"mitted to us the ministry of reconciliation. Now "then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though "God did beseech you by us; we pray you, in "Christ's stead, be ye reconciled unto God." The Saviour's person, "Emmanuel," "God manifested "in the flesh;" his boundless love, his righteousness, his atonement, death, resurrection, ascension, and all-prevailing mediation; his power, truth, and grace; were the subjects of which his heart was full: and "from the abundance of his heart his "mouth spake" continually. "There is no differ"ence between the Jew and the Greek; for the "same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him for whosoever shall call on the name " of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they " call on him in whom they have not believed? " and how shall they believe in him of whom they "have not heard? and how shall they hear without "a preacher." "Oh that all men knew the glorious and gracious Saviour and Friend of sinners! Oh that this salvation were proclaimed from east to west, from pole to pole! If the glad tidings were but made known, we might hope that they would be credited; and that thus perishing sinners would be delivered from their deplorable state, "and "made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." Oh that I could do any thing to promote so desirable an event?" Here am I, send me." None of the dangers, hardships, and privations which I foresee, " move me, neither count I my life dear "to myself," in such a cause.'

The apostle was deeply sensible that he had

1 2 Cor. v. 19, 20.

Rom. x. 12, 13, 14.

himself been in as dreadful a state of guilt and wrath, as any of those were to whom he could carry the joyful sound of salvation; and that he was an unexceptionable witness to the exceeding grace of the divine Saviour, a living monument of the unsearchable riches of his love. His obligations to the Redeemer were incalculable and unparalleled: His language was "What shall I render to "the Lord for all his benefits?" "The love of "Christ constraineth me." "Tell me not of ease or hardship, of liberty or bonds, of my native country or banishment, of pleasure or pain, of profit or loss, of life or death. Only present to me the opportunity of shewing my love and gratitude to the Redeemer, "who loved me, and gave himself "for me," and my ardent desire of seeing him glorified in the salvation of my fellow sinners. Ast to the rest," his will be done." " his will be done." "According to

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my earnest expectation and my hope, that with "all boldness, as always, so now also Christ may ❝ be magnified in my body, whether it be by life "or death."'1

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'If indeed,' he might have said, 'I had any abiding doubt concerning my own salvation; if while in other respects willing to spend and be spent," "to suffer and to die for the name of Christ," I were harrassed with the fear of being at last"a cast-away;" it might, it must, unman me: but, blessed be the Lord, this is not my case. Man's grand interest, while on earth, is eternal salvation in heaven; and, by the grace of God, this my grand interest is secure. "I know in whom

1 Phil. i. 20, 21.

"I have believed, and am persuaded that he is "able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day." "I know that this shall turn "to my salvation, through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Christ." "To me to live "is Christ, and to die is gain." As "Christ is my "Life," and "I live by faith in him," so my only business, pleasure, honour, interest, and concern, while on earth, is to celebrate his praise, to promote his cause, and to do his will: and, when I have done this as long as he shall see good, death will be my gain, in whatever way it may come upon me. But, if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit " of my labour: yet what I should choose I wot "not; for I am in a strait betwixt two, having a "desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which "is far better." If I consulted only my own good, I should say, " Lord, let thy servant depart in peace;"take me to heaven, which is far better." But, when I think of others; when I think of the ignorance and ungodliness which overspreads the race of men all over the earth; and when I think of the honour of Christ, my gracious Lord in the salvation of sinners; I count it well worth while to live, even amidst conflicts, hardships, distresses, perils, and persecutions, if I may be an instrument of promoting the purity, the peace, and the enlargement of "the church, which he hath purchased "with his own blood."

The apostle would no doubt say, ""My times are in thy hand." Thou hast said, “ Delivering "thee from the people and from the gentiles, to

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"whom now I send thee." "Thou hast delivered, " and dost deliver, and in thee I trust that thou "wilt yet deliver." If I must stand before "Cæsar," and bear witness to Christ at Rome, as well as at Jerusalem, 66 no man can set on me to "hurt me," till this be accomplished. Till my testimony be finished," all the power of carth and hell will be as unable to destroy my life as to "separate me from the love of Christ:" so that "in all these things I am more than conqueror ;" "all is working for me a far more exceeding and "eternal weight of glory."

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He might also add, 'I am bound by the most express and solemn obligations: "The vows of "God are upon me." "Necessity is laid upon me;

yea wo is me if I preach not the gospel:" I have been expressly commanded to do it; I have deliberately engaged to do it. "None of us liveth "to himself, and none dieth to himself; for whether we live we live unto the Lord, and whether we "die we die unto the Lord; whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's."1 "We

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" are not our own; we are bought with a price : "therefore let us glorify God in our body and in "our spirit which are God's." 2 If this be the case with others, much more is it mine shall I then shrink in the time of danger or of conflict? God forbid!'

We might enlarge; but lay together the things which have been stated: the realizing view of eternal things, and of the evanescent nature of things temporal, whether pleasant or painful; the

1 Rom. xiv. 7,

8.

21 Cor. vi. 19, 20

deep conviction of the ruined state of all men throughout the world; and of the suitableness and sufficiency of the remedy provided by divine grace, in the salvation of Emmanuel, and the renewal of the Holy Spirit; the absolute need of the gospel being preached, in order that men may be made partakers of this salvation; the apostle's immense obligations to the Redeemer; his ardent love and gratitude to his great Benefactor, and zeal for his glory: his benevolent and compassionate love to his fellow sinners in every land; his assurance of a happy event to himself, so that "death would be "his gain;" his express appointment to the arduous service; his ready and explicit engagement in it; and his confidence in the power, wisdom, truth, and love of his God and Saviour: these views and principles, when vigorous and permanent, were fully sufficient to dictate the language of the text, and to stimulate this zealous minister of Christ to the labours and sufferings of revolving years, not to terminate but in death, even the death of a martyr: for that, it is evident, he habitually expected.I proceed,

II. To consider, rather more particularly, the words of the text, as the apostle's language springing from the state of the mind and heart, the judgment and affections, above described.

"None of these things move me." The apostle did not intend to express a stoical apathy. No, this insensibility, or rather this affectation of being devoid of passions and feelings, was as remote from his affectionate, sympathizing, ardent character, as the east is from the west. The genuine sensibility of his generous heart is beautifully expressed on a