THE progress of the Gospel in the world is a subject near and dear to every Christian heart. The darkness of ignorance and sin which shrouds so fearfully the heathen portions of the world, is an appalling object. How can we behold it, my brethren, without sorrow? We live in Goshen, God has enlightened our land, and cast the bright beams of His Church about us. We are ourselves lights, doth not our Saviour say so? "Ye are the light of the world, a city set on an hill cannot be hid. "And men, you know, do not light a candle, and put it under a measure, but set it on a candlestick, to give light unto all that are in the house." We cannot therefore suppose for a moment, that the Great God hath set England on a hill of privilege, or enlightened us individually for no purpose. We must not put His candle under the bushel of our indifference, but let its light shine all through the house of the world—“ Arise, shine"-God seems to say to Britain; and to us, He says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." I make these remarks, clearing the way to my subject from the words of the text, which plainly have reference to the spread of light, and to the agency of man. I am going to preach a Missionary Sermon. "May God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shine in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ!" From the bright example of Christ, the apostle is stirring up the hearts of the Philippians to faithful diligence in everything good. "Work out your own salvation," he says, "with fear and trembling ;" and be not deterred from the enterprise because of difficulties," for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." "Shine as lights in the world," he soon adds, and then, in the words of the text, "holding forth the word of life;" be light-bearers to the world. In natural connexion. with the subject, allow me to crave your attention first, to what I may call the Lamp-2ndly to the oil of that lamp, and 3rdly to the bearer of it. The lamp. The oil. The bearer. The sun in the heavens is a great lamp; what its oil is I cannot tell, nobody can, but God is the bearer. It is His sun, and He maketh it shine on the evil |