CONTENTS.

Part E.

Entroductory.

CHAPTER I.

ON THE LOW STANDARD OF PERSONAL RELIGION NOW

PREVALENT, AND THE CAUSES OF IT.

"A certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of

Israel between the joints of the harness."-1 KINGS XXii. 34.

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Religion widely diffused, but of a low type in individuals—the

immense motive powers of Christianity should secure larger

results-Analogy between knowledge and piety in respect of

their diffusion over a wide area and their shallowness in indi-

viduals-Is there any defect in the means employed, which may

account for this result? The Ministry the great means of form-

ing in man the saintly character-The guidance of the conscience

(as distinct from its awakening) too often neglected in our Minis-

try-our aim to make good impressions, but not to follow them

up by systematic teaching-Popular Lectures as a means of diffus-

ing knowledge compared with popular Sermons as a means of

diffusing Religion-Neglect of ministerial guidance of the con-

science due (1) to a reaction from the confessional, (2) to a reaction

from the dry moral sermons of half a century ago-Earnest desire

of holiness the state of mind contemplated in the reader-This

desire is the rudiment out of which the spiritual creation may be,

step by step, built up

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CHAPTER II.

ON THE CHIEF CHARACTERISTIC OF PERSONAL

RELIGION.

"Grow in Grace."-2 PET. iii. 18.

Accurate notion of the nature of Personal Religion, desirable in

the outset It involves, as its chief characteristic, growth in grace

-the essential connexion between growth and life in Nature-no

spiritual life without growth in grace-the distinction between

spiritual life and spiritual impulses illustrated by the difference

between the operations of life and those of galvanism-individualiz-

ing scrutiny of the character at the Day of Judgment-the ques-

tion of our Religion being personal will resolve itself into the

question, Is it a growing Religion ?-this (and no other) the

critical question for each of us-Is growth consistent with relapses?

Yes, if the fall have been one of infirmity-the occasional strong

impulse of penitent love-the Christian's progress, like that of the

tide, is movement upon the whole-Growth in Grace, as in Nature,

is by many fresh starts-all healthy growth gradual-no comfort

in these reflections for the indolent and formal-if we are not

advancing, we must be falling back-formation of the character,

either for good or evil, continually in progress

CHAPTER III.

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OF THE ENTIRE DEPENDENCE OF SANCTITY ON CHRIST,

AND OF THE RELATION WHICH THE MEANS OF GRACE

HOLD TO HIM.

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit

of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye

abide in Me.

"I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me, and

I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me

ye can do nothing."-JOHN xv. 4, 5.

A clear notion of the nature of Christian Holiness essential-

The difference of meaning between "Without Me" and "Apart

from Me"-the fruits of the Spirit enumerated in detail in Gal. v.

22, 23-Dependence of Justification on Christ generally recognized

-Sanctification not an accumulation of righteous acts and ordi-

nances, but a momentary receiving out of the fulness of Christ-the

circulating sap, which is the life of the vine-branch, not from the

branch, but from the Stock-all graces inhere in Christ, as colours in

the Sunlight; and independently of Christ, the heart has no grace,

even as, independently of the Sun, a landscape has no colour-the

secret of sanctity, then, is mutual indwelling of the Christian in

Christ, of Christ in the Christian-We abide in Him by faith in

Him, as being made to us Sanctification-Could we doubt His will-

ingness to sanctify us, even if we had no promise to that effect?

May not our very struggles to be holy be, in a certain sense, a token

of want of faith ?-yet He will not (and cannot) sanctify us, unless

we yield up the soul into His hands-and this implies yielding up the

will-Christ abides in the Christian by Ordinance, and specially by

the Holy Communion-how the allegory before us implies that even

this Sacrament will be profitless without faith-Ordinances are

merely channels by which the Virtue of Christ is conveyed into the

souls of faithful recipients-illustration from the story of the woman

of Samaria-Christ the Well; the Ordinance, the Pitcher; Faith,

the muscular action, which lifts the pitcher

CHAPTER IV.

PERSONAL RELIGION BOTH

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19

ACTIVE AND CONTEM-

PLATIVE.

"In the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting

upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the

temple.

"Above it stood the Seraphims: each one had six wings: with

twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet,

and with twain he did fly."--ISA. vi. 1, 2.

The subject falls into two great divisions-The angelic life the

model of the Christian-Adoration and Service the elements of the

angelic life-Monasticism discards the latter of these elements-

the active services of holy Angels-necessity for work in the consti-

tution of our nature-each of us has a stewardship, and a work

annexed to it, in the great social system-the "business" of the

child and of the slave-the two chief scenes, in which angels are

seen engaged in Worship-the barrenness and weariness of activity,

if not fed from the springs of devotion-defective devotion the

snare of these busy times-The angelic life has been led upon

earth, under the pressure of physical infirmities, by Christ-His

persistent activity and unwearied devotion-Service and Prayer

must interpenetrate one another-prayer the spot of God's children

-are we men of prayer?

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Part EE.

The Contemplative Life.

CHAPTER I.

OF THE MAGNIFICENCE OF PRAYER, AND THE PRAC-

TICAL DEDUCTIONS FROM THAT DOCTRINE.

"He that cometh to God."—HEB. xi. 6.

An effort necessary to grasp the idea of prayer-Gradual ascent

as necessary to the mind in reaching a great idea as to the body in

reaching a great height-Prayer a coming to God-we will seek to

realize the grandeur of this idea-supposed privilege of consulting

in our difficulties the wisest and best man upon earth-of consult-

ing a departed parent or friend-of consulting our guardian-angel

-proof that such intercourse between this world and another

would be largely practised, if it were feasible-these hypotheses

help us to realize the idea of coming to God, which however

must always transcend our powers-God permits, invites, com-

mands our approach-But may not the consciousness of our

guilt debar us from access ?-were it not for Christ, it must be

so the symbolism of the surplice-difficulty of rescuing prayer

from formality-design of this Chapter to help us in such difficulties

-the exercise however demands time-which might perhaps be

gained by self-discipline-a little well done better than much done

superficially-the end of stated Prayers (as well as the entrance into

them) should be made the subject of attention-we must watch

against subsequent levity

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CHAPTER II.

OF THE TWOFOLD ASPECT OF PRAYER, AND THE

NECESSITY OF PRACTISING IT IN BOTH ASPECTS.

"Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense; and the lift-

ing up of my hands as the evening sacrifice."-PSALM cxli. 2..

Prayer introduced in two different connexions in the Sermon on

the Mount-Prayer a means of supplying our wants and also an
act of homage to God-the Christian a priest his sacrifice of
the body-his sacrifice of alms-his sacrifice of prayer-incense
a type of prayer-the Altar on which these sacrifices must be
made-prayer as a tax upon our time compared to alms as a tax
upon our substance--think of yourself as a priest when you offer