to answer it to your own souls. To the Jews who rejected him, our Lord said, " Whither I go ye cannot come :" so must I say to you who make it not the one end of your lives to serve and honour him : " Ye shall die in your sins ; and where Christ is, ye cannot comep." I pray you, lay this to heart, and give up yourselves to him without delay, as his willing and devoted servants.
In reference to the mournful occasion on which we are assembled q, one sentiment pervades us all ; viz. that our loss is our brother's gain. Our loss is indeed great. To his bereaved family it is irre- parable, except as the bereavement may bring them, as I hope it will, to God, and be the means of spiri- tual and eternal welfare to their souls. To the Church of God the loss will be exceeding great. Who, that has known our departed brother from the first moment that he undertook to advocate the cause of God's ancient people, must not bear witness to his unremitting zeal and diligence in this high calling ? Truly in labours has he been very abundant ; as all who have been connected with "the London Society1" can witness. In truth, it is wonderful how a person, not naturally robust, should have been able to sustain all his diversified labours and fatigues. In all his counsels and deportment, they who have seen the most of him will attest, that he has manifested, in no ordinary degree, the meekness of wisdom, and ren- dered incalculable service to the cause in which he has been so long engaged. To the children in the schools he has been a parent from the beginning; nor can we doubt but that several of them, who have died in the faith of Christ, will be " his joy and crown of rejoicing" for ever and ever. O that God may be pleased to raise up another like unto him, endued with the same holy zeal and heavenly disposition ! As for himself, we cannot but congratulate him rather than condole with him. If St. Paul accounted it
P John viii. 21.
i The Funeral of the Rev. C. S. Hawtrey, July 27, 1S31.
r The Society formed for the Conversion of the Jews.
1673.] Christ's resignation. 557
" better to depart and be with Christ," than to pro- tract the most favoured existence upon earth, no doubt our departed brother feels this realized in him- self at this time. Who can conceive what blessedness he now enjoys in the presence of his Saviour, and in the very bosom of his God? Could we but now behold the crown of glory placed upon his head, and the throne on which he is seated at the right hand of God, and could we appreciate the transports of his soul in singing the praises of his redeeming God, we should not wish him back in the midst of us, but should congratulate him, saying, " Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." The office that remains for us, is, to " follow him, as he followed Christ," and to stand readv for that summons which all of us must ere long receive ; that, whenever it be sent, we may be found " with our loins girt and our lamps trimmed," and may receive that welcome which has been vouch- safed to him, " Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."