purest motives. He coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel, or applause. He determined to know nothing among his people save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. The one great object which lay the nearest to his heart, was the good of souls; and this dictated the subjects of his public discourses, and the manner of his public speaking. He had a good understanding of the gospel scheme of salvation, and knew how to set the most important doctrines in a clear and profitable light. He dwelt much upon experimental religion; and drew the characters of saints and sinners with so much accuracy and clearness, that his hearers were constrained to discern the essential difference. His discourses were more solid than brilliant ; more sentimental than declamatory; and better adapted to assist the memory, enlighten the understanding, awaken the conscience, and penetrate the heart, than to excite the admiration, or gratify the vain curiosity of his hearers. Had the pious poet heard and seen him preach, he could not have described his attitude and appearance in the pulpit with greater exactness.

"I would express him, simple, grave, sincere,
In doctrine uncorrupt, in language plain,
And plain in manner. Decent, solemn, chaste,
And natural in gesture. Much impressed
Himself, as conscious of his awful charge;
And anxious, mainly, that the flock he feeds
May feel it too. Affectionate in look
And tender in address, as well becomes
A messenger of grace to guilty men."

Though Mr. Cleaveland preached the gospel, for some years, without much apparent success, yet more lately his public labors have been remarkably blest. There have been several seasons of religious attention among his people; and a large proportion of his flock have hopefully experienced a saving change, and have made a public profession of religion, and visibly conducted agreeably to their profession. He was a faithful servant in the house of God, and well knew how to lead in the exercise of that holy discipline, which is absolutely necessary to maintain the peace, the harmony and the purity of the church of Christ. And in the faithful discharge of this difficult and arduous duty, he conducted with great prudence, moderation and firmness. In a word, he diligently and faithfully performed every ministerial duty, so long as his health and strength continued; and after he was taken off from his public labors, he did not cease to feel and express a deep concern for the state of his flock. He visited and conversed with the sick and dying, and mourned with them that mourned. While he was well, he taught his people how to live; and when he was

sick, he taught them how to die. While his outward man was perishing, his inward man was renewed day by day. His sun did not set in a cloud, but in its full brightness. He retained the free and full exercise of all his rational powers, and had a lively anticipation of his approaching dissolution. But his faith and hope in his Divine Redeemer, disarmed death of its sting, and the grave of its terror. We have now good reason to believe, that he has died in the Lord, that he has rested from all his painful labors, and that he enjoys the ample reward of a good and faithful servant of Christ.

It is to be lamented, that the life and usefulness of this man of God have so soon come to a period. His age had not impaired his mental powers, nor unfitted him for the service of the sanctuary. For aught we can see, he might have been continued much longer a pillar in the church, and a blessing in the world. But God has been pleased to smile upon him, and to frown upon us. His death at this dark day, is a dark dispensation of Providence, which calls for mourning and submission. The bereaved widow has just cause to mourn. God has poured out to her a bitter cup of the wormwood and the gall. He has taken away her dearest friend and best instructer. But what if one tender tie between her and her deceased friend be dissolved, is there not another more tender and important tie which remains, and shall never be dissolved? Were they not once joint heirs of the grace of life; and are they not still heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ? If his interests were once her interests, they are still her interests. And if her interests were once his interests, they are still his interests. And if their eternal interests are inseparably connected, then their short separation will be mutually beneficial, and work for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. The great and precious promises of the gospel forbid christians to sorrow for their departed Christian friends, as those who have no hope. When christians bury their Christian friends, they are indeed called to mourn, but to mourn in the lively exercise of faith and filial submission. The deepest mourner on this occasion has a strong claim upon the sympathy of all her Christian friends, and it becomes them to mingle their tears with hers. But it highly concerns her to renounce all undue dependence upon weak, frail, dying creatures, and to cast her cares and burdens upon Him, who is able and willing to sustain her. And may the God of all grace and consolation give her, and her adopted daughters, that peace which the world cannot give, nor take

away.

The brothers and sisters of Mr. Cleaveland, and all his near relatives and friends, have met with a heavy loss. But have

they not reason to hope that he has gained unspeakably more, than they have lost? They may sorrow for themselves, but not for him. He has exhibited an example both of living and of dying, from which they may and ought to derive both consolation and benefit. If they follow him as he followed Christ, they will soon be with him, and with Christ; where there shall be no more sorrow or crying, but all tears shall be for ever wiped from their eyes.

