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Easter, Whitsuntide, we have not turned into any new and untried paths, but in celebrating them are merely walking in the old and well trodden ways of our fathers. And who does not love them the more, for the traces of our fathers' steps to be seen therein ?

And if any would wish to see other striking resemblances between things in our own and the primitive churches, let him only take up the various collections of canons which are yet extant, and he will be surprised and pleased to see how closely we have copied after them in many of our own. Our Church has wisely and reverently learnt many an useful lesson from the experience of primitive times. In the relative duties, rights, and privileges of the clergy and laity; in the distinctions between the different orders in the ministry, in the deportment of bishops and dioceses one towards another; in the union of priests with the bishops in laying on hands upon the candidate for the priest's office, and the number of bishops required for the consecration of a brother to the episcopal office; in these and many such like things, we have simply and strictly followed the example of the primitive churches.

In only one other respect will I allude to a happy resemblance. Our bishops like those of primitive times, are, thank God, preachers of the Gospel; examples in this, as in all other things, to other ministers. Nay-they must of necessity be more abundant in labours than all others if strength be given. Circumstances beyond our controul have indeed diffused our labors over large tracts of country in search of the few shepherds with their small flocks scattered over the same, but as these circumstances shall change, and by the blessing of God our churches and ministers multiply, we shall gladly, I trust, in this respect also, imitate the

primitive Church, and by timely and judicious divisions of our dioceses bring each congregation under the frequent sound of the bishop's voice, and let each chief shepherd know his sheep and be known of them. Now and then, may each bishop of the Church, be in preaching as Paul was, and as he enjoined it upon Timothy and Titus to be. Like the primitive bishops, may they be the chief preachers, full of sermons and exhortations, thus confirming all the churches and holding up the hands of every other preacher.

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One remark permit me now to make, closing all I have to say on this part of my discourse. Concerning prayers, ceremonies, and the language of their creeds and some matters of discipline, there was at the first, even for a few centuries, some diversity among the churches, the substance of the faith being the same in all. the true nature of Christian liberty was too well understood by them, and the spirit of Christian love was too strong in their hearts to let this diversity of form or language separate them from each other. They agreed thus to differ in things not essential to the faith, and lived so as to force their enemies to say, "See how these Christians love one another." May that spirit prevail ever among us, as to things of minor importance, and as to doctrines too high for us.

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The time came when it was expedient that a number of small and independent churches or dioceses should unite together in some common, well-digested Liturgy, framed out of the many used, and in some common unvarying creeds as the Apostles and Nicene. In that respect also the church in America resembles the earlier churches. Though in some things distinct and independent, yet have we agreed in one common Liturgy-the most perfect we think of all-and in some common principles and general

laws, for the preservatiou of unity and peace. Long may that union subsist, and that Liturgy be maintained in its purity and integrity. Adhering to the wise policy which has hitherto governed all the acts of our General Convention, a policy so often and earnestly urged by the venerable father who is no longer to preside over our councils, that is, forbearing to legislate one step beyond the actual needs of the church, may we long exhibit to the world the delightful spectacle of a number of Christian societies, living together in happy harmony and meeting together to strengthen the bonds of love which have hitherto encircled them. And though it may be impossible for our ecclesiastical union to survive that political severance sometimes so fearfully threatened; yet who shall say, but that our happy meetings here from all parts of our land, and our union at all times in so many things which bind hearts together before the throne of heaven, may not under God postpone that day of political disunion, and the church instead of being sustained and kept together by the state, be the means of supporting for a while her sinking pillars, her tottering walls.

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In the second place, having as was proposed rejoiced to find ourselves walking in some of the good old paths of the Lord and his ple; it would be well to inquire whether we are walking before the Lord in all things zealously, as did our fathers. Whether we speak of the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, or the fathers, they were truly and emphatically men of faith. Living at, or near unto, the time when either by angels, or in the person of Christ, God visited the earth and spake unto men, accompanying his word by wonderful signs, these men lived as "nothing doubting," as though God had but just left off from speaking unto them; there was no wavering, no

