thus it is with too many also amongst ourselves ; " their good- ness is only as the morning dew, and as the early cloud that passeth away."]
3. At the approach of death —
[The most hardened of men are, for the most part, sof- tened at the prospect of death; so that even the most abandoned criminals, under a sentence of condemnation, are thankful for the services of a pious minister, listening eagerly to his instructions, and uniting fervently with him in his prayers. Indeed the common practice of mankind has sanc- tioned the idea of sending for a minister, to counsel and to pray for the sick and dying.
On those occasions we hear much regret expressed by the generality, on account of the sad neglect of which they have been guilty ; and many purposes formed of turning unto the Lord, in case their lives should be prolonged.
But, when such persons are unexpectedly restored to health, how rarely do we find that they fulfil their promises, and devote themselves to God according to their vows ! Truly, we need not look to the Jews for examples of dissimulation ; for there is not a family, or scarcely an individual, that does not furnish an instance of it amongst ourselves. Human nature is the same in all ages : and wherever pride and unbelief reign, there will be disobedience, obduracy, and ruin.]
Let me now address,
1. The disobedient amongst you —
[Consider the relation that subsists between us. As your minister, it is my duty to pray for you, and to declare to you with fidelity the whole counsel of God. Suffer me to ask, how you have improved the opportunities you have enjoyed ? If some few have answered the gracious designs of God respecting them, have not the great mass continued in their sinful habits even to this hour, instead of turning truly and unreservedly to the Lord their God? What then have their whole lives been, but one continued course of dissimulation with God ? And what must the issue be of such conduct ? O, before it is too late, remember how often you have been admonished " not to lean to your own understandings," nor to " trust in an arm of flesh;" but to obey implicitly God's revealed will, and to cleave unto the Saviour with full purpose of heart! The Lord grant that now at last you may become obedient to the faith ; and that, instead of being a swift witness against you, I may have you as my joy and crown of rejoicing in the day of judgment !]