thing else than "to be trodden under foot of men." Into this danger we are sometimes misled even by something like benevolence.

We

may not wish to seem morose or austere, and may therefore indulge what we cannot approve. Christian forbearance and indulgence go, no doubt, a great way; yet there is a limit of separation between the narrow path in which the servants of Christ ought to walk, and that broad and vulgar course which is crowded by the current of the world; and although certainly "to be separated unto the Gospel" does not imply that we are to lose the relish for any pursuits, affections, or enjoyments, which are natural to man, and which the God of nature has permitted to all; although, on the contrary, the purity and the benevolence of our faith ought to enable us to enter into every social interest and innocent delight with a relish peculiarly its own; we must still remember, even when we are wandering with the greatest freedom among the trees of the garden of God, that there is yet "forbidden fruit," from which we, of all men, ought the most religiously to abstain.

These are dangers which it is of the utmost

moment for us to avoid, if we would be really sincere and faithful ministers of the Gospel. There are others of which we may not perhaps be so well aware, but which are no less to be avoided, if we would become truly benevolent and useful ministers. There are dangers arising from our profession itself-from that artificial separation which it makes between us and the rest of mankind-a separation, alas! not always" unto the Gospel of God," but too often unto the uncharitableness and pride of man! What are the vices peculiar to the priesthood as a profession, history has too faithfully told; and we have the mortification to know, that neither the arguments nor the ridicule of the sophist, neither the contempt nor the persecution of the world, have so deeply wounded the faith which we preach, as the bigotry and intolerance of our own order. These, indeed, have greatly passed away with the increasing knowledge and liberality of the times; but there is ever a tendency in men to magnify themselves, to consider their own honour, or that of their little party or sect, as of more importance even than the progress of eternal truth; and thus misapprehensions and absurdities in reli

gion are apt to be maintained with pertinacity and rancour, because the honour of its ministers, perhaps, (although they may deceive themselves into the belief that the honour of God is concerned rather than their own,) may seem to be compromised in their support.

It is here, in fact, that we should be most careful to distinguish the motives which influence us. The honour of God and of religion, no doubt, requires us to support firmly and fearlessly whatever we believe to be a part of revealed truth, however minute and insignificant it may at first sight appear, though we are not called upon to give to any truth more than its due weight, or to suppose that, because we alone may happen to perceive it, therefore it is, of all others, the most important to be known and recognized. The very contrary of this delusion of self-importance would be the better rule to guide us. Those truths which are the least generally understood and felt, and the force of which can only be perceived by study and inquiry, are those we may suppose which must be of the least practical moment. But, at all events, whatever truths we preach, even those which appear to us to be the very corner

RITY.

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stones of our faith, while we preach them boldly and without the fear of man-in God's name let us preach them all in the spirit of CHALet us reverence the good faith of every sect and profession of religion, and give it credit for that sincerity to which it lays claim; and be fully persuaded that we are then most truly honouring that God, who "maketh his sun to rise on the evil" no less than on the good," and who "sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust," when, sympathizing with all those human weaknesses and misapprehensions which, in the generality of men at least, lead to the wanderings of opinion and of faith, we respect in all the claims of our common nature; and deeply feel, that, in every individual of our race, there exists, not only amidst all the errors of his belief, but even amidst all the impurity of his sins, that heart and that soul which God created, and which the Son of God died to save!

We are now about to witness the ordination of our church conferred upon one who is desirous of being "separated unto the Gospel of God," and I believe there is none of us, his elder brethren, who is not preferring sincere

prayers that he may be enabled to perform his duties more zealously and effectually than we have done; and to avoid with more success the dangers which he will have to encounter. If there is something in this moment not a little affecting in itself—there are additional circumstances which render it still more so. Our new Brother is entering into a church of a very peculiar and interesting character; and although I feel that I have already claimed your attention much too long, I cannot conclude without stating, as shortly as I may, the circumstances to which I allude.

The EPISCOPAL CHURCH in SCOTLAND, of which we have the happiness to be members, was, as you too well know, from its supposed political attachments, for many years an object of suspicion and jealousy in this country; and I believe it is now generally acknowledged, that it was forced to undergo many severities from the dark character of the times, which it required all its firmness and principle to bear with Christian magnanimity and patience. is, I believe, now as generally acknowledged, that this noble part it performed, that throughout every trial and severity, its Pastors

It