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diftinguifhed reputation which he maintained to the end of his life in that confpicuous ftation, is well known to the public. He had naturally a found conftitution; and enjoyed an uninterrupted feries of good health, till, in the month of February 1782, he was fuddenly feized with an apoplexy. He recovered at that time; but his' 'fpirits and vigour were greatly impaired. He went to the country in the beginning of the following fummer; and his health was fo far reftored, that he was able to return to his minifterial labours in the month of September. From that time he continued to officiate regularly in public, till death put an end to his labours and to his life together. On Friday the 4th of April 1783, it was his turn to preach in the morning. He left his houfe in good health, and performed the public fervice in his ufual manner. In the conclufion, he discovered fome symptoms of uneafinefs; and, in his return from the church, faid to a friend, that he had got a headach by preaching. Having reached his own houfe with fome difficulty, he was inftantly feized with a ftupor; and though immediate affiftance was procured, he expired in lefs than two hours.

THE Editor does not prefume to delineate his character. This has already been done by a more mafterly hand. The Reverend Dr. BLAIR, who has given many other teftimonies of respect for the memory of his deceafed colleague, has been fo obliging as to permit the publication of the concluding part of his fermon, preached on the 13th of April 1783; for which the Editor takes this public opportunity of expreffing his best and most grateful acknowledgments.

CONCLUSION of a SERMON from Eccl. . 7. preached in the High Church of Edinburgh, hy Dr. HUGH BLAIR, 13th April 1783, on occafion of the death of Mr. ROBERT WALKER.

-AFTER what has been faid on the fubject of death in general, and in particular upon the uncertainty of the time of it, your minds must naturally have turned towards that melancholy event which has lately befallen, in the fudden removal of your faithful and worthy paftor; and you will easily imagine, that this has given occafion to the train of meditation we have now been pursuing.Upon fuch an occafion, I know this Congregation will indulge me, in paying the laft tribute of refpect to the memory of a colleague whom I efteemed and loved; and in connection with whom I have comfortably paffed a great part of my life. He was the acquaintance and companion of my youth. For nearly the period of twenty-five years we were affociated in the charge of this Congregation; and during all that long tract of time, though we often differed in fentiments about public matters, yet that difference never interrupted our cordial correfpondence, nor occafioned any breach of mutual friendship. The character of his mind, indeed, was fuch as fitted him for agreeable intercourfe with all who had any connection with him. His understanding was found and juft. His paffions, though originally ftrong, were brought under remarkable government. His difpofition was cheerful: his temper calm and regular. God had bleffed him with great natural abilities. To a quick and folid judgment, were added the powers of the most correct tafte, which he enjoyed in a high and uncommon degree. Seldom have any been endowed with a more juft difcernment of what is beautiful in compofition and discourse,

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or with a more accurate fenfibility to what is becoming in manners and behaviour. Poffeffing thefe talents, he was at the fame time modeft, unaffuming, unpretending. He was fimple in his manners; fimple in his taste of life; altogether free from oftentation or vanity. A manly firmness formed the distinguishing part of his character. As he acted uniformly upon principle, he was bold and undaunted in maintaining what he judged to be right; but without the heat of violence or paffion. No man ever poffeffed a more independent fpirit. About the advantages of worldly fortune he was little folicitous.He formed to high views. He made no ambitious claims. He was easily contented and fatisfied; and as he was entirely free from covetoufness, so he was a ftranger to envy. To the merit of others he was ever difpofed to do juftice. His eye was not evil when they prospered. He was fuperior to the little competitions and jealoufies which prevail in vulgar minds.

These particulars, relating to his character as a man, I am thoroughly qualified, from my long perfonal knowledge of him, fully to ascertain. With regard to his public labours, my teftimony is of lefs confequence to those before whom I now fpeak, who have fo long had full proof of his talents, and experience of his affiduity and fidelity in the miniftry of the gofpel. There, indeed, he appeared in the highest character, as an eminent and fuccefsful labourer in the Lord's vineyard. To this important work, his greatest application was bent.

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this, he allowed nothing else to interfere. His whole ambition centered in acting his part with the dignity and propriety that became the facred character which he bore. By the elegance, neatnefs and chafte fimplicity of compofition in his Sermons, and by the uncommon grace and energy of his delivery, he rofe to a high and juftly acquired reputation. But mere reputation was not his object. He aimed at teftifying the whole counsel of the grace of God; at dividing rightly to every man the word of

truth;

truth; inftructing the ignorant, awakening the careless, reproving the finner, and comforting the faint; as all who belong to this Congregation well know.

Suitable to fuch a life were the manner and circumftances of his death. It pleafed Providence to carry him away, as in a moment, from the discharge of that work in which he delighted, to the enjoyment of its reward. His death was like an immediate tranflation from the work of the fanctuary on earth, to the employments of the fanctuary above. He was permitted to escape, in a great degree, from the melancholy approaches of the laft foe. He endured no long continuance of pain. He underwent no violent ftruggle. The garment of mortality easily dropt off; and the fervant of God fell asleep in the Lord. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the latter end of that man is peace. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord; they reft from their labours, and their works follow them. May the memorial of the just remain with us in everlafting remembrance! Let us remember them that have spoken unto us the words of God. Let us be followers of them who through faith and patience are now inheriting the promises. Let us live the life of the righteous, that we may die his death, and our latter end, like his, may be blessed!

CONTENT S.

SERMON I

I THESS. iii. 8.

For now we live, if ye ftand faft in the Lord,

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The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the

evil and the good,

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Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof,

SERMON V.

ISAIAH liii. 3.

He is defpifed and rejected of men:-He was defpifed, and we efteemed him not,

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Now we know, that what things foever the law faith, it faith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God,

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