after; and then shall I be constrained to say, "Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments." Let me also learn a lesson of diligence in seeking to snatch sinners as brands from the burning. While they are in this world, God makes use of his people for this glorious end. O let me fear to miss an opportunity of doing so; trembling, lest the charge of bloodguiltiness should be mine, let me be instant in season and out of season, watching for an opportunity of warning sinners of their danger, and, perchance, of saving some. "Brethren, if any

man do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know that he that converteth a sinner from the error of his shall save a soul from death."

way

(Jas. v. 20.)

"Then shall I see, and hear, and know,

All I desired or wished below;

And every power find sweet employ
In that eternal world of joy."

[36TH SUNDAY.

"Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame."-REV. XVI. 15.

WE cannot be too often reminded of the necessity of watching for the coming We are so apt to grow

of Christ.

secure, to settle down in our pleasant places on earth, in our privileges, our means of grace-even in our enjoyment of Christ here below, that we constantly need our Lord's warning voice, "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth;" "Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching."

Our

Saviour tells us that his last coming will be suddenly-as a thief—unexpectedly. And how often does death come in this form, even to the true believer. In our own times, that holy minister of God, the Rev. Spencer Thornton, fell down dead as he was walking to the railway station; the heavenly-minded Weitbrecht died a

few hours after having preached a most affecting and eloquent sermon on the words, "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly;" the sweet Christian poet, Jas. Montgomery, and the great and good Dr. Chalmers, were both found dead in their rooms; and to those Christian officers who fell in the late war death must have come suddenly and unexpectedly. But these, no doubt, were all found watching, ready for their Master's call. To them to die was gain; sudden death was sudden glory. They were not unprepared, walking carelessly naked," but clothed in the righteousness of faith in the Saviour whom they loved and served. And shall we not follow their example? Shall we not set our house in order, expecting the coming of our Lord, ready to go at a moment's notice? If we knew this Sabbath evening were our last, what should we hasten to do? What should we leave undone ? O,

66

why should we make this our rest which
never can be! Why should we fix our
affections on those things from which
we must be weaned, and which we
must be forced to give up if we will
not now hold them loosely, as only
lent to us for a little while!
"Be-
hold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he
that watcheth, and keepeth his gar-
ments."

"Servant of God! well done;
Rest from thy lov'd employ.

The battle fought, the victory won,
Enter thy Master's joy.'

-The voice at midnight came;
He started up to hear;

A mortal arrow pierced his frame;
He fell, but felt no fear.

66 Tranquil amidst alarms,
It found him in the field,

A veteran slumbering on his arms,
Beneath his red cross shield.

He woke, and caught his Captain's eye;
Then, strong in faith and prayer,
His spirit, with a bound,

Burst its encumbering clay.

His tent, at sunrise, on the ground
A darken'd ruin lay."