prayers, he said, "Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."

Surely, then, this scriptural view of our subject ought to awaken the liveliest interest in your breasts, especially when you take into the account that all real peace, all cheerful obedience and actual comfort here, not less than safe and lively hopes for eternity must depend upon the PARDON OF SIN. Peace must be the happy enjoyment of that state, in which, it is said, "There is now no condemnation." That obedience which has respect to all God's commandments" will be effectually awakened by the impression that "we love Him because he has first loved us." That only can be viewed as substantial comfort whose grateful language is, “O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me." And that must be " lively hope," and "maketh not ashamed" in its prospects or animating power, which is fed by the conviction that "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost

which is given unto us." And all this implying the FORGIVENESS OF SINS as the privilege of "little children" in the family of Christ, from feeling its desirableness we must see its attainableness, when the Saviour has not only given us the credit of HIS NAME for our authority in asking, but laid down the certainty of success, in saying, "Ask, and it shall be given you seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened."

SERMON VII.

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1 JOHN, II. 12.

"YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN YOU FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE."

THE point which this verse has already furnished an occasion for considering most full, is "the FORGIVENESS OF SINS," as a blessing to be realized in all ages of the Church of Christ. The passages which were produced made it clear, I trust, that the truth of it runs entirely throughout the New Testament. And, considering how fully it enters into the spirit of all religious comfort, the language of our regular service was adverted to, that we might see how far it was so recognized by our branch of the Catholic Church, as a privilege now to be enjoyed; and there we must have

seen it pointed out as the main end for which we are moved to confession, and the ground on which the penitent can be said to be "restored;" while it must have been as clearly perceived to be prayed for, with expectations which, we beg, may now be fulfilled; and supposed to be the only foundation of that peace which enables us to serve God with a quiet mind,"-" the peace of God which passeth all understanding," and which only can "keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord."

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But while St. John clearly shows that this blessing was enjoyed at the very first stage of Christian experience, he lays before us the only ground on which it can be expected, when he says, "Your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake"-for the sake of HIS NAME, of whom he hath thus spoken: "If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins."

This important truth now claiming our special consideration, we must notice