in youth-ambition and love of the world, in manhood-covetousness and peevishness, in old age: awfully prove the soul to be dead in sin, and an heir of hell.

Should the Almighty transform a child after the holy image of its Saviour, when presented to him in baptism, this would only evidence the sovereign mercy and grace of a compassionate God; but does not disprove the former statement of facts. Man, under the Christian, as under the Jewish economy, is not necessarily and invariably changed by the outward rite either of baptism or circumcision: for St Paul expressly declares, "He is not a Jew, who is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew, who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God."

Thousands, however, are turned from darkness unto light, through the grace of God, accompanying the faithful preaching of the Gospel. Those who have been baptized and have grown up in the visible Church in the commission of every crime, have been converted from the error of their way, and made the humble, holy followers of Jesus, through the word of his grace.

The change produced by the Spirit, when thus bringing the truth to the heart, is radical and universal. They become in every sense new creatures. They are quite different from what they were before. Surely then all must confess, that the Word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, when wielded by the Almighty Spirit, through the instrumentality of men appointed to preach to a world of sinners the unsearchable riches of Christ.

So invaluable to fallen man is the Gospel of sal

vation, that the apostle exhorted the Thessalonians. to pray for himself and his fellow-labourers, "that the word of the Lord might have free course, and be glorified." There is something peculiarly impressive in the object of the petition-" have free course. When the Gospel was first preached, it met with continual opposition. Yet, like some mighty river, checked in its progress by opposing rocks, it forced its way, and fertilized all the regions through which it bent its course. The Gospel still flows onwards, and shall continue to flow, till the earth be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

This prayer is always needful, because the enmity of the human heart is in every age the same.

In the first family, we find a Cain opposing the work of faith and love. The same spirit continues to manifest itself, wherever the worship of the true God is established. The Israelites misused their prophets who spoke to them the word of the Lord, "stoning some and killing some.'

The pagan powers as well as the Jewish rulers set themselves against the Lord and against his anointed.

The holy apostles of our Lord were called to perpetual sufferings, whilst they spread abroad, through a preached Gospel, a Saviour's dying love.

Papal Rome has long carried on the work of slaughter amongst the sheep of Christ, checking by fire, tortures, and anathemas the progress of genuine Christianity, lest the pure, unadulterated word of God should have free course and be glorified.

No wonder, then, that the thunders of the Vatican are heard to roar against the most blessed of all human institutions, the British and Foreign Bible Society.

But the Gospel has other enemies who labour to check its progress.

Infidelity directs the shafts of ridicule against its holy mysteries. Socinianism, under the specious name of rational Christianity, seeks to rob the Gospel of its brightest jewel, "God manifest in the flesh." Indifference, worldly-mindedness, fornality, and hypocrisy, whilst they render the mere nominal professors of Christianity barren as the sand, tend more to check the spread of the truth, than all the united attacks of its most hostile foes.

There is, however, a goodly company of faithful Christians who delight in the Gospel of Christ, and whose lives are devoted to advance its progress throughout the earth. These are the happy servants of the Lord, who pray in secret, and are willing to spend and be spent, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. They meet with a double hindrance; the one outward from the enmity of the world; the other inward from the sin which dwelleth in them. Yet they are enabled through grace to press forward, and to help forward the work of the Lord. O that my station may ever be amongst this blessed flock! Lord, make me one of the humble labourers in thy vineyard. Give me a heart to receive the truth in the love of

it, and to feel its power. Teach me to pray with holy fervour," Thy kingdom come;" and to rejoice in every opening prospect of that blessed period, when the earth shall be filled with thy glory. Even now, the morning streaks begin to appear on the distant mountains: even now, the Sun of righteousness is arising with healing in his beams.

O what glorious times are dawning

On a dark and ruin'd world!

'Tis the long expected morning;
Satan from his seat is hurl'd.

Hallelujah-Amen.

Hark! the jubilee horn is sounding,
Gladsome notes are echo'd round;
Ev'ry heart with joy rebounding,
Hails the Gospel's welcome sound.

Hallelujah-Amen.

As the light is still advancing,
Backward shrinks the hellish foe;
Faith, through future ages glancing,

Views another Eden glow.

Hallelujah Amen.

Idols now the spell discover'd-
Dash'd as potters' vessels, fall:
Slaves from Pagan chains recover'd,

Own Messiah Lord of all.

Hallelujah Amen.

Hasten, Lord, the joyful season;
Claim the heathen as thy own;

Break the pride of human reason,
Reign as SOVEREIGN LORD alone.

Hallelujah-Amen.*

XXVIII. THE TWO SOURCES.

WHILST men of philosophic minds are busily employed in tracing effects to their causes; and others, of a more adventurous spirit, in traversing unknown regions, to trace some mighty river to its source; how few, considering the magnitude of the object, are employed in discovering the two most important of all sources: -the source of misery-and the source of mercy.

This discovery, so essential to our happiness, and without an experimental knowledge of which, we must for ever remain in a state of spiritual death, is but little regarded by the great bulk of mankind. Human wisdom and philosophy have been labour

P

ing for ages to find out the origin of moral evil, and a remedy against it; but they have failed in the attempt. The world by wisdom knows not God, for darkness hath covered the earth, and gross darkness the people.

We need only to pursue the fabled absurdities of heathen mythology; to witness the self-inflicted tortures of the Hindoo devotee; to behold the superstitious penances imposed by the Church of Rome, yea, all the errors and evils which have abounded among Christians, Jews, Mahomedans and Pagans in every age; to be convinced, that man can never, by any effort of his unassisted reason, discover the true source either of misery, or of mercy. The Bible alone reveals them both.

"In Adam all die.”

There I learn, that the sin of Adam is the source of human misery. 66 By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin." From this fountain issue ten thousand poisonous streams which embitter life, fill the world with wretchedness, and carry unnumbered millions on their boisterous waves, till they are plunged into endless perdition.

There I learn, that God in Christ, is the only source of mercy. "God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. " "Beside me," saith Jehovah, "there is no Saviour." "There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

All good in time and in eternity flows from him who is goodness itself. When man had destroyed himself, and was justly reaping the fruit of his doings, it pleased Almighty God of his own free mercy and grace, to reveal the wondrous plan of salvation, by declaring, "that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head."