that he has frequently been remiss in his duty, and negligent in the care of thy sheep. Divine and heavenly Pastor, if thou wilt be extreme to mark what he has done amiss, and require those souls at his hands which have been seduced by the deceits of the world, even those that have been lost perhaps by his negligence and bad example, he has reason to fear lest with " the un"profitable servant he should be cast into utter darkness, "where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth,” Matt. xxv. 30. for ever and ever. For though he has not buried the talent thou hast given him, yet he has not improved it as he ought; and thou mayest justly require the blood of those sinners at his hands, to whom he has not more boldly denounced thy judgements, nor with an holy ardour awakened into fear, by representing thee to them as a consuming fire, and what a dreadful thing it is to fall into thine hands. If thou wilt " contend with "him, he cannot answer thee one of a thousand," Job ix. 3. He does not present himself therefore before the throne of thy justice, where he sees nothing but thunder and fire ready to crush and destroy him, but he places all his refuge at thy" throne of grace," where he hopes to "obtain mercy, and to find grace to help him in this "time of need," Heb. iv. 16. He does not present himself before thee with a [just] account of his stewardship, but with the supplication which was once offered thee by one of thy prophets, "Enter not into judgement with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man living be "justified," Psalm cxliii. 2. He acknowledges himself to be indebted for more than ten thousand talents, and that he hath not even one to pay. Therefore he "most humbly prays that thou wilt forgive him all the debt, and that "where sin hath abounded, thy grace may much more abound," Rom. v. 20. What comforts

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thy servant is, that thou hast supplied what was wanting on his part: as far as he knows, he may have lost some of thy sheep, and suffered them to go astray.

But, O divine and heavenly Shepherd! thine eye, which is every where, and sees in darkness as if it were light, hath savingly enlightened all thy true sheep, and led and directed them into the way of salvation and immortality. Thine hand, which is found every where, and reaches even to the bottomless pit, "hath delivered "them out of the paw of the infernal bear, and out of "the paw of the roaring lion," 1 Sam. xvii. 37. Thou art stronger than all the world and all the powers of darkness, "None is able to pluck any of thy sheep out "of thy hand, or out of thy Father's hand," John x. 28, 29. and none of thy chosen shall perish. Whatever defects and imperfections thy servant may have been guilty of in the discharge of so difficult and so important an office, yet seeing he most earnestly desireth pardon and forgiveness, thou wilt forgive him according to thy great and everlasting mercy, and accept the effort for the effect, and the will for the deed. For, indeed, "who is sufficient for these things?" 2 Cor. ii. 16.

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Blessed Saviour, who art both the Priest and the Sacrifice, the Redeemer and Ransom, the Shepherd and "the Lamb which taketh away the sins of the world,” John i. 29. let thy servant be washed in thy blood; sanctify him by thy Holy Spirit; fit and prepare him to follow thy holy and blessed will. Although his sickness is very great, and he scems to be at the gates of death, with a foot already in the grave, yet we "know thou "canst do all things," Job xlii. 2. and that thou canst bring the dead to life again, even them that are already putrifying in the grave. Speak the word only, and "thy servant shall be healed," Matt. viii. 8. If thou

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shouldest be pleased to give him back to the prayers of thy people, and to the tears of his family, grant that it may not seem grievous to him to return into the world again; but that with the royal prophet he may say, "Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee,” Psalm cxix. 175. Grant he may not grow weary of serving so good and loving a Master, and so bountiful a God, whose reward is everlasting. But if the end of his race is come, and the time of his departure is at hand, open to him the gates of the "Jerusalem which is above,” Gal. iv. 26.; stretch forth thine hands, and receive him into thy glorious rest.

As the father of the faithful left his servants at the foot of the holy mountain, whither he went to offer a burnt-offering; grant that our brother also may leave all his earthly and carnal affections, all his cares and sorrows, his troubles and imperfections, here below: that with a holy joy he may go up "to Mount Sion, the

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heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company "of angels, to the general assembly and church of the "first-born which are written in heaven," Heb. xii. 22, 23. and that in the glorious company of that church triumphant, he may offer unto thee a living sacrifice, and acceptable offering never to be consumed, but for ever burning in the fire of thy love. That when the mantle of this perishing body falleth from him, and he is leaving it to the earth, he may, as the prophet Elijah was, be taken up into heaven as it were in a whirlwind of light and fire, and carried into thy paradise. That notwithstanding the pains which afflict his body, we may see on his face the sparkling appearances of that heavenly joy which thou hast kindled in his heart. Open the eyes of his faith, that he may say with thy first

martyr, "Behold I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God," Acts vii. 56.; and that when he is breathing out his last, he may cry out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," ver. 59. Merciful Lord, impress upon his soul the sweet and comfortable energy of these words, "Well done, thou good and "faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord," Matt. xxv. 21. Amen.

¿ I THANK you, my dear brother, with all my heart, for the good and excellent prayer which you have put up to God for me. You have raised me even to the third heaven; and it seems to me as if I were already in paradise, and were drinking of "the pure river of "the water of life, that proceedeth out of the throne of "God, and of the Lamb," Rev. xxii. 1. But since God has been pleased to re-kindle some sparks of life in me, I must spend the few moments I have still to live in glorifying my Creator and Saviour, and in preparing myself with holy joy to go to him. I think myself obliged, as much as the little strength I have left will permit, to make my last confession of faith, and "to give a reason of the hope that is in me," 1 Pet. iii. 15. and of the peace which possesses my soul. Being near the time of giving up my soul to God, and appearing before his judgement-seat, I declare with a good con

science, as if I stood before that glorious tribunal, and were speaking to God himself, and to his angels, that I firmly believe, in all its points, the Christian reformed religion, which I have all my life professed, and taught to others. I am fully convinced that it is gospel in all its purity, and such as the eternal Son of God has revealed to mankind, as the holy apostles have propa gated through the world, and the blessed martyrs sealed with their blood. I may even say, to the praise of God's grace and the influence of his Spirit, that God has not only imprinted in my heart a conviction of the truth of the gospel as it is taught in our churches, but that he has given me courage and resolution also to seal it with my blood, and confirm it by the most cruel death, if Divine Providence had called me to that trial. I declare before that great God, who sees the bottom of my heart, and knows my most secret thoughts, that, either by word or writing, I never taught any doctrine but what I had imprinted in my heart, and did firmly believe, even to visible demonstration, was conformable to the writings of the apostles and prophets. So that I can declare to you all, my brethren, who are here present, and see the end of my life and conversation, that you are in the true grace of God, and that the religion you profess is the purest, the holiest, the most divine and heavenly in the Christian world. That which we preach to you, is in truth the word of God, as it has been delivered and preached by the apostles and evangelists. The sacraments are administered to you in their purity and simplicity; such as they were instituted by the Son of God, and which himself did in his own person sanctify. "Take heed, therefore, brethren, lest there be in "any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from "the living God," Heb. iii. 12. Be not satisfied to continue in [the profession of] that incomparable reli