed his bounds that he cannot pass. The debt, which all other works of the Most High must discharge, exempts not him from the obligation; i^nd when nature de-\s mands its payment, he must cancel the bond, even with the forfeit of life. 'As in the flower of the field, so in the finely based mountain ; as in the stately forest-tree, so in the un- shaken rock, every moment hastens- the work of decay, and directs the contemplative mind to that futurity, when all which delights the eye, or gratifies the sense, shall have ceased to exist In the observance of ina- nimate objects, O son of man, recognize thy own ap- proaching destiny ! In thy fi'an^e now, as if thou wert merely born to die, the seeds of mortality are sown, atfd thy towering greatness rises but to fall.^ Tender infancy beheld thy entrance upon life's bustling stage ; the affectionate solicitude of parental fondness watch- ed over thy helpless years, and through the unguarded errors and unforeseen exposures^ of thy feeble child- hood, a parent's care conducted ^thee. Thiis cherished ^ in thy early days, thou htot flqurished to manhood's prime ; yet what can be sai4 of thee, but that thou art a destined inhabitant of the grave— but that thou wilt soon .become a (tenant of the tomb? Every step, which thou takest in life, is an approach to death — '^mi \ t'. dali f did over culty mor- man, into were ►ter'B ailed time oaber 1 his h all even jased ecay, irity, ense, fioa- Q ap. wert town, mder tage; atch- irded shild- ished^ ood's itt art 1 wilt step, ith— •^fcvery breath, whicl\ Ihoii drawei*t, it an advance to eternity. As uri hand breadth is thy oxist^pnce ; thine age is as nothing before God ; •• verily man, ut his best estate, is altogether yanity." ^ .. This is the fruit of man's disobedience and guilt 5 and, since his fall from the high position in which he once stood, the doom pronounced agaigit our rebel- lious ruco, still hangs over our heads, and, of few days and full of trouble, is man of woman born. As. the sentence of Omnipotence went forth against our com- mon father, so dp all his posterity journey apace to the land of fprgetfulness ;— are claimants of the habi tatioas appointed for all men Ihwng. The wealth of the rich affords him the manifold enjoyments of the present, and seems a defence against ihe intrusion of the unwelcome visiter— Death ; but neither wealth nor luxury can defend against his Cfitrance. Though the riches of the universe pertained to the world's votary, not one moment of existence here can he pur- chase. The poverty of the wretched forma a sad con- trast to the circumstances of the former, and seems to reduce the miserable child of sorrow beneath the notice of the fell destroyer ; but neither his poverty nor his wretchedness exempte him, and when the call is made, he too must obey. Oiie moment's repose nojae^cap^ obtain ; all hurry along with rapid pace. " As the eagle hasteriing after his prey 5 as the swift ships that pass along 5" so is our course through this transitory world. And, although the motion is so rapid, yet is it also so gentle, that we perceive it not until we have almost reached our allotted limits, then, we bfegin to know that we have ti-avell^d over a barren wilderness, arid when too late, perhaps, lament the few enjoyments which we experienced during our progress. Ueligion, with its numerous comforts, like wells of water in a thirsty Jand, incited us to partJ^ke ; and, at the solemn moment when we must part with all below, retrospection adds to our grief^for Che refusal of thcni, ^ >' r x-:- r - ■' • ■ 8 '. . and excites the most bitter reproaches of our foUy and our sin. Say, have ^ou not heard the hoary-headed sinner, and the impeditent youth in his prime, regret past evil conduct at such an hour, the agon^ of remorse piercing to the quick, and the prospect of everlasting punishmenf affrighting with all its terrors ? Say, have you not heard them not only regret the past, but vow obedience most persevering, if again granted an oppor^ tunity of repentance and of love? But the stem tjrrant heeded not their professions ; pity has no seat in his adamantine heart-*«nd, prepared or unfitted for the awful change, he cuts the thread of life, and his victims rush into the presence of their Gop— of their Judge. To deliver themselves from the hand of the grave £bey cannot ; and the icy clasp of Death secures them for his prey;^ Age surrouhds me, and youth listens to my words. The biirden of declining years, 'with their long train of attendant sorrows, press heavily on some whom I now behold ; and the joyfulness of health and vigour enlivens the hearts of others on whom I look. And is Death