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"It is pleasing, to a benevolent mind, to see the exertions that are now making for the dissemination of religious knowledge among the rising generation. Like Nehemiah, the Teachers of Sunday Schools are doing a great work; a work which infidels will not believe, though men declare it unto them. They are the sappers and miners in Immanuel's army; and, under the conduct of the Great Captain of Salvation, must ultimately be successful: they are working secretly, but effectually: they are sapping the foundation of Satan's kingdom, undermining his strong holds, and preparing materials for the erection of Messiah's. The train laid by them, in much weakness, shall be kindled by the breath of God, and burst with a mighty explosion; Satan's kingdom shall fall like lightening from Heaven; shouts of victory shall resound through Immanuel's camp; while all Heaven shall sing, as the voice of many waters, and the voice of mighty thunderings, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever."9

9 Rev. xi. 15.

All his compositions abound with citations from the sacred scriptures; the word of God, which was the joy of his heart, and the rule of his life, enriched, adorned, and gave effect to all his public discourses. No man was more indebted to the Bible than himself: hence his lamp always burned brilliantly, because its sacred flame was drawn from the altar of God.

In his attention to the public concerns of religion, he did not neglect to keep his own heart; he cultivated assiduously, true spirituality of mind; he sought close communion with God, and delighted in holy conversation: he was one of the excellent of the earth, whose memory we ought to cherish, whose example we ought to imitate, whose removal, as a public loss, we are permitted to deplore; and were He who wept at the grave of Lazarus on earth, He would drop another tear on the tomb of Mills.

Death, although it suddenly arrested him, did not find him unprepared; it was a subject with which he was familiar, upon which he was accustomed to speak frequently, with calmness and satisfaction.

He knew whom he had be

lieved, and was mercifully delivered from the fear of death; yea, he appeared to have a desire to depart, and yet a jealousy, lest this desire should be unscriptural: he therefore proposed, a little before his removal, as a subject of discussion, at the meeting of a Book Society, "Is it lawful for a Christian, under any circumstances, to desire Death?" At the meeting of this Society, a few days before his death, he was observed to be unusually spiritual and cheerful: he concluded the meeting with prayer, and addressed the throne of grace as one who was not far from the mansions of glory.

The last Sabbath he spent upon earth, Sept. 8, was a laborious day in the service of his Redeemer: he preached, morning and afternoon, at the Rev. John Townsend's, Rotherhithe; and, in the evening, at Orange-street, London. He was engaged to preach, on the following Sabbath, at Tunbridge, Kent; not expecting that his labours were closed, and that he was so shortly to enter into the joy of his Lord. At family worship, after the exertions of the day, he expounded the former part of the 14th of

1 2 Tim. i. 12.

John, and conversed on those mansions which Christ has prepared for his people; as one who had seen them, and earnestly longed to take immediate possession.

May the graces, which shone in him, ever be found in his surviving relatives; that, while his absence is regretted, his loss may be abundantly supplied! Few, if any, men are to be found, in whom was more fully exemplified the character drawn by an inspired Apostle : Blameless as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; holding fast the faithful word as he had been taught: able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.2

Titus i. 7, 8, 9.

Conclusion.

CLOUDS and darkness are round about him; righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. The sovereignty of God, in bestowing or withholding his favours, is not more strikingly seen in the operations of his grace upon the heart, than in those mysterious dispensations of his Providence, which continually arouse the attention, confound our reason, and stagger our faith; and the man who is disposed to cavil at the distinguishing doctrines of the Gospel, may, with equal propriety, arraign the conduct of the Deity in every act of his universal government.

God is every-where present; by his wisdom directing, and by his power controling all events;

Psalm xcvii, 2.

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