Page images
PDF
EPUB

Abel-Mizraim, a grievous mourning to the Egyp tians. Look, frail father! look at that society, there is thy son, at whose death thou didst exclaim, O Absalom, my son, would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son ! And you, too, distressed Rachels! whose voices are heard, lamenting, weeping, and mourning, refusing to be comforted, because your children are not, see, behold there in heaven are your children, the dear objects of your grief and your love!

Oh! blessed are the dead that die in the Lord! I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me. Let us apply this thought of the prophet to ourselves, and may the application we make serve for a balm to heal the wounds which the loss of our friends hath occasioned. They shall not return to us, they shall never return to this society. What, a society! A society in which our life is nothing but a miserable round of errors and sins; a society where the greatest saints are great sinners; a society in which we are often obliged to communicate with the enemies of God, with blasphemers of his holy name, violaters of his august laws! No, they shall not return to us, and this is one consolation. But, (and this is the other) but we shall go to them. They have done nothing but set one step before us into eternity; the pleasures they enjoy are increased by the hope of our shortly enjoying the same with them. They, with the highest transports, behold the mansions, which Jesus Christ hath prepared for us in the house of his Father. I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God, said our divine Redeemer, to raise the drooping spirits of his apostles, stunned with the apprehension of his approaching death. This is the language we have heard spoken, this is the declaration we have heard made by each of those,

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

whom we have had the consolation of seeing die full of the peace of God, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God. O may we be shortly united in the bosom of this adorable being with our departed friends, whose conversation was lately so delightful to us, and whose memory will always continue respected and dear! May we be united with the redeemed of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, in the presence of the blessed God! God grant us this grace! To him be honor and glory for ever. Amen.

END OF THE FIFTH VOLUME.

THE delivery of the two last Volumes of this Work, has been delayed several months longer than was expected. The death of MR. NICHOLS, for whom the Editor retains an affectionate remembrance, made it necessary to suspend the printing until new arrangements could be made in a style corresponding with the four first Volumes already published; this could not be done sooner. The Editor regrets the temporary inconvenience his subscribers have experienced by the delay; but flatters himself, that the above circumstances will be an acceptable apology.

The Sixth Volume will be printed as soon as possible, and delivered to Subscribers gratis, agreeable to the conditions of subscription.

« PreviousContinue »