rewarded him for all his labours and sufferings. He hath exalted him to glory at his own right hand. Jesus hath entered heaven with his blood, and he hath sprinkled it on the mercyseat. He pleads before the throne its value as the great expiation. "Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us.

He ne

Again, our state now can never appear hopeless, for Christ is manifestly superior to all his and our enemies. On him hang all the hopes of man. If we turn our eyes from him, we turn them to the regions of despair and misery. There is no alternative. By sin we are lost, and God alone can save. ver directed man for salvation to any other means than faith in the death of Christ. This is the only path to life. But it was a path few even of the saints saw clearly, till Jesus rose from the dead. One reason, I apprehend, for this was, not the obscurity of the revelation respecting it, but its marvellous naturė. In his life, he often appeared mighty to save--infinitely superior to angels and men. Nothing appeared too great for him. It was then, humanly speaking, easy to trust in him for salvation. But in his death he appeared weak. He was crucified in weakness. The heavens, earth and hell seemed to have conspired against him. It was, therefore, no strange thing that those who had hoped on him for salvation desponded: "They trusted that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel;" but his death confounded all their reasonings. "They walked in darkness, and had no light." It was, in fact, a most unlikely thing that his death should reconcile to God, and give life to the world. Not so his life: for since he is exalted for ever at God's right hand, it is obvious that nothing can be too hard for him; all his enemies are made his footstool. " Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? it is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.' And since by his weakness he hath reconciled us to God, much more by his might he will save us. Never more can believers have apparent reason to despond, if they keep their eyes steadily fixed on Christ. While their eyes are directed to him, their joy, peace and hope shall abound. Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw her shining; for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light."

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Further, being reconciled to God by the death of Christ, there is doubtless greater certainty of salvation by his life, than there was of being reconciled to God. The greatest enemy a man can have, is himself. Hopeless then was our state when we were the enemies of God; and this is the natural character of all men. But the death of Christ reconciles us to God; we

acknowledge our guilt, receive free pardon, and gratefully live to God. We are not, however, beyond the reach of great danger. Satan, and the world, seek our destruction. And what is still more to be deplored and dreaded, our own hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked. "In us, that is, in our flesh, dwelleth no good thing." Still, however, our heart is on the Lord's side. We are disposed to promote our own salvation, the very object for which Christ lives to intercede. We delight in the law of the Lord after the inner man. If, therefore, the death of Christ reconciled us when we were the enemies of God, much more will his life save us when we are his friends. Besides, neither the Father nor the Son can cease to love those who love them.

Finally, the great object of the life of Christ is our salvation. Our reconciliation to God was the great object of his death, and it has been accomplished. He rose, and entered heaven to plead the cause of all who shall believe in his name. He reigns Lord of all, that he may save his people from all evil, and present them before God without spot or blemish, or any such thing. That his death is a divinely suitable means to reconcile us to God, is evident from its nature, the design of God in it, and the effects which have followed. But surely all who reflect on the exaltation of Christ, must be fully persuaded that no means can be possibly more adapted to accomplish the eternal salvation of believers. What can they need that infinite fulness is insufficient to supply? To what danger can they be liable, from which infinite power cannot deliver? Can they be assaulted by an enemy which almighty power cannot overcome? If he did not decline to die, rather than that sinners should remain the enemies of God, assuredly he will not fail to save by his life those who love God. He has no sufferings now to endure, no hazard to run. All power is on his side: yes, all power in heaven and earth are committed unto him. cause I live, ye shall live also." Those therefore who know him best, will have the most entire confidence in him; and they will, with their hearts, adopt his language, who said, "I know in whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."

"Be

D.

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THE END OF TIME.

We have a prophecy which assures us that an angel will one day lift up his hand towards heaven, and swear by Him who liveth for ever and ever that there shall be time no longer.

Remote as that tremendous period may be, is not the same language addressed every day to thousands? They hear it, and die. Death flies from house to house, and cries aloud to every one of us in our turn, "There shall be time no longer for you -your journey on earth is finished-enter into eternity." Before this voice shall have reached our ears, it would be wise to ask ourselves if we are prepared to hear it.

The means of our reconciliation to God will then cease. We live here below as in a place of banishment, we cannot see God as he is; yet has he not wholly abandoned us. He prepares for us a table in this wilderness; he proclaims his mercy towards us, he is ready to forgive us. The prophets and apostles, though dead, yet speak to us: they make known to us Mediator, who gave himself a ransom for us, that they who should believe in him might have life through his name. His ministers continue to be sent as his ambassadors: they beseech us to be reconciled to God, and assure us of his being ready to receive us. Let us beware how we harden our hearts, lest when the angel shall lift up his hand to announce the end of time, the Lord himself should also lift up his hand, and banish for ever from his presence those who have despised his counsel.

The end of time! Then will the last hope of the sinner vanish. The most wicked men often give themselves up to a thoughtless gaiety; but it will not be always thus-their vain mirth shall be turned into sorrow. "The heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead."

