turning us in heart and in full integrity of purpose unto Him, who is "the way, the truth, and Behold," said Christ our Saviour

the life?"

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to his disciples, the kingdom of God is within you*." When that kingdom is in all its power really within us, it speaks to the heart in words more forcible than either the commands or the threats of this present world. It predominates over the calls of wealth and pleasure, and every earthly object of ambition or desire. It has power to silence the voice of the most unruly passions, whilst it speaks peace to that heart where peace had been a stranger before. It renders unto Christ a willing people in the day of his power; and subdues to the mild sceptre of his kingdom upon earth-that kingdom which is "righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost "-those who reserve not themselves, by wilful perseverance in sin, for his iron sceptre of judgment and condemnation.

To us more particularly, my Reverend brethren and fathers, may I be allowed to remark in conclusion, is entrusted the administration upon earth of this kingdom, which is not in wordi but in power. And, truly, had it been com

*Luke xvii. 21.

mitted to us by our fellow-men as any other human ordinance, they might have demanded less from us, and we perhaps from ourselves; and with less scruple, as men of like passions with others, we might have conversed with them upon equal terms, obeyed the same motives, shared in the same pleasures, aspired after the same distinctions, and measured our gains by the same low professional standard. But considered more justly as deriving our commission from Christ himself and God the Father, and as actuated by the Spirit with a distinguished grace and Divine illumination, the question to us becomes of the severest import; What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness?" If an Apostle could not more aptly describe the Christian body at large, than by comparing it to a royal priesthood; how does his exhortation apply to those whose immediate office he uses as a figure to others: "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light*."

Considered in reference to his own character, as the light of the world and the very representative of Heaven, I view the minister of

* 1 Pet. ii. 9.

Christ as possessed of advantages and charged with responsibilities, which belong to no other order of human society. Believing all that he is to teach to others, and teaching all that he does believe,' he becomes a sacred depositary of truth; whose lips retain knowledge, whose heart meditates right things, whose conversation, whose citizenship, most truly is in heaven. Above all things, prayer fervent and ceaseless is made the very breath of his life; impresses a constant awe on his mind, the parent of watchfulness and circumspection; reflects a holy calmness on his countenance; and imparts an energy mixed with meekness and humility to his whole deportment.

In the bearing of his ministry upon others he will indeed deeply feel, and earnestly strive to imprint it on the minds of his audience, that

neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase*." At the same time he will be fully conscious, that on no ground can he expect or even ask this increase for others, but in the faithful discharge of his own solemn trust: and he will be led to suspect even favourable appearances in his flock, which have not been accompanied by a corresponding progress in grace within his own heart. There is at the best,

* 1 Cor. iii. 7.

as we too well know, in those whose souls are given us in charge-and a more awful charge than that of immortal souls cannot either be given or received an inexpressible backwardness to be overcome, as it were, by the power of the kingdom of Jesus Christ. They will be regular and formal and decent, and to a certain extent moral and devout, so long as the favoured sin is untouched, the Sabbath is not too rigidly enforced, dishonest interests of whatever kind are spared, the secret corruption neither exposed nor condemned. Against these deceptive appearances the Christian minister has greatly to stand on his guard at all times: but how much more difficult, nay utterly insurmountable will be his task with others, if there be within himself that which shrinks from the exposure of his own bosom sin, from the surrender of his own cherished indulgences, from the denial of his own passions and corrupt propensities, from the cordial devotion of himself to the work of the ministry, and the ways of God. If religion be our own burden, how can we expect it to be the joy of our flock? If formality be the measure of our preaching and ministrations, can it be otherwise than the sum of the attainments of our congregation?

It is not for me, before an audience like the present, to enlarge in general terms on the force of example. We know its force, and are well

6

a bad life

assured in ancient language that is the worst heresy.' But, as watchmen in Israel, as standing at the centre of power, and wielding through Divine grace its mightiest arm, let us remind ourselves and each other of the nature of these times. Let us feel that some whose eyes are upon us, with minds bent upon prey, are, if not desiring the occasion of our halting, at least expecting it, and determined to avail themselves of the opportunity. There are in fact at this moment "powers" of most varied and alarming tendency in preparation, or in action. The powers of blasphemy and infidelity are summoning from beneath, and in high places, all their resources with an unusual activity, as if knowing that they had but a short time. The powers of intolerance and superstition-if power it can be called, we trust a voice and nothing beyond-yet, by a late edict from the See of Rome, would make us believe that Popery had still an arm to lift against truth; certainly a mouth to utter great things. The powers of the human understanding are summoning them. selves into line, as well it is to be feared against the simple and primitive purity of the Divine word, as also we trust on its behalf; but with an energy and an effect never known before. And not least of all, the powers of nations slumbering in an uneasy peace, with one exception in Christian Europe, seem only as at rest prepa