which he always attached to an open acknowledgment, and faithful testimony to the truth. He formed his church, not upon the selfish principle of attracting a numerous membership, but upon the higher principle of making every member a witness for the doctrines of the Gospel. The principle upon which he formed his own congregation, he advocated with modest, yet successful zeal in the Synod of Ulster. He was literally the Father of the Presbyterian Society, instituted in 1827, by which the Orthodox Ministers completed a practical separation from Arian influence. And if, since that period, much has been done, in the Synod, to advance the cause of Gospel truth, and effect a separation from error, it would be but truth to say, though little known to the world, that no inconsiderable part of this blessed reformation has been ewing, under God, to the decision, zeal, and pious determination of William Duncan Stewart. One who knew him well, and loved him well; who often took sweet counsel with him in the cause of Christ; who derived courage from his faithfulness, and perseverance from his zeal, can bear witness to this fact. Truly, he was faithful to his Master, and a portion of his Spirit was mercifully shed abroad upon his friends.

PASTORAL ADDRESS,

BY THE LATE REV. WILLIAM DUNCAN STEWART,
Written during his last illness, a short time before his Death.

EDINBURGH, June, 1831.

To the Presbyterian Congregation of Downpatrick, in connexion with the General Synod of Ulster-Grace, mercy, and peace be multiplied from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

DEARLY BELOVED IN THE LORD,

Ir has been, for some time past, my earnest desire to address you by letter, but, hitherto, by sickness or weakness, have I been prevented.

It has pleased God to lay his afflictive hand on me for some time past, and to deprive me of that health and strength necessary to carry on the honourable work of his Gospel Ministry. How severe a chastisement it is to a Minister, who really delights in his work, to be thus laid aside as it were, and to feel himself become a mere

incumberance to society, it is not, perhaps, easy for any one, without actual experience, to conceive. But when I tell you that I have not only been prevented from conducting religious exercises; but that only in one instance, since my sojourn in Scotland, have I been able to attend public worship, I am sure many of you will understand the feelings with which I lament my exclusion from privileges so dear and comforting to every Christian. But I am fully resigned to his will who "doeth all things well." Already I can see abundant reason to bless God and say, "it has been good for me that I have been afflicted." And trying as the want of your Minister's presence and services must be to you, beloved, I doubt not, that, in the end, you will find it for your good-through prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Christ.

Among the blessings which I have derived from my present trial, one is, that it has led me, and given me opportunity, to weigh maturely those important doctrines and principles which I have preached among you as the Gospel of Christ; and to see how far I can feel confidence in reposing my own hopes upon those statements, which I have, in the name of the Lord, proclaimed to you as "the truth as it is in Jesus."

Now, I bless the God of all grace and truth, that I can call him to record this day, with unhesitating belief, that this is, indeed, the true Gospel of the Grace of God which I have declared to you; and that I can, this hour, without one fear for the result, commit my soul to the tribunal of him who judgeth rightly, knowing that an abundant entrance will be administered, into his kingdom, to every one that believeth the Gospel, and loveth the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Yes, beloved, upon the free Grace of the Father, flowing through the finished work of his Son, Jesus Christ, and received in faith through the operation of the Holy Ghost;-even upon the free grace of God alone, is founded my every hope, and there I would have each of you rest for himself. "If ever saved you will be saved by grace."-Eph. ii. 8.

But, beloved, it is often matter of most anxious inquiry in my mind, what measure of success has attended the proclamation of the Gospel among you. It is a solemn consideration, to which the spirit calls our attention in 2 Corinthians, ii. 15, 16. "For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that

perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life: and who is sufficient for these things?" Every one of you was found by the Gospel in a state of spiritual death, "without God in the world and without hope." If you are still without faith in Christ, and repentance towards God, however improved your outward conduct may be, you are still "dead in sin," and have been incurring new guilt, by every hour's neglect of Christ and his great salvation.

Through the abounding goodness of the Lord, there are those among you, of whom I hope better things-even things that accompany salvation, though I thus speak. There are some of you in whom, I believe, the Lord has begun a good work, whether through my ministry or not, matters little: God giveth the increase. They are espe cially my joy and rejoicing. Suffer then a word of exhortation, dear christian friends, as ye have so often heard from me before : 66 Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." "Blessed is the man that feareth always." You joyfully ascribe all you have to grace; and to grace you look for all your hope. Live up to this profession. Keep mindful of your natural depravity, and be ever seeking for more grace. If you know what you want, you will find it to be only more grace. But let grace reign through righteousness in your hearts and lives. Ye are set on a hill; many eyes are on you,-avoid all appearance of evil; and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and, I pray God, that your whole spirit, and soul, and body, may be preserved blameless until the day of Christ.

