Thirdly, that sacredness is especially preserved by faithfulness and attachment in married persons. If there be dissatisfaction with the person chosen, or the eye or heart begins to rove after others, the tie is well nigh broken, and all idea of sacredness almost gone. Especially must the husband be on his guard in this: for he is the head of the wife, and, therefore, ought to be the better, and lead the way in good deeds. But when he ought to lead the way in virtue and chastity, shall he be the first to fall? and will he then expect his wife to be victorious, when he lies down and is overcome? But besides this actual unfaithfulness, there are other lesser matters which weaken the sacredness of marriage. When the husband instead of spending his evenings mostly at home, is found either at the ale house or club house, or the reading room, he is beginning to make a separation; if seeking his own pleasure, he leaves her either alone, or fighting with difficulties, most certainly he is estranging himself. If the wife be given as a help-meet, surely he is more so, or as St. Paul calls him, "the saviour of the body;" and. therefore, instead of seeking ease, he should be present to assist; otherwise, the sacredness of the marriage will be much lessened. But again, the wife's business is to rule her temper: for St. Peter says to husbands, "love your wives, and be not bitter against them;" why bitter? except owing to their tempers; some indolent, and not caring for household affairs; and some violent, and always contradicting

their husbands, instead of " reverencing" them. Her business also is to be in character, or generally, a "keeper at home" much more than her husband; but if she prefer other houses, or other company beside his, she forgets the marriage tie. For in this, as well as in her temper, she is paving the way to estrangement and much unhappiness, and sadly dimming the light of the sacredness of marriage.

Lastly, this sacredness is preserved by attention to positive duties. The duty of the husband is to " “give honour to the wife," and of the wife to "submit to her husband." It is when they seek to accommodate one another, and to give way in some matters, instead of striving for mastery, that the true love between them is shown, and the sacredness of their union cemented. Likewise, their duty is to help one another, not only in earthly things, but in spiritual. And when they each read their Bible, each kneel down to pray, each attend the same place of worship; when they are, if possible, together at the Holy Communion; when they teach, exhort, and sustain each other in trial; when they are alike in distresses and consolations, then the sacredness of their union increases in their sight, and becomes stronger. When Jesus is not only called to the marriage, but ever after, through a holy life, presides at their table, then they are blessed more and Let us seek this blessing; for a marriage kept sacredly increases happiness, but one kept loosely greatly increases misery.

more.

SERMON XII.

SAVIOURS AND DESTROYERS.

MATTHEW XVIII, 11.

The Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

We all know that there are in the world good and evil. We see evil daily; if we think of what we have said and done to-day, we see it; if we visit a prison and see its wretched inmates, we see it. On the other hand, we see some good; we behold in this place devotion and the worship of God; we see in well brought up families steadiness, kindness to one another, and piety towards God. We see both evil seems to be the greater, yet it does not prevail over good; because there are unseen powers at work; so that, as David says in the battle that was against him," There we many with me," or on my side; or as Elisha to his servant, "They that be with us are more than they that be with them," that is, with us two than with the whole Syrian army.

Do we ask, how came there to be both good and

evil, and what are the powers at work on both sides. Taught by Holy Scripture, which alone can explain this mystery, we learn that there is One God the Father, in the unity of whose nature have everlastingly been the Son, and Spirit; and that these are eternally, unchangeably good.

Then we learn, that this One God in time created hosts of angels; and that he created these good and upright, yet both free to act and capable of sinning; for if they had not been free, they would have been no more than stones or trees in the scale of creation; and if they had not been capable of sinning, they would have been almighty; and, so, would not have been creatures, but gods in truth. Being thus free, and capable of sinning, many, long before this world was, "abode not in the truth," as our Lord says; so that they had been in the truth, but they abode not in it: from whence we see that to forsake truth, and to adopt error, is one of the first and highest sins. And, as they abode not in the truth, so they "kept not their first estate," but left their own habitation, that is, they left it of themselves, or by their own free will; and thus from good became themselves evil, and by departing from good brought in evil. Thus, as there had been the good God and innumerable good angels; so there had now become hosts of evil angels.

To God is ever ascribed the being good and doing good; as David says, "Thou Lord art good, and doest good;" and St. James, "God cannot be tempted with

evil, neither tempteth he any man."

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Of the good angels it is said, that they " do God's commandments," and that they are "ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.", But of evil angels it is said, in the Revelation, that they, like an army, have " a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit," and that his name in the Greek tongue is " Apollyon," which means, the Destroyer.

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Hence, when God had made Adam and Eve, but, as all his creatures, capable of sinning, this Destroyer, working their ruin, led them to unbelief and disobedience, and, so, brought in evil among men also. Then we read that he reigned over men, as the prince of this world ;" and that all men, as St. Paul says, "walked according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience;" and so great was his power over men, that our Saviour likens him to a strong man armed" keeping in peace his helpless goods, that is, men; so that he could use them, as he used the serpent, to be his instruments of evil; and, hence, of Judas Iscariot we read, that "the devil put it into his heart to betray Jesus;" and, again, of Ananias, that "Satan had filled his heart to lie unto God;" and thus he acts to the present day, having under him many men working evil and tempting to evil.

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It is the existence of such which gives force to the Text. For Jesus, having said, "Whoso shall offend,"