firm and undaunted boldness which we naturally look for from conscious innocence alone. And it is not until he is informed that he was to be deprived of his kingdom, that we find him declaring to Samuel, from the influence, probably not of penitence, but of terror, "I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commands of the Lord, and thy words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice."

And how frequently, my brethren, do we per- | IV. That while Saul was, in truth, guilty ceive minds skilled in the investigation of of a complicated act of disobedience to the will of science, accurate in the discrimination of character, God, he had yet so completely suppressed the and quicksighted in the detection of the errors of dictates of his conscience that he appears to have others, yet utterly blind to their own follies and possessed no inconsiderable degree of self-complavices, and viewing every thing connected with cency, on the review of his own conduct. I do themselves through a false and distorted medium. not say that he was entirely convinced that he had Our moral constitution, corrupted as it is, still acted in an upright and conscientious manner. prevents us from contemplating, calmly and steadi- The circumstance of his imputing the seizing of ly, our own sins, in all their magnitude and atro- the spoil altogether to the people, and not to himcity. We quickly turn away from the appalling self, seems to shew that he entertained, at least, a vision, we strive to discover alleviations of our latent doubt of the propriety of the action which guilt, or excuses for having wandered from the he had permitted, if not decidedly commanded or path of virtue; acute and perverted is the inge- encouraged. Yet still he does not shrink from the nuity of self-deceit. The man of the world lowers sight of the holy Samuel. He meets him with the standard of Christian morals, denies the obliga- the accents of cheerfulness and joy. He even tion of the difficult, yet exalted qualities of self- boasts of his own conduct, "I have performed the denial, superiority to the objects of sense, meek- commandment of the Lord." When Samuel reness, forgiveness of injuries, and heavenly-mind- minds him of his transgression, he strenuously deedness, which God hath enjoined in his Word; or fends himself and his people. Even after the he strives completely to cast them into the shade, messenger of the Most High had begun to deliver dwells on the useful actions or deeds of beneficence the denunciations of the divine judgments, his he has performed, while he examines not into the mind continues still hardened; no confession of motives from whence they have emanated; ex-guilt proceeds from his lips; but there is all the cuses his every error as proceeding from constitutional infirmity, the influence of education, or the power of temptation; and viewing his whole character in the aggregate, he exults in the thought that he is infinitely superior to the majority of those around him, and that, if he is condemned, fearful indeed must be the lot of others. Another class of individuals boldly reject the grand peculiarities of the Christian system; substitute their own works for the righteousness of the Saviour; It is an error, my friends, into which we often their acts of devotion for that blood which clean- fall, to suppose that an irreligious man is always seth from all sin; their spurious morality for the conscious of his real condition, and is consequentdivine precepts of the religion of Jesus; their ly the victim of secret gloom and melancholy. own wisdom for that which descendeth from above, It is true that the open profligate, until he is and their own strength for that omnipotent power entirely given over to a reprobate mind, cannot which worketh in man to will and to do of God's bear to survey his own character; avoids the soligood pleasure. And many who stand high in tary chamber; shuns even the quiet stillness of dowhat is sometimes termed the religious world, can mestic life, and shrinks from communion with his talk fluently of their frames and feelings, can dis- heart. It is true that he has his hours of deep cuss with considerable ingenuity, and boundless and poignant remorse, and that even the shaking dogmatism, subjects the most abstruse and myste- leaf may inspire him with terror. But not so the rious, and on which the wisest and best may often man who, though a stranger to true religion, is yet conscientiously differ; can descant on the merits conscious to himself that he is possessed of inor demerits of particular ministers, and the wis- flexible integrity; that he is distinguished by high dom or the folly of certain forms of Church dis-minded and chivalrous honour; that he disdains to cipline and government, and may both appear and actually be extremely zealous for what they term the cause of truth, while they habitually neglect the plainest duties of social and domestic life; are unkind husbands, undutiful wives, careless parents, disobedient children, rigorous masters, or dishonest servants, and seem utterly to neglect the cultivation of all those amiable and benevolent dispositions, which shone with so conspicuous a lustre in the character of that divine teacher, whom they profess to reverence and love. And yet, my brethren, while their conduct is thus defective and guilty, they may be, in a great measure, insensible to their own errors, and may hardly entertain any dread of the judgments of heaven. And this brings me to remark,

