It speaks of an everlasting Saviour; a Saviour who is everlasting in his name, everlasting in his offices, everlasting in his triumphs, and everlasting in his glory. It speaks of an everlasting righteousness; a righteousness which is a perpetual source of freedom from condemnation, never fails in its virtue, is ever well pleasing to God, and everlastingly beautifies and adorns the people of God. It speaks of everlasting love. Human love is fickle and inconstant, subject to variation and fluctuation. But Christ's love can never change. It is subject to no variation or fluctuation. is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. It It speaks of everlasting happiness; a happiness which is a sweet solace amid all the bitters of this mortal life, a well of water springing or bubbling up into eternal life in the hour of death, and that rolls forth in all the fulness of living joy, in His presence, where there is fulness of joy; at His right hand, where there are pleasures for evermore. It The gospel only can make men happy. only can roll off the mighty burden of guilt from the conscience, burst asunder the iron chains of sin, gather honey from the celestial hills to sweeten the ingredients in the cup of life, light up within the hope of a blessed immortality, open to our view prospects the most cheering and heavenly, throw up a pathway in the desert, erect a bridge over the gulf of death, enable us to bound into an infinitude of bliss, and to soar in extacies for ever. How desirable is it that the gospel should be conveyed to men. "If the peace of Europe," says the celebrated WILLIAM JAY, of Bath, 66 were disturbed by some insatiable tyrant, who set out for your country at the head of his legions, how the martial spirits of the age would be summoned together, sit in council, deliberate, plan, arrange, and prepare to meet him! If your country were invaded by famine, and myriads were sinking into the jaws of death, how the benevolent and humane would consult and advise for their relief! If some mighty and fatal disease were to visit us, and enter community after community, neighbourhood after neighbourhood, and family after family, and perpetuate its ravages; how the skill of the physicians would be tried to arrest it in its progress, and with what untiring energy would they seek to stay it in its course! The tyrant has already come. The pestilence is now wasting at noon-day. The disease is now rankling in the bosoms of myriads, and bringing them down to the gates of everlasting death. And who is prepared to enter the lists with this fell tyrant? What is the provision to meet the wants of those who are sinking into the jaws of spiritual famine and death? What is the remedy that can arrest the disease of sin which is rankling in the bosoms of men. There is a Captain of salvation. There is provision. There is medicine. It is Christ." And the gospel every where proclaims his power and glory. And then what feelings of joy and gladness will rise in the souls of those to whom it is conveyed! "Look at yonder colony or nation which has revolted. It is in arms against its monarch. The sentence has gone forth against them. They are fearing the dread wrath of the King. But, behold! an act of grace is sent to them. The inhabitants are waiting its arrival. They are looking out for it. At length the herald appears. He is decried on the top of the mountains." O! how they exult and shout for joy! "Look at yonder country which is suffering from famine. Multitudes sink into the arms of death. Thousands become pale and haggard in their looks. Messengers are sent to seek supplies. Provision is found. They return laden with the staff of life! The people are looking for them. At length they appear on the tops of the mountains!" Joy spreads from heart to heart, and songs of praise ascend! Look at yonder city. Disease in its most dreadful forms is spreading destruction through it. Remedy fails. The total extinction of its inhabitants is threatened. Physicians with efficacious remedies make their appearance! The news of their arrival spreads on every hand! It is the signal for an outburst of feeling, transport, and joy!" Even so the gospel brings the tidings of pardon to sinful men-sets before them a gracious provision-and makes known. to them an all-sufficient and never-failing remedy that they may live, and that feelings of unbounded joy may spring up in their hearts! Now the tidings are flying abroad! Now prisoners are leaping to loose their chains! Now the tide of life is rushing back again into the systems of the sick and dying! And now the acclamations of joy are rising! Who does not say, Let the gospel fly? Let it fly over the dwellings of men-let it roll over the billows of the mighty ocean-let it erect for itself living temples on every shore-let it take the wings. of the morning, and visit the uttermost parts of the earth! There is something consoling in the thought that it was sent from heaven to earth for this purpose; that at this moment it is on its way to ultimate triumph and success, and that it will never pause in its lofty enterprise until it has visited the universal family of man, reduced the rebel sons of earth, to the gentle, easy yoke of Christ; secured to them the blessings of his mild, benignant, triumphant, and glorious reign; made the earth a temple resplendent with God's glory, and vocal with his praise. That the gospel may fly-fly with it like the stream from the rock, the steed through the park, and the roe on the mountain top. Fly with it By the streams and fountains,- Fly with it Under the sun's scorching heat The deep, shady, retreat- The low'ring of the storm And the sweet breath of morn. Fly with it -Where the flower of the orange blows |