~~ .Tsity of California. SELECTION to tJ?e >eaison0 of te . Parochial and Plain Sermons. Edited by the 1 Cor ELAND, B. D., Rector of Farnhmro, K I VINGTONS London, $Eforft, anD SELECTION jatrapteti to tlje >ea AM/O.Y /'// (Epiphany.) REMEMBRANCE or PAST MERCIES. i am not toorthp of the Utst of all ibr mmus, and of all Ibr tndfi. ) Cbou but tbotoro unto Cb| lUL Owe. uuiit. to (Eplphan lUjt4cf.ntbfl^Tlaltoaj,anlafainIa|, Bijttff.-riut M 4 . 6, (Epiphany.) TIP WI)ttibalUmanp^f mrxt ban gr for fjts ioulf-M .6 .70 Contents. xi SERMON X. (Epiphany.) CHRISTIAN MANHOOD. 31 bias a cfjito, 31 spafte as a rfjito, 31 unHerstoofc as a cfn'la, 31 tf)0ugf)t as a cjjilo ; but fojjm 31 became a man, 31 put afoag cJjiloisfj tfjtngs. i COR. xiii. ii . . . / . \ .78 SERMON XI. (Epiphany.) - SINCERITY AND HYPOCRISY. H tfjere be first a drilling mint!, it fs accepted according t0 tfjat a man fyatfj, anil not accorljing to tfjat fje fjatfj not. 2 COR. viii. 12 .87 SERMON XI I. (Epiphany.) CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY. JFar berilg |e taak not on gim tfje nature of angels, but pje took on pjim tfjeseeU of ^brafjam. HEB. ii. 16 ..... 96 SERMON XIII. (Septuagesima.) PRESENT BLESSINGS. 31 fjabe all, anti abound : 31 am full. PHIL. iv. 18 . . . 104 SERMON XIV. (Sexagesima.) ENDURANCE, THE CHRISTIAN'S PORTION. all tfjese things are against me, GEN, xlii. 36 . . . .113 xii Contents. SERMON XV. (Qulnquagesinuu) LOVE, THE ONE THING NEED* MM Chotiff) I speak toitb thr tongues oC mm antt of angels, an* Ijibr not chinip. E am become as sounomg brass, or a tinkling esmtaL t ; SERMON -VIA (Lent.) THE iNMvn.t AI ITY or THE SOUL. Che spirit shall return unto 600, toho gabr it. ECCLES. \i - . 132 SERMON XI //. (Lent.) I.IM IHK SEASON or REPENTANCE. flnl tobrn EMU brarv the toorta of hts fithrr. hr rnrb toith a fmt ani r i;rr Ding btttrr rrp, ant utD unto hts father, i3lro mr. rorn me also. m| fat^tr. GEN. *xvit. 34 SERMON XVIII. (Lo Bonn N i to up that tohich if brbm* of thr affluiioni of Christ in mp flesh for ftts boop'i salu, tohteh is the Chure^.-CuL. L 24 . ' ; s SER.MOX MX. 'I' i MIS or CHRIST AT THE GRAVE or LAZARUS. Jesus sail, 8B)m hate re laid him? the? safe unto I)tm. lord, eome ant set. Jesas torpt. rfjrn said the Jetos, ISrholD hoto ftr loort hisj.-JoHii xL 34-3^ Contents. xiii SERMON XX. (Lent.) CHRIST'S PRIVATIONS A MEDITATION FOR CHRISTIANS. PAGE ge knoto tfje grace of our 3Lorfc 3esus (Jurist, tfjat, tfjougfj |e &jas ricfj, get for gour sakes |e became poor, tfjat ge tfyrougfj J^ts pofcertg migfjt be ricfj, 2 COR. viii. 9 166 SERMON XXL (Lent.) THE CROSS OF CHRIST THE MEASURE OF THE WORLD. Into 31, if 31 be ItftcU up from tfjc eartfj, bill Urafo all men unto He. JOHN xii. 32 175 SERMON XXII. (Good Friday.) THE CRUCIFIXION. ge frag oppressed, antJ J^e bas afHictctJ, get p^e opencfc not Jgts mout^ ; Je is brought as a lamb to tfj? slaughter, antJ as a sfycep before f)er sfjcams is tjumb, so p^c opened) not |is mouttj, ISA. liii. 7 .182 SERMON XXIII. (Easter Day.) KEEPING FAST AND FESTIVAL. & time to beep, an& a time to lattgfj : a time to mourn, anU a time to tfancc. ECCLES. iii. 4 189 SERMON XXIV. (Easter Tide.) WITNESSES OF THE RESURRECTION. Jgim (5otr raiseti up tftc tfjirtr oag, antJ s^oiueti ?im openlg ; not to all tfje people, but unto Witnesses chosen before of &oo, eben to us fefto into eat an5 Urink iuit^ f^im after %e rose from tfje tieaU. ACTS x. 40, 41 196 xv SERMON A (Easter Tide.) A PARTICULAR PROVIDENCE AS REVEA m ,. Goo ifrst mr. (*r.N iA4 SERMON XXVI. (Easter Tide.) CHRIST MANIFESTED IN REMEMBRANCE. shall glonfp fflf. J"H\ xvi i : JTJTf 77. (Easter Tide.) TH tor look not at thr things tohtfh art trrn. but at thf things tohirh for thr things tohich arr tern .ur trmporal, but the things tohrh arr not srrn arr rtrrnal. - <>K. tv. 18 . SERMON X\\ 111. (Easter Tide.) \\ toho trstifirth thrsr things, with, 5urrlp E romr quifklp. Iwm. Eorn 10, romr, lord Jesus. JO -'; ' tension.) N OK Vh I" thfi? toonhtpprd >im. and rrtutnro to 3ausalim teith grrat jof : ano torrr contmuallu in thr *mplr. praising an! blcmtf Sol. ^44 Contents. xv SERMON XXX. (Sunday after Ascension.) RISING WITH CHRIST. ge tfjen be risen foitfj CTfjrtst, seek tfyose tfjings fofn'cfj are abobe, fofjere (fjrist stttetf) on tfje rigfjt fjanli 0f (5oo* .Set gour affretion on tfjings abobe, not on things on tfje eartfj, jfor ge are oeatj, anU gour life is ijttJ biitfj ^Tfjrist tn 00* COL. iii. 1-3 . . . 