divine words,-all that prevents our realizing that unity of God's Church in its actual edifice of order and strength, without which the light of His glorious Majesty can never be duly felt, nor truly reflected from us on the dark world. Let us pray for the removal of all suspicions, all narrowness of spirit, all contempt for others older, wiser and holier than ourselves; all disposition to seek the gifts of the Spirit otherwise than in those channels through which they were first dispensed to mankind; and which however for our sins they may appear closed or extinct, yet by His breath may they be quickened afresh who first breathed into the Apostles after his resurrection the Spirit of his own immortal life. Thus may schisms and scandals disappear from those who recognize no empty forms, as Christ has instituted none,-but see Christ and his life-giving Spirit in all. For "there is one body and one Spirit, even as we are called in one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism." "By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Greeks, whether we be bond or free." "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many, are one bread and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread." May that unity which Christ bequeathed be once more the cherished portion of his family on earth; sighed for where it is not attained; its absence not slurred over and apologized for, but sincerely regretted and lamented; its return

sought not by self-chosen methods of modern wisdom, but the ancient ways of his appointment; the ordinances of ecclesiastical unity which first held the body together, and have, even in the worst of times, kept his heritage from utter confusion.

SERMON XIX.

CONFIDENCE TOWARDS GOD.

(Preached at St Mary's on the Second Sunday after Trinity, June 16, 1844.)

1 JOHN III. 21-24.

Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

THE morning epistle of which these words are the close, relates to the subject of a good conscience ; the means by which under the covenant of grace it is attained and secured, with the great blessings attendant on its possession. No subject is of greater importance to the individual Christian than this: and well does its special consideration follow thus directly on the complete series of revealed truth which from Advent to Pentecost has been successively presented to us: when having traced the progress of redeeming mercy, from its first dawning commencement to the last crowning gift of the Father, we end by contemplating these mys

teries of grace in their adorable Source, the One God in Three Persons-of whom, and through whom, and by whom, they are ours.

What, then, on this momentous personal subject, is the testimony of the Evangelist and Apostle St John, the beloved disciple of his Lord,-to whom, beyond all others, it was given to discern most clearly, to disclose most fully to men, the mysteries which he had seen and heard from the Incarnate Truth? The passage just read answers this question. Having told us, in the outset of this day's Epistle, that the end and essence of our divine religion was love to the brethren,-love not terminated in words or mere emotions, but in the deeds of self-denying beneficence, a love reflecting that infinite love of God, whereby He laid down his life for us, by laying down a portion of our life, our worldly substance, for the necessities of others, he observes, that if we thus carry out into act the principle of heavenly charity, "hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For, if our heart condemn us," if our conscience convict us of wilful failures here, much more must God convict; since "God is greater than our hearts;"-He that planted the ear must hear, He that formed the eye must see, infinitely beyond the hearing or the sight of man; He that teacheth man knowledge, He that endued him with this power of self-inspection and selfcondemnation, much more must He judge and punish: He "knoweth all things. But if our hearts condemn us not,"-if our conscience enlightened

by his truth assure us of our substantial integrity in this respect, "then have we confidence towards God;" a confidence, proportionate to our obedience, that our prayers, rightly directed to the throne of mercy, will be heard and unfailingly answered. The commandment to which this obedience is due, is summed up, as he then observes, in believing in the Name of the Son of God, and following his law of charity to mankind. Thus, and thus only, do we dwell in Him and He in us; in this have we the earnest of the Spirit, that certifies of our membership in Him, and our final salvation. Let it then be our concern at present to examine the Apostolic testimony more in detail : as it relates, first, to our general duty as Christians; secondly, to the acceptableness of our prayers at the throne of grace; finally, to our peace and hope and confidence in God.

Now with respect to our general duty as Christians, no testimony can be more direct than that of St John, to shew that it is comprised under two great heads, a right belief and a right practice: it is to embrace with real credence the objects which the revelation of God has opened to our mental perception, and to pursue this intellectual assent into the love which fulfils the commandments. Thus faith and obedience-not as detached or unmixed ingredients, but vitally linked together by the love that makes them one,-constitute the whole duty of the Christian man. If the Apostle do not prefix to faith and obedience that which is the joint preliminary with faith in those who approach