diligence and skill in working the ship and steering by this perverted compass, served only to further them on the wrong course.

Without presuming to pronounce judgment on the general moral character of others, I cannot forbear saying, for myself, that if I could believe Jesus to have been guilty of such subterfuges as I have been speaking of, I not only could not acknowledge Him as sent from God, but should reject Him with the deepest moral indignation.

How far this indignant disgust may have been excited in the breasts of some who have taken for granted, on the authority of learned and zealous divines, that the interpretation I have been reprobating is to be received, and who may, in consequence, have rejected Christianity with abhorrence, it is for those who maintain such an interpretation carefully to consider.

arguments

generally

men.

12. It is in many respects import- Fallacious ant to observe and to keep in mind, to adduced by how great an extent both our obliquity intelligent of moral judgment, and a deficiency in the reasoning-powers, will often affect, on some one or two particular points, a man who may be, on the whole, and in other points, where his particular prejudices have not gained dominion, a person both morally and intellectually above the average. In the present case, for instance, one

may find men of much intelligence misled by a fallacy which in the ordinary concerns of life every person of common sense would see through

at once.

Objections brought

Was it designed, they say, that against the Christians should never take any part

obvious in

tion.

terpreta- in civil affairs;-should never be magistrates or legislators, and thus partake of political power? And if this is permitted, must they not, as civil magistrates, act on Christian principles? No doubt; but they would cease to act on Christian principles if they should employ the coercive power of civil magistrates in the cause of Christianity;—if they should not only take a part in civil affairs, but claim as Christians, or as members of a particular Church, a monopoly of civil rights. It is this, and this only, that tends to make Christ's kingdom "a kingdom of this world."

The same

persons may members of

distinct So

Now this is a distinction which in all be other cases is readily perceived by cieties. every man of common sense. For instance, there are many well-known Societies in this and most other countries, which no one would call in any degree political Societies; such as Academies for the cultivation of mathematical and other sciences,-Agricultural Societies, Antiquarian Societies, and the like; now it would be reckoned silly even to ask respecting any one of these Societies, whether the

members of it were excluded from taking any part in civil affairs, and whether a magistrate or a legislator could be admitted as a member of it. Every one would see the absurdity of even entertaining any doubt on this point: and it would be reckoned no less silly to inquire whether the admission of such persons as members, constituted that Academy a political Society. It would at once be answered that the Society itself, and the members of it as such, had nothing to do with political, but only with scientific matters; and that though individual members of it might be also members of the legislature, the provinces of the two Societies, as Societies,-of a scientific association, and a political community, are altogether distinct.

taught by

tles to their

Now this is just the non-interference What was in political affairs which Christ and the Apos his Apostles professed, and taught, and converts. carried into practice, in respect of the religion of the Gospel. As the Apostle Peter converted to the Faith Cornelius the Centurion, so likewise Paul, who avowed his practice of “ witnessing both to small and great,"-converted Sergius Paulus the Roman Governor at Paphos, and Dionysius the Areopagite, a judge of the highest court at Athens; and expressed his ardent wish to convert King Agrippa, and also all "who heard him that day." Yet neither Peter nor Paul ever thought of desiring the Centurion

the Governor-the Judge and the King, to lay down their offices, and renounce all concern with secular business; nor did they ever dream that their holding such offices when Christians, would make Christ's a "kingdom of this world." They wished, and they openly endeavoured, to make "the kingdoms of this world the kingdoms of the Lord," and "kings the nursingfathers of the Church," in the sense of making the individuals of every nation members of Christ; of inducing kings and magistrates, and subjects too, to abstain from persecuting Christians, and to become Christians, and to act so as to induce others to follow their example.

All Chris- It has been said that this passage

tians requi

red to act

on

Chris respecting the "kingdoms of this world ples, in all becoming the kingdom of the Lord,"

tian princi

the rela

tions of life. describes the Christian Church in its perfection, and "My kingdom is not of this world," describes it in its infancy. But what Jesus and his Apostles taught on this point, belongs, and ever did, and ever will belong, to the Christian Church in every stage alike; namely, that the Christian is to act, in all the relations of life, in whatever circumstances he is placed, on Christian principles. And what were the principles they inculcated? "Render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's, and unto God the things that are God's:" "Render unto all their due; tribute to whom tribute is due;

custom, to whom custom; fear, to whom fear; honour, to whom honour:" "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man, for the Lord's sake :" "Ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake," &c. Never was the Christian required to do less than conform to such principles; never will he be called on to do more.

kinds of so

to

be kept

to

means.

their

and

If Sergius Paulus and other conver- Different ted Roman governors had consulted cieties Paul, whether they should use their distinct as power as Roman Governors to put down end Paganism by force, or if Dionysius, after having induced (suppose) the other judges of the. Areopagus to embrace the Gospel, had proposed to the Apostle that that Court should sit in judgment on religious offences, and inflict penalties on all persons opposing or rejecting the true Faith, or deprive them of civil rights,— if the Apostle Paul, I say, had been thus consulted, what answer think you he would have given? What answer must he have given, if we believe him sincere in his professions, and if we believe his great Master to have really meant exactly what He declared? The Apostle would surely have explained to such inquirers that Christ meant the reception of his Gospel to rest on sincere inward conviction, not on constrained outward profession, which is all that legal penalties can produce :-that their office