The reformed pastor; shewing the nature of the pastoral work

Front matter

THE

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SHEWING

Chap. I

A brief explication of the text — The doctrine and method — The terms opened — Wherein we must take heed to ourselves — Reasons why we must take heed to ourselves.

Reverend and dearly beloved Brethren,

Though some think that Paul's exhortation to these elders proves him their ruler, we who this day speak to you from the Lord, hope that we may freely do the like, without any jealousy of such a conclusion. Though we teach our people as officers set over them in the Lord, yet we may teach one another as brethren in office as well as in faith. If the people of our charge must teach, admonish, and exhort each other daily, (Col. iii. 16. Heb. iii. 13.) no doubt teachers may do it to one another without any supereminence of power or degree. We have the same sins to mortify and destroy, and the same graces to be quickened and strengthened as our people have : we have great* er works to do than they, greater difficulties to overcome, and no less necessity is laid upon us ; and therefore we have need to be warned and awakened, if not instructed, as well as they; so that I confess I think such meetings should be more frequent, if we had nothing else to do together but this. And that we should deal as plainly and closely with one another as the most serious among us do with our flocks, lest if they only have the sharp admonitions and reproofs, they only should be sound and lively in the faith. That this was Paul's judgment, there need no other proof than this rousing and heart-melting exhortation to the Ephesian elders — a short sermon, but not soon learned.

Our time will not allow me to touch any part of it but my text, which contains a two-fold duty, and a fourfold motive to enforce it.

The first duty is to take heed to themselves ; the second, to take heed to all the flock; and the work for the flock, which is to be done with the greatest care, is to feed them, or act the part of good shepherds towards them.

The motives are these : — Their engagement and relation ; they are the overseers of the flock — The efficient cause, even the authority and excellence of him who called them to it ; the Holy Ghost — The dignity of the object ; the church of

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God, the most excellent and honourable society in the world — The tender regard that Christ hath to this church, and the price it cost him ; he purchased it with his own blood.

The terms used in the text do not require much explication. Ilpo^^y, is in general, to apply the mind to any thing with strict and close attention. Here it signifies diligently to watch over ourselves, over our own conduct and behaviour, our heart and our life ; all our tempers, words, and actions. — TloifAviov, (a little flock) does not here signify the whole church of Christ; but that particular church of which those elders had the charge. — Etktxottcv?, (bishops or overseers) persons appointed by Christ to teach and guide those churches, or that particu^ lar church, in the way of salvation The same persons who before are called elders of the church of Ephesus, are here called bishops.- -E^eto, (hath made, placed, ordained, or constituted) and imports the qualification and appointment of those elders, or bishops, by the Holy Ghost to their particular charge. — TloifiaifHi tj?v ExxAwrAxy toC ®zov, to feed the church of God. tloipodvEH is by seme rendered barely to feed, as here, and by others to rule : but it oaght not to be confined to either : for it comprehends both, or the whole of the pastoral work. In a word, it is to do the work of a pastor to all the flock, or church of God, over v\ hich he is appointed. — Hv vEpktircri<rxTo which he (God) hath

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6t) REFORMED PASTOR. [Chap. 1,

acquired or purchased, in a peculiar way and manner, viz. A10& 7ov iSiov frtpxrog, with his own blood. — - Jesus Christ is he who purchased the church with his own blood, and is here expressly called God. He indeed is God over ail, blessed for ever more,

The doctrine contained in the text is, that the pastors, or overseers of the churches of Christ, must take great heed both to themselves and to all their flocks, in every part of their pastoral work. In handling which, I shall (1.) briefly shew you what is meant by pastors and churches. — (2.) What it is to take heed to ourselves, and wherein it must be done. — (3.) Give some reasons for that part of the work. — (4.) What it is to take heed of all the flock in our pastoral work, and how it must be done. — (5.) I shall make some application of the whole.

I. By & pastor or bishop here, is meant an officer appointed by Christ for the ordinary teaching and guiding a particular church and all its members, in order that they may be saved, and walk so as to please God. The office itself he has appointed in his holy word, and he calls men to it. —(1.) By endowing them with suitable gifts. — (2.) By his providential dispensations. — (3.) By the work and inspiration of his Spirit in their hearts. — (4.) By the ordination or appointment of

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his present officers, and the approbation of the church.

