^, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) A #/ 1.0 1.1 11.25 iai28 1*0 ^^ 2.5 2.2 lit 01 u !? - ■4.0 2.0 U 11.6 FholDgrapdiic Sdmces Carporation ^ •^ \ 23 WIST MAIN STMIT WIBSTH.N.Y. 14SM (716) •72-4S03 ^^<^ .^> ^>:^^ ^ ^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVl/ICJVIH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical IMIcroreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notaa/Notas tachnlquaa at bibliographlquaa Tha Inatltuta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat original copy avaiiabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which may ba bibiiographically uniqua, which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduction, or which may aignificantiy changa tha uaual mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. D D D n D Colourat* covara/ Couvartura da coulaur I I Covara damagad/ Couvartura andommagte Covara raatorad and/or laminatad/ Couvartura raataurte at/ou palliculAa Covar titia miaaing/ La titra da couvartura manqua Colourad mapa/ Cartaa giographiquaa an coulaur Colourad inic (l.a. othar than biua or biacic)/ Encra da coulaur (i.a. autra qua blaua ou noira) Colourad plataa and/or iiluatrationa/ Pianchaa at/ou iiluatrationa an coulaur Bound with othar matariai/ Ralt<& avac d'autraa documanta Tight binding may cauaa ahadowa or diatortion along intarior margin/ La r« ilura sarrAa paut cauaar da I'ombra ou da la diatortion la long da la marga inttriaura Blank laavaa addad during raatoration may appaar within tha taxt. Whanavar poaalbia, thaaa hava baan omittad from filming/ 11 aa paut qua cartainaa pagaa blanchaa ajouttea iora d'una raatauration apparaiaaant dana la taxta, mala, ioraqua cala Atalt poaalbia, caa pagaa n'ont paa it* filmAaa. Additional commanta:/ Commantalraa aupplAmantalraa: L'Inatitut a microfilmA la malliaur axampiaira qu'il iui a At* poaalbia da aa procurar. Laa ditaila da cat axampiaira qui aont paut-Atra uniquaa du point da vua bibiiographiqua, qui pauvant modlfiar una imaga raproduita, ou qui pauvant axigar una modification dana la mAthoda normala da fiimaga aont indiquto cl-daaaoua. n n D D n n ThIa itam la flimad at tha raduction ratio chackad balow/ Ca documant aat fllmi au taux da rMuctlon indlqu* cl-daaaoua. Colourad pagaa/ Pagaa da coulaur Pagaa damagad/ Pagaa andommagAaa Pagaa raatorad and/or laminatad/ Pagaa raataurtea at/ou palllculAaa Pagaa diacoiourad, atainad or foxad/ Pagaa dteolortea, tachatAaa ou pIquAaa Pagaa d^tachad/ Pagaa dAtachtea Showthrough/ Tranaparanca Quality of print variaa/ Qualiti in^gala da i'impraaaion Includaa aupplamantary matariai/ Comprand du material auppMmantaira Only adition avaiiabia/ Sauia MItion diaponlbia Pagaa wholly or partially obacurad by arrata alipa, tiaauaa, ?tc., hava baan rafiimad to anaura tha baat poaalbia imaga/ Laa pagaa totaiamant ou partialiamant obacurciaa par un fauillat d'arrata, una palura, ate, ont At* fiimiaa h nouvaau da fapon A obtanir la maiilaura imaga poaalbia. Tha toti Tha po« ofti film Orig bagi tha sion oth( first sion orii Tha shal TINI whl( Mar diffi anti bag righ raqi mat 10X 14X 18X 22X 28X 30X y 12X 16X aox a4x 28X 32X lira details jaa du modifiar lar una filmaga Tha copy fllmad hara haa baan raproducad thanka to tha ganaroaity of: Library of tha Public Archivaa of Canada Tha imagas appaaring hara ara tha baat quality poMibIa conaidaring tha condition and laglbility of tha original copy and in Icaaping with tha filming contract apacificationa. L'axamplaira film* f ut raproduit grica A la gAnAroaitA da: La bibliothAqua daa Archivaa pubiiquaa du Canada Laa imagaa auivantaa ont AtA raproduitaa avac la plua grand aoin, compta tanu da la condition at da la nattatA da l'axamplaira f limA. at an conformitA avac laa conditiona du contrat da filmaga. Original coplaa in printad papar eovara ara filmad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or illuatratad impraa- aion, or tha back covar whan appropriata. All othar original coplaa ara filmad baginning on tha first paga with a printad or illuatratad impraa- aion, and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or illuatratad impraaaion. lAaa Laa axampiairaa originaux dont la couvartura an papiar aat ImprimAa aont filmAa an commandant par la pramiar plat at an tarminant soit par la darniAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'Imprassion ou d'illuatration, soit par la sacond plat, aaion la cas. Toua laa autras axampiairaa originaux aont filmAa an commandant par la pramiAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'Imprassion ou d'iliustration at an tarminant par la darniAra paga qui comporta una talla amprainta. Tha iaat racordad frama on aach microficha shall contain tha aymbol —^ (moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha aymbol Y (moaning "END"), whichavar appliaa. Un daa symbolas suivants apparattra sur la darniAra imaga da chaqua microficha, salon la caa: la symbols — ► signifia "A SUIVRE", la symbols ▼ signifia "FIN". ira Maps, plataa, charta, ate, may ba filmad at diffarant raduction ratioa. Thoaa too larga to ba antiraly includad in ona axpoaura ara filmad baginning in tha uppar laft hand cornar, laft to right and top to bottom, aa many framaa aa raquirad. Tha following diagrama illuatrata tha mathod: Laa cartaa, planchaa, tablaaux, ate, pauvant Atra filmAa A daa taux da rAduction diff Arants. Loraqua la documant ast trop grand pour Atra raproduit an un saul clichA. 