252 SERMON XXXI. (Whitsunday.) THE WEAPONS OF SAINTS. tfjat are first sfjali be last, anti tfje last sfjall be first. MATT. xix. 30 260 SERMON xxxii. (Trinity Sunday.) THE MYSTERIOUSNESS OF OUR PRESENT BEING. H bjtll praise Ef)ee, for E am fearfttllg ana foanoerfullg mane ; marbel^ lous are 2Tf)g biorks, anti tfjat mg soul knobjcti) rigfjt biell. PSALM cxxxix. 14 269 SERMON XXXIII. (Sundays after Trinity.) HOLINESS NECESSARY FOR FUTURE BLESSEDNESS. Holiness, foitfjottt fofytcfj no man sfjall see tfje HorU. HEB. xii. 14 . 277 SERMON XXXIV. (Sundays after Trinity.) -THE RELIGIOUS USE OF EXCITED FEELINGS. &fje man out of fofjom tfje oebils foere cepartetJ besought ?im tfjat fje inigijt be bitfj 5tm ; but Jestis sent fjtm abiag, sagtng, Return to tfjine objn fjouse, ann sfjob fjofo great things roo ^atf) oone unto t^ce. LUKE viii. 38, 39 286 xvi Contents. SERMON XXXV. (Sundays after Trinity.) MOT Lrt no mm drrnbr htmsrlf. if inf man among pou smnrth to br totsr in this tooriD. Irt htm brtonu Cool, that hr map br tour, /or thr totsoom or this toorlfi ts foolishnrsi toith 600. /or it is tontttn, ftr takrth thr toisr in thru oton rraftinrs*. i COR. iii. 18, 19 . 293 SERMON -V.V.V/7. (Sundays after Trinity.) SCRIPTURK A RECORD or HUMAN SORROW. hrrr is at Jrrusalrm bo thr shrrpnurkrt a pool, tohuh is nllro in thr JUrbrrtu tonfur ttrthrsoa. habmg fior porrhrs. En thrsr lap. a grrat multttuCr of impotrnt folk, of blmo, halt, toithruB, toaitmg for thr motJing of thr toatrr. . 302 SERMOX .V.V.VI7A (Sundays after Trinity.) DANGER or Rn nUr onto DOU that arr rich ! for pr hatr rrcribro pour ronsolatum. I vi. 24 . 309 SERMON XXXVIIL (Sundays after Trinity.) OBEDIENCE WITHOUT Lovi i. \RACTER Chr tooro that Goo puttrth in mp mouth, that shall E sprak. NUMB. ^ SEKM< /.V. (Sundays after Trinity.) M.IKAI NS. Br surr pour sin tutll fino POU out. NIMH, xxxii. 23 ... 331 Contents. xvii SERMON XL. (Sundays after Trinity.) THE GREATNESS AND LITTLENESS OF HUMAN LIFE. e tmgs of tfje gears of mg pilgrimage are an fjunorefc ano tfjirtg gears : febi anti ebil fjabe tfje fcags of tfje gears of mg life been ; anti fjabe not attained unto tfje oags of tfje gears of tfje life of mg fathers, in tfje Dags of tfjeir pilgrimage, GEN. xlvii. 9 .... 341 SERMON XLI. (Sundays after Trinity.) MORAL EFFECTS OF COMMUNION WITH GOD. ing fjabe 31 oesireti of tfje Eoro, bjfjicfj bjtll require; ebent^at C mag ofcrell in trje fjouse of trje 3Loro all tfje Bags of mg life, to befjolo tfje fair beautg of tfje ILoro, anti to bisit pjis temple. PSALM xxvii. 4 349 SERMON XLI I. (Sundays after Trinity.) THE THOUGHT OF GOD THE STAY OF THE SOUL. ge Ijabe not receibctJ tfje spirit of bonoage again to fear, but ge fjabe receibeto tfje .Spirit of adoption, fofjerebg be erg, ^ibba, JFatfjer. ROM. viii. 15 358 SERMON XLI I I. (Sundays after Trinity.) THE POWER OF THE WILL. jFinallg, mg brethren, be strong in tfje ILorti, anti in tfje pofoer of fis migfjt EPHES. vi. 10 . . . . . . . 367 SERMON XLIV. (Sundays after Trinity.) THE GOSPEL PALACES. $e built gis sanctuarg like fjigfj palaces, like tfje eartfj bfjicfr W fjat^ established for eber. PSALM Ixxviii. 69 . . . . 377 xviii Contents. SERMt (Sundays after Ti RELIGION A WI.ARIXISS TO TIU NAU KAI M JMr bath no form nor romrlmn ; ano tobrn tor shall sec Kim. ihrn elf=liemal tlje tot of IReKfffoug /zz^yJ time to awake out of sleep " ROM. xiii. n. BY "sleep," in this passage, St. Paul means a state of insensibility to things as they really are in God's sight. When we are asleep, we are absent from this world's action, as if we were no longer concerned in it. It goes on without us, or, if our rest be broken, and we have some slight notion of people and occurrences about us, if we hear a voice or a sentence, and see a face, yet we are unable to catch these external objects justly and truly ; we make them part of our dreams, and pervert . them till they have scarcely a resemblance to what they really are ; and such is the state of men as regards religious truth. God is ever Almighty and All-knowing. He is on His throne in heaven, trying the reins and the hearts ; and Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, is on His right hand; and ten thousand Angels and Saints are ministering to Him, rapt in the con- templation of Him, or by their errands of mercy connecting this lower world with His courts above ; they go to and fro, as though upon the ladder which Jacob saw. And the disclosure of this glorious invisible world is made to us principally by means of the Bible, partly by the course of nature, partly by the floating opinions of mankind, partly by the suggestions of the heart and conscience ; and all these means of information con- cerning it are collected and combined by the Holy Church, which heralds the news forth to the whole earth, and applies it with power to individual minds, partly by direct instruction, partly by her very form and fashion, which witnesses to them ; so that the truths of reliion circulate throuh the world almost as the Self-denial the Test light of day, every corner and meat having aome portion of )CMM| ray*. Such in the atate of a Christian country. Meanwhile, bo* i it with thane who dwell in it f Th. ..nls of the text remind n* of th.-ir r..nn. They are u lnl- the minister* ng the armon .1 all Oi mak of Him. they "wul -ly. an itt th< day." Many live altogether a though the day shone not on them. the shadow* still endured; and far the greater part of them are but very faintly sensible of the great truths preached amun.i them. They see and bear aa people in a dream; tin <;..! with th-, r .. .'.191; if startled for a moment, till they soon relapse into slumber; they refuse I awakened, an* I think their happiness consist** as they are. do not f ni\ liivthn u. that are in the sound slumber of -m Th arable state, whu 1 . hope wa M r..mliti..ii ..f i. w men, at least in a place like this. But, allowing tin-. v t there is great reasnn for fearing that very many of you are not wide awake : that though your dream* are disturbed, yet dreams they are ; and that the view of religi- \-\ think to be a true one, is not that vision of the Truth which yon would see were your eyes open, but such a vague, defective, extravagant as a man sees when he is asleep. At all events however this may will be useful (plea**. you ask yourselves, one by one, the quest I am in the right way T / foot* that 1 have real faith, and am '^instances of these times render it very diffico) answer this question. When the world waa against Cl it was comparatively easy. one sen* now for not mean there are not mri-ul-nt. lawless men, who would bring all things into confusion, if th.-y mtild ; who hate religion, and would overturn every established institution which proceeds from, or is connected with it Dotibtlenn there are very many anch, but from such men religion has u fear. The truth baa ever flourished and strengthened under sedition. But what we have to fear is the opposite fact, that all the rank, and the utaticm, and the intelligence, and the opulence <>f th< .. )>rofeseedly with religt* have cause to fear fn.m the very circumstance that the institution! of .-;..:...: :-:.-' - - v ;, -i, . : : _ ,. n . , bey who so baaed them! Miserable is the x h lies upon those who have attempted, and partly of Religious Earnestness. 3 succeeded, in shaking that holy foundation ! But it often happens that our most bitter are not our most dangerous enemies ; on the other hand, greatest blessings are the most serious temp- tations to the unwary. And our danger, at present, is this, that a man's having a general character for religion, reverencing the Gospel and professing it, and to a certain point obeying it, so fully promotes his temporal interests, that it is difficult for him to make out for himself whether he really acts on faith, or from a desire of this world's advantages. It is difficult to find tests which may bring home the truth to his mind, and probe his heart after the manner of Him who, from His throne above, tries it with an Almighty Wisdom. It can scarcely be denied that attention to their religious duties is becoming a fashion among large portions of the community, so large, that, to many in- dividuals, these portions are in fact the world. We are, every now and then, surprised to find persons to be in the observance of family prayer, of reading Scripture, or of Holy Communion, of whom we should not have expected beforehand such a profes- sion of faith ; or we hear them avowing the high evangelical truths of the New Testament, and countenancing those who maintain them. All this brings it about, that it is our interest in this world to profess to be Christ's disciples. And further than this, it is necessary to remark, that, in spite of this general profession of zeal for the Gospel among all respect- able persons at this day, nevertheless there is reason for fearing, that it is not altogether the real Gospel that they are zealous for. Doubtless we have cause to be thankful whenever we see persons earnest in the various ways I have mentioned. Yet, somehow, after all, there is reason for being dissatisfied with the char- acter of the religion of the day; dissatisfied, first, because oftentimes these same persons are very inconsistent ; often, for instance, talk irreverently and profanely, ridicule or slight things sacred, speak against the Holy Church, or against the blessed Saints of early times, or even against the favoured servants of God, set before us in Scripture ; or act with the world and the worse sort of men, even when they do not speak like them ; attend to them more than to the ministers of God, or are very lukewarm, lax, and unscrupulous in matters of con- duct, so much so, that they seem hardly to go by principle, but by what is merely expedient and convenient. And then again, putting aside our judgment of these men as individuals, and thinking of them as well as we can (which of course it is our duty to do), yet, after all, taking merely the multitude of them as a 4 Sclj'dtnial ///e 7 MII of a state of things, I own I am suspicious of any religion that is a people's religion, or an age's religion. Our Saviour say*, " Narrow the way." This, of course, must not be interpreted without great caution ; yet sun mle tenor of the Inspired Volume leads us to believe that Hi* Truth will )>e heart -d by the many, that it u against itnan feeling and opit the course of the irld. and -o far forth a* it M received by a man, will be opposed tmiM-lf, i < mains alx..it him. next by all other*. o far forth as they have not receiv The in durkncmi" in the token of true religion; and, though doubtless there are seasons when a sudden enthusiasm uriiw ,r of tli. n the in whose 94 light ih.- .i.wn "were willing for a season I'rtce," 1 so an even "to be baptised of him, confessing tin ir Mas"'), yet such a popularity of the Truth is /,*/ sudden, comes at once and goes at once, has no regular growth, n* *tay. error alone which grows and is received heartily on a huge cab. St Paul has * warning agai tri N ing it will ever be heartily accepted, whatever show there may : a general profeMion of it. in hi, Ut Kpi^i,-. uhore he tells thy, among other sad prophecies, ;i men and neduct r- Oiull wax worse and wonc, ioed, has that r in it. that it forces men to profess it n. i-ut when they go on to act, instead of obeying tl, they substitute some in the place of it < >u these accounta, when there is mu.-h talk of religion in a country, and much congratnl.itii< reasons* because you are in danger of doing nuht ftom motifs , texty because you may, perchance, be cheated of the of Religious Earnestness. 5 Truth, by some ingenuity which the world puts, like counterfeit coin, in the place of the Truth. Some, indeed, of those who now hear me, are in situations where they are almost shielded from the world's influence, what- ever it is. There are persons so happily placed as to have reli- gious superiors, who direct them to what is good only, and who are kind to them, as well as pious towards God. This is their happiness, and they must thank God for the gift ; but it is their temptation too. At least they are under one of the two tempta- tions just mentioned ; good behaviour is, in their case, not only a matter of duty, but of interest. If they obey God, they gain praise from men as well as from Him ; so that it is very difficult for them to know whether they do right for conscience' sake, or for the world's sake. Thus, whether in private families, or in the world, in all the ranks of middle life, men lie under a con- siderable danger at this day, a more than ordinary danger, of self- deception, of being asleep while they think themselves awake. How then shall we try ourselves 1 Can any tests be named which will bring certainty to our minds on the subject 1 No indisputable tests can be given. We cannot know for certain. We must beware of an impatience about knowing what our real state is. St. Paul himself did not know till the last days of his life (as far as we know), that he was one of God's elect who shall never perish. He said, " I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified ; "* i.e. though I am not conscious to myself of neglect of duty, yet am I not therefore confident of my accept- ance 1 Judge nothing before the time. Accordingly he says in another place, " I keep under my body, and bring it into subjec- tion, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." 2 And yet though this absolute certainty of our election unto glory be unattainable, and the desire to obtain it an impatience which ill befits sinners, never- theless a comfortable hope, a sober and subdued belief that God has pardoned and justified us for Christ's sake (blessed be His Name !), is attainable, according to St. John's words, " If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." 