Thus, the assurance which the Christian has, that his times are in God's hands, delivers him from all slavish fear; "to him to live is Christ, and to die is gain." And even concerning death itself, that period which worldly men anticipate with fear, and pass through without hope, the Christian can boldly say, "thanks be to God, which giveth me the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

I consider, secondly, in what sense we must seek to number our own days. In other words, how we may turn our time on earth to the best account. The answer is in the text, we must "apply our hearts unto wisdom." Religion is either heart work, or nothing. The heart of man, by the corruption of his nature, is a very foolish heart; it is ever bent on folly; it wanders over a world of vanities, and fondly chooses to itself this and the other object for its affections and indulgence. This, their way, is their folly; and to this they apply their hearts. But to return to our text; let us learn rightly to number our days-let us consider that our time on earth is limited, short and uncertain in its duration. Men shrink from the thought of death. Superstition has a great deal to do with this dislike of funeral thoughts, and men positively deal with the subject as though they feared that to think of death must hasten his approach; and, on the other hand, as though they hoped, that by keeping the grave out of sight, they could delay its triumphs over them. How weak and vain are thoughts like these! and how far wiser the man, who, considering his latter end, offers the Psalmist's prayer, Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am." (Ps. xxxix. 4.) But again, the man, who would rightly number his days, will be chiefly anxious to do the will of Him, who gives life and breath and all things. We are not at our own disposal. What will God have me to do? This is the great question, and we must answer it out of Holy Scripture. There we are furnished with clear rules for the wisest and best employment of time. There we are bidden not to regard with any strong affection the things which are seen and temporal. The word of God emphatically de

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clares the vanity of all things that perish in the using. That word designs and provides for the happiness of man for time and for eternity. But this happiness can only be found in the favour of God, in the possession and effects of his grace. He is Jehovah, God all-sufficient ; in his favour is life, in keeping his commandments is great reward. To promote this end, and ensure the right numbering of our days, we must study to keep in ever-living memory God's all-seeing eye. This conviction will, by the divine blessing, act most powerfully upon the heart and conduct. How solemn and certain a truth! An all-seeing God marks with unerring knowledge the use or abuse of all our time, and of every talent committed to our trust. And yet what a prevailing sin is that of not setting God alway before us. Encompassed as we ever are by his universal presence, how insensibly we live, as though man alone could see and notice our actions, whereas God looks down upon the actions and motives of the children of men, nor is there any darkness or shadow of death where the workers of iniquity can hide themselves. Once more-every man who suffers his days to run on to their conclusion, without seeking above all things the establishment of his soul by faith on Christ, as the rock of his salvation, is guilty, in the most fatal sense, of letting his time run to waste. The contemplation of eternity, apart from that hope which the Gospel supplies, is indeed most gloomy and fearful, affording no grace for the present, no hope for the future. Sin has entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, has passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. But behold, in their extremity of sin and ruin, God in Christ appears, reconciling the world to Himself, establishing with man a covenant of mercy and grace, by which God is glorified and sinners may be saved. Now, then, to embrace this great salvation in the exercise of a living and obedient faith, is, in the very highest sense, to apply the heart unto wisdom. For indeed, as St. Paul declares, Christ is the wisdom of God and the power of God! And again-" He, of God, is made unto us, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.'

Truly, therefore, all who are not living by the faith of the Son of God as their Saviour from sin, are misspending their time in the most fatal manner: they do not so number their days as to apply their hearts unto wisdom.

