various extraordinary means, on their hearers.

The first who committed the Gospel to writing was St. Matthew, about fifteen years after Christ's ascension, giving a short history of every thing in the life of our Saviour that could be interesting to future ages. About two years after, St. Mark wrote his account of the same wonderful transactions and glad tidings of salvation through Jesus Christ, the promised Redeemer. By such means, the Gospel has come down to us, and to numerous nations and places where none of the apostles themselves could extend their preaching, or could make but little stay. By the written Gospel we are taught every thing necessary to salvation as perfectly as if the Evangelists themselves were among us; God having promised that His Spirit shall accompany His word in a sufficient manner for their different needs, throughout all ages and nations. And this will lead me to consider II. THE EXTENT OF CHRIST'S COMMISSION.

The prophets Isaiah* and Micah† had foretold that "the Law," viz. "the Law" of Christ should "go forth from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." It was indeed in that wicked city, which had filled up the measure of its iniquities in crucifying the Lord of Glory, that the Gospel Church should take its rise. It was here that the apostles of our Lord were to begin their ministrations in preaching "repentance and remission of sins in His name.

*Isaiah, ii, 3.

+ Micah, iv, 2.

Thus

Their ministrations, however, were not to be confined to this place, but to be extended to all nations;and the last declaration which Christ made on earth after He had risen from the dead, and immediately before His ascension, was, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. the commission which Christ gave to His disciples was to gather a Christian Church out of every nation. They were to go, not to Jews only, but to Gentiles also, without any distinction as to country, sex or age. Their errand was to publish the glad tidings of salvation to a lost world, the way and method of their recovery from a state of sin and death, and of obtaining eternal life and happiness. The sum of the message they were to deliver was that the Son of God died on the cross, and that He was "exalted" to "give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins:"† that "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." They were to go and proclaim it to all the world, that they might not any longer continue strangers, and at a distance from God, that the Saviour had removed those difficulties which prevented a reconciliation. They were to go and tell a guilty world of a state of reconciliation with God; how, from enemies, they might become friends and the adopted sons of God, have former

*Mark, xvi, 15.

2 Corinthians, v. 19.

† Acts, v.

guilt removed, and enjoy the glorious privileges of a justified and pardoned state.

The prophets had long foretold that Christ would establish in the world a kingdom of a very different nature from what had ever yet appeared, a spiritual kingdom, the universality of which would be one of its chief characteristic marks, as well as its extraordinary success in "rejoicing" like "a giant to run its course, * to spread like lightening over all the hitherto dark regions of the earth, not only "bringing salvation," but "bringing salvation to all men."†

And verily the Gospel at first burst forth upon a benighted world like light from heaven, dispelled the clouds and darkness of heathen idolatry, proclaimed to all the world a full salvation in Christ, and to the faithful believer and penitent sinner, perfect remission of sins.'

The words of the text imply that "remission of sins" should be preached to persons of every description and of every country. The Jew and the Gentile, the bond and the free. are all privileged to look to Christ as their righteousness, all revelation from beginning to end having reference to His great work of redeeming love. The Gentiles, then, as well as the Jews, are now invited and admitted into the grace of God. No one is excluded from its blessings. It equally belongs to all who are in Christ properly disposed to receive it, and it is now preached

* Psalm, xix. 5.

με ή σωτηριος πασιν ανθρωποις, "--Titus, ii, 11.

indifferently to all.

The spirit and language of the

Gospel is, "Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye "Whosoever shall call on the

to the waters. ""*

name of the Lord, whosoever believeth on the Son of God, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.'. I now proceed,

III. TO APPLY THE SUBJECT TO THOSE Two SoCIETIES THE CAUSE OF WHICH I HAVE BEEN CALLED UPON TO ADVOCATE.

The Societies for which I am about to solicit your support, viz., the Society for "Promoting Christian Knowledge," and that for "the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," have been established upwards of 130 years. Whilst the former is principally engaged in supplying the wants of the poor at home with the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, the Book of Homilies, and Tracts in accordance to the doctrines of the established Church, and the maintenance of Missions; the latter, by its persevering efforts, is promoting the best interests of the unenlightened heathen of almost every country.

The attention of the Christian public has, of late years, been awakened and recalled to these two Societies, which may, with great truth, be considered the first Missionary fruits of the Reformation. The elder of these has indeed held a high and distinguished place in the hearts of all who take a deep interest in the established Church; while the young

*Isaiah, lv, 1.

+ John, iii, 16.

er, I regret to say, has been comparatively forgotten; and though this truly important Institution is daily attracting the public attention and regard, her funds still fall far short of those of her sister, and very far below the demands which are increasingly made upon her bounty.

"The objects of this Society extended to all places in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America with which the trade of this country gave us connection. But as such a sphere of exertion was too large for its means, the colonies of America merited and received the first attention." It is now drawing the attention of the public to its objects in India, where a College, called Bishop's College, has been founded near Calcutta.

These two venerable Societies in whose behalf we are this day assembled, are pursuing their benevolent designs, dealing out their gifts and blessings to mankind without distinction of persons, in the hope of accomplishing that great and glorious work, equally near and dear to the hearts of us all, promoting the true and genuine worship of God, that the "earth may be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

The object, then, of them both is to send the glad tidings of salvation to a people who are living under our government, and to put into their hands the authorized formularies of our Church, which may be

* Isaiah, xi, 9.