have finish'd my Course, I have kept the Faith. Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteouf nefs, which the Lord the Righteous Fudg will give me at that Day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his Appearing. In which Words we may take notice of these two general Parts. First, The Apoftle's Relation of his Conduct Secondly, The joyful Expectation he had I begin with the first of thefe, the Apostle's Relation of his Conduct in this World, about which he affirms three things: I. That he had fought a good Fight. II. That he had finish'd his Course. And 1. The Apostle affirms that he had fought a good Fight. This, as well as other Phrafes in the Text, are Agonistical; and 'tis more than probable, that he alludes to the celebrated Exercises that were in vogue amongst the Grecians, who being acquainted with thefe Customs, well understood the Force of the Expreffions that are us'd here and elsewhere in the Apostle's Writings. I have fought a good Fight: The origi nal Word is of great extent, and may be refer'd to any of the four illuftrious Strifes in ufe amongst the Greeks. I have fought a good Fight; or, as they may be turn'd, I have ftriven a good Strife. Either way the Senfe is the the fame; and they fignify to us, that the Christian Life is a Life of Warfare: But that a Gospel-Minister's Life is fo in a very eminent regard, appears, in that he is not only to struggle thro the ordinary Difficulties of Life, and the Temptations that are common to Christians as fuch; but his honourable Poft in the Church exposes him more to the Hatred of bad Men, and the Malice of Devils, than if he stood on lower Ground: for being rais'd fomewhat higher by his Office than an ordinary Christian, his Enemies multiply in Number, and increase in Vigour; for 'tis not the Sacredness of the Minister's Calling that will fecure him from violent Temptations and preffing Sorrows. Tho our Apostle was an incarnate Seraphim, as Dr. Bates fomewhere calls him, on the account of his Zeal in the Service of his Divine Master; yet how many spiteful Reflections and malicious Cenfures did this excellent Man fall under, both with regard to his perfonal Conduct, and the Discharge of his Apoftolick Function? And what Minifters of the Gospel are there that discover any Zeal for leffening the Empire of Satan, and enlarging the Kingdom of the Meffiah; but they foon find themfelves encompassed with Enemies of various forts? Sometimes they are attacked by fecret Fraud, at other times with open Force; fometimes perfecuted by profefs'd Enemies, at other times betray'd by falfe Friends. 'Tis a tedious troublefom War that every private Christian, but remarkably every Minister, is engaged in. Now Fighting fuppofes Enemies, and these, as I hinted before, are many and ftrong, who oppose the Work of God in the Hearts of Beievers, as well as the Work of God in the Hands M 2 Hands of Minifters. We are not only to encounter the Flesh and the World, which occa1 Per. 2. 11. fion'd that Caution of the Apostle, Abstain from fleshly Lufts that war against the Soul; but we are oblig'd to contend with the fallen Angels: For, fays the fame Apostle, We wrestle not with Flesh and Blood, but with Principalities and Powers, with the Rulers of the Darkness of this World, and with Spiritual Wickedness in high Places. Every Chriftian, but eminently every Minister, has an Army of Devils to contend with. Now notwithstanding the Fatigue and Toil, the Difficulty and Hazard which attends the Christian Warfare, this great Apostle acquitted himself like a good Soldier of Jefus Chrift; who fpeaks in the Text as if he was trampling his Enemies under his Feet, and was just ready to take hold of the Crown he had been fighting for: I have fought a good Fight. But before I pafs to the fecond Head, I would briefly fuggeft to you the Reasons for which he calls this a good Fight.. 1. It might be called a good Fight, from the Goodness of the Caufe. 'Tis the Cause of God and Religion that is defended and maintained in the Chriftian Warfare, which refers to the Rights of the Godhead, and to the Happiness of Human Spirits: For the Apostate Angels would rival God in his Throne. Now in our contending with these Principalities, we do our utmost to vindicate the Rights of the Deity, and to expofe the Pride and Tyranny of those malignant Spirits: and what is the neceflary Confequence of this, but the Defence of Religion in general, and particularly the fecuring the Interest of our immortal Souls? Which is to act agreeably to the highest Reason, and and futably to the Dignity of Human Nature, as renew'd and chang'd. In a word, the Wifdom and Goodness of God are wonderfully display'd in twisting our Duty and Interest together; fo that the faithful Discharge of the former is not without the confiderable Promotion of the latter. 2. It might be called a Good Eight, in regard of the Goodness of his Call. A Man may have Right on his fide, and may favour the best Cause in the World; but things must be adjusted by the Supreme Powers, and from thence muft proceed a Legal Call, before fuch a one can lawfully take up Arms against an approaching Enemy. 'Tis not in the power of private Perfons to act at pleasure in fuch Affairs, without a Call from thofe in whose hands the Government is lodg'd, whether in one or more. Our Great Apostle in the Text acted from a very fignal Call: for while he was fighting under the Banner of Satan, an Excefs of Divine Light encompassed him round, and threw him to the Earth: But it was in order to raise him to Heaven; for it was follow'd with a powerful Voice that broke thro the Air like Thunder, and pierc'd to the very Center of his Soul. For being awaken'd and convinced that he was imbark'd' 1 in a bad Caufe, and under the Wrath and Curfe of God, it pleafed the Lord to reveal his Gal. 1. 16. Son in him, that he might bear his Name before the Aas 9. 15. Gentiles, and fight under the Banner of the King of Zion, both as a Christian and as an Apostle. And tho every Perfon has not fo remarkable and fo extraordinary a Call as this excellent Apostle; yet every Christian has a good Call to a Spiritual Warfare. We own M 3 this this Call when we voluntarily give up our felves to the Father, Son and Spirit in Holy Baptifm; which folemn Profeffion, and putting on of Christ, can involve in it no lefs than a Refolution in the Strength of Divine Grace to oppose the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. Moreover, all the Exhortations that are scatter'd thro the Sacred Volume to prefs upon us the Duty of Mortification, are Motives to this Spiritual Warfare. In a word, the Sound of the Gospel-Trumpet is not only to proclaim Liberty to Captives, but to engage all that follow the Lamb to take up Arms against Sin and Satan. 3. The Apoftle might call it a good Fight, in regard of the Excellency of the General, under whofe Banner he and all other Chriftians fight. The Church of Chrift is like. a well-difciplin'd Army, and not like a tumultuous Rout; and there is a great Beauty and Luftre upon thofe Societies (who together make up the Univerfal Church) where the feveral Officers whom Chrift has appointed, move in their own proper Spheres. Yet these, with ordinary Chriftians, own the fame common Head, the Lord Jefus Chrift, who as Generaliffimo of this Army marches in the Van. He that is the Head of the Church, is the Captain of our Salvation, and the Royal General under whofe Banner we fight: And who would not engage under a Perfon of fuch good Conduct, who leads out to certain Victory? One who has infinite Wisdom to direct, and irrefiftible Power to defend thofe that follow him, and to destroy all that oppose him. He is a General us'd to fight, and us'd to conquer. 4. 'Tis ( |