3 And the question is, How are we to attain to this, under the cir- cumstances in which we are placed ? In what does it consist 1 Were we in a heathen land (as I said just now) it were easy to answer. The very profession of the Gospel would almost bring evidence of true faith, as far as we could have evidence ; for such profession among Pagans is almost sure to involve per- 1 1 Cor. iv. 4. * 1 Cor. ix. 27. 3 1 John iii. 21. 6 Self denial tilt 7 II.! . : ? :i that the Epbtfesare so fall of expressions Jwum and in the exulting hope of *al vation. nn.-ht they be confident who bad suffer* illation nee, and patience experience, and experience hope." 1 "Henceforth I* bear in \ the mark* of tl>< Always bearing abort in tfcs I -!> the dying of t) -us; Urn? *> of Jmtw might be made manifest in -nr 1- hope of you i* stedfast, knowing that as ye are partaken of Mtffering, ao aball ye be abo of the ooniolati I hese and testa belong to those only who have witness* truth like the early Christiana. They are beyond i u eertmin ; yet since the nature of < it .h.l an evidence of * -\ cannot indeed make ounelvea as sure of IM- mnnUr of God's true servants as the 'y the same \ the evidence - ..."/. ulr..h we can give still Reflect np deckr Whoaoever will eume a m .l-n\ him iiid take up hi* . i. a: mn come . UH! hate not r and mother, ami wife, and . h:l.ii.-n. and sinteti, yea, and In-. -.ui hft- abo, he cannot beM Aul >*h * -\T i.th n..t U-.r In-* cross h> hand offend thee, ct i !!". i,.'l th..-. mt / if thine eye offend thee. plmk it mit tbee !i one eye than t<> be cant II,- mpting t h |MMgesas these. loss cannot be ttndenitood without . fulness of grace " in. h i* possessed by very few men, yet at least we learn : Jr.- in tli'in. that a i . roiin M*lf tlelital b a . that it may be considered the tost whether we are n-r we arv u a mere drmin. wlurh we mistake fr M.n-t- nd obedience, or are really and awake, alivr. h\n day, on our road heavenwards, -nt thn.uji iU in thrir very profession of the Gospel ; *4< of Religious Earnestness. 7 profession of the Gospel is not a self-denial ] In what sense do we fulfil the words of Christ *[ have we any distinct notion what is meant by the words " taking up our cross " 1 in what way are we acting, in which we should not act, supposing the Bible and the Church were unknown to this country, and religion, as existing among us, was merely a fashion of this world 1 What are we doing, which we have reason to trust is done for Christ's sake who bought us 1 You know well enough that works are said to be the fruits and evidence of faith. That faith is said to be dead which has them not. Now what works have we to show of such a kind as to give us " confidence," so that we may "not be ashamed before Him at His coming " I 1 In answering this question I observe, first of all, that, accord- ing to Scripture, the self-denial which is the test of our faith must be daily. " If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." 2 It is thus St. Luke records our Saviour's words. Accordingly, it seems that Christian obedience does not consist merely in a few occasional efforts, a few accidental good deeds, or certain seasons of repentance, prayer, and activity ; a mistake, which minds of a certain class are very apt to fall into. This is the kind of obedi- . ence which constitutes what the world calls a great man, i.e. a man who has some noble points, and every now and then acts heroically, so as to astonish and subdue the minds of beholders, but who in private life has no abiding personal religion, who does not regulate his thoughts, words, and deeds, according to the law of God. Again, the word daily implies, that the self- denial which is pleasing to Christ consists in little things. This is plain, for opportunity for great self-denials does not come every day. Thus to take up the Cross of Christ is no great action done once for all, it consists in the continual practice of small duties which are distasteful to us. If, then, a person asks how he is to know whether he is dreaming on in the world's slumber, or is really awake and alive unto God, let him first fix his mind upon some one or other of his besetting infirmities. Every one who is at all in the habit of examining himself, must be conscious of such within him. Many men have more than one, all of us have some one or other ; and in resisting and overcoming such, self-denial has its first employment. One man is indolent and fond of amusement, another man is passionate or ill-tempered, another is vain, another 1 1 John ii. 28. 2 Luke ix. 23. 8 Sel'dfnial tlu / baa little control over his tongue ; others are weak, and cannot resist the ridicule of thoughtless companion*; other* ar> mented with bad pajsionn, .