And

putting ourselves in his presence by an act of faith, and maintaining ourselves there by the practice of faith in walking in his ways, both in thought, and word, and deed. Is not the man who lives such a life distinguished from the multitude, both before the eyes of men, and of Christ? The former see his good deeds, the latter sees his good thoughts also. And surely if the world to come shall be different from this world, the child of the world to come must be different from the child of this world. if the spirit be different from the flesh, he that is sowing to the spirit must be different from him that is sowing to the flesh. All know this well, all can immediately distinguish one from the other, as one of the crowd might have distinguished Zacchæus on the tree from the man that was under it. And the consciences of all approve the one, and condemn the other. Why then do not all follow the example which they approve, and strive to climb the height of Christian excellence, whence they may see their Saviour, and be seen of Him clearly, and continually; whence they may see Him from his cross, through his throne of intercession, to his judgment-seat, and He may see them from their death unto sin, through their life unto righteousness, to their dwelling in his house for ever? Why should not this precious communication between Christ and his people be general? Can they have faith, or love, who

will not put themselves to any trouble to see Christ? Had Zacchæus not been in earnest he would never have thought of the tree; and even if he had been nothing more than curious, he might have feared the danger of so frail and so conspicuous a position. He might have looked at it with a notion of climbing, and then on consideration given up the notion. And so it is with many. They wish and yet they decline to mount the height which would give them the full view of Christ. They are afraid of worldly consequences. And they set not sufficient value on the heavenly.

But is it not the desire of every one, who allows himself serious moments of thought on that which is to become of him, to be entertained by Christ in the house of his heavenly Father, and there to be set down to the feast of eternal life and glory, in company with all the children of God, and brethren of Christ? And has not Christ declared that He must be entertained in this world by those whom He will entertain in the world to come, both by being taken to dwell in the heart by faith, and by being represented by every brother, to whom, through that faith, they exhibit deeds of Christian love? And does He not invite Himself, saying, "To-day I must abide at thy house," and thus honour with his heavenly presence the spiritual feast which is made for Him by all who, like Zacchæus, are eager to set their eyes

upon Him, and with thankful adoration to behold their Redeemer to eternal life? Surely the course is clear. From the contemplation of so glorious, so stupendous an end, we come to a very plain beginning. We must lift ourselves up above the common thoughts of this sinful world. They effectually shut out all view of Christ from the heart. If we be content to stand at their low level, we must be content to lose the earnest of the sight of the King of glory on his everlasting throne. And can we have the fulfilment without the earnest ? They who think to see Christ for the first time on the last day, will assuredly never see Him again. But they who have directed their lives by the sight of Him, as their Redeemer, Intercessor, Judge, and King, shall behold Him with their eyes as He sits on the throne of his glory, and shall abide in his house for ever.

SERMON XXXV.

THE VALUE OF TIME.

(Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity.)

EPHES. V. 16.

"Redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

To bring past time back again we all know to be impossible. With much more reason may we think of bringing back the water that has run into the sea, or throwing up the huge rock to the top of the lofty precipice from which it has fallen down. What then is meant by redeeming the time? Is it nothing more than making up for lost time, by putting to the best account the time that still remains? We can all, indeed, understand very well that; in matters of the work of this world, which we have to do, with man for our judge, we can make such amends as man will accept. If he has appointed us a certain time wherein to finish our work, then, if when half of the time is gone, we have done but one quarter of the work, it may still be possible to finish it within the time, and

to do the remaining three quarters by working three times as hard in the last half. Though, indeed, none but a very careless person would throw himself on such unnecessary toil and doubtful chance as this.

But what are we to do in the case of the work

set us by God? Man can claim but part of our time, and if we fail in it, we can satisfy him by giving him out of the time which is still our own; we may stay later in the evening, for coming late in the morning, for instance. But all our time, all our years, with all their days, evenings and mornings, hours, minutes, and moments, are the Lord's. Whence then are we to satisfy Him for any that we lose? And our work is of that nature, that we cannot in any way manage that one part done beyond what is required, should make amends for another part done below what is required, because the Lord requires the very utmost that we can do. If we have not worked heartily, we have done nothing that He will approve. And while in the work of this world only, a man may be three times as good a workman as he was before by becoming thrice as industrious; in the work of the world to come, if he is not industrious, he is corrupt by nature; and his becoming three times as industrious will only produce three times as corrupt and bad work, unless indeed meanwhile his nature be completely changed.