other words, a pure and apostolical portion of Christ's Holy Catholic Church ; and if the present time, the course of this world now transpiring be, with reference to us in the above capacity “such a time” as the crisis we have been contemplating was to them, then are we individually, and to the extent of our respective abilities, equally with Esther, the parties charged by Mordecai's warning voice; and if we hold our peace, are as much “ fore-ordained” in his denouncement to what would have been, in that case, her “ condemnation,” as the “ungodly men,” in St. Jude's days, were to the two several condemnations of “ Cain and Balaam,” by “ going in the way of the one,” and “ running greedily after the error of the other a." For God's judgments—His decisions upon human conduct-recorded in the Sacred Oracles, whether pronounced by Himself or by His servants, are there promulgated for our admonition, and, equally with His laws, are parts and parcels of the sacred code ordained for our rule and governance.

Now it is clear from St. Paul, that to the trvo religious classes of Jew and Gentile, into which the world was divinely distributed under the former dispensation, a third was added immediately upon the promulgation of the gospel; for, writing to the Corinthians, and charging them to “ give none offence," he thus particularizes the parties contemplated in his prohibition, “ neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God”;” and, if we seek further acquaintance with this newly-created community, we shall find it to be a people called out from both the other two divisions of mankind, who, receiving Christ, and him crucified, as the wisdom and the power of God, were made by baptism one body in him, and, in virtue of this incorporation, “ Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise b.” Of this community, church, or kingdom, it is equally clear that somewhere or other it is now existing in the world, for Christ's promise is express, that his kingdom shall have no end; and further, that it is as much separated and distinguished from all other bodies of men as the Jews were of old from all other nations, for not only are there transferred to it, as is set forth by St. Peter, those distinctive designations of " a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people," which God himself ascribed to Israel, to set it up on high, and proclaim its pre-eminence above all the earth"; but, together with these ascriptions, there are transferred also, though not the identical prerogatives of Judaism, yet prerogatives corres

ponding with those of that economy, the very substances of its shadows-the law of faith, the gospel of Jesus Christ, instead of the law of works, as its charter of incorporation--the Christian priesthood instead of that of Moses, but by its triple order of ministry assimulated to it, as its dispensing officers and the sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist, instead of those of Circumcision and the Passover, as its federal institutions-and thus is it rendered as well defined and as conspicuous, as Israel's chosen race, yea, conformably to our Lord's declaration, as the great luminary in the heavens to all “ whose minds the God of this world has not blinded b» to its marvellous light.

The first question then growing out of the text, in reference to its application to ourselves, may now be decided in the affirmative, beyond all reasonable dispute; for THE FAITH-THE MINISTRY

—and THE SACRAMENTS — the lavishments of God's predilection upon his church-and the instruments of that mighty working by which its great salvation is imparted, the same in essence, though differently modified, under the former and the present dispensations, are therefore, in every age, the divine vouchers of its identity throughout the whole of its earthly course; and being still, through God's mercy, the distinguishing privileges of our

communion, preserved in their intents, * mer delivered to the saints," are our livine w esen also, intelligible to all, that we me a mira part of that holy fellowship of the me m family with the Jews in the stars i children of Abraham in common vittu tien t also of the promises—the people are casa

So far then it appears we are genomaa. Llu rested in Mordecai's expostulation. The completely home to us, our researÍTE S A circumstances with reference to Sur 19 91AA of the Catholic Church, must alss samen 44 though, on first glancing upon a tilt > vious discrepancy presents itsell, a, so wie of hatred so revolting to humanita sa m petrated, as the promulging a sus tinira nation against our whole esmannen spiritual wickedness, constituting, he way o bitterness in this sanguinary seurs en 6 be abroad amongst us, and in se on, compassing the same enda, mi a dnes ingen; by circumvention and intrige

The times of Julian we ees terized in this positioa: Eux , wystan Christianity, in the curse su u ovom the church, studioast Manik bio in and direct persecution. Ha Hausae, as t'n* .". rence to religion, that sucina se v potnih tore, " ; leaves to every man full maj-1,7m.

ponding with those of that economy, the very substances of its shadows--the law of faith, the gospel of Jesus Christ, instead of the law of works, as its charter of incorporation-the Christian priesthood instead of that of Moses, but by its triple order of ministry assimulated to it, as its dispensing officers and the sacraments of Bap: tism and the Eucharist, instead of those of Circumcision and the Passover, as its federal institutions-and thus is it rendered as well defined and as conspicuous, as Israel's chosen race, yea, conformably to our Lord's declaration a, as the great luminary in the heavens to all “ whose minds the God of this world has not blinded b» to its marvellous light.

The first question then growing out of the text, in reference to its application to ourselves, may now be decided in the affirmative, beyond all reasonable dispute; for The FAITH-THE MINISTRY -and THE SACRAMENTS — the lavishments of God's predilection upon his church-and the instruments of that mighty working by which its great salvation is imparted, the same in essence, though differently modified, under the former and the present dispensations, are therefore, in every age, the divine vouchers of its identity throughout the whole of its earthly course; and being still, through God's mercy, the distinguishing privileges of our