liow doing his work alike with both ? What 1 no escape, for the gay and cheerful? no relief for the care-worn fend afflicted ? Even now, when the sinfd principle of procrastination still holds its baneful influ- ence over the aged, and urges them yet longer to delay the important )busines8 of time— preparation for eter- nity—does the last, enemy approach"^ Even now, when the deceiving beartierves to liiil suspicion asleep, and the hope of lengthened years persuades that the young are unlikely ^ become his victims, does he draw nigh ? Look to those sad memorials which throng the last resting place of your dep^irted friends ; read the melancholy narratives which they record*, hear the ashes of the dead testifying against you, who per- sevete in opposition to the oft-repeated injunctions of Holy Writ; who dare to trifle with your immortal souls, in opposition to daily taught experieiice. There . the infant sleeps in quiet with the aged — there " the wicked cease from troubling," and the believer is at rest from the cares and sorrows of humanity— there the child of God awaits the trumpet's call to endless glory, and the child of sin the final summons to eter- nal woe. . "^ Let me yet ^ceed with this solemn consideration, and lead your attention still farther from the present to the past. Let the memory of bye-gone years array •before you the long train of early friends, of beloved connexions, who now sleep in quiet on the cold bed of the grave. How many of them began their progress through life, promising to themselves a long Cijitinu- ance here, whose journey has terminated by the unex- pected stroke of the Almighty ? That -thiey lived and died, is the only remembrance Which you possess of their having once been your fellow pilgrims. They have gone a little before you, but how little who can tell ? Does the pride of life uplift you ? do the plea- sures of it animate you ? do the cares of it distract you ? Look into those lonely cells, which contain the mouldering remains of the departed, and there you will behold the worthlessness of all terrestrial pursuits, and the nothingness of all earthly gratifications ; and, while you look therein, remember— I beseech you to remember— you must soon follow your companions ; soon enter into the dominions of the dead ; soon min- gle your dust with the kindred clay of your fathers. Did I refer you, my brethren, to scenes which have long since passed away, or circumstances which wear but a faint print on memory's page, you might, per- haps, have some grounds for the indifference with which too many regard these evidences of mortality. But I call not upon the old to teach the young what they have seen in their days, or that of which they heard as occurring in the times before them. I ad- dress myself alike to both, for— alas!— both have be- / •*. :-. '>v' 10 '<» come sadly familiarised with the sorrowful proofs of life's uncertainty. Beneath these grassy coverings, lie the remains of many, who, on the first Sabbath of the year now nearly at a close, looked forward with joyous expectation to the happiness, which would mark its progress-^and now, ere its final knell has rung, how many have confirmed the position maintained in the text— that every man shall see death; and that none can deliver his soul from the hand of the grave'. Turn your eyes within these walls as you will, on every side you witness the i^bsence of several, who, not twelve months since, with you bowed the knee ** before Je- hovah's awful throne ;" with you sought for the " grace of God which bringeth salvation ;" with you, desired an interest, through faith, in the all-sufiicient sacrifice of the Lamb. They, as little as you now consider your latter iend, dreaded a removal, and thought not that their place, which knew them once, should so soon know them no more. In all the rela- tions of life, the voice of lamentation and of grief has arisen. Parents have mourned over their children -—and children have bewailed the departure of their parents ;— ^husbands have felt the bitter pang of separa- tion from those, who, at the sacred altar, pledged to them their early love-^and the widow has lamepted for the partner of her youth. As though the ordinary messengers of Omnipotence sufficed not to sunimon His creatures into His presence, He again sent His destroying angel among us ; ahd we have to grieve for numbers who yielded to his fatal power. All these matters do the memorials of one year (omitting any notice of previous seasons) record— Gh ! why not hearken to the admonition which they convey ? It is the voice of reason, demanding compliance with what your hearts confess— the voice of departed friends Upbraiding you with indifference and unconcern— and tnetoice of Scripture unites its testimony* and enjoins obedience to the revelation of God.