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his example we learn, that this testimony must be borne,

1. With undaunted firmness

[Never was there a faithful servant of God who was not persecuted for righteousness' sake. If bonds and imprisonments do not await the pious minister at this day, it is not because he is less an object of hatred now than formerly, but because he is better protected by the laws of the land. The men who build the sepulchres of departed saints are as ready as ever to persecute the living ones, if only the restraints imposed upon them were withdrawn. The continuance of the inquisition amongst Catholics sufficiently shews what ungodly hypocrites would yet do, if they had it in their power. the servant of God must be ready to encounter every danger: he must die daily, in the habit of his mind; and be ready to lay down his life, at any time, and in any manner, for his Master's sake. "He must make no account" either of labours or of sufferings, if only he may approve himself to God, and be serviceable to the souls of his fellow-creatures - -]

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2. With inflexible perseverance

But

[Never must he cease from his labours, as long as he has strength to follow them. He has begun a course, which must never end but with life itself. He has received a commission from his Lord; and to the Lord he must give account of the manner in which it has been executed. Never must he be weary in well-doing." St. Paul, when stoned and left for dead, was no sooner, as by miracle, restored to life, than he resumed his work, and prosecuted his labours with all his former intrepidity. He had respect to the account which he must speedily give at the judgment-seat of Christ; and he determined, through grace, that he would give it with joy, and not with grief. So must every minister have the blood of his people required at his hands: and he must so acquit himself in his labours for them, that, if he save not them, he may at least deliver his own soul.]

For an IMPROVEMENT of this subject, let us follow

it up,

1. In a way of inquiry

[If we are to bear our testimony with fidelity, you are to receive it with the simplicity of little children. But have we not reason to complain with the prophet, "Lord, who hath believed our report?" I know, indeed, that many receive it with outward approbation: but who amongst you accounts it

d See the Greek.

more precious than life itself? If received aright, all things will be counted but as dung and dross in comparison of it. If received aright, it will be obeyed: your course of life will be directed by it: and you will be standing ready to give up your account to him, whose word it is, and whose salvation is proclaimed unto you. O! deceive not yourselves with a mere profession of faith in Christ; but give yourselves up altogether to him and make him "all your salvation, and all your desire."]

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2. In a way of encouragement

[Once more we bear our testimony before you; and declare, that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Saviour, the only Saviour, of the world. Once more we declare, that his salvation is free for all; as free as the light we see, or the air we breathe. The grace of God, as revealed in it is exceeding abundant; insomuch that, "where sin has abounded, his grace shall much more abound," if only ye be willing to accept it as the gift of sovereign love and mercy. Do not, I pray you, place the smallest reliance on any thing of your own: for I testify to every one amongst you, that if you attempt to blend any thing of your own with the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ, you will make void the grace of God, and render Christ himself of no effect. "This is the record of God which we are commissioned to proclaim, that God hath given to us eternal life; and this life is in his Son: he that hath the Son, hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life." Receive this record, and all will be well: reject it, and you must inevitably perish: for "there is no other name given under heaven whereby we must be saved, but the adorable name of Jesus Christ." If an adherence to Christ expose you to difficulties, be it so: and be content to bear the cross for his sake: but if, through the fear of man, ye deny Christ, know that he will deny you before the whole universe at his tribunal. "If, on the contrary, ye suffer with him, fear not but that ye shall be also glorified together."]

MDCCC.

MINISTERIAL FIDELITY.

Acts xx. 26, 27. I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

NO one can be conceived more averse to egotism than was the Apostle Paul. Yet, on some occasions,

he felt it necessary, for the vindication of his own character, to assert what was true, even though the assertion did tend to place his actions in a more favourable point of view than he would have wished to place them, if such a necessity had not existed. Nor was it only when impelled by necessity that he so acted. There were occasions whereon a regard for the souls of men induced him to refer to his own feelings and proceedings towards them, that so he might the more deeply interest them in that line of conduct which he prescribed; and which would issue in their own eternal welfare. Such were the circumstances under which he made the appeal before us. He was addressing the elders of the Ephesian Church, whom he had sent for to Miletus, and whom he knew that he should never behold again in this world. He therefore reminded them how he had conducted himself amongst them; that so he might engage them, after his departure, to tread in his steps. The words which I have just read refer to the Ministerial fidelity which he had exercised towards them, and to the satisfaction with which, in the prospect of the future judgment, he looked back upon it; since he had a testimony in his own conscience, and in their consciences also, that, whatever might eventually be the effect of it with respect to them, "he was pure from their blood."

