present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place; and labour, working with our hands3:" in short, "made the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things." That is to say, instead of taking things easy and living in quiet, he put himself to all sorts of trouble, and encountered the greatest dangers.

We do not attempt such great things as St. Paul, and therefore we do not put ourselves to all this danger and hardship; but we must, every one after his degree, put ourselves to trouble in order to do good to those around us, and not expect to be of any use in God's service without it. Every one has parents, or children, or servants, or neighbours, for whose souls he will be answerable, as far as it is in his power to benefit them; and this cannot be done by letting things go on as they otherwise would. Supposing that he has no other opening, no other means of serving them, but by praying for them, yet prayers for the benefit of others must be from a mortified life. I know not how any one can pray aright, even for himself, much less for others, without a considerable degree of pain and trouble; for as it is of all modes of doing good the most effectual, so it is the most difficult. Unless something of fasting or self-denial goes with it, or some chastening of GoD, it can never be that fervent, effectual prayer of a righteous man which availeth much.

Or again, to call our neighbour to account for his faults, and give him serious good advice, as a Christian is bound to do, instead of censuring him to others: this can never be done, to be of any service, unless he that gives is as much pained as he that receives correction; pained under a sense of his own infirmities, and a sympathy and fellow-feeling for his offending brother. For to find fault with another from pride or ill-temper, only increases the evil on both sides; but to speak in humility and charity, is to speak as a prisoner of CHRIST.

In short, to labour for the salvation of others, is the best way to promote our own salvation; and this can only be done by bearing about in the body the marks of the LORD JESUS;" i. e. by putting ourselves to inconvenience, and loss-by taking trouble, and by some way or other carrying, as it were, with us the Cross of CHRIST.

31 Cor. iv. 11—13.

SERMON CCCXVI.

ON THE CARE OF EACH LITTLE ONE.

ST. MICHAEL'S DAY.

ST. LUKE Xv. 10.

"Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of GOD over one sinner that repenteth."

THESE memorable words which our LORD adds to each of those two short parables, that of the Lost Sheep, and that of the Lost Piece of Money, set before us in a very striking manner the value of the human soul, as the worth and importance of it is known by those blessed spirits which encircle the throne of God. And not this only, but it likewise affords a lively picture of that Divine charity which watches, even, as it were, at so great a distance, over one single creature. For this love is, doubtless, learned by them at the very fountain-head of Mercy, from the immediate presence of HIM Whose Name is Love; without Whose intimate knowledge and care not a sparrow falleth to the ground; and by Whom all the hairs of our head are numbered.

And, now, on these words very much might be said to each person respecting the inestimable value of his own soul; that although it appears to be no great object of concern to him, yet that there are beings who see the Face of GOD, who love us more than we love ourselves, who think more of our ways of going on than we do, are more concerned respecting our final welfare than we are ourselves: that not only is CHRIST seeking for each one of us, but they also are watching over us together with HIM.

Now this surely is a very moving reflection to lead any one to

repentance.

But, on the present occasion, I would only observe what we may learn from this instance of angelic charity, and from this circumstance which causes joy in Heaven over one single soul here below. It has been well said, that among mankind we may learn a person's character from his pleasures and pains; if we know what most pleases any one, or most of all gives him pain, we shall know upon what his heart is set; for one man rejoices at one thing, and another at something else, according to his disposition. Now this we may apply to the Angels of GOD, we know not what makes up their blessedness, for it is infinitely beyond the thought of man, excepting in this one thing, that they rejoice together with CHRIST over one sinner that repenteth. And of CHRIST HIMSELF when upon earth, although we read often and in many ways of His sorrows at the sins of men, yet once only do we read of His rejoicing; and the subject of that was, that His FATHER in Heaven was revealing HIMSELF to little ones-to babes-to meek and humble penitents. His joy upon earth was to bear back a lost soul to the fold.

