be offered, and the time of his departure was at hand. "I have fought a good fight, I have finifhed my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteoufnefs, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me in that day." How did Paul obtain this felicity? "He counted not his own life dear to himself, that he might finish his work with faithfulness, and his course with joy." He kept under his body to bring it into fubjection, left by any means, when he had preached to others, he himself fhould be a caftaway." That we may obtain the full affurance of hope, we must be followers of them, who by faith and patience inherit the promises; and in this course we must give diligence to the end.

Our fubject powerfully applies itself to us, who are advanced in age. We begin to feel the decays of ftrength, and to perceive the indications of our approaching diffolution. In a few days, we must go the way, whence we shall not return. Soon we fhall fee man no more with the inhabitants of the earth; but shall be placed in new relations and in a new condition. While we tarry here, our infirmities will probably increase; our days and nights will become more wearifome ; the pleasures of fenfe will lofe their relifh; the burden of worldly business will be too heavy for our bending shoulders; the implements of our labour will drop out of our pallied hands, and we shall have no more a portion in any thing that is done under the fun. And it is not improbable, that fome of our last months may be spent in helplefs confinement of body-ah, and perhaps too in derangement or ftupor of mind.

Looking forward to fuch a season, let us daily pray, "O God, caft us not off in the time of old age; forfake us not when our ftrength faileth," VOL. V.

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Give us kind and patient friends, who will cheerfully minifter to our neceffities and bear our infirmities. Vouchsafe to us rich fupplies of thy grace, that we may fuftain our own infirmities; may enjoy communion with thee; may maintain our heavenly hope, and by a pattern of Chriftian piety, charity and fpirituality, may commend to those who stand around us that Divine Religion, which is our fupport, our comfort, and our joy. And if, in thy fovereign wisdom, thou shouldft fee fit to deny us the privilege of reason, let the prayers which we now offer be graciously remembered; and grant us pious and prayerful friends, who will fend up petitions to thee in our behalf. And whether we fhall then be capable of making a petition to thee, or not, we now humbly afk, That thou wouldst not caft us out of thy prefence, nor take thy holy spirit from us, but by thine own wonderful and fecret operation make us more and more meet for heaven; and when our flesh and our heart fhall fail us, be thou the ftrength of our heart, and our portion forever."

My brethren, if we wish to enjoy the comforts of religion at laft, we muft cultivate the temper, and keep up the exercise of religion now. It will be no eafy matter to take up the business then, unlefs we have been accustomed to it before.

You, my friends, who are in the midft of life, and you who are young, are not uninterested in this fubject. You all think, that we, who are aged, need the comforts of religion. God grant, that we may have them. Do you not fometimes think of us in your prayers? We hope you do. But know, if you live to be aged, (and you all defire many days) these comforts will then be as neceffary for you, as they are now for us. But how can you be fure of them then, unless you ob

tain an intereft in them now? To have the comforts of religion, you must have religion itself. Embrace it, therefore, in your hearts; cultivate the holy tempers which it requires; maintain the good works which it enjoins, and ascertain your title to the eternal bleffings which it propofes.Thus lay up for yourselves a good foundation against the time, which is to come, that you may lay hold on eternal life.

SERMON VI.

Dry Bones Reftored.

EZEKIEL xxxvi. 3.

And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I anfwered, O Lord God, thou knoweft.

THE Jews, having been, for many years, captives in Babylon, viewed a return to their own land as an event much to be defired, but utterly to be despaired of. They were under the power of their enemies, who at that time would not, nor was it thought they ever would, confent to release them from their bondage. The aged people, who felt an attachment to their native country, were dying off, and the youth were coming forward with a predilection for the land of their captivity. Judea was poffeffed by strangers, and furrounded by enemies; its temple, buildings and walls were in ruins; and how fhould they ever repoffefs it; or, if they should return, what enjoyment could they find there? Their captivity was a punishment for their fins; and in this idolatrous country there was little profpect of a reformation. They were lofing the religious fentiments and manners, which fome had brought with them, and which a few ftill retained; and they were finking deeper into depravity, than when their calamities

began. What hope then could there be of their re-establishment in their ancient country and privi leges?

To revive the defponding fpirits of the pious people among them, God fends to them the prophet Ezekiel with the relation of a remarkable vifion.

The prophet feemed to himself to be placed in the midft of a valley filled with human bones. He paffed by them round about; he viewed them he obferved, that they were numerous, but exceed ingly dry, as if they had lain in the open air for a length of time; and that they were scattered promifcuoufly over the ground, as if they never could be collected and reduced to order. God fays to him, "Son of man, can these bones live?" The prophet anfwers, " O Lord God, thou know. eft." God then commands him, "Prophefy on these bones, and fay, Thusfaith the Lord, I will cause breath to enter into, you, and ye fhall live." So he prophefied, as he was commanded; and "as he prophefied, there was a noife and a fhaking; and the bones came together, bone to his bone, and finews and flesh came upon them, and skin covered them. But there was no breath in them." God farther directs him, Prophefy unto the wind," or breath, " and fay, Thus faith the Lord, Come, breathe on these flain, that they may live. So he prophefied, and the breath came into them,;. and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceeding great army."

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This vifion is applied to the defponding Jews to confole them in their captivity. The Lord fays to the prophet," Thefe bones are the whole houfe of Ifrael. They fay, Our bones are dried, our hope is loft, we are cut off for our part. Say unto them, Thus faith the Lord, Behold, Ormy peo