and she betakes herself to that in which she is strong, because the Lord is unboundedly merciful, -she betakes herself to constant supplication. And, among others, for whom does she pray? Every time you meet in God's house you pray for those very persons who would overset your altars. In every Church service we pray Christ "to bring into the way of truth all such as have erred and are deceived;" we beseech Christ to "forgive our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers, and to turn their hearts;" we beg the Lord to "have mercy upon all men ;" we beseech Christ that "all who call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and may hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life." Now these perpetual prayers relate very much to our dissenting brethren, and are in fact offered up for them. While we are "reviled, we revile not again," and being spoken against, we answer not; but we do what we are commanded to do, we pray: and, my brethren, I beseech you, when these prayers come round in the service, then remember with me those who have erred and are gone astray, and lift up your hearts to God for them. There are many more marks by which we may feel assured that within the Church we may trust to be with the Spirit of the Most High, but I will now only add how I believe we ought to walk, if we would follow our Lord, when we are opposed by those who leave the Church,-we must be in prayer for them.

A person who has left the Church which Christ has appointed is in a condition of much doubt and fear. He leaves because he follows his own judgment against that which the apostles, or which the Lord Himself, declared and appointed. This is following self-opinion a very long way indeed, yet this is undoubtedly his situation. He "replieth against God!" This is an awful position in which to stand. Therefore he ought not to meet with anger on our part, nor bickerings, nor contention, but he should have our prayers to God for him. In our intercourse with him we should shew him at once our sorrow for him, and our tenderness towards him; we should give him our mildest entreaties and warnings to consider his situation; we should remind him that Christ did establish a spiritual rule on earth, and that He still maintains it; we should say, 'You are not in that rule. Christ gave into the hands of His Church His holy sacraments; you are not within His Church, are you not without His sacraments? Will acting Christ's sacraments make them Christ's sacraments? As long as this question can stand, is your worship a safe worship? Is there not a safe worship for you? Was it not left for you and for all men by the Lord ? Is it not kept open for you to this very hour, by the Lord? Return into it; come forth out of the wilderness; come forth !"

To mild argument add the power of prayer. Never

f Rom. ix. 20.

forget to beseech the Lord to enlighten the mind of the wanderer, and to bring him back. This is the manner in which the Church would have you meet opposition and gainsaying. It is the manner in which the Lord Christ met it. He called not down "fire upon His adversaries," neither did He summon from heaven "twelve legions of angelsh," but He spent whole nights in prayer for man.

Lastly, to these prayers add example. The Lord Christ is our pattern, as well as our head and spiritual comfort. His example must be kept. To this end prayers, and "nights of prayers," are in many cases needful, if we would have grace to approach His example of pureness, kindness, truth, and long-suffering patience. That it may be followed, both for your own sakes, and for the sakes of all with whom you have to do, be fervent in prayer for yourselves, for thus shall you in larger and larger measures receive the Holy Spirit of God, and be governed thereby.

g Luke ix. 54, 55.

h Matt. xxvi. 53.

SERMON XXXI.

Trinity Sunday.

ST. MATT. iii. 16, 17.

Lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him; and lo, a Voice from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

N Trinity Sunday the Church departs from her

Lesson from the course in the Calendar, but appoints the third chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel as the second Lesson for this day. We may suppose, therefore, that she has made this choice with a view to bring before our minds the doctrine of the Trinity, which we assert in an especial manner on this occasion; which doctrine, as you know, is the existence of three divine Persons in the ever-blessed Godhead,-Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. In the chapter appointed to be read to-day we find this doctrine demonstrated in the history of our Lord's baptism, which is told us in the fourteenth verse.

In St. Mark's Gospel we have the same event in our Saviour's life mentioned in a shorter manner, but nearly in the same terms.

In St. John's Gospel the event of our Lord's bap

tism is not recorded, but it is distinctly referred to as having taken place.

St. Mark's account of this transaction is as follows:-"Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon Him and there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

St. John's reference to this occurrence is given thus:" And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him. And I knew Him not; but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost: and I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God"."

St. Luke's description of the baptism of our Lord is contained in one short but remarkable sentence. His words are, "Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well pleased c." The words here introduced by St. Luke, "in a bodily shape," are material.

Painters have taken these words literally, and

Mark i. 9-11. b John i. 32-34. c Luke iii. 21, 22.