But when the events of all ages are presented to you, and you are permitted to trace the influence of every one upon those which succeeded it, you will see how the conversion of one has been in effect the conversion of others, perhaps in the same generation, perhaps in the next, while the numbers of sinners turned to God in consequence of the original effort, may have multiplied in every age even to the end of the world. Upon what an interesting eminence will you stand -How will your heartfelt gratitude be awakened while you clasp to your breast with rapturous joy the children whom God hath given you as the glad recompense of your spiritual labours, and an ample reward for your most anxious toil, and adore the grace which made exertions so few and feeble the means of such ever blessed results.

These may be called the selfish pleasures of that day,' but there will be some generous ones of still deeper intensity. Here, if we are Christians indeed, we are identified with the glory of God and the honours of the Redeemer. If now therefore with all our carnality, it is among our chief pleasures to promote the Saviour's glory, it will yield far higher delight when we shall realize the production of this result in his eternal kingdom, What shall you feel when you may say "I have contributed to the formation of my Redeemer's crown, The unutterable glory of this blessed place I have been enabled, through grace in some humble measure to prepare for him who loved me and gave himself for me. How will you also adore the condescending mercy which accepted and owned the feeble instrumentality. How will you shrink into nothing before him who has given you increase to your toil and make heaven re-echo the sound. "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory for thy mercy sake." To this it must be

added that the honour which you have been permitted to render to your Lord will in milder and heart rejoicing rays be reflected in yourself. He cannot but approve, and his approbation will be your glory. Irradiated by his smile you will have place among those who having "turned many to righteousness, will shine as the stars for ever and ever."

Do not such enjoyments, such honours deserve some trouble to secure? Are they not worth possessing? Do they, dear Reader, really engage your earnest desire, then I must solemnly say, Remember,-How they are to be attained. None of the joys of heaven are to be attained by slumber-but the joy we now have been reflecting on needs the resolved and persevering use of direct effort for the conversion of sinners. It needs that the heart should bleed for them, and the lips plead with them. It needs that time should be improved and opportunities embraced. It needs that sloth, and ease, and timidity should be shaken off and labour, difficulty, and resistance vigorously encountered. If therefore there is in the joys we have been contemplating any thing worth possessing, stir up yourselves to immediate exertions. This is the only place and time in which sinners can be converted to God. Lose the opportunity of to-day and perhaps you lose all the opportunities you may ever have of promoting the object. The sinners upon whom your eye now rests, or who may now be within the sphere of your easy exertion are the only ones perhaps to whom your efforts may be directed. Let us attach an adequate value. to our means and opportunities. We think them few or small.

We re

gard those to whom we might speak as either too ignorant and vicious, too young and trifling, too old and obstinate, or too proud and haughty to be hopefully addressed.

And yet these discouraging characters, these few opportunities, by only a little diligence may be converted into elements of celestial joy. If unsuccessful, our labour shall have its reward, and if successful, a recompense still more ample. Oh why do we not more correctly estimate our treasure, why does the fear of man or indifference induce us to squander away means more precious than jewels and gold.

But suppose, after all, we do neglect them, and pass through this world without attention to our own salvation, little concerned, or at all events little active for the salvation of others.

This may indeed be a method of ease, it may withhold the heart from many a pang of commiseration, and the tongue from an effort of exertion, but what will it be when, undeserving as we are, through the rich mercy of him, whom we have served so unfaithfully, we shall be admitted to the realms of glory, and shall see the fruits of more devoted labour? While some discover in the ransomed throng, sinners converted by their instrumentality, to augment their joy and cover them with blessings, none shall pour benedictions upon us. And while others shall appear before God with the children he hath given them, we shall stand in distinguished solitude separated alike

from their labour on earth, and from some of the richest joys of heaven. We shall have made no exertions upon which Almighty God may cast a smile of approving love we shall have no success for which to prostrate ourselves in adoring gratitude, we shall have contributed nothing to the glories of his kingdom, or the brightness of his crown. We shall not be able to regard our capabilities as having been devoted even to unsuccessful labour, but shall have to remember that we have loved our own ease better than the glory of the Lord, and could not resolve upon the toil of being faithful in his service.

