us; and that whether we spend it well or ill, it is gone for ever-we can never spend it over again.

And yet this is what we cannot, will not be persuaded of. We have a sort of notion, that if we were diligent at one time, we have a right to be idle at another; or that if we are negligent in some respects, we may make up for it by greater zeal in others.

This is so dangerous a notion, that I am sure, I am positive, we cannot too much guard against it.

And may our merciful heavenly Father, in his infinite love to us, grant us the aid of his Holy Spirit, to comfort our sinking hearts, and strengthen our failing faltering steps: may he, for his dear Son's sake, enable us, day after day, and hour after hour, to make some progress at least, however slight, in the knowledge of his truth, and the practice of his will: that so we may still be drawing nearer and nearer unto him-still be growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

6*

SERMON VIII.

VALUE OF TIME.

ECCLES. ix. 10.

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do,
Do it with thy might;

For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom,
In the grave, whither thou goest."

In directing your attention to this passage on a former occasion, I offered some observations on the danger we are in of not endeavoring to make the most of the time present, day after day.

How we may best guard against this danger is evidently a matter of the most serious consideration, and what I now wish to turn your thoughts to.

First of all, it is what no one I suppose can deny-no one, at least, whose understanding is not clouded by habitual indolence, or violent prejudices-that it is the duty of each of us to put our minds to this matter; to consider closely and attentively each for himself, what it is for such as wo to be wasteful of our time and talents, not to endeavor to make the most of them day after day, as long as we stay here.

This can scarcely be denied by any reasonable person. And yet it is but too certain that a great many people, some from one cause, and some from another, go on all their lives through, without so much as ever once-no, not even once, considering with any earnestness, whether their course of practice is really what it ought to be, whether they are making the most of their time, understanding, and other advantages, which the providence of God has placed at their disposal.

We take for granted we are right, or at least not very wrong, in our opinions and practices; and if we

can but keep our feelings calm and comfortable, we are satisfied.

Now I know this is very natural, and quite what was to be expected from frail and fallen creatures such as

we are.

But then we must take care how we trust too much to our nature in its present state, degenerate and corrupt.

And we must ever remember that the very purpose and meaning of the gospel revelation is to correct and restore this our fallen nature; in other words, really to prevent us from being guided or governed by our feelings, and to keep us ever under the control of sound wisdom, judgment, and discretion.

Nevertheless we too often forget this, the best of us; so reluctant and unwilling are we to take the trouble of entering on close attention and deep serious thought, though all the while perhaps we have a strong sort of instinctive sense of the awfulness of our condition-a great change coming on each of us-but how near to each of us, no one can tell.

It would be well then if we could be prevailed on even for once in our lives-only once-to press very closely on our thoughts the consideration of what the value of our time really is-for what purposes we are placed here what the end is likely to be of our present goings on-whether we are really making the most, or at least sincerely endeavoring to make the most, of our time, and other various talents and faculties which our God has bestowed on us-each of us severally.

If we would but for once consider these things very closely, and with serious attention of mind, not giving way to our feelings or prejudices, nor taking for granted that our present way of going on is safe and right— if we would but for once so far humble ourselves, as really, and not in words only, to doubt whether or not we are neglecting, day after day, in many respects, the gracious opportunities which our merciful God puts within our reach-if we would only once, just once, condescend to take the trouble thus to examine into

the truth of our condition-not what we have fancied it to be, but what it is-then there would be hope, by the divine assistance, that we might see and know, before it be too late, "the things which belong unto our” eternal "peace."

But if we have no doubts and fears for ourselves, surely some way or other our judgment must be blinded or misled.

I say then, it would be something, if Christians could be so far prevailed on, as just for once to give an hour or two's close thought and attention to their own course of life, to the way in which they are going on-whether they are really, and in their every-day practice, trying to make the most of whatever talents are entrusted to them.

For if they would think thus seriously and closely once, then there is reason to hope that the view they might then have of their condition, so vast an eternity spread before them, and their lot in that eternity made to depend on the few uncertain days we have to stay here; and our goings on, at the very best, so mean, so unworthy, and full of faults; such a view as this of what our condition really is, might (one would hope) lead us on to a constant daily habit of watching ourselves very suspiciously, lest we should allow ourselves in the evil custom of wasting our Master's time, or other the talents which he has given us to make the most of.

I say, our Master's time, our Master's talents; for, whatever we may fancy, we certainly have none of our

own.

We have no liberty to spend anything, but entirely and only to his honor, and in his service. Our own will and pleasure, our fancies and imaginations, these we cannot listen to.

As Christians, we can have no will but that of our Master, Christ Jesus. Our own inclinations cannot be trusted to. Be they right or wrong, they cannot, I say, be trusted to as guides. The will of his Savior is the Christian's only guide.

And this is the very consideration which makes it at the same time so necessary, and yet so difficult, even for the best-intentioned persons, to get into a resolute settled habit of watching their own ways closely and suspiciously. I say, because our own inclinations cannot be trusted to in any case, but we must be guided entirely by other rules. And yet our inclinations, by which I mean our natural feelings and affections, are of all things most powerful to influence us, not only now and then upon particular occasions, but in the whole course of this our earthly probation, hour after hour. Hence, as the Scripture assures us, a constant warfare or struggle must be carried on in the Christian's heart: a warfare and a struggle from which he has no promise of being free on this side the grave.

Indeed some good persons have represented the matter otherwise, as if the sincere Christian might have a right to expect to be freed from this anxious doubtful state, when once he had resigned up his heart fully and entirely to the love of his Savior.

But if people, instead of looking to single passages of Scripture here and there, would consider its general meaning and intention, they must, I think, allow that we are not taught to expect anything like perfect rest and peace here, no, not even those who have made the greatest progress in evangelical holiness.

And if this be the case, then it must be always necessary for us to be keeping daily and hourly watch over ourselves; to be very suspicious of our own hearts, and of the motives by which we are actuated; never to think we are safe, or secure of salvation, or to imagine that we have time or anything else which we can call our own, or which we have a right to dispose of in any way than to the honor of our adorable Lord and Redeemer.

This might perhaps not be the case, if we could arrive at a positive certainty and assurance of salvation. But as the Scripture does not encourage us to trust to any such confident feelings, no, not even if we made the greatest progress toward Christian perfec