until long after the power of utterance has ceased, so that a pressure of the hand answers the affectionate question to which the tongue strives in vain to reply. Meanwhile the breath becomes troubled and irregular, more painful, feebler, shorter. The pulse is trembling and almost imperceptible. First the left ventricle, then the right, loses its motion. There is sometimes a laboring, groaning struggle as if in a dream, while all is fainter and fainter, at every successive moment. Perhaps a convulsive stretch precedes the instant in which, after successive ebbs, the breath expires."-Burgess. Either through a relaxation of muscles held in firm positions during life by dominant principles or passions, or else through the mere absence of emotional play of feature, the countenance often returns to the appearance it wore in childhood. Startling resemblances to relatives or ancestors, never before noticed, can oftentimes be seen. The happiest change of all is when the tide of life goes down, and with it all the surges of care from the ocean of the years, which now lies still and quietly sparkles with the light from above. And then one departs with glad face unto the presence of God. Ecc. xii. 7. "The spirit shall return to God who gave it." (Cf. Luke xvi. 22 and xxiii. 43; 2 Cor. v. 6, etc.) Even heathen nations recognize this thought. 2. Never to return until the Resurrection. Job xiv. 11, 12. "As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: so man lieth down, and riseth not till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep." (Cf. Job vii. 9, 10; x. 21; xx. 9; Ps. lxxxviii. 39.) 3. Uninterested in Life. 2 Chron. xxxiv. 28. “Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of the same.' (Cf. Job xiv. 21 and xxi. 21.) 4. Death puts an end to all earthly projects. Job xvii. 11. "My days are past, my purposes are broken off." (Cf. Ecc. ix. 10.) XX. DEATH OF THE RIGHTEOUS. Met with resignation. Gen. 1. 24. Removes from coming evil. 2 Kings xxii. 20. Precious in God's sight. Ps. cxvi. 15. To have death robbed of its sting. 1 Cor. xv. 56, 57. To be present with the Lord. 2 Cor. v. 8. It is gain. Phil. i. 21. A sleep in Jesus. 1 Thess. iv. 14. Ends in a crown of life. 2 Tim. iv. 8. In a joyful resurrection. Is. xxvi. 19; Dan. xii. 2, etc. Is blessed. Rev. xiv. 13. XXI. DEATH OF THE WICKED. Foolish. 2 Sam. iii. 33. Sad to survivors. 2 Sam. xviii. 9, 33. Often marked by terror. Job xviii. 11–15. Often sudden and unexpected. Job xxi. 13, 17, 21. Like the death of beasts. Ps. xlix. 14. Without hope. Prov. xi. 7. XXII. PROVISION FOR PASSING OVER THE DARK RIVER. Josh. i. 11 and iii. 4. "Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it ; for ye have not passed this way heretofore." 1 Tim. i. 15. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." (Cf. 1 Cor. xv. 31; 2 Cor. iv. 11, etc.) "I have often inquired what there is within us or without us on which a sinner can rest in a dying hour. If it be a holy life, there can be no peace for me-taking the law Yet I of God for my standard; backslider is my name. The following passages were found in Mrs. Isabella Graham's pocket, after her decease, as her "provision" for this purpose. Perhaps if others will turn to them in their own Bibles they may prove equally precious. Ex. xvi. 35; Deut. viii. 2-6; Josh. iii. 5-17; Ps. x. 17; xxiii. 4; li.; lxii. 1, 2, 5, 7; lxxiii. 24; ciii; cvi. 1, 4, 5; Is. xl. II, 27-31; xliii. 1-4, 24, 25; xliv. 21-23; xlv. 22, 24; xlvi. 4; Jer. i. 32; ii. 13, 14, 17, 31; iii. 1, 4, 12, 13, 14, 20-22, 25; Lam. iii. 27; Ezek. xvi. 63; xxxiv. II16, 29-31; xxxvi. 25-32; Dan. ix. 3-9; Hos. ii. 19, 20; xiii. 9; xiv. 1-8; Joel ii. 12, 13. Matt. xviii. II; John i. 20; iii. 14, 31, 33, 35; iv. 10; vi. 51, 56, 63; vii. 37; x. II; xi. 25-27; xiv. 18-20; xv. 1-8; xvi. 13-15; xvii. 20-24; Acts iii. 21; I Cor. i. 30; iii. 21, 22; Gal. ii. 20; Eph. i. 6, 7, 12; ii. 4-22; iii. 14-21 ; iv. 4, 15, 16; Col. ii. 8, 9; iii. 3; Heb. iv. 14-16; viii. 10-12; 1 John v. 9-11. XXIII, TIMELY WARNING TO BE GIVEN. Isaiah xxxviii. 1. "In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death, and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, came unto him and said, Set thine house in order, for thou shalt die, and not live." "I. Friends must speak truthfully to sick friends, and tell the sick the real danger of their case. 2. They must remind them of what is preparation for death. 3. Isaiah did this to a king. 4. Preparation is having part in Christ.” -A. Bonar. XXIV. BRIEF WORDS FOR THE DYING. Ps. ciii. 13. "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him, for he knoweth our frame." Ps. 1. 3. thee." "What time I am afraid I will trust in Deut. xxxiii. 25. "As thy day so shall thy strength be." Ps. cxxvii. 2. "He giveth his beloved sleep." 66 Is. li. 12. "I, even I, am he that comforteth you.” I will be with him in trouble." "He stayeth his rough wind in the day Ps. xci. 15. of his east wind." Matt. xiv. 27. 2 Cor. xii. 9. ness. "It is I; be not afraid." "My strength is made perfect in weak Is. xxvi. 3. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee." Job xiii. 15. "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him." Ps. xlviii. 14. "He will be our Guide even unto death." Heb. xiii. 5. "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." Heb. xiii. 8. "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever." Ps. lxxiii. 25, 26. "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." 66 Eph. ii. 14. He is our Peace." Amos. v. 8. the morning." "Who turneth the shadow of death into |