The

highest end of life with a cold, selfish, nutshell heart. The possibility of your life is a great heart, intense affection, worldwide love, and you will not attain the highest end of life until you get that. And so you must give full scope and exercise to all your powers of affection and benevolence; not shut them up in some narrow sphere, contracted circle; you must let them expand, and widen and widen until they become world-wide in their sympathies, and enfold all mankind in their embrace. Your heart has mighty powers of love, unlimited energies of affection. Give them room to grow-enlarge-expand; exercise them upon your parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends. more they are exercised the stronger, larger, mightier, will they grow. Strive after a loving nature-to be baptised in a spirit of love-enveloped in an atmosphere of love-strong in the energy of love. And now, what are the best means you can employ to accomplish this ? Here again do not suppose that we disparage or undervalue other means when we say, with emphasis,-A devout and thoughtful study of God's Word, and especially of the life of Christ. In the life of Christ you see the softnesses— the tendernesses-the energy-the potency-the glory-the perfection of love; the heights, depths, lengths, breadths of "a love that passeth knowledge." "The heart of Christ," we want you to have that. "The love of Christ," we want you to have that. The heart of the world is something more now than it was when Christ came. It is now the heart of man plus the heart of Christ. Yes, Christ expanded the heart of the world-enlarged the heart of humanity, by living a life of love, of benevolence, of disinterestedness, such as the world had never seen; a love and benevolence that stooped to the lowest-embraced the whole race of man-burned on, in spite of the thousand extinguishing influences to which it was exposed, with an unquenchable flame. He presented God to the heart in the most attractive formendearing relation-melting, but soul-drawing attitude, as the object of its deepest, strongest interest, supremest love. not carry your judgment with us then," &c.?

"Do we

3.-He must discipline his will. You have a will of almost unlimited power of resolve and action. "I will." Think how

invincible is the spirit which has the strength to say, "I will." "I will,”—who can measure the height, depth, length, breadth, circumference, for good or for evil, that that utterance expresses? Left to itself the will is like a restive horse full of mettle, but frequently wild and unmanageable. You must bring it into subjection by wise discipline. Mark, do not break it, do not degrade it; but control, govern, strengthen it. Do not rest until you can so curb and master it that it will endure and obey the rein. Then with invincible determination you will be able to choose and perform the right. With a quiet spirit you will be able to resist the sorest temptation, both from within and from without-bear with cheerfulness and resignation the heaviest crosses maintain an unbroken calm while the wildest tempest rages, and stand fearless and bold under the menaces and frowns of your fellow men. And now what are the best means you can employ to accomplish this? Here, again, do not suppose that we disparage or undervalue other means when we say, with emphasis, a devout and thoughtful study of God's Word, especially of the obedience of Christ. In the obedience of Christ you see the strongest, mightiest will in the universe, but a will that could be "obedient unto death," a will that could be brought into the completest subjection. Here is its final utterance,-" Father, not My will, but Thine be done." The will of Christ,—we want you to have that. The will of the world is something more now than it was when Christ came. It is now the will of man plus the will of Christ. Yes, Christ strengthened the universal will of man by living a life of spotless purity, righteousness, immaculate holiness and trust; by resisting the most subtle temptations, battling with the most powerful influences, withstanding the keenest shafts of ridicule and obloquy, trampling the world beneath His feet, marching on amid the storms that raged around Him, and the insults that He received, with quiet strength, undaunted spirit, to the completion of His sublime and glorious work, leaving behind Him an inspiration, a heroism, that must nerve His loving subjects and faithful followers to endure any sacrifice rather than swerve from truth, righteousness, holiness, love, and secure to them a triumphant victory over every foe. Do we not carry your

judgment with us then, &c.? And now, are you employing these threefold means to accomplish the highest work of life, &c. What does this three-sided mirror say as to your wisdom or foolishness, &c.?

III.-A WISE YOUNG MAN WILL MAKE SURE THE SUCCESS OF HIS WORK BY "REDEEMING THE TIME." Am I right? When is the best time? Now! With trumpet clang the injunction of the apostle comes breaking upon your ears to-night-young man—woman,— "Redeem the time." How? By improving every opportunity, and availing yourself of every help for devoutly, thoughtfully studying the Word of God, especially the teachings, life, and the obedience of Christ. In addition to your home studies, attend the services of God's house, both on the Sunday and on the week-day evening; attend Bible classes where the Word is expounded and explained, especially the classes in connection with your own school and place of worship. Prize the advantages these offer. Make a point never to be late or absent from them. Prepare for them, make them as interesting and as profitable as you are able. Stimulate your teachers by your presence, enquiries, contributions. Make them study and think for your benefit, nothing will give them greater pleasure or encouragement. Are you making sure the success of your work by "redeeming the time"? What does this mirror say as to your wisdom or foolishness?

