The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-10-29

leaven has been cast into the mass by the hand
Of Jesus. He has met the spiritual wants of all.
Was instruction required? He has amply inn
parted it. Was forgiveness wanted? He has rich
y offered il. Was perfect example wanted2
| 1t shone in the son of God? Did infrmity
weigh man down to the ground? The gospel
had whei ewiha to raise him up, to strengthen
aud support him. Did despair gather its thou
sand horrid clouds around his soul? The gos'
pei alone could sweep them quite away, by the
sunshine of hope. Did death apparently ami
hiate the value of existence? Behold here too
the gospel step, in and filed up this necessity
by the glad prospects of eternal life. THIS
since this religion has supplied every mortal g.
spiritual want of man, we'll might he who gave
it to us, style himself the bread oflfe.
But the mention Of eternal life suggests the
last general illustration OF this expressive phrase.
Since Jasus knew, in his own mind, that death
was TO possess no permanent power over him,
sncehe felt conscious anticipation Of the gori-
Gus and unparalleled destiny which awaited him
in his future resurrection from the grave,-since
he kne W that countless nyrads of sinful men
would, by obeying the commands of his reg-
ion by maintaining Its heavenly tones, and by
approaching God and virtue through this APP
pointed medium inherit everlasting felicity since
especially he was aware that his own resurrec-
ton would be the first fruits--,he pledge the
earnest, OF the future existence of faithful follow
ers, how could he assume more instructive or
| we'll founded title than that which has now So
licited our attention?
In conclusion, if the religion which is offered
by Jesus OF Nazareth possesses, as has been at
tempted to be shown, an efficacy by which per-
| lection in every department OF this life is best
attained, if it be simple, necessary; and
universally applicable religion; it, lastly, it is the
preparative and the most undoubted pledge for
the certainty of future state of happine IS and
immortality, surelysevery reasonable man must
wish to pnrakc OF it; and refusal of it cannot
but be justly compared with the refusing of prop
er nourishmenl, of wholesome bread by him
who is on the very point OF starvation. Yes go
to unasslsted reason, and there is famine there
Perplexity, uncertainty, weankess, deception, and
disappointment will waste and desoIate the soul
Go to infidelity and, and there is famine aud n
desolaton there. Emptiness, self abandon
men Il miserable and fatal attachment to this
fleeing world, Il total darkness and despair with
respect to one another will starve The immortal
mind. Go to pleasure, and there is famine there.
Inoerabe regrets, time mspent, powers abus-
ed, WEAKNESS, f1aness, exhaustation Of existence
will very soon make the soul a gaunt spectral
skeleton. But go to the religion Of Jesus, taste
the bread of life and every faculty which Sod
has gwen you shall receive its healthy and Wig
orous nourishment, every virtue shall grow with
the beauty and certainty of youth, every scene
. of life shall contribute to your moral and spirit
ual improvement, and the cup of death shall be
no cup of death to you. APoLLos.