to them for one quarter of an hour, with perfect liberty to take out of it, freely, as much of these precious metals as they chose, to support them during that century; suppose to this was added the awful announcement-that if they were wise for themselves, they would diligently employ every moment of the quarter of an hour in securing treasure, seeing it was appointed by heaven that they should have no more provision to live upon during the hundred years of their future existence on earth, than the exact amount of gold and silver which they should succeed in carrying out during that brief period.

How, then, let it be demanded, would they spend that quarter of an hour on which depended their provision for a hundred years ? Would they trifle with one of its moments in eating, drinking, or talking? I trow not. Would they even spend time in carrying out the silver when abundance of gold was equally free to them? On the contrary, I see them working most assiduously carrying out the gold, scarcely having the slightest pause till the quarter of an hour was spent, and the treasury closed for ever! How precious to them these appointed moments! And would not he be their adversary, however much friendship he professed, who sought to divert their attention to some gratification during these favoured minutes? And what would be our estimate of that one of them who could allow any consideration on earth to induce him to waste any of the moments, or who would be led to waste the first part of the limited time, under the delusion that he should be able to make up the loss by double diligence during the remainder of it? Would not his future penury testify to his folly, when he might have secured the richest abundance?

The application is obvious. Our time on earth may be truly said to be less than a quarter of an hour, compared with eternity; and yet on the spending of that little period the enjoyment of millions of millions of years, yea, a neverending eternity, is suspended! Now in this period,-less than a quarter of an hour,-God has, through the blood of Christ, manifested his infinite love to man, in the depth of his poverty and wretchedness, by throwing open to him the treasures of eternal glory. He has commanded him to enter boldly, and become, through the Spirit of God, rich for eternity. He has assured him that all the riches on which he shall live throughout his immortality are to be secured, through grace, during the AWFUL QUARTER OF AN HOUR! He has entreated him by every consideration,-by the greatness of his redeeming love, -the blood of his beloved Son, -the brevity and uncertainty

THE ENGLISH MONTHLY TRACT SOCIETY, 27, RED LION SQUARE, LONDON

of time, and its awful relation to the decisions of the day of judgment, to "labour for the meat which endureth to everlasting life" to "work while it is day"-to "lay up treasures in heaven"-to "seek for glory, honour, and immortality—eternal life!”

What, then, in this view, shall be said of those who are wasting that brief opportunity of becoming eternally rich and glorious on the trifles, the pleasures, the momentary prospects of this world,-when it is awfully certain that the moment when the quarter-of-an-hour life on earth terminates, the treasury of heaven is closed for ever on those who. have thus sold their immortal birthright for a morsel of meat? And when the treasury of heaven is finally closed, then the bank of perdition is opened, when those who have "treasured up wrath against the day of wrath," shall have their accumulated accounts fearfully examined.

Not a few have been awakened-when too late to the unutterable madness of living merely for time, when they were suddenly called to see that time to them was about to expire. I shall never forget a fearful illustration. In my immediate neighbourhood, during the earliest part of my ministry, there lived a rich man who was utterly regardless of eternal things. Becoming suddenly ill, his medical man was sent for in haste. The physician arrived-saw the case was beyond his aid, and earnestly suggested to the dying man, that if he had any earthly business to settle it might quickly be done. Then, and not till then, did the worldling awake to the fact of death being so near. "How long have I to live?" he eagerly exclaimed. "But a brief period, I fear"- -was the reply. "Doctor (he exclaimed) I will give you a hundred and fifty pounds if you will keep me alive for (mentioning a short period). "I cannot do it," was the sad response. "I will give you three hundred if you will do it!" Again it was replied, "I cannot do it." "Doctor (he cried aloud, almost in phrensy), I will give you seven hundred if you will keep in my life for that time." The physician, deeply affected, exclaimed, "I could not insure your life many hours, were you to give me your whole fortune." He died that very night!

My dear reader, be wise to-day. Remember how much of the fleeting period has expired. Remember that every moment spent to please God, through love to Christ, is regarded by the sovereign goodness of God,-who rewards his servants even for what HIS GRACE works in them,—as a jewel laid up in the treasury of eternal glory;—while, on the other hand, time wasted, or spent to the neglect of the great salvation, or to

gratify ourselves, resembles, in its folly, but in an infinitely higher degree, the throwing away precious diamonds into the ocean, for the straws and pebbles scattered on the sea-shore.

