and calumnious exaggeration, which is the too prevalent tone of modern politicians; and which argues a spirit as far as possible removed from the sober and sincere word of truth. I pray you, endeavour to root out every particle of this feeling from your hearts, if, peradventure, it has found admittance there. Have perfect faith that the destinies of your country are in the hands of a righteous and merciful God, who is able to bring good out of evil and under every circumstance of disappointment or discouragement, still remember that you are Christians.

Lastly, brethren, there is a practical inference which I would draw from the foregoing discussion, and endeavour in conclusion to enforce. If Christian men are bound by interest and duty to obey the laws, they are also bound to support them.

It is a bad feature of the present day, and a fact disgraceful to us as a nation, that public order is not to be preserved except by the military sword. It proves, I fear, one of two things; either that the

disaffected are stronger than the wellaffected, or that the latter are too cowardly to maintain the laws under which they live.

God be praised, things have not arrived at that pass, that a murderer may slay his victim in the open face of day and in the sight of a hundred witnesses, and not one will raise a hand to arrest him, nor lift up his voice to bring the murderer to justice. Yet, I regret to think that there is creeping up amongst us a pusillanimous submission to evildoers, and a backwardness to maintain the law, which heretofore was not the characteristic of Englishmen.

Assuredly it is no characteristic of Christians. Our blessed Master, though he submitted to every personal degradation, yet combatted to the death with Satan for his brethren's sake. A Christian may offer his own cheek to the smiter, but he is not to see his brother smitten unavenged. A Christian may decline to prosecute a private injury, but public duty calls on him to aid the civil power.

To submit to violence and outrage, and to refuse to join with those who would maintain the laws, is no proof of a Christian, but of a coward.

SERMON XI.

ON THE IMPORTANT AID WHICH RELIGION BRINGS TO THE LAWS.

ROMANS Xiii. 3, 4, 5.

"Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same.

minister of God to thee for good. do that which is evil, be afraid. not the sword in vain.

For he is the

But if thou For he beareth

For he is the minister

of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake."

IN a former discourse on this part of scripture, I pointed out the grounds of our obligation to render obedience to lawful governors; shewing that it is not

only a political but a religious duty; that we are bound to obey them, not only from fear of compulsion or regard to temporal advantages, but because it is the express command of God.

I propose to-day to draw your attention to the particular department of government of which the text more expressly speaks.

Of all the branches of civil government, that which is perhaps the most useful and most necessary for the wellbeing of the community, is the administration of justice. This branch consists, as I need scarcely remind you, in the decision of civil and criminal causes; by the former of which we understand the disputes which arise between man and man, and by the latter the trial of criminals charged with offences against the law. To "execute judgment and justice, in all such cases, is evidently one of the most important functions of civil govern

ment.

If there be any part of the institutions of this land, which more than another