or diverted with the passing moments, as if they had no value or bearing beyond the present scene, or gave no decided character or deep colouring to their immortal existence. Thus he strives to begird the earth, in their imagination, with a high wall, so that a material boundary might be practically given to all their thoughts, estimates, and perceptions.

By thus filling the mental eye habitually with the affairs of time, whether domestic, professional, or political,-by causing these things, however lawful in their own place, to assume to the mind an intrinsic importance, which is utterly false and delusive, the grand fundamental principles of immortality and accountability become practically veiled over; and the scriptures themselves, though nominally admitted, and occasionally reverenced, have little further hold of the mind than a tale that is told, or a dream of the night. Hence the scriptures describe unrenewed men as practically atheists, living "without God, and without hope in the world." Their souls are entombed in the darkness of sin, their talents are "hid in the earth," that is, are entirely devoted to their worldly interests. From the world they seek to draw their supreme happiness. Like Esau, they snatch at present enjoyments, and deliberately sell an immortal birthright, an endless inheritance, comprising all that is valuable or desirable in existence-the favour and blessing of God-the possession and friendship of Jesus-the ever-flowing fountain of the Holy Spirit in the soul-the companionship of angels-the increasing glories, felicities, and perfect blissful adaptations of heaven-all-all for "a morsel of meat." For what is the whole world, were it personally possessed for a succession of ages by any one person—what is it, in the light of eternity, but a morsel of meat-a momentary gratification?

Let the real controversy between the Lord and unregenerate man be here apparent. Every human being is commanded by the gospel to make a deliberate choice between a momentary, unsatisfying gratification, and immortal, never fading blessedness; between a moment and eternity. God calls on the sinner by every motive which can affect the heart, to renounce the sinful moment for the hundredfold spiritual blessings in this world, and everlasting life in the world to come. But the sinner too often disbelieves God, and refuses all; madly preferring the momentary phantoms of time, thereby ensuring an eternity of agony. Let every sinner then be plied with the awful demand," Choose you this day whom ye will serve --God or mammon! Which do you prefer the MOMENT of sinful enjoyment, or ETERNAL BLESSEDNESS? You cannot

THE ENGLISH MONTHLY TRACT SOCIETY 27, RED LION SQUARE, LONDON.

choose both. Thus Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Mary, also, the sister of Lazarus, chose that good part, which should never be taken from her-everlasting life; while Demas, and many, many more, chose this present evil world.

Nor is the Christian out of danger from the same delusive temptation; for where he is not maintaining, through grace, a steadfast faith in the gospel, a close "walk with God," and continuing instant in prayer for the unceasing help of the Holy Spirit, the present moment is sure to prevail more or less in temptation, and eclipse for a time his faith in eternal blessings. How fearful is the deceitfulness of sin, which can thus so array an instantaneous pleasure, as to outweigh, for the time, an eternity of felicity!

Thus the solicitations and earthly gratifications of the present moment render this world, to the partially sanctified believer, a place of constant danger; where he is to sojourn "in fear," not merely of direct sin, but also in regard to his necessary employments or abstractly lawful enjoyments. These are ever ready, through the subtlety of Satan, and remaining depravity, to divert the mind from the great object of his being, from his awful responsibility, from his relation to eternity. They tend to amuse or fascinate his mind, draw away his heart, while he is rapidly losing those moments which, in the view of eternity, are inestimable jewels. And surely no darker sign can be given by any man of his departure from Jesus, if not of his being wholly under the power of Satan, than ardent attachment to this world; than being supremely engrossed with its affairs and attractions. Hence the language of inspiration: "Many walk Many walk. ... who are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things," Phil. iii. 18, 19.

