ere was not a spot of ground where he might be
more likely to have a call to expose his life in the service of his
country, and perhaps, by appealing on a proper call early in its
defences, be instrumental in suppressing the beginnings of most
formidable mischief. How rightly he judged in these things, the event too
evidently showed.

The evening before our last separation, as I knew I could not more
agreeably entertain the valuable friend who was then my guest, I preached
a sermon in my own house, with some peculiar reference to his case and
circumstances, from those ever-memorable words, than which I have never
felt any more powerful and more comfortable: Psalm xci. 14, 15, 16,
"Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I
will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon
me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver
him, and honour him: with long life (or length of days) will I satisfy
him, and show him my salvation." This scripture could not but lend our
meditations to survey the character of the good man, as one who so knows
the name of the blessed God--has such a deep apprehension of the glories
and perfections of his nature--as determinately to set his love upon him,
to make him the supreme object of his most ardent and constant affection.
And it suggested the most sublime and animating hopes to persons of such
a character, that their prayers shall be always acceptable to God; that
though they may, and must, be called to their share in the troubles and
calamities of life, yet they may assure themselves of the divine presence
in all, which will issue in their deliverance, in their exaltation,
sometimes in distinguished honour and esteem among men, and, it may be,
in a long course of useful and happy years on earth; at least, which
shall undoubtedly end in seeing, to their perpetual delight, the complete
salvation of God, in a world where they shall enjoy length of days for
ever and ever, and employ them all in adoring the great Author of their
salvation and felicity. It is evident that these natural thoughts on such
a Scripture were matters of universal concern. Yet had I, as a minister
of the gospel, known that this was the last time I should address Colonel
Gardiner, and had I foreseen the scenes through which God was about to
lead him, I hardly know what considerations I could have suggested with
more peculiar propriety. The attention, ele