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HERE, in Affliction's useful school, I'll wait, and see my Father's hand: He governs by a righteous rule;

Each cross is by his wise command. He speaks': and, lo! his servant Death, Severs the dearest tie I have! Death brings this faint, expiring breath, And drags her to an early grave! Sadness and Sorrow mingle here;

Each heart with tenderness is mov'd; The husband's and the mother's tear

Must drop o'er one so much belov'd. With hearts o'erwhelm'd we pensive stand,

To see our Mary's deathly face; Yet even here we own his hand,

Who saves her by his sov'reign grace. Oh! what a source of peace divine

Is brought by ey ry dying word! Each utt rance makes his mercy shine, Aud proves the bliss his truths afford. In vain might human systems aim To yield tranquility like this, Our Mary loves our Jesu's name, And hence this calm, this heavenly peace!

Long ere this last, this solemn hour, She priz'd the gospel's joyful sound: In early days she prov'd its pow'r,

And now in this relief is found! Hither, ye sceptics, turn your eyes, Nor dare insult the sacred page! See how a true believer dies,

The Scriptures all her fears assuage. Turn hither, all ye sons of Earth,

Ye wand'ters from the ways of Peace, See here the prize of wat worth; Here, see what true Religion is.

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Oh! what a scene is here to view! Lord, hear the dying patient pray: Why are thy chariot-wheels so slow?

Cómie, Jesus, quickly come away.' Here, by her side, I love to stand,

Affection prompts, and bids me stay: I'll watch her breath, I'll clasp her hand,.

Till the dear spirit flies away y! Oft has she prov'd her kind' concern To raise my joy, and score my care; My loss, dear Mary, I must mourn,

A loss this world can ne'er repair!

O Thou! whose judgments must be right,

Cause me to bow beneath thy rod; Make thy good word my chief delight, And thy dear self my blest abode!

By this correcting, painful stroke,

Some useful lesson make me learn, Nor faint beneath thy kind rebuke,

Nor scorn the haud that makes me mourn.

Dear Father, now reveal thy love,
And bless thy gentle rod to me,
That I no more from Thee may rove,
But act and live alone for Thee!

In mourning her expiring breath,
Thy truth affords a sweet relief,
Eternal gain will bless her death,

And here I find the joy of grief."

What, though pale Death awhile may reign,

And break a union form'd by love! Ere long 'twill be resum`d again,

And rais'd with nobler ties above!

There sin, and death, and sorrow cease, These storms ne'er reach that blissful shore:

The region all is joy and peace;→ There we shall meet to part no more! Till I arrive at that blest home,

Farewell, dear wife, a short fare. well!

Soon shall some heav'nly envoy come, And we with Christ shall ever dwell! With such rich prospects full in view,

This solemu scene has lost its gloom; The thoughts of Heaven my joys renew, I look with triumph o'er the tomb! Once more, dear Lord, permit my

prayer,

Thine ear the fervent prayer receives; Look down with thy paternal care

On the dear child thine handmaid leaves !

Be Thou his Guide, his Guardian be, Thro' all this dreary wilderness; Then take him home to reign with Thee,

And sing the praise of soy'reign grace! There, in the realms of endless light, Saviour rekeive us as thine own, That we may gloriously unite

In glad Hosannahs round thy throne! Greenwich.

Printed by G. AULD, Greville Street, London.

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THE

EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE.

APRIL, 1810.

MEMOIR

OF

THE LATE REV. EDWARD PIDGEON, A. B. ́

VICAR OF ST. JOHN AND CLARAGH.

[Extracted from the Funeral Sermon delivered by the Rev. Peter Roe, A. M. Vicar of Dungarvon, Minister of St. Mary, Kilkenny, and Chaplain to the Garrison of that City.]

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BROUGHT up under the immediate inspection and fostering care of a kind and indulgent father, Mr. Pidgeon spent the morning of his days in an abstinence from many vices of the age; and being naturally vivacious, possessing a clear understanding and, much acquired knowledge, his company was courted and prized by the men of the world. At length the period arrived when he was raised to the important situation of a Minister in the Established Church. His new employment. wrought no change in his heart, no reformation in his life: he was careful and anxious about the things of the world, but had no serious concern about eternity. He therefore lived as before his ordination, caressed and admired by the world, for the world will ever love its own. The most highly ornamented regimentals cannot inspire the heart of a coward with courage; neither can an outward plainness of dress, nor any merely outward appointment, qualify a sinner to be a teacher of the ignorant, and an example to the church of God. Happy and highly-favoured are all they who, with the outward designation to the work of the ministry, receive the sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit. How lamentable is it to reflect apon the many candidates for the ministry, who rush into the sacred office, declaring That they are moved to it by the Holy Ghost, while they exhibit no one temper or disposition which we are taught in Scripture to regard as the fruits grow ing from his influence !

Living, as Mr. Pidgeon did, in the follies and pleasures or the world, we cannot wonder that his preaching was unaccom

XVII.

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panied by the divine blessing, and ineffectual to produce à real change iu the hearts of his hearers. After preaching many years, he and his flock were as much attached to their worldly and sensual enjoyments as ever. At length this day of sin and folly drew to a close, and God, whose thoughts and ways are not like ours,' visited his heart with divine grace, and opened it as he did Lydia's; so that he attended to the things which were spoken by the Lord. The conversations of some pious friends, and a careful perusal of the writings of some excellent men; were made instrumental of much good to him; but the Holy Scriptures, applied by the Spirit, gave him a clear and perfect knowledge of those truths which can alone make us wise unto salvation: they settled his wavering mind, and determined him to be on the Lord's side. A most clear and satisfactory light was given him into the great subject of Redemption: he saw the doctrine of Justification, thro' faith in Christ alone, to be the great subject of the gospel, the highest display of the divine perfections, the happiest relief for his burthened conscience, and the most powerful principle of unfeigned holiness of heart and life. He was rejoiced exceedingly, found peace and comfort spring up in his mind, his conscience was purged from guilt, and his heart set at liberty to run the way of God's Commandments: from that hour he began to preach salvation' through faith in Jesus Christ alone.' Great and observable was the change which took place in him; but that which ought to have been a source of gratitude to professing Christians, afforded them a ground of opposition to him and his ministry. This circumstance need not, however, excite surprize; for, as in the time of Abraham,' he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.' A man may go through the round of worldly pleasures, waste his time, abuse his talents, neglect the best interests of his own and the souls of all committed to his care, and yet be admired by those around him, who are ever ready to plead his cause, and to applaud his motive. If he be a spendthrift, they say he is a little too generous; if he be parsimonious, and have no bowels of compassion for the poor, they say he is prudent and frugal; if he resent injuries, they say he has a proper spirit; if he appear as a duelist, and meet his antagonist in the field, they regard him as a man of honour: but, let that man be changed in heart by the grace of God, let him be brought to a sense of his folly and of his danger, let him forsake, the company of the drunkard, the adulterer, and the man of pleasure, let him lead a new life in righteousness and true holiness, let him regard salvation as the free gift of God in Jesus Christ, - let him love his Bible, prayer, and the conversation of the people of God, and he will instantly meet with opposition; and perhaps his greatest enemies will be those of his own house

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