two things. 1, The existence of other deserving cases. The existence of a capacity to relieve them. Catch the echo, nay the spirit of these words, my brother. "Go and do likewise." Such philanthropic deeds are the true tests of piety—the divine means for removing the world's woes-the developments of the Christian life. There is a mighty sphere for such deeds. Go and break the fetters of the slave, &c. Askest thou, "Who is my neighbour?" "Thy neighbour ? It is he whom thou Hast power to aid and bless; Whose aching heart, or burning brow, SUBJECT:- -The Unmerciful Servant. "Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed him ten thousand talents. But, forasmuch as he had not to pay," &c.-Matt. xviii. 23-35. Analysis of Homily the Hundred and first. UNDISCHARGED OBLI I. THAT THERE IS AN IMMENSE GATION OUTSTANDING FROM MAN TO GOD, ENDANGERING ALL THE BLESSINGS OF HIS BEING. Let us notice, 1, The amount. "Ten thousand talents." 2, The danger. He loses his liberty. "His Lord commanded him to be sold." He loses friendship, and his wife and children. He loses his property; "and all that he had," Sin will deprive man of his all. It will strip him of everything worth having. II. THAT THE LAMENTABLE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS UNDISCHARGED OBLIGATION MAY BE AVERTED BY A PROPER APPEAL TO DIVINE CLEMENCY. "Lord have patience with me, and I will pay thee all." "Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him and forgave him the debt." There are only three conceivable reasons which would prevent a human sovereign from pardoning a criminal: 1, The want of a merciful disposition. He may have no pity in his bosom. 2, The want of a safe pretext. He may have the disposition, but not have such a reason as would render it safe to the stability of his government and to the order of his kingdom. 3, The want of a suitable state of mind in the criminal. He may have the two former things; but the criminal may display such a hardened and reckless disposition as to render the pardon useless to himself and injurious to society. Now, which of these three exists to prevent God from pardoning man? Not the first. The Bible abounds in declarations of his mercy. Not the second. The atonement of Christ is an all-sufficient reason. It is the third. The want of a suitable state of mind in the criminal. Hence, the Bible calls on men to REPENT. Non-repentance is the only obstruction. Let the world fall down with a penitent heart before the Almighty to day, and cry for pardon, and the voice of mercy will at once declare, "Thy sins, which are many, are all forgiven," &c. III. THAT IN RESPECT TO GOD'S WILLINGNESS TO FORGIVE, THERE IS A REMARKABLE CONTRAST BETWEEN HIS CONDUCT AND MAN'S. "But the same servant went out and found one of his fellow-servants, which owed him a hundred pence," &c. Observe the difference: 1, In the one case, there were only a "hundred pence; " in the other, there were ten thousand talents." 2, In the one case, the creditor himself was an immense debtor, dependent upon mercy; in the other case, the creditor was under obligation to none but the owner and benefactor of all. 3, In the one case, there was the perfect display of mercy; in the other the display of a heartless and unappeasable violence. "He laid hands upon him, and took him by the throat," &c. Three general thoughts are here suggested:-1, That many men who appear very humble and devout before God, are proud and tyrannical in their conduct towards men. He who here crouches in servility before his king, takes his "fellow-servant" by the throat, &c. 2, That the greatest enemy of man is to be found amongst his own species. God is not the oppressor of man. He attends to his cries; but it is his fellow-creature who tramples on his rights. Let men deal fairly and mercifully with men, and most of the world's social woes would end. 3, That those who are most fawning to those above them, are the most despotic to those below. What a contrast between the attitude of this man with his king, and his attitude with his fellow-servant! IV. THAT GOD MARKS THE CONDUCT OF MEN TOWARDS THEIR AND WILL ASSUREDLY RECOM FELLOW-CREATURES, PENSE THE SAME. "Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant." &c. SUBJECT:-Peter and Cornelius; or, Christianity versus Exclusiveness. "God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean."-Acts, x. 28. Analysis of Homily the Hundred and Second. 