Unrevised Notes of an Address at Lachute, by C. C. (Matt. 5:20; Rev. 3:10).

First, we have treasure in heaven, next a crown, I link them together. First the treasure. Let us have distinct thought of what the treasure is. If I were to come to you with the question, What is the treasure, I should likely have different answers from different individuals. And again, if I ask as to the measure of the treasure possible to lay up in heaven, I think possibly we may not have thought much about it. I think most of us are satisfied with the thought that we shall have treasure there, and there is much sluggishness as to laying up.

And as to the other subject-a crown, most of us think we shall have a crown-a reward-but I find there is much indefiniteness as to the crown.

But first let us look at the treasure (Matt. 5:20). People will say this passage does not apply to us, as we are on Christian ground now, and these portions (Matt. 5:-7:) teach us the principles of Christ's Kingdom, as He came to establish it on earth, and as it yet will be when He comes again. But, beloved brethren, although the King has been rejected, and has gone into heaven again for a time, are we not subjects of this Kingdom, and in it ? Surely we are, and these Scriptures have their application to us, and we dare not set them aside; we shall suffer loss if we do. If the Word then exhorts us to the task of laying up treasures to find them in heaven, what is the treasure ? what is it we are to store up there ?

The treasure must be Christ. You say, have not all Christians got Christ ? Yes, that is true. But we
must distinguish what we have as simply believing in Christ, and what we are exhorted to here. We believe the gospel and we get Christ-life in Christ, forgiveness, a title to heaven-the Father's house; we are "made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light." The weakest believer-with but a moment to live after believing-has Christ. Let us not weaken the sense of this in our souls. Our title to salvation with eternal glory is the precious blood of Christ. But then if God gives us Christ, as He does to every believer, it is true also that all there is in Christ is the believer's. He is our portion-all that He is, His wisdom, His perfections, beauties-all that He is, is for us, for we are "blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ." But, beloved, there is a sense in which we have to learn Christ, what He is to us, and for us. We have an illustration of this in the history of the children of Israel in connection with the land of Israel. It was theirs by promise, and they had a title to it, but while this was true, when they entered the land they had to conquer it and take possession; and wherever they put their foot it should be theirs.

There is a sense in which, then, we need to learn Christ. When it becomes a question of practical realization of what we know of Christ, all we really practically know of Him is what we have. When we get to heaven, we will find there, so to speak, just what we have learned of Christ,-what we have learned here. God is putting us through perplexities, troubles, trials, sorrows, that in these we may learn what the character of Christ is-His love and His tender care. This is our task-our lesson, as we pass through this dry and thirsty land, where no water is. As we turn our backs on this poor world and set our hearts upon possessing the glorious portion that belongs to us in Christ, we are laying up in store a good foundation against the time to come. Christ is our treasure then.
Now a word as to how we lay it up.

It is already indicated by what I have said. If learning Christ is our object-if we care more about learning what He is than anything else, it is simple enough,-that is laying up treasure in heaven. Beloved, let us challenge our hearts, where have they been to-day? where are they to-night? where will they be to-morrow? The measure in which I am devoting all the energies of my being to the enjoyment of Christ, in that measure I am laying up in store- laying up treasure in heaven. What is the measure of the treasure possible to us ? How much may we store up ? How much axe you going to have there ? Have you ever asked yourself that question ? I did once, after being long a Christian, and it had a sobering effect on me. Let us all ask ourselves the question here to-night. Do you think you are limited in your possibility ? Beloved, you will not have one bit more of the treasure when you get there, than you have learned down here. I trust our hearts will be touched and solemnized by this. We are in circumstances where we may learn much of Christ, and when we go home to enjoy the feast in the Father's house, we shall not be in the same circumstances then as here. Whatever you miss by heartlessness, indifference, or by whatever reason down here, you cannot make up for it or learn it there. Have you ever thought of it ? Think of it now, beloved ; in every circumstance, in every straight, in every trial, it is our privilege to learn more of Christ, of His faithfulness and love,-to meet it all again in the day of His glory, when we meet Him in the Father's house. And if we do not learn it here we shall not have it there. Let our hearts be exercised then. Let us see to it as we pass along, that we turn everything to account-every trial, every perplexity, every sorrow the occasion of increasing in the knowledge of Christ. Is it not a cheering thought we shall find again as treasure whatever we have gone through here with Christ and for Him.

Now let us look at the crown (Rev. 3:ii). " Behold I come quickly :hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." The figure here is a familiar one. In i Cor. 9:24, "Know ye not that they which run in a race, run all, but one receiveth the prize." This is just that all are in the race, but I find the thoughts of Christians are very indistinct as to the figure. For instance, they say only one receives the prize. How can this be ? Is not every Christian going to have a crown ? Yes, surely, every one. But the reason they have this difficulty is because they have neglected to note the word of the same apostle in 2 Tim. 2:5, " If a man strive for the mastery, yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully,"-that is according to the rules of the race. Now then, I believe this means that people who profess to be Christians who do not submit to the rules of the race will not get a crown. But then we are not all going to have the same crown. There are different crowns-different rewards. Let us think of the race course for a moment. There are, say six persons running, all start at the word given. But as they go on they begin to separate, some going faster than the others. The first one gets nearly there, and practically the first prize is his ; the second is two-thirds of the way, and the rest each behind the other. But, look, the second one falters; he weakens and begins to loose ground, and before he is aware the third one is past him, and he loses his prize, and if he be roused from his lethargy, perhaps he may come in third. Beloved, are we in rank ? We need not stop to decide what our place is. The point is, are we "reaching forth unto those things which are before?" Then let us keep on. Don't let us lose interest, or be discouraged because of the way. Let but the least thing intervene-a straw, but perhaps, and we shall weaken and loiter, and if we do, some one else who may have been behind may pass us, and the crown that now belongs to us-shall pass to another. Hold fast your place in the ranks, beloved, don't let the affections waver, don't let them weaken, don't give up the persistent effort to push on.
God grant our hearts may be stirred to their very depths every day, and may we realize that great possibilities are before us. Let us "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Let us seek and reach out, in the energy of faith to grasp what God is offering to us. May He grant us more earnestness, more faithfulness, more energy to lay hold of what lies before us that we may not lose our crown.