to or dependant on any ecclesiastical power, whether in their own dominions or elsewhere. And this is confirmed by the fact, that the state with its proper go→ vernment existed in the world before the Christian church was founded; and that it remained for centuries afterwards unconnected with the Christian religion, and in some parts of the world continues so to the present day.

II. The church was originally and essentially inde pendent of the state. For it was not founded by any human power, but by the Son of God, and by his apostles under the guidance of the Holy Ghost. All that is essential to this spiritual society was of DIVINE institution. The doctrines which were to be believed, the duties to be performed, the system and mode of association, its ministry, and rites, were all dictated by God himself, by whose will and commandment this divine religion was to be propagated amongst all nations, as the way by which men should attain his favour. The church therefore was not originated by the state; on the contrary it was propagated for several centuries. in opposition to the will of the temporal government, which in its ignorance attempted to suppress a religion calculated to confer the highest blessings on humanity. It is certain however, that the church even while in a state of persecution, possessed every essential characteristic of the true church. Its divine doctrine and discipline were sustained, heretics and schismatics were expelled, councils were held, offences against the divine law judged, the succession of its legitimate pastors preserved, and the promise of Christ, "Lo, I am with you always," verified. It may be added, that in every subsequent age, the church in some part of the world has been unprotected by the temporal power, nay even

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persecuted; and therefore, though it is admitted that the protection and assistance of the civil government is of very great advantage to the cause of religion, it is evident that the church does not derive its origin, its religion, its powers of spiritual jurisdiction, its general laws, or in fact any part of its essential characteristics, from the state. To assert that it does so, would be to contradict the plain facts recorded in holy scripture, and the promises of our Lord himself; and therefore no christian can admit such a position.

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CHAPTER II.

THE RIGHT AND DUTY OF THE STATE TO PROTECT THE

TRUE RELIGION.

THE end of civil government is not only the preservation of life and property, but the general welfare of the community entrusted to its care. This is proved by the universal sense of mankind, and by the practice of governments, which have never held themselves limited to the mere duty of punishing offences or remedying evils, but have adopted such regulations as were calculated to promote virtue, intelligence, order, wealth, and population.

In furtherance of such objects, it is undoubtedly the right of the state to encourage societies which are established with a particular view to the inculcation of virtue and religion, and which have efficient means for accomplishing their end. If a state may encourage and protect associations for the increase of education, literature, wealth, it has surely a right to protect those

which promote virtue and religion, on which alone the fabric of society is securely based, and which tend beyond all others, to the happiness and welfare of a community.

It is certain that christianity is eminently qualified to promote such ends. Even its enemies admit that the morality inculcated by the Gospel is exceedingly pure and exalted; while the motives and sanctions which it conveys, are peculiar to itself, and calculated to have a powerful effect on the conscience. Its constitution, as a society, enables it very effectually to promote habits of virtue and religion; it has a decided superiority in these respects over false religions: and, in fine, christians universally believe, that the aid of divine grace is given to assist their feeble efforts after godliness.

Christianity, therefore, being, in its essential constitution, as a religious society, eminently qualified to sustain and encourage virtue and religion, and inculcating, as it does, a most faithful obedience to the law of the civil magistrate, it was evidently for the interest of the state, it was within the duties of the temporal government, to protect and encourage the christian society by all just and equitable means: and under this view, even an unbelieving prince might undertake the care of religion. This reasoning, however, would afford an inadequate view of the duty of the state to support religion, and of the special duty of a christian prince to support the christian religion. It would be a narrow and a contracted theory of government to say the least, which left out of its calculations the fact that this world is under the supreme government of its Creator; and that the fates of nations, exemplified by

the history of many ages, are ultimately subject to the disposal of the Almighty Author and Governor of the universe. No people, however ignorant, has failed to believe in this Supreme power, and to endeavour to propitiate His favour, by all the means which religion, whether true or false, has dictated. And hence too, blasphemy, and impiety towards God, have been in all ages, regarded as crimes against the state, being calculated to draw down the Divine vengeance on those who permitted and sanctioned them.

Since this world, and all that is therein, is governed by an Almighty Being, the favour of that Being ought to be an object of the highest moment to every individual, and therefore to every nation; and consequently the religious means by which this favour is to be attained, ought to be adopted and cultivated by each individual and by each nation in their respective capacities, in the one case by personal efforts, in the other by public and legal encouragement. It is the especial duty of nations to act thus in their collective capacity, and to endeavour that irreligion may be suppressed in the state, because according to the rule of God's moral government, the virtuous are sometimes involved in the temporal punishments of the wicked, and therefore it is the real interest of the community, that all its members shall be virtuous and acceptable to God.

Those to whom God's Revelation and true religion are made known, will find these truths delivered by the unerring authority of holy scripture. The supreme power of God, his actual government of the world, and his especial interference in the affairs of nations, are alluded to in the following passages. "The Lord looketh from heaven: he beholdeth all the sons of men... . He fashioneth their hearts alike; he con

sidereth all their works. There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered for much strength.... Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine "." "In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. Behold he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up also, he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. With him is strength and wisdom, the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leadeth counsellors away spoiled... He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty....He encreaseth nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again "." "He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the water-springs into dry ground; a fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein "." "At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then will I repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them d."

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Religion, and obedience to God's commandments, are therefore the means of obtaining his favour to nations; and as it is the will of God that the doctrine of Jesus Christ should be preached to, and observed

Psalm xxxiii. 13-19. b Job xii. 10-25.

Psalm cvii. 33, 34.

d Jerem. xviii. 7—10.