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bours; and, as if in the most impious opposition to the declaration of the great Creator, to arrogate to themselves, a being derived from better blood than their neighbours. We hear Christian, as well as Pagan princes, and others, boasting of their descent, and of their being derived from the blood of eminent ancestors of a supposed superior race; whereas the divine declaration by the mouth of Heaven's inspired servant is, that God hath made of one blood all nations of men; and of course, likewise all the families and individuals of those several nations. The important truth, that all nations are derived from the same first pair of human beings, and are therefore related to each other, and equal amongst themselves, is ridiculed as a useless truism, only fit to be laughed at; and with the principle is swept away at once the whole code of laws, and table of moral duties, which require and inculcate justice, and peace, and benevolence, and fraternal feelings amongst men of different nations. And, in opposition to this truth, the principles of a selfish individualism, a clanship, or selfidolizing patriotism, are introduced and designated prudence and virtue; and then self-aggrandizement, and national hatred, and warfare, become the pursuits of mankind, which are lauded by poets and praised by politicians, and echoed by the multitude; and acquiesced in, and sometimes advocated, even by the disciples of Jesus, and the ministers of his religion.

But since God has made of one blood all nations of men; since there is one God and Father of all, and he made human beings of the same material, there is a manifest kindredship and equality amongst all mankind. Infidelity may attempt to prove that there are different races of men, and pagan fancy may attribute their existence to different gods, or various powers; but since our discourse is not now addressed to such persons, but to professed Christians, we shall argue from the acknowledged principles of that holy religion; and shall deny the existence of any noble blood that raises some men superior to their fellows; or that disconnects them from the duties binding on our common humanity; or that elevates them

to a place amongst the gods of pagan fancy. Too long have false notions of individual superiority, of family greatness, and of the right of some nations to dominate over the rest; and notions of a mistaken patriotism led men to despise and disregard, if not to hate and injure, his fellows, for all of whom we this day claim the rights of consanguinity and of brotherhood.

The Lord of heaven and earth, who giveth to all mankind life and breath and all things, made the world, and determined the bounds of men's habitation, to dwell on all the face of the earth. Mankind acknowledge one Creator, one divine Father, and their dwelling place is the sole property of one great Lord; they are the subjects of one divine King; and I see not why the principles of reciprocal duty, which are binding on brothers of the same family, and on subjects of the same kingdom, should not apply to them.

The time was, when every petty chieftain in this land cherished hate and feud, and practised bloodshed and murder against his neighbouring petty chieftain, who was equally rancorous; but the more extended dominion of one Prince imposed the duties of fellow-subjects on each other, and those duties have been felt and are now fulfilled in a very useful degree; and in the existing British empire, formerly, separate and distinct nations, which once lived in rancorous hostility, and gloried in doing mischief to each other, are now united as fellow subjects, and are bound, not only to forbear to injure one another, but are bound to exert themselves to do each other good; and shall spiritual Christians not carry forward this principle to its fair and conclusive extent—i. e. to all the nations over whom God their King and Saviour reigns? There still exists, not only with merely professed Christians, but also with many who seem truly religious, a sort of disesteem for, and disregard about, other portions of their heavenly Father's territory, and other branches of the human family, and which feelings are quite at variance with the sober dictates of reason and revelation. And there is a way of praising one's native country, and of acting for it, which generally throws injurious reflections on other parts of God's world, and of his

creatures, which reflections often wear an air of impiety to God, and injustice to men.

The progress of navigation and geography, which enable so many persons to circumnavigate the globe and visit all countries, tends much to the development of the philanthropic spirit, which our text suggests. The hideous and distorted pictures formerly drawn of the rest of the nations, either by ignorance or artifice, as well as the representations of savage innocence, have, in all cases proved untrue, and human nature is found much the same in every land. It is depraved, and vicious, and degraded by superstition; but it is improvable by the diffusion of knowledge, by human kindness, and can be renewed by the grace of God. The objection of a frigid infidelity, that some tribes of men are sunk so low, that they cannot be raised, and that some are so invincibly attached to their idols, and their superstitions, and their vicious usages, that they can never be changed, has no foundation in truth. Esquimaux and Hottentots, New Hollanders and Otaheiteans, Negroes and Sandwich Islanders, Tartars and Hindoos, and Chinese, have all of them yielded to the kindness of men, the grace of the Saviour, and the mercy of God; and have been changed, and civilized, and sanctified, and glorified.

