than the immediate presence and providence of the God of salvation?

--Such are, my young brethren, the first views which present themselves, when we take a general survey of our nature, and of the capacity and attainments of man. In every light in which we consider the religion of the Gospel, whether as adapted to the mind of the individual, to the prosperity of the human race, or to the future expectations of the human soul,-it is in all respects different from what we know or learn, either of the progress of human pow

ers, or the reach of human foresight. The question is (after all this survey), to what origin shall we attribute it? and I trust, (when you prosecute the very imperfect illustrations I have presented upon this great subject) you will feel that there is no other possible origin to which it can be attributed, than to the immediate inspiration of the Almighty; and that he

therefore who brought it to a dark and doubtful world, "was truly the Son of "God."

-Every season of devotion, my brethren, which our church prescribes, has its peculiar and appropriate sentiments. The season upon which we now again annually enter, is a season of religious joy; and the sentiments with which it ought to be met, are those of hope, of thankfulness, and of adoration.

The views which I have now presented, may, on this account, I trust, be of some use to my younger brethren, in leading them to form adequate notions of the character of that religion in which they were born; to feel what was the blessing their parents conferred upon them when they poured upon their infant heads the waters of their baptism; and to give them, in their early years, some substantial grounds of conviction, which may enable them to meet all the sophistry and

scepticism with which the world is afterwards but too likely to assail them.

upon

In the present moment, I have only to pray the God of salvation, that His Spirit may descend upon this congregation, and all of every church or country, who are now assembled in the same grateful service;-that He, "without whom no"thing is strong, and nothing is holy," may, in the time of this mortal life, so pour his grace upon all our souls, "that,

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by casting away the works of darkness, "and putting upon us the armour of light," we may meet with pure hearts the arrival of his Son; " and that, in the "last day, when He shall come again in "his glorious majesty, to judge both the

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quick and the dead, we may arise to "the life immortal, through Him," who alone was commissioned to promise, and alone is empowered to give it.

SERMON VIII.

ON THE EVIDENCE WHICH ARISES FROM THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL.

IN obedience to the feelings and duties of this season of devotion, (and in the anxious hope of leading the minds of my younger brethren to some adequate notions of the majesty of that service in which they are employed when they commemorate the birth of the Saviour of the world,) I have proposed to devote it to the suggestion of some general views with

regard to the nature and character of the religion of the Gospel, which may lead them to conclude, that it must necessarily derive its origin from a higher source than human wisdom; and that, therefore, He who brought it to the world, was truly the son of God."

With this view, when we were last assembled, I pointed out to them some general heads by which it might be compared with the religions either of ancient or modern times. I reminded them, that it was the only religion which has been ever presented to man, which was adequate to all the wants and desires of the human mind;—that it was the only religion which was adequate to the social character of man ;-that it embraced the whole race of man in its contemplation ; --that it contained the principles of universal prosperity;—and that all the attainments of social wisdom, were yet far below the happiness and perfection to