from such to the old age of cheerfulness! The heart has lost the folly, but retained the freshness of by-gone years. It is satisfied and ministers satisfaction. There is a warm grasp and a bright smile for every one. The music which lightened the cares of business heightens the joys of repose. Let me not be misunderstood. I advocate not frivolity or gaiety, or the pursuit of foolish, pleasures. Nothing is more unseemly than old people dressing like young men and women of twenty, or rushing with eagerness to all the scenes of worldly mirth and excitement that may be within their reach. The poet has well likened persons of this class to

“Damaged clocks, whose hands and bell dissent,

Folly sings six while Nature points at twelve." Such ridiculous imitation of youth cannot be too strongly reprobated and condemned. Yet, I maintain, that one of the most delightful objects this world supplies is a thankful, cheerful old man ; grateful for the past, happy in the present, hopeful as to the future, satisfied with what God has given him here, and joyful in the prospect of his inheritance hereafter. . THERE ARE SPIRITUAL CONTRASTS.—What a lovely picture is the old age of piety! In early life that holy man was convinced of sin and converted to God. Taking the Lord for his guide and protector, he was preserved from the snares and temptations of the world.

“His youth was innocent; his riper age

Marked with some act of goodness every day.” The fear of the Lord has been the motive and rule of his action through life. No service has been counted equal to that of the Redeemer.' What a blessing he has been to his neighbourhood and to the world! All who know him pronounce his name with reverence. Still the palm-tree flourishes ; and though much of the foliage of earlier profession has departed, the matured fruits of piety hang in large and plenteous clusters. Happy and honoured is the church which contains such a saint! Younger Christians flock to him with their cases of conscience their doubts-their perplexities—and their temptations ; professors in haste after the pleasures or the riches of the world are rebuked by the high and commanding tone of his religion ; his very presence is sufficient to make the trifler serious, and close the scoffer's lips ; his counsels are more precious than gold. Many awakened and anxious souls, departing from the City of Destruction, he has directed, like Bunyan's Evangelist, to the Wicket-Gate ; many believers, mourning because of beclouded evidence, have found their midnight changed into noon as he has poured light into their hearts; many waverers have been strengthened and encouraged by his représentations of Divine faithfulness and support: he has power with men. And he has power with God too. Who can tell what his prayers have effected ? Who can trace the innumerable links which connect his intercessions with the prosperity of Zion ? Again and again he has attracted the showers and sunshine of heaven on the withered and drooping plants of grace. Often has he stood with his censer, like Aaron, between the living and the dead, that the plagne might be stɛyed. Only eternity can reveal how much good has been secured by that one man. How rich is his inward satisfaction ! No one is more sensible than himself of his manifold imperfections. He has studied his own heart so well that he knows more of evil concerning it than any one can reveal to him. He longs for more thorough deliverance from sin. Yet long ago he saw himself accepted in the Beloved, He knows whom he has believed, and is persuaded that he will keep that which He has committed to his trust until the last day. He has a peace that passeth all understanding a joy unspeakable and full of glory. He reviews the past with gratitude. He anticipates the future with hope. Whenever his work is done, he is ready to say with old Simeon, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word.” We have not in all this drawn an imaginary picture. The history of the church would furnish many originals. Our memory goes back to the days of childhood, and presents a subject which we have but feebly copied. From such a man our earliest lessons of divine truth were received. By him our youthful impressions were deepened, and our young discipleship fostered with the tenderness a nurse cherishes towards her little one. Even now his grey hairs and beaming eyes and ruddy countenance are before us and his pathetic and tremulous tones reach us across the distance of years, like music borne over the waters from remote shores.

