pear; and we shall behold justice, and goodness, and mercy, conspicuous in all his ways.

But the obscurities which now involve the conduct of God, originated not in him but in man. The introduction of moral evil into the world, has inverted the order of things, and occasioned that scene of confusion which we constantly behold. It has been the cause of those calamities under which human nature groans; and produced those natural evils, which our baseness would sometimes tempt us to charge on the providence and conduct of the Most High.

In the primary formation of human nature the Creator of the universe interwove with the constitution of man a dominion over his own actions; directed him in what was right, and constituted him free. From this freedom arose the power of transgression; and from transgression those various afflictions which embitter life; and create the miseries of man, both in time and in eternity. The purposes of God toward us, have uniformly been founded in love; they began in goodness in the original state of things, and to the faithful have terminated in mercy, and more peculiarly under the gospel dispensation. Conducting himself with a view to promote that holiness from which we had departed, and aiming at a renovation of our natures without acting upon us by irresistible impulse, the conduct of God towards his creatures must of course be strangely diversified in this transitory scene of action, and this fallen state of mankind, who are utterly depraved by nature, and irrecoverably fallen without the grace of God. And therefore these diversities and obscurities which exist among the human race, arise not from any deviation in the conduct of God, but from the devious conduct of man,

With these views of God and of his ways, we feel no difficulty in accounting for the dispensations of his providence which we are not able to comprehend; or in assigning to them an adequate cause, even in those cases which elude our pursuits. We see in many instances the effects without their apparent causes; and they appear irregular and questionable, in proportion as circumstances, either simple or combined, contract our views. Those actions which sometimes appear obscure, and so ambiguous as to leave it dubious whether or not they came from God, are frequently elucidated by subsequent events. The event is commonly an expositor on the previous action; it discovers its connexion with it, through the intermediate stages through which it passes; and leaves, in many instances, the conduct of God and the mysteries of providence without a shade.

But while he thus permits obscure dispensations of his providence to overtake us, and frequently encircles us with circum

stances which we cannot comprehend; he so overrules those actions which originate in wickedness, as to make them contribute toward some general or particular good for his faithful people. But that particular influence which God thus exerts, in making evil subservient to good, cannot affect the nature of that action which is thus influenced, good or evil in itself. The action must be right or wrong, independently of those effects which through the interference of Omnipotence are made to result from it. Designs and actions which in themselves are wicked, are only permitted; and the interference of God, instead of calling them into being, only averts their natural effects for the good of those that love him. By these means he brings good out of evil, and causes even the wrath of man to praise him.

Among those strange and mysterious events which take place through the permission of God, the case of the Africans, who have been torn from their native land, transported across the vast Atlantic, and are now held in bondage by the nations of Europe, claims our particular regard: It affords to the contemplative mind, one of the most questionable forms in which the providence of God can, perhaps possibly, appear. And yet it is not an improbable case, that even this most abominable traffic, (for the abolition of which every Christian will bless the God of love,) and this condition in which human nature appears, in one of its most degraded and unhappy forms, may be made subservient to those wise designs, which we shall not be able fully to unravel on this side an eternal world. We are not sufficiently acquainted with the extent of sin, nor with the vast designs of God, to pronounce these things absurd, or even improbable. Thus even the slavery of the human species, (though so directly contrary to the spirit of Christianity,) we plainly perceive, is now overruled by the unerring wisdom of God; and, strange as it may appear, myriads without all doubt will rejoice eternally that ever they were taken into the western world.

It may here be asked, "Why did not God convey the same gospel to Africa, which he has conveyed to the West Indies? Why did he not bring them into the liberty of his children without shackling them first with chains ?"

We have already observed that the judgments of God are unsearchable, and his ways past finding out. The conduct which he pursues, leads invariably to the same important issue, though we cannot trace the path through which that conduct moves. His ways are just, though incomprehensible; and his designs of mercy, when apparently arbitrary, are invariably consonant with what is right. As we are not minutely acquainted with those motives from whence the Almighty acts, we are totally incompetent either to arraign his conduct, or to decide upon the pro

priety or impropriety of any of his ways. The mind of man is too contracted to comprehend his modes of action, or fully to see the justice and truth which are inseparable from his ways. The secret ties which connect together the different ages of the world, and different dispensations of his providence, are too minute for our discernment, and too refined for our comprehension; and the process of their movements is too secret for our penetration. We see the event accomplished, without knowing upon what secret springs any of its parts depend, any more than we can conceive how that love can be infinite, which is lodged within the confines of justice, and which in many instances seems so partial in its application.

But how desolate and abandoned soever Africa may now appear, there was a period, in which the gospel shone through some considerable portion of that quarter of the globe. In conjunction with other parts, the natives of that extensive tract had the light of revelation diffused among them, in an early stage of Christianity, within less than thirty years* after the death of Christ, which was some time before Jerusalem, that devoted city, met its doom. But why this gospel was withdrawn; how long it flourished among them; in what period it began to decay; or to what more favourable countries it retired, is not our present business to inquire. God who uniformly aims at the welfare of the faithful, and who

That the gospel in its extensive spread, was carried into Africa in the early ages of Christianity, will hardly admit of any controversy. There are many indubitable evidences which sufficiently prove its establishment, and place its being known in every quarter of the then discovered world, beyond all possble doubt.