-i uhi.h they are athamed 9 jet are overcome. Now let every one consider what his weak \ that trial is not in those things which are easy to Inm. I ut in that on* .-i those several things, whatever they are, in win. h to .1-. hia duty is against his nature. N think yourself safe because you do your duty hr hundredth which is to be the ground of your self-denial. w i t evidence, or rather instanf* and realise your faith. reference to this you must watch and -y continually f.-r God's grace to help you, and watch i fear and trembling lest yon fall Other men know what these weak points of your character are, they may ike them. But you may know them . \.-u may U-.\s then guesses and hints, and your own observation, and the of tiu* Spirit of God. And "..h. that you may have strength to wrestle with tlu-m and overcome tin-in ! < >h. that \ou may ham the wisdom to care Intl.- for ligton, or th- praise you get ir.-m th- world, and your agreement \\\\\\ what clever men, or powerful men, or many men, make the standard of religion, compared with the secret consciousness that you are obeying c;.-l in Intl.- things as well as mat, in the hundredth as well as in tin ninety-nine! Oh, that you may (as it were) sweep the house diligently to discover what you 1 the full measure of obedience! for be quite sun. that apparently small defect will intlu.-nr.- ><>ur \\li--l.- spirit and judgment in all things. Be quite sure that your judgment of persons, and of events, and of actions, your wards God and man, your faith in th< huh t of the Gospel, and your knowledge of your duty, all d<-|tend in a strange way on t! hole law, on this self-denial in those little things in \\hi.h obedienc self-denial Be not oont ut with a warmth of t.uth carrying you over many obstacles even in your oUdu-ncr, forcing you past ar of men, and the usages of society, and the persuasions <>f interest ; exult not in your experience of God's past mercies, your assurance of what He has already done for your soul, if you are conscious you have neglected the one thing needful. the "!> thmj whi.h thou lackest," daily seh . besides are other modes of nelf-4l.mil to try r nth and sino n?\ . ^ hi, h it may be right junt to mention. iy so happen that th< MM you are moat liable to, is of Religious Earnestness. 9 called forth every day. For instance : anger and passion are irresistible perhaps when they come upon you, but it is only at times that you are provoked, and then you are off your guard ; so that the occasion is over, and you have failed, before you were well aware of its coining. It is right then almost to find out for yourself daily self-denials ; and this because our Lord bids you take up your cross daily, and because it proves your earnestness, and because by doing so you strengthen your general power of self-mastery, and come to have such an habitual com- mand of yourself, as will be a defence ready prepared when the season of temptation comes. Rise up then in the morning with the purpose that (please God) the day shall not pass without its self-denial, with a self-denial in innocent pleasures and tastes, if none occurs to mortify sin. Let your very rising from your bed be a self-denial ; let your meals be self -denials.' Determine to yield, to others in things indifferent, to go out of your way in small matters, to inconvenience yourself (so that no direct duty suffers by it), rather than you should not meet with your daily discipline. This was the Psalmist's method, who was, as it were, " punished all day long, and chastened every morning." 1 It was St. Paul's method, who " kept under," or bruised " his body, and brought it into subjection." 2 This is one great end of fast- ing. A man says to himself, " How am I to know I am in earnest 1" I would suggest to him, Make some sacrifice, do some distasteful thing, which you are not actually obliged to do (so that it be lawful), to bring home to your mind that in fact you do love your Saviour, that you do hate sin, that you do hate your sinful nature, that you have put aside the present world. Thus you will have an evidence (to a certain point) that you are not using mere words. It is easy to make professions, easy to say fine things in speech or in writing, easy to astonish men with truths which they do not know, and sentiments which rise above human nature. " But thou, O servant of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness." Let not your words run on ; force every one of them into action as it goes, and thus, cleansing yourself from all pollution of the flesh and spirit, perfect holiness in the fear of God. In dreams we sometimes move our arms to see if we are awake or not, and so we are awakened. This is the way to keep your heart awake also. Try yourself daily in little deeds, to prove that your faith is more than a deceit. I am aware all this is a hard doctrine ; hard to those even who 1 Psalm Ixxiii. 