Alas! that we should have to follow this comment on the words of the Psalmist by such language as the Prophet employs : “ The sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.” There are, however, old sinners as well as old saints; and of all sinners, old sinners are the most hopeless. They,

. . : “Like aged trees, Strike deeper their vile root, and closer cling,

Still more enamoured of this wretched soil.” The philosophy of this deep depravity may easily be explained. There is a certain pride which does not like to admit, even when it is convinced of the truth, that the whole life has been wrong. Appeals have been so frequent in many cases, and have been so often resisted, that they have lost all their power. Habits have been so confirmed by oft-repeated transgression, that to sin is as natural as to breathe, and vice seems as dear as life. The worst cases of insensibility I have ever witnessed have been among old persons. How great a curse is the hoary sinner! Who has not exclaimed with Job, when contemplating his career, “Why do the wicked live, become old ?” It is among the mysteries of God's ways that a man in all respects qualified for wide and prolonged holy influence should be cut off in early life, or the prime of his days, while another, whose existence is more fatal than the plague, should be permitted year after year to spread moral disease and death on all hands. Have you never seen men of this character? Grey-headed transgressors, who, no longer able to indulge, as they have been wont, in the gratification of their lusts, will yet, like some animals who chew the cud, call up again and again the scenes of their former wickedness, and revel in the recollection of them. How many guile

less youths have been corrupted by the drivellings of besotted and debauched years! What a fearful account has many an old sinner had to give ere this! What curses from the hotbeds of ruin have followed him to his grave! How his former iniquities now enhance his damnation ! Memory is not dead. Its power is one of the chief elements of his hell. How miserable old sinners often are, even in this world ! Especially is this the case with one of the besetting sins of advanced years—I mean covetousness.' Perhaps there is no sin which so strengthens with the progress of life as this. A man who is penurious in his habits—who is over-anxious to get money, and over-reluctant to part with it—who is beginning to regard gold as his idol, may be sure that, if not carefully watched, the passion will so increase with his years that at last it will expel every nobler feeling. It will corrode around his heart, and eat up all its good. ness and joy. He will become at last an old miser, which, in plainer English, is an unhappy old man. Well would it be for the miser if this were all. But the Bible speaks of covetousness as idolatry, and tells us that no idolater can enter the kingdom of God. If the miser's earth be so wretched, what must be his hell? “Take heed and beware of covetousness."

Is the reader an old man, unforgiven and unsaved'? You have not long to live. Be alarmed at your state. See your danger, how terrible and how near! Do not, however, despair. The devil who in youth persuaded you it was too soon to serve the Lord—whó in middle life induced you to postpone religion until the cares of your family or your business were over, now tempts you to give up all hope. He laughs at you for having listened to him before, yet hopes to secure your attention again. He is still a liar as in the beginning. It is not too late. You are an old sinner ; but God's mercy is from everlasting. Your stains are many, foul, and deep ; but the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sin. Do not despair. Neither delay. Your sands are well-nigh run out. Your tide is ebbing fast. Your lamp is flickering in the socket. Your nightshadows are deepening into darkness. You have not one moment for postponement, or even hesitation. Haste to the Redeemer's cross. Rely on his atonement. “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved !”

One word in closing to all who may grant this paper a perusal. You must see that if ever you live to be old, your old age will be very much what you please to make it. You have not, I admit, full control over your social position ; but even this is much more within men's compass than they are apt to imagine. You may not altogether have command over the physical and intellectual powers of your advanced years ; yet even these you may shape to a large extent. But moral character rests with yourselves. You may either make yourselves hardened, inveterate transgressors-curses to your selves and to others-terrible specimens of the destructive power of sin ; or, by God's grace solicited and secured now, you may become for years fountains of moral health to the world-splendid examples of what God's Spirit can effect in the renewal of mankind-heirs of blessedness and glory everlasting.

Halifax.

LIFE ETERNAL.
BY THE REV. JAMES CULROSS, M.A., AUTHOR OF

“LAZARUS REVIVED."* 1 "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, pel. and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”—John xvii. 3. '

The New Testament speaks of men as “dead," “dead in trespasses and sins," "alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them;" describes the great change as a “passing from death unto life;" and tells us how God “sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him."

