sermon, of our Lord's home life, and how it bears upon our practice as members of a Christian family—what an example it is for those who, as brothers or sisters, or sons or daughters, are still living together at home.

It may happen, however, that there are some here who can no longer fulfil the duties of those relationships-who have survived their parents-who either never had those whom they might call by the tender names of brother or sister, or who have them now no

more.

But shall I say that such persons, seemingly standing so alone, have nothing to learn from what is told us of our Lord and His relations in the Gospel?

Far otherwise. They may learn-and we all may learn-one great lesson, though not from the passage in my text, but from what is recorded at the end of the twelfth chapter of St. Matthew.

One came to Jesus while He yet talked with the people, and said unto Him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with Thee. But He answered and said unto him that told Him, Who is my mother, and who are my brethren? And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Let all who are solitary in the world, lay these words to heart. We have, I will suppose, neither brother, nor sister, nor mother-but we are not for that cut off from human sympathy, nor from the offices of family kindness. There is still a great company with whom we may claim

kindred-to whom, if we really love God ourselves, our hearts may go out-from whom we are sure to receive in

return society, help, and comfort. And that company is the fellowship of all godly people—those who in every place are serving the Lord-Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother!

FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY.

THE EPISTLE OF THE DAY.

COLOSSIANS III. 17.

And whatsoever ye do, whether in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

THE Epistle for this Sunday contains, in a few verses, so much inspired wisdom, so many excellent precepts for our guidance in the right way, that I think we cannot be better occupied than in going over it together, and marking, as we proceed, its application to our own lives and practice as Christians.

It begins with an exhortation grounded on our being already God's people; grounded on the fact that, as baptized members of Christ's Church, we are no longer in a state of nature, but a state of grace-Put on (says St. Paul) as the elect of God, holy and beloved; i. e., as persons whom He has chosen and called out of the world. Put on as God's own people, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering.

That is St. Paul's view of the Christian characterand we can see at once Who it is that he must have been

thinking of when he so wrote. We can see that Jesus Christ is here, as throughout the Epistle, the model and example on which St. Paul's whole teaching is framed. And truly it is in Christ, and in Christ alone that these high qualities have ever been perfectly realized. How fully realized let the Gospel show. Look to the record there of our blessed Lord's life-to what is told us of the meekness and gentleness of Christ.

Surely there never was on this earth of ours, in human form, and there never will be again, till He return, One so merciful, so kind, so humble, so meek, so patient under wrong, as Jesus was!

But this Jesus is our Master. If a Christian means anything it means a follower of Christ. It means that we not only call ourselves by His sacred name, but that we are conformed to His likeness-that we have the same mind in us that was in Him-that we try, in all our intercourse with one another, in word and deed, to be as He was in the world.

O that we remembered this! O that we gave more heed to the exhortation before us, and did indeed put on bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering! For these are qualities by which we are to be distinguished from an unbelieving world. By seeing these things in us shall all men know that we are in very truth His disciples.

But further. The Apostle goes on to speak of other qualities which, no less than those first mentioned, are essential to the formation of the Christian character— and these are forbearance, and forgiveness. Forbearing

and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any. Forbearing and forgiving-what call have we daily for the exercise of both these graces! How few heed the call! What little forbearance there is amongst us! What a small measure of forgiveness do we, for the most part deal out to one another!

You will sometimes hear people say that they will never forgive-never be friends any more with the man who has affronted them. You will sometimes hear them promise themselves revenge-say-" Well-my opportunity will come, and then

But surely this is most shocking; surely such sentiments are far enough from your own hearts. Surely you know that to cherish an unforgiving spirit-much more to cherish a revengeful spirit-is most unchristian. A man cannot have learnt the very first principles of our religion who does it.

I do not say that we can help feeling resentment when we are injured, It is natural to wish, at the first smart of wrong, to repay the doer of it. But woe to us if we harbour that feeling long! Woe to us if we nurse our resentment, and whet our appetite for revenge by brooding on the injury we may have received!

Such conduct is marked, in the strongest way, with our Lord's displeasure. Both in parables and by direct precept He has forbidden it. His rule is the rule we are bound to follow-Do good to them that despitefully use you-forgive from your heart every one his brother their trespasses.

Nor ought we to find it hard thus to exercise forgive