indirectly, in human law-making; be neither kings themselves nor support kings; neither make them nor dethrone them; be neither legislators themselves nor make legislators of others; but that the whole system of human government should be untouched by them; and that the principles, rights, and duties, laid down by Jesus and the apostles, as also that the genius and spirit of Divine Revelation are incompatible with any interference with the kingdoms of this world.

In accordance with these views I humbly endeavour to regulate my own conduct. I, therefore, am never found attempting any political achievements in meetings of the world, either for or against the governments under which I live. I exercise no vote in the election of members for the legislature, nor even in sending men into the common council for the municipal government of our city. I neither retard nor support any of these measures or systems, except by any effects which my religious views and the performance of my religious duties may chance to produce. If the performance of those duties, and the inculcation of those views in the minds of those around me, are calculated to weaken or ultimately to pull down the strong-holds of tyranny and injustice, if they have a tendency to undo the heavy burdens and to set the captives free, I therein, as a lover of justice, mercy, and truth, dò rejoice, yea, and will rejoice; but to attempt these great moral results by any human inventions or speculative means, I should hold to be treason against Jesus and dangerous to our own characters.

I

Such are the sentiments I entertain and such the course pursue. But let it be borne in mind, that any unjust extent to which I may carry my principles, or any inconsistency in my application of them, is nothing against the principles themselves. I feel they are in weak hands, and I now lay them before the world for the examination of

C

others; and if some, more gifted by nature, and more aided by education, should receive them, they may be enabled to draw distinctions which I have overlooked, and to enforce what I may have neglected to establish or support. If, however, there be any who should read this address, and still entertain contrary views of religion, I should be sorry if any thing I may say should, in the least degree, lead them to greater slothfulness in the performance of things they believe to be right. Dost thou still remain a politician? use all thine energies in promoting the great measures thou thinkest to be right. "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might." Let not politics be thy plaything; let it be thy daily work; pursue it not for thy own aggrandizement, but for thy neighbour's and thy country's good.

Let not the object of this address, nor the feelings with which it is dictated, be misunderstood. I am not one who take no interest and feel no inclination to take part in the exciting struggles of the day. I am not unmoved at the sight of injustice, nor insensible to the pleasures of a successful combat. If I were led by my inclinations alone, I should oft, like the Hebrew patriot, be tempted to smite him who doeth the wrong; but my principles forbid, and with a question that defies all interference, ask, "Who made thee a ruler or judge amongst us? I write not to favour the man who, while he believes political interference to be consistent with his duties, is too indifferent to the wrongs which others feel, to assist them in their removal-the man who will not engage in what he believes to be right, because of the trouble and inconvenience to which it may expose him. No! I would say, if religion forbad it not, every man ought to become a politician. I write not to support the notions of passive obedience and non-resistance, because kings govern by a Divine right; for I dispute the very principle itself, and

contend that the disciples of Jesus ought to be neither kings nor politicians, and in all matters appertaining to my conscience, would exclaim, "Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto men more than unto God, judge ye."

I feel it necessary in this introduction, to make (perhaps at the expense of repetition) my object and hypothesis clearly understood. It will be borne in mind, then, that my question is not whether civil governments be necessary or not, but whether the disciples of Jesus should take a part in them. I ask not whether any government or rules of social life should exist, but whether it should be those invented by men, or those given by God through Jesus.

I am sensible that with these principles, I have to contend against the vanity and worldly ambition of a great portion of society, and also against the warm and generous enthusiasm of many sincere men; but I nevertheless shall proceed to shew that were all the kingdoms of the earth and the glory of them within our grasp, the disciple of Jesus should exclaim, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve!"

A CURSORY VIEW OF THE NATURE AND OBJECT OF

DIVINE REVELATION, AS DEVELOPED FROM ABRAHAM TO JESUS, SO FAR AS TO SHEW THAT ALL INTERFERENCE OF BELIEVERS WITH HUMAN GOVERNMENTS, OR THE ADMIXTURE OF DIVINE LAW THEREWITH, IS NOT SANCTIONED THEREBY.

1

To the mind accustomed to reflect on the government of God, as developed in the Scriptures, the following particulars must be evident

1. That one and the same great design is clearly manifested by all his dealings, from Adam down to Jesus and the apostles.

2. That such design existed in the Divine Mind at the beginning, and was expressly revealed as early as the time of Abraham.

3. That the principles developed were the same, and the means enjoined to promote the design as similar as circumstances rendered fit and proper.

Viewing, then, the whole proceedings of the Divine Being with man, as one consistent, continued course of dealings to effect the same ultimate object, it appears just to conclude, that any principles clearly established at one period, or any prominent means clearly pursued at any one time, ought to be retained and continued at all other times, unless the great Lawgiver himself has declared a

change in those principles and means. With these positions admitted, let us take a view of the designs of God, in revelation, as made known at an early stage of his dealings with man, and at the means taken to promote those designs, and at some of the principles laid down or developed thereby. This sketch of the Divine dealings must necessarily be imperfect, as we shall touch only on those points which bear on our immediate subject.

It is very evident that the design of God was, to make all men ultimately happy;

That they are to be made so through the instrumentality of Abraham and his seed;

And that this happiness is to be connected with moral character.

That such was the design of the Divine Being, we gain not only by just and direct inferences from his dealings with his creatures, but also from clear and express revelation itself. In choosing Abraham, God declared, “I will bless thee and make thee a blessing; I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee; and in thee and thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed :" and the Apostle has clearly shewn, that this blessing relates to their being turned from their iniquities. Acts iii. 26. It is important to bear in mind the nature and extent of this blessing, that, like the blessings of Christianity, (which, indeed, are only a link in the great chain, "for if Christ's, then Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise,") they were not to consist in mere enlightment or knowledge, but in the possession of divine laws and privileges, and an obedience thereto, and that the blessing in its most extended sense has reference to a future state of existence, when the heirs of the promise, fitted by moral worth, shall unite in effecting the great purposes of God, and bring all mankind to purity, holiness, and happiness.