this one thing, and seeking to possess it. "Mary," He said, "hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her." Hence we learn two more particulars respecting religion :

That all may possess it if they please. Mary had chosen it, and Martha might choose it too, if she liked; and most probably she did choose it. And we may each of us choose it for ourselves, as our portion. When Elijah spoke to the Israelites on the subject of their religion, what did he say to them? "How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, then serve Him; but if Baal, then follow Him. Choose ye this day, whom ye will serve." And the same exhortation might be addressed to many, who are halting between religion and the world, undecided whom to serve, Christ or Belial; undetermined which to prefer, the pleasures of sin or the substantial profits of religion. God deals with men as fallen, but still as reasonable creatures. He sets before them life and death, good and evil, blessing and cursing, and bids them make their choice between the two; and if men act as though they had no reason, if they take the dross and leave the gold, if they pluck the weed, and leave the flower, it is their own fault, and their own shoulders must bear the burden for ever and ever. We learn, moreover,

That a part and portion with Christ is an eternal blessing. " Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Can this be said of any of the things which the world calls good? Can it be said of health or wealth, of pleasure or honour, of friends, or any other earthly comforts and advantages, that they shall never be taken away from those who enjoy them?—that

their stay is a visit which knows no end, that they are companions from which a man is never called upon to part? No-they come, and they go; they are given and they are taken away; they are with us to-day, and we are without them to-morrow; and the day which sees us die, sees them take an everlasting farewell.

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But it is not so with religion. A part with Christ is what shall never be taken away from us. There is a rest that remaineth for the people of God, and there is a portion which remaineth with them. A Christian, though he loses all his earthly substance, hath a treasure, which is laid up for him above, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal." Death, which robs the ungodly of all their goods, and sends them out of the world as naked and poor as they came into it, puts the man who loves the Lord Jesus Christ into the possession of his property-his heavenly, everlasting portion. And while he continues here on earth, he enjoys peace of mind and gladness of heart, blessings which ten thousand a year will not buy, and of which rags or hunger will not rob him.

III. I SHALL ENDEAVOUR TO IMPROVE THE SUBJECT. First, in reference

To those who have so many worldly things in their heads and in their hearts, that they have no room for Christ and spiritual things. They are careful and troubled about many things; they are loaded with a great and heavy burden; and they say, it is as much as they can do to bear that, and that they cannot undertake any more. Oh! would it not be as well, to get rid of some of that inordinate anxiety and care about worldly things, to

make place for a little care and concern about eternal things? Would they not be quite as happy here, and infinitely happier hereafter, if instead of spending all their money on that which is not bread, and all their labour on that which satisfieth not, they were to spend some of it on God and the things which pertain to God? I am sure they would; no one ever yet lost any real happiness by parting from his sins, and by closing with Christ. Whatever they might lose by religion, their sleep would not be less peaceful, their days would not be less comfortable, because God was their friend, Christ was their Saviour, and their souls were safe; and how much happier would their deaths be, and how much brighter the prospect which would open upon them from the other side of the grave, if such were the case?

Let them be persuaded of this—that to gain the whole world and to lose their souls, is an unprofitable speculation. The man who hazards eternal happiness, to gain present good, or to avoid present evil, is carrying on a losing trade; and this he is sure to find out, sooner or later. What saith the wise man? "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; and with all thy getting, get understanding."

Let me, then, counsel them to keep worldly cares and concerns in their proper place, and to give them no more of their thoughts and attention than they deserve. Remember that there is but one thing needful. If they gain that, they can do with little else; but without that, they cannot do well either in this world or in that which is to come.

Let me endeavour to improve the subject, secondly, in reference

To those who have few or no worldly cares to distract and divert their attention from the one thing needful. Oh! if those who have many things on their minds and on their hands, if those who have much to keep them from Christ, if such have no excuse, and are condemned, how much more awful the condition of those who have nothing! how much sorer will be the condemnation of those who have nothing else to do, than to make their peace with God, and become wise unto salvation!

Let the young remember, that although they have few or no worldly cares and anxieties now, in all probability, they will have a full share of them by and by; and if they do not cultivate religion now, what hope is there that they will follow it then? They are entering upon a world of trouble and trial; they are embarking on a voyage, in the course of which they are sure to meet with perplexity, distress, and danger; and they should act the part of the wise sailor, and take the pilot on board at first. They should not wait till the storm was on them, and their ship in the midst of the waves, ready to sink. They should provide beforehand for their safety and comfort, and make God their refuge and strength, their guide and guardian, while they have time and opportunity, and He is willing to hear and answer them.

Let the old likewise, those whose earthly work is done, and whose labours are over, be thankful that they are allowed time to do that which perhaps many of them neglected to do before; and recollect that their time is short-that the shadows of the evening are closing in fast upon them, and the night is near at hand. They at least ought to have done with the world; earthly cares and anxieties

certainly have no business in their minds and hearts. To provide for eternity-to be ready for the judgment seat-to make their calling and election sure to grow in grace and knowledge, ought to be their one and only concern. God has given them what in His wisdom He has denied to others, space for repentance at their latter end. He has allowed them a calm and quiet evening, after a stormy and busy day, and He waits to see the way in which they receive and improve this undeserved and important benefit. He hopes to discover that multitude of years giveth wisdomthat the hoary head is a head of understanding: and I trust He will not be disappointed.

Let us all resolve, in dependence on God's aid, that the one thing needful shall be more on our minds and in our hearts than it has ever yet been. Many of us, perhaps, have hitherto thought nothing about religion-some few of us have thought a little-and none of us have thought enough. It will be well for us all, then, to turn over a new leaf; and it will be good for us if now at length we determine, in the Lord's strength, to be no longer either wholly careless, or cold and indifferent to our eternal interests; so slow to take the hand which the Saviour offers us, to draw us out of our present state of misery and sin, and to save us from a worse condition hereafter. "Render unto Cæsar," said Christ, "the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God, the things which are God's." Give the things of time their proper place, their due portion of regard; but let none be so unwise as to give them what does not belong to them, and which God never intended they should have.