for you to enter in-no house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens ?-if, stripped of all that covers you now, you be unclothed and defenceless before the bar of God? Awake then to righteousness, and sin not. Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the shall give thee life. dead, and Christ There may possibly be others before me wнo ARE IN DANGER OF ERRING FROM THE FAITH; who are more than usually exposed, from the seductions of Satan and the infirmity of our fallen nature, to the peril of being unstable, and of falling from their own stedfastness. Let such be affectionately warned by the solemnity of the death of their Minister and friend, and let them be admonished to return into the way of righteousness. Let them remember the things which their Pastor was not negligent to enforce upon them as long as he was in this tabernacle; and, oh, may they call them to mind now after his decease. Let them be diligent to make their calling and election sure. Let them labour to add to their faith every grace and virtue of the Christian profession. Let them well consider that there are two kinds of faith, a dead and a living one; that there are two kinds of religious profession, the one fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, the other barren and forgetful. Oh, let them not unhappily remain obstinate in the errors which they have rather, per haps, been betrayed to approve, than designedly understood and adopted; and may they, by following the humility and teachableness of their late Minister, and especially of Christ their great Lord and Master, recover themselves from the snare of the Devil. May their future simplicity of faith in Christ, their tenderness of conscience, their circumspection and holiness, their charity to their brethren, and their desire and aim at growth in grace, prove that they have always in remembrance the doctrine of the holy Apostles; and that they are endeavouring, by every good word and work, to make their calling and election sure, and obtain an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I need not stop to urge these topics on the hearts of the large body of SERIOUS OBEDIENT CHRISTIANS before me; many of whom, after having heard for a course of years the eminent predecessor of your deceased Rector, were the support and comfort of his labours during the twenty years which he ministered among you. May the death of your affectionate and much beloved Minister quicken you to remember all the doctrines and duties he inculcated, though you know them, and be established in the present truth. You weep over a departed friend; but the time will soon come when you shall join him again in the kingdom of heaven. He has drop ped this tabernacle, as you must soon put off your's; but he has entered into another abode, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Have then in affectionate remembrance the consolations and obligations he was accustomed to enforce, and be followers of him who through faith and patience has inherited the promises. Finally, may I be permitted to urge on THE PARISH GENERALLY the most circumspect and upright conduct in the discharge of the solemn duty which I understand will devolve upon them at this season. May all bitterness, and wrath, and malice, and clamour, and all evil speaking, be put away from you. May you lay aside every sinful passion and prejudice, and most simply make choice of that person whom you conscientiously believe, from his piety and respectability of character, will most labour for your spiritual welfare. Thus will you best testify your value for that doctrine which your late Pastor enforced upon you. Thus will you shew that you remember them that have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of life. Thus will you best follow their faith, remembering the end of their conversation, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. |