dwell in you."-"The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." By "the law of sin and death," is here, I conceive, meant, the commanding influence of evil; and, therefore, by the law of the Spirit of life, is intended, the commanding influence of that Spirit who gives the life divine. The authority, then, of the Spirit of God, in the heart in which he dwells,

is the paramount authority of law acknowledged, revered, and loved. He there erects his throne, asserts his dominion, and maintains his ascendency. He exerts a sanctifying influence over the thoughts, the desires, the dispositions, and the affections of the soul. He works in the believer "both to will and to do, according to his own good pleasure ;" and thus is fulfilled that righteousness which the law of God requires, but which unaided man would never be qualified to attain. If, then, it be our desire, that our conduct should be governed by the law of God, so that "whatever we do, we may do all to his glory," we must yield ourselves unreservedly to the guidance

and government of the Spirit of God. Let every Christian be prepared to say from the heart:-"Lead me and guide me, O Spirit of light and life, into all the truth I am required to believe, and into all the paths of righteousness in which I am required to walk. Most gratefully and dutifully would I yield myself to thy commanding influence. Reign in my heart as on thy throne. Dwell in my soul as in thy temple. Sanctify, elevate, sustain my energies of thought and feeling. "Work in me all the good pleasure of thy goodness,and the work of faith with power."

Fourthly, Let there be a diligent improvement of every talent committed to your trust.

I need not now enter on any minute

specification of the various orders of talents, respecting every one of which, the Lord and Master has said,-" Occupy till I come."

Time is a talent of inestimable value, not to be wasted by indolent repose, not to be lavished on unprofitable pursuits, not to be consumed on mere amusement, not to be lost by delusive procrastination. "Let me never delay any thing," said Dr. Doddridge, "unless I can prove that another time will be more fit than the present, or that some more important duty requires my immediate attention. Let me never lose one minute of time."

"Time wasted is existence; used is life!

-Pay

No moment, but in purchase of its worth."

Property is a talent, capable of effecting extensive good, and involving a serious and fearful responsibility. Never was there a period, since the days of the Apostles, in which the demands for the employment of this talent were more numerous, or more imperative, than at the present day; and never was there a period more distinguished by facilities for rendering its employment productive of advantage. An account of our stewardship is soon to be required. Will it then appear, that we have been "providing bags which wax not old; a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth?"

Opportunities of doing good, of what