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assuming any peculiar excellence to ourselves; because we stand upon the shoulders of preceding ages, and the many venerable men who lived before us, have by their labours illustrated and confirmed the truth, refuted error, and freed the Gospel from all foreign and corrupt mixtures. As God has favoured us with it in its genuine simplicity, may we not consider this as a happy omen, that he will cause it to run, and be glorified? When Christianity at first was most pure, God gave it great success; as it grew corrupt, its progress was stopped: Now, when he has restored it to its pristine purity, may we not hope he will revive its ancient influence in the world? When Christianity was divided into many bigotted parties, to propagate it would have been the diffusion of the rancour of schismatical violence, the hot spirit of sectarian zeal more widely in the world; and therefore the Gospel was not spread. Now, when there is a union of different denominations acting cordially together for the propagation of their common Christianity, may we not look for success? At first believers were all of one heart, and of one mind; as to the things of religion, in the latter days, it will most probably be so again. But is it not an approach to such a state, when the disciples of Christ, agreeing in the grand doctrines of the Gospel, unite in ministerial and Christian communion, and join to diffuse Christianity, and not their own particular sects; and a simple mode of church government, drawn from the apostolical writings, which shall be found best adapted to the state of the heathen world, and not the distinguishing modes of any one denomination? I cannot but augur well from such a beginning; and I own I feel a considerable degree of pleasing confidence, both that we shall be drawn into a closer union with each other at home, and that our united efforts will, by the peculiar blessings of heaven, be crowned with success abroad.

IV. A common objection is, "The governments of the "world will oppose the exertions of your plans," and defeat its design.

Is not this groundless fear? Let us hope they will not oppose us. Why should they? From our own government we shall meet with no opposition: On the contrary, I flatter myself they will countenance our proceedings, and favour our efforts, in countries where their influence extends. This I consider as an advantage to those missions which may be employed in the vast empire of Hindostan. As to the governments of the countries to which our missionaries go, I am sure they will have no reason to oppose us. It is a funda

mental law of our society, "That the missionaries shall not "in the smallest degree interfere with the political concerns

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of the countries in which they labour, nor have any thing to say or do with the affairs of the civil government: And "whoever shall transgress this rule, will be immediately dis"missed with shame." The sole business of a missionary is to promote the religion of Jesus. Whatever may be the duties of a settled pastor in his own country, where he is not only a minister of the Gospel, but likewise a subject, a citizen, and a member of the community, (all which relations lay certain obligations upon him, and call for a corresponding conduct) it is certain that a missionary, who is an alien in a foreign land, has nothing to do with civil affairs, and his only business is to propagate religion. The knowledge of our sentiments on this subject, and the peaceable, harmless, and benevolent conduct of our missionaries, may remove the prejudices of those in authority, and influence them to grant our friends protection, and treat them with kindness. Christianity is a system of divine truth, highly favourable to the peace, virtue, and happiness of civil society; gives by its moral principles the greatest stability to governments; binds together the body politic in the strongest and closest bonds; and forms the surest barrier against those sentiments and vices which loosen the bands of social union, and endanger a country's welfare.

But whatever influence these considerations may have on the minds of the rulers of the world, let us ever remember this reviving truth, That all human governments are under the dominion of the great Head of the church, who turneth the hearts of kings, as he doth the rivers of water, and can so dis pose their minds as to make them favourable to our plans, and willing to permit our missionaries to preach the gospel in the countries where they reign. On this doctrine should our hearts rest with unshaken faith; and here ought our chief dependence to be placed. Who will venture to assert, that the heathen governments, which now exist, are worse than those of old, where Tiberius, Claudius, Nero, and Domitian reigned at Rome; or other monarchs at the same time in Parthia, Ethiopia, and India? Yet under them was the Gospel propagated in the world. He, who of old made lions tame while Daniel was in their den, so contracted their rage, and conquered their dislike, or else so fully engaged their thoughts about other subjects, that the word of the Lord had free course, and was crowned with great success. When they manifested cruel opposition to the cross of Christ, he moderated their fury, and after a season put a stop to their violence by death, or change of mind; so that the truth continued insensibly to spread, and the very sufferings of believers proved the increase of the church. What God did then, cannot he do now? And are not the souls of men and the interests of his church as dear to him now, as

they were then? Animated by these encouraging views, may we not go forth, trusting in him, who is infinitely higher than the highest upon earth, and who received his kingdom for this very purpose among others, that he might exercise his power in re straining and subduing all the opposition, which the principalities and powers of this world should make to the diffusion of his glorious Gospel. I proceed to a

Vth objection. Many say, "The present state of the hea"then world is so unfavourable with respect to religion, that "little hope can be entertained of success."

