,
then were all dead [therefore all died]: and that he died for all,
that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but
unto him who died for them and rose again" (2 Cor. 5. 13).

Thus I leave the question to those who love the Lord Jesus Christ in
sincerity; who desire that his name may be a praise in the earth; and
who, seeing that the harvest is truly plenteous, but the labourers
few, are constant in prayer to the Lord of the Harvest that he would
send forth more labourers into it and that he would more abundantly
pour out his Holy Spirit upon his Church, that it may more fervently
desire, and more assiduously labour for, the coming of that day, when
the Lord shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired
in all them that believe. And may the Lord direct all our hearts into
the love of God, and patient waiting for Christ, that if we should be
alive and remain at his coming, we may be caught up to join the
saints who are to come with their Lord in the clouds; and so be ever
with the Lord; or if we go before, may we come with Him in the day of
His glory. Amen.

APPENDIX (referred to in note 1)

It may be necessary to notice the only preceptive passage in the New
Testament which apparently bears a different aspect. This we shall do
for two reasons:

1st.--to meet the readiness with which it is pleaded as a
counterpoise to the otherwise clearly universal doctrine of the New
Testament; and 2ndly--, to prove that, far from its being in
opposition to the principle for which we contend, it is another
illustration of it. The text alluded to is contained in l Tim. 5. 8;
where St. Paul is giving general directions relative to the provision
to be made for widows, making a distinction at the same time between
such as are to be relieved by the Church, and such as are to be
relieved by their relatives. In reference to the latter he says, "He
that provident not for his own, and especially for those of his own
household, hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel
[unbeliever]"; which Hammond thus paraphrases, "But if any man or
woman do not maintain those that belong to them, especially those of
their family (as their Parents clearly are, having a right to live in
their house, and a propriety to be maintained by them (or that they
take care and relieve them) supposing that they are able to it,) that
man or woman doth quite contrary to the command of Christ, and indeed
performs not