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perplex our guide. Especially let us check the workings of a vain curiosity. To this we are naturally prone. All pant to draw hack the veil, and peep into futurity. But none are entrusted with its secrets. Even our Lord's own disciples were rebuked for wishing to know the times and the seasons which the Father reserved in his own power. This advice will be found to be not only our duty but our privilge our strength" here "is to sit still." We may consider the year before us, as a desk containing three hundred and sixty-five letters, addressed to us, one for every day, announcing its trials, and prescribing its employments-with an order to open daily no letter but the letter for the day. Now we may be strongly tempted to unseal beforehand some of the remainder; but this would only serve to embarrass us, while we should violate thereby the rule our Owner and Master had laid down for us-"Take, therefore, no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

But Paul's ignorance was not entire. Though he knew not what in particular would befall him at Jerusalem, yet the Holy Ghost testified that in every place bonds and afflictions awaited him; 30 that he was sure of one thing-sure of being always a sufferer, for the sake of the Lord Jesus. And thus it is with us. Though the future is not laid open to our view, yet it is not concealed from us in every respect and degree. Though we knew not what is to come in the detail, we can apprehend much of it in the mass. Indeed, without some reliance on the general course of things, we could not properly carry on the system of life. Many of our present duties derive their existence and importance from some future relations. Instinct, in the brete creation, teaches them to look forward: and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; and the ant provideth her meat in the summer and gathereth her food in harvest. And is reason given us in vain ? Or is there nothing for it to operate upon beyond the present hour? "The prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself," says the Scripture. And the same authority adds, "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee."

With regard then to the future, in every period, relation, and condition of life, some things may be reckoned upon. Thus, in the natural world, we know that the seasons will come round in their time and place with little variation. "While the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease."

We also know that the general state and usages of society will be what they ever have been. "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already of old time which was before us."

We are sure no creature possessions and enjoynients will fully meet our hopes and wishes. They never have produced satisfaction. They were never designed to do it-They are incapable of doing it.

We may certainly expect that trials of one kind or another will be our lot. They grow out of our very state and nature. "Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward."

We must be infatuated if we are not aware that all our connexions here are precarious. Some may abandon us from insincerity; some may leave us from infirmity; some may be removed to a distance by events; some may be laid in the grave. Need we be informed tha. the desire of our eyes is mortal? That childhood and youth are vanity?

Can we be ignorant that with growing years we are to look for growing privations and weaknesses? That our senses will decay, that desire will fail, that the grasshopper will be a burden? It is the tax of age. "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength, labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."

For the living know that they shall die. It is the way of all the earth and whatever may be doubtful when we look onward, there is not a human being but can say, "I know that Thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living." He knows also that the event cannot be far off-and may be very near. 1

And is this all that we are apprized of? No. We also know that God will be found the same be always has been-we know that he will always prove himself the hearer of prayer-we know that he will never leave us nor forsake us-we know that our shoes shall be iron and brass; and as our days so shall our strength bewe know that he will guide us with his counsel, and afterward receive us to glory.

JANUARY 2.-"Behold, row is the accepted time, beh'd, now is the day of salvation."-2 Cor. vi. 2.

THE importance of opportunity is readily acknowledged, and generally if not universally acted upon, with regard to temporal things. The scafaring man, with prudence and diligence, avails himself of the winds, and the tides. The husbandman, when the precious produce of the field is to be secured, is all anxiety and eagerness, lest he should lose a shining hour-and hence it early became a proverb, "He that gathereth in summer is a wise son, he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame." There are interesting conjunctures, and peculiar seasons, which never return; but, according as they are seized or neglected, decide the reputation and the condition of a man for life. But here we have an opportunity announced, as superior to every other opportunity, in its relations and consequences, as the soul is superior to the body, and eternity to time-an opportunity to gain acceptance with God, and salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ-" Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

This "now" takes in the whole period of the gospel dispensation, or the duration of the mediatorial reign of Christ. He is now exalted at the right hand of God to be a Prince and a Saviour; to give repentance unto Israel and remission of sins. He is the great High Priest over the house of God, to introduce our persons and services; and while we are reconciled by his death we are saved by his life. For he is now living a life of office as well as of glory.But this will not continue always. It is commensurate only with

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the continuance of the world. "Then cometh the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father." This, in the whole of it, is a very extensive period. It has continued long, and will probably continue many ages longer. But this can only encourage us with regard to mankind successionally. It is delightful to think that what those have found the Saviour to be who went before, those also will find him to be that shall come after us: for he is "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." But as individuals, our season is far less lengthened-at death, the angel swears, with regard to us, that "time shall be no longer."

This "now" therefore is to be considered as the period of life. Patients have been recovered when they seemed incurable, and have been sent back from the very borders of the grave. Persons have been resuscitated when the functions of nature had ceased, and the principle of life seemed extinguished. So some have been saved at the eleventh hour, and they have adored the long suffering of God which proved their salvation-But the redemption of the soul is precious, and after our present state, ceaseth for ever. If there be hope to persons then, it is among the reserves of Divine goodness; He has not been pleased to reveal it. Origen, and his brethren of the same sentiment, were called the merciful doctors: but should their notion be a mistake, and those that rely on it to be confounded for ever, they ought to be called the merciful doctors who, knowing the terror of the Lord, persuade men to flee from the wrath to come. But in this view how precious and all-important is life

"Life is the time to serve the Lord,
The time to ensure the great reward;
And while the lamp holds out to burn,
The vilest sinner may return."

And how instantly and zealously should we avail ourselves of the only season! Especially when we consider how short, and how uncertain the continuance of it is. Another of the threescore years and ten, or of the fifty, or forty, or twenty that measure the whole extent, is gone,—

"And every beating pulse we tell,

Leaves but the number less."

And, O my soul! how many strokes remain! There is but a step between me and death

"Great God! on what a slender thread

Hang everlasting things!

The eternal state of all the dead

Upon life's feeble strings !"

But this "now" takes in, as distinguished from life at large, every period peculiarly favourable to religion. Youth is such a period. The young have fewer of the cares that perplex and engross us as we plunge deeper into the concerns of this life. Their hearts, though evil, are not yet hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Their consciences, though defiled, are not yet seared as with a hot iron. Their memories, though limited, are not yet choked up with the lumber of the world. Their affections are warm; their strength is firm; their connexions are as yet optional; life is fresh; nature is inviting and amidst all these advantages, Grace says, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth: while the evil days

of God; if the Gospel can teach them-if it can enlighten and enlarge their views-if it draws forth their wonder and astonishment; how well may it be called "the deep things of God;" "the wisdom of God in a mystery!" If after having been employed in the works of God, and the administrations of his providence, from the beginning; if after all the scenes which have passed under their review for so many ages; if after seeing dispensation succeeding dispensation, in the Patriarchal, the Jewish, and the Christian economies; if after seeing the fulness of time, and the divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost; if after all this they were still, as Peter asserts, diligently exploring the Gospel, how does it aggrandize the system! This is the system which some suppose may be readily reduced into a form of words drawn up by a fallible man! This is the system whose bounds some imagine they can easily reach, and whose depths they can perfectly fathom! But were they angels, they would exclaim, "O the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!"

We learn also the excellency as well as the vastness, the value as well as the immensity of the Gospel. Would such beings as these trifle? Does not their attention prove that the subject is worthy of all acceptation? Why do they study it, but because it is "the Gospel of our salvation ;" but because it is “the glorious Gospel of the blessed God;" but because, in redeeming Jacob, he has glorified himself in Israel; but because they find displayed in. this scheme nore of all his perfections than is to be seen in all his other works? We cannot justly infer the worth of a thing from the attention paid it by men. They may be compelled by authority, biassed by terest, governed by vanity, or fed astray by novelty. Even eat men have had their follies. Nothing has been brought forrd so absurd as not to have attracted to it some names of distinc

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And we have always proof enough that to be learned and ving is not always to be wise. But no objection can lie against nference we here draw-If angels desire to look into these the things deserve to be looked into.

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therefore let us learn what is our duty with regard to them. ot to be thankful that we are favoured with the dispensation ? Blessed are our eyes for they see, and our ears for they s it not to study them ourselves? We are deeply, we are concerned in them. The being to whom they relate is His history is the record of our eternal redemption. poor; he died for us. Let us therefore turn aside from e vain, the vexing, the debasing, the defiling things of nd contemplate the great mystery of godliness. Let us ry in reading, in hearing of it. And let us not rest in acquaintance with it; but taste that the Lord is graalk in the truth.-Is it not to own them and confess y in them before men? I am not ashamed of the st-angels are my companions. Is it not to pray dge of them may be extended, and that all the ends ✓ see the salvation of our God together?

probable we should have been led astray-yea, it is certain we should have been led astray, had we conjectured under the influence of the spirit of the world. For what do they study? What do merchants, princes, statesmen, study? What do the sons of science

and learning study? What are the acquirements, by proficiency in which, men are distinguished among their fellow-creatures, and left on the pinnacle of fame?-But what do angels desire to look into? The arts of trade? the secrets of government? the researches of philosophy? the mysteries of nature? No. But the salvation of sinners; the grace of God; the sufferings and glory of Christ-"Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us, they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into."

Now this fact is announced, not for our amusement, but profit. It shows us what is the necessary condition of all creatures, however high in the scale of being. It is a state of dependence, deficiency, and progressive improvement. Some imagine, as soon as we enter heaven we shall reach an ultimatum beyond which there will be no additions to our knowledge or enjoyment. Such a stagnation of existence, devoid of prospect, energy, and excitement, would be far from desirable, if it were possible-but it is not possible. The future life is called "that which is perfect;" and it is perfect, compared with the present: but it is not absolutely so. There is only one Being who is absolutely perfect, whose duration is not lengthened by time, and whose knowledge is not increased by discovery. Nothing is past or future with Him. His understanding is infinite. But angels are creatures, and therefore finite in their> faculties as well as we. He chargeth his angels with folly. There are many things of which they are ignorant. Our Lord assures us they know not the day of judgment. The book in the Revelations, whatever were the mysteries it contained, was closed to angels as well as men: for no one in heaven as well as in the earth was able to open the book and to look therein, till it was unsealed by the Lord of all. Angels know much now of which they were former unconscious, and fresh springs of knowledge and enjoyment are continually opening to them, and calling for a new song of wonder and of praise.

Does it not also show us the vastness of the Gospel? A very inferior master may teach the ignorant; but the honour is to be able to instruct the wise and learned. We should think very highly of one who could have improved Handel in music, and Milton in poetry, and Newton in philosophy. But angels are the flower of the creation; they are always spoken of in Scripture as proverbial for their knowledge; they are the first beings in the universe for intelligence; and are as much above men in their powers as the heavens are higher than the earth. If to these principalities and powers in heavenly places is made known by the church the manifold wisdom

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