and almost disheartened, he thinks of them, and his spirits rally and his strength returns. Thus is he ever acting, not mechanically nor from impulse, but from one fixed motive, a motive which does not lie upon the surface, but is deeper and stronger even than the love of gain.

Another, under that sordid motive, will transmute the very virtues of social life into ministers of avarice.

A third, moved by a more generous passion, will make every plan and action of his life subordinate to its gratification. Thus the hero of romance and often the hero of real life, who for lack of fortune or fame, is denied the hand of her he loves, will traverse seas and continents, make any sacrifice, meet any danger, undergo any privation, perform prodigies of labor or valor, and even hazard life itself, to secure his end. In these and a thousand other instances, men know what it is to act under one ruling motive, which gives color and direction to all that they do, even when it is not apparent to others, and even at times when they themselves are not distinctly conscious of it. So should it be with the Christian; the one grand absorbing object of his life should be to serve the Lord. With a view to this, not his religious exercises merely, but his daily business should be conducted. He should leaven that with the spirit of the gospel.

How this is done may be best learned by illustration. A minister goes into his study in a prayerful spirit, to prepare a discourse for the pulpit. His great desire is to bring the Word of God before the minds of his hearers with distinctness and power. In order to get at the full meaning and spirit of his chosen text, he studies it critically in the original tongue. Wishing to avail himself of the help of German scholarship and criticism, he studies also the German language. If while he is thus engaged, a friend should enter his study and ask him why he is studying German, he might answer truly, "to save souls.' But how so? Does he expect to preach in German? No. But by consulting the Biblical scholars and grammarians of a country pre-eminent in Biblical criticism, he hopes to get a clearer insight into the meaning of his text, and thus to exhibit more clearly and convincingly the truth as it is in Jesus. A minister may be intent upon the salvation of souls, while turning over the leaves of a Greek or German lexicon.

The young student who has devoted himself in heart to the missionary work, in studying each lesson during his long preparatory course, is doing what he can for the glory of Christ and the salvation of the heathen. He may not reflect that each lesson is designed to fit him for his chosen work; other local and temporary influences may contribute to make him studious; but after all, the mainspring of his every-day diligence in study is the work which he has in view at the close of his course.

The merchant, whose mind is intent on the advancement of Christ's kingdom is not merely selling cotton cloth and calico, all the day long, but in doing that-if that is his business-besides providing for his own support and that of his family, giving employment to others, and contributing to the general welfare of society, he is also sustaining a church, supporting a missionary, or a colporteur, founding a college, doing whatever the avails of that business shall do to promote Christ's kingdom.

A compositor or a pressman in the Bible-house may work merely for his daily bread; and it may be to him a matter of indifference whether he prints the Bible or Paine's Age of Reason. But if he is living for Christ, it will be a matter of great satisfaction to him, that while laboring for his daily bread, he is also contributing to multiply copies of the Word of God. And in like manner any lawful and useful occupation may be pursued as a religious duty, and with constant reference to the glory of God, though it may be simply mechanical and may terminate wholly in physical effects.

A minister calling early one morning on a parishioner, a currier by trade, the latter apologized for being in his working dress. May I be found so," replied the minister," when the Master shall come for me." What!" exclaimed the other, "in such a When Christ comes," rejoined the pastor, “may I be found about my business."

filthy dress?"

In view of the subject I remark: 1. That the Christian who makes his attention to business a pretext for inattention to the duties of religion, takes a wrong view both of business and religion, and sets against each other things that were meant to be in harmony. True, indeed, it is, sadly true, that worldly employments often, perhaps commonly, draw off the mind from God. Sometimes this is owing to the nature of the employment; but it is often the case where the business is lawful, because it is looked upon as a thing distinct from the service of God, a sort of necessary bondage to the world, or a necessary temptation and discipline. And even those who aim to do business on Christian principles, do not always regard the the doing of business as itself a duty to be performed in its own time and place, for the glory of God, as truly as the duty of prayer. The right discharge of our duties in the various employments of life, is to be regarded as serving God. He has arranged the order of things in this life to promote industry; he has made industry essential to happiness and success. He has required that all our employments should be conducted with reference to his will and to his honor." He who so conducts his business will not find it a hindrance to piety, and will be relieved of the painful strife between the claims of business and the claims of God.