11 aat filmA A partir da I'angia aupAriaur gaucha, da gaucha A droita. at da haut an Ims. an pranant la nombra d'imagaa nAcaaaaira. Las diagrammaa auivanta illuatrant la mAthoda. »y arrata •dto int na palura, ipon A 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 ^A BY REV. WALTER ROACH, MINISTER OF THAT CHURCH, 0n SkAhBth 28t& Srptcmifr, 1845 : ON OCCASION OF THE DEATHS BY 1 I K..]/r'^^^y^tu^/:c^/i^ /il, ,^/./ <^?,^.V^ SERMON, PBGACHED IN TEE SCOTCH CHURCH, BEAVHARNOIS, DROWNING. OF MESSRS. F. COWAN AND C J. CHARD. PUBLIIHED AT THB RrQUEST OF THE CONGREGATION. MONTREAL: PRINTED BY STARKE AND CO 1845. Vs /■ f F ■ti t t I 4 I ^ f- This Sermon was preached in consequence of a mournful accident which occurred at Beauharnois, on the 14th Septem- ber, 1845. Messrs. Francis Cowan, and Charles John Chard, of that place, with a Friend, went out in a pleasure yacht for a sail. After sailing about for some time, they got into that part of Lake St. Louis, near the foot of the Cascades Rapids, where the St. Lawrence and Ottawa, and the current and eddy meet. There the boat became unmanageable: — a sud- den squall took her, when she immediatelv filled with water and went down, stern foremost. Cowan and Chard were drowned, the other gentleman was saved by swimming, assist- ed by an oar which he found floating, and was picked up by some persons who came to his assistance in a boat from the neighbouring shore. The untimely fate of these two young persons, only 25 years of age, has caused a deep feeling cf re- gret in all that knew them, and much sympathy has been evinced in the parish where they lived, as well as in the surrounding neighbourhood. Si ■ i Mli j.'i I ■. *' I ..'> t "'-it ,t. .jKJv if < ; *l 'f i :>' ,1 ,1 » ;, '»C Hn , <^;f>: ?!!'/< (:/: i.'Ii tu SERMON. ^ •v^'v ./vv^.^rfS.'>/- ^ * . II. Samoel, xiv. 14 — " For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person, yet doth he devise means that his ban< ished be not expelled from him." V ■ ! You are acquainted with the story, or rather the parable in the story from whence this Text is taken. Absalom was a wicked prince of the blood- royal of Judah. He had grievously offended against the Lord, by taking the law into his own hand, and acting above law ; in consequence he was banished from the home and the privileges of his father*8 house. He was as already dead ; denied the recognition of kindred, and exclu- ded from the honors of his high connection. The woman of Tekoah intercedes with i>avid, and gains her suit, in inducing the father tc recall his banished son. Little at that time did David or the woman think on what would afterwards tran- spire in the history of the prodigal and unnatural youth, who subsequently raised the standard of civil war, rebelled against his parent, and wrought abomination in the sight of Israel. Absalom trusted in his beauty — his winning manner in stealing the hearts of others, though his strength I ^ -*' G 6 % proved his weakness, and his pride his ruin, in the day of God's judgment against him. In behalf of this wicked prince, even though lacking evi- dences of a heartfelt repentance of the past, the prayer of intercession was made. What a figure of the human race I We, though the oflfspring of God, have yet offended him, both as Father and as King. We were all of us as dead ; yea, dead in trespasses anJ in sins : intercession was made for our restoration to Divine favor : that intercession has prevailed : by the blood of Jesus we are brought nigh unto God, though we see not this fact as yet, even as Absolom was brought to Je- rusalem, where though seeing not David his father, opportunity was afforded him, even as is afforded us, of bringing forth fruits meet for repentance, the best security for a further enlargement in enjoying, and being admitted to the privileges of the Royal Household. njfroii ui\\ i'!,''':f\\ i>al» The beautiful sentiment of the text is illustra- tive of the vanity of human life. The law of mor- tality is over all flesh. It is appointed unto all men once to die. There is no exception, for God doth not respect any person, however elevated fais rank, or distinguished his virtues ; — however low his station, and unworthy his character; — how- ever honoured and loved and revered, or howe- ver hated and despised by others. To all the thread of time will cease to be spun al its appoint- ed season, the life strings of the heart shall be snapt asunder, the silver cord will be loosed, the golden bowl shall be broken, the body shall return to the dust, and the spirit to him who gave it. The text naturally divides itself into three parts : — Isi. The Law of Death — 2d. The vanity of human life — 3d. The hope which even in death is afforded to God*s people of a blessed resurrec- tion. I.