But Moses, of our Advocate and Mediator! who was ready to die for his people, yet passed sentence upon the guilty, and executed judgment by the sword of the sons of Levi: and Christ, our Redeemer and Intercessor, is also the Judge, who will come to condemn all who despised his salvation! This truth is represented in the epistle; which contains St. Paul's address to the Jews of Antioch in Pisidia, to whom he preached the Resurrection, ending his discourse with an awful warning of the perdition which should be the lot of all who refuse the offer of life; "Behold ye despisers, and wonder, and perish." By referring to the latter portion of the chapter, we shall find that he solemnly condemned them for their unbelief, and left them to their impenitence. WE learn to-day the character, faith, and privileges of those who constitute the Church, having by baptism put on Christ; the authority with which Christ hath invested those whom he appoints to govern it; the guilt of intruding into their office; and the danger against which Christians, Ministers, and Churches ought particularly to guard. It was the practice in the Ancient Church to baptize chiefly at the festivals of the Epiphany, when our Lord's baptism was commemorated; Easter, because of the doctrine figured in baptism, of our death and resurrection with Christ; and Whitsuntide, for the spiritual blessings conveyed in and through this Sacrament by the Holy Ghost. On this day, the octave of Easter, those who had been baptized on Easter Even laid aside the white garments which had been put upon them, and which were preserved in the churches, to be produced against them, if they should violate their baptismal vow. To this vow the Collect refers; in which they plead the death and resurrection of Christ, in imploring God's help so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that they may always serve Him in pureness of living and truth. The Epistle declares their glorious privilege; to be the sons of God: the effect thereof; that they overcome the world: the means whereby they achieve their victory; faith: the nature of their faith; a firm and practical belief in the Trinity in Unity: the witnesses which confirm it to their hearts; the water of baptism, the blood of redemption, and the spirit of sanctification, which three agree in one: their final hope and reward; eternal life, which God hath given to us in Christ, and in him only. The gospel declares the authority which Christ hath given to those whom he sets over his Church their mission; sent forth into the world by him, as he himself by the Father: their power; the Holy Ghost abiding in them:, fatal to her purity. It teaches also the danger of opposing whom God protects. The history of this criminal, and his progressive steps in guilt, till, baffled in his attempts to earn his reward by cursing Israel, he lent himself to seduce them, and his miserable end, are full of instruction. The whole will be considered with deep interest by all, who, knowing the deceitfulness of their hearts, search diligently the Scriptures with prayer and thoughtfulness, that they may understand their errors, and be cleansed from their secret faults. their office; to govern as Christ's ministers and representatives, having power and authority to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the absolution and remission of their sins; and also to inflict upon offenders the censure of the Church, even to the extent of exclusion from its privileges. It is one, and a very serious evil of schism, that it brings ecclesiastical discipline into contempt; for they who spurn at the Church will mock at her authority but neither the low tone, nor the mistakes of public opinion, nor yet the laxity nor the interference of human laws, can invalidate the commission of Christ's ministers, nor weaken the force of his declaration, "He that despiseth you, despiseth me, and he that des piseth me, despiseth Him that sent me." When we regard the awful and extensive powers committed to the Christian ministry, we may understand why "it is not lawful for any man to take upon himself the office, before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same." The sin of such presumptuous intrusion is shown by the morning lesson in the crime and punishment of Korah and as St. Jude denounces wo against such as oppose authorities after the gainsaying of Korah, verse 11, we are sure, that to despise and resist lawful ministers, and intrude into their office, thereby to violate the unity, disturb the peace, and weaken the authority of God's church, which was the crime of that notorious culprit, is equally an offence under the Gospel. When Korah intruded himself into the Priesthood against Aaron, his confederates Dathan and Abiram revolted against Moses. Schism and rebellion are twin brothers. They said, "Ye take too much upon you, seeing that all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them: wherefore, then, lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord?" True demagogues, they contended for equality, that they might pull down the existing government, and so make a way for themselves to power. The evening lesson, in the example of Balaam, warns the Church against covetousness; the sin which has always been the most XXIX. Pardon'd through redeeming grace, Lord, to thee ourselves we yield. Humbly offer'd through thy Son; By the cleansing grace within, Wash, and keep us pure from sin. Call'd to bear the christian name, May our vows and life accord; XXX. Your hearts and tongues, ye saints, employ God is your everlasting stay; The fear of death, the curse of sin, Shall vex your ransom'd souls no more; With light, and