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Dec. 25th.-Monday.

Proper Psalms, Morning, 19, 45, 85:

CHRISTMAS DAY.
Afternoon, 89, 110, 132.

Epistle, Heb. i. 1-12. Gospel, John i. 1-14. First Lessons, Morning, Isaiah ix. 1-8. Afternoon, Isaiah vii. 10-17. Second Lessons, Morn. Luke ii. 1-15. Aftern. Titus iii. 4-9. Suggested Texts-Morning Sermon, John i. 10, 11. (See Text Paper, No. 43.) Afternoon Sermon, Titus iii. 4—7.

THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD'S SUPPER ADMINIstered. Dec. 26th.-Tuesday. ST. STEPHEN'S DAY.

Epistle, Acts vii. 55-60. Gospel, Matt. xxiii. 34—39.

Lessons, Morning, Prov. xxviii. Acts vi. 8 to vii. 30. Aft. Acts vii. 30-55. Dec. 27th.-Wednesday. ST. JOHN'S DAY.

Epistle, 1 John i. Gospel, John xxi. 19–25.

Second Lessons, Morning, Rev. i. Afternoon, Rev. xxii.

Dec. 28th. Thursday. INNOCENTS' DAY.

Epistle, Rev. xiv. 1—5.

Gospel, Matt. ii. 13-21.

Lessons, Morning, Jer. xxxi. 1-18. Acts xxv. Afternoon, 1 John v. Dec. 30th.-Saturday. (Gen. Union for Private Prayer.) For Pastoral preparation-1 Pet. iv. 7.

FIFTH WEEK.

Dec. 31st.-Sunday. FIRST SUNDAY AFTER Christmas. Epistle, Gal. iv. 1-7. Gospel, Matt. i. 18-25. First Lessons, Morn, Isaiah xxxvii. Afternoon, Isaiah xxxviii. Second Lessons, Morning, Acts xxviii. Afternoon, Jude, Suggested Texts. Morning Sermon-Phil. iv. 5.

Afternoon Sermon-Matt. vi. 10. Luke xi. 2. (See Page 350.) January 1st.-Monday. THE CIRCUMCISION OF CHRIST. Epistle, Rom. iv. 8-14. Gospel, Luke ii. 15—21. Lessons, Morning, Gen. xvii. Rom. ii. Aftern. Deut. x. Col. ii. Jan. 6th.-Saturday. The EPIPHANY, or manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles.

Epistle, Eph. iii. 1—12. Gospel, Matt. ii. 1-12. Lessons, Morn., Isaiah lx. Luke iii. 1-23. Aftern., Is. xlix. John ii. 1-12. (General Union for Private Prayer.)

For Pastoral preparation-Psalm xc. 9.

CHRIST OUR PASSOVER.

No. XV.

(Continued from page 341.)

TWENTY-SIXTH PORTION.

(Read John xix. 13-14. Luke xxiii. 2, 3. Matt. xxvii. 11-14. Mark xv. 2-5.)

THE ARRAIGNING.

PILATE had gone forth the last time to the Jews in the front of his palace with a strong desire and resolution to get Jesus released. Up to that moment he was acting under a superstitious

fear, with what may be called a religious motive, as it related to his notion of a God. But the distinct charge made by the Jews, that to let Jesus escape would be to shew himself a traitor to his master the Emperor, introduced into his mind another fear, upon motives of personal safety in worldly matters; and this fear speedily overcame that which had arisen from the faint efforts of the motive of a false religion. All his kind intentions toward the prisoner were gone: for he would have been in personal danger of losing his high station, and perhaps his life, if the Jews had accused him before the Emperor of encouraging treason. He therefore determined at once to enter upon the case of Jesus, judicially, in the public court, as that of a malefactor brought before him officially by the Jews. The place where the Roman judges used to hear causes was commonly a bench, or throne, fixed upon a raised floor in some public place. The raised floor was paved with an ornamented kind of tile, called Mosaic, from which circumstance the place itself was called by the Romans "the pavement:" while the Jews, when they talked of it in their language, gave it a name which described the raised position of the floor, calling it " Gabbatha;" which in Hebrew means "the elevated." To this place Pilate now went, and had Jesus brought before him in public trial. The time of this event is marked by St. John, who, calculating in the more modern way, tells us that it was at six o'clock in the morning of the day before the great feast of the Passover—that is, the Friday in Passion-week.

As soon as our Lord was thus brought to a public trial before the governor, his accusers brought their charge against Him. This was cunningly arranged, so as to appear a political offence. He was "found perverting the people;" inducing them not to pay the taxes to the Roman Emperor. These charges were made before the governor and then followed the real offence, for which they had condemned him in the Sanhedrim; but which was so stated, that to Pilate, unacquainted with the Jewish scriptures and expectations, it must have appeared a charge of political treason also: for they accused Him of saying, “that He himself is Christ, a king."

Pilate then, from the judgment seat, examined the prisoner, and asked him whether He was "the king of the Jews," to which Jesus replied that He was; which is the meaning of that form of speech in which His answer was made-" thou sayest."

The chief-priests and elders of the people then brought forward many other accusations against Him, probably of a less

important kind, to none of which our Lord made any reply whatever. The governor asked Him whether he heard all these charges that were brought against Him; and how it was that he gave no answer to them? Still, however, Jesus remained silent, at which Pilate was greatly surprised.

REFLECTIONS.

Nothing is more erroneously estimated by men than the comparative influence of different motives in directing their course of conduct. The power of anything like a religious motive is always over-estimated in the mind; and the mistake is always discovered when the power is put to the proof: yet men do not benefit by the discovery, how often soever repeated, and still continue to fancy that a religious motive must be a powerful one. The motives of natural religion in a natural heart are never strong enough to overcome the motives of personal and worldly benefit. As soon as the present advantage of the unconverted man seems to run counter to his notions of God's requirements, that moment they cease to be influential, however he might have reasoned or felt about them before. So it was with Pilate. He felt nothing but the superstitions of natural religion, when he had heard that Jesus had made himself the Son of God;" and these produced some effect upon him, until he was afraid of the consequences of not being "Cæsar's friend :" but this fear overcame the impression at once. The same effect is sure to result whenever the religion of mere nominal christians is put to the same test. thing but a superior power overcoming the natural self-worship of the human heart-nothing but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of Christ, "working in us to will and to do of His good pleasure"-will ever make the principle of religion really triumph in the self-devotion of personal interest for the furtherance of truth to the glory of God.

No

The jesuitical cunning manifested in the mode of bringing the charges against Jesus has already been pointed out. How affecting is the calm silence with which our Lord met such provocation!

"As a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth." Pilate was surprised at this: and perhaps there are few things which so much puzzle worldly unconverted minds, conscious of the boiling agitations to which their own hearts are liable under offence, as the patient forbearance of the Christian character, when, under injustice aggravation and insult, any true disciple of Christ is able to shew how he possesses that spirit of Love which is not easily provoked."

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COMPENDIUMS OF SERMONS. No. XXXVII. (Ninth of the course on the opening of the Apocalypse: see page 342) TEXT-Rev. ii. 12—17.

Third portion of the Lord's Message to His Church.
PERGAMOS. (continued)

The Christians in Pergamos (described as being correct in their general profession of truth, and firm in defending it, but with false charity (or liberalism) tolerating persons as members of their body who held immoral errors in connection with their creed) are exhorted to

Repent. This is the only word of exhortation addressed to them; but it is a most important one. Luke xiii. 3, 5. To repent means to have a change of mind, so that the thoughts we were accustomed to think no longer occupy us, and we have different opinions of truth from those formerly held the desires we were accustomed to indulge are no longer given way to: the things we used to approve we disapprove; and we no longer find pleasure in the enjoyments which before gratified us. Acts iii. 19; xxvi. 18, 20. 2 Cor. v. 17.

The command to repent occurs in five out of the seven letters addressed by our Lord from Heaven to the Church, Rev. ii. 5,16, 22; iii. 3, 19; and against the Churches to which the other two letters were sent (Smyrna and Philadelphia), there is nothing mentioned to be repented of. From this we find that whatever be the error of any portion of the Church of Christ, his people are required to change that state of mind which leads them to follow it. A true Christian must have a oneness of mind with Christ, and repent of every thought or opinion or desire which will not agree with His. Christ does not tolerate, or excuse, a mixture of false and true doctrine in any one; nor evil practice with true doctrine-neither must the Church, nor must any individual member of the Church.

V. The Threatening.

1. Our Lord first repeats to this church the same threat which He spoke against the Church of Ephesus--I will come unto thee quickly. (See the explanation of this threat, page 245.) The repetition of it points out to us that any error in doctrine or practice has a tendency to bewilder the mind, and to draw off attention from the Coming of the Lord, which is the great object by which a Christian is guided through the snares that would entangle him in this life. Phil. iii. 17-21.

2. I will fight against thee with the sword of my mouth. Here our Lord makes the special application of the title He chose in addressing this Church. (See page 342.) When the word of

God (the sharp sword of Christ's mouth) wounds the conscience so as to produce that pricking at the heart spoken of in Acts ii. 37, it may be said to fight for the sinner, against his sins and his spiritual enemies. But when its edge wounds by convincing the mind of the certain judgment of the just God, to be executed for the sins which the heart yet continues to love, it may be truly said to fight against a person so convinced; for by continuing to love his sins he sides with them and with Satan; and the conviction of the truth of God's word only excites to hatred, because it will not allow what he loves. This produces remorse, not repentance; leading to despair, not hope; as was the case with Judas. Matt. xxvii. 3-5. Isaiah xi. 4.

Besides this, the word of God's truth, whether acknowledged to be true or not, will be that law according to which the sinner will be judged hereafter, and sentence will be executed according to it; so that it may truly be said to fight against those who will be condemned by it. John v. 45—47; xii. 48.

The threat therefore is, that if those who from false charity have excused a sinful line of conduct in professing Christians, do not alter their views and their toleration, so as to be made like the mind of Christ, in such a case our Lord will unexpectedly call them to judgment; and will either give His word power to open their understandings while in this life, without at the same time influencing their hearts, so that they shall see their error without hating it, and feel God's justice without hoping from His mercy; or else will leave that word to do its office of condemnation at the great day of account.

3. Or else. Yet an alternative is allowed this marks God's threatenings with the character of mercy. (See this point in the letter to the Church of Ephesus, page 246. The same application may be made of these words here.)

VI. No special Encouragement is given to this Church.

VII. The Final Promise.

This is another portion of the TITLE DEED of a Christian. To him that overcometh our Lord promises

1. That He will give him to eat of the hidden manna―Jesus Christ himself is the Antitype of the Manna on which the Israelites fed. John vi. 32-58. This manna is a spiritual food; and the mode of its supporting the soul must be spiritually discerned. 1 Cor. ii. 14. It is hidden-unperceived; not known nor discovered by an unspiritual person. The true Christian however not only knows and lives upon this manna here, but will live on Christ in His kingdom of glory for ever. John xvii. 7, 8, 25.

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