dians urged this objection against Christianity, from the wicked lives of its professors, and with all the energies of ingenuity and eloquence. But they were converted by the power of the Gospel and the same glorious truths confirmed by the holy lives of our missionaries, and accompanied by the energy of the Spirit, will, I trust, still produce the same effects.

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Some might represent it as an advantage of modern times, that whereas of old, Christians were treated with contempt, and were for a season confounded with the Jews, a despised people, now many of the barbarous nations look up to Christians as a superior race of beings, on account of their eminent skill in arts and sciences; and are therefore more likely to receive the Gospel. But I lay no great stress on it in the arguThe people of Lystra, who venerated Paul and Barnabas, as gods come down from heaven, and hastened with sacrifices to testify their veneration, in a little while stoned them with stones, as the vilest of men, and dragged Paul out of the city as dead. I may however observe, on the whole of this particular, that we have no reason to shrink from the comparison, or to consider modern heathens as more averse to the Gospel than ancient heathens were.

The great and hurtful mistake in the whole of this objection lies here. People consider missionaries going forth among the heathen as mere men, with no wisdom superior to their own, with no strength above human, and they are greatly dispirited; but did we view a missionary as we ought, and as he is, with Jesus his Master at his right-hand, accon panying him on the way, and the Holy Spirit resting on him like a flame of fire, with all his powerful energies, we could not be cast down, but mantain a cheerful hope amidst the darkest appearances of Pagan ignorance and obstinacy, and persevere, trusting in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

VI. Another objection is, " How and where shall we find proper persons to undertake the arduous work of missiona"ries to the heathen."

This is certainly a matter of the highest importance. On good missionaries how much depends! It is indeed an arduous office, and requires the union of two distinguishing qualities in an eminent degree, knowledge and zeal. A missionary must be a burning and a shining light. The rays of divine knowledge must shine forth brightly from his mind, and the fire of divine zeal burn with a pure flame in his heart. Heat without light will not suffice for the health and growth even of vegetables, far less of spirits. Heat without light is considered as descriptive of the pit below, not of the New Jerusalem where Jehovah dwells. He that goes to preach Christ in heathen lands, should be a scribe well instructed into the kingdom

of God. His knowledge of divine things should exceed that of an ordinary pastor of a church already formed, because from him a whole country may receive its views of the Gospel, and be cast as it were into his mould. And how pure and full should his ideas of the Gospel be! When God sent forth the first missionaries to plant Christianity among the heathen, he inspired them with a perfect knowledge of it in all its parts. And is it not incumbent on us so far to respect the divine pattern shewn in the mount, as to do all in our power, that those whom we send out to the same glorious work, shall be men eminently distinguished for an enlarged and comprehensive understanding of the mystery of the Father and of Christ? Things produce their like. Error in the missionary will produce error in the converts; ignorance will produce false and imperfect veiws; and pure truth in all its parts will produce pure truth on the Pagan's mind, and sanctity and consolation, as naturally flowing therefrom. We are going to send, by our missionaries to the heathen, a gift of inestimable value; and while we are anxiously careful that it may not be polluted by the defiling fingers of error, should we not also feel a holy solicitude, that it may not be mutilated or defaced by the rude hand of ignorance? But though knowledge be so important and so necessary, it is not sufficient of itself. The pale rays of the moon would bring neither grass, nor corn, nor fruit to maturity. To accomplish this, the sun's genial beams must diffuse their fructifying virtue over the face of the earth. In like manner, to the light of knowledge there must be added, in a good missionary, the celestial heat of zeal; pure, ardent, persevering zeal for the glory of God, and the salvation of man, must, like unextinguished fire upon the altar, burn continually within his breast, unabated by all the difficulties and discouragements which from time to time set themselves in array against him. I might add, that to these radical qualities, he should join the wisdom of the serpent to the harmlessness of the dove, the most exalted devotion, the most profound humility, unconquerable meekness, and patience under sufferings and trials, which nothing can subdue. Such are the men whom we wish to send to the heathen. To find them will be, we must own, a matter of great difficulty; but the difficulty is not insurmountable. Such men have been found. There were many such in the primitive ages of the church, not only in the days of the apostles, but likewise in succeeding centuries, long after miracles and the gift of tongues had ceased to accompany the preachers of the Gospel. What has been may be again. There are just the same materials to work upon, and the same artificer, as of old. Human nature is just the same as then; if it be not better, it is not worse. Christians,

too, are the same: there are the same divine principles in the word of God, and the same almighty grace in the Holy Spirit, to make them what they were in ancient days. Why then should not as good missionaries be produced now as of old? Ministers are found, who are faithful, and zealous, and successful: but the same grand qualities are required in them, as in missionaries; and it deserves inquiry, whether it may not be laid down as a general remark, "that the same talents and dispositions, which form a good minister in England, would, "by a difference of application and by adaption to studies, objects, and pursuits, somewhat varying in kind, have form"ed a good and useful missionary for the service of the hea“then.” Besides, missionaries have been formed by other societies. The Danes, the Scots, the Moravians, have not been suffered to leave their plans abortive for want of labourers and have not we as extensive a field of selection as any of them can boast of?

