gion, and desire to live a holy life, but the cares and business and anxieties of the world, fill their minds and direct their attention. Some men are destroyed by riches, some by the desire of riches, some by the pleasures which riches purchase. My brethren, let our anxiety be, and let it be our prevailing desire to possess the one thing needful, an interest in a once crucified but now glorified Redeemer; having this, we possess all things.

The parable closes with the seed that fell upon good ground; this brought forth fruit some an hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty. And such, says our Lord, are they that hear the word and understand it, and bring forth the fruits of righteousness. The word of God does not merely fall upon their ear, but it enters into their hearts. They meditate much upon what they hear, and they listen not merely to be pleased but to be profited, and the Holy Spirit adds his blessing. They had before produced weeds only;

their best actions, what the world calls

good works, were, in

the words of scrip

ture, but filthy rags.

But now they bear

the fruits of the Spirit, they are full of zeal for the glory of God, and of love for man. All are, indeed, not equally fruitful; all are not Pauls; all are not apostles or prophets; there are various degrees of holiness and of usefulness, but God, of his mercy, graciously accepts every man according to that which he hath, and not according to that he hath not; He does not despise the day of small things. They, however, who are conscious of producing fruit only thirty fold, should strive, according to their means and opportunities, to bring forth a hundred fold; and the Lord, seeing that we value his grace, will bestow upon us more grace. We must not rest satisfied with our present attainments, but still go forward, and abound more and more to the glory of God.

In conclusion, I would press upon you the words of the text: He that hath ears

to hear let him hear. Remember that all your fruit unto holiness, under the divine blessing, depends upon the manner in which you hear the word. Is there, then, a question of more vital importance than this-how do you hear? Are your ears dull of hearing; do you hear lightly and carelessly, with wandering minds or preoccupied hearts? Must not some of us confess that we have long heard, but to no effect; why is this? You are conscious that as yet you have brought forth no fruit; search, I beseech you, and examine well what is the cause. Perhaps once you felt the force of divine truth; but now, and it may be for a long time, those feelings have subsided. perilous; I beseech you, continue. If you have hitherto heard in vain, be determined this day to make religion your first business. You know not how much longer a probation God in his providence has ordained you. Death has your name upon his list; the very year

Such a state is suffer it not to

the very hour; your race may be almost run though you are not aware. If the least impression is made upon you, suffer it not to be effaced, but pray most earnestly that you may have ears to hear and hearts to understand.

But you also, beloved, whom we trust, nay, whom we know to be fruitful in good works, let me ask you if you repent of having devoted yourselves, your souls and bodies to the service of the Lord? Have you not delight in doing the will of God? Is there not a pleasure in serving, aye, in suffering for God, if need be? Are you not even now rewarded? Go on then; be more and more fruitful; root out the weeds, pluck out the briars; be trees in the garden of the Lord's kingdom on earth, and ere long he will transplant you into paradise, he will take you to heaven. And may he grant that all you who now hear the word of life, may be of that blessed number.

155

SERMON XIII.

JOB XIV. 14, 15.

"All the days of my appointed time will I wait

till my change come.

Thou shalt call and I will

answer thee; thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands."

THESE words express the feelings of a devout mind with respect to that great event which awaits us all. There is a

temptation on either hand with regard to it; the one, is to long impatiently for death when harassed and oppressed by the afflictions of the present life; the other, is to be dismayed at the prospect of its approach, and according to the expression of scripture, through fear of death, to be all our life long subject to