In opening the subject of Ministerial fidelity, I will shew,

I. Wherein it consists

The Apostle sums it up in this one expression: "I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God."

"The counsel of God" is that which he has revealed in the Gospel of his Son

[It is elsewhere called "the word of reconciliation; namely, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." This, of course, comprehends all that relates to our fall in Adam, and

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our recovery in Christ. The whole of our guilt, both original and actual, must be stated; and so stated, as that every one may be made sensible of his lost condition, and of the utter impossibility of ever restoring himself to the Divine favour. The law must be set forth in its spirituality, and with its penal sanctions, that is, as requiring perfect and perpetual obedience, and as denouncing its irrevocable sentence of condemnation for one single transgression. The plan which God, of his infinite mercy has devised for the satisfying of his justice and the honouring of his law, must then be opened. His gift of his only dear Son, to take our nature upon him, and in that nature to fulfil the law for us; enduring in his own person all its righteous penalties, and obeying to the uttermost all its holy demands; his gift of his Son, I say, thus to work out a righteousness for us, a righteousness fully commensurate with all the demands, whether of law or justice, and, by imputation made available for our restoration to his favour; this, I say, must be declared as the method devised by God for the

salvation of the world

But it is not for our restoration to his favour merely, that he has devised this plan; but for our restoration to his image. And here must be opened the indispensable necessity of mortifying all sin through the influences of the Holy Spirit, and of devoting ourselves wholly and entirely to God- -]

"The whole " of this must be set forth from time to time

[It must be declared plainly, without disguise; fully, without concealment; firmly, without doubt; authoritatively, without fear. It is not to be wrapt up in polished language, for the sake of pleasing a fastidious ear; but to be opened in the simplest terms, or, as the Apostle says, "Not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spirituale." Nor must there be any bias in our minds towards any one part of the system above another; to doctrines above duties, or to duties above doctrines; every truth that is revealed in the Scripture must be brought forth in its place, and have that measure of prominence in our statements which it bears in the sacred volume. On points of dubious aspect we may express ourselves with doubt; but on all the great leading features of redemption we should express no more doubt than on the most self-evident truth that can be subjected to our view. In delivering these truths, also, we should "speak as the oracles of God"," as "Ambassadors from God, in whose place we stand," and whose word we deliver.]

b Gal. iii. 10.

d 1 Pet. iv. 11.

c 1 Cor. i. 17. and ii. 4, 13.

even

e 2 Cor. v. 20. 1 Thess. ii. 13. and iv. 8.

When the Apostle says that he "had not shunned" to exercise this fidelity, he strongly intimates, II. The difficulty of maintaining it—

Such statements as these are very offensive to the pride of man

[Man is ready to conceive of himself as not very sinful, and not deserving of any great measure of punishment. He hopes, too, that he has within himself a sufficiency of wisdom to discern his duty, and of resolution and strength to perform it. He trusts also, that, by executing his own purposes at the time that he shall find convenient to do so, he shall reconcile himself to God, and obtain favour in his sight. But the Gospel brings down at once all these towering imaginations, and reduces every child of man to a level with publicans and harlots; so far, at least, as to make them" renounce all confidence in the flesh," and seek for mercy simply through faith in Christ. It pronounces every man "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked";" and counsels him to seek in "Christ alone, his wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." Nor is the holiness which the Gospel requires a whit less offensive to the worldly man, than its humiliating doctrines are to the self-righteous. When we say to him, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world for all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the worldi;" and when we require him to "be crucified to the world by the cross of Christ;" we seem to him as exacting far too much, and as shutting heaven against all but a few gloomy enthusiasts.]

Nor does any one ever make this stand for God with impunity

[Look back to the days of old, and see which of the prophets was not persecuted by the people to whom he ministered1. And who amongst the Apostles escaped the rage of their indignant enemies? Even our blessed Lord, who "spake as never man spake," and wrought such numberless miracles in confirmation of his word, was hated and persecuted even unto death. He tells us, "The world hateth me, because I testify of it that the works thereof are evilm." And see, in the present day, whether there be not the same enmity evinced against his faithful servants as in the days of old? See whether ministerial fidelity do not uniformly subject a man to

f Phil. iii. 3.

g Rev. iii. 18, 19. i 1 John ii. 15, 16. k Gal. vi. 14. m John vii. 7.

h 1 Cor. i. 30.

1 Acts vii. 52.

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