halting between two opinions with them, no compromising with the world, no fearing of man. With a holy zeal and boldness they went forth to their duty, counting not life itself dear unto them, so they might secure the favour of heaven. Taking up their cross daily and following him, the first disciples of Christ boldly said, "Who can separate us from his love?" No peril, no tribulation, famine or sword moved them from their integrity. They were ready at any moment to die for Christ. How bold were they to rebuke vice in every shape; yea, even to reprove kings at God's command ! Whether it were Daniel in the court of Darius, Nathan in that of David, or Paul in the palace of the Cæsars, the Spirit of God spake boldly out of the mouths of these holy men. How Felix trembled before Paul the prisoner, when he reasoned on righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come! How boldly did the same declare as to all the vices of men, secret or open, the gross or the pleasant ones, the revellings, the banquetings of the sons and daughters of pleasure, "That they who do such things shall never enter into the kingdom of heaven." The canons, and the discipline of the first ages, show clearly to us what was the religion of those days, how separate from sinners, how unspotted from the world, both priests and people were required to be. The rich were charged faithfully to abound in good works and be glad to distribute, and they set an example before the world never seen before.

The young were trained in paths of holiness in such a way as they never had been before, nor ever since. God's ancient people, the Jews, had done much in this way. Line upon line, precept upon precept," had they given to their children out of God's law, writing its precepts upon their gates, their windows, their doors,

their garments, their foreheads, and their hands. Much has been done in these latter days in our blessed Sunday Schools for the younger children. But what is all this compared to the constant daily systematic, thorough instruction of the Christian youth in the catechetical schools of primitive times? What is all now done by ministers and others compared with the careful, prayerful, long-continued instruction of candidates for baptism? O that all our schools and colleges could be baptized as they were with the Holy Ghost!

O that we were once more in that good old path in which the children of the faithful were trained for heaven. Never shall we have that great army of preachers without which the hosts of hell will not be vanquished, until our schools are consecrated to the Lord and used as nurseries for young soldiers of the cross.

Nor let us fear boldly to follow in that path so trodden by the preachers of the first ages of our religion, the path of zealous, frequent, faithful preaching of the gospel, that power of God to the salvation of the soul. The Saviour and his apostles took the lead. The fathers followed after. From house to house, in the temple, in the synagogue, in season, out of season, they preached the word of God. No matter who forbade, preach they would. No invidious comparisons were then made between prayers and sermons. Both were of God. Both were neces

sary. Many were the prayers, many were the sermons. The word preached, was yea and amen from the lips of many preachers, the one confirming what the other said, and the bishops crowning all with the word of exhortation and the blessing. The Jewish and Christian sabbaths were both observed, and many were the days of prayer and exhortation beside; nor seemed it righteous overmuch to the faithful in that day thus often to meet together.

As to the preaching of God's word, my brethren, you well know how a time came when that almost ceased in the church of God, ceremonies and ordinances being nearly all that remained to the priest's office. But remember that religion too was well nigh extinct at that time-Christianity being little more than a name or form. The reformers were preachers, bold and fearless ones, and the Romanists dreaded the sound of their voice even more than the thunder of the the Vatican, for as a trumpet it proclaimed to the world all their abominations. O for thousands of such preachers as Paul, and Barnabas, and Chrysostom, and Cyprian, and Augustine, and Luther, and Calvin, and Melancthon, and Cranmer, and Latimer, and Ridley, and Hooper, to preach to this dull and lukewarm age, the glorious doctrines of a crucified Redeemer, to wake it up from that death-like slumber which has come over it. ZELOTES.

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that they, through his poverty, might be rich? O no! he is rich still. He has the greatest abundance-more than enough to support him in elegance, and to enable him to leave an ample inheritance to his children. What if he

has given a great deal? He has not only not impoverished himself, but is probably richer now, through the favour of Providence, than he would have been had he never

given any thing. Now if, by honouring the Lord with his substance, his barns, instead of being emptied, have been filled with plenty, he had better continue this mode of honouring him. He should rather increase than arrest his liberality.

Done giving?' Why Is there no more need of giving? Is every want abundantly supplied? Is the whole population of our country furnished with the means of grace? Is the world evangelized? Have the missionaries visited every shore? Is the Bible translated into every language and distributed in every land, a copy in every family, and every member of every family taught to read it? Are the accommodations for widows and orphans as ample as they should be? Is there a house of refuge for every class of the human family that needs one? Or have the poor ceased from the land? O no! There are no such good reasons as these for ceasing to give. Why then has he done giving? Is it because others do not give as they ought? But what is that to him? Will he make the practice of others his rule of conduct, rather than the precept of Jesus Christ? If others do not give, so much the more should he. Will he add another name to the list of niggards?

