feudal chains, look to the founders and fathers of freedom for examples which may animate, and rules which may guide.  If ever a nation was happy, if ever a nation was visibly blessed by God—­if ever a nation was honoured abroad, and left at home under a government (which we can now conscientiously call a liberal government) to the full career of talent, industry, and vigour, we are at this moment that people—­and this is our happy lot.—­First the Gospel has done it, and then Justice has done it; and he who thinks it his duty to labour that this happy condition of existence may remain, must guard the piety of these times, and he must watch over the spirit of Justice which exists in these times.  First, he must take care that the altars of God are not polluted, that the Christian faith is retained in purity and in perfection:  and then turning to human affairs, let him strive for spotless, incorruptible Justice;—­praising, honouring, and loving the just Judge, and abhorring, as the worst enemy of mankind, him who is placed there to ’judge after the law, and who smites contrary to the law.’”

The second of these sermons is called “The Lawyer that tempted Christ."[82] The preacher begins by pointing out that the Lawyer who, in the hope of entangling the new Teacher, asked what he should do to inherit eternal life, received a very plain answer—­“not flowery, not metaphysical, not doctrinal.”  The answer was, in effect, thus:  “If you wish to live eternally, do your duty to God and man.”  Whereas the earlier sermon was addressed to the Bench, this is addressed, very directly indeed, to the Bar.

“There are probably in this church many persons of the profession of the law, who have often asked before, with better faith than their brother, and who do now ask this great question, ’What shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ I shall, therefore, direct to them some observations on the particular duties they owe to society, because I think it suitable to this particular season, because it is of much more importance to tell men how they are to be Christians in detail, than to exhort them to be Christians generally; because it is of the highest utility to avail ourselves of these occasions, to show to classes of mankind what those virtues are, which they have more frequent and valuable opportunities of practising, and what those faults and vices are, to which they are more particularly exposed.

“It falls to the lot of those who are engaged in the active and arduous profession of the law to pass their lives in great cities, amidst severe and incessant occupation, requiring all the faculties, and calling forth, from time to time, many of the strongest passions of our nature.  In the midst of all this, rivals are to be watched, superiors are to be cultivated, connections cherished; some portion of life must be given to society, and some little to relaxation and amusement.  When, then, is the question to be asked, ’What