HIM and what if they neglect it? Then the punishment will be as grievous, as the reward would otherwise have been glorious. You remember what became of "the unprofitable servant," how he was deprived of his unused talent, then cast out into outer darkness, to weep and wail and gnash his teeth in bitter self-reproach and anguish. So will it be with every unfaithful steward, with every selfish worldly-minded Christian. He will be deprived of his talent. His punishment will be suited to his offence. What he omitted to use will be taken from him; and his misery will consist partly in the loss for ever of those very things, by which his heart was seduced from his duty. Look for example at the rich Epicure, who had spent his time upon earth in luxurious self-indulgence. "See how he lifts up his eyes from the place of torment, and craves in agony a drop of water!" Such is the Divine rule he that hath, or uses to its proper purposes what GOD gives him, shall have more; whilst from him that hath not, or abuses the gifts of GOD, shall be taken away even that which he seemeth to have. We have seen it exemplified in Dives: and now raise your eyes and behold Lazarus, no longer lying at the rich man's gate unnoticed and full of sores, but lying in Abraham's bosom at the banquet of the faithful in Paradise. talent-his poverty-is also gone; and is succeeded by fulness of joy for evermore. He hath borne want with patience, there shall now be no end to his abundance.

His

Go then, my Brethren, and consider well each one of you what the talents are which CHRIST has given to yourself in particular to occupy till He comes ;-go and improve them religiously, as unto God, diligently for the good of your neighbour. If you are rich, or

great, or powerful, still, remember, you are CHRIST'S servant, and your wealth, or greatness, or power is to be employed by you as His steward, and accounted for when He comes again. If you are poor and lowly, still you have some talents to account for. The body is not one member, but many; and each has its part and office for the good of the body. The Grace of God is manifold; but on every man some grace or gift is bestowed to profit withal. Let us unite then, high and low, rich and poor, one with another in glorifying GOD, and doing good to each other by the right use of our various gifts, that, when CHRIST shall descend from Heaven as He once ascended thither, we may meet HIM without dismay, and be permitted through His unspeakable mercy to ascend with HIм to Heaven, and enter into the joy of our LORD.

T. B.

SERMON LVI.

THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT.

Whit-Sunday.'

1 THESS. V. 23.

AND THE VERY GOD OF PEACE SANCTIFY YOU WHOLLY AND I PRAY GOD YOUR WHOLE SPIRIT, AND SOUL, AND BODY,

BE PRESERVED BLAMELESS UNTO THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

THERE is perhaps no doctrine of the Christian religion, with regard to which we are so apt to fall into practical forgetfulness and disbelief in these days, as that which concerns the Agency and Operation of GOD the HOLY SPIRIT. All faith, being not purely intellectual but partly moral, is affected by the temper of those who profess it. It is generally allowed that a sceptical habit of mind has some subtle connexion with an unholy course of action, and on the other hand St. Paul evidently hints at the effect of a holy life upon a true belief, where he enjoins the duty of "holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience." This is one of the many reasons why the assent to exact definitions of doctrine has in all ages and by most

'See also Sermon I., First Series: "The HOLY SPIRIT and His Grace, the Ascended SAVIOUR'S 'Gifts for Men,'" by the Very Reverend the Dean of Exeter. 2 1 Tim. iii. 9.

SERIES II.

T

VOL. II.

religions been demanded. This is one of the reasons for the moral guilt of heresy. Besides, when to this we add the thought that that faith which is the beginning and source of all our justification is a virtue infused by GOD into our souls, a good and perfect gift from above, "which cometh down from the FATHER of Lights," it is natural to suppose that the recipient of such a boon must be holy, blameless, and pure. Now if we examine into our own hearts and watch what occurs around us, it will appear that the temper of these days is, as it were, opposed to a strong conviction of the past and present operations of the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD. Whatever the reason of this may be, His silent influence seems unrecognised by those who, like the Pharisees of old, "demand a sign," while the intellect, too much accustomed to sensible impressions and results, loses its apprehension of the Spiritual and the Divine. And yet surely the Bible teaches us a very different lesson. No longer indeed does the Sacred PARACLETE descend with a mighty rushing wind as on this day-no longer do miracles, and prophecy, and powers of healing, announce visibly the ministration of the same SPIRIT; still HE comes down into the souls of the faithful, and imparts HIMSELF to them, in His mysterious graces and invisible spiritual gifts; still He descends upon all true disciples of CHrist, with an unbounded overflowing of mercy and graciousness, conferring those benefits which are peculiarly ascribed to HIM, on account of the analogy they bear to His own property, in that HE is the fountain of grace itself, the Gift of GOD, the eternal subsisting Love of the FATHER and of the SON.

Now the great act of past mercy accorded to us by

1 James i. 17.

HIM, which we are too apt to forget, is the full promulgation of the Gospel covenant, in other words the completion of the formation of that mysterious and sacred polity termed by St. Paul "the pillar and ground of the faith," which we recognise as the Universal Church of CHRIST. Its Divine Author and Head had begun indeed to constitute it during His wonderful ministry upon earth, when He assembled His Disciples after His Resurrection, and gave them authority and commission to teach all nations; but the Descent of the HOLY SPIRIT upon the Apostles on this day, was the crowning act by which He revealed and announced His whole law, and by which He infused into His mystical Body, life, action, and illumination. This is the origin of all its powers, and the fountain-head of all its graces. From this as from a source, flow all its holy qualities, and dispositions, and virtues-all the good gifts wherewith it is crowned-all the sanctity and perfection from whence it derives that distinguishing attribute which describes it as the Holy Catholic Church.

For although the SPIRIT of GOD has exercised His benign influence over the work of His hands, since the day when He moved over the face of the waters, "while as yet there were no depths;" still it is since the promulgation of the New Testament of grace and love, that His operation has been chiefly manifested. That is indeed an imperfect view of religion which prompts men to think slightingly of the patriarchal revelation of the law of nature, whereby the ancients became responsible agents and a law unto themselves: still more objectionable is that which lightly esteems the law which the LORD GOD gave to His chosen people amid the thunders of Sinai; for (not to mention that