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world works death. If you have been enabled through grace to choose the Lord as your GoD confider, that this is a feafon in which you are called to renew and confirm your choice. Devote yourselves afresh to him, and to his fervice-May the children of the family be very thankful to GOD, that though they have loft fo good a father, there is continued to them fo tender and affectionate a mother, who prays for them, and is defirous most of all, of their spiritual and everlasting welfare. Children, still honour her, and obey her in the Lord. Let nothing be wanting on your part to render her lifet happy and comfortable; and it will add to her comfort, to see the love you have one to another continue. May the GOD of love and peace be with you.

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I am also concerned for the fervants of the family, who are all here present on this mournful occafion. Whatever station of fervice you held under your late Master, Divine Providence now calls you to improve the awful event. You have loft one who prayed for and with you. Lay his death fo to heart, as to pray every one for yourselves, that you may be helped to make choice of the Lord Jefus Chrift as your heavenly Mafter; and if ferve the Lord Chrift, you will find, that his yoke is always easy, and his burden light. His commandments are not grievous.

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Above all, what an alleviation to our forrow is it, that we have fuch a well-grounded hope

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concerning the deceased himself, that he is in that world, where there is no more death, neither forrow nor crying; neither fhall there be any more pain; that he is with Chrift, which is far better than to be in the beft company on earth. When the Apostle in 1 Theff. iv. 17. had said, "So fhall we be for ever with the Lord;" he immediately adds, "Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

I would address this church and congregation at this folemn feason. We ought to be deeply affected with the breach which the Lord has made upon us, and which he alone can make up. The lofs we have fuftained will not appear to be irreparable, if we duly confider, that the refidue of the Spirit is with God; that with him all things are poffible, and that he is a very present help in trouble. Lift up your prayer therefore to him, and fay, Help, Lord, now a godly, a merciful and a faithful man is taken from us. As one generation of thy fervants paffes away, let another generation come. O may thine Holy Spirit communicate gifts. and graces to the rifing generation, that they may be holy and useful—I call upon you, my friends, to copy after our deceased brother in his early attendance and religious behaviour in the house of GOD-Very near thirty-three years he served the office of a Deacon in this place; and how ready he was to affift the

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poor, and to engage in prayer at our more private meetings, fome of you well know*.

And now, my brethren, with respect to myfelf under this bereaving difpenfation, which is an heavy stroke upon me, I need, and I defire your prayers, your counsel and affiftance, that the little remainder of my life may, through the bleffing of GOD, be made comfortable to myself and family, and useful to those who attend my Ministry.

Upon the whole, this Providence speaks to us all in the words of Scripture, Isaiah ii. 22. "Ceafe from man, whose breath is in his nof"trils; and to put our truft in the living GOD, "who changes not. Set your affection on "<<things above, not on things on the earth." Let us think seriously on our own mortality, and be ready for our departure hence, The living know that they fhall die; but what a dreadful lot will be theirs who die in a Chriftlefs and graceless

*I cannot omit to obferve, concerning my deceafed brother, that he had an excellent gift in prayer; to adopt the words of a pious Minister concerning his late departed brother, It was far beyond what is common, not only among LayChriftians, but Minifters themfelves. See Doctor Wilton's account of his brother, Mr Thomas Wilton, in the Sermon preached on his death by Doctor Gibbons-I would just take occafion to mention, that a very few days before my dear brother died, he told me, he read that Sermon with great pleasure. "What an excellent young man was he! How highly did "GOD favour him!"-It was his purpose to have given the Sermon a fecond perufal, if life had been spared.

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graceless state? If any of you should die in fuch an unprepared state, and you know not but you may die this night, I tremble to think how terrible your doom will be; for the wicked fhall be turned into hell. The ungodly, the unmerciful and the unfaithful, GoD will reject for ever. After all the inftructions which have been given you, the which have been made for you, prayers and the examples of good men fet before you, if you should die in your fins, your condemnation will be unspeakably aggravated.

On the other hand, inconceivably happy will be the lot of those who live to the Lord, and die in the Lord. However it be with them as to the body on a dying bed, tho' tortured with pain, their fouls are fafe in the hands of the Lord Jefus. When their bodies ceafe and fail, as to their existence here, their spirits enter into the regions of bliss, where they shall inceffantly behold, enjoy, and glorify GoD and the Lamb. When flesh and heart fail, the Lord will be the strength of their heart, and their portion for

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THE END.

Printed for J. BUCKLAND, in Pater-nofter-row.

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HE Remembrance of our Creator in the Days of our Youth, opened and enforced; in a Sermon on the Death of Mr Thomas Wilton. By Thomas Gibbons, D. D. Price Six-pence.

2. A Poem, to the Memory of the late pious Mr Thomas Wilton. Price Four-pence.

3. The Guide to Domestic Happiness, in a Series of Letters, with a fine Defign, engraved by Taylor. This is the Way, walk ye in it. Price One Shilling.

4. The Rural Christian; to which are added, Sylvan Letters, or the Pleasures of a Country Life. A new Edition, enlarged, with Copper Plates. By G. Wright, Esquire. Price bound Three Shillings.

5. Walking Amusements for cheerful Chriftians, or Trades Spiritualized; to which are added various Pieces in Profe and Verfe; with a Map of the Roads to Happiness and Misery. By the Author of Solitary Walks, &c. Price bound Two Shillings and Six-pence.

6. Sermons, by the late Reverend Mr John Whitty, of Lime Regis, Dorfet, in two Volumes, recommended by Dr Conder, Dr Gibbons, and the Reverend Mr Jofeph Barber.

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