IMAGE EVALUATrON TEST TARGET (MT-3) y // #, ^ ///J. / W 1.0 I.I 1.25 ■- IIIIM |50 '""= ^ m 1.4 M IIM 1.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 «^ ,\ ^^ % V '%'■ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for hlistorical Microreproductlons / Institut Canadian d« microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be biblicgraphically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur □ Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagee □ Gov Cou Covers restored and/or laminated/ verture restaurde et/ou pelliculee □ Co. ar title missing/ Li: titre d( de couverture manque I I Coloured maps/ Cartes g^ographiques en couleur □ Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que blaue ou noire) I I Coloured plates and/or iilustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur □ Bouni Reli« D D D Bound with other material/ avac d'auires documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ Lareliure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distorsion le long de la marge interieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout^es lors dune restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela ^tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas iti film^es. Additional comments:/ Commentaires supplementaire^: L'Institut a microfilme le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a ete possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-^tre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la m^thode normale de filmage sont indiqu^s ci-dessous. I I Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommagees □ Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaurees et/ou pelliculees □ Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages ddcolorees, tachet^es ou piquees I I Pages detached/ Pages detachees Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of prir Qualite inigale de i'impression Includes supplementary materia Comprend du materiel supplementaire idition available/ Edition disponible r~~| Showthrough/ I I Quality of print varies/ I I Includes supplementary material/ □ Only edition available/ Seula The to tl n Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., cnt 6t6 fiim^es A nouveau de facon a obtenir la meilleure image possible. The POS! of tl film Orig begi the sion othc first sion or il The shel TINl whi( Map diffe entir begi righl requ met! This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filmd au taux de ri^duction indiqud ci-dessous. 10X UX 18X 22X 26X 30X 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X s itails s du lodifier r une Image The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Harold Campbell Vaughan Memorial Library Acadia University The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol — »- (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to ba entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: L'exemplaire film6 fut reproduit grflce d la g6n6rosit6 de: Harold Campbell Vaughan Memorial Library Acadia University Les images suivantes ont dt6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettetd de l'exemplaire film6, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimde sont fiimis en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont film6s en commenqant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — »► signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmds d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en ur seul cliche, il est fiimd A partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. rrata ;o 3elure, 1 a 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 fvntutt PREACHED AT THE PARISH CHURCH, ST. JAMES'S, PICTOU, On the morning of 30th July, 1865, m THP: rev. W. FERDINAND PRYOR, B. A. A farewell on leaving the Curacy of St. James's. HALIFAX, N. S. : PRINTED BY JAMES -BOWES AND SONS, 1865. St. James'h Parish, Pictov, 1st August, 1865. Rev. W. F. Pkyok: Iter, and Dear Sir, We, the subscribers, having- listened to your Fare- M'ell Sermon on the morning of Sunday last, so full of earnest words of counsel, of affectionate solicitude for our eternal welfare, and of kindly expressions at parting, bo>g you will favor us M-ith the manuscript, to have it piinted for private circulation. We are induced to make this request to enable those who were not ])rivileged to be present at the service, to read it, and that all may preserve it as a slight memento of one whom we esteem so highly ; and also, that Ave may derive instruction and comfort therefrom. Yours very sincerely, Daniel Hockix, W. H. Davies, RlC^HAKI) Tax NEK, C. DWYEK, G. p. BOGGS, W. Norman Rudolf, Henry Elliott, John Hatton, Geo. M. Johnston, M. McPhekson, John Bayliss. 