his throne, that the Church he belongs to should be a true Church; that the clergyman who baptized him should be a rightly ordained minister; that the Bible he is taught to reverence should be the inspired Word of GOD.

In these great respects we are all equal, and the consideration should make people cautious of two things; first, not to pass over religious questions in a careless, slighting way, as if it were no matter of interest to them; and secondly, not to enter on arguments and disputes about such matters in a hasty, disrespectful manner, without considering either the solemn nature of the subjects they are discussing, or their own very great ignorance.

Remembering these two cautions, we may and ought to consider it a sort of duty, so far as we can, to ascertain where the Truth lies in the great questions which from time to time agitate the Christian world.

And our object in making such inquiries should not be a vain curiosity, and the fondness for the worst of all gossip,-religious gossip, but simply the desire to know and to follow sacred Truth, to the glory of GoD, and the benefit of our own souls.

Then will GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT bless our endeavours, and show us the good and the right way; and not only so, but give us strength to walk therein, with all humility and courage, even to the end.

SERMON CCCXXX.

CHRISTIAN FIRMNESS IN EVIL TIMES.

PSALM xi. 3, 4.

"If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
"The LORD is in His holy temple, the LORD's throne is in Heaven."

OUR thoughts have been directed on a former occasion to some of the peculiar difficulties which plainly beset Christian people of these times, and especially members of the Church of England.

For all persons of observation will confess that now, more than formerly, people are disposed to take liberties (so to say) with the most important and awful subjects-the value of sacred Truth, the inspiration and Divine authority of the Scriptures,the doctrine of Grace, especially as connected with the Holy Sacraments, the nature and authority of the Christian Church,— these great matters are by so many positively set aside, and by so many more in various degrees slighted and neglected, that the prophetic question of our Blessed LORD might almost seem to find its answer in the present condition of (at least a great portion of) the Christian world, so called: "When the SON OF MAN cometh, shall HE find faith on the earth?"

The case then is contemplated of the foundations being not only shaken but even destroyed, and in that case "what can the righteous do?" how are sincere persons, those who are called in the Prayer Book "religiously and devoutly disposed," how are

they to conduct themselves? are they to be cast down with despair, to think that all is lost, that they have been deluded with false confidences? No; such is the reasoning of the Psalmist, come what may, there is the same Holy, Omnipotent, Omniscient GOD to defend and support those who trust in HIM: "JESUS CHRIST the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." The LORD is in His holy temple, the LORD's throne is in Heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men." And with regard to the peculiar danger which besets Christian people in our days, of slighting and undervaluing sacred Truth, the two following plain considerations are well to be remembered, by way of caution.

The first, that the Truth is in no way altered by the way in which it is treated. The other, that it is no matter of indifference, but of great consequence to each of us, to embrace and hold fast Divine Truth.

First, I say, we should remember, what no person surely can deny, that the Truth is not altered by the way in which it is treated. This is so plain, that it seems almost a waste of words to say it, and yet it is astonishing how little it is thought of, or acted on, by large numbers of Christian people.

Thus, how often do people speak and act as if they thought that an opinion is the more true for being popular, and the less true for being unpopular; whereas, in fact, this is a consideration which has nothing really to do with the Truth at all. For the Truth is somewhat positive and substantial, and remains the same, whatever people may think of it.

For instance, if an innocent man be condemned for a crime which he never committed, his being condemned does not make him ever the more guilty.

And, again, if a guilty person be acquitted, this does not make him ever the less guilty.

And yet people easily suffer themselves to be deceived in both these ways, though their reason and common sense, if they would have regard, must assure them that there is really nothing at all in such judgments.

And it is the same in the great questions of religious Truth. People are willing to persuade themselves, even against their reason and conscience, that the most important points of religious

belief and doctrine, are more or less true in proportion as they are more or less generally received; though plainly, and in fact, this is a consideration which has nothing whatever to do with the question. Plainly and in fact, a popular opinion in Religion is quite as likely to be false as true; and an unpopular one quite as likely to be true as otherwise; if not more so.

But, as I said, people generally do not thus judge, but suffer themselves to be deluded with the idea, that opinions which are popular and generally received are, on that account, more to be depended on.

Now, amongst other bad effects following from this delusion, this is one, that the Truth, though not in itself altered, is yet altered in people's minds, and in them (as the Psalm says) its "foundations are destroyed."

Thus, it cannot be doubted that a very large number of people in this, and in other countries, have come to think that in Religion one opinion is as good, that is as true, as another; whereby in their minds, plainly, the foundation of all truth is of necessity overthrown.

For on matters of that kind there cannot be two Truths. If any one stated opinion or view be true, every other must of necessity be false more or less. And this any one may see, who will consider the matter carefully and without prejudice. But people do not like to allow it, because they are afraid of being called bigots.

But it is better to be called that or any other reproachful name, than to renounce Divine Truth, to destroy its foundations in the minds of ourselves and others, and by our unworthy cowardice to realize in ourselves the sad description of the inspired Psalmist : "Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish."

For it is always to be remembered, that it is no matter of indifference, but one of great consequence to each of us personally, to embrace and hold fast Divine Truth.

If a person should be disposed to think otherwise, to imagine it matters little what opinions he holds, provided he is satisfied with them himself, let such a person call to mind places and passages such as these, set before him not by mortal men, but on the authority of our ALMIGHTY LORD and JUDGE HIMSELF,

passages in which the Truth is plainly declared to be of GOD, most precious, sacred and divine.

For example: the earnest unceasing prayer of the Psalmist :

"Lead me in Thy Truth, and teach me :

For Thou art the GOD of my salvation."
"Thy loving-kindness is ever before mine eyes;

And I will walk in Thy Truth."

"Shall the dust give thanks unto Thee;

Or shall it declare Thy Truth?"

"Let Thy loving-kindness and Thy Truth continually preserve me."
"Send out Thy light and Thy Truth, let them lead me."

With other like places, very many, out of number. To which may be added our Blessed LORD's prayer to His FATHER for His Apostles: "Sanctify them through Thy Truth, Thy word is Truth;" and that good confession (as St. Paul calls it) which HE witnessed before Pontius Pilate. "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I might bear witness unto the Truth."

In like manner we find the Apostles urging on the first Christians, in various ways, the like important doctrine.

For example: "By manifestation of the Truth we commend our

We

"The

selves to every man's conscience in the sight of GOD.' can do nothing against the Truth, but for the Truth." Church of the living God is the pillar and ground of the Truth.” "The Word of Truth, the Gospel of your salvation." joiceth in the Truth." "No lie is of the Truth." 66 and lie not against the Truth."

"Love re

Glory not,

Now passages of this sort are, you know, in a manner, out of number. And it may well be asked, how can any person who hears or reads them, venture to cherish in himself or others, the thought that it is of small consequence whether we hold the Truth or not?

Most rash, surely, and most presumptuous must it be to indulge such an imagination; and this the more, because the Prophecies of the Gospel have plainly warned those who have ears to hear the warning, that one peculiar trial of the Faith of Christians in the latter days should be this, the temptation to slight and neglect Divine Truth.

Thus, "In the last days (says St. Paul), perilous times shall