ledge tested by charity towards our brother,—and what is it to know God, but to love our brother?more than whole burnt-offerings and sacrifice.

And here, again, are not we but too often Pharisees? Are we not apt to make our religion, a religion of trifles; to be strict, and punctual about lesser things, and careless about the greater? Is it not true of us, too, that we place in the foreground, as if it formed the essence of Christianity, what is only its outer garb and adornment? If we are regular at church, regular at the sacrament; if we give a certain portion of our time daily to religious reading and prayer; if we keep from transgressing the letter of God's commandments, we think we have made good our title to be called Christians. And yet, perhaps, all the while, that which alone really justifies our claim has been forgotten-" the doing justice, the loving mercy, and walking humbly with our God."

Judge yourselves, brethren, if it be not So. Judge if, in this matter of surface-religion—a religion that rests in outward show, but fails to reach the heart-we have any cause to boast of our superiority to the Pharisees. Do we not too often content ourselves with cleansing the outside of the cup, and of the platter—with giving a respectable colour to our seen life; while that which is not seen- -Our

inward heart and spirit—is left in its uncleanness, full of all sort of evil-full of hypocrisy, and iniquities?

I

Brethren, once again: there is a graver fault behind—a worse degree of Pharisaism than any have yet touched upon.

We have seen that the Pharisees in our Lord's day were formalists-self-righteous-layers of burdens on the weak, and ignorant. But they were more: they were hypocrites. They pretended to be better than they really were- -more pious, more charitable, more advanced in holiness.

All their works they did to be seen of men. When they gave alms, they gave it with the utmost pomp, and parade. When they prayed, they prayed standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets. For their praying they used loud exclamations, and vain repetitions, thinking to be heard, not because their heart was deeply stirred, but for their much speaking.

It was, then, their prevailing vice, hypocrisy, which called forth the sharpest rebuke of our Lord, "Woe unto you, hypocrites!" Is there no fear that He might address to us the like stern words? Are we so free from this worst error of the Pharisees as to be in no danger of their condemnation ?

Indeed I cannot say we are; with all our better

helps and purer light, this sin of hypocrisy does assuredly beset us, and we need the utmost watchfulness not to let ourselves be deluded by it to our ruin.

Do not think, then, brethren, that I now address to you an unnecessary warning, when I urge you, in our Lord's words, to "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy ?" Beware of pretence in all things; but, most of all, beware of pretence in matters of religion. Do not affect religious talk. Do not lead people by any act or word of yours to think you better than you are. Do not seek a reputation for goodness, at the expense of truth. It were better to pass with the world as less good, less religious, less charitable than you really are, rather than gain a false credit for these things-deceiving, and being deceived.

Avoid then, above all things, in your intercourse with God, any courting of man's attention. Think only of His eye when you draw nigh unto Him in worship. Remember, that it is the secret prayer -the prayer said in still chambers with shut doors, that goes up with most sure acceptance into His ear. And so also about alms-giving; remember, that the charity done when none are by-done as true charity always is done, at the cost of our own ease at the denial of ourselves-remember

that this, and not the

charity which blows a trumpet before it, and calls all the world to witness and applaud, is the charity that we should practise, who seek not glory of men, but the approval of our Father which is in heaven.

SERMON IV.

SOCIETY IN RELIGION.

ST. LUKE, ii. 42.

"And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast."

We all know the beautiful story which St. Luke tells us, of our Lord being taken by Joseph, and Mary to the Passover feast at Jerusalem; and we have all been called upon to admire the example therein set us, of the advantages of early piety. We have had pointed out how good a thing it is, to accustom our children betimes, to join with us in worshipping God; to instil into their hearts, while yet fresh, and tender, a reverence for holy places, and holy things; to use them to coming to church; to teach them how to pray; to instruct them in the Scriptures; to give them an early knowledge of those things, which make wise unto salvation.

But there is more than one lesson to be learned from this incident; and as I have already, on a former occurrence of this Sunday (1st after the