Paradise of-God; where the holy dead rest from their labours; where the wieked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest. -· LEBBONB. :, -L ·The Lord ,rejoiced in the salvation of souls; so shall we, if we are truly-his." •!2,,,Let us come·to Christ as little children; to such be revealeth the deep truths of-religion. 3. •He invites all to come to him. Let us come. None can give rest, bnt only he;,·• 4, · Let us· take up the cross.• -We must, if we would follow him. l\Ien- would separate• th~ cross from the·crown; th·e thing is impossible. God bath joined tb:em together; 'they cannot be put asunder.
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS A,U'rHORS. Ver. 3,.........4 pr'Ophefa doubt. What is most i,eme.rkable about this question is that ii was put by John the Baptist, the forerunner of ,Christ. Let us look at the doubt in relation -to the prophet who felt it. . I. THE·SU11JECT OF THE DOUDT, "'This was most.fundamental. Was Jesus the Christ or not? • No doubt can be more serious than this. . There are many questions which cannot be answered, and peoplo are not to be called sceptics because they do not see all truth. It is impossible to think on the great problems or existence without tho most perplexing surmises, and yet while all these unsettled ideas may pass through the miodfit is still possible for faith to be fixed on a rock with a deep conviction of God, and a calm trust in Christ. But we must be olear and decided on these two points-not theoretically, but practically. We cannot understand the Trinity, and we may be quite una.ble to compreheod the Incarnation. Still, it is of vital impor- tance :to know,. whether indeed Jesus Christ is the Son of God• and the Saviour of the world1 whether we can came to God -through him and trust him as our eternal· Redeemer. II. •THE BEOEP'l'ION OF TUE DOUBT. A doubt as to the end of his work is In the mind of the Baptist. Had he• made a mistake in pointing to Christ? Consider this man who entertains suoh a thought. 1. .A prophet. Inspiration does not prevent personal weakness, Advu.nced knowledge· will not secure us against the invasions of doubt, An apostle wns a doubter (John xx. 25). 2. .A good man, John the Baptist was no deceiver of the people. His heart ·was right with God. Yet he doubted. Doubt is not sinful in itself. 3. .A privileged man. John had known Christ, had haptized him. Yet he doubted. • It is not enough to know Chri~t after the flesh. 4. .A religious leader. It ie possible for a great religious teacher to be in error. Does the pope ever have 11, doubt? Certainly it is foolish for preachers to assume infallibility. Sympathy with doubters by confession of difficulties would be a tie of union between teacher and {60 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [OH. :u.1-30.