For certain it is, that the church of Christ, which the Lord tenderly calls, this one, this only one, this choice one, is scattered, in her individual members, over the whole habitable earth. In proof, Jesus himself saith, when speaking of the triumphs of the last day in his coming in the clouds with great power and glory: And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth, to the uttermost part of heaven. And while this impression is warm upon my mind, I take occasion to remark from it, how very blessedly the doctrine of the Lord's ubiquity, comes home endeared to the heart, under this branch of it, in the special, personal, and distinguishing manifestations arising therefrom, as concerns the Lord's people. I fear that this most precious truth is not so often in our thoughts, as the infinite importance of it should excite, and the very blessed consequences arising out of its demand. And yet to a society like your's, which professeth the conviction, that the church of Christ shall be gathered to her Lord; and not one of his little ones shall be found wanting, when he maketh up his jewels: if this most unquestionable truth was cherished in the heart of a renewed child of God, acted upon, and lived upon, from day to day; could any thing, under sovereign grace, tend to keep the holy flame alive equal to the conscious assurance, of the everlasting presence of the Lord, in the midst of his people? Would it not put an end to all fears, peradventures, doubts, and misgivings? How sweetly doth Jesus sing his love-songs to his church on this subject, in his holy word? In that day (saith Christ, meaning the gospel-day) sing ye to her a vineyard of red wine. I the Lord do keep it. I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. Are we not warranted from hence to conclude, the unceasing presence of Christ with his church? Is it not on this account, that the scattered members of Christ's mystical body, in all the varieties of the earth, are preserved, upheld, sustained, nourished by him, while themselves unconscious of their relationship; and at length brought to the knowledge of the Lord by the alone sovereignty of his power, either without any instrumental cause disposing; or by the Lord opening a means to them unknown, unlooked for, unexpected! Brethren! let thoughts like these occupy your mind, while sending forth your gospel tracts in every direction. The Lord direct them, where he will direct them: and as instrumental in his almighty hand, cause them to operate for good, by his divine unction, that they may be made to bring forth, some thirty fold, some sixty fold, some an hundred fold. But fail not, I beseech you to remember, and never lose sight of the glorious truth; it is his unceasing presence with his church that is the great predisposing cause of all the mercies to the church. Her nnion with him, is the sole source of all interest in him. He saith himself, because I live, ye shall live also.

But we do not stop here. Added to the everlasting presence of Christ with his church, your society finds another stimulus of encouragement to your work of faith and labour of love, in the assurance

that from the ancient settlements of eternity, in covenant transactions between the glorious persons in the Godhead, every blessing needed in time and for all eternity, is in Christ, as the glorious head of his body the church, the fulness which filleth all in all. Here we have a most interesting view given us of our most glorious Christ, and the church's interest in him. Here it is we trace our mercies as to the fountain, and source of all mercy. Here it is, in his glorious person, is treasured up the grace given us in him, before the world began. And all that follows in the provision made for the church, in her recovery from the Adam-fall transgression, is found in him, received through him, communicated from him, made sure by him, according to the eternal purpose, purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Hence therefore, when to the conscious assurance of Christ's presence every where, you connect with it no less the assurance also, that Christ's fulness is the suited blessing for all the individual members of his mystical body, every way, and for every case and circumstance of his people; your society finds an everlasting encouragement, that as it was in the deliverance from Egypt of old, not an hoof was left behind; so in the deliverance of the church of God from this time state of sin and death now; the Lord will gather them one by one, and they shall come which are ready to perish? And what a contemplation is opened before you, to stimulate your warmest energies in such a cause, in acting instrumentally, in bringing home the Lord's banished ones? What a prospect ariseth to your view, in beholding by anticipation that day, when the chuch shall be gathered to Christ and Christ shall be beheld in his church! and what will be the holy joy, bursting from the millions of the Lord's redeemed members, when according to the beautiful statement given by the apostle: he that is now ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things: shall have filled all, and every one of his mystical members with grace and glory: and the whole church of God is then brought, in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ!

