"Because it is written, 'Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out.'

"So it is!" answered the prelate, "and I am surprised that though I have read that scripture a thousand times over, I never felt its virtue till this moment;-and now I die happy!"

A young lady on the brink of the grave was very disconsolate. "There was no salvation for her," she said, "she was such a sinner!" One day, after a long conversation with her minister, during which he had set forth the love of Jesus, and tried, but in vain, to remove her difficulties, he ended by saying, "But you say you believe Christ is willing to save all that come to Him repenting of their sins, do you not?"

"Oh yes."
"And you say that
you repent?"
"Yes, I do, indeed."

"Now trust with all your heart in the promises which He has made, and believe that He is willing to save you!"

In a moment a new light entered her mind, a smile of joy illumined her countenance, and she exclaimed, "Is that it?" and, trusting in Christ, from that hour she found joy and peace; and some weeks afterwards welcomed death as a friend.

Yes," that was it;" there was salvation in Christ, and it was hers the moment she believed. And whosoever will come to Him in the same way will surely find joy and peace. The same path to salvation is alike open to the learned bishop and the dying child; nor is there any other.

But how many there are who refuse to believe that Christ is waiting to receive, and ready to forgive, them, though it be affirmed ever so often. They say they must be more penitent and contrite before this can be, and they set themselves to acquire the requisite state of mind. Or they say they cannot believe. "If they could but exercise faith, then they know God would forgive. They are praying for faith, trying to believe, and hope to succeed soon.' They reason as if the case were, The Divine Being is reluctant, and we must persuade Him; instead of, He is ready to forgive, and we are to take the offered pardon.

Mr. Moody used to tell a thrilling story about a lost brother in illustration of this subject. He left his widowed mother and went forth a homeless wanderer. Years passed, and no tidings of him came to that broken-hearted mother. But she continued to cherish the hope that she should yet again embrace her lost son, long after every one else had given up all expectation of ever seeing him again.

One day a stranger, with long beard and bronzed face, stood in the garden path. His mother did not know him. He gazed at her a moment or two, and then great tears began to course each other down his cheeks. She knew him by those tears. She sprang to her feet, rushed to the door, and threw her arms round his neck, exclaim

in."

JUDGE OF QUICK AND DEAD.

239 ing, "My boy! my boy! come home at last? Come in, my boy, come He gently disengaged himself from her embrace, and said, "Mother, I have vowed I will never cross your threshold until you have forgiven me." Did she keep him waiting? Did she pause to take the question into consideration? Oh no! She was "ready to forgive" on the instant. The son wronged his mother's yearning heart by that momentary expression of distrust.

So does the returning sinner wrong God and Christ when he looks askance at their loving invitations, as if he suspected their sincerity. Oh believe it instantly! What can the Holy Spirit say more of the love of the Father than that He is "READY TO FORGIVE"? And again, "He waiteth to be gracious-He is full of compassion-He delighteth in mercy." And what can the Loving Saviour say more to banish your suspicions for ever, than what He hath said already, and which you have heard so often, and appreciated so unworthily-" Him that cometh unto Me, I will IN NO WISE cast out"?

Thus Jesus Christ is a SAVIOUR NOW, and not a JUDGE. But I beseech you, observe that word Now; and flee to Him instantly, for the Last Day is coming; and remember, secondly,

66

2. He will be a JUDGE then, and not a SAVIOUR! Rabbi Eliezer told his disciples that they should turn to God ONE day before death. "But how shall we know the day of death?" said they. True," said he, "you know not when you will die; it may be to-morrow; therefore you must turn to God TO-DAY; So shall you be sure to do it before death comes." But if you delay your repentance till a future day, and death should come in the meantime and put it out of your power, think on what a terrible sight you will open your affrighted eyes when the voice of the archangel shall rouse you from your grave! Oh! with what horror will you behold "the Lord revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, to take vengeance on them that have not obeyed the gospel." The day of the perdition of ungodly men has at last arrived! He who was once the Compassionate Lamb is now the Avenging Lion of Judah. The doors of mercy which once were open day and night, are now closed for ever and ever! And for those who are without, there remain only the "furnace of fire," and the " undying worm," and the "unquenchable flame," and "weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth" to all eternity! The full meaning of these dreadful phrases none can tell! But ought they not to make your hearts tremble? The wrath of God! Oh, who will be able to stand before His indignation? Who will be able to abide the fierceness of His anger?

Oh, ye sons and daughters of pious parents! ye children of the Sabbath-school! and all who have been taught the truths of religion, but who stifle conviction, and will not pray nor come to the Saviour, -consider the aggravation of your sin. Ye who know what God requires but will not repent, think how insulting and provoking your contemptuous conduct must be in His sight! If ignorant heathens and neglected outcasts will be beaten with few stripes, surely ye who

do despite to the tenderest remonstrances of parents and ministers, yea, of Christ and the Holy Spirit, will be adjudged worthy of "much sorer punishment!" Surely, if one "undying worm" of regret shall gnaw the heart of an ignorant transgressor, a thousand stings of remorse may be expected to torment your consciences if you live and die impenitent, and MANY STRIPES be your portion for ever! But who can dwell with devouring flames? Oh that ye were wise, that ye understood these things, that ye would consider your latter

end!

"Sinners, awake betimes; ye fools, be wise;

Awake, before this dreadful morning rise;

Change your vain thoughts, your crooked works amend,
Fly to the SAVIOUR, inake the JUDGE your Friend;
Lest like a lion His last vengeance tear

Your trembling souls, and no deliverer near."

