ing in death. May her heart be cheered by the hope of meeting him in heaven. While she remains in this world of sorrow may the God of all grace and comfort grant her his pres

ence.

This dispensation of providence imposes a sacred duty on all who are connected with this Seminary- the surviving Founders, Visitors, Trustees, Professors, and Students. We ought to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. We ought to praise the Giver of all good, for raising up such a benefactor, such a distinguished pattern of Christian beneficence. Above all, we ought to consider and fix in our minds, what was his object in his benefactions to this Seminary, and in what manner he has directed us to pursue that object. His death ought to be a new excitement to the faithful discharge of all our duties relative to this Sacred Institution. If we overlook his great object, disregard his directions, misapply his charity; and forget his love of union and peace, we shall be guilty of trampling his honor in the dust. If we do this, how can we meet him at the Judgment seat of Christ?

Beloved hearers, a man of God has been among you, and by divine grace shown you how to use this world, how to live, and how to die. I beseech you by his many exertions, sacrifices, and prayers for your good; by the piety and usefulness of his life; by his meekness and comfort in sickness; and by the rest, which we doubt not he now enjoys in God; — and I beseech you by the meeting you must have with him before the tribunal of Christ by all these considerations, I earnestly beseech you, to remember the character of that godly man, to make a thankful and pious use of his bounties, and diligently walk in his steps; and above all, to love and imitate his chosen Saviour, who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners.

SERMON

DELIVERED AT THE FUNERAL OF REV. SAMUEL SPRING, D. D., MARCH 9, 1819, IN NEWBURYPORT.

1 Thess. 5: 13.- AND TO ESTEEM THEM VERY HIGHLY IN LOVE FOR THEIR WORK'S SAKE.

THE Apostle Paul showed the highest respect for the ministers of Christ, and inculcated it, as the duty of all Christians, highly to esteem and love them. But he did not demand this peculiar regard for Christian teachers, because they were men of distinguished gifts, nor even because they were good men; but for their work's sake. It was on account of the dignity and usefulness of their office.

I know not, my respected hearers, how I can more effectually excite the reverence and love, which are due to that excellent minister, whose death we deplore, and give a right direction to the sorrow which fills your hearts, than by describing briefly the usefulness of that sacred office which he sustained. This is my particular object. Accordingly, although I am called on this occasion to honor the memory of one of the dearest friends that I ever had on earth, I shall aim to excite no veneration or love for him, except what is due on account of the holy office which he filled, and the manner in which he performed its duties.

Turn your thoughts, then, to the usefulness of a faithful minis

ter of Christ. Consider him as a teacher of divine truth. This is the most obvious and most important view of the Christian minister's work. He publishes the word of God. He is the grand medium of communicating to the world the knowledge of the true religion. A sober examination of facts and of the nature of the case will show, that there is no way of keeping up, to any good purpose, the knowledge of divine truth in the world, but by the labor of Christ's ministers. Now it is through divine truth, that sinners are converted and saved. This is "the incorruptible seed," of which they are "born again." And it is the work of the Christian minister to make known this divine truth, to plant this incorruptible seed. And thus he becomes an active instrument in the salvation of sinners. And consider for a moment the value of salvation. Consider what it would be for one of you to perish forever!- for an immortal soul to be perpetually under the dominion of the most malignant, tormenting passions! What would it be for you, with all your faculties and sensibilities awake, to see yourself abhorred of God; to be cast away from his presence; to know by your own wretched experience, what is that indignation and wrath which he will render to his enemies, and how unspeakably precious that salvation must be, which implies deliverance from this everlasting misery! Consider too what is the positive good implied in salvation; what it is to be adorned with divine grace; to bear the image of Christ; and after being made perfect in holiness, to dwell where Jesus is, and be forever filled with all his fulness. What would it be for you, a single child of Adam, to be de-. livered from all this misery, and raised to the enjoyment of all this blessedness! And how great would be the usefulness of the sacred office, if ministers should be successful in bringing all this eternal blessedness upon you alone! But this good is to be conferred upon thousands and millions. The kingdom of Christ will contain a great multitude which no man can number, of those who have been redeemed from among men. And the infinite good enjoyed by this kingdom of grace, is effected chiefly through the agency of ministers. Whatever is desirable and excellent

in the holiness of the saints on earth or in heaven; whatever is precious in their everlasting joys, is related to the holy office of Christ's ministers, and is an illustration of its incomparable usefulness.

Thus far I have considered the sacred office in one comprehensive view. I might descend to many particulars. For in fact, Christians obey the divine precepts, grow in knowledge and grace, find strength and support in their trials, are faithful and useful, and become prepared for heaven, under the influence of those divine truths which it is the business of the ministry to inculcate. And do not Christians, who are deprived of the advantages of ministerial labor, generally exhibit symptoms of a dark, low, pining state?

The scheme of truth contained in the Bible, makes known the perfections of God and the principles of his government, vindicates his character and administration from the reproaches of a wicked world, illustrates his infinite grace in redemption, and points to a future state of retribution, where his glory will shine forth with ever-increasing splendor. Wherever this scheme of divine truth is faithfully declared, the character of God is placed in an honorable and glorious light. Where it is not declared, the divine glory is obscured. The manner, therefore, in which the character of God is likely to be regarded in the world, depends very much upon the agency of Christian ministers.

Is it important that social and civil order should be supported; that sound morality should prevail; and that mankind, delivered from violence and cruelty, should live in peace? Just so important is it, that the servants of Christ should faithfully preach the truths of revelation. For it is by the influence of those truths on the minds of men, that the violence of their passions is restrained, and those moral principles established, which are the basis of social and civil order. All that gives to Christian society superiority over the society of pagans, is owing, under God, to the influence of the teachers of religion. Only let the ambassadors of Christ cease to preach the truths of religion, and what would be the condition of the fairest part of the world one

hundred years hence? What is the condition of those places in our own country, where the labor of faithful ministers has ceased, for half that period? What especially is the condition of those countries, where the voice of Christ's ministers has not been heard for ages ? It is moral desolation. And this desolation would soon appear even in this land of the Puritans, if the place of Christian ministers, when removed by death, should not be supplied by other laborers. The garden of the Lord would be overrun with briars and thorns; its hedges would be broken down, and the wild beasts of the field would devour it.

I might expatiate upon the usefulness of a faithful minister of Christ, in relation to the particular church and society committed to his charge. It is by his plain and solemn addresses to Christians, and the influence of his example and his prayers, that they are excited to live unto God. It is by his wisdom, and fidelity, and persevering vigilance, that the church is built up, and its order and purity promoted. It is in a measure by his patient, affectionate labors, that the young are restrained from folly and vice, and trained up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and thus prepared to be useful members of the community. His friendship and pastoral visits are among the most precious blessings to every family, especially in times of trouble. How soothing to the feelings of the afflicted is the presence of a minister, who has a heart to weep with those who weep, and who knows how to make their grief tributary to their spiritual good. Ask the children of God, when they are sick and languishing, and find the time of their departure drawing near, whether any earthly good could be a compensation to them for the want of an affectionate, heavenly-minded minister. When such a one comes to their bed side, and with a sympathetic heart repeats to them 'the sure promises of God, converses with them of the glories of Christ and the joys of heaven, and unites with them in fervent prayer; they forget their pains, and their hearts swell with unutterable joy at the thought of being absent from the body and present with the Lord.

And how is it with dying sinners, who have hitherto slighted