implants and sustains in the inner man-and even then, not pleaders in our own names, but in the name of Jesus Christ, the great Mediator and Advocate, the only propitiation for sin, who " ever liveth to make intercession for us'. 199 THE SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. THE EPISTLE. THEREFORE, (the prisoner of the Lord,) beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one bap tism. 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Happiness is professedly, if not really, the aim of all. It is the universal object of desire, the good of which every creature living desires the attainment. There is no country or people, no community or family in any corner of the globe, where, if the question were asked of all individually, each would not answer for himself, that he wished to be happy. There might be different modes of estimating, attaining, realizing, enjoying happiness, but all without exception would covet it; all without exception would use their utmost endeavours to attain it. But although all desire happiness, few unfortunately attain it. A whole life passes away in the pursuit, and it is not gained. Great anxiety has ever been felt; great sacrifices have ever been made; time, thoughts, talents, have all been brought to bear upon the one end in view; all other pursuits have been neglected; the one great pursuit has been the sole, uniform, consistent pursuit; and at last, at the close of life, and perchance even before, it is found that the object has been missed. Either happiness, in the shape desired, or indeed in any shape, has never come; or there has been, for a little while, the appearance of happiness, and then it has vanished away. And why has this been? Why is it so continually the case? The real truth is, that few men know what constitutes happiness, and hence the object is missed, the mistake arises. The carnal mind imagines, but does not know, the source, the method, the purpose of true happiness. Its own object is 1 Heb. vii., 25. nothing, even when it is gained; and mocks him who has sought it with so much zeal, with a false semblance which soon disappears. There is but one source of happiness in the world that never brought disappointment, never failed to fulfil its promise, and that source of happiness is the hope of eternal life, the hope laid up for the soul in the Gospel, and assuring to it, through a crucified Saviour, on the only conditions of true faith and fruitful repentance, all joy and peace in believing, everlasting joy and peace at the last. But why, even among Christians who profess to seek this species of happiness and this alone, is discontent, disunion, and misery very often to be found? Because all are not true Christians; all are not disciples who walk by the same rule and mind the same thing; all are not men who bring forth those peaceable fruits of the Spirit, "against which there is no law'," and of which there is but one blessed result. The few holy and humble-minded believers, who "walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit," although blest with a joy that no man taketh from them, and doing their best to make all around them as happy and holy as themselves, possess but limited influence; but wherever it extends there is happiness. A family thus influenced, and in the main spiritually-minded, will generally be at peace within itself. Spirituality engenders peace, and peace ensures happiness. On the contrary, wherever there is strife, there must be sin; for sin is the cause of strife, and in strife there is great trouble. The Apostle throws much light on the subject. He tells us plainly, that "the unity of the Spirit" should be "the bond of peace," and then points out distinctly what is "the unity of the Spirit," and how it may become "the bond of peace." "Endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." You have "the unity of the Spirit," because you have “one body and one spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." And having this "unity of the Spirit," you should endeavour to make it "the bond of peace," by "walking worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love." Such is St. Paul's outline of the scheme, whereby man, under the dispensation of the Gospel, may impart and receive, 2 Rom. viii., 1. 1 Gal. v., 23. as a social being, general or partial happiness. But since the gate is so strait, and the way so narrow, whereby we obtain access to happiness, and few there be that find it, let us take advantage of the Apostle's argument to impress upon our hearts more strongly the expediency of ensuring an object so necessary to salvation. First, then, we have, like the Ephesians, "the unity of the Spirit." We are one in all things spiritual. Our outward profession, our spiritual guide, our hope, our Lord, our faith, our baptism, our God and Father, are the same. They are the visible signs of a common agreement in fundamental principles. They are acknowledged outward tokens of religious unanimity and concord. But is there not too little endeavour to develope this "unity of the Spirit" in practice? Is there not, on the contrary, almost as great a difference in practice, as there is unity in principle? Is there not among us who are professedly united Christians, constant contention, frequent litigation, unseemly animosity, inveterate malice? Is there not, on the slightest provocation, most violent passion? Is there not, without any provocation at all, quickness to imagine a wrong? Is there not often division? Is there not sometimes alienation? To deny this would only be to deny what all who have ears to hear must hear, and all who have eyes to see must