nature, and has learned, by His own suffering, to compassionate ours; and if such a man's faith does not waver, nor his endeavours after holiness fail, he will, at length, obtain the victory he so earnestly desires; and become stablished, strengthened, and settled in the service of the Lord. But compassion and pity are rejected with scorn by the wilful hardened sinner, who is proud in his own eyes, and thinks that he knows better than the Scriptures, and gives no heed to the instructions contained in them. Such a man, " in an hardened and impenitent heart, treasures up unto himself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, Who will render to every man according to his deeds." Hence we see the great danger of justifying or allowing ourselves in any evil course; and may be convinced of the truth of what St. James has here declared, namely, that he who seemeth to be religious, and yet allows himself in an evil use of his tongue, is truly deceiving his own heart; and that his religion must needs be vain.

St. James concludes his exhortation by setting forth the marks by which the presence of true religion may be known to a man himself, namely, in the practice of kindness and charity towards others, and of holiness and purity towards himself. Both instances require exertion; and the Apostle, therefore, is careful to name them, that men may not mistake mere sickly feeling, or pious sentiments,

for the sterling reality of religion. The presence of true religion must be developed in acts and deeds, and exhibit a practical effect upon the conduct; and is not fulfilled by mere good thoughts and good words. "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father, is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." As St. John says, "Love not the world; neither the things that are in the world;-for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world." If a man can subdue all these, he has wrought a great work, and has shown of a truth that the Spirit of God is with him; without Whose aid his own exertions would have utterly failed and come short. Nay, he could not have had the desire to subdue and overcome them at all, unless that gracious Spirit had given it to him. And if, in addition to this self-mastery over the evil of his own heart, and over the temptations with which the things here below would fan and provoke the natural corruption of his heart, he walks in active kindness towards others, and is willing to be at trouble to himself to be of service and consolation to those who stand in need of kind offices; then is he treading in his blessed Master's footsteps, who set us, in His own life, a pattern for us to follow, and has pronounced the most gracious blessings upon those who endeavour to practise His virtues; and has said that all who

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would come after Him, must take up the cross (of self-denial, without which neither purity of life, nor charity towards others, can be practised), and must follow Him, that where He is, there also may His servants be.

Brethren, let us strive to profit by the things which we have heard, and suffer the grace of God to move us to begin, or to continue, if haply we have begun it, the great work of our salvation; which must be set about in earnest, if we would not have our work and labour in vain. In zeal and watchfulness, in patience and perseverance, in humility and charity, let us, humbly depending upon our heavenly Father's hand, walk on our Christian course, hastening with our hearts, and preparing in our lives, for the coming of the day of God, when we shall stand before the throne of the Lamb, to render an account of the deeds done in the body. Our course must be taken in fear and trembling, as regards our own weakness and liability to fall; but in meek confidence, and humble hope, as regards the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, and as regards our mighty Saviour, Friend, and Intercessor, Who is now at the right hand of God, able to save all them to the uttermost, who come unto God through Him: To Whom, in the unity of the Father, and of the Holy Spirit, be ascribed all praise, glory, and dominion, now and for evermore. Amen.

SERMON XX.

THE WELFARE OF THE NATION INVOLVED IN THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION OF THE PEOPLE.

MATTHEW vi. 33.

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."

THESE gracious and comfortable words were spoken by the Redeemer of mankind, the Head and Founder of the Christian Church', for the sake of dispelling from the minds of His faithful followers, the members of His Church, those clouds of earth-born care, anxiety, and apprehension, which never fail to harass carnal and worldly persons; who, being destitute of the grace of God, are unable to lift their eyes, or raise their thoughts, beyond the consideration of second causes; to the dishonour and neglect of the great First Cause, who overrules the affairs

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of earth', as well as of heaven; and causes all things to work together for good, to those who love Him; to those who, having been called by Him to the adoption of sons, by the sacrament of holy Baptism, strive to walk worthy of their glorious calling, as heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; strengthening themselves by participation in the holy Eucharist, with that spiritual food which nourishes unto eternal life.

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They are, indeed, words of grace and comfort. To speak to their general meaning, they amount to this that, as long as we make God the chief object of our lives, and strive to order our conduct with a view to His glory, we shall never want a friend, able and willing to supply all our wants; "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee";" we shall place ourselves under the immediate and special protection of Him, Who has "all power in heaven and in earth;" and, in that confidence, may go on our way calmly and cheerfully, under any and all circumstances. How great a comfort this gracious promise is, they only can say who have made trial of it! but there is no station which does not need it none too high, none too low, to derive advantage from it. Take the case of the poor peasant, who lives from hand to mouth, and whose whole maintenance, and that of his family, depends upon