SERMON XXII.

MINISTERS AND THEIR CONVERTS A MUTUAL REJOICING IN THE DAY OF CHRIST.

PREACHED TO THE CANDIDATES FOR THE BACCALAUREATE IN 1803 AND 1813.

1 THESSALONIANS ii. 19.

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, at his coming?

PAUL, with his fellow-labourers, Silas and Timothy, being directed by the Holy Ghost to go from Asia into Macedonia, passed over to Philippi, and gathered a church in that city. Hence they went to Thessalonica; and gathered another. Here, however, they were persecuted by the Jews. Paul, the chief object of their hatred, departed, therefore, to Berea. His persecutors followed him thither; and forced him to betake himself to Athens. From that city he proceeded to Corinth. Thus for a long time he was absent from Thessalonica; and, although exceedingly desirous to revisit the church, which he had founded there, was prevented by certain hindrances, which he has alluded to, but not described.

During his absence various objections, which he has specified in this Epistle, were by the Jews, and Greeks, of Thessalonica raised up against the Divine origin and authority of the Gospel. Among these were his flight, and the length of his absence. From these facts his adversaries argued, and endeavoured to persuade his converts, that he was an impostor; and not a messenger of God nor a friend to them. His flight they seem to have urged as a proof of his cowardice, and his absence, as satisfactory evidence, that he was regardless of the Thessalonian Christians.

The efforts of these malignant men appear to have alarmed the fears of the Apostle. To prevent their effect on the minds of his followers, he replied in this Epistle to the objections, made against him, and against the Gospel. Among the answers to those, made against him, the text contains one, remarkable for the extraordinary sentiment expressed in it, and for the affectionate manner in which it is communicated. "For what is my hope, or my joy, or my crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye, in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, at his coming?" Look at my life; and behold it made up of labours, and sufferings. What hope can I propose; what joy can I find, but in your conversion, and eternal life? This world is only hostile to me; and yields me neither rest nor safety. If, therefore, I am disposed to indulge any hope, or to expect any reward; it must lie beyond the grave. It must be furnished by you, my own converts; turned by my preaching from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. In you, of course, my affections must centre with a sincerity and strength, which distance cannot change, nor time impair. Vain, therefore, and groundless, are the allegations of your enemies, and mine; when they insinuate. that I do not regard you with the tenderness of a parent, and the fidelity of an Apostle.

It is not to be supposed, that the Thessalonian converts were dearer to St. Paul than others, who had become Christians under his ministry. Unquestionably, he, who addressed the Romans, whom he had never seen, in terms so affectionate, could not but regard his own converts, universally, with the strongest attachment. Accordingly, he addresses the very sentiment, contained in the text, to the Corinthians: "As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus." To the Philippians he addresses it again. "Among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice, and service of your faith; I joy, and rejoice, with you all." Indeed, the text itself very obviously holds out to us the same truth. "For what is our hope, or joy? Are not nas, ye also?" ye, as well as others, "who elsewhere under my preaching become followers of the Redeemer?" This

was the construction of Theophylact; and gives, I apprehend, the true meaning of the original.

It is to be observed, that Sylvanus or Silas, and Timothy, united with Paul in sending this Epistle to the Thessalonians; and of course coincided with him in all the declarations, which it contains. Accordingly, the language of the text is, "What is our hope." These excellent men, therefore, who had been the Apostle's fellow labourers in converting the Thessalonians, certainly expected to find the same glorious crown, and their own share in the same elevated joy, in the final day. That their expectations were well founded, the Spirit of inspiration, who dictated this Epistle, has left us the amplest proof.

It is also to be observed, that Paul exhibits the Corinthians as rejoicing in him, and Timothy who united with him in writing the second Epistle to that Church, even as they did, in the members of that Church. To the same joy in him he directs the Philippians, in the verse following the passage, already quoted. "For the same cause, also, do ye rejoice, and be glad with me."

