s off in the
greatest excitement to the owner of the field, and offers him a price,
and when that is refused he sells his house, and garden, and everything
he can turn into money, and gives that to the owner in exchange for the
field.

I fear this is rather a picture of what ought to be than what is. No
doubt whatever that we ought to show just as great eagerness to gain
the Kingdom of Heaven, as did that man to buy the field. No doubt we
ought to be just as eager to cast away everything that stands in the
way, to divest ourselves of every thing we have, in order that we may
gain the Kingdom of Heaven,--but, as a matter of fact, we show very
little eagerness about it, and we are very indifferent whether we gain
it or lose it.

SUBJECT.--What we need is more zeal, more enthusiasm, more earnestness
in our quest.

I. King Solomon built the Temple at Jerusalem. He was engaged on it
seven years, and after that, he built his own house, and on that he
spent thirteen years. He therefore spent very nearly twice as much
time and labour, and I doubt not, money over his own house than he did
over the work of God's house; he was wise and good, and he did a great
deal for God, but he did more for himself, and not only for himself,
but for his wives, since he built for them as well.

It is just so with us, we are ready to do something of God's work, to
seek a little the Kingdom of Heaven, but we do not put our heart in
that work, all our heart and zeal is reserved for our own worldly
affairs and our temporal interests.

One day a heathen maiden came to the princess Pulcheria, sister of the
Emperor Theodosius, to complain to her that she was an orphan, and that
her two brothers had turned her out of the house on her father's death,
and had taken all his inheritance to themselves. Now the Emperor
Theodosius, brother of Pulcheria, a young man, was behind a curtain,
and heard the girl pleading her cause with many tears, and he saw how
beautiful she was, and he loved her, and resolved to make her his wife
and exalt her to be Empress of the East. Pulcheria bade her come
another day, and then she told the maiden what was intended. After
that she was taught the faith of Christ, and was baptized, and is known
in history as the Empress Eudoxia. Now when she came from her baptism,
Pulcheria noticed that she was crying, and she went to her lovingly and
said, "Why are you bathed in tears, Eudoxia?" And then the young girl
answered