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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 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

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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 f. 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

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"that are committed to our charge *"" must not forget that, as servants of Christ, we have, however mixed in society, a distinctive character: while we concede every thing which it is ours to grant, and which we can grant without being unfaithful to our trust, we must not, we dare not, surrender to a vain philosophy, or deceitful liberality, a particle of essential doctrine; we dare not to allow sophistry to misinterpret, or licentiousness to compromise one iota of revealed truth; we dare not to permit the sceptic to question, unanswered, one single promised reward; nor the libertine to deny, unrefuted, one of the least of those terrors of the Lord, by which we are appointed to persuade men to holiness.

Revealed truth, let us always bear in mind, is ever the same; while human systems are reared and overthrown; while worldly science is ever liable to vicissitudes, to darkness, and to error; while states and empires rise and fall promiscuously, Religion, formed in the councils of heavenly wisdom, can know no change: emanating from Him, in whom is no variable

*The Ordering of Priests.

+ 2 Cor. v. 11.

ness or shadow of turning, it must of necessity, through everlasting ages, continue like its Divine Original, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. Heaven and earth, O Lord, shall pass away, but thy words shall not pass away! Thy salvation shall be for ever, and thy righteousness shall not be abolished†!

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Charged with a divine commission to spread the knowledge of Christian truth, we must recollect that we are, to use our Saviour's own illustration, the salt of the earth; as the expounders of this truth, we are the light of the world §; as separated for the ministry, we are a city set upon an hill, which cannot be hid . If, in our intercourse with the world, we concede to its errors, and bow ourselves down to its follies; if we lower the standard of Christian doctrine to suit the opinions of men; if we do not rather elevate their minds to a right conception of the purity of Christian virtue; the salt truly hath lost its savour, the light shineth only to betray, and we are exposed, by our own elevation, to

* Matt. xxiv. 35.
+ Matt. v. 13.

+ Isaiah li. 6. § Matt. v. 14.

Matt. v. 14.

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

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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 flee†, when we see the wolf coming. We are the appointed stewards of the mysteries of God ‡; as we have

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*. Phil. i. 17.

+ John x. 12.

1 Cor. iv. 1.

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