Teaching and guidance comprehend the main parts of the work to which they are appointed. A particular church is the object of their work, by which they are distinguished from apostolical itinerant ministers. — By the flock and church is meant that particular society of Christians, of which these bishops or elders have the charge, associated for personal communion in God's public worship, and other mutual assistance in the way to salvation.

II. Lst us next consider what it is to take heed to ourselves, and wherein it must be done. Here, for the sake of brevity, I shall adjoin the application to the explication. Take, theiefore, I beseech you all, this explication, as so much advice and exhortation to the duty ; and let your hearts, as well as your understandings, attend to it.

1. Take heed to yourselves, lest you be void of that saving grace of God which you offer to others, and strangers to the effectual working of that gospel which you preach ; and lest, while you proclaim the necessity of a Saviour, to the world, your own hearts neglect him, and you miss of an interest in him and his saving benefits. Take heed to yourselves lest you perish while you call upon others to take heed of perishing ; and lest you famish yourselves while you prepare them food. Though there be a promise of shining as the stars to those who turn many to righteousness, it is on the supposition that they are first turned to it themselves : their own sincerity in the faith is the condition of their glory, simply considered, \though their great ministerial labours may be a condition of the promise of their greater glory. Many men have warned others not to go to that place of torment, who yet have hasted thither themselves. Many a preacher is now in hell who had a hundred times called upon his hearers to use the utmost care and diligence to escape it. Is it reasonable to imagine that God will save aien for offering salvation to others, while they refuse it themselves ; or for telling others those truths which they themselves neglect or abuse ? Believe it, brethren, God never saved any man for being a preacher, nor because he was an able preacher ; but because he was justified and sanctified, and consequently faithful in his Masters work. — Take heed therefore to yourselves first, that you be that which you persuade your hearers to be, and believe that which you persuade them daily to believe ; and have heartily entertained that Christ and Spirit which you offer unto others. He who bid you love your neighbours as yourselves, implied that you should love your- §elves, and not hate and destroy yourselves and them.

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2. Take heed to yourselves, lest you live in those actual sins which you preach against in others, and lest you be guilty of that which you daily condemn. Will you make it your work to magnify God, and when you have done, dishonour him as much as others I Will you proclaim Christ's governing power, and yet contemn it, and rebel yourselves ? Will you preach his laws, and wilfully break them ? If sin be evil, why do you live in it ? If it be not, why do you dissuade men from it? If it be dangerous, how dare you vesture on it? If it be. not, why do you tell men so ? If God's threatenings be true, why do you not fear them? If they be false, why do you trouble men needlessly, and put them into such frights without a cause? Do you know the judgment of God, that they who commit such things are worthy of death ; and yet will you do them ? (Rom. i. 32.) Thou that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, or be drunk, or covetous, art thou such thyself? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God ? (Rom. ii. 21, 22, 23.) What, shall the same tongue speak evil, that speaketh against evil ? Shall it censure, and slander, and secretly back-bite ; and yet cry down these in others ? Take heed to yourselves, lest you cry down sin, and not overcome it : lest, while you seek to bring it down in others, you bow to it, and become its slaves yourselves. For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. (2 Pet. ii. 19.) To whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness. (Rom. vi. 16.) It is easier to chide at sin than to overcome it.

3. Take heed to yourselves, that you be not unfit for the great employment you have undertaken. He must not be himself a babe in knowledge who will teach men all those mysterious things that must be known in order to salvation. O what qualifications are necessary for that man who has such a charge upon him as we have ! How many difficulties in divinity to be opened ; yea, concerning the fundamentals that must be known ! How many obscure passages of scripture to be expounded ! How many duties to be done, wherein we and others may miscarry, if in the matter, end, manner, and circumstances, they be not well informed ! How many sins to be avoided, which, without understanding and foresight, cannot be done ! What a number of subtle temptations must we open to our people, that they may escape them ! How many weighty, and yet intricate cases of conscience, have we almost daily to resolve! Can so much work, and such work as this, be done by raw, unexperienced men ? O

