hope to the Gentile world, "And I say unto you, that many shall come from the East and West, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of Heaven, but the children of the Kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." After which he dismissed the centurion, assuring him that his request was granted, "Go thy way: and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the self-same hour."

So ends the account of the second miracle in this Gospel-and I have already pointed out what its chief lesson is for ourselves. Surely it is, first, that we should be of a humble heart; very lowly and reverent in our approach to God—" Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof." That is the expression of true lowliness: that, be sure, is the feeling that befits us, when we come to appear before God in worship. We cannot be too careful how we speak in His presence; how we behave in Aye, and how we behave in God's sight, when, either in our chamber, or in family worship, we draw nigh to the throne of grace. Prayer is ever the best safeguard of man's soul, when gone about in a proper spirit, but prayer when not gone about in a right spirit, prayer in which there is no reverence, no heartfelt interest, no realising of God's majesty and might, and of our own deep un

His House of Prayer.

worthiness, prayer that is not the offering of a humble, contrite heart, can do but little good, nay, can only do harm to the soul.

The man of old, who of all living before the day of Christ was nearest and dearest to God, whom God called by the tender name of friend-Holy Abraham -hardly dared to plead with God in prayer, because of the infinite distance which he felt there must be between the creature and his Creator. "Behold now," he says, "I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes"!

Oh! I beg of you to consider this well. Notice how Abraham, how all the good and holy men we read of in the Bible, were before all things humble in heart, guarded, and careful not to offend, in their utterances before God; men who in prayer did not pour out a flood of vain babblings; did not think to be heard by their much speaking; but who used few and well-chosen words-words that expressed how sensible they were of their unworthiness; how known beforehand were all their faults unto God—“ Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof, but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed!'

That, I think, is the first lesson of this narrative, and the second is a lesson-one out of many in the Gospels-on the value of faith: "Go thy way, and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee: and

his servant was healed in the self-same hour." Faith, you will observe, is made the measure of the help. Where there is much and strong faith, there will be much help. Where there is little, and weak faith, there the help from on high will be little. "As thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee." And what is faith? Christian faith, about which we read so much, but alas! know, many of us, so little? Faith, my brethren, Christian faith is reliance upon Jesus Christ; trust in Him to save us. It is the believing in Him, though we see Him not, but believing in Him with our hearts, and confessing Him openly in our lives. And what can this faith effect for us? or rather what can it not effect? Faith removeth mountains; faith is an anchor of the soul on which it can safely ride amid the storms and tempests of life. Faith saves the sinner from despair. Faith enables him to say, "I know that my Redeemer liveth;" faith shews us a light across the grave; faith triumphs over death; faith is the victory that overcometh the world.

Happy is the man in whose heart there is found this living, quickening, saving principle of faith! Happy the man, be his outward lot ever so poor and lowly, who by faith has a firm hold upon his God! Happy the man, who like the Centurion in this Gospel, when all is not well with him, in his house, or in his heart, turns by a true instinct to the

Prophet of Nazareth of Galilee, goes with his burden whatever it be, and lays it at the Saviour's feet, and says to Jesus Christ, "Lord, I am not worthy." I am most unworthy, but my soul trusteth in Thee. Thou art full of compassion and mercy. I know Thee who Thou art, the Holy One of God! Thou canst cure every sickness, every disease. All power is given into Thine Hand! Speak the word only, and Thy servant shall be healed.

Happy I say is the man who has this strong, lively faith, in the power of Christ to save. Happy the man who in the hour of his need, goes to Jesus for relief, for deliverance; to be made perfectly whole. Whether for himself, or for some one near and dear to him, he will not seek help in vain, he will have what he asks-asks in unswerving faith. The answer will come, as it came of old-" Be of good cheer! Go thy way, and as thou hast believed

so be it done unto thee."

SERMON V.

THE TARES IN THE FIEld.

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany.

ST. MATT XIII, 30.

"Let both grow together until the harvest."

THESE words are a part of the reply of the householder to his servants in that great Parable of the Tares in the Field, appointed for the Gospel of the fifth Sunday after the Epiphany. The servants in their over zeal had asked leave to root up the tares they found growing amongst the wheat in their Master's field-"Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares ?" (a sort of wild corn, not unlike wheat in the early stage of its growth.) The householder replied, True, I sowed