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SERMON LIV.

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

ST. JOHN, iv. 49.

Sir, come down ere my child die.

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THESE are the words of the nobleman corded in the Gospel of to-day, will be found, if attentively considered, to contain instruction or comfort for every situ ation in life; and, by one and the same argument, namely, our total dependance on God, may teach humility to the happy, and hope to the miserable.

The first of these two lessons is by much the hardest. There is such a power in the human mind, of flinging off the load of burdensome and unpleasant thoughts, that seldom will the happy listen to even the voice of worldly prudence. When we feel ourselves in the present possession of so rare a thing as enjoyment, we shrink with disgust from the discovery of how weak our foundations are; and resent the intrusion of those, who would rouse us from this pleasing dream, and would call

us back from our fancied security to the cares and fears of real life.

But this is not the worst; it is indeed a great sin, when, in our prosperity we say we shall "never be moved;" but it is a far greater, when we forget to add, "Thou, Lord, of thy goodness hast made my hill so strong."

But the sense of dependance is, to a worldly mind, connected always with the idea of danger; and such a mind, while eager to grasp at benefits, is anxious always to drive the benefactor from his memory. And strange as it may seem, more particularly when our Benefactor is the Almighty, the greater are His favours, and the stronger claims He possesses on our gratitude, the more negligent we often become; and the greater our forgetfulness of the Fountain of all the blessings, which we enjoy. From the time of Solomon to the present hour, this is the peculiar snare of those who are rich in this world; and it is the principal reason why the conversion of a rich man was declared impossible, without the particular assistance of the Holy Ghost.

The poor, whose dependance on God is displayed in every event of life, who are maintained in hourly difficulties and dangers, by His visible help and hand, the poor are not so liable to forget the Lord. It is the rich,

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1 Psalm xxx. 6. Common Prayer Book Version.

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who receive as a matter of custom the nourishment and comforts of life; who know not want, except as they hear of it from others; it is their more peculiar and besetting sin to be careless of benefits, the value of which they scarcely feel; and to be forgetful of that God, with whose judgements they are so little acquainted.

Such was perhaps the life, such were, at least, the probable temptations of the nobleman of Capernaum. His rank was high; he had power and riches; and the good things of this world were poured into his lap without measure. Who can wonder, then, if he, [like those angels, who, with Satan at their head, grew proud of the dignities with which God had adorned them,]—if he were lifted up against his Maker, and forgot that all this greatness and wealth were the evidence of his own weakness, and of his Heavenly Father's mercy. Do you

envy this great and luxurious man? or do you forget, that there are some visitations from which neither riches nor power can save? In the midst of his prosperity, his son falls sick.

Alas, where is now his happiness! In death and disease, all human kind are on a level; and all alike are ground to the dust by the heavy hand of affliction. When those, whom we love, are about to be taken from our eyes; when they are in anguish and sorrow; when we

watch their sleepless nights; and sit silent by their uneasy bed; when the house is darkened, and our feet tread softly; and enquiries are troublesome; and the comforts of friends, a burden; when we mark their failing strength, and the fever of their parched hands; when those eyes, which before met ours, sparkling with happiness and affection, are turned on us in the agony of pain, or in the gaze of insensibility; it is then we feel how poor we really are; and how dependant are all of us alike, on the hand of Him, by whom we are pierced, How would this unhappy father reproach himself for his former trust in riches; how gladly would he now give all his wealth to purchase one hour's repose for his child; how would he recollect all his own offences; and sink into despair at the thoughts, that for his sins his son was stricken. And as hope grew fainter, how deeply would he mourn the unfitness of his child to die; -how would he lament that indulgence which had increased his faults; and that he had seldom instructed him to remember his Creator in the days of his youth, before the evil days came, and the years in which he had no pleasure!1

Every aid and comfort, which wealth could procure, would, no doubt, be lavished in profusion; but where God will not heal, we have

1 Eccles. xii. 1.

recourse to physicians in vain. One only hope remained to him; he had heard the fame of the prophet, who had arisen in Galilee; and of so many mighty works, some, beyond all question, had fallen under his own observation. Yet we may reasonably doubt, whether this citizen of Capernaum,-that proud Capernaum which, in the opinion of its inhabitants, was raised up to heaven, and which, as Christ threatened, God had determined to bring down to hell',— had, before, really believed that Jesus was the Messiah. With the rest of his haughty townsmen, he had, perhaps, attributed to magic the wonderful works which he had seen; and had laughed to scorn the ignorant fishermen and easy credulous women who attended the wanderings of so young a teacher, so poor a sovereign, as our Lord.

But now that all other hope had failed him, this last resource occurs; and we behold this proud and powerful man humbly following His steps whose miracles he had so long disbelieved; bearing with patience a rebuke from one so poor as Jesus; and obtaining mercy, at last, by his urgent and repeated entreaty. Our Lord, we find, reproaches him for not believing, unless he saw signs and wonders. Even at last, when softened by his lowliness, the Son of God determines to grant him his desire, He does not comply

1 St. Matt. xi. 23.

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