Second Sunday of Advent.
Faith and Miracles.
" Blessed is he that shall not be scandalized in Me." — Matt. xi. 6.
SYNOPSIS.
Ex. : I. Grounds II. Examples. III. Rewards of Faith.
I. Grounds: i. Multitude. 2. Magnitude. 3. Manner and variety of Christ's miracles.
II. Examples: John's 1. Hidden life. 2. Public life. 3. Passion and death.
III. Rewards : Similar to those of John.
Per. : The least in heaven greater than John.
SERMON.
Brethren, an ancient tradition has it, that of the two disciples sent to Jesus by John, one was a Jew and the other a converted Gentile. They were, therefore, a representative committee of two on behalf of the whole human race, Jews and Gentiles alike, destined to bear ocular evidence to the fact that Jesus was in very truth the long-promised Messias, the Saviour of the world, the Son of the living God. Consequently, through them Christ in to-day's Gospel preaches to us and to all a little sermon on the grounds and the examples and the rewards of faith in His divinity. Stiff-necked and slow to believe as we are, Christ gives us proof of His Godhead suited to our capacity in the multitude and variety and magnitude of His miracles. But faith begot of signs and wonders is not the faith He craves, and, hence, secondly, He points out to us John the Baptist whom He styles " the greatest born of