— THE LAW OP DEATH. This is so palpable as to require, but little illus- tration. Man is not the only creature in this world under the law of mortality. Death or dissolution is common to all objects in this world of sin. The beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, the fishes of the sea, and creeping things, are short-lived beings; the works of men's handswhich so long out- live their makers, are subject to the same law. The most stately mansions and magnificent tem- ples, however long they may retain their strength and beauty, cannot forever withstand the warring elements, and the lapse of time. The greatest empires of the world have waxed and waned. The wisest of constitutions, and the best of human laws, have been altered or annulled. ** Nature herself grows old." Though every year and every season she arrays herself with the garments befitting her circumstances, yet in her change of external attire she confesses death. Everything finds a grave, and %\ I that grave is in Mother Earth, and so must man ; for why should man be excepted ? If the earth we tread and all the works therein must be burned up, if the elements must melt with fervent heat, if even the heavens above us shall pass away, shall man be an exception ? No! the Judgment is that man must needs die. This is the sentence, though the time of executing that sentence is not revealed. Some are called away in helpless infancy, — in playful childhood, — in thoughtless youth, — in sturdy manhood, — in declining age. Some are call- ed away after enduring sorrows of mind and pains of body ; others suddenly, without time to heave a sigh, to breathe a prayer, or suffer a pang, save the last, the only one of the spirit's bursting forth from its earthly tabernacle. Some are called away after witnessing their dissolution inch by inch, weakness succeeding weakness, the loss of one faculty after another ; others by accident, or quick and powerful disease, are unexpectedly laid low. Many have left their dwellings on the call of duty, or the pass- ing invitation of pleasure, to return no more. A squall of wind, the flashing lightning, the gaping earth, the sweeping hurricane, the burning dwel- ling, the falling of a tile, any thing which happens to be chosen as the servant of the Lord at the appointed time, serves to snap asunder the heart- strings of life, and bring to the dust the strong and healthy man. As to every other purpose, so to that of death, there is time and judgment, ** for man knoweth not that which shall he, for who can tell him when it shall he ? There is no man hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death, and there is no discharge in that war.** In whatever way death cometh it cometh, simply as the law, or rather as the execution of the law of mortality, under which all live and move and have their heing. We know but of two exceptioub to this universal law — Enoch and Ellas. All from Adam downwards, countless millions though they be in number, have suffered, or will suffer, the penalty of death. But why reason I thus ? ** The living know that they shall die ! Their love, their hatred, and their envy, all must perish ; for as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare, so are the sons of men, snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them." Man must needs die. Yes, it is necessity ; man*s will is not consulted in this matter. He is not a free, but a bondsman, in this respect. Dis- solution is his doom, as well as that of all things around him. It is necessit^^ not merely as a pun- ishment for sin, but as an important primary step in going through a process of preparation for a glo- rious work to be achieved by the Divine Being, in a future renovation of all things, the resurrection ( ;ii 10 of the dead, either to glory and honour, or to shame and everlasting contempt. !>•> II.— THE VANITY OP HUMAN LIFE. In shewing this, a fit figure borrowed from nature is used in the text, that of water. In its nature, water is weak, of no consistence, no solid standing, always descending to a lower station, abiding in no one particular place, except detained by restraint. Let the sun in his strength shine upon, it, and ito surface sparkles, let the wind blow and it is trou- bled, presenting the wrinkles of a determined but a weak resistance to opposition. And what is man ? We ask not what he was before he sinned, while daily watered by the streams of gladnc ;s flowing from the fountain of life, refreshed with ne dew of Heaven and the wells of God in the P ;a- dise of Eden. But we ask what is he r w? Weak and unstable as water, fickle in reso^ ition, wavering in counsel, always descending ,o the grave, at one time with the imperceptible ^'ow of a sweet and pleasant surface, at another with 'the turgid impetuosity of a rapid stream, impatient to lose itself in the boundless ocean. The sun of prosperity makes him sweet and happy, the cloud of adversity makes him tremble and retreat, the wind of opposition troubles his face and indents on his forehead the hollow furrows that bespeak the grave. ■, ,, .,,,. 