of thieves. Therefore not one stone shall be left upon another, but its "heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Such is the end to which our hearts are directed by the solemn trial and dreadful sentence of this day. And indeed in any case does the person who is seriously engaged in any work keep his views short of the end? Is not the sailor ever intent upon the haven to which he is bound? Has not the builder always the completion of his plan in his mind? end regulate the course of every that deserves the name of work?

Does not the

earthly work Shall it then

be different in spiritual work? It cannot be begun until the end is acknowledged and determined upon. And he that would advance in it must have that directly in sight before him, as the runner has the mark at the end of the race. We must therefore have the singleminded perseverance of the blessed apostle St. Paul, who says of himself, "Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." We must unfix our sight from the

things of the transitory temple of this world, and fix them on the things of the everlasting temple of the world to come. We must desire to understand them, we must strive to attain them, as far as can be done while we are here. We must gain a taste for them by that enjoyment of their earnests, which the Lord gives to all sincere seekers. But how are such earnests too often disregarded when their promise appears in the outward and visible shape of the ordinances of God's Church. How shall they who neglect these be enabled to lay hold of and enjoy the inward and more distant? To take a familiar example, how shall they who feel no enjoyment in the assembly of the people of God, on the day of the Lord, have any enjoyment of the general assembly of angels and the redeemed in heaven? So easy is it, if we be but sincere and single minded, to bring ourselves to task, and to see whether we be really looking forward to the end, and endeavouring to be prepared for it. Let us thus bring ourselves to the test of a few solid facts of our practice, and not trust to the mere feelings of the hour, as some do; for those feelings, unless they are stirred up by practice, can have nothing solid in them; and in committing ourselves to them, we are attempting to fly in

the air, and not to run our race upon earth. Do not, for instance, too many flatter themselves with the loving Christ, who shew very insufficient tokens of its most necessary accompaniment, the love of their neighbour? Had it the power of reason and speech the fig-tree might have argued most speciously from its overflowing juice and abundance of leaves. But our Lord judged after a much more simple and practical way. He looked for fruit. So His question with us is, not, how are you feeling, but what are you doing? If you be really doing, you will entertain the proper feeling. But if you be only feeling, you are in danger of resting content there, and never going on to doing. Do not stop therefore to look at yourself, but look at that which is before you, at that prize which you must win or lose. Do not buy and sell in the temple of God's Church, by setting off feeling against practice, or light and showy duties against laborious and obscure, but use it as the place of presenting your body a living sacrifice. Then if the Lord should come suddenly to His temple, you will rejoice. Otherwise what will be more dreadful than your surprise.

DEVOTION.

O LORD Jesu, who hast made us parts of Thy living temple, Thou Thyself being the chief corner-stone, preserve us among the living stones of Thy house. Grant us to continue in the holy place; heal the breaches that have been made by the evil one, our enemy; fill up whatsoever hath been decayed by the fraud and malice of the devil or by our own carnal will and frailness. We have erred oftentimes from Thy law; we have done wickedly; we have sinned before Thee. But do Thou turn and forgive; do Thou have pity; do Thou remit sins; pardon and absolve us; make Thy building whole again; fix fast the loose stones; strengthen the weak walls; raise up those that are fallen down. Say not "down with it, down with it even to the ground." Though we have deserved destruction, spare us yet awhile; though we have deserved to be numbered amongst ruinous heaps, yet have mercy. Cease not to dwell in us; take not Thy Holy Spirit from us, but stablish us with Thy free Spirit; make us again a temple to Thine honour, and dwell Thou in the midst of us. Restore us yet

again.

Most blessed Jesus, who didst condemn Thy

Temple for the sins of them whose feet trod the courts thereof, visit us not with like condemnation. Let us take warning from the great overthrow of that beautiful house, wherein Thou didst love to dwell, which Thou Thyself didst visit in the flesh, where Thou Thyself wast wont to pray to Thy Father. Move us to repent betimes that we may be spared. Behold, we fall low on our knees before Thy footstool, repenting of our sins and praying Thee to accept our tears. We condemn ourselves in Thy sight that we may not be condemned by Thy mouth. Withdraw not Thy presence from Thy temple, neither come near to condemn it. We confess our wickedness; we desire amendment of life; as penitents we humble ourselves at the throne of grace. Let not the sentence go forth out of Thy mouth for our condemnation. Spare us, holy Jesus; spare us, O Son of David; spare us, Lord Christ; spare us, most merciful Saviour. Once more turn Thy face to us again, that as a building fitly framed together, we may grow unto an holy temple in the Lord, an habitation of God through the Spirit.

JOHN HENRY PARKER, OXFORD AND LONDON.