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preaching would have been of a severe cast: but it was just the contrary. While he was faithful, he was not vociferous. His discourses were remarkably clear, intelligent, and instructive. They plainly opened the condition of man, and his relation to his God and Saviour, and those duties and obligations to which he is subject. But he seemed most generally inclined to speak of the promises of God, and of the encouragement which the Scriptures afford to hope in his mercy. Indeed, the character of his "exhortation," whether in the preaching-house or in a Class-Meeting, was such as to leave the repenting sinner, and doubting Christian, instructed, encouraged, and comforted. Notwithstanding his warmth of temper, he was exceeding friendly, compassionate, and kind, in all his relations, of Preacher, neighbour, and father of a family.

In young people, he (as well as his brother) took considerable interest, and to them he was a friendly and affectionate monitor. The exertions of the brothers in disseminating useful knowledge amongst the lower classes of youth was considerable; they promoted the formation of Sunday-Schools, which they assisted by their subscriptions and personal labours.

To Mr. Wesley (with whom he was in frequent correspondence, and who sometimes visited these parts) and his Preachers, Mr. Thomas Robinson was sincerely attached, and a faithful friend; nor was his friendship to be less estimated, because he would speak his mind without reserve on matters connected with the good work in which they were engaged. At Sheffield, Mr. Wesley visited at his house, and at Bridlington-Quay he was entertained by Mr. W. Robinson. Some of the Preachers were perhaps not always well pleased with the freedom of Mr. Thomas Robinson's remarks; but several of the younger men among them have acknowledged in after-life, their obligation for those observations and that advice which, although not always pleasing, they afterwards found to have been for their advantage.

As the two brothers lived witnesses of those divine truths which were so strenuously upheld at the Reformation, and are yet supported by the Articles and Homilies of the Church of England, and illustrated and taught by her Liturgy, as well as by the Methodists, so they attested them in their deaths.

Mr. Thomas Robinson died in February, 1815. His illness was short, and in about two days from its commencement, terminated in his death. In the beginning of his illness, he said to a friend, "I am going to die." That friend observed, "Then I hope you have nothing to do but to die." His reply was to this effect, "I am ready :. I am at peace both with God and man." He was soon deprived of the use of speech, but did not appear to suffer much pain. He was patient and resigned, through the whole of his affliction, and peaceably breathed his soul

into the hands of his Redeemer, being about eighty-three years of age.

In September, 1819, Mr. Wm. Robinson followed his brother, in the ninety-second year of his age. For some time previously to Mr. Wm. Robinson's death, his health rapidly declined, particularly during the last month of his life. He frequently suffered much through difficulty of breathing, but "in patience he possessed his soul." His prospects were bright, his faith strong, and he often said, "Come, Lord Jesus; come quickly." He was sometimes harassed with temptations; but these seasons were short, and the precious promises of the Scriptures were his support. He often complained of slothfulness, and would say, "At what a poor dying rate I live!" It was both difficult and painful for him to kneel down to prayer; but he could not be prevailed upon to desist from this practice, till a few days before his death. The last time he knelt down was on the Tuesday before his departure, when about two o'clock in the morning he said, "We must have prayer.” While on his knees he was supported by two friends, when he prayed fervently for his relations, the Preachers, the Church, and the spread of the Gospel. After this he was very ill for some hours; but the Lord manifested himself to his soul in a remarkable manner: so that he broke out into a rapture of praise, which astonished all around him. His language was, "O praise the Lord, on my account!" He desired that all his relations might be called, and, exulting in God, he said, "I shall meet you all, I trust, to sing praises to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Hallelujah! My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit doth rejoice in God my Saviour.

O for a heart to praise my God,

A heart from sin set free;

A heart that always feels thy blood,
So freely spilt for me!'

"O praise him, praise him! If I had a million of souls they should all be his. I bless God for my creation and preservation; but above all for my redemption through Christ Jesus. Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his."" A little after this grateful effusion of his pious spirit, he was asked how he was. His reply was, "I hope I am entering into a glorious eternity.

"Take my poor heart, and let it be

For ever clos'd to all but Thee?'

"To thy name be praise, adorations, and thanksgivings, world without end. Come, Lord Jesus; come quickly. I have been an unprofitable servant, but O the precious promises! O the condescension of the Lord!" A friend inquired respecting the state of his mind, to whom he said, "The Lord has sent his Spirit a few hours since to bear witness with my spirit that I am His. Praise the Lord on my account. I

My all in all, only Ruler of

commit body, soul, and friends, into his hands. O may I praise him with my latest breath!" When he was asked in the afternoon how he was, he said, "He is better to me than I can express. He is my 'wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.' through Christ Jesus, King of kings, Lord of lords, the princes; O for more love, more religion!" In the evening, he read the thirty-fourth Psalm, which he had long admired, and then he prayed. Through the night, when awake, he was constantly praying or praising God. On Wednesday he was very ill, and spoke but little; but during the night he was fervent in prayer, and he frequently repeated portions of the Scriptures, and favourite verses of hymns. His confidence was strong in the Lord. On Friday he was much worse, but recollected. In the afternoon of that day, he said, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name. Glory! O for a heart to praise my God!" These were the last words which he spoke that could be understood; and about eleven o'clock in the evening of September the 3d, without a struggle, his happy spirit departed.

The useful lives and happy deaths of these two excellent men require no further comment. They at an early age knew Him whom to know is life eternal; and having an experimental sense of God's love to them, they loved God; and by patient continuance in well-doing, sought for glory, honour, and immortality. At a good old age, being assured of this blessed result of their faith and labours, they departed in peace.

