Ministerial Duties Stated & Enforced 3

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2. Approve yourself the minister of God—by the manner in which you preside over his church.

I speak from ten years' experience when I assure you that preaching is the easiest part of a pastor's duty. You are now "to take heed to the flock over which the Holy Spirit has made you overseer." You are to take the direction of its spiritual concerns, and by the right application of all the principles of church government, to promote "the increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." You are not to "lord it over God's heritage," for this would be to minister for yourself, and not for him whose right alone it is to reign.

Not that I imagine you are without authority; for an office without authority seems to me an absurdity. The prerogative of a minister, if it be less than some spiritual despots claim, is unquestionably more than many ecclesiastical democrats are willing to concede. By too many he is considered only in the light of a speaking brother, the mere appendage of a pulpit. Such people are actuated by a very short-sighted policy in relation to their spiritual interests, since it is impossible to degrade the office without lowering the officer; and when they cease to look up with respect to a minister, they will certainly cease to profit by his instructions. Whatever authority you possess here, you should ever maintain with the meekness of one who remembers that it is for another, and not for himself.

Let a ruling principle of regard for the interests of the church, and the authority of Christ in his house, be visible in all you do, so as to establish in the hearts of your people a full conviction that you are never seeking merely to gratify yourself. Never appear fond of your own plans, simply as yours, nor obstinately adhere to them, in opposition to the wishes of the church. A pastor must not be self-willed. What we gain by the force of obstinacy, we lose in respect, and there is a way even of conceding, that will increase our superiority. In affairs of importance, and in measures that are likely to startle by their novelty, never be above imparting your views and intentions to the officers and experienced members of the church. Some men, who have had more jealousy for their authority than ability to support it, have done themselves irreparable mischief by appearing to despise the advice of those to whose wisdom they might have listened with incalculable advantage.

It belongs to you, my brother, to keep up with vigor the spiritual policing of this city of the Lord. Maintain, therefore, the scriptural discipline of the church. The pastor who neglects this, is planting thorns, either for himself or his successor to tread upon. Remember that troublesome members are much more easily kept out—than put out. Never sacrifice the purity of the church at the shrine of Mammon. A man who is brought into the church for the sake of his wealth, will generally prove like the Babylonish garment and the wedge of gold which Achan concealed—the trouble of the camp. Such an individual has often lived to be the controller of the minister, and the wolf of the flock.

Study characters. Know the disposition of every member of your church, not with a design to flatter them, or to cringe before them—but "to rule well." Give no encouragement to the bold and forward. The discussions of an open assembly are more easily excited than controlled. The principles of the Independent form of church government must not be pushed too far. Like some of the doctrines of revelation, they require great wisdom in those who state them, to prevent their being abused. I heartily subscribe to the opinion of the late venerable Booth, "Notwithstanding the fickleness and caprice of many private professors with regard to their ministers, it has long appeared probable to me, that a majority of those uneasinesses, animosities, and separations, which, to the disgrace of religion, take place between pastors and their several churches, may be traced up either to the unchristian tempers, to the gross imprudence, or to the laziness and neglects of the pastors themselves." ("Pastoral Cautions," a charge which every minister of the gospel might read with profit once a month.)

3. Approve yourself as a minister of God, by the character of your visits to the houses of your flock.

As an under shepherd of the Lord Jesus Christ, you will labor to say, in imitation of him, "I know my sheep, and am known by them." Endeavor to conduct all your private fellowship with your friends in such a manner as that their esteem may be conciliated by all they see of you. Happy would it be for some ministers, and happy for their people too, if they could always be seen at the distance of the pulpit, their failings would then be lost, like the spots of the sun, amidst the blaze of public splendor with which they are invested—but upon a nearer inspection are too broad and dark to be unnoticed. Like the works of nature, in opposition to those of art, our character should appear the fairer, in proportion as it is microscopically inspected.

Let all your visits be appropriate. Go as the minister of God, and go to approve yourself such. It is in private that you can make full proof of your ministry, by an affectionate solicitude for the spiritual welfare of your flock; by devoting your personal fellowship to some valuable purpose; by retracing and retouching the impressions produced in the public service of God. There, nothing can be set down to a thirst for popularity, but all will be traced up to a heart devoted to your work. Never do we seem so dear to the hearts of our people, as when in their own houses we manifest an affectionate concern for their eternal salvation.

