immense distance, but which really are very great

and fast.

Now all these suns and stars, it is reasonable to believe, most probably have a centre. There must be order among them; and they most probably move round one thing, one place, one central sun, as it were, which is the very heart of all the worlds, and the whole universe. Where that place is, or what it is like, we know not, and cannot know. Only this we may believe, that it is glorious beyond all that eye hath seen, and ear heard, or hath entered into the heart of man to conceive. If this world be beautiful, how beautiful must that world of all worlds be. If the sun be glorious, how glorious must the sun of all suns be. If the heaven over us be grand, how grand must that heaven of heavens be. We will not talk of it; for we cannot imagine it: and if we tried to, we should only lower it to our own low fancies. But is it not reasonable to suppose, that there God the Father does, perhaps, in some unspeakable way shew forth his glory? That there, in the heart of all the worlds, Cherubim and Seraphim continually adore him, crying day and night, 'Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth: Heaven ' and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory!' before his throne, from which goes forth light, and power, and life, to all worlds and all created things.

And is it not reasonable to believe, that t

Christ is, in the bosom of the Father, an the right hand of God? We know that t too, are only figures. That God is a Spirit, e where and nowhere; and has not hands a have. But it is only by such figures tha Bible can make us understand the truth, Christ is the highest being in all heavens worlds; equal with God the Father, and s of his kingdom, and power, and glory, blessed for ever. Amen.

What then does St. Paul mean, when he That he may fill all things?' I do not k And I will take care not to lessen and spo Paul's words, by any ignorant words of my But one thing I know it will mean one day St. Paul says so. That Christ reigns, and reign, triumphant over sin, and death, and till he have put all enemies under his feet, an last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. shall he deliver up the kingdom to God, eve Father; that God may be all in all. What means I do not know. But this I can and you can say. We can pray that God

finish the number of his elect and haster kingdom, that we, with all that are departe the true faith, may have our perfect consun tion and bliss, both in body and soul, in

eternal kingdom. And this I can say, that it means now, for you and me; for Whitsuntide tells me : that whatever else Christ can or cannot fill, he can at least fill our hearts, because he is in the bosom of the Father himself; and therefore from him, as from the Father, proceeds the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life. That Spirit will proceed even to us, if we will have him. He will fill our hearts with himself; with the Spirit of goodness, which proceeds out of the heaven of heavens, and out of the bosom of God himself; with love, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness; with truth, honour, duty, earnestness, and all that is the likeness of Christ and of God. Oh let us pray for that Spirit; the Spirit of truth, which Christ promised us when he ascended up into the heaven of heavens, to keep us sound in our most holy faith; and the Spirit of goodness, to give us strength to live the good lives of good Christian men.

And then it will matter little what opinions we hold about deep things, which the wisest man can never put into words. And it will matter little, whether what I have been telling you to-day about the heaven of heavens be exactly true or not; for what says St. Paul of such deep matters? That we know in part, and prophesy in part; and that prophecies shall fail, and knowledge vanish away: but charity, love, and right feeling, and

right doing, which is the very Holy Spirit of God, shall abide for ever. And if that Spirit be with us, he will guide us in due time into all truth; teach us all we need to know, and enable us to practise all we ought to do. Amen.

SERMON XXXI.

CHRISTMAS PEACE.

(Sunday before Christmas.)

PHIL. iv. 4.

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

THIS is a glorious text, and one fit to be the key-note of Christmas-day. If we will take it to heart, it will tell us how to keep Christmasday. St. Paul has been speaking of two good women, who seem to have had some difference; and he beseeches them to make up their difference, and be of the same mind in the Lord. And then he goes on to tell them, and all Christian people, why they should make up their differences. And for that reason, I suppose, the Church has chosen it for the epistle before Christmas-day, on which all men are to make friends with each other, and rejoice in the Lord. Let your moderation, he says, be known to all men. The Greek word signifies forbearance, reasonable dealing, consideration for one another, readiness to give way,