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Isa. xl. 7. "For what is your life? It is even that appeareth for a little time, and then vanishe -James iv. 14. You know how swiftly a weave flies; but your life flies more swiftly: My days a than a weaver's shuttle."-Job vii. 6. "6 My days a than a post; they are passed away as the swift shi eagle that hasteth to the prey."-Job. ix. 25, 26. much is already passed away. Most believers s first days in sin. Many hearing me gave their be sin and the world. Many among you have only and the torn, and the sick, to give to God. All look on the past as a sleep, or as a tale that is told. since I came among you appears to me just lik (3.) What remains is all numbered. All of y me have your Sabbaths numbered-the number you are to hear. The last one is already fixed up years are numbered. To many this is the last shall ever see in this world. Many will celebrate new year in glory. The disease is now in the bod of you that is to lay you in the dust; and your g ready marked out. In a little while you will quietly there. Yes, dear brethren, "the time is

2. The time of this world's continuance is sh end of all things is at hand ""The fashion of passeth away." A believer stands on a watch-tow present are below his feet-things eternal are eyes. A little while, brethren, and the day of be over-preaching, praying will be done. So give over wrestling with an unbelieving world number of believers shall be complete, and th open over our heads, and Christ shall come. Η cry was: Surely I come quickly." Then w him "whom, having not seen, we loved." Al and we shall stand before the great white thron while, and the wicked shall not be; we shal going away into everlasting punishment a little the work of eternity shall be begun. We shall

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-we shall see him day and night in his temple sing the new song, without sin and without we ever and ever. In a little moment, brethren, al

under the sun.

e dearest objects of this world: "It remaineth, hat they who have wives be as though they had arriage is honourable in all. Husbands should wives, even as Christ loved the Church: "So to love their wives as their own bodies." Still be idolatry. A married believer should be, in cts, as if he were unmarried-as if he had no onour thy father and thy mother, that thy days g upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth ou cannot be too kind, too gentle, too loving, to whom God has given you; yet be as though none. Parents love your children, and bring in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; at the time is short. They are only a loan Lord. Be not surprised if he take his own. our ministers highly in love, for their work's be as if you had none. Lean as entirely on if you had never seen or heard a minister. mentions an instance of one woman, who, after sion, was resigned to the divine will in the most nts: "What if God should take away your husyou--how do you think you would bear that?" 1: "He belongs to God, and not to me; he may im just what he pleases." When she longed

e free from sin, she was asked what would ber infant, she answered, "God will take care of it; to him-he will take care of it." Rutherford ild your nest upon no tree here; for you see God the forest to Death, and every tree whereon we is ready to be cut down, to the end we may flee t up, and build upon the rock, and dwell in the e rock." Set not your heart on the flowers of ; for they have all a canker in them. Prize the haron and the Lily of the Valleys more than all; angeth not. Live nearer to Christ than to the that when they are taken from you, you may to lean on still.

loose to the griefs of this world. They that weep as though they wept not. This world is the vale

should weep as though they wept not; "for th short." Do you weep over those that died in t It is right to weep: "Jesus wept." Yet "weep a you wept not;" for "the time is short." They lost, but gone before. The sun, when it sets, is it is gone to shine in another hemisphere; and they gone to shine in a brighter world. It is self makes you mourn for them; for they are happy. Y not mourn if they were with a distant friend on ea do you mourn that they are with the sinner's friend shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, ne the sun light upon them, nor any heat; for the La is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, lead them unto fountains of living waters; and wipe away all tears from their eyes."-Rev. v "The time is short;" and you will follow after. A and you may be leaning together on the bosom of are nearer them to-day than you were yesterda time is short ;" and you will meet with all the re the right hand of Christ—we shall mingle our vo new song, and wave together the eternal palm! though you wept not."