14. 2 1 Cor. ix. 27. j o / the Test of J\ ss. ament to it. and can describe it moot accurately. There are MU-II iinjM-ii',- it inconsistencies in the heart an.l i even the bett m -n. th.i* l6Otanee moat ever go han- 1 ith <>iir endeavours to olx h we need the grace nt ( % hn,t\ I*|.HN| t. \v.i>h need we the aid A ill \.-u, h-..;,- r.. ii. tut* of iw the ] to belicvr in Him. Meeeedneaa of being one \s u h.. tr. ,:., us earnest ^ if salvation depended on themselves. SERMON II. (ADVENT.) 2Dttune Callgf* ' And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. 77ien Samuel answered, Speak ; for Thy servant heareth." i SAM. iii. 10. IN the narrative of which these words form part, we have a remarkable instance of a Divine call, and the manner in which it is our duty to meet it. Samuel was from a child brought to the house of the Lord ; and in due time he was called to a sacred office, and made a prophet. He was called, and he forthwith answered the call. God said, " Samuel, Samuel." He did not understand at first who called, and what was meant ; but on going to Eli he learned who spoke, and what his answer should be. So when God called again, he said, " Speak, Lord ; for Thy servant heareth." Here is prompt obedience. Very different in its circumstances was St. Paul's call, but resembling Samuel's in this respect, that, when God called, he, too, promptly obeyed. When St. Paul heard the voice from heaven, he said at once, trembling and astonished, " Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do ? " * This same obedient temper of his is stated or implied in the two accounts which he himself gives of his miraculous conversion. In the 22nd chapter he says, " And I said, What shall I do, Lord?" And in the 26th, after telling King Agrippa what the Divine Speaker said to him, he adds what comes to the same thing, " Whereupon, King Agrippa, / was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision." Such is the account given us in St. Paul's case of that first step in God's gracious dealings with him, which ended in his eternal salvation. 1 Acts ix. G. i : Divine Calls. in Hriliil foreknow, Heabo didpredeet 11- -ii'l prede*tinut< . tm-m ll- also called" here wan th . plan- in time "ami uh-.m He called, also justified ; and who -lifted, them He aU> glorified." Su.-h i> .o aerie* s; and you nee that it wan pi.'mpt obedience on St Paul's part \\ln--li .im.--l on th act ! jr.i.-t- into the rtccond, whii-h kn mercy to the secotxi. -Whom H.- -all.-l. th. -m II. aNo ju-tifie4 w \vaacalle*, and go into Damascus; and there it -hill IK- t-M thee of all things which are a] ') r th-- to ^h*-n 1,.- came to Damascus, Ananias was stiit to him ). v th- \\!i. had appeared to him; aii.l !; ran 1 of thi^ \\ li.-ii he came to him. r his call i .tp|earcd for hi* jiMinVat: ! the le>- lit us by St. I'.nil's r. ; ill It we do to God be the i i obey, to ourselves be all th. n ami iinMiff work in ti>. Surh being it.- of the cane, let us take care to act accordingly, being !y thinned lest we shoul M- t.-mplr. y-t n-M'iiiMin^ > ! that for on i Lance of his obedient .t promim-ntly -vm in tl put into hi* month ' lien called by hixim- \ 1. and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel, th. n h, again, i- th ;n wan leaving ha, the * who wa ploughing . -h pawed by him, and cast In* mantle over him." II- did n-t -t ay ; he passed on, and \n.l h. ill. and said, Let m< . I pray thce, kiv father ami n 'ill f"H" th.- j.i"|.|it-t .ill-\\.-.l Intii t do, and after that "he arose and followed i. ami iniiiM.Tfl unto him." i eonaider th. , n. u instance* of the call of Abraham, 1 NN!IM i lie wan calta! from hi* father's .> n.-f t..l.l \shith.-r. 1 \viui bid go to 1 there he was to receive further d In Iik.- manner Al-s ih mi I.-it his home for a land - that I in// how thee/' 1 says Almighty God. Accordingly he wrnt out. kn-. \\iiu \\lnthiT In- wi-nt. " Abram departed as the Lord had M-kfti unto h lh\in- calls in Sri|itun\ anl thnr characteriMi i> this : to i,-,,;m.- instant obedience, and m\ ill us we kn.-u n. .t t<> uh.it ; to call us on in thr darkness* tie ran oU-y t! lint it may be urged. How does this concern us \\..