the means of salvation from the perishing? It is painful to contemplate the probable, nay more, the almost certain condition of large portions of the inhabitants of lands, professedly Christian, according to the ordinary course of events, when the Almighty does not interpose by miracle; if all those provisions, which are generally made by a Church Establishment, were withdrawn, and they were left entirely to receive such religious instruction as might then be offered, or to provide it for themselves. Where those fixed and stated provisions are made, some by divine grace are spiritually enlightened, and adorn their profession. They make known to others the blessings of the Gospel, and diffuse "the savour of the knowledge of Christ," and invite them to seek a participation of the same blessings. Thus, where the means are provided and applied, we may reasonably expect a blessing from God. The least benefit, which may fairly be expected from such provision, (and even thus far it is highly beneficial) will be to bring men, by its indirect influence, from a state of paganism to a higher state of civilization, to raise the tone and standard of morals, and, generally, to cause an outward observance of the Sabbath, and some degree of reverence for its solemn services. It exercises a "collateral influence

* 2 Corinth. ii. 14.

by which," as it has been well observed, "it reclaims its thousands and tens of thousands from what is evil to what is good, on the lower ground of civic usefulness."* Thus far, even if we look no higher, it will prove a blessing: but we do look higher; and from the diffusion of Gospel light through the whole land, the adoption of a form of sound religion, and the supply of the means of grace in every district or parish, we are warranted by God's word to expect, in the use of such means, those spiritual blessings which that Gospel offers. For a Church Establishment not only brings religion within the reach of the whole community, but also,

2ndly. MAKES PROVISION IN IT'S ARRANGEMENTS, FOR PLACING EVERY INDIVIDUAL IN THE LAND UNDER PASTORAL SUPERINTENDENCE.

By the division of a country into small districts or parishes, in each of which a Christian Minister is placed, and religious worship duly celebrated, and the word of God publicly preached, a minister and the people over whom he is placed as their spiritual overseer, are brought into that close relation, from which, when mutually maintained and improved, we are encouraged by God's word, to expect great spiritual benefits to result. Ministers, spiritual pastors, are placed in every part of the

* Chalmers's Civic Econ. vol. ii. p. 33.

land, commissioned and solemnly charged to seek, with all diligence and fidelity, the lost and wandering sheep, and to bring them to the fold of Christ; to watch over all the sheep of his flock committed to their care; to supply them with spiritual food, as those who must give account-and to lead them continually to those rich pastures and refreshing streams, which Christ has provided for them. Can we seriously question the beneficial tendency of a religious Establishment, or doubt that its principle is good, when its direct aim and object is, to place a Minister of Christ's Gospel in every district, even in the most dreary and forbidding quarters of the land? His important and responsible office requires, that he "never cease his labour, care, and diligence, until he have done all that lieth in him, to bring all such as are committed to his charge unto that agreement in the faith and knowledge of God, and to that ripeness and perfectness of age in Christ, that there be no place left among them either for error in religion, or for viciousness in life."* Invested with the paternal authority of a Minister of Christ, he is ready to administer reproof, correction, persuasion, doctrine, or consolation, as the case may require. Both in his public and private ministrations, he seems to have the best means of supplying the people committed to him, with the sincere milk

* Form of ordering of Priests.

and nourishing meat of God's word for their spiritual growth and advancement. It is often, indeed, alleged with apparent triumph, as an objection to the system, that it fails in producing these good effects: and every system, however admirable in itself, which is worked by the agency of sinful and imperfect beings, will fail in producing all those good effects which it seems calculated to accomplish. But this is no valid argument against the system itself. In whatever proportion it does produce those effects, it is a blessing, both directly to the places in which they are manifested, and indirectly to the country of which those places form a part and there is need of increasing and more earnest prayer to the Almighty, that he may raise up faithful and zealous Ministers, and bless their labours, and extend those blessings through every part of the land. Because we too often find, that vast multitudes fail to profit by the means of grace which are placed within their reach, should we not contemplate a far more dreary prospect, if those means of grace were withdrawn ; and the population were left in utter destitution of any religious instruction, except such as might be provided by the piety and zeal of voluntary teachers?

But, again, we contend that National religious Establishments are beneficial, inasmuch as they seem,

3dly. TO PROVIDE THE BEST MEANS OF

PRESERVING AMONG A PEOPLE PURE AND

SOUND

DOCTRINE. "For this," an objector will say, "God himself will make sufficient provision. We have the Bible, the only sure standard of unerring truth." God has doubtless built his true Church upon a rock, against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail. He needs not the efforts of men, nor the assistance of human institutions, for the preservation and maintenance of the pure doctrines of Christianity in the world. But He is pleased to make use of human instruments for the accomplishment of his purposes, and has not promised that the pure and bright beams of his Gospel shall continue to shine on that nation, which, as a nation, refuses to adopt any measures for the preservation of the truth within its own borders, and among its own people. Now where the great and essential doctrines of the Gospel are embodied and exhibited in the formularies of a Church, approved and sanctioned by the Fathers, and Martyrs, and holy men of old; where a scriptural mode of worship, and scriptural forms of prayer, are publicly adopted and regularly used: there is a constant standard of appeal presented to the view of the minister and congregation, subservient, indeed, and subordinate to that only infallible standard to which all human creeds and all human forms must appeal, but still of great practical benefit. There is less liability either to the corruption or suppression of Gospel truth.