available, to faith, through outward means, and agencies. We are of a twofold nature. We sin, in both. We are redeemed, in both. We must be sanctified, in both; that we may be saved in both. Hence the primeval institution of sacrifices. Hence the Mosaic ceremonial. Hence the Incarnation. Hence, the Crucifixion. Hence, the Font, with the regenerating wave. "Except a man be born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." And hence the altar, with the food, that feeds the soul: "take, eat, this is my body;" "drink ye all of this." all of this." "For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." It is written, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." But, it is, also, written, "He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved." It is written, "He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." But, it is also, written, "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?" And, again, "He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me, and I in him.” Happy, they, who take God, at His own word, and go to Him, on His own terms. Who, at His command, arise, like Saul, and are baptized, and wash away their sins. Unto whom, like the two at Emmaus, He is made known "in the breaking of bread."

iii. And finally, Redemption is a judicial miracle. In Adam, the race was created, upright. In Adam, the race fell. In Adam, the race was all redeemed.

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cross, which compreAs Jesus came into They, which

But, not all, therefore saved. The hends, must still divide, the race. the world, so, that is set, " for judgment." saw not, were made to see, by Him. And they, who thought they saw, became more blind. There is no

middle way. The wave of human life is parted, at the Cross. As it sets, to the right hand, or sets to the left, it bears the souls of men, to endless bliss, or endless woe. Now, is the time to make the choice, which will run on through all eternity. The meek, the lowly, the loving, children, and the childlike, believe in Jesus, and are saved. The proud, the self-righteous, the unloving, trust in themselves, and perish. If they were blind, they should have no sin. The blood of Jesus would have cleansed them, from it all. They say, they see; they trust in themselves, that they are righteous: therefore their sin remaineth.

My beloved, you have listened, many times, to these same things. You must, still, listen, to them. In religion, there is nothing new. If there were, it must be false. Is God new? Is the truth new? Is the Cross new? Can there be a new law? Can there be a new worship? Can there be a new Church? No, my beloved! There is but "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." One Saviour of all sinners. One way, by which all sinners must be saved. The answer of the Pentecost is, still, the answer, to whoever asks the way, which leadeth unto life, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost: for

the promise is to you and your children, and to all that are afar off; even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Great as the miracle of our Redemption is, a miracle of love unlimited, and of almighty power, it is, still, a sacramental miracle; and must be sought in the way, which He Himself appoints, who wrought it: and it is still a judicial miracle, and must increase the condemnation of all, in whom, it does not work salvation. Unless the blind man had obeyed the Lord, and gone, and washed in Siloam, he would have died in the blindness, in which he was born. And to the Pharisees, who rejected Jesus, and mocked the miracle, it only brought a harder heart, and a more fierce damnation. "If ye were blind should have no sin: but, now, ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth." For the preaching of the Cross is, to them that perish, foolishness, but unto us, which are saved, it is the power of God." "To the one, we are the savour of death unto death; and, to the other, the savour of life unto life." Think, my beloved, that all the agony, and all the anguish of the Cross must be in vain, for some! Think, if it should, for you! O Saviour of the world, who by Thy Cross and precious blood hast redeemed us, save us, we beseech thee, from ourselves!

ye

SERMON X.

THE POWER OF FAITH, THE VIRTUE OF FASTING AND PRAYER.

ST. MARK IX. 29.—And He saith unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

THESE words conclude the second lesson of this morning's service. It would seem from them that, that may be achieved by prayer and fasting, to which no other means are adequate. It would also seem, from the recital of the same transaction by St. Matthew, that their virtue lies in the power of faith. Jesus had been upon the Mountain of the Transfiguration. While he was absent with the favoured three, Peter and James and John, an anxious father had brought to the other Apostles, his suffering son, which had a dumb spirit, that they might cast him out. They could not do it. The disappointed father made his applica tion to the Saviour; "If thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us." To Him, the cry of sorrow never rose in vain. "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And, when the father's heart, so touched, poured out the living waters of a true, but trembling trust, "Lord, I believe ;

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help Thou my unbelief," He cast the devil out, and healed the child. "Then came the disciples to Jesus apart; and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for, verily, I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit, this kind goeth not out, but by prayer and fasting." I repeat it, these words appear to teach, that, that may be achieved, by prayers and fasting, to which no other means are adequate. It also seems, from the comparison of Scripture, that their virtue lies in the power of faith.

แ

"Why could

"Because of

I know it will be said, these words are spoken of a class of evils, which have ceased to plague our race. What Jesus said about the casting out of devils; and it might almost seem, but of one kind of these, can have but little application to our time. But, it is the principle, with which we are concerned. not we cast him out?" the Apostles say. your unbelief." And then, as if to suggest the reason of their want of faith, "This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting." In other words, if the Apostles had had faith, they might have healed the child. They had not faith, because they did not fast and pray. So far as these words of our Lord involve a principle, they are of permanent and universal application. I shall inquire first, as to the principle; then, as to its application to our case.