all things desire: what shall we say christians? Shall we say God in one case acts with indifference, and in the other with unkindness? Let us believe that God has wise reasons for all this, and if we persevering in holiness, get safe to heaven at last, it is well; leave all the rest to him.

When I think of hell torments, the misery of the damned; when I think of the eternity of the blessed I am lost. I know no more than this ;-That one is appointed for the righteous, the other for the wicked; but what the worm that never dies, the fire that can never be quenched is; or what the river is, the streams whereof make glad the city of God; what the inheritance uncorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away is, I cannot tell, we know but in part, and that but a small part, Oh, happy the man who imitates the father of the faithful, and having a call to come out from bad principles and bad practices to good ones,-happy he that can go as Abraham to the world unknown! Happy the man that can give up all to the will of God, and not withhold even a beloved son Isaac!

Let us briefly sum up this doctrine. We are come by the providence of God to the end of this day, this fifth of September; what now is our duty? What is our mercy? Why we may look back, exercise our memories, and I am persuaded if we do, we shall kneel down in prayer to night, with hearts full of veneration for God, praise for his providence, and thanks for his grace. But what say you about the sixth of September, and the seventh, the next week, the next month, the next

year? Does not the Lord of assemblies stand forth and say, take no anxious thought for the morrow, sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart? The doctrine of my text reduced to common use is this. I am to enjoy what I clearly know; to be easy about what I know nothing. Why should I make myself uneasy about to-morrow, a day that may never come? Why should I afflict myself. about my own death? Perhaps the sting may be gone before I feel it. Why afflict myself about the death of my dearest relatives or friends? Perhaps I may never have them taken away from me, or if they are with tokens of love.

And why should we, brethren, fear the future state of the christian church? What though the majority go out after vice; what though the faith and love of many war cold; what though the supporters of truth and virtue are but few! Yet, am I sure the church of Christ is always to go on dwindling, decaying, and dying? Have I never heard the voice of Christ saying, look unto me and be ye saved all ye ends of the earth, for I am God

and there is none else? Have I never heard him asserting, the residue of the Spirit is with me? I have other sheep that are not of this fold, them also will I bring with me? I am the good shepherd, that layeth down my life for the sheep?Have I lost sight of the glorious prediction-The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea!-Lord of all! This

THREE

DISSERTATIONS:

I. ON THE NATURE AND OPERATIONS OF THE HUMAN MIND AS RELATING MORE PARTICULARLY TO THEOLOGICAL ENQUIRIES.

II. ON THE LITERARY PRECAUTIONS NECESSARY IN THE STUDY OF THEOLOGY.

III. ON THE DOCTRINE OF PREDESTINATION; OR MODERATE CALVINISM CONSIDERED AS THE SAFE PATH BETWEEN TWO EXTREMES,

Ego multos studiosos quotidie video, paucos doctos; in doctis paucos ingeniosos; in sententia nullos bonos. Atque adeo literæ, generis humani unicum solamen jam pestis et pernicii maximæ loco sunt. Itaque hodie ad lectionem eorum quæ prodeunt quotidie accedendum est με αντίδοτου aut αλεξιφάρμαλου Jos. Scallig, Epis. Casauban. Ep. XIest.

Sophistarum et aretalogorum hic est mos, ut in veteribus scriptis hariolentur ea quæ ipsis scriptoribus nunquam in mentem venerunt, et inscitiæ suæ velum sese putant obtendere cum doctos grammatacos vocant, sese autem solos mirantur, se solos sapientes prædicant. Idem. ad Gill, Seg, Ep. xv,

people we hope with one heart and soul commit all their affairs to thee; their bodies to live or die, be sick or well as thou seest fit, their spirits to be lively or depressed, their properties to be disposed of at thy pleasure; their children, their friends, the church, the whole world they leave to thy wise and good government in future times, rejoicing that thou art a good God to day!

END OF THE sermons.