astonishing, in the singular prophecy which foretold it; notwithstanding the testimony of the Angelic Host, at his extraordinary birth; notwithstanding the immaculate conduct of his life and the excelling purity of his doctrines; notwithstanding his stupendous miracles, in which almighty power was so beautifully blended with unlimited benevolence; notwithstanding every trait of character, and every exertion of omnipotent virtue, which might have avouched his divinity we learn, that, when he expired as a malefactor on the cross, and no immediate vengeance struck his persecutors, even the apostles themselves, the faithful companions of his ministry, and the close and constant observers of his conduct, began to "waver in the faith." They had" trusted it was he which should have redeemed Israel," but that trust was shaken by his crucifixion. They had professed themselves ready to follow him to prison and to death, but that death had disconcerted their confidence. They understood not the scheme of human redemption. They were yet in a state of blindness with regard to the atonement; nor was it till after they had witnessed his glorious resurrection and ascension, and had been illumined by the promised descent of the Comforter, that they fully comprehended the mysterious tenets of the faith which they were to teach, and the necessity of that crucified Emanuel, whose sufferings they

had the privilege to participate. But no sooner were the disciples possessed of these necessary informations, than they earnestly applied themselves to their dissemination. In this great enterprize, distinguished alike by its imminent peril and universal utility, they resorted to means, which, to human apprehension, seemed the most hopeless of success. They exercised no temporising policy, no tender deference to the prejudices of the age in which they lived, or to the vices of the people whom they were commissioned to reform. In pursuance of their heavenly mission they travelled into Greece, the seat of literature, of arts, and of philosophy, and to these sons of science they came," not with the enticing words of mortal wisdom, but with demonstration of the Spirit, and of power." Despising the jargon of the schools, and the sophisticated rhetoric at that time in vogue, they applied (in the plainest language to the understandings of their auditors, and with pathetic remonstrances appealed to their feelings. They pleaded the conscious imbecility of human nature, summoned the experience of every individual to the argument; convinced him first of sin, and then adverted to the necessity of an atonement; shewed him where that atonement was to be found, and by what method it could be applied with efficacy. They entered into no impious compromise with their proselytes, they preached" the naked truth

as it was in Jesus," without addition, and without alloy. There was no softening of what was difficult, no darkening of what was luminous, no melting down of what was entire. They unequivocally declared that men must relinquish all hopes of salvation by means of their own merit, must subdue every natural antipathy to this fundamental doctrine, and receive the Christian religion, not as a scheme consonant with their own wild and fanciful theories; not as a rule of conduct founded on secular expediency, and standing in the wisdom of men; but as a holy and divine dispensation, involving the doctrine of human corruption, and offering the only remedy, established by the immediate agency and power of God.

The voice of praise, the acquisition of wealth, the notice of fame, had for them no charms. The threats of tyranny, the chains of captivity, the near prospect of martyrdom, had for them no terrors. They were the apostles of God, and they confided in his protection; they were the disciples of Jesus, and they shrunk not from his example; they were the messengers of the covenant, and they were faithful to their trust. In such keeping as this, "the word of God grew and multiplied." It advanced with unexampled rapidity; it operated with inconceivable power; it wrought a thorough conversion in the heart and behaviour of its proselytes; it changed

blasphemy into prayer; subdued pride into humility; abased the mightiest rulers from the throne of state to the foot of the altar; triumphed over passion in its wildest throbs, over error in its richest robes; and finally succeeded in planting the Church of Christ in the capitol of Rome, in the fanes of Greece, and in the temple of Jerusalem.

Now from this survey of the primal promulgation of Christianity, brief and imperfect as it is, you may remark a conjunction of divine and human means operating its astonishing success. Of the former, I shall say no more, since it is only so far applicable to us as it furnishes us with an incontrovertible evidence to the truth of revela tion; but I shall solicit your attention to the latter, from which we may gather much information of practical importance to the work for which we are this day assembled; the work of multiplying the word of God, of promoting Christian knowledge among the present generations of the earth.

If we look to the peculiar character of the first ministers employed in this gracious dispensation, we shall see them distinguished by an admirable combination of humility with firmness, charity with justice, and good sense with courage, which in the fallen state of humanity never existed in the same person, without the sanctification of the grace of God. It was this humility which

constantly reminded them of their former errors; which taught them to distrust themselves, and to pray instantly for a continuance of divine assistance; it was this firmness which enabled them "to keep the faith," and to bear steadily onward towards that" crown of righteousness," which was to reward their labours; it was this charity which induced that conciliatory spirit St. Paul so beautifully describes in his Epistle to the Corinthians, and which was unequivocally expressed in his desire to be "all things unto all men;" it was this justice and good sense which assured them that as their conversion was wholly attributable to the favour of God, "they had nothing to glory in, for necessity was laid on them to preach the Gospel;" and, lastly, it was this courage which sent them forth "through honour and dishonour, through evil report and good report," on the perilous expedition of preaching the Gospel; the Gospel, which had been rejected by the Jews, and proscribed by the Gentiles, but which had been accorded to them so graciously, and had been authenticated to them so wonderfully, and had been explained to them so luminously, that a perversion of its truths would have been inexcusable, and ignorance of its doctrines impossible; with such inducements and auxiliaries as these, one cannot be surprised to hear St. Paul exclaim, " woe is me if I preach not the gospel." And, oh! it were