While these things are passing in review before you, let me exhort you to remember, that all the transactions of this same year you will, there, be called not only to examine, but to recount: the manner, in which you have spent every moment which it contained; the improvement, or abuse, of every privilege; the thoughts and affections which you have cherished; the words which you have uttered; and the works which you have done. Naked to the view of the All-seeing eye, they will all, then, be naked to your view also. Are you prepared for their recital; and satisfied, that the result of it will be comfortable to you? Are you ready to have all your conduct scanned, the recesses of your souls laid open; and your final allotment determined according to the manner, in which God has seen you live?

3dly. It will be useful, at such a season, to remember how many things have this year been brought to an end.

The restless mind of man has through this, as through former periods, toiled, and cared, and watched, with its usual anxiety, to gain the objects of sense and sin. In how many instances have this toil and trouble been in vain! Avarice has dug, Ambition has climbed, and Voluptuousness has wantoned, in the eager search for wealth, fame, power, and pleasure. But how of ten has the bankrupt, the shipwreck, or the fraud, robbed the miser of his pelf; and left him to sigh in poverty and sorrow. How often has a more successful candidate, or a changing populace, or a fickle sovereign, blasted the fond hopes, indulged by the votary of power; and snatched the darling office from his hands, just opened to grasp it! How often has pleasure, like the humming-bird, receded from the silly child of sense, as he was approaching to seize it; and, retiring from flower to flower, always eluded his speed and cunning, till finally it skimmed away, and vanished from his sight! And how uniformly has the good, expected by these worldings, disappeared at the moment, when they had compassed the darling object of their wishes, and left nothing but vacuity and disappointment behind.

How frequently, also, has disease arrested them all, in the midst of their highest hopes, of their most eager pursuit of earth

ly good! How frequently has the palsy withered the limbs and shrunk the faculties of the mind; and the consumption blasted the hopes even of life; and forced the eye to turn its view from splendour and revelling to the dreary grave! How often has melancholy shrouded the soul in gloom, covered the bright light of heaven, and changed the world into a cavern of darkness and solitude; or Delirium extinguished the lamp of reason, changed the man into a wild beast, and hurried him to the seclusion and chains of a dungeon!

How often has Death called to the unthinking wretch, who forgot that he was not to live here forever; and said with a dreadful voice, “thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee!” In obedience to this summons the fond, infatuated worshipper of this world has, amidst the gayest hopes and most confident promises of temporal gratification, quitted the beloved objects of his pursuit; and instead of heaping up gold, glittering in power and splendour, and wallowing in sensuality, gone down to the grave; appeared before the bar of God; given up an account of his sins; and been consigned to endless poverty, ruin, and despair. The number of the inhabitants of this world has been estimated from seven hundred and fifty to nine hundred millions. We will suppose the former number to be correct. The life of man has been, with a good degree of accuracy, supposed to be thirty years. One generation of the human race therefore, or seven hundred and fifty millions of mankind, leave this world and enter into eternity, within this period. Twenty five millions, of course, die in a single year; are summoned to the judgment; and enter upon the recompence of reward. To the probation of so many accountable beings this year has in all probability put a period.

At the same time how many innocent and lawful enjoyments have been also terminated during this period! How many persons have lost their health, property, comforts, and hopes! How many friends and families have been separated by death; whose affection, kind offices, and mutual pleasure, can never be renewed on this side of the grave.

In a multitude of instances, also, the blessings of Providence have been wasted by thoughtless negligence, and giddy profusion. These can never be recalled; nor the opportunity of employing them to the accomplishment of those valuable ends, for which they were given.

In no small number of instances, also, the day of probation, and the means of grace, have been lost with a negligence and prodigality still more thoughtless and dreadful. From some of the wretched prodigals it is neither unnatural, nor uncharitable, to suppose, that GoD, by giving them up to their own desires, has finally taken away all disposition to a future, wise, and profitable use of these blessings; so that, hereafter, his word will fail of all useful efficacy on them; and sabbaths return, the sanctuary open its doors, prayers ascend, and sermons call to repentance and eternal life, in vain. To these persons Christ has proffered himself for the last time; the last sound of the voice of mercy has died upon the ear; and the evening of hope has terminated in everlasting night. "The vessel of wrath" is now continued only till it shall be "full," and thus completely fitted for destruction.

