when he appeared before the Emperor of Rome, to plead the cause of truth. He says, 66 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge." Thus Paul had to fight a good fight, in order to keep the faith, against the numerous and formidable enemies of the gospel. And the offence of the cross has not yet ceased. Ministers cannot preach the gospel plainly and fully as the apostle did, without maintaining the same constant warfare, which he maintained in the defence of the truth. It now remains,

III. To show that if ministers do, by a constant warfare, keep the faith; it will afford them a ground of consolation, when they are about to finish their course. It was very consoling to Paul, to reflect, that he had fought a good fight and kept the faith through a long, laborious, and trying life, to the time he was just ready to finish his course, and leave the world. And it must afford consolation to any minister, when they are about to give account of their stewardship, to be conscious that they have faithfully kept the gospel, which was committed to their trust.

For,

In the first place, it must yield them satisfaction, to reflect that they have been consistent in their religious sentiments, and not been carried about with every wind of doctrine, and moved from their steadfastness. If we consult the Bible or ecclesiastical history, we shall find that those who have entered into the ministry have been given to change more than any other order of men. Instead of gaining the victory over the world, the world have gained the victory over them. How often were the Jewish priests seduced into error, delusion, and idolatry? How often did the apostles complain of false teachers and apostates in their day, who taught damnable doctrines? And how have such unstable and inconsistent teachers multiplied ever since? A consciousness of self-inconsistency must be extremely painful to those, who have perverted, corrupted, and betrayed the gospel which had been committed to their trust. And on the other hand, it must be a source of peculiar consolation to any ministers, to reflect that they have plainly, fully, and consistently preached the gospel, while so many have made shipwreck of the faith.

In the second place, it must afford those ministers who have kept the faith a source of satisfaction, that they have been in some measure instrumental in guarding their people against abounding and dangerous errors. Where the gospel is plainly, fully, and consistently preached, the people in general can hardly fail of adopting in speculation, at least, correct religious

sentiments; and of seeing the absurdity of false and unscriptural doctrines. A line of orthodox ministers from the apostles' days to the present time, has been the principal barrier against the flood of error, which would otherwise have overwhelmed the world. Paul told the Elders of Ephesus, "I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." Those ministers who keep the faith, sincerely desire, that their people may keep it, while they live and after they are dead. And if they are conscious that they have said and done all that they could to preserve them from gross and fatal errors, it must afford them some hope, that they have not labored among them altogether in vain.

Finally, a consciousness of having kept the faith, must be a peculiar source of consolation to aged ministers in the nearest views of eternity. They can reflect upon the past, and anticipate the future, with the joyful hopes of a blessed immortality beyond the grave. No man, perhaps, ever could look back upon his past trials, sufferings, conflicts, and victories, with so much pleasure, and at the same time look forward with such bright and glorious prospects, as the apostle Paul did, just as he was finishing his course. He speaks the language of triumph. "I am now ready 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 all them also that love his appearing."

IMPROVEMENT.

1. If it belongs to ministers to keep the faith of the Gospel which is committed to their trust; then they have a very great and arduous work to perform. Their office is not a mere sinecure, which allows them to live in ease and indolence; but an office, which requires intense study, weighty cares, and a constant warfare. They cannot keep the faith, without understanding it, and they cannot understand it, without much reading, meditation and study, which require a perpetual exertion of all their mental powers and faculties. It is no easy matter to preach all the great and essential doctrines and duties of the gospel plainly, fully, and in their perfect harmony, and connection, and apply them, without fear or favor, to persons of all

ages, characters, and conditions. And it is still more difficult and dangerous to attack the enemies of truth, and carry the war into their own camp. Ministers are called Overseers, Watchmen, Soldiers, and Stewards of the mysteries of God. All these appellations denote, that their office is very great, important, and extremely arduous and responsible. To live a life of a soldier, is to live a life of constant warfare, hardship, and danger. Paul says that he actually lived such a life, while fighting the good fight of faith. The account which he gives of it to some of his fellow-laborers, who were disposed to depreciate his labors and sufferings, was enough to cover them with shame and confusion of face. He confidently asks them, "Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ? I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness." Though the present state of the world, does not require such extreme labor and sufferings of ministers in general at this day; yet their cares, and labors, and conflicts are probably greater than those that commonly fall to the lot of other professional men. Much of their labor, many of their cares, and some of their heaviest burdens are known only to themselves. They are sometimes called, as the prophet was, to stand upon the watch-tower in the day-time, and to sit in their ward whole nights. If their people are in prosperity, or adversity, or if any important event takes place among them, it directly or indirectly affects them, and creates new cares and watchful

ness.

