stant meditation? "LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I know how frail I am."

I. The text, contains:

1. A desire to be instructed of the LORD, in order that he might obtain a sure knowledge of a peaceful end. "LORD, make me to know mine end."

2. A desire to have impressed upon the mind an abiding sense of the shortness of life. To keep the man from folly, from the vain gratification of the senses, from a wasteful expenditure, from the misimprovement of time, and especially, from an untimely end. "LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is." This knowledge seems to have been granted, so far as it could be profitably or safely possessed. Ver. 5. "Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth, and my age is as nothing before thee; verily, every man in his best state, is altogether vanity."

"That

3. A desire to know the worst of himself. I may know how frail I am." My mortality, the frail tenure of my existence:-my depravity, the depth of iniquity concealed within, and working my ruin:-my weakness, that I may be convinced of the folly of trusting in an arm of flesh, and my deep need of a SAVIOUR in whom to trust, omnipotent and willing to save.

But Scripture is best interpreted by Scripture; and I would refer you to Psal. xc. 12. "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom!"--Wisdom, to guide us through the dreary paths of life --wisdom, the word of truth profitable to direct-wisdom, the MESSIAH, "the LORD our RIGHTEOUSNESS" our IMMANUEL, our loving friend "made unto us wisdom," &c. For it is thus that in accordance with, and not in opposition to rejoicing in hope of the glory of GOD," every Christian may say, "LORD, make me

to know my end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.”

II. Let me exemplify the practical excellence of the text, by noticing the experience and conduct of our departed friend. The practical excellence of the principles in the text was exemplified.

1. By her cherishing a conviction that her end was near. She new the weakness of her frame; she remembered that she was but dust. She felt the power of that word of GOD, and therefore believed in it-" Your life is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." In the morning, we grow up as the grass, and appear flourishing, but in the evening, nay, before the mid-day of life, we are many of us cut down, and, like it, dried up and withered. It is not remarkable, therefore, that she should say on leaving town, with feelings better to be imagined than described, "I shall not again return; I shall never see you more." She was not one of the many who make this earth the place of their joy, and desire no higher happiness; but one of the thoughtful and devout few, who are not averse to the contemplation of death, nor unwilling to cherish the conviction that their end is near.

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2. By her anxiety to be prepared for a happy end. With her, religion was not a mere form it was not attended to from the prevalence of custom, or as a means of gaining reputation, nor was it, in her estimation, of secondary import. She regarded it as the one thing needful,”—as the first and "principal thing;" and she entered into it with all her might, convinced that there was no work, not device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave whither she was hastening. "Private devotion she never neglected. In family and social prayer she readily and fervently joined. The House of GOD was the place of her joy. The LORD's day she hailed with

sacred delight, and listened to his word with prayerful attention." She desired to yield obedience to the SAVIOUR'S command. "Do this in remembrance of me;" to approach his table in the spirit of a true disciple. And t› her, it was a holy feast, an antepast of heaven.

3. By her firm reliance on the merits of the REDEEMER. She was convinced of her frailty, and felt deeply her need of the divine aid to lead her to the SAVIOUR; and her deep need also of the application of his merits-his blood to cleanse-his righteousness to justify. Happy for her, she knew who she had believed, and was fully persuaded that he was able to keep that she had committed to HIM against the great day," and could wholly depend upon him. When, therefore, her medical attendant inquired if she was building her hope of salvation on any righteousness of her own, she answered, "None but CHRIST!"

When she perceived the attentions which her friends were so forward to pay her, the love of CHRIST So sweetly constrained her, and enabled her to appreciate such work, that she said, "Even Job in all his affliction, had not attention such as this!" And when they lamented her extreme sufferings, which they had no power to avert, she said, "Nothing to what my sins deserve." This was a striking proof of her humility. And then, forgetting all for CHRIST she added, "CHRIST is precious! CHRIST is precious!"

There was nothing of indifference, but a cleaving to HIM by faith, who is mighty and able to save; an earnest supplication in reliance on HIS merits, and a joy in HIM as superlatively precious! CHRIST was

"Her theme, her inspiration, and her crown ;
Her light in darkness, and her life in death!"

4. By her resignation, willingness, and desire to depart. In making this statement, however, we do not mean to disguise that she was the subject of many fears, that the enemy of souls thrust sore at her, and that she had hours of darkness and heaviness during her painful affliction. On the contrary, we are happy to make them known, because from them we gain confidence that all is well. Had there been no conflicts, no exertion of the powers of darkness, there might have been no work of the SPIRIT; but since there were the former, and she triumphed over them, we doubt not that her triumph. was the effect of the latter, and we have reason to give glory to HIM, who by his SPIRIT made her more than conqueror. As a proof of this, she said at one period, "My fears are all gone; I have built my hope on CHRIST, and can leave all to him."

Patience and resignation shone conspicuously in all her words and in her whole deportment; and these wrought so effectually to her peace and comfort of mind, that through a night of uncommon suffering, she had such sweet composure, that she was able to be much in prayer, and was often heard to say, "Heavenly FATHER, take me home!"

Her pious medical friend said, "To depart and to be with CHRIST is far better." She answered, "That is what I want; I long to be gone."

"And her last words were, "Come, LORD JESUS, LORD JESUS!"

And now, desiring above all things that divine grace may work effectually in all your hearts, and constrain you to follow her as she followed CHRIST, we exhort you,

1. To adopt the sentiments of the text for practical and holy purposes. As individuals say "LORD, make

me to know mine end," &c.

2. Not to cause a gloomy apprehension of death, but to inspire a cheerful hope that death will be gain.

And in this expectation, and in the hope that we shall be for ever with the LORD, we exhort, we entreat, we enjoin you to "comfort one another with these words."

And, finally, we exhort you all to meditate on the work of CHRIST. This afforded comfort to our departed friend. His work as a Redeemer, Mediator, and Intercessor-his power to deliver-his willingness to save, afforded her comfort, and peace, and assurance in death.

Believe in him-trust in him-love him-serve him. Then, living, you will live unto the Lord, and dying, you shall be for ever his.

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PIETY IN HUMBLE LIFE.

REV. A. E. LORD.

IN THE CONGREGATIONAL CHAPEL, HERSHAM, NEAR ESHER, ENGLAND.

ON THE DECEASE OF A YOUTHFUL MEMBER OF THE CHURCH.

Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better."-PHILLIPPIANS i: 23.

THE

HESE words meet our notice, in the vicinity of one of the most beautiful passages in the apostolic writings. The circumstances in which the apostle was placed when he wrote them, were peculiar. He had been arrested in his seraphic course of service, by the strong arm of law, and had become in consequence an inmate of the prison-house at Rome.

To many of the churches which he had planted, this providence seemed distressing and mysterious. They fainted at his tribulation. His faith, however, did not fail him, for he knew that whether he was destined for