it has its lessons of infinitely various significance and importance, some significant always, some significant at one time, some at another; some important in themselves, some of no importance except in connection with others. Woe be to us if, instead of "rightly dividing the word of truth," we confound all its parts together. It is only by following "the proportion of faith" that we can rightly understand and act on any part of it. We We may believe correctly on every single point, yet if we view these points out of their proper connection and proportions, our view of the whole faith may be as completely wrong as if on every single point we had been involved in fatal error. May I say, in conclusion, that this has been one chief object that I have had in view, in the discourses I have lately addressed to you from this place. It is not that I have wished to disparage creeds or sacraments, or ceremonies or absence of ceremonies, or circumcision or uncircumcision, or clergy or congregation, or anything else that God has given or that man has invented for the support and the nourishment of faith within us. All and each of these, in their place, may be most worthy of attention, of study, of explanation. But what the Apostle teaches is that all these things are means to an end; and this end is the making of men, women, and children wiser, and happier, and better-in one word, more like Christ, and more fit for Heaven. This is the proportion of faith, as it is set forth in Scripture. Compared with this, all other things are as nothing; to this all other teaching tends; for this all the great works described in Scripture were wrought; for this all the great words set forth in Scripture were spoken. This, too, is the proportion of faith in the Church of England. Study the PrayerBook well; see what are the blessings which we most earnestly seek from God in the Collects, the evils from which we most earnestly pray to be delivered in the Litany,— on what points the greatest stress is laid, -what points which we might have expected to find are omitted altogether, or thrown into the shade,-what are the feelings, duties, doctrines, required of us at the solemn moments of our baptisms, our communions, our confirmations, our ordinations. Let me ask, has this proportion been kept? Is there any considerable section of the Church which has kept it? Are there not many amongst us, who, had it been in their own power, would have exactly reversed the relations which the Prayer-Book assigns to the different portions of Christian truth? Keep to the spirit of the Bible, and keep to the spirit of the Prayer-Book; and then we may be sure that one truth will not be unduly strained by bearing a weight which can only be carried by many at once. We may not be right in all particulars, but the general frame and structure of our minds will then be according to the due proportion of the faith of the Gospel of Christ, and the faith of the Church of these realms. If this be a true remedy for much perplexity, much bitterness, much error in religion, much viciousness in life, at any rate it is, or it ought to be, no new remedy. Let me conclude in the words of an old divine, much respected in his day, words with but very slight alteration applicable to ourselves,—to yourselves, to myself, to every one of us. 666 My lot falling in this unhappy age, where ' in the best Church and Religion in the world are in such apparent danger of being crucified, 'like their blessed Author, between those two 'thieves, Superstition and Enthusiasm," (if these quaint phrases fail to express any extremes of which we are afraid, then take others; his meaning is still the same, "between the two extremes of opposite error")""seeing this danger, I thought myself obliged 'not to sit still as an unconcerned spectator 'of the tragedy, but in my little sphere, and 'according to my poor ability, to endeavour 'its prevention; and considering that the 'most effectual means' our enemies have against us 'is by engaging our zeal (which 'was wont to be employed to better purposes) ' in hot disputes about the circumstances and 'modes of worship, I thought a discourse of 'the Christian Life, which is the proper sphere ' of Christian zeal, might be a good expedient 'to take men off from their dangerous conten'tions which were kindled, and are fed and 'blown by such as design our common ruin. 'For sure did our people throughly understand 'what it is to be Christians indeed, and how 6 T |