What melancholy reflections will these be for the world of glory-a world on which we are expecting to be perfectly happy. I know that all our iniquities will be forgiven, and that all bitterness of wrath will be banished from the regions of the justified; but the griefs of friendship in the review of its infidelity are not to be despised, nor the affliction of having lost opportunities of happiness never to be regarded.

Rich may be the pleasure of praising the love which forgives our short-comings, but sweeter far will be the grace which accepts and crowns a laborious fidelity of friendship. O may this blessedNEMO.

ness be ours.

My cup of mercies has been ever full, and however poignantly I may have felt the death of my beloved child, I can say of a truth, that I regard it as a blessing from him who "does all things well." Many years have elapsed since her entrance into uninterrupted and endless bliss; and yet it is only beginning, for years

and ages

dwindle into insignificance, when we contemplate eternity. She cannot return to me, neither would she if she could. Be it then my grand object and aim to go to her, to join her in the everlasting kingdom of our God and Saviour, to abide under the shadow of the Almighty, and to adore the unsearchable riches of his grace. I find this

It

present life rapidly hastening to a close, but if the "far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory," be my portion, I shall think but little of the ruggedness of the path, of the disappointments that may have been experienced, and of the afflictions which may have bowed down the spirit. Ó how precious is faith in enabling us to bear with patience present trials, to persevere in the discharge of appointed duties, to endure the contradiction of sinners, to cast the anchor of hope within the vail, and quietly to wait under perplexing dispensations for the unfolding of God's gracious purposes! brings sure relief, for it lays hold upon the supreme good, even Christ Jesus, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." It is also a bond of union among the children of God while engaged in fighting the "good fight" here below, and it enables them to hold communion with "the spirits of the just made perfect," while it gives a foretaste of their joys. There is however a law in the members ever at variance with the law that is in the renewed mind, a law which works mightily and too often successfully, a law which is unceasingly striving for the mastery, but a law which shall not finally prevail, for the Lord Jesus Christ will make his people

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over

more than conquerors,' every foe. My beloved child has obtained this victory, and sitting under the banner of redeeming love, "drinks endless pleasures in." She has no longer to count the cost, or to be fearful as to the result of a conflict, or to question what may

be the will of God respecting her. She is with him whom her soul loved, she is the companion of angels, and is waiting for the glorious day when the bodies of the saints which sleep, will arise spiritual and incorruptible. 1 Cor. xv. The expectation of the triumphant church above, and of the militant church below, is the same, for the members of both are " waiting for the adoption, to wit the redemption of the body." Rom. viii. 23.

"More happy but not more secure,
The glorified spirits in heaven."

If faith be real, happiness must be substantial, and equally unlike to pharisaic self-complacency, and to antimonian self-indulgence. Genuine faith is of divine operation, and of divine origin: it is holy in its nature and in its effects, and it never fails to draw away the affection from the things that would pollute it; while it elevates the soul above the cares that burden and the fears that are likely to distract it. Faith is capable of great extension, and" Lord, increase our faith," is a prayer just as suitable to, and as much needed by the father, as by the babe in Christ. If we know not this, we know nothing in the way of Christian experience, as ought to know. May this heavenly grace be strengthened in me more and more; and by it may [ be enabled to detect the world's fascinations, to resist temptation from whatever quarter it may come, to die daily to sin, and to "look out for and haste unto the coming of the day of God," when all his redeemed will see and partake of the fulness of his glory.

Kilkenny.

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P. R.

IN your number for April, page 140, you inserted some extracts from a valuable sermon lately published by the Rev. Mr. Fawcett, of Carlisle, on 2 Tim. iii. 4. "LOVERS OF PLEASURE MORE THAN LOVERS OF GOD." That excellent minister has recently published another sermon as a sequel to the former discourse, of which I forward you the following extracts. The text is, Job xxxvi. 11. "If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasure.'

