liar satisfaction to surviving friends, greatly darkens the mystery of Providence in removing such, when their number is so small, and at a time when they seem to be most of all wanted. "How unsearchable are thy judgments, O Lord! and thy ways past finding out!"-Instead, therefore, of busying ourselves with a fruitless and impertinent inquiry into the reasonableness and propriety of such awful dispensations, it would be more to our credit, and unspeakably more to our advantage, if we endeavoured to improve them. Which I know not how we can do better, than by attending to those important things which, "being dead, she yet speaketh."

I might here give you a large account of Abel's faith and sacrifice; and entertain you with a great variety of conjectures of learned men upon the reason of Abel's sacrifice being more excellent than Cain's; and tell you several useful things which he, though dead so long ago, yet speaketh: but it would be cruelty to keep you so long from the conversation of a much dearer friend. Any advice from one whom we affectionately love and esteem, is grateful; and the stronger the affection, the greater the influence. The dying words of such a friend have in them something peculiarly endearing, and are seldom or never forgotten. What, then, may we expect from words spoken from the grave -shall I say, spoken from heaven? It is natural to expect a great deal: and God Almighty grant that every word she now speaks (for I shall consider myself chiefly as her mouth to you) may be "written, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tables of stone, but on the fleshly tables of the heart."

But, hark!—she speaks !—

I.

Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and your children."

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All my tears are wiped away: God wiped them away with infinite tenderness and affection: and hath given me (in a manner I cannot express, nor you conceive) "beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." Here is nothing but joy, and triumph, and ecstasy; and my companions assure me it will be always so; that sorrow and sighing are flown away for ever. You would not understand the language of heaven, or, otherwise, I could tell you what would turn your tears for me into congratulations I could tell you things that would make you hate the world, and long to be unclothed. Weep not for me: I do not ask your tears, for I do not want them; but I see, that, though your heads were waters, and your eyes fountains of tears, your children's sorrows and your own would need them all. Weep for yourselves; for you are yet in the wilderness; and, while I have got safe to my Father's house and arms, you are subject to all the inconveniences and hazards of travellers and pilgrims. Weep for your children--those helpless infants, who are yet innocent and thoughtless; unaffected, because insensible of what a world they are come into, and to what trouble they are born.'

And true it is, she has turned our tears into their proper channel, and taught us to weep, not over her grave-stone, but over our own much harder hearts. All our comforts and blessings flow down to us from heaven; but we are to look nearer home for the cause of our trouble and sorrow. If it had

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not been for sin, our ears would never have been pierced with doleful cries, nor our eyes beheld such spectacles of woe, nor our hearts have felt such smarting pangs of sympathizing anguish. The pains and disorders of the body, the sickness and death of friends, the losses and disappointments which affect our circumstances in the world-these, and all the other innumerable evils, which are, as it were, natural and unavoidable, are indeed lamentable and severe but vastly more so are the disorders of the soul,-hardness of heart, earthly affections, stubbornness of will, the anguish of a wounded spirit, the terrors of an awakened conscience, the frowns of an offended God, and the fears of eternal condemnation. These are the evils we have most reason to weep over; here, tears are commendable and graceful; here is no danger of excess in our sorrow. Let sin be the object, and then let rivers of tears flow down our eyes. In this case, the deeper we are afflicted, the better. Let us weep for ourselves -for that degree of degeneracy and corruption that was derived from our first parents, and for the sad and large addition we have made to it by our own folly and wilfulness. Let us weep for our children, that we have been the means of communicating to them a fallen, degenerate, and consequently a diseased and distressed, nature; and that we have done, yea, that we can do, no more to root out that folly which is bound up in their hearts, and to prevent the fatal effects of those bad examples, and violent and suitable temptations, of which the world is full. Such things as these, seriously considered, will soon show us the importance of her first words;

Weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and your children.”

But, hark!-She speaks again!—

2. Seek the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, in the first place; and all other things shall be added unto you.'

Lay aside that restless and unbelieving solici tude about what you shall eat, or what you shall drink, or what you shall put on : " is not the body more than meat, and the life more than raiment," and the soul more than either? And if God sa clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" "Lay not up for yourselves treasures on the earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal"-(if I had had no treasures but these to depend upon, I should have been undone) -"but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven," where no moth corrupteth, nor thief approacheth. I know something of both worlds; and now I see more clearly than ever, that all below the sun is vanity and vexation of spirit. All heaven is sur prised to see mankind so eager in the pursuit of toys, and trifles, and pleasures of a moment's continuance; labouring with so much pains for the meat which perisheth, and at the same time so slothful and thoughtless about that which endureth to everlasting life. In heaven, only, is fulness of joy. Indeed, it is but a few days I have been here; but a day in God's courts, in God's house, in God's immediate presence, is "better than a thousand:" and I am sure I have seen, and learnt, and enjoyed,

more in one hour here, than in all the many years I lived on earth. Let me then entreat you, by that intimate relation and mutual affection which once subsisted between us-let me earnestly recommend you to mind the "one thing needful;" and to choose" that better part, which shall never be taken away from you." Regard not the ridicule, nor the reproaches, nor the example, of the multitude; but resolutely" turn away your eyes from beholding vanity," and look more to the substantial and satisfying realities of religion. "Seek the things that are above"-O how should I rejoice at any time to meet your eyes and hearts directed hither!" for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."'

How are we almost ready to thank her for so important and seasonable an instruction! Our easy and unguarded hearts were in the greatest danger of being stolen by the world, and either intoxicated with the pleasures, or oppressed with the burthens or calamities, of life. Our minds were so captivated with its deceitful charms, that we were almost ready to say, it is good to be here; here let us pitch our tabernacles;' when we heard, as it were, a voice from heaven, saying unto us, "Seek first the kingdom of God."-Say then, O my soul, unto God, "Thou art my portion." "There be many that say, Who will show us any good;" "but as for me, and my

house, we will serve the Lord." The God of this world had blinded my eyes; but I now clearly see the beauty, the necessity of holiness; and from this day devote and consecrate myself and mine to thee, O God, as those that are alive from the dead: I cast myself at thy feet; I give myself up to thy govern.