the like promise again, and He again will aid us to keep it and so on, Communion after Communion proving to us as steps of that ladder which through the Incarnation of GOD the Son hath been let down from heaven to earth, and, which through the power of His Cross, we sinners are enabled to ascend, until upon our last Communion we reach the highest step, the landing-place of our Eternal Home, and find Him there to receive us.

SERMON xlii. (MISCELLANEOUS VOL.)

Seventh Friday after Epiphany.

When untoward and perplexing things happen, let us go on the more earnestly with what we are sure is good and right, the fear of GOD and the keeping of His Commandments. When we are hindered from doing good in one way, let us go on straight, if GOD permit, to do some other good, or the same in some other way. Or if our hands seem entirely tied, at least let us do ourselves that great good of humbling ourselves before GOD, searching and confessing our past offences, and beseeching Him that the cross, which He has laid on us, may be, in His own mysterious way, united to the Cross of His Son, and made profitable to our salvation.

SERMON xl. (MISCELLANEOUS Vol.)

Seventh Saturday after Epiphany.

There are two ways in which you may build for GOD, and you must practise both, or you will not succeed in either. You are to build up yourself in your most holy faith, to become a more and more perfect member of Christ's Body; and if you are in earnest in doing this, you will of course long to build in others into the same Body. I say you must practise both these, or you will not please your Saviour in either of them.

SERMON xii. (MISCELLANEOUS VOL.)

Septuagesima.

We are come to Septuagesima Sunday, and are preparing for Lent. Lent, as you know, is a time of repentance: a time to clear one's conscience by humble confession, earnest prayer, and the best resolutions we can make. Septuagesima, and two more weeks, are appointed for special consideration, to make us ready for the great Lenten work of repentance. And we are directed at this time to think very much of the creation of the world. The history of it is appointed for the first Lesson this morning. When GOD's Church would turn our hearts to more serious and entire repentance, one of the first things she does is to put us in mind Who created us and all things, and how He created us.

SERMON Vİ.

Monday after Septuagesima.

For three weeks before Lent, the Church seems in a manner to keep reminding us that Lent is coming, by the very names of the Sundays, Septuagesima, Sexagesima, Quinquagesima; all which mean, so long before Easter; whereas we had now for some Sundays been looking backwards to the Epiphany. Why is this change made? Because Lent is a time of particular trial, and the Church in her charity would have all her children prepare themselves against it with good thoughts and prayers. The time of Lent, as you know, is a space of forty days before Easter, during which all Christians are to withdraw themselves, as best they may, from the world, and to get ready, by fasting and prayer, by self-examination and confession, by all kinds of holy mortification, for the Holy Week of our LORD's Passion and Resurrection. Therefore the Church, in great love and care for our souls, gives us notice for some time before, as our Saviour gave notice to His Disciples of the coming of the Holy Ghost. The gift is very precious and Divine, and we had need prepare ourselves for it with very serious and reverential thoughts.

SERMON X.

Tuesday after Septuagesima.

If men have not the heart, or the power, to walk themselves by the severer rules of the Gospel, if they dare not regularly fast themselves, or use other self-denials, yet let them not hinder, in any way, nor embarrass, nor discourage, their brethren who try to do so; let them put down, as direct temptations from the Evil One, all hard and scornful thoughts of that way of living; let them be sure there must be something very wrong and intolerable in themselves, if they are disposed to think contemptuously of that which Christ so highly approved, and so strongly recommended.

SERMON X.

Wednesday after Septuagesima.

All are hired by the Great Householder, but not all at the same time. To some He cometh early in the morning, to some at the third, sixth, or ninth, or even at the eleventh hour: ¿.e. to some at the beginning of life, to others when their time in this world is more or less of it passed away. To all of us I suppose it would be true to say, He came early in the morning: even when we were newly born, He took us up in His Arms and made us members of Himself, and at the same time we