of Chrift, depend? It is with time that we pur

chafe eternity.

The worldly man wants no perfuafion to engage him to lofe no time in the pursuit of wealth; nor the ambitious man, to catch at every opportunity of advancing himself to honour: and the man of pleasure's great maxim is, Let us make the most of time, for it is fhort; let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die. And fhall the grand purpose of all, for which time is given us, bė hardly ever confidered? Shall we make every use of time, except that alone for which it was chiefly intended ?

If we could command time, there would be fomething, at leaft, like common fenfe in fuch. behaviour. If we even knew the length of our lives, we might have fome excufe for putting off the most important business of them a little later. But when we cannot fee an hour before us, it is a wonderful thing that we are not startled by such a thought into more ferioufnefs.

What fecurity has even he, who bids fairest for life who is in full health, and youth, and vigour; when he looks around him, and fees what numbers, in his own circumstances, are continually dropping into their graves with little

VOL. IV.

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or

or no warning? can he avoid confidering that this may be his own cafe? and that, if it should, he must enter immediately on an unalterable ftate, for which, if he hath made no provision, the neglect can never be repaired-his chance is over-there is no more redemption of time.

But, if we call the improvidence of youth to fuch attention, what fhall we fay to those who are advanced in years? To fee the hoary head -to fee age, with all its infirmities, fquandering away in the service of the world the fhort remnant of a decrepid life-dead to the past, wasting the prefent, and hardened to the future-is a fight above measure fhocking and astonishing. Infirm in body, and decayed in mind, how shall we then fet about the great duty of redeeming our time? How can we fuppofe that God will receive our defective fervices, without any proof of our fincerity? How can we hope he will accept our facrifice, when we have nothing to offer but the dregs and refuse of an abandoned life?

In a word, the great value of our time depends on its connection with our fouls. So that, you fee, the queftion is not fo much, whether we are to redeem our time? as, whether we wish

to

to fave our fouls? The faving of our fouls depends entirely upon the fpending of our time; for the merits of a Saviour will never redeem those who take no steps to redeem themselves.If we are wife we fhall confider this great queftion as we ought; and may God Almighty assist us with his gracious aid, in providing fuch an anfwer to it, as will prepare us for that awful account which we must all give, when time fhall be no more!

SERMON XIV.

PHIL. iii. 13.

BRETHREN, 1 COUNT NOT MYSELF TO HAVE APPREHENDED; BUT THIS ONE THING I DO:

FORGETTING THE THINGS WHICH ARE BE HIND, AND REACHING FORTH UNTO THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE BEFORE, I PRESS TOWARDS THE MARK.

IN the following discourse, I shall, first, endea. vour to explain the text; and fhall, Secondly, apply it.

The words will bear this general interpretation:-Brethren, I do not confider myself as having yet attained the highest degree of christian perfection. That is a height, towards which we may be continually advancing, and yet can never fully attain. It is the part of every good christian, however, to aim at it, as nearly as he

can.

can. He ought never to be at reft; but, leav ing behind him his past attainments, he should press, like a racer, to the ground before him. All his attention fhould be laid out in adding to his virtues-in improving those he has-in weaning himself from the world-in becoming daily more heavenly-minded, and in advancing, still nearer perfection.

This seems to be the general fenfe of the text: let us now examine it more closely.

THE first thing the apoftle enjoins, is to forget the things which are behind. What things he fays not; but leaves us to collect his meaning, and common fense will eafily explain it. He cannot mean our fins: thefe, it is true, may be called things behind, or things paft; but common fenfe affures us, these are things we fhould never for get, but always remember; bewailing and lamenting them; praying for God's grace; and hoping for his goodness, through Christ, to par don them. We may take it for granted, therefore, that what the apoftle bids us forget, is fomething which is better forgotten than remembered. What that is, requires little ftudy to recollect, but fome candour to apply. Let us take