Does he feel worse for having given away so much? Has it made him unhappy? Is his experience different from that of the Lord Jesus, who said, "It is

more blessed to give than to receive?"

Has he, who thinks he will give no more, been led to that conclusion by having found that what has been given hitherto has done no good? And is it so, that no good has been done by all the Bibles published, and all the tracts distributed, and all the missionaries sent abroad into our own land and into the world; and all the schools established, and all the children taught to read, and all the civilization introduced, and all the asylums opened, and all the poverty relieved? Has no good been done? Good, great good has been done by what has been given; but still more will be done by what shall be given hereafter.

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Bibles can now be printed at a cheaper rate than heretofore, and the conductors of our charitable operations have learned, by experience, that economy which can be learned in no other way. And yet at this time, when a small sum of money goes so far in doing good, here is a man who says, I have done giving!' If I had his ear for a moment, I would ask if he has done receiving -if God has done giving to him. I would ask him, moreover, if he has done spending, or done hoarding, or done wasting. Now, if he has not, he surely should not stop giving. When he ceases to waste, to hoard and to spend, except for the merest necessaries, then he may stop giving, but never till then.

Done giving!' that is, done lending to the Lord! Done sowing and watering! Done offering the sacrifices with which God is well pleased! Done making the widow's heart leap for joy, and bringing on himself the blessing of them that were ready to perish! Well, I am sorry-sorry for the sake of the poor, and the sick, and the orphan, and the ignorant, and the heathen. But no less sorry am I for the man's own sake. Poor

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man! poor with all his affluence, for there is really no one more poor than he, who with the ability to give, has not the inclination. He

has it in his power to give, but not in his heart. He is enriched with abundance, but not with liberality.

'Done giving!' well then, if he will not give his money, he must keep it. And yet how short the time he can keep it! Had he not better freely give away some of it,

than to wait for it all to be torn from him? The thought that he has given, will be at least as agreeable a meditation in his dying moments, as the reflection that he spent, or that he laid up.

I hope that gentleman who said 'I have done giving,' will recall his resolution, and taking revenge on himself for having made it, give more liberally than ever. NEVINS.

THE SAME SERMON.

IT was on a Monday morning that I called upon the Rev. Dr. P., of Edinburgh, whom I found in a most merry, laughing mood. 6 Why what's the matter, Dr., that you are so merry so early in the morning?' • Had you

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been here a little earlier,' said he, 'you would have been laughing too. Did you meet a man going down the court as you came up it? I did, Dr.' Take a chair, then, till I can tell you the object of his so early visit to me Monday morning.' He laughed again, after which, by screwing and bracing, he succeeded to finish the tale, when I laughed more than the Dr.The person you met in the court, (said the Dr.) is one of my people, who felt it his duty to make so early a call this morning, to reprove me for a very great sin which he conceived me to be guilty of committing yesterday.

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heard in the morning, and what should he hear but the same sermon ! This, sir, constitutes the very heinous sin of which I was guilty, the preaching at Leith, the sermon I had preached in Edinburgh. And so grievously great, in his account is this my sin, that I ought therefore to be rebuked, and to discharge this act of brotherly kindness to me was the object of his so early visit this morning.

'As he was not in the habit of calling, his visit rather surprised me, the more so on Monday morning at so early an hour.

I could perceive by his rather hurried and confused manner, that he wanted to say something, which he knew not how to introduce. To assist him, therefore, I said, 'John, I apprehend you have called upon me for some certain purpose; if so, proceed to inform me of the object of your visit.' After some humming, much ridding of the throat, accompanied by some few mutterings, expressive of the regret and sorrow he felt, that there should have existed such cause for his visit, he said- Doctor, did not you preach yesterday morning from such a text?' Yes, John.' 'After the morning service I went down to Leith to visit my daughter who is sick, and being there, thought I would step in and hear Mr. E. preach, but found you in the pulpit in his stead, and did you

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