omitting to pray for him particularly and distinctly at the funeral of a son, who died and was buried in his, (the father's) absence. He said, he did not suppose that prayers did any good or hurt. God's plan is fixed; and as he is a good being, so his plan is good, and men's prayers will not alter it. But as it is customary to have a prayer at a funeral, and to make mention of the principal mourners, the omission of his case was an affront, and he would not ask his own minister to pray on the present occasion.

I answered him to this purpose. If your minister were absent, I should not hesitate to comply with your request; for doubtless there will be many present at the funeral, who regard prayers, though you despise them. But I shall not interfere in a dispute between you and your minister, nor take a side against a brother in a matter which I do not understand. I have no reason to conclude, that his conduct has been reprehensible. Be this as it may; your proposal would be a very improper method either for me to manifest my disapprobation of, or for you to signify your displeasure against your minister. Ministers are to take heed to the flock of which they are made overseers; and they have a right to forbid the intrusion of those whom they think to be evil men and seducers. I have no right to perform any official act of the ministry in another man's flock without his request, if he be at home. If I should comply with your request without your minister's approbation, I should not only offend him and his people, but be guilty of a disorderly intrusion.

He acknowledged the propriety of my observations-said he would desire his minister to apply to me-and asked whether I would attend in case he should apply. I told him, I could not at present make any engagement; but must leave the matter in the same situation, as if he had not spoken to me upon it.

I had been previously desired to attend a lecture and preach in that place on the day of the funeral. After lecture I went with

the minister to the house of mourning-when notice was given that the people were ready for prayer, the minister openly requested me to perform that office; and I complied with his request.

In the conversation at my house, the gentleman rejected as absurd, the idea of the divine authority of the scriptures. He said God had given us reason, and this was sufficient; an additional revelation was unnecessary, and therefore could not be supposed. It was natural here to refer him to Paul's argument on the subject. "The things of a man knoweth no man, but the spirit of the man within him; so the things of God knoweth none, but the spirit of God." If I cannot know your mind, unless you will reveal it to me, how shall we know the mind and will of God without a revelation from him? If we cannot by our reason know the less, how shall we know the greater?

Our conversation was desultory. He said, there was no essential difference between virtue and vice; both had their uses, and whatever answered a good end, was good. I observed to him, that as God, according to his own concession, had made us rational creatures, so we might exist in another world. But what are your prospects? Your condition is fixed-your virtue or vice will not alter your fate. You may be doomed to misery, and your piety or your prayers will not reverse your doom. God is good-but this is no security to you. He may be good, and yet make you miserable, however virtuous you are. Say not, this would be unjust. There is, in your opinion, no difference between virtue and vice, justice and injustice, any further than the one or the other answers a good end. If it will answer a good end to make the pious man miserable, there is no wrong; for the good end will make it right. You are in an awful predicament―on your principles you can have no hope. The christian has hope in the gospel which reveals the mercy of God to pardon repenting sinners through a Saviour. You have no hope

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here, for you discard this revelation-and you discard divine mercy too; for you say, there is no difference between moral good and evil, and consequently none between mercy and cruelty. Even natural religion, though your heart and ways were perfect, would afford you no security.

He told me, that by my profession, as a minister, I must pretend to believe the gospel. My living depended on my ostensible faith; but were I free from that bias, I should be an infidel.— If I had been disposed to resent his unpoliteness, and to retaliate his insult, I might perhaps have said, your own reason would persuade you to be a christian, were it not, that an avowal of infidelity seemed most favorable to your obtaining your present lucrative office. So far as money is in the case, your temptation is much stronger than mine.

He said, he believed christianity was a good thing, and was useful to society. I replied, you have said God is a good being. Does he not approve and love this good thing-If he approves it, is it not true? Does this good being love and approve falsehood. You say christianity is useful to society. As a member of society you are bound to encourage and promote it. I advise you no more to infuse into others your pernicious sentiments, for by your own concession they are pernicious to society. No more spend your time in talking against religion in taverns and post-offices and all companies in which you mingle. Be consistent with yourself, and encourage that good thing which is so useful to society.

He said his deceased sister lived and died in the faith of the gospel, and it was her comfort in the prospect of death. I told him, I hoped the time would come, when he would live in the same faith. No; said he, never so long as I have my reason. I answered him, I cannot but think there are some christians who have their reason.

in the ought he appeared a little embarrassed with the gross unpotieness of his expression. But it was gone. He could not easily recall it. It is the pride of infidelity to arrogate all reason to itself, and to stigmatize faith as madness, or hypocrisy. Professing itself to be wisdom, it shows itself to be folly.

August, 1811. I was honored by the University of Cambridge, Mass. with the degree of doctor in divinity.

October 31, 1811. This was a solemn day. It was my birthday. I then completed my 80th year. I desired the attendance of my people. Though the day was stormy, there was a decent attendance, even beyond my expectation. I spake to an attentive audience from the words of Barzillai; I am this day fourscore years old. I addressed the aged, the heads of families, and the youth-and gave such advice as seemed to me to be important to them on the near event of their minister's death, or previous disability, and the vacancy which consequently would take place in the society. The day and discourse were impressive to the speaker, and I hope they were so to the hearers. May God prepare him for his departure, forgive his many failings and accept his desires to promote religion among his people; and may he watch over them to preserve them in peace; and may he and they be gathered together in the presence of Christ at his coming.

April 21, 1812. I preached a sermon in Springfield, at the institution of a society for the encouragement of foreign missions. It was printed, at the request of the society, with this title," The angel preaching the everlasting gospel." Revelation xiv. 6, 7.

I was called to attend an ecclesiastical council at Dorchester, on May 12, 1812. On the preceding Lord's day I preached in the second church in Boston. The discourse in the morning was from Mark ix. 38, 39, 40, containing Christ's rebuke to his disci

ples for their irregular zeal in his cause. This discourse was ¡mered at the request of the hearers.

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I experienced the kind care of Providence in giving me a pleasant interview with many agreeable friends, in preserving me through the journey, and bringing me safely to my family.

August 25, 1816. This day concluded the 60th year of my ministry. It was Lord's day. I requested the attendance of my people, and preached to a large audience from Prov. ii. 38. Application was made for a copy, which was granted.

September 1. An unusual attention to religion in the parish within the year past, is matter of joy-fifty-five have been added to the communion since the preceding September, and the attention still continues.

Concluded by another hand.

From the last mentioned period, the publick stated ministrations of Doctor Lathrop were continued without interruption until the last sabbath in March, 1818, the day which completed the sixty-second year from the commencement of his labours as a candidate. In consequence of the increasing infirmities of age, and especially, of the great imperfection of his sight, he, at that time, notified his society of his determination to decline the public services of the sabbath, and requested them to provide for him an assistant, or colleague. On this occasion, he addressed them in a kind of valedictory discourse, giving them seasonable counsels and cautions, and affectionately commending them to the benediction of Heaven. Though the defect of his sight was so great as to prevent him from reading even the productions of his own pen, he continued, for some time, as a pleasant intellectual exercise, to write about one sermon a week, which was read by another person as a part of the publick exercises of the sabbath. He also occasionally delivered an extemporaneous discourse, both