whatever efforts our self-love may make to detain us in mortal darkness, and assist the work of self-delusion,-of self-destruction, -it must, I say, be impossible that we can for a moment imagine that we are really striving to enter in at the strait gate, that we are in good earnest endeavouring, in humble reliance on the divine assistance, to work out our own salvation.

And if we find that we have hitherto been acting in so foolish, so childish a manner, as to prefer things perishable to things eternal; that we have chosen the vanities of this world, rather than the happiness of heaven; henceforward, let us endeavour habitually to consider the care of our souls as the only thing which is absolutely necessary. Amidst all our many varied temporal cares and anxieties-those cares and anxieties especially, which peculiarly attach to the state of life to which the Providence of God has called us-let us take heed that we never forget that religion is our principal, our most important business; so important that every thing else sinks into insignifi

cance when compared with it. Henceforward let us endeavour to fix the eye of our mind steadily and resolvedly on the reward which awaits us, unless through our own most culpable remissness we fall short of it. Like the great Apostle of the Gentiles, let us earnestly press forward towards the prize of our high calling. Let us, in fine, endeavour to comply with the exhortation of the text, and in the first place, and before every thing else, seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

SERMON VI.

THE TIME IS SHORT.

1 COR, vii. 29, 30, 31.

"But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives, be as though they had none; And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; And they that use this world, as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away."

THE Corinthian Christians appear to have addressed a letter to St. Paul, requesting his advice and direction on several matters of ecclesiastical discipline, and also with respect to some of the most intimate relations of social and domestic life. Some of these questions St. Paul answers at length

in the seventh chapter of his first epistle to them.

In the interpretation of this chapter there are certainly several difficulties; difficulties occasioned by our not knowing exactly the precise questions, which had been addressed to St. Paul. We may, however, safely say, that much of his answer is to be understood, with a reference to the state of the Christian Church at that particular time, and the various trials and persecutions to which it was exposed ;-" because," as he expresses it," of the present distress."

Together, however, with his more particular heads of instruction, addressed peculiarly to the Christians of that time, St.' Paul gives much excellent advice, applicable to all Christians, of every age and of every nation.

Of this description is the passage which I have selected in my text, in which the Apostle inculcates the duty of moderation in all earthly affections, enforcing what he says by the consideration of the shortness of human life;" But this I say, brethren,

"the time is short; it remaineth, that both "they that have wives, be as though they "had none; and they that weep as though

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they wept not; and they that rejoice, as

though they rejoiced not; and they that "buy as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away."

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This passage I understand, as I have just said, as exhorting us to be moderate in all earthly affections, whether of attachment or aversion, whether of joy or sorrow. We will consider it with attention, and dwell a little upon the several parts of which it consists.

And first, it remaineth," says the Apostle, "that they that have wives be as though they had none."

Of all earthly affections, perhaps the highest and the holiest, is that which subsists between husband and wife. It is more than earthly, for it has something of a heavenly character belonging to it. As marriage was instituted by God himself in man's state of innocence, so it is pronounced