Now, in this scene of warfare, the believer must, every day, either overcome, through a prayerful dependence on Divine strength, and by keeping his mind fixed on the glorious gospel, on the realities of eternity; or be overcome, by looking away from these great objects to seek a spurious happiness on earth, or by leaning on his own strength. He must either conquer or be conquered! and the awful question to be perpetually settled is which shall it be? A cloud of witnesses look on from the heights of eternity, to mark, so to speak, the daily warfare, the daily victories or losses, the great issues of this momentous struggle. But victory is certain to those who,

from the field of battle, ever look with confidence to the Captain of their salvation, in the spirit of prayer, reposing on his strength and finished righteousness for their deliverance, and sincerely desirous to know and do his will. Such shall continually hear in their inmost soul a voice from the centre of the engagement, exclaiming, "This is the victory that overcometh the world-your faith." And anon, "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

But what is that faith, that mighty secret, which overcomes the world's allurements, and throws them into the eternal shades? which dispels the terror of a deathbed, and lights up the soul, in the prospect of eternity, with joy unspeakable and full of glory? It is the knowledge of God's sovereign love to us, manifested in the gift of a Saviour, full of grace, strength, and peace; the knowledge of free forgiveness, through his precious blood, and a perfect welcome to the " MERCY-SEAT," through his mighty intercession, by which the most unworthy sinner may obtain at once deliverance from danger, and the bestowment of every possible blessing. It is not enough for us to be convinced that it is our duty to let go the eager hold of the world; that it will never give true satisfaction to the mind, and that there are many miseries in it. These arguments may be, and often are, theoretically admitted, while yet the heart cleaves idolatrously to the objects of time and sense; and, notwithstanding innumerable disappointments, refuses to let them go. The heart requires another kind of argument to overcome, through grace, its attachment to earth; namely, the bringing before it, very clearly, a better object, which can be freely received, and impart a far superior happiness to the soul, when it is chosen in preference to the other. Oh, nothing will cause a man to cease from seeking the things of time and sense as his portion, till the soul perceives, in the light of the Holy Spirit, the vast superiority of the gospel provision, as a fountain for happiness, with its glorious freeness to him! It was the discovery of the "pearl of great price," its intrinsic superiority to every other, and the joyful certainty of obtaining it in possession, which at once induced the man, in the parabolic illustration, to go and sell all that he had to secure it.

The case of Zaccheus, too, presents a remarkable scripture illustration of the immediate power of such an argument addressed to the heart, Luke xix. 5, 6. His chief good, his idol, as far as we may judge from the inspired record, ere he ascended the tree to see Jesus passing by, was money. Christ came to the foot of the tree, to cast out the idol, and ascend at

once the throne of his heart. He was joyfully welcomed, and immediately became all in all; for at that awful moment the infinite superiority of the love and favour of the Redeemer, thus freely presented for his acceptance, to the possession of the whole world, gleamed into the mind of the publican, and from that moment the world was overcome.

And what but the knowledge of that love, the blissful experience of that favour, through faith in the blood of the cross, can cheer a soul amidst the conflicts of this chequered scene, and enable us to look forward with a blissful hope to the beatitudes of "vast eternity."

This alone was the golden anchor which enabled believers in every age to outride the storms of life, and resist every flood that would carry them away. It was not the remembrance of any personal worthiness or consciousness of intrinsic goodness which disarmed their fears and inspired their hopes, but the simple discovery of the free grace of the Redeemer to sinners, even the chief. Their confidence for eternity sprang from seeing the unchangeable love of God to them written in letters of blood; from beholding the demands of law and justice, in regard to their sins, fully met at Calvary; from perceiving the free promise of Christ addressed to every sinner, "Whosoever cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." And why should any reader live without this wondrous change, this constant happiness, this blissful anticipation? The glad tidings of the gospel tells him of the same love, proclaims the same Saviour, holds out the same free and abundant promises of the Holy Spirit to sanctify, and thus meeten his soul for eternal glory. "The Spirit and the bride say, COME. And let him that heareth say, COME. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Thus every one is invited, importunately invited, to forsake the "broken cisterns" of this world, and drink at once of "A PURE RIVER, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb," Rev. xxii. 1, 17.

...

Bold shall I stand in that great day,
For who aught to my charge shall lay?
While, through thy blood, absolved I am
From sin's tremendous curse and shame.

This spotless robe the same appears
When ruined nature sinks in years:
No age can change its glorious hue;
The robe of Christ is ever new.

Oh let the dead now hear thy voice!
Bid, Lord, thy banished ones rejoice!
Their beauty this, their glorious dress,
Jesus, the Lord our Righteousness.

J. F. SHAW, BOOKSELLER, SOUTHAMPTON ROW, AND
PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON:

AND W. INNES, BOOKSELLER, SOUTH HANOVER STREET, EDINBURGH.

London: J. & W. RIDER, Printers, 14, Bartholomew Close.