ty on this polluted world no more: the Sanctuary will cease to be the house of God, and the gate of Heaven; and apostate sinners will no longer enter m, and be saved. The voice of prayer will have pronounced its last Amen: the tongue of the preacher will be dumb and the final song of praise will expire upon the ear.

Far other scenes will then engross the thoughts, and awaken the amazement, of mankind. The funeral day of this great world will have come: and the host of Heaven, and the innumerable nations of men, will be summoned to its obsequies. Its knell the last trumpet will sound. Its end the voice of the Archangel will proclaim in the inexpressibly awful words, "It is done." Earth will tremble throughout all her regions: the graves will heave with one immense convulsion; and teem with the awaking myriads of deceased men. The land, and the sea, will give up the dead, which are in them: and the whole globe will be covered with an universal resurrection of the great family of Adam.

Above, will be seen, surrounded by the glory of his Father, and by all his holy Angels, the Judge of the quick and the dead, coming in the clouds, with power and great glory. All nations at his awful summons will take their places on his right hand, and on his left. The books will be opened; and another book will be opened, which is the book of Life: and the dead will be judged out of those things, which are written in the books, according to the deeds, done in the body. To one division of this vast multitude he will say, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom, prepared for you from the foundation of the world:" and, to the other, “ Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." Then the final flames. kindled in innumerable places at once, will wander over the surface of this great globe; consume the piles of human grandeur, and the monuments of human ingenuity; waste the plains; dissolve the mountains; and blot out of remembrance this polluted region of error and iniquity. Then will the wicked go away into everlasting punishment; and the righteous ascend to the Heaven of heavens, to enter upon the complete enjoyment of life eternal.

In this season of awful expectation and final decision, of universal convulsion and immense ruin, what emotions shall you, and I, experience, if we may then behold every danger past, every

fear vanished, and every sorrow fled; if we may see, and feel, our hopes all ended in full fruition, our joy beginning its everlasting career, and a crown of glory holden out to us by our Judge, to reward our sincere, though frail, obedience. All these awful scenes we shall witness. Our eyes shall behold them, and not another. In them all we shall take our own share: a share, glorious and delightful, if we have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; but infinitely deplorable, if with a hard and impenitent heart we have treasured up wrath against the day of wrath. How devoutly is it to be wished, that we may obtain the former happy lot, and escape the incomprehensible ruin of the latter.

With these amazing things in full view, can you fail to ask, "Where, when, and how, are these immeasurable blessings to be secured?" Let me ask in return, "Where, when, and how, did Paul, and Silas, and Timothy, and their innumerable converts, secure them? The God of the spirits of all flesh has given to mankind but one law concerning this momentous subject Life is the time, and the present world, the place, in which this mighty work has been done by all, who have accomplished it; and in which, if ever done, it must be done by us. We, like them, must be

lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ; must repent of our sins with all the heart; and must exhibit a life of piety to God, and beneficence to mankind. We must deny ourselves; take up the cross; and vanquish temptations, lusts, and enemies. In a word, a life of Evangelical virtue is the only basis, on which the joy of that solemn day can be founded. He, who with this spirit of the Gospel has seen Christ hungry, and thirsty, and naked, and a stranger, and sick, and in prison; and has relieved him even in the least of his brethren; will then be placed at his right hand, arrayed in immortal glory; and will find an open, and abundant, entrance ministered to him into the everlasting kingdom of his Lord and Saviour.

This spirit is the true, the only, excellence of the soul. It is the glory of angels: it is the image of God. To communicate it to man, Christ died, and rose again: and the Spirit of Grace descended from heaven. From its first appearance in the parents of mankind, after their apostasy, seraphs have watched its progress with earnest hope, and unmingled complacency. At the news of its commencement in a single, wandering prodigal, all

Heaven renews its joy, and resounds with gratulation. Eternal wisdom beholds it as an undefiled emanation from itself; and smiles with boundless delight over its infantine existence, and its everlasting advancement towards perfection.

From these considerations flows. of course, the great practical use of all that has been said. If such be the cause of hope fulfilled, and joy begun, at the great day; you are most affectingly taught, that you must now lay the foundation of these inestimable blessings. From this seat of learning, where you have lived four years, with many privileges, many enjoyments, and many hopes; in the midst of companions by whom you are loved, and under the direction of instructors to whom you are highly endeared; you are to depart into a world of pride and ambition, of avarice and sensuality, of temptation and sin. At this eventful period you need all your own wisdom, watchfulness, firmness, and prayers; all the prayers, counsels and assistance, of your friends; and, what is infinitely more than them all, the protection and blessing of your God. Immensely do you need to remember, as a consideration ever to be before your eyes, and invariably to govern your conduct, that in life you must lay the foundation of your joy in the presence of Christ. Resolve, then, on this sacred day, and in this holy place, that a truth, so intertwined with your whole well-being, shall never be forgotten by you; never fail to influence; never cease to control.

