and hell into the lake of fire and brimstone. The re-animated dust of the redeemed shall then be perfectly released from the bondage of corruption, and made like unto the glorious body of their great Head: the whole number of the elect shall then be presented before the presence of the divine glory, with exceeding great joy.

One grand indispensable inquiry yet remains. By what means may we attain to the resurrection of the just? In search of this important subject, we are not left to wander in the maze of uncertainty and doubt; the way into the holiest is made manifest. There are three things absolutely requisite for a man to be acquainted with, before he can enter into life.

FIRST, The pardon of our sins. The scripture proposes this unspeakable gift by the blood of JeWe have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of our sins. EPHES. i. 7.

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SECONDLY, The justification of our persons. Provision for which is made by the obedience of the Son of God. He is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. ROM, X.

4.

THIRDLY, The sanctification of our nature. Jesus is of God made unto us sanctification. 1. COR. i. 30. By the influence of his Spirit upon our hearts," we are made partakers of the divine nature; sanctified in body, soul and spirit; and changed thus into the divine image, as by the Spirit of our God." 2 COR. iii. 8.

This is the only method of salvation countenanced in scripture; and it seems a method, "just to God, and safe to man.'

To conclude. Though we sorrow to-day, we do not sorrow as those who have no hope. God, who has taken away our dear brother, will take care of his. He will be a husband to the forlorn widOw, and a father to the dear tender babes. A

good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children. God will provide; he will surely do them good; he has the hearts of all men in his hands; he will raise up friends for them; and eventually make it appear, that even this dark dispensation, is amongst the all things, that work together for good.

He that has the government upon his shoulders, will take care of you, my brethren, as a church. A pastor is provided for you; and he who knows him, will bring him amongst you in his own way, and time. Trust in the Lord; he will never forsake Zion; her walls are ever before him. Take his word for your rule; live according to the same; seek him by prayer and supplication; and you shall yet praise him,

We now bid farewell, a long farewell, to the sleeping dust of our departed brother: but, blessed be God, though it be a long farewell, it will not be an everlasting one. We shall meet again, What we are to-day sowing in dishonour, shall be raised in glory. The trumpet shall sound; our brother will arise; we shall meet, no more to part, When Jesus comes, he will bring all his saints with him. Comfort ye one another with these things.

Willand Pan Sie
Book Now Yatr

I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU COMFORTLESS. I WILL COME UNTO YOU.

SO deeply am I sensible of the loss sustained by this church in general, not to say by the nearest relative of my dear departed brother, that on a partial view of their circumstances, (and our views, especially of afflictive events, are too commonly partial) I could not be surprised, were some now present ready to exclaim, " Is there any sorrow like unto our sorrow, wherewith the Lord has this day afflicted us?" But though I scarcely know where a church could sustain an equal loss, by the removal of so young a pastor; nor can I conceive, there exists a widow, whom death has plundered of a richer store of blessings, by taking from her

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her infant care, the guide of their youth; more mature consideration, we must not admit that lamentation to be applicable, even to them that feel the most pungent grief in this assembly. The event which has occasioned our present meeting, must deeply affect even strangers, whose hearts know how to feel; but all the dearest friends of the deceased must acknowledge, that the days of tribulation, which preceded this mournful evening, were not the season of displaying the Lord's anger, but of the clear manifestation of his faithfulness and love: They were to him the days of heaven upon earth. Surely they who drank with him the deepest out of his cup of affliction, could find no savour of the curse, no, not at the bottom; nor could they drink the bitter, without tasting also of the sweet, which was not sparingly dropt into it, but copiously infused. And after such proofs and illustrations of the divine fidelity, I cannot but believe, that she who needs them most of all, shall find farther stores of consolation laid up for her relief: since God her Maker is her husband, who giveth songs in the night.

This church also must be reminded, that there was a chirch at Jerusalem, near eighteen centuries ago, which sustained a loss unspeakably greater than that which they now bewail; while yet the sorrow, which was then endured, was quickly turned into joy. to joy. And your affectionate pastor, who, both in health and in sickness, cared so much for your welfare, did not hesitate to recommend to your attention, the kind assurance which was given for their relief; as believing it to contain ground of encouragement, on which you also arc authorized to depend. He who said to his dear disciples, "I will not leave you comfortless orphans, I will come unto you," has the same respect to his whole church in every age; and you, my