LIBRARY  OF  r  RINCHON 
 
 NOV  2  8  2000  ^ 
 
 THEOLOGiCAL  SEMiNARY 
 
 BS2361.3  .W54  1880  v. 2 
 Williams,  Isaac,  1802-1865 
 Sermons  on  the  Epistles 
 and  Gospels  for  the  . . . 
 
'<* 
 
 r 
 r.  .^' 
 
 4 
 
DEVOTIONAL    COMMENTARY 
 
 OH 
 
 THE  EPISTLES  AND  GOSPELS 
 
 FOR 
 
 CI)e  ^untJa»5  autr  ?^ol»  i3ai)g  tijvougijout  t^e  §ear. 
 VOL.  n. 
 
 TRINITY  SUNDAY  TO  ALL  SAINTS'  DAY. 
 
SERMONS 
 
 ON 
 
 THE   EPISTLES   AND    GOSPELS 
 
 Zi)t  ^imtfaing  antJ  ftolv  Qni)^  tijrougjout  t^e  ^cat 
 
 15 Y   THE   REV. 
 
 ISAAC     WILLIAMS,     B.D. 
 
 I.ATE    FELLOW    OF   TRINITY   COLLEGE,    OXFCRD 
 AUTHOR   OF   A    "DEVOTIONAL   COMMENTARY   ON   THE   GOSfEL   NARRATIVE*' 
 
 IN  TWO  VOLUMES 
 VOL   IL 
 
 TRINITY  SUNDA  V  TO  ALL  SAINTS'  DA  Y 
 
 RIVINGTONS 
 
 IVATERLOO  PLACE,  LONDON 
 
 1882 
 
 \^New  Edition  J\ 
 
 dRY  OF  PRl«Cf53-^ 
 B  :e  2000 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 SERMON  XLVII. 
 Criniti)  ^imtJai). 
 
 THE  DOOR  OPENED  IN  HEAVEN. 
 
 PAGE 
 '  Go  ye  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the 
 Name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Hol-^' 
 Ghost." — St.  Matt,  xxviii.  19  ^ i 
 
 SERMON  XL VIII. 
 C^e  dTiviSt  ^tintfaD  after  Cniittt). 
 
 LOVE  THE  MARK  OE  GODS  CHILDREN. 
 
 ■  He  that  loveth  not  his  brother  whom  he  hath  seen,  how  can 
 he  love  God  Whom  he  hath  not  seen?"— i  St.  John 
 iv.  20 14 
 
 SERMON  XLIX. 
 CJe  ^tconK  ^untJan  after  CrmitD. 
 
 THE  GOSPEL  A  FEAST  OF  LOVE. 
 
 '  And  this  is  His  commandment,  That  we  should  believe  on 
 the  Name  of  His  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  love  one 
 another!"— I  St.  John  iii.  23 ::9 
 
VI  CONTENTS. 
 
 SERMON  L. 
 Cije  CJjivtr  ^tintrap  after  Cviniti). 
 
 THE  LOST  SHEEP. 
 
 PAGE 
 ' '  All  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray ;  we  have  turned  every 
 one  to  his  own  way ;  and  the  Lord  hath  laid  on  Him  the 
 iniquity  of  us  all." — IsA.  liii.  6 44 
 
 SERMON  LI. 
 CJje  dTouitl)  ^iiutau  aftti*  Criuitp. 
 
 MERCY  THE  BEST  PREPARATION  FOR  JUDGMENT. 
 
 ' '  What  manner  of  persons  ought  ye  to  be  in  all  holy  conversa- 
 tion and  godliness, 
 
 "  Looking  for  and  hasting  unto  the  coming  of  the  day  of  God  ?" 
 
 — 2  St.  Pet.  iii.  ii,  12 58 
 
 SERMON  LII. 
 Ci)t  dTiWj  ^untfai)  afttr  Crniitn. 
 
 THE  PEACEABLE  ORDERLNG  OF  TLLE  WORLD. 
 
 "  That  we  may  lead  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life  in  all  godliness 
 
 and  honesty." — i  Tim.  ii.  2      .         .         .         .         .         -70 
 
 SERMON  LIIL 
 C!;e  ^tjitlj  ^untJai)  afttr  Crintti). 
 
 BROTHERLY  LOVE  AND  THE  LIFE  IN  CHRIST. 
 
 "Now  if  we  be  dead  with  Christ,  we  believe  that  we  shall 
 also  live  with  Him."— Rom.  vi.  8 82 
 
CONTENTS.  VU 
 
 SERMON  LIV. 
 CJe  ^tbtntlj  ^unUay  afttr  Crtntti). 
 
 THE  BREAD  WHICH  GOD  GIVETH 
 
 PAGE 
 
 '  Cut  seek  ye  first  tlie  Kingdom  of  God,  and  His  righteous- 
 ness ;  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you." — 
 St.  Matt.  vi.  33 94 
 
 SERMON  LV. 
 Cj^e  (!Big;f;tI;  ^untrap  after  Cn'nitp. 
 
 BY  THEIR  FRUITS  YE  SHALL  KNOW  THEM. 
 
 '  For  as  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the 
 sons  of  God." — Rom.  viii.  14 107 
 
 SERMON  LVI. 
 Cj^e  ^inti)  ^untJap  after  Crimti). 
 
 LOOKING  FORWARD,   OR  DIVINE  CO  VETO  US  NESS. 
 
 ■'  O  that  they  were  wise,  that  they  understood  this,  that  they 
 
 would   consider  their  latter  end." — Deut.  xxxii.  29         .   120 
 
 SERMON  LVII. 
 €i^e  Cntti)  ^untJap  after  Crmitp. 
 
 THE  DA  Y  OF  VISITA  TION. 
 
 "If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the 
 
 things  which  belong  unto  thy  peace  !  "—St.  Luke  xix.  42  .   132 
 
Vlll  CONTENTS. 
 
 SERMON  LVIII. 
 Clje  d^Itbtittl)  ^unKai)  after  Cn'uiti). 
 
 THE  PR  A  YER  OF  THE  PENITENT. 
 
 PAGE 
 "And  the  Publican,  standing  afar  off,  would  not  lift  up  so 
 much  as  his  eyes  to  heaven,  but  smote  upon  his  breast 
 saying,  God   be  merciful  to   me   a  sinner." — St.  Luke 
 xviii.  13 1.14 
 
 SERMON  LIX. 
 Clje  Ciutlftlj  ^uuUcii)  after  Crtnitn. 
 
 WEAKNESS  OF  FAITH. 
 
 "  Such  trust  have  we  through  Christ  to  God- ward." — 2  Cor. 
 
 iii-  4 155 
 
 SERMON  LX. 
 CIjc  CIjtrtccntTj  ^tinaai)  after  Crtniti). 
 
 ZOFE  THE  FULFILLING  OF  THE  LAW. 
 
 "Blessed  are  the  eyes  which  see  the  things  that  ye  see."— St. 
 Luke  x.  23 165 
 
 SERMON  LXI. 
 Cf;e  dTourttnttl)  ^untlap  after  Criuitn. 
 
 THANKFULNESS  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REGENERA  TE. 
 
 "And  Jesus   answering   said.  Were  there  not   ten  cleansed? 
 but  where  are  the  nine?"— St.  Luke  xvii.  17  .         .   174 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 SERMON  LXII. 
 C^e  dTiftccutlj  ^untJai)  aftti*  Cvinity. 
 
 MY  BELOVED  IS  MINE  AND  I  AM  HIS. 
 
 J'AGE 
 
 "  From  henceforth  let  no  man  trouble  me  ;  for  I  bear  in  my 
 body  the  marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus." — Gal.  vi.  17    .        .   185 
 
 SERMON  LXIII. 
 C^c  ^tyttcntfj  ^iintJai)  aftfv  Crim'tp. 
 
 7 HE  KNOWLEDGE   WHICH  IS  LIFE  ETERNAL. 
 
 "And  to  know  the  love  of  Christ,  which  passeth  know- 
 ledge."— Eph,  iii.  19 196 
 
 SERMON  LXIV. 
 CJe  ^fbtuteentib  ^untJai)  after  Crmito. 
 
 THE  SABBATH  OF  CHRIST  FOUND  IN  MEEKNESS. 
 
 "I,  therefore,  the  prisoner  of  the  Lord,  beseech  you,  that  ye 
 walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  wherewith  ye  are  called,  with 
 all  lowliness  and  meekness. " — Eph.  iv.  i,  2     .         .         .207 
 
 SERMON  LXV. 
 %X)t  dBigljteentlj  ^untJaj)  after  Crinit». 
 
 CHRIST  IS  ON  THE  RIGHT  HAND   OF  GOD. 
 
 "  He  saith  unto  them,  How  then  doth  David  in  spirit  call  Him 
 
 Lord,  saying, 
 "The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  Thou  on  My  right  hand, 
 
 till  I  make  Thine  enemies  Thy  footstool?  "—St.  Matt. 
 
 xxii.  43,  44 218 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 SERMON  LXVI. 
 C!je  f^iucUentij  ^uut(ai)  after  Crinitp. 
 
 THE  FORGIVENESS  OF  SINS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 ' '  That  ye  put  off  concerning  the  former  conversation  the  old 
 
 man,  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  lusts  ; 
 "And  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind." — EPH.  iv=  22,  23  226 
 
 SERMON  LXVII. 
 Ci^e  Clutntict!;  ^imtlaw  afttr  Crinttn. 
 
 LOVE  AND  JOY  IN  THE  SPIRIT. 
 
 ' '  And  when  the  king  came  in  to  see  the'  guests,  he  saw  there 
 a  man  which  had  not  on  a  wedding  garment." — St.  Matt. 
 xxii.  II 237 
 
 SERMON  LXVIII. 
 Ej)e  Ciuciitn^fiis't  ^untJa»  aftcv  Crinitn. 
 
 THE  WARFARE  AND  THE  ARMOUR  OF  SAINTS. 
 
 "  My  brethren,  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  His 
 
 might." — Eph.  vi.  10 248 
 
 SERMON  LXIX. 
 Cf)c  CU)cnti)^gtfont(  ^unKai)  afttr  Cn'nttn. 
 
 THE  LOVE  OF  CHRISTIANS. 
 
 "A  new  commandment  I  give  unto  you,  That  ye  love  one 
 another ;  as  I  have  loved  you,  that  ye  also  love  one  ano- 
 ther."—St.  John  xiii.  34 258 
 
CONTENTS.  XI 
 
 SERMON  LXX. 
 CTjc  Clutntp^t!;trtl  ^untJaD  after  Cvuiiti). 
 
 THE  EARTHLY  AA^D  HEAVENLY  CITIZENSHLP. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 For  our  conversation  is  in  Heaven." — PiiiL  iii.  20         .         .  266 
 
 SERMON  LXXI. 
 Cijc  Clueuti)>fourt!)  ^untjai)  after  Crmitn. 
 
 MUTUAL  LNTERCESSLONS. 
 
 For  this  cause  we  also,   since  the  day  we  heard  it,  do  not 
 cease  to  pray  for  you."— Col.  i.  9 276 
 
 SERMON  LXXII. 
 W^z  Clutntp^^fift]^  ^untJaw  afttr  Crtniti). 
 
 GLEANINGS  AFTER  IE AR  VEST 
 
 '  The  harvest  is  past,  the  summer  is  ended,  and  we  are  not 
 saved." — Jer.  viii.  20 2SS 
 
 SERMON  LXXIII. 
 ^amt  ^ntlrciu'g  Sai). 
 
 BRINGING  UNTO  CHRIST. 
 
 '  Phihp  Cometh  and  telleth  Andrew,  and  again  Andrew  and 
 PhiHp  tell  Jesus.  And  Jesus  answered  them,  saying,  The 
 hour  is  come,  that  the  Son  of  Man  should  be  glorified." — 
 St.  John  xii.  22,  23 300 
 
XII  CONTENTS. 
 
 SERMON  LXXIV. 
 
 SL  0 IVNESS  IN  BELIE  VING. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 "  Thomas  saith  unto  Him,  Lord,  we  know  not  whither  Thou 
 goest ;  and  how  can  we  know  the  way  ?  Jesus  saith  unto 
 him,  I  am  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life  ?"— St.  John 
 xiv.  5,  6 310 
 
 SERMON  LXXV. 
 Ci^e  Conbfv^ioii  of  ^amt  ^Paiil. 
 
 GRACE  NOT  GIVEN  IN  VAIN. 
 
 ' '  By  the  grace  of  God  I  am  what  I  am  :  and  His  grace  which 
 was  bestowed  upon  me  was  not  in  vain ;  but  I  laboured 
 more  abundantly  than  they  all :  yet  not  I,  but  the  grace  of 
 God  which  was  with  me." — i  Cor.  xv.  10       .         .         .319 
 
 SERMON  LXXVL 
 
 THE  PRESENTATION  OF  CHRIST  IN  THE  TEMPLE,  COMMONLY  CALLED 
 
 Cije  ^Punfi'cation  of  ^atnt  fHarw  tijc  Wii'^iiu 
 
 THE  REFINERS  FIRE. 
 
 "  He  shall  purify  the  sons  of  Levi,  and  purge  them  as  gold  and 
 silver,  that  they  may  offer  unto  the  Lord  an  offering  in 
 righteousness." — Mal.  iii.  3    .         .         .         .         .         •  331 
 
 SERMON  LXXVIL 
 ^aint  iHattIjia^*fJ  Sai). 
 
 THE  LOST  CROWN. 
 
 "  Hold  that  fast  which  thou  hast,  that  no  man  take  thy  crown." 
 —Rev.  iii.  11 342 
 
CONTENTS.  XI 11 
 
 SERMON  LXXVIII. 
 CJc  ^nnuiKiatton  of  tje  JSIcs'sttJ  SFirgin  fHarp. 
 
 FAITH  IN  THE  INCARNATION. 
 
 TAGE 
 
 If  ye  will  not  believe,  surely  ye  shall  not  be  established." — 
 IsA.  vii.  9 353 
 
 SERMON  LXXIX. 
 ^aint  ^nxV^  Saj). 
 
 VALUE  OF  AN  INSPIRED  GOSPEL. 
 
 '  And  He  gave  some  Apostles  ;  and  some  Prophets ;  and 
 some  Evangelists  ;  and  some  Pastors  and  Teachers ; 
 
 '  For  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry, 
 for  the  edifying  of  the  Body  of  Christ."— Eph.  iv. 
 II,  12 363 
 
 SERMON  LXXX. 
 
 ^aint  W)iiip  antJ  ^aint  3Jamt^*<S  i3ai?. 
 
 THE  SEVERE  AND  SOCIAL  VIRTUES. 
 
 '  Every  man  hath  his  proper  gift  of  God,  one  after  this  manner, 
 and  another  after  that." — i  Cor.  vii.  7     .        .         .         -373 
 
 SERMON  LXXXL 
 ^aint  JaaniabaiS  xS^t  Apostle. 
 
 GO  AND  DO  THOU  LIKEWISE. 
 
 "The  Father  of  mercies,  and  the  God  of  all  comfort ;  Who 
 comforteth  us  in  all  our  tribulation,  that  we  may  be  able  to 
 comfort  them  which  are  in  any  trouble,  by  the  comfort 
 wherewith  we  ourselves  are  comforted  of  GoD." — 2  Cor. 
 i.  3.  4 384 
 
XIV  CONTENTS. 
 
 SERMON  LXXXII. 
 ^amt  S^oljn  53aptt^t'^  13 ay. 
 
 JOY  AT  HEARING  THE  BRIDEGROOM'S  VOICE. 
 
 PAGE 
 "Many  shall  rejoice  at  His  birth."— St.  Luke  i.  14       .         .  394 
 
 SERMON  LXXXIII. 
 ^amt  33ftti's  J3ai). 
 
 THE  STRENGTH  OF  GOD  IN  MANS  WEAKNESS. 
 
 **  If  ye  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake,  happy  are  ye  :  and  be  not 
 afraid  of  their  terror,  neither  be  troubled ;  but  sanctify  the 
 Lord  God  in  your  hearts." — I  Pet.  iii.  14,  15  •         •  403 
 
 SERMON  LXXXIV. 
 ^aint  Siamtg  i\)t  Apostle. 
 
 HIDDEN  WITH  CHRIST  IN  GOD. 
 
 *'  And  he  killed  James  the  brother  of  John  with  the  sword." — 
 Acts  xii.  2 414 
 
 SERMON  LXXXV. 
 ^aiut  33art!jolomciu  tijc  ^podtlc. 
 
 DO  GOOD^  HOPING  FOR  NOTHING  AGAIN. 
 
 "They  that  exercise  authority  upon  them  are  called  bene- 
 faetors.     But  ye  shall  not  be  so."— St.  Luke  xxii.  25,  26    424 
 
CONTENTS.  XV 
 
 SERMON  LXXXVI. 
 ^ciutt  JKattSfh)  i\)z  ^po^tle. 
 
 THE  GOOD  EXCHANGE. 
 
 PAG2 
 "What   things   were   gain   to  me,   those   I  counted   loss  for 
 Christ.     Yea,  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but  loss 
 for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my 
 Lord." — Phil.  iii.  7,  8 435 
 
 SERMON  LXXXVII. 
 ^atut  iHidjacl  antr  ^11  ^ngclg. 
 
 WAR  IN  HE  A  VEN 
 
 "Are  they  not  all  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to  minister  for 
 them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation  ?  " — Heb.  i,  14  .    \\\ 
 
 SERMON  LXXXVIII. 
 ^aint  Eufee  tf)e  (fBbancjtIist. 
 
 HEALING  AND  PEACE. 
 
 '  How  beautiful  upon  the  mountains  are  the  feet  of  him  that 
 bringeth  good  tidings,  that  publisheth  peace. " — ISA.  Iii.  7.  454 
 
 SERMON  LXXXIX. 
 ^aint  ^imon  anU  ^aint  3^ut)c,  ^postlc*;. 
 
 THE  SACRAMENT  OF  UNION 
 
 'Judas  saith  unto  Him,  not  Iscariot,  Lord,  how  is  it  that 
 Thou  wilt  manifest  Thyself  unto  us,  and  not  unto  the 
 world?" — St.  John  xiv.  22 463 
 
XVI  CONTENTS. 
 
 SERMON  XC. 
 
 THEY  WHICH  SHALL  BE  ACCOUNTED  WORTHY. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 '*Ye  are  come  unto  Mount  Sion,  and  unto  the  city  of  the 
 Living  God,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  to  an  innumer- 
 able company  of  angels. 
 
 '*  To  the  general  assembly  and  Church  of  the  first-born,  which 
 are  written  in  heaven,  and  to  God  the  Judge  of  all,  and  to 
 the  spirits  of  just  men  made  periect." — Heb.  xii.  22,  23     .  473 
 
SERMON  XLVII. 
 Crmiti)  ^untiav. 
 
 Rev.  iv.  I — II.     St.  John  iii.  i — 15. 
 
 THE  DOOR    OPENED   IN  HEAVEN. 
 
 Go  ye  therefore^  and  teach  all  Jiations,  baptizing  them  in  the  Name  i"f 
 ^        the  Father,   and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.— St. 
 Matt,  xxviii.  19. 
 
 THE  seasons  of  our  sacred  year  have  carried  us  through 
 the  great  events  of  our  Redemption,  our  Lord's  Birth 
 and  Temptation,  His  Passion,  His  Resurrection  and  Ascen- 
 sion, and  the  coming  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  now  we 
 may  say,  "After  this  I  looked,  and,  behold,  a  door  was 
 opened  in  Heaven ; "  the  mystery  of  the  Blessed  Trinity 
 is  revealed ;  and  for  one  half  of  the  year  from  tliis  time 
 we  commemorate  by  lessons  of  obedience  this  doctrine  oi 
 the  Three  Persons  in  One  God.  This  the  Scripture  ap- 
 pointed for  the  Epistle  sets  before  us,  by  a  variety  of  very 
 glowing  images,  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  the  Apocalypse, 
 referring  for  the  most  part  to  the  Old  Testament. 
 
 After  this  I  looked,  and  behold,  a  door  was  opened  in 
 heaven :  and  the  first  voice  tvhich  I  heard  was  as  it  icere  of 
 a  trumpet  talking  with  me  ;  which  said.  Come  up  hither, 
 
 VOL.  II.  B 
 
TRINITY  SUNDAY. 
 
 and  I  loill  show  thee  things  which  must  be  hereafter.  It 
 was  a  voice  speaking,  and  yet  it  was  as  of  a  trumpet.  This 
 combines  together  the  two  great  events  of  Pentecost — the 
 awful  trumpet  of  Mount  Sinai  on  the  giving  out  of  the 
 Law,  and  the  living  tongues  on  the  descent  of  the  Spirit ; 
 the  one  expressive  of  fear,  the  other  of  love ;  the  fear  and 
 love  with  which  we  are  henceforth  to  live  in  the  great 
 mystery  of  Godliness,  as  revealed  to  us  in  the  Old  and 
 !N"ew  Testament.  For  as  Whitsuntide  is  the  giving  out 
 of  the  law  written  on  the  heart,  so  the  Sundays  after 
 Whitsuntide  are  the  keeping  of  that  law. 
 
 And  immediately  I  was  in  the  Spiiit ;  and,  hehold,  a 
 throne  ivas  set  in  heaven,  and  One  sat  on  the  throne.  These 
 words,  "immediately  I  was  in  the  Spirit,"  may  well  ex- 
 press the  dispensation  of  the  Spirit  as  coming  dovyn  at 
 Whitsuntide.  As  in  another  place,  "  I  was  in  the  Spirit 
 on  the  Lord's  day,"  says  St.  John.  And  the  "throne  set 
 in  Heaven,"  and  "  One  sitting  on  the  throne,"  speak  of  the 
 Kingdom  of  the  Incarnate  Word  which  we  commemorate 
 at  this  season  as  now  established ;  "  the  King  of  Glory," 
 the  only  Son  of  the  Father,  exalted  with  great  triumph 
 unto  His  Kingdom  in  Heaven. 
 
 And  the  description  then  given  of  Him  is  by  figures 
 like  those  of  the  Prophet  Ezekiel.  And  He  that  sat  was 
 to  look  uiDon  like  a  jasper  and  a  sardine  stone,  that  is,  of 
 exceeding  beauty  and  brightness,  like  the  fire  in  the  bush, 
 yet  of  enduring  substance.  "  I  saw,"  says  Ezekiel,  "  as 
 it  were  the  appearance  of  fire."  And  it  seems  to  have  a 
 reference  to  the  precious  stones,  by  which  God  revealed 
 Himself  on  the  breast  of  the  High  Priest ;  for  the  jasper 
 and  the  sardine  are  the  first  and  last  of  the  twelve  stones.^ 
 
 i  Exod.  xxviii.  17.  20. 
 
THE   DOOR    OPENED    IN  HEAVEN. 
 
 It  was  the  "  appearance  of  the  likeness  of  the  glory  of  the 
 Lord,"^  or  of  the  Word  made  visible. 
 
 And  there  was  a  rainboiv  round  about  the  throne  ;  i.  e. 
 the  symbol  of  God's  covenant  of  mercy ;  "  as  the  bow  that 
 is  in  the  cloud  in  the  day  of  rain,"  says  the  Prophet  in 
 the  same  place ;  yet  not  altogether  such  as  the  passing 
 rainbow ;  for  it  was  in  sight  like  unto  an  emerald — of  an 
 imperishable  green,  as  setting  forth  that  covenant  of  God 
 which  endureth  unto  everlasting  life. 
 
 And  round  about  the  throne,  where  sat  the  Incarnate 
 Son  of  God,  were  four  and  twenty  seats.  As  our  Lord 
 Himself  says  to  the  Apostles,  "  I  appoint  unto  you  a 
 kingdom,  as  My  father  hath  appointed  unto  Me,  that  ye 
 may  sit  on  thrones."^  And  "to  him  that  overcometh," 
 He  says,  "  I  will  grant  him  to  sit  with  Me  on  My  throne."* 
 And  upon  the  seats  I  saw  four  and  twenty  elders  sitting, 
 clothed  in  white  raiment ;  and  they  had  on  their  heads 
 crowns  of  gold.  By  the  twenty-four  elders,  signifying  the 
 twelve  Prophets  and  the  twelve  Apostles  :  or  rather, 
 perhaps,  the  priesthood  of  the  'New  Covenant.  "He 
 hath  made  us,"  says  St.  John,  "  Kings  and  Priests  unto 
 God  and  His  Father." 
 
 And  out  of  the  throne  proceeded  lightnings  and  thunder- 
 ings,  as  intimating  the  terrors  of  the  law,  aiid  voices,  as 
 blending  with  them  the  gracious  calls  of  the  Gospel.  And 
 there  were  seveii  lamps  of  fire  burning  before  the  throne  ; 
 as  the  seven  lamps  in  the  temple  of  old,  but  now  meeting 
 with  their  true  fulfilment  in  the  sevenfold  powers  of  the 
 Spirit,  sent  down  from  above  by  "  the  Father  of  Lights," 
 lohich  are,  it  is  added,  the  seven  spirits  of  God.     As  in 
 
 2  Ezek.  i.  28.  3  gt.  Luke  xxii.  30. 
 
 <  Eev.  iii.  21. 
 
 B  2 
 
TRINITY  SUNDAY. 
 
 another  place  the  Spirit  sent  by  the  Incarnate  Son  is  called 
 the  "  Lamb,  having  seven  eyes,  which  are  the  seven  Spirits 
 of  God  sent  forth  into  all  the  earth."  ^  Wliereas  the  Lamb 
 Himself  is  likewise  spoken  of  as  the  Light  of  the  City  of 
 God/ 
 
 And  before  the  throne  there  ivas  a  sea  of  glass  like  unto 
 crystal ;  that  is  to  say,  that  as  there  was  a  molten  sea  in 
 the  Jewish  temple,  so  was  there  now  to  be  in  the  Christian 
 Church  that  which  is  signified  by  it,  the  laver  of  regenera- 
 tion,—that  Baptism  by  which  we  are  made  sons  of  God. 
 In  the  same  Book  it  is  spoken  of  as  "a  sea  of  glass  mingled 
 with  fire,"'^  indicating  the  Baptism  of  Him  Who  shall 
 "baptize  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire." 
 
 And  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  and  round  about  the 
 throne,  were  four  beasts ;  or  rather,  four  "  living  creatures," 
 as  they  are  called  in  Ezekiel,  things  that  were  all  life,  full 
 of  eyes  before  and  behind.  As  cherubic  figures  about  the 
 Mercy-seat,  but  full  of  spiritual  eyes,  like  the  soul  of  man 
 which  looks  before  and  after.  And  the  first  beast  teas  like 
 a  lion,  and  the  second  beast  like  a  calf,  and  the  third  beast 
 had  a  face  as  a  man,  and  the  fourth  beast  was  like  a  flying 
 ea.gle.  This  may  perhaps  signify  the  whole  multitude  of 
 the  redeemed,  which  are  parts  of  Christ's  mystical  Body ; 
 yet  of  various  characters  and  dispositions,  of  zeal,  of  meek- 
 ness, of  love,  or  of  heavenly  contemplation,  as  members 
 of  Him  Who  is  revealed  to  us  in  His  four  Gospels  ;  of  Him 
 Who  is  "  the  lion  of  Judah,"  is  as  the  calf  of  atoning 
 sacrifice;^  hath  "the  likeness  of  a  man," ^  and  beareth 
 us  with  eagle  wings,  as  Scripture  says,  unto  Himself. 
 
 «  Rev.  V.  6.  6  Eev.  xxi.  23. 
 
 1  Rev.  XV.  2.  8  St.  Luke  xv. 
 
 9  Ezek.  i.  26. 
 
THE   DOOR    OPENED    IN  HEAVEN. 
 
 And  the  four  beasts  had  each  of  them  six  wings  about 
 him ;  and  they  were  full  of  eyes  within ;  and  they  rest 
 not  day  and  night,  saying,  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  Lord  God 
 Almighty,  Which  loas,  and  is,  and  is  to  come.  That  is  to 
 say,  that  when  Isaiah  saw  the  "  glory  "  of  Christ  on  His 
 throne,  and  the  seraphims  in  adoration,  it  was  but  the 
 symbol  of  what  is  now  fulfilled  in  the  Christian  Church, 
 while  the  souls  of  His  saints  in  Heaven  and  on  earth  wor- 
 ship the  Three  Persons  in  One  God,  saying,  "  Holy,  Holy, 
 Holy,"  as  to  each  Person  in  the  Godhead;  and  add 
 the  threefold  expression,  "  Lord,"  and  "  God,"  and 
 "  Almighty ; "  and  "  Which  was,"  i.  e.  our  Creator,  AA^iich 
 "  is  "  our  Eedeemer,  Which  "  is  to  come,"  our  Sanctifier. 
 
 And  when  those  beasts  give  glory,  andhonour,  and  thanks 
 to  Him  that  sat  on  tlie  throne,  Who  liveth  for  ever  and 
 ever  ;  when  all  created  things  are  brought  by  the  blessed 
 Gospels,  full  of  wings  and  full  of  eyes,  full  of  love  and 
 full  of  knowledge,  to  worship  Christ  sitting  at  the  right 
 hand  of  God;  then  the  four  and  twenty  elders  fall  down 
 before  Him  that  sat  on  the  throne,  and  tvorship  Him  that 
 liveth  for  ever  and  ever,  and  cast  their  croiuns  bejore  the 
 throne,  saying.  Thou  art  worthy,  0  Lord,  to  receive  glory, 
 and  honour,  and,  power  ;  for  Thou  hast  created  cdl  things, 
 arid  for  Thy  pleasure  they  are  and  were  created  ;  that  is, 
 when  the  multitude  of  those  that  are  saved,  represented 
 by  those  living  creatures,  give  thanks  for  their  salvation, 
 then  the  Christian  priesthood  fall  down  and  cast  their 
 crowns  before  the  throne;  that  is,  they  attribute  all 
 to  Christ,  nothing  to  themselves.  The  more  they  are 
 exalted,  the  more  do  they  humble  themselves  in  the  sight 
 of  God ;  for  the  better  any  one  becomes,  the  more  is  he 
 capable  of  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  the  more  he  knows 
 God,  the  more  is  he  himself  lost  in  His  Presence.      Thus 
 
TRINITY  SUNDA  Y. 
 
 is  it  with  all  the  saints.  As  St.  Paul  so  often  speaks  of 
 himself :  "I  laboured  more  abundantly,  yet  not  I,  but  the 
 grace  of  God  which  was  with  me."  He  speaks  of  his 
 crown  :  he  says  to  his  converts,  "  Ye  are  my  crown,"  and 
 "  henceforth  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness." 
 Yet  whenever  he  sees  the  fruit  of  his  labours,  ever  in  heart 
 and  soul  does  St.  Paul  seem,  as  it  were,  to  fall  down  before 
 Him  that  sits  on  the  throne,  and  to  cast  his  crown  before 
 the  throne,  ascribing  all  to  the  undeserved  goodness  of 
 God.  Indeed,  this  memorable  passage  in  the  Apocalypse 
 describes  the  very  nature  of  all  Christian  righteousness 
 which  consists  of  faith,  and  the  more  it  labour's,  the  more 
 it  comes  to  know  that  all  is  of  Christ  in  God.  Thus  this 
 reverential  adoration  is  but  the  acknowledgment  in  heart 
 and  life  of  that  awful  I^ame  into  which  we  are  baptized, 
 of  the  Three  Persons  in  one  God. 
 
 So  peculiarly  well  suited  and  instructive  is  this  passage 
 in  the  Apocalypse  to  this  season  and  this  great  day,  having 
 in  it  a  peculiar  living  power  of  expression,  as  consisting  of 
 very  striking  imagery,  whereby  the  Christian  Church  is 
 portrayed  after  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 And  now  let  us  consider  what  connexion  this  may  bear 
 with  the  Gospel  for  this  day.  The  Gospel  is  of  the  mystery 
 of  Baptism,  and  Baptism  is  by  the  saving  Word  of  the 
 Three  Persons  in  one  God.  But  to  come  to  it  more  parti- 
 cularly, we  may  observe  that  St.  John  says  that  "  a  door 
 was  opened  in  Heaven,"  that  he  "  was  in  the  Spirit,"  when 
 he  beheld  the  throne  in  Heaven,  and  Christ  sitting  on  His 
 throne.  And  in  the  Gospel  our  Lord  declares  to  Nicodemus 
 that  no  man  can  see  and  understand  heavenly  things  un- 
 less he  is  born  of  the  Spirit.  "  Hardly  do  we  guess  aright," 
 says  the  Wise  Man,  "  at  thmgs  that  are  upon  earth  ;  but 
 the  things  that  are  in  Heaven,  who  hath  searched  out,  except 
 
THE   DOOR    OPENED    IN  HEAVEN. 
 
 Thou  give  wisdom,  and  send  Thy  Holy  Spirit  from  above  ? "  ^ 
 We  may  consider  the  Gospel  therefore  as  bringing  down 
 to  ns  that  great  mystery  of  which  the  Apocalypse  speaks 
 in  figure.  For  Baptism  in  the  Xame  of  the  Three  Persons 
 in  one  God  is  as  the  "  door  opened  in  Heaven  ; "  in  like 
 manner  as  at  our  Lord's  Baptism  the  heavens  were  opened, 
 the  Father's  Voice  was  heard,  and  the  Spirit  was  seen. 
 To  us,  as  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  are  the  mysteries 
 of  Heaven  made  known,  which  eye  hath  not  seen  nor  ear 
 heard.  In  other  words,  to  us  "  a  door  is  opened  in  Heaven," 
 and  the  mystery  of  the  Godhead  is  reflected  in  the  sea  of 
 glass  which  is  before  the  throne.  At  the  first  Creation  the 
 Spirit  moved  on  the  face  of  the  waters  ;  so  even  now  is  it 
 in  the  Christian  kingdom.  "  There  were  seven  lamps  of 
 fire  before  the  throne,  which  are  the  seven  Spirits  of  God ; 
 and  before  the  throne  there  was  a  sea  of  glass  like  unto 
 crystal."  This  is  the  description  of  Christ's  kingdom  after 
 the  Day  of  Pentecost ;  and  it  is  this  which  our  Lord  would 
 explain  to  us  in  the  Gospel  for  to-day  by  earthly  similitudes. 
 For  who  is  eq[ual  to  these  things  %  and  who  should  under- 
 stand them,  if  God  did  not  come  down  to  us  in  our  weak- 
 ness, and  meet  us  in  our  infirmities,  overcoming  by  His 
 humility  our  pride  % 
 
 There  wo^  a  man  of  the  Pharisees,  named  Nicodertius, 
 a  ruler  of  the  Jeivs,  one  of  station  and  of  learning  in  the 
 Holy  City,  and  therefore  ashamed  in  the  light  of  day  to 
 give  any  heed  to  the  lowly  Teacher  of  Galilee  and  ]N"azareth. 
 The  same  came  to  Jesus  hy  night,  and  said  unto  Him,  Mahbi, 
 we  know  that  Thou  art  a  teacher  come  from  God;  for  no 
 man  can  do  these  miracles  that  Thou  doest  except  God  he 
 with  him.     ^N'athanael  had  said  on  far  less  evidence,  "Thou 
 
 1  Wisd.  ix.  16,  17. 
 
TRINITY  SUNDAY. 
 
 art  the  Son  of  God;"  but  this  is  all  that  the  wisdom  of 
 the  Pharisees  could  reach  unto,  "except  God  be  with  him !" 
 Yet  how  patiently  did  Christ  bear  with  him  and  teach 
 him,  not  quenching  the  smoking  flax  !  for  his  coming  at 
 all,  even  though  it  were  under  covering  of  the  night,  and 
 acknowledsjing  Him  as  a  Teacher  from  God,  was  as  a  spark 
 ascending  in  the  smoke, — like  the  beginning  of  a  faith, 
 however  weak ;  and  even  this  our  Lord  did  not  despise. 
 
 Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  him,  Verily,  verily,  I  say 
 unto  thee,  Except  a  man  he  horn  again,  he  cannot  see  the 
 Kingdom  of  God.  He  cannot  "  see  "  it,  however  near  it 
 be  to  him,  for  he  has  no  eyes  to  discern  God  ;  and  where 
 God  is,  there  is  His  kingdom.  Alas  !  how  vain  are  all 
 outward  signs,  unless  God  Himself  teach  us  by  His  Spirit 
 within,  and  reveal  Himself  unto  our  hearts  as  God  !  And 
 here  let  us  observe  the  difference  between  this  man  and 
 all  those  creatures  of  God,  in  the  Eevelation  : — they  faR 
 down  ;  they  worship  with  all  prostration  of  soul  and  body; 
 they  rest  not  day  or  night  from  giving  Him  glory ;  the 
 Saints  in  Heaven  cry  aloud,  "  Who  shall  not  fear  Thee,  0 
 LordT'  But  the  learned  ruler  of  the  Jews  questions,  and 
 inquires,  and  doubts.  He  seems  to  stand  erect  in  His 
 presence ;  to  look  with  half-suspicion  ;  and  to  think  such 
 a  change  as  a  new  birth  absurd,  if  not  impossible.  Nico- 
 demus  saith  unto  Him,  How  can  a  man  he  horn  ivhen  he  is 
 old  ?  can  he  enter  the  second  tirne  into  his  mothei-^s  womh, 
 and  he  horn  ?  Surely  we  may  say,  to  be  born  again  of  his 
 earthly  mother  would  be  no  better  than  his  former  birth 
 in  sin ;  for  to  be  a  child  of  the  Eesurrection,  he  must  be 
 born  of  a  new  mother,  which  is  the  Church  of  God,  and 
 of  His  Spirit.  He  understood  and  spake  of  it  carnally, 
 as  they  of  Capernaum  did  of  the  other  Sacrament,  when 
 they  said,  "How  can  this  man  give  us  His  flesh  to  eat?" 
 
THE   DOOR    OPENED    IN  HEAVEN. 
 
 and  His  disciples,  "  Tliis  is  an  hard  saying ;  who  can  hear 
 it?  "^  "  The  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the 
 Spirit  of  God  :  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him ;  neither 
 can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned."^ 
 
 Jesus  answered^  Verily^  verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  ExceiA 
 a  man  he  horn  of  water,  and  of  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter 
 into  the  Kingdom  of  God.  TJiat  which  is  horn  of  the  flesh 
 is  flesh,  and  that  which  is  horn  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit.  The 
 great  truth  which  our  Lord  here  expresses,  is  as  needful 
 for  us  to  consider  as  it  was  to  Mcodemus.  The  doctrine 
 of  the  Blessed  Trinity,  into  which  we  were  baptized,  is 
 not  to  be  understood,  except  by  a  spiritual  mind ;  carnal 
 knowledge  is  of  no  avail ;  it  must  be  revealed  by 
 the  Father  from  above,  because  the  knowledge  of  these 
 things  is  made  up  of  faith  and  love.  How  can  it  be  other- 
 wise. For  to  know  this  truth  in  the  Scriptural  sense  of 
 knowledge  is  everlasting  life ;  and  to  know  God,  even 
 here  below,  is  rest  and  peace  for  the  soul ;  then  to  know 
 Him  must  be  the  first  and  best  gift  of  the  Spirit. 
 
 0  Spirit  of  love  !  how  shall  we  keep  this  great  day, 
 unless  Thou  o;ivest  us  to  do  so  by  prayer  and  communion 
 with  Thee ;  to  know  the  Father  our  Creator,  and  commit 
 the  keeping  of  our  souls  to  Him  in  well-doing ;  to  know 
 Jesus  Christ,  Wliom  He  hath  sent,  and  to  find  peace  in 
 His  cleansing  Blood ;  to  know  Thee  the  Sanctifier,  and  to 
 feel  in  our  hearts  Thy  holy  flame  ever  ascending  upward, 
 in  prayer  and  devout  aspirations  to  Heaven,  from  whence 
 it  came.  And,  surely,  if  we  are  baptized  into  this  faith — 
 if  by  the  Spirit  of  God  alone  we  can  understand  it — what 
 more  suitable  lesson  could  there  be  for  this  Sunday,  than 
 to  consider  this  mystery  of  the  new  birth  by  water  and 
 
 2  St.  John  vi.  52.  60.  3  i  Cor.  ii.  14. 
 
10  TRINITY  SUNDAY. 
 
 the  Spirit !  what  more  edifying,  than  that  we  should  be 
 brought  to  behold  ourselves  in  that  "sea  of  glass,  like 
 unto  crystal,"  to  look  on  ourselves  in  that  mirror  of  Bap- 
 tism, that  we  may  know  of  what  Spirit  we  ought  to  be  ! 
 
 Marvel  not,  adds  our  Lord  to  the  astonished  Pharisee, 
 Marvel  not  that  I  said  unto  thee,  Ye  must  he  horn  again. 
 The  loind  hloiveth  where  it  listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the 
 sound  thereof,  hut  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh,  and 
 whither  it  goetli ;  so  is  every  one  that  is  horn  of  the  Spirit. 
 On  Sunday  last  we  read  of  the  Spirit  coming  "as  a 
 mighty  wind,"  and  here  we  read  of  His  effects  on  the 
 hearts  of  men  throughout  the  world.  The  sincere  Chris- 
 tian is  a  marvel  upon  the  earth ;  he  is  not  of  it,  but  is 
 from  above.  Of  him  in  some  sense,  as  of  our  Lord  Him- 
 self, it  may  be  said,  "  He  cometh  from  God  and  goeth  to 
 God."  This  sanctifying  Spirit  is  the  free  gift  of  God, 
 coming  and  going  when  He  wills ;  His  effect  is  known  by 
 its  fruits,  but  He  comes  and  goes  unseen ;  He  comes,  but 
 not  unsought  for  or  unasked ;  He  comes  to  those  who 
 wait  for  Him  in  brotherly  love,  "with  one  accord."  He 
 makes  present  on  earth  the  things  of  eternity ;  He  reveals 
 to  the  heart  the  mysteries  of  Heaven. 
 
 Nicodemus  answered  and  said  unto  Him,  How  can 
 these  things  he  2  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  him,  Art 
 thou  a  master  in  Israel,  and  hnou'est  not  these  things  ? 
 Does  not  the  law  itself  teach  you  that  a  washing  is 
 necessary  before  you  can  appear  in  God's  presence  1  Does 
 not  David  speak  of  a  spiritual  washing  that  must  be  of 
 God,  Who  requireth  truth  in  the  inward  parts,  and 
 teacheth  wisdom  secretly '?  Do  not  Moses  and  the  Pro- 
 phets point  to  this  when  they  speak  of  the  need  of 
 sacrifices  and  cleansings  1  of  passing  through  the  Eed  Sea 
 before  seeing  the  promised  land  of  rest"?  of  the  winds 
 
THE   DOOR    OPENED   IN  HEAVEN.  11 
 
 of  God  coming  on  the  dead  bones  before  Israel  can 
 live'? 
 
 Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  We  speak  that  we  do 
 hnow,  and  testify  that  ive  have  seen;  and  ye  receive  not 
 our  witness.  You  look  on  Me  as  on  a  Man  come  from 
 God,  because  of  the  miracles  you  have  seen ;  but  yet,  not- 
 withstanding this,  you  receive  not  My  witness.  Or  rather, 
 "  Our  witness;"  that  of  the  Father,  of  the  Son,  and  of 
 the  Spirit. 
 
 If  I  have  told  you  earthly  things,  such  things  as  are 
 explained  by  earthly  similitudes,  such  as  take  place  here 
 on  earth  in  the  heart  of  man,  in  the  operation  of  the  Spirit 
 and  the  mysteries  of  the  new  birth ;  and  ye  believe  not; 
 are  still  incredulous,  and  say,  How  can  it  be  1  tlien  how 
 shall  ye  believe,  if  I  tell  you  of  heavenly  things  ?  of  those 
 eternal  things  which  are  in  the  bosom  of  God;  of  the 
 kingdom  in  Heaven  prepared  for  those  that  love  Him ;  of 
 the  eternaL  generation  from  the  Father,  and  the  deep 
 mysteries  of  Godhead.  Of  such  things  our  Lord  spake  to 
 the  disciples  at  the  last ;  of  the  Three  Persons,  each  and 
 all  eternal,  infinite,  incomprehensible ;  One  God ;  One  in 
 Substance,  One  in  Majesty,  One  in  Power. 
 
 And  no  man  hath  ascended  up  to  Heaven,  there  is  no 
 one  who  can  bear  witness,  from  his  own  knowledge  of 
 those  heavenly  things,  from  having  been  in  Heaven,  but 
 He  that  came  dozen  from  Heaven, — He  alone  can  bear  the 
 key  to  these  mysteries, — even  the  Son  of  Man,  Who  is 
 in  Heaven;  Who,  being  ever  One  with  the  Father,  and  in 
 His  bosom  from  all  eternity,  is  still  in  Heaven.  For  God 
 and  man  He  is  but  one  Christ ;  He  is  with  God  in  Heaven 
 while  seen  with  men  below.  And  He  maketh  the  mem- 
 bers of  His  Body,  even  while  they  are  on  earth,  to  sit  with 
 Him  in  heavenly  places.     I^^one  can  see  the  kingdom  of 
 
12  TRINITY  SUNDAY. 
 
 Heaven,  none  can  ascend  thither  but  they  who  are  parts 
 of  His  Body,  and  who  are  clothed  with  His  Spirit,  which 
 He  sends  down  from  thence  to  bring  them  thither. 
 
 And  as  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent  in  the  wilderness^ 
 even  so  must  the  Son  of  Man  he  lifted  up :  that  whosoever 
 believeth  in  Him  should  not  perish,  hut  have  eternal  life. 
 "  Should  have  life  ;"  not  bodily  and  temporal,  as  that  in 
 the  wilderness,  but  spiritual  and  eternal.  The  Son  of  Man 
 is  ever  in  Heaven,  yet  the  Son  of  Man  is  also  on  earth, 
 and  as  here  on  earth  must  be  lifted  up  as  the  only  sacrifice 
 well-pleasing  to  God. 
 
 Wonderful  indeed  was  that  symbol  of  faith  in  Christ 
 crucified,  when,  bitten  by  the  fiery  serpents  in  the  wilder- 
 ness, they  gazed  on  that  sign,  and  in  gazing  on  it  were 
 healed ;  the  likeness  indeed  of  a  serpent  was  it,  but  the 
 semblance  only,  for  it  never  had  within  it  the  life  and 
 poison  of  the  serpent ;  and  Christ  was,  on  the  Cross,  "  in 
 the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh,"  being  "  made  sin  for  us  "  as 
 bearing  sin  and  its  curse,  but  differing  from  all  men  in 
 this,  that  the  natural  infection  of  sin  was  not  in  Him. 
 And  "  in  His  death,"  as  says  St.  Augustin,  "  sin  died." 
 
 That  Cross  was  to  Him  as  His  Throne,  on  which  the 
 title  was  inscribed,  "  This  is  the  King ;"  the  throne  before 
 which  all  created  things  must  bow.  His  saints  gaze  on 
 Him  there  on  His  Cross,  and  in  looking  to  Him  obtain 
 life,  and  in  living  to  Him  and  for  Him  they  rest  not  day 
 and  night ;  but,  aU  "  wings "  without,  in  ever  ready 
 obedience,  and  "  full  of  eyes  within,"  as  filled  with  the 
 light  of  His  Holy  Spirit,  with  Divine  intuition  and 
 enlightened  conscience,  watching  within  over  themselves  ; 
 they  give  glory  to  Him,  and  in  Him  to  the  Three  Persons 
 in  One  God,  saying,  "  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  Lord  God 
 Almighty,  Which  was,  and  is,  and  is  to  come." 
 
THE   DOOR    OPENED   IN  HEAVEN.  13 
 
 And  if  crowned  by  Him  with  any  spiritual  blessings 
 or  gifts,  then  aU  the  more  in  humiliation  of  themselves 
 they  fall  down  before  Him,  and  cast  their  crowns  before 
 His  throne,  ascribing  all  glory,  and  honour,  and  worship 
 to  Him  alone  ;  adoring  the  depth  of  those  mysteries  which 
 they  cannot  comprehend ;  believing  in  Him  Whom  as  yet 
 they  see  not ;  and  in  faith  loving  to  be  the  most  where 
 He  is  most  revealed. 
 
SERMON    XLVIIL 
 C^e  dfii'^t  ^untJai)  after  CrinitD. 
 
 I  St.  John  iv.  7—21.     St.  Luke  xvi.  19—31. 
 
 LOFE    THE   MARK   OF   GOD's    CHILDREN. 
 
 He  that  loveth  not  his  brother  whom  he  hath  seen,  how  can  he  love  GOD 
 Who?)i  he  hath  not  seen  ? — i  St.  John  iv.  20. 
 
 WE  have  had  occasion  to  notice  that  for  many  Sun- 
 days the  appointed  Gospels  have  been  taken  from 
 St.  John,  almost  entirely  so  from  Easter  Day,  and  these 
 consist  in  some  measure  of  our  Lord's  last  discourses  on 
 the  coming  of  the  Comforter.  And  now  when  we  cele- 
 brate the  manifestations  of  the  Comforter  in  practical 
 obedience,  St.  John  furnishes  the  Epistle  for  the  two  first 
 Sundays  after  Trinity ;  still  continuing  the  one  great 
 lesson  on  which  his  Lord  had  been  dwelling  in  those 
 discourses,  that  of  Love. 
 
 Beloved,  let  us  love  one  another.  And  why?  for  love  is 
 of  God;  for  love  is  of  all  things  the  most  Divine — the 
 peculiar  gift  of  God.  And  more  than  this,  it  is  the  very 
 mark  of  God's  children  ;  and  ever])  one  that  loveth,  who 
 has  this  Divine  love,  is  horn  of  God.  Nor  is  this  all ;  for 
 he  adds,  and  knoweth  God.     He  has  that  intimate  vital 
 
LOVE    THE   MARK   OF  GOD's    CHILDREN:  15 
 
 union  with  God,  which,  for  want  of  a  higher  term  to  ex- 
 press it,  is  called  knowledge,  though  it  passeth  all  under- 
 standing. This  knowledge  and  love  are  indeed  so  united, 
 that  they  are  like  light  and  heat  from  one  and  the  same 
 flame.  And,  again,  the  more  strongly  to  ensure  this  sub- 
 ject of  love  he  puts  the  negative  also  :  He  that  loveth  not 
 knoweth  not  God;  for  God  is  love.  This  last  expression 
 is  far  more  than  all ;  he  does  not  say  that  God  is  loving, 
 or  that  He  delights  in  love,  or  that  He  is  the  Author  of 
 love,  but  that  He  is  Love,  "  If  nothing  else,"  says  St. 
 Augustin,  "  were  said  of  love  in  this  Epistle,  and  nothing 
 else  in  all  the  Scriptures,  yet,  if  the  Spirit  told  us  this  only, 
 that  Love  is  God,  we  ought  to  require  nothing  more."^ 
 And  how  much  does  it  contain ;  for  if  God  is  Love,  then 
 whenever  we  sin  against  love  in  thought,  word,  or  deed, 
 in  any  matter,  great  or  small — with  regard  to  any  person, 
 whatever  he  may  be  or  may  have  done — we  sin  against 
 God.     Whatever  is  against  love  is  against  God. 
 
 And  then  St.  John  adds  the  living  proof  and  evidence 
 we  have  of  this  love,  upon  all  the  recorded  particulars  of 
 which  we  may  dwell,  in  order  the  better  to  apprehend  it 
 in  heart  and  life.  In  this  icas  manifested  the  love  of  God 
 towards  us,  because  that  God  sent  His  only-hecjotten  Son 
 into  the  loorld,  that  we  might  live  through  Him;  that  in 
 His  life  we  might  have  life,  that  in  His  love  we  might 
 have  love.  This  His  love  was  manifested;  it  was  not  like 
 an  unseen  emotion  of  the  mind,  dead  and  inoperative,  but 
 showed  itself  in  deed ;  nor  was  it  like  the  mere  return  of 
 love  such  as  we  find  among  mankind,  but  it  was  love 
 in  an  infinitely  higher,  truer,  better  sense, — Love  itself, 
 essential  love.     Herein  is  love,  not  that  ice  loved  God,  hut 
 
 1  In  1  Joan,  ad  loc. 
 
16  THE   FIRST  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 that  He  loved  us,  seeking  our  love  in  return  while  we 
 loved  Him  not;  and  sent  His  Son  to  he  the  projgitiation 
 for  our  sins,  to  reconcile  us  unto  Himself,  to  make  us  meet 
 and  fit  to  love  Him,  to  dispose  us  to  value  and  to  seek  for 
 His  love, — having  this  pledge,  "He  that  spared  not 
 His  own  Son,  but  delivered  Him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall 
 He  not  also  with  Him  freely  give  us  all  things  ^"^ 
 Hating  sin  so  much,  yet  so  much  did  He  love  the  sinner : 
 how  much  more  then  will  He  love  us,  if  sin  be  away, 
 buried  in  the  grave  of  Christ,  and  we  are  in  Christ,  the 
 Eeloved  of  the  Father? 
 
 Beloved,  says  St.  John,  returning  again  to  the  same 
 point,  if  God  so  loved  us,  we  ought  also  to  love  one 
 another.  For  we  are  all  alike  loved  of  God ;  and  if  we 
 have  any  love  for  Him  in  return,  we  must  needs  love  what 
 He  loves ;  we  have  no  other  way  of  showing  our  love  for 
 Him.  No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time.  If  loe  love 
 one  another,  God  divelleth  in  us,  and  His  love  is  ])erfected 
 in  us.  We  cannot  behold  God ;  but  what  we  have  beheld 
 is  inconceivable  Love,  in  the  countenance,  in  the  words,  in 
 the  actions,  in  the  sufferings  of  the  Son  of  Man;  and  He 
 by  His  Spirit  dwelleth  in  us,  and  perfects  His  love  in  us, 
 while  we  love  all  others  as  He  loved  them.  Hereby  hnoio 
 we  that  ive  dwell  in  Him,  and  He  in  us  ;  because  He  hath 
 given  us  of  His  Spirit.  And  if  we  have  this  love  in  our 
 conduct  to  others,  this  fruit  of  the  Spirit— for  the  Holy 
 Spirit  is  Love — then  we  have  a  pledge  and  assurance  of 
 this  His  indwelling,  this  our  living  union  with  Him; 
 according  to  the  promise  which  Christ  hath  made,  that 
 He  will  send  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  He  Himself  will  come 
 and  make  His  abode  with  us.     For  a  bad  man  may  be 
 
 2  Rom.  viii.  32. 
 
LOVE    THE   MARK  OF  GOD's   CHILDREN,  17 
 
 named  after  Christ,  may  have  been  baptized  in  His  name, 
 and  may  receive  the  living  symbols  of  His  Body  and 
 Blood,  and  attend  the  ordinances  of  religion,  and  do  many 
 religious  actions,  but  he  cannot  have  love.  By  "love 
 shed  abroad  in  our  hearts,"  by  love  bearing  witness  on 
 our  words  and  actions,  written  as  on  the  "fringes"^  and 
 phylacteries  of  our  garments,  we  know  that  He  hath  given 
 us  of  His  Spirit.* 
 
 And  it  is  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  which  gives  us  to  see^ 
 and  acknowledge  Him  in  Whom  is  the  forgiveness  of  sins,, 
 the  healing  of  our  maladies,  the  restoration  of  all  our  in- 
 firmities. Thus  he  adds.  And  loe  have  seen,  and  do  testify^ 
 that  the  Father  sent  the  Son  to  he  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 
 Wliosoever  shall  confess  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  God 
 dwelleth  in  him,  and  he  in  God,  Here  we  may  observe^ 
 how  all  this,  the  chain  of  love,  the  breath  of  our  life,  and 
 the  light  of  Heaven,  depends  on  our  sustaining  in  our 
 souls  by  obedience  the  doctrine  of  the  Three  Persons  in 
 One  God,  into  Which  life-giving  Kame  we  are  baptized » 
 This  mystery  of  Godhead  is  ever  recurring  throughout  this 
 Epistle,  all  things  connected  with  it,  flowing  from  it, 
 returning  to  it ;  it  is  the  foundation  and  the  crown ;  it  is 
 the  way  and  the  end;  the  progress  and  perfection;  the 
 fulness  of  the  greatest,  the  life  of  the  least  of  duties ;  the 
 centre  and  circumference  of  all.  By  brotherly  love  we 
 know  we  have  the  Spirit,  and  by  the  gift  of  the  Spirit  we 
 know  that  we  have  the  indwelling  of  God;  and  by  ac- 
 knowledging  the  Father  we  confess  the  Son,  and  by  con- 
 fessing the  Son  we  have  God  dwelling  in  us  and  we  in 
 Him,  and  He  is  Love — Love  in  us  and  we  in  Love.  And 
 we  have  known  and  believed  the  love  that  God  hath  to  us. 
 
 3  Numb.  XV.  39.  ■*  Rem.  v  5. 
 
 VOL.  II.  C 
 
18  THE   FIRST  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 God  is  love  ;  and  lie  that  dwelleth  in  love,  dwelleth  in  God, 
 and  God  in  1dm.  "  He  dwelleth  in  God,"  safe  from  every 
 enemy,  the  wars  of  the  world,  and  the  strife  of  tongues  ; 
 and  "  God  dwelleth  in  him,"  filling  him  with  all  truth 
 and  love,  and  guiding  him  along  the  way  of  peace. 
 
 All  Christians  perhaps  have  the  beginnings  or  germs  of 
 this  love,  hut  in  many  it  dies  away  and  never  comes  to 
 ripeness;  "as  the  grass  growing  upon  the  housetops," 
 "whereof  the  mower  filleth  not  his  hand."  St.  John 
 therefore  speaks  of  this  love  being  in  us  brought  to  per- 
 fection, advancing  as  it  were  to  the  fulness  of  the  stature 
 of  Christ,  which  is  Love.  Herein  is  our  love  made  per- 
 fect, that  we  may  have  boldness  in  the  day  of  judgement ; 
 because  as  He  is,  so  are  we  in  this  world.  Such  love  as 
 St.  Paul  had,  when  he  desired  to  be  dissolved  and  to  be 
 with  Christ;  and  St.  John,  when  he  said,  "  even  so,  come. 
 Lord  Jesus;"  and  St.  Peter,  when  "looking  for  and 
 hasting  unto  the  coming  of  the  Day  of  God."  Tliere  is 
 no  fear  in  love  ;  hut  perfect  love  casteth  out  fear :  because 
 .fear  hath  torment :  He  that  feareth  is  not  made  perfect  in 
 love.  It  is  fear  indeed  which  urges  to  repentance,  and 
 repentance  kindles  love;  but  such  partakes  of  servile 
 bondage  rather  than  the  filial  spirit  of  adoption ;  it  is  as 
 the  scourge,  or  remedy,  or  the  pruning-knife,  which 
 becomes  less  and  less  needed  as  love  is  perfected.  Fear 
 is  the  forecasting  of  evil ;  but  he  whose  heart  is  by  love 
 established  feareth  no  evil,  for  God  is  with  him.  It  hath 
 no  fear,  except  the  godly,  loving  fear  of  displeasing  Him, 
 which  fear  hath  in  it  nothing  of  torment,  but  ever  grows 
 with  growing  love. 
 
 We  love  Him,  because  He  first  loved  us.  He  loved  us 
 when  evil,  that  we  might  be  made  good;  He  loved  us 
 when  sick,  that  we  might  be  made  whole ;  He  loved  us 
 
LOVE    THE   MARK  OF   GOD's    CHILDREN;  19 
 
 when  foul  and  unlovely,  that  we  might  become  clean ; 
 and  by  loving  Him  in  return,  we  that  were  evil  become 
 good ;  by  loving  Him,  we  that  were  sick  are  made  whole ; 
 by  loving  Him,  we,  even  foul  and  unlovely,  are  made  in 
 Him  lovely  and  clean.  But  here  is  the  proof  whether  we 
 love  Him  or  no.  If  a  man  say,  I  love  God,  and  liateth 
 his  brother,  he  is  a  liar  ;  for  he  that  loveth  not  his  brother 
 whom  he  hath  seen,  how  can  he  love  God,  Whom  he  hath 
 not  seen?  And  this  commandment  have  we  from  Him, 
 That  he  who  loveth  God  love  his  brother  also.  He  that 
 would  love  God ;  he  that  thinks  he  loves  God ;  he  who 
 has  the  faint  beginnings  of  the  love  of  God  in  him,  must 
 let  this  love  be  shown,  exercised,  perfected,  by  loving  him 
 whom  Christ  hath  made  to  be  in  His  own  stead  to  him 
 upon  earth— his  Christian  brother. 
 
 From  this  most  soothing,  gracious,  and  beautiful  lesson, 
 the  picture  of  Divine  love  afforded  us  in  the  Epistle,  we 
 now  pass  to  another  lesson,  the  most  awful  and  terrible  in 
 the  whole  of  the  Scriptures,  and  the  more  awful  and  ter- 
 rible, because  delivered  to  us  by  Him  Who  is  Love  itself. 
 It  is  the  account  which  our  Lord  Himself  gives  us  in  the 
 Gospel  for  to-day,  lifting  up  the  curtain  from  the  unseen 
 world,  and  disclosing  to  us  a  fearful  glimpse  into  one  of 
 those  dread  realities  which  encompass  this  shadowy  and 
 transient  scene  of  things.  And  if  the  account  of  His  un- 
 speakable love,  set  so  earnestly  before  us  by  the  disciple 
 of  Divine  love  himself,  cannot  win  us,  oh,  that  fear  itself, 
 and  the  insight  into  these  terrors,  may  drive  us  for  refuge 
 to  Him  ?  It  is  the  account  of  one  Avho,  in  his  short 
 passage  through  this  world,  loved  not  "  his  brother  whom 
 he  had  seen." 
 
 There  was  a  certain  rich  man,  says  our  Lord  in  St. 
 Luke's  Gospel,  ivhich  was  clothed  in  purple  and  fine 
 c  2 
 
20  THE  FIRST  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY, 
 
 lineriy  — "  pui'ple  "  without,  as  rich  men  usually  were,  of 
 fair  and  costly  appearance ;  and  "  fine  linen,"  all  softness 
 and  delicacy,  within, — and  fared  sumptuously  every  day. 
 That  is,  he  was  taken  up  with  the  love  of  self,  according 
 to  the  desires  of  the  natural  man,  in  self-gratifications 
 which  harden  the  heart.  IsTor  does  our  Lord  give  us  to 
 hope  anything  better  of  that  other  rich  man  who  said  to 
 himself,  "  Soul,  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many 
 years  :  take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink,  and  be  merry."  ^  Both 
 alike  were  devoid  of  the  love  of  their  neighbour  and  of 
 God,  because  they  were  thinking  of  themselves,  and  filled 
 with  the  love  of  this  present  life  :  no  seK-denial,  no  morti- 
 fication, no  watchfulness  and  earnest  prayer,  such  as  re- 
 ligion requires  of  us  all.  It  was  enough  that  both  of  them 
 were  living  a  life  in  which  it  was  impossible  to  love  God; 
 that  first  and  great  law  of  the  Old  Testament  and  of  the 
 !N'ew.  The  desires  they  were  cherishing  were  incompatible 
 with  it.  "  He  that  loveth  not  his  brother  abideth  in 
 death."  "  Wlioso  hath  this  world's  good,  and  seeth  his 
 brother  have  need,  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  compas- 
 sion from  him,  how  dwelleth  the  love  of  God  in  him  1 " 
 
 But  nothing  is  stated  of  the  inward  and  spiritual  con- 
 dition of  the  two  persons  in  this  jDarable ;  their  outward 
 condition  only,  in  the  sight  of  men,  is  described;  the 
 state  of  their  hearts  is  left  to  the  all- seeing  eye  of  God, 
 and  no  judgment  is  expressed  of  it  here  below — it  is 
 shown  only  in  the  sequel  that  ensues.  !N'o  crime  is 
 alleged  of  the  rich  man,  no  prayers  and  patience  are 
 stated  of  the  poor. 
 
 And  there  was  a  certain  beggar^  named  Lazarus,  which 
 teas  laid  at  his  gate,  fall  of  sores,  and  desiring  to  be  fed 
 
 5  St.  Luke  xii.  19. 
 
LOVE    THE  MARK  OF  GOD'S    CHILDREN:  21 
 
 loith  the  crumbs,  ivhich  fell  from  the  rich  mmUs  table.  He 
 represented  outwardly  what  we  all  are  in  our  natural 
 state:  beggars  dependent  on  God's  undeserved  mercies, 
 and  laid  helpless  without  the  gate,  and  with  our  souls  full 
 of  "wounds.  Blessed  is  he  who  most  knows  himself  to  be 
 so !  AnqL  like  the  prodigal  also  in  the  parable,  he  was 
 half-dying  with  hunger.  Such  is  the  season  of  grace : 
 that  aching  void  of  a  famished  body  longs  after  God,  and 
 in  its  want  becomes  filled  with  His  fulness. 
 
 Moreover,  the  dogs  came  and  licked  his  sores.  Laid 
 among  unclean  animals,  and  even  they  having  more  com- 
 passion on  him  than  the  household  of  the  rich,  he  was 
 even  as  one  of  the  dogs  under  the  table  ;  but  less  favoured 
 than  they,  unable  to  support  himself,  for  he  was  helpless 
 and  sick ;  pining  for  want  in  the  sight  of  abundance,  for 
 he  was  at  the  rich  man's  gate;  longing  for  crumbs,  but 
 having  them  not;  yet  not  complaining  nor  importuning, 
 but  patient  and  trusting  in  God.  Such  was  he  on  this 
 side  of  the  door  of  death,  at  which  he  lay. 
 
 And  it  came  to  pass,  that  the  beggar  died,  and  loas 
 carried  by  the  angels  into  Abraham^ s  bosom.  Instead  of 
 the  dogs  he  had  angels  to  minister  to  him;  instead  ol 
 lying  abject  without  the  gate  of  a  man,  he  was  at  the 
 highest  place  at  the  table  of  God  in  His  kingdom ;  instead 
 of  being  despised,  he  was  cherished  and  loved  by  the 
 highest  of  saints  in  the  bosom  of  blessedness.  0  won- 
 derful morning  of  first  awaking  after  closing  the  eyes  on 
 a  scene  of  want,  and  Wretchedness,  and  pain  here  below  ! 
 He  had  no  one  on  earth  to  care  for  him ;  none  to  relieve, 
 none  to  pity  him,  to  save  him  from  death,  or  alleviate  him 
 in  dying,  or  in  death  to  close  his  eyes ;  but  he  laid  him- 
 self asleep  on  the  breast  of  God,  and  on  that  he  awoke, 
 and  found  where  he  was  :  safe  in  the  bosom  of  Abraham, 
 
22  THE   FIRST  SUNDA  V  AFTER    TRINITY, 
 
 the  harbour  of  repose,  and  heneath  him  the  Everlasting 
 Arms.  He  awoke  and  found  where  he  was,  and  where  he 
 was  to  be  for  ever.  0  blessed  dawn  of  everlasting  light, 
 when  songs  of  Angels  are  first  heard  with  their  glad 
 welcome,  and  the  soul  awakes  from  the  sad  dream  of  life 
 to  know  what  it  is  to  be  with  God  ! 
 
 The  rich  man  also  died,  and  was  buried.  It  is  added, 
 he  "  was  buried,"  for  his  costliness  below  was  not  over  till 
 then ;  but  of  the  pompous  funeral  of  his  dead  body  on 
 earth  he  was  himself  now  utterly  regardless  and  uncon- 
 scious ;  or  if  he  was  sensible  of  it  at  all,  it  was  as  an  aggra- 
 vation and  mockery  of  his  real  and  true  condition.  He 
 was  buried:  and  in  hell  he  lift  up  his  eyes  being  in 
 tormentSy  and  seeth  Abraham  afar  off,  and  Lazarus  in  his 
 bosom.  In  the  outer  darkness  there  was  a  gleam  of  sad 
 light  which  but  added  to  the  gloom,  for  it  disclosed  to 
 him  the  greatness  of  those  joys  which  he  had  lost,  and  by 
 the  contrast  increased  his  sorrows;  but  it  was  "  afar  off," 
 as  intimating  the  vast  distance  and  separation  which  now 
 lay  between  them.  He  sees  and  knows,  though  it  be  afar 
 ofi,  one  whom  he  had  often  before,  it  may  be,  seen  and 
 known  as  he  lay  at  his  gate.  But  oh,  how  great  is  now 
 the  difference  !  what  tongue  can  speak,  what  heart  can 
 adequately  conceive  it !  It  is  the  house  of  eternal  blessed- 
 ness, in  the  inner  chamber  of  which  he  sees  one  whom  he 
 had  known ;  but  he  is  now  himself  without  the  gate,  laid 
 full  of  torments. 
 
 And  he  cried  and  said,  Father  Abraham,  have  mercy  on 
 me,  and  send  Lazarus,  that  he  may  dip  the  tip  of  his 
 anger  in  water,  and  cool  my  tongue  ;  for  I  am  tormented 
 in  this  flame.  "  He  cried,"  it  was  more  than  the  "  ex- 
 ceeding bitter  cry  "  of  Esau  when  he  had  found  his  birth- 
 right gone — sold  for  a  mess  of  pottage,  and  no  place  for 
 
LOVE    THE   MARK   OF  GOD'S   CHILDREN.  23 
 
 repentance.  It  is  not  for  change  of  place  or  condition, 
 not  for  release,  not  for  a  cup  of  cold  water  only  does  he 
 ask,  but  far  less ;  that  Lazarus  *'  may  dip  the  tip  of  his 
 finger  in  water  and  cool  his  tongue."  That  tongue  which 
 had  not  prayed  to  God  while  time  was  given,  now  prays 
 to  Abraham,  but  in  vain ;  that  tongue  which  had  minis- 
 tered to  luxury,  now  longs  in  vain  for  one  drop  of  water. 
 His  sin  hath  found  him  out.  That  whereby  he  sinned 
 now  suffers.  Perhaps,  also,  it  had  been  the  tongue  of 
 evil- speaking,  "  set  on  fire  of  hell,"  the  efifects  of  which  he 
 now  feels. 
 
 But  Abraham  said,  Son,  remember  that  tliou  in  thy 
 lifetime  receivedst  thy  good  things.  What  a  weight  of 
 power  and  of  woe  in  every  word!  Son,  he  had  been, 
 therefore,  a  son  of  Abraham,  the  father  of  the  faithful, 
 and  the  friend  of  God;  from  this  high  calling  he  had 
 fallen.  Remember,  oh  !  what  a  memory,  what  a  serpent, ' 
 what  anguish  must  there  be  in  such  remembrance  of  the 
 past !  Thou  in  thy  lifetime,  that  life  of  the  flesh  and  the 
 natural  man ;  that  life  of  the  world,  and  esteemed  in  the 
 eyes  of  the  world,  which  thou  hadst  chosen  to  be  thy  life, 
 instead  of  the  life  which  is  in  God ;  thou  receivedst — thou 
 hast  already  had,  thou  didst  receive  and  take  for  thine 
 own  thy  good  things,  those  which  thou  didst  esteem 
 "good,"  "thy  good  things;"  those  were  thy  choice  and 
 thy  portion  when  thou  hadst  the  power  to  choose ;  thou 
 hast  received  them,  and  with  them  thy  good,  thy  life,  thy 
 choice,  hath  ended.  But  it  may  be  said,  had  not 
 Abraham  himself  these  riches  of  which  he  thus  speaks'? 
 the  good  things  of  this  world  in  abundance,  gold  and 
 silver,  exceeding  many  flocks  and  herds,  household 
 servants,  and  attendants  ?  It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  it 
 was  not  the  mere  possession  of  these  that  Abraham  would 
 
24  THE   FIRST  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 lay  to  the  rich,  man's  charge,  but  that  in  them  he  forgot 
 God;  he  possessed  them,  and  they  possessed  him;  they 
 took  up  his  heart,  he  made  them  his  good  things,  his  life, 
 his  god;  whereas  Abraham,  in  the  midst  of  riches,  was 
 ever  as  one  who  in  possessing  possessed  not;  being  ex- 
 ceedingly poor  in  spirit;  he  felt  no  place  on  earth  to  be 
 his  own,  confessing  himself  as  a  stranger  and  a  pilgrim ; 
 he  made  God  only  his  portion,  saying,  when  childless  and 
 old,  "  Lord  God,  what  wilt  Thou  give  me  1"^  "  Dwelling 
 in  tabernacles  with  the  heirs  with  him  of  the  same 
 promise,"  "  he  looked  for  a  city  which  hath  foundations, 
 whose  Builder  and  Maker  is  God."  ^ 
 
 Abraham  poor  in  riches,  and  Lazarus  rich  in  poverty ; 
 they  are  now  together  at  the  table  of  God.  ''  Thou  in  thy 
 lifetime,"  said  Abraham,  "  receivedst  thy  good  things,"  and 
 likeioise  Lazarus  evil  things  ;  hut  noio  he  is  comforted,  and 
 thou  art  tormented.  The  Comforter  Himself  hath  healed 
 his  sores,  hath  wiped  away  his  tears,  hath  filled  him  with 
 good  things.  With  one  the  good  hath  gone,  the  evil 
 remains;  with  the  other  the  evil  hath  gone,  the  good 
 remains.  Such  is  the  difference  at  death  with  the  worldly 
 man  and  the  Christian.  N^ay,  evil  itself,  even  while  it 
 remained,  was  good  to  the  Christian,  for  it  was  his 
 Saviour's  portion,  and  brought  him  nearer  to  God.  And 
 no  prosperity  in  this  life  can  be  really  good  to  a  bad  man. 
 
 And  besides  all  this,  says  Abraham,  hetween  lis  and  you 
 there  is  a  great  gulf  fixed:  so  that  they  who  would  pa^s 
 from  hence  to  you  cannot ;  neither  can  they  pass  to  us,  that 
 would  come  from  thence.  Their  lot  can  now  never  be 
 changed  any  more  ;  while  time  lasted  it  might  have  been 
 changed  every  day ;  more  love  to  man  might  be  practised 
 
 6  Gen.  XV.  2.  7  Heb.  xi.  9,  10. 
 
LOVE    THE   MARK  OF  GOD'S   CHILDREN.  25 
 
 every  day ;  more  love  to  God  laid  up  and  learnt ;  more 
 humility  of  heart  exercised.  But  that  opportunity  has 
 now  gone  by  for  ever ;  the  time  seems  now  as  if  it  had 
 heen  but  for  a  moment,  while  looked  back  upon  from  the 
 countless  ages  of  eternity.  There  is  a  great  gulf  fixed 
 between  :  great,  so  vast  the  difference  ;  a  gulf,  so  deep  and 
 impassable ;  and  fixed,  as  for  ever  unchangeable,  for  the 
 barriers  are  in  the  deep  foundations  of  eternity. 
 
 0  blessed  Saviour,  these  are  Thine  own  words !  we 
 cannot  explain  or  speak  of  them,  for  everything  falls 
 short,  and  all  that  we  say  seems  but  idle  words  compared 
 with  the  dread  reality.  Do  Thou,  by  Thy  Holy  Spirit, 
 write  them  on  our  hearts.  Teach  us  to  know  them  in 
 this  our  day,  as  Thou  wouldst  have  us  to  understand  and 
 profit  by  the  sad  warning. 
 
 Then  he  said,  I  pray  thee  therefore,  father,  that  thou 
 wouldest  send  him  to  my  father's  house :  for  I  have  five 
 brethren  ;  that  he  may  testify  unto  them,  lest  they  also  come 
 into  this  place  of  torment.  His  torment  is  increased  by 
 thinking  of  others ;  natural  affection  seems  still  to  remain ; 
 nay,  it  might  almost  seem  brotherly  affection,  a  desire  for 
 their  spiritual  everlasting  welfare  ;  he  would  become,  as  it 
 were,  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel,  and  send  an  Apostolic 
 message  unto  them ;  but  these  desires  are  fruitless  and 
 unavailing,  and  now  only  tend  to  increase  the  bitterness 
 of  regret  and  sorrow.  Dear  Christians,  how  much  reason 
 have  we  all  to  fear  that  good  desires,  if  not  acted  upon 
 and  carried  out  when  opportunity  is  given,  may  come  back 
 to  us  when  it  is  too  late,  knocking  at  the  door  of  the  heart 
 with  everlasting  sorrow !  Have  we  not  all  of  us  some 
 relative  whose  spiritual  good  we  may  promote  now,  by 
 our  prayers  at  all  events,  if  in  no  other  way  1  0  oppor- 
 tunities of  great  price ;  seeds  that  are  scattered  about,  as 
 
26  THE   FIRST  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 it  were,  on  the  winds,  which  may  on  all  sides  be  found  by 
 us,  wherever  we  look  ;  seeds  of  imperishable  good  or  evil, 
 which  may  be  taken  home  by  us,  and  cherished,  and  made 
 to  bear  fruit,  and  be  an  endless  comfort  to  us  when  we 
 have  left  the  body. 
 
 Abraham  saith  unto  him,  They  have  Moses  and  the 
 Ijrophets  ;  let  them  hear  them.  Moses  and  the  Prophets  ! 
 they  both  teach  the  love  of  God  and  the  love  of  our 
 neighbour ;  they  both  look  forward  to  the  everlasting  life 
 which  is  in  God,  sufficiently  for  an  obedient  heart  to 
 understand.  Here  we  have  our  Lord's  own  declaration 
 for  this,  expressed  by  the  mouth  of  Abraham  himself. 
 
 And  he  said,  Nay,  father  Abraham;  but  if  one  -went 
 unto  them  from  the  dead,  they  will  repent.  And  he  said 
 unto  him,  If  they  hear  not  Moses  and  the  prophets,  neither 
 will  they  be  persuaded,  though  one  rose  from  the  dead. 
 Here  we  cannot  but  remember  that  there  was  once  a  man 
 named  Lazarus  raised  to  life  from  the  grave;  and  the  Jews, 
 the  children  of  Abraham,  went  in  great  numbers  from 
 Jerusalem  to  Bethany,  in  order  to  see  him ;  but  the  chief 
 priests,  in  consequence,  held  a  council  to  slay  Lazarus,  the 
 witness  from  the  dead,  and  with  him  to  slay  his  Deliverer, 
 the  Prince  of  Life.  They  were  not  rendered  the  better, 
 but  the  worse  for  that  miracle.  They  repented  not,  they 
 were  "  not  persuaded "  by  one  that  rose  from  the  dead ; 
 but  more  confirmed  in  unbelief  and  wickedness. 
 
 Thus  was  it  with  these  Pharisees,  to  whom  this  awful 
 parable  was  delivered.  They  brought  to  its  height  and 
 fulness  this  unlovely  temper  of  the  rich  man  ;  they  saw 
 and  hated  their  Brother  of  the  seed  of  Abraham  Whom 
 they  had  seen,  and  knew  not  that  in  seeing  and  hating 
 Him  they  saw  and  hated  their  God. 
 
 And  now  again,  in  conclusion,  let  us  consider  the  loving 
 
LOVE    THE   MARK  OF  GOD's    CHILDREN.  27 
 
 precepts  of  the  Epistle,  and  the  sad  narrative  of  this  day's 
 Gospel  together :  how  do  light  and  darkness  combine  in 
 one  picture,  each  to  heighten  the  other  !  Both  speak  the 
 same  doctrine.  What  a  wonderful  mystery  of  probation 
 surrounds  us  all !  How  searching,  how  inscrutable  !  We 
 shall  never  know  with  what  exquisite  wisdom  our  trial  has 
 been  adapted  and  constituted  until  it  is  past.  We  go  on 
 with  very  little  sense  or  knowledge  of  the  ultimate  conse- 
 quence of  things,  till  all  of  a  sudden  in  its  fulness  and 
 reality  it  stands  before  us ;  so  it  is  with  us,  one  by  one, 
 one  after  another.  So  was  it  with  the  rich  man  in  the 
 parable  ;  so  was  it  with  poor  Lazarus  whom  he  despised ; 
 so  was  it  with  all  those  Jews  who  saw  Christ  and  loved 
 Him  not.  How  little  did  they  know  or  think  of  what 
 they  were  about,  until  death  stripped  the  veil  from  their 
 eyes, — that  the  "outcast  of  the  people,"  "the  despised 
 and  rejected  of  men,"  He  that  had  "  not  where  to  lay  His 
 head,"  was  their  God,  and  that  He  their  God  was  Love  ! 
 Moses  and  the  Prophets  testified  of  Him  ;  but  as  Abraham 
 said,  they  heard  not  Moses  and  the  prophets ;  and  He 
 Himself  rose  from  the  dead,  but  as  Abraham  said, 
 "  neither  "  were  they  "  persuaded  though  one  rose  from 
 the  dead." 
 
 Many  expressions  of  Holy  Scripture  imply,  that  we,  in 
 this  our  short  time  of  trial  below,  are  enveloped  in  the 
 same  kind  of  cloud — a  cloud  which  conceals  from  our  view 
 the  very  near  Presence  of  God.  Por  the  Jews,  after  their 
 trial  was  over,  could  scarcely  have  been  more  amazed  and 
 surprised  to  find  that  the  poor  Galilean,  the  carpenter's 
 son  of  Nazareth,  was  the  Everlasting  Son  of  the  Pather ; 
 that  He,  their  Brother  Whom  they  had  seen,  was  their 
 God  also  Whom  they  had  not  seen ;  they  could  scarcely 
 have  been  more  astonished  than  those  accepted  persons 
 
28  THE   FIRST  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 \vill  be  in  the  Great  Day  of  Terror  to  whom  He  shall  say, 
 "  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of 
 these  My  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  Me." 
 
 0  awful  season  of  short-lived  time  !  "  Clouds  and  dark- 
 ness are  round  about "  us  ;  for  "  clouds  and  darkness  are 
 round  about "  our  God,  and  our  God  is  with  us  ;  though, 
 alas  !  we  know  it  not,  or  but  feebly  at  best  understand ; 
 but  all  we  know  in  this  our  darkness  is,  that  he  that  now 
 walketh  in  love  walketh  in  light,  and  by  so  doing  shall 
 come  to  that  everlasting  light  in  which  God  is,  Wliose 
 Name  is  Love. 
 
SERMON    XLIX. 
 €i)t  ^tcQixn  ^untrai)  afttr  Crini'tw. 
 
 I  St.  John  iii.  13 — 24.     St.  Luke  xiv.  16 — 24. 
 
 THE   GOSPEL    A    FEAST  OF  LOVE. 
 
 And  this  is  His  commandment.  That  we  should  believe  on  the  Name  of 
 His  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  love  one  another. — i  St.  John  iii.  23. 
 
 YEEY  beautifully  does  the  Church  at  this  season  con- 
 tinue and  carry  on  her  note  of  Divine  love ;  taking 
 up  her  lesson  again  from  St.  John,  the  disciple  of  love, 
 and  from  that  part  of  his  Epistle  where  he  seems  to  be 
 dwelling  in  memory  on  our  Lord's  own  words  at  the  last 
 Supper  before  He  left  them.  "  Much,"  says  St.  Augustin, 
 "  as  the  Scripture  commends  the  power  of  love,  I  know  not 
 that  it  ever  does  so  more  fully  than  here."  ^ 
 
 Marvel  not,  my  hretliren,  if  the  ivorJd  hate  you.  Our 
 Lord  Himself  had  said,  "  If  the  world  hate  you,  ye  know 
 that  it  hated  Me  before  it  hated  you.  Because  ye  are  not 
 of  the  world,  but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world, 
 therefore  the  world  hateth  you."^  Ey  "the  world"  is 
 meant  those  who  love  anything  in  this  temporal  state  of 
 
 1  In  Joan.  Ep.  Horn.  v.  2  St.  John  xv.  18,  19. 
 
30  THE   SECOND    SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 things  more  than  they  love  God,  as  revealed  to  us  in  Jesua 
 Christ.  Whenever  we  do  so  in  any  respect,  we  hate  thoso 
 who  love  God  more,  because  they  are  witnesses  against  us ; 
 their  hearts  being  more  set  on  God  reproves  and  condemns 
 us,  we  envy  and  dislike  them.  For  they  who  love  God 
 must  necessarily  be  displeasing  to  "the  prince  of  this 
 world ;"  and  he  will  in  every  way  stir  up  hate  against 
 them  with  all  those  whom  he  sways. 
 
 But  if  the  world  hate  us,  what  is  our  comfort  ?  it  is 
 this.  We  knoiv  that  we  have  passed  from  death  unto  life, 
 because  we  love  the  hrethren.  "  We  know,"  we  have  the 
 witness  in  ourselves,  that  we  are  on  the  right  hand  of  the 
 Judge,  by  our  conscience  within  telling  us  that  we  have 
 love ;  it  is  a  hidden  life,  a  life  hid  in  Christ.  It  is  not 
 seen  now,  as  the  life  of  a  tree  is  not  seen  in  winter,  but  it 
 lies  hidden  in  the  root ;  but  when  its  own  appointed i 
 spring-time  shaU  have  come,  it  will  burst  forth  in  leaves 
 and  fruit,  and  be  seen  in  glory  at  the  appearance  of  its 
 Lord,  the  Lord  of  life.  But  in  the  dead  of  winter  you 
 can  tell  whether  the  tree  has  life  in  the  root,  and  so  even 
 now  the  life  of  the  soul  is  known  by  love,_  Love  is  like 
 the  light  within  the  house  at  the  Marriage  Supper  of  the 
 Lamb,  while  it  is  all  darkness  without,  the  hatred  of  the 
 world,  men  "  hateful  and  hating  one  another." 
 
 He  that  loveth  not  his  brother  ahideth  in  death.  He 
 still  continueth  in  that  state  in  which  he  was  born,  a  state 
 of  death,  and  lying  under  the  wrath  of  God.  He  is  hid 
 from  the  face  of  God,^  as  was  Cain,  the  first-born  of  Adam. 
 Whosoever  hateth  his  brother  is  a  murderer:  and  ye  knoiv 
 that  no  murderer  hath  eternal  life  abiding  in  him.  The 
 expression  seems  to  allude  to  our  Lord's  own  declaration  in 
 
 *  Gen.  iv.  14. 
 
THE   GOSPEL    A    FEAST  OF  LOVE.  31 
 
 the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  that  His  law,  by  which  we 
 shall  be  judged  at  the  last  day,  is  spiritual,  extending  to  the 
 thoughts  ;  that  therefore  he  who  is  angry  with  his  brother 
 without  cause,  or  uses  towards  him  w^ords  of  contempt  or 
 provocation,  will  be  condemned  of  breaking  the  Sixth 
 Commandment,''  of  which  the  penalty  is  death. 
 
 For  the  Christian's  conduct  must  be  regulated  by  the 
 new  law  of  love — the  new  law  of  loving  others  even  as 
 Christ  hath  loved  us ;  for  this,  the  example  of  perfect 
 love,  is  set  before  us  as  the  stirring  and  sanctifying  motive 
 of  our  love.  He  states  in  contrast  the  lowest  condition  to 
 which  we  can  fall,  which  is  of  one  who  hating  his  brother 
 takes  part  with  him  who  was  "  a  murderer  from  the 
 beginning  ;"^  and  from  this  the  beloved  disciple  delights 
 to  pass  unto  the  best  of  aU,  the  fountain  and  the  sea  of 
 all  love.  Hereby  iDerceive  we  the  love  of  God,  because  He 
 laid  down  His  life  for  us;  and  we  ought  to  lay  down  our 
 lives  for  the  brethren.  This  is  the  love  of  God,  the  per- 
 fection of  all  love  ;  nothing  can  ever  be  higher  than  this, 
 for  it  is  the  crown  of  all ;  nothing  deeper  than  this,  for  it 
 is  the  foundation  of  all ;  nothing  longer  than  this,  for  it 
 is  the  end  of  all ;  nothing  broader  than  this,  for  it  is  the 
 sum  and  substance  of  all.  It  is  as  the  Cross  of  Christ 
 itself,  of  which  one  part  sinks  down  into  the  earth  below, 
 while  another  part  rises  up  towards  Heaven  above  ;  on  the 
 right  hand  it  stretches  forth  unto  boundless  space,  and  on 
 the  left  also.  Such  is  the  length  and  breadth,  and  depth 
 and  height  of  the  love  of  Christ  crucified.  This  is  the 
 pattern  according  to  which  we  are  to  measure  ourselves, 
 and  apply  this  Divine  test  to  the  little  brotherly  charities 
 of  life,  as  that  of  giving  alms  to  the  poor.     But  whoso 
 
 4  St.  Matt.  V.  21.  5   St.  John  viii.  41. 
 
32  THE  SECOND   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY, 
 
 hath  this  world's  good  and  seeth  his  hroiher  have  need, 
 and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  compassion  from  him  ;  how 
 dwelleth  the  love  of  God  in  him  ?  There  can  be  but  little 
 share  of  this  love  in  him  who  spends  his  money  on  him- 
 self and  forgets  the  poor.  Goodness  to  the  poor  is  the 
 chief  proof  of  the  love  of  God  in  Christians,  inasmuch  as 
 it  receives  not  earthly  requital  or  return ;  whereas  domestic, 
 or  filial,  or  parental,  or  social  love,  are  more  of  earth,  as 
 less  close  in  resemblance  to  the  love  of  Christ ;  which  is 
 described  by  this  analogy,  that  "  though  He  was  rich,  yet 
 for  our  sakes  He  became  poor,  that "  we  "  through  His 
 poverty  might  be  rich." 
 
 And  then  with  all  possible  tenderness  the  Apostle 
 appeals  to  such  proofs  of  sincerity  as  are  alone  availing 
 for  the  satisfaction  and  peace  of  our  own  conscience  with 
 God.  For  there  may  be  the  appearance  of  such  love 
 without  the  reality ;  men  may  be  gentle  and  kind  in  their 
 manners  and  conversation,  give  alms  to  the  poor,  and  be 
 well  known  for  public  charities ;  nay  more,  may  seem  to 
 be  meek  and  forgiving  of  injuries,  and  all  this  from  a 
 great  mixture  of  self-interest  and  self-love  ;  and  if  so,  they 
 lose  the  blessedness  of  that  life-giving  Eye  that  seeth  in 
 secret.  It  is  the  Eye  of  God  in  the  soul  that  fills  it  with 
 life,  love,  and  light.  My  little  children,  says  St.  John, 
 with  more  than  parental  care  and  affection,  let  us  not  love 
 in  word,  neithei'  in  tongue;  hut  in  deed  and  in  truth.  The 
 more  valuable  anything  is,  the  more  important  that  it 
 should  be  sincere  and  without  counterfeit.  And  hereby 
 we  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth,  and  shall  assure  our 
 hearts  before  Him.  The  confidence  towards  God  which 
 love  gives,  of  which  St.  John  so  often  speaks,  and  the 
 peace  and  joy  in  the  soul  arising  from  it,  depend  entirely 
 on  such  love  being  genuine  and  true,  that  self-pleasiug 
 
THE    GOSPEL    A    FEAST   OF  LOVE.  33 
 
 and  the  secret  love  of  the  world  be  not  the  motives  which 
 influence  us.  Our  conscience  will  tell  us  if  this  be 
 the  case.  For  if  our  heart  condemn  us,  God  is  greater 
 than  our  heart,  and  knoweth  all  things.  If  there  be  a 
 secret  luisgiving,  it  will  destroy  our  faith  in  God.  Beloved, 
 if  our  heart  condemn  us  not,  then  have  ive  confidence 
 towards  God.  And  what  are  the  blessed  effects,  the  in- 
 finite value  and  benefit  of  such  friendship  with  God  %  It 
 is  far  beyond  every  other  good,  every  satisfaction  or  com- 
 fort, which  this  world  can  aff'ord  ;  and  it  consists  in  this, 
 that  His  eyes  are  upon  us  with  love,  and  that  His  ears 
 are  open  to  our  prayers.  And  ivhatsoever  we  ask,  we  re- 
 ceive of  Him,  hecause  ice  kee])  His  commandments,  and  do 
 those  things  that  are  iDleasing  in  His  sight.  "Whatsoever 
 we  ask  we  receive  of  Him  ; "  this  is  a  truth  of  God,  that 
 is,  a  life-giving  truth ;  for  truth  may  sound  in  Satan's 
 words,  a  heart-deceiving  truth  which  is  unto  death  ;  as 
 when  he  said,  "  Ye  shall  not  die," — conveying  in  words 
 of  seeming  truth  the  worst  of  falsehoods.  St.  Paul  asked 
 and  received  not,  when  he  prayed  for  "  the  thorn  in  the 
 flesh  "  to  be  taken  from  him ;  but  his  prayer  was  heard 
 and  answered  in  a  way  beyond  what  he  thought  or  desired, 
 and  he  rejoiced  the  more  in  not  having  that  release  for 
 which  he  asked,  in  a  far  better  and  more  blessed  fulfil- 
 ment of  his  prayer.  Whereas  the  Israelites  often  asked, 
 but  with  hearts  not  right  towards  God,  and  they  received 
 what  they  prayed  for ;  but  their  spiritual  salvation  was 
 not  promoted  thereby,  for  such  they  desired  not.  Eeject- 
 ing  God  for  their  King,  they  asked  for  a  king  like  the 
 nations,  and  obtained  what  they  asked  for ;  and  after- 
 wards, with  a  like  spirit,  they  said,  "  we  have  no  king  but 
 Caesar,"  and  rejected  Christ.  So  necessary  is  it  that  our 
 desires  should  be  right  towards  God,  lest  He  should 
 VOL.  II.  D 
 
34  THE   SECOND   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 answer  us  according  to  our  desires ;  for  lie  lias  promised 
 to  answer  our  prayers,  if  we  keep  His  words. 
 
 To  this  St.  John  then  adds,  as  his  custom  is,  a  sum- 
 mary of  all  Christian  faith  and  doctrine,  every  sentence 
 being  fall  of  Divine  life ;  for  after  having  said  that  our 
 prayers  being  answered  aright  depends  on  our  keeping  the 
 commandments  of  God,  he  returns  again,  as  our  Lord  so 
 frequently  does  in  His  last  discourse,  to  the  subject  oi 
 these  His  commandments.  And  tliis  is  His  command- 
 ment, That  loe  should  believe  on  the  Name  of  His  Son  Jesus 
 Christ,  and  love  one  another,  as  He  gave  us  commandment. 
 
 To  believe  in  Jesus  Christ  contains  in  it  every  doc- 
 trine with  respect  to  God ;  and  to  love  one  another,  every 
 duty  with  respect  to  man.  Moreover,  this  last,  as  being 
 the  fulfilling  of  Christ's  commandment,  may  be  considered 
 to  imply  the  former  also ;  for  it  is  in  our  lives  the  fruit 
 of  faith  in  His  Incarnation,  and  in  the  mystery  of  God- 
 liness. Therefore  he  adds,  And  he  that  A'eejJeth  His  com- 
 mandments dioelleth  in  Him  and  He  in  him.  Whosoever 
 keepeth  His  commandments  hath  the  indwelling  of  God, 
 and  he  becomes  assured  that  he  has  this  indwelling  from 
 the  Spirit  which  gives  him  the  power  to  keep  these  com- 
 mandments. Thus  all  things  are  held  together  as  by  a 
 chain  which  reaches  to  the  throne  of  God,  and  connects 
 with  it  every  action  of  our  daily  life ;  for  he  adds.  And 
 hereby  ive  know  that  He  abideth  in  us  by  the  Spirit  Wliich 
 He  hath  given  us. 
 
 St.  Paul's  testimony  corresponds  with  this :  The  Spirit 
 itself  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the 
 children  of  God."'  But  St.  John  seems  here  to  be 
 thinking  of  his  Lord's  promise,  that  He  Himself  would 
 
 ®  Rom.  viii.  16. 
 
THE   GOSPEL   A    FEAST  OF  LOVE.  35 
 
 come  and  abide  with  him  ;  and  he  felt  assured  that  this 
 His  promise  was  fulfilled  by  the  Spirit  which  had  given 
 unto  him  such  love  and  power. 
 
 l^ow  if  we  have  so  earnestly  considered  this  striking 
 Epistle  from  St.  John,  as  to  have  made  it  our  own  by 
 meditation  and  prayer,  it  follows  that  we  must  carry  on 
 the  same  train  of  thought,  and  this  heart-thrilling  lesson 
 of  love  and  goodness  to  the  Gospel  also.  It  will  neces- 
 sarily be  the  case  that  we  read  the  Gospel  for  the  day 
 with  reference  to  it.  The  light  we  derive  from  the  one 
 will  naturally  be  cast  on  the  other,  whether  we  intend  it 
 or  no.  Chiefiy  on  this  account  in  these  Sermons  we  so 
 often  consider  the  Epistle  and  Gospel  for  the  Sunday 
 together,  as  enforcing  one  line  of  instruction,  or  illus- 
 trating but  one  and  the  same  great  truth.  Now  the 
 subject  of  the  foregoing  Epistle  we  have  seen  to  be  that 
 of  brotherly  love,  of  the  peace  of  Christ  established  in 
 the  heart  by  faith,  and  the  Presence  of  the  Comforter. 
 And  one  might  well  have  supposed  that  all  men  would 
 earnestly  press  after  so  inestimable  a  gift  of  God  :  and 
 that  as  there  is  nothing  in  this  world  to  be  compared  with 
 love, — for  "  if  a  man  would  give  all  the  substance  of  his 
 house  for  love,  it  would  utterly  be  contemned,"? — and 
 nothing  so  conducive  to  lasting  joy  of  heart,  surely,  we 
 might  have  thought,  this  loving  appeal  of  St.  John  will 
 not  be  in  vain ;  and  yet  we  see  and  know  that  it  is  so. 
 There  is  nothing  more  delightful  to  hear  or  read  than  all 
 these  accounts  of  Divine  love  which  fill  the  Epistles  of 
 St.  John, — of  the  love  of  God  to  us,  and  of  our  love 
 which  He  seeks  in  return ;  and  there  is  nothing  more  sad 
 
 7  Song  of  Sol.  viii.  7. 
 D   2 
 
36  THE   SECOND   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY, 
 
 and  melancholy  than  to  lift  up  our  eyes  from  these  de- 
 scriptions, and  see  what  is  going  on  in  the  world,  where 
 all  this  is  acknowledged  and  known,  and  yet  not  realized 
 nor  accepted.  The  Gospel  then  comes  in  to  notice  and 
 explain  this  remarkable  circumstance,  as  conveying  by  a 
 parable  a  sort  of  prophetic  account  of  this  the  reception  of 
 Christ's  kingdom  by  mankind.  The  Christian  religion  is 
 therein  compared  to  a  Great  Supper.  What  could  be 
 more  expressive  of  fraternal  love,  and  of  that  "  gladness  of 
 heart "  which  is  "  better  than  corn  and  wine,"  the  rich 
 abundance  of  God's  goodness  which  we  are  invited  to 
 partake  of?  and  yet  those  that  are  invited,  strange  as  it 
 may  seem,  refuse  to  come.  But  more  than  this,  the 
 parable  in  this  day's  Gospel  discloses  to  us,  in  the  various 
 secrets  of  men's  hearts,  those  causes  which  indispose  them 
 to  the  acceptance  of  God's  love. 
 
 The  occasion  on  which  the  parable  was  delivered  was 
 the  following  : — Our  Lord  was  conversing  at  the  table  of 
 a  Pharisee,  and  had  been  speaking  of  that  recompense 
 which  shall  be  at  the  resurrection  of  the  just  to  those  who 
 hospitably  entertain  the  poor,  when  one  of  the  company, 
 impressed  with  the  wisdom  of  His  words,  said  to  Him, 
 "Blessed  is  he  that  shall  eat  bread  in  the  Kingdom  of 
 God."     On  which  our  Lord  gave  the  following  reply  : 
 
 A  certain  man  made  a  great  supper^  and  hade  many. 
 It  is  as  if  He  had  said,  the  blessedness  of  which  you 
 speak  is  indeed  great,  but  nevertheless  it  will  not  be  re- 
 ceived for  all  that.  It  is  truly  like  a  rich  feast  made  by 
 the  undeserved  bounty  of  God  graciously  inviting  all 
 freely  to  partake  of  His  goodness.  And  he  sent  his  ser- 
 vant at  supper-time  to  say  to  them  that  were  hidden,  Come, 
 for  all  things  are  noro  ready.  "i\t  supper-time,"  when 
 the  day  of  this  world  was  now  declining,  taking  upon 
 
THE    GOSPEL   A    FEAST   OF  LOVE.  37 
 
 Him  "  the  form  of  a  servant,"  He  came  unto  His  own, 
 and  by  the  loving  calls  of  His  Gospel  invites  them  into 
 what  He  has  called  "  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven " — the 
 acceptance  of  His  grace  ;  that  washed  from  the  business 
 and  employments  of  the  world,  and  dressed  each  in  his 
 best  robe,  the  garment  of  salvation,  and  brightened  with 
 the  oil  of  gladness,  they  may  sit  down  with  cheerful  and 
 thankful  hearts  and  brotherly  love  at  His  table  in  His 
 kingdom. 
 
 And  they  all  with  one  consent  began  to  make  excuse. 
 Though  all  differing  from  each  other  in  their  characters, 
 their  pursuits,  and  desires,  yet  they  agreed  at  once  in  this, 
 that  they  "  all  with  one  consent  "  declined  the  invitation ; 
 not  openly  and  avowedly  refused,  but  "  began  to  make 
 excuse  " — to  find  reasons  for  satisfying  themselves  in  such 
 unaccountable  rejection.  It  is  the  history  of  mankind  at 
 all  times,  in  the  days  of  ISToab  or  of  Lot,  or  of  the  Son  of 
 Man, — the  goodness  of  God,  and  man  insensible  of  that 
 goodness. 
 
 The  first  said  unto  him,  I  have  bought  a  piece  of  ground, 
 and  1 7nust  needs  go  and  see  it ;  I  pray  thee  have  me  ex- 
 cused. And  another  said,  I  have  bought  five  yoke  of  oxen, 
 and  I  go  to  prove  them ;  I  pray  thee  have  me  excused. 
 And  another  said,  I  have  married  a  wife,  and  therefore  I 
 cannot  come.  JSTow  these  three  excuses  seem  intended  to 
 express  all  the  various  influences  which  prevail  in  the 
 world,  and  which  prevent  men  from  being  conformed  to 
 that  love  of  God  and  of  our  neighbour  which  St.  John 
 describes  in  his  Epistle,  or,  in  other  words,  from  realizing 
 the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  which  is  within  us.  There  is  no 
 mention  of  any  crime,  there  is  no  notorious  sin  on  which 
 the  judgment  of  God  is  pronounced.  The  occasions  of 
 hindrance  are  matters  innocent  and  perhaps  necessary. 
 
38  THE   SECOND   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 !N"ay,  more  ;  the  invitation  does  not  require  that  they  should 
 be  relinquished.  The  bountiful  Friend  Wlio  so  graciously 
 invites  them  does  not  ask  of  one  to  forfeit  the  piece  of 
 ground  he  has  bought,  nor  the  other  his  yoke  of  oxen,  nor 
 the  third  to  forsake  his  wife.  They  might  have  kept  all 
 these  and  attended  to  them,  without  unthankf ully  refusing 
 to  come  to  this  great  supper.  But  the  rejection  consists 
 in  this,  that  their  hearts  were  occupied  and  filled  with  these 
 pursuits. 
 
 Surely,  my  brethren.  He  who  delivered  this  parable 
 knew  what  was  in  man ;  He  knew  us  better  than  we  know 
 ourselves.  If  any  one  of  us  were  now  suddenly  to  be 
 taken  ill,  and  had  but  an  hour  to  live,  and  were  truly  sensible 
 of  our  condition,  it  is  probable  that  we  should  see  and 
 understand  the  force  of  this  parable  much  more  fully  than 
 we  now  are  able  to  do.  If  as  dying  men  about  to  appear 
 in  the  presence  of  God,  and  to  be  loosed  from  all  earthly 
 temptations  for  evermore,  we  consider  in  what  respects  our 
 heart  is  not  and  has  not  been  right  towards  God,  we  should 
 find  the  account  in  this  parable.  Here  would st  thou  find 
 that  "  secret  thing,"  as  Job  says,  on  account  of  which  "the 
 consolations  of  God  are  small  with  thee,"  and  "thine 
 heart  doth  carry  thee  away."^  Then  wouldst  thou  hear 
 God  saying  to  thee,  "I  spake  unto  thee  in  thy  prosperity; 
 but  thou  saidst,  I  will  not  hear.  This  hath  been  thy 
 manner  from  thy  youth. "^  0,  how  easy  does  the  love  of 
 God  and  of  our  brethren  seem  to  us,  when  anything  has 
 for  a  time  thoroughly  shaken  and  shattered  in  pieces  our 
 trust  in  the  world  !  How  welcome,  how  easy  of  acceptance, 
 of  what  infinite  price  then  appears  the  loving  Gospel  of 
 God  !  but  all  these  thoughts,  before  they  ripen  into  practice, 
 
 •  Job  XV.  11,  12.  »  Jer.  xxii.  21. 
 
THE   GOSPEL    A    FEAST   OF  LOVE.  39 
 
 are  again  soon  blotted  out.  A  little  business,  a  little 
 pleasure,  a  little  worldly  society,  household  cares  or  engage- 
 ments, the  prospect  of  gain,  or  some  national  or  political 
 excitement,  cross  the  path  and  divert  the  thoughts.  But 
 what  is  especially  to  be  observed  is,  that  all  these  excuses 
 mentioned  in  the  parable  consist  of  considerations  which 
 are  selfish ;  they  are  of  self-interest,  self-indulgence.  It  is 
 self  taking  the  first  place.  Nor  indeed  is  there  any  harm 
 in  worldly  or  domestic  business,  except  where  it  takes  the 
 first  place  in  the  heart.  Let  God  be  first,  and  all  things 
 will  be  sanctified.  Eor  indeed,  occupations  which  are 
 pursued  for  the  good  of  our  neighbour,  or  in  the  service 
 of  God,  or  for  the  humiliation  of  self,  always  dispose  the 
 heart  to  that  love  in  which  consists  eternal  life.  St.  John, 
 after  his  manner  in  this  his  Epistle,  explains  it  all,  "  Ii 
 any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in 
 him.  For  all  that  is  in  the  world,  the  lust  of  the  flesh, 
 and  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life,  is  not  of 
 the  Father,  but  is  of  the  world.  And  the  world  passeth 
 away,  and  the  lust  thereof."^ 
 
 So  that  servant  came,  and  slieioed  his  lord  these  things. 
 Then  the  master  of  the  house  heing  angry  said  to  his  servant, 
 Go  out  quickly  into  the  streets  and  lanes  of  the  city,  and 
 bring  in  hither  the  voor,  and  the  maiined,  and  the  halt, 
 and  the  blind.  As  the  Gospel  is  not  made  the  object  of 
 choice  when  men  are  taken  up  with  their  own  concerns, 
 therefore  in  His  great  mercy  God  again  opens  wide  the 
 door,  and  sends  another  call  into  His  Kingdom.  "As 
 many  as  I  love,  I  rebuke  and  chasten."^  Under  the  pres- 
 sure of  affliction,  sickness,  or  poverty.  He  would  bring  them 
 unto  Himself,  and  take  them  under  the  shelter  ol'  His 
 
 1  1  St.  John  ii.  15,  IG.  «  ^--.  '•■■  ^^ 
 
40  THE   SECOND    SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 wings.  While  Scribes  and  Pharisees  stand  aloof,  the 
 Publicans  and  sinners  press  into  His  kingdom  ;  and  while 
 the  learned  and  the  rich  are  unmoved,  every  form  of 
 distress  and  disease  is  eager  to  take  hold  of  the  hem  of 
 His  garment.  When  all  is  desolation  around  them  they 
 will  listen  to  Him,  and  hear  His  voice.  And  therefore  the 
 soul  of  the  Christian,  which  depends  on  Christ,  and  finds 
 its  rest  in  Him,  is  thus  described,  "  Who  is  this  that 
 cometh  up  from  the  wilderness,  leaning  upon  her  Beloved  ? " ' 
 I^^ever  hath  any  one  yet  known  the  love  of  Christ,  but 
 he  that  felt  the  world  to  be  a  wilderness.  His  Gospel  is 
 described  as  fountains  in  the  desert,  as  a  table  in  the 
 wilderness.  And  therefore  not  only  are  we  assured  by 
 the  Spirit  that  "  the  Lord  loveth  whom  He  chasteneth, 
 and  scourgeth  every  son  whom  He  receiveth,"  but  we  may 
 observe  that  in  the  Gospels  our  Lord  pronounces  His 
 blessing  on  the  evils  of  this  world,  and  His  woe  on  its 
 prosperities.  "  Woe  unto  you  that  are  rich  ;  for  ye  have 
 received  your  consolation."  "Blessed  be  ye  poor;  for 
 yours  is  the  Kingdom  of  God."  Surely  these  words  contain 
 that  very  invitation  which  in  this  place  this  parable  speaks 
 of — an  invitation  which  is  made  to  the  infirm,  despised, 
 helpless  beggars;  to  those  who  know  themselves  to  be 
 "wretched,  and  miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked."* 
 Again,  it  says,  "  the  master  of  the  house  being  angry." 
 He  is  angry  with  men  because  they  love  death.  And  when 
 He  would  rescue  them,  His  chastening  visitations  of  mercy 
 are  as  if  He  were  displeased.  0  blessed  anger,  which  seems 
 to  speak  to  us  so  harshly  that  it  may  save  us  !  and  because 
 we  have  rejected  His  kind  invitations,  from  being  so  taken 
 up  with  things  present.  He  sends  another  call ;  and  as  it 
 
 3  Song  of  Sol.  viii.  5.  -»  Eev.  lii.  17. 
 
THE   GOSPEL    A    FEAST  OF  LOVE.  41 
 
 is  through  adversity  and  "bereavement  He  speaks  to  us, 
 there  sounds  something  stern  and  severe  in  the  tone.  Eut 
 "  His  wrath  endureth  but  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  and  in 
 His  pleasure  is  life  : "  and  we  are  able  to  say  with  thanks- 
 giving, "Thou,  0  Lord,  of  very  faithfulness  hast  caused 
 me  to  be  troubled." 
 
 "  Blessed  are  they  who  are  thus  called  to  the  Marriage 
 Supper  of  the  Lamb  "  ^  that  was  slain.  And  oh,  may  this 
 call  be  not  only  by  His  Providence,  but  also  by  His  grace 
 constraining,  that  we  may  not  neglect  the  call ! 
 
 And  the  servant  said,  Lord,  it  is  done  as  tliou  hast  com- 
 manded,  and  yet  there  is  room.  The  Heavenly  Feast  differs 
 from  every  earthly  good  in  this,  that  it  can  afford  no  occa- 
 sion for  envy  or  ill-will,  for  there  is  enough  for  all.  His 
 house  is  of  "  many  mansions  ;  "  ample  the  room,  and  over- 
 flowing the  table  of  His  goodness ;  no  one  can  interfere 
 with  another,  nor  by  having  more  can  make  his  brother's 
 share  less.  On  the  contrary,  the  more  we  promote  the 
 goodness  and  everlasting  happiness  of  others,  the  more  we 
 add  to  our  own. 
 
 And  the  lord  said  unto  the  servant.  Go  out  into  the  high- 
 ways and  hedges,  and  compel  them  to  come  in,  that  my  house 
 may  he  filled.  For  I  say  unto  you,  that  none  of  those  that 
 tvere  bidden  shall  taste  of  my  supj)er.  They  have  rejected 
 His  call  and  His  day  of  visitation,  and  "He  hath  sworn  in 
 His  wrath  that  they  shall  not  enter  into  His  rest."  For  "they 
 have  heard  "  His  word.  His  gracious  invitation  of  mercy, 
 but  "they  go  forth  and  are  choked  with  cares  and  riches 
 and  pleasures  of  this  life  " — the  yoke  of  oxen,  the  farm, 
 the  wife  in  this  parable — "  and  bring  no  fruit  to  perfection." 
 If  we  look  abroad  upon  the  world  we  see  that  it  is  so,  and 
 
 *  Rev.  xix.  9. 
 
4^  THE   SECOND   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 that  in  these  "  the  days  of  the  Son  of  Man "  they  are 
 taken  np  with  buying  and  selling,  planting  and  building, 
 marrying  and  giving  in  marriage  ;  pursuits  indeed  and 
 callings  in  themselves  harmless  and  allowable,  but  engross- 
 ing and  transient ;  soon  at  an  end,  and  of  too  absorbing 
 interest  while  they  last.  This  is  the  aspect  of  things  around 
 us.  And  yet  we  doubt  not  that  under  all  this  God's  Word 
 returns  not  to  Him  void,  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  being 
 filled— in  a  manner  for  the  most  part  unseen  and  unknown 
 to  us ;  the  seven  thousands  hidden  from  mankind  are 
 known  to  God.  His  grace  invites,  draws,  constrains, 
 compels,  in  nooks  as  it  were  and  corners  of  this  broad 
 world,  "  the  highways  and  the  hedges."  In  the  busy, 
 many-peopled  town  and  thronging  streets,  or  beneath  the 
 secret  hedge  in  the  fields,  there  are  they  who  hear  the  step 
 and  the  voice  of  Him  Who  is  seeking  for  His  sheep  ;  the 
 voice  of  Him  Who  Himself  brings  His  own  invitation  to 
 the  Great  Supper,  or  stands  and  waits  at  the  way-side  house 
 of  Emmaus.  "  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock :  if  any 
 man  hear  My  voice,  and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in  to 
 him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  Me."  ^ 
 
 In  conclusion  we  may  observe,  that  when  the  Gospel  is 
 in  Holy  Scripture  likened  to  a  supper  or  a  feast,  it  seems 
 to  contain  a  secret  allusion  to  that  great  Feast  of  Love,  the 
 Body  and  Blood  of  Christ ;  and  this  tends  very  much  to 
 explain  and  add  force  to  the  figure,  inasmuch  as  this  Holy 
 Sacrament  is  not  only  in  itself  our  life,  but  as  a  lively  ex- 
 hibition and  type  may  serve  to  teach  us  the  whole  character 
 of  our  religion.  What  inexpressible  love  to  us  beyond  all 
 our  words  and  thoughts  does  it  speak  !  what  a  constraining 
 motive  to  brotherly  love !  for  we  are  all  thereby  made  to 
 
 c  Eev.  iii.  20. 
 
THE   GOSPEL    A    FEAST  OF  LOVE.  43 
 
 be  One  Bread  and  One  Body.  Bread  from  that  ''grain  of 
 wheat "  which  died  that  it  might  "bring forth  much  fruit ; "  ^ 
 and  formed  of  that  One  Body  "Which  was  freely  given  in 
 death  for  us,  and  now  lives,  and  in  living  is  our  life.  How 
 does  this  Sacrament  of  itself  teach,  promote,  set  forth, 
 and  carry  out  all  that  the  Epistle  and  all  that  the  Gospel 
 for  to-day  expresses  :  viz.  that  "Greater  love  hath  no  man 
 than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends  "  * 
 "  and  we  ought  to  lay  down  our  lives  for  the  brethren." 
 
 Oh  that,  partaking  of  this  bread  which  came  do^vn  from 
 Heaven,  and  giveth  life  unto  the  world,  we  might  meditate 
 more  on  Christ's  death  and  Passion  !  that  it  might  fill  our 
 hearts  far  more  than  it  does  or  ever  has  done !  J^othing 
 will  purge  us  like  this  Divine  fire  from  sensual  lusts ;  no- 
 thing will  withdraw  us  from  the  desire  of  the  eyes  so  much 
 as  setting  before  us  this  Divine  image  of  Love  itself ;  no- 
 thing will  so  humble  us  from  the  pride  of  life  as  dwelling 
 more  and  more  on  that  shame  and  sorrow  of  the  Cross,  the 
 shame  and  sorrow  which  we  have  laid  upon  Him,  and  which 
 He  willingly  took  for  our  sakes.  It  will  tend  beyond  any- 
 thing else  to  kill  within  us  the  love  of  this  world,  ambition, 
 and  covetousness ;  and  if  these  selfish  desires  die  within 
 us  we  shall  love  others,  because  God  loves  both  them  and 
 us.  This  is  the  best  return  we  can  make  to  Christ  for  all 
 His  goodness  ;  and  so  shall  we  be  acceptable  guests  at  the 
 "  Great  Supper  "  which  He  hath  provided. 
 
 7  St.  John  xii.  24.  »  St.  John  xv.  13. 
 
SERMON    L. 
 Cijt  C!;trtl  ^untiao  after  Cvmitp. 
 
 I  St.  Pet.  V.  5— II.     St.  Luke  xv.  i— lo. 
 
 THE   LOST  SHEEP. 
 
 All  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray;  we  have  turnea  every  one  to  his 
 own  way ;  and  the  LORD  hath  laid  on  Him  the  iniquity  of  us 
 all. — Is  A.  liii.  6. 
 
 O^N"  Sunday  last  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  was  likened  to 
 a  great  supper,  to  which  they  that  were  invited  re- 
 fused to  come,  being  engaged  in  their  worldly  pursuits,  when 
 the  poor,  the  maimed,  and  the  blind  were  brought  in.  On 
 this  Sunday  the  Lord  Himself  goes  forth  to  seek  for  His 
 sheep  that  was  lost,  and  is  rejoicing  over  it  when  found. 
 It  is  like  the  same  lesson  differently  expressed,  with  even, 
 if  it  were  possible,  more  touching  tenderness.  Instead  of 
 the  Master  sending  forth  servants  to  invite  his  guests, 
 there  is  the  good  Shepherd  Himself  going  forth,  and 
 seeking,  and  bringing  home  on  His  shoulders  ;  and  instead 
 of  the  many  invited,  there  is  the  one  lost  sheep.  The 
 Epistle  for  to-day  is,  in  like  manner,  of  the  same  character, 
 exhorting  to  that  humility  which  alone  finds  acceptance 
 
THE   LOST  SHEEP,  45 
 
 with  God,  and  which  the  parable  in  this  day's  Gospel  was 
 especially  intended  to  illustrate  and  enforce. 
 
 All  of  you  be  subject  one  to  another.  Do  not  let  each 
 of  you  be  insisting  on  his  own  rights  and  liberty  as  the 
 evil  w^orld  does  around  you ;  but  on  the  contrary,  as  St. 
 Paul  says,  "  submit  yourselves  one  to  another  in  the  fear 
 of  God;"  "in  lowliness  of  mind  let  each  esteem  other 
 better  than  themselves."  And  St.  Peter  here  sums  it  all 
 up  in  a  memorable  and  beautiful  expression :  and  be 
 clothed  with  humility.  Be  covered  all  over  with  lowli- 
 ness of  heart,  leaving  no  part  unguarded,  with  bonds  and 
 knots,  as  the  word  implies,  wrapping  closely  around  you 
 this  mantle  of  protection;  and  why^/o?^  God  resisteth, 
 setteth  Himself  in  array  against,  the  proud,  aiid  giceth 
 grace  to  the  humble. 
 
 St.  Peter  himself  knew  by  sad  experience  the  truth  of 
 what  he  said ;  for  before  his  fall  he  said,  "  Though  all 
 men  shall  be  offended  because  of  Thee,  yet  will  I  never 
 be  offended."  But  after  the  Resurrection,  when  his  Lord 
 said  unto  him,  "  Lovest  thou  Me  more  than  these  ]"  he  was 
 grieved  at  the  question  being  thrice  put  to  him,  and  said, 
 "  Lord,  Thou  knowest  all  things ;  Thou  knowest  that  I 
 love  Thee."  Thus  did  he  learn  to  look  to  God  only,  not 
 venturing  to  compare  himself  again  with  others,  or  to 
 prefer  himself  before  them. 
 
 This  humilit}^  is  an  exercise,  a  practice,  a  habit  to  be 
 obtained  by  lowly  actions  and  thoughts ;  wdiereas,  what- 
 ever tends  to  exalt  us  in  our  own  eyes,  does  so  far  lessen 
 within  us  the  grace  of  God.  And  thus  St.  Peter  adds, 
 Humble  yourselves  therefore  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God, 
 that  He  may  exalt  you  in  due  tirae.  So  was  it  with  the 
 Great  Pattern  Himself  of  all  goodness.  Who  humbled  Him- 
 self beyond  all,  and  "therefore  God  also  hath  highly  exalted 
 
46  THE   THIRD  SUNDAY    AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 Him ;"  for  all  that  is  good  in  man  consists  in  resemblance 
 to  Him.  Exalt  not  yourselves,  but  let  God  exalt  you  in 
 His  own  time.  Casting  all  your  care  upon  Him,  for  He 
 careth  for  you.  He  careth  for  you  like  a  parent  for  a 
 child,  but  with  a  peculiar  and  intimate  regard  beyond  the 
 thought  of  man ;  for  the  hairs  of  your  head  by  Him  are 
 numbered.  Humble  yourselves  therefore,  casting  on  Him 
 every  care.  As  St.  Paul  says,  "  Be  careful  for  nothing ; 
 but  in  everything  let  your  requests  be  made  known  unto 
 God."  ^  Lay  your  heads  and  all  your  troubles  on  the  bosom 
 of  His  infinite  tenderness  and  compassion ;  there  is  your 
 only  safety.  H  you  forget  this  and  trust  to  yourselves, 
 you  will  immediately  fall,  and  that  assuredly.  Thence 
 follows,  as  in  close  connexion  with  this  subject,  that  of 
 unceasing  watchfulness. 
 
 Be  sober,  he  vigilant ;  be  ever  earnest  and  on  the  watch, 
 as  knowing  the  consequence  of  things  eternal  and  the 
 short  space  of  this  our  mortal  trial.  St.  Peter  speaks  as 
 one  w^ho  always  heard  sounding  in  his  ears  those  words  of 
 his  Lord  at  that  memorable  Supper,  "  Simon,  Simon, 
 behold,  Satan  hath  desired  to  have  you,  that  he  may  sift 
 you  as  wheat,  but  I  have  prayed  for  thee."  And  a  little 
 while  after  in  the  garden,  still  more  earnestly,  "  Simon, 
 sleepest  thou  1  couldst  thou  not  watch  with  Me  one  hour  1 
 Watch  and  pray,  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation."  And 
 now  St.  Peter  himself,  giving  the  same  warning  to  us 
 which  his  Lord  once  gave  to  himself,  as  if  passing  on  the 
 same  watchword  in  the  night,  Be  sober,  be  vigilant,  he 
 says,  because  your  adversary  the  devil,  as  a  roaring  liony 
 walketh  about,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour.  "  As  a 
 lion :"  "  having  great  wrath,"  St.  John  says,  "  because  he 
 
 '  Phil.  iv.  6. 
 
THE  LOST  SHEEP.  47 
 
 knoweth  that  he  hath  but  a  short  time.  "^  And  "  walking 
 about;"  as  expressed  in  the  book  of  Job,  of  his  "going  to 
 and  fro  in  the  earth,  and  walking  up  and  down  in  it," 
 fi'om  his  unceasing  temptations  on  every  side.  Whom 
 resist  stedfust  in  the  faith.  St.  Paul,  of  "  the  faith"  here 
 spoken  of,  says  under  another  figure,  "  taking  the  shield 
 of  faith,  wherewith  jq  shall  be  able  to  quench  all  the  fiery 
 darts  of  the  wicked  one;"^  and  St.  James,  of  this  re- 
 sistance to  his  assaults,  as  if  in  allusion  to  the  present 
 simile  of  the  wild  beast,  "  Eesist  the  devil,  and  he  will 
 fly  from  you." 
 
 Knowing  that  the  same  afflictions  are  accomiitished  in 
 your  brethren  that  are  in  the  world.  Do  not  expect  as 
 Christians  any  immunity  from  temporal  evils ;  for  as 
 "the  whole  creation  groaneth  and  travaileth  in  pain 
 together,"  so  do  we  also  "  that  have  the  first-fruits  of  the 
 Spirit;"  nay,  we  are  thereunto  appointed  as  members  of  a 
 suffering  Lord,  and  are  perfected  thereby;  being  fore- 
 warned constantly  throughout  the  Scriptures,  by  his- 
 tory, and  precept,  and  example,  and  doctrine,  that  it  is 
 "through  much  tribulation  we  must  enter  into  the 
 Kingdom  of  God." 
 
 With  a  beautiful  sentence  containing  the  fulness  of 
 blessing  and  the  highest  exhortation  to  all  patience,  St. 
 Peter  terminates  this  appeal.  But  the  God  of  all  grace, 
 Who  hath  called  us  unto  His  eternal  glory  by  Christ 
 Jesus,  after  that  ye  have  suffered  awhile,  make  you  'perfect, 
 stahlish,  strengthen,  settle  you. 
 
 "  The  call  to  eternal  glory,"  and  the  "  suffering  for 
 a  while,"  seem  here  set  against  each  other,  as  in  St. 
 Paul's  expression,  "  our  light  affliction  which  is  but  for 
 
 2  Rev.  xii.  12.  3  Eph.  vi.  16. 
 
48  THE    THIRD   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 a  moment,"  is  weighed  in  the  "balance  together  with  "  an 
 eternal  weight  of  glory."  The  four  words,  "perfect, 
 stablish,  strengthen,  settle  you,"  are  very  forcible  in  de- 
 scribing the  good  effect  of  tribulations  and  afflictions ; 
 but  the  last  expression,  "settle,"  in  the  English  is  in- 
 adequate,— it  has  a  reference  more  distinctly  in  the 
 original  to  "grounding  on  a  firm  foundation."*  The 
 effect  of  such  trials  in  persons  duly  exercised  thereby,  is 
 to  render  more  secure  the  foundations  on  which  their 
 faith  is  built ;  to  induce  them  as  it  were  to  go  deeper 
 until  they  come  to  the  rock,  which  rock  is  Christ.  The  spi- 
 ritual house  to  be  blessed  with  Christ's  Presence,  must,  as 
 the  material  temple  of  old, "  be  built  in  troublous  times;"* 
 otherwise  there  will  be  but  the  fair  structure  whose 
 foundation  is  on  the  sands.  But  God  be  praised,  that 
 He  is  ever  wont  to  give  us  not  only  what  the  world  calls 
 blessings,  and  which  appear  so  in  their  coming  on,  but 
 such  also  as  are  known  to  be  blessings  in  their  going 
 away,  those  sharp  and  severe  trials  which,  in  some  shape 
 or  other,  are  calculated  to  find  out  our  weak  points.  And  if 
 we  be  but  faithful  in  making  the  most  of  them,  they  will, 
 by  God's  blessing,  and  in  His  own  good  time,  "  perfect, 
 stablish,  strengthen,  settle"  us. 
 
 The  sacred  writers  in  the  New  Testament,  at  every  dis- 
 tinct mention  or  thought  of  God,  usually  break  forth  into 
 some  full  and  definite  act  of  thanksgiving,  as  from  a  heart 
 ever  abounding  in  devotion  and  love.  And  we  may  well 
 indeed  pause  and  respond  to  the  same,  taking  up  St. 
 Peter's  words,  and  saying.  To  Him  be  glory  and  dominion 
 for  ever  and  ever.     Amen. 
 
 It  is  remarkable  that  the  parable  of  the  lost  sheep  is 
 *  e€U(\id)<rai.  *  Dan.  ix.  25. 
 
THE   LOS 7    SHEEP.  49 
 
 twice  given  by  our  Blessed  Saviour ;  once  it  occurs  in 
 St.  Matthew's  Gospel,  where  the  object  appears  to  be 
 that  of  impressing  the  duties  of  lowliness  and  forgiveness 
 of  injuries  on  the  disciples  in  their  conduct  with  each 
 other  ;^  and  on  another  occasion  in  the  Gospel  for  to-day, 
 from  St.  Luke,  the  same  parable  occurs  as  addressed  to 
 the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  as  representing  to  them  the 
 compassionate  loving-kindness  of  God  towards  returning 
 sinners.  So  intimately  connected  together  is  this  our 
 consolation  from  the  goodness  of  Christ  with  the  duties 
 of  humility  towards  each  other  ;  the  mystery  of  God  with 
 the  perfection  of  fallen  man. 
 
 Tlien  drew  near  unto  Him  all  the  Puhlicans  and  sinners 
 for  to  hear  Him.  And  the  Pharisees  and  Scribes  mur- 
 mured, saying,  This  Man  receiveth  sinners,  and  eateth  loith 
 them.  Proud,  unregenerate  man,  he  knows  not  God,  and 
 knows  not  himself  to  be  a  sinner  %  yet,  surely  if  he  knew 
 his  own  sinfulness,  he  would  know  that  God  was  merciful ; 
 for  how  else  could  he  live,  unless  God  had  mercy  on  him  % 
 and  if  God  were  merciful  to  him,  why  should  not  the 
 same  God  be  merciful  to  others  also?  N"ay,  Christ's 
 bearing  with  these  Pharisees  and  Scribes  was  a  greater 
 proof  of  His  mercy  and  long-suffering  than  was  His 
 receiving  of  humble  publicans.  "It  is  of  the  Lord's 
 mercies  that  we  are  not  consumed,  because  His  com- 
 passions fail  not."^  "But  Thou  sparest  all,  for  they  are 
 Thine,  0  Lord,  Thou  lover  of  souls."® 
 
 And  He  spake  this  parable  unto  them,  saying.  What 
 man  of  you  having  an  hundred  sheep,  if  he  lose  one  of 
 them,  does  not  leave  the  ninety  and  nine  in  the  wilderness, 
 and  go  after  that  which  is  lost,  until  he  find  it.     As  the 
 
 «  St.  Matt,  xviii.  4.  14. 
 
 7  Lam.  iii.  22. 
 
 8  Wisd.  xi.  26. 
 
 VOL.  II. 
 
 E 
 
50  THE    THIRD    SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 cry  of  her  own  helpless  infant  is  distinguished  by  a  mother 
 amidst  a  hundred  other  sounds,  as  the  plaintive  call  of  a 
 lost  sheep  is  heard  by  the  shepherd  above  the  bleatings  of 
 the  flock,  so  in  the  ears  of  God  is  the  prayer  of  the  dis- 
 tressed penitent.  It  is  as  the  music  most  pleasing  in  the 
 ears  of  Him  Who  came  to  save  sinners,  the  sound  nearest 
 to  His  love ;  the  voice  of  the  cherished  one  which  lies 
 nearest  to  the  heart  of  the  Merciful.  Partaking  of  this 
 character  has,  doubtless,  often  been  the  prayer  of  the 
 greatest  among  the  saints,  the  more  exalted  of  God,  and 
 enriched  by  His  grace,  as  they  humbled  themselves  and 
 bewailed  their  ignorances  of  Him.  Such  was  the  lament 
 of  St.  Peter  when,  as  it  is  said,  at  the  sound  of  the  cock 
 crowing  he  ever  wept;  such  that  of  St.  Paul  when  he 
 ceased  not  to  bewail  himself  as  one  that  had  been  "  a  per- 
 secutor and  injurious  ;"  such  the  voice  of  Mary  Magdalene 
 when  earliest  and  latest  she  watched  at  the  grave  of  Him 
 she  had  lost ;  such  the  feeling  of  the  beloved  disciple  when 
 "he  fell  at"  his  Lord's  "feet  as  dead  ;"  such  the  prayer 
 of  David  when,  in  self-abasement  at  his  fall,  he  searched 
 his  inward  parts  for  the  hidden  wickedness  which  had 
 been  therein  while  he  knew  it  not.  This  penitent  cry,  of 
 all  things  upon  earth,  reaches  the  nearest  to  God's  throne, 
 has  the  readier  access  to  the  ear  of  the  King  of  kings. 
 
 And  lohen  he  hath  found  it,  he  layeth  it  on  his  shoulders^ 
 rejoicing.  He  hath  become  as  a  servant  from  constraining 
 love.  He  Himself  bears  the  burden,  and  carries  it  with 
 joy.  And  ivhen  he  cometh  home,  he  calleth  togetJier  his 
 friends  and  neighbours,  saying  unto  them,  Rejoice  with  me, 
 for  I  have  found  my  sheep  ivhich  was  lost.  Greatness  of 
 joy  contains  not  itself,  but  seeks  for  utterance  and 
 sympathy,  and  overflows. 
 
 I  say  unto  you,  that  likewise  joy  shall  he  in  heaven  over 
 
THE   LOST  SHEEP.  51 
 
 one  sin7ier  that  reiDenteth,  more  than  over  ninety  and  nine 
 just  persons  tuhich  need  no  repentance.  If  the  angels  in 
 Heaven  join  their  prayers  with  those  of  the  Great  Inter- 
 cessor, if  they  watch  over  such  little  ones,  if  they  read 
 love  itself  in  the  countenance  of  their  Lord  in  Heaven, 
 how  must  they  needs  rejoice  at  that  which  is  peculiarly 
 His  joy,  at  the  restoration  of  the  lost  one.  For  if,  "  as 
 His  majesty  is,  so  is  His  mercy,"  they  likewise  that  are 
 nearest  to  Him  upon  the  throne  of  His  majesty  must  he 
 nearest  to  Him  in  mercy  also.  And  they  among  mankind 
 must  be  highest  in  His  favour,  and  nearest  and  dearest  unto 
 Him  who  have  most  love  for  penitent  returning  sinners ; 
 nay,  they  wash  clean  also  their  own  robes  in  such  charity. 
 For  it  is  in  Him  as  their  Saviour,  their  Advocate,  their 
 Comforter,  that  the  joy  of  the  Saints  is  upon  earth,  their 
 life,  their  love;  but  they  "which  need  no  repentance" 
 need  no  Saviour,  no  Advocate,  no  Comforter :  and,  there- 
 fore, of  that  which  is  peculiarly  His,  they  partake  not; 
 they  know  not  His  joy  in  the  recovery  of  the  lost,  nor 
 His  love  for  such. 
 
 But  that  the  power  of  His  love  be  not  lost  or  circum- 
 scribed by  being  confined  to  one  parable  only,  our  Blessed 
 Lord  adds  likewise  another ;  another  in  further  confirma- 
 tion of  the  same,  though  it  be  but  as  it  were  one  parable 
 set  forth  in  two  similitudes,  one  language  of  love,  the 
 same  mercy  expressed :  though,  if  anything,  the  latter 
 adds  to  the  description  of  helplessness  in  that  which  is 
 lost,  where  there  is  no  power  of  seeking  nor  of  return  :  no 
 feeling  even  of  loss,  nor  cry  of  distress.  For  if  a  lost 
 sheep  may  cry  for  help,  yet  the  lost  piece  of  money  has 
 not  even  that  power,  but  is  altogether  the  figure  of  ono 
 inanimate  and  dead,  with  no  chance  of  restoration  from 
 that  state,  any  more  than  Lazarus  when  he  was  in  the 
 E  2 
 
52  THE    THIRD    SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 grave,  unless  it  be  by  its  own  owner  himself  sought  and 
 found. 
 
 Either  what  ivoman  having  ten  ]_neces  of  silver,  if  she  lose 
 one  piece,  doth  not  light  a  candle,  and  sweep  the  house,  and 
 seek  diligently  till  she  find  it  ?  Such  a  parable  furnishes 
 the  pattern  also  for  those  who  would  be  like  their  Divine 
 Master,  and  in  Him  and  for  His  sake  would  seek  for  His 
 lost  ones  in  the  world;  the  lighting  the  candle,  the  seek- 
 ing diligently,  the  sweeping  the  house,  must  be  theirs  also, 
 if  they  would  seek  as  they  themselves  have  been  sought 
 for,  and  would  partake  of  that  love  by  which  they  have 
 themselves  been  saved.  They  will  become  themselves 
 eyes  to  the  blind,  and  feet  to  the  lame,  in  bringing  back 
 those  who  have  lost  the  will,  or  the  power,  or  the  oppor- 
 tunity, of  self-recovery.  I^Tor  is  it  for  a  light  object  that 
 they  are  in  quest ;  the  soul  which  in  sin  is  lost,  hath 
 stamped  upon  it  the  image  of  their  Lord,  and  that  will 
 render  it  inestimably  valuable  in  their  eyes.  And  if  this 
 be  true,  then  surely  they  that  "  are  at  ease  in  Zion,"  they 
 who,  like  Scribes  and  Pharisees  of  old,  stand  aloof,  who, 
 engaged  in  the  business  or  amusements  of  the  world,  are 
 in  no  way  seeking  for  the  lost  ones  of  Christ's  flock ;  they 
 can  know  nothing  of  that  love  which  is  here  described, 
 that  which  peculiarly  belongs  to  the  Creator,  the  Saviour, 
 the  Comforter  of  all ;  nor  can  He  Whose  Name  is  Love 
 have  within  them  His  abode.  In  this  case,  they  that  seek 
 not  cannot  find,  nor  know  the  joy  of  that  love  which  is 
 the  joy  and  love  of  Christ  and  His  angels. 
 
 Both  parables  have  not  only  one  scope,  but  dwell  on 
 the  ear  the  more  impressively  by  a  similar  termination  at 
 the  close.  And  when  she  hath  found  it,  she  calleth  her 
 friends  and  her  neighbours  together,  saying,  Rejoice  with 
 me,  for  I  have  found  the  piece  which  I  had  lost.     Like- 
 
THE   LOST  SHEEP.  53 
 
 ^me,  /  saij  unto  you,  there  is  joy  in  the  jjresence  of  the 
 angels  of  'God  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth.  ISTow  we 
 read  in  the  Gospels  of  many  miracles  of  mercy  which,  our 
 Blessed  Lord  wrought  when  He  "  went  about  doing  good, 
 and  healing  all  those  that  were  oppressed  of  the  devil ;" 
 and  great  must  have  been  the  comfort,  the  relief,  and  joy 
 occasioned  by  them ;  as  oftentimes  when  He  healed  the 
 sick  who  were  at  the  point  of  death,  or  given  over  to  some 
 almost  incurable  malady,  such  as  leprosy ;  or  restored 
 again  limbs  that  were  lost,  gave  sight  to  the  blind,  speech 
 to  the  dumb,  and  the  like ;  or  when  He  forgave  sins,  or 
 raised  the  dead  again  to  life  ;  how  much  gladness  of  heart, 
 I  say,  must  those  His  works  of  mercy  in  every  instance 
 have  occasioned  !  And  yet,  how  very  much  more  this  single 
 sentence  !  What  a  store  of  refreshment  and  comfort  does  it 
 contain  and  convey  year  after  year,  and  day  after  day, 
 to  the  heart  of  some  distressed  penitent!  To  some  one 
 it  may  be  oftentimes  who  has  lived  a  charitable  and 
 holy  life,  yet  at  the  prospect  of  death  and  eternity,  or 
 under  an  increasing  sense  of  the  holiness  of  God,  is  subject 
 to  seasons  of  oppression,  and  the  sad  distresses  of  a  wounded 
 spirit.  ''There  is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels  of  God 
 over  one  sinner  that  repenteth."  How  does  this  sentence 
 occur  to  him  like  "  the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning,"  like  the 
 "wine  that  maketh  glad  the  heart,"  to  revive  his  drooping 
 hope  %  The  holiest  and  best  of  men  have,  I  say,  often  the 
 greatest  need  of  such  consolation  as  this  affords;  nay, 
 whatever  of  holiness  or  goodness  the  Spirit  of  God  may 
 have  wrought  in  them,  the  more  have  they  the  need  of  it ; 
 for  "  the  High  and  Lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity  " 
 dwelleth  most  largely  in  him  who  is  "  poor  and  of  a  con- 
 trite  spirit,   and  trembleth  at  "His  "Word.""     In  this 
 
 9  Isa.  Ivii.  15:  Ixvi.  2. 
 
54  THE    THIRD    SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 sense  of  pardon  arising  in  repentance,  there  is  joy,  humility, 
 and  love ;  for  it  partakes  most  closely  of  union  with  Christ 
 crucified.  And  if  it  be  the  case  of  those  who  have  been 
 by  God's  mercy  kept  comparatively  pure  from  sin,  how 
 much  more  in  those  who,  from  the  strength  of  passion,  or 
 overwhelming  temptation,  or  the  power  of  circumstances, 
 or  force  of  evil  examples,  have  most  deeply  fallen,  and 
 known  the  lower  depths  and  agonies,  and  would  return  to 
 God.  Are  there  not  young  men  on  whom  the  work  of 
 Satan,  from  boyish  years,  has  left  wounds  covered  over 
 but  not  healed,  and  ever  bleeding  afresh  at  the  recol- 
 lection of  school  or  boyish  years  ]  Are  there  not  fallen 
 women,  miserable  outcasts  of  society,  against  whom  the 
 door  of  the  heart  is  closed  ;  falling  and  falling  ever  deeper 
 into  sin  and  woe  ;  yet  among  whom  the  living  spark  still 
 is  seen  in  the  smoking  flax,  by  good  angels  and  the  Lord 
 of  angels,  and  watched  over, — oh !  how  earnestly  and 
 anxiously  by  them, — though  it  be  a  matter  of  indifference 
 to  men  ! 
 
 Here,  then,  beloved  Christians,  is  there  in  these  parables 
 the  very  life  and  living  principle  which  characterizes  the 
 Gospel.  It  is  not  that  they  are  spoken  only  with  refer- 
 ence to  the  repentance  of  what  the  Avorld  esteems  grievous 
 sinners,  but  for  us  all.  ''All  we  like  sheep  have  gone 
 astray."  "  We  have  erred  and  strayed  "  from  God's  ways, 
 as  our  Church  teaches  us  to  confess,  "like  lost  sheep." 
 !N'ay,  at  the  very  fountain-head  of  all  our  life  and  strength, 
 at  the  Holy  Communion  itself,  our  Church  would  clothe 
 us  with  a  like  spirit,  as  coming  heavily  laden,  and  "  be- 
 wailing," and  suffering  under  the  "  grievous  remembrance  " 
 and  "  intolerable  burden  "  of  our  sins. 
 
 These  parables,  then,  teach  us  of  what  sj^irit  we  as 
 Christians  are  bound  to  be.     So   far   as  we  are  of  the 
 
THE   LOST  SHEEP.  55 
 
 number  of  those  righteous  men  that  need  no  repentance, 
 we  are  not  among  those  whom  Christ  comes  to  save  ;  those 
 whom  He  most  loves;  those  over  whom,  together  with 
 Him,  the  Angels  rejoice.  But  so  far  as  we  have  in  us  this 
 temper  of  mind,  fearful  of  offending,  and  clinging  to  Him 
 Who  hath  brought  us  home  to  Himself,  there  is  that 
 within  us  which  pleads  for  mercy,  and  is  in  the  sight  of 
 God  of  great  price. 
 
 And  now  let  us  again  consider  and  take  up  with  the 
 fresh  virtue  and  energy  of  this  application,  the  instructive 
 advice  which  the  inspired  Apostle  has  given  us  in  the 
 Epistle  for  this  Sunday,  that  we  be  practising  all  humility 
 among  ourselves  and  before  God,  "casting  all  our  care 
 upon  Him,  for  He  careth  for  us;"  ever  on  our  guard 
 against  the  surprises  of  the  great  enemy  of  souls,  "  stedfast 
 in  the  faith"  amidst  the  "afflictions"  that  are  to  be  "ac- 
 complished in  us ;"  thus  looking  forward  through  the  vale 
 of  tears  to  the  glory  which  is  beyond,  as  supported  by  the 
 rod  and  staff  of  the  good  Shepherd.  But  now  all  these 
 duties  of  self-humiliation,  watchfulness,  trust  in  God,  and 
 submission  to  His  will  in  the  trials  He  is  pleased  to  lay 
 upon  us,  these  would  be  impossible,  were  not  God  such  as 
 He  is  revealed  to  us  in  the  Gospels  in  relation  to  ourselves. 
 For  a  sense  of  sin  raises  such  a  barrier  between  us  and  the 
 most  Holy  God,  that  such  loving  confidence  in  Him  would 
 seem  to  be  more  and  more  far  from  us  as  we  become 
 more  sensible  of  our  own  sinfulness,  and  of  His 
 holiness.  And  the  exercises  of  repentance  would  render 
 this  distance  only  the  more  known  and  felt ;  and  the  best 
 of  men  would  become  the  more  miserable  on  account  of 
 his  becoming  more  sensible  how  far  he  has  fallen  from  the 
 holiness  of  God.  Nor  would  the  doctrine  of  the  Atone- 
 ment, by  itself  only,  and  standing  alone,  be  sufficient  to 
 
56  THE    THIRD   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 remove  tliis  effect,  mucli  as  it  might  do  towards  it  by  the 
 assurance  it  brings  of  God's  infinite  mercy. 
 
 It  is  the  loving  and  pitying  character  of  our  Blessed 
 Saviour  Himself,  by  which  He  condescends  to  the  most 
 abject  of  sinners,  and  represents  Himself  in  most  wonder- 
 ful compassion,  as  loving,  beyond  all  the  rest,  him  who  has 
 most  need  of  His  love.  It  is  this  that  knits  us  to  Him 
 more  and  more,  and  will  continue  to  do  so,  the  more  we 
 humble  and  debase  ourselves,  and  become  more  deeply 
 conscious  of  our  true  condition.  Pity  and  love  will  bring 
 down  the  highest  and  greatest  of  all,  and  put  him  on  an 
 equality  with  the  meanest  and  lowest.  And  thus  the  great 
 doctrines  of  Eevelation,  and  the  history  of  our  Lord's 
 humiliations,  from  the  throne  of  His  glory  to  the  Cross,  do 
 not  stand  alone ;  but  even  now,  in  the  soul  of  man, 
 wherever  there  is  a  poor  and  distressed  penitent,  He  is 
 acting  over  again  the  same  part ;  and  this  is  to  each  one 
 of  us  perhaps  the  most  endearing,  the  most  affecting  of  all, 
 when  we  know  and  feel,  each  one  of  us,  that  He  is  to  us 
 as  we  read  of  Him  of  old ;  nay,  the  doctrines  of  the  faith 
 which  we  receive,  and  the  narrative  of  our  Lord's  life  and 
 death  of  which  we  read,  become  in  this  way  full  of  living 
 efficacy,  because  our  own  experience  falls  in  with  the  same, 
 and  gives  us  a  heart  to  understand.  When  among  the 
 many  thousands  that  are  hurrying  and  hurried  on  together 
 to  the  Great  Day  of  Decision,  each  in  his  own  bitterness 
 of  heart  and  sad  remorse  comes  to  know,  it  is  I,  it  is  I, 
 whom  He  hath  come  to  seek,  it  is  I  who  am  the  lost  sheep  ; 
 it  is  not  I  that  have  sought  Him,  but  it  is  He  all  the  while 
 that  hath  been  seeking  for  me ;  I  am  the  lost  one  that  He 
 hath  found. 
 
 And  oh !  if  this  be  so,  what  humiliation  of  ourselves 
 before  Him,  what  humiliation  of  ourselves  to  each  other 
 
THE   LOST  SHEEP.  57 
 
 for  His  sake,  can  be  too  great,  as  St.  Peter  on  this  day  calls 
 on  us  to  practise.  Loving  humiliation,  this  is  the  highest 
 crown  to  which  such  as  we  can  attain.  And  what  sobriety 
 and  watchfulness  also  for  the  future  does  it  call  for,  while, 
 in  the  words  of  the  same  Epistle,  the  roaring  lion  walketh 
 about  seeking  for  that  stray  sheep  again  which  hath  heen 
 once  rescued  from  his  devouring  jaws  % 
 
SERMON   LI. 
 Clje  dTouitfj  ^uuUa^  after  Ciinit». 
 
 Rom.  viii.  i8 — 23.     St.  Luke  vi.  36 — 42. 
 MERCY  THE  BEST  PREPARATION  FOR  JUDGMENT. 
 
 What  Planner  of  persons  ought  ye  to  be  in  all  holy  conversation  and 
 
 godliiiess, 
 Looking  for  and  hasting  unto  the  coming  of  the  day  ofGoT). — 2  St. 
 
 Pet.  iii.  11,  12. 
 
 THE  Epistle  for  this  Sunday,  [in  character  with  the 
 Collect,  consists  of  a  passage  exceedingly  sublime  and 
 eloquent,  wherein  St.  Paul,  after  his  manner,  compares  the 
 present  state  of  suffering  with  the  glory  which  is  to  be 
 hereafter;  the  purport  of  which,  in  short,  is  this  :  what  if 
 as  Christians  we  are  called  upon  to  suffer  with  Christ,  we 
 do  but  partake  of  the  common  lot  of  mankind,  for  "  man 
 is  born  unto  trouble  as  the  sparks  fly  upward ;"  all  nature 
 itself  has  likewise  to  labour  under  this  heavy  burden  of 
 sorrow.  I  deem  it  a  matter  of  very  little  consequence ;  it 
 is  but  for  a  moment ;  it  will  soon  be  all  explained  ;  all 
 -will  have  gone  by ;  all  will  be  utterly  lost  and  swallowed 
 up  in  the  greatness  of  those  eternal  realities  which  are 
 about  to  appear. 
 
 Ireclwn,  he  says,  that  the  sufferings  of  this  ]present  time 
 
MERCY  THE  BEST  PREPARATION  FOR  JUDGMENT.    59 
 
 are  not  loortliy  to  he  compared  ■with  the  glory  wTdch  shall 
 he  revealed  in  us.  "  Light  and  but  for  a  moment,"  they 
 are  not  to  be  set  in  the  balance  with  the  "  eternal  weight 
 of  glory," — a  glory  which  is  even  now  hidden  with  God 
 and  existing,  and  only  waits  to  be  "  revealed." 
 
 For  the  earnest  exjjectation  of  the  creature  waiteth  for 
 the  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God.  The  inspired  Apostle 
 sees  the  whole  of  the  creation,  like  one  living  being,  in 
 intense  desire  and  earnest  expectation,  stretching  forth  the 
 head  and  straining  the  eyes  in  awful  waiting  for  something 
 that  is  to  appear.  He  beholds  all  things  that  are  around 
 us  in  one  vast  image  or  personification,  and  in  one  bold 
 figure  or  expression  he  sums  up  all  the  appearances  of  this 
 visible  universe ;  day  and  night,  seasons  and  years,  trees 
 and  animals,  skies  and  seas,  clouds  and  rivers,  and  all  the 
 generations  of  men,  the  whole  of  created  beings  around 
 us,  and  the  human  soul, — on  all  these  alike  there  hangs 
 one  awful  suspense,  looking  for  the  manifestation  of  God's 
 children.  For  the  creature  was  made  sid>ject  to  vanity^ 
 not  iDillingly,  hut  hy  reason  of  Him  Who  hath  subjected 
 the  same  in  hope.  For  this  mysterious  subjection  to  vanity 
 under  which  the  creation  labours  is  evidently  one  of  con- 
 straint, from  not  having  its  own  object  in  which  it  can 
 rest ;  not  fulfilling  its  appropriate  end ;  not  finding  its  true 
 and  final  good.  But  God  has  been  pleased  to  subject  it 
 to  the  same  for  wise  reasons  in  hope  of  release,  and  stamped 
 upon  it  the  expectation  of  that  deliverance  which  it  shall 
 share.  Because  the  creature  itself  also  shall  he  delivered 
 from  the  hondage  of  corruption,  into  the  glorious  liherty  of 
 the  children  of  God.  For  vanity  and  death,  which  hath 
 passed  upon  all  the  visible  creation,  "  the  covering  "  and 
 "the  vail  that  is  spread  over  all  nations"^  on  account  of 
 ^  Isa.  XXV.  7. 
 
60  THE   FOURTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 the  fall,  shall  he  done  away,  this  temporal  scene  "  as  a 
 vesture  shall  he  changed  ; "  and  "  a  new  Heaven  and  a  new 
 earth"  shall  share  in  that  freedom  from  sin  and  death. 
 
 St.  Angus  tin,  indeed,  says,  "  The  creature,  suhject  to 
 vanity,  spiritual,  animal,  and  corporal,  is  in  man ;  nay, 
 is  man  himself.  WilHngly  he  sinned,  and  hecame  an  enemy 
 to  truth ;  and  deservedly,  for  his  punishment  hath  heen 
 made  '  not  willingly  suhject  to  vanity.' "  ^  But  in  sympathy 
 with  man,  the  Apostle  seems  here  to  hehold  all  nature 
 around  him  in  one  view. 
 
 For  we  know  :  our  own  daily  experience  anil  knowledge 
 of  the  world  will  tell  us ;  for  look  ahroad,  and  where  is 
 there  not  pain  and  death,  with  all  their  accompaniments, 
 in  eartli,  air,  aiid  water?  For  we  know  tliat  the  wliole 
 creation  groanetli  and  travaileth  in  i^oin  together  ;  is  as  in 
 travail  or  hirth-pangs,  as  a  woman  doomed  to  hring  forth 
 in  sorrow ;  but  in  the  original  there  is  a  peculiar  force  in 
 this  word  together — one  lot  of  sorrow  and  of  pain ;  this 
 one  common  bond  of  sympathy  holds  all  creation  and  all 
 mankind  ;  the  expression  is,  they  "  groan  together,  and 
 together  are  in  pain."  And  great  as  are  the  things  that 
 are  spoken  of  the  state  of  the  regenerate,  yet  while  they 
 bear  about  with  them  this  body,  they  are  not  free  from  this 
 common  lot  of  humanity ;  nor  can  the  peace  passing  all 
 understanding  which  Christ  bestows,  nor  the  liberty  of  the 
 Spirit  and  glad  privileges  of  the  adoption,  afford  them 
 immunity  from  these  pains  of  body  and  mind,  which  are 
 but  the  yearnings  6f  our  fallen  nature  and  longings  for 
 release.  And  not  only  they  ;  nor  is  this  all ;  hut  ourselves 
 also,  which  have  the  first-fruits  of  the  Spirit,  even  loe  groan 
 within  ourselves,  i.caiting  for  the  adoption,  to  wit,  the  re- 
 
 "  Enar.  in  Ps.  cxviii.  Sevm.  xii. 
 
MERCY  THE  BEST  PREPARATION  FOR  yUDGMENT.    61 
 
 demption  of  our  body.  In  other  words,  waiting  for  the 
 sonship ;  but  you  will  say,  Are  we  not  sons  already,  having 
 "  received  the  adoption  1 "  Yes,  doubtless,  in  some  sense 
 we  are,  but  not  altogether,  for  from  this  state  of  sonship 
 we  may  fall  away ;  and  where  there  is  no  security  or  full 
 assurance  of  safety,  there  can  be  no  full  immunity  from 
 fear  and  pain ;  but  that  perfect  sonship,  that  last  regenera- 
 tion for  which  we  wait,  is  when  the  body  also  shall  be 
 rescued  "in full  redemption"  from  this  its  state  of  corrup- 
 tion and  death.  "  We  look  for  the  Saviour,  Who  shall 
 change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like  unto 
 ilis  glorious  Body."^  For  "now  are  we,"  says  St.  John, 
 "  the  sons  of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall 
 be ;  but  we  know  that  when  He  shall  appear,  we  shall  be 
 like  Him."  This  is  that  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God, 
 for  which  all  creation  waits.  "  But  our  lot  at  present  is," 
 as  St.  Chrysostom  says,  "  that  of  uncertainty  to  our  last 
 breath."'' 
 
 Now  this  subject  of  the  Epistle  and  Collect  is  a  very 
 impressive  one ;  there  is  none  that  comes  home  more 
 strongly  to  the  hearts  of  us  all ;  it  is  so  bound  up  and 
 interwoven  with  all  our  natural  feelings  and  affections ; 
 and  however  men  may  labour  to  forget  it  for  a  while  in  the 
 absorbing  pursuits  and  engagements  of  life,  yet  they  know 
 that  there  is  a  great  body  of  truth  lying  under  all  this  busy 
 scene;  the  shortness  of  this  our  mortal  condition,  the 
 vanity  which  is  over  its  glories  and  its  pleasures,  and  the 
 ceaseless  anxiety  and  sorrow  which  is  mixed  up  with  this 
 state  of  being.  But  more  than  all  is  the  deep  abiding 
 sense  which  we  cannot  but  have  of  its  transitory  nature. 
 Men  are  wont  to  speak  of  it,  to  acknowledge  it  with  a  sigh, 
 
 •'*  Phil.  iii.  21.  ■*  Horn.  xiv.     In  Rom.  ad  loc. 
 
62  THE   FOURTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 and  make  wise  reflections  concerning  it;  and  they  that 
 speak  of  it  are,  as  it  were,  already  gone  by  as  soon  as  such 
 reflections  are  out  of  their  mouths ;  while  they  are  yet 
 speaking  their  book  of  life  is  closed,  and  they  too  them- 
 selves are  gone  by  together  with  those  of  whom  they  spoke. 
 There  is  perhaps  no  one  who  does  not  more  or  less  feel  this. 
 Moreover,  on  some  occasions,  as  on  the  death  of  friends 
 or  neighbours,  or  in  sickness,  or  solitude,  weak  spirits,  or 
 disappointment,  or  some  earnest  and  moving  account  of  it, 
 as  this  of  St.  Paul  to-day,  the  consideration  of  these  things 
 will  in  a  very  powerful  manner  impress  them.  And  this 
 is  not  only  very  good  and  right,  but  indeed  in  every  respect 
 so  desirable,  that  we  ought  to  do  the  most  to  improve  such 
 occasions,  to  deepen  and  strengthen  such  feelings ;  and  so 
 far  from  any  attempt  to  escape  from  them,  it  were  well 
 that  we  should  labour  habitually  and  constantly  to  recall 
 and  stir  them  up, — I  mean  the  touching,  moving  sense  of 
 our  frail  and  short  life  ;  for  it  is  always  well  to  face  the 
 truth,  never  to  put  it  aside  or  shrink  from  it.  But  there 
 is  always  on  these  occasions  a  danger  lest  we  should  be  too 
 soon  satisfied  with  such  feelings,  of  their  not  producing  any 
 permanent  effect  on  our  life  and  conduct,  that  they  should 
 come  and  go  like  beautiful  and  bright  gleams  from  Heaven 
 on  a  barren  rock,  producing  in  us  no  real  change ;  for,  in 
 fact,  these  reflections  are  expressed  by  none  in  a  manner 
 more  afi'ecting  and  sublime  than  they  have  been  by  men 
 leading  bad  lives,  without  any  endeavours  at  improvement. 
 We  should  therefore  be  very  careful  not  to  let  such  emotions 
 pass  away  without  profit ;  we  should,  indeed,  cherish,  recall, 
 and  keep  them,  but  only  in  order  to  render  the  heart  and 
 conduct  better. 
 
 It  is  on  such  occasions  that  practical  exhortations  and 
 rules  of  life  become  to  us  more  than  ever  seasonable  and 
 
MERCY  THE  BEST  PREPARA  TION  FOR  JUDGMENT.     63 
 
 valuable,  to  settle  and  fix  such  thoughts ;  when  with  more 
 earnestness  than  usual  the  soul  seems  to  ask,  "  What  shall 
 I  do  to  be  saved?"  and  there  is  one  at  hand  ready  to  answer, 
 "This  do  and  thou  shalt  live." 
 
 "With  a  mind  therefore  thus  softened,  and  prepared,  and 
 laid  open  to  receive  the  good  seed,  let  us  come  to  the 
 Gospel  for  this  Sunday,  and  with  solemn  thoughts  of 
 eternity  and  the  Day  of  Judgment  on  our  hearts,  attend  to 
 our  Blessed  Lord's  own  precepts  of  duty. 
 
 Be  ye  therefore  merciful^  as  your  Father  also  is  riierciful. 
 Since  the  whole  creation  "  groaneth  and  travaileth  in  pain 
 together,"  what  can  be  more  suitable  for  us  than  mercy  to 
 each  other  ?  Moreover,  on  this  account,  from  the  state  of 
 suffering  which  surrounds  us,  God  Himself  is  mostly 
 known  to  us  for  His  mercy.  He  "  showeth  His  Almighty 
 power  most  chiefly  in  showing  mercy  and  pity."  And  not 
 only  this ;  but  in  this  respect  He  has  called  upon  us  to 
 imitate  Himself  Were  we  in  a  state  of  innocence,  as  we 
 were  originally  created,  we  might  have  been  called  upon 
 to  imitate  Him  in  His  holiness  and  purity.  His  justice,  or 
 some  other  attribute;  but  as  fallen  creatures  needing  mercy, 
 it  is  mercy  to  others  that  He  most  requires  of  us.  The 
 very  term  compassion  implies  this,  that  of  "  suffering  to- 
 gether "  with  others.  And  how  often  is  it  spoken  of  our 
 Lord  Himself,  that  "  He  had  compassion,"  His  being  "full 
 of  compassion,"  "He  had  compassion  on  His  people," 
 "  His  compassions  fail  not."  And  "  bowels  of  compassion  " 
 are  the  words  that  express  this  merciful  temper  which  He 
 requires  of  us.  It  is  this  which  He  puts  forth  especially 
 with  reference  to  the  Great  Day.  It  is  then  that  "  the 
 merciful  shall  obtain  mercy."  In  this  then  we  may  see 
 one  great  need  and  benefit  of  the  manifold  sufferings  of 
 this  present  time  with  which  we  are  surrounded,  that  they 
 
64  THE  FOURTH  SUKDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 are  calculated  especially  to  call  forth  and  exercise  our  sym- 
 pathies  and  fellow-feeling  with  the  distresses  of  each,  other, 
 and  so  serve  as  the  best  preparation  we  can  have  to  fit  us 
 to  meet  the  terrors  of  the  awful  Day.  If  it  be  asked, 
 "  what  manner  of  persons  ought  we  to  be,  looking  for  and 
 hasting  unto  the  coming  of  the  Day  of  God  % "  there  could 
 be  no  more  appropriate  answer  given  than  this,  "  Be  ye 
 merciful,  as  your  Father  also  is  merciful." 
 
 In  furtherance  of  the  same,  it  is  added  :  Judge  not, 
 and  ye  shall  not  he  judged  :  condemn  not,  and  ye  shall  not 
 he  condemned :  forgive,  and  ye  shall  he  forgiven.  Now  if 
 w^e  are  impressed  with  the  speedy  coming  on  of  the  Day 
 of  Judgment,  not  knowing  what  then  will  be  our  portion, 
 and  the  shortness  of  the  intervening  time,  how  exceedingly 
 gracious  is  this  declaration,  whereby  God  is  pleased  to  put 
 into  our  own  hands  as  it  were  the  sentence  which  is  to  be 
 passed  upon  us.  And  indeed  there  is  a  peculiar  fitness 
 it  should  be  so,  for  the  more  earnestly  we  seek,  by  re- 
 pentance and  prayer,  to  avert  God's  judgment  from  our- 
 selves on  account  of  our  past  sins,  the  more  we  tremble 
 and  pray  lest  we  be  condemned,  the  more  we  seek  of  God 
 forgiveness  for  the  past,  by  so  much  the  more  do  we 
 become  disposed  not  to  condemn,  not  to  judge,  but  to 
 forgive  others.  And  this  of  which  I  speak  is  but  the 
 Spirit  of  God  within  us,  answering  our  sighs  and  prayers, 
 and  our  desires  to  avert  judgment  with  this  very  same 
 declaration  which  our  Lord  Himself  makes  :  "  Judge  not, 
 and  ye  shall  not  be  judged."  It  is  the  good  Spirit  putting 
 it  into  our  better  thoughts  on  such  occasions,  and  whisper- 
 ing to  us  with  His  own  still  small  voice,  after  the  tempest 
 of  some  worldly  calamity,  or  the  earthquake  which  hath 
 shaken  our  earthly  sense  of  stability,  or  the  fire  of  God 
 which  hath  entered  the  bones  :  it  is  His  gracious  voice 
 
MER  C  Y  THE  BES  T  PR  EPA  RA  TION  FOR  J  UDGMENT.      6  5 
 
 at  length  being  heard,  and  saying,  "  Art  thou  afraid  V' 
 Well,  "  judge  not,  and  thou  shalt  not  be  judged :  con- 
 demn not,  and  thou  shalt  not  be  condemned :  forgive, 
 and  thou  shalt  be  forgiven."  He  inclines  the  heart,  I 
 mean,  on  such  occasions,  to  these  duties,  and  then  all- 
 important  is  it  that  we  act  up  to  these  His  suggestions. 
 
 Then  follows  a  duty  akin  to  the  former,  and  like  a 
 fuller  drawing  out  of  the  same  into  definite  acts  of  the  like 
 mercy,  under  the  apprehension  of  approaching  judgment : 
 as  Daniel  the  prophet  says  to  !N'ebuchadnezzar,  when  he 
 saw  the  time  of  retribution  just  approaching,  "  wherefore 
 break  off  thy  sins  by  righteousness,  and  thine  iniquities 
 by  showing  mercy  to  the  poor,  if  it  may  be  a  lengthening 
 of  thy  tranquillity"^ — Give,  and  it  shall  he  given  unto 
 you;  good  measure,  pressed  doion,  and  shaken  together y 
 and  running  over,  shall  men  give  into  your  hosom.  For 
 with  the  same  measure  ye  mete  idthal,  it  shall  he  measured 
 to  you  again.  Here  are  two  things  ;  first  giving  away  or 
 bestowing  of  alms ;  and  secondly  in  our  dealings  with 
 men  in  all  matters  of  business  being  liberal  and  bountiful 
 throughout  in  all  the  circumstances  of  it ;  "  good  measure;" 
 and  again,  "  pressed  down  and  shaken  together;"  and  yet 
 further,  "running  over."  JSTow  God  does  not  expect  us 
 to  give,  without  expecting  anything  again  in  return,  for 
 this  is  peculiar  to  His  own  goodness;  He  alone  thus 
 gives,  expecting  nothing  again,  for  He  can  receive  no  re- 
 compense from  us ;  but  what  God  requires  from  us  is 
 next  to  this,  it  is  to  look  for  no  return  or  reward  from 
 man,  but  from  Himself  only.  For  He  promises  to  treasure 
 up,  and  remember,  and  to  repay  us  for  all  that  we  thus  do, 
 looking  to   Him   only   for   recompense,  when  He   shall 
 
 5  Daji.  iv.  27. 
 VOL.  TT.  F 
 
66  THE   FOURTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY 
 
 measure  out  to  us  His  own  free  gift  of  eternal  life. 
 "  They  cannot  recompense  thee,"  He  says,  of  mercy  to 
 the  poor,  but  "  thou  shalt  be  recompensed  at  the  resur- 
 rection of  the  just."  And  of  the  slightest  act  of  this  kind, 
 "Verily,  he  shall  in  no  wise  lose  his  reward."  Nay,  He 
 will  measure  out  to  us  even  the  same  already,  by  bestow- 
 ing upon  us,  in  spiritual  gifts  and  holy  thoughts,  all  that 
 we  do  for  His  poor.  Thus  in  a  high,  indeed,  and  spiritual 
 manner,  "  The  liberal  soul  shall  be  made  fat ;  and  he 
 that  watereth  shall  be  watered  also  himself"  ® 
 
 But  now  there  is  advice  quite  the  contrary  to  all  this, 
 suggested  to  us  by  what  is  called  worldly  wisdom ;  and 
 it  has  indeed  a  thousand  tongues,  and  speaks  much 
 louder  than  the  Spirit  of  God  and  the  meek  Saviour  of 
 the  world  j  and,  alas,  our  own  evil  hearts  are  on  all  occasions 
 much  more  ready  to  listen  to  it.  Such  are  those  nume- 
 rous appeals  to  look  to  our  own  self-interest,  to  provide 
 for  our  families  and  our  own  future  wants,  and  it  may  be 
 to  other  and  greater  opportunities  of  doing  good,  the  ex- 
 cuses that  often  minister  to  selfishness  and  a  hard  heart. 
 Here  is  assuredly  another  guide,  another  master  that  pre- 
 sents himself  to  us,  and  invites  our  adhesion,  with  advice 
 altogether  different  and  contrary,  l^ay,  sometimes  even 
 in  the  Church  itself,  and  from  worldly-minded  pastors 
 themselves,  we  shall  receive  no  better  guidance  than  this ; 
 such  as  savours  rather  of  earthly  than  of  heavenly  wisdom. 
 To  all  such,  therefore,  we  may  apply  our  Lord's  next 
 words  : — 
 
 And  He  spake  a  parable  unto  them,  He  left  with  them  a 
 dark  saying  or  similitude,  suggesting  to  them  rather  than 
 openly  declaring  this  deceivableness  and  danger  of  such 
 
 «  Prov.  xi.  25. 
 
MERCY  THE  BEST  PREPARATION  FOR  JUDGMENT.      67 
 
 misguidance  which  surrounded  them.  Can  the  'blind  lead 
 the  hlind  ?  shall  they  not  both  fall  into  the  ditch  ?  Shall 
 the  darkness  of  this  world  become  the  guide  to  the  chil- 
 dren of  light  ?  look  before  you  to  that  "  ditch,"  which  lies 
 so  near,  tliat  gulf,  that  corruption,  to  which  it  hastens, 
 and  in  which  with  all  its  followers  it  will  soon  be  in- 
 volved. It  will  indeed  pretend  to  teach  you  of  an  easier, 
 a  more  convenient  path,  whereby  you  may  combine  the 
 good  of  this  world  with  that  of  the  next.  But  what  !  if 
 this  were  the  case,  would  not  your  Blessed  Saviour  have 
 told  you  %  would  He  have  chosen  the  harder  and  more 
 difficult  path,  and  bidden  us  follow  Him  in  that,  if  another 
 M^ere  equally  safe  to  us,  or  in  any  way  more  desirable  1  If 
 this  were  the  case,  would  He  have  confined  us  to  that,  the 
 path  of  lowliness  and  self-denial,  as  the  one  and  only  path 
 to  salvation. 
 
 The  disciiile  is  not  above  his  master;  but  every  one 
 that  is  perfect  shall  be  as  his  master.  Far  above  all  par- 
 ticular commands  or  precepts  is  contained  in  this,  "  Shall 
 be  as  his  Master."  What  encouragement,  what  faith, 
 hope,  and  love  above  all  things  centre  in  this  !  0  that 
 we  might  indeed  consider  it,  and  we  should  all  of  us  be 
 far  other  than  what  we  are  !  "  Shall  be  as  his  Master;" 
 to  be  like,  to  be  drawn  near  to,  by  very  likeness  and  love; 
 to  approach  Him,  to  have  burned  out  of  us  by  affliction 
 this  love  of  self;  to  have  laid  aside  resemblances  and  ad- 
 hesions to  the  world ;  as  we  get  nearer  unto  death  to 
 become  more  united  unto  life.  This  is  to  be  as  He  is. 
 "  Every  one  that  is  perfect,'^  says  our  Blessed  Lord, 
 "shaU.  be  as  his  Master."  In  like  manner,  St.  John, 
 "  Herein  is  our  love  made  perfect,  that  we  may  have 
 boldness  in  the  Day  of  Judgment ;  because,  as  He  is,  so 
 are  we  in  this  world."  Here  again  is  the  answer,  if  it  be 
 F  2 
 
68  THE   FOURTH   SUNDAY  AFTER     TRINITY. 
 
 asked,  "  what  manner  of  persons  ought  we  to  be,  looking 
 for  and  hasting  unto  the  coming  of  the  Day  of  God  % "  to 
 be  in  this  world  as  He  Himself  was. 
 
 In  the  meanwhile,  what  do  we?  each  reforming  his 
 neighbour,  and  no  one  himself;  seeing  the  exceeding 
 beauty  and  Avisdom  of  these  precepts,  and  therefore  ap- 
 plying them  to  the  characters  and  conduct  of  others, 
 rather  than  conforming  our  own  to  the  same.  There  is  a 
 twofold  blessing,  or  a  double  promise  of  blessing ;  one  is 
 that  of  our  Lord,  "Judge  not,  and  ye  shall  not  be 
 judged  ;"  the  other  spoken  by  His  Apostle,  "  if  we  would 
 judge  ourselves,  we  should  not  be  judged."  Whereas 
 our  tendency  is  to  lose  both  of  these,  by  judging  others, 
 and  not  ourselves. 
 
 And  wlmj  helioldest  thou  the  mote  that  is  in  thy  hrother^s 
 eye,  hut  jperceivest  not  the  beam  that  is  in  thine  oicn  eye  ? 
 Thou  art  too  quick  in  beholding  the  slightest  blemish  and 
 infirmity  in  another ;  the  light  falls,  and  thou  seest  the 
 motes  as  in  the  sunbeam  in  a  dark  room ;  but  there  lies 
 all  the  while  in  thine  own  heart  such  sin  as  brings  over 
 thy  soul  a  cloud  of  darkness,  which  thou  art  able  to 
 endure  without  notice  or  concern.  !Nay  more,  not  only 
 in  harsh  judging  of  others  is  this  seen,  but  in  thy  desire  to 
 reform  them  without  beginning  first  with  thine  own  heart, 
 which  hath  such  need  of  reformation. 
 
 Either  hoio  canst  thou  say  to  thy  brother,  Brother,  let 
 me  pull  out  the  mote  that  is  in  thine  eye,  when  thou  thyself 
 helioldest  not  the  heam  that  is  in  thine  oion  eye  ?  Thou 
 hypocrite,  cast  out  first  the  heam  out  of  thine  own  eye,  and 
 then  shalt  thou  see  clearly  to  pidl  out  the  mote  that  is  in 
 thy  brother's  eye.  How  shall  any  one  of  us  improve  or 
 convert  to  God  his  friends,  or  his  children,  or  his  house- 
 hold, or  his  parish,  or  his  school,  or  the  world  at  large  ? 
 
MERCY  THE  BEST  PREPARATION  FOR   JUDGMENT.    69 
 
 He  can  do  tliem  no  good  unless  lie  first  begins  with  bis 
 own  heart.  Alas,  it  is  but  self-deceiving  hypocrisy  to 
 attempt  to  do  otherwise  !  And  yet  one  half  of  the  world 
 are  taken  up  with  schemes  for  reforming  the  other,  as  if 
 the  judgment  would  be  passed  on  others,  not  on  oneself. 
 
 But  to  return : — self-condemnation  and  a  severe  judg- 
 ment of  ourselves  do  in  a  wonderful  manner  dispose  us  to 
 be  merciful  and  lenient  to  others.  We  are  perhaps  thus 
 led  in  our  affliction  and  self-reproach  to  drink  of  Christ's 
 cup  of  mercy,  every  drop  of  which,  being  that  of  Divine 
 love,  fills  us  with  something  of  the  same.  Hence  it  is 
 that  men  find  it  so  much  easier  to  be  merciful,  to  forgive 
 injuries  and  the  like  on  their  death-beds,  and  with  a 
 near  prospect  of  eternity,  than  they  had  done  before; 
 because  at  that  time  they  judge  themselves  more  earnestly, 
 and  feel  so  much  more  sensible  of  their  own  need  of 
 forgiveness. 
 
 And  now,  to  draw  all  these  reflections  to  one  point,  if 
 works  of  mercy  are  the  best  preparation  we  can  make  for 
 the  Day  of  Judgment,  as  of  all  evils  sin  is  the  worst, 
 what  work  of  mercy  can  be  greater  than  to  amend  and 
 sanctify  ourselves,  in  order  that  we  may  amend  and  sanc- 
 tify others?^  Thus  may  we  strengthen  the  hope  that 
 they,  together  with  ourselves,  may  be  "delivered  from 
 the  bondage  of  corruption  into  the  glorious  liberty  of  the 
 children  of  God." 
 
 7  St.  John  xrii.  19. 
 
SERMON    LII. 
 €'i)t  dFiftij  ^untfaw  after  Cvinit»» 
 
 I  St.  Pet.  iii.  8—15.     St.  Luke  v.  i— 11. 
 
 THE   PEACEABLE   ORDERING   OF    THE    WORLD. 
 
 That  ive  may  lead  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life  in  all  godliness  and 
 honesty. — I  Tim.  ii.  2. 
 
 THE  Epistle  for  this  Sunday  has  not  always  been 
 found  with  this  same  Collect  and  Gospel,  and  there- 
 fore perhaps  we  are  not  to  look  to  it  as  carrying  out  the 
 same  lesson  w^hich  they  may  be  intended  to  convey ;  and 
 yet  it  will  be  found  to  describe  very  fully  in  our  daily 
 conduct  that  "joyful  serving"  of  Christ  "in  all  godly 
 quietness"  of  which  the  Collect  speaks,  and  which  the 
 Gospel  may  be  considered  to  represent.  St.  Peter  is 
 therein  inculcating  on  Christians  how  they  are  to  commit 
 the  keeping  of  their  souls  to  Christ  in  well-doing  amidst 
 the  fiery  trial  of  troubles  and  persecutions  from  without. 
 There  is  no  passage  which  enforces  more  strongly  what 
 ought  to  be  the  feeling  of  Christians  amidst  the  fever  and 
 disturbance  of  this  world's  politics,  as  being  throughout 
 strangers  upon  earth  and  citizens  of  a  better  country. 
 Be  ye  all  of  one  mind ;  not  like  men  of  this  world, 
 
THE   PEACEABLE   ORDERING   OF    THE    WORLD.        71 
 
 with  many  clashing  interests  that  divide  them,  but  all  of 
 one  mind,  "  the  mind  which  was  in  Christ  Jesus  "  being 
 in  you  all  alike ;  having  compassion  one  of  another,  or 
 rather,  full  of  sympathies  or  fellow-feeling  one  with 
 another,  having  like  affections,  so  that  if  one  member 
 suffer,  all  the  members  suffer  together  with  it.  As  St. 
 Paul  says,  "Eejoice  with  them  that  do  rejoice,  and  weep 
 with  them  that  weep."  Love  as  hretliren ;  be  as  those 
 united  in  the  one  great  bond  of  Christian  brotherhood ; 
 he  pitiful,  having  tender  feelings  of  mercy,  soon  moved  to 
 pity ;  be  courteous,  of  a  disposition  friendly  and  kind,  in 
 honour  preferring  one  another  with  meekness.  Not  ren- 
 dering evil  for  evil,  or  railing  for  railing  ;  hut  contrariwise 
 blessing  ;  knowing  that  ye  are  thereunto  called ;  that  your 
 very  calling  as  Christians  is  thus  to  suffer  evil  in  order 
 that  ye  may  requite  it  with  good,  after  the  example  of 
 Christ;  and  so  that  ye  should  inherit  a  blessing.  So 
 shall  ye  come  even  to  that  blessing  of  all  blessings  when 
 Christ  shall  say  at  last,  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  My  Father, 
 inherit  the  Kingdom  prepared  for  you ;"  and  in  anticipa- 
 tion of  which  He  Himself  has  said,  "  Blessed  are  ye  when 
 men  shall  revile  you  and  persecute  you  .  .  .  rejoice  and 
 be  exceeding  glad,  for  great  is  your  reward  in  Heaven;" 
 i.e.  "blessed  are  ye,"  and  "great  shall  be  your  reward," 
 when  ye  can  thus  requite  such  ill-treatment  with  blessing. 
 This  is  "joyfully  serving  in  all  godly  quietness"  under 
 persecutions  from  without.  It  is  to  this  ye  are  called, — 
 this  great  inheritance  of  blessing.  "  For  even  hereunto 
 were  ye  called,"  said  St.  Peter  before,  "  because  Christ 
 also  suffered  for  us,  leaving  us  an  example,  that  ye  should 
 follow  His  steps  .  .  .  Who  when  He  was  reviled,  reviled 
 not  again." 
 
 To  this  St.  Peter  adds  a  passage  from  the  thirty-fourth 
 
72  THE   FIFTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 Psalm,  in  the  tliree  foilovving  verses ;  and  in  this  we  may- 
 observe  how  the  very  words  of  the  Psahn  seem  to  kindle 
 and  brighten  with  a  sort  of  Divine  fire,  when  the  Apostle 
 makes  use  of  them,  from  the  example  and  the  Spirit  of 
 Christ  with  which  they  are  full,  far  beyond  what  the 
 Psalmist  knew  of  when  he  spake  them.  For  lie  that  will 
 love  life  and  see  good  days ;  he  that  longeth  after  that  life 
 which  is  to  be  found  with  Christ  in  God ;  whose  heart  is 
 set  on  the  many  days  of  eternity ;  to  see  the  goodness  of 
 the  Lord  in  the  land  of  the  living;  to  behold  in  the 
 beatific  vision  Him  Who  alone  is  good.  Let  him  refrain 
 his  tongue  from  evil,  and  his  lips  that  they  speak  no  guile/ 
 even  after  the  example  of  Him  '''  Who  did  no  sin,  neither 
 was  guile  found  in  His  mouth."  Let  him  eschew  evil,  he 
 says  from  the  Psalmist,  and  do  good ;  let  him  seek  peace 
 and  ensue  it.  For  the  eyes  of  the  Lord  are  over  the 
 righteous,  and  His  ears  are  ojjen  unto  their  prayers.  But 
 the  face  of  the  Lord  is  against  them  that  do  evil. 
 
 It  is  the  earnest  and  daily  fulfilment  of  these  things 
 which  keeps  with  us  the  good  Spirit  of  God,  so  that  His 
 ears  are  open  unto  our  prayers,  nay,  more,  that  He  gives 
 us  a  heart  to  pray  ;  that  the  eyes  of  Jesus  Christ  are  upon 
 us,  filling  our  souls  with  the  light  of  His  countenance, 
 and  that  peace  w^hich  passeth  all  understanding.  And 
 what  more  awful  and  terrible  can  be  declared  of  those 
 who  neglect  these  things  than  this,  that  "  the  face  of  the 
 Lord  is  against "  them  1 
 
 And  icho  is  he  that  ivill  harm  you,  adds  St.  Peter,  if  ye 
 he  followers  of  that  which  is  good  ?  And  w^hy  this  fear 
 of  evil  men  1  why  all  this  struggling  against  them  with  so 
 much  unloving  suspicion  of  men  and  distrust  of  God  1  for 
 who  has  any  powder  to  harm  you,  if  ye  be  followers  of 
 that  which  is  good  1  or,  as  it  might  be  explained,  if  ye 
 
THE   PEACEABLE    ORDERING   OF    THE    WORLD.         i6 
 
 imitate  and  try  to  walk  iii  the  steps  of  Him  Who  was 
 Good. 
 
 But  then  an  answer  to  this  will  immediately  arise  in 
 the  heart,  Are  we  not  told  that  all  who  will  live  godly  in 
 Christ  Jesus  must  suffer  persecution  %  is  it  not  following 
 the  example  of  Christ,  which  will  bring  upon  us,  w^e  are 
 assured  from  His  own  words  and  from  all  experience,  the 
 hatred  and  enmity  of  the  world,  as  it  did  on  Christ  Him- 
 self? What  security,  therefore,  is  this  of  which  the 
 Apostle  speaks  in  following  what  is  good?  To  which 
 St.  Peter  seems  to  say.  Of  course  I  allow  that,  I  take  all 
 that  for  granted  ;  but  what  then  %  I  said,  "  Who  is  he 
 that  will  harm  you?"  can  such  enemies  harm  you?  can 
 they  touch  a  hair  of  your  head  while  you  are  in  God's 
 favour  and  keeping  %  far  from  it.  As  for  suffering  perse- 
 cution for  righteousness,  I  look  not  on  that  as  harm,  but, 
 on  the  contrary,  as  the  very  crown  of  joy  and  well-doing; 
 if  this  is  the  worst  ye  can  expect,  then  great  indeed  is 
 your  happiness.  But  and  if  ye  suffer  for  righteousness 
 sake,  happy  are  ye:  and  he  not  afraid  of  their  terror, 
 neither  he  troubled  ;  hut  sanctify  the  Lord  God  in  your 
 hearts.  Let  all  your  care  be  to  keep  your  heart  in  the 
 love  and  the  fear  of  God,  and  then  you  need  not  be  ajDpre- 
 hensive  of  those  things  which  are  without. 
 
 And  now  to  proceed  to  the  Gospel  for  this  Sunday. 
 It  appears  to  have  some  connexion  with  the  Collect ;  for 
 we  pray  in  the  Collect  that  "  the  course  of  the  world  may 
 be  peaceably  ordered  by  God's  governance,"  and  that 
 "  His  Church  may  joyfully  serve  "  Him  "  in  godly  quiet- 
 ness." And  by  the  miraculous  draught  of  fishes  in  the 
 Gospel,  Christ  sets  before  us  in  a  lively  manner  how  all 
 the  governing  of  the  world  is  in  God's  hand,  to  give  or  to 
 
74  THE   FIFTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 withhold,  as  He  thinks  best;  and  then,  when  He  has 
 shown  this,  our  Lord  calls  on  the  Apostles  to  give  up  all 
 and  to  cleave  to  Him.  And  what  is  this  but  to  exhort 
 His  Church  joyfully  to  serve  Him  in  all  godly  quietness, 
 under  the  full  assurance  that  the  course  of  this  world  is  in 
 His  hand,  and  that  He  will  Himself  so  order  it  as  may 
 most  conduce  to  the  good  of  those  who  seek  first  His 
 kingdom  and  righteousness  % 
 
 And  indeed  the  Gospel  itself  presents  us  with  a  beau- 
 tiful emblem  or  picture  of  this  state  for  which  we  pray  in 
 the  Collect ;  it  is  like  a  peaceful  representation  of  serving 
 God  in  joyful  quietness.  There  is  our  Blessed  Lord 
 Himself  in  the  boat,  teaching  the  people  who  are  gathered 
 together  in  great  multitudes  on  the  shore ;  the  boat  is  on 
 the  waters,  which  are  now  very  calm  and  still ;  there  is 
 not  a  breeze  to  disturb  the  sound  of  His  gracious  words 
 as  they  fall  on  the  attentive  and  listening  ears.  The  boat 
 in  which  our  Lord  sits  is,  like  His  Church,  in  a  state  of 
 peace  and  quietness :  in  like  manner  as  the  same  boat,  in 
 the  .midst  of  the  storm,  and  almost  overwhelmed  with  the 
 waves  and  the  winds,  represents  His  Church  amidst  the 
 troubles  of  the  world,  when  He  Himself  seems  as  it  were 
 asleep  within  her,  or  walking  without  in  the  midst  of  the 
 storm. 
 
 It  came  to  pass,  that  as  the  people  pressed  upon  Him  to 
 hear  the  Word  of  God,  He  stood  by  the  lake  of  Genne- 
 saret,  and  saw  two  ships  standing  by  the  lake;  but  the 
 fisherme7t  were  gone  out  of  them,  and  were  washing  their 
 nets.  These  fishermen  had  indeed  already  been  with  Him 
 as  His  disciples,  but  they  had  not  yet  learned  that  they 
 were  to  give  up  all  things  to  follow  Him ;  they  were  still 
 pursuing  these  their  means  of  livelihood.  And  He  entered 
 into  one  of  the  ships,  which  loas  Simon^s,  and  prayed  him 
 
THE   PEACEABLE   ORDERING    OF    THE    WORLD.        75 
 
 that  he  would  thrust  out  a  little  from  the  land:  and  He 
 sat  down,  and  taught  the  people  out  of  the  ship.  We  well 
 know  what  the  nature  of  His  teaching  was,  leading  them 
 by  gracious  words  to  trust  in  Him  Who  was  the  mighty- 
 power  of  God  to  save,  and  to  think  of  nothing  but  of  God 
 and  Heaven.  But  even  His  own  disciples,  at  this  time, 
 found  it  a  hard  matter  thus  to  serve  God  joyfully  in 
 quietness,  for  they  were  full  of  care,  we  may  well  suppose, 
 about  their  own  livelihood ;  they  were  mending  their 
 worn  nets  in  sorrow  of  heart,  with  divided  attention 
 listening  to  His  words,  for  they  had  toiled  all  night  in 
 vain.  But  their  Divine  Master  saw  and  knew  their 
 trials,  and  was  intending  thereby  to  draw  them  more  near 
 unto  Himself.  Noiv  ichen  He  had  left  speaking,  He  said 
 unto  Simon,  Launch  out  into  the  deep,  and  let  down  your 
 nets  for  a  draught.  And  Simon  answering  said  unto  Him, 
 Master,  we  have  toiled  all  the  night,  and  have  taken 
 nothing  ;  nevertheless  at  Thy  icord  I  will  let  doiun  the  net. 
 As  if  he  had  said,  it  is  hopeless,  humanly  speaking,  and 
 all  in  vain  ;  but  Thee  I  will  obey.  And  ivhen  they  had 
 this  done,  they  inclosed  a  great  midtitude  of  fishes,  and 
 their  net  brake.  And  they  beckoned  unto  their  partnei's 
 which  were  in  the  other  ship,  that  they  shoidd  come  and 
 help  them,  jind  they  came  and  filled  both  the  ships,  so 
 that  they  began  to  sink.  Then,  at  so  wonderful  a  sight, 
 burst  suddenly  on  St.  Peter  the  knowledge  that  it  was 
 all  miraculous,  l^o  thought  of  his  own  profit  at  such  a 
 supply,  no  sense  of  relief  after  having  so  long  toiled  in 
 vain  occurred  to  him,  but  all  was  lost  in  the  feeling  of 
 God's  presence  and  of  his  own  sinfulness.  So  should  it 
 be  with  us  when  God  opens  His  hand  ;  it  should  humble 
 us  with  the  thoughts  of  what  God  is,  and  what  we  our- 
 selves are.     It  should  lead  us  to  trust  in  Him  to  give  us 
 
76  THE   FIFTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 all  things  needful  for  the  body,  Avhile  we  yield  up  our- 
 selves more  entirely  to  His  service ;  but,  alas  !  it  has 
 usually  with  us  the  very  ojDposite  effect — we  accept  His 
 gifts,  and  in  His  gifts  forget  the  more  the  Giver  of  all 
 good. 
 
 When  Simon  Peter  saio  it,  he  fell  doion  at  Jesus'  knees, 
 saying.  Depart  from  me,  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  0  Lord. 
 For  he  was  astonished,  and  all  that  were  with  him,  at  the 
 draught  of  the  fishes  lohich  they  had  taken;  and  so  ivas 
 also  James,  and  John,  the  sons  of  Zehedee,  ivhicli  luere 
 yartners  ivith  Simon.  And  now  our  Blessed  Lord  had 
 produced  by  tliis  miracle  the  very  effect  which  He  had 
 desired;  He  had  thus  led  the  disciples  to  trust  Him 
 entirely  for  their  bodily  support,  and  so  to  give  them- 
 selves up  to  His  service ;  Simon  Peter  had  learned  to 
 abhor  himself  in  repentance  in  the  presence  of  the  most 
 Holy  God.  This  was  the  beginning  of  Christ's  Kingdom ; 
 in  this  his  sense  of  weakness  was  the  strength  of  God  to 
 be  perfected. 
 
 And  Jesus  said  unto  Simon,  Fear  not,  from  henceforth 
 thou  shalt  catch  men.  Thou  shalt  be  as  chief  among 
 those  fishermen  which,  from  this  time  until  the  end  of 
 the  world,  shall  let  down,  and  draw  to  the  ghore,  that 
 great  net  which  is  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  containing 
 fish  both  good  and  bad,  which  the  angels  shall  separate 
 and  part  asunder. 
 
 And  when  they  had  brought  their  ships  to  land,  they 
 forsook  all,  and  followed  Him. 
 
 ^ow  what  is  the  great  lesson  which  this  Gospel  is  to 
 teach  us,  especially  as  taken  with  the  Collect,  which  is  the 
 key  to  that  lesson  ?  We  are  not  all  called  upon  to  be 
 Apostles ;  we  are  not  required  to  give  up  our  means  of 
 worldly  maintenance,  as  these  disciples  were,  nor  to  expect 
 
THE   PEACEABLE    ORDERING   OF    THE    WORLD.        77 
 
 that  we  are  to  be  miraculously  sustained  in  attendance 
 upon  Christ.  And  yet  the  Gospel  for  the  day  speaks  to 
 us  all ;  and  if  we  come  to  the  very  words  which  the  termi- 
 nation leaves  upon  our  ears,  we  shall  find  that  it  is  a  matter 
 of  universal  obligation  :  "  They  forsook  all,  and  followed 
 Him  ;"  for  our  Lord,  we  know,  says  to  all  alike,  "  Whoso- 
 ever he  be  of  you  that  forsaketh  not  all  that  he  hath,  he 
 cannot  be  My  disciple." 
 
 What  more  beautiful  and  interesting  lesson  could  there  be 
 to  allure  them  on  to  serve  God  joyfully  in  all  godly  quiet- 
 ness %  first  of  all,  by  want  and  by  labouring  all  night  in  dis- 
 appointment and  despair ;  and  now,  by  great  abundance, 
 beyond  all  that  they  could  ask  or  think,  He  induced  them 
 to  trust  in  Him  in  Whom  there  is  all  fulness  for  every 
 want,  to  look  to  Him,  to  cleave  to  Him  in  such  a  sense  of 
 His  Divine  Presence  as  to  forget  all  things  else.  For  what 
 were  all  the  fish  they  had  taken,  what  were  their  nets  and 
 their  boats  to  them  when  they  had  now  found  the  Christ; 
 nay,  more,  when  in  Christ  they  had  found  God?  St. 
 Peter  does  not  give  thanks  for  his  wants  being  thus  sup- 
 plied, for  he  has  forgotten  them  altogether ;  he  is  conscious 
 of  nothing  but  of  that  gracious  Presence  which,  by  its 
 very  mercy  and  goodness,  had  brought  his  sins  to  remem- 
 brance. It  is  on  account  of  that  very  goodness  itself  that 
 he  begs  Christ  to  depart,  as  if  saying,  "  Such  knowledge  " 
 of  Thee  and  of  Thy  mercy  "  is  too  wonderful  and  excellent 
 for  me ;  I  cannot  attain  unto  it.  Whither  shall  I  go  then 
 from  Thy  Spirit :  or  whither  shall  I  go  then  from  Thy 
 Presence  •?"  Is'or  again  does  it  occur  to  these  disciples  to 
 think,  we  have  now  enough  for  to-day,  and  to-morrow, 
 and  the  next  day,  and  will  therefore  be  able  without 
 distraction  to  wait  on  Thee  for  the  present,  and  hear 
 Thy  words ;  but  it  is  the  entire  surrender  of  themselves, 
 
78  THE   FIFTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 without  any  thought  or  care,  to  the  one  thing  which  alone 
 is  needful. 
 
 This  is  the  important  warning  of  this  Sunday :  the 
 necessity  of  withdrawing  all  our  affections,  interest,  and 
 anxieties  from  the  things  of  time,  and  fixing  them  with- 
 out reserve  upon  Christ  in  God,  that  we  may  serve  Him 
 with  joy.  Let  us  apply  this  to  the  outward  course  of  this 
 world,  in  public  matters.  Many  are  anxious  that  these 
 should  "be  so  peaceably  ordered,"  that  the  Church  may 
 serve  God  in  quietness ;  but  then  they  seem  to  think  that 
 this  is  to  be  effected  by  their  own  governance,  and  not  by 
 the  governance  of  God  ;  for  otherwise  how  could  they  be 
 so  full  of  manifold  anxieties,  so  absorbed  in  the  success  of 
 their  own  wishes  and  management  %  and  from  hence  what 
 a  world  of  bitter  thoughts  and  jealousies,  low  and  mean 
 joys,  and  still  meaner  fears  %  From  the  state  of  their  hearts 
 on  this  subject,  one  might  think  that  God  had  given  up 
 unto  them  the  government  of  His  own  world.  St.  Paul 
 commands  that  we  pray  "  for  kings,  and  all  that  are  in 
 authority,  that  we  may  lead  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life,  in 
 all  godliness  and  honesty."  Observe  what  are  the  means 
 for  this  end.  It  is  prayer  only  ;  it  is  to  God  only  that  we 
 are  to  look  in  this,  as  in  all  other  matters.  For  it  is  by 
 looking  to  God  in  such  matters,  that  not  only  will  the 
 objects  we  desire  be  brought  about,  but  also  our  own  souls 
 healed  with  respect  to  them.  It  is  the  only  cure  for  our 
 own  anxious  desires  and  private  ends. 
 
 Such  is  the  lesson  which  the  Collect  appears  so  season- 
 ably to  bring  before  us  at  this  time  with  regard  to  the  course 
 of  public  affairs.  But  it  applies  no  less  forcibly  to  our  own 
 personal  interests  ;  for  as  we  pray  to  God  that  He  will  so 
 govern  this  world  that  His  Church  may  joyfully  serve  Him 
 in  quietness,  so  also  must  we  leave  it  entirely  to  Him  alone, 
 
THE   PEACEABLE   ORDERING   OF    THE    WORLD.        79 
 
 that  the  course  of  outward  events  may  be  so  ordered  that 
 the  soul  may  serve  Him  without  distraction.  To  serve  Hiir. 
 with  joy  is  quite  impossible,  unless  it  be  with  an  undivided 
 heart ;  to  serve  Him  in  godly  quietness  can  never  be,  if 
 we  are  disquieted  and  "  troubled  about  many  things;"  and 
 disquieted  we  certainly  must  be,  so  far  as  we  are  not  deeply 
 in  our  hearts  convinced  that  the  course  of  this  world,  with 
 regard  to  ourselves,  must  be  ordered  by  His  governance, 
 and  not  by  our  own.  0  blessed  and  peaceful  knowledge, 
 which  His  Spirit  alone  can  give  !  hidden  anchor  of  the 
 soul  which,  amidst  the  storms  of  this  world,  binds  it  to  the 
 eternal  shore  ! 
 
 And  now  to  return  once  more  to  the  Epistle.  What 
 can  be  more  seasonable  and  valuable  than  that  concluding 
 exhortation  of  St.  Peter,  Who  can  harm  you  if  ye  be  fol- 
 lowers of  that  which  is  good  %  and  if,  for  righteousness' 
 sake,  ye  suffer  persecution,  happy  are  ye.  And  be  not 
 afraid  of  their  terror,  neither  be  troubled.  Sanctify  God 
 in  your  hearts,  and  all  will  bs  well.  Fear  Him,  and  ye 
 need  fear  nothing  else.  *'  Seek  ye  first  the  Kingdom  of 
 God  and  His  righteousness,"  and  all  will  work  together  for 
 your  good,  your  great  and  final  happiness. 
 
 We  must,  then,  take  care  not  to  make  that  false  estimate 
 of  suffering  which  the  world  is  wont  to  do.  For  we  may 
 observe,  with  regard  to  trials  and  persecutions,  that  it  is  by 
 means  of  them  that  God  works  the  greatest  good  in  the 
 world.  If  Jacob  had  not  been  driven  from  home  by  his 
 brother's  enmity,  he  would  not  as  an  exile  have  wrestled 
 with  God  and  prevailed,  and  seen  visions  of  angels.  Take 
 away  the  afflictions  of  Joseph,  and  lost  would  be  all  that 
 deliverance  which  God  wrought  by  his  means.  Had  not 
 Pharaoh  dealt  so  cruelly  with  the  people  of  God,  they  would 
 have  been  content  to  stay  in  Egypt ;  we  should  have  known 
 
80  THE   FIFTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 nothing  of  Moses,  of  Mount  Sinai,  of  the  bread  from 
 Heaven.  Had  not  David  been  persecuted  by  Saul,  the 
 sweet  Psalmist  of  Israel  would  not  have  shown  that  blessed 
 temper  of  unwearied  forgiveness,  nor  known  of  those  con- 
 solations, and  of  that  Tower  of  strength,  on  which  he  ever 
 delights  to  dwell.  It  was  the  bonds  and  imprisonment 
 of  St.  Paul,  and  the  hate  of  the  Jews  against  him,  which 
 sent  him  to  Eome  to  make  known  Christ  crucified  in  the 
 capital  of  the  world,  and  the  palace  of  the  Eoman  emperor. 
 In  a  word,  it  was  the  persecution  and  enmity  of  the  Jews 
 which  occasioned  the  death  of  Christ,  and  the  redemption 
 of  the  world.  And  thus  it  is  ever  the  case  that,  by  the 
 malice  and  cruelty  of  the  wicked,  God  in  wonderful  ways 
 works  the  greatest  good ;  and  therefore  well  may  St.  Peter 
 say,  "  Who  is  he  that  will  harm  you? "  "  Be  not  afraid 
 of  their  terror."  Sanctify  the  Lord  God  in  your  hearts, 
 and  all  will  be  well,  infinitely  well.  If  God  be  for  us, 
 who  can  be  against  us  %  "  When  He  giveth  quietness,  who 
 then  can  make  trouble  % "  ^ 
 
 Why  then,  it  may  be  asked,  do  we  pray  that  the  course 
 of  this  world  may  be  so  peaceably  ordered,  that  His  Church 
 may  joyfully  serve  God  in  quietness  ;  if  this  joy  fulness  in 
 God  may  be  in  the  midst  of  persecution,  and  He  may  be 
 served  in  quietness  amidst  the  storms  of  the  world  ?  The 
 fact  is,  that  this  distraction  of  heart,  which  hinders  us 
 from  the  true  service  of  God,  does  not  so  much  arise  from 
 troubles  and  enemies  that  are  without,  as  from  the  fear  of 
 them  ;  and  it  is  by  prayer  to  God  that  we  get  rid  of  such 
 fears. 
 
 We  pray  for  peace,  and  we  seek  for  peace ;  we  would 
 "  live  peaceably  with  all  men,"  and  would  at  all  times  be 
 
 1  Job  xxxiv.  29. 
 
THE   PEACEABLE   ORDEliING   OF    THE    WORLD.        81 
 
 "  peacemakers,"  as  followers  of  Him  Who  was  the  Prince 
 of  Peace  ;  and  it  is  thus  that  He  sheds  in  our  hearts  His 
 own  peace. 
 
 The  saints  of  God  in  the  Book  of  the  Eevelation,  who 
 in  the  last  days  are  to  overcome  all  the  armies  of  evil  men 
 and  evil  spirits  with  which  they  will  have  to  contend,  are 
 described  as  being  without  arms,  without  sword,  or  spear, 
 or  shield,  following  the  Captain  of  their  Salvation,  "  in 
 linen  white  and  clean, "^  which  is  said  to  be  "the  righteous- 
 ness of  saints ;"  and  that  righteousness  is  described  to 
 consist  in  meek  forbearance  and  patience.  "  They  have 
 washed  their  robes  and  made  them  white  in  the  Blood  of 
 the  Lamb  ; "  it  is  Him  they  follow,  the  Lamb  of  God,  the 
 patient  Victim  of  all  endurance ;  it  is  by  His  arms  that 
 they  conquer  ;  all  their  strength  consists  in  this,  that  as 
 He  was,  so  are  they  in  this  world. 
 
 ^  Pev.  xix.  14. 
 
SERMON    LIIL 
 ^f)t  ^irtl)  ^untiai)  after  Crinit». 
 
 Rom.  vi,  3— II.     St.  Matt.  v.  20—26. 
 
 BROTHERLY  LOVE   AND    THE   LIFE   IN  CHRIST. 
 
 Now  if  we  be  dead  with  Christ,  we  believe  that  we  shall  also  live 
 with  Him.—"R.OM.  vi.  8. 
 
 THE  beautiful  Collect  for  this  week  consists  of  a  devout 
 aspiration  for  those  joys  which  are  with  God,  and  a 
 prayer  for  that  love  which  alone  can  prepare  the  heart  for 
 that  rest.  As  a  flame  rises  upwards,  so  the  love  of  God 
 in  the  soul  naturally  aspires  to  those  joys  and  that  rest 
 which  is  with  Him,  But  as  a  tree  cannot  live  and  grow, 
 cannot  bear  flowers  and  fruit,  and  expand  itself  towards 
 Heaven,  unless  it  be  first  rooted  and  buried  in  the  ground, 
 so  neither  can  the  love  of  God  in  the  soul,  unless  that 
 which  is  earthly  be  dead  and  buried  with  Christ  in  His 
 death.  It  is  therefore  at  Baptism  that  this  love  is  by  the 
 Holy  Spirit  planted  within  us ;  it  is  then  that  we  are 
 buried  with  Christ,  in  order  that  we  may  live  with  Him 
 that  life  which  is  in  God,  in  holy  afl'ections  now,  and  in 
 fulness  of  joy  hereafter.  Such,  therefore,  is  the  subject  of 
 the  Epistle.     But  as  this  love  of  God  within  the  heart 
 
BROTHERLY  LOVE   AND    THE   LIFE  IN  CHRIST.       83 
 
 can  only  be  known  by  its  fruits,  and  as  these  its  fruits  upon 
 earth  consist  in  the  love  of  our  brother,  therefore  this 
 becomes  very  properly  the  lesson  of  this  day's  Gospel. 
 For  the  joys  of  Heaven  and  the  love  of  God  are  things 
 high  and  spiritual;  and  when  our  Lord  speaks  of  them. 
 He  turns  our  attention  to  those  practical  duties  of  love, 
 without  which  we  may  deceive  ourselves. 
 
 Eut  Baptism  first  is  at  the  root  of  all,  on  which  St. 
 Paul  thus  speaks.  Know  ye  not,  that  so  many  of  us  as 
 were  laptized  into  Jesus  Christ  were  haptized  into  His 
 death  ?  The  Christian  dwells  in  continual  contemplation 
 on  the  cross  and  death  of  Christ ;  it  is  there  his  heart  and 
 affections  are  fixed ;  it  is  there  he  finds  a  remedy  against 
 sin  and  strength  against  temptation.  And  as  we  naturally 
 become  like  that  on  which  we  contemplate,  it  is  to  him  an 
 expressible  satisfaction  to  reflect,  that  by  his  very  Baptism 
 and  new  birth  he  is  himself  there  dead  with  Christ  and 
 buried,  in  order  that  he  might  find  in  Him  a  better  life ; 
 that  the  very  strength  and  life  of  his  Baptism  consists  in 
 his  being  thus  made  conformable  unto  Christ's  death. 
 "Out  of  the  strong  comes  forth  sweetness,"^  out  of  death 
 life ;  and  to  resign  earthly  hopes,  pleasures,  and  advan- 
 tages, does  require  that  the  heart  hath  found  something 
 better,  the  treasure  of  new  affections,  which  it  values  more. 
 And  so  it  is  set  forth  in  what  follows. 
 
 Therefore  ive  are  buried  loith  Him  hj  hajjtisjn  into 
 death;  that  like  as  Christ  ivas  raised  up  from  the  dead  hy 
 the  glory  of  the  Father,  even  so  toe  also  shoidd  tualk  in  new- 
 ness of  life.  For  if  we  have  been  planted  together  in  the 
 likeness  of  His  death,  we  shall  be  also  in  the  likeness  of 
 His  resurrection;  that  is,  shall  hereafter  put  on  a  new 
 
 '  Judg,  xiv.  14. 
 G    2 
 
84  THE   SIXTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY, 
 
 body  j  in  the  mean  while  having,  says  St.  Paul,  a  life  of 
 a  hidden  nature  with  Christ  in  God,  which  life  shall  appear 
 when  He  appears."  Even  as  the  life  of  a  tree  lies  for  a 
 while  concealed  in  the  seed  which  seems  to  die  away  in 
 the  earth  ;  but  wait  a  little  while,  and  in  all  its  fulness  it 
 shall  appear,  spreading  in  the  summer  skies.  And  all  these 
 expressions,  on  which  St.  Paul  delights  to  dwell,  intimate 
 the  very  strictest  union  and  incorporation  of  ourselves  with 
 Clirist  in  His  death,  by  which  we  derive  continually  and 
 draw  life. 
 
 Knowing  this,  he  proceeds,  ihat  our  old  man  is  crucijied 
 with  Him,  that  the  body  of  sin  might  be  destroyed,  tltat 
 henceforth  we  should  not  serve  sin.  For  he  that  is  dead  is 
 freed  from  sin.  The  natural  man,  the  old  Adam,  is  to  be 
 dead  in  the  Christian  with  its  sinful  desires  ;  dead  in  that 
 it  is  continually  being  mortified,  because  it  is  incompatible 
 with  that  life  which  is  in  the  new  man.  For  so  far  only 
 as  we  are  dead  to  sin  are  we  free  from  its  dominion  now 
 or  its  jDcnalty  hereafter.  It  sounds,  indeed,  in  itself  a 
 hard  saying ;  so  much  so,  that  it  must  fall  on  the  heart 
 utterly  cold  and  profitless,  and  all  in  vain,  to  say  that  we 
 are  to  be  thus  dead  to  ourselves  and  alive  to  God,  were 
 the  doctrine  to  stand  alone ;  it  is  from  its  connexion  with 
 Christ  that  it  derives  all  its  power  and  living  efficacy. 
 And  we  may  observe  that  St.  Paul  never  states  anything 
 of  the  kind  except  with  reference  to  Christ ;  every  expres- 
 sion of  it  begins  and  ends  with  Christ ;  it  is  in  Him,  from 
 Him,  with  Him,  by  Him ;  this  the  Apostle  always  keeps 
 in  mind.  Christ's  example.  His  sacrifice,  His  mediation, 
 His  grace,  His  life  and  death,  the  memory  of  Him,  the 
 being  part  of  His  Body,  the  living  and  dying  with  Him, 
 
 2  Col.  iii.  3,  4. 
 
BROTHERLY   LOVE   AND    THE   LIFE   IN  CHRIST.       85 
 
 is   SO  united  with  this  doctrine,  that   both  must  he  re- 
 membered or  forgotten  together.     And  so  he  proceeds  : 
 
 Now  if  we  he  dead  icitli  Christ,  ice  believe  that  ive  shall 
 also  live  with  Him.  Knowing  that  Christ  being  raised 
 from  the  dead  dieth  no  more  ;  death  hath  no  more  dominion 
 over  Him.  Dead  we  are  with  Him  in  Baptism,  by  His 
 power  and  grace,  and  dead  we  must  also  be  in  the  habits 
 of  our  new  Hfe,  in  order  that  such  Divine  life  may  be  con- 
 tinued in  Him ;  and  all  this  from  the  most  intimate  refer- 
 ence to  Him.  For  in  that  He  died,  He  died  unto  sin 
 once  ;  but  in  that  He  liveth.  He  liveth  unto  God.  Likeiois^ 
 reckon  ye  also  yourselves  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin ;  bui 
 alive  unto  God  tlirough  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Christ 
 "  died  unto  sin  once,"  as  St.  Paul  says  to  the  Hebrews ; 
 "  now  once  at  the  end  of  the  world  hath  He  appeared  to 
 put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  Himself,"  and  '•'  Christ 
 was  once  offered  to  bear  the  sins  of  many."^  There  is, 
 therefore,  but  one  Baptism,  one  death  unto  sin  for  us ;  for 
 the  life  which  Christ  now  lives  is  unchangeable  and  eternal, 
 which  is  implied  in  the  expression,  "  He  liveth  unto 
 God."  There  is  no  living  in  sin  in  order  that  we  may  again 
 die  to  sin  ;  but  it  is  once  for  all ;  no  second  state  of  pro- 
 bation, no  new  sacrifice  or  other  oblation  :  once  for  all  He 
 died,  that  once  for  all  we  may  die  to  sin. 
 
 You  see  how  very  intimate  and  close  is  this  union, 
 which,  as  baptized  Christians,  we  have  with  Christ ;  it  is 
 like  the  living  body  of  Elijah,  stretched  three  times  upon 
 the  dead  child  of  the  heathen  woman.  For  thus  in  the 
 threefold  immersion  of  Baptism  Christ  imparts  to  us  of 
 His  own  life,  that  our  life  henceforth  in  the  flesh  may  be 
 His  life,  one  with  Christ,  as  Christ  is  one  with  God. 
 
 3  Heb.  ix.  26. 
 
86  THE   SIXTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 The  point,  I  say,  particularly  to  be  observed  throughout 
 this  and  similar  passages,  is  the  constant  mention  of 
 Christ ;  it  seems  to  imply  that  this  new  life  required  of  us 
 can  in  no  way  be  sustained,  except  in  union  with  Him, 
 any  more  than  a  branch  could  live  if  cut  off  from  the  tree, 
 or  a  limb  from  the  body.  This  frequent  mention  of  Him 
 in  the  inculcating  of  Christian  precept  and  doctrine 
 implies  in  our  lives  also,  and  in  the  fulfilling  of  all 
 Christian  precept  and  doctrine,  the  frequent  recurrence  to 
 Him  as  the  source  of  life.  The  means  of  this  spiritual 
 union  with  Christ  is  indeed  love  ;  as  in  the  Collect  we 
 pray,  "  Pour  into  our  hearts  such  love  towards  Thee,  that 
 we,  loving  Thee  above  all  things,  may  obtain  Thy  pro- 
 mises." Love  is  ever  thinking  of  the  object  beloved; 
 delights  in  acting  with  a  view  to  it,  to  be  likened  to  it ; 
 to  cling  to  it ;  to  become  more  and  more  one  with  it.  But 
 this  love,  as  being  contrary  to  our  corrupted  nature,  must 
 be  forcibly  sustained  by  doing  violence  to  ourselves,  and 
 by  all  outward  means  ;  by  frequent  communion  with  Him 
 in  prayer  and  meditation,  by  giving  of  alms  and  active 
 charities,  and,  more  especially,  by  a  frequent  participation 
 of  His  Body  and  Blood. 
 
 The  consideration  of  the  Epistle  and  Gospel  together  is 
 often  of  great  advantage,  and  furnishes  a  subject  of  much 
 interest,  from  the  connexion  of  doctrine  with  practical 
 precepts,  which  are  thus  brought  to  illustrate  and  bear 
 upon  each  other.  Thus  it  is  to-day.  Our  Lord  Himself 
 in  the  Gospel  assures  us  that  no  other  righteousness  but 
 that  which  is  thus  founded  and  based  in  Him,  thus 
 spiritual  and  filled  with  Divine  love,  will  be  of  any  avail 
 to  us.  Jesus  said  unto  His  discix)les,  in  the  Sermon  on 
 the  Mount,  when  He  was  teaching  them  the  laws  and 
 
BROTHERLY  LOVE  AND    THE    LIFE   IN  CHRIST.       87 
 
 the  nature  of  His  Kingdom,  Except  your  righteousness  shall 
 exceed  the  rigliteoiisness  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  ye 
 shall  in  no  case  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.  As  for 
 that  "  righteousness "  which  consists  in  the  mere  literal 
 fulfilment  of  the  law,  it  is  not  this  which  I  require  of  you 
 My  disciples.  The  mere  acknowledgment  of  only  one 
 God ;  keeping  aloof  from  idol- worship  ;  strictly  observing 
 the  Sabbath-day ;  not  committing  murder  or  adultery, 
 and  the  like, — such  a  fulfilment  of  the  Ten  Command- 
 ments as  this  implies  falls  far  short  of  that  spiritual  law  of 
 love,  by  which  the  sinner  is  united  with  his  Saviour,  the 
 soul  holds  intercourse  with  its  Creator,  the  spirit  of  man 
 with  the  Comforter.  The  external  keeping  of  the  Law 
 which  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  teach  is  necessary ;  but 
 your  righteousness  must  be  deeper  and  higher  than  this, 
 if  you  would  be  "  dead  unto  sin  "in  the  grave  of  Christ, 
 and  be  through  Him  "  alive  unto  God ;"  a  righteousness 
 not  fair  without, .  while  full  of  rottenness  and  dead  men's 
 bones  within,  like  the  whited  sepulchre,  but  having 
 therein  the  living  Christ,  Who  requireth  truth  in  the 
 inward  parts.  For  the  old  law,  with  "  the  blood  of  bulls 
 and  of  goats,"  may  confer  an  outward  "  sanctification  to 
 the  purifying  of  the  flesh;"  but  the  Blood  of  Christ,  Who 
 through  the  eternal  Spirit  offered  Himself  without  spot  to 
 God,  must  enter  within  and  "purge  the  conscience  from 
 dead  works  to  serve  the  living  God."*  The  new  law  of 
 love  hath  in  itself  swallowed  up  the  old ;  the  fire  coming 
 down  from  Heaven  hath  eaten  up  the  wood  and  the  stone, 
 the  altar  and  the  sacrifice,  and  shown  thereby  its  Divine 
 nature.^ 
 
 Ye  have  heard  that  it  was  said  by  them  of  old  time,  Iliou 
 
 ■*  Heb.  ix.  13,  14.  *  1  Kings  xviii.  36. 
 
88  THE    SIXTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 shalt  not  kill :  and  wliosoever  shall  kill  shall  he  in  dayiger 
 of  the  judgement.  But  I  say  unto  you,  that  lohosoever  is 
 angry  with  his  brother  ivithout  a  cause  shall  be  in  danger  of 
 the  judgement:  and  ichosoever  shall  say  to  his  brother, 
 Raca,  shall  be  in  danger  of  the  council;  but  ichosoever 
 shall  say,  Thou  fool,  shall  be  in  danger  of  hell-fire.  As 
 there  are  clifFerences  of  happiness  in  Heaven  according  to 
 the  degrees  of  love  which  hath  reigned  in  the  heart  below, 
 so  in  condemnation  also  there  will  he  gradations  of 
 punishment  according  to  the  want  of  that  love  which 
 hath  broken  the  brotherhood  of  God  which  Christ  hath 
 wrought ;  the  causeless  anger,  the  name  of  unkindness, 
 the  opprobrious  charge,  which  mark  the  issues  of  the 
 heart,  shall  then  pass,  each  after  its  kind  or  degree,  into 
 indelible  judgment. 
 
 Therefore  if  thou  bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar,  and  there 
 rememberest  that  thy  brother  hath  ought  against  thee; 
 leave  there  thy  gift  before  the  altar,  and  go  thy  icay,  first 
 be  reconciled  to  thy  brother,  and  then  come  and  o^er  thy 
 gift.  Leave  it  not  undone,  but  first  take  care  that  the 
 heart  be  right,  for  to  the  heart  of  the  worshipper  God 
 looks.  An  altar  implies  a  sacrifice,  and  a  sacrifice  implies 
 sin  and  the  need  of  expiation.  And  how  can  he  express  his 
 need  of  forgiveness,  or  his  sense  of  pardon,  who  hath  aught 
 done  against  himself  which  he  hath  not  forgiven?  And 
 therefore  Christ,  the  true  Sacrifice  on  the  altar  of  the  cross, 
 "  which  sanctifieth  the  gift "  of  the  heart,  estimates  the 
 value  of  the  gift  by  the  brotherly  and  Divine  love  which 
 is  lodged  therein.  He  Himself,  in  becoming  the  Sacrifice 
 for  us,  hath  given  us  the  example  and  the  true  character 
 of  that  love,  which,  as  a  holy  fire  from  above,  is  to  kindle 
 the  gift  and  to  hallow  the  sacrifice  we  ourselves  would 
 offer.     Thus  in  the  oblation  of  Himself  for  us  He  washed 
 
BROTHERLY  LOVE   AND    THE   LIFE   IN  CHRIST.       89 
 
 the  feet  of  the  traitor  Judas,  and  ate  with  him,  and  ad- 
 mitted him  to  the  kiss  of  love,  and  called  him,  not  Kaca, 
 but  friend ;  Who  at  the  same  time  healed  the  ear  of  one  who 
 was  about  to  seize  and  bind  Him  ;  Who  with  His  disciples 
 that  slept  was  not  angry,  nor  lost  patience,  but  said,  as 
 they  might  have  urged  for  themselves,  with  tender  charity 
 excusing,  "the  spirit  is  willing,  but  the  flesh  is  WTak;" 
 Who,  when  stretched  upon  the  Cross,  prayed  for  His 
 murderers ;  and  when  withdrawn  from  sight  forgot  them 
 not,  but  sent  down  on  that  guilty  city  the  unspeakable 
 Gift,  the  Comforter,  that  He  might  speak  peace  unto  them, 
 and  offer  forgiveness.  To  His  altar,  therefore,  nothing  can 
 be  so  desecrating,  nothing  so  unwelcome,  as  want  of  love 
 in  the  heart  of  him  that  approaches.  But  to  be  as  He 
 was,  is  to  be  "planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  His 
 death;"  that  the  "old  man"  of  self-interest  and  ill-will 
 may  be  destroyed,  and  the  new  man  may  serve  Him  in 
 the  new  life  of  love,  that  new  love  which  is  as  Christ  hath 
 loved  us. 
 
 Our  Blessed  Lord,  knowing  what  is  in  man,  and  his 
 temptation  to  evil,  well  knew  the  dangerous  delusiveness 
 of  this  self-deceit,  which  would  come  before  God  with  un- 
 kindness  to  man  at  heart,  yet  with  professions  of  loving 
 God,  which  is  indeed  like  betraying  the  Son  of  Man 
 with  a  kiss.  He  knew  also  that  there  was  another  most 
 fruitful  source  of  final  falling  away  :  that  of  acknow- 
 ledging this  law  of  love  and  intending  to  fulfil  it,  but 
 putting  it  off  to  a  more  convenient  season,  when  enmity 
 should  have  died  away,  or  time  smoothed  down  the  diffi- 
 culties of  reconciliation.  For  nothing  destroys  men's  souls 
 more  than  relying  on  such  intentions  of  good,  while  not 
 putting  them  into  practice.  He  therefore  adds  :  Agree 
 with  thine  adversary  quicMij,  luhiles  tliou  art  in  the  icay 
 
90  THE   SIXTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 with  htm :  lest  at  any  time  the  adversary  deliver  thee  to  the 
 judge,  and  the  judge  deliver  thee  to  the  officer,  and  thou 
 he  cast  into  prison.  Verily  I  say  unto  thee,  Thou  shalt 
 by  no  means  come  out  thence,  till  thou  hast  paid  the  utter- 
 most farthing.  These  last  expressions  allude  apparently 
 to  the  parable  of  the  unforgiving  servant,  who  had  cast  his 
 fellow-servant  into  prison,  after  he  had  himself  been  forgiven 
 of  his  lord.®  The  words  derive  light  and  strength  from 
 that  parable.  But  the  peculiar  injunction,  like  so  many 
 of  our  Lord's  warnings,  has  reference  to  the  shortness  of 
 the  time  of  our  probation.  "  Let  not  the  sun  go  down 
 upon  your  wrath,"  says  the  Apostle,  "  neither  give  place 
 to  the  devil." '^  And  here  the  adversary  gains  his  strength 
 and  power  from  the  forgiveness  being  delayed.  It  is 
 like  sleeping  with  a  deadly  serpent  coiled  up  within  the 
 bosom,  not  knowing  at  any  time  when  he  may  inflict  the 
 mortal  sting.  Indeed,  anger  and  malice  are  of  the  nature 
 of  deadly  sins ;  nor  do  we  know  how  near  they  may  be 
 to  murder  in  the  heart,  as  they  appear  in  the  sight  of 
 God.  St.  John  assures  us,  that  "he  that  hateth  his 
 brother  is  a  murderer." 
 
 And  here  may  be  added  one  word  in  illustration,  from 
 the  Old  Testament  Lessons,  which  our  Church  has  ap- 
 pointed for  this  Sunday.  Where  is  there  a  more  touching 
 account  of  forgiveness  and  love  than  in  David,  the  man 
 after  God's  own  heart  1  How  often  did  he  forgive  Saul  ? 
 how  did  he  spare  his  life,  do  all  that  he  could  to 
 alleviate,  to  pacify,  to  win  him  over  to  love?  how  did 
 he  lament  over  him  when  dead,  and  remember  his 
 family  afterwards  1  how  patient  and  forgiving  unto  Shimei 
 that  cursed  him  %     And  his  love  for  Absalom,  when  in 
 
 6  St.  Matt,  xviii.  31.  ^  Eiah.  iv.  26. 
 
BROTHERLY  LOVE   AND    THE   LIFE   IN  CHRIST.       91 
 
 arms  against  him  and  seeking  his  life,  seems  recorded  as 
 an  image  of  our  Blessed  Saviour's  love  for  His  murderers. 
 Why  else  is  there  twice  mentioned  his  exceedingly  affect- 
 ing cry,  "0  Absalom,  my  son,  my  son!"  In  that  we 
 hear  our  Saviour's  own  voice ;  it  is  like  that  of  God's  own 
 love  :  "Is  Ej)hraim  my  dear  son  %  is  he  a  pleasant  child  % 
 for  since  I  spake  against  him,  I  do  earnestly  remember 
 him  still;  therefore  my  bowels  are  troubled  for  him."^ 
 Yet  even  David,  such  as  he  was,  so  loving,  so  forgiving, 
 harboured  an  evil  thought  till  he  was  guilty  of  murder. 
 Who  then  has  not  reason  to  fear,  lest  he  should  tempt 
 God] 
 
 But  wo  have  a  better  strength,  and  far  more  light  than 
 David  had.  Anger  and  hate  are  always  in  the  heart 
 closely  connected  with  some  other  evil  passion ;  lust  and 
 hate  are  inseparable  companions ;  and  so  are  malice  and 
 covetousness ;  they  were  woven  into  one  and  the  same 
 cord  in  the  heart  of  Judas,  by  which  Satan  held  him  ;  so 
 are  pride  and  anger,  they  are  never  found  apart.  And 
 therefore,  blessed  be  God  for  His  great  deliverance  !  all 
 these  passions  are  in  us  to  be  mortified  and  buried  with 
 Christ ;  and  if  lust,  and  covetousness,  and  pride,  be  away, 
 anger  will  have  nothing  to  feed  on,  and  wiU  of  itself  be 
 extinguished. 
 
 "  Take  My  yoke  upon  you,"  is  our  Blessed  Lord's  own 
 invitation,  "  and  learn  of  Me ;  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  of 
 heart,  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls."  Shall  find 
 "rest;"  shall  find  the  true  Sabbath,  the  Sabbath  of  rest 
 in  Christ,  rest  in  His  grave,  from  our  evil  passions  being 
 buried  there.  "  Know  ye  not  that  as  many  of  us  as  were 
 baptized  into  Jesus  Christ,  were  baptized  into  His  death  % 
 
 ^  Jer.  xxxi.  20. 
 
92  THE   SIXTH  SUNDAY   AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 Therefore  we  are  buried  with  Him  in  Baptism  unto  death." 
 And  then  if  we  he  dead  with  Christ,  to  live  with  Him 
 will  be  easy,  for  He  will  raise  us  up  by  the  same  Spirit, 
 and  we  shall  live  with  Him  ;  live  with  Him  even  now, 
 and  not  know  the  death  of  the  grave  to  be  death  at  all. 
 
 What  we  have  to  do  then  is,  to  be  conformable  to  Him, 
 to  learn  of  Him  His  love,  to  learn  to  love  Him,  in  order 
 that  by  so  doing  we  may  learn  to  love  others  with  some- 
 thing of  that  love  with  which  He  does.  The  love  of 
 Christ — let  this  then  be  your  one  great  business  in  life, 
 nay,  your  one  and  only  business ;  let  every  day  be  con- 
 sidered by  you  as  a  lost  day  which  has  not  done  some- 
 thing to  further  this  one  end.  As  a  man,  who  has  great 
 and  important  business  to  attend  to  at  a  distance,  must 
 travel  whether  it  be  rain  or  sunshine  ;  whether  he  meets 
 with  convenient  modes  of  being  conveyed  forward,  or  those 
 of  labour  and  difficulty  on  foot ;  whether  he  has  to  pursue 
 his  journey  in  company  or  alone ;  so  with  this  one  end  in 
 view,  let  your  days  be,  in  the  sunshine  of  life,  or  under  its 
 clouds,  under  all  varieties  of  circumstance  let  this  one  end 
 be  advanced,  be  always  thought  of  and  considered.  If 
 you  meet  with  success,  let  it  further  in  you  the  love  of 
 Christ  by  some  sacrifice ;  if  you  have  trouble,  by  strong 
 definite  acts  of  resignation ;  let  all  things  have  a  reference 
 to  His  Cross  and  Passion  ;  if  you  are  with  a  friend  who 
 sympathizes  with  you,  be  as  the  two  going  to  Emmaus, 
 let  Him  make  one  with  you  and  constrain  Him  ;  if  you 
 have  an  enemy,  this  is  an  opportunity  not  to  be  delayed 
 or  foregone ;  if  in  public  prayer,  then  take  care  that  it  be 
 an  act  of  union  with  Christ,  spiritual  worship  to  the  Eye 
 of  Him  that  seeth  in  secret ;  if  you  have  leisure  and  soli- 
 tude, be  sure  not  to  lose  the  time, — He  is  then  especially 
 waiting  to  draw  near  to  you.     But  above  all,  on  every 
 
BROTHERLY  LOVE   AND    THE   LIFE   IN   CHRIST.       93 
 
 opportunity  of  approaching  His  altar,  make  the  most  of  it 
 by  thorough  forgiveness  of  injuries  "from  the  heart," 
 by  entire  repentance,  and  love  unfeigned  ;  so  may  we, 
 "loving  Him  above  all  things,  obtain"  His  gracious 
 "promises." 
 
 But  remember,  it  is  a  work  to  be  done,  a  gift  to  be 
 gained  by  importunity. 
 
SERMON    LIV. 
 €i)t  ^tbtntf)  ^untJap  after  Cvimt». 
 
 Rom,  vi.  19—23.     St.  Mark  viii.  i — 9. 
 
 THE  BREAD    WHICH  GOD    GIVETH. 
 
 But  seek  ye  first  the  Kingdo^n  o/GoB,  and  His  righteousness ;  and  all 
 these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you. — St.  Matt.  vi.  33. 
 
 THE  Collect  and  the  Gospel  being  on  this  as  on  other 
 Sundays  during  this  season  found  together  in  ancient 
 books,  may  be  considered  as  both  illustrating  and  enforcing 
 each  other ;  but  it  is  not  so  with  the  Epistle,  which  is  but 
 a  continuation  of  that  for  last  Sunday,  and  seems  to  be 
 carrying  on  the  same  subject.  St.  Paul  had  therein  been 
 speaking,  in  expressions  very  sublime  and  heavenly,  of  the 
 new  state  into  which  we  are  brought  by  Baptism,  being 
 dead  with  Christ,  and  having  from  henceforth  in  Him  a 
 Divine  life.  To-day  he  proceeds  in  a  lower  strain  to  urge 
 the  same  upon  these  Roman  converts,  appealing  to  their 
 human  reason  on  the  great  advantages  of  a  religious  life 
 over  that  which  is  worldly  and  sinful. 
 
 /  spealc,  he  says,  after  the  manner  of  men,  hecanse  of  tlie 
 infirmity  of  your  fiesh.  If  ye  are  as  yet  unable  to  ap- 
 preciate arguments  drawn  from  the  love  of  God,  and  from 
 
THE   BREAD    WHICH   GOD    GIVETH.  95 
 
 faith  in  the  highest  mysteries  of  Christ,  whereby  the  soul 
 is  hallowed  by  the  great  Spirit  of  truth,  I  will  descend  to 
 set  forth  the  same  before  you  in  a  manner  suited  to  your 
 own  natural  experience.  For  as  ye  have  yielded  your 
 memhers  servants  to  uncleanness,  and  to  iniquity  unto 
 iniquity ;  even  so  noio  yield  your  memhers  servants  to 
 righteousness  unto  holiness.  For  when  ye  luere  the  servants 
 of  sin,  ye  were  free  from  righteousness.  I^ow  there  are  two 
 services  which  must  be  altogether  distinct  and  separate ; 
 the  one  is  the  service  of  sin,  which  ye  know  was  that  of 
 your  heathen  state  formerly,  which  was  under  the  dominion 
 of  all  natural  desires, — lust,  covetousness,  pride,  and  the 
 like, — and  continued  to  increase  that  servitude  by  adding 
 sin  to  sin  ;  the  law  of  righteousness  having  then  no  power 
 over  you.  But  now  ye  are  called  unto  quite  another 
 service,  wherein  God  demands  of  you  all  that  undivided 
 subjection  which  ye  formerly  paid  to  sin  and  Satan.  And 
 now  only  consider  the  vast  difference  which  exists  between 
 the  two. 
 
 What  fruit  had  ye  then  in  those  things  whereof  ye  are 
 now  ashamed  ?  for  the  end  of  those  things  is  death. 
 There  is  no  argument  which  comes  home  to  a  worldly  man 
 more  strongly  than  this, — your  pleasures  are  soon  over,  and 
 when  gone,  how  are  you  the  better  for  them  1  You  have, 
 to  say  the  least,  sown  the  wind,  and  have  nothing ;  your 
 hands  are  empty.  They  are  for  ever  gone,  and  you  are 
 ashamed  of  them ;  the  abiding  effects  which  they  have 
 left  with  you  are  not  honour  or  advantage  of  any  kind,  but 
 shame.  But  I  will  not  say  they  have  no  fruit ;  for  the 
 very  feeling  itself  of  shame  which  remains,  continues  to 
 be  a  witness  against  you,  indicating  that  your  higher 
 and  better  nature  has  been  broken  in  upon.  And  what  is 
 the  end  which  is  naturally  to  follow  ? — the  death  of  the 
 
96  THE   SEVENTH    SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 body  and  the  death  of  the  soul.  Such  pleasures  are  inti- 
 mately aUied  with  death,  having  their  seat  in  corruption. 
 Such  was  your  unregenerate  heathen  condition. 
 
 But  noio  being  made  free  from  sin, — delivered  from  the 
 bondage  of  those  things,  the  very  recollection  of  which  is 
 accompanied  with  shame, — and  become  sei^vants  to  God ; 
 having  entered  upon  another  service,  ye  have  your  fruit 
 unto  holiness ;  ye  already  perceive  the  fruits  of  it  in  spi-^ 
 ritual  sanctification  and  works  that  tend  to  holiness  of  life, 
 which  is  its  own  most  abundant  reward ;  and  the  end  ever- 
 lasting life.  These  fruits  are  joyous  now  to  behold,  even 
 as  a  summer  held,  as  they  increase  and  advance  towards 
 perfection;  and  they  wait  for  a  harvest  and  ingathering 
 into  the  barn,  which  is  everlasting  life  with  God. 
 
 Weigh,  then,  as  in  a  balance  together,  the  difference 
 between  these  two  states,  the  result  of  these  two  services. 
 For  the  wages  of  sin  is  death  ;  but  the  gift  of  God  is  eternal 
 life,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Death  is  the  pay- 
 ment which  Satan  hath  in  store  for  those  that  serve  him, 
 such  are  "  the  wages  "  which  sin  earns  for  that  service. 
 But  I  cannot  speak  of  "  the  wages  "  of  holiness ;  I  will 
 not  say  that  by  serving  God  eternal  life  is  earned  as  its 
 due  recompense  or  reward ;  for  there  is  no  sort  of  comparison 
 between  such  service  and  the  greatness  of  those  promises 
 which  God  hath  ]nade  for  those  that  serve  Him ;  that  free 
 "  gift  of  God  "  which  is  everlasting  life.  Such  is  that  crown 
 of  glory  which  hath  been  purchased  for  you  by  Christ,  and 
 is  freely  bestowed  of  God  to  those  that  love  Him. 
 
 So  great,  therefore,  being  the  contrast  between  these  two 
 services,  all  I  ask  is,  that  ye  serve  God  now  as  ye  once 
 served  sin.  For  if  any  one  will  take  that  jDains  in  the 
 service  of  God  which  men  do  in  the  service  of  the  world, 
 rising  up  early  and  late  taking  rest,  feeding  the  thoughts 
 
THE   BREAD    WHICH   GOD    GIVETH.  97 
 
 with  its  desires  ;  hoping,  contriving,  longing  for  tlie  objects 
 which  it  holds  out  to  liim,  he  may  attain  unto  great  holi- 
 ness now  and  happiness  hereafter.  Only  seek  for  the  bread 
 which  God  giveth  as  worldly  men  labour  for  the  meat  which 
 perisheth,  and  you  will  find  your  hopes  and  aspirations  so 
 increased  upon  you,  that  God  only  will  fill  them. 
 
 ISTow  the  Gospel  for  this  Sunday  is  remarkable  in  this 
 respect,  that  on  two  other  Sundays,  the  fourth  Sunday  in 
 Lent  and  the  last  of  the  Sundays  after  Trinity,  the  same 
 subject  occurs  for  the  Gospel  of  the  day, — that  of  our 
 Lord's  multiplying  the  loaves  and  the  fishes.  And  indeed, 
 when  we  consider  that  our  Lord  on  two  occasions  wrought 
 this  same  miracle,  and  has  had  each  of  them  recorded  for 
 the  edification  of  His  people,  it  seems  but  agreeable  to  this, 
 that  His  Church  also  should  more  than  once  thus  solemnly 
 call  our  attention  to  the  instruction  they  are  intended  to 
 convey.  Moreover,  our  Lord,  by  twice  performing  this 
 miracle,  has  thereby  stamped  it  to  us  as  one  of  peculiar 
 interest  and  importance.  Add  to  which,  it  appears  in  it- 
 self intended  to  set  forth  the  marvellous  operations  of  His 
 providence  and  of  His  grace  in  two  instances  which  He 
 likewise  often  repeats  j  the  one  is  what  we  witness  in  nature, 
 especially  at  this  approaching  season  of  the  year,  in  the 
 waving  corn-field,  when  a  few  grains  of  wheat  are,  by  the 
 blessing  of  God  and  the  secret  working  of  His  power, 
 multipHed  into  very  many.  And  the  second  is  that  fre- 
 quently recurring  miracle  in  His  spiritual  Kingdom,  where- 
 by His  Church  is  sustained,  the  carrying  on  of  that  memor- 
 able occasion  which  the  circumstances  of  this  day's  Gospel 
 seem  more  especially  intended  to  exhibit,  when  the  same 
 night  in  which  He  was  betrayed  He  took  the  bread  into 
 His  hands,  and  blessed  and  brake,  and  gave  to  His  disciples. 
 
 VOL.  ir.  H 
 
98  THE   SEVENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 So  is  it  even"  unto  this  day  in  His  Cbiircli.  And  botli  of 
 these  miracles,  the  one  by  which  the  body,  the  other  that 
 by  which  the  soul  is  supported,  have  the  promise  of  con- 
 tinuance. Of  one  it  is  said,  "  seed-time  and  harvest  shall 
 not  cease  j"^  of  the  other,  "as  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread, 
 ye  do  show  the  Lord's  death  till  He  come."'^  It  is  the 
 Lord's  memorial,  the  pledge  of  His  Presence,  the  food  of 
 His  people  until  the  end. 
 
 But  on  this  occasion,  without  dwelling  merely  on  that 
 high  mystery  which  our  Lord  has  connected  with  it  as  its 
 spiritual  signification,  whereby  He  supernaturally  supports 
 His  people  in  the  wilderness,  for  He  has  explained  the 
 true  Bread  to  be  His  own  Body,  we  may  consider  it  in 
 a  more  general  way  as  a  pledge  and  assurance  to  us,  still 
 continued  and  confirmed  unto  this  time  by  the  like  going 
 on  in  the  kingdom  of  nature  and  of  grace ;  that  He  will 
 never  fail  to  support  us,  if  we  look  to  Him,  both  in  body 
 and  soul ;  and  if  with  bodily  support,  oh,  how  much  more 
 with  spiritual,  of  importance  so  infinitely  greater !  Yet 
 both  may  be  considered  together ;  for  the  Lord  is  Maker 
 of  them  both,  both  naturally  come  together  on  this 
 subject ;  as  in  St.  Paul's  words,  "  He  that  ministereth 
 seed  to  •  the  sower  minister  bread  for  your  food,  multiply 
 your  seed  sown,  and  increase  the  fruits  of  your  righteous- 
 ness."^ 
 
 In  tliose  days  the  multitude  being  very  great,  and  having 
 nothing  to  eat,  Jesus  called  His  disciples  unto  Him,  and 
 saith  unto  them,  I  have  compassion  on  the  multitude, 
 because  they  have  now  been  with  Me  three  days,  and  have 
 nothing  to  eat.     And  if  I  serid  them  away  fasting  to  their 
 
 1  Gen.  viii.  22.  -  1  Cor.  xi.  26. 
 
 3  2  Cor.  ix.  10. 
 
THE   BREAD    WHICH   GOD    GIVETH.  99 
 
 own  liouses,  they  loill  faint  by  the  ivay,  for  divers  of  them 
 came  from  far.  How  often  do  we  read  of  our  Lord's 
 having  compassion,  or  outwardly  showing  indications  of 
 it !  It  would  seem  as  if  He  could  not  behold  any  form  of 
 distress  without  being  moved  with  pity ;  whether  it  were 
 the  cry  of  a  blind  man,  or  the  sight  of  a  bereaved  widow, 
 or  mourners  like  Mary  and  Martha  at  a  grave,  or  people 
 suffering  from  hunger, — He  could  not  witness  such  things 
 without  being  sensibly  affected.  This  is  much  to  be 
 observed.  Thus,  in  the  present  instance,  He  might  in 
 His  wisdom  have  had  great  and  Divine  reasons  for  work- 
 ing this  miracle,  both  for  the  confirmation  of  His  mission 
 and  for  the  edification  of  future  generations ;  there  was 
 no  occasion,  humanly  speaking,  that  He  should  thus  be 
 brought  down  and  be  made  one  with  suffering  mankind 
 by  a  sort  of  human  pity  ;  that  the  miracle  should  thus  be 
 as  it  were  forced  from  Him  as  a  relief  to  His  affections  thus 
 worked  upon  and  moved.  The  world  almost  accounts  it  a 
 sort  of  weakness  when  a  man  does  good  out  of  sensible 
 pity.  Or  again,  many  human  teachers,  when  they  had 
 been  instructing  the  multitudes  on  the  infinite  value  of 
 the  soul  in  comparison  with  the  body,  of  the  importance 
 of  eternity,  inculcating  on  them  the  truths  of  spiritual 
 wisdom,  of  the  things  of  God  and  Heaven,  would  have 
 considered  almost  beneath  their  notice  the  mere  wants  of 
 the  body.  Such  earthly  matters  they  would  have  left  as 
 the  concern  of  others  ;  if  not  beneath  their  notice,  yet  not 
 such  as  to  interfere  with  their  high  and  spiritual  calling. 
 But  far  otherwise  was  it  with  Him  Who  "  bore  our  griefs 
 and  carried  our  sorrows ;"  and  had  in  Himself  that  inti- 
 mate feeling  for  all  our  wants,  with  a  tenderness  like  that 
 which  a  mother  has  for  a  child.  For  when  we  do  good  to 
 others  we  stand  above  them ;  when  we  do  so  out  of  com- 
 H  2 
 
100         THE   SEVENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 passion,  we  are  brought  down  to  them.  However,  so  it 
 was.  He  was  as  one  under  constraint,  drawn  "  by  the 
 cords  of  a  man."  He  had  compassion.  And  so  is  it  even 
 now ;  in  His  exaltation  He  has  not  laid  aside  this  tender 
 sympathy  with  all  our  needs.  "  We  have  not  an  High 
 Priest,"  says  St.  Paul,  *'  who  cannot  be  touched  with  the 
 feeling  of  our  infirmities."*  Wonderful  indeed  is  this 
 His  mercy ;  it  is  like  His  almighty  power,  which  mani- 
 fests itself  alike  in  the  greatest  and  the  smallest  things  ; 
 for  while  His  pity  was  so  great  that  it  had  brought  Him 
 down  from  Heaven  to  give  His  own  Body  for  the  food  and 
 eternal  life  of  our  souls,  at  the  same  time  the  like  pity 
 descended  likewise  to  the  daily  wants  of  the  perishing 
 body.  What  an  encouragement  is  this  to  go  to  Him  in 
 all  our  wants,  both  small  and  great,  knowing  that  He 
 careth  for  us  ! 
 
 And  His  disciples  answered  Him,  From  whence  can 
 a  man  satisfy  these  men  with  bread  here  in  the 
 wilderness?  It  seems  strange  that  they  should  have 
 forgotten  the  former  miracle,  were  it  not  that  mankind 
 are  so  wont  to  forget  such  tokens  of  God's  presence.  Or 
 it  may  be  that  something  of  faith  and  hope  was  intended 
 in  the  inquiry,  as  if  with  the  secret  thought,  man  indeed 
 cannot  do  it,  but  Thou  canst. 
 
 And  He  asked  them,  How  many  loaves  have  ye  ?  And 
 they  said.  Seven.  And  He  commanded  the  people  to  sit 
 doion  on  the  ground.  And  He  took  the  seven  loaves,  and 
 gave  thanks,  and  hrahe,  and  gave  to  His  disciples  to  set 
 before  them  ;  and  they  did  set  them  before  the  people.  And 
 they  had  a  few  small  fishes ;  and  He  blessed,  and  com- 
 manded to  set  them  also  before  them.  In  this  action  of 
 oiu"  Lord's  is  particularly  to  be  observed  His  giving  of 
 ^  Heb.  iv.  15. 
 
THE   BREAD    WHICH   GOD    GIVETH.  101 
 
 thanks,  which  was  probably,  as  on  other  occasions,  accom- 
 panied by  that  significant  action  of  looking  up  to  Heaven, 
 as  if  acknowledging  all  good  to  be  from  thence ;  and  then, 
 in  like  manner,  with  the  lifting  up  of  His  hands  did 
 He  confer  His  blessing.  Thus  we  read  throughout  the 
 Scriptures  of  all  good  being  associated  with  the  blessing 
 of  God.  It  was  the  blessing  of  the  Creator,  Who  in  the 
 beginning  blessed  the  creatures  He  had  made,  and  said, 
 "  Be  fruitful  and  multiply."  Again,  the  father  of  the 
 faithful  had  a  peculiar  blessing  vouchsafed  to  him  on  the 
 offering  up  of  his  son,  when  God  said  to  him  by  the  angel 
 from  Heaven,  "  In  blessing  I  will  bless  thee,  and  in  multi- 
 plying I  will  multiply  thy  people."  And  Jacob,  taught 
 of  God,  struggled  for  the  like  when  he  said,  "  I  will  not 
 let  Thee  go  except  Thou  bless  me,"  And  the  increase  of 
 His  Church  is  owing  to  the  same;  for  our  Lord's  last  act, 
 when  He  ascended  to  Heaven,  was,  that  "  He  lifted  up  His 
 hands "  on  His  disciples,  "  and  blessed  them."  But  the 
 crown  of  all  blessings,  which  most  resembles  this  occasion, 
 was  that  at  the  Last  Supper,  when  offering  up  Himself  as 
 a  willing  oblation  for  us,  He  gave  thanks  and  blessed  the 
 bread  and  the  wine.  So  that  the  bread  has  been  ever 
 named  by  the  Church  with  this  peculiar  name,  "the 
 Bread  of  Thanksgiving ;"  and  St.  Paul  calls  the  cup, 
 "the  Cup  of  Blessing  which  we  bless." 
 
 Bo  they  did  eat,  and  were  filled :  and  they  took  up  of  the 
 broken  meat  that  was  left  seven  baskets .  And  they  that 
 had  eaten  were  about  four  thousand.  And  He  sent  them 
 away.  How  many  reflections  crowd  upon  us  at  this  mani- 
 festation of  Him  Who  is  the  Giver  of  all  good  !  Thus  He 
 openeth  His  hand  and  filleth  all  things  living  with  plen- 
 teousness.  And  thus  would  He  have  us  to  be,  like  Himself, 
 "  full  of  compassion ; "  not  to  close  the  hand  as  man  does, 
 
102  THE   SEVENTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 but  to  open  it  as  God  is  wont.  For  "  it  is  more  blessed," 
 said  the  Lord  Jesus,  "  to  give  than  to  receive."^  And  He 
 has  in  this  set  forth  that  precept  which  He  has  given, 
 "  When  thou  makest  a  dinner  or  a  supper,  call  not  thy 
 rich  neighbours,"  but  the  poor.  For  here  His  guests  are 
 the  needy  and  the  hungry.  And  St.  Basil  observes,®  that 
 in  tlie  last  Judgment,  when  the  Lord  calls  the  righteous, 
 he  that  hath  been  bountiful  hath  the  first  place  ;  and  he 
 that  hath  nourished  the  poor  is  sent  into  life  before  the 
 rest. 
 
 Those  who  meditate  on  these  things  will  also  find  high 
 spiritual  truths  opening  on  them  more  and  more,  as  con- 
 tained in  these  outward  symbols.  Those  whom  He  thus 
 fed  were  such  as  flocked  to  Him  for  religious  instruction, 
 and  to  hear  His  gracious  words ;  and  these  four  thousand 
 may  well  represent  those  multitudes  who  will  come  to 
 Him  from  the  four  quarters  of  the  world.  These  He  will 
 feed  by  means  of  His  Church,  which  is  built  on  "  twelve 
 foundations,"  in  which  are  "the  names  of  the  twelve 
 Apostles  of  the  Lamb ;"  shall  feed  them  with  the  seven 
 gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost, — that  Bread  which  is  the  food  of 
 the  soul.  And  herein  we  have  His  deeper  and  fuller 
 answer  to  that  question  of  the  disciples,  "  Whence  can  one 
 satisfy  these  with  bread  in  the  wilderness  ? "  The  world 
 is  a  wilderness,  what  therein  can  satisfy  the  human  soul  % 
 Nothing,  surely,  but  the  Bread  from  Heaven  which  Christ 
 gives.  And  He  has  promised  that  they  who  hunger  after 
 righteousness  shall  be  filled. 
 
 What,  then,  is  the  chief  consideration  we  may  derive 
 from  the  Gospel  of  this  day  ?  The  subject  is  one  of  no 
 little  importance ;  for  the  people  that  partook  of  that  first 
 
 «  Acts  XX.  35.  6  Par.  Ere*-. 
 
THE   BREAD    WHICH   GOD    GIVETH.  103 
 
 miracle  were  offended  because  they  considered  it  not 
 aright.  And  the  Twelve  themselves,  who  distributed  the 
 bread,  after  both  these  miracles  grieved  their  Divine 
 Master,  because  they  remembered  them  not,  neither  under- 
 stood. It  was  but  a  short  while  after  this  miracle,  that  in 
 the  boat  with  Him,  mistaking  an  expression  He  had  made 
 use  of,  their  anxious  thoughts  were  reasoning  among  them- 
 selves because  they  had  no  bread,  'when  He  said,  "  0  ye 
 of  little  faith  !  why  reason  ye  because  ye  have  no  bread  % 
 perceive  ye  not  yet,  neither  understand?  Have  ye  your 
 hearts  yet  hardened?  Having  eyes,  see  ye  not?  and 
 having  ears,  hear  ye  not?  And  do  ye  not  remember?" 
 And  then,  reminding  them  of  those  two  miracles  of  the 
 five  loaves  among  five  thousand,  and  the  seven  loaves 
 among  four  thousand,  He  again  added,  "  How  is  it  that 
 ye  do  not  understand?"^  The  subject  that  grieved  their 
 Lord  was  this,  that  notwithstanding  all  that  those  two 
 miracles  were  intended  to  teach  them,  they  were  still 
 thinking  of  the  bread  that  perisheth,  whether  or  not  it 
 would  fail  them  ;  whereas,  what  He  had  intended  to  teach 
 them  was,  to  leave  this  entirely  to  His  merciful  care ;  for 
 "  man  doth  not  live  by  bread  alone,  but  by  every  word 
 that  proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of  God."  He  had 
 wished,  that  being  assured  He  Himself  would  provide  as 
 was  best  for  the  body,  they  should  be  concerned  and 
 thoughtful  only  for  the  things  of  the  soul — of  God  and 
 eternity.  He  had  designed  by  those  miracles  to  draw  off 
 their  minds  from  the  concerns  of  this  world,  and  to  lift 
 them  up  from  earth  to  heaven. 
 
 And  the  same  thing  was  shown  in  a  manner  no  less 
 forcible  and  impressive  in  ttiat  discourse  at  Capernaum, 
 
 7  St.  Mark  viii.  14—21. 
 
104  THE   SEVENTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 with  those  who  had  partaken  of  that  first  mii-acle  of  the 
 loaves.  In  grief  and  disappointment  He  saw  them  flock- 
 ing after  Him,  and  said,  ''  Ye  seek  Me  not  because  ye  saw 
 the  miracles,  but  because  ye  did  eat  of  the  loaves  and  were 
 filled.  Labour  not  for  the  meat  that  perisheth,  but  for 
 that  meat  which  endureth  unto  everlasting  life." 
 
 And  now  to  apply  the  same  to  ourselves.  It  was 
 observed  that  the  counterpart  of  this  miracle  is  still  carried 
 on  by  the  providence  of  God  every  year  in  harvests  more 
 or  less  abundant,  whereby  the  blessing  of  God  upon  the 
 corn,  as  it  passes  through  the  hands  of  man,  multiplies 
 the  seed  sown,  some  thirty,  some  sixty,  some  an  hundred- 
 fold. Now  what  our  Lord  desired  on  those  two  occasions 
 of  multiplying  the  loaves  was,  to  draw  attention  to  the 
 miracle,  to  the  marvellous  working  of  His  power  and 
 goodness ;  this  He  had  particularly  wished  them  to 
 notice,  and  understand,  and  remember ;  it  was  fron  hard- 
 ness of  heart  that  they  were  slow  to  do  so.  But  what  He 
 wished  at  the  same  time  to  withdraw  their  minds  from, 
 was  the  mere  means  of  bodily  support.  He  wished  them 
 to  have  seen  His  hand — to  have  been  impressed,  over- 
 powered by  it — to  have  been  thankful ;  to  have  under- 
 stood it,  reading  that  lesson  with  spiritual  eyes  ;  and  in 
 consequence  to  have  trusted  in  Him  altogether  for  the 
 means  of  present  subsistence,  and  to  have  sought  from 
 Him  the  true  food  of  the  soul. 
 
 Now  the  effects  of  the  harvest — of  reaping,  and  enjoy- 
 ing, and  witnessing  the  fruits  of  the  earth  of  all  kinds — is 
 to  make  men  think  of  the  food  that  perisheth ;  to  look  to 
 such  things,  and  rest  in  them  in  all  their  varieties  and 
 abundance.  "What  is  the  consequence  when  the  mind 
 dwells  on  these  for  their  own  sake  1  It  is  again  to  seek 
 for  more  with  the  men  at  Capernaum,  or  else,  with  the 
 
THE   BREAD    WHICH   GOD    GIVETH.  105 
 
 good  and  lowly  disciples,  to  be  "  taking  thought "  in 
 poverty,  from  a  fear  that  such  wants  may  not  be  supplied. 
 But  the  very  contrary  to  this  is  the  design  and  desire  of 
 our  merciful  God  towards  us.  He  wishes  us  to  rest  in 
 none  of  His  gifts,  but  to  be  led  by  them  to  seek  for  rest  in 
 Himself  only.  For  be  assured,  my  brethren,  let  Him 
 give  us  the  whole  world,  yet  unless  He  gives  unto  us 
 Himself  we  are  poor  indeed. 
 
 But,  alas !  such  is  the  frailty  of  our  nature,  that  the 
 more  He  bestows  upon  us  of  outward  gifts,  the  more 
 danger  we  are  in  of  resting  in  them,  and  thereby  of  for- 
 getting Him.  For  He  gives,  and  in  giving  withdraws 
 Himself ;  yet  it  is  Himself  that  He  would  have  us  to  seek, 
 to  love,  to  rest  in,  and  then  we  shall  care  for  nothing  else, 
 for  in  having  Him  we  have  everything.  He  would  have 
 us  to  seek  Him,  because  He  loves  us  and  pities  us,  and 
 knows  that  He  is  Himself  our  only  true  happiness. 
 
 But  it  is  not  in  harvests  and  fruits  of  the  earth  only 
 that  He  indicates  His  superintending  compassionate  Provi- 
 dence, wishing  us  at  the  same  time  not  to  care  for  such 
 things,  but  only  for  Himself  the  Giver.  But  in  all  the 
 circumstances  of  our  earthly  life,  in  which  He  has  shown 
 His  watchful  regard  to  our  wishes,  our  comforts,  and 
 desires  of  all  kinds,  from  our  birth  all  along  unto  this 
 day ;  His  affording  us  many  means  of  temporal  good, — 
 friends  it  may  be,  some  share  of  reputation,  wealth, 
 learning.  Most  men  are  at  times  sensibly  affected  by 
 a  review  of  these  blessings  in  their  own  lives,  as  indica- 
 tions of  God's  tender  goodness  towards  them.  But  in  all 
 these  things  it  is  to  be  feared  that  we  afford  to  our  mer- 
 ciful God  matter  of  complaint  and  sorrow,  because  we 
 value  and  love  His  gifts  more  than  Himself. 
 
 Compassionate  Saviour,  do  Thou  Thyself  teach  us  the 
 
106         THE    SEVENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 lesson  Thou  wouldst  have  us  to  learn,  and  write  it  by  Thy 
 Spirit  on  our  hearts  and  lives.  Let  us  not  grieve  Thee  by 
 letting  it  pass  from  us,  or  by  taking  it  amiss,  as  they  did 
 of  old  who  partook  of  those  Thy  miraculous  mercies. 
 
 Alas,  0  my  God,  I  know  no  greater  occasion  than  this 
 for  sorrow,  and  pain,  and  tears,  that  we  should  forget  and 
 dishonour  Thee,  because  Thou  art  good  ! 
 
 It  is  such  reflections  as  these,  dear  Christians,  which 
 I  think  the  Church  would  call  to  our  minds  on  this  Sunday, 
 by  the  ke}'-  which  the  Collect  seems  to  furnish  to  the 
 intentions  of  the  Gospel ;  for  in  that  we  pray  that  He 
 Who  is  "the  Author  and  Giver  of  all  good  things,"  would 
 "  graft  in  our  hearts  the  love  of  "  His  "  name,  increase  in 
 us  true  religion,"  and  "nourish  us  with  all  goodness." 
 And  I  hope  that  during  this  week  this  CoUect  may  be 
 very  frequently  repeated  by  us,  both  night  and  day,  with 
 such  thoughts  of  humiliation  as  become  us,  on  account 
 of  our  want  of  love  to  our  merciful  God  for  all  His 
 benefits. 
 
SERMON    LV. 
 €f}t  (BiQ\)ti)  ^untJai)  aittv  Cnnttu. 
 
 Rom.  viii.  12—17.     St.  Matt.  vii.  15 — 21. 
 
 BV   THE /I?    FRUITS    YE  SHALL    KNOW    THEM. 
 
 For  as  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  Oj 
 God. — Rom.  viii.  14. 
 
 1]^  the  Epistle  for  Sunday  last  St.  Paul  had  been  con- 
 trasting the  service  of  God  with  the  service  of  sin; 
 he  touches  on  the  same  subject  again  to-day,  but  imme- 
 diately passes  from  it  to  dwell  in  glowing  language,  as  he 
 ever  delights  to  do,  on  the  blessed  privileges  of  being  in 
 Christ. 
 
 Brethren,  we  are  debtors,  not  to  the  flesh,  to  live  after 
 the  flesh.  For  if  ye  live  after  the  flesh,  ye  shall  die  ;  hut 
 if  ye  through  the  Spirit  do  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  hody, 
 ye  shall  live.  How  great,  therefore,  he  was  about  to  say, 
 is  the  debt  we  owe  to  Christ ;  but  in  speaking  of  debt,  as 
 if  carried  away  by  that  expression,  he  passes  on  to  say  we 
 are  under  no  debt  to  the  flesh.  It  sometimes  seems  im- 
 plied that  we  are  under  a  sort  of  debt  or  obligation  to 
 society,  to  nature,  to  the  world ;  but  we  have  seen  what 
 all  this  comes  to — we  are  delivered  from  that  bondage 
 
108  THE   EIGHTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 which  only  leads  to  death.  Kature,  and  the  world,  and 
 all  things  human,  have  no  other  end  but  death ;  whereas 
 to  overcome  them  through  the  Spirit  is  life. 
 
 For  as  many  as  are  led  hy  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are 
 the  sons  of  God.  For  ye  have  not  received  the  spirit  of 
 bondage  again  to  fear ;  hut  ye  have  received  the  Spirit  of 
 adoption,  whereby  we  cry,  Ahla,  Father.  For  this  being 
 "  led  by  the  Spirit "  to  mortify  the  flesh  is  the  very  proof 
 of  our  sonship.  I  say  "  sonship ;"  for  though  I  have  been 
 speaking  of  the  "  service  "  of  God  as  contrasted  with  that 
 of  sin,  yet  our  state  as  Christians  is  not  in  fact  a  service, 
 as  was  that  of  the  Jews,  but  a  sonship.  The  spirit  which 
 we  have  received  does  not  teach  us  to  approach  God  with 
 servile  fear,  but  with  the  spirit  of  adoption  and  the  name 
 of  Father.  For  the  Jews  are  described  as  being  under 
 a  state  of  bondage  to  the  law,  the  full  meaning  of  which 
 they  understood  not ;  but  to  His  disciples  our  Blessed 
 Saviour  says,  "  Henceforth  I  call  you  not  servants,  but 
 I  call  you  friends,  for  the  servant  knoweth  not  what  his 
 lord  doeth."  And  no  sooner  had  He  paid  the  ransom  for 
 us  than  He  says  to  Mary  Magdalene,  "  Go  to  My  brethren, 
 and  say  unto  them,  I  ascend  unto  My  Father  and  your 
 Father;"  fulfilling  His  saying  in  the  Psalm,  "I  wiU 
 declare  Thy  I^ame  unto  My  brethren."  Hence  St.  Paul 
 says  in  like  manner  to  the  Galatians,  "  And  because  ye 
 are  sons,  God  hath  sent  the  Spirit  of  His  Son  into  your 
 hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father.  Wherefore  thou  art  no 
 more  a  servant,  but  a  son."  And  that  this  spirit  of  adop- 
 tion is  to  influence  and  characterize  all  our  daily  lives,  our 
 Lord  Himself  has  taught  us,  by  commanding  us  to  be 
 continually  coming  to  God  with  the  words,  "  Our  Father 
 Which  art  in  heaven."  For  as  we  ought  always  to  be 
 using  this  prayer,  so  ought  we  always  to  be  looking  to 
 
SV  THEIR   FRUITS   VE  SHALL   KNOW   THEM.      109 
 
 God  as  our  Father.  And  confirming  all  that  encourage- 
 ment which  the  name  suggests,  our  Lord  says,  "If  ye 
 being  evil  know  how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children, 
 how  much  more  shall  your  heavenly  Father  give  good 
 things  to  them  that  ask  Him  ? " 
 
 This  temper,  then,  this  spirit  of  adoption  influencing 
 our  lives,  is  to  us  the  proof  that  we  are  of  the  number  of 
 God's  children,  as  the  Apostle  adds  :  The  8}ylrit  itself 
 heareth  witness  ivith  our  sjnrit,  that  we  are  the  children  of 
 God:  and  if  children,  then  heirs;  heirs  of  God.,  and 
 joint-heirs  loiih  Cflirist ;  if  so  he  that  we  suffer  with  Him, 
 that  loe  may  he  also  glorified  together.  "  Joint-heirs  with 
 Christ,"  "  if  we  suffer  with  Him."  Thus  He  Himself  says, 
 "  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  Me  in 
 My  throne,  as  I  overcame,  and  am  set  down  with  My 
 Father  in  His  throne."^  Thus  as  this  loving  spirit  of 
 filial  obedience  is  the  evidence  of  our  sonship,  with  that 
 sonship  is  connected  an  inheritance  not  earthly  but 
 heavenly.  As  in  our  Prayer,  to  the  ISTame  "  our  Father  " 
 is  added  "  Which  art  in  Heaven."  The  home,  the  in- 
 heritance, the  Father's  house,  is  in  Heaven.  For  the 
 earthly  promise  connected  with  that  sonship  is  that  of 
 suffering,  from  its  being  united  with  the  Sonship  of 
 Christ,  the  Captain  of  our  salvation,  made  perfect  through 
 sufferings. 
 
 From  hence  it  is  evident,  that  so  far  as  we  value  an 
 earthly  inheritance  more  than  an  heavenly ;  esteem  riches, 
 honour,  or  learning,  more  than  holiness;  despise  tlie 
 poor ;  shrink  from  suffering  and  obscurity ;  think  more 
 of  the  great  in  this  world  than  of  the  sons  of  God ;  we 
 have  "  our  portion  in  this  life,"  Ave  are  under  bondage  to 
 
 »  Rev.  iii.  21. 
 
110  THE   EIGHTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 tlie  world,  and  have  lost  the  spirit  of  adoption.  For  the 
 condemnation  of  the  Jews  was,  that  they  valued  not  the 
 promise  ;  "  they  thought  scorn  of  that  pleasant  land,  and 
 gave  no  credence  unto  His  Word."  And  it  has  been  said 
 with  awful  truth,  that  "no  man  can  expect  to  go  to 
 Heaven  when  he  dies,  who  has  not  sent  his  heart  thither 
 while  he  lives." 
 
 The  Gospel  for  to-day  is  taken  from  our  Lord's  Sermon 
 on  the  ]\Iount ;  and  it  so  far  falls  in  with  the  subject  of 
 the  Epistle,  that  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  consists 
 entirely  of  the  duties  and  privileges  which  arise  from  this 
 new  relation,  into  which,  as  Christians,  we  are  brought 
 unto  God  as  sons ;  it  all  refers  throughout  to  this  spirit 
 of  adoption,  and  this  new  law,  the  law  of  love,  which 
 supersedes  while  it  fulfils  the  old  law.  Hence  through 
 this  Sermon  on  the  Mount  our  Lord  speaks  of  Crod  as  our 
 Father.  The  prayer  which  He  therein  gives  us  is  to  "  our 
 Father  Which  "  is  "  in  Heaven."  Ye  are  to  do  all  things 
 "to  glorify  your  Father  in  Heaven;"  "your  Father  in 
 Heaven  seeth  in  secret ;  "  your  reward  is  with  your  Father 
 in  Heaven ;"  "  your  Father  in  Heaven  "  feedeth  the  birds, 
 and  careth  for  you ;  ye  must  "  be  j)erfect  as  your  Father 
 in  Heaven  is  perfect."  And  hence  aU  Christians  through- 
 out the  same  are  spoken  of  as  brethren. 
 
 But  the  particular  advice  taken  from  the  Sermon  on 
 the  Mount,  given  in  to-day's  Gospel,  is  the  warning 
 against  false  prophets.  Our  Lord  has  often  cautioned  us 
 on  this  subject ;  of  "  blind  guides  "  that  lead  to  destruc- 
 tion ;  of  "  false  prophets  and  false  Christs "  full  of  de- 
 ceivableness,  which  will  form  the  chief  danger  of  the 
 latter  days.  And  the  Apostles  have  carried  on  the  same 
 note  of  warning,  speaking  of  Antichrists  and  seducers  that 
 
BV   THEIR    FRUITS    YE   SHALL    KNOW    THEM.       Ill 
 
 had  already  appeared  in  their  own  day ;  of  heresies,  which 
 must  needs  be  for  the  probation  of  the  elect ;  and  of 
 these  greatly  increasing  as  time  advances  to  the  end, 
 many  "  deceiving  and  being  deceived."  And  the  Book 
 of  the  Eevelation  not  only  describes  the  seven  Churches 
 in  those  days  as  severely  tried  by  the  counterpart  of 
 Balaam,  and  of  Jezebel,  and  the  synagogue  of  Satan ;  but 
 intimates,  that  from  thence  to  the  end  of  the  world,  false 
 religions,  and  delusive  forms  of  corruption,  will  extend 
 and  be  multiplied  tiU  they  are  developed  in  one  great 
 apostasy  or  falling  away  from  Christ. 
 
 If,  again,  from  these  prophetic  intimations  of  Scripture 
 we  turn  to  see  what  fulfilment  of  them  is  now  taking  place 
 in  the  world  around  us,  the  first  point  that  arrests  our 
 attention  is  the  great  and  numerous  divisions  among 
 those  who  are  called  Christians,  and  have  the  Bible  in 
 their  hands.  The  Christian  world  is  full  of  parties  and 
 sects,  one  may  say  of  different  religions ;  yet  it  is  clear 
 that  one  religion  only  can  be  true, — God  is  the  Author  of 
 union,  not  of  division.  Truth  is  one,  error  is  manifold. 
 One  faith  only  hath  Christ  once  for  all  delivered  unto  the 
 saints.  But  there  are  many  in  the  world.  And  now, 
 though  every  one  supposes  himself  to  be  right,  and  his 
 own  form  of  religion  the  best,  yet  it  is  evident  from  this 
 very  diversity  that  there  must  be  many  erroneous  opinions, 
 — ways  by  which  men  are  deluded,  and  delutle  them- 
 selves, respecting  the  way  of  salvation.  The  warnings, 
 therefore,  which  the  Gospel  for  this  day  conveys,  cannot 
 but  be  most  seasonable  for  us,  and  the  more  so  the  less  we 
 are  aware  of  the  necessity  of  them. 
 
 Beware  of  false  projphets  ivhich  come  to  you  in  sheep  s 
 clothing,  hut  inwardly  they  are  ravelling  ivolves.  The 
 \v(^rd   "  beware  "  implies  a  subtle  danger  which  requires 
 
111^  THE  EIGHTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 watchfulness,  as  does  also  the  false  semblance  of  "  sheep's 
 clothing."  The  false  prophets  of  old  wore  "the  rough 
 garment  to  deceive,'*-  but  these  put  on  the  very  likeness 
 of  Christ  Himself,  Who,  "  as  a  slieep  before  his  shearers 
 was  dumb;"  or  they  have  "two  horns,  like  a  lamb  with 
 the  dragon's  speech,"*  "seducing  spirits,"  it  is  said; 
 it  is  the  "strong  delusion  that  believes  a  lie,"  and 
 with  "  all  deceivableness  of  unrighteousness  in  them  that 
 perish." 
 
 Ye  shall  know  them  by  their  fruits.  Do  men  gather 
 grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of  thistles  ?  Even  so  every  good 
 tree  bringeth  forth  good  fruit;  hut  a  corrupt  tree  hringeth 
 forth  evil  fruit.  A  good  tree  cannot  bring  forth  evil  fruit; 
 neither  can  a  corrupt  tree  bring  forth  good  fruit.  Now  here 
 there  are  some  difficulties  occur  to  one  in  the  application 
 of  this  rule.  Is  it  intended  that  persons  are  to  leave  their 
 own  pastor,  who  is  set  over  them  by  the  Church,  because 
 he  leads  not  a  good  life'?  This  cannot  be  the  intention; 
 for  in  our  Lord's  own  time  these  "  blind  leaders  of  the 
 blind,"  fuU  of  hypocrisy,  were  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  ; 
 yet  He  says  of  them,  "  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  sit  in 
 Moses'  seat ;  all,  therefore,  whatsoever  they  bid  you  ob- 
 serve, that  observe  and  do."  In  like  manner,  your 
 appointed  minister  may  be  a  bad  man,  even  as  Balaam 
 or  as  Judas  Iscariot ;  yet  that  does  not  make  it  the  less 
 true  that  he  may  have  received  his  appointment  and  com- 
 mission from  Christ,  which  would  be  a  matter  of  fact. 
 The  most  godly  life  cannot  of  course  ever  give  a  man  a 
 commission  from  Christ  who  has  it  not ;  nor  can  a  wicked 
 life  take  away  that  authority,  or  destroy  the  power  of  it, 
 unless  it  be  taken  away  by  those  who  gave  it  and  had  the 
 
 2  Zech.  xiii.  4.  ^  Hev.  xiii.  11. 
 
BV   THEIR    FRUITS    VE   SHALL    KNOW    THE.Y.       113 
 
 power  to  do  so.  Our  Lord's  warning,  therefore,  does  not 
 apply  to  this,  hut  to  doctrine  and  teaching.  Thus  of 
 these  very  persons  who  were  to  he  oheyed  as  heing  in 
 Moses'  seat  He  says,  "  Beware  of  the  leaven,"  i.  e.  of 
 the  hypocrisy,  and  false  doctrine,  ''  of  the  Scrihes  and 
 Pharisees." 
 
 Again ;  in  some  sense  we  ought  not,  and  indeed  cannot 
 judge  men,  nor  pretend  to  say  what  they  are  in  God's 
 sight ;  i.  e.  we  must  not  judge  them  censoriously  or 
 enviously ;  and,  moreover,  there  is  great  difficulty  in 
 judging  correctly  of  men.  Good  men  are  hated  hy  the 
 world,  and  evil  spoken  of,  as  was  the  case  with  our 
 Lord  Himself;  whereas  had  men  may  he  like  whited 
 sepulchres,  heautiful  without,  hut  within  full  of  unclean- 
 ness ;  or  in  sheep's  clothing  pretending  to  all  Christian 
 holiness,  hut  wolves  within.  Besides  which,  good  men 
 labour  to  hide  their  good  works  from  the  world, — how, 
 therefore,  are  we  to  know  men  from  their  fruits  ? 
 
 The  fact  is,  that  notwithstanding  all  such  objections, 
 there  will  ever  shine  forth  from  a  sincere,  good  man,  a 
 clear  and  consistent  light  which  cannot  be  hid.  If  any 
 one  takes  diligent  care  of  his  own  heart,  this  cannot  but 
 be  seen  in  his  words  and  actions,  for  from  the  abundance 
 of  the  heart  the  mouth  speaketh.  His  life  is  of  itself  an 
 unmistakeable  living  language  :  deeds  are  the  very  tongue 
 of  the  heart.  All  this  is  what  our  Lord  here  adds  in  this 
 passage,  "Do  men  gather  grapes  of  thorns,  or  figs  of 
 thistles?"  which  we  may  thus  further  venture  to  apply, — 
 shall  we  look  for  the  sweet  fruits  of  charity  iTom  the  mere 
 briers  and  thistles  of  party  spirit  and  controversy  % 
 
 If,  on  the  contrary,  we  know  that  any  man  denies  him- 
 self daily, — that  he  is  meek  and  gentle  under  trying 
 provocation, — that  he  is  indifferent  to  the  things  of  the 
 
 VOL.  II.  I 
 
114  THE   EIGHTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 world,  and  sacrifices  his  worldly  interest  without  scruple 
 to  preserve  his  Christian  principle, — then  with  him  we 
 may  expect  to  find  the  truth  ;  but  more  particularly  if  he 
 denies  himself  in  that  which  would  naturally  be  his 
 ruling  passion  or  desire,  for  this  we  know  cannot  be  done 
 without  the  especial  grace  of  God. 
 
 They  who  live  a  life  of  active  self-denial,  charity,  and 
 purity,  will  be  ever  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  God, — 
 to  them  He  will  reveal  His  mysteries ;  for  they  cannot 
 live  such  a  life  without  the  good  Spirit  of  God  ;  and  the 
 Spirit  of  God,  being  truth  and  light,  will  enlighten  their 
 minds  and  lead  them  unto  all  truth.  And  thus  it  is,  as 
 our  Lord  says,  that  they  who  do  the  will  of  God  shall 
 know  of  the  doctrine, — shall  know  whether  He  that 
 speaks  be  of  God.  Since,  therefore,  God  imparts  the 
 knowledge  of  truth  to  those  that  obey  Him,  our  Lord 
 teaches  us  to  look  to  the  lives  of  men,  to  know  whether 
 it  be  the  good  Spirit  of  God  that  leads  them,  or  their  own 
 private  spirit,  actuated  by  prejudice,  pride,  or  self-interest, 
 and  swayed  by  the  passing  gales  of  the  world. 
 
 Every  tree,  our  Lord  here  adds  on  this  subject,  every 
 tree  that  hringeth  not  forth  good  fruit  is  heum  down  and 
 cast  into  the  fire.  Wlierefore  by  their  fruits  ye  shall  know 
 them.  The  evil  tree  with  its  evil  fruit  shall  soon  come  to 
 naught, — or  rather,  with  its  lack  of  good  fruit,  as  with  an 
 allusion  to  the  parable  of  the  unprofitable  fig-tree.  The 
 end  of  the  tares  is  that  they  shall  be  burned;  and  of 
 "  the  idol  shepherd "  in  Zechariah,  who  hath  made  the 
 flock  his  prey,  the  judgment  is  that  he  shall  lose  all  power 
 of  good,  and  all  spiritual  wisdom  :  "  his  arm  shall  be  clean 
 dried  up,  and  his  right  eye  shaU  be  utterly  darkened."* 
 
 *  Zecli.  xi.  17. 
 
BV   THEIR    FRUITS    YE   SHALL    KNOW   THEM.        115 
 
 Wait  awhile,  and  whatever  is  not  of  God  will  come  to 
 naught.  "  Let  them  alone,"  said  our  Lord,  with  reference 
 to  false  doctrine  ;  "  every  plant  which  My  heavenly  Father 
 hath  not  planted  shall  be  rooted  up ; "  and  of  the  blind 
 Pharisees  leading  the  blind,  that  "  both  shall  fall  into  the 
 ditch."  And  we  may  observe  of  heretical  doctrines,  that 
 they  prevail  for  a  time  and  then  come  to  an  end.  "  I 
 went  by,  and  lo,  he  was  gone  : "  "I  sought  him,  but  his 
 place  could  nowhere  be  found," 
 
 And  then,  as  if  in  allusion  to  the  hypocrisy  of  these 
 false  guides,  putting  on  the  appearance  of  religion,  and  the 
 danger  of  such  false  pretensions  to  holiness,  building  on 
 the  sand,  and  not  on  the  hidden  rock  of  obedience,  our 
 Lord  makes  that  memorable,  all-comprehensive  declara- 
 tion, Not  every  one  that  saith  unto  Me,  Lord,  Lord,  shall 
 enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven;  hut  he  that  doeth  the 
 will  of  My  Father  Which  is  in  Heaven.  The  same  may  be 
 otherwise  stated  in  the  words  of  the  Epistle,  "As  many 
 as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God." 
 For  these  false  prophets  which  will  lead  astray  are  con- 
 nected with  disobedience,  lawlessness,  and  self-deceiving 
 flatteries ;  in  some  way  "  strengthening  the  hands  of  the 
 wicked  by  promising  him  life ;"  "  with  their  mouth  show- 
 ing much  love,"  while  "their  heart  goeth  after  their 
 covetousness." 
 
 In  other  words,  St.  John  says,  "  Beloved,  believe  not 
 every  spirit,  but  try  the  spirits  whether  they  are  of  God  : 
 because  many  false  prophets  are  gone  out  into  the  world. 
 Hereby  know  ye  the  Spirit  of  God  :  every  spirit  that  con- 
 fesseth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh  is  of  God." 
 The  confession  of  Christ  is  therefore  the  test  of  truth,  but 
 that  confession  must  reach  the  heart  and  life.  To  this, 
 then,  we  must  further  add  this  our  Lord's  last  caution  : 
 I  2 
 
116  THE   EIGHTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 "  Not  every  one  that  saitli  unto  Me,  Lord,  liOrd  .  .  .  but 
 he  that  doeth  the  will  of  My  Father." 
 
 It  is  then,  in  short,  this,  that  the  Spirit  of  God,  the 
 free  spirit  of  adoption,  and  confession  of  "  Christ  come  in 
 the  flesh,"  is  to  us  the  way  of  salvation ;  but  further, 
 that  we  may  not  be  deceived,  we  are  warned  that  it  must 
 be  the  Spirit  of  God  influencing  our  lives,  and  filling 
 them  with  filial  love,  that  is  to  bear  witness  with  our 
 spirit ;  and  that  this  confession  of  Christ  is  to  be  accom- 
 panied with  obedience,  in  order  that  it  may  be  genuine. 
 It  is  this  faith  held  in  filial  obedience  which  is  to  keep  us 
 in  the  path  of  safety.  It  is  by  loving  filial  obedience  that 
 we  hold  as  it  were  the  hand  of  God  in  the  dark  night  of 
 .this  world,  being  assured,  that  as  long  as  we  do  so  He  will 
 guide  us  in  the  truth.  It  is  from  losing  His  protection  that 
 men  fall  into  the  wiles  of  seducers;  God  will  "send  on 
 them  a  strong  delusion,"  because  they  have  "  pleasure  in 
 unrighteousness  :"  it  was  a  "  lying  spirit "  from  God  filled 
 the  mouths  of  the  false  prophets  which  flattered  Ahab  to 
 his  destruction.^  It  is  to  Him,  therefore,  that  we  look ; 
 to  Him  "  Whose  never-failing  providence  ordereth  all 
 things  in  Heaven  and  earth,"  we  pray  in  the  Collect  for 
 this  week,  that  He  will  "  put  away  from  us  all  hurtful 
 things,  and  give  us  those  things  which  be  profitable 
 for  us." 
 
 To  apply  the  whole  subject  more  closely  to  ourselves, 
 in  these  days  when  various  religions  abound,  each  claim- 
 ing to  itself  the  only  true  worship  of  God ; — the  first 
 thing  needed  is  more  entire  obedience  to  the  plain  duties 
 of  the  Gospel.  It  is  very  much  as  it  was  in  the  falling 
 away  of  Judah,  when  God  says  to  them  by  His  Prophet, 
 "  Amend  your  ways  and  your  doings  "  .  .  .  "  trust  ye  not 
 *  1  Kings  xxii.  22. 
 
BV   THEIR    FRLITS    VM  SHALL    KNOW   THEM.       117 
 
 in  lying  words,  saying,  The  temple  of  the  Lord,  The 
 temple  of  the  Lord,  The  temple  of  the  Lord  are  these."  "^ 
 And  in  our  Lord's  own  time  the  Jews  would  compass  sea 
 and  land  to  make  one  proselyte,  although  it  were  only  to 
 make  him  a  child  of  hell.  We  cannot,  therefore,  be  too 
 much  on  our  guard  against  mere  profession  in  religion, 
 and  party  spirit,  that  great  enemy  to  love  and  truth ;  and 
 instead  of  these,  to  cultivate  in  ourselves  active  charities, 
 humility,  and  obedience,  and  to  seek  for  them  in  others. 
 This  is  laying  the  foundation,  and  will  lead  us  to  know 
 what  is  of  God  from  counterfeits  and  delusive  forms  of 
 false  doctrine. 
 
 It  was  in  speaking  of  the  broad  way  which  many 
 travel,  and  of  the  narrow  way  that  leadeth  unto  life, 
 which  few  find,  that  our  Lord  added  this  emphatic 
 advice,  "  Beware  of  false  prophets/' — "  by  their  fruits  ye 
 shall  know  them ;"  as  if  it  were  implied,  You  will  have 
 many  to  prophesy  smooth  things,  and  to  flatter  you,  when 
 large  companies  are  going  the  way  that  leadeth  to  destruc- 
 tion, but  take  ye  heed  and  be  on  your  guard ;  there  is  a 
 way  of  safety  by  which  ye  may  escape  from  flattering 
 prophecies  which  say,  "  Peace,  peace,  when  there  is  no 
 peace ;"  it  is  by  looking  for  such  consistent  fruits  of  holi- 
 ness as  show  the  heart  to  be  right  with  God.  The 
 Christian  law  is  a  law  written  on  the  heart  by  the  Spirit 
 of  Truth.  "  An  highway  shall  be  there  ...  it  shall  be 
 called  the  way  of  holiness  .  .  .  the  wayfaring  men,  though 
 fools,  shall  not  err  therein."^  Cleverness  is  not  what  we 
 need,  nor  scholarship,  but  the  simplicity  of  a  wayfaring 
 man, — of  one  that  travels  right  onward  in  the  way  ot 
 Christ. 
 
 ^  Jer.  vii.  3,  4.  *  Isa.  xsxv.  8. 
 
118  THE  EIGHTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 It  is  "  to  the  meek  "  and  obedient  that  "  mysteries  are 
 revealed."  *  A  good  man,  under  God's  teaching,  naturally 
 looks  to  good  men;  and  where  he  sees  great  obedience 
 and  reverence,  he  values  the  words  and  sayings  of  such  a 
 man;  his  foot  "wears  the  steps  of  his  door."®  It  was 
 thus  that  good  men  came  to  Christ  Himself;  they  looked 
 to  His  works,  and  so  came  to  know  Him.  And  Christ 
 frequently  invited  them  to  look  to  them,  saying,  "The 
 works  that  I  do  in  My  Father's  I^Tame  they  testify  of  Me." 
 "  If  I  do  not  the  works  of  My  Father  believe  Me  not." 
 They  were  constrained  to  confess  that  such  holiness  and 
 goodness  could  only  come  from  God.  And  when  they 
 were  thus  brought  to  Him  by  witnessing  His  works,  they 
 believed  His  words  also ;  they  said,  "  Thou  hast  the 
 words  of  eternal  life ;"  and  then  they  came  to  see  in  Him 
 the  Son  of  God,  God  over  all  blessed  for  evermore. 
 
 And  now  this  is  the  strength  of  a  good  man,  by  which 
 he  is  made  wiser  and  better, — that  he  is  able  to  discern 
 and  distinguish  false  prophets  from  true,  which  the  world 
 cannot.  "The  spiritual  man  judgeth  all  things,  but  he 
 himself  is  judged  of  none."  And  when  he  comes  to  read 
 of  good  men  of  old  who  spent  their  lives  in  voluntary 
 poverty  and  devotion,  in  frequent  watchings  and  fastings, 
 then  he  feels  that  the  words  of  such  men  cannot  but  be  of 
 great  weight  and  authority ;  and  when  he  finds  that  they 
 all  from  the  beginning  speak  with  one  and  the  same 
 voice  respecting  the  great  doctrines  of  our  faith,  and  that 
 sacred  discipline  with  our  Church  would  require,  then  he 
 feels  among  them  as  in  a  tower  of  strength.  The  spirit  of 
 their  holy  lives  still  lives  in  their  works,  and  the  more 
 any  good  man  knows  of  them,  the  more  will  he  find  his 
 
 8  Ecclus.  iii.  19.  ^  Ecclus.  vi.  35. 
 
£V   THEIR    FRUITS    VE  SHALL    KNOW    THEM.       119 
 
 heart  knit  to  them.  Such  fruits  could  not  be  borne 
 by  a  corrupt  tree,  and  such  cannot  in  the  main  be  false 
 prophets. 
 
 This,  by  the  great  mercy  of  God,  is  one  of  the  chief 
 protections  of  good  Christians  in  dark  and  evil  days, — 
 that  there  are  holy  men  in  the  Church  from  the  begin- 
 ning down  to  the  present  times.  He  knows  from  their 
 lives  that  they  could  not  all  have  materially  failed  of  the 
 truth ;  and  he  knows  that  in  many  points  they  all,  as  by 
 the  same  spirit,  condemn  those  free  opinions  which  now 
 prevail  in  religion  and  politics,  and  agree  with  one  consent 
 in  maintaining  those  essential  doctrines  of  the  faith  which 
 have  been  handed  down  to  us.  There  is  a  ray  about  the 
 path  of  the  just;  and  where  they  aU  sjDeak  the  same 
 thing,  then  they  form  together  one  consistent  light  to 
 guide  those  that  sit  in  darkness,  and  with  the  dark  fore- 
 castings  of  the  coming  night  overtaking  them. 
 
 To  expect,  indeed,  truth  to  reside  in  the  Church  at 
 large  when  it  hath  become  corrupt  in  practice,  were  to  do 
 dishonour  to  the  holiness  of  God.  But  in  the  early 
 morning  of  the  Church,  before  it  had  lost  its  first  love, 
 when  it  was  said,  "  Behold  how  these  Christians  love  one 
 another,"  we  may  expect  God  of  a  truth  to  be  among 
 them;  and  while  we  hold  the  things  which  they  then 
 held  in  humility  and  holiness  of  life,  we  cannot  be  far 
 from  the  way  of  life.  As  the  shadows  of  evening  fall  on 
 our  path,  we  cannot  be  altogether  in  darkness,  while  we 
 still  see  the  beams  of  the  sun  are  bright  on  the  eastern 
 hills  where  first  He  arose. 
 
SERMON    LVL 
 CJe  ^intl)  ^nxitiav  after  €xinitv. 
 
 I  Cor.  X.  I  — 13.     St.  Luke  xvi.  i — 9. 
 
 LOOKING  FORWARD,   OR   DIVINE   COVETOUSNESS. 
 
 O  that  they  were  wise,  that  they  understood  this,  that  they  would 
 consider  their  latter  end. — Deut.  xxxii.  29. 
 
 WE  have  sometimes  had  occasion  to  allude  to  the 
 Epistles  at  this  season  being  transferred  in  the 
 order  of  their  course ;  and  thereby  having  lost  whatever 
 connexion,  real  or  imaginary,  they  might  originally  have 
 been  supposed  to  hold  with  the  Collect  and  the  Gospel 
 for  the  day.  Thus  the  Epistle  for  last  Sunday,  which 
 used  to  stand  between  this  Collect  and  Gospel,  might 
 seem  appropriate  to  this  day's  parable,  as  implying  that 
 "  we  are  debtors,  not  to  the  flesh,  for  if  we  live  after  the 
 flesh  we  shall  die."  But  let  us  consider  whether  the 
 Epistle  we  now  have  may  not  be  brought  to  bear  upon 
 the  Gospel  and  the  Collect  for  the  day,  and  be  applied  in 
 furtherance  of  them.  Our  Blessed  Lord  in  the  Gospel 
 bids  us  consider  the  men  of  this  world,  how  wise  they 
 are  in  their  generation  with  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent, — 
 
LOOKING  FORWARD,  OR  DIVINE  COVETOUSNESS.    121 
 
 how  successful  in  their  plans, — how  fuU  of  industry  and 
 management  in  providing  for  a  few  short  uncertain  years. 
 And  St.  Paul,  in  the  Epistle,  speaking  by  the  same  Spirit, 
 bids  us  look  on  another  picture,  such  as  may  represent 
 the  children  of  light  in  their  pilgrimage  through  the 
 wilderness  of  this  world ;  and  oh,  how  sad  and  disappoint- 
 ing is  this  sight !  how  unwise  in  their  generation  !  how 
 careless  and  slothful !  how  unsuccessful  at  the  last !  be- 
 cause they  looked  not  forward  to  everlasting  habitations. 
 
 Brethren,  says  St.  Paul,  I  would  not  that  ye  should  he 
 ignorant.  I  would  have  you  carefully  consider  this  re- 
 markable type  and  warning.  How  that  all  our  fathers 
 were  under  the  cloud,  even  as  we  are  now  under  the 
 especial  shadow  of  the  Almighty, — the  presence  and  care 
 of  the  great  Comforter, — giving  us  "  the  spirit  to  think 
 and  do  always  such  things  as  be  rightful."  And  all 
 passed  through  the  sea, — the  Eed  Sea  as  of  blood,  which 
 betokened  that  redemption  which  is  in  Christ,  whereby 
 our  spiritual  enemies  are  slain.  And  toere  all  baptized 
 unto  Moses,  that  visible  token  of  our  spiritual  incorpora- 
 tion into  our  great  Lawgiver  and  Leader;  in  the  cloud, 
 which  set  forth  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  in  the  sea,  which 
 represented  Baptism  as  in  Christ's  Blood.  And  did  all 
 eat  the  same  spiritual  meat, — that  manna,  or  bread  from 
 Heaven,  which  prefigured  the  Body  of  Christ,  the  true 
 Bread  from  Heaven,  and,  as  representing  this  mystery, 
 was  called  angels'  food.  And  did  all  drink  the  same 
 qyiritual  drink;  all  drank  of  that  miraculous  stream 
 which  set  forth  the  living  waters  of  the  city  of  God  {for 
 they  drank  of  that  spiritual  Rock  that  followed  them,  and 
 that  Rock  loas  Christ).  For  although  they  drank  but  on 
 one  occasion  of  that  water,  and  that  Eock  was  but  once 
 smitten,  as    Christ  was   but   once  pierced,  and   on   one 
 
122  THE  NINTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY, 
 
 occasion  only  the  water  flowed  from  His  side,  yet  in  that 
 once  for  all  is  He  always,  unto  the  end  of  the  world,  as  it 
 were  smitten  for  us  ;  always  present  as  our  Eock,  following 
 us  even  unto  the  end,  and  covering  us  with  His  almighty 
 shadow,  and  ever  pouring  down  for  us  the  Holy  Spirit 
 from  above,  although  but  once  for  all  sent  down  as  the 
 price  of  His  redemption.  So  was  that  smitten  rock,  and 
 the  water  flowing  from  it,  a  sign  to  them  in  the  wilder- 
 ness, that  His  gracious  Presence  was  ever  with  them, 
 following  them  throughout  and  sustaining  them. 
 
 But,  notwithstanding  all  these  things,  with  many  of 
 them  God  was  not  well  pleased  ;  for  they  were  overthrown 
 in  the  ■wilderness.  Their  not  entering  into  that  rest  which 
 had  been  promised  them,  and  for  which  they  had  been 
 supernaturally  supported  and  guided,  is  a  proof  that  God's 
 displeasure  was  upon  them.  "  God  was  not  well  pleased  " 
 with  them,  the  reverse  of  this  expression  is  afterwards 
 used  of  our  Blessed  Saviour  Himself,  of  Him  in  Whom 
 alone  we  are  accepted,  "My  Son,  in  Whom  I  am  weU 
 pleased."  What  St.  Paul  then  here  calls  our  attention  to 
 is  this,  that  as  the  promises  and  the  threatenings  of  God 
 to  the  children  of  light  are  of  things  unseen  and  eternal, 
 He  has  thus,  by  a  visible  sign,  and  in  the  history  of  a 
 peculiar  j^eople,  shadowed  forth  the  awful  consequences  of 
 neglecting  His  spiritual  call  and  guidance. 
 
 Now  these  things,  adds  the  Apostle,  tcere  our  examples  ; 
 or  literally,  and  as  St.  Chrysostom  understands  the  words, 
 they  are  the  types  or  figures  of  us — they  represent  us ;  as 
 Baptism  and  the  table  of  the  Lord  were  shadowed  forth 
 to  them  in  prophecy  for  us,  so  also  "the  certainty  of 
 punishment  coming  on  those  unworthy  of  the  gift."  But 
 as  in  them  it  was  but  the  shadow,  and  not  the  true 
 Baptism,  nor  the  true  Bread  from  Heaven,  so  also,  says 
 
LOOKING  FORWARD,  OR  DIVINE  COVETOUSNESS.     123 
 
 the  same  great  writer,  will  our  punishment,  if  we  be 
 found  unfaithful  exceed  theirs  in  substance  and  reality. 
 
 So  awful  is  this  warning  surrounding  us, — To  the 
 intent  we  should  not  Inst  after  evil  things,  as  they  also 
 lusted.  Neither  be  ye  idolaters,  as  were  some  of  them  ;  as 
 it  is  written,  Tlie  people  sat  down  to  eat  and  d7i?iJc,  and 
 rose  up  to  play.  Neither  let  us  commit  fornication,  as 
 some  of  them  committed,  and  fell  in  one  day  three  and 
 twenty  thousand.  St.  Paul  here  enumerates  the  different 
 occasions  of  their  fall ;  because  so  manifold  are  the  shapes 
 of  evil,  the  besetting  sins  of  men,  and  the  forms  the 
 tempter  assumes,  and  yet  the  end  of  all  alike  is,  that  they 
 enter  not  into  that  rest.  And,  indeed,  take  any  one 
 single  sin  enumerated,  as  that  of  "  lusting  after  evil 
 things,"  how  does  this,  in  a  thousand  different  ways, 
 tempt  the  thoughts  and  desires !  How  innumerable  are 
 the  meshes  of  that  net  by  which  the  great  enemy  catches 
 men !  how  manifold  are  his  arts !  like  different  flies, 
 different  colours  of  a  fly,  with  which  he  baits  his  hook  to 
 ensnare  the  soul, — according  to  the  disposition  of  each, 
 whether  it  be  sunny  or  cloudy  weather,  or  the  morning, 
 noon,  or  evening  of  life.  All  this  finds  a  place  in  that 
 living  picture  of  our  spiritual  warfare,  which  Israel  in  the 
 wilderness  holds  up  to  our  view. 
 
 Neither  let  us  temi^t  Clirist,  as  some  of  them  also 
 tempted;  saying  as  they  did  in  distrust,  "Is  the  Lord 
 among  us,  or  not  T'^  or  of  the  manna,  "  Our  soul  loatheth 
 this  light  bread. "^  And  tvere  destroyed  of  serpents — 
 those  fearful  emblems  of  our  unseen  foes  in  this  wilderness 
 of  the  world. 
 
 Neither  murmur  ye,  as  some  of  them  also  murmured, 
 
 1  Exod.  xvii.  7.  2  Numb.  xsi.  5. 
 
124  THE   MNTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 "  thinking  scorn  of  that  pleasant  land,"  and  despising  the 
 appointed  ministers  of  God,  and  icere  destroyed  of  the 
 destroyer. 
 
 Now  cdl  these  things  happened  unto  them  for  ensamples, 
 that  is,  "  by  way  of  type  ;"  and  they  are  written  for  our 
 admonition,  upon  whom  the  ends  of  the  tvorld  are  come. 
 They  are  full  of  spiritual  signification,  made  to  speak  the 
 language  of  God  to  us  who  are  placed  in  this  last  dispen- 
 sation of  aU,  to  represent  that  invisible  world,  which, 
 though  most  intimately  near,  yet  lies  beyond  the  reach  of 
 the  eye  and  ear  of  man, — great  things  of  infinite  and 
 everlasting  consequence,  such  as  no  tongue  can  utter,  no 
 heart  can  understand ! 
 
 Wherefore  let  him  that  thinheth  he  standeth,  take  heed 
 lest  he  fall.  These  admonitions  are  given  us  in  order 
 that  we  may  fear  for  ourselves  ;  for  even  St.  Paul  himself, 
 ever  mindful  of  these  things,  although  no  man  could  have 
 had  greater  reason  to  think  himself  secure  against  falling 
 away,  yet  was  urged  on  by  an  active,  energetic  fear  lest  he 
 should  become  a  cast-away.  And,  as  an  early  Greek 
 Bishop  adds  to  these  words  of  warning,  "  if  St.  Paul  thus 
 exhorts  those  who  think  they  stand,  what  must  be  said 
 to  those  who  cannot  think  that  they  stand,  but  must 
 know  full  well  that  they  are  fallen?"  and  the  holy  man 
 puts  himself  also  among  that  number.  What  must  we 
 ourselves  do  but  make  haste  to  arise, — by  instantly  seizing 
 the  hand  of  Him  AVho  lifteth  up  those  that  are  down, — 
 by  seizing  hold  of  His  hand  and  not  letting  Him  go  1 
 
 We  are  surrounded  by  occasions  of  falling ;  there  is  no 
 one  but  has  his  peculiar  temptations,  more  or  less,  waiting 
 on  him, — some  owing  to  his  peculiar  disposition, — some 
 to  his  circumstances  in  life, — some  to  his  past  sins  :  some 
 one  day  assail  him,  others  the  next ;  some  on  one  side  j 
 
LOOKING  FORWARD,  OR  DIVINE    COVETOUSNESS.    125 
 
 and  when  he  is  on  his  gnard  against  them,  some  on 
 another  side  coming  upon  him  ;  some  in  thought,  some 
 in  act  or  word,  some  in  the  flesh,  others  in  the  spirit, 
 some  in  all  these  together.  And  by  these  temptations, 
 for  the  most  part,  men  are  more  or  less  overcome ;  they 
 give  way  sometimes  with  a  struggle,  often  without  an 
 effort ;  they  yield  often  as  a  matter  of  course,  as  if  from 
 time  to  time  it  were  a  little  matter, — or  as  if  the  tempta- 
 tion were  too  great,  and  by  its  very  greatness  smoothed 
 the  way  of  their  besetting  sin.  They  are  overwhelmed, 
 and  borne  along  like  a  leaf  in  the  torrent,  as  if  it  were  a 
 matter  of  necessity ;  not  as  if  God  was  in  all  things 
 weighing  and  trying  their  spirits,  and  never  allowing 
 them  to  be  carried  away  without  power  to  resist  and 
 to  overcome.  It  is  all  these  cases  that  St.  Paul  now 
 meets,  for  in  speaking  of  one  particular  instance  his 
 words  are  applicable  to  all.  There  hath  no  temptation 
 taken  yon.,  hut  such  as  is  common  to  man.  No  temptation 
 is  an  excuse  for  sin ;  for  whatever  it  may  be,  it  is  only 
 such  as  man's  present  state  of  probation  admits  of  To 
 suppose  that  any  one  is  placed  in  a  condition  in  which  he 
 cannot  but  fall,  is  to  forget  that  God  is  the  Disposer  of  all 
 things.  He  knows,  He  measures.  He  deals  out  all  events. 
 There  must  be  temptation,  in  order  that  His  strength  may 
 be  perfected  in  our  weakness  ;  but  such  temptation  is  never 
 too  great  for  us,  otherwise  our  weakness  would  be  over- 
 whelmed by  it,  to  suppose  which  were  to  doubt  the  faithful 
 care  of  God.  But  God  is  faithful,  Who  icill  not  suffer  you 
 to  he  tempted  above  that  ye  are  able  to  bear ;  but  will  with 
 the  temptation  also  make  a  loay  to  escape,  that  ye  may  be 
 able  to  bear  it. 
 
 Thus  the  Epistle  holds  up  to  our  attention  the  sacred 
 
12G  THE   NINTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 liistory  of  the  people  of  God  journeying  to  tile  promised 
 land.  The  Gospel  would  lead  us  to  the  like  consideration 
 from  altogether  another  point  of  view,  from  what  we 
 witness  as  it  were  among  the  nations  of  the  world  around. 
 And  here  first  let  us  notice  the  source  and  occasions 
 which  furnish  us  with  this  mode  of  instruction. 
 
 We  are  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  persons  taken  up 
 more  or  less  with  the  love  of  this  world ;  everything  is 
 full  of  it, — newspapers,  conversation,  all  our  daily  life 
 wherever  we  go.  And  this  circumstance  is  fall  of  tempta- 
 tion to  a  Christian ;  he  is  led  to  follow  the  examples  of 
 those  around  him,  to  have  the  like  affections  and  desires, 
 or  to  uncharitable  judging  of  them,  to  envy  and  ill-will. 
 But  to  what  account  would  our  Blessed  Saviour  have  us 
 turn  this  scene  of  evil  %  He  would  have  us  use  it  alto- 
 gether in  a  different  manner,  as  a  means  to  quicken  us  and 
 strengthen  us  in  heavenly  wisdom.  I^or  is  there  any  con- 
 sideration more  impressive  and  affecting  than  that  with 
 which  our  Lord  terminates  this  parable,  that  "  the  children 
 of  this  world  are  in  their  generation "  so  much  "  wiser 
 than  the  children  of  light "  are  in  theirs  \  to  notice  in  the 
 examples  which  occur  around  us  how  wise  men  are  in  the 
 things  of  time, — how  slow  and  blind,  even  the  best,  in 
 the  things  of  eternity.  It  has  been  this  reflection  beyond 
 any  other  which  filled  the  Son  of  Man,  and  His  prophets 
 that  went  before,  and  His  saints  that  followed,  with  sorrow 
 and  tears.  "  0  that  there  were  such  an  heart  in  them, 
 that  it  might  be  well  with  them  for  ever!"  "0  that 
 My  people  would  h^-ve  hearkened  unto  Me ;  for  if  Israel 
 had  walked  in  My  ways,  I  should  soon  have  put  dow^i 
 their  enemies  !" 
 
 It  is  an  instance  of  this  worldly  forethought  that  our 
 Lord  has  pointed  out  in  that  interesting  parable  which  is 
 
LOOKING  FORWARD,  OR  DIVINE  COVETOUSNESS.    127 
 
 brought  before  us  to-day.  Jesus  said  unto  His  disciples, 
 There  ivas  a  certain  rich  man  which  had  a  steward;  and 
 the  same  teas  accused  unto  him  that  he  had  wasted  his 
 goods.  And  he  called  him  and  said  unto  him,  How  is 
 it  that  I  hear  this  of  thee  ?  Give  an  account  of  thy 
 stewardship ;  for  thou  may  est  he  no  longer  steward.  ]N"ow, 
 my  bretl^ren,  when  you  hear  of  an  incident  of  this  kind, 
 do  you  thus  immediately  turn  it  to  heavenly  wisdom  ?  Do 
 you  at  once  reflect,  Ah,  how  like  is  this  to  my  case  !  am  not 
 I  put  into  this  life  as  a  stewardship  ?  am  not  I  called  upon 
 soon  to  give  it  up,  and  to  render  my  account  of  it  1  For 
 1  have  sinned  against  God,  and  my  life  is  forfeited. 
 
 Then  the  steward  said  icithin  himself.  What  shall  I 
 do  ?  for  my  lord  taketh  aicay  from  me  the  stewardship:  1 
 cannot  dig,  to  beg  I  am  ashamed.  I  am  resolved  icliat 
 to  do,  that,  iclien  I  am  ptut  oid  of  the  steivardship,  they 
 may  receive  me  into  their  houses.  Seeing  that  he  could 
 not  stay  where  he  was,  he  looks  forward,  he  seizes  the 
 short  opportunity  that  remained ;  he  makes  haste,  and 
 prolongs  not  the  time ;  he  forgets  his  present  position  in 
 every  respect  except  as  a  means  of  securing  the  future. 
 So  he  called  every  one  of  his  lord^s  debtors  unto  him,  and 
 said  unto  the  first,  How  much  owest  thou  unto  my  lord  ? 
 And  he  said,  An  hundred  measures  of  oil.  And  he  said 
 unto  him.  Take  thy  hill,  and  sit  down  quickly,  and  write 
 fifty.  Then  said  he  to  another.  And  hoio  much  owest 
 thou?  And  he  said.  An  hundred  measures  of  wheat. 
 And  he  said  unto  him.  Take  thy  hill  and  write  fourscore. 
 Thus  by  cheating  his  master  did  he  make  friends  of  his 
 tenants.  Observe  his  urgency  and  despatch,  lest  he  be 
 turned  out  before  his  position  has  been  made  secure  by 
 his  overreaching  and  treachery.  "  Sit  down  quickly,"  he 
 says.     How  impatient  lest   he  be  overtaken  before   his 
 
128  THE   NINTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 retreat  is  safe.  And  the  Lord  commended  flie  unjust  steward 
 because  he  had  done  wisely.  What  the  Lord  pointed  out 
 and  dwelt  upon  in  this  conduct,  was  the  wise  craft  and 
 forethought  of  this  wicked  man.  For  tlie  children  of  this 
 world  are  in  their  generation  wiser  than  the  children  of 
 light.  0  that  we  might  learn  wisdom  of  the  evil  world 
 around  us ;  that  we  had  but  the  management  and  care  of 
 worldly  men, — that  eye  to  our  main  interest  which  they 
 have  for  temporal  shadows  !  "  You  see,"  says  an  ancient 
 Eishop,  "  how  the  Almighty  maketh  light  out  of  dark- 
 ness, and  out  of  iniquity  teach eth  righteousness."^  And 
 I  say  unto  you,  Make  to  yourselves  friends  of  the  mammon 
 of  unrighteousness ;  that  when  ye  fail,  they  may  receive  you 
 into  everlasting  habitations.  Those  riches  which  are  con- 
 nected with  so  much  evil  in  the  world  around  you,  may 
 become  to  you  your  very  best  friends  in  your  great  need ; 
 they  may  purchase  for  you  an  inheritance  with  God  which 
 faileth  not.  You  may  find  Christ  in  His  poor,  you  may  make 
 them  your  friends,  and  in  them  you  may  have,  when  you 
 leave  the  body,  an  Almighty  Protector.  Your  covetous 
 and  dishonest  neighbour  cannot  carry  his  gold  with  him 
 to  the  grave,  nor  sleep  more  sweetly  there  for  a  golden 
 coffin;  but  you  may,  if  you  make  haste,  if  you  use  all 
 diligence  and  wisdom,  the  like  to  what  you  see  in  him, 
 you  may  send  before  you  all  your  worldly  opportunities 
 to  wait  for  you  against  you  leave  the  body,  and  then  to 
 receive  you  with  blessed  welcome  into  that  life  which  is 
 hid  with  Christ  in  God. 
 
 Although  this  parable  is  usually  and  rightly  applied  to 
 giving  of  alms,  yet  it  may  be  well  explained  also  of  all  the 
 means  and  opportunities  of  this  temporal  life ;  we  may 
 
 3  Paulin.,  apud  Par.  Brev. 
 
LOOKII^G  FORWARD,  OR  DIVINE  COVETOUSNESS.    129 
 
 make  friends  of  them ;  and  thus  it  may  be  taken,  in  a 
 larger  sense,  in  conjunction  with  the  Collect;  that  we 
 may  be  quickened  by  the  example  of  the  children  of  this 
 world,  to  live  with  all  that  earnestness  and  care  that 
 becomes  the  children  of  light ;  to  keep  with  us  in  all  our 
 actions  the  gracious  guidance  of  God ;  that  He  would 
 "  grant  to  us  the  spirit  to  think  and  do  always  such  things 
 as  be  rightful,  that  we  may  be  enabled  to  live  accord- 
 ing to  His  will." 
 
 What,  therefore,  is  the  one  great  lesson  which  this 
 Sunday  would  impress  upon  us,  taking  together  as  in  one 
 the  Collect,  the  Epistle,  and  the  Gospel, — the  oracle  of 
 God,  enshrined  as  it  were  in  His  holy  place,  and  speaking 
 as  from  this  His  sanctuary  %  It  is  this,  that  the  children 
 of  light  should  consider  their  salvation  as  much  a  real 
 matter,  to  be  contended  and  struggled  for,  as  the  children 
 of  this  world  do  their  temporal  objects,  of  interest,  honour, 
 or  pleasure.  We  are  in  a  state  of  danger  and  temptation 
 which  requires  this.  We  are  so  placed  that  nothing  less 
 will  succeed ;  there  is  not  one  of  us  that  can  succeed  with- 
 out it ;  and  yet  there  is  not  one  of  us  who  will  fail  to 
 succeed  at  last  with  it.  I  mean,  with  such  pains,  wisdom, 
 and  care,  as  men  take  for  worldly  objects  ;  so  nicely  are  all 
 things  respecting  us  arranged,  "  in  measure,  and  number, 
 and  weight." 
 
 For  instance,  there  is  one  man  whose  chief  thought, 
 labour,  and  anxiety,  is  to  become  richer  than  he  now  is 
 before  he  dies.  To  this  his  heart  turns;  he  is  cheerful 
 and  happy  when  anything  promotes  and  assists  this 
 object;  he  is  depressed  and  disheartened  when  a  cloud 
 comes  over  it ;  his  thoughts  are  continually  engaged  in 
 something  respecting  it ;  he  loses  no  opportunity,  however 
 slight,  in  advancing  it.    To  this  his  reflections  recur  in  the 
 
 VOL.  II.  K 
 
130  THE   lUNin   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 watchful  night;  on  this  they  dwell  as  he  rises  in  the 
 morning.  Now  this  is  an  exact  description  of  what  God 
 requires  of  the  children  of  light,  in  order  to  obtain  a  far 
 more  important,  an  infinitely  greater,  and  more  noble 
 object,  and  that  is,  to  root  out  of  the  heart  the  love  of 
 money,  and  of  this  world  altogether.  It  requires  constant 
 thought  and  pains ;  it  is  an  object  never  to  be  omitted, 
 never  to  be  forgotten  or  lost  sight  of;  it  is,  like  the 
 other,  an  art  to  be  learned ;  but  nothing  can  exceed  the 
 blessedness  of  it,  God  Himself  being  our  Helper.  For  of 
 whom  have  we  to  learn  this  divine  art  %  It  is  of  the 
 Blessed  Comforter  Himself.  It  is  first  of  all  by  continual 
 and  earnest  prayer  that  He  will  open  our  eyes  more  and 
 more  to  see  the  vanity  of  all  earthly  things,  and  by  labour- 
 ing together  by  our  prayers  to  co-operate  with  Him. 
 There  are  many  things  to  sacrifice,  many  things  to  suffer 
 in  this  work,  hard  to  flesh  and  blood,  still  harder  to  a 
 heart  that  hath  drunk  deep  the  love  of  this  world  ;  but  can 
 He  not  make  even  this  labour  refreshing  and  light  %  for  is 
 He  not  called  the  Comforter  %  But  still,  it  is  a  labour  and 
 a  work,  and  may  well  be  one  of  a  whole  life ;  for  is  it  not 
 so  with  the  children  of  this  world,  to  obtain  the  contrary  % 
 and  can  we  expect  to  buy  at  less  cost  a  pearl  of  so  great 
 price  %  Ask  the  worldly  man  what  it  is  that  makes  him 
 labour  so,  so  eager  and  watchful  ?  It  is  hope  of  success, 
 ever  increasing,  ever  renewed  after  every  disappointment, 
 and  a  love  of  the  end  he  has  in  view,  ever  growing  more 
 and  more  within  him,  that  is,  the  love  of  riches.  This  is 
 the  case  with  thousands  around  us.  And  shall  we  not 
 have  hope  to  quicken  our  exertions  in  labouring  after 
 poverty  of  spirit,  when  God  Himself  is  with  ns  %  Shall 
 we  not  have  love  sufficient  to  sustain  us  when  we  are 
 daily  drawing  near  to  the  time  when  we  shall  behold  Him 
 
LOOKING  FORWARD,  OR  DIVINE  COVETOUSNESS.     131 
 
 Whose  JS'ame  is  Love  %  Oh  !  my  Christian  brethren,  why 
 is  it  we  have  so  httle  active  hope  ?  why  is  it  that  our  love 
 is  so  weak  %  It  is  because  we  do  not  labour  after  it  as  the 
 worldly  man  does  after  his  objects.  We  allow  so  much  to 
 interfere  with  it  without  sorrow,  or  so  much  to  interfere 
 with  that  sorrow  when  it  comes ;  we  let  our  vision  of 
 things  heavenly  become  daily  more  dim  and  languid,  and 
 yet  we  are  not  depressed,  or  we  let  that  depression  pass 
 away. 
 
 Our  Lord  would  seem  to  say  to  us.  Why  need  I  say  so 
 much  from  Heaven  ?  What  if  Prophets,  and  Apostles, 
 and  Saints,  and  God  Himself,  were  silent ;  does  not  even 
 this  miserable  and  wicked  world  around,  in  every  place, 
 call  upon  you  to  look  forward,  and  provide  for  that  time 
 when  you  will  have  to  give  up  your  stewardship  *?  Only 
 be  as  wise  in  your  heavenly  calling  as  the  men  of  this 
 world  are  in  their  generation,  and  the  angels  shall  as- 
 suredly receive  you  into  everlasting  habitations,  and  you 
 shall  for  ever  dwell  with  God. 
 
SERMON    LVII. 
 €f}t  €mti)  ^untJap  after  Crinit^* 
 
 1  Cor.  xii.  I— II.     St.  Luke  xix.  41—47. 
 
 THE  DAY  OF    VISITATION: 
 
 If  thou  kadst  kjtown,  even  thou,  at  least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things 
 which  belong  unto  thy  peace  ! — St.  Luke  xix.  42. 
 
 WHE]^  the  Epistles  and  Gospels  were  ranged  differ- 
 ently to  what  they  now  are,  the  Epistle  for  last 
 Sunday  attached  to  the  Gospel  for  to-day  added  a  peculiar 
 force  to  it ;  for  the  Epistle  gave  warning  of  Israel  in  the 
 wilderness  not  entering  into  God's  rest,  while  this  Gospel 
 speaks  of  the  Israel  of  a  later  time  heing  in  like  manner 
 wept  over  by  their  own  Messiah,  and  hy  Him  cast  out  of 
 His  temple ;  and  both  for  the  same  reason,  on  account  of 
 God  heing  forgotten  in  the  love  of  this  world.  But  our 
 Epistle  for  to-day  has  for  us  in  store  another  lesson  of 
 edification.  Let  us  endeavour  to  read  and  j)onder  it  with 
 the  light  of  God's  Spirit,  and  may  His  holy  guidance 
 make  it  profitable  to  us. 
 
 Concerning  spiritual  giftSj  brethren,  I  would  not  have 
 you  ignorant.  St.  Paul  is  here  speaking  of  a  state  of 
 things  different  to  anything  which  we  now  experience ; 
 
THE   DAY  OF    VISITATION.  133 
 
 for  when  the  Gospel  was  first  being  planted  in  the  world, 
 the  Holy  Spirit  made  His  Presence  known  by  manj 
 visible  tokens;  and  when  by  Baptism  He  was  received, 
 being  Himself  invisible,  He  thus  by  sensible  signs  gave 
 evidence  of  His  power,  such  as  the  weakness  of  men  in 
 the  infancy  of  the  Church  required.  And  first  of  all, 
 St.  Paul  tells  these  Christians  at  Corinth  how  they  shall 
 distinguish  these  manifestations  of  the  good  Spirit  from 
 those  possessions  of  devils,  to  which,  as  Gentiles,  they 
 were  accustomed  ;  and  he  points  out  this  distinction  to 
 consist  at  that  time  in  this,  whether  or  no  they  confessed 
 Christ,  Ye  hnow,  he  says,  that  ye  loere  Gentiles,  carried 
 away  unto  these  dumb  idols  even  as  ye  were  led.  When 
 ye  were  possessed  by  those  evil  spirits,  ye  were  forcibly 
 dragged  away  to  the  idols  without  having  any  will  of 
 your  own :  but  not  so  with  Christians ;  they  are  influ- 
 enced by  the  sweet  compulsion  of  a  gracious  Spirit  leading 
 them  gently  on  with  the  love  of  Christ ;  and  the  acknow- 
 ledgment of  Christ  is  the  test,  for  this  the  evil  spirit  will 
 not  allow  his  votaries  to  make.  Wherefore  I  give  you  to 
 understand,  that  no  man  speaJcirig  by  the  Spirit  of  God 
 calleth  Jesus  accursed;  that  is,  can  deny  Christ  in  the 
 manner  that  the  heathens  require  men  to  do.  And  that 
 no  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  no  one  is  able  to 
 make  this  good  confession,  under  such  circumstances  of 
 persecution  and  martyrdom,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  St. 
 John  says  the  same  :  "  Every  spirit  that  confesseth  that 
 Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh  is  of  God." 
 
 And  again,  there  is  another  point ;  these  miraculous 
 gifts  are  of  many  kinds,  but  you  must  take  care  not  on 
 that  account  to  confound  them  with  the  many  false  gods 
 of  the  heathen;  for  in  the  Church  all  is  union  and  har- 
 mony, arising  from  the  Divine  unity,  the  Three  Persons 
 
134  THE    TENTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 in  One  God.  Now  there  are  diversities  of  gifts,  which  He 
 bestows  in  this  manifestation  of  His  Presence,  hut  the 
 same  Spirit.  And  there  are  differences  of  administrations, 
 by  which  we  serve  Christ  in  His  Church,  hut  the  same 
 Lord.  Aoid  there  are  diversities  of  o])erations ;  the  ways 
 by  which  God  worketh  in  this  His  kingdom  of  the  Spirit 
 are  many  and  manifold;  hut  it  is  the  same  God  Wlw 
 worketh  all  in  all.  Whether  they  be  gifts,  or  adminis- 
 trations, or  operations ;  though  differing  in  name,  yet  all 
 may  be  one  in  substance ;  they  are  by  the  same  Spirit,  for 
 the  same  Lord,  of  the  same  God ;  and  These  being  Three 
 are  yet  One. 
 
 There  is,  further,  another  consideration;  what  is  the 
 end  and  object  of  these  miraculous  tokens  of  the  Spirit  ? 
 It  is  one  and  the  same  in  all, — the  diversity  of  them  all, 
 their  measure  and  degree,  is  for  what  is  profitable.  But 
 the  manifestation  of  the  Spirit,  by  these  outward  and  sen- 
 sible signs  of  His  Presence,  is  given  to  every  man  to  p)'i'oJit 
 withal ;  they  are  dispensed  according  to  what  is  good  for 
 each  to  receive,  both  for  his  own  spiritual  well-being,  and 
 for  promoting  that  of  others.  And  here  St.  Paul  affords 
 a  very  interesting  mention  of  what  those  miraculous 
 powers  were,  which  God  was  then  using  in  His  Church 
 for  the  conversion  of  the  world ;  they  were  not  like  graces 
 of  the  Spirit,  and  the  gifts  of  righteousness  which  adorn 
 the  saints  ;  but  they  were  like  natural  powers,  and  endow- 
 ments of  mind  and  body,  such  as  did  not  necessarily 
 make  men  better,  but  were  lent  them  by  God  as  stewards 
 of  His  gifts,  which  they  might  use  for  good,  or  abuse. 
 For  to  one  is  given  hy  the  Spirit  the  word  of  loisdom,  such 
 as  St.  Paul  and  St.  John  were  so  wonderfully  gifted  with. 
 We  "  speak  wisdom,"  says  St.  Paul,  "  among  them  that 
 are  perfect."     To  another  the  word  of  hnowledge  hy  the 
 
THE   DAY  OF    VISITATION.  135 
 
 same  Spirit.  He  speaks  not  here  of  that  knowledge  of 
 God  which  is  inseparable  from  love,  and  in  which  is 
 eternal  life,  but  of  that  knowledge  of  the  things  of  God 
 which  may  be  without  charity,  and  as  such  puffeth  up. 
 To  another  faith  hj  the  same  Spirit ;  that  is,  the  Spirit 
 at  that  time  gave  to  some  a  miraculous  insight  into  the 
 unseen,  with  so  strong  an  assurance  in  Christ's  Name  that 
 it  could  remove  mountains,  as  an  evidence  to  others  of  the 
 Spirit's  power ;  but  this  was  not  necessarily  that  saving 
 faith  which  is  unto  life,  for  this  also  might  be  without 
 charity.  To  another  the  gifts  of  healing  by  the  same 
 Spirit;  to  another  the  working  of  miracles;  to  another 
 prophecy  ;  to  another  discerning  of  spirits :  "the  knowing 
 who  is  spiritual,"  says  St.  Chrysostom,  "  and  who  is  not ; 
 who  is  a  prophet,  and  who  a  deceiver ;"  for  many  were 
 the  false  prophets  which  then  had  gone  forth ;  to  another 
 divers  kinds  of  tongues  ;  to  another  the  interpretation  of 
 tongues. 
 
 So  rich  and  manifold  were  the  gifts  with  which  the 
 Church  of  God  then  went  forth  to  draw  the  Gentile 
 world  unto  her  as  it  were  by  her  beauty,  miraculously 
 adorned  "  in  a  "Gesture  of  gold  wrought  about  with  divers 
 colours,"  and  saying,  "  Hearken  and  consider,  incline 
 thine  ear ;  forget  also  thine  own  people  and  thy  father's 
 house."  But,  although  so  many  and  various  were  these 
 manifestations,  yet,  adds  St.  Paul,  all  these  worketh  that 
 one  and  the  self-same  Spirit,  dividing  to  every  man  severally 
 as  He  tcill. 
 
 What,  then,  does  this  Epistle  teach  us  of  the  present 
 day  ?  for  it  speaks  of  a  state  of  things  which  does  not  now 
 at  all  exist ;  there  are  now  no  supernatural  signs  which 
 mark  believers  from  unbelievers.  It  used  to  be  connected 
 with   the  Gospel   of  the   parable   of  the   Pharisee   and 
 
136  THE    TENTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 Publican  praying  together  in  the  same  temple,  and  one 
 despising  the  other.  But  as  it  now  occurs  with  us  in  our 
 Epistle  for  to-day,  it  seems  to  contain  this  general  lesson, 
 that  we  are  all  of  us  at  all  times  in  a  state  of  probation  and 
 trial ;  that  even  in  the  early  Church,  warm  with  her  first 
 love,  when  miraculous  gifts  were  poured  upon  its  members, 
 these  very  gifts  themselves  became  a  source  of  temptation, 
 and  served  as  a  means  of  trying  their  love  to  God.  Some 
 were  puffed  up  by  the  possession  of  them  and  despised 
 others ;  some  misused  them ;  to  others  they  became  sub- 
 jects of  envy  because  they  had  them  not ;  others  confused 
 them  with  the  powers  of  possession  showed  by  evil  spirits. 
 All  these  things  the  Apostle  here  writes  to  correct,  and 
 shows  that  they  were  only  given  for  the  purpose  of  edifi- 
 cation, and  ought  in  no  wa}''  to  be  the  causes  of  strife  and 
 selfishness ;  for  they  were  but  different  manifestations  of 
 one  and  the  same  Spirit,  dividing  to  every  one  as  appears 
 good  to  Him,  precisely  as  difi'erent  members  of  the  body 
 have  different  powers  and  offices. 
 
 It  is  true  we  have  not  now  these  miraculous  powers  to 
 profit  by  or  abuse, — nothing  of  this  kind  to  separate  one 
 in  pride  and  envy  from  another.  Yet  never  has  been 
 a  time  when  Christians  have  thought  so  much  of  them- 
 selves, as  if  separate  and  set  apart  from  others ;  of  their 
 f  wn  gifts  of  spirit,  of  mind  or  body,  of  nature  or  fortune, 
 and  so  little  of  that  one  great  Body  to  Which  they  belong  ; 
 and  the  reason  of  this  has  been  because  love  waxes  cold. 
 How  often  may  the  Apostle's  words  occur  to  us  with 
 respect  to  all  those  differences  of  gifts  and  diversities  of 
 office  in  which  we  are  placed  to  serve  God;  all  these, 
 what  are  they?  "All  these  worketh  that  one  and  the 
 self-same  Spirit,  dividing  to  every  man  severally  as  He 
 win."     Take,  for  instance,  outward  station, — we  call  it 
 
THE   DAY  OF    VISITATION:  137 
 
 station  in  the  world,  but  it  is  not  really  so  -with  Chris- 
 tians,— it  is  outward  position  in  the  Church  of  God. 
 Why  is  one  rich  and  another  poor,  with  all  the  numerous 
 inequalities  in  condition?  the  answer  and  explanation  is 
 here  given ;  it  is  merely  such  as  is  given  to  each  to 
 "  profit  withal," — that  is,  such  as  may  serve  by  God's 
 blessing  for  the  spiritual  benefit  of  himself  and  others. 
 It  is,  indeed,  too  often  the  case,  that  riches  are  the  de- 
 struction of  the  rich  man,  and  poverty  of  the  poor  man  ; 
 but  the  very  contrary  to  this  is  intended  by  the  all- wise 
 Disposer  of  our  lives,  "dividing  to  every  man  severally  as 
 He  will."  There  are  differences  and  diversities  innu- 
 merable, but  it  is  by  the  same  Spirit  and  for  the  same 
 Lord.  And  the  destruction  of  soul  arising  in  these  cases 
 is  in  great  measure  from  this, — that  each  is  wont  to  look 
 on  these  things,  not  as  ways  of  God  and  talents  of  His,  to 
 be  used  by  us  for  His  honour,  but  as  if  they  were  things 
 of  our  own ;  if  lent  to  us  we  are  proud  of  them,  and  so 
 misuse  and  abuse  them ;  if  lent  to  another,  we  are  envious 
 and  discontented  at  the  sight,  and  covet  the  same  for  our- 
 selves. So  is  it  with  learning  and  reputation,  and  other 
 such  diversities  between  man  and  man.  So  is  it  with 
 means  and  powers  of  usefulness  in  the  Church.  Whereas 
 to  be  high-minded  from  having  them,  to  desire  them  for 
 their  own  sakes,  is  to  forget  God  and  our  own  awful 
 stewardship.  They  are  given  to  each  "  to  profit  withal," 
 and  for  no  other  purpose.  Heathen  idols  were  many; 
 and  the  evil  spirits  were  many  that  led  to  their  worship ; 
 and  many  their  vices,  aU  leading  to  selfishness  and  hatred. 
 But  in  the  Church  of  God,  that  is,  among  Christians,  all 
 distinctions  are  nothing  else  but  the  different  callings  of 
 the  one  Spirit,  by  which  they  are  in  love  to  serve  one 
 another  and  to  serve  God  3  or  different  powers  given  to 
 
138  THE    TENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY, 
 
 d-'.fferent  members  for  the  benefit  of  each  other,  as  all 
 parts  of  that  one  Body,  Which  is  Christ.  ]^ow  the  effect 
 of  these  two  ways  of  looking  on  things,  whether  as  in 
 ourselves  and  by  ourselves,  or  only  as  members  one  of 
 another,  is  as  opposite  as  light  and  darkness.  So  far  as 
 we  consider  the  gifts  of  God  as  something  of  our  ow^n,  we 
 are  exalted  in  our  own  eyes ;  so  fiir  as  we  consider  them 
 as  parts  of  a  stewardship  for  which  we  are  accountable,  we 
 must  be  more  and  more  humbled  under  a  sense  of  tbem. 
 
 This,  then,  is  to  us  the  day  in  which  we  have  been 
 called  by  the  Householder  to  work  in  His  vineyard, — the 
 day  of  our  visitation,  our  accepted  time,  and  the  season  of 
 grace. 
 
 The  occasion  of  the  narrative  in  the  Gospel  was  this  : 
 our  Lord  was  now  approaching  Jerusalem  for  the  last 
 time  of  His  sojourn  there,  just  before  His  death.  It  was 
 on  Palm  Sunday,  as  He  meekly  rode  from  Bethany  with 
 rejoicing  multitudes,  and  at  the  turn  of  the  hill  on  the 
 Mount  of  Olives  came  suddenly  in  sight  of  Jerusalem, 
 when  St.  Luke's  account  thus  proceeds  : — 
 
 And  when  He  was  come  near,  He  beheld  the  city,  and 
 wept  over  it,  saying,  If  thou  hadst  known,  even  thou,  at 
 least  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  which  belong  unto  thy 
 peace!  but  now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes.  Yet  to 
 judge  from  sight  all  in  that  city  was  peaceful — nay,  more, 
 full  of  holy  festivity  and  rejoicing.  But  as  with  the  soul 
 that  hath  departed  from  God,  it  was  a  false  peace,  and  not 
 to  last.  In  the  words  of  Baruch,  "  Thou  hast  forsaken 
 the  fountain  of  wisdom.  For  if  thou  hadst  walked  in  the 
 way  of  God,  thou  shouldest  have  dwelled  in  peace  for 
 ever."^  Whereas,  now  to  them  the  day  of  peace  was  for 
 1  Bar.  iii.  12. 
 
THE    DAY  OF    VISITATION.  139 
 
 ever  over  and  gone :  and  the  sign  of  this  was  already 
 approaching,  for  a  war  and  destruction,  the  most  terrible 
 which  the  world  has  ever  witnessed,  was  in  forty  years 
 entirely  to  overwhelm  them. 
 
 "He  wept,"  not  for  His  own  approaching  sufferings, 
 which  He  so  distinctly  foresaw,  but  for  them  who  should 
 inflict  on  Him  those  sufferings.  "  He  wept  "  not  merely 
 on  account  of  their  eternal  loss,  which  was  ever  present  to 
 the  "Man  of  sorrows,"  but  as  the  sight  of  any  distress, 
 of  hunger,  or  loss,  moved  His  compassions,  so  the  prospect 
 of  these  temporal  sufferings  affected  His  pitying  spirit,  as 
 He  beheld  that  beautiful  city,  so  soon  to  be  the  seat  of 
 such  calamities. 
 
 For  the  days  shall  come  upon  thee,  that  tliine  enemies 
 shall  cast  a  trench  about  thee,  and  compass  thee  round, 
 andkeep  thee  in  on  every  side,  and  shall  lay  thee  even  loith 
 the  ground,  and  thy  children  xcithin  thee ;  and  they  shall 
 not  leave  in  thee  one  stone  upon  another.  What  an  awful 
 figure  of  that  inevitable  ruin  which  may  overtake  the 
 soul,  when  its  short  peace  and  rejoicing  in  worldly  things 
 is  over,  as  a  gulf  entrenching  it  around,  deep  and  large, 
 spiritual  enemies  hedging  it  in  on  every  side,  as  a  net 
 from  which  there  is  no  escape.  "  Thy  children  within 
 thee, — no  stone  remaining ! "  All  thine  earthly  hopes 
 gone,  no  vestige  left ! 
 
 Because  thou  hnewest  not  the  time  of  thy  visitation. 
 These  are  remarkable  words,  "  the  time  of  thy  visitation," 
 and  "because  thou  knewest  it  not."  There  is  a  day  in 
 which  God  visits  every  Church  and  people,  and  every 
 individual  soul ;  it  was  this  for  which  the  warning  voice 
 had  been  sent,  saying,  "  Xow  is  the  axe  laid  unto  the 
 root  of  the  trees,"  and  "repent  ye,  for  the  Kingdom  of 
 Heaven  is  at  hand."     This  was  the  day  of  their  visitation. 
 
140  THE    TENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 And  moreover,  there  is  an  imminent  danger  lest  it  be  not 
 known ;  that  it  should  come  and  go,  and  not  be  felt  or 
 understood,  because  our  eyes  are  closed  by  sin  while  it  is 
 with  us ;  and  that  it  should  have  gone  by,  like  the  harvest 
 and  the  summer  ended,  but  never  again  to  return.  "  But 
 now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes."  It  is  this  want  of 
 knowledge  which  is  twice  spoken  of  in  this  our  Lord's 
 pathetic  appeal,  "  if  thou  hadst  knoicn  in  thy  day  the 
 things  of  thy  peace ;"  and  again,  "  because  thou  knewest 
 not  the  time  of  thy  visitation." 
 
 And  a  circumstance  which  the  Evangelist  mentions 
 immediately  after,  affords  us  a  strong  and  lively  evidence 
 how  it  was  that  they  knew  not  the  things  of  their  peace, 
 and  the  day  of  their  visitation ;  it  was  because  the  love  of 
 the  world  and  the  business  of  the  world  occupied  and  pro- 
 faned that  temple  where  God  would  dwell  alone.  So  it  is 
 with  the  soul  which  knows  not  the  things  of  its  peace. 
 On  beholding  the  city  He  wept ;  And,  on  entering  Jeru- 
 salem, He  icent  into  the  temjole,  and  began  to  cast  out  them 
 that  sold  therein,  and  them  that  bought,  saying  unto  them, 
 It  is  written,  My  house  is  the  house  of  prayer  ;  but  ye  have 
 made  it  a  den  of  thieves. 
 
 Now  we  are  taught  by  this  what  great  reverence  is  due 
 to  that  holy  place  wherein  God  has  placed  His  Name ; 
 that  the  evil  world  is  not  to  enter  there ;  there  is  to  be 
 there  no  buying  and  selling ;  nothing  that  partakes  of  the 
 spirit  of  this  world;  no  thoughts  of  covetousness,  or 
 business ;  but  all  is  to  be  holy,  full  of  veneration,  and 
 awe,  and  peace;  that  God  may  be  worshipped  in  spirit 
 and  in  truth.  Secondly,  that  not  only  the  material 
 building,  but  what  Scripture  calls  ''the  Church  of  the 
 living  God,"  that  spiritual  temple  spread  abroad,  the 
 pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth,  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  as 
 
THE  DAY  OF   VISITATION:  141 
 
 it  is  described  in  the  Gospels,  into  which  we  are  received 
 at  Baptism;  that  in  this  there  should  he  no  traffic  or 
 merchandise,  no  consideration  of  worldly  politics  should 
 have  any  place  therein  ;  hut  that  it  should  he  "  called  an 
 house  of  prayer  for  all  people,"^  that  there  should  he  "in 
 every  place  incense  and  a  pure  offering," '  "an  offering 
 in  righteousness ;"  the  continual  sacrifice  of  prayer  and 
 praise.  And  thirdly,  that  as  the  Christian  is  so  often  in 
 Scripture  said  to  he  the  temple  of  God,  being  such  he 
 should  keep  himself  holy,  as  the  house  of  prayer;  that 
 nothing  should  be  admitted  within  him  which  should 
 impair  or  take  the  place  of  his  constant  communion  with 
 God ;  that  as  he  is  called  upon  to  love  God  with  all  his 
 heart  and  1  and  strength,  so  nothing  of  this  world 
 should  find  an  entrance  into  his  heart,  that  sanctuary 
 wherein  God  would  dwell.  That  in  carrying  on  the 
 necessary  business  of  this  world,  he  should  never  allow 
 anything  of  this  kind  to  take  the  place  of  God  in  his 
 soul ;  but  should  be  as  one  who  in  possessing  possessed 
 not.  That  he  should  keep  such  things  without  his  secret 
 spirit,  wherein  God  alone  must  be ;  that  his  joys  and 
 sorrows,  his  hopes  and  fears, — those  things  which  dwell 
 in  his  inner  heart,  the  hidden  man, — should  be  of  another 
 kind,  and  not  like  those  of  the  men  of  this  world.  IN'ow 
 this  is  to  know  the  things  which  belong  unto  our  peace  ; 
 this  is  to  know  the  time  of  our  visitation;  that  Christ 
 may  not  be  weeping  over  us  while  we  are  rejoicing,  and 
 we  know  it  not.  Further,  one  word  more  of  this  in- 
 dwelling of  God,  "the  vision  of  peace."  When  Christ 
 had  driven  out  the  buyers  and  sellers  it  is  added.  And 
 He  taught  daily  in  the  temple.     So  it  is  with  us;  if  we 
 
 2  Isa.  Ivi.  7.  3  Mai.  i.  11. 
 
142  THE    TENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 cast  out  from  the  heart  whatever  is  common  or  unclean, 
 every  worldly  thought  and  desire,  reverencing  ourselves 
 as  the  house  of  prayer,  in  constant  intercourse  with  God, 
 then  He  will  "  daily  teach  us."  He  will  open  our  eyes 
 within  to  the  wonderful  things  of  His  law.  He  will  give 
 us  to  know  the  things  which  belong  unto  our  peace.  He 
 Himself  in  our  heart  will  sit  as  a  teacher,  instructing  us 
 daily,  so  that  day  unto  day  and  night  unto  night  shall 
 utter  knowledge. 
 
 Let  us  then  be  careful  not  to  lose  this  our  day,  the  day 
 of  spiritual  gifts,  and  when  Christ  sits  in  His  temple. 
 Surely  we  have  much  to  labour  after  in  order  that  we  may 
 obtain  "the  mind  which  was  in  Christ,"  and  ^'the  mind 
 of  the  Spirit."  The  shadows  of  evening  are  stretched 
 out,  and  this  our  day  of  grace  wanes  away  apace.  There 
 is  a  night  that  overtakes  man  darker  than  that  of  the 
 grave. 
 
 Our  Church  on  this  Sunday  lifts  up  as  it  were  again 
 what  had  been  her  Advent*  note  of  warning,  lest  the 
 things  which  belong  unto  our  peace  be  for  ever  hidden 
 from  our  eyes ;  yet  in  this  warning  is  there  also  great 
 encouragement;  for  are  they  not  the  things  of  our 
 "peace"?  is  not  the  very  expression  full  of  the  most 
 sweet  attraction  %  for,  oh !  what  else  in  the  world  is 
 worthy  of  one  moment's  thought  and  care  compared  with 
 this  peace,  the  peace  of  God  %  Is  it  in  our  power  to 
 obtain  this  peace  %  yes,  it  is  still  in  our  power,  for  it  is 
 our  "  day ;"  Christ  is  watching  over  us,  but  not,  we  may 
 trust,  weeping  over  us  as  lost ;  for  these  things  are  not 
 yet  hidden  from  us ;  we  desire  them  still,  we  long  and 
 labour  for  them,  we  tremble  lest  we  lose  them ;  they  are 
 not  then  yet  hidden  from  us. 
 
 *  See  the  First  Sunday  in  Advent,  vol.  i.  p.  2 
 
THE   DAY  OF   VISITATION.  143 
 
 And  again,  that  other  expression,  *'  the  day  of  visita- 
 tion," this  too  is  a  word  of  fear  and  alarm,  but  also  ol 
 love  and  power ;  for  it  is  the  day  when  God  visits  ns,  and 
 therefore  called  "  the  day  of  salvation."  For  how  does 
 He  visit  us?  it  is  witii  thoughts  of  repentance,  with 
 desires  to  pray,  and  to  serve  Him  better  than  we  have  yet 
 done.  And  when  He  gives  us  these  thoughts  and  desires, 
 He  gives  us  likewise,  if  we  neglect  them  not,  the  powei 
 to  fulfil  them. 
 
SERMON    LVIIL 
 Clje  (SlebtntI;  ^untJay  afttr  €vimtv, 
 
 I  Cor.  XV.  I — II.     St.  Luke  xviii.  9 — 14. 
 
 THE   PRAYER    OF   THE   PENITENT. 
 
 And  the  Publicati,  standing  afar  off,  would  not  lift  tip  so  much  as  his 
 eyes  to  heavtn,  but  smote  tipon  his  breast,  saying,  GOD  be  merciful 
 to  me  a  sinner.  —  St.  Luke  xviii.  13. 
 
 THE  subject  of  this  Sunday's  teaching  is  of  God's 
 covenant  of  grace  and  mercy,  Who  "  declares  His 
 Almighty  power  most  chiefly  in  showing  mercy  and  pity." 
 St.  Paul,  in  the  Epistle,  comes  to  the  very  foundation  of 
 all  our  hopes,  the  Creed.  Brethren,  I  declare  unto  you 
 the  Gospel  ivhich  I  preached  unto  you.  "  I  declare,"  that 
 is,  I  solemnly  announce  unto  you  that  Gospel,  which 
 indeed  ye  well  know ;  tohich  also  ye  have  received,  and 
 icherein  ye  stand.  "  Which  ye  have  received  as  a  kind 
 of  sacred  deposit,"  so  St.  Chrysostom  explains  it;  that 
 "  faith  once  delivered,"  into  which  ye  were  baptized ; 
 "  and  wherein  ye  stand,"  in  holding  firmly  to  which  all 
 your  strength  consists,  and  your  future  hope.  As  he 
 adds,  hy  which  also  ye  are  saved,  if  ye  keep  in  memory 
 what  I  preached  unto  you  ;  or,  more  literally,  "  if  ye  hold 
 
THE   PRAYER    OF    THE   PENITENT.  145 
 
 fast  to  that  evangelic  statement,"  or  that  saying  by 
 which  I  announced  the  Gospel  to  you ;  unless  ye  have 
 Relieved  in  vain. 
 
 For  I  delivered  unto  you  first  of  all  that  which  I  also 
 received.  The  last-mentioned  ancient  Bishop  observes  of 
 these  words,  that  the  Apostle  does  not  say,  "  I  said  unto 
 you,"  or  "  I  taught  you,"  but  "  I  delivered ;"  nor  does  he 
 say  that  which  "  I  was  taught,"  but  that  which  "  I  re- 
 ceived;" as  referring  the  whole  of  it  to  Christ,  and  signi- 
 fying that  nothing  was  of  man  in  these  doctrines.  Men 
 could  not  diminish  from  nor  add  unto  this  sacred  deposit 
 of  the  faith  once  delivered  unto  the  Church's  keeping 
 until  the  end.  Neither  man  nor  an  angel  from  Heaven 
 could  preach  any  other.  And  St.  Paul,  in  writing  to  the 
 Galatians,  is  careful  in  saying,  that  even  in  receiving  the 
 same,  it  was  not  from  man  nor  from  any  human  teaching, 
 but  from  Christ  Himself.^  From  hence  he  proceeds  to 
 state  that  great  article  of  the  Apostles'  Creed.  How  that 
 Christ  died  for  our  sins,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  as  ah! 
 the  ancient  Scriptures  had  set  forth  in  promise,  and  type, 
 and  prophecy.  And  that  He  was  huried ;  and  that  He 
 rose  again  the  third  day,  according  to  the  Scriptures. 
 His  death,  and  His  resurrection,  the  two  great  cardinal 
 points  of  our  salvation,  the  two  golden  hinges,  as  it  were, 
 on  which  the  gate  of  Heaven  turns ;  and,  therefore,  such 
 as  were  not  only  seen  of  men,  but  both  of  them  testified 
 throughout  by  all  the  word  of  God  which  had  gone 
 before;  "according,"  he  says,  "to  the  Scriptures." 
 
 And  that  He  was  seen  of  Cephas.  Not  indeed  that 
 St.  Peter  was  the  first  to  whom  He  appeared  after  His 
 resurrection ;  but  it  was  to  him  in  so  marked  and  pre- 
 
 i  Gal.  i.  12. 
 
 VOL.  II.  L 
 
146         THE   ELEVENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 eminent  a  manner  as  brought  conviction  to  the  disciples.^ 
 Then  of  the  huelve,  as  they  were  collected  together  with 
 closed  doors  in  that  upper  chamber,  at  Jerusalem.  After 
 that,  He  was  seen  of  above  five  hundred  brethren  at  once; 
 on  that  memorable  occasion,  on  the  mountain  in  Galilee, 
 for  which  He  had  sent  them  thither  from  Jerusalem,  as 
 the  place  of  His  great  manifestation  f  of  whom  the  greater 
 part  remain  unto  this  present,  hut  some  are  fallen  asleep  : 
 a  vast  cloud  of  witnesses,  of  which  the  greater  part  are  with 
 us  to  bear  testimony  even  still,  although  some  of  them  be 
 with  Christ.  After  that  He  was  seen  of  James  ;  "  for  the 
 Lord,"  says  St.  Chrysostom,  "  is  said  to  have  ordained 
 and  made  him  bishop  in  Jerusalem;"  then  of  all  the 
 Apostles;  by  all  the  Apostles,  adds  the  same  writer, 
 meaning  the  Seventy  which  were  sent  forth.  It  appears 
 to  allude  to  some  later  appearance  of  our  Lord  to  the 
 whole  apostolic  body,  for  some  express  purpose,  probably 
 with  respect  to  their  management  of  the  Church  :  for  He 
 was  for  forty  days  "  speaking  to  them  of  the  things  per- 
 taining to  the  Kingdom  of  God." 
 
 And  last  of  all,  He  was  seen  of  me  also,  as  of  one  horn 
 out  of  due  time.  Seen  of  Peter,  seen  of  the  twelve,  seen 
 of  the  five  hundred,  seen  of  James,  seen  of  all  the  Apostles, 
 seen  of  St.  Paul  himself;  all  speaks  of  the  evidence  of 
 their  own  senses  to  His  resurrection.  And  observe  in  this 
 the  mercy  of  the  Gospel,  first  seen  by  St.  Peter,  not  only 
 because  he  had  been  the  first  to  confess  Christ  the  Son  of 
 God,  but  because  he  had  denied  Him  ;  and  last,  as  the 
 crown  of  all,  to  St.  Paul,  who  had  been  a  persecutor.  For 
 I  am  the  least,  he  adds,  of  all  the  Ajwstles,  even  as  a 
 child  of  untimely  birth,  that  am  not  meet  to  he  called  an 
 Apostle,  because  I  persecuted  the  CJiurch  of  God. 
 
 2  St.  Luke  xxiv.  34.  3  St.  Matt,  xxviii.  7. 16. 
 
THE   PRAYER    OF    THE   PENITENT.  147 
 
 But  by  the  grace  of  God  I  am  ichat  I  am;  yet  in  tliis 
 my  weakness,  even  as  an  abortion,  and  one  unworthy  of 
 the  high  name  of  an  Apostle,  has  the  strength  and  the 
 goodness  of  God  been  manifested ;  and  in  my  labours  may 
 be  seen.  Aiid  His  gimce  ichicli  was  hestowed  upon  me 
 zvas  not  in  vain;  hut  I  laboured  more  abundantly  than 
 they  all.  This  he  mentions  as  a  proof  of  God's  mercy  to 
 him ;  and  yet  he  seems  to  shi'ink  at  the  very  expression, 
 and  hastens,  as  it  were,  to  withdraw  it,  and  to  attribute 
 all  to  God.  Yet  not  I,  he  immediately  subjoins,  but  the 
 grace  of  God  which  was  with  me.  Ancient  writers,  as  St. 
 Augustine  and  others,  delight  to  dwell  on  these  words  of 
 St.  Paul,  as  so  expressive  of  his  sweet,  trembling  humility, 
 fearing  to  contemplate  himself,  except  in  his  sins  and  in- 
 firmities, and  losing  all  sense  of  his  greatness  in  God ;  fearful 
 lest  he  should  presume,  and  so  lose  by  presumption  all 
 that  crown  of  hope  and  joy  which  by  humility  he  had 
 gained. 
 
 He  had  been  speaking  of  the  witnesses  of  the  resurrec- 
 tion, and  in  so  doing  was  obliged  to  speak  of  himself, 
 which  he  does  with  all  lowliness  and  self-condemnation  ; 
 but  yet,  in  order  to  show  that  his  evidence  as  a  witness 
 was  not  inferior  to  the  others,  he  mentions  how  by  his 
 more  abundant  labours  God  gave  testimony  to  His  grace. 
 But  passing  from  this,  he  adds.  Therefore,  whether  it  were 
 I  or  they,  so  we  preach,  and  so  ije  believed. 
 
 And  here  it  is  especially  to  be  noticed,  that  in  this 
 Epistle  for  to-day,  wherein  the  wonderful  mercies  of  the 
 Gospel  are  set  forth,  yet  it  is  implied  that  faith  in  these 
 things  may  be  in  vain  ;  for  St.  Paul  says,  "  unless  ye  have 
 believed  in  vain,"  and  also  that  the  grace  of  God  may  be 
 given  in  vain ;  for  he  says,  "  and  His  grace  was  not  in 
 vain,  but  I  laboured  more  abundantly."  Thus  we  pray  in 
 l2 
 
148         THE   ELEVENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 the  Collect,  under  the  sense  of  God's  exceeding  mercies, 
 that  we  may  not  run  in  vain,  but  may  so  run  as  to  obtain 
 His  promises,  and  be  made  partakers  of  His  treasure. 
 
 And  now  let  us  consider  this  a  little  more  particularly. 
 It  is  in  showing  mercy  that  God  most  chiefly  manifests 
 His  Almighty  power;  and,  therefore,  in  order  that  His 
 Almighty  power  may  be  seen  in  us,  in  our  advances  in 
 holiness  now  and  our  salvation  hereafter,  we  must  show 
 ourselves  objects  of  His  mercy  and  pity ;  and  that  must 
 be  by  a  very  low  estimation  of  ourselves,  by  a  constant 
 sense  of  our  sins  and  unworthiness,  by  a  deep  humiliation, 
 under  an  apprehension  of  the  infinite  holiness  of  God. 
 Our  very  life  must  be  like  a  continual  supplication  for 
 mercy,  appealing  to  God  in  deed  and  word. 
 
 This,  the  very  character  of  all  Christian  holiness,  is  ex- 
 hibited to  us  in  the  Gospel  for  to-day,  in  that  memorable 
 parable  of  the  Pharisee  and  the  Publican  in  the  temple ; 
 and  the  same  may  be  very  well  exemplified  by  what  St. 
 Paul  says  of  himself  in  the  Epistle.  Jesus  spake  this 
 parable  unto  certain  which  trusted  in  themselves  that  they 
 were  righteous,  and  despised  others:  Two  men  went  up 
 into  the  temple  to  pray;  the  one  a  Pharisee,  and  the  other  a 
 Publican.  Our  Blessed  Lord  here  sets  before  us  two 
 characters,  as  they  appear  before  God  in  prayer.  This, 
 my  brethren,  is  everything  to  us,  how  we  appear  in  the 
 sight  of  God  when  we  come  before  Him  in  prayer,  with 
 what  degree  of  acceptableness  we  then  are  looked  upon 
 by  Him.  This  is,  in  short,  the  only  thing  of  any  im- 
 portance ;  it  matters  not  what  we  seem  to  be  to  ourselves 
 or  to  others,  but  only  how  God  looks  upon  us  when  we 
 pray  to  Him.  Our  everything  depends  upon  this.  This 
 you  may  take  as  the  test  and  proof  of  anything  you  say, 
 or  do,  or  think :    and  of  the  real  importance  of  any  event 
 
THE   PRAYER    OF    THE   PENITENT.  149 
 
 that  happens  to  you.  What  difference  does  it  make  when 
 you  come  to  appear  before  God  in  prayer  %  Will  it  render 
 you  more  pleasing  and  acceptable  or  not  ?  Will  this  or 
 that  circumstance  add  weight  and  avail  to  your  prayers 
 or  not  %  If  you  do  this,  or  leave  it  undone,  if  you  say 
 this  or  leave  it  unsaid,  will  it  make  a  difference  when  you 
 come  before  God  in  prayer  %  And  if  you  would  weigh  the 
 distinctions  between  one  man  and  another,  between  dif- 
 ferent stations  and  conditions  in  life,  you  can  have  nc 
 surer  test  or  proof  of  them  than  this,  which  renders  yoL; 
 most  availing  when  you  come  before  God  in  prayer. 
 "Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit;"  and  "blessed  are  the 
 merciful ;"  now  this  their  blessedness  may  be  known 
 from  this,  that  they  have  power  and  worth  with  God, 
 when  they  come  before  Him  in  prayer.  And  if,  more- 
 over, "  blessed  are  they  that  mourn,"  and  "  blessed  are  they 
 that  are  persecuted  for  righteousness'  sake,"  and  "  blessed 
 are  they  that  hunger  now ;"  it  is  because  these  are  con- 
 ditions of  life  and  circumstances  which  put  the  heart  in 
 that  frame  which  will  make  prayer  of  avail  with  God. 
 Let  any  one  notice  each  day, — there  can  be  no  better  rule 
 or  safeguard, — what  will  render  him  at  his  hours  of 
 prayer  most  acceptable  with  God.  There  can  be  no 
 better  standard  or  measure  of  the  real  value  of  all  things 
 than  this.  And,  therefore,  when  our  blessed  Lord  intro- 
 duces two  characters  as  going  up  to  the  temple  to  pray, 
 and  is  about  to  instruct  us  in  their  acceptableness,  and 
 the  availing  of  their  prayers  with  God,  there  is  nothing 
 whatever  can  be  conceived  of  a  more  lively  interest  to  us. 
 It  is  bringing  two  characters  into  the  light  of  God's  own 
 presence,  and  teUing  us  how  they  there  appear;  it  is 
 allowing  us  to  see  both  put  in  the  balance,  and  weighed 
 by  God  Himself;  nay,  more,  it  is  telling  us,  admittirg  us 
 
150         THE   ELEVENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 to  witness  the  power  which  they  have  respectively  with 
 Almighty  God. 
 
 The  Pharisee  stood  and  prayed  thus  with  himself, 
 God,  I  thank  Tliee,  that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are,  ex- 
 tortioners, unjust,  adulterers,  or  even  as  this  Publican: 
 I  fast  tivice  in  theiceeh  ;  I  give  tithes  of  all  that  I  possess. 
 iN'ow  here  was  a  rehgious  man,  righteous  according  to  the 
 law;  fasting,  and  giving  tithes,  and  going  up  to  pray 
 in  God's  house.  ]^ay,  more,  he  attributes  all  this  his 
 righteousness  to  God ;  and  not  only  that,  but  gives  God 
 thanks  for  what  He  had  made  him ;  for  preserving  him 
 from  extortion,  dishonesty,  and  adultery.  In  what  re- 
 spect, therefore,  does  he  differ  from  St.  Paul,  in  that 
 passage  we  have  been  considering  ?  For  if  this  man  com- 
 pares himself  with  others,  so  does  the  holy  Apostle ;  for 
 he  also  says,  "  I  have  laboured  more  abundantly  than  all" 
 the  Apostles.  And  he  also  gives  thanks  to  God  for  it ; 
 for  he  says,  "  yet  not  I,  but  the  grace  of  God  which  was 
 with  me."  But  it  must  be  observed,  that  St.  Paul  is  not 
 here  speaking  to  God  in  prayer,  but  is  making  his  defence 
 to  men ;  and  being  constrained  to  show  the  weight  of  his 
 testimony  as  a  witness  and  Apostle  of  Christ's  resurrec- 
 tion, he  cannot  but  allude  to  the  fact  of  his  more  abundant 
 labours  and  sufferings ;  but  in  so  doing,  he  hastens,  as  it 
 were,  away  from  the  subject,  as  one  he  could  not  dare  to 
 think  of,  and  loses  himself  altogether  in  the  sense  of  God's 
 goodness  and  grace.  It  is  his  own  former  ignorance,  and 
 the  sad  consequence  of  that  ignorance,  in  being  the  occa- 
 sion of  his  persecuting  the  Church  of  Christ ;  it  is  his  own 
 present  infirmities  and  inability  of  himself  to  do  anything, 
 on  which  his  whole  heart  was  set. 
 
 When  St.  Paul  turned  to  God  in  prayer,  it  was  under 
 a  sense  of  his  many  miseries ;  of  the  thorn  in  the  flesh, 
 
THE   PRAYER    OF   THE   PENITENT.  151 
 
 that  bodily  infirmity  which  humbled  him  in  the  sight  of 
 men,  and  seemed  to  impair  his  usefulness ;  it  was  under 
 the  constant  recollection  of  his  having  been  once  a 
 "  blasphemer,"  or  one  that  denied  Christ,  a  "  persecutor 
 and  injurious ;"  it  was  as  one  fearing  to  fall  short  of  his 
 high  calling  at  last,  and  being  "a  castaway;"  as  one 
 beating  down  his  body  and  keeping  it  under  ;  as  one  weak 
 with  the  weaknesses  of  others,  and  sympathizing  with  them 
 in  their  temptations ;  as  praying  to  God  with  many  tears, 
 both  for  himself  and  for  others;  and  finding  no  relief 
 from  all  these  things,  but  in  forgetting  himself  altogether, 
 in  the  deep  overwhelming  sense  which  he  had  of  God's 
 love,  and  of  Christ  crucified.  In  short,  there  can  be  no 
 doubt  but  that  when  St.  Paul  appeared  before  God  in  prayer, 
 it  was  with  the  mind  and  spirit,  not  of  the  Pharisee,  but  of 
 this  Publican,  who  would  not  lift  "  up  his  eyes  to  Heaven, 
 but  smote  on  his  breast,  saying,  God  be  merciful  to  me 
 a  sinner."  If  the  Publican  was  abashed  and  humbled, 
 because  he  had  intercourse  with  the  heathen  ;  no  less  was 
 St.  Paul,  because  he  had  been  a  Pharisee,  one  of  those  the 
 great  persecutors  of  Christ. 
 
 The  words  by  which  God  pointed  out  St.  Paul  to  his 
 Church  as  worthy  of  all  acceptance,  were  these,  "  Behold, 
 he  prayeth."^  Thus  he  commenced,  thus  he  continued, 
 thus  he  ended  his  course,  in  the  character  and  spirit  of 
 availing  prayer.  Before  angels  and  men  is  seen  the  great 
 power  which  he  had  with  God  ;  but  the  secret  of  that 
 power  was  in  these  words,  the  testimony  of  God,  "Behold, 
 he  prayeth." 
 
 And  the  Piiblican,  standing  afar  off,  would  not  lift  up 
 so  much  as  his  eyes  unto  heaven;  he  thought,  not  of  other 
 
 4  Acts  ix.  11. 
 
152         THE   ELEVENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 men,  but  of  God :  this  was  the  reason  why  he  could  not 
 lift  up  his  eyes  to  Heaven  \  he  was  filled  with  a  deep  sense 
 of  the  holiness,  and  the  power,  and  the  mercy  of  God ; 
 and,  therefore,  he  would  not  lift  up  so  much  as  his  eyes. 
 He  had  some  knowledge  of  what  God  is,  like  the  angels 
 have,  who  cover  their  faces  in  His  presence ;  ^  and  those 
 in  Heaven,  who  cry  aloud  in  the  Apocalypse,  ''  Who  shall 
 not  fear  Thee,  0  Lord,  and  glorify  Thy  Kame  %  for  Thou 
 art  holy."     He  felt  that  he  was  in  God's  sight,  even  as 
 Daniel,  who  lay  with  his  ''face  toward  the  ground,"  and 
 as  St.  John,  "  when  he  fell  down  at  His  feet,  as  dead ;" 
 or  as  Job,  who  says,  "  Mine  eye  seeth  Thee,  wherefore  I 
 abhor  myself  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes."     He  stood 
 afar  off,  even  as  the  lepers,  constrained  by  the  law  to ,  do 
 so  ;  and  as  St.  Peter,  when  falling  at  Christ's  feet,  and 
 holding  down  his  head,  he  said,  "  Depart  from  me,  for  I 
 am  unclean."     But  because  he  stood  afar  off,  God  brought 
 him.  near  by  hearing  his  prayer ;  because  he  ventured  not 
 to  lift  up  his  eyes  to  Heaven,  God  looked  down  from 
 Heaven  upon  him,  and  lifted  up  upon  him  the  light  of  His 
 countenance  :  for  the  sacrifice  of  God  is  a  troubled  spirit. 
 These  instances  I  have  mentioned   indicate  that  this 
 Publican,  by  his  outward  gesture  and  demeanour,  showed 
 that  he  did  in  some  degree  realize  God's  presence.     And 
 how  then  could  he  at  such  a  time  think  of  others,  and 
 compare  himself  with  them  %     ISTo,  it  was  of  himself,  of  the 
 wicked  self  within  him,  of  what  he  had  said,  and  done,  and 
 thought ;  of  his  own  unclean  heart  that  he  thought,  as  his 
 actions  spoke  more  powerfully  than  words,  "  He  lifted  not 
 up  his  eyes,  hut  smote  upon  his  breast,  saying,  God  be 
 merciful  to  me  a  sinner."     His  misery  pleaded  to  God 
 most  powerfully  for  mercy ;  and  he  felt  his  misery,  be- 
 5  Isa.  vi.  2. 
 
THE   PRAYER    OF    THE   PENITENT.  153 
 
 cause  lie  knew  what  God  was,  infinitely  holy ;  and  that 
 he  in  His  presence  was  a  sinner.  He  earnestly  desired  to 
 he  released  from  himself;  he  felt  the  infinite  distance 
 between  himself  and  God,  and  earnestly  desired  to  he 
 united  to  God.  It  was  this  made  him  so  miserable,  to 
 stand  afar  off,  to  hang  down  his  eyes,  to  beat  on  his  breast, 
 to  say  and  know  nothing,  but  that  God  was  merciful,  and 
 he  a  sinner.  Prayer  is  always  answered  according  to  the 
 greatness  of  the  desire,  and  the  greatness  of  the  need ;  and 
 his  desire  and  his  need  were  infinite.  But  the  Pharisee 
 had  nothing  to  ask  for,  he  needed  nothing.  How  then 
 could  it  be  otherwise,  but  that  the  hungry  was  fiUed 
 with  God's  mercy,  and  the  rich  was  sent  away  empty  % 
 
 Christian  brethren,  I  fear  we  do  not  pray  as  we  should 
 do,  none  of  us ;  because  we  do  not  earnestly  desire  or  feel 
 our  need,  we  are  more  like  the  Pharisee  in  God's  house 
 than  the  Publican.  And  oh,  how  much  do  we  lose  every 
 time  we  come  here,  because  it  is  so  !  We  do  not  feel  each 
 in  himself  what  it  is  to  be  a  sinner,  because  we  do  not 
 know  God  and  ourselves.  0  that  we  could  feel  miserable, 
 and  sore  distressed,  and  cast  down,  and  unable  to  lift  up 
 the  head  !  0  that  we  knew  our  need,  and  that  according 
 to  our  need  were  our  desires,  restless,  insatiable,  and  as 
 infinite  and  immeasurable  as  is  God's  mercy  !  We  sit  down 
 by  a  boundless  sea  of  goodness,  but  have  no  desire  to  be 
 filled.  The  Sun  of  Eighteousness  would  kindle  us  into  life 
 by  His  beams,  but  we  hide  ourselves  from  Him,  content 
 to  be  as  we  are  and  as  we  have  been,  not  as  He  would 
 have  us  to  be.  We  keep  as  it  were  with  the  Pharisee  in 
 the  dark  of  the  temple ;  and  not  where  the  rays  of  God's 
 presence  pour  down  light,  and  show  us  unto  ourselves. 
 
 And  for  this  reason  we  return  home  from  God's  house 
 of  prayer  much  as  we  came.     /  tell  you,  adds  our  Blessed 
 
154         THE    ELEVENTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 Lord  Himself  of  this  Publican,  tliis  man  went  down  to  Jiis 
 lioiise  justified  rather  than  the  other ;  for  every  one  that 
 exalteth  himself  shall  be  abased;  and  he  that  humblefh 
 himself  shall  be  exalted. 
 
 Do  we  return  from  Church  more  justified,  or  with 
 a  sense  of  God's  pardon  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts,  and 
 His  unspeakable  peace,  as  those  who  are  lifted  up  from 
 OLU'  own  deep  humiliation  by  His  own  sustaining  Hand  1 
 Or  do  we  return  as  we  went,  like  the  Pharisee,  barren  and 
 self-satisfied;  with  no  feeling  of  want,  no  craving  after 
 God?  This  is  certain,  that  according  to  our  desires  we 
 are  filled.  Some  indeed  there  are  that  ever  walk  in 
 heaviness ;  and  come  and  go,  and  Avalk  in  and  out  in 
 humiliation  and  sorrow,  because  they  love  God ;  and, 
 therefore,  are  ever  grieved  that  they  love  Him  not  more, 
 and  that  others  around  them  love  Him  not.  Yet  in 
 prayer  and  Communion  of  Christ's  Body  and  Blood,  they 
 have  a  comfort  which  the  world  knows  not  of;  and,  even 
 in  sorrow,  a  peace  that  surpasseth  knowledge.  Thus,  God 
 is  pleased  to  leave  them  in  humiliation  and  self-abasement, 
 in  order  that  they  may  not  be  satisfied ;  but  enlarge  their 
 desires  after  Him,  nay,  feel  more  and  more  their  sense  of 
 sin,  and  their  need  of  His  righteousness.  For  the  more 
 they  feel  this  their  need  of  it,  the  more  is  it  growing 
 within  them.  The  more  they  feel  their  own  nakedness, 
 the  more  are  they  clothed  of  God. 
 
 "What  we  need  is  not  comfort,  but  that  sorrow  which 
 must  go  before  all  true  comfort;  it  is  not  peace  that  we, 
 my  brethren,  mostly  need;  but  war  with  ourselves,  like 
 that  poor  Publican ;  war  and  earnest  contention  with  our 
 worldly  hearts  and  desires,  so  that  we  may  long  beyond 
 all  things  for  the  peace  of  God, 
 
SERMON    LIX 
 CJe  €i3it\lti)  ^uutJai)  after  Cvintti). 
 
 2  Cor.  iii,  4—11,     St.  Mark  vii.  31 — 37. 
 
 WEAKNESS   OF  FAITH. 
 
 Such  trust  have  we  through  Christ  to  God-zvard.—-2  CoR.  iii.  4. 
 
 ST.  PAUL  is  here  speaking  of  the  wonderful  experience 
 which  he  and  others  now  had  of  the  efficacy  of  God's 
 grace  in  Christ.  Such  trust — such  confidence,  or  full 
 assurance,  the  word  implies  an  habitual  frame  of  mind 
 (Tr€7rot6r]aLv),  such  reliance  of  faith — have  we  th7'ough 
 Christ  to  God-tvard.  But  he  has  no  sooner  uttered  the 
 words  than  he  stops  to  qualify  and  correct  them  still 
 further,  lest  any  one  should  think  that  even  this  faith  in 
 God  was  anything  of  our  own,  or  owing  to  ourselves. 
 Not  that  we  are  sufficient  of  ourselves  to  think  anything — 
 not  that  even  such  good  thoughts  of  reliance  and  trust,  or 
 any  such  consideration  of  God's  power  and  goodness  are 
 our  own, — as  of  ourselves, — as  arising  from  anything  in 
 us;  but  our  sufficiency  is  of  God.  Even  this  frame  of 
 mind  consists  in  entire  dependence  upon  God;  the  very 
 heart  which  thus  tliinks  and  feels  in  consciousness  of  its 
 own  utter   inability  and   helplessness,   leans  and  hangs, 
 
156  THE    TWELFTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 nay,  more,  reposes  altogether  upon  God.  Even  as  a  child 
 that  cannot  walk,  or  a  man  out  of  his  depth  that  cannot 
 swim,  supports  himself  upon  another,  and  when  he  ceases 
 to  do  so  at  once  sinks  or  falls, — a  Christian,  in  his  most 
 earnest  exertions  and  endeavours,  has  this  sense  of  rest 
 in  God  j  and  when  he  has  it  not  he  ceases  to  think  and 
 feel  as  a  Christian.     This  very  trust  in  God  is  of  God. 
 
 And  this  sufficiency  which  is  of  God  is  especially 
 shown,  St.  Paul  proceeds  to  say,  in  the  efficacy  of  us  His 
 ministers.  Who  also  hath  made  us  able,  or  sufficient, 
 ministers  of  the  New  Testament.  But  in  using  the  word 
 "  Testament,"  which  commonly  signifies  a  written  will  or 
 covenant,  he  subjoins,  not  of  the  letter ^  hut  of  the  Spirit ; 
 for  the  letter  killeth,  but  the  Spirit  giveth  life.  The  letter 
 commands,  hut  gives  no  power  to  fulfil,  and  therefore  only 
 brings  condemnation ;  but  the  Spirit  gives  power  to  fulfil, 
 and  in  that  fulfilment  is  life.  The  knowledge  of  the 
 Scriptures  themselves,  of  the  Creeds,  and  of  the  Cate- 
 chism, will  only  serve  to  condemn  us,  unless  by  faith  and 
 love  they  are  received  into  our  hearts  and  lives  by  the 
 Spirit  of  God.  And  therefore  this  was  the  case  especially 
 with  the  Law,  which  St.  Paul  proceeds  to  speak  of  as 
 "  the  ministration  of  death ;"  for  when  the  sinner  came  to 
 the  Law  it  said  unto  him,  "  the  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall 
 die."  And  this  it  set  forth  in  various  ways;  even  the 
 sacrifices  which  were  offered  by  the  Law  were  a  confession 
 that  he  that  offered  them  was  worthy  of  death;  while 
 surely  the  death  of  slain  animals  could  never  atone  for 
 sin;  manifold  punishments  were  declared  by  it;  it  was 
 given  out  amongst  signs  of  wrath  and  terror,  the  earth- 
 quake and  the  fire,  and  the  awful  trumpet ;  and  the  Law 
 in  its  progress  and  going  forth  was  accompanied  with  the 
 deaths  of  many  for  disobedience.     But  when  the  sinner 
 
WEAKNESS    OF  FAITH.  157 
 
 came  to  the  Gospel,  it  spoke  not  to  him  of  death  but  of 
 life;  it  said  not  to  him,  "I  will  punish,"  but  "I  will 
 forgive."  It  spoke  with  a  still  small  voice,  "  Come  unto 
 Me  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
 give  you  rest."^  Its  going  forth  was  not  accompanied 
 with  signs  of  terrors  or  of  death,  but  of  healing  diseases, 
 and  of  raising  the  dead.  The  Law  took  hold  of  a  man 
 gathering  sticks  on  the  Sabbath,  and  slew  him ;  the 
 Gospel  on  the  Sabbath  day  took  hold  of  impotent  and 
 dying  men,  and  gave  them  life. 
 
 It  is  then  in  contemplation  of  this,  the  vast  difference 
 between  the  two,  the  Law  and  the  Gospel,  that  St.  Paul 
 calls  one  the  ministration  of  death,  and  the  other  that  of 
 life ;  and  thus  proceeds  to  shadow  forth,  the  unspeakable 
 grace  and  glory  which  the  Gospel  opens.  But  if  the 
 ministration  of  death,  luritten  and  engraven  in  stones,  was 
 glorious,  so  that  the  children  of  Israel  coidd  not  stedfastly 
 behold  the  face  of  Moses  for  the  glory  of  his  countenance  ; 
 which  glory  ivas  to  he  done  away  ?  The  Law  was  from 
 God,  and  therefore  was  fuU  of  a  hidden  glory ;  and  Moses, 
 from  conversing  with  God,  had  his  face  covered  with 
 glory;  but  this  was  only  for  a  time, — that  glory  soon 
 passed  from  Moses'  face,  as  that  Law  itself  was  to  pass 
 away ;  to  pass  away  as  being  perishable  as  the  stone  on 
 which  it  was  written.  But  not  so  the  souls  of  men,  on 
 which  the  new  Law  is  written  by  the  Finger  of  God, 
 according  to  His  promise  :  "  Behold,  the  days  come,  saith 
 the  Lord,  when  I  will  make  a  new  covenant  with  the 
 house  of  Israel ;  not  according  to  the  covenant  that  I 
 made  with  their  fathers ;  I  will  put  my  laws  into  their 
 mind,  and  write  them  in  their  hearts."^ 
 
 I  St.  Chrys.  ad  loc.  2  Hcb.  viii.  8—10. 
 
158  THE    TWELFTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 Let  the  Jew,  therefore,  look  back  to  the  face  of  Moses, 
 and  glory  in  that  dispensation  which  he  received  from 
 God;  but  how  infinitely  more  precious  and  glorious  is 
 that  to  which  the  Christian  has  to  look,  who  has  his  law 
 written  on  the  living  stones  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem ! 
 How  shall  not  the  ministration  of  the  Sjpirit,  proceeds 
 St.  Paul,  he  rather  glorious  ?  For  if  the  ministration  of 
 condemnation  he  glory,  much  more  doth  the  ministration 
 of  righteousness  exceed  in  glory.  "  The  ministration  of 
 righteousness,"  that  by  which  sins  are  forgiven,  by  which 
 the  Holy  Ghost  is  bestowed,  and  men  are  enabled  to  walk 
 in  the  Spirit — that  by  which  they  are  made  righteous 
 before  God,  as  clothed  in  Christ's  righteousness  and 
 putting  on  Christ,  are  renewed  by  Him  day  by  day, 
 through  faith  that  worketh  by  love.  Tor  Christ  came 
 not  to  destroy  the  Law,  but  to  fulfil  it.^  "  And  it  is  for 
 this  end,"  as  saith  St.  Augustine,  "  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
 given,  in  order  that  the  Law  may  be  fulfilled.  This 
 power  Christ  gives,  through  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  all  them 
 that  believe;  for  the  more  every  one  receives  of  the 
 Holy  S]3irit,  the  more  does  he  fulfil  the  Law."*  For 
 this  reason  then  it  is  called  "  the  ministration  of  righteous- 
 ness." 
 
 St.  Paul,  through  the  remainder  of  this  chapter,  dwells 
 on  this,  the  unspeakable  glory  of  the  new  covenant,  and 
 describes  it  to  consist  in  beholding  the  face  of  Christ ;  in 
 gazing  as  it  were  upon  His  countenance  in  faith  and  love, 
 while  the  Almighty  Spirit  within  us  converts  us,  as  we 
 gaze  and  behold  Him,  into  the  same  Image.  This,  Chris- 
 tian people,  is  the  inexpressible  glory  of  that  marvellous 
 dispensation  under  which  we  live  ;  the  looking  to  Christ, 
 
 3  St.  Matt.  V.  17.  ■•  Serin,  cclxx.  3. 
 
WEAKNESS   OF  FAITH.  159 
 
 and  by  looking  being  changed ;  and  by  becoming  changed 
 being  divested  of  this  body  of  death  and  sin,  and  having 
 a  hidden  life  with  Christ  in  God.  In  dying  to  the  world, 
 obtaining  life ;  in  very  weakness  and  in  a  sense  of  weak- 
 ness, being  lost  and  again  found  in  Him  Who  is  onr 
 strength.  St.  John  speaks  of  this  glory,  in  the  beholding 
 of  Christ,  when  He  w^as  seen  among  men :  "  And  we 
 beheld  His  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  Only  Begotten  of  the 
 Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth."  But  St.  Paul,  in  this 
 passage,  speaks  of  those  who  have  not  "known  Christ 
 after  the  flesh,"  but  behold  Him  in  the  Spirit,  His  ex- 
 ample as  Man,  His  power  as  God;  and  both  of  them  ae 
 manifested  here  below,  and  made  known  to  us  in  the 
 Gospels. 
 
 The  Epistle,  indeed,  appointed  for  the  day  stops  short 
 of  this  account  of  the  Apostle,  and  does  not  proceed  to 
 tell  us  in  what  this  glory  of  the  new  covenant  consists,  as 
 St.  Paul  afterwards  describes  through  this  chapter.  But 
 the  Gospel  w^hich  succeeds  sets  before  us  as  usual  that 
 very  Image  Itself  of  Christ,  and  invites  us  to  behold  Him 
 "  full  of  grace  and  truth."  For  this  is  our  glory  to  behold 
 Him,  and  to  be  made  like  unto  Him.  And,  indeed,  in 
 this  Gospel  for  the  day,  He  is  brought  to  us,  in  some 
 sense,  singularly  near.  We  behold  therein  our  God,  as  it 
 were,  marvellous  as  the  expression  may  seem,  in  great 
 weakness.  It  is  not  so  much  on  account  of  His  almighty 
 power,  such  as  we  read  of  in  other  instances,  but  of  His 
 condescension  to  our  infirmities  in  great  compassion;  of 
 His  coming  down  to  meet  us  in  the  slowness  of  our  faith, 
 becoming  weak  in  our  weakness,  in  order  that  He  may 
 impart  to  us  of  His  strength.  For  we  may  observe  that 
 in  the  Gospel  for  to-day  the  incident  recorded  is  not  of 
 that  powerful  Voice  which  awoke  the  dead,  nor  of  that 
 
160         THE    TWELFTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY, 
 
 Word  which,  storms  and  winds  obeyed;  it  is  not  any- 
 great  stupendous  miracle  by  which  persons  at  a  distance 
 were  suddenly  healed  by  the  command  of  Christ,  or  of 
 that  power  which  brought  fish  to  the  shore  at  His  bid- 
 ding; nor  of  evil  spirits  trembling  and  terrified  before 
 Him ;  nor  of  His  forgiving  sins  as  the  Almighty  Judge 
 Who  is  to  come.  But  it  is  an  apparently  small  mani- 
 festation of  His  power  under  peculiar  circumstances,  His 
 making  a  stammering  man  to  speak  plain,  and  even  that 
 not  without  some  delay  and  apparent  difficulty,  and  with 
 something  as  it  were  of  human  means.  We  are  almost 
 tempted  to  ask,  where  are  His  great  words  of  power  % 
 
 "Is  His  hand  shortened  that  it  cannot  redeem  1"  Is 
 He  "as  a  mighty  man  that  cannot  save'"?  Oh!  no,  my 
 brethren,  it  is  all  of  our  unbelief  that  it  speaks,  and  of  the 
 multitude  of  His  compassions  that  fail  not.  It  is  of  His 
 coming  down  to  us,  "  more  ready  to  hear  than  we  to  pray, 
 and  wont  to  give  more  than  we  desire  or  deserve :"  as  one 
 submitting  to  be  bound  by  the  cords  of  our  unbelief;  and 
 even  as  one  thus  bound,  though  in  sighing,  indeed,  and 
 much  sadness  of  spirit,  yet,  as  far  as  may  be,  aiding  and 
 healing  us.  "He  could  not  do  many  mighty  works 
 there,"  it  is  said  on  one  occasion,  "  because  of  their  un- 
 belief." He  was  as  one  bound;  yet,  even  then,  although 
 thus  bound,  "  He  laid  His  hands,"  it  is  added,  "  on  a  few 
 sick  folk,  and  healed  them."  So  it  was  now  in  this  inci- 
 dent recorded  to-day.  He  came  down  from  the  throne 
 of  His  almighty  power  to  be  as  an  Infant  of  days  in 
 swaddling  bands,  to  meet  us  in  our  weakness.  But  let 
 us  come  to  the  occasion  itself. 
 
 And  again,  says  St.  Mark,  departing  from  the  coasts  of 
 Tijre  and  Sidon,  where  He  had  meekly  retired  from  the 
 violence  of  the  Pharisees,  who  were  lying  in  wait  to  kill 
 
WEAKNESS   OF  FAITH.  161 
 
 Him,  He  came  unto  the  sea  of  Galilee,  through  the  midst 
 of  the  coasts  of  Decapolis.  He  was  still  holding  aloof  from 
 His  Jewish  persecutors,  and  proceeding  bj  that  further 
 side  of  the  lake  which  was  inhabited  by  Gentiles. 
 And  they  bring  unto  Hhn  one  that  loas  deaf,  and  had  an 
 imjjediment  in  his  speech;  not  exactly  deaf  and  dumb,  but 
 one  that  had  some  difficulty  or  hindrance,  both 'in  his 
 hearing  and  his  utterance  ;  like  themselves,  spiritually  slow 
 to  believe,  deaf  to  His  wonderful  Divine  words,  and  slow 
 in  tongue  to  acknowledge  Him.  And  they  beseech  Him 
 to  pid  His  hand  upon  him;  they  did  not  know  Him  as 
 God,  probably  did  not  receive  Him  altogether  as  Christ, 
 but  yet  looking  on  Him  as  a  very  Saintly  Man  of  God,  and 
 a  Prophet  working  miracles,  they  thought  He  could  lay 
 on  him  His  sacred  hand  and  heal  him.  This  was  much, 
 indeed,  had  He  been  but  mere  man,  but  it  was  but  a 
 weak  and  inadequate  acknowledgment  of  Him  as  God. 
 And  He  never  manifested  His  glory  where  there  was  not 
 faith  to  receive  Him.  Perhaps  for  this  reason  the  account 
 is  as  follows : — 
 
 And  He  took  him  aside  from  the  multitude,  and  put 
 His  finger  into  his  ears,  and  He  sjyit,  and  touched  his 
 tongue.  He  condescended  to  be  almost  like  a  human  phy- 
 sician, who  had  need  to  use  means  to  bring  about  his  ends, 
 so  did  He  accommodate  Himself  to  the  weakness  of  their 
 faith,  that  they  might  thus  come  to  understand  that  His 
 Body  was  full  of  Godhead,  that  the  touch  and  communion 
 of  His  sacred  flesh  healed  and  hallowed  mankind :  that 
 it  was  He  Who  was  in  the  beginning  with  God,  and  was 
 God,  when  "  He  formed  man  of  the  dust  of  the  ground, 
 and  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life."  But 
 this  was  not  aU,  for  He  still  lingered  and  delayed  in  His 
 work  of  healing,  which  was  not  yet  done.     And  looking 
 
 VOL.  II.  M 
 
162  THE    TWELFTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 Up  to  heaven,  as  if  praying  to  God  for  mankind  as  the  Son 
 of  Man,  He  sighed:  the  depth  of  His  sorrows  audibly- 
 burst  forth  from  His  overcharged  heart  as  He  pleaded  to 
 God  for  our  unbelief,  our  unwillingness  to  hear,  which  is 
 worse  than  being  deaf;  our  tongue,  which  was  made  for 
 His  glory,  but  hath  forgotten  Him  ;  but  while  He  prayed 
 as  Man,  yet  at  the  same  time  as  God  He  commanded. 
 He  sighed,  and  saith  unto  him,  Ephphatha,  that  is,  Be 
 opened.  And  straightway  his  ears  were  opened,  and  the 
 string  of  his  tongue  was  loosed,  and  he  spahe  plain. 
 
 And  He  charged  them  that  they  should  tell  no  man. 
 For  He  wished  to  be  hidden ;  God  always  hideth  Him- 
 self; as  was  said  by  the  Prophet,  "Verily  Thou  art  a 
 God  that  hidest  Thyself,  the  God  of  Israel,  the  Saviour." 
 He  hideth  Himself  in  His  Providence,  and  His  works  of 
 grace ;  and  where  He  is  received  into  the  heart  He  dis- 
 poses a  man  to  hide  his  works  from  the  evil  world,  to 
 withdraw  himself  more  and  more  into  that  hidden  life 
 where  God  is.  And  well  is  it  that  it  should  be  so  ; 
 worldly  men  would  but  trample  under  foot  the  good 
 which  they  love  not,  and  turn  again  and  rend  those  that 
 bring  it ;  and  so  but  add  to  their  own  condemnation. 
 
 But  when  God  allows  the  good,  which  of  itself  would 
 wish  to  be  hidden,  to  break  forth,  He  disposes  the  hearts 
 of  simple  and  lowly  men  to  receive  it  with  thankfulness. 
 Although  such  as  the  Pharisees  are  more  hardened  and 
 despise  it,  it  is  not  so  with  these.  But  the  more  He 
 charged  them,  the  more  a  great  deal  they  j^ublished  it ; 
 and  were  heyond  measure  astonished,  saying.  He  hath  done 
 all  things  well:  He  maketh  both  the  deaf  to  hear  and  the 
 dumb  to  sp)eak. 
 
 l!^ow  the  consideration  brought  before  us  to-day  is,  as 
 I  have  said,  not  the  greatness  but  the  smallness  of  the 
 
WEAKNESS    OF  FAITH.  163 
 
 miracle  ;  and  taken  with  that  confession  which  we  make 
 in  the  Collect,  the  most  vast  of  all  miracles  wrought  by 
 the  power  of  God  is  not  so  impressive,  so  calculated  to. 
 come  home  to  the  heart  of  a  sinner  as  this.  When  a 
 thoughtful  man  looks  hack  on  his  past  life,  he  must 
 be  astonished  at  the  evidences  of  God's  mercy  and  care 
 which  have  surrounded  him  on  all  sides  \  every  jportion 
 of  his  life  which  he  contemplates  is  full  of  His  goodness ; 
 but  it  may  appear  an  extraordinary  thing  to  say,  yet  never- 
 theless it  will  be  found  to  be  the  case,  that  it  is  not  the 
 greatness  but  the  smallness  of  these  mercies  which  is  most 
 affecting.  God  has  averted  many  dangers  from  him,  it 
 may  be,  given  him  many  comforts,  means  of  support, 
 raised  up  friends,  preserved  to  him  loving  relatives,  per- 
 haps blessed  him  with  outward  prosperity,  a  good  name, 
 and  success  in  his  undertakings  ;  and  these  things  God  has 
 bestowed  upon  him  in  consequence  of  his  desires,  or  in 
 answer  to  his  prayers.  But  is  this  all  %  Are  these  the 
 best  things  which  God  has  to  give  %  has  He  nothing  in 
 store  which  He  wishes  to  bestow  better  than  these,  which 
 He  holds  back  in  His  hand  because  we  desire  it  not? 
 These  are  indeed  tokens  of  His  goodness  and  love,  but 
 they  are  such  as  should  make  us  ashamed,  such  as  Christ 
 may  have  granted  us  with  a  sigh ;  with  a  sigh  that  we 
 wished  for  nothing  better.  A  very  early  writer^  Origen, 
 mentions  it  as  a  saying  of  our  Lord's  Himself,  "  Ask  for 
 great  things,  and  small  things  shall  be  given  you."  Would 
 He  not  have  granted  to  us,  if  we  had  desired  it,  that  un- 
 speakable gift,  to  have  been  conformed  to  the  likeness  of 
 Himself;  to  have  been  changed,  by  beholding  Him,  from 
 glory  to  glory  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  %  !N"o  ;  there 
 is  nothing  more  affecting  than  these  mercies  of  God,  for 
 would  He  not  teach  us  by  these  how  ready  He  is  to  give 
 M  2 
 
164  THE    TWELFTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 US  what  is  of  infinitely  greater  worth,  if  we  in  faith  asked 
 for  it,  and  desired  it^  Daniel  is  called  ''a  man  of  de- 
 sires," but  we  are  not  men  of  desires  ;  our  desires  are  very 
 weak  and  poor  and  low  ;  because  our  love  is  small.  St. 
 Peter  fell  down  at  Christ's  feet,  overcome  at  the  draught 
 of  fishes  ;  and  why  %  it  was  the  smallness  of  the  miracle, 
 combined  with  the  greatness  of  the  power  and  love;  it 
 was  as  if  he  said.  Boats  and  nets  full  of  fishes  !  Oh  ! 
 what  is  this,  if  only  Thou,  our  God,  art  with  us  %  What 
 are  these  things,  for  which  we  toil,  to  us?  From  that 
 moment  he  turned  his  back  for  ever  on  his  trade,  and 
 on  all  this  abundance  ;  and  seemed,  with  St.  John  and 
 St.  James,  ever  after,  to  increase  more  and  more  in  his 
 desires,  and  as  if  saying  with  Abraham,  the  father  of  the 
 faithful,  "Lord  God,  what  wilt  Thou  give  meT'  WHt 
 Thou  not  give  me  Thyself 
 
SERMON    LX. 
 €\)t  ^IjivUmti)  ^WYiHav  after  Cvmfto. 
 
 Gal.  iii.  16—22.     St.  Luke  x.  23—37. 
 
 LOFE    THE    FULFILLING   OF    THE   LAW. 
 
 Blessed  are  the  eyes  which  see  the  things  that  ye  see. — St.  Luke  x.  23. 
 
 AS  we  proceed  from  week  to  week  along  the  Sundays 
 after  Trinity,  every  one  seems  to  open  to  us  some 
 new  view  of  the  loving-kindness  of  God,  urging  the  same 
 upon  us  as  constraining  motives  to  serve  Him  with  some- 
 thing of  the  same  love  to  Him  and  to  each  other.  And 
 so  is  it  to-day.  St.  Paul,  in  the  Epistle,  is  explaining  to 
 the  Galatians  that  "  the  blessing  of  Abraham  "  comes  not 
 on  the  Jews  as  such,  but  on  all  of  us,  as  we  are  in  Christ. 
 To  Ahraham,  he  says,  and  his  seed  were  the  promises  made. 
 He  saith  not,  And  to  seeds,  as  of  many ;  the  word  of  pro- 
 mise speaks  not  of  the  many  families  of  the  Jews,  born  on 
 the  stock  of  Abraham ;  hut  speaks  as  of  one,  And  to  thy 
 seed.  Which  is  Christ;  to  Christ  the  seed  of  Abraham, 
 according  to  the  flesh,  and  in  Whose  Body,  being  one,  are 
 contained  all  the  faithful. 
 
 But  again,  the  Jews  supposed  that  thiough  the  fulfil 
 
166      THE    THIRTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 ment  of  the  Law,  which  came  in  so  long  after,  they  should 
 inherit  this  blessing  of  Abraham ;  this  then  the  Apostle 
 proceeds  to  answer.  And  this  I  smj,  that  the  covenant, 
 that  ivas  confirmed  hefiore  of  God  in  Christ,  in  giving  that 
 promise  to  Abraham,  the  Law,  lohich  ivas  four  hundred 
 and  thirty  years  after,  cannot  disannul,  that  it  should 
 ma'ke  the  promise  of  none  effect.  For  the  inheritance  of 
 the  kingdom  is  given  to  ns  at  our  bajDtism,  as  being  in 
 Christ ;  it  is  a  free  gift,  according  to  the  promise  made  to 
 Abraham.  For  if  the  inheritance  he  of  the  Laio,  it  is 
 no  more  of  promise:  hut  God  gave  it  to  Ahraham  hy 
 promise. 
 
 Wlterefore  then  serveth  the  Laio  2  the  Jew  will  ask. 
 It  was  added,  says  St.  Paul,  hecause  of  transgressions;  it 
 was  as  a  bridle  placed  upon  the  Jews,^  to  restrain  their 
 wickedness,  and  that  too  only  for  a  time  ;  till  the  seed 
 shoula  come,  he  says,  to  whom  the  promise  was  made:  and 
 it  loas  ordained  hy  angels  in  the  hand  of  a  Mediator.  The 
 Law  itself  was  dispensed  by  the  ministering  spirits  of 
 Christ,  Who  Himself  was  before  the  Law,  and  gave  the 
 Law  as  the  great  mediator  between  God  and  man.  For 
 He  spake  there  by  means  of  angels  and  prophets,  not  as 
 in  the  Gospel,  by  Himself.  Now  a  mediator  is  not  a 
 mediator  of  one,  hid  God  is  one.  A  free  gift,  without  con- 
 ditions, requires  no  mediator  ;  but  the  Law  was  through 
 a  Mediator  between  God  and  man.  A  mediator  implies 
 two  persons,  God  Himself  is  but  One;  the  other  party 
 must  be  man  therefore,  and  his  part  was  to  be  performed, 
 which  was  obedience.  For  a  mediation  cannot  be  like  a 
 promise,  dependent  on  one  party  only. 
 
 Is  the  Law  then  against  the  promises  of  God?    Does  it 
 
 1  St.  Chrys.  ad  loc. 
 
LOVE    THE   FULFILLING    OF    THE   LAW.  167 
 
 by  bringing  in  the  curse  on  disobedience  stop  the  pro- 
 mised blessing,  and  cut  off  the  Jew  who  lived  under  the 
 Law  %  God  forbid :  for  if  there  had  teen  a  Law  given 
 which  could  ha,ve  given  life,  verily  righteousness  should 
 have  been  by  the  Law.  For  the  Law  never  could  under 
 any  circumstances  have  given  life;  and,  therefore,  its 
 non-fulfilment  cannot  destroy  the  promise  of  life.  But  the 
 Bcrii^ture  hath  concluded,  hath  shut  up  together,  all,  not 
 all  men,  but  more,  all  things,  the  whole  creation,  under 
 sin,  that  the  promise  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  might  be 
 given  to  them  that  believe.  The  Law  was  to  convince 
 them  of  sin,  and  bring  them  to  Christ :  thus  John  the 
 Baptist  preached  repentance;  for  if  they  had  believed 
 Moses  they  would  have  believed  in  Christ.  The  Law 
 was  but  the  means,  not  the  end  ;  but  the  Jews  were  now 
 making  it  the  end ;  whereas  the  end  of  the  Law  is  Christ, 
 in  Whom  is  the  promise,  and  the  blessing,  and  the  cove- 
 nant, and  righteousness,  and  life;  not  for  a  time  only, 
 but  for  ever.  It  was  to  this  the  prophets  of  old  looked, 
 to  this  the  saints  of  the  elder  covenant  aspired,  to  behold 
 Christ,  the  end  of  the  Law,  in  Whom  dwells  the  fulness 
 of  all  good,  the  love  of  God  flowing  down  from  Heaven, 
 and  embracing  all  men;  as  the  fragrant  oil  that  came 
 down  on  the  head  of  Aaron,  and  went  to  the  skirts  of  his 
 clothing. 
 
 It  is  this  which  is  in  so  interesting  and  beautiful  a 
 manner  set  before  us  in  the  Gospel  for  to-day.  Blessed 
 are  the  eyes,  said  our  Lord  to  His  disciples,  loJiich  see  the 
 things  that  ye  see ;  eyes  that  in  faith  are  able  to  discern 
 God  in  Christ.  For  I  tell  you,  That  many  prophets  and 
 kings  have  desired  to  see  those  things  which  ye  see,  and 
 have  not  seen  them;  and  to  hear  those  things  which  ye  hear, 
 and  have  not  heard  them.     Blessed  the  eyes  that  see, 
 
168      THE    THIRTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 and  ears  that  hear  of  sins  forgiven,  of  Heaven  opened,  of 
 diseases  and  evil  spirits  flying  away  at  the  presence  of 
 God,  made  Man  for  us ;  that  witness  the  day  of  Christ 
 which  Abraham  saw  afar  off  in  hope,  and  rejoiced. 
 
 And  heliold,  a  certain  lawyer  stood  wp^  and  tempted  Him, 
 saying,  Master,  what  shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life  ? 
 He  said  unto  him.  What  is  ivritten  in  the  Law  ?  How 
 readest  thou  ?  As  our  Lord  Himself  in  the  temptation 
 thrice  overcame  Satan,  by  saying,  "  It  is  written,"  so  now 
 He  points  out  to  the  Scribe  who  tempted  Him,  that  the 
 word  of  life  was  in  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament. 
 And  he  ansivering,  said,  Thou  shall  love  the  Lord  thy  God 
 with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  ivith  all  thy 
 strength,  and  with  all  thy  mind;  and  thy  neighbour  as 
 thyself.  And  He  said  iinto  him,  Thou  hast  answered 
 right ;  this  do,  and  thou  shall  live.  Does  our  Lord  then 
 mean  to  say,  that  in  thus  fulfilling  the  righteousness  of 
 the  Law,  there  would  be  found  eternal  life  1  And  if  so, 
 how  is  this  to  be  reconciled  with  what  St.  Paul  says, — 
 that  the  Law  could  not  possibly,  under  any  circumstances, 
 give  life  1  The  reason  is  this,  that  thus  fulfilling  the  Law, 
 in  loving  God,  would  bring  to  the  end  of  the  Law,  which 
 is  Christ.  For  God  is  only  known,  or  loved,  or  believed, 
 as  He  is  seen  in  Christ;  Christ  is  the  manifestation  of 
 God;  the  Law  is  the  schoolmaster,  teaching  the  love  of 
 God,  in  order  to  bring  to  Christ.  Therefore,  every  one 
 so  far  as  he  loves  God,  loves  Christ ;  there  is  no  other 
 love  of  God  either  in  the  Law  or  in  the  Gospel.  Nay, 
 more  than  this,  Christ  only  is  Love,  and  Christ  only  is 
 Life ;  we  can  only  then  have  within  us  love  or  life,  so 
 far  as  Christ  is  in  us :  for  He  is  Himself  both  the  way  and 
 the  end.  And,  therefore,  He  Himself  said,  "  Had  ye 
 believed  Moses,  ye  would  have  believed  Me."     And  here 
 
LOVE    THE   FULFILLING    OF    THE   LAW.  169 
 
 He  lays  down  for  us  the  great  principle  of  love  as  ful- 
 filling both  the  Law  and  the  Gospel ;  in  which  is  the 
 union  of  man  through  Christ  with  God.  It  is,  therefore, 
 of  two  laws,  the  love  of  God  and  the  love  of  man,  yet 
 both  comprehended  in  one,  as  God  and  Man  are  One 
 ^yhrist. 
 
 His  life  only  is  holy  and  righteous  who  loves  all  things 
 according  as  they  are  worthy  of  love ;  who  loves  not  much 
 what  is  worthy  of  little  love  ;  nor  loves  little  an  object 
 worthy  of  much  love.  "  !N"o  sinner,"  says  St.  Augustine, 
 "  as  such  is  to  be  loved ;  but  every  man  as  man  is  to  be 
 loved,  for  the  sake  of  God.  But  God  alone  is  to  be  loved 
 for  His  own  sake.  And  if  God  is  more  to  be  loved  than 
 any  man,  every  one  ought  to  love  God  more  than  himself. 
 And  another  man  is  to  be  more  loved  than  our  own  body ; 
 because  he  is  capable  of  enjoying  God,  which  the  body 
 cannot."  "  And  all  men  are  alike  to  be  loved  :  for  our 
 Lord,  in  explaining  to  us  who  our  neighbour  is,  has  ex- 
 cluded none."^ 
 
 And  when  our  Lord  discloses  this  one  great  law  of  love, 
 it  is  immediately  seen  why  He  is  rejected  of  the  Jews. 
 For  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  we  find  on  all  occasions  full 
 of  their  own  righteousness,  and  so  anxious  at  all  times  to 
 establish  this,  that  they  knew  not  the  love  of  God  in 
 Christ :  and,  therefore,  they  were  so  far  from  loving  their 
 neighbour,  that  they  knew  not  even  who  he  was.  And  he, 
 willing  to  justify  himself,  said  unto  Jesus,  And  who  is  my 
 neighbour  ? 
 
 !N"ow  our  Blessed  Saviour  had  often  given  commands  of 
 loving  our  enemies  and  the  like ;  but  it  waseHis  habit  to 
 clothe  His  precepts  in  little  interesting  and  instructive 
 
 2  De  Doc.  Chris.  Par.  Brev. 
 
170      THE    THIRTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 liistories,  such  as  miglit  take  hold  of  the  mind,  and  never 
 be  forgotten ;  and  perhaps  there  is  none  of  these  more 
 memorable  than  this  parable  of  the  Good  Samaritan.^ 
 And  Jesus  answering,  said,  A  certain  ma7i  icent  down  from 
 Jerusalem  to  Jericho,  and  fell  a^nong  thieves,  which 
 stripped  him  of  his  raiment,  and  wounded  him,  and  de- 
 parted, leaving  him  half  dead.  Leaving  him  in  a  dying 
 state  by  the  road-side,  unable  to  assist  himself,  and,  there- 
 fore, sure  to  die  a  lingering  death,  unless  some  timely 
 assistance  should  occur.  And  hy  chance  there  came  down 
 a  certain  priest  that  way.  For  Jericho  was  the  city  of  the 
 priests,  and  Jerusalem  was  the  place  where  they  ministered 
 before  God ;  and  surely,  if  any  one  might  be  expected  to 
 know  the  love  of  God,  it  was  one  whose  whole  business 
 it  was  to  intercede  with  God  for  man,  and  to  intercede 
 with  man  in  behalf  of  God  ;  who  "made  his  boast  of  God, 
 and  knew  His  will,  confident  that  he  himself  was  a  guide 
 of  the  blind,  a  light  of  them  which  are  in  darkness,  a 
 teacher  of  babes.""*  But,  alas,  they  of  whom  most  might 
 be  expected  are  often  the  worst :  he  came  to  that  place 
 in  the  road  where  the  wounded  man  was,  and  when  he 
 saiv  him  he  passed  hy  on  the  other  side.  He  would  not 
 even  look  upon  him.  This  is  usually  the  case  with  selfish 
 people ;  they  are  anxious  to  get  out  of  the  sight  of  misery, 
 that  it  may  not  disturb  their  feelings.  It  was  so  with  the 
 rich  man  in  the  parable ;  it  is  not  said  that  he  even  knew 
 of  Lazarus  dying  at  his  gate,  such  things  were  carefully 
 kept  out  of  his  view ;  he  kept  on  the  other  side  of  the  road, 
 the  side  of  self-indulgence,  ease,  and  luxury,  not  to  be 
 
 3  For  the  mystical  meaning  of  this  Parable,  see  "Plain  Ser- 
 mons," vol.  iv.  Serm.  cxiii. 
 
 4  Eom.  ii.  17—20. 
 
LOVE    THE   FULFILLING   OF    THE   LAW.  171 
 
 offended  by  distresses  that  might  occur  to  other  fellow- 
 travellers  on  this  our  common  journey  of  mortality. 
 
 And  likewise,  a  Levite.  I^ow,  the  Levites  being  a  sacred 
 tribe,  belonging  to  the  temple,  and  having  the  care  of  all 
 holy  things,  were  those  of  whom,  next  to  the  priests,  we 
 should  most  expect  to  know  what  Divine  love  is  ;  but  tlie 
 proverb  is  too  often  true,  that  the  nearer  men  are  to 
 Church,  the  further  they  are  from  God.  The  Levite,  wlien 
 he  loas  at  the  jylace^  came  and  looked  on  him  j  he  was  so 
 far  indeed  better  than  the  priest,  that  he  came  and  looked 
 on  him  as  if  witli  a  passing  thought  of  concern  and  sym- 
 pathy, for  first  thoughts  are  often  the  best ;  and  then  he 
 also  passed  hy  on  the  other  side. 
 
 But  a  certain  Samaritan, — one  of  those  half-heathen, 
 ignorant  outcasts  whom  the  Jews  would  not  deign  to  look 
 upon,  by  whose  very  presence  they  felt  contaminated, 
 calling  Christ  a  Samaritan  at  the  same  time  that  they 
 called  him  a  devil, — a  Samaritan,  as  he  journeyed,  not 
 passing  in  his  own  leisure  like  the  priest  and  the  Levite, 
 as  it  would  appear,  but  on  a  journey  of  business, — as  he 
 journeyed  came  where  he  was  ;  and  lohen  he  saw  him  he 
 had  compassion  on  him,  and  not  only  so,  but  as  if  forget- 
 ting his  own  concerns  and  his  journey,  he  went  to  him, 
 and  hound  up  his  wounds,  pourinrj  in  oil  and  loine,  and  set 
 him  on  his  own  beast,  and  brought  him  to  an  inn,  and  took 
 care  of  him.  He  entered  into  the  case  as  if  it  had  been 
 that  of  a  near  relative  or  dear  friend,  for  even  on  such,  an 
 occasion  be  could  have  done  no  more.  He  gave  up  his 
 own  business,  he  gave  up  his  oil  and  wine,  the  support  of 
 his  own  journey,  he  gave  up  his  beast,  he  went  himself 
 on  foot,  he  waited  himself  and  tended  on  the  wounded 
 stranger,  he  made  the  case  entirely  his  own.  This  is 
 loving  one's  neighbour  as  oneself.     And  on  the  morrow, 
 
172      THE    THIRTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 ■when  lie  departed,  he  took  out  two  pence,  and  gave  them  to 
 the  host,  and  said  unto  him,  Take  care  of  Mm;  and  what- 
 soever thou  spendest  more,  when  I  come  again,  I  will  repay 
 thee.  He  did  not  say  to  the  innkeeper,  "  I*^ow  I  have  done 
 my  part,  it  is  for  you  and  others  to  look  to  him,"  but  he 
 kept  to  the  same  course  throughout,  as  a  privilege  to  serve 
 one  in  distress. 
 
 Wliich  now,  said  our  Lord  to  the  Scribe,  of  these  three, 
 thinkest  thou,  ivas  neighho^ir  unto  him  that  fell  among  the 
 thieves  ?  And  he  said.  He  that  showed  mercy  on  him. 
 Thus  the  Scribe  who  asked  the  question  himself  gives  the 
 answer,  according  to  that  expression  in  prophecy  of  the 
 last  day,  "  Out  of  thine  own  mouth  will  I  judge  thee." 
 Then  said  Jesus  unto  him.  Go,  and  do  thou  likeioise.  If 
 you  wish  to  know  who  your  neighbour  is  whom  you  are 
 bound  to  love,  it  is  he  who  needs  your  assistance.  The 
 word  neighbour  is  more  expressive  in  the  Greek  and  Latin 
 languages  than  in  our  own  ;  it  is  he  who  approaches  near- 
 est to  you.  "We  are  to  love  all  men ;  but  in  doing  so  are 
 to  love  most  those  who  need  it  most.  oS^ow  how  can  this 
 be  %  It  is  only,  my  brethren,  by  loving  God.  It  is  by 
 loving  men  because  God  loves  them,  and  as  beloved  of 
 Him,  and  because  we  ourselves  love  Him.  And  there- 
 fore it  is  the  second  Commandment,  it  cannot  stand  alone, 
 but  another  goes  before  it,  the  first  and  great  Command- 
 ment, which  is  the  love  of  God. 
 
 We  may  love  some  persons  because  we  love  ourselves, 
 — because  they  are  connected  with  us,  are  useful  to  us,  or 
 kind ;  but  then  we  shall  love  ourselves  best ;  but  if  we 
 love  our  neighbour  because  we  love  God,  then  we  shall 
 love  him  in  some  measure  as  we  love  ourselves. 
 
 Again,  we  may  dislike  various  persons  for  various  reasons  ; 
 one,  because  he  is  proud  or  happy  and  above  us ;  another. 
 
LOVE    THE   FULFILLING   OF    THE   LAW.  173 
 
 "because  he  is  miserable  and  below  us  ;  another,  because 
 he  is  unkind  to  us  ;  another,  because  he  is  in  our  way,  or 
 condemns  us  ;  another,  on  account  of  infirmities  of  body 
 or  mind  :  but  in  all  these  cases  we  shall  get  rid  of  these 
 evil  tempers,  if  we  consider  how  they  are  loved  of  God ; 
 surely,  as  much  as  we  ourselves  are.  Consider,  I  say, 
 how  God  loves  them,  and  you  will  learn  to  be  merciful, 
 even  as  your  Father  in  Heaven  is  merciful. 
 
SERMON    LXI. 
 
 Gal.  V.  i6 — 24.     St.  Luke  xvii,  ii — 19. 
 
 THANKFULNESS    THE   LIFE    OF    THE  REGENERATE. 
 
 Ai2d  Jesus  answering  said.  Were  there  not  ten  cleansed  ?  but  where 
 are  the  nine? — St.  Luke  xvii.  17. 
 
 IT  is  an  awful  lesson,  whicli  God  would  impress  on  us 
 this  week,  speaking  to  us  as  it  were  from  the  two 
 horns  of  His  holy  altar.  Por  the  Gospel  is  of  ten  lepers 
 being  healed,  and  one  only  being  thankful;  and  the 
 Epistle  brings  before  us  that  test  by  which  so  many  will 
 be  found  wanting,  viz.  whether  we  walk  in  the  Spirit  or 
 after  the  flesh. 
 
 /  say  then,  says  St.  Paul  to  the  Galatians,  walk  in  the 
 Spirit,  and  ye  shall  not  fulfil  the  hist  of  the  flesh.  This 
 abiding  in  the  Spirit,  this  dwelling  in  love,  this  conversa- 
 tion in  Heaven,  the  only  life  of  the  regenerate,  nourished 
 by  faith,  will  keep  you  from  the  desires  of  the  fleshly  mind. 
 The  best  mode  of  avoiding  sins  of  the  flesh  is  by  being 
 actively  engaged  in  the  life  of  the  Spirit.  For  thus  it  is 
 that  he  who  is  "  begotten  of  God  keepeth  himself,  and  that 
 
THANKFULNESS  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REGENERATE.    175 
 
 Avicked  one  touchetli  him  not."'  "This  path,"  says  St. 
 Chrysostom,  "  makes  duty  easy,  produces  love,  and  by 
 love  is  fenced  in." 
 
 For  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit,  and  the  Sjnrii 
 against  the  flesh.  By  the  flesh  St.  Paul  means,  "not  the 
 natural  body,  but  the  depraved  will  ;"^  our  corrupt  nature 
 is  in  its  desires  opposed  to  the  good  Spirit  of  God,  so  that 
 there  must  ever  be  a  conflict  between  them,  till  one 
 obtains  the  mastery ;  or,  as  the  Apostle  says,  Aiid  these  are 
 contrary  the  one  to  the  other ;  so  that  ye  cannot  do  the 
 things  that  ye  would.  That  is,  Avhile  this  contest  is  going 
 on,  which  St.  Paul  describes  more  at  length  in  another 
 place,  "For  to  will  is  present  with  me,  but  how  to  perform 
 that  which  is  good  I  find  not,"^  speaking  of  him  who 
 has  not  yet  found  that  perfect  freedom  which  is  in  the 
 service  of  God. 
 
 But  if  ye  he  led  of  the  Sjnrit,  ye  are  not  under  the  law. 
 If  ye  are  following  His  Divine  guidance,  so  as  to  obtain 
 this  mastery  over  the  natural  mind,  ye  have  no  more  need 
 of  the  law.  "  For,"  says  the  last-mentioned  writer,  "  he 
 that  hath  the  Spirit  as  he  ought,  quenches  thereby  every 
 evil  desire,  and  when  released  from  such  he  is  above  the 
 law.  For  he  who  is  never  angry  is  no  more  subject  to 
 that  command  of  the  law,  Thou  shalt  not  kill ;  and  he 
 who  never  harbours  an  unchaste  thought  lias  no  need  of 
 the  law,  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery.  The  grace 
 which  is  now  given  has  no  need  of  the  law,  inasmuch  as 
 it  mortifies  all  those  evil  desires  in  the  heart,  and  leads  to 
 a  higher  rule  of  life." 
 
 Noio  the  works  of  the  flesh  are  manifest,  i.  e.  ye  must 
 
 1  1  John  V.  18  2  St,  Chiys.  ad  loc. 
 
 3  Rom.  vii.  18. 
 
176      THE   FOURTEENTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 not  be  deceived  Ly  them,  as  in  making  this  same  solemn 
 declaration  to  the  Corinthians,  he  says,  "be  not  deceived;"' 
 and  to  the  E^Dhesians,  "let  no  man  deceive  you."°  The 
 works  of  the  flesh,  wlilcli  are  these,  adulter ij,  fornication, 
 undeannesti,  lasciviousness,  idolatry,  luitchcraft,  hatred, 
 variance,  emulations,  wrath,  strife,  sedition,  heresies,  envy- 
 ings,  murders,  drunkeniiess,  revellings,  and  such  like  :  of  the 
 ivMch  I  tell  you  before,  I  solemnly  warn  you  beforehand, 
 as  I  have  also  told  you  in  time  past,  that  they  which  do 
 such  things  shall  not  inherit  tl\^  Kingdom  of  God.  It  is 
 as  if  he  had  said,  Christians  who  are  sons  of  God,  and 
 inheritors  of  the  kingdom,  must  so  live  in  the  Spirit  and 
 walk  in  the  Spirit,  as  not  to  be  tempted  by  these  desires ; 
 you  must  not  creep  and  crawl  on  the  ground  as  heirs  of 
 death,  and  children  of  the  serpent ;  but  your  walk,  your 
 hearts,  your  desires,  must  be  above  the  world,  governed 
 by  the  grace  of  God,  which  is  a  new  law  unto  itself.  And 
 thus,  in  the  Collect,  as  not  satisfied  with  faith  only  in  the 
 beginnings  of  repentance,  we  pray  for  the  increase  and 
 abounding  of  faith,  hope,  and  charity ;  and  that  we  may 
 obtain  the  promises  of  God,  we  ask  not  only  to  keep  but 
 to  love  His  commandments. 
 
 But  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffer- 
 ing, gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance.  He 
 here  calls  them  "fruit,"  not  works,  as  produced  by  the  labour 
 of  man  and  the  dews  of  Heaven.  This  description  of 
 Christian  graces  contains  within  it  all  the  eight  beatitudes 
 of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount ;  its  duties  and  its  blessings 
 shed  abroad  in  the  soul ;  and  corresponds  with  the  account 
 which  St.  Paul  gives  of  all  those  heavenly  dispositions 
 which  are  found  in  charity,  or  the  love  of  God,  which 
 
 4  1  Cor.  vi.  10.  5  Eph.  V.  6. 
 
THANKFULNESS  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REGENERATE.      177 
 
 never  faileth.  Here  it  is  added,  against  such  there  is  no 
 law.  That  is,  such  persons  and  such  graces  are  not  sub- 
 ject to  the  law  ;  it  reaches  them  not ;  for  the  Spirit  gives 
 them  a  higher  and  better  rule  to  walk  by. 
 
 And  then,  that  there  be  no  mistake,  nor  room  for  self- 
 deceit,  he  sums  up  all  in  that  touching  comprehensive 
 sentence,  And  they  that  are  Christ's  have  crucified — he 
 does  not  say  will  crucify,  or  would,  and  desire  to  do  so, 
 but  "have  crucified" — the  flesh  with  the  affections  and 
 lusts.  Thus,  speaking  for  himself,  in  other  places,  on  this 
 subject,  St.  Paul  breaks  forth  into  a  sound  of  triumph,  as 
 one  in  battle  who  had  seen  his  enemies  turn  their  back, 
 "  I  thank  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  "  Who 
 shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ?"  "  I^ay,  in  all 
 these  things  we  are  more  than  conquerors  through  Him 
 that  loved  us."®  ^ow  this  passage  of  St.  Paul,  which 
 forms  the  Epistle  for  to-day,  is,  I  say,  an  alarming  one, 
 for  it  speaks  of  a  conflict  and  struggle  between  the  Spirit 
 of  God  within  us  and  our  natural  mind,  which  struggle 
 many  never  think  of  making  at  all,  but  live  according  to 
 the  desires  of  the  mind,  as  if  there  were  no  war  to  be 
 waged  with  ourselves.  But  more  than  this,  for  he  de- 
 scribes the  only  way  of  salvation  to  be  that  of  being 
 victorious  in  this  struggle;  for  the  works  of  the  fleshly 
 mind  and  of  the  Spirit  are  so  utterly  at  variance  that 
 there  can  be  no  compromise,  but  the  Christian,  who  is  in 
 the  narrow  way  of  life,  is  led  by  the  Spirit  so  as  not  to 
 fulfil  the  desires  of  the  natural  mind.  He  is  not  in  the 
 struggle  or  conflict,  but  having,  through  the  Spirit,  gained 
 the  mastery  over  his  corruptions,  he  is  in  the  way  of 
 peace.     He  is  full  of  "  love,  joy,  and  peace,"  and  is  there- 
 
 c  Rom.  vii.  25 ;  viii.  37. 
 VOL.  II.  N 
 
178      THE   FOURTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 lore  abounding  in  all  the  fruits  of  righteousness.  But 
 now  this  is  a  state  to  which  few  Christians  attain.  Of 
 how  few  can  it  be  said  that  they  have  crucified  the  flesh 
 with  its  affections,  and  are  now  risen  and  ascended  into 
 that  new  life  which  is  with  Christ  in  God  %  Expressions 
 such  as  that  of  being  dead  with  Christ,  and  buried  with 
 Him,  of  the  old  man  being  mortified,  and  of  our  living 
 the  life  of  the  iNew  Man,  are  taken  up  and  used  by  us, 
 as  if  they  applied  to  our  own  case,  because  we  know  that 
 St.  Paul  does  apply  this  description  to  all  Christians. 
 But,  alas,  we  little  consider  what  it  all  means,  and  how 
 far  it  is  fulfilled  in  us.  In  a  parish  of  two  or  three 
 hundred  people  how  few  are  there  who  thus  live  ?  Happy 
 is  the  pastor  who  has  reason  to  think  there  are  some  that 
 do  so. 
 
 Xow  leprosy  is,  throughout  the  Scripture,  so  often  put 
 for  an  outward  type  or  sign  of  sin,  that  we  cannot  fail  to 
 apply  the  Gospel  for  to-day,  and  to  see  how  strongly  and 
 sadly  it  bears  on  this  subject.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as 
 Jesus  went  to  Jerusalem,  that  He  passed  through  the  midst 
 of  Samaria  and  Galilee.  And  as  He  entered  into  a  certain 
 village,  there  met  Him  ten  men  that  were  tempers,  which 
 stood  afar  off.  Set  apart  for  legal  uncleanness,  without 
 the  congregation  of  the  faithful,  and  outside  the  city  of 
 God,  "  standing  afar  off,"  they  afford  a  lively  representa- 
 tion of  ourselves  in  our  unconverted  and  gentile  state. 
 "Ye  who  sometimes  were  far  off,"  says  the  Apostle,  "  are 
 made  nigh  by  the  Blood  of  Christ."'  And  when  he  had 
 been  describing  those  who  followed  the  lusts  of  the  flesh, 
 which  shall  not  inherit  the  Kingdom  of  God,  he  adds, 
 
 '  ^  Eph.  ii.  13. 
 
THANKFULNESS  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REGENERATE.     179 
 
 "  and  such  were  some  of  you ;  but  ye  are  washed,  but  ye, 
 are  sanctified."®  Leprosy,  therefore,  is  a  sign  of  that 
 unregenerate  state  from  which,  through  Christ,  we  are 
 delivered. 
 
 And  they  lifted  i;p  their  voices  and  said,  Jesus,  Master, 
 have  mercy  on  us.  We  are  all  of  us,  in  distress,  wont  to 
 call  upon  God;  such,  indeed,  is  an  act  of  faith  in  Him, 
 with  which  He  is  pleased,  and  answers  our  prayers  accord, 
 ing  to  our  need.  But  this  is  no  proof  of  the  habitual 
 state  of  our  hearts  towards  God ;  indeed,  the  history  of 
 the  Jews  of  old  is  in  this  respect  the  case  with  ourselves; 
 when  oppressed  by  their  enemies,  in  affliction  or  fear,  they 
 remembered  themselves  and  turned  unto  God;  they  re- 
 membered that  the  High  God  was  their  Eedeemer;  but 
 no  sooner  were  they  relieved  than  such  feelings  passed 
 away;  "within  awhile  they  forgot  His  works,  and  would 
 not  abide  His  counsel."^  And,  therefore,  this  prayer  of 
 the  lepers,  and  their  faith  in  Christ,  might  have  been 
 very  earnest  for  the  time,  and  as  such  was  answered  by 
 Him,  but  did  not  indicate  their  ultimate  acceptance  with 
 Him. 
 
 And  lohen  He  saw  them,  He  said  unto  them.  Go,  sheio 
 yourselves  unto  the  priests.  If  you  will  believe  My  Word, 
 and  obey  Me,  you  are  healed  already;  and  as  such,  in 
 obedience  to  the  Law  of  Moses,  "  show  yourselves  to  the 
 priests ;"  they  will  certify  that  you  are  healed,  and  will 
 again  admit  you  into  intercourse  with  men.  And  it  came 
 to  pass,  that,  as  they  ivent,  they  loere  cleansed.  In  faith 
 and  obedience  they  found  restoration;  suddenly  they 
 found  their  foul  diseased  body,  which  was  like  a  living 
 corpse,  changed;  they  were,  as  it  were,  born  again,  '-alive 
 
 8  1  Cor.  vi.  11.  9  Ps.  cvi.  13.  43,  44. 
 
 N    2 
 
180      THE   FOURTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 from  the  dead ;"  their  flesh  came  again  as  a  little  child. 
 They  represent  us  in  onr  mighty  deliverance,  washed 
 from  our  sins  in  baptism,  and  made  whole. 
 
 And  one  of  tliem,  when  he  satv  that  he  was  healed, 
 turned  hack,  arid  with  a  loud  voice  glorified  God,  and  fell 
 down  on  his  face  at  His  feet,  giving  Him  thanks  ;  and  he 
 was  a  Samaritan.  This  short  description  may  well  repre- 
 sent the  state  of  mind  required  of  a  Christian;  ever  sen- 
 sible of  that  great  mercy  which  has  healed  him,  and,  as 
 it  were,  "  with  a  loud  voice,"  he  "  glorifies  God,"  by  con- 
 fession of  his  sins,  and  of  the  undeserved  goodness  of 
 Christ.  Thus  "  love,  joy,  peace,"  fill  his  mind.  And 
 *'  he  fell  down  on  his  face;"  such  is  that  humility  which 
 is  the  chief  mark  of  a  Christian  mind,  with  his  face  to  the 
 earth,  like  that  accepted  publican  who  would  not  lift  up 
 his  eyes  to  Heaven ;  and  it  is  "  at  Jesus'  feet "  he  falls 
 down,  that  is,  in  his  humiliation  ever  worshipping  Him 
 Who  is  God  and  Man.  This  is  the  temper  of  mind 
 which  ever  abounds  with  "long-suffering,  gentleness, 
 goodness,  faith,  meekness,"  such  as  St.  Paul  has  described 
 in  the  Epistle  as  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit. 
 
 To  this  description  of  the  returning  leper  it  is  added, 
 "giving  Him  thanks;"  and  this  indeed  contains  it  all; 
 his  turning  back,  his  glorifying  God,  his  falling  on  his 
 face,  his  worshipping  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  all  these  were 
 but  outward  signs,  with  which  his  whole  demeanour  and 
 conduct  expressed  what  his  heart  felt,  namely,  his  giving 
 Him  thanks.  And  in  like  manner,  all  that  is  required  of 
 the  most  perfect  Christian  may  be  contained  in  this 
 "giving  Him  thanks;"  giving  thanks,  always  in  word 
 and  deed,  to  Christ,  for  His  great  deliverance  and  salva- 
 tion. Is  he  compassionate  and  merciful,  active  in  giving 
 of  alms,  fervent  in  prayer,  careful  in  practices  of  mortifica- 
 
THANKFULNESS  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REGENERATE.     181 
 
 tion  aud  self-denial;  does  he  labour  to  offer  up  his  whole 
 body  as  a  living  sacrifice  to  God,  acceptable  through  Jesus 
 Christ  %  All  this  is  nothing  else  but  a  giving  of  thanks 
 for  his  salvation.  And  therefore  it  is  that  love,  joy,  and 
 peace  are  inseparable  from  every  duty  of  a  Christian, 
 because  his  heart  is  the  seat  of  thanksgiving.  What 
 more  natural  %  what  more  easy  %  How  much  more  so  is 
 this  conduct  of  the  thankful  leper,  than  the  miserable 
 pride  and  forgetfulness  of  those  who  went  their  way  and 
 gave  no  thanks ! 
 
 It  is  added,  "  and  he  was  a  Samaritan."  This  also  is 
 not  without  much  meaning,  and  the  consideration  of  which 
 ought  to  be  very  humbling  to  us,  who  have  such  means  of 
 grace,  viz.  that  those  who  have  least  advantages  are  often 
 the  most  lowly  and  thankful,  and  therefore  the  highest  in 
 God's  everlasting  favour.  The  Great  Day  will  surely 
 make  a  wonderful  disclosure  in  this  respect,  setting  on 
 high  those  who  are  now  the  least  accounted  of  and 
 esteemed ;  and  putting  down  many  who  now  seem  to 
 stand  high  in  God's  favour,  on  account  of  the  privileges  of 
 grace  which  they  enjoy ;  being  dry  and  barren  within  for 
 want  of  thankfulness  for  great  blessings,  while  some, 
 whom  they  despise,  are  thankful  even  for  the  least  crumbs 
 that  fall  from  the  table  of  God;  like  this  Samaritan,  ever 
 "  prostrate,  in  mind  and  heart,  at  the  feet  of  their  De- 
 liverer."^ And  therefore  is  it  in  manifold  ways  fulfilled 
 that  Christ  "  came  unto  His  own,  and  His  own  received 
 Him  not."  "  That,"  as  St.  Bernard  says,  "  the  foes  of 
 Christ  are  of  His  own  household ;"  that  "  the  wounds  " 
 which  He  receives  are  "in  the  house  of  His  friends." 
 
 To  this  our  Lord  adds  very  memorable  words,  such  as 
 
 1  Quesnel. 
 
182      THE   FOURTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 He  would  doubtless  have  us  to  consider  unto  the  end  of 
 the  world;  and  which  may  well  ring  in  our  ears  and 
 sound  in  our  hearts  at  all  times.  And  Jesus  answermg, 
 ■i.  e.  calling  their  attention  to  it,  said,  Were  there  not  ten 
 cleansed  ?  hut  lohere  are  the  nine  ?  There  are  not  found 
 that  returned  to  give  glory  to  God,  save  this  stranger,  this 
 Samaritan, — an  alien  from  the  promises,  and  w^ithout  the 
 covenant  and  household  of  God.  Our  Lord  speaks,  if  we 
 may  so  say  it,  with  a  sort  of  mournful  and  painful  wonder; 
 and,  indeed,  it  must  appear  to  us  a  circumstance  marvel- 
 lous and  almost  incredible ;  such  as  we  could  not  under- 
 stand and  scarcely  believe,  were  it  not  that  it  is  such  an 
 exact  picture  of  our  own  hearts.  Notwithstanding  all  the 
 deceits  we  put  upon  ourselves  we  cannot  but  acknowledge 
 it;  although  there  is  no  truth  in  the  world  more  sad  and 
 melancholy  than  this;  in  all  our  manifold  deliverances 
 from  sickness  and  dangers  and  distresses,  we  may  be  full 
 of  faith,  full  of  prayer,  full  of  holy  resolutions,  when  we 
 feel  God's  chastening  hand  pressing  hard  upon  us;  but 
 when  it  is  removed,  this  is  all  gone  away  and  forgotten; 
 the  very  feeling  of  thankfulness  is  but  as  the  morning 
 cloud  which  passes  away,  as  the  morning  cloud  which 
 catches  a  few  gleams  from  the  sun,  and  is  radiant  for 
 a  moment,  or  which  lets  fall,  it  may  be,  a  few  drops  of 
 tears ;  but,  look  again,  and  it  is  gone  away  and  not  found. 
 And  if  this  is  the  case,  in  all  those  little  perils  and  escapes 
 which  happen  to  us  in  our  daily  life,  alas !  how  much 
 more  is  this  the  case  in  that  to  which  I  would  this  day 
 apply  the  whole  of  this  subject,  viz.  in  our  spiritual 
 deliverance,  once  for  all,  out  of  the  hands  of  our  great 
 enemy,  and  the  little  thankfulness  it  has  produced  in  the 
 whole  of  our  Christian  calling.  For  the  whole  perfection 
 of  the  highest  saint  of  God  may  be  said  to  consist  in 
 
THANKFULNESS  THE  LIFE  OF  THE  REGENERATE.     183 
 
 nothing  more  than  what  is  contained  in  this  single  word 
 ''  thankfulness."  And  all  tlie  condemnation  of  the  un- 
 worthy Christians,  at  the  last,  who  fall  from  their  high 
 calling,  may  be  summed  up  in  this  :  "  They  glorified  Him 
 not,  neither  were  thankful." 
 
 It  is  this  consideration  which  renders  the  Epistle  for 
 to-day,  in  conjunction  with  the  Gospel,  as  I  said,  so  ex- 
 ceedingly awful  in  the  lesson  it  conveys,  for  in  the  former 
 St.  Paul  describes  what  the  Christian  must  be  as  living 
 by  the  Spirit,  such  as  our  own  experience  must  tell  us 
 that  scarce  one  Christian  out  of  ten  will  be  found  to  be; 
 and  then,  in  the  Gospel,  our  Lord  Himself,  Who  knew 
 what  is  in  man,  has  lifted  up  and  left  to  us  this  sad  note 
 of  warning,  a  warning  which  I  would  to  God  we  could 
 carry  about  us  at  all  times,  wherever  we  are  and  whatever 
 we  do,  "  Ten  cleansed,  one  only  found  thankful."     Would 
 that  it  might  sound  in  our  ears  in  all  the  gracious  provi- 
 dences of  God  towards  us,  so  that  it  might  stir  and  alarm 
 us  into  more  diligence !     "  Out  of  ten  one  only  found 
 thankful !"     Would  that  this  warning  might  attend  us  in 
 our  daily  business,  reminding  us  of  how  much  Clirist  has 
 done  for  us,  how  little  we  do  for  Him  !     Would  that  it 
 might  occur  to  us  again  and  again,  in  all  our  intercourse 
 with  the  world,  "  Out  of  ten  one  only  found  thankful !" 
 that  it  might  fill  us  with  a  holy  zeal  and  emulation  not  to 
 be  as  other  Christians  are  content  to  be !     Would  that 
 the  words  might  be  with  us  here  when  we  come  to  pray, 
 "  Out  of  ten  one  only  found  thankful,"  and  he  w^as  with 
 his  face  to  the  ground,  at  the  feet  of  Jesus  !     Would  that, 
 not  at  our  prayers  in  church  only,  but  at  all  times,  we 
 might  be  thus  found,  in  lowliness  of  mind,  as  it  w^ere  with 
 our  face  to  the  earth,  and  in  an  holy  peace,  as  at  the  feet 
 of  Jesus!     I  was  as  one  dead,  "nevertheless  I  live;  yet 
 
184      THE   FOURTEENTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me  ;  and  the  life  which  I  now 
 live  in  the  flesh  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God, 
 who  loved  me,  and  gave  Himself  for  me."  And  when  we 
 hear  a  sermon,  let  us  not  be  as  the  nine  around,  with 
 wandering  eyes,  or  curious  ears,  or  thoughts  occupied  by 
 the  world,  or  with  forgetful  memories,  but  rather  as  con- 
 sidering that  God  may  therein  be  delivering  a  message  to 
 each  of  us,  on  which  our  life  depends.  Let  us  remember 
 that  so  many,  though  healed  by  His  Word,  departed 
 without  His  blessing.  One  only  out  of  ten  returned,  and 
 glorified  God,  and  gave  thanks. 
 
 And  He  said  unto  him,  Arise,  go  thy  way,  thy  faith 
 hath  made  thee  wliole.  "Arise:"  according  to  the  hu- 
 miliation of  himself  in  His  sight  is  every  one  raised  of 
 God,  exalting  him  who  humbleth  himself.  "  Go  thy  way," 
 let  My  peace  be  with  thee  in  all  thy  ways ;  and  remember 
 that  it  is  thy  faith  only  which  hath  made  thee  whole,  and 
 therefore  faith  alone  can  preserve  and  keep  thee  such ; 
 this,  thy  deliverance,  is  a  token  of  the  power  of  faith  in 
 Me.  By  faith  shalt  thou  a  stranger  be  grafted  into  that 
 Hving  Stock,  from  which  the  natural  branches,  through 
 unbelief,  are  broken  off.  And  now,  "  thou  standest  by 
 faith.     Be  not  high-minded,  but  fear."^ 
 
 Alas,  my  brethren,  may  not  this  incident  express  some- 
 thing of  that  mournful  surprise  and  terrible  wonder  which 
 will  break  upon  us  on  the  Day  of  Judgment,  on  beholding 
 how  few  will  be  saved  ?  May  we  not  suppose  that  this 
 sad  truth,  which  He  saw  in  the  Spirit,  may  have  been  in 
 our  Lord's  mind  when  He  said,  "  Were  there  not  ten 
 cleansed?  but  where  are  the  nine?"      Wliere  are  they? 
 
 2  Rom.  xi.  20. 
 
SERMON   LXII. 
 CI)c  dTiftftutlj  ^unHap  after  CrinitD. 
 
 Gal.  vi.  II— 18.     St.  Matt.  vi.  24—34, 
 
 MV  BELOVED    IS  MINE   AND   I   AM  HIS. 
 
 From  henceforth  let  no  man  trouble  me ;  for  I  bear  in  my  body  the 
 marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus. — Gal.  vi.  17. 
 
 THE  Apostle  sums  up  his  beautiful  Epistle  to  the 
 Galatians  in  a  few  short  and  touching  words,  Te  see 
 liow  large  a  letter  I  have  loritten  unto  you  with  mme  own 
 hand.  St.  Paul's  Epistles  were  usually  written  by  the 
 hand  of  another,  while  he  dictated  the  words ;  but  here,  in 
 his  very  great  anxiety  for  these  simple  Galatians,  he  seems 
 to  say,  "  ye  see  how  large  a  letter,"  or  rather  by  what  large- 
 sized,^  ill-shapen^  characters,  "  I  have  written  to  you  with 
 mine  own  hand."  Or  as  he  speaks  on  another  occasion  ^ 
 of  his  adding  the  salutation  at  the  end  in  his  own 
 writing,  it  may  be  now  by  these  large  letters  in  the  con- 
 clusion you  will  see  my  own  handwriting,  thus  testifying 
 to  you  the  sum  of  the  whole  matter,  which  is  this :  The 
 Jews,  which  desire  you  to  be  circumcised  and  to  keep  the 
 Law  of  Moses,  do  so  from  ambitious  and  worldly  motives, 
 
 1   titiAIkois.  2  T^y  ypafifxaTwy  a[xop(piav. — Chrys. 
 
 3  2  Thess.  iii.  7. 
 
186         THE   FIFTEENTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 to  gratify  their  own  pride,  as  the  peculiar  people  of  God, 
 and  that  by  so  doing  they  may  do  away  with  the  offence 
 of  the  cross,  and  all  the  persecution  which  thence  arises. 
 As  many  as  desire  to  make  a  fair  shew  in  the  fiesh,  they 
 constrain  you  to  he  circumcised ;  only  lest  they  should 
 suffer  persecution  for  the  cross  of  Christ.  Nor  can  this 
 he  from  any  desire  of  serving  God,  or  from  any  love  of 
 the  law  itself,  as  a  means  of  doing  so.  For  neither  they 
 themselves  loho  are  circumcised  heep  the  laiv;  hut  desire 
 to  have  you  circumcised,  that  they  may  glory  in  your 
 flesh.  They  will  compass  sea  and  land  to  make  a  pro- 
 selyte ;  not  to  make  him  more  holy,  but  to  gratify  their 
 own  party  spirit  and  vain-glory. 
 
 But  God  forhid  that  I  should  glory,  save  in  the  cross  of 
 our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  hy  Whom  the  world  is  crucified 
 unto  me,  and  I  unto  the  world.  As  if  he  had  said,  But  as 
 for  me,  I  shrink  from  the  very  thought  of  anything  that 
 partakes  of  human  pride ;  for  all  my  glory  is  in  that  sign 
 of  God's  unspeakable  love,  by  which  He  so  loved  me 
 while  I  was  His  enemy,  that  He  gave  Himself  for  me. 
 He  was  not  ashamed  of  all  His  humiliation  and  pain,  out 
 of  His  infinite  tenderness  for  me :  the  consideration  of 
 which  has  so  through  and  through  pierced  my  heart,  that 
 this  world  with  all  its  charms  is  dead  to  me ;  and  I  am 
 dead  to  it.     It  is  a  double  death  by  which  I  cling  to  life.* 
 
 For  in  Christ  Jesus  neither  circumcision  availeth  any- 
 thing, nor  uncircumcision,  hut  a  new  creature.  JS'either 
 Jew  nor  Gentile  hath  anything  to  bring;  all  this  new 
 condition  consists  in  being  born  again  in  baptism,  and 
 putting  on  the  new  man,  and  being  renewed  day  by  day 
 after  the  image  of  Christ. 
 
 ^  Chrys.  ad  loo. 
 
MV  BELOVED   IS   MINE   AND    I   AM  HIS.  187 
 
 And  as  many  as  icalJc  according  to  this  ride,  peace  he 
 on  them,  and  mercy,  and  upon  the  Israel  of  God.  And 
 now,  in  conclusion,  when  I  come  to  pronounce  upon  you 
 that  p  eace  which  Christ  gives,  I  exclude  from  this  peace 
 those  who  fall  back  into  that  old  Jewish  pride  which 
 nailed  Christ  on  the  cross,  and  I  give  that  peace  to  those 
 whose  life  is  according  to  this  law  of  the  new  creature, 
 who  walk  by  faith  in  Christ ;  for  these  are  in  fact  the 
 true  "Israel  of  God."  For  as  for  them  that  call  them- 
 selves so,  our  Lord  Himself  says  of  them,  they  "  say  the}" 
 are  Jews,  and  are  not,^  but  are  the  synagogue  of  Satan." 
 
 From  henceforth  let  no  man  trouble  me  ;  for  I  hear  in 
 my  hody  the  marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  When  a  slave  is 
 about  his  master's  business,  and  people  see  that  he  has  on 
 him  the  brand  or  mark  of  his  master,  they  trouble  him 
 not;  well,  I  have  on  me  the  brand  and  mark  of  my 
 Master,  which  is  the  Cross.  The  many  stripes  and  wounds 
 I  have  suffered  for.  His  sake  bear  testimony  how  dear  His 
 cross  is  to  me,  and  that  I  belong  to  Him.  Leave  me  to 
 His  service.  Let  me  hear  no  more  of  circumcision  and 
 the  false  synagogue. 
 
 And  as  for  you,  hrethren,  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
 Ch7ist  he  with  your  spirit.  *  Amen.  May  that  grace  which 
 is  not  of  the  law,  but  of  faith  in  Christ,  be  with  you, 
 not  outwardly  in  the  flesh,  according  to  this  Je^vish 
 mind,  but  inwardly,  in  that  spirit  in  which  is  formed 
 the  new  creature. 
 
 Thus  strongly  does  St.  Paul,  as  with  a  godly  jealousy, 
 cut  off  everything  that  may  interfere  with  that  undivided 
 love  of  Christ  crucified,  in  which  alone  is  all  peace  and 
 guace.     For  how  contrary  is  that  self-exaltation  of  the 
 
 5  Rev.  ii.  9  ;  iii.  9. 
 
188         THE   FIFTEENTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 Jew  to  the  spirit  of  lowliness  wliich  the  cross  of  Christ 
 preaches  ^  How  does  everything  which  tends  to  human 
 glory  so  far  impair  and  impede  that  fulness  of  peace  which 
 is  to  be  found  in  God]  So  far  speaks  St.  Paul  in  the 
 Epistle.  And  now  Christ  Himself  teaches  us  in  the 
 Gospel  for  the  day  that  same  lesson  of  whole  and  entire 
 rest  in  God,  disclosing  to  us  in  unspeakable  tenderness 
 something  of  that  love  towards  us  which  was  perfected  on 
 the  cross ;  and  which  can  admit  of  no  divided  affection. 
 
 No  man  can  serve  two  masters  ;  for  either  lie  will  hate 
 the  one,  and  love  the  other ;  or  else  he  will  hold  to  the 
 one,  and  despise  the  other.  Ye  cannot  serve  God  and 
 Mammon.  It  is  quite  impossible  for  a  man  at  the  same 
 time  to  love  two  things  opposite  to  each  other ;  to  love  the 
 ease  and  honour  of  the  world,  and  also  the  self-denial  and 
 humility  which  is  found  in  the  cross  of  Christ.  What 
 then  is  to  become  of  the  worldly  callings  by  which  we 
 live ;  of  the  farm,  and  the  shop,  and  the  wages  of  labour, 
 and  to  the  minister  himself,  the  profits  of  his  ministry  ? 
 Ye  cannot  serve  them,  says  our  Lord,  ye  must  be  in  heart 
 above  them,  ye  must  make  them  merely  secondary,  and 
 subservient  to  the  love  of  God  and  His  service  ;  or  else  no 
 doubt  they  are  sinful ;  they  prevent  you  from  loving  God 
 and  cleaving  to  Him.  They  make  you  secretly  to  despise 
 the  cross,  and  things  of  Heaven. 
 
 Therefore,  I  say  unto  you;  I  say  unto  you,  Who  am 
 Myself  the  Bread  of  Life,  and  the  clothing  of  your  shame 
 and  nakedness,  I  Who  am  Myself  the  Life  of  those  that 
 believe  in  .Me,  and  their  portion  for  ever, — I  say  unto  you, 
 Take  no  thought  for  your  life  ichat  ye  shall  eat,  or  what 
 ye  shall  drink  ;  nor  yet  for  your  body,  ichai  ye  shall  put 
 on.  Let  there  be  no  carefulness  for  food  and  raiment, 
 much  less  for  other  things  of  this  temporal  life ;  for  re- 
 
MV  BELOVED   IS   MINE   AND   I  AM  HIS.  189 
 
 member  how  the  good  IVIary,  who  had  chosen  the  one 
 thing  needful,  was  praised,  because  she  had  forgotten  all 
 that  pertaineth  to  the  meat  that  perisheth ;  remember 
 how  the  disciples,  when  they  had  omitted  to  take  bread  in 
 the  boat,  were  reproved  by  their  Divine  Master,  because 
 on  this  account  the  subject  was  afterwards  first  in  their 
 thoughts ;  remember  how  they  were  sent  forth  in  need  of 
 all  things,  in  order  that  they  might  practise  this  heavenly 
 mind,  as  having  nothing,  yet  possessing  all  things  in 
 Christ. 
 
 Is  not  the  life  more  than  meat,  and  the  hody  than 
 raiment?  If  He  gives  the  greater,  will  you  not  trust 
 Him  for  the  less?  If  He  gives  life,  will  He  not  sustain 
 it  ?  If  a  body,  will  He  not  give  the  clothing  needful  for 
 it  1  And  oh,  how  much  more  may  not  we  add  with  St. 
 Paul,  and  say,  "  He  that  spared  not  His  own  Son,  but 
 delivered  Him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  He  not  with  Him 
 also  freely  give  us  all  things?"® 
 
 Behold  the  fowls  of  the  air ;  for  they  sow  not,  neither 
 do  they  reap,  nor  gather  into  hams;  yet  your  heavenly 
 Father  feedeth  them.  Are  ye  not  much  better  than  they  ? 
 If  these  creatures  that  know  Him  not  thus  trust  Him,  will 
 not  ye  to  whom  it  is  given  to  know  Him  ?  Are  ye  not 
 capable  of  knowing  God,  of  loving  Him,  and  enjoying 
 Him  for  ever  1  To  be  able  to  know  and  love  God,  this 
 raises  you  immeasurably  above  the  beasts  that  perish. 
 Are  ye  not  to  Him  of  value  unspeakable,  beyond  all  that 
 ye  can  think  or  know  1  are  ye  not  infinitely  more  dear  to 
 Him  than  ye  are  to  each  other  or  each  to  himself?  Does 
 He  not  care  for  you  far  more  than  ye  do  for  yourselves  ? 
 Our  Blessed  Lord  does  not,  in  this  passage,  say  all  this, 
 
 6  Eom.  viii.  32. 
 
190         THE   FIFTEENTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY, 
 
 which  might  be  truly  said,  but  what  is  more  constraining, 
 even  to  the  most  faithless,  in  His  exceeding  gentleness 
 and  condescension  He  suggests  nothing  more  than  this : 
 Are  ye  not  much  better  in  the  sight  of  your  heavenly 
 Father  than  the  fowls  of  the  air  %  yet  even  they  are  by 
 nature  itself  taught  to  trust  in  His  care ;  He  asks  nothing 
 more  of  you,  for  all  His  gifts,  than  that  you  will  rely  on 
 His  goodness  and  trust  Him. 
 
 And  again,  after  all,  how  unprofitable  such  carefulness  % 
 For  wMcli  of  you,  hy  taking  thought,  can  add  one  cubit 
 unto  his  statwe  ?  Blessed  be  the  goodness  and  mercy  of 
 God,  Who,  to  keep  its  from  such  anxious  thoughts,  has 
 made  them  to  be  of  no  avail :  miserable  cares,  which  end 
 where  they  begun,  and  can  never  prosper,  because  they 
 consist  in  a  distrust  of  Him  Who  is  the  Giver  and  Disposer 
 of  all  good. 
 
 And  lohy  take  ye  thought  for  raiment  ?  Consider  the 
 lilies  of  the  field  hoiv  they  grow.  Why  do  you  think 
 that  your  heavenly  Father  has  raised  around  you  such 
 abundance  of  flowers  ?  why  are  they  so  beautiful  and 
 wonderful  in  their  structure,  and  colour,  and  varieties?  why 
 do  they  bear  about  your  23aths  such  tokens  of  His  hand,  and 
 seem  to  make  silent  appeals  to  you,  in  order  to  call  your 
 attention  1  It  is  because  God  has  designed  them  to  teach 
 you,  His  children,  of  His  unceasing  presence,  and  His 
 care,  although  you  see  Him  not,  in  order  that  you  may 
 trust  Him.  They  toil  not,  neither  do  they  spin:  and  yet 
 I  say  unto  you,  That  even  Solomon  in  all  his  glory  icas  not 
 arrayed  like  one  of  these.  He  spreads  the  .beauties  of 
 nature  at  your  feet.  He  gives  delight  and  joy.  He  sends 
 fear  and  sorrow,  but  it  is  all  for  one  end,  in  order  that 
 we  may  trust  Him.  A  poor  man,  who  sees  in  the  meanest 
 flower  the  marks  of  his  heavenly  Father's  care,  is  richer 
 
MV  BELOVED   IS   MINE   AND   I  AM  HIS.  191 
 
 in  that  knowledge  than  he  who  is  dressed  in  a  kingly  robe 
 and  forgets  God.  What  is  there  that  a  king  can  prize  in 
 a  work  of  art,  or  an  ornament  of  honour,  or  a  memorial 
 of  high  birth,  compared  with  a  token  of  God's  love  to  him 
 that  loves  God  %  Because  he  knows  full  well  that  He  will 
 "  show  him  greater  things  than  these,"  he  accepts  it  as  a 
 sign  of  those  better  things  in  store,  which  "eye  hath  not 
 seen  nor  ear  heard ;"  of  the  hidden  glories  of  that  robe  of 
 immortality  by  which  Christ  shall  cover  his  shame,  the 
 white  vesture  of  those  who  are  "  made  kings  and  priests 
 unto  God."  But  what  our  Blessed  Lord  here  asks  of  him 
 is  far  less  than  this  ;  it  is  only  that,  taught  by  these 
 things,  he  should  be  without  carefulness  for  that  second 
 great  need  of  our  earthly  life,  which  is  raiment. 
 
 Wherefore,  if  God  so  clothe  the  grass  of  the  field,  ivhich 
 to-day  is,  and  to-r)iorrow  is  cast  into  the  oven, — if  even 
 this  is  so  contrived  and  adorned  with  the  marks  of  God's 
 hand,  which  is  of  a  nature  so  frail  and  perishable,  and  for 
 uses  so  poor, — shall  He  not  'much  more  clothe  you,  0  ye  of 
 little  faith  ?  It  may  be  observed,  that  these  exhortations 
 of  our  Lord  are  addressed  to  the  very  poorest,  such  as  are 
 tempted  by  careful  anxieties  for  the  very  necessaries  of 
 life ;  and  they  are  expressions  of  His  great  tenderness 
 and  compassion  for  them.  It  is  to  the  poor  His  Gospel  is 
 preached  ;  the  poor  were  the  especial  objects  of  His  care, 
 and  the  subjects  of  His  blessings ;  it  was  their  condition 
 which  He  Himself  put  on,  in  order  to  comfort  them ;  it 
 was  to  relieve  their  hunger  that  He  twice  wrought  a 
 miracle ;  and  thus  these  precepts  are  especially  addressed 
 to  them;  it  was  their  carefulness,  their  anxiety  He 
 wished  to  relieve,  knowing  that  if  they  had  feith  in  Him 
 they  were  rich  indeed ;  that  poverty  was  the  best  school 
 to  bring  them  to  Him.     And  therefore,  never  was  greater 
 
192         THE    FIFTEENTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 love  expressed  than  with  these  words,  which  seemed  to 
 upbraid  them,  "  0  ye  of  little  faith."  Oh,  why  will  ye 
 not  trust  in  Me  %  It  is  all  I  ask  in  return  for  My  love  : 
 recline  yourselves  on  Me,  in  My  bosom  ye  shall  find  peace 
 for  all  your  cares.  Oh,  why  will  ye  not  %  I  have  left  the 
 riches  and  glories  of  Heaven  ;  I  have  emptied  Myself  of 
 all  My  greatness,  and  become  poorer  than  any  of  you,  in 
 order  that  ye  may  trust  Me  ;  and  that  trusting  in  Me  all 
 which  I  have  may  be  yours.  For  why  is  God  revealed  in 
 so  much  love,  as  your  Father  in  Heaven,  and  accepting  you 
 as  His  children  in  His  well-beloved  Son,  if  ye  are  still  to 
 be  as  the  heathen,  without  God  in  the  world  % 
 
 Therefore  take  no  thought,  saying,  What  shall  we  eat  ? 
 or,  what  shall  we  drink  ?  or,  wherewithal  shall  toe  he 
 clothed  ?  (for  after  all  these  things  do  the  Gentiles  seek :) 
 When  you  think  so  much  of  these  things,  it  appears  as  if 
 there  are  no  higher  blessings  which  you  value,  and  on 
 which  your  affections  are  placed ;  and  as  if  there  were  no 
 Providence  in  the  world  to  support  you. 
 
 For  your  heavenly  Father  knoweth  that  ye  have  need  of 
 all  these  things.  It  is  an  expression  of  more  than  fatherly 
 affection  and  care  :  He  knoweth  every  want;  there  is  no 
 need  ye  can  have  which  escapes  His  most  intimate  regard. 
 "  Cast  your  care  upon  Him,  for  He  careth  for  you."  And 
 now  our  Lord  adds  the  sum  of  the  whole  matter  in  these 
 memorable  words,  to  be  ever  engraven  on  all  we  think 
 or  do  :  hut  seek  ye  first  the  Kingdom  of  God,  and  His 
 righteousness  ;  and  all  these  things  shall  he  added  unto  you. 
 Here  is  the  reason  given,  why  all  thoughtfulness  for 
 things  temporal  is  forbidden ;  it  is  in  order  that  all  our 
 thought,  all  our  care,  all  our  desires,  may  be  taken  up  in 
 the  one  thing  which  alone  abideth.  Any  one  who  looks 
 back  on  life,  will  see  not  only  that  his  worldly  cares  have 
 
AfV  BELOVED    IS   MINE    AND    I  AM  BIS.  193 
 
 been  profitless,  but  that  they  have  kept  his  mind  from 
 growing  in  grace.  They  have  stopped  him  on  his 
 heavenly  journey ;  they  have  thrown  him  back ;  they 
 have  been  the  occasion  of  precious  (ah,  how  precious  !) 
 time  irrevocably  lost.  Eut  when  the  cares  after  the 
 Kingdom  of  God  occupy  the  first  place  in  the  heart,  they 
 lead  one  to  perceive  the  hand  of  God's  providence  much 
 more  distinctly ;  and  to  see  that  whether  it  be  by  hardship 
 and  poverty,  or  any  other  means,  that  all  things  work 
 together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God.  So  may  we 
 learn  to  live  only  for  God,  in  Him,  and  for  Him,  and  to 
 desire  nothing  but  for  His  sake,  and  that  it  may  bring  us 
 nearer  unto  Him. 
 
 Take  therefoie  no  tliought  for  the  morrow.  It  is  not 
 the  pressure  of  want  that  fills  men  with  faithless  cares, 
 but  the  fear  of  it ;  it  is  not  the  need  of  to-day,  but  of  the 
 future ;  take  therefore  no  thought  for  the  morrow  ;  for  the 
 morrow  shall  take  thought  for  the  things  of  itself:  suffi- 
 cient unto  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof  Every  day  brings 
 troubles  of  its  own,  which  it  will  be  enough  to  bear  with 
 meekness  and  patience  ;  every  day  brings  sins  and  tempta- 
 tions against  which  it  will  require  our  whole  undivided 
 care  and  attention  to  contend  ;  every  day  brings  us  nearer 
 to  those  vast  overwhelming  changes  which  await  us,  infi- 
 nite in  importance,  and  eternal  in  duration,  great  realities 
 of  joy  or  misery ;  and  every  day  is  of  consequence  with 
 regard  to  them  ;  so  that  well  do  we  need  to  be  unen- 
 tangled  and  unimpeded  by  faithless  fears  and  hopes  about 
 the  shadows  of  this  short  passing  existence. 
 
 "  Henceforth  let  no  man  trouble  me,"  says  St.  Paul, 
 "  for  I  bear  in  my  body  the  marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus." 
 Surely,  my  brethren,  we  may  say  this,  not  only  to  all  the 
 glory  of  the  world,  its  party  spirit,  its  controversies  and 
 
 VOL.  II.  o 
 
194        THE   FIFTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 self-righteousness,  but  we  may  take  up  the  words,  and 
 apply  them  also  to  all  its  petty  anxieties,  its  faithless 
 schemes,  and  disappointments, — henceforth  trouble  me 
 not.  I  bid  adieu  to  you,  in  order  that  I  may  run  the 
 more  readily  in  the  service  of  Him  A¥hose  mark  I  bear ; 
 I  would  cast  off  all  such  things,  in  order  that  I  may  learn 
 more  and  more  the  depth  and  height,  the  breadth  and 
 length  of  His  immeasurable  love,  "Who  loved  me  and  gave 
 Himself  for  me.  His  mark  I  bear,  as  sworn  to  be  His 
 soldier  and  servant.  His  brand  has  gone  deep  in  my  flesh ; 
 I  am  His ;  with  His  cross  was  I  signed  at  my  baptism, 
 in  token  that  I  should  be  for  ever  none  but  His  alone ; 
 that  His  cross  should  be  my  study,  my  pattern,  my  peace. 
 From  henceforth  let  no  man  trouble  me;  for  it  is  the 
 knowledge  of  Christ  only  that  I  wish  to  learn,  and  far 
 from  me  be  everything  that  hinders  that  study :  blessed 
 and  welcome  be  everything  that  helps  me  to  it.  All 
 things  are  hurtful  to  me  that  impede  and  hamper  me  in 
 this  race ;  all  things  are  so  far  only  profitable  to  me  as 
 they  aid  me  in  this  course.  And  what  these  things  are 
 Thou  only  knowest,  0  my  God;  I  am  blind,  and  poor, 
 and  miserable,  and  know  not  what  may  be  good  for  me, 
 towards  my  everlasting  interest,  and  what  not :  Thou 
 knowest.  Do  Thou  choose  for  me,  0  my  God  ;  and  grant 
 me  to  love  what  Thou  choosest,  because  it  is  from  Thee  ; 
 and  to  love  it  the  more  the  more  it  partakes  of  Thy  cross  ; 
 for  then  am  I  more  sure  that  it  is  altogether  Thine,  and 
 from  Thee. 
 
 And  now,  my  brethren,  may  we  not  to-day  consider  the 
 Collect,  the  Epistle,  and  Gospel,  as  all  bound  together  by 
 that  one  golden  chain  which,  extending  from  the  throne 
 of  God,  holds  all  things  that  shall  endure  ;  and  which  is 
 no  other  than  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ.     Thus,  there- 
 
MV  BELOVED   IS  MINE   AND    I   AM  HIS.  195 
 
 fore,  may  we  read  the  CoDect  and  pray ;  Keep  Thy  Church, 
 0  Lord,  we  beseech  Thee,  with  Thy  perpetual  roercy; 
 or  rather,  as  it  is  in  the  original  Latin,  by  Thy  perpetual 
 propitiation ;  or,  as  St.  Paul  says,  by  the  cross  of  Christ, 
 by  the  mercies  overflowing  to  us  from  thence,  by  His  all- 
 prevailing  atonement.  Who  for  our  sakes  became  poor, 
 that  we  by  His  poverty  might  be  made  rich ;  and  because 
 the  frailty  of  our  mortal  nature  is  such  that  without  Thee 
 it  ever  falls  away,^  by  Thy  help  may  we  be  withdrawn 
 from  things  hurtful,  and  be  directed  to  what  is  profitable 
 for  our  salvation, 
 
 J"  "  Labitur  humana  mortalitas." — Lat. 
 
 0  2 
 
SERMON    LXIII. 
 C|^e  ^ij:Utntl)  ^untJai)  after  Crmtt|). 
 
 Eph.  iii.  13—21.     St.  Luke  vii.  11— 17. 
 
 TI/E   KNOWLEDGE    WHICH  IS   LIFE   ETERNAL. 
 
 And  to  know  the  love  ^Christ,  which passeth  knowledge. — 
 Eph.  iii.  19. 
 
 I^N"  the  Epistle  for  to-day  St.  Paul  appears,  as  it  were, 
 lost  in  contemplation  at  the  unspeakable  vastness  and 
 majesty  of  the  Church,  and  the  incomprehensible  love  of 
 Christ.  /  desire  that  ye  faint  not  at  my  tribulations  for 
 you,  which  is  your  glory.  To  himself  his  own  tribulations 
 were  but  light,  but  his  only  fear  was  that  his  sufferings 
 might  become  to  others  a  cause  of  offence,  like  the  cross 
 of  Christ  itself  was.  But  as  the  cross  of  Christ  was 
 become  the  glory  of  the  believer,  so  also  might  be  the 
 sufferings  of  His  servants,  who  drank  of  their  Master's 
 cup.  For  this  cause,  he  adds,  breaking  forth  into  very 
 glowing  eloquence  at  the  thought  of  that  great  mystery  by 
 which  all  things  are  drawn  unto  Christ  by  His  cross, — 
 for  this  cause  I  hoiv  my  knees,  as  in  heartfelt  solemn  sup- 
 plication, unto  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of 
 Wlwm  the  ivhole  family  in  heaven  and  earth  is  named ; 
 
THE   KNOWLEDGE    WHICH  IS   LIFE   ETERNAL.      197 
 
 the  family  not  of  Abraham  only,  but  of  all  angels  and 
 saints  united  in  service  of  one  common  Lord.  That  He 
 would  grant  you,  according  to  the  riches  of  His  glory ; 
 not  according  to  the  thought  of  man,  but  according  to 
 that  abundant  goodness  which  is  in  Christ  beyond  all 
 thought ;  to  he  strengthened  ivith  might  by  His  Spirit  in 
 the  inner  man.  This  is  his  very  earnest  prayer  for  them, 
 kindled  and  quickened  by  his  own  tribulations.  And  as 
 explaining  this  strength  in  the  inner  man  of  which  he 
 speaks,  he  adds,  that  Christ,  the  New  Man,  after  the 
 unspeakable  Image  of  God,  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by 
 faith ;  that  ye  being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love;  not  as 
 if  faith  were  the  root  only,  and  love  the  fruit,  but  as 
 rather  love  itself  were  the  very  root  and  ground  of  all, 
 while  it  is  also  the  immeasurable  expansion  and  height. 
 That,  rooted  in  love,  ye  may  he  able  to  comprehend  lolth 
 all  saints,  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length,  and  depth,  and 
 height,  that  love  of  God  which  is  boundless  every  way  as 
 the  heavens,  by  which,  far  as  the  east  is  from  the  west. 
 He  hath  set  our  sins  from  us ;  or,  as  St.  Paul  more  dis- 
 tinctly adds  the  same,  and  to  knoio  the  love  of  Christ,  and 
 as  if  to  correct  himself,  as  speaking  of  that  which  no  man 
 can  understand,  as  being  in  every  way  infinite, — lohich 
 passeth  knoioledge.  To  know  that  "  which  passeth  know- 
 ledge," to  know  that  which  cannot  be  known,  this  sounds 
 like  a  contradiction;  as  if  it  were  to  understand  that 
 which  heart  of  man  cannot  understand,  and  yet  which 
 may,  in  a  manner,  be  understood  by  the  Spirit  of  God 
 within.  As  in  another  place,  St.  Paul  speaks  of  those 
 things  which  have  not  entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  but 
 God  hath  revealed  them  unto  us,  he  says,  by  His  Spirit/ 
 
 1  1  Cor.  ii.  10. 
 
198        THE    SIXTEENTH    SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 And  this  he  here  further  states,  by  an  expression  singu- 
 larly eloquent  and  comprehensive,  that  ye  'might  he  filled 
 with  all  the  fulness  of  God. 
 
 And  then,  bringing  down  the  same  mystery  of  God- 
 liness to  bear  upon  themselves,  by  supplication  and  thanks- 
 giving, he  carries  on  this  exceeding  loftiness  of  expression, 
 as  if  words  were  unequal  to  contain  it,  and  adds :  Noio 
 unto  Him  that  is  able  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all 
 that  loe  ask  or  thinla, — to  do  more  than  we  ask  or  think 
 were  much,  but  to  do  "exceeding  abundantly"  above, 
 this  is  a  very  strong  expression, — not  only  greater,  but 
 abundantly  greater,  and  not  that  only,  but  exceeding 
 abundantly."  So  vastly  does  the  gift  of  God  surpass  the 
 highest  conception  of  our  weak  faith  and  love ;  and  as  if 
 to  mark  such  Divine  power  as  shown,  not  in  outward 
 miracles  in  this  perishable  world,  as  that  of  removing 
 mountains,  but  in  that  inward  and  marvellous  work  of 
 indwelling  grace,  which,  by  experience,  they  knew,  he 
 says,  according  to  the  igower  that  loorketh  in  us.  And  in 
 speaking  of  a  gift  so  amazing,  so  transcendent,  so  un- 
 speakable, he  passes  into  worship  and  praise,  unto  Him 
 be  glory  in  the  Church  by  Christ  Jesus  throughout  all  ages, 
 world  without  end.     Amen. 
 
 IS'ow,  one  great  point  in  running  through  the  whole  of 
 this  passage  of  St.  Paul  is,  that  this  love  of  Christ  of 
 which  he  speaks,  and  this  indwelling  power  of  His  Spirit 
 connected  with  it,  is  something  far  beyond  what  we  can 
 understand.  We  know  what  love  is,  we  understand  its 
 nature,  but  this  love  exceeds  all  that  we  understand,  not 
 in  kind,  but  in  degree ;  it  is  something  beyond  what  we 
 can  comprehend,  from  the  greatness  of  it ;  it  is  like  the 
 vastness  of  the  natural  world,  the  material  universe,  or  like 
 2  St.  Clirys.  ad  loc 
 
THE   KNOWLEDGE    WHICH  IS   LIFE   ETERNAL.     199 
 
 the  vastness  of  eternity,  ideas  which  we  cannot  grasp, 
 because  they  are  infinite  and  without  end.  So  is  the  love 
 of  Christ  :  we  know  what  love  is,  from  a  parent's  love  to 
 his  cliildren,  a  bride  to  the  bridegroom,  friends  to  each 
 other,  and^  the  compassionate  love  of  a  kind  heart ;  and 
 from  these  we  apprehend  what  the  love  of  God  is,  as 
 manifest  in  Christ's  Incarnation ;  and  yet  St.  Paul  seems 
 to  say,  that  while  knowing  we  know  it  not,  not  on  ac- 
 count of  its  nature  but  its  greatness,  except  that  even  this, 
 according  to  our  degree,  is  by  the  Spirit  shed  abroacl,  and 
 manifested  to  the  heart. 
 
 It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  this,  the  love  of  Christ,  is 
 not  to  be  measured,  or  entered  into,  by  any  ardent 
 imagination,  no  strong  feeling  or  sublime  conceptions  of 
 men ;  nor  even  by  exceeding  greatness  of  understanding 
 and  *'  largeness  of  heart,  even  as  the  sand  that  is  on  the 
 sea-shore ;"  but  it  is  spiritually  discerned  by  faith.  It  is 
 not  different  from,  or  unlike,  what  we  ask  or  think ;  but 
 above,  or  beyond,  what  we  ask  or  think.  The  more  we 
 ask  of  God,  the  more  we  think  of  Him,  the  nearer  do  we 
 approach  to  it.  It  is  prayer  which  gives  the  knowledge. 
 Do  you  wish  to  know  whether  God  is  love  %  pray  to  Him, 
 and  this  will  tell  you,  as  no  words  of  man,  no  teaching 
 can  do.  Do  you  wish  to  know  how  great  the  love  oi  God 
 is  %  pray  to  Him  more,  and  you  will  know  better.  Pray 
 to  Him  more  humbly,  and  you  will  know  more  the  height 
 and  depth  of  that  love  ;  pray  to  Him  more  earnestly,  and 
 you  will  know  more  the  intensity  of  that  love  ;  pray 
 more  constantly  and  perseveringly,  and  you  will  know  the 
 unfailing  steadfastness  and  strength  of  that  love  ;  let  your 
 prayers  be  longer,  and  you  will  know  more  the  length  of 
 that  love  ;  pray  more  frequently,  on  all  occasions,  and 
 you  will  know  more  how  encompassed  you  are  on  all  sides 
 
200         THE    SIXTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 by  that  love.  Deny  yourself  when  you  pray,  and  you 
 will  find  out  the  mystery,  how  that  love  is  connected 
 with  the  Cross. 
 
 It  is,  therefore,  not  with  the  understanding,  but  with 
 faith  and  prayer,  my  brethren,  that  I  would  ask  you  to 
 attend  to  that  account  of  the  love  and  power  of  Christ 
 which  is  recorded  to  us  in  the  Gospel  for  to-day.  And 
 may  God  of  His  great  mercy  grant  that  both  you  and  I 
 may  have  the  seeing  eye,  and  the  hearing  ear,  while  we 
 look  on  and  behold  Christ,  God  of  very  God,  though 
 clothed  with  human  flesh,  manifested  to  us  in  this  won- 
 derful incident.  May  the  Spirit  give  us  to  see  His  sacred 
 countenance,  and  to  hear  His  gracious  words. 
 
 And  it  came  to  pass  the  day  after,  that  Jesus  ivent  into 
 a  city  called  Nain ;  and  many  of  His  disciples  went 
 with  Him,  and  much  people,  i^ow  we  must  consider  our 
 Blessed  Lord  in  this  His  going  about,  what  it  was ;  it 
 was  not  like  any  great  man  among  ourselves,  when,  as  he 
 proceeds,  persons  stand  aloof  and  gaze  apart,  from  his 
 being  hedged  about  by  something  of  worldly  pomp :  it 
 was  not  so  with  our  Lord,  there  Avas  no  such  state  or 
 outward  dignity ;  on  the  contrary,  the  people  thronged 
 Him  and  pressed  upon  Him ;  for  His  external  deportment 
 was  exceedingly  humble.  He  was  not  only  as  one  of  them- 
 selves among  the  crowd,  but  as  the  poorest  of  the  poor ; 
 and  not  only  this,  but  from  His  extreme  condescension  to 
 the  most  mean  and  afflicted,  to  women  and  little  children. 
 He  made  Himself  as  it  were  still  lower  in  mind  even 
 than  His  personal  outward  appearance.  This  was  so  much 
 the  case,  that  the  disciples  were  surprised  that  He  asked 
 on  one  occasion  who  touched  Him,  because  all  the  people 
 in  the  crowd  pressed  upon  Him  and  thronged  Him  ;  and 
 at  another  time  this  was  mentioned  as  so  much  the  case, 
 
THE   KNOWLEDGE    WHICH  IS    LIFE   ETERNAL.     201 
 
 that  He  was  obliged  to  get  into  a  boat  to  teach  them. 
 From  this  we  may  learn  how  it  was  when  He  went  about, 
 —  there  was  no  authority  of  worldly  greatness.  But  what 
 was  remarkable  in  our  Blessed  Lord  was  the  exceeding 
 holiness  and  power  of  His  words,  and  that  Divine  love 
 which  emanated  from  Him,  and  seemed  to  encompass 
 Him  all  around  with  compassion  and  tenderness,  beyond 
 the  sons  of  men.  True  indeed  it  is,  that  at  the  sight  of  a 
 very  holy  person  all  good  men  are  impressed  with  awe, 
 more  than  in  the  presence  of  the  greatest  of  kings  ;  but  then 
 this  is  only  the  case  with  good  men ;  the  multitude,  com- 
 prising many  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  many  of  the  proud 
 and  profane,  have  no  feeling  of  this  kind.  So  was  it  now  ; 
 some  no  doubt  were  deeply  awe- struck,  not  so  much  at 
 His  miracles,  as  by  His  holiness,  and  by  His  words  that 
 entered  the  soul,  and  seemed  to  be  within  a  man's  inmost 
 heart,  full  of  eyes.  But  even  this  was  accompanied  with 
 such  a  singular  lowliness  and  pity,  that  rendered  His 
 Divine  presence  something  quite  different  from  that  of 
 any  other  teacher ;  for  while  His  words  were  with  Divine 
 authority.  His  deeds  were  as  One  Who  made  Himself  the 
 servant  of  all.  Such  were  the  mingled  feelings  of  amaze- 
 ment and  wonder  which  filled  St.  Peter  when  he  ex- 
 claimed, "  Lord,  dost  Thou  wash  my  feet  ?"  And  that  of 
 the  Baptist,  when  he  said,  "  I  have  need  to  be  washed  of 
 Thee,  and  comest  Thou  to  me  % "  And  again,  this  familiar 
 access  was  so  great,  that  Judas  the  traitor,  when  he  wished 
 to  point  out  his  Divine  Master,  had  no  means  of  doing  it, 
 except  this  sign,  "  Whomsoever  I  shall  kiss,  that  same  is 
 He  !"  As  if  he  had  said,  He  is  so  like  other  men  that  you 
 will  not  know  Him  apart,  except  for  that  love  which  He 
 bears  to  me  ;  the  love  that  He  bears  to  me,  that  is  the  sign. 
 By  these  remarks  I  wish  to  describe  and  set  before  you 
 
202         THE   SIXTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 what  our  Lord's  going  about  was,  so  that  you  may  see  Him 
 as  it  were  in  your  minds  as  He  proceeded  with  "  much 
 people  "  in  this  passage.  Now  wlien  He  came  nigh  to  the 
 gate  of  the  city,  this  little  town,  called  Nain,  on  a  rising 
 ground,  at  the  foot  of  Mount  Tabor,  behold,  there  was  a 
 dead  man  carried  oid,  the  ordy  son  of  his  mother,  and  she 
 was  a  widow  ;  and  much  ■people  of  the  city  was  with  her. 
 "  Behold,"  says  the  Evangelist,  as  drawing  attention  to  a 
 sight  which  suddenly  arrested  their  course  ;  a  funeral  met 
 them,  unusually  large,  because  it  was  attended  with  cir- 
 cumstances of  more  than  ordinary  distress ;  a  young  man 
 prematurely  cut  off,  an  only  son,  and  not  that  only,  but 
 the  only  son  of  a  widow;  and  her  sad  case,  from  the 
 account,  seemed  to  have  excited  the  compassion  of  all 
 around  ;  for  "  much  people  of  the  city "  were  gathered 
 around  her,  not  merely  attendants  of  the  funeral,  but  it  is 
 said,  with  her,  as  if  supporting  her,  and  desirous  to  console 
 her,  as  far  as  might  be,  by  their  presence.  And  when  the 
 Lord  saio  her.  He  had  compassion  on  her,  and  said  unto 
 her,  Weep  not.  If  the  case  was  such  as  to  have  occasioned 
 commiseration  and  pity  among  all  her  neighbours,  much 
 more  must  it  have  done  so  with  our  Lord  Himself;  for 
 He  is  oftentimes  described,  as  the  Son  of  Man,  so  full  of 
 what  may  be  called  human  sympathy  and  pity.  Thus 
 when  it  is  said  that  He  wept  at  the  grave  of  Lazarus,  the 
 account  seems  to  imply  that  the  immediate  occasion  of 
 this  was  His  beholding  the  distress  of  others  ;  for  it  is  said 
 just  before,  "  When  Jesus  saw  Mary  weeping,  and  the 
 Jews  also  weeping  which  came  with  her.  He  groaned  in 
 the  spirit,  and  w^as  troubled."  And  the  same  is  implied 
 on  this  occasion,  for  it  is  said,  "  When  the  Lord  saw  her, 
 He  had  compassion  on  her ;"  whereas  it  might  have  been 
 supposed  that  He  would  have  wrought  the  miracle  indeed 
 
THE    KNOWLEDGE    WHICH  IS   LIFE   ETERNAL.      203 
 
 "with.  Divine  love  and  goodness,  but  Himself  all  the  while 
 undisturbed  at  the  sight  of  sorrows,  the  occasions  of  which 
 He  could  so  easily  remove.  But  it  was  not  so  ;  although 
 Himself  at  all  times  full  of  that  indescribable  peace  which 
 He  bestows  on  others,  yet  that  peace  was  mixed  with  the 
 Tery  tenderest  concern  for  all  human  sorrow,  such  as  man 
 feels  for  man,  or  rather  far  more,  though  it  be  the  same 
 kind  of  pity,  and  such  as  is  always  found  in  good  men. 
 Such  is  here  signified  by  the  description  of  the  Evangelist, 
 that  He  was  moved  with  compassion ;  such  as  is  said  of 
 Him  on  another  occasion,  when  He  saw  the  multitudes 
 weary  and  without  food,  or  ignorant  and  needing  instruc- 
 tion. And,  in  addition  to  this  expression  of  the  Evan- 
 gelist's, the  words  our  Lord  uses  are  those  of  the  most 
 tender  commiseration,  "He  said  unto  her.  Weep  not." 
 It  was  not  the  funeral,  nor  the  large  concourse  that 
 attended  it,  which  had  arrested  His  regard;  but  the 
 mother's  sorrow.  This  is  as  it  were  the  centre  of  attention, 
 the  one  great  point  which  pervades  the  whole  narrative ; 
 His  compassion  for  the  mother  when  He  saw  her,  and 
 His  restoring  to  her  the  lost  son  of  her  widowhood. 
 While  as  our  gracious  Saviour's  words  are  ever  powerful 
 to  perform  what  they  speak.  His  words,  "  Weep  not,"  take 
 away  at  the  same  time  all  cause  for  weeping. 
 
 And  He  came  and  touched  the  hier,  {and  they  that  hare 
 him  stood  still).  They  stopped  with  their  heavy  burden 
 of  death,  as  no  bearers  or  mourners  ever  have  done  before 
 or  since  ;  they  stopped  to  gaze  in  awe  on  One  Who  showed 
 by  His  compassions  that  it  was  not  without  purposes  of 
 good  that  He  had  arrested  their  course ;  and  perhaps  from 
 His  very  manner  they  perceived  in  faith  some  mysterious 
 intimation  that  He  Whom  they  had  now  met  was  no  other 
 than  the  conqueror  of  death. 
 
204         THE   SIXTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 And  He  said,  Young  man,  I  say  unto  thee,  Arise.  On 
 each  occasion  when  our  Lord  raised  the  dead,  it  is  stated 
 that  He  addressed  Himself  and  spoke  to  the  person  who 
 was  dead.  As,  "  Lazarus,  come  forth  ;"  or,  "  Maid,  arise." 
 And  in  each  case  signified  the  same  by  His  actions,  as  on 
 one,  "taking  her  by  the  hand,"  on  the  other,  "opening 
 the  grave,"  and  here,  "  putting  His  hand  on  the  bier."  So 
 will  it  be  at  the  last  day ;  "  the  hour  cometh,  yea,  now  is, 
 in  which  all  that  are  in  their  graves  shall  hear  His  voice." 
 Each  in  his  grave  shall  hear  His  voice,  as  addressed  to 
 himself  individually.  So  is  it  now ;  to  the  conscience  of 
 each  one  He  speaks,  as  if  there  was  no  other,  saying, 
 "  Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from  the  dead,  and 
 Christ  shall  give  thee  light." 
 
 And  he  that  was  dead  sat  up.  They  were  carried  on  a 
 bier  without  a  coffin,  or  rather  the  bier  itself,  in  some 
 respects,  resembled  an  open  coffin ;  he  sat  up,  and  began 
 to  speak:  and  He  delivered  him  to  his  mother.  Taking 
 him  probably  by  the  hand,  and  giving  him  to  her,  as 
 implying  that  it  was  for  her  sake,  in  answer  to  her  tears 
 and  secret  prayers,  and  the  anguish  of  her  heart,  breathed 
 forth  to  Him  alone  ;  giving  him  to  her  no  longer  as  a  dead 
 man,  but  full  of  the  bloom  and  strength  of  life. 
 
 And  there  came  a  fear  on  all,  and  they  glorified  God, 
 saying,  That  a  great  Prophet  is  risen  up  among  us,  and 
 that  God  hath  visited  His  people.  And  this  rumour  of 
 Him  went  forth  throughout  all  Judcea,  and  throughout  all 
 the  region  round  about. 
 
 !N'ow,  if  we  let  our  minds  dwell  on  this  wonderful  inci- 
 dent, there  is  one  thought  which  has  probably  occurred  to 
 us,  which  is  this  :  what  must  have  been  the  feelings  of 
 the  mother  when  she  thus  received  her  son  ?  She  was, 
 we  may  suppose,  a  very  holy  and  humble  person,  both 
 
THE    KNOWLEDGE    WHICH    IS   LIFE   ETERNAL.      205 
 
 from  the  interest  she  had  excited  in  others,  and  especially 
 from  onr  Lord's  marked  observation  and  care  of  her,  Who 
 alone  knows  the  heart  of  man.  It  is  said  that  "  fear  came 
 upon  all,"  much  more  must  a  sense  of  indescribable  awe 
 have  come  upon  her,  so  much  so  as  to  have  swallowed  up 
 every  other  feeling  in  adoring  amazement,  and  love  and 
 wonder.  She  had  received,  indeed,  back  at  His  hands  the 
 most  precious  of  all  earthly  gifts,  but  this  could  only  be 
 for  a  time,  and  till  death  came  again  for  her  son  and  for 
 herself.  She  probably  felt  little  or  no  joy  at  receiving 
 him  again,  because  such  a  feeling  must  have  been  lost  in 
 one  far  greater  and  more  overwhelming,  which  was  this  : 
 she  had  seen  God  face  to  face ;  she  had  seen  such  love 
 and  such  power  combined,  that  proved  something  far 
 greater  than  this  was  to  be  obtained  of  Him.  For  He 
 Whom  she  had  seen  in  the  flesh  had  evidently  power 
 over  death,  and  a  will,  nay,  an  earnest  desire,  to  exert  that 
 power. 
 
 In  conclusion  I  may  just  observe,  to  ourselves,  at  this 
 day,  who  read  or  hear  this  account,  it  is  more  than  our 
 life  is  worth  that  we  do  not  read  it  merely  as  an  interesting 
 history,  or  I  may  say  even  this,  that  we  do  not  read  it 
 only  as  a  manifestation  of  Godhead.  When  the  clergy- 
 man meets  the  bier  at  the  churchyard  gate,  and  says, 
 "  I  am  the  Eesurrection  and  the  Life,  saith  the  Lord,"  it 
 is  a  comfort  to  think  of  the  narrative  of  this  day's  Gospel, 
 and  of  Him  Who  met  and  touched  the  bier.  But  surely 
 this  is  not  enough.  The  intention  of  this  being  revealed 
 to  us  is  because  it  is  of  the  very  utmost  importance,  of 
 value  inconceivable,  towards  the  regulation  of  our  daily 
 life ;  that,  as  our  Prayer  Book  says,  in  the  Burial  Service, 
 He  may  "  raise  us  from  the  death  of  sin  unto  the  life  of 
 righteousness."     It  is  the  visible  manifestation  of  Him 
 
206         THE   SIXTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 "  Wlio  is  aLle  to  do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all  that 
 we  can  ask  or  think,  according  to  the  power  that  worketh 
 in  us;"  for  we  stand  in  the  presence  of  Him  in  Whose 
 hands  are  spiritual  life  and  spiritual  death.  What  would 
 you  have  thought  of  any  one  who  could  have  trifled  and 
 sported  under  the  eye  of  Christ,  when  He  had  just  done 
 this  deed  of  raising  the  dead  %  We  should  have  thought 
 it  quite  impossible. 
 
 But  now,  if  we  in  faith  receive  this  miracle,  it  is,  I  may 
 say,  all  one  as  if  we  saw  it,  nay  more,  for  we  might  have 
 seen  it  with  our  bodily  eyes,  and  yet  not  with  faith. 
 
 Let  us,  therefore,  go  home  this  day  as  if  we  had  seen 
 this  miracle,  had  seen  Christ  with  His  hand  on  the  coffin, 
 and  the  young  man  awakening  at  His  word  from  the 
 sleep  of  death.  How  deep  and  humble  would  have  been 
 our  repentance  at  finding  God  so  near  to  us  ! 
 
 Let  it  be  so  now,  and  it  will  be  to  us  one  step  towards 
 knowing  the  love  of  Christ  which  passeth  knowledge. 
 
SERMON    LXIV. 
 CJ)e  ^tbtntccntlj  ^untiaj)  after  Crmiti). 
 
 Eph.  iv.  1—6.     St.  Luke  xiv.  i — ii. 
 
 THE   SABBATH   OF   CHRIST  FOUND   IN  MEEKNESS. 
 
 I,  therefore,  the  prisoner  of  the  Lord,  beseech  you,  that  ye  walk  worthy 
 of  the  vocation  wherewith  ye  are  called,  with  all  lowliness  and 
 meekness. — Eph.  iv.  i,  2. 
 
 THE  strongest  appeal  which.  St.  Paul  makes  to  others 
 in  his  own  behalf  is  by  his  sufferings.  "  Eemember 
 my  bonds,"  he  says,  as  by  those  few  words  implying  very 
 much;  and  in  the  Epistle  for  last  Sunday,  "  Faint  not  at 
 my  tribulations,  which  is  your  glory."  He  often  expresses 
 his  joy  in  bonds  and  afflictions,  not  only  because  he 
 counted  it  a  privilege  to  suffer  for  Christ's  sake;  but 
 because  also  his  own  chains  and  sufferings  partook  of  the 
 power  of  the  Cross,  and  most  prevailed  towards  spreading 
 his  Master's  Kingdom.  Thus  when  his  heart  had  been  set 
 on  going  to  Eome,  and  God  intended  that  he  should  bear 
 witness  of  Him  with  power  in  that  great  city,  it  was 
 brought  about  by  his  being  sent  there  as  a  prisoner. 
 And  in  speaking  of  his  success  there  he  says,  "  My  bonds 
 are  manifest  in  all  the  palace."     And  of  the  confidence  it 
 
208      THE  SEVENTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER   TRINITY. 
 
 gave  others,  "  Many  of  the  brethren  waxing  confident  by 
 my  bonds."  And  when  he  said  to  King  Agrippa,  "I 
 would  to  God  that  thou,  and  all  that  hear  me  this  day, 
 were  such  as  I  am,  except  these  bonds,"  never  were  words 
 spoken  more  powerful,  because  it  was  as  if  he  had  said, 
 "As  to  my  sufferings,  I  am  most  desirous  that  none 
 should  suffer  as  I  do  ;  but  as  to  the  blessings  of  the 
 Gospel,  I  would  to  God  that  all  might  share  them  with 
 me."  When  in  bonds  at  Jerusalem,  he  made  the  governor 
 tremble,  and  amazed  the  king ;  when  in  bonds  at  sea,  he 
 bound  the  storm,  and  had  all  the  ship  given  into  his 
 hands;  when  in  bonds  in  the  island,  he  shook  off  the 
 serpent  unharmed ;  when  in  bonds  at  Eome,  he  made  the 
 world  captive  to  the  obedience  of  Christ.  And  here  he 
 alludes  to  his  bonds,  not  only  to  enforce  his  testimony, 
 but  as  showing  also  the  very  nature  of  the  Christian's 
 calling  and  duties,  as  humbling  himself  to  all  things  for 
 love's  sake. 
 
 7,  therefore^  the  prisoner  of  the  Lord,  beseech  you,  that 
 ye  walk  loorthy  of  the  vocation  wherewith  ye  are  called, 
 with  all  lowliness  and  meekness,  ivith  long-suffering,  for- 
 hearing  one  another  in  love.  We  may  observe  how  much 
 force  these  words  derive  from  one  who  was  at  the  time 
 a  prisoner  for  Christ's  sake :  for  what  greater  evidence  of 
 love  could  there  be  in  himself  than  this  willingness  to 
 suffer  1  He  wished  them  to  be  bound  also,  but  by  another 
 chain,  that  of  mutual  love  and  forbearance;  not  the  iron 
 bands  on  the  feet  and  hands,  but  the  golden  chain  of  God 
 upon  the  heart  itself,  which  bound  them  to  one  another 
 and  unto  God.  Of  this  he  proceeds  to  speak  :  Endeavour- 
 ing, with  all  earnestness,  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in 
 the  bond  of  peace.  As  our  Blessed  Lord  Himself  prays 
 for  this  union,  ''that  they  may  be  one  as  We  are  One." 
 
THE  SABBATH  OF  CHRIST  FOUND  IN  MEEKNESS.      209 
 
 As  the  whole  body  and  all  its  members  are  held  together 
 by  one  soul,  one  spirit  of  life,  so  is  it  with  the  Church  of 
 God.  There  is  one  hody  and  one  Sjnrit :  one  Spirit  which 
 animates  and  quickens  that  body,  or  else  it  would  be  more 
 bodies  than  one.  Even  as  ye  are  called  in  one  hope  of 
 your  calling.  Here  on  earth,  and  in  things  temporal, 
 nothing  unites  men  so  much  together  as  having  one  object 
 to  desire,  one  end  to  hope  for;  how  much  more  when 
 that  desire  and  hope  is  for  everlasting  union  together 
 through  the  indwelling  of  God?  One  Lord,  one  faith, 
 one  baptism,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  Wlio  is  above  all, 
 and  through  all,  and  in  you  all.  What  greater  bond  is  it 
 possible  to  conceive  than  this?  It  contains  within  it 
 everything  which  can  hold  men  together  in  love  in  this 
 bad  world,  whether  friends  or  relations  of  any  kind.  It 
 might  be  likened  to  a  chain  of  adamant,  or  any  substance 
 which  nothing  can  rend  asunder;  nay  more,  God  Himself 
 is  this  chain,  this  chain  of  love,  for  God  Himself  is  love. 
 How  then  can  it  ever  be  broken  ?  It  is  indeed  so ;  and 
 in  Heaven,  where  God  is,  it  cannot  be  severed ;  for  there 
 God  is  All  in  All,  and  this  bond  is  strong  as  the  founda- 
 tion of  Heaven  ;  but  here  on  earth,  although  it  may  become 
 ever  more  and  more  strong,  yet  it  is  all  easily  broken  and 
 rent  asunder  by  pride.  It  is  preserved  only  in  humility, 
 by  each  esteeming  other  better  than  himself;  but  wherever 
 pride  comes  in,  alas,  my  brethren,  it  is  but  as  the  withy 
 bands,  when  Samson  awakens  :  it  is  all  gone.  And  what 
 from  poor  fallen  nature  is  more  inseparable  than  pride  1 
 "  It  bindeth  me  about  as  the  collar  of  my  coat,"  as  Job 
 says.^  We  shall  not  be  divested  of  it,  till  the  old  Adam 
 be  laid  in  the  dust,  and  the  new  man  be  altogether 
 within  us. 
 
 1  Job  xxjf.  18. 
 
 VOL.  IL  P 
 
210      THE  SE VENTEENTH  S UNDA  Y  A  FTER  TRINITY. 
 
 Let  US  now,  therefore,  turn  to  the  Great  Physician  of 
 body  and  soul,  to  that  gracious  and  blessed  example  which 
 the  Gospel  for  the  day  presents  to  us,  in  Him  on  Whom 
 to  gaze  is  itself  our  health,  if  only  we  look  on  Him  with 
 faith  in  His  Godhead,  and  go  out  of  ourselves  to  read 
 wisdom  "  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ." 
 
 And  it  came  to  2^<^ss,  says  St.  Luke,  as  Jesus  went  into 
 the  house  of  one  of  the  chief  Pharisees  to  eat  bread  on  the 
 sabbath  day,  that  they  watched  Him.  Our  Lord  had 
 taught  the  Jews  that  the  only  way  of  keeping  the  law 
 was  by  love ;  the  love  of  God  and  the  love  of  man ;  and 
 especially  by  the  latter,  as  the  outward  evidence  of  the 
 former,  which  He  instances  in  the  parable  of  the  Good 
 Samaritan.  But  our  Lord's  custom  was  to  teach  by  actions 
 as  much  as  by  words,  and  therefore  the  day  which  may 
 be  said  to  represent  the  Law,  the  Holy  Day  of  the  Jews, 
 the  Sabbath,  He  appeared  to  select  more  especially  for 
 His  works  of  mercy.  For  as  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the 
 law,  in  love  is  to  be  found  that  rest  which  the  Sabbath 
 signified,  when  man  ceases  from  his  own  works  in  that 
 faith  which  worketh  by  love,  through  the  indwelling  of 
 God,  Who  worketh  in  us.  Thus  we  find  that  in  the 
 synagogue,  on  the  Sabbath  Day,  our  Lord  wrought  His 
 miracles  of  healing;  and  now,  when  the  synagogue  was 
 over,  and  He  had  gone  to  the  house  of  one  of  the  rulers 
 of  the  synagogue,  it  was  evident  to  all  that  the  same  love 
 and  compassion  was  in  His  mind.  If  distress  was  there, 
 He  would  alleviate  it.  And  they  "  watched  Him ;"  eyes 
 of  hatred  and  suspicion  were  cast  upon  Him.  These  with 
 us  are  apt  to  dry  up  what  little  love  we  have;  but  it  is 
 not  so  with  God. 
 
 Andy  behold,  there  loas  a  certain  man  before  Him  which 
 had  the  dropsy.     And  Jesus  answering,  or  reverting  to 
 
THE  SABBA  TH  OF  CHRIST  FOUND  IN  MEEKNESS.    211 
 
 their  thoughts,  spake  unto  the  Lawyers  and  Pharisees, 
 saying,  Is  it  lawful  to  heal  on  the  sahhath  day  ?  And 
 they  held  their  peace.  And  He  took  him  and  healed  Mm, 
 and  let  him  go.  Our  Lord  was  at  a  feast,  but  He  laid  not 
 aside  for  one  moment  that  which  was  always  in  His  mind, 
 love  and  compassion  for  man.  One  in  distress,  or  in- 
 firmity, or  want,  was  to  Him  what  the  sight  of  a  great 
 man  may  be  to  us,  something  that  immediately  attracted 
 His  attention  beyond  others.  Now  here  we  are  taught 
 this  great  law  of  love,  that  we  are  on  all  occasions  to 
 think  of  those  who  most  need  our  aid.  And  again,  what 
 a  consolation  to  ourselves  in  our  great  need  !  We  are 
 taught  what  God  is,  so  full  of  wonderful  compassion,  that 
 the  fact  of  our  needing  His  assistance  is  enough ;  He  is 
 watching,  and  waiting,  and  willing  to  aid  us. 
 
 And  now  that  our  Lord  had  healed  the  man  with  the 
 dropsy.  He  turns  to  a  more  subtle  evil  which  was  before 
 Him,  the  swelling  pride  of  these  Pharisees.  But  as  this 
 is  in  the  heart  itself,  which  must  first  know  its  own 
 disease.  He  gently  leads  them  on  to  the  knowledge  of  this 
 their  self-deceit  or  hypocrisy  ;  for  they,  in  their  covetous- 
 ness,  would  do  the  same  for  their  beasts,  which  He  as  God 
 had  done  in  His  love  for  His  creatures.  For  if  they  had 
 loved  each  other  as  they  loved  their  own  property,  they 
 could  not  have  looked  on  with  such  evil  eyes.  0  blessed 
 law  of  love,  what  infinite  pains  has  our  Lord  taken  to 
 engrave  thee  on  our  hearts  ! 
 
 The  man,  made  sound  by  His  word,  had  departed  in 
 peace.  There  is  an  expressive  pause,  for  the  angry  coun- 
 tenances that  looked  on  are  but  the  more  embittered  at 
 the  sight.  He  addressed  them,  therefore,  again.  And 
 answered  them,  saying,  Which  of  you  shall  have  an  ass 
 or  an  ox  fallen  into  a  pit,  and  will  not  straightway  pidl 
 p  2 
 
212      THE  SEVENTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER   TRINITY. 
 
 Mm  out  on  the  sahhatli  day  1  And  they  could  not  answer 
 Him  again  to  these  things.  They  stood  convicted  by  their 
 own  consciences. 
 
 Such  was  our  Lord's  conduct  at  a  feast ;  we  have 
 accounts  of  what  He  did  when  by  the  way,  when  in  the 
 synagogue,  when  in  the  temple,  when  in  a  ship,  when  He 
 was  with  the  multitudes,  when  with  His  disciples,  when 
 alone,  for  He  was  then  always  in  prayer,  when  in  a 
 friend's  house,  as  with  Martha  and  Mary;  and  here  we 
 have  a  description  of  what  He  was  doing  when  He  sat  at 
 meat  in  a  Pharisee's  house,  with  many  guests.  Having 
 healed  the  sick.  He  is  now  endeavouring  to  heal  that 
 worse  disease,  from  which  flowed  this  great  want  of  love. 
 The  evil  spirit  that  possessed  the  body,  and  the  diseases 
 to  which  it  is  subject,  are  easily  overcome;  but  that  evil 
 spirit  of  pride  which  possesses  the  souls  of  us  all  is  lodged 
 deeper.  It  is  not  against  this  outward  covering  of  tem- 
 poral life,  but  against  the  life  which  is  in  God  it  struggles. 
 Wherever  it  dwells  in  any  degree  it  stifles  love.  That 
 old  serpent  in  the  heart  strangles  the  dove.  Wherever 
 he  is,  the  Spirit  of  God  grieves  and  departs.  It  is  to  this 
 then  that  we  now  behold  the  Great  Physician  directing 
 His  attention. 
 
 And  He  put  forth  a  parable  to  those  lohich  loere  hidden, 
 v:hen  He  marked  how  they  chose  oid  the  chief  rooms. 
 For  not  the  Pharisees  only,  but  all  "  love  the  uppermost 
 seats."  Nor  is  there  any  more  melancholy  sight,  more  sad 
 proof  of  the  selfishness  of  which  even  Christians  are  guilty, 
 than  when  many  are  gathered  together,  whether  at  a  dinner, 
 or  in  travelling,  or  at  a  show,  or  in  business,  where  each 
 endeavours  to  make  himself  more  at  ease,  more  at  large, 
 higher  or  better  off  than  his  neighbour.  Nay,  alas,  does 
 not  this  same  spirit  enter  even  into  our  very  churches  also  1 
 
THE  SABBATH  OF  CHRIST  FOUND  IN  MEEKNESS.    213 
 
 "He  put  forth  a  parable,"  it  is  said,  l^ow  a  parable 
 means  a  dark  saying,  something  containing  in  it  a  deeper 
 signification  than  the  mere  circumstances  of  the  story 
 itself;  and  here  no  doubt  it  means  that  what  our  Lord 
 spake  respecting  persons  sitting  down  at  dinner  He  meant 
 to  apply  to  all  the  circumstances  of  our  life,  to  the  place 
 which  we  assume  to  ourselves  under  that  Gospel  which  is 
 likened  to  a  marriage  feast. 
 
 He  put  forth  a  parable,  saying  unto  them,  When  thou 
 art  hidden  of  any  man  to  a  loedding,  that  is,  to  a  great 
 feast,  for  the  wedding  supper  was  with  the  Jews  the  chief 
 occasion  of  such  meetings,  sit  not  down  in  the  highest 
 room  ;  lest  a  more  honourahle  man  than  thou  he  hidden  of 
 him;  and  he  that  hade  thee  and  him  come  and  say  to  thee, 
 Give  this  man  place ;  and  thou  hegin  ivith  shame  to  take 
 the  lowest  room.  Take  care,  whatever  you  do,  that  you 
 are  not  estimating  yourself  too  highly,  and  above  others ; 
 for  if  you  do,  be  assured  you  will  be  found  out,  and 
 covered  with  shame.  For  all  things  Avill  find  their  place, 
 all  will  be  known.  Your  neighbour  may,  in  God's  sight, 
 be  above  you,  and  assuredly  will  be  if  you  set  yourself 
 above  him  in  your  own  mind.  For  real  greatness  depends 
 on  the  knowledge  men  have  of  God  ;  and  the  more  know- 
 ledge men  have  of  God  the  more  humble  they  are. 
 
 But  ichen  thou  art  hidden,  go  and  sit  dmon  in  the  lowest 
 room;  that,  when  he  that  hade  thee  cometh,  he  may  say 
 unto  thee,  Friend,  go  up  higher:  then  shall  thou  have 
 loorship  in  the  presence  of  them  that  sit  at  meat  with  thee. 
 ISTow  if  a  person  were  literally  to  do  this  which  our  Blessed 
 Lord  commands,  if  he  were  to  take  the  lowest  place,  with 
 a  view  that  he  might  be  put  up  to  the  highest,  and  so 
 gain  more  honour  in  the  sight  of  all  the  guests,  why  surely 
 this  would  not  be  humility  and  lowliness  of  mind,  but  it 
 
214      THE  SE  VENTEENTH  S  UNDA  Y  A  FTER  TRINI TY. 
 
 would  be  the  worst  kind  of  pride,  together  with  hypo- 
 crisy and  dissimulation.  For  indeed  we  ought  to  choose 
 and  love  the  lowest  place  out  of  lowliness  of  mind,  and 
 from  the  love  of  God  and  our  neighbour;  we  ought  to  be 
 most  happy  at  being  there  left  in  the  lowest  place  as  best 
 suited  for  us,  and  not  from  any  secret  desire  of  exaltation. 
 Far  from  it.  Such  were  more  like  the  secret  creeping  up 
 of  a  serpent,  than  that  meekness  and  lowliness  of  heart 
 which  was  in  the  Son  of  God.  How,  therefore,  are  we  to 
 explain  this  saying  of  Christ's'?  The  parable  is  indeed 
 an  instance  of  His  exceeding  gentleness  and  meekness  of 
 wisdom.  If  at  this  feast,  and  on  witnessing  this  struggle 
 for  precedence,  among  proud  and  ambitious  men,  He  had 
 said  aloud,  "  Humble  yourselves  in  the  sight  of  God,  and 
 He  in  due  time  wiU  lift  you  up,"  this  would  have  seemed 
 to  them  quite  out  of  season,  and  unsuitable  to  the  occa- 
 sion; these  worldly  men  would  but  have  scorned,  and 
 been  angry  with  their  Divine  Teacher.  They  would  have 
 been  the  worse  rather  than  the  better  for  such  a  warning, 
 and  therefore  our  Lord  Himself  has  said  to  us,  "  Cast  not 
 your  pearls  before  swine,  or  they  will  trample  them  under 
 foot,  and  turn  again  and  rend  you."  They  knew  not  that 
 they  were  in  the  sight  of  the  all-seeing  God.  They  loved 
 Him  not,  and  honoured  Him  not.  But  He,  in  the  mean- 
 while, was  looking  with  tender  pity  and  regard  on  their 
 infirmities;  He  saw  and  knew  full  well  the  exceeding 
 meanness  and  poverty  of  this  their  proud  love  of  dis- 
 tinction. They  knew  not  Him,  but  He  knew  them  full 
 weU.  He  looked  upon  them  as  we  might  on  little 
 children,  and  only  thought  how  He  might  best  correct 
 them  in  their  childish  follies.  What  He  earnestly  longed 
 for  in  them  was  lowliness  of  mind,  but  how  was  He  to 
 produce  this?     "Answer  a  fool  according  to  his  foUy," 
 
THE  SABBATH  OF  CHRIST  FOUND  IN  MEEKNESS.    215 
 
 says  the  Divine  wisdom,  in  the  Book  of  Prover})s  ;'^  that 
 is,  you  must  meet  him  in  his  ignorance,  and  by  that 
 correct  him.  And  thus  our  Lord  endeavoured  to  catch 
 them,  as  it  were,  in  the  nets  of  their  own  pride.  He  saw 
 how  blind  they  were,  and  in  their  blindness  wandering 
 far  out  of  the  way,  and  yet  that  they  would  not  accept 
 His  guiding  hand,  because  they  thought  themselves  wise 
 and  clear-sighted.  It  is,  therefore,  as  if  He  had  said, 
 Now,  you  are  all  anxious  for  honour  and  distinction, 
 I  will  therefore  advise  you  which  is  the  best  course  for 
 you  to  adopt  in  order  to  obtain  it.  This  advice  the  worst 
 of  them  could  not  despise ;  but  the  better  among  them 
 would  be  rendered  thoughtful,  would  consider  over  what 
 our  Lord  could  mean,  would  remember  His  strange  ex- 
 pression, "  If  you  are  desirous  of  honour,  sit  down  in  the 
 lowest  place,"  We  cannot  but  suppose  that  among  that 
 company  there  must  have  been  some  who  thus  returned 
 home,  pondering  over  and  considering  what  the  Divine 
 Teacher,  Who  restored  the  dropsical  man,  could  intend  by 
 this  instruction.  One  thing  was  evident,  that  He  wished 
 them  all  to  take  the  lowest  place, — such  was  to  be  their 
 conduct.  Eut  what  was  their  motive  to  be?  "That 
 when  the  master  of  the  feast  cometh,  he  may  say,  '  Go 
 up  higher;'  then  shalt  thou  have  worship  in  the  sight  of 
 them  that  sit  at  meat  with  thee."  But  when  is  this  to 
 be  \  Who  is  this  master  of  the  feast,  who  will  know  the 
 right  place  for  each?  Does  it  allude  to  that  table  of 
 which  our  Lord  speaks  on  another  occasion,  when  He 
 says  that  they  shall  come  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  and 
 sit  down  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the  Kingdom 
 of  Heaven.     It  was  probably  so   understood,  for  it  was 
 
 2  Prov,  xxvi.  5. 
 
216      THE  SEVENTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER   TRINITY. 
 
 apparently  at  this  feast  that  afterwards,  when  our  Lord 
 exhorts  him.  that  invited  him  when  he  made  a  feast  to 
 invite  the  poor,  one  present  exclaimed,  "Blessed  is  he 
 that  shall  eat  bread  in  the  Kingdom  of  God."  As  if  it 
 were  to  that  our  Lord  had  directed  their  thoughts. 
 
 And  He  ends  by  comprising  it  all  in  this  short  sen- 
 tence :  For  wliosoever  exaltetli  himself  shall  he  abased  ;  and 
 he  that  humbleih  himself  shall  he  exalted.  Many  are  the 
 forms  of  hiimility,  or  the  ways  in  which  it  shows  itself, 
 which  our  Lord  sets  forth  in  different  parables ;  on  this 
 occasion  it  is  taking  the  lowest  place  at  a  feast;  at  another, 
 it  is  one  who  in  prayer  stands  afar  off,  not  daring  to  lift  up 
 his  eyes  to  Heaven  ;  in  another,  it  is  one  who  comes  with 
 the  words,  "  Father,  I  am  not  worthy  to  be  called  Thy  son, 
 make  me  as  one  of  Thine  hired  servants ;"  in  another 
 parable,  it  is  one  who  loved  much  because  he  felt  he  had 
 been  forgiven  much ;  in  another,  it  is  one  who,  even  at 
 the  last  Day,  says  with  surprise,  ''  Lord,  when  saw  we 
 Thee  an  hungered,  and  ministered  unto  Thee  %  "  as  if  quite 
 unconscious  of  any  good  in  himself  that  should  claim  so  great 
 reward.  Many  also  are  the  examples  which  set  forth  the 
 same  in  different  aspects,  but  this  one  expression  embraces 
 aU. 
 
 There  seems  some  great  mystery  on  this  subject  of 
 humility,  as  connected  with  our  justification,  with  the 
 atonement  of  Christ  and  our  faith.  Perhaps  the  less  we 
 say  to  explain  it  the  less  likely  we  shall  be  to  fall  into 
 error ;  for  it  is  one  on  which  the  most  wise  have  fallen, 
 but  the  meek  will  be  guided  aright  in  the  way  of  peace. 
 All  that  we  know  is,  that  there  is  nothing  which  our 
 Blessed  Lord  has  so  laboured  to  inculcate  upon  us,  as  this 
 one  grace  of  humility ;  or  rather,  not  as  one  grace,  but 
 as  that  without  which  there  can  be  no  grace  whatever  in 
 
THE  SABBA  TH  OF  CHRIST  FOUND  IN  MEEKNESS.    217 
 
 the  soul  on  which.  God  looks  with  approbation.  By  His 
 example,  by  His  parables,  by  precepts  and  exhortations 
 without  number,  He  has  declared  to  us  the  infinite  im- 
 portance of  it.  No  words,  therefore,  can  possibly  express 
 of  what  moment  it  is  to  each  one  of  us  that  we  labour 
 after  it. 
 
 Whatever  other  meaning  this  parable  may  have,  of 
 taking  the  lowest  place  at  the  wedding  feast,  we  may  be 
 quite  sure  that  it  is  rightly  explained  of  the  Lord's  table, 
 at  which  they  that  hunger  are  filled.  There  can  be  no 
 doubt  that  he  will  be  the  highest  in  God's  favour  who 
 comes  to  that  Divine  Table  with  the  most  lowly  mind, 
 most  deeply  sensible  of  his  own  unworthiness. 
 
 If  such  lowliness  is  most  becoming  for  the  guests  at  a 
 man's  table  ;  if  it  is  the  most  availing  disposition  in  prayer 
 to  God ;  if  feeling  most  the  need  of  forgiveness  it  loves 
 most ;  if  it  is  most  rich  in  pardon  to  enemies  and  compas- 
 sions to  all,  there  can  be  no  time  and  no  place  where  it  is 
 more  needed,  than  when  we  come  to  the  altar  of  God,  to 
 partake  in  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Him  Who  humbled 
 Himself  from  Heaven  to  earth  for  our  sakes. 
 
SERMON    LXV. 
 €f)t  (ltiQi)tttnti)  ^untrag  after  Cnnit^. 
 
 I  Cor.  i.  4—8.     St.  Matt.  xxii.  34—46. 
 CHRIST  ON   THE   RIGHT  HAND   OF  GOD. 
 
 He  saith  unto  them,  How  then  doth  David  in  spirit  call  Him  Lord, 
 
 saying. 
 The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  Thou  on  My  right  hand,  tiU  2 
 
 make  Thine  enemies  Thy  footUool  ? — St.  Matt.  xxii.  43,  44. 
 
 ALTHOUGH  the  Epistle  for  the  day  is  always  placed 
 before  the  Gospel,  and  is  therefore  to  he  first  con- 
 sidered hy  us,  yet  we  know  that,  in  point  of  fact,  it  usually 
 alludes  to  circumstances  which  occurred  long  after  those  of 
 which  the  Gospel  speaks,  and  after  important  changes  had 
 taken  place,  by  our  Lord's  ascent  to  Heaven,  and  the 
 coming  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  would  therefore  often  tend 
 to  edification,  if  we  could  take  the  Epistle  after  the  Gospel, 
 in  which  case  it  would  afford  a  striking  confirmation  of 
 its  truth,  or  introduce  precepts  flowing  from  it.  Such  is 
 much  the  case  to-day.  For  how  wonderful  is  the  language 
 of  our  short  Epistle,  when  we  consider  it  as  a  fulfilment 
 of  that  which  our  Lord  alluded  to  in  the  Gospel,  as  the 
 text  mentions.     He  spoke  of  that  mysterious  expression 
 
CHRIST   ON   THE   RIGHT  HAND    OF  GOD.  219 
 
 of  David,  when  it  was  all  unintelligible  to  the  Jews  ;  but 
 how  different  was  the  case  when  St.  Paul  wrote  !  Sitting 
 at  the  right  hand  of  God,  and  there  seen  by  the  eye  of 
 Mth,  He  had  poured  down  such  gifts  on  His  Church,  and 
 -exerted  such  power  in  the  hearts  of  believers,  that  about 
 five-and-twenty  years  after  our  Lord  had  thus  spoken  St. 
 Paul  was  able  to  write  to  the  Corinthians,  appealing  to  his 
 and  their  own  experience  in  such  words  as  these  : — 
 
 /  tlianh  my  God  always  on  your  hehalf,  for  the  grace  of 
 God  ivliich  is  given  you  by  Jesus  Christ;  that  in  every- 
 thing ye  are  enriched  by  Him,  in  all  utterance,  and  in  all 
 Jmoivledge ;  even  as  the  testimony  of  Christ  was  confirmed 
 in  you;  so  that  ye  come  behind  in  no  gift ;  waiting  for  the 
 coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  Who  shall  also  confirm 
 you  unto  the  end,  that  ye  may  be  blameless  in  the  day  of 
 our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 The  Church  of  Corinth  was  peculiarly  rich  in  these 
 spiritual  gifts,  the  outward  manifestations  of  power,  but 
 all  intended  to  promote  their  spiritual  profit,  and  to  prepare 
 them  for  Christ's  return  in  judgment.  And  thus,  in  the 
 opening  of  this  Epistle,  St.  Paul  bears  testimony  to  these 
 gifts,  showing  how  much  he  rejoiced  in  these  their  privi- 
 leges, and  giving  solemn  thanks  for  them,  before  he  pro- 
 ceeds, as  he  afterwards  does  in  this  Epistle,  to  correct  the 
 abuses  of  them,  and  to  turn  their  attention  to  the  great 
 end  of  all,  that  charity  which  comprehends  the  love  of  God 
 and  the  love  of  our  neighbour. 
 
 The  passage,  moreover,  is  remarkable,  as  St.  Chrysostom 
 observes  of  it,  and  indeed  of  the  whole  of  this  Epistle,  for 
 the  very  frequent  mention  of  the  Xame  of  Christ.  He 
 speaks  of  the  grace  bestowed  by  Christ,  of  their  being 
 enriched  by  Christ,  of  the  testimony  of  Christ  confirmed 
 in  them,  of  their  waiting  for  Christ's  coming,  of  Christ  so 
 
220      THE   EIGHTEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 establishing  them  that  they  may  be  blameless  in  the  day 
 of  His  Coming.  So  forcible  is  this  testimony,  as  an 
 answer  to  our  Lord's  question,  and  as  explaining  the  ex- 
 pression of  David  when  he  spake  in  prophecy. 
 
 And  now  let  us  consider  in  detail  the  Gospel  itself; 
 to  understand  its  exceeding  interest  and  importance  we 
 must  look  to  the  occasion  of  which  it  speaks.  It  was  on  our 
 Lord's  last  public  teaching  of  the  Jews, — His  last  teaching 
 in  the  temple, — only  two  or  three  days  before  He  was 
 put  to  death.  When  the  Pharisees  had  heard  that  Jesus 
 had  put  the  Sadducees  to  silence,  they  were  gathered 
 together.  Our  Lord  had  just  shown  the  Sadducees  that 
 the  doctrine  of  the  Resurrection,  which  they  denied,  was 
 implied  in  the  very  Law  of  Moses  itself ;  upon  this  their 
 great  adversaries,  the  Pharisees,  were  for  a  moment 
 softened  in  their  enmity  against  Christ,  Who  had  with  such 
 wisdom  and  power  defended  what  they  considered  their 
 own  cause.  They  were  in  consequence  collecting  together 
 in  little  crowds  in  the  open  spaces  of  the  temple,  con- 
 versing on  this  victory  they  had  obtained  ;  and  upon 
 this  one  of  the  most  reflecting  among  their  learned  men 
 thought  he  would  try  our  Lord's  answer  on  a  point  dis- 
 cussed among  themselves.  Then  one  of  them,  who  was 
 a  Lawyer,  or  Scribe,  a  teacher  of  the  law,  asJced  Him  a 
 question,  tempting  Him,  that  is  in  order  to  try  Him,  for 
 all  the  people  it  is  said  were  now  "  astonished  at  His  doc- 
 trine ;"  the  Scribe  therefore  wished  to  put  His  knowledge 
 to  the  proof;  tempting  Him,  and  saying,  Master,  which 
 is  the  great  commandment  in  the  Law  ?  Jesus  said  unto 
 him.  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy 
 heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind.  This 
 is  the  first  and  great  commandment.  And  the  second  is 
 like  unto  it,   Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself. 
 
CHRIST   ON   THE   RIGHT  HAND    OF   GOD.  221 
 
 But  this  is  not  all,  for  it  is  not  as  if  these  two  command- 
 ments were  to  be  selected  and  set  apart  from  the  Scrip- 
 tures as  something  higher  and  better  than  the  rest,  as 
 some  of  the  Jewish  interpreters  would  suppose.  But  the 
 fact  is,  that  these  two  commandments  contain  within  them 
 all  the  rest,  so  that  if  these  are  fulfilled  all  the  Scriptures 
 are  kept ;  if  these  are  not  fulfilled  nothing  is.  On  these 
 two  cojnmandments,  our  Lord  adds,  hang  all  the  Law  and 
 the  Prophets. 
 
 St.  Mark  tells  us  in  his  account,  that  the  Scribe  greatly 
 admired  the  wisdom  of  this  reply ;  and  that  in  con- 
 sequence our  Blessed  Lord  said  unto  him,  that  he  was 
 not  far  from  the  Kingdom  of  God,  that  is,  that  he  was 
 very  near  being  a  Christian.  How  was  it,  we  may  ask, 
 that  he  was  so  near  being  a  Christian  1  It  was  because 
 he  perceived  that  the  love  of  God  and  man  was  everything ; 
 that  it  was  all  which  the  Law  and  the  Prophets  con- 
 tained ;  he  had  then  so  far  a  spiritual  discernment  into 
 the  meaning  of  the  Scriptures.  This  brought  him  near  ; 
 but  what  was  it  prevented  him,  as  a  Scribe  learned  in 
 Divine  matters,  from  being  altogether  a  Christian  1  And 
 the  same  may  be  said  of  all  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  ; 
 the  nearest  approach  they  made  was  this.  ISTow  our  Lord, 
 in  teaching  them,  always  appealed  to  the  Scriptures  of 
 the  Old  Testament,  because  these  were  the  study  of  their 
 lives;  it  was  through  these  that  God  would  teach  and 
 guide  them  into  all  truth.  They  advanced  so  far  then  as 
 to  see  that  the  love  of  God  was  All  in  All ;  but  still  they 
 raised  not  their  thoughts  beyond  this ;  they  did  not  per- 
 ceive that  Christ  was  God ;  they  did  not  see  it  in  the 
 Scriptures.  Knowing  that  He  was  to  be  the  Son  of 
 David,  they  thought  that  He  would  surely  come  with 
 signs  of  worldly  greatness,  a  King,  a  Conqueror,  and  a 
 
222      THE   EIGHTEENTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 Prophet,  like  David  was.  They  did  not  discern  that  the 
 Old  Testament  itself  spoke  of  Him  as  God,  and  that  there- 
 fore His  greatness,  and  His  power,  and  His  kingdom 
 must  be  something  worthy  of  God,  something  spiritual, 
 heavenly,  and  eternal.  And  this  altogether  arose,  not 
 from  want  of  learning  or  intellectual  skill,  but  from  the 
 state  of  the  heart ;  for  if  they  had  longed  for  the  eternal 
 life  which  is  with  God,  if  they  had  indeed  loved  God,  and 
 therefore  felt  that  in  His  love  there  could  never  be  any 
 death  or  sorrow,  then  they  would  have  considered  "all 
 the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  and  the  glory  of  them,"  as  no 
 gifts  worthy  of  God.  They  would  have  thought  forgive- 
 ness of  sins,  and  restoration  to  God's  favour  as  the  only 
 objects  worthy  of  any  concern.  They  would  have  looked 
 and  longed  for  this  in  the  old  Scriptures.  But  they 
 looked  not  up  to  Heaven,  but  down  to  earth.  Therefore  it 
 was  that  they  did  not  perceive,  in  reading  the  Scriptures, 
 that  Christ  was  the  Son  of  God ;  that  His  kingdom  was 
 to  be  entirely  spiritual,  and  His  enemies  the  enemies  of 
 the  soul  of  man.  For  this  reason,  therefore,  it  was  that 
 our  Blessed  Lord  now  finished  all  His  teaching  by  putting 
 to  them  one  question.  These  were  the  last  words  He 
 spoke  to  the  Jews ;  and,  at  last,  when  before  His  cruci- 
 fixion He  was  questioned  in  a  very  solemn  manner  by 
 the  High  Priest  before  the  Council,  He  called  their 
 attention  to  the  same  passage  of  Scripture,  and  confirmed 
 it  by  His  expression.  It  may,  therefore,  be  considered 
 as  His  one  last  question  to  the  Jews,  and  from  that  day  to 
 this  the  Jews  are  to  be  met  with  in  all  parts  of  the  world ; 
 and  if  you  ask  the  reason  why  this  is  so,  it  is  this,  because 
 they  have  not  yet  been  able  to  answer  this  our  Lord's 
 question  to  them.  He  has  left  the 'question  with  them, 
 and  all  this  scene  going  on  ever  since  will  end,  my  brethren, 
 
CHRIST  ON    THE   RIGHT   HAND    OF   GOD.  223 
 
 in  nothing  else  but  in  this,  in  our  Lord  Himself  giving 
 the  answer  to  His  own  question.  And  this  will  be  on 
 that  Great  Day  when  He  will  appear  in  His  own  glory, 
 and  in  the  glory  of  His  Father,  and  with  the  holy  angels, 
 that  will  be  His  own  answer  to  this  question  which  He 
 has  left,  "What  think  ye  of  Christ,  whose  Son  is  He?" 
 Or,  as  He  said  in  those  His  last  words  to  the  High  Priest, 
 when  he  said  unto  Him,  "Art  Thou  the  Christ?"  He 
 answered,  "  Hereafter  shall  ye  see  the  Son  of  Man  on  the 
 right  hand  of  power,  and  coming  in  the  clouds  of  Heaven ;" 
 by  which  words  our  Lord  evidently  alludes  to  this  same 
 passage  of  the  Psalms,  to  which  He  here  appeals  in  this 
 His  last  question  to  the  Jews. 
 
 I  would  draw,  therefore,  especial  attention  to  the  cir- 
 cumstances under  which  our  Lord  spoke  what  follows. 
 Many  questions  had  been  put  to  Him  from  various  motives, 
 these  had  now  all  ceased.  He  had  taught  them  by 
 divers  parables  and  sayings;  but  now  at  last  He  puts 
 this  remarkable  question  to  them  which  He  does  not 
 answer.  While  the  Pharisees  were  gathered  together,  now 
 coming  round  Him  in  great  numbers,  Jesus  asked  them, 
 saying,  What  think  ye  of  Christ  ?  whose  Son  is  He  ? 
 They  say  unto  Him,  The  Son  of  David.  It  was  the  very 
 answer  Avhich  our  Lord  desired  to  obtain  from  them  ;  and 
 this  appears  still  more  evident  in  St.  Mark's  account  of 
 the  occurrence,  for  he  says  that  our  Lord  also  Himself 
 said,  "How  say  the  Scribes  that  Christ  is  the  Son  of 
 David?"  For  indeed  this  is  very  true,  but  when  a  pro- 
 phecy contains  also  something  very  different  which  is 
 unexplained,  this  proves  that  the  interpreter  has  not 
 come  to  the  depth  of  the  matter ;  and  there  is  something 
 in  this  prophecy  very  inconsistent  with  Christ's  being 
 merely  the  Son  of  David,    something   which,  humanly 
 
224      THE   EIGHTEENTH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 speaking,  seems  to  contradict  it.  He  saith  unto  them, 
 How  then  doth  David  in  spirit  call  Him  Lord,  saying, 
 Tlie  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,  Sit  Thou  on  My  right  hand, 
 till  I  mal'e  Thine  enemies  Thy  footstool  ?  If  David  then 
 call  Him  Lord,  how  is  He  then  his  Son  ? 
 
 It  is  as  if  He  had  said,  I  am  now  going  to  leave  you,  I 
 speak  to  you  for  the  last  time  ;  but  if  you  will  look  to  the 
 110th  Psalm,  and  consider  it,  you  will  there  find  the 
 whole  of  this  described,  which  is  now  about  to  take  place, 
 for  I  am  now  about  to  fulfil  that  Psalm.  You  think 
 that  the  Christ  is  to  be  no  more  than  the  Son  of  David, 
 the  great  King  of  Israel,  the  true  Israel  which  you  sup- 
 pose yourselves  to  be;  but  that  Psalm  speaks  of  His 
 eternal  generation  as  the  Son  of  God.  David  himself,  in 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  speaks  of  Him  as  his  Lord,  and  evi- 
 dently as  God,  for  he  uses  the  same  word  of  both  the 
 Father  and  the  Son  as  God,  "  the  Lord  said  to  my  Lord." 
 He  there  speaks  of  His  then  existing  in  Heaven,  and  of 
 His  hereafter  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father, 
 until  His  enemies  are  put  under  His  feet.  You  are  now 
 His  enemies, — so  are  all  unbelieving  and  wicked  men,  and 
 evil  spirits  and  death.  The  Christ  Who  is  now  about  to 
 leave  you,  being  rejected  of  you,  will  shortly  ascend  to 
 Heaven,  and  sit  on  the  right  hand  of  God.  They  that 
 believe  in  Him,  all  Christians  unto  the  end  of  the  world, 
 will  see  Him  there  by  the  eyes  of  faith,  interceding  for  them, 
 as  that  same  Psalm  expresses  it,  "a  Priest  for  ever  after 
 the  order  of  Melchizedek  ;"  but  the  unbelieving  Jews  who 
 wiU  not  see  Him  there  by  that  spiritual  sight  which  faith 
 gives,  shall  behold  Him  there  at  the  last  day ;  shall  see 
 that  He  is  indeed  the  Son  of  God,  when  He  is  no  more  as 
 a  criminal  standing  before  your  High  Priest,  and  con- 
 demned by  him  because  He  declares  Himself  the  Son  of 
 
CHRJST   ON   THE   RIGHT  HAND    OF   GOD.  225 
 
 God ;  but  coming  to  judge  the  world,  the  Son  of  Man  at 
 the  right  hand  of  power,  and  as  David  describes  in  that 
 Psalm,  putting  all  enemies  under  His  feet. 
 
 To  this  question  of  our  Lord's  in  the  temple  it  is  added  : 
 And  no  man  was  able  to  answer  Him  a  word  ;  neither  durst 
 any  man  from  that  day  forth  ask  Him  any  more  questions. 
 
 Such  is  the  account  in  the  Gospel  for  to-day ;  and  we 
 before  observed,  that  what  St.  Paul  says  in  the  Epistle 
 becomes  very  striking  and  remarkable  when  we  read  it  as 
 a  confirmation  of  our  Lord's  words. 
 
 From  that  day  even  to  this  it  has  ceased  to  be  a  matter 
 of  question ;  it  is  a  matter  of  fact  that  He  has  ever  since 
 that  time  exerted  this  power  and  victory.  He  is  sitting  on 
 the  right  hand  of  God,  which  denotes  inexpressible  power, 
 as  shown  in  His  Church  by  manifold  gifts  and  graces, 
 whether  those  outward  signs  of  which  St.  Paul  speaks,  the 
 rich  garment,  "  wrought  about  with  divers  colours,"  or  that 
 clothing  of  the  spirit  "  all  glorious  within,"  which  is 
 charity.  And  He  manifests  also  His  victory,  for  He  there 
 sits  while  His  enemies  are  being  made  His  footstool.  The 
 Church,  as  in  the  short  Epistle  for  to-day,  bears  witness 
 to  the  one,  and  looks  forward  to  the  full  completion  of  the 
 other  :  having  now  "  the  testimony  of  Christ  confirmed  " 
 in  her,  and  "  waiting  for"  His  "  coming,"  "  the  day  of  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
 
 VOL.  IT. 
 
SERMON   LXVI. 
 €i)t  ^imUmti)  ^unUap  afttr  Crmito. 
 
 Ephes.  iv.  17 — 32.     St.  Matt.  ix.  I — 8. 
 
 THE    FORGIVENESS    OF  SINS. 
 
 That  ye  put  off  concerning  the  former  conversation  the  old  man,  which 
 
 as  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  lusts  ; 
 And  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your  mind. — Ephes.  iv.  22,  23. 
 
 rjlHE  Gospel  for  to-day,  in  which  our  Lord  is  described 
 X  as  giving  life  to  the  dead  limbs  of  the  paralytic, 
 affords  us  a  very  lively  emblem  of  this  change  from  the 
 old  to  the  new  man,  which  must  take  place  in  us  by  faith 
 in  the  operation  of  His  Godhead.  But  let  us  first  con- 
 sider this  change,  as  St.  Paul  describes  it  in  the  Epistle. 
 This  I  say,  tlierefore,  and  testify  in  the  Lord,  that  ye  hence- 
 forth walk  not  as  other  Gentiles  ivaJk,  in  the  vanity  of  their 
 mind.  Not  like  the  rest  of  the  nations  who  know  not  of 
 the  Gospel.  But  "  the  vanity  of  their  mind  "  in  English 
 falls  far  short  of  the  original  expression ;  it  implies  having 
 no  good  end,  no  hope,  because  without  God. 
 
 Having  the  understanding  darkened,  helyig  alienated 
 from  the  life  of  God,  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in 
 them,  because  of  the  blindness  of  their  heart.    The  worst 
 
THE   FORGIVENESS   OF  SINS.  227 
 
 consequence  of  sin  is,  that  it  puts  out  the  light  which  is 
 in  the  mind;  and  therefore  our  Lord  says,  "Take  heed 
 that  the  light  which  is  in  thee  be  not  darkness ;"  it  brings 
 a  sort  of  callous  hard  crust  over  the  heart  itself,  so  that 
 it  can  neither  see  God  nor  love  Him,  nor  believe  Him, 
 and,  what  is  worse,  it  cannot  know  its  own  darkness. 
 And  the  nations  of  the  world  are  described  as  being  in 
 this  state,  "  sitting  in  darkness  "  and  in  "  the  shadow  of 
 death." 
 
 Who,  heing  past  feeling,  or  as  it  means,  "having  ceased 
 to  grieve,"  having  overcome  all  pain  and  remorse  for  sin ; 
 they  have  given  themselves  over  unto  lasdviousness,  to  worlt 
 all  undeaiiness  with  greediness.  Sin  enlargeth  its  desire 
 as  hell,  and  can  never  rest ;  it  is  unsatiable  as  the  grave  ; 
 for  having  stifled  the  conscience,  it  goes  on  adding  to  evil 
 desires  in  this  world,  and  increasing  sorrow  in  the  next. 
 It  cannot  rest;  for  it  knows  not  of  the  peace  which 
 Christ  gives. 
 
 But  ye  have  not  so  learned  Clirist  ;  if  so  he  that  ye  have 
 heard  Him,  and  have  been  taught  by  Him,  as  the  truth  is  in 
 Jesus.  l!^ot  that  these  Ephesians  had  ever  heard  Christ 
 teaching  in  the  flesh,  but  that,  like  ourselves,  they  hear 
 and  read  of  Him  in  the  Gospels,  and  are  taught  by  Him 
 and  by  His  Spirit ;  and  thus,  looking  to  Him  in  prayer, 
 are  transformed  into  the  likeness  of  the  New  Man. 
 
 That  ye  put  off,  concerning  the  former  conversation,  the 
 old  man,  which  is  corruiot  according  to  the  deceitful  lusts, 
 "  that  which  destroys,"  "  corrupted  and  corrupting," 
 according  to  those  lusts  whereby  the  deceit  of  Satan 
 worketh  to  destruction.  And  that  ye  be  renewed  in  the 
 Spirit  of  your  mind,  and  put  on  the  new  man.  Although 
 St.  Paul  speaks  of  them  as  already  "  sealed  by  the  Spirit 
 unto  the  day  of  redemption;"  yet  he  here  urges  them 
 Q  2 
 
228         THE  NINETEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 
 
 still  to  go  on  being  renewed,  and  putting  on  the  new 
 man,  ever  casting  aside  the  things  which  are  behind,  and 
 clothing  themselves  with  the  righteousness  of  Christ  as  if 
 they  had  never  done  so  before.  The  new  man,  whicli 
 after  God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness,  or 
 which  hath  been  once  created  according  to  God  in  the 
 holiness  of  truth.  "  After  God,"  for  the  old  man  is  after 
 the  corruption  of  Satan. 
 
 And  now  St.  Paul,  as  his  custom  is,  mentions  some 
 particulars  in  daily  life  in  which  this  holiness  will  consist. 
 ]Vherefo7'e,  he  says,  putting  away  lying,  speak  every  ojian 
 truth  with  his  neighbour:  for  loe  are  members  one  of 
 another.  As  he  had  said  before  that  "  speaking  the  truth 
 in  love"  we  should  "  grow  up  into  Him;"  and  that  thus 
 growing  up  into  His  body,  we  should  in  truth  and  love 
 be  ever  more  and  more  as  members  of  each  other. 
 
 Be  ye  angry  and  sin  not ;  i.  e.  although  ye  be  angry, 
 which  indeed  may  be  the  case  without  offence, — for  what 
 good  man  is  not  angry  at  successful  wickedness  1 — yet  let 
 your  righteous  indignation  be  without  sin ;  and  especially 
 let  no  resentment  ever  find  a  lodging  in  your  bosom. 
 Let  not  the  sun,  he  adds,  go  dozen  upon  your  wrath,  take 
 care  that  you  never  sleep  but  in  meekness  and  peace  with 
 all  the  world.  Neither  give  place  to  the  devil,  for  Satan 
 knows  full  well  that  God  forgives  you  not,  unless  you 
 forgive ;  and  any  feeling  of  unkindness  gives  an  opening 
 to  him  which  he  will  be  sure  to  increase. 
 
 Let  him  that  stole,  i.  e.  in  his  former  heathen  state,  let 
 him  steal  no  more ;  but  rather  let  him  labour,  working 
 with  his  hands  the  thing  which  is  good ;  i.  e.  at  some 
 honest  employment ;  that  he  may  have  to  give  to  him  that 
 needeth.  Let  him  not  be  content  to  leave  off  stealing, 
 but  now  let  him  labour  to  impart  to  others.     This  is  ever 
 
THE   FORGIVENESS   OF  SINS.  229 
 
 the  Christian  law,  abounding  in  grace  where  there  was 
 sin  before.  And  so  again,  in  the  next  instance,  we  must 
 not  be  content  to  do  no  evil,  but  must  do  good. 
 
 Let  no  corrupt  communication  proceed  out  of  your 
 mouth,  hut  that  which  is  good  to  the  use  of  edifying,  that 
 it  may  minister  grace  unto  the  hearers.  Let  your  dis- 
 course be  such  as  never  to  suggest  an  impure  thought ; 
 but,  on  the  contrary,  so  "  seasoned  with  the  salt "  of  good 
 principle  as  to  impart  grace  to  others.  For  every  word  or 
 thought  which  defiles  drives  away  the  good  Spirit  from 
 the  heart.  And,  therefore,  he  adds.  And  grieve  not  the 
 Holy  Spirit  of  God,  luherehy  ye  are  sealed  unto  the  day  of 
 redemption ;  i.  e.  at  Baptism,  as  he  said  before,  "  After 
 that  ye  believed  ye  were  sealed  by  the  Spirit." 
 
 And  he  sums  up  all  by  saying,  Let  all  hitterness,  and 
 wrath,  and  anger,  and  clamour,  and  eml-spea'king  he  put 
 ci'way  from  you,  ivith  all  malice.  And  he  ye  hind  one  to 
 another,  tender-hearted,  forgiving  one  another,  even  as  God 
 for  Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven  you.  Here  we  find 
 throughout  how  entirely  different  the  state  of  grace  is 
 to  that  of  nature,  to  the  state  of  the  heathen  world,  to 
 that,  alas,  even  of  many  around  us,  and  of  our  own  hearts. 
 It  will  always  be  on  earth  new,  singular,  unaccountable, 
 like  light  shining  in  the  darkness,  and  not  comprehended 
 by  it.  But  to  those  to  whom  St.  Paul  wrote  it  was  seen 
 in  strong  contrast  with  their  former  unregenerate  state. 
 "  We  ourselves,"  he  says,  "  were  sometimes  serving  lusts, 
 living  in  malice  and  envy,  hateful  and  hating  one  another. 
 But  after  that  the  kindness  and  love  of  God  our  Saviour 
 toward  man  appeared,"^ — Oh,  how  different  is  it  with 
 us  all ! 
 
 1  Titus  iii.  3. 
 
230         THE  NINETEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 
 
 ]^ow  I  have  endeavoured  Sunday  after  Sunday  to  point 
 out  to  you  how  all  that  beauty  of  holiness  which  St.  Paul 
 describes,  that  heavenly  conversation  which  he  inculcates 
 on  us,  is  found  full  of  life,  when  we  turn  to  the  Gospel 
 for  the  day.  The  Sun  of  Eighteousness  there  sheds  His 
 life-giving  beams  upon  it  all.  By  looking  unto  Him  that 
 change  is  wrought  in  us  by  His  Spirit,  which  St.  Paul 
 insists  on  as  necessary  for  us.  Xor  is  there  any  occasion 
 wherein  this  can  be  shown  more  strongly  than  in  the 
 Service  for  to-day.  Indeed  all  that  the  Apostle  says 
 would  have  been  in  vain,  had  not  Christ  been  first  mani- 
 fested to  mankind  as  we  read  of  Him  in  the  Gospels,  as 
 having  in  Himself  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead,  and 
 most  able  and  willing  to  work  this  change  from  death 
 unto  life.  "  Forgive  one  another,"  says  St.  Pad,  "  as 
 God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven  you ;"  and  the  Gospel 
 is  of  "  the  Son  of  Man "  having  "  power  on  earth  to 
 forgive  sins."  We  are  comforted  and  supported  as  we 
 read,  and  look  in  faith  unto  Him  in  Whom  is  forgiveness 
 of  sins,  and  power  of  resurrection,  and  of  a  new  life  in  all 
 those  parts  of  our  conduct  which  have  been  dead  before. 
 Thus,  Sunday  after  Sunday,  we  are  brought  to  be  in  com- 
 pany with  Christ,  and  to  meditate  on  Him  all  the  week ; 
 and  may  He  of  His  infinite  mercy  grant  that  we  may  be 
 aided  by  Him  to  look,  as  it  were,  at  this  time  upon  His 
 life-giving  countenance,  upon  His  face  of  holiness  and  of 
 love,  which  is  the  glory  of  the  new  covenant. 
 
 Jesus  entered  into  a  ship,  and  passed  over,  and  came 
 into  His  own  city  ;  that  is,  to  Capernaum,  which  He  made 
 the  usual  place  of  His  sojoui'n  during  this  His  teaching  in 
 Galilee.  And  here  we  may  observe,  that  His  entering 
 into  a  ship,  passing  from  shore  to  shore,  and  the  mention 
 of  His  own  city, — all  these  things  bring  Him  near  to  us. 
 
THE   FORGIVENESS    OF   SINS.  231 
 
 The  High  and  Lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity  thus 
 clothes  Himself  with  our  little  ways  as  men,  our  neces- 
 sities, our  journey ings,  and  homes,  in  order  that  we  may 
 feel  the  more  constrainingly  how  He  has  come  down  to 
 be  with  us.  "  If  He  had  remained  in  His  own  power 
 and  greatness.  He  would  have  had  nothing  common  with 
 man  ;  and  if  He  had  not  fulfilled  all  the  ways  of  the  flesh, 
 the  taking  upon  Himself  of  our  flesh  would  have  been 
 without  reality  and  superfluous.  But  the  Creator  and 
 Lord  of  all  things  had  thus  straitened  and  made  Himself 
 small,  that  He  might  be  with  us  in  the  flesh,  with  a  human 
 country,  and  city,  and  home,  that  He  might  thus  draw  out 
 our  human  affection,  and  bind  us  to  Himself  by  all  love 
 and  sympathy,  that  He  might  make  us  partakers  of  His 
 own  home  and  country  in  Heaven."^ 
 
 And  heliold,  they  brought  to  Him  a  onan  sick  of  the 
 pcdsy,  lying  on  a  ted.  The  circumstance  indicated  a  state 
 utterly  helpless,  so  that  he  could  not  ever  have  come 
 himself,  had  he  not  been  thus  carried.  And  Jesus,  seeing 
 their  faith,  said  unto  the  sick  of  the  2^cdsy,  Son,  he  of  good 
 cheer;  thy  sins  he  forgiven  thee.  Our  Lord's  words  are 
 often  addressed  to  the  heart  and  thoughts  of  those  to 
 whom  He  was  speaking  ;  and  therefore  to  understand  this 
 we  must  consider,  that  what  laid  heavily  at  this  poor 
 man's  heart  was  not  so  much  his  bodily  affliction  as  the 
 sense  of  his  sins.  He  had  probably,  in  the  bitterness  of 
 his  heart,  felt  that  his  sickness  was  well  deserved,  and 
 only  the  punishment  due  to  his  sins ;  and  his  only  desire 
 was  for  his  sin  to  be  removed.  And  that  he  thus  needed 
 encouragement  we  may  conclude  from  our  Lord's  tender 
 expression  to  him,  calling  him  "  Son,"  or  "  child,"  and 
 
 2  St.  Peter.  Chrysol.  Brev.— Abp.  of  Eavenna,  a.d.  433. 
 
232         THE  NINETEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 bidding  him  "be  of  good  cheer,"  on  the  subject  of  his 
 sins.  He  was  perhaps  unable  to  speak  on  account  of  the 
 palsy,  but  his  heart  and  affliction  spoke  more  than  words. 
 And  as  St.  Paul  tells  us  that  we  are  members  one  of 
 another,  and  that  as  such  we  are  knit  together  in  love  to 
 each  other  and  so  prevail  with  God,  and  obtai^i  more 
 abundantly  His  love,  so  it  is  especially  to  be  noticed  that 
 our  Lord  takes  the  sick  man's  kind  and  good  neighbours 
 into  part  with  himself;  He  makes  them  also  to  minister 
 to  their  friend,  because  in  love  and  kindness  to  him  they 
 themselves  looked  to  God.  For  we  may  observe  it  is 
 said,  that  "  seeing  their  faith,"  i.  e.  the  faith  of  those  that 
 carried  him.  He  was  thus,  as  it  were  for  their  sakes, 
 gracious  to  their  afflicted  neighbour.  He  saw  their  faith; 
 He  saw  his  need  and  want;  and,  far  more.  He  knew  his 
 sorrow.  But  this  is  not  all ;  the  occasion  is  marked  by 
 another  circumstance,  the  presence  of  the  Scribes.  And 
 here  we  may  see  how  evil  works  for  good,  and  the  enmity 
 of  the  wicked  turns  to  the  praise  of  God;  for  had  there 
 been  no  worldly  men  here  present,  with  evil  eyes,  we 
 should  not  have  had  that  memorable  and  Divine  lesson 
 which  follows,  whereby  our  Lord  has  shown  us  that,  in 
 healing  diseases,  He  was  forgiving  sin,  which  is  the  cause 
 of  disease  and  death;  that  He  intended  these  as  outward 
 signs  of  His  power  and  mercy,  whereby  out  of  the  old 
 man,  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  He  would  bring  forth 
 the  new  man. 
 
 And  heliold,  certain  of  the  Scribes  said  loitliin  them- 
 selves, This  man  hlasphemeth.  And  Jesus  knowing  their 
 thoughts,  said,  Wherefore  think  ye  evil  in  your  hearts  ? 
 For  whether  is  easier  to  say.  Thy  sins  he  forgiven  thee  ?  or 
 to  say,  Arise  and  walk  ?  But  that  ye  may  knoio  that  the 
 Son  of  Man  hath  poiver  on  earth  to  forgive  si7is.     They 
 
THE   FORGIVENESS    OF   SINS.  233 
 
 accused  Him  of  blasphemy,  for  which  they  afterwards 
 condemned  Him  to  death,  because  He  made  Himself  God, 
 for  none  but  God  can  forgive  sins.  But  it  was  very 
 evident  that  none  but  God  only  could  heal  diseases  by 
 a  word ;  and  it  was  as  easy  for  Him  to  do  one  as  the 
 other.  But  there  were  reasons  in  this  case  why  He 
 should  express  it  in  this  way.  First  of  all,  there  was  the 
 desire  of  the  suffering  man,  which  was  known  to  the 
 Searcher  of  hearts,  who  earnestly  longed  for  forgiveness 
 beyond  all  things,  and  which  our  Lord  thus  hastens  as  it 
 were  first  to  confer,  pouring  the  healing  balm  into  his 
 soul  before  He  healed  his  body,  which  was  of  much  less 
 consequence,  and  teaching  us  that  if  we  first  seek  the 
 Kingdom  of  God,  and  His  righteousness,  all  other  things 
 needful  for  the  body  shall  be  added.  There  was  also 
 another  reason  why  He  should  on  this  occasion  thus 
 speak,  for  the  sake  of  those  that  were  present,  that  they 
 might  know  what  He  wished  them  to  perceive  in  all 
 these  miracles,  "  that  the  Son  of  Man  hath  power  on  earth 
 to  forgive  sins."  And  here  we  may  observe  that  the 
 cause  why  these  Pharisees  did  not  believe  was  not  the 
 state  of  their  understandings,  but  of  their  hearts ;  for  it 
 was  clear  that  Christ  had  power  to  forgive  sins  if  He 
 could  thus  work  miracles,  and  they  knew  that  none  but 
 God  could  forgive  sins.  But  they  must  have  been  either 
 entirely  free  from  all  sin,  or  else  could  have  had  no  great 
 desire  to  be  freed  from  their  sins,  for  otherwise  they  would 
 have  rejoiced  with  trembling  and  joy  unspeakable,  to 
 hear  of,  and  to  see  with  their  eyes,  the  manifestation  of 
 Him  Who  had  power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins. 
 
 It  may  further  be  noticed  that  our  Lord  does  not  first 
 work  the  miracle,  and  then  say  that  with  it  He  forgave 
 sins ;  but  He  first  states  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  and  the 
 
234        THE  NINETEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER   TRINITY. 
 
 power  given  to  the  Son  of  Man  to  forgive,  and  then 
 draws  their  attention  to  this  work  He  was  ahout  to  per- 
 form, and  adduces  it  as  a  proof  of  what  He  had  before 
 stated,  as  the  outward  seal  and  sign  as  it  were  that  His 
 words  were  true.  He  who  works  such  a  miracle  must  be 
 from  God  \  and  if  from  God,  His  words  are  to  be  believed 
 when  He  declares  this  removal  of  disease  to  be  one  with 
 forgiveness  of  sin.  Then  saitli  He  io  the  sick  of  the  palsy, 
 Arise,  take  up  thy  bed,  and  go  unto  thine  house.  And  he 
 arose,  and  departed  to  his  house.  But  when  the  multitude 
 saw  it,  they  marvelled,  and  glorified  God,  Wlio  had  given 
 such  power  unto  men. 
 
 jSTow  this  case  of  the  sick  of  the  palsy  may,  as  I  said, 
 well  represent  the  old  man  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins, 
 unable  of  himself  to  move  or  do  anything  that  is  good,  as 
 St.  Paul  represents  his  state,  "  to  will  is  present  with  me, 
 but  how  to  perform  that  which  is  good  I  find  not."  And 
 first  of  all  must  sins  be  forgiven,  before  life  is  restored. 
 It  is  a  very  awful  thought,  when  we  consider  how  Christ 
 was  then  standing  in  the  midst  of  men,  with  power  to 
 forgive  sins,  and  most  ready  to  absolve  sinners,  yet  that 
 many  around  Him  were  rendered  no  better  for  this,  but 
 rather  perhaps  the  worse.  Thus  St.  Luke  says  that  these 
 Scribes  were  collected  on  this  occasion  from  every  town 
 of  Galilee,  Judea,  and  Jerusalem,  and  "  the  power  of  the 
 Lord  was  present  to  heal  them :"  but  surely  they  were 
 not  healed.  They  stood  in  His  all-healing  presence  un- 
 forgiven,  because  unrepenting.  The  miracle  which  He 
 wrought  on  the  paralytic,  accompanied  by  His  forgiveness 
 of  sins,  was  nothing  else  but  that  living  language  by 
 which  God  speaks;  yet  they  could  not  hear  this  His 
 Divine  voice,  because  they  heeded  it  not.  l^one  needed 
 forgiveness  more  than  they ;  none  desired  it  less.     "  After 
 
THE   FORGIVENESS    OF  SINS.  235 
 
 their  impenitent  heart  they  treasured  up  wrath  against 
 the  day  of  wrath,"  because  they  knew  not  the  day  of 
 mercy. 
 
 l^ow  all  this,  my  brethren,  is  in  the  very  strongest 
 manner  applicable  to  ourselves  whenever  we  come  to 
 church.  Do  Ave  then  long  to  put  off  the  old  man,  all 
 that  appertains  to  our  dead  evil  nature,  and  to  be  clothed 
 with  the  new,  Which  is  Christ  %  One  consideration  par- 
 ticularly in  point  is  that  of  the  Absolution.  We  first  turn 
 to  God  with  a  very  humble  confession  of  sin  ;  and  if  the 
 Searcher  of  hearts  knows  that  we  are  sincere  in  thus 
 lamenting  our  sins,  we  are  in  a  state  to  receive  His  jDardon. 
 And  He  is  no  doubt  in  the  midst  of  us.  After  this  con- 
 fession the  priest,  in  the  ]!^ame  of  Christ,  turns  round  to 
 the  people  and  pronounces  the  forgiveness  of  sins.  When 
 the  priest  was  ordained,  it  was  said  to  him  by  the  bishop, 
 "  Eeceive  the  Holy  Ghost,  for  the  office  of  a  priest," 
 "  Whose  sins  thou  dost  forgive,  they  are  forgiven ;  and 
 whose  sins  thou  dost  retain,  they  are  retained." 
 
 Now  we  are  all,  with  regard  to  our  souls,  so  far  in  the 
 state  of  the  paralytic,  that  we  need  to  be  renewed  and 
 restored.  Will  it  not  be  good  for  us  to  obtain  this  forgive- 
 ness thus  pronounced,  shall  I  not  say  daily,  or  twice  a 
 day  %  A  good  man  is  always  described  in  Scripture  as 
 growing  in  grace,  as  going  from  strength  to  strength,  as 
 being  daily  renewed,  as  being  changed  from  glory  to 
 glory,  as  increasing  in  stature  to  the  fulness  of  Christ. 
 Now  I  would  seriously  put  it  to  every  man's  conscience, 
 must  not  this  Absolution,  pronounced  daily  in  the  Name 
 of  Christ,  in  that  assembly  in  which  He  has  Himself  pro- 
 mised to  be  present,  have  some  effect  on  a  penitent  and 
 thoughtful  mind  %  Is  it  possible  to  believe  anything,  and 
 to  doubt  that  He  Who  said  to  the  paralytic,  "  Son,  be  of 
 
236 
 
 THE  NINETEENTH  SUNDAY  AFTER   TRINITY. 
 
 good  clieer,  thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee,"  and  Who  gave 
 him  strength  to  take  up  his  bed,  nay,  by  His  word,  gave 
 him,  I  may  say,  obedience  also, — that  He  does  not  now 
 meet  in  the  same  manner  every  penitent  soul  who  listens 
 for  the  Absolution  in  church,  and  on  whom  it  falls  as 
 dew  from  Heaven  on  the  parched  ground. 
 
 And  here  observe  that  when  Christ  pronounced  those 
 words  of  old,  so  full  of  unspeakable  consolation  to  the 
 penitent,  there  were  very  many  who  hardened  their 
 hearts  and  believed  not.  They  indeed  looked  upon  Him 
 with  bodily  eyes,  but  they  believed  not,  because  His 
 power  was  then  confined  to  a  small  space ;  we  now  see 
 Him,  not  with  bodily  eyes,  but  we  behold  His  power 
 throughout  the  whole  world.  In  both  cases  alike  it  must 
 be  by  faith ;  for  the  temptation  to  unbelief  is  the  same 
 now  as  then. 
 
SERMON    LXVII. 
 €%e  Ctumtiet]^  ^iintKa^  after  Cri'uttg. 
 
 Ephes.  V.  15—21.     St,  Matt.  xxii.  i— 14. 
 
 LOVE  AND    JOY  IN  THE  SPIRIT. 
 
 And  when  the  king  came  in  to  see  th;  guests,  he  saw  there  a  man 
 ivhich  had  not  on  a  wedding  garment. — St.  Matt.  xxii.  ii. 
 
 LET  us  first  shortly  notice  the  Epistle  by  itself,  and  we 
 may  afterwards  further  consider  the  same  in  connexion 
 with  the  Gospel.  See  then,  says  St.  Paul  to  the  Ephesians, 
 that  ye  walk  circumspectly,  not  as  fools,  but  as  wise,  re- 
 deeming the  time,  because  the  days  are  evil.  That  is,  take 
 heed  that  ye  walk  with  all  carefulness  towards  those  that 
 are  without,  as  they  who  have  the  Spirit  of  wisdom,  and 
 therefore,  in  dangerous  days,  obtaining  good  from  occasions 
 in  themselves  evil ;  delivered  from  evil  in  evil  days,  and 
 by  the  loss  of  temporal  advantages,  procuring  opportunities 
 for  eternal  gain.^  Wherefore  he  ye  not  unwise,  but  under- 
 standing what  the  loill  of  the  Lord  is.  This  wisdom 
 will  give  you  to  know  what  the  will  of  God  is,  and  by 
 obedience  will  become  a  light  to  guide  you  in  the  way  of 
 
 1  So  St.  Aug.  vol.  V.  pp.  133.  489 ;  and  St.  Cbrys.  ad  loc. 
 
238       THE  TWENTIETH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 peace.  And  thence  will  spring  forth  in  the  heart  joy  and 
 thanksgiving,  as  he  adds:  And  he  not  drunk  ivitli  wine, 
 wherein  is  excess;  hit  he  filled  with  the  Spii^it ;  speaking 
 to  yourselves  in  psalms,  and  hymns,  and  sjnritual  songs  ; 
 singing  and  making  melody  in  your  heart  to  the  Lord. 
 IN"or  is  this  joy  of  heart  to  depend  on  outward  blessings, 
 but  to  exist  under  all  the  evils  of  this  world ;  "  always 
 and  for  all  things  "  is  the  heart  of  a  Christian  to  be  thus 
 filled  with  thanksgiving  ;  as  it  is  here  described.  Giving 
 tlianks  always  for  all  things  unto  God  and  the  Father,  in 
 the  Name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  And  to  this  the 
 Apostle  adds,  Suhmitting  yourselves  one  to  another  in  the 
 fear  of  God.  For  there  is  no  true  thankfulness  to  God 
 without  the  spirit  of  obedience  to  man ;  it  is  the  same 
 temper  in  both ;  the  peace  which  passeth  all  understanding 
 combines  both.  And  so  St.  Paul,  in  like  manner,  in  his 
 Epistle  to  the  Colossians  passes  from  one  to  another ; 
 thanksgiving  to  God  and  submission  to  one  another  in 
 godly  fear.  Walking  as  in  a  dark  night  are  they  to  be 
 ever  looking  around,  yet  singing  withal  in  melody  of 
 heart,  as  free  from  care,  and  casting  away  fear. 
 
 To  this  short  and  beautiful  passage  for  the  Epistle  is 
 attached  a  Gospel  of  the  very  deepest  interest.  "V\Tien 
 this  parable  of  the  marriage  of  the  king's  son  was  delivered 
 by  our  Lord,  it  was  all  throughout  one  great  prophecy  ; 
 but  from  that  time  to  this  it  has  been  in  course  of  fulfil- 
 ment, so  that  now  one  point  only  remains  to  be  accom- 
 plished, and  that  is  the  coming  in  of  the  king  to  see  the 
 guests.  At  the  time  when  our  Lord  spake,  the  Sacrifice 
 was  not  slain  for  the  feast,  the  dinner  was  not  prepared. 
 The  king  had  not  sent  forth  his  armies  to  destroy  the 
 murderers  and  burn  up  their  city ;  neither  had  they 
 gathered  into  his  house  the  bad  and  good  of  every  kind, 
 
LOVE   AND    yOY  IN   THE   SPIRIT.  239 
 
 and  filled  the  room.  But  all  these  things  have  since  been 
 in  the  course  of  accomplishment.  So  that,  at  this  time, 
 the  world  sees  two  great  miracles  going  on,  the  one  of 
 darkness,  the  other  of  light,  like  night  and  day  proceeding 
 together;  the  darkness  is  that  of  the  Jews,  those  mur- 
 derers whose  city  has  been  burnt  up,  wandering  all  over 
 the  world,  which  are  unto  this  day  in  gross  darkness, 
 such  as  "  may  be  felt,"  being  shut  out  of  the  light  of  the 
 marriage  festival;  but  Christians  are  admitted  into  that 
 light,  both  bad  and  good,  so  that  the  wedding  is  furnished 
 with  guests ;  and  now  we  are  waiting  for  the  manifesta- 
 tion and  appearance  of  the  King  to  see  the  guests,  His 
 great  Advent. 
 
 Jesus  said,  The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  like  unto  a  certain 
 king,  who  made  a  marriage  for  his  son;  and  sent  forth 
 his  servants  to  call  them  that  luere  hidden  to  the  wedding ; 
 and  they  would  not  come.  Again,  he  sent  forth  other 
 servants,  saying,  Tell  them  which  are  hidden.  Behold,  I 
 have  prepared  my  dinner ;  my  oxen  and  my  fallings  are 
 killed,  and  all  things  are  ready  ;  come  unto  the  marriage. 
 But  they  made  light  of  it,  and  went  their  -ways,  one  to  his 
 farm,  another  to  his  merchandise :  and  the  7'emnant  took 
 his  se7'vants ;  and  entreated  them  spitefully,  and  slew 
 them.  But  ichen  the  king  heard  thereof,  the  king  who 
 had  been  so  gracious  unto  them,  pressing  upon  them 
 his  invitation  with  so  much  loving-kindness — he  luas 
 wroth ;  and  he  sent  forth  his  armies,  and  destroyed  those 
 murderers,  and  burned  up  their  city. 
 
 !N'ow  such  has  been  the  history  of  the  Jews.  It  is  here 
 expressed  with  what  earnestness  God  sent  unto  them ; 
 and  it  surely  must  have  occurred  to  us  in  reading  the 
 Gospels  and  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  with  what  pressing 
 anxiety  our  Lord  sent  His  invitation  to  "  the  lost  sheep 
 
240       THE    TWENTIETH   SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 of  the  house  of  Israel,"  as  also  through  His  Apostles  after 
 His  death.  It  was  to  the  synagogue  He  first  went ;  for 
 the  Jews  He  wrought  His  miracles,  and  hung  about  their 
 cities  as  loath  to  leave  them ;  hung  over  them  with  affec- 
 tionate earnestness,  and  never  moved  from  them  but  when 
 by  persecution  forced  to  do  so.  "0  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem, 
 thou  that  killest  the  prophets  and  stonest  them  which  are 
 sent  unto  thee,  how  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy 
 children  together,  as  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under 
 her  wings,  and  ye  would  not."  To  them  He  sent  forth 
 His  twelve  Apostles ;  to  them  the  seventy  disciples.  And 
 after  His  death  they  would  not  leave  Jerusalem  and  Judea 
 till  they  were  compelled  by  violence.  Throughout  the 
 world  in  every  city  it  was  to  the  Jews  and  to  the  synagogue 
 that  St.  Paul  himself  first  resorted  ;  though  he  was  ordained 
 to  be  the  Apostle  of  the  Gentiles  more  especially.  It 
 was  not  till  all  this  was  done,  that  the  King  sent  forth  His 
 armies  and  burned  up  their  city.  And  now  they  wander 
 in  all  the  world  as  witnesses  to  the  truth  of  this  parable, 
 unwilling  witnesses,  bearing  the  signs  of  His  wrath,  "  the 
 wrath  of  the  Lamb ;"  made  like  Apostles  to  declare 
 throughout  the  earth  the  truth  of  that  Christ  Whom  they 
 would  deny  ;  not  indeed  as  evangelists  whose  feet  are  beau- 
 tiful with  good  tidings,  but  as  they  whose  feet  "  stumble  on 
 the  dark  mountains,"  overtaken  with  thick  and  "  gross 
 darkness." 
 
 Another  point  to  be  observed  in  this  account  is  this, 
 that  our  Lord  represents  those  Jews  as  refusing  His  Gospel 
 ior  the  very  same  reasons  why  mankind  in  all  ages,  and 
 Christians  now,  refuse  to  listen  to  the  warnings  and  the 
 gracious  invitations  of  God.  They  were  taken  up  with 
 other  things,  "they  went  their  ways,  one  to  his  farm, 
 another  to  his  merchandise."     As  in  the  days  of  jSToah 
 
LOVE   AND    JOY  IN    THE   SPIRIT.  241 
 
 and  of  Lot,  and  of  the  Son  of  Man,  "  they  bought,  they 
 sold,  they  planted,  they  budded ;  and  knew  not,"  till  the 
 time  of  their  visitation  came  upon  them.  Thus,  in  this 
 respect  also,  the  history  of  the  Jews  continues  to  be  a 
 warning  to  ourselves. 
 
 Such,  my  brethren,  is  one  half  of  the  parable;  they 
 were  of  the  darkness,  and  the  darkness  overtook  them ; 
 "  but  ye  are  not  in  darkness,  that  that  day  should  overtake 
 you  as  a  thief;  ye  are  all  the  children  of  the  light  and 
 the  children  of  the  day;  we  are  not  of  the  night,  nor  of 
 darkness." 
 
 Let  us  then  now  consider  the  other  half  of  the  parable, 
 or  rather,  I  may  say,  of  the  prophecy  as  it  then  was,  and 
 of  the  history  as  it  now  is,  except  the  last  part,  which 
 only  yet  remains  to  be  fulfilled.  Then  saith  he,  the  king, 
 to  Ids  servants.  The  wedding  is  ready,  but  they  which  were 
 bidden  were  not  worthy.  Go  ye  therefore  into  the  high- 
 loays,  and  as  many  as  ye  shall  find,  bid  to  the  marriage. 
 So  those  servants  went  out  into  the  high-ways,  a7id  gathered 
 together  all,  as  many  as  they  found,  both  bad  and  good ; 
 and  the  wedding  was  furnished  with  guests.  This  is  now 
 already  fulfilled,  that  Gospel  which  the  Jews  rejected  has 
 been  received  by  the  Gentiles ;  the  net  cast  into  the  sea 
 has  gathered  of  every  kind,  and  is  now  being  drawn  to 
 the  shore.  One  thing  only  remains,  the  coming  in  of  the 
 King,  Who  is  as  yet  absent  from  the  table  to  which  He 
 has  invited  so  many.  And  when  the  king  came  in  to  see 
 the  guests,  he  saw  there  a.  man  ivhich  had  not  on  a  wedding- 
 garment.  And  he  saith  unto  him,  Friend,  how  earnest 
 thou  in  hither,  not  having  a  icedding-garment  ?  And  he 
 ivas  speechless.  He  was  at  once  self- condemned  by  his 
 own  conscience.  And  here  it  must,  I  think,  occur  to  us 
 as  remarkable  in  this  striking  description,  that  the  man 
 
 VOL.  IT.  R 
 
242       THE    TWENTIETH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 himself  did  not  seem  to  consider  that  he  was  not  as  he 
 should  be,  nor  did  it  seem  to  be  noticed  by  those  around 
 him.  In  this  respect  it  is  very  like  the  presence  of  Judas 
 Iscariot  at  the  Last  Supper.  That  the  traitor  should  have 
 been  there  at  that  time,  knowing  what  was  in  his  heart 
 and  what  he  was  about  to  do,  that  he  should  have  sat  as 
 one  unconcerned  at  that  solemn  feast  of  Love,  that  occasion 
 of  Divine  tenderness  and  sorrow,  in  the  very  presence  of 
 his  all-seeing  Lord;  and  that  too  quite  unsuspected  by  his 
 fellow-disciples,  is  one  of  the  most  mysterious  and  start- 
 ling incidents  of  that  memorable  night.  And  here  at  the 
 presence  of  the  King,  the  circumstance  in  some  degree 
 resembles  it ;  there  is  one  sitting  down  at  the  table  as  if 
 unconscious  of  where  he  was,  until  by  a  word  he  is  all  of 
 a  sudden,  as  by  an  unexpected  burst  of  light  upon  his 
 soul,  made  known  to  himself  and  to  others ;  so  as  to  be 
 altogether  without  excuse. 
 
 Tlien  said  the  king  to  the  servants,  Bind,  him  hand  and 
 foot,  and  take  him  away,  and  cast  him  into  outer  dark- 
 ness;  there  shall  he  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth.  For 
 many  are  called,  hut  few  are  chosen.  These  last  awful 
 words  at  the  close  of  the  parable,  seem  to  warn  us  that 
 although  one  only  is  spoken  of  as  not  having  on  the 
 wedding  garment,  yet  that  one  is  intended  to  represent 
 the  case  of  all  Christians  who  are  not  in  heart  suitable  to 
 their  high  calling.  The  one  is  put  to  represent  in  a  close 
 individual  manner,  so  as  to  bring  the  sad  warning  home 
 to  the  conscience  of  each,  the  many  which  having  been 
 called  are  not  chosen. 
 
 But  what  is  meant  by  the  wedding  garment?  Now 
 here  we  must  observe  that  acceptance  at  the  last  day  is 
 described  through  Scripture  in  a  variety  of  ways.  In  one 
 case,  it  is  having  made  the  most  of  the  talents  entrusted 
 
LOVE  AND    JOY  IN    THE   SPIRIT.  243 
 
 by  the  Master;  in  another,  bearing  seed  an  hundred-fold ; 
 in  another,  having  lamps  burning  at  the  Judge's  coming ; 
 in  another,  it  is  according  to  works  of  mercy  done  to  the 
 poor  and  afflicted;  in  another,  it  is  having  faith  in  Christ, 
 or  calling  upon  His  N"ame;  in  another,  it  is  having 
 charity  or  the  love  of  God;  in  another,  it  is  the  know- 
 ledge of  God,  in  which  is  eternal  life ;  in  another,  it  is 
 walking  by  the  Spirit,  having  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  and 
 the  Spirit  witnessing  with  our  spirit  that  we  are  the 
 children  of  God;  being  dead  with  Christ  in  this  world, 
 that  we  may  live  with  Him.  !N'ow  all  these  express  in 
 a  different  way,  or  express  by  different  things,  that  which 
 renders  us  accepted  of  God  in  Christ  at  the  last;  but  the 
 wedding  garment  is  something  different  again  from  all 
 these.  And  what  does  it  signify?  It  may  indeed  be 
 well  said  that  it  signifies  charity;  or,  that  it  is  faith;  or, 
 that  fine  linen  of  the  Bride  which  is  the  righteousness  of 
 saints ;  or,  having  put  on  Christ,  and  being  clothed  with 
 His  righteousness;  or,  being  "clothed  with  humility;" 
 all  which  is  very  true.  But  we  want  to  explain  it  more 
 particularly,  according  to  the  figure.  Surely  it  must  refer 
 to  something  that  renders  a  man  an  acceptable  guest  at  a 
 wedding,  and  the  absence  of  which  would  render  his 
 presence  unsuitable  at  such  a  place,  so  that  he  were  better 
 away.  This  marriage  garment  is  well  explained  of  Chris- 
 tian joy  of  heart,  "  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  joy ;"  and  we 
 may  add,  delight  at  the  presence  of  the  Bridegroom;  for 
 this  it  is  which  occasions  this  gladness  of  heart.  It  is,  in 
 short,  what  St.  Paul  mentions  as  another  requisite  for 
 receiving  the  crown.  The  Lord,  the  righteous  Judge, 
 shall  at  that  day  give  a  crown  of  righteousness,  not  to  me 
 only,  but  "  unto  all  them  also  that  love  His  appearing." 
 To  love  His  appearing,  to  look  forward  to  it,  and  rejoice 
 
244       THE    TWENTIETH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY. 
 
 ill  His  presence  with  spiritual  joy,  this  must  be  the 
 wedding  garment  of  the  soul.  The  same  temper,  per- 
 vading our  every- day  life,  would  be  shown  in  what  the 
 Collect  expresses  by  cheerfulness,  "  that  being  ready  in 
 body  and  soul  we  may  cheerfully  accomplish"  His  will. 
 
 But  no  descrij)tion  can  more  fully  explain  it  than  the 
 latter  part  of  the  short  Epistle  for  to-day.  After  injunc- 
 tions of  walking  with  care  and  wisdom,  St.  Paul  says,  Be 
 not  drunk  with  wine,  but  be  filled  with  the  Spirit,  and 
 then  speaks  of  singing  with  each  other  and  unto  God,  full 
 of  thanksgiving  at  all  times,  and  that  thanksgiving  ac- 
 companied with  mutual  submission.  In  this  passage, 
 being  drunk  with  wine  is  put  as  the  opposite  to  the  pre- 
 sence of  the  gracious  Comforter.  Thus  in  other  places 
 the  Gospel  is  represented  as  the  good  wine,  which  the 
 heavenly  Bridegroom  hath  kept  to  the  last,  the  joy  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  which  is  far  better  than  all  those  low  and 
 poor  joys  which  this  world  can  give.  In  like  manner  the 
 Psalmist,  "Thou  hast  put  gladness  in  my  heart,  more 
 than  in  the  time  that  their  corn  and  their  wine  increased."^ 
 It  is  a  joy  with  which  the  stranger  intermeddleth  not,' 
 which  the  world  understands  not.  Thus  when  the  Holy 
 Spirit  was  first  given,  some  said  in  mockery,  "  these  men 
 are  filled  with  new."  wine*  This  indeed,  it  might  be 
 said,  is  the  new  wine  meet  for  the  marriage  supper  of  the 
 Lamb ;  the  Lamb  Which  hath  shed  for  us  His  Blood,  and 
 purchased  thereby  for  us  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit.  This 
 then  leads  us  to  understand  the  wedding  garment  of  the 
 accepted  guest,  the  clothing  of  the  spirit,  the  raiment  of 
 light  within.  "  He  hath  given  unto  them,"  says  the 
 evangelical  Prophet,  "  beauty  for  ashes,  the  oil  of  joy  for 
 
 2  Ps.  iv.  7.  3  Prov.  xiv.  10.  4  Acts  ii.  13. 
 
LOVE   AND    yOY  IN   THE   SPIRIT.  245 
 
 mourning,  the  garment  of  praise  for  the  spirit  of  heavi- 
 ness."^ "The  garment  of  praise,"  it  is  called,  for  such 
 joy  in  the  heart  must  need  be  accompanied  with  songs  of 
 thanksgiving ;  even  as  when  Paul  and  Silas  were  in  prison 
 at  midnight,  and  with  their  feet  in  the  stocks,  yet  was 
 their  heart  so  full  of  gladness,  that  they  hroke  forth  into 
 singing ;  and  the  foundations  of  the  prison  were  shaken 
 with  the  sound.  And  so  St.  Paul  here,  after  speaking  of 
 being  "  filled  with  the  Spirit,"  proceeds  to  the  subject  of 
 psalms  and  hymns,  by  which  that  fulness  of  heart  seeks 
 for  utterance. 
 
 At  a  festival  worldly  men  in  sympathy  with  each 
 other,  and  in  fever  and  madness  of  heart,  pour  forth 
 songs  which  are  indeed  not  unto  God,  but  often  unto  the 
 prince  of  this  world,  which  worketh  in  the  children  of 
 disobedience.  They  are  filled  with  his  spirit.  ''  The  end 
 of  that  mirth  is  heaviness,"  and  there  is  a  sting  behind 
 which  "  biteth  like  an  adder,"  the  never-dying  worm. 
 But  at  that  ''  feast  of  good  things,"  to  which  the  Gospel 
 is  so  often  likened,  may  the  Spirit,  as  it  is  so  beautifully 
 expressed,  "  make  melody  in  the  heart  to  the  Lord." 
 Full  of  harmony,  and  joy,  and  peace,  it  sings  to  God. 
 The  darkness  of  the  night  but  adds  to  that  light  within; 
 the  prison  bars  bind  not  that  perfect  freedom  of  heart 
 which  breaks  forth  in  psalms  of  thanksgiving. 
 
 At  the  marriage  supper  then  of  the  Lamb,  they  are 
 filled  not  with  wine,  but  with  the  Spirit;  they  are  clothed 
 with  the  garment  of  praise,  making  melody  in  the  heart ; 
 and  they  are,  as  St.  Paul  describes,  full  of  meekness  also 
 towards  each  other,  as  knowing  into  Whose  presence  they 
 are  come.     '•  When  thou  art  bidden  to  a  wedding,"  says 
 
 5  Isa.  Ixi.  3. 
 
246       THE    TWENTIETH  SUNDAY  AFTER    TRINITY, 
 
 our  Lord,  "  sit  down  at  the  lowest  place.  That  w^hen  lie 
 that  bade  thee  cometh,  he  may  say  unto  thee,  Friend,  go 
 up  higher." 
 
 Is  it,  therefore,  necessary  for  all  Christians  to  have 
 spiritual  joy  in  Christ  %  It  certainly  is  so.  But  this  will 
 mostly  be  the  case  in  tribulations  of  all  kinds.  Joy  will 
 always  be  found  in  all  bearing  of  the  Cross.  Thus  the 
 Prophet  says,  "  Glorify  ye  the  Lord  in  the  fires."  And 
 to  this  he  adds,  "  From  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth 
 have  we  heard  songs,  even  glory  to  the  righteous.  But  I 
 said,  My  leanness,  my  leanness,  woe  unto  me !"  ®  That 
 is,  that  when  men  shall  rejoice  through  the  world  in  the 
 glad  tidings  of  the  Gospel,  saying,  "Let  us  be  glad  and 
 rejoice,  for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come,"^  many 
 a  humble  soul  will  say,  Whence  is  this  joy  to  me  ?  I  am 
 cast  down,  dry,  and  barren  of  heart.  To  this  it  must  be 
 said,  ''  Are  the  consolations  of  God  small  with  thee  %  Is 
 there  any  secret  thing  with  thee?"^  St.  Paul  says,  "See 
 that  ye  walk  circumspectly,"  before,  he  adds,  "  be  filled 
 wdth  the  Spirit."  Is  there  not  some  sin  that  holds  thee 
 back  %  Eest  not,  strive  more  earnestly,  give  not  over  till 
 you  have  obtained  from  God  joy  and  comfort,  a  stronger 
 sense  of  pardon  and  peace.  You  are  no  fit  guest  at  the 
 marriage  feast  till  you  have  obtained  it.  Have  you  not 
 some  pride  of  heart  to  be  mortified  %  Something  within 
 you  that  resists  the  will  of  God  %  If  you  prayed  to  God 
 more,  you  would  feel  more  conscious  of  His  presence  ; 
 and  if  you  loved  Him  more,  you  would  rejoice  more  in 
 His  presence. 
 
 Look  to  God's  word,  and  look  to  your  own  heart  and 
 life.     Consider  whether  they  agree  together;  are  they  as 
 
 «  Isa.  xxiv.  16.  7  Rev.  xix.  7.  «  job  xv.  11. 
 
LOVE  AND  yOY  IN  THE  SPIRIT.  24.7 
 
 suitable  to  God's  commands  as  they  should  be  %  Lift  up 
 the  faint  hands,  and  strengthen  the  feeble  knees.  Pray 
 more,  through  the  whole  night  of  your  trouble  ^viestle 
 with  God ;  let  Him  not  depart  from  you  without  a  blessing. 
 You  may  depend  upon  it  He  is  glad  to  be  thus  constrained 
 by  you.  Your  hands  and  your  feet  are  now  free.  Let 
 your  hands  be  lifted  up  in  prayer ;  let  your  feet  hasten  on 
 His  service.  If  you  do  not  this  now,  when  the  Master  of 
 the  Feast  shall  appear  you  will  be  bound  hand  and  foot, 
 and  no  longer  able  to  do  anything.  Labour  now  for  the 
 light  of  His  countenance  within  the  heart,  for  if  you  have 
 it  not,  bearing  witness  with  your  spirit  that  you  are  the 
 child  of  God,  you  will  then  be  shut  out  for  ever  from  that 
 light  into  outer  darkness,  where  will  be  weeping  and 
 gnashing  of  teeth. 
 
 It  is  very  true  we  are  not  to  depend  upon  sensible 
 emotions;  and  there  is  great  fear  of  our  being  deceived 
 into  a  false  peace,  and  presumptuous  confidence.  But 
 most  are  content  to  go  on  with  a  sort  of  indifference; 
 never  knowing  what  the  joy  of  heart  is,  which  the  Spirit 
 gives ;  and,  therefore,  not  troubled  at  the  loss  of  it.  But 
 joy  and  peace  should  keep  watch  in  the  heart;  should 
 watch  against  everything  that  destroys  them ;  then  it  will 
 be  found  of  how  much  importance  many  an  idle  word,  or 
 evil  thought,  or  dishonest  action  may  be,  for  tliis  joy  will 
 not  return  till  they  are  repented  of. 
 
SERMON    LXVIII. 
 CJc  Cioentp^fir^t  ^untJaj)  after  Crinitg. 
 
 Ephes.  vi,  lo — 19.     St.  John  iv.  46 — 54. 
 
 THE    WARFARE   AND    THE   ARMOUR    OF  SAINTS. 
 
 My  brethren,  be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  His  might. 
 Ephes.  vi.  10. 
 
 WITH  these  words  commences  the  Epistle  for  to-day, 
 and  then  St.  Paul  expands  the  same  with  earnest 
 eloquence.  Be  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  ;power  of 
 His  might.  Put  on  the  lohole  armour  of  God,  that  ye 
 may  he  able  to  stand  against  the  wiles  of  the  devil.  For 
 ■we  wrestle  not  against  flesh  and  hlood,  but  against  prin- 
 cipalities, against  powers,  against  the  rulers  of  the  dark- 
 ness of  this  loorld,  against  spiritual  wickedness  in  high 
 places,  or  in  things  of  Heaven.  These  words  are  surely 
 enough  to  arouse  us  to  a  sense  of  our  danger  and  of  our 
 strength.  The  life  of  a  Christian  consists  for  the  most 
 part  in  ways  so  meek,  loving,  and  peaceful,  that  it  is 
 difficult  to  consider  such  a  state  as  a  battle,  great  and 
 terrible,  compared  with  which  the  wars  of  this  world  with 
 flesh  and  blood  are  easy  and  light,  and  their  consequences 
 of  little  moment.      Yet  so  did  it  appear  to    St.    Paul, 
 
THE  WARFARE  AND  THE  ARMOUR  OF  SAINTS.      249 
 
 looking  on  it  with  the  eyes  of  the  Spirit,  and  speaking 
 of  it  with  an  inspired  tongue.  Great  are  the  powers 
 against  you,  he  seems  to  say,  vast  and  spiritual,  which 
 you  behold  not,  because  of  the  darkness  of  this  your 
 mortal  condition,  full  of  deceits  against  you  beyond  all 
 you  can  imagine  ;  and  that  too  for  objects  not  earthly  and 
 of  passing  moment,  but  in  high  places,  in  things  of  Heaven ; 
 imminent  the  peril,  and  great  the  hazard.  Yet  as  if  excited 
 by  the  conflict  in  which  he  himself  was  engaged,  St.  Paul 
 proceeds  to  speak  with  all  confidence  and  encouragement, 
 on  account  of  the  great  power  of  God.  Wlierefore,  he 
 adds,  take  unto  you  the  wliole  armour  of  God,  that  ye  may 
 he  able  to  withstand  in  the  evil  day, — meaning,  says  St. 
 Chrysostom,  by  the  evil  day,  this  present  life  ;  and  having 
 done  all,  to  stand;  leave  nothing  undone  which  is  in  your 
 power  to  do,  lest  you  be  among  the  fallen  at  last. 
 
 But  when  St.  Paul  comes  to  speak  of  the  particular 
 parts  of  this  armour,  wherewith  the  Christian  is  to  be 
 entirely  covered  in  every  part,  and  provided  for  the  war ; 
 he  describes  him,  one  might  almost  say,  as  doing  nothing, 
 having  nothing  ;  his  being  altogether  unarmed  and  un- 
 resisting, from  his  entire  belief,  reliance,  hope,  and  trust 
 in  God  only.  And  the  expressions  are  mostly  such  as  are 
 taken  from  the  Prophets  when  they  speak  of  our  Lord 
 Himself,  for  they  often  describe  Him  as  a  great  warrior,  re- 
 turning victorious  from  the  battle,  when  that  His  victory 
 consisted  in  His  being  brought  as  a  Lamb  to  the  slaughter, 
 and  as  a  sheep,  dumb  before  his  shearers,  opening  not  His 
 mouth.  Thus  was  He  "  mighty  to  save."  And  by  our 
 Lord's  own  example  when  He  fulfilled  these  Prophets, 
 may  we  perhaps  best  explain  these  expressions  of  the 
 Apostle.  Stand,  therefore,  having  your  loins  girt  about 
 with  trutli.     This  was  the  Prophet  Isaiah's  expression  of 
 
250       THE  TWENTY-FIRST  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 
 
 Christ,  and  it  was  fulfilled  in  Him  when  standing  before 
 Pontius  Pilate  He  witnessed  a  good  confession,  saying, 
 "Por  this  cause  came  I  into  the  world,  that  I  should 
 bear  witness  to  the  truth."  And  again,  "He  that  is  of 
 the  truth  heareth  My  words."  He  was  "  girded  about  with 
 truth,"  and  so  must  His  followers  be.  And  having  on, 
 says  St.  Paul,  the  hreast-plate  of  rigliieoiisness,  even  as 
 Christ  Whose  breastplate  was  righte(msness.  Whose  con- 
 science within  His  breast  bore  witness  that  in  Him  was 
 no  sin,  neither  guile  in  His  mouth,  fulfilling  all  righteous- 
 ness both  of  the  Law  and  of  grace.  "  And  who  is  he  that 
 shall  harm  you,  if  ye  })e  followers  of  that  which  is 
 good]"  says  St.  Peter.  This  then  is  "the  breastplate 
 of  righteousness." 
 
 And  your  feet  shod  with  the  ijreparation  of  the  Gospel 
 of  peace.  Whose  "  feet  are  like  the  morning  on  the 
 mountains,"^  or,  how  beautiful  are  their  feet  when  they 
 bear  the  Gospel ;  like  the  blessed  Virgin  when  she  hastened 
 over  the  mountains  to  Elisabeth  with  the  good  tidings. 
 But  here,  the  feet  being  "  shod  with  the  preparation," 
 beautifully  expresses  that  zeal  and  haste  with  which  good 
 men  are  ever  active  in  works  of  charity ;  being  themselves 
 full  of  the  hope  and  joy  which  is  in  God,  it  gives  wings 
 as  it  were  to  their  feet,  in  endeavouring  to  promote  the 
 same  in  others.  And  this  is  mentioned  in  the  spiritual 
 armour  which  protects  against  the  devil,  because  such 
 works  are  the  best  protection  against  his  influence. 
 
 Above  all  taldng  the  shield,"^  that  large  shield  which 
 covers  the  body,  the  shield  of  faith,  icherewith  ye  shall  he 
 able  to  quench  all  the  fiery  darts  of  the  loicked.  For  "  this 
 is  the  victory  that  overcometh  the  world,"  says  St.  Jolm, 
 
 »  Isa.  Hi.  7.— LXX.  2  ^5,,  0ypfoV. 
 
THE  WARFARE  AND   THE  ARMOUR  OF  SAINTS.      251 
 
 "  even  our  faith."  It  is  faith  that  extinguishes  those  evil 
 thoughts  which  come  like  fiery  darts  from  that  place 
 where  Satan  dwells. 
 
 And  take  the  helmet  of  salvation.  As  the  Prophet  says 
 of  Christ,  "  He  put  on  righteousness  as  a  breastplate,  and 
 an  helmet  of  salvation  upon  His  head."=^  Or  as  St.  Paul 
 says  to  the  Thessalonians,  "  for  an  helmet,  the  hope  of 
 iialvation."  For  that  salvation  is  as  yet  but  in  hope  ;  but 
 as  such  it  protects  the  thoughts,  the  eyes,  the  head,  the 
 governing  principle  of  the  whole  body.  Thus  it  is  said 
 our  head  is  Christ,  our  head  is  covered  with  salvation. 
 
 And  the  sioord  of  the  Spirit,  adds  the  Apostle,  lohich  is 
 the  Word  of  God.  And  here  it  may  be  observed  that  this 
 point  differs  from  all  the  rest  in  this,  that  the  other  arms 
 are  to  defend  ourselves  only,  but  this  is  to  slay  the  enemy, 
 "  the  sword."  And  what  is  this  sword?  It  is  the  Word 
 of  God.  It  is  much  to  be  remembered  that  when  our 
 Lord  three  times  overcame  the  great  enemy,  in  His 
 temptation  in  the  wilderness,  it  was  on  each  occasion  by 
 bringing  forward  against  him  the  written  Word  of  God. 
 By  this  we  are  taught  of  wliat  infinite  importance  in  all 
 our  temptations  are  the  written  oracles  and  precepts  of 
 God.  And  when  our  Lord  goes  forth  to  conquer  in  the 
 Revelation,  "  out  of  His  mouth  proceedeth  a  sharp  sword." 
 And  hence  it  is,  we  may  observe,  that  from  knowing  this 
 the  great  power  of  the  Inspired  Word,  that  in  our  Lord's 
 temptation  the  devil  quotes  Scripture  to  bis  own  purpose. 
 The  Spirit  therefore  must  enlighten  us  that  we  use  it 
 aright ;  it  is  "  the  sword  of  the  Spirit." 
 
 From  these   figures   of  the  seven-fold  armour  of  the 
 Spirit,  taken  from  worldly  warfare,  St.  Paul  now  passes 
 
 5  Isa.  lix.  17. 
 
252       THE  TWENTY-FIRST  SUNDA  V  AFTER   TRINITY. 
 
 into  plain  but  no  less  earnest  words.  Praying,  he  says, 
 altvays  with  all  prayer  and  supplication  in  the  Spirit,  and 
 ivatching  thereunto  with  all  perseverance  and  supplication 
 for  all  saints;  and  for  me,  that  utterance  may  he  given 
 unto  me,  that  I  may  open  my  mouth  boldly,  to  make 
 known  the  mystery  of  the  Gospel,  for  which  I  am  an 
 ambassador  in  bonds,  that  therein  I  may  speak  boldly  as 
 I  ought  to  speak.  To  obtain  this  armour  of  God  they  are 
 to  be  always  praying  in  the  Spirit ;  and  in  order  that 
 they  may  be  continually  praying,  they  are  to  watch ;  that 
 is,  to  be  ever  wakeful  and  sober,  in  order  that  they  may 
 pray :  these  are  constantly  put  together  by  our  Lord  Him- 
 self, "  Watch  and  pray,  for  ye  know  not  when  the  time 
 is."  "  Watch  and  pray,  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation." 
 There  is  no  prayer  without  watching ;  there  is  no  watching 
 without  prayer.  And  this  is  to  be  not  for  themselves 
 only,  but,  says  the  Apostle,  "for  all  Saints."  And  espe- 
 cially for  their  own  Apostle  and  minister  now  in  great 
 trouble,  being  in  bonds  and  about  to  be  tried  for  his  life ; 
 while  the  same  circumstances  were  also  affording  a  great 
 oj)ening,  and  a  door  for  the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel. 
 As  St.  Peter,  when  in  prison,  had  the  Church  praying  for 
 him  without  ceasing  before  the  angel  was  sent  to  open 
 the  prison  doors  and  release  him ;  so  now  does  the  great 
 inspired  Apostle  St.  Paul  himself  ask  for  their  prayers. 
 And  Avho  knows  how  much  it  might  have  been  owing  to 
 the  prayers  of  others  in  conjunction  with  his  own,  that 
 he  spake  and  died  with  such  boldness  in  testimony  of  the 
 faith ;  that  he  shook  to  its  foundation  that  great  strong- 
 hold of  Satan,  the  empire  of  the  heathen  world,  made  their 
 idols  to  fall,  and  was  the  means  of  bringing  so  many 
 nations  from  that  time  even  to  this  day  to  the  obedience 
 of  Christ  % 
 
THE  WARFARE  AND  THE  ARMOUR  OF  SAINTS.      253 
 
 Such,  my  brethren,  is  this  remarkable  passage  in  which 
 St.  Paul,  in  language  so  sublime  and  powerful,  describes 
 the  Christian  as  covered  all  over  with  the  strength  of  God 
 in  this  his  time  of  trial ;  as  having  indeed  put  on  Christ, 
 and  being  one  wdth  Him,  inasmuch  as  he  applies  to  him, 
 in  this  his  warfare  and  victory,  the  very  same  figures 
 which  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  Old  Testament,  spake  of 
 Christ.  As  St.  Paul  says  of  himself,  "  I  can  do  all  things 
 through  Christ,  which  strengtheneth  me."  And  from 
 these  expressions  of  the  Christian,  in  the  power  of  God 
 and  of  Christ,  overcoming  the  efforts  of  his  spiritual 
 enemies,  he  passes  to  the  Communion  of  Saints  as  all 
 interceding  for  each  other,  and  each  in  his  own  place  as 
 watching  and  praying. 
 
 And  now,  if  the  Word  of  God  is  said  to  be  the  sword 
 of  the  Spirit,  if  such  great  things  are  said  of  it,  as  the 
 ''  discerner  of  the  thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart," 
 when  spoken  of  the  Old  Testament,  how  much  more  may 
 this  be  the  case  when  applied  to  the  New  1  when  we  read 
 in  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  Himself,  of  the  words  He  spake 
 and  the  things  He  did  ? 
 
 The  Gospel  for  to-day  speaks  of  an  early  period  in  our 
 Lord's  ministry,  when  He  was  first  driven  by  the  enmity 
 of  the  Jews  out  of  Judea,  and  retired  into  Galilee,  and  the 
 neighbourhood  of  the  Gentiles.  And  here  we  may  ob- 
 serve, that  not  only  was  our  Lord  persecuted  and  hated 
 by  the  Jews  in  general,  and  especially  by  the  Scribes  and 
 Pharisees,  but  even  the  instances  of  faith  in  Him  from 
 among  them  were  for  the  most  part  faint  and  feeble  ;  as 
 was  that  of  Mcodemus  just  before  this,  who  came  to  Him 
 by  night,  and  although  he  was  constrained  to  confess 
 that  He  must  be  a  teacher  come  from  God,  yet  his  faith 
 did  not  rise  to  anything  more  than  this  at  that  time.     The 
 
254       THE  TWENTY-FIRST  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 
 
 great  examples  of  faith  came  in  irom  the  Gentiles,  to 
 whom  the  Father  Which  is  in  heaven  revealed  His  Son, 
 and  drew  them  unto  Him.  It  was  not  so  with  the  Jews, 
 who  even  when  they  acknowledged  Him  did  it  slowly 
 and  with  reluctance.  And  this  nobleman  is  an  instance 
 of  the  kind,  for  he  was  probably  a  Jew,  and  perhaps 
 belonged  to  the  court  of  Herod,  then  ruler  of  Galilee. 
 There  was  a  certain  nobleman  tclwse  son  icas  sick  at 
 Capernaum.  When  he  heard  that  Jesus  -was  come  out  of 
 Judea  into  Galilee,  he  vjent  unto  Him,  and  besought  Him 
 that  He  icould  come  down  and  heal  his  son  ;  for  he  was 
 at  the  point  of  death.  The  Jews  sought  God  in  their 
 affliction,  and  this  man's  affliction  brought  him  to  Christ. 
 So  far  well.  But  how  diflerent  are  his  words  to  those  of 
 the  heathen  centurion,  who  said,  "Wherefore  I  thought 
 not  myself  worthy  to  come  unto  Thee,  but  speak  the  word 
 only  and  my  servant  shall  be  healed."  Thy  word  at  a 
 distance  is  enough.  But  this  man  requests  the  Lord  to 
 come  down  from  Cana  to  Capernaum,  about  twenty  miles, 
 and  heal  his  son.  Nor  does  he,  like  the  woman  of 
 Canaan,  fall  down  at  His  feet,  but  merely  beseeches  Him 
 to  come  down. 
 
 And  our  Lord's  reply  seems  to  have  in  it  something  of 
 complaint,  as  if  He  were  not  satisfied  with  the  weak- 
 ness of  his  faith.  Then  said  Jesus  unto  him,  Except  ye 
 see  signs  and  iconders,  ye  will  not  believe.  This  was  the 
 case  with  the  Jews  throughout,  so  that  our  Lord  sighed 
 deeply  in  spirit  at  their  seeking  for  a  sign,  which  He  said 
 was  owing  to  their  being  an  adulterous  generation,  i.  e. 
 having  in  heart  gone  away  from  God.  And  Herod  of 
 Galilee,  even  at  last,  longed  to  see  some  miracle  done  by 
 Him,  when  he  set  Him  at  nought.  Thus  too  St.  Paul 
 testified  long  after,  "  the  Jews  seek  after  a  sign  :  but  we 
 
THE  WARFARE  AND  THE  ARMOUR  OF  SAINTS.      255 
 
 preach  Christ  crucified,  to  tlie  Jews  a  stumbling-block." 
 For  God  had  so  long  trained  the  Jews,  and  showed  His 
 power  to  them  by  working  miracles  in  the  wilderness,  and 
 the  land  of  Canaan,  by  their  Lawgiver,  their  Judges, 
 and  their  Prophets  ;  that  now,  when  He  came  to  save 
 their  souls,  as  the  Holy  One  of  God,  to  Whom  all  the 
 Prophets  bare  witness,  they  would  not  believe  in  Him 
 without  signs.  So  it  is  with  this  Jew ;  a  miracle  will 
 convince  him,  but  nothing  less ;  he  seems  to  stand  erect 
 before  Christ,  knowing  not  himself  or  God ;  but  our  Lord 
 is  ever  looking  to  the  heart,  and  desiring  to  heal  the  soul 
 of  this  man,  for  he  is  more  near  to  eternal  death  than  his 
 son  is  to  the  death  of  the  body. 
 
 The,  noUeman  salth  unto  Him,  Sir,  come  down  e?*e  7ny 
 child  die.  He  thought  not  of  God,  in  Whose  Presence 
 he  stood ;  he  thought  not  of  his  own  unworthiness ;  he 
 thought  only  of  his  child,  My  child  will  die  unless  you 
 make  haste  to  come ;  and  our  Lord,  as  it  were  with  re- 
 luctance and  unwillingness,  granted  his  request,  and  more 
 than  he  had  asked.  He  thought  that  Christ  must  come  down 
 before  He  could  heal  the  child,  and  that  when  his  child  was 
 dead  there  would  be  no  hope,  or  power  of  restoration.  Jesus 
 saith  unto  him,  Go  thy  way, — He  that  setteth  the  proud 
 afar  off  waits  on  the  sick  slave  of  a  humble  heathen,  but 
 comes  not  to  the  dying  son  of  a  proud  Jewish  courtier. 
 "  Go  thy  way," — thy  son  liveth.  And  the  man  believed 
 the  word  that  Jesus  had  spoken  unto  him,  and  he 
 went  his  way.  Even  this  imperfect  belief  our  Lord  saw 
 working  in  his  heart,  and  blessed  it  and  gave  it  increase. 
 And  as  he  was  now  going  doiun,  his  servants  met  him,  and 
 told  him,  saying,  Thy  son  liveth.  Then  inquired  he  of 
 them  the  hour  when  he  began  to  amend.  Though  believing, 
 yet  still  inquiring,  as  one  weak  in  faith  and  needing  con- 
 
256       THE  TWENTY-FIRST  SUNDAY  AFTER   TRINITY. 
 
 firmation.  And  they,  liis  servants,  ^aid  unto  Him,  Yester- 
 day at  the  seventh  hour  the  fever  left  him.  As  if  they 
 had  said,  in  answer,  you  ask  when  he  was  beginning  to 
 amend,  there  was  no  beginning  to  amend,  but  suddenly, 
 as  if  arrested  by  a  Divine  hand,  the  fever  was  gone.  So 
 the  father  knew  that  it  loas  at  the  same  hour  in  the  which 
 Jesus  said  unto  him.  Thy  son  liveth  ;  and  himself  believed, 
 and  his  whole  house.  Under  the  pressure  of  affliction  he 
 prayed,  and  praying  obtained,  and  the  miracle  could  not 
 be  doubted,  and  it  was  known  to  his  whole  house,  which 
 were  constrained  to  believe.  Thus  did  our  Lord,  in  His 
 loving-kindness,  descend  to  meet  their  imperfect  faith, 
 and  began  with  the  Jews  in  their  weakness.  This  is 
 again,  adds  St.  John,  the  second  miracle  that  Jesus  did, 
 when  He  was  come  out  of  Judoea  into  Galilee. 
 
 "What  therefore  is  the  lesson  we  are  taught  on  this 
 Sunday?  By  the  Gospel  we  learn  how  tenderly  and 
 mercifully  our  Lord  watches  over  every  spark  of  faith.  He 
 will  not  quench  the  smoking  flax.  Although  "  not  many 
 noble  are  called,"  though  the  pride  of  this  world,  and 
 beyond  all  things  religious  pride,  as  that  of  the  Jew,  makes 
 it  very  hard  for  such  to  humble  themselves  and  believe, 
 yet,  when  God's  hand  is  heavy  on  those  they  love,  even 
 then,  if  they  ask,  they  shall  receive.  His  ear  is  ever 
 listening ;  His  eye  ever  watching  for  them.  And  from  this 
 we  may  be  encouraged  to  go  on  from  such  a  beginning, 
 to  put  on  the  "  strength  of  the  Lord,"  and  as  St.  Paul 
 says  in  the  Epistle,  "the  whole  armour  of  God." 
 
 We  do  not,  as  the  Jew,  expect  to  see  signs  and  wonders, 
 but  why  not  ?  It  is  because  we  expect  something  infi- 
 nitely greater  than  any  outward  signs  or  wonders  can  be. 
 We  are  engaged  in  a  spiritual  warfare  with  spiritual 
 enemies  which  are  about  our  path,  and  our  bed,  day  and 
 
THE  WARFARE  AND  THE  ARMOUR  OF  SAINTS.      257 
 
 night.  Sleeping  or  waking,  at  home  or  abroad,  with 
 others  or  when  alone,  when  in  business  or  at  our  prayers, 
 they  are  ever  with  us  while  we  are  in  the  body,  for  our 
 body  occasions  the  darkness,  and  we  cannot  see  them. 
 Nay,  I  doubt  not,  my  brethren,  they  are  about  us  even 
 here,  and  whispering  at  the  ear  in  God's  house  even  such 
 thoughts  as  would,  if  heard  aloud,  startle  both  ourselves 
 and  each  other.  I^o  outward  sign,  in  the  heavens  or  the 
 earth,  nay,  not  even  miraculous  deliverance  from  sickness, 
 can  be  so  marvellous  as  that  we  should  overcome  in  this 
 warfare  such  enemies.  If  we  saw  them,  and  knew  them, 
 we  should  say  this.  Yet,  though  we  cannot  see  them,  we 
 can  easily  know  their  presence.  That  we  should  fall 
 before  them  is  but  a  matter  of  course, — many  do, — we 
 shall  do  so, — to-day,  to-morrow,  at  this  hour,  and  at  all 
 times,  we  shall  fall,  excepting,  so  far  as  by  prayer  and 
 watching,  we  "  put  on  the  whole  armour  of  God,  that "  we 
 "  may  be  able  to  withstand  in  the  evil  day." 
 
 VOL.  IT. 
 
SERMON   LXIX. 
 
 CJe  €\3itntv^^tmm  ^untJap  after  Crmi'ti). 
 
 Phil.  i.  3— II.     St.  Matt,  xviii.  21 — 35. 
 
 THE  LOVE   OF  CHRISTIANS. 
 
 A  new  commandment  I  give  unto  you,  That  ye  love  one  another;  as 
 I  have  loved youy  that  ye  also  love  one  another. — St.  John  xiii.  34. 
 
 THEEE  is  something  peculiarly  gentle  and  affectionate 
 in  St.  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Philippians  ;  it  is  marked 
 throughout  with  what  we  might  call  brotherly  affection. 
 So  much  was  this  the  feeling  of  St.  Paul  towards  these 
 converts  that  we  find  him  receiving  support  from  them 
 when  he  would  not  from  other  Churches.  "  Even  in  Thes- 
 salonica,"  he  says,  "  ye  sent  once  and  again  unto  my 
 necessity."  And  full  of  interest  is  the  account,  in  the 
 Acts  of  the  Apostles,  of  his  sojourn  with  them ;  it  was 
 with  them  that  on  the  Sabbath  day  he  went  out  of  the 
 city  by  a  river  side,  and  sat  down  and  taught  them.  They 
 witnessed  his  being  beaten  with  many  stripes,  and  thrust 
 with  Silas  into  the  inner  prison.  What  a  thousand  tender 
 recollections  must  he  have  had  of  them  in  all  his  painful 
 travels ;  of  his  first  and  early  stay  with  them ;  of  their 
 first  knowledge  and  love  of  Christ,  that  wakening  of  the 
 
THE   LOVE   OF    CHRISTIANS.  259 
 
 soul  to  things  eternal  like  the  first  streaks  of  morning ; 
 what  sympathy  in  their  mutual  afflictions  and  trials ; 
 what  love  and  joy  at  their  common  deliverances,  as  when 
 the  angel  opened  the  prison  doors.  Dear  to  him  indeed 
 must  have  been  all  his  thoughts  of  his  beloved  Philippians, 
 like  the  smiles  and  tears  of  an  infant  to  its  mother,  who 
 had  borne  so  much  for  it.  What  hopes,  what  fellowship 
 of  prayers  !  All  this  is  expressed  in  the  opening  of  this 
 Epistle. 
 
 I  thank  my  God  upon  every  remembrance  of  you,  {always 
 in  every  jirayer  of  mine  for  you  all  7naldng  request  lolth 
 joy,)  for  your  fellowship  in  the  Gospel  from  the  first  day 
 until  now;  heing  confident  of  this  very  thing,  that  He 
 Who  hath  hegun  «  good  work  in  you  will  perform  it  until 
 the  day  of  Jesus  Christ :  even  as  it  is  meet  for  me  to  think 
 this  of  you  all,  because  I  have  you  in  my  heart,  inasmuch 
 as  both  in  my  bonds,  and  in  the  defence  and  confirmation 
 of  the  Gospel,  ye  are  all  partakers  of  my  grace.  For  God 
 is  my  record  how  greatly  I  long  after  you  all  in  the  boioels 
 of  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 Blessed  Paul,  a  stranger  and  a  captive  in  the  great 
 heathen  Eome,  the  hearts  of  other  men  at  such  a  time, 
 when  about  to  suffer  and  die,  will  turn  to  their  home ; 
 but  thou  hadst  on  earth  no  home  but  in  the  hearts 
 of  these  thy  first  children  in  the  faith,  "thy  beau- 
 tiful flock "  by  the  still  waters.  But  the  light  of  the 
 angel  in  thy  midnight  prison  at  Philippi  was  not  so  calm 
 and  bright  as  is  the  love,  in  the  midst  of  thy  bonds  and 
 imprisonment,  which  breathes  throughout  this  sweet  and 
 Divine  Epistle.  Easy  were  thy  chains  and  light  thy 
 sufferings  when  prayer  bound  thee  more  and  more,  in  the 
 tender  mercies  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  the  objects  of  thy  care 
 and  love  with  such  hope  and  repose.  And  here  we 
 s  2 
 
260      THE  TWENTY-SECOND  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 
 
 may  observe,  that  earnest  prayer  for  the  salvation  of 
 others  fills  us  with  a  good  hope  that  they  will  be  saved, 
 which  may  account  for  that  strong  confidence  in  their 
 final  perseverance  which  the  inspired  Apostle  here  ex- 
 presses in  the  midst  of  his  prayers,  and  longings,  and 
 thanksgivings. 
 
 This  Divine  love  of  brethren  united  together  in  Christ 
 is  well  lik'ened  to  a  golden  chain  let  down  from  the  very 
 throne  of  God  \  for  it  not  only  binds  more  and  more  one 
 with  another,  but  also  at  the  same  time  lifts  up  and  draws 
 all  together  more  and  more  towards  Heaven.  Thus  these 
 kind  Philippians,  with  their  worldly  means,  and  their 
 sympathies  and  prayers,  were  aiding  St.  Paul,  and  thus 
 made  "partakers  of"  his  "grace;"  and  he,  at  the  same 
 time,  by  his  most  prevailing  intercessions,  was  increasing 
 in  them  more  and  more  every  spiritual  blessing.  For 
 thus  he  proceeds,  after  calling  upon  God  as  the  witness 
 oi  his  affection  for  them  : 
 
 And  this  I  pray,  that  your  love  may  ahoimd  yet  more 
 and  more  in  knowledge  and  in  all  judgement:  that  ye  may 
 npvrove  things  that  are  excellent,  that  ye  onay  be  sincere 
 and  without  offence,  till  the  day  of  Christ :  being  filled 
 with  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  ichich  are  by  Jesus  Christ, 
 unto  the  glory  and  praise  of  God.  These  last  words  of 
 "  fruits  by  Jesus  Christ  unto  the  glory  of  God  "  are  even 
 as  our  Lord  Himself  had  said,  in  those  His  last  discourses, 
 in  taking  leave  of  His  disciples,  "  He  that  abideth  in  Me, 
 and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth  much  fruit."  And 
 again,  "  in  this  is  My  Father  glorified,  that  ye  bring  forth 
 much  fruit." 
 
 And  this  brotherly  love  to  each  other  of  them  that  are 
 found  in  Christ,  this  bringing  forth  much  fruit  in  mutual 
 
THE   LOVE    OF   CbRISTlANS.  261 
 
 affection  and  forgiveness,  on  account  of  the  love  of  Christ, 
 is  nowhere  set  forth  in  a  more  striking  manner  than  in 
 the  parable  from  St.  Matthew  in  this  day's  Gospel. 
 
 Peter  said  unto  Jesus,  Lord,  lioio  oft  shall  iiiy  hrother 
 sin  against  me,  and  I  jorgive  Mm  ?  till  seven  times  ? 
 Jesus  saith  unto  him,  I  say  not  unto  thee,  until  seven 
 tiines:  but  until  seventy  times  seven.  St.  Peter  asked 
 this  question  as  a  Jew  who  was  used  to  the  law,  for  the 
 law  lays  down  the  exact  measure  of  duty,  how  much  was 
 to  be  restored  and  the  like ;  but  the  Gospel  has  another 
 law  which  has  no  measure  at  all,  because  it  is  that  of 
 love  which  is  to  have  no  bounds,  ior  it  is  to  be  like  the 
 Love  of  God.  Look  how  high  the  Heaven  is  in  com- 
 parison of  the  earth,  it  says,  so  great  is  His  mercy  toward 
 them  that  fear  Him.  And  again.  Look  how  far  the  east 
 is  from  the  west,  so  far  hath  He  set  our  sins  from  us.  But 
 the  Heaven  above  our  heads  is  without  bounds ;  and  if  we 
 were  to  go  either  east  or  west  w^e  might  go  on  without 
 end,  into  infinite  space.  Such  then  is  the  Love  of  God, 
 and  our  love  is  to  endeavour  to  be  the  same.  Il^ow  this 
 is  the  most  difficult  precept  in  the  Gospel ;  so  that  in 
 hearing  of  this  law  of  forgiveness  the  disciples  said, 
 "Lord,  increase  our  faith."  But  if  it  is  the  most  diffi- 
 cult, yet  to  a  good  man  it  is  at  the  same  time  the  most 
 gracious  of  all  commands,  because  it  expresses  the  love 
 and  mercy  of  God  towards  ourselves.  And  thus  it  is  set 
 forth  in  the  following  parable. 
 
 Therefore  is  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  Wkened  unto  a  cer- 
 tain king,  which  would  talze  account  of  his  servants.  JS'ot  at 
 the  last  Great  Day  only,  but  always  from  our  baptism  to 
 our  death  God  is  in  some  sense  "  taking  account,"  judging, 
 releasing,  condemning.  '-'His  eyes  consider  the  poor,  and 
 His  eyelids  try  the  children  of  men." 
 
282    THE  TWENTY-SECOND  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 
 
 And  ivlien  he  had  begun  to  reckon,  one  was  hrought 
 unto  him,  which  oived  him  ten  thousand  tcdents.  Now- 
 one  talent  being  equal  to  some  hundreds  of  pounds,  of 
 course  ten  thousand  talents  was  beyond  what  any  one 
 could  pay.  And  it  indicates  the  great  holiness  of  God, 
 for  it  is  on  account  of  His  being  most  holy  that  our  sins 
 against  Him  are  so  infinite  ;  He  knows  them  all,  He  reckons 
 them  all.  He  is  grieved  by  them  all ;  w^hether  in  thought, 
 w^ord,  or  deed,  they  are  all  offences  against  His  infinite 
 holiness.  And  every  one  who  comes  to  repentance  and  a 
 sense  of  God's  presence  must  feel  with  the  Psalmist,  "  My 
 sins  are  more  in  number  than  the  hairs  of  my  head,  and 
 my  heart  hath  failed  me." 
 
 But  forasmuch  as  he  had  7iot  to  pay,  for  his  debt  was 
 immense  and  he  had  nothing,  his  lord  commanded  him  to 
 he  sold,  and  his  wife  and  children,  and  all  that  he  had,  and 
 payment  to  he  made.  Such  is  the  condition  of  man  by  nature, 
 unable  to  m.ake  any  satisfaction  or  atonement  to  God; 
 upon  him  is  passed  the  sentence  of  death.  The  servant 
 therefore  fell  down  and  ivorship)ped  him,  saying.  Lord, 
 have  pcdience  with  me,  and  I  will  pay  thee  all.  Then  the 
 lord  of  thcd  servant  was  moved  with  compassion,  and 
 loosed  him,  and  forgave  him  the  debt.  This  is  the  case 
 of  the  accepted  penitent :  although  he  can  of  himself  do 
 nothing,  and  has  nothing  to  pay,  yet  does  he  acknowledge 
 the  debt,  and  promises  to  do  all  that  he  can  do ;  he  hum- 
 bles and  abases  himself  before  God,  or,  as  it  is  said,  he 
 *'  fell  down."  And  he  pays  all  adoration  and  reverence, 
 "he  worshipped  him,"  it  is  added.  Then  does  God  in 
 Christ  meet  him,  and  lift  him  up  with  all  mercy  and 
 loving-kindness,  not  merely  grant  what  he  asks,  in 
 affording  him  a  respite  and  time  to  pay,  but  infinitely 
 more  than  he  could  ask  or  think ;  "  he  loosed  him,  and 
 
THE   LOVE   UF   CHRISTIANS.  263 
 
 forgave  him  the  debt."  "  l!^one  of  the  sins  that  he  hath 
 committed,"  as  the  Prophet  says,  "shall  he  mentioned 
 unto  him."^  And  this  Divine  love  is  the  very  pattern 
 which  is  given  for  us  all  to  follow,  as  our  Lord  Himself 
 says,  "Love your  enemies, bless  them  that  curse  you,  do  good 
 to  them  that  hate  you,  .  .  .  that  ye  may  be  the  children 
 of  your  Father  which  is  in  Heaven."  It  is  infinitely  high, 
 50  that  we  can  never  go  far  enough  in  this  temper ;  it  is 
 not  in  purity,  nor  in  justice,  nor  in  courage,  nor  in 
 wisdom,  that  we  are  called  upon  to  imitate  Almighty 
 God,  so  much  as  in  this  grace.  "  Be  ye  merciful  as  your 
 Father  in  Heaven  is  merciful,"  and,  as  our  Lord  says, 
 "  Learn  of  Me,  for  T  am  meek."  It  is  the  very  measure 
 of  our  acceptance  :  "  with  what  measure  ye  mete  it  shall 
 be  measured  to  you  again." 
 
 But  the  same  servant  tvent  out,  and  found  one  of  Ms 
 fellow-servants,  ivhicli  owed  Mm  an  hundred  x>ence.  This 
 might  be  much  for  one  servant  to  owe  another,  but  com- 
 pared with  what  he  had  himself  owed  his  master,  it  was 
 so  trifling  as  to  be  absolutely  nothing.  And  lie  laid 
 hands  on  Mm,  and  took  Mm  hy  the  throat,  saying,  Pay 
 me  that  thou  oivest.  And  Ms  fellow-servant  fell  doivn  at 
 Ms  feet,  and  besought  Mm,  saying.  Have  patience  with  me, 
 and  I  will  pay  thee  all.  And  he  would  not ;  but  loent  and 
 cast  him  into  prison,  till  he  should  pay  the  debt.  ;N"ow 
 we  must  not  deceive  ourselves  because  the  parts  of  this 
 parable  find  no  exact  fulfilment  in  our  own  case,  the 
 laying  hands  on  him,  the  seizing  him  by  the  throat,  and  a 
 debtor  falling  down  at  our  feet;  for  not  only  do  these 
 perhaps  never  take  place  according  to  the  letter,  but  in 
 some  of  the  worst  cases  to  which  the  parable  refers,  there 
 is  no  outward  appearance  whatever  of  this  kind  ;  it  mny 
 ^  Ezek.  xxxiii.  16. 
 
264    THE   TWENTY-SECOND  SUNDAY  AFTER   'IRINITY. 
 
 not  be  any  matter  of  money  due  at  all,  it  may  be  some 
 overreaching  in  other  matters,  or  it  may  be  some  slight, 
 some  standing  in  our  way,  some  bitter  word  which  has 
 provoked  us,  or  it  may  be  some  envious  ill  will  on  our 
 part,  or  even  no  more  than  some  dislike  ;  and  the  un- 
 forgiving temper  may  have  no  means  ot  avenging  itself  by 
 casting  an  enemy  in  prison,  or  putting  him  down  in  any 
 way.  The  worst  case  of  this  kind  may  all  take  place  in 
 the  heart  only,  scarce,  if  at  all,  shown  by  outward  gesture, 
 word,  or  deed,  but  only  known  to  the  great  Searcher 
 of  hearts.  Such  is  the  unforgiving  temper  which  asks 
 forgiveness  of  God,  while  it  is  not  itself  reconciled  to  man. 
 Yea,  such  a  one,  though  he  may  ask  forgiveness  of  God, 
 yet  in  fact  feels  not  his  own  need  of  mercy,  nor  is  he 
 sensible  of  the  weight  of  his  own  sins. 
 
 &o  lohen  his  fellow-servants  saw  what  ivas  done,  they  were 
 very  sorry,  and  came  and  told  unto  their  lord  all  that 
 was  done.  Such  an  instance  is  a  grief  now  to  all  good 
 men,  and  an  offence  to  the  Church  of  God  :  but  this  is 
 not  all  that  is  implied  in  this  statement  of  his  fellow- 
 servants,  in  such  grief  complaining  to  their  lord.  As  it 
 is  said  that  "  the  saints  shall  judge  the  world,"  so  will  the 
 righteous  acquiesce  in  the  just  judgments  of  God ;  yea, 
 they  will  seem  in  the  very  name  of  all  justice  and  mercy 
 to  call  for  that  judgment.  "Let  the  hills  be  joyful 
 together  before  the  Lord,  foj  He  cometh  to  judge." 
 
 27ten  his  lord,  after  that  he  had  called  him,  for  he 
 seemed  to  keep  silence  and  leave  him  alone  for  awhile ; 
 but  after  he  had  called  Mm,  he  said  unto  him,  0  thou 
 wicked  servant,  I  forgave  thee  all  that  debt  because  thou 
 desiredst  me :  shouldest  not  thou  also  have  had  compassion 
 on  thy  fellow-servant,  even  as  I  had  pity  on  thee  ?  And 
 his  lord  was  loroth.     This,  with  very  wonderful  power  of 
 
THE   LOVE    OF   CHRISTIANS.  265 
 
 expression,  is  called  in  other  places  "the  wrath  of  the  Lamb," 
 from  which  the  sinner  will  call  upon  the  mountains  to 
 fall  on  him  and  hide  him  ;  i.  e.  even  He  Who  had  such 
 infinite  compassions.  Himself  so  meek  and  forgiving,  Who 
 had  wrought  all  the  atonement  for  him,  even  He  the 
 meek  Lamb  of  God,  the  very  Victim  for  all  sin,  is  said 
 to  be  wroth ;  for  the  weight  of  all  His  mercy  but  weighs 
 down  the  unforgiving  heart  with  a  heavier  judgment.  He 
 was  wroth,  and  delivered  him  to  the  tormentors,  till  he 
 shoidd  pay  all  that  was  due  unto  him.  All  the  burden  of 
 his  own  sins  oppresses  him  for  ever,  with  none  of  them 
 forgiven,  and  with  no  hope  of  any  one  to  release  him. 
 
 So  Vikewwe,  adds  our  Lord  to  this  parable  in  very 
 emphatic  and  awlul  words,  so  likewise  shall  My  Heavenly 
 Father  do  also  unto  you,  if  ye  from  your  hearts  forgive 
 not  every  one  his  brother  their  trespasses. 
 
 Thus,  although  the  parable  had  given  an  account  of 
 Dutward  circumstances,  of  words  spoken,  and  deeds  done, 
 yet  by  this  last  sentence  our  Lord  lays  all  the  stress  upon 
 the  keeping  of  the  heart;  it  is  if  ye  from  your  hearts 
 forgive  not;  there  must  be  outward  conduct  in  word  and 
 deed  showing  forgiveness,  but  this  forgiveness  must  be 
 from  the  heart.  And  observe  His  words  :  it  is  not  "for- 
 give all  men,"  but  forgive  each  his  brother;  it  is  by  the 
 bond  of  brotherhood  in  Christ,  in  the  bowels  of  Christ 
 Jesus,  as  St.  Paul  says,  nor  is  it  general  but  particular, 
 each  his  brother. 
 
 On  this  subject,  therefore,  the  great,  law  of  love,  upon 
 which  more  than  anything  else  our  forgiveness  for  sins 
 daily  incurred,  and  the  sentence  of  the  Day  of  Judgment 
 will  depend,  what  else  can  we  add,  but  those  words  of 
 wisdom,  "  Keep  thy  heart  with  all  diligence ;  for  out  of 
 it  are  the  issues  of  life  "  ? 
 
SERMON    LXX. 
 CJe  Ctotnty^Ei^ii'tJ  ^uutfap  after  Cvmitw. 
 
 Phil.  iii.  17—21.     St.  Matt  xxii.  15—22. 
 
 THE   EARTHLY  AND    HEAVENLY  CITIZENSHIP. 
 
 For  our  conversation  is  in  Heaven. — Phil.  iii.  20. 
 
 THE  word  here  translated  "conversation"  means  lite- 
 rally "  citizenship."  And  as  such  the  text  may  serve 
 to  represent  both  the  Epistle  and  the  Gospel  for  to-day,  as 
 speaking  of  our  heavenly  citizenship  in  distinction  from 
 citizens  of  earth. 
 
 Bretlwen,  says  St.  Paul,  he  followers  together  of  me,  and 
 mark,  i.  e.  aim  at  imitating,  them  ivhich  ivalk  so  as  ye 
 have  us  for  an  ensample.  The  great  Apostle  laboured  to 
 teach  the  Gospel,  not  only  by  his  words,  but  also  by  his 
 life ;  this  he  sometimes  alludes  to  more  or  less  distinctly, 
 as  when  he  wrought  by  his  own  hands,  it  was,  he  says, 
 to  show  them  "  that  by  so  labouring  "  they  "  ought  to 
 supply  the  weak."^  And  he  was  able  to  say  with  the 
 like  confidence  to  the  Corinthians,  "  Be  ye  followers  of 
 me,  even  as  I  also  am  of  Christ."     Thus  has  God  been 
 
 1  Acts  XX.  34,  35. 
 
THE  EA  R  THL  Y  AND  HE  A  VENL  V  CI  TIZENSHIP .      267 
 
 pleased  not  only  to  afford  us  a  perfect  pattern  in  His  Son, 
 but  in  His  Apostles  also  living  ensamples  to  the  flock,  in 
 men  subject  to  like  infirmities  and  passions  as  we  are. 
 They  shine  like  lights  in  the  world  amidst  the  darkness 
 that  surrounds  us,  living  by  a  higher  rule,  and  as  it  were 
 walking  in  Heaven. 
 
 For  many  icalk,  adds  the  Apostle,  of  wJiom  I  Jiave  told 
 you  often,  and  noio  tell  you  even  weeping,  that  they  are  the 
 enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ:  whose  end  is  destruction, 
 whose  God  is  their  belly,  and  ichose  glory  is  in  their  shame, 
 ivho  mind  earthly  things.  Even  in  that  saintly  little 
 Church  at  Philippi,  even  in  those  early  days  when  Chris- 
 tians were  so  much  purified  by  suffering,  even  among 
 those  who  had  witnessed  St.  Paul's  preaching  and  his 
 life,  there  were  Christians  in  name  who  forgot  the  cross ; 
 nay,  there  were  many.  "  Many  walk,"  he  says ;  and, 
 further,  it  had  been  the  constant  subject  of  his  warnings 
 when  he  was  with  them ;  and  now,  when  he  thought  of 
 it,  he  wept.  The  blessed  Apostle  wept ;  and  it  so  affected 
 him,  because  it  touched  him  in  the  most  tender  point  of 
 all,  his  Master's  Cross.  It  was  because  the  life  they  led 
 made  them  enemies  of  that  Cross.  When  he  thought  of 
 it,  he  wept ;  because,  as  he  says  to  the  Hebrews,  they  in 
 some  mysterious  sense  "  crucified  afresh  the  Son  of  God." 
 His  wounds  bleed  again ;  He  is  again  put  to  open  shame ; 
 His  enemies  are  not  Jews  but  Christians.  This  makes 
 the  Apostle  weep.  He  weeps  because  they  laugh,  and 
 know  not  what  they  do ;  even  as  his  Lord  when  He  wept 
 over  Jerusalem,  because  it  was  full  of  rejoicing  when  it 
 ought  to  have  mourned.  They  are  the  enemies  of  the 
 cross,  and  of  Him  Who  is  seen  thereon;  and  therefore 
 their  "  end  is  destruction,"  although  for  them  Christ  died. 
 Our  King  is  set  forth  on  earth  nowhere  else  but  on  a 
 
268     THE  TWENTY-THIRD  SUNDAY  AFTER   TRINITY. 
 
 cross ;  on  the  cross  His  title  is  written,  This  is  the  King. 
 It  is  written  in  every  language,  for  all  people  are  His ; 
 but  the  cross  is  His  only  throne  below.  The  cross 
 speaks  of  our  God  with  a  body  full  of  pain,  because  our 
 bodies  are  full  oi  sin.  But  their  "  God,"  says  St.  Paul, 
 ''  is  their  belly."  That  is,  the  chief  object  they  look  to  is 
 ease  and  luxury,  serving  the  fleshly  mind,  which  is  the 
 very  opposite  to  the  lesson  of  the  cross.  The  "carnal 
 mind,"  says  St.  Paul,  "  is  death,"  and  is  "  enmity  against 
 God."^  And  the  reason  is,  because  in  the  cross  is  life. 
 The  things  in  which  the  natural  man  glories,  are  a  shame 
 to  a  Christian,  because  they  are  contrary  to  the  cross. 
 He  is  ashamed  of  them  because  they  make  him  unlike  his 
 Master.  This  may  be  seen  in  St.  Paul  himself  continually. 
 "I  will  not  glory,"  he  says,  "except  in  my  infirmities. 
 And  gladly  in  them  v.'ill  I  glory,  that  the  power  of  Christ 
 may  rest  upon  me."^ 
 
 And  the  character  of  these  persons,  the  enemies  of  the 
 cross,  St.  Paul  sums  up  in  these  comprehensive  words, 
 "who  mind  earthly  things."  Their  thoughts  and  desires, 
 their  joys  and  cares,  their  hopes  and  fears,  are  engaged 
 about  temporal  matters.  Would  to  God,  my  brethren, 
 that  we  were  not,  most  all  of  us,  in  this  respect  too  like 
 those  over  whom  St.  Paul  weeps.  Our  employments,  our 
 treasure,  our  hearts,  our  affections  are  too  much  on  earth 
 for  us  to  be  the  imitators  of  St.  Paul,  as  he  was  of 
 Christ. 
 
 For  our  conversation,  he  adds,  is  in  heaven;  we  are 
 citizens  not  of  this  world,  but  of  Heaven,  where  "  our  life 
 is  hid  with  Christ  in  God,"/rom  whence  also  we  look  for 
 the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.     Our  life  is  one  of 
 
 *  Rom.  viii.  6,  7.  ^  2  Cor.  xii.  9. 
 
7  HE  EAR  THL  V  AND  HE  A  VENL  Y  CI  Tl  ZENS  HI  P.      269 
 
 expectation  and  hope,   not   of  enjoyment ;  we  are  in  a 
 place  which   does  not  helong   to  ns,   nor  we  to  it;   as 
 strangers  we  might  say,  and  exiles  far  from  home.     But 
 this  is  not  all,  for  we  bear  abont  with  us  a  body  of  death  ; 
 we  have  a  close-pursuing  and  inseparable  enemy  ever  about 
 us,  and  in  whose  country  we  dwell,  which  is  this  flesh, 
 and  which  will  overcome  us,  unless  by  daily  dying  as 
 Scripture  with  eloquent  force  expresses  it,  we  succeed  in 
 subduing  it.     It  is  this  flesh  ever  with  us  and  influencing 
 our  hearts,  which  would  make  a  God  of  this  world's  con- 
 solations ;  which  glories  in  subduing  the  immortal  spirit 
 to  itself,  and  fills  the  mind  "with  earthly  things.     With 
 this  we  contend  and  labour,  and  long  to  be  released  from 
 this  contest  with  it,  and  therefore  we  look  for  the  Saviour, 
 Who  shall  change  our  vile  body,  that  it  may  he  fashioned 
 like   unto   His  glorious   body,  according  to  the  ivorldng 
 whereby  He  is  able  even  to  subdue  all  things  unto  Himself, 
 These  are  blessed  and  gracious  words,  not  new  indeed  for 
 us  to  hear,  but  if  we  seriously  meditate  upon  them,  they 
 will  be  ever  new  to  our  understanding,  full  of  new  life, 
 new  hopes.     "  The  working  whereby  He  is  able  to  subdue 
 all  things  to  Himself,"  that  is,  His  Spirit  working  within 
 us  a  new  body,  and  the  power  of  the  Eesurrection.     As 
 to  the  Ephesians  he  says,  "  the  exceeding  greatness  of 
 His  power  to  us-ward  who  believe,  according  to  the  work- 
 ing 01  His  mighty  power,  which  He  wrought  in  Christ  when 
 He  raised  Him  from  the  dead."     It  was  to  set  forth  this 
 that  our  Lord  went  forth  working  His  miracles  on  diseased 
 and  dead  bodies.     For  this  did  He  after  the  Resurrection 
 manifest  so  often  His  own  risen  body.     And  how  is  He 
 forming  this  change  ?     It  is  by  His  Spirit  within  us,  first 
 working  the  living  change  in  our  souls,  tha't  thus  taking 
 up  His  abode  within  us  He  may  in  His  own  good  time 
 
270     THE  TWENTY-THIRD  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 
 
 quicken  us  into  a  spiritual  and  glorious  body,  casting  oflT 
 this  vile  body,  with  all  its  evil  lusts  and  affections.  It  is, 
 therefore,  by  His  thus  working  even  now  this  change 
 within  us,  that  we  are  raised  together  with  Him,  made 
 to  sit  in  heavenly  places,  and  to  have  our  conversation  in 
 Heaven.  But  if  we  mind  earthly  things  we  shall  die  :  to 
 be  carnally-minded  is  death. 
 
 As  citizens,  therefore,  of  Heaven,  we  have  an  Heavenly 
 King,  for  Whose  kingdom  we  daily,  hourly  pray.  He  is 
 our  King  even  now,  for  our  very  calling  and  state  as 
 Christians  is  termed  "  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  "  and  "  of 
 God."  Nay  more,  as  we  are  citizens  not  of  earth  but  of 
 Heaven,  as  we  are  but  strangers,  having  no  continuing 
 city  here  on  earth,  so  it  must  be  said  that  we  as  Chris- 
 tians are  of  no  earthly  kingdom,  or  state,  or  country. 
 And  even  as  the  Jews  of  old  cried  out,  "  We  have  no  king 
 but  Caesar  !"  so  we,  on  the  contrary  say,  AYe  have  no  King 
 but  Christ !  For  as  no  man  can  be  a  citizen  of  two 
 cities ;  a  countryman  of  two  countries ;  so  in  one  sense  it 
 must  be  said  that  he  cannot  belong  to  two  kingdoms,  or 
 be  subject  to  two  kings.  He  cannot  serve  two  masters. 
 Inasmuch  as  one  is  so  infinitely  higher  than  the  other, 
 that  the  less  is  lost  in  the  greater,  and  is  as  if  it  were 
 not. 
 
 I^ow  this  is  a  point  very  little  understood  or  con- 
 sidered; men  allow  their  minds  to  be  taken  up  with 
 State  affairs,  as  if  they  were  citizens  of  this  world ;  as  if 
 such  were  all  great  substantial  realities,  of  which  they 
 were  to  have  the  control  and  management.  Alas,  what 
 a  dream  and  a  shadow  it  all  is,  what  a  mockery  that 
 deludes  us  with  a  show  of  something  real !  And  yet 
 what  strong  feelings  are  thrown  away;  what  zeal  and 
 animosity;  what   likes   and  dislikes  are  engendered,  as 
 
THE    EA  R  THE  V  AND  HE  A  VENL  V  CI  TIZENSHIP.      271 
 
 among  the  Pharisees  and  Herodians  of  old,  about  politics. 
 True  it  is  that  a  Christian  would  honour  and  obey  his 
 king  no  less  than  others,  nay,  far  more ;  but  why  %  not 
 because  he  is  a  citizen  of  this  world,  but  because  he  is  not ; 
 and  he  looks  on  such  only  as  ordained  of  God,  as  repre- 
 senting His  kingly  power.  For  this  cause  he  will  render 
 to  all  their  dues;  "tribute  to  whom  tribute  is  due; 
 custom  to  whom  custom ;  fear  to  whom  fear ;  honour  to 
 whom  honour."^  ISTo  one  serves  an  earthly  master  so 
 faithfully,  no  one  honours  an  earthly  king  so  truly  as  a 
 good  Christian,  because  he  does  it  for  the  sake  of  a  Divine 
 Master  and  a  Heavenly  King. 
 
 JSTow  this  the  Gospel  sets  before  us  in  a  very  memorable 
 incident  and  Divine  saying,  to  which  it  gave  rise.  When 
 our  Lord  was  teaching  in  the  temple,  a  few  days  before 
 His  death,  we  read,  Tlien  went  the  Pharisees,  and  took 
 counsel  how  they  might  entangle  Him  in  His  talk.  And 
 they  sent  out  unto  Him  their  discijoles  with  the  Herodians, 
 saying,  Master,  we  know  that  Thou  art  true,  and  teachest 
 the  way  of  God  in  truth,  neither  carest  Thou  for  any  man  : 
 for  Thou  regardest  not  the  person  of  men.  Tell  us  there- 
 fore. What  thinkest  Thou  ?  Is  it  lawful  to  give  tribute  to 
 Goisar,  or  not  ?  They  feigned  themselves  just  men  ;  as  if 
 troubled  by  a  point  of  conscience,  they  wanted  Him  to 
 relieve  them  of  their  doubts  ;  for,  of  course,  they  said, 
 He  had  no  fear  of  the  Eomans,  and  would  plainly  tell  them 
 the  truth.  For  Herod  having  been  made  king  of  Galilee 
 by  the  Eomans,  the  Herodians,  or  party  of  Herod,  main- 
 tained that  they  ought  to  submit  to  the  Eomans.  But 
 the  Pharisees  on  the  contrary  contended  that  the  sacred 
 nation,  as  the  people  of  God,  ought  not  to  be  under  Eoman 
 
 ^  Eom.  xiii.  7. 
 
272     1HE  TIVENTY-THIRD  SUNDAY  AFTER   TRINITY. 
 
 governors.  And  they  thought  that  if  Christ  maintained 
 Himself  to  be  the  long-expected  King  of  the  Jews,  surely 
 He  would  not  have  them  to  submit  to  a  heathen  yoke  \ 
 and  if  they  could  but  entrap  Him  by  His  answer  to  say 
 this,  then  at  once  they  would  ask  the  Eoman  governor  to 
 pat  Him  to  death.  For  much  as  these  political  parties 
 hated  each  other,  they  both  hated  Christ — the  true  Light 
 — far  more. 
 
 I^ow,  in  reading  this  account,  what,  I  think,  must  most 
 strike  us,  is  not  their  malice  and  envy  against  Christ, 
 although  He  was  love  and  goodness  itself,  so  much  as 
 the  little,  low,  earthly  thoughts  which  possessed  them. 
 Our  Lord  speaks  of  the  great  things  of  eternity,  of  loving 
 God  with  the  whole  heart,  of  being  made  His  children  for 
 ever,  and  as  the  angels  which  are  in  Heaven.  But  their 
 hearts  are  so  full  of  things  earthly,  of  their  petty  disputes 
 about  this  world's  politics,  that  they  have  no  room  there 
 for  Him.  Like  Judas  weighing  in  the  balance  earth  and 
 Heaven,  putting  in  one  scale  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  and 
 in  the  other  an  eternal  weight  of  glory ;  and  finding  that 
 the  thirty  pieces  outweighed  it.  Surely,  my  brethren, 
 such  things  as  these  were  enough  to  make  an  apostle  weep 
 to  think  of ;  yea,  and  to  make  one,  who  is  no  apostle, 
 weep  to  think  how  often  he  has  forgotten  the  same. 
 
 But  Jesus  ijerceived  their  ivickedness, — their  crafty 
 design  in  pretending  a  scruple  of  conscience  in  this  insi- 
 dious question, — and  said.  Why  tempt  ye  Me,  ye  hypocrites? 
 shew  Me  the  tribute  money.  And  they  brought  Him  a 
 penny.  And  He  saith  unto  them,  Whose  is  this  image  and 
 superscription?  They  say  unto  Him,  Ctesar's.  Then 
 saith  He  unto  them,  Render  therefore  unto  Ccesar  the  things 
 vMch  are  C Cesar's;  and  unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's. 
 When  they  had  heard  these  words  they  marvelled,  and  left 
 
THE  EA  R  THL  V  A  ND  HE  A  VENL  Y  CITIZENSHIP.      1  i  3 
 
 Him,  and  went  their  icay.  They  marvelled  to  see  the 
 crafty  web  they  had  woven  so  soon  scattered  to  the 
 winds. 
 
 The  answer  seems  to  imply,  You  accept  Caesar's  monej^, 
 yon  submit  to  his  sway ;  your  duty  therefore  is  simple  and 
 obvious,  as  far  as  that  is  concerned ;  but  stop,  rendering 
 tribute  to  Caesar  is  not  all ;  remember  there  is  something 
 infinitely  higher  and  more  important.  Eender  unto  God 
 the  things  which  are  His.  Give  not  over  unto  Caesar  your 
 rehgion,  your  conscience,  your  Saviour.  For  this  both  of 
 you,  Pharisees  and  Herodians,  are  combining  together 
 to  do. 
 
 But  our  Lord's  calling  for  the  tribute  money  seems  to 
 imply  that  the  matter  of  duty  in  such  cases  is  generally  a 
 very  simple  and  easy  one.  And  if  there  should  be  any 
 doubt,  our  Lord  has  taught  us  on  another  occasion  what 
 is  the  better  part.  When  asked  at  Capernaum  to  pay  the 
 tribute  money  for  the  temple,  He  explained  to  St.  Peter  that 
 from  Him,  as  the  Son  of  God,  it  was  not  really  due,  but 
 nevertheless,  by  a  miracle  of  Divine  power,  He  paid  the 
 same,  that  He  might  not  offend  them. 
 
 But  now,  if  these  Jews  had  but  known  themselves  to  be 
 citizens  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  how  different  would 
 their  conduct  have  been  %  Taken  up  with  the  thoughts  of 
 the  earthly  Jerusalem,  they  lost  that  and  the  heavenly  also. 
 As  for  the  Roman  Caesars  they  were  always  raising  tumults 
 and  seditions  against  them,  and  yet  they  rendered  up  to 
 them  the  things  of  God.  The  reason  which  they  gave  for 
 putting  Christ  to  death  was,  lest  the  Romans  should  come 
 and  take  away  their  place  and  nation,  while  by  that  very 
 circumstance  they  brought  upon  them  destruction  from  the 
 Roman  Caesars. 
 
 And  now  to  apply  all  this  to  ourselves  ;  what  number- 
 
 VOL.  II.  T 
 
27-i     THE  TWENTY-THIRD  SUNDAY  AFTER   TRINITY. 
 
 less  perplexities,  and  difficulties,  and  dangers  shall  we 
 escape  by  having  our  conversation  in  Heaven ;  and  thereby 
 making  God,  as  the  Collect  says,  "  our  refuge  and 
 strength '"?  Many  cares  and  temptations  under  which  we 
 now  sink  would  at  once  vanish  away,  if  we  considered 
 ourselves  as  citizens  of  Heaven  ;  and  if  our  only  joy  was 
 that  our  names  were  written  there.  But  how  can  we 
 expect  that  Heaven  should  be  our  portion  hereafter,  unless 
 our  heart  and  our  treasure  are  there  now  % 
 
 Our  Blessed  Saviour  wept,  and  His  Apostle  wept, 
 because  with  "  many "  it  was  not  so ;  and  surely  that 
 "  many  "  has  been  increasing  ever  since,  while  the  world 
 goes  on  to  its  end.  So  that  now  there  are  "  very  many." 
 And  which  of  us  may  not  be  of  that  number  %  The  Spirit 
 of  God  it  was  that  made  His  saints  so  sorrowful  at  this 
 thought,  because  the  Spirit  of  Truth  alone  fully  knew  how 
 many  there  are  who  now  weep  not  for  themselves,  but 
 shall  do  so  throughout  a  long — long — long — eternity.  Oh  ! 
 what  shall  that  sorrow  be  which  our  Lord  speaks  of  as 
 the  "  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth,"  at  being  shut  out 
 from  that  kingdom  %  0  sorrow  of  all  sorrows  !  0  sea  of 
 all  bitterness,  which  that  weeping  shall  be,  which  shall 
 then  begin,  but  shall  never  know  an  end  ! 
 
 Surely  this  is  nearer  to  us  than  we  think  for,  because 
 those  whom  it  hath  overtaken  have  always  been  those 
 who  have  least  thought  of  it.  So  was  it  with  those  of 
 whom  St.  Paul  spoke.  He  would  not  have  wept  for  them, 
 if  they  had  wept  for  themselves ;  if  they  had  thought 
 themselves  in  danger  he  would  not  have  so  despaired  of 
 them. 
 
 So  was  it  with  those  who  came  flocking  around  our 
 Blessed  Lord  with  captious  ensnaring  questions;  their 
 conversation  was  assuredly  not  in  Heaven,  but  was  with 
 
THE  EA  R  THL  Y  AND  HE  A  VENL  Y  CITIZENSHIP.      275 
 
 evil  spirits;  yet  they  tremtled  not.  They  stood  on  the 
 brink  of  the  bottomless  gulf,  with  none  but  Christ  to 
 rescue  them,  but  they  cared  not  for  it. 
 
 How  many  are  there  among  ourselves  who  walk  erect 
 as  if  all  were  well  with  them,  who  know  not  what  it  is  to 
 bow  their  heads  and  humble  themselves ;  whom  neither 
 warnings,  nor  afflictions,  nor  mercies  of  God,  nor  words, 
 nor  example,  seem  to  have  any  power  to  move  and 
 subdue;  and  to  all  appearances  nothing  but  the  sound  of 
 the  last  trumpet  itself  will  do  so.  Nay,  many  there  are, 
 our  Lord  Himself  has  declared  to  us,  whom  not  even  that 
 sound  itself,  nor  the  very  coming  of  the  Judge,  will  move 
 and  humble;  who  will  be  taken  by  surprise  even  at  the 
 last,  and  will  doubt  even  the  Judge's  own  words,  when 
 He  shall  say,  "  I  never  knew  you ;  depart  from  Me,  ye 
 that  work  iniquity  ! " 
 
 T  3 
 
SERMON    LXXI. 
 €i)t  €h)tntv4om'tf}  ^untJap  after  Crinttg. 
 
 Col.  i.  3—12.     St.  Matt.  ix.  18-26. 
 
 ■MUTUAL   INTERCESSIONS. 
 
 For  this  cause  we  also,  since  the  day  we  heard  it,  do  not  cease  to  pray 
 for  you. — Col.  i.  9. 
 
 WE  give  thanks,  says  St.  Paul  at  the  commencement 
 of  his  Epistle  to  the  Colossians,  We  give  thanks  to 
 God,  and  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  praying 
 aliuays  for  you,  since  ice  heard  of  your  faith  in  Christ 
 Jesus,  and  of  the  love  lohich  ye  have  to  all  the  saints. 
 There  is  nothing  more  remarkable  in  St.  Paul  than  his 
 earnest  and  constant  prayers  for  others ;  so  much  so  that 
 we  might  suppose  he  did  as  much  for  the  cause  of  the 
 Gospel  by  his  prayers  as  by  all  his  other  labours.  No 
 doubt  his  labours  and  prayers  mutually  assisted  each 
 other.  But  one  great  advantage  in  prayer  is  that  it  can 
 reach  cases  which  nothing  else  can,  as  in  this  instance : 
 St.  Paul  was  praying  for  a  people  from  whom  he  was  now 
 necessarily  at  a  distance,  and  whom  he  had  never  seen. 
 This  subject  of  praying  for  our  fellow  Christians  is  one  of 
 the  greatest  importance,  and  numerous  are  the  ties  and 
 
MUTUAL    INTERCESSIONS. 
 
 inducements  wliicli  in  various  ways  sliould  invite  us  to  it, 
 such  as  will  influence  every  one,  more  or  less,  according  to 
 the  love  which  he  bears  for  Christ  and  His  people.  For 
 our  own  Church  in  this  country  (oh  !  how  dear  should  it 
 be  to  us),  for  particular  parishes  and  neighbourhoods,  for 
 the  state  of  the  clergy,  especially  the  bishops,  for  the 
 great  and  crying  want  of  more  ministers;  our  Lord  has 
 pointed  out  prayer  as  the  great  remedy  for  these  evils,  in 
 the  case  of  labourers  wanted  in  His  harvest.  And  how 
 much  does  St.  Paul's  example  urge  upon  us  the  same  !  It 
 is  a  duty  most  pressing  on  us,  yet  most  neglected.  And 
 what  a  view  have  we  here  of  an  early  Church,  the  object 
 of  St.  Paul's  prayers?  For  the  hope,  he  says,  which  is 
 laid  up  for  you  in  heaven,  whereof  ye  heard  lefore  in  the 
 word  of  the  truth  of  the  Gospel ;  ivldch  is  come  unto  you, 
 as  it  is  in  all  the  world,  and  hringeth  forth  fruit,  as  it 
 doth  also  in  you,  since  the  day  ye  heard  of  it,  and  hnew 
 the  grace  of  God  in  truth.  "We  may  observe  how  full  of 
 a  heavenly  mind  breathes  this  prayer  and  thanksgiving; 
 it  is  not  for  their  outward  increase  or  profession  that  he 
 prays,  but  "  for  the  hope,  laid  up  "  for  them  "  in  Heaven;" 
 for  their  faith  and  love  and  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit.  And 
 then  he  proceeds  to  mention  the  instrument  of  this  their 
 holy  inter- communion  with  each  other.  As  ye  also  learned 
 of  Epaphras,  our  dear  fellow-servant,  who  is  for  you  « 
 faithful  minister  of  Christ ;  loho  also  decUired  urdo  ns 
 your  love  in  the  Spirit.  This  same  person  St.  Paul  again 
 speaks  of  at  the  close  of  this  Epistle  in  these  words, 
 "Epaphras,  who  is  one  of  you, — always  labouring  fer- 
 vently for  you  in  prayers,  that  ye  may  stand  perfect  and 
 complete  in  all  the  will  of  God."  How  very  beautiful 
 and  impressive,  my  brethren,  is  this  picture  of  St.  Paul 
 and  his  friend  earnestly  contending  in  prayer  for  those 
 
278    THE  TWENTY-FOURTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 
 
 Christians  whom  the  Apostle  had  never  seen !  Here  is 
 the  secret  of  the  conversion  of  the  world. 
 
 For  this  cause,  he  adds,  we  also,  since  the  day  we  heard 
 it,  do  not  cease  to  pray  for  you,  and  to  desire  that  ye  might 
 he  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  His  will  in  all  wisdom  and 
 spiritual  understanding  ;  that  ye  might  walk  worthy  of  the 
 Lord  unto  all  pleasing,  being  fruitful  in  every  good  work, 
 and  increasing  in  the  knowledge  of  God.  You  see  how 
 enlarged  his  desires  are  after  all  good ;  his  hearing  of  their 
 increase  in  grace  and  fruits  of  goodness  only  renders  him 
 the  more  urgent  in  praj^er  that  such  grace  should  abound, 
 and  such  fruits  should  be  an  hundredfold.  What  earnest 
 spiritual  love  on  both  sides;  how  blessed  this  Communion 
 of  Saints;  what  fervent  longing  in  the  Apostle  for  the 
 everlasting  good  of  those  to  whom  he  was  bound  by  no 
 earthly  tie  !  How  poor,  how  confined  and  short-lived 
 appears  all  mortal  love  and  friendship  compared  with  this 
 union  which  they  had  in  God. 
 
 That  ye  may  be,  he  adds,  strengthened  loith  all  might, 
 according  to  His  glorious  power,  unto  all  patience  and 
 long-suffering  with  joy  fulness;  giving  thanks  unto  the 
 Father,  Wliich  hath  made  us  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the 
 inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light.  And  here  he  just 
 alludes  incidentally  to  their  being  in  a  state  of  external 
 tribulation,  yet  not  to  deprecate  or  pray  against  such 
 trials,  but  clothing  the  very  mention  of  them  with  the 
 sublimity  of  divine  hope  and  joy,  according  to  his  usual 
 manner  of  mentioning  earthly  suffering  as  put  in  the  scale 
 of  eternity,  "strengthened,  unto  all  patience  and  long- 
 suffering,  with  joy  fulness,  giving  thanks  unto  the  Father." 
 
 But  now  let  us  ask  what  is  it  gives  life  and  power  to 
 such  marvellous  love  and  faith  as  all  this  expresses? 
 What  is  it  that  kindled  such  prayers  in  St.  Paid,  as  to 
 
MUTUAL   INTERCESSIONS.  279 
 
 embrace  so  fervently  in  spirit,  and  to  bring  down  such 
 blessings  from  the  Father  of  lights  upon  those  from  whom 
 he  was  "  absent  in  the  flesh,"  and  had  never  seen  in  the 
 body?  Where  is  the  hope  and  strength  of  such  confi- 
 dence? It  is  all  in  the  knowledge  of  God,  which  is 
 learned  from  the  manifestation  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  con- 
 firmed by  habitual  prayer, — the  Word  made  flesh  dwelling 
 within  and  bringing  forth  fruit  in  mutual  intercessions 
 and  prayers,  "  strengthening  with  all  might  according  to 
 His  glorious  power."  It  is  therefore  in  the  Gospel  itself 
 that  we  learn  this  strength.  We  have  this  day  a  remark- 
 able instance  of  our  Lord's  readiness  to  answer  the  inter- 
 cessions of  love,  so  as  to  raise  even  from  the  dead;  and 
 also,  at  the  same  time,  of  the  exceeding  virtue  going  from 
 Him  on  the  touch  of  faith  to  cleanse  and  to  heal. 
 
 While  Jesus  spake  these  things  unto  John's  disciples. 
 It  was  on  that  memorable  occasion  in  the  house  of  St. 
 Matthew,  after  his  summons  to  be  a  disciple,  when  he 
 made  "  a  great  feast,"  and  had  called  together  his  friends 
 of  every  kind  to  witness  the  presence  of  Christ.  Pharisees 
 and  publicans,  disciples  of  John  and  of  Christ,  were  all 
 there,  a  great  and  mixed  company.  In  the  midst  of  the 
 conversation,  it  is  said,  Behold,  there  came  a  certain  rider, 
 and  worshipped  Him,  one  named  Jairus,  who,  when  he 
 saw  Him,  says  St.  Mark,  fell  at  His  feet,  and  greatly 
 besought  Him,  saying,  My  daughter  is  even  now  dead ; 
 bid  come  and  lay  Thy  hand  upon  her,  and  she  shall  live. 
 And  Jesus  arose,  and  followed  him.,  and  so  did  His 
 disci^jles. 
 
 Now  is  not  this  manifestation  of  God  in  the  flesh,  even 
 taken  alone  and  by  itself,  sufficient  for  all  things,  for 
 every  intercession,  marking  the  requisites  and  the  accept- 
 ableness  of  it  1     Here  is  prayer,  humble,  earnest,  impor- 
 
280    THE  TWENTY-FOURTH  SUNDAY  AFTER   TRINITY 
 
 tunate;  he  fell  at  His  feet,  worshipping,  earnestly 
 beseeching  Him.  And  the  answer  is  so  marked  that 
 God  at  once  is  seen  co-operating  with  the  father,  and 
 meeting  his  prayer.  In  the  midst  of  the  feast,  and  of 
 these  divine  discourses.  He  instantly  rises  np  at  the 
 voice  of  prayer,  and  as  if  to  show  His  earnest  readiness  to 
 aid  and  second  his  wishes  He  leaves  the  assembled  com- 
 pany at  St.  Matthew's  house  and  goes  with  him.  Although 
 He  might  have  done  all  by  His  word  spoken,  yet  He 
 would  show  us,  by  thus  condescending,  and  not  shrinking 
 from  the  trouble  of  the  task  enjoined  Him,  how  willing 
 He  is  to  meet  us  in  our  prayers,  when  we  ask  for  each 
 other.  That  this  father,  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue, 
 represents  any  father  who  prays  to  God  for  his  child, 
 that  he  may  be  rescued  from  spiritual  death,  is  obvious, 
 a  child  would  so  understand  it.  To  consider  it  so  is  in 
 no  way  adding  to  the  Scriptural  account,  but  only  apply- 
 ing it  to  ourselves ;  and  without  such  application  to  our- 
 selves all  Scripture  is  dead  and  unprofitable.  And  the 
 name  father  does  in  this  case  contain  every  other  relation- 
 ship, natural  and  spiritual.  If  of  fathers  in  the  flesh,  so 
 likewise  of  spiritual  fathers  does  it  speak,  who  intercede 
 like  St.  Paul  for  their  flocks,  that  they  may  be  saved  from 
 death,  or  that  they  might  grow  unto  all  perfection.  And 
 of  course  wherever  there  is  fatherly  or  brotherly  love, 
 that  is  anxious  for  the  good  of  others  and  their  everlasting 
 welfare,  this  incident  supplies  all  the  encouragements  and 
 the  confirination  that  can  be  needed.  The  lesson  is  so 
 easy,  so  forcible,  so  impressive,  that  if  we  knew  nothing 
 more  than  this  single  circumstance,  it  might,  on  reflection, 
 quite  startle  and  amaze  us  to  think  how  remiss  we  are  in 
 prayers  for  each  other.  The  father  besought  Him  and 
 He  immediately  arose  and  went  with  him ;  how  much 
 
MUTUAL    INTERCESSIONS.  281 
 
 does  this  contain  %  Why  do  you  not  thns  pray  for 
 others,  which  are  or  should  be  dear  to  you  %  Is  it  that 
 you  are  less  anxious  for  them  than  this  father  was  for  his 
 daughter  ?  or  is  it  that  your  faith  is  less  than  his  was  %  or 
 do  you  think  that  God  has  changed, — that  He  is  now  afar 
 off,  but  that  then  He  was  near  %  Have  you  any  doubt  at 
 all  but  that  a  like  prayer  now,  faithful,  importunate,  and 
 lowly,  will  have  the  same  effect  at  any  time?  You 
 cannot,  you  do  not  doubt  it,  but  you  are  not  sufficiently 
 in  earnest. 
 
 But  it  is  the  custom  of  God  in  Scripture  to  combine 
 the  love  and  care  which  we  are  to  have  for  others,  and 
 for  their  spiritual  profit,  with  that  which  we  are  to  have 
 for  ourselves,  and  our  own  condition  in  the  sight  of  God. 
 For  indeed  the  fountain  itself  of  the  heart  must  be 
 cleansed  for  any  prayers  that  issue  from  thence  to  be 
 accepted.  But  they  are  naturally  so  combined  together 
 that  the  acceptance  of  our  own  prayers  for  pardon  and 
 cleansing  dispose  us  to  seek  for  the  same  for  others,  and 
 enlarge  the  heart  into  active  charities  of  intercession. 
 Thus  David,  in  the  51st  Psalm,  after  such  importunate 
 supplication  for  mercy  and  the  cleansing  of  his  own  heart, 
 passes  on  to  a  prayer  for  the  Church.  After  expressing 
 hope  for  himself,  saying,  "  A  broken  and  a  contrite  heart, 
 0  God,  Thou  wilt  not  despise,"  immediately  he  adds, 
 "0  be  favourable  and  gracious  unto  Sion,  build  Thou 
 the  walls  of  Jerusalem."  No  sooner  has  he  tasted  one 
 drop  of  divine  consolation  than  he  thinks  of  the  Church 
 of  God,  and  intercedes  for  it.  Ere  his  own  tears  for 
 himself  are  yet  dry,  there  falls  upon  them  a  gleam  of 
 light  from  above,  and  that  light  is  divine  love. 
 
 As  our  Lord  was  now  going  to  the  house  of  Jairus, 
 with  a  great  crowd  folloAving  Him,  Beliold,  it  is  said, 
 
282    THE  TWENTY-FOURTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 
 
 a  woman,  ivJdch  was  diseased,  ivith  an  issue  of  hlood 
 twelve  years,  came  hehind  Him,  and  touched  the  hem  of 
 His  garment ;  for  she  said  loitliin  herself,  if  I  may  hut 
 touch  His  garment  I  shall  he  lohole.  Suffering  under 
 legal  uncleanness,  slie  was  afraid  openly  to  appear  before 
 Him,  and  in  this  may  well  represent  the  sinner  who 
 would  fain  hide  his  sin  and  himself  from  the  presence  of 
 God,  and  yet  knows  that  he  has  no  help  but  in  coming 
 unto  Him.  Yet  great  was  her  faith  under  the  keeping  of 
 humility,  and  faith  will  render  even  the  meanest  things 
 full  of  healing  and  life,  while  it  looks  upon  them  as 
 belonging  to  God.  We  know  hoAV  human  love  will 
 invest  everything  that  belongs  to  one  beloved  with  itself, 
 any  trifle,  anything  associated  with  it,  even  the  edge  of 
 a  garment,  will  become  filled  with  the  object  of  its  love. 
 Faith  will  do  the  same  in  things  divine.  And  nothing 
 can  show  the  nobleness  and  excellence  of  faith  more  than 
 this,  that  it  was  so  availing  even  where  there  was  so 
 little  knowledge.  She  had  faith  to  be  healed,  but  she 
 had  not  at  the  same  time  knowledge  to  consider  that  she 
 could  not  be  hid  from  the  All-seeing  Eye.  Her  faith 
 went  before  her  knowledge,  and  was  the  first  to  receive 
 the  blessing. 
 
 How  wonderfully  does  the  Divine  goodness  and  power 
 overflow  ;  it  sets  bounds  to  itself  and  appointed  channels ; 
 yet  again,  as  if  impatient  of  all  limitation,  it  so  passes 
 over  them  as  if  knowing  no  bounds,  wherever  there  is 
 human  distress  to  need,  and  faith  to  receive  the  blessing. 
 Thus  is  it  in  our  own  day;  the  Church  of  God  is  often 
 likened  to  the  garment  of  Christ,  without  seam,  and 
 many  are  astonished  to  see  such  effects  of  Divine  grace 
 beyond  the  visible  fold;  but  why  should  we  marvel 
 when  such  virtue  went  forth  from  the  hem  of  His  gar- 
 
MUTUAL   INTERCESSIONS.  283 
 
 merit,  and  humility  with  faith  received  the  ahiuidant 
 overflow  of  good  %  But  we  may  add,  if  the  hem  of  His 
 garment  had  such  power  to  heal  and  cleanse  when  touched 
 without,  what  shall  be  His  Body  and  Blood  received 
 within  ?  Surely  this  is  a  subject  on  which  the  penitent 
 soul  may  dwell  in  adoring  faith  and  wonder,  at  the 
 greatness  of  the  gift. 
 
 But  Jesus  turned  Him  about,  and  ivhen  He  saw  her, 
 He  said,  Daugliter,  he  of  good  comfort,  tlnj  faith  hath 
 made  thee  whole.  And  the  woman  was  made  ichole  from 
 that  hour.  While  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue  still  waited, 
 she  who  was  shut  out  from  Israel  by  the  law  came  as  it 
 were  behind,  and  by  her  faith  anticipated  miraculous 
 deliverance,  and  received  with  all  mildness,  was  com- 
 forted as  the  "daughter"  and  the  child  of  God;  and  by 
 her  faith  led  the  way  and  strengthened  the  chief  of  the 
 Jewish  synagogue  in  his  weak  and  tr&mbling  faith. 
 
 Her  example  may  do  the  same  for  us,  in  sustaining 
 and  raising  our  faith  towards  this  great  duty  of  inter- 
 cessions, of  which  we  have  been  speaking.  The  incident, 
 moreover,  is,  it  may  be  observed,  peculiarly  applicable  to 
 us,  and  full  of  consolation  on  this  Sunday ;  for  as  we 
 now  draw  to  the  close  of  our  sacred  year,  in  the  Collect 
 for  this  week  we  pray  God  to  absolve  us  of  His  bountiful 
 goodness,  and  deliver  us  "  from  the  bands  of  those  sins 
 which  by  our  frailty  we  have  committed."  And  as  if  in 
 confirmation  of  this  hope,  the  Gospel  gives  us  every 
 reason  for  confidence  that  He  will  do  so,  if  nothing  on 
 our  part  be  wanting,  while  the  Epistle  which  our  Church 
 has  transferred  to  this  Sunday,  speaking  of  the  inheritance 
 of  the  saints,  ever  increasing  in  spiritual  strength  and 
 knowledge,  and  bound  up  in  mutual  intercessions,  may 
 serve  to  carry  on  the  same  into  aspirations  and  prayers 
 
284    THE  TWENTY-FOURTH  SUNDAY  AFTER   TRINITY. 
 
 for  both  ourselves  and  others.  And  now  another  inci- 
 dent follows.  For  if  we  believe,  lie  will  show  us  greater 
 things  than  these. 
 
 And  lohen  Jesus  came  into  the  ruJer^s  house,  and  saw 
 the  minstrels  and  the  i^^ople  making  a  noise,  those  cus- 
 toniar}^  attendants  who  had  come  to  bewail  the  dead,  He 
 said  unto  them,  Give  place  ;  for  the  maid  is  not  dead,  hut 
 sleepeth.  Holy  Scripture  is  wont  to  speak  of  death  as 
 sleep ;  thus  our  Lord  says,  "  Our  friend  Lazarus  sleepeth," 
 meaning  that  he  was  dead;  and  St.  Paul  speaks  of  the 
 dead  as  "  them  that  sleep,"  "  them  that  sleep  in  Jesus." 
 "Wliat  our  Blessed  Lord  here  means  is,  Death  is  but 
 a  short  sleep;  and  I  will  now  show  you  in  this  instance 
 of  death  that  it  is  so. 
 
 And  they,  it  is  added,  laughed  Him  to  scorn,  so  little 
 were  they  impressed  with  the  awful  and  mild  majesty  of 
 God  in  Christ;  like  those  mockers  at  Athens,  when 
 St.  Paul  spoke  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  But 
 tvhen  the  iMople  vjere  put  forth  He  went  in,  and  took  her 
 by  the  hand,  and  the  maid  arose.  And  the  fame  hereof 
 went  abroad  into  all  thai  land.  He  took  her  by  the 
 hand,  the  living  hand  was  laid  on  the  dead  ;  the  hand  of 
 Him  Who  was  God  and  Man  was  laid  on  that  of  a  sinful 
 child  of  Eve;  it  was  life  overcoming  death.  Thus  is  it 
 when  the  power  and  grace  of  God  comes  on  the  dead  and 
 slumbering  will  of  man,  it  arises,  and  in  Christ  can  do  all 
 things.  0  marvellous  Divine  efficacy  !  As  the  body  of 
 Elijah  stretched  on  the  dead  child  of  the  widow,  and 
 that  of  Elislia  on  that  child  of  the  Shunammite  woman, 
 when  his  staff,  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  had  gone  before; 
 what  were  these  things  but  the  setting  forth  of  this  great 
 truth — that  our  dead  bodies  are  made  alive  by  His  Body, 
 and  in  Him  our  dead  souls  are  quickened^     How  is  His 
 
MUTUAL    INTERCESSIONS.  285 
 
 presence  full  and  surronnded  with  tlie  power  of  all 
 cleansing,  of  healing,  and  of  life  % 
 
 And  now  let  us  reflect  a  little  on  this  incident.  What 
 is  the  dread  heavy  weight  that  ever  lies  upon  us  all  %  It 
 is  the  consideration  of  death.  How  does  it  close  up  the 
 view,  so  that  we  cannot  look  forward  %  How  does  it  seem 
 to  reproach  every  enjoyment,  however  innocent?  How 
 does  its  unavoidable  approach  seem  to  scatter  to  the 
 winds  every  earthly  prospect  of  gain,  of  reputation,  of  the 
 well-being  of  childrea  %  How  does  it  seem  to  lie  under 
 all  things,  as  if  to  suggest  how  hollow  they  are  %  How 
 does  it  seem  to  cover  all  as  with  a  cloud,  and  to  surround 
 us  on  this  side  and  on  that,  and  in  the  way  that  we  should 
 go  ? — I  was  going  to  say  with  its  awful  shadoAv,  but  it  is 
 not  a  shadow,  no,  far  otherwise,  that  is  the  jjoint  of  con- 
 sideration, it  is  not  a  shadow,  it  is  truthfulness  itself.  It 
 strikes  off  all  disguises,  it  scatters  all  shadows ;  it  makes 
 everything  else  to  be  shadows  in  comparison  with  it, 
 showing  us  that  nothing  else  hath  anything  substantial, 
 any  reality  except  death, — death  the  great  certainty, 
 death  the  great  reality,  death  the  great  test  and  proof  of 
 all  truth,  death  the  universal  rule  which  hath  no  excep- 
 tion, death  the  only  thing  unavoidable,  unalienable.  The 
 inseparable  adjunct  of  life,  in  all  time  and  in  all  place, 
 always  near,  and  often  most  near  when  least  known  to  be 
 so.  Its  approach  the  most  certain  of  all  things,  the  near- 
 ness of  that  approach  of  all  things  the  most  uncertain. 
 
 Now  it  is  from  this  that  we  are  relieved  by  this  most 
 gracious  incident  of  mercy.  It  is  this  that  exists  not  in 
 Christ's  presence ;  He  will  not  know  of  such  a  thing  as 
 death  when  He  is  near  ;  He  will  not  allow  the  name.  It  is 
 not  death,  He  says,  as  if  suggesting,  death  is  quite  another 
 matter — it  is  only  sleep.     Death  is  terrible,  because  it  is 
 
28 G    THE  TWENTY^ FOURTH  SUNDAY  AFTER   TRINITY. 
 
 man  meeting  his  God;  but  it  is  no  longer  terrible  to  a 
 sincere  Christian,  because  it  is  man  meeting  his  God  in 
 Christ. 
 
 Another  point  to  be  observed  on  these  occasions  is  the 
 apparent  accident  that  brings  Christ.  Most  persons  in 
 looking  back  on  the  history  of  their  own  lives,  will  ob- 
 serve that  the  most  important  points  on  which  it  has 
 turned  have  depended  on  Avhat  are  by  men  esteemed 
 accidents.  By  this  remarkable  circumstance  God  would 
 draw  attention  to  the  fact,  that  whatever  it  is,  He  is  the 
 doer  of  it ;  that  while  our  conduct  depends  on  ourselves, 
 He  is  the  Disposer  of  all  events.  The  same  may  be  shown 
 on  the  occasion  of  these  incidents  in  the  Gospel  narrative. 
 Had  not  our  Lord  just  crossed  the  lake,  come  to  Caper- 
 naum, and  been  present  at  that  feast ;  and  when  He  was 
 there,  had  not  Jairus  come  when  he  did,  his  daughter 
 would  not  have  been  restored.  It  was  the  father's  faith 
 that  met  the  opportunity.  And  again,  if  the  ruler  had 
 not  come  and  induced  our  Lord  to  go  with  him,  the 
 woman  with  the  issue  of  blood  would  not  have  had  her 
 opportunity  also  of  obtaining  that  miraculous  recovery. 
 
 We  know  not  any  day  what  great  opportunities  may 
 be  waiting  for  us,  what  this  or  that  may  give  rise  to, 
 what  accident,  as  we  say,  may  be  even  now  waiting  at  the 
 door,  and  have  in  it  the  occasion  of  life  or  death. 
 
 Therefore  faith  and  prayer  should  never  cease,  lest  they 
 be  wanting  when  the  occasion  would  meet  them.  I^o  op- 
 portunity is  to  be  lost  in  which  we  can  intercede  for  the 
 life  of  others.  We  know  not  what  is  going  on  in  places 
 unseen ;  what  conversations  of  God  and  His  good  angels, 
 and  intentions  of  good,  may  at  any  time  be  dependent  on 
 the  opportunities  which  we  have.  The  prayers  of  a  father 
 at  no  moment  can  be  unavailing ;  at  all  seasons  they  have 
 
MUTUAL    INTERCESSIONS  287 
 
 access  to  Christ,  and  they,  we  see  and  doubt  not,  can 
 turn  death  into  life. 
 
 Most  men  are  too  busy  to  pray  either  for  themselves  or 
 others,  and  therefore  the  opportunities  of  life  pass  them 
 by  unheeded ;  they  feel  they  have  no  time  for  prayer,  but 
 they  wish  they  had,  yet  all  the  while  they  have  time  for 
 everything  else.  What  they  mean  is,  that  they  have 
 no  leisure  of  mind  for  it.  Yet  it  may  seem  strange  to  say 
 that  if  they  were  to  pray  ten  times  as  much  as  they  do,  it 
 would  probably  leave  them  quite  as  much  time  and  as 
 much  leisure  for  other  things  as  they  now  have.  But 
 even  if  it  did  not,  the  matters  they  think  of  more  con- 
 sequence are  in  fact  but  trifles,  whereas  this  is  most 
 important.  All  that  they  need  is  to  make  prayer  and  inter- 
 cession go  before  everything  else,  to  be  the  one  great 
 thing  at  heart,  then  everything  else  falls  into  its  place  and 
 is  sanctified. 
 
 It  is  said  of  our  Blessed  Lord,  as  He  went  about,  that 
 virtue  went  out  of  Him  and  healed  them  all,  and  as  many 
 as  touched  Him  were  made  immediately  whole.  We,  as 
 Christians,  are  brought  into  this  presence  of  Christ  full  of 
 healing  virtue,  and  all  our  life  is  full  of  opportunities  ;  oppor- 
 tunities of  Sacraments,  opportunities  of  prayer,  of  pro- 
 moting the  salvation  of  ourselves  and  others ;  oppor- 
 tunities of  some  active  charity,  whereby  we  may  touch 
 Christ.  Our  time  is  replete  with  these,  and  Christ  is 
 going  about  and  meeting  us,  now  in  one  way,  now  in 
 another.  One  year  of  such  probation  is  now  fast  coming 
 to  a  close ;  "  lift  up  your  eyes,"  the  fields  are  "  already 
 white  unto  the  harvest,"  nay,  the  sheaves  are  already 
 standing  in  the  fields,  and  the  harvest  is  commencing ;  the 
 summer  of  another  sacred  year  is  just  gone,  another  year 
 of  golden  opportunities. 
 
SERMON    LXXII. 
 €l)t  €\3)tntVfmtf)  ^untJap  after  Cvtuttg. 
 
 Jer.  xxiii.  5 — 8.     St,  John  vi.  5 — 14. 
 
 GLEANINGS   AFTER    HARVEST. 
 
 The  hai-vcst  is  past,  the  sunwter  is  ended,  and  we  are  not  saved. — 
 Jer.  viii.  20. 
 
 IN^  our  sacred  year,  as  well  as  in  the  natural,  we  have  a 
 harvest  and  a  summer  time;  and  one  of  these  has 
 now  again  come  to  a  close ;  so  that  all  we  can  now  say  of 
 the  year  that  is  past  is  in  the  words  of  this  day's  Gospel, 
 "Gather  up  the  fragments  that  remain."  Another  season 
 of  grace  has  gone,  with  all  its  opportunities ;  it  is  num- 
 bered among  the  past ;  its  seed  is  laid  up  in  the  eternal 
 future. 
 
 The  portion  of  Scripture  which  our  Church  has  ap- 
 pointed for  the  Epistle  is  from  the  Prophet  Jeremiah, 
 where,  amidst  the  desolations  of  Israel  and  the  abounding 
 of  unfaithful  shepherds,  God  gives  the  promise  of  Christ, 
 the  Shepherd  that  should  feed  His  scattered  flock,  and 
 gather  them  out  of  all  countries.  And  our  appointed 
 Gospel  describes  the  fulfilment  of  this  prophecy  being 
 acknowledged  by  the  Jews,  when  our  Lord  fed  the  multi- 
 
GLEANINGS  AFTER   HARVEST.  289 
 
 tudes  with  miraculous  bread  in  the  wilderness.  The  one 
 lesson,  therefore,  of  this  our  last  Sunday  in  the  year,  ap- 
 pears to  be  this  :  that  amidst  the  desolations  of  the  Chris- 
 tian Church,  and  whatever  may  be  the  want  of  faithfulness 
 in  its  pastors,  yet  the  one  Great  Shepherd  of  His  flock  is 
 distributing  to  each  the  portion  convenient  for  him ;  and 
 the  question  to  each  is,  whether  he  has  made  and  is 
 making  the  most  of  what  he  has  received.  For  incon- 
 ceivably great  is  our  blessing  as  the  chosen  people  of  God ; 
 and  equal  to  the  blessing  is  the  responsibility. 
 
 First  of  all,  then,  we  have  the  prophecy,  Beliold,  the 
 days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  loill  raise  unto  David 
 a  righteous  Branch,  and  a  King  shall  reign  and  prosper, 
 and  shall  execute  judgement  and  justice  in  the  earth.  Our 
 Blessed  Saviour  is  often  called  "The  Branch,"  "the  Man 
 whose  iN'ame  is  the  Branch,"^  inasmuch  as  He  has 
 been  pleased  to  take  upon  Him  our  nature,  to  be  made 
 very  man,  to  be  born  of  the  stock  of  Abraham,  of  the 
 family  of  David  ;  to  be,  as  He  called  Himself,  "  the  Son 
 of  Man."  And  as  when  He  takes  on  Him  our  poverty 
 He  gives  us  His  riches.  He  has  graciously  transferred  the 
 same  name  to  Christians,  that  they  should  be  "  hraiiches,"  ^ 
 branches  in  Himself,  the  true  Vine,  partakers  of  the 
 Divine  nature ;  and  as  He  is  the  Son  of  man,  that  they 
 should  be  made  in  Him  sons  of  God. 
 
 "The  righteous  Branch  shall  reign  in  the  earth." 
 Declarations  of  God  are  always  fulfilled  in  a  truer  and 
 higher  sense  than  the  words  first  sounded  to  the  ear  :  so 
 the  King,  the  Son  of  David,  reigning  and  executing 
 judgment,  has  an  accomplishment  in  us,  the  true  Israel 
 of  God,  at  this  day  beyond  the  letter.     Who  does  not 
 
 *  Zech.  vi.  12  ;  iii.  8.  2  gt.  John  xv.  5. 
 
 VOL.  II.  U 
 
290      THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  SUNDAY  AFTER   TRINITY. 
 
 feel  that  there  is  One  reigniiKj  in  his  heart,  and  exer- 
 cising a  sway  there  beyond  that  which  any  mere  earthly 
 sovereign  could  do  % 
 
 In  His  days  Judah  shall  he  saved,  and  Israel  shall 
 dwell  safely:  and  this  is  His  Name  whevehy  He  shall  he 
 called,  THE  LORD  OUR  RIGHTEOUSNESS.  "The 
 Lord,"  i.  e.  Jehovah,  God  and  man.  He  is  our  sanctifica- 
 tion,  by  procuring  for  us  the  Holy  Spirit ;  our  redemption, 
 by  paying  for  us  the  ransom  of  His  death ;  He  is  "  our 
 righteousness,"  says  Bishop  Wilson,  "  by  satisfying  the 
 justice  of  God  in  our  nature."  "  A  man  shall  be  a  covert 
 from  the  tempest." 
 
 Therefore,  hehold,  the  days  come,  saitli  the  Lord,  that 
 they  shall  no  more  say.  The  Lord  liveth.  Which  hrought  up 
 the  children  of  Israel  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt ;  hut.  The 
 Lord  liveth,  Which  brought  up,  and  Wirich  led  the  seed  of 
 the  house  of  Israel,  out  of  the  north  country,  and  from  all 
 countries  whither  I  had  driven  them:  and  they  shcdl  dwell 
 in  their  oion  land-  That  is,  the  mercies  of  God  are  so  great 
 in  the  coming  time  that  men  shall  no  longer  swear  by  the 
 God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  Who  brought  them  up 
 out  of  the  land  of  Egypt ;  but  by  Him,  the  same  God, 
 Who  hath  wrought  things  far  greater,  of  which  those  were 
 but  the  sign  ;  Avhen  the  Great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep  shall 
 feed  His  flock  on  the  mountains  of  Israel,  "and  there 
 shall  be  one  fold  and  one  Shepherd."  And  then  this 
 prophecy  in  the  Scripture  appointed  for  the  Epistle  seems, 
 as  it  were,  to  pass  into  the  Gospel,  where  Christ  on  feed- 
 ing His  people  is  acknowledged  as  "  that  Prophet  which 
 should  come  into  the  world."  The  connexion  is  obvious, 
 the  teaching  is  one. 
 
 In  the  appointed  services  for  this  day  before  the 
 Eeformation    the    Epistle    and    Gospel   were    different; 
 
GLEANINGS   AFTER    HARVEST.  291 
 
 the  Epistle  being  that  which  we  now  have  for  last 
 Sunday ;  the  Gospel  consisting  of  the  striking  account 
 of  the  Day  of  Judgment  which  occurs  in  the  twentieth 
 chapter  of  the  Apocalypse,  "  And  I  saw  a  great  white 
 throne,  and  Him  that  sat  on  it."  ..."  and  I  saw  the 
 dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before  God,  and  the  books 
 were  opened."  I^ow  this  lesson  was  very  appropriate 
 and  very  impressive  on  the  last  Sunday  of  our  sacred 
 year,  wherein  so  great  a  part  of  the  book  of  life  was 
 closed,  to  be  opened  only  on  the  Last  Day.  And  this 
 makes  one  the  more  earnest  to  inquire  what  is  the  full 
 power  and  meaning  of  the  Gospel  which  we  now  have, 
 and  the  more  so  as  it  is  but  a  repetition  of  the  same 
 Gospel  which  we  had  on  the  Fourth  Sunday  in  Lent ;  the 
 account  of  our  Lord  feeding  the  five  thousand  with  the 
 five  barley  loaves.  But  this  is  not  all.  For  it  is  the 
 account  of  this  miracle  as  given  in  St.  John's  Gospel, 
 when  it  might  have  been  a  statement  of  the  same  selected 
 from  one  of  the  other  Gospels.^  Whereas  the  peculiarity 
 of  the  circumstance  in  St.  John  is  this,  that  this  Evan- 
 gelist seems  merely  to  insert  in  his  Gospel  the  account  of 
 the  miracle,  in  order  to  introduce  that  remarkable  dis- 
 course of  our  Lord  at  Capernaum,  wherein  He  explains 
 the  spiritual  meaning  and  intent  of  that  miraculous  Bread, 
 as  representing  His  own  Body  and  Blood,  by  which  He 
 should  feed  His  people  unto  the  end  of  the  world.  This 
 then,  (blessed  be  God,  and  blessed  for  ever  be  His  holy 
 Name,  through  Christ  our  Lord !)  this  then  is  our  altar- 
 lesson  for  this  Sunday,  this  last  and  best,  this  highest  of 
 all  consolations ;  and  yet,  while  it  is  reaching  itself  down 
 
 2  See  Seventh  Sunday  after  Trinity,  pp.  137.   147  j    and  also 
 Fourth  Sunday  in  Lent,  vol.  i.  p.  260. 
 U   2 
 
292      THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  SUNDAY  AFTER   TRINITY. 
 
 to  the  lowest  of  all,  as  the  mamia  adapting  itself  to  every 
 taste — full  unto  abundance  for  each,  yet  with  no  fragments 
 that  remain — the  sheet  let  down  by  the  four  corners  from 
 Heaven  to  earth,  in  order  to  lift  us  up  from  earth  to  Heaven, 
 — the  altar  itself,  and  the  altar  service  throughout  the 
 year,  and  all  the  prayers  of  Holy  Communion,  do  but 
 sound  again  and  again  this  Gospel,  and  seem  to  say, 
 "Lord,  evermore  give  us  this  Bread." 
 
 To  repeat  the  Scriptural  account.  "  Wlien  Jesus  then 
 lift  nx>  His  eyes,  and  saio  a  great  company  come  unto 
 Him, — that  is,  after  healing  so  many  who  had  been 
 brought  to  Him  in  the  wilderness  to  which  He  had  re- 
 tired, and  when  He  had  sat  down  there  and  taught  them, 
 and  lifting  up  His  eyes  saw  still  more  and  more  crowds 
 flocking  to  Him  in  this  retreat, — He  saith  unto  Philip, 
 for  Philip  was  of  Bethsaida,  that  town  which  bordered 
 most  nearly  on  this  wilderness,  Wlience  shall  we  buy 
 bread,  that  these  may  eat  ?  {And  this  He  said  to  prove 
 him  ;  for  He  Himself  hieiv  tohat  He  ivould  do.)  Philip 
 answered  Him,  Two  hundred  penny-tvorth  of  bread  is  not 
 sufficient  for  them,  that  every  one  of  them  may  take  a  little. 
 One  of  His  disciples,  Andrew,  Simon  Peter's  brother,  the 
 friend  and  fellow  townsman  of  Philip,  saith  unto  Him, 
 TJiere  is  a  lad  here,  which  hath  five  barley  loaves,  and 
 two  small  fishes:  but  what  are  they  among  so  many'f 
 They  do  but  serve  to  show  the  greatness  of  our  want,  and 
 our  poverty  in  this  wilderness. 
 
 The  boy  with  the  five  barley  loaves,  whom  St.  Andrew 
 and  St.  Philip  bring,  may  well  represent  the  childlike 
 spirit  which  Christ  receives,  the  little  ones  which  His 
 Church  brings  to  Him,  looking  up  to  Him  in  meekness 
 of  faith.  It  is  all  we  have  to  bring  and  offer  Thee,  0 
 Lord  i  but  even  this  Thou  wilt  deign  to  receive,  if  brought 
 
GLEANINGS  AFTER    HARVEST.  293 
 
 in  a  childlike  spirit,  with  eyes  that  wait  on  Thee.  It  is 
 enough.  And  Jesus  said,  Make  the  men  sit  down.  Now 
 there  was  much  grass  in  the  place.  So  the  men  sat  doton, 
 in  number  about  Jive  thousand.  Arid  Jesus  tooJc  the 
 loaves;  and  when  He  had  given  thanks,  He  distributed  to 
 the  disciples,  and  the  discipiles  to  tliem  that  imre  set 
 down ;  and  likewise  of  the  fishes  as  much  as  they  would. 
 That  which  God  receives  into  His  hands  is  increased 
 always,  and  multiplies.  If  into  His  hands  He  receives 
 our  hearts  and  lives,  they  abound  with  blessings  ;  if  our 
 worldly  goods,  they  are  restored  to  us  an  hundredfold 
 in  this  present  time  ;  if  our  good  intentions,  they  are 
 strengthened;  if  works  of  charity,  they  are  made  to 
 abound  like  the  Nile ;  if  our  prayers,  they  return  as 
 drops  that  replenish  the  earth.  But  almost  aU  His 
 blessings  He  bestows  through  the  medium  of  others,  de- 
 lighting to  make  them  the  channels  of  His  mercy.  "  He 
 distributes  to  the  disciples,  and  they  to  the  multitude." 
 
 When  they  were  filled,  He  said  unto  His  disciples. 
 Gather  up  the  fragments  that  remain,  that  nothing  be  lost. 
 Why  should  this  be  added  1  For  God  is  wont,  in  His 
 kingdoms  of  nature  and  grace,  to  spread  abroad  with  great 
 profusion ;  He  openeth  His  hand,  and  His  gifts  abound 
 as  the  sea ;  there  is  no  lack,  and  no  let  or  limit ;  not  only 
 on  the  good  ground,  but  also  on  the  trodden  ways,  and  on 
 the  rock,  and  amid  the  briars,  are  found  the  super- 
 abundant seeds  of  life  which  He  scatters.  So  does  it 
 appear  in  the  finite  vision  of  man  ;  for  even  the  stars  are 
 in  man's  view  as  the  sands  on  the  sea-shore,  in  waste  pro- 
 digality of  infinite  life.  But  not  so  with  God.  He 
 telleth  them  all  by  their  names.  All  things  are  num- 
 bered by  Him,  and  known  in  measure  and  weight.  And  so 
 is  it  now  ;  though  at  His  table  in  the  wilderness  the  super- 
 
294      THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  SUNDAY  AFTER   TRINITY. 
 
 abundance  seems  great,  and  lavish  the  profusion  as  He 
 opens  His  hand,  yet  it  is  all  in  measured  exactness,  and 
 known  of  God.  Therefore  they  gathered  them  together^ 
 and  filled  twelve  baskets  with  the  fragments  of  the  five 
 barley  loaves,  which  remained  over  and  above  unto  them 
 that  had  eaten.  "  Tivelve  baskets,"  according  to  the  num- 
 ber of  them  that  gathered,  and  of  the  tribes  of  Israel 
 scattered  abroad,  but  not  lost  in  the  sight  of  God. 
 
 Again,  it  may  be  that  this  is  said  also  in  condescension 
 as  an  example  for  the  conduct  of  man.  Let  there  be  no 
 waste  prodigality  in  that  which  is  the  staff  of  life  to  the 
 poor.  What  love  of  God's  poor  can  there  be  where  there 
 is  not  carefulness  to  preserve  and  to  distribute  that  which 
 is  of  much  account  and  precious  to  them  1  Has  He  not 
 provided  in  the  law  that  the  gleanings  of  the  field  should 
 be  for  the  poor  and  the  stranger  ?  And  if  in  the  gathering 
 of  the  manna  "  he  that  gathered  much  had  nothing  over, 
 and  he  that  gathered  little  had  no  lack,"*  this  was  likewise 
 to  convey  in  another  form  this  same  lesson  of  unselfish 
 care  for  the  needs  of  each  other,  avoiding  covetoasness  or 
 prodigality. 
 
 But  further,  these  words  have  likewise  another  meaning, 
 as  they  must  sound  in  the  ears  of  us  all  as  applied  to 
 things  spiritual  and  the  opportunities  of  salvation  in  this 
 temporal  life,  "  Gather  up  the  fragments  that  remain,  that 
 nothing  be  lost."  Indeed  I  do  not  know  any  warning 
 that  comes  more  seasonably  to  an  earnest  Christian  at  all 
 times.  He  finds  continually  a  day  well-nigh  gone,  and 
 some  little  opportunities  of  good  which  he  had  hoped  for 
 departing  with  it  unfulfilled  ;  but  then  comes  this  merciful 
 voice,  "  Gather  up  the  fragments  that  remain,"  and  in 
 
 4  Exod.  xvi.  18.     2  Cor.  viii.  15. 
 
GLEANINGS   AFTER    HARVEST.  295 
 
 doing  so  he  may  find  more  than  he  had  at  the  beginning. 
 And  so  with  the  passing  year,  and  all  its  seasons  of  grace, 
 instead  of  sitting  down  in  despondency  when  he  considers 
 the  gifts  of  God  which  he  has  abused,  and  the  talents  he 
 has  neglected,  he  is  rather  aroused  by  a  more  earnest  call 
 to  repentance  to  "  gather  up  the  fragments  that  remain." 
 "Where  Christ  is  there  must  ever  be  self-distrust,  never 
 despondency. 
 
 And  why  have  the  words  a  peculiar  power  and  efficacy 
 as  thus  applied  which  they  have  in  no  other  sense  1  It  is 
 because  God  measures  the  work  done  by  a  Christian,  not 
 by  time,  but  by  the  love  which  it  evinces ;  not  by 
 external  actions,  but  by  the  heart  from  which  it  flows. 
 The  Bread  which  He  gives  is  His  Body,  and  this  Bread  is 
 eternal  life.  To  partake  once  of  eternal  life  is  to  partake 
 of  the  same  for  ever.  "  Strengthen  then  the  things 
 which  remain."  That  which  hath  power  to  shut  out 
 indolence,  and  presumption,  and  despair,  shall  enlarge  the 
 heart  to  receive  the  hidden  manna.  They  said  to  Him  at 
 Capernaum,  "Lord,  evermore  give  us  this  Bread."  It 
 was  a  good  prayer,  the  best  of  prayers,  and  better  than 
 they  knew,  and  the  Spirit  of  God  gave  them  to  make  that 
 prayer,  and  it  was  answered  by  Him  that  heareth  prayer 
 far  beyond  what  they  thought,  or  knew,  or  desired.  But 
 yet  the  prayer  which  they  of  themselves  had  then  need  to 
 make  was  not  only  "  Give  us  this  Bread,"  but  also.  Give 
 us  to  know  and  to  understand  what  this  Bread  is ;  give 
 us  to  long  after  this  Bread  according  to  our  need  and  the 
 value  of  it ;  enlarge  our  desires  after  it,  after  Thyself  Who 
 art  This  Bread,  and  art  come  down  from  Heaven  to  give 
 Thy  flesh  for  the  life  of  the  world,  that  partaking  of  Thy 
 risen  Body  we  may  be  with  Thee  at  the  right  hand  of 
 God.     "  Lord,  evermore  give  us  this  Bread  ;"  and  give  us 
 
296      THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  SUNDAY  AFTER  TRINITY. 
 
 faith  to  be  noiuislied  by  it,  and  love  to  know  its  worth, 
 and  knowledge  to  weigh  it  aright  with  the  things  of  time. 
 
 My  brethren,  in  the  diseases  our  bodies  are  subject  to, 
 faith  in  God  is  often  of  more  avail  than  all  the  medicines 
 which  human  skill  can  apply;  and  in  some  weaknesses 
 and  depressions  of  the  mind  which  are  connected  with 
 the  body,  faith  in  God  is,  I  am  convinced,  oftentimes  the 
 only  remedy  and  means  of  restoration.  Men  seek,  and 
 seek,  and  seek  in  vain,  till  they  find  that  rest.  But 
 infinitely  greater  is  the  power  of  faith  in  that  which  is 
 peculiarly  its  own  province, — in  apprehending  aright  the 
 Son  of  God,  and  in  discerning  in  mean  elements  His 
 Body  when  we  eat  of  that  Bread. 
 
 The  harvest  is  past,  the  summer  is  ended, — but  are  we 
 not  saved  % — if  Thou  our  Saviour  art  with  us,  art  within 
 us  ?  But  thou  art  a  God  that  hidest  Thyself,  and  carnal 
 eyes  cannot  discern  Thee.  Our  services  on  this  Sunday 
 seem  to  turn  our  eyes  in  hope  to  another  Advent.  '*'  The 
 plowman,"  says  the  Prophet,  "  shall  overtake  the  reaper, 
 and  the  treader  of  grapes  him  that  soweth  seed."^ 
 
 Tlien  those  men,  when  they  had  seen  the  miracle  that 
 Jesus  did — when  they  had  seen:  they  were  Jews  of  whom 
 our  Lord  said,  "  Except  ye  see  signs  and  wonders  ye  will  not 
 believe ;"  when  they  had  seen  the  miracle,  they  said.  This 
 is  of  a  truth  that  Projphet  that  should  come  into  the  world. 
 The  day  was  well-nigh  gone,  and  the  shadows  of  evening 
 were  spread  out,  wlien,  lest  they  should  faint  by  the  way. 
 He  prepared  for  them  that  table  in  the  wilderness.  It 
 was  a  little  after,  in  the  same  night,  that  the  disciples 
 beheld  Him  walking  on  the  sea,  and  drawing  near  unto 
 them  in  their  trouble,  and  heard  His  voice,  saying,  "It  is 
 
 *  Amos  ix.  13. 
 
GLEANINGS  AFTER    HARVEST.  297 
 
 I ;  be  not  afraid."  And  it  was  on  the  next  day,  at  Caper- 
 naum, that  He  taught  the  people  in  a  manner  so  earnest, 
 so  impressive,  so  forcible,  of  what  He  was  about  to  do,  of 
 which  that  miracle  had  been  the  sign — of  His  Body  which 
 is  meat  indeed,  and  His  Blood  which  is  drink  indeed. 
 They  that  sought  and  found  Him  at  Capernaum  had 
 acknowledged  that  He  was  "  that  Prophet  that  should 
 come  into  the  world ;"  they  were  desirous  to  make  Him 
 a  King,  to  acknowledge  Him  as  the  Messiah  of  God ;  but 
 oh,  how  far  short  was  this  of  that  which  Avas  needed  for 
 the  saving  of  their  souls  !  Their  hearts  were  still  on 
 earth,  not  in  Heaven;  and  when  He  spake  of  His  myste- 
 rious indwelling,  and  of  the  true  Bread  in  which  is  life, 
 they  "murmured  in  themselves;"  they  said,  "It  is  an 
 hard  saying;  who  can  hear  it?  "  "  Many  went  back,  and 
 walked  no  more  with  Him."  For  the  Father  alone 
 Which  is  in  Heaven  could  draw  them  unto  Him ;  the 
 Father  Who  had  revealed  the  Son  unto  St.  Peter  as  the 
 Son  of  the  living  God.  He,  therefore,  could  now  say, 
 "  Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go  ?  Thou  hast  the  words  of 
 eternal  life." 
 
 Alas  !  my  brethren,  the  harvest  is  past,  the  summer  is 
 ended  ;  we  have  been  saved,  but  we  are  not  safe.  How 
 can  we  be  safe,  as  long  as  we  love  anything  more  than 
 God  in  Christ,  and  value  anything  more  than  the  Bread 
 from  Heaven?  Mother  and  sister,  brother  and  friend, 
 these  one  by  one  drop  away  as  the  autumn  of  life  comes 
 on  ;  but  all  this,  my  Blessed  Saviour,  hast  Thou  promised 
 to  be  to  me.  Knowledge,  and  honour,  and  possession, 
 and  rest  hast  Thou  promised  to  be ;  and  all  this  Thou 
 surely  art,  when  Thou  givest  Thyself  at  Thine  holy  altar 
 to  me ;  but  the  heart  must  be  emptied  and  enlarged  to 
 receive  Thee  there.      For  Thou  art  all  fulness :  there  is 
 
298      THE  TWENTY-FIFTH  SUNDAY  AFTER   TRINITY. 
 
 no  room  for  anght  else  where  Thou  art.  All  is  summer 
 without  end  where  Thou  art,  for  there  is  no  time  with 
 Thee.  All  is  harvest  and  ingathering,  and  nothing  is  lost 
 where  Thou  art ;  for  of  Thy  fulness  do  all  we  receive,  and 
 grace  for  grace. 
 
 And  now,  Christian  friends,  we  have  come  to  the  end 
 of  our  sacred  year,  during  which,  from  Sunday  to  Sunday, 
 in  unfolding  the  Scriptural  instructions  from  the  altar,  I 
 have  had  one  especial  design  and  purpose,  as  peculiarly 
 seasonable  to  these  times,  viz.  to  dwell  on  Him  Whose 
 delight  it  was  to  be  among  the  sons  of  men ;  to  show 
 forth  the  tender  compassions  and  sympathies  of  Him  Who 
 in  unspeakable  lowliness  was  ever  pleased  to  designate 
 Himself  the  Son  of  Man ;  and  Whose  human  "  com- 
 passions fail  not,"  though  He  be  now  on  the  right  hand  of 
 God.  Let  us  then  lift  up  our  hearts  to  Him,  the  Alpha 
 and  Omega,  the  Beginning  and  End,  the  Author  and 
 Finisher  of  our  faith ;  ever  remembering  this,  that  it  is 
 not  enough  for  us  to  acknowledge  the  Word  of  God,  or 
 even  that  the  Word  was  with  God  ;  we  must  also  acknow- 
 ledge that  the  Word  was  God. 
 
 Summer  and  winter,  seed-time  and  harvest-time,  days 
 and  years,  how  soon  shall  each  one  of  ns  have  to  bid 
 adieu  for  ever  to  you  !  Nay,  Christ  Himself,  Whom  we 
 have  known  after  the  flesh,  soon  shall  we  as  such  have 
 to  know  Him  no  more ;  nay,  even  already  must  it  be  so. 
 That  sea-shore  of  Galilee,  where  He  so  often  taught ; 
 those  places  which  are  hallowed  by  the  recollection  of 
 some  miracle  of  mercy  or  divine  parable  ;  Bethlehem  and 
 Xazareth,  Capernaum  and  Jerusalem ;  these  scenes  which 
 have  become  endeared  to  us,  because  they  have  become 
 associated  with  the  knowledge  which  we  have  of  His 
 infinite  goodness ;  all  these  things  too  are  fading  away 
 
GLEANINGS   AFTER    HARVEST.  299 
 
 like  the  visions  of  the  past,  or  the  works  of  His  hands  on 
 earth  in  the  pride  and  glory  of  the  field ;  but  the  Word 
 of  God  abideth  for  ever,  because  the  Word  is  God.  In 
 that  world  where  sun  and  moon  are  not,  He  shall  be  to  us 
 no  more  the  provision  by  the  way,^  but  yet  shall  ever  be 
 still  "the  medicine  of  immortality,"  and  "the  Bread  of 
 Life." 
 
 *  Viaticum. 
 
SERMON  LXXIII. 
 ^aint  HntJreU)'^  I3ap. 
 
 Rom.  X.  9 — 21.     St.  Matt.  iv.  18—22. 
 
 BRINGING    UNTO    CHRIST. 
 
 Philip  Cometh  and  telleth  Andrew,  and  again  Andrew  and  Philip 
 tell  J ESVS.  And  Jesus  answered  them,  saying;  The  hour  is  coj)ie, 
 that  the  Son  of  Man  should  be  glorified.— ^T.  John  xii.  22,  23. 
 
 THESE  words  occur  on  an  occasion  of  great  interest. 
 Our  Lord  had  come  to  Jerusalem  just  before  His 
 death;  and  some  Greeks  desirous  to  see  Him  were  thus 
 brought  to  Him  by  St.  Andrew;  and,  recognizing  in  them 
 the  gathering  together  of  the  Israel  of  God,  our  Lord  in 
 very  impressive  words  spoke  of  the  fruits  of  His  Passion, 
 and  the  glory  that  should  follow.  Thus  St.  Andrew 
 comes  forth  like  a  star  in  the  glowing  sunset,  which  be- 
 tokens that  glorious  morrow  of  our  Lord's  Eesurrection ; 
 the  first  star  which  appeared  before  the  heavens  were 
 filled  with  the  bright  multitude,  of  them  *'  that  turn 
 many  to  righteousness."  Thus  when  by  the  overruling 
 of  God  he  is  chosen  as  it  were  by  St.  Philip  to  bring  the 
 Greeks  unto  Christ   at  the   Passover,  he  appears  as  if 
 
BRINGING    UNTO   CHRIST.  301 
 
 offering  "  the  slieaf  of  the  first-fruits  "^  of  that  harvest  of 
 the  world  which  the  ensuing  Pentecost  was  to  bring  in, — 
 the  first  and  forerunner  of  that  glorious  band  whose  feet 
 are  beautiful  upon  the  mountains. 
 
 It  is  then  this  their  mission  which  St.  Paul  describes 
 in  the  Epistle, — the  Holy  Jerusalem,  no  longer  local  and 
 temporal,  but  built  up  by  faith  in  Christ,  in  Whose 
 foundations  are  the  names  of  the  Twelve  Apostles;  for 
 in  this  Apostleship,  this  building  up  "  in  the  Apostles' 
 doctrine  and  fellowship,"  is  laid  the  spiritual  Temple  of 
 God  throughout  the  world; — not  of  the  law  nor  of  the 
 seed  of  Abraham,  nor  afar  off  in  time  and  space,  but 
 brought  most  intimately  near. 
 
 If  thou  shalt  confess  icith  thy  mouth  the  Lord  Jesics, 
 aud  shalt  believe  in  thine  heart  that  God  hath  raised  Him 
 from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved.  For  luith  the  heart 
 man  believeth  unto  righteousness,  and  ivith  the  mouth 
 confession  is  made  unto  salvation.  Thus  St.  John  says, 
 "  Every  spirit  that  confesseth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come 
 in  the  flesh  is  of  God."^  To  this  the  nature  and  ampli- 
 tude of  the  Temple  to  be  built  without  hands,  on  Jesus 
 Christ,  the  Corner  Stone,  the  Old  Testament  abundantly 
 testifieth.  For  the  Scriioture  saith,  adds  the  Apostle, 
 Whosoever  believeth  on  Him  shall  not  be  ashamed.  For 
 there  is  no  difference  between  the  Jew  and  the  Greek: 
 since  that  hour  we  may  add  when  St.  Andrew  with 
 Fhilip  brought  those  Greeks  unto  Christ  and  He  so  gra- 
 ciously received  them  as  the  first-fruits  of  His  Cross. 
 For  the  same  Lord  over  all  is  rich  unto  all  that  call  upon 
 Him.  For  whosoever  shall  call  upon  the  Name  of  the 
 Lord  shall  be  saved.     "  Thou  that  hearest  prayer,"  it  is 
 
 '  Levit.  xxiii.  10.  »  1  St.  John  iv.  3. 
 
302  SAINT  ANDREIV'S   DAY. 
 
 as  it  were  the  very  name  of  oiu'  God, — "Thou  that 
 hearest  prayer,  unto  Thee  shall  all  flesh  come."  In  that 
 saving  ^ame  shall  the  kingdom  be. 
 
 And  hence  arises  the  necessity  of  Apostleship  which  is 
 here  eloquently  set  forth.  Hoio  then  shall  they  call  on 
 Him  in  Whom  they  have  not  believed?  And  how  shall 
 t]iey  believe  in  Him  of  Whom  they  have  not  heard  ?  And 
 how  shall  they  hear  icitliout  a  preacher  ?  And  how  shall 
 they  preach  except  they  he  sent  ?  As  it  is  ivritten,  How 
 beautiful  are  the  feet  of  them  that  preach  the  Gospel  of 
 peace,  a7id  hrmg  glad  tidings  of  good  things/  The 
 coming  in  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  the  rising  of  the 
 Sun  of  righteousness,  the  morning  upon  the  mountains, 
 a  light  breaking  forth  on  them  that  sat  in  darkness  and 
 the  shadow  of  death,  the  feet  shod  with  the  preparation 
 of  the  gospel  of  peace :  all  these  are  the  Scriptural  ex- 
 pressions which  describe  the  planting  of  the  Church  of 
 God  in  the  world.  This  passage  itself  derives  a  new  and 
 peculiar  force  in  being  thus  put  forth  on  St.  Andrew's 
 day;  and  St.  Andrew's  day  as  clothed  in  this  Scripture 
 breaks  forth  upon  us  in  a  new  light  as  the  morning  from 
 above;  the  first  red  streak  of  dawn,  while  as  yet  the  light 
 and  clouds  intermingle  and  contend  with  each  other. 
 
 But  they  have  not  all  obeyed  the  Gospel.  For  Esaias, 
 when  about  to  describe  "  the  arm  of  the  Lord,"  and  the 
 sufferings  of  Christ,  saitli,  Lord,  ivho  hath  believed  our 
 report  ? 
 
 So  then  faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the 
 Word  of  God.  But  I  say,  Have  they  not  heard  ?  Yes, 
 verily,  their  sound,  as  says  the  Psalmist,  when  about  to 
 speak  of  the  going  forth  of  Christ  as  the  sun  from  his 
 chamber,  their  sound  went  into  all  the  earth,  and  their 
 words  unto  the  erid  of  the  world.     Bid  I  say.  Did  not 
 
BRINGING    UNTO    CHRIST.  303 
 
 Israel  Jaww  ?  Yes,  indeed  ;  for  while  the  Old  Testament 
 dwells  so  much  on  the  calling  and  coming  in  of  the  Gen- 
 tiles, it  declares  at  the  same  time  that  the  Gospel  had 
 been  first  fully  and  with  long  forbearance  declared  to 
 Israel.  For  Jirst  Moses-  saitli,  I  icill  provoke  you  to 
 jealousy  hy  them  that  are  no  people,  and  hy  a  foolish 
 nation  I  luill  anger  you.  But  Esaias  is  very  hold,  and 
 saith,  I  was  found  of  them  that  sought  Me  not;  I  ivas 
 made  manifest  unto  them  that  asked  not  after  Me.  But  to 
 Israel  He  saith,  implying  that  they  had  been  called  to  long 
 and  painfully,  but  called  to  in  vain,  All  the  day  long  I 
 have  stretched  forth  My  hands  unto  a  disobedient  and 
 gainsaying  people. 
 
 Thus  does  St.  Paul  in  the  Epistle  describe  the  gather- 
 ing in  of  the  world  unto  the  obedience  of  Christ  by 
 means  of  the  Angelic,  Evangelic  heralds  of  the  new 
 covenant,  the  Apostles.  And  as  the  Church  is  now 
 again  about  to  raise  her  Advent  trump,  spealdng  of  all 
 the  comings  of  Christ,  in  humility  and  in  glory,  by  His 
 Word  and  by  His  Grace,  in  His  Ministry  and  Sacraments, 
 so  with  great  propriety  she  introduces  this  her  minor  note 
 on  her  Saints'  days,  commemorating  that  Apostleship  by 
 means  of  which  the  knowledge  of  it  hath  filled  the  world, 
 l^or  could  any  description  of  it  be  found  more  full  and 
 expressive  than  this  of  St.  Paul,  showing  how  it  all  lay 
 hidden  and  bound  up  in  the  Old  Testament,  established 
 in  the  Xew,  and  bound  up  in  the  very  Apostleship  oi 
 Christ  from  the  Father. 
 
 In  this  the  Apostleship  is  Christ  Himself  calling  upon 
 the  world,  Twelve  in  One — and  One  in  Twelve.  As  the 
 foundations  of  His  Church  they  are  emphatically  called 
 "  the  Apostles  of  the  Lamb,"  and  as  such  partaking  not 
 only  in   His   Apostleship,    but  also   in   His   Cross   and 
 
804  SAINT  ANDREIV'S   DAY. 
 
 martyrdom,  as  thereby  being  made  conformable  unto 
 His  death.  And  St.  Andrew  in  his  own  cross  might 
 have  called  to  mind  his  Lord's  words  when  he  fix'st 
 brought  those  Greeks  to  Him,  to  be  fulfilled  in  some 
 sense  after  their  measure  even  in  His  Apostles.  "  Jesus 
 answered  them  saying,  The  hour  is  come  that  the  Son  of 
 Man  should  be  glorified.  Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you, 
 ExcejDt  a  corn  of  wheat  fall  into  the  ground  and  die  it 
 abideth  alone ;  but  if  it  die  it  bringeth  forth  much  fruit." 
 "  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up,  will  draw  all  men  unto  Me." 
 And  then,  with  awful  and  glad  acquiescence  receiving 
 the  Cup,  He  added,  "Father,  glorify  Thy  name."  "And 
 a  voice  came  from  Heaven  saying,  I  have  both  glorified  it, 
 and  will  glorify  it  again."  After  this  example  did  the 
 Apostles  feel  that  by  their  own  martyrdom  this  the  glory 
 of  the  Father  and  their  Master's  glory  was  sealed  and 
 ratified,  and  that,  watered  by  their  blood,  that  seed  of 
 eternal  life  which  is  the  "Word  of  God  would  find  more 
 abundant  increase. 
 
 "VYith  this  reference,  and  as  especially  appropriate  to 
 St.  Andrew's  day,  may  be  understood  the  last  words  of 
 the  Epistle  which  St.  Paul  quotes  from  the  Prophet,  "  All 
 the  day  long  have  I  stretched  forth  my  hands."  For  this 
 expression  has  always  been  supposed  to  contain  a  hidden 
 allusion  to  the  figure  of  our  Blessed  Lord  upon  the  Cross, 
 as  there  stretching  forth  His  hands  in  an  agonizing  death, 
 as  it  were,  in  a  beseeching  attitude  of  appeal  to  a  people 
 that  heeded  Him  not,  as  expressing  His  earnest  desire  to 
 embrace  them  in  those  His  arms  of  mercy,  while  the  day 
 of  salvation  lasts.  Such  was  the  form  in  which  He  ap- 
 pealed to  the  Jews  after  His  Passion  and  Eesurrection, 
 for  forty  years  pleading  with  them,  until  the  night  of 
 destruction   came  on  that  unbelieving   city  and  nation. 
 
BRINGING    UNTO    CHRIST.  305 
 
 The  preaching  of  His  Spirit  for  all  that  time  was  the 
 setting  forth  of  Christ  crucified;  lifting  up  His  hands  in 
 intercessions  for  them  till  the  going  down  of  the  sun.  So 
 is  it  with  us,  my  brethren,  now  as  with  that  Israel  of 
 old;  with  each  of  us  during  his,  as  it  were,  forty  years  of 
 probati<")n  in  the  wilderness  of  this  world ;  and  so  is  it 
 with  His  Church  at  large  until  the  end.  If  therefore  all 
 wisdom,  all  power,  all  eloquence,  and  all  salvation  is  in 
 the  Cross  of  Christ,  as  He  Himself  testified  when  St. 
 Andrew  brought  unto  Him  those  Greeks  at  the  approach- 
 ing Passover,  well  might  St.  Andrew  himself  have  rejoiced 
 to  leave  the  world  on  a  cross  of  martyrdom,  welcoming 
 it  and  embracing  it,  as  it  is  reported  of  him,  with  great 
 joy,  as  a  privilege  vouchsafed  to  him  by  his  Lord,  the 
 object  of  his  long  desire,  his  anxious  love.  From  that 
 his  cross  in  a  lingering  death  of  two  days,  he  is  said  to 
 have  continued  all  that  time  to  preach  to  the  people, 
 sealing  the  confession  of  a  faithful  life  by  the  very  form 
 and  circumstances  of  his  death.  "  What  was  it,"  says 
 St.  Bernard,  "  but  the  Holy  Spirit  that  helped  his  in- 
 firmities, through  whom  was  shed  forth  in  his  heart  love 
 strong  as  death,  yea,  stronger  than  death  1  And  oh ! 
 that  we  may  be  partakers  of  that  Spirit,  and  as  He  ren- 
 dered the  death  of  the  cross  to  St.  Andrew,  so  He  may 
 make  the  labours  of  repentance  to  us  to  be  not  only  not 
 painful,  but  even  desired  and  loved."  ^ 
 
 Such  is  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  established  in  the 
 world ;  that  net,  as  our  Lord  describes  it  in  the  parable, 
 which  was  to  gather  of  every  kind ;  that  the  separation 
 may  be  made  by  the  angels  on  the  eternal  shore.  And 
 after  this  description  of  it,  by  St.  Paul,  we  come  with  au 
 
 3  Serm.  ii.     Do  S.  Andrea. 
 VOL.  II.  X 
 
306  SATNT  Andrew's  day. 
 
 additional  interest  to  the  account  in  the  Gospel,  of  that 
 occasion  when  our  Lord  first  summoned  them  from  their 
 calling  on  the  Lake  of  Gennesaret,  that  they  might 
 become  fishers  of  men.  And  we  may  well  suppose,  with 
 a  lively  and  tender  remembrance,  that  scene  must  have 
 occurred  to  St.  Andrew  himself  when  he  hung  those 
 weary  hours  on  the  cross,  when  he  considered  how  much 
 had  depended  on  that  call;  how  much  on  his  ready 
 obedience  in  accepting  the  summons;  while  it  implied 
 his  at  once  bidding  adieu  for  ever  to  all  callings  and 
 occupations  of  the  world. 
 
 And  Jesus  loalking  by  the  sea  of  Galilee,  says  St. 
 Matthew,  satv  tivo  brethren,  Simon  called  Peter,  and 
 Andrew  his  brother,  casting  a  net  into  the  sea,  {for  they 
 were  fishers  ;)  And  He  saith  unto  them,  Follow  Me,  and  1 
 will  make  you  fishers  of  men.  And  they  straightway  left 
 their  nets,  and  followed  Him.  Now  if  we  had  no  account 
 of  the  occurrence  but  this,  we  might  have  supposed  that, 
 without  any  previous  intercourse  with  them.  He  Who 
 knoweth  the  hearts  of  men  had,  by  the  miraculous  power 
 of  His  Word  and  Presence,  suddenly  worked  on  the  minds 
 of  these  whom  He  had  chosen,  drawing  them  with  instan- 
 taneous Divine  attractions  unto  Himself;  but  it  was  not 
 so.  In  our  Lord's  appointment  of  His  Apostles  for  their 
 great  work,  all  appears  to  have  been  by  a  gradual  training, 
 and  St.  John  gives  us  a  previous  account  of  St.  Andrew, 
 of  his  being  one  of  the  disciples  of  St.  John  the  Baptist ; 
 no  doubt  well  prepared  at  that  time  in  the  practices  of 
 repentance,  so  as  to  have  been  singled  out  by  the  Baptist 
 himself,  together  with  another  disciple,  probably  St.  John, 
 as  those  to  whom  he  pointed  out  "the  Lamb  of  God." 
 On  that  occasion  he  followed  Jesus,  and  conversed  and 
 continued  with  Him ;  and,  finding  Him  to  be  indeed  the 
 
BRINGING    UNTO    CHRIST.  307 
 
 Christ,  he  hastened  and  brought  to  Him  his  own  brother, 
 the  great  Apostle  St.  Peter.  They  then  became  in  some 
 measure  followers  of  our  Lord.  They  were  then  with 
 Him  at  His  first  miracle  in  Cana  of  Galilee,  in  His 
 miracles  and  teaching  at  Jerusalem  and  in  Judea,  and 
 had  now  come  with  Him  to  Galilee  and  Capernaum, 
 when  He  thus  summoned  them  to  give  up  all,  as  the 
 Gospel  for  to-day  describes,  calling  them  not  as  yet  to  be 
 Apostles,  but  as  disciples,  out  of  whom  afterwards,  when 
 they  were  again  sufficiently  tried  and  trained.  He  should 
 choose  Apostles.  So  is  it  with  us  all,  "  The  preparations 
 of  the  heart  are  from  the  Lord : "  He  searcheth  and 
 proveth  the  reins,  and  then  by  some  new  call  of  His 
 Providence,  some  arduous  duty  or  opportunity  of  sacrifice. 
 He  invites  us  to  come  nearer  unto  Himself.  And  blessed 
 are  we  if  we  resist  not  the  call.  These  disciples  indeed, 
 being  poor,  had  not  much  to  surrender;  but  that  the 
 sacrifice  they  now  made  was  to  them  great  and  trying  we 
 may  learn  from  what  was  said  on  another  occasion ;  for 
 when  our  Lord  had  been  speaking  of  the  danger  of  riches, 
 and  St.  Peter  said,  "  Lo,  we  have  left  all  and  followed  Thee," 
 his  Lord  seemed  to  acknowledge  the  greatness  of  this  sur- 
 render they  had  made  of  themselves,  saying,  that  they  in 
 the  regeneration  should  sit  on  thrones ;  that  no  one  should 
 make  such  sacrifices  as  they  had  done  for  Christ,  and  for 
 His  Gospel,  but  that  he  should  receive  in  this  present 
 time  an  hundredfold,  and  in  the  world  to  come  everlasting 
 life.  They  little  thought  when  that  was  said  to  them, 
 and  when  they  asked  what  their  reward  should  be,  that  a 
 time  would  come  when  the  highest  glory,  the  dearest 
 honour,  they  would  desire  on  earth,  would  be  to  be  made 
 like  unto  their  Lord ;  and  as  His  earthly  throne  was  a 
 Cross,  so  should  it  be  theirs  also — that  signal  mark  of 
 
308  SAINT  Andrew's  day. 
 
 shame  and  suffering,  that  death  of  the  lowest  degradation, 
 as  showing  that  they  were  become,  as  St.  Paul  says,  "  the 
 ofFscouring  of  all  things : "  for  both  St.  Andrew  and  St. 
 Peter  died  on  the  cross. 
 
 And  now,  as  with  these  two,  St.  Andrew  and  St.  Peter, 
 were  two  other  brothers,  united  in  occupation,  and  united 
 likewise  as  disciples  of  the  Holy  Baptist,  for  St.  Andrew  was 
 with  the  beloved  disciple  when  St.  John  the  Baptist  first 
 pointed  out  to  them  the  Lamb  of  God ;  so  are  they  united 
 also  in  this  call.  Thus  it  is  that  signal  spiritual  privileges 
 and  blessings  often  come  on  those  who  are  before  asso- 
 ciated in  family,  or  neighbourhood,  or  occupation,  or 
 friendship.  And  going  on  from  thence,  by  the  sea  and 
 shore  of  Galilee,  He  saw  other  two  hrethreUj  Jmnes  the 
 son  of  Zehedee,  and  John  his  brother,  in  a  ship  with 
 Zehedee  their  father,  mending  their  nets,  and  He  called 
 them.  And  they  immediately  left  the  shijp,  and  their 
 father,  and  followed  Him. 
 
 Thus  it  is  that  neither  in  the  Epistle  nor  the  Gospel 
 does  St.  Andrew  stand  alone  as  brought  belore  us  on 
 this  day :  in  the  Epistle  it  is  as  it  he  represented  the 
 Apostleship  as  first  called ;  in  the  Gospel  he  is  with  the 
 three  most  eminent  Apostles ;  and  indeed  it  is  from  his 
 union  with  those  three,  and  in  his  combination  with 
 them,  he  is  best  known.  He  seems  to  stand  next  to  them 
 in  priority  and  dignity ;  and  if  those  three  are  admitted 
 on  some  occasions  to  be  alone  in  the  nearer  presence  or 
 manifestation  of  Christ;  yet  in  one  instance,  on  that 
 memorable  discourse  respecting  the  Day  of  Judgment  on 
 the  Mount  of  Olives,  St.  Andrew  is  present  with  the 
 three.  He  seems  to  have  been,  as  it  were,  an  intervening 
 link  between  them  and  the  rest  of  the  twelve.  Thus,  on 
 two  occasions,  his  neighbour  and  fellow-townsman,  Philip 
 
BRINGING    UNTO   CHRIST.  309 
 
 of  Bethsaida,  seems  to  look  to  him ;  in  both  instances 
 Philip  goeth  and  telleth  Andrew,  and  then  they  both 
 together  come  to  Christ.  It  is  St.  Andrew's  privilege  to 
 bring  first  of  all  St.  Peter,  the  most  eminent  and  chief 
 among  the  twelve  Apostles,  and  then  in  those  Greeks  at 
 the  Feast  to  bring  the  first-fruits  of  Israel  scattered  abroad 
 among  the  Gentiles  also.  His  attitude  at  all  times  seems 
 to  be  that  of  reverently  watching  to  see  what  his  Lord  will 
 do,  looking  up,  as  it  were,  to  His  countenance,  and  as  if 
 pondering  on  His  words.  Thus  we  see  him  on  one  occa- 
 sion with  St.  Philip,  and  with  the  boy  by  his  side,  with 
 the  basket  of  loaves,  as  if  expecting  from  his  Lord  some 
 manifestation  of  power  and  goodness,  and  saying,  "You 
 spoke  of  Bread,  here  are  five  loaves."  At  another  time 
 the  introduction  to  that  discourse  on  the  Mount  of  Olives 
 may  have  arisen  from  the  like  inquiring  watchfulness  in 
 St.  Andrew,  as  if  saying,  "  You  spoke  of  the  stones  of 
 the  Temple  being  overthrown."  Thus  to  these  beginnings 
 of  St.  Andrew  we  owe  perhaps  the  two  most  memorable 
 discourses  in  the  Gospels — that  on  the  Bread  from  Heaven 
 in  St.  John;  that  on  the  Last  Day  in  St.  Matthew. 
 Closely  connected  with  this  disposition  is  that  of  bringing 
 others  to  Christ :  first,  his  nearest  of  kin,  whom  he  im- 
 mediately goes  to  find ;  then,  his  neighbour  in  St.  Philip ; 
 then,  the  strangers  in  those  Greeks. 
 
 Now  there  are  some  persons  who  do  not  stand  pre- 
 eminent among  others  for  powers  of  mind  or  strength  of 
 character  like  St.  Peter  and  St.  John  the  Evangelist  did 
 among  the  disciples,  but  yet  are  made  by  God  to  be  the  in- 
 struments and  occasions  of  perhaps  as  much  good,  and  that 
 is,  by  their  constant  watching  and  waiting  upon  God,  and 
 taking  all  opportunities  of  bringing  others  to  Christ. 
 
SERMON    LXXIV. 
 
 Eph.  ii.  19—22.     St.  John  xx.  24 — 31. 
 
 SLOWNESS   IN  BELIEVING. 
 
 Thomas  saith  unto  Him,  Lord,  we  know  not  whither  Thou  goest ; 
 and  how  can  we  know  the  way?  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  I  am  the 
 Way,  the  Truth,  atid  the  Life. — St.  John   xiv.  5,  6. 
 
 THEEE  was  a  time  when  the  testimony  to  our  Lord's 
 Eesurrection  was  incomplete ;  it  was  when  He  ap- 
 peared in  the  midst  of  the  Apostles,  but  St.  Thomas  was 
 absent ;  and  having  been  absent  from  that  assembly  he 
 doubted.  Then  was  there  something  wanting  to  the  full 
 confirmation  of  the  faith :  there  was  a  note  out  of  tune  ; 
 there  was  one  of  the  foundations  imperfect  on  which  the 
 City  of  the  Lamb  was  to  be  built.  Eut  on  the  following 
 Sunday  the  Holy  Jesus  again  made  Himself  known,  dis- 
 sipated all  doubts,  and  St.  Thomas  made  that  full  con- 
 fession, saying,  "My  Lord  and  my  God."  Then  was  the 
 testimony  to  the  faith  full  and  perfect,  the  foundations 
 for  ever  established  :  all  was  harmony  in  the  Apostolic 
 choir ;  the  Holy  Jerusalem  from  above  was  filled  with  the 
 
SLOWNESS   IN   BELIEVING.  311 
 
 Light  of  the  Lamb  in  which  walk  the  nations  of  them 
 that  are  saved. 
 
 !Nrow,  I  think,  we  may  consider  the  Epistle  for  to-day 
 with  reference  to  that  circumstance,  as  if  in  commemora- 
 tion of  that  event  the  Church  with  one  heart  and  one 
 voice  took  up  her  triumphant  strain  of  thanksgiving 
 throughout  the  world  unto  the  end,  saying,  in  St.  Paul's 
 words:  Now  therefore  ye  are  no  more  strangers  and 
 foreigners,  hut  fellow-citizens  with  the  saints  and  of  the 
 household  of  God  ;  and  are  built  upon  the  foundation  of 
 the  Apostles  and  Prophets,  Jesus  Christ  Himself  being  the 
 chief  corner  stone  ;  in  Whom  all  the  building  fitlij  framed 
 together  groweth  unto  an  holy  temple  in  the  Lord;  in 
 Wliom  ye  also  are  huilded  together  for  an  habltoMon  of 
 God  through  the  Spirit. 
 
 The  Apostle  is  here  speaking  of  the  Gentiles,  who, 
 having  been  as  strangers  and  foreigners,  admitted  at  best 
 to  but  half-privileges  of  God's  house,  as  proselytes  in.  the 
 Temple,  were  now  fully  received  into  all  the  rights  of  the 
 Holy  City,  being  as  fellow-citizens  with  the  true  Israel, 
 and  of  the  family  of  God,  builded  up  as  living  stones  into 
 that  spiritual  House,  that  Temple  wherein  God  through 
 His  Spirit  will  dwell.  "  And  He  came,"  St.  Paul  had 
 just  said,  "and  preached  peace  to  you  which  were  afar 
 off,  and  to  them  that  were  nigh,"  bringing  us  all  into  one 
 faith ;  "  for  through  Him,"  he  adds,  "  we  both  have 
 access  by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father."  And  thus  was  it, 
 as  we  may  apply  it  on  this  day,  when  He  came  to  meet 
 St.  Thomas  in  his  unbelief,  and  appeared  a  second  time 
 in  the  midst  of  the  disciples,  declaring  His  peace,  and 
 brought  the  doubting  Apostle  to  a  full  coniession  of  His 
 Godhead,  to  understand  that  which  He  had  declared  to 
 him  at  the  Last  Supper,— that  He  is  Himself  the  Way, 
 
312  SAINT   THOMAS   THE  APOSTLE. 
 
 the  Truth,  and  the  Life,  by  Whom  alone  is  access  unto 
 the  Father. 
 
 Those  that  were  afar  off  He  Himself  comes  to  meet  if 
 there  is  any  desire  to  return  to  Him ;  He  Himself  seeks 
 the  lost  sheep ;  and,  oh  !  that  He  may  bring  us  all  into 
 the  unity  of  His  one  fold,  strengthen  what  is  weak,  make 
 up  that  which  is  wanting,  establish  what  is  imperfect, 
 "  till  we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith  and  knowledge 
 of  tlie  Son  of  God  unto  a  perfect  man  ! " 
 
 The  Evangelical  narrative  then  of  St.  Thomas  is  this. 
 Thomas,  one  of  tJie  twelve^  called  Didymus,  was  not  with 
 them  tvhen  Jesus  came.  He  was  not  with  them  in  that 
 upper  chamber  in  Jerusalem,  where  the  Apostles  were 
 gathered  together  in  mutual  fellowship  and  prayer  on  the 
 day  of  their  Lord's  Resurrection.  Whether  it  were  from 
 accident,  or  unavoidable  hindrance,  or  from  weakness  of 
 faith,  or  want  of  sympathy,  to  be  absent  from  the 
 gathering  together  of  the  Church  can  seldom  be  without 
 some  loss ;  and  if  it  be  a  voluntary  separation  from  the 
 unity  of  the  Apostles,  then  faith  itself  must  needs  be 
 obscured  and  darkened,  though  they  themselves  that  thus 
 suffer  may  not  be  conscious  of  it.  And,  oh  !  how  great  is 
 their  loss,  who  are  not  in  the  assembling  of  the  faithful  on 
 the  Lord's  Day,  when  Jesus  by  His  marvellous  power 
 comes  to  be  in  the  midst,  saying,  "This  is  My  Body 
 which  was  given  for  you  !  " 
 
 The  other  disciples  therefore  said  unto  him,  We  have 
 seen  the  Lord.  But  he  said  unto  them,  alluding  perhaps 
 to  the  description  of  that  interview  which  they  had  given. 
 Except  I  shall  see  in  His  hands  the  print  of  the  nails,  and 
 put  my  finger  into  the  print  of  the  nails,  and  thrust  my 
 hand  into  His  side,  I  ivill  not  believe.  How  mysteri- 
 ously do  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that 
 
SLOWNESS  /A    BELIE VI NC.  313 
 
 love  God  !  And  thus  at  the  very  first  the  Apostles  were 
 all  the  gainers  by  St.  Thomas's  slowness,  for  it  was  the 
 occasion  of  their  again  seeing  their  gracious  Lord  among 
 them  ;  and  they  were  made  the  more  strong  by  the  weak- 
 ness of  a  weaker  brother.  And  after  eight  days,  i.  e.  on 
 the  following  Lord's  Day,  again  His  disciples  icere  loitliiii, 
 and  Tliomas  ivitli  them  ;  then  came  Jesus,  the  doors  being 
 shut,  and  stood  in  the  midst,  and  said.  Peace  he  unto  you. 
 Then  saith  He  to  Thomas,  Reach  hither  thy  finger,  and 
 behold  My  hands ;  and  reach  hither  thy  hand,  and  thrust 
 it  into  My  side :  and  be  not  faithless,  hut  believing.  ]N"ot 
 only  by  His  Eisen  Body  and  His  wounds,  and  His 
 appearing  thus  in  the  midst  of  them,  the  doors  being 
 closed,  but  also  by  showing  a  knowledge  of  his  thoughts 
 and  his  words  when  absent  and  unseen,  He  manifests  His 
 Godhead,  meeting  the  very  words  of  his  former  unbelief 
 and  the  wants  of  his  distrustful  heart.  And  Thomas 
 answered  and  said  unto  Him,  My  Lord,  and  my  God! 
 This  was  a  full  confession  indeed — and  the  first  confession 
 to  our  Lord's  divinity  since  His  Eesurrection  :  out  of  weak- 
 ness had  strength  been  perfected  ; — the  words  are  full  of 
 devout  affection  also  and  awful  overwhelming  joy,  as 
 claiming  Him  as  his  own  God  in  his  own  former  Lord. 
 It  is  My  Lord  and  my  God — not  merely  general,  as  St. 
 Peter's  great  declaration  had  been,  "  Thou  art  the  Christ 
 — the  Son  of  the  living  God ;" — but  it  expresses  that  new- 
 doctrine  which  our  Lord  had  expressed  to  Mary  Magda- 
 lene, "  I  ascend  unto  My  God  and  your  God."  Before 
 this  Thomas  had  loved  Christ  well  and  faithfully,  but  he 
 had  loved  Him  as  man ;  and  therefore  he  said,  "  Let  us 
 go  and  die  with  Him  :"  but  now  he  loved  Christ  as  God, 
 and  therefore  he  had  within  that  strength  whereby  Divine 
 love  "hopeth  all  things  and  believeth  all  things."     He 
 
314  SAINT    THOMAS    THE   APOSTLE. 
 
 tliinks  no  more  we  will  die  with  Him,  but  He  is  our  Life, 
 and  we  will  live  with  Him  and  for  Him,  for  He  is  our 
 God  for  ever  and  ever ;  nay,  he  loved  Christ  now  as  both 
 God  and  Man  in  one  Person,  and  therefore  he  has  not 
 now  to  say,  as  before,  ''  We  know  not  ^vhither  Thou 
 goest ;  and  how  can  we  know  the  way '? "  but  he  knew 
 him  as  "  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life ;"  "  our  God 
 for  ever,  our  Guide  unto  death,"  and  could  say,  "  Though 
 I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death  I  will 
 fear  no  evil,  for  Thou  art  with  me." 
 
 Jesus  saith  unto  liim,  Thomas,  because  tliou  hast  seen 
 Me  thou  hast  believed  ;  blessed  are  they  that  have  not  seen, 
 and  yet  have  believed.  Thus,  in  consideration  of  the 
 weakness  of  St.  Thomas,  our  Lord  has  given  His  Church 
 unto  the  end  greater  and  more  palpable  proofs  of  His 
 Eesurrection.  "Think  not,"  says  St.  Gregory,  "that 
 this  hajDpened  by  chance  that  a  chosen  disciple  should 
 have  been  absent,  being  absent,  should  have  doubted, 
 should  doubting  have  handled,  should  handling  have 
 believed.  All  this  occurred  by  a  Divine  ordering,  whereby 
 the  mercy  of  God  brought  it  about  by  wonderful  means, 
 that  that  doubtful  disciple  should  feel  the  wounds  in  his 
 Lord's  flesh,  and  so  heal  the  wounds  of  our  unbelief.  For 
 the  incredulity  of  Thomas  hath  done  more  for  our  faith 
 than  the  belief  of  the  disciples."  * 
 
 And.  many  other  signs,  adds  the  Evangelist,  truly  did 
 Jesus  in  the  presence  of  His  disciples,  which  are  not 
 icritten  in  this  booh.  But  these  are  written,  that  ye  might 
 believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God;  and  that 
 believing  ye  might  have  life  through  His  Name.  If  we 
 ask,  why  St.  John  and  others  have  not  furnished  us  with 
 
 ^  Uom.  26  in  Ev.  2. 
 
SLOWNESS   IN  BELIEVING.  315 
 
 more  signs  when  so  many  might  have  been  recorded,  we 
 may  find  the  reason  in  this  om*  Lord's  mild  reproof  of  St. 
 Thomas,  "  Blessed  are  they  that  have  not  seen,  and  yet 
 have  believed."  The  lesser  degree  of  evidence  we  require, 
 in  order  that  we  may  believe,  the  greater  and  more 
 acceptable  our  faith.  St.  John  himself  required  no  evi- 
 dence at  all  of  his  risen  Lord,  no  sensible  manifestation, 
 and  was  the  more  blessed  on  that  account ;  "  seeing  not, 
 yet  believing,  he  rejoiced  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of 
 glory."  There  is  no  blessing,  here  pronounced  on  St. 
 Thomas  for  his  good  confession ;  on  St.  Peter  there  had 
 been ;  and  why  ?  "  Because,"  said  his  Lord  to  him, 
 "  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  My 
 Father  Which  is  in  Heaven."  And  to  whom  is  it  that  the 
 Father  reveals  the  Son  ?  IS'ot  to  the  wise  and  prudent  of 
 this  world ;  not  so  much  to  those  who,  like  St.  Thomas, 
 are  prudent  and  wise  in  the  signs  and  evidences  which 
 they  will  require ;  but  it  is  this  child-like,  confiding  love 
 that  calls  down  the  especial  blessing,  and  is  the  cause  of 
 thanksgiving  :  "  I  thank  Thee,  0  Father,  Lord  of  Heaven 
 and  earth,  because  Thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the 
 wise  and  prudent,  and  revealed  them  unto  babes."  That 
 which  needed  not  sight  had  found  wings,  and  gone  before 
 and  already  obtained  rest  in  its  accustomed  place  on  the 
 bosom  of  God,  in  St.  John ;  that  which  needs  evidence  is 
 slow,  and  moves  with  difficulty,  and  is  but  too  happy  if 
 not  altogether  left  behind  in  the  race  of  eternity. 
 
 There  was  no  doubt  something  in  St.  Thomas  which 
 called  forth  this  signal  mercy  of  God.  In  the  explanation 
 of  his  incredulity  we  must  remember  that  the  Apostles 
 generally  had  shown  themselves  slow  to  believe.  What 
 the  women  first  reported  to  them  of  the  vision  of  angels 
 appeared  to  them  as  idle  tales,  and  they  believed  them 
 
316  SAINT   THOMAS    THE  APOSTLE. 
 
 not.  They  seem  not  to  have  noticed  what  occurred  to 
 Mary  Magdalene ;  and  although  they  had  just  acknow- 
 ledged to  the  disciples  returning  from  Emmaus  that  the 
 Lord  had  been  seen,  yet  when,  at  that  same  moment.  He 
 Himself  appeared  in  the  midst  of  them,  they  were  at  first 
 affrighted,  and  thought  that  they  had  seen  a  spirit.  It 
 is  true  that  St.  Thomas's  unbelief  greatly  exceeds  this, 
 in  not  receiving  the  testimony  of  more  than  ten  disciples, 
 who  had  seen  Him  with  His  wounds  and  heard  His  words, 
 and  this  too  confirmed  by  His  earlier  appearance  to  St. 
 Peter  and  others.  It  was  a  reprovable  want  of  faith; 
 yet  this  slowness  to  believe  did  not  arise  from  the  indulg- 
 ence of  any  positive  sin,  such  as  covetousness  or  pride,  as 
 in  the  case  of  Judas  and  Caiaphas,  but  probably  from  a 
 peculiar  temper  of  mind.  Our  Lord  seems  to  have  chosen 
 for  His  Apostles  persons  difi"ering  much  in  their  natural 
 characters  and  dispositions.  And  St.  Thomas  seems  to 
 have  been  one  of  those  who,  however  faithful  and  blame- 
 less they  may  be  in  life,  yet  are  slow  to  realize  things 
 spiritual  and  Divine.  Thus  he  was  not  only  a  sincere 
 disciple  who  had  given  up  all  for  Christ's  sake,  but  one  of 
 hearty  devotion  and  what  would  be  considered  faithful 
 loyalty  to  his  Master,  as  was  shown  on  that  occasion  when 
 our  Lord,  on  hearing  of  the  illness  of  Lazarus,  was  about 
 to  venture  again  among  His  enemies  at  Jerusalem.  St. 
 Thomas  said,  "  Let  us  also  go,  that  we  may  die  with 
 Him."  ^  He  was  ready  to  die  with  his  Master ;  nay, 
 desirous  to  do  so.  But  even  here  there  appears  to  be  a 
 slowness  to  perceive  His  Almighty  Power  and  Godhead. 
 And  in  like  manner,  at  the  last  Supper,  when  Clirist  said 
 to  them,    "Whither  I   go  ye  know,   and  the  way   ye 
 
 »  St.  John  xi.  16. 
 
SLOWNESS   IN  BELIEVING.  317 
 
 know,"  it  would  seem  as  if  He  implied  that  the  Apostles 
 generally  had  some  spiritual  discernment  and  understand- 
 ing of  those  heavenly  truths  of  which  He  spake,  of  His 
 going  to  the  Father  to  prepare  a  place  for  them ;  but  yet 
 St.  Thomas,  as  if  in  an  honest  and  good  heart  he  was 
 willing  to  learn,  but  found  a  difficulty  in  understanding 
 things  that  were  of  Heaven,  answered  to  this  :  "  Lord,  we 
 know  not  whither  Thou  goest,  and  how  can  we  know  the 
 way  1 "  In  all  this  there  is  much  affection,  much  honesty 
 and  simplicity,  and  something  of  that  single  eye  to  which 
 God  is  sure  in  His  own  good  time  to  reveal  the  fulness  of 
 His  light.  And  He  has  chosen  St.  Thomas  as  an  especial 
 instrument  for  confirming  His  Church,  for  encouraging 
 the  weak,  and  setting  forth  an  example  of  His  own  loving- 
 kindness  and  forbearance;  as  if  saying  by  him  more 
 powerfully  even  than  by  His  prophet,  "  Who  is  among 
 you  that  feareth  the  Lord  ;"  yet  "  walketh  in  darkness, 
 and  hath  no  light  ?  Let  him  trust  in  the  ISTame  of  the 
 Lord,  and  stay  upon  his  God."  ® 
 
 It  is  remarkable  that  all  we  know  of  St.  Thomas  is 
 from  the  Evangelist  St.  John.  Now  St.  John,  while  he 
 dwells  on  the  highest  mysteries  of  Divine  Wisdom, 
 evinces  also  the  most  tender  concern  for  Christ's  little 
 ones;  and  it  may  be  for  this  reason,  that  he  makes  known 
 to  us  the  history  of  one  so  infirm  of  belief,  for  the  en- 
 couragement of  those  that  are  weak  in  the  faith,  by  these 
 evidences  of  our  Lord's  condescending  care,  as  showing 
 that  He  is  not  by  His  Eesurrection  removed  from  us  in 
 time  or  place,  or  in  the  sympathies  of  our  common 
 nature,  but  is  most  intimately  "  touched  by  the  feeling 
 of  our  infirmities."'      For  all   these    circumstances   we 
 
 6  Isa.  l  10.  7  Heb.  iv.  15. 
 
318  SAINT    THOMAS    THE   APOSTLE. 
 
 have  alluded  to,  together  with  the  mention  of  St.  Thomas 
 as  one  among  those  disciples  by  whom  our  Lord  was  seen 
 afterwards  by  the  Lake  in  Galilee,  occur  in  St.  John's 
 Gospel.  In  like  manner  St.  John,  though  he  himself 
 had  needed  no  such  sensible  proof,  yet  in  consideration 
 for  those  that  do,  commences  his  first  Epistle  with  the 
 words,  "  That  which  we  have  heard,  which  we  have  seen 
 with  our  eyes,  which  we  have  looked  upon,  and  our 
 hands  have  handled,  of  the  Word  of  Life,"— dwelling 
 altogether  on  the  evidence  and  testimony  of  the  external 
 senses. 
 
 But  to  return  to  the  one  great  lesson  of  this  day,  as  the 
 Collect  has  pointed  it;  not  only  on  the  belief  of  St. 
 Thomas  is  there  no  declaration  of  blessing,  but  even  his 
 acceptance  is  not  without  reproof;  and  the  same  Scripture 
 that  details  this  mercy  on  human  infirmity,  mostly  con- 
 firms the  blessing  of  that  faith  which  needs  least  of 
 external  and  sensible  manifestation.  This  is  our  own 
 peculiar  calling  and  privilege,  and  may  be,  if  we  fail  not 
 of  it,  our  exceeding  great  blessedness. 
 
 And  we,  whom  the  Epistle  describes  as  "strangers  and 
 foreigners,"  now  admitted  into  "  the  household  of  God," 
 have  at  this  season  the  first-jfruits  of  this  faith  without 
 sight.  It  is  already  kindled,  as  a  star  in  a  dark  place,  in 
 the  breast  of  the  Wise  Men  who  from  the  birth-place  of 
 Abraham  are  on  their  way  to  the  cradle  of  Christ  ere  yet 
 He  is  born,  seeing  afar  off,  and  rejoicing  to  behold  His 
 Day.  The  Sun  has  not  yet  appeared,  but  the  star  in  the 
 dawn  is  enough  for  them ;  till  the  star  shall  disappear  in 
 the  Sun  of  Eighteousness,  and  faith  be  swallowed  up  in 
 love.  Thus  the  winter's  shortest  noon  gradually  lengthens 
 into  summer,  and  the  faith  of  the  just  shines  more  and 
 more  unto  the  perfect  day. 
 
SERMON   LXXV. 
 C?)c  Cottbti-igion  of  ^amt  3^avil, 
 
 Acts  ix.  I — 22.     St.  Matt.  xix.  27 — 30. 
 
 GRACE   NOT   GIVEN  IN   VAIN. 
 
 By  the  grace  of  GoD  /  am  what  I  am :  and  His  grace  which  was 
 bestowed  tipon  7ne  was  not  in  vain;  but  I  laboured  more  abundantly 
 than  they  all:  yet  not  /,  but  the  grace  o/GoD  which  was  with  me.— 
 I  Cor.  XV.  10. 
 
 THE  Gospels  are  full  of  mercy  as  detailing  the  life  of 
 Him  Who  came  not  to  judge  hut  to  save  the  world; 
 yet  I  know  not  whether  manifestations  of  the  same  mercy 
 after  His  Eesurrection  are  not  still  more  affecting  and 
 impressive,  as  shown  to  the  weeping  Mary  Magdalene, 
 the  penitent  Peter,  the  doubting  Thomas,  and,  above  all, 
 as  we  this  day  commemorate,  to  St.  Paul.  A  conversion 
 so  great  and  wonderful  is  well  worthy  of  our  especial 
 memory,  for  its  effects  reach  to  the  bounds  of  the  world 
 and  the  end  of  time.  It  is  like  another  publication  of 
 the  Gospel — the  first  through  friends,  the  second  by  an 
 enemy :  and  so  important  on  this  account,  as  an  early 
 Bishop  observed,  that  Inspiration  speaks  in  St.  Paul 
 through    fourteen    Epistles,   while    those   of    the   other 
 
320  THE   CONVERSION   OF  SAINT  PAUL, 
 
 Apostles  are  but  few  in  number.^  And  we  may  add, 
 that  the  history  of  the  early  Church  in  the  Acts  consists 
 mostly  of  an  account  of  St.  Paul,  and  that  written  by  his 
 own  friend  and  fellow-labourer  St.  Luke.  Moreover, 
 what  is  very  remarkable,  no  less  than  three  times  is  the 
 account  there  given  of  this  his  conversion.  Well,  there- 
 fore, does  the  history  of  this  event  stand  for  the  Epistle 
 of  this  day. 
 
 And  Saul,  who  had  been  consenting  unto  St.  Stephen's 
 death,  yet  hreathing  out  threatenings  and  slaughter  against 
 the  disciples  of  the  Lord,  went  unto  the  high  priest,  and 
 desired  of  him  letters  to  Damascus,  to  which  the  Chris- 
 tians had  now  fled,  as  the  first  place  of  refuge  out  of  the 
 Jewish  provinces,  to  the  synagogues,  that  if  he  found  any 
 of  this  way,  whether  they  were  men  or  ivomen,  he  might 
 bring  them  hound,  unto  Jerusalem.  As  he  himself  also 
 testifies,  both  at  Jerusalem  and  before  King  Agrippa  at 
 Csesarea,  appealing  to  the  knowledge  of  the  High  Priest 
 and  Elders,  that  he  had  "  persecuted  this  way  unto  the 
 death,"  "  being  exceeding  mad  against  them,"  "  punishing 
 them  oft  in  every  synagogue,  and  compelling  them  to 
 blaspheme,"  i.  e.  to  deny  Christ.  It  is  observable  how  it 
 is  always  stated  of  his  acting  under  authority  of  the 
 chief  priests ;  it  marks  his  strict  zeal  for  the  law. 
 
 And  now,  as  we  have  lately  had  to  consider  the  vision 
 of  St.  Stephen  beholding  the  Son  of  Man  standing  on  the 
 Eight  Hand  of  Power,  we  see  how  that  Power  was 
 exerted  as  that  dying  martyr  prayed.  And  as  he  jour- 
 neyed he  came  near  to  Damascus  ;  he  was  just  at  the  end 
 of  his  course,  breathing  vengeance,  and  suddenly  there 
 shined  round  about  him  a  light  from  Heaven  ; — "  sud 
 
 »  St.  Cyr.  Jer.  Cat.  Lect.  x.  18. 
 
GRACE   NOT   GIVEN  IN  VAIN.  321 
 
 denly  "  as  the  Angels  to  the  Shepherds — "  suddenly  "  as 
 the  Holy  Spirit,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost, — with  lightning- 
 like suddenness  as  Christ's  appearing  on  the  last  day  will 
 be.  And  he  fell  to  the  earth,  and  heard  a  voice  saying 
 unto  him,  Said,  Said,  why  j^ersecutest  thou  Me  ?  Through 
 hoth  eyes  and  ears,  as  St.  Bernard  observes,  the  truth 
 inserts  itself,  as  at  our  Lord's  Baptism,  at  His  Trans- 
 figuration, and,  we  may  add,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  the 
 sight  was  seen,  and  the  sound  was  heard.  And  he  said, 
 WJio  art  Thou,  Lord  ?  And  the  Lord  said,  I  am  Jesus 
 Whom  thou  persecutest :  it  is  hard  for  thee  to  Jcick  against 
 the  pricks.  "When  our  Lord  was  persecuted  in  His  own 
 Person,  He  opened  not  His  mouth,  as  the  Lamb  of  God, 
 but  now  He  is  not  silent,  but  speaks  aloud;  now  as  the 
 Good  Shepherd,  who  had  laid  down  His  life  for  His  sheep, 
 He  interposes  for  them;  He  acquits  the  objects  of  that 
 persecution  of  all  charge,  and  says  that  it  is  for  His 
 sake, — for  His  sake  as  seen  and  found  in  them;  eon- 
 firming  His  own  words,  "  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it 
 unto  the  least  of  these,  ye  have  done  it  unto  Me." 
 Hereafter  none  better  than  St.  Paul  himself  shall  know 
 how  Christ  is  in  His  faithful  ones,  when  he  says,  "  I  live, 
 yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me."  The  words  express 
 for  His  persecuted  followers  the  most  intimate  care  and 
 love ;  and  at  the  same  time  their  invincible  strength 
 against  their  enemies,  according  to  that  comprehensive 
 proverb,  "  It  is  hard  to  kick  against  the  pricks."  What 
 is  it  to  fight  against  God  %  "  Whosoever  shall  fall  on 
 this  stone  shall  be  broken." 
 
 And  he,  trembling  and  astonished, — not  at  that  light  or 
 that  voice,  but  to  find  that  in  that  light  and  voice  was 
 Jesus  whom  he  persecuted, — trembling  and  astonished,  he 
 said.  Lord,  what  wilt   Thou  have  me  to  do  ?     And  the 
 
 VOL.  II.  T 
 
322  THE    CONVERSION  OF  SAINT  PAUL. 
 
 Lord  said  unto  liim,  Arise,  and  go  into  the  city,  and  it 
 shall  he  told  thee  ichat  thou  must  do.  It  was  like 
 Lazarus  coming  out  of  the  grave  and  acknowledging  that 
 powerful  voice  that  awakes  the  dead;  putting  forth  his 
 hands  as  seeking  for  light,  and  the  grave  clothes  still 
 about  him  which  others  must  loose.  God  speaks  to  the 
 heart,  hut  appointed  means  must  follow  in  the  restoration 
 of  the  soul — the  ministry  of  the  Word,  and  the  laying  on 
 of  hands,  Absolution  and  Baptism.  "  Go  into  the  city, 
 and  there  it  shall  be  told  thee :"  it  is  commending,  says 
 St.  Bernard,  the  services  of  social  life.'*  And  the  men 
 ichich  journeyed  with  him  stood  sj>eechless,  hearing  a  voice, 
 but  seeing  no  man.  In  another  account  it  is  that  they 
 heard  not  the  voice,  that  is,  that  they  distinguished  it  not 
 as  a  voice,  nor  saw  Him  that  spake,  as  St.  Paul  did, 
 Thus  the  lightnings  of  God,  and  His  Providences,  and 
 His  grace,  single  out  one  among  many.  And  Saul  arose 
 from  the  earth;  and  when  his  eyes  were  ojiened  he  saiv 
 no  man;  hut  tliey  led,  him  hy  the  hand,  and  brought  him 
 iido  Damascus.  And  he  icas  three  days  without  sight, 
 and  neither  did  eat  nor  drinh.  So  thorough  was  his 
 humiliation ;  so  deep  had  that  light  gone  into  his  soul : 
 no  doubt  in  that  light  within,  more  than  in.  the  light 
 without,  was  Christ  seen  by  him — in  His  agony  in  the 
 garden,  in  His  sufferings  on  the  Cross,  with  the  scourge, 
 and  the  thorns,  and  the  nails,  and  the  spear  :  as  if  saying. 
 All  these  have  I  endured  for  thee,  and  for  thy  sake ;  and 
 that  I  might  win  thy  life  and  thy  love;  why  is  it  then 
 thou  persecutest  Me,  Who  have  suffered  all  this  for  thee  ? 
 "  The  light  without,"  says  St.  Augustin,  "  was  for  awhile 
 withdrawn,  that  the  inner  light  in  his  heart  might  shine 
 
 "  Serm.  i.  In  St.  Paul.  Conv. 
 
GRACE  NOT  GIVEN  IN   VAIN.  323 
 
 the  more;  and  then,  while  he  behehl  not  other  things,  he 
 saw  Jesus.  In  his  very  blindness  was  expressed  the 
 mystery  of  believers,  who  ought  in  faith  so  to  behold 
 Christ  as.  to  reckon  other  things  as  things  that  be  not: 
 while  the  creature  becomes  vile,  and  the  heart  knows  the 
 sweetness  of  the  Creator."^ 
 
 And  there  ivas  a  certain  disd]jle  at  Damascus,  named 
 Ananias  ;  and  to  him  said  the  Lord  in  a  vision,  Ananias. 
 And  he  said.  Behold,  I  am  here,  Lord.  Probably,  as 
 St.  Chrysostoni  observes,  this  Ananias  was  not  one  of  any 
 eminence  amongst  Christians ;  he  does  not  appear  to  have 
 instructed  St.  Paul  in  anything.  God  often  works  by 
 humble  instruments.  And,  indeed,  all  things  with  respect 
 to  St.  Paul  appear  to  have  been  by  direct  interposition 
 of  God  Himself.  Such  was  his  conversion;  such  his 
 Apostleship;  such  his  knowledge  of  Christ;  it  was  by 
 ex^Dress  revelation  from  God. 
 
 And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  Arise,  and  go  into  the 
 street  which  is  called  Straight,  and  inquire  in  the  house  of 
 Judas  for  one  called  Said,  of  Tarsus :  for,  behold,  he 
 prayeth.  Not  his  supernatural  call,  not  his  ready  offer 
 of  obedience  are  mentioned,  but,  as  in  the  case  o±  Cor- 
 nelius, that  his  prayer  had  come  up  as  a  memorial  before 
 God — "  Behold,  he  prayeth."  It  is  this  that  makes  meet 
 for  the  Ilfew  Birth.  Here  again,  as  at  our  Lord's  Baptism, 
 and  His  Transfiguration,  and  at  the  descent  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit,  all  is  on  the  part  of  man  with  prayer.  Prayer 
 was  the  evidence  that  the  call  had  not  been  in  vain ;  he 
 was  not  "  disobedient  to  the  heavenly  vision,"  which  he 
 might  have  been,  as  others  have  been  to  supernatural 
 visitations;  blindness  might  have  fallen   on  him  as  on 
 
 ^  Serm.  cclxxix.  De  Paul.  Apost. 
 
324  THE    CONVERSION  OF  SAINT  PAUL. 
 
 Elymas;  many  witnessed  miracles,  reported  them  to 
 others,  but  were  not  themselves  amended  by  them. 
 "Behold,  he  prayeth."  These  are  the  words  by  which 
 ,  the  Heavens  and  earth  are  moved ;  they  are  alleged  as 
 \  the  constraining  reason  for  the  interference  of  Christ,  and 
 for  man's  hastening  on  ministrations  of  mercy.  "  Be- 
 /  hold,  he  prayeth."  After  a  state  of  sin,  and  a  high  mind, 
 and  ambitious  projects,  or  disquietudes,  what  a  resource 
 to  think  of  these  words,  and  to  know  of  the  avail  which 
 they  have  with  God  !  But  then  how  deep  and  full  of 
 meaning  is  the  expression  !  for  what  a  prayer  was  that  ! 
 ^'  Behold,  he  prayeth,"  implies  that  his  prayer  was,  as  it 
 were,  a  prayer  of  prayers,  a  prayer  earnest,  deep,  affec- 
 tionate, and,  from  its  earnestness,  depth,  and  affection, 
 powerful  with  God. 
 
 And  these  his  prayers  were  not  at  the  time  without 
 the  consolations  and  preparations  of  God.  He  praypfli.,  it 
 is  said,  and  hath  seen  in  a  vision  a  man  named  Ananias, 
 coming  in,  and  putting  his  hand  on  him,  that  he  might 
 receive  his  sight. 
 
 Then  Ananias  ansioered,  Lord,  I  have  heard  hy  many 
 of  this  7nan,  how  much  evil  he  hath  done  to  Thy  saints  at 
 Jerusalem;  and  here  he  hath  authority  from  the  chief 
 priests  to  hind  all  that  call  on  Thy  Name.  These  words  of 
 Ananias  show  the  consternation  which  the  very  name  of 
 Saul  occasioned  among  Christians,  and  the  terror  in  which 
 he  was  held.  But  the  Lord  said  unto  him.  Go  thy  way  ; 
 for  he  is  a  chosen  vessel  unto  Me,  one  of  especial  choice ; 
 as  to  the  other  Apostles,  "  Ye  have  not  chosen  Me,  but  I 
 have  chosen  you," — to  hear  My  Name  hefore  the  Gentiles, 
 which  St.  Paul  mentions  as  the  object  of  his  calling,  "that 
 I  might  preach  Him  among  the  Heathen  f^—and  kingSy 
 «  Gal.  i.  16. 
 
GRACE   NOT   GIVEN  IN   VAIN.  325 
 
 and  what  is  yet  more  remarkable,  than  even  kings,  as 
 Agrippa  and  the  Caesars, — and  the  children  of  Israel. 
 And  this  not  with  impunity  or  without  a  life  of,  as  it 
 were,  daily  crucifixion,  the  best  crown  that  his  Master 
 had  for  his  faithful  ones : — For  I  will  shew  him  hmo 
 great  things  he  must  sufer  for  My  Name's  sake.  So  shall 
 he  be  "  a  vessel  sanctified,  and  meet  for  the  Master's 
 use."  ^  "  How  great  things  he  must  suffer,"  not  against 
 Me,  nor  as  a  punishment  from  Me,  but  for  Me — for  My 
 sake — and  shall  esteem  it  his  highest  glory  and  joy  to 
 do  so. 
 
 And  Ananias  went  his  way,  and  entered  into  the  house  ; 
 and  putting  his  hands  on  him,  said,  Brother  Saul,  so  does 
 he  address  one  whom  he  had  just  spoken  of  as  the  fiercest 
 of  persecutors.  Brother  Said,  tJie  Lord,  (even  Jesus,  that 
 appeared  unto  thee  in  the  way  as  thou  earnest,)  hath  sent 
 7ne,  that  thou  mightest  receive  thy  sight,  and  he  filled 
 witlt  the  Holy  Ghost.  Sight  restored,  and  the  Holy 
 Ghost  given.  Light  from  without,  and  at  the  same  time 
 light  within.  In  the  goings  forth  of  the  Gospel  body  and 
 soul  are  together  healed ;  such  is  the  exercise  of  charity 
 and  the  mystery  of  our  salvation,  of  body  and  soul 
 restored,  through  the  New  Man.  And  immiediately  there 
 fell  from  his  eyes  as  it  had  heen  scales,  showing  the  mira- 
 culous nature  both  of  his  blindness  and  its  removal ;  and 
 he  received  sight  forthwith,  and  arose,  and  was  baptized. 
 However  miraculously  God  works,  yet  neither  in  the  case 
 of  His  own  Son,  nor  that  of  others,  does  He  set  aside  or 
 supersede  Baptism.  And  lohen  he  had  received  meat,  he 
 was  strengthened.  He  had  long  fasted — in  fasting  was 
 baptized — and  then  took  meat — and  was  strengthened. 
 Thus  of  the  jailor  at  Philippi,  it  is  said,  "  he  was  baptized 
 5  2  Tim.  ii  21. 
 
326  THE    CONVERSION    OF  SAINT  PAUL. 
 
 straightway,  he  and  all  his,"  and  then  "he  set  meat 
 before  them,  and  rejoiced."  ® 
 
 Then  was  Saul  certain  days  with  the  disciples  which 
 loere  at  Damascus.  And  straightway  he  preached  Christ 
 in  the  synagogues,  that  He  is  the  Son  of  God.  "  ]^ot  that 
 He  is  risen,"  observes  St.  Chrysostom,  "nor  that  He 
 liveth ;"  but  the  one  great  saving  doctrine  of  all — that 
 He  is  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 But  all  that  heard  him  ivere  amazed,  and  said,  Is  not 
 this  he  that  destroyed  them  which  called  on  this  Name 
 in  Jerusalem;  and  came  hither  for  that  intent,  tha(  lie 
 might  bring  them  hound  unto  the  chief  priests  ?  But  Said 
 increased  the  more  in  strength,  'and  confounded  the  Jews 
 which  dwelt  at  Damascus,  proving  that  this  is  very  Christ. 
 So  simple  is  the  Scriptural  narrative  of  an  event  so  great; 
 The  persecutor  had  become  the  Preacher;  out  of  the 
 wolf  had  come  forth  the  faithful  Shepherd  ;  the  Lion  had 
 become  the  Lamb. 
 
 The  Gospel  for  to-day  is  not  a  little  impressive  as  taken 
 with  the  whole  history  of  St.  Paul,  who  stands  forth  so 
 pre-eminently  among  those  that  had  forsaken  all  and  fol- 
 lowed Christ,  as  containing  the  promise  made  to  sufferings 
 so  great.  But  the  whole  of  this  lesson  is  more  strongly 
 pointed  to  ourselves  by  the  concluding  words  ;  whether 
 we  consider  them  as  applied  to  St.  Paul,  who,  though  the 
 last  called  of  the  Apostles,  was  the  first  of  all  in  labours  ; 
 or  the  first  in  Divine  gifts,  and  the  last  in  his  own  esti- 
 mation of  himself ;  or  as  a  caution  to  ourselves,  that  the 
 first  in  this  world  may  be  the  last  in  the  next ;  nay  more, 
 that  those  that  are  first  now  in  the  peculiar  privileges  of 
 God's  kingdom,  may  be  found  to  be  the  last  hereafter ; 
 
 6  Acts  xvi.  33,  34. 
 
GRACE   NOT  GIVEN  IN    VAIN.  327 
 
 that  in  any  sense  it  will  thus  be  if  they  labour  not  as  St 
 Paul  did,  according  to  the  greatness  of  the  grace  given. 
 
 Peter  answered  and  said  unto  Jesus,  Behold,  loe  have 
 forsaken  all,  and  folloived  Thee  j  ivhat  shall  ice  have  there- 
 fore ?  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Verily  I  say  unto  you. 
 That  ye  which  have  followed  Me,  in  the  regeneration, 
 lohen  the  Son  oj  Man  shall  sit  in  the  throne  of  His  glory, 
 ye  also  shall  sit  upon  twelve  thrones,  judging  the  tivehe 
 tribes  of  Israel.  Christ  is  King  on  His  holy  hill ;  to 
 Him  is  given  all  power  in  Heaven  and  in  earth ;  and  in 
 this  power  His  saints  shall  partake  with  Him;  as  He 
 expresses  in  other  words,  that  they  shall  sit  with  Him  on 
 His  throne  ;  that  to  him  who  keepeth  His  works  unto  the 
 end  He  will  "  give  power  over  the  nations ;"  that  such 
 shall  receive  of  Him  as  He  hath  received  of  the  Father/ 
 
 And  every  one  that  hath  forsaken  houses,  or  brethren,  or 
 sisters,  or  father,  or  mother,  or  wife,  or  children,  or  lands, 
 for  My  Name's  sake,  shall  receive  an  hundred-fold,  and 
 shall  inlieint  everlasting  life.  "  An  hundredfold  in  this 
 present  time  with  persecutions."  How  wonderfully  does 
 St.  Paul's  history,  written  as  it  were  by  the  sun-beam  oi 
 God's  light,  glowing  and  fresh  from  the  heart,  testify  to 
 the  truth  of  this  :  "As  sorrowful  yet  always  rejoicing  ;" 
 "  as  having  nothing  and  yet  possessing  all  things." 
 
 But  many  that  are  first  shall  he  last,  and  the  last  shall 
 be  first.  So  is  it  from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  in  all 
 manner  of  ways  and  degrees,  in  the  awful  race  of  eternal 
 life. 
 
 Such  was  St.  Paul,  and  such  his  conversion.  His  Lord 
 appeared  to  him  in  a  light  which  surpassed  in  brightness 
 the  midday  sun  then  shining  in  that  Eastern  sky ;  but 
 
 7  iley.  ii.  27. 
 
328  THE    CONVERSION  OF  SAINT  PAUL. 
 
 more  wonderful  than  that  light  was  the  inward  illumina- 
 tion by  which  his  spirit  from  that  time  was  turned  from 
 darkness  unto  light,  which  shines  unto  the  end  of  the 
 world,  converting  many  unto  righteousness.  He  fell  to 
 the  ground  at  that  light  and  that  voice ;  such  may  repre- 
 sent the  exceeding  humiliation  of  his  after-life,  which  ever 
 accompanied  that  marvellous  grace  shed  abroad  in  his 
 heart,  for  he  was  ever  after  among  men  as  one  bowed  to 
 the  earth  under  a  sense  of  that  knowledge.  What  else  but 
 Christ's  voice,  and  His  light  could  it  be,  that  made  this 
 Apostle  so  lowly,  with  all  his  endowments  of  grace] 
 What  love  and  what  humiliation  is  there  in  all  his 
 Epistles  !  in  all  his  actions  and  words  how  is  self  swal- 
 lowed up  in  God  !  If  when  he  rose  up  he  said,  "  Lord, 
 what  wilt  Thou  have  me  to  do  % "  what  could  more 
 express  that  entire  devotion  and  obedience  which  marked 
 him  until  the  end.  His  after-life  with  the  tongue  of  the 
 heart,  seems  to  speak  these  words ;  or  with  Samuel, 
 "  Speak,  Lord,  for  thy  servant  heareth ;"  and  the  answer 
 to  the  same  seems  continued  in  what  was  said,  to  Ananias, 
 "  I  will  show  thee  how  great  things  thou  must  suffer  for 
 My  Name's  sake."  All  he  asked  was  what  he  should  do; 
 and  the  answer  of  Christ  was  that  in  which  a  penitent  of 
 such  exceeding  love  would  most  rejoice,  that  for  His  sake 
 he  should  suffer.  "  Therefore,"  he  says,  "  I  take  plea- 
 sure in  infirmities,  in  distresses,  for  Christ's  sake."  Oh, 
 what  a  force  and  beauty  is  there  in  that  type  on  which 
 the  ancient  Christians  loved  to  dwell ;  that  this  is  that 
 Benjamin,  the  beloved  child,  he  that  would  have  been 
 called  of  his  mother  "  the  son  of  my  sorrow,"  Benoni ; 
 but  was  named  of  his  father  Israel,  "  the  son  of  the  right 
 hand,"  to  Avhom  is  given  the  double  portion  among  his 
 brethren  ;  in  beholding  whom  Joseph,  his  brother,  wept 
 
GRACE   NOT   GIVEN  IN   VAIN.  329 
 
 aloud,  and  fell  on  his  neck,  and  kissed  him.  What 
 yearnings  of  heart,  what  relentings  on  the  recovery  of  the 
 lost  one  !  "Is  Ephraim  my  dear  son  ?  is  he  a  pleasant 
 child?  for  since  I  spake  against  him  I  do  earnestly 
 remember  him  still ;  my  bowels  are  troubled  for  him."  ^ 
 This  is  that  Benjamin  who  in  the  morning  was  to  "  ravin 
 as  a  wolf ;"  but  oh,  in  the  evening,  what  lamb  more  gentle 
 than  he  !  a  lamb  among  wolves,  converted  himself  by  the 
 gentleness  of  the  Lamb  of  God,  whom  he  persecuted  while 
 himself  a  destroyer.  The  last  hath  indeed  become  first ; 
 the  youngest,  the  one  born  out  of  due  time,  the  "  little 
 one,"  is  among  the  eldest  and  first  of  all.  Saul,  observes 
 St.  Augustin,®  that  fierce  and  proud  king  of  the  tribe  of 
 Benjamin,  the  persecutor  of  David,  has  become  Paul ;  a 
 name  of  humility,  which  in  the  Latin  language  signifies 
 "  a  httle  ;"  as  he  himself  says,  I  am  "  the  last  of  all,"  and 
 "  the  least  of  the  Apostles ;"  the  follower  of  Him  Who 
 was  meek  and  lowly,  and  hath  said,  Except  ye  become  as 
 little  children,  ye  shall  not  enter  the  Kingdom. 
 
 And  what  were  the  grounds  in  this  case  for  such  a 
 miraculous  interference  of  grace  %  As  our  Lord  pleaded 
 for  His  murderers  with  the  plea  that  they  knew  not  what 
 they  did ;  as  St.  Peter  repeated  the  same  to  them  at 
 Pentecost,  as  reasons  for  their  conversion,  that  "  through 
 ignorance  "  they  did  it ;  so  St.  Paul  states  of  himself,  that 
 he  obtained  mercy  because  he  did  it  "  ignorantly  in  un- 
 belief." Yet  not  that  he  or  they  were  therefore  innocent, 
 for  such  ignorance  was  of  sin  :  and  the  conscience  of  St. 
 Paul,  enlightened  by  the  Spiiit  of  grace,  never  forgave  in 
 himself  that  sin,  which  rendered  him  in  his  own  eyes 
 "  the  chief  of  sinners,"  and  acquitted  him  not  of  being 
 
 8  Jer.  xxxi.  20.  ^  Serm.  cclsxix.  De  Paul.  Apost. 
 
330  THE    CONVERSION    OF  SA/NT  PAUL. 
 
 "  a  blasiDhemer,  and  injurious,  and  a  persecutor."  Judging 
 himself,  he  obtained  mercy;  yet  his  sin  had  not  been  pre- 
 sumptuous ;  there  was  that  in  it  which  pleaded  for  God's 
 interposing  grace. 
 
 To  conclude.  We  commenced  by  observing  those  great 
 instances  of  mercy  shown  to  St.  Peter,  to  St.  Thomas,  to  St. 
 Paul,  yet  something  similar  to  these  occur  perhaps  in  the 
 life  of  each  one  of  us  ;  undeserved  mercies,  gracious  inter- 
 positions, and  healing  restorations,  all  of  which  were  not 
 of  ourselves,  but  of  God.  Such  must  serve  in  after-life  as 
 solemn  warnings,  and  should  be  met  on  our  part  with  a 
 corresponding  humiliation  and  obedience;  lest  the  very 
 mercies  and  calls  of  God  should  induce  in  ourselves,  and 
 those  around  us,  a  persuasion  that  we  are  among  the  first, 
 merely  because  we  have  received  more,  and  had  more 
 talents  intrusted  to  us,  and  it  break  upon  us  suddenly 
 after  all,  that  we  are  among  the  last,  because  we  have  on 
 our  part  fallen  short  of  2:)rivileges  and  callings  so  great. 
 
SERMON  LXXVI. 
 
 The  Presentation  of  Christ  in  the  Temple, 
 
 COMMONLY  CALLED 
 
 Cije  purification  of  ^aiut  M^vv  tlje  SFirgin. 
 
 Mai.  iii.  I — 5.     St.  Luke  ii.  22 — 40. 
 
 THE   refiner's   FIRE. 
 
 He  shall  purify  the  sons  of  Levi,  and  purge  them  as  gold  and  silver, 
 that  they  may  offer  unto  the  LORD  an  offering  in  righteousness. — 
 Mal.  iii.  3. 
 
 FULL  of  import  is  the  passage  from  the  Prophet 
 ^Malachi  on  this  day,  whether  we  consider  it  as  the 
 Purification  of  the  Virgin  Mother,  or  as  the  Presentation 
 of  the  Holy  Child,  It  speaks  of  God's  coming  near  in 
 some  mysterious  way  ;  in  judgment  indeed,  yet  tempered 
 with  such  mercy,  that  in  consequence  of  its  purifying 
 power.  His  people  should  he  able  to  offer  unto  Him  an 
 acceptable  service. 
 
 Beliold,  I  icill  send  My  messenger,  and  he  shall  x>ve- 
 'pare  the  way  before  Me.  All  visitations  of  God  are  with 
 preparations  beforehand  of  His  messenger,  yet  when  they 
 come,  appear  sudden.  And  the  Lord,  Whom  ye  seek,  even 
 *'the  desire  of  all   nations,"  and  who  will   "shake  all 
 
332        PUR  I  PICA  TION  OF  SA  INT  MA  R  V  THE  VIRGIN. 
 
 nations  "  by  this  His  coming,  shall  suddenly  come  to  His 
 temple,  i.  e.  to  this  His  temple  at  Jerusalem,  for  of  that 
 the  glory  -was  to  surpass  the  former  from  this  His  Pre- 
 sence;^ even  the  Messenger  of  the  Covenant,  whom  ye 
 delight  in  :  foreshown  by  that  Angel  of  His  presence  in 
 the  wilderness,  promising  to  lead  them,  if  obedient,  unto 
 the  place  He  had  prepared  for  them.^  Behold,  He  shall 
 come,  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts. 
 
 But  who  may  abide  the  day  of  His  coming  ?  and  who 
 shall  stand  when  He  apj)eareth  ?  for  He  is  like  a  refiner's 
 fire,  and  like  fullers'  soap.  And  He  shall  sit  as  a  refiner 
 and  purifier  of  silver.  Strange  that  this  His  coming  in 
 love  should  be  thus  spoken  of  as  a  day  of  fear ;  the  day 
 of  the  Lord,  to  many  wdio  desire  it,  is  "darkness,  and 
 not  light."  ^  And  so  it  was.  His  Presentation  on  this  day 
 sets  Him  forth  as  a  sign  to  be  spoken  against,  whereby 
 many  shall  fall ;  twice  again  His  coming  to  this  His 
 temple  is  with  signs  of  wrath,  and  driving  out ;  and  when 
 in  the  last  days  of  His  ministry  He  sat  in  the  temple,  it 
 was  "  as  a  refiner,"  with  parables  of  His  Kingdom,  whereby 
 "  many  shall  be  made  clean  and  white  ;"  but  the  temporal 
 Israel,  amidst  the  ruins  of  their  own  temple,  shall  fall. 
 Thus  of  this  His  Coming,  which  they  desired,  it  is  said, 
 "  Who  shall  abide  it  ?  "  "  The  Priests  could  not  stand 
 to  minister  by  reason  of  the  Cloud,"  when  "  the  glory 
 of  the  Lord  filled"  the  temple  of  Solomon;*  and  now, 
 when  He  comes  in  greater  glory,  hidden,  as  it  were,  in  a 
 deeper  cloud,  they  stand  not  before  Him,  because  they 
 perceive  not  His  glory  in  the  humiliations  of  His  death 
 on  the  Cross,  and  His  cross-bearing  life. 
 
 And  He  shall  purify  the  sons  of  Levi,  and  purge  them 
 
 1  Hag.  ii.  9.  2  Exod.  xxiii.  20,  21. 
 
 3  Amos  V.  20.  <  2  Chron.  v.  14. 
 
THE   refiner's   FIRE,  333 
 
 as  gold  and  silver,  that  they  may  offer  unto  the  Lord  an 
 offei'ing  in  righteousness.  Then  shall  the  off'eTings  of  Judah 
 and  Jerusalem  he  pleasant  unto  the  Lord,  as  in  the  days 
 of  old,  and  as  in  former  years.  It  speaks  of  God's  coming 
 in  some  mysterious  way,  in  judgment  indeed,  yet  tem- 
 pered with  such  mercy,  that  in  consequence  of  its  puri- 
 fication His  chosen  ones  should  be  able  to  make  an  oflfering 
 pleasing  to  God;  as  St.  Peter  says,  "an  holy  priesthood 
 to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices,  acceptable  to  God  by  Jesus 
 Christ."'  This  is  the  winnowing  of  Him  that  hath  "the 
 fan  in  His  hand ; "  the  gathering  of  His  own  Israel ;  as 
 the  Prophet  says,  "  It  shall  come  to  pass,  that  he  that  is 
 left  in  Zion,  and  he  that  remaineth  in  Jerusalem,  shall 
 be  called  holy,  every  one  that  is  written  among  the 
 living  in  Jerusalem  :  when  the  Lord  shall  have  washed 
 away  the  filth  of  the  daughters  of  Zion,  and  shall  have 
 purged  the  blood  of  Jerusalem  from  the  midst  thereof  by 
 the  spirit  of  judgment,  and  by  the  spirit  of  burning.'"' 
 Such  was  the  Incarnation,  and  the  oblation  of  Himself  to 
 God  in  His  Temple.  The  fire  of  His  Godhead  burns, 
 and  the  manhood  is  not  consumed  thereby,  but  purified ; 
 and  therein  He  speaks  to  us,  the  everlasting  God,  I  AM, 
 calling  us  out  of  the  world  unto  Himself. 
 
 And  I  will  come  near  to  you  to  judgement,  and  J  ivill 
 he  a  swift  witness ;  one  that  no  longer  will  delay,  against 
 those  whom  the  Law  of  Moses  condemns,  against  the 
 sorcerers,  and  against  the  adulterers,  and  against  false 
 sioearers,  and  against  those  that  oppress  the  hireling  in  his 
 wages,  the  icidow,  and  the  fatherless,  and  that  turn  aside 
 the  stranger  from  his  right,  and  fear  not  Me,  saith  the 
 Lord  of  Hosts.  So  was  it  when  He  came  to  His  temple  ; 
 the'  words  of  the  Prophet,  "  I  will  come  near  to  you  to 
 5  1  Pet.  ii.  5.  »  Isa.  iv.  3,  4. 
 
334        P URIFICA  TION  OF  SA INT  MARY  THE  VIR GIN. 
 
 judgment,"  were  fulfilled  in  the  circumstances  with  which 
 this  day  clothed  itself,  coming  home  so  intimately  to 
 each,  in  the  lowly  ways  of  every-day  life,  the  obscure, 
 the  infirm,  the  poor.  An  Infant  in  the  arms,  the  solemn 
 Witness  drew  near.  So  also  afterwards  when  His  God- 
 head was  disclosed  in  holiness  and  power.  It  cleansed 
 by  the  spirit  of  burning,  and  separated  the  dross ;  the 
 rejection  of  light  testified  to  the  darkness,  and  sealed  the 
 condemnation.  And  then  more  signally  was  the  drawing 
 near  of  "  the  swift  witness,"  when  He  came  by  His  Spirit 
 convincing  the  world  of  sin,  of  righteousness^  and  of 
 judgment.  Such  then  is  the  Prophet's  account  in  anti- 
 cipation of  this  day,  and  now  succeeds  the  Evangelist's 
 narrative  of  the  same. 
 
 And  ivlien  the  days  of  her  purification,  says  St.  Luke, 
 according  to  the  Law  of  Moses,  were  accomplished,  they 
 hrought  Him  to  Jerusalem,  to  i^resent  Him  to  the  Lord  ; 
 as  it  is  ivritten.  Every  male  that  openeth  the  womb  shall 
 he  called  holy  to  the  Lord.  Our  first  lesson  taught  in  the 
 Temple  by  the  Master  of  masters,  the  Priest  of  all  priests, 
 is  humility ;  He  had  yielded  Himself  to  the  circumcision 
 of  the  Law,  though  He  alone  of  all  that  have  been  born 
 needed  not  that  rite,  for  He  alone  was  born  without  sin ; 
 so  the  Virgin  Mother  submits  to  that  Purification,  though 
 she  alone  of  all  that  have  given  birth  needs  not  that 
 cleansing,  for  she  alone  hath  conceived  without  sin.  Such 
 humility  for  love's  sake  dishonours  nx)t  His  Godhead,  nor 
 His  mother's  purity.  He  is  broughb^  "the  First-born  of 
 every  creature,"  to  be  presented  to  His  Father  for  us,  that 
 we  may  in  Him  be  sanctified  by  this  oblation  of  Himself 
 to  the  Father  in  our  flesh ;  as  saying,  "  Sacrifice  and 
 offering  Thou  wouldest  not ;  but  a  body  hast  Thou  pre- 
 pared Me.     Lo,  I  come   (in  the  volume  of  the  Book  it 
 
THE   refiner's  FIRE.  335 
 
 is  written  of  Me),  to  do  Thy  will,  0  God."  ^  "  His  public 
 oblation  of  Himself  in  the  temple  is  the  sign,  and,  as  it 
 were,  the  sacrament  of  His  internal  and  perpetual  oblation, 
 begun  at  the  moment  of  His  Incarnation  in  His  Father's 
 sight,  upon  the  altar  of  His  own  heart."® 
 
 And  to  offer  a  sacrifice,  according  to  that  tvhich  is  said 
 m  the  Law  of  the  Lord,  A  pair  of  turtle-doves,  or  two  young 
 pigeons.  The  offerings  of  poverty,  as  having  become  poor 
 for  us,  that  we  by  His  poverty  might  be  made  rich,  and 
 by  faith  the  heirs  of  His  eternal  treasures ;  now  Himself 
 to  be  redeemed  by  two  turtle  doves,  or  young  pigeons,  as 
 expressive  of  lowliness,  and  typical  of  purity;  the  one 
 for  a  burnt-offering  to  be  consumed  by  fire,  as  signifying 
 that  judgment  which  is  due  to  us ;  the  other,  the  sin- 
 offering  to  be  eaten  by  the  Priest,  or  by  those  that  offer,  in 
 token  of  Him,  Who  not  only  hath  given  Himself  to  die 
 for  us,  but  also  to  be  our  spiritual  food  and  sustenance. 
 He  comes  to  be  redeemed  in  this  oblation  of  the  Morning 
 Sacrifice,  thence  all  His  life  to  bear  sin  as  the  Victim ; 
 and  soon  as  the  Evening  Sacrifice  on  the  Cross,  Himself 
 to  redeem  all  mankind.  * 
 
 And  now  the  Prophet  had  asked.  Who  shall  abide  the 
 day  of  His  coming  %  who  shall  stand  when  He  appeareth  ? 
 and  to  this  the  Evangelist  here  gives  the  answer  :  it  is 
 such  as  the  Blessed  Virgin,  the  righteous  Joseph,  the 
 aged  Simeon,  the  devout  widow  Anna.  The  Prophet 
 Haggai  had  spoken  of  the  surpassing  glory  that  should  be 
 in  this  house,  with  the  promise  "  in  this  place  will  I  give 
 peace,  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts."  ^  And  Simeon  acknow- 
 ledges that  he  there  bore  in  his  arms  "  the  glory  of  Israel," 
 and  that  he  himself  had  found  that  "  peace." 
 
 7  Heb.  X.  5.  7.  s  Quesnel. 
 
 3  S.  Bernard,  In  Purif.  B.  Mar.  iii.  ^  Hag.  ii.  9. 
 
336        PURIFICATION  OF  SAINT  MARY  THE  VIRGIN. 
 
 And,  behold,  there  teas  a  man  in  Jerusalem,  whose  name 
 was  Simeon;  and  the  same  man  loas  just  and  devout, 
 tvaiting  for  the  consolation  of  Isi'ael :  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
 was  upon  him.  The  Psalmist  had  said,  "We  w^ait  for 
 Thy  loving-kindness,  0  God,  in  the  midst  of  Thy  Temple."^ 
 All  the  life  of  faith  consists  in  a  waiting  upon  God,  and 
 a  waiting  for  God  ;  they  of  old  for  His  coming  under  the 
 veil  of  weakness  to  redeem  ;  we  for  His  manifestation  in 
 glory  for  judgment.  The  state  of  both  alike  is  to  be  a 
 "  looking  for  and  hasting  unto  the  coming  of  the  Day  of 
 God  ;"  in  justice  towards  men  and  devotion  towards  God, 
 waiting  as  true  children  of  faith  for  the  consolation  of 
 Israel ;  and  in  going  out  and  coming  in,  in  looking  before 
 and  in  looking  after,  in  actions  and  in  words,  full  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  and  recognizing  God. 
 
 And  it  was  revealed  unto  him  hij  the  Holy  Ghost,  that 
 he  shoidd  not  see  death  hefore  he  had  seen  the  Lord's 
 Christ, — the  desire  of  his  heart,  the  longing  of  his  eyes, 
 his  strength  in  death — the  vision  of  peace.  And  he  came 
 by  the  Spirit  into  the  temple;  and  when  the  parents 
 brought  in  the  Child  Jesus,  to  do  for  Him  after  the  custom 
 of  the  Law,  then  took  he  Him  up  in  his  arms,  and 
 blessed  God.  Great  indeed  was  the  privilege,  and  great 
 the  blessing  ;  but  it  would  have  been  no  blessing  to  him, 
 had  it  not  been  for  this,  that  he  had  faith  in  him  to 
 behold  Christ,  It  was  not  flesh  and  blood,  but  the 
 Father  Which  is  in  Heaven  Who  had  revealed  unto  him 
 the  Christ,  and  this  was  his  blessing.  It  was  this  that 
 made  him  ready  to  depart  in  peace,  that  his  eyes  in  that 
 sight  beheld  the  salvation  of  God.  It  was  this  that  gave 
 him    to    know   what    even  Apostles    were    so    long    in 
 
 2  Ps.  xlviii.  8. 
 
THE   refiner's   FIRE.  337 
 
 learning,  that  He  was  to  be  the  Light  of  the  Gentiles,  as 
 well  as  the  glory  of  Israel.  I^ay  more,  he  puts  the  Gen- 
 tiles first,  unto  the  light  of  Whose  rising  they  come,  and 
 acknowledge  in  that  light  the  glory  of  Israel.  The  Spirit 
 that  gave  hath  embalmed  his  thanksgiving  to  perpetual 
 memory  in  the  Church  which  unites  the  Gentile  and 
 the  Jew.  Holy  Simeon,  "unknown,  yet  well  known!"' 
 even  unto  this  day,  often  as  the  shades  of  evening  are 
 stretched  out,  in  his  words  we  lift  up  our  eyes,  and  ask 
 for  "peace." 
 
 And  Joseph  and  His  mother,  it  is  added,  marvelled  at 
 those  things  which  were  spoken  of  Him.     None  so  marvel 
 at  the  works  and  words  of  God  as  they  who  know  Him, 
 for  they  by  faith  perceive  their  power  and  greatness;  as 
 even  our  Blessed  Saviour  "'  marvelled  "  at  the  faith  of  the 
 Centurion,  as  knowing  what  great  things  God  was  about 
 to  do  in  thus  revealing  His  Christ.     And  now  to  the 
 Holy  Virgin  herself   Simeon    becomes  th^    Prophet   by 
 Avhom  God  speaks  to  her,  pronouncing  on  them  both  the 
 blessing  from  above,  and  to  her  declaring  beforehand  the 
 mystery  of  the  Cross,  as  a  savour  of  life  and  also  unto 
 death— that  mystery  which   the   Apostles  heard   of  so 
 often,   yet  could  not  comprehend  beforehand;   the  fall 
 and  rising  again  of  many  in  Israel,   of  which  Daniel 
 spake;  by  which  "many  shall  be  purified,  made  white, 
 and  tried,"  and  "  the  wise  shall  understand,"  but  "  none 
 of  the  wicked;"    of  the  sword  that  was  to  go  forth  on 
 earth,  being  first  sanctified  in  her  that  was  most  dear; 
 the  sword  that   divideth  asunder,  the  discerner  of  the 
 thoughts  and  intents  of  the  heart,  entering  into  the  soul 
 of  the  Virgin  Mother ;  of  Him  that  shall  sit  as  a  refiner 
 and  purifier  of  silver,  beginning  first  with  those  nearest 
 of  all,  that  the  trial  of  faith,  "  being  much  more  precious 
 
 VOL.  IT.  z 
 
338        PURIFICATION  OF  SAINT  MARY  THE  VIRGIN. 
 
 than  of  gold  that  perisheth,  though  it  be  tried  by  fire, 
 might  be  found  unto  praise  at  the  appearing  of  Jesus 
 Christ."^ 
 
 But  again,  Is  there  anything  else  ''  in  the  sight  of  God 
 of  great  price'"?  For  when  we  offer  up  our  children  we 
 bring  around  those  that  are  most  near  and  dear;  and  the 
 sons  of  kings  have  a  chosen  and  kingly  company  to 
 witness  their  first  presentation  unto  God.  There  may 
 be  angels  and  archangels  there;  but  from  among  men 
 we  must  have  what  is  most  esteemed  of  God,  and  it  is 
 that  which  is  most  despised  of  the  world.  The  widow — 
 aged,  infirm — wherein  that  which  is  Divine  is  hid,  as  it 
 were,  in  the  tabernacle  of  God,  in  the  humiliations  of  the 
 flesh.  And  there  ivas  one  Anna,  a  'proplietess,  the  daughter 
 of  Phaimel,  of  the  trihe  of  Aser ;  she  icas  of  a  great  age, 
 and  had  lived  loith  an  husband  seven  yea7^s  from  her 
 virginity:  And  she  was  a  widow  of  about  fourscore  and 
 four  years;  ivhich  departed  not  from  the  temple,  hut 
 served  God  ivith  fastings  and  prayers  night  and  day. 
 Seven  years  married,  but  unmarried  seventy  and  seven : 
 one  that  might  have  often  said,  ''Lord,  how  long?" 
 "  My  sight  faileth  me  for  waiting  so  long  upon  my  God." 
 But  when  things  appear  most  forlorn,  God  is  often  most 
 near.  And  she  coming  in  that  instant,  gave  thanks  like- 
 wise unto  the  Lord,  and  spake  of  Him  to  all  them  that 
 looked  for  redemption  in  Jerusalem.  She  had  before 
 been  a  prophetess,  that  her  words  mioht  have  weight; 
 she  is  now  at  last  more  than  a  prophet,  even  as  an  evan- 
 gelist and  Apostle. 
 
 And  here  we  may  observe  what  purification  is  needful 
 in  us,  that  w^e  may  come  before  God,  and  present  before 
 
 3  1  Pet.  i.  7. 
 
THE   refiner's   FIRE  339 
 
 Him  the  all-prevailing  Sacrifice  of  His  Son;  and  in  Him, 
 and  for  His  sake,  present  ourselves  also  as  a  living 
 sacrifice  acceptable  unto  God  through  Jesus  Christ.  The 
 pure  in  heart,  they  shall  see  God ;  but  none  else,  either 
 now,  or  when  He  shall  be  manifested  in  Glory ;  when  to 
 all  who  are  not  meet  to  behold  Him  He  shall  be  a  con- 
 suming fire.  It  is  for  this  cause  that  He  now  comes  and 
 sits  in  His  Church  as  a  refiner,  and  purifying  the  sons  of 
 Levi — ^^that  is,  all  who  have  to  take  part  in  the  service  of 
 God  and  to  do  with  holy  things.  For  this  purpose  He 
 hath  sent  forth  on  earth  His  fire,  that  "  the  offering  of 
 Jerusalem  may  be  pleasant  unto  the  Lord,  as  in  the  days 
 of  old."  He  is  now  the  refiner  and  purifier  in  His 
 Church.  And  this  day  itself  will  furnish  examples  of 
 this  His  purifying  fire — needful  for  all — even  the  Blessed 
 Virgin  herself,  although  in  all  that  are  now  present  we 
 see  the  pure  in  heart  v/hich  behold  God.  Our  Lord 
 H'mself  said  of  His  disciples,  "  For  their  sakes  I  sanctify 
 Myself;"  so  likewise  did  He  sanctify  those  who  most 
 approached  Him,  were  most  able  to  behold.  He  gave 
 them  to  drink  of  His  own  Cup ;  to  partake  of  His  own 
 Baptism  of  fire.  Joseph  in  persecutions  of  Herod ;  the 
 Virgin  with  the  sword  in  her  soul ;  Simeon  waiting  for 
 peace  which  he  long  waited  for  in  vain,  in  ways  of  God 
 and  in  the  Spirit  who  most  dwells  with  those  that 
 mourn ;  Anna,  bereaved  and  at  the  door  of  the  grave, 
 and  in  fastings  and  prayers  night  and  day.  Ere  the 
 lamp  went  out  in  the  house  of  God,  she  heard  the  Voice 
 that  called. 
 
 And  when  they  had  performed  all  things  according  to 
 the  Law  of  the  Lord,  they  returned  into  Galilee,  to  their 
 own  city  Nazareth.     Set   at  nought  at  Bethlehem,  un- 
 known in  crowded  Jerusalem,  no  light  around  them  but 
 z  2 
 
34:0         PURIFICA  TION  OF  SAINT  MARY  THE  VIRGIN. 
 
 that  of  obedience  and  humility,  they  retire  to  its  meet 
 abode  in  the  despised  Galilee  and  poor  ]!^azareth,  from 
 which  no  good,  it  was  thought,  could  come.  And  the 
 Child  grPAv, — the  Everlasting  God  grew  as  a  child,— a?zc? 
 loaxed  strong  in  spirit,  filled  with  wisdom :  the  human 
 soul  within  increasing  in  stature  even  as  the  body :  and 
 the  grace  of  God  loas  upon  Him. 
 
 What  an  awful  lesson  that  we  despise  not  the  day  of 
 small  things  !  This  is  the  purifying  fire  burning  in 
 secret,  that  it  may  bring  down  our  high  thoughts,  to  the 
 Child,  to  Nazareth,  to  poverty  and  obscurity,  to  growth 
 in  daily  discipline  of  ignoble  labour  and  subjection. 
 
 One  word  more  on  these  concluding  words  of  the 
 Gospel.  Some  persons,  it  is  said,  in  contemplating  the 
 vastness  of  the  material  universe,  as  opened  to  us  by 
 astronomy,  and  indicating  the  infinite  and  unspeakable 
 creations  of  God,  feel  a  difficulty  in  reconciling  this  with 
 the  humiliation  of  Christ  as  seen  in  the  flesh,  and  known 
 as  Son  of  the  Carpenter.  But  if  so,  it  must  be  from  not 
 sufficiently  considering  of  what  far  greater  worth  that 
 which  is  moral  and  spiritual  is  to  any  manifestation  of 
 what  is  material,  however  great.  As  our  Lord  says, 
 "  What  shall  it  profit  a  man,,  if  he  gain  the  whole  world, 
 and  lose  his  own  soul?"  intimating  that  the  worth  of  one 
 soul  is  so  unspeakably  great,  that  it  admits  not  at  all  of 
 comparison  with  anything  which  we  behold  which  is 
 earthly  and  perishable;  so  that  among  the  highest  crea- 
 tions of  God  there  is  joy  over  one  soul  that  escapeth. 
 
 In  this  light,  then,  we  may  estimate  what  love  is;  it  is 
 of  a  nature  infinitely  higher — it  is  Divine;  nay  more, 
 God  Himself  is  Love.  In  this,  then,  the  appearance  of 
 Christ  as  a  little  Child  in  the  Temple,  and  growing  up  as 
 a  Child  in  a  poor  household  at  Nazareth,  it  may  be  said 
 
THE    refiner's   FIRE.  341 
 
 without  doubt,  that  when  lost  in  our  speculations  on  the 
 extent  of  the  visible  universe,  "  the  thousand  times  ten 
 thousands  that  minister  before  Him,"  of  suns  of  suns,  and 
 worlds  on  worlds,  noted  and  numbered,  and  without 
 number,  infinite  and  innumerable ;  yet,  after  all,  it  is  not 
 so  overwhelming  to  human  thought,  so  inconceivably 
 great  and  wonderful  as  is  this  love.  Human  knowledge 
 may  trace  out,  and  understand  something  of  the  former, — 
 nothing  can  in  any  way  fathom  or  comprehend  the  latter 
 but  that  which  passeth  knowledge — the  love  which  is  of 
 God.^ 
 
 *  Since  -writing  the  above  the  Author  has  read  "  An  Essay  of 
 the  Plurality  of  Worlds"  with  much  interest,  but  no  acquiescence 
 in  its  conclusions.  For,  1st,  inferring,  as  we  naturally  do,  that 
 the  other  worlds  are  inhabited,  we  suppose  it  must  be  in  a  manner 
 totally  diflferent  from  our  own ;  and  therefore,  to  show  that  the 
 Moon  and  Planets  are  not  capable  of  sustaining  an  animal  exist- 
 ence similar  to  our  own  does  not  touch  the  question.  2ndly,  We 
 are  in  a  state  of  corruption,  with  all  nature  groaning  and  travail- 
 ing in  pain  together,  a  life  made  up  of  death :  and  hence  we  may 
 infer,  a  state  of  exception  and  anomalous  ;  and  therefore,  to  judge 
 of  other  creations  of  God,  we  must  draw  our  notions  not  from  our 
 present  condition,  but  from  what  it  would  have  been  before  the 
 fall  or  will  be  after  the  restoi-ation  of  mankind, — states  of  which 
 we  can  form  no  conceptions  whatever,  3rdly,  To  us,  as  fallen 
 creatures,  God  is  especially  revealed  as  a  God  of  Mercy :  in  this 
 we  are  called  upon  to  imitate  Him,  and  put  on  His  resemblance. 
 We  have  no  reason  to  believe  that  any  mere  cultivation  of  the 
 intellect  raises  us  nearer  to  God. 
 
SERMON    LXXVII. 
 
 Acts  i.  15—26.     St.  Malt.  xi.  25 — 30. 
 THE   LOST   CROWN. 
 
 Hold  that  fast  which  thou  hast,   that  no  7?ian  take  thy  crozvn. 
 Rev.  iii.  11. 
 
 THEEE  is  something  sad  and  awful  in  this  Festival, 
 which  affords-  it  the  same  suitableness  to  the  season 
 of  Lent  as  the  Annunciation  afterwards  has  to  that  of  our 
 Lord's  Passion.  For  our  thoughts  dwell  less  on  St.  Mat- 
 thias than  on  that  fallen  Apostle  into  whose  place  he  was 
 chosen.  The  history  of  Judas  is  so  striking  and  impres- 
 sive ;  it  reminds  us  of  the  angels  that  kept  not  their  first 
 estate — of  our  first  parents  falling  from  Paradise — of  the 
 Jews,  the  chosen  people  of  God,  being  rejected — of  indi- 
 viduals also  forfeiting  great  privileges,  as  Esau,  and  Saul, 
 and  Balaam — and  especially  of  the  Christians  which  fall 
 from  their  state  of  grace.  It  is  in  itself  so  fearful  and 
 wonderful;  the  suddenness  of  his  fall,  its  irremediable 
 nature,  the  blessedness  of  his  privileges,  the  trifling 
 temptation  for  which  they  were  sold,  his  apparent  sanctity 
 
THE   LOST   CROWN.  343 
 
 even  tlirougliout,  so  as  for  liim  to  have  been  suspected  of 
 none;  our  Lord's  many  warnings  to  him,  the  many- 
 tokens  of  His  love  to  the  very  last ;  his  indifference  to 
 them  all;  the  vast  change  in  a  few  days,  as  from  Heaven 
 to  the  depths  of  hell, — from  sitting  with  God  to  be  the 
 companion  of  devils;  and  all  these  things  left  on  record 
 as  an  especial  warning  to  ourselves.  Thus  we  may 
 observe  in  the  passage  from  the  Acts  appointed  for  the 
 Epistle,  St.  Peter  dwells  much  on  the  history  of  Judas ; 
 but  very  little  is  told  us  of  St.  Matthias.  And  the  Gospel 
 that  follows  with  its  call  to  meekness,  so  suitable  to  the 
 awful  subject  of  the  day,  points  out  the  way  to  escape 
 downfal  so  terrible ;  warning  that  we  be  not  high-minded, 
 but  fear,  with  our  Lord's  own  peculiar  consolation  under 
 terrors  so  great. 
 
 It  was  now  in  that  "  upper  room "  at  Jerusalem,  in 
 which,  after  our  Lord's  ascension  into  Heaven,  "  they 
 continued  with  one  accord  in  prayer  and  supplication," 
 waiting  for  the  coming  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  In  those 
 days,  it  is  added,  Peter  stood  up  in  the  midst  of  the  dis- 
 ciples, and  said,  (the  number  of  the  names  together  were 
 about  an  hundred  and  ticenty,)  Men  and  brethren,  this 
 Scripture  must  needs  have  been  fidfilled,  ivhicli  the  Holy 
 Ghost  by  the  mouth  of  David  spake  before  concerning 
 Judas,  which  was  guide  to  them  that  took  Jesus.  Our 
 Lord  Himself  apparently  alludes  to  the  same,  saying, 
 "that  the  Scripture  might  be  fulfilled,  He  that  eateth 
 bread  with  Me  hath  lifted  up  his  heel  against  Me."  But 
 the  Psalms,  indeed,  as  speaking  so  much  in  the  Person 
 of  Christ,  often  allude  to  Judas,  as  throughout  the  109th 
 Psalm. 
 
 And  here  we  may  pause  to  observe  how  everything, 
 great  or  small,  good   or   evil,  or  apparently  indifferent, 
 
344  SAINT  .Matthias's  day. 
 
 is  said  to  have  occurred  in  order  that  the  Scriptures 
 might  be  fulfilled,  with  the  intent,  no  doubt,  that  we 
 should  consider  all  things  as  the  ordering  of  God.  The 
 effect  of  thus  showing  that  God  had  spoken,  and  that 
 therefore  it  is  His  disposing  or  by  His  permission,  speaks 
 immediately  to  the  heart  of  man  ;  if  it  is  something  appa- 
 rently trivial,  it  arrests  us  as  to  what  is  great  and 
 Divine ;  if  something  that  seems  to  us  unaccountable,  it 
 suggests  that  there  are  reasons  for  it  we  know  not  of;  if 
 it  is  something  grievous  to  bear,  it  teaches  resignation ; 
 if  prosperous,  it  refers  us  to  the  Giver  of  all  good ;  if 
 something  irritating  in  the  conduct  of  others,  it  disposes 
 to  forgiveness  and  forbearance.  It  tells  us  in  all  cases 
 that  it  is  God's  doing,  and  therefore  infinitely  wise  and 
 good.  It  is  thus  observing  with  awe  the  hand  of  God 
 which  makes  the  Apostle  to  speak  with  such  calmness  of 
 the  traitor,  applying  to  him  no  word  of  reproach  or  anger. 
 Oh,  most  needful  lesson  for  us !  A  stronger  case  of 
 aggravation  at  successful  wickedness  could  not  have  oc- 
 curred, yet  no  expression  of  irritation  escapes  any  one  of 
 the  Apostles.  St.  Peter  simply  speaks  of  him  as  ^^  guide 
 to  them  that  took  Jesus." 
 
 For  he  ivas  numhered  ivith  us,  he  adds,  and  had  ob- 
 tained 'part  of  this  ministry.  He  was  one  of  the  Twelve 
 sent  forth  to  preach  the  Gospel,  to  heal  the  sick,  and  to 
 cast  out  devils.  But  this  his  end,  and  all  the  circum- 
 stances of  it  so  well  known,  were  predicted  of  God,  as  also 
 this  filling  up  of  his  place.  Noiv  this  man  purchased  a 
 field  with  the  retvard  of  iniquity ;  and  falling  headlong  he 
 burst  asunder  in  the  midst,  and  all  his  bowels  gushed  out. 
 And  it  ivas  known  unto  all  the  dwellers  at  Jerusalem,  in- 
 somuch as  that  field  is  called  in  their  proper  tongue,  Acel- 
 dama, tltat  is  to  say,  Tlie  field  of  Mood.      For  it  is  loritten 
 
THE   LOST   CROWN.  345 
 
 in  the  hook  of  Psalms,  Let  his  hahitation  he  desolate,  and 
 let  no  man  dwell  therein.  This,  indeed,  is  spoken  in  the 
 Psalms  in  the  phiral  number,  and  with  an  evident  appli- 
 cation to  the  Jewish  nation  ;  of  whom  Judas  was  through- 
 out so  signal  a  prelude,  as  St.  Chrysostom  observes,  and 
 whose  habitation  became  indeed  an  Aceldama.  And  his 
 hishoprich,  as  says  another  Psalm,  let  another  take. 
 
 Wherefore,  of  these  men  ivhicli  have  companied  with  us 
 all  the  time  that  the  Lord  Jesus  icent  in  and  out  among  us, 
 heginning  from  the  haptism  of  John, — even  as  Andrew, 
 and  John,  and  Peter,  and  Philip  were  with  John  the 
 Baptist,  the  herald  and  witness  of  the  Messiah,  when  he 
 first  pointed  out  to  two  of  them  "  the  Lamb  of  God," 
 and  from  thence  continued  with  Him, — from  that  period, 
 unto  that  same  day  that  He  loas  taken  up  from,  us,  must 
 one  he  ordained  to  he  a  witness  with  us  of  His  resurrection. 
 Por  in  His  Eesurrection,  the  very  corner-stone  of  the 
 faith,  He  was  "  not  made  known  to  all  the  people,  but 
 unto  certain  witnesses  chosen  of  God  :"  and  that  he  be 
 taken  unto  the  number  of  the  Twelve,  it  was  needful  that 
 such  should  have  been  trained  by  His  words  and  works, 
 and  habituated  to  the  Person  and  Presence  of  Christ 
 before  His  death;  and  that  such  experience  should  be 
 sealed  by  the  testimony  of  His  risen  Body,  "  shown  by 
 many  infallible  proofs  and  speaking  of  the  things  per- 
 taining to  His  Kingdom."  For  such  must  be  one  of  the 
 twelve  Foundations  on  whom  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  the 
 faithful  witness,  He  would  build  His  Church.  Witnesses 
 in  secret  of  the  Eesurrection,  as  foundations  laid  out  of 
 sight  in  the  earth,  but  the  superstructure  built  thereon  is 
 seen  of  all. 
 
 And  they  appointed  tivo,  Joseph  called  Barsahas,  or  the 
 son  of  Sabas,  who  teas  surnamed  Justus^  and  Matthias. 
 
346  SAINT  Matthias's  day. 
 
 They  were  said  by  early  writers  to  have  been  both  of  the 
 Seventy  disciples ;  and  thus  our  Lord  Himself,  aicer 
 spending  the  night  in  prayer,  "called  unto  Him  His 
 disciples,  and  out  of  them  chose  the  Twelve."  And  they 
 prayed  and  said,  Tliou,  Lord,  Which  hnoioest  the  hearts  of 
 all  men,  shew  ichether  of  these  two  Thou  hast  chosen.;  that 
 he  may  take  ^oart  of  this  ministry  and  apostleship,  from 
 wli  ich  Jtidas  hy  transgression  fell,  that  he  might  go  to  his 
 own  place.  And  they  gave  forth  their  lots.  As  our  Lord 
 Himself  had  so  often  spoken  of  the  Twelve  as  those  whom 
 He  had  chosen,  and  as  the  Holy  Ghost  was  not  yet  given 
 for  the  guidance  of  His  Church,  they  refer  the  matter  to 
 Christ,  the  heart-searching  God.  The  appointment  of  the 
 Apostleship  was  by  our  Lord  in  an  especial  manner 
 reserved  to  Himself,  so  that,  in  adding  St.  Paul  to  that 
 number,  it  was  throughout  in  all  respects  by  His  own 
 Personal  interposition.  And  here,  that  the  disposal  of  it 
 may  appear  to  be  entirely  of  God,  after  the  manner  of  the 
 Old  Testament,  and  as  so  often  prescribed  in  the  Law,  it 
 was  by  lot.^ 
 
 It  is  as  an  example  to  ourselves  also,  that  it  must  be  by 
 prayer  on  the  part  of  His  Church,  but  that  the  election  to 
 the  Chief  Pastorship  is  of  God. 
 
 And  the  lot  fell  upon  Matthias ;  and  he  loas  numbered 
 ivith  the  eleven  Apostles.  Thus  was  the  appointment  with 
 awe  and  humiliation  :  and  the  first  act  of  the  Church,  in 
 the  absence  of  the  Bridegroom,  was  with  mourning  ;  and 
 the  occasion  itself  spake  to  him  that  was  chosen : 
 "  Because  of  unbelief  that  branch  hath  been  broken  off  the 
 Living  Vine ;  and  thou  standest  by  faith." 
 
 Many  are  the  thoughts  that  crowd  upon  us,  and,  as  it 
 
 *  As  Lev.  xvi.  8. 
 
THE   LOST   CROWN.  347 
 
 were,  knock  at  the  door  of  the  heart  in  the  contemplation 
 of  this  awful  event,  as  on  the  servant  being  cast  out  that 
 had  not  on  the  wedding  garment.  The  first  entrance 
 into  His  Kingdom  our  Lord  declared  to  he  poverty  of 
 spirit :  the  fall  of  an  Apostle  was  from  covetousness.  In 
 furtherance  of  this  He  had  required  His  disciples  to  give 
 up  all ;  and  it  was  in  speaking  aleo  on  this  subject  that 
 our  Lord  said,  as  if  looking  into  the  heart  of  that  Apostle, 
 and  perhaps  with  His  eye  of  warning  falling  on  the  e3^e  of 
 Judas,  "  There  are  first  that  shall  be  last."  As  with 
 Balaam,  the  fallen  Prophet  of  the  Old  Testament,  so  with 
 Judas,  that  of  the  New,  the  occasion  of  that  fall  was 
 covetousness. 
 
 Another  impressive  circumstance  is  this  :  that  as  no 
 doubt  want  of  faith  in  Christ  as  God  was  the  reason  of  his 
 reprobation,  the  touchstone  by  which  he  was  found 
 wanting,  so  the  first  mention  of  Judas  as  having  a  devil,  and 
 also  the  last  full  entering  in  of  Satan,  was  connected  with 
 the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Body  and  Blood.  For  it  was 
 when  speaking  of  that  mysterious  doctrine  a  year  before 
 His  death,  when  in  consequence  "  many  of  His  disciples 
 went  back,  and  walked  no  more  with  Him,"  and  He 
 "said  unto  the  Twelve,  Will  ye  also  go  away  ?"  as  if 
 explaining  that  expression  of  fear.  He  added,  that 
 out  of  those  whom  He  had  chosen  one  of  them  was  a 
 devil. 
 
 Another  reflection  which  may  bring  home  these 
 general  observations  with  a  peculiar  power  to  each  is  this  : 
 from  the  history  of  Judas  we  may  infer,  that  although 
 some  powerful  sin,  such  as  covetousness,  may  lurk  in  the 
 heart,  make  it  more  and  more  its  own,  stifling,  by  degrees, 
 more  and  more  the  calls  of  conscience,  and  extinguishing 
 faith  in  the  Son  of  God  ;  and  although  while  this  is  going 
 
348  SAINT  Matthias's  day. 
 
 on,  a  person  may  have  a  fair  character  with  those  around, 
 be  trusted  hy  them,  and  unsuspected,  may  speak  among 
 them  with  some  authority,  and  inthe  cause  of  charity,  and 
 have  influence  with  them  as  speaking  even  with  a  tone  of 
 sanctity;  although  this  thick  and  entangling  web  maybe 
 woven  around  him  by  self-deceit ;  yet  that  God  does  not 
 cease  to  expostulate  with  him  by  His  Spirit  within,  and 
 by  His  Providence  from  without.  So  was  it  with  Judas. 
 Our  Lord  still  continued  throughout  to  warn  him,  not 
 only  by  His  general  admonitions  respecting  the  danger  of 
 covetousness  and  the  like,  and  by  manifestations  of  His 
 power  and  goodness,  but  even  by  close  appeals  to  himself ; 
 words  directed  to  him,  which  he  could  not  but  have 
 understood  ;  and  peculiar  instances  of  love  and  goodness, 
 as  by  washing  his  feet,  by  eating  out  of  the  same  dish 
 with  him,  and  by  the  kiss  of  affection's  friendship.  But 
 in  the  midst  of  these  the  end  came,  "  suddenly  and  with- 
 out remedy."  Oh,  how  suddenly  do  they  consume, 
 perish,  and  come  to  a  fearful  end,  even  as  a  dream  when 
 one  awaketh  ! 
 
 But  there  is  no  comment,  no  sermon,  no  subject  for 
 meditation  on  this  awful  day,  like  that  which  the  ap- 
 pointed Gospel  supplies  in  the  teaching  of  our  Lord  Him- 
 self ;  Who  after  declaring  the  Avoes  on  those  cities  of  Israel 
 that  heard  Him  and  repented  not,  encourages  us  amidst 
 the  sad  desolation  and  disappointment  which  man  works 
 on  himself,  to  lift  up  our  eyes  to  the  Father  of  lights, 
 from  Whom  cometh  every  good  and  perfect  gift,  to  seek 
 for  refuge  and  repose  in  God  ;  delighting  in  His  choice, 
 acknowledging  His  free  grace,  and  those  on  whom  He 
 bestows  it.  At  that  time  Jesus  ansioered  and  said,  I 
 think  Thee,  0  Father,  Lord  of  Heaven  and  earth,  because 
 Thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise  and  prudent. 
 
THE   LOST   CROWN.  349 
 
 and  hast  revealed  them  unto  tabes.  It  was  in  considering 
 this  subject  of  the  free  election  of  God,  that  St.  Paul  in 
 adoring  awe  and  wonder  exclaimed,  "  0  the  depth  of  the 
 riches  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God  !  How 
 unsearchable  are  His  judgments,  and  His  ways  past 
 finding  out!"^  And  David  gave  thanks  unto  God  for 
 what  was  so  fearful  and  wonderful  ^  in  the  mystery  that 
 surrounds  us,  in  this,  we  may  suppose,  the  secret  fashion- 
 ing of  the  vessels  of  His  grace  in  the  new  birth.  And 
 our  Lord  teaches  us,  with  a  joy  and  thanksgiving  pecu- 
 liarly His  own,*  to  look  up  and  adore  this  His  in- 
 scrutable mystery.  For  He  had  just  called  upon  His 
 disciples,  those  Seventy  among  whom  St.  Matthias  was 
 one,  to  rejoice  because  their  names  were  written  in  Heaven ; 
 when  He  Himself  also  "rejoiced  in  SjDirit,"  and  thus 
 spake,  adding  likewise  in  thankful  acceptance  of  this  the 
 Father's  disposal  and  distribution  of  His  own  gifts,  Even 
 so,  Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good  in  Thy  sight.  Thus  he 
 that  "hath  the  mind  of  Christ"  notices  in  glad  and  awful 
 acquiescence  this  mysterious  Providence,  whereby,  while 
 they  who  are  wise  in  their  own  wisdom  are  disputing, 
 the  childlike  spirit  of  obedience  by  poverty  of  spirit  enters 
 into  the  promised  inheritance. 
 
 And  blessed  be  God,  that  all  these  His  gifts,  the  foun- 
 tains of  mercy,  and  predestinations  of  the  Father,  are  in 
 the  Hand  of  Christ,  Who,  while  He  is  One  with  the 
 Father,  hath  made  Himself  also  to  be  One  with  us,  hath 
 taken  us  unto  Himself,  and  incorporated  us  into  His  own 
 Body ;  that  we  may  know  God,  and  love  God  in  that 
 unspeakable   love   and   knowledge   of  the   Father.     All 
 
 2  Eom.  xi.  33.  ^  Ys.  cxxxix.  13,  15. 
 
 "  See  St.  Luke  x.  21. 
 
350  SAINT  Matthias's  day. 
 
 things,  He  adds,  speaking  to  men  after  that,  His  thanks- 
 giving to  the  Father,  All  things  are  delivered  unto  Me  of 
 My  Father;  and  no  man  knoiueth  the  Son,  hut  the  Father; 
 neither  hnoweth  any  man  the  Father  save  the  Son,  and  he 
 to  luhorasoever  the  Son  loill  reveal  Him.  All  the  blessed- 
 ness is  because  it  is  of  God ;  nor  will  it  profit  to  know 
 Christ  unless  this  be  revealed,  not  of  flesh  and  blood,  but 
 of  the  Father  drawing  unto  the  Son,  and  revealing  Christ 
 unto  the  secret  heart  in  unspeakable  union. 
 
 Yet  all  is  of  free  will  in  man,  for  it  is  added.  Come 
 unto  Me  ;  and  He  would  not  invite  those  who  have  it  not 
 in  their  choice  to  come.  And  who  are  they  that  are  to 
 come  ]  Come  unto  Me,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy 
 laden.  If  any  then  are  heavily  oppressed,  and  laden  with 
 fears  and  misgivings  lest  they  be  not  in  that  calling  and 
 election,  or  lest  they  should  not  "  make  sure  "  that  their 
 election  and  calling  are  of  God;  then  let  their  very  fears  and 
 sorrows  be  to  them  the  sweet  evidences  of  that  calling, 
 and  the  constraining  motives  to  make  sure  that  election  ; 
 by  bringing  them  more  near  unto  Him  Who  is  their  rest. 
 "  Come  unto  Me,  all  ye  that  travail  and  are  heavy  laden, 
 and  I  will  give  you  rest.''  Here  the  mourner  finds  the 
 comforter;  the  sinner  the  Saviour;  the  wounded  the 
 Physician  :  the  lost  sheep  his  Shepherd ;  the  accused  his 
 Advocate  with  the  Father;  the  dying  man  his  Life  and 
 Eesurrection. 
 
 Bat  what  is  the  meaning  of  this  "coming"  unto 
 Christ ■?  Is  it  in  desire  and  intention?  is  it  with  the 
 wings  of  the  dove  to  fly  unto  Him  Who  is  afar  off  in 
 Heaven?  Not  so?  it  is  by  the  will  that  moveth  the 
 heart  in  faithful  and  loving  obedience,  being  made  con- 
 formable unto  His  Will.  For  He  Himself  explains.  Take 
 My  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn  of  Me  ;  for  I  am  meek  and 
 
THE   LOST  CROWN,  351 
 
 loidij  in  heart:  and  ye  sJiall  find  rest  unto  your  souls. 
 "  Strange  paradox ! "  says  a  holy  writer,  "  that  a  man, 
 already  weary  and  overloaded,  must  take  a  new  weight 
 upon  him,  in  order  to  be  eased,  and  to  find  rest."  But  so 
 is  it  with  many  a  truth  of  God,  encompassed  with  con- 
 tradictions, and  hidden  in  apparent  difficulties,  lies  the 
 pearl  of  great  price.  There  is  no  freedom  but  in  this  ser- 
 vice;  no  real  joy  but  by  being  united  to  the  Man  of 
 Sorrows.  The  very  earnest  of  the  Spirit  is  that  His  com- 
 mandments are  not  grievous.  And  therefore  He  adds. 
 For  My  yoke  is  easy,  and  My  burden  is  light.  "  He  in- 
 vites unto  Him,"  says  St.  Augustin,  "all  that  labour; 
 and  why,  but  that  they  might  cease  from  labouring? 
 And  what  is  the  reward  for  this  service  %  And  I  will  give 
 you  rest.  Take  My  yoke,  He  says,  upon  you,  and  learn  of 
 Me ;  not  to  form  a  world,  not  in  the  world  itself  to  work 
 miracles,  and  to  raise  the  dead,  but,  '  for  I  am  meek  and 
 lowly  in  heart.'  "  "  li  thou  wouldest  be  great,"  says  the 
 same  writer,  "  begin  by  being  the  least.  The  greater  the 
 structure  which  any  one  would  raise,  the  more  deep  must 
 he  dig  the  foundation,  and  that  foundation  must  be 
 humility."^ 
 
 "  Come  unto  Me,  all  ye  that  are  heavy  laden  ! "  What 
 is  the  lesson  which  Lent  itself  would  teach  us,  but  that 
 which  is  contained  in  these  words  1  It  would  have  us 
 more  and  more  to  be  "grieved  and  wearied"  with  our 
 heavy  burden,  in  order  that  in  so  doing  we  may  come  the 
 more  to  Christ,  and  find  His  rest.  That  must  indeed  be 
 a  Lenten  festival  which  can  bring  us  to  this.  Every 
 thing  knows  and  seeks  its  place  of  refuge,  has  its  escape 
 from  the  enemy  and  the  storm — the  hart  to  the  water- 
 
 5  Serm.  Ixix.  De  Yer.  Dom.  x. 
 
352  SAINT  Matthias's  day. 
 
 brook;  the  wild  beast  to  the  covert;  the  sun-stricken 
 sheep  to  the  shadow  of  the  rock ;  the  ship  to  the  haven ; 
 the  bird  to  its  mother's  wing  ;  the  dog  to  his  master's 
 side ;  every  thing  seeks  because  it  knows  its  OAvn  place  of 
 safety ;  and  hast  not  thou,  0  my  soul,  thy  place  to  flee  unto ; 
 art  thou  alone  without  a  covert,  an  anchor,  a  shelter,  a 
 home  %  or  hast  thou  only  need  of  none  %  How  many  fears 
 are  thine?  how  many  regrets'?  how  many  dangers?  how 
 many  disappointments?  how  many  temptations?  how 
 many  compunctious  visitings  after  how  many,  many 
 sins  ?  how  many  infirmities  ?  how  many  enemies  ?  Doubts, 
 and  disquietudes,  and  distresses  are  with  thee  on  every 
 side.  And  why  are  all  these  ?  Surely  they  are  intended 
 as  scourges  in  thy  side,  as  motives  to  urge  thee  to  Him 
 Who  is  thine  only  rest.  In  Him  in  all  these  things  is 
 thy  remedy  and  thy  refuge,  at  all  times,  and  in  all  places. 
 When  is  not  the  thought  of  Him  the  very  healing  and 
 strength  of  the  soul?  when  is  not  His  work  its  own  peace? 
 
SERMON   LXXVIII. 
 CJe  Annunciation  oi  ii)t  mt^^tti  WivQ^in  Plavw. 
 
 Isa.  vii.  10 — 13.     St.  Luke  i.  26—38. 
 
 FAITH  IN    THE   INCARNATION'. 
 
 If  ye  will  not  believe,  surely  ye  shall  not  be  established. — IsA.  vii.  9- 
 
 THESE  words  occur  immediately  before  that  passage 
 of  the  Evangelical  Prophet  which  is  given  us  as 
 the  Epistle  for  to-day,  and  which  is  best  understood  in 
 connexion  with  them.  i\nd  surely  no  Scripture  can  be 
 more  suitable  to  this  festival :  for  faith  in  the  Godhead 
 of  Christ  is  all  in  all  to  us :  this  is  the  blessing  of  the 
 Virgin  which  comes  on  the  children  of  the  faithful 
 Abraham ;  the  want  of  this  is  the  condemnation  of  I&rael 
 after  the  flesh,  because  they  understood  not  that  the  Son 
 of  David  is  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 Moreover^  the  Lord  spake  again  unto  ATiaz,  sa^jing,  Ask, 
 thee  a  sign  of  the  Lord  thy  God ;  ask  it  either  in  the 
 depth,  or  in  the  height  above.  But  Ahaz  said,  I  loill  not 
 ask,  neither  loill  I  tempt  the  Lord.  In  fear  of  Samaria 
 and  Damascus  he  would  lean  on  the  Assyrian  for  aid,  as 
 
 VOL.  II.  A  a 
 
354      ANNUNCIATION  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 
 
 if  God's  promises  to  the  house  of  David  would  fail.  But 
 as  Israel  ever  seeks  for  a  sign,  and  as  our  Lord  said  to 
 them,  "  Except  ye  see  signs  and  wonders  ye  will  not 
 believe,"  so  He  condescends  to  their  weakness,  and  offers 
 them  a  sign.  His  son  Hezekiah  asked  in  faith,  and  he 
 had  a  sign  vouchsafed  him  in  the  height  above,  when  the 
 Sun  went  back,  and  a  sign  below  in  the  destruction  of  the 
 Assyrian  host  and  his  own  recovery  from  death.  But 
 Ahaz  and  his  unbelieving  house  refuses  to  accept  the  sign 
 which  God  offers,  as  the  Jews  hereafter  will  in  like  manner 
 refuse  the  sign  which  God  gives  them. 
 
 And  he,  the  Prophet  Isaiah,  said,  Hear  ye  now,  0  liouse 
 of  David ;  is  it  a  small  thing  for  you  to  weary  men,  hut 
 will  ye  weary  my  God  also  ?  Is  it  not  enough  to  try  the 
 forbearance  of  His  prophets,  will  ye  weary  the  patience  of 
 God  %  Thus  Israel  rejected  the  Son  of  Man,  and  then 
 filled  up  the  measure  of  their  sin  by  rejecting  also  the 
 Spirit  of  God. 
 
 Th&refore,  he  adds,  the  Lord  Himself  shall  give  you  a 
 sign;  Behold,  a  Virgin  shall  conceive,  and  hear  a  Son, 
 and  shall  call  His  Name  Immanuel.  God's  promises  to 
 Israel  shall  not  fail,  but  shall  be  fulfilled  by  a  sign  so  great 
 and  wonderful,  that  faith  only,  which  is  of  God,  shall 
 receive  the  same  j  for  to  unbelief  such  as  thine  it  shall  be 
 a  stumbling-block  and  stone  of  offence,  that  unbelieving 
 Israel  shall  fall,  and  be  broken  without  restoration. 
 Because  they  understand  not  that  to  David  a  Son  is 
 given.  Who  was  from  everlasting.  Whom  David  in  the 
 Spirit  calleth  Lord;  because  though  his  Son  He  was 
 before  Him.  "  For  as  the  heavens  are  higher  than  the 
 earth,"  saith  the  Lord,  "  so  are  My  thoughts  higher  than 
 your  thoughts." 
 
 Butter  and  honey  shall  He  eat,  even  as  others  of  tender 
 
FAITH  IN    THE  INCARNATION.  355 
 
 years,'  that  He  may  know  to  refuse  the  evil,  and  to  clioose 
 the  good.  "  He  shall  grow  up  before  Him  as  a  tender 
 plant,"  He  shall  be  nurtured  even  as  the  infancy  of  man 
 is  reared,  though  He  be  God  over  all.  And  thus,  as  our  first 
 parents  aspired  through  pride  to  be  "  as  gods,  knowing 
 good  and  evil,"  He  on  the  contrary  shall  in  His  humi- 
 liations be  exercised  in  the  discernment  of  good  and  evil, 
 and  grow  in  wisdom,  being  trained  in  human  wants  and 
 their  appliances,  as  man  among  men,  as  an  infant  among 
 infants ;  although  He  be  the  Everlasting  Wisdom  of  the 
 Father,  in  Whom  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead 
 bodily.  "  There  shall  come  forth  a  rod  out  of  the  stem  of 
 Jesse,  and  a  Branch  shall  grow  out  of  his  roots :  and  the 
 Spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  rest  upon  Him,  and  shall  make 
 Him  of  quick  understanding  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord."^ 
 
 And  now,  what  was  yesterday  matter  of  prophecy  for 
 the  Epistle,  becomes  to-day  clothed  with  history  for  the 
 Gospel,  and  the  declaration  of  Isaiah  is  fulfilled  in  the 
 narrative  of  St.  Luke.  But  the  mode  of  reception  of  the 
 Divine  message  is  in  strong  contrast :  for  as  the  Prophet 
 said  of  Ahaz  and  of  Israel,  "  If  ye  will  not  believe,  surely 
 ye  shall  not  be  established,"  of  the  Holy  Virgin  it  is  said, 
 "  Blessed  is  she  that  believed  /'  it  is,  as  it  were,  her  title 
 — "  she  that  believed  ;"  she  that  believed,  in  contrast  to 
 Eve  that  believed  not,  and  as  believing  beyond  all ;  and 
 therefore  "  there  shall  be  a  performance  of  those  things 
 which  were  told  her  from  the  Lord,"  though  the  miracle 
 be  above  every  miracle.  Her  blessedness  is  in  this  :  she 
 is  "  Blessed  among  women,"  because  her  title  is  "  she  that 
 believed." 
 
 ^  "  Parvulus  erit  et  vescetur  infantilibus  alimentis."  S.  Bernard. 
 In  Adven.  Serm.  ii. 
 '  Isa.  xi.  1  —  3. 
 
 A  a2 
 
356      ANNVNCIA  TION  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MAKY. 
 
 And  in  the  sixth  months  says  St.  Luke,  that  is,  after 
 Elisabeth  had  conceived,  the  angel  Gabriel,  signifying 
 "the  strength  of  God,"  who  was  always  sent  on  the 
 messages  of  salvation,  the  angel  Gabriel  was  sent  from 
 God  unto  a  city  of  Galilee,  named  Nazareth — not  unto 
 Jerusalem,  the  Holy  City ;  not  unto  Eome,  the  capital  of 
 the  world ;  but  unto  a  poor  village  in  an  obscure  country, 
 both  of  them  despised  even  unto  a  proverb, — to  a  Virgin 
 es]^oused  to  a  man  whose  name  was  Joseph,  of  the  house  of 
 David  ;  and  the  Virgin's  name  was  Mary.  The  Prophet 
 had  said,  "Behold,  a  Virgin  shall  bear  a  Son;"  and  now 
 the  Evangelist  seems  to  say,  "  Behold,  this  is  the  Virgin ; 
 this  is  the  Son."  And  never  was  a  time  when,  humanly 
 speaking,  the  promises  of  God  might  seem  so  much  to 
 have  failed :  the  house  of  David  had  departed  from  the 
 sight  of  men,  was  unknown  and  forgotten,  and  Israel 
 itself  under  bondage  to  the  Heathen ;  the  prince  of  this 
 world  seemed,  as  it  were,  established  above  the  sanctuary 
 of  God.  But  man's  helplessness  is  God's  opportunity, 
 and  nothing  was  lost  in  His  sight;  the  fulness  of  the 
 time  was  come;  and  it  was  fitting  that  the  vessel,  meet  to 
 be  the  recipient  of  the  Divine  grace,  should  be  nurtured 
 not  in  kings'  palaces,  but  in  obscure  poverty.  Poor  in 
 spirit,  that  hers  might  be  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven; 
 mourning  over  the  desolations  of  her  household  and 
 people,  that  she  might  be  comforted  and  their  comforter ; 
 pure  in  heart,  that  she  might  see  God. 
 
 And  the  angel, — in  the  hour  pre-ordained  from  all 
 eternity  of  the  Eather,  and  now  in  its  suited  and  ap- 
 pointed season  arrived, — And  the  angel  came  in  unto  her, 
 and  said,  Hail,  thou  that  art  highly  favoured,  the  Lord  is 
 with  thee;  blessed  art  thou  among  luomen.  Not  above, 
 but  among  women;  not  raised  above  thy  kind,  though 
 
FAITH  IN   THE  INCARNATION.  357 
 
 about  to  be  the  Mother  of  our  Lord  :  one  among  the 
 daughters  of  Eve,  but  by  whom  they  shall  receive  a 
 blessing,  and  not  a  curse. 
 
 And  when  she  saw  him,  she  was  troubled  at  his  saying, 
 and  cast  in  her  mind  ivhat  7nanner  of  salutation  this 
 should  he.  Slight,  but  very  beautiful  is  this  indication 
 of  the  Virgin's  mind ;  "  she  was  troubled,"  for  the 
 humble  are  troubled  when  they  hear  their  own  praise; 
 and  with  that  peculiar  thoughtfulness  which  marks  all 
 that  is  said  of  her,  she  "cast  in  her  mind"  what  such 
 a  salutation  might  import.  Even  as  at  the  last,  they  who 
 shall  hear  the  words,  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  My  Father," 
 shall  say,  as  it  were.  Whence  is  this  to  me  ?  yea,  and  be, 
 as  it  were,  even  troubled  at  the  saying,  as  beyond  their 
 worthiness. 
 
 And  the  angel  said  unto  her,  Fear  not,  Mary  ;  for  thou 
 hast  found  favour  ivith  God.  And,  hehold,  thou  shalt 
 conceive  in  thy  icomb.  Here  the  mystery  is  alluded  to 
 but  not  declared;  it  is  said,  "thou  shalt  conceive,"  but 
 not  in  what  manner.  And  thou  shalt  bring  forth  a  Son, 
 and  shalt  call  His  naine  JESUS.  This  is  the  Joshua 
 that  shall  bring  his  people  into  the  promised  inheritance 
 of  God.  He  shall  be  great,  and  shall  be  called  the  Son  of 
 the  Highest;  this  is  He  Whom  Eve  expected  should  be 
 born  of  her  when  she  said,  "  I  have  gotten  a  man  from 
 the  Lord,"  or  "a  Man  the  Lord;"^  but  the  lowliness  of 
 faith  was  not  in  her.  And  the  Lord  God  shall  give  mito 
 Him  the  throne  of  His  father  David.  This  is  the  pro- 
 mised Son  of  David  which  is  to  be,  of  Whom  it  is  said, 
 "  His  seat  is  like  as  the  Sun  before  Me;"  and  "  Sit  Thou 
 on  My  right  hand  till  I  make  Thine  enemies  Thy  foot- 
 
 *  Gen,  iv.  1. 
 
358      ANNUNCIATION  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 
 
 stool."  And  He  shall  reign  over  tJie  house  </  Jacob  for 
 ever;  this  is  the  Shiloh  promised  to  Israel;  and  of  His 
 Kingdom  there  shall  he  no  end. 
 
 And  here,  though  supernatural  birth  is  implied  and 
 received  in  faith  by  the  Blessed  Virgin,  yet  it  is  not  as 
 yet  fully  stated  or  understood;  and  she  asks  in  faith  for 
 an  explanation.  Then  said  Mary  unto  the  angel,  How 
 shall  this  be,  seeing  I  know  not  a  man  ?  And  the  angel 
 answered  and  said  unto  her,  TJie  Holy  Ghost  shall  come 
 upon  thee,  and  the  power  of  the  Highest  shall  overshadow 
 thee :  therefore  also  that  Holy  Thing  Which  shall  be  born 
 of  thee  shall  he  called  the  Son  of  God.  "  The  first  man  is 
 of  the  earth,  earthy;  the  second  man  is  the  Lord  from 
 Heaven;"  and  here  also  our  own  new  birth  begins,  for 
 "  as  we  have  borne  the  image  of  the  earthy,  we  shall  also 
 bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly."*  And  this  by  the 
 operation  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  will  of  the  Father; 
 by  His  call,  and  by  our  accepting  the  same  in  faith. 
 
 And  behold,  thy  cousin  Elisabeth;  for  Mary  was  of 
 Priestly  as  well  as  of  Kingly  family,  as  Miriam,  or  Mary, 
 who  led  the  companies  of  thanksgiving,  was  the  sister  ol 
 Aaron,  whose  wife  also  was  named  Elisabeth;  she  hath 
 also  conceived  a  son  in  her  old  age  ;  and  this  is  the  sixth 
 month  with  her,  ivho  was  called  barren.  For  ivith  God 
 nothing  shall  be  impossible.  The  Almighty  power  of  God 
 is  the  first  foundation  of  faith;  the  first  Article  of  the 
 Creed.  And  here  a  sign  is  given,  not  to  correct,  but 
 to  strengthen  and  enlighten ;  for  signs  are  the  language 
 of  God. 
 
 And  Mary  said.  Behold  the  handmaid  of  the  Lord  ;  be 
 it  unto  me  according  to  thy  word.     And  the  angel  de- 
 
 4  1  Cor.  XV.  47.  49. 
 
FAITH   IN   THE   INCARNATION:  259 
 
 parted  from  her.  Wonderful  moment,  on  which  depended 
 all  the  destiny  of  mankind :  for  in  the  things  of  the 
 Spirit  the  will  of  man  must  ever  co-operate  with  the 
 Divine  call.  And  here  was  perfect  faith,  humility,  and 
 submission.  Sanctified  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  her  heart 
 had  already  by  faith  conceived  the  Son  of  God,  before 
 He  was  conceived  in  her  womb.  Calm  as  deep  waters 
 and  thoughtful ;  as  the  morning  cloud  that  discloses  the 
 rising  sun  ;  as  the  star  that  first  appears  when  the  storm 
 is  retiring.  Sarah  laughed  at  the  strangeness  of  that 
 salvation  beyond  all  that  she  looked  for ;  but  Mary  is 
 composed  and  reflective,  as  one  that  wondered  at  nothing 
 from  the  power  and  the  goodness  of  God.  Zacharias 
 doubted,  and  by  a  sign  was  corrected;  Mary  doubted  not, 
 but  by  a  sign  was  strengthened. 
 
 And  now  it  is  impossible  to  conceive  a  lesson  of  greater 
 moment  than  that  which  is  conveyed  by  the  Epistle  and 
 Gospel  for  to-day,  as  both  taken  together;  the  one  with 
 the  warning  to  those  who  will  not  believe,  with  the  de- 
 claration that  a  Virgin  shall  bear  Immanuel,  and  the 
 sign  refused ;  the  other  the  full  acceptance  of  faith.  It 
 is  with  reference  to  the  Incarnation  it  was  said,  "if  ye 
 wiU  not  believe,  surely  ye  shaU  not  be  established." 
 And  both  before  and  after  the  birth  of  Christ,  in  all  its 
 varied  significations,  types,  prophecies,  and  modifications, 
 by  this  faith  all  shall  stand  or  fall.  "  Tor  the  grace  of 
 God,"  says  an  ancient  Bishop,  "  by  which  all  the  saints 
 are  justified,  is  by  the  birth  of  Christ  increased,  but  not 
 then  commenced.  And  this  great  sacrament  of  godliness 
 was  in  its  signs  so  full  of  power,  that  they  who  believed 
 in  it  when  promised,  obtained  no  less  than  they  who 
 received  it  when  given."  ^  And  another  holy  man  on  the 
 5  Leo.  Serm.  iii.  De  Nativ. 
 
360      ANNUNCIATION  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 
 
 same  subject :  "  Oftentimes  when  I  reflect  on  the  longings 
 of  those  who  looked  forward  to  the  presence  of  Christ, 
 I  am  filled  with  compunction  and  confusion,  and  even 
 now  at  the  thought  can  scarce  refrain  from  tears,  of  so 
 much  lukewarmness  savour  these  most  sad  times.  Eor 
 which  of  us  is  as  much  affected  with  joy  at  the  exhibition 
 of  His  grace,  as  the  promise  of  it  alone  kindled  in  them 
 ofold?"^ 
 
 Indeed,  if  we  consider  the  difference  between  the 
 greatest  Saint  and  the  most  reprobate  of  men ;  between 
 the  beloved  disciple  and  Judas  Iscariot ;  we  shall  find  at 
 the  bottom  of  the  heart,  that  it  has  been  connected  with 
 belief  in  the  Godhead  of  Christ ;  in  the  reception  of  this 
 word  Immanuel  in  all  the  various  degrees  and  significa- 
 tions in  which  it  is  fulfilled.  To  read  the  Gospels,  to 
 meditate  on  Christ  Crucified,  to  receive  the  Sacraments 
 of  the  Church,  and  live  in  its  ordinances,  to  lead  appa- 
 rently blameless  lives ;  these  all  are  as  nothing,  are  of  no 
 avail,  excepting  so  far  as  they  take  root  in  this  the 
 foundation  of  the  faith,  of  Christ  the  Son  of  God.  These 
 things  are  indeed  full  of  power  and  grace  because  they 
 are  connected  with  that  belief ;  but  it  is  that  belief  which 
 gives  them  this  grace  and  power.  For  as  "with  God 
 nothing  shall  be  impossible ;"  so  it  is  given  to  faith  to 
 partake  of  this  power  of  God :  and  it  is  said,  "  all  things 
 are  possible  to  him  that  believeth." 
 
 "  Adam,  hide  thyself  no  longer,  for  God  is  with  us."  ^ 
 Son  of  Adam,  fear  not,  only  believe,  for  God  is  with  us. 
 "  Ask  thee  a  sign,  either  in  the  depth,  or  in  the  height 
 above."  A  sign  is  given  thee  beyond  all  height,  and 
 which  transcends  all  depth ;  it  brings  up  from  the  lowest 
 
 «  S.  Bern.  Sertn.  ii.  in  Cantic.  '  S.  Bernard. 
 
FAITH  IN   THE   INCARNATION,  361 
 
 depth,  and  ascends  into  the  Heaven  of  Heavens  ]  where 
 the  Son  of  David  descends,  and  where  the  Son  of  David 
 is  gone  up  on  high.  "It  is  as  high  as  Heaven,  what 
 canst  thou  do  %  deeper  than  Hell,  what  canst  thou  know  ?" 
 If  I  climb  up  into  Heaven,  Thou  art  there,  the  Son  of 
 Man  exalted  above  the  Angels  of  God;  if  I  go  down  to 
 Hell,  Thou  art  there  also,  the  Son  of  God  made  subject 
 unto  death  in  wondrous  humility;  God  and  Man  united 
 in  the  height  aboA^e,  and  in  the  depth  below. 
 
 She  shall  call  His  ^Name  Immanuel,  or  "  God  with  us." 
 As  St.  John  testifies,  "  The  Word  was  made  flesh  and 
 dwelt  among  us,  and  we  beheld  His  glory ;"  among  us, 
 as  God  manifested  in  the  flesh,  and  "  going  in  and  out 
 among  us ;"  "  God  with  us  "  as  our  Defender,  greater  than 
 he  that  is  against  us ;  "  God  with  us,"  not  only  as  par- 
 taking of  our  nature,  and  made  one  with  us,  but  giving  us' 
 to  partake  of  His  nature  :  "  God  with  us,"  as  conferring  on' 
 us  a  new  birth  in  Himself,  and  making  us  to  be  sons  of 
 God;  He  hath  dwelt  among  us,  nay  even,  He  hath 
 "tabernacled  within  us:"^  "God  with  us,"  as  coming 
 down  to  us  in  the  unspeakable  Gift,  the  Holy  Ghost; 
 with  us  as  indwelling,  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  coming  to  make  their  abode  with  us  in  a  mani- 
 festation unknown  to  the  world ;  with  us,  as  incorporating 
 us  with  Himself  as  parts  of  His  Body ;  "  God  with  us," 
 as  taking  us  to  be  with  Him  in  death,  for  to  die  is  "to  be 
 with  Christ,"  and  to  be  with  Christ  is  to  be  with  God ; 
 and  more  especially,  and  above  all  at  the  last  Day,  of 
 which  it  is  said,  then  shall  "  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord." 
 "  Behold,  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  He  will 
 dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be  His  people,  and  God 
 Himself  shall  be  with  them,  and  be  their  God  " 
 
 ^   i(TKi]vw<Tev  iv  rjfuv. 
 
362      ANNUNCIATION  OF  THE  BLESSED  VIRGIN  MARY. 
 
 But  as  in  the  Blessed  Virgin,  the  germ  and  origin,  the 
 Mother  of  Him  Who  is  our  God,  and  from  whence  we  are 
 in  Him,  as  in  her  all  was  of  faith ;  so  "if  ye  will  not 
 believe,  surely  ye  shall  not  be  established."  "  Blessed  is 
 the  womb  that  bare  Thee ! "  said  one  to  our  Lord  Him- 
 self ;  but  He  said,  "  Yea,  rather  blessed  are  they  that  hear 
 the  Word  of  God,  and  keep  it."  Blessed  indeed  to  have 
 conceived  Christ  in  the  womb,  and  to  have  given  birth 
 to  the  Saviour  of  the  world ;  more  blessed  is  it  to  have 
 conceived  Christ  in  the  heart  by  faith,  that  He  may  there 
 indwell  and  abide  for  ever  ! 
 
SERMON   LXXIX. 
 
 Ephes.  iv.  7—16.     St.  John  xv.  i— ii. 
 VALUE   OF  AN  INSPIRED    GOSPEL. 
 
 And  He  gave  some  Apostles ;  and  some  Prophets ;  and  some  Evan- 
 gelists ;  and  sortie  Pastors  and  Teachers  ; 
 
 For  the  perfecting  of  the  saints ,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry^  for  the 
 edifying  of  the  body  of  CYiKiST.—'E-pu.^S.  iv.  ii,  12. 
 
 rpHE  Gospels  for  the  Sundays  during  this  season  of  the 
 J-  year,  that  is,  from  Easter  to  Trinity  Sunday,  are  taken 
 for  the  most  part  from  our  Lord's  parting  discourse  with 
 His  disciples  at  the  last  Supper,  as  recorded  in  St.  John's 
 Gospel ;  and  perhaps  it  may  be  for  this  reason,  that  the 
 appointed  Gospels  for  this  and  our  next  Saint's  day  are 
 from  the  same  source.  Tor  there  is  often  found  this 
 agreement  between  the  Saints'  days  and  the  greater  Fes- 
 tivals, with  which  they  are  connected.  And  again  ;  the 
 Epistle  for  to-day  has  also  the  like  harmony  with  the 
 sacred  season  on  which  this  day  usually  falls.  Eor  it 
 speaks  of  the  gifts  which  our  Lord  left  below  for  the 
 instruction  of  His  Church  after  He  ascended  to  Heaven. 
 And  the   concluding  words  of  the  Epistle,  as  the  Text 
 
364  SAINT  mark's  day. 
 
 itself  shortly  expresses,  speak  of  the  purpose  of  those 
 gifts  being  to  build  us  up,  to  form  and  mould  us  into  the 
 Body  of  Christ,  which  is  the  Head  over  all ;  and  thus 
 they  set  forth  under  another  figure  the  very  subject  of  the 
 Gospel  for  to-day,  which  is  of  Christ  the  Living  Vine, 
 and  of  the  branches  which  by  love  abide  in  Him.  iN'ow 
 St.  Mark,  whether  or  no  he  might  have  been  the  com- 
 panion of  Apostles,  and  whether  he  might  have  been  him- 
 self one  of  those  here  called  Pastors  and  Teachers,  or  not  \ 
 for  both  of  these  circumstances  are  recorded  of  him  in  the ' 
 early  Church ;  yet  to  us  he  is  only  known  as  an  Evan- 
 gehst,  from  the  Gospel  which  bears  his  name.  And  there- 
 fore the  Epistle  and  Gospel  for  to-day,  as  combined 
 together,  may  be  considered  as  bringing  before  us  a  lesson 
 of  the  very  deepest  interest,  namely,  how  far  a  written 
 Gospel,  as  that  of  St.  Mark,  may  be  the  means  of  uniting 
 us  unto  Christ,  and  building  us  up  in  Him.  For  of  all 
 those  miraculous  gifts  which  were  poured  upon  the  early 
 Church,  and  of  which  the  Epistle  speaks,  none  has  been 
 so  important  to  us,  none  comes  down  to  us,  and  continues 
 with  us,  in  the  same  way  as  the  work  of  an  inspired 
 Evangelist.  Add  to  which,  that  when  our  Lord  speaks 
 to  us  in  this  day's  discourse  of  His  words  abiding  in  us, 
 we  must  remember  it  is  only  by  a  written  Gospel  that 
 those  His  words  reach  us. 
 
 Unto  evert)  one  of  us,  says  St.  Paul  to  the  Ephe- 
 sians,  is  given  grace  according  to  the  7neasure  of  the 
 gift  of  Christ,  each  has  his  own  appropriate  gift,  his 
 talents  lent  him,  his  own  assigned  office  as  a  member  of 
 Christ's  Body.  Wherefore  He  saith,  in  the  Psalm  of 
 David,  Wheri  He  ascended  up  on  high,  He  led  captivity 
 captive,  and  gave  gifts  unto  men.  Now  that  He  ascended, 
 what  is  it  hut  that  He  also  descended  first  into  the  lower 
 
VALUE    OF  AN  INSPIRED    GOSPEL.  363 
 
 parts  of  the  earth  1  For  the  expression  of  ascending, 
 when  spoken  of  God,  implies  that  He  had  previously 
 come  down,  and  had  "  become  obedient  imto  death."  He 
 that  descended  is  the  same  also  that  ascended  iqj  far  above 
 all  heavens,  that  He  might  Jill  all  things.  It  is  this  same 
 Christ,  the  Son  of  Man  Who  died  and  was  buried,  that 
 sent  down  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  endowed  persons  with  His 
 various  gifts  for  the  establishing  of  His  Church  in  the 
 world.  A7kI  He  gave,  appointed  by  these  His  gifts, 
 some  Apostles,  and  some  Prophets,  and  some  Evangelists^ 
 that  is,  either  preachers  or  writers  of  His  Gospel  -^  and 
 some  Pastoi's  and  Teachers;  shepherds  with  assigned 
 flocks  in  the  different  orders  of  local  ministration.  But 
 none  of  these  offices  thus  variously  endowed  were  for 
 themselves,  but  all  severally  working  together  for  the  one 
 great  end.  For  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  icorh 
 of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  hody  of  Christ.  Not 
 as  if  the  Christian  faith  were  to  be  once  planted  and  left, 
 but  all  is  in  progressive  building  up  unto  perfection.  Till 
 we  all  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  hnoioledge 
 of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of 
 the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ.  The  one  faith  "  once 
 delivered,"  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  ever  growing  and 
 advancing,  these  lead  to  the  fulness  of  life.  And  this,  in 
 distinction  from  those  seeming  wise, who  are  "  ever  learning, 
 and  never  coming  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth."  That  we 
 henceforth  he  no  more  childi^en,  ever  changing  their  objects 
 and  pursuits  in  the  levity  natural  to  their  age,  tossed  to 
 and  fro,  and  carried  about  with  every  ivind  of  doctrine, 
 by  the  sleight  of  men,  and  cunning  craftiness  whereby 
 they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive.     For  error  is  manifold,  but 
 
 '  St.  Clirys.  ad  loc. 
 
366  SAINT  mark's  day. 
 
 truth  is  one.  And  as  speaking  to  the  Corinthians  on  this 
 suhject  of  the  diversities  of  spiritual  gifts,  St.  Paul  con- 
 cludes by  saying,  "Yet  show  I  you  a  more  excellent 
 way,  which  way  is  charity;"  so  now,  after  speaking  of 
 these  supernatural  endowments  of  tlie  Church,  he  comes 
 to  their  one  final  purpose,  which  is  that  of  building  up  in 
 Christ  through  faith  and  love.  But  spedldng  tJie  truth  in 
 love,  may  grow  up  into  Him  in  all  things,  Which  is  the 
 Head,  even  Christ:  from  Whom  the  whole  hody  fitly 
 joined  together,  and  compacted  hy  that  which  every  joint 
 supplieth,  according  to  the  effectual  working  in  the  measure 
 of  every  part,  malceth  increase  of  the  hody,  unto  the 
 edifying  of  itself  in  love.  As  the  Head  supplies  the  mem- 
 bers with  nerves  and  senses,  and  the  principle  of  life, 
 according  as  is  suited  to  each ;  while  all  the  members 
 thence  deriving  their  power  mutually  aid  and  support 
 one  another,  and  tend  together  to  the  well-being  and 
 increase  of  the  body ;  so  is  it  with  Christ  and  His  Church. 
 The  same  thing  likewise  is  taught  by  the  Gospel  which 
 ensues,  in  wonderful  harmony  but  under  anothei  simili- 
 tude ;  for  the  Epistle  speaks  of  Christ  as  the  Body,  and  of 
 us  as  members  of  the  same  in  Him ;  the  Gospel,  of  Christ 
 as  the  true  Vine,  and  of  faithful  Christians  as  the  branches 
 in  that  Vine.  But  perhaps  they  differ  in  this, — that 
 while  the  Epistle  speaks  more  of  the  Church  at  large,  the 
 affecting  appeal  in  the  Gospel  is  of  more  close  individual 
 application,  and,  as  it  were,  home  interest  to  each  ;  and 
 also  of  peculiar  impressiveness,  as  addressed  by  our 
 Blessed  Saviour  to  us  all  on  the  last  night  of  His  being 
 with  us.  The  Epistle  spoke  of  His  ascending  to  Heaven, 
 and  leaving  gifts  below  "  for  the  perfecting  of  His  saints," 
 as  living  stones  fitted  without  sound  or  noise  in  their 
 appropriate  places  in  Himself  the  living  Temple  ;  in  like 
 
VALUE   OF  AN  INSPIRED    GOSPEL.  367 
 
 manner  the  Gospel  is  of  His  going  to  tlie  Father,  and  yet 
 here  below  by  His  own  indwelling,  keeping  each  in 
 Himself. 
 
 /  mn  the  true  Vine,  and  My  Father  is  the  Husbandman. 
 The  Father  as  God  over  all ;  Christ  as  God  and  man, 
 made  One  with  us ;  the  Mediator  between  God  and  Man. 
 Every  Inaneh  in  Me  that  heareth  not  fruit  He  taTceth 
 away  ;  and  every  branch  that  heareth  fruit,  He  purgeth  it, 
 that  it  may  bring  forth  more  fruit.  The  sufferings  of  the 
 elect  are  in  Christ,  even  as  they  are  in  Him ;  and  the 
 Father  that  chastened  His  own  Son  for  us  all,  chastens  us 
 if  we  would  be  in  Him  and  like  Him,  in  order  that  we 
 may  bring  forth  more-  fruit,  and  partake  more  of  the 
 living  "Vine  ;  but  from  them  who  bear  no  fruit.  He  taketh 
 away  His  Spirit,  and  they  cease  to  be  parts  of  the  Tree  of 
 Life. 
 
 Now  ye  are  dean  through  the  ivord  which  I  have 
 spoken  unto  you.  In  the  previous  verse  it  was  the  Father 
 that  purgeth  the  Yine ;  but  here  again  it  is  the  Son  Him- 
 self that  purgeth  His  own  Vine  ;  and  as  they  that  bear 
 fruit  are  by  the  Father  rendered  more  fruitful,  so  they 
 that  are  clean  are  by  Him  more  and  more  cleansed  through 
 His  Word.  Ey  His  saving  Word  at  Eaptism,  as  St. 
 Paul  says  to  the  Ephesians,  "  that  He  may  cleanse  His 
 Church  with  the  washing  of  water  by  the  Word ;"  ^  by 
 His  Word  in  the  Scriptures ;  He  Himself,  the  Living 
 Word,  by  Himself  and  by  His  Spirit,  in  all  works  of 
 repentance  cleanseth  us.  Abide  in  Me,  and  I  in  you.  As 
 the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the 
 Vine  ;  no  more  can  ye,  excerpt  ye  abide  in  Me.  "  Eut  not 
 in  like  manner,"  says  St.  Augustin,  "  are  they  in  Him,  as 
 
 -  Eph.  V.  26. 
 
368  SAINT  MARK'S  DAY. 
 
 He  in  tliem.  For  the  branches  are  in  the  Vine,  not  as 
 conferring,  but  as  deriving  thence  their  life  ;  but  the  Vine 
 is  in  the  branches  not  that  it  may  receive,  but  that  it  may- 
 minister  vital  nourishment  unto  them."  ^  First  of  all  He 
 spoke  of  the  branches  as  already  in  the  Vine,  and  of  the 
 Father  and  of  Himself  as  making  fruitful  and  cleansing ; 
 and  then  of  man  as  co-operating  with  God,  saying,  "  Abide 
 in  Me."  /  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  branches:  he  that 
 ahideth  in  Me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same  hringeth  forth  much 
 fruit ;  for  without  Me  ye  can  do  notidng.  I^othing  with- 
 out Thee,  0  blessed  Saviour !  but  all  things  are  we  able 
 to  do  with  and  by  Thee.  They  abide  in  Him  ;  and  then 
 He  bringeth  forth  fruit  in  them  ;  for  it  is  not  the  branch 
 that  bears  fruit  of  itself,  but  it  is  the  tree  that  bears  fruit 
 in  the  branch, — He  bears  in  them  fruit  like  Himself,  a 
 life  like  His  life,  His  works  of  mercy,  and  lowliness,  and 
 constant  prayer ;  and  their  words  are  His  words  ;  for  if 
 He  abideth  abundantly  in  the  heart  from  that  abundance 
 the  mouth  speaketh  ;  and  their  prayers  are  His  prayers  ; 
 for  it  is  His  Spirit  prayeth  in  them,  and  heareth  their 
 prayers,  and  He  knoweth  that  their  prayers  are  heard. 
 Therefore,  all  is  of  faith — of  "faith  which  worketh  by 
 love ;"  and  all  is  in  humility,  which  is  a  perpetual  prayer 
 for  His  aid.  It  is  ours  to  hunger  and  thirst,  but  it  is  His 
 to  fill  with  righteousness. 
 
 If  a  man  abide  not  in  Me,  he  is  cast  forth  as  a  branch, 
 and  is  withered;  and  men  gather  them,  and  cast  them 
 into  the  fire,  and  they  are  burned.  "  The  branch  must 
 be  in  the  Vine,"  says  St.  Augustine,  "  or  in  the  fire."  It 
 is  the  peculiarity  of  the  vine-branch,  as  the  Prophet 
 says,  that  "  it  is  meet  for  no  work ;"  if  it  bears  not  fruit 
 
 3  In  Joan.  Tr.  Ixxxi. 
 
VALUE   OF  AN  INSPIRED   GOSPEL.  369 
 
 it  is  good  for  no  other  use,  but  is  burned.'*  0  how  awful 
 a  type  of  the  human  soul,  which,  if  it  lives  not  to  God, 
 can  live  no  other  life,  but  is  lost !  If  ye  abide  in  Me, 
 and  My  words  abide  in  you,  ye  shall  ask  what  ye  loill,  and 
 it  shall  he  done  unto  you.  They  are  one  with  Christ,  and 
 being  one  with  Christ,  they  are  one  with  God;  and  by 
 prayer  they  derive  all  that  they  can  ask  or  think.  Herein 
 is  My  Father  glorified,  that  ye  bear  much  fruit ;  so  shall 
 ye  be  My  disciples.  As  the  husbandman  glories  in  the 
 fruitful  vine;  as  the  vine  itself  seems  to  glory  and  delight 
 in,  and  to  own  for  itself  its  fruitful  branches,  so  in  those 
 that  are  made  conformable  unto  Christ  is  the  Father  well 
 pleased,  and  the  Son  in  them  rejoices.  And  oh !  how 
 great  and  mysterious  is  this  union  with  Christ,  that  as 
 He  by  His  works  in  the  flesh  glorified  the  Father,  so  shall 
 they  also  !  As  the  Father  hath  loved  Me,  so  have  I  loved 
 you :  continue  ye  in  My  love.  He  first  loved  us,  that  we 
 in  return  may  love  Him ;  and  as  He  is  One  with  the 
 Father,  so  would  He  have  us  to  be  one  with  Him. 
 Infinite  and  beyond  man's  comprehension  as  is  that  love 
 which  is  between  the  Father  and  the  Son,  even  that  bond 
 Which  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  Who  is  love  itself ;  even  so  in 
 like  manner,  great  beyond  all  thought,  and  infinitely 
 higher  than  all  the  understanding  of  man,  is  that  love 
 wherewith  Christ  hath  loved  us.  If  ye  heejp  My  com- 
 mandments, ye  shall  abide  in  My  love  ;  even  as  I  have 
 kept  My  Father's  commandments,  and  abide  in  His  love. 
 His  love  is  the  law  within  the  soul ;  and  if  that  law  is 
 obeyed,  then  that  love  is  not  impaired  or  broken.  Tliese 
 things  have  I  spoken  unto  you,  that  My  joy  might  remain 
 in  you,  and  that  your  joy  might  be  full.  His  joy  is  in 
 choosing  us  for  His  own ;  and  we  partake  in  that  His  joy 
 4  Ezck.  XV.  1—5. 
 
 VOL.  IT.  B   b 
 
370  SAINT  mark's  day. 
 
 wlien  we  accept  this  His  choice,  and  rejoice  in  Him  as  He 
 in  us.  But  that  joy  is  not  full,  till  love  is  full  and  per- 
 fect ;  and  that  love  is  not  full,  till  obedience  is  perfect 
 also.  That  joy  is  the  first-fruit  of  the  Spirit  shed  abroad 
 in  the  heart,  when  it  rejoices  in  the  commandments  of 
 God,  which  are  sweeter  than  honey  and  the  honeycomb. 
 That  joy  in  the  heart  is  as  a  drop  from  those  rivers  of 
 pleasure  which  are  at  God's  right  hand  for  evermore,  as 
 a  ray  from  the  everlasting  light  of  His  countenance ; 
 where  there  is  perfect  love  without  fear,  and  perfect 
 obedience  without  hindrance  or  pain. 
 
 And  now  to  apply  the  whole  of  this  to  St.  Mark's  day. 
 "Ye  are  clean,"  says  our  Blessed  Saviour  to  His  disciples, 
 "  through  the  word  which  I  have  spoken  unto  you." 
 And  afterwards,  "  H  My  words  abide  in  you,  ye  shall 
 ask  what  ye  will,  and  it  shall  be  done  unto  you."  And 
 again,  "  These  words  have  I  spoken  unto  you,  that  My 
 joy  might  remain  in  you,  and  that  your  joy  might  be 
 full."  1^0 w  from  all  such  expressions  it  is  evident  that 
 the  words  which  our  Lord  spake  are,  like  Himself,  to 
 abide  in  us,  in  order  that  we  may  partake  of  all  that 
 great  blessedness  which  He  here  describes ;  and  where 
 have  we  these  His  words,  and  Himself  as  in  these  His 
 words,  except  in  the  written  Gospels  %  And  St.  Mark's 
 Gospel  itself  is  peculiar  in  this  :  that  it  sets  before  us  in 
 the  most  living  manner,  by  numerous  details  and  inci- 
 dents, the  very  Image  and  Person  of  our  Blessed  Lord. 
 We  behold  Him  therein  as  in  a  Divine  mirror.  We 
 behold,  as  it  were.  His  very  countenance  in  approval  or 
 rejection,  in  joy  and  sorrow.  Its  characteristic  may  be 
 said  to  be  "  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
 glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ."^     How  great 
 
 5  2  Cor.  iv.  6. 
 
VALUE    OF  AN  INSPIRED    GOSPEL.  371 
 
 a  gift  then  is  tliis  among  those  of  which  the  Epistle 
 speaks,  which  our  Lord  after  His  ascension  has  bequeathed 
 to  His  Church,  this  work  of  an  inspired  Evangelist ! 
 How  powerful  a  means  of  bringing  us  "  unto  the  measure 
 of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ ;"  of  so  conforming 
 us  to  Him  as  that  we  may  obtain  all  those  riches  in  Him, 
 which  the  Gospel  describes  !  H  they  who  knew  nothing 
 but  the  Old  Testament  could  say  with  the  Psalmist,  "  All 
 the  day  long  is  my  study  in  it ;"  if  it  is  said  by  Joshua, 
 "  This  book  shall  not  depart  out  of  thy  mouth,  but  thou 
 shalt  meditate  therein  day  and  night :"®  or  in  the  figura- 
 tive language  of  the  Law,  "  These  words  shall  be  in  thine 
 heart,"  and  "  thou  shalt  bind  them  for  a  sign  upon  thine 
 hand,  and  they  shall  be  as  frontlets  between  tliine  eyes ; 
 and  thou  shalt  write  them  upon  the  posts  of  thy  house  :" '' 
 how  much  more  must  all  this  be  the  case  with  a  Gospel 
 which  contains  the  very  history  of  Christ  in  the  flesh ; 
 His  very  demeanour  and  bearing ;  His  sayings  and  doings 
 on  all  the  occasions  of  daily  life  !  We  are  so  familiar 
 with  this  great  and  inestimable  privilege,  that  we  consider 
 not  its  value,  nor  what  a  loss  it  would  be  to  the  inner  life 
 to  have  been  without  it.  How  can  we  read  over  it,  and 
 pray  over  it,  and  meditate  upon  it,  and  make  it  our  own 
 too  much  ]  What  a  refuge  is  there  within  it  from  the 
 conversation  of  the  world  !  for  here  our  conversation  is  in 
 Heaven  and  with  God.  Here  is  "  the  mind  of  Christ," 
 and  we  by  devoutly  dwelling  on  it  may  make  His  mind 
 to  be  our  mind.  It  is  true  that  there  are  other  means  of 
 grace  whereby  we  are  to  Christ  united, — by  Sacraments, 
 and  prayers,  and  His  Spirit  in  the  heart,  whereby  "be- 
 holding as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the  Lord  we  are  changed 
 
 «  Josh.  i.  8.  7  Deut.  vi.  8,  9. 
 
 B  b  2 
 
372  SAINT  mark's  day. 
 
 into  the  same  image ;"  but  over  and  above  all  these  is  an 
 inspired  Gospel,  and  that  too  subsidiary  to  all  the  rest ; 
 His  Sacraments   and  prayers,  and  His  Holy  Spirit  are 
 never  more  powerful  with  us  than  when  quickened  by 
 reading  and  thinking  over  the  words  of  His  Gospel.     Its 
 power  in  building  up  "in  the  unity  of  the  faith  and 
 knowledge  of  the   Son  of  God"  is  great  indeed;  when 
 day  after  day,  without  omission,  "  precept  upon  precept," 
 and  "  line  upon  line,"  we  make  it  our  rule  to  meditate  on 
 the  Gospel,  and  throughout  the  day  to  make  it  our  own 
 by  obedience.     When   does  it  not   kindle  prayer— and 
 compose  the  thoughts — and  afford  the  rule  and  measure 
 of  duty  ?     What  a  shield  against  every  temptation  of  the 
 enemy  is  there  in  those  words,  "  It  is  written  ! "     What 
 a  tower  of  strength  against  the  new  philosophies  of  the 
 world,  and  doctrines  of  religion  spun  from  the  imagina 
 tions  of  men  !     This  is  the  wisdom  revealed  of  the  Father. 
 But  His  Spirit  Which  gave  must  be  with  us  to  understand 
 His  own  words.     It  is  a  sealed  Eook  which  the  Lamb 
 must  open.     It  is  not  by  reading,  but  by  praying  thereon 
 that  it  gives  out  its  sweetness.     It  is  "  a  garden  inclosed," 
 on  which  the  winds  of  Heaven  must  come,  in  order  "  that 
 the  spices  thereof  may  flow  out."     It  is  "  a  well  of  liviug 
 waters,"*  unfathomable  indeed,  and  too  deep  for  man  of 
 himself  to  draw  therefrom ;  but  from  whence  a  mist  goes 
 up  to  water  the  whole  face  of  the   ground.     The   tree 
 planted   thereby    "  will    bring   forth   His   fruit   in   due 
 season;  his  leaf  also  shall  not  wither." 
 
 8  Song  of  Sol.  iv.  15, 16. 
 
SERMON    LXXX. 
 ^aint  W)iiip  antr  ^aint  S^amcig^s;  Bag, 
 
 St,  James  i.  i — 12.     St.  John  xiv.  i  — 14. 
 
 THE  SEVERE   AND   SOCIAL    VIRTUES. 
 
 Every  tfian  hath  his  proper  gift  of  God,  one  after  this  manner,  and 
 another  after  that,  —  i  COR.  vii.  7- 
 
 IT  does  not  at  all  appear  whj^  St.  Philip  and  St.  James 
 have  been  combined  by  the  Church  on  this  Festival ; 
 for  they  are  not  at  all  alike  in  character,  nor  in  their 
 history;  nor  are  they  placed  together  in  the  Gospels, 
 when  the  Apostles  are  mentioned  by  two  and  two.  And 
 we  may  observe  that  in  the  service  for  this  Festival  they 
 are  not  altogether  united,  but  spoken  of  separately;  the 
 Epistle  having  reference  exclusively  to  St.  James, — it 
 being  from  his  own  Epistle, — and  the  Gospel  to  St. 
 Philip. 
 
 James,  a  servant  of  God  and  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
 to  the  tiuelve  tribes  which  are  scattered  abroad,  greeting. 
 There  was  something  peculiarly  suitable  in  St.  James 
 addressing  his  Epistle  to  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel,  as  he 
 himself  was  the  Bishop  of  Jerusalem.  It  was  a  position 
 too  of  great  authority  and  weight  in  the  Church ;  for  as 
 
374         SAINT  PHILIP   AND    SAINT    yAMEs's   DAV. 
 
 such  we  find  he  was  president  of  the  general  council 
 held  there  by  the  Apostles.^  St.  Paul,  in  speaking  of  his 
 going  np  to  Jerusalem  to  see  St.  Peter,  says,  "  Other  of 
 the  Apostles  saw  I  none,  save  James,  the  Lord's  brother ;" 
 and  on  the  same  occasion  he  puts  him  first  of  all,  saying, 
 "James,  Cephas,  and  John,  who  seemed  to  be  pillars."^ 
 He  also  mentions  that  our  Lord  after  His  Eesurrection 
 "was  seen  of  James,  then  of  all  the  Apostles,"^  as  if  his 
 Lord's  thus  appearing  to  him  might  have  had  reference  to 
 this  his  office.  And  St.  Peter,  on  being  released  from 
 prison  by  the  angel,  says,  "  Go  show  these  things  unto 
 James  and  to  the  brethren."*  There  was  none  therefore 
 so  suited  to  speak  with  authority  to  the  tribes  of  Israel  as 
 he  who  was  thus  first  in  the  Holy  City  itself. 
 
 Aly  brethren,  he  says,  count  it  all  joy  when  ye  fall  into 
 divers  temptations;  Jcnoicing  this,  that  the  trying  of  your 
 faith  worJceth  patience.  But  let  patience  have  her  perfect 
 ivorTc,  that  ye  may  he  perfect  and  entire,  wanting  nothing. 
 K^one  were  so  severely  tried  as  the  first  Jewish  converts  : 
 driven  from  Jerusalem ;  ill-treated  among  the  Heathen  as 
 being  Jews;  and  persecuted  by  the  Jews  themselves  as 
 being  Christians.  St.  James  therefore  at  once  holds  up 
 to  them  the  Cross  of  Christ.  The  object  is  the  same  as 
 that  of  St.  Paul's  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  writing  to  them 
 as  to  those  who  "  after  they  were  illuminated  had  to 
 endure  a  great  fight  of  afflictions,"  setting  before  them 
 the  example  of  suff'ering  saints,  and  bidding  them  "  look 
 unto  Jesus,  the  Author  and  Finisher  of  their  faith,  Who 
 for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  Him  endured  the  Cross ;" 
 and  reminding  them  that  "the  Lord  loveth  whom  He 
 
 1  Acts  XY.  13.  2  Gal.  i.  19;  xi.  9. 
 
 3  1  Cor.  XV.  7.  *»  Acts  xii.  17. 
 
THE   SEVERE   AND    SOCIAL    VIRTUES.  375 
 
 chasteneth."  But  it  is  of  great  interest  to  observe  some- 
 thing of  a  resemblance  between  this  Epistle  of  St.  James 
 and  that  of  St.  Peter ;  it  is  to  St.  Peter,  and  the  language 
 of  his  Epistle,  that  St.  James,  as  well  as  St.  Jude,  seems 
 to  look,  as  having  his  thoughts  associated  in  affectionate 
 meekness  and  humility  with  the  chief  of  Apostles,  so 
 honoured  by  his  Lord. 
 
 If  any  of  you  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask  of  God,  that 
 giveth  to  all  men  liberally,  and  wphraideth  not,  and  it 
 shall  le  given  him.  Wisdom  is  to  know  God  and  the 
 true  end  of  man ;  and  this  is  to  be  found  in  Christ,  "  in 
 Whom  are  hid  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  know- 
 ledge;" Who  being  the  Wisdom  of  the  Father  was  also 
 perfect  patience.  St.  Peter  speaks  of  this  trial  of  their 
 faith  "  in  manifold  temptations "  as  more  precious  than 
 that  of  gold  that  perisheth ;  and  here  wisdom  is  spoken 
 of  as  seeing  and  knowing  aright  the  end  of  those  trials, 
 and  bringing  forth  from  them  that  "  meek  spirit  which  is 
 in  the  sight  of  God  of  great  price."  "God  giveth,"  says 
 the  Preacher,  "  to  a  man  that  is  good  in  His  sight 
 wisdom,  and  knowledge,  and  joy."^  And  David  speaks 
 of  it  as  the  fruit  of  deep  penitence  :  "  Thou  shalt  make 
 me  to  understand  wisdom  secretly ;"  "  Thou  shalt  make 
 me  hear  of  joy  and  gladness."  And  Solomon,  "  Happy 
 is  the  man  that  findeth  wisdom,  the  gain  thereof  is  better 
 than  that  of  fine  gold."'  "Let  him  ask  of  God,"  the 
 fountain  of  all  wisdom;  Who,  as  a  heavenly  Father  and 
 with  infinitely  higher  love  than  is  understood  by  evil  and 
 sinful  man,  giveth  "  His  Holy  Spiiit  to  them  that  ask 
 Him."^  He  giveth  not  as  man  giveth;  for  "  He  giveth, 
 and  upbraideth  not :"  to  ask  and  importune  of  man  is 
 
 6  Eccles.  ii.  26.  6  Prov.  iii,  13.  7  Luke  xi.  13. 
 
376         SAINT  PHILIP   AND   SAINT   JAMES's   DAY. 
 
 ungracious,  and  occasions  reproof;  "but  to  ask  and  impor- 
 tune of  God  is  to  bring  down  His  more  abundant  accept- 
 ance and  blessing.  But  let  liim  ask  in  faith,  nothing 
 wavering  ;  for  he  that  wavereth  is  like  a  wave  of  the  sea 
 driven  with  the  wind  and  tossed.  For  let  not  that  man 
 think  that  he  shall  receive  anything  of  the  Lord.  A 
 douhle-minded  man  is  unstable  in  all  his  ways.  But  let 
 him  tbat  asketh  for  wisdom  remember  how  our  Lord 
 required  faith  before  He  granted  any  request ;  it  was  like 
 His  proverbial  saying,  "  If  thou  believest,"  and  "  accord- 
 ing to  your  faith  be  it  unto  you."  He  impressed  it  on 
 His  disciples  as  essential  for  effectual  prayer,  saying, 
 "  What  things  soever  ye  desire,  when  ye  pray,  believe 
 that  ye  receive  them,  and  ye  shall  have  them;"°  "  If  ye 
 have  faith  and  doubt  not,"  "all  things  whatsoever  ye 
 shall  ask  in  prayer  believing,  ye  shall  receive."^  And  to 
 St.  Peter,  when  sinking  on  the  waters,  "  0  thou  of  little 
 faith,  wherefore  didst  thou  doubt  1 "  ^ 
 
 And  now,  as  he  had  spoken  of  their  "joy  in  tempta- 
 tions," and  as  these  trials  consisted  in  great  measure  in 
 their  poverty  as  Christians  and  loss  of  goods,  he  shows  in 
 what  manner  these  things  may  be  a  subject  of  joy.  Let 
 the  brother  of  low  degree  rejoice  in  that  he  is  exalted  ;  the 
 poor  man  may  have  joy  in  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel, 
 which  has  so  highly  exalted  him  and  given  him  the 
 Kingdom  of  Heaven.  And  he  that  had  much  to  lose  may 
 have  joy  in  reflecting  how  perishable  were  those  his  riches 
 which  he  has  lost, — those  riches  which  are  compared, 
 according  to  the  frequent  figure  in  Scripture,  to  the 
 fading  flower.  But  let  the  rich  7^ejoice  in  that  he  is  made 
 low  ;  because  as  the  flower  of  the  grass  he  shall  pass  away. 
 
 »  Mark  xi.  24.  »  Matt.  xxi.  21,  22.  i  Matt.  xir.  31. 
 
THE   SEVERE   AND   SOCIAL    VIRTUES.  6il 
 
 For  the  sun  is  no  sooner  risen  with  a  burning  heat,  but  it 
 withereth  the  grass,  and  the  flower  thereof  falleth,  and  the 
 grace  of  the  fashion  of  it  perisheth :  so  also  shall  the  rich 
 man  fade  away  in  his  ways.  And  thus  understood  it  is 
 much  to  the  same  effect  as  St.  Paul  also  speaks  to  the 
 Hebrews,  "  Ye  took  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  your  goods, 
 knowing  in  yourselves  that  ye  have  in  Heaven  a  better 
 and  an  enduring  substance.  Cast  not  away  therefore 
 your  confidence,  which  hath  great  recompence  of  reward. 
 For  ye  have  need  of  patience."-  Or  the  passage  ol 
 St.  James  may  be  understood  without  any  such  reference 
 to  supposed  loss  or  privation,  that  the  rich  man  on 
 becoming  a  Christian,  under  a  sense  of  the  short-lived 
 nature  of  earthly  riches,  may  find  joy  in  considering  how 
 the  Gospel  hath  already  weaned  his  heart  from  them,  and 
 set  them  at  nought.  A  rich  man  may  find  much  more 
 substantial  joy  in  the  humility  of  the  Gospel  than  he 
 ever  could  have  done  in  his  frail  wealth.  But  all  the 
 Epistle  for  this  day  is  summed  up  in  this  short  saying : 
 Blessed  is  the  man  that  endureth  temptation ;  for  lohen  he 
 is  tried  he  shall  receive  the  crown  of  life,  which  the  Lord 
 hath  promised  to  them  that  love  Him.  The  words  are 
 much  like  our  Lord's  own  promise  to  the  Church  in 
 Smyrna,  "  Fear  none  of  those  things  which  thou  shalt 
 suffer — be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee 
 a  crown  of  life."^ 
 
 And  now  from  this  sweet  and  beautiful  Epistle  we  pass 
 to  a  Gospel  of  no  less  interest.  It  may  be  seen  that  both 
 as  taken  together  correspond  and  connect  themselves 
 with  those  of  the  fourth  and  fifth  Sundays  after  Easter, 
 
 2  Heb,  X.  34.  36,  »  Eev.  ii.  10. 
 
378  SAINT  PHILIP   AND    SAINT    yAMES's   DAY. 
 
 that  season  of  the  sacred  year  on  which  this  Festival 
 usually  falls;  for  on  all  these  three  days  alike  they  are 
 taken  from  St.  James's  Epistle,  and  from  this  discourse  in 
 St.  John.  But  here  the  Epistle  and  Gospel  has  also  its 
 appropriate  meaning  as  applied  to  these  two  Apostles 
 themselves;  and  perhaps  we  may  here  notice  the  relation 
 which  they  respectively  bear  to  the  characters  of  them 
 both.  St.  James,  surnamed  the  Just,  was  remarkable  for 
 the  severities  of  a  mortified  life,  and  a  meek  and  austere 
 sanctity;  so  that  the  violent  death  to  which  he  was  put 
 by  the  Jews  was  looked  upon  even  by  their  own  country- 
 men as  bringing  down  the  Divine  judgment  on  their 
 nation.  His  Epistle  is  best  understood  when  we  bear 
 this  in  mind.  Hence  its  memorable  precepts  of  the 
 blessedness  of  patience,  of  wisdom  sought  from  above, 
 of  faith  and  prayer;  hence  its  sententious,  short  proverbs 
 of  heavenly-minded  wisdom,  and  the  sayings  of  a  man  of 
 God,  interspersed  with  that  sweetness  which  is  ever  found 
 with  self-denying  devotion.  St.  Philip,  on  the  other 
 hand,  seems  rather  an  example  of  social  and  brotherly 
 charities,  easy  of  access  to  all,  seeking  and  sought  for  in 
 Christian  friendship ;  as  when  he  goes  to  Nathanael,  to 
 St.  Andrew,  and  when  the  Greeks,  who  would  see  Jesus 
 at  the  last  Passover,  come  to  him.  Great  as  is  the 
 blessing  of  such  a  temper  both  to  itself  and  to  others, 
 yet  its  deficiency  is  apt  to  be  in  this,  that  it  less  realizes 
 those  spiritual  mysteries  of  God  which  are  disclosed  to 
 the  heart  in  secrecy  and  solitude  of  spirit.  Hence  that 
 complaint  in  our  Lord's  words  in  the  Gospel  for  to-day, 
 "  Have  I  been  so  long  with  you,  and  yet  hast  thou  not 
 known  Me,  Philip?" 
 
 Nevertheless  it  must  be  observed,  that  Christian  grace 
 60  harmonizes  and  fills  the  character,  that  such  personal 
 
THE   SEVERE  AND   SOCIAL    VIRTUES.  379 
 
 diversities  are  not  to  be  pressed  too  far.  St.  James  the 
 Less  was  greatly  beloved  of  all  Christians  for  his  singular 
 meekness;  and  no  doubt  St.  Philip,  in  the  practices  of 
 mortification,  came  to  understand  the  secrets  of  Divine 
 wisdom;  yet,  nevertheless,  under  the  same  Spirit  some 
 such  diversities  and  differences  of  character  do  remain; 
 in  the  words  of  the  Text,  "  Every  man  hath  his  proper 
 gift  of  God ;  one  after  this  manner,  and  another  after  that.'^ 
 And  now  let  us  enter  that  sacred  "  Guest-chamber"  at 
 Jerusalem,  where  our  Lord  at  the  Last  Supper  is  bidding 
 adieu  to  His  sorrowing  Apostles.  Jesus  said  unto  His 
 disciples,  Let  7iot  your  heart  he  trouhled :  ye  believe  in 
 God,  believe  also  in  Me  ;  have  the  like  faith  in  Me  as  ye 
 have  in  God ;  in  Me  made  One  with  you  as  Man,  in  Me 
 the  Mediator  between  God  and  man.  Though  ye  look 
 to  Me  no  more  as  seen  in.  the  flesh,  yet  have  faith  in  Me 
 unseen  as  ye  have  in  God.  In  My  Father's  house  are 
 many  mansions ;  if  it  were  not  so,  I  would  have  told  you. 
 I  go  to  prepare  a  pZ«ce  for  you.  Among  the  heavenly 
 habitations  of  God  there  is  one  for  man,  the  lost  sheep 
 which  the  Shepherd  hath  found.  There  is  for  you  "  an 
 house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  Heavens ;" 
 and  I  go  that  mankind  may  in  Me  have  access  to  that 
 place.  And  if  I  go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  loill 
 come  again  and  receive  you  unto  Myself,  that  where  I 
 am,  there  ye  may  be  also.  "I  will  come  again"  in  My 
 Kingdom;  "  I  will  come,"  together  with  the  Holy  Spiiit, 
 that  I  may  prepare  a  place  for  Myself  in  you;  for 
 according  to  the  love  of  God  which  each  hath,  so  are  the 
 "  many  mansions ;"  "I  will  come,"  at  the  death  of  each 
 to  receive  you  that  you  may  be  with  Me ;  and  "  I  will 
 come  again  "  to  be  seen  by  all  on  the  last  Day,  when  ye 
 "shall  ever  be  with  the  Lord." 
 
380         SAINT  PHILIP   AND    SAINT    JAMES's   DAY. 
 
 TJiomas,  in  that  simplicity  and  slowness  of  heart  which 
 characterized  him,  saith  unto  Him,  Lord,  we  know  not 
 whither  Thou  goest,  and  how  can  we  know  the  way  ? 
 Thou  art  going  to  leave  us,  and  we  would  follow  Thee, 
 even  unto  death ;  hut  we  know  not  whither  it  is,  nor  how, 
 nor  in  what  way  all  this  is  to  be.  Jetsus  saith  unto  Him, 
 I  am  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life :  no  man  comeih 
 unto  the  Father  hut  by  Me.  If  ye  had  known  Me,  ye 
 should  have  known  My  Father  also  :  and  from  henceforth 
 ye  know  Him,  and  have  seen  Him.  They  that  have  been 
 with  Christ,  who  behold  Him  in  the  Gospel,  and  look  to 
 Him  habitually  in  prayer  and  a  holy  life,  they  know  far 
 more  than  they  think  they  know ;  it  is  not  afar  off,  that  - 
 they  should  ascend  into  Heaven,  or  go  dovvn  to  the  deep ; 
 but  very  nigh,  in  their  mouth,  and  in  their  heart :  for 
 faith  is  even  now  far  more  blessed  than  it  knows. 
 
 Philip  saith  unto  Him,  Lord,  shew  us  the  Father,  and  it 
 sufficeth  us.  Having  heard  our  Lord  speak  so  much  of 
 the  Father  at  all  times  ;  as  of  His  own  strict  union  with 
 the  Father ;  of  His  coming  from  Him,  and  going  to  Him  ; 
 and  of  our  heavenly  Father  Which  hath  such  love  for  us, 
 St.  Philip  thus  replies;  hardly  knowing  perhaps  what 
 he  said,  like  St.  Peter  on  the  Mount ;  or  as  Moses  when 
 he  asked  to  see  the  glory  of  God.  Bat  nevertheless  it  was 
 from  a  deep  voice  beneath  the  soul  of  man,  which  ever 
 asks  to  see  God,  its  only  home  and  rest ;  to  behold  His 
 countenance  Avhich  alone  "  sufficeth,"  and  can  satisfy  all 
 its  wants.  Jesus  saith  unto  him.  Have  I  been  so  long  time 
 with  you,  and  yet  hast  thou  not  known  Me,  Philip  ?  He  that 
 hath  seen  Me  hath  seen  the  Father  ;  and  how  sayest  thoit 
 then,  Sheiu  us  the  Father  ?  Believest  thou  not  that  I  am 
 in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  Me  1 
 
 And  then  after  speaking  to  Philip,  He  thus  addresses 
 
THE  SEVERE  AND   SOCIAL    VIRTUES.  381 
 
 all  the  disciples  in  the  plural  number.  Tlie  words  that  I 
 speak  unto  you,  I  speak  not  of  Myself:  hut  the  Father  that 
 dwelleth  in  Me,  He  doeth  the  works.  Believe  Me,  that  I  am 
 in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in  Me  ;  or  else  believe  Me  for 
 the  very  works'  sake.  Oh,  how  great  this  blessedness  of 
 faith  which  knoweth  both  the  Father  and  the  Son ;  the 
 pearl  of  great  price ;  the  light  of  true  wisdom ;  the 
 treasure  hid  in  Christ ;  the  wisdom  revealed  from  above  ! 
 But  even  unto  ns,  weak  in  faith,  how  great  the  privilege 
 of  reading  the  miracles  of  Christ  in  the  Gospels,  and  thus 
 to  "believe  Him  for  the  very  works'  sake;"  and  so  to  go  on 
 from  strength  to  strength,  coming  to  know  Christ  better, 
 and  in  Him  to  know  the  Father  ! 
 
 Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  as  by  the  solemn  pro- 
 testation of  God  to  respond  to  the  full  assurance  of  our 
 faith  ;  He  that  helieveth  on  Me,  the  icorks  that  I  do  shall 
 he  do  also  ;  and  greater  works  than  these  shall  he  do  ; 
 because  I  go  unto  My  Father.  Faith  in  Christ  when 
 unseen  hath  the  greater  blessedness,  and  therefore  hath 
 the  greater  power ;  when  Christ  Himself  was  mani- 
 fested in  the  flesh,  it  was,  as  it  wore,  in  great  weak- 
 ness, as  bearing  sin,  and  circumscribed  by  the  laws  of 
 suffering  humanity  ;  but  now  in  Heaven,  He  is  "on  the 
 right  hand  of  power,"  "  with  all  power  given  Him  in 
 Heaven  and  in  earth  ;"  and  therefore  faith  in  Him  can  do 
 greater  things.  Hence  the  works  of  Christ  in  the  flesh 
 were  in  great  measure  the  healings  of  the  body  soon  to 
 perish ;  but  now  they  consist  rather  in  healing  the  dis- 
 orders of  the  soul  which  is  to  live  for  ever.  "  Doth  he 
 not,"  says  St.  Augustine,  "  do  greater  works  who  worketh 
 out  his  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,  which  in 
 him,  but  not  without  him,  Christ  worketh  1  I  should  say 
 this  were  certainly  greater  than  Heaven  and  earth,  and 
 
382         SAINT  PHILIP   AND   SAINT   ^AMES^S   I)AV. 
 
 whatever  things  are  beheld  in  Heaven  and  earth.  For 
 Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away,  but  the  salvation  and 
 justification  of  the  predestined  shall  not  pass  away." 
 
 This  power,  and  the  working  of  this  faith  is  by  prayer, 
 the  golden  chain  that  connects  Heaven  and  earth,  whereby 
 man  is  united  unto  God,  and  God  through  him  worketh  mira- 
 cles. And  tvJiaf soever  ye  shall  ask  in  My  Name,  that  loilll 
 do,  that  the  Father  may  he  glorified  in  the  Son.  If  ye  shall 
 ask  anything  in  My  Name,  I  will  do  it.  How  can  we 
 think  sufficiently  of  these  words,  and  dwell  on  them,  and 
 put  them  to  the  proof,  praying  and  watching  in  prayer,  and 
 watching  to  observe  how  far,  and  when,  and  in  what 
 ways  our  prayers  are  answered  ! 
 
 To  conclude  ;  we  are  reminded  by  this  Festival,  that 
 the  Apostles  we  commemorate,  St.  James  the  Less  and 
 St.  Philip,  were  both  present  when  these  most  gracious 
 and  memorable  words,  and  many  others  no  doubt  of  the 
 like  import,  were  spoken.  They  heard  these  words  so  full 
 of  Heaven  ;  they  gazed  on  the  sacred  countenance  of  Him 
 that  spoke  as  "never  man  spake."  Independently  of 
 their  testimony  as  Apostles,  of  their  subsequent  acts  and 
 their  martyrdom,  this  circumstance  of  itself  endears  them 
 to  our  memory,  and  gives  them  a  peculiar  sanctity  in  our 
 eyes ;  the  rays  of  their  Master's  countenance  ever  rest 
 upon  them ;  it  is  good  for  ourselves  to  be  thus  brought 
 into  company  with  those  who  were  admitted  into  that 
 close  fellowship  with  Christ ;  it  greatly  adds  to  our  power 
 of  realizing  the  history  of  our  Lord  Himself,  and  the 
 things  spoken  by  Him  ;  it  is  one  of  the  means  we  have 
 of  approaching  Him  :  while  remembering  them  we  seem 
 in  a  manner  to  see  mth  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their 
 ears ;  and  this  brings  us,  as  it  were,  with  them  into  the 
 company  of  Him  Who  is  our  Lord  and  God.     And  oh, 
 
THE    SEVERE   AND    SOCIAL    VIRTUES.  383 
 
 how  invaluable  is  everything  that  can  do  this  !  How  poor 
 is  all  converse  with  mankind  compared  with  the  recol- 
 lection of  Thee ! 
 
 This  circumstance,  I  say,  of  our  being  brought  into 
 nearer  contact  with  Apostles,  and  through  them  into 
 closer  intercourse  with  Christ,  is  of  itself  of  no  little  value 
 in  observing  appointed  Saints'  Days. 
 
SERMON   LXXXI. 
 ^amt  33arnal)ag  ti)t  ^po^tU. 
 
 Actsxi.  22—30.     St.  John  XV.  12—16. 
 
 GO   AND   no    THOU  LIKEWISE. 
 
 The  Father  of  mercies,  and  the  God  of  all  comfort ;  Who  com- 
 forteth  us  in  all  our  tribulation,  that  we  may  be  able  to  comfort 
 them  which  are  in  any  trouble,  by  the  comfort  wherewith  we  our 
 selves  are  comforted  of  GoD.  — 2  COR.  i.  3,  4. 
 
 THESE  words  of  St.  Paul  seem  especially  suited  to 
 describe  the  character  of  his  fellow-labourer  and 
 companion  in  tribulation,  whom  we  on  this  day  hold  in 
 memory,  the  Apostle  St.  Barnabas.  The  very  name 
 Barnabas  was,  we  are  told,  given  him  by  the  Apostles, 
 as  signifying  "the  son  of  consolation."  And  whence  did 
 he  derive  this  character  %  It  is  said  in  the  Scripture  for 
 to-day,  that  he  was  "  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  full  of  Him, 
 that  is,  "Whose  name  is  "  the  Comforter."  Hence  it  was 
 that  he  had  the  singular  gift  of  comforting  them  which 
 were  in  any  trouble,  being  himself  comforted  of  God, 
 Who  is  the  God  of  all  comfort,  and  the  Father  of  mercies. 
 And  it  is  remarkable,  that  whatever  is  recorded  of  St. 
 Barnabas  partakes  of  this  character,  such  as  marks  the 
 
CO   AND    DO    THOU  LIKEWISE.  385 
 
 Son  of  Consolation.  When  he  is  first  mentioned,  it  is  as 
 selling  the  land  which  he  had  possessed,  that  through  the 
 Apostles'  hands  it  might  be  distributed  to  them  that  were 
 in  need.  When  St.  Paul  on  his  conversion  was  avoided 
 and  feared  by  the  disciples,  it  was  Barnabas  that  took 
 him  by  the  hand  and  brought  him  to  the  Apostles.^  And 
 the  account  which  is  given  us  of  him  in  to-day's  Epistle, 
 is  all  of  the  like  spirit  of  consolation.  When  believers 
 were  first  heard  of  in  Antioch,  where  the  persecuted  Chris- 
 tians had  fled  from  Jerusalem,  it  was  Barnabas  who  was 
 sent  to  them  to  exhort,  to  comfort,  and  establish  them  in 
 the  faith  ;  and  their  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost  was  his  joy. 
 Such  persons  are  full  of  expedients  to  comfort  others; 
 and  what  could  be  more  of  this  character  than  his  going 
 at  once  to  Tarsus  to  seek  St.  Paul,  taken  up  there  pro- 
 bably in  self-mortification,  to  bring  him  forth  to  comfort 
 others,  and  himself  thereby  to  be  comforted  !  And  then 
 at  Antioch,  in  mutual  labours  with  him,  it  is  brought  about 
 that  we  should  all  be  called  by  that  blessed  !N"ame  of  all 
 consolation,  should  be  named  Christians  from  Christ,  the 
 Anointed  of  God,  from  Whence  the  Anointing  of  the 
 Holy  One  is  with  us,  and  the  Spirit  of  love.  And  when 
 he  leaves  the  Church  of  Antioch  to  return  to  Jerusalem, 
 it  is  with  St.  Paul  in  the  like  labour  of  love,  to  bear  their 
 alms  for  the  relief  of  the  distressed.  He  goes  forth  from 
 Jerusalem  to  Antioch  full  of  spiritual  consolations ;  from 
 Antioch  he  returns  back  to  Jerusalem,  the  Son  of  Conso- 
 lation still,  with  his  hands  full  of  temporal  charities.  Such 
 was  St.  Barnabas.  And  as  our  Lord  said  of  Nathanael,  that 
 he  was  "  an  Israelite  indeed,"  as  being  "  without  guile  "  ; 
 and  of  Zaccheus,  that  he  was  "  a  son  of  Abraham,"  from 
 the  greatness  of  his  faith ;  so  may  it  be  said  of  St.  Barnabas, 
 
 1  Acts  ix.  26,  27. 
 VOL.  II.  0  c 
 
385  SAINT  BARNABAS    THE   APOSTLE. 
 
 that  lie  was  a  Levite  indeed,  partaking  so  mncli  of  that 
 true  anointing  of  the  Spirit  which  shows  itself  in  mercy 
 and  consolations.  Thus  it  is  that  as  the  Holy  Innocents, 
 and  the  disciple  of  Divine  love,  and  the  first  of  martyrs, 
 are  the  appropriate  companions  of  Christmas  Day;  so 
 may  it  be  said  of  this  Saint,  that  he  becomes  full  often  no 
 unmeet  attendant  of  Whitsuntide. 
 
