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the Church, and they mar the order of social life. Not so our Blessed Lord: He quenched not smoking flax, He broke not bruised reeds: He came, not to destroy, but to save and to bless. And such is the office of His Holy Church and Religion. It sanctifies all the relations and concerns of life. The Church takes little children, and puts them in Christ's arms; she hallows marriage, and at the marriagefeast calls upon Christ to be present: she comforts on the bed of sickness: she decks the grave with flowers of hope: she always rejoiceth in Christ her Saviour.

But it is time to draw to a conclusion. If we will but observe the various circumstances of our Lord's Epiphany or Manifestation of Himself, from His Birth at Bethlehem to the Marriage at Cana in Galilee, we shall see how (to adopt the language of an old save all by Himself. ing every age by the

Father) He came to "He came sanctifylikeness it bare to

Himself. For He came to save all by Himself all who by Him are born anew

to God: infants, and little ones, and children, and youths, and elders. So He came through every age; and to infants was made an infant, sanctifying infants; among little children, a little child, sanctifying those of this age, and made also to them an example of piety, and righteousness, and subjection; among young men, a young man, becoming an example to young men, and sanctifying them to the Lord, &c. &c.m"

As we proceed, in the order of the Church Services, with the history of His life from this time till Easter, we shall also see how He sanctified ripe manhood by doing the will of His Father which sent Him. Seeing then that He thus came to save all by Himself, and to be an example unto all; it remains for us all, young and old, of all ages, of all ranks, at all times, to set the Lord always before us, serving Him faithfully, according to our age, and rank, and condition: believing in Him, as did the Virgin Mary; doing whatsoever

St. Iren. Hæres. lib. ii. c. 22.

He saith unto us, as did the servants; taking thankfully whatsoever He gives, give it how He will not reasoning, but obeying so, at His next Epiphany, at the last day, great as may have been our joy and peace even now in believing, they then shall be great beyond expression by the tongue, or conception by the heart, of man: faith and hope shall be exchanged for the substance of good things; triumph shall take the place of trial; Sacraments shall be exchanged for the sight and knowledge of God, even as also we are seen and known by Him; the shadows and confusion of earth, for the realities and peace of Heaven; even as the newdrawn water was changed into good old wine, at the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee, by the Bridegroom of the Church.

SERMON II.

QUINQUAGESIMA SUNDAY.

LUKE Xviii. 31.

Behold we go up to Jerusalem.

WHY should they go up to Jerusalem? Or, rather, why should they not go up to Jerusalem? That our Lord should thus draw attention to the obvious fact that they were going thither. Why should they not go up to Jerusalem? The season of the Passover was approaching; at which season it was the duty of every male of the house of Israel there to "keep the feast." Why should they not go up to Jerusalem at any time; at all times? For Jerusalem was "the joy of the whole earth." The

Psalmist had said, “Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Sion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King":" and, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem!" To them who loved Jerusalem it was promised, "they shall prosper." Among the predictions of the latest prophet had been this; "the offering of Jerusalem shall be pleasant." There were "set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David";" there was the temple of the Lord'. "The Lord dwelt at Jerusalem;" "the habitation of the God of Israel was in Jerusalem h." It had been promised, that in mount Sion and in Jerusalem should be deliverance1; that this city should remain for ever; that upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem should be poured the Spirit of Grace'. Why then

a Psalm xlviii. 2. b Psalm cxxii. 1, 2. • Psalm cxxii. 6. d Mal. iii. 4. e Psalm cxxii. 5. f Psalm lxviii. 29. 8 Psalm cxxxv. 21. h Ezra vii. 15.

i Joel ii. 32.

Jer. xvii. 25.

1 Zech. xii. 10.

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