87?, to lose sight of the groat tact that M-(. must all soon meet before the judgment-seat of Christy Should we not strive, dear brethren, to look be- yond the short tmie of separation to the long time of union? —beyond the comparatively trifling occasion of parting with <>'H^ another-, to the transc,>ndently important horn- M-hen, one by one, we must stand before our Judge / " What is life ^" God puts the question, and He answers it. " It is even' a vapour, that appcareth for a little time, and then vanisheth invay." Or, as the little hymn so bcautif.dly expresses it— " What is life V a scene of troiihles, foIlowiii,<>: swiftlv one l)v one; IMiantom visions— airy bnbbies, Wliich ajipear, and" then— arc ffone ! " And M-hat, therefore, should be the inference i A\Tiy surely, that for the short time we are here below, we should be ever havnig before us the end ; and dailv preparing, watching, praymg, that we may " be accounted worthy to stand before the Son of Man." All thoughts, all feelings should be sub- ordmate to this :-What of my state when T come to appear before the judgment-seat of Christ { Before that tribunal "we must all appear." " All ! " You observe, there is no eludmg that searching scrutiny—" Evcri/ cyr shall see Him ' " If, therefore, we even should never meet with one another here upon earth again, there is a time, a most solemn time at hand when we most surely shall. And if it is ^o be a ioyful meetmg, what must our course be now ?— how are we" each to live, to conduct ourselves during the short intervening period, that, when the time does come, we may together "enter into the joy of our Lord?" To answer this question, we can but reiterate, brethren, what (I may most conscientiously affirm) has been the sub- stance of my teachint? amomif you for the year past. It was St. Paul's assertion on parting with his flock at Ephesus — *' Yc know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what nuiuner I ha\e been with you at all seasons, ser\ ini; the Lord with all hun ility, and with many tears and temi)- tations, which befel me by the lying in wait of the Jews : And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publiclv, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and ftiith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." And, though under somewhat different circumstances, it has ever been my humble endea\our to be enabled to say the same. "Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Yes ! dear brethren, this, as you have had so repeatedly sounded in vour ears, must be the one starting point, the great foundation princi- ple, upon which alone we can build the whole superstructure of our preparation for the judgment-seat. If we would then desire to be among the " blessed," we must now, in the very first place, truly repent, that is to say, — think differently of God, of sin, and Satan, than we do by nature ; or, in other words, — undergo an entire change of heart, — be " convert- ed," — "born again" to "newness of life." And, as a con- sequent of this repentance, or rather, as the root of it, ^\•e must have " faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ," — we must "look" to Him for salvation, to^Him as our one only hope of ever reaching heaven. To believe in Jesus Mith the heart, to look up to Him crucified, torn, and bleeding for your own sins, is the only sound root from Avhich true reli- gion can spring at all. Until we have this faith, all our religion goes for nothing, — our "form of godliness" is a " vain conceit." " AV'ithout faith it is impossible to please God." We are and must be within the flood-mark of His just and holy vengeance "that \vill by no means spare the guilty," until by fiiith we have laid hold on Jesus Christ, felt that our sins have been borne " in His body on the tree," and that through Him alone we can have life. Christ alone must save us. This is the groundwork, the great foundation-stone ; — and " faith in Jesus and repentance to- ward God," the starting points, from which all preparation must begin, through which it must all continue, and in which it must finally all end. What, then, (may be asked,) are some of the subsequent points in this preparation, arising from and involved in these? The preparation — (you understand, of course) — is simply a constant striving, by use of the means of grace, to grow in tune for heaven, and ready to appear with humble confidence before Christ's judgment-seat. And the more direct question, therefore, is, — what are the means we are to use? Why, there are, first, what arc commonly called the private means, as also, secondly, the public means of grace. And to all of us, brethren, God has afforded both. Among the private,— there is first and foremost, secret prayer. " Enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." We must fin \ time to be alone with God, to hold commu- nion Avith Him as a child with its parent. We must know what it is to look up to our God in childish confidence, to feel that He is our Father and our Friend, and that without His constant help we can never grow in grace. This is what we may call the first step, the