ing at different results. All the Roman states have suffered under the unholy influence. Without those grand ideas which can elevate a people, they are crumbling to pieces in sight of the Episcopal palace. Spain, one of the fairest spots of her territory-Spain, where day by day the pealing organ and the chanted mass, bespeak the Christian religion without its simplicity and purity, is continually receding from civilization and virtue. Slavery of mind and conscience is stamped upon the people; and though professing to believe the religion of life, they are chained to the chariot wheels of death. Rome's dark night has settled upon unhappy Spain, and quenched her light forever. Similar remarks might be made of Portugal, Italy, and parts of South America. I argue from this, that the reformation of man, as a society, depends not only upon a reception of the gospel, but upon a reception of it pure as it came from the hand of God. Hence, our duty to guard the doctrines of the gospel uncorrupted. Throw around them a wall of fire, that ignorant tyrants dare not cross. Do any thing with the Bible-do everything with it, but do not mutilate it. Proscribe it, burn it in your streets, drive it into exile, but do not pervert it. If men are to have it at all, let them have it uncontaminated. If they are ever to behold its gentle light, let not that light be mingled with the lurid flashes which gleam up from the world below. Let the gospel alone. It will stand without human improvement. It has once confounded the sophistry of Greece, defeated the armies of Rome, dispelled the bigotry of Judea. It borrows no splendors from mystery or mythology. It seeks no splendid temples. It claims no flaming ritual. It comes arrayed in no pompous robes of majesty. The majesty of simplicity alone sits on its brow, as it comes to enthrone the crucified Redeemer in the affections of the people.

In conclusion, two points deserve our notice.

1. Paul declares that he is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Why should he be? It had, even in its early days, achieved victories which had astonished the world. Kings and thrones had trembled before it, and why should he be ashamed.

2. The gospel is the power of God to the salvation of believers only. A bountiful feast will do us no good unless we partake of it, nor will the gospel save us unless we embrace it. All but believers voluntarily shut themselves out from the blessings which the gospel brings to the sin-wrecked soul-they nullify the power of the cross, which becomes to all who reject it, a savor of death unto death."

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Fathers and brethren, I have now presented the gospel of Christ. You have felt its saving influence as individuals and as a society. You participate in its delightful favors, and I call upon you to exert your influence in extending it to others. As a minister of that gospel, I bid you go forth to the darkened millions of earth. Go! till earth shall be redeemed. Go! till every clime shall own Jehovah's power, and bow to Jesus. Go! till every chain of sin is broken-till all are free!

"Amen! with joy divine,

Let earth's unnumbered myriads cry;
Amen! with joy divine,

Let heaven's unnumbered hosts reply."

NO EFFORTS TO DO GOOD ARE LOST.

"I have heard of some seeds which will sleep in the dust for ages, and I have read of the young of certain insects which lie in a state like death for eighty years together; and yet, when the hand that scattered the seed had been mingled with the dust, and when the insect that had deposited its young had ended its flight for generations, the seed would come forth a forest of mighty trees, and the slumbering insects would wake to life, and become the mother of an endless multitude. And so it may be with us. We are scattering the seeds of knowledge, and piety, and immortality, but we see not the seed spring forth. Our instructions seem to be forgotten; the fruits of our liberality seem to have perished, and our favors seem to have been in vain. But be of good courage; the seed is still in the earth undecayed, and the time will come. when it shall spring forth, and yield a plenteous harvest. It is watched over by the God of heaven, and not a seed shall perish. The hand that scattered may be withered, but the seed itself shall swell, and send forth its germ, and become a tree. The voice that uttered the sermon may be silent, but others that received the truth shall come forth and declare it afresh to the generations that are yet unborn."

A SKETCH.

THE ATONEMENT.

But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Hebrews ix. 26.

THE Epistle to the Hebrews was probably written, not only for the edification of the few among the Jews who had embraced Christianity, but for the special consideration and benefit of the cultivated and master minds of the nation.

