though they lasted many years, and were so great, that the very thoughts of them can make us tremble, yet they were light and momentary, whilst they looked on eternity; and they fainted not, though their outward man decayed daily, by their great mortifications, and their laborious zeal to serve God; and all this, whilst we look not on the things that are seen, but on the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. So that it is the effect of a wise and most rational consideration, to value and love him above all things, who by dying for us hath rescued us from eternal ruin, and obtained eternal happiness for us. Reader, pause for a moment and ask yourself these questions-am I in possession of all the spiritual blessings which I might be? Do I know and feel the power and influence of prayer? If, after thus examining yourself, you find you fall short of the enjoyment of many blessings through neglect of the divinely-appointed means to secure all joy here and happiness hereafter, draw nearer to the throne of the heavenly grace, and wrestle with him who hast said, "I will pour out upon them the spirit of grace and supplication, and they shall look on him whom they have pierced, and mourn." The spirit of prayer and the blessing of God have ever stood abreast and gone hand-inhand in his government of the world. "For all these things I will be enquired of by the house of Israel" says he, "to do it for them." If you have been prayerless, be so no longer. A prayerless man is an unblest man-a prayerless church is 122 72 HAPPY THOUGHTS FOR LIFE'S JOURNEY. languid and unblest. Those portions of God's heritage which have been most distinguished for the spirit of prayer, have known most of the power and presence of God, and been most distinguished for the effusions of his spirit. Whenever he is about to do great things for his people, he rouses them from their lukewarmness and stirs them up to prayer. There is no surer criterion by which to judge if God is about to do great things for them, than an usual spirit of prayer. It was so in the days of the Old Testament dispensation and it is so under the New-it was so on the day of Pentecost, and it will be so when the scattered families of that same people are gathered in. God has pledged his faithfulness as the hearer of prayer, both to his Lord and his people; there is, therefore, every encouragement for you to ask for all that you require; you never need fear that you will ask too much-his resources are boundless, his riches are unsearchable. You are poor, he is rich in grace and glory; come to him now, without delay approach him and he will adorn you with royal robes-he will make you a King and a Priest for ever. WELCOME, welcome! Sinner, hear! Mercy is proclaimed to all. Welcome to the offered peace: Burst thy bonds; be saved; be free; Welcome, weeping penitent! Grace has made thy heart relent; When and Where to be Happy. Now is the time to ensure happiness; the golden opportunity you may embrace and improve to-day, but if suffered to pass by unheeded, it may be lost for ever; you may presume upon God's mercy too much; you may say to-morrow I will seek pardon and forgiveness, to-morrow I will seek salvation, deliverance from sin and Satan, and freedom for O beware! trifle not with an offended God, lest the vial of his righteous indignation be poured out upon you without measure. ever. 66 To-day the Gospel Trump is heard, It sounds a message from the word; From sin, from every evil flee. Behold, now is the accepted time! behold, now is the day of salvation." Reader, mark these words, and remember they are addressed to you individually; not merely as one of the human race, but as a single person-think upon them, therefore, as though you were the only being living, and while thus meditating ask that you may have wisdom from above, to seek and secure the interest of your never dying soul in the accepted time. "The hour is coming, and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of D God: and they that hear shall live.”—John v. 25. Happy will it be for you if you have listened to the invitations of the gospel, if you have taken warning and fled for refuge to the hope set before you in the gospel. The sound of the Archangel's Trump will give you joy rather than sorrow. The song of the redeemed will be your song and will incite you to immortal praise, and as you return to Zion, it will be with everlasting joy upon your head. "Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth."-Eccles. xii. 1. The spring time of life should be the spring time of happiness; in the morning sow the seeds of righteousness, and "at even-tide it shall be light." Sow the seeds of truth, and you will reap a rich harvest of precious fruits. They that sow to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but they that sow to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting." Begin life by serving and honouring God; serve him in public and in private, at home and abroad, and then you will overcome at last-you will be made "a Pillar in the Temple of God, and go no more out;" you will dwell in the presence of God and the Lamb throughout the countless ages of eternity; and "The Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed you, and shall lead you unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from your eyes." Many difficulties you have contended with, oftentimes you have been bowed down and ready to faint, because of the littleness of faith, but it will be otherwise when you enter the Father's House above; you may be saying now "all thy waves and billows are gone over me;" it may be that your trials are heavy to bear, if so "let patience have her perfect work and all will be well in the end." As the metal is more precious after it is taken by the refiner from the furnace, so you will be after you are brought forth from the furnace of affliction. The metal is more precious and shines brighter in the estimation of the refiner after the fiery ordeal through which it has passed; likewise you become more precious and useful in the sight of God and his Church, if your affliction has been sanctified after undergoing the refining process; you are prepared to live and work for God here, and honour, serve, and glorify him hereafter-let it be said for you "to live is Christ and to die is gain." "Forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: for length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart so shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man."-Prov. iii. 1, 2, 3, 4. To the young these words are particularly applicable-there is no class of society in whom the wise and benevolent feel such deep interest as the young-the virtue and intelligence of the young are matters of vital importance, they affect a nation's prosperity and success; the Church and the World benefit by a virtuous rising generation to an incalculable amount, and they suffer to the same extent if those who should be the future hope and support of the Church are |