"The fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?" God is rapidly putting out one burning and shining light after another, in his golden candlesticks. There has been of late an uncommon mortality among ministers, in various places, and especially in this vicinity. Whether the Lord of the vineyard has called off these servants from their labors, in mercy to them, or in judgment to others, we have no right to say; but this we know, that the language of his word and providence to us is, "Be ye also ready." Brethren, our time is short, and our work is great. It is an evil day, and we need to redeem our time and employ every moment of it to the best advantage. Have we been like minded with that faithful servant of Christ, who has just finished his course, and given up his account? It concerns us most seriously to reflect upon the past, and to resolve upon the future. Let us work while the day lasts; that when the shadows of a long night shall reach us, we may be prepared to rest from our labors, and enjoy the rewards of the faithful. Has God given us the charge of our people? Have they committed their spiritual interests to our care? Have we solemnly bound ourselves to watch for their souls, as those who must give account? Are our eternal interests and theirs inseparably connected together; and the great interests of both inseparably connected with the infinitely more important interests of Christ? In the view of these mighty motives, can we be so unwise and so unfaithful, as to suffer any of our people to perish, by caring for our own things, and neglecting the things which belong to their everlasting peace? May it be our hearts' desire, and prayer to God, that we may save both ourselves and them that hear us.

This subject, I trust, applies with propriety, to the church and people in this place, on the present truly mournful occasion. They have received, and they have lost, an invaluable blessing in their late pastor. But few ministers have been like minded. None, perhaps, have felt and expressed a more sincere and tender regard for the good of their people, than Mr. Cleaveland uniformly felt and expressed for your highest good. He took you by the hand, when you were in peculiar need of such a kind and faithful guide. He has been willing to spend and to

be spent, for your salvation. He has lodged in your minds an irresistible evidence of his fidelity, through the whole course of his ministry among you. Having loved you at the first, he loved you to the end. You never stood higher in his affections, nor he higher in your esteem, than when he closed his eyes in death. You have abundant reason of gratitude to the great Bishop of souls, that he sent you such a faithful watchman; that he continued him so long among you; and that he crowned his labors with so much success. You have a right to mourn, but not to murmur, under your sore bereavement. The divine Redeemer, to whom it belongs to thrust forth laborers into his vineyard, may give you another amiable and faithful pastor, who shall be like minded, and care for your state. But this, in a measure, will depend upon your views, and feelings, and conduct, in your present bereaved and afflicted situation. You are now called to exercise a strong and lively faith in Him, who is the repairer of breaches. The instructions, the prayers, and the preaching of your deceased pastor, lay you under great and endearing obligations to pursue the great interests which he pursued; and to consider, that your interests and his are still connected, and never will be separated. His joy will be your joy, his crown your crown, and the crown and joy of both will be the crown and joy of Him in whom ye have believed. Christ says to this little flock, "Because I live, ye shall live also." The cause of Christ here is now confided to his friends in this place. O may they be faithful to him, to themselves, and to them that are without! Soon you must follow him, who is gone and will never return. Live as he lived, and you may hope to die as he died, and to meet him at the right hand of your Judge in peace. But how will any who have hated instruction and despised reproof, be able to meet their deceased and faithful pastor at the last day? Unless they repent and believe, they must be for ever separated from him, and from all good, and lie down in everlasting sorrow. And let me ask this whole assembly, whether you are prepared to meet your faithful ministers at the bar of Christ; for you must give account how you hear, as well as they, how they preach. Be entreated then to "obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you." "He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear."

SERMON XXVI.

JOY OF A FAITHFUL MINISTER IN VIEW OF ETERNITY.

FUNERAL OF REV. TIMOTHY DICKINSON, HOLLISTON, WHO DIED JULY 6, 1813, AGED 52.

I

FOR I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 2 TIMOTHY, iv. 6, 7, 8.

It appears very probable, that this second epistle to Timothy was the last letter which the apostle Paul ever wrote. He was now a prisoner at Rome, and had every reason to expect to fall a victim to the implacable malice of his mortal enemies. In this solemn situation, he was divinely moved to write once more to Timothy, whom he greatly loved and esteemed; and to exhort him, in the most serious and affectionate manner, to perform every part of his great and arduous work, under an habitual sense of his future and final account. After giving him a variety of useful cautions and directions, he proceeds to say, "I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom: Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and doctrine." And to impress this charge the more deeply on his heart, he assures him, from his own happy experience, that great consolation may be derived from the due discharge of the gospel ministry. "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course; I have kept the faith: Hence