hearts, and the sweetening of their affections towards God. In which considerations the Church of Christ doth likewise at this present day retain it as an ornament to God's service, and an help to our own devotion. They must have hearts very dry and tough, from whom the melody of Psalms doth not sometime draw that wherein a mind religiously affected delighteth." So he adds, "the custom we now use was not instituted so much for their cause who are spiritual, (viz. those who are advanced in spiritual life and do not require such helps,) as to the end that into grosser and heavier minds, whom bare words do not easily move, the sweetness of melody might make some entrance for good things." And then he quotes a beautiful passage from St. Basil: " For," saith he, "whereas the Holy Spirit saw that mankind is unto virtue hardly drawn, and that righteousness is less accounted of by reason of the proneness of our affections to that which delighteth; it pleased the wisdom of the same Spirit to borrow from melody that pleasure, which mingled with heavenly mysteries, causeth the smoothness and softness of that which toucheth the ear, to convey as it were by stealth the treasure of good things into man's mind. To this purpose were those harmonious tunes of Psalms devised for us, that they that are either in years but young, or touching perfection of virtue as yet not grown to ripeness, might, when they think they sing, learn the wise conceit of that heavenly teacher, which

hath by his skill found out a way, that doing those things wherein we delight, we may also learn that whereby we profit.”

Believing, then, my brethren, that the teaching of the Church in all ages, both under the old and new Covenant, is in favour of the choral principle of Divine Service; believing that it has been deliberately retained and sanctioned in our English branch of the Church; and above all, believing that the Church's service is in itself the most perfect offering of worship we can make to God in the sanctuary, I have endeavoured, ever since I have ministered amongst you, to lead you to understand and appreciate this,—the highest and most solemn mode of worship. I have felt that, privileged as we are to worship in this glorious building, we have facilities afforded us for carrying out that more ornate service which are denied to others; and that in foregoing the aid of the Church's chant and song in this church especially, we should be laying aside one most powerful instrument for touching the heart, and awakening the soul to a sense of the love and goodness of God.

Surely we must never neglect any means by which men's hearts may be lifted up from this earth and its vanities, to think of heavenly things. We must not in a careless and niggardly spirit pare down the service of the sanctuary to what is absolutely necessary, but rather in the free and loving spirit of Jesus strive to make that service as worthy as pos

sible of the great God to whom it is offered, and as conducive as may be to the advancement of His glory, in the increase of religion both in ourselves and those around us.

But while we love and cherish this our choral service, whereby we are conscious that the religious emotions of the heart are most adequately expressed, let us ever be on our guard against the fatal deception of mistaking the excitement of religious emotion for that vital religion of the heart, which shews itself in a calm and steady self-discipline of daily life. Remember, I would beseech you, that if these services do not influence your daily life, if you are not moved by them to a higher tone of devotion to God in your daily practice, they are not only useless, but injurious; they are then but a help towards self-deception, and the source of unconscious hypocrisy. Like all great blessings, if profaned to the purpose of mere self-gratification, they become a snare and a curse. But if you with pure intentions, and an earnest desire to offer up your lives to God, such as you express by the praises of your lips; if you come with a hearty desire to honour God by self-sacrifice and self-discipline, then will these services be your greatest blessing and surest comfort. Then they will gradually tend to purify your hearts, and fit you more and more to join in singing the Alleluia in heaven: "And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation,

F

come

and glory, and honour, and power unto the Lord our God. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth."

SERMON VI.

The Annunciation.

ST. LUKE i. 28.

"And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women."

HE Festival of the Annunciation of the Blessed

ΤΗ

Virgin Mary, occurring as it does this year on a Sunday, directs our attention to its own special subject in preference to that which the Epistle and Gospel for the season would suggest. This service for the greater Festival, according to ancient custom, takes the place of that which is appointed for the ordinary holydays.

And so to-day we use the Proper Lesson, the Collect, the Epistle and Gospel for the Festival of the Annunciation, whilst we simply commemorate the Fifth Sunday in Lent by its own Collect. I need hardly say that the subject which belongs to this high Festival which we keep to-day, is the great mystery of the Incarnation of the Eternal Word, viewed in its special connection with her, on whom was conferred the blessed privilege of becoming the Mother of our Lord. Isaiah had long before, in words of