made use of the memorable words of our text to the Jews. As he also certifies the truth of what St. Luke writes concerning the Baptist: "John bare witness of Him, and cried, saying, This was He of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before for He was before me."

me,

But the Evangelist St. Luke records the birth of St. John the Baptist as taking place before that of Jesus of Nazareth. Therefore St. Luke puts upon us the necessity of reconciling this narrative with the other Apostle's record and as we know, by the experience of the whole Christian Church, that one entire harmony pervades the Scriptures, we can come only to this conclusion.

That Jesus of Nazareth was the Everlasting Son of God most High; God of God, and Very God of Very God: in his Divine Nature living before the Baptist; but in his human Nature living with, and after him; and finally, after his Crucifixion, Death, and Burial, rising again from the grave in both Natures; and, as the God-Man, ascending again unto His Almighty Father in Heaven.

Let us ever bless God, my Christian brethren, for this knowledge of his truth; while,

acknowledging his just judgments upon the Jews, whose existence is a daily standing Miracle at this very time; we pray for their conversion. It is to the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost the Comforter, we owe this knowledge of our Redeemer.

"For there are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."

The Father having given unto us His only begotten Son for our Redeemer from His well-merited wrath; and that Son, Jesus of Nazareth, having commissioned his disciples to "teach all Nations:" the Holy Ghost poured upon them the knowledge of languages.

Through the instrumentality of St. Paul, and his own personally instructed disciples; arose, from out of Druidical darkness, this our venerably ancient Church of England.

For nearly seven hundred years after the Nativity of our Lord Christ, our Church remained, as she is at this day, unconnected with the Roman Catholic Church; rejecting whose Idolatrous additions, after a long union with her, through the craft of the Popes; our Holy Church returned to the

purer faith of England, nearly three hundred years ago.

And, as in comparing the times of Abraham, and of our Lord, we have found the same period to have elapsed both before, and after Christ; so we find, in the latter half of these periods, that our Church has been altogether free from that of Rome, for full one half of the last eighteen hundred years.

Our faith is the pure faith of Abraham and of Christ's Apostles; rejecting all vain traditions, and superstitious additions. For, owing to those very things did the Jews deny Jesus of Nazareth to be their Messiah; whom we acknowledge as the Universal Redeemer of mankind. And He said to the Jews; we have proved how truly he said; " Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was I

am!"

SERMON VIII.

FOR THE NATIONAL SCHOOLS.

ISAIAH LV. 10, 11.

FOR AS THE RAIN COMETH DOWN, AND THE SNOW FROM HEAVEN; AND RETURNETH NOT THITHER; BUT WATERETH THE EARTH, AND MAKETH IT BRING FORTH, AND BUD, THAT IT MAY GIVE SEED TO THE SOWER, AND BREAD TO THE EATER: SO SHALL MY WORD BE THAT GOETH FORTH OUT OF MY MOUTH: IT SHALL NOT RETURN UNTO ME VOID BUT IT SHALL ACCOMPLISH THAT WHICH I PLEASE; AND IT SHALL PROSPER IN THE THING WHERETO I SENT IT.

To those who are engaged in the most glorious work of human power, the diffusion of sound religious education among the infant poor, how consoling is this promise of our God. Nor is there, perhaps, among all the inspired, and sublime, predictions of the Evan

gelical Prophet, any chapter more encouraging to a truly Christian spirit.

"Come unto me all ye that travail and are heavy laden; and I will refresh you;" said the benevolent Son of God. Come unto me, ye little ones of his flock; ye who sleep in the darkness of ignorance, heavy laden with sorrows, and poverty: come to me, O my children! exclaims his ever faith

ful Church.

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy, and eat: yea, come, buy wine and milk and without money, and without price."

In reading with attention the eventful records of History, we shall find some periods more particularly marked by the gross darkness of religious ignorance. And were there no other proof of the eternal Providence of God; there is enough" to justify His ways to man," when we always find the cheering rays of Truth dispersing these deepening clouds.

Seduced by the Tempter, our first Parents fell as victims in his snare; and by their disobedience sin came into the world. Sin, which darkening their understanding, alien

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