they are white already to the harvest. And in that day, both the sower and the reaper shall rejoice together, while they thankfully gather in fruit to eternal life.

My brethren, forty-three years have now passed away, since I first received my commission to scatter among you the seed of the Kingdom. I came hither young and inexperienced, and but very scantily provided for the duties of my sacred office; yet not without an earnest desire, that my coming among you might be rendered, in some way or other beneficial to us both. Concerning my fitness for the station then appointed me, and my subsequent manner of occupying that station, I have abundantly more cause of shame than of boasting. Nor is there much to be said with regard to my success among you, since the ground I was sent to cultivate, remains to this day in nearly as barren a state as when I first beheld it. A small spot, here and there, may indeed shew some slight symptoms of fertility: but the general appearance of the place is still as wild and desert as sin and ignorance can make it: insomuch that, wherever I turn my eyes, I discover little else than what is

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calculated to wound my feelings, and forbid my hope. Licentious individuals and prayerless families make the chief population around us. The divine laws are every where transgressed, the divine ordinances are every where despised, the everlasting covenant is broken and disregarded: yet no man layeth it to heart.

Nevertheless, I am not left without some exhilarating recollections of past mercies. I have witnessed, even here, several undeniable instances of the power of divine grace. I have visited, conversed with, and rejoiced over some in this place, whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. I hailed with exultation the first promising appearances they put forth; I watched their silent growth with a thankful heart; and saw them, at last, borne off the field like so many ripe shocks of corn. The greater part of these have long ago entered into that rest, which remaineth for the people of God: and, till I follow them thither, I shall never cease to cherish a thankful remembrance of their sincerity and faithfulness, the humility of their deportment, and the consistency of their conversation. Con

cerning one of these, I am more especially constrained to speak thus-and to all that I say very much might be added-who, though occupying an inferior station among men, was truly great in the sight of God, appearing every where in his course as a burning and shining light.

May you, my brethren, become followers of those, who through faith and patience inherit the promises! My heart's desire and prayer to God for you is, that every individual among you may be finally saved. I cannot look in your faces without feeling an ardent wish that our fellowship may be renewed in yonder happy world, whose inhabitants are composed of the faithful and excellent of every generation. With most of you I have been long familiar; from many of you I have received tokens of peculiar regard; and to every one of you I feel some degree of brotherly attachment. More convincing testimonies of respect and good will than those which I have been favoured with at your hands, I could neither ask nor desire--but O, my brethren, deny me not the inexpressible satisfaction of seeing you grow up in the vineyard of the Lord, as trees

planted by the water courses, bringing forth your fruit in due season. Let love, joy, peace, faith, meekness, temperance, with every other grace of the Spirit, be found upon your spreading branches in rich abundance! May the young among you appear as plants of the Lord's own planting, while their elders bear more fruit in their age-till our wilderness become like Eden, and our desert like the garden of the Lord.

Finally, brethren, Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any man be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

SERMON VI.

HEB. IV. 3.

We, who have believed, do enter into rest.

REST is the universal desire of man; and not only of man, but of all the inferior animals with which he is surrounded. All things and all creatures are restless, and agitated, and exposed to an endless variety of changes but this is more especially the condition of man, who is not more pre-eminent among the creatures by his high endowments than by his deplorable inconstancy. All his days, saith Solomon, are sorrow, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. His days are devoted to toilsome exertion, and his nights are disturbed with perplexing cogitations. The night, it is true, was intended for his repose: but the anxious mind of man too often renders it ineffectual for that purpose. He withdraws himself from the busy walks