Faithfulness to the commission I have received of the Lord, and a fervent desire for the salvation of your souls, oblige me, with grief, to declare, that there are some among you of whom I still stand in doubt respecting their safety for Eternity.

Now, let not any, I pray you, make the application of this to others, but let each ask, with the disciples "Lord is it I?" Be not high-minded. but fear. Many men have scarce a doubt of their safety, and are, through this very carnal security, lost for ever. Think me not uncharitable, when I say, I doubt of some being in a state of salvation. Charity is love. It does not blind us to the spiritual danger of those for whose souls we are set to watch. Nay, it rather makes us quick to see their lost condition, and faithful and prompt to warn them of it, and seek, if possible, to pluck them as brands from the burning.

The Word of God, my beloved friends, declares that all have sinned. The same Word also declares, that the soul that sinneth, (sinneth but in one instance,) it shall surely die. It is written again, "cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them." Now, under the "wrath and curse of God, due to men for sin," every one of us hath naturally lain. Everlasting destruction must be the portion of every man, who flees not from the wrath to come. To do this is no light matter. It is spoken of as "runninglabour-striving-fighting." Now, dear friends, if we see any of you, who are all, by nature, children of wrath, even as others, still living careless and indifferent about the eternal salvation of their souls; unawakened to the inquiry, "what shall we do to be saved ?" going on quietly and securely in neglect of the "one thing needful," surely we must doubt, and more than doubt, that such are not striving to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, that such persons are yet dead in trespasses and sins; and if not awakened to feel deeply for their sin, and to flee to Jesus for pardon and life, that without doubt they must perish everlastingly.

In like manner, when we find, from Scripture, that men "perish for want of knowledge," and that it is upon them that "know not God and obey not the Gospel of his Son," that the Lord will take vengeance in the day of judgment, surely we must tremble for those among you, (if such there be) whose Bibles are unread and almost unknown-who cannot tell to their neighbours, nor to their own drooping hearts, in prospect of eternity, what is the way, the only way of salvation. O, my friends, when, notwithstanding that we testify from Sabbath to Sabbath, in the preached Gospel, that it is by grace,free undeserved favour, ye are saved-we still find you anxious to rest some part of your hope on your own works; must we not "stand in doubt concerning you." He that depends in whole, or in part, upon the merit of any thing he has done, or expects to do, is under the curse ; he is cut off, by his own self-righteousness, from all interest in Christ. For it is thus written, Gal. iii. 10."Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.". Examine yourselves then,-are you brought to reject with abhorrence every imaginary merit of your own, and become willing to be entirely indebted to grace, through the

righteousness of the Redeemer? If so, it is well; if not, ye are yet in your sins, and strangers to his saving power. Nor have I less reason, beloved, to stand in doubt of those who with fairer professions and appearances; with a general knowledge of the plan of salvation by grace, and a zeal for its maintenance; are still found habitually to neglect some known duty, comply with some known temptation, or commit some known sin. If there be any such among you brethren, let them solemnly consider, that "the servant that knew his master's will and did it not, the same was beaten with many stripes ;" and that we are not "Christ's friends, unless we do all things whatsoever he hath commanded us." Yet, brethren, whatever you may find your state or character to be, rejoice that there is hope concerning the very worst condition of man; and salvation in Jesus for the "chief of sinners." The blessed truth stands blazoned on the front of the divine word, "The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin." No amount of guilt, no depth of iniquity, can bar us from its saving efficacy. The efficacy of the Saviour's sacrifice is like his own nature, unbounded and inexhaustible. It can never fail him that trusts it. While every other foundation of a sinner's hope will prove a refuge of lies; this foundation of God, the all-sufficient sacrifice and righteousness of Christ, "standeth sure." "He that believeth on the Son hath life: he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him, John iii. 36. O that we could win every sinner to come to the glorious Redeemer for pardon, and peace, and holiness, and eternal life! Then would

they find that rest to their souls, which is never found but in returning to Christ in repentance and faith. Nothing but your own unbelief can keep you from any of these blessings. Jesus has procured these "gifts for men ; yea even for the rebellious." He delights to bestow them "without money, and without price." His bowels of compassion still yearn over miserable sinners; and his arms of love are opened wide to receive returning sinners. He came to seek and to save the lost, to call sinners to repentance; and still he receiveth sinners, even the chief. Could I but persuade each one of you, my friends, to receive him as your all in all, and to give yourselves up to him, to live to him, and for him, then would I secure your happiness, and my own. Blessed people would ye be in such a case, and great would be my crown, and rejoicing in the day of the Lord.