for the strengthening of their souls. Before He went forth to the garden He ordained the Sacrament of His Body and Blood; and when He came to His disciples in the garden of His agony He bade them very earnestly to "watch and pray. It is remarkable too how anxiously the Church after His Ascension fulfilled His will, for we read that they "continued stedfastly in the Apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers.'

Very melancholy, I might say very awful, it is to be so far behind them in obedience to our Lord; very sad and awful it is to see this breaking of bread, this great means for the renewal of the spiritual life, so widely neglected among ourselves. How can there be strength when the means of strength lie unused; when we turn our back upon the offer of life and grace, of power to serve our God; when we refuse to taste of that Supper expressly ordained, expressly provided for us by our Lord Himself, that we might be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man? No wonder that we are weak in faith and frail, undecided and hesitating in our service of Christ, wavering and easily drawn aside, overcome by the world, taken up with the cares of the day. How can we live holy and saintly lives, how can

we abound in the fruits of the Spirit, how can we rise above the world and its ways, how can we make any goodly growth in heavenly things, in heavenly desires, if we turn from heavenly nourishment, if we go away from our Lord when our Lord comes near to feed us spiritually with His Body and Blood?

And is our spiritual condition to be improved? When is there to be a movement towards better things, when any quickening of hearts, any new zeal, any beginning of warmer ways? Will none rise up, none shake themselves from their sleep? Are we to settle down, to remain content with this stagnant state? Is our Lord ever to look down upon us here and to see the same scene with increasing grief? that is, the greater part of the guests invited to His Feast, departing from His Feast, refusing to be fed, turning away their feet from the means of strength? How shall we appear at the last day before this Lord, this Saviour, if there is no change, no better fulfilment of His will, if His great command remains broken and disobeyed? It may require resolution and courage to enter on a new course. There is always a difficulty in bringing ourselves to any new duty, any new act of service which we have failed to perform; but only consider how peril

ous, how very perilous it is to go on as we are. I, for my part, charge you in Christ's Name to prepare yourselves for this Supper of the Lord; if unfit, to make yourselves fit; and pastoral help, pastoral guidance, ghostly counsel and advice are within your reach, that every stumblingblock may be removed which keeps you from becoming strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.

And, my brethren, let not the spirit of delay creep into your hearts; suffer it not to suggest perilous counsel to your souls; let it not prompt you to say, while you are thus plainly pressed to fulfil a plain command of Christ, "Come to me at a more convenient season." Do not play false with your own heart, and blind it to your peril, by saying to yourself, "I do intend to keep this law; I hope to partake of this sacred, and rich, and blessed Feast; I am not among those who mock at it, or who have got no idea of taking it but I do design some day to partake of the mysterious food; only I cannot bring myself to partake of it just yet; I want a little time; it is a fearful thing to take it hurriedly; I am very busy just now, and cannot get myself into a calm frame of mind, but I hope to get through the business

before long, and then I will think of the matter more seriously.'

After this manner many talk to themselves, and deceive themselves; they seem to have found an excuse which soothes their conscience, and appears to free them from any great degree of peril; but I implore you to use no such arguments to yourselves; the devil suggests them; they come from beneath; this night thy soul may be required of thee; the future is not yours; you cannot reckon upon years, or months, or days, and to die with only good intentions to shew before your Lord, is to die a fearful death; intentions unfulfilled have no power to turn away God's wrath on the Judgment Day.

JOHN HENRY PARKER, OXFORD AND LONDON.

Sermons for the Christian Seasons.

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

THE PLEASANTNESS OF GOD'S WAYS.

PROV. iii. 17. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

HEED not, I pray you, brethren, those false and deceiving sentences of the world which would turn away your feet from the paths of peace by describing the Christian's walk with God as a gloomy and cheerless course. Rather cast back such sayings upon the world; for it is the worldly life that brings cares, fears, disquiet, vexations of spirit, from which the servant of the Lord is free. The fruit of the Spirit, is love, joy, and peace; and the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, both possessing and giving peace, and we shall not find the fruits of the Spirit growing upon the tree of the world, nor the wisdom that is from beneath