conceive it possible for further information to be supplied to us by revelation on any point than that which God in his wisdom has deemed to be adequate, and yet the system of his dealing with mankind remain so wise, so good, so just, and so merciful as it now is; much less that the condition of the world could be at all ameliorated by any additional knowledge from above, beyond what God in his wisdom has judged it right to communicate.

If, however, we examine the question a little more deeply, we shall find that all the information which, à priori, we could have any ground to expect with regard to temporal polity has been afforded to us in the Gospel. And further, as this is a subject of knowledge with which morality is more closely connected than almost any other, so have more precepts and lessons relating to it been given. The great object of all the communication made directly between heaven and earth has been to teach us "so to pass through things temporal that we may finally attain to things eternal;" to use this world as not abusing it, having our conversation in heaven. All the instruction, therefore, given unto us by Christ himself, or through his Apostles, has had this ultimate object more especially in view. Every thing that is necessary to qualify man to attain to, and enjoy, that happiness in a future life, which God has promised to his diligent and faithful

exertions through Christ, and which it has been the end of all revelation to disclose to him, and to invite him to partake of, has been made known to him in the fullest manner; and all that is requisite for this has been divinely revealed to him. This knowledge he could not elsewhere have obtained, or through any other means. It pleased God, therefore, to declare it to him in time past by the prophets, but in these latter days by his Son.

But none of those branches of knowledge and science which have reference only to our temporal condition have ever been made the subject of direct divine communication. These have been left to the physical powers of man's understanding to amplify and extend as the various circumstances of natural life called for and required them. God's over-ruling providence has, indeed, always guided, directed, and moderated them, so as to adapt them to every age and circumstance; and in these days especially a piously reflective mind may find much cause for admiration and gratitude, in observing how wonderfully the providence of God has arranged that the mind of man should so develope itself as to keep pace with the external circumstances by which he is surrounded; how it should be fruitful in every kind of invention in art and science, so as to correspond with the exigencies of the age, to meet the demands of an enormous and

rapidly increasing population, and to supply them, not only with food and the necessaries of life, but also with many comforts and conveniences, which, without such recent improvements, it would have been impossible for them to obtain.

In all these things, however, God works by the ordinary means of his providence. But as Christ came into the world to save sinners, and to bring life and immortality to light; so has all the instruction which he was pleased to vouchsafe to mankind been directed principally to this end. It was their moral, religious, and spiritual condition that he aimed at improving, rather than their worldly and temporal state. While, then, he supplied them with all such knowledge of divine things as was calculated to promote and increase their growth in spirituality and holiness, he did not add any thing to their stock of secular wisdom, or give them any information respecting the physical sciences, through means of which the temporal condition of man may be, and has been, so much improved, and their worldly comforts and conveniences increased. Since, therefore, every legitimate system of polity is a compact between the governors and the governed, with the view of promoting the secular advantage of both, to protect the lives and property of each, to secure to each their rights, and thus to increase their temporal convenience and happiness, the

knowledge requisite on requisite on this head was of that worldly nature which, at first sight, does not appear to come within the scope of our blessed Lord's instruction; except, indeed, so far as it is connected with those high principles of morality, which can never be otherwise firmly fixed and established than upon the basis of true religion.

Under this point of view, then, there could be no just reason to expect that our Lord's instruction and declarations on this subject should be fuller or more explicit than upon any other which bears only upon the temporal condition of men. There is no reason why he should have given us further information upon political science than upon any of those branches of natural science, from our increased knowledge of which so much temporal benefit has accrued to mankind. Where, however, it becomes a moral question, the line of duty is clearly marked out, and we are expressly bidden to submit ourselves to every ordinance of man, and to be subject to the higher powers.

Moreover, in performing this, as in every other Christian duty, we shall find that it also redounds to our temporal advantage, in the same manner as we find by experience, that what our Lord promises with respect to our earthly condition, when he especially exhorts us to seek those things which are above, is abundantly fulfilled here below. Seek ye first the

kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matt. vi. 33.) For as those habits of industry, frugality, patience, and perseverance, which true Christianity ever necessarily induces, will, even in the common order of things and the general course of the world, as naturally supply the persons endowed with these good qualities with food and raiment and the necessaries of life, as the opposite habits of idleness, prodigality, improvidence, and negligence, will reduce a person to want and distress; so will a compliance with the Christian injunction of submission to principalities and powers, and obedience to magistrates, as naturally tend to generate that good order and peaceable government on which the happiness and prosperity of a nation so much depend, as disobedience, insubordination, and want of due respect for established institutions, will, on the contrary, necessarily produce that anarchy and subversion of rights, by which a people is plunged into distress, misery, and bloodshed.

Nor is the fear a reasonable one, which some persons seem to entertain, that entire submission and perfect obedience to the powers that be may endanger the liberties of the subject, and give the legitimate ruler of the country the means of aggrandizing his power too much, and of making himself a tyrant. History and experience shew the con