will be the supernatural result of a supernatural condescension, the result of the love which was manifested in the poverty of Christ. May these meditations be impressed upon your hearts. May your minds be impressed with the truth; and may you be devoted to our Lord and Master, and ultimately enter into his glory!

THE MINISTER'S PARTING CHARGE.

REV. A. REED,

WYCLIFF CHAPEL, MILE END ROAD, MARCH 9, 1834.

"And now, brethren, I commend you to God."-Acts, xx. 32.

ONE of our practical errors, my dear hearers, concerning the religion we profess to admire is, that we deal with it as though it were only suited to extraordinary occasions. But the religion of the Gospel is adapted to all occasions, is needful on all occasions, and commends itself to our regard on every occasion of life, even the most trivial and insignificant. It is not, then, a manifestation of mercy which is to beautify our sabbaths, and to bless our public and solemn assemblies only; it is a blessing adapted to every day of our mortal pilgrimage, shedding its light upon the darkness of our way, sustaining us under the pressure of daily cares, and sanctifying all things to our bodily as well as to our spiritual life, by the word of God and prayer.

But if adapted to ordinary occasions, and if it is our privilege to seize that adaptation, and to connect it with all our pursuits and engagements, it is certainly proper to refer to it especially under particular and extraordinary circumstances. The apostle Paul found himself in such circumstances when he uttered the words of the text: he had previously expressed himself in a variety of terms, and given expression, as far as he could, to the inward emotions that struggled in his affections. All that is grand and all that is touching passed from his lips, and he addressed himself to individuals who sympathized in his feelings, and mingled their prayers with his prayer, 'and their tears with his tears. At length he gives some more enlarged expression, to the desires of his heart, by uttering the words which we have read. He says, "And now, brethren, after all that I have said, and all that I can by possibility say—now, brethren, I commend you to God." His mind rises up to Deity; he rests his whole care there; he finds satisfaction to his largest desires of benevolence and love there; and he feels that his interests are safe, and the interests of those whom most he loves are safe, when they are thus committed to the Almighty, the All-gracious, and the Ever-living Father.

We are placed my beloved friends, by the providence of God, not in similar but still in remarkable circumstances. You are aware, that for some period, and for a period of longer time than has been usual with me, I am about to leave you. You are aware that, under these circumstances, we are called upon to mark the hand of God, and to address ourselves to his notice, and his care, and his pity, by special confidence, and prayer, and supplication. And if, on this occasion I were to give any thing like expression to that full heart which makes it almost too difficult for me to say any thing, I should adopt the language of the text, as summing up all the love I bear, and all the interest 1

feel for your preservation and eternai life, and say "Now brethren, after a long series of years, and after much intercourse and love, after a fellowship which has brought us, I trust, nearer on our way to the heavenly world-now brethren, for a season, I commend you to God."

I have no disposition to pursue by method the subject suggested by our text; I could feel no sufficient reason in standing before you at all on this trying occasion, if it was not that I desire to express to the last my love and my increasing interest in your spiritual welfare, in your everlasting security and happiness. I desire, therefore to seek this, by giving, as far as I may, expression to the simplest movements of my own heart, and by addressing to you, under variety of circumstances and classes, the word of plain and simple exhortation. Brethren, receive it in the love in which it is proposed to you; and especially receive it by supplicating that blessing without which we speak in vain, and without which you hear in vain, and without which our very privileges become to us sources of injury.

In the first place, I would say to those who compose the church of Christ within this sanctuary, Brethren suffer the word of exhortation. I am glad, and have holy joy, I trust, in thinking of your state in Christ Jesus, that you have been called from the waste world, and brought into the family of Christ; that you have received the truth as it is in Christ Jesus; that you have been enabled to make a good profession of him before many witnesses; that you have endured in the face of trial and temptation until now; that you have abounded in faith, and in hope, and in love, and do still abound; and that you are concerned to abound in the corresponding fruits of righteousness by which your profession is commended to the judgment of the world, and by which you testify that you are the devoted disciples of Christ. On all these accounts, I rejoice before God; I offer, and entreat you to offer with me, hallowed praises at the footstool of his heavenly love. But while I rejoice in the grace which has been manifested towards you, I take this occasion to say-Cleave to the Lord with full purpose of mind. Let nothing disturb your trust in him, the simplicity of your faith in him, the devotedness and oneness of your spirit in faith to him. Consider that what you do possess and have enjoyed, instead of being sufficient for your desire, is only an enlarged motive for your progress: desire to advance nearer to himself, to have richer fellowship with himself, to know more of Jesus Christ as a Saviour in the mystery of all his sufferings, in the power of all his resurrection, and in all the benefits derived from him to yourself in the present and the future world. Cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart. Whatever shall seek to divide you from the love of Christ, from the fellowship of the saints, from the profession of the name of Jesus unto the end, cast it all away; regard it, at once and instantly, as a temptation; and press nearer and nearer to Him, who as he is the fount of your being, is also the fountain of your blessedness.

I would say also, in summing up the various considerations which have been presented to you in the ministry of the word-Remember Jesus Christ the great end of our conversation and labours among you, "the same yesterday, to day, and for ever." Changes break in upon your own circle; changes arise in the larger society of the saints; changes perpetually meet us in every form in the world, in our daily experience; but the great end of our ministry is to refer you to Him in whom there is no change, nor the shadow of a turning. Remember the end of our ministration, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." Amidst all changes, and all pains, and sorrows, consequent upon them, remember that be changeth not, that his purpose changes not, that his love

changes not, that his sacrifice is of perpetual efficacy, and is always as incense before the Almighty, and that for ever he stands at the right hand of God, to plead your cause, and watch over your safety.