Brethren! After looking at the glorious head of his body, the church, in this exalted state, as the Alpha and Omega of all blessings, yea, the very being, and well-being of his church, I cannot connect with a subject of such sublimity, any inquiry into the present state of finances. He that hath said, the silver is mine, and the gold is mine: will provide the needful. And it will be always profitable for you as a society, engaged for such a purpose as you are, to keep in view the Lord's own words to his disciples upon a similar occasion: when I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, uothing! It may be well at times for the Lord's people, both in their own persons, in their social situations, to be, as was the widow of one of the sons of the prophets; to have nothing in the house; that the needed supply, when furnished by the Lord, may be the more manifested: for this will render the blessing more sweet: and cause the receiver, to eye the Lord's hand in it more visibly.

But as I have thus incidentally adverted to the subject, of pecuniary resources, I shall not give offence I hope, if I add, that in nothing doth there seem to have arisen a greater misapprehension than as to the motive of giving, to the support of a society like your's. And a society like your's, differing as you do from most, in the great object of pursuit, should no less differ, in the plan of attainment for the means. The apostle Paul, as in a multitude of other subjects of advice, hath a very beautiful one, in relation to this, when he saith: Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver. It may appear paradoxical to men of the world, but to the renewed nature taught of God, nothing is more plain and palpable; namely, that the more the Lord's people are blessed, both with the ability to give, and the heart to bestow, their almonry in any way, and every way, to the furtherance of the Lord's glory, in the promotion of the welfare of the Lord's people, as well spiritual as temporal; the more are they indebted to the Lord for the same. So that according to this standard, the greatest giver to the Lord, is the greatest debtor to the Lord: and he that is enabled to do the most, is the most honoured in being called to such a service. David had a correct apprehension on this subject, when at the building of the temple, the man after God's own heart, praised God's glorious name, in that the Lord had inclined hoth himself, and the children of Israel, to give largely upon the occasion. But who am I, (said the king) and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? For all things come of thee: and of thine own have we given thee. 1 Chron. xix. 14. David thought, and thought rightly, that as all comes from the Lord; it is but reverting back again, when any portion of it is presented to the Lord: and therefore to give any thing to so great a God, so glorious a God, who daily loadeth us with benefits: is but to give him of his own, for all are his already.

Finally, brethren! I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified. And while I commend you to God, as brethren in the common faith of our Lord Jesus Christ: I include myself, and the whole church of God in the humble commendation. Your Gospel Tract Society, like the early church after the Pentecost day of God the Holy Ghost, is in its infancy. Like that church of which you are a part, see that those who have the rule over its best interests, are as they are said to have been, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom; and the glorious head of his church grant to all that are engaged in it, grace to give ourselves continually to prayers. We are commanded, that in every thing, by prayer, and supplication, with thanksgiving, we are to make our requests known unto God. And the command will be converted into a privilege, as we are more frequently found at the heavenly court: and the glorious object of all adoration and love, is more known unto us in the unity of his divine essence, and trinity of persons, by Jesus Christ. That concern, be it

what it may, cannot lay near the heart, which doth not engage the heart to plead for it continually before the throne. But if the church of Christ, and the eternal interests of the Lord's people, be the leading principle of your society; you will not only send your tracts abroad, as instruments in the Lord's hand, for gathering in the Lord's people, which are scattered through the earth, but your prayers will go before them, and follow them: your warmest energies will be called into action, your gifts, your labours, your time, your talents will mark your zeal for the Lord's cause. Nay, you will feel somewhat of what the apostle felt, in his love to Christ's church. Being affectionately desirous for the promotion of the divine glory in the salvation of the Lord's people, you will be willing to impart not the gospel of God only, but also your own souls, because they are dear unto you. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask, or think, according to the power that worketh in us: unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

After which, the Report of the proceedings of the Society was read, in which was stated the necessity of a Gospel Tract Society, in consequence of the general defalcation from those distinguishing doctrines of grace, which form the basis of bible truth; and, under the almighty energy of the eternal Spirit, are the only pure sources of evangelical holiness and gospel obedience.

