ence to God's commands is not to be viewed in the mass only, or applied to the more ostensible branches of sanctification, but to be accurately understood in all its parts, and perpetually admitted as the rule of our conduct. Humility, charity, patience, hope, meekness, compassion, hatred of sin, self-denial, gratitude, forgiveness of injuries, and every other division of practical religion, is to be regarded in a similar manner. The result of this important habit will be an increasing consistency of character, a wakeful and tender conscientiousness of spirit, an avoiding of the very appearance of evil, a scrupulous examination of our daily conduct, an enlightened circumspection, a holy distrust of ourselves, an openness to admonition, a constant course of contrition before God, and the cheerful discharge of our duty before men. Whereas any considerable neglect of it will efface all the tenderness of our religious feelings, will grieve the holy Spirit of God, will dry up the living fountain of piety in the heart, will leave us exposed to the very first assault of Satan, will produce a negligent and careless temper, will increase unto more godliness. Powerful principles of religion must not be allowed to roll by in a grand but comparatively useless torrent; but, like the exuberant inundations of the Nile, must be made to visit and enrich every part of the adjacent lands, must be employed to reple nish the canals and reservoirs prepared for their reception, must be permitted to rest till they penetrate deep below the surface, and thus diffuse a new beauty and life and fertility wherever they flow. I am ashamed thus to multiply remarks, which I am persuaded will occur to your own minds. You will bear with me, however, while I just caution you in a particular manner against THE FIRST APPROACHES OF WORLDLINESS OF MIND AND SENSUALITY. You will be in the utmost danger from these enemies. Others, who once went forth with the best promise, have fallen into the fatal snare. You will have need of constant vigilance to guard against their almost imperceptible advances. They are allied forces. A secular spirit is that into which we are ever prone to decline. The small concerns connected with a mission, the necessary arrangements of your families, the intercourse with the natives for the supply of your wants, your own personal comforts, may and will betray you into a worldly temper of theart, if you do not unremittingly pray and watch against the danger. The attacks of this foe will be more by subtilty than open assault, m by things lawful than by those which are in themselves unlawful, more by small and unnoticed circumstances than by great and important ones, more by occasions which perpe tually surround you, than by events" of infrequent occurrence, more by silent and wearisome solicitation, than by hasty and bold importunity. Against such a foe, I need not point out to you the necessity of ceaseless circumspection, especially as it never fails to prepare the way for the enticements of SENSUALITY-a vice to which the manners of a barbarous people will fearfully expose you. The utmost efforts of self-controul, the greatest caution in your intercourse with the natives, a perpetual restraint upon your appetites, a careful and even scrupulous avoiding of all improper or suspicious situations, a constant check on the first risings of vanity, indulgence, levity, and sloth, a studious imitation of the pure and holy example of our Lord and Saviour, with an humble dependance on the Spirit of purity and grace, are amongst the most obvious precautions on a topic, which nothing but its supreme importance would have induced me even thus briefly to notice. I will only remind you further of the necessity of REPOSING ALL YOUR TRUST IN THE GRACE AND POWER OF GOD. Any hints, which I may have already suggested to you, are to be considered as subservient to this. You are to go forth, strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. If you had remained at home, 3 Eph. vi. 10. this must have been your only confidence; and now that you are about to meet new and accumulated trials abroad, you are to be directed to no other resource. Nor can you need any other. Whatever you may want for your personal duties as men, whatever you may require for your missionary efforts, whatever you may need for the success which is to crown both, the omnipotent grace of God in Christ Jesus can more than supply. Let your faith then be intently fixed on this consoling topic. Be ye faithful unto death, and you shall receive the crown of life. The time is short. The voyage of life will soon be over. The swelling surge will ere long cease to beat, and the peaceful haven will stretch itself before you. Your patient labours may possibly be blessed far beyond your expectation. If you should only sow the seed of that harvest, which others may hereafter gather in, you will look forward with delight to the hour, when both he that soweth and he that reapeth shall rejoice together 5. Endure then as seeing Him who is invisible". Contemplate that crown of righteousness' which shall one day rest on your head. Remember that they that be wise shall shine as the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars 4 Rev. ii. 10. 6 Heb. xi. 27. 7 2 Tim. iv. 8. for ever and ever. Anticipate the transport of that last plaudit of the conquering Christian, Well done, good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord'. And now, beloved Brethren and Sisters in Christ, I bid you farewell. You, my REVEREND FRIENDS IN THE SACRED MINISTRY', are going out in the direct character of Missionaries. Watch you, then, in all things, do the work of evangelists, make full proof of your ministry". Study deeply the Holy Scriptures. Let your doctrine show uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity. When you have the opportunity of instructing the heathen, stand on the plain broad footing of undoubted truth. Forget the unhappy controversies which have divided the church at home. Let your minds be daily nourished with the pure and wholesome doctrine of Scripture, as it flows native and transparent from the comb, and not as it is sullied and adulterated by human systems, on whatever side they may incline. Let the cross of Christ, in all the amplitude of that astonishing subject, be your theme. Descend not to uncer 8 Dan. xii. 3. • Matt. xxv. 23. The Rev. Messrs. Sperrhacken and Schulze. 2 2 Tim. iv. 5. |