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It 'tyinttlt ▼'MQIlHIt "MM*** '; . ■.,;';•■■ Imtdtt itrgttt bt ifttfiMd ntf . Itft tt : tiii'^- -> fHmtt A ttt ttiM dt Lfttwi It tttufntnt f iprttM H Ml ufi ttiil tt rMifIt MiptntM 'tl tt hMIt Ml btt« Ml .H dt It fRmtA A HIttttrMittt m t tf itdt. 6 "^g^^^^-'^^i^w^f i *.|?J^^^i^ ■ SUOIOUS IMPROVEMENT OF SICKNESS i A SERMOri, ADDftMSBP TO 'I- INVAUDS AND THfilE FHIBIlDS ; .»■.-.-"■•"'■ " ■ ■ . * ' « - ■ , ' ■ , " _■■ ■ VIsmNO TORQUAY. tii. d, 6r^ My iod, deq>iae not thoa Um diuteiiinf.of the aor uiot when thott wt rebuked of Him :•— for when the Lord loveth He dnfteneth, ami sceargelb, every whom Htf reeeivedi.**-* r. ii.—** Now no chasteniiw for the p re e en t Memetll to be but grievoM; tterertheleM eftennrd it yieldeth the, * »le frait of ri^teoasneM onto them which are exereiied , YORKs RE-PAINTED BT DESIREt ¥^ • BT WOWUn eTANTOlf. .-■/., : ■ 1' ■■■-• . C ",■.■/■;:• IgSS..' ^ ^ . '.( "■^J ■-..>■.-■_ 0y--- 0--:- i ~* "*-'-v -t: ...Afc'^^i^l^^^^ii i ^4*« avty-^tf t iiQiriii.i t M-^ \ ■'. •i»' i^lbllowlBg 8«nnon, ai will toMM fton Um prtirtoqr tmaAM iT At AitlMr, (who now tmuttom hli klMws, whoN Ut wwki liMbv Ite) WM oonpoMd ftr ■ pttHodw pofpoM, MidN^mMl MMf ft coBgMgatioii, wBoM locol drouMliiicit wonlA wMnHlf liltoilApicaUar Intoiift Thb local Intorootanit of eowwWiMi ttittdin la uy other titaation t Imt it b boUoTOd, tlMt dw ftyiril^ ■riMnoft maniitr in which tho mbjoct itiolf It tnatod in thtM- liiHiVpniot, b ealeolirtod to oidto innnf jrf«M,aMW, at liMli to tMftaarionaand Chrtatiaa coMidMralioB of tho teign tiM^ M0,and toloadiSinitoinqttiro how ftr th^havo oo-opaialoA vilhor fbatratod tho uMrcyof Ood, whon Ho haa virilid with ricfcitii, oHhor thonaalfot or thoir firleaai. *• . ' ■ ' <' • .. . ■ *■ .,''-' ^ ■ ■. " •— ; ■..' - V ' ■ ' ■ ■ -^ "•■..; ...■\. .:' . » ,-, . V . -;,. V: y ^ "■■".* • *" » f trV^-^^ . ^c v* "T J^X ' '"■■F'*frv>-' > K Th« foUowlog 8«raioB wu preub«■ ■■■■■■ b pfMlieal It H oai •Ibfd k, or apoB oTMrtikttty} mmI I wonUlaotilMt thoM btlbfft whoM tytt U k tiUbilad. VUtiag tilt ikk b one of the boM laportMil, oat of dM ■OM dUkoH. oAm out of tht notl pi^iifiil, lOMCimt (tliMik God I) OM of tke noM plMMat. dotiM wbldi • aiaiilw of M- llglM hM to pwfenB-4t Is Importuit, bMSOM It Bigr bt tli oidy ojlportniHy iHrich the ikk pwioa hM lombiiiff to Bikt MitNieowltliCM,Midto oeeqittlio graeiMs lavititloBS of Aw OoqitI bote* ho goit iMiiet nd li BO BON M«mad tht •BiyoMiHdeiitiMiidBiMrlMiorbibf ImtraBntd to tht lolfatkMor«IUlMrfs;^--i5r^4:J^S:«8iB(;;-. ^ ^ '^'"'tV' v5:pi«* Tiy "rT •D tiM iW«Ui of At lick !««» ^-^^'l*" r» 3^'^^"r fcL^«Z^« W. of tbt kopt of »te«wy » It w«W^^ tovt« botlf tkt tool li -ow pwcjotttttotfio b^y^ 9tmK mUOM "^TJ" *",,._ -_-^^^ lia tleamto iDdolsete ?y r >:;ii,.i^tetk«ii>ttoiittlw tmth of htoritwth»l-<»y« mm mam » aii«pw« w «— r- ,._.fcj._-^rfu«««|iowdL whkk dl to jiww. of ibotrfkl •»* "fc«tai •»l»»«l>««- '%m^ ' 'M< DtekMM MwHb lidoM I dittrtit btptin- iom yon jr, tad if asomen- iiodoabt iDdalgeUi iMlnbltIn w«4,whlek f Itboat tpj bvdlftuM tMWMliolM Q of mind; iHMtofhi* »itnltft«B BCIO«i|N(9 oMMtotote • •dVWBtagM taftbtahid llitl It It both yoar duty and alio th« best eiprcMioa of your tActioa, to Inform him that It b tino to *' itt hit houte b or- der,** and to prtpare for hit approaching end. If bt it already b a Chrittlan ttate of watchfulnett and prepjaration, the intt|g^ Hgenca will b« no great thock to hit fteliugt, nor canto any •eriooi ditcompoiure of mind ; and he will thank you for It, becaute he ifould with In hit few remaining