utter the language of falsehood and deceit; that he performs many a kind and beneficent action; that he is the object of the warmest affection to his family and friends, and that he is esteemed and respected by all around him. Persuaded of his own excellence in the performance of the second table of the Moral Law, he seldom thinks of the high and holy duties that he owes his God and Saviour; or if he does, he is satisfied with the thought that he is not an unbeliever; that he has been admitted by baptism a member of the Christian Church; that he has received the memorials of redeeming love; that he is not altogether negligent of religious duties, nor completely ungrateful for the divine benefits. The world approves his actions, and he doubts

not the soundness of its verdict.

He compares his conduct with that of many in the circle in which he moves, and he feels his own proud superiority. In affliction, he congratulates himself on the remembrance of what he calls a well-spent life. In death, he looks forward to heaven as the reward of his virtues. It is not unfrequent for the ministers of Religion to behold persons of this description quitting the world with little anxiety, and no dread; and while they perceive the humble follower of the Lamb, at times afraid to meet the Ged of purity, and trembling from a sense of his own unworthiness, while he yet cleaves with all his heart to the merits of his Saviour, they sometimes hear the mere moralist confidently expressing his hope and expectation of future blessedness.

dience to the divine command. His own heart, we have seen, was filled with pride and vain glory. He probably enjoyed the applauses of his people. He looked forward to distinction and honour, and anticipated many happy days in the land of the living. But the judgment of God often differs from that of man, and while the poor and lowly may be the objects of his regard, those who are highly esteemed in the world, are despised before him. The prophet Samuel is appointed to remind the monarch of his guilt, and to pronounce the sentence of heaven's wrath. "When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel? And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord? Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice; and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king. The Lord hath rent the

it to a neighbour of thine, that is better than thou. And also the Strength of Israel, will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man that he should repent." We pursue not the history of this sinful and infatuated individual, but only remark, that the sentence of God was executed upon him in all its just and merited severity.

Similar is often the case with the proud and self-righteous professor of Christianity. His religion does not indeed curb the influence of unbridled appetite, or the violence of ungoverned passion; it does not inspire that peace of God which passeth all understanding; it does not impart that purity of mind and sanctity of character which is heaven begun upon earth; nor does it communicate that hope which is full of immortality. Still, in life and in death, he is ready to say to all around, "stand back, for I am holier than thou;" he exults in the extent of his religious knowledge; in the orthodoxy of the opinions he has main-kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given tained; the high estimation in which he has been held by the pious and the good; the regularity of his devotions, and his zealous exertions for the extension of the Church, or sect with which he is connected, or the dissemination of the Gospel in heathen lands. He is amongst the number of those whom God, by the mouth of his prophet, describes as at ease in Zion. He mistakes profession for principle, and the form of godliness for its power; and he goes down to his grave, "saying peace, peace, when there is no peace, and when sudden destruction is ready to come upon him." Well might our Lord declare that the publican and the harlot enter into the kingdom of heaven before the proud Pharisee. The former, though often suppressing religious conviction and impression, and hardening their hearts in scenes of wickedness, yet if once brought to reflection on the bed of sickness, or in the house of mourning, feel that they have no merit to cling to in themselves, and are sometimes led to seek an interest in the love of that Being who came into this world to save even the chief of sinners. But the latter are placed in the miserable condition of the Church of Laodicea. "They say that they are rich and increased in goods, and have need of nothing, and know not that they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." But though vain and foolish man may delude himself and others, he cannot deceive God. An hour of solemn retribution is at hand. It sometimes begins in this world, and its awful termination will extend to the mighty ages of eternity. And this leads me to direct your attention,