very first means to be used in entering upon the Christian life. Any who content them- selves with anything short of this ; who have no desire for devotion strictly private ; who have nothing to say to God, to which He alone must listen, and feel no impulse to speak ^B pare the s Christ, on the Christ b.e great tance to- )paration and in bsequent )lvecl in irse) — is ^race, to humble le more we are y called leans of both. ;, secret ast shut md thy )penly." commu- t know mce, to without is what used in ; them- isire for to God, speak to Him when no one is by, can understand little of real praj-cr. They may maintain " the form," but they know nothnio. of the - power of godliness." This species of devo- tion IS mseparable from a state of grace. We can make- no pi-ogrc:ss ni our religion without it, no advance toward pre- parmg for the judgmc-nt-seat. And connected with this-in- tnuately connected with it-there is watchfulness. - IVatch and pray that ye enter not into temptation." One must -ic company the other. Either without the other would 'be presunjption. If we were to pray for grace and strength to resist the DcnH and our heart-corruptions, and then never give the matter another thought, never "Avatch" nor struggle against them, it would be presumption, nay ' the grossest hypocrisy. And were M-e, on the other hand, to take the task wholly upon ourselves, to strive against sin and Satan in our own strength, this Mould be equally presumptuous and daring folly. Both then must be used together. We are to pray as well as watch, to watch as well as pray, if we wish to attain " unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ," and to grow in meetness tor His presence. And as another means-another private means of grace-we have the reading of the Bible. - Search the Scriptures," said the Saviour, " for in them ye think ve have eternal life: and they are they which testify of mJ " 13ut, you observe, we are to -search" them; not take a mere- ly careless glance now and then, or read so nuu'h, dailv, just to satisfy ^conscience; but to -mark, learn, and inwardly "dio^.t them; read then, with the one purpose of groM-i^g nu)re holy, more hke their Author. We must feel and\rv to reahze that God IS speaking to us there, and with this' so- 1-nn thoiight, pia up the Saviour's prayer,, '• SanctilV me by ihy rutli Another means of grace, with the importance of which the Lord takes special care to impr(v.s us, i.-self- I 10 examination. •' Examine yourselves Avhether yc be in the faith, prove your o^vnselves." The great cause for this, as you are aware, arises from the deceitfulness of our hearts. Through the medium of our wicked hearts, Satan would very often make us believe that Ave are ahnost anything but what M-e really are. His great object is to make us lose sight of our real state, and get us to slip quietly and easily down the .stream, until perhaps it is entirely too late to recover our- selves, and we are his forever. Nothing, therefore, can be of greater importance in the Christian life than to be always on the alert, ever searching and prying into the recesses of the heart. It must be a duty constantly and carefully at- tended to, a means m hich must be ever used to keep us close to God. Our daily prayer should be, " Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me: and legd me in the way everlasting- ! " But besides these private means, God has also taught us to profit by, and has affbrded us, the public means of\.race. And these must be likewise duly used, if we Avould have a happy meeting at the judgment-seat. They are, principally, those which the sanctuary affords,— public and united pray- i^r, hearing God's word, and the Holy Communion or Lord's Supper. To the latter we have so lately had our attention called, that we shall not stay to connnent on it. But a few words must be said on public prayer and the hearing of God's word With regard to the latter, great things are stated in the Bible about it. It is said indeed to ''save" us;— "Receive with meekness the engraftc-d word, which is able to save your souls." " It pleased God, by the foolishness of preach- ing, to save them that believe." So that we can hardly value too highly the preaching of the gospel as an ordinance. be in the 31' this, as iir hearts, loukl very but Avhat e sii^ht of cloA\n the ;ovcr our- •e, can be be always ecesses of ■efully at- p us close .', O God, thouu^hts : 3(1 me in taught us of grace. d have a incipally, ;ed pray- or Lord's n called, yv words d's word, d in the ' Receive to save f preach- 1 hardly dinance. 