of Christ) like theirs, ver. 7 : their success wonderful ; (twenty-eight thousand in the West Indies and two thousand among the Hottentots, besides thousands elsewhere) ; so that the number of their converts exceeds that of the members of their own communion : their necessities urgent, for their own people are poor, and not able to raise more than one fourth of their annual expenditure ; and their economy most remarkable ; for, with thirty-three stations, and one hundred and seventy Missionaries, including their wives, they expend only 8000Z. a year. Are not such persons deserving of the aid of every Christian Church ?
Matt. X. 16. Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: he ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
IT is a favourite idea with many, that a great part of the Scriptures was written for those only of the Apostohc age ; and that it is improper for us to apply to ourselves what was delivered to them. Now we readily grant that some things had a peculiar and primary reference to the Apostles, and to others of that day ; and that, as far as any tlihig was •peculiar to them, it would be wrong for us to take it to our- selves : but we must assert, on the other hand, that as far as we are in the same circumstances with them, what was spoken to them is strictly and properly ap- plicable to us. What was delivered to the Apostles themselves in this address of our Lord, was only par- tially applicable to them at the time it was spoken. The foregoing part of the chapter was suited to them in their first mission through the land ; but what is contained in our text and to the end of the chapter was comparatively inapplicable to them till after the day of Pentecost : yet, as far as circumstances required it, they were to regard it from the first moment that it was spoken to them. Thus then it is with us : every word of God, to whomsoever delivered, is to be considered as intended for us, in proportion as our situations accord with theirs to whom it was delivered. Accordingly we do not hesitate to take to ourselves the direction in our text : nor is it to ministers only