This is made certain by the irreversible judg ment of God, expressly declared in his word. That sentence on Adam, " Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return," is a sentence on the whole human race. Hence the Apostle says, "Judgment is come on all men to condemnation.. In Adam all die. By him sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passes upon all men."

It is also made certain in the course of providence. "What man is he that liveth and shall not see death?" The world, we know, has existed for several thousands of years; it has all along been peopled by human beings, and these have all been mortal. Look around. Where will you find any of those who were born a century ago? They are numbered with the dead. Innumerable are those, who have gone down to the grave; and every man is drawing after them. What has been the uniform course of nature, without deviation, for nearly six thousand years past, will be its course in years to And we may as well expect perpetual day, or unchanging summer, as hope that we shall live forever and not see death.

come.

Se

As death itself, so also the nearness of death is certain. This is what all acknowledge, and what men in all ages have generally complained of. venty or eighty years, which now bring us to old age, is a short term, compared with the duration of the world. It is nothing compared with the duration which is to follow. "Thou hast made my days an hand-breadth," says David, " my age is as nothing before thee. Verily, every man, at his best state, is altogether vanity.'

As we know death to be certain and near, so we know, it will be a most solemn change, when it comes. How great the change will be, we cannot explain; but we know it will be great. We see

enough to convince us of this; and we believe more than we can see.

If we look on the body, we see an affecting alteration. Strength, beauty, sensation, activity, motion are gone; and that, in which these qualities just now resided, is nothing but an unanimated lump of matter, soon to be deposited in the dust, and there to moulder away and be forgotten. When we view this earth on which we tread, it seems almost incredible, that matter taken from this gross mass should be moulded into man. When we contemplate man, in all the beauty and sprightliness of health, it seems as incredible, that what we see of the man should be reduced to earth. And yet both are truths, which cannot be denied. At death "the dust returns to the earth as it was."

This, however, is but a small part of the change, which death makes. The immortal spirit, now dislodged from the body, passes to another worlda world so different from this, that we can form but little conception of it. There it is adjudged to a state of retribution, of which there will be no end. The nature of this retribution will be agreeable to the temper and character of each soul, when it quits the body.

The certainty, nearness and solemnity of death we know. But no man knows the time of it. This is in God's hands, and is known only to him. He reveals it not to mortals in any other way, than by the event itself. What we know, is important to be known, that we may be seriously affected with our condition, and zealously excited to our duty. What we know not, is necessary to be concealed, that we may neither be unfitted for the common duties of life by the immediate apprehensions of death, nor emboldened to the neglect of the special duties of religion by the assurance of years to come.

A

The continuance of life depends on God's preserving influence. When this is withheld, we die. How long he will continue it, he has not revealed to us, nor can we, in our ordinary state, make any probable conjecture about it.

We know not in what stage of life, we must de part. They who are advanced in age, know that they shall not die young. But there is no period, in which we can be sure of reaching the period, which next succeeds-no stage in which we can be confident of an arrival to that which lies forward on the road.

Multitudes die in infancy. "Death reigns over those who have not sinned, as well as over those who have sinned, after the similitude of Adam's transgression." When we see infants removed by death, we naturally enquire, why they should be sent into the world, if they must be called away be fore they have done any good, or answered any of the ends of a rational existence? But we ought to remember, that the sovereign and all-wise Creator can make their existence subservient to his own purposes, in ways of which we have no conception. There are also some obvious ends, which their transient life and early death are well adapted to serve. Hereby we are sensibly taught some important lessons, which we could not so well learn from other deaths, or from the more ordinary dispensations of providence. We have here a plain demonstration of the great evil of sin; of the divine displeasure against it; and of the universal prevalence of the original curse, which immediately followed the apostacy. Here we are warned not to place an immoderate confidence in, and affection upon any thing below the heavens; but to direct our supreme regards to an immutable, all-sufficient Being.

But is it not hard, that these little unoffending ereatures should suffer so great an evil as death?

We, surely, who have experienced the calamities and temptations of this troublous and ensnaring world, cannot suspect that in their early removal hence, an injury has been done them. Shall we not rather think it a privilege, that these tender shoots are transplanted into the heavenly paradise, where they will escape the rude blasts of our inclement region, and grow up under a milder sky?

Some, who survive the stage of infancy, die in childhood and youth. "They come forth like a flower and are cut down; they flee as a shadow, and continue not." "They are as the green herb, as the grass on the house top, as corn blasted before it is grown up. In the morning they flourish; before noon they are cut down and withered." While they display many hopeful talents, which flatter the fond expectations of friends; while health wantons in their veins, vigor sparkles in their eyes, activity sports in their limbs, and the springs of life are full and flowing; while their worldly prospects are bright and enchanting, and every thing promises a happy succession of years, they fall the victims of dire disease or of violent casualty, and leave their disappointed friends to mourn their blasted hopes. and withered joys.

Do you ask, why the young are thus snatched away? It is to teach surviving youths the necessity of early religion. If none died in this period, none in this period would expect to die. And flattered with the hope of long life, many, perhaps most, would neglect the concerns of their souls, till they were hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. It is to teach parents the importance of a seasonable attention to the religious education of their children. If no parents were deprived of children, all might expect their children to survive them. And few, perhaps, would feel their obligation to assist their children in the great work of prepara

tion for eternity. But taught by the deaths of other youths, how uncertain are their opportunities to counsel and instruct their own, they will speak a word in season-a word which under such softening providences, will be heard with attention, and felt with unusual sensibility. Few parents, who have lost a child suddenly, will say, they are perfectly satisfied with their conduct towards this child. There are few, under such a trial, but who can think of some errors or omissions, which they wish they could rectify or recall. The parent who hears of a youthful death in another family, should realize the mortality of his own children, and enquire, what omissions he has been guilty of, and what duties remain to be done. What he finds to do, let him do speedily, for there is no device in the grave.

Some die in full strength. Their mountain, when it seemed to stand strong, is suddenly overturned. When they are full of worldly cares, their purposes are broken. While a numerous family are leaning upon them, they sink, go down to the pit and make their rest in the dust.

But why are those called away, who are so useful in life, and whose removal makes so many unhappy? It is to teach all not to trust in man, whose breath is in his nostrils; but to trust in God with whom is everlasting strength.

Some die old and full of days, worn out with infirmities, weary of life, and perhaps a burden to friends.

Few ask, Why these die? They rather ask, Why such should live? It is to teach the young to remember their Creator before this evil day comes. It is to admonish all to provide the comforts of religion against the time when worldly comforts will desert them. It is to prove the gratitude and benevolence of children in attending to those from whom they have received a thousand favors. It is