success.

truths revealed in the divine word, is the source of the good man's virtue. How operative then, how incalculably extensive, must be its influence! "A vital faith in the gospel," to use the words of this good man, who, being dead, yet speaketh, "A vital faith in the gospel is a leading act and instrument of moral goodness. It sets before us the most correct and sublime standard of duty; it awakens sincere desires and efforts to reach it; while it gives to these efforts encouragement and strength, perseverance and By bringing pardon to the penitent, and grace to the humble; by engaging divine power to uphold, and eternal life to reward the faithful Christian, it inspires him with invincible courage and activity in the pursuit of perfection and glory. His sincere trust in and loyalty to Christ secure a virtuous improvement of all his talents, a diligent fulfilment of all his engagements, whether civil or relig ious, and a steady performance of the various duties, which his particular calling or relations impose." These are but the outlines of the character of a good man. In his life we see them filled up, and shining forth, in all the beauties of holiness.

His happiness must be summarily noticed. It is a happiness, that partly results from his temper and character in this life; and which will be rendered complete and perfect in the life to come. A good man, saith Solomon, shall be satisfied from himself. No man has such resources for comfort, and for rational enjoyment, as the man of religion. sources! The irreligious man has none.

Such reHaving no

hope, and without God in the world, he can have nothing, which can give him happiness or repose. He is

E

like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest. His unhallowed passions, and upbraiding conscience, must perpetually agitate or torment him. The decree of Heaven too hath determined this awful destiny. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

But the good man has perpetual resources of comfort and happiness. The regulation of his passions and appetites is propitious to his tranquillity and peace; the approbation of his conscience gives him pleasure, with which a stranger doth not intermeddle; the hope of pardon and of "the applauding smile of Heaven" inspires him with holy and elevated delight; and the prospect of the perfection of his spirit and of the completion of his felicity, in the paradise of God, fills him with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

While the good man has such sources, as these, for comfort in life; he has hope in death. At that solemn and eventful period, when the world recedes, and its fairest prospects vanish; he is able to look up, and to lift up his head, for his redemption draweth nigh. He is willing that his earthly house of this tabernacle should be dissolved; because he has a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternał in the heavens. Death, in his view, is not a king of terrors, but a messenger of peace. In the language of sacred triumph, he exclaims: 0 death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? I 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. I have a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

These are but the harbingers of that bliss, which is reserved for the good man in heaven. There his felicity will be completed. There the holy tendencies of his soul will be carried into full effect. When he shall mingle with the spirits of just men made perfect, his own spirit shall attain perfection in holiness. Casting his crown before the throne, he shall unite with all the ransomed of the Lord in ascriptions of praise unto him who loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood; and shall partake with them in that fulness of joy, which is in the presence of God, and in those pleasures, which are at his right hand forevermore.

In that plenitude of joy, in those everlasting pleasures, the spirit of our departed FRIEND is, we trust, now participating; for he was a good man.

He appeared radically to possess a holy temper. The

habitual tendencies of his soul seemed to be toward God and religion. He always discovered a quick sensibility to right and wrong, to holiness and sin. Actions in any respect praiseworthy gave him delight, which he was neither desirous nor able to conceal. Signal acts of beneficence, or of piety, awakened in his bosom strong emotions of pleasure, and received his ardent commendation. The vices of individuals, especially flagrant and prevalent sins, excited at once his grief and abhorrence. It was very apparent, that sin, whether committed by others or by himself, was in his view exceeding sinful. Hence he appears to have been excited to keep his own heart with all diligence; to stand in awe, and sin not. He was equally prompt and skilful to avail himself of every occurrence for infusing religious instruction into the mind, or for impressing it on the heart. He singularly exemplified the apostolical precept: Let your speech be

alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may

know

how ye ought to answer every man. He seemed to have no greater joy, than to see men walking in truth, and to aid them in a holy course. He had his own conversation in heaven, and was studious to raise that of others to the same sacred height. If then the treasure determines where the heart is; if the fruit designates the quality of the tree; if the stream demonstrates the nature of the fountain; we have just ground to conclude, that he had a holy temper; that a sanctified heart was the vital principle of his religion; that he was born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

This conclusion is justified by the holiness of his life. In the performance of the duties of piety he was uniformly exemplary. As his heart was engaged, so his life was occupied, about his Father's business. The honour of God and of his Son Jesus Christ, and the advancement of the Christian cause, were objects dear to his soul; and to the promotion of them he was zealously devoted.

In the performance of moral and relative duties, he was upright and faithful. His benevolence to mankind was habitually shown, by his tender sympathy in their distresses; by his readiness to relieve their temporal or spiritual wants; by his generous hospitality; and especially by his unabating desire and aim to bring all men, who were within the reach of his influence, to the knowledge of the truth, that they might be saved. His religion, derived from the fountain of purity, was pure and undefiled in its nature, extensive and sublime in its influence. It inspired him with a philanthropy, which counterfeit virtue can never feign. It prompted him, to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with his God; to visit the fatherless and widows, in their affliction; and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

His mental powers, and his literary attainments, ac. companied and sanctified by such eminent virtue and piety, signally qualified him for those high stations, which were assigned to him by the great Head of the church. His mind was distinguished for its vigour and activity. It was much employed in deep contemplation; and was fertile in thoughts, at once original and entertaining, solid and refined, practical and useful. While he thought for himself, he was respectfully and delicately attentive to the sentiments of those, with whom he conversed. His unaffected modesty, which never forsook him, rendered him swift to hear, slow to speak.

He acquired his choicest learning in the school of that divine Teacher, who was meek and lowly in heart. There he imbibed the spirit of his Master. To those great sentiments, which he firmly believed, and ably vindicated, he never authoritatively demanded the assent of others. If a subject were of small importance, he made the most generous allowance for that diversity of opinion, which, among imperfect beings, of different dispositions, education, and habits, seems inevitable. His candour was, accordingly, equal to his humility. In disputation he was neither virulent, nor captious. Disregarding what affected not the merits of the question, he fastened his attention on those great points, by which the question must plainly be decided. Here he displayed ingenuity of address, manliness of thought, and cogency of argument. Open and generous, he appeared honestly to contend, not for victory, but for truth.

With such an understanding and heart, united to the propitious opportunities and means of improvement, which he enjoyed at the university while a student, and