We have got greatly into the habit of conceiving of eternal life simply as deliverance from condemnation and wrath, and the enjoyment of never-ending happiness in heaven. We shift it forward into the next world, and do not feel as if it were a present blessing, to be enjoyed now and here. We think of everlasting spring, and unfading flowers, and bright streams, and golden harps, and starry Crowns. Whatever these things may express of the circumstances and accompaniments of eternal life, they do not in the least tell what in itself it is. It implies deliverance from condemnation, and happiness for the whole nature ; but when you have said this as fully as you may, you have not in the least described itself. A man is pushing his way in the world, and trying to make money. He rises carly, sits up late, and eats the bread of sorrow, to compass his end. He has no thought of anything beyond or above the present world ; als whole mind moves in the region of things seen and temporal.

bus endeavours, fears, enjoyments, hopes, are connected with in Worldly things. You spend an evening in his company, and you see

dat "the world” is the power that moves him, and the portion that ne seeks. You understand what sort of life that man has ; it is his

ery life—to make money. Now, the eternal life of which the New hestament speaks is a new kind of life ; quite different from the old

e in all its forms ; not to be attained by educating the old life, or 712

10 any way improving it. It is called “eternal," not because we receive it after death, but because it does not pass away. If any one wants to know what it is, the New Testament points to the Son.

God, dwelling a man among men, and says, There is eternal life anifested; there it is, disclosed and embodied, in unsullied purity; dat very life which you see in Jesus Christ is the life that God gives to sinful men." begin by noticing that life eternal consists in knowing; knowing d and his Christ, knowing not merely about them, but knowing mselves. You may know a great deal about one, and yet not know his little work, by the esteemed author of the above article, was placed on

e a few weeks since. A perusal of it led us to invite Mr. Culross to conto the pages of our little periodical. We trust he will do so again and

"Lazarus Revived” is a touching exposition of the narrative of the and resurrection of him whom “Jesus loved," and at whose grave “Jesus

It is full of devout and impressive thoughts-thoughts, than which there ring more wanting in modern theological writing. As the book costs Shilling, we trust that it will be perused by many of our readers.

main very life-to te it Testament spe

our table

tabuta +

wept." It is full of de

himself. You may read of him in the newspapers ; hear of him in conversation ; examine some of his works; but have no personal acquaintance with him. Personal knowing (to call it so) is a much. higher thing than knowing by hearsay. Everybody is familiar with the name of Newton, and has heard of his grand views of the material universe. You can conceive of some one becoming acquainted with Newton's views ; receiving Newton's doctrine into his mind; and knowing a great deal about him from the doctrine he propounded. Even this knowing would be high. But it would be still higher, to be acquainted with Newton himself; to know him personally ; to be on terms of intimacy and friendship with him. It is of this latter form of knowing, quite as much as the other, that this verse speaks. It is not said that this knowing brings life, but that it is life. And this is not hard to be understood. You remember your first friendship. There was one with whom you became acquainted years ago ; of fine spirit and noble powers. You remember well, and will never forget, your sacred hours of companionship. Looking back across the dim intervening years, you say, It was life to me to know that friend. You say that, and everybody understands in a moment what you mean. Just so, it is life to know God and his Christ; life in the broadest, truest, highest sense-life eternal.

To know God—that great and glorious Being who is the first cause and last end of all things; the King eternal, immortal, invisible; the high and lofty One, who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; who is Light and Love; whose is the greatness and the glory and the victory and the majesty, and who is exalted as Head above all. A poet has written what he has called a “Universal Prayer," beginning thus :

“Father of all, in every age,

In every clime adored,
By saint, by savage, and by sage,

Jehovah, Jove, or Lord.”

That seems to imply that the worship of Jehovah, Jupiter, or Baal, is very much on the same level-provided it be sincere. Mark how differently this verse speaks. It is life eternal “ to know Thee, the only true God.” It is not life to know these false gods. In fact, it is death; the death of everything noble, true, spiritual, in any people. The knowing which is life is the knowing of “Thee, the only true God.”

The verse adds to the knowing of God, the knowing “ of Jesus Christ whom he hath sent.” You feel at once that Jesus Christ is hereby set on another level from all prophets and revealers of God's name. You could not say, you could not bear to hear it said, It is life to know God, and David, or Paul. There is a testimony in the very form of expression to the excellent dignity of Jesus Christ. One asks, But may I know him? Yes, you may ; better than you own mother's son. We are introduced to the knowledge of him ir the old, sweet, simple story of the gospel; how the Lord of life loved us poor sinners; how his love brought him down from his pur and blessed heaven into the midst of us; how he laid aside his roya