we would not leave them a prey to artful enemies of the faith, it behoves us to provide ourselves with arrows even from the quiver of human philosophy, that we may be prepared with weapons like her own to repel her attack. Sent forth as sheep in the midst of wolves, we are taught by Him who first committed his Apostles to this arduous encounter, to be wise as sèrpents, while we are harmless as doves*; to be able to argue with the sceptic, and to confute the gainsayer; while to the humble, believer we bear the olive branch of peace: of that of that peace which the world cannot give, which the world cannot take away.

And, indeed, we should be grievously inobservant of the character of our National Church, if we did not, as her ministers, imbibe, towards even gainsayers, the spirit of Christian charity: gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed, but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience; and if it should again be required of his ministers, in afflictions, in neces

sities, in distresses: by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the Word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil-report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true*, Deceivers perhaps in the estimation of those who are reluctant to learn the will of God; but in the award of our own consciences true, and true in the conviction of those who, having first shewn a readiness to do His will, shall know of our doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether we speak of ourselves †. But while, by the blessing of God, the different orders of His ministers, under the favour of our happy Constitution, mix with all the grades of society as equals: while the Clergy are thereby enabled to conciliate the attention of all ranks and degrees of men among us to their instruction; while thus, by our courtesy and good-will, we endeavour to “maintain and set forwards, as much as lieth "in us, quietness, peace, and love among all "Christian people, and especially among them

* 2 Cor. vi. 3.

John vii. 17.

the scorn and contempt of those whom it was our duty to have preserved from corruption, and darkness, and death.

Every term which in Scripture designates our office, marks also our duty, not merely as expounders, but as defenders of the truth of Holy, Writ. We are set for the defence of the Gospel; let us be vigilant to countervail the insidious machinations of the secret enemy of the Faith; let us take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, wherewith to repel the undisguised attack of the bolder adversary: ever remembering that our strength is only in the Lord, and in the power of his might. We are shepherds of Christ's flock; let it be our constant study to feed them as his sheep, and for his sake; to lead them to pure fountains; to keep them in one fold; to win back, if peradventure it may be granted to us, those who have gone astray, and are in danger of being lost; and on no account to leave the sheep and fleet, when we see the wolf coming. We are the appointed stewards of the mysteries of God ‡; as we have

+

*. Phil. i. 17.

+ John x. 12.

1 Cor. iv. 1.

received the gift, even so let us minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God *; nor forget the account we must render of our stewardship, when we may be no longer stewards. Above all, we are made watchmen unto the house of Israel; let us, having heard the word at God's mouth, give them warning from God. When the liberal reasoner, not indeed denying the justice of God, but determining, according to his own fallible and finite understanding, what is justice, and what is mercy, and how far divine justice may be tempered with mercy, says, in the language of the first Tempter, Ye shall not surely die; let us remember who it is that hath said unto the wicked, Ye shall surely die: and who hath of old declared unto the watchmen of Israel: When I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness,

* 1 Pet. iv. 10.

+ Ezekiel xxxiii. 7.

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nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul*.

f

And now, my Reverend Brethren, I have thought it meet to put you in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth; and may God, of his infinite mercy, grant that we, who know these things before, may, together with all who attend upon our ministry, beware lest, being led away with the error of the wicked, we fall from our stedfastness. May we all grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, three Persons, one God, be glory, both now and for ever. Amen.

Ezekiel xxxiii. 8, 9.

† 2 Peter i. 12.

2 Peter iii. 17.

THE END.