MANIFEST SINS AND OFFENCES AGAINST HIM. If it be true that the calamitous events of the last six months are not without his hand, that there is no evil, no want, no riot, no rebellion, in any state or city, but the Lord has permitted it—and if it be true that he does by these means chasten nations and individuals for their sins, then how important, how urgent is national repentance, confession, and amendment ! It is well that we have, with reference to a threatened pestilence, been directed to read an appropriate Collect in our Church Services, but I believe that a day set apart for solemn prayer and fasting, would be welcomed by all the religiously disposed persons in the country. We have much, very much to be thankful for-but we have much to confess, bewail, and deplore before God; and as he has hitherto singled us out from among the nations, as almost the only one whose soil has neither been polluted by the foot of hostile foe, nor stained with the blood of its inhabitants-so ought we in a special manner to honour and confess Him before the nations; He has honoured us, surely we should honour Him, and ever proclaim His goodness in all the earth.

One thing we all can do we may examine ourselves, look into the state of our own hearts and of our own lives-we may each of us draw near to God with brokenness of heart, seeking mercy and forgiveness through the precious blood of Jesus Christ: we can all fly to Him for grace to help in future, that we may walk in newness of life, and may show forth our sense of his great distinguishing mercies by solemn consecration of ourselves to him, body, soul, and spirit, a willing, living holy sacrifice to his service and glory. Let each and all do this, and it shall be received as a nation's homage, and God even our own God shall bless us.

But turning to other means and remedies which seem applicable to the necessities of the times, I would remind parents of the urgent duties devolving on them towards their children. We have seen how much of the abounding mischief is traceable to the want of a due exercise of parental authority: let these Christian parents awake to a sense of their solemn responsibilities; THEY MUST REQUIRE AND OBTAIN FROM THEIR CHILDREN, IMPLICIT OBEDIENCE. With many parents the day when this can be done has long passed: if prompt, unreasoning, unmurmuring obedience is not obtained during infancy and early childhood, it is vain to attempt it afterwards. We must look to younger parents, or to fathers and mothers whose children are yet young and

tender—to them I would say-as you love your children, would secure their future happiness, and your own-as you love your country and the well-being of society and of the world, set yourselves to obtain obedience from your children-stifle the spirit of insubordination, rebellion, and resistence. Any fault may be esteemed more venial than disobedience, stubborness and self-will: if you do not break that down and crush it, it will some time or other break you down and crush you. Not that I would be supposed to encourage corporal punishment, unless quite unavoidable-I am not now saying how you are to accomplish the object-I desire not to see children "treated like the horse and mule which have no understanding”—“ the bit and bridle," and the lash, are for them who are incapable of comprehension -but whether in one way or the other, you must secure obedience, you must subdue sedition in the nursery, if you would not gather its sad after-fruits in the world. If all parents did their duty piously, intelligently, and steadily, there would be little of riot, tumult, or treason among nations.

For the same reason would I endeavour on this occasion, beloved brethren, to impress upon your minds THE INCALCULABLE ADVANTAGES OF A SOUND, INTELLECTUAL, AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION OF THE WORKING CLASSES, IF YOU DESIRE PEACE AND PROSPERITY

IN YOUR LAND. I have endeavoured to prove how large a share of prevailing evils and calamities has been contributed by ignorance. For this the obvious remedy is a sound Christian education. And let me explain what such an education should be. I never was more impressed in my life than I am at the present moment with a full conviction that a merely secular education, if such could be given, education without religious principle, without moral training, or the culture of the heart, is a curse not a blessing; but I am constrained also to acknowledge that I never was so fully impressed with the importance and necessity of combining a good secular education with any religious instruction we may think it right to give! We are bound to train up these children for this world, as well as for the next; to fit them to take their place here amidst the busy walks of life, as well as to bring those truths to bear on their hearts and consciences, which may ultimately induce them to seek and find a place in the world of bliss beyond the grave. For the latter, the Bible, and the Bible alone, is all-sufficientit contains all we know, or can know respecting God, eternity, the

