of the Christian faith, he will add, This also I confess, that in conformity to those principles, which pretended philosophers term superstitious, and which lukewarm Christians call enthusiastic, I believe not only "in God the Father Almighty," but also in Jesus Christ his only Son, whom I acknowledge to be "King of kings, and Lord of lords," and who, after having suffered for our sins, rose again for our justification. Further; I joyfully subscribe to that confession of faith, which is frequently in your own mouths,-"I believe in the Holy Ghost," who regenerates and sanctifies every true member of the holy catholic church and I participate with those members the common advantages of our most holy faith, which are an humble consciousness" of the forgiveness of sins," a lively hope of "the resurrection of the body," and a sweet anticipation of "everlasting life. And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men." If his judge, already prejudiced against him, should unbecomingly join issue with his accusers, and charge him with extravagance and fanaticism; he will answer after St. Paul, with all due respect, "I am not mad; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness. And I would to God, that not only thou, but also all who hear me this day, were altogether such as I am, except these bonds."

After a pastor has had experience of these difficult trials, he is then in a situation to confirm younger ministers in the manner of St. Paul,-"I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. At my first answer no man stood with me; but all men forsook me notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear" the gospel : "and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever."

Behold the inconveniences and dangers, to which not only Christian pastors, but all, who follow the steps of the apostle Paul, will be exposed in every place, where the bigoted or the incredulous occupy the first posts in church or state! And whether we are called to endure

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torments, or only to suffer reproach in the cause of truth, let us endeavour to support the sufferings that shall fall / to our lot, with that resolution and meekness, of which St. Paul and his adorable Master have left us such memorable examples.

TRAIT XXXV.

His courage in consoling his persecuted brethren. PERSUADED, that "all who will live godly in Christ Jesus," and particularly his ministers, "shall suffer persecution," the good pastor looks for opposition from every quarter: and whenever he suffers for the testimony he bears to the truths of the gospel, he suffers not only with resolution, but with joy.

The more the god of this degenerate world exalts himself in opposition to truth, the more he disposes every sincere heart for the reception of it. The gospel is that everlasting rock upon which the church is founded, and against which the gates of hell can never prevail: and though this rock is assailed by innumerable hosts of visible and invisible enemies, yet their repeated assaults serve only to demonstrate, with increasing certainty, its unshaken firmness and absolute impenetrability. A clear sight of the sovereign good, as presented to us in the gospel, is sufficient to make it universally desirable. The veil of inattention, however, conceals in a great measure this sovereign good, and the mists of prejudice entirely obscure it. But by the inhuman conduct of the persecutors of Christianity, their false accusations, their secret plots, and their unexampled cruelty, these mists are frequently dissipated, and these veils rent in twain from the top to the bottom. Error is by these means unwittingly exposed to the view of the world; while every impartial observer, attracted by the charms of persecuted truth, examines into its nature, acknowledges its excellence, and at length triumphs in the possession of that inestimable pearl which he once despised. Thus the tears of the faithful and the blood of confessors have been generally found to scatter and nourish the seed of the kingdom.

Ye zealous defenders of truth! let not the severest

persecutions alarm your apprehension or weaken your confidence; since every trial of this kind must necessarily terminate in your own advantage, as well as in the establishment and glory of the Christian faith. Error, always accompanied with contradictions, and big with absurd consequences, will shortly appear to be supported by no other prop than that of prejudice or passion, or the despotism of a usurped authority, which renders itself odious by the very means employed for its support. The more the partisans of every false doctrine sound the alarm against you, the more they resemble a violent multitude opposing the efforts of a few, who are labouring to extinguish the fire that consumes their neighbours' habitations: the different conduct of the one and the other must, sooner or later, manifest the incendiaries. Error may be compared to a vessel of clay, and truth to a vase of massy gold. In vain is calumny endeavouring to render the truth contemptible by overheaping it with every thing that is abominable; in vain would prejudice give error an amiable appearance by artfully concealing its defects for whenever the hand of persecution shall furiously hurl the latter against the former, the solid gold will sustain the shock unhurt, while the varnished clay shall be dashed in pieces. The experience, however, of seventeen ages has not been sufficient to demonstrate to persecutors a truth so evident; nor are there wanting inexperienced believers in the church, who are ready to call it in question, and who, "when persecution ariseth because of the word," are unhappily observed to lose their Christian resolution. But 66 why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing, the kings of the earth stand up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against his anointed? He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn," and make their malice serve to the accomplishment of his great designs.

Thus the Jews, in crucifying Christ, contributed to lay the grand foundation of the Christian church; and afterward by persecuting the apostle Paul to death, gave him an opportunity of bearing the torch to Rome, and even into the palaces of its emperors. And it was from Rome itself, as from the jaws of a devouring lion, that he com forted the faithful who were ready to faint at his afflic

tions, and encouraged them to act in conformity to their glorious vocation. "I suffer trouble as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they may also obtain the salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying; for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: if we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel, according to the power of God; who hath called us according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, for the which cause I also suffer these things; nevertheless, I am not ashamed. Thou, therefore, endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."

Happy is the faithful minister of Christ amid all the severe afflictions to which he is sometimes exposed! Though "troubled on every side," yet he is "not distressed;" though "perplexed," yet "not in despair;" though "persecuted," yet "not forsaken;" though "cast down," yet" not destroyed." All the violent attacks of his enemies must finally contribute to the honour of his triumph, while their flagrant injustice gives double lustre to the glorious cause in which he suffers.

TRAIT XXXVI.

His humble confidence in producing the seals of
his ministry.

A PASTOR must sooner or later convert sinners, if he sincerely and earnestly calls them to repentance toward God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, though filled with indignation against sin, with compassion toward the impenitent, and with gratitude to Christ, he should, like St. Paul, in proportion to his strength, wrestle with God by prayer, with sinners by exhortation, and with the flesh by abstinence; yet, even then, as much unequal

to that apostle, as he was unequal to his Master, he may reasonably despair of frequently beholding the happy effects of his evangelical labours. But, if he cannot adopt the following apostolic language, "Thanks be unto God, who always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place;" he will at least be able to say in his little sphere, "We are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish to the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other, the savour of life unto life." If he has not, like St. Paul, planted new vines, he is engaged with Apollos in watering those which are already planted; he is rooting up some withered cumberers of the ground; he is lopping off some unfruitful branches, and propping up those tender sprigs which the tempest has beaten down.

He would be the most unhappy of all faithful ministers, had he not some in his congregation, to whom he might with propriety address himself in the following terms: "Do we need epistles of commendation to you? Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart. Are not ye my work in the Lord? If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord. For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus have I begotten you through the gospel."

When a minister of the gospel, after labouring for several years in the same place, is unacquainted with any of his flock, to whom he might modestly hold the preceding language; it is to be feared, that he has laboured too much like the generality of pastors in the present day since the word of God, when delivered with earnestness and without adulteration, is usually "quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow. He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully what is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord. Is not my word like a fire; and like a hammer, that breaketh the rock in pieces? Behold I am against them that cause my people to err by their lies and by their lightness: