are humble and diligent and faithful, your doom will be more dreadful if you perish. As to myself, I have "done what I could;" I have preached to you the plain truths of the gospel; and, though I cannot say such striking things, and speak in the way as some others do, yet I have "not "shunned to declare to you all the counsel of "God." Remember then, if we are not a savour of life unto life, we shall be a savour of death unto death. If you die in your sins, and hear at last those awful words, "Depart from me, ye cursed, " into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and "his angels," I shall say and testify before God, that it is not my fault, for that I " warned and "exhorted and entreated every one of you, as a "father doth his children:" the fault is entirely your own, and your judgment will be just.

But I would rather speak to those of you who have obeyed the gospel. I would speak to you of the duties which you owe to your ministers. I do not mean as to temporal things. On some occasions, it might be proper to dwell on the support which a people owe to their minister. But I have never sought much of these things. Nor would I dwell on the kindness and civility which you should shew us. We thank you for this; but this is not enough: we want far more than this. We want you to feel the immense difficulty of the work in which we are engaged, and to consider how much we need on your part meekness, patience, and forbearance. Do not think we are angels, do not expect us to be faultless. Do not suppose, if you see faults in us,

that

our ministry is to be blamed and neglected. But bear with us.

We want your prayers. Those who are most ready to find fault with their ministers, are generally the last to pray for them. How can you expect them to come to you in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of peace, if you do not labour constantly in prayer for them?

We need your help with your children, neighbours, and the poor. You must do much; a minister cannot do every thing. Where much is to be done, if all is left to the minister, much will be left undone.

We want your example to confirm what we preach; that, whilst we explain what Christianity is, you may exhibit what it is, in your spirit and conduct. Ye should be "our epistles, known " and read of all men."

2. My brethren in the ministry, I turn to you. I know I cannot say to you absolutely as St. Paul did, "I shall see your face again no more;" but I think it most probable I never shall. I have no right to speak to you. I need to be exhorted myself. But I cannot but express the joy I feel in once more addressing you; and I pray God to strengthen me this once in speaking to you. I ought not perhaps to speak of myself; but, as an old man, I may say it has long been my earnest desire to encourage and strengthen my younger brethren by every means in my power. I rejoice that the number of those who preach and live Christ crucified is so greatly increased. My prayer is, that, while I decrease," they may

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"increase" in number, wisdom, courage, meekness, disinterestedness, heavenly-mindedness and zeal, a thousand fold, they and their children. I would wish to encourage you now this last time. I would I could say more in the spirit of the apostle, "For I am now ready to be offered, and "the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, "I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the "Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day: : and not to me only, but unto all them "also that love his appearing." Beware, O beware, my brethren, of blotting your ministry, and dishonouring it by your inconsistent spirit or conduct. A holy life is the minister's strength. And, if you lost your time in early life, before you knew the grace of God, redeem it now by "walk"ing circumspectly, because the days are evil." Alas! in my own case, though I have been now serving God so long, yet I served sin almost as long before I began. It is almost two and forty years since God of his mercy brought down my stubborn heart to true repentance. The first sermon I preached afterwards was from Gal. iii. 22. "But the scripture hath concluded all "under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus "Christ might be given to them that believe." This very discourse was the means of bringing some of my people to feel their danger, and to come to me saying, "What shall I do to be "saved?" when I hardly knew how to answer the question. Begin, my brethren, and continue in the same way. Shew the people that they are

concluded under sin. Tell them plainly of their lost condition. Till they feel this, nothing is done. Then exhibit to them the promise "by "faith of Jesus Christ." This will heal the broken heart. In this great doctrine, together with the practical consequences of it, I have persevered ever since; and, as I come nearer death, I am more and more convinced of its truth and importance. I have been tossed about during my life. I have been engaged in controversy. I have been misrepresented. Sometimes I have been called a Calvinist, and sometimes an Arminian; but I thank God I have never varied in my great views of divine truth since I first published my sentiments on the subject above forty years ago; and now I would bear my public testimony once more, that "this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand."

Let

On looking back on my past life, instead of thinking I have been too bold, too zealous, too laborious; I could wish I had been ten times more so. I have not been zealous enough, nor laborious enough, nor diligent enough. I have not lived as I could wish, and as I ought, to the glory of Him" who loved me, and gave himself "for me." We are half-hearted, timid, worldly, irresolute, alarmed at the opinions of others. us begin to be more decided in religion, more bold, more intent on our work, more fixed in fighting the holy fight, more eager in running the sacred race, more jealous in keeping the deposit of the faith; in short, more entirely "constrained by "the love of Christ, to live not unto ourselves, 'but unto Him that died for us and rose again." My brethren, pray for me. Do not pray for

me as if my life were to be continued, or as if I were a minister of any attainments or consequence in the church; but pray for me as a poor weak frail sinner, who has not yet done with temptation and conflict, and who finds it difficult to be " pa"tient in tribulation," and cheerful under long continued weakness and suffering. I need much the prayers of all my friends; but most of all I need the supporting grace of God, that I may be carried through all my remaining trials, and may at length "finish my course with joy."