man! he would say, of that which is concealed behind the veil of the future. Place not thy hope in its uncertainties. Defer not thy work of duty to opportunities that may never arrive. Delay not to forsake thy sin and turn unto God, thinking that when tomorrow dawns thou wilt be better prepared. Postpone not an irksome task to the future in the belief that it will then be pleasanter and easier. Trust not to the deceptive language of the heart, that by and by the heart and life shall be wholly and cheerfully surrendered to God, but that now there must be indulgence and ease, and devotion to other and pressing cares. Centre all thy hopes, if thou wouldst be wise, in today. Do now, what thou wishest to do, and which if not done in season, thou knowest well, thy life will be a burden, and eternity a terror. Now is thine, tomorrow may never be.

Such is the true sense of the prudent king's maxim. It is a maxim not only of Jewish, but of Christian, and universal morals.

And it derives its importance, not wholly nor chiefly, from any bearing it can have upon the transactions of this world. It is indeed wise in the most inconsiderable affairs not to trust to tomorrow, for what can be done today. And in many of the dealings of man with man, the heaviest losses and most grievous mischances have overtaken him, because he was so stupid, or so thoughtless, or so rash, as to put off to another day a labor that should have been done now. Many a battle has been lost, many a city surprised and sacked, many a house burned to the ground, many a fair ship foundered or wrecked, many a calamity for which there was no remedy has overtaken individuals and communities, by deferring

till tomorrow, or even another hour, what was the bus iness of the present moment. So that in its relation to the prosperity of men and their welfare in this present world, it is important that a man do not reckon on tomorrow when today is in his hands. And it were earnestly to be wished, that the indubitable sorrows and distressing adversities, that come upon multitudes of those who procrastinate in the things of this brief and transitory scene of our being, would but serve as lessons and warnings, to make them active and seasonable in the more momentous concerns touching the soul and its future condition, and to teach them that consequences of wo, dreadful beyond all comparison with what ever happen on earth, will follow that fatal procrastination, that shall defer to a day or hour too late the repentance and preparation, on which heaven and salvation depend.

It is of delay, as respects the imperishable interests of the immortal soul, that I am now to speak. And it is with reference to these interests, and the preparation for the future life that Religion exhorts us in earnest and solemn tones--trust not to-reckon not upon-defer not till tomorrow.

1. The work which man has to do is too great and too important to bear postponement and be put upon the hazard of such an uncertainty.

If this work of self-preparation, which both sound reason and religion demand at our hands, were like many of the petty concerns of this life, on which little depends, and from which no solemn consequences flow, it might, indeed, be put off, and oftentimes no evil ensueor none but such as might be repaired. But I would

put it to the conscience of every reflecting man, if it be such a work, if there be any to be placed in comparison with it for its magnitude? And yet, there is no duty, however insignificant, in the way of our daily calling, no affair of business, that concerns our worldly interest, that we so lightly defer to another day, as this which concerns the soul and eternity. Though a man will, indeed, now and then meet a heavy loss in his fortune, because he loitered, or trifled, or stood still, when he should have pressed swiftly on, yet generally, let there be a great object to be accomplished, bearing on reputation, advancement, or property, and the hour of action cannot come too soon, and the work to be done cannot call for so much time and industry and labor, as will stand waiting to be employed, and he would no more delay to act, and in season too, than he would to satisfy the crying wants of his animal nature. But is it often so in religion? Is it often that we see this eagerness to embrace a present opportunity-that we see men trembling lest today should pass by and nothing be done for their peace? Yet with what reason might we tremble, when we think of what it is which we have to accomplish, and the little time at the very best that is given us for the work, and the danger tnat ere it is half done, even if we labor with diligence, death may surprise us.

For what is this work of religion? It is to prepare ourselves against the solemnities and final allotments of God's judgment day. Our minds, through all their powers and capacities, are to be educated and filled with knowledge both of human and divine things. Our desires, that so love to rest on sensual and temporary things, are to be raised to spiritual objects. Our affections are to be sanctified and

find their rest in Heaven. Our habits are all to be gained over to the side of virtue. Our lives are to be made subject to the universal rules of purity and integrity. If we have been wanderers from God and slaves to sin, the task of repentance is to be begun and completed. If we are habitually cold and earthward in our feelings, the heart is to be warmed and lifted to Heaven. In a word, man-imperfect, erring, tempted, sinning man, is to fit himself by his own efforts, by the effectual suppression and subjection of what is evil in his nature, and the careful rearing and perfecting of that which is good, for a joyful inheritance of that glorious immortality that has through the mercy of God been promised. And is this a work, considered in any of its relations and aspects, that can be thought an easy one, and be safely deferred to a more convenient season? Does it look as if it could spare any of the time which God in his mercy allows us ? Is it so light a task, that a day, or an hour, or the remnant minutes of a wasted life will suffice for it? Truly, if we reflect upon the circumstances of difficulty, which beset this whole business, the extreme reluctance with which many persons are brought to think of it at all, the slowness and heaviness of spirit with which they move in the work if they do enter upon it, the many times they go wholly back to where they first started from, the hesitancy, lukewarmness, temporising, that accompany them all the way through, if we think of the influence of the world, the claims of business, and pleasure, and folly, of friends, family, and society, the necessary calls of industry, and the unnecessary and artificial ones of custom and fashion, of the large draughts that sickness, pain, uneasy sensations, trifling and foolish thoughts, and unavoidable inter

ruptions make on the time and spirit, — if we think of、 these things, we shall say and believe, that with these hindrances and difficulties and the nature of the work combined, a day from the longest life God ever gives can be but ill spared, and that he were twice a fool, who, if in his heart he wished to do this work, postponed for a single hour so urgent and mighty a task, which, if he were to give to it his whole strength and undivided soul, he could scarce in the longest life hope thoroughly to accomplish. Oh, what amazing stupidity is there in most of us, to think, knowing as we do what the gospel and reason both demand of us to be happy hereafter, that we can doze on through today, and tomorrow, and the next week, and for another month, and another year, and that then, time enough will be left to rouse up, and clear our eyes, and stretch our limbs, and begin the race. If there is not a single post of duty or honor upon earth, in the whole circle of human affairs, from which a man would not be spurned with reproaches and contempt, if he should be chargeable with one half the incorrigible dulness and unwillingness of which he is so often guilty in the things that relate to his final salvation, what, I would ask in all seriousness, can we reasonably look for at last at the hands of a just God, but shame and exclusion, in that we have trodden under foot in our indolence, or sin, or mad devotion to other things, the promises of eternity?

2. Again, count not upon this tomorrow, depend not upon it, defer not thy work to it, for it may never come.

Thou knowest not what a day may bring forth; and it may bring forth death as well as life, pain and sickness and lassitude and imbecility as well as vigor and strength