Son of God; they, too, will "determine not to know any thing, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." If they possess but a small portion of deference to the authority of this holy apostle, they will countenance no ministrations which have not for their object "Jesus Christ, and him crucified." They will silence, by marked neglect, the clamourous disputations of heresy and schism. They will frown indignantly upon every attempt to pervert the truth, and adulterate the pure and simple religion of the gospel. They will receive, in charity, admonitions given in charity, and suffer with meekness, the word of exhortation, knowing that for every means of grace, and every season of Christian instruction and discipline, they will be made rigidly to account.

You will readily conceive that I have chosen to address you on this subject, my brethren, in consequence of the relation which a late solemn transaction has constituted between us. I have not the vanity and presumption to believe myself called either to perform the extent of St. Paul's duty, or to encounter the severity of his trials, nor have I the weakness and rashness to ascribe Corinthian vices to you,! my brethren. Yet I cannot but think it incumbent on every pastor, especially in the early stages of his ministry, to study apostolic example, and imitate apostolic practice, as far as circumstances shall permit, or make it necessary. When therefore, I review this discourse, when I weigh the full import of the apostle's determination "not to know any thing, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified," when I consider that by assuming among you the office to which an over-ruling providence hath called me, I have already implicitly made this determination mine; when I reflect that the vows of God are upon me, vows solemnly offered in your presence, my brethren, and in the presence of God—of Christ-and of the holy angels, and recorded in the eternal register of heaven; when I anticipate the day of "dread decision," and in imagination hear the great God say to me, "Give an account of thy stewardship, and be no longer

steward, and tell me concerning the blood of the people among whom I appointed thee to minister," mixed sensations of zeal and diffidence overcome me.

Let us, my brethren, co-operate in the promotion of our spiritual concerns. Let us unite in determining "not to know any thing, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." Let us supplicate the blessing of heaven upon the ministerial relation. Let me have your prayers, that he who perfects divine strength in human weakness, and glorifies himself by human infirmity, may grant to his young and unworthy servant, strength equal to his day; may qualify him for what he has called him to perform; may replenish him with all gifts and graces necessary for the pastoral office; may accompany his ministry with the unction of the spirit, and the irresistible power of grace; and own it as the instrument of converting sinners, and establishing and comforting saints.

And now, my brethren, to God's mercy I commend you. The grace of Christ be multiplied unto you. Jehovah bless you, and keep you. Jehovah make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you, Jehovah lift up the light of his countenance upon you, and give you peace.—AMEN.

PRAYER.

ALMIGHTY GOD! the giver of all good! who didst enable us, with one accord, to be in thy temple to serve thee this morning, graciously follow, with thy powerful benediction, thy word read and preached; the celebration of thy praises; and the supplications that have been offered thee. Be propitious to the sacred connection of pastor and people, recently established here. Grant us grace, that we may determine not to know any thing, "save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." Give us strength equal to our day-quali

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fications commensurate with our duties-and that zeal for God, which is according to knowledge. And mercifully grant that on that awful day, to which we are all fast advancing, when an assembled world shall stand at thy bar, the pastors of this church, and their people, shall be evidence for each other that thy cause prospered amongst them.

God of our lives! enable us to rejoice in thee! God of our fathers! may we stay ourselves upon thee! Jehovah! in whom is everlasting strength, suffer us not to fall from thee! Teach us thy ways, and lead us in thy paths, for thy name's sake, O God! for thou art the God of our salvation!

Through the mediation of thy dear Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we beseech thee to hear and answer our petitions, and our souls shall glorify thee forever and ever.AMEN.

SERMON III.

FUNERAL SERMON.*

I. THESS. iv. xiii.

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope."

REGRET at the loss of those we love, is an emotion natural to all. There is a chord in every heart which vibrates at the touch of funeral sorrow. Like other affections, however, it must be controled by religion. Excess, here, is as unwarrantable, as deficiency is reproachful. We have the true measure assigned, in the words of the text, if we give them their full and proper latitude. They teach us the sentiments with which we should be inspired, when called to survive those who are dear to us; those who have ever possessed our veneration, or on whom our souls rest with the fondness of attachment. The sorrow caused by their death our text does not condemn. But it distinguishes it, that it may be lawful, from hopeless grief. The emotion, in itself natural, circumstances render either innocent or criminal. It is innocent, when compatible with those bright anticipations which christianity allows and commands us to form. It is criminal when it assumes the dark hue of despair; when it is founded either on a principle of mistrust, or on a principle of unbelief.

In the first place.-Originating in a principle of mistrust of providence, this sorrow is criminal. Such is the nature

*Occasioned by the death of the late Dr. ALLISON, first Pastor of the first Presbyterian Church in Baltimore.

of this world's connections, that they frequently centre in a single point. The interests, the rank and splendour of a family, depend on an individual.

A friend a father--forms, unites, governs, and protects the whole. He expires; and all that can render life desirable; rank, pleasure, competence, are buried in his tomb. At this prospect, nature shudders; faith becomes obscure; and the soul, impressed with gloomy images, discerns her own destruction in the loss of her support, and loses her energy in the contemplation of approaching misery. Hence those impetuous movements; those piercing shrieks; resembling the lamentations of Rachel, "who would not be comforted because her children were not." Hence those highly wrought representations of past felicity; those exaggerations of present suffering; those gloomy prognostications of future woe.

There can be no difficulty in pronouncing such sorrow criminal. When the loss of any temporal good excites these despondent sensations, there is the clearest evidence that it maintained the chief place in our affections. But the most innocent and commendable ties cease to be innocent and commendable, when they are drawn too close. To make any object whatever the centre of our felicity, is to seat it on the throne of Divinity; and convert it into an idol. Our religion admonishes us to make the Almighty the unrivalled object of our most ardent desire; our growing love; and firmest reliance. It is only in the life of the world to come that our union with God can be consummated; and therefore our religion forbids us to look for ultimate and supreme happiness in the present life. And were religion silent; reason would hold the same language. Reason would instruct us to form only mutable attachments for objects that change with the changes of time, and pass with the fleeting moments. Reason would teach us that they who "have wives, be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed