the strength, all the glory of our best works belongs to Him only but because He expects us to do it, of ourselves, and will not force us to do it, whether we will or not, therefore it is that, if we keep His commandments, we have a right to Heaven. For, if I promise any one of you a reward for doing something, and at the same time give you the means of doing it, then if you do it, though it will be entirely of my kindness, first and last, that you are rewarded, still because I promised it, you will have a right to the reward.

Now the first difference between the Law of CHRIST and the Law of Moses is this. The Law of Moses gave commandments, but gave no power to keep them. The Law of CHRIST gives commandments also: but then it gives power to fulfil them. The Law of Moses said, Thou shalt do this, Thou shalt not do the other; but it nowhere said, Because all this is so difficult, so impossible for you in your own strength, I will give you a new and better strength, which shall make it possible. But CHRIST'S Law does say this, We become subject to His Law when we are baptized. Then He tells us what to do, and what to leave undone. He commands us to

:

renounce the Devil and all his works, the pomps and vanity of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh to believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith; and to keep God's holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of our life. But then, when we become bound by this Law, we also have power given us to keep it. He gives us, at that moment, a new heart, and He puts a new spirit within us. He changes us, who by nature were children of the Devil, into children of GOD. He gives new strength, at the same time that He requires us to use it.

Then again; see how much stricter our LORD's Law

The Law of Moses only

The

is than the Law of Moses was. concerned itself about what man did: the Law of CHRIST has also to do with what he thinks and intends. Law of Moses says; "Thou shalt do no murder:" the Law of CHRIST says; "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer." The Law of Moses says; Thou shalt not steal: The Law of CHRIST says: "Sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven." The Law of Moses says, Thou shalt not commit adultery: The Law of CHRIST says, "Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart."

Then again, as I was lately saying, the Law of Moses is a law of fear, the Law of CHRIST is a law of Love. The Law of Moses threatens punishment to them that break it. CHRIST promises glorious things to them that keep His commandments. Look all through the books of Moses: you will find no such promise as an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away. You will hear nothing of a time when God shall wipe all tears from all faces. You will see no such loving words as these," That where I am, there ye may be also."

Now see how the giving of the Law was a type of this. The Law of Moses was given, as we all know, from Mount Sinai: the Law of CHRIST was given on the Day of Pentecost, that first Whitsunday, when the HOLY GHOST came down on the Apostles. Now notice, the Law was given from the mountain: the Holy Spirit was given in the upper chamber. At Sinai, it was a GOD afar off Who uttered His voice amidst thunderings and lightnings and thick darkness, and with a voice of the trumpet that waxed exceeding loud-so that all the

people in the camp trembled, and so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake: the Israelites were kept off, there were bounds set, which if so much as a beast passed, it should be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: but on the Day of Pentecost, the HOLY GHOST came as it were into the room where the Apostles were: He was with them as a Friend : instead of driving them afar off, He drew them to Himself.

And now, what do all these things teach us? That at this time, while we are looking forward to our LORD's Coming to be our SAVIOUR, born for us, living for us, suffering for us, dying for us, rising again for us, we must not forget that He will come to give us a Law : and that hereafter He will come to judge whether we have kept that Law or not. This it is that makes Advent not only a time of comfort, but a time of fear also: a time of comfort, because unto us shall be born a SAVIOUR, Which is CHRIST the LORD; but a time of fear, because the SAVIOUR comes to give us a Law, which our own consciences condemn us for not keeping: but for keeping or not keeping which He will come again, not an Infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, not with the ox and the ass at His side, not the outcast of a country inn: but in the clouds of Heaven, and in the glory of the Holy Angels, He will come again to judge us.

GOD grant us now so to receive Him as a SAVIOUR, that then we may not fear Him as a judge; for His merit's sake, to Whom, with the FATHER and the HOLY GHOST, be all honour and glory for ever. Amen.

SERMON XLVII.

THE ROOT OF JESSE.

Radir Jesse. December 18.

"THERE SHALL COME FORTH A ROD OUT OF THE STEM OF JESSE."ISA. XI. 1.

THE Collect for to-day is:

"O Root of Jesse, Which standest for a sign of the people, at Whom the kings shall shut their mouths, and to Whom the Gentiles shall pray: come now and set us free, and no longer tarry."

It seems at first sight strange that our LORD should be called the Root of Jesse; Jesse, as you all know, was the father of David; and therefore from him it was that CHRIST was descended. So that Jesse was the root

whence our LORD came. that Root, in which Jesse, and all the other holy men of old, put their trust that Root, which has brought forth the fruit of life and salvation to mankind.

But the Root of Jesse means

Now why is our LORD called a Root? In the first place, because, as a tree, its branches, its beauty, its fruit, everything, depend entirely on the root, so all that the Church of GOD does, and all she is, all that any of us

can do, all our hopes, all our good deeds, all our faith, all our love, comes from CHRIST alone, and can no more have any being without Him, than a tree can without its root. Then again, a root, we all know, has no beauty to recommend it: it is dark, ugly, rough, the part of the tree that is least pleasing to the sight. So when our LORD was on earth, He had, as Isaiah says, no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we shall desire Him." It is not so with His Body now. Now it is glorious and beautiful: but in the days of His dwelling on earth, when He was the Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with grief, it was very different. The Jews said, "Thou art not yet fifty years old," when, according to the flesh, He was but two and thirty years old: and when even His Blessed Mother had not reached the age of fifty. So much had He suffered, and such marks of suffering did He bear!

Again: a root is that part of a tree which is least seen. So with CHRIST. Thirty years He dwelt in a carpenter's shop at Nazareth; and when He came forth and began to teach, still He hid Himself from the crowds, and His greatest miracles were done in secret; His friends said, "If Thou do these things, show Thyself to the world."

But the Collect goes on, that CHRIST is to stand “ as a sign to the nations:" and so Isaiah said before. When was this? When He was lifted up on the Cross, that He might draw all men to Him; a sign of God's love to mankind; a sign of GoD's hatred of sin; a sign of GOD's justice, in that He spared not His own SON: a sign to which we are to look and live; a sign on which we fix all our hopes. And "a sign to the nations," because, by means of the death of CHRIST, all nations,