here below, to root out evil passions from our hearts, before we go hence to be no more seen; or we must not hope that we shall be permitted to join the happy company of the saints above. Think of these things, my brethren; think how much the happiness of man on earth, and the fullness of his joy in heaven, depends upon his keeping this commandment, which Christ has given us, to love one another: and if your hearts condemn you, that towards any one of your fellow-creatures your thoughts and wishes are unkind, resolve and pray for grace that you may lay aside all malice, envyings, hatred, and evil speakings one of another. If the first and greatest commandment is, that we should love God; the second, we know, is like unto it, that we should love our neighbour as ourselves.

The apostle, in the chapter from which my text is taken, has given us the reason which ought to have more weight with us than any other that could be named, to love and be kind to all men: he reminds us of the great love which we have received from God Almighty through our Saviour

Jesus Christ. He speaks not of those great, though common proofs of our Heavenly Father's love, His keeping us, day after day, from danger, and providing, day after day, for our wants-for these, and all His other mercies are, as it were, nothing, compared with His unspeakable goodness in sending His only, His beloved Son, to die for our sins: In this, says St. John, was manifested, or shown, the love of God towards us, because that God sent His only Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (that is, to atone or give satisfaction) for our sins. He then justly reasons from this: Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. And surely, if the Lord God of heaven, the King of glory, the Maker and Ruler of all things, could think us miserable sinners worthy of such great love as He has shewn to us-if the spotless Son of God, He who was equal to His Father in glory, could think it not too much to take upon Him our flesh and suffer a cruel death for such poor creatures

as we are, we cannot think it too much to shew our love to our fellow men. Between God and man how great is the difference! between man and man how little! Before God we are all of equal value, for He is no respecter of persons, and has given His Son to be a ransom for us all.

Let us, then, for whom Jesus died, who owe every thing to God, who without Him are nothing, and without His mercy must perish everlastingly, let us rejoice to shew that love to our fellow creatures which we have received from God. Our love to mankind will be the best proof of our love to Him, for He has told us by His apostle, If a man say I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? and this commandment have we from Him, that he who loveth God, love his brother also: and our Saviour says to us, by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Be it, therefore, our study and our pleasure, to love as brethren, to be kindly affec

tioned one towards another, forgiving one another, and forbearing one another in love. Thus having lived on earth in peace together as the children of one family, we shall be fitted, by the grace of God, for that better world where our most merciful Saviour reigns in glory and He who has already shown to us such great, such undeserved love, will bestow upon us that one remaining proof of it, to which all His other mercies do but lead: He will receive us into the joys of His heavenly kingdom, and fulfil those blessed promises which He has made to all who keep His laws, through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

SERMON XXXVI.

LUKE vii. 37, 38.

And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at His feet behind Him, weeping: and began to wash His feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed His feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

Nor only by His words has our Blessed Saviour taught us to believe that He dearly loves and pities the fallen race of man: not only by His words is the repentant sinner taught to seek for comfort and to hope for pardon. No, our Blessed Lord, whose holy lips spoke forth the words of mercy and compassion to mankind, gave also in His actions proofs without number of these feelings whilst He was here on earth. For