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him. "For I am now ready (said he) to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto them also that love his appearing," 2 Tim. iv.

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And it is our mercy, that these scriptural records are followed by other testimonies of the faithful in all ages, whose close of life have been illustrious among the martyrs of God. When Polycarp was brought forth for execution, his enemies tampered with him to save his life, by renouncing christianity. What!' said the hoary saint, have I known and served Jesus Christ these eighty-six years, and found him so good a master, and shall I disown him now?' And when Valens, the emperor, would have cajoled Basil, by the offers of honours and dignity, to give up his faith; the man of God exclaimed, offer these things to children; you know that we despise them.' And when the tyrant changed his voice, and in a fury threatened him with tortures, Basil coolly replied, Threaten these things,' said he, to your purple gallants, that give themselves to pleasure, and are afraid to die.'

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The century which had been principally had in view in this work, was not without some very blessed examples also of a similar strength of faith, in similar circumstances. The English history of this period hath recorded very many memorable acts of those saints of God, who left the world attended to heaven with the tears and prayers, the love and praise of all the thousands who looked on, and beheld their faithfulness, in the midst of tortures to God.

But I close the portrait. And let the reader form his own judgment how far there is a correspondence to the original, as drawn by an apostle. "For a bishop

(said he) must be blameless as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre: but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine, both to exhort, and to convince the gainsayers."

THE

PORTRAIT

OF

THE CHURCH.

THE

PORTRAIT OF THE CHURCH,

TAKEN FROM LIFE, ACCORDING TO THE STATEMENT OF HOLY

SCRIPTURE.

It is an object of infinite concern to every redeemed and regenerated child of God under divine teaching, to have always in remembrance his high connection and character. For, from hence we learn, that the present state of the church is neither her original nor her final state. She was chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, and her being, and well-being in Christ, will continue when the world and all that is in it will be done away. Hence, it is both the privilege and the interest of the church, to be tracing upon every occasion her origin, and to enjoy her immunities up to their source, among the ancient settlements of eternity. For as she claims relation before all time to her glorious head and husband, she is entitled thereby, by virtue of her union and marriage, to dower. She takes her Lord's name: she hath interest in her Lord's property. And she bears by right the arms of the family in the election of grace, as registered in the heraldry of heaven. Thus endowed, it is the common interest and birth-right of the whole church, and of every individual of Christ's

VOL. VII.

I

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