though a less perceptible manner, assure them of His presence.

There is not now, we must confess, in every minister, that share of knowlege to preserve his judgment from error, and his memory from unfaithfulness: the "signs of an Apostle" are not now so astonishing, as once they were but even unto the present Ministers of the Christian Church, "some Grace," we are persuaded, "is given;" they, the Fawful Pastors of the Church of England, have, it may be presumed, "the "Spirit of God;" not less of that Spirit surely, than many of their adversaries, because less bold and confident in their pretensions to it.

They pretend not, indeed as some others do-tó an infallible assistance, which they who challenge it the loudest, can neither tell us where we are to fix, nor how we are to use it, and by the grossest mistakes and superstitions of their own, have abundantly convinced us that they want it most. They, indeed, dare not take those indecent liberties with the Blessed Spirit, which those of the separation so audaciously practise; and which, after all their boasted familiarity, they are so very little the better for, that, for any thing we can see, they are neither the wiser in their understandings, nor the more charitable in their tempers.

No! far, very far from our Church, be the sin, and the confidence of such unjustifiable pretensions; as undoubted arguments, whereever they are found, of a false religion, as they are scandalous and hurtful to the honor of the true one.

But this unquestionably, without arrogance, may be said, if in these latter ages of the Christian Church, there be yet sufficient manifestation of the Spirit, in the

knowlege,

knowlege, the piety, and the courage of its Ministers, there is not one of these, in which the Church of England is at this day inferior to any other whatsoever, in the Christian World; none, in which she does not excel many, in which she does not equal all.

In a just and regular interpretation of the Gospeland we of this Church pretend not to reveal onewhat divines haye labored more successfully than our own? In what order of men are the gifts and graces of the Spirit more conspicuous, than in the regular ministry of the Established Church; where the virtues of much the greater part are eminent, and excel; and where even the most unworthy are not yet so bad, as those very men themselves could wish them, who complain so loudly that they are no better? And then for the zeal, and patience, and courage of its ministry"for these also worketh the self-same Spirit"-they have been more than once obliged to their enemies for occasions to distinguish them, who seem all along to have taken particular care, that " as they have " abounded in every thing besides, in faith, in know"lege, and in utterance," so they should more especially abound in these graces also."

And as long as we are thus assured of the benefits of this assistance, we may be humbly confident, there will never be wanting in many of God's ministers, a spirit of wisdom to defend his Gospel, and, if occasion should require, of resolution to suffer for it.

The third and last advantage to the Church from our Saviour's promise to it, in the text, is that immediate providence and protection, by which He has graciously undertaken to provide for its security.

Our

Our Saviour, when He first established His king. dom upon earth, "so laid the foundations of it, that "it never should be moved at any time: Upon this rock," saith He, will I build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

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Upon this rock it stood," and sustained the dreadful shock of the death and sufferings of the Son of God himself, when men and devils had, successfully, conspired to smite the shepherd, and disperse the sheep:" even then God suffered not those powers to prevail; hell could no more destroy the Church, than detain its Founder, who quickly rose again to take possession of the power he was then, immediately, to receive for its advantage, and even now continues to employ in its defence.

May the Clergy, the ministers of the Church," con"sider the Apostle and High Priest of their profes

sion, Jesus Christ; and may they, like Him, be "holy, harmless, separated from sinners, and faithful "in all things unto Him that hath appointed them; "that so when He shall come again to visit" the shepherds of His flock, and the stewards of His family, they may give up their accounts with joy," and present unto Him that part of his Church committed to their care, as pure and as unspotted, as this imperfect state would suffer it, no longer now to be torn with heresy, and defiled by sin; but to be like His own,

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a glorious body, without spot, or wrinkle, or any "such thing;" its members united to themselves, and to their Head, in perfect love and knowlege, and "in "the fulness of that joy which proceeds from Him "that filleth all in all !"

SERMON

SERMON XVII.

ST. SIMON AND ST. JUDE

THERE are two Saints commemorated by the Church this day. The first is Simon, sirnamed the Canaanite (Matt. x. 4.) and Zelotes (Luke vi. 15. Acts i. 18.) which two names are the same, for the Hebrew word Canaan signifies a Zelot. There was a sect of men called Zelots, about the time of Christ in Judea, who, out of a pretended zeal for God's honor, would commit the most grievous outrages; they would choose and ordain high priests out of the basest of the people, and murder men of the principal dignity. It is probable, that Simon, before his conversion and call, might be of this sect; or however some fire and fierceness. in his temper gave occasion for his being called the Zelot. He was one of the twelve Apostles, and related to our Blessed Lord; either his half brother, being one of Joseph's sons by another wife; or cousin by his mother's side. Most certain this is that Simon, which is meant-" are not His brethren, "James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas ?" After our Saviour's Ascension he is recorded to have preached the Gospel in Mesopotamia, and also in Egypt and Africa. He is also said to have extended his mission as far as Britain. He suffered martyrdom in Persia.

Jude, the other Apostle, whose memory is this day observed, was one of the twelve Aposles, brother to James (Judas), and, therefore, bore the same relation with him to our

Saviour.

Saviour. He was that James mentioned in the passage before cited" are not His brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas ?" He had two sirnames, one was Thaddæus, which seems to be only a small alteration of Judas, and is derived from the same root in Hebrew as Judas is. Lebbæus is derived from an Hebrew word, which signifies Heart. He preached the Gospel with his brother in Mesopotamia, Arabia, Idumæa, &c. and suffered martyrdom at Berythus.

1 TIM. iii. 19.

Holding the mystery of the Faith in a pure conscience.

A

LL the use I design to make of these words is, to introduce a discourse upon the subject of the ATHANASIAN Creed. It is appointed by our Church to be read several times in the year, and among the rest on this day it contains an excellent summary of the Christian Faith, concerning the Trinity of Persons in the Godhead, and the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ; and should not, therefore, be repeated without understanding; and some persons are apt to express a dislike of it, though they pretend to believe the doctrines which it contains. Upon all which accounts it cannot be improper to make some observations upon it, partly to vindicate its use, and partly to explain its meaning.

I am not now to prove the truth of the doctrines, but the expediency of the Creed.

* Dr. Horbery.

The