-but we have seen that he is, or else man is not God's workmanship."

"That is impossible; God created man."

"But how? If you say that God created evil; that he formed a wicked and depraved being, it is as much as to say that God is neither wise nor good. But a God like that, wanting in wisdom, or in goodness, would be no God; and whoever believes that God is the author of evil, ought as well to believe that God does not exist. For either he is good, or he does not exist. What think you?"

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Truly I know not what to answer."

"We must get out of this difficulty. If God created man good, but free, could not man, using his liberty—”

"Become bad?"

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Exactly. Man, an intelligent being, could only be created by God free; and it is thus, my friends, that man could become, as is the case, wicked, without having it in his power to accuse God; he can accuse none other than himself. And a further proof that man alone is responsible is this,—that in secret he accuses himself, he condemns himself, he fears. Why, I ask you my friends, why is it that, notwithstanding all the miseries, all the griefs of this life, we still fear the end of it? We dread death, not only for itself, but for what follows. After death we see

God as the judge of our life, the rewarder of our actions, and we tremble. What does this prove but that we acknowledge ourselves to be guilty, and that, in the sincerity of our consciences, we take to ourselves that responsibility which, in words, we so readily throw off upon society, education, example, and even upon God himself. This, my friends, is the true, real, miserable condition in which we are: corrupt, unhappy, frightened, and forced to avow that we alone should bear the responsibility of the evil which enslaves and destroys us."

I had scarcely concluded the sentence when twenty voices around me exclaimed, "But the remedy! the remedy for this fearful state!"

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Patience, my friends. You ask the remedy; so far well; but before replying to you, permit one who believes that he knows it, to make a simple observation. Why, or rather for whom do you ask it? Is it for others, or for yourselves? Each one in particular. We constantly meet with persons who would, if it rested only with themselves, regenerate the universe they say, forgetting that it is with themselves they must begin. They see the mote that is in their brother's eye,' as the Scriptures say, 'but they see not the beam that is in their own eye,' Luke vi. 41, 42. Thus, what happens?

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Everyone says the same thing; everyone wishes to see everyone better, but no one thinks of becoming so. Are riches to be obtained? See with what anxiety and eagerness men press forward to grasp them, ready to overturn every obstacle which presents itself. But is the way of righteousness set before them? Oh, no! they do but cast a look towards it, saying, 'If everyone would walk there!' but without the least intention of doing so themselves. That is the remark I wish to make, my friends; does it apply to you? I know not. Now I will answer your question; attend to me well. If my watch require repairs, to whom shall I take it? To a cartwright? No, to a watchmaker. If a statue be damaged, it must be taken to a sculptor, and not to a shoemaker; and so on; to each workman his proper work. But in the case before us, what is the spoiled and ruined work which requires repairing? It is man. And who is the workman-the maker of man? GOD. God alone, then, can repair his own workmanship, which has been ruined by the fall. In other words, the remedy we need, and which you ask for, comes only from God. Keep this truth in your minds, for it is one which we habitually disbelieve or forget. Humanity is like a picture of Raphael's, the greatest of painters, soiled and defaced. All the daubers in the world, with their brushes and colours, attempt to restore it; they work, and work, and at last, when they think they have succeeded, the picture is only worse than it was before. The hand of Raphael was necessary to repair it. Thus has it been with all, One only excepted, who have pretended, with their religions, or philosophies, or systems of all sorts, to regenerate man. They have toiled till they were exhausted; they have died in the midst of their work; and their religions, their philosophies, and their systems have died with them. Humanity has remained the same. The hand of GOD was wanting. Therefore, I say to you, my friends, if you wish for cure -if you desire to regain the holiness, the peace, the life, which you have lost; trust not in yourselves; trust not in your own strength, nor in that of others. Some will say to you, 'Trust in me; listen to me; believe in me: I will pardon you; I will purify and save you.' Believe them not; they cannot save themselves; what then can they do for you? God alone can pardon. God alone can change the heart. Therefore, man must remain eternally guilty and miserable, or he must turn towards God to obtain deliverance. There is no other choice. "Thus far I have but shown you where the remedy is to be found. I have not told you what it is, or how it is to be applied. In two words, it is this:-The remedy for man's

restoration is in Jesus Christ; and it is enough to believe in Him, to know its efficacy."

"Enough, enough," cried a voice from the crowd, " we know all that."

"You know that, you say; then, who or what was Jesus Christ?"

"Jesus Christ? He was a man, like you and me. man, if you will; but a man, and nothing more."

