fixed at one point. They that are not with Christ are against Him. Every one of us is, at this moment, either nearer Heaven or nearer Hell than he was this time last year. Let this thought urge us on to a serious work of improvement, before it be too late. Not one of us is half so religious as he might be. We ought all of us to be far better than we are. We might all give up more time every day to prayer, and to the study of holy Scripture, and to works of charity, than we do. who are engaged in business might give themselves up more to God than they do, if only they chose. Those who have leisure might dedicate themselves more entirely to religion than is their custom, if only they had the heart for it. How many hours, days, weeks, months, have been wasted by us this last year, which might have been spent to the eternal profit of our souls! How little have we redeemed the time!

Not to improve is to go back.

Those

Changed indeed we all are, but how few for the better! Let each of us examine himself sincerely, and searchingly ask himself only this one question, "Do I love God more now than I did this time last year? Do I even love God at all?” And remember that we are bound to be increas

ing continually in the love of God. And no Christian is safe unless he really and truly does love God; yet how few love God as they ought! and how almost none at all as they might!

year

Happy indeed is our case, if in this last we have really improved in the love of God! Happy, if, even by great troubles and miseries, we have been brought to love Him whom truly to love is life! Happy, if we have learnt to think less of this world, to love it less, to love less all that it has to give, all that is in it! Happy, if even in a slight degree we have advanced in the knowledge of God and of Christ! for "this is life eternal, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom He hath sent." Happy, if we have increased in reverence towards God's most holy name, if we have learnt to be more devout in His holy house, if we have endeavoured to deny ourselves; finally, if, in the words of the collect for this day, seeking "the true circumcision of the Spirit, mortifying our hearts and all our members from all worldly and carnal lusts," we have even in some things aimed at obeying God's blessed will!

On the other hand, most miserable are we, if, while Christ continues the same to-day, yesterday, and for ever, and requires of us to be continually changing and transforming ourselves, by aid of the Holy Spirit, into His likeness, we, on the contrary, have been changing all through the last year, not into His likeness, but into the likeness of this world. What says the Apostle? "Be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind."

1 Rom. xii. 2.

We, like all other creatures of time, cannot avoid changing. The only question is, whether we are changing after the likeness of the world, that is to say, becoming more and more worldly and self-indulgent; or whether we are changing after the likeness of Christ, that is, becoming more and more holy and self-denying.

1

Most wretched, then, are we, if in the last year we have on the whole learnt to love the world more; whereas St. John expressly says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world." For whoever loves any thing will be certainly conforming himself to it, and becoming like it. Now the world is a thing that passes away and perishes. He, therefore, who loves it will be becoming of the same nature as itself is. He also will become changeable like it, perishable like it; and when it perishes, he will perish with it.

Whereas Christ, on the other hand, being evermore the same, imperishable, eternal, unchangeable, he who loves Christ will grow into the likeness of Christ, will partake more and more of His imperishable, unchangeable nature; and when the world comes to an end, and they who have conformed themselves to the world perish with the world, then his true life will be just beginning, and will continue without end. In the words of St. John before quoted, "The world passeth away,

1 1 John ii. 15.

and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

My brethren, let us seriously lay this matter to heart, and, now that a new year is beginning, let us first thank God that in His mercy He has continued to us our life till now; secondly, let us resolve that we will forthwith begin a stricter line with ourselves. Let us set ourselves appointed religious duties, and diligently keep to them. Let us endeavour, by the careful use of the short time remaining to us, to obtain that degree of holiness which is requisite to be established in us, if ever we hope to see God. Let us seriously reflect that every one of us has a great many bad habits, which must be rectified before he dies ; that it takes a long time to correct even one bad habit; and that it is more likely we shall die soon than that we shall live long. Above all things, let us persuade ourselves of the mighty strength of the Holy Ghost, who, provided we be but in earnest, can marvellously change the whole character of our souls; let us remember that since Christ has ascended into heaven, there is a Power in the world Who can work in us abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, provided we but ask aright, and, in asking, really mean what we say.

SERMON X.

FAITH AND SIGHT.

FEAST OF ST. THOMAS.

JOHN XX. 29.

"Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

It is generally to be remarked of our Saviour's language to His Apostles and Disciples on different occasions, that even when the circumstance which called forth His words was peculiar of its kind, He yet oftentimes so fashioned what He said, that it became of universal application. The remark directed to this or that disciple, not only exactly met the particular point then in question, but, surpassing the occasion, contained within itself some broad truth, some general principle, some universal command, common to every age and all generations.

And well indeed did this system of doctrine become Him, the Only-begotten of the Father, who,