Made noblest flights up to the upper region,
Feasted best at the banquets of religion.

His learning vast, like Moses and like Paul,
TO GOD in CHRIST he sacrific'd it all.

His rule and conduct, prudent, steady, mild,
Honor'd the house of God and th' chair he fill'd.
His 'scutcheon, glorious virtues; and his crest
Humility, the crown of all the rest.

By breath of heav'n this saving trumpet blown,
The walls of Jericho came tumbling down.
A friend unto New England's first-best-ways;
To th' constitution that the Scripture lays.
The teacher dextrous and laborious;
The word he taught, divinely glorious;
He liv'd it all to walk the way he trod,
(Prove it who will,) will bring a man to GOD.
Stopt is the conduit-pipe that did supply

GOD's holy church, and many a family,
Abundantly, and that for many a year:

Then run to the Fount', and take refreshment there.
This loss so public of such vast extent,
Christ's ministers throughout the land, lament.
Heav'n's balm we need; for bitter is the cup;
Great is the breach: JEHOVAH, make it up.
Thine all-sufficient blessing, gracious LORD!
To consort, children, and the church afford!
May they in their distress depend on THEE;
And thy great goodness now and ever see!

The heavenly temple, and the earthly tomb
Have each a part, till th' resurrection come.
Our part were humbling to the last degree
But that his dust united is with THEE,
Blest JESUS! waiting till the jubilee,
And that there's left us, his immortal memory.

Sic Condoluit, J. DANFORTH.

A Call from the Dead to the Living.

IN A

SERMON

PREACHED ON OCCASION OF THE EARLY AND SURPRISING, THOUGH COMFORTABLE DEATH OF

MR. TIMOTHY METCALF,

A VERY HOPEFUL YOUNG MAN, WHO RECEIVED HIS DEATH'S WOUND ON SATURDAY, AUG. 12, 1727. AND EXCHANGED (AS WE TRUST) EARTH FOR HEAVEN, ON THE MONDAY FOLLOWING, ÆTAT. 19.

BY SAMUEL DEXTER, M. A.

PASTOR OF THE CHURCH IN DEDHAM.

"Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth, Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them."-Rev. xiv. 13.

"And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children."—— Isa. liv. 13.

BOSTON:

PRINTED BY B. GREEN, JR. FOR J. ELIOT, AT THE SOUTH END.

SERMON.

HEBREWS xi. 4.

“And by it, he being dead, yet speaketh."

THE Sovereign Jehovah "who doth his pleasure in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of this lower world;" who governeth all things in the kingdom of his providence and grace, to serve the purposes of his own will, and is not accountable therein, unto any, for any of his matters; "and is righteous in all his ways, and will be justified when he speaketh, and clear when he judgeth;" hath in his holy providence been calling upon us this last week, to follow a young man to the grave, that silent house, appointed for all the living, who was cut off, in the beginning of his days; and that in a very awful and surprising manner. The providence is very speaking unto us, and ought not to pass us, without suitable notice being taken of it. The life of that young man and the circumstances that attend his death, are worthy of our observation, for therein," he being dead, yet speaks to us." If the interest of Christ among us, and especially among our young people, may be promoted, by what may be offered upon this occasion, and the grace of Christ which had done such great things in him, may be glorified, I shall have what I seek in bringing you a message from the dead this day. The words which I have now read unto you are part of that excellent discourse of the great apostle of the Gentiles, wherein after a very lively and entertaining manner, he treats of the nature and fruits of true faith, that excellent grace, which reflects honor upon all that live in the exercise of it, and by virtue of which the saints of the Most High are enabled to do wonderful things for the honor of God. In the three first verses of this chapter, the nature of this grace is described, "as the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen." And the honor which it

reflects upon those who live in the exercise of it, is instanced in, "that by it the elders obtained a good report:" And one of the first acts and articles of faith which has a great influence on all the rest, and which is common to all believers, in every age and part of the world, is particularly mentioned, as a proof and demonstration of part of the description which is given of it; "for by it we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God; so that the things which are seen, were not made of things which do appear."

And the apostle having given us this more general account of the grace of faith, proceeds to set before us, some illustrious examples of it in the Old Testament saints. And the instance in our text comes in the front of them. Righteous Abel the younger son of Adam, an eminent believer, and the first martyr for religion in the world; he is mentioned first in that catalogue of worthies, "who had obtained a good report through faith." "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead, yet speaketh." The history of Abel's holy life and tragical death, we have in the fourth chapter of the book of Genesis. And the story of Abel, though he be dead, yet speaks to us, that fallen men have leave to worship God with hope of acceptance; that if our persons and offerings are accepted, it must be through faith in the Lord Jesus; for to him had Abel a special regard, as the great sacrifice of atonement, in his offering: That acceptance with God is a peculiar and distinguishing favor; he obtained it, when his brother was denied it: That those who obtain the favor of God, must expect the envy and malice of the world; it was upon this account that Cain hated him. And in a word, that God will not suffer the injuries done to his people, to remain unpunished, nor their sufferings unrewarded. You have read of the punishment of Cain, and have seen the justice of God in punishing the sinner, also his grace and goodness in rewarding the righteous.

And now is this Scripture of private and single interpretation? Is it Abel only, the first martyr, "that being dead yet speaks to us?" No verily God would not suffer Abel's faith to die with him, but has raised up others, that have obtained like precious faith, who being dead do also yet speak to us. Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and many others are of this character; yea and in some measure all the godly who are dead, do yet speak to us: But some more strongly and cogently than others. Some of the faithful in Christ Jesus act in a more private sphere, others in a more exalted and enlarged orb; but all according to their distinct characters, when dead, do yet speak to us.