 Tidings  of  these  things,  i.  e.  of  many  believing  at 
 Antioch,  came  unto  the  ears  of  the  Church  which  was  in 
 Jerusalem  ;  and  they  sent  forth  Barnahas,  that  he  should 
 go  as  far  as  Antioch.  For  Barnabas  being  himself  of  the 
 island  of  Cyprus,  and  these  who  were  making  converts 
 among  the  Grecians  at  Antioch,  being,  as  it  was  said,  men 
 of  Cyprus  and  Cyrene,  he  was  the  most  suitable  person  to 
 be  sent  to  them.  Who,  lohen  he  came,  and  had  seen  the 
 grace  of  God,  loas  glad  ;  and  exhorted  them  all,  that  with 
 imrpose  of  heart  they  would  cleave  unto  the  Lord.  This 
 simple  narrative  beautifully  describes  the  Son  of  Con- 
 solation :  "he  was  glad,"  not  envious,  not  despairing  or 
 doubting,  but,  with  charity  that  "  rejoiceth  in  the  truth, 
 and  believeth  and  hopeth  all  things,"  delighting  in  the 
 evidences  of  God's  grace,  and  in  fruits  which  he  him- 
 self had  not  sown ;  and  while  rejoicing  and  encouraging 
 them  in  this  their  "  first  love,"  urging  them  on  to  that 
 perseverance  and  steadfastness,  without  which  it  would 
 pass  away  as  the  early  dew.  And  that  this  account  is 
 meant  to  describe  his  characteristic  goodness  and  love 
 appears  from  what  is  added,  For  he  was  a  good  man,  and 
 full  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  of  faith.  Moreover,  such 
 charity  and  zeal  is  ever  expansive^  and  not  only  builds  up 
 but  extends.  And  much  people,  it  is  said,  xvas  added  unto 
 the  Lord ;  unto  the  Church  which  is  the  Body  of  Christ, 
 and  to  Christ  Which  is  the  Head. 
 
GO  AND   DO    THOU  LIKEWISE.  387 
 
 Then  departed  Barnabas  to  Tarsus  for  to  seek  Said, 
 who  had  now  retired  to  his  native  city  from  the  persecu- 
 tion of  the  Jews  ;  for  the  Son  of  Consolation  ever  seeks  to 
 do  good  by  the  instrumentality  of  others,  rejoicing  in 
 their  good,  and  "  not  seeking  his  own,"  nor  the  praise  of 
 his  labours.  And  when  he  had  found  him,  he  brought  him 
 unto  Antioch. 
 
 And  it  came  to  pass,  that  a  whole  year  they  assembled 
 themselves  with  the  Church,  and  taught  much  people.  I^or 
 was  their  labour  in  vain,  for  the  Church  at  Antioch 
 became  one  of  the  three  Patriarchal  Churches  of  the 
 world.  And  the  disciples  were  called  Christians  first  in 
 Antioch.  Whereby  the  Prophet's  words  were  fulfilled, 
 "  I  have  called  thee  by  thy  name ;  thou  art  Mine."  - 
 "  Thou  shalt  be  called  by  a  new  name  which  the  mouth  of 
 the  Lord  shall  name,"  ^  The  ]S"ame  for  which  the  martyrs 
 died ;  in  which  angels  rejoice ;  at  which  devils  flee ; 
 the  iiTame  which  is  above  every  name ;  which  is  "  as 
 ointment  poured  forth  ;"  for  then  was  fulfilled  the  Psalm, 
 that  the  anointing  which  came  on  the  Head  had  gone 
 down  and  filled  all  the  raiment,  which  is  the  Church.  All 
 is  of  Christ  and  in  Christ,  the  Anointed.  Blessed  union, 
 and  love  of  brethren,  "  as  the  dew,"  from  Heaven  "  that 
 descended  upon  the  mountains  of  Zion." 
 
 And  here  we  may  notice,  that  the  Scripture  for  the 
 Epistle,  as  we  find  it  in  the  Latin  Church,  used  to  termi- 
 nate here ;  but  our  Church  has  added  what  forms  part  of 
 the  Epistle  on  St.  James's  day,  and  this  passage  further 
 adds  to  the  description  of  St.  Barnabas's  character.  And 
 in  these  days  came  prophets  from  Jerusalem  unto  Antioch. 
 And  there  stood  up  one  of  them  named  Agabus,  and  eigni- 
 
 *  Isa.  xliii.  1.  ^  Isa.  Ixii.  2. 
 
 c  c  2 
 
388  SAINT  BARNABAS    THE  APOSTLE. 
 
 fied  hy  flie  Spirit,  for  prophecy  was  one  of  the  super- 
 natural gifts  then  bestowed  upon  the  Church,  that  there 
 should  he  great  dea7'th  throughout  all  the  world;  which 
 came  to  pass  in  the  days  of  Claudius  Ccesar.  Then  the 
 disciples,  every  man  according  to  his  ability,  determined  to 
 send  relief  unto  the  brethren  which  dwelt  In  Jvdcea :  which 
 also  they  did,  and  sent  it  to  the  elders  hy  the  hands  of  Bar- 
 nahas  and  Said.  Such  therefore  were  the  firstfruits  of 
 the  faith  thus  planted  and  watered  by  the  Son  of  Conso- 
 lation. "  Unto  the  godly  there  ariseth  up  light  in  the 
 darkness;  he  is  merciful,  loving,  and  righteous.  The 
 good  man  is  merciful."  "  He  hatk  dispersed  abroad,  and 
 given  to  the  poor."  ^  Surely  it  is  for  no  little  purpose  that 
 the  early  Church  is  so  much  set  before  us  in  the  bounti- 
 ful giving  of  alms.  It  would  almost  seem  as  if  the  pres- 
 sure from  without  was  purposely  sent  of  God  to  exercise 
 this  living  charity  which  He  hath  planted  within.  So 
 was  it  with  the  Church  of  Pentecost  at  Jerusalem;  all 
 was  selling  of  goods,  and  giving  of  alms,  and  distribution 
 made,  and  "  one  heart  and  one  soul."  And  so  with  the 
 Church  at  Antioch,  it  "took  root  downward  and  bore 
 fruit  upward."  And  the  Son  of  Consolation  led  the  way; 
 rich  in  all  that  relieved  sorrow,  or  strife,  or  need  ;  "  poor, 
 yet  making  many  rich  ;  having  nothing,  an  yet  possess- 
 ing all  things."  And  with  him  is  united  St.  Paul ; 
 prizing  so  much  the  opportunities  of  relieving  others,  that 
 he  not  only  gave,  but,  in  addition  to  all  his  spiritual 
 labours,  worked  night  and  day  with  his  own  hands,  that 
 he  might  have  to  bestow  rather  than  to  receive.  "  These 
 hands  have  ministered,"  he  says,  "  unto  my  necessities." 
 "  I  have  showed  you  all  things,  how  that  so  labouring  ye 
 
 <  Ps.  cxii.  4,  5.  9. 
 
GO   AND   DO    THOU  LIKEWISE.  389 
 
 ought  to  support  tlie  weak,  and  to  remember  the  words 
 of  the  Lord  Jesus,  how  He  said,  It  is  more  blessed  to  give 
 than  to  receive."  ^ 
 
 Indeed,  what  among  men  can  be  more  blessed  than  this 
 character  of  the  Son  of  Consolation  1  Like  a  shadow  in  the 
 heat,  as  waters  in  a  desert,  nay,  even  like  the  Voice  of  our 
 Elessed  Saviour  Himself  in  the  storm,  saying,  "  Be  not 
 afraid,  It  is  I ;"  so  are  the  words,  and  the  countenance, 
 and  the  presence  of  the  Son  of  Consolation  in  every  dis- 
 tress. He  takes  out  the  thorn  from  every  trouble ;  has 
 oil  and  wine  for  every  wound ;  sees  light  through  every 
 cloud.  His  "tongue  is  health."  "When  the  ear  heard 
 me,  then  it  blessed  me ;  and  when  the  eye  saw  me,  it  gave 
 witness  to  me  :  because  I  delivered  the  poor  that  cried." 
 "  I  was  eyes  to  the  blind,  and  feet  was  I  to  the  lame.  I 
 was  a  father  to  the  poor."^  Such  are  the  sheep  that 
 follow  the  good  Shepherd,  who  layeth  down  His  life  for 
 the  sheep  ;  such  are  the  sheep  set  on  the  right  hand  of  the 
 Judge ;  the  blessed  of  the  Father,  because  they  have 
 given  meat  to  the  hungry,  and  drink  to  the  thirsty;  have 
 clothed  the  naked,  and  visited  the  sick;  and  consorted  with 
 those  that  are  in  prison  :  that  is,  have  omitted  no  form  of 
 consolation  under  every  human  ill,  from  the  abundance  of 
 consolation  which  they  themselves  have  received  from  God, 
 "Who  has  had  Himself  called  "the  God  of  all  consolation," 
 and  known  to  us  by  the  ISTame  of  "the  Comforter." 
 
 Nor  is  it  only  the  universality  of  this  goodness,  but  the 
 absence  of  self  throughout ;  "  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done 
 it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these,"  says  our  Saviour,  "  ye 
 have  done  it  unto  Me  :"  of  which  we  have  the  outward 
 signs  in  this, — St.  Barnabas  sold  all,  but  laid  it  at  the 
 Apostles'  feet ;  it  was  the  Church  of  Antioch  to  the 
 5  Acts  XX.  35.  *  Job  xxix. 
 
390  SAINT  BARNABAS    THE   APOSTLE. 
 
 Church  at  Jerusalem,  by  the  hands  of  Apostles  to  Elders 
 there ;  self  is  lost  and  hidden ;  it  is  all  in  Christ. 
 
 And  now  we  come,  in  the  Gospel  for  to-day,  to  the 
 fountain-head  of  all  consolation.  This  is  My  command- 
 ment, said  our  Blessed  Saviour  at  the  Last  Supper  to  His 
 disciples,  when  He  appointed  His  Body  and  Blood  to  he 
 their  life,  and  spake  of  the  coming  of  the  Comforter, 
 Whose  ^N'ame  is  Love — This  is  My  commandment, — My 
 one,  great,  and  new  commandment, — That  ye  love  one 
 another,  as  I  have  loved  you.  Greater  love  hath  no  man 
 than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends. 
 He  was  made  Man,  and  became  our  Example  in  the  per- 
 fection of  all  love,  that  we  should  love  each  other  as  He 
 hath  loved  us  ;  our  Elder  Brother  loving  us  as  brethren, 
 that  we  may  be  to  one  another  as  He  Himself  to  us. 
 Holy  and  good  was  the  old  commandment,  "  Thou  shalt 
 love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself ; "  but  this  new  law  is  more 
 than  that,  for  it  is.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbour  for  the 
 sake  of  God,  thou  shalt  love  him  in  God,  and  God  in  him  ; 
 and  therefore  thy  love  for  thy  brother  shall  be  as  the  love 
 of  God,  shall  be  lost  in  thy  love  of  God,  which  must  be 
 with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul.  And  this, 
 though  so  much  higher  and  better  than  the  old  law,  yet 
 is  easier  of  fulfilment,  in  that  the  Spirit  of  Truth  shall 
 write  this  law  on  the  heart ;  and  he  that  is  made  one 
 with  Christ  shall  partake  of  His  Spirit,  Which  is  infinite, 
 eternal,  never-failing  Love.  For  "he  that  dwelleth  in 
 love  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in  him,"  so  that  his  love 
 is  as  the  love  of  Christ,  which  is  the  love  of  God.  And  if 
 he  would  be  perfect  as  his  Father  in  Heaven  is  per- 
 fect, he  will  be  merciful  even  as  his  Father  in  Heaven  is 
 •merciful. 
 
CO    AND    DO    THOU  LIKEWISE,  391 
 
 Christ,  indeed,  laid  down  His  life  for  His  enemies,  that 
 they  might  become  His  friends ;  but  here,  perhaps  with 
 more  immediate  reference  to  the  Eucharist  which  He  then 
 was  celebrating,  He  speaks  of  His  life  given  to  be  the  food 
 and  support  of  these  His  faithful  ones  ;  it  was  the  mystery 
 of  His  Kingdom,  that  by  His  dying  they  might  live  in 
 Him,  and  by  doing  His  will  come  to  know  of  the  doctrine. 
 Ye  are  My  friends,  if  ye  do  lohatsoever  I  command  you  ; 
 by  doing  the  will  of  My  Father  ye  become  to  Me  as 
 i'riends,  yea,  even  as  brother,  and  sister,  and  mother. 
 Henceforth  I  call  you  not  servants ;  for  the  servant  knoiceth 
 not  what  his  lord  doeth  :  hut  I  have  called  you  friends; 
 for  all  things  that  I  have  heard  of  My  Fatlierlhave  made 
 hyioion  unto  you.  As  Abraham  M^as  called  "  the  friend  of 
 God,"  and  God,  conversing  with  him  as  friend  with  friend, 
 made  known  to  him  His  secret  counsels  ;  so  to  those 
 who  are  by  faith  the  true  children  of  Abraham  He  reveals 
 His  mysteries.  How  often  had  He  spoken  to  the  Jews 
 in  words  that  they  understood  not,  as  of  Himself  the 
 trae  Bread  that  cometh  down  from  Heaven ;  as  of  Himself 
 the  living  water  in  the  wilderness,  of  which  whosoever 
 drinketh  shall  never  thirst :  but  they  understood  them 
 not  at  the  time,  nor  were  they  in  the  way  to  learn  them, 
 for  they  had  not  in  them  the  love  of  God.  But  to  these 
 He  makes  known  His  own  unspeakable  love  for  them, 
 which  shone  forth  in  all  His  works  and  His  words,  in  His 
 life  and  in  His  death  for  them ;  and  as  they  came  to 
 understand  and  know  this  His  love,  as  it  became  engraven 
 on  their  hearts  by  the  Finger  of  God,  then  they  could  also 
 love  each  other,  consoling  others  in  all  their  actions  and 
 ways  of  life  by  those  consolations  wherewith  they  them- 
 selves Avere  comforted  of  God ;  loving  others  from  a  sense 
 of  His  Love,  Who  had  laid  down  His  life  for  us. 
 
392  SAINT  BARNABAS    THE   APOSTLE. 
 
 All  is  of  God :  we  love,  because  He  first  loved  us  ;  not 
 that  this  love  in  return  is  of  ourselves,  hut  this  also  is  His 
 gift ;  for  God  the  Father  in  His  ISon  hath  chosen  us,  nor 
 can  we  come  to  the  Son  unless  the  Father  draw  us,  and 
 mark  us  for  His  own  by  the  SjDirit  of  adoption.  Ye  have 
 not  chosen  Me,  hut  I  have  chosen  you,  and  ordained  you, 
 that  ye  shoidd  go,  that  ye  should  leave  Me,  and  go  forth 
 into  the  world,  and  bring  forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit 
 should  remain; — should  be  of  that  abiding  character 
 which  passeth  not  away.  Thus  Peter,  and  James,  and 
 John,  and  Matthew,  by  Himself  were  drawn  unto  Him, 
 and  by.  Himself  chosen  and  called  ;  and  when  He  would 
 appoint  Apostles  He  continued  all  night  in  prayer,  and 
 tlien  called  unto  Him  His  disciples,  and  out  of  them  He 
 chose  twelve,  that  they  might  be  with  Him, — that  the 
 election  might  be  of  God,  and  not  of  us.  And  now  this 
 choosing  them  unto  Himself,  and  grafting  them  into  His 
 own  Body,  and  giving  unto  them  of  His  Spirit,  was,  that 
 still  they  might  by  prayer  receive  of  Him  more  and  more, 
 and  in  Him  more  abundantly  have  life ;  as  He  adds,  That 
 'whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  of  the  Father  in  My  Name,  He 
 may  give  it  you.  He  had  chosen  them  that  they  should 
 bear  fruit,  and  this  fruit  was  the  keeping  of  His  com- 
 mandments, and  His  commandments  were  love;  and  it 
 was  by  loving  each  other,  by  deeds  and  words  of  love, 
 that  they  should  ask  in  prayer  in  His  JS'ame,  and  their 
 prayer  should  be  heard.  And  therefore,  on  all  occasions 
 when  He  spake  to  them  of  prayer,  and  of  all  things  being 
 given  to  prayer,  He  connected  with  it  the  forgiving  of 
 each  other,  or  faith  in  Him.  For  brotherly  love  and  faith 
 were  essential  requisites  to  this  power  of  prayer. 
 
 And  now  to  return  to  the  great  subject  of  this  day's 
 Festival,  how  it  is  that  the  sons  of  consolation  have  such 
 
GO   AND   DO    THOU  LIKEWISE.  393 
 
 power  with  God.  "  If  ye  abide  in  Me,"  our  Blessed  Lord 
 had  said  just  before,  "  and  My  words  abide  in  you,  ye 
 shall  ask  what  ye  will,  and  it  shall  be  done  unto  you ;" 
 "  If  ye  keep  My  commandments,  ye  shall  abide  in  My 
 love."  Thus  it  is;  for  the  commandments  of  Christ  are 
 of  brotherly  love  and  compassions, — by  keeping  them 
 they  abide  in  Him ;  by  ministering  to  others  their  own 
 faith  is  increased ;  the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  their 
 hearts;  they  turn  more  instinctively  to  Him;  and  they 
 have  good  hope  of  m-ercy  from  being  merciful  themselves. 
 Thus  the  merciful  obtain  mercy ;  the  peace-makers  are 
 called  God's  children;  they  bear  on  earth  the  nearest 
 resemblance  to  Him  Whose  hands  were  ever  full  of  bless- 
 ing ;  meek  in  heart,  they  are  refreshed  with  the  multitude 
 of  peace;  relinquishing  earthly  possession,  they  have  the 
 "  manifold  more  in  this  present  time  "  in  joy  of  heart. 
 The  good  Samaritan  given  us  for  our  example  was  the 
 very  type  of  Christ  Himself,  Who  added  to  that  parable 
 the  memorable  saying  with  which  we  may  conclude 
 aU  our  reflections  on  St.  Barnabas,  "Go,  and  do  thou 
 likewise." 
 
SERMON   LXXXII. 
 ^amt  3)oI)iT  33aptigt'!g  iia^. 
 
 Isa.  xl.  I— II.     St.  Luke  i.  57—80, 
 
 yOY  AT  HEARING    THE   BRIDEGROOM'S    VOICE. 
 
 Many  shall  rejoice  at  His  birth. — St.  Luke  i.  14. 
 
 THESE  are  the  words  of  the  Angel  to  Zacharias ;  and 
 in  a  like  strain  the  Prophet, — Comfort  ye,  comfort 
 ye  My  people,  saith  your  God.  Speak  ye  comfortahly  to 
 Jerusalem.  Strange  words  these  to  announce  the  birth 
 of  one  whose  only  place  on  earth  was  in  the  wilderness 
 and  the  prison;  who  was  pre-eminently,  like  his  Divine 
 Master,  "  a  man  of  sorrows  ! "  Yet  surely  never  did  man 
 know  such  joy  as  did  the  holy  Baptist,  from  that  well- 
 spring  itself  of  everlasting  joy  which  is  with  God ;  he 
 who  yet  unborn  "leaped  in  the  womb  for  joy  ;"  he  who 
 afterwards  "  rejoiced  greatly  to  hear  the  Bridegroom's 
 Voice;"  he  who  in  prison,  before  his  second  birth  in 
 martyrdom,  had  no  doubt  that  the  last  and  brightest 
 crown  of  beatitude,  which  is  given  to  persecution  for 
 righteousness'  sake — that  he  "leaped  for  joy  and  was 
 exceeding  glad."     At  his  birth  therefore  well  may  "  Jeru- 
 
70V  AT  HEARING    THE   BRIDEGROOM'S    VOICE.      395 
 
 salem "  be  called  on  to  rejoice,  "  wliich  is  the  mother  of 
 us  all." 
 
 Cry  unto  her,  says  the  Evangelical  Prophet,  iliat  her 
 warfare  is  accompli&hed,  her  sad  period  of  trial  is  over, 
 that  her  iniquity  is  pardoned:  for  she  hath  received  oj 
 the  Lord\shand  douhJe  for  all  her  sins, — her  sorrow  hath 
 been  for  a  moment,  but  "everlasting  joy"  shall  be  her 
 portion.^ 
 
 Hie  voice  of  him  that  crieth  in  the  loilderness.  It  is 
 emphatically  the  Voice,  inasmuch  as  John  wrought  no 
 miracles,  but  preached  and  bore  witness.  That  Voice 
 which,  as  St.  Augustine  says,  united  in  itself  the  voices  of 
 all  Patriarchs  and  Prophets  that  had  gone  before,  being 
 no  less  than  that  Voice  which  preceded  the  going  forth  of 
 Him  Who  was  the  Word  — the  Word  that  "  was  with 
 God  and  was  God.'"^ 
 
 And  what  is  the  preaching  of  this  Voice,  but  the 
 forming  of  the  royal  road  for  the  King's  coming  ?  Pre- 
 pare ye  the  loay  of  the  Lord,  make  straight  in  the  desert 
 a  highioay  for  our  God.  Every  valley  shall  he  exalted, 
 and  every  mountain  and  hill  shall  he  made  low,  and  the 
 crooked  shall  he  made  straight,  and  the  rough  places 
 plain.  And  what  is  to  be  the  termination  of  this  the 
 Conqueror's  high  road  through  the  desert?  l!^ot  an 
 earthly  Canaan,  but  like  the  expanse  of  Heaven  itself 
 after  a  dark  woodland  way.  And  the  glory  of  the  Lord 
 shall  he  revealed,  and  all  flesh — not  the  Jew  only,  but  all 
 mankind — shall  see  it  together:  for  the  mouth  of  the 
 Lord  hath  spoken  it.  The  Mouth  hath  spoken ;  tlie 
 Voice  in  the  wilderness  hath  gone  forth ;  and  the  Word 
 that  abideth  for  ever  shall  be  manifested,  and  remain. 
 
 1  Isa.  Ixi.  7.  2  Serm.  cclxxxviii.  In  Nat.  Joan.  Bap. 
 
396 
 
 And  now  the  commission  is  more  distinctly  given  to 
 the  herald  voice  to  proclaim  aloud,  as  by  a  trumpet,  the 
 great  changes  to  be  ushered  in.  The  voice  said,  Cry. 
 And  he  said,  "  What  shall  I  cry  ?  All  flesh  is  grass,  and 
 all  the  goodliness  thereof  is  as  the  flower  of  the  field.  The 
 grass  withereth,  the  flower  fadeth,  because  the  Sjpirit  of 
 the  Lord  hloweth  upon  it:  surely  the  peo2Jle  is  grass. 
 The  grass  withereth,  the  flower  fadeth :  hut  the  word  of 
 our  God  shall  stand  for  ever.  "  The  Voice  "  went  forth 
 not  in  Canaan  "  flowing  with  milk  and  honey,"  but  in 
 the  desert  j  it  spoke  not  of  temporal  rest  and  wealth,  but 
 the  contrary  :  that  the  flowers  of  the  promised  land  were 
 withering;  Israel  after  the  flesh  coming  to  naught;  its 
 ordinances,  its  temple,  its  nation  passing  away,  as  the 
 flower  of  the  grass.  But  the  Word  with  His  spiritual 
 kingdom  was  to  last.  St.  John  representing  the  old 
 dispensation  was  to  decrease,  having  seen  Christ;  the 
 Law,  having  disclosed  the  Gospel,  to  depart ;  but  He  was 
 to  increase  more  and  more.  St.  Augustine  with  striking 
 aptitude  apiDlies  this  expression  to  the  seasons  of  the 
 natural  year.  "  That  man  may  be  humbled,"  he  says, 
 "on  the  day  when  John  is  born  the  days  begin  to 
 decrease.  That  God  may  be  exalted,  on  the  day  when 
 Christ  is  born  the  days  begin  to  increase.  Let  us  also  in 
 man  be  diminished,  and  grow  in  God.  In  ourselves  let 
 us  be  humbled,  that  in  Him  we  may  be  exalted."^ 
 
 From  this  the  nativity  of  the  Baptist  catching  a 
 glimpse  from  far,  and  beholding  the  Eising  of  the  Sun 
 of  Eighteousness,  the  Prophet  now  lifts  up  his  voice,  as 
 if  himself  uplifted  on  high,  and  unable  to  speak  for  him- 
 self from   his   beacon-tower,  he   calls   on  the  thousand 
 
 3  Sorm.  cclxxix.  in  Nat.  Joan.  Bap. 
 
yOY  AT  HEARING    THE  BRIDEGROOM^ S    VOICE.     397 
 
 tongues  of  the  Jerusalem  from  on  high,  the  Pentecost 
 itself  apjDroaching  to  proclaim  it.  0  Zion,  that  hringest 
 good  tidings,  get  thee  up  into  the  high  mountain  :  0  Jeru- 
 salem, that  b7'ingest  good  tidings,  lift  up  thy  voice  with 
 strength ;  lift  it  up,  be  not  afraid:  say  unto  the  cities  of 
 Judali,  Behold  your  God!  With  what  wonderful  love, 
 my  hrethren,  beyond  all  thought  of  man,  was  this  fulfilled 
 when  the  Baptist  pointed  out  the  Christ,  saying,  "Eehold 
 the  Lamb  of  God  Which  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the 
 world ! "  Thus  was  God  revealed  as  a  Lamb ;  and  in^ 
 this  was  His  strength  of  which  the  Prophet  speaks.. 
 Behold,  the  Lord  God  icill  come  with  strong  hand,  and 
 His  arm  shall  rule  for  Him:  behold,  His  reioard  is  loith 
 Him,  and  His  worlz  before  Him.  He  shall  feed  His 
 flock  like  a  shepherd  ;  He  shall  gather  the  lambs  ivith  His 
 arm,  and  carry  them  in  His  bosom,  and  shall  gently  lead 
 those  that  are  with  young. 
 
 All  this  latter  part,  which  has  teen  added  by  our  own' 
 Church  to  the  ancient  Epistle,  is  of  our  Lord's  own 
 teaching ;  as  if  it  were  her  design  that  the  herald  should 
 be  lost  in  the  presence  of  his  Lord ;  the  star  that  preceded 
 should  disappear  in  the  rising  morn.  St.  Augustine,  who 
 has  left  several  sermons  on  this  festival,  and  speaks  of  it 
 as  a  festival  which  they  in  his  time  had  received  from 
 tradition,  and  devoutly  transmitted  to  the  commemoration 
 of  posterity,*  yet  observes  of  it,  that  it  is  the  only  day  on 
 which  a  nativity  is  celebrated  except  that  of  our  Lord 
 Himself.  And  indeed  the  Baptist  had  in  him  this  faint 
 resemblance  to  his  Lord,  that  both  were  wonderfully 
 born ;  both  announced  by  an  angel ;  both  were  foretold 
 of  prophets ;  both  had  baptisms  of  their  own ;  both  had 
 
 *  Serm.  ccxcii. 
 
398  SAINT   JOHN  baptist's  DAY. 
 
 disciples.  But  one  as  man,  the  other  as  God;  the  one 
 as  the  flower  of  the  field,  soon  to  pass  away,  the  other  as 
 God,  AVho  endureth  for  ever,  the  Tree  of  Life  in  the 
 Paradise  of  God. 
 
 And  this  ohservation  respecting  the  Epistle  may  be 
 applied  to  the  Gospel  also  for  this  day,  as  the  same  thing 
 has  taken  place  in  both.  For  the  Gospel,  as  it  formerly 
 stood,  terminated  with  the  account  of  the  birth  of  the 
 Baptist  at  the  commencement  of  the  hymn  of  his  fathei 
 Zacharias;  which  hymn,  as  we  know  from  daily  use, 
 consists,  not  in  an  account  of  his  own  son  or  his  birth, 
 but  of  rejoicing  in  the  spirit  at  the  coming  of  that 
 promised  Saviour  of  whom  be  was  the  Messenger.  And 
 therefore,  in  both  the  Gospel  and  Epistle  alike,  our 
 Church  by  a  gentle  transition  passes  on  from  the  sight 
 of  the  herald  that  preceded  to  Him  before  Whose  face  he 
 came.  By  which,  if  it  burthens  the  service  by  more 
 length  of  detail,  yet  in  its  general  effect  it  speaks  the 
 language  of  all  the  sermons  of  St.  Augustine  on  this  day, 
 who  throughout  dwells  in  contemplation,  by  comparison, 
 by  contrast,  and  illustration  on  our  Blessed  Lord  Himself. 
 '•  When  that  which  is  perfect  is  come,  then  that  which  is 
 in  part  shall  be  done  away."  ^ 
 
 The  greatest  of  those  that  had  been  born  of  women, 
 "  a  burning  and  a  shining  light,"  he  looks  forth  from  his 
 watch-tower,  and  pales  and  wanes  away  in  the  rising  of 
 the  Sun  of  Righteousness. 
 
 Elisabeth's  full  time  came  that  she  should  he  delivered  ; 
 and  she  brought  forth  a  son.  And  her  neighbours  and  her 
 cousins  heard  hoio  the  Lord  had  shewed  great  mercy  upon 
 her;  and  they  rejoiced  with  her.     "They  rejoiced  with 
 
 6  1  Cor.  xiii.  10. 
 
yOV  AT  HEARING    THE   BRIDEGROOM'S    VOICE.      399 
 
 her,"  it  was  the  first  fulfihnent  of  the  angel's  declaration, 
 that  many  should  "  rejoice  at  his  birth  ;"  the  first  keeping 
 of  that  Nativity  which  we  at  this  day  celebrate  with  the 
 Christian  Church  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  And  it  came 
 to  pass,  that  on  the  eiglith  day  they  came  to  circumcise  the 
 child ;  and  they  called  him  Zacharias,  after  the  name  of 
 his  father.  But  he  was  the  child  of  faith,  born  beyond 
 nature,  and  from  his  very  birth  must  he  have  the  "new 
 name  "  given  of  God ;  as  Apostles  and  others,  when  set 
 apart  for  the  high  calling  of  God.  And  his  mother  an- 
 swered and  said,  Not  so;  hut  he  shall  he  ccdied  John. 
 And  they  said  unto  her,  There  is  none  of  thy  kindred  that 
 is  called  hy  this  name.  Their  very  objection  marked  how 
 peculiar  and  sacred  was  the  name.  And  they  made  signs 
 to  his  father,  how  he  would  have  him  called.  And  he 
 asked  for  a  writing-tahle,  and  wrote,  saying.  His  name  is 
 John.  Not  that  it  shall  be,  but  is  already,  as  pronounced 
 by  the  angel  of  God.  And  they  marvelled  all.  They 
 perceived  that  there  was  a  mystery  and  a  Divine  inter- 
 position, though  they  knew  not  how  great  it  was.  And 
 his  mouth  loas  opened  immediately,  and  his  tongue  loosed, 
 and.  he  spake  and  praised  God.  Faith  and  obedience 
 had  more  than  restored  him ;  had  filled  his  mouth  with 
 inspiration,  and  given  him  a  prophet's  tongue. 
 
 And  fear  came  on  all  that  dicelt  round  ahout  them  : 
 where  God  is,  where  His  presence  is  known  and  acknow- 
 ledged, there  is  always  a  holy  fear.  And  all  these  sayings 
 were  noised  ahroad  throughout  all  the  hill-country  of 
 Judoea.  And  all  they  that  heard  them  laid  them  up  in 
 their  hearts,  saying.  What  manner  of  child  shall  this  he  ? 
 And  the  hand  of  the  Lord  was  with  him.  There  was 
 prophecy,  and  expectation,  and  stirring  of  men's  hearts 
 sufficient  to  kindle  faith,  as  in  every  visitation  of  God, 
 
400  SAINT  yoHN  baptist's  day. 
 
 and  tokens  of  that  favour  wherewith  God  is  used  to 
 invest  those  whom  He  marks  and  chooses  for  His  own. 
 
 And  Ms  father  Zacharias  was  filled  icitli  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  and  proijhesled,  saying.  Here  we  must  remember, 
 that  it  was  in  answer  to  his  prayer  as  a  priest,  on  the  great 
 day  of  the  Atonement,  and  by  the  altar  of  incense,  that 
 the  angel  had  appeared  with  the  promise  of  this  son  from 
 God.  It  is  not  therefore  of  himself,  nor  his  own  house, 
 or  his  son,  that  his  hymn  of  thanksgiving  is ;  nay  more, 
 it  is  not  of  Israel  after  the  flesh,  nor  of  temporal  de- 
 liverance ;  but  of  aU  mankind  lying  under  the  shadow  of 
 death,  and  the  forgiveness  of  sins  shed  abroad  like  healing 
 wings. 
 
 Blessed  he  the  Lord  God  of  Israel:  for  He  hath  visited 
 and  redeemed  His  people,  and  hath  raised  up  an  horn  of 
 salvation  for  us  in  the  house  of  His  servant  David.  In 
 the  Spirit,  and  in  faith  he  speaks  of  it  as  already  accom- 
 plished, although  the  Saviour  was  as  yet  unborn.  As  He 
 spake  hy  the  mouth  of  His  holy  prophets,  ivhich  have  been 
 since  the  luorld  began.  If,  as  it  has  been  said,  the  law  is 
 the  Gospel  hidden,  and  the  Gospel  is  the  law  revealed, 
 we  may  observe  that  here,  for  the  first  time,  the  stream 
 of  Divine  light  seems  to  break  in  throughout  this  pro- 
 phetic hymn,  for  all  here  is  of  that  which  is  evangelical, 
 spiritual,  heavenly,  and  eternal.  That  we  should  be  saved 
 from  oar  enemies,  and  from  the  hand  of  all  that  hate  us  ; 
 to  perform  the  mercy  promised  to  our  fathers,  and  to 
 remember  His  holy  covenant.  Such  is  the  fulness  of  faith 
 in  the  power,  the  goodness,  and  the  truth  of  God.  It  is 
 as  if  he  also  heard  the  Bridegroom's  voice,  and  rejoiced. 
 
 The  ocdh,  so  often  appealed  to  in  the  Scriptures,  which 
 He  sware  to  our  father  Abraham,  that  He  ivould  grant  unto 
 us,  that  we,  being  delivered  out  of  the  hand  of  our  enemies. 
 
yoy  AT  HEARING    THE   BRIDEGROOM' S    VOICE.      401 
 
 — those  enemies  of  which  Pharaoh,  and  ISTebuchadnezzar, 
 the  Eoman  Caesars,  and  Herod,  were  but  the  outward 
 signs;  that  in  this  miraculous  deliverance, — we  miglit  serve 
 Him  icitlwid  feai%  in  holiness  and  righteousness  before  Him 
 all  tJie  days  of  our  life.  In  those  "new  heavens,  and 
 new  earth,"  of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  "  wherein  dwelleth 
 righteousness." 
 
 And  then,  as  if  arrested  in  this  glorious  vision  of 
 Christ's  Kingdom  by  the  presence  of  the  infant  child 
 before  him.  And  thou,  Child,  shall  he  called  the  prophet 
 of  the  Highest :  for  thou  shall  go  before  the  face  of  the 
 Lord  to  prepare  His  ways.  Blessed  and  glorious  privi- 
 lege, to  prepare  a  way  for  the  reception  of  God  in  the 
 hearts  of  men  !  To  give  knowledge  of  salvation  unto  His 
 people  by  the  remission  of  their  sins,  through  the  tender 
 mercy  of  our  God,  whereby  the  Day-spring  from  on  high 
 hath  visited  us.  Heavenly  morning  in  the  heart  of  each, 
 first  streak  of  light  of  the  Everlasting  Day,  how  beautiful 
 is  thy  coming,  when  the  clouds  of  sadness  fall  in  tears  : 
 and  the  shadows  of  darkness  flee  away !  To  give  light  to 
 them  that  sit  in  darkness,  and  in  the  shadow  of  death,  to 
 guide  our  feet  into  the  loay  of  peace ;  into  the  way  that 
 leadeth  to  that  true  Jerusalem  which  is  "the  vision  of 
 peace,"  whose  walls  are  Salvation,  and  whose  gates  are 
 Praise.® 
 
 And  the  child  grew,  and  loaxed  strong  in  spirit ;  and  loas 
 in  the  deserts,  till  the  day  of  his  showing  unto  Israel. 
 Thus  God  works  in  secret,  and  by  slow  preparation,  that 
 all  may  wait  and  watch  for  Him  in  patience. 
 
 In  conclusion,  I  will  add  one  further  reflection.  To 
 them  who  first  met  together  to  celebrate  the  JSTativity  of 
 
 fi  Isa.  X.  18. 
 VOL.  II.  D   d 
 
402  SAINT   JOHN  BAPTIST'S   DAV. 
 
 the  Baptist  all  was  in  the  dim  uncertain  future ;  to  that 
 they  looked  with  more  or  less  of  faith,  hope,  and  knowledge  : 
 and  now,  in  these  last  days,  when  we  celehrate  this 
 Festival,  and  once  more  carry  on  the  view,  and  look 
 forward  to  Advent  and  Christmas,  the  day  becomes  con- 
 nected with  a  subject  of  solemn  import  to  us,  though  full 
 of  mystery.  Our  Lord  said  of  John  the  Baptist,  that  he 
 was  the  Elijah  that  was  to  precede  His  coming ;  yet  John 
 himself  had  said  to  the  Pharisees  that  he  was  not  Elias ; 
 and  our  Lord  has  Himself  so  spoken  on  a  subsequent 
 occasion,  as  to  have  left  an  indistinct  apprehension  that, 
 in  some  fuller  and  greater  sense,  there  is  an  Elijah  still  to 
 be  expected  "  before  the  coming  of  the  great  and  dreadful 
 day  of  the  Lord."  This  is  surely  a  matter  of  very  awful 
 interest ;  in  what  way  a  witness  of  God,  or  many  witnesses 
 may  appear,  it  would  probably  do  us  no  good  to  inquire, 
 any  more  than  when  the  Pharisees  of  old  inquired  of  John 
 the  Baptist ;  but  the  Voice  of  God  will  find  us  out,  and 
 if  we  have  His  Spirit  we  shall  not  reject  that  Voice. 
 And  of  this  we  may  be  sure,  and  we  may  take  it  home  as 
 the  lesson  of  this  Day,  that,  as  in  the  case  of  John  the 
 Baptist,  obedience  to  the  warning  calls  of  God,  by  His 
 Messenger,  will  be  the  test  by  which  the  spirits  of  men 
 will  be  tried. 
 
SERMON   LXXXIII. 
 
 Acts  xii,  I — II.     St.  Matt.  xvi.  13—19. 
 
 T//E   STRENGTH   OF  GOD   IN  MAN^S    WEAKNESS. 
 
 If  ye  suffer  for  righteousness^  sake,  happy  are  ye:  and  be  not  afraid 
 of  their  terror,  neither  be  troubled ;  but  sanctify  the  LoRD  GOD  in 
 your  hearts. — i  Peter  iii.  14,  15. 
 
 THIS  day  used  to  be  the  festival  of  St.  Peter  and  St. 
 Paul ;  and  the  Sermons  of  St.  Augustine  are  on  the 
 subject  of  these  two  great  Apostles  and  their  martyrdoms, 
 with  no  allusion  to  our  present  services.  But  perhaps 
 this  is  rather  to  be  considered  not  as  the  continuance  of 
 that  festival,  but  another  transferred  by  our  Church  to 
 this  day,  from  the  first  of  August,  which  commemorated 
 the  chains  of  St.  Peter.  For  it  is  from  that  service  that 
 both  the  Epistle  and  the  Gospel  for  to-day  are  taken. 
 
 The  incident  recorded  in  the  Epistle  is  one  of  much 
 interest  in  the  history  of  St.  Peter.  It  was  now  again 
 after  ten  years  at  the  return  of  the  memorable  Passover, 
 at  which  the  Lamb  of  God  had  been  slain.  Herod 
 Agrippa,  who  had  been  made  king  of  Judaea  by  the 
 1)  d  2 
 
404  SAINT  PETER^S   DAY. 
 
 Eoinans,  began  to  persecute  the  Christians,  and  kiUed 
 with  the  sword  James  the  Great,  the  brother  of  John, 
 Perceiving  that  this  gratified  the  Jews,  from  whom  all 
 persecutions  of  the  Church  arose,  he  laid  hands  on  St. 
 Peter,  and  wishing  to  defer  his  death  till  after  the  Peast, 
 he  put  him  m  prison,  with  a  guard  of  soldiers  to  keep 
 him,  four  quaternions,  that  is,  four  for  each  watch  in  the 
 night.  In  this  interval,  the  Church,  neither  presuming 
 on  the  miraculous  care  of  her  Lord,  nor  distrustful  from 
 the  loss  of  St.  James,  ceased  not  to  pray.  Such  was  the 
 strength  of  God ;  Christ  in  Heaven,  and  His  Church  or 
 earth,  interceding  for  the  great  Apostle  in  bonds. 
 
 It  has  been  often  observed  how  great  a  difference  ap- 
 pears in  the  character  of  St.  Peter  after  his  Lord's  resur- 
 rection, and  the  descent  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  this  is  a 
 beautiful  instance  of  it.  At  one  time  it  might  be  said  of 
 his  whole  character,  that  "  the  spirit  indeed  was  willing, 
 but  the  flesh  was  weak  ; "  his  faith  was  unequal  to  sustain 
 the  greatness  of  his  love,  for  his  love  had  in  it  too  much 
 of  that  which  was  earthly ;  and  it  seems  remarkable  how, 
 after  he  became  strengthened,  his  Lord  seemed  to  meet 
 him  again  with  blessing  in  incidents  that  might  recall  his 
 former  weakness.  When  he  first  heard  of  the  Cross,  he 
 said,  in  his  human  infirmity,  "That  be  far  from  Thee, 
 Lord;"  but  his  Lord  gave  him  afterwards  abundantly  to 
 bear  his  own  cross  in  manifold  sufferings,  and  to  die 
 upon  it  with  joy,  while  he  shrunk  from  exhaltation  so 
 great  as  to  be  made  in  death  so  like  his  Lord.  Thrice 
 did  he  deny ;  thrice  did  his  Lord  commit  His  sheep  to 
 his  charge,  the  tokens  of  His  love.  At  the  miraculous 
 draught  of  fishes  he  fell  down  at  Jesus'  feet,  saying, 
 ** Depart  from  me,  0  Lord;"  but  after  the  day  of  Pen- 
 tecost, when  the  net  of  the  Church  was  of  a  sudden  so 
 
T?IE  STRENGTH  OF  GOD  IN  MAN'S  WEAKNESS.       405 
 
 miraculously  filled,  according  to  his  Lord's  promise/  with 
 earnestness  did  he  cleave  with  all  praise  and  thanks- 
 giving to  Him,  and  preached  aloud  to  all  salvation  in  His 
 Name.  In  like  manner  of  contrast  is  his  conduct  at  this 
 Passover,  when  compared  with  that  of  ten  years  before. 
 He  is  now,  on  the  night  before  his  own  execution,  calmly 
 asleep  in  prison,  as  if  free  from  all  perturbation  or  care. 
 On  the  former  occasion,  when  he  had  drawn  his  sword  in 
 his  Master's  defence,  he  was  reminded  that  at  his  Lord's 
 prayer  "twelve  legions  of  Angels"  would  come  to  His 
 assistance ;  and  now,  while  resting  undisturbed  in  faith, 
 he  has  no  more  recourse  to  carnal  weapons,  his  Lord,  as 
 if  mindful  of  those  His  words  in  the  night  of  His  agony, 
 sends  to  him  one  angel  to  do  for  him  all  that  he  needs. 
 How  different  from  the  passionate  resistance,  and  the  sub- 
 sequent trembling  and  failing  of  heart  on  that  terrible 
 night,  is  his  light  now  in  darkness,  his  freedom  now  in 
 chains,  his  calmness  in  the  midst  of  danger,  his  Divine 
 strength  in  human  helplessness  !  For  all  hope  of  human 
 aid  is  now  far  removed.  He  is  asleej),  when  there  is  no 
 self-assistance ;  he  is  between  two  soldiers ;  he  is  hound 
 by  two  chains  ;  and  keepers  before  the  door  are  heeping  the 
 prison.  He  is  asleep,  as  it  were,  on  the  bosom  of  God  in 
 full  and  quiet  confidence.  "  He  that  keepeth  thee  will 
 not  sleep.  Behold,  He  that  keepeth  Israel  shall  neither 
 slumber  nor  sleep.  The  Lord  Himself  is  thy  keeper."^ 
 As  a  child  asleep,  and  in  such  weakness  overcoming  by 
 the  strength  of  God  aU  power  of  the  enemy :  as  a  child 
 asleep,  in  the  very  teeth,  as  St.  Augustine  says,  of  the 
 devouring  lion. 
 
 And  behold,  says  the  account,  the  angel  of  the  Lord 
 
 1  Luke  V.  6.  10.  ^  Fs.  cxxi.  3.  9. 
 
406  SAINT  Peter's  day. 
 
 came  upon  Mm,  and  a  light  shined  in  the  prison:  and 
 he  smote  Peter  on  the  side;  in  his  deep  sleep  lie  saw 
 the  light  of  an  angelic  presence,  and  felt  an  angel's 
 hand  which  aroused  him  from  sleep,  saying,  Arise  up 
 quicMy.  And  his  chains  fell  off  from  his  hands.  He  bids 
 one  to  arise  who  is  asleep  and  in  chains ;  but  whenever 
 God  commands,  He  gives  power  to  perform.  And  the 
 angel  said  unto  him,  Gird  thyself,  and  hind  on  thy 
 sandals:  and  so  he  did.  And  he  saith  unto  him.  Cast 
 thy  garment  ahoid  thee,  and  follow  7ne.  And  he  went  out 
 and  followed  him  ;  and  wist  not  that  it  was  true  which 
 loas  done  hy  the  angel;  hut  thought  he  saw  a  vision.  It 
 was  all  so  marvellous  ;  it  went  on  in  a  manner  so  noiseless 
 and  calm,  and  withal  so  rapidly,  so  unearthly ;  that  it 
 appeared  like  one  of  those  visions  which  God  sometimes 
 vouchsafes  to  His  Saints,  and  had  done  to  St.  Peter  him- 
 self, before  now,  as  on  the  house-top  at  Joppa.  And 
 withal  the  deliverance  was  so  great,  as  of  one  coming  out 
 of  the  grave,  that  it  hardly  yet  appeared  as  a  reality  in 
 this  our  sad  life :  "  when  the  Lord  turned  again  the  cap- 
 tivity of  Sion,  then  were  we  like  unto  them  that  dream."  ^ 
 But  indeed  the  whole  narrative  itself,  as  of  an  occurrence 
 that  so  set  aside  the  impediments  of  our  ordinary  life, 
 seems  like  that  of  a  dream,  when  the  spirit  is  free  from 
 the  trammels  of  the  body,  and  moves  with  its  own  s^Diritual 
 nature ;  he  was  free  from  his  chains,  a  supernatural  light 
 was  around  them ;  the  guards  and  keepers  were  as  in  a 
 sleep,  and  noticed  not ;  they  passed  the  first  and  the  second 
 ward,  they  came  unto  the  iron  gate  towards  the  city,  which 
 opened  of  its  own  accord;  they  went  out,  and 
 through  one  street;  when  the  angel  disappeared. 
 
 3  Ps.  cxxvi.  1. 
 
THE  STRENGTH  OF  GOD  IN  MAN's  WEAKNESS,       407 
 
 The  transition  had  heen  great  and  sudden ;  and  now 
 St.  Peter  left  to  himself  to  recover  his  own  bewildered 
 thoughts,  perceived  the  truth  and  i^ality  of  it  all,  under 
 the  stillness  of  the  midnight  sky,  and  in  the  streets  of  the 
 deserted  City;  that  ilie  Lord  had  smt  His  angel  and 
 delivered  him  out  of  the  very  jaws  of  the  devourer  ;  out  of 
 the  hand  of  Herod,  and  the  expectation  of  the  Jeios,  looking 
 forward  to  his  death  on  the  morrow. 
 
 Thus  is  St.  Peter  set  before  us  on  this  his  day  ;  not  in 
 his  hold  preaching  as  on  the  day  of  Pentecost ;  not  in  his 
 working  of  miracles  ;  not  as  receiving  visions  of  God ;  not 
 in  any  of  his  Apostolic  acts,  nor  sitting  on  a  throne  in  his 
 Master's  Kingdom,  hut  in  chains.  And  well  may  we 
 believe,  that  with  no  other  circumstances  would  St.  Peter 
 himself  have  so  wished  his  memory  to  he  associated ;  as 
 he  says  to  others  under  like  trials,  "  Think  it  not  strange, 
 as  though  some  strange  thing  happened  unto  you: 
 but  rejoice,  inasmuch  as  ye  are  partakers  of  Christ's 
 sufferings."^  And  if  we  call  to  mind  that  memorable 
 passage  of  St.  Chrysostom  on  the  Ephesians,  where  he 
 dwells  with  such  eloquence  on  the  chains  of  St.  Peter  and 
 St.  Paul,  we  may  well  say,  that  in  nothing  else  could 
 the  dignity  of  St.  Peter  be  so  much  set  forth.  "  I  am 
 ashamed,"  says  that  holy  Bishop,  ''  to  compare  to  these 
 bonds  earthly  riches  and  golden  attire.  To  them  that 
 understand  the  love  of  Christ,  that  chain  will  appear  to 
 be  of  all  things  the  most  blessed.  Were  any  to  offer 
 me  my  choice,  the  whole  Heaven  or  that  chain,  I  would 
 prefer  that  chain."  "  I^ot  for  this  do  I  bless  those  bonds, 
 that  they  conduct  to  Heaven,  but  because  they  are  worn 
 for  His  sake,  Who  is  the  Lord  of  Heaven.     How  great  an 
 
 4  1  Pet.  iv.  12. 
 
408  SAINT  Peter's  day. 
 
 liappiness,  how  high  an  honour  !  Fain  would  I  ever  dwell 
 on  this  subject ;  ever  cling  to  this  chain.  Fain  would  I, 
 though  I  have  not  in  reality  the  power  to  do  so,  yet  would 
 I,  in  thought  and  intention,  bind  this  chain  around  my 
 soul  by  a  temper  like  his."® 
 
 And  now  we  Lave  in  the  Gospel  for  the  day  the 
 account  of  that  Divine  power  thus  exhibited  in  St. 
 Peter,  that  germ  of  life  implanted  by  the  Father  Which 
 is  in  Heaven  in  the  revelation  of  His  Son,  which  ever 
 since  that  time  had  in  the  history  of  St.  Peter  been 
 deepened  and  enlarged,  matured,  perfected.  Herein  was 
 the  secret  of  his  great  strength ;  the  Stone  against  which 
 whosoever  fell  should  be  broken ;  it  was  within  him,  not 
 without;  as  taught  by  experience  he  says  to  others,  "  If 
 ye  suffer  for  righteousness'  sake,  happy  are  ye;  and  be 
 not  afraid  of  their  terror,  neither  be  troubled,  but  sanctify 
 the  Lord  God  in  your  hearts  :"  that  is,  take  care  that 
 your  faith  in  His  Godhead  be  right,  and  all  will  be  well. 
 Hallow  Him  by  adoration  and  worship  within ;  take  heed 
 of  that  light,  the  shield  from  God,  and  you  need  fear 
 nothing  from  without.  Blessed  Apostle,  indeed,  and 
 blessed  chains ;  but  yet  not  blessed  because  he  was  an 
 Apostle,  nor  were  those  chains  to  be  accounted  blessed 
 because  they  were  borne  by  him :  but  his  blessedness 
 consisted  in  this,  that  the  Father  Which  is  in  Heaven 
 had  revealed  to  him  the  one  great  secret — that  mystery 
 in  which  consists  the  salvation  of  the  world ;  which  to 
 have  known  is  to  have  found  the  pearl  of  great  price : 
 that  which  made  his  Apostleship  full  of  power,  and  his 
 chains  to  be  as  a  crown  of  gold. 
 
 5  Eph.  iv.  Horn.  viii. 
 
THE  STRENGTH  OF  GOD  IN  MAN's  WEAKNESS,       409 
 
 When  Jesus  came  info  the  coasts  of  Ccesarea  Philippi, 
 says  St.  Matthew, — when  they  were  now  withdrawn  in 
 retirement  and  prayer  from  the  more  active  sphere  of  His 
 ministry,  He  puts  to  them  the  solemn  inquiry  for  which 
 sake  He  had  come  into  the  world, — He  asked  His  disciples, 
 saying,  Whom  do  men  say  that  I,  the  Son  of  Man,  am  ? 
 The  confession  on  the  part  of  Christ  is  that  He  is  the 
 Son  of  Man ;  the  confession  on  the  part  of  man  must  he 
 that  He  is  the  Son  of  God :  on  both  of  these  together  is 
 His  Church  founded  and  built  up, — the  Son  of  God  upon 
 earth,  the  Son  of  Man  in  Heaven.  "Whom  do  men 
 say  1 "  The  inquiry  and  answer  is  as  if  to  point  out  that 
 flesh  and  blood  had  not  found  out  the  one  great  truth, 
 the  truth  of  all  truths.  No ;  manifold  are  its  shadows, 
 but  the  truth  itself  is  one.  And  they  said,  Some  say  that 
 Thou  art  John  the  Baptist,  whom  Herod  supposed  to  be 
 risen  from  the  dead;  some,  Elias,  who  is  to  precede 
 Christ's  coming;  and  others,  Jeremias,  or  one  of  the 
 prophets, — some  prophet  such  as  Moses  was  understood 
 to  have  foretold.  But,  what  is  very  remarkable,  these 
 opinions  have  in  them  this  indistinct  reference  to  a  great 
 truth,  that  they  intimate  an  apprehension  of  one  arising 
 at  this  time  in  great  power  from  the  dead.  He  saith  unto 
 them,  But  whom  say  ye — ye  My  Apostles,  the  Church 
 whom  I  have  chosen — Whom  say  ye  that  I  am  ?  And 
 Simon  Peter — speaking  for  himself,  and  for  all  to  whom 
 the  question  had  been  addressed,  as  one  in  twelve,  the 
 unity  of  the  faith  on  the  twelve  foundations — Simon 
 Peter  answered  and  said,  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of 
 the  living  God :  the  Christ,  not  merely  such  as  the  Jews 
 expect,  the  Son  of  David,  but  such  as  David  himself 
 and  the  Prophets  foretold,  the  Son  of  God ;  not  a  Christ 
 the   son    of   dying    parents,    who    after    having   served 
 
.,410  SAINT  Peter's  day. 
 
 their  generation  should  be  laid  unto  their  fathers,  but 
 the  Son  of  the  Living  God,  in  Whom  is  the  fountain 
 of  life. 
 
 And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  Mm,  Blessed  art 
 tliou,  Simon  Bar-jona:  for  Jiesh  and  blood  hath  not 
 revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  My  Father  Which  is  in  Heaven. 
 Great  must  be  the  wisdom,  and  great  the  knowledge 
 which  is  revealed  from  Heaven :  the  only  knowledge 
 worthy  of  the  Name — the  fruit  of  the  Tree  in  the 
 Paradise  of  God,  which  maketh  men  indeed  to  partake 
 of  a  Divine  nature.  But  why  this  blessedness  ?  for  flesh 
 and  blood  to  have  imparted  this  knowledge  would  have 
 brought  no  blessing,  but  because  it  was  disclosed  by  God 
 Himself  to  the  secret  heart. 
 
 And  I  say  also  unto  thee,  That  thou  art  Peter ; — this 
 is  the  new  name  by  which  thou  art  known  of  God,  on 
 account  of  thy  maintaining  this  faith ;  on  this  that  thou 
 hast-  said,  as  St.  Augustine  explains  it,  on  this  declaration 
 of  thine,  this  confession  of  faith  in  Me  as  the  Son  of 
 God,  will  I,  as  on  a  Eock,  build  My  Church ;  and  thou 
 also  art  called  the  Eock,  as  maintaining  this  faith  revealed 
 unto  thee  from  above; — thou  art  Peter;  and  upon  this  Rock 
 I  will  build  My  Church,  and  the  gates  of  Hell  shall  not 
 prevail  against  it.  I,  the  Son  of  God,  Whom  thou  hast 
 confessed  will,  by  My  Divine  power,  build  My  Church 
 so  strongly,  that  the  unseen  powers  of  darkness  shall  be 
 broken,  as  waves  that  beat  upon  a  rock,  and  that  rock  is 
 no  other  than  faith  in  Me  as  the  Son  of  God.  "  No  man 
 can  come  to  Me,  except  the  Father  Which  hath  sent  Me 
 draw  him;"  "All  that  the  Father  giveth  Me  shall  come 
 to  Me;  and  him  that  cometh  unto  Me,  I  will  in  no  wise 
 cast  out."  The  gates  of  Hell,  the  judgment-seats  which 
 are  beyond   the   grave,  shall   not   j)i'evail  against  those 
 
THE  STRENGTH  OF  GOD  IN  MAN's  WEAKNESS.       411 
 
 whose  life  has  been  that  of  faith  in  the  Godhead   of 
 Christ. 
 
 And  on  this  day,  with  a  peculiar  and  expressive 
 power,  do  these  words  come  to  us  as  receiving  their 
 fulfilment  in  the  Epistle ;  not  only  in  God's  miraculous 
 deliverance  of  His  Church,  so  that  the  gates  of  Hell  pre- 
 vailed not,  hut  doing  so  by  means  of  St.  Peter,  for  whom 
 His  Church  was  praying  to  Him,  and  of  St.  Peter's 
 confirmed  faith  in  His  Godhead.  Christ  left  him  to 
 himself,  and  he  was  found  to  be  a  man ;  now  Christ  was 
 with  him,  and,  strong  in  the  power  of  God,  on  account 
 of  this  faith,  it  might  be  said  to  him,  as  it  was  to 
 Jeremiah  the  prophet :  "I  have  made  thee  a  defenced 
 city,  and  an  iron  pillar  and  brazen  walls ;  and  they  shall 
 fight  against  thee,  but  they  shall  not  prevail  against  thee; 
 for  I  am  with  thee,  saith  the  Lord,  to  deliver  thee."^ 
 
 But  more  than  this  is  the  gift,  as  flowing  from  this  His 
 Godhead  and  the  acknoAvledgment  of  it,  which  our  Lord 
 now  vouchsafes ;  for  the  kingdom  of  Heaven  was  come, 
 because  God  was  upon  earth  in  the  Son  of  Man.  Amd  I 
 will  give  unto  thee  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  : 
 and  ivhatsoever  thou  shalt  hind  on  earth  shall  be  hound  in 
 Heaven  ;  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  on  earth  shall  he 
 loosed  in  Heaven.  "  Great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness," 
 says  St.  Paul,  in  speaking  of  "  the  Church  of  the  living 
 God."  Let  us,  then,  not  dispute  about  the  meaning  of 
 these  words,  but,  with  fearfulness  and  humility,  take  care 
 lest  those  keys  should  at  last  be  found  to  shut  us  out ; 
 and  lest  the  bonds  which  are  here  spoken  of  be  such  as 
 may  bind  us  hand  and  feet  at  the  Day  of  Judgment. 
 This   Evangelist,  St.  Matthew,  soon   afterwards   records 
 
 c  Jer.  i.  18,  19. 
 
412  SAINT  Peter's  day. 
 
 these  same  words  as  addressed  by  our  Lord  to  His 
 Apostles  generally ;  and  therefore  we  may  consider  it  as 
 a  power  delivered  to  St.  Peter  and  the  rest.  "These 
 keys,"  says  St.  Augustine,  "  not  one  man,  hut  the  unity 
 of  the  Church  hath  received."  ^  Whatever  they  may 
 fully  mean,  this  we  know,  that  the  Church  is  spoken  of 
 by  our  Lord  as  a  living  Body,  with  power  to  retain  or 
 remit  sins,  to  bind  or  to  loose,  to  speak  with  authority ; 
 and  that  because  He  has  given  her  this  power,®  if  any  one 
 will  not  hear  her,  he  is  to  be  to  us  as  an  Heathen  man  or 
 a  Publican  was  to  the  Jews, 
 
 And  now.  Christian  brethren,  what  are  we  to  learn 
 from  this  Festival  and  its  services  as  we  now  hold  it  ? 
 What  would  God  thereby  teach  u&?  That  the  power 
 and  the  faith  of  the  Church,  though  it  be  founded  on  the 
 Godhead  of  Christ,  as  secretly  revealed  by  the  Father  to 
 those  whom  He  hath  chosen  unto  life,  yet  it  is  not  to  be 
 looked  for  in  high  and  dignified  pre-eminence,  but  in 
 tribulation,  in  prison,  in  the  distress  of  the  faithful  and 
 their  prayers.  St.  Peter  found  his  great  strength  through 
 repentance ;  and  the  Church,  which  hath  fallen  from  its 
 first  love,  must  do  the  same :  every  individual  who  hath 
 sinned  must  do  the  same.  Well  for  him  if  at  last  his 
 chains  fall  off,  and  he  passes  forth  from  his  prison  of 
 death,  and  is  able  to  say  with  the  Psalmist,  '•  Praised  be 
 the  Lord,  Who  hath  not  given  us  over  for  a  prey  unto 
 their  teeth.  Our  soul  is  escaped  as  a  bird  out  of  the 
 snare;  the  snare  is  broken,  and  we  are  delivered."" 
 
 The  lesson  which  the  Collect  would  inculcate  in  prayer, 
 when  speaking  of  those  "  excellent  gifts "  which  Christ 
 
 7  Serm.  ccxcv.  s  Matt,  xviii.  17,  18. 
 
 »  Ps.  cxxiv.  5,  6. 
 
THE  STRENGTH  OF  GOD  IN  MAN'S  WEAKNESS.       4]  3 
 
 had  bestowed  on  St.  Peter,  as  recorded  in  to-day's 
 Gospel,  passes  altogether  into  another  part  of  his  his- 
 tory,— the  earnest  exhortation  which  his  Lord  made  to 
 him  to  feed  the  lambs  and  the  sheep  of  His  flock,  as  the 
 proof  of  his  love  upon  his  restoration  and  repentance.  It 
 is  for  this  object  that  he  is  more  than  once  released  by  an 
 angel  from  prison;  it  is  for  this  that  his  feet  are  set 
 upon  the  Eock, — that  he  may  carry  on  his  Master's  own 
 work  upon  earth ;  it  is  for  this  that  "  not  once — not 
 twice  only,"  as  St.  Augustine  observes,  "  but  three  times 
 did  the  Lord  commit  to  him  the  charge  "  of  feeding  the 
 sheep  which  He  had  purchased  with  His  own  blood.  It 
 was  in  fulfilment  of  this  thrice-commissioned  charge  that 
 he  was  found  worthy  to  be  crowned  with  martyrdom. 
 This  is  his  own  solemn  appeal  to  all  pastors  unto  the 
 end:  "Feed  the  flock  of  God;"— '' and  when  the  chief 
 Shepherd  shall  appear,  ye  shall  receive  a  crown  of  glory 
 that  fadeth  not  away."^ 
 
 1  Pet.  V.  4 
 
SERMON    LXXXIV. 
 
 Acts  xi,  27;  xii.  3.     St.  Matt.  xx.  20 — 28. 
 
 HIDDEN    WITH   CHRIST  IN  GOD. 
 
 And  he  killed  James  the  brother  of  John  withthe  sword. — ACTS  xii.  2. 
 
 OUK  Cliurch  seems  to  have  appointed  the  passage  in 
 the  Acts  for  the  Epistle  of  to-day  on  account  of 
 these  words  which  occur  in  it;  and  perhaps  they  may 
 afford  us  as  much  matter  for  reflection  as  those  moving 
 appeals  in  which  the  Epistles  abound  on  the  sufferings  of 
 Saints  and  Martyrs,  not  only  from  what  it  states,  but 
 from  what  it  leaves  unsaid,  that  so  little  should  be  re- 
 corded of  one  so  eminent :  indeed  his  very  death  itself  is 
 only  mentioned,  as  it  were,  incidentally. 
 
 The  Church  of  God  had  now  taken  root  in  Antioch, 
 in  consequence  of  which  Barnabas  had  been  sent  there 
 from  Jerusalem,  and  had  brought  St.  Paul  thither  from 
 Tarsus,  when  the  account  thus  proceeds :  In  those  days 
 came  prophets  from  Jerusalem  unto  Antioch.  And  there 
 stood  up  one  of  them-  named  Agahus,  and  signified  by  the 
 Spirit  that  there  should  be  great  dearth  throughout  all  the 
 
HIDDEN   WITH   CHRIST  IN   GOD,  415 
 
 loorld ;  wliicli  came  to  pass  in  the  days  of  Claudius 
 Ccesar.  Then  the  disciples,  every  man  according  to  his 
 ahility,  determined  to  send  relief  unto  the  hrethren  which 
 dwelt  in  Judoea.  Which  also  they  did,  and  sent  it  to  the 
 elders  hy  the  hands  of  Barnabas  and  8aid.  In  this  we 
 have  an  interesting  picture  of  the  early  Church  :  Earnabas 
 sent  to  Antioch  with  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  re- 
 turning to  Jerusalem  with  alms ;  and  the  Church  in 
 affliction  not  only  from  persecution,  but  from  famine  also. 
 And  then  it  is  added,  Noio  about  that  time  Herod  the 
 king  stretched  forth  his  hands  to  vex  certain  of  the  Church. 
 And  he  killed  James  the  brother  of  John  with  the  sivord. 
 And  because  he  saw  it  pleased  the  Jews,  he  jjroceeded 
 further  to  take  Peter  also. 
 
 Such  was  the  martyrdom  of  St.  James,  and  thus  was 
 fulfilled  his  mother's  request  in  a  manner  far  other  than 
 she  thought  of :  first  of  Apostles  is  he  deemed  worthy  of 
 this  crown,  enthroned  on  Christ's  right  hand  :  "To  him 
 that  overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  Me  in  My 
 throne."^  But  before  considering  it  more  particularly, 
 let  us  proceed  to  the  account  of  this  his  mother's  petition 
 in  the  Gospel. 
 
 Here  we  must  remember,  that  annihilation  of  self  is 
 the  secret  of  the  Cross,  which  sets  forth  the  depth  of  our 
 sin  and  unworthiness,  together  with  our  life  in  the 
 Crucified.  But  the  mystery  of  the  Cross  was  not  yet 
 known,  nor  the  Spirit  given  to  unfold  its  depths,  and 
 adjust  its  bearings.  It  was  at  a  time  when  even  the 
 Apostles,  though  they  believed  Christ  to  be  the  Son  of 
 God,  and  had  now  been  with  Him  for  three  years,  yet 
 when  they  found  that  He  was  on  the  eve  of  establishing 
 
 1  Rev.  iii.  21. 
 
416  SAINT   JAMES    THE  APOSTLE. 
 
 His  Kingdom,  they  "began  to  dispute  about  their  respective 
 places  in  it.  And  now  He  had  been  speaking  to  them  of 
 His  approaching  death,  which  it  is  said  they  did  not  at 
 all  understand,  when  it  is  added,  Tlien  came  to  Him  the 
 mother  of  Zebedee's  children  with  her  sons,  worshipping 
 Him,  and  desiring  a  certain  thing  of  Him.  And  He  said 
 unto  her,  What  loilt  thou  ?  She  saith  unto  Him,  Grant 
 that  these  my  two  sons  may  sit,  the  one  on  Thy  right  hand, 
 and  the  other  on  the  left  in  Thy  kingdom.  There  was, 
 indeed,  an  ignorance  of  the  Cross  in  this  request,  and 
 something  of  human  infirmity  and  the  natural  ambition 
 of  a  mother's  love,  yet  it  was  not  without  faith.  ^N'ot- 
 withstanding  all  appearances  she  believed  in  His  King- 
 dom. She  was  herself  one  of  those  faithful  women  that 
 ministered  unto  Him  :  and  these  her  sons  had  given  up 
 all  for  Christ's  sake, — a  parent's  home,  with  their  father 
 Zebedee,  their  trade,  and  livelihood :  in  allusion  to  which 
 sacrifices  a  little  while  before  St.  Peter  had  himself  asked, 
 ''What  shall  we  have  therefore?'"^  when  it  was  said  to 
 him,  "  Ye  also  shall  sit  upon  twelve  thrones." 
 
 But  Jesus  answered  and  said,  turning  from  the  mother 
 to  her  children,  Ye  hnoiv  not  what  ye  ask.  If  it  is  worldly 
 precedence  ye  desire,  such  has  the  effect  of  setting  you 
 further  from  Me ;  but  greatness  in  My  Kingdom  and 
 nearness  unto  Me  is  a  pre-eminence  which  ye  think  not 
 of,  in  suffering,  shame,  and  sorrow.  Can  ye  partake  of 
 these  with  Me  1  Are  ye  ahle  to  drink  of  the  cup  that  1 
 shall  drink  of, — that  cup  of  untold  agonies  of  soul  within 
 from  which  all  that  is  human  must  shrink, — and  to  he 
 baptized  icith  the  baptism  that  I  am  hap)tized  ivith  ?  that 
 baptism  of  blood  without,  with  all  the  painful  inflictions 
 
 2  Matt.  xix.  28. 
 
HIDDEN   WITH  CHRIST  IN  GOD.  417 
 
 of  that  terrible  death.  The  throne  below  on  which  My 
 kingly  title  is  written  is  the  Cross,  and  the  places  on  My 
 right  hand  and  on  My  left  are  the  crosses  of  two  thieves 
 on  a  like  painful  bed  of  death.  Tliey  say  unto  Him,  We 
 are  able.  They  speak  in  ignorance  of  what  it  meant, 
 but  their  gracious  Master  accepts  the  words  in  a  higher 
 and  better  sense.  And  He  saith  unto  them,  Ye  shall  drink 
 indeed  of  My  cup,  and  he  baptized  loith  the  bajotism  that  I 
 am  baptized  loith :  but  to  sit  on  My  right  hand  and  on  My 
 left  is  not  Mine  to  give  ;  but  it  shall  be  given  to  them  for 
 whom  it  is  prepared  of  My  Father.  Yes ;  in  this  My 
 Kingdom  below  I  can  select  and  dispose  at  My  will  to  the 
 positions  of  suffering  for  My  Name,  in  which  consists  the 
 kingdom  of  the  Cross,  but  in  that  final  Kingdom  it  is  not 
 Mine  to  assign  by  partial  choice :  those  glorious  rewards 
 are  in  the  eternal  predestination  of  God,  proportioned  to 
 well-doing  and  suffering,  in  the  Kingdom  prepared  of  the 
 Father  for  the  blessed.  But  in  this  My  Kingdom  ye  shall 
 have  with  Me  of  My  portion ;  one  of  you  shall  drink  of 
 My  cup  in  sorrow  of  heart,  longing  for  and  praying  for 
 My  return ;  and  the  other  shall  be  baptized  with  Me  in 
 the  death  of  Martyrdom  ;  yea,  both  alike  shall  partake  of 
 My  Baptism  and  of  My  Cup.  And  they  that  partake  of 
 these  with  Me  shall  be  loved  of  My  Father.  But  this  is 
 not  a  time  for  sitting  down  on  thrones,  but  of  entering 
 into  the  Kingdom  through  much  tribulation,  of  the  narrow 
 gate,  of  the  warfare,  and  the  race. 
 
 Our  Church  has  added  to  this  Gospel  in  still  further 
 warning  to  ourselves.  And  when  the  ten  heard  it,  they 
 icere  moved  loith  indignation  against  the  two  brethren,  that 
 they  should  have  sought  to  obtain  such  precedence  for 
 themselves  above  the  rest,  which  shows  that  they  all  had 
 the  like  desires,  from  whence  alone  envy  and  disappoint- 
 
 VOL.  II.  E  e 
 
418  SAINT    JAMES    THE   APOSTLE. 
 
 ment  could  arise.  Happy  lie  wlio  knows  not  what  such 
 feehngs  are,  from  the  love  of  Christian  lowliness.  But 
 Jesus  called  them  unto  Him  and  said,  Ye  know  that  the 
 princes  of  the  Gentiles  exercise  donfiinion  over  them,  and 
 they  that  are  great  exercise  authority  upon  them.  Their 
 petition  and  your  displeasure  with  them  arise  from  the 
 same  cause,  that  ye  are  judging  from  the  kingdoms  of 
 this  world.  Bid  it  shall  not  he  so  among  you  :  in  My 
 Kingdom  such  carnal  passions  have  no  place;  the  love  of 
 these  things,  honour,  and  place,  and  station,  will  lower 
 you  in  My  spiritual  Kingdom  which  is  to  be  for  ever. 
 You  must  be  emptied  of  self  that  God  may  fill  you.  But 
 whosoever  will  be  great  among  you,  let  him  be  your  minister; 
 and  whosoever  will  be  chief  among  you,  let  him  be  your 
 servant.  If  any  of  you  wishes  to  be  exalted,  to  be  near 
 Me  in  My  Kingdom,  to  approach  Me  and  to  be  like  Me,  it 
 wiU  be  by  doing  as  I  have  done  to  you, — by  lowly, 
 servile  offices  of  love,  by  yielding  his  life  for  others.  If 
 highest  angels  serve  Christ's  little  ones,  such  must  be 
 the  noblest  honour  of  His  saints  on  earth,  to  do  Christ's 
 own  work,  of  serving  and  ministering  to  them ;  yet  not 
 for  station  or  wealth,  but  for  the  love  of  Christ.  Even  as 
 the  Son  of  Man,  in  this  His  kingdom,  came  not  to  be 
 ministered  unto,  but  to  minister,  and  to  give  His  life  a 
 ransom  for  many.  To  love  God  more  than  himself,  and 
 to  love  others  in  God,  to  spend  and  be  spent  for  them,  to 
 feed  the  sheep  of  Christ  and  to  be  willing  to  die  for  them, 
 this  is  the  only  greatness  of  which  My  Kingdom  knows. 
 In  this  strife  there  will  be  no  envy,  no  ambition,  no 
 seeking  advancement,  nor  indignation  at  others  being 
 preferred. 
 
 Wonderful  patience  !  they  had  these  disputes  among 
 themselves   before,  and  with  like  words  did   He   teach 
 
HIDDEN    WITH   CHRIST   IN  GOD.  419 
 
 them;  and  again  do  these  disputes  occur,  and  again  in 
 like  manner  does  He  instruct  them.  And  full  of  love  and 
 blessing  were  these  His  sayings,  as  dew  from  Heaven  on 
 the  tender  grass,  as  spoken  to  those  Apostles  who  should 
 so  soon  exemplify  the  same,  bearing  through  life  their 
 Master's  Cross,  and  yielding  up  their  lives  as  Martyrs  for 
 them  for  whom  Christ  died.  Words  full  of  power,  and 
 mighty  to  bestow  all  that  they  required  !  "  He  spake  the 
 word,  and  they  were  made;  He  commanded,  and  they 
 stood  fast."  So  is  it  with  the  New  Creation,  with  the 
 pillars  in  the  temple  of  God.  They  are  established  by 
 His  word  and  His  grace.  "  They  stand  fast  for  ever  and 
 ever."  "  He  hath  given  them  a  law  which  shall  not  be 
 broken." 
 
 But  to  return  to  the  Epistle  for  to-day.  This  incident, 
 which  the  Gospel  brings  before  us  in  the  history  of  St. 
 James,  is  combined  with  that  of  St.  John ;  but  what  the 
 passsage  from  the  Acts  records  is  of  St.  James  alone,  and 
 is  in  fact  the  only  thing  which  Holy  Scripture  does 
 mention  of  St.  James  by  himself,  and  apart  from  his 
 brother.  It  is  remarkable  that  so  little  should  be  recorded 
 of  one  so  eminent.  Indeed,  his  very  death  itself  is  only 
 mentioned  as  it  were  incidentally :  "  And  he  killed  James 
 the  brother  of  John  with  the  sword."  Yet  even  this  of 
 itself  indicates  his  eminence,  that  among  Christians  and 
 among  Apostles,  he  should  be  the  first,  either  from  his 
 station  in  the  Church,  or  his  zeal,  or  his  character  and 
 labours,  to  have  attracted  the  notice  of  an  enemy  of  the 
 faith  when  he  came  as  King  to  Jerusalem.  He  killed 
 James,  and  then  proceeded  next  to  take  Peter,  whom  we 
 know  to  have  been  as  it  were  the  bold  leader  of  the 
 Twelve.  And  that  St.  James  the  Great  should  have  been 
 thus  prominent  among  the  Apostles,  is  what  we  should 
 E  e  2 
 
420  SAINT    yAMES    THE   APOSTLE. 
 
 have  supposed  from  the  mention  of  him  in  the  Gospels, 
 where  he  seems  so  highly  admitted  to  our  Lord's  favour  ; 
 and  no  doubt  from  the  greatness  of  his  faith  and  love. 
 He  is  called  by  Christ  to  be  a  disciple,  together  with  St. 
 Peter  and  St.  John ;  selected,  together  with  them,  to 
 witness  His  power  in  raising  of  Jairus's  daughter;  to 
 behold  His  glory  on  the  Mount ;  to  be  with  Him  in  His 
 agony  in  the  garden  ;  to  receive  His  awful  prophecy  of 
 Judgment  on  the  Mount  of  Olives.  Again,  his  being 
 coupled  with  the  beloved  disciple  in  that  one  name  given 
 to  both  of  Boanerges,  or  Sons  of  Thunder ;  and  also  united 
 with  him  in  the  like  promises  made  to  both,  as  recorded 
 in  this  day's  Gospel.  And  further,  he  is  not  only  spoken 
 of  together  with  the  other  two,  but  his  name  is  placed 
 between  them,  "  Peter,  and  James,  and  John,  the  brother 
 of  James."  Thus  would  it  appear  as  if  he  were  admitted 
 to  privileges  not  less  high  than  they  by  Him  who  knew 
 what  was  in  man. 
 
 Yet  how  remarkable  is  this  difference  between  St. 
 James  and  these  other  two  Apostles  !  Of  St.  Peter  and 
 St.  John  we  know  comparatively  very  much ;  many  cir- 
 cumstances of  great  interest  are  mentioned  of  them  both 
 before  and  after  our  Lord's  death ;  incidents  which  illus- 
 trate so  much  their  respective  characters  that  we  have 
 become,  in  a  manner,  acquainted  with  them ;  we  see, 
 hear,  and  know  them;  their  own  words  too  have  de- 
 scended to  us  in  their  writings;  they  stand  forth  to  us  as 
 seen  in  their  Lord's  presence,  favoured  beyond  all  the 
 children  of  Adam, — one  as  the  Chief  of  Apostles,  the 
 other  as  the  Beloved  Disciple;  and  sayings  and  actions 
 are  known  of  both,  suitable  to  these  exalted  privileges. 
 But  how  different  is  it  with  St.  James !  "We  hardly 
 know  anything  of  him,  we  do  not  even  know  why  he  is 
 
HIDDEN    WITH   CHRIST  IN  GOD.  421 
 
 called  "the  Great;"  whether  from  age,  or  any  other 
 reason,  to  be  thus  distinguished  from  St.  James  the  Less. 
 During  the  ten  years  that  had  now  intervened  since  his 
 Lord's  Ascension,  not  once  does  his  name  occur.  ]^ay, 
 in  the  Gospels  by  himself  we  do  not  know  of  him  at  all. 
 It  is  only  with  his  brother  that  he  is  mentioned,  as  in 
 to-day's  Gospel;  and  on  that  occasion  when  James  and 
 John,  it  is  said,  wished  to  call  down  fire  from  Heaven  on 
 a  city  of  the  Samaritans.^  Of  St.  Andrew,  St.  Philip, 
 St.  Thomas,  St.  Jude,  St.  Bartholomew,  something  is 
 said ;  nothing  of  St.  James.  How  does  he  seem,  as  it 
 were,  withdrawn  from  our  notice;  and  that  too  on  some 
 occasions  when  one  would  expect  to  find  him  mentioned  ! 
 St.  John,  his  brother,  stood,  we  know,  at  the  foot  of  the 
 Cross,  and  his  mother,  Salome,  is  spoken  of  as  being  then 
 present.  We  cannot  but  suppose  that  St.  James  too  was 
 not  on  that  occasion  far  from  his  mother  and  brother.  It 
 is  mentioned  in  the  Acts,  "  Peter  and  John  went  up 
 together  into  the  temple  at  the  hour  of  prayer."*  We 
 may  well  believe  that  St.  James  was  not  separated  from 
 them,  an}'-  more  than  in  the  Gospels.  But  how  does  he 
 appear  to  fall  into  the  shade,  or  rather,  we  might  say,  to 
 be  lost  from  man's  sight  under  the  shadow  of  the 
 Almighty !  "  In  the  shadow  of  His  hand  hath  He  hid 
 me."*  a  xhou  shalt  hide  them  privily  by  Thine  own 
 Presence :"  "  The  shadow  of  a  great  Eock  in  a  weary 
 land."* 
 
 What  then,  Christian  brethren,  are  we  to  learn  from 
 this'?  Much,  doubtless,  of  repose  and  peace.  In  their 
 own  lifetime,  indeed,  it  was  no  enviable  notoriety  that 
 the  Apostles  enjoyed  :  when  St.  Paul  speaks  of  them  as 
 
 '^  Luke  ix.  54.  ■*  Acts  iii.  1. 
 
 *  Isa.  xlix.  2.  ^  Isa.  xxxii.  3. 
 
422  SAINT    JAMES    THE   APOSTLE. 
 
 being  made  "  a  spectacle  to  angels  and  to  men,"  lie  con- 
 nects it  at  the  same  time  with  their  heing  made  "  the 
 ofFscouring  of  all  things."  Eut  some  good  men  might 
 consider  it  the  most  blessed  of  all  earthly  privileges,  that 
 their  memory  should  be  embalmed,  as  it  were,  in  the 
 Church  by, their  good  deeds  and  words;  so  that  their 
 example  might  convert  many  to  righteousness,  and  that 
 they  might  thus  shine  like  stars  for  ever,  giving  light  in 
 our  firmament  here  below.  Such  have  been  St.  Peter 
 and  St.  John ;  their  memories  are  ever  blessed,  and,  like 
 their  lives,  fruitful  in  good.  And  such  a  wish  might 
 have  been  not  unworthy  of  them.  Yet  he  who  said  in 
 his  repentance,  "  Lord,  Thou  knowest  all  things,  Thou 
 knowest  that  I  love  Thee;"  and  he  who  leaned  on  his 
 Lord's  breast  at  supper,  would  have  left  even  this  wish, 
 as  all  others,  on  the  bosom  of  His  infinite  love.  Whether 
 by  life  or  by  death,  by  good  report  or  evil,  so  likewise, 
 by  being  known  hereafter,  or  unknown  among  men,  let 
 Thy  will  be  done  in  me;  whether  to  be  below  as  a  lamp 
 to  guide  the  feet  of  penitent  souls;  or  with  the  good 
 angels  and  spirits  that  are  with  God,  to  do  good  to  man 
 kind  in  some  hidden  ways  that  are  only  known,  0  Lord, 
 to  Thee;  and  not  to  those  themselves  that  receive  the 
 benefit  of  them.  All  shall  be  well,  so  long  as  no  mingling 
 of  self  shall  spoil  tlie  perfect  sacrifice  of  ourselves  unto 
 Thee. 
 
 He  that  hath  left  father,  and  all  tliat  he  had,  obedient 
 to  the  call  of  Christ,  may  afterwards  come  to  think  what 
 great  things  he  would  do  for  His  sake ;  but  Christ  may 
 alter  for  him  this  wish,  and  show  him,  as  He  did  to 
 St.  Paul,  not  how  great  things  he  must  do,  but  *'how 
 great  things  he  must  suffer  "  for  His  Name's  sake.  This 
 is  his  crown. 
 
HIDDEN    WITH    CHRIST  IN  GOD.  423 
 
 What  earthly  glory,  what  seat  of  pre-eminence,  what 
 place  high  in  the  Church  can  he  need,  for  whom  and  to 
 whom,  0  Lord,  Thou  hast  given  Thyself,  given  Thyself 
 upon  the  altar  of  the  Cross,  and  in  the  Holy  Sacrament 
 of  Thy  Body  and  Blood ;  Who  wilt  Thyself  he  our  light 
 and  guidance  below,  and  wilt  Thyself  be  our  life  in 
 death ! 
 
SERMON   LXXXV. 
 ^aint  23ai-t!;oIomth)  tl)t  0po^tle. 
 
 Acts  V.  12— 16.     St.  Luke  xxii.  24 — 30. 
 
 DO   GOOD,    HOPING  FOR    NOTHING  AGAIN. 
 
 They  that  exercise  authority  upon  them  are  called  benefactors.     But 
 ye  shall  not  be  so. — St.  Luke  xxii.  25,  26. 
 
 ST.  BAETHOLOMEW  has  been  sometimes  supposed 
 to  be  the  same  person  as  is  mentioned  in  St.  John's 
 Gospel  under  the  name  of  Nathaniel.^  But  there  is  no 
 allusion  to  this  in  the  service  of  our  own  Church  for  this 
 day,  nor  in  those  of  the  Latin  Church.  And  this  seems 
 to  be  the  case,  not  merely  because  it  may  have  been  con- 
 sidered more  satisfactory  to  admit  only  into  such  offices 
 what  is  clear  and  certain,  but  because  the  Festival  is  of 
 much  earlier  date  than  this  opinion.  But  the  Scriptures 
 for  the  Epistle  and  the  Gospel  for  the  day,  although 
 indeed  they  contain  no  mention  of  St.  Bartholomew  him- 
 self, but  only  refer  to  the  Apostles  generally ;  yet  are 
 they  in  themselves  highly  interesting  and  beautiful  in 
 
 ^  On  St.  Bartholomew,  as  the  same  as  Xathanael,  see  "  Plain 
 Sermons."  Vol.  vi.  Serm.  clxxxiv.  and  Vol.  x.  Serm.  cccxxi. 
 
DO   GOOD,   HOPING  FOR    NOTHING  AGAIN.  425 
 
 this  their  application  to  the  memory  of  the  Apostles,  and 
 especially  when  considered  in  connexion  with  each  other. 
 In  the  former  the  Apostles  are  seen  as  full  of  all  power  of 
 good,  benefactors  to  mankind  in  the  highest  sense,  such 
 as  the  world  had  never  seen  the  like ;  in  the  latter  they 
 are  taught  that  this  power  of  conferring  benefits  on  man- 
 kind is  not  connected  with  any  wish  of  being  thought 
 benefactors,  as  is  the  case  in  the  world,  but,  on  the  con- 
 trary, with  an  entire  denial  of  self,  as  flowing  from  the 
 love  of  God.  Again;  the  Gospel  for  to-day  might  at  first 
 sight  appear  to  speak  of  the  same  circumstance  as  that 
 from  St.  Matthew,  which  we  had  on  St.  James's  Day,  our 
 last  festival.  But  it  is  not  so  ;  for  the  occasion  on  which 
 they  occur  is  different,  and  this  has  a  peculiar  force  of  its 
 own,  as  spoken  at  the  Last  Supper.  For  the  disciples 
 were  slow  of  understanding  the  things  of  the  Kingdom; 
 and  their  gracious  Master  often  taught  the  same  things, 
 and  repeated  the  like  expressions. 
 
 By  the  hands  of  the  Apostles  loere  many  signs  and 
 wonders  wrought  a^nong  the  people.  This  was  after  the 
 outpourings  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the  day  of  Pentecost, 
 while  the  Church  was  being  formed  together  "in  the 
 Apostles'  doctrine  and  fellowshij)."  And  they  were  all 
 loith  one  accord  in  Solomon's  porch.  As  on  the  day  of 
 Pentecost,  "with  one  accord,"  and  "in  one  place." 
 Mention  is  made  m  St.  John's  Gospel  of  our  Lord 
 walking  in  Solomon's  porch;  and  it  is  before  spoken  of 
 in  the  Acts,  as  the  place  where  the  people  came  together 
 to  Peter  and  John  after  the  miracle  of  restoring  the  lame 
 man.  And  of  the  rest  durst  no  man  join  himself  to  them  : 
 hut  the  people  magnified  them.  It  is  uncertain  what  is 
 meant  by  this  expression,  that "  no  man  durst  join  himself 
 to  them;"  whether  it  is  that  under  a  sense  of  awe  at  the 
 
426  SAINT  BARTHOLOMEW    THE   APOSTLE. 
 
 miracles  which  were  wrought,  and  the  fear  which  was 
 just  spoken  of  on  account  of  the  judgment  on  Ananias 
 and  Sapphira,  they  did  not  venture  to  unite  themselves 
 with  the  Apostles ;  or  whether  by  "  the  rest "  we  are  to 
 understand,  in  distinction  from  the  common  people,  those 
 of  the  Pharisees  and  the  upper  sort,  who  are  often  spoken 
 of  in  the  Gospels  as  fearing  to  profess  themselves  disciples 
 of  Christ.  However,  it  proceeds  :  And  believers  were  the 
 more  added  to  the  Lord,  riiultitudes  both  of  men  and 
 women.  Insomuch  that,  on  account  of  those  great  wonders 
 wrought  by  the  Apostles,  and  the  effect  thus  produced  on 
 the  people,  theij  brought  forth  the  sick  into  the  streets,  and 
 laid  them  on  beds  and  couches,  that  at  the  least  the 
 shadow  of  Peter  passing  by  might  overshadow  some  of 
 them.  What  a  lively  emblem,  my  brethren,  is  this  of 
 mankind  under  the  Gospel !  all  sick  with  various  diseases 
 of  the  soul,  and  lying  helpless,  but  looking  up  in  faith 
 that  the  healing  shadow  of  the  Church  might  at  all 
 events  fall  upon  some  of  them.  Tliere  came  also  a  mul- 
 titude out  of  the  cities  round  about  unto  Jerusalem, 
 bringing  sick  folks,  and  them  ivhich  were  vexed  loith 
 unclean  spirits  ;  and  they  were  healed  every  one. 
 
 We  have  before  had  occasion  to  observe,  that  the 
 preaching  of  the  Gospel  was  always  accompanied  with 
 the  healing  of  bodily  diseases;  so  was  it  with  our  Lord 
 Himself,  He  both  healed  and  taught  at  the  same  time ; 
 so  was  it  when  He  sent  forth  His  twelve  Apostles,  and 
 also  when  He  sent  forth  the  Seventy  afterwards,  it  was 
 with  this  commission,  "  Preach  the  Kingdom ;  heal  the 
 sick."  ITor  was  this  merely  for  the  purpose  of  showing 
 by  outward  signs  the  power  of  God,  and  His  authority ; 
 but  it  flowed  from  the  very  nature  of  the  Gospel  itself, 
 the  manifestation  of  Christ  the  Son  of  God  and  Man ; 
 
DO    GOOD,    HOPING   FOR    NOTHING   AGAIN.  4:27 
 
 and  it  is  the  expression  of  Divine  love  at  all  times.  The 
 Christian  is  to  be  always  engaged  in  relieving  the  bodily 
 wants,  the  natural  infirmities,  the  worldly  inconveniences 
 and  distresses  of  others,  at  the  same  time  that  he  is  en- 
 deavouring to  j)r(^iJ3ote  their  spiritual  welfare.  Body 
 and  soul  both  are  diseased  from  the  old  Adam,  both 
 affected  with  evil  spirits,  both  relieved  and  sanctified  in 
 the  New  Man. 
 
 Secondly,  we  may  ask  how  far  we  ourselves  at  this  day 
 may  be  partakers  of  such  blessings  as  the  Church  then 
 bestowed,  for  surely  we  may  hope  that  they  are  not 
 passed  away,  but  are  for  us  and  our  children.  The  gifts 
 of  God,  the  gracious  workings  of  His  power,  are  not  to  be 
 considered  as  altogether  withdrawn,  but  under  change  oi 
 circumstances  the  mode  of  their  operation  is  changed; 
 the  same  faith  will  obtain  the  like  benefits  under  another 
 form — the  like  gifts  are  still  continued,  but  in  some 
 manner  often  higher  and  better.  We  read  of  our  Lord 
 "  going  about  doing  good,  and  healing  all  that  were 
 oppressed  of  the  devil."  A  good  man  in  distress  might 
 say,  "  If  our  Lord  were  thus  now  on  earth  I  would  go  to 
 Him — I  would  tell  Him  of  my  sorrow  :  may  I  not  do  so 
 still?"  And  surely  to  the  eye  of  faith  He  is  equally 
 present,  equally  able  and  willing  to  answer  every  request. 
 But  there  is  this  difference,  that  our  spiritual  knowledge 
 now  in  the  Church  is  much  greater  since  our  Lord's  death 
 and  the  gift  of  His  Spirit,  so  that  if  we  are  rightly  minded 
 we  seek  not  to  be  relieved  from  temporal  evils,  but  that 
 such  being  the  signs  of  God's  love  should  work  for  us  more 
 abiding  good.  Martha  and  Mary  could  ask  for  their 
 brother  to  be  restored  to  them,  but  they  would  not  make 
 such  a  request  as  this  now ;  for  to  die  and  to  be  with 
 Christ  *'  is  far  better :"  but  looking  to  Him  Who  is  the 
 
428  SAINT  BARTHOLOMEW   THE   APOSTLE. 
 
 Eesurrection  and  the  Life,  when  suffering  from  the  loss 
 of  those  dear  to  us,  we  would  rather  pray  to  Him  "  to 
 raise  us  up  from  the  death  of  sin  to  the  life  of  righteous- 
 ness." So  likewise  the  powers  of  the  Apostles  in  working 
 miracles  are  not  to  be  considered  as  ceased  in  His  Church, 
 but  changed ;  the  marvels  of  God's  grace,  could  we  behold 
 them,  are  not  less  than  Avere  of  old  those  appeals  to  the 
 sight  and  outer  sense.  And  this  may  be  one  reason  for 
 a  difference  in  the  operation  of  the  miracles  here  men- 
 tioned in  the  Acts,  as  wrought  by  the  hands  of  Apostles, 
 from  those  in  the  Gospels :  for  although  an  instance  is 
 mentioned  of  a  woman  healed  by  touching  the  hem  of 
 our  Lord's  garment,  and  it  is  stated  that  "  virtue  went 
 out  of  Him  and  healed  them  all ;"  yet,  for  the  most  part, 
 it  is  by  means  of  His  own  word  and  hand  that  our  Lord's 
 own  miracles  were  wrought,  and  not  as  this,  that  "the 
 shadow  of  Peter  passing  by  might  overshadow  some  of 
 them;"  or  that  of  St.  Paul,  that  "from  his  body  were 
 brought  unto  the  sick  handkerchiefs  or  aprons,  and  the 
 diseases  departed  from  them,  and  the  evil  spirits  went 
 out  of  them."  For  in  these  latter  the  visible  means  of 
 restoration  in  the  will  or  act  of  the  Apostles  is  less 
 manifest;  and  our  attention  is  more  directed  to  faith 
 working  by  love  in  those  that  received  the  benefit  of 
 them.  For  observe  in  these  cases  how  much  further 
 removed  is  He  that  confers  from  him  that  receives  the 
 benefit,  or  rather  the  links  of  the  chain  are  less  visible  to 
 sense  that  connect  the  effect  with  the  cause  :  for  it  is  still 
 Christ  alone  that  works  the  miracle,  yet  He  is  not  seen 
 thus  working,  but  it  is  through  His  Apostles,  by  His 
 Name  and  by  His  authority;  and  not  thus  only,  it  is  still 
 further  off;  it  is  not  even  an  Apostle,  but  his  shadow 
 passing  by.     But  all  this  apparent  distance  and  separation 
 
DO   GOOD,    HOPING  FOR    NOTHING  AGAIN.  429 
 
 from  Christ  is  made  up  by  faith,  which  has  eyes  to  behold 
 Him  afar  off;  nay,  in  beholding  brings  Him  near,  nearer 
 than  the  eyes  of  flesh  could  have  done.  It  is  not  the 
 shadow  of  Peter — oh  no  !  it  is  not  Peter — nor  any 
 Apostle,  but  it  is  Christ,  spiritually  present  and  spiritually 
 discerned.  N"ow  this  is  to  us  of  this  present  day  a  great 
 encouragement.  Though  we  cannot  see  our  Lord,  nor  see 
 His  Apostles,  yet  we  are  in  His  Church;  we  are  sur- 
 rounded by  His  marvellous  goodness ;  we  have  only  to 
 ask  that  we  may  receive  the  riches  of  His  Kingdom,  and 
 tread  under  foot  all  the  power  of  the  enemy,  who  would 
 bring  on  us  all  temporal  and  eternal  harm. 
 
 Eut  of  spiritual  miracles,  that  is  to  say,  of  the  healings 
 of  the  soul  in  the  Christian  course,  it  must  be  said, 
 "  This  kind  goeth  not  forth  but  by  prayer  and  fasting." 
 I^ow  prayer  and  fasting  must  both  be,  as  far  as  may  be, 
 in  secret,  in  order  to  be  effectual.  They  both  imply 
 humiliation  of  self  in  the  presence  and  before  the  eye 
 of  God.  And  we  may  connect  this  consideration  with 
 the  Gospel  for  to-day.  From  the  Epistle  we  learn  our 
 blessings,  that  there  is  nothing  we  can  desire  but  we  may 
 obtain  it;  and  from  the  Gospel  we  learn  our  duty,  that 
 as  receiving  so  much  of  God  we  are  to  do  all  the  good  we 
 can  to  others,  "  hoping  for  nothing  again,"  that  we  "  may 
 be  the  children  of  the  Highest." 
 
 It  was  at  the  Last  Supper,  when  our  Blessed  Lord  was 
 about  to  give  His  life  for  the  world,  and  had  taken  the 
 form  of  a  servant,  and  washed  their  feet,  and  after  saying 
 that  one  of  them  should  betray  Him,  it  is  added.  And 
 there  loas  also  a  strife  among  them,  ivhich  of  them  should 
 he  accounted  the  greatest.  For  though  their  Lord  had 
 admitted  some  of  them  to  the  privilege  of  being  nearer  to 
 Himself,  yet  He  had  not  set  any  one  as  chief  above  the 
 
430  SATNT  BARTHOLOMEW   THE   APOSTLE. 
 
 rest.  It  was  indeed  a  strange  time  to  be  thinking  of  pre- 
 eminence when  their  Lord  was  about  to  die,  and  one  of 
 them  about  to  betray  and  the  others  to  desert  Him :  but 
 it  shows  how  unnatural  at  all  times  is  ambition  among 
 Christians.  And  He  said  unto  them,  with  the  same 
 meekness  and  forbearance  that  He  had  always  taught 
 them  on  this  subject,  The  hincjs  of  the  Gentiles  exercise 
 lordship  over  them  ;  and  they  that  exercise  authority  are 
 called  benefactors.  This  is  one  of  their  titles  of  honour 
 among  the  Gentiles,  "  the  benefactor ;"  they  seek  the 
 praise  of  men,  wishing  to  be  considered  "  fathers  "  and 
 "  friends  "  to  mankind :  but  He,  Who  emptied  Himself 
 of  His  glory  for  our  sakes,  hath  established  a  higher  law 
 of  true  greatness.  With  regard  to  the  chief  places  in  His 
 kingdom  now  on  earth,  eminent  in  wealth  and  station, 
 a  good  man  will  shrink  from  them,  from  fear  of  tempta- 
 tion and  a  sense  of  unworthiness  before  God ;  he  that 
 does  not,  though  he  may  procure  the  good  opinion  of  the 
 world,  yet  the  power  of  Christ,  the  secret  of  God,  is  not 
 with  him;  he  may  have  many  goodly  pearls,  but  the 
 pearl  of  great  price  is  not  his;  he  knows  not  the  treasure 
 hid  in  a  field:  he  enters  not  into  the  joy  of  his  Lord. 
 The  only  joy  mentioned  of  Christ  was  because  the  Father 
 had  revealed  wisdom  unto  babes  :  "  the  joy  set  before 
 Him  for  which  He  endured  the  Cross,"  was  the  joy  of 
 saving  others;  He  had  no  joy  but  the  joy  of  Love,  for 
 which  He  humbled  Himself;  such  joy  in  ransomed  and 
 repenting  souls  as  angels  learn  from  His  countenance  :  so 
 that,  following  His  steps,  St.  Paul  could  say,  "  What  is 
 our  joy,  or  crown  of  rejoicing  1  are  not  ye  in  the  presence 
 of  our  Lord  at  His  coming?"  This  joy  in  saving  souls, 
 from  the  love  of  God,  is  not  compatible  with  the  love  o£ 
 this  world  and  the  desire  of  pre  eminence.     But  ye  shall 
 
DO    GOOD,    HOPING   FOR    NOTHING   AGAIN.  431 
 
 not  he  so,  says  our  Lord;  but  he  that  is  greatest  among 
 you,  let  him  he  as  the  younger  ;  and  he  that  is  chief,  as  he 
 that  doth  serve.  For  luhether  is  greater,  he  that  sitteth  at 
 meat,  or  he  that  serveth?  is  not  he  that  sitteth  at  meat? 
 hut  I  am  among  you  as  he  that  serveth.  When  just 
 before  He  had  girded  Himself  as  a  slave  and  washed  their 
 feet,  He  said,  "What  I  do  Thou  knowest  not  now,  but 
 Thou  shalt  know  hereafter."  And  much  as  He  had 
 taught  them  by  His  example,  by  His  words  of  lowliness, 
 and  by  many  touching  incidents,  nothing  but  His  Cross 
 on  the  following  day  could  give  power  to  it  all.  That 
 alone  showed  the  nature  of  that  washing  which  we  all 
 need,  and  the  spirit  with  which  it  must  be  accompanied — 
 that  likeness  to  the  Son  of  Man  in  which  the  strength  of 
 good  men  consists. 
 
 But  when  our  Blessed  Saviour  had  occasion  to  reprove 
 His  disciples.  He  did  so  with  great  gentleness  and  for- 
 bearance; while  He  lamented  their  infirmities.  His  love 
 stiU  dwelt  on  every  proof  of  their  fidelity ;  and  He  does 
 not  now  say,  as  the  occasion  might  to  us  appear  to 
 warrant,  Ye  are  they  over  whom  I  have  so  tenderly 
 watched,  and  who  are  now  about  to  forsake  Me ;  but  He 
 adds.  Ye  are  they  which  have  continued  with  Me  in  My 
 temptations.  He  passes  over  the  evil,  and  sees  nothing 
 but  the  good ;  He  had  chosen  them,  had  enlightened 
 them  by  His  doctrine,  had  strengthened  them  by  His 
 miracles;  all  the  good  they  had  was  from  Himself;  yet 
 even  this  He  attributes  unto  them,  rewards  them  for  it, 
 and  admits  them  to  share  with  Him  His  own  inheritance. 
 And  I  appoi7it  unto  you  a  kingdom.,  as  My  Father  hath 
 appointed  unto  Me, — in  His  own  humiliations,  which 
 they  shall  share  with  Him,  God  hath  unspeakably  ex- 
 alted them, — that  ye  may  eat  and  drink  at  My  table  in 
 
432  SAINT  BARTHOLOMEW   THE   APOSTLE. 
 
 My  kingdom,  and  sit  on  thrones,  judging  the  tivelve  tribes 
 of  Israel;  shall  sit  "  at  My  table,"  i.  e.  shall  enter  into 
 ^y  joy^  shall  "sit  on  thrones,"  i.  e.  shall  partake  of  My 
 glory ;  as  in  another  place,  He  shall  "  sit  with  Me  in  My 
 throne,  even  as  I  am  set  down  with  My  Father  in  His 
 throne."^  All  which  seems  to  speak  of  that  mysterious 
 union  with  Himself,  "  As  Thou,  Father,  art  in  Me,  and  I 
 in  Thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  Us  :  that  the  world 
 may  believe  that  Thou  hast  sent  Me.  And  the  glory 
 which  Thou  gavest  Me  I  have  given  them ;  that  they  may 
 be  one,  even  as  We  are  One."  ^  And  thus,  though  it  be 
 true  that  our  Lord  Himself  is  the  one  and  only  founda- 
 tion, yet  in  some  sense  also  there  are  twelve  foundations, 
 and  in  them  are  written  the  names  of  the  twelve  Apostles 
 of  the  Lamb. 
 
 And  now,  Christian  brethren,  what  is  all  this  to  us? 
 no  doubt  much,  even  as  much  as  it  was  to  them;  first  of 
 all,  it  notes  the  unspeakable  privileges  of  this  Apostolic 
 union,  and,  secondly,  that  lowliness  of  heart  on  which 
 that  union  and  those  privileges  will  depend.  At  this 
 time,  indeed,  this  Apostolic  union  of  the  Church  is  very 
 much  impaired  and  broken,  and  with  it  is  to  be  feared 
 our  union  with  each  other,  our  union  with  Christ  and 
 with  God  the  Father.  And  the  serious  question  is  how 
 we  may  keep  what  remains,  or  what  we  can  do  towards 
 the  restoration  of  it.  There  can  be  no  doubt  but  that 
 this  union  has  become  thus  broken  on  account  of  the 
 pride  and  selfishness  of  men,  working  in  various  ways ; 
 and  that  we  can  only  recover  it  by  humility.  I  do  not 
 mean  that  any  one  of  us  can  do  anything  towards  re- 
 storing the  robe  of  Christ,  now  so  outwardly  rent  and  torn 
 
 2  Rev.  iii.  21.  3  Jolm  xvii.  21,  22. 
 
DO   GOOD,    HOPING   FOR    NOTHING   AGAIN.  433 
 
 throughout  the  world:  this  must  "be  God's  own  doing. 
 But  I  mean,  How  can  we  preserve  inwardly,  each  for 
 himself  in  his  own  station,  that  Apostolic  fellowship, 
 and  derive  through  it  this  blessed  union  with  Christ  and 
 Godi  It  is  through  humility  that  the  peace  of  God 
 watches  over  and  keeps  the  heart  in  that  love. 
 
 With  the  lowly  is  wisdom;  humility  is  the  nurse  of 
 filial  obedience;  every  one  owes  something  like  filial 
 respect  to  that  form  of  Christianity  in  which,  by  God's 
 providence,  he  has  been  brought  up.  He  will  look  upon 
 all  things  connected  with  it  with  some  degree  of  partiality, 
 of  the  same  kind  as  he  would  on  his  own  parents,  king, 
 and  country.  JN'ow  if  by  God's  grace  he  should  become 
 more  enlightened,  he  will  be  able  to  add  to  this  faith;  to 
 improve  it  if  imperfect,  to  correct  it  if  erroneous  ;  but  yet 
 in  all  this  he  will  still  preserve  a  sort  of  dutiful,  filial 
 preference  to  that  faith  in  which  he  has  been  from  child- 
 hood reared;  bound  by  the  cord  of  old  associations, 
 whereby  he  has  learnt  to  love  God,  he  will  not  rudely  oi 
 rashly  disturb  them;  he  will  build  up  in  all  meekness 
 and  reverence,  waiting  upon  God,  with  humble  confidence 
 that  if  anything  be  lacking  in  his  faith  God  will  reveal 
 even  this  unto  him. 
 
 Since  then  this  habit  of  mind  is  so  connected  with  a 
 reverential  trust  in  God,  it  cannot  be  doubted  but  that 
 God  will  preserve  such  unharmed  in  things  essential  to 
 salvation,  and  reveal  to  them,  if  need  be,  any  higher  and 
 more  perfect  way;  and  moreover,  what  is  a  strong  ground 
 of  consolation  for  such  meek  tempers,  if  they  should  be 
 wrong,  God  will  not  be  severe  in  imputing  to  them  such 
 deficiencies  or  errors  in  their  faith,  as  have  arisen  from 
 those  circumstances  of  life  in  which  He  has  placed  them  ; 
 whereas  if  they  had  ventured  to  judge  for  themselves  in 
 
 VOL.  II.  F   f 
 
434  SAINT  BARTHOLOMEW   THE  APOSTLE. 
 
 such  matters,  the  whole  weight  of  that  responsibility 
 would  have  rested  on  themselves.  On  subjects  of  such 
 moment  we  may  be  sure  that  the  path  of  humility  is  the 
 path  of  safety.  And,  blessed  be  God  !  it  is  thus  that  He 
 reveals  to  the  meek  what  He  hides  from  the  wise  and 
 prudent. 
 
SERMON    LXXXVI. 
 ^atnt  Plattljth)  t\)t  Apostle. 
 
 2  Cor.  iv.  I — 6.     St.  Matt.  ix.  9 — 13. 
 
 THE   GOOD   EXCHANGE. 
 
 What  things  were  gain  to  me,  those  I  counted  loss  for  CHRIST.  Yea, 
 doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the 
 knowledge  ^Christ  Jesus  my  Lord. — Phil.  iii.  7,  8. 
 
 THE  Evangelist  St.  Matthew  has  been  supposed  to  be 
 represented  by  one  of  those  four  living  creatures 
 which  are  spoken  of  as  being  in  the  midst  of  the  throne 
 of  God ;  and  that  passage  which  describes  them  in  the 
 Apocalypse,  used  in  consequence  to  form  the  Epistle  for  this 
 day.  But  on  account  of  some  uncertainty  in  the  applica- 
 tion of  those  symbols  to  the  four  Gospels,  or  from  that 
 passage  being  used  as  our  Epistle  for  Trinity  Sunday,  our 
 Church  has  appointed  another  Epistle  for  to-day.  This, 
 taken  together  with  the  Gospel,  affords  us  an  instructive 
 lesson,  which  by  her  Collect  the  Church  has  turned  into 
 a  prayer.     Let  us  consider  this  lesson. 
 
 St.  Paul  and  St.  Matthew  had  renounced  all,  not  in 
 heart  only,  but  also  in  deed  ;  not  in  deed  only,  but  also  in 
 heart.     Hence  the  wonderful  power  unto  salvation  untc 
 F  f  2 
 
436  SAINT  MATTHEW    THE  APOSTLE. 
 
 this  day  in  the  Epistles  of  one,  and  in  the  Gospel  of  the 
 other.  The  treasure  is  in  earthen  vessels,  hut  the  excel- 
 lency of  the  power  is  of  God.  Having  relinquished  all, 
 they  were  clothed  with  poverty  of  spirit,  through  which 
 so  strongly  shines  the  light  of  Christ.  They  had  the 
 single  eye,  and  their  whole  body  was  full  of  light.  "  For 
 it  was  not,"  says  St.  Chrysostom,  "  as  Moses  when  he 
 came  down  from  the  Mount  with  the  stony  tables  in  his 
 hands,  but  with  the  Holy  Spirit  in  their  hearts,  that  the 
 Apostles  went  forth  dispensing  spiritual  doctrines  and 
 gifts." 
 
 Therefore,  says  St.  Paul,  speaking  of  marvellous  trans- 
 formation into  the  image  of  Christ  in  beholding  of  His 
 glory — therefore  seeing  ice  have  this  ministry,  as  we  have 
 received  mercy,  loe  faint  not ;  by  His  mercy  we  are 
 entrusted  with  this  service ;  by  His  mercy  we  endure, 
 and  faint  not,  hut  have  renounced  the  hidden  things  of  dis- 
 honesty— the  works  of  darkness  which  bring  shame,  not 
 walking  in  craftiness,  nor  handling  the  Word  of  God  de- 
 ceitfully,— not  corrupting  God's  word  to  render  it  accept- 
 able to  the  worldly  mind, — hut  hy  manifestation  of  the 
 truth  commending  ourselves  to  every  man's  conscience  in 
 the  sight  of  God.  They  that  are  of  God  will  hear  His 
 words  ;  the  spirit  within  will  answer  to  the  call,  if  it  hath 
 ears  to  hear.  The  appeal  of  truth  shall  not  be  in  vain  to 
 the  sincere  heart  which  hath  renounced  the  world.  Thus 
 the  love  of  God  in  the  soul  will  multiply  images  of  itself, 
 and  be  a  witness  in  every  place  as  the  savour  unto  life  and 
 also  unto  death.  But  if  our  Gospel  he  hid,  it  is  hid  to 
 them  that  are  lost ;  for  to  see  the  light  and  to  love  dark- 
 ness is  itself  condemnation.  "  He  that  believeth  not  is 
 condemned  already."  In  whom  the  God  of  this  ivorld, 
 tlie  mammon  of  unrighteousness,  the  deceivableness  of 
 
THE   GOOD    EXCHANGE.  437 
 
 temporal  pursuits,  the  carefulness  about  many  things,  the 
 glare  of  this  world's  praise,  liatli  Minded  the  eyes  of  them 
 lohich  believe  not,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of 
 Christ,  Who  is  the  image  of  God,  should  shine  unto  them  : 
 for  to  helieve  in  Christ  crucified  is  to  love  Him,  and  to 
 love  Him  is  to  despise  the  world.  For  n-e  preach  not 
 ourselves,  hut  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  and  ourselves  your 
 servants  for  Jesus*  sake.  This  manifestation  of  Christ  in 
 all  godly  simplicity  can  only  be  by  the  servant  which  is 
 as  his  Master  was  in  this  world ;  it  is  not  for  nought  that 
 this  relinquishing  of  things  temporal  was  bound  up  by 
 their  Lord  Himself  in  the  first  Apostolic  commission; 
 that  they  should  go  forth  to  preach  His  Kingdom,  pos- 
 sessing nothing,  desiring  nothing,  but  freely  to  give  as 
 they  freely  had  received.  With  this  their  likeness  to 
 their  Lord,  Who  being  rich  for  our  sakes  became  poor, 
 was  intimately  connected  their  power  of  converting  souls. 
 For  God  Who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  oict  of  dark- 
 ness— He  Whose  m^ercy  is  our  all  in  all — Who  brings  life 
 out  of  death — gives  to  humility  exaltation,  to  unlearned 
 men  the  highest  wisdom,  to  poverty  of  spirit  true  riches, 
 to  the  broken-hearted  the  very  Comforter,  to  the  weak 
 things  of  the  world  the  strength  of  God ;  Who  brings  out 
 of  darkness  His  marvellous  light, — He  hath  shined  in  our 
 hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of 
 God,  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 How  beautifully  were  these  last  words  of  St.  Paul 
 fulfilled  in  St.  Matthew.  He  himself  in  his  Gospel  says 
 that  when  our  Lord  came  to  dwell  in  Capernaum,  which 
 is  upon  the  sea-coast,  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah  was  fulfilled 
 — that  "by  the  way  of  the  sea,  beyond  Jordan,  Galilee  of 
 the  Gentiles,  the  people  that  sat  in  darkness  saw  great 
 light ;  to  them  that  sat  in  the  region  and  shadow  of  death, 
 
438  SAINT  MATTHEW    THE   APOSTLE. 
 
 light  is  sprung  up."  It  was  "  by  tlie  way  of  the  sea,"  it 
 was  by  the  mouth  of  the  Jordan,  by  "Galilee  of  the 
 Gentiles,"  that  he  himself  sat,  a  Gentile  tax-gatherer  "  in 
 the  region  of  death ;"  it  was  then  that  the  light  out  of  the 
 darkness  of  God's  great  and  free  mercy  shined  in  his  heart ; 
 it  was  then  that  he  beheld  "  the  light  of  the  knowledge  " 
 of  Christ,  which  is  ''  the  glory  of  God;"  it  was  then  that 
 he  beheld  in  faith,  no  doubt,  and  then  in  unspeakable 
 adoration  and  love,  "  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ."  All  this 
 in  him  was,  oh  how  fully  and  literally  fulfilled  !  Our 
 Blessed  Saviour  saw  him,  and  cast  His  eyes  upon  him, 
 and  he  beheld  that  gracious  Divine  look,  and  instantly  cast 
 behind  him  for  ever  all  the  world.  "  In  that  human  face," 
 says  St.  Jerome,  "  there  shone  forth  the  brightness  and 
 majesty  of  the  hidden  Godhead,  and  might  at  first  sight 
 draw  unto  itself  them  that  beheld.  For  like  as  power 
 is  in  the  magnet  to  unite  things  unto  itself,  much  more 
 might  the  Lord  of  all  creatures  draw  unto  Himself  whom 
 He  would." 
 
 Eut  it  is  not  necessary  to  consider  that  this  call  and 
 conversion  of  St.  Matthew  was  altogether  sudden ;  from 
 the  example  of  what  took  place  with  some  of  the  other 
 Apostles  it  is  not  improbable  that  faith  and  knowledge 
 had  been  at  work  in  his  heart,  and  had  preceded  that  call. 
 At  all  events,  He  who  Himself  predisposes  the  heart, 
 knows  also  the  thoughts  long  before,  and  knew  that  His 
 invitation  and  call  would  not  be  in  vain.  How  must  his 
 heart  within  him  have  sprung  and  leaped  for  joy  at  that 
 summons,  that  choice,  that  word,  that  countenance  directed 
 unto  himself !  And  surely  one  who  dwelt  by  that  lake, 
 near  Capernaum,  in  Galilee,  himself  in  the  midst  of  a 
 concourse  where  he  sat,  and  if  he  went  forth  amidst 
 crowds  that  followed,  could  not  but  have  known  some- 
 
THE   GOOD    EXCHANGE.  439 
 
 thing  of  the  works  and  the  words  of  Jesus  of  !N'azareth. 
 It  cannot  be  that  such  should  have  been  unheeded  by  that 
 lowly  Publican  :  that  He  who  was  spoken  of  as  the 
 Friend  of  Publicans  should  have  been  altogether  unknown 
 to  one  who  was  himself  a  Publican,  and  as  such  held  as 
 an  outcast  by  his  own  people — of  Israel. 
 
 However  this  may  be,  let  us  come  to  the  Evangelist's 
 own  account  of  his  call.  And  as  Jesus  passed  forth  from, 
 thenee,  that  is,  after  healing  the  paralytic  in  a  house  at 
 Capernaum,  and  forgiving  his  sins ;  "as  He  went  forth 
 again  by  the  sea-side,"  He  saw  a  man  named  Matthew, 
 sitting  at  the  recei}ot  of  custom :  and  He  salth  unto  him, 
 Follow  Me.  A7id  he  arose,  and  followed  Him.  St.  Luke 
 says,  "and  he  left  all,  rose  up,  and  followed  Him."  And 
 St.  Mark  and  St.  Luke  afford  him  a  more  honourable 
 name  than  that  of  Matthew  the  Publican,  for  he  was 
 known  as  an  Israelite,  "Levi,  the  son  of  Alphaeus." 
 
 And  it  came  to  ^xiss,  the  account  i^roceeds,  as  Jesus  sat 
 at  meat  in  the  house,  behold,  many  Publicans  and  sinners 
 came,  and  sat  down  with  Him  and  His  disciples.  Ifow 
 we  might  have  supposed  from  this  account  that  this  cir- 
 cumstance, which  he  is  about  to  record,  took  place  at  the 
 same  time  that  he  was  called,  viz.  that  Jesus  then  sat  at  meat 
 at  his  house  with  Publicans  and  sinners,  and  there  gave  that 
 very  touching  answer  of  His  compassionate  loving-kindness 
 and  tenderness,  as  the  Physician  of  souls,  keeping  com- 
 pany with  sinners.  But,  from  an  attentive  consideration 
 of  the  circumstances  as  they  are  mentioned  in  this  and 
 the  other  Gospels,  we  find  that  it  was  not  so,  but  that 
 this  occasion  took  place  long  after.  Why  then  does  St. 
 Matthew  hasten  to  mention  this,  introducing  it  at  once 
 when  he  has  spoken  of  his  own  call  1  You  can  see  in 
 this,  as  in  other  places,  what  was  in  this  Evangelist's 
 
440  SAINT  MATTHEW    THE   APOSTLE. 
 
 mind  iu  the  order  of  his  narrative.  As  St.  Paul  ever 
 delights  to  dwell  on  the  goodness  of  God  to  himself, 
 "  a  sinner,  the  chief  of  sinners," — as  "  having  received 
 mercy," — as  "God,  who  commanded  the  light  to  shine 
 out  of  darkness,  having  shined  in  his  heart,"  and  the  like ; 
 so  we  can  see  by  the  very  order  of  his  narrative  what  was 
 deepest  in  the  heart  of  this  lowly  Publican.  He  wishes 
 to  explain  how  it  was  that  his  gracious  Lord  should  have 
 had  mercy  upon  him,  and  no  doubt  he  thought  over  with 
 himself,  and  treasured  most  tenderly  in  his  mem^ory,  that 
 conversation  in  his  own  house ;  he  associated  it  in  his 
 mind  with  his  own  call;  he  loved  to  think  of  them 
 together,  and  together  he  naturally  mentions  them,  as 
 if  saying,  "  You  will  wonder  how  He  should  have  cast 
 His  eyes  on  me,  and  had  mercy  on  me,  a  sinner — it  was 
 of  His  own  compassion  and  loving-kindness,  because  I 
 was  sick  and  needed  His  Divine  aid ; — do  not  think  it 
 was  from  any  merit  or  goodness  of  mine  :  let  me  think  of 
 His  love.  He  shall  himself  explain  to  you  how  it  was  : 
 He  sat  down  in  my  house — with  sinners  such  as  I  had 
 been." 
 
 And  when  the  Pharisees  saw  it, — Here  again  let  us 
 pause.  St.  Matthew  had  got  all  his  former  friends  and 
 associates  about  him,  that  they  might  hear  and  see  and 
 converse  with  his  own  gracious  Master,  the  Saviour, 
 whom  he  had  found.  This  was  natural ;  but  the  loving 
 and  meek  Publican  had  invited  all,  without  exception, 
 and  the  proud  and  unkind  Pharisees  were  there  too,  the 
 mourning  and  bereaved  disciples  also  of  John  the  Baptist, 
 together  with  Peter,  James,  and  John,  and  the  rest.  This 
 feast  of  the  Evangelist's  was  like  his  own  Gospel,  em- 
 bracing all  of  every  kind,  bringing  all  into  the  presence  of 
 liis  Lord,  Who  was  full  of  virtue  and  healing  for  all ;  and 
 
THE   GOOD   EXCHANGE.  441 
 
 tliis  circumstance  also  shows  the  loving  patience  and  low- 
 liness of  St.  Matthew,  that  he  should  have  invited  to 
 his  house  these  Scribes,  from  whom  he  could  receive' 
 nothing  hut  ill-will  and  malicious  complainings.  They, 
 the  Pharisees,  when  they  saw  it,  said  unto  His  disciples, 
 murmuring  against  them,  says  St.  Luke,  JVJiy  eateth  your 
 Master  with  Publicans  and  sinners  ?  But  when  Jesus 
 heard  that,  He  said  unto  them,  They  that  he  whole  need 
 not  a  physician,  hut  they  that  are  sick.  But  go  ye  and 
 learn  what  that  meaneth,  I  loill  have  mercy  and  not  sacri- 
 fice ;  for  I  am  not  come  to  call  the  righteous,  hut  sinners 
 to  repentance. 
 
 Sacrifice,  indeed,  is  good  and  necessary,  but  it  is  of  no 
 avail  at  all  without  mercy,  which  sanctifieth  the  gift ;  but 
 both  sacrifice  and  mercy  were  found  together  in  this  lowly 
 Evangelist.  He  made  a  sacrifice  of  all  that  he  had,  but 
 in  doing  so  was  as  if  he  had  made  no  sacrifice  at  all  on 
 account  of  love.  He  had  found  the  treasure  hid  in  a  field, 
 and,  as  in  that  parable  he  has  himself  recorded,  for  joy 
 thereof  he  went  and  sold  aU  that  he  had  and  bought  that 
 field ;  he  sat  at  his  custom-house  as  a  merchant  seeking 
 goodly  pearls,  but  found  them  all  counterfeits,  till  in  the 
 knowledge  of  Christ  he  found  that  One  Pearl  of  great 
 price,  and  went  and  sold  all  that  he  had  and  bought  it.^ 
 In  poverty  of  spirit  he  found  the  door  into  the  Kingdom 
 of  Heaven.  In  giving  up  all,  he  had,  no  doubt,  found 
 that  "  manifold  more  in  this  present  time,"  which  our 
 Blessed  Saviour  promises  to  them  that  do  so.  He  had 
 parted  with  shadows,  and  had  found  great  substance ;  he 
 had  given  up  things  temporal,  and  had  found  things 
 eternal.      We  indeed   know  not — no   understanding   of 
 
 1  Matt.  xiii.  44,  45. 
 
442  SAINT  MATTHEW    THE   APOSTLE. 
 
 man  can  know — what  lie  gained.  It  is  ever  spoken  of 
 as  a  thing  hidden ;  it  is  treasure  hid ;  it  is  the  hidden 
 mr.nna  :  as  our  Lord  adds  in  the  Apocalypse,  "  I  will  give 
 him  a  white  stone,  and  in  the  stone  a  new  name  written 
 which  no  man  knoweth,  saving  he  that  receiveth  it."  Such 
 is  the  love  of  God  in  the  soul;  the  heart  which  is  in 
 Heaven,  because  the  treasure  hath  been  laid  up  there. 
 
 But  though  the  love  of  God  which  makes  these  sacri- 
 fices is  itself  hidden,  yet  it  is  ever  accompanied  with 
 lowliness  of  mind,  such  as  appears  in  this  the  first  Evan- 
 gelist ;  such  as  ever  feels  its  need  of  mercy  and  is  full  of 
 mercy  to  others ;  being  so  knit  to  Him  Who  is  the  Friend 
 of  Publicans,  Who  receiveth  sinners.  Who  is  the  Physician 
 of  the  sick.  Who  bringeth  light  out  of  darkness — the 
 knowledge  of  the  love  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 And  this  is  the  danger  of  wealth,  that  it  prevents  this 
 lowliness  of  mind  :  "  Thou  sayest  I  am  rich  and  increased 
 with  goods,  and  knowest  not  that  thou  art  wretched  and 
 miserable  and  poor  and  naked."  And  to  this  the  advice 
 and  command  is  given,  "Buy  of  Me  gold  tried  in  the 
 fire,"  "and  anoint  thine  eyes  with  eye-salve,  that  thou 
 mayest  see."^  That  is  to  say,  in  this  case  there  is  a  film 
 or  veil  upon  the  eyes,  something  must  be  done  to  remove 
 this  before  you  will  be  able  to  see  the  truth,  and  to  love 
 God.  As  our  Collect  expresses  it,  "  to  forsake  covetous 
 desires  and  to  follow  Christ,"  the  forsaking  of  covetous 
 desires  must  come  first,  before  we  follow  Christ. 
 
 And  here  arises  a  question,  how  far  it  is  necessary  for 
 ill  to  do  as  St.  Matthew  and  the  Apostles  did — to  give 
 up  their  possessions.  For  our  Lord  seems  to  speak  gene- 
 rally, as  if  to  all :  "Sell  that  ye  have  and  give  alms," 
 and  "  Lay  not  up  for  yourselves  treasures  upon  earth." 
 2  Rev.  iii.  17,  18. 
 
THE    GOOD   EXCHANGE. 
 
 This  is,  indeed,  a  point  of  no  little  difficulty,  for  the  love 
 of  riches  is  incompatible  with  the  love  of  God,  so  that  both 
 cannot  exist  in  the  same  heart  together ;  and  it  is  almost 
 impossible  to  possess  riches  without  in  some  degree  trust- 
 ing in  them  and  loving  them.  And  no  doubt  it  is  the 
 case  that  there  are  some  who  cannot  be  saved  without 
 ^Darting  with  their  possessions,  on  account  of  the  love  of 
 money  in  the  heart.  And  what  renders  it  still  more 
 dangerous,  where  this  is  the  case,  the  persons  themselves 
 are  the  last  to  see  the  necessity  of  it,  because,  as  St.  Paul 
 says,  in  the  Epistle,  "  the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded 
 their  minds ;"  and  our  Lord  speaks  of  "  the  deceitfulness 
 of  riches,"  and  their  needing  eye-salve  to  anoint  their 
 eyes,  that  they  may  see.  "  I  counsel  thee,"  He  says  in 
 this  passage,  "  to  buy  of  Me  gold  tried  in  the  fire,  that 
 thou  may  est  be  rich."^  IsTow,  to  buy,  implies  to  give  up 
 something  in  exchange  :  the  necessity  of  buying  shows 
 that  it  is  not  to  be  obtained  for  nothing.  So  likewise  in 
 the  parable,  he  who  would  possess  the  treasure  hid  in  the 
 field,  or  the  pearl  of  great  price,  sells  what  he  has  in 
 order  to  purchase  it ;  so  did  St.  Matthew,  so  did  St.  Paul, 
 and  the  other  Apostles. 
 
 It  will  be  of  some  assistance  to  us  to  apply  the  example 
 of  St.  Matthew  himself;  whatever  might  have  been  in 
 his  heart,  he  did  not  give  up  all  till  called  upon  by  Christ 
 to  do  so ;  and  he  that  watches  his  own  soul  and  the 
 providences  of  God,  will  find  numberless  calls  of  Christ 
 to  make  sacrifices  out  of  love  and  mercy.  Let  him  do 
 these  as  they  occur,  and  God  will  open  his  eyes  to  see 
 more  clearly  what  to  do — to  know  the  things  of  God  and 
 Heaven,  and  to  know  what  is  needful  for  himself  to  do 
 in  order  to  attain  them. 
 
 3  Rev.  iii.  18. 
 
SERMON   LXXXVII. 
 ^amt  Plicljatl  antr  mi  Hugtig. 
 
 Rev.  xii.  7 — 12.     St.  Matt,  xviii.  i — 10. 
 WAR  IN  heaven: 
 
 Are  they  not  all  ministerhig  spirits,  sent  forth  to  minister  for  them 
 who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation?— Yi^^.  i.  14. 
 
 THE  Collect,  Epistle,  and  Gospel  of  our  Churcli  foi 
 this  day  are  tlie  same  as  in  the  Ancient  Missals,  and 
 of  great  interest.  Our  Lord  calls  His  Church  upon  earth 
 "  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven ;"  now  Heaven  is  full  of  other 
 beings  besides  the  Saints  of  God.  And  in  the  Epistle 
 to  the  Hebrews  it  is  said,  that  as  Christians  we  "are 
 come  "  "  unto  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  to  an  innu- 
 merable company  of  angels."  Well,  indeed,  may  they 
 be  "  innumerable."  When  we  look  below  us  in  nature 
 we  are  overwhelmed  with  astonishment  to  find  how  every- 
 thing is  filled  and  carried  on  by  the  agency  of  living  crea- 
 tures, till  they  are  lost  from  our  sight  and  from  all  powers 
 of  tracing  them,  smaller  than  dust  or  motes  in  a  sunbeam  ; 
 and  no  doubt,  in  like  manner,  above  us,  and  beyond  us,  and 
 around  us,  in  spiritual,  intellectual,  and  heavenly  worlds, 
 all  is  filled  with  countless  multitudes  of  living  beings, 
 
JFAR  IN-  HEAVEN.  445 
 
 most  perfect  in  beauty,  and  power,  and  harmony.  Thus, 
 as  it  is  given  us  in  the  night  of  this  world  to  behold  the 
 heavens  studded  with  stars,  great,  glorious,  and  beautiful, 
 in  like  manner  has  Scripture  opened  to  our  view  a  sight 
 of  the  blessed  angels.  They  appear  as  stars  around  us. 
 But  no  unconcerned  spectators  on  their  silent  watches. 
 One  thing,  indeed,  is  mentioned  of  them  by  our  Lord 
 Himself  which  at  first  on  hearing  it  might  well  amaze  us, 
 viz.  that  the  highest  of  these  glorious  spirits  watch  with 
 intense  interest  over  the  most  humble  Christian.  Yet  on 
 a  little  consideration  we  may  see,  that  so  far  from  this 
 being  a  thing  of  itself  to  us  incredible,  in  fact  it  must  be 
 so.  For  if  the  love  of  God  towards  us  is  so  infinitely 
 great,  and  His  merciful  humiliations  for  our  sakes  sur- 
 passing man's  understanding,  those  blessed  angels  who 
 approach  the  nearest  His  throne  must  partake  of  that 
 love.  It  is  strange  to  us,  because  it  is  so  unlike  the 
 pride  of  corrupt  man ;  yet  such  must  be  angelic  love, 
 because  it  is  heavenly  and  Divine.  It  is  very  unlike, 
 man ;  but  it  is  very  like  all  we  know  of  the  love  of  God 
 and  Christ. 
 
 ITow  our  Lord's  own  expressions  in  the  Gospels,  as  of 
 the  angels  in  Heaven  rejoicing  together  with  Him  *'  over 
 one  sinner  that  repenteth  ;"  of  the  most  glorious  among 
 them  being  the  guardians  of  His  little  ones ;  of  our  already 
 being  in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven,  wherein  we  know 
 innumerable  angels  attend  His  throne ;  and  of  His  send- 
 ing them  forth  to  separate  the  evil  from  the  good  at  last ; — 
 add  to  which  their  often  having  appeared  to  good  men  in 
 difficulties,  to  Jacob,  to  Daniel,  to  St.  Paul,  to  St.  Peter, 
 to  Cornelius,  to  our  Saviour  Himself,  their  King; — and 
 in  connexion  with  these  the  saying  in  the  text,  that  they 
 are  "  sent  forth  to  minister  for  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of 
 
446  SAINT  MICHAEL   AND   ALL    ANGELS. 
 
 salvation ;" — these  and  other  like  circumstances  will  ex- 
 plain to  us  the  meaning  of  this  passage  in  the  Apocalypse. 
 
 There  was  war  in  heaven :  Michael  and  his  ajigels 
 fought  against  the  dragon,  and  the  dragon  fought  and  his 
 angels ;  and  prevailed  not.  The  allusion  is  to  the  time 
 foretold  by  the  prophet  Daniel,  when  "Michael  shall 
 stand  up,"  and  "  every  one  shall  be  delivered  that  shall  be 
 found  written  in  the  book."  '  When  "  the  Kingdom  of 
 Heaven"  is  come,  and  the  good  angels  rejoice,  and 
 defeat  the  purposes  of  the  evil.  And  it  shall  be  with 
 him  that  is  in  Christ  as  it  was  with  our  Lord  Himself; 
 when  He  was  tempted  of  Satan  the  good  angels  minis- 
 tered unto  Him ;  when  it  was  the  hour  of  the  powers  of 
 darkness  the  good  angel  was  at  hand  to  strengthen  Him. 
 The  accuser  of  the  brethren  bears  their  evil  report  day  and 
 night  before  God ;  the  good  angel  offers  up  as  incense 
 the  prayers  and  alms  of  the  saints.^  While  Satan  brings 
 thee  occasions  of  falling,  Christ  gives  His  angels  charge 
 to  keep  thee  in  all  ihj  ways.  They  "  prevailed  not :"  so 
 was  it  when  our  Blessed  Saviour  "  rejoiced  in  spirit "  that 
 the  Lord  of  Heaven  and  earth  revealed  Himself  unto 
 babes,  and  said,  "  I  beheld  Satan  as  lightning  fall  from 
 Heaven."  Or  again,  when  He  said,  "  The  prince  of  this 
 world  cometh,  and  hath  nothing  in  Me ;"  when  Satan 
 had  desired  to  have  His  disciples,  and  to  sift  them  as 
 wheat,  but  "  prevailed  not." 
 
 Neither  was  their  place  found  any  more  in  heaven. 
 And.  the  great  dragon  teas  cast  out,  that  old  serpent,  that 
 first  tempted  mankind,  called  the  devil  and  Satan,  tchich 
 deceiveth  the  whole  loorld  ;  he  was  cast  out  into  the  earth, 
 and  his  angels  were  cast  out  with  him.      In  anticipation  of 
 
 *  Daa.  xii.  1.  ^  Eev.  viii.  3  :  Acts  x.  4. 
 
I  FAR    IN  HEAVEN.  447 
 
 which  hour  our  Blessed  Saviour,  when  ahout  to  drink  of 
 the  cup  of  His  Passion,  and  looking  on  that  little  hand  of 
 martyrs  which  surrounded  Him,  said,  "  Be  of  good  cheer, 
 I  have  overcome  the  world."  In  furtherance  of  which 
 St.  John  afterwards  could  say,  "  Ye  have  overcome  the 
 wicked  one." 
 
 And  surely  if  the  angels  were  heard  rejoicing  at  our 
 Lord's  birth ;  if  there  is  joy  in  Heaven  over  one  sheep 
 that  is  brought  back  to  the  fold ;  if  the  angels  are  minis- 
 tering spirits  which  wait  on  the  heirs  of  salvation  ;  if  one 
 of  them  was  seen  strengthening  our  Lord  in  His  agony, 
 in  His  conflict  with  powers  of  darkness ;  it  must  needs 
 be  the  case,  that  when  our  Lord,  by  His  primitive  mar- 
 tyrs was  establishing  His  Kingdom  in  the  world,  and 
 overthrowing  the  strongholds  of  Satan,  great  must  have 
 been  their  triumphant  rejoicing ;  as  the  following  words 
 express  it : — 
 
 And  I  heard  a  loud  voice  saying  in  heaven,  Noio  is 
 come  salvation,  and  strength,  and  the  kingdom  of  our 
 God,  and  the  'power  of  His  Christ :  for  the  accuser  of  our 
 brethren  is  cast  down,  which  accused  them  before  our  God 
 day  and  night.  For  under  his  dominion  every  day  that 
 passed  added  to  sin  and  sorrow.  But  now  there  is  no 
 condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ. 
 
 And  they  overcame  him  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and 
 by  the  word  of  their  testimony  ;  and  they  loved  not  their 
 lives  unto  the  death.  In  the  words  of  one  of  them,  when 
 speaking  of  tribulation,  and  distress,  and  persecution,  and 
 peril  and  sword  :  "  IsTay,  in  all  these  things,"  he  adds, 
 "  we  are  more  than  conquerors  through  Him  that  loved 
 us." ' 
 
 Therefore  rejoice,  ye  heavens,    and  ye  that  dwell  in 
 
 3  Rom.  viii.  37. 
 
448  SAINT  MICHAEL   AND   ALL   ANGELS. 
 
 them.  For  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  in  the 
 secret  place  of  His  dwelling  shall  He  hide  them.  Woe  to 
 the  inhahiters  of  the  earth,  and  of  the  sea ;  to  all  them 
 who  are  still  of  the  earth,  earthy ;  whose  hearts  are  still 
 on  this  evil  world,  which  lieth  under  the  wrath  and  con- 
 demnation of  God ;  who  give  place  to  "  the  spirit  that 
 worketh  in  the  children  of  disobedience."  For  the  devil 
 is  come  down  unto  you,  having  great  ivrath,  because  he 
 hnoioeth  that  he  hath  hut  a  short  time. 
 
 It  has  been  said  that  notwithstanding  the  warnings  of 
 Scripture,  people  are  slow  to  believe  in  the  existence  of  the 
 devil :  perhaps  it  would  be  more  true  to  say,  they  are  slow 
 to  consider  it,  and  how  much  they  are  under  his  power. 
 But  delightful  is  it,  and  encouraging  to  reflect  on  what 
 is  revealed  to  us  of  the  good  angels,  of  their  eternal 
 blessedness  in  the  Presence  of  God  ;  of  their  great  love  to 
 us  ;  of  their  deep  concern  for  our  welfare ;  of  their  active 
 ministrations  about  us  day  and  night ;  and  especially  of 
 their  peculiar  regard  for  those  who  are  of  a  meek  spirit, 
 and  despised  of  the  world,  as  being,  in  the  sight  of  God, 
 "  of  great  price."*  What  a  dignity  does  this  passage  from 
 the  Apocalypse  shed  on  our  daily  life  !  how  does  it  lite- 
 rally raise  it  up  to  Heaven  with  all  its  little  concerns  and 
 pursuits,  as  tended  on  by  angels,  as  of  the  keenest  interest 
 to  them ;  exalting  the  humble,  and  putting  down  the 
 lofty. 
 
 Again;  this  Scripture  for  the  Epistle  is  brought  home 
 to  us  with  a  twofold  force  and  poAver  when  it  is  set  beside 
 another,  which  is  given  as  the  Gospel  for  to-day.  How 
 do  each  of  these  support  the  other;  how  does  one  reflect 
 light  from  the  other  !     What  a  wonderful  combination  do 
 
 *  1  Pet.  iii.  4. 
 
JVAR    IN  HEAVEN.  449 
 
 tliey  both  form  together  !  If  it  may  be  said  of  one  that 
 it  raises  our  mortal  life  to  Heaven,  no  less  is  it  true  of  the 
 other,  that  it  brings  down  Heaven  itself  to  ns.  Moreover, 
 if  we  are  tempted  to  high  thoughts  in  the  contemplation 
 of  natures  so  excellent ;  of  a  state  of  things  so  sublime,  in 
 which  we  ourselves  have  part ;  of  a  scene  so  transporting 
 and  ennobling,  as  is  here  presented  to  us  in  the  account 
 of  this  contest,  in  which  spiritual  beings  are  engaged 
 together  with  us ;  what  a  lesson  does  the  Gospel  for  this 
 day  connect  with  it !  What  a  cloud  hath  come  upon  us  ! 
 what  a  veil  is  there  upon  our  sight,  when  we  estimate 
 greatness  as  this  world  does,  judging  from  honours,  and 
 station,  and  wealth,  and  the  natural  desii-es  of  our  own 
 heart,  seeking  for  the  first  place,  for  more  room,  more 
 honour,  more  for  self !  How  do  all  such  things  partake 
 of  the  nature  of  evil  angels ;  and  are  altogether  foreign 
 from  the  good.  We  belong  to  another  household,  which 
 is  all  humility  and  love,  one  family  of  angels  and  men ; 
 if  evil  angels  would  exalt  thee  with  pride  to  be  as  them- 
 selves, the  good  angels  shall  love  thee  in  lowliness.  But 
 the  Lord  of  Angels  Himself  shall  teach  us. 
 
 At  the  same  time,  says  St.  Matthew,  when  our  Lord  had 
 come  into  the  house  at  Capernaum,  came  the  disciples 
 unto  Jesus,  saying.  Who  is  the  greatest  in  the  Kingdom  of 
 Heaven  ?  And  Jesus  called  a  little  child  unto  Him,  and 
 set  him  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  said.  Verily,  I  say  unto 
 you.  Except  ye  lie  converted,  and  l)eco7ne  as  little  children, 
 ye  shall  not  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.  Ye  must 
 get  rid  of  your  worldly  thoughts  to  find  an  entrance  into 
 that  kingdom  at  all;  for  there  they  are  altogether  of 
 another  spirit,  '^oi  but  there  are  degrees,  and  ranks, 
 and  orders  therein;  but  their  greatness,  blessedness,  and 
 glory  is  quite  of  another  kind.      Whosoever  therefore  shall 
 
 VOL.  TI.  G   g 
 
450  SAINT  MICHAEL   AND   ALL   ANGELS. 
 
 hu7nhle  himself  as  this  little  child,  the  same  is  greatest  in 
 the  Kingdo7n  of  Heaven.  It  needs  must  be  so.  If  Thou, 
 gracious  Lord,  "Who  art  the  God  of  Angels,  by  Whose 
 word  they  were  made ;  by  Whose  will  they  are  sustained ; 
 by  Whose  favour  they  are  blessed;  by  Whose  gift  they  are 
 holy ;  if  Thou  madest  Thyself  lower  than  the  angels  for 
 our  sakes,  and  out  of  love  for  us ;  then  surely,  amidst 
 those  blessed  companies,  the  highest  and  best  must  be 
 such  as  are  most  like  unto  Thee  in  love  to  us  and  humility ; 
 and  if  we  are  admitted  to  be  with  them,  we  much  more 
 must  be  such  as  Thou;  and  must  do  Thy  will  as  they  do 
 in  Heaven,  and  wish  that  the  same  in  like  manner  may 
 be  done  in  us.  For  Thou  hast  taken  upon  Thee  the 
 nature  of  man,  but  not  of  angels.  Thou  hast  been  a 
 little  Child.  Thou  Thyself  hast  taught  us  as  a  little 
 Child ;  Who  art  God  over  aU,  blessed  for  evermore. 
 
 Yet  further ;  he  that  thus  humbleth  himself,  will  love 
 others  of  a  like  character ;  this  is  the  witness  in  himself 
 that  he  loves  God,  when  he  loves  the  brethren  for  Christ's 
 sake ;  and  oh,  the  inconceivable  blessing !  in  them  he 
 beholds,  he  loves,  he  receives  Christ.  All  things  are 
 reversed;  in  the  lowest  he  receives  the  Highest.  For 
 these  are  His  own  words;  And  whoso  shall  receive  one 
 such  little  child  in  My  Name  receiveth  Me. 
 
 But  where  Christ  is  in  any  sense,  awful  is  the  privilege, 
 as  great  the  blessing.  He  comes  with  His  holy  angels 
 to  protect,  and  to  avenge.  And  therefore  it  is  added, 
 But  whoso  shall  offend  one  of  these  little  ones  lohich  believe 
 in  Me,  it  were  better  for  him  that  a  millstone  were  hanged 
 about  Ids  neck,  and  that  he  were  drowned  in  the  depth  of 
 the  sea.  His  little  ones  are  to  be  as  lambs  among  wolves, 
 and  therefore  the  Almighty  is  their  protector.  He  that 
 toucheth  you  toucheth  the  apple  of  His  eye.     So  infinite 
 
JVAJi    IN  HEAVEN.  451 
 
 the  cost  and  the  value  of  one  soul  in  His  sight.  Eut  the 
 salvation  not  only  of  our  own  souls,  but  that  of  others  also 
 is,  in  a  measure,  in  our  own  hands;  and  we  must  be  from 
 day  to  day  either  like  the  good  or  the  evil  angels,  and 
 take  part  with  one  of  them.  Either  accusers  of  our 
 brethren,  pleased  with  their  infirmities  and  sins,  contri- 
 buting to  them,  causing  them  pain  of  body  or  mind,  and 
 envying  their  temporal  and  eternal  good ;  or,  on  the  con- 
 trary, by  charity  excusing  or  helping  their  infirmities, 
 and  thinking  nothing  unimportant  that  may  further 
 their  present  ease  or  eternal  welfare.  Thus  our  part 
 must  be  with  good  or  evil  angels,  and  with  them  must 
 be  our  portion. 
 