11 Three thousand souls were converted bv it on the day of Pentecost. By this instrument, this means of ^■race, God IS often pleased to arouse the sinner, and to streno-then and build up his people. And hence, you remc .iber,^,rethren, the Saviour's oft-repeated exhortation, " Take heed how ye hear!" " He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!" As much as to say :-' Do not hear for others; hear for yourself. Listen with earnest attention and with faith, be lievin- that the Lord Himself speaks to you by His ambassador. Listen vith prayerfulness. Pray before you hear, whilst vou are hearing, and after you have heard. Before, that God would prepare your heart; whilst hearing, that God would brin<. home His word to your very soul; and after, that the pn-- cious seed may take root, and bear fruit an hundredfold " Now It IS but too well kno^^-n, brethren, that this injunction is nearlji^r altogether slighted by most of us ; and a Mord or two must be said about it. Sometimes it happens that we are tempted to find fault with the preacher. His Aoice is too low or too loud; his manner does not please us; or his language is not to our taste. We are on the lookout fo,- de- fects, and are far too apt to fasten on any little fault, and make it an excuse for our inattention. Kesist this, brethrc-n, by every means ; and rather be disposed to find fault ^^ itli yourselves. Again, it seems to gratify our natural pride and A-anity to criticise a sermon, and shoM- ho^v this difiiculty might have been better explained, and that doctrine more clearly stated, ^yc find others around us perhaps doin^ " this, and we think that th(>y must necessarily have much spiritual grace and discernment. J3ut there is" hardly, per- haps, a more dangerous practice to indulo-c. in, and oiie to he more earnestly guarded against than thi> It i. doulitless one of Satan's great devices for ro])bino- us of what Mould otherwise nourish our souls. As has Ixxn well said, " be f f 12 Hkcs to busy us, in this ^v..y, with the outside shell, whilst he nirefully draws away the precious kernel." The ministry ol the ,o.ospel has been committed to " earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God," sr.ys the Apos- t e, ''and not of man." The vessel may be plain; but God's blessmj^ may be with it. The hand that sows the seed may he feeble; but He can "i?ive the increase." "Take heed" fher.>forc>, dear brethren, "how ye hear." Listen, not to hud fault, but to be fed ; and thus you will ^et many a re- treslmig meal, whilst others are sent empty away. Look not so m.uh to the hand that brings the food to vou, or at the manm.r m which it is dealt out to you ; but l^ok to the food .tself, and try to gather from it all the nourishment you can In otlier words, look above the messenger, to Him who sends you the message. But we mentioned another means of grace that #od has afforded us by the sanctuary, viz.:— the assembling of our- selves together for united prayer. "Mv house,"' said the Saviour, "shall be called a house of prayer." Not merely therefore, you observe, a place of hearing, or a place of preachmg, but a " house of prayer." Now, many of us seem <^fton to forget this. They let the one means, Jntirelv, ab- sc^rb the other, or rather-turn the secondary object of God s house into the first. They go merely to sii and listen, aud thuik that they are all right, so long as they profit bv the preaching. But oh! dear brethren, let it not^be so with jHiy of yon. If it has been a failing with vou hitherto, let it be so no longer, if you would grow in grace and in fitness for the judgment-seat. Come to the Lord's house for the speci.I object to pray; remembering His words about it, and that He has added the precious promise, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst." Join in the prayers, not only out«'ardly with your '11, whilst 3 ministry isels, that ;he Apos- bxit God's seed may ^e heed," 11, not to any a re- Look not )r at the the food you can. 'ho sends ^od has of oiir- said the t merely place of us seem ely, ab- bject of d listen, profit by so with to, let it I fitness for the t it, and two or in the th vour 13 voice, but inwardly with your heart. Make if a time of earnest heart supplication. "Draw ni-h to God and He will draw nigh to you." And, alluding to this point, dear brethren, I must, in the solemn act of parting with you, reiterate a woid of coun- sel Avith respect to your connexion Avith our Church. Speaking of public prayer as a means of grace,— wc all know that there are not a few around us, who dislike our Church, more particularly our Liturgy, our Forms of Pray(>r ; who Mill perhaps go so far as to taunt you by saying that the Church prayers are "dead men's prayers," that they are a form, and therefore do not, and cannot come inmx the heart ! As a consequent of this, the next step that is generally taken, (or at any rate, left for you to infer,) is, that you should leave and come out of the cold and dead and heiu't- less Church, and go where you will get more spiritual help, a warmer and more brotherly welcome, and more nourishing pasturage for your soul. Now, as commissioned by God, and His ambassador to you, 1 M'ould once more solemnly Avarn and guard you against this most mistaken notion. Surely— even apart