And the Child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wis-

dom : and the grace of God was upon Him.-St. Luke ii. 40.

21

Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be bap-

tized of him. But John forbad Him, saying, I have need to be

baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me? And Jesus answer-

ing said unto him, Suffer it to be so now : for thus it becometh

us to fulfil all righteousness. Then He suffered Him.-St.

Matthew iii. 13–15.

37

SERMON IV.

FASTING A MEANS TO CHRISTIAN PERFECTION.

When He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was after-

ward an hungered.--St. Matthew iv. 2.

50

PAOL

SERMON V.

TUE NATURE AND LIMITS OF TEMPTATION.

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be

tempted of the devil.–St. Matthew iv. 1.

65

SERMON VI.

WORLDLY CARES.

When the tempter came to Him, he said, If Thou be the Son of

God, command that these stones be made bread.–St. Matt. iv. 3. 79

SERMON VII.

SPIRITUAL PRESUMPTION.

Then the devil taketh Him up into the holy city, and setteth

Him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto Him, If Thou

be the Son of God, cast Thyself down: for it is written, He

shall give His angels charge concerning Thee: and in their

hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time Thou dash Thy

foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again,

Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.–St. Matthew iv. 5-7. 95

SERMON VIII.

WORLDLY AMBITION.

Again, the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high moun-

tain, and showeth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the

glory of them; and saith unto Him, All these things will I

give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith

Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou

shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou

,-St. Matthew iv. 8–10.

110

serve.

SERMON IX.

THE RIGHT USE OF REST AFTER TRIAL.

Then the devil leaveth Him, and, behold, angels came and min.

istered unto Him.-St. Matthew iv. 11.

127

PAOL

SERMON. X.

THE SYMPATHY OF CHRIST.

We have not an high-priest which cannot be touched with the

feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as

we are, yet without sin.Hebrews iv. 15.

140

SERMON XI.

SYMPATHY A NOTE OF THE CHURCH.

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath

anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath

sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to

the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are

bound.- Isaiah lxi. 1.

155

SERMON XII.

THE HOLINESS OF COMMON LIFE.

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James,

and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon ? and are not His sisters here

with us? And they were offended at Him.-St. Mark vi. 3. 170

.

SERMON XIII.

THE WORLD WE HAVE RENOUNCED.

7

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated

you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own:

but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out

of the world, therefore the world hateth you.-St. John xv.

18, 19.

184

.

SERMON XIV.

ON MIXING IN THE WORLD, AND ITS SAFEGUARDS.

. John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a

devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they

say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of

publicans and sinners.-St. Matthew xi. 18, 19.

198

SERMON XV.

.POVERTY A HOLY STATE.

Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He

was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through

His poverty might be rich.—2 Cor. viii. 9.

217

PAGO

SERMON XVI.

DEVOTION POSSIBLE IN THE BUSIEST LIFE.

And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and

told Him all things, both what they had done, and what they

had taught. And He said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart

into a desert place, and rest a while; for there were many com.

ing and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.-

St. Mark vi. 30, 31.

232

SERMON XVII.

PRAYER A MARK OF TRUE HOLINESS.

And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, He

went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

St. Mark i. 35.

248

SERMON XVIII.

SHORT DEVOTIONS A HINDRANCE TO PRAYER.

And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a moun-

tain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.–St.

Luke vi. 12.

260

SERMON XIX.

THE LONGSUFFERING OF CHRIST.

Then came Peter to Him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my

brother sin against me, and I forgive him ? till seven times ?

Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but,

I

Until seventy times seven.- -St. Matthew xviii. 21, 22.

274

SERMON XX.

THE GENTLENESS OF CHRIST.

A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall

He not quench.—Isaiah xlii. 3.

286

SERMON I.

CHRIST THE HEALING OF MANKIND.

St. John i. 14.

" The Word was made flesh."

Such is the Catholic Faith touching the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ-a doctrine defined by the Holy Ghost, and declared by the beloved disciple; such was the prophecy of Isaiah—“Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call his name Immanuel ;"* such was the salutation of the angel Gabriel— Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee : blessed art thon among women.

The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee ; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God :"+ such is the witness of the apostles—"God was manifest in the flesh.”! Again

-66 In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” So the Church confesses: “For the right faith is, that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man; God, of the substance of the