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If we enter into a consideration of the requisite attainments, we shall find nothing insisted on, that is impossible. To learn the language of the heathen is necessary for a missionary. But do not ten thousands learn foreign tongues for amusement, or for gain; and will the love of Christ and of souls be found a less powerful motive for exertion? Self denial is of indispensable necessity. But do we not see men practise it from inferior considerations? They bid adieu to their dearest friends; they cross the mighty ocean; they dwell in the most sultry climates; they associate with the rude and barbarous inhabitants; and are for many years deprived of that society which was so sweet to them in their native land; and for what? to amass wealth. And will not the certain prospect of treasures in heaven, and of one of the brightest crowns of glory, animate the Christian missionary to submit to similar hardships and restraints? Nor is this grace peculiar to him; for in what part of the world can a man be a good minister of Jesus Christ, without the exercise of much self denial in his work? Patience and zeal are required of a missionary in an abundant degree, But do we not see them exercised by the man of the world, to attain the object of their pursuits? How many are there now in India, who have been for twenty years patiently and zealously following the wished-for prize. And when we consider this, shall we not be ashamed to object, that we are afraid we shall not be able to find missionaries, who will be patient and zealous, when labouring in the work of the Lord, that he may see of the travel of his soul and be satisfied? To make the way of salvation known to pagans, how difficult; yet absolutely necessary! All good ministers feel something of this in conveying divine instruction to the young and to the ignorant. Be

sides, does the adventurous trader continue to make himself understood by the naked savages, if we have aught to buy or sell; and though the subject be more difficult, cannot the missionary let it be known that he brings the glad tidings of salvation to them, and that they are required to come and buy it, without money and without price? Though hard, this is not impossible; for he, who created the soul of man, framed the Gospel of Christ. And he made them so to correspond to each other, as that the soul should be large enough to receive the Gospel, and men of the most ordinary capacity in heathen lands should be able to understand it.

But where, it may be said, are those missionaries? Can you point them out? Had Christ, before he called his disciples, informed one of the Jewish Rabbies that he wanted twelve men to send into all the world, and convert the nations to the faith of his Gospel, would not the wise Rabbi have smiled at the supposed folly, and have said, " where are these "twelve men to be found? They have not yet breathed the "breath of life." But when Christ wanted these, he soon found them, and in situations where no proud Rabbi since his time would have looked for them. And after keeping them in his academy for three years and a half, where they received lectures in theology, and saw every principle displayed, and every rule exemplified in his life and at his death, he filled them with his spirit, and sent them forth to bring the nations into subjection to him. How well qualified they were for the office both their writings and the success of their ministry afford a satisfactory proof. And cannot our Lord with equal ease find out missionaries now? He can and will. As soon

as they are wanted, these objectors may be convinced that Jesus will call them, put the desire into their heart, and they will offer themselves willingly for his service. Indeed I believe that not a few have already discovered an earnest desire to be employed in this arduous but glorious work. In fine, if it be but considered with serious attention, that our Lord Jesus Christ, when he ascended up on high, received gifts for men on purpose to qualify them for every employment in his church, even the most difficult; and that it is his office, and will be his delight to fit missionaries for pulling down the thrones of satan, and extending the kingdom of the Redeemer, certainly the objection will be withdrawn. Perhaps some may even object,

VII. Whence will the society and the missionaries be able to find support?

I cannot think the main difficulty lies here. Considerable funds will indeed be necessary; but they will be also readily provided. When folly and vanity call for support, no lack of

money is observed. When an opera house or a theatre is to be erected, is it found impossible to provide funds? And if these haunts of mere amusement can be raised with ease, shall it be an insuperable difficulty to procure a sum of money to convey instruction necessary to the happiness of immortal souls? If the lovers of vanity be thus liberal to gratify a forlorn and depraved taste, shall not we, who profess to love God and Christ, and the souls of men, exert ourselves, and contribute of our substance to attain the highest ends which a creature can possibly pursue, the end, for which Jesus shed his blood upon the cross? Are thousands of professing Christians riding in chariots, and shall support be wanting for missionaries to travel in the apostolical mode for the conversion of the heathen? "Is it time for you (says the "prophet in the context to the Jews of old) to dwell in ceiled "houses, and this house lie waste?" The same argument would I urge. Many of you dwell in splendid houses, elegantly furnished; and some have more than one; and have you nothing to bestow towards building the house of the Lord of hosts? Others are growing rich through the bounty of Providence; and have you nothing to spare for Christ and his cause? It cannot be. It is needless to urge the matter. In this manner had I purposed to reason with you. But to my unspeakable joy, you have rendered these few hints almost needless by the many examples of generosity, which have far exceeded our expectations. Here we have already beheld, and there certainly we shall still behold the triumphs of Christian benevolence, and the liberal free-will offerings of pious zeal. The abundant oblation of the affluent; the generous contribution of the industrious, the day labourer's pence, and the widow's mite, will furnish a sacred treasure sufficiently ample for building the house of the Lord in all its glory, and for providing support to those who minister in the sanctuary from year to year, till the heathen say, "It is enough."

An VIIIth objection, urged by many is, "There is no "door opened in Providence for the entrance of the Gospel: "We should wait till such an event take place," and then diligently improve it.

Is not this founded in a mistake? Certainly a door is opened in Providence; and we are called upon to enter in. Formerly, in the dark ages, nations had little intercourse with one another; and such as were separated by the sea, or by countries intervening, scarcely knew of each other's existence. But since the invention of the mariner's compass, every part of the globe has been explored; nearly all the tribes of the earth have been brought into view, and some kind of intercourse established with them. And for what end is all this?