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discover and make known their moral degradation and wretchedness; to conquer their worst enemies, their wicked hearts; and to build up a kingdom, not applauded by the world; a kingdom which consists "not in meats and drinks, but in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." And without the promised presence of Jesus Christ, will they be able to sustain their labors; will they persevere in their work; will they accomplish their enterprise?

This leads me to remark once more, that this promise of Jesus Christ will be seen to be of great importance to the Christian missionary,

IV. As it respects his SUCCESS.

The efforts of Christians under the most favorable circumstances, depend on the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ for their salutary results. Christian ministers with the most promising materials, and the most efficient auxiliaries, often labor in the best cultivated fields a considerable time with very little apparent success. And they are wholly unable, amidst the best advantages, to give a saving influence to their ministry. They are assured that the treasure of the gospel is committed to earthen vessels, who, instead of imparting to others the graces of the Spirit, cannot fill themselves, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of them.

What hope then can the missionary have amidst the more numerous obstacles to success, without the promised blessing of Jesus Christ? Follow him to the field of his labor, and behold the unpromising materials from which he is to collect and form a

spiritual temple. See what prejudices he must remove, what darkness dissipate, what idolatries destroy, what darling vices extirpate, what slumbering consciences arouse? Consider how many unwelcome, self-condemning truths must be communicated to the understanding, and carried home to the heart; how a false and degrading system of superstition and crime must be torn away, new objects of worship and love presented, new habits of thinking and feeling formed, new hearts, and new lives produced. In accomplishing all this what can the humble missionary do to ensure success? Who would undertake such a work depending on himself? Would the most highly gifted minister among us? Would the most devoted messenger to the heathen, who has worn out his life in missionary labors, and seen the inefficiency of human instrumentality? Would Swartz? Would Martyn? Would Brainerd? Would Paul? Would an angel? Would Gabriel?

"I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?” Such was the language of Paul. And what could the wandering, solitary missionary do in a land of pagan darkness, where vice had grown into gigantic size and strength; where the idolatries of many generations were as firmly established, as superstition and depravity could establish them; where all is a region of death, and the bones are bleached and dry? O what could a feeble, solitary missionary do;-what could a host of missionaries do, in circumstances like these?

Could they

chase away the darkness of ages? Could they break down these systems of superstition, interwoven with almost every habit of social life? Could they raise these stupid souls, twice dead, and convert such a gloomy desert into a land of cheerfulness and plenty? Could they change the heart of one besotted pagan? No, brethren, if they could work miracles they could not do it. Paul could work miracles, but he could not convert the heathen. And the Christian missionary, without the promise of Jesus Christ annexed to the commission under which he goes forth, could have no success. How important, how precious then, is the promise in our text to the missionary of the cross? How important, as it respects his qualifications, his peculiar circumstances, his arduous labors, and his ultimate success?

In the review of our subject we learn where missionaries abroad, and where the churches at home, should place their dependance.

It must rest on the promised presence and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Without him they can do nothing. Without his aid and grace missionaries can accomplish nothing important in their work. Without his aid it is a work too great for an angel, for myriads of angels to accomplish.

The missionary of the cross, then, must place all his dependance on the wisdom, and power, and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, under whose commission he holds his high and sacred office. And no one is qualified to assume this office, however eminent his talents, and correct his morals, and invincible his

fortitude, and extensive his learning, who does not know in his own experience the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and who cannot place unshaken confidence in his presence and assistance. Nothing short of this qualifies him for his office. He must take hold of the promise in the text, or in the day of trial he will sink into despondency, or abandon his work. He must secure the approbation and presence of Jesus Christ, or he goes forth depending on himself, unqualified for his enterprise, and in vain. On the promise of the Lord of missions he may confidently rely; then he may expect the presence, and direction, and blessing of his divine Master; and then he "can do all things through Christ strengthening him."

The churches at home, who send forth the missionaries of the cross, must place their dependance on the same presence and aid of the Lord of missions. They ought not, and they do not expect even the most able, faithful missionaries to convert the heathen, or ensure any valuable success to their labors, without the interposition of Him, who is exalted to give repentance and remission of sins. And because they confide in this promise, they pray the Lord of the harvest, not only to raise up, and qualify more laborers, but to guide and succeed those, who are now enduring the heat and burden of the day. It is with dependance on this promise, that they assemble on the first Monday in every month, to pray for the blessing of God upon the efforts of missionaries. Nor do they wonder, that those, who believe this promise ceased with the Jewish dispensation, do not send missionaries to the heathen. Why should they? For if this promise is annull

ed, if this source of dependance has failed,-what could missionaries accomplish, or expect to accomplish, in heathen lands?

If this promise is repealed, the commission, to which it is annexed, is annulled also; and missionaries abroad, and ministers at home, must assume their office, and go forth to their work, without any commission or authority in the word of God. But evangelical churches, who send missionaries to the heathen, and the missionaries themselves, and the conductors of missions, have not so learned Christ. They believe his promise; they believe he is with his faithful ministers and missionaries alway, even to the end of the world.And here they must fasten their dependance; they must plead this promise fervently in prayer; and in its fulfilment they must hope for success. And if their dependance is placed here, they will not be disappointed. Ultimate success is then as sure, as the promise and oath of God.

Our subject also furnishes the highest encouragement to faithful missionaries, and to all the friends of missions.

I say, the highest encouragement; for what greater encouragement in this enterprise could they have? They have secured to them by promise, the wisdom, and power, and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is "God over all, blessed forever." The Universe is his storehouse of means for the fulfilment of this promise, and for the accomplishment of their enterprise.

In the commission preceding this promise we see the origin of Christian missions to the heathen; for the

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