National Apostasy Considered in a Sermon Preached in St. Mary's Church, Oxford Before His Majesty's Judges of Assize on Sunday July 14th 1833

"National Apostasy" by John Keble is a powerful sermon from the 1830s that warns about the Church of England's decline, where the government starts to interfere with spiritual matters. He uses the Bible story of the Israelites asking for a king to reflect on the problems of his time. Keble points out the risks when a country drifts away from its faith, choosing temporary stability instead of its spiritual traditions. He urges Christians to actively pray, stay faithful to Christian beliefs, and carefully but firmly speak out when the government oversteps its bounds within the Church. He reminds everyone that loyalty to God and the Church must come first, even when society changes and poses new difficulties.