Whilst firmly maintaining that we may derive benefit from the ministrations of God's ordinances, even at the hands of ungodly pastors, they forcibly point out to us, at the same time, the importance of bringing all such Christians to the bar of ecclesiastical judgment, and of deposing them, like Judas, from the Ministry. And well would it be for the purity of the Church, and the spread of true religion amongst us, if instead of retailing scandal concerning some of the clergy, who dishonour their office, and their Saviour, we took serious steps to promote their reformation; or, if that be hopeless, to represent their misconduct to those who, having succeeded the Apostles, in the government of the Church-have still power to bind and to unloose-to depose from the Ministry, no less than to excommunicate from the Church. Above all we should repreChurch, that enquiry be made of evil ministers, and that they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offences: and finally being found guilty, by just judgment be deposed.

sent their sad case to the chief Shepherd and Bishop of souls, and beseech him to pardon their transgressions, and renew their hearts, lest in the abuse of their ministry, and the destruction of the souls committed to their charge, they should be "treasuring up for themselves wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.""

f Romans ii. 5.

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LECTURE IV.

ACTS ii. 22, 23.

Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God, among you, by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:

Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.

THOUGH it is the duty of a Christian to bear contumely with meekness, and not to feel too keenly the false and injurious imputations of his slanderers, yet there are occasions when he is called upon to defend his character, and to disprove the charges whether wantonly or maliciously brought against him. This is particularly the case when the cause of religion is likely to

suffer from the propagation of the calumny, and when the honour of God and the Saviour is ultimately and intimately concerned. The truth of this remark is practically and forcibly illustrated in the case of the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, when the supernatural and divine influence under which they spake in divers languages of the wonderful works of God was blasphemously attributed by some persons to intoxication. St. Peter, as the spokesman of the rest, at once refuted the calumny by addressing them calmly and deliberately in a language familiar to them all, and pointing out the absurdity of supposing that persons frequenting as they did the sacred ordinances of the Temple, and occupied as they were with grave and serious pursuits, should be so lost to all the restraints of decency as to become inebriated at that early hour of the day. And further to vindicate the character of the miracle, and to give a satisfactory reply to the inquiry

which was reiterated by the more rational and serious part of their audience, "What meaneth this?" he tells them that what they had then witnessed was nothing less than a fulfilment of a remarkable prediction by the prophet Joel, that in the last days it should come to pass that God would "pour out of his spirit upon all flesh.”

But the Apostle was influenced by a desire not only to vindicate his own character and that of his brethren, and to justify the miracle as the fulfilment of ancient prophecy, but also to benefit the souls of his calumniators; and he therefore proceeds to preach unto them Jesus and the resurrection-to shew them their guilt in rejecting his claims and putting him to death and to assure them that having been raised from the dead and elevated to the right hand of the Father, he had poured forth upon them the promised influences of the Holy Ghost.

And in this, brethren, we have a beautiful instance of the power of divine