not baits prepared-whether presented to the eye or the ear, to turn away the mind from the "one thing needful?"-to keep out of sight the true foundation? Young people, you know not how Satan will set any thing before your eyes to keep God out of your minds. If a man discovers the bait, so as to be aware of it, and escape it, it is a great privilege! Bless God that the true light shines, and shows you plainly a narrow way, and a broad road it tells you, that one leads to life eternal, and the other to destruction, "where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched." These are both set before us by "the true light" that "now shineth."

2ndly. We may see from the case before us, that when once a corrupt heart is fully set, and instigated to do evil, it is capable of any wickedness.

"When lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." Dr. Johnson speaks of the danger of cherishing one wrong desire in the heart. What a conflagration may a single spark occasion! Therefore Solomon cautions us to shun the path of the wicked: "Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away." Look at the man of whom we have just been speaking, who set out from nothing, and who is now become the troubler of Europe-if God does not put a stop to his mad projects, where will they end?

Natural causes are a merely secondary consideration: he knows but little of history, and much less of God, who places confidence in natural causes. The poor have not the perplexities of the rich: they know little what serpents lurk in the path of the rich: what temptations, what entanglements, what incentives to ambition, and the lusts of present things! And frequently, some bad passion, or propensity being irritated,

the man rushes on with mad impetuosity, and knows no bound.

"Keep," therefore, "thine heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." With how much caution do we watch that no spark falls which might endanger our houses! We take every precaution to secure ourselves, with bolts and bars, against robbers! in these things we act rationally. Let us be influenced by rational considerations in regard to spiritual things: let us watch against evil, and take every means to hold fast to God. "Simon, Simon," said our Lord," Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not:"-such is the power of the enemy, he will lead you on to any thing!

Let us consider, and pray, with one heart, that we may receive the truth, and be kept from evil. God says of his Church, "I drew them with the cords of a man:" i. e. not only by spiritual influences, but by rational considerations; by such cords as men draw with; or, are drawn with. Let us have the wisdom to know our opportunity, and the danger of neglecting it. Let us watch and pray, that we enter not into temptation.

A man is sometimes overtaken by a temptation before he is aware. He says, like Hazael, "Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing?" We are often least afraid, when most in danger: the armor may be ready, but it is not put on. Happy is it for us, that there is One who watches over us, like a parent; who sees where the child is likely to fall, when he does not expect it. God, by his warnings, calls upon us to watch; and by his promises, encourages us to pray.

I speak to Christians: If you live ever so longhave ever so great experience-yet not a day, not an

hour is there, when you do not need to watch against temptation. I call on you to expect temptation: perhaps in such a form as you have not hitherto experienced. If you expect it, you will be less surprised by it when it comes: treat it wisely; but go not into the way of it. Come boldly to the throne of grace for strength to meet it: if you cannot come with that firmness and constancy which you could wish, yet come as you can; saying with the woman of Canaan, “Lord, help me:" I can only hope for power and victory through thy grace. I do not hesitate to say, that they who live without a sense of the danger and power of temptation, and thence are not led to watch and pray against it, have no ground for thinking themselves Christians. The sense of need, and of God as our only helper, is a criterion of a real Christian.

LIFE, THE GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY.

Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.-JOHN xi. 9, 10.

[1805.]

WE are now entering on a new year: and as man is drawn by the cords of a man, that is, not only by spiritual influences, but by rational considerations, let us seriously consider our state and condition before God, and pray with one heart, that we may enter upon this year in newness of spirit. And may the influences of the Holy Spirit rest upon us!

"Are there not twelve hours in the day?" Now, if a man walks in the day, if he does his appointed work

in it, then fresh advances will be attended with fresh prosperity. But if a man trifles in those twelve hours -if he suffers the light to pass, and his work is not done, and the night overtake him, "when no man can work" then he loses his opportunity, and must take all consequences.

Notice the particular occasion on which these words were spoken. The disciples, upon hearing that our Lord proposed to go again into Judea, said unto him, "Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world" as though he had said, Is not the period of my work as much determined as the duration of the natural day? Is it not fixed by my Father's will? During this period the light of my day shines: and while it continues, “I must work the works of Him that sent me." "For if any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not:" he can then see the impediments, difficulties, and dangers of his path. "But if a man walk in the night,"-if the dilatory traveller puts off his journey till the evening, he is overtaken by the night; and being unable to discern his path, "he stumbleth."

I shall call your attention,

I. TO THE WISDOM OF KNOWING OUR OPPORTUNITY: "Are there not twelve hours in the day?"

II. TO THE DANGER OF NEGLECTING IT: "The night cometh," when men can neither walk nor work.

I. THE WISDOM OF KNOWING OUR OPPORTUNITY. This principally depends upon our walking and working while it is light. The light is with us as long as we have the word of God. A heathen has no light; he has nothing but superstition. But, says the Psalm

ist, "Thy word is a light unto my feet, and a lamp unto my path." More especially is the light with us, when we have that word faithfully preached; when it is opened and urged upon our consciences by faithful ministers. Our opportunity is also great when we see signal instances of the power and grace of God in others. The man out of whom the devils were cast, besought Jesus that he might be with him. But our Saviour answered, "Return to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee." Wherever real grace reaches the heart, and a man is enabled, by his living and walking according to it, to demonstrate the reality of religion-there is a great light.

Our opportunity is still greater, if we have found this grace reach our own hearts. If a man sits down and considers how gracious the Lord is; how merciful the proclamation of grace and pardon to the guilty; if he sees that there is no impediment to his accepting the proposal such a man shall know whither he goeth: he walketh while the sun is up: his sin and guilt shall be rolled upon another: in his affliction he shall find a cordial for every wound: and he shall be able to take hold of the cold hand of death, and say, Though worms destroy this body, yet there shall be sunshine in the church-yard: he shall be able to say, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?"-Let us further consider,

II. THE DANGER OF NEGLECTING OUR OPPORTUNITY.

"The children of this world," says our Lord, “are wiser in their generation than the children of light." When a man from the top of a hill sees a fine prospect, he says to himself-True, this is very fine now, but it would be horrible to remain here till midnight; there