66 THE mighty world of heathenism bore one superscription on its forehead, viz., "unclean!" Law, prejudice, and education, combined to dignify and perpetuate the distinction. Nothing short of heavenly interference could avail to annihilate Jewish contempt and exclusiveness. On a "house top," in a sea-port of the Mediteranean, might be seen the type of Jewish conservatism, in the person of Simon Peter; he never fraternized with the common or unclean:" his ceremonial sanctity was unimpeachably pure. In Cæsarea, a devout centurion represented an opposite class. At this crisis, Jew with Gentile must be rendered sympathetic; an amalgamating power must be brought to bear upon the two dissimilar spirits. Where shall it be found? Not on Sinainot at the altar of Judaism—not in the temple. We must pursue another direction-across the plains of Bethlehem, upward to Calvary; and there shall the Spirit meet the re presentatives, show them the unity of humanity, and "baptise them into one body, whether they be Jews or Gentiles, whether they be bound or free." (1 Cor. xii. 13.) The one idea, which distinguishes and adorns the whole narrative, out of which the text is selected is, that there is but one gospel for humanity. Forbearing to recapitulate the points of history in their consecutive order, we shall illustrate the spiritual principle. I. THAT CHRISTIANITY IS ADAPTED TO MAN IN ALL THE ASPECTS OF HIS BEING. Christianity was not designed for any particular meridian of longitude. Like the light of heaven, it is diffusive, unconfined, and all-glorious. II. THAT EARNEST AND HUMBLE EFFORTS AFTER A comKNOWLEDGE OF TRUTH WILL BE GLORIOUSLY RE PLETE WARDED. Cornelius was a devout enquirer: day after day, he besought the guidance of Omniscience. (Acts, x. 2.) Conscious of his own inability, correctly, to apprehend and appreciate the truth, he wisely implored the assistance of the Supreme Being. In this, he has left a memorable and most interesting example. At first, his conceptions were dim and limited; in due time the morning star appeared as the harbinger of approaching day; the mild light of the morning then shed its beauty on his path, the horizon became clear and defined, and eventually the sun poured forth his noontide effulgence. In order that inquiry may terminate successfully, the mind must be free from the dominion of prejudice; there must be a kind of subjective passivity, which will enable the understanding to receive the truth in all its purity and freshness from the original source. III. THAT IT IS THE DUTY OF ALL WHO KNOW THE Then, how weighty is the responsibility of the church! Peter understood the plan of salvation, and as the messenger of the almighty proclaimed it to Cornelius. Precisely so, stands the case in our own generation. The church knows the truth; God has commanded it to be spoken; it therefore becomes the duty of the TRUTH TO DISSEMINATE ITS BLESSINGS. church, individually and collectively, to lift up the trumpet and blow a "certain sound." No restriction is to be laid on spiritual labour, for no man is common or unclean." 66 The conversion of Cornelius was a drop, prelusive of a copious shower. If there be any page in the spiritual annals of the Gentile world more precious than another, it is that on which the name of Cornelius is emblazoned; he was the first sheaf gathered from this section of the wide harvest-field. Having thus opened up the question-What learn we? Among the salient points standing in bold relief, notice the following: First: The speciality of God's knowledge. How thrilling to realize the fact, that our names are known by the Creator. The angel pronounced the centurion's name! Overpowering thought; that the lips which summon the seraphim to audience, should utter the name of the obscurest Christian. (Read vv. 3 and 5.) Secondly: All the children of God shall be taught by Himself. Let them exhibit the desire to know more of God, and they will be led into fuller and clearer conceptions of all the sublimities of God-thought and spiritual life. Thirdly The divine command is to be obeyed, however it may oppose our preconceptions of duty. Peter had his own ideas of people and preaching; but notwithstanding the depth of his attachment to them, he was bound, in deference to God's mandate, to throw them aside, and thus enlarge the boundary of his religious horizon. Learn this weighty lesson! Let your charity be wide as the universe, and profound as the springs of life. JOSEPH PARKER. SUBJECT:-Christ's Acquaintance with Man's Inner Life. "He knew what was in man."-John, ii. 25. Analysis of Homily the Hundred and Third. THE magnificent edifice, amid whose halls, chambers, offices, corridors, and courts we lose ourselves, is thoroughly understood by him who drew the plan; in the brain of the architect the whole existed in archetype before the foundation |