How much better, how much more elevated and characteristic is this, than that low jocoseness and familiarity in which some indulge. I do not wish you to be a mere ministerial specter, haunting the abodes of your flock shrouded in sullen gloom, terrifying everybody from your presence, and creating a fear wherever you come. But even this is almost better than the constant levity of a buffoon! Maintain a dignity of behavior, especially in the season of innocent cheerfulness, but never degenerate into frivolity. Weight of character is of immense importance to you, it will give an additional momentum to every sermon you preach; and this is gained or lost in private visits. It should be perpetually remembered by you when in company, that the same people who see you there, will on the approaching sabbath, be sitting at your feet to receive instruction.

I trust, my dear brother, you will not, by any part of your conduct, lead your people to conclude that they cannot please you better than by asking you to a fine meal. Do not appear fond of celebrating the private feast. This is one of the many roads that lead to contempt. Jesus, your great master, should in this respect be your model; not only as a preacher upon the Mount, but as a visitor in the house of Mary.

Your visits should not be long. You have no time for this, and indeed it is not necessary. Half an hour, or an hour well improved, would give you an opportunity of saying very much that is useful. Avoid the character of a lounger and a gossip. You are to teach the value of time, and will do this best, practically.

Your visits should be impartial. Many pastors by confining their attention to a few families, have alienated a large portion of their flock from themselves, and sown the seeds of lasting jealousy between the different members of the church. It cannot be supposed, in the common course of things, that you will have no private friendships; but what I mean is, that these are not to be allowed to interfere with your official and universal obligations. As the common center of the society, you are to unite all hearts to each other, by uniting them all to yourself. Especially remember the sick and the poor.

Let your visits be seasonable; and if they are seasonable, I am sure they will not be late in the evening. Always eat at home. Late visiting is an enemy to family religion, domestic order, private devotion, early rising, diligent study, and by a last undulation, the mischief reaches the pulpit itself.

4. Approve yourself a minister of God—by your general conduct, spirit, and habits.

A. By the unsullied PURITY of your outward conduct. If every private Christian should be a fair copy of His example, who was holy, harmless, and undefiled, think what your deportment should be, who are to be "a pattern to believers in word, in life, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." Read Paul's Epistles to Timothy, and there learn the vast importance to be attached to the most scrupulous regard to all the branches of true holiness. "Oh! I could shed tears of blood, and drown my Bible with my tears," to think of the misconduct of those who have filled the pastoral office. The sins of teachers are the teachers of sins, and have done more to hinder the cause of truth than all the ravings of infidelity.

Indeed it is in the pulpit of an unholy ministry that infidelity builds her nest; it is there the vulture brood is hatched which prey upon the carrion of corrupt profession, and by the righteous retribution of Jehovah seize first upon the character of a wicked priesthood. An unholy minister is the most dreadfully guilty, and the most fatally mischievous person in existence—he is a living curse, a walking pestilence, diffusing a savor of death around him wherever he goes; from whom, as to any voluntary association, every godly person should flee with greater horror than from a person infected with the plague. His name is Apollyon—his work destruction. It is dreadful to reflect what multitudes are now in the bottomless pit, who were conducted there by the damnable heresies of such men's lives; from whose imprecations, envenomed by despair, the guilty authors of their ruin will find neither escape nor shelter through everlasting ages, but feel the guilt of blood forever upon their wretched souls!

It is not enough for us to be without criminality. Our character, like that of a chaste female, must, to be reputable—be without suspicion. There must be no cloud of mystery hanging about us. We must keep at the farthest remove from everything wrong, and avoid the very appearance of evil. "If a minister be not overcome by vice, may he not fall by error, by vanity, by indolence, by dulness? If he escapes from gross immorality, may not his excellencies be tarnished; his talents be injured, his usefulness defeated, by small imprudences? May there not be indulgences at the table where there is no gluttony? May there not be tippling where there is no intoxication? May there not be levities and liberties where there is no violation of virtue?

May there not be, especially in the young minister, an assumption of importance, a creation of unnecessary trouble, an inattention to order and regularity, which, while he supposes that it indicates genius, will not fail to lower him in the esteem and hope of the families he deranges and disgusts? If he avoids worldly profligacy, may he not indulge in religious excess; by constantly going into festive circles of spiritual triflers and gossips; spending his evenings generally from home; retiring late to rest, and never rising early? If he is not chargeable with filthy conversation; may he not err in foolish talking and jesting which is not convenient? May he not be the buffoon, or the comedian of the room? If he be not a liar, may he not be a mere newsmonger, or a noisy dabbler in party politics?" (William Jay)

We occupy a very public station; like the angel standing in the sun, we must be seen. The least approach to iniquity, by us, will be seen by many eyes, and published by many tongues. Do not affect a haughty indifference to public opinion. What others think is wrong, avoid even though you should know it to be innocent. Conform to such errors rather than lessen the weight, or obscure the beauty of your character.

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