but it measures time. Where there is no motion time cannot be perceived.

When we look up into the heavens, we see the sun or the moon and stars in that which is called space, in that boundless emptiness which offers room for things finite and distinct. Before the sun and its planets were created, this space, in which they are placed, was. In it, around and around their centres, the planets roll. If they should cease to roll, space would be what it was before they existed. Now the earth, by its course round the sun, measures the space through which it rolls. When the earth is burned up, and rolls no more, that space will remain in this respect unmeasured, boundless, and unchanged.

So with time. Before creation, was eternity, boundless eternity, not only in itself immeasurable, but unmeasured, in any part or portion. This earth, by its motion, measures off portions of eternity, or seems to measure it, that is to say, to itself measures. To eternity, the motion of the earth is nothing. That motion is only as the flight of a bird through the boundless air, or the course of a ship through the ocean leaving no track behind. To the earth are days, and months, and years, by its own motion; but eternity knows them not; and when that motion shall have ceased, days and years will have ceased also ;-time will have ceased, and will no more be found.

As a ball rolling over the earth changes not the earth, and, when it ceases to roll, its measurement of the earth has ceased also. Or as a tree overshadowing some river. Its form measures out its own breadth and length upon the waters, but the stream flows on; and when the tree falls, all trace of it is lost.

When then motion ceases, time ceases; and when the earth ceases, motion ceases; and this seems to be the message of the angel. He swears by the eternal

1 S. Aug. Confess. Lib. xi. s. 24, who discusses the whole question in the same book.

GOD, the Creator of that which is temporal, that time shall be no more. "By Him that liveth for ever;" here is eternity. "Who created the heavens, the

earth, and the sea;" here is time. But "the heaven and earth shall pass away," and with them passes time.

Even should there be in substance, as some imagine, a new earth, like unto this, should planets still roll and measure time, they will not measure them to us; for not only our own trial will be over, but that of the whole race of man. All men will have passed out of that condition which time concerns, from the part into the whole, from the measured into the immeasurable; the immeasurable present. The rollings of the planets would be all unheeded by those to whom time was nothing, and amongst the things which were dead.

When time ends, eternity is. It begins not, for it ever was; but it is.

And now we see to what we have arrived, even to the idea, if we can grasp it, which is expressed by the words "it is." And what is this but the being of Him Who is "I am ?" "For the years of GoD are not one thing and He another; but the years of God is the eternity of GOD; eternity is the very being of GOD, which has nothing changeable. Therein nothing is past, as if now it did not exist. Nothing is future, as though as yet it is not. Therein is nothing but, is. There is no was and will be there; for that which was now is not, and that which will be is not as yet; but whatever is there simply is. . . . . Pointing out Himself the Creator to the creature, GOD to man, the Immortal to the mortal, the Eternal to the temporal, 'I am,' He says, 'That I am.'" And into the eternity of GOD we shall enter, if we are His; not into an eternity away from Him; of Him, but apart from Him; but of Him, in Him. It is endless death to live for ever without GOD, and eternal life to abide in Him eternally.

1 S. Aug. in Ps. ci. Serm. 2, s. 10.

"In all our actions and movements," says the same deep contemplator of heavenly truths, "and in every motion of creation I find two times, the past and the future. I seek the present, nothing stands; that which I spake already is not; that which I am about to say exists not yet; that which I have done, no longer is; that which I am about to do has yet no being; that which I have lived has ceased to be; that which I am about to live has no existence yet. I find the past and the future in every movement of things; in the truth which abides I find not past and future, but only present, and this incorruptibly, which exists not in the creature. Examine the changes of things, thou wilt find the has been and shall be. Consider GOD, thou wilt find is where has been and shall be cannot exist. That thou also mayest be then, pass over time. But who shall pass it by his own strength? Let Him raise us thither, Who hath said to the FATHER, I will that they also whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am.' 9991

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From all these turmoils, changes, dyings, movements, failings, ceasings, hopings, losings, restless hearts, and restless lives; from autumn, and from night, from days and years, we shall pass into the boundless motionless ocean of eternity.

The sea is vast. We cannot behold its limits, but we know it hath them. Rivers flow and flow, but as they began in earth, so they end in ocean, and "there shall be no more sea. What then shall represent to us eternity? Nothing can do so sufficiently, perfectly, duly, faithfully, no nor even tolerably; nothing can do more than furnish the faintest outline, shadow, glimpse of eternity, if eternity is the being of GOD.

Let the world rave; let kingdoms rise and fall; let the little world in which we live toss to and fro with its own passions; but what is that to us? We stand upon the shore of eternity; and suddenly our footing 1 S. Aug. in Johan. Ev. Tract. xxxviii. s. 10.

will slip away from beneath us, and we shall plunge into the infinite ocean of eternal existence.

feet?

Whither shall we turn, O LORD, in the maze of these Thy wonders? Who shall guide our tottering Who support our sinking thoughts? Eternity is too high; we cannot look up into it; for it is Thou. It is too deep; we cannot gaze down into it, for it is Thou. Too broad, too vast for our eyes to cross, for it is Thou. To Thee we turn then. To know Thee is to know Eternity. From our instability; from our vain thoughts of time, our desires of time, we fly to Thee. Do Thou confirm us, fix us in Thyself, O Thou Unchangeable.

All

This awe, this desire, this little insight into Heaven. This gleam of light and warmth will pass away. things pass away, do Thou give to us then Thyself, O GOD, that we may be established in Thee eternally.

If Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob live for ever, because Thou art their God; if to know Thee is life eternal, let us seek eternity in Thee, by loving Thee, and meet it in Thee, by trusting Thee, and possess it in Thee, by being Thine, and by having Thee for our own; in the mystery of the Incarnation, whereby man is joined to God for ever, by the operation of the eternal SPIRIT, through the eternal Word made flesh, in the eternal FATHER,-Holy, Blessed, undivided TRINITY, to Whom be all glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Devotions.

O LORD, Open Thou my lips.

And my mouth shall show forth Thy praise.

Our FATHER, Which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive

them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Psalm cii.

Amen.

Hear my prayer, O LORD: and let my crying come unto Thee.

Hide not Thy face from me in the time of my trouble incline Thine ear unto me when I call; O hear me, and that right soon.

For my days are consumed away like smoke and my bones are burnt up as it were a firebrand.

My heart is smitten down, and withered like grass : so that I forget to eat my bread.

For the voice of my groaning: my bones will scarce cleave to my flesh.

I am become like a pelican in the wilderness and like an owl that is in the desert.

I have watched, and am even as it were a sparrow : that sitteth alone upon the house-top.

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Mine enemies revile me all the day long and they that are mad upon me are sworn together against me. For I have eaten ashes as it were bread: and mingled my drink with weeping;

And that because of Thine indignation and wrath : for Thou hast taken me up, and cast me down.

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My days are gone like a shadow and I am withered like grass.

But, Thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever: and Thy remembrance throughout all generations.

Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Sion: for it is time that Thou have mercy upon her, yea, the time is come.

And why? Thy servants think upon her stones : and it pitieth them to see her in the dust.

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The heathen shall fear Thy Name, O LORD and all the kings of the earth Thy Majesty ;

When the LORD shall build up Sion: and when His glory shall appear;