I should have chosen to continue with you at the expense of temporal emolument; but, considering the divisions existing, and the uncommon stupidity prevalent, I have been fully satisfied that it was my duty to be dismissed, and have requested my friends not to oppose it. I am persuaded that it will appear another day that unfaithfulness in the minister did not originate the event, to the exclusion of criminal causes in this society; but this matter is laid over to the day of final decision. I trust I feel in a degree reconciled, knowing that God's way is in the sea and in the deep waters, and his footsteps are unknown.

I find my strength in a degree inadequate to itinerant labours, and that I am shortly to put off this my tabernacle; but I purpose, so long as life and health continue, to preach the same gospel that I have been publishing to you for more than thirty years, and on which, I humbly hope, I have ventured my eternal salvation. Oh that I may be enabled to discharge the duty with greater zeal and fidelity! And now I am called to go, not to Jerusalem, but from place to place, not knowing the things that shall befall me, saving what the Holy Ghost and the providence of God witnesseth in every city, that trials await me; but I hope I can in some small degree say, "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I night finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God."

My dear brethren and friends, I did not realize my attachment to you before the parting time came. Many disagreeable things have taken place; but still I feel my heart going out towards this people. How many pleasant days have I spent with you in this house! How many hours under your roofs, and delightful visits in your families! I will not except a single door that has not been hospitably opened for my reception. Many kindnesses have I received from you, both in sickness and in health. You will accept my warmest gratitude for the many instances of kindness shown

me. I hope, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, that you will still remember me at the throne of grace; that God would support me under every trial, and that he would render the evening of my life useful to the church of God: that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.

May the Great Head of the church send you a pastor after his own heart, vastly superior in gifts and grace to him who is giving you his farewell address. "Tis a distressing thought to think that I am about to leave any of you in an unconverted state,-that my labour among you will prove to your heavier condemnation. Partic ularly let me call on you that are young: this house and your own consciences are witnesses that I have repeatedly called on you to attend to the important concerns of your never, never dying souls, and I fear too many of you in vain. Have you not turned a deaf ear to the calls and invitations of the gospel, and to the solemn warnings of God in his providence? I fear you are going down to eternal destruction, under the intolerable weight of aggravated sins. I will now, perhaps for the last time, invite you to Jesus, the God-man Mediator. Some of your parents, on a death-bed, have charged me with their dying breath to be faithful to you; should it appear at our meeting at the day of judgment that I have in any good measure answered their request, must I re-echo to the tremendous sentence of the judge, "Depart," Amen! Amen? Oh! how dreadful!-how heart-rending the anticipation! Must this be the case? Nothing but a speedy and thorough repentance and turning unto God can prevent it. Dear youth, your souls were once committed to me; I would now commit them to him who is able to keep you from falling, and present you faultless before the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy.

In general, you have treated me with respect; I do not remember ever receiving an insult from a single youth. Many of your parents sleep in dust, where I must shortly be; should I be so happy as to sit down

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with them in the kingdom of heaven, and should you arrive at those blissful regions, oh! what a blessed irterview! With what ecstatic joy and congratulation should we present the offering before the throne of God with the humble, grateful, and astonishing exclamation, "Here Lord we are, and the natural and spiritual children thou hast graciously given us."

You will shortly hear of the death of the speaker: whether his grave will be here or elsewhere is to us uncertain. Oh, remember that those icy fingers were once employed in writing sermons for you; those lips that are now chained in gloomy silence were once speaking to you, in accents that were sounding from Sabbath to Sabbath, and from year to year, within the walls of this house; that his soul has taken its flight to yonder tribunal, where a rehearsal of those discourses that you have heard from him will be made in your ears, and before the assembled universe. Ministers who have finished their course may be useful to people after they are dead: this is an idea suggested by a dying apostle, 2 Pet. i., 15: "Moreover, I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance." How far, consistent with truth and Christian modesty, I may adopt the language of the holy apostle, ver. 26, will be better known hereafter. "Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men: for I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God."

It was for your sake principally that your fathers called me here: they sat under my ministry but a short time; their memory is still precious, and, though dead, still speak. Oh! for their sake, and for your souls' sake, and above all for the sake of him that created you,. hearken to the things that concern your eternal interest. Could you consider your former minister worthy of any respect, I beseech you to manifest it by preparing to meet him, and be a crown of his rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus. You that are young will be those who

will compose this society in a short time: we who are advanced in life must soon leave you.

Let me warn you against Sabbath-breaking-against neglecting the public worship of God. Willingly and promptly contribute to the support of the gospel ministry, as you would prosper in this world, and meet your judge in peace. Beware of carnal dissipation, a sin which I have often warned you against. Beware of slander and detraction, those banes of society; the influence of which, even among us, you cannot be strangers to. According to Scripture testimony, they have their origin in hell, James iii., 6, and are incorporated with characters not very ornamental to human nature; nor do they stand fair candidates for the kingdom of heaven. 1 Cor. vi., 9, 10: "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor REVILERS, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God."

Suffer me to warn you against false doctrines, such as are pleasing to the carnal heart. The inventions of men are skilful in exciting prejudices to the plain truths of the gospel hence it is that faithful ministers are accused with being too pointed and unpolite in their discourses, Beware of false teachers, and of being led astray by the errors of the present day. Remember there are damnable heresies as well as damnable practices. Paul predicted this danger, ver. 29: "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock." But, beloved, I would hope better things of you things that you-things accompany salvation, though I thus speak. Dear children and lambs of the flock, you have in a sense, for a time, been committed to my care; with the tenderest affection I would, in the arms of faith, bear you to that Divine Saviour who has said, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God," May your cheerful hosannas fill

this house when your fathers and mothers shall sleep in dust.

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My friends in general:-Whatever we have seen amiss in each other, it becomes us to exercise forgiveness, as we hope God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven us, and as we would find mercy in that day. How often have our united prayers ascended up in this house! may we not forget each other for time to come! in peace, and may the God of peace be with you. May my family have a share in your affections and intercessions, who have been brought up among you; they will doubtless soon be left without parents. May the wife of my youth, who has been my companion in tribulation-whose health, and strength, and domestic ease have been sacrificed and devoted to your serviceshould she survive me, not be forgotten. As I still continue to reside among you, should you at any time be destitute of a minister on a sick bed, be ready to send for me; it will be the rejoicing of my heart to do all I can to comfort you in the hour of distress, and to alleviate the groans and terrors of a dying moment; I request the same from you, as there is opportunity.

And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. AMEN.