6. We know that an especial stress is laid by our Lord on the duty of Almsgiving. St. John and St. James follow Him in so doing1; and St. Paul likewise. That Apostle's words, in the Galatians, are especially in point here, as expressly acknowledging this agreement between himself and his brethren. "When James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision; only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do?"

7. Self-denial, mortification of life, bearing our cross, are especially insisted on by Christ. St. Paul delivers clearly and strongly the same doctrine, declaring that he himself was "crucified with Christ," and" died daily "." The duty of Fasting may here be mentioned, as one in which St. Paul unhesitatingly enters into and enforces our Lord's religious system.

8. I need not observe how urgent and constant is St. Paul in his exhortations to Intercession; yet, St. James equals him in his short epistle, which contains a passage longer and more emphatic than any which can be found in St. Paul. Again, both Apostles insist on the practice of sacred Psalmody

as a duty. St. James, "Is any afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms." St. Paul, Speaking to each other in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs"."

66

9. St. Paul makes much of the Holy Eucharist; nay, to him the Church is indebted for the direct and clear proof we possess of the sacramental virtue of that Ordinance. Far different is the conduct of innovators; who are impatient of nothing more than of ordinances which they find established. He also recognizes the obligation of the Lord's day, he being the Apostle who denounces, as other Jewish rites, so also the Sabbath.

10. St. Jude bids us "contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints." In like manner, St. Paul enjoins Timothy to "hold fast the form of sound words, which he had heard of him;" and Titus, to "hold fast the faithful word as he had been taught, that he might be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers 3." St. Paul bids us "speak the Truth in love;" St. John says, he "loves Gaius in the Truth 4."

11. It is observable that our Lord speaks of His Gospel being preached, not chiefly as a means of converting, but as a witness against the world. This is confessedly a remarkable ground to be taken

James v. 13. Eph. v. 19.

3 Jude 3. 2 Tim. i. 13.

2 Acts xx. 7. 1 Cor. xvi. 2. Titus i. 9.

4

Eph. iv. 15.

3 John 1.

by the Founder of a new religion.

"The Gospel

of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations'." Accordingly, He Himself witnessed even before the heathen Pilate, "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the Truth 2." Yet, surely it is still more remarkable, that the Apostle of the Gentiles should take up precisely the same view, even referring to our Lord's Confession before Pilate, when giving Timothy his charge to preach the Truth, declaring, that the Gospel is "a savor of death unto death," as well as "of life unto life," and foretelling the growth of "evil men and seducers" after his departure 3.

3

12. Observe the agreement of sentiment in the following texts: St. James, taught by his Lord and Master, says, "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." St. Paul nearly in the same words, "Not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified." Again, did we not know whence the following passages come, should we not assign them to St. James? "God will render to every man according to his deeds; to them, who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life; but

Matt. xxiv. 14. xviii. 37. 3 1 Tim. vi. 13. 2 Cor. ii. 16.

4 James i. 22.

Rom. ii. 13.

2 John xviii. 37.

2 Tim. iii. 13.

unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, for there is no respect of per

and wrath sons with God." This, as well as the text just cited, is to be found in the opening of that Epistle, in which St. Paul appears most to differ from St. James; now observe how he closes it. "Why dost thou judge thy brother? And why dost thou set at nought thy brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. . . . Every one of us shall give account of himself to God." Again, in another Epistle: "We must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men 1."

13. St. John, after our Lord's example, implies especial praise upon those who follow an unmarried life,-involving the letter in the spirit, as is frequent in Scripture 2. "These are they which were

1 Rom. ii. 6-8. 11. xiv. 10-12. 2 Cor. v. 10, 11.

2 Vide Hos. xiii. 14. John xi. 23. 40. xiii. 8. xviii. 9. And

especially, as being a parallel case, Matt. xviii. 3-6, and so again, Matt. x. 38. Rev. vii. 14.-The parallel is instructively brought out in separate passages in the Christian Year:

"Yet in that throng of selfish hearts untrue,

Thy sad eye rests upon Thy faithful few,
Children and childlike souls are there," &c.-Advent.

There

not defiled with women, for they are virgins; these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth." St. Paul gives more direct praise to the same state, and gives the same reason for its especial blessedness; "He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord . . . . . I speak this for your own profit that ye may attend upon the Lord

without distraction 1."

14. St. Paul says, "Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God;" St. Peter in like manner,

66

Casting

"There hangs a radiant coronet,

All gemmed with pure and living light,
Too dazzling for a sinner's sight,
Prepared for virgin souls, and them

Who seek the martyr's diadem.

Nor deem, who, to that bliss aspire,

Must win their way through blood and fire," &c.

Wednesday before Easter.

In other words, Childhood, Virginity, Martyrdom, are made in Scripture at once the Types and Standards of religious Perfection, as they are represented in the three Saints' Days following Christmas Day,-St. Stephen's, St. John's, and Holy Innocents'. So again, Poverty, Luke vi. 20. xii. 33. Matt. xi. 5., with Matt. v. 3. But this rule of interpretation, and the light it throws upon Gospel duties and the Christian character, cannot be more than alluded to in a note.

1 Rev. xiv. 4. 1 Cor. vii. 32. 35.