DIVINITY.

HOPE FOR THE HEATHEN:
A SERMON : *

BY THE REV. JOHN MASON, D.D.
ISAIAH XXV. 6, 7.

"THE Lord of Hosts....will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering
cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations."
THE exercise of divine mercy towards man is coeval with his need of
it. The shock of the fall was hardly felt; remorse had only begun to
prey upon the conscience, and guilt to rally his terrors, when a hope, as
consoling as it was unexpected, dawned from heaven upon our revolted

This very powerful and eloquent Sermon was preached before the NewYork Missionary Society, at their Annual Meeting, November 7th, 1797; and was published, with some other Tracts of the Author, in a small duodecimo volume, in the year 1803. As it has long been out of print, and is eminently worthy of being preserved in a permanent form, we have resolved to insert it in the Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine; and have no doubt but that the excellent sentiments which it contains, will meet with correspondent feelings in the minds of many of our readers.-EDIT.

race. "I will put," said God to the tempter, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." (Gen. iii. 15.) In this original promise were included all subsequent revelations concerning the redemption of sinners. The doctrine of the Messiah's person, of his sacrifice, of his triumph; together with that vast system of prediction which extends from the beginning to the end of time, and all the corresponding dispensations of the new covenant, are nothing but its regular development. But this being slow as well as regular, and all flesh corrupting its way, the Lord selected the family of Abraham to be, for ages, both the witnesses of his grace, and the depositaries of his truth. To them were committed his living oracles; to them the ordinances of his worship; to them the symbols and doctrine of the great atonement. Among them he deigned to dwell, and to raise up an illustrious line of prophets, who should direct their faith and hope to Jesus the Saviour. "To him," saith Peter, "give all the Prophets witness, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." (Acts x. 43.)

But though the children of Israel enjoyed these privileges, while other nations were "suffered to walk in their own ways," they were taught that the covenant of peculiarity should one day be abrogated, and be succeeded by a more general and more glorious economy. "In thee, and in thy seed, shall all the nations of the earth be blessed," (Gen. xii. 3, xxii. 18,) was the catholic promise to Abraham their father. As the time of its accomplishment approached, the circle of prophetic vision grew brighter and larger. Later Prophets were enabled to explain the enigmas of their predecessors, and to speak, with precision and clearness, both of the coming of the Messiah, and of the glory that should follow. Isaiah, in particular, appears to have been favoured with the most liberal disclosure of the divine purposes. Borne on high by the revealing Spirit, he sees far beyond the common horizon. The extremes of the earth, and the ages of futurity, are commanded into his view. He sees the sun of righteousness" ascending the heavens, and breaking in upon the thick darkness which enwraps the globe. He sees the fiends of night stretch their foul wings, and fly from the spreading day. He sees the tabernacle of God descending to dwell among men: his eye rolls ardent over the wondrous scene; his bosom heaves with mighty emotions; and when utterance is granted, he bursts forth in the language of the text, “In this mountain will the Lord of Hosts destroy the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations."

The Lord hath not been slack concerning his promise, nor have the words of his servant fallen to the ground. The elementary dispensation of Moses is no more; its shadows have received their substance, and its types their truth, in the person and offices of the "Word made

flesh." Millions of Gentiles, and among them, believers of this assembly, who were once "afar off, are now brought nigh by the blood of Christ ;" and are 66 no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens of the saints, and of the household of God." (Eph. ii. 13, 19.)

But though all this hath happened, according to the Scriptures, much is yet required to their complete fulfilment. Many families of the earth are still unblessed: These top are reserved for the trophies of Emmanuel's grace, and are to be subjected to his authority, by the same means which he hath ever employed in converting sinners,-the Gospel of his cross-Three topics of discourse, not less appropriate to the design of our meeting, than plainly suggested by the text: For "in this mountain shall the Lord of Hosts destroy the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations."

I. Many families of the earth are yet unblessed. They are described as destitute of spiritual and saving knowledge: an idea obviously conveyed by the figures of a vail, and a covering: Darkness, thick darkness, enshrouds their minds, and conceals from them those facts and principles which it most interests them to know and to improve.

Of the nations thus under a vail we reckon four classes:

1. The families which adhere to the "man of sin:"-Enticed by his lying wonders, and given up to strong delusions, they have deviated into the paths of apostasy; they are under the vail of Antichristian Error.

2. The families of rejected Israel:-Having disowned their Messiah when he came; and being disqualified, by judicial blindness, for discerning the real sense of their Scriptures, which testify of him; the vail upon their hearts is the vail of Obstinate Unbelief.

3. The families which embrace the doctrines of Mahommed:-Turned aside after fables, and amusing themselves with the belief of lying vanities, they are under the vail of Gross Imposture.

4. The families which are usually called Pagan:-With no other instruction, generally speaking, than the glimmerings of natural reason, and the refracted rays of distant tradition, they are covered with the vail of Deplorable Ignorance.

All these are characterized in the text. But our attention is invited more immediately to those who are without any scriptural revelation. Though true of all, it is of them, pre-eminently true, that they are under the double vail of a benighted understanding, and an erring conscience.

God is the source of intellectual light; for He alone is perfect reason. Wisdom in natural things is his gift; much more that wisdom which is spiritual and divine. Loss of ability to discover the chief good, was at once the just reward, and the native consequence of revolt. For as all spiritual light in the creature beams from the effulgence of the Godhead, whenever sin had intercepted the communion of man with his Maker,

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