them to it more clofely. These errors feem not to imply any particular imputation of blame to individual miffionaries, but naturally to refult from the conftitutional imperfection of mankind. Throughout India, and other unconverted countries, they probably will extend to all teachers of Christianity, whether of native or European extraction. We rarely can find accuracy of judgment united with that warmth of character which is neceffary to induce men to undertake the difficult and dangerous office of promulgating Christianity to idolaters; however useful they may esteem that office to be, however fublime. Those varied ftudies which discipline and correct the mind leffen the intensity of its application to any one pursuit. To improve reafon has a tendency to diminish zeal. I speak only of what usually is the tendency of fuch improvement, without examining whether it is capable of being, or ought to be, counteracted.

Should thefe obfervations be admitted, they, probably, may lead us to infer that it is not fo much to the exertions of miffionaries that we muft look for the future propagation of Chriftianity, as to the general diffemination of knowledge. The indifcretions which it can scarcely, perhaps, be hoped that miffionaries

will be able to avoid, impede the end which they propose: but when those persons to whom our religion is offered fhall be enabled to determine for themselves, concerning its records and evidences, they will learn to admit its truth on rational principles. When they fhall add to the poffeffion of our Scriptures the fagacity to understand their meaning, and the judgment to appreciate their value, they will believe the doctrines which are taught in them. This belief, we may expect, will naturally defcend from the more intelligent to the comparatively ignorant. Sound learning and just argument will triumph over fanaticism or error; will first convince the reafon of the wise, and, by this means, will, in due time, overcome the prejudices of the vulgar; and thus Christianity will eventually be established by a progrefs contrary, indeed, to that which it experienced at its origin, but probably not lefs aptly fuited to the altered circumstances of mankind.

If this, in truth, be likely to be the cafe, fo extraordinary a revolution in the manner of propagating our religion deferves a ferious confideration. It is an hiftorical fact, entirely independent of the miraculous means by which it is faid to have been effected, that Christianity

was

was introduced into the world by low and uneducated men, and that men of rank and learning were afterwards, by degrees, converted to it. This fact appears, manifeftly, to be an inverfion in the ordinary progrefs of opinions, which are usually communicated from the wife to the ignorant, instead of being adopted from the ignorant by the wife. It accordingly has been confidered by Christians as an important argument for the belief of a divine interference in the original establishment of the church. And if it appears that things have now reverted to their natural order, even in the advancement of that very religion, in the foundation of which this order was interrupted; if it is to abilities and learning that we must now look for the extension and support of a religion which was first propagated by a few unlettered fishermen of Galilee; we have the stronger reason to admire the peculiarity of its origin; and to conclude that none but God could ever have enabled "the foolish

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things of the world to confound the wife, " and the weak things of the world to con"found the things which are mighty."

SERMON VIII.

JOHN Xviii. 36.

My kingdom is not of this world.

IT has been often justly remarked, that Christ not only forbore to affume any temporal greatnefs, but that he made no pretenfions to temporal authority. He exprefsly taught his difciples that his kingdom was not of this world, and declared both by his words and actions that he recognized the jurifdiction of existing rulers. The apoftles alfo were diligent to instruct their converts that the profeffion of the true faith, and the adoption from the bondage of fin, or of the Jewish law into the glorious liberty of the Gospel, neither changed nor relaxed the duties of civil obligation. The future univerfality of the new religion was wifely confulted by this provident caution. The le

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