V. To the signal punishment which was inflicted upon the king of Israel, for his disobe

The awful fate of the king of Israel affords a striking and impressive lesson to the man of the world, the mere moralist, or him who halts between two opinions. They may be possessed of many qualities that are dignified and honourable, fair and amiable, pleasing and attractive. They may receive the plaudits of their fellow mortals; they may be hailed as the patriots and benefactors of their country; and even their own consciences, deluded by the specious appearance of virtue without its reality, may approve their conduct, and inspire them with the hope of joys beyond the grave; but the period shall arrive, when their spirits must wing their flight to the invisible world, and appear in the presence of Him who looketh not at the outward appearance, but judgeth the thoughts and intents of the heart. The veil is now removed, the mask is for ever torn away. That morality is utterly unavailing in the records of immortality which springs not from love to God. Those acts of piety, or deeds of virtue, are vain and delusive, which were not kindled at the foot of the Saviour's cross, and were not supported by the power of his grace. How empty at that solemn hour will all human distinctions and all worldly glory appear. "Vanity of vanities," will indeed be engraven upon them all.

How tremendous then shall be the doom of the

ditary, they are held in much respect by the great body of the people, and possess particular privileges, which protect them from the operation of taxes, and personal national Church are under the direction and managecorporal punishment. All matters connected with the ment of the Holy Synod at St. Petersburg, and a subordinate court at Moscow. The Imperial family, the Russians, Cosaks, and a vast majority of the Servians, Lithuanians, Laplanders, Permians, Serjans, Votiaks, Ostiaks, Teptars, Georgians, Kistentsi, Kamptshadals, fixed as well as unsettled tribes, comprehending about Greeks, Moldavians, &c., with proselytes from several thirty-three millions of individuals, profess the Greek Religion.

The whole Russian clergy are divided into two classes, regular and secular. The first have exclusively the pri vilege of filling the highest dignities in the Church: they are ordained under much stricter vows, and are termed the black clergy, (thshornoe duchovenstvo,) from their wearing a black robe. The secular clergy have a brown or blue robe, and are denominated the white clergy, (beloi duchovenstvo.)

The Church is divided into eparchies, or (according to the translation) dioceses. Their number is discretionary, and entirely at the will of the sovereign. They are superintended by the following high dignities:1. Metropolitans. 2. Archbishops. 3. Bishops. These honours are not necessarily confined to any particular eparchy, but may be conferred according to the pleasure of the sovereign. That of metropolitan is bestowed only on the chiefs of the dioceses having charge of the two capitals, or of those of the former kingdoms, (or tsarstvo,) which are now incorporated with the empire.

false and hypocritical professors of Religion! Saul was chosen of God as king of Israel, he entered upon life with high professions of piety, and on one occasion we find him even among the prophets of the Lord, yet he died rejected by the Almighty, the fearful monument of his righteous displeasure. And our Saviour tells us of some who shall say to him at the last day," Have we not prophesied in thy name, in thy name cast out devils and done many wonderful works?" to whom he shall reply, "I never knew you, depart from me, ye workers of iniquity." Yes, my brethren, you may have known what the Gospel is; it may have approved itself to your understanding; it may have commended itself to your conscience; you may have had pleasure in hearing it preached; you may have defended it in your conversation, and you may have perused the writings of many pious authors, who have illustrated and enforced its truths; but if it has not led you to hate sin and love holiness; to live in habitual communion with Christ; to imbibe his spirit; to obey his law, and to submit with patience to his unerring providence; then however confident you may be of your own salvation, and however high your character in the Church of Christ, yet believe me, for I utter the solemn declaration of him who cannot lie, when I tell you that your profession is insincere, that your Religion is unavailing, and that if a saving change is not effected upon your character, you In ancient times their number was limited to four. can never enter within the gates of the New Jerusa- The first classes of the clergy are, under their general lem. I know that to many these may appear hard denomination, called Archirei, or prelates; next in desayings. But the only enquiry is, are they true?gree, the Archimandrits and Igumens, or abbots and are they agreeable to the word of God? If they comprehended the monks, who were either ordained priors of the monasteries; and in the third class are are, it is our highest kindness to make them for the priestly office, for the second degree or diaconknown to you, ere your doom is fixed and sealed ate, or are mere lay brothers without having taken the for ever. Go then, my brethren, and commune Vow. The secular clergy, not having taken the vow, with your own hearts, and carefully enquire whecan only attain higher dignities in the Church after they have become widowers, and received the tonsure. Their ther you are dealing deceitfully with the Lord, or gradations are as follows. are presenting before his altar, the cheerful obedience of faith and love. Go, resolved to give your whole soul to God, and to consecrate to his service all the energies of your mind, and all the actions of your life. Go, raising the eye of faith to the cross of your Redeemer, that there you may behold all the attractive loveliness of his character, and all the unsearchable power and riches of his mercy and grace. Go, and with a holy importunity, implore that the blessed spirit may descend upon you, may take up his abode in your heart, and bring every thought and desire into captivity to the obedience of Christ. He that asks shall receive, he that seeks shall find, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

