Christ, whether rulers, or ordinary pastors, or missionaries, considered this as their grand business, and these exhortations as addressed to them! All, however, are not thus distinguished by office; but every Christian is the servant of Christ, and has his proper work; and, if he would "hope to finish his "course with joy," he must attend to that work, I heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;" I doing all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God, even the Father, by him.” And, if this be his object, whether in the ministry or not, "happy is the servant whom our Lord "when he cometh shall find so doing."-I proceed,

III. To apply these considerations to the special occasion of our present assembling; and to improve the mysterious providence, that, out of the small number of those who can be induced to venture their lives in devoting themselves to the service of missionaries, one should be removed by death at the very crisis when he was about to enter on his pious, zealous, and benevolent labours among the poor negroes.

The views and principles, and the language dictated by them, which have been considered, were not peculiar to the great apostle of the gentiles : but they were, and are, those of every true minister, in proportion to the degree of his "preparation of "heart" for the important service. St. Paul, indeed, after this lived, and laboured, and prospered, in his labours, during several years. "Bonds "awaited him," as it had been foretold, at Jerusalem; and for nearly five years he was a prisoner at Jerusalem, at Cæsarea, in the ship, at Melita, and in his own hired house at Rome. Yet all these events

"fell out unto the furtherance of the gospel."1 He was afterwards liberated, and spent some time longer in his indefatigable labours: and then he finished his most useful life by martyrdom at Rome. But many of his brethren, who were like minded with him, were not permitted to continue on earth, to accomplish the object of their most fervent desires.

Who can doubt that Stephen, the first martyr, (to whose death Paul, when called Saul, had consented,) could have adopted the words of our text in their most enlarged meaning? His brethren might thence, perhaps, infer that the Lord had some extensive and permanent "work and labour "of love" in which he purposed to employ his zealous servant. But, in his unerring wisdom, he had determined otherwise. Stephen is brought forth to our notice, in one chapter, as a man of almost angelic excellence; and " none could resist "the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake yet, at the close of the next chapter, (which is almost wholly occupied by the faithful testimony that he bore to his Lord,) we find that his persecutors were permitted to prevail against him; and death prevented that future usefulness, for which he seemed so peculiarly qualified. “He did well "that it was in his heart; " but the Lord saw good to receive him to himself, without further labours or usefulness. James, the brother of John, was no doubt equally zealous, and equally prepared for useful labours, with Peter: but, behold Herod is

1 Phil. i. 12-14.

"Christ, which was far better" than aught on earth but they had less usefulness, and not such a number to be their "crown of rejoicing in the "day of Christ." The others experienced immensely more hardship, conflict, and suffering, and waited, in "much tribulation," many years before" they entered into the joy of their Lord : but they were honoured and blessed with far more extensive and permanent usefulness: and it appears that their entrance into rest and glory was more triumphant, and their exaltation in heaven more transcendant.

Modern times afford instances of a similar nature, did leisure permit us to dwell on them. Who, that has ever read his journals, can help regretting that such a missionary as Brainerd, in America, should die at about the age of thirty one? Who can help rejoicing that the venerable Schwartz was spared to labour with great success, in the East Indies, for about half a century? I am of opinion that no attempt has ever been made, upon Christian principles, and in a right spirit to make known the gospel of Christ to those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, without some of the select instruments being speedily taken away to the grief of their brethren; while others have been spared for substantial usefulness.

Many, perhaps, may be ready to think, 'It is a pity that this man engaged in the service had he foreseen the event he would not have done it. But, do you really think, that our deceased brother now repents of having engaged as a missionary? Do you really think, upon serious reflection, that it has been disadvantageous to him? Can you sup

pose that, with his present views, if he could return to this earth, he would say, 'No, let who will be missionaries, I will not?' Surely then you suppose he would not be able to adopt the words of the apostle, "None of these things move me, neither "count I my life dear unto myself!" Let us not forget, my brethren, that "none of us liveth to himself, and no man 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."!

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But will not such events discourage those who have engaged, or who ought to engage, in the service of missionaries? No doubt a temporary discouragement will frequently arise from such a cause, even in upright and zealous hearts: but it does not appear that the death of Stephen either damped the ardour of those who were then employed to preach the gospel, or deterred others from entering on the same service. Men indeed whose hearts are divided may be induced to decline the employment, when they perceive how perilous it is: but " he that putteth his hand to the plough, " and looketh back, is not fit for the kingdom of "God." When Israel went forth to war, the priest was ordered to proclaim that the cowards might return home their presence would be of no use, and would only tend to discourage their brethren. If then these dispensations induce those who have engaged to examine more narrowly their motives, more deliberately to count their cost, and more fully to make up their minds for all

Rom. xiv. 7-9.

events, in so glorious a cause; if they influence such as are deliberating on the question, to inquire seriously whether they ought to engage or not; and even determine some to decline a service, for which they are not duly prepared at present; while they bring others to engage in it with stronger faith, more ardent zeal, and more entire resignation to the will of God, according to the spirit of our text; the consequences will by no means be unfavourable to the cause. And that such will be the effects of these dispensations, we have every reasonable and scriptural ground to expect.

What then shall we say as to the effect on the societies for missions, and the friends to the cause? Will not their hands hang down, and their hearts be discouraged? I trust not. Consider the conduct of those who manage the public affairs of nations. The real or supposed good of their country is their avowed object; and in the pursuit of this object they form various plans of military enterprize. In executing these plans, they have continually to deplore, not only the loss of inferior lives, but of those commanders whom they most highly valued, and in whom they placed their main confidence ; yet they do not renounce, or even relax, their efforts, but they seek and find others whom they employ in subsequent military expeditions. I do not say that they are always, or generally, right in these measures: their objects may frequently be considered as of doubtful or subordinate importance; their measures may not be clearly the result of wisdom; they have no ground of assurance that those who lose their lives in executing their designs are happy after death; and, though they may