You will neither wish, nor be able, to forget the scenes, through which you have passed in this happy place. No period of your lives will be remembered with more pleasure; no spot of earth seem more exempted from the miseries of the curse. The quiet, the order, the honourable and delightful employments, which you have found here; the pleasing companions with whom you have lived; the friendships which you have formed, and the numberless kind offices which you have interchanged; together with the affection, care and instructions, of your teachers; will rise continually to your view. The little sufferings, on the contrary, to which life is exposed even here; the youthful rivalries; and the momentary dislikes; will of course be forgotten. You will often think, and say, that no time of your life passed with equal enjoyment, nor with equal freedom from suffering.

While your memory is thus frequently, and pleasingly, employed; let me especially persuade you to call to mind the truths, which you have been taught; the moral and religious precepts, so often, and so solemnly, enjoined upon you; the counsels of piety, which you have given to each other; your affectionate assemblies for prayer; your solemn public devotions; and your delightful union around the table of Crist. Let those of you, who have publicly professed the Religion of the Redeemer, remember daily, that the vows of the Lord, your God, are upon you; and that back. Let cannot go you those of you, who have hitherto delayed to perform this great duty, hasten with all lowliness, and meekness of mind and with many tears for your sins, to confess Christ before men; and to witness the good profession, even as he did.

Remember, I beseech you, that he, who died for you, hath said, "One thing is needful.” - In this declaration he has told you, that there is no other needful thing. Choose, therefore, that good part, which shall never be taken from you. While others toil, and watch, and grieve, to dig deeper in the mines of avarice: while others strive, and pant, to climb the heights of ambition: while others imbrute themselves in the sty of sensuality: let it be your labour, your delight, your glory, to lay up trasure in the Heavens ; to seek the honour which cometh from God only; and to acquire the pleasures, which at his right hand flow forever.

Begin now; or, if you have already begun, advance from this day; the work of your salvation. Into the way of well-doing resolutely enter. In it patiently and perseveringly continue. Suffer no day to pass, without doing some real good. Let every morning, and every evening, open the doors of your closets, and invite you to pray to your Father, who is in secret.

Let every

Be his ta

Sabbath behold you going up to the house of the Lord. bernacles ever amiable in your eyes; and one day, spent in his courts, better than a thousand. There the Lor God is a Sun, and a shield: there he gives grace and glory: and there he withholds no good thing from them, that walk uprightly.

Daily, and eagerly, diffuse religion around the circle of your connections. To them you can do good, every day you live. God, who has placed them always within your reach, demands of

you continual efforts for their well-being. How delightful will it be to find them your hope, your joy, your crown of rejoicing, in the day of Christ!

To your neighbourhoods, become blessings by every kind office in your power. Speak truth alway, only, and with a sacred watchfulness over your tongues. Do justly, with the utmost strictness, and impartiality. Love all men: show kindness to all, with whom you are concerned; especially extend mercy to suffering, with largeness of heart: and remember, that God loveth the cheerful giver.

As you advance in years, in reputation, and in influence, make it a commanding rule of your lives to befriend young men. They, as your own experience will powerfully teach you, will ordinarily need, more than any others, your advice, your reproofs, and your assistance. By your advice they will be more profited; by your reproofs, more amended; and for your assistance, more grateful; than those, who are older. Vigourously, and persuasively, impress upon their minds the supreme importance of religion. Whatever you say on this great subject they will feel. The golden moment you may chance to find, and may happily seize, in which they may be rescued from destruction, and directed to heaven. In every such case, you will save a soul from death; and cover by this glorious act of charity a multitude of sins.

Love your Country. Learn, as well as you can, its real interests; and pursue them steadily; unawed by the fear of opposition; unallured by the hope of office, or the desire of gain. Covet the approbation, and tremble at the reproach, of conscience: but regard with indifference the popular breath, whether trumpeting slander, or shouting applause.

Never look either for subsistence, or for character, to popular suffrage, or governmental appointments; to public salaries, or official perquisites. He, who seeks for property, or reputation, from these sources, will, long before he is aware, have set up his soul at auction; and sold it for a place. For character, trust to your conduct; for subsistence, to your hands. In the wretched pursuit of office you will find temptations, and snares, and sins, at every step; will turn your backs upon your God; and wan