even in those parts of their character which were most free from blame, what are we to think of ourselves? and if our very virtues are so defiled with imperfection, what must be the unknown multiplied circumstances of evil which aggravate the guilt of our sins?"

"Watch and pray," said our SAVIOUR to the three chosen disciples, but especially to St. Peter, "that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." If such willingness, such devotedness as his, was not safe without watchfulness, how much less are any of us safe.

"Be sober, be vigilant": such was the advice St. Peter himself gave, taught by his own experience. And so St. Paul, not once or twice only, "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong." "Let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and

be sober."3 Praying always with all prayer and sup

plication in the SPIRIT, and watching thereunto with all perseverance."

In all which directions we see two things absolutely necessary for us;-the Grace of GoD, and our own endeavours. We must watch, ourselves, as if it was our own care that was to do all. We must, at the same time, betake ourselves to GOD, as knowing that, except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." All the means of grace must we duly "the whole armour of GOD" must we take unto ourselves, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil":" yet all this, as by no means superseding our own care. Taught by an Apostle's fall, we must not be "high-minded, but fear": even though the spirit may be willing, though HE, Who knoweth

use;

66

all things, may know that we love HIM, yet the flesh is but weak, and so long as we still bear about this body of sin, so long are we still in danger. He "that thinketh he standeth," must "take heed lest he fall."

With such precautions, though we shall doubtless often err by reason of the infirmity of the flesh, yet HE, Who hath compassion upon human infirmities, will not forsake us or cast us off, but rather, we may hope, will deign to recall us by His word, as St. Peter by His look, to a sincere repentance and contrition; and, as the blessed Apostle triumphed at length over his own weakness, and yielded his body to the death, being himself crucified even as his MASTER had been crucified; so may we be enabled at length to crucify our flesh "with the affections and lusts."

J. F. C.

1 Gal. v. 24.

SERMON LXVIII.

THE CHURCH'S DOCTRINE OF HOLINESS.'

Fifth Sunday after Trinity.”

PSALM XCIII. 5.

HOLINESS BECOMETH THINE HOUSE, O Lord, for EVER.

We learn from Holy Scripture what never would have occurred to us to imagine in our present debased and sinful state, that in the beginning GOD created man in His own Image-like unto HIMSELF in Righteousness and true Holiness. And we are so fallen from this glorious height, that no proof would satisfy us of our heavenly origin—our original likeness to the CREATor, or of His gracious designs respecting us, but the express Word of GOD HIMSELF.

Still, though sadly marred by our fall, and deeply depraved in our nature, we are yet objects of the Divine compassion. GOD willeth not that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. The great design of all His Providential workings with us, in 1 See Epistle for the day.

2 See Sermon XVI., First Series.-"The Miraculous Draught of Fishes," by the Rev. G. AYLIFFE POOLE, M.A.

every age, has been to restore us to that likeness to HIMSELF, which we had destroyed by sin. His gracious purpose is to make us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light-to fit us for the enjoyment of His own Presence in Heaven.

GOD is infinite in Holiness; the angels who stand around His Throne are holy-all the occupation of all the blessed inhabitants of Heaven is holy; and the only condition which can enable man to enjoy this blessed society is Holiness. The whole work which GOD labours, if I may so say, to accomplish in us, is Holiness. The end and object of all His dispensations from the beginning has been to make men holy. The Church of God in every age has been His instrument to effect this great design, the restoration of His Image in us-Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers, have all been His agents to accomplish the work of Holiness in each individual who will submit to the Divine teaching, and be content to follow the guidance of GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT. The language of GOD, in all the operations to which HE has condescended for man's sake, has been as it continues still to be, one and the same-"Be ye holy, for I am holy." The great characteristic of the Church of GOD has ever been Holiness,-Holiness in her avowed design,-Holiness in her constitution and methods,Holiness in the lives of her true members; so that in the days of David, and in the days of the Son of David,—under the Law and under the Gospel, there is equal truth and propriety in the language of the Psalmist,"Holiness becometh thine House for ever": an equal necessity for the injunction to "sanctify the LORD GOD in our hearts.""

Now, as Holiness becometh GOD's House for ever, Epistle for the day.

it is my design to show you that the English Church fully answers the description given of her,--that She is holy in her constitution and character, that She labours unceasingly to produce the fruit of holiness in her members, and that her methods are beyond the methods of all other systems, calculated to accomplish the great purpose of the ALMIGHTY, and to establish the Kingdom of CHRIST in the hearts of men.

I. With regard to the first point, that the Church of England is Holy in her constitution and character— this is no new doctrine to those who know anything of her origin, and her spiritual descent: they, in professing day after day, their faith in the words of the Creed, "I believe in the Holy Catholic Church," have always had an eye to their own Church, as a portion of the Holy Apostolic Church, which the LORD made, and not man, a fruitful branch of the original Vine which GOD planted with His own right hand.

The Church, my Brethren, it will be manifest to you, is Holy as to her constitution, inasmuch as she remains to this day as she was constituted by CHRIST and His Apostles. The Church of this country consists of such as have been added to the Church of the first ages, and submit therefore to the same Divine form of Government, built upon the same Foundation, adhering to the same Faith, receiving the same Sacraments, and taking part in the same devotions. Our existence, then, as a Church, will date from the time when the Apostolic doctrine and fellowship were first received by us; the Church of CHRIST among us will date from the time there were first any Christians in England, under the government of Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, joined on to the first Church by the derivation from her of the orders of our ministry and with it of pure Christian doctrine. And this Church, whose beginning