 Woe  unto  the  icorld  because  of  offences ;  i.  e.  occasions 
 of  sin  and  temptations  to  fall :  for  it  must  needs  he  that 
 offences  come:  hut  woe  to  that  man  hy  whom  the  offence 
 Cometh.  Wherefore,  if  thy  hand  or  foot  offend  thee,  cut 
 them  off,  and  cast  them  from  thee :  it  is  better  for  thee  to 
 enter  into  life  halt  or  maimed,  rather  than  having  two 
 hands,  or  tivo  feet,  to  be  cast  into  everlasting  fire.  And  if 
 thins  eye  offend  thee,  pluck  it  out,  and  cast  it  from  thee  : 
 it  is  better  for  thee  to  enter  into  life  with  one  eye,  rather 
 than  having  two  eyes  to  he  cast  into  hell-fire.  We  must, 
 I  said,  be  in  this  life,  as  the  good  or  the  evil  angels  ;  and 
 what  renders  us  like  the  latter,  is  having  particular  ends 
 of  our  own  to  serve ;  having  desires  and  affections  of  our 
 own  without  reference  to  God;  our  own  selfish  pride  to 
 gratify;  these  things  lead  us  to  oppose  God,  and  His 
 gracious  designs,  and  to  dislike,  to  injure,  to  envy  others. 
 But  the  blessed  angels  are  only  known  to  us  as  minis- 
 tering to  all  good,  as  themselves  entirely  lost  in  the  will, 
 the  service,  and  the  love  of  God.  They  are  only  known 
 to  us  as  angels  or  archangels;  that  is,  as  messengers,  or 
 Gg  2 
 
452  SAINT  MICHAEL   AND   ALL   ANGELS. 
 
 chief  messengers  of  God;  as  ministering  spirits  sent  by 
 Him ;  as  shadows  of  His  Presence ;  of  themselves  indi- 
 vidually they  are  unknown  to  us ;  of  themselves  they  are 
 not,  but  as  they  are  of  Him  in  His  goodness  towards  us  \ 
 even  their  names,  as  mentioned  to  us,  signify  this  and 
 nothing  more, — Michael,  "  Who  is  as  God ;"  Gabriel, 
 "the  strength  of  God;"  Eaphael,  "the  healing  of  God." 
 The  distinctions  and  the  greatness  of  men  in  themselves, 
 and  their  delight  in  these  things  is  of  human  infirmity, 
 and  has  no  place  in  the  City  of  God;  that  company 
 which  is  made  up  of  angels  and  of  saints,  the  family  of 
 God  made  one  in  Christ.  Whereas  of  evil  spirits  it  may 
 be  said,  "there  be  gods  many,  and  lords  many;  but  to 
 us  there  is  but  One  God,  the  Father,  of  Whom  are  all 
 things,  and  we  in  Him ;  and  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by 
 AVhom  are  all  things,  and  we  by  Him."^  So  good  men 
 have  no  will  but  the  will  of  God  ;  they  are  lost  in  Him ; 
 all  is  union  and  harmony ;  their  diversities  are  as  Michael, 
 Gabriel,  and  Raphael ;  for  all  their  mind  is,  "  Who  is 
 like  God?"  their  strength  is  "the  strength  of  God;" 
 their  healing  is  "  the  healing  of  God."  And  if  in  the 
 Kingdom  of  Heaven  one  star  differeth  from  another  star 
 in  glory,  yet  that  glory  depends  on  the  degrees  of  love  for 
 Christ  and  His  little  ones.  For  God  is  Love;  and  as 
 they  partake  of  love,  they  partake  of  God. 
 
 Take  heed  that  ye  despise  not  one  of  these  little  ones ; 
 "  Take  heed,"  that  is,  there  is  a  danger  ye  are  liable  to,  of 
 contempt  for  lowly  persons,  and  of  disparaging  the  value 
 of  single  souls.  For  I  say  unto  you.  That  in  heaven 
 their  angels  do  always  behold  the  face  of  My  Father 
 Which  is  in  heaven.     So  different  is  the  estimate  of  God 
 
 6  1  Cor.  viii.  6. 
 
IV A R  I IV  heaven:  453 
 
 and  His  good  angels  to  tliat  of  men.  It  is  in  the 
 presence  of  God  that  the  angels  learn  this  love ;  from  be- 
 holding His  countenance,  from  their  nearness  to  Him. 
 And  how  are  we  to  learn  the  same  but  in  like  manner,  by- 
 drawing  near  to  Him  in  reverential  approaches ;  by  prayer, 
 by  His  written  "Word,  by  the  Sacrament  of  His  Body  and 
 Blood.  One  of  these  things  may  be  mentioned  especially, 
 as  in  the  power  of  all  at  all  times,  in  which  we  may 
 resemble  the  holy  angels,  and  become  like  them  ;  and 
 that  is,  by  prayers  for  others  in  all  their  necessities  and 
 needs,  both  temporal  and  spiritual.  Thus  we  may  do 
 them  good,  like  the  blessed  angels,  unseen  and  unknown 
 of  those  who  receive  from  them  that  benefit  and  aid 
 which  they  most  require.  He  that  "  went  about  doing 
 good,  and  healing  all  that  were  oppressed  of  the  devil," 
 spent  His  whole  nights  in  prayer. 
 
 But  it  is  said,  "their  angels  behold  the  face  of  God;" 
 that  is,  their  guardian  angels,  those  who  more  particu- 
 larly watch  over  individuals.  This  is  again  to  be  noted 
 by  us  in  speaking  of  the  example  of  the  holy  angels,  as 
 applicable  to  those  who  have  the  guardianship  of  others, 
 in  any  way,  especially  of  Christ's  little  ones.  If  they  are 
 not  ministering  to  them  in  more  active  services,  how  un- 
 ceasing should  they  be  in  this  duty  of  intercession,  by 
 beholding  the  face  of  God  in  prayers,  in  sanctifying  them- 
 selves for  their  sakes,  in  order  that  they  may  pray  for 
 them  the  more  acceptably. 
 
SERMON   LXXXVIII. 
 ^atnt  Euke  tje  CBbangeli^t. 
 
 2  Tim.  iv.  5—15.     St.  Luke  x.  1—7. 
 
 HEALING   AND    PEACE. 
 
 How  beautiful  upon  the  mountains  are  the  feet  of  him  that  bringeth 
 tidings,  that piiblisheth  peace. — ISA.  lii.  7- 
 
 THERE  is  something  peculiar  in  St.  Luke's  day,  some- 
 thing calm  and  soothing  connected  with  it ;  it  occurs 
 at  a  time  when  summer  often  revives  a  little  before  it 
 finally  goes,  and  sheds  on  us  a  parting  smile;  there  is 
 something  in  St.  Luke's  own  character  which  speaks  of 
 healing  to  both  body  and  mind,  like  the  good  Samaritan, 
 into  the  wounds  of  both  pouring  oil  and  wine.  We  con- 
 nect his  Gospel  especially  with  the  Atonement,  and  the 
 mercies  of  God  to  penitents ;  it  is  the  storehouse  of  con- 
 solation, in  incident,  and  parable,  and  precept ;  the  source 
 of  evangelical  hymns.  To  these  we  may  add  the  per- 
 sonal history  of  St.  Luke  himself.  In  the  service  for  the 
 day  he  is  brought  before  us  as  the  faithful  companion  of 
 St.  Paul  in  the  last  view  we  obtain  of  the  great  Apostle. 
 While  St.  Paul  is  strengthened  for  his  last  trial,  and 
 ready  to  encounter  death  with  calm  hope  and  joy,  the 
 
HEALING   AND   PEACE.  455 
 
 good  Physician  is  found  by  his  side  in  his  chains.  The 
 recurrence  therefore  of  this  day  is  like  the  last  gleaming  of 
 the  year  itself  at  this  season,  when  a  serene  and  bright 
 interval  precedes  its  close.  The  Epistle  for  the  day, 
 which  is  found  the  same  in  our  own  Church  as  in  the 
 Missal,  rivets  our  attention  to  this  one  view  of  St.  Luke. 
 It  is  not  St.  Luke  in  his  Gospel,  or  in  the  emblems  that 
 denote  it;  nor  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles  which  he 
 wrote;  but  by  love  made  partaker  of  St.  Paul's  bonds, 
 having  the  privilege  of  being  with  that  great  saint  when, 
 after  all  his  labours,  his  Lord  seemed  at  last  about  to 
 draw  near  from  behind  the  veil,  and  to  say  unto  him, 
 Thou  hast  been  "  faithful  unto  death,  I  will  give  thee  a 
 crown  of  life."  We  are  indeed  familiarized  with  the  idea 
 of  St.  Paul  and  St.  Luke  being  together  by  this  slight 
 incident  in  the  Acts,  that  at  certain  periods  in  the  history 
 the  term  "  we  "  is  introduced  instead  of  "  they,"  as  "  we 
 kneeled  down  on  the  shore  and  prayed;"  "we  took 
 ship ;"  "  we  abode  with  the  brethren."  And  in  St.  Paul's 
 Epistles  he  appears  as  his  fellow-labourer.  Thus  he  says 
 to  the  Colossians,  "Luke,  the  beloved  physician,  and 
 Demas,  greet  you;"^  and  to  the  Corinthians  he  speaks  of 
 St.  Luke  as  "  the  brother  whose  praise  is  in  the  Gospel 
 throughout  all  the  Churches."  ^  But  none  of  these  things 
 has  so  connected  his  memory  with  St.  Paul  as  this  his 
 faithful  adherence  to  him,  when  all  seem  to  have  forsaken 
 him  at  the  eve  of  martyrdom.  This  passage  too  from 
 St.  Paul's  second  Epistle  to  Timothy  is  remarkable,  in 
 being  expressive  of  the  period  at  which  it  was  written ; 
 not  full  and  flowing  in  style,  or  impassioned,  like  his 
 other  Epistles,  but  short  and  sententious  as  of  one  strung 
 for  his  last  trial,  and  by  brief  incidental  notices  bringing 
 1  Col.  iv.  14.  2  2  Cor.  viii.  18. 
 
456  SAINT  LUKE    THE  EVANGELIST. 
 
 before  us  his  friends  and  the  great  Apostle  himself,  his 
 sorrows,  his  desertion,  his  little  wants,  his  great  consola- 
 tions,—  all  touched  with  the  simple  solemnity  of  ap- 
 proaching departure. 
 
 Watch  thou,  he  says  to  Timothy,  having  just  charged 
 him  before  God  and  Christ,  and  appealing  to  the  Judg- 
 ment,—  Watch  thou  in  all  tJmigs,  endure  afflictions,  do  the 
 work  of  an  Evangelist,  make  full  pivof  of  thy  ministi-y. 
 And  all  this  on  account  of  the  many  perils  to  the  faith 
 of  which  he  had  been  speaking.  Fo7'  I  am  now,  he  adds, 
 ready  to  he  offered,  literally  to  be  poured  forth  as  a  drink 
 offering,  in  allusion  to  the  shedding  of  his  blood  in  mar- 
 tyrdom ;  and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand.  1 
 have  fought  a  good  fight.  There  is  something,  as  St. 
 Chrysostom  observes,  unusual  with  St.  Paul  in  this  high 
 language,  the  reason  of  which  is  that  he  was  speaking  for 
 the  consolation  of  him  to  whom  he  wrote,  and  of  those 
 around  him.  And  we  may  add  it  was  the  light  of 
 God  in  the  darkness,  amidst  the  desertion  of  friends,  the 
 triumph  of  enemies,  the  apparent  failure  of  his  course ; 
 it  partakes  of  the  peculiar  blessing  attached  to  persecution 
 for  Christ's  sake,  that  of  being  exceeding  glad,  yea,  of 
 leaping  for  joy.  /  have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept 
 the  faith.  Henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  croion  of 
 righteousness,  ivhich  the  Lord,  the  righteous  Judge,  shall 
 give  me  at  that  day.  Before  this  he  had  said,  "  I  count  not 
 myself  to  have  apprehended,  but  reaching  forth  unto 
 those  things  which  are  before,  I  press  toward  the  mark 
 for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling."*  He  strove  for  the 
 mastery,  he  said,  as  one  contending,  and  kept  under  his 
 body  lest  he  should  be  a  castaway.*     But  now  in  calm 
 
 3  Phil.  iii.  13.  -*  1  Cor.  ix.  25.  27. 
 
HEALING  AND    PEACE.  457 
 
 and  humble  hope  he  looks  up  and  beholds  the  crown  of 
 martyrdom  held  out  in  the  Judge's  hand.  But  here  how 
 careful  against  preferring  himself,  and  excluding  others 
 from  this  hope !  And  not  to  me  only,  he  adds,  hut  unto 
 all  them  also  that  love  His  appearing.  And  who  are  they 
 that  love  His  appearing'?  They,  says  St.  Chrysostom, 
 who  rejoicing  in  that  His  coming,  for  joy  thereof  cast 
 away  substance,  if  need  be,  and  life  itself,  and  do  all 
 things  to  ensure  a  particular  coming,  each  to  himself, 
 before  that  His  appearing. 
 
 And  now  wishing  to  see  Timothy  before  his  death, 
 he  says.  Do  thy  diligence  to  come  slwrtly  unto  me:  for 
 Demas  hath  forsaken  me,  having  loved  this  present  world, 
 and  is  departed  unto  Thessalonica,  Grescens  to  Galatia, 
 Titus  unto  Dalmatia.  Only  Luke  is  loith  me.  The  fidelity 
 of  Luke  here  appears  in  sad  contrast  with  the  falling  away 
 of  Demas ;  and  the  more  strongly  from  their  having  been 
 mentioned  together  in  former  letters.  He  sends  their  greet- 
 ing together  to  the  Colossians  ;  and  to  Philemon  he  speaks 
 of  Demas  and  Luke  his  fellow-labourers.  But  now  the 
 trial  had  sifted  the  chaff  and  the  wheat,  and  they  are 
 parted  asunder.  How  awful  is  this  separation  ever  going 
 on  between  the  good  and  bad !  It  is  as  our  Lord  says, 
 "  Two  shall  be  together,  the  one  shall  be  taken  and  the 
 other  left."  Demas  was  buying  a  little  present  ease, 
 while  St.  Luke  was  incurring  danger  and  trouble;  but 
 after  a  few  years  how  great  for  ever  the  separation  between 
 them  !  How  awakening  and  impressive  are  our  Lord's 
 words  respecting  this  great  exchange,  "What  shall  it 
 profit  a  man  if  he  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own 
 soul?" 
 
 And  now  with  regard  to  the  remainder  of  this  Epistle, 
 and  the  little  circumstantial  details  of  ordinary  life  which 
 
458  SAINT  LUKE    THE   EVANGELIST. 
 
 it  introduces.  God  has  been  pleased  to  afford  us  a  more 
 intimate  knowledge  of  St.  Paul  than  of  any  other  of  the 
 early  saints  ;  and  this  has  been  partly  owing  to  the  accounts 
 of  him  which  St.  Luke  has  given  us  in  the  Acts,  and  partly 
 to  incidental  particulars,  many  of  themselves  of  little 
 moment,  which  occur  throughout  his  letters.  Take  Mark, 
 he  says,  and  hring  him  with  thee :  for  he  is  profitalle  to 
 me  for  the  ministry.  Though  there  had  been  some  dis- 
 agreement between  them,  this  had  been  quite  forgiven 
 and  forgotten,  except  perhaps  to  suggest  this  little  act  of 
 kindness  before  his  death  and  word  of  strong  approval ; 
 while  no  prospect  of  death  had  made  the  great  Apostle 
 omit  the  care  of  his  charge,  which  needed  the  ministry  of 
 another.  And  Tychicus  have  I  sent  to  Ephesus.  The 
 cloke  that  I  left  at  Troas  with  Carpus,  when  thou  comes t, 
 bring  with  thee  ;  and  the  hooks,  hut  especially  the  parch- 
 ments. Books  and  parchments  containing  such  docu- 
 ments probably  as  he  would  leave  for  the  future  guidance 
 of  the  Church. 
 
 Alexander  the  coppersmith  did  me  much  evil:  the  Lord 
 reivard  him  according  to  his  ivorks.  Of  whom  he  thou 
 ware  also,  for  he  hath  greatly  ivithstood  our  words.  This 
 too  is  a  memorable  passage ;  St.  Paul  has  not  only  the 
 desertion  of  a  friend  to  grieve  him  in  this,  his  last  trial, 
 but  also  the  active  opposition  of  enemies  of  the  faith, 
 which  was  dearer  to  him  than  life — it  is  an  instance  of 
 the  seducers  of  the  last  days  which  he  had  just  been 
 speaking  of.  But  observe,  he  leaves  him  to  the  judgment 
 of  God,  and  only  gives  the  warning  to  Timothy,  bidding 
 him  to  be  on  his  guard  against  him.  As  our  Lord  Him- 
 self says,  "  Beware,"  or  "  Take  heed "  of  false  prophets, 
 and  "  Leave  them  alone ;  they  be  blind  leaders  of  the 
 blind." 
 
HEALING   AND    PEACE.  459 
 
 And  now  we  come  to  consider  the  Gospel  for  the  day, 
 which  is  the  account  of  our  Lord  sending  forth  the 
 Seventy  disciples.  It  may  be  asked  what  is  the  reason 
 for  this  selection.  It  has  heen  thought  that  St.  Luke 
 himself  was  one  of  the  Seventy,  but  there  is  no  sufficient 
 authority  for  this  opinion.  Eirst,  it  may  be  this  :  among 
 the  Jews  there  were  three  orders — the  High  Priest,  the 
 Priest,  and  the  Levites;  and  in  the  Gospels  our  Lord 
 Himself,  and  then  the  Twelve,  and  then  the  Seventy 
 disciples ;  and  it  may  be  intended  that  as  St.  Luke  does 
 not  rank  among  the  Twelve  Apostles,  he  is  to  be  con- 
 sidered as  one  of  the  larger  number  thus  sent  forth  to  preach 
 the  Gospel.  Or,  again,  it  might  be,  that  as  the  Twelve 
 were  more  especially  for  the  Jews,  and  the  Seventy  for 
 the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  St.  Luke,  as  the  companion  of 
 St.  Paul,  and  the  writer  of  that  Gospel  which  was  more 
 especially  for  the  Gentiles,  is  therefore  associated  with 
 this  second  mission.  Or,  thirdly,  it  might  be  because 
 this  important  account  is  given  only  in  St.  Luke's  Gospel, 
 and  therefore  thus  appropriated  to  his  memory.  For  all 
 these  reasons  we  may  see  that  this  selection  from  Scrip- 
 ture is  not  unsuited  to  the  day.  This  sending  forth  of 
 disciples  throughout  aU  the  world,  by  mercies  to  both 
 body  and  soul  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  coming  of 
 Christ,  has  this  admonitory  lesson  for  ourselves,  that  it 
 invites  us  to  look  forward  to  that  Advent  to  which,  in  the 
 course  of  our  Sacred  Year,  our  faces  are  now  turned.  It 
 bids  us  prepare  for  the  gathering  in  of  the  harvest  by  the 
 joint  endeavours  of  ministers  and  laity,  labouring  together 
 in  prayer;  when  ''the  harvest"  of  our  natural  year  "is 
 past,  and  the  summer  is  ended,"  to  fill  our  thoughts  with 
 the  work  of  another  harvest,  wherein  "  he  that  soweth 
 and  he  that  reapeth  shaU  rejoice  together." 
 
460  SAINT  LUKE    THE   EVANGELIST. 
 
 The  Lord  ap2^ointed  other  seventy  also,  that  is,  after  the 
 mission  of  the  Twelve,  and  sent  them  tivo  and  two  before 
 His  face  into  every  city  and  place  whither  He  Himself 
 would  come.  Therefore  said  He  unto  them,  Tlie  harvest 
 truly  is  great,  hut  the  labourers  are  few  ;  pray  ye  therefore 
 the  Lord  of  the  harvest,  that  He  woidd  send  forth  labourers 
 into  His  harvest.  Here  we  may  see  something  of  that 
 mystery  of  love  wherein  God  works  the  great  marvels  of 
 His  grace— they  are  sent  forth  "  two  and  two,"  that  they 
 may  mutually  aid  and  support  each  other ;  from  whence, 
 as  in  the  instance  of  St.  Paul,  and  St.  Luke  with  him, 
 faithful  unto  death,  we  have  such  beautiful  instances  of 
 Divine  union  and  concord,  which  is  the  strength  of  the 
 Church.  And  oh,  how  sad  a  sign  of  these  last  days,  that 
 harmony  is  now  so  seldom  found  between  two  ministering 
 together  at  the  same  altar  !  In  the  next  place,  we  have 
 all  the  Christian  body  united  together  in  prayer  with 
 those  that  are  sent  forth,  co-operating  and  associated  with 
 them  in  one  heart  and  soul,  as  striving  together  with  them 
 in  prayer ;  and  both  of  these  dependent  on  each  other. 
 The  multitude  are  not  saved  without  the  labourers  sent 
 forth  to  gather,  and  the  labourers  are  not  sent  forth 
 without  the  prayers  of  the  multitude.  And,  thirdly, 
 these  are  by  prayer  united  unto  God,  the  Lover  of  concord  ; 
 for  it  is  said,  "  Pray  ye  the  Lord  that  He  would  send ;" 
 and,  again,  it  is  of  God  in  Christ,  for  our  Lord  Himself 
 says,  also,  "Behold,  I  send  you."  All  these  are  neces- 
 sary ;  for  if  the  Lord  did  not  send  them  that  go  forth, 
 unity  would  be  broken;  and  if  God  sent  them  without 
 the  prayers  of  His  people,  their  going  forth  would  be 
 for  condemnation,  for  there  would  be  no  love. 
 
 Go  your  ways;  behold,  I  send  you  forth  as  lambs 
 among  wolves.     It  is  I  that  send  you  forth  thus  to  con- 
 
HEALING  AND   PEACE.  461 
 
 quer  in  unarmed  meekness;  it  is  "the  Lamb"  that 
 leadeth,  and  therefore  ye  must  go  forth  as  lambs,  and 
 ye  shall  overcome  the  wolves.  Carry  neither  purse,  nor 
 scrip,  nor  shoes,  and  salute  no  man  by  the  way.  And  into 
 whatsoever  house  ye  enter,  first  say.  Peace  he  to  this  house. 
 And  if  the  son  of  peace  he  there,  your  peace  shall  rest 
 upon  it :  if  not,  it  shall  turn  to  you  again.  Your  labour 
 cannot  be  lost;  the  Word  of  God  shall  not  be  void;  "it 
 shall  turn  to  you  again,"  and  bring  peace  to  your  own 
 bosom.  The  more  destitute  of  human  means,  the  more 
 will  ye  look  to  the  Lamb  Who  was  slain  for  us,  and  find 
 health  in  the  great  and  good  Physician,  "  by  Whose  stripes 
 we  are  healed."  Your  peace  which  shall  rest  upon  them 
 is  the  peace  which  Christ  gives,  but  it  is  through  you, 
 His  ministers,  that  He  bestows  it  upon  "  the  son  of  peace." 
 For  the  son  of  peace  may  be  in  that  house,  but  while 
 separated  from  the  Body  of  Christ  he  has  not  that  peace, 
 till  ye  entering  in  as  the  servants  of  Christ,  and  in  His 
 I^ame  proclaim  His  peace.  0  peace  beyond  all  price, 
 mayest  thou  never  by  us,  His  ministers,  be  pronounced 
 in  vain ! 
 
 And  in  the  same  house  remain,  eating  and  drinMng  such 
 things  as  they  give :  for  the  labourer  is  worthy  of  his  hire. 
 Here  again  is  another  fresh  bond  by  which  all  things  are 
 held  together  in  Christ.  JN'ot  only  are  the  people  to  pray 
 for  their  ministers,  but  also  to  support  them.  Thus  are 
 all  associated  together  in  one  common  endeavour  to  the 
 furtherance  of  the  Gospel,  labouring  together  in  mutual 
 aid  and  charities.  I^Tor  can  any  Church  flourish  or  abound 
 in  the  grace  of  God,  unless  for  spiritual  blessings  and  gifts 
 it  restores  things  temporal.  !N'ot  that  this  is  needed,  it 
 may  be,  in  the  present  times  for  the  aid  of  your  own 
 immediate  minister,  but  it  is  required  most  urgently  for  the 
 
4G2  SAINT  LUKE   THE  EVANGELIST. 
 
 needs  of  the  Cliurcli  of  Christ  which  is  abroad.  It  is 
 needful  for  the  salvation  of  those  that  send,  as  well  as  for 
 those  to  whom  they  are  sent. 
 
 It  is  to  this  sending  forth  to  preach  that  St.  Paul  in 
 his  Epistle  to  the  Eomans  applies  the  fulfilment  of  the 
 text  from  Isaiah,  for  he  says,  "  How  shall  they  preach, 
 except  they  be  sent  ?  as  it  is  written,  How  beautiful  are 
 the  feet  of  them  that  preach  the  Gospel  of  peace  !"^  And 
 surely  in  no  part  of  Scripture  are  these  words  more  ful- 
 filled than  in  the  Gospel  of  St.  Luke,  which  so  peculiarly 
 declares  peace  to  the  penitent.  St.  John  speaks  of  love, 
 and  St.  Matthew  of  power,  but  St.  Luke  of  healing  and 
 of  peace,  and  of  these  in  the  highest  and  best  sense — not 
 merely  of  the  kingdom  of  peace  in  a  general  way,  but  of 
 that  which  our  Lord  gives  in  this  mission — His  own  peace 
 to  each  house,  and  to  each  in  that  house  who  is  "  the  son 
 of  peace."  As  the  prophet  Isaiah  adds,  "  that  publisheth 
 peace  ;  that  saith  unto  Zion,  Thy  God  reigneth  ! " — that 
 Kingdom  of  God  which  is  within.  Such  is  St.  Luke's 
 Gospel  and  mission  of  good  tidings.  And  how  many  on 
 their  knees  since  St.  Luke  wrote  have  prayed  over  the 
 things  which  he  alone  mentions  in  his  Gospel — of  the 
 Prodigal  son  ;  of  the  woman  that  was  a  Sinner  that  loved 
 much  ;  of  the  Penitent  thief ;  of  the  Lost  sheep  ;  of  the 
 Publican  in  the  Temple ;  of  the  good  Samaritan  ; — how 
 many,  I  say,  from  that  day  to  this,  in  praying  over  these 
 have  found  peace ! 
 
 6  Eom.  X.  15. 
 
SERMON    LXXXIX. 
 
 St.  Jude  1—8.     St.  John  xv.  17—27. 
 
 THE   SACRAMENT  OF    UNION. 
 
 Judas  saith  unto  Him,  not  Iscariot,  Lord,  how  is  it  that  Thou  wilt 
 manifest  Thyself  unto  us,  and  not  unto  the  world?— ^T.  John 
 xiv.  22. 
 
 IN  the  Old  Testament  the  Psalmist  says,  "  The  secret  of 
 the  Lord  is  among  them  that  fear  Him ;  and  He  will 
 show  them  His  covenant."  ^  But  in  the  Gospel  our  Lord 
 speaks  to  His  disciples  rather  of  love  than  of  fear,  "  if  a 
 man  love  Me,"  is  His  answer  to  St.  Jude ;  and  He 
 explains  what  this  His  covenant,  the  secret  of  the  Lord 
 is  :  "  If  a  man  love  Me,  he  will  keep  My  words  ;  and  My 
 Father  will  love  him,  and  "We  will  come  unto  him,  and 
 make  Our  ahode  with  him."  Now  this  answer  of  our 
 Lord  to  St.  Jude's  question,  taken  together  with  the 
 Epistle  and  Gospel  for  to-day,  may  teach  us,  that  in  days 
 when  "iniquity  shall  abound,"  the  secret  covenant  of 
 God  will  be  found  in   brotherly  union,  in  loving  each 
 
 1  Ps.  XXV.  13. 
 
464      SAINT  SIMON-  AND   SAINT   JUDE,   APOSTLES, 
 
 other,  and  loving  God  ;  thus  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  will  be  made  known  to  His  faithful  disciples, 
 although  unknown  to  the  world ;  and  make  their  abode 
 with  them ;  according  to  our  Lord's  prayer,  ^'  that  they 
 may  be  one  as  We  are  One ;"  "  that  may  be  One  in  IJs." 
 These  two  Apostles,  thus  taken  together,  may  represent  the 
 sacrament  of  union ;  in  maintaining  that  "  faith  once  deli- 
 vered unto  the  Saints ;"  for  this  faith  they  contended  in 
 life,  and  in  death  are  not  divided.  Thus  they  teach  us, 
 that  "  joined  together  in  unity  of  spirit  by  their  doctrine," 
 we  may  be  made  meet  for  the  indwelling  of  God. 
 
 Jude,  the  servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  brother  of  James  ; 
 he  was  the  brother  of  James  the  Less,  the  son  of  Alpheus 
 and  Mary ;  to  them  that  are  sanctified  hy  God  the  Father, 
 and  preserved  in  Jesus  Clirist,  and  called,  i.  e.  sanctified 
 by  the  Father,  preserved  in  the  Son,  called  by  His  Spirit ; 
 to  all  Christians,  throughout  all  the  world  unto  the  end, 
 mercy  unto  you,  and  peace,  and  love,  he  midtiplied.  Three- 
 fold is  the  description  he  gives  of  them,  and  threefold  the 
 blessing  of  God,  which  he  pronounces  upon  them,  in 
 which  they  are  more  and  more  to  be  "  refreshed  in  the 
 multitude  of  peace." 
 
 And  now  we  may  observe,  that  when  our  Lord  spoke 
 to  His  Apostles  of  "  the  mysteries  of  the  Kingdom," 
 which  He  said  it  was  given  to  them  to  understand.  He 
 represented  these  to  consist  in  great  measure  in  the  evil 
 which  should  exist  together  with  His  Church ;  He  spoke 
 of  it  as  of  tares  among  the  wheat ;  of  the  Word  of  Life 
 being  in  a  great  measure  wasted  and  lost.  And  four  of 
 the  Apostles,  St.  Peter,  St.  John,  St.  Jude,  and  St.  Paul, 
 have  borne  solemn  witness  of  this  corruption  which  was 
 to  abound  in  the  last  days,  and  the  beginnings  of  which 
 they  themselves  witnessed.      St.    Jude's    short    Epistle 
 
THE  SACRAMENT  OF   UNION.  465 
 
 indeed  consists  of  nothing  else  but  this  warning.  They 
 all  too  agree  in  saying,  that  this  falling  away  will  consist 
 in  the  denial  of  the  Son  of  God. 
 
 Beloved,  token  I  gave  all  diligence  to  write  unto  you  of 
 the  common  salvation,  it  ivas  needful  for  me  to  write  unto 
 you,  and  exhort  you,  that  ye  should  earnestly  contend  for  the 
 faith  which  was  once  delivered  unto  the  saints.  "  Earnestly 
 contend ;"  our  Lord  uses  a  similar  expression  of  "  striv- 
 ing," or  earnestly  contending,  to  enter  in  at  the  strait 
 gate ;  and  St.  Paul,  with  a  word  of  like  import,  "  in  one 
 spirit,  with  one  mind  striving  together  for  the  faith  of  the 
 Gospel."  ^  It  implies  struggling,  as  in  a  contest,  for  some- 
 thing we  are  in  danger  of  losing.  And  thus  St.  Paul,  at 
 last,  with  the  same  figure,  "  I  have  fought  a  good  fight ;  I 
 have  kept  the  faith."  The  faith  is  that  of  the  Holy 
 Trinity,  into  which  we  were  baptized,  which  the  Creed 
 explains,  and  to  which  the  Church  bears  witness. 
 
 For  there  are  certain  men  crept  in  unawares  ;  they  are 
 described  as  tares  sown  "when  men  slept,"  wolves  in 
 sheep's  clothing ;  Satan  transformed  into  an  angel  of 
 light ;  seducers,  who  were  before  of  old  ordained  to  this 
 condemnation;  "ordained,"  or  it  may  be,  who  were 
 "described  beforehand"  (-n-poyeypafjifxevoL),  spoken  of 
 throughout  the  Old  and  the  JSTew  Testament  in  warning, 
 in  precept,  in  parable,  in  type,  as  false  prophets  that  were  to 
 come,  as  the  Antichrists  that  precede  the  great  falling  away 
 from  the  faith.  For  all  things  happen  as  Scripture  hath 
 foretold;  the  mystery  of  the  Kingdom  as  ordained  of 
 God ;  ungodly  men,  or  men  without  reverence,  "  having 
 the  form  of  godliness,  but  denying  the  power ;"  turning 
 the  grace  of  our  God  into   lasciviousness,  grieving  and 
 
 -  kycovi^eaQf,  Luke  xiii.  24 ;  arvvadAovvTes,  Phil.  i.  27. 
 VOL.  II.  H   h 
 
466      SAINT  SIMON  AND   SAINT   JUDE,   APOSTLES. 
 
 quenching  the  Holy  Spirit  by  Which  they  were  sealed,  and 
 denying  the  only  Lord  God,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ; 
 "  denying  the  Lord  that  bought  them,"  says  St.  Peter, 
 and  St.  John,  "denying  the  Father  and  the  Son."^ 
 
 And  of  these  St.  Jude,  together  with  St.  Peter  in  the 
 second  Epistle,  takes  three  especial  types  or  admonitions 
 which  are  given  us  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  leaves 
 them  as  the  great  records  of  warning  :  first,  that  of  the 
 children  of  Israel,  who  after  their  deliverance  from  Egypt 
 fell  in  the  wilderness ;  secondly,  the  angels  that  fell 
 from  their  high  estate ;  and  thirdly,  that  which  our 
 Lord  Himself  has  given  us  as  an  especial  warning  for  the 
 last  days,  the  destruction  of  Sodom.  For  the  judgment 
 on  Antichrist  has  some  reference  to  that  type.  He  is 
 "  cast  alive  into  a  lake  of  fire,  burning  with  brimstone."  * 
 
 /  zoill  therefore  put  you  in  remembrance,  though  ye  once 
 knew  this  ;  that  is,  he  writes  to  those  well  instructed  in 
 the  faith,  bearing  witness  to  the  warnings  of  God  rather 
 than  teaching  them,  how  that  the  Lord,  having  saved  the 
 people  Out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  afterwards  destroyed  them 
 that  believed  not.  In  a  few  words  he  comprises  aU  that 
 wonderful  figure  of  the  Christian's  state,  with  its  many 
 types,  of  Baptism,  of  the  Bread  from  Heaven,  the 
 guidance  of  the  Spirit,  the  providences  of  God,  the 
 temptations,  the  dangers,  the  falling  away  from  their 
 high  privileges,  and  failing  of  that  rest  to  which  they  had 
 been  called. 
 
 But  again ;  as  our  condition  is  infinitely  higher  than 
 theirs,  as  things  in  Heaven  are  above  their  earthly 
 shadows  and  types,  the  Apostle,  therefore,  adds  another 
 warning.      And   the   angels  which    kept  not   their  first 
 
 3  1  Jolin  ii.  22.  *  Rev.  xix.  20. 
 
THE  SACRAMENT   OF    UNION.  467 
 
 estate^  or  their  principality,  hut  left  their  own  habitation, 
 even  the  dwelling-place  of  God,  He  hath  reserved  in  ever- 
 lasting chains  under  darkness,  unto  the  judgement  of  the 
 great  day.  "  Chains  under  darkness  ;"  these  fearful  ex- 
 pressions may  serve  to  describe  too  those  bonds  of  unre- 
 pented  sin  which  hold  the  souls  of  disobedient  Christians  : 
 the  powerless  will,  the  blinded  conscience,  the  presump- 
 tuous unbelief;  signs  of  judgment  going  before  on  those 
 who  have  fallen  from  grace,  and  their  high  privileges,  as 
 adopted  sons  of  God. 
 
 Thirdly,  that  temporal  and  visible  warning  of  the  last 
 judgment  fires,  and  of  those  sins  which  call  them  down. 
 Even  as  Sodom  and  Gomorrha  and  the  cities  about  them, 
 the  Pentapolis  or  five  cities  of  the  plain,  in  like  manner 
 giving  theinselves  over  to  fornication  ;  "  giving  themselves 
 over,"  as  past  feeling,  and  "  working  all  uncleanness  with 
 greediness ;"  and  going  after  strange  flesh,  following  after 
 unnatural  lusts,  they  are  set  forth  for  an  example,  suffering 
 the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire.  A  memorial  which  continues 
 to  all  ages  as  a  sign  of  those  eternal  fires  which  the 
 Scriptures  speak  of. 
 
 Likewise  also  these  filthy  dreamers ;  these  filled  with 
 their  own  impure  imaginations,  so  contrary  to  the  sobriety 
 and  wakefulness  of  the  Christian,  defile  the  flesh,  despise 
 dominion,  and  speak  evil  of  dignities.  It  is  remarkable 
 how  this  despising  of  dominion  is  connected  with  sins  of 
 impurity;  even  as  purity  of  heart  and  meekness  are 
 inseparable  graces  of  the  Spirit.  Such  then  are  the  tokens 
 of  "  the  lawlessness,"  of  the  coming  of  "  the  lawless  one ;" 
 expressions  by  which  Scripture  describes  the  last  times. 
 What  then  is  to  be  our  tower  of  strength  ;  our  light  in  the 
 darkness ;  our  refuge  in  the  evil  day  ?  We  shall  find  it 
 in  the  Gospel  for  this  Festival.  "  The  Name  of  the  Lord 
 H  h  2 
 
468      SAINT  SIMON  AND   SAINT   JUDE,    APOSTLES. 
 
 is  a  strong  tower ;  the  righteous  runneth  into  it,  and  is 
 safe."  ^ 
 
 These  things,  said  our  Lord  to  His  disciples  before  He 
 left  them,  /  command  you,  that  ye  love  one  another :  that 
 is,  as  taken  with  the  preceding  verse,  this  is  the  fruit 
 which  ye  are  to  hear  and  for  which  I  have  chosen  you ;  it 
 is  this  which  will  render  your  prayers  in  My  !N'ame  so 
 effectual  with  the  Father.  This  love  is  the  light  in  the 
 City  of  God,  while  chains  and  darkness  are  without.  It 
 is  by  this  ye  shall  know  that  ye  "  have  passed  from  death 
 unto  life,"  while  the  whole  world  around  you  "  lieth  in 
 wickedness  ;"  it  is  "  because  we  love  the  brethren."  But 
 as  love  will  embrace  all  whom  God  loves,  even  "the 
 unthankful  and  the  evil,"  it  will  be  a  sore  trial  to  find 
 itself  requited  with  the  hatred  of  the  world :  here,  then, 
 in  Christ  will  be  a  refuge  from  this  great  mystery  of  evil. 
 For  "the  world,"  says  St.  John,  "knoweth  us  not, 
 because  it  knew  Him  not."  If  the  world  hate  you,  ye 
 know  that  it  hated  Me  hefore  it  hated  you.  This  will  be 
 a  proof  of  your  fidelity,  and  therefore  a  consolation  to  you, 
 that  the  world,  which  was  the  enemy  of  Christ,  is  your 
 enemy  also ;  for  it  is  Christ  in  you  that  the  world  and  the 
 prince  of  this  world  hates  ;  it  is  your  resemblance  to  Him, 
 and  your  fidelity  to  Him.  Here,  then,  is  an  explanation 
 of  that  mystery  of  the  Kingdom  of  which  St.  Jude  a  little 
 before  had  asked.  How  it  is  that  our  Lord  would  manifest 
 Himself  unto  them,  and  yet  be  hidden  and  unknown  to 
 the  world.  In  love  which  is  like  His  own  love  will  His 
 Presence  be  continued ;  but  it  would  be  like  His  own 
 Presence  with  them  in  the  flesh,  unknown  and  unacknow- 
 ledged of  the  world.      If  ye  were  of  the  world,  the  world 
 
 *  Prov.  xviii.  10. 
 
THE  SACRAMENT  OF   UNION.  469 
 
 would  love  Ms  oion  ;  hut  because  ye  are  not  of  the  world,  but 
 I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  therefore  the  world 
 hateth  you.  The  world  will  hear  those  that  are  its  own, 
 but  will  hate  those  who  by  their  lives  and  by  their  words 
 testify  of  it  that  its  deeds  are  evil.  The  love  of  God 
 cannot  be  where  there  is  the  love  of  the  world ;  for  the 
 world  is  at  enmity  with  God. 
 
 Think  not  by  any  means, — by  eloquence,  or  wealth,  or 
 power,  or  gifts  of  body  or  mind,  or  by  gentleness  and 
 benevolence, — to  escape  or  overcome  this  hatred  of  the 
 world.  This  were  to  think  that  ye  can  do  what  your 
 Lord  could  not  do.  Yet,  alas !  how  many  seek  to  be 
 popular  and  at  the  same  time  good  Christians, — to  com- 
 bine in  themselves  things  contrary;  such  must  needs  end 
 in  shipwreck  of  the  faith.  Remember  the  word  that  I 
 said  unto  you,  The  servant  is  not  greater  than  his  lord : 
 if  they  have  X-'&'>'secuted  Me,  they  will  also  persecute  you  ; 
 if  they  have  kept  My  saying,  they  will  keep  yours  also. 
 It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  the  world  can  ever  be  so 
 brought  to  the  obedience  of  Christ  as  that  hatred  and 
 persecution  should  cease.  I^Tay,  they  are  necessary  for 
 the  perfection  of  the  faithful,  for  their  strength  a  ad 
 comfort.  For  as  dangers  and  storms  without  are  the 
 occasion  of  the  hen  gathering  her  chickens  under  her 
 wings,  to  be  cherished  there  together,  so  these  things 
 increase  in  the  saints  the  love  of  God  and  of  each  other. 
 
 But  all  these  things  ivill  they  do  unto  you  for  My 
 Name's  sake,  because  they  knoio  not  Him  that  sent  Me. 
 Here  is  another  great  argument  for  patience  in  our  suffer- 
 ing evil  from  the  world, — that  it  is  from  men's  ignorance 
 of  God.  Yet  nevertheless  this  ignorance  is  not  such  as 
 will  justify  them  in  His  sight ;  for  He  sends  a  judicial 
 blindness  on  those  that  reject  the  light.     And  therefore 
 
470       SAINT  SIMON  AND    SAINT    JUDE,    APOSTLES. 
 
 He  adds,  If  I  had  not  come  and  si^oken  unto  them,  they 
 had  not  had  sin,  that  is,  the  one  great  sin  of  rejecting  the 
 salvation  of  God  in  Christ ;  hut  now  they  have  7io  cloTce 
 for  their  sin.  The  manifestation  of  Christ  has  been 
 "that  the  thoughts  of  many  hearts  may  be  revealed."  It 
 has  left  them  without  excuse.  For  the  rejection  of  Christ 
 has  been  the  rejection  of  God.  He  that  hateth  Me  hateth 
 My  Father  also.  For  to  love  Christ  is  to  love  God.  He 
 is  the  Image  of  the  invisible  God. 
 
 If  I  had  not  done  among  them  the  tvoi^Jcs  which  none 
 other  man  did,  they  had  not  had  sin  ;  hut  noio  have  they 
 hath  seen  and  hated  both  Me  and  My  Father.  Our  Lord 
 here  states  it  first  of  His  words,  and  then  of  His  works ; 
 in  both  of  them  is  the  manifestation  of  God  the  trial  and 
 test  of  the  souls  of  men ;  it  is  the  appeal  to  the  inward 
 conscience  mth  which  each  is  born ;  whether  or  not  it  is 
 capable  of  the  renewal  of  God,  and  of  the  life  which  is  in 
 God.  And  therefore  this  manifestation  of  Christ  becomes 
 in  every  place  the  seal  of  salvation  or  of  death.  It  is  so 
 now,  and  will  be  unto  the  end ;  for  the  words  of  Christ 
 are  spread  abroad  wherever  His  l^ame  is  known;  and 
 wherever  His  words  are  there  are  His  works  also,  in  the 
 marvellous  operations  of  His  grace. 
 
 And  this  the  rejection  of  the  Gospel  is  foretold  in  the 
 Old  Testament :  But  this  cometh  to  pass,  that  the  icord 
 might  he  fulfilled  that  is  written  in  their  law.  They  hated 
 Me  without  a  cause.  "  They  that  hate  Me  without  a 
 cause,"  says  Christ  in  the  Psalms,  "  are  more  than  the 
 hairs  of  Mine  head ;  they  that  would  destroy  Me  guilt- 
 less are  mighty."  * 
 
 All  these  things  took  place  while  our  Lord  was  with 
 
 6  Pa.  xl.  15. 
 
THE  SACRAMENT  OF    UNIONS  471 
 
 His  disciples  in  the  flesh ;  but  they  could  not  understand 
 them,  nor  see  therein  the  mysterious  economy  of  God 
 ''manifest  in  the  flesh"  until  the  Spirit  was  given. 
 Then  were  they  knit  together  "  in  the  Apostles'  doctrine 
 and  fellowship,"  and  became  in  themselves  the  "  City  set 
 on  an  hill,"  and  were  "  the  Light  of  the  world."  Then 
 was  the  power  manifested  which  is  of  God,  "  Who  only 
 doeth  wondrous  things ;"  for  among  those  who  put  Him 
 to  death  were  many  who  were  found  willing  to  die  for 
 Him  and  the  truth  of  His  Gospel  But  when  the  Com- 
 forter is  cojne,  WJiom  I  will  send  unto  you  from  the 
 Father,  even  the  Spirit  of  truth,  Which  proceedeth  from 
 the  Father,  He  shall  testify  of  Me.  And  ye  also  shall 
 bear  witness,  because,  ye  have  heen  with  Me  from  the 
 beginning. 
 
 What,  then,  is  the  great  lesson  which  this  Festival 
 would  inculcate?  it  is  the  Holy  Catholic  Church,  built 
 on  the  foundation  of  the  twelve  Apostles,  come  down  to 
 be  most  intimately  near  to  those  who  by  faith  and  love 
 inherit  the  promises;  while  the  Epistle  would  impress 
 upon  us  the  great  danger  of  our  falling  away  from  this 
 high  inheritance.  St.  Jude,  after  having  been,  perhaps 
 together  with  St.  Simon,  the  companion  of  Christ,  even 
 from  his  childhood  ;  having  become  afterwards  the  witness 
 of  His  miracles  and  hearer  of  His  discourses;  having  been 
 chosen  by  Him  for  an  Apostle,  and  gifted  with  the  Holy 
 Ghost  and  the  indwelling  of  God ;  having  learned  in  very 
 deed  and  truth  the  blissful  reality  of  that  manifestation  of 
 Christ  to  the  soul  of  which  he  had  inquired,  yet  comes  at 
 last  to  leave  the  world  with  one  awful  record  of  his 
 Apoetleship,  to  endure  unto  the  end;  it  is  this  short 
 Epistle;  wherein  he  appears,  as  it  were,  to  labour  to  find 
 words  and  figiu-es  sufficiently  strong,  to  leave  as  a  warning, 
 
472      SAINT  SIMON  AND   SAINT   JUDE,   APOSTLES. 
 
 of  the  peril  of  those  who  have  received  the  Unspeak- 
 able Gift.  Among  our  Lord's  twelve  Apostles  there  were 
 two  of  the  same  name  of  Judas,  both  chosen  to  be,  as  it 
 were,  angels  of  light;  one  continuing  to  be  really  such, 
 and  the  other  ending  most  miserably :  both,  as  it  were, 
 calling  out  to  us  to  remind  us  of  our  danger ;  the  one  by 
 his  warning  words,  the  other  by  his  sad  example.  St. 
 Jude's  Epistle  is  altogether  of  admonition,  and  stern, 
 mournful  prophecy  of  evil ;  but  these  evils  he  urges  as 
 incentives  to  us  of  more  earnest  care  and  diligence,  be- 
 ginning and  ending  with  words  of  encouragement,  if  we 
 thus  live.  "  But,  ye  beloved,  building  up  yourselves  on 
 your  most  holy  faith,  praying  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  keep 
 yourselves  in  the  love  of  God."  This  is,  as  it  were,  his 
 one  lesson  of  advice  for  this  day. 
 
 There  were  also  we  know  two  Apostles  of  the  name  of 
 Simon :  the  one  whom  we  celebrate  on  this  Saints'-day, 
 and  the  other  Simon  Peter ;  both  alike  full  of  the  zeal  of 
 God ;  as  it  appears  in  one  case  from  his  name  of  Zelotes, 
 or  the  Zealot ;  in  the  other  as  is  shown  by  all  his  actions : 
 but  there  is  this  difference  between  them,  that  one  is  the 
 most  memorable,  the  other  the  least  known  of  all  the 
 Apostles.  For  of  Simon  Zelotes  nothing  is  recorded. 
 But  both  are  alike  among  the  twelve  foundations  of  the 
 City  of  God,  both  sitting  on  thrones  in  the  regeneration 
 together  with  Christ.  For  God  is  pleased  to  work  some- 
 times by  means  seen  of  men  for  all  generations,  sometimes 
 altogether  unknown  and  in  secret.  All  alike  are  His,  all 
 alike  accepted  of  Him,  if  they  seek  for  the  honour  which 
 Cometh  from  God  only,  in  faith,  whose  praise  is  not  of 
 men,  but  of  God.  He  wiU  manifest  Himself  unto  them, 
 and  they  will  be  content  to  be  like  Himself  unknown  to 
 the  world,  having  a  "  life  hid  with  Christ  in  God." 
 
SERMON   XC. 
 
 Rev.  vii.  2 — 12.     St.  Matt.  v.  i— 12. 
 r/^-EF   WHICH  SHALL   BE  ACCOUNTED    WORTHY, 
 
 Ye  are  come  unto  M^nmt  Sion,  and  unto  the  city  of  the  Living  God^ 
 the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  to  an  innumerable  coijipany  of  angels. 
 
 To  the  general  assembly  and  Church  of  the  first-born,  which  are 
 written  in  heaven,  and  to  God  the  Judge  of  all,  and  to  the  spirits 
 of  just  men  made  perfect. — Heb.  xii.  22,  23. 
 
 WE  pray  in  the  Burial  Service  that  it  may  please  God 
 "  shortly  to  accomplish  the  number  of  His  elect." 
 This  expression,  "  the  number  of  God's  elect,"  is  described 
 in  the  beginning  of  the  passage  from  the  Eevelation  which 
 forms  the  Epistle  for  to-day.  It  is  set  forth  in  the  tem- 
 poral Israel  and  the  closing  of  that  dispensation,  which  is 
 given  us  as  the  image  and  pattern  of  the  true,  so  much  so 
 that  Heaven  itself  is  described  as  the  "  Jerusalem  which 
 is  above."  And  therefore  in  the  Apocalypse,  on  the  de- 
 struction of  Jerusalem,  God  is  described,  in  figures  mostly 
 taken  from  the  Old  Testament,  as  waiting  till  He  had 
 filled  up  the  number  of  His  redeemed,  that  "  remnant "  of 
 His  elect,  predestined  and  known  of  Him,  of  whom  not  a 
 
474 
 
 hair  of  their  head  shall  perish  in  that  destruction.  All 
 shall  be  as  pre-ordained  of  God  "  in  measure,  and  number, 
 and  weight."  And  after  this,  the  description  of  the 
 sealed  of  Israel,  the  Epistle  proceeds  to  speak  of  the 
 gathering  in  from  all  nations  unto  the  end.  And  oh! 
 my  brethren,  that  you  and  I  may  be  of  that  blissful 
 multitude ! 
 
 And  I  saw  another  angel,  says  St.  John,  ascending  from 
 the  east  having  the  seal  of  the  living  God  ;  and  he  cried 
 with  a  loud  voice  to  the  four  angels,  to  whom  it  'was  given 
 to  hurt  the  earth,  and  the  sea,  saying,  Hurt  not  the  earth, 
 neither  the  sea,  nor  the  trees,  till  we  have  sealed  the  se?'- 
 vants  of  our  God  in  their  foreheads.  And  I  heard  the 
 number  of  them  which  were  sealed  ;  and  there  'were  sealed  an 
 hundred  and  forty  and  four  thousand  of  all  the  tribes  of 
 the  children  of  Israel.  This  passage  is  so  awful,  and  at  the 
 same  time  so  exceedingly  beautiful  and  sublime,  that  one 
 fears  to  lower  or  limit  it  by  any  human  explanation ;  it  is 
 a  subject  rather  for  devout  meditation  and  prayer.  For 
 even  unto  us  in  like  manner  has  come  "  the  Messenger  of 
 the  covenant "  ascending  from  the  East,  as  the  rising  Sun 
 with  healing  on  His  wings  :  we  have  been  sealed  on  the 
 forehead  with  the  seal  of  the  living  God,  the  cross  of 
 Christ  signed  on  our  foreheads  at  our  Baptism  ;  and  our 
 souls  have  been  sealed  with  the  anointing  of  the  Holy 
 One.  But  as  then  they  were  "  not  all  Israel  that  were 
 of  Israel,"  oh,  that  we  may  find  this  our  calling  and  elec- 
 tion of  God  in  Heaven ! — that  we  may  be  of  that  pre- 
 destined number  known  of  God,  when  all  shall  be  found 
 to  be  in  exact  fulness,  completion,  and  perfection,  how- 
 ever indefinite  and  uncertain  things  may  now  appear. 
 For  such  is  represented  in  the  exactness  of  the  numbers, 
 the   hundred   and   forty  and  four,   the  Patriarchal  and 
 
THEY  WHICH  SHALL  BE  ACCOUNTED  WORTHY.      475 
 
 Apostolic  num"ber  of  the  Twelve  multiplied  by  itself,  and 
 thus  counting  the  thousands  on  that  basis.  Thus  as  it  is 
 described  afterwards  in  the  Apocalypse,  "  the  holy  Jeru- 
 salem, descending  out  of  Heaven  from  God,  hath  twelve 
 gates,  and  names  written  thereon  of  the  twelve  tribes  of 
 the  children  of  Israel."  And  here  we  may  observe  that 
 although,  humanly  speaking,  the  twelve  tribes  had  become 
 so  broken  and  lost,  and  ten  of  them  had  entirely  disap- 
 peared from  sight,  so  that  no  one  knew  what  had  become 
 of  them,  yet  not  so  in  the  sight  of  God, — each  is  singly 
 and  particularly  specified;  of  each  alike  there  were 
 sealed  twelve  thousand.  And  so  it  may  be  now  in  the 
 Christian  Church,  though  it  be  so  broken  and  divided, 
 yet  it  shall  fulfil  those  ends  which  God  hath  ordained  for 
 the  gathering  in  of  His  elect.  Though  hidden  from  the 
 world,  they  are  known  unto  Him  Wlio  "telleth  the 
 number  of  the  stars,  and  calleth  them  all  by  their  names."  ^ 
 He  calleth  them,  and  they  answer  on  their  watches, 
 "  Here  we  be."^ 
 
 Such  then  is,  as  it  were,  "  the  pattern  shown  in  the 
 Mount,"  the  figure  and  type  of  that  heavenly  Jerusalem. 
 "Without  sound  or  noise  the  living  stones  were  builded  up 
 and  fitted  into  the  spiritual  temple  by  the  hand  of  God. 
 From  all  the  countries  of  the  world,  from  East  and  West 
 and  jSTorth  and  South,  do  they  "  come  and  sit  down  with 
 Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven." 
 After  this  I  helield,  and  lo,  a  great  multitude  ivhicli  no 
 man  could  number,  oj  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  people, 
 and  tongues,  stood  before  the  throne  and  before  the  Lamb, 
 clothed  ivith  white  robes,  for  they  "  have  washed  their 
 robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb ;" 
 
 1  Ps.  clxvii.  4.  2  Bar.  iii.  34. 
 
476  ALL  saints'  day. 
 
 and  loalms  in  their  hands,  as  tokens  of  victory ;  for  they 
 liave  overcome  through  His  Blood ;  they  are  "  more  than 
 conquerors  through  Him  that  loved"  them;  they  are 
 innumerable,  having  come,  and  now  coming,  and  yet  to 
 come  while  time  shall  last ;  and  from  all  the  world,  with 
 every  distinction  of  race  and  nation  for  ever  done  away — 
 admitted  unto  the  throne  and  the  presence  of  the  Lamb, 
 where  God  wipeth  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes  for  ever- 
 more. And  they  cried  with  a  loud  voice;  though  they 
 were  many,  yet  it  was  as  it  were  with  one  voice, — one 
 heart  and  tongue;  "they  cried  with  a  loud  voice,"  as 
 overwhelming  all  things  else,  and  heard  throughout  all 
 the  universe  of  God ;  and  the  voice  was,  saying.  Salvation 
 to  our  God  Which  sittetli  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the 
 Lamh.  In  this  alike  are  all  the  redeemed,  that  they  attri- 
 bute their  salvation  altogether  to  God  and  Christ;  for 
 there  is  no  other  Xame  by  which  we  are  saved ;  "  that  no 
 flesh  should  glory  in  His  Presence." 
 
 And  now  the  wonderfully  sublime  thanksgiving  of  the 
 angelic  host  that  surround  the  throne  will  naturally  re- 
 call to  our  minds  some  expressions  in  Scripture  respecting 
 the  holy  angels,  and  their  intense  interest  in  our  salva- 
 tion. As  where  our  Lord  says  that  "there  is  joy  in 
 the  presence  of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that 
 repenteth,"  He  represents  Himself  as  calling  upon  the 
 angels  to  rejoice  with  Him  on  bringing  home  the  penitent, 
 saying,  "  Eejoice  with  Me,  for  I  have  found  My  sheep 
 which  was  lost."  And  again,  when  our  Blessed  Saviour 
 was  born  into  the  world  for  our  salvation,  a  multitude 
 of  the  heavenly  host  were  heard,  praising  God.  Much 
 more  then,  when  "  they  joy  before  Thee  according  to  the 
 joy  in  harvest,"^  when  all  the  redeemed  are  being  gathered 
 3  Isa.  ix.  3. 
 
THEY  WHICH  SHALL  BE  ACCOUNTED  WORTHY.      477 
 
 into  the  heavenly  barn,  having  ''  come  out  of  great  tribu- 
 lation,"— will  the  angels  on  receiving  them  in  the  pre- 
 sence of  the  Lamb,  take  up  together  with  the  saints  the 
 strain  of  thanksgiving  and  adoration.  And  all  the  angels, 
 it  is  added,  stood  round  about  the  throne,  and  about  the 
 elders,  and  the  four  beasts,  and  fell  before  the  throne  on 
 their  faces,  and  ivorshipped  God,  saying.  Amen  ;  Blessing, 
 and  glory,  and  wisdom,  and  thanksgiving,  and  honour,  and 
 power,  and  might,  be  unto  our  God  for  ever  and  ever.    Amen. 
 
 "Which  of  us,  my  brethren,  is  not  moved  at  "  this 
 great  sight," — this  vision  of  peace  in  the  heavenly  Jeru- 
 salem ?  They  are  all  one,  and  yet  how  many  !  Patriarchs 
 and  Prophets  are  there,  and  Apostles,  and  Martyrs,  and 
 Saints.  They  are  "  for  ever  with  the  Lord  ;"  "  they  see 
 His  face ;"  He  giveth  them  to  drink  of  the  pleasures  at 
 His  right  hand  for  evermore  :  "  they  see  Him  as  He  is  ;" 
 and  though  we  be  on  earth,  yet  if  our  conversation  be  in 
 Heaven,  we  must  needs  join  with  them  in  that  their 
 worship  and  praise.  "  Out  of  the  throne,"  says  St.  John, 
 even  from  the  Lamb  Himself,  "  came  a  voice,  saying. 
 Praise  our  God,  all  ye  His  servants,  and  ye  that  fear  Him, 
 both  small  and  great."*  It  is  then  our  Lord's  own  com- 
 mand :  none  of  us  can  be  too  small  to  fear  Him,  none — 
 be  they  even  babes  and  sucklings, — can  be  too  insignificant 
 to  join  in  hymns  with  the  Church,  saying,  "  With  angels 
 and  archangels,  and  with  all  the  company  of  Heaven,  we 
 laud  and  magnify  Thy  glorious  I^ame,  evermore  praising 
 Thee." 
 
 They  see  Him  as  He  is,  for  they  are  made  by  Him 
 
 meet   to   partake   of  His   glory.     We  see   Him   not   as 
 
 He  is,  but  as  He  once  became  for  us ;  for  such  a  sight  is 
 
 most  needful  for  us ;  that  in  His  humiliation  we  may  be 
 
 4  Rev.  xix.  5. 
 
478  ALL  saints'  day. 
 
 humbled ;  in  His  sorrows  we  may  grieve ;  beholding 
 what  He  hath  become  for  our  sakes  and  for  our  sins. 
 "  ]S'ot  to  all  His  members,"  says  St.  Bernard,  "  doth  He 
 appear  alike,  for  to  some  it  is  as  the  Head  rough  with 
 thorns,  bowed  down  on  the  Cross ;  that  they  together 
 with  Him  may  be  abased,  and  together  with  Him  may 
 be  pierced.  But  to  others  He  appears  glorious,  that  they 
 in  Him  may  be  glorified,  and  may  glory  in  Him,  being 
 made  like  unto  Him,  and  seeing  Him  as  He  is."^  And 
 we  may  add,  he  that  would  be  His  where  He  wears  His 
 crown  of  glory,  must  be  His  also  where  He  wears  His 
 crown  of  thorns. 
 
 Kow  this  vision  of  the  saints,  as  here  represented,  is 
 not  anything  afar  off,  but  we  know  not  how  intimately 
 near  it  is  thus  "  to  be  with  Christ,"  which  is  "  far  better  " 
 than  anything  in  this  world.  Some  of  those  most  near 
 and  dear  to  us  may  be  now  of  that  company ;  nay,  more, 
 any  one  among  us  to-day  may,  if  found  worthy,  be  among 
 that  number  to-morrow  j  and  what  is  to  us  most  con- 
 cerning and  constraining,  they  of  that  heavenly  company 
 are  most  closely  united  to  us  in  affection  and  Divine  love. 
 For  such  is  "  the  Communion  of  Saints,"  in  which  we 
 profess  to  believe.  Oh  !  with  what  earnest  desire  do  they 
 long  and  wait  for  us;  as  those  on  shore  look  out  for 
 friends  who  are  still  abroad  on  the  dangerous  and  troublous 
 sea,  all  whose  dangers  and  troubles  they  themselves  once 
 knew,  and  now  have  for  ever  escaped;  safe  are  they 
 harboured  in  that  peaceful  haven,  which  is  the  bosom  of 
 Christ  and  of  God.  They  know  what  true  love  is,  and 
 therefore  are  more  one  with  us  and  with  each  other  than 
 we,  compassed  about  with  the  infirmities  of  the  flesh,  can 
 
 *  In  Fest.  Omn.  Sane.     Serm.  v. 
 
THEY  WHICH  SHALL  BE  ACCOUNTED  WORTHY.      479 
 
 understand.  "Behold,"  says  St.  Bernard,  "in  our  friend- 
 ships here  below  there  is  no  security,  no  perfection,  no 
 rest ;  yet,  even  here,  how  good  and  joyful  for  brethren  to 
 dwell  together  in  unity.  For,  whatever  from  within,  or 
 from  without,  occurs  to  trouble  us,  is  found  more  easy  to 
 be  borne  from  the  communion  of  friends,  with  whom  we 
 are  one  heart  and  one  soul  towards  God.  How  far  more 
 sweet,  delightful,  and  blessed  that  union  where  no  suspicion 
 can  exist,  no  cause  of  dissension,  but  perfect  love  binds 
 all  in  a  bond  that  can  never  be  broken  ! "  ® 
 
 Delightful,  indeed,  are  such  anticipations,  and  full  of 
 peace  are  such  thoughts ;  but  now  the  Church,  in  great 
 wisdom,  by  the  Gospel  for  to-day,  would  bring  us  from 
 the  Mount  of  Glory  to  the  walk  with  men — would  recall 
 us  from  these  contemplations  to  consider  how  far  we  have 
 in  ourselves  those  marks  which  denote  that  we  belong  to 
 that  heavenly  society.  As  if  she  would  say,  in  the  words 
 of  St.  Paul,  "  Seeing  then  that  we  are  compassed  about," 
 as  it  were,  closely  and  intimately  encircled  and  surrounded 
 in  this  our  daily  walk,  "with  so  great  a  cloud  of  wit- 
 nesses, let  us  lay  aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  which 
 doth  so  easily  beset  us,  and  run  with  patience  the  race 
 that  is  set  before  us,  looking  unto  Jesus,  the  Author  and 
 Finisher  of  our  faith."  ^ 
 
 Our  Lord  Himself  gives  us  the  tokens  of  those  that  are 
 His,  resemblances  of  Himself,  "  on  that  day  when  He  shall 
 make  up  His  jewels."^  The  jewels  on  the  Breast  of  our 
 High  Priest,  the  precious  stones  which  garnish  the  founda- 
 tions of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  are  varied  in  character  ; 
 jewels  in  earth,  and  stars  in  Heaven,  differ  in  glory ;  such 
 are  the  graces  of  the  saints  and  their  rewards ;  yet  all 
 
 6  In  Fest.  Omn.  Sane         7  Heb.  xii.  1,  2.         »  Mai.  iii.  17. 
 
480  ALL   SAINTS^   DAY. 
 
 have  in  Him  their  fulness,  partake  of  His  light,  and  are 
 from  Him  derived ;  as  may  be  seen  in  what  follows. 
 
 Jesus,  seeing  the  multitudes,  went  up  into  a  mountain  ; 
 and  when  He  was  set.  His  disciples  came  unto  Him.  And 
 He  opened  His  mouth,  and  taught  them,  saying.  Blessed  are 
 the  poor  in  spirit :  for  theirs  is  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven. 
 This  is  the  first  entrance  into  the  kingdom,  after  the 
 example  of  Him  Who,  being  rich,  for  our  sakes  became 
 poor,  that  by  His  poverty  we  might  be  made  rich.  By 
 pride  Satan  himself  fell ;  by  pride  he  tempted  our  first 
 parents  j  and  his  offer  to  Christ  Himself  was  "  the  king- 
 doms of  the  world  and  the  glory  of  them."  But  the 
 blessed  of  God  covet  no  riches  but  those  that  are  in 
 Christ — they  attribute  all  their  salvation  to  Him  Who  had 
 not  where  to  lay  His  head ;  they  are  in  His  hand ;  they 
 are  as  He  was  in  this  world ;  His  life  is  manifested  in 
 their  body  that  they  may  with  Him  be  glorified.  And  as 
 this  is  the  entrance,  so  nothing  guards  them  so  much 
 and  keeps  them  safe  in  that  blessedness  as  poverty  of 
 spirit.  Many  are  the  promises  of  good,  the  false  creeds, 
 and  temptations  to  fall  away,  which  are  abroad,  but 
 nothing  throughout  will  so  preserve  unharmed,  as  that 
 poverty  of  spirit,  which  ever  asks,  and  asking  ever  receives 
 help  of  God. 
 
 Secondly, — Blessed  are  they  that  mourn :  for  they  shall 
 be  comforted.  It  is  their  mourning  which  brings  them  to 
 the  Man  of  Sorrows,  and  unites  them  unto  Him,  so  as  to 
 partake  of  His  anointing,  which  is  "the  oil  of  gladness." 
 The  Comforter  Himself  comes  to  be  with  them,  and  the 
 High  and  Lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity  hath  pro- 
 mised to   dwell  with  him  that  is  of  a   contrite  spirit.' 
 
 9  Isa.  Ivii.  15. 
 
THEY  WHICH  SHALL  BE  ACCOUNTED  WORTHY,      481 
 
 The  more  tliey  mourn  the  more  they  are  comforted  of 
 God ;  for  every  shape  of  sorrow  seeks  of  Christ  for  relief 
 as  of  old,  and  according  to  its  need  partakes  of  His  healing 
 virtue.  Thus,  the  nearer  they  are  brought  unto  His 
 Cross  now,  the  nearer  are  they  unto  the  Throne  of  the 
 Lamb  hereafter.  "  He  shall  lead  them  forth  beside  the 
 waters  of  comfort."  "  As  one  whom  his  mother  com- 
 forteth,  so  will  I  comfort  you  ;  and  ye  shall  be  comforted 
 in  Jerusalem."^ 
 
 Blessed  are  the  meek:  for  they  shall  inherit  the  eiirth. 
 To  Christ  the  inheritance  of  the  earth  is  given,  and  in 
 Him  is  it  here  found.  "  Learn  of  Me,"  He  says,  "  for  I 
 am  meek  and  lowly,  and  ye  shall  find  rest  for  your  souls ;" 
 — that  rest  which  is  the  promised  inheritance,  the  true 
 Canaan,  the  Sabbath  of  God — being  "refreshed  in  the 
 multitude  of  peace."  They  shall  inherit,  "  not  this 
 earth,"  says  St.  Jerome,  "  the  ground  which  is  cursed  of 
 God,  which  brings  forth  briers  and  thistles,  but  that  of 
 which  the  Psalmist  speaks,  as  the  goodness  of  the  Lord  in 
 the  land  of  the  living."  "  Take  My  yoke  upon  you," 
 adds  He  that  promises ;  "  for  My  yoke  is  easy,  and  ]My 
 burden  is  light."  A  yoke  every  child  of  Adam  must 
 bear,  the  yoke  of  death  and  the  burden  of  sin.  But  to 
 Him  that  is  born  in  the  Second  Adam  death  hath  become 
 a  sleep  and  rest  in  Christ ;  and  the  burden  of  our  sins 
 He  hath  HimseK  taken  from  us.  Himself  to  bear; 
 and  hath  given  us  instead  to  bear  the  burden  of  His 
 charity.  "  Bear  ye  one  another's  burdens,"  says  St.  Paid, 
 "  and  so  fulfil  the  law  of  Christ ;"  and  He  Himself  hath 
 said,  "Cast  all  your  care  upon  God,  for  He  careth  for 
 you." 
 
 J  Isa.  Ixvi.  13. 
 VOL.  IT.  I  i 
 
482  ALL    SAINTS^   DAV. 
 
 And  what  are  the  riches  of  the  earth  and  the  fulness 
 thereof  ?  They  are  given  in  the  next  promise  :  Blessed  are 
 the])  which  do  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness :  for 
 they  shall  he  filled.  They  who  consider  themselves  right- 
 eous are  not  so ;  but  they  who  earnestly  desire,  even  as 
 with  hunger  and  thirst,  to  be  so,  shall  be  filled  with  Him 
 Who  is  our  Righteousness.  They  shall  partake  of  His 
 fulness.  ''  That  ye  might  be  filled,"  says  St.  Paul,  "  with 
 all  the  fulness  of  God."  For  in  Christ  to  hunger  is  to  be 
 filled ;  to  be  humbled  is  to  be  exalted  ;  to  mourn  is  to  be 
 comforted;  to  be  jDOor  in  spirit  is  to  be  rich  indeed. 
 "  Let  him  that  hungers,"  says  St.  Bernard,  "  hunger  yet 
 more  ;  and  let  him  that  desires  desire  yet  more  fully ;  for 
 according  to  the  greatness  of  his  desires  shall  he  receive."^ 
 And  blessed  be  God,  Wlio  hath  given  into  our  own  hands 
 the  measure  of  that  mercy  which  we  need  ;  for.  He  adds, 
 Blessed  are  the  mercifid :  for  they  shall  obtain  mercy. 
 They  are  like  the  continuance  of  His  own  visible  presence 
 on  earth  ;  for  He  that  shows  mercy  and  He  that  receives 
 mercy  is  Himself,  in  every  shape  of  human  bereavement : 
 "As  ye  have  done  unto  these  ye  have  done  it  unto  Me." 
 "  It  is  I."  "  I  wiU  repay."  It  is  He  Himself  in  the 
 heart  of  him  that  gives,  and  in  the  person  of  him  that 
 receives. 
 
 And  oh,  who  are  they  that  shall  have  eyes  to  behold 
 Him  !  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart :  for  they  shall  see 
 God.  "  They  shall  see  Him,"  says  the  same  holy  man, 
 "  on  Whom  the  angels  desire  to  look  ;  Whom  to  behold 
 is  eternal  life.  Thy  face,  Lord,  will  I  seek  :  for  Whom 
 have  I  in  Heaven  but  Thee,  and  what  do  I  desire  on 
 earth   in  comparison   of   Thee'f"      ''He    that  hath  this 
 
 2  In  Fest.  Omn.  Sane. 
 
THEY  WHICH  SHALL  BE  ACCOUNTED  WORTHY.      483 
 
 hope,"  says  St.  John,  "  purifieth  himself,  even  as  He  is 
 pure."  And  in  this  and  each  of  these  we  must  remember 
 that  the  Hand  Which  opens,  shuts  also  the  door,  and 
 declares  with  the  same  voice,  that  miserable  are  the 
 impure  in  heart,  for  they  shall  not  see  God. 
 
 But  the  wisdom  from  above  being  first  pure,  is  then 
 peaceable ;  for,  to  see  God  is  to  obtain  His  peace,  and 
 therefore,  it  is  added.  Blessed  are  the  peacemakers :  for 
 they  shall  he  called  the  children  of  God  ;  the  brethren  of 
 Him  Who  is  the  Prince  of  Peace,  Who  is  our  Peace,  the 
 Peacemaker  and  Mediator  between  God  and  man.  Who 
 maketh  men  to  be  of  one  mind.  These  are  they  who, 
 being  at  peace  with  God,  are  at  peace  with  themselves, 
 and  therefore  promote  peace  among  men.  They  have  the 
 mark  of  the  Pirst-born,  they  are  especially  God's  own 
 children,  they  bear  His  likeness,  they  do  His  own  work 
 upon  earth. 
 
 Thus  it  is  fulfilled  in  His  seed,  which  are  as  the  stars 
 of  Heaven,  what  was  said  to  the  Father  of  the  faithful : 
 "  I  am  Thy  exceeding  great  reward."  Christ  is  Himself 
 the  Way  and  the  Life  ;  and,  as  in  all  the  other  Beatitudes, 
 so  especially  in  this,  the  last  and  greatest  of  all,  inasmuch 
 as  it  bears  the  perfect  resemblance  of  Himselfj  as  in  the 
 Martyrs  and  Saints  of  old.  Blessed  are  they  Which  are 
 persecided  for  righteousness'  sdke^for  theirs  is  the  Kingdom 
 of  Heaven.  Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shcdl  revile  you  and 
 persecute  you,  and  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you 
 falsely  for  My  sake.  Rejoice,  and  he  exceeding  glad  ;  for 
 great  is  your  reioard  in  heaven ;  for  so  jyersecuted  they 
 the  prophets  lohich  were  before  you. 
 
 Such  especially  were  the  Apostles  whom  our  Lord  here 
 addresses  with  a  more  particular  appeal  in  the  end  of 
 these  Beatitudes.      Such  too  were  all  they  of  whom  St. 
 
484  ALL  saints'  day. 
 
 Paul  speaks  in  that  Epistle  from  which  the  text  is 
 taken.  These  may  be  said  to  be  our  Lord's  own  crown 
 of  joy  in  Heaven — the  joy  set  before  Him  for  which  He 
 endured  the  Cross.  "  He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  His 
 soul,  and  shall  be  satisfied." 
 
 EXD   OF  VOL.   ir. 
 
 OlLBERT   AND    RJVINGTON,      LIMITED,     ST.  JOHN  S   SQUARE,   LONDON. 
 
A    SELECTION 
 
 FROM  THE 
 
 Recent  Publications 
 
 OF 
 
 Messrs.  RIVINGTON 
 
 WATERLOO  PLACE,  PALL  MALL 
 LONDON 
 
RIVINGTON'S  SELECT  LIST 
 
 Mozley's  Lectures. 
 
 Zto.     xos.  td. 
 
 Lectures  and  other  Theological  Papers. 
 By  J.  B.  Mozley,  D.D., 
 
 Late  Canon  of  Christ  Church,  and  Reg-ins  Projessor  of  Divinity  in  the 
 University  of  Oxford. 
 
 (ffontentg. 
 
 Evidence — Physical  Science  and  Theology — Jewish  and  Heathen  Conceptions 
 of  a  Future  State — On  the  supposed  Obscurity  of  Holy  Scripture — St.  Paul's 
 Teaching  an  Integral  Part  of  Holy  Scripture — The  Dogmatic  Office,  its  Scope 
 and  Method— Mysterious  Truths— Of  Christ  alone  without  Sin— Original  Sin- 
 Original  Sin  asserted  by  Worldly  Philosophers  and  Poets— Perfectibility- 
 Modern  Doctrine  of  Perfectibility — The  Athanasian  Creed — The  Holy  Eucharist 
 — Letter  to  the  Rev.  Professor  Stanley  on  the  Articles — Observations  on  the 
 Colonial  Church  Question — Review  of  Dr.  Newman's  Grammar  of  Assent — 
 Note  on  Egyptian  Doctrine  of  a  Futiu-e  State. 
 
 Selections  from  Keble. 
 
 Crown  Bvo,    3s.  6d. 
 
 Selections  from  the  Writings  of  John  Keble,  M.A., 
 
 Author  of  The  Christian  Year.' 
 
 The  Prayer  Book  in  Latin. 
 
 With  Rubrics  in  Red.     Small  Bvo.     js.  6d. 
 
 Liber  Precum  Publicarum  EccLESiiE  Anglicanje. 
 A  Gulielmo  Bright,  S.T.P., 
 
 ^dis  Christi  aj>ud  Oxon.  Canonico,  Historice  Ecdesiastica,  Professore  Re^^io, 
 
 et 
 
 Petro  Goldsmith  Medd,  A.M., 
 
 CoUegii  Universitatis  af>ud  Oxon.  [Socio  Scniore. 
 
 Latine  redditus.     Editio  Tertia,  cum  Appendice. 
 
 [In  hac  Editione  continentur  Versiones  Latinae— i.  Libri  Precum  Publicarum 
 Ecclesiae  Anglicanae  ;  2.  Liturgiae  Primas  Reformatae  ;  3.  Liturgias  Scoticanae  ; 
 4.  Liturgiae  Americanae.] 
 
 fSIaterloo  place,  ICLontion, 
 
OF  RECENT  PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 Selections  from  Liddon. 
 
 Second  Edition.     Crown  Zvo.     35.  6rf. 
 
 Selections  from  the  Writings  of  H.  P.  Liddon,  D.D.,  D.C.L., 
 
 Cation  ofS.  Paul's, 
 
 Mozley's  Parochial  Sermons. 
 
 Second  Edition.     Crown  Zvo.     7s.  6d. 
 
 Sermons,  Parochial  and  Occasional. 
 By  J.  B.  Mozley,  D.D., 
 
 Late  Canon  0/ Christ  Church,  and  Regius  Professor  oj  Divinity 
 University  of  Oxford. 
 
 (Tont^nts. 
 The  Right  Eye  and  the  Right  Hand— Temptation  treated  as  Opportunity— The 
 Influences  of  Habit  on  Devotion — Thouglat  for  the  Morrow — The  Relief  of 
 Utterance — Seeking  a  Sign — David  Numbering  the  People — The  Heroism  of 
 Faith — Proverbs — The  Teaching  of  Events — Growing  Worse — Our  Lord  the 
 Sacrifice  for  Sin — The  Parable  of  the  Sower — The  Religious  Enjoyment  of 
 Nature— The  Threefold  Office  of  the  Holy  Spirit— Wisdom  and  Folly  Tested  by 
 Experience — Moses,  a  Leader — The  Unjust  Steward — Sowing  to  the  Spirit — 
 True  Religion,  a  Manifestation — St.  Paul's  Exaltation  of  Labour — Jeremiah's 
 Witness  against  Idolatry— Isaiah's  Estimate  of  Worldly  Greatness— The  Short- 
 ness of  Life — The  Endless  State  of  Being — The  Witness  of  the  Apostles — Life 
 a  Probation — Christian  Mysteries,  the  Common  Heritage — Our  Lord's  Hour — 
 Fear— The  Educating  Power  of  Strong  Impressions— The  Secret  Justice  of 
 Temporal  Providence— Jacob  as  a  Prince  Prevailing  with  God. 
 
 Selections  from  Pusey. 
 
 Second  Edition.     Crown  Zvo.     35,  (>d. 
 
 Selections  from  the  Writings  of  Edward  Bouverie  Pusey,  D.D. 
 
 Late  Regius  Professor  of  Hebrew,  and  Canon  of  Christ  Church,  Oxford. 
 
 CIsterloo  J^lacc,  Honoott. 
 
RIVrNGTON'S  SELECT  LIST 
 
 Mozley's  Essays. 
 
 Second  Edition.     Two  Vols.     Svo.     24s. 
 
 Essays,  Historical  and  Theological. 
 By  J.  B.  Mozley,  D.D., 
 
 Lad  Canon  0/ Christ  Church,  and  Regius  Professor  of  Divinity  iti  the 
 University  of  Oxford. 
 
 {lontcnts. 
 Volume  I. — Introduction  and  Memoir  of  the  Author — Lord  Strafford — Arch- 
 bishop Laud — Carlyle's  Cs-omwell — Luther. 
 Volume  IL — Dr.  Arnold — Blanco  White — Dr,  Pusey's  Sermon — The  Book  of 
 Job — Maurice's  Theological  Essays — Indian  Conversion — The  Argument  of 
 Design — The  Principle  of  Causation  considered  in  opposition  to  Atheistic 
 Theories — In  Memoriam — The  Author's  Articles  and  Works. 
 
 Practical  Reflections  on  New  Testament. 
 
 Crown  %vo. 
 
 Practical  Reflections  on  every  Verse  of  New  Testament. 
 
 By  a  Clergyman. 
 
 With  a  Preface  by  H.  P.  Liddon,  D.D.,  D.C.L., 
 
 Canon  ofS.  Paul's, 
 
 First  Series.— THE  HOLY  GOSPELS.     Third  Edition.    4s.  6d. 
 Second  Series.— ACTS  TO  REVELATION.    6s. 
 
 •Wecannot  speak  too  highly  of  this  useful  conversation.     For  the  sick  and  infirm,  for 
 
 volume.    It  is  a  work  of  little  pretence  and  such  as  are  unable  to  read  the  Gospels  with 
 
 of  great  merit.  .  .  .  Rather  the  reflectioiis  fixed  purpose  for  any  length  of  time,  or  for 
 
 serve  to  deepen  impressions  which  the  Ian-  busy  persons,  the  book  is  admirably  adapted; 
 
 guage  of  the  Gospel  will  have  awakened  in  while  to  the  preacher,  the  school  teacher, 
 
 meditative  minds,   and  exactly  serves   the  and  such  as  read  a  portion  of  Holy  Scripture 
 
 purpose  of  such  readers  of  the  Bible  as  wish  in  their  family  devotions,  it  will  prove  to  be 
 
 to  be  assisted  in  drawing  inferences  from  it  of  no  inconsiderable  service.' — Guardian. 
 which  may  influence  their  own  daily  life  and 
 
 Liddon's  Elements  of  Religion. 
 
 Fi/tk  and  Cheaper  Edition.    Small  Zvo.    2s.  6d.    Or  in  Paper  Cover,  \s.  6d. 
 
 Some  Elements  of  Religion.    Lent  Lectures. 
 By  Henry  Parry  Liddon,  D.D.,  D.C.L., 
 
 Canon  of  S.  PauCs. 
 The  Crown  Svo  [Fourth)  Edition,  55.,  may  still  be  had. 
 
 ^JKatcdoo  3Pla«,  JLottDon* 
 
OF  RECENT  PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 Mozley  on  the  Old  Testament. 
 
 Third  Edition.     &vo.     xos.  6d. 
 
 Ruling  Ideas  in  Early  Ages  and  their  Relation  to  Old 
 Testament  Faith.  Lectures  delivered  to  Graduates  of  the 
 University  of  Oxford. 
 
 By  J.  B.  Mozley,  D.D., 
 
 /.Me  Canon  af  Christ  Church,  and  Reg~ius  Professor  of  Divinity  in  the 
 University  of  Oxford. 
 
 dontfitts. 
 
 Abraham — Sacrifice  of  Isaac — Human  Sacrifices — Exterminating  Wars — Visita- 
 tion  of  the  Sins  of  Fathers  upon  Children — Jael — Connection  of  Jael's  Act  with 
 the  Morality  of  her  Age — Law  of  Retaliation — Retaliation :  Law  of  Goel — The 
 End  the  Test  of  a  Progressive  Revelation — The  Manichaeans  and  the  Jewish 
 Fathers. 
 
 Keys  to  Christian  Knowledge. 
 
 Seven  Volur.tes.     Small  Stjo.     is.  6d.  each.     Sold  separately. 
 The  7.S.  6d.  Edition  way  still  be  had. 
 
 Edited  by  the  Rev.  John  Henry  Blunt,  D.D., 
 
 Editor  oftlte  'Annotated  Bible  ^  'Annotated  Book  ofComnioti  Prayer,'  etc. ,  etc. 
 
 THE  HOLY  BIBLE. 
 THE  BOOK  OF  COMMON  PRAYER. 
 CHURCH  HISTORY  (Ancient). 
 CHURCH  HISTORY  (Modern). 
 
 CHRISTIAN  DOCTRINE  AND  PRACTICE  (founded 
 on  the  Church  Catechism.) 
 
 Edited  by  John  Pilklngton  Norris,  D.D., 
 
 Ar'hdiacon  of  Bristol,  and  Canon  Residentiary  of  Bristol  Cathedral. 
 Editor  of  the  '  iVevt  Testament  with  Notes,'  etc. 
 
 THE  FOUR  GOSPELS. 
 
 THE  ACTS  OF  THE  APOSTLES. 
 
 CHatfdoo  Place,  JLotiDon. 
 
RIVlNGTOirS  SELECT  LIST 
 
 Aids  to  the  Inner  Life. 
 
 Five  Vols.     ^2mo,  Cloth  limp,  6d.  each  ;  or  Cloth  extra,  is.  each. 
 Sold  separately. 
 
 TJiese  Five  Volumes,  Cloth  extra,  may  be  had  in  a  Box,  price  "js. 
 Also  an  Edition  with  Red  Borders,  -zs.  each. 
 
 Aids  to  the  Inner  Life. 
 Edited  by  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Hutchings,  M.  A., 
 
 Rector  of  Kirkby  Misferton,  Yorkshire. 
 
 These  books  form  a  series  of  works  provided  for  the  use  of  members  of  the 
 English  Church.  The  process  of  adaptation  is  not  left  to  the  reader,  but  has 
 been  undertaken  with  the  view  of  bringing  every  expression,  as  far  as  possible, 
 into  harmony  with  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer  and  Anglican  Divinity. 
 
 OF  THE  IMITATION  OF  CHRIST.     In  Four  Books.     By  Thomas  A 
 Kempis. 
 
 THE  CHRISTIAN  YEAR.    Thoughts  in  Verse  for  the  Sundays  and  Holy 
 Days  throughout  the  Year. 
 
 INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  DEVOUT  LIFE.     From  the  French  of  S. 
 Francis  de  Sales,  Bishop  and  Prince  of  Geneva. 
 
 THE  HIDDEN  LIFE  OF  THE  SOUL.    From  the  French  of  Jean  NiColas 
 
 Grou. 
 THE  SPIRITUAL  COMBAT.    Together  with  the  Supplement  and  the  Path 
 
 of  Paradise.    By  Laurence  Scupoli. 
 
 •We  heartily  wish  success  to  this  im-  Tcnlent  for  common  use.  The  price  at 
 portant  series,  and  trust  it  may  command  an  which  the  volumes  are  produced  is  marvel- 
 extensive  sale.  We  Eu-e  much  struck,  not  lously  low.  It  may  be  hoped  that  a  large 
 only  by  the  excellent  manner  in  which  the  circulation  will  secure  from  loss  those  who 
 design  has  been  carried  out  in  the  Transla-  have  undertaken  this  scheme  for  diffusing 
 tions  themselves,  but  also  by  the  way  in  far  and  wide  such  valuable  means  of 
 which  Messrs.  Rlvington  have  done  their  advancing  and  deepening,  after  so  high  a 
 part.  The  type  and  size  of  the  volumes  are  standard,  the  spiritual  Mi&.' — Literary 
 precisely    what   will   be    found    most   con-  Churchman. 
 
 Blunt's  Theological  Dictionary. 
 
 Second  Edition.     Imperial  St'o.     42s.  ;  or  in  half-morocco,  52J.  td. 
 
 Dictionary  of  Doctrinal  and  Historical  Theology. 
 
 By  Various  Writers. 
 
 Edited  by  the  Rev.  John  Henry  Blunt,  D.D., 
 
 Editor  of  the  '  Annotated  Book  of  Common  Prayer,'  e.'c  ,  etc. 
 
 CQatedoo  place,  HctitJon. 
 
OF  RECENT  PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 Goulburn's  Collects  of  the  Day. 
 
 Third  Edition.     Two  Vols.     Crown  &vo.     Ss.  each.     Sold  separately. 
 
 The  Collects  of  the  Day  :  an  Exposition,  Critical  and  Devotional, 
 of  the  Collects  appointed  at  the  Cpmmunion.  With  Preliminary 
 Essays  on  their  Structure,  Sources,  and  General  Character,  and 
 Appendices  containing  Expositions  of  the  Discarded  Collects  of 
 the  First  Prayer  Book  of  1549,  and  of  the  Collects  of  Morning 
 and  Evening  Prayer. 
 
 By  Edward  Mes^ick  Goulburn,  D.D.,  D.O.L., 
 
 Dean  of  Norwich. 
 
 dontenta. 
 Volume  I.  Book  I.  Introductory.— Qvi  the  Excellencies  of  the  Collects— On 
 the  Origin  of  the  word  Collect — On  the  Structure  of  a  Collect,  as  illustrated  by 
 the  Collect  in  the  Burial  Service — Of  the  Sources  of  the  Collects  :  Of  the  Sacra- 
 mentary  of  Leo,  of  the  Sacramentary  of  Gelasius,  of  Gregory  the  Great  and  his 
 Sacramentary,  of  the  Use  of  Sarum,  and  of  S.  Osmund  its  Compiler — On  the 
 Collects  of  Archbishop  Cranmer — Of  the  Restoration  Collects,  and  of  John 
 Cosin,  Prince-Bishop  of  Durham — Of  the  Collects,  as  representing  the  Genius  of 
 the  English  Church.  Book  II.  Part  I.— The  Constant  Collect.  Part  11.— Col- 
 lects varying  with  the  Ecclesiastical  Season — Advent  to  Whitsunday. 
 
 Volume  II.  Book  II.  contd. — Trinity  Sunday  to  All  Saints'  Day.  Book  III. 
 ~-0n  the  Collects  after  the  Offertory.  Appendix  K.— Collects  in  the  First 
 Reformed  Prayer  Book  of  1549  which  were  suppressed  in  1552 — The  Collect 
 for  the  First  Communion  on  Christmas  Day— The  Collect  for  S.  Mary  Mag- 
 dalene's Day  (July  22).  Appendix  B. — Exposition  of  the  Collects  of  Morning 
 and  Evening  Prayer — The  Second  at  Morning  Prayer,  for  Peace — The  Third 
 at  Morning  Prayer,  for  Grace — The  Second  at  Evening  Prayer,  for  Peace — 
 The  Third  at  Evening  Prayer,  for  Aid  against  all  Perils. 
 
 Knox  Little's  Good  Friday  Addresses. 
 
 New  Edition.     Small  Svo.     zs.  ;  or  in  Paper  Cover,  is. 
 
 The  Three  Hours'  Agony  of  Our  Blessed  Redeemer  :  being 
 Addresses  in  the  form  of  Meditations  delivered  in  S.  Alban's 
 Church,  Manchester,  on  Good  Friday  1877. 
 
 By  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Knox  Little,  M.A., 
 
 Canon  Residentiary  of  Worcester  and  Vicar  of  Hoar  Cross. 
 
 O^atetloo  Place,  HonQon. 
 
RTVINGTON'S  SELECT  LIST 
 
 Blunt's  Dictionary  of  Sects. 
 
 Imperial  Zvo.     36^.  ;  or  in  half-morocco,  485'. 
 
 Dictionary  of  Sects,  Heresies,  Ecclesiastical  Parties,  and 
 Schools  of  Religious  Thought.     By  Various  Writers. 
 
 Edited  by  the  Rev.  John  Henry  Blunt,  D.D., 
 
 Editor  of  the  'Dictionary  of  Theology,'  'Annotated  Book  of  Common  Prayer,'  etc.,  etc. 
 
 Blunt's  Household  Theology. 
 
 New  Edition.    Small  Zvo.     y.  6d. 
 
 Household  Theology  :  a  Handbook  of  Religious  Information  re- 
 specting the  Holy  Bible,  the  Prayer  Book,  the  Church,  the 
 Ministry,  Divine  Worship,  the  Creeds,  etc. ,  etc. 
 
 By  the  Rev.  John  Henry  Blunt,  D.D., 
 
 Editor  of  the  'Annotated  Book  of  Common  Prayer,'  etc.,  etc. 
 Also  a  Cheap  Edition.     T.6mo.     is. 
 
 Lear's  Life  of  Lacordaire. 
 
 With  Frontispiece.     Second Editio7i.     CroivnZvo.     TS.6d. 
 
 Henri  Dominique  Lacordaire.    A  Biographical  Sketch. 
 By  H.  L.  Sidney  Lear, 
 
 Author  of  Christian  Biographies,'  etc. 
 
 Lear's  Five  Minutes. 
 
 Second  Edition.    i6wz<7.     3^.6^. 
 
 Five  Minutes.     Daily  Readings  of  Poetry. 
 
 Selected  by  H.  L.  Sidney  Lear. 
 
 CKatcrloo  place,  JLonuotr, 
 
OF  RECENT  PUBLIC  A  TIONS. 
 
 The  Book  of  Church  Law. 
 
 Fourth  Edition,  revised.      Crown  Svo.      js.  6d. 
 
 The  Book  of  Church  Law  :  being  an  Exposition  of  the  Legal 
 Rights  and  Duties  of  the  Parochial  Clergy  and  the  Laity  of  the 
 Church  of  England. 
 
 By  the  late  Rev.  Jolin  Henry  Blunt,  D.D. 
 Revised  by  Sir  Walter  G.  F.  Phillimore,  Bart.,  D.C.L., 
 
 Barrister-at-Law,  and  Chaficellor  of  the  Diocese  of  Lincoln. 
 
 Maxims  from  Pusey. 
 
 Third  Edition.     Crown  i6mo.     2J. 
 
 Maxims  and  Gleanings  from  the  Writings  of  Edward  Bouverie 
 Pusey,  D.D. 
 
 Selected  and  arranged  for  Daily  Use,  by  C.  M:  S., 
 
 Compiler  of  '  Daily  Gleanings  of  the  Saintly  Life'  '  Under  the  Cross,'  etc. 
 
 With  an  Introduction  by  the  Rev.  M.  F.  Sadler, 
 
 Prebendary  of  Wells,  and  Rector  ofHoniton. 
 
 Goulburn's  Liturgical  Gospels. 
 
 T^vo  Vols.     Crown  8vo.     i6s. 
 
 Thoughts  upon  the  Liturgical  Gospels  for  the  Sundays, 
 one  for  each  Day  in  the  Year.  With  an  Introduction  on 
 their  origin,  history,  the  modifications  made  in  them  by  the 
 Reformers  and  by  the  Revisers  of  the  Prayer  Book,  the  honour 
 always  paid  to  them  in  the  Church,  and  the  proportions  in  which 
 they  are  drawn  from  the  Writings  of  the  four  Evangelists. 
 
 By  Edward  Meyrick  Goulburn,  D.D.,  D.C.L., 
 
 Dean  of  Norwich. 
 
 lEatcrloo  place,  JLonUon. 
 
RIVINGTON'S  SELECT  LIST 
 
 Corpus  Christi. 
 
 With  Red  Borders.     Royal  2,2mo.     2S. 
 
 Corpus  Christi  :  A  Manual  of  Devotion  for  the  Blessed  Sacrament 
 
 With  a  Preface  by  the  Rev.  H.  Montagu  Villiers, 
 
 Vicar  ofS.  PatiPs,  IVUton  Place. 
 
 Williams  on  the  Catechism. 
 
 New  Edition.     Two  Vols.     Crown  Zvo.     5^.  each.    Sold  separately. 
 
 Plain  Sermons  on  the  Catechism. 
 By  the  Rev.  Isaac  Williams,  B.D., 
 
 Late  Fellow  of  Trinity  College,  Oxford;  Attthor  of  a  '  Devotional  Commentary 
 on  the  Gospel  Narrative.' 
 
 Bickersteth's  Yesterday,  To-day,  and 
 For  Ever. 
 
 One  Shilling  Edition.     iZmo. 
 With  Red  Borders.     r6mo.     2*.  6d. 
 
 Yesterday,  To-day,  and  For  Ever  :  a  Poem  in  Twelve  Books. 
 By  Edward  Henry  Bickersteth,  D.D., 
 
 Bishop  of  Exeter. 
 
 '  Thib  blank-verse  poem,  in  twelve  books,  spiritual  refreshment  in  the  spectacle  of  a 
 
 has  made  its  way  into  the  religious  world  of  man  girding  up  the  loins  of  his  mind  to  the 
 
 England  and  America  without  much  help  task  of  producing  a  genuine  epic.     And  it  is 
 
 from  the  critics.'— r2>^z<rj.  true  poetry.     There  is  a  definitencss,  a  crisp- 
 
 'The  most  simple,  the  richest,  and  the  ness  about  it,  which  in  these  moist,  viewy, 
 
 most    perfect    sacred    poem   which    recent  hazy  days  is  no  less  invigorating  than  novel.' 
 
 days  have  produced.'— Morning  Advertiser.  — Edinburgh  Daily  Revievi. 
 
 '  A  poem  worth  reading,  worthy  of  atten-  '  Mr.  Bickersteth  writes  like  a  man  who 
 
 tive  study  ;  full  of  noble  thoughts,  beautiful  cultivates  at  once  reverence  and  earnestness 
 
 diction,  and  high  inAgination.'— Standard.  oi  thought.'— Guardian. 
 
 '  lu  these  light  Miscellany  days  there  is  a 
 
 The  Larger  Edition^  5s.,  may  be  had. 
 
 SQaterloo  Place,  iloniion* 
 
OF  RECENT  PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 Early  Influences. 
 
 Crown  Svo.     3J.  6d. 
 
 Early  Influences.     New  Edition. 
 
 With  a  Preface  by  Mrs.  Gladstone. 
 
 Chapter  I.— Infancy.  Chapter  II.— Watchfulness  and  Affection.  Chapter  III. 
 —The  Faults  of  Childhood  and  the  Influence  of  Religious  Instruction.  Chapter 
 IV.— Good  Impulses  and  Moral  Influence.  Chapter  V.— Manner  and  Accom- 
 plishments. Chapter  VI.— The  Mental  Powers  of  Childhood— Instruction  in 
 General.  Chapter  VII.— Home— The  Influence  of  Domestic  Life  upon  the 
 Country  in  General.     Chapter  VIII.— The  Difficulty  and  the  Reward. 
 
 The  School  of  Life. 
 
 Crown  Zvo.     45.  6d. 
 The  School  of  Life.     Seven  Addresses  delivered  during  the  London 
 Mission,  1885,  in  St.   Paul's  Church,  Knightsbridge,  to  Public 
 School  Men,  by  late  and  present  Head  Masters. 
 
 With  an  Introduction  by  C.  J.  Vaughan,  D.D., 
 
 Daan  0/  Llandaff  and  Master  of  the  Temple.     Formerly  Head  Master 
 of  Harrow  School. 
 
 Holland's  Logic  and  Life. 
 
 Third  Edition.     Crown  Svo.     7s.  6d. 
 Logic  and  Life,  with  other  Sermons. 
 By  the  Rev.  H.  S.  Holland,  M.A., 
 
 Cation  ofS.  Paul's,  and  Student  0/  Christ  Church,  Oxford. 
 
 'Some  of  these  sermons  are  as  powerful  spiritual  feeling  and  judsjment,  speaking;  in 
 
 as  any  preached  in  this  g-eneration,  and,  in-  language  brilliant,  forcible,  copious,  rising 
 
 deed,  full   of  genius,  original  thought,  and  often    to    splendour    and    magnilicence.'— 
 
 spiritual  veracity.      Of    the   three    first,   it  Church  Quarterly  Review. 
 
 would  be  hard  to  speak  in  terms  too  high.'—  '  The  sermons  are  thoughtful,  earnest,  and 
 
 Spectator..  often  eloquent  and  powerful.     They  fully 
 
 '  These  [two  last-named]  sermons  exhibit  bear  out  the  high  reputation  Mr.   Holland 
 
 at  the  full  the  real  greatness  of  Mr.  Holland's  has  obtained  as  a  preacher  of  considerable 
 
 power— his  originality,  his  insight,  his  range  acceptableness  and  influence  with  hearers 
 
 of  e.xpericnce,  observation,  and  sympathies  ;  of  education  and  culture.'— GwanizaM. 
 and,  above  all,  his  never-failing  elevation  of 
 
 ^jKatcrloc  place,  ilourjon 
 
RIVINGTON'S  SELECT  LIST 
 
 Jennings'  Ecclesia  Angllcana. 
 
 Crown  Zvo.     js.  6d. 
 
 Ecclesia  Anglicana.    A  History  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in 
 England,  extending  from  the  Earliest  to  the  Present  Times. 
 
 By  the  Rev.  Arthur  Charles  Jennings,  M.A., 
 
 yesus  College,  Cambridge,  sometime  Tyrivhitt  Scholar,  Crosse  Scholar,  Hebrew 
 
 University  Prizeman,  Fry  Scholar  ofS.  jfohns  College,  Carus  and 
 
 Scholejield  Prizeman,  and  Vicar  of  Whittlesford. 
 
 Bickersteth's  The  Lord's  Table. 
 
 SecoJtd  Edition.     i6mo.    is.  :  or  Cloth  extra,  2S. 
 
 The  Lord's  Table  ;  or,  Meditations  on  the  Holy  Communion  Office 
 in  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 
 
 By  E.  H.  Bickersteth,  D.D., 
 
 Bishop  of  Exeter. 
 
 '  We  must  draw  our  review  to  an  end,  and  sincere  thanks  to  Mr.  Bickersteth  for 
 without  using  any  more  of  our  own  words,  this  goodly  and  profitable  "Companion  to 
 except  one  parting  expression   of  cordial      the  Communion  Service."  '—Record. 
 
 Manuals  of  Religious  Instruction, 
 
 New  and  Revised  Editions.    Small  Zvo.     is.6d.each.    Sold  separately. 
 
 Manuals  of  Religious  Instruction. 
 Edited  by  John  Pilkington  Norris,  D.D., 
 
 Archdeacon  of  Bristol  and  Canon  Residentiary  of  Bristol  Cathedral. 
 
 I.  The  Catechism  and  Prayer  Book. 
 II.  The  Old  Testament. 
 III.  The  New  Testament. 
 
 Caamloo  jpiace,  JD,(iulJon. 
 
OP  RECENT  PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 N  orris's  Rudiments  of  Theology. 
 
 Second  Edition,  revised.     Crown  Szjo.     js.  6d. 
 
 Rudiments  of  Theology.    A  First  Book  for  Students. 
 By  John  Pilkington  Norris,  D.D., 
 
 Archdeacon  of  Bristol,  and  Canon  Residentiary  of  Bristol  Cathedral. 
 
 ffiontenta. 
 
 Part  I.— Fundamental  Doctrines  :— The  Doctrine  of  God's  Existence— The 
 Doctrine  of  the  Second  Person  of  the  Trinity — The  Doctrine  of  the  Atonement 
 —The  Doctrine  of  the  Third  Person  of  the  Trinity— The  Doctrine  of  The  Church 
 — The  Doctrine  of  the  Sacraments. 
 
 Part  II.— The  Soteriology  of  the  Bible:— The  Teaching  of  the  Old 
 Testament— The  Teaching  of  the  Four  Gospels— The  Teaching  of  S.  Paul— 
 The  Teaching  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  of  S.  Peter  and  S.  John— Soterio- 
 logy  of  the  Bible  (concluded). 
 
 Appendix— Illustrations  of  Part  I.  from  the  Early  Fathers:— On  the 
 Evidence  of  God's  Existence — On  the  Divinity  of  Christ — On  the  Doctrine  of 
 the  Atonement — On  the  Procession  of  the  Holy  Spirit — On  The  Church — On  the 
 Doctrine  of  the  Eucharist — Greek  and  Latin  Fathers  quoted  or  referred  to  in 
 this  volume,  in  their  chronological  order — Glossarial  Index. 
 
 Mozley's  University  Sermons. 
 
 Fifth  Edition.     Crcnvn  Bi'o       fs.  6d. 
 
 Sermons  Preached  before  the  University  of  Oxford  and  on 
 Various  Occasions. 
 
 By  J.  B.  Mozley,  D.D., 
 
 Late  Canon  of  Christ  Church,  and  Regius  Professor  of  Divinity,  Oxford, 
 
 dontentg. 
 
 The  Roman  Council — The  Pharisees — Eternal  Life — The  Reversal  of  Human 
 Judgment — War — Nature — The  Work  of  the  Spirit  on  the  Natural  Man — The 
 Atonement— Our  Duty  to  Equals— The  Peaceful  Temper— The  Strength  of 
 Wishes — The  Unspoken  Judgment  of  Mankind — The  "True  Test  of  Spiritual 
 Birth — Ascension  Day — Gratitude — The  Principle  of  Emulation — Religion  the 
 First  Choice — The  Influence  of  Dogmatic  Teaching  on  Education. 
 
 CiXatetloo  piare,  JLonDon. 
 
RIVINGTON'S  SELECT  LIST 
 
 Newman's  Selection  from  Sermons. 
 
 Second  Edition.     Crown  %vo.     <,s. 
 
 Selection,  adapted  to  the  Seasons  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Year,  from 
 the  '  Parochial  and  Plain  Sermons '  of  JOHN  HENRY  NEWMAN, 
 B.D.,  sometime  Vicar  of  S.  Mar/s,  Oxford. 
 
 Edited  by  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Copeland,  B.D., 
 
 Late  Rector  of  Famham,  Essex. 
 
 Cotttenta. 
 
 ^flfww/;— Self-denial  the  Test  of  Religious  Earnestness— Divine  Calls— The 
 Ventures  of  Faith— Watching.  Christmas  Day ;— Religious  Joy.  New  Year's 
 Sunday:— The  Lapse  of  Time.  ^/?>Aa«y;— Remembrance  of  Past  Mercies- 
 Equanimity— The  Immortality  of  the  Soul— Christian  Manhood— Sincerity  and 
 Hypocrisy— Christian  Sympathy.  Se/iuag-esima :— Present  Blessings.  Sexa- 
 gesima: — Endurance  the  Christian's  Portion.  Quinquagesima : — Love  the  One 
 Thing  Needful.  Lent:— The  Individuality  of  the  Soul— Life  the  Season  of 
 Repentance — Bodily  Suffering — Tears  of  Christ  at  the  Grave  of  Lazarus — 
 Christ's  Privations  a  Meditation  for  Christians — The  Cross  of  Christ  the  Measure 
 of  the  World.  Good  Friday  .'—The  Crucifixion.  Easter  Day ;— Keeping  Fast 
 and  Festival.  Easter-Tide :— Witnesses  of  the  Resurrection— A  Particular 
 Providence  as  Revealed  in  the  Gospel— Christ  Manifested  in  Remembrance— 
 The  Invisible  World — Waiting  for  Christ.  Ascension: — Warfare  the  Condition 
 of  Victory.  Sunday  after  Ascension:— 'Rising -with.  Christ.  Whitsunday:— 
 The  Weapons  of  Saints.  Trinity  Sunday:— The  Mysteriousness  of  our  Pre- 
 sent Being.  Sundays  after  Trinity: — Holiness  Necessary  for  Future  Blessed- 
 ness— The  Religious  Use  of  Excited  Feelings — The  Self-wise  Inquirer — Scrip- 
 ture a  Record  of  Human  Sorrow — The  Danger  of  Riches — Obedience  without 
 Love  as  instanced  in  the  Character  of  Balaam — Moral  Consequences  of  Single 
 Sins — The  Greatness  and  Littleness  of  Human  Life — Moral  Effects  of  Com- 
 munion with  God — The  Thought  of  God  the  Stay  of  the  Soul — The  Power  of 
 the  Will— The  Gospel  Palaces— Religion  a  Weariness  to  the  Natural  Man— The 
 World  our  Enemy— The  Praise  of  Man— Religion  Pleasant  to  the  Religious- 
 Mental  Prayer— Curiosity  a  Temptation  to  Sin— Miracles  no  Remedy  for  Un- 
 belief—Jeremiah :  a  Lesson  for  the  Disappointed— The  Shepherd  of  our  Souls 
 — Doing  Glory  to  God  in  Pursuits  of  the  World. 
 
 CClatetloo  place,  Honoon. 
 
OF  RECENT  PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 Mozley  on  Miracles. 
 
 Sixth  Edition.    Crown  Svo.     7s.  6d. 
 
 Eight  Lectures  on  Miracles:  being  the  Bampton  Lectures  for 
 1865. 
 
 By  J.  B.  Mozley,  D.D., 
 
 l^te  Canon  of  Christ  Church,  and  Regius  Professor  of  Divinity  in  the 
 University  of  Oxford. 
 
 The  Prayer  Book  of  Edward  VI. 
 
 Small  Zvo.     6j. 
 
 The  First  Book  of  Common  Prayer  of  Edward  VI.,  and  the 
 Ordinal  of  1549.  Together  with  the  Order  of  the  Communion, 
 1548.     Reprinted  entire. 
 
 Edited  by  tne  Rev.  Henry  Baskerville  Walton,  M.A., 
 
 Late  Fellow  and  Tutor  of  Merton  College. 
 
 With  Introduction  by  the  Rev.  Peter  Goldsmith  Medd,  M. A., 
 
 Rector  of  North  Cerney,  late  Senior  Fellow  of  University  College,  Oxford. 
 
 The  Prayer  Book  Interleaved. 
 
 Tenth  Edition.    Small  Svo.     ys,  6d. 
 
 The  Prayer  Book  Interleaved.     With  Historical  Illustrations 
 and  Explanatory  Notes  arranged  parallel  to  the  Text. 
 
 By  W.  M.  Campion,  D.D.,  and  W.  J.  Beamont,  M.A. 
 With  a  Preface  by  the  Lord  Bishop  of  Winchester. 
 
 CKaterloo  IBIace,  ilonoon. 
 
RIVINGTOJSrS  SELECT  LIST 
 
 Goulburn's  Study  of  Scripture. 
 
 Tenth  Edition,  revised  and  enlarged.     Small  Svo.     6s.  6d. 
 
 An  Introduction  to  the  Devotional  Study  of  the  Holy 
 Scriptures  :  with  a  Prefatory  Essay  on  their  Inspiration,  and 
 specimens  of  Meditations  on  various  passages  of  them. 
 
 By  Edward  Meyrick  Goulburn,  D.D.,  D.C.L., 
 
 Dean  of  Norwich. 
 
 Goulburn's  The  Child  Samuel. 
 
 Small  Svo.    5*. 
 
 The  Child  Samuel.  A  Practical  and  Devotional  Commentary  on 
 the  Birth  and  Childhood  of  the  Prophet  Samuel,  as  recorded  in 
 I  Sam.  i.,  ii.  1-27,  iii.  Designed  as  a  Help  to  Meditation  on  the 
 Holy  Scriptures  for  Children  and  Young  Persons. 
 
 By  Edward  Meyrick  Goulburn,  D.D.,  D.C.L., 
 
 Dean  of  Norwich. 
 
 Goulburn's  Gospel  of  the  Childhood. 
 
 Second  Edition.    Square  x6mo,     51. 
 
 The  Gospel  of  the  Childhood  :  a  Practical  and  Devotional  Com- 
 mentary  on  the  Single  Incident  of  our  Blessed  Lord's  Childhood 
 (S.  Luke  ii.  41  to  the  end) ;  designed  as  a  Help  to  Meditation  on 
 the  Holy  Scriptures,  for  Children  and  Young  Persons. 
 
 By  Edward  Meyrick  Goulburn,  D.D.,  D.C.L., 
 
 Dean  0/ Norwich. 
 
 WLatttUo  Place,  Honooti. 
 
OF  RECENT  PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 Goulburn  on  the  Lord's  Supper. 
 
 Sixth  Edition.     Small  Zvo.     6j. 
 
 A  Commentary,  Expository  and  Devotional,  on  the  Order  of  the 
 Administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  according  to  the  Use  of  the 
 Church  of  England  ;  to  which  is  added  an  Appendix  on  Fasting 
 Communion,  Non-communicating  Attendance,  Auricular  Confes- 
 sion, the  Doctrine  of  Sacrifice,  and  the  Eucharistic  Sacrifice. 
 
 By  Edward  Meyrick  Goulburn,  D.D.,  D.C.L., 
 
 Dean  of  Norwich. 
 
 Also  a  Cheap  Edition,  uniform  with  '  Thoughts  on  Personal  Religion,' 
 and 'The  Pursuit  o/ Holiness.'     3J.  6d. 
 
 Goulburn's  Holy  Catholic  Church. 
 
 Second  Editio?i.     Crown  Zvo,    6s.  6d. 
 
 The  Holy  Catholic  Church  :  its  Divine  Ideal,  Ministry,  and 
 Institutions.  A  short  Treatise.  With  a  Catechism  on  each 
 Chapter,  forming  a  Course  of  Methodical  Instruction  on  the 
 subject. 
 
 By  Edward  Meyrick  Goulburn,  D.D.,  D.C.L., 
 
 Dean  ofNoriuich. 
 
 Contents. 
 
 What  the  Church  is,  and  when  and  how  it  was  founded — Duty  of  the  Church 
 towards  those  who  hold  to  the  Apostles'  Doctrine,  in  separation  from  the  Apostles' 
 fellowship — The  Unity  of  the  Church  and  its  Disruption — The  Survey  of  Zion's 
 towers,  bulwarks,  and  palaces — The  Institution  of  the  Ministry,  and  its  relation 
 to  the  Church — The  Holy  Eucharist  at  its  successive  Stages — On  the  Powers  of 
 the  Church  in  Council — The  Church  presenting,  exhibiting,  and  defending  the 
 Truth — The  Church  guiding  into  and  illustrating  the  Truth — On  the  Prayer 
 Book  as  a  Commentary  on  the  Bible — Index. 
 
 Cllatetloo  place,  Honnoi; 
 
i8  RIVINGTON'S  SELECT  LIST 
 
 Goulburn's  Thoughts  on  Personal  Religion. 
 
 New  Edition.    Small  Zvo.    6s.  6d. 
 
 Thoughts    on    Personal    Religion  :   being  a  Treatise  on  the 
 Christian  Life  in  its  two  Chief  Elements — Devotion  and  Practice, 
 
 By  Edward  Meyrick  Goulbum,  D.D.,  D.C.L., 
 
 Dean  of  Norwich. 
 
 Also  a  Cheap  Edition,     ^s.  6d. 
 
 Presentation  Edition,  elegantly  printed  on  Totted  Paper. 
 
 Two  Vols.    Small  Zvo.     lor.  dd. 
 
 Goulburn*s  Pursuit  of  Holiness. 
 
 Fozirth  Edition.     Small  Zvo.     $s. 
 
 The  Pursuit  of  Holiness:  a  Sequel  to  'Thoughts  on  Personal 
 Religion,'  intended  to  carry  the  Reader  somewhat  farther  onward 
 in  the  Spiritual  Life, 
 
 By  Edward  Meyrick  Goulburn,  D.D.,  D.C.L., 
 
 Dean  of  Norwich. 
 Also  a  Cheap  Edition.     35.  6d. 
 
 Luckock's  Footprints  of  the  Son  of  Man. 
 
 Second  Edition.     Two  Vols.     Crown  ^vo.     12s. 
 
 Footprints  of  the  Son  of  Man  as  traced  by  Saint  Mark  : 
 being  Eighty  Portions  for  Private  Study,  Family  Reading,  and 
 Instructions  in  Church. 
 
 By  Herbert  Mortimer  Luckock,  D.D., 
 
 Cantn  of  Ely  ;  Examinincr  Chaplain  to  tlie  Lord  Bishop  cf  Ely ;  and  Principal  of  the 
 Theological  College. 
 
 With  an  Introduction  by  the  late  Bishop  of  Ely. 
 ©Waterloo  place.  iLonnon. 
 
OF  RECENT  PUBLIC  A  TIONS. 
 
 The  Annotated  Prayer  Book. 
 
 In  One  Volume.     Quarto,    £i,  js. 
 Or  Half-bound  in  Morocco.     £i,  lis.  td. 
 
 The  Annotated  Book  of  Common  Prayer  :  being  an  Historical, 
 Ritual,  and  Theological  Commentary  on  the  Devotional  System 
 of  the  Church  of  England. 
 
 Edited  by  the  Rev.  John  Henry  Blunt,  D.D.,  P.S.A. 
 
 The  reception  which  the  Annotated  Book  of  Common  Prayer  has  met  with 
 during  an  issue  of  eight  editions  in  sixteen  years  has  led  the  publishers  to 
 believe  that  a  new  edition,  carefully  revised  and  enlarged,  in  accordance  with 
 our  advanced  knowledge,  would  be  acceptable.  The  present  edition  has 
 therefore  been  prepared  with,  among  others,  the  following  improvements  : — 
 
 1.  A  thoroughly  trustworthy  text  of  the  whole  Prayer  Book,  such  as  has 
 
 not  hitherto  been  accessible. 
 
 2.  A  much  enlarged  Introduction,  embracmg  in  a  compact  form  all  that  is 
 
 now  known  respecting  the  history  of  the  Prayer  Book. 
 
 3.  The  Epistles  and  Gospels,  with  all  other  portions  of  Holy  Scripture,  are 
 
 now  printed  at  length. 
 
 4.  The  Notes  on  the  Minor  Saints'  Days  have  been  carefully  revised,  and 
 
 in  most  cases  re-written. 
 
 Maxims  from  Carter. 
 
 Crown  i6mo.    2s. 
 
 Maxims  and  Gleanings  from  the  Writings  of  T.  T,  Carter,  M.A. 
 Selected  and  arranged  for  Daily  Use  by  C.  M.  S., 
 
 Compiler  of  *  Daily  Gleanings  of  the  Saintly  Life'  '  Under  the  Crtss,'  etc. 
 
 With  an  Introduction  by  the  Rev.  M.  F.  Sadler, 
 
 Rector  of  Honiton,  Devon. 
 
 CKatedoo  Place,  jD^onnon. 
 
RIVINGTON'S  SELECT  LIST 
 
 Luckock's  After  Death. 
 
 Fifth  Edition.    Crown  Bvo.     6s. 
 
 After  Death.  An  Examination  of  the  Testimony  of  Primitive 
 Times  respecting  the  State  of  the  Faithful  Dead,  and  their  rela- 
 tionship to  the  Living. 
 
 By  Herbert  Mortimer  Luckock,  D.D., 
 
 Canon  of  Ely,  etc. 
 
 Contents. 
 
 Part  I.— The  Test  of  Catholicity— The  Value  of  the  Testimony  of  the  Primi- 
 tive Fathers — The  Intermediate  State — Change  in  the  Intermediate  State — 
 Prayers  for  the  Dead :  Reasons  for  Our  Lord's  Silence  on  the  Subject — The 
 Testimony  of  Holy  Scripture — The  Testimony  of  the  Catacombs — The  Testi- 
 mony of  the  Early  Fathers — The  Testimony  of  the  Primitive  Liturgies — 
 Prayers  for  the  Pardon  of  Sins  of  Infirmity,  and  the  Effacement  of  Sinful 
 Stains — The  Inefficacy  of  Prayer  for  those  who  died  in  wilful  unrepented  Sin. 
 
 Part  II. — Primitive  Testimony  to  the  Intercession  of  the  Saints — Primitive 
 Testimony  to  the  Invocation  of  the  Saints — The  Trustworthiness  of  the  Patristic 
 Evidence  for  Invocation  tested — The  Primitive  Liturgies  and  the  Roman  Cata- 
 combs— Patristic  Opinions  on  the  Extent  of  the  Knowledge  possessed  by  the 
 Saints — The  Testimony  of  Holy  Scripture  upon  the  same  Subject — The  Beatific 
 Vision  not  yet  attained  by  any  of  the  Saints— Conclusions  drawn  from  the  fore- 
 going Testimony. 
 
 Supplementary  Chapters.— (a.)  Is  a  fuller  Recognition  of  the  Practice  of 
 Praying  for  the  Dead  desirable  or  not? — (^.)  Is  it  lawful  or  desirable  to  practise 
 Invocation  of  Saints  in  any  form  or  not? — Table  of  Fathers,  Councils,  etc. — 
 Passages  of  Scripture  explained  or  quoted— General  Index. 
 
 S.  Bonaventure's  Life  of  Christ. 
 
 Crown  Zvo.    js.  td. 
 
 The  Life  of  Christ. 
 
 By  S.  Bonaventure. 
 Translated  and  Edited  by  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Hutchings, 
 
 Rector  of  Kirkby  Misperton,  Yorkshire. 
 
 '  The  whole  volume  Is  full  of  gems  and  seek  food  for  their  daily  meditations,  w»  can 
 rich  veins  ef  thought,  and  whether  as  a  com-  scarcely  imagine  a  more  acceptable  book.' 
 panion  to  the  preacher  or  to   those   who      —Literary  Churchman. 
 
 dltatecloo  Place,  JLonuoti. 
 
OF  RECENT  PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 Luckock  on  the  Prayer  Book. 
 
 Second  Edition.     Crown  Zvo.     6j. 
 
 Studies  in  the  History  of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 
 The  Anglican  Reform — The  Puritan  Innovations — The  Eliza- 
 bethan Reaction — The  Caroline  Settlement.     With  Appendices. 
 
 By  Herbert  Mortimer  Luckock,  D.D., 
 
 Canon  of  Ely,  etc. 
 
 '  This    able    and    helpful    book — recom-  arranged  volume  is  a  valuable  contribution 
 
 mending    it    emphatically    to    all    educated  to  liturgical  history,    which  will  prove  In- 
 
 members  of  the  entire  Anglican  community.'  teresting  to  all  readers  and  almost  indispen- 
 
 — Church  Quarterly  Review.  sable  to  the  theological  student  who  has  to 
 
 '  We  heartily  commend  this  very  interest-  master  the    history    and    rationale  of  the 
 
 Ingand  very  readable  book.'— G?<ara?iaM.  Book    of    Common    Prayer.'— A'o^m    and 
 
 'Dr.    Luckock's    compact    and    clearly.  Queries. 
 
 Knox  Little's  Mystery  of  the  Passion. 
 
 Third  Edition.     Crown  Zvo.     35.  6d. 
 
 The  Mystery  of  the  Passion  of  our  Most  Holy  Redeemer. 
 By  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Knox  Little,  M.A., 
 
 Canon  Residentiary  0/ Worcester,  and  Vicar  of  Hoar  Cross. 
 
 Williams  on  the  Apocalypse. 
 
 New  Edition.     Crown  8vo.     $s. 
 
 The  Apocalypse.    With  Notes  and  Reflections. 
 By  the  Rev.  Isaac  Williams,  B.D., 
 
 Formerly  Fellow  of  Trinity  College,  Oxford. 
 
 CKaterloo  place,  3Q,onnon» 
 
RIVINGTON'S  SELECT  LIST 
 
 Knox  Little's  Manchester  Sermons. 
 
 Second  Edition.     Crown  Zvo.    js.  6d. 
 
 Sermons  Preached  for  the  most  part  in  Manchester. 
 By  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Knox  Little,  M.A., 
 
 Canon  Residentiary  of  Worcester,  and  Vicar  of  Hoar  Cross, 
 
 CTontentg. 
 
 The  Soul  instructed  by  God— The  Claim  of  God  upon  the  Soul— The  Super- 
 natural Powers  of  the  Soul — The  Soul  in  its  Inner  Life — The  Soul  in  the  World 
 and  at  the  Judgment — The  Law  of  Preparation — The  Principle  of  Preparation 
 — The  Temper  of  Preparation — The  Energy  of  Preparation — The  Soul's  Need 
 and  God's  Nature — The  JNIartyr  of  Jesus — The  Secret  of  Prophetic  Power — The 
 Law  of  Sacrifice— The  Comfort  of  God— The  Symbolism  of  the  Cross— The 
 Beatitude  of  Mary,  the  Mother  of  the  Lord. 
 
 Knox  Little's  Christian  Life. 
 
 Third  Edition.     Crown  Zvo.     3J.  dd. 
 
 Characteristics  and  Motives  of  the  Christian  Life.  Ten 
 Sermons  preached  in  Manchester  Cathedral  in  Lent  and  Advent 
 1877. 
 
 By  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Knox  Little,  M.A., 
 
 Canon  Residentiary  of  Worcester,  and  Vicar  of  Hoar  Cross. 
 
 Coittrntg. 
 
 Christian  Work — Christian  Advance — Christian  Watching — Christian  Battle — 
 Christian  Suffering— Christian  Joy — For  the  Love  of  Man — For  the  sake  of 
 Jesus— For  the  Glory  of  God— The  Claims  of  Christ. 
 
 Knox  Little's  Witness  of  the  Passion. 
 
 Crown  Zvo.     35.  (>d. 
 
 The  Witness  of  the  Passion  of  our  Most  Holy  Redeemer. 
 By  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Knox  Little,  M.A., 
 
 Canon  Residentiary  of  Worcester,  and    Vicar  of  Hoar  Cross. 
 
 2EatcrIoo  Place,  JLonbon. 
 
OF  RECENT  PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 Williams's  Female  Scripture  Characters. 
 
 New  Edition.     Crown  Svo.     55. 
 
 Female  Characters  of  Holy  Scripture.     A  Series  of  Sermons. 
 By  the  Rev.  Isaac  Williams,  B.D., 
 
 Formerly  Fellow  0/  Trinity  College,  Oxford. 
 
 (JTon  tents. 
 
 Eve — Sarah — Lot's  Wife — Rebekah — Leah  and  Rachel — Miriam — Rahab — 
 Deborah— Ruth— Hannah— The  Witch  of  Endor— Bathsheba— Rizpah— The 
 Queen  of  Sheba — The  Widow  of  Zarephath — Jezebel — The  Shunammite — 
 Esther— Elisabeth— Anna— The  Woman  of  Samaria— Joanna— The  Woman 
 with  the  Issue  of  Blood — The  Woman  of  Canaan — Martha — Mary — Salome 
 —The  Wife  of  Pilate— Dorcas— The  Blessed  Virgin. 
 
 Williams's  Old  Testament  Characters. 
 
 New  Edition.     Crown  Zvo.     sj. 
 
 The  Characters  of  the  Old  Testament.    A  Series  of  Sermons. 
 By  the  Rev.  Isaac  Williams,  B.D.,, 
 
 Formerly  Fellow  0/ Trinity  College,  Oxford. 
 
 Body's  Life  of  Temptation. 
 
 Sixth  Edition.     Crown  Zvo.     ^s.  6d. 
 
 The  Life  of  Temptation.  A  Course  of  Lectures  delivered  in  sub- 
 stance at  S.  Peter's,  Eaton  Square  ;  also  at  All  Saints',  Margaret 
 Street. 
 
 By  the  Rev.  George  Body,  M.A., 
 
 Canon  of  Durham. 
 
 dontmts. 
 
 The  Leading  into  Temptation— The  Rationale  of  Temptation— Why  we  are 
 Tempted— Safety  in  Temptation— With  Jesus  in  Temptation— The  End  of 
 Temptation. 
 
 CKamloo  place,  Honnon. 
 
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 Williams's  Devotional  Commentary. 
 
 New  Edition.    Eight  Vols.    Crown  Svo.     5s.  each.    Sold  separately. 
 
 A  Devotional  Commentary  on  the  Gospel  Narrative. 
 By  the  Rev.  Isaac  Williams,  B.D., 
 
 Formerly  Fellow  of  Trinity  College,  Oxford. 
 
 THOUGHTS  ON  THE  STUDY  OF  THE  HOLY  GOSPELS. 
 
 A  HARMONY  OF  THE  FOUR  EVANGELISTS. 
 
 OUR  LORD'S  NATIVITY. 
 
 OUR  LORD'S  MINISTRY  (Second  Year). 
 
 OUR  LORD'S  MINISTRY  (Third  Year). 
 
 THE  HOLY  WEEK. 
 
 OUR  LORD'S  PASSION. 
 
 OUR  LORD'S  RESURRECTION. 
 
 Voices  of  Comfort. 
 
 Sixth  Edition.    Crown  %vo.     7s,  6(f. 
 
 Voices  of  Comfort, 
 Edited  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Vincent  Fosbery,  M.A., 
 
 Sometime  Vicar  ofS.  Giles's,  Oxford. 
 
 This  Volume  of  prose  and  poetry,  original  and  selected,  aims  at  revealing 
 the  fountains  of  hope  and  joy  which  underlie  the  griefs  and  sorrows  of  life. 
 It  is  so  divided  as  to  afford  readings  for  a  month.  The  keynote  of  each  day  is 
 given  to  the  title  prefixed  to  it,  such  as :  '  The  Power  of  the  Cross  of  Christ, 
 Day  6.  Conflicts  of  the  Soul,  Day  17.  The  Communion  of  Saints,  Day  20. 
 The  Comforter,  Day  22.  The  Light  of  Hope,  Day  25.  The  Coming  of  Christ, 
 Day  28.'  Each  day  begins  with  passages  of  Holy  Scripture.  These  are  fol- 
 lowed by  articles  in  prose,  which  are  succeeded  by  one  or  more  short  prayers. 
 After  these  are  poems  or  passages  of  poetry,  and  then  very  brief  extracts  in 
 prose  or  verse  close  the  section.  The  book  is  meant  to  meet,  not  merely  cases 
 of  bereavement  or  physical  suffering,  but  '  to  minister  specially  to  the_  hidden 
 troubles  of  the  heart,  as  they  are  silently  weaving  their  dark  threads  into  the 
 web  of  the  seemingly  brightest  life.' 
 
 Also  a  Cheap  Edition.    Small  Zvo.     3s.  6d. 
 
 ©Waterloo  place,  XLonuon. 
 
OF  RECENT  PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 Body's  Life  of  Justification. 
 
 Sixth  Edition.     Crown  %vo.    4J.  6rf. 
 
 The  Life  of  Justification.     A  Series  of  Lectures  delivered  in 
 substance  at  All  Saints',  Margaret  Street. 
 
 By  the  Rev.  George  Body,  M.A., 
 
 Canon  of  Durham. 
 
 (JTontenta. 
 Justification  the  Want  of  Humanity — Christ  our  Justification — Union  with 
 Christ  the  Condition  of  Justification — Conversion  and  Justification — The  Life  of 
 Justification — The  Progress  and  End  of  Justification. 
 
 Hutchings's  Mystery  of  the  Temptation. 
 
 Crown  Svo.     4s.  6d. 
 
 The  Mystery  of  the  Temptation  :  a  Course  of  Lectures, 
 By  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Hutchings,  M.A., 
 
 Rector  ofKirkby  Misperton,  Yorkshire. 
 
 dDtttents. 
 The  Entrance  into  the  Temptation— The  Fast— The  Personality  of  Satan— The 
 First  Temptation— The  Second  Temptation— The  Third  Temptation— The  End 
 of  the  Temptation. 
 
 The  Treasury  of  Devotion. 
 
 Fourteenth  Edition.    iSmo,  2s.  6d, ;  Cloth  limp,  7.s.  ;  or  bound  with  the 
 Book  of  Common  Prayer,  3^.  6^. 
 
 The  Treasury  of  Devotion  :  a  Manual  of  Prayers  for  General  and 
 Daily  Use. 
 
 Compiled  by  a  Priest. 
 Edited  by  the  Rev.  T.  T.  Carter,  M.A. 
 
 A  Iso  an  Edition  in  Large  Type.    Crown  Zvo.    5*. 
 
 IEatet{0o  l^lace,  ilonnon. 
 
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 The  Star  of  Childhood. 
 
 Fourth  Edition.    Royal  i6mo.    2s.  6d. 
 
 The  Star  of  Childhood  :  a  First  Book  of  Prayers  and  Instruction 
 for  Children. 
 
 Compiled  by  a  Priest. 
 
 Edited  by  the  Rev.  T.  T.  Carter,  M.A. 
 
 IVith  Illustrations  after  Fra  Angelica. 
 
 The  Guide  to  Heaven. 
 
 New  Edition.     \%mo.     is.  6d. ;  Cloth  limp,  is. 
 
 The  Guide  to  Heaven  :  a  Book  of  Prayers  for  every  Want.     For 
 the  Working  Classes. 
 
 Compiled  by  a  Priest. 
 Edited  by  the  Rev.  T.  T.  Carter,  M.A. 
 
 An  Edition  in  Large  Type.    Crown  8vo.     is.  6d.:  Cloth  limp,  is, 
 
 Lear's  For  Days  and  Years. 
 
 New  Edition.     i6mo.    2s.  6d. 
 
 For  Days  and  Years.    A  Book  containing  a  Text,  Short  Reading, 
 
 and  Hymn  for  Every  Day  in  the  Church's  Year. 
 
 Selected  by  H.  L.  Sidney  Lear. 
 
 Also  a  Cheap  Edition.     yzm.o,  is.;  or  Cloth  gilt,  is.  6d. 
 
 Williams  on  the  Epistles  and  Gospels. 
 
 New  Edition.     Two  Vols.     Crown  Zvo.     $5.  each. 
 Sold  separately. 
 
 Sermons  on  the  Epistles  and  Gospels  for  the  Sundays 
 AND  Holy  Days  throughout  the  Year. 
 
 By  the  Rev.  Isaac  Williams,  B.D., 
 
 Author  of  a  '  Devotional  Commentary  on  the  Gospel  Narrative.' 
 
OF  RECENT  PUBLICATIONS. 
 
 Moberly's  Plain  Sermons. 
 
 New  Edition.     Crown  %vo.     5J. 
 
 Plain  Sermons,  Preached  at  Brighstone. 
 By  George  Moberly,  D.C.L., 
 
 Late  Bishop  of  Salisbury. 
 
 (ZTontntta. 
 
 Except  a  man  be  bom  again — The  Lord  with  the  Doctors — The  Draw-Net — I 
 will  lay  me  down  in  peace — Ye  have  not  so  learned  Christ — Trinity  Sunday — 
 My  Flesh  is  Meat  indeed — The  Corn  of  Wheat  dying  and  multiplied — The  Seed 
 Com  springing  to  new  life — I  am  the  Way,  the  Truth,  and  the  Life — The  Ruler 
 of  the  Sea— Stewards  of  the  Mysteries  of  God— Ephphatha— The  Widow  of 
 Nain — Josiah's  discovery  of  the  Law — The  Invisible  World  :  Angels — Prayers, 
 especially  Daily  Prayers — They  all  with  one  consent  began  to  make  excuse — 
 Ascension  Day — The  Comforter — The  Tokens  of  the  Spirit — Elijah's  Warning, 
 Fathers  and  Children — Thou  shalt  see  them  no  more  for  ever — Baskets  full  of 
 fragments— Harvest— The  Marriage  Supper  of  the  Lamb — The  Last  Judgment. 
 
 Lear's  Precious  Stones. 
 
 Three  Vols.    yzmo.     is.  each  ;  or  in  Paper  Covers,  6d.  each. 
 
 Precious  Stones,  collected  by  H.  L.  Sidney  Lear. 
 
 L  PEARLS— GRACE, 
 n.  RUBIES— NATURE. 
 III.  DIAMONDS— ART. 
 
 A  Iso  a  Superior  Edition,  i6mo,  with  Red  Borders,  2s.  each. 
 
 '  Diamonds  contains  extracts  having  re-  Kempls,    Bishop   Jeremy    Taylor,    Faber, 
 
 ference  to  Art.     Many  will  appreciate  the  Newman,  Emerson,  while  one  or  two  reflec- 
 
 beautiful  passages  from  Ruskin ;    and  the  tions  fraught  with  practical  wisdom   have 
 
 carefully  chosen  thoughts  from  the  writings  been  gathered  from  Lord  Chesterfield.   The 
 
 of  Newman,   Faber,   and   Sir  Joshua   Rey-  collection  called  Rubies  contains  reflections 
 
 nolds   will  give    pleasure.      An    undercur-  on   Nature  from   S.   Augustine,  S.    Francis 
 
 rent   of  devotional   feeling  has  guided  the  de  Sales,  and  S.  Gregory,  besides  extracts 
 
 choice  of  these  extracts.     In  Pearls    the  from  Ruskin,  Neale,  Hugh  Macmillan,  and 
 
 compiler  has  taken  a  wider   range.     We  Charles  Kingsley.'— TiwiM. 
 find  valuable  meditations   from  Thomas  ei 
 
 An  Edition  complete  in  One  Volume,  i6mo,  with  Red  Borders,  3J.  6d. 
 
 SBatecIoo  place,  Eonnon. 
 
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 Half-a-Crown  Editions  of  Devotional 
 Works. 
 
 New  and  Uniform  Editions. 
 Seven  Vols.     i6mo.    2s.6d.each.    Sold  separately. 
 
 Half-a-Crown  Editions  of  Devotional  Works. 
 Edited  by  the  Author  of  '  The  Life  of  S.  Francis  de  Sales. 
 
 SPIRITUAL  LETTERS  TO  MEN.    By  Archbishop  F6nelon. 
 
 spiritual  letters  to  women.    By  Archbishop  F^nelon. 
 
 A  SELECTION  FROM  THE  SPIRITUAL  LETTERS  OF  S.  FRANCIS 
 
 DE  SALES,  BISHOP  AND  PRINCE  OF  GENEVA. 
 THE  SPIRIT  OF  S.  FRANCIS  DE   SALES,  BISHOP  AND  PRINCE 
 
 OF  GENEVA. 
 THE  HIDDEN  LIFE  OF  THE  SOUL. 
 THE  LIGHT  OF  THE  CONSCIENCE.    With  an  Introduction  by  the 
 
 Rev.  T.  T.  Carter,  M.A. 
 SELF-RENUNCIATION.    From  the  French.    With  an  Introduction  by  the 
 
 Rev.  T.  T.  Carter,  M.A. 
 
 Lear's  Weariness. 
 
 Large  Type.    Fourth  Edition.    Small  Zvo.     5^ . 
 
 Weariness.    A  Book  for  the  Languid  and  Lonely. 
 
 By  H.  L.  Sidney  Lear, 
 
 Author  of  '  For  Days  and  Years,' '  Christian  Biographies,'  etc.,  etc. 
 
 Holland's  Good  Friday  Addresses. 
 
 Small  Svo.     2s. 
 
 Good  Friday  :  being  Addresses  on  the  Seven  Last  Words,  delivered 
 at  S.  Paul's  Cathedral,  on  Good  Friday  1884. 
 
 By  the  Rev.  H.  S.  Holland,  M.A., 
 
 Canon  Residentiary  o/S.  Paul's,  and  Senior  Student  0/ Christ 
 Church,  Oxford. 
 
 IBaterloo  place,  Honoon. 
 
OF  RECENT  P  UBLICA  TIONS.  29 
 
 Lear's  Christian  Biographies. 
 
 Eight  Vols.     Crown  Svo.    3s.  6d.  each.    Sold  separately. 
 
 Christian  Biographies. 
 
 By  H.  L.  Sidney  Lear. 
 
 MADAME  LOUISE  DE  FRANCE,  Daughter  of  Louis  xv.,  known  also 
 
 as  the  Mother  Terese  de  S.  Augustin. 
 A  DOMINICAN  A.RTIST:  a  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  the  Rev.  Pere  Besson,  of 
 
 the  Order  of  S.  Dominic 
 HENRI  PERREYVE.     By  A.  Gratrv.     Translated  by  special  permission. 
 
 With  Portrait. 
 S.  FRANCIS  DE  SALES,  Bishop  and  Prince  of  Geneva. 
 THE    REVIVAL  OF    PRIESTLY   LIFE   IN   THE  SEVENTEENTH 
 
 CENTURY  IN  FRANCE.      Charles  de  Condren— S.  Philip  Neri  and 
 
 Cardinal  de  Berulle— S.  Vincent  de  Paul— Saint  Sulpice  and  Jean  Jacques 
 
 Olier. 
 A    CHRISTIAN    PAINTER    OF   THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY: 
 
 being  the  Life  of  Hippolyte  Flandrin. 
 BOSSUET  AND  HIS  CONTEMPORARIES. 
 FENELON,  ARCHBISHOP  OF  CAMBRAL 
 
 Crake's  Church  History. 
 
 New  Edition.    Crown  Svo.    7s.  6d. 
 
 History  of  the  Church  under  the  Roman  Empire,  a.d.  30-476. 
 By  ttie  Rev.  A.  D.  Crake,  B.A. 
 
 Crake's  Edwy  the  Fair. 
 
 Fifth  Edition.     Crown  Zvo.    ^s.  dd.. 
 
 Edwy  the  Fair  ;  or.  The  First  Chronicle  of  .(Escendune. 
 A  Tale  of  the  Days  of  S.  Dunstan. 
 By  the  Rev.  A.  D.  Crake,  B.A., 
 
 Author  of  the  '  Hiitory  of  the  Church  under  the  Ro7nan  Empire.'  etc.,  etc. 
 
 CKatcrloo  Place,  iLonUoti. 
 
30  RIVINGTON'S  SELECT  LIST 
 
 Crake's  Alfgar  the  Dane. 
 
 Fourth  Edition.     Crown  Zvo.     3J.  6d. 
 
 Alfgar  the  Dane  ;  or,  The  Second  Chronicle  of  ^Escendune, 
 A  Tale. 
 
 By  the  Rev.  A.  D.  Crake,  B.A., 
 
 Author  of  the  '  History  of  the  Church  under  the  Roman  Empire,'  etc.,  etc. 
 
 Crake's  Rival  Heirs. 
 
 Crown  Zvo.     3J.  td. 
 
 The  Rival  Heirs  ;  Being  the  Third  and  Last  Chronicle 
 of  -^scendune. 
 
 By  the  Rev.  A.  D.  Crake,  B.A., 
 
 Author  of 'History  of  the  Church  under  the  Roman  Empire'  etc.,  etc. 
 
 Liddon's  University  Sermons  (First 
 Series). 
 
 Eighth  Edition.     Crown  Svo.     5s. 
 
 Sermons  Preached  before  the  University  of  Oxford. 
 First  Series,  1859-1868. 
 
 By  Henry  Parry  Liddon,  D.D.,  D.C.L., 
 
 Cation  of  S.  Paul's. 
 
 (lontenta. 
 
 God  and  the  Soul — The  Law  of  Progress — The  Honour  of  Humanity — The 
 Freedom  of  the  Spirit — Immortality — Humility  and  Action — The  Conflict  of 
 Faith  with  undue  Exaltation  of  Intellect — Lessons  of  the  Holy  Manger — The 
 Divine  Victim — The  Risen  Life — Our  Lord's  Ascension,  the  Church's  Gain — 
 Faith  in  a  Holy  Ghost — The  Divine  Indwelling  a  Motive  to  Holiness. 
 
 tHaterloo  Place,  HonDou. 
 
OF  RECENT  PUBLIC  A  TIONS. 
 
 Liddon's  University  Sermons  (Second 
 Series). 
 
 Third  Edition.     Crown  Zvo.     ss. 
 
 Sermons  Preached  before  the  University  of  Oxford. 
 Second  Series,  1868-1882. 
 
 By  Henry  Parry  Liddon,  D.D.,  D.C.ti., 
 
 Canon  ofS.  Paul's. 
 
 {Contents. 
 Prejudice  and  Experience — Humility  and  Truth — Import  of  Faith  in  a  Creator 
 — Worth  of  Faith  in  a  Life  to  Come — Influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit — Growth  in 
 the  Apprehension  of  Truth — The  Life  of  Faith  and  the  Athanasian  Creed — 
 Christ's  Service  and  Public  Opinion — Christ  in  the  Storm — Sacerdotalism — The 
 Prophecy  of  the  Magnificat— The  Fall  of  Jericho— The  Courage  of  Faith— The 
 Curse  of  Meroz — The  Gospel  and  the  Poor — Christ  and  Human  Law — The  Cure 
 of  Low  Spirits — The  Sight  of  the  Invisible. 
 
 Liddon's  Bampton  Lectures. 
 
 Eleventh  Edition,  revised.     Crown  %vo.     5J. 
 
 The  Divinity  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  ;  being 
 the  Bampton  Lectures  for  1866. 
 
 By  Henry  Parry  Liddon,  D.D.,  D.C.L., 
 
 Canon  o/S.  PattPst 
 
 Maxims  from  Keble. 
 
 Crown  idmo.     7.x. 
 
 Maxims  and  Gleanings  from  the  Writings  of  John  Keble,  M.A. 
 
 Author  of  •  The  Christian  Year.' 
 
 Selected  and  arranged  for  Daily  Use  by  C.  M.  S., 
 
 Compiler  of  'Daily  Gleanin£S  of  the  Saintly  Life,'  '  Under  the  Cross,'  etc. 
 
 With  an  Introduction  by  the  Rev.  M.  F.  Sadler, 
 
 Prebendary  of  IVells,  and  Rector  of  Honiton. 
 
 lEamloo  Iplace,  JLonnon. 
 
RIVINGTOirS  SELECT  LIST. 
 
 Wakeman's  History  of  Religion. 
 
 Small  8vo.     is.  6d, 
 
 The  History  of  Religion  in  England. 
 By  H.  O.  Wakeman,  M.A., 
 
 Fellow  of  All  Souls'  College,  Bursar,  and  Tutor  of  Keble  College,  Oxford. 
 
 Medd's  Bampton  Lectures. 
 
 The  One  Mediator.  The  Operation  of  the  Son  of  God  in  Nature 
 and  in  Grace.  Eight  Lectures  deHvered  before  the  University  of 
 Oxford  in  the  year  1882,  on  the  Foundation  of  the  late  Rev.  John 
 Bampton,  M.A.,  Canon  of  Sahsbury. 
 
 By  Peter  Goldsmith  Medd,  M.A., 
 
 Rector  of  North  Cerney  ;  Hon.  Canon  ofS.  Alban's,  ajid  Examining 
 
 Chaplain  to  the  Bishop  ;  late  Rector  of  Barnes  ;  Formerly 
 
 Fellow  and  Tutor  of  University  College,  Oxford. 
 
 Pusey's  Private  Prayers. 
 
 Second  Edition.     Royal  ■^2}no.     2s.  6d. 
 
 Private  Prayers. 
 
 By  the  Rev.  E.  B.  Pusey,  D.D. 
 Edited,  with  a  Preface,  by  H.  P.  Liddon,  D.D., 
 
 Canon  ofS.  Paul's.  . 
 
 / 
 
 Selections  from  Neale. 
 
 Cro7vu  Zvo.     3J.  6d. 
 
 Selections  from  the  Writings  of  John  Mason  Neale,  D.D. 
 
 Late  Warden  of  Sackville  College. 
 
 CCIatcrloo  place,  HonDon. 
 
 6456  771    251 
 
 n-je-00  32180    rs  |l 
 
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Princeton  Theological  Seminar* .Li^gfi" 
 
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