THE PRESBYTERIAN MAGAZINE, DECEMBER, 1856. Miscellaneous Articles. THE FIGHT, FAITH, AND CROWN.* "I have fought 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, will give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."-2 Tim. 4: 7, 8. A FIGHT, a Course, the Faith, a Crown, are great themes of life-greater in the prospect of death, and greatest in the visions of immortality. The Fight, though an arduous one, is good and victorious. To the toilsome Course there is a termination of rest. The Faith, thanks be to God, may be kept, with its precious promises and doctrines of salvation. A Crown of righteousness, the reward of conflict, toil, and service, is laid up by the righteous Judge for all them that love his appearing at the great day. Before the crown must come the end of the course, and before the end the fight! I. "I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT," exclaimed Paul, with the enthusiasm of grace. Every Apostle was a warrior; and every martyr, and every Christian, in every nation, and in every age. No plea for exemption from service can be offered or admitted in the spiritual struggle. All must share in the strife, and "take the whole armour of God, and they may be able to stand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand." Eph. 6: 13. • Extracts from a Sermon preached by the Editor on the occasion of the death of the celebrated Quaker minister, Stephen Grellet, Dec. 1855. The personal and biographical remarks, which constituted three-fourths of the Discourse, are here omitted. ED. I. Let us inquire what is implied in "fighting a good fight." It means, in the first place, that the warfare is in a good cause. The cause of religion is the grandest, the holiest, the best, that can engage the thoughts, and heart, and strength of an immortal. Christ came to "seek and to save that which was lost." Prophecies foretold him, types prefigured him, history ushered his way, angels came down to witness him, stars shed their rays towards his manger, the opening heavens, and the voice of God and the alighting Spirit, all declared that Jesus is "the first born of every creature.' The great purpose of his incarnation was to make a sacrifice for sin, and to bring life and immortality to light." Every individual believer, in fighting against sin in his own heart, is engaged in the greatest undertaking that can enlist immortal energies. Bishop Hall piously exclaims: "O Saviour, there is peace which thou disclaimest, and there is a sword which thou challengest to bring. Peace with our corruptions is war against thee; and that war in our bosoms, wherein the Spirit fighteth against the flesh, is peace with thee. Oh, let thy good Spirit raise and foment this holy and intestine war more and more within me. And, as for my outward spiritual enemies, how can there be a victory without war? and how can I hope for a crown, without victory? Oh, do thou ever gird me with strength to the battle, enable me to resist unto blood, make me faithful to the death, that thou mayest give me the crown of life." The struggle for our own personal salvation, and for the conversion of others, causes the angels of heaven to come down and co-operate in the mighty work. "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" Heb. 1: 14. The enterprises of men, the battles of nations, the toil of this life are transitory and vain. But the cause of God, which is a conquest of sin, achieves a victory that brings with it everlasting joy and glory. To war for such a victory is to "fight a good fight." The expression itself implies the existence of great opposition. Earthly temptations, in the form of honour, and power, and vanity, beset every one who aims at the rewards of a better life. The whole world is arrayed against the Christian, with all its schemes and pursuits. In his own heart, too, lurks the foe to grace. "The lusts of the flesh, and the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life," are three divisions of a battalion that has the power of "legion." Satan, also, confronts the believer with the malice and might of the "Prince of the air." We contend against "principalities and powers, and the rulers of the darkness of this world." Eph. 6: 12. It is a "good fight" to fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil-to war against enemies so formidable without and within. To "fight a good fight" implies holy ardour in conducting the warfare. It requires entire consecration to the service, implicit obedience to the great Captain of salvation, hardy endurance, and active exertion. An enterprise of so momentous interests cannot be carried on without a spirit of corresponding intensity. The soldier of the cross must renew the conflict every day. He must be always ready to do, or to suffer, all things in his Master's cause, and for His sake. "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead; and that he died for all, that they which live should not live henceforth unto themselves, but unto him who died for them and rose again." 2 Cor. 5: 14, 15. The work of personal holiness and consecration to God derives motives for its zealous prosecution from a Saviour's bleeding love. Lukewarmness in such a cause is indifference to its object. As the struggle is a great one, so zeal in advancing it must be great. "What carefulness should be wrought in us; yea, what clearing of ourselves; yea, .what indignation; yea, what fear; yea, what vehement desire; yea, what zeal; yea, what revenge!" 