We preach Jesus to you as the Saviour from foolishness. All sin is folly, and if all folly is not sin it is bordering closely upon it. Now gather up all the energies of your nature into one grand, life-long effort, and "leaving the things that are behind, press forward."

POPLAR.

BENJAMIN PREECE.

"THE DEFINITION OF A LIE.-A lie consists in expressing ourselves purposely in a manner not any ways significant of our real thoughts, though the person we are speaking to has a right to understand them, and we on our part lie under an obligation of making him apprehend our meaning."-Poffendorf.

Sin-Conflict with Victory over.

"FOR I DELIGHT IN THE LAW OF GOD AFTER THE INWARD MAN: BUT I SEE ANOTHER LAW IN MY MEMBERS, WARRING AGAINST THE LAW OF MY MIND, AND BRINGING ME INTO CAPTIVITY TO THE LAW OF SIN WHICH IS IN MY MEMBERS. O WRETCHED MAN THAT I AM! WHO SHALL DELIVER ME FROM THE BODY OF THIS DEATH? I THANK GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. SO THEN WITH THE MIND I MYSELF SERVE THE LAW OF GOD; BUT WITH THE FLESH THE LAW OF SIN."—Romans vii. 22-25.

WE have in these words:

I. PAUL'S EXPERIENCE.

1. That there were within himself two conflicting principles. "I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind." Commentators, both ancient and modern, have been divided in opinion as to whether Paul was here speaking of himself, or imagining a case for the sake of argument. The latter seems wholly inadmissible, and deprives this powerful passage of its force and meaning, The majority of divines agree that Paul spake of himself, and described what he experienced in his own soul; but they differ as to the period in the apostle's religious history at which he passed through the trying ordeal he so graphically described. Some think he referred to the period prior to his conversion. But how could an unconverted man say, "I delight (ovvýdoμa) in the law of God." Others think that this was his experience during the time of his blindness, after meeting our Lord, and before Ananias was sent to him (Acts ix. 8, 17). But only three days elapsed while he was in that state, and surely his exceptional experience during that short period would not be of much value to the Christians at Rome, nor to believers generally. Before his conversion Paul was alive without the law" (v. 9). At his conversion "the commandment came, sin revived, and he died" (v. 9). With the first dawnings of grace he could say, "I consent (ouμpnμ) unto the law that it is good." As he grew stronger and saw more of

the love and graciousness of the Divine Lawgiver he could say, "I delight in the law of God after the inward man." But the more clearly the Divine light shone upon him, the more conspicuously did his own failings and sins stand out before him. And he became ill-at-ease with himself, and dissatisfied with his own accomplishments. Christianity with Paul was a life as well as a creed. His experience has been that of thousands of believers in all ages. Although some, like "holy Mr. Gifford," of Bedford, find peace at once and retain it until death; others, like "John Bunyan," and the "Pilgrim" he immortalised, find they need the "sword" constantly in hand as well as the "trowel."

2. That these principles were under the direction of opposing Intelligences.-"WARRING," (åvriorparevóμevov—taking the field, making war against). The conflict is not a collision between blind forces; but is a warfare. In every war there is intelligence on both sides. The "law of the mind" is under the direction of the "Captain" of our salvation. That of "the members "-of "the old man" of "the flesh"-is under the direction of Apollyon-the adversary-the old serpent, which is the devil. The "Holy War" in the "Town of Man-Soul" is more than a poetic dream.

3. That the tendency of sin is to make men slaves to itself: "and bringing me into captivity," &c. Grace makes for freedom

"the glorious liberty of the children of God." Sin aims at mastery over the mind, heart, and actions of men. "Every one that committeth sin is the bond-servant of sin."-R. V. When sin is indulged in for a length of time the power of resistance is weakened, and man becomes the helpless prey-the easy victim of the foe. The most pitiful, and perhaps most pitiable, object on earth is a man under the power of some evil habit which he has allowed to obtain the mastery over him. Witness:-The Miser, the Sensualist, the Opium Eater, the Drunkard, &c., &c. The grasp of sin is a tenacious one. It rallies, too, after many a defeat, and clings with deadly obstinacy oftentimes to those most "valiant for the truth." The apostle, though free from its dominion, was painfully exposed to its attacks, keenly sensitive to its wounds, and sorely grieved at its tenacity and virulence.

с