2. In a time of general prosperity, we should seek the reviving of religion. It is a common saying, and a more common feeling, that nothing can be done for reviving religion in a busy season. Is this so? Has God subjected us to temporal necessities and laws which conflict with our spiritual welfare? The farmer at certain seasons must be engaged in husbanding his crops; is this incompatible with the due performance of religious duties? Is there any such necessary conflict between the temporal and the spiritual? Viewing the busy season as a temptation, you should resolve that you will not be drawn off from God. But why not regard your increasing prosperity with gratitude as sent from God, and make it a new incentive to activity in His service? Do not bargain with conscience to serve the world so hard, and so long, with the promise of serving God when you shall have nothing else to do. Let others see that in being diligent in business you are working for God. Do not conduct your business on selfish principles; and while you are making money, give, give, GIVE, as God prospers you.

3. Men of the world may understand what we mean when we call upon them to give up the world and become Christians. We do not ask them to give up their business, unless that business is an immoral and unlawful one. We do not ask them to be any less industrious and thrifty. But we show them how they may subordinate their business to a higher end; and instead of toiling for self and pelf, may labor for an object that shall last forever. We show them how they may ennoble life, and enjoy it, and link it to heaven besides. What is it to make money? For whom do you make it? What shall it profit you, to gain the whole world, and lose your own soul? Oh, live to do good! live for God-then shall you live forever, and when you are gone hence, your works shall follow you in lines of fadeless glory to the skies.

SERMON DXI.

BY REV. JONAS PERKINS,

Braintree, Massachusetts.

THIS LIFE MAN'S SEASON OF PROBATION FOR ETERNITY.

"For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."-2 Cor. 5: 10.

THIS life is man's season of probation for eternity. That this doctrine is taught by the apostle in my text is evident. He uses the term "in the body," to signify continuance in the present life. He says: "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord." He esteemed it desirable that his present life should terminate, because then he should enter heaven to enjoy the beatific presence of Christ. But he believed that to be prepared for that enjoyment, he must continue to be faithful in his sacred calling. "Wherefore," he says, "we labor, that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him." He then expresses the same sentiment in a general proposition: "For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." All must appear before Christ to be judged; and those who shall have done good, or obeyed the gospel in their life-time, will be accepted; but those who shall have done evil, or disobeyed the gospel in their life-time, will be condemned. An additional evidence that the apostle meant here to teach that this life is man's season of probation for eternity, is given in the words which he subjoined, Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men. That this life is a season of probation for eternity, is confirmed by the following considerations :

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I. Man's nature is adapted to such a state of probation. He is a moral agent. He is capable of distinguishing between right and wrong, and of choosing or refusing. When the law of God

is clearly exhibited to the mind of man, his conscience approves of it, and he is convinced that he ought to obey it. When he transgresses it, he is conscious that he does wrong, that he renders himself blameworthy, and that he ought to have rendered obedience. Or when the gospel is intelligibly presented to him, he cannot do otherwise than assent to it as being worthy of acceptation. He is conscious that he ought to accede to its terms, and gratefully accept the great salvation. Man has not only ability to act as a moral agent, but he is susceptible of retribution. He is a proper subject for reward or punishment. He is conscious that he ought not to be accepted and rewarded unless he does right; and that he deserves to be condemned and punished when he commits sin.

Man's nature, therefore, is adapted to a state of probation. He has ability and capacity to do right, and receive reward; or to do wrong, and receive punishment. Since, moreover, man is an immortal being, he is by nature adapted to be in this life a probationer for eternity. According to the character which he forms here, whether holy or sinful, he will be fitted either for a state of happiness or misery in eternity.

II. Man's condition in this life is adapted to a state of probation for eternity. He has opportunity to do good or to do evil. He may exercise in his heart and manifest in his life, benevolence or selfishness, love or hatred, faith or unbelief, piety or impiety, obedience to God or rebellion against him. He not only has, as before stated, ability to distinguish between right and wrong, and a consciousness that he ought to obey the law of God, and accede to the terms of the gospel; but such is the condition in which he is placed that he is of necessity constantly deciding the question whether he will obey or disobey, accede or refuse. I now speak of the condition of man while he has a knowledge of the Scriptures. He knows what his duty is to God, his fellow-man and himself. Motives are presented to induce him to do his duty. At the same time his heart is tried by temptations. In this condition he cannot suspend his moral agency. He must voluntarily conform to the rule of moral rectitude, or voluntarily act in violation of it. If he is a sinner he must either repent, or persist in transgression; he must obey the gospel in the exercise of faith, or continue in unbelief; he must yield to the authority and espouse the cause of Christ, and stand with him, or continue to resist his authority and oppose his cause. Thus every person upon whom the light of revelation shines is forming a moral character, either holy or sinful; is laying up a treasure either of heavenly blessedness with the saints in light, or of wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Nor are those only who have the Scriptures in a condition which is adapted to