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eyes in hell, being in torments;" and crave, but crave in vain, " a drop of water to cool the burn❝ing tongue, while tormented in the flame." But they "who hunger and thirst for God," for his favour, for righteousness and true holiness; to be with him, to be like him, to behold his glory, and enjoy his love," shall be filled." In this world indeed their felicity is inseparable from hungering and thirsting; these are the pledge of their felicity; "they are saved in hope," with some measure of anticipated joy. The more of true righteousness they attain, the greater is their abhorrence of every degree of remaining sinfulness; and, except as counterbalanced by the joy of faith and hope, the more irksome and intolerable it is. When they find that they “ cannot do the things which they "would," nor reach that perfect love and purity after which they aspire, they "groan being bur"dened;" and the "body of sin and death" extorts from them, what their trials and sufferings cannot extort, the doleful complaint, "Oh! wretch"ed man that I am, who shall deliver me?" Selfdissatisfaction must then, in such persons, be inseparable from conscious imperfection; but, when attended with diligence in every duty and means of grace, it ensures felicity.—At length they " come “out of great tribulation; they have washed their "robes and made them white in the blood of the "Lamb;" they are fully " satisfied," "filled with "all the fulness of God," with light and love, and purity, and joy, in full perfection. They "de"lighted in God, and he hath granted them the

Luke xvi. 19-25.

"desires of their hearts." They have nothing further to desire, except the continuance of their present felicity, and the enlargement of their powers of enjoyment; and these are secured, beyond the shadow of a doubt, to all eternity. Even prayer ceases, being changed for unmingled praise and thanksgiving.

Had our honoured friend hungered and thirsted for aught except God and holiness, how would age and infirmity have been attended with bitter disappointments! how would the cruel flames have robbed her of all joy for ever! But, "hungering "and thirsting," and panting for God and righteousness; mourning and sometimes dejected because when "she would do good evil was present "with her;" because she had not attained, and could not fully attain, what she longed for; how extremely different is her case! Yes, my brethren, her sorrows are for ever ended; she "hungers no

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more, neither thirsts any more;' imperfection and self-dissatisfaction no more damp her ardent joy in God; she no longer mingles groans and tears with prayers and supplications. Her prayers are fully answered; all is joy, and purity, and praise. When indeed her beloved Saviour came to perfect her deliverance, the beginning was even more appalling than his words to the woman of Canaan; but soon he said, "O woman, great is

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thy faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt."1

But, my friends, what are we longing and thirsting for? Should death seize us in the same manner, or in some manner equally sudden and

'Mat. xv. 21-28.

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"life." The apostle saw a " river of the water of "life, clear as crystal, coming forth from the throne"of God and the Lamb." The Holy Spirit of life, and love, and purity, and consolation, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is doubtless intended. He prepares the soul of the believer for glory, and is "the earnest" of it in his heart, and he may considered as the immediate agent in their felicity in heaven; but it is "the Lamb who leads them "forth beside these living fountains of waters. The "river proceeds from the throne of God and of the "Lamb." Here we drink a little from this sacred river," whose streams make glad the city of God :" but in heaven the saints are "led to the living "fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away "all tears from their eyes." 2

"Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be "comforted."3 How often, and how long, has this departed saint wept in tears of godly sorrow, or in deep sympathy with the sufferings of her fellow Christians, her neighbours, and even her enemies! How have her cheeks been furrowed with tears on account of some near to her in the dearest bonds of natural affection! How has she wept also in sweet sorrow, so to speak, while contemplating the sufferings of her Redeemer, and the glory that followed! How has she made supplication "with strong cry"ing and tears" for victory over sin and temptation! Her heavenly Father indeed, from time to time," wiped away her tears;" yet still fresh sorrows caused them to flow anew, even to the very last night, or last hour, of her life. But now God

'Rev. xxii. 1. 2 Is. xxv. 8. Rev. xxi. 4.

3 Matt. v. 4.

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hath for ever" wiped away all tears from her eyes. The very crisis of her sorrow and anguish was the introduction to her final deliverance. "The ran"somed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion "with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow " and sighing shall flee away." "1 But to others, all others, "outer darkness, with weeping and wailing, "and gnashing of teeth," are reserved as their portions." Oh, that men were wise, that they un"derstood these things, that they would consider "their latter end!" How dreadful to have sorrow here, and to have sorrow hereafter, and for ever! And is not such a life, and even such a death, as hath been spoken of, infinitely preferable to the most prosperous life of sin and folly?

Having now gone through the words of my copious text, I shall only make some extracts from letters, which I have received, respecting the melancholy catastrophe, and so conclude. This event happened on Saturday evening, April the 8th. Her servant had taken up her supper, and 'left her for the space of about five minutes; when 'suddenly he was alarmed with a ringing of the bell, and violent shrieks. He ran, in great terror, ' and saw his mistress on the staircase, (to use his ' own expression,) a pillar of fire! It was with great difficulty that the flames could be extinguished, and not before she had received fatal injury. The shock produced on her body and 'mind seemed, from the first, to have brought on

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'the symptoms of approaching dissolution. Her pulse could not be distinguished at the wrist; but 'her mind retained its usual powers, and she spoke ' clearly and with much apparent strength. With 'her usual gentleness and politeness, to a medical friend, who staid with her till within three hours ' of her death, she expressed her concern that he 'should have been disturbed at so late an hour; ' and in the course of the night she said, “ I could 'not have been long here, and I might as well go 'home this way, as any other." At other times 'she frequently prayed, "Lord Jesus! save a poor 'vile sinner." To some of her noble relatives, who 'stood near her couch, she said, "Oh! if this burning is so terrible, what must everlasting burnings be." Afterwards she affectionately took 'leave of her relations and grand-children, like dying Jacob, praying for a blessing on them; ' and she requested they would leave her with her 'attendants. Her last words were, "Come Lord 'Jesus, my blessed Redeemer: come and receive my spirit." Having thus adopted the dying prayer of Stephen, like him she" fell asleep," and 'waked, to keep an eternal sabbath in the realms ' of glory.'-This was about six o'clock in the morning.

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Who can hear even this account without breathing out a prayer, Let my soul be gathered where her soul is gone, in whatever way I may be called out of this world?-But I shall now leave you to your own reflections; only adding, Let us all, my dear friends, "give diligence," according to the word of God, in preparing for death, that it may eventually be our "gain:" but let us not disquiet

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