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what strong holds have we to batter I What subtle, diligent, and obstinate resistance, must we expect from every heart we deal with ! Prejudice has blocked up our way : we can scarcely procure a patient hearing. They think ill of what we say while we are speaking it. We cannot make a breach in their groundless hopes and carnal peace, but they have twenty shifts and seeming reasons to make it up again , and twenty ene* mies, who appear to be friends, are ready to help them. We do not dispute with them upon equal terms, but have children to reason with who cannot understand us ; distracted men (in spirituals) who will bawl us down with raging nonsense. We have wilful, unreasonable people to deal with ; who when they are silenced are never the more convinced ; and when they can give you no reason, they will give you their resolution. We dispute the case against men's will and sensual passions as much as against their understanding, and these have neither reason nor ears : their best arguments are, ' I will not believe you nor all the preachers in the world in such things. I will not change my mind or life ; I will not leave my sins ; I will never be so precise, whatever be the consequence. We have not only one, but multitudes of raging passions, and contradicting enemies, to dispute with at once, whenever we go about the conversion of a sinner ; as if a man were to dis*

72 fcEFOHMED pastor/ [Chap. 1*

pute in a fair ©r tumult, or in the midst of a crowd of violent scolds : what equal dealing, and what success could be expected there ? Yet such is our work, and a work that must be done.

O, dear brethren, what men should we be in skill, resolution, and unwearied diligence, who have all this to do ? Did Paul cry out, " Who is sufficient for these things!'" And shall we be proud, careless or lazy, as if we were sufficient ? As Peter says to every christian, in consideration of our great approaching change, " What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness ?" So may I say to every minister, seeing all these things lie upon our hands, What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy endeavours and resolutions for our work ! This is not a burden for the shoulders of a child. What skill doth every part of our work require, and of how much moment is every part ? To preach a sermon, I think is not the hardest part ; and yet what skill is necessary to make plain the truth, to convince the hearers, to let in irresistible light to their consciences, to keep it there, and drive all home ; to screw the truth into their minds, and work Christ into their affections : to meet everr objection, and clearly to resolve it ; to drive sinners to a stand, and make them see that there is no hope of their escaping destruction except they be converted j and to do all this, both for language

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and manner, as becomes our work, and yet suited to the capacities of our hearers : this, and much more that should be done in every sermon, surely requires to be done with a great deal of holy skill. The Great God, whose message we deliver, should be honoured bv our delivery of it. It is lamentable that, in delivering a message from the God of heaven, of everlasting consequence to the souls of men, we should behave so weakly, so imprudently, or with so much coldness and indifference as to cause the whole to miscarry in our hands ; and God be dishonoured, his work disgraced, and sinners rather hardened than converted ; anil all this through our weakness or neglect ! How often have carnal hearers gone jeering home at the palpable and dishonourable failings of the preacher ! How many sleep under us, because our hearts and tongues are sleepy ; and we bring not with us so much skill and zeal as to awake them!

Moreover : What skill is necessary to defend tho truth against gainsay ers, and to deal with disputing cavillers ! And if yet we fail through weakness, how will they insult and triumph ; and who knows how many w r eak ones may be perverted by their success ? What skill is necessary to deal in private with poor ignorant souls for their conversion !

O, brethren, do you not shrink and tremble un« der the sense of all this work ! Will a common measure of holy skill and ability, of prudence and other qualifications, serve for such a task as this ? I know necessity may cause the church to tolerate the weak ; but woe to us if we tolerate and indulge our own weakness. Do not reason and conscience tell you, that if you dare venture on so high a work as this, you should spare no pains to be fitted for the performance of it ; It is not now and then an idle snatch or taste of studies that will serve to make a sound divine. 1 know that laziness has taught us to make light of all our studies, and that the Spirit only must wholly qualify us for the work ; as if God commanded the use of means, and yet would warrant our neglect of them. As if it were his way to cause us to thrive in a course of idleness, and to bring us to knowledge by dreams when we are asleep, or to take us up into heaven and shew us his counsels while we think of no such matter, but are rooting in the earth. O that men should dare so sinfully by their laziness to quench the Spirit, and at the same time pretend the Spirit for their doing of it! God has required of us, that we b^irot slothful in business, but fervent in spirit serving the Lord. Such we must provoke our hearers to be, and such we must be ourselves. 0, brethren, therefore lose no time ; study and pray, confer and practise ; for by these four ways ycur abilities must be increased. Take heed to yourselves lest you be weak through your own negligence, und lest you mar the work of God by