purity, and power. deny without disputing the Bible. All that is necessary, is to shew that this principle is es The Church and Dissent, their influence on sential to the welfare of the people: a fact, the National Character. THE conditions of national greatness are found in a people intelligent, thoughtful, and religious; united in themselves; and offering a cheerful obedience to their rulers ;-and in rulers, governing with a wise, temperate, and firm authority. It has been shewn already how the Church promotes the individual and social virtues of the people. Her influence on the principles of government is yet to be explained. The principles of government are not left in uncertainty. The Bible declares expressly that God himself has committed to rulers their authority, to govern as accountable to Him, and by all men to be obeyed for conscience sake. "Let every soul be subject to the higher powers; for there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God," &c. Rom. xiii. 1-7. Again, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake; whether it be to the King, as supreme, or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by Him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God," &c. 1 Peter ii. 13 — 17. which again cannot be doubted, since the authority which God ordains to represent his own must be given as a blessing. All experience proves that there must, and will be a ruler; and the only question is, who gives him his authority, and to whom is he accountable,-God, or the people. Regarded as God's vicegerent, his government rests upon a fixed and secure principle. He rules as the protector of ALL: for God has committed all to his charge. Party struggles scarcely effect him, whose favour it is the great object of party to gain; and he who has nothing to desire or fear, can have no temptation to be unjust. He will not compromise the interests of his kingdom, for they are in all things his own. The honour and strength of the nation centre in the Throne; and invest it with such majesty, and power, as to check the most presumptuous ambition, and restrain the most daring faction. The personal relation he bears to every subject, gives them all an interest in his glory and virtue, as their King, and father. How exalted was the veneration, how ardent the affection, we cherished for our good King George III.! With what pleasure we looked forward to his birth-day, and celebrated it as a general festival! With what a thrill of delight we heard, or It is not required to prove what none can joined in the national anthem! The courage H of England rose higher, when sustained by his firmness; and virtue itself seemed more excellent, when enforced by his example! Far different is the ruler, who receives his power as a trust from the people, and is held accountable to them. The mere chief of a party, he must regard the rest of his subjects as enemies. The strength of his government being only that of a majority, which circumstances may destroy, his first object must be to confirm his interest, though at the expense of the nation. Is he a military usurper? He must gratify the army. Has he gained his elevation by intrigue? He must abandon the country to his faction. No matter that their private objects are incompatible with the public welfare, their support is required, and they must be gratified at whatever cost. No matter that the institutions which thwart their selfish designs are the excellency and glory of the nation; they must be modified, or overturned. No matter that the opposition includes the most excellent and distinguished among the people. If they refuse to submit, they must, if possible, be crushed or degraded. Such a government, whether the executive be an usurping king, or an anti-national and selfish ministry, must be weak; and a weak and unprincipled government will be corrupt, and tyrannical, and partial, and unjust corrupt, to bribe adherents; tyrannical, in proceeding vindictively against opponents; partial, to screen delinquent friends; unjust, in substituting power for the law. These are facts too self-evident to require proof; nor is it necessary to go back to history for an illustration. So exalted is the kingly office, that no personal qualities; no reputation, however splendid; no talents, success, or fame, may compare with it. If the dignity of a sovereign could be sustained by personal superiority, none would rank higher than Cromwell, and Napoleon. Yet neither could represent the majesty of a lawful throne; and each would have been far greater in his proper sphere, as the faithful and honoured servant of his King. In forcing themselves to an elevation not their own, they became stained with crime, and degraded with meanness. How despicable is the hypocrisy of the one, and the vanity of the other; vices to which they would have had no temptation, had they remained in their own place; and which they never would have stooped to, had they inherited the dignity they usurped. When the people arrogate to themselves power to sit in judgment on their sovereign; when they dare to represent him as accountable to them; when they reason and act as if his interests were opposed to theirs, and his power and dignity abridged their own, they are false to themselves. The King represents the majesty of the nation; and it is to the honour of the people that his dignity should be exalted to the uttermost. He is their defender; and their security is that power which he must derive from their hearty obedience. In him the law is personified; and to weaken his authority, is to destroy the safeguards of social order, to the encouragement of factious demagogues. And who are these