Do you weep over those that died out of the L there is deeper cause for weeping here; and yet short, when all this will be explained to you, an not be able to shed a tear over the lost. A li and you will see Jesus fully glorified, and you v able to wish anything different from what has When Aaron lost his two sons, he held his peac

Do you mourn over bodily pain, and poverty, ness, and the troubles of the world? Do not "The time is short." If you have believed in C are all the hell you will ever bear. Think you thief would complain of his pains when he wa step of paradise? So it is with you. Your hell i and you have only these two shallow brooks to p -sickness and death; and you have a promise shall do more than meet you-go with you, fo and bear you in his arms. When we get to th of Jesus, all our griefs shall look like children'

day in his presence will make you remember your miseries Wherefore take courage, and run with patience. 3. To the enjoyments of this world.

no more.

It is quite right for a believer to use the things of this world, and to rejoice in them. None has such a right as the believer has to rejoice and be happy. He has a right to use the bodily comforts of this world-to eat his meat "with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God." He has a right to all the joys of home, and kindred, and friendship. It is highly proper that he should enjoy these things. He has a right to all the pure pleasures of mind, of intellect, and imagination; for God has given him all things richly to enjoy. Still, he should "rejoice as though he rejoiced not, and use this world as not abusing it;" for "the time is short." In a little while, you will be at your Father's table above, drinking the wine new with Christ. You will meet with all your brothers and sisters in Christ-you will have pure joy in God through ceaseless ages. Do not be much taken with the joys that are here. I have noticed children, when they were going out to a feast, they would eat but sparingly, that they might have a keener appetite for the coming dainties; so, dear friends, you are going to a feast above, do not dull your appetite with earthly joys-sit loosely to them all-look upon them all as fading. As you walk through a flower garden, you never think of lying down, to make your home among its roses; so, pass through the garden of this world's best joys. Smell the flowers in passing; but do not tarry. Jesus calls you to his banqueting house-there you will feed among the lilies on the mountains of spices. Oh! it ill becomes a child of God to be fond of an earthly banquet, when you are looking to sitting down so soon with Jesus-it ill becomes you to be much taken up with dress and show, you are so soon to see the face that was crowned with thorns. Brethren, if you are ever so much taken up with any enjoyment that it takes away your love for prayer or for your Bible, or that it would frighten you to hear the cry: "The Bridegroom cometh ;" and you would say: Is he come already? then you are abusing this world. Oh! sit loose to this world's joy: "The time is short."

when

4. To the occupations of the world. It is right for Christians to be diligent in business. I often wonder how unconverted souls can be so busy-how, when you are bustling along, filling up all your time with worldly things,

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it never occurs to you that there will be none of this in eternity. How can I be so busy for my body, when my poor soul is unprovided for? But those in Christ may well be diligent. (1.) They have a good conscience-that oils the wheels. "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." A light heart makes easy work. (2.) They love to honour their Lord. They would not have it said that a believer in Jesus was an idler or a sluggard-the love of Jesus constrains them to all that is lovely. And yet a believer should "buy as though he possessed not;" for "the time is short." Oh! believers, ye cannot be misers; for you are but stewards. All that you possess here is your Lord's; and the day is at hand when he will transfer you to take care of another property in a brighter land. You are but servants. It would not do if you were to set your hearts on the things of this lower room; for in a few days the Master is to call you to serve in his own dear presence. Dear believers, be ready to leave your loom for the golden harp, at a minute's warning; be ready to leave your desk for the throne of Jesus-your pen for the palm of victory; be ready to leave the market below, for the street of the new Jerusalem, where the redeemed shall walk. If you were in a sinking ship, you would not cling hard to bags of money-you would sit loose to all, and be ready to swim. This world is like a sinking ship, and those who grasp at its possessions will sink with it. Oh! "buy as though you possessed not;" for "the time is short."

III. What the unconverted should learn from the shortness of time.

1. Your folly in losing the past. Although life be very short, it is all saving time. This is the reason for which God has given it to us. The long-suffering of God is intended for our salvation. God gives men time to hear the Gospel-to pray-to get saving conversion, But unconverted souls have wasted all the past. Think how much time you have lost in idleness. How many golden opportunities for prayer, and hearing the Word, and meditation, have you lost! how much time have you spent uselessly in your bed, or in idle talk, or in loitering about your doors! If you saw how short your time is, and how death and hell are pursuing you, you would have fled to Christ; but you have Think how much you have spent in sin, at the tavern, or in vain company, or in dances, or in night walking, or

not.