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sprightliness and alacrity from that sweet sleep which a good cause and a good conscience can procure in the most perilous seasons, and which the noise of workmen employed in framing the scaffold for his execution, though resounding continually in his ears, had never been able either to prevent or disturbo. Exulting as a strong man, strong in faith, to run his appointed race, he desired to be dressed and adorned with more than usual care, as if it had been his bridal day, which indeed, in one sense, it was, when his soul was to be "called to the marriage supper "of the Lamb," and to go forth, as one of the "wise "virgins, to meet the Bridegroom." Having trimmed his lamp, therefore, with the proper preparatory devotions of that church which was ever so dear unto him, his mild spirit terminated its earthly course with an act of the highest charity to his enemies, and, taking the wings of the pure and peaceful dove, flew away to that blessed place, where, and where only, as he found by experience, "the wicked "cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest."

Thus lived and thus died CHARLES THE FIRST, KING AND MARTYR. And though for your sakes I could wish the task of drawing a portrait from such an original had been in other hands, for my own I cannot but greatly rejoice at being called upon to bear a testimony, poor as it is, to a character which, however traduced by base and worthless men, and none but such can traduce it, does, and for ever will do, as much honour to the church, as the usage this

Hume, p. 466.

prince met with reflects dishonour on the people, of England.

And now, what remains, but that while we detest, and use our utmost endeavours to eradicate out of the minds of men those diabolical principles of resistance to government in church and state, which brought his sacred head to the block, we testify our regard for his precious memory by an imitation of his godlike virtues; setting before us, and copying, as well as we can, his unfeigned piety, his strict temperance, his spotless purity, his indulgent affection towards his relations, his tender love for his friends, his compassionate forgiveness of his enemies, his inviolable attachment to the church of God. And in the day of affliction, when it shall please our heavenly Father to lay on any of us that cross which every Christian must bear at some time or other of his life, "let us remember, if our "little misfortunes trouble us, that the best of kings " and the best of men was publicly murdered by his

own subjects";" and let us follow him in the steps in which he followed Christ; that so having lived the life of this righteous person, our last end may be blessed like his, and that having patiently and cheerfully endured our appointed portion of sorrow in this miserable world, and sent forth our latest breath in expressions of faith and charity, we may he numbered, as he is, "with the children of God, " and our lot be among the saints."

Taylor's Holy Living, sect. 6,

422

DISCOURSE XXIX.

MERCY TO THOSE WHO ARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH RECOMMENDED AND ENFORCED.

LAMENTATIONS, V. 3.

We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.

THE holy Jesus, who came forth from the bosom of his Father to teach us the way of salvation, was himself pleased to go before us in that way. Heavenly was the knowledge in which he instructed us, while in his blessed example we behold every jot and tittle of it realized and consummated in perfect charity. To convince us that the only use of learning is to make men good, and that every article of faith ought to terminate in a duty, the same divine Person, who appeared as the wellspring of uncreated wisdom, manifested himself to be the fountain of everlasting love. "Never man spake like this man,' and never man acted like this man. His doctrine was that God "loved the world;" as a comment thereon, he "gave himself for us ;" and therefore laid it down as an axiom in the evangelical philosophy, that "it

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" is more blessed to give than to receive a " As he came into the world to proclaim and to show mercy, so his law was the law of kindness, and his religion the religion of love.

What pleasure, then, must this day afford to every intelligent mind! with what joy must it fill every Christian heart, when our eyes are blessed with the sight of so illustrious an assembly of persons, bent upon convincing the world of the relation they bear to the Redeemer, by submitting to that test which himself hath appointed!" By this shall all men "know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one "to another"." And as your attendance upon this occasion is a proof that much of the task devolved upon the preacher is already done to his hand, by the preparation and disposition of your hearts, towards the good work which it is his province to recommend to you; so he cannot but feel great comfort and encouragement in the reflection, that his subject is one which needeth not the skill of the orator and rhetorician to amplify and adorn it. It requireth only to be set forth in its native and artless dress :— "We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are "as widows."

The state here described is one so full of distress and so void of comfort, that we cannot be surprised at the effect naturally produced in the minds of the compassionate by the words which describe it. The eye of Heaven seemeth to drop a tear of pity over persons in this condition: the Almighty frequently

a Acts, xx. 35.

▸ John, xiii. 35.

acknowledgeth himself to be, as it were, overcome by their cries, and necessitated to take them under his immediate patronage and protection. The same God, who, in one verse of the lxviiith Psalm, is described as gloriously riding upon the heavens," appeareth in the very next verse, as "a father of "the fatherless, and a judge of the widows." "For as his majesty is, so is his mercy." "Great is

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"" our Lord, and great is his power, yea, and his "wisdom is infinite"." But the chorus in which sinners most chiefly delight to join is this, "His

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mercy endureth for ever:" that mercy which employed his infinite wisdom to contrive, and his great power to execute, the plan of our redemption: that mercy which delivered the miserable, and thereby laid an obligation upon all men to do likewise.

The poor afflicted orphan, thrown upon the wide world, there to wander without house or home, in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness, in pain and sickness; craving of those, who pass by the way regardless of his complaints, and not at leisure to be troubled with his pitiable story, one morsel of bread for the love of Jesus-what is he but a picture of fallen man, cast out of Paradise, and doomed to wander a stranger and a sojourner upon the earth; hungering and thirsting after something that might satisfy his empty soul; incessantly beat upon by cares and sorrows, imploring, for the love of the same

Psal. lxviii. 4, 5. e Psal, cxlvii. 5.

ccles. ii. 18. f Psal. cxxxvi,

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