Referring to his former discourse Mr. Fawcett says, Perhaps from that discourse some (especially young persons) might form a conclusion that religion and pleasure are incompatible; that if they follow religion they must bid adieu to pleasure, and must be melancholy in this life that they may be happy in the next. If any did draw such a conclusion, it must have been from their not having sufficiently considered, or not rightly understood, the whole of what was said. Some parts of the sermon must have made an impression which other parts would have removed.'

After some other very appropriate remarks, Mr. F. observes, Every man who would enter on the service of God must do it from a principle of duty-in faith-and that faith must have respect to another life, and to the rewards of eternity. There must be no such thing as bargaining with God. No man must come to Christ on the calculation that he will be a gainer here in this present world, and at this present time. Every one must go to him as the Saviour of sinners, to be delivered from wrath by him,

on his own terms. When men go to him for life, they must be willing to go in the forsaking of all things-so that, if he required it of them, they should think it no hard matter, in return for so great a deliverance, and so great a salvation, to pass their days as Paul did, in poverty, and labour and suffering, to have their names cast out as evil, and to find their foes in the men of their own household.'

'Now, what is meant by prosperity? What is the true sense of the word ? In general it is understood to signify riches. A man is said to be a prosperous man who increases in wealth-who, from a low estate, rises to a high

one.

But when in the text it is said, "they shall spend their days in prosperity," something is evidently intended which shall add to their happiness. And except

where riches do that, we cannot accept the world's definition of prosperity.

'Now that riches are not of themselves sufficient to make men happy is confessed on all hands, so that it is almost superfluous to offer a few instances of this insufficiency, which nevertheless we must do, in order to bring out the true meaning of the word prosperity, and that we may learn to call things by their right names.

Very often men grow rich by dishonest means, and are rich with a bad conscience. Is this prosperity? The world says so and because such a man lives in a splendid house, and goes abroad well dressed, and is bowed to in the streets, he is called prosperous: but prosperous he cannot be, because together with his ill-gotten gain, the curse of God enters into his house and spoils his rejoicing.'

:

though God blesses them, he will not interrupt for them the ordinary course of his government, but will let them feel the effects of their improvidence. improvidence. Again, good men are often faulty men, and their heavenly Father will chastise their fault, though he still loves them, and accounts them as his children. Besides, in this fallen world, man is born to trouble, as "the sparks fly upward ;" and if there were a visible exemption in favour of the righteous, there would be no touchstone to prove sincerity. No, they must take their share of suffering along with others, and must expect some sufferings peculiar to themselves. Still the promise is not made of none effect. If the afflictions of the righteous are many, "the Lord delivereth them out of them all; " and he also supports them under all, and comforts them makes all things

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gain it has the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. And our Lord himself, refuting the false notion that prosperity and wealth are convertible terms, tells us that a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." So He tells us who spake as never man spake, all whose words are true; and the experience of every age confirms them. The prosperity, then, in which you shall spend your days, if you will serve and obey God, is to be fed with food convenient for you, to have the blessing of God with it, and the true enjoyment of it. And this prosperity our Lord promises to all who will venture to take him at his word, and be bold enough to follow him fully: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."

'Such is the general rule-not but that in particular cases we see exceptions to it. It must be so for various reasons. Good men are often improvident men; and

work together for their good;" and they know this, and therefore can be patient under tribulation; yea, and count it all joy when they fall into divers temptations." The promise, then, does not fail-it is made good to them. Suffering may come, but they are armed with the same spirit which was in Christ, when he suffered in the flesh; and therefore can be as sorrowful, but always rejoicing. Consider this, ye sons and daughters of pleasure. Think of human life as the sober and changeable thing that it really is-dream not that you shall have nothing to do but to laugh, and dance, and sing all your days. Clouds may soon darken your sky -the night of affliction may draw near-happy then if you have made yourselves acquainted with him, who can give songs on that night, and make the season of your distress to be eventually the means of your highest prosperity.

But the second part of the twofold promise in the text is, "they shall spend their years in plea

sures."