What more animating than to hear such an one speak of the faithfulness of God, the satisfaction he has found in the divine service, the supports administered by the gospel in the most trying situations, together with the hopes inspired by it of future glory? Young persons are sometimes discouraged by false ideas of the ways of religion; ideas, which its enemies in all ages have extensively circulated; when the aged professor, therefore, declares that he has found them ways of pleasantness, and paths of peace; appears satisfied with his early choice, and pursues his course to the end with a growing delight; the voice of calumny is silenced, and the profession of godliness, far from being inconsistent with true pleasure, appears best calculated to promote it.—Suffer me then to take this opportunity of exhorting aged christians, to manifest a regard to the encouragement of the young disciple. Your venerable pastor was sensible of the importance of that conduct, which I am now recommending to you; and he made it evident by the cheerfulness of his mind, by the strain of his conversation, and by his daily attention to the duties of the christian life, that it is in the power of the gospel to produce solid happiness. I doubt not but

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many have often left his society impressed with a sense of the pleasantness, as well as the wisdom and importance of a religious life, that they have thanked God, taken courage, and gone on their way rejoicing. In this part of his character let me recommend it to aged christians to be his followers. Go ye and do likewise.

(4.) An old disciple by his principles and conduct reproaches the folly and condemns the guilt of those who despise and reject the gospel. By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. By his faith in the divine threatening, and solicitude about the means of safety, he condemned the inattention of others to the desolation which had been so awfully denounced, their unconcern about deliverance from so terrible a destruction, and their habitual, increasing degeneracy. And permit me to ask, what idea ought that man to form of himself, who, whilst he sees before him instances of those persons, who, through a long course of years have made it their prevailing

concern to glorify God with their bodies and their souls which are his, has been living with out God in the world? Who whilst others have manifested a prevailing regard to their eternal interests, earnestly enquiring what must we do to be saved, has hardly entertained the thought of salvation? Who, has felt no desire after any higher enjoyment than those which are circumscribed by the short limits of this transitory life? Ought such a man to suppose that his conduct has been equally wise, or that his state can be equally safe? Can the thought of God be entertained by him with the same satisfaction? Or the expectation of death and judgment be accompanied with equal hope?

The inhabitants of this town have had an example in the venerable saint, whose death has brought us together, which condemns the conduct of every man in it, who prefers a life of sin to a life of holiness. But if the ungodly inhabitants of the town are condemned by his blameless intercourse with them, what shall be said of those, who for almost sixty years attended his ministry, and have at last been left by him in the ways of sin, travelling the road which leadeth to destruction? Awful consideration! Those sermons which were

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prepared with such care, and delivered with such an affectionate earnestness; those supplications which were presented before the throne of grace with so much fervor, in the closet, the family, and the pulpit; those personal and seasonable admonitions, which were given with such tenderness, and faithfulness; and that holy life, which, to the last moment, was beyond the reach of calumny; all, all will testify against the impenitent sinner, will add to the enormity of his guilt, and sink him deeper in the gulph of perdition. In the language addressed to the hebrew converts, suffer me therefore to exhort you," remember him, who has had the "rule over you, and who has spoken to you "the word of God, whose faith follow, consi"dering the end of his conversation."

Having thus pointed out the effect, which the well supported character of an old disciple may be supposed to have on those, by whom it has been observed; I am

III. To represent the happiness of those persons, to whom it belongs.

(1.) The happiness of the old disciple is greatly promoted, by a review of the past. The evening of life, like the close of day, often

brings, with it, the hour of reflexion: that hour, in which the character we have supported, the scenes in which we have engaged, and the principles by which we have been governed, pass under review. Wo unto him, whose recollection only fills him with dismay. This however is often the case with persons who once appeared the most cheerful. Their lives have been thrown away: they have been lost to themselves, to the world, and to God. No character has been properly supported; no duties rightly fulfilled; no advantages wisely improved. To such a man the hour of reflexion is dreadful: and if it be so now, what must it be in that great day, when God will bring every work into judgment!

But from this affecting character, let us direct our attention to the faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. With what satisfaction does he look back to the period when he entered the school of this heavenly teacher, and when renouncing the false principles by which the men. of the world are governed; he submitted his understanding, his disposition, and his life to the Savior's controul! Readily will he acknowledge, that he was a stranger to happiness till this period, and that since, it has been pro