11 But he is like water spilt on the ground ; that is to say> he is a being of contingencies and dangers. As in a moment of thoughtlessness in carrying water in a vessel a part or the whole of it is by some accident spilt on the ground, so is man not to be confident in the hopes of attaining the goal to which he looks forward, however good his health, or flattering his prospects, may be. Death has no fixed rule ; its way is the way of darkness. The shafts of disease, hasty or linger- ing in their work, fly thickly around him, in carry- ing man off from the stage of existence. Let the pitcher be broken at the fountain, and the water will be spilt ; let the silver cord be cut and the vessel shall be dashed to pieces ; let the golden bowl be broken and the contents will be lost. Justly then is the figure of the text applied to man, for than water his nature is no stronger, nor his abode more certain. Stop its current, and it swells and overflows, confine it, and it putrifies and cor- rupts. ■■■ >= ■:. ;{>.> .:;-j.,-ff..,.ik 2;: ..,,. ._- But this is not all ; when man dies, there is then an end of hope and interest, so far as the present life is concerned. The flickering flame that light- ened and carried him through earth being extin- guished, he goeth to darkness and the land of sha- dows ; he leaves the converse of earth to converse with spirits ; for man is as water when spilt, it can. not be gathered up again. He goeth to his long M 1 ;i; 12 home, and to expect his return to his former lot in life is as vain as to expect the water that has heen spilt on the parched ground to be gathered by the labour of mortal. His body when laid in the grave becomes the food of worms ; he ceases to have a name or an interest under the sun, or to exist save now and then in the busy memory of the anxious friendship of surviving relations ; but these too in turn are also called to yield the taper of a mortal existence by which as the former they were conducted to the gate of death. And what say the young and unconcerned, as well as the old and timorous, among you, on such a subject as this ? You must needs all die, and be as water spilt on the ground. Vain are your thoughts if you suppose your days will yet be many, and it is time enough to think of the senti- ment in the text. Many are the avenues by which death approaches. At every age he is at hand. Deference to rank or fortune he shows not. Three-score years and ten is considered the maxi- mum of human life ; but before the half of that period has expired, the half of mankind are summoned to their graves. Go to the char- nel house of death, look on the graves of the many who lie buried from the view of the world, and of every age you will find them there ; and none so old, if they had tongues to speak but would tell you that they thought, not as a matter of pos- ' 13 sibility, but of probability, many even of a moral certainty, that their period of life would have been farther prolonged. Go to the statistics of a coun- try and calculate the average mortality of every age, and you will feel astounded at the few, the very few, that are spared as Fathers to tell of for- mer years. Go to any land and fancy ten thou- sand born in one day. How many of these see the days of manhood ? Alas ! four thousand sleep in the silent tomb ; some called there in infancy and happy childhood, others in the pride of beau- ty and of promise, in rising youth. Call up the survivors at the age of forty and another thousand have gone the way of all the earth. Summon them again at sixty years, and nearly other fifteen hundred have followed, while at four-score years not one in ten of the survivors remains to tell in his wrinkled forehead, his stooping body, and his tottering limbs, who of his former compeers have paid the debt of nature I Go my friends, and this day for once think of death. Set eternity before your eyes, that you may so spend the time of your sojourning here as to be able to say, " For us to live is Christ, and to die is gain." God regardeth no maL, for says the text, "Neither doth God respect any person." t ,, ^ - :. I III THE HOPE OF A RESURECTION. " If in this life only we hsd hope," said Paul, 1^ » " of all men we would be the most miserable." The \anity and brevity of life is fitted to fill us with sadness. To go hence and to be seen no more ; to exchauge life for death, present enjoy- ments for the prison of our long home, our happy dwellings for the dark grave, our families for the consuming worm which is to become a mother and a sister, cannot fail to convey a regret to the mind, at the same time a closer clinging love of life. But God in his mercy has allevi. ted the bitterness of this feeling. There is a YET a the text, " for all this t/et doth he devise means that his banished be not expelled from