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THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION BY THE STATE IS SCRIPTURAL.-No. I.

BY THE REV. G. THOMAS, A.B., INCUMBENT OF THORNTON, BRADFORD, YORKSHIRE.

(For the Village Churchman.)

IN our humble endeavour to do that which is right, we naturally turn our eyes to the Word of God. We mark what God has done, and required his people to do, in times past; and believing that what he once sanctioned and commanded must be right, we adopt and pursue the same at this day. Now, no sooner do we look into the Word of God than the thing which strikes us is, that the first Church which was set up by God was also, by his express command, an established Church. The Jewish Church was an established and an endowed Church. That this principle was to be confined to the Old Testament dispensation, is no where asserted. The contrary is implied. Our assertion is, that the principles of an established Church, as such, are not so opposed to the will of an unchanging God, as modern objectors would have us to believe.

The Church, under both dispensations, is represented under the significant emblems of "a crown and a royal diadem." (Isaiah lxii. 3.) Crowns and diadems are used as outward emblems of authority, and as bearing witness to the power of him who is invested with them. The Church must

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be visible to answer this end. A visible Church was formed, not only in the Old, but also in the New Testament. The Saviour did not leave any body, or every body to set up his kingdom: he chose twelve. To them he said, "As my Father hath sent me, so send I you." When they went forth commissioned for this work, they were not to allow any and every one to exercise the functions of the Church: certain were to be formally called and appointed to the work; and the caution was given-" Lay hands suddenly on no man." Some appointment to the office was necessary for the ministers, and some form of worship necessary for the people. We look into God's Word to see whether religion may be established under any form: we find it was once established by the express command of God. The command given by God to his ancient people was- "Let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them." (Exod. xxv. 8.) And surely it was an especial proof of his divine wisdom that he should incorporate in all the national institutions of that people, the sacred principles of what we may call the National Religion heaven was his throne, and the earth his footstool, and this his faithful people well knew. They knew, also, that he was about their beds, and about their path, and that they could no where go from his presence, or flee from his Spirit, and yet they strictly obeyed the Divine injunction which declared that there should be One National Sanctuary. The Sanctuary when built was placed in the midst of the camp, and the hosts of Israel pitched their tents around it; as if to show that a national religion was the heart of the whole community.

This national Church was, moreover, an endowed Church, for it was fixed by law what every Priest and every Levite, attending upon the Church service, should receive: of which all may satisfy themselves by referring to Num. xviii. 8-13. This did not hinder the people from making voluntary offerings, as may be seen on the occasion of rearing the Tabernacle, &c., but still the maintenance of religion was not left to the fluctuating whims of men ;-it was provided for.

And besides all this, the Church was so connected with the State that the reigning monarch could interpose to regulate its ministers and its services. David regulated the courses of the Priests and the changes of the Levites. Solomon deposed Abiathar, and substituted Zadoc in his place. Josiah restored the passover. And in doing all this, they did what it was their duty to do.

Here is our warrant-we derive it from God's own word; and what the unchanging God has once done cannot be essentially wrong. And if it be objected that there was something peculiar and exclusive in the Old Testament; we ask, what then is the meaning of that prophetic declaration concerning the Church in Gospel days, and when under the Christian dispensation it should be extended to the Gentile world" And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and queens thy nursing mothers?" Does this forbid the monarch who sits upon our throne in these Gospel days from patronizing, endowing, providing for, and supporting, in every way, the Gospel of Christ? Does it forbid a nation acting in its national capacity from making provision for the extension of this Gospel? So say the non-conformists of these days; but let them listen to the commentary on this text of one who, as a Christian, had no party to support, but that which belonged to God. The words of this good man run thus:"The Christian Church, after a long captivity, was happy in some such kings and queens as Constantine, and his mother Helena; and afterwards, Theodosius, and others, who nursed the Church with all possible care and tenderness. Whenever the sceptre of Government is put into the hands of religious princes, then this promise is fulfilled. The Church in this world is in an infant state, and it is in the power of princes and magistrates to do it a great deal of service; it is happy when they do so, and when their power is a praise to them that do well." *

The same we maintain. We declare it to be a truth of the Bible, that in countenancing, supporting, and establishing religion, the State is doing what it is in duty bound to do. In short, that the establishing of religion by the State, is scriptural.-See, by the same author, "National Duties." Seeley, London.

(To be continued.)

THE SABBATH BREAKER, AND THE SABBATH OBSERVER.

BY JOSEPH FEARN.

(For the Village Churchman.)

Ir was Saturday evening, and the sun was tinging with yellow gold the old tower of an ancient church in the north, when two working men were walking home to their own * Matthew Henry's Commentary on Isaiah xlix. 23.

village from an adjacent town, in which, during the week, they had been employed.

Thomas Rogers was an industrious workman in an extensive factory, and by dint of perseverance, and by means of good conduct, honesty, and soberness, had gained the esteem and favour of his employer: he was a man of good understanding, which had been improved and cultivated by the reading of proper books, in which way he occupied much of his little leisure after his work was finished in the evening of the day. These books were not productions calculated to render the poor man unfit for the performance of the humble and active duties of his situation: no scientific or philosophical works were found in his possession, or were ever studied by him, except it were some important treatise on mechanics-a thing necessary to be read by persons employed as Rogers was; but he read much plain and wholesome instruction, either from the Book of God itself or from other books written by biblical authors who based their sentiments on the Word of inspired truth. The Bible was the delight of this excellent workman's heart, and possessing a good natural memory, familiar with copious extracts from its sacred pages, and shewed oftentimes no very mean judgment in applying to circumstances the results of his reading.

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William Brown, the other workman, was a person very different character and disposition of mind: though a man of activity in his business, and regular withal in his work, yet he was a man whose mind was most differently constituted —he being an individual who knew but little, and never took the trouble to seek after acquiring more knowledge. He was ignorant on the subject of religion-he knew nothing of the Bible; and therefore his conduct was not moulded after the law of God or the requirements of Christianity: his Sundays were either spent in the ale-house or the society of mean and wicked men, or as one of a party of sabbath breakers, who excuse themselves for the desecration of the sacred day by pleading the hard labour or confinement of the six days of the week. Sometimes Brown was to be seen rowing a pleasure boat on the water; at other times he was reclining, with others like himself, on some grassy hillock where they had met to feast off provisions they had brought from their homes on an excursion of pleasure up the country; and often was he carousing in the village inn with the lowest companions, while his wife and children were neglected, and suffered in some other way to defile tle hallowed hours of God's blessed day.

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