as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.-2 Cor. vi, 9, 10.

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. -2 Cor. xii, 7.

For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;-Ephesians ii, 14.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.-Hebrews xii, 1, 2.

For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth,

and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. -Hebrews xii, 6.

Whom having not seen, ye love; in Whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.-1 Peter i, 8.

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.-James i, 12.

Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.James v, 8.

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before His angels.—Rev. iii, 5.

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son.-Rev. xxi, 7.

Sinfulness.

Of all our troubles the one which we perhaps bear most easily is sinfulness. Ask a hundred people what is their great trouble in life, some will speak of poverty, pain, anxiety, and other things, which concern this life, but how few of the hundred will tell you that their great trouble is their sinfulness in the sight of God. And yet, apart from the fact that sin produces so many other troubles, it should be a greater cause of grief than anything else. Death, if nothing else, will put an end to most troubles, but death will not end the consequences of sin. To all who think, and who believe the Christian religion, Sinfulness should be the first and heaviest of troubles. When the

paralytic was brought to Jesus He said to him "Thy sins be forgiven thee," before He said "Arise and walk." The ills of the soul must be considered before the ills of the body.

But if we realize this and "do earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings," how much comfort we find in the Word of God." As the Prayer Book tells us "He pardoneth and absolveth all them that truly repent." Yes, truly-but the important question is-is our repentance real and thorough, or are we merely sorry that we have brought affliction on ourselves? We ought to be honestly and deeply sorry that we have broken God's laws and grieved Him-sorry because our sin (as all sin does) has harmed others. Then, as the texts which follow teach us, God will forgive us-we may still have to endure the punishment,— broken laws will have their penalties, and punishment often does us good, but we are, and we shall be, forgiven, and, like the

Prodigal Son, restored to the presence and the love of our Father. We shall have learnt a valuable lesson and go out to our life again wiser and stronger, with an increased thankfulness to God and a determination not again to offend Him. This is the Gospel (the good news) of the forgiveness of sins.

Lead me forth in Thy truth, and learn me for Thou art the God of my salvation; in Thee hath been my hope all the day long. Call to remembrance, O Lord, Thy tender mercies and Thy loving-kindnesses, which have been ever of old. O remember not the sins and offences of my youth: but according to Thy mercy think Thou upon me, O Lord, for Thy goodness. The sorrows of my heart are enlarged: O bring Thou me out of my troubles. Look upon my adversity and misery and forgive me all my sin. --Psalm xxv, 4-6, 16, 17.

Blessed is he whose unrighteousness is for