hell which have so long echoed with the outbursting lamentations of the damned, begin to resound with the shouts of deliverance, and the cheering anthems of gratitude and joy. Such it is probable would be the result of one day of time, and probation being granted to the prisoners of perdition in their gloomy regions of woe. I do not however mean to insinuate that such a thing will be. Theirs is not the place of time and probation, but of punishment and misery. Time and probation are yours. See and feel their value, and, I doubt not, but you will mourn over your former follies, and labour in future to apply your hearts unto wisdom. I will proceed to urge the lesson of the text from

3. The manner in which we are expected to employ Time. Our eternal happiness or misery depends upon the character of our conduct while in this probationary state of existence.→ The author of our being, He to whom we must render our final account has said to each, "Occupy till I come." And are you, my brethren, desirous of knowing the part you have to perform the work which God demands at your hands.

He requires you to make many sacrifices. When are you to abandon all your sins, whether of custom, pleasure, or profit? When are you to cut off the injurious right hand and pluck out the offending right eye? When renounce the world as to its smiles or frowns, its gains cr losses, its pains or pleasures, and when take up your cross daily and follow Christ? When are you to crucify the old man with his lusts, and mortify the deeds of the body? In one word, when are you to become dead to every alluring evil beneath the sun? When

"Trace Christ's example,

The world to disdain,

And constantly trample

On pleasure and pain.

с

Behold now is the time to abandon these evils, and make these sacrifices, for if this work be unperformed during life, it will remain undone for ever.

He desires you to escape great dangers. Are not you, who are unconverted, aware that you are exposed to eternal misery? Do you not know that there is but a thin partition of flesh and blood between you and hell? You are suspended across the fiery gulph by a thread which is weak in a thousand places. The shears of God's displeasure are ready to cut it asunder. Hell is extending wide her jaws to receive you. The flaming tongue of destruction is moving towards you, and may soon envelope you in the blackness of darkness for ever. And when are you to make your escape from this danger: When call upon Him who alone can help you; When flee from the threatening tempest, and lay hold on Christ as the hope set before you ? When are you to make your refuge under the shadow of Jehovah's wing? All this must be done during the day of life. We tremble a moment, and then we are gone. If we have not fled to the city of refuge, then the season for escape is past,—our chains rivetted upon us,our danger merged in undoubted certainty, and our misery as irreversible as the truth of God.

-

He expects you to perform many duties. In the volume of Revelation the Divine Being has stated his mind. Read this book and you will see the duties you are expected to discharge. Are you children, when must you honour your father and mother, and obey them in all things? Are you parents, when are you to avoid provoking your children to wrath, and to train them up in the love and fear of God? Are you masters and heads of families, when are you with Abraham to direct your household after you in the practice of piety, and say with Joshua, "As for house we will serve the Lord." Are you servants, when are you to serve your masters with singleness

me

and

my

of heart, and yet be the Lord's free men? Are you neighbours, when are you to follow peace with all men, and as far as in you lies please all for their edification and spiritual profit? Are you subjects of a civil government, when are you to render to all their due, custom to whom. custom, and tribute to whom tribu te, and when submit unto the higher powers as those who are ordained of God? Are you members of a religious society, when must you, as the elect of God, put on bowels of compassion,-and exercise gentleness and tenderness to all,-and restore the wavering and doubtful in the spirit of meekness,-snatch the sinning brother from the jaws of hell, and thus hide a multitude of sins? Are you the creatures of a good and benevolent Being, when are you to have respect to all his commandments, love him with all your heart, and mind, and soul, and strength, and devote yourselves unreservedly to him? These, and many similar duties, form the great business of human life, and God requires them to be performed in time.

He designs you to secure many and great blessings. This is your seed time, now you are at liberty to decide for yourselves whether you will be rich or poor, eternally blessed, or eternally cursed. "For whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting." Hence the author of goodness intends you, during the days of your life, to secure many and great blessings. When are your dark minds to be enlightened,—your hard hearts softened, and your numerous sins pardoned? When are you to secure the favour of God,-have your names written in the Lamb's Book of Life,-your fallen nature entirely renewed, and prepared for eternal glory? What blessings can equal these. Yet all these are within our "reach this day. You may be blessed if you will. Hear

the word of the Lord, "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed; and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear." "Now is the accepted time, and this is the day of salvation."

There are three rules by which men form their estimate of the things of this world. Some divines have applied these rules for the purpose of illustrating the value of time.

1. Sometimes the things of this world are valued according to their scarceness,- —as pearls, diamonds, and precious stones. Because they are rare, great search is made after them, and, when found, vast sums of money are frequently paid for them. Viewed in this light, how valuable is time. How highly ought we to estimate it. What in this world is so scarce? The most valuable things of earth can generally be laid up and preserved for a season, and when a fresh acquisition is made, it can be placed to the former stock,—not so with time. We never have more in our possession than a moment at once. God, as though intending to teach men never to waste the smallest portion of it, hands it out by a particle at once. Hence we should part with it as the miser does with his money. We should not let a moment pass without securing its worth, by contributing to the glory of God and the profit of our souls.

2. The things of this world are valuel according to the real or supposed good arising from having them in possession. Thus we form our estimate of silver and gold, as by means of them we can procure almost all worldly good. Measured by the same rule, how incomparable is the worth of time. By improving it, what good,-what heavenly comfort can we secure and enjoy during life,— what support and triumph in death,-and beyond the grave what an exceeding, what an eternal weight of glory. And shall men esteem gold and silver because with them

they can purchase the transient things of this life-things which are unsatisfying in their nature and short in their duration; things without many of which they might pass tolerably well through life, and by the abuse of which, many will sink deeper into hell than they would had they been poor, and shall not we value time by means of which we can procure blessings countless in their number,-incomparable in their worth,-satisfying to their possessor, and eternal in their duration !

3. The things of this world are valued according to the length of the period men are likely to possess them. In many cases it is true that the shorter the time we are likely to have a possession, and the less influence we feel it has on our minds. But this depends upon circumstances. If an object be very scarce,—if we have this object in our possession,-if, while we have it, we can procure immense benefits,—if the period during which we shall enjoy it is but short,-and if at the close of that period the opportunity of profiting by it will have fled for ever, then, under circumstances like these, we should feel it to possess an importance that cannot be estimated. All this is true with reference to time. It is very scarce. Blessed be God, you and I have it in possession. While we have it, if improved, we shall procure inestimable good. But the season of its continuance is short. It may be shorter than the term on which you are reckoning, for breath is in your your nostrils,—you know not what an hour may bring forth. The wood may now be seasoning of which the workmen shall make your coffin, and the materials laid up in your neighbour's shop of which your friends will form your shroud. But a moment, and you may be gone. And then every opportunity of profiting by it is fled, and the night actually arrived when no man can work.

Having noticed a few particulars in the important