different ranks among mankind, there will be oppreffion and tyranny. The gospel therefore has given us many precepts to enable us to bear the oppreffion of bad men with chriftian patience and in this light I know of none more effectual to a well-difpofed mind than the text; in which all mankind are taught to confider themselves as the members of one great family, under God. As in a private family there are different stations; fo there are likewise in God's great family. And all people should make themselves fatisfied with those stations, in which they are placed, by confidering themselves as connected with a ftill greater master than their earthly one; and should look upon their stations, rather as employments under God, than as fervices impofed by man. And though many of thefe employments may be hard, yet it is a confolation to those who fuffer under them, that they have a great, and kind master in heaven, who beholds their patient fufferings with a ten der eye. The happiness, that would refult under this great principle of doing fervice as to the Lord, and not to man, might be confidered at large, both as it refpects mankind, in general and individually. II. The lamb flain from the foundation of the world. THE fate of the world from the time of Adam to the time of Chrift; and likewife of that infinite number of human beings, fince that time, who have never heard of the gospel-has often excited the compaffion of good chriftians. They have bewailed the everlasting perdition of fo many millions of people. It is true, our Saviour gave a fhort answer to fome, who made an inquiry about a matter of this kind: Lord are there few that shall be faved? Trouble not yourselves, faid he, with the cafe of others. Leave them in the hands of a merciful God. But let it be your care to attend to what concerns yourselves. Such paffages however, as the text, of which there are feveral, feem to throw light enough upon this fubject to give us all the fatisfaction we want. We may be affured, that God will never punish men for what they cannot help : but will judge without law, those, that have finned without law. The The mind of man however is always agitated. Having gotten rid of one difficulty, it raises a fecond often upon the folution of the first.-If then all the unchriftianized parts of the world, which live up to the lights they have received, fhall be faved through the merits of Chriftwhat occafion is there to advance the gofpel farther? That the great, and gracious atonement fhould be made at fome time, we can easily conceive: but when it was made, was not all done, that was neceffary to be done? If men may be faved as well through the merits of Chrift in a ftate of nature, as in a ftate of grace; why fhould the apostles be fo earneft in propagating the chriftian religion themselves, and in their injunctions to all fucceeding minifters to follow their example? This, I own, is more of a difficulty than the other; becaufe this earneftness has the appearance, as if the fouls of men were really concerned. I fhall endeavour to folve it. Some have endeavoured to folve it by fuppofing chriftians to receive, at the end of their labours, a greater reward than other men. I think we have no authority for taking upon us to portion out God Almighty's favours. We are told indeed, that the dead in Chrift, fhould rije first. But fuch expreffions are greatly too obfcure to be the foundation of doctrines, at leaft of this arduous nature. Others may say, that the purification of our lives is a great end gained. True; but as the end of this purification is to qualify us for future happiness-and as we have every reason to believe, that the future happiness of men in a state of nature, is already provided for through the great atonement-there does not yet appear to be an adequate end for the ftrict injunctions, which the apoftles, and their fucceffors, are laid under to preach, and propagate the gospel. THE Revelations of St. John give us the only key, that I know, to folve this difficulty. In that book we have fome very fublime defcriptions (full of obfcurity indeed in the detail --but very intelligible in the general import) of the millennium-the heavenly Jerufalemand, reign of the faints. The absolute nature of the glorious ftate figured out by these lofty expreffions, we know not: but we know enough to conclude, that fome triumphant state is held out; in which the church of Chrift will in fome diftant period, be established. Hitherto the church of Chrift is in a very impure ftate. In all all nations, where the gospel is profeffed, it is fo mixed with the prejudices, and wicked nefs of the world, that its efficacy and effects are no where seen. Here, and there, a few faithful witnesses have always distinguished themselves amidst the corruption of the times. But the great mass of the world taken together, has always had in it much more of the reign of Satan, than of Chrift. Now fuppofing the benefit of the great atonement to have taken place immediately after the fall, it appears that God Almighty has ftill farther views to open in the dispensation of the gofpel; of which we are yet ignorant, except from the few hints delivered by the facred writers, efpecially by St. John, the clue of whofe divine book, I am now following. As it pleased God therefore that the world was feveral thousand years in preparing to receive the gospel at first, even mingled as it is with all the impurities, infused into it by the wickedness of men, we may suppose a long time alfo may be required to prepare for thofe great events, of which St. John fpeaks. So that although the future fituation of fuch men as live up to the lights they have received, may be fafe; yet the propagating and preferving the gospel alive in the world, all |