nobleman's son, (St. John, iv. 46,) the centurion's servant, (St. Matt. viii. 5, 6,) and the Ruler's daughter, (St. Matt. ix. 18-25.)

In the time of Christ, it was a flourishing city, and, on account of its situation, derived considerable importance from its commerce and fishery. It is now in ruins, although it existed in the sixth century when it was visited by Antoninus Martyr, who mentions a church erected over the spot where St. Peter's house is supposed to have stood. It fell under the woe of our Lord, (St. Matt. xi. 23,) and is a pointed warning against rejecting the conditions of salvation.

R. E. B.

A LECTURE on the Proportion of Faith, as shewn in "the Principles of our Union with Christ,

the Head of the Church."

(Continued from page 27,-No. 1.)

NOT but that Christ was Prophet, Priest, and King, yea from the first moment of His Incarnation, for Christ's unction, as said by St. Peter to Cornelius was, "with the Holy Ghost and with power," and was not such an unction of sanctification in the virgin's womb, like that anointing which the Prophet Jeremiah received, spoken of in Jer. i. 5, "before Thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee and I ordained Thee a prophet unto the nations," was not such an unction, I repeat, truly received when the angel's words were uttered to the blessed virgin, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee, therefore also that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God?" And surely if there were

an unction then with the Holy Ghost and with power, there was in truth a special anointing from on High after that immediately preceding his entrance upon His earthly ministry, upon the occasion of His Baptism, when, upon ascending out of the baptismal stream of Jordan, "He saw," as St. Matthew says in the second lesson for Trinity Sunday morning, "the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. iii. 16, 17.) And does He not distinctly afterwards appeal to this sacred unction, when in the synagogue of Nazareth he stands up, applying to Himself the Prophecy of Isaiah, (lvi. 1, 2,) uttering the words, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." In which words a direct reference it made to His prophetic office in His preaching the Gospel, whilst his priestly office is pointed to in the most evident manner in the deliverance he should afford to the captives, as well as in the last words, "the acceptable year of the Lord," in which phrase was always understood the year of jubilee, which was a year of entire redemption, whether of lands or persons, when the former, if sold, were always restored to their original owners, whilst the setting at liberty them that are bruised and the mention of the day of vengeance of the Lord, as the passage in Isaiah goes on, points out in an equally evident manner His Kingly authority, in virtue of which He subdues all enemies under His feet.

Well, therefore, has it been remarked by one of the most eminent divines whom the Church of England has ever produced, the renowned Bishop Pearson, when referring to David the undoubted type of the Messiah, "He was anointed at Bethlehem; for there (1 Sam. xvi. 13,) "Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David." Of which unction those words of God must necessarily be understood. (Psa. lxxxix. 20.) "I have found David My servant, with my holy oil have I anointed him," inasmuch as the words immediately following the quotation are" with whom My hand shall be established; Mine arm also shall strengthen him;" evidently shewing that the Psalm was composed before he took possesion of the throne, upon Saul's death, while he was as yet the victim or persecution. And yet he was again anointed at Hebron; first over the house of Judah, (2 Sam. ii. 4,) then (v. 3,) “over all the tribes of Israel."

(To be continued.)

A. D. N.

CONTENTMENT.-" In whatever state I am, I first of all look up to Heaven, and remember that my principal business here is to get there. I then look down upon earth, and call to mind how small a space I shall occupy in it when I come to die. I then look into the world, and observe what multitudes there are, who are in all respects more unhappy than myself! Thus I learn where alone true happiness is placed; where all our cares must end; and how very little cause or reason I have to repine or complain."—An Italian Bishop, 1726.

SELF-SACRIFICE.

PERHAPS, my dear young friends, you may ask, what is the meaning of Self-sacrifice? It is a surrender of our own wishes and inclinations, a giving up of our own desires, of our own ease and self-indulgence, and studying the gratification of others; it is living for the happiness of those around us, and not seeking and thinking of our own amusement; it is putting our own pleasure entirely aside, and devoting our whole energies to promote the comfort, not only of the good and gentle, but of the unamiable and unthankful. Do you fear I shall say that each one of you must live a life of self-sacrifice? It is even so, but be not discouraged, for we must rest assured, the inward joy arising from a life well-spent, will far exceed all that this vain world can give. We all wish to live a life of holiness, and a life of self-denial is the direct road to it.

Let us now consider why a life of self-mortification is necessary. We are by nature so selfish, and self-love is so strong, that in order to root it out, we must act in opposition to it, we must cure it by going against it, and by constant practice and constant watchfulness, we shall so lessen our self-love, that our affections will be turned from ourselves to others, and we shall be the better enabled to fulfil the two great commandments of love to God and love to our neighbour. We are all under a solemn vow made at Holy Baptism, to renounce the world, the flesh, and the devil, and what we have promised to do, we are all VOL. VII.-No. 3.

D

bound to perform to the utmost of our ability. Let us reflect on the words: to renounce, which means to give up, to forsake, to abandon; therefore, we may say we wish to have nothing to do with wickedness, and as everything evil grows out of selfishness, by way of ridding ourselves of it, we must look out for a remedy, and we shall find that self-denial is the one to be administered. We must practise self-denial that we may kill and destroy the selfishness within us. Every time we yield to an evil inclination we loose the mastery over ourselves, whereas, every time we resist our evil propensities we gain a victory, which victory is not to be slighted, for it is self-conquest we are fighting, under Christ's banner to obtain.

Having studied the meaning of self-sacrifice, and the necessity for leading such a life, we must look to the benefits which will result from walking in a strict and narrow way, and we discover, that life everlasting is promised to those who walk thus circumspectly. Happiness here, as well as hereafter, will be enjoyed by us if we have learnt, in all things, to bring our wills into entire subjection to God's will. If difficulties occur, we shall be prepared to meet them cheerfully; if temptations present themselves, we shall feel armed to resist them, and while bent on doing our Heavenly Father's will, we shall be ready to accommodate ourselves to every new circumstance which God in His providence, is pleased to send.

If we have no fixed time for the performance of a particular duty, that duty is very apt to be neglected, but the Church, in Her care for the wants of Her children, has appointed Her Fast Days, and especially calls us at the season of Lent, on which we have now entered, to