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PERHAPS the pious parent who hath died in the Lord, may regard the little orphan which he hath left behind. Experienced in the troubles and difficulties, fnares and temptations of this life, he may watch over it, and in ways to us unknown, "do it good and not evil all the days of its life.” Little ones are not deftitute of invifible keepers"Their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.*

SOME are early called out of life; make but a transient visit to this scene of forrow, and just taste the bitter cup of affliction. But though fhort their flay, they may yet begin to form fome dear connexions-connexions which might perhaps, have been ensnaring; for more fet bad, than good examples before the little ftrangers committed to their care. Thefe, taken from the evils to come, may be friends to thofe who had appeared to befriend their helplefs ftate in this ftrange landmay watch for their good, and rejoice if they fee them minding the things which belong to their peace, and by a wife improvement of more talents than had been committed to themfelves, preparing for greater joys and honors in the kingdom of God.

THOSE who had sustained a ftill nearer relation --who had been "one flefh," may bear like regard to thofe "with whom they had taken fweet counfel and walked to the houfe of God in company" and may be the firft to welcome their arrival at the world of joy.

*Matthew xviii. 10.

THE Romish church have abufed the doctrine which we conceive to be contained in the text, by decreeing adoration to departed faints. Others have gone into the oppofite extreme, denying that they know ought of terreftrial matters, or have any concern in them. Adoration belongs exclufively to God. It belongs neither to glorified faints, nor to angels of light, though the latter" are all fent forth to minifter to the heirs of falvation."*"Thou fhalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only fhalt thou ferve.

THE righteous are not suffered to continue here by reason of death. Their removal is one of our fevereft trials. Our fubject miniflers fupport and comfort under it. When we reflect upon it, we feem to hear them calling to us from behind the scene, with "Weep not for us-we are not dead. Our bodies fleep, but our fpirits wake-Death is not the period of our exiftence. It is only our removal-our birth day into the world of glory.We are joined" to the fpirits of the juft made perfect"-enjoy the fociety and that of the angels of God-behold the face of our heavenly Father, and of the divine Redeemer. We rejoice to fee you "followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises"-are ready to help you in your work, and to fhout God's praises, and unite in fongs of triumph, fhould you come off conquerors, and rife from your humble ftate of forrows, fufferings and temptations, to be our com, panions in glory."

Hebrews i. 14.

THESE are confoling and animating views. They tend to excite a divine ambition in working out our falvation.

WE are yet doomed "to bear the heat and bur. den of the day." But we are not alone-not unobferved. God, angels, and the good, who were lately "our companions in tribulation," witnefs the part we act. We would not dishonor ourfelves in their view, and fink ourselves in their ef timation. If they are ready to help our infirmi. ty, we would not render their heavenly aid of no avail, or cut ourselves off from enjoying their society.

CONSIDER fome dear departed child of God thus interested in your concerns, and you will find it a fpur to duty, and an incentive to labor and not faint in the work affigned you, preparatory to your join. ing the church of the first born above. Think now that the godly ones who loved you here, and labored to animate you in the service of God-or those who lately looked to you for counfel and guidance, having made their way to glory, are waiting your arrival, and longing to hail your entrance into the kingdom, and by all the strength of your love to them, now freed from the imperfections of their earthly refidence, and made glorious and heavenly, you will find yourself drawn on toward that ftate of bleffedness, in which you hope again to rejoice with thofe whofe diftreffes you witneffed here--yea whofe dying agonies, may have chilled your frame and filled you with anguish unutterable!

To meet them again, and find yourself and them, forever removed from the fear of evil, either natural or moral-forever fecure the divine friend. ship-forever happy and glorious in the enjoyment of God, "the former things being all paffed away, and all tears forever wiped from your eyes !" There to recount with those bleffed fpirits, the travels and trials of this life, and look back, perhaps, on many hairbreadth escapes from eternal death! There, to dwell on the wonders of divine love and mercy exercised towards you, and often in things which you once thought to be against you! Who would not willingly fuffer many deaths to enjoy these things?

Such confiderations are animating in duty, and fupporting in times of trial. If realized, we fhall adopt the language of the fuffering apostle"None of these things move me, neither do I count my life dear to myself, that I finish my courfe with joy"-and fhare fuch bleffed fociety-fuch inconceivable felicity and glory in my Father's house above, in which are many manfions!

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SERMON XXVIII.

The Danger of Deviating from Divine Insti

tutions.

COLOSSIANS ii. 8.

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

ST. PAUL was the apostle of the Gentiles. The care of the churches gathered among them devolved particularly on him. At the writing of this epistle he had no perfonal acquaintance with the church to which it is addreffed.* Epaphras, a bishop of the Coloffians, then his fellow prifoner at Rome, had made him acquainted with their ftate, and the danger they were in from false teachers, who, during the abfence of their minifter, labored to turn them from the fimplicity of the gofpel; and this letter was written, through divine influence, to guard them against those deceivers, and perfuade them to abide in Chrift.

* Verse 1.

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