him." Banished we were, because of sin, from the home and the happiness of our Heavenly Father, even as Absolom was, on ac- count of his wickedness, from the privileges of his father's house. But banished though we were, yet in this world of exile, sin and sorrow, God thought on us. He knew the frailty of our frame — he remembered that we were dust — he wished us not to be forever expelled from his presence — we were still his children, and in infinite wisdom he devised the means of our restoration to his favour and his kingdom. Christ descended to earth for the es- pecial purpose of bringing us as erring children back to God. While the believer is on earth he obtains peace with God, by means of the interces- sion of Jesus. In the hour of death, through the same Saviour he has hope ; yea the assurance of 15 ») hope ; for though evidently banished to the grave, yet God has devised means that he be not ex- pelled from him. " The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, and do im- mediately pass into glory, and their bodies being still united to Christ, do rest in their graves till the resurection." By the union, then, which exists between Christ and his people, we see the means which God has devised to restore his banished to himself. It is true the body is still in a state of banishment, nay confined in the dark prison of the tomb, undergoing that dissolution which was the curse ; *' Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return :" but the immortal spirit lives with Christ, and enjoys fellowship with him in a state of rest and glory. God is the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, though they have long since been dead, and God not being the God of the dead but of the living, they must live to him. " I desire to depart," said Paul, " and to be with Christ, which is far better than to abide in the flesh : for whether I live, I live unto the Lord, and whether I die I die unto the Lord ; living or dying I am the Lord's ; for we know that if the earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." Thus you see how God has devised means, through Christ, not only of causing his banished to enjoy his favour and re- 16 conciliation on earth, but also happiness and glory in the intermediate state of existence between death and final judgment. But we stop not here : God has also devised means for the restoration of the body of man, even though worms may long have consumed that body, and its dust become so mixed with the dust of the ground that it is beyond the power of man to discern its particles. There is aday when the dead will be raised by Jesus Christ, who is consequently called the " resurection and the life," and in whom if a man believe '*he shall be raised up at the last day; for the Lord shall descend with a shout, with the voice of the trump of the living God," to call the decayed bodies of his people to life and beauty, to be fash- ioned like unto his glorious body, changing corrup- tion into incorruption, mortality into immortality, death into life, the prison of the grave to the throne of the redeemed. Though we are as water spilt on the dry ground, which cannot be gathered up again, yet we are not lost to God, for what is im- possible with man is possible with Him. As water spilt on the ground sinks and is afterwards exhaled by the heat of the sun, so though we die and sink into the grave, yet as soon as the sun of righteous- ness shall be fully risen, with healing in his wings, on the last and joyful day, by bis exhaling influence shall we be raised to the Heavens, to be around the Throne of God. J' 17 O! blessed hope of immortality and life through Jesus Christ ! Well may it prove an anchor to our souls amidst all our cares, sorrows, pains and trials. Nay, in the dark hour of death, well may it light our way and cheer our hearts, even with our graves dug before our eyes. We can descend with buoyant minds, and lay us down as on beds of peaceful rest, knowing that our Re- deemer liveth, and we shall stand with him in the latter day — when the song will be sung in fruition we now sing in faith and hope : — " O Death ! where is thy sting ? O Grave I where is thy vic- tory ? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law, but thanks be to God who has given us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ/' Time will not permit me to enlarge on the topic of the King fetching home again his banished ; besides I cannot otherwise than by faith in the precious promises of God, carry you to the Heavenly city, show you its streets of gold, its spiritual services, its countless mansions, with their inhabitants, so great a multitude that no man can number. Nor can I describe to you the garments of salvation, the robes of white, the crowns of gold, the palms of victory, which so befit the Saints. Nor can I tell you how enlarged the understanding, how increased the powers of knowledge, of memory, and of judg- ment, of the redeemed will become. Nor can I repeat that song of Moses and the Lamb which is o 18 there so joyfully sung, beyond the chorus which we have learnt, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing.'