society were to desert her, and provide other teachers for themselves, still, for the sake of the millions of poor men who are unable to purchase the bread of life, we are bound, as a Christian nation, to furnish pastors who shall feed them.

But, why should I speak, my beloved brethren, in a strain, as if I thought that the poison of disaffection had found its way into your hearts? Rather let me take your presence here as an earnest, that you duly appreciate your high privileges, and are content to follow that pastor whom the providence of God has set over you: that you respect him for his works' sake, that you are willing hearers of his voice, and ready to receive from him those spiritual benefits, which a merciful God has ordained him to dispense.

O that men were but humble and faithful, that they would learn to feel their true condition as weak and wandering sheep; and would bring themselves to look to God's hand, for that aid which he is so willing to afford.

Then might we hope to become in

truth, as God would have us, one fold under one shepherd," even Jesus Christ our Lord.

NOTE TO SERMON XIX.

IN the foregoing Sermon, and elsewhere, the Church is designedly spoken of,-in accordance with the subject of the whole volume-with regard to its political and social relations. Other writers have chosen to themselves the task of explaining to the public the claims and privileges of the Catholic Church. Let me, however, observe, with great deference to the learning and zeal of those who have taken up the latter point, that if we err, (as doubtless many have erred,) in dwelling too much on the value of the Establishment, and forgetting the superior claims of the Catholic Church, we may also err in depreciating the Established Church, in our zeal for Catholicism. By the blessing of God, the Church established in this land is a branch of the true Apostolic Church. If it were not, we could not render it our allegiance; but as it is, we are bound very highly to revere and magnify it. And, while I admit the necessity of spreading abroad true notions respecting the claims and privileges of the Church of Christ, I may be permitted to question the prudence of accustoming men's minds to dwell on the possibility of its being no longer allied with the state. I love to contemplate the Established Church, as it now is, and as I trust it will long remain, the great instru

ment of Providence to spread the means of grace and Gospel truth throughout the length and breadth of the land; and, by means of this nation, throughout the world. With regard to the minor inconveniences which have fortuitously (if I may so speak) resulted from the union of Church and State, I would willingly leave them in the background, as long as it is possible, and dwell rather on its immense and wide-spreading advantages. In short, I desire to view and to uphold the alliance between the Church of Christ and our civil government as a sacred obligation, a work of charity and piety, the instrument of God for infinite good, and the basis of our political and social happiness.

SERMON XX.

THE PROSPECTS OF SOCIETY IN CONNEXION

WITH RELIGION.

LUKE Xviii. 8.

"When the Son of Man cometh, shall he find

faith on the earth?"

PERHAPS there is not in the Bible a more

disputed text than this.

By some inter

Son of Man is

preters, the coming of the considered to mean the time when he should come to take "speedy vengeance on the Jewish persecutors of the Church,' that is, the taking and destruction of Jerusalem. By others, it is referred to his coming at the last day. Some consider

the expression, "shall he find faith," to imply a doubt as to the character of the times which should precede his coming. Others understand the question to imply, a strong negation. "The world," says Henry, "will grow no better, no not when it is drawing towards its period. Bad it is, and bad it will be, and worst of all, just before Christ's coming; the last times will be the most perilous."

propose to

It is for its very doubtfulness that I have chosen this text; and I lay before you some of the various notices relating to the subject which may be collected from the Word of God;-a subject which cannot but be interesting to all of us, inasmuch as we are gradually drawing nearer to the times spoken of, perhaps may be much nearer to them than some of us imagine, if we are not actually living in them.

No part of Scripture abounds with more prophecies respecting these times than the book of the prophet Isaiah. We find him describing in the most glowing language of oriental imagery, the righteous