those who have experienced their kind attentions and liberality: and it will contribute not a little to their cordial remembrance going abroad into the world, and defcending to pofterity, if want of feeling, penuriousness, harshness and neglect, diftinguish others who are equally or more capable of affifting and relieving the indigent and forrowful.

IV. LET me carry you, in the last place, to the sphere of the more immediate influence of the righteous, the theatre of exhibiting naturally and certainly his real character and habitual excellence. Let us view him among those with whom he lives, with whom he is connected, with whom is his frequent and daily intercourfe. He is kind and obliging to all he takes an interest in those who are under him: he patiently liftens to their representations, and fhews them every indulgence:" he condefcends to men of low eftate" he is affable: he is refpectful to those who visit him: "he is given to hofpitality" he studies and enjoys the ease and comfort of his guests. Thus, in the memory of many, will he long live with honour: but his name will be preserved with peculiar cor

diality

diality by those who have been long distinguished and honoured by his friendships, and the communications and interchanges of fincere and tried, and active affection.

AFTER prefenting you this imperfect sketch of the claims of the righteous to an endeared and lafting remembrance, Let us attend to the declaration of the text,

"THE righteous fhall be in everlasting re"membrance;" and exhort you to preserve their names with honour.

PART II.

THE word of the LORD is tried: the word of the LORD ftandeth fure: all its affertions are truth all its promifes fhall be fulfilled: The memory of the juft is bleft: The righteous are held in everlasting remembrance, Men read and hear of the faints, of the excellent of the earth, with much interest and affection. We take pleasure in preserving their memories, and in publishing their praife.

CAN

CAN we but efteem the tender husband, the affectionate parent, the generous master, the fincere patriot, the friend of religion? Who but celebrates the man who confiders the cafe of the poor, and promotes and diffuses happiness around him? He who has eminently and perfeveringly fuftained thefe characters, cannot be forgotten by the wife and difcerning. In this part of the character of the worthy, as in others, it is true, many have been defective, and have overlooked the motives and confiderations that enfure and ought to enfure the endeared and lasting remembrance of the righteous. I at once reprove men of this description, and cherish the sentiments of respect in the admirers of the righteous, in thus addreffing your hearts and confciences.

ARE not you called to honour the righteous, you especially who have received many advantages from them? have ye not received, and fhall not you receive much good from the recollection of their worth, and doing justice to their memories? Are not you bound to preserve and vindicate their characters, in opposition to the misreprefenta

tions of ignorance, or of worthlessness? Ought not the happy influence of their endeared remembrance on the interests of humanity and religion, to determine you to give them due praise, and to bear testimony to their worth? And, in all and above all, does not your duty to GOD, and zeal for the honour of his name, fecure your contributing, by every method in your power, to the everlasting remembrance of the righteous?

I SAY, in the first place, We ought to remember the righteous with refpect and honour, on account of the peculiar advantages we have received at their hands. We know, and ought not to forget, what these advantages are, their number, their value. When we fhew kindness and confer favours, we well know, and naturally expect, the impreffion they ought to make on the minds of those we favour, and the effects they ought to produce. We feel their infenfibility and ingratitude. What we resent and condemn in others, shall we be capable of, towards our worthy benefactors? Do not forget how much you owe them, how much you have been profited by them. Remember affec

tionately what you owe to their cares, their counfels, their exertions, their affiftance, their friendship, their example.

I REPEAT your obligations to their example, in particular for, is it of fmall advantage that you lived with the righteous, and have feen their light shining before you, especially, if you have long enjoyed their acquaintance and company? By them, by beholding their good works and worthy character, you have been imperceptibly and fweetly drawn to the approbation and the imitation of real excellence. You are in the way of receiving much advantage alfo, after they are removed from you, by revolving the years that are paft, by reviewing their worthy deeds, and high attainments. Thus you learn what was avoided, what was refifted, what was overcome: you learn how amiable, how comfortable, how refpectable is the life of the righteous. They fhew you, and fhall it be without effect? how to conduct yourselves with propriety, by what means to attain their distinction and enjoyments, how to secure the approbation of the wife and good, and especially of the Judge of all.