see. Indeed we ourselves must acknowledge that in our own hearts, very often, the spirit of discord dwells, and that to do and say what "makes for peace," is not our prayer, our occupation, or our endeavour, at all times. And we very well know, and feel, that whenever we are thus situated, we are not happy. The question, then, arises in conclusion, "whence come these wars and fightings among us? Come they not even of lusts that war in our members'," lusts that our faith is too weak to overcome, our love too nominal to keep in order, our unity of the Spirit too languid to bring into subjection? How then may we become more peaceable, more united, and, by consequence, more happy? The Apostle's counsel at once suggests itself, “Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love." Call into action the high principles which, in common with your brethren, you profess, and let them henceforth constrain you, as they ought, to mortify all passions fatal to peace, and cause you to live, as well as to profess, in unison. 1 James iv., 1. Such, then, be our course, if we would live in peace, and be really happy. Our pride is the cause of contention; our unruly tempers are the obstacles to peace. Let the Spirit of Christ come, and with his soft and gentle influences calm these troubled waters. Let him bring down "the high thing in our souls that exalts itself against the knowledge of God'." Let him make us patient, forbearing, brotherly. Let him make us the very counterparts of our vocation, portraitures of love, exemplifications of heavenly-mindedness, patterns of charity. And oh! let us pray him to make us so, even better than we can ask or think. Let us pray that the spirit of glory and of God may abundantly rest upon us, and from time to time renew the strength of that spiritual life which his power has implanted in our souls. And surely the prayer will be answered; surely the boon will be granted. We shall soon become, by the divine Spirit dwelling in us, like brothers in a family, united to Christ our head by faith, united to one another as brethren by love, one in doctrine, one in practice, at peace with ourselves, at peace with all around us, keeping that peace which the Lord left with us, nheriting that peace which he has given to us. THE EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. THE EPISTLE. 1 Cor. i., 4 to 8. 4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; 5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and n all knowledge; 6 Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. The subject for our consideration this evening is a brief but fervent expression of devout thankfulness, on the part of the Apostle Paul, for some very signal tokens of divine favour and approval, which the Lord had recently bestowed upon the Corinthians. The tokens thus vouchsafed to these promising converts had evidently been spiritual gifts of some kind or other, and these in great abundance, and with a probability, if they continued faithful, of still further abundance and increase. The gifts in question had already brought forth fruit in the 1 2 Cor. X., 5. 66 Corinthians, and the Apostle, while he expresses his thankfulness to God for so evident a manifestation of his past favour, prays earnestly that all that has been so well begun, may continue unto the end; that they may be blameless in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ." The Apostle, as the great instrument, in the hands of God, of their conversion, naturally feels thankful for the testimony afforded, in these extraordinary gifts, of the success of his own ministrations, and as well for himself, as in behalf of those whom he holds so dear, desires to be unceasingly thankful. We will note, then, for our spiritual improvement, first, the Apostle's thankfulness; secondly, the ground of it; thirdly, the mode of expressing it. First, the Apostle was thankful. His heart overflowed with gratitude; was full of love, full of joy, full of a sense of obligation. And it was an emotion expressed daily, felt habitually. Surrounded, as he was at all times, by danger, harrassed with anxiety, burdened with affliction, his soul had not lost its relish for pleasurable sensations. There was much to be remembered, much to be looked forward to daily, that ought abundantly to minister gladness and more than balance any sorrow. Are we prepared to feel, to think, to speak thus? Are we open to impressions of this kind? Are we cheerful-joyful-thankful-ready to look on the bright side of every thing-willing to take in good part whatever happens, be it joyous or grievous-and to account it a mercy? But perchance we are murmurers-insensible to mercies-prone to despondency-slow to be thankful. Perchance we are impatient-morose-mindful only of miseries-never thoughtful of blessings. Which of these very opposite frames of mind is in reality most consistent with the spirit of the Gospel and a hopeful consciousness in the soul of peace with God through Christ, the Apostle, a most competent authority, here, and in many other passages, testifies. If we already possess this thankful, hopeful, believing spirit, let us treasure it as one of our sweetest experiences of Gospel privileges, and see that it rest not on a false foundation. And if we have it not, let us pray for it, and watch while we pray, for sin must be still in us. ness. We will note, further, the ground of the Apostle's thankfulHe was thankful on behalf of his Corinthian converts, "for the grace of God which was given them by Jesus Christ, that in every thing they were enriched by him in all utterance and in all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was con |