condition? What infidelity must there be in our minds, or what obduracy in our hearts, if we can look upon their state without the tenderest emotions of pity and grief !
2. But to our compassion we must add also a willingness to do and suffer any thing for their good. When our blessed Lord beheld our misery, he flew from heaven on the wings of love to succour and relieve us. And though in order to effect his pur- pose he must disrobe himself of his majesty, and become like one of us, a poor, weak, necessitous creature, yea, and in our nature must submit to death, even the accursed death of the cross ; he accounted nothing too valuable to forego, nothing too painful to suffer, in order to rescue us from de- struction. He undertook even to be " made a curse for us," in order " to redeem us from the curse of the law." Thus should we not rest in listless wishes for the good of the heathen, but exert ourselves to the utmost to save their souls. What if we cannot all go forth like the Apostles ; cannot some of us give liberally of our substance in order to provide them the means of instruction ? cannot others afford their time and attention in order to concert measures for the establishing and conducting missions ? Cannot others testify their readiness to devote themselves to this great work, saying, like the Prophet Isaiah, " Here am I, send me ?" But in the disposition to fulfil this last, this most essential and urgent, duty, there is amongst us a general, a lamentable defi- ciency. After inquiries made in every part of England, none have as yet been found by us, endued with that union of talents and of zeal which is requisite for the work. Many, who in some respects appear fit for the office of missionaries or catechists, are so fond of their ease and worldly comforts, so fearful of en- countering difficulties and dangers, so ready, like Moses, to plead their want of fitness, when their back- wardness, it is to be feared, arises rather from cowardice or sloth ; that there is danger lest the ar- dour of those who are zealous to promote the object
2145.] Christ's humiliation. 57
of missions should be damped, through a want of opportunity to exert itself with effect. It is true, (and blessed be God it is so !) that of late years several societies have arisen to promote this glorious work : and fears have been entertained, lest one should interfere with another. But what are the efforts of all of them combined, when compared with the demand there is for such exertions ? If the mil- lions of heathens who are yet in darkness be con- sidered, the endeavours used for their instruction are scarcely more than as a drop to the ocean.
It may be said perhaps, Why are we to waste our strength upon the heathen ? Is there not scope for the labours of all at home ? I answer, It is well for us that the Apostles did not argue thus : for if they had not turned to the Gentiles till there remained no unconverted Jews for them to instruct, the very name of Christ would probably long since have been forgotten among men. We confess there are great multitudes in our own land as ignorant as the hea- then : but yet they have the Bible in their hands ; and there are in every part of the kingdom, some who are both able and desirous to instruct them. How- ever ignorant therefore, or abandoned, thousands are amongst us, there is hope respecting them, that sooner or later their feet may be guided into the way of peace. But as for the heathen, what hope can there be respecting them ? for " How can they be- lieve in him of whom they have not heard ? and how can they hear without a preacher?" Besides, the more our love abounds towards the heathen, the more will " the zeal of others be provoked" for the salvation of our neighbours ; and the more confi- dently may we hope for the blessing of God upon their pious endeavours.