Would we “die the death of the righteous, and have our last end like his,” our lives must be preparatory—­we must “mind the things which belong to our peace—­live in all good conscience before God, and not suffer ourselves to be moved away from the hope of the gospel.”

III.  Though when “the mystery of God shall be finished, his judgments will be made manifest;” hitherto, “his way is in the sea, and his judgments are a great deep.”  We know that his way is perfect; but witness many things in the divine administration, which we do not understand.  We have no line to fathom the depths of providence.

Often the perfect and the upright are early removed out of life —­those who are friends of religion, and supporters of order and justice; whose hearts are filled with benevolence—­who are the excellent of the earth!  While those of different characters, who we should suppose might well be spared, yea, whose removal, we should judge a mercy to the world, are left to prolong their days!  Some who are early vicious, and daily grow worse are nevertheless continued, and permitted to dishonor God, and spread error and mischief among mankind, till at “an hundred years old they die accursed!”

Such events often occur, and under the divine administration!  They are permitted of him who cannot mistake!  In a sense, they are the Lord’s doings, and marvelous in our eyes!

“The Lord reigneth, let the earth, rejoice—­Clouds and darkness are round about him:  Righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.  Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord.”

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SERMON XXVI.

Departed Saints Fellowservants with those yet on Earth.

Revelation xxii. 9.

“I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets.”

The revelation made to St. John in the isle of Patmos, was a comfort to the suffering apostle, and a blessing to the church.  “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the word, of this prophecy.”  The beginning indeed was dark; the prophetic sketch, was for sometime, gloomy:  It unfolded a strange scene of declensions and abominations, which were to disgrace the church of Christ and mar its beauty; and dismal series of woes on woes, for many ages.  The church then so pure, was to be corrupted, to become “the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, and to make herself drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus!” When the apostle “saw, he wondered with great admiration.”  Had the vision closed with similar discoveries, no joy would have been occasioned by them; but grief ineffable.  The apostle might have sunk under them.  But they finally appeared diverse, and adapted to comfort him, and fill his heart with joy.  He saw the cause of Christ triumphant—­true religion to have become universal, and heavenly glory the reward of the faithful!