of the flesh and of the world. Then indeed, to those who thus struggle, but to none else, victory is sure, and the crown is sure; the contest will be bitter, but the end thereof sweet; it will be life-long, but the reward everlasting.

Seeing then how easily we may fall into the errors themselves of the Pharisees which we have been considering, as well as into the spirit which led to them, we should seek now to answer truly to our own consciences, the great question, What do I think of Christ? Let a man examine himself; and let him find, firstly, whether he really thinks about Christ at all; then, whether he thinks of Him as the Christian faith teaches, or has imperfect views of His person, His office, or His work; and lastly, whether his thoughts are low and earthly, or pure and looking beyond the grave; whether, in short, he owns Christ to be his all in all, alone comforting and guiding him in life, alone redeeming him from hell and opening to him the gates of heaven. And let us take heed lest, if we care not to answer the question now, we shall at last be made to think of Christ as other than we would, when He shall come in the clouds of heaven, revealed as the Son of God with power; when as we stand be

fore His judgment-seat, He shall question us, and we remain speechless; when as with the Pharisees of old, of those who think not aright of Christ now, no man shall then be "able to answer Him a word."

Thanks be to God there is yet time both to examine ourselves concerning the past and to act more faithfully; there is time yet to think more of Christ, of His office, of His love towards us, of His divine power, of the great things which He hath done for us, of His Cross and Resurrection; there is time to think of the great things which He still doeth, of His Presence in the Church, of His care for His members, of His intercessions with the Father, of His preparation of a place for us in heaven.

There is time also to think of the work which He has laid on us, which He requires of us, which He charges us to fulfil as His members, which are the fruits and signs of a lively faith working by love.

But the time is short," short to the youngest of us, very short to the aged whose hoar head gives tokens of exceeding shortness of their days; the time is short to all; let all of us, therefore, by God's grace quickly do our part towards

Christ, that hereafter we may know Him as He is, with a perfect and a blissful knowledge in His own glorious kingdom at the resurrection of the just.

JOHN HENRY PARKER, OXFORD AND LONDON.

Sermons for the Christian Seasons.

NINETEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

THE RENEWING OF MAN.

EPH. iv. 22, 23. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind.

WHEN God cursed the ground for man's sake, which He had so lately blessed, and the curse scarred it, sorely defaced it, burnt itself deeply in, made thorns and thistles, poisonous and baleful plants to grow, yet as the promise of restoration to man quickly followed on the darker words, it was not like the Egyptians spoiled of all its jewels, though the lustre of all was dimmed. And thus the very world itself, checquered with light and gloom, gave man hope when he looked. upon its face. Though it smiled as it were through tears, with something of the painful suffering smile of the sick, yet still it smiled. The thorns and thistles had not undisputed sway; all its beauty was not bruised and crush

ed; the desert had its flowers; its green and refreshing spots; the wreck was not complete; relics of Eden lingered and bloomed on; blessings still fell upon the earth. Amid toil and suffering and sin and death, amid the tears and sufferings of its fallen lord, amid all the wild and waste places, desolate regions, loathsome or saddening sights, there was a glow left upon the faded scene. Man was suffered to gaze on much that was lovely to the eye, to taste much that was sweet and pleasant to the lip.

Nay he was suffered to dig as it were among the ruins, and from the precious things that were left to mend and re-fit the shattered house of his pilgrimage, to adorn and deck the world, to smooth the rough places, to bring wild things into harmony and order, not merely to wring out of the earth a bare support, but to paint and beautify his cell, to fashion the things around him into comely forms; and so even the humblest labourer's home, fringed with flowers, and with its little Eden around the door, is a witness in its degree that mercy rejoiced against judgment, and that as we are permitted somewhat to obliterate the marks of the fall, He who pronounced the curse had love left for man.

Look abroad, my brethren, and see how much