not care for one another, and feel as kindly towards one another, as ought to be the case between fellow Christians and fellow countrymen. Here then comes in for our guidance the Apostle's rule, Receive ye one another. Be on good terms with all about you. Count your neighbour as a friend, and deal with him as a friend. See how you may be of service to him. Prove to him your relationship in Jesus Christ. Shew that however separated by rank or position, you acknowledge him as a brother in the Lord. Yes, Receive ye one another; and as the Apostle goes on to say receive ye one another as Christ received us.

These last words add force to the obligation of receiving one another, and also make it clearer.

For how did Christ receive the men with whom he lived? Did He not bear long with them? did He not endure contradiction from them? did He not shew Himself ever quick to pardon when they had done Him wrong? did He not take back to His heart one who had. three times denied Him? Was he not in all His dealings with His disciples, very pitiful and of tender mercy? Was He not courteous, gentle, patient, merciful, delighting to serve others more than to be served Himself?

And in all this He is our example. We are to receive one another as Christ received the men of His generation. We are to copy and reproduce in our intercourse with one another, the same mind which we have seen to be in Him. We are to be gentle as He was gentle, courteous, as He was courteous; patient as He was patient; never rendering evil for evil, or railing for rail

ing, but contrariwise blessing; seeking ever each other's good; by love serving one another.

Oh, were such marks as these to be indeed stamped upon our common daily intercourse, what great results would follow! And this the chiefest of all-the spreading wider and wider the kingdom of Christ among men!

And so the last words of my text, which speak of God's glory, would find their accomplishment. For who can doubt of this, that the receiving one another as Christ received the men of Judea of old, the carrying out into practice, visibly and before all, those principles of forbearance and consideration, care for others, selfforgetfulness - which He so conspicuously exhibited, would more than anything serve to promote the Gospel; and if the Gospel, then the glory of its Author, the glory of God, and of Jesus Christ whom He hath sent ?

THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT.

PREPARING CHRIST'S WAY.

ST. LUKE iii. 4.

Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.

THESE words are quoted by St. Luke from the prophecy of Isaiah; and they describe the office and mission of John the Baptist. The collect of to-day makes mention of John being sent as the Lord's messenger to prepare His way before Him. And in the Gospel we hear from Christ's own lips a further word concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? a reed shaken by the wind; a light wavering character, moved with every wind of opinion; but what went ye out for to see? a man clothed in soft raiment? if so, that was not the place in which to find such an one; behold they that wear soft clothing are in king's houses. But what went ye out for to see? a prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written, Behold I send my messenger before Thy face, which shall prepare the way before Thee.

With our minds thus turned by the order of our

service on this Sunday, to the person and office of John the Baptist, I would propose that we consider two things.

I. How John fulfilled his ministry in what sort he prepared the Lord's way.

II. How far we, as ministers or people, might imitate his example, what we surely ought to do in these days, to prepare the Lord's way, and to make His path straight among our brethren.

I. Of John the Baptist. How did he proceed in his divinely appointed work of preparing Christ's way? He went, we are told, before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah: i. e., he resembled in his preaching and in his austere life, that boldest and most outspoken of the old Jewish prophets. He had, what Elijah also had, great boldness in rebuking vice. There was one word oftenest in his mouth, which contained the sum and substance of his teaching, "Repent." He preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Without repentance, God's pardon, and the renewal of His forfeited favour, would be impossible. He preached this doctrine to all alike, without distinction of class or person. For all who flocked to him, and they were a great multitude, learned Pharisee, intellectual Sadducee, degraded publican, common soldier, he had one and the same word:Repent ye. Flee from the wrath to come. Bring forth fruits meet for repentance.

And what did John the Baptist mean by repentance?

C

He meant, what the word always means in the Bible, an entire change of heart and life-a giving up of evil and following after good.

He meant that those who listened to him by the Jordan's bank should go back and begin at home a new and better life; following the commandments of God, and walking henceforth in His holy ways. Those who had this world's goods, and had hitherto kept them to themselves, were now to impart liberally to their needy brethren. The publicans, and such as had dealings with money, were to be strict and scrupulous—exacting no more than was appointed them. The soldiers, notorious for acts of pillage and rapine, were charged to do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and to be content with their wages. In short, John required of all who asked him what shall we do? this proof of their sincerity-an altered and amended life, fruits meet for repentance.

So did the Baptist fulfil his ministry, so did he go about the work for which he was wonderfully born. All his mind was turned to this one thing, to bring men to repentance; to make them ashamed of their sins, afraid of the consequence, quick and anxious to flee from the wrath to come.

And in so preaching John prepared his Master's way. When Christ came, He found among His countrymen, hearts-not indeed many, but some hearts, ready to receive Him. He found a welcome hearing among the lost and wretched. His gracious words, Come unto Me and I will give you rest, were not always spoken in vain. They struck home to the wounded spirit: they served