5thly, When they walk through the valley of the fhadow of death, his rod and his staff comfort and fuftain them. He fortifies and cheers, their departing fpirits; and when the evening fhadows gather thick around them, the Holy Ghost, the comforter, is fent to fay to them, that death as well as life is theirs. Nay, "the good Shepherd himfelf, who gave his life for the fheep," will fay to them in this awful hour, "Fear not, I am he that liveth and was dead; "and behold, I am alive for evermore, and have "the keys of hell and death:-I am the refur"rection and the life: he that believeth on me,

though he were dead, yet fhall he live." What a multitude of faints, who now inherit the promifes, have in their last moments experienced the effects of thefe gracious and joyful afurances! In how many inftances hath a lively and unexpected view of the promifes of God, and of the great redemption, fuftained and even elevated a dying faint, who, from the infirmities of the body, or other causes, was, through fear of death, fubje&t to bondage all his life! The fenfible prefence of the good Shepherd, in thefe awful moments, will fupport the most fearful, and the feebleft of the flock. It will enable him that hath no might, to triumph over death, and him that hath the power of death; and, even in the prefence of the king of terrors, it will teach him this fong of victory," My flesh and my "heart faileth; but God is the ftrength of my heart, and my portion for ever."-" Thanks "be unto God, which hath given me the victory, through Jefus Chrift my Lord."-" For I am

"perfuaded,

"perfuaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities nor powers, nor things prefent, nor things to come, nor height, "nor depth, nor any other creature, fhall be "able to feparate me from the love of God, "which is in Chrift Jefus my Lord." It is true, the faints of God have not all the fame degree of fenfible comfort at the hour of death. The wisdom of heaven may fometimes permit them to shut their eyes, without perceiving the full extent of the bleffednefs of them who die in the Lord, or without having received those fenfible tokens of their victory over death. But, "tho' weeping may endure for a night," while they are yet ftruggling to be releafed from the mortal tabernacle, their fpirits fhall awake to everlasting joy.-For, in the,

6th and laft place, When the morning of the day that never ends fhall dawn, they shall again fee the good Shepherd, ftretching out his arms to receive them into everlasting habitations. "They "shall fee him as he is:" they fhall "be fatif"fied with his likenefs." The manfions which he is now preparing for them will then be ready. Each of them fhall enter into the bleffed abode

provided for him. "They fhall go no more out "for ever;" and "the Lamb which is in the "midst of the throne fhall feed them, and fhall "lead them to living fountains of water; and "God fhall wipe away all tears from their eyes." Then fhall they fing together, with united gratitude and joy, the triumphant and eternal fong of praife, faying, "Worthy is the Lamb that was flain, to receive power, and riches, and

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"wisdom,

"wisdom, and firength, and honour, and glory, "and bleffing: for thou haft redeemed us to "God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. Salvation

to our God, which fitteth upon the throne, "and unto the Lamb."

And now fay, my dear brethren, in the review of what you have heard, is not the Lord Jefus a good Shepherd indeed? He redeemed his flock with his blood, and guides them by his Spirit, and feeds them with all the rich fruits of his purchase. He defends them in life, accompa nies them through death, and conducts them to thofe regions of light and love, where they shall dwell in his prefence for evermore, eating the fruit of the tree of life, and drinking the water of the river of life, following the lamb whitherfoever he goeth.

Thrice happy they who are the fheep of his pafture; who, allured by his love, and aided by his grace, have returned to him as the "fhepherd "and bishop of their fouls."

Let me then call upon fuch; for of fuch, I truft, a goodly number are affembled in this place; let me, I fay, call upon them to reflect, with gratitude and joy, upon the proofs they have already received of his care and tendernefs. Remember how he found you wandering in the wildernefs, expofcd to every beaft of prey, infenfible of your danger, and unable to avoid it. Remember how he opened your eyes to fee your miféry, and not only difcover the all-fufficient remedy, but powerfully determined and enabled you to apply it. And let these past experiences

endear

endear him to your fouls, and ftrengthen your dependence on him, for whatever elfe may neceffary to complete your falvation.

be

This is the natural tendency of the representation I have given you, and this is the improvement of it that beft fuits the occafion of our prefent meeting. The Good Shepherd is this day to feed his own sheep, in the fatteft part of that pasture which his love hath prepared for them. The ordinance now before us, doth not merely exhibit the riches of his grace, but feals and applies them to each believer in particular, that, having this fecurity fuperadded to the unchangeable promise and oath of God, they may "have "a ftrong confolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold on the hope fet before them.”

With this view, then, let us approach the table of the Lord, and pray, that this gofpelfeast may prove effectual, by his bleffing, to confirm our faith, to inflame our love, and to enliven our hope; that by the nourishment it affords, we may be ftrengthened to pursue our journey thro' this wilderness, till having paffed the Jordan of death, and arrived at the heavenly Canaan, faith and hope fhall become fight and enjoyment, and love, ever growing with the ages of eternity, fhall embrace with encreafing vigour and delight, the good Shepherd who gave his life for the theep. Amen.

SERMON

SERMON XXIV.

HEBREWS xiii. 5.

He bath faid, I will never leave thee nor forfake

thee.

THIS comfortable declaration or promife is introduced by the Apostle, to enforce the duty of contentment, to which he had exhorted the Hebrews in the preceding part of the verse. Nothing can be more unbecoming in a child of God, than diffatisfaction with his prefent condition, or anxiety about his future provifion in the world. It is no wonder to fee worldly men, whofe portion of good things lies wholly upon earth, loading themselves with thick clay, and eagerly grafping every thing which their craving appetites demand. Such perfons cannot but be uneafy when they meet with disappointments; becaufe, having nothing defirable in profpect beyond the grave, in lofing their prefent enjoyments they lofe their all. But the Chriftian, who knows of a treasure in heaven, a treasure incorruptible in its own nature, and which no fraud nor force can take from him, may, and ought to look down with a holy indifference upon every thing here below, refigning himself entirely to the difpofal of his heavenly Father, who not only knows what is beft for him, but hath VOL. II. likewise

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