* But I leave you to your Bibles, to the exercise of faith in the promises, that ** there they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat, for the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." What is the lesson, my brethren, which we learn from the subject of this day*s meditation ? Is it not to be watchful and ready for the approach of death ? Every day we are taught this truth, that we must needs die : the silent approach of the destroying angel to the cot of the lowly, the dwell- ing of the wealthy, or the palace of the noble ; the mourning group that follows to the grave the one, or the stately equipage which with its dumb show seems to mock the greatness of departed glory, in following the other, tell us in language which cannot be gainsayed, ** that neither doth God respect any person." I cannot, my brethren, pass over the present opportunity of praying you, in the name of God, to improve not only what you have now heard, but, that afflicting dispensation which lately has plung- ed our little community into gloom and sorrow. 19 But three weeks ago, you and I met within these walls for the same professed purpose we do this day. ** Behold now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation," was the warning We are not here pleading for the dead — we are on^y cautioning any against condemning the dead. ** Judgment is mine," saith the Lord, " I will re- pay." It is the remark of an old Divine, that three wonders will be seen by the Saints above — they will wonder to see some in Heaven whom they never expected to see there — they will wonder that some are not there whom they confidently expected to have beheld — they will wonder too, and this will spring from humility and the largess- es of the grace of God, that they are there them- selves. There was ip our Saviour's days, what has been found in every age, and in ours too, such a thing as straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel. Let all of us then look into our own hearts, judging ourselves that we be not judged. Have we, the living, not been perhaps more guilty of sin, than these who have been cut off? If then such things be done in the green tree what may not be done in the dry, if we do not repent? Remember the Fourth commandment, to keep holy to God the Sabbath day. This command I may :eep land is broken in many other ways than open pro- fanation. Scandal, converse on worldly interests, planning and scheming for the future on earth, ne- glecting religion, forsaking the sanctuary, heeding neither the bible nor prayer, are all of them breach- es of the same precept, and not less hateful in the sight of God, because of their comparative secrecy, as frustrating the great end of the command — glorifying God and promoting spiritual improve- ment and growth in grace in man. ( In conclusion, let me urge upon you to stir up your minds by way of lively remembrance what ^ou heard this day three weeks, when these young men last heard the word of exhortation : '* Behold now m is the accepted time, behold now is the day of sal- vation." The importance of the work of religion — the shortness and uncertainty of life, — the tenden- cy of delay in strengthening the power of evil habits and increasing the difficulty ^of repentance — and the risk which is run of losing wholly the spirit and the grace of God, at a future period, being all of them reasons as we then shewed you, for improv- ing the present hour. , I close with my then finishing remarks, which alas ! little did we then think, and little did Cowan and Chard then think, should have been so shortly applicable to them, but which God only knows may be just as applicable in some way or other to some one of us now present. "Who among you can •^ ,^y 24 \^- say that this is not the last time you may enter the House of the Lord, upon earth ? Who can say that the arrow of death is not already on the wing to bring him to the dust ? Who among you can say that the tree is not grown, that it has not been felled, is not sawn asunder, is not all but ready for a few hours labour to be converted into his coffin? That his winding sheet is not already spun and wo- ven, and altoge'ther ready ? That the nails are not already forged, to nail him down in his chest, for ever from the light of the sun ? That the strong man's hand is not almost ready to grasp his mat- tock and his spade, to break up the ground and prepare his last chamber of rest ? That the turf still green may not wholly fade or be attired with the snows of winter, till it covers all that is left of him from the view of mortal V ** We must needs all die, and be as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again I *' .a. y ,\\. 7 enter the 10 can say 1 the wing g you can 8 not been t ready for his coflSn? in and wo- nails are his chest, he strong ) his mat- >und and t the turf ired with is left of ist needs id, which ■ >. !