Most other parts of Paul's instructions to Timothy, have been, at times, the foundation of address to God's ministers; but this, to my knowledge, never. The opinion is, that Paul wrote this epistle some twelve or fifteen years after the date of the first, near the close of life, and while a prisoner at Rome. It contains his dying advice, given in view of the assurance that his departure was at hand. Timothy was his own son in the gospel, and he expresses for him a peculiar affection, and deals out paternal advice, in a dress the most kind and amiable.

The exhortation in the text is somewhat singular. Did Timothy need to be exhorted to become a partaker in the afflictions of the gospel? Did it depend on his choice, whether he would, or would not, be a partaker in those afflictions? Was it desirable that he stand ready and willing to suffer? Was it honourable or necessary to be afflicted in the discharge of his duty, if he might escape? To all these questions the text implies an answer in the affirmative.

It is more than possible that he saw Timothy tempted to deny his father in Christ, now that he was in bonds. The enemy would tauntingly say, This is the proselyte,

and the pupil of that Paul who has gone to Rome in bonds. Hence Timothy, as Peter on a former occasion, would be in danger of saying, I know not the man· He might thus hope to escape the cross, and might fear that otherwise chains might be fastened on himself, as a man equally dangerous with his master. Hence he ex

horts him as in the text.

But the exhortation is not of private interpretation, and will apply to the people of God, and especially his ministers, in this age, as readily as in any one that has gone by. In what follows I shall notice some of the afflictions of the gospel, explain the import of the exhortation, and urge upon the ministers of Jesus Christ the duty of becoming voluntary partakers in these afflictions.

I. I am to notice some of the afflictions of the gospel. In doing this, however, I shall rather dwell on the causes of these afflictions,

1. The ministers of Jesus Christ must form and defend an unpopular character. I am aware that efforts have been made to show that the ministers of the gospel, and the people of God generally, need have nothing about them peculiar, and I am aware, too, that many, professing godliness, have made the experiment of being, in their whole deportment, what the world are. And it cannot be denied, that they have been, in that case, greatly caressed by the world. "If ye were of the world the world would love his own." Can we but flatter as adroitly, and dress as gaily, and joke as familiarly, and laugh as loudly, as the most thoughtless of the multitude, they will cease their complaints. With the minister of the gospel who can shine in the party, and advocate the dance, and make the game innocent, and the theatre chaste, and every other vain amusement harmless, the world will have no quarrel. Not the most

profane, or proud, or gay, or voluptuous, will have any fault to find with him, when he ceases to reproach them. Let him in company keep back the subject that would give offence, and suppress the dissent that would be unwelcome, and bless whom the world blesses, and rebuke whom they abominate, and the world will pronounce him a fine, a charming fellow. Let him associate with the gluttonous man, and the wine-bibber, and not carry to their house and their table, the hard doctrine, and the pointed rebuke, and the distinct condemnation, and the zeal for his heavenly Father's honour, which characterized the sociality of Jesus Christ, and they will agree to love him.

And I have not my eye now fixed on the ministry in its grossest aspect; a ministry whose whole piety is a kind of charity that was not born in heaven, and has neither creed nor conscience. I do not associate such men with the ministers of Jesus Christ. But in that better school, where truth is held in high estimation, and charity is not sightless, and fellowship has gospel boundaries, it is feared that men may be found who are at great pains to avoid the afflictions of the gospel. If they speak of hell it is with an apology; if they describe a bad heart, they "hope better things of their audience," and if they are driven to rebuke a vice, they do it so tamely as to make no impression. Hence the world love them, and feed them, and rally round them, and admire their prayers, and their oratory, and enter into close leagues of friendship with them. But whether such was the character of his ministry, who came from heaven to publish salvation, demands a doubt.

The ministers of Jesus Christ must form an unpopular character. They must be more serious, more holy, more circumspect, more watchful, and prayerful, and

heavenly-minded, than the world would choose to have them. They must adhere more tenaciously to the truth, to sound maxims and correct principles, than other men ; must be emphatically "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people." The traits of character which the world are prepared to eulogize, they are obligated to lash, and equally obligated to have on the very traits that give the world offence. They must be in character and conduct like their Master, having a conscience that will not bend to the exigencies of the moment; a sternness of virtue that cannot allow iniquity a smile, a fixedness of sentiment that looks every unhallowed maxim into shame, a regard to the divine glory that can sometimes wield the surge of rebuke, and drive iniquity from its presence. They must have on a holiness of character that can move on through the ranks of sin with unbending course; and command, by its self-respect, the reverence of the very men who would exterminate so stern an integrity.

And the character they cultivate in themselves they must sustain in others. The members of their churches must know that living as Christ would have them, they shall receive no reproach from their pastors, for not becoming, in the perverted meaning of the apostle, all things to all men.

They may still put on all the amiableness of the gospel, and show out the benevolence, the meekness, the kindness, the hospitality, and the ardency of friendship, that piety requires; and, finally, leave nothing to give offence, but the sternness of virtue. But in conjunction with these, there must be, in the ministers of Jesus Christ, traits of character, that the men of the world will not admire. Hence none of the prophets, nor apostles, nor Jesus Christ himself, could show kindness enough o atone to the world for their holy singularity. They

partook largely in the afflictions of piety, and went most of them to heaven from the cross, the sword, or the flames.

2. The ministers of Jesus Christ must teach unpopular doctrines. They must show the very men who feel themselves to be whole, and in no need of a physician, that they are poor, and wretched, and miserable, and blind, and naked. They must exhibit the atonement of Christ to the very men who would perish rather than trust in him, as the only foundation of their everlasting hopes. The men who are prepared to say, What lack I yet? must be pressed with the necessity of being born again. The very men who can see little or nothing wrong in their whole life must be assured, that except they repent they must all likewise perish. And the decrees, and the sovereignty of God, that so exalt Jehovah, and so debase the rebel, must be urged upon the very men who have so little confidence in ther Creator, that they would not place the smallest temporal interest at his disposal. And how can such doctrines be popular with such men

me.

?

I know you will refer me to facts, and inquire, Why are there so many congregations who have an orthodox ministry, and still all has been harmony for half a century, while yet there have been few or no conversions? In this case I have an answer that perfectly satisfies The truth has never reached the conscience. It has been so tamely exhibited, that men have slept under it. Now it is the duty of Christ's ministers to cure this insensibility, and in doing it, just as sure as God is true, there must be given a new heart, or the unwelcome intruder will be made a partaker in the afflictions of the gospel. Compel a stupid man to feel the force of his own creed, and he will be as much offended as when you