True charity, therefore, shows itself over one person, is interested about even one, as if there was only one in the world. Such was the love of JESUS CHRIST which He showed upon earth. If we attend to the account of His life, we shall find that His tender compassion and care was generally exercised, from time to time, about some particular person. So it was when He sat so long conversing with the woman at the well of Samaria, knowing so well all her past life, her thoughts, her desire to know the CHRIST Whenever HE should come; HE talked with her alone; for she was no stranger to HIM, although He was entirely a stranger to her, and she had never seen HIM before; until he had kindled in her a desire after that Living Water which never faileth and when His disciples came to HIM, and wondered that he talked with the woman, it was as if HE said to them, Rejoice with ME, for I have found My sheep which was lost." So was it in the miracles that HE wrought, and in the words that He spoke; they seem generally directed towards one person, such as suited his case; although He knew that His works and words would reach unto the end of the world, yet His thoughts

seem, as it were, so full of those that were around HIM, as if directed towards them alone. And this, perhaps, was one reason why there was a great difference and variety in His miracles, and His manner of performing them, because He did them in such a way as the particular case required. And so, also, with His words: one man who earnestly desired to be with HIM, HE told to go home to his friends: another he enjoined to leave his friends at whatever cost, and to come and follow HIM;-to leave the dead to bury their dead; and not to turn back when he had put his hand to the plough. To another, who professed himself eager to follow HIM, HE gave no encouragement, saying, “The SON OF MAN hath not where to lay His head." Now all this shows that He had the heart of each person particularly in His eye whenever HE spake: He attended with a very particular care to the case of each in all that He said. And thus we may observe, that our LORD spoke in a different manner to His Disciples to what he did to others; and very differently to the Pharisees to what he did to the Publicans: with what peculiar care did HE seem to watch over St. Peter, always knowing what was in his heart, and his faith, and his weakness? And so likewise over Judas Iscariot, even to the last. He spoke in one way to Martha and in another manner to Mary, who had chosen the good part. Under every variety, with an especial attention to their particular case, did HE speak to Pontius Pilate, and to the Chief Priests, and to the women that lamented HIM, and to the penitent thief upon the Cross. And the same was the case after the Resurrection in all His manifestations. He walked with those two Disciples going to Emmaus, and conversed with them, as if there were no persons in all the world whose case was such an object of interest to HIM as theirs was: and the same might be said of His appearing to Mary Magdalene on the same morning, who had watched and sought for HIM so earnestly and so likewise with regard to St. Thomas: before He appeared to him He gave him the strongest evidence that could be given by the testimony of all the other Apostles; and when this was not enough, He gave him all that sensible proof which he had himself desired.

For what is so remarkable in all this is, that it is not with ALMIGHTY GOD as with us, on account of His wonderful knowledge of all His creatures: we, by reason of our very weakness,

and the limited nature of our knowledge, cannot think affectionately of many at once; but with HIM it is very different; for all the hearts, and affections, and thoughts of all men are equally known to HIM; HE careth for all alike; there is no respect of persons with HIM; and yet He is pleased to show HIMSELF SO tenderly alive to the concerns of each; so thoughtful, as it were, of each one; so full of love to each one; as if there were no one else but that one whom He watched over.

And something of the same kind might be said also of the blessed Angels; for on account of the wonderful extent of their knowledge, we might have thought that one single soul of man on earth could be no great concern to them: while they see millions of worlds, as it were, beneath their feet, and larger than ours, and even here upon earth so many nations, and cities, and villages, and families, how could they out of so many almost innumerable objects, equally important and near to them, care with a particular regard for any one! So we might have thought and especially when we consider their greatness also, as living in the immediate Presence of GOD, and each endued with strength greater than that of whole armies; and with wisdom far beyond the wisest of men. And yet what are we told? there is joy among the Angels of Heaven over one sinner that repenteth. And doubtless the reason of this is because their love is equal to their knowledge—they can love even one soul.

But now the very opposite to this may be noticed in this evil world; as knowledge and wealth increases, men become more and more hard-hearted; and this shows itself especially in not caring for the feelings and wants of particular persons. If we look out into the great world in which we live, and to political matters, there we see large and extensive plans for the benefit of the poor and for schools; and yet, for the most part, carried on with so little charity, so little love and tenderness for the natural or religious feelings of poor and humble people, that a cup of cold water given to a disciple in the name of CHRIST is worth it all. For while persons are thus engaged in their great schemes, from the temper they show throughout, we cannot but reflect that cases of distress and affliction may lay close to their own doors, nay, may be even within their own houses, and yet they are too