from any consideration drawn from the authority of Scriptur(> or the custom of the primitive Church (a simple matter of history from the Apostles' times)— is it not (to say the least f)f it) a gross mistake to suppose that, becaus(> the words oi" pravc^r are written down, therefore they must have Ics^^ to do \\it]\ the heart? "Wlien the pastor who differs from us jnays, is it not just as much a form to those avIio worshi]) with him ! Must they not put their desires into his words i Besides, to pray rightly in the public congregation it must ])e a form— a form in the matter of it, if not in the words. Each Lord's Day our public Avants (our Avants in common) ar(> nearly, if not quite, the same. Tho Apostle, e. g., alludes to it Avhen u V ; lie hays— '■ Supplication, intercession, and givinir of tlvank^ must he nuulc for all men; for kin.^'s, and all in authority." And then.— by doino- this, wv by no means cast a slight on extemporaneous prayer. There are times when tin- awakened heart will and must, speak for itself; for no Avords but its own can ex]nx«ss all it feels. ]3ut this is entirely dif- ferent froDi su])])08ino- that extemporaneous prayer is more suital)le for i)uhlic wor.shii). and more profitable for a congre- gation, than a liturgy like our own. Then again,— those of you ^^-ho attended our fcM" lectures during last Lent, will remember that m-c found our Liturgy to be purely Scriptural, its framework to be after the modd of God's ^^-ord, its doctrines drawn from and based upon the Ih])Ie. And more than this,— that the Church to ^vllich the Lkurgy belongs, is, in the main, the same to-day as she was ITOO yr;.rs ago, when England first became \ Christian country. Shc^ is not rc-sting upon the shifting opinions of man, but u|)on God's eternal truth. Her's are the "old paths, wheiv is the good way." She honours the Saviour, and leads her children to Mini. And therefore, whatever others may say— whatever faults ;ind failings they may find in her— slu« has bc-n, is, and vxvr ^ill be,' a safe home for all ^^ ho scrk shelter in her communion, and faithfully follow her leaching, as she follows Christ. Yet, brethren,— after these words of warning or rather, counsel— lei me add this other sentence :— Never allow yourselves l„ speak harshly of those who differ from yon. We should deal by others as we would be dealt by. Our ;;ttachmc>ut to the Church ought* to be warm and' hearty. \\'(« should hold oui- own firndy. Wo may feel that those who are not Churchmen are great losers, and that ours is -the more excellent way." A\'e may be persuaded that yyr nrv right, and that they are ^^•rong. Wv mav, we must feel I That schism is a sin; that our Lord Avould hav(. us all to be one; and that those who "cause divisions" in His Church are wcakenincr it, and thereby grievino- Him. ]Jut still however decided we may be in maintaining Mliat we believt' to be right, let us never speak one harsh or unkind m ord against those who see not as we see. If they love thc- Saviour, let us love them for His sake ; and let us earncvstly pray that the time may speedily come, when Christ\s peopl'e shall be all one; when "Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim;" but there shalfbo "one fold and one Shepherd." Now, you remember, dear brethren, the reascm for wln<.h 1 have alluded to all these points. It is-because "we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ;" because when we do appear, we are to give an account of "the- tlun-rs done in the- body;" and because, if we wish to rendc.- tint account "with joy and not with grief," we must no^v (durino- the short interval that remains) be taking the propc- nu^.ns ol preparing for it. Again, it has also been mv object to thus try and draw our better and more solemn fedin-s from the present parting scene to our future appearing b.fbre the Saviour. And now, as another thought to strengthen tld. — 1 mean, to make us think less of parting and more of meet- ing let me remind you, dear brethren, that this sudden and imiooked-for termination of our connexion with each other IS not your doing, nor my doing, nor the doing of anv other party, but the work of God. " He doeth accordino- to His will in the^ army of heaven, and among the hihabitant's of the earth (Dan. iv.) " Thou didst it ! " is the historv of the whole affair. His purposes none can change-His coun- sels none can resist! And oh! brethren, what a blessed truth, to know that "The Lord reigneth!" To feel that there is no chance or accident with God I How cheerino- to know that all that befalls us and ours is thus ordered by a U) coviiuint (j()(l! — evfiy minute ciicmnsfance of our lot — ap- pointing- tlic hounds of our hiibitation — meting out every drop in the cup of life — arranging what by us are called its '•vicissitudes" — decreeing all its trials, and at last, as the great Proprietor ./^ life, revoking the lease of existence when its all<)tt(>(l term