— Oh Thou ! '/-.. T' 11 «« without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy ;" who hestowest both the hearing ear and the under- standing heart, enable us to profitably receive the les- son, which we are thus taught ; to reflect on the un- certainty of our continuance here ; and consider the valueof our precious souls, which shall live hereafter ! Give us grace fervently to seek for the divine influ- ence to " crcjate in us new Hearts and renew right spi- rits within us." ! grant unto us faith in the only Hope of sinners, that we may " inherit the promises," and obtain "an entrance, ministered uuto us abundantly, into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lofd and Saviour Jesus Chriso- 1" ; ^ *, . - Let me lead you from the contemplation ot tUis general scene of affliction, which passed before you during this year, to meditate on that particular one, which your yet awakened hearts deplore. Let me conduct you from the numerous habitations of the de- parted, to that narrow spot jwrhich contains the remains of her, whom living we esteemed, for ^hom dead we mourn. Upon her the halid of the destroyer has seized in the prime of lifevand in the midst of usefulness, and^ hurried her, under circumstances peculiarly distressing, to the prison of the grave. How brief on mortal stage was her lot ! how unexpected her removal to auotoer worlds How many now assembled, would, a few short days since, have regarded their departure at hand, long ere the period of hers drew nigh ! Won- derful are the Lord's dealings with the children of men^His judgments reach far beyond our concep- tions—His ways are past firtding out. The glow of health ® rded no protection when the fatal shaft was aimed against^jer breast ; the vigour of youth resisted not the assault of the last enemy. The prayers of the poor yielded no defence against the stroke of death ; the aflfection of husband and relatives served not to secure her from the assailant Heavily as this melah- , choly occurrence rests upon the minds of surviving ^. ♦S »♦' N friends, they want not the only genuine consolation, which such an event requires ; and, as it has been her Heavenly Father's good will to remove her from a world of sorrow, we trust, they can rejoice in the cer- tain hope of her admittance into the I'ealms of bliss. To portray the character of her who -is no more, is to paint all that is amiable in disposition, all that is praise-worthy in private- life. From her earlielSt years she was known to the greatest part of this congrega- tion, and I can confidently appeal to you for the cor- rectness of my delineation. I could refer to' others also whose wants she studied to relieve, whose sorrows it was her earnest desire to alleviate. Benevolence marked her short course, and the tale of misery found hers a ready ear to which it could have access. Thp willfng hand obeyed the dictates of a kind and feeling heart, and the blessings of the needy were daily her portion. I mighk refer also to her equals in age and situation, whose friendship unabated continued to the last' moment, and who would join me in saying that she has not left one, who of her C|an entertain an unkind thought. In all her actions ^he was directed by the exalted principle of doing wliatever good her circumstances permitted, not for the ^ake of applause, but through love to all around her, and for the com- ; mendations of an approving conscience. Where the mind is actuated by such motives, we cannot think so harshly of human nature as to suppose, that envy or malice would Vent their bitterness against a character ^ --SO worthy. :■-;""-<:_.;;■•. -^ ■■■"':■ ■..' ' In these points, we can unhesitatingly affirm, that she has left us a most excellent example. But , here we must not rest. In these instances, the natural feeliiigs may obttiin, and excite their possessor to good will to others, while the individual still leads an unre- newed and impenitent life. Often do we see the ut^ most benevolence prevail inthe breasts of those, who, we have cause to regret, carry their religion no farther \. ""T1^ff*P^" N 13 than morality — vrho, while they rejoice to benefit their fellow-men, and add to the well-being of society, neg- lect the observance of the first and great command- noent — " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength." Different was the life of our now departed friend. You have witnessed her constant attendance on the public worship of her Creator ; you have be- held her regularly uniting with those, who