death. This is the point of human existence which imperatively demands the attentions of friendship, and on this point they are as freely, as they are no doubt often, uselessly, lavished. "Come to me, for I am dying,” is a summons second in imperativeness only to that of the grim messenger himself; one, which no friend, unless hemmed in with impossibilities, feels at liberty to decline. "Dying!" is the awful word that rouses, from the deepest slumber; calls off from the most enticing pleasure; puts aside the most engaging study; suspends household operations and even civil deliberations and religious rites, and brings an anxious band of sympathisers to accompany friendship, talent or worth, to the banks. of the gloomy waters that lave the shores of time and eternity! The cold surges dash at our feet, and mortality shrinks aghast from contact with their chilling spray! Friendship has done its utmost; it can go no further with the spirit of the departing; still it lingers upon the banks and triumphs with shoutings, as the well known voice comes up from the dark waters, heard distinctly above their boomings, "though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for THOU art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me !"

3. We shall participate in the eternal fellowship of Heaven.

Fellowship with God, with its evident sign and immediate print, fellowship with Christians, is the source of supreme pleasure here, though manifested through such an imperfect medium. With all the incompleteness of the present organization of Christian sociality, it constitutes the highest bliss we know. It is this communion with kindred spirits, drinking from a common fountain, fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ, that inspires the song,

And if our fellowship below,

In Jesus be so sweet,

What heights of rapture shall we know
When round his throne we meet ?

Who does not anticipate, with glowing soul, the rapturing hour when he shall be permitted to enter upon the glorious fellowships of the upper world; that world, where church pales-those earthcreations are unknown; where the long sought visible unity of the church will be found in all its pre-eminent perfection; where we shall be ushered into society, and affectionate and familiar converse with the prophets and martyrs, the apostles and saints, with

the great and good of other times, and the mourned and loved of our own; where differences are all forgotten, and invidious names and party distinctions have fled forever; where Luther walks arm in arm with Zuinglius; and Calvin converses lovingly with Arminius; where Fletcher and Toplady, Wesley and Whitefield, have lost their conflicts of opinion in a sweet and perfect union of holy hearts. A final element of the glory of this Heavenly fellowship is, that it is eternal. Here our communion is perpetually interrupted; time and distance cool the affections; the strongest and most during Christian unions are liable to decay. The fellowship of Heaven knows no change. Its friendships are as perennial as its bliss; pure as its own air; inspiring as its own songs; firm as its own throne.

When, by faith, we scale the walls of that God-lighted world, our senses are overwhelmed with its physical resplendence; "gates of pearl" and "streets of gold" flash upon the vision; the tide of celestial song from innumerable harps and voices breaks upon and ravishes the ear; but when novelty is satiated, when the eye addresses itself to a more leisurely survey of the living masses that press toward the eternal throne, or the scattered groups that dot the spreading plains, a single idea looms upon the mind, occupies the attention, overpowers and excludes every other, and magnifies to rapture with the contemplation. Every loving group, the loving worship of the innumerable multitudes, and, above all, the love outbeaming from the Saviour's face, proclaims the PERFECT FELLOWSHIP, the GODLIKE and eternal UNION of that blissful abode,

"Where the saints of all ages in harmony meet,
Their Saviour and brethren, transported, to greet,
Where the anthems of rapture unceasingly roll,
And the smile of the Lord is the feast of the soul."

SERMON LXXV.

BY REV. R. W. ALLEN,

PASTOR OF THE CHESTNUT STREET CHURCH, PROVIDENCE, R. 1.

THE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT APPROVED

AND REWARDED.

Well done, thou good and faithful servant: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
Matthew xxv. 21.

This passage constitutes a part of a very comprehensive and striking parable of our Lord, denominated the parable of the talents. It brings to view the character of the master who distributed the talents; the principle on which the distribution was affected; the character and reward of those servants who properly improved their talents; and the character of the servant who buried his talent, and his fearful punishment. Our text relates to those servants who had so improved on the gifts committed to them, that they received from the master the highest commendation. To their character, approbation, and reward, we now solicit your attention. I. THEIR CHARACTER.

This is clearly portrayed in the parable, "Then he that had received five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also, gained other two." They commenced immediately employing the various gifts intrusted to their charge. In this they continued, until their master came to reckon with them. They had applied themselves closely and unremittingly to their master's work; and they had done it, "according to their several ability." Hence, they were called "good and faithful servants."

We may here appropriately inquire, What constitutes a good and faithful servant of Jesus Christ?

1. Such a servant is one who has voluntarily chosen the service of Christ.

Voluntary, not compulsory service, is required. Such a service only, can furnish evidence of that reverence, gratitude, and love

to Christ; that willingness to labor, suffer, and sacrifice for the prosperity of his cause, that all his servants are required to possess. His service demands a right state of the heart; the affections, desires, and intentions must be right; no deceit and hypocrisy can be allowed. A service freely rendered, is the only service that denotes such a state of the heart, and consequently, the only service that is acceptable to Christ. Other service may be offered while the "heart is from him," but it is "an abomination in his sight." To accept of such service would be highly derogatory to his character, opposed to the principles of his moral government, and subversive of the dearest interests of the race.

The Scriptures most clearly and fully support the position we have taken. Said Moses to Israel, "I call heaven and earth to record against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live." Said Joshua to the tribes of Israel assembled at Sechem, " choose you this day whom ye will serve;" and then informs them of the choice which he had made: "but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord;" we will freely and willingly serve the "God of our fathers." David, in the solemn charge that he gave to his son Solomon, teaches the same doctrine: "Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever." He also taught the people, generally, that the service of God was a service willingly rendered: "And who is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?" The example of Moses is in point: he voluntarily relinquished all right to the regal crown, divested himself of all the pomp and glory of Egypt, and chose his portion with God's despised and suffering people. By faith, Moses, when he had come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; chosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompense of reward." Paul freely gave up the world, with all its wealth, pleasures, emoluments, and aggrandizements, for the service of his Lord. He declares, that what things were gain to him, those he counted loss for Christ. "Yea,

doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ." If there is any thing grand, or morally sublime in human action, it is seen in the course pursued by those distinguished servants of Christ just referred to, when they voluntarily relinquished the world and choose the service of Christ as their service. Such a course of procedure will not only be approved of God and receive the highest honors of time, but shall, ultimately, be crowned with honors unfading and immortal.

2. To be a good and faithful servant of Christ, entire devotion to his service is required.

Such a devotion, only, is worthy a service so pure and exalted, and none other will receive the divine approval.

In the first place, this devotion requires the whole heart. The service of Christ is not a service merely of outward forms and ceremonies, however good; it claims the entire affections of the soul. Pedantry, pomp, high-sounding titles, and specious rites may allure and gratify the pride and unholy ambition of man; they may excite and call forth the applause of the multitude; but they constitute not the service of "him with whom we have to do." His service is holy and divine, excluding every thing that is vain and ostentatious. It demands the best feelings, desires, and affections of the heart; without these, it cannot be satisfied. Even lip service, where the heart is not in it, is regarded with utmost displeasure. "Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men; therefore, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of the prudent men shall be hid." Fearful declaration! Let all who profess to serve and worship God be careful that they offer him the incense of a pure heart!

Secondly. This devotion requires an entire consecration of all our powers to the service of Christ. All our intellectual powers,the will the memory-the reason-the imagination-the judgment;-all our physical powers,-the senses-the eye-the earthe tongue; all, are to be thus consecrated. In this way, we shall be led to seek the highest improvement of all these powers, so that