I would now notice in the last place the spirit which we must cultivate in seeking to improve our time here on earth -it is the spirit of prayer for Divine teaching. "So teach us," says the Psalmist, "to number our days." My dear readers, in all our discourse upon Christian faith and practice, we must never leave you to lose sight of the fact, that we are altogether unable to do any thing for our souls effectually without the special grace and teaching of God's Holy Spirit. It is true we may, to all appearance, do many things which have the form of godliness without any spiritual instruction from heaven: we may add to our Christian name a Christian profession; in a certain measure and manner, a portion of our time may be well employed; we may be diligent in occupying that station in society to which God, in his providence, has been pleased to call us; so far it is well, but such a one must go much further if he would redeem his time, and make good his way to heaven. "One thing is needful," and that one thing he may not yet possess. The soul is neglected; not that the man determines never to care about his soul, but he presumes, he delays, as though his hour had not yet come, as though it were time enough to seek the welfare of the soul when the body begins to show some sign of failing, as though it were only seasonable to give the mind and heart to God and heaven, when the last sickness of life assails him; when worldly desire fails for want of appetite, and when death demands him for his prey. Then, at length, God shall have his thoughts; then shall the salvation of Jesus Christ be welcome to his soul; then shall the prayer be offered, and the groaning cry for mercy and pardon break forth, and the tear of a late repentance begin to flow. Such, we doubt not, is the practical presumption of many a devoted worldling now living on the face of the earth. Such, we doubt not, was the presumption of many a devoted worldling now lifting up his eyes in the agonies

of eternal death. Such may have been hitherto the guilty thought of some who may read these pages. Now, my dear readers, if it were possible (which indeed it is not) that you should foretel with unerring certainty the exact period of your death long before the event, not even then would there be any warrant for a moment's delay in seeking above all things the salvation of the soul. For, surely, among all other weighty reasons, gratitude alone requires that the sinner should not delay. What, is the cup of salvation such a bitter draught, that men are excused in putting it from them? Shall God, of his great mercy, provide a banquet of love and grace, wherewith to feed and strengthen man's immortal soul; and will he at all delay to approach the sacred feast until he has surfeited himself with the guilty excess of worldly indulgence? But once more, we solemnly implore you, no longer delay to apply your hearts unto saving wisdom for the following and most fearful reason. We read in the Bible of a seared conscience, of a mind given over to judicial blindness, of a heart left by the wearied and worn-out patience of a long-suffering God Himself to final impenitence, and to a hardness past feeling. I say, we read in the Bible, that this most evil condition can come upon a man even in this life; and although we never have authority or power to declare this to be the condition of any particular person, yet would we warn the ungodly of every degree, by the mere possibility of the thing, not any longer to tempt God, lest He swear in his wrath, that they shall not enter into his rest. And whilst urging upon you the above motives of gratitude and salutary fear, which should prevail with you to apply your hearts unto Gospel wisdom, we must again remind you of life's shortness and uncertain continuance. this unquestionable fact add strength to all our exhortations; a fact which is never out of sight, being always and every where the subject of daily experience or observation; a fact which the history of every family supplies, and the inscriptions of our churchyards record. And, verily, the breath of man is in his nostrils; the present moment is alone our own. This we know, and we also profess to know and believe that our souls are

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immortal and that eternity awaits us. We cannot, in this day of Scripture light, perish for lack of knowledge, but for want of consideration. Men very commonly reject the Gospel, not because they really believe it to be false, but because they hate its truth. Gospel truth opposes the carnal mind at every turn; so that there must be a vital change and renewing of the mind to render our knowledge of revealed wisdom salutary, and sanctifying, and saving. Are, then, any of my readers still lingering in the fatal paths of worldliness, sin, and unbelief? We beseech you, in the name of Him who is not willing that any should perish, at once and seriously to consider your ways. You are slumbering on the brink of an untried eternity; you are thinking, perhaps, of many days and years yet to come, and even now the thought may prove a dream; for while you are thinking of future days, the God of your life may at once freeze up the living stream, stop the beating pulse, and in a moment of terrible surprise, call you to his bar. Oh! then, while the thought may benefit you, think what, in such a case, would be the record and the reckoning of your life gone by; a life not, perhaps, spent in a course of open vice and profaneness, but possibly, at its best estimation, a life without Christ, without God, without holiness, without salvation, and if so, a life wasted and lost. Learn therefore, at length, the true value and best use of precious time; learn to sanctify this present life, to give it substance and reality by devoting yourselves wholly to God. Thus shall you most wisely number your days; and whether few or many yet remain to you on earth, you may in such a case assuredly know, that if this earthly house of your tabernacle be dissolved, you have a building of God, "an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens."

EXTRACT FROM MY FAMILY BIBLE.

MARK XI. 12-27.

S. B.

My dear family,-It was the fruit season with this kind of fig tree, but not with the common trees of the country, which did not bear fruit and leaves at the same time.