professed a Saviour's name, by commemorating His dying love, at His holy table. And yet, though these evidences of a lively faith in Christ will always appear as char- acteristics of the sincere follower of the Lamb, they may also mark the mere formalist, and be displayed by the grossest deceiver. Our blessed Lord — ^to warn us of the danger of profession where vital godliness exists not>-has declared that-^" Not every one that saith unto me Lord 1 Lord ! shall enter into the king- dom ot heaven ; but he that doeth the will of my Fa- ther which is in heaven." Faith and obedience go hand in hand in the Gospel, and the possession of the "Jrmer and the practising of the latter are indispen- ibly requisite to eternal happiness. The one relies rmly on the Most High for His approval and His fa^ voiq:'— the other extends its benefits to mankind for their good and for God's glory. The one is a light^ which shines from above illuminating the way to hea- ven and- displaying the beauties of the celestial land— the .other tracks the path with unwearied step, until the light has ceased to shine, when the fiuthful servant has entered into the joy of his Loud. But it was not mere profession with her. From intimate acquain- tance with her wc^lk and corivereation, I can express the fervent hope of her ** acceptance in the Beloved." There was nothing in her religious experience to de- n§te that warmth of emotipn, which we observe in some— there was not that burning zeal which many disciples of their Il|a^ter display. There were the y- ■•:• ■A- * * •. u calmness of demeanour,; the desire after incfeasmg blessings, the delight to speak of. and meditate on. the things of a happier world, which prove that the heart is engaged on the side of heaven. She was a consistent Chrifetian. endeavouring to «« serve the Lord with fear ^d rejoice with trembhng ; seekmg by patient continuance in well-doing, for glory, lionour and immortality, through the infinite merijte ^f a cru- cified Saviour ; humble and dependant. To^ converse on the subject, which, of all othei-s excites the grateful emotions of the believer— that of Gon's/u"*^®"'*^®^ mercy intending His beloved Son to die for man s salvation— seemed to afford her Ihe highest pleasure. And that tongue, which is now mute m the grave, 1 have heard speak in warmest terms of the free grace of God in Christ ; and those eyes, which have now closed upon all things bejiow. I have se^n suffused with tears, at the remembrance of a Saviour's dymg love. The peculiar circumstances of her last illness prevent- ed her from expressing, at that solemn season, with greater confidence and more joy than formerly, the feelings which, for some time, she experienced. 1 doubt not- her last days would have been triumph, and her last accents praise, had the favour of the M(wt High visited her with the opportunity so much desired. But He, who directs all things for his own glory, was pleased to order it otherwise ; and we caa only look upon a virtuous and godly life, as evidence of the lively f^th in Christ, who has now, we trust, welcomed her into the bliss of eternity. ^ From ^;he contemplation of the past, let me direct your thoughts to the progress of Death ajround you. and consider the numbers of your fellow men, he even nolv marks for his own. How many of them even at this moment lie stretched upon a bed of sickness from which they will never arise j how many are struggling with the unequal enemy; how many gasping forth the vital breath; how many— yea, at this very mo- ,/ t ' As.-.;.'.-i..-,.J ,/ , with y, the t r ' .■ 15 K:. ■ ' ' : " .: - / - ■ ■ ■ ■ . .■ ment, how many — ascending to the judgment-seat of God ? These are most solemn subjects for our calm and frequent meditation, and they serve to impress On our minds the imperative necessity of being always ready, for " in such an hour as we think not, the Son of man cometh." And who will attempt to describe the situation of the spiritually dead when the period of natural death approaches? Bitter remorse arid self-reproach for the opportunities which they neglected, for the seasons of grace which they abused, for the proposals of heavenly mercy which they despised, oppress their minds. They begin to shrink beneath the power of Him, whom in the days of their prosperity they regarded not, and to shudder at the terrific prospect of His wrath. They look up to Heaven, but as they did despite to the Holy Spirit, He no longer strives with them, and as they "denied the Holy One /and the. Just," He appears not to comfort them, and faith in Christ yields no hope beyond the grave. And, if they endeavour to form some faint hopes of mercy, how