comfort-"The Lord reigns, and orders every thing right and well," &c. And if Chriftians would keep this in conftant view, and fee and realize the hand of God in every event, they would have conftant fupport and comfort, and live more to the glory of God. And this tends to destroy all contracted, felfifh views and feelings, and to enlarge their minds, while they attend to the divine character, government and kingdom, and the power, wifdom and goodness by which all things in the universe are directed and governed. And the more they realize and are pleased with this, the more they refemble the inhabitants of heaven, and are prepared to be members of that happy fociety, and join with them in rejoicing and praifing the only wife God their Saviour forever and ever. Amen.

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE Author hopes the candid reader will not be difpleafed with his fpeaking fo much in the first perfon fingular in the following difcourfe. Such egotifm in general is difagreeable to him; and he has therefore avoided it in his other difcourfes, as the reader will perceive. But the following being of a peculiar kind, feemed to render it neceffary; and it is hoped will not be thought felfifh, affuming or improper.

Sermon XXI.

The Author's Farewell to the World.

Pfalm lxxvi. 10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath fhalt thou reftrain.

TH

HESE words have been explained in the preceding difcourfe, and it appears that they contain the following important truth:

That

That God, in his infinite wisdom and goodnefs, has determined that there fhould be just so much evil, both moral and natural, as has been, now is, and ever will be, and no more; as it is most fuitable and neceffary to make the brightest display of his perfections, and effect the greatest good, glory and happiness of his eternal kingdom; therefore it is moft wife and beft that all this evil fhould exift: and every inftance of it, greater or lefs, God will overrule to answer this end, in the higheft poffible degree.

It has been fhewn that this truth, being believed and properly improved, is a fufficient and the only foundation for the fupport, comfort and joy of the benevo lent friends of God, in all the darkness, confufion, fin and mifery with which they are furrounded.

And now, ftanding on this fure, firm foundation, this immoveable, everlasting rock, I look round, and, as far as I am able, view the world of mankind, and take my leave of them, expecting foon to put off this my tabernacle.

I am old, having lived near fourfcore years, and I know not the day of my death; but have no reason to think it is far diftant..

It is my earnest wish to leave a bleffing behind me when I fhall go hence and I have the confolation to know I fhall. Jefus Chrift is the fame, yesterday, tóday and forever. He lives and reigns head over all things to the church. He will reign till all his enemies are put under his feet; till he has destroyed the works of the devil, and perfectly completed the work of re demption; yea, he will reign forever. He will caufe all the kingdoms of this world, in which Satan has reigned fo long, to become his own kingdom, and all nations fhall ferve him, and be holy and happy under his influence, protection and fmiles. Of this blessed time the Bible is full of predictions and promises. This bleffing I leave behind me for the world to enjoy long after I am dead; for I am fure that the time is coming when all the families and nations of the earth fhall be

bleffed

bleffed in Jefus Chrift. The affurance of this affords fupport and confolation to me, while I am furveying mankind in their prefent finful and wretched state.

It is doubtless impoffible to make an exact calculation of the number of inhabitants now living in this world, which fhall be agreeable to the truth, and may not err in fixing on millions lefs or more than do actually exift. But they who have attended to this point, and perhaps are beft able to judge, have fuppofed that there are not lefs, but perhaps more, than eight hundred millions of people now living on earth: that of these, four hundred and eighty-one millions are Heathens; one hundred and forty millions are Mahometans; and nine millions are Jews. All which amount to fix hundred and thirty millions. There remain one hundred and feventy millions, which are fuppofed to be nominal Chriftians. Of these ninety millions are Papifts, thirty millions of the Greek Church, and fifty millions Proteftants,

It is not probable that this computation is exact, according to the truth, and fome may make a different one; but this is perhaps as near the truth as any that can at present be made. I cannot fpeak to all these, fo as to be heard, and there is but a very small number, compared with the whole, whom I fhall ever know in this world, or who will know or hear of me. But I am fure to meet not only all who are now in the world, but all the countless millions who ever have lived, or fhall exift hereafter to the end of the world, at the day of judgment, when I fhall know the character every individual perfon, and mine will be infpected and known by all.

