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SERMON.

1 TIMOTHY ii. 1, 2.

"I EXHORT, THEREFORE, THAT FIRST OF ALL, SUPPLICATIONS

PRAYERS, INTERCESSIONS, AND GIVING OF THANKS, BE MADE FOR ALL MEN; FOR KINGS, AND FOR ALL THAT ARE IN AUTHORITY; THAT WE MAY LEAD A QUIET AND PEACEABLE LIFE IN ALL GODLINESS AND HONESTY."

Ir is one of the peculiar excellencies of the religion of Christ, that it teaches its disciples how to conduct themselves under any conceivable circumstances in which they can possibly be placed in the pilgrimage of life. It teaches how to abound and how to suffer need: to be humble in prosperity and patient in adversity; it imparts to the soul of the believer that equanimity, calmness, and resignation, which all the philosophic schools of the ancients failed to secure to their followers in times of trouble and excitement: and whether he be afflicted from without or from within ; whether his fears and his hopes are called into action by private or public affairs, the believer has an anchor to his soul sure and steadfast; he knows that the Lord reigneth, that the wrath of the wicked only worketh His will, and that the remainder of it he will restrain. The feelings of the Psalmist, as recorded in 46th Psalm, express the confidence of every faithful Christian in seasons of national and political excitement; "God is our refuge and

strength, a very present help in trouble: therefore will we not fear though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof." He beholds Christ's spiritual church, the only true church, numbering among its numbers ALL

TRUE BELIEVERS OF EVERY DENOMINATION, ALL WHO LOVE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST in sincerity, and walk according to godliness; he beholds it and exclaims, v. 5. "God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge!" and then he listens to the delightful exhortation, "Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."

The holy confidence of the Psalmist, his devout reliance upon the God of promise and faithfulness in seasons of difficulty and alarm, well accord with the practical exhortations of the apostle, exhortations always needful, but more particularly so in such seasons as the present. And while there are some even of professing Christians, who do not like to be reminded of their duties, and who esteem all practical exhortations unnecessary and legal, I humbly conceive that the ministers of God, the watchmen of the church, are bound in

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turbulent times, to remind Christians of their duties as citizens of the world, as members of the community, as men and as subjects; not by espousing any political party to make the pulpit an arena of carnal disputation, or an engine of state intrigue; not to increase the fever of excitement, but to allay it; not to give an additional edge to the rancour of conflicting opinions, but to pour oil upon the troubled waters of life, and to enforce with meekness, wisdom, and love, the more quiet, unostentatious, and spiritual duties of the pious believer in stirring times. I I pray God that what may be advanced to day may be for His glory, for the comfort and edification of His people, for the furtherance of truth, and for the allaying of the turbulent passions of mankind.

What then is the primary duty which St. Paul enforces in his apostolic charge to his son Timothy? What is the direction of him who had suffered the loss of all things by persecution, who had jeoparded his life continually among the bitterest enemies of the gospel, and who was living under the tyrannical sway of the most blood thirsty of the Roman emperors? I EXHORT, THERE

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FORE, THAT FIRST OF ALL, SUPPLICATIONS, PRAYERS, INTERCESSIONS, AND GIVING OF THANKS, BE MADE FOR ALL

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MEN." Now, I fear that that duty which the apostle here inculcates, as FIRST OF ALL," is the last of all which many discharge, many who are most active in the defence of

the religion established in this country. Amidst the din of the present political outcry, who has heard the still small voice of prayer? What admonition has been given, entreating all who fear God to carry the cause of His gospel to the throne of grace, and to defend His spiritual church from all the attacks of his enemies? I doubt not that some holy hands have been lifted up in secret to Him who alone can calm the tempest, and say to the stormy passions of men peace be still. But can we hope this of many who imagine themselves to be the most staunch champions of orthodoxy, and the boldest defenders of the faith? We judge no man; but let all beware of wielding carnal weapons in defence of a spiritual cause; let us guard our minds and watch over our spirits, and be anxious to commend the cause which we may believe to be the cause of God, to Him who alone can give success, in earnest prayer, rather than by vehemence, uncharitableness, and political animosity, to disgrace the matter which we have in hand.

And observe for whom we are to praynot for our own little circle alone, not for one particular church, or denomination of Christians-nor for this form of religion or for that but FOR ALL MEN! Yes, for all men. I pity the narrow minded and crude religionist that cannot pray for all men, and preach the gospel to all men-and supplicate every temporal and spiritual blessing

for every human being! What have the secret decrees of God, made unknown to us, what have they to do with our conduct? It is the will of God that his mercy be offered to every creature, to every sinner-freely, without money and without price-for it is said of Him in verse 4, "that He will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth"-" He willeth not the death of the sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live;"—and though He has known and chosen His people from all eternity, it is not His decree that causeth any sinner to perish, but that sinner's own perverse heart and corrupt affections. Wherefore we have all joined in the scriptural petition of our Litany this day, "That it would please Thee to have mercy upon

all men.

But while this general supplication includes all, we may well enquire whether in our own minds we intended to include all: not our friends merely but our enemies; not those only who agree with us, but them also who differ from us. And when the apostle bids us offer these fervent supplications and prayers for all, he means for all men individually; for the miserable, the afflicted, and persecuted; for the prisoner and captive; for the ungodly and profane; for all those who are deluded by superstition and error; by ignorance and spiritual darkness. Here then again is a subject of enquiry. Do we pray continually and earnestly for them whose

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