die, what continual Apprehenfions fhould we be under, as to our own Diffolution! And what Preparations can we make, that we ought not to be making, eyery Day, for that dread Decree, which will foon pafs with respect to us, that "Time fhall be no more." "But of "that Day and that Hour knoweth no Man." Your late worthy Paftor did not know, then how should we?" The Angels which are in "Heaven don't know, neither the Son, only "the Father." "Take ye Heed, therefore, "watch and pray: For ye know not when "the Time is. For the Son of Man is as a "Man_taking a long Journey, who left his "House, and gave Authority to his Servants, "and to every Man his Work, and com"manded the Porter to watch. Watch ye "therefore (for ye know not when the Maf"ter of the Houfe cometh, at Even, or at Midnight, or at the Cock-crowing, or in "the Morning) left coming fuddenly he find you fleeping. What therefore was faid by Chrift himself to his immediate Difciples, may be faid by his Minifters to their Fol"lowers, Watch." See Mark xiii. 33, and following Verses, To which let me add the Exhortation of St. Peter in his fecond Epiftle, ch. i. ver. 5. and following. "Give all Diligence to make your Calling and Election fure, be adding to your Faith, Virtue; to "Virtue, Knowledge; to Knowledge, Tem<c perance;

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perance; to Temperance, Patience; to "Patience, Godliness; to Godliness, Bro"therly-kindness; to Brotherly-kindness, Charity. For if these Things be in you and " abound, they make you that ye fhall nei"neither be barren nor unfruitful in the Knowledge of our Lord Jefus Chrift. If << ye do these Things, ye fhall never fall: "For fo an Entrance fhall be miniftered un"to you abundantly, into the everlasting

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Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jefus "Chrift." Once more, in the fixth Place,

6. As the last particular Application of the Subject before us, and as the best Testimony of Respect for the Memory of your deceased Paftor, I would perfuade you to let him live, as it were, in the Tenor of your Lives and Converfation. Whatever Virtues or Graces you have obferved and admired in him, cultivate yourselves, or, to ufe the Words of the Apoftle in his Epiftle to the Phillipians, "Whatsoever Things are true, whatsoever

Things are honeft, whatsoever Things are "juft, whatfoever Things are pure, what"foever Things are lovely, whatfoever Things << are of good Report, if there be any Virtue, " and if there be any Praife, think on these "Things. Thofe Things which ye have "both learned, and received, and heard, and

feen in him, do: and the God of Peace "shall be with you." Efpecially, cultivate a

Spirit

Spirit of Charity, Meeknefs, and Moderation, under the Influences of which I would hope you will be at all Times difpofed to profecute fuch Measures as fhall be moft expedient for repairing the Lofs you have fuftained. If any Thing could be fuppofed to disturb the facred Reft of those who fleep in Jefus, particularly those who have been his faithful Minifters, it must be either the uncharitable Heats and Divifions of their Churches, on one Hand; or, on the other Hand, the Indolence, Inactivity and Luke-warmness of them. Two extremes, which, I would perfuade myself, you, my Brethren, will industriously avoid, as equally dishonourable to yourselves, and prejudicial to the Interests of our holy Religion. Let me then adopt the Language of St. Paul to Timothy in his former Epistle ch. v. ver. 21. and " charge you before God and "the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the elect Angels,' "that you obferve thefe Things without "preferring one before another, doing no

thing by Partiality." Perhaps it may be expected, that I fhould now pay a Tribute of Confolation, Condolence, and Advice to the Family of your late faithful Paftor; but their greater Experience, Piety, and good Senfe prevent me. I shall only add my best Wishes for their beft Improvement of that awful Providence, which they are now under the Exercises of. May they improve it, more particularly,

!

particularly, by a distinguishing Imitation of
his perfonal and focial Virtues whofe Lofs
they are now lamenting, that they may be
together, and forever with him, in thofe
Regions, of Purity, Peace and Blifs, which
know no Sin, nor any Sorrow; no Guilt, nor
any Grief; no Pain, nor Parting, nor Death.
And, "Now unto him that is able to keep
CC you from falling, and to prefent you faultlefs
"before the Prefence of his Glory with ex-
¿s ceeding Joy, to the only wife God our Sa-
"viour, be Glory and Majefty, Dominion
and Power, both now and forever." Amen.

FINI S.