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posed at any time, at any place, or on any occasion, at home or abroad; and they will endeavour not to engage in any work inconsistent with being called iminediately before the bar of Christ. A willingness to depart out of time, and to land on the shores of immortality, comports with the nature of the duty under consideration. With what holy and ecstatic joy does the apostle, in the chapter and verse from which our text is selected, anticipate the approaching moment of his departure. "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." In a word: to live as expectants of death, is to do the work of every day in the day; that we faithfully discharge the duties we owe to God, to ourselves, and fellow-creatures; that we live in the daily exercise of Christian graces, and persevere in holy obedience, in a constant dependance on the mercy of God through Jesus Christ. We are now to attend to the importance of the duty, or the propriety of our living in the constant expectation of death.

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We argue from Divine injunctions. How constantly and forcibly is the sentiment enjoined in the word of God." Watch therefore. Be ye also ready. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning,' &c.; are the repeated admonitions of him who spake as never man spake. To live in the constant expectation of death, is falling in with the dictates of the written word of God-and with the examples of the people of God, who attained to eminent degrees of piety. They considered themselves as strangers and pilgrims on the earth-that their days were as a shadow-and that the time is short. The dispensations of Divine providence illustrate the same idea, that the time of our departure is at hand, and call for correspondent deportment. The history of mankind-the repeated instances of death within our own observation-point

us to the grave, and proclaim, with united voice, that "There is but a step between us and death." Men of every character, station, age, and relation in life, are daily falling victims to the king of terrors, and leave us this kind admonition, that the time of our departure is at hand.

If we were to look round on the various instruments of death, we learn the propriety of constant watchfulness. Almost every thing we behold is armed with deadly weapons, and ready to destroy: even when we think we are fleeing from the enemy, we often run into the arms of death. The feeble and delicate state of our bodies loudly proclaims our approaching dissolution. The pains and infirmities which have already racked this earthly house of our tabernacle, show us that it cannot be long before it will crumble and fall. When I turn my eyes around on this congregation, I behold evident signatures of death in every countenance, which speak the language in the text, The time of my departure is at hand.

Suitably to imbibe this sentiment would have a happy influence on us in every department of life-on ministers and people, parents and children, friends and neighbours. We should lay hold of every opportunity to admonish, reprove, and instruct. Did we consider

on all occasions that it is more than possible that we are giving our last and dying advice, would it not make a great alteration as to the manner of our addresses? Keeping death at too great a distance tends to make us cold and indifferent about the things of religion. It is often the occasion of that foolish jesting and levity, in which we are too prone to indulge; this renders our visits among our friends so very barren, and turns our conversation on subjects of no importance. Were it constantly sounding in our ears, The time of my departure is at hand! it would have a salutary influence on our conduct, and others would derive unspeakablo advantage from it. I might further add, as an incentive to the duty under consideration, that to live in the constant expectation of death is the only way to be pre

pared for it, and obtain a victory over it. The reason that this enemy breaks in upon us with such terror and surprise is, because we do not watch, or keep awake. When our blessed Lord calls upon us to watch, he takes the metaphor from the sentinels that stand on guard, or on the watch-tower. The word signifies to keep awake. If we view death at a great distance, and so fall asleep, should he come at such a moment, we fall an easy prey to the king of terrors. On the other hand, do we stand looking for and hastening to the coming of the Lord, with our loins girded about, and our lights burning, that, when Christ shall come and knock, we may open immediately-we shall have the blessedness of those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find so doing. This no doubt supported our reverend father whom God has lately called home; he could say, amid the agonies of dissolving nature, "Death has no terrors to me.' This account I lately had from one living in the family at the time of the doctor's death. His usual calmness and fortitude of mind shone conspicuous in his last moments, and astonished spectators. In a word, the magnitude and importance of death, judgment, and eternity, should command the utmost attention, watchfulness, and circumspection.

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The subject, thus far illustrated, suggests a number of thoughts, which, if pursued by way of improve ment, would afford us useful instruction.

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In the first place, it is natural to observe, that it is very probable that there are many people that will never be saved. They are on the very borders of the grave-they have but a few moments to live-and yet have done nothing to prepare for death-and have no disposition to do any thing. The work is great-and they are fully determined to do nothing by way of preparation. This no doubt is the case with many present.

We may further observe, that there is but a little difference between men's outward circumstances; between the rich or the poor, the old and the young :

death will, in a moment or two, lay all on a level. There is but a very little difference between the dead and the living,—only a single step.

We are taught once more by a review of this subject, that all disputes about religion will soon subside. "Tis vain for men to spend their time in warm and angry contentions about matters that will be decided in a single moment. "The time of our departure is

at hand."

How ministers are to preach, and how people are to hear, and how all ought to conduct, in every place and on all occasions, are easily deducible from the preceding discourse, viz., In the constant view of death and the eternal world. The sound should always be in our ears, "The time of my departure is at hand!" and should have a commanding influence on all our behav iour.

We should, by this subject, be led to examine ourselves, and take a review of our past life, since we are soon to leave this world, and our endless happiness or misery depends on the manner in which we improve the present life. Blessed are all those who can adopt the language of the dying apostle, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith," &c.

In a particular manner we ought to be excited to the utmost diligence in religion, since our time is so short, and since the sentiment is so powerfully inculcated by the deaths of others with whom we yesterday conversed.

The recent instance of mortality speaks with too much energy to be disregarded. Perhaps scarcely ever was there a death in which we were more interested, or one in which God could have manifested equal displeasure against us. If so important and virtuous a character could not be exempted, but must be called away suddenly in the midst of his usefulness, may we not with propriety every day be looking out for death? The situation in which God in his providence had lately placed Dr. Swift, and the remarkable

success that attended his ministerial labours among the people where he resided, afforded pleasing prospects, and promised a long continuance; but, in a moment, our expectations are frustrated by Him who destroyeth the hope of man. The preacher has not the vanity to suppose that a commendation from him would add much weight to a character so well established among all who were acquainted with him. I have often thought, and repeatedly mentioned in private conversation, that I never saw the description of a gospel minister, as given in the word of God, so illustrated. and exemplified by any person as in the life and character of Dr. Swift.

Few ever attained a more thorough acquaintance with divinity, or were so capable of opening the mysteries of the gospel. He appeared always ready to solve difficult passages in the Scripture and questions in theology. I believe numbers in the ministry are ready to acknowledge that many important ideas on this subject they have obtained through his instrumentality. Affability, Christian zeal, and firmness in the fundamental principles of religion, were distinguishing traits in his character. These things I thought shone more conspicuous in him than usual at our last meeting. His benevolence and hospitality often astonished those who came under his roof. Those who had taste for plain, instructive, experimental preaching, greatly admired his public performances. His attachment to, and exertions in, the missionary interest were great: I have often thought to the prejudice of his health, especially of late. About the last conversation I had with him was on the subject of missions. He requested me to go to a place at some distance to preach, as he had given the people previous encouragement. I told him I was pre-engaged-he replied, "It will not do to neglect them, I must go myself." But few churches in this state, on this side of the mountain, but owe much of their present prosperity, under God, to Dr. Swift. Perhaps no man was more approved, and more useful in ecclesiastical councils than he. In our associations,

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