expression, applied by the Apostle to our bodies. in this life, does not mean vile in the sense of 'evil or wicked,' but only, 'lowly and humble;' even as it is said in this same Epistle that our Saviour "humbled Himself," or 'made Himself vile,' in that He "became subject unto death, even the death of the cross:" the very same word being used in the original language of these two passages. : Once then the body of Jesus Christ was a "body of humiliation" when it was subjected to hunger, and thirst, and weariness, and above all, to death and we His members still bear about us this same humiliation, in that we still suffer all these things but Sunday, the Easter-day in every week,' bids us lift up our heads, because, through the power of hope, death is even in this life swallowed up in victory, present vileness is already lost in future glory. What a comfort is this in all our own or our loved ones' bodily sufferings Jesus shall change this our body that it may be like unto His body: surely by this thought the inward man is renewed though the outward man decayeth: the pains and tears shall pass away; the body itself shall endure for ever and ever, fed by the tree of life. But to whom is this promise made? Truly none can share in the glory of Jesus but those who have first shared in the humiliation of His body; His holy body came not to glory any other way than that of suffering: and the more highly we esteem our bodies the more we are bound to keep them in subjection in this, as in all other things, our likeness to Christ must begin in this life, if it is to be made perfect in the life to come. Therefore does the Apostle begin by saying, "our conversation is in heaven," before he speaks of the blessed change which the bodies of such believers shall undergo: as though he had said, those who live the life of earth, those whose hearts are in the world, have no part in what I am now about to speak of: this belongs only to those whose hearts are already in heaven, whose souls ever commune with God, see Jesus standing on the right hand of God, who seek to do the will of God on earth as it is done in heaven; who daily pray, Thy kingdom come; who endure all things as seeing Him who is invisible; in short, whose only aim is to be in the world as Jesus was in the world, who whilst He was on earth, spake of Himself as being "the Son of Man who is in heaven." Truly to all whose conversation is thus in heaven, Sunday is the day of happiness and of rejoicing: the day on which they behold with fear and joy the lately humbled body of their Lord now become a glorious body, already prepared to pass into the very heavens and at the same time they for joy can scarce believe that from this heaven themselves are bidden to look for the Lord Jesus to change their body of humiliation that it may be fashioned like unto His own glorious body. Beloved, if ye would be among their number, if ye would have this day a day of joy to you, forget not the exhortation, "Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord." JOHN HENRY PARKER, OXFORD AND LONDON. Sermons for the Christian Seasons. TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. THE BANDS OF SIN. MATTHEW ix. 21. If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole. MEN must have been strangely surprised to have seen our Lord upon earth, as He went about His daily message of love and power; a man, to look at, as any other; nothing distinguished by dress, or wealth, or outward appearance, from a thousand others who thronged the streets of Jerusalem. No guard of soldiers around Him— no trumpets roaring in front-no crowd of cringing slaves to track His course behind; none of the pride and show which earthly kings are pleased to collect around their steps. A humble man, who went on foot from city to city with a few companions to fetch His needful food, and at times children lingering about their steps. One who seemed to have no home, to sleep in the open air, to come and go, no one knew how, and few cared to ask. Sometimes wayworn and dusty, till He was fain to rest at the road-side well; sometimes the centre of a disturbance in the streets, and yet when they came to seek Him as the cause of uproar and confusion, behold He was nowhere to be found! Sometimes He seemed to be a fisherman, and was found among the huts and fishing-boats of the sea of Galilee; sometimes He was heard of at the tax-gatherer's office, mingling with that despised body in strange association of friendship. But when they would have set Him down as altogether such as they, they might hear of Him again as the guest at a comely wedding in the country, or the cherished friend of a well-known family in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem. And when they drew near to this strange man more perplexing still would His life and language appear. In spite of the quiet way in which He lived, and the soft and gentle words which He spoke-uttering them with no loud cries or wild postures, no rending of the garments or tearing of the hair, as the manner of false prophets was— yet a most marvellous power seemed to belong to them. The deaf came to Him, and heard; the blind were led to Him, and saw; the sick |