cutors.

+

Judge then with what emotion they would read this ftrong, this endearing profeffion of his concern for their welfare; they who, under God, owed their converfion to his miniftry, and to whom, as I just now observed, his past fufferings on their own account, and his prefent diftrefs, were perfectly known.

He had told them a little before, that the bitterest ingredient in all his afflictions, was the apprehenfion he had, that his fufferings might have a tendency to fhake their faith, and to prejudice their minds against the gospel of Chrift: "For "this caufe," fays he, "I fent to know faith, left by fome means the

"your

tempter have tempted you, and our "labour be in vain. But when Timo"theus returned, and brought us good "tidings of your faith and charity, we " were comforted over you, in all our "affliction and diftrefs, by your faith." And then he adds, "For now," even at this present time, diftreffed and afflicted as we are, yet "now we live, if ye ftand faft in the Lord." F

Here

Here then the pureft zeal for the honour of his Master, and the most generous love to the fouls of men, are happily united, and feelingly expreffed in the native language of a warm and upright heart.

I fay, the pureft zeal and the most generous love; for no tincture of selfishness appears in either: if Chrift is glorified,— if men are faved,-Paul obtains his utmost wish; his happiness is independent of every thing elfe; he enjoys all that in his own estimation is worthy to be accounted life, if his fpiritual children ftand fast in the Lord.

:

And is not this a temper of most distinguished excellence? When I called it amiable, I only spoke the half of its praise it hath a dignity, as well as a beauty, belonging to it, fuperior to any thing that is commonly celebrated by that name among men. Would we behold heroifm in its faireft and most exalted form, instead of looking for it among those whom the world hath styled heroes, we fhall fucceed far better if we turn our eyes to Paul of Tarfus.

Where fhall we find fuch determined

courage,

1

courage, fuch cool intrepidity, and contempt of danger, as in this good and faithful foldier of Chrift? "Behold," faid he to the elders of the church at Ephefus, "Behold, I go bound in the fpirit unto Jerufalem, not knowing the things that "fhall befal me there; fave that the Holy "Ghost witneffeth in every city, faying, "that bonds and afflictions abide me. none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, fo that << I may finith my course with joy, and the "ministry which I have received of the Lord

But

Jefus, to testify the gospel of the grace of "God." Acts xx. 22.

With what invincible fortitude did he triumph over adverfity in every frightful fhape with what noble freedom, and independence of fpirit, did he exult amidft thofe fufferings of which human nature hath the greatest abhorrence! "Even unto "this hour," fays he in his letters to the Corinthians, " c we both hunger and thirst, "and are buffeted, and have no certain "dwelling-place: we are made as the filth "of the world, and are the offscouring of "all

B4

"all things unto this day.

We are.

"troubled on every fide, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; "perfecuted, but not forfaken; caft down, "but not destroyed :— :-as deceivers, and

yet true; as unknown, and yet well "known; as dying, and behold we live; "as chaftened, and not killed; as forrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet

1

making many rich; as having nothing, "and yet poffeffing all things.”

And what was it that fupported and enlivened his mind, under fuch a load of complicated diftrefs? Hear the account he gave of it to Timothy, which exactly agrees with the declaration in my text: "I en"dure all things for the elect's fake, that

they alfo may obtain the falvation which "is in Chriit Jefus, with eternal glory," 2 Tim. ii. 10.--Paul denied himself for the good of others, and cheerfully renounced every temporal intereft to promote the eternal happinefs of men.

With what a graceful mixture of majesty and meekness does he appeal to the Theffalonians, in the foregoing part of this epiftle!

"Our

"Our exhortation was not of deceit, nor "of uncleannefs, nor in guile but as we "were allowed of God to be put in trust "with the gospel, even fo we speak, not as pleafing men, but God, which trieth our "hearts. For neither at any time used we "flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak "of covetoufnefs; God is witnefs: nor of σε men fought we glory, neither of you,

.

nor yet of others. But we were gentle among you, even as a nurfe cherisheth her children: fo, being affectionately de"firous of you, we were willing to have

imparted unto you, not the gospel only, but our own fouls alfo, because ye were dear to us. For what is our hope, our joy, our crown of rejoicing? are not even

ye, in the presence of our Lord Jefus "Chrift at his coming? for ye are our glory "and joy."

And what can attract our love, what can merit our esteem, what can excite our admiration, if fuch a temper doth not? A temper which, to all the magnanimity of the hero, unites all the piety and benevolence of the faint.

But