dayt (if he were lart that bt had but a few dayt r#roaining) to ditmitt from bit ■iad all thote earthly thoughtt and caret, which the expecta* lion of returning to the world might fotter there, artcl^o detot* binaelf moro eiclutively to the welfart of hit tout, whote fal^a it to toon 4o be decided, to communing with God, whom he toon to meet, and to meditation on that eternal world, in which he it thortly about to enter. If he hat made no prepal rttion for death, if you are aware that he hat hitherto lived i thoaghtlett„and carelett life,° without any leriout impreitiont of rriligioa, and that he it ttill contemplating nothing but a return to the pleatoret and purtuitt of the world, it it in that unhappy cate ttill more incumbent upon yod to Inform him of hit true condition, that be may embrace the only opportunity now left Urn of attending to that mott important of all tubjectt, which be hat to tadly neglected,' the talvation of bit imperitbabte NttL The newt may ditturb him greatly at firtt ; he may iliriak back with hdrror from the near protpecl of death ; be My be alarmed and agiuted, at he ought to be, at being told that he it toon to experience that awful change, on which ha int never reflected, and to enter into that world, for hit recep- tion in which he bat made no provition : hot what a folly, what a craelty, what a tin, for the mere take of keeping hit mind in t ttate of fictitioot tranquillity, to delude him on by the flattery of a dediitfol hope, nntil bit body dropi into the grave, in which ** there is np repentance,*' and hit tonl goei to appear at a Mnoger and an eneiby before the pretence of bb ** unknown B . ,:• - \ - • ■ 1 ■ ■ - • , -.-fe ^ **-' ■ ^ WS& ^M ^ iHS fc ■ i tisass^ai 9 mm. .Si^i^ SI ^^ m^ %.\ ■ ■ . - t^a.„UluJ.hk. Wmn . wt .—■?f^»;" "^v -f^'^''--,' ' /- 6«d I" Of who- hwa. wm thu witichri»«i'i Mooa u no^Nd f Verily, hi. own mUjodging friend, .re. In |»rt. tt ZI1.W rflt H I. the pte«nce of .minitter to be prohibrted, tot the ^t "of hil id -rfte the .am. impre..i.n a. that of an ™LAerr I. the Bible to be concealed, le« it .bonU con- "^t^^^ feebl. -...a tbe .«.. terrifying ijithnation. a. a ::Cr.A«.«d? For Aame! '••'•'»'«'^Tbe«"e«^ ehli».f..r. and precaoUon.! rather take every advant^P of 1 .^n. when the mind i. more di.po»^ u, «.l.mn and l-::^'ctio., .„dmoreJ.e,y.rec.«.. :L«X^:"B':^-at iut»% »- -H,hm.n. . Wei. I to conTer« whh one in this .tate. I .honld wiA to rfdren him wmewhat after the foUowing manner :- «D. not imagine, my friend, ^^^r^''^^^ \«,..B«r of death ; thongh yon are in «ckne.. «idl»y«« ^r God only knowf which of u, may die fir«: r«~ « y;. « .fti«d to tdkwithyon on »««» /^Jf^ jjSs^.'u r^5«*4, 'W' 11 •0d in tU conditloni, in yontli if wtll ■• in ng«i ^n •tr«og«li •* ii«lt as in weduMM. It ii true* God hat Mat yat you were born for immortality upon earth ; indeed you never really entertained such an extravagant thought as that ; but you did what is practically as bad, you lived without having a serious sense of the contrary, without solemnly con- templating the certainty and importocce of dtath. For such thoughtlessnessyou have now no longer any excuse ; for death's messenger and forerunner has vUitcd you 5 he has given you notioe ; he hascalled to you to prepare ; and death himself is not ▼ery for behind ; you have been informed of his approach, and 0n nolonger plead ignorance or the want of a warning, though ;^reafter he should come upon you by surprise, and lay you /low by the first touch of hb withering hand. ^ What then are you to do ? I am considering myself still in