2. Motives corresponding with this experience, will incline the believer to seek the conversion of sinners in the heathen world.

Such we conceive the following to be.-A desire to promote the glory of God, whose character is dishonoured by the practices of idolatry. According to these, idols designed to represent some imaginary things, whose legendary histories prove their characters to be compounded of all that is base, and sensual, and devilish, are regarded as proper objects of religious adoration. Such are the things made to occupy the place of the Eternal-to receive the homage exclusively due to him. Can any one who feels any thing for the Divine glory, feel his spirit at ease within him, when he knows to what extent these practices prevail? Will not his feelings resemble those of St. Paul at Athens-" his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry." A desire to promote the salvation of souls, now perishing for lack of knowledge, will also be felt as a powerfully impelling motive. God hath made of one blood all nations of men, and they are our brethren. We are bound to relieve their miseries so far as we can; and all will feel the propriety of our interference to remove the temporal miseries resulting from conflagrations, and floods, and famine, and pestilence. But in the absence of these temporal miseries, the Christian beholds a more fearful misery than all their most dreadful combinations could produce-immortal souls in all the guilt of determined rebellion, and without one well-founded hope of salvation, hastening forward to the awful retribution of the world to come. O that we could realize the rapidity with which these are passing from the stage of life! Twentysix millions are computed to die every year. At this rate, above three thousand souls have passed into eternity since we have assembled within these walls. While we slumber over their interests, they are going beyond our reach-while we are deliberating about sending them instruction, they are gone beyond the barrier of hope.The honour of Christ, too, is an object so high in the believer's estimate, that he delights in any opportunity to promote it in the world. Remembering that he is indebted to that blessed person for all his enjoyments, and all his hopes; his gratitude impels him to promote the honour of his Redeemer; and his love thinks no sacrifice too great.

3. Universality and permanence of zeal are thus secured.

Selfish zeal is partial: in the case of Jehu, the idolatry of Baalim is overthrown; but an idolatry equally offensive is countenanced at Bethel and Dan. He who acts under the influence of the motives peculiar to a renewed mind, is likely to aim at universality of obedience to Divine directions; and as He who has begun a good work in

him, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ; his zeal, allowing for some variations of intensity and modes of exercise, will continue till time is exchanged for eternity. He acts from an abiding principle; impressed with a just sense of duty, he vacillates not with the variation of success as do others, but deems it his duty and privilege to embrace every opportunity of glorifying his Father who is in heaven. A beautiful illustration of this mode of acting occurred in the South Sea Islands a little before the remarkable conversion of the inhabitants to Christianity, in the person of Mr. Nott, the Missionary ;— when the Directors at home were deliberating about the abandonment of the Mission, and a report of this was conveyed to the Missionaries, this devoted man resolved, by the help of the Lord, to continue at his post of labour, whatever might be the decision of the Society at home, and whether he should receive any further supplies from England or not. How God was pleased to crown this fidelity with success, I need not attempt to relate. A further reason of the permanence of this zeal is, that it is sustained by confident expectation.

It is not a question with a believer, whether the heathen shall be given to our Lord for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession. As to the grand result aimed at by Missionary Societies, it is irreversibly fixed by Heaven's decrees. If question there be, it is like that agitated, respecting the conquest of Canaan. In this warfare, Britain has taken the lead, yet let her take heed to keep her post efficiently, or the Captain of our hosts can easily call America to occupy her rank; or if she also should languish with indifference, He can raise up, from among the sons of Polynesia, men clad in the thunder of the sons of Zebedee, endowed with the wisdom of Paul, and the eloquence of Apollos, to declare to the ends of the earth the unsearchable riches of grace. Never let us imagine for a moment that God is dependent on us for the accomplishment of his designs. If Meroz does not choose to go to the help of the Lord against the mighty, let her stay at home with the curse of her indifference on her head; but the Lord will shew that he can subdue the mighty without her assistance. We need only add on this part of our subject, that the zeal which arises from the power of true religion in the heart is marked by earnest, patient perseverance. The soul confiding in the sufficiency of the Divine power, wrestles with God for his blessing and the rich effusion of his Holy Spirit. Blessed are they who are thus influenced, and glorious the reward which grace confers on them.*

4. Had your time permitted, it was our intention to have noticed some important illustrations of the zeal which springs from the power

*Rom. ii. 7. Gal. vi. 9. 1 Cor. xv. 58.

of religion within; but as the time is so far advanced, we can only glance at some of these.

