Let then all such excuses be put away ; and let all exert themselves at least in prayer to the great " Lord of the harvest," and entreat him day and night " to send forth labourers into his harvest." To enforce what has been said, we would call your attention to some additional considerations —
Consider then, first, what xvould have been the state of the zvhole tvorld, if the same mind had been in Christ that is in us? Had he been as indisposed to effect the salvation of mankind as we are to promote that of the heathen, would he have left his glory for them, would he have relinquished all the blessedness which he enjoyed in the bosom of his Father ? would he have debased himself to such a degree as to take upon himself their fallen nature ? would he have substituted himself in their place, and borne all their iniquities in his own person, and have become a curse for them ? for them who, he knew beforehand, would murder him as soon as they should have it in their power? No — Then where would Adam, and all the generations that have passed in succession to the present hour, have been at this moment ? They would all, without one single exception, have been wailing and gnashing their teeth in hell : and all future generations to the end of time would have lived only to fill up the measure of their iniquities, and to receive at last their tremendous doom. But, adored be his name ! he " looked not on his own things so much as on the things of others :" and, in consequence of his self-denying exertions, millions are already before his throne, and myriads, countless as the sands upon the sea-shore, shall yet be added to their number, to be monuments of his love, and heirs of his glory. Shall we then any longer persist in our supineness ? Shall we not rather exert our- selves to the utmost to imitate his love ?
Consider, next, how we are indebted to the bene- volence of our fellow-creatures. We forbear to notice the kindness of the Apostles, because they were ex- pressly commissioned to preach the Gospel to every creature, whether of their own, or of any other nation. We will rather advert to an instance more immediately parallel to our own case. For many centuries after Christianity "was promulged, our an- cestors were bowing down to stocks and stones ; as we ourselves also should have been, had not some pious Christian come, at the peril of his life, to bring
2145.] Christ's humiliation. 59
us the glad tidings of salvation. Suppose he had argued, as we are apt to do, e What can I do among that savage race ? There are people enough of my own country to occupy all my care ; and I may fulfil my duty to God among them, without encountering all the difficulties, and exposing myself to the dangers, which I must expect to meet with in such an under- taking.' How awful, in that case, would have been our present condition ! O Christians ! think of all that you enjoy in Christ Jesus, your present consola- tions, your future prospects ; think of these things, and say, ' I owe all, under God, to him who first set his foot o« our inhospitable shores, to shew unto us the way of salvation ; his example stimulated others ; and thus " the handful of corn that was scattered on the tops of the mountains, has grown up like the woods of Lebanon, or the piles of grass upon the earth." Blessed, for ever blessed, be God for his labours of love!' Who can tell then what may arise from the labours of one society, or even of a single individual ? We may not see very extensive benefits in our day : and probably this was the case with respect to him who first visited Britain. But could he now behold from heaven the fruit of his labours, how would he rejoice ! would he think that he had exercised too much self-denial, or patience, or dili- gence, in the cause of God ? Would he repent of his exertions ? Would he not rather repent that he had not stepped forward sooner, and been more ear- nest in this blessed work? Be ye then in earnest, my beloved brethren. We have lost too much time already ; and millions, though unconscious of their wants, are now crying to us, as it were, " Come over to India — to Africa — and help us." O that a holy zeal might this day inflame our breasts ; and that we might requite the labours of those who have in- structed us, by endeavouring to extend the benefits derived through them, to the remotest corners of the earth !