hand of death is gradually drawing the curtain round us, what words, what thoughts, are those which survive in that dark hour? The greeting of Christian cheerfulness, the calm thoughtfulness of Christian wisdom, the blessing of the Christian peacemaker, these will sound in our memory long after the eyes are closed, and the lips are sealed. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but the words of Christ, and the Christ-like words of Christ's disciples, shall never pass away in this world or the next. Lastly, let us remember that we, each one of us, must show that we have not heard Christ's words in vain. They are strown far and wide over this land, over this congregation, like the seeds of the sower.

There is

There is a con

something for each of us. solation for the mourners; there is a rebuke to the worldly; there is a hope for the penitent; there is an encouragement for the weak. Take away something of what you have heard to-day,- take away something of what you hear each Sunday. Sunday by Sunday gives you a different word. Receive them all, one by one, treasure them up, and in the end there will be a great store of wisdom,

which will never fail. The seed which produces no fruit is as good as lost,—the word of Christ which does not come out again in some good thought, or word, or work of ours, might as well never have been uttered. Blessed are "they which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience."1

1 Luke viii. 15.

SERMON III.

THE LAW OF CHRIST.

(CHRISTMAS-DAY, 1856.)

PSALM Xix. 7, 8.

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, and giveth wisdom unto the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, and rejoice the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, and giveth light unto the eyes.

THESE words, from the proper Psalms of this morning's service, may seem, at first sight, to have little connection with Christmas-Day; but they fitly represent one aspect of our Lord's coming which falls in with the discourses you have lately heard, and with the special character under which He appears in the first of the four Gospels, the Gospel according to S. Matthew. He came not only

as our Saviour, but as our Lawgiver; or rather, as the words of the text well express it, as our Saviour and our Lawgiver both in one. The law of the Lord Jesus Christ is not only a pure and perfect law," but it "converts the soul;" the statutes which He has given are not only "right," but they "rejoice the heart." Let us see how this union was effected, and what this law was; and to that end let us follow the multitudes that gathered round Him from all parts, when they heard that a great Teacher was come, "preaching the Gospel of the kingdom:" let us seat ourselves with them on the level spaces of the broken hill, to hear what were the gracious words with which He broke the silence of ages,—the words in which "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners had spoken to the fathers by the prophets, in these last days spoke unto us by His Son."1 "When He saw the multitudes," (so we read in the fifth chapter of S. Matthew's Gospel,) "He went up into the mountain, and taught them, saying:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

1 Heb. i. 1.

"Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

"Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven."

This was the law of the Lord, "pure and undefiled;" this was "the Gospel of the kingdom;" this the blessedness and happiness of man; this the Christmas salutation, which He who knew what was in man, and who spake as never man spake, delivered to the sick and suffering, and poor and afflicted and perplexed, who gathered round Him then-who gather round Him now. Every sentence, every word of that sublime benediction contains the text for a sermon-contains the history of the life