O! if these negligent beings would reflect a moment on the rapidity of time! The hours, days, months and years are on the wing, and are carrying them towards eternity. Whilst their thoughts and affections are busied about mere illusions, time suffers no delay, and they will one day learn by a painful experience, what are the precious and eternal benefits which they have lost by their criminal abuse of time.

The apostle St Peter assures them, that although they are slumbering in the lethargy of sin, and cannot be awakened, yet their judgment lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. The formidable moment is approaching which will so tremendously convince them of the real value of time. Then would they, if it were possible, willingly exchange all the pleasures, all the riches, all the splendour of this world, for a single day, for a single hour of repentance and reconcilement with God, which might afford them the hope of salvation; but they have done with time, they have done with salvation, they have done with hope.

Time will have its period! What a source of rich reflection to a thoughtful mind! When I behold the sun setting, and the

day gradually giving place to darkness, I say to myself, So passes the day of life, and the season of grace. O! that I may well improve the shining hours, before the shadows of the evening overtake me, and terminate my labours! And when I contemplate the moon, as she seems in a clear night, to glide over the firmament, shedding her mild radiance on every side, should i not be reminded that she also measures the moments which are allotted to me, and that I must be prepared to bid adieu to these visible heavens, and their glimmering bright

ness?

If we are become habitually insensible to these mute admonitions-if we shut our ears to the exhortations which all Nature addresses to us every day, and every hour, on the frailty and emptiness of the things here below, shall we not be aroused from our shameful sleep, by the arrival of those remarkable periods and awakening occurrences, which cry in our ears with a yet louder voice, that time will have its period? When the first morning of a new year illuminates our eyes, shall it not bring to our minds any serious recollection of the year which is just elapsed? Shall we not be convinced that now we must use redoubled zeal and activity to discharge our duties on this earth, in which we are but strangers and pilgrims? For, lo! here is one of the years of our pilgrimage passed away!-here is one portion of our time taken from us for ever!

When we again see the anniversary of the day of our birth the day when we first entered into this world of sin, of imbecillity, and of sorrow, shall we not be led to examine what is the use which we are making of life? Shall not each of us exclaim, Lord! how long have I already lived! I am approaching to the end of my course! Have I begun to live as a Christian? Am I prepared for that awful day which will be to me the last? Am I fit to enter into' that invisible world, in which 'there will be no further revolutions of days or years?.

Our sorrows also bring very instructive lessons. When we see a parent or a friend expire, they are gone to their everlasting abode, and the condition of their soul is unchangeably fixed. Shall the mournful scene, the solemn warning, be lost to us? Shall not the thought of our own last hour spring up in our minds? And, if we accompany those whom we have loved to their grave, what is it that we are taught by the sepulchral stones around us? We see inscribed on them the day when it was said to each of those that are laid beneath, Your time shall be no longer! The same voice will be shortly addressed to us -shortly will such a stone be placed over us, and keep our bodies till the heavens are’no more.

Perhaps (and who does not love to indulge this consolatory reflection ?) some friend' will now and then visit the place of

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place of

my repose, and will shed the tears of affectionate regret on tlie cold stone which he has inscribed with my name, and the number of my days, adding one more monument of the frailty of nature, and the brevity of time! Think, O my soul! that, whilst friends, or perhaps strangers, shall be engaged in reading on thy tomb the date of thy departure from this world. thy sentence will be pronounced, thou wilt be enjoying the reward promised to such as redeem the time, or thou wilt be suffering the penalties which must punish the abuse of it!

Defer not then till to-morrow what you can do to day, nor to the next hour that which may be attended to at the present moment. Have you not often experienced the danger of delays? Solomon tells us, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven." The prudent man should take pains to know which is the most suitable time for his different engagements; but if we let opportunities slip, to what misfortunes we subject ourselves! Felix said to St Paul, when he was disturbed by his discourse, respecting righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, "Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season I will send for thee." And probably he never found a convenient season.

Let us be wiser than Felix ; let us be concerned to profit by the opportunities of salvation which are offered to us; let us be anxious in this manner to redeem the hours, the months, the years, of which folly and sin, or vain and trifling pursuits have deprived us. Since we are so much behind in the Christian race, let us redouble our speed that we may obtain the crown and the prize. Let us hear the voice of God in the Scriptures with more attention; let us pray to God with more earnestness; let us cry aloud, let us give him no rest, till our sinful souls be transformed by repentance, renewed by grace in true holiness, and prepared to enter into the everlasting abodes of light and peace.

Happy are ye, Christians, who have improved the period of life, and the day of grace, so that you have in part recovered the image of God in your souls, and have obtained a divine assurance of the favour of God through Christ; you have arrived at the end for which life was given. You have considered your follies, and have been ashamed in the land of hope; you have bewailed and repented of your sins before the season of repentance had elapsed; you are become new creatures, and your words and conduct have borne witness to that divine change. Happy men! who have understood the value of time, and have not given it in exchange for worthless possessions or pleasures; but have acquired treasures more invaluable than this short existence, the riches of the covenant of grace, and the hope of a glorious and eternal inheritance.