said, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped." Not in all things that are aforesaid, but as is before said in the beginning of the Creed. To the same he evidently refers in the last verse. "This is the Catholic faith, which (Catholic faith) except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be saved." Such is the declaration of our Lord, and this is the declaration of his Church repeating that declaration. "There is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved."* He who holds not this faith annuls the federal compact, and he excludes himself from the only hope of mercy. "He hath trodden under foot the Son of God-he hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace."-Who can complain, if he to whom vengeance belongeth will have recompense? Who, my beloved brethren, can complain if the Lord will judge his people? O Lord, grant we beseech thee unto us thy servants, a right judgment in all things, that we be not "of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."

*Acts iv. 12. † Hebrews x. 29. Hebrews x. 39.

SERMON XII.

THE SERMON—SENTENCES AT THE OFFERTORYPRAYER FOR CHRIST'S CHURCH MILITANT, &c.SIX COLLECTS-BLESSING-CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.

NEHEMIAH VIII. 7-8.

And the Levites caused the people to understand the law : and the people stood in their place. So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

IN the chapter from which this text is taken we read that, after the return of the Children of Israel from their captivity in Babylon, the people gathered themselves together as one man, and they spake unto Ezra the Scribe to bring the book of the Law of Moses. And Ezra opened the book and “blessed the Lord, the great God," and the Levites "read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading." Following this ex

said, the Unity in Trinity
Unity is to be worshippe
that are aforesaid, b1
beginning of the
dently refers ir

Catholic fai

a man bel Such is is th thr

Our Church has
Lord with holy

the book of his law Commandments-and understand the read

Requires, that after the Nicene

the Sermon or one of the

Hamile's set Birth or hereafter to be set forth

4

The Sermon, as we have rea

1

e early Fathers of the Church to usually an explanation of some the Scriptures read in the day's serWhen few of the congregation were

possessed of the advantages of education, this wale of explanatory preaching was essential

ly necessary: even to the present day, it has been found to mixed congregations most interesting and most useful. The attention of the hearers is more easily gained to a subject which had just been in a certain degree introduced to their especial notice: the application from the pulpit to individual circumstances has always greater force than an individual might himself give to a Scripture, seemingly of public concern: and an example may be thus held out, according to which, each in his own private perusal may turn the word of God to its most true and best account.

One of the canons of an early council gives, on the subject of preaching, instruction well

deserving attention.

"Let the Governors of

"Churches, every Sunday at the least, teach 'their Clergy and People the oracles of piety “and true religion; collecting out of divine "Scripture the sentences and doctrines of "truth, not transgressing the ancient bounds “and traditions of the holy fathers. And if "any doubt or controversy arise about Scrip

66

ture, let them follow that interpretation which "the lights of the Church and the Doctors "have left in their writings. By which they "shall more deserve commendation than by "making private interpretations, which if they "adhere to, they are in danger to fall from "the truth."* The vanity which has rejected this wholesome instruction has in our days brought forward, in the licentiousness of private interpretation, the degrading imagination of sinfulness being compatible with the divine purity of the Saviour's essence, and the delirious novelty of rhapsodies in unknown tongues.

Certain however it is, that in this part of the service, and it is the only part left altogether to their own exertion, it may be fairly pronounced of the Clergy of the Church of England, that they acquit themselves as far as concerns their order, respectably, and as far as concerns their congregations, usefully. When the excellency of their seminaries of * Nineteenth Canon of the Sixth Council of Constantinople. D d

ample of instructive devotion, our Church has in its Liturgy, worshipped the Lord with holy worship-it has read from the book of his law his Scriptures, and his Commandments-and now for explanation, to understand the reading, the Rubric requires, that after the Nicene Creed" shall follow the Sermon or one of the Homilies, set forth or hereafter to be set forth by authority." The Sermon, as we have reason from the early Fathers of the Church to conclude, was usually an explanation of some part of the Scriptures read in the day's service. When few of the congregation were possessed of the advantages of education, this mode of explanatory preaching was essentially necessary: even to the present day, it has been found to mixed congregations most interesting and most useful. The attention of the hearers is more easily gained to a subject which had just been in a certain degree introduced to their especial notice: the application from the pulpit to individual circumstances has always greater force than an individual might himself give to a Scripture, seemingly of public concern: and an example may be thus held out, according to which, each in his own private perusal may turn the word of God to its most true and best account.

One of the canons of an early council gives, on the subject of preaching, instruction well