dence, and have been led to expect that you shall not be placed under any fuperior controul; but, Brother, a fpirit of infubordination would be extremely prejudicial to the fuccefs of your important labours, as well as to the interefts of your own foul. To be fubject one to another, and to be clothed with humility, is among the first of qualifications. We think it neceffary, therefore, to ftate to you that, during the voyage the decifions of the Captain, and Superintendant of the Miffion, fhould be fubmitted to with cheerfulness. It will be the duty of each individual zealoufly to fupport their authority, to fubmit himself willingly to their advice and direction, and to pay a confcientious regard to fuch rules as may be prescribed for the regulation of his conduct during the paffage, or in the place of his fettlement abroad. If every man affume a right to dictate, and will obey his own wilful spirit only, there muft neceffarily be confufion and every evil work while attention to order, and obedience to appointed authority, will be found not lets beneficial in its influence on the Heathen, than profitable to your own foul. It is alto probable that you may have formed erroneous expectations as to your reception among the Heathen, and your permanent fituation and intercourfe with them. Perhaps you may think that your fuperior talents will acquire for you fome political influence over their affairs, fome elevated rank, iome flattering diftinction, and thus your condition be more eminent and diftinguished than it would have been in your native land. Purify your heart, Brother, from thefe ambitious and defiling thoughts, or venture not upon a work which demands a mortified spirit, and a mind crucified to the love of the world. It will be our defire, indeed, to place you in that fituation where you will be favourably received, and the means of your fubfiftence fecured; but the continuance of the good will of the natives muft greatly depend on your difcreet and useful conduct among them. The idea of your fuperiority, which at firft may attract their refpect, will diminish by the familiarity of intercourfe, except it be cherithed by the wildom and prudence of your deportment. But it is greatly to be feared, that either through your own infirmity, or that of your Brethren, the impetuous paffions of the Heathen may be occafionally routed, and your perfonal fafety endangercd. Recollect, therefore, Brother, that we fend you out not in purfuit of eate or worldly honour. We forbid any interference in the political affairs of the Heathen, and we forewarn you that danger awaits you, and that you may be called to endure a great fight of afflictions, and feal your teftimony with your blood. Thus, Brother, we have in faithfulnefs laid before you our reflections upon this fubject; revolve them in your mind, examine your motives and expectations, feek earneftly the wisdom that is from above, and let your determination be wil weighed, deliberate, and abiding. If they fhould produce a difcouraging influence upon you, and difpofe you to relinquish the intention of engaging in the Miffionary fervice, it furnishes a prefumption that divine Providence may not have defigned you for this line of duty; and it is far better that you should decline in time than repent of your engagement, or withdraw from your station after you have entered upon it. If the Miffionary office pre-fuppofes fuch difficulties and dangers, if it demands a fpirit fo entirely fubdued to worldly expectations, it may be enquired what are the real inducements to undertake it? We reply, then, that the motives which infpire a true-hearted Miffionary are facred and highly important; being greatly mortified in his af fections to fublunary interefts, his elevated faith is fixed. upon a higher mark in the fpirit of facrifice he goes forth and perfeveres unwearied in his arduous courfe, looking for no other requital to himself, in this life, than an inward peace arifing from the hope of the divine approbation. Yet the fame views which induced the Apostles and Martyrs to encounter dangers and death, and which animated even the Son of God when he endured the cross, and defpifed the fhame, actuate his mind. He perceives that the human race are involved in tranfgreffion, and haftening to deftruction, and his benevolent heart prompts him to attempt to rescue them from ruin, and raife them to purity and immortal happiness; and his zeal and fidelity are accompanied, even in the prefent ftate, with the moft refined fatisfaction. Who ever heard that the courfe of a faithful Miffionary was unattended with this fpiritual joy? Which of them, at the clofe of life, ever expreffed their regret that they had been confecrated to this fervice?The precious witnefs within themfelves has been a fpring of facred confolation; and although, like their divine Mafter, the world has defpifed them, yet fuperior fpirits witness and approve their faithful labours; but their prin 4 F 2 cipal tipal motives relate to futurity, and their great expectations are transferred to the invifible state; their minds anticipate the period of their Saviour's triumph, and in the day when he fhall come to be glorified in his faints, they hope to form a part of his retinue, to receive from his lips the applauding fentence, and from his hand the unfading crown. MAN THOUGHTS ON EPHESIANS, ii. 8. "By Grace are ye faved." AN by nature is guilty, loft and polluted, without power to help himself, or will to be helped; de praved in every part, and under the condemnation of an holy and just law, which he has violated. Much need not be advanced to prove this-an Evangelical Apostle declares that, "all have finned, and come fhort of the glory of God." And the Royal Pfalmift afferts, "there is none righteous; no, not one." The human mind has formed many devices to extricate mankind from this deplorable condition; fome have endeavoured to merit pardon by a round of duties and good works; others, to do all they can, and