It is an elegant and powerful production, and worthy of the great mind whose image is stamped upon it-Paul, the apostle.

The ritual economy of the Jewish dispensation, in its design and administrative character, is clearly pointed out by the apostle; and, with the most convincing logic and impressive rhetoric, he proves that the sacrifices, and especially the sin offerings under the law, were temporary, though oft-repeated illustrations of "the Lamb of God," which should appear in the "end of the world"— or that dispensation-or at the conclusion of the ages or in the last age of the world-"to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself."

We shall remark,

I. Upon the reasons which rendered an atonement necessary.

The guilt, pollution, and dominion of sin. If these are not removed, man can never be saved. In order to this, two things are requisite, namely-forgiveness of sins, and reformation of the

heart and life.

(Here show man's inability to save himself; also introduce the fact, that "God so loved the world as to give his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life," and then proceed to illustrate.)

II. The character of Christ, as an atoning sacrifice.

1. He was a volunteer in the great work.

He gave himself and then the Father gave, etc.

2. He was immaculate.

Unspotted innocency was his.

3. He was both human and divine.

Hypostatic union. "He was man, that he might have blood to bleed; and he was God, that his blood might possess an infinite value."

4. He acted by the highest authority.

"I and my Father are one." "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."

5. He was obedient to, and justified the law under which he lived and suffered.

"He magnified the law, and made it honorable." Born under its provisions, and died under its curse.

6. He endured great sufferings.

They were penal and vicarious. He suffered in our stead. Consider their extent and intensity.

7. He caused his intention thus to suffer to be published to the world. It was made known in prophecy, and proclaimed by himself.

III. There are two classes of evidence.

1. The nature and intention of expiatory sacrifices among Jews and Heathen, namely,-to substitute one living creature to suffer instead of another. Paschal Lamb-Passover.

2. The direct testimony of Scripture.

'As

"He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin." Christ also hath loved us, and given himself for us, an offering and "For Christ hath once suffered for sins, the "Who his own self bare our sins in his own

a sacrifice to God." just for the unjust." body on the tree."

no remission."

Why?

"Without the shedding of blood is

IV. To this doctrine it is objccted,

1. That it argues a want of goodness in God.

Reply-The wisdom, justice, and holiness of God, must exist unimpeached and uninfringed upon as well as his goodness. "A God all mercy is a God unjust."

2. That it cannot be, with propriety, said, that sins are forgiven freely when such a price has been paid for their pardon.

Reply-(1.) It was an act of the greatest goodness to consent to human salvation in any way. (2.) It was free, for God provided the ransom, and then bestowed it.

3. That it was unjust for an innocent person to suffer for the guilty.

Reply-Christ's sufferings were voluntary.

"He gave himself

for us." And those who urge this objection admit that Christ endured great sufferings while on earth, and for our advantage.

REMARKS.

1. The doctrine of vicarious atonement affords an adequate and terrible vindication of the divine government.

2. It is an awful discountenance of, and an effectual discouragement to sin.

3. Here we see an affecting and most illustrious display of the divine compassion and love. "God so loved the world.”

4. Here we may learn why the preaching of some men is so powerless, etc.

5. Finally, let us remember, that in the avails of the atonement -the efficacy of the sacrificial blood-is our only source of hope and salvation. "It taketh away sin."

A SKETCH.

THE DANGERS AND THE DEFENCE OF RELIGION.

When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. Isaiah lix. 19.

SIN and holiness, righteousness and truth, are antagonisms,-principles which are acting in perpetual conflict. All men act upon one or the other of these principles; hence, in the formation of character-variety-good and bad-purity and turpitude. This accounts for the moral oppositions and strifes in the world, etc.

Under the word "enemy" are included, not only the old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and his subordinates, but all ungodliness and sin, etc. The enemy cometh in as a flood.

I. In the prevalence of popular, but fundamental errors. Skepticism, speculations, perverted views of Christian doctrine. II. In the corruption of public morals.