our sake; and there to find ourselves remembered still; there in that awful purity, that radiant peace, that consuming brightness, to hear the voice of Jesus speak audibly, as now it often whispers in our hearts, 'It is I; be not afraid; I know that ye seek Jesus Who was crucified;' and there to recognize in that High and Lofty One inhabiting Eternity, the same Redeemer to Whom in our sin and misery we now draw nearer than we could draw to the dearest of earthly friends; in Whose holy sympathy is treasured up all our store of secret joy or sorrow, of memory and of hope, that has never been spoken to human earto see Him as He is! But this does not reach it; there is a depth beyond this in the words addressed to the Eternal Father, 'The fruition of Thy glorious Godhead;' 'we cannot see for the glory of that light.' Those of us who during this new year shall enter into His rest, will understand what is spoken in the congregations when next Epiphany comes round, as many now understand it who worshipped with us last year; meanwhile we must be content 'to know in part.'

The voice of our Mother Church sweetly dispels the dark dream that would overshadow our passage out of this world with gloomy anticipations of an unconsciousness amounting to a temporary annihilation, between death and resurrection; she acknowledges no 'dark day of nothingness' succeeding 'the last of languor and distress; she declares, that after this life they

have the fruition of Thy glorious Godhead; that with God do live the spirits of them that depart hence in the Lord; and that with Him the souls of the faithful after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh are in joy and felicity; that with Him do live the spirits of just men made perfect, after they are delivered from their earthly prisons. She raises her protest alike against the purgatory of Romanism, and the annihilation of modern teaching; and echoes the voice of the Master when He said, 'To-day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise;' and of the Apostle's assurance, 'To die is gain.'

FIRST SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY.

O Lord, we beseech Thee mercifully to receive the prayers of Thy people which call upon Thee; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

CHRISTIAN men less frequently fail by neglecting known and recognized duty, than by taking a false or narrow view of what duty is. It is quite possible to be self-satisfied and to escape all reproaches of conscience by limiting our conception of duty to the measure of our own convenience; but the true idea of Christian life

is that of ever enlarging circles of loving service, each widening according to the perfecting of that within it. There is great danger in a disproportion between the theory and the practice; on the one side we must not lower the idea of what ought to be done, to the standard of what we do; while, on the other, we must beware of satisfying ourselves with such wide and grand views of beneficence as we cannot realize, and therefore do not attempt. That which is truly 'beyond our measure,' however good, is not our duty; and it is a valuable though painful discipline to a proud and energetic nature to be shewn how very narrow that measure sometimes is; in bodily weakness or in poverty, we often struggle against the chain, and call our impatience a fervent desire to labour for Christ; but we can never labour for Him except in the way of His own appointment; all other activity is only fleshly excitement. We must not thrust another aside, in order, as we suppose, the better to fill his place;

we must

'Learn that each duty makes its claim
Upon one soul, not each on all.
How, if God speaks thy brother's name,

Dare thou make answer to the call?'

We must not seek a wide field of usefulness to the neglect of home and personal duty. But, on the other hand, much may be possible for us, and is consequently our duty to do, from which we turn aside in selfish indolence, and call our indolence

humility or submission. It is then a wise and needful prayer which the Church teaches us to offer at the beginning of a new year, 'Grant that we may both perceive and know what things we ought to do.'

6

To 'perceive' implies a quickness of discernment; 'a quick understanding (or scent) in the fear of The Lord;' to 'know' implies a clear recognition of the path of duty; thine ears shall hear a voice behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left;"' but it would be an awful gift to have the conscience thus enlightened, and then to be left to our own strength. Just in proportion as we honestly 'perceive and know what things we ought to do,' we shall feel our need of grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same;' grace to will, and power to do; a willing heart, a firm foot, and a skilful hand, to accomplish those works which God appoints for us. It is not enough to have a sign-post to point out the right way; we need a living Friend to lead us into the road, and then to uphold our goings in His paths that our footsteps slip not.

Nothing is more painful than uncertainty respecting the line of duty; and when we have gone so far in doubtful ways as to be thoroughly perplexed by conflicting claims, it is too late to disentangle the clue without injury to someone; very alteration of the course may hurt both 'Isaiah, xi. 3. (margin.)

the

2 Isaiah, xxx. 21.

ourselves and others, though never to have begun it would have hurt none. Therefore, to perceive it beforehand, a quickness in discerning, a steadfastness in knowing the right way, is to be sought as a blessing by each one for himself, and for all with whom he comes in contact; and it is a blessing, or gift, to be sought daily. It seems in the record of past times that there was more possibility of laying out plans, and making rules and adhering to them, than there is in the present state of society; fewer interruptions and unexpected variations of circumstance; but to us in a peculiar degree, each day's claims come fresh and separate; and each day brings some case of doubtful duty, in the expenditure of time, or money, or words, or influence, with its especial need of guidance and support.

Having a true estimate of ourselves, we shall not vainly attempt anything above our reach, nor disdainfully neglect anything that is within the compass of our calling, which are the two evils so common among men. It is a strange blindness that they who do grossly miscarry in the duties of their own station, yet so readily fancy themselves capable of something higher, or think themselves wronged if it be refused them. The low esteem of self doth not take away the simple knowledge of what gifts and graces God hath bestowed on a man, for that were to make him unthankful and unuseful.' 1

1 Archbishop Leighton.