The Report also states, that, "in addition to the above-named defalcation, and shyness in declaring the gospel of the grace of God, there is a circumstance, which weighs most powerfully with your Commiteee, and demands that they should (relying upon the strength and power of God) contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints.' They refer to the open blasphemy and manifest opposition, which is made to those fundamental articles of our most holy faith, namely the true and proper Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ-the personality and agency of the Spirit, Jehovah,—as connected with the denial of the only true God; in the disbelief of the doctrine of the holy Trinity in unity, in which Trinity none is before or after the other-none is greater or less than the other. In the denial of these momentous truths, which form the pillars in the temple of true godliness, your Committee find additional incentives for a Gospel Tract Society, in which shall be unequivocally asserted the equal perfections of a triune Jehovah.

"Your Committee would further allude to the gigantic strides which that enemy of all godliness, popery-the man of sin-is making; arming himself for battle, whilst professing christians are slumbering in their camp. We are well aware that the pernicious doctrines of popery gain ground very fast among us; these, as protestants, we have hitherto, and shall continue, to expose and explode. In this we are fully convinced we shall be countenanced by all true protestants, while we expect nothing from a contrary quarter but the most severe censure. For all who are engaged in propagating these

fundamental heresies of the Romish church, the merit of good works, and justification by good works, which directly lead to the very portals of that corrupt church, will be offended at and rail against us.

"This Society was first established in the month of June, in the year of our Lord 1823; and although they did not commence the publication of tracts till the ensuing October, they rejoice in stating, they have been enabled to issue, since that period, to the amount of three hundred and sixty thousand! Numerous auxiliaries have been formed in various parts of the kingdom, as follows: Brentford, Brighton, Birmingham, Chertsey, Davenport, Faversham, Foot's Cray, Hull, Lewes, Manchester, Marlborough, Nottingham, Plymouth, Ramsgate, Sleaford, Yeovil, and two branch societies in the metropolis, &c. &c. &c."

The following resolutions were then unanimously agreed to:FIRST RESOLUTION-Moved by Thomas Hope, Esq. seconded by the Rev. John Hobbs.

That the Report now read, be adopted and printed, under the direction of the Committee.

SECOND RESOLUTION

Moved by the Rev. W. G. Lewis, of Chatham, seconded by the Rev. H. Dowling, of Colchester. That this meeting receives, with great satisfaction, the pleasing information, that the Society have succeeded, to so considerable an extent, in circulating the all-important truths of the everlasting gospel. THIRD RESOLUTION -Moved by the Rev. Joseph Irons, seconded by the Rev. George Francis.

That this Meeting considers the present a most momentous era, and one that loudly calls for the unremitting exertions of all those who are not ashamed to avow their decided attachment to that gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. FOURTH RESOLUTION - Moved by the Rev. B. Lewis, seconded by the Rev. G. Comb.

That this Meeting present their grateful thanks to those clergymen and ministers, who have so zealously forwarded the interests of this Society, by their cheerful and varied labours in this most glorious cause. FIFTH RESOLUTION-Moved by the Rev. I. A. Jones, seronded by the Rev. J. George.

That this Meeting, animated by the prospect of increasing usefulness, in the wide dissemination of gospel tracts, do pledge itself, under the divine blessing, to aid this object in every possible way, and more particularly by the formation of Auxiliaries.

SIXTH RESOLUTION-Moved by the Rev. W. A. Evanson, A.M. seconded by the Rev. Joseph Irons.

That the thanks of this Meeting be given to the Chairman, for his able conduct, and firmness of decision, in the arduous duties of this evening.

After which, a liberal collection was made, and the meeting broke up.

[An attempt was made in the early part of the evening, by some Roman Catholics, to address the Meeting; but by the firmness of the Chairman, assisted by the friends of the Society, order was restored.]