In many more instances the instructions of parents have partially lost their influence: The warnings of God's providence, and the threatenings and promises of his word, have failed of their effect: tenderness of conscience, gradually decaying, has degenerated towards hardness of heart, and apprehensiveness of guilt towards security in sin. In this manner the soul, insensibly to itself, is removed farther from repentance, life, and hope: and the "power of darkness" advanced towards an ascendancy over it, final and fatal.

4thly. It is peculiarly proper at such a time that we should call to mind what we have done, during the past year.

Every person present is reasonably required to make to himself an application of the several considerations, which have been already mentioned. With equal propriety is he expected to call up to his view the things which he has done. Among these, his sins undoubtedly will hold an important place. Think, I beseech

you, how many sins you have severally committed in a single day; how many more in a week; how greatly they have been multiplied in a month; and to what a vast number they have arisen in the compass of a year. How many evil thoughts and affec tions; how many murmurings and repinings against God; how many lewd, injurious, and base purposes have been formed and cherished in the soul; how many words of unkindness, falsehood, profaneness, and obscenity, have been uttered; how many iniquitous, unjust, fradulent, rebellious, and impious actions have been done? How often you have hardened your hearts against the threatenings of future wo, the reproofs of sin, and the invitations to repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ! How often you have perverted, and ridiculed, the word and worship of God; profaned the Sabbath; tempted those around you to sin; exhibited a baleful example of impiety; "grieved the Holy Spirit ;" and "crucified afresh the Lord of glory by your unbelief!" How often, also, have you preferred all other conduct to your duty, and all other things to your souls; devised means to withdraw yourselves and others from repentance and reformation; voluntarily contributed to your own perdition, and to theirs; and thus assumed, at the same time, the character of assassins and suicides. At the same time I would charitably hope, that such is not, in the same absolute manner, the character of all who hear

me.

Will it be too much to be presumed, that tenderness of conscience has in some instances been increased; that a few persons in this assembly have exercised more solemn and just thoughts, than heretofore, concerning their moral state, and their salvation; and that some of you seriously intend to obtain eternal life? How different is the state of this assembly, at the present time, from what the eyes of some, who are present, beheld at a former period! In the year 1802, about fifty youths, members of this College, gave themselves up to GOD in the Covenant of grace. This year has seen but one solitary dedication of this nature. How do "the ways of Zion mourn, because few come to her solemn feasts?"

5thly. At this time, also, we are affectingly required to ask ourselves the following questions.

First. What reason can we give for spending our life, as we have, in many instances, actually spent it.

Can you, my hearers, render to your consciences an excuse, with which they will be satisfied, for the manner in which you have lived during this period; a reason, which they will admit, why you have continued in sin; neglected your salvation; hazarded the eternal welfare of your souls; and put them on the risk of final perdition; a reason, why you have not obeyed GoD with all the heart; yielded yourselves to Him, as his children, in the covenant of peace; besought him with all humility of mind, with strong crying, and many tears, to pardon your manifold sins; turned to the Lord Jesus Christ with a sincere repentance, and faith in his blood; and consecrated your hearts and your lives to the service of GoD, and "your generation, according to His will?" Can you find a reason why you have wasted this year, with all the Sabbaths, privileges, and blessings which it contained; a reason, which you will be willing to allege before the bar of God; a reason, which he will admit; a reason, which will stand you in stead in that trying hour?

Second. Let me ask for you, What have you gained by living this year?

Are you less sinful? Are you more sober-minded? Are your consciences more tender? Do you think more frequently and solemnly, on death and the judgment; on the immense importance of life, as the day of probation; on the amazing nature of eternity, as the season of reward? Have you formed and retained useful resolutions of speedy repentance and amendment of life? Have you begun to ask God to save you, or to look to Christ for redemption? Have you considered whether you have souls to be saved; or once thought, during the preceding twelve months, that then was peculiarly "the accepted time?" Are you wiser, or better, than when the year began? Are you nearer to heaven? Have you gained any thing, which your minds can now recall; and which you will be willing to rehearse beyond the grave?