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the world. They have a vine-transported beyond himself, and yard to keep, which calls for to have exceeded the bounds of much labor and self-denial. Let sober reason. The same apprethem attend to their spiritual hension was entertained conhusbandry, if they would have cerning Christ. Some of his their souls as a well watered gar- acquaintance, seeing him so inden. Let them not have their tent on his work, as to go out of desires running out after the doors to preach to the people, creature, after selfish and sinful when he was already spent with objects, and gratifications. Such watchings and public services, vain hankerings and pursuits came out to lay hold upon him, will certainly chill their pious af- saying, He is beside himself. He fections, and cause a languor in failed of taking his necessary their religious exercises and meals, for the sake of seizing an comforts. opportunity to feed and instruct the multitude. And this was thought to indicate a transport of passion, not altogether regulated by the dictates of sobriety and moderation. These examples may teach animated Christians to expect the charge of enthusiasm. Think it not strange if it be sometimes insinuated, that they are beside themselves. In the eye of carnal reason, the

in the christian cause, appear in the light of partial derangement, proceeding from a disorded state of the affections.

2. A vigorous, animated piety ever lies exposed to the charge of enthusiasm. The truly religious must be prepared to meet this reproach. Such as are for a cold, philosophic religion, will deem the workings of the pious heart, to be flights, partaking of imagination, and transient in their nature. The living members of Christ's mystical body, they who have given the best ev-workings of a warm benevolence idence of their being living stones in the temple of God, have commonly had an enthusiastic spirit ascribed to them. On account of their fervency, they have been supposed to exceed the bounds of reason. Their noble and elevated acts of faith and love, have been viewed as the reveries of a heated imagination. Their deadness to the world, their abstemious, mortifi-ine tendency of grace upon the ed lives, and their hardships and conflicts under the cross, have been frequently deemed a misguided zeal and affected singularity. The Apostle Paul was thought by some to be beside | himself. Counting all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, and being willing to suffer the loss of all things, that he might win Christ, he was supposed to be

3. We shall add a word concerning the importance of maintaining a meek and humble walk with God. Such as have precious discoveries of divine things, should take heed that they be not lifted up in pride. The genu

heart, is to produce humbleness of mind. And yet, through remaining corruptions, there is danger of making the vital exercises of grace, an occasion of self-exaltation. Let Christians be guarded against this temptation. Let them not make a merit of their duties and frames, nor magnify themselves, on account of their spiritual attainments. A proud pharisaical temper,

ing.

I'tis great thing to die.

T is a common remark, that

To those who believe the scrip

has ever proved an enemy to | Living more important than Dysouls, and should excite much alarm. Christians, have a warfare to endure with this formidable enemy. They have a conflict within themselves, to.keep under the workings of a self-tures the scene of exchanging righteous spirit. And this con- worlds is considered as peculiarflict proves to be none of the ly interesting. And it undoubtleast and most painful part of edly is so, as well as solemn and the christian warfare. But let affecting to nature. While the them be animated in this strug- body returns to the dust as it gle; keeping in constant re- was, the spirit assends to God membrance, that a legal spirit who gave it, to be disposed of marrs and eats out the life of all for an endless eternity. The true religion. soul is dispossessed of its organ, and hastened into the eternal world, to be made completely blessed, or to receive her portion in endless misery. A scene like this, must undoubtedly be considered as solemn and interesting. Still, is not living more important and interesting than dying? Is it not a great thing to live as well as to die? However important may be the scene of dying, let us enquire whether living be not still more important.

Let them live near to Godcultivating meckness and modesty under the reception of his undeserved gifts and graces. Their sensible comforts and gracious frames spring from the fountain of all good. God deals out the measure of their faith. He is the life, of their spiritual joys and exercises. In his infinite mercy, he enlarges their hearts to have intimate and sweet communion with Himself. He gives them to participate in the influences and gifts of the Holy Spirit. When in straitness, he brings them out of a strait into a broad place. When sinking in the miry clay, he brings ther forth, and establishes their goings. And when they cry to him from the belly of hell, he causes their prayer to come in unto him, in his holy temple.

Let them humbly thank and praise his holy name, for his marvellous grace which hath wrought them for the selfsame thing. The meek will he guide in judgment, he will beautify the meek with salvation.

He that humbleth hims. If shall be exalted.

Y. Z.

REFLECT, in the first place, that life is the time appointed for our day of probation; but death is not. In this world we have talents committed to us, with which we are required to

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occupy." Death is so far from being a state of trial, that it is compared, by the Saviour, to the season of resigning up our talents. Is not an appointed season for us to obtain a valuable object, more interesting than any period after this season is past? We remember, that the rich man, who lifted up his eyes in hell, and prayed for a drop of water to cool his tongue, was referred to his conduct in lifetime. "Son, remember that thou, in thy lifetime, receivedst

thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things." It was not suggested, that his manner of death brought him to that place of torment, but his life.

Again-The day of judgment will have particular reference to life; and not to death. When we shall be summoned to the judgment seat of Christ, it will be, to give an account of the deeds done in the body.An inspired writer tells us, "We must all appear before the judgment of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath donc, whether it be good or bad." This refers us to life, and not to death. The message of death is no other than a summons, sent out by the Judge, to call us to the court of heaven. An indictment is always predicated upon previous conduct. The transactions, therefore, for which we are to be arraigned cannot have their special reference to death. Indeed, there is not the least hint, in the whole Bible, that the judgment day will have any reference to our death.

Examine the whole preaching of Christ, of his Prophets and Apostles, and we shall find they ever referred their hearers to their duty in life. Would not the gospel refer us to the most interesting period? And would not the great errand, for which the Saviour came into the world, point us to the season which is the most interesting?

