The uncertainty of life, in a state of sin, makes our condition one of imminent danger. The certainty of death, is a truth all admit. The uncertainty of life, in any of its stages, is not, as it ought to be, perpetually felt and influential over us. All must die; some may die suddenly; all must die soon. The lovely rose is often nipped

in the bud, and at best the leaves of the most fragrant flower are soon scattered. In every church-yard there lies the lovely babe of a few days-the sprightly child of a few years the powerful youth just merging into manhood--the man of maturity, and most rare of all "he who came down to his grave like a full shock of corn in his season.' Death's thousand doors stand open-his shafts fly thick around. Reader! suppose yourself conveyed in a moment and by an unseen hand, into the open sea and on board a leaky vessel, the waters rushing in with terrific fury, ready to sink the ship in an instant to the bottom; in such a state of peril would you remain heedless, unaffected, asleep? No! no! You would rush to the pump, you would put forth every energy and strain every nerve, if haply you might escape. The sinner is even now in greater

danger than this. His soul is encircled with the destructive fire of depravity and sin. To continue in this state is to increase the danger by an overwhelming ratio of progression; and in a moment,-yes! in a moment, he may die, and eternal death may become his portion for ever. ner- escape for thy life." the Cross!

Ah! what can I do,

Or where be secure !

If justice pursue,

Pursued sinThou needest

What soul can endure?
The heart breaks asunder,
Though hard as a stone,
When God speaks in thunder,
And makes Himself known,

Lord Jesus, on thee,

I venture to call;

O look upon me,

The vilest of all!

For whom didst thou languish,

And bleed on the tree?

Oh! pity my anguish,

And say "'twas for me.'

22

ESCAPE POSSIBLE.

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We recur, for illustration, to the case of Lot. When it was said to him "escape,' he was placed in a situation which made escape possible.” He was led, by the angel, without the city. The plain was before him. And what he had to do was, to flee from Sodom, "looking not behind him." The situation of Lot in the plain, and the invitation and command given him by the angel is, in a delightful sense, strikingly typical, of the case of every sinner, in the present life. The angel of the Covenant, the Son of God, and the Saviour of man has, by his finished work, placed all men in the "plain" of a salvable condition—a state, that is, in which salvation is wrought out for us, is come to us, is offered for our acceptance, and which, if we accept, we are safe for ever. "I am come, "" says Christ, "that ye may have life, and that ye may have it more abundantly." "God so foved the world, as to give his only begotten

Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” “Whosoever cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." Here we have a full expression of the possibility of escape! We invite the reader to a somewhat more particular proof, of this blessed truth.

The possibility of the sinner's escape is rendered manifest, by the many invitations which have been recorded, to encourage him to come to God and live. Amongst the number, the following may be selected. "And the Lord passed by Moses, and proclaimed-The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin." Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God and there is none else." "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come; and let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that

is athirst, Come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life frcely."

Sinner! study these scriptures. Reader! what can render the possibility of the sinner's escape more evident, than these divine declarations? Let the revealed will of God thus set forth, deeply interest you to these his own invitations prayerfully listen. They are for all the unconverted. We do not say that the eye which now glances on these pages, is connected with a heart insensible to the evil of sin. On the contrary, even profane words to you may now be intolerable. Yet we remind you, so fearful are the ravishes of transgression, that many on whose cheek the blush of modesty has sat with winning gracefulness, and whose tears have readily been shed at the recital of a tale of vice and wo-have nevertheless, in a few short months, themselves stood unmoved in guilt before a Pastor's warnings, a Mother's tears, and a Father's admonitions. Once thus become hardened under a seared conscience, and entangled in a hateful confederacy of vicious companions, and how are you to escape? Inclination must be violated, scorn braved, abuse withstood, an entirely new course followed, and