the Almighty vindicated His right to nominate His own representative; and, by a series of remarkable interferences, caused the lot to determine in favour of Saul, the son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin. "And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the Lord hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted and said, God save the king." The divinely appointed monarch then sought retirement from the acclamations of the multitude; and, accompanied by a train of followers who acknowledged the hand of God in his election to the regal office, he looked for strength to the heavenly sanctions with which his reign had been commenced; and when the sons of Belial said, "How shall this man save us?" and "despised him," he replied not, nor regarded them: but, in the spirit of "One who came after" him, but was "preferred before him ""of another King, one Jesus" he received with

mute indifference the expression of their irreligious disdain, and "he held his peace."

At a time when contrary sentiments are openly or covertly maintained and disseminated, both at home and abroad, it is a source of consolation and of confidence to those who are disposed to "obey those that have the rule over them," to know that their principles are in entire accordance with the spirit of our holy religion. The truth of them has been illustrated and confirmed by the experience of all mankind, as far as it has been faithfully recorded for our instruction and warning in the annals of past ages. That the people are the source of all power, is, beyond all doubt, not the doctrine of the Scriptures. "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers; for there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God," is the inspired exhortation of an apostle, addressed

to the Roman converts near the close of the reign of the feeble Claudius, or in the time of the profligate and cruel Nero. On his authority we hesitate not to affirm that government is instituted by God-that submission to it is a duty to God-and that resistance, except it be in clear matters of conscience, is resistance to God Himself. Government in general, we repeat, is the ordinance of God, though the particular form may be the ordinance of man: one form of government may not be equally adapted to every climate, age, and people; or to every different condition of the same people. But each form may be lawful-each have even the sanction of divine authority, being established for the terror of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well. It is the duty, then, of every man to be peaceable and contented under whatever form of government it may be his lot to live, for absolute perfection in anything human is not to be expected,

and amendments are therefore always to be considered possible. But if one may resist on the plea of improvement and reform, another will lay claim to the same indulgence, until every man may exalt himself into a judge and a reformer; and, amidst the discordance of opinions, what is to set a limit to the general confusion which must necessarily arise? Every government established for the welfare of mankind must, indeed, possess a self-regulating principle. The sovereign power, in this country, contains a check against the abuse of it in ministerial responsibility, and is admirably balanced by the various parts of our excellent Constitution; and whatever abuses may exist, or whatever amendments may be desirable, there are provided legal channels through which the complaints of the aggrieved or the suggestions of the patriot may be submitted to the proper quarter for due consideration.

The Constitution of these realms will be

No

found to display so happy a combination of the three simple forms of government— those of one, of a few, and of many-as to provide as securely as human wisdom can do so, against the two extremes of despotic power and popular licentiousness. single will-no will of a single class-can bind, by its irresponsible and independent authority, the rest of the political body. The parts of the system are mutually restraining, as well as aiding and supporting. The various orders which compose the community have each a voice in the control of the affairs of the empire; and, without their common consent, no proposed enactment can have the force and effect of law. The different views and interests of the several orders serve to excite a salutary jealousy of each other, which tends to preserve a just balance of moderation in the exercise of their respective privileges. The executive power, of which the Sovereign is the fountain-head, is subject to