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your own weakness. " As the man is, so is his strength.'' Judg. viii. 21.

4. Take heed to yourselves lest your example contradict your doctrine, and you lay such stumbling blocks before the blind as may be the occasion of their ruin ; lest you unsay that with your lives which you say with your tongues, and be the greatest hinderers of the success of your own labours. It greatly hinders our work when other men are all the week long contradicting to the people in private what we have been speaking to them from the word of God in public ; but it will much more hinder if we ourselves contradict it, if our actions give our tongue the lie, if we build up an hour or two with our mouths, and all the week after pull down with our hands ! This is the way to make men think that the word of God is but an idle tale, and to make preaching seem no better than prating. He who means as he speaks will surely do as he speaks. One proud lordly word, one needless contention, one covetous action, may cut the throat of many a sermon, and blast the fruit of all that you have been doing. Tell me, brethren in the fear of God, do you regard the success of your labours, or do you not ? Do you long to see it upon the souls of your hearers? If you do not, what do you preach for, what do you study for, what do you call yourselves the ministers of Christ for ? But if you do, then surely you cannot find in your heart to mar your work for a thing of nought. What, do you regard the success of your labours, and yet will not part with a little to the poor; put up with an injury, stoop to the meanest, nor forbear your passionate or lordly carriage ; no, not for the winning of souls, and attaining the end of all your labours I You much Regard their success indeed, to sell it at so cheap a rate.

It is a palpable error in those ministers who make such a difference between their preaching and their living ; they study hard to preach exactly, and study little or none at all to live exactly. All the week long is little enough to study how to speak two hours ; and yet one hour seems too much to study how to live all the week. They are loth to misplace a word in their sermons, or to be guilty of any remarkable mistake or blunder ; (and I blame them not, for the matter is holy and weighty) but they make nothing of misplacing affections, words, and actions, in the course of their lives. O how curiously have I heard some men preach, and how carelessly have I seen them live ! They have been so accurate as to the wording part of their preparations, seldom preaching seemed a virtue to them, that their language might be the more polished ; and all the rhetorical jingling writers they could meet with were pressed to serve them for the

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adorning of their style. They were likewise so nice in hearing others, that no man pleased them who spoke as he thought ; and yet when it came to matter of practice, and they were once out of church, how incurious were the men, and how little did they regard what they said or did, provided it were not so palpably gross as to dishonour them ! They who preached precisely would not live precisely. What difference between their pulpit-speeches and their familiar discourse ! They who cannot bear vulgar solecisms, and paralogisms in a sermon, can easily tolerate them in their conversation.

Certainly, brethren, we have very great cause to take heed what we do as well as what we say. If we will indeed be the servants of Christ, we must not be tongue servants only ; but be doers of his work, that we may be blessed in our deed. As our people must be doers of the word, and not hearers only ; so we must be doers, and not preachers only, lest we be deceivers of ourselves. A practical doctrine must be practically preached. We must study as hard how to live well as how to preach well. We must think, and think again, how to order our lives so as may most tend to men's salvation, as well as compose our sermons. When you are studying what to say to them, I know these are your thoughts (or else they are worthless, and not to the purpose) ' How shall I get within them ; what shall I say that is likely most effects

G % ally to convince and convert them, and tend to their salvation V And should you not as diligently think, ' How shall I live, what shall I say and do, and how shall I dispose of all that I have as may most tend to the saving of men's souls ?'