They are represented in the synod by an upper or head Svastshenic, a rank instituted by Paul I. The next in degree are the Protories, or high priests, who have the general superintendence of cathedrals, or other principal churches. Then Svastshenic, or priest; next the deacons, then the deacons' assistants, and lastly the Ponomars, the lowest class of the secular clergy, whose duties, as a body, are peculiarly laborious.

Some centuries after the first introduction of Chris

tianity into Russia, the influence and power of the patriarch of Constantinople began to decline. Vladimir II. (Monomachus) laid the foundation of the independent authority of the Church in Russia, by enacting, that for politan of all the Russias. The succeeding great dukes the future one of the bishops should be chosen metrocaused these metropolitans to be invested by the Russian bishops themselves; and on the 22d January 1589, Fedor Vassilievitch gave his people, for the first time, a patriarch of their own, who was consecrated and acknowledged at Moscow by the patriarch of Constantinople. This dignity in the Church continued from 1589 to the 27th November 1720, when it became vacant by the death of Adrian, and was done away with for the future by Peter I. A sacred council was appointed for a short period, and on the 25th February 1721 the Holy Synod was established, and denominated by Peter a permanent assembly of the Church," which has continued in activity ever since. This high office, in common with every other, is under the sovereign. On

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the other hand, all the prelates and inferior branches, | as well as every thing connected with the Greek Church, are under the control of the synod. The emperor appoints the members of the synod, and is thus in the strictest sense head of the Church. Among the temporal members, the head of the synod is the only one who has a dissenting vote.

The clergy from time immemorial possessed considerable property in land, of which they had the charge, and enjoyed the revenue arising from it. Catharine I. in 1726, attached a particular office to the synod, for the management of the agricultural concerns of the clergy. Anne confirmed this arrangement in 1736 and 1738. It met, further, with the entire concurrence of Peter III., who, by two ukazes of the 16th February and 20th March 1762, ordered, moreover, that no person should be received into a monastery, either in Great or Little Russia, without the special permission of the sovereign. Catharine II. appointed, in 1763, a particular commission, composed of regular and secular members, to examine into and regulate the property of the Church. The result appeared in an ukaze which was promulgated on the 24th February 1764, by which it was enacted, that the administration of the lands of the clergy in Great Russia, with the slaves attached to them, be given over to a separate and distinct commission for that purpose, and a proportionate assessment made for the behoof of the clergy, on all classes of the community. The church lands, which had for centuries appertained to the clergy, where there were no slaves attached to the soil, as well as their lands in Little Russia, were to remain as before. At present all the branches of the clergy, with a view to the more convenient distribution of their revenues, are divided into seven classes, whose whole income exceeds seven millions of rubles.

is separated from the nave by a screen, on which are pictures of our Saviour, virgin, apostles, and saints. This screen is called the Ikonostas, in the middle of which are the royal doors, which are opened at different times in the course of the service. The second division is the nave, where the congregation stand. There are no seats, nor any books used. The whole of the service is in the Sclavonian language.

The eparchies are generally named after the place where the prelate resides, and not after the province. Catharine II., by an ukaze of the 24th February 1764, divided all these eparchies, as well as the monasteries and nunneries, into three classes. In the two first she placed archbishops and archimandrits over the monasteries and nunneries, and in the third class bishops and igumens.

Besides these eparchies, I have to notice the catholicos of Georgia, and the exarchy in the metropolia of Moldavia.