\\ ! were all called to serve < i-i in iniam -\. lfore we* Delves called when reason began \v have been called to a state of salvation, we have been I as Qod's servants and children, all through our tnn< i^ been brought into : ur parents. Calling is not a tiling futurr uith u-. Tin- i- tun- in a very Nsln.h 1 have been quoting do appl . 11, do concern us, and may warn and guide us in I ini|M.rtant ways; as a few words will *h in truth we are not called once only. l>ut many times; ill t) -r lifr Christ w c-allin- but aftrru.ir.U a) tber we obey His voice or lie graciously calls us still. If \\ i li- ;ilb us to repent ; if we are striving t fulfil nr rallin-. ii ill- m grace to grace, and fr.m ).-::!..> ? . h'-lmess, \\hil- ^iven us. Abraham was called from his home, ' IM-II XII I. Divine Calls. \t Peter from his nets, Matthew from his office, Elisha from his farm, Nathanael from his retreat ; we are all in course of calling, on and on, from one thing to another, having no resting-place, but mounting towards our eternal rest, and obeying one com- mand only to have another put upon us. He calls us again and again, in order to justify us again and again, and again arid again, and more and more, to sanctify and glorify us. It were well if we understood this ; but we are slow to master the great truth, that Christ is, as it were, walking among us, and by His hand, or eye, or voice, bidding us follow Him. We do not understand that His call is a thing which takes place now. We, think it took place in the Apostles' days ; but we do not believe in it. we do not look out for it in our own case. We have not eyes to see the Lord ; far different from the beloved Apostle, who knew Christ even when the rest of the disciples knew Him not. When He stood on the shore after His resur- rection, and bade them cast the net into the sea, " that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord." 1 Now what I mean is this : that they who are living religiously, have from time to time truths they did not know before, or had no need to consider, brought before them forcibly ; truths which involve duties, which are in fact precepts, and claim obedience. In this and such like ways Christ calls us now. There is nothing miraculous or extraordinary in His dealings with us. He works through our natural faculties and circumstances of life. Still what happens to us in providence is in all essential respects what His voice was to those whom He addressed when on earth : whether He commands by a visible presence, or by a voice, or by our consciences, it matters not, so that we feel it to be a com- mand. If it is a command, it may be obeyed or disobeyed ; it may be accepted as Samuel or St. Paul accepted it, or put aside after the manner of the young man who had great possessions. And these Divine calls are commonly, from the nature of the case, sudden now, and as indefinite and obscure in their con- sequences as in former times. The accidents and events of life are, as is obvious, one special way in which the calls I speak>of come to us ; and they, as we all know, are in their very nature, and as the word accident implies, sudden and unexpected. A man is going on as usual ; he comes home one day, and finds a letter, or a message, or a person, whereby a sudden trial comes on him, which, if met religiously, will be the means of advancing him to a higher state of religious excellence, which at present 1 John xxi. 7. 1 6 Divine Calls. he as little comprehend* as the unspeakable words beard by St. in paradise. Bj a trial we commonly mean, a som< encountered wt 11, \\ill r*.ntirm a man in hi.s pr. * nt way ; I am speaking of something more than in him, l.ut raise him into a high state of know- ledge and holiness. Many persons will find it very striking, on nig bock on their past live*, to observe what different notions 1 at different p< uh.it l>i\im- truth was, what was the way of pleasing God, ami \\h.it things were a able or not. what excellence was, and what happiness. I not scruple to say, that these differences may be as great as that ; i may )* >up|Hf ivm.iin pn-tty mu.-h the same as before oei : 1'nt I say that many a man is con- t having undergone inwardly great changes of \ :- .'. . . . \\ !: : troth ii .ind \\ bat happin m \ :.....:. m \ speak lianges so great, that . verses his fa opinions and conduct He may be able to nee that there is a con- inirlr f.r i im-rt^ the world ; what various remarks will be mail* persons! mce, con in. h persons; o r the view of wealth 01 that .-it- in th mmnn rent feelings does H -envy, or respect, or ri angry oj T inditl.-i.-n.,-. ,,r IMI- i-vsinn : h rr ore sUte> u.-h ditl'rr.-nt jurties may re^: ^o are broad then are quit*- as real, though )tle, ti. t*>r instance, may be reverenced by the so! man