A great

"How, nothing more? He who possessed not one of the vices belonging to human nature, but owning every virtue which is foreign to it; He whose words were marked by a wisdom which eclipses the united wisdom of all other men ; He who spent his lifetime in doing good; who showed a love hitherto unknown for the human race; He who loved his enemies, and voluntarily gave his life for the salvation of the world: does such an one appear to you a mere man? For my part, when I read the gospel, when I contemplate this incomparable Being who bears the name of Jesus Christ, through the vail of humanity I discern God. Jesus Christ is to me no more a philosopher, a sage, or a martyr; he is the Mediator promised by the ancient prophets, the revealer of the living God, the Saviour of a fallen race. Perfect humanity shows itself in him; and Divinity shines with a veiled and subdued, but manifest light. However, my friends, I am not surprised that those who imagine that man is good, or those who fancy that they can renew and purify themselves,-I say it is not surprising that such do not believe in Jesus Christ. What should they want with him? He himself says, that he came to save the lost, to heal the sick (Matt. xviii. 11; Mark ii. 17). It is not surprising that they who do not feel their need should reject him. But as to those who know and acknowledge their misery; those who see the sinfulness of their lives; those who feel their conscience burdened; who believe in a hereafter, an endless eternity, and who in this dark, unknown, but certain future, behold a God who will reward every man according to his works (Rom. ii. 6); such as these, my friends, hear of Jesus Christ with a very different feeling. If the gospel-the good news-tells them that God sent his Son into the world to save sinners (John iii. 16; 1 Tim. i. 15), they feel too much their need of a Saviour to turn with disdain from such an announcement. If the gospel teaches them that Jesus Christ has reconciled to God, by his life, his sufferings, and death, those who believe in him (Rom. v. 8, 10; 2 Cor. v. 18, 19), they feel their guilt too deeply to trample under foot the blood of this expiatory and reconciling victim. Lastly, if the gospel

declares to them that they can be saved only through faith in Christ Jesus; through the free grace and mercy of God, believed and received (Mark xvi. 16; John vi. 29; Eph. ii. 8; Titus iii. 5), they feel too strongly that all other means— all other merits-all other resources, are vain, not to seize with eagerness the hand stretched forth to save them from destruction. There is the remedy you require. A certain remedy for those who accept it. And while those who merely give it a passing look despise it, those who have experienced its value know also its efficacy. Jesus Christ, the sovereign remedy for the soul! Those who believe in him, reconciled to God through him, pardoned and saved, are filled with peace and hope; a new and divine strength acts within and delivers them from evil, and urges them on towards that perfection to which they aspire. They are new men— new creatures. They have greater liberty than other men, for they are the servants of God; they are more independent, because they depend only on him; they have perfect peace, for their hope is in Christ Jesus, and it cannot be shaken; they are the most happy, knowing that all things work together for their good (Rom. viii. 28); the most devoted to the welfare of their fellow creatures, because the love which they bear to their master, Jesus Christ, constrains them to follow his example, and to walk in his steps. Such is the true Christian! May the number be abundantly multiplied; may the gospel be more known, and loved, and received amongst men; then will the world be transformed; vice and superstition will disappear; and we shall see the dawn of that glorious and promised daythe day of the Lord Jesus Christ!"

Thus far the audience had been perfectly still; but suddenly there was a movement near us; a mob of people, like a wave of the sea, rudely dispersed our quiet group. I retired from the

crowd, and was walking homewards, when some one touched my shoulder; I turned, and at once recognized the young workman, of whom I have before spoken.

"I have followed you with some difficulty," he said, “ that we may, if you please, have some conversation. While you were speaking, I said to myself, if I were like this man, if I knew what he knows, I should be happy?"

"Are you then not happy? What is wanting for your happiness?"

"What is wanting? I will tell you: when I am working, I am amusing myself with my comrades; when I am walking about Paris, looking at the numberless objects that interest one, I am at ease, and almost happy. But at night, in my room, in

I

bed, if I lie a moment awake, I am haunted by unpleasant thoughts, which annoy me, and render me miserable. get rid of them as quickly as I can, and go to sleep; but then I am troubled with bad dreams. However, I perhaps forget them till I chance to meet a funeral, then they return; I think of death, of God, and of eternity, with horror and uneasiness, and do not get right for a whole day. You see now what is wanting."

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Yes, my dear friend, I do see, and I will tell you what it is; you want peace of mind."

"And how can I obtain it?"

"By asking Him who alone can give it. By asking God. Have you read the gospel?"

"Yes, formerly, at school."

"That is to say, at a time when you neither knew nor felt the want of the comforting truths which it contains. Procure a New Testament, and read it with prayer that the Spirit of God may teach you. Stop! I have mine with me; let us approach that well-lighted shop, and I will show you a few passages. Here is one specially addressed to you."

"What! to me?"

"Yes; listen: 'Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. you, and learn of me

your souls,"" Matt. xi. 28-30.

"Who says that?"

Take my yoke upon

and

ye

shall find rest unto

"Jesus Christ. Observe these words, 'I will give,' to you whose soul is burdened, as it were with a crushing weight. You see that this is addressed to you."

"It is true. I would give worlds to possess this rest, promised by Jesus Christ; and if I can merit it—”

"How merit it? What can you mean? When you have worked a fortnight, and your employer pays you, you have merited—you have earned your wages. But if you owed me now, this minute, ten thousand francs, and if I were to say to you, there is your receipt, I give you the money; would you have merited it? No, you would have received it as a gift. That which is merited is no more a gift. When Jesus Christ declares that he will give, it is as if he told us, that because we can never merit or earn that pardon for our sins which will give us peace, we must receive it as his free grace; in fact, as an unmerited gift. See how St. Paul speaks of this in his epistle to the Christians at Ephesus: We are saved by grace, through faith the gift of God; not by works, lest For we are his workmanship,' Eph.

any man should boast.

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