Brethren, if saving souls be your end, you will certainly intend it as well out of the pulpit as in it ! If it be your end, you will live for it, and contribute all your endeavours to attain it ; and if you do so, you will as well ask concerning the money in your purse, as the words of your mouth, 'Which way should 1 lay it out for the greatest good, especially to men's souls ?' O that it were your daily study how to use your substance, your friends, and all you have for God, as well as your tongues ! Then we should see that fruit of j'our labours which otherwise is never likely to be seen. If you intend the end of the ministry in the pulpit only, then it seems you take yourselves for ministers no longer than you are there ; and if so, I think you are unworthy to be esteemed such at all.

III. Having shewed you how it is that we must take heed to ourselves, and what is comprized in this command ; I am next to give you the reasons for it, which I entreat you to take as so many motives to awaken you to your duty, and apply them as we go.

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1. You have a heaven to win or lose yourselves, and souls that must be happy or miserable for ever ; and therefore it concerns you to begin at home, and to take heed to yourselves as well as to others. Preaching well may succeed to the salvation of others, without the holiness of your own hearts or lives : it is possible, at least, though not usual ; but it is impossible it should serve to save yourselves. Many shall say at that day, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name ? who shall be answered with, I never knew you, depart from me ye that work iniquity. O sirs, how many men have preached Christ, and perished for w T ant of a saving interest in him ! How many that are now in hell, have told their people of the torments of hell, and warned them to avoid it ! How many have preached of the wrath of God against sinners, that are now feeling it ! O what more melancholy case can there be, than for a man that made it his trade and calling to proclaim salvation, and to help others to attain it, yet after all to be himself lost for ever! Alas for us, that we should have so many books in our libraries that tell us the way to heaven ; that we should spend so many years in reading those books, and studying the doctrine of eternal life ; and after all this to miss of it ! That we should study and preach so many sermons upon salvation, and yet fall short of it ; so many sermons on damnation, and yet fall into it ! And al} because we preached so many sermons concerning Christ, while we neglected him ; on the Spirit, while we resisted him ; on faith, while we did not heartily believe ; on repentance and conversion, while we continued in sin ; and on a heavenly life while we remained carnal and earthly ! If we be divines only in tongue and title, and have not the divine image upon our souls, nor give up ourselves to the divine honour and will, no w r onder if we be separated from the divine presence, and denied the fruition of God for ever! Believe it, sirs, God is no respecter of persons : he saveth men not for their coats or callings — a holy calling will not save an unholy man. If you stand at the door of the kingdom ofgrace, to light others in and will not go in yourselves, you shall knock in vain at the gates of glory, who would not enter at the door ofgrace. You shall then find that your lamps should have had the oil of grace, as well as of ministerial gifts ; of holiness, as well as of doctrine ; in order to your having part in the glory which you preached. Need I tell you, that preachers of the gospel must be judged by the gospel, and stand at the same bar. and be sentenced on the same terms, and dealt with as severely as other men ? Take heed therefore to yourselves, for your own sakes ; seeing you have souls to save or lose as well as others, and must be saved in the same way, and on the same terms.

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2. Take heed to yourselves, for you have a depraved nature, and sinful inclinations, as well as others. If innocent Adam had need to take heed, and lost himself and us for want of it, how much more need have we ? Sin may dwell in us, when we have preached never so much against it : one degree of it prepareth the heart to another, and one sin inclineth the mind to more. If one thief be in the house, he will let in the rest, because they have the same disposition and design. A spark is the beginning of a flame ; and a small disease may bring a greater. A man that knows himself to be purblind, should take heed to his feet. Alas, even in our hearts, as well as in our hearers, there is an averseness to God, a strangeness to him, unreasonable, and almost unruly passions. In us there may be the remnants of pride, unbelief, self-seeking, hypocrisy, and the most hateful and deadly sins. And doth it not then concern us to take heed ? Is so much of the lire of hell unextinguished, that at first was kindled in us ? Are there so many traitors in our very hearts, and is it not time for us to take heed ? You will scarcely let your little children go themselves while they are weak, without calling upon them to take heed of falling. And how weak, alas, are those of us that seem strongest ! How apt to stumble at a very straw. How small a matter will cast us down, by enticing us to folly, kindling our passions and inordinate desires, per-