farm, another to his merchandise: and the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth; and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burnt up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they who were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the high-ways, and as many as ye shall find bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the high-ways, and gathered together all, as many as they found, both bad and good; and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding-garment. And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding-garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.

THE GOSPEL. This beautiful parable, though in its first and most literal application referring to the rejection of Christ by the Jews, and the subsequent calling of the Gentiles, may properly be regarded as admitting of a more general interpretation, and as applicable to the case both of other nations and of individuals. When the Gospel is preached to a people, and they are furnished with all the means of grace, according to the tenor of the New Covenant, they are placed, in many of the most important respects, in the same situation as was the nation elected of old to be sacred to God and to holiness. As the Almighty Father continues to raise up successive teachers of the divine word, bestowing, from time to time, larger supplies of light, making mysteries clearer, and the approaching completion of His promise more evident, the people so favoured are invited, by a repetition of the original call, to partake in the marriage supper of the king's son. The actual acceptance of this invitation can only be proved by a steady advancement in holiness,―by the growth of national and social virtues,-by the increasing tendency of the laws to rest on the truth of things, and by the grander aims of both rulers and people to advance the interests of humanity, and the cause of God. When these signs of progressive holiness are not to be discerned in a nation, it is, at least, in a state of perilous doubt. We see it debating whether it shall throw itself back into the arms of sin and barbarity, or retain in its possession the ark of God's law and the mercy-seat. The application of the parable to individual cases is rendered direct and solemnly impressive by the singling out of one dark-minded and thoughtless victim to the power of iniquity. It would be well for every Christian, living in and as the world, often to ask himself, "Had not Christ His eye on me when He described this man?" In the plain announcement that " many are called, but few are chosen," God's mercy, and the sin and folly of mankind, are placed in striking contrast. Divine love, solicitous for the salvation of the world, summons multitude after multitude to partake in the means of grace. The calling of the many is the pure effect of mercy; and, with its rejection, neither the justice nor any other attribute of the Almighty can be changed. In this man only is concerned; the grace which calls would choose, but the obstinate love of sin sets at nought the riches of God's goodness.

The Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity.

RANT, we beseech thee, merciful Lord, to thy faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve thee with a quiet mind; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE COLLECT.-We ask for many things in this short prayer without which our endeavours after good would be utterly vain and worthless. God's most faithful people have need to pray for pardon. Of this they are the more deeply conscious the more they advance in the knowledge of spiritual religion. The enjoyment of peace depends upon their feeling that pardon has been obtained. In the same manner there are two other petitions linked together: the one for the cleansing away of sin by grace and the blood of the atonement; the other depending on this, that they who are so purified may be able to perform the service of Christ with tranquil minds and spirits. The value of the blessings thus sought for is unappreciated by the world, and can never be known till their influence on the heart have been deeply felt. But if in any case we believe our fellow men, why should we doubt the testimony of those who bear witness to the happy effects of holiness? Why refuse to be persuaded by the best and wisest of our race?

The Epistle. Ephes. vi. 10.

Y brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth; and having on the breast-plate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, and supplication for all saints; and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds; that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

THE EPISTLE. This noble specimen of Apostolic eloquence contains an exhortation which ought to awaken us to a new sense of the advantages of Christ's religion. Poor and weak as we are by nature, the glory of divine riches is offered us ;-the trembling heart is presented with an armour brighter than the panoply of the most famous hero, and weapons are put into our hands of purer temper than any forged in the brightest fires of genius. The exhortation involves an offer and a promise:-"Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might." The strength of the Lord may be ours, if we are willing to make it our strength. "Put on the whole armour of God:" the whole armour, with the sword and the shield, is at hand, if we are ready to clothe ourselves in it as our defence. We are not, in this matter, however, simply to consider whether we choose to prepare ourselves for a contest or not; but whether we prefer meeting a powerful enemy with or without armour. He will certainly, in either case, come against us in the full strength of his wrath; and woe be to those who, in their folly, attempt to resist him in their unsheltered weakness! In every other struggle we are anxious to gain assistance,-to make ourselves as secure as the nature of the contest will allow. How unreasonable, that in a strife where our very being is in jeopardy, we should care so little about the means of safety!

The Gospel. St. John iv. 46.

HERE was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judæa into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. Then said Jesus unto him, Except

ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way, thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way. And, as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend: and they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth; and himself believed, and his whole. house. This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judæa into Galilee.

THE GOSPEL.-There is great beauty in this simple narrative. Jesus was well known at Capernaum; and the nobleman here mentioned was probably one of the few who gave heed to His words. His absence at Jerusalem prevented the afflicted father from appealing to His mercy at the beginning of the child's illness; and it is easy to imagine with how much of painful anxiety His return must have been looked for by the nobleman. First one, and then another, physician has failed in his attempt to stop the progress of the disorder. It increases every hour; and the life of the beloved child hangs upon a thread. Oh! where now is Jesus? Has any one from Jerusalem brought tidings of Him? Is He on His way back; or does He still journey on, seeking the dispersed among the Gentiles? In the midst of these anxious inquiries, tidings are brought that Jesus had been seen on the road to Capernaum. Not a moment is to be lost. The child every minute draws his breath with more difficulty. Would that Jesus were here by his bed-side to pronounce the blessing which had so often availed to the recovering of the dying! He comes not with the speed which answers to the quick beating of the father's heart. Though near Capernaum, He is not, it is supposed, near enough to render the desired relief. At the instant, therefore, when all hope was departing but that which attached itself to the name of Jesus, the despairing parent rushes forth, and takes the path which he was told would lead him to the humane and all-powerful Prophet. His first words on meeting Jesus are those which Nature prompted:-"Come down ere my child die." Jesus takes but time to allude to the unbelief which rendered miracles necessary as a proof of His divinity,-allows the father to repeat the entreaty, and pronounces the child cured. Blessed Lord !-who that has those about whom he thinks with the deep anxiety of love would not have Thee for his Friend and Saviour?

The Twenty-second Sunday after Trinity.

ORD, we beseech thee to keep thy houshold the Church in continual godliness; that through thy protection it may be free from all adversities, and devoutly given to serve thee in good works, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THE COLLECT-Godliness has the promise of both present and future good. The former good consists in the means of grace, in the protection and manifestations of love which are bestowed by the Divine Spirit, with such measures of natural enjoyment as are best calculated to cherish confidence in God's mercy. The latter will be good, not in relation to the future, but in itself, and in the perfect satisfaction which it is fitted to bestow at the moment of possession. Kept in continual godliness, the Church of Christ can have nothing to fear; for it has around it the arm of God, and it rests on the foundation which can never be shaken. It has ample reason, therefore, to pray that it may be preserved in the uniform practice of divine graces, seeing that on this its holiness of state and action depends the hope of freedom from adversity, and the power to glorify its great Founder and Benefactor.

THE EPISTLE.-The Apostle here congratulates the Philippians on their steadfast adherence to the faith which he had taught them. He takes, as the foundation of his joy, the comforting principle, that "the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." He was confident that the beneficent Being who had "begun a good work in them would perform it until the day of Jesus Christ;" and this his trust was daily strengthened by the tidings brought him of the affectionate union which existed among his converts; of the tender regard paid to his exhortations; and their general growth in zeal and holiness. His prayer for their increase in grace refers to all the main