life may be, and soon will be unavailing; for these are designed in providence, not to perpetuate, but only to prolong life for a season. The tabernacle in

which the soul resides, will soon be broken down by disease or casualty, or worn out by use or age. Then no meaas can repair or restore it. While the body remains a proper receptacle for the soul, and a suitable instrument of its operations, the soul cannot depart from it; longer than this, it cannot stay. Death does not properly consist in the retirement of the rational soul from the body. If it did, who would die? Would not the soul, which has a natural attachment to the body, abide with it? Or how would beasts die, which have no rational soul? There is a previous dissolution of the principal parts of the body, and a consequent cessation of its necessary functions. Then no man can retain the spirit; no art of medicine can restore the broken frame; no arguments can persuade the retiring soul to remain. It is God who takes away the spirit; and when he takes away, who can hinder him? It is he who brings down to the grave; and when he brings down, who can raise himself up?

Let it further be considered, that as there is no escape from death in this world, so for the guilty there is no escape from punishment in the next. Death, whenever it comes, terminates the day of probation. They who die impenitent, die in their sins-under the guilt of all the sins, which they have committed, and under the power of all the ungodly lusts which they have indulged, and all the vicious habits which they have contracted; and. they who are unrighteous and filthy, will be so still. There is no work in the grave. When death has done its work, sinners will have no power to recall their iniquities and cancel their guilt; to do the works which they have neglected; to counteract the ill effects of their corrupt example and vain

conversation; to obtain the mercy of God by prayer; to prevent the sentence of condemnation, or flee from the wrath to come.

Let not the strong man glory in his strength, nor the young man in his youth. They are no less exposed to death than the sickly and the aged. The time is coming, when they can make no resistance to the king of terrors, nor escape from the jaws of the grave.

-Now the patience of God waits on you; salvation is brought near to you; the terms of it are laid before you. There is a space of repentance; there is free access to the throne of grace. Go, pour out your hearts in God's presence; seek him while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near.

If you neglect to call upon him now, will he hear your cry when trouble comes? He calls to you; If you will not hear, you also may call and not be heard, when distress and anguish come upon you. If the snares of death surprize you in your guilt, the pains of hell will next compass you about.

It is amazing to think, that rational creatures, whose eternal salvation is depending, and whose opportunity to secure it is short, should spend their time as thousands do. How lamentable, that the season allowed them for the work of their salvation should be prostituted to folly and guilt. O, be ye wise and understand; consider your end; number your days, and apply your hearts to wisdom.

We will here intermit our subject, and resume it on another opportunity.

SERMON XXXI.

Death often sudden, and in an evil time.

ECCLES. ix. 12.

For man also knoweth not his time; as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and the birds that are caught in the snare, so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

THESE words, as we have already observed, suggest to us, The uncertainty of the time of our death.

The secret manner of its approach. And

The impossibility of escape, when the snare falls. IV. The next thing here suggested, is the suddenness of death. "The snare falleth suddenly up

on them."

There are several senses, in which death may be called sudden.

1. It is sudden, when it surprises mortals without previous warning; or at a time, when they have no special reason to expect it.

We have general warning of death at all times. But there are cases in which it comes without particular notice, either from the state of the body, or

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from visible external circumstances. Such are most cases of casualty by falls, wounds, lightning and drowning. Besides cases of this kind, there are many diseases, whose fatal effects are as sudden and inevitable as those of casualty. From one cause and another a considerable proportion of mankind die in a manner, which we call sudden. They are taken as the fishes are caught in a net, and the birds in a snare. Among my own people about one eighteenth part of the deaths have been by casualty, though not all these instantaneous; and many have died as suddenly by disease.

Undoubtedly one principal reason, why providence appoints so many sudden deaths is, that all may hold themselves in readiness. If no deaths were sudden, none would be expected. If all were sudden, they would become too familiar to produce any moral effect. Who more regardless of death, than soldiers in an army? And who see more sudden deaths? In the ordinary course of providence, deaths are diversified in a manner well adapted to awaken mens' attention to, and preparation for their own. This is the language of scripture and of reason; "Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." "Go to, ye who say, Today or tomorrow, we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell and get gain; whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow; for what is your life? It is even a vapour, which continueth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live and do this or that. But now ye rejoice in your boasting. All such rejoicing is evil." The folly of such boasting our Lord reproves in the parable of the rich man, who, having laid up goods for many years, said to his soul, "Take thine ease, eat drink and be merry ;" But in the midst of his flattering and delusive prospects,

he received the solemn sentence of approaching death. "This night shall thy soul be required of thee." We are commanded to watch, because we know not the hour when our Lord will come.

2. Death, though gradual in its real approach, may be sudden in regard to the work of preparation. To accomplish this effectually, there must be a review of life, an examination of heart, an attention to the calls and promises of the Gospel, a sorrow for and resolution against sin, and a humble application to the mercy of God through the Saviour, who died to redeem a guilty race.

In order to such exercises, there must be reason in the head, calmness in the mind, and sensibility in the heart. But how common is it that disease extinguishes them all, and introduces delirium, distress or stupidity.

Besides; In those capable of consideration, the thoughts often take an unhappy turn. When they view eternity opening before them, and reflect on their past abuse of divine grace and patience, their consciences are affrighted at the magnitude of their guilt, and their souls amazed at the nearness of their danger. And though they see their dependence on God's mercy, they hardly dare to place confidence in it, or make application to it. While they suffer God's terrors, they are distracted.

3. The scripture speaks of some, who, after their hard and impenitent heart, treasure up wrath against the day of wrath,"-of some, "who in the greatness of their folly go astray, are holden in the cords of their sins, and die without instruction,"— of some, "who being often reproved harden their necks, and are destroyed suddenly and without remedy."

Now there is little more reason to hope for the repentance of such persons in a time of sickness, than for the repentance of those who are remov