the greatest prudence were used in all our movements in life, yet death is coming towards us with even steps, and though these things might be the means of lengthening our stay upon earth, they would not shield our hamanity from the common destroyers stroke, nor prevent us from going down to the dust of the grave! jogos on Diw bas

The impossibility of averting the stroke of death is not only founded in the weakness of those means of resist ance which we can employ, and the provision made in our constitution for facilitating its progress, but,

3. In the Omnipotence of that Being by whom death as an instrument is employed. "I know that thou shalt bring me to death." And whatever efficiency there might be in the means of our resistance, and promising firmness in our constitution; yet, if God has decreed our dissolution, and employs death as an instrument, all efforts to avert his strokes are vain. Nothing can be more plain and indispu table than this. He, at whose will and pleasure our existi ance commenced, and whose "Sovereign power without our aid, made us of clay and formed us men," can do with us whatever seemeth best in his sight. His decision is, that death shall be the consequence of sin. This is the record of that word, one jot or tittle of which shall not pass away till all be accomplished. Against him we have all sinned times innumerable; and consequently his attributes are bound to see the punishment inflicted. In acting con trary to this, he would relax the firmness of his moral government, and cloud the lustre of his perfections.His Wisdom would be clouded. Implying that he had fur nished his creatures with motives for the government of their conduct, illusive and imaginary, and which were unworthy of his attention and support. His Justice would be clouded. Implying that though he had announced death as the proper result of crime, yet that some should neither die nor pass through any change equivalent to it

His Power would be clouded. For, were the stroke of death averted by any creature, it would imply, that what he had threatened he was not able to inflict.-His Truth would be clouded. To man he has said, "Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return." And has the Lord said it, and will he not do it? has he spoken it and will he not bring it to pass? Then would his truth be violated; for there would be yea and nay with the Lord. But this can never take place with that God with whom there is neither variableness, nor shadow of turning. "Behold," says Job, "he taketh away, who can hinder him; who will say what doest thou? If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.”.

How utterly impossible then to avert the stroke of death, when an agency, so firm in its parts, and changeless in its nature, employs it as an instrument for accomplishing his pleasure. Under such circumstances, your boasted strength would be but child-like weakness, and would be crushed before him as a moth. For all power and control belong to him. "He measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, meted out the heavens with a span, comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance. Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance; behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. All nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.". His breath kindles the lightening; his hand hurls the thunder; his rebuke troubles the sea; his touch makes the mountains smoke, and his agency shakes the world.-Your money would only be beggary and poverty to him. For the gold and the silver are his, and so is the cattle on a thousand hills. "Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering," to bring before him. The wealth

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of nations is at his disposal; to each of his children he gives a fadeless crown; and "stars and suns are dust beneath his throne."-Your policy would be but the weakness of idiocy. For his judgments are unsearchable, and his ways past finding out. “Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or, being his counsellor, hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment,and taught him knowledge,and shewed to him the way of understanding?"-Your wailings and entreaties would be fruitless as the cherping of the grasshopper, and unavailing as the cries of Korah and his company. For the earth opended her mouth and swallowed them up; they, and all that appertained to them, went alive into the pit." And, though they uttered a cry, at which "all Israel, that were round about them, fled," yet the Lord regarded them not, but "the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the congregation."

God has within his reach, and under his immediate control, all the places of resort, and the instruments of torture and destruction. Climb into heaven, and you will find him there. Descend into hell, and you will find him there also. Take the wings of the morning and fly to the uttermost verge of the green earth, and still he is present with you. Endeavour to conceal yourselves in the thick darkness, and shroud yourselves in the sable curtains of night; but still he will be privy to your laying down and rising up, will encompass you behind and before, lay his hand upon you, make darkness light about you, and penetrate your inmost substance, Under his control are all the instruments of torture and destruction. Creation is his servant, and was formed to accomplish his pleasure. The fierce tempest and sweeping, whirlwind obey his commands;-the destructive flame is kindled by his breath;the mountains melt like wax before him; he makes the

Couds his chariot, and rides on the wings of the wind;the obedient waves listen to his voice, yea, "At the voice of his thundering they hasten away;"-diseases and death fly at his word;—in his hands are the issues of life;— and he possesses the keys of hell and death, and their doors. open and shut at his bidding.

Having considered the extensive ravages of death, and shown the utter impossibility of resisting its stroke, I will

MI. CLOSE THE SUBJECT WITH TWO REMARKS.

While surveying the preceding truths, as they stand connected with the light of Revelation, how forcibly our minds are struck,

1. With the grievous evils of sin. While man was yet in happiness, living in the peaceful scenes, and surrounded with the smiling blessings of Paradise, he was not fully aware of the evils of transgression, nor the consequences which would flow from putting forth his hand to the forbidden fruit. His Creator had indeed informed him, that death would be the result of the crime; but, of course, his conceptions of death were imperfect. The world in which he was placed, was the reverse of dissolution. Its form was majestic, and its scenery fresh and fair, as finished by an all perfect hand. The morning stars sang harmoniously over its untarnished beauties, and delighted with its perfection, all the sons of God shouted with raptures, and in transports of joy. From the height of his holiness and glory, the Divine Being looked down, and, with smiling approbation, pronounced the whole very good. The air which he breathed was pure and salubrious. The fruits of which he ate were wholesome and undecaying. His mind was vigorous and serene. His body healthful, strong, and immortal. The inoffensive creatures around him were blessed and happy; and, like him, were equal to continuing through the progress of

unrepented off, will plunge you into eternal wrath and perdition.

When, with the Bible in our hand, we meditate upon the extensive ravages of death, and the utter impossibility of any human agency resisting its stroke, we are led to admire,

2. The virtue of the atonement, and the final triumphs of the Messiah. For though sin has entered the world and death by sin, and so death passsed on all men ; } yet, the atonement is a sufficient remedy provided for the human race; and though it does not prevent the decay of the body, it can fully extract sin's venom from the soul. Millions have experienced this glorious truth; with their last breath they have shouted in the voice of the holy triumph, "O death where is thy sting," and there is a 1 period fast approaching, when a multitude which no man can number, will join in the dauntless challenge, "O grave. where is thy victory:" For death has his limits, and his work shall have an end. The Saviour will make him refund his spoils, and give back the ashes of the human is "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Then cometh the end when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is >> death." When this event will take place we know not; but the certainty of its arrival is placed beyond the admission of doubt. Awhile longer death will spread his ravages;›› and may yet sweep many more generations to the grave;{~ but the end will come and then with awful solemnity her will finish his work.

race.

I pretend not to describe the particulars of this catas-160 trophe. This lays beyond the province of human thought.d Already, however, he has made some awful breaches on 119