2. Since the work of the ministry is such a great and arduous work, it highly concerns those who are about to enter into it, to anticipate the greatness, importance, and difficulties of it. Young men are in danger of imbibing a common mistake, that the ministerial office is a very easy, as well as reputable office to discharge. This lays a foundation for disappointment, discouragement, and unfaithfulness. Not a few shrink from a constant warfare, and neglect to keep the faith. They omit to preach some doctrines and duties of the gospel, and artfully

disguise others, and choose to please men, rather than to fight the good fight of faith. To my knowledge, some who began to run well, have been hindered, either by not keeping the gospel in their hearts, or by hearkening to the advice of others, who ought to have given them better instruction. There has been, for several years past, a great falling off among young ministers and candidates, in point of keeping the faith. Like Demas, they have forsaken those whom they once followed, having loved this present world. Among the numerous candidates, who are now on the stage, and coming on the stage, it is difficult to find any who have counted the cost of maintaining the ministerial warfare, and determined to keep the faith, at all events. This affords a melancholy prospect to ministers who are about to finish their course, and to churches that are about to be left vacant.

3. If the gospel of the grace of God be committed to the trust of ministers; then they must be verily guilty, if they do not keep the faith. They ought to know the gospel before they undertake to preach it, and to know that their work is a warfare, and requires them to contend with their own hearts, with their own lives, and with all those who deny or oppose the gospel. They are volunteers in their work; no man could constrain them to enter into the ministry, and take charge of the gospel and of the souls of men. They have freely and solemnly bound themselves to be faithful stewards of the mysteries of God, and to be workers together with him in promoting his cause and the salvation of sinners. If they misunderstand, misconstrue, or pervert the great doctrines and duties of the gospel, they rob God of his glory, and expose their people to perish forever in their sins. God has set them as watchmen, and commanded them to warn the people from him, and if they neglect to give the people warning, they must die without warning, but their blood will he require at the watchmen's hands. God has everywhere in his word threatened unfaithful ministers with the severest marks of his everlasting displeasure, and they must be of all men the most miserable.

4. If the glorious gospel of the blessed God be committed to ministers, then the people are very competent to judge whether they have kept the faith, and fulfilled the solemn trust reposed in them. They know the important doctrines and duties of the gospel, whether they like or dislike them, and consequently they know whether ministers plainly, fully, and consistently preach them, or handle the word of God deceitfully, by corrupting or perverting it. Paul acknowledged those who had heard him preach, to be competent judges, whether he had

kept the faith, and subjects himself to their decision. He said to the Elders of Ephesus, "Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons; and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore 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." He then calls upon them to testify, that he did not preach one thing to the Jews, and another to the Greeks; or that he did not seek to please men, and accommodate the doctrines and duties of the gospel to the tastes, desires, or prejudices of his hearers, but approved himself to every man's conscience in the sight of God. If the people were capable of judging correctly, whether Paul kept the faith, then every people are capable of judging, whether their minister has kept the faith in his preaching; especially if he has preached among them a long time, even to old age. It is often said, that old ministers become more lax in their religious sentiments, and more catholic towards sectarians, who differ from them, or oppose them, in doctrinal points. This observation is undoubtedly just in regard to some aged ministers, who once contended earnestly, both from the pulpit and the press, with those who doubted, or denied, or opposed some or all the cardinal doctrines and duties of the gospel. But Paul cordially and fully embraced the gospel at first, and fought a good fight in keeping the faith to his dying hour. And if other aged ministers have kept the faith, their people may know it; for they have heard them preach in every stage and circumstance of life. There never were such great changes in the principles, customs, and manners of the people in this country, as have taken place in the course of the last fifty years.. Those ministers, therefore, who have kept the faith during this long period, may easily be distinguished from such as have become. Arminians, Antinomians, Methodists, Unitarians, and Universalists. These have been trying times to both ministers and people, and if there have been apostasies among either, those who have apostatized may be easily discovered, whether they wish to conceal themselves or not.

5. If ministers have to maintain a constant warfare, in order to keep the faith; then they stand in need of the prayers and assistance of their people. Though Paul had superior powers of mind, which had been strengthened and improved by reading, learning, and observation; and though he possessed every