conversation with the sick person, and in answer to this question what he is to do, now that he has come to a conviction of his mortalhy, and of the great importance of tha| fact, I should wish to give bun in continuation the following advice : "Consider seriously what has been tiie nature of your whole past life; I do not want you to confess your sins to me or to any other human being; but confess them to yourself and to » « rSt 15 ./■ God: Oodii Mqa«{at^ with tbtmi Bim thtrtfort yoa cmh not deceive; try to imdecelYt younelf} eitmine your own heart itricUy aod impartially j exercise your memory to tht otmoft; call before yon all the periods and icenet of your former days; the record againit yoo, however old itt date, it not blotted out until Vou •ball' have come to repenunce and faith in Christ; think Vydur yo^th, think of your riper yean | remember the advantages you Jiave had, the talenU you havt abused, the opportunitieSvyou have missed j recollect as well as you can your omissions oi duty, your positive commissions of nn; think how little you We lived to God, how much you have been devoted to the world, how little you have studied the welfare of your soul, how much you have been addictied to tho plecisures of sense, the gratification of the body, the follies and vanities and vices of life ; consider how light you have made of the Gospel, how ignorant youXhave been of your corrupt nature, how unconscious of your need of a Saviour, hbw in- sensible of having required the purifying and strengthening iu« fluence of the Holy Spirit, how formai in your religion, how void of the loVe of God, how unfruitful i^the virtues and graces of Christianity, self-denial, temperance, charity, humility^ chastity, active beneficence; study the S^iptures now, and compare your past life and general dispo^tion and frame of mind with what they require as nccessar^ to salvation; think of all these things ; probe your conscien^ to the very bottom; do not seek for excuses; do not flatteryourself by putting a favourable construction upon your past bfe ; do not say, I have been exposed to suich and such temptations, I have lived in such and such socie^, I have wanted f uth and such Advantages, and therefore 1 have a giDK>d apology for myi sms, my negligences and my ignorainces; but rather wakal your case as bad as you can ; yon will not easily err orexagg^ fate id this ; the great fear if lest ypu should thioK too weU of ^>.. 1.'- xv^jt' \J;^t., : ;-."i^^^^ ''wr ■ f. ■ ■I ^ !..'**■ ••ilfltlf ; there ii the grand failing of ni all ; iTe never think tpo m of ounelvei ; nor could we, though with Job we should «• abhor ourielvei and repent in duit and aihei,"ior with Darid and (he Publican, we ihould not dare to lift up our eyet unto Heayen-(P««1'» »1, 16; St. Luke xvuL 13). We are too apt to tay w« have done no harm, we have led reipecuble livei, we entertaui no ill-will towardi a fellow-creature ; it U the fallaci* GUI comfort, (believe one who hai frequenUy witneiied the fact) which penoni, who have no true ienie of religion, generally admintfler to themwlvei ; it it too often the only ground of their hope, even on a death-bed ; vain hope ! Therefore I warn you •gabit It, becauie it is to common and lo natural a refuge for thote, who are in need of consolation ani peace of mind, and look to themselves for comfort, instead of looking to Christ :-- but with that view they must necessarily either overlook their •ins, or. apologiae for them, and must put down imaginary vir- tues and good quarities to their credit ; but this is so false and delusive, so