and probity of conduct in matters of justice and temperance, form the sum total of that character, which the world admires and esteems. It matters not to them what a man's religion is, or whether he has any. They are satisfied with the fruits of human nature; they care not for those of God's Spirit. They look upon the outward appearance; it is God only who looks upon the heart.

How different a man was Gallio in the estimation of Seneca and of the sacred historian. The heathen philosopher judged of him only by the rules of heathen morality. He could judge of him by no other, for he knew no other; for both Seneca and Gallio were alike ignorant of the true God. And it is perhaps no small praise for Gallio, that, ignorant as he was of God, and of God's will and law, he yet lived up to what heathen morality had taught him was right. But little does it tell to the praise of that morality, that when, before a man so accomplished in it, the knowledge of God and of divine things was brought, he cared for none of those things: so that the more praise we give to Gallio for living up to the rules of heathen morality, the more do we expose the nakedness of that morality, and the hostility it generates to the things which are of God, when we find that no sooner are things of this nature brought under his notice, and submitted to his arbitration, than he at once drives the disputants from his judgment seat. Wrapt up in the bewildering mazes of heathen philosophy, he

refuses to listen to the voice of one who would gladly teach him the wisdom which cometh of God; and believing that the science of government relates only to matters of moral right and wrong; that it can take notice only of cases of criminal jurisprudence, and of offences against the law of the land, and has nothing to do with questions of an ecclesiastical and religious nature, he tells the accusers of the Apostle, "If it were a matter of wrong, or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you; but if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it, for I will be no judge of such matters: and he drave them from the judgment seat."

We have fallen upon times, my brethren, when the opinions of Gallio seem to be reviving amongst us; when Christian philosophers, in poring amongst the dust and the ruins of an extinct heathen philosophy, appear to have discovered principles that are worthy of again seeing the light; and through the press, and in the senate, these principles are brought forward, and recommended as the only principles which should guide the conduct of Christian magistrates, and influence the counsels of an enlightened Christian nation. When this open and direct attack upon principles, which, happily for this country, have so long had influence upon the minds of British senators and legislators, is so openly made ; and when in the British Parliament so many have been found to countenance and act upon them; it

becomes a question with the minister of Christ, how far he is called upon to interfere. Far be it from me, my brethren, to assert, or to maintain the opinion, that the minister of Christ should mix himself up with politics. I believe that he cannot safely do so without injury to his character. He should never forget that his office is that of reconciling a lost world to God. "We are ambassadors for Christ ; we beseech you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled unto God." That is the high office given to us to execute, and it should never be lost sight of. But the very endeavour to execute that office, brings us immediately into contact with that lost world we are called upon to reconcile; and here we are met at once, and opposed by the infidel principles which govern the conduct of the world, and the very maintaining of which principles, is one of the chief causes which keeps them separate from God; and these principles, therefore, the minister of Christ is directly called upon to oppose, because they themselves oppose the interests of his Master's kingdom. He is called upon to show that they are in opposition to the principles of the Gospel, and to warn his hearers against them, lest they should be seduced by them, and either altogether adopt them, and so fall off from their faith in Christ; or else by partially adopting them, attempt to make a compromise between sin and holiness; between light and darkness; between Christ and Belial. And when we consider that the perpetually broaching and main

taining such opinions, both by the press, and in the senate, cannot but have an influence upon the public mind, so long as they are unopposed, and their hostility to the word of God pointed out; and when we reflect also, that whatever shall become the character of British senators, such will, in no long time, become also the character of British magistrates; it will, I hope, not be considered by you as inappropriate to the character of your minister, if I embrace the present as a fit opportunity to endeavour to point out to you what I believe to be those principles which should govern the conduct of a Christian magistrate.

Your meeting together, my brethren, within these walls upon the present occasion, is a distinct acknowledgment on your part that you recognise God, and not the people, as the author of that power and authority with which your chief magistrate has been recently invested. You come here to acknowledge the principle that "there is no power but of God;" and that "the powers that be are ordained of God.". You come here to acknow

ledge the principle that you should do everything to the glory of God, and to promote the interests of Christ's kingdom: and you come here to acknowledge the principle, that whatever good you may be enabled to effect in the execution of your office, it is not unto you, but unto God's name, that the praise should be given. And, lastly, you come here to acknowledge the principle, that of yourselves

you can do nothing; but that it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do; and consequently, you come to pray for grace and strength that in the execution of your office, you may be enabled to keep a single eye to the promotion of God's glory in all that you should undertake. Now it is in the keeping these principles steadily before you, and in humbly endeavouring to carry them out into your practice, that I believe the character of the Christian magistrate will be found to consist. And it is with this view, therefore, that I have brought before your notice upon this occasion, the character of Gallio, because at all times, and more especially in these times, I believe that character to be a very instructive one, not as an example, but as a warning; as showing where it is that the Christian magistrate is too apt to fail in his duty, and where in these times, indeed, he is expressly called upon not to interfere, viz. in those things which belong to God. "Gallio cared for none of those things." I will humbly endeavour to show you, my brethren, by God's grace, that the character of this infidel and heathen magistrate in this respect, however strongly recommended to your adoption in the present times, is not one that should form the model of the Christian magistrate; but that, on the contrary, Christian magistrates, and Christian senators, and Christian kings, are expressly called upon to care for the things of God; and to the utmost of their power to make their high office instrumental in pro