how soon, very soon may they be convinced too late! Hobbs said when dying, "I yield my body to the earth, and my soul to the grea perhaps." Thistlewood the traitor said to one of his comrades as he was ascending the drop, "We shall soon know the great secret” -He meant, whether there was another world; and after death the judgment. What wretched infatuation to leave the decision till the discovery and the remedilessness arrive together! It is hardly necessary to observe that the denial of the thing will not disprove it. Suppose a criminal by some delusion persuades himself that the assize will not be kept-He goes on-but while he is engaged or amused, hark! the trumpets sound, the judge is entering, and to-morrow he must appear. Men may reason, disbelieve, ridicule; but the scene neither slumbers nor lingers-" The end is come; the end is come." The third respects the character of those who fall under the malediction. And surely they must be persons charged with crimes too shocking for human nature often to commit: surely they can only be Cains, and Pharaohs, and Belshazzars, and Herods, and Robespierres. But no. They are not represented as tyrants, robbers, adulterers, murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers. Many of them were free from what is commonly called vice. They had negative virtues, and often boasted that they did no harm. But they led easy and indolent lives. They exercised no self-denial. They made no sacrifices not only for God whom they had not seen, but for their brother whom they had seen. They have judgment without mercy, because they showed no mercy. They had unfeeling hearts, and tearless eyes; their hands never relieved the necessitous; their feet never visited the door of affliction-It is the deci sion of One too wise to be mistaken, and too faithful to misrepresent—“ For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." NOVEMBER 21.-" I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty."-Ruth i. 21. THESE are the words of Naomi, who, from the famine which raged in her own country, had fled to Moab for succour, and had now returned back to her native place. In a village every occurrence, especially the coming back of inhabitant af years of absence, excites notice, and the news soon spreads ough the neighbourhood. So it was here The arrival of Nmi, accompanied with Ruth, her daugen-aw, awakens curiosity, and huddles together the rustics a little groups, pointing with the finger, and making remarks and inquiries So they two went until they came to Peth-lehem And it came to pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved about them; and they said, Is this Naomi ?" At which she burst into tears, and said, "Call me not Naomi”—that is, pleasant: "call me Mara"--that is, bitter: "for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me--I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty." Whence we may observe, That when persons go from home, they little think what may befall them befor their return. This will apply even to life itself. Some, like Elimelech, never come back. An accident demolishes their frame; or a disease arrests them too violently to admit of their removal: their relations arrive just in time to see them die, or ther die in the midst of strangers. They little imagined that when they left their own door they were never to enter it again; and that the leave they had taken of their family was a farewell for ever "Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth." "Go to now, ye that say, To day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.' It applies also as to character. Some have been converted while from home: they have met with a godly acquaintance whose conversation, or have attended an evangelical minister whose preaching has been useful to their souls; and they have returned with new views and feelings, and have become all anxious to bring their connections into the same state with themselves. Others, alas! have gone out moral and returned vicious, profaning the Sabbath they had once revered as the holy of the Lord and honourable; and ridiculing a book which they once regarded as given by inspiration of God. How many, in travelling, run uncalled for into dangers And how necessary is it, even in lawful, because necessary journeys, to commit our way unto the Lord, and pray, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil !" It also applies to our outward circumstances. Some go out empty, and come home again full. This was the case with Jacob. He left Beer-sheba with nothing but the charge and blessing of Isaac: and in his pleading with God in his journey, he only asks for bread to eat, and raiment to put on, and a return to his father's house in peace. But hear him on his return : "with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands." And thus it has been with many since. They st off with no raised expectation, and with no design formed, excepting to gain a humble subsistence: but difficulties vanished before them; the Lord p-ospered their way; blessed the labour of their hands; and gave them power to get wealth. Others have gone out with confidence flattered by the most pleasing prospects. But every enterprise failed; every dependance gave way; every comfort fled; till they were left like a beacon upon the top of the mountain, or a vessel stranded and wrecked upon the shore-Therefore we observe again, That it is no unusual thing for the same individual to experience both fulness and privation. Ah," says Naomi, once I had a hus band, now I am a widow. Once I had children, no v I am child less. Once I had importance, now I am without influence. Ox ce I had substance, now I am destitute-I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty.' Not only is there a diversity of conditions among men, so that while one is in splendour another is in obscurity, and while one is rich another is poor-but the very same person may successively be distinguished and neglected, be wealthy and indigent. These transitions are sometimes gradual; and sometimes sudden and wholly unlooked for. But Scripture, and all history and observation, more than remind us of the possi tility of these changes: and wisdom admonishes us to improve them-First, by not depending upon our possessions and enjoyments. Shall we set our heart on that which is not? Secondly, by using them liberally while we have them. Riches make to themselves wings, and flee away: but, says an old writer, we may clip their wings by charity. And Solomon says, "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again." So that not only is the principal safe, but the interest Divine. "Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight: for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth." And Thirdly, by being prepared for every vicissitude. "I know," says Paul," how to be abased, and how to abound; every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." It is one thing to know what it is to possess, and what it is to lose, and another to know how-that is, how to behave in each as becometh the principles of a Christian. It is a great thing to prosper and not be exalted above measure; and to be reduced without being swallowed up of over much sorrow. To be full and not deny him, and say, Who is the Lord? And to be poor, and not steal or take the name of our God in vain. Yet