real, though secret, reference to the eternity of misery, which, but for his atonement, would have been our inevitable portion; and to the eternity of happiness which, by faith in his atonement, may be our inheritance.

This is only saying in other words, that we are not insensible to the design of the atonement, whilst most affected by its solemnities. Indeed, the very reason why our thoughts and feelings are so concentrated on the Cross, and so absorbed by the wonders of redemption, is because the redemption of the Cross is eternal. For, were it not so, neither its attraction nor its influence could be so powerful. It being, therefore, self-evident that eternity set the confirming seal upon those convictions of the evil and danger of sin, which shut us up to Christ for pardon, and to the Spirit for sanctification, it is certain that sin, if shifted out of this light, will not be so dreaded as to endear the Cross, nor so hated as to honour the Holy Spirit. For as we should not have fled to the Saviour or to the Sanctifier, had we not seen the flaming sword of the law in the hand of Eternity, neither shall we cleave to them stead

fastly, if we cease to view sin in this connexion. Nor is this all: there is no small danger of even tampering with sin, if it be not looked at in this light. All backsliding of heart and life is brought on by losing sight of eternity. No one forsakes "the fountain of living waters," whilst its waters sparkle with the light of eternity. No one drinks from polluted streams, until he has shaded them from that light.

If, again, your personal piety began in impressive and exalted views of the Divine character and government, it was eternity that invested them with power and glory. Whatever lovely view of God first affected and won your heart, the perfection of its beauty was in the fact, that "this God is our God, for ever and ever." Whatever solemn view of God awed your spirit, its weight lay in the consideration, that "from everlasting," such had been His majesty; and "to everlasting," such it would be. Whatever attraction or terror brought you under the shadow of his wings, the full sense of safety came from this, "The eternal God is thy refuge." And whenever you have felt through all your soul, that his

"loving kindness is better than life," it was the eternity of it that eclipsed the charms of life, and softened the aspect of death.

The fact is, that, in all our first intentional and deliberate contemplations of God, and approaches to God, we were thinking and acting with an express reference to eternity: for, at first, they had nothing else to terminate upon. Now, that we have a name, or a place, or both, to maintain in the church and the world, our prayers and meditations often terminate on them. Our immediate solicitude often goes no farther than to be kept from forfeiting or disgracing our profession; whereas, before we made a public profession of religion, it went all the length of eternal safety at once. Now, however, we usually advance to this final point, step by step. It is, of course, still our goal; but, at first, it was both our goal and our starting-place. We began and ended our devotional exercises, with an express regard to our future state. We had not then given to the world, or the church, solemn pledges of faith or repentance. We had not committed ourselves, publicly, to any

creed, service, or connexion. All our piety was then personal; and irresponsible to man. It implicated the character of no church, nor the tendency of any system. All its actings had their source and centre in our individual salvation. But now, they have other bearings and motives; and these, although not different from the former, are yet distinct enough to divide our attention between time and eternity. Accordingly, many of our prayers, and more of our thoughts, terminate upon present consistency, rather than upon future safety; upon living well, rather than upon dying well.

This, of course, is not to be regretted. Our daily prayers and meditations ought to bear, with point and power, on the duties and trials of the day. We cannot die happy, if we do not live to some good purpose. It is, however, equally true, that the concentration of all our solicitude upon a godly life, is not the best way of maintaining personal godliness. More than effort is necessary, in order to follow holiness well. Motives must be freely admitted, if rules and laws are to be cheerfully

K

or impartially obeyed. In a word; our time will not be well spent, if our eternity be seldom realized. Whilst, therefore, it would be highly improper to lessen our attention to the practical duties of life or godliness, it is also highly imprudent to allow even them to divert our attention from eternity. But for its solemn

influence, we had never believed nor obeyed the gospel from the heart; and, therefore, that influence must be cherished, if we would continue to believe or obey. Having begun as immortal, we must not go on as mortal. Having set out as the children of eternity, we must not subside into mere children of time. That would be another form of the Galatian error. Gal. iii. 3.