truft to Chrift to make up the deficiency; but it has all proved a "bed too fhort, and a covering too narrow :" and if we examine the word of God, we, fhall clearly perceive how totally impoffible it is for us to perform any thing good. “When I would do good," fays the apoftle, "evil is prefent with me, I fee another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of fin." Our falvation cannot be effected either in whole or in part by works, but by rich, fovereign and invincible grace alone, for "by grace we are faved through faith." The operations of the Spirit of God are free and fovereign. God is no refpecter of perfons, he delights to fave the vileft of the vile: he bestows his grace on thofe only who feel their need of it, he receives a Magdalen and a dying Thief into his favour, while thofe who are proud of their own works, and entertain high thoughts of themselves, he paffes by. When a finner is firft called by divine grace, he is convinced of the evil nature of fin, that he is condemned by the law of God, he feels his fins as a heavy burden, he groans under their weight. God appears in all his terrible majesty majefty without one ray of mercy beaming from his throne: but when the divine Spirit appears his darkness is difpelled, a bleeding Saviour is exhibited to his view as an atonement for his ins, his load of guilt is now removed, he embraces Chrift as his covenant Redeemer, and goes on his way rejoicing. This grace operates to exalt Chrift and humble the finner, it tends to bring the once boafting Pharifee low at the foot of the crofs, to renounce all dependence upon his own performances, and to view them as filthy rags. Every believing finner is led to fee Chrift as a Saviour fuitable for him, that there could be no other way of falvation but by Chrift, that he must be faved by him, or not at all. Those who poffefs this grace can never fall into condemnation; the sheep of Chrift 66 can never perish, nor can any pluck them out of his hands:* having loved his own which were in the world, he loves them to the end † and he who hath begun the good work will carry it on and complete it." This reflection is calculated to comfort and fupport us while in this vale of tears. The elect chofen people of God may and do frequently wander, but can never be loft. Surrounded as we are with temptations, it is a difficult task to keep clear of them. Dangers ftand thick on every fide, and our enemies are waiting for our halting. God fuffers his people fometimes to fall into fin, to remind them of the frailty of their nature. Peter is an eminent example of this truth, though foremost in his expreffions of regard, (which no doubt were fincere) he was permitted to deny his Lord and Mafter, and that too, with oaths and curfes; but God did not leave Peter to perifh: by this act he discovered to him the infufficiency of human ftrength, independent of himself, and this produced the defired effect; for when Chrift afterwards interrogated him, "Loveft thou me," we do not find him making freth proteftations, but appealing to Chrift as to the fincerity of his affection" Lord, thou knoweft all things, thou knoweft that I love thee." Weak is the affertion of fome, that it is poffible for the believing people of God to fall from grace. Were this true, Chrift would not know his own fheep, their falvation would be a matter of uncertainty; but it is a grand truth, which all the fophiftry of men can never overturn, that not one of thofe for whom Chrift died, not one of thofe who have received his grace, can ever fall into condemnation. Our * John, † John xiii. 1. Phillip i. 6. divine divine Mediator has his eye continually fixed upon his people, he knows their frailties, their weaknefs, that they are but duft, he puts his fear into their hearts, that they may not depart from him. Nor does this truth operate in any manner against good works; on the contrary, it will with all thole who are favingly converted to God, act as an incentive thereto; and indeed, common reafoning will prove this the fact. I would alk, if the fovereign of an empire was to receive into his favour one who had proved himself a rebel against his throne, whether in return this would be any inducement for that perfon to act the part of an ingrate, or a fecret enemy, against the prince who had manifefted his favour fo particularly towards him. We fhould defpife the wretch who could be capable of fuch bafenefs. Let this be applied-We have been enemies to God, by nature, rejected his proffers of pardon and eternal life, and would not fubmit to his government and authority, already condemned by an holy and juft law, doomed to endless mifery, and without hope in the world. Behold the kindnefs of God, he gives his only Son to refcue us from ruin; and though we were his enemies, with love unparallelled he languilhes, he expires on the crofs, that we might live. "He funk beneath our heavy woes, "To raife us to a throne." He hath made us partakers of his grace, adopted us inte his family, affured us of his everlafting love and affection, and made us heirs of eternal life. And fhall we grieve his holy Spirit? Shall we dishonour him by our walk and converfation? Delight to fin against him, and live in oppofition to his commands? It cannot be ; from the reflection that he has done fo much for us, we shall ftudy to glorify him, and promote his cause and intereft by every poffible means: through the aid of his holy Spirit, fin will be our greatest burden, and our firft concern will be to live more like our divine Mafter. We are faved by grace, through faith in Chrift, to whom we are indebted for the whole of our falvation, our defire for which, is implanted in our hearts by the Spirit of God; having been made fenfible of our loft eftate, we are enabled to pray for faith to believe in Chrift, and to lay hold on the hope fet before us. Finally, the importance of this grace to all is manifeft; if we are strangers to its divine operation our cafe is awful, we |