therefore, be secret, if they would be hearty. Fasting and alms, neither of them will endure a trumpet. The trumpet is an instrument of outward pomp ; it is for feasts, not for fasts. One blast of it will destroy all. When the Evil One could not tempt Jesus to eat, he began to urge Him to vanity. Be on your guard. If you betray your good deeds, you betray yourself. "I fast twice in the week," was a boast which robbed the Pharisee of all the virtue of his fast, and all the efficacy of his prayer. Nothing so offends charity as pride and vanity. Strive in all things, both temporal and spiritual, to mortify it. Do not court or affect human praise, or human flattery; but avoid it. Measure yourself by the rule of your inward conscience. Speak little of yourself, or of what you have, whether it be rank, or name, or riches, which are as a river passing beneath your window, and as little belong to you; or good deeds and holy aspirations, of which the glory is to God alone.

III. Cheerfulness and kindness come next,-the fruits of charity. Do not appear unto men to fast.” They who fast in truth, not only appear, but are cheerful indeed. They witness, both in will and deed, against the hypocrites who have no will to fast; who yet disfigure themselves, that they may seem to fast.

Do you aim at not only seeming, but at being cheerful; lest you appear to fast unto men, for men's admi

ration and applause. To whomsoever you fast, of him you may expect reward. If to men, you have it already. If to God, your reward is yet to come. And it will come openly. This is a comfort. This should make you cheerful.

Alms and fasting are sisters in the bond of charity, and must be dressed alike in the raiment of cheerfulness and secrecy; cheerful fasting and cheerful giving are what God loves. "Anoint thy head, and wash thy face."

It is the inner man to which these words most apply. Rejoice your soul with the oil of gladness and spiritual joy, and cleanse your heart by repentance from all sin. So, shall you have true joy in fasting.

"He

Let not your Lent be a "fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness."* who fasts from meat, and abstains not from sin, is like the Devil, who eats not, and ceases not from sin."t "Eatest thou not flesh ?" asks S. Basil, "but thou devourest thy brother. Forbearest thou

to drink wine? but thou forbearest not to offer wrong. Thou stayest till night before thou breakest thy fast, but thou spendest all the day in quarrels."

Love all, and bear with all, and judge kindly of all. Win others by the power of a bright example, and a happy expression, rather than repel them by the + S. Ambrose, Serm. 43, p. 7.

* Is. lviii. 4.

S. Basil de Jejunio. Hom. i. p. 331.

offence of a dark and dismal countenance. If you desire to know whether your charity towards God be real, mark how you love your neighbour. As the lines draw near to each other, so they approach the centre. The nearer your heart draws you to your fellowsinners, in Christian love, the nearer you are to God.

I have said above, that the mortification of Lent is a much more comprehensive discipline, than mere abstinence from meats and drinks. I pray God you may lay this to heart. Remember, the work before you is not only to kill sin and to cross your natural inclinations, but also to attain unto that "life which is hid with Christ in God"-that life of "deadness" to the world, which calls forth no indignation against scorn, no revenge against injuries, no repining at humble offices, no impatience in troubles, no excessive joy, no inordinate sorrow; but meekness, and gentleness, and self-abasement, and equal spirits, and patience, and constant, faithful industry for God and His service, in that place to which His providence has called you.

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself,"-deny not only all desires which are sinful and dangerous, but all desires which are his own.

I need hardly tell you, that if you feel the weight of this truth, you will endeavour, in all ways, during Lent, to give it form and expression.

1. You will rise early from bed, curtailing the

morning rather than the night hours of sleep; remembering that holy Job offered his sacrifices, and Moses built his altars, and the children of Israel gathered the bread of heaven, in the pure, fresh morning hours. "My voice shalt thou hear betimes, O Lord; early in the morning, will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up."

2. You will never forget that, as your body is the instrument of sin, so only, as you keep that “body under," will you crush the power of sin. You will avoid softness and idleness, and rather encourage hardness, uneasy garments, laborious postures, hunger, cold, and the like. Not that I would prescribe these mortifications indiscriminately-which would be to ensnare your conscience-but I would advise them in all cases where sin is present to you, afflicting you through the senses; for the Apostle seems to draw a distinction between such carnal temptations and others which are spiritual in their kind. Of the former he distinctly says, "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth;"* and he gives a list, "fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness." Of the latter he only says, "But now ye also put off all these, —anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth," and lying.

But, however this may be, you will take care that + Col. iii. 8.

* Col. iii. 5.

in your dress and occupations, you bear witness to the mortified state of your inward heart. You will avoid gay colours, and ornaments, and follies of fashion. You will refuse to visit. You will not waste time in "making calls." You will refuse the accustomed luxury (if so be) of a carriage, and rather walk when you go out of doors. When you eat, you will inwardly ejaculate, "Feed my soul, which needs to fast for ever;" and when you drink, "Give my dry soul to drink of the waters of penitence and love." You will forbear music, and dancing, and theatres, and operas, and oratorios, and places of public recreation.

"What profit is there in your fasting?" exclaimed the great S. Chrysostom, in one of those stirring sermons which he preached daily at Antioch in Lent: "what advantage in your meeting together so often in this place? For when the Jews and Gentiles see you, who are every day at church to hear a sermon, come, notwithstanding, to the horse-race, and join. with them in the circus, will they not reckon our religion a cheat, and entertain the same suspicion of us all? They will sharpen their tongues against us all, and for the offence of a few, condemn the whole body of Christians. Neither will they stop here, but rail at our Head, and, for the servants fault, blaspheme our common Lord, and think it a sufficient excuse and apology for their own errors, that they have some