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The Twenty-third Sunday after Trinity.

EVENING SERVICE.-Second Lesson: Col. iv.

Verse 5.-" Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time."

THE inhabitants of the world are divided into two great classes, the one being within the other without the Church of God. Those within are a select company called to be saints, and induced to dedicate themselves to the service of Christ; those without are the great mass who live in utter disregard of God's laws, and manifest the utmost contempt for Christ's religion. The Church is compared unto a garden walled around; all are not planted in it. The Church is called the house of God; all are not of the household of faith. The Church is a city; all are not fellow-citizens with the saints. The Church is Christ's kingdom upon earth; many are aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. All that have not heard the invitations of the gospel-all that have not submitted to the law of Christ-all that have not complied with the conditions of God's grace must be regarded as those without the Church. All intercourse between those who are within and those who are without is not forbidden; whilst we are in the world, we must be in a measure mixed up with the society of the world; it is impossible in our domestic and commercial transactions to separate ourselves solely from the fellowship of those who are without; there is an identity of interest-a necessity for the common prosperity which compels Christians to associate with their unchristian neighbours. Still there is a line of demarcation to be observed which ought not to be violated, and it is by a strict attention to this line the admonition of the apostle in our text can be fully complied with. "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without."

The text therefore teaches us, first, the duty of Christians towards their irreligious neighbours. Secondly, the exemplary perseverance with which that duty should be observed.

I. The duty of Christians towards their irreligious neighbours. "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without."

Wisdom is a motive worthy of an upright intelligent being, carried out into useful actions, by appropriate means, at all appropriate seasons. It is a motive by which the Divine Being is Himself actuated in His dealings with all His creatures. As it exists in Him it is formed of His omniscience and infinite benevolence, united in planning and accomplishing all real good in the progress of His immense and eternal kingdom. It is also implanted by Him in a limited degree in the minds of angels and men to be exercised by them towards their Maker and towards each other for the best ends by the adoption of the beast means. The application of the admonition of the apostle in the text involves a principle of great latitude, but imparts particularly an endeavour to promote the conversion and salvation of those who are without the pale of the Christian Church, by begetting in them a due veneration for the gospel and a decided love to the Christian religion.

There are two ways by which this is to be done-first, by a correct representation of the real principles of religion, and, secondly, by a proper treatment of others in the transactions of life.

1. We are to walk in wisdom towards them that are without, by a correct representation of the real principles of religion.

Nothing can be more detrimental to the progress of religion than the manner in which it is represented by some of its professors in both its doctrines and practices. Whilst all its doctrines contain the essence of the sublimest theories, exhibiting plans the most comprehensive, consistent, and adapted to advance the glory of its infinite Author, and to promote the reconciliation, the wellbeing, and the perfect

happiness of a rebellious world; they are often set forth as contracted, partial, and inadequate to the wants of the objects whom they are designed to benefit. For instance, when mysteries are clothed in a still greater mystery-when God the Father is represented as an arbitrary Sovereign limiting His favours to a certain few, independent of character, instead of that universally gracious and benign Being as He is, "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" when God the Son, becoming the man Christ Jesus, is represented to have shed His precious blood for a portion of mankind, as if His atonement were of a commercial nature, instead of having a reference to the Divine government, meeting the demands of justice for sin as a whole, thus rendering the salvation of every man consistent with the honour of God's law-when God, the Holy Spirit, is represented as being periodically bestowed, instead of being always present in the word of truth-when the gospel is represented as a scheme contracted in its application and rigid in its requirements, instead of that broad system of mercy, comprehending all classes and characters within the scope of its invitations; those without are repulsed and discouraged; being left in a condition of hopeless despondency. How should all Christians hold forth those heaven-born doctrines in all the beauty of their inviting proportions for the encouragement of all to seek the rich provisions which can make them wise unto salvation!

Then the practices of religion should be strictly attended to that it may be wisely recommended to others. Christians are "the epistles of Christ" "known and read of all men." As the epistle of Christ they are to set forth the character of Christ by following Him as their great exemplar. By looking at the character of Christ we find that it was respected and admired even by those who despised and rejected His doctrines. Yes, even Pilate, who condemned Him for nothing, could "find no fault in Him;" and the centurion, heathen as he was, was compelled to acknowledge at His cross, "Certainly this was a righteous man." It is the example of

a consistent religious practice that tells chiefly on the minds of unbelievers; in the sixth verse the apostle says, "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how to answer every man." It may often be difficult to execute the necessary wisdom in the presence of a mixed society. To be cheerful without levity, to be holy without sanctimoniousness, to be serious without moroseness, to be decided without reserve, to be separate without exclusiveness, to be gentle without ostentation, to be courteous without flattery, to be truthful without accusation, to be just without sternness, are lessons which most of us have yet to learn; and still they are the real practical parts of religion which above the most elaborate and convincing delineation of doctrine will recommend it to the attention and admiration of the world.

2. A proper treatment of others in the transactions of life is necessary to walk in wisdom toward them that are without. The duties of parents and children, of husbands and wives, of masters and servants, of governors and governed, as well as of persons in all stations of life are fully marked out by Christ and His apostles. Those duties require minute attention, especially by those who profess to make the New Testament the rule of their conduct. Arduous as the task may be under peculiar circumstances, there need be a uniform adherence to the prescribed course in order to win those that are without to embrace the gospel and make its principles their own. An upright, honest, affable, obliging conduct towards all tends to recommend our religious character, and cannot fail at last to invite an examination of the gospel we profess. Acts of kindness, of patience, and of self-denial must win the approbation of all, whilst the prudent exercise of charity compels the receiver to respect the feelings which actuated the giver. More than this, our religion teaches us to forbear with their infirmities, and to endure their calumnies, or even their violent persecutions, with patient submission. One portion of our chart is sufficient to bring the whole of our duties in this respect graphically before us. "But I say unto you, Love

your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them

that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you." (Matt. v. 44.) Inasmuch as this comprehensive sentiment was expressed by the great Founder Himself, and was carried out by Him for the encouragement of His followers, let us learn of Him, and thus "walk in wisdom toward them that are without."

Let us notice

II. The uniform perseverance by which this duty should be carried out, "Redeeming the time."

The word which is here rendered redeeming is translated by the Septuagint in Daniel ii. 8, "delay" the time, and probably the meaning of the apostle is, that by the wise conduct of Christians towards their heathen neighbours at Colosse, they might delay the time of persecution which then threatened them, and thus extend their opportunities of doing good. To redeem the time in the common acceptation of the term is a most important duty to all classes of individuals. This cannot be done in a natural sense; time once past is irrecoverably lost; we can never recal it; but in a moral sense it may be redeemed by a proper use of the present, and proper provision for the future. The young ought to redeem the time by remembering their Creator in the days of their youth; the healthy and strong ought to redeem the time by considering that sickness and infirmity are not the seasons to prepare for eternity; the weak and the aged ought to redeem the time as they have but a few grains of sand to run, and their eternity depends upon the small portion which remains.

The duty, as urged here upon Christians in respect to others, involves an entire devotedness to doing good. Every opportunity should be embraced and no season should be lost; sacrifices of personal ease and comfort must be made, and nothing of self-interest, of worldly advantage, or of gratifying enjoyment should interfere with the opportunities which may be offered to further the spiritual improvement and eternal happiness of our fellow-men. The Christian who wastes his time in idleness, excess of sleep, useless adorning