died to redeem them," had never heard of it. Fifty generations of immortal souls in danger of eternal death, were suffered to go down in unbroken succession to the grave, and never even to hear that "God was manifest in the flesh," till their probation was closed, and their accounts sealed up to the judg

ment.

O, had not her Saviour been God, long ere this, the church had been consumed! She had been swept away, and her name blotted out! But "glory to God in the highest," her maker is her husband, the LORD of Hosts is his name.' The Holy One is her Redeemer, the God of the whole earth shall he be called.'

By a convulsion which shook half the globe, he awoke her from her slumbers,-by the finger of his providence pointed her to her duty. By his spirit he impressed upon her heart that she must not only pray that the heathen may be converted, but give them the Bible, and the preaching of the gospel, that her prayers may be answered.

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She arose not only to pray, but to act; and from that time she has lengthened her cords, and strengthened her stakes.' More than four hundred of her missionaries are now among the heathen; and more than two hundred churches has she gathered in pagan lands. More than fifty thousand children are now in her missionary schools; and more than fifty of her ministers, who, thirty years ago, were abominable idolaters, are now preaching 'the unsearchable riches of Christ. Ministers born in pagan lands, and ministers born in christian lands.

are now telling the wandering idolaters of a Saviour, "God manifest in the flesh." And the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven is leading them to embrace him. You may hear his praises in the western wilderness; in the islands of the southern sea; for a thousand miles on the continent of Africa; in Ceylon, and India; in Astrachan, and Greenland. Hearken, my brethren, and you hear the Cherokee and Chocktaw; the Hottentot and Hindoo; the Greenlander, and Otaheitan, all mingling their praises ‘unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God, and his father; to him be glory, and dominion, forever, and ever.'

And every real convert to Christ from among the heathen, is a new accession to the "pillar and ground of the truth." From the heart they embrace the 'great mystery of Godliness,' and unite their prayers and efforts to support it.

By sending the gospel to the destitute, the church also supports the truth in another way. She lets the light of holiness shine on those at home, and thus leads them to glorify her Father. While she waters others, God waters her. For every measure which she gives, she receives, 'good measure, pressed down, and running over.' The more she scatters, the more she increases.

As soon as she began to send the blessings of salvation beyond her own borders, God began to increase her numbers, multiply her resources, and augment her strength. And these have been steadily advancing, with every new effort which she has

made, until, without lessening their increase, she can stretch out her arms, with the blessing of life, half round the globe. And what she has done, is only the beginning of what she will do. For brass she will bring gold; for iron, silver; for wood, brass; and for stones, iron.' The bells of her horses shall be holiness; her very walls be salvation, and her gates praise. Then shall God, who was manifest in the flesh, be known, from the rising to the setting sun, and the whole earth be filled with his glory, as the waters fill the seas.

Hence we are prepared to see

IV. The reasons why the church supports this truth. It is the truth of God. By an unction from him, she knows it. Upon it she builds her immortal hopes, and it is the only foundation of hope for a dying world. In its support, are involved the glory of God, and the salvation of men. His manifestation in the flesh was the grand effort of infinite grace, for bringing out to view the glories of the Godhead. It was made in behalf of the church. And should she refuse to support it, the very stones would cry out against her. To it she owes all her hopes of deliverance from hell, and of exaltation to the light, and bliss, of heaven.

Reject universally the great mystery of godliness, and godliness will take its last flight from the world. No shaking after that will ever be witnessed throughout all this valley of dry bones-no voice cry O breath, breathe upon these slain; and no heart desire it.

But let the great mystery of godliness be sup

ported, let it be extended, accompanied by the Holy Ghost, and cordially embraced, tears of repentance, in view of the crucified, will drop from a thousand eyes, and ten thousand hearts will bow in contrition before the cross. The love of Him who bled upon it, shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost will constrain them, and will purify them, even as God is pure. From this will arise a hope which will not make ashamed, but which will be an anchor sure and stedfast. It will support them even in death. Thousands have tried it, and not one has found it to fail them. As they go down the dark valley, I hear them sing, 'O death where is thy sting, O grave where is thy victory? and shout, Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.' 'We shall see him as he is, and be like him.' Ah, that last, "be like him," swallows up death-and they mount upward, shining in the glory of his image, and break forth with ten thousand voices, Thou art worthy, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every nation, and kindred, and people, and tongue;' while angels ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, cry Worthy to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessings.' And every creature in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, hear I saying, "Blessing and honour, and glory and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever." And their song never wears out,never grows dull,—no heart is languid,—not a voice falters, not a tongue tires; but with increasing

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ardour, and increasing powers, and evergrowing views of God manifest in the flesh, their accents of glory rise higher and higher,—and to every heart grow sweeter and sweeter,-to endless ages.

Application.

1. If the church is composed of persons, who, according to profession, are "born of God," and is "the pillar and ground of the truth," then a body of persons who do not profess to be born of God, who disbelieve the truth, and who understandingly and openly oppose it, are not, according to the charac teristick given in the text, a church of Christ. They may be a body politick, bound together by human laws, but they are not according to the characteristick in the text, a church of the living God. If they understandingly, and openly reject the truth, they do not support it. And if they do not support it, they are not its "pillar and ground." And if they are not "the pillar and ground of the truth," they are not, according to the characteristick in the text, a church.

2. No person can, according to our text, become a member of the church without professing the truth, and appearing cordially to embrace it. For if one person may be admitted without this, another may, and another; all may. The church will then lose its distinctive character, as given by the Holy Ghost. It will not be "the pillar, and ground of the truth." Nor will it be a 'chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people to show forth the praises of him who hath called them out of dark