the accumulated debt? I have offended the High and Holy One-Who shall assure me of his pardon? I have shut myself out from his presence-Who shall enable me again to stand before him? I have utterly undone myself Who shall undertake my cause ?"

Brethren, your Creed and Catechism tell you! They answer these anxious inquiries. They meet just the very feeling of necessity whence those inquiries spring. They teach you to "believe in God the Son, who hath redeemed you and all mankind," in that Saviour Jesus Christ, who was made man, was crucified, was raised again, and has ascended into heaven, all for this single purpose, that he might "redeem men to God by his blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation!" "As by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift hath come upon all men, unto justification of life." "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life!" Here indeed is a practical truth, meeting a practical necessity. Here is the voice of love, responding to the groans of a fallen world. Here is grace abounding

where sin abounded- a remedy commensurate with our disease a sacrifice sufficient for our guilt—a payment covering all our debt-a ransom, "not by corruptible things, as silver and gold, but by the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

Nor forget, I pray you,—all of you who feel your personal need of such a revelation of redemption by the Son of God, - your equal need of personal application of this redemption to your own particular case. You are taught to believe in God the Son, "who hath redeemed you and all mankind.” Christ died for you, the just for the unjust, that he might bring you to God. He was made sin for you, though he knew no sin, that you might be made the righteousness of God in him. He gave himself for you, that he might redeem you from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. The death of Christ is no mere historical event-well substantiated — interesting — touching to the soul—and no more! It is an event which symbolizes and seals the pardoning love of God, and that pardoning love to you to meto all who feel their need of it. It is not, therefore, to be asserted only, to be confessed, to be commemorated; but it is to be embraced, applied, pressed home to our bosom, and made the source and sustenance of a constantly renewing life of peace and

hope within the soul. For, as our Homily for Good Friday reminds us, we must "apply Christ's death and passion to our comfort, as a medicine to our wounds, so that it may work the same effect in us wherefore it is given; namely, the health and salvation of our souls. For, as it profiteth a man nothing to have salve, unless it be well applied to the part infected; so the death of Christ shall stand us in no force, unless we apply it to ourselves in such sort as God hath appointed. Almighty God commonly worketh by means, and in this thing he hath also ordained a certain mean whereby we may take fruit and profit to our soul's health. What mean is that? Forsooth, it is Faith.... That is to say, a sure trust and confidence in the mercies of God: whereby we persuade ourselves that God both hath, and will forgive our sins; that he hath accepted us again into his favour; that he hath released us from the bonds of damnation, and received us again into the number of his elect people, not for our merits or deserts, but only and solely for the merits of Christ's death and passion; who became man for our sakes, and humbled himself to sustain the reproach of the cross, that we thereby might be saved, and made inheritors of the kingdom of heaven ... Therefore, dearly beloved, if we chance at any time, through frailty of the flesh, to fall into sin, and if we feel the heavy bur

den thereof to press our souls, tormenting us with the fear of death, hell, and damnation, let us then use that mean which God hath appointed in his word, to wit, the mean of Faith, which is the only instrument of salvation now left unto us."

Once more only. Do you feel yourselves not only helpless, and needing a Father to lean upon

and guilty, and needing a Redeemer to stand your friend- but corrupt, and needing, therefore, a Comforter to purify and strengthen you? Have you tried hard to overcome your evil thoughts, desires and habits, and yet find yourselves still farvery far from getting rid of them? Have you solemnly renounced the devil, the world and the flesh, and yet do you find the devil, the world, and the flesh harassing, alluring, and impelling you still? Do you delight in the law of God after the inward man, and yet find a law in your members warring against the law of your mind, and bringing you into captivity to the law of sin which is in your members? And do you therefore cry with bitter self-reproach and self-despair, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? Still, be not driven from your purpose · give not over your exertions - think it not vain to wish, and pray, and plan for self-improvement; throw not up the work as far too mighty for poor, frail, feeble man a mockery to be proposed to him—a

foolish vanity to dream of; for your Creed and Catechism teach you to "believe in God the Holy Ghost, who sanctifieth you and all the elect people of God" in that all-powerful and all-purifying Spirit of the living God, who is "the Lord and Giver of life," and whose special office it is to sanctify that is, to renew, to strengthen, to fashion into growing purity of heart and manners "all the elect people of God," all who have been called out from the world, and brought to Christ, and consecrated by him to the Father, as members of his family, and entitled therefore to his constant help. From his holy inspiration has come every good thought that you have had from your youth up even until now. And by his all-sufficient strength you may not only think those things that be good, but also faithfully perform the same.

For, all that we need to the realizing of our purposes, and the attainment of our end of selfimprovement, is life-moral and spiritual life. It is the most lively, vigorous, and robust conceptions, (if I may use these epithets,) which at each successive moment actuate the will. It is the thoughts, and trains of thought, which are most intimate, and domesticated in the soul-so domesticated that we get to be insensible of their presence even when most subject to their influencethat form the life-blood and the moving principle