_An Enquiry whether the Commission given by our Lord
to his Disciples be not still binding on us._


Our Lord Jesus Christ, a little before his departure, commissioned his
apostles to _Go_, and _teach all nations_; or, as another evangelist
expresses it, _Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature_. This commission was as extensive as possible, and laid them
under obligation to disperse themselves into every country of the
habitable globe, and preach to all the inhabitants, without exception,
or limitation. They accordingly went forth in obedience to the
command, and the power of God evidently wrought with them. Many
attempts of the same kind have been made since their day, and which
have been attended with various success; but the work has not been
taken up, or prosecuted of late years (except by a few individuals)
with that zeal and perseverance with which the primitive Christians
went about it. It seems as if many thought the commission was
sufficiently put in execution by what the apostles and others have
done; that we have enough to do to attend to the salvation of our own
countrymen; and that, if God intends the salvation of the heathen, he
will some way or other bring them to the gospel, or the gospel to
them. It is thus that multitudes sit at ease, and give themselves no
concern about the far greater part of their fellow-sinners, who to
this day, are lost in ignorance and idolatry. There seems also to be
an opinion existing in the minds of some, that because the apostles
were extraordinary officers and have no proper successors, and because
many things which were right for them to do would be utterly
unwarrantable for us, therefore it may not be immediately binding on
us to execute the commission, though it was so upon them. To the
consideration of such persons I would offer the following