peculiarly admitted into an intimate communion with Him, and especially provided and cared for by Him. Every sincere Christian becomes a member of this family, and enjoys all its privileges. Our gracious Queen is liberal in her largess to all her subjects-she is ready to respond to every cry of distress-to relieve every case of want. To have the honour of being a subject of her realm entitles to her sympathizing care; no means are omitted by her to promote the safety and welfare of all: but to be the members of the royal household, especially to be her children, would naturally entitle to a greater share of sympathy and favour. They are honoured with a closer fellowship with herself, they have an opportunity of knowing more of her mind, she can enter more fully into their joys and sorrows, and would contribute more fully towards their comfort and prosperity. God treats His people as members of His own household. He has adopted them into His family, so that they are entitled not only to the privileges of subjects, but also to the favours of children. He stands to them in the capacity of a kind and tender Father providing for their wants, defending them from every danger, sympathizing with all their infirmities, and cheering them in all their troubles. Moreover, He has constituted them all heirs to "an inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, and which fadeth not away." "If children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ," and with each other.

What a glorious prospect is held out to us, brethren, if we belong to the community of God's city and household. We are made free by the Son, and shall enjoy that freedom for ever. To be happy, and to think that we shall be so for ever to enjoy the society of angels, and to reflect that we shall enjoy it for ever: to behold the face of God, and to think that we shall behold it for ever: to anticipate the endless pleasures which we shall possess in every indivisible part of eternity. This is supreme felicity! and this is the greatest privilege of that citizenship which Jesus Christ has purchased for us. Shall anything tear us from His com

munion which can bestow rewards so inestimable? Shall we forego the liberty of the sons of God, and remain "strangers and foreigners," or the slaves of sin? Ought we not rather to regard with detestation everything that tends to separate us from this blessed fellowship? Oh, let "neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

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The Third Sunday in Eent.

MORNING SERVICE.-Second Lesson: Luke xv.

Verse 2.-" And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them."

THERE were two classes of persons among the Jews in our Saviour's time who were strongly opposed to each other. The one was famous for its self-righteousness, and the other was famous for its sins. The publicans were a class of people of an extortionate character whom the Romans employed to collect the taxes in Judea, and for their unjust conduct towards their fellow-countrymen they were invariably classed with harlots and other notorious sinners. They were not suffered to enter the temple or synagogue; they were not admitted into the councils; nor was their evidence received in judicial courts. Bad as they were, our Lord treated them with the greatest kindness, and conversed with them on terms of familiarity. He did not disdain to join them at table, as we see in the cases of Matthew and Zaccheus. He invited them to a discipleship, they invited Him to a feast; the servants invited their Master, sinners invited their Saviour. We do not find whenever Christ was invited to any table that He refused to go; if a Pharisee, or if a publican invited Him, He constantly went; not for the pleasure of eating and drinking, but for the opportunity of conversing with them, and doing them good. Christ feasts us, when we feast Him. The Pharisees were a hypocritical religious sect among the Jews; orthodox indeed in the creed of Jewish doctrines, but resting on the outward forms of religion, and esteeming themselves more holy than the masses of the people.

The scribes were writers and expounders of the law of

Moses. They were also of the sect of the Pharisees, and joined with them in despising and rejecting the publicans, censuring our Saviour for too much familiarity with them; not considering that He conversed with them as their Physician, and not as their companion. His proper work and employment lay among His patients, that He might give all possible encouragement to the repentance of the greatest sinners, and that He might fulfil His mission in coming into the world to "seek and to save that which was lost."

The text is a most important passage of Scripture, which is both instructive in its sentiment, and universal in its application.

Let us observe

First, The encouraging fact here stated; and, Secondly, The spirit of opposition here represented.

1. The encouraging fact here stated: "This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." This was originally uttered by way of reproach, but it also contains a fact of the most encouraging nature, inasmuch as it affords a ground of hope to the most vile and abandoned : "This man receiveth sinners." Sinners of the worst class; sinners of the greatest offences; sinners whose crimes are of the deepest dye. The phrase excites in us feelings of the utmost confidence, as it gives us an assurance of Christ's readiness to pardon and to save. However far the sinner may have wandered from God, however deeply he may have sunk into the mire of pollution, however largely he may have neglected his duty to God and man; he may rest assured of a kind reception in case he should return to Christ with a truly penitent heart. In some instances there may be a doubt in the mind of the sorrowing penitent, whether after all his delinquencies there can be a hope for him. But in the declaration there is no restriction, the encouragement is as extensive as the case may require. The world may turn away from him, and shut the door against him, and the idea may perhaps for a moment cross his mind that after a long absence, even a parent had ceased to think of, to weep over, to pray for a lost child. Not so Christ.

Though the sinner may have deserved it, and though there be no obligations on the part of the Saviour, still, His kindness is such that no one is rejected. If you require proofs of the truth of this statement turn

1. To the uniform testimony of the Scriptures. When we refer to the Old Testament we find that Moses and the prophets unanimously declare that "God through Christ receives sinners." What will you say of such passages as these: "But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn unto the Lord thy God, and shall be obedient unto his voice (for the Lord thy God is a merciful God); he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them." "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and unto our God, for he will abundantly pardon." "And I will be their God, and they shall be my people; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." "For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." The New Testament is replete with encouraging declarations of Christ's readiness to receive sinners. Take these: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls." "If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." "For I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst And whosoever will, let him take the water of life

come.