subserve the honour of God and the interests of our fellow- creatures. Instead of imagining that any elevation of rank exempts us from such labours, I hesitate not to say, that the possession of influence is itself a call for benevolent exertions ; and the greater our talents are, the greater is the obligation upon us to improve them for our God. For every talent we possess we are responsible to God : and, if we are faithful in serving God to the utmost of our power, there is a glorious recompence awaiting us in the eternal world. " To this recompence we should have respect, even as Moses himself had :" and such a sense should we have of its transcendent excellency, that it should altogether swallow up all inferior considerations, and engage for God all the faculties we pos- sess. These are the views with which a man should enter upon missionary labours, and the spirit with which he should pursue them : for then only can we embark in such a service with effect, when we engage in it with our whole hearts and our whole souls.]
3. On the success which may be hoped for by all who undertake them aright —
[Moses succeeded not at first. The very persons whom he sought to deliver were the first to "put him from them; saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over use?" And afterwards, when he was sent by God to deliver them, they only complained of him as occasioning their more augmented sorrows. And, after he had succeeded in bringing them into the wilderness, he found them only a rebellious and stiff- necked people, who loaded him with reproaches, and wished to return back again into Egypt f. Of all the adults that he brought out of Egypt, two only ever inherited the promised land. Yet did Moses account his labours well repaid, be- cause in their posterity they enjoyed all that he had fondly hoped to confer on them. Now, in like manner shall all who engage in missions sooner or later see their labours crowned with success. They may have many trials at first, and may appear to labour a long time in vain. And after that they have gathered a Church, they may find much discouragement arising from the untowardness of their converts. Yet, let them only wait on God, and the seed which seems long un- productive shall spring up, and bring forth an abundant harvest. And in this shall the Christian missionary succeed, far beyond all that Moses could reasonably contemplate. The prospects of Moses chief// terminated on the possession
e This was the sentiment, not of him only who addressed these words to him, but of the nation generally. Compare ver, 27. with ver. 35. f Exod. v. 21.