world know; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."

Matt. v. This chapter contains many moral principles and precepts which are directly opposed to the principles on which civil governments are founded; indeed, it would be "impossible to maintain the existence of civil government under the practical execution of these principles." "Ye have heard it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, Resist not evil. Ye have heard it said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you.' We have already shewn, that these and many other similar moral duties cannot be preserved and acted upon under human legislation. C Let it not be replied, that these are mere moral principles for individual conduct. What can possibly be meant by such a distinction? Does Jesus lay down one kind of morality for individuals, and another for nations or societies? Does he give one principle of morality to be acted upon in private, and quite a contrary one to be used in public? Impious insinnation! What dangerous consequences would such a view of the moral teaching of Jesus produce if consistently carried out! "Ye have heard it said of old time, Thou shalt not kill. whoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of judgment.' What! does this direction have reference only to "individual conduct and private life"? So it is right, then, is it, for nations of men, or bands of murderers, to kill and to destroy? So,

"One murder makes a villain,

Thousands a hero"?

Is this the religion of Jesus?

But I say,

"Ye have heard it said of old time, Thou shalt not

commit adultery: but I say, That whosoever looketh on a woman with improper desires, hath committed adultery already in his heart." So these moral principles are for individual conduct and private life only, are they? This is indeed a licence for all that public wickedness, in high places, with which history so fully abounds. Kings, magistrates, and communities, may wallow in adultery and murder, may curse their enemies and take eye for eye and tooth for tooth, because these teachings of Jesus are mere moral principles for individuals in private life. Good God! how will not men reason when blinded by the maxims of this world? Followers of Jesus, be not children in understanding. The principles and precepts of your Master must follow you into every circumstance in life, and when you see you cannot follow politics, and at the same time adhere to his doctrines, hesitate not, but follow him whithersoever he goeth, that ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven. Politics may be necessary for the children of this world, and they may consistently pursue its maxims; but if you love them who love you only, what reward have you? do not even politicians (civil officers) the same? and if ye salute your brother only, what do ye more than people of the world; do not even they the same? "But be ye perfect.” But, furthermore, is it not strange that should endeavour, not only to make a distinction about the general and individual application of these principles, but also to limit them to private or social life, when they are put by Jesus in juxta-position with the judicial system of Moses? Why then not acknowledge them to be like all the laws of Jesus, the rule for the Christian in every circumstance of life?

any

Civil governments cannot be carried on under the practical execution of such principles: with them an eye for an eye may be necessary; but your duty, as be

lievers, is to "recompense to no man evil for evil," to avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath; and "resist not evil, but overcome evil with good;" therefore you must have nothing to do with civil governments. The world may despise you for such a resolution ; they may be unable to understand the pure and heavenly principles by which you are guided. Heed not their condemnation-look to your high calling of God in Christ "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not."

Jesus.

"Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds; for if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him; for the Inst of the eyes and the pride of life cometh not from the Father, but is of the world." "But pure religion, and undefiled before God and the Father, is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their afflictions, and to keep unspotted from the world." "For the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches and power, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful."

In these and many similar passages we learn how dangerous worldly pursuits are, and how inimical they are to the love of God and the service of Christ; here we learn, that the lust of the eyes and the pride of life--and what answers to these things so well as political, vain, ambitious pursuits, love of pre-eminence and rule ?-is not of the Father, but of the world. Here we learn the nature of our duties: if we are anxious "to do good," or if this be our cry and our excuse, here we see in what manner it is to be performed; visit the fatherless and widows.in affliction, and keep unspotted from the world. Here are

no speculative modes of doing good; here is no aiming at uncertainty to do good by wholesale; here will be

no gross "humiliating failure of an aim," no "complete reverse of all anticipated results," no "bright expectations of public benefit met by blank disappointment." Here will be at last no vain boastings of "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name done many wonderful works?" but here is plain duty and a plain reward annexed,-inasmuch as ye did it to one of the least of these my brethren ye did it unto me. "Beware, then, lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."

Let us, friends, look forward with lively hopes, and let us prepare, by a constant study of the laws of God, for that glorious period, when all civil authority and power shall be banished from the earth, when "the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of the Lord and of his Christ." Revelations xi. 15.

BAD CONSEQUENCES.

I cannot forbear a few remarks on the lamentable consequences to the cause of religion by believers engaging in political pursuits.

Far be it from me to fear the consequences of any line of conduct, if it be a line marked out by duty, if it be a path trod by Jesus and sanctioned by his teachings; I would say, Follow it withersoever it may lead. But if a certain course of conduct is not thus sanctioned, nay, but on the contrary, opposed to the religion of Jesus, and all primitive example, evil consequences are not only what we might expect to find, but ought to be received with considerable weight in support of the position that the course from whence they arise should not be pursued. In short, I ask, whether they ought not to decide any doubt which might even hang over the principle itself? If you doubt whether the existence and principles of the

church of God and the example of Jesus exclude all eunion and interference with the kingdoms of the world, look to the consequences of such interference; and if those consequences are dangerous and bad, you must certainly remain unjustified in risking or promoting them in the absence of all authority and command.

We have shewn in this address that the church of God Bis an organized family, united for the great purposes of moral and spiritual improvement; that the ultimate object of such union is future happiness; that we live in this world for the purpose of preparing for a better, and that the means are the principles and laws of Jesus; that this is a work which requires our constant attention, constant watchfulness over one another, uniform kindness and as sistance one towards another; constant attention to our own characters, states of mind, dispositions, affections, and passions, for without this we shall never be presented a pure and glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. We have said from scripture, that these things cannot be done by any one who "entangleth himself with the affairs of this life," and we will now point out a few particulars in which this is manifest. That politics are, inimical to the performance of these moral and religious duties, that they are in themselves delusive and dangerous, we extract the following admission of politicians themselves.

In the Van Dieman's Land Almanack, which is circulated throughout this country under the authority and sanction of Lord Brougham and other distinguished statesmen, under "Advice to Emigrants," is the following article:

"Beware of becoming a politician, or of belonging to party; an Emigrant should leave all things of this sort in the country to which he has bid adieu. He cannot afford to have his mind or his time divided between what his new avocations demand of him and such pursuits as these. Let an Emigrant once take a greater interest in cobbling