each of these several dangers, which I have reckoned up, is capable of its proper remedy. The footpath may be stopped, while the seed is growing and cannot we, for one day, at least, in seven, allow some time, from the conversation of the world, to serious thought and to prayer to God, that His word may not be preached to us in vain? The birds may, with a little trouble, be chased away; and if, with hearty resolution we resist the Devil, God's word has taught us, that he will, in like manner, flee from us.

The stony and shallow soil may be enriched, and deepened, by mixing it with better mold; and the irresolute Christian, who delights in the company of pious men and in good books, will find his heart grow daily stronger, and better fitted to bear fruit to ripeness. The thorns and thistles may, one by one, be completely cleared away; and he, who will not spare any single sin, will purify, at length, his heart, even as the heart of Jesus Christ was pure! But however good our natural ground may be, and whatever be the pains which we bestow on it, that fertility and those pains will signify nothing, if the blessing of God be wanting. Our field may be sown, and fenced, and manured, and weeded: but no corn will rise, or ripen, unless the dews of Heaven descend in kindly rain; and unless the glorious sunshine warms the stalk and tender ear. Let us then, above all things, pray to God, that the

grace of His Holy Spirit may soften our hearts, and render them fruitful; and that He, who came into the world to call sinners to repentance, would enable us, by His blessing, to work that holiness, of which He was Himself the great example.

It is a custom, which the common feeling of Christians has rendered sacred, not to enter, or depart from, this Holy Place; nor to assemble for the purpose of hearing the word of God ;without first, in a whispered prayer, entreating His good blessing that we may not pray, or hear, in vain. I will not ask, how many there are among you, with whom this custom has passed into an idle form. I will not ask, how many cover their faces, and say nothing; but this I will say, that more and worthier honour would be paid to God's house; and more souls, by far than now escape, would be snatched from sin and everlasting misery; if, when you thus give outward tokens of your reverence, you would beg the help of your Almighty Father in some words like these, "Oh God, without Thee I am not able to please Thee; but may Thy spirit, this day, both teach me the things which belong to my peace, and preserve them in my faith and recollection; so that the seed, which Thou sowest, may prosper in my heart, till that day when Thy blessed Son shall return to reap His harvest!"

L 3

SERMON XIII.

QUINQUAGESIMA SUNDAY.

PART I.

I COR. xiii. 2.

Though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

To understand the meaning of the present text, as well as of the whole chapter, a very instructive and important one, which has been read to you in the Epistle of to-day, the following observations will not be without their use.

The societies, or Churches, for their meaning is the same, which the apostle founded in different countries, under the government of bishops, and the preaching and administration of elders,were exposed, from the nature of things, to very great and opposite errors. Some of them were, at first, chiefly composed of Jews, who were proud of the ancient privileges of their nation ; and unwillingly believed that circumcision and sacrifices were no longer necessary to salvation.

Others had been heathens and idolaters, accustomed to very irregular and sinful habits, which it was difficult for them to unlearn, and who were unable to distinguish between pardon for sins committed, and a licence for committing them. The clergy too, and the people, being, alike, new converts, were alike in want of instruction and direction; not only as to the doctrines of Christianity, but as to the common ceremonies of a Church, the posture of prayer, and the manner of receiving the Sacrament. Nor was this all ;-it pleased the Almighty, for the sake of spreading more effectually the glad tidings of Christ, to give to many of the preachers certain miraculous powers, such as healing the sick, casting out devils, speaking with unknown tongues, and foretelling things to come. Powers of this sort, it may be well supposed, would draw great attention and reverence to those who possessed them; and the natural effect which such praise of men is apt to produce, was produced in many of the new-made ministers of the Gospel. They grew vain of their own consequence, and fancied themselves better Christians than those, who could not do the same wonders which they performed: while, on the other hand, those, who were outshone by them in prophesying or miracle, seem to have sometimes murmured at their own deficiencies, and to have felt a silly envy of those gifts which God had bestowed on their brethren.

Besides, as these gifts of the Spirit were not all of one sort,—as of twelve ministers, for example, in one great town, two might be prophets, one an interpreter of tongues, one able to cast out devils, and the remainder without any so conspicuous or particular mark of the Divine favour, we may easily suppose, not only that those, who were not thus gifted, would envy such as were; but that the gifted persons would feel a silly emulation against each other; and each maintain that his own powers were the most wonderful. The caster-out of devils boasted a faith which could also remove mountains; the speaker in strange languages reminded his hearers of this convincing proof of the presence of the Holy Ghost; and the prophet urged the excellency and value of a knowledge of future events; and that it was God Himself who spake by his tongue.

With the Jewish converts, indeed, who were more accustomed to witness such wonders, less of this was likely to happen: but among the Gentile Church it was, probably, a very prevailing and dangerous evil. Among those of Corinth and Achaia, it certainly was so ;-tọ such an extent, as to call forth the exhortation of St. Paul, in the 12th chapter of the present epistle. In the former chapters, he had reproved the Christians of that wealthy and debauched country, for the many points in which