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That the religious state of those countries, which are ignorant of the Gospel, is truly deplorable, all, who view it with eyes enlightened from above, will readily allow; "the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of ignorance "and cruelty." Mahometans blend some knowledge of a Supreme Being with a thousand absurdities; and the Pagan nations have not gone so far in the path of religion, as to learn the existence of one God, the Creator of heaven and earth; and are besides sunk into the lowest abyss of ignorance, idolatry, superstition, and vice. A mournful sight indeed to the lover of God and man! But what sentiments and conduct should it inspire? When Paul of old surveyed the famous city of Athens, he saw the inhabitants wholly given to idolatry; but did the views generate despair? Did it influence him to leave the Athenians to follow their own wicked devices? No, his spirit was stirred within him, the divine word was as a fire in his bones; and he felt all the eagerness of apostolical zeal to proclaim aloud in their ears the doctrines of the glorious Gospel. And should not the state of the heathen world, which is so deplorable, produce the same effect in us? Were it not bad, it would not require our aid. In proportion to its badness, are we called to help; and its extreme badness furnishes the most powerful motive to exert ourselves to the utmost, for the salvation of their perishing souls. Could we survey each of the heathen nations with minute attention, while we saw reason to weep over their deplorable situation, we should yet find no cause to despair of success; their ignorance is brutish. Bat is not the Sun of Righteousness able to banish it, by shining upon them with salvation on his beams? Their prejudices may be strong and obstinate; but is not the power of the glorious Gospel of the blessed God able to dispel them all? Their enmity to the self-denying doctrine of salvation, by the righteousness of Christ, may be inveterate; but is not the energy of divine grace able to bring down every high thought, that exalteth itself against the honour of his cross? Their wickedness may be very great, and their long habits of iniquity such, as nature and reason cannot destroy; but is not the Holy Spirit

of Christ able to renew their depraved hearts, and to bring them to the obedience of faith, and evangelical sanctity of life? Some of their civil institutions, and modes of life, may appear to raise a formidable barrier against the approach of the Gospel; but is not the united power of divine Providence and grace able to level this barrier to the ground, and to make a plain path for the entrance of the religion of Jesus into the soul? As an instance of the impediments thrown in the way by civil institutions and local customs, the different casts, into which the inhabitants of India are divided, have been considered by many, as presenting a state of society, which must effectually hinder their conversion; but is it proper for us to entertain such a thought? That they are to be converted, is plain from the word of God. That this impediment will be removed out of the way, is equally certain too. God may, indeed, by terrible things in righteousness, employ such dispensations of Providence, as shall effectually destroy these pernicious distinctions which Satan hath formed, and so prepare the way for the entrance of the Gospel; but he can easily do the work by the Gospel alone. To pass by the Mahometans there, who are not subject to these absurd restraints, the lowest classes cannot be much degraded by embracing Christianity, and those who have lost cast, not at all; and, by our missionaries associating with them, they may, on the contrary, acquire some degree of respectability and consequence; and their souls are as noble and valuable, as those of the proud Bramins. When a hundred or two are converted, here is an asylum, into which converts of superior casts may retire, and the enlightening doctrines of the Gospel, when once they enter into their souls, will destroy the pride of casts, and contempt of others, and teach them to embrace with affection every Christian, whatever he formerly was, as a brother. And, when once a Christian cast, if I may so speak, is formed, it will appear more honourable than all the rest, and every believer will consider himself as exalted, not degraded, by the change. As the number of converts increases, the impediment will be lessened, till at last it entirely vanishes away. Besides, when we recollect, what Christian converts have parted with, and what they have endured, in numberless instances, for the sake of the Gospel; can we think it impossible for an Indian to submit to loss of cast, for the love of Jesus Christ, the joys of his salvation?

But the weakness of this objection will be still more apparent, if we consider for a moment, the state of the ancient Pagan world. The capacity and disposition of the Heathens, to receive the Gospel, is not a new question, just proposed for investigation; it is above seventeen hundred years old. Nay, it

has been tried, and a decision given in our favour. The Gos pel was preached to them, and it was crowned with success; nor does it appear, that the condition of the heathens was more favourable to the Gospel, than it is now. In these ancient, days, their ignorance of God was as profound, their prejudices as violent, their enmity as strong, their vices as detestable; the worldly interests of many, who lived by the follies of superstition, as much affected by the reception of the truth; the Pagan priests were at least as numerous, as bigotted, as powerful in their influence, and as feelingly alive to their honour, their wealth, and their rank among the people, as they are now in any land; sages and philosophers were as proud, as strongly attached to their own systems, bore as great a sway over the minds of the people, from a supposition of superior wisdom, and discovered a sovereign contempt of Christianity, and its professors; and princes were as jealous of their authority, as fearful of any thing that might infringe on their dignity, and as sanguinary in opposing whatever they thought had a tendency to lessen their power, as any can possibly be in modern times; yet even then the Gospel flourished, and not merely while the preachers had the power of miracles and the gift of tongues; but for ages after these had ceased. Does not this representation afford much encouragement to us?

The wicked lives of men, called Christians, may be urged as a peculiar disadvantage in modern times. It is undoubtedly a stumbling-block in the way, and must beget strong prejudices in Pagan minds. But though this did not exist of old, the belief of it did; and that was almost as bad in its effects. Need I inform you that Christians were charged with murdering children, and drinking the blood in their solemn rites; that they were accused of promiscuous intercourse in their religious assemblies; that they were considered by the multitude as guilty of the most odious vices? On these accounts, according to the prediction of our Lord, we are informed by some of the gravest historians, that the Christians were hated by the whole human race, as a detestable hord, polluted by the most atrocious crimes. With such sentiments, circulating among all ranks of men, and generally credited, did the ancient Pagans hear the Gospel; and, in spite of all these, multitudes embraced it. Matters, then, with respect to this circumstance, are more nearly on a level, than may be at first imagined; and, as the convert of old, soon perceived the falsehood of the reports circulated against Christians; with the same facility the regenerated Pagan now will learn the difference between a true believer, and the mere nominal professor, who disgraces the title, and the stumbling-block is thereby removed. The great David Brainerd informs us, that the rude In

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