It may be added, also, that death is not a season in which our conduct could be properly connected with eternal consequences. For a moral agent to exhibit a character, choose the offers of grace, or refuse them, he must enjoy a season of rational reflection. Truths must be placed before him, and the mind must rationally act in view of those truths. And how can this be done, when the whole organ of nature has become unstrung and is under the struggles of departing breath? Can we suppose, that the time when this body is becoming lifeless, and the soul ascending to God who gave it, would be appointed by the Deity as a season for the mind to exercise that change, upon which eternity is depending? No; "He hath made every thing beautiful in his time."

As, therefore, life is the only appointed time of probation-as the day of judgment refers us to life and not to death-as life is the only season to which the calls of the gospel refer us; and as death is not a proper time upon which things of eternal consequence could be made to depend, then, living must be a more important season than d

And further-Life is the season in which we have the calls and invitations of the gospel set before us. That speaks to us, to-day, while in life and health, and tells us, "Now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation." We are no where told that death is a day of salvation., or an accepted time. It is true, at death our state is decided; but this decision is made altogether according to our treatment of the gospel while in life. God tells us, therefore, in his word, to seeking. him early to hear his voice to- From the thought we have day, and not harden our hearts. pursued, some interesting reVOL. V. No. 5.

X.

Lections naturally follow. And, 1. Does not what we have been contemplating afford us ground to fear that many are ruined by overlooking the most important period of their existence, and looking forward to a period that is less important? How numerous are those, who pass very calmly on with the current of time, without concern with regard to living, while at the same time they will acknowledge that it is a great thing to die. View people near their end, and we may see a great part, much more concerned about dying, than ever they were about living. When the grim messenger of death advances to stare them in the face, they will acknowledge they have now arrived to a period which they ever viewed important; but while in life and health, they will rest without alarm, though God's law be sounding louder than thunder in their ears, and while the Saviour is inviting them in the most pathetic terms. To meet death, having all that to do, at this distressing, moment, which was required in a time of health and prosperity, must certainly be a most ruinous step. And is it strange that Satan should use this stratgem, to ensnare unguraded souls? While he can lead people to pass away life as a trifling thing, and place their views forward to death as the important period, well may he consider them as a sure prey to his fatal wiles. Let us then enquire, whether our anxiety with regard to a future state has not often referred us to a wrong "period. And let us see that we avoid so destructive a delusion.

2. Since there is so much

more depending on life than on death, have we not reason to conclude, that many, who have left this world with a strong hope of salvation, have met with an eternal disappointment ?There is not the least intimation throughout God's word, of any one being savingly changed while in the immediate agonies of death. Nor does the Bible mention but one instance of a change within a few hours of this period. At the Saviour's crucifixion, there were special reasons for his making a miraculous display of his grace.We know that the repentance of the dying thief was real, and his faith saving; but how deficient is the evidence that others are not deceived at this late hour, even though their external appearance be equally as favora ble? When this frail system is dissolving by disease, wrecked with pain, and the mind consequently weak and credulous, what more than delusion, can those rationally expect who through life have rejected and despised their Saviour? In these discomposed moments it is easy to imagine things to be real which an omniscient and holy Judge will never acknowledge. It is not strange, that people should speak very rationally of the fading nature of the things of this world, and calmly resign them up when they are made sensible they can no longer enjoy them? From being under distress of body, and realizing the certainty of death, people in a Christian land, without the aid of true godliness, may resign up their lives with great calmness, and do no more than many heathens have done. And indeed, it is not strange that some

who are totally unprepared for heavenly felicity should even possess great joy, from viewing themselves about to make so profitable an exchange as to go from a state of pain and hopeless sorrow into a state of ineffable glory and blessedness. Numerous are the instances in which the sparing hand of God has shown us the deception of a sick-bed repentance. Among those who exhibit the greatest evidence of a saving change in view of approaching death, rare indeed is the instance that this evidence is not contradicted among those who are spared to recover. It naturally follows,

3. That we have reason to conclude, that some who appear to die without a satisfactory evidence of their good estate, may meet with a happy change.As we can give but little weight to a hope that is gained in the hour of death, by one who has spent his whole life in sin, so we are not called to give up those as lost who have lived a life of exemplary piety, even though they may die under great darkness and doubt. As the wicked may be deceived respecting their good estate, why, on the other hand, may not the righteous be deceived? The proper time to form our judgment concerning characters in the sight of God, we have seen, is at an earlier period than at death. must we not count him faithful who hath promised? "For he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Nor shall any pluck them out of my hands." We may rest assured, that wherever there is a real union formed between Christ and the soul, while in life, it eam.ot be di-solved in death.

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4. Is life a more important season than death;-then we ought to concern ourselves much more about living than about dying. Should not the most important object command our most special attention? If so, then, let the great inquiry be, how shall I live? What shall I now do, that my soul may be saved? And not, how shall I die, that my last end may be like the righteous? Let it be our earnest solicitude, how shall I now discharge my indispensible duty? How shall Is improve the precious moment of life and health? And not, how shall I improve the distressing moments of death? Reflect how much more can be done to the honor of our Maker and blessed Saviour, in the season of life, than at the distressing scene of death. Hence, said an ancient saint, "Death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down to the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day." Hence the Apostle beseeches us, by the mercy of God, that we present our bodies a living sacrifice. Would it be wise in a husbandman, who had retired to his field for the purpose of tilling his ground, for him to neglect his employment and busy himself through the day in reflecting how he should return home at night? If it would not, then we ought to concern ourselves much more about living than about dying. Hence,

5. It appears, we are now passing through the most interesting scene we shall ever beheld. It is true we are not advancing through the dark valley of the shadow of death; nei

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