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to give what by some would be esteemed a satisfactory answer. One author calls it a fragment of eternity broken off at both ends. By another it is defined as being "finite and successive duration measured by the revolutions of the heavenly bodies."-Dr. Young says,

"From old eternity's mysterious orb
Was time cut off and cast beneath the skies,
The skies which watch him in his
is new abode,
Measuring his motions by revolving spheres."

This, however, we know concerning time, that its progress is rapid-Like a bird on the wing it always darts along. Like a flowing river it bears away towards eternity's all absorbing deep. It never suffers us to stand, but, with all our cares and fears, hastens us along towards our final destiny. I know that many do not view time in this light, but think it very slow in its movements, particularly so when their minds are fixed on some future period which they reckon will put them in the possession of expected good. They wait its arrival with deep anxiety,complain of its slow progress, try to waste it by a thousand follies, torture their inventions, and tire all their expedients, in attempting to shove along its tedious hours, and

lash its lingering moments into speed.' And often, when thus trying to hurry time along, and stretching every power to reach the intended point, they find themselves upon the verge of death, and eternity ready to swallow them up. But how different then are their views of time. When it was in the advance, they looked on it as moving like an old man, chilled with infirmities, and bending beneath a burden of years. Now, that it is past, it appears to them as a strong bird of rapid flight, darting onward like flames, and journeying with a swiftness that outstrips the motions of the wind.

Time is also uncertain. We know not what an hour may bring forth. As it concerns our lives, and this world, all before us is precarious. Upon the future part of our journey, if any part remains unperformed,-clouds and darkness continually rest. Each moment, as though sworn before sent to us, to keep concealed all that is behind, drops not a whisper as to what remains. The exact length of our life,—the circumstances connected with it,—and the time, place, and manner of its termination, are all hushed up in profound silence. And should not this induce you to number your days, and apply your hearts unto wisdom. While time is carrying you from point to point,-burrying you onward like a ship before a strong wind—while you are wrapped in the greatest uncertainity as to what is before you, and as at any moment, even when appearances are most promising, you may be placed where there is neither work nor knowledge, nor device, should you not be making the best of time, by applying your hearts unto wisdom? We will argue the necessity of your attending to this lesson.

2. From the distinguished worth of time.-But who can estimate its value.

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Though curious to compute,
Archangels fail to cast the mighty sum."

But are you willing to make the attempt to form some profitable estimate of the value of time? Then repair with me to the bed side of a dying sinner. He has had a long life when compared with many around him, and has been favoured with numerous opportunities of obtaining spirtual good. But, alas! he abandoned the thoughts of dying, or if he thought upon that subject at all, these intervals were very short, and commonly terminated in a self persuasion that death was yet very far from him. How different his views, how altered his estimate now. The hand of the

bsd Almighty is upon him; he is pierced with strong pains; his wicked companions have deserted him; his iniquities encompass him about, and the remembrance of them is distressing to his soul. He feels what he has done, in wasting that which is far more precious than gold. What would he now give for a small portion of that which with such profusion he formerly lavished away? What would he now give for a single day of ease and leisure. It may be he has great possessions. But what of that?

"Can wealth assuage his troubled mind
Or make the furious devils kind?

Can all the wealth from pole to pole
Redeem his lost immortal soul?"

Just as he is launching off I imagine I hear him say, "Perish gold, perish possessions and estates, if their destruction will procure me one day of life and probation. Cases of this kind are not rare but frequent. I know that relatives and those who at such seasons surround the description of character we have attempted to draw, often try to throw a vail over these scenes but almost as often try in vain. Never forget that these are the seasons during which men form the most solid and correct estimate of all that concerns time, the world, their souls and eternity.-Observe also that this is the period at which nearly all men speak the truth. I say nearly all men. For we have read of individuals, and some in particular who have died for breaking the laws of their country, that have conducted themselves with almost incredible levity to the moment of their suspension on the fatal gallows. But these are rare cases and are generally associated with hearts uncommonly wicked, and have been confirmed by a perseverance in crime. In almost every instance when a man views death as being just at hand, whatever guile and concealment he may formerly have

had, he is then open and sincere, and his conduct is the genuine picture of his heart.

F

Does this view of the value and importance of time" impress your minds? If so that this impression may be deepened, and that you and I may never waste one moment more, guarded by the light of Revelation, let us follow him into the world of spirits, and place ourselves. near him before the throne of Judgment. The Books are opened and the Judgment is set. His all is now depending, and his state just about to be settled for eternity. His journey is closed. His race is run. His probation ended. Time with him is no more. A strict account of the manner in which he has improved or abused it is now required. How awful his situation! He is about to be enraptured with the bliss of heaven, or involved in the fire of hell: And on what hinge turns this important concern? The whole depends upon the views which he has formed of time, and the manner in which he has improved it, The records are read. He has committed many sins, wasted many mercies,-rejected many warnings. But he had space allowed for repentance. He had time to seek the Lord. A proper improvement of a given period would have reversed the gloominess of his present situation, and opened to his prospect, the blissful regions of heaven.

"The man that duly consecrates an hour
With steady purpose and an honest aim,
He draws at once the sting of life and death,
He walks with nature, and her paths are peace."

But this he has neglected to do. A frown clouds the countenance of the Judge. The time-waster is driven away from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power, into a place where he must herd with kindred fiends who, like himself, have abused so valuable a treasure, That

you may be more deeply impressed with the worth of time, accompany me in your minds to the brink of perdition. Let us listen for a few moments to what is passing there. What means that weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth; that common clang of grief which causeth hell to groan through all her caverns? What is the burden of the whole? It is this, "O wretched beings that we are, we once had time, and mercy, and probation, but now we have them no more. They are gone-gone,-gone for ever." Persons generally feel the value of their mercies most when bereft of them. This is true even in the case of damned souls. When they had time they cared little about it, but now that it is gone, and gone beyond the hope of recovery, they are deeply penetrated with a sense of its worth. Let us imagine that I stand in that relation to them, in which I stand to you, that is as a messenger of mercy. Imagine you can hear me inform them that time and probation shall have existence in their abode of misery. That they shall have a day of trial. That for one day God waits to be gracious unto them. That if they rightly improve that short space they will obtain eternal deliverance. That the day commenced at the moment I began to announce my message.-At this sound, Time and probation shall have existence in the abode of misery, I imagine I see the tenfold night of hell beginning to retire! All the malice, impiety and blasphemy in that dreary world are suspended. Fiend ceases to conflict with fiend. Remorse blunts, and in part ceases to use her iron sting. Sorrow dries up the stream, of what otherwise would have been never ending tears. Haggard melancholy lifts up her pale front, partly irradiated with a commencing smile. The prisoners of wrath, then by my message,constituted the prisoners of hope, à begin to shake their chains in transports. Fervent prayers I hear arising through the whole of the vast region of misery. The smoky torment subsides. The dreary caverns ‹