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depart from it,” saith the inspired Solomon, Prov. xxii. 6.

Here is a lofty spreading oak, probably destined to encounter the dangers of the sea, and the fiery storms of war; round which clings the woodbine. Happy shrub! though feeble in thyself and unable to stand in the furious blast, thou hast made choice of a noble support. May I like thee take hold of, and lean upon Christ Jesus by faith, who hath borne the infinitely furious tempest of God's wrath for all them who thus cleave to, and lean upon him; and then, by so doing, though feeble in myself, I shall be able to stand and endure the blasts of persecution, temptation and trial, agreeably to that promise, "My grace is sufficient for thee; "for my strength is made perfect in weak"ness," 2 Cor. xii. 9.

There lie a number of trees of various kinds and growths, which have been lately felled, with their tops, some of them toward the east, others toward the west, some toward the north, and some the south; as they have fallen so they lie, nor can they alter their situation. Just so is it

with respect to mortal men; in the state they die, there they must continue through all eternity.

How much then doth it concern me, and all men living, to see that we die in a state of reconciliation with God, in and through the Mediator Christ Jesus! Many things that we do wrong while we live may be rectified: if we read wrong, that may be righted; if we hear wrong, that may be righted; if we pray wrong, that may be righted; if we communicate wrong, that may be righted; but if we die wrong, that never can be righted; for there is a great gulf fixed, over which there is no passing neither from heaven to hell, nor from hell to heaven, Luke xvi. 26. What is the language of such a passage to us who are still in the land of the living, and in the place of hope, but this, "O that they were wise, that they under"stood this, that they would consider their "latter end!" Deut. xxxii. 29.

There I perceive many of the stumps of the trees are begun to sprout forth. This putteth me in mind of what the man of patience beautifully expresseth in these words:

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"For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that "the tender branch thereof will not cease:

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though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground: yet through the scent of water "it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant. But man dieth and wasteth away; yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where "is he? As the waters fail from the sea, "and the flood decayeth and drieth up; so

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man lieth down, and riseth not till the hea"vens be no more; they shall not awake, "nor be raised out of their sleep," Job xiv. 7.-12.; but at the resurrection they shall, in that awful, miraculous morning, big with events, and full of amazing wonders, when the great archangel winds so loud his trumpet, that it shall resound through all the dark caverns of the tomb, and awaken all the dead with a voice more tremendous than Sinai's loudest thunders, the awful import of which is," Arise ye dead, and come to "judgment !". Then shall every necessary particle of human dust, whether in the land or in the sea, though incorporated with that of the inferior creatures in both, come forth from all the four winds speedily, with every

bone to the destined place of rendezvous, and rear the human frame again immortal : nor shall a bone mistake its bone, but every bone to its own bone shall closely join, and not a bone, nor least particle of dust be misplaced or a-wanting.

Then shall literally take place what the prophet saw in vision concerning the dry bones, Ezek. xxxvii. 1.---8. while the gates of heaven and hell are thrown open, and all the souls come forth and take up their old tenements again for ever.

Righteous souls and bodies, then, like near and dear friends who have long been parted from one another, shall rejoice to meet again: But dreadfully reluctant shall wicked souls and bodies meet, each beyond description irksome to one another, but meet they must to their eternal horror.

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This day they often heard of while in time, but either made light of it, or endeavoured to disbelieve it altogether; but now it is come, come to their everlasting confusion.

Though they used to say, by their practice while in this life, there was no God, and many of them attempted to disbelieve that eternal truth; now they are convinced effectually of their error, and with the devils believe and tremble, James ii. 19. in horrible amazement, knowing there is a God, a just God, too, and a terrible, whom they see, with infinite wrath in his countenance, coming in the clouds of heaven with awful majesty and glory, with ten thousands of his saints, and all the holy angels in his train, Jude 14. Matt. xxv. 31.

Before his infinitely august presence, sun, moon, and stars, as conscious of their impurity in his sight, shall go into a total eclipse, again to shine no more; while the heavens, as it were sensible that their end is come, pass away with a great noise, 2 Peter iii. 10. and are rolled together as a scroll, Isaiah xxiv. 4. Revel. vi. 14. for which there is no more use: For man shall read no more in their fair page, the greatness, wisdom, mercy, and kindness of the Lord: The elements shall melt with fervent heat, 2 Peter iii. 10., and the mountains shall be dissolved like wax; while the earth and works

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