soul, sin, salvation, and holiness:-nay even for our proper conduct in this life that blessed book contains all the great principles of moral duty, the fundamental truths which may help us to rule our hearts and lives so as to please God in the discharge of our relative duties. But these fundamental truths and general rules of duty need compounding, so to speak, like the medicines of the chemist-they need illustration and application to the times in which we live, and the different circumstances in which we are placed. It is not likely that children or youth will, unaided, deduce from them the every-day rules of homely life which they are calculated when so explained to convey. The religion of the Bible has been taught too much as a thing past— not as a principle in active operation every day and all day. We are no advocates for secular instruction separate from religion. We wish to take the Bible in hand when we study, or teach history, geography, astronomy, and political economy. The Bible will not teach English history, but English history taught in the sun-light of scripture truth, will make intelligent, loyal, well-affected youths. The mere hereditary, convivial loyalty which stimulates the exclamation, "God save the Queen"-will give a thoughtful person little satisfaction-for he knows well that the same influences would as easily excite the cry, "Vive la republique ;"-but loyalty to our Queen, based on an intelligent acquaintance with history, and with the reciprocal duties of Queens and subjects, derived from the word of God, will prove its value and stability in trying times. The Bible alone will enable an efficient student to refute the erroneous doctrines of Popery, but he cannot confute their false statements without a competent knowledge of church history:-the Bible student, ignorant of ought else, may confute the infidel and the sceptic on dogmatic truth—but a knowledge of the histories of sceptics and infidels would give him a new advantage over his opponent. In a word-the papist, the infidel, or the disaffected will produce little impression on the rising generation, if, by God's blessing, their minds are duly cultivated, their hearts rightly directed, and their whole nature trained, nurtured, and moulded by careful and intelligent teachers, who, while they make the word of God their guide, and prayer for the teaching of the Holy Spirit, their confidence, and the spiritual culture of their dear children, the one thing needful, know how to direct them also in the paths of general knowledge and sound philosophy. Secular instruction without the Bible

and religious influence is infidelity-and religious instruction which would exclude mental culture and secular information, is enthusiasm and fanaticism; let us combine and harmonize them, and keep them in their proper place and order, and then we may rest assured that we are laying a solid and lasting foundation for the peace, prosperity, virtue and religion of the country for ages to come.

In conclusion, let me exhort you all, beloved brethren, to promote each in his proper sphere, a spirit of order and cheerful submission to the laws, attachment to your religion, and devoted loyalty to the noble Queen whom God has placed over us. That there must ever be in a free country like this, essential differences among men, political and religious parties, distinctions and denominations, is self-evident-nor would I affect to believe, either in a spirit of false liberalism on the one hand, or of blind intolerance on the other, that there are no essential points of difference worth contending for. God forbid that I should cast down the antient land marks between truth and error! No, let every honest and earnest man hold his own opinions in matters civil and religious with the tenacity of sincere conviction-but happy should I be if I could in any degree soften the asperity of party, and allay the rancour of personal animosity. Amidst such contentions truth is the greatest sufferer-violence, calumny and misrepresentation can only injure the cause which they attempt to defend. But in perfect consistency with such principles, I would press the necessity of making yourselves well acquainted with the advantages you derive from the glorious Constitution under which you live. Study the history of your native land-candidly investigate her present position-compare it with that of foreign countries, and you must come to the conclusion that with all her faults, notwithstanding many defects which may be discovered in her statute books, many improvements which might be effected in her laws, yet that there is no country on earth that enjoys an equal amount of civil and religious liberty-none in which the road to distinction, wealth and fame, lies so open to all classes-and none in which a man may with equal impunity express his opinions, however hostile they may be to the existing and prevalent dogmas. Many a man has bid a long adieu to the white cliffs of Albion in search of a land of greater freedom, equality, and justice, and has discovered on the boasted shores of that Continent which lies beyond the Atlantic, that

England is the land of the free-where slavery cannot breathe-where caste, and Lynch Law, and mob-rule are unknown-and where rich and poor, peers and peasants are equally secure beneath the broad shield of British law.

True there is here an established and dominant Church, connected with the State, and interwoven with the Constitution; but it is a Scriptural, Protestant, Biblical Church, whose devotional liturgy and whose doctrinal articles breath the purest christianity, many of her enemies being the judges! Some ruthless men would lay the axe to the root of this stately tree-not knowing that they themselves repose beneath its shade, and oft-times unconsciously partake of its wholesome fruit. A better acquaintance with church history, and a more candid perusal of the writings of men of more moderate views and of other days, might persuade even conscientious Dissenters that they and their children have derived no little benefit from the church which they would destroy -and that were it rudely torn from the State-evils to both parties would arise which, when too late, would occasion hopeless and irremediable regrets.

But while I would extend to those who differ from me as widely as possible on the stirring subjects of the day, the utmost charity, and while I would impute to them no motives which they disclaim-I must still be permitted to denounce as error that which I believe to be error: nor can I withhold such terms of condemnation as I believe such mischievous opinions deserve. I must call Romanism, Popery, and Popery Antichrist-I must denounce scepticism and infidelity, as the work of Satan himself. I must admit that according to God's word Christian rulers are bound to provide for the Christian education and instruction of the people-and that for the State to sever herself from the Church, will be a national sin-I must believe that monarchy is of God, and republicanism of man—the former having in it the principle of subordination, and the latter of equality and independence, contrary to the spirit of God's word. I must rejoice that our gracious Queen came to the throne by virtue of the truth of God as opposed to the usurpation of Popery-the reminiscences of this very day suggesting that the Stewarts were expelled because they were Papists, and the present branch of the royal family enthroned in their stead because they were Protestants. I can well understand therefore why it is that the Popishlyaffected clergy will not observe this day-its recollections are distasteful