Of which

to make

models in

this undertaking;

I' Which three instances of the Apostolic age, we propose of the Reformation of England, and of the General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland, coming seasonably to my recollection, while I was in doubt and much dismay, concerning that which, I had undertaken, I resolved to establish my feet upon them as upon a sacred tripod and to crave of the Lord, as indeed: I have done, to breathe upon me of the spirit of the great Fathers in his church, that I might be enabled to speak at this time, in that bold and fearless style, in which they, standing in: my room, would have dared to speak. For I said unto myself: Though all the Missionary Societies of this land were assembled within these walls, they would not form so grave an assembly as that which met in Jerusalem in the primitive times; neither hath the work on which they are entered yet grown to be so great a work as the Reformation of England, whereof the Missionary work is but one of the children; and this assembly, however reverend, is not yet so venerable as the great deliberative as-> sembly of our national church, which for three, centuries hath maintained the fear and discipline of God within a realm, and once or twice,: nay thrice, saved the realm from the armed paw and not to of violence and misrule. Therefore, I said further unto myself, I will not shrink back abashed: from the full and fearless declaration of what seemeth to me right; I will not sink my office into that of a money-gatherer, or a tale-bearer, of an advocate of institutions, however good,

fear man,

nor serve

any of the bye interests

of men;

or a worshipper of mortal men; however excel lent; but I will be a teacher of the Gospel, and a publisher of the praise of Christ, and will not shun to deliver the whole counsel of God, upon this all-important matter of the Missionary work and I will speak it with the more plainness because the heads and leaders thereof are now before me, that haply the Lord may carry the principles, which I am about to deduce from his holy word, into the Court and Citadel of this great and glorious cause, to which our country-men, ever forward and ever foremost in a good work, have set their shoulder, resolved to maiñ-· tain it unto the death:

hold Mes

structions

Twelve, as

the great..

complete

to

Missionaries

Apostolical

"But when I took to myself this high com- but to upmission of counselling the counsellors, and siah's injudging the judges of this great undertaking, to the I besought the Lord, that he would cast out w all thoughts and conclusions which had their charter and origin in myself, all fears and apprehensions guide of the which came in from other quarters, and that Work, and he would make of my organs of thought, feel- plead for ing, and speech, an instrument wherewith to after the declare the mind. and will of His Holy Spirit of School. truth. And, that I might not be wanting in my duty of searching his revelation, I examined every where for a basis and as it were a constitutional charter of missionary associations, and a rule for them to proceed by in all their transactions. And having found, as it seemed to me, for reasons which I shall show hereafter, such an abiding constitution, four times repeated in the Gospels, and given at large in

The METHOD of the discourse.

the tenth chapter of Matthew, which I have read as the ground of this discourse; I gave thanks, and said :-Now my way is clear before me; I will be an expositor of these instructions of my Redeemer; here is the matter of my discourse; here are the everlasting instructions of the Missionary; this let me endeavour to comprehend, and set forth unto the people. And being, as it seemed to me, directed of God, both in the matter and manner of this discourse, I gave thanks, and took courage, and being delivered from my fears, I now proceed upon my course rejoicing, and hope to steer safely through that mountainbillow, whose rough top came threatening to overwhelm my scarce sea-worthy bark.

Having entered with caution, I resolved next to proceed with order in handling this great question of the Missionary Work; and it seemed to me best to set forth my thoughts after the following method:

First. To give an exposition of the Missionary estate, as it is laid down in the fore-mentioned chapter of instructions given by Messiah to the first apostles of his kingdom.

Secondly. To examine if it was meant to be of continual authority in the Christian Church, as the Constitution of Christian Missions.

Thirdly. To examine how much of the success of the Apostolic age depended upon their exact adherence to the spirit and letter of this Constitution,

Fourthly. To show, from the history of

Christian Missions subsequent to the primitive times, that they have been prosperous in proportion as they conformed to, and unsuccessful in proportion as they departed from, the spirit and letter of Messiah's Constitution for the Missionary estate.

Fifthly. To study it in practice, and consider what good fruits at home, whence the Missionaries go, and abroad whither they proceed, would come from the exact fulfilment of it.

Sixthly. To explain the office of a Missionary Society in carrying it into effect.

Lastly. To show the duty of private Christians to support all such institutions, as endeavour to conform themselves to the appointment of the Lord, and to keep on the great work of converting the nations.

So that our whole discourse will be an argument founded upon our Lord's words, and concluding for the support of this cause for which we are assembled, and throughout instructing those who are engaged therein. Now, brethren, I ask your patience, the patience of this religious and Christian assembly, to hear me at length upon this, the most important question of the present times; and not to restrict me to the bounds which are observed in ordinary discourses, but, as they do in the courts of justice, and the national assemblies, to give me a latitude commensurate with the weight and importance of the question, which not of my

own will, but by request of this great Society, I come forward to advocate.

According to this plan, the first thing to be considered is the Office of the Missionary, as it is laid down in these words of Messiah, who himself was Heaven's high Missionary to the earth, and fulfilled to the letter every one of the instructions which he gave unto those who should travel in his footsteps.