till it be removed by grace.

And who dare say—

"I have no sin, and I have never sinned?"

But there is One who can lift off the curse, and give in its place a blessing far greater than Adam possessed at first. And why is this? Because He Himself bore on the cross the penalty and the curse and the death that sin merited, and now He gives in its place an everlasting and unchanging blessing.

Think of this. Christ offers to remove at once whatever guilt you have incurred, to restore to you the favour and love of God, and to bring you safely through shoals of temptation to an inheritance of life and glory. Come by faith and accept the offer. Tell the Saviour that you believe His love and look to Him for pardon, peace, and life. Then live in the bright hope of His appearing, and let love to God and love to man be the health-giving atmosphere which you constantly breathe.

"Faith circles round the Cross:

Hope circles round the coming:

Love fills up the little while between."

Then look on, "There shall be no more curse." There shall be a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. God shall wipe away all tears from men's eyes. Sorrow and suffering, pain and death, shall no longer burden the earth.

True, even then there is a dark background, for

where the glory is revealed most fully we have no doubtful statements as to the final condition of those who have rejected Christ. (Rev. xx. 15, xxi. 8, xxii. 11, 15.) Yet sin and evil shall be no longer rampant. The rightful King shall hold the reins, and all His judgments shall be manifested to be true and righteous and holy.

Are you help-
Are you

"There shall be no more curse." ing forward this blessed consummation? doing what God may enable you to roll away something of the evil that overspreads the world? your daily life attractive for good?

Is

Is your influence always on the side of truth, godliness, and unselfish kindness? Is there an effort, when there is need, to put away a stumbling-block out of another's path? Who can tell how much may be done by a single word or prayer in forwarding the kingdom of Christ? It has been truly saidEvery one, whether he will or no, is a finger-post to hell, or a beacon-light to heaven."

Let me give a true example of one who was the latter.

A Scotch gentleman, who for twenty years had professed infidel views, settled in the Southern States of America and had many slaves. One of these he treated very cruelly, and on one occasion had ordered to be severely beaten without any sufficient cause. The same night the master passed the cabin where this man dwelt, and heard his

voice- "O God, bless poor massa; shew him mercy that he may be merciful; make him holy that he may be happy." He was riveted and solemnised by the prayer of his slave. He saw there was a reality and power in Christianity. He began to study the evidences of its truth, and became a true Christian, a clergyman, and a bishop of the American Episcopal Church, and after long and fruitful labours Iwent to his rest.

If one single godly prayer or action may bear fruit like this, what may be the fruit of a life given to good works? Only prove it. "Great shall be your reward in heaven."

VI.

THE FIRST PROMISE.

"I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."-Gen. iii. 15.

IT is a great confirmation of the truth of the Old Testament Scriptures to find the evident traces of them in the early traditions of heathen lands. There is a very striking one touching on this earliest prophecy of the work of Christ. I have seen two idols from India, both representing the same god, but under opposite conditions. Here is "Krishna Suffering" - serpents twining themselves around his limbs, and he for the moment unable to cast them off. Here again is "Krishna Triumphant" -the serpent's head trampled beneath his foot. Can there be a doubt that in some way this double view of Krishna had a reference to the old promise of "the seed of the woman," and may thus confirm our faith in the great lesson that it teaches ?

The meaning of the words can scarcely be doubt

6th Sunday.]

ful, if we read them in the light of the New Testament. Christ speaks of His disciples "treading on serpents and scorpions, and on all the power of the enemy; "Paul writes to the Romans, "God shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly;" and in the Apocalypse the devil is described as the great dragon, "the old serpent," which deceiveth the whole world.

So the meaning of the old prophecy is clearthere shall be perpetual enmity between Christ and Satan. Through the power of the Evil One, Christ and His spiritual seed shall suffer great tribulation and persecution; but on Christ's side there shall be victory. The principalities and powers of darkness shall be trodden down, and Christ and His Church shall have the dominion for evermore.

To trace the historical fulfilment of this promise from the beginning gives a magnificent view of the progress of Christ's kingdom. It takes in the growth of the Church from the earliest days. From Abel to John the Baptist not a saint ever lived and died in faith but it was in the strength of Him who should come as the woman's seed. It takes in the Redeemer's birth, when He came to destroy the works of the devil and to set the prisoner free. It was fulfilled in Christ's threefold victory over the tempter in the wilderness; in His casting out devils; in His death, by which He spoiled principalities and powers; in His glorious resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father; and ever since He ascended, every soul plucked out of the hand of the