his singular abilities; one, whose eminent services to his country in war have been even exceeded by the exertion of his more beneficial talents in the arts of peace; and who seems peculiarly designed for an instrument in the hand of Providence, to set forward the arduous work of conciliating, civilising, and instructing, the barbarous nations of North America.

The difficulties attending this undertaking are indeed many and great, and in the highest degree discouraging. To instruct in the doctrines of Christianity nations so savage in their manners, so unsettled in their way of life, so rude in their understanding; whose minds are so unfurnished with religious notions, whose languages are so various, so difficult, so incapable in particular of expressing the notions of the Christian religion; to teach those to love one another, and to forgive their enemies," who from their infancy are formed and disciplined to the contrary habits; are exercised in suffering and inflicting tortures, and place their honour and their policy in deep treachery, unrelenting cruelty, and implacable revenge; whose resentments and passions, naturally violent, are aggravated by injuries, and inflamed by imported vices; to induce them to receive doctrines directly opposite to their natural dispositions and confirmed habits, at the hand of those, of whose designs they are jealous, of whose oppressions they complain, and whose wicked lives they observe to be inconsistent with the religion which they profess, and would recommend :-to effect this, who is sufficient? what extraordinary spiritual assistances,

what gift of tongues, what power of miracles, adequate to the undertaking, may we ask, and hope to receive, from above? Without them, humanly speaking, it is impossible. But "with God all things are possible." We know that he can; and he himself hath declared that he will effect it: that he will bring these, with the rest of the heathen nations, into the kingdom of his Son. When, and by what means, we know not; it may be reserved for a more proper season, and for more worthy instruments. But let us "not be wearied and faint in our minds;" though "it is not for us to know the times and the seasons, which the Almighty hath put in his own power;" yet we may be allowed to mark the signs, which seem to intimate a preparation and an approach towards the accomplishment of this determinate counsel of God.

The hand of Providence hath been visible in many important events, which have distinguished these latter ages; all concurring mutually to promote each other, and all seeming uniformly to tend to the same point. The revival of learning, arts, and sciences; their progress westward; their great increase among those, who were able to diffuse them most widely, and to carry their influence to the most distant parts; the invention of printing; the reformation of religion in Europe; the discovery of the long hidden continent of America; the opening of a new passage to the East; the improvement of navigation; the extension of commerce; the continual addition of new regions to the known parts of the world, and the communica

tion rendered more safe and easy between the most remote all these bearings and tendencies indicate a general effort, under a superior direction, towards an union and comprehension of the affairs of mankind in one great system; not a system of civil policy; not of universal temporal dominion; for no such shall ever arise: the only universal kingdom, which shall henceforth be established upon earth, is the spiritual kingdom of Christ: "to him shall be given dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, and nations, and languages, shall serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away; and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed '.”

On this sure word of prophecy our labours are founded; from this our hopes of success must arise. It pleased God to spread the Gospel at first by means in appearance greatly disproportionate to the end; "that our faith might not stand in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God:" the universal establishment of it may be brought to pass in a similar manner. It affords us great encouragement to consider, that the end which we propose, however difficult, is not only attainable, but will certainly be attained, as we have the infallible promise of God for it; that the weakest instrument in his hand is equal to the greatest effects and we may be assured, that he will favourably regard, and in the end prosper, the pious endeavours of those, whose sincere zeal for his glory, and the salvation of men, prompts them

1 Dan. vii. 14.

to become workers together with him in effecting

his purpose.

Blessed be they, who from such motives shall assist in this work of the Lord, and in any degree contribute to its advancement! "The Lord their God shall be with them; and they shall in no wise lose their reward."

SERMON VI'.

GAL. VI. 10.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men; especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

THE superior excellence of the Gospel above all other systems of religion and philosophy, that have ever prevailed in the world, appears from this, as well as from many other considerations of the highest importance; namely, that there is no moral duty, however clear and determinate by the law of nature, but what is there placed in a fairer and stronger light, established on a surer and better foundation, and enforced by peculiar and additional motives of the greatest weight and efficacy. What influence and authority can the beauty, the dignity, the reasonableness of virtue, or the apprehension of the will of God, and of moral obligation, deduced from thence, be supposed to carry with it; in comparison of the more perfect knowledge of the divine attributes, the

1 Preached before the Governors of the Radcliffe Infirmary, at St. Mary's Church, Oxford, on Wednesday, July 3, 1771. By the Right Rev. Robert Lowth, Lord Bishop of Oxford. Published at the request of the Governors. Oxford, 1771, 4to.