Our Lord Jesus Christ gave a perfect exemplification of this zeal. Of course his zeal was displayed under very different circumstances from ours, and was free from the internal counteraction that we too often feel; but in this leading feature, we observe the general analogy; his zeal proceeded from the purity of his character, it was the index of his religious feeling, of his regard for the glory of God, and the salvation of souls. From John iv. 31-34, it is evident that it was regular and constant; that an opportunity of saving a soul was deemed by him a more satisfactory meal than the enjoyment of his necessary food. And from John ii. 17, we learn, that zeal for the cause of the church fully occupied his soul, consuming every private consideration, interest, and feeling, for the advancement of the interests of true religion: in his death, he gave an unparalleled expression to his zeal for the Divine glory and the salvation of men; nor is his zeal at all abated, now that he sits at the right hand of power; he still pleads his people's cause, and watches over the general interests of his church. The apostles were eminent for their zeal for God, especially the great apostle of the Gentiles.* Nor was the primitive church, generally, at all deficient in zeal.† During the first three centuries we find the gospel successfully introduced into Persia, and other countries in the east, and Africa toward the west, with Germany, France, Spain, and Britain; and when we consider their persecutions and poverty, what have we done? We are but treading in their steps, and with inferior pace. Time forbids us noticing any other illustrations. If what we have advanced already be correct, it will follow that,

5. The intensity of our zeal will depend on that of our religion : the one cannot languish without the other. Hence our real prospe

rity may be more deeply involved in the vigour of our zeal for the Lord, than we have perhaps suspected: "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee," Psalm cxxii. 6. The health of a tree is promoted, rather than injured, in bearing fruit.

What, then, are the measure and character of our zeal? Are they such as we can review with satisfaction? Are we not become accustomed to the field of blood, and less affected than formerly, by the miserable state of the heathen? Are we not become satisfied with our present measure of zeal? And what is it? The combined efforts of the Christian world scarcely furnish one missionary for a million of souls! How does our zeal affect us in the closet? That 1 Thess. i. 6—8.

Rom. xv. 17-21, 28.

is the place of wrestling with God. O, it is easier to give, and to give largely, than to wrestle here as we ought!

What are the claims of the London Missionary Society on our attention? They are the claims of the cause of God. We cannot now conceal from ourselves the state of the world. We have been

distinctly told what is its deep wretchedness. We are in possession of the proper remedy-the leaves of the tree of life, which are for the healing of the nations. The object of the Society is to carry the remedy to the nations of the earth. Shall we assist? or sit down in the supineness, and under the curse of Meroz? O, it will be a fearful thing to be convicted of having withheld from any perishing souls the means of instruction in the way everlasting: "If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and those that are ready to be slain; if thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?" Prov. xxiv. 11, 12. Let us do what we can, for the Society's contributions are wanted, and I doubt not but these will be supplied; yet these are the last and least of its wants. We want men to supply the vacancies occasioned by death in the field of labour, and these money cannot purchase. The directors at home need wisdom and prudence in the choice of agents, and the distribution of their agency, &c.; and these funds cannot furnish. We want the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to crown every effort with success; and this can only be expected in answer to fervent believing prayer.

But before I sit down, let me ask, Is there a person in this assembly who has often heard the gospel, but who has not obeyed its directions? O, sinner! the heathen will rise against you in judgment; think now of the end of your course, ere it be too late, and hear once more, before you die, an invitation you have often heard in vain : "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon," Isaiah lv. 6, 7.

SERMON XXII.

PAUL'S VOYAGE TO ROME CONSIDERED IN CONNEXION WITH HIS FAITH.

BY ROBERT BURLS.

Acts xxvii. 21-25.—But after long abstinence, Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer; for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Cæsar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

IN

In consequence of Paul's arraignment before Festus and Agrippa, to answer for charges alleged against him by the Jews, it was determined, as he had made an appeal unto Cæsar, that he should go to Rome for the decision of the law. Hence that eventful voyage, so particularly described by the writer of the text.

Much of the early history of Christianity is interwoven with the conversion and subsequent life of this eminent apostle. The whole of his experience as a Christian, his labours as a preacher of the gospel, with his trials and sufferings for the truth's sake, afford many striking illustrations of the nature of religion—its fruits and consequences. Nor are there wanting numerous and encouraging proofs, both of the watchful and tender care which God exercises over his people amidst the gloomy permissions of his providence, and of the overruling wisdom, by which he makes the wrath of men to praise him, in promoting the object which it was designed to impede. We often read of the good which seemed almost incidentally to result from the forced movements, and the imprisonments of