These belong to the class of whom it is said, "such shall not inherit the kingdom of God." The one with the bag of gold represents that very large class who worship Mammon on the earth; who never think even of heaven, except when they remember that it is paved with gold. These are idolaters; the meanest of the Devil's drudges, the vilest of the slaves of sin. Others enjoy the pleasures of sin; but he sweats and groans beneath his load; he takes place with the breakers of God's law, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

Some pass the time in wanton dalliance; these designate the adulterer, fornicator, and the impure. These take pleasure in unrighteousness; give up their affections to the control of lust; indulge in mere animal delights; imbrute their manhood; quench their intellect, and barter the glories of heaven for a "portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; this is the second death." Others of staid and respectable appearance are in this way. Men of dignity and of consequence; men of morals and philosophy, all honorable men; men who are harmless in their generation, honest in their dealings. They "render to Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's," but alas for them, they do not "render unto God the things which are God's." One thing only is wanting. "One thing thou lackest." The heart is unsurrendered; hence there is no repentance-no living faith-no homage-no love-no obedienceno salvation. These, alas, all take rank with the 66 unprofitable servant," who was cast into outer darkness, where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.

But time would fail to describe the various characters that throng the way of death. The gross sensualist, the haughty Pharisee, and the specious

hypocrite, are all here. But is it possible some one may say, that so many are in the way to eternal death? God himself has answered the question; we have heard his voice. It is not only true that they are going, but that they go of their own accord. The sinner is threatened, admonished, and warned, and yet he goes on. He is persuaded, entreated, and invited to turn and live, and yet he goes on.

If you see a man traveling a road that you know to be frequented with robbers, you tell him of his danger; he persists in going on; the robbers strip him and leave him for dead; who is to blame? The sinner is warned of his danger, and yet he persists in sin. Numbers control not the sword of justice. The antideluvians were faithfully warned; they went on and perished in the flood. The men of Sodom

were warned; they persisted, and perished in the rain of fire. The Jews were warned also, even by the Son of God, and yet they went on in rebellion, until of their city not one stone was left standing upon another, and themselves scattered and peeled among the nations.

The sinner neglects a great salvation. Neglecting only to get into the Ark will expose him to the flood of fire. Neglecting salvation, he contemns the "love of God." He "tramples upon the blood of the cov enant. He does "despite to the Spirit of grace." How shall he escape if he neglects so great salvation. "These shall go away into everlasting pun

ishment."

"I saw the lake of quenchless fires,

And souls on its billows tost;
Despair, remorse which ne'er expires,
The worm of the deathless lost.

Grief filled my bursting heart,-I cried,
Shall this distress end never?"
The shrieks of millions loud replied,
"These pans endure-forever!"

By the path of life is designated the path of holiness, that leads to life eternal. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." It is narrow and steep; it requires care and effort. The pilgrim must deny himself; take up his cross daily, and watch unto prayer. It is difficult only to flesh and blood; to the carnal mind, not to the spiritual; to the unregenerate, not to him that is born again. To the righteous its ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are paths of peace. Narrow is the way that leads to life, and few there are that find it. Fewer still endure to the end thereof. The few were once in the way of death. They were among the many that were called. They obeyed the heavenly call, forsook the broad way, and entered upon the path of life.

The Path of Life ends well; God delights in holiness. He did not overlook Noah in the overflowing of the ungodly, nor Lot in Sodom. The faithful few are God's jewels; his hidden ones, while tribulation and " angush are assigned to the disobedient." The patient continuance of the righteous in well doing "will be rewarded with glory, and honor, and immortality," for the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

"I saw the countless, happy throng

In the blissful regions high;

White robes-gold crowns and lofty song,
With their harps in harmony.

Hope brightened at the dazzling sight,

'Shall aught from heaven sever?'

And myriads sung- Our peace, joy, light,
And glory, last forever."

The world passeth away.- John, ii, 17. Now is the day of salvation.2 Cor. vi. 2. Ye know not what shall be on the morrow.-James iv. 14.

PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.

Look on the Past. Behold! wide scattered round,
Time's fragments-every where they strew the ground:
The Dead are there-once blooming, young and gay,
'Mid putrefaction, lo! they waste away.
The aged oak, once tall, and strong, and green,
Decayed and withered in the past is seen;
The lordly mansion, once the owner's trust,
Its glory gone, see crumbling into dust.

E'en Egypt's boast, the pyramids of yore,
Shall fall to ruin, and be known no more.
The Past is gone; the Future, black as night,
By clouds lies hidden from all mortal sight;
The Present's here-see there with angel brow,
Wisdom lifts up her voice of mercy. Now-
Now the accepted time, the gracious day,
When man repentant, wipes his stains away;
Inspires new life, through the atoning blood,
And writes his name among the sons of God.

THIS picture is emblematical of the Past, Future, and Present, as these divisions of time appear to us, who are now on the stage of human life. Behold the Past! see there the fragments that time has left behind there is the burying place, filled with the records of the past-what a volume of Biography is the grave-yard; there they lay, the blooming and the beautiful-the strong and the active-all mouldering into dust. The laughing eye-the noble brow-the dimpled cheek-the teeth of pearl-the musical tongue-the brain creative-and the cunning hand-all, all, are silent in the tomb, and melting into earth.

There too, is the oak, that once towered in strength and beauty, now withered and decayed; once it gave shelter to the beasts of the field, the fowls of heaven lodged in its branches-now it needs a prop to pre. vent its falling to the ground.

The splendid mansion is seen crumbling into dust. Architecture, and sculpture, and painting, had bestowed upon it their highest efforts; the artist looked with pride upon it, the owner delighted in it; but it is gone-its glory has departed-it is among the things that have been.

In the distance are seen the huge forms of the pyramids; Egypt's renown and the wonder of the world-memorials of the past, telling us of the folly,