the divine favour to the glorious luminary of day, and ask his beams to witness and support its unmerciful cruelty? Every ray of light would admonish him of his impious arrogance, and eloquently defend the truth of impartial goodness. Should he appeal to the rains, which water the earth, to vindicate his partial scheme, they would inform him that Jesus has long since improved them in support of a contrary doctrine, Let him next solicit evidence from the rivers and fountains of wa ter, or from other elements of material nature,they all, with one voice, testify that the Lord is good unto all, and that his tender mercies are over all his works. He will carefully avoid the testimony of the parental affections, for they are loud in their remonstrance in his own bosom against his unmerciful creed, and will not consent to give to their hungry offspring a stone instead of bread, nor in room of a fish, a serpent. Nor will he now go to the scriptures to find evidence to exclude the ransomed of the Lord from redemption through his blood, for he is now aware that the scriptures testify of Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all men, and is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world, and that it is recorded in their faithful testimony, that "as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."

My brethren, this is a joyful day to our hearts. We here witness the increase of that glorious cause, which some of you espoused many years ago, giv ing it the limited support which scanty circumstances then allowed. Yet in those days, you saw the glory of God, and were refreshed with the doctrine of his universal grace. Now what you have long desired is granted. You have broken forth on the right hand and on the left, you have lengthened your cords and strengthened your stakes; and this extensive, convenient house is completed, and dedicated to the worship of ALMIGHTY GOD, who has removed those things which are shaken, brought in that blessed doctrine which is the desire of all

hearts, and who will, we trust and fervently pray, fill this house with his glory for many years to come; and here cause the horn of David to bud; here bless Zion's provisions, and supply her poor with bread; cloth her priests with salvation, and cause her saints to shout aloud for joy.

21

SERMON XVIII.

THE SPEECH OF THE DEAD.

OCCASIONED BY THE DEATH OF DEACON MOSES HALL.

DELIVERED IN CHARLESTOWN, THE FIRST SARATH IN AUG. 1826.

HEBREWS, XI. 4.

"And by it he, being dead, yet speaketh."

In this chapter St. Paul sets forth the power and unity of faith, and, in our text and its immediate connection, he suggests that Abel was enabled by the power of faith, to continue to speak, being dead.

As the apostle contrasted the works of Abel, which were the works of faith, with those of Cain, which were the works of unrighteousness, contending that the former spake although dead, we may justly infer that the latter also speaketh, though dead, but of facts as different from those testified by Abel, as were his works from those of his brother, whom he slew.

Abel, though dead, has not ceased, since the day his blood was poured out on the ground, to testify that the righteousness of faith meekly and patiently submits to, and suffers persecution, from the wisdom and spirit of the flesh; while on the other hand, Cain, though dead, has continued, from the fatal hour in which he rose up against his brother and slew him, to testify that the wisdom, the spirit, the doctrine and religion of the flesh are armed

against the wisdom, the spirit, the doctrine and religion of God our Saviour.

By attending to these testimonies, which were borne by the two first who were born in the world, we are enabled to discern the qualities of true and false religion, and by infallible marks to distinguish them. That religion which incites its votary to persecute a brother, is unrighteousness; and that religion, which, in room of rendering evil for evil, leads its votary to love his enemy, to do good for evil, and when suffering even the extremities of persecution, to pray for him whose hand is raised against him, is the righteousness of faith, which overcometh the world.

Ever since the smoke ascended from the altar, and the divine acceptance was manifested, the bloody hand of persecution has been lifted up, and from the fatal spot of earth which drank the blood of Abel, has proudly marched round the world, that haggard monster of religion, whose devotions are sacrilege, and whose tender mercies are cruelty. While in the humblest form of self-abasement and non-resistance, the righteousness of faith hath endured both scoffs and scourges, responding_to all the imprecations of infuriate enemies, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." The persecuted and the persecutor both live for a testimony, they both die for a testimony, and they both continue to speak, though dead.

These remarks are designed to present the hearer with some idea of the sense expressed by the apostle in our text.

We

may now, by way of accommodation, apply this portion of scripture more generally, and allow it to direct us, to an enquiry, concerning what is said to us, by our fellow creatures, who are dead.

All who die continue to speak to the living. Their language is solemn, weighty and impressive. Ty all testify alike to some important facts, to which it is our wisdom seriously to attend.

1. They all inform us that we must soon follow them.

2. They tell us that their work, in the land of the living, is finished; and whether it was com‐ pleted as they, in their last moments, could have wished, or not, they now have no opportunity of making any alteration. By this, their united and undisputed testimony, they warn the living so to manage their time, so to economise their concerns, and so to act on the stage of life, that after they die, their memory may speak such a language to the living, as while living they could wish.

3. The dead say to the living, wherein you have discharged, with faithfulness; your duty to us, you have occasion of self-approbation and of conscious peace, of which no worldy adversity can ever deprive you; but wherein you have come short of this duty, and wherein you have done us injustice, it is now too late to repair these wrongs. By this very solemn truth the living are admonished, by no means to add another instance of irreparable injustice or delinquency.

4. As the dead, who speak to the living, are of every age, and of every character, and of every attainment occupied by the living, they inform them that no age, no character or attainment, is security against the arrows of death.

5. The dead unite in their testimony to the living, that whatever imaginations they may indulge respecting the situation of man after death, and for whatever purposes such imaginations may be inculcated, no permission has been granted them to give to the living any information on the subject; by which they direct the living to adhere to the revealed truths of the gospel, through which life and immortality are brought to light.

Concerning the foregoing particulars all the dead speak one language. In other respects, different characters speak to the living of different things, according to the various stations which they occupied in life, according to their various