And natural in gesture. Much impress'd
Himself, as conscious of his awful charge,
And anxious that the flock he fed

Should feel it too. Affectionate in look,
And tender in address, as well becomes
A messenger of grace to guilty men."

Providence, in casting his lot in Vermont, appears to have placed him where he could do most good, and where he was most wanted. On him literally devolved the care of all the churches. They looked up to him as to a father, for counsel and advice. His influence was never confined to the place where he lived; but was felt and most readily acknowledged in other towns and societies, where religion had any friends. There are few men in his profession, who attain to such distinguished eminence, and fewer still, to whom all concur in paying such distinguished respect. His weight among the clergy was not less than among the people. Seldom was there an ordination where he was not consulted, or an ecclesiastical council where he was not invited. At councils and meetings of the clergy, he ever presided with peculiar dignity. His age, talents and influence placed him at the head of the clergy, and by them, he was universally beloved and revered. He felt for the destitute situation of the newly settled towns, and more than once, at an advanced age, encountered the difficulties attending a mission. Though at times he viewed prospects as very dark with respect to the religious state of Vermont, and was ready to be discouraged;-yet he would never give up his hopes entirely; Providence rewarded his perseverance and prayers by giv-. ing him more comfortable views, during the latter part of his life, and it was with heart-felt. pleasure that he beheld, before his death, a reviv-. al of religion in many of the towns.,

Whether we view him, as a minister, or as a man, as laboring to promote the spiritual or the temporal happiness of others, he was truly benevolent, pious and sincere; wishing well to all, and contriving to promote their welfare. In conversation he was instructive and cheerful; and of easy access to all, both young and old. He ever

was forward to countenance merit. Ingenious and pious young men he stimulated to obtain a liberal education and willingly assisted them in preparing for it.

He was remarkable for his kindness and hospitality; ever proved himself a faithful friend; was frank in his disposition; but at the same time prudently cautious. In private life he was the affectionate husband and the kind parent; and was distinguished for constancy, diligence and activity. He was an accurate observer of men and things; and though he never would depart from his proper station, yet he was not inattentive to political occurrences.

As a scholar, he was well versed in classic litearture; and the honor of a Doctorate in Divinity, conferred on him by the corporation of Williams. College, was but a deserved tribute to his worth.. He was a friend and patron of literature and of literary institutions, and was successively member of the corporations of Dartmouth, Williams and Middlebury Colleges. In relation to all matters of business, in which he was engaged, he possessed what may be termed an efficient character. His sound judgment enabled him to discern real difficulties and to provide against them. His zeal to do good was undiminished to the last. His death, like his life, was calm without any surprize or agitation of spirit. He died with a blessed hope of a glorious immortality.

Let his life and example stimulate others to a happy imitation, and his death impress upon the hearts of all, the things which they have heard from his lips, that now he is dead they may have them always in remembrance.

The substance of the Rev. LEMUEL HAYNES' Sermon delivered at Rutland, (West Parish,) Oct. 28th, 1804. Occasioned by the sudden and much lamented death of the late Rev. JOB SWIFT, D. D.

2 TIM. IV. 6.

And the time of my departure is at hand.

AMONG the many sources of evil to men, there are few more hurtful than their inattention to future scenes: This subjects them to unavoidable troubles here, and endless sorrow hereafter. Men are generally disposed to croud eternal realities from them, and put far away the evil day. Having the last week heard of the sudden death of the Rev. Dr. Swift, which I consider, speaking after the manner of men, a greater loss to the church than could have taken place in the death of a single individual in this State; and having lately had so agreeable an interview with him, it has fixed my mind so intensely on eternal realities, that I found some difficulty in turning my attention on any other subject.

If ever the sentiment in my text was proclaimed in powerful and significant language, it is in this alarming dispensation of Divine Providence, The time of my departure is at hand.

St. Paul wrote this epistle after his last confinement at Rome, about nine years after the former, and a little before his death, as intimated in the text. Although the exact time of our death is fixed by the unalterable purpose of God, Job vii. 1. xiv. 5.-yet this moment to us is uncertain. We are not to suppose that Paul understood this; but by what he could discern by the conduct and temper of his enemies, he concluded that his exit was near. Analuseoos, which is rendered departure, signifies "to return home; to weigh or loose anchor; to change our place. It is a metaphor taken from mariners, importing the sailing from one port to another. Death is, as it were, the unfolding the net, or breaking open the prison door, by which the soul was before detained in a kind of thraldom."-See Leigh's Critica Sacra.Paul expected to live in a future state, and that death was not an eternal sleep, but that a crown of glory awaited him beyond the grave. That we ought to live in the constant expectation of death, is the point to which our attention is particularly called on the present occasion.

The nature and importance of the duty will be considered. There are many people who, though they have the clearest intimations that they must die, yet do not expect it. Every age of the world affords us painful examples of the truth of this observation. Death often comes and finds us sleeping. Many no doubt will go into eternity within one hour, that have no expectation of dying for years yet to come. Some of you who are now present will doubtless die within a few weeks, who are not looking for such an event. Many of you have more worldly schemes, already laid out, than you can accomplish to the day of your death. Follow men to their death-bed, and you will generally find that death is an unwelcome

and an unexpected messenger. Who those are that live in the expectation of death, is a question of serious importance.

People who expect to die will have their thoughts much on the subject, as one who is about to remove to a great distance, will think and converse much about the matter. Job called the grave his house, and made his bed in the darkness, and said to corruption, thou art my father, to the worm, thou art my mother and my sister. The man who considers that the time of his departure is at hand, will not be much elated with sublunary objects: Of whatever importance they may be to others; yet to him they are of little consequence, as he is just ready to leave them. 1. Cor. vii. 29, 30, 31. But this I say, brethren, the time is short. "It remaineth, that both they that have wives, be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world as not abusing it; for the fashion of this world passeth away."-Neither prosperity nor adversity will much affect him, who expects every hour to come to the end of his journey, or close his eyes on things below.

The man who expects soon to remove, will have his mind much taken up with the country to which he is going: He will inquire about it, and form as much acquaintance with it as possible; he will attend to the geography of it, and will have it much in his conversation; will wish to know how it is like to fare with him when he arrives there. The dying man, who acts in character, will read the word of God, that informs us about eternal things, will endeavor to obtain a knowledge of the heavenly state-of its laws, inhabitants and employments. He will look upon the things that are C