solicit your attention, is—the tendency of vehement political feeling and discussion, in reference to your spiritual interests.

These, my brethren, are of all your interests incomparably the highest-highest in the estimation of God, of angels, of saints in heaven and saints on earth,-and of your own spiritually enlightened minds. These too are the interests over which we who hold the pastoral charge are especially called to watch, as those that must give account.' These are the interests, which the word and ordinances of God, and all external religious institutions, are intended to promote, and from the promotion of which they derive all their value. These are the interests which the Divine Spirit is given to maintain; the advancement of which forms the regulating principle of the whole procedure of God's providence towards his people; and in subserviency to which every chastisement is inflicted, and every temporal blessing given or withheld. To these, therefore, every thing else should be held inferior; and whatever bears towards them an injurious aspect should be deprecated and renounced. The prejudicial influence of drinking deeply into the spirit of politics, might be demonstrated from the nature of the thing. But I would rather make my appeal to the abundant experience of past and present times; to what some have felt, and what many more have witnessed. By the eagerness of political controversy, the mind is preoccupied, and the affections pre-engaged; and spiritual things are in danger of losing their place and their relish. Party politics become the only agreeable and effectual stimulant to the appetite for information. The blessed word of God gives place to the keen and high-seasoned productions of political pamphleteers. These become the lively oracles; while the former lose their quickening energy; are read to quiet the conscience, rather than for pleasure or for profit; and are either hurried over with impatience, or yawned over with listless, unimpressed vacancy. The time that should be devoted to the Bible, to meditation and prayer, and to family instruction, devotion, and spiritual converse, is given to books, and thoughts, and company, such as too often leave both the soul and the family alike neglected. You are well

aware, how much the spirit of political vehemence has mingled itself, both in former and in present times, with the spirit of irreligion, and of virulent infidelity;-to what an unhappy degree the two have been blended together: so that it is impossible for any one to take a public and active part in the measures of the former, without awfully exposing himself to the distressing associations, and the perilous contagion of the latter. Passions, too, are frequently engendered by party politics, such as are in themselves opposite to the dictates of the word of God, and at the same time, as might be expected, directly tend to hinder its reception, and counteract its general influence. "Wherefore," says the Apostle Peter, "laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil-speakings; as new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby :-if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious." It matters not in what manner such evil tempers and passions are produced and maintained, or against whom and what descriptions of persons they are directed and cherished; their declared tendency,-a tendency confirmed by much woful experience, is to "choke the word, and render it unfruitful."

If, therefore, beloved brethren, you regard the best interests of your own souls, of your families, and of the church of God, you will beware of suffering your minds to be too much engrossed by the speculations, pursuits, and controversies of worldly politics; and if you are conscious of a peculiar predilection for them, you will be proportionably jealous of its indulgence. Are the chains that bind your spirits to the earth,—the anxieties and businesses, the hopes and pleasures of a present life, not sufficiently strong, that you must forge for yourselves new and voluntary fetters? Is there not enough of unavoidable entanglement to impede you in your Christian course, that, instead of "laying aside every weight," you should load yourselves with additional encumbrances? Is there not, in the ordinary atmosphere of the world, a sufficiency of heavy vapours, to damp the wings of

* 1 Pet. ii. 1, 2.

faith and love, and repress your heavenward flight, that you must surround yourselves with denser, and fouler, and more oppressive exhalations?—I do not forget that you are men, and Britons, as well as Christians ;-members of a civil community, as well as of the communion of saints; and that you have an interest in the affairs of the one, as well as in those of the other. But your having a connexion with time, as well as with eternity, will not justify your "looking at the things that are seen and temporal," to the forgetfulness and neglect of "those which are unseen and eternal." Nay, whatever would draw away your minds from the latter, secularize your spirits, and chain your affections to the world, you must, if you feel as Christians, view with suspicion and dread. 0 beware, then, of such an eagerness about the politics of the kingdoms of this world, as would prove detrimental to the interests of "that kingdom of God" which is "within you." I speak not at present of one side of politics more than of another. Which side soever you espouse, if you are violent partizans, your souls are in danger; and it is my duty, with affectionate fidelity, to warn you ;-to point to the many wrecks of Christian profession,-wrecks of "faith and a good conscience," with which the stormy sea of politics is strewed; and to say, "Be not high-minded, but fear."

"I am persuaded better things of you, my brethren, and things that accompany salvation, though I thus speak." You are alive to the authority of the divine word; and to the irresistible claims of "the mercies of God" bestowed upon you by the Gospel. It is by these mercies that the Apostle Paul enforces, with affectionate entreaty, the duties I have been endeavouring to lay before you, as well as all the other duties, personal and social, of the Christian life.*—“ Thou, then, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness:fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life:" "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath,

*Rom. xii. 1, &c.

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and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:". Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report;-if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things;-do these things: and the God of peace shall be with you.

*

And let the careless sons of earth consider the transitory nature of all the governments of this world, and the value of a liberty higher in its nature, and more permanent in its duration than any, however highly and justly extolled, that can be enjoyed by any nation under heaven-the “liberty with which Christ makes his people free." O seek the blessings of the kingdom of grace here, that you may find your place in the kingdom of glory hereafter.+

* 1 Tim. vi. 11, 12: Eph. iv. 30, 31: Phil. iv. 8, 9.

This Discourse is more than once quoted by Dr. John Brown in his elaborate work, entitled "THE LAW OF CHRIST RESPECTING CIVIL OBEDIENCE."

LECTURE LX.

ROMANS XIII. 8-14.

"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying: but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof."

THE precept in the preceding verse, enjoining Christians to "render fear to whom fear was due, and honour to whom honour," we considered, from the connexion in which it stands, as having a special reference to civil rulers. It may be understood, however, with a more comprehensive range of application. It may include all superiors. There is "honour" due by the law of God, as well as by the dictates of nature, to parents.-"Honour thy father and mother" is "the first commandment with promise;" and one of the most sacred of all duties.* There is "honour" due also from servants to their earthly masters; to whom they are enjoined to be subject "with all fear."+ The precept too may in

* Prov. xxx. 17.

† 1 Pet. ii. 18; and compare 1 Tim. vi. 1.