Dr. Doddridge in his Family Expositor, vol. ii. p. 390. after paraphrasing Matt. xxiv. 14. observes in a note on these words ("The gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness to all nations") as follows: "The accomplishment of this extraordinary prophecy is admirably illustrated by Dr. Arthur Young, vol. ii. p. 216-234. It appears from the most credible records that the gospel was preached in Idumea, Syria, and Mesopotamia by Jude: in Egypt, Marmorica, Mauritania, and other parts of Africa, by Mark, Simon, and Jude: in Ethiopia by Candace's Eunuch and Matthias: in Pontus, Galatia, and the neighbouring parts of Asia, by Peter: in the territories of! the seven Asiatic churches, by John: in Parthia by Matthew in Scythia by Philip and Andrew: in the northern and western parts of Asia, by Bartholomew; in Persia by Simon and Jude: in Media, Carmania, and several eastern parts, by Thomas: and through that vast tract of territory from Je rusalem round about unto Illyricum, by Paul; as also in Italy, and probably in Spain, Gaul, and Britain. In most of these places success attended the preach-> ing of the gospel, and Christian churches were planted in less than thirty years after this prophecy was delivered, which was some time before the destruction of Jerusalem took place." It is thus in one view that we behold a train of events corresponding with the prediction, and the truths of the gospel disseminated over so large a portion of the globe. And we are fully assured from these and a variety of other circumstances, that Africa, notwithstanding the present condition of her degenerate sons, has had its gospel day, and has heard the invitations of a Saviour's love.

makes his dealings with us subservient to this important end, withdraws no mercy from mankind without a sufficient cause; and that cause originates in man. We may therefore rest satisfied that the removal of the gospel from Africa, as well as its removal from other parts of the world in which it once flourished, but from which it is now withdrawn, has been occasioned by the hypocrisy of professors; the contempt with which it has been treated; the attachment of the inhabitants to paganism and idolatry; their making religion a cloak for licentiousness; and harbouring those secret vices, which Christianity must extirpate when it takes possession of the heart-these or similar causes may be assigned as reasons for the removal of the gospel from them.

We have said in a preceding page, when contemplating the gloomy dispensations of divine providence, which encircle the negroes who are held in bondage in the West Indies, that they are obliged to trust God where they cannot trace him; and that they are called to walk by faith and not by sight. The same observations which we have applied to them, may with equal justice be appropriated to ourselves. In the volume of nature and the book of providence, we discover facts which we cannot deny; they pass upon us in both cases, with evidences which convince us of their certainty; while their causes and consequences are alike wrapped up in shade. Facts in both instances. give us indubitable evidences of a superior cause possessing energies which we cannot grasp; but beyond the confines of their simple existence, our acutest penetrations cannot pierce.

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The civil condition of the negroes opens a field of contemplation to the inquiring mind, which our deepest researches cannot fully explore. We trace effects to their more immediate causes, but still find ourselves surrounded with difficulties ascend step by step on the mountain of mysteries, till the sight grown dim by the height of our situation, can no longer move in these elevated regions: it then seems to close in darkness; and the jaded spirits, tired with the excursion, seek repose in the equity and justice of God.

But the wisdom and equity of God, in which the pious mind seeks and finds its rest, enveloped with shadows and involved in mysteries, still lie buried in a vast abyss. The mind therefore repairs to the unerring standard of divine truth; and learns from the sacred volume, that the Judge of the whole earth must do right; that we must wait with patience till this mortal shall put on immortality, when a scene shall open in which he shall justify his ways to man.

The tornadoes which destroy the promised vintage of the year, are not greater anomalies in the natural, than the condition of the poor negroes is in the moral world. In both cases we are

assured that justice must mark the footsteps of God, in what he does, and in what he suffers, though we are unable to trace it in either case. These things ensure to us an after scene, in which the mysteries of the present shall be completely unravelled; rewards and punishments administered according to our deeds; and in which the obscurities which now shade the conduct of God, shall be unfolded, and rendered conspicuous to every order of intelligent beings. It is with these prospects before him, and the internal assurances of them, that the Christian becomes reconciled to the varied dispensations of God. It is thus he feels resignation to his blessed will, confidently persuaded that he permits no injustice to take place, which he does not particularly notice, and will not amply counterbalance by rewards and punishments, either in time or in eternity. And since the justice of God is not always unfolded in the present state, our reasoning powers instruct us to look for another, in which partiality and questionable appearances shall be totally done away.

How far these outlines of the Author's views may meet the concurrence of all his readers, he feels himself incompetent to decide. Satisfied in himself that no other considerations can afford that stability to an inquiring mind which the subject requires, and which the human mind imperiously demands; he feels a confidence within himself, that the pious and reasonable will readily yield their suffrage to a train of positions, which lead immediately to tranquillity and repose in God. And while the faith of individuals is confirmed, and their hopes animated with brighter prospects, the heart must be enlarged, and filled with fervent zeal for the honour and glory of that God, who has thus opened a door for the spread of his gospel in those unpromising portions of the globe. And while with holy transport, the soul exults in the prospect which lies before it, the hand will be expanded with an involuntary liberality to support the best of causes, that of spreading among the heathen the unsearchable riches of Christ.