borders enlarging, and her converts fleeing to her as a cloud, or as doves to their windows, then "Go FORWARD!"

3. The consequences of not doing so will be fearful. If you do not go forward, you will go back, for there is no standing still. But to go back is both dangerous and disgraceful. You have no armour for the back. You will give your foes an advantage, who have been watching for your halting, and predicting your fall. You will falsify your profession, for you have said, "I will be thine alone, thine in life, thine in death, and thine for ever." You will lose your character, and be covered with contempt and shame. Go forward, therefore, though difficulties, dangers, and obstructions are in your way! Go forward, for time is flying! Go forward, for death is coming! Go forward, for eternity is at hand! Go forward, and God will bless you! Go forward, and Satan will flee from you! Go forward, and angels will commend you! Go forward, and usefulness will crown you! Go forward, and eternal glory awaits you!

Sinner, forward to the hope set before you in the gospel! Rest not until you enter into the refuge, until you obtain your pardon, until reconciled to God, until your

bosom is the abode of peace.

Anxious

soul, forward to the cross! There it is just before thee, look to it, plead it with God, expect salvation through it, renounce every thing beside it as the ground of thy acceptance with God. Go, anxious as thou art, agitated as thou art, vile and sinful as thou art, Jesus will receive thee, and will save thee with an everlasting salvation. Young believer, go forward to the church! Publicly profess thy faith in Jesus by being buried with him by baptism into death, join the ranks of his army, take thy seat at his table, and join his people in every holy exercise, in every praiseworthy enterprise. Brethren, fellow-heirs of the grace of life! Brethren, fellow-combatants in the field of conflict, forward to the crown! Wrestle in your Saviour's strength! Conquer by his blood, and the word of your testimony! Fail not, faint not, slacken not your pace, until you sit down with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Jesus, in the kingdom of God. Let this be our motto, always and everywhere, "Go FORWARD!"

AN UNWISE SON.

"He is an unwise son."-HOSEA Xiii. 13.

ow many parents are tried in their families. This appears to have been the case from the beginning. Adam had a Cain,-Abraham, an Ishmael, Isaac, an Esau, - David, an Absalom,-Solomon, a Rehoboam,-Ezekiel, a Manasseh,-and thousands besides, an unwise son." This is a source of grief, and a sore trial. But we write not now for parents, but for the young. Let us endeavour to

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Describe a wise son. He is one who will listen to instruction. Especially if the instructor is wise, experienced, and affectionate. He will improve the opportunities that offer for increasing his knowledge, improving his character, and using his talents for a good purpose. He will avoid temptations, particularly temptations to infidelity, low amusements, and youthful lusts. He will select his companions, and choose such as are moral, industrious, and devoted to God. He will pursue know

ledge in every legitimate way, especially the knowledge of himself, of his duty, and of God. He will set his heart upon a worthy object, an object worthy of an immortal being, of one capable of enjoying the presence and blessing of God for ever. Having set his heart upon a worthy object, he will steadily pursue it until he obtains it. In a word, he will live and act as an intelligent, accountable, and responsible creature, who views time as introductory to eternity, the present as preparatory to the future. Let us now

Glance at the criminal spoken of in the text, "he is an unwise son." ." How is he known? What are his characteristics? He has closed his ear to the voice of wisdom, and he treats the book of God with contempt. He has neglected the most favourable opportunities of acquiring sound, spiritual, and useful knowledge. He has contracted evil habits, so that it is natural for him to sin, dishonour God, and debase his nature. He has chosen foolish companions, and has allowed them to lead him into folly, sin, and shame. He has squandered his time and talents, spending his money for that which is not bread, and his labour for that which satisfieth not. He

has preferred trifles to matters of moment, the trifles of time to the momentous concerns of eternity. He has lost the great end of life, which is to secure deliverance from sin, and a meetness and title to everlasting life. He is now evidently unwise, but how will his folly appear by-and-bye, when seen in the light of a death-bed, or an awful eternity?

Look at him; torn with conflicting passions, he can have no peace. He is tortured with bitter reflections, which will never end. He is excluded from happiness and from heaven. He is the sport of devils, and the contempt of hell. No being in God's universe pities him, but all join to condemn his folly, and justify his doom. He must reap through eternity the fruits of what he sowed in time. He has no one to blame but himself. He has destroyed himself. His destruction has been his own act and deed. God is simply just in executing upon him the sentence of his law, and fulfilling in him the threatenings of his word. He was not far from the kingdom of heaven once, but he is eternally shut out from it now. All that remains for him is bitter reflection, unavailing sorrow, inde