The foundation of the Apostle's joy in his converts is particularly expressed in the whole of this passage, taken together. "That ye may be blameless, and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine, as lights in the world: Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain." The blameless, harmless, unrebukable character of these converts, the lustre of their example, and the glory, which it cast around the word of God; constituted the source of that peculiar happiness, which he expected to find in the day of Christ. This exemplary piety, seen in their lives with such beauty and lustre, while it allured those, who beheld it, to follow them in the way to endless life, was, at the same time, a glorious proof of the faithfulness and efficacy of his own labours for their conversion.

In the text, thus considered, are contained the following doctrines.

I. Those, who have been intimately connected in the present world, will at the day of judgment be known to each other.

II. Faithful Ministers of the Gospel, and those, who under their

ministry have embraced the Gospel, will be mutual causes of joy in that day, and by consequence through eternity.

I. Those, who have been intimately connected in the present world, will at the day of judgment be known to each other.

Of the truth of this doctrine there can, I think, be little doubt. The Apostle, his fellow-labourers, and their converts, were to rejoice with each other at the day of Christ, with a peculiar joy. To these Ministers of the Gospel neither the saints of ancient times, nor those of succeeding generations, were to be their hope, or their joy, or their crown. This character is in the text, and the parallel passages which have been mentioned, expressly confined to their own converts. In the same manner these converts are exhibited as peculiarly rejoicing in Paul and Timothy, as Ministers, by whom they believed. But, if these preachers, and their converts, were thus to rejoice in each other; it follows of course, that they must be mutually known; and known in their mutual connection, as instruments, and heirs, of salvation. St. Paul therefore, and Timothy, and Silas, will know the members of those churches for whom they wrote, and be known by them, in the day of Christ. Nor can there be any reasonable doubt, that other ministers and their converts will be known in the same manner; nor by parity of reasoning, that parents and children will know each other; husbands and their wives; instructors and their pupils; friends, also; companions; and neighbours.

In accordance with this scheme of thought it is said, that many shall come from the east and from the west, from the north, and from the south, and sit down with Abraham, with Isaac, with Jacob, and with all the prophets, in the kingdom of God. Lazarus was carried by Angels to Abraham's bosom. These illustrious persons, therefore, must, it would seem according to any rational interpretation, be known to those, concerning whom these declarations are made. Abraham, Lazarus, and the rich man, were all known to each other. It is incredible, that this case should be singular; or the exhibition, made in it concerning the state of our future existence, erro

neous.

In the same manner Moses and Elias, on the mount of transfiguration, were known, not only to each other, but to the three Apostles also as Peter proves in his address to Christ. It cannot

be rationally questioned, that this knowledge is universally a part of the divine system; or that all, who have been intimately connected here, will be known by each other hereafter.

11. Ministers of the Gospel, and those, who under their ministry have embraced the Gospel, will be mutual causes of joy in that day; and by consequence, throughout eternity.

Of this doctrine there can be as little doubt, as of the former. Both the text, and the parallel passages which have been quoted, furnish ample evidence of its truth. To such, as love the doctrines of the Scriptures, it must, however, be profitable to examine the nature, and ground, of this joy. I have already mentioned the declaration of St. Paul concerning this subject to the Philippians; in which he informs them, that their assumption of the Gospel as the rule of life, and of holiness as their moral character, the lustre of their obedience to the former, and the eminence of their proficiency in the latter, were the sources of that peculiar enjoyment which he and his fellow labourers expected in the day of Christ. The same characteristics in him and his companions, and the peculiar faithfulness and success, with which they performed the duties of their stewardship, are, also, with sufficient clearness exhibited as the foundation of that joy, which their converts would find at the same solemn period.

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It is impossible, that intelligent beings should find in each other more noble, or rational, sources of happiness than these. In their converts the ministers, in question, beheld a multitude of immortal minds, rescued from ignorance and idolatry, from endless sin and endless ruin; established in the belief and obedience of divine truth, and constituted heirs of everlasting glory, happiness, and virtue. On the one hand, how wonderful the escape! the other, how amazing the acquisition! thy, with what transport, must such benevolent men, as Paul, Silas, and Timothy, behold this delightful scene! These converts were originally without God, and without hope in the world; worshipped images of gold and silver; of brass and stone; and prostrated themselves before the stock of a tree. They were aliens from the divine kingdom; outcasts from the virtuous universe; and heirs only of sin, and perdition. When the Apostle