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As a divine, his theological opinions were founded solely on the authority of the Scriptures: and without servile attachment to party distinctions of any name, he professed himself a moderate Calvinist.

On the subject of church government, he was liberal, but thought the popular plan of congregational churches the most consonant to apostolic and primitive practice, and best adapted to promote the interests of piety and religion.

As a preacher, the elegance of his manner, the perspicuity of his style, the abundant variety of his information, enforced by a manly and almost unrivalled eloquence, at once charmed, convinced, and instructed. The subjects of his pulpit addresses, never uninteresting, seldom speculative, were always calculated to inform the understanding and improve the heart. To have been languid or unbenefited under his ordinary preaching, would have evinced great insensibility, or great depravity.

As a teacher of youth, he had a peculiar facility of communicating the knowlege with which he was so copiously endowed, and the peculiar happiness of commanding obedience and respect without severity or hauteur.

As a man of piety and virtue, with as few infirmities as usually fall to the lot of good men in the present world, his example in every department of life was worthy of imitation, and displayed a rectitude of mind which could only result from perfect integrity of principle.

His loss to the church, to the partner of his life, to his friends, and his country, is unspeakable: "Well done, good and faithful servant;" and a mansion in heaven are his reward.

Thus, Brethren, we have endeavored to perform the duty of affection and respect to the memory of a truly good man. The virtues of his inestimable character will long be retained in your recollection. It remains that we consider our privation of him with a more immediate view to our own improvement. By his death the care of this art of the vineyard of God has devolved more particularly upon yourselves. It has long been distinguished by a succession of faithful, able ministers of Christ, who have labored effectually in word and doctrine, and broken the bread of life to many who now are the crown of their rejoicing in the kingdom of God. To manage the present interests of the church, to provide for its future instruction, and to maintain the cause of God and religion, is now committed to you. Whether the

rising generation shall grow up in the enjoyment of gospel privileg whether this favored vine planted and nurtured by the hand of G shall hereafter grow and flourish, depends much upon your faith attention to this stewartship.

The duty is arduous indeed; but it is equally interesting and in portant; it is equally honorable and generous. Your reward will, many respects, spring out of the performance of it. You will s yourselves instruments in the hand of God of promoting the best i terests of society. Many, who otherwise might have been left darkness, may, by your means, be introduced to an acquaintance wi the truth that accompanies salvation. The life and power of religi will be thus likely long to be preserved amongst you: the order an decorum of good goverment will prevail in your families, the benef of your efforts will descend to posterity, and improving the gosp yourselves you will at length be admitted to your final reward in state of glory and immortality.

To the immediate relatives of the deceased, permit me to say we, my friends, have sustained an irreparable loss. Persons in mor distant connection will regret the removal of a man of real merit and usefulness in society: from us, he is withdrawn from our domestic cir cles, and subtracted from those sweet associations of which he was so essential, so ornamental, and so improving a member. In these, and in our bosoms, he has left a void never to be filled. But the virtues that endeared him to our souls fitted him for that better society to which he is now admitted. He perused and conversed in the language of heaven, while he dwelt amongst us-His soul aspired to a superior glory, and often looked forward with pleasure to the day when he expected to be made perfect in the divine likeness. Shall we laIment that he has attained to the summit of his wishes? that he has put off the mortal body to shine in robes of immortality? that he has passed the years of his minority and arrived at manhood? that he has left us to join the blessed above?— -Be silent, my tumultuous grief! We yield, O God, with submission to thy will-Thou hast borne him hence to realms of eternal day. Let us imitate his luminous example; let us endeavor to catch his falling mantle, and be animated with a double portion of his spirit: and though the wound cannot be healed in the present world, it will not be long till we also shall ascend to mansions in the skies, and be reunited with those whom we loved on earth, in joys that shall never end. In the mean time,

it will be highly important to improve our affliction for our own admonition and instruction-It reminds us of the uncertainty of our best and most rational enjoyments here:-It reminds us of the narrow bounds of human life on earth: Wherefore then do we suffer our affections to be unduly attached to the blessings which are already on the wing, to flee away forever? Why do we, at any time, put confidence for happiness in the life of mortals, or in their capacities, and improvements, and kindnesses, who may so easily be sundered from us? Why' do we ever delay the necessary preparation for futurity, when death, whose shaft is never idle, is daily diminishing the number of those who entered into life with us, and pointing to the grave already waiting to receive us?-Let us gird up our loins, and keep our lamps trimmed and burning, that whensoever our Lord cometh he may find us watching.

The worthy relict of our inestimable friend, is entitled in this place, to particular attention. To you, madam, the loss we deplore is unspeakable. The excellency of character which endeared your worthy husband to a numerous acquaintance; and raised him so high in the estimation of the best judges of real merit, must have endeared him still more to you. To describe your exquisite feelings, in the recollection of scenes of sublimest pleasure gone forever, would be more than I ought to undertake-No sympathy can do justice to your keener sensibility on so trying an occasion. The will of providence, however, is accomplished in respect to his faithful servant. A constant witness of his fervent piety, his animated zeal in the cause of God and religion, his steadfast faith, and his persevering assiduity in promoting the best interests of his fellow men: a witness of the calm submission with which he endured affliction; of the unshaken confidence with which he met the king of terrors, and of his humble trust in the Saviour whom he had preached to others,-A witness of his last testimony, when his faith in the Son of God failed not, but enabled him to finish his course in triumph, you have every consolation such a bereavement can admit!

All the circumstances of your affliction were ordered in infinite wisdom: In respect to the most important circumstance it has had an happy issue. While, therefore, you justly mourn, there is infinite reason why you should perfectly acquiesce in the divine dispensation. But it is not necessary to instruct you, Madam, in the religious considerations which will contribute to your support-Your past experi

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ence of infinite mercy is your instructor-Your faith already stays upon the grace and goodness which preside in the direction of all the affairs of men-Already placing your confidence in God, you will be enabled to sustain and improve your sorrow with dignity, and to advantage. The Lord will not be wanting to you in the fulfilment of his promises-Every jot and tittle of them shall be accomplished, till he shall have brought you by a right way to a city of habitation, where every tear shall be wiped from your weeping eye; and what you sow in sorrow you shall reap in unceasing joy. In the mean time, permit me to commend you to his care, who has said, "Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive, and let thy widows trust in me”—And to him be glory, and honor, and dominion, and power, forever and ever-Amen.

SERMON 1,

THE GOSPEL TO BE PREACHED TO THE POOR.

MATTHEW xi. 4, 5.

Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached unto them."

IT has been doubted by commentators, whether John sent his disciples to Christ for his own satisfaction, or theirs. Most probably his intention was, as he expected he himself would soon disappear, to give his disciples an opportunity of being fully convinced that Christ was the Messiah, that, on his decease, they might become followers of the true Light.

However, it may also be conjectured, that John labored under the common prejudice of his nation, that the Messiah was to be a temporal prince, and would place not only the nation in general, but

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