for our sins that makes his presence gloomy, his sting formidable, and his night dark.

II. Considerations calculated to alleviate this great fear of our nature.

1. The first alleviation is derived, according to the apostle, from the incarnation and death of Christ. Heb. 2, 14, 16, 9.

The incarnation and death of Christ were, we see, indispensable to Christ's mediation. Justice required that the offending nature and the atoning nature "should be all of one," if He would taste our cup, destroy our foe, dissipate our fears and loose our bonds. He must die die as an atonement for sin which was death's sting, and thus magnify the law which was his strength and plea. Christ satisfied the law-obeyed its precepts, satisfied its demand, and "now there is no condemnation," etc.

2. Another alleviation is found in Christ's absolute and boundless control over all the issues of life and death.

Christ orders the time of our departure; disposes all the circumstances of our death, and guides the spirit in its flight. He holds the keys. The departure of our immortal spirit from one world to another, is under his own control. He determines the hour, opens the gate, stands sentinel at the bridge, and says, as it were, "Father, the hour is come."

3. Another alleviation is that Christ introduces us into the immediate presence of Christ. He stands at the opposite shore of the river of death to receive us, conducts us through the realms of the unseen world and introduces us to his Father's house. The dying spirit cannot vanish into a world where Christ is not. It is with Him.

III. To get the comfort of these considerations we must exercise a lively faith in Christ. This is the life of

religion-we must interpose its ample shield before all the assaults of the enemy. Faith should especially fix on that spiritual alliance which exists between Christ and his people. They are one. No condemnation in Him. Fall asleep in Him.

2. We must diligently cultivate all those tempers and dispositions that belong to a godly life. The fear of death was meant to be a salutary fear. It was meant as a motive to live godly-for only in that way can we expect to have death's fear taken away.

3. We must guard against spiritual declension and decay. Relapses into sin, grievings of the spirit, coldness of love, etc., these serve to intensify the natural fear of death and hold us in bondage.

4. We must be much in preparation for our great change. Live in habitual view and contemplation of an unseen existence. We should get familiar with arguments to be used on a sudden emergency. Paul's dying fortitude rested on the strength of past successes. Satan dreads trophies more than weapons.

5. Keep in full view the fulfillment of those immortal hopes which lie beyond the grave. "Go thy way till the end be, etc.," and they are permitted to bear "a loud voice saying in heaven," etc. Rev. 12, 10.

THE BELIEVER'S FAREWELL WORDS.

JOHN HALL, D.D. NEW YORK.

1 die: and God will surely visit you.-GEN. 50: 24.

JOSEPH closed his nearly blameless life with this

communication to the band of brothers. Joseph shared the hope of his fathers; counted confidently upon Canaan being given to the race, and exacted a

pledge from his brethren that his bones should accompany those who went to take possession.

The last words of eminent men have a universal interest, and pass from lip to lip among Christians. Such words have a peculiar charm, and have a special significance. Earth is less potent, many impressions are rectified. The common interests of life seem trifling. The most momentous interests of their cases are brought out, and dying, say with Joseph, "I die, &c." Notice: I. The two-fold effect of death.

1. It separates believers from their friends. The body remains with them. But they go away, It is but the envelope torn open, the letter is elsewhere. The body did not constitute the person. Between us and the real life a great gulf is fixed, impassable to us while we are in the body. We cannot reach them with our endearments. or services, nor can we receive from them any more.

2. Death reunites believers to those who have gone before them. They have compensation for the pain of parting. This is soon swallowed up in the joy of re-union. The mother will meet her babes. Joseph never more be parted from his father, &c. This is not unworthy of our notice. The grave has to many an aspect of awful solitude. But our friends are not there, but gone to join the spirits of the just made, &c." They are parted from us, but how dear, noble and numerous is the company into which they have entered!

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II. The two-fold assurance of a dying believer.

1. "I die," said Joseph. That is felt to be sure to every believer. The word had all along reminded him of this, life-long observation confirmed the intimation, every power of body emphasized the notice. The sense of decaying power, perchance the agony endured, the sensible decline of all the powers, assure the believer that the end is

near.

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2. The assurance respecting the believers who remain behind. "The Lord will visit you." In Joseph's case there was an explicit promise from the Lord. But is there not a promise in the Bible somewhere, for all believers, in all conditions ? "I die, but God will surely visit," a departing husband may say to his wife, for "I die, &c.;" a father may say to his children for, &c.; a minister may say to his congregation, for, &c., “I am with you always," &c. And so in all the varying conditions of saints. God is in them all a "very present help." Faith enables one to give this assurance. What is faith? Joseph's case may instruct He merely believed what God said-a definite word of the Lord. Joseph had his eye on the promise of the Lord. Believers have their promised land, the land of reunion, of peace, the happy land, the land of uprightness. III. Departing believers have a double claim on surviving friends.

us.

1. They are entitled to continued affection. They do not cease to be ours. They are now more worthy of love than ever they were before. Their bodies will "make a group of bonnie dust," as Halyburton puts it—when . showing how Christ keeps even the bodies of his people.

2. They have a right to grateful remembrance. The dear memorial, the unostentatious monument, the befitting memoir in notable cases—-are as they ought to be. "The righteous shall be held in everlasting remembrance."

3. We owe them imitation. It is the sweetest tribute. It is the most fitting homage we can bring them. We should put on their armor and take their places among the Lord's sacramental host.

4. Joseph exacted a pledge from his brethren, viz., that they should bear away his bones to the sacred soil! It was to show his faith, and keep alive the hope

among the Hebrew seed. And there are promises that the dying may claim from us. Are there not some among us who have pledged. Have you redeemed it? Are your eyes and steps heavenward?

Only two things remain to be said.

1. All shall die. Your friends-beloved ones-your idols shall die. To whom will you then look? You shall die. Have you comfort in Christ? Can you give comfort to others?

2. Believer, there is "one" never dies. He liveth for ever more, hath the keys, &c. He is a stay and support to his people, &c. He is at the right of the throne, "standing," because active in their behalf, &c. Waits to receive and welcome them, and in Him and with Him they live for evermore.

THE DEATHDAY BETTER THAN THE
BIRTHDAY.

REV. C. H. SPURGEON.

A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one's birth. ECCLES. vii: 1.

THE

HE latter portion of this verse is true only of those who have a good name a name written on the Lamb's Book of Life-written on the very heart of Jesus as the names of the tribes of Israel of old were inscribed on the High Priest's breast-plate, written on the palms of Jesus' hands; those have a good character and are known by the sweet savor of their lives. Of these our text is true, for :

I. Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof. "Welcome, little stranger," is the greeting at