The end of life is not, as men say, "to do good," although so many of us think so. It is not to win souls, although I once thought so. The end of life is, to do the will of God. That may be in this or that line of doing good, or in winning souls; or it may not. For the individual the answer to the question, '' What is the end of my life ? " is, " To do the will of God, whatever that may be."

To an invitation to preach to an exceptionally large audience, Spurgeon replied, "I have no ambition to preach to ten thousand people, but to do the will of God"; and he declined.

If we could have no ambition past the will of God, our lives would be successful. If we could say, " I have no ambition to go to the heathen; I have no ambition to win souls; my ambition is to do the will of God, whatever that may be "-that makes all lives equally great, or equally small, because the only great thing in a life is what of God there is in it. The maximum achievement of any man's life, after it is all over, is to have done the will of God.

No man or woman can have done any more with a life; no Luther, no Spurgeon, no Wesley, no Melancthon, can have done any more with their lives; and a dairymaid or a scavenger can do as much.

Therefore the supreme principle upon which we have to run our lives is to adhere, through good report and ill, through temptation, and prosperity, and adversity, to the will of God, wherever that may lead us. It may take you to China, or you who are going to Africa may have to stay where you are; you who are going to be an evangelist may have to go into business, and you who are going into business may have to become an evangelist. But there is no happiness or success according to God in any life till that principle is taken possession of.

How can you build up a life on that principle ? Let me give you an outline of a little Bible reading:The definition of an ideal life:

"A man after Mine own heart, which shall fulfil all My will."

The object of life:

"I come to do Thy will, O God." After life, the first thing you need is food:

" My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me." The next thing you need after food is society:

"Whosoever shall do the will of My Father in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother."

You want education:

" Teach me to do Thy will, O my God."

You want pleasure:
" I delight to do Thy will, O my God.

A whole life can be built up on that vertebral column ; and then, when all is over,

'' He that doeth the will of God abideth forever."