gods, who would exalt themselves at the expense of the Crown? The wise, the honourable, the good? Oh, no! Conscience, integrity, even pride, forbid them to desire such distinction. But the vain, and the unprincipled; men of desperate fortunes, who would retrieve them, though by the ruin of their country; and bankrupts in character, who would be shunned by the lowest, if their sins were not cloaked by party. Let them possess but the qualities for a mobleader, fluency, impudence, and just a smattering of knowledge to teach them to cavil, and they require nothing more. The trade of a patriot may entirely dispense with character. A man, whom no vice can blacken, no infamy sink, no exposure shame, as soon as he proclaims himself "a patriot," forthwith becomes worthy of all confidence. So should it be. It is just that they, who in their pride and folly, refuse to obey the authority which God appoints, should create their own punishment, in becoming voluntary slaves to the basest of men. So the Jews, when they revolted against God, set up calves to worship, and cried, "These be thy gods, O Israel!" Every institution appointed generally for mankind, must possess a self-regulating principle. Accordingly, the sovereign power contains a check against the abuse of it, in ministerial responsibility; which, instead of Reasoning upon the lowest human motives, rebellion never can be necessary, and therefore is never to be justified. Far less than the power required to overturn a Throne, would be sufficient to obtain full redress for any grievance by constitutional means. If the King should command what the laws of God forbid, the subject ought to disobey; but yet, for conscience sake, to submit to the penalty. So a child must not break the laws of the land in obedience to a parent, yet should bear, with all filial submission, the pu nishment which his father may inflict on him for refusing. This conduct is enjoined as a duty, and all experience proves it to be wise. being, as commonly supposed, a part of con- | shall descend into battle and perish." (I Sastitutional government, exists in the most muel xxvi. 9, 10.) perfect despotism. The direct personal influence of any individual is so limited, that the power of the King must be exercised through subordinate agents. These ministers are doubly interested in restraining his tyranny; for, while they are themselves the most directly exposed to it, they would be the first victims of a people roused by oppression. The despot himself protects the people against the cruelty of petty tyrants; who again save the multitude from the more fatal tyranny of one another. Where moral restraint would fail, power must coerce. A rapacious and cruel despotism can exist, only where the rights of property and life are not understood; but there, no man would be safe from his neighbour for a day, were it not for a superior control. Even among robbers, the captive traveller would feel himself safest near the chief. As nations become intelligent, fixed laws gradually, and necessarily, take place of caprice, and violence. These, by their definite character, limit the authority they give, and constitute at once the power of the sovereign, and the security of the people. Should grievances exist, or encroachments. on liberty be attempted, there are constitutional and adequate means of redress, consistent with perfect loyalty to the King. He is accountable to God, who gave his authority, and to Him only. As the inhabitants of a colony would not be justified in resisting the tyranny of a governor by revolt, because they ought to seek redress from the justice of their common sovereign, so a nation is required to do right, relying on the protection of the King of Kings. No circumstance can excuse, for none can ever need a crime. God, in whose hand are the issues of all things, and the lives of all men, is Himself the protector, and avenger of the people. To usurp this power is to rebel against His authority, and practically to deny His providence and goodness; as if He were careless of their welfare, for whose sake He hath appointed Kings to reign. "Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless? As the Lord liveth, the Lord shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he The three Jewish champions at the fiery furnace, and Daniel at the den of lions, acted thus; and God displayed his approval by the miracle that saved them. Thus the early Christians submitted to dreadful persecutions, not only while they were few, and weak, but also, and avowedly for conscience sake, when they had become strong enough to resist. By this conduct, they made Christianity the religion of the Roman Empire. Upon the same principle, the Reformers of England submitted in the reign of Queen Mary; and their constancy in suffering for the Truth was soon rewarded by the overthrow of Popery. The Church of England acted upon the same principle in the reign of James II.; and her crown of reward was the speedy establishment of the religion and liberties of the Empire. But treason and rebellion, estimated by their consequences, are of all crimes the most. atrocious, of all follies the most extravagant. Terrible have been the calamities when they have failed; more terrible, if possible, where they have been cursed with success. The Reformation had been established in France; for the Huguenots already numbered more than 2000 congregations. They were in effect tolerated, and their future sovereign was among their leaders. Impatient for supremacy, they attempted to make their king a prisoner, that, in his name, they might put down their enemies by force. They failed: and the civil war which followed, and the |