of

The earth is far from being filled with inhabitants. There is room for many more, probably a thoufand, yea many thoufands, to one of the prefent inhabitants. The earth when properly and fully cultivated, and the produce prudently ufed to anfwer the ends of living, would fupport a multitude of inhabitants, even beyond all our prefent calculation. Noah and his fons, and

in them every generation of mankind who have defcended from them, received a command from God to muitiply and fill the earth. This command has not yet been properly regarded by mankind; but, instead of this, they have in a great measure depopulated the earth, by wars and cruel flaughters of each other, and the practice of a variety of deftructive vices, by which multitudes have been immaturely cut off in every age. And, by reafon of the great corruption and horrid rebellion of mankind in every age, God has been pleafed to show his difpleasure by deftroying the bigger half that have been born, in their infancy, or the early days of youth. But the time is coming when a generation fhall rise up who shall know and fear the Lord, and love their neighbour as themselves, and fhall learn war no more, and there fhall be none to destroy or hurt in all the earth: and, in the practice of piety and every focial virtue, under the fmiles of Heaven, they will be happy, and multiply and fill the earth.

According to the foregoing calculation, the greater part of mankind now on the earth are in a fate of Heathenifm; and there are near as many Jews and Mahometans, as nominal Chriftians, who are profeffed enemies to Christianity, and are in as bad, yea, worfe ftate, than are the heathen.

It is the preceptive will of God our Saviour, that all men fhould come to the knowledge of the truth and be faved. He commanded his difciples to "go into all the world, and preach the gofpel to every creature." And every one to whom the gospel is preached is commanded to repent and believe the faving truth. It is therefore wholly owing to the difobedience and wickedness of man, both Christians and Heathen, Mahometans and Jews, Infidels and Atheists, that the gospel has not been preached to all mankind, and that they have not all embraced it, to the falvation of their fouls.

Notwithstanding man's natural difpofition to oppose, hate and reject the gospel, and the many difficulties and dangers which hence arife, in attempts to fpread the:

gofpel

gofpel among the Heathen and others, it is the duty of Chriftians to exert themfelves, and take every proper method to propagate it far and wide, to the utmost of their power, looking to and trufting in Chrift, to caufe his word to run and be glorified. Love to Chrift, and benevolence to men who are perishing in darkness and fin, are fufficient, if properly exercifed, to induce Christians to unite in the profecution of this most im portant affair. Chriftians enjoy the richest treasure by the gofpel, and they will not diminish but increase their own part in it by their attempts to impart it to others.

Within a few years paft a great and extraordinary zeal and engagednefs to propagate the gofpel among the Heathen, and others who have it not preached to them, has appeared, and been uncommonly exerted, both in Europe and America. And I obferve with ap. probation and pleasure, that all the focieties which have been formed are agreed in the great and leading doctrines of the gospel, which have been called the doctrines of grace, or Calvinifm; and that they appear, in all their publications, to exprefs a spirit of true piety, and zeal to maintain and propagate thefe doctrines, and to approve of no miffionaries who do not appear cordially to embrace them, and to be truly pious, as I am certain that this is the only scheme of doctrines which is confiftent with itself, and with the Bible, and fuited to convey faving truths to the minds of men.

This is an important and commendable design and work, and worthy to be purfued with increasing zeal and fteady perfeverance by all Chriftians, whatever difficulties, difappointments and apparent difcourage. ments may occur. And though the attempts fhould not be fucceeded in the converfion of one heathen, yet they who honeftly, and from truly Christian principles, engage in this caufe, however much they rifk or expend, and even if they lofe their own lives in it, they will really lofe nothing by it, but meet with a rich reward. And if but few fouls fhall be gathered to Chrift and be faved, this will more than compenfate for all

the