cause you are doing the truth, that GoD searches the heart, and knows the most secret springs of all you do. Do not a thing which you would wish to hide; for to think of hiding it from HIM is worse than folly; it is to deny HIM. Think not you can rejoice in CHRIST, and not rejoice in righteousness. Think not you can rejoice in CHRIST, and do the deeds of darkness. Think not you can rejoice in CHRIST, and yet take pleasure in revelling and drunkenness. Think not you can rejoice in CHRIST, and keep hidden malice in your hearts, or deceive your neighbour for gain. Think not you can rejoice in CHRIST, and delight in thoughts of the world and of the flesh.

The light of GOD's countenance shines through all creation: it cheers the martyr in his dungeon, it glorifies the unknown or despised saint, it detects the wicked in his hiding-place. Yes, whether he wrap himself in the shade of night for theft or murder, or in the depths of deceit for fraud and filthy lucre, or in the splendour of wealth for pride and oppression, and carelessness, or in the show of religion itself, to stand well with men by his hypocrisy. It is under this eye that you are called to venture upon holy ground, or rather, GOD has placed you within His courts, and reminds you that you are walking in them, "Let every one that nameth the

and in His Presence.
Name of CHRIST depart from iniquity !""
Blessed is your lot, for

you are called to an eternal

inheritance. Blessed is your lot, for your LORD has revealed to you the light of His countenance.

is your lot, for you know the joyful sound.

Blessed

Blessed are you if you shall be found standing in

your lot at the end of the days.*

1 2 Tim. ii. 19.

2 Dan. xii. 13.

But if you will be found so standing, you must be the faithful soldiers and servants of CHRIST on earth. You are baptized in HIM that you may be like HIM; as in his Resurrection and Life of Glory, so in His Birth into this world, and His Life in the midst of it. HE, the Captain of our salvation, was made perfect through sufferings. You are called to "arm yourselves with the same mind," to "crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts," to fight the good fight of faith, to stand against the world, the flesh, and the devil, to "set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth."

1

Learn then to obey CHRIST in going to battle against these His enemies, that are opposed to His cause without and within you, and you shall have cause to rejoice in HIм as giving you the victory. Teach your children the same course; let them never forget Whose they are, do you never forget of Whom you hold them in trust. Let them learn early to know the joyful sound, and to walk as in the light of the LORD. Let them be taught what the joy of Christmas means, and learn to rejoice in the birth of the King of Saints as becomes His people, and when they gladly meet their friends at that season of joy, let them learn why it is that they ought to meet them most joyfully then, because they are reminded of HIM who came to give them all eternal life. One would not wish to speak of revelling, and vanity, and drunkenness on such an occasion. Surely such things must be far from the thoughts of those who come to the House of God. If not, where are they to learn their duty? Where are they to learn their privileges as Christians? Nay,

1 Heb. ii. 10.

3 Gal. v. 24.

2

1 Pet. iv. 1.

4 Col. iii. 2.

rather, where are they to learn the destruction that awaits them, and the wrath of their dishonoured LORD when He shall appear? Remember GOD in your rejoicing at all times, but above all at sacred seasons of joy; know, understand, join with heart and voice in the joyful sound, and walk in the light of the Lord.

Remember every day of your lives, that our LORD JESUS CHRIST was born like one of us, lived in this world for our sakes, and has called us to live like HIM here, that we may live with HIM for ever. Does not

this truth make all things new? is it not a reason for being cheerful and contented every day, and for singing with joy to day-the Birth-day of our LORD?

C. M.

SERMON VIII.

THE SIN AND DANGER OF SELF-INDULGENCE AND FORGETFULNESS OF GOD.

St. Stephen's Day.

LUKE XVI. 19.

THERE WAS A CERTAIN RICH MAN, WHICH WAS CLOTHED IN PURPLE AND FINE LINEN, AND FARED SUMPTUOUSLY EVERY DAY.

PREGNANT as are all the parables of our Blessed LORD with deep and important meanings, and presenting often different applications and varied lights in which they may be separately viewed, there is, perhaps, not one of them so rich in material for the most anxious thought, and containing in such brief space so many weighty subjects for awe, and reverence, and holy fear, as the one which He thus commences in the words of the text. Such indeed is the importance and extent of the matter here placed before us, that to attempt at any one time to comprehend and illustrate them all, would necessarily involve the passing over carelessly many things demanding deep and patient thought; and my object therefore in this and some future discourse will be to extract from it the two most

important points, which "HE Who spake as never man spake," and Whose words are addressed, with equal force, to all times, all places, and all people, intended to impress.

We may observe too, that one peculiarity of the Gospel teaching is very observable in this parable— the teaching by way of inference. The narrative, at the first view of it, appears only a forcible contrast between the luxury of Dives and the poverty of Lazarus; the sensual hard-heartedness of the one, the patient submission and resignation of the other, and a rapid transition to their opposite destinies in the unseen world, the one being in Abraham's bosom, the other amidst the torments of hell. The reasons for this eternal distinction between them are rather implied than expressed and it is only by frequent and attentive consideration, by bringing to bear upon this parable, hints and intimations gathered out of other declarations of our Blessed LORD, that we see the reasons of the just judgment of GOD, and understand the warning sounded in our ears by the awful fate of Dives. And first we may observe, that nothing can be more unfounded than the popular notion of this parable-the sinfulness of riches abstractedly considered. In the popular mind, Dives is punished simply because he was rich, and in this life "enjoyed his good things:" and Lazarus is rewarded, because he was poor and miserable. And this misapprehension of a parable apparently so simple and easy, involving as it does serious practical errors, might, one should think, be a sufficient answer to those, whose favourite axiom it is, that the Bible needs no Interpreter, and is independent of the teaching, the witness, or the guidance of the Church.

What, then, is the great and leading point of this