has expired! Yes! surely it would and ought to keep the mind from its guilty proneness to brood and i'vvt over second causes, if this simple truth were but fully n^ali/ed — that all that befalls u.s are integral parts in a stupendous plan of wisdom — that there is no crossing or thwarting the dt'signs and dealings of God; for that ther(> is a "needs be" in them all, and that they come from the hand of a Fatlier that ordereth all things wisely, and "doeth all things well/"' Finally, then, dear brethren, (for the end must come,) alloM' me, as your servant M'ho has been humbly ministering to you tlie gospel of Chist, to personally address you just a few more words. I could never part without once more publicly acknowledging my debt of gratitude to yow, both indi\idually and as a congregation, for your most unmerited hospitality, your forbearance and kindness of every possible description during our year's acquaintance. You have borne with all my failings and my shortcomings, overlooked all the feebleness and inexperience of my youth, encouraged and upheld nie when necessity required, and, more than all, have e\er manifestt>d toward me the most constant and affectionate ttachmeiit. 'riiiis you have been the means, under God, of a giving his treble and most undeservhig servant such encour- agement and strength as shall never lose its weiu-ht throuii-h- out all my life. And my earnest, heartfelt prayer, is — that the same -'God of ;dl grace" mav be found by each indivi- dual of you, as your reconciled Father in Christ Jesus, who "nill ni'\fr leave you nor forsake you," if you put vour trust in Him. K f f 17 you, my poor fc.lIo,v-.si„„c.rs, who hnvc „cv«- vet '. '.' an ont ro inw„„l ch-ii,.r,. .,,,,1 ^ I'xiKTicuccd j-u», „h„ . 'he ™ ' ::v;t "t: """"- "> ^■■"■i- Ms voice reach your cars, .„d o^ may 1 hT". '"•" '*' " i.-™. to ,.„.„. i,„„o. so;,.-..Tu;Tc:ur?S;. "'""::;■■;' unto mo and bo vo sivf.rl " M ^ ' ^"™ 7^- "Look .lec,„aeio„of you^G ,i.A,I • °""::"","' *'^ «™"°"'^ no pleasure in the d ^U of 1 -T' ff "" '""■'>' ' '-- -;. r.o™ their waS tertr; : It *^' "^^*'- ovd ways, for why wil, ye die!" o'hl' C ^MilT very supposition, that when wc meet ao-nin •, , ''" the judKn,cnt-seat, ™d then tha ns t, d 'of h •' " '"'""' I a.n eo,npc.,cd to witness against' y'^tdlhr"; Z^T' ^::c:zc-:^tfr:^nt^t - hoar!" Many of vn, n ^ \ ^ '''""^^^ "«t i-u.my ot you (lot mo spoak ])lainlv) -nv r +• M^ilkins.- still in tho wiv^ Mf V,.- i^'^^^J; ^lo, 1 fear, >vhich sta-nps J si'-oirri^'r;'^^ ""• chH^tand His salvation: once .o^ ';:::, ^ f::::,'' to"r;:r.u;;t ^"V" "'■^'™"^ ^'*" '~ ' "■ y""> and Jesus to save von .,„,! ^u c • • sanctify. VL jou, ,uid the S,p,r.t to May God have n.erey upon your souls, and, by His Snirit lead you to repentance for Chris, Jesus" saice ' ' ' And lastly, a ,vord to you, beloved in the Lord to whon, «u ts gncvous and Christ is precious, whose hclh lip(>n rmiv/.i-f.„i i i " uubL noai tb navo Lcenconvuted, an,l ,vh„ are now striving, to live for that I« h dear Saviour who has l)ontrht you with His IjIoocI. " May ^n-acc, mercy, and peace be multiplied unto you." May thu Lord Himself hold up your I'oinj^'s in His paths, and enable you to "fight the good fight of faith." Always bear in mind the judgment-seat of Christ, and the day you must stand be- fore it. And let th(! hope of its approach cheer you for the onset against your corruptions, and animate you in your as- sault upon all remains f)f worldliness, ill-temper, sidfishness, un(;haritableness, and the accompanying host of ills to which you once were willing slaves. Yes! l(;t the thoughts upon whic^h we have now been dwtdling, drive you to greater earnestness, to a mon; firm resolve against everything that defiles you, against every inconsistency, every sinful imagina- tion, every idle word, every ungodly deed to which the enemy would tempt you. Beware of spiritual sloth ; beware of boasting, because you have girded on your harness, as if you wore now putting it off; beware of thinking, that, be- cause you have entered upon the Christian warfare, the battle is already fought and the victory won. You have en- listed under the Captain of your salvation ; and in His strength you must go against all the eorru]>tions of your sin- ful flesh, all the temptations of a wicked world, and all the craft and malice of the Devil, even to the very last breath you draw. But you know the promise — " If God be for ns, \vho can l)c against us?" It will all soon be over; and then wc shall together sing throughout eternity the praises of Him "who hath loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and made us kings and priests unto God and His Father." Once more, then, dear brethren, — both converted and un- converted, to one and all of you, — I would say in the words of the Apostle — "Farewell! Be perfect, be of good com- ' ff)rt, be of one mind, live in peace ; and the God of love and p(?ace shall be with you." Allien.