are their minds distracted with alarming terrors and keiii reflections ! Unaccustomed to pray, they cannot lift up their hands to God, and offer the fervent petitions of the soul. Unacquainted with the Word of Truth, which presents^ a fruitful source of consolation to the believer, imder the last trial, as well as under any other affliction of life, they cannot derive that benefit which they ought . to obtain. On the contrary, every verse testifies against theiA, and every page pronouhces their condemnation. The work of repentance is too serious, too difficult a matter to postpon^^, until adeath-bed urges its impor- tance ; and, therefore, little reliance can be placed on i# efficacy then. To avoid tliis anguish of soul, and the direful forebodings of the last hour, the surrender of the heart to God, through faith in Christ Jesus, and with an unfeigned contrition for pdst offences, af- fords a certain means. To make such an offering, by — . ^ i£: K ■ . '" *j«p' :, . _ ;■ , 16 : . ' the aid of divine grace, when health promises a long sojourn on earth, when the faculties maintain their wonted energies, ip always well-pleasing to the Most High. Though He is the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, yet with him that is of an humble and a contrite spirit will He dwell, to revive his spirit and flheer his heart, as he advances to the heavenly country. And how happy is the latter end— how^ peaceful the departure— of those, who have their loins girt and their lights always burning! The^ fears of - everlasting misery distract the guilty j the justice of a Holy God dfrights the impenitent ; but before them no alarms arise, around them no terrors spread. As they loved the Lord, and sought Him while He might be found; as they believed in J^us, and, by faith, appropriated to theniselves the promises ; so they re- joice in the hope of glory and everlasting Wiss, through the mercy of God and the redemption that is in Christ. Around their path, faith sheds a purer light than the starry firmament displays, ^o guide them to the Zion of their King. Around the death-bed of the Christian, it pasts a radiance of unclouded splendour, whi^shined more andjmore unto the perfect day, that foreve^heers the children^of God in their holy habitations. ^In the final struggle, when the body yields to the stroke of death, the soul, still victorious, contemns the fruitless assault ; and, borne in the chariot of Hope, it ascends from the field of its triumph to the throne which the soldier of the cross has won. Say, then, my brethren, as you contemplate the closing scenes of the sinner and of the Christian, and as you call to mind the weighty fact, that through one of them you must pass, whenever the summons from above must descend, which do you prefer? In the words of Scripture, you will at once exclaim — ** Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his [" This desire after eternal happiness is an inherent principle of our nature, and, therefore, this 1 -ft/ /-■ |ip?iiie^^;««^S^?^*f ■• 1 . brayer will fall from every lip. To lead you, by thd divine influence, to attain this blessed consummation, is my most anxious desire, and tbat you should honour God, in your life, and glorify him in your death, that you may be His for ever, is my most earnest petition* But how can you expect thus to live and thus to die, if you continue in the ways of the world, and devote not yourselves 'entirely to Him. Our blessed Lord has told you wherein your duty consists, and if you render not to Him the homage of the heart, as well as of the lip ; if you think to please him with a divided soul, mamlmon possessing one portion, and God hav- ing the oflfer of the other, you only deceive youi-selves, the truth is not in yc^ii. , Let me, therefore, earnestly entreat you to employ the opportunities which you possess to greater advan- tage than hitherto— pray for ^he gracious influence of the Holy Spirit to ijnpress your hearts with a proper sense of your condition as sinners, and ybur need of forgiveness throu^ Christ, and to lead you to Him, who is alone the way and the life, that everlasting glory may be yours. Thus, and thus only, can you enjoy real happiness in life, be in^eadiness for death, andi^ult in th^ prospect of never ending bliss in the Mansions of your Father. Widely different are the concluding scenes of the two classes, when reason continuing permits reflection, or protracted sickness affords opportunity of referring to the past. But should ^e former privilege be denied, should the advantages' the latter^ withheld, how awful is ^ the fate of those who •* fall inur the hands of the living God !" how appalling to tfie mind the idea of rushing into His dread presence without one moment's prepa- ration, without one thought of eternity! The elo- quence of man cannot depict the horrors which arise in the guilty soul, when it thus considers the possibility of a sudden removal. They are felt, they cannot be "^ I ..