Then, let me say, Especially have regard to the great end of your vocation. Remember that the end proposed to you by the Gospel in its saving influence it nothing less than the saving of your souls. I beseech you habitually place before you this great, this one, this prominent object: consider that the Saviour is proposing this salvation; gird up the loins of your minds, and press forward, and hope even to the end, waiting for this salvation, even the adoption of the children of God. Reckon not that it is already complete; reckon not that the warfare is already accomplished; reckon not that by continuing until now you are safe for the future; but rather be watchful unto prayer, and prayerful unto watchfulness; that you may be kept through the mighty power of God, through faith, unto this promised salvation. Desire by every prayer to be found accepted at last in the Beloved; to stand at the right hand of the Judge in the great day of retribution, and to have not only an entrance, but an abundant entrance into the joy of the Lord at the coming of Jesus Christ.

There are other classes who claim from us a word of exhortation in all pastoral love. To those who are not already included within the Church, and making a full profession of communion with Christ-I would say to such as are under deep convictions for their safety, and anxious enquiry for their salvation, I would say to such especially, Be not disturbed in the pursuit of the instituted means of grace. I will confess to you, my dear friends, those of you who are precisely, more or less, in this situation, that of all the various difficulties with which I have had to contend in making up my mind to leave you for a season, no one difficulty has pressed so closely upon my heart as your especial situation, lest you should be unhinged in your enquiry, lest you should refuse to entertain the convictions of divine truth, and lest you should be disturbed in entertaining those impressions which are so intimately connected with your present and your eternal welfare. With all the anxiety therefore, I feel for your welfare, and with that measure of responsibility which I have taken upon myself in withdrawing myself from your ministration and service for a time, I would say, let not what is about to happen at all disturb your serious, your devout, and pra erful attention on all the means of grace: rather consider the dispensation, however painful it may be, is to be over-ruled for your profit; rather consider, by any disappointment you may now suffer, that the disappointment should lead you up from the instrument to God, and from all created means to the source of your happiness, and your forgiveness, and your joy. If you shall hear no longer that voice which you have been accustomed to hear with any degree of gratitude and pleasure, then let it teach you not to idolize that voice, not to place your confidence on the man, not to confound the instrument with the source of all influence; but seek at once and immediately the enlightenment of your understanding, the deepening of your conviction, the sanctification of your whole spirit, and the entire renewal to God from God's own hand, and by God's special influence.

Then I would say to these persons in this very interesting state of mind, in the second place, Be concerned to know much of yourselves. Seek to know yourselves in the light of Holy Scripture; seek to take a just view of your state of sin, your state of alienation, your offences before God by reason of sin, and the guiltiness of your condition because you are thus sinful. Retire from the world, shut out its thoughts, its cares, a.d its tempting pleasures from your

mind; converse with heaven; converse with eternity; seek after your spiritual good, and impress upon your own thoughtless mind the invaluable results of the life which is to come.

Then I would say, Strive to enter in at the strait gate. Let it not be enough to consider that you are safe because you are convinced of sin, because you have been awakened to much anxiety about your condition, and because you have offered, perhaps, many prayers with reference to that. Many have deep convictions of sin who have had no sanctity of heart; many have been made most miserable, in reference to their worldly pursuits and comforts, who have found no happiness in religion; many have been alienated from all their former courses who have, nevertheless, not turned into the narrow way which leadeth unto life eternal. Rest not then in conviction; consider not your state a safe one because you are anxious, and inquisitive, and desirous of knowing the truth: but press into the strait gate; "agonize" to enter in; rest in nothing short of the evidence of true conversion, of the regeneration of your mind, of the light of God coming down into your spirit, and becoming your confidence and your life; and thus press into the kingdom of God; take it by holy violence; consider all obstructions as mere vanity, and claim from the hands of the Redeemer the salvation he has promised to your prayers.

Finally, I would say to these persons in this interesting and endearing state of mind, Entertain evangelical views of religion. At such a time the disposition of the mind is to look only at one class of objects, to regard God as a legislator, to contemplate his laws indeed as holy and good, but still somewhat severe, and pressing heavily upon the conscience. And while the individual is thus affected by the fear of his condition, and humbled on account of sin, he is not always prepared to entertain those lively, and impressive, and penitential views of the Gospel which are meant to be presented to his attention. Know, brethren, beloved, in all your anxious enquiries, in all your convictions of sinfulness, in all your growing sense of unworthiness-know that the Gospel has an offer of pardon for all sin, is a fountain of sanctification for all corruption, is life, not merely to the dying, but to the dead, and is a source of healing to those who have no other Saviour, and no other hope of salvation.

Contemplate, therefore, under these convictions which make you anxious, under these forms of the opening life of the Christian, which fill you oft-times with distress and anguish, contemplate the grace of the Father; dwell on the pleasing love of the Saviour; rest at the very foot of the cross on Calvary; consider Him who hath borne your-trespasses, made atonement for your sin, been humbled more deeply than yourselves in circumstances, and humbled in spirit to the very uttermost. Regard him as thus becoming a Saviour, and a mighty one, as full of mercy as he is full of righteousness; and desire to exercise a living faith in his name. Receive him into your own spirit as your present life, as the resurrection of the body, and the title to immortality.

Let me hope that these hasty, but serious and affectionate remarks will be cherished in the recollection of the persons to whom they are addressed; and let me hope that you will embrace the present occasion of giving yourselves wholly to God, imploring from his hand the renewal and regeneration of his Spirit. Let me hope that you will continue attached to all the means of grace, as contributing to your enlarged edification in Christ; and that, should I be restored to you by the good providence of God, if not before that period, you will then be entirely ready to confess Christ before many witnesses, putting in your humble