anU-chrUiian a species of comfort, it is so at vari- atice with the whole tenor of the Gospel, it will so litUe stand the test of God'a judgment, Or even of the judgment of con- • leience itself when duly enlightened, that I cannot too earn- estly warn you against ever having recourse to it ; the Gospel holdi a dilfcrent language ; iit says,banish all self-confidence, and found your only hope on "repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus ChrUt." These are the points on which! fhonld wish you to examine yourself; are you tho- roughly convinced of your sinfulness?— Have you a lively faith in the efficacy of our blessed Saviour's satisfaction for siu ? —And have yon the testimony of that repentance and faith in purity of heart and holifless of life?— Are you contrite and bumble from a sense of your unworthiness, grateful for the ttDspeakable mercy of Redemption, and eame«t in prayer, ^foogh m conviction of your natural infinmtiM, for Uie aid of ftttiZ f>.,. • 'H^.-' 1» tkt Holy Spirit to tadblt jm t» ciMriib all tkt liKtioni woA 10 biiDg ferlh all th« finin of • plow ood dovool odndF-* QMgdoo jroantlf aiimtoijr ud fimpMaily on theio importaiit wAi&m I MMi if; by tlw gradoai m i t to i ic o oCGod, (for which I irwt yott will ipooMMidy and forvondy pray) diit rtligioot dHractor iholl bo foroied in yoa, thoa die nduMn, by which yo« wera iirtt called to itrioaf rtflection, will iodood ha?o beoD dM grtalott of all blmiogt, and yoa will oror f^)o^o in tho NCoUoction ofdiat *• tribuIaUou," dwongh which by Qod^t mncy in Jowf Chriit» yoa "enltrod into tht Kingdom of Jikvma:* .... . .^v.^^-.: ,-. . Thb it tho ootUiw of d» addroM (b its iiiofCiMMe^iilpoiflCty ivUch I would wiih to make to a patient on ny dnt aiiaiito« rial vidt to him ; of coone the samo and other topics woald lOBihmally ibroiih natter for rabeequent coufonaifonf ; hoi I BMft content myielf with havbg ihewa yon h tiaae os here, we have oar work to do, and that work we most, ibroogh hit help^ endeavoar to eiecate with active ami and pMseveriog indn^tiy and cfaeerfiil saboutsion, ** as. onto tho Lerd;^* H is the only paiposo for which wo five; for <*wo aw aet oor own, we are boogbt with a price/' therefore wo most havOQOoldoct mora at bean than to <* glorify God in oar bo4y and hi oa« spirit, which are God*s:"-4>OI does nol GodiM»r z 'i jtt '1 pi E •.A i • P A m .• . B^ • T i II A H } H^ i io 1 WW 'i' m'^' 1 K A B^l K**^, j«* 1^' !': ij •t 1 J% . ' . .v 18 >■» 7^ 1 „ .h. «.v to H»»eo. Md *• «>«>«» H««"» <" '^"*- t't J^ O^J^^ H J.--S.. L-ke. xxHi. «) .. ,««h. h „M •«•«"» ,„„i^„ tt. the moornw., who «.r».w • '*T .wl«« • b«. they rtti not. they mart not. •• lor. t^^^ bu »o,n.dl u, th. ho«». of 0«1. h«k .. Vi««d by the «y. of friUi. wh« . heppy event 1. ^ \^ . ^if Jmji>,--<'- , ifi '^i Ttiti ^■- It a tbori '«veo tbe •I Chrit- rd this life i(orP«rft- ) \t rettch- »re. Then the fear of ho lurvive the lott of not, " lo^ It ftleep in 1 the object to recall the )d, back to ii the death ad opportu- of the Goi- lature would Bt, while the vith the pro- ;onceal from ly to exclude iuld persuade lotof huma^ hia perilous g books and isbing all so- e contrary is sonsiderationi If the comfort ifluence of the w ..*!•'.