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back Thy servant from presumptuous sins, let them not have dominion over me; then will I be innocent from the great transgression !"

Now all this is renunciation. Our Sponsors in Baptism did vow this in our name. Our Saviour went into the wilderness to experience temptation's utmost power. Are we willing to stand at His side in the conflict?

Before we go to our rest, to-night, we come to Thee, our Father, in our great need. We know how soon our hearts falter, our feeble wills give way, our strongest resolves lessen their hold.

Again we have entered on a season of struggle: we desire to go into the deep and silent places of our inner life. Grant that Thy Spirit may abide with us in the lonely moments, and in the busy hours alike; giving us the glow of resolve, the strength for conflict.

Save us from indifference, from triviality. May we be able steadily to consider Him who is to us the Way, the Truth, and the Life, that we may grow up into Him in all things.

Oh, let us not stand still in sloth, or fall back in weakness; but living worthy of our great vocation, in lowliness, meekness and long-suffering may we enter into the joys of the Spirit, and be conscious of the ministry of angels.

Give us rest to-night, and on the morrow renewed strength for its duties.

THE SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT Collect. Almighty God, who seest that we have no power

of ourselves to help ourselves; keep us both outwardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls; that we may be defended from all adversities that may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Epistle. 1 Thess. iv. 1.

Gospel. St. Matt. xv. 21.

As last Sunday was the day of Renunciation, so to-day is the day of Sanctification. The power of Faith to make holy.

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What would man become without "the defense" of the God within? A beast of the higher order, as Froude described the later Roman when he had thrown off the religion of his fathers and became "depolarized magnificent animal." The animal, man, leading the unregenerate life, the life out of which he must be born again, must accept this life of faith if he would be cleansed-or sanctified, which is the name given this work of the Holy Spirit.

The Greek of Homer's day cleansed the holy vessel with sulphur and other utmost purifiers, before he poured into it the wine of oblation: so when the ardour of self-dedication comes to us, even in its smallest measure, it uplifts and makes

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the body more fit to be a temple of the Holy Ghost. God calls all humanity to this-its true coronation. When the Spirit abides within us He restores to us more and more the image of God, so defaced by sin and neglect.

Sanctification is a process. Faith is the first step, and that step the Syro-Phoenician woman took when she claimed the crumbs that fall from the bounteous table of God's providence. She had not been trained in the moral control of the ten commandments, she was a dog of a Gentile, but great was her faith and great its reward.

Often the soul's inner growth is shown by a keener appreciation of the unnoticed goodness that lies around us on every side. God's love of finite goodness is infinite. He delights in those beauties of mind and heart which stir our feeble affections to their roots. He looks into the hidden corners of the heart and sees a thousand lovablenesses hidden from us. He knows His sheep individually, and calls them by name. He draws them to Himself in their own individual way: no two in the same way.

So, called by the divine Will to sanctification, we draw near in faith and become allied, as it were, to Him, and not to the brute in us, and strive to perfect the image of God in which we were made.

Sanctify us, O Lord, in body and soul, by the indwelling of Thy Holy Spirit. May we not

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grieve Thee by negligence, carelessness or indifference; but walk circumspectly; keeping Thy gifts of Faith, Hope and Love as the treasures of our life; that our names may be written in heaven.

Grant us to become, day by day, more closely allied to Thee, O God of Holiness, through drawing nearer to our Lord and Saviour. Help us to study this divine pattern more diligently, so that our thoughts being fixed on Him, we may be lifted above earth's limited satisfactions.

Increase our faith that we may obtain effectual answer to prayer. Quicken our perception of our need and of Thy great goodness; so that, though we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves, we may do all things through Thy grace.

THE THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT Collect. We beseech Thee, Almighty God, look upon

the hearty desires of Thy humble servants, and stretch forth the right hand of Thy Majesty, to be our defense against all our enemies; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN.

Epistle. Eph. v. 1.

Gospel. St. Luke xi. 14.

How wisely the Church calls us to active duties, after we are cleansed or "sanctified," as we studied last Sunday. The cleansed vessel of the sanctuary must now be filled with the sacrificial wine. "Hearty desires" must take possession of the soul, positive virtues take up their abode in the house of life. Where the soul has cleared out a lust-it enshrines a desire, where self-indulgence has been rooted out—a duty must take its place; lest "empty, swept, and garnished," the soul give easy harbourage to the many wicked spirits that find a home with "those who have left off to be good." Alas! for the meditations and the prayers; they have but exhausted the mental and moral nerve. The children of light must walk as children of light. There is no lethargy, no idling for those who bear that light in their hands. Read