is not all; (Exod. ix. 27; x. 16; Numb. xxii. 34; 1 Sam. xv. 24, 30; xxvi. 21; S. Matt. xxvii. 4;) but the downcast eyes and beaten breast of the publican were but tokens of the anguish of his contrite soul. Such a sorrow as his turns from sin with horror and disgust, and labours after holiness with ardour and energy. 2 Cor. vii. 10, 11. Such a sorrow has an interest in the "Man of Sorrows." Ps. li. See Outline for Ash-Wednesday.

If we, then, would go to our houses justified, be it our care not to justify ourselves; but learn from this parable a more serious impression, and a more fervent offering, of the opening prayers in the Litany; remembering that a formal confession of sin is no better than a formal profession of holiness; that not the language, but the feeling, is accepted of GOD; and the feeling must be proved by "works meet for repentance." When the sensual shall be pure; the revengeful, forgiving; the self-indulgent, self-denying; the unruly, obedient; the liar, truthful; the fraudulent, just and generous; the covetous, heavenly-minded; where the right hand of sin is cut off, the right eye extinguished, —there is repentance, and there is mercy. Where love abounds in these, we may entertain a comfortable hope, though sins have been many, that the sentence has been spoken, "Thy sins be forgiven thee." S. Luke vii. 47, 48. (See Outline for Whit-Tuesday.)

[There are two orations of S. Chrysostom-the 4th and 72nd-on this subject, very different indeed in style, though having some passages common. The first is very eloquent and florid, and may be studied with great advantage by the preacher, both for matter and

diction. They are too diffuse to be conveniently quoted. The conclusion of Bishop Bull's xixth Sermon on some Important Points of Primitive Christianity furnishes matter for a good peroration.]

LIV.

Twelfth Sunday after Trinity.

Subject. The didactic character of our LORD's miracles. Text. S. Mark vii. 37. "He hath done all things well; He maketh both the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak."

Illustrative Texts. Exod. iv. 11; Isa. xxix. 18; xxxv. 5, 6; xlii. 18; S. Matt. ix. 32, 33; xi. 5; xii. 22; xv. 30, 31; S. Mark ix. 17, seqq.; S. Luke xi. 14.

Principal Words. καλῶς—κωφοὺς ἀκούειν—ἀλάλους λαλεῖν.

If

SUCH was the natural exclamation of the spectators. But the miracle is no less marvellous now. Whether believed on ocular evidence, or on that of competent testimony, the effect should be the same. those who beheld it had not been "beyond measure astonished," and burst forth into grateful adoration, it had been more wonderful than the miracle itself. If we hear not with like feelings, either we do not believe, or we receive not the Gospel as what it is, (1 Thess. ii. 13,) or we feel an apathy in the most momentous of concerns, which we could not entertain in a question of natural science. Many truths, which we do not dispute, have yet no tendency to influence our conduct. But not so our SAVIOUR's miracles. We should consider it infidelity to deny that He did

all things well. And yet what is in that word well, we very imperfectly consider. Some scarcely reflect on His mighty works at all; some regard them as simply evidential, and nothing more. The astonishment, thankfulness, adoration, which found expression in the text, are unechoed in too many hearts; few of us, surely, feel them in all their depth and power. No doubt the miracles of our LORD were evidential: (S. Matt. xi. 4, 5; S. John iii. 2; v. 36; x. 25, 37, 38; xv. 24. Compare Isa. xxxv. 5, 6) but they were much more. The Church, in selecting the record of so many for the Gospels, evidently considered them as much intended for the instruction of the faithful, as for the conviction of unbelievers: she deemed that all who heard them with pious and thankful hearts, would say with the bystanders in the text, "He hath done all things well." Those witnesses did not say, "He hath done all things wonderfully;" or, "He hath done all things in the exercise of divine power;" the Godlike kindness and benevolence, the heavenly instructiveness, of the mighty deeds of JESUS, made the earliest and deepest impression on their souls. To awaken and direct that truly Christian sentiment, let us consider the miracle as illustrative of the substance and method of His teaching.

I. Our LORD's miracles symbolized spiritual truths. His healing the blind, that He alone could dispel error and ignorance: S. Luke ii. 32; S. John ix. 5. His raising the dead, that through Him alone we arise from the death of sin: S. John xi. 25; Eph. ii. 1, 5. His expulsion of devils, that He alone overthrows the kingdom of Satan: S. Luke x. 17, S.

18;

John xii. 31. His cure of diseases, especially leprosy, (Outline for Third Sunday after Epiphany,) that He alone is the physician of the soul: Isa. liii. 4; S. Matt. viii. 17.1 In the present instance we are taught that He alone can waken the heart to receive His truth, and render its homage; to that full communion, whereby He pours out His Spirit on us, and we pour out our souls to Him. And although we expect not bodily miracles from Him now, yet these spiritual wonders of His mercy we are permitted to expect, if we seek them rightly.

II. Our LORD requires us to come to Him for the remedy of our deafness and dumbness. Such an approach He demands for the cure of all our spiritual evils: but these only the text now brings before our consideration. If we know not that we are diseased, we shall not seek to the Physician. We may be deaf tó the Gospel, (Ps. lviii. 3-5; Isa. vi. 9, 10,) dumb in edification and prayer, (Isa. lvi. 10,) and yet believe we are whole. The deaf and dumb are eminently insensible of their misfortune. They are commonly wonderfully cheerful, and surprised that any should pity them. Of themselves, they seek not relief. He in the history came not to JESUS of himself, but' was "brought." The spiritually deaf and dumb act likewise. And if we set up idols in our hearts, objects that allure us from GOD, and we trust in them, we are like those idols ourselves; (Ps. cxxxv. 17, 18;) we 'cannot speak to GOD; we cannot hear His voice; we need His finger to heal us. To approach Him we must be sensible of our maladies, which are,

1 Texts on all these subjects abound to overflow.