2 Cor. 7: 11. To fight a good fight is to be earnest in conducting it well; it is to have burning love and holy ardour. The expression also implies success in the contest. "I have fought a good fight" is the language of exultation-of Christian exultation. The struggle has been a hard one, but with it is victory. Grace reigns triumphant. The character has been disciplined by trial. The affections have been purified. Self-denial has been wrought into the soul by the contact of temptation and care. The body has been kept under, and holiness prevails with the power of a new and progressive life. Feeling that he "can do all things, through Christ, which strengthened him," Phil. 4: 13, the Christian warrior rejoices in the success which accompanies the arduous warfare. The work of the Spirit in his heart assures him that peace has been won in the Redeemer's name, and that "all things are his, and he is Christ's, and Christ is God's." 1 Cor. 3: 23. Oh, what a fight, what a "good fight," to contend for the cause of God, against the enemies of God, with an ardour inspired by the Spirit of God, and with a success made sure by the grace and providence of God! II. "I HAVE FINISHED MY COURSE.' The figure of a warfare is here dropped, and the Apostle Paul now likens himself to a victor in the Olympic games, who, having ended his race, stands breathless with victorious effort, awaiting his crown. Human life is a course. It is a course of labour. Hard work belongs to the Christian. Paul was not only a working man, but a hard-working man. “In labours more abundant," is his concise testimony. Who ever ran such a course of toil as the Apostle to the Gentiles? Whilst he was, in the wisdom of his utterance to the Pagans, the very Mercurius of their gods, Acts 14: 12, no Hercules could do the work, which, in the name of Christ, this cleanser of nations accomplished. Paul passed through the provinces and towns of Asia Minor, enduring labour of every kind for the spread of the Gospel. In answer to the cry for help, given to him at midnight by the beckoning Macedonian, he crossed over into Europe; and first preaching Christ in Philippi, he went from nation to nation under the pressure of cares and of work, which none but the elect of God can bear. Every Christian has a course of labour. If not as severe as Paul's, like his it is a course to be run. He must work whilst the day lasts; knowing that "the night cometh, when no man can work." John 9: 4. Human life is a course of suffering as well as of labour. Christ was both a labourer and a sufferer; and it is sufficient for the servant that he be as his Master. Afflictions are the appointments of God's people. "That no man should be moved by these afflictions; for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto." 1 Thess. 33. Paul, "in all things approved himself as the minister of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses; in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings." 2 Cor. 6: 4, 5. Nay, so numerous and severe were his trials, that he declared to the Colossians, "who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh, for His body's sake, which is the Church." Col. 1: 24. Every Christian must expect trials, persecutions, sufferings, according to the measure of the dispensation of God. Faith will sustain him in all his trials. "Nothing before, nothing behind; Fall on the seeming void, and find God's special providence will watch over His servants, number every hair of their head, see and direct every step of their way, count every tear of their sorrows, and enable them to come victorious out of every affliction. "For we, that are in this tabernacle, do groan, being burdened." 2 Cor. 5: 4. To be near the end of our course of sufferings, is a prospect of joy. More desirable even than to end wearisome labours and sufferings, is to finish a course of striving with sin. It is sin that turns labour into trial, and that makes suffering its companion. In heaven there is much service, but no toil. Holiness is the great purpose of redemption: "According as he hath chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before Him in love." Eph. 1: 4. The struggle with sin is the severest of all the temptations and difficulties in the Christian course. Our best services are imperfect. The purest offerings we can bring, are proved but dross by the scales of the sanctuary. Paul did not consider himself perfect; but forgetting what was behind, he "pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Phil. 3: 13, 14. He exclaimed, "Oh, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Rom. 7: 24. How sin interferes with our labours, and thwarts the object of our sufferings! A desire to be delivered from its power is the earnest longing of the Christian's heart. The glory of God in the perfection of His poor, weak creature, is the aim of his anxious life. The disciple "cannot run so as to obtain," unless he outstrips Satan in the race. "Let us run with patience the race that is set before us." We "have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin." Heb. 12: 2, 4. Life's course of labour, of suffering, and of striving with sin, is such that in drawing near its close, the Christian may say, with joy and hope, "I have finished my course!" III. "I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH." This is the utterance of an Apostle, who had cherished God's truth to the end of his fighting, and to the finishing of his race. Truth is to the warrior and the runner, like a girdle about his loins. Eph. 6: 14. The word "faith," means in this, as in other passages of Scripture, the system of doctrine revealed in the divine oracles. Paul had been brought up "a Hebrew of the Hebrews; touching the righteousness of the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the Church." Phil. 3: 5, 6. But when he became converted to the doctrine of Christ, he counted all his previous training, knowledge, and advantageous relations to Judaism, but "loss," for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, his Lord. From the time when he was struck down to the earth by the light of his Master's appearing on the road to Damascus, to his dying hour in Rome, Paul preached "JESUS CHRIST, AND HIM CRUCIFIED." 1 Cor. 2 2. This is, indeed, the sum and substance of our faith. It includes the doctrine concerning the person of Christ and the doctrine concerning his sufferings. Jesus Christ, in his person, unites the human nature with the divine; and Jesus Christ, in His life and crucifixion, offered an atonement for the washing away of the guilt of sin, and of its pollution. "But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." 1 Cor. 6:11. "What think ye of Christ?" is the test of every religious system. Matt. 22: 42. If either the divinity of Christ, or the expiatory nature of His sufferings, be denied, the religious creed is of man, and not of God. Every church is troubled at times with false teachers. "Of yourselves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." Acts 20: 30. "For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made |