The monasteries and nunneries are very numerous in Russia; some follow the rules of St. Bazil, others those of St. Anthony; they have been, on the whole, less detrimental than in many Catholic countries, where a Pater General could absolve the monks from their allegiance to their sovereign. Since the time of Peter I., pains have been taken to reduce the number of monks and nuns, to improve their condition, and to render them more useful to the state. The regulation of that monarch required that monastic vows should only be taken at a certain period of life; that the monks should cultivate their own lands, and that they, as well as the nuns, were to attend on the sick and take charge of the helpless orphans, and, moreover, that previous to withdrawing from the world, the monks should be well taught in proper seminaries, so that they might, by their zeal and labours, be of advantage to the great body of the people. It is difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain the number of monasteries and nunneries in Russia. Ambrosius, in his work on the Russian hierarchy, mentions, that according to the regulation of the 26th February, 1764, the monasteries and nunneries in Great

Their theological studies are confined to the writings of the Greek fathers, such as Chrysostom, Gregory Nazianzen, &c., and to the works of the Russian divines. Among the last I may mention, Platon, late metropolitan of Moscow, Dmetrius, metropolitan of Rostov, Theophanes, archbishop of Pleskov, and Michael, arch-Russia were also divided into three classes. In the first bishop of Tshernigov. The Russian clergy, in all essential matters, and in common with the whole of the orthodox Eastern Church, adopt the fundamental points of doctrine which were determined and established at seven œcumenical meetings. Their most symbolical work was first projected in 1642 by the metropolitan of Kiev, and on the following year approved of and signed by the four patriarchs of Constantinople.

Peter I. caused the same to be distributed by the Holy Synod at St. Petersburg in 1722, and which had been done previously in Holland in 1662, and a short time afterwards at Moscow. The peculiar and leading features of this confession are the following: It acknowledges a two-fold ground of faith, Scripture and tradition-it denies the right of the synod to establish new dogmas-it comprehends seven forms of sacrament or mysteries, viz., baptism, chrism, the eucharist, repentance, ordination, marriage, and consecration-it enacts the invocation of angels and saints the veneration of images and relics, and the sign of the cross to be considered as of blissful effect. This confession contains nothing of the efficacy of extraordinary works, of indulgencies, or of purgatory.

The effect of the church music, the imposing grandeur of the high mass, and in general the splendid pomp of the church ceremonies and dresses of the clergy, are well calculated to inspire the simple untutored minds of the people with profound reverence and awe.

The Church is divided into three parts: First, the Sanctum Sanctorum, called the altar, in the middle of which stands the holy table. This part of the Church is the east end, so that the congregation always worship with their faces towards the rising sun. The altar

there were fifteen, in the second forty-one, and in the third a hundred monasteries. Of the nunneries there were in the first, four; in the second, eighteen; and in the third, seventeen. Similar establishments were organized in Little Russia, by an ukaze of the 10th April 1786, by which it appears, that in that district there were twenty-nine monasteries and ten nunneries, in White Russia, thirty-one monasteries and four nunneries; and, lastly, in 1797, there appeared to be in thirty eparchies, sixty monasteries of the third class. Exclusive of all these, the following Lavra of the Russian Church, or large cloisters or convents, require to be particularly noticed.

1. The Petsherskoi kiev Lavra, whose Igumen was first installed in 1052.

2. The holy Sergeevski Troitskoi Lavra, at Moscow, whose Igumen was installed 1354.

3. The holy monastery of St. Alexander Nevsky, at St. Petersburg.

Immediately under the cognizance of the Holy Synod are placed the following monasteries, some of which, in progress of time, have become very considerable. Novospaskoi, in Moscow.

Voskresenskoi, in the government of Moscow.
Semenovski and Donski, in the same.

Solovetski near the White Sea, in the government of Archangel; and, lastly, the Pekin Svatenskot, at the walls of Pekin, uniting the votaries of the east and west empire.

Even before Peter I. a Russian bishop and nine other clergymen, were (as the record testifies,) sent to Despotissimi Monarchae Bogdojensis ac Chinensis Chani, whose object was Divinorum peragendi orthodoxa