with application the nature of a cause, which he is obliged to decide, it is patiently to go through the most fatiguing details of proofs and objections. But what is often the conduct of a judge? Is it not to be struck with the exterior difference of two parties appearing before him? Is it not to be inaccessible to the poor, to invent cruel reserves, and intolerable delays? Is it not to grovel in ignorance, and to hate study and labor.

What is the profession of a man learned in the law? It is to devote his service only to truth and justice, to plead only a good cause, and to assist even those, who cannot reward his labors. What is the conduct of counsel? Is it not to support both the true and the false, and to maintain by turns both justice and iniquity? Is it not to adjust his efforts to his own glory, or to his clients ability to pay?

What is the profession of a merchant? It is to detest false weights and measures, to pay his dues, and never to found his fortune on falshood, fraud and perjury. But what is the conduct of a merchant? Is it not to use false weights and measures? Is it not to cheat the state of its dues? Is it not to indulge an insatiable avidity? Is it not to enrich himself by telling untruths, by practising frauds, by taking false oaths?

What is the profession of a minister? It is to devote himself wholly to truth and virtue, to set the whole church an example, to search into hospitals, and cottages, to relieve the miseries of the sick and the poor; it is to determine himself in his studies, not by what will acquire him reputation for learning and eloquence, but by what will be most useful to the people, over whom he is set; it is to regulate his choice of subjects, not by what will make himself shine, but by what will most bene

fit the people among whom he exercises his ministry; it is to take as much care of a dying person in an obscure family, lying on a bed of straw, lost in oblivion and silence, as of him, who with an illustrious name lives amidst silver and gold, and for whom the most magnificent and pompous funeral honors will be prepared, it is to cry aloud, to lift up his voice like a trumpet, and shew the people their transgressions, and the house of Israel their sins, Isa. lviii. 1. Mic. iii. 8. and 2 Cor. v. 16. it is to know no man after the flesh when he ascends the pulpit, boldly to reprove vice, how eminent soever the seat of it may be. What is the usual conduct of a minister?-O God! Enter not into judgment with thy servants, for we cannot answer one complaint of a thousand! Psal. cxliii. 2. Job. ix. 3.

3. Consider the multitude in regard to some general maxims, which they adopt, and hold as rules and approved axioms. Have you read in the gospel the following maxims? Charity begins at home. Youth is a time of pleasure. It is allowable to kill time. We should not pretend to be saints. Slander is the salt of conversation. We must do as other people do. It is unworthy of a man of honor to put up an affront. A gentleman ought to avenge himself. Ambition is the vice of great souls. Provided we commit no great crimes, we sufficiently answer our calling. Impurity is an intolerable vice in a woman, but it is pardonable in a man. It would be easy to enlarge this catalogue. Which of these maxims, pray, doth not sap some of the first principles of the religion of Jesus Christ? Yet which of these maxims is not received in society as a fundamental rule of action, which we should be accounted singular and petulant to condemn ?

4. Consider the multitude in regard to certain

actions, on which they lavish praise and write encomiums. We do not mean to speak at present of such crimes as the depravity of the world sometimes celebrates under the notion of heroical actions. Our reflection is of another kind. It is pretty clear, that depravity is general, and piety in the possession of a very few, when persons of superficial knowledge are praised for the depth of their understanding, and when such as perform very small and inconsiderable actions of virtue are› considered as the wonders of the world. Sometimes I hear the world exclaim, What benevolence! What liberality! What generosity! I inquire for the evidences of these virtues, on which such lavish encomiums are bestowed; I expect to find another St. Paul, who wished himself accursed for his brethren, Rom. ix. 3. I hope to meet with another Moses, praying to be blotted out of the book of life rather than see his nation perish, Exod. xxxii.

32. But no, this boasted generosity and charity is that of a man, who distributed to the poor on one solemn occasion, once in his life, such a sum of money as he expends every day in prodigality and superfluity. It is that of a man, who bestows on all the members of Jesus Christ almost as much as he does on the walls of a room, or the harness of a horse. I hear the world exclaim in some circumstances, What friendship! What tenderness! I inquire for this tender, zealous, generous friend. I expect to find such an original as I have seen described in books, though I have never met with such an one in society. I hope at least to see one example of a friend saying to a dying man, appoint me your executor, and leave me your children to bring up, and your widow to provide for. But no, I find nothing but the friendship of a man, who by improving the fortune of another attracts

forgotten, not a sigh, not an ejaculation hath escaped notice. The funeral convoys of persons the most worldly, whose hearts had been the most hardened in sin, are all uttering orations in praise of the dead. For our parts, my brethren, we, who have seen a great number of sick people, and attended many in their dying hours, we freely grant, that the salvation of many of them is probable. We have hardly seen one, whose salvation we quite despair: but how seldom have we been inclined to say, while we saw such people expire uttering the language of the most eminent saints in scripture, Let us die the death of these righteous people, and let our last end be like theirs! Numb. xxiii. 10. I will give you a short list of general mistakes on this subject.

The first mistake is this. Most sick people are ingenious to diguise the danger of their illness. Be not conformed to this world. Whenever a dangerous illness attacks you, be aware of your condition, and let each say to himself I have not long to live, at least this may be my last illness. My brethren, this supposition is never unseasonable, we are in little danger of being deceived by thinking death at hand, for the numberless accidents, to which we are exposed, justify the thought. Is there any thing extravagant, pray, in affirming that sickness added to all these accidents renders the near approach of death highly probable?

The second mistake is this. Most dying people put off the regulation of their temporal affairs too long. Be not conformed to this world. You should take patterns from better models both for reasons of affection, and reasons of prudence. True affection to a family engages a man to preclude in favor of his heirs such troubles and divisions as are the inseparable consequences of an undivided or

perplexed estate. Prudence, too, will foresee, that while our minds are all occupied about temporal affairs, a thousand ideas will intrude to disturb our devotion. Do not wait till the last moment to settle your affairs, to make your will, to dispose of your family, and be not so weak as to imagine that the discharge of these necessary duties will hasten your death. Employ yourselves wholly about the state of your souls, and let each say to himself, since I have been in the world I have hardly devoted one whole day to devotion: since I have been a member of the church I have been exercised about affairs which interest the whole society: but now that I am come to the end of my life, now I am passing out of this world, now that I am going where I shall have no more portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun, disturb me no more, ye worldly ideas; thou fashion of this world passing away, appear no more in my sight: ye wild fowls, interrupt my sacrifice no more.

The third mistake is this. Most dying people delay sending for their ministers till the last moment. They would have us do violence to the laws of nature, they set us to exhort trunks, to instruct carcases, to prepare skin and bones for eternity. Be not conformed to this world. Why should ye delay? Is there any thing odious in our ministry? We do not bring death along with us, we do not hasten its approach: if we denounce the judgments of God against you it is not with a design to terrify you, but to free you from them, and to pull you out of the fire, Jude 23.

To these I add a fourth mistake. Most dying people think it a duty to tell their pastors of excellent sentiments, which indeed they have not, and they are afraid to discover their defects. When death makes his formidable appearance before