BAXTER'S FAREWELL SERMON. 523 of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil ; " Eccles. viii. 11. But "behold, the Judge is at the door; " James v. 9. " He that cometh will not tarry; and for all these. things you must come to judgment ; " Eccles. xi. 9. and xii. 14. 5. Be not discourag- ed by your Lord's delay,but wait his coming in faith and patience. Can you not wait for him so short a time? O, how quickly will it be accomplished ! Sink not into despondency of mind. Be not dismayed in the duties or sufferings to which you are called. "Lift up the hands that hang down; and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is' lame be turned out of the way, but let if rather be healed ; " Heb. xii. 12, 18. "Be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord ; " 1 Cor. xv. 58. "Be sober, and 'hope unto the end;" 1 Pet. i. 13. Ye are the house of Christ, if ye hold fast the confdeesce, and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end ;" Heb. ii,. 6. 14. and vi. 11. " Ye have need of patience, that, having done the will of God, ye may inherit the promise;" Heb. x. 36. 11. Doct. V. "When Christ shall again appear to his disciples, their sorrows shall be turned into joy: when Christ returneth, joy returneth,".saith David ; Psal. xxx. 7.. "Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled." But (v. 11, 12.) "Thou hast turned forme my mourning into dancipg ; thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to thee,andnot be silent: O Lord, my God, I will give thanks unto thee forever." When the sun ariseth, it is day, and its ap- proach dispelleth the winter frosts, and revivetfi the almostdying creatures; and calleth up the life which was hidden in the seed, or retired unto the root, after a sharp and spending winter. How quickly Both the sun's return recover the verdure and beauty of the earth, and clothe it in green, and spangle it with the ornaments of odoriferous flowers, and enrich it with sweet and plenteous fruits! The birds that were either hid or silent, appear and sing, and the face ofall things is changed into joy. So is it, 1. With the poor, desertedsoul, upon the return of Christ: unbelieving 'doubts and fears then vanish ; the garments of sadnessare laid aside, and those of gladness are put on ; the language of distrust and despairing lamentations are first turned into words of peace, and then into joyful thankfulress and praise. The soul that was skilled in no spiritual discourse, but complaining ofa'dead and frozen heart, of dull, and cold, and lifeless duties, is now taken up in the rehearsals of the works of infinite love, and searching into the mysteries of redemption, and reciting the gr&át and precious promises, and mag- nifying the name and grace of its Redeemer, and expatiating in
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