The great point yet to be gained is, to induce the Christian Churches to use somewhat proportionate means to communicate spiritual benefits to the rest of their brethren of mankind.

None will dispute the doctrine which we have laid at the foundation of this discourse, viz. the kindredship of all mankind; but many will argue that Christians should pretty much confine their attention to their own country, i. e. to those of their brethren of mankind, who live under the same civil government.

But does Christianity sanction or inculcate this sentiment?

Before the call of Abraham, i. e. during the first two thousand years of the world's existence, there was no distinction made in Heaven's dispensations amongst the nations of the earth. And the separation of one small

country from the rest of the world, was a temporary arrangement made by divine Providence to preserve truth in the earth till Messiah should come. Around the Jews a partition wall was set up, but Jesus broke it down. Was God the God of the Jews only? or was he not also the God of the Gentiles? Is Jesus the Saviour of the Jews only? or the Saviour of men only, who live under some one civil Government? Is he not declared to be given as the Saviour of the world; and is it not promised that all nations shall serve him? I enter not this day into the disputes of theologians, concerning what they call general and particular redemption; for it is not necessary to my argument, since they all agree that the redemption which is in Jesus, extends to some of all nations, peoples, and languages.

And as the design of this salvation is not confined to any one country, so the command of Zion's king to his people is, not to confine their notification of his redeeming work to any one country, but to go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to every human creature. I am aware that the pagan notions of patriotism are commonly received in our land, and are warmly advocated by a spirit of selfish aggrandizement; and that infidels have charged the religion of Jesus with not inculcating the virtue of patriotism. I acknowledge the charge to be true; I believe it does not inculcate the commonly received notion of patriotism. And although wise and good men think otherwise, and perhaps sneer at the expression, I do believe, that the religion of Jesus, properly understood, makes men citizens of the world. It calls upon them not to confine their attention, or their benevolent efforts, only to persons who live under the same civil government with themselves; but to extend their attention, and their care, and their benevolent concern to all human beings whom their Creator has made of the same blood as themselves; who occupy, as well as themselves, a part of their heavenly Father's wide domain; who, as well as themselves, live under his government, and if living under one and the same government, impose duties on men, shall Christians reject the government of God, and deny the duties owing to their fellow subjects in his

Infinite Wisdom considers good, and that is not always prosperity. Inspired and Holy Writ has recorded, that sometimes, (perhaps oftener than we imagine,) it is good to be afflicted. Chastisement indicates parental care and an ardent affection, and therefore we should not consider afflictions as positive and unmixed evil-if heavenly glory be at the end of all these graciously afflictive dispensations, how happy the result! Oh, what an exhilirating view of the matter did Paul take, when oppressed and afflicted, persecuted, and scorned, imprisoned and scourged, and hungry and thirsty; and in cold and nakedness, ill-fed and illclothed-in the midst of all these, he said, "Our light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out for us a far more and exceeding and eternal weight of glory;" these afflictions are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Truly so! A moment and eternity! earthly suffering and heavenly bliss! Man's wrath and God's love! Who would ever think of drawing a comparison? Oh thou afflicted, discomforted, poor, and friendless; or aged and destitute Christian, lift up thy head and rejoice in God thy Saviour. And thou, man of God, who art rich and increased in goods, but whose mind is elevated above these things, in themselves perishable and fleeting, bless God who has taught thee not to trust in uncertain riches, but in himself; and who has led thee to adopt the ejaculation of the royal Psalmist, in the closing lines of that ode, which has been the subject of our dis

course

"O Jehovah, God of Hosts,

Happy is the man who trusteth in thee."

He is indeed happy, and happiness is no where else to be found.

Now, my hearers, these views of life and of death, of time and of eternity, and of the gracious character of God, our Creator, Preserver, and Redeemer, are those that are exhibited in the courts of God's house; and do they not justify the exclamation of king David-" How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts?" There are some young persons in this country, exposed to the attacks of a

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