here lies one who never did for God an hour's work." Who can wonder in a world like this, if a minister often cries to his congregation, "Ye must be born again:" "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven."

And oh how encouraging are these words to all who seek first the kingdom of God, and serve the Lord Christ in sincerity. What, though the children of the world regard them as righteous overmuch. What, though mistaken friends and relations tell them they pay too much attention to religion, and go too far! Those words, "Occupy till I come," are words which justify their conduct. They may well reply to their persecutors, "I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down; I am striving to live so as to be ready when the Lord comes; 'I must be about my Father's business.""

Let me conclude this Lecture by a few words of general application.

First Let me draw from the whole subject a word of solemn warning for all here present. That warning is, that there is a great change yet to come on this world, and a change we ought to keep constantly before our mind's eye.

That change is a change of MASTERS. That old rebel, the devil, and all his adherents shall be cast

down. The Lord Jesus and all his saints shall be exalted and raised. "The kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our God and of his Christ."

That change is a change of manners. Sin shall no longer be made light of and palliated. Wickedness shall no longer go unpunished, and unreproved. Holiness shall become the general character of the inhabitants of the earth. The new heaven and new earth shall be the dwelling of righteousness.

That change is a change of opinion. There shall be no more Socinianism, or Deism, or Scepticism, or Infidelity. All nations shall do honour to the crucified Lamb of God. All men shall know Him from least to greatest. "The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of Him, as the waters cover the sea."

I say nothing as to the time when these things shall take place. I object on principle to all dogmatism about dates. All I insist upon is this, that there is a great change before us all,—a change for the earth, a change for man, and, above all, a change for the saints.

I accept the prediction that there is a great improvement and development of human nature yet to take place. I accept it with all my heart.

But how and when shall it be brought about? Not by any system of education! Not by any legislation of politicians! Not by anything short of the appearing of the kingdom of Christ. Then, and then only, shall there be universal justice, universal knowledge, and universal peace.

I accept the common phrase of many, "There is a good time coming." I accept it with all my heart. I do verily believe there shall one day be no more poverty-no more oppression-no more ignorance-no more grinding competition-no more covetousness. But when shall that good time come? Never! never till the return of Jesus Christ at his second advent. And for whom shall that time be good? For none but those who know and love the Lord.

I accept the common phrase, "there is a man coming who will set all right that is now wrong. We wait for the coming man." I accept it with all my heart. I do look for one who shall unravel the tangled skein of this world's affairs, and put everything in its right place. But who is the great physician for an old, diseased, worn-out world? It is the man Christ Jesus, who is yet to

return.

Brethren, let us realize this point. There is before us all a great change. Surely, when a man

has notice to quit his present dwelling-place, he ought to make sure that he has before him another home.

Next, let me draw from the whole subject a solemn question for all here present. That question is simply this, ARE YOU READY FOR THE GREAT CHANGE? Are you ready for the coming and kingdom of Christ?

Remember, I do not ask what you think about controversial points in the subject of prophecy. I do not ask your opinion about preterism and futurism. I do not ask whether you think Revelation fulfilled or unfulfilled, or whether you consider the Man of Sin to be an individual,-or whether you hold prophetical days to be years. About all these points you and I may err and yet be saved. The one point to which I want to fix you down is this, "Are you ready for the kingdom of Christ?"

It is useless to tell me, that, in asking this, I put before you too high a standard. It is vain to tell me that a man may be a very good man, and yet not be ready for the kingdom of Christ. I deny it altogether. I say that every justified and converted man is ready, and that if you are not ready you are not a justified man. I say that the standard I put before you is nothing more than the New Testament standard, and that the Apostles

would have doubted the truth of your religion, if you were not looking and longing for the coming of the Lord. I say above all that the grand end of the Gospel is to prepare man to meet God. What has your Christianity done for you if it has not made you meet for the kingdom of Christ? Why, nothing! nothing at all!

In the next place let me offer an invitation to all among you who do not feel ready for Christ's return. That invitation shall be short and simple. I beseech you to come to Christ without delay, that you may be pardoned, justified, and made ready for things to come. I entreat you this night to "flee from the wrath to come," to the hope set before you in the Gospel. I pray you in Christ's stead, to lay down your enmity and unbelief and at once to be reconciled to God.

I tremble when I think of the privileges which surround you, and of the peril in which you stand so long as you neglect them. I tremble when I think of the possibility of Christ coming again, and of your being found unpardoned and unconverted in the day of his return. Better a thousand times will be his lot who was born a heathen, and never heard the Gospel, than he who has been a member of a Church,—but not a living member of Christ. Surely the time past may suffice you