above those who were soon to embrue their hands in the blood of their fellow-men. That was an age of zeal; but it was also an age of ignorance. The present is an age of knowledge: would it were also an age of more fervent zeal. The true soldiers of the cross are now going forth to fight; but they wrestle not against flesh and blood. buckled on their armor, but it is armor; and they have taken their are not carnal weapons.

And they have not a material arms, but they

But they fight against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. And they have taken unto them the whole armor of God, even the shield of faith, and the breastplate of righteousness, and the preparation of the gospel of peace. And they are armed with the sword of the Spirit, even the word of God, which is mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds. The faithful missionary is the true soldier of the cross. It is he that hath left father, and mother, and houses, and lands, for Christ's sake and the gospel; and to him is the promise of a hundred fold in this life, and in the world to come, life everlasting.

But as the labors and the sufferings of the missionary resemble those of Christ, so shall his reward resemble that of our glorified Head. For what is the reward of Christ? Is it not the souls which he has ransomed? In the prophecy of Isaiah, God is represented as thus making a covenant with His Son.

"If his soul shall make a propitiatory sacrifice,

He shall see a seed which shall prolong their days;

And the gracious purpose of Jehovah shall prosper in his hands.

Of the travail of his soul, he shall see (the fruit) and be satisfied.

By the knowledge of him shall my servant justify many; For the punishment of their iniquities he shall bear.

Therefore will I distribute to him the money for his portion.

And the mighty people shall he share for his spoil." LoWTH.

This was the joy that was set before him, for which he endured the cross, despising the shame.

And what is the reward of the minister and the missionary? Is it not the souls whom they have been the instruments of saving? "For what," says Paul to the Thessalonians, "for what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy. Thus is it that if we attain unto the kingdom of heaven, the souls which we may have been instrumental in saving here, will in that day be as a crown of glory around us; and yet along with ourselves, form part of that brighter crown which shall beam around the head of our glorified Redeemer: as in our solar system, the satelites revolve round their respective planets, and yet are with them. borne in their mightier orbits around that brighter luminary which is the centre of the whole.

There is such a thing as being saved, yet so as by fire;-such a thing as being least in the kingdom of heaven:-and even this is a thought of highest ecstacy; but there is a thought more extatic still.-It is the thought of an abundant entrance, and an exceeding great reward, and a crown of glory that fadeth not away, and a splendor like the shining of the stars in the firmament. Yes, to emit the faintest ray from that dazzling crown, which shall ever encircle the head of the Saviour, is a thought far too glorious

for human conception; but there is a thought more glorious still,-to blaze forth, the central gem of one of those brilliant clusters,-to add to the glory of the Redeemer's diadem, and yet have around us a coronet of our own.

Hitherto we have considered it as a privilege to labor, and to suffer, for the sake of Christ;we come now to consider it as a duty. Hitherto our attention has been directed to the glorious reward of those who shall avail themselves of their privileges; we come now to consider the condemnation of those who shall neglect them.

We doubt not but there are some who would give a willing assent to all that we have advanced; but who, notwithstanding, would not be actuated by these remarks, to a single deed of christian philanthropy. They think that it may be all very true, that a crown of glory is reserved for the martyr and the missionary; and that a distinguished place in the kingdom of heaven will be given to those who have been unwearied in their zeal, and patient in their suffering, for Christ's sake and the gospel's; but for their part, they have no such ambitious views, they are well content if they can but get to heaven at all; they like to steal quietly along with heaven in view, and not to make too much ado about religion. They think it right, indeed, to be religious; but they like not those who are religious over much. They do well in saying that they disapprove of ambition,- -we know not that even with regard to heavenly things, this desire of greatness is ever in any shape countenanced in the New Testament. But it is not the reward itself which these individuals dislike, it is the suffering, and the self-denial which lead to it. And too often is such reasoning employed as an

excuse for treating with the most listless neglect, all that has a reference to the extension of the kingdom of our Lord.

But there is one circumstance which has always struck us most forcibly in reading those allegorical representations of the final retribution which are contained in the Bible. A circumstance which tells most fearfully against that class of individuals to which we have alluded. And it is, that while a greater or a less reward follows the improvement of our talents, the simple neglect of these, subjects us to a greater condemnation than if we had never enjoyed them. While those servants who had gained by the talents bestowed upon them, received each a suitable reward, that servant who had gained nothing, not only received no reward, but was ordered to be cast into outer darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And in that sublime description of our Lord's, where the final judgment is brought so vividly before us, the condemned are not accused of positive crime, but of conduct altogether of a negative nature. And when the Judge pronounces the fearful sentence, "Depart from me ye cursed, into everlasting fire." He does not add as the cause of their condemnation, "Because ye imprisoned me." It is "because I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat. I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink. I was a stranger, and ye took me not in. Naked, and ye clothed me not. Sick and in prison, and ye visited me not.' Not only then should we consider as a matter of high and distinguished privilege, that we have been endowed with talents, but also as a thing of deep and fearful responsibility.

There are various talents which have been entrusted to our keeping. Some of us may have

received more, and others less; but we shall have all to render an account according to that we have, and not according to that which we have not. There is one talent which we have all of us received, and that, too, a talent of no common value; even that book which maketh wise unto salvation. This wisdom is within the reach of every one of us; and this wisdom it is our duty to send to those who have it not. Or it may be, that, in that day there may be some who have been less highly favored than ourselves; but who have more diligently availed themselves of the privileges they enjoyed; who shall bring against us the accusation; "We were hungering and thirsting after righteousness; and ye supplied not our wants."

It is in vain for any one of us to say, that we can do nothing in the cause of evangelizing the heathen. We may be able to give but little to support the external mechanism; but there is something more nequired in this mighty work than the mere outward apparatus:-even that quickening principle, which of old breathed life into the dry bones of the prophet's vision;—and which even now, is exerted in bidding those live "who are dead in trespasses and sin." The Holy Ghost is the gift of prayer. It may be, that we can give but little to the support of the outward means; but we can all pray for that life-giving principle, without which, these means will be employed in vain. It may be, that we cannot ourselves go forth to reap; but we can, at least, "pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into his harvest." But there are some of us who can do more; to whom there has been entrusted the talent of this world's wealth. This is an element, my friends,