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But I would hope better things of you, my hearers, that ye

have not so learned Christ. I trust that you not only keep out of all idle dissipation, and company unbecoming the modesty of your sex and seriousness of your christian profession, but that ye strive to make continual improvements in virtue and all useful knowledge, zealous for the gospel of truth, like the holy women here recorded; mindful of the instruction and good order of your chil dren and families, for there religion and reformation must begin; and especially to pro mote them by the force and influence of a good example, which is in the power of all. So shall your names be remembered with honour and grateful respect, when you shall be no more here; and, what is of infinitely greater consequence, so shall your pious, beneficent, upright conduct, go up for a memorial before God, and appear for you at the great day! To him alone be praise and glory for all things and for ever.

PRAYER.

O God, blessed for ever! who dwellest in light and glory unapproachable, yet humblest thyself to take care of us, thy mortal creatures of the human race, and of our concerns!

We

We again bow down low before thee with the most profound veneration of thy glorious perfections, which attract all thy creatures throughout the wide universe to thee, and with the most grateful acknowledgements for the assurance which thou hast given us by our Lord Jesus Christ, that a period will not be utterly put to our being when we lie down in the silent grave, the common bed of all mankind; but that, out of thine unmerited benignity, thou designest such of thy creatures as shall follow his example and approve themselves to thee in this their day of trial, to live again in still happier abodes, and to live for ever!

O thou most gracious and benevolent parent, let not thy loving-kindness be cast away upon us, nor suffer us, in the midst of thy light that shineth round about us, to walk in darkness and miss our road to thee at the last, by living in disobedience to thy laws; but cause the examples of those who have gone before in the narrow way that leadeth to life, to animate us to exert the same virtuous courage and faithfulness in maintaining thy truth and persevering in it, that we may continually aim at the highest improvements in holiness, and in doing good to others; and may be

amongst

amongst those whom Jesus our Lord and Master, and thine exalted son and servant, will own as his brethren in the future state of glory.

So that when our race here has been well run, and we come to leave the world, as he our Master has long since left it, it may be our consolation and joy, that we shall, in thy good time at the last day, be raised to life immortal, and dwell with him, and with all virtuous and good beings, thy servants, for ever and

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SERMON XXI.

MARK xi. 19, 20, 21.

And when even was come, he went out of the city. And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig-tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, calling to remembrance, saith unto him, Master! behold the fig-tree which thou devotedst to destruction is withered away.

ONE wonders that, after so many just obser

vations have been made in vindication of this miracle of our Lord's, some persons should still continue, in writing and in conversation, to asperse his character on such groundless and frivolous pretences.

Some degree of this, perhaps, might have been obviated, if, instead of cursing the figtree, it had been translated, as I have put it, agreeably to the meaning of the original, devoting it to destruction ;' as the word 'cursing,' in our language, carries the idea of violent anger.

From which some have been induced

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