that which has recently been carried on in its more northern states, has partaken much of the same spirit, and pi-oved ahnost equally fatal to the happiness of milHons, What reason then have we to bless our God, that, notwithstanding all the menaces of our enemies, this happy land has not been made the theatre of war ! And with what alacrity should we contribute for the
reHef and comfort of oui- suffering alHes ! Let us learn
to sympathize even with our enemies, and to moderate our joy at the victories we obtain, by feelings of compassion for the miseries we inflict.]
2. How pitiable is the ignorance of the heathen !
[Who can forbear to pity that afilicted king, who had recourse to such an unnatural expedient as that of murdering his own son in order to pacify the deities he adored? Yet such are the methods by which the heathen almost universally en- deavour to appease their gods. When once they begin to ask, "Wherewith shall I come before my god?" they proceed to say, " Shall I give my first-born for my transgression ; the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul"^?" Even amongst our fellow-subjects in India, there are thousands, perhaps many thousands, sacrificed every year, under the idea that such offer- ings are pleasing to the gods whom they worship. Should we hear of such transactions then with indifference ? Should not a holy zeal be stirred up within us, to turn the heathen, if possible, from those vanities, to serve the living and true God? O that we felt for the honour of God, and for the good of man, as we ought to do ; and that they especially who call them- selves ministers of Christ were more willing to spend and be spent in the service of their Lord ! Alas ! how few are those that are willing to forego their carnal ease and worldly interests, to save their benighted and perishing fellow-creatures ! A call to accept a lucrative situation is soon acknowledged and easily obeyed : but God may call us long enough to go and labour among the heathen, and we neither regard his voice, nor hsten to his proposals. If ever there was a time that peculiarly called for missionary exertions, methinks this is that time : for never was there such a zeal for disseminating the Holy Scrip- tures as at this time ; never were so many societies raised up to consider the state both of Jews and Gentiles, as at this moment. This alone is a call from God to contribute, each according to his ability, to the advancement of our Redeemer's kingdom, and to the salvation of a ruined world.]
3. How rich are the provisions of the Gospel ! [We all, as sinnexs, have reason to fear, that God is dis-
d Mic. vi. 7.