when we can think, and talk to
God.

And next, Jesus put His fingers into the deaf man's ears. If we would
find pardon and peace, _Jesus must touch us_. It will not help us to
believe only in a Saviour who died, we must acknowledge One who is
alive for evermore. It will not avail us to think of a Jesus who has
gone away into Heaven, we must look to Christ ever abiding here in His
Church. When we draw near to Him in the sacred service of that Church,
Jesus puts His Hands upon us. When we have truly repented of our sins,
and the words of absolution are spoken, we have the pardoning Hand of
Jesus laid upon us. When we kneel at the Altar of the Blessed
Sacrament, Jesus touches our every part. Our sinful bodies are made
clean by His Body. He lays His Hands upon ear, and eye, and tongue,
and heart. He opens our eyes to see the wondrous things of His law; He
unseals our ears to listen to the Voices of God; He touches our lips
with a live coal from off the Altar, and our mouth shall show forth His
praise. He strengthens our tottering feet to walk in the narrow way,
and dismisses us with His Blessing, "depart in peace, thy faith hath
saved thee."

Never look for Jesus afar off, or speak of Him as though He were lost.
Jesus is here, standing in our midst to-day. He is ready now, as of
old, to cure all manner of diseases. My brother, what aileth thee? Is
it well with thee; is it well with the husband; is it well with the
child? Prove to-day the truth of those words, "He hath done all things
well. He maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak."

SERMON XLVIII.

THE GOOD SAMARITAN

(Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity.)

S. LUKE x. 30.

"A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among
thieves."

The scene of the parable is a wild, lonely road between Jerusalem and
Jericho. It is a road with an evil name for murder and robbery, and is
called the red, or bloody way. The mishap of the traveller was common
enough in our Lord's day, and is common enough now. But I would take
the scene of this parable in a wider sense; I would ask you to look at
it as the wayside of life. The road through this world is a dangerous
way, leading through the wilderness, stained by many crimes, haunted by
many robbers. Travelling along this highway of life, I see crowds of
persons, of all sorts and conditions of men. And I see moreover that
all of them bear scars upon them, as though they had bee