1 IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY, May 20th, 1806. "Resolved, That the Standing Committee of Missions be directed to present the thanks of this Assembly to the Revd. Dr. NOTT for his Sermon, and to request a copy thereof for publication." A true Copy of Record, 1 NATHANIEL IRWIN, P. Clk. G. A. BY THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF MISSIONS; Resolved, That the thanks of this Committee be presented to the Revd. Dr. Norr, for his Missionary Sermon, delivered at their request." Extract from the Minutes, J. J. JANEWAY, Sec. A SERMON. 1 COR. XV. 58. ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD. SON of man can these dry bones live? Thus spake God himself to Ezekiel in a vision: the circumstances of which were as follow. The prophet had been carried away in the Spirit, and set down in a valley full of dry bones. Having passed round about this valley, and while surveying its silent and affecting ruins, a voice addressed him, Son of man can these dry bones live? To this interrogation the prophet gives not a decisive answer, but resolves the issue into the sovereignty of God: O Lord God thou knowest. The voice which before interrogated now commands, Prophesy upon these dry bones and say unto them, hear the word of the Lord. The prophet obeys, and as he prophesies-Lo! the sinews and the flesh come upon them, and the skin coyers them above. : Över these bones, which as yet had no breath in them, the prophet was again commanded to prophesy, and again was obedient. Breath now came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army. This vision contains, in emblem, a representa tion of the promised recovery of the Jews from their captivity in Babylon. This, however, is not all that it contains. Between the captive state of Judah and the fallen state of man there is a manifest analogy. The DRY BONES which are a striking emblem of the former, are a no less striking emblem of the latter. And the miracle of cloathing these dry bones with flesh, and inspiring them with life, may be considered as the figure of another miracle, more astonishing, equally above the reach of man, and “ decisively evincive of the agency of God."-I mean the miracle of a moral resurrection Notwithstanding the life and vigour of the intellectual powers of man, revelation asserts, and experience confirms the melancholy assertion, that with respect to his moral powers he is dead in trespasses and sins. The situation of the prophet prophesying over dry bones, resembles that of the evangelist calling on the spiritually dead to hear and live. And if in the former instance there was encouragement for the prophet to prophesy, in the latter, there is no less encouragement for the evangelist to preach. Success then depended, and now depends, not on the will of man but of God. And his arm is not shortened that it can not save, nor is his ear heavy that it can not hear. Behold, Christians, the ground of our hope for sinners, and, beholding it, be steadfast, unmoveable, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD, foras nuch as ye know that your labors is not in vain in the Lord. By abounding in the work of the Lord, may be understood an acquiescence in the divine government, and a constant and cordial co-operation with the Divine Being, in accomplishing its objects; one of which, and an illustrious one too, is the establishment of the UNIVERSAL REIGN OF THE MES SIAH ON THE EARTH. To induce your co-operation, particularly with respect to those Pagan tribes who are within the reach of your exertion, shall be the object of the present meditation. And, O may God, in whose hands are the hearts of all men, give efficacy to the motives which may be presented! In entering on this discourse, I might show, were it necessary, that the influence of Christianity, on the temporal as well as eternal interests of mankind, is more benign than Paganism.But it is not necessary. Yo know by experience the benignity of the one, and were it possible to describe but half the malignity of the other, there is not a wretch in Christendom, who, affected at the contrast, would not exclaim, the lines |