KEEPER.

JEWS.

KING.

Twenty-ninth Sunday.

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. KING OF THE KING OF SAINTS. KING OF GLORY. LEADER AND COMMANDER. LIGHT OF THE WORLD. LIFE. LOVE.

YOUNG people are often induced to become readers by the lure of entertaining fictions or fairy tales. But soon, it may be, voyages and travels to far-off lands, and stories of adventure, take the place of those early favourites. And when the readers grow a little older still, these, in their turn, are displaced by history, or biography, or poetry. And happy will it be if they escape the danger of acquiring an enervating taste, in early life, for novels and mere sensational literature.

But there is one book with which some readers become enamoured in early life to their own great advantage, which to a remarkable extent includes all the features named. For instance; it details the particulars of an eventful journey to a glorious land that is very far off. It unfolds a variety of biographies, in which readers of all sorts may see their pictures drawn to the life. And many beautiful personages make their appearance, much more charming than the best fairies that were ever invented, and with elements of substantial truth underlying the representations too. Again, giants and giant-killers sometimes flit across the stage, and heroes of sterling mettle stand out here and there in the narrative. And the entire book is pervaded by poetical feeling of the highest order; although it is in plain vigorous prose that the Author traces the surprising adventures of Christian

and Christiana, in their Pilgrim's Progress from the City of Destruction to the Celestial Country.

So fascinating is this book of travels, that some young ones have been known who have read it through ten times before they were ten years old. And to some of these it has since become more interesting still. For why? Just because they have followed the pilgrim's example, assumed the pilgrim's garb, and become travellers in the same road; and like them, they have picked up many pleasant companions by the way; they have passed through many strange and startling adventures; and they hope by-and-by to reach the same happy home in the Paradise of God.

"A thousand ways in ruin end,

One only leads to joys on high;
By that my willing steps ascend,

Pleased with a journey to the sky."

No doubt some of you have read that bright story of Christian's adventures and exploits; and you have a lively recollection of the interest you felt in it all, and in his joyful arrival at last where he wished to be. And when you have seen him safe through the river, how pleased you were to find that his wife Christiana had made up her mind to go after her husband, with her "four sweet babes " and Mercy her companion.

To this new dream you sat down with new pleasure, and eagerly followed them throughout all the ups and downs of their eventful course. You praised the courage with which they prepared to leave the condemned City, and the haste with which they fled across the wide field towards the Wicket-gate. You were sorry to see them struggling in the Slough, but rejoiced much when they got through. You admired the earnestness with which they knocked at the Gate, especially the violent assault which Mercy made upon the knocker; and you felt grateful to Goodwill for the kindness with which he granted their request and let them all in. When they slept at the Interpreter's House, you rested with them. When they were welcomed at the Palace Beautiful, you went in too, and heard all their talk; and you admired as much as they, the wonderful things that were showed them. Then you lingered with them in the sunshiny Valley of Humiliation, and thought as they did, that it must be a sweet place to live in. But through the next Valley you made your way as quickly as possible, lest its gloomy horrors should seize on you.

In short, all the scenes of that wonderful book are painted with such power and life, that there is not an incident in the whole history that did not fasten itself on your memory. So that even when you ceased reading, you still seemed to be trudging the same road with them, or listening to the prattle of the children and the grave discourse of the guide, or still more entertaining-to be standing by while the valiant champion demolished the giants who disputed their progress. And at night you dreamed that you too

had become a pilgrim, and were on your way to that glorious golden city where those once weary pilgrims have been resting these many years, clothed with white robes, and crowned with pearly diadems.

Oh that it were so! I wish you were all travellers together in that good old way. For the Pilgrim's Progress is no dream after all, as they can testify who are engaged in it. And the glorious rest at the end is no cunningly devised fable, but a solid reality, as they know who now inherit the promises. Come then, cast in your lot with us who are travellers to Zion. Hasten! for time wears; the night is far spent, the day is at hand. Lose no more precious hours. Escape for thy life! Up and begone!

"There is a path which leads to God-
All others go astray;

Narrow, but pleasant is the road,

And Christians love the way.

It leads straight through this world of sin,
And dangers must be passed;

But those who boldly walk therein,
Will get to heaven at last.

How shall a youthful pilgrim dare

This dangerous path to tread?
For on the way is many a snare,

For thoughtless travellers spread."

Yes, let me not deceive you. The road is not all strewed with flowers. The enemies who withstand you are real giants, though spiritual ones, and more mischievous by far than lions or bears. Worldly Wiseman spoke the truth when he told Christian, "Thou art like to meet with wearisomeness, painfulness, hunger, perils, swords, lions, dragons, darkness, death, and what not." But he did not tell him all the truth. For notwithstanding all these and other evils that beset our path, we have a faithful KEEPER who is pledged to defend our every step; and One well able to protect us too, for He is the KING OF KINGS. He will also see us safe home, for He is given to be a LEADER to His people. He is the LIGHT that lighteth every one of us, the LIFE that quickens and supports us, and the LOVE that embraces us all in its affectionate arms. I invite you to take a nearer view of this Glorious Person as these Titles represent Him, that so the desire of your souls may be to Him, and to the remembrance of His Name. We read in the Psalms, "The Lord shall be thy

KEEPER,-thy Shade upon thy right hand." Psa. cxxi. 5. "He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep." It was somewhat hazardous to travel about in Judea, when this Psalm was penned. There were poisonous reptiles hid in trees and crevices; there were lions and wolves thirsting for blood; and thieves and murderers watching for plunder. In the day-time the sun was so