■{ :''i !■•■ ■ ■ . / ■ '— f^' -/ ■ 18 dencribed. 1 beseech you, by the tender mercies of God by the compassion of Chiiist— if these cannot move you-by the concern which you ought to cxi>cri. ence for the salvation of your immortal souls; to hyo so that this •* day may not come upon you unawares ! You now feel the loss which our community has sustained, in the removal of our lamented friend j the Setates of nature demand the tear of sorrow for one univereally esteemed-the sympathies of humanity are now awakened, and a more fitting season than the • Drewnt. the Preacher need not desire, to endeavour to Jmpress the immediate necessity of preparing to meet your God. It is true, that you have frequently ass^- kd to perform the last sad offices to departed frieDds —and it is equally true, that too little, if any effect, has been produced on your hearts, by the solemn duty. Shall the present melancholy instance of Almighty power, exemplified in her, case, have no better effect than mothers? Will you leave this hpuse of prayer, without a i^esolution, by God's ^race assisting, to live anew ? If you do so, how wiU Jrou answer in the day of account, for this and the other warnings of heaven, which you have received ? Oh I put not off the mo- mentous work of eternity ; but, when you retire from this place, mfedijtate on what you have heard, remem- , ber tlie sudden departure which^ou have witnessed, and consider yOuf own latter end. And as you know not how soon *ybu may have to bow before the arm ot "IDeath^ when former sins rise against you, and startled natuM shrinks, with the fear of instant dissolution ; when misspent time and neglected opportunities ; when oft^repeated iniquities, contrary to light and to know- ledge, stare you in the face, ^nd point to "the lake • that burneth with fire and brimstone,"— without delay, while the gate of heaven is yet open, seek for admission • within its precincts, lest the next moment exclude you ' from it forever! Father of mercies' give each of us gra4^ «n t/t do 1 impress our minds with the weight ot I ■ \ 1 BS of iinot pori- ) live res!" r has ; the V one y are n the mr to meet jBseib- rietids effect, duty, nighty effect irayer, to live tie day eaven» le mo- e from emem- ; leased, iknow arm of ttartled lution ; ; when know- he lake t delay, mission ide you h of us eight of I ■ \ 19 our petition—" From sadden death, good Lord, deli^ ver us !** iufluence us, by thy divine power, immedi- ately to •• set our house in order," for we know not when we shall have to appear in thy presence— we know not the circumstances under which the call may be made ! " Teach m so to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom 1" Can youth, or health, or beauty's bloom, protect from the advance of the last enemy ? Let me re- mind you of her, who is now gone, and you will own that these, could they have availed aught, had been a sure defence to her. Can the esteem of a large circle of acquaintance, ^Ti^d the respect of all around, retard his progiess ? Again I refer you to our departed friend, who enjoyed these advantages most largely. But, who of you 6an, for a moment, entertain ideas so repugnant to either reason or Scripture ? The text speaks most markedly, and from the manner in which the truth contained is expressed, it beai-s additional weight:^ «« What man is he thajt liveth, and shall not see death ? shall he deliver his soiil from the hand of the grave ?** No, my brethren, " there is no escape from that war." Even against you has the mighty victor aimed the fatal blow ; each of you has he selected for his victim ; each of you is unbared to receive the deadly stroke. The Most High " has determined your times, and noted the bounds of your habitations;" and when will the Supreme Disposer of events cause your existence to cewe ? You know not how soon ; and like the uncon- scious victim ascending the altar-steps, you will fall a sacrifice. None can pretend to say that he will sur- vive till another day shall dawn ; much less that he will descend to the last abode " in a full age, as a shock of com Cometh in his season." Even towards you, to whom appearances seem so favourable, the fell des- troyer of mankind stretches forth his hand ; and you will soon fall prostrate beneath his arm. The foe to others, will not show compassion to you ; and whether V ^1 •f '"»«: ito p