■ ^■V" ,^ Spirit, b/i inn tvMl ia tha goodoett of God, by chUd-llka KtignatloB to Hit (htbtrly eorrection, by Utely (Uth ii tbt^ pronUet and atonement of Cbristt by a contempt for wo Idly pitwares, by the exercise of spiritual affections and praye ', by leading and mediuting on the word of God, by the pe -snaF- iloa that death is a merciful deliverance from "the miseriea of this sinliil world," and by joyful anticipations of the rcsl and happiness of Heaven. These are the arms with whkb he i his foe ; he does not avert his face and suffer the final bl come onperceivedy as if death could be avoided or deli lendered more harmleM' by not being contemplated ( files a bold and fearless look on him as be advani dmngh he falls beneath his stroke, be is not conqc triumphs in his very fall, and in bis case it "brought the saying that is written. Death is swallowed >op in vii Indeed how often have by-standers witnessed, at the departn^ of a true Christian, that the Victory is gained eved befoMr^ death has actually taken possession of the body, wmch is blf^ only piey!— how often have they witnessed peace and joy and hope increasing np to the very moment of dissplotiob, ontil at last the happy spirit seems alaiost to be entered into Paradise hefore it has actually quitted iu tenement of mortal clay !-» how often has the justice of that beautiflil illustration been re- marked, by which hope in death is compared to the spark Qf an expiring Uper, which emits iu brightest ray at the moment of its extinction ! The greater part of ia, my brethren, it seems probable apon a view of the ordinary dealings of God's Providence, will have an intimation of ^k approaching end by the pfO- gresf of^me disease; may^Vbe so snpporWvnnder it, that, hi all oar pam and weakness of body, onr sonls may be en- coaraged and comforted by Christian hope !^May we aot be foand in that unhappy state, that injudicious friends shall think .■ml si :;i ■■•* - m ;i :>f1 f- ■ii-% ),t iK. ^' ■I ■ •■ tv:.:i it flipdUMii 10 «omm1 fMH m Iht adTMct of dMih, or itai IMW MOM pbM ChiiftiMi tluJl M HMOMfify to okm mA ■giuit oor mittdt by o raprtMotottoo of oor lia tad iliogN of tttn»l fulo mt Ita^when oor bodUy "bfimltki- oloi^ wUhoat o "ffoooaid •pW^" wUI bo ohnort •• mmdimm iboU bo oUo to bMi^, and wo ihoU rrtbtf bo in nood of oB Iko tooonlatho tbat oui bo odoiinitlorod ! Bat nay wo bMFO Mdto M wiM a poparaUoa boforo band, tbat wo ibaU bo «hlo m aMWt dMib witb joy ratbtr ibao witb fiiar, and as a IMmd rKbfr lba» m an ootny ! And nay tbo Miaktoriag ^i ph^ iri^ pwiido oftr 01, gtotly lokaio otr dopattiag V ipMli, Mid btar tboa into tbo piotonco of God, pnrilfed froM ovoiy i|Ml aiid itaia of uo by tbo blood of tbo Lamb, and iktod to ba** lor OTor witb tho Lord*' fai tbe botyandbappy fogioM of otorwd bUas I— or, if Ood, in bis wisdom and awfcy, ibaU soo it to samnKNi as witboat a nomootV wwning bom tho world, nay we, tbroogb His graco, bo feund watcbinf wbtn tbat call sbaU con«, witb "ott in our knpi and oar loUn girtod, and wo oomWas Hko onto sonranu wbo wait fiir tbtir Lord's ooniag!** May wo oftr bo kept, by tbo pow« of tbo Holy Obotl, ftoB*U>o o**' conditio* of iboso wrotcbed boingir wboio ••taarli aio ovcrcbarged wiib soifeitaig and drankMBonaiidMrai of tbis worid, nid so tbat boor conw opoo thsnwMwaias!"— Botnay wo b4 ilwaysieady at wbat boor sooTor tbo messenger of God may airiTe, and liko old Simeon depart in peace to enjoy the falnen of tbal sahalioa wbicb wo bate long waited for and earnestly desired ! Grast tbiib O merdfvl Fatber, for Jesns Christ's sake, onr only Saviour and Bodeemen Amen. SiSuiirdlHbe fihortatiMh aet to stiend to the awtim fpohM of la thiBaMifaBaMdiiMly foUowim iho Creed. ■Jiirr... \ — , — TT'^Et ytgaf t^^jkt^. #..«' --=s* -,. - - _t..uM*i,MiiMlilll r • 2,' 1^ ^ jh ' ■»!-- --m ■ \ •„ ' m -^ ^ ■ ;■ . ^^ s ■*,* 1 , ■' "ft 1 • •' ^ ... -*^^ p ■ ■■ '^ kf» 1 ' '''■'^-■'' •^'$'ir-^f■^K ^ //• // Si W // « -^^ i