men's minds; some men find it very hard to think at all; some cannot cease from thought; and these are tried in a way the others cannot comprehend. To those, then, who are conscious of the temptations of solitude, whether alone or surrounded by companions, I would say, It is not right to seek dissipation of mind always, because it is wise or even necessary to do so sometimes. We must not cease to exercise our thoughts in lonely contemplations, because solitude of heart is a condition of trial, under which we have often fallen into sin.

How then shall we so guide our thoughts in times of loneliness that the evil one shall not gain power over us? Anything like a full answer to this great question it would be quite impossible for me to give you now. I can only give you one or two hints. Prayer for the help of God under this trial I have already mentioned. If temptation come upon us in solitude, let us kneel down and earnestly pray for the grace of God to overcome it; and then let us stedfastly set ourselves to meditate upon some passage in the life of our Blessed Saviour. I think it would be well for those of us who can read, to have about us a New Testament or Prayer-book, in which at any time when we are alone we may read some portion of our Saviour's words, or the history of some one of His actions, and take that as the subject of our meditations. Thus the evil may be driven out, and the glories of the kingdom of God may shine brightly on us, until the Blessed Spirit of God shall lead us up to contemplate the glory of the eternal Godhead.

But because our minds are soon wearied by heavenly meditations, and when these have faded away the hour of trial may return, still let us strive to drive the evil from us. Let us think of those we love who are far away; those whose kindness has comforted us, and whose goodness has cheered us. As we call to mind their gentleness, their patience, their self-denial, their love of holiness, their selfforgetfulness, their cheerful happiness, we shall find our hearts again warmed with that pure charity of which He, whom they as well as we worship, is the fountain; so that whatsoever is contrary to His spotless purity will become hateful to us, and so the enemy will lose his hold upon us. For indeed he cannot injure us, so long as we are true to ourselves and to Him who has made us His own. I know no greater secondary help for the exercise of a practical faith in our Blessed Saviour, than this contemplation of goodness in those of His redeemed ones whom it is our happiness to know and love; for "Love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God;" and does not the Apostle of love thus lead us up to the love of Christ through the love of His members? "No man," he says, "hath seen God at any time;" and then he adds, immediately, "If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us."17 Instead, then, of morbidly dwelling on all the harassing particulars of such temptations as beset us in solitude, let us contemplate those patterns of goodness which God has given us, to draw us to the love of Christ; let us 17 1 St. John, iv. 7, 12.

most lovingly contemplate the one Divine pattern of holy living the life of Christ on earth; and so strengthen our faith in Him, that we may find the witness in ourselves of all those holy truths which are our real light and life; that God may be all in all; that all our mind, and soul, and heart, may be drawn upward to that holy place where all created goodness shall one day bow down together, and say, in those words consecrated for ever to the glory of the Eternal Trinity, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come; Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are, and were created."18

18 Rev. iv. 8, 11.

...

213

SERMON XVIII.

THE FORCE OF CIRCUMSTANCES.

ST. LUKE, Xviii. 27.

"The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

THE history of that young ruler who came so eagerly to our Lord to inquire of Him what good thing he should do that he might inherit eternal life, is full of instruction, and contains especially an awful warning for those who in this scene of trial are seeking for life eternal.

Contemplating that history, we see a man earnest and reverent, running and kneeling down,' strict also in his obedience, and willing to continue to regulate his life by the rule of God's commandments; a man of so good and amiable a disposition that we are told that "Jesus beholding him, loved him;"2 and yet we see him hindered by his riches from entering into the kingdom of God. Unwilling to sell all that he had at the command of Christ, "he 2 St. Mark, x. 21.

1 St. Mark, x. 17.

went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions."3 As soon as he was gone our Saviour spoke those words which seemed so hard to His disciples, and called forth the question which is answered in the words of the text. "How hardly," He said, "shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." Upon this His disciples immediately inquired, "Who then can be saved ?”4

Now, at first sight, my brethren, this inquiry does not seem a very natural one; for the disciples were poor themselves, and they could not have forgotten that the great majority of men were poor also. Why then should their being told how hard it was for rich men to be saved, make them doubt the possibility of others being saved, who were free from the temptations of riches? However hard it was for rich men to be saved, it might still be easy for the poor; and yet they exclaimed, "Who then can be saved?" as if that terrible warning of the exceeding danger of riches included all alike. What, then, were their thoughts and feelings when they uttered this exclamation? for no doubt it was perfectly natural to them, the spontaneous expression of their feelings at the moment, however it may appear otherwise at first sight.

In the first place, we should bear in mind, that the Jews were always accustomed to look upon the possession of riches as a peculiar mark of God's favour; and no doubt it was so, under the dispensaSt. Luke, xviii. 24-26.

St. Matt. xix. 22.