s written, Hardness of heart, and Contempt of God's Word and
commandments, and within which is the outer darkness into which if a man
falls, he cannot see the difference between right and wrong: but calls
evil good, and good evil, like his companions in the outer darkness--
namely, the devil and his angels. Oh! let us who are coming to lay our
gift upon God's altar at this approaching Christmas tide, consider
whether our brother hath aught against us in any of these matters, and,
if so, let us leave our gift upon the altar, and be first reconciled to
our brother, in heart at least, and with inward shame, and confession,
and contrition, and resolution to amend. But we can only do that by
recollecting what gift we are to leave on Christ's altar,--that it is the
gift of SELF, the sacrifice of ourselves, with all our selfishness,
pride, conceit, spite, cruelty. Ourselves, with all our sins, we are to
lay upon Christ's altar, that our sins may be nailed to His cross, and
washed clean in His blood, everlastingly consumed in the fire of His
Spirit, the pure spirit of love, which is the Charity of God, that so,
self being purged out of us, we may become holy and lively sacrifices to
God, parts and parcels of that perfect sacrifice which Christ offered up
for the sins of the whole world--even the sacrifice of Himself.

SERMON XXVIII. ST JOHN THE BAPTIST

Chester Cathedral. 1872.

St Luke iii. 2, 3, 7, 9-14. "The Word of God came unto John the son of
Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about
Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. .
. . Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him,
O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to
come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance. . . . And now
also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore
that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.
And the people asked him saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and
saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath
none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. Then came also
publicans to be baptized unto them, and said unto him, Master, what shall
we do? And he said, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. And
the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And
he said unto th