this is possible; and through the grace of the Holy Spirit the soul may be braced up to such a moral strength of constitution, as to brave any climate or change of weather, however great or sudden. See also how piety will acknowledge the hand of God in every event. An ordinary min'l would have said, "I went out full, and am come back empty." But Naomi did not live without God with her in the world-Naomi says, "I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty." So Eli said, "It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good." And Job, instead of dwelling on the Sabeans and the elements, said, "the Lord hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." God is not the author of sin; but as to suffering "Is there an evil in the city and the Lord hath not done it ?" Does not he make darkness as well as create light? There is nothing like chance, especially in our trials; neither are we to think only or principally of second causes. It is a view of God's agency alone that can preserve us, either from sinning or sinking in the day of adversity, But the cup which my Father giveth me shall I not drink it? I can rust in him-He spared not his own Son-He has always my welfare at heart "Good when he gives, supremely good; O let me hold communion with him, not only in his word, but in his works: not only in his ordinances, but in his dispensations. Let me cleave to him as my exceeding joy, and my everlasting portion, in all the revolutions of time. And look forward not only to a pure, but a permanent state of blessedness “All, all on earth is shadow-all beyond Is substance. The reverse is folly's creed. NOVEMBER 22.-"Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage."-Matt. xxii. 4. : GOD has provided for all his creatures according to their kinds : "the eyes of all wait upon him, and he giveth them their meat in due season.' "" Man is a compound being; for his body there is the storehouse and wardrobe of nature. But in all this there is nothing for his nobler part, the mind. Here the Gospel comes in to meet his exigences-and with nothing less than a feast-and while every other feast is for the body-this is entirely for the soul. The spirituality of this feast constitutes the excellency of it, and at the same time accounts for the neglect of it. If provision was made to gratify the animal appetites, or the desire for worldly riches and honour, it would easily excite attention. But men are earthly and sensual; they are governed by things that are seen and temporal Hence they hear of spiritual and everlasting things with indiffer ence. But is not this folly and madness? Is not the mind the man Does not he who knew the value of the scul from the price he paid for the redemption of it, does not he ask, "What is a man profited if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Yet The feast here is not an ordinary one. It is a royal feast, a royal marriage feast, a royal marriage feast for the king's son. what may we look for in such a feast as this, that is not to be found in the dispensation of the Gospel? a Is it plenitude? Here we have it. We read of "abundant mercy"—of "plenteous redemption"-of a Saviour "full of grace and truth”—of "all the fulness of God." Is it variety? Here we have it. Our wants and hopes are not only numerous, but various; and equally so are our supplies. Here is light for our darkness. Righteousness for our guilt. Strength for our weakness. Renovation for the heart. Peace for the conscience. The supply of the Spirit. The comforts of the Holy Ghost. Is it richness of entertainment? What else can be the meaning of the expressions, feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined ?" God prepares dainties for his guests, and hey are all supreme in their kind, and infinitely expensive. The Jews did eat angels' food: but what was the manna in the Desert compared with the bread of life? He that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." Is it fellowship? A feast is not a private meal an individual indulgence, but an enter timent designed to promote friendship, and social intercourse, and gratification. And here we have it. We are not solitary partakers, but have companions the most agreeable, and excellent, and numerous. We sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, with prophets and apostles, with the noble army of martyrs; with the general assembly and church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven. Is it enjoyment? A man at a feast discharges himself from anxieties, and gives up himself to pleasure and delight -"a feast is made for laughter." "Joy becomes a feast," and is promoted by it. But no pleasure, no delight can resemble that which results from an experience of Divine grace. "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound." What a contrast between them and others! "Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty : behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed: behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit." Yet it is lamentable to think that, though all things are ready, and all are invited to the feast, many make light of it, and go their way. We are therefore commanded to compel" you to come in, that the house may be filled. Not that violence is to be employed. The compulsion is to be suited to a rational nature; and therefore to consist only of the urgency of persuasion by argument and motive. And here the difficulty lies not in convincing the judgment-since no one, unless an infidel, will deny the propriety of complying with this call at some time-but not at present. Go thy way, therefore at this time you really, if not verbally, say to the importunity, when I have a more convenient season I will send for three. But is not this delay and postponement infinitely dangerous? Your season, your only season, is rapidly passing away. How soon will the bridge be drawn, and the door be shut! And then the things which belong to your peace will be hid from your eyes. Admitting that according to your present feelings you are resolved to seek at some future period, that period may never come. Sickness is not always the forerunner of death. The disease too may render you incapable of thought, and then your purposed repentance will be impracticable. Impracticable it will always be unless the Spirit of God works in you; but if you resist his strivings now, what right have you to expect that he will return then, and by the most wonderful operation conquer your inveterate indisposition? .: Yea, the procrastination is as unreasonable as it is dangerous. Your compliance is as necessary to your living comfortably as to Four dying safely. Though the happiness of those who receive Christ Jesus the Lord is completed above, it is begun below. They have many present attainments. They do enter into rest. Their souls are satisfied as with marrow and fatness. The Lord is their shepherd. To him they have committed all their concerns. All hat is really good for them is secured by his power, love, and promise. Their tormenting fears are removed. Their vain and restless desires are subdued. They have indeed their afflictions, but these are sanctified and softened; and in a little time all tears shall be wiped from their eyes. Can you imagine that God will suffer his enemies to be more happy than his friends? Can a persuasion that |