But why do men, who are perspicacious in everything affecting their earthly interest, refuse the bright crown of glory and eternal riches-for the momentary gratifications of the world, which they know cannot satisfy them,-while every moment threatens to deprive them for ever of their chosen portion? The only answer is, the exceeding deceitfulness of sin, by which Satan, the god of this world, blinds the minds of those who refuse to believe the gospel-in other words, refuse to consider its nature and evidence with childlike docility. For when any one deliberately prefers sin, or worldly gratifications, to the friendship and favour of God; or is unwilling to rise up and follow Christ in his revealed will, and that at any cost or sacrifice, then sin is allowed, as by a retributive judgment, effectually to darken and pervert the understanding. Hence, such live a life of dreams. Like the beasts which perish, they can see no further than the present! By an awful necessity in these dread circumstances, they unspeakably exaggerate the value of the world. They perceive in a deceitful light its dissolving views, as if they were eternal- -as if they could possibly satisfy the longings and capacities of their immortal spirits.

Here, then, we perceive the grand distinction between a true Christian and a man of the world. The one regards time, with all its brevity and uncertainty, as the chief period of his existence, and values it supremely for its own sake. The other habitually views it in its immediate relation to eternity, and values it chiefly, not for its own sake, but in so far as by it he may "lay up treasures" for everlasting glory, and promote, from love to God, the grand designs for which the Redeemer shed his precious blood. The men of the world look on devoted Christians as fools, because they appear to throw away the idols of the world-its riches, honours, and pleasures. True, it is replied, they appear to throw them away. But it is just, in one point of view, as the husbandman appears to throw away recklessly into the earth,-right and left, his good seed while traversing his fields in the season of spring. And if we could suppose a spectator of the sower entirely ignorant of the process of vegetation and of the prospective harvest, the husbandman would indeed seem to be emphatically a fool. But would that thoughtless condemnation arrest him? No. He has faith in the coming harvest, and hence he sows on. So is it with the righteous; they ever regard time as the sowing

field, and eternity as the reaping field. They are assured, amid all the scorn of the worldlings, that, through grace, a glorious harvest awaits them; when, having sown on earth to the Spirit, amid much trial, and often in tears, they shall reap in joy-everlasting life. Like the ancient man of God, they can give up the world, and esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than all its treasures, for they have respect unto the recompence of reward. Who can move them? The world may hate and persecute the Christian, but he abideth, increasing in vital strength,-growing in grace, and enriching for eternity. Satan may cause one storm of trial to burst upon him after another; but he is on 66 a Rock, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against him." Thus, though enemies oppose, malign, and strive to destroy him, he is like a defenced city or brazen wall, on which, for a moment, the waves beat, but instantly recoil, leaving him uninjured. He may, indeed, be cast into the furnace, that the dross of sin may be consumed, but soon he comes forth like gold seven times purified; and when the world is burnt up, and all its grandeur has passed away like a morning cloud, I behold the tried believer coming with Christ in the clouds of heaven, to hear, in the face of the universe, the glorious sentence, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

Oh, why should any reader practically refuse this glory, and frustrate, by his folly, the very end for which, amid innumerable dangers, his life is preserved from hour to hour? For why is he spared? It is because of God's long-suffering goodness, who is not willing that any should perish, but that all, through the blood of Christ, should come to repentance. Thus the death of Jesus for our sins was an expression of God's infinite love to our souls-was the opening up a "new and living way," by which any sinner may come at once and touch his golden sceptre,-receive a free pardon, and live for If, then, we are spared for nothing else than to obtain this free pardon, through atoning blood-than to glorify the Redeemer, and become progressively prepared for the abodes of glory, we have at once a criterion by which to solve the awful question,-Are we travelling to heaven; or are we ripening, through neglect of the great salvation, for everlasting perdition? For every event, dark or bright, sweet or bitter, is a messenger from God, sent with some immortal lesson to wean our hearts and minds from earth, and draw our souls to Christ-to his infinite love and excellencehis superiority to every created being,-that we may be able,

ever.

experimentally, to respond to the language of the illustrious apostle, in describing the sum of his life" TO ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST, AND TO DIE GAIN.'

E. C.

J. F. SHAW, BOOKSELLER, SOUTHAMPTON ROW, AND

PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON; AND

W. INNES, BOOKSELLER, SOUTH HANOVER STREET, EDINBURGH.

J. & W. Rider, Printers, 14, Bartholomew Close, London.