cutions which the faithful disciples of Christ are perpetually called to endure from a corrupt world. Thus shall you honourably replace the first Christian prelates, and happily restore the Church to its primitive dignity.

TRAIT XXXIII.

His patience and fortitude under the severest trials.

"CHARITY is not easily provoked," but on the contrary "thinketh no evil." Full of patience and meekness, Christ distinguished himself by his abundant love to those from whom he received the most cruel treatment. Thus also the ministers of Christ are distinguished, who, as they are more or less courageous and indefatigable in the work of the ministry, are enabled to adopt the following declaration of St. Paul with more or less propriety: "Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are as the offscouring of all things unto this day," 1 Cor. iv, 12, 13. "Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left," which enables us to attack error and vice, while it shields us from their assaults; "by honour and dishonour; by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live ; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things," 2 Cor. vi, 3, 10.

Far from being discouraged by the trials which befall him, the true minister is disposed in such circumstances to pray with the greater fervency; and according to the ardour and constancy of his prayers, such are the degrees of fortitude and patience to which he attains. "We have not received," saith St. Paul, "the spirit of bondage again to fear; but we have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself," amidst all our distresses, "beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered," Rom. viii, 15, 26. "I besought the Lord thrice, that this trial might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong," 2 Cor. xii, 8-10. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me," Phil. iv, 13.

What an advantage, what an honour is it, to labour in the service of so gracious and powerful a Master! By the power with which he controls the world, he overrules all things "for good to them that love him."

Their most pungent sorrows are succeeded by peculiar consolations: the reproach of the cross prepares them for the honours of a crown; and the flames, in which they are sometimes seen to blaze, become like that chariot of fire which conveyed Elijah triumphantly away from the fury of Jezebel.

TRAIT XXXIV.

His modest firmness before magistrates.

SUPPORTED by a strong persuasion that God and truth are on his side, the faithful minister is carried above all those disheartening fears which agitate the hearts of worldly pastors. Depending upon the truth of that solemn prediction, "They will deliver you up to the council, and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles;" he expects in times of persecution to appear before magistrates, and possibly before kings, for the cause of Christ and his Gospel. Nor is he affected at such a prospect. Relying on the promise of that compassionate Redeemer, who once appeared for him before Annas and Caiaphas, Herod and Pontius Pilate, without anxiously premeditating what he shall answer, and resting assured that wisdom shall be given him in every time of need, he cries out with the holy determination of the psalmist, "I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed," Psalm cxix, 46.

When he is brought as a malefactor before the judge, while his accusers, actuated by a malicious zeal, agree to say, "We have found this man a pestilent fellow, a mover of sedition among the people," and one of the ringleaders of a new and dangerous sect; he justifies himself by answering, The witnesses who appear against me this day, neither found me trampling under foot the authority of my superiors, nor sowing the seeds of sedition among the people; "neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. But this I confess, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believ ing all things which are written in the law and the prophets; and have hope toward God, which they themselves allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." And supposing his accusers are not only deists, but professors 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." Farther: 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 resurrec tion 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," Acts xxiv, 5, 16. 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," Acts xxvi, 24, 29.

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," 2 Tim. i, 12; iv, 16, 18.

Behold the inconvenience 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 incredulous occupy the first posts in Church or state! And whether we are called to endure 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 par ticularly his ministers, "shall suffer persecution," 2 Tim. iii, 12, 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 partizans 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, "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, Psalm ii, 1–4.

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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 of truth 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 comforted the faithful, who were ready to faint at his afflictions, 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 will also 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 1 am not ashamed. Thou, therefore, endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ," 2 Tim. ii, 9-12; i, 8–12; ii, 3.

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 that apostle was une, qual 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," 2 Cor. ii, 14–16. 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 not 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," 2 Cor. iii, 1-3. "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," 1 Cor. ix, 2; iv, 15.

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