subserve the honour of God and the interests of our fellowcreatures. Instead of imagining that any elevation of rank exempts us from such labours, I hesitate not to say, that the possession of influence is itself a call for benevolent exertions; and the greater our talents are, the greater is the obligation upon us to improve them for our God. For every talent we possess we are responsible to God: and, if we are faithful in serving God to the utmost of our power, there is a glorious recompence awaiting us in the eternal world. "To this recompence we should have respect, even as Moses himself had:" and such a sense should we have of its transcendent excellency, that it should altogether swallow up all inferior considerations, and engage for God all the faculties we posThese are the views with which a man should enter upon missionary labours, and the spirit with which he should pursue them: for then only can we embark in such a service with effect, when we engage in it with our whole hearts and our whole souls.]

sess.

3. On the success which may be hoped for by all who undertake them aright

[Moses succeeded not at first. The very persons whom he sought to deliver were the first to "put him from them; saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over use?" And afterwards, when he was sent by God to deliver them, they only complained of him as occasioning their more augmented sorrows. And, after he had succeeded in bringing them into the wilderness, he found them only a rebellious and stiffnecked people, who loaded him with reproaches, and wished to return back again into Egypt. Of all the adults that he brought out of Egypt, two only ever inherited the promised land. Yet did Moses account his labours well repaid, because in their posterity they enjoyed all that he had fondly hoped to confer on them. Now, in like manner shall all who engage in missions sooner or later see their labours crowned with success. They may have many trials at first, and may appear to labour a long time in vain. And after that they have gathered a Church, they may find much discouragement arising from the untowardness of their converts. Yet, let them only wait on God, and the seed which seems long unproductive shall spring up, and bring forth an abundant harvest. And in this shall the Christian missionary succeed, far beyond all that Moses could reasonably contemplate. The prospects of Moses chiefly terminated on the possession

This was the sentiment, not of him only who addressed these words to him, but of the nation generally. Compare ver. 27. with ver. 35. f Exod. v. 21.

of the promised land, and on the prosperity to be enjoyed there: whereas the Christian missionary knows assuredly, that every true convert shall possess, in due season, all the glory and felicity of heaven. And if his own converts be but few, still he has a consciousness that distant harvests may arise, when "the handful of corn which he cast on the top of the mountains shall shake like the woods of Lebanon, and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.” And thus he has the consolation to hope, that "others more successful may enter into his labours; and that he who sowed, and those who reap, shall rejoice together in heaven for evermore."]

Let me now ASK,

1. Whence is it that Missionaries are so greatly wanting?

[The principles by which Moses was actuated were faith and love. "By faith," we are told, he embarked in this sacred cause, and executed his work with such fidelity". But we are sadly defective in this grace. We see not with sufficient clearness the perishing condition of the heathen, and their need of that remedy which God has put into our hands. Nor do we feel that love for souls, which should overcome our self-love, and make us willing to give up ourselves to this difficult and self-denying work. We do not realize eternity as we ought. O! if we had just views of the eternal world, how empty would all carthly distinctions appear, and how important the work of missions! Dear brethren, we all have reason to be ashamed, and especially when we reflect on the wonders of redeeming love. How rich was the Lord Jesus Christ in the bosom of his Father; and yet, how poor did he become, that we, through his poverty, might be rich! This is the proper pattern for us to follow: and if once we be imbued with a sense of his love, we shall account it our highest honour to live and die for him.]

2. What is the best possible improvement of our talents

[I am far from saying that all talent is to be directed in one channel. There is not any department of science wherein the most exalted talents may not be profitably employed. But, of all offices, that of a minister or a missionary is the most exalted. A minister, whether stationary, in the care of a single parish, or moving in the more extended field of a missionary, is the servant, the ambassador, the very representative of the Most High God; and, as such, has scope for

all the talents that any man can possess. It is but too common amongst us to assign to youth of great promise those services whereby their temporal interests may be advanced, and to reserve for those of inferior capacity the service of God's sanctuary. But this is very dishonourable to God, and very injurious to the souls of men. Let the conduct of Moses shame us and let us all, whatever our talents or influence may be, devote them all to the service of our God, and to the promotion of our Redeemer's kingdom. It is not indeed necessary that we relinquish the line of life in which divine Providence has called us: on the contrary, we are told to "abide in the calling wherein God has called us," yea," therein to abide with God:" but, whatever our peculiar talents be, and in whatever department of the state they are exercised, let us consider the service of God, and of his people, as having the first claim upon us; and let no personal interest be considered as worthy of a thought, in comparison of God's honour, and the eternal welfare of mankind.]

MDCCLVII.

THE DEATH OF STEPHEN.

Acts vii. 59, 60. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

The

OF all histories, that of the Christian Church is the most interesting, and particularly that part of it which is recorded by the inspired writers. There we behold every thing portrayed with perfect fidelity; nothing is concealed, nothing exaggerated. writers appear unconcerned about any thing but the truth itself; from which they leave all persons to draw their own conclusions. Large sums of money arising from the sale of different estates were lodged in the hands of the Apostles for the use of the Church; and in a very little time they began to be suspected of partiality to the natives of Judea, in preference to the Jews of foreign extraction. This they relate with perfect indifference, together with the method adopted by them to prevent the distraction arising from too great a multiplicity of concerns. Then having told us who were chosen by the Church to superintend

their temporal concerns, they proceed to detail the history of one whose piety was most distinguished, and whose end was most glorious; and who, as being the first martyr in the Christian Church, was to be an example for the imitation of Christians in all future ages.

In relation to this history of Stephen, there are two things which we propose to notice;

I. The occasion of his death

Being endowed with very eminent gifts, he maintained a controversy with the most learned Jews of different countries; and so confounded them with his arguments, that they had no alternative, but to acknowledge their errors, or to silence him by force. To this latter method they had recourse: they seized him, and brought him before the council, and accused him of blasphemy, that he might be put to death. In the chapter before us is contained his defence; which so irritated and inflamed them, that it stirred them up in a violent and tumultuous manner to take away his life. Let us consider distinctly its most prominent parts:

1. The statement

[A superficial reader would scarcely see the scope and bearing of Stephen's argument: but the argument will be found plain and clear, if only we bear in mind what the accusation was. He was accused of blasphemy against Moses, and against the temple, and the law, because he had declared that the Lord Jesus would execute his judgments on the whole nation. For these declarations he had abundant warrant, from the prophecies contained in the Jewish Scriptures a. nor can we doubt but that, if he had been permitted to proceed in his argument without interruption, he would have proved every part of his assertions in the most convincing manner. But, as soon as they discerned the precise scope of his argument, they shewed such impatience as constrained him to break off abruptly in the midst of it. He had shewn them, that Abraham was chosen of God whilst he was yet an idolater in an idolatrous land; that he and his posterity served and enjoyed God, long before

a For the destruction of Jerusalem, see Jer. vii. 4, 7—14. and xxvi. 6-9, 12, 18. And for the change of "the customs," i. e. of the law itself, see Isai. lxv. 16. and lxvi. 19-21.

the law was given by Moses; that Moses himself was rejected by the people whom he was sent to deliver; that he also had directed the people to look for another Prophet who should arise after him, and whom they must obey at the peril of their souls. He then shewed, that whilst the temple was yet in all its glory, and its services were performed with the strictest regularity, God had spoken of the temple in the most disparaging terms, as unsuitable to the majesty of Him who filled heaven and earth".

Here the drift of his discourse began to appear: the people saw that their temple and its services were not necessary to the enjoyment of God's favour, and that they could afford no security to those who were disobedient to his word. Here therefore they manifested their wrathful indignation: 'which obliged him to drop the prosecution of his argument, and to proceed to]

2. The application of it to their hearts and consciences

[Nothing could be more temperate or cautious than the foregoing discourse. But when Stephen saw the inveteracy of their prejudices, he changed his voice, and addressed them with an energy and fidelity that became a servant of the living God. They had indeed in their flesh the seal of God's covenant; but they were "uncircumcised in heart and ears,” and "resisted the Holy Ghost," who both by his word and influence strove to bring them to a better mind. They professed to venerate the prophets; but they were following the steps of their forefathers, who had uniformly persecuted those whom God had sent to instruct and warn them: yea, they had been the betrayers and murderers of their Messiah himself: and though they pretended a great regard for the law, and professed to be actuated by a zeal for its honour, they had never been truly observant of its commands.

Such is the character of persecutors in general: they are full of pride and wrath, and are so blinded by prejudice as to be incapable of seeing the wickedness of their own hateful dispositions. Their zeal for God's honour is a mere pretence, a cover, and a plea for their own malignity. Look at them in every age, they all are actuated by the same spirit, and all tread in the same paths. Doubtless in addressing them we should first try what argument and persuasion will do; and we should exercise much patience towards them: but when we find that they shut their ears and harden their hearts against conviction, we should not be afraid to exhibit their conduct in its true light, or to set before them the judgments which they are bringing on their own souls.]

b Isai. lxvi. 1, 2.