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no strength of our own.

to us.

It must be given

Our Church speaks very plainly on this point, in the Tenth Article. These are the words:-"The condition of man after the fall of Adam is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, by his own natural strength and good works, to faith and calling upon God. Wherefore we have no power to do good works, pleasing and acceptable to God, without the grace of God in Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will, and working with us when we have that good will."

This is very important, and therefore I dwell upon it. There is a heavenly gift, which we all need; and without it we are utterly helpless and unprofitable. God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, must first shine into our hearts, before we can see anything as we ought to see. God, who at the first breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life, must breathe into our souls the breath of a new and spiritual life. He must begin the work, and within us.

carry

it on,

How is it that one person is religious, and

another careless? Is it knowledge that makes

the difference? No, there may be much knowledge, and yet no religion. Is it that one has greater opportunities than another? No, those who have the greatest advantages are sometimes the least benefited by them. Is it that one is born good, and the other born bad? No, we are all of us born of the same corrupt stock, and with the same evil nature. It is that God's grace is welcomed to one heart, and not to another; just as the mustard-seed is received into the ground, or the leaven into the meal. Grace alone makes a person a true believer, a real child of God. By grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God."

Oh, then, apply for it. Seek it as a gift from above. Say, "Lord, give me that grace, which can turn my darkness into light, which can make me a new creature, which can fit me. for thy service, and fill me with love, and joy, and peace.

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2. But now, observe another thing. We see, from these two Parables, how the grace of God works. It works gradually, silently, and effectually.

It works gradually. What has been the history of Christianity? When Jesus stood by the Sea of Galilee, and persuaded Andrew, and Peter, and Philip, and Nathanael, to join Him, what a poor, despised company it was! Who would have thought that that could be the beginning of a kingdom, which would never be moved? Who would have thought that those few fishermen, who left their nets, to follow Christ, would have turned the world upside down by the truths which they uttered? But here was the little grain of mustard-seed: here was the little handful of leaven. And soon it grew and spread, till hundreds and thousands owned its power; and it will spread, till "the kingdoms of this world" shall become " the kingdoms of our God, and of his Christ."

And how is it in individual hearts? When a work of grace is begun in any one of us, how small are its beginnings! A single word, a stray sentence, a passing thought, an ordinary action, may prove to be the little seed, which afterwards fills the whole heart. The soul is aroused. The conscience is touched. A feeling of thoughtfulness comes over us.

A little light breaks in upon the soul-only a little. There is still much darkness, but not that thick darkness there once was. The The faith, which is but as

work goes on a grain of mustard-seed, so weak and feeble, grows. The little strength increases. spark of light kindles into a flame.

The

The Christian may take encouragement from this. The work of grace is a gradual work it is not done all at once. God's blessing comes by degrees. A little is given to-day; and a little more to-morrow. Be not cast down, if some have more knowledge of the things of God than you have, more strength to resist temptation, more boldness to confess Christ. Go to the Fountain, and you will receive. "He giveth more grace." "Ask, and it shall be given you."

Next, I would observe that God's grace works silently, as well as gradually. It is so with the growth of the Mustard-seed, and so again with the Leaven. There is no sound to be heard in either case-nothing to draw attention to what is going on. And just as silently does God carry on His

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blessed work,

whether in the heart of a private Christian, or in the Church at large.

Some Pharisees once asked our Lord when the Kingdom of God should come. And He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or Lo there! for behold, the kingdom of God is within you."

Some think there must needs be a great stir and noise, when a soul is converted to God-that the change must be seen by all. But does Holy Scripture lead us to look for this? Do the Parables before us hint at it? No, just the reverse. What can be more silent and hidden than the growth of the seed in the ground, or the working of yeast in a lump of flour? I am sure there is a work of grace oftentimes begun in a person's heart, when others know nothing of it; nay, when the person himself is hardly aware that the change is begun. Is it not so in the works of nature? The Dew descends quietly and unobserved. We do not see or hear it falling. The Break of Day steals on silently. There is no thunder-clap to announce it. When the Temple of Solomon was being erected, we read

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