and refources with those of the enemy. Would we in earnest and to effect undertake the terms of the gofpel, would we build on a fure foundation, and fight the good fight of faith, we must, in like manner, deliberate on this fubject; otherwise our time and pains will be loft.

Some labour earnestly in trivial matters, while their main business fuffers. They spend their talents and ftrength in doing little or nothing with great pains. This is the confumption, not the redemption, of time.

Again, obfervation of the courfe of nature and providence brings important inftruction with regard to the redemption of time. Our heavenly Father worketh hitherto. His operation in his natural and moral kingdom is unintermitting: He never flumbereth. Numerous examples in the animal creation teach man difcretion and industry.

You may let no time be loft, would you merit the character of those who redeem it. Those are wife and happy, who have learnt the art of improving every portion of time to fome good account-to whom every bufinefs and occurrence, or fociety, or folitude, prove inftructive in their duty to God, or man, or their own fouls-who make every pursuit in life subfervient to their fupreme intereft-who are every day preffing forward to the prize of their high calling, waiting on the Lord, and renewing their ftrength. They have learnt the most valuable use of the fmiles and frowns of providence, and improve every price in their hands to get or do good, to "lay up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come."

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Hence it is important to begin life under an impreffive fenfe of the high value of time, as a precious gift of God. In him we live, and move, and have our being. He requireth the firft ripe fruit. "In the morning "fow thy feed, and at evening withhold not thy "hand." If the worth of time is not realized in youth, there is much reafon to fear that it may not be in the

after stages of life. On the moft favourable fuppofition, would you have these stages filled with the fins and vanities of your youth? What excufe is there for thus wafting and abufing your early period? fo acceptable a period?

Born and educated under gofpel light, what pretext can there be for putting off till the eleventh hour the work given you to do? It is impoffible that you fhould repent the early dedication of your time and advantages to the Giver of life and of every good gift, on whom your well-being, in time and through eternity, entirely depend. But a neglect to do fo can be expiated only by bitter repentance, if indeed a space for repentance may be given you.

Moderation in all worldly purfuits and concerns-in Jabour or reft, or amufements, or attire, or modes of living, conduces to the redemption of time: It difpofeth alike to the duties of our general and particular calling. Religion neither forbids nor impedes a juft attention to things of this life. Such attention is commanded by religion. But certainly we should be without anxious care. We should not be overcharged with things of this life. We fhould feek firft the kingdom of God. Other things fhould not thruft out or interrupt the exercises of piety. All diligence fhould be given to make our calling and our election fure.

It conduces to the redemption of time to poftpone fmall matters to great. When there is an interference, the weightieft must be preferred to the least, and must always have the greatest stress laid upon them.

As a further mean of redeeming time, an humble and daily address to the hearer of prayer, morning and evening, is recommended. We need his guidance, help and protection continually, and in every thing. On him it entirely depends whether this or that undertaking fhall profper; or whether we shall live, and do this or that. He guideth those who seek his direction, and giveth liberally to those who ask of him fpi

ritual wisdom. In all thy ways therefore acknowledge him. Beginning and clofing each day with God, waiting on him thro' the business and occurrences of the day, committing your work and your way to him, you will be led in a fafe and plain path-will proceed with cheerfulness, zeal and fidelity in all the duties of life, and sustain its forrows and miseries with patience and humble truft. "Be careful for nothing; but in every "thing by prayer and fupplication with thanksgiving "let your requests be made known to God." Confider this as your privilege no less than duty. This habitual religion, fetting the Lord always before you, living as in his prefence, will conduce to regularity in all your concerns. Inclination will be an incentive to whatever he fhall require of you in your relations and station of life. The time proper for devotion does not retard, but facilitates and fets forward, the just business of every man, be that business what it may.

A decided choice of God is unalterably requifite to the redemption of time. Indecifion and duplicity are the greatest abuse of time, and an affront to all principle. The laws of morality are eternal and immutable. The relation and duty of the creature to his Creator are immutable. The author of our faith and his terms are the fame for ever. The double-minded and irrefolute, halting between variant opinions, fixing in none, are in a ftate equally unhappy and dangerous to themfelves, and opprobrious to the cause of virtue. They confume time in deliberating on a queftion which fhould be immediately decided on the decifion of which confequences of the higheft moment depend. If faith and fcepticifm are equally balanced, the former has no fupport under the evils of life, or expectation of death; and may as well be openly renounced as hold the mind in perpetual fufpence. What is there in the gofpel which makes you doubt? Its principles have been confirmed by the fame works as thofe of nature: Its hope is fure and ftedfaft. Shall precious days and

years be confumed in hesitation whether to choose and fix in this matter-even in the only thing which can make life comfortable, and death happy? Be determined then to embrace and hold faft this excellent religion, as the anchor of your hope, would you redeem

time.

As a further mean of redeeming time, do to others whatsoever ye would that they should do to you. By making their welfare your own, you will fulfil an important end of your exiftence. By the cultivation of the friendly and focial affections, you will increase your own enjoyments, fulfil the obligations of your various relations and connections, and take the fureft course to meet with the return of kind affections and offices from all with whom you have intercourse. In doing good, you will imitate the Parent of the universe, and the Redeemer of mankind. Time is spent in the best manner, when we live and die not to ourselves, but to the Lord-when we ferve his will in our generation. What is this, but to do good in our lives? "Look not every man on his own things; but every man alfo "on the things of others."

Let this mind be in you which was alfo in CHRIST JESUS. Of him you will learn the greatest condefcenfion and meeknefs, humility and charity. He was fwayed by the pureft views of glory to God and friendship to men. He went about doing good. Hence he could appeal, "Father, I have finished the work thou "gaveft me to do." He was intent on doing this work while it was day. His life was full of benevolence. Whatsoever his difciples do is in his name—in imitation of his pattern, in obedience to his authority, influenced by his grace, and with a view to the divine acceptance and glory through him.

Finally, a frequent review of life would lead to the redemption of time. Recollection, felf-examination and felf-communion are most effential to this purpose. The conduct of life fhould be a fubject of enquiry eve

ry day: But it would answer a very valuable end to fet apart particular seasons for a more full enquiry into the tenour of our lives, our aims and principles, our prefent views and exercises-to the end that our whole life, whether long or short, may be fupremely directed to the ufe for which it was given.

It should be kept in mind, that the redemption of time involves an habitual and an actual preparation for eternity. Are we bound to an eternal world? will our state in that world be the confequence of our character and conduct in this? May any day or hour close our mortal life? We cannot have redeemed time, unlefs we have acquainted ourselves with God, and are at peace-in other words, are prepared for our change by death, and the judgment which will fucceed. This preparation implies that the fubject of it is pafied from death to life-that the Spirit of life in Chrift Jefus is within him—that he liveth by the faith of the Son of God that the time past fufficeth to have walked according to the courfe of this world-and that the rest of his time in the flesh is devoted to God. Should death overtake him at any time, in any manner, he will then enter into the joy of his Lord.

This general or habitual preparation differs, however, from what we understand by a prefent, actual readiness. Death may come to a good man at an hour of which he is not aware. At the midnight cry, Behold, the bridegroom cometh, the wife virgins were found flumbering, and had occafion to trim their lamps. Having done this, they were actually ready, as they before were habitually. The exhortation to good men is, Be ye alfo ready-always ready. Set thy house in order for death. Watch, left coming fuddenly he find you fleeping. Both